where art thou?

God puts every person in His body where it pleases Him.  A believer could be in a church where they are happy and content, it is where He wants you, whether a person be in their right place or not they will know deep in their heart.
 
Genesis 3:9 The Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou.
 
Now God knew exactly where Adam was but He wanted Adam to take responsibility for what he had done.  Adam disobeyed God and became the servant of the devil.  He was no longer in the place where God put him.  What did Adam do?  He blamed God for giving him a wife that ate from the tree and then gave him to eat.  One does not have to go far to get out of God’s will. 
 
1 Kings 17:3-4 Go and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, you shall drink the water and I have commanded the birds to feed you.
 
 During a time of drought God sent Elijah to the brook Cherith where he would have food and water.  Now what do you suppose would have happened if Elijah had chosen a different location?  God minsters to those in His will, not to those who go their own way.  I don’t know what would have happened to Elijah but I do know this, the testimony of his life would have been far different.  Men work with our rebellion, God works with our obedience.  Where art thou?  Are you where God can find you, where He can bless you and protect you?  Do you know where you are?  Is God where you are or is He far off?
 
John 6:66 From that time many (a large number) of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.
 
Why did these chosen men abandon Jesus?  They did not agree with His doctrine!  Let me let you in on a little secret, when I was a baby believer I didn’t always agree with God’s Word.  Want to know why?  Because I didn’t understand it.  I have found since then that if I will stay with the Word long enough God will cause me to understand.  Is God hard to understand?  Is He complicated?  No!  His Words are Spirit and so they must be spiritually discerned or understood.  God is never the problem, we are.
 
James 4:8  Move your heart closer to God,  and He will come even closer to you.  But make sure you cleanse your life, you sinners, and keep your heart pure and stop doubting.
 
The conventional wisdom appears to be like this, when things become difficult we move away from God.  The Name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it.  The devil will applaud whenever you run from God, and he will cry when you run to God.  You should never be more than just a prayer away from the Lord.  I don’t want to go hunting for Jesus when I need Him, so I stay close at all times.  It is not God’s responsibility to chase us down, it’s our decision how close we will be to Him.  Where art thou?  Do you know where you are?  Do you know where God is?  Draw nigh to Him and stay there.

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