John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

JESUS FOUND US AND WE ACCEPTED HIS ETERNAL LIFE

Now Lord wants us to have an intimate and close relationship with Him and others

• Before the Lord, we showed people what we wanted them to see
  • We hid our true selves
  • We may not have been able to trust anybody
  • We may have felt vulnerable and weak
    • Vulnerable means: To be vulnerable is to be open to attack or damage (capable of being wounded).
  • We have all felt unguarded, unprotected, defenseless, and powerless, and afraid of getting hurt
    • We had barriers and walls up

WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THIS ROAD OF LIFE WITH JESUS

• The Lord wants us to show us His Love
  • And break down those barriers
  • Of mistrust and fears
  • These type of barriers
  • Hurt our relationships with others and with God

OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE HIDE THEIR TRUE SELVES BEHIND A MASK. THOSE MASKS CAN ALSO BE SPIRITUAL MASKS

• God wants to remove the mask
  • Our sinful nature wants to have us try and hide from God

Genesis 3:9: And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

• But God knew all along where Adam was
• God was looking to fellowship because fot the close relationship that he shared with Adam
• But Adam was hiding because of His disobedience
• We try and hide our true selves and sin from God and others
• We hide our true selves behind a mask

THE WEARING OF A MASK CAN HINDER OUR DEVELOPING A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WITH OTHERS.

John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

GOD SHINED HIS LIGHT AND OUR WALK WITH THE LORD BEGAN

GOD WANTS TO MAKE US NEW AS WE GROW IN THE LORD AND TRUST HIM

AND CRUSH THOSE WALLS OF WEAKNESSES, FEARS, AND VULNERABILITIES WILL COME TUMBLING DOWN

IT IS A LEARNING PROCESS TO LEARN TO TRUST IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WITH PEOPLE

• We need the Lord AND each other
  • We learn and grow in the Lord’s love over time
  • And our Guides are the Word of God
  • And His Holy Spirit
    • But also, His people and leaders in the Body of Christ
    • Pray about who God puts you under
    • Don’t hop from place to place : confusion will set in
  • There is a way that seems right to us but may not be right in God’s eyes

Proverbs 14:12: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

• We learn to yield to the Spirit of God
  • We make mistakes along the way
• But learning God’s ways is our goal
• Also learning to have a real relationship
  • With Him and with others

THE LORD DESIRES A TO HAVE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU

Mark 12:30: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

DO YOU HAVE A BURNING  DESIRE TO HAVE AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Deuteronomy 4:29: But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD IS TO HAVE YOUR DEPENDENCE ON HIM ALONE

Psalm 62:2:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

AN AWARENESS OF JESUS CHRIST LIVING IN YOUR HEART IS MUST FOR AND CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Give your heart to Jesus today by saying this prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you the rest of this life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.