Draw Nigh to God 

Scripture Reading: James 4:7-12.

Memory Verse: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:22).

Introduction: An old legend about the great conqueror, Napoleon, goes like this: One day when Napoleon's horse ran away, a lowly soldier caught it. Napoleon said, "Thank you, captain." The man immediately packed his belongings and moved into the officers quarters and went to mess with the officers. The emperor had called him captain, therefore he was now an officer.
  There is a great lesson for us in this story. We are all miserable sinners, but when we receive Jesus Christ as our savior, He calls us to become sons of God (John 1:12). We should immediately move into the higher life to which He has appointed us! We should become closer to God. We should desire to seek Him first, above all else in our lives.
  Dwight L. Moody once said, "The only way to keep a broken vessel full is to keep it always under the tap." Think of the broken vessel as our lives--the only way we can stay full of the power and love of God is to stay close to Him, allowing Him to keep us "full." It's like the old adage: Stay close to the spout where the blessings come out!

Lesson Questions:

1. How important is it to submit ourselves to God? James 4:6,7; Romans 6:13; Psalm 40:8; Ephesians 6:5-8.

2. In what ways may we resist the devil? Ephesians 4:26,27; 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8,9; Luke 10:19; 23:31,32.

3. What great promise do we have if we draw close to God? James 4:8; Psalm 16:8; 34:18; 145:18; Isaiah 43:2; Matthew 18:20; Revelation 3:20;
2 Chronicles 7:14.

4. What instruction is given as we draw nigh to God? James 4:8; Isaiah 1:16; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Timothy 2:21; 1 John 3:3; Psalm 24:3; 2 Peter 3:14.

5. Describe the attitude of sincere repentance. James 4:9; Isaiah 22:12; Hosea 14:1,2; Joel 2:12; Matthew 26:75.

6. Who will God exalt? James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:5; Matthew 18:4; Isaiah 57:15; Proverbs 22:4; Philippians 2:8,9; Daniel 2:21; John 12:26.

7. What does James tell us about slandering others? James 4:11; Ephesians 4:31; Titus 3:1,2; 1 Peter 2:1; Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 10:18; 11:9.

8. Discuss the right, if any, we have to judge another. James 4:12; Isaiah 33:22; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Matthew 7:1-3; Romans 14:13; 2:1-6;
1 Corinthians 4:5.