Our scriptal text today comes from the fourth chapter of the book of James.

Verse 7 through 10 in the New Living Version, I love James, this half-brother of Jesus, who is a no-nonsense kind of guy that just shoots straight from the hill.

You don't have to wonder what James is talking

about because he'll tell you. Notice what he says, so humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil

and he will flee from you. Come close to God and God will come close to you.

Now he's given us a formula, you don't just approach God any kind of way, wash your hands,

you sinners.

But more importantly, purify your hearts.

For your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Let there be tears for what you've done.

Let there be sorrow and deep grief.

Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy.

Humble yourselves before the Lord.

And he will lift you up in honor. He's given us a formula here of how to approach God,

how to draw near, how to come after you have failed and missed the mark, this hermarsial,

this sin that we do in missing the mark, he's telling us how to get back and humble ourselves,

the posture in which you approach God.

We're talking today from the subject, the power of proximity.

The power of proximity.

He's telling us, come close to God, and he'll come close to you.

You make a move toward him.

He'll make the move toward you, and you'll find yourself

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