{"id":1050,"date":"2018-09-02T15:07:35","date_gmt":"2018-09-02T22:07:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/?p=1050"},"modified":"2018-09-02T15:08:45","modified_gmt":"2018-09-02T22:08:45","slug":"up-close-and-personal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/02\/up-close-and-personal\/","title":{"rendered":"Up Close and Personal!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><font color='black' size='2' face='arial'><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>  <w:WordDocument>   <w:View>Normal<\/w:View>   <w:Zoom>0<\/w:Zoom>   <w:TrackMoves\/>   <w:TrackFormatting\/>   <w:PunctuationKerning\/>   <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas\/>   <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false<\/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>   <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false<\/w:IgnoreMixedContent>   <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false<\/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>   <w:DoNotPromoteQF\/>   <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US<\/w:LidThemeOther>   <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE<\/w:LidThemeAsian>   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\tmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; \tmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; \tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; \tmso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; \tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} <\/style>\n\n <![endif]--><\/p>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;color:#212121\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-1050-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pentecost-15-09-02-18.mp3?_=1\" \/><source type=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/FILELINK?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pentecost-15-09-02-18.mp3\">http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pentecost-15-09-02-18.mp3<\/a><\/audio>&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">September 2, 2018<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Up Close and Personal!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoBodyText\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\">, the God of your fathers, is giving you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> your God that I give you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, \u201cSurely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the L<\/span>ORD<span style=\"font-size:12.0pt\"> our God is near us whenever we pray to him?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(NIV1984)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">You\u2019re on the elevator at a large hospital.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The person you came to visit is on the twelfth floor.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>You are the only person on the elevator\u2014 until you get to the second floor.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The elevator stops.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The door opens.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The person who gets on the elevator sees that the button for the twelfth floor has already been pressed and so they say, \u201cThat\u2019s my floor too.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then they come and they stand directly beside you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>How do you feel?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do you feel comfortable in that situation or does that situation make you feel uncomfortable?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Most of us would probably feel rather uncomfortable in that situation.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Why?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because we all have this invisible line around us that designates what we consider to be our own \u201cpersonal space.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>For a complete stranger to get on an elevator where we are the only other person there and then stand <u>directly<\/u> beside us\u2014 well, that infringes on our \u201cpersonal space.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>That \u201cpersonal space\u201d is reserved, isn\u2019t it.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It is reserved for family, for friends and for the people we love.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Take a moment, my friends, to think of the names of the people that you gladly welcome into your \u201cpersonal space.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>If you were the only person on an elevator when the door opened and someone else gets in that elevator, who would you feel comfortable having stand <u>directly<\/u> by your side?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Keep that list of names in your mind.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019ll come back to it later.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">If you can picture yourself standing in an elevator and feeling comfortable with one of those individuals from your list standing directly beside you then you\u2019ll have no problem relating to how I want to approach our sermon text for today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>This morning our goal is to see that the Lord our God is the God who loves to get:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Up Close and Personal!<\/i><\/b><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>There are two things we want to see today.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>First, let\u2019s see that the Lord gets up close and personal with us through His Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then let\u2019s see that we get up close and personal with God through prayer.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Have you ever heard of a belief system called Deism?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>According to The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Deism is:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>\u201cThe belief that God has created the universe but remains apart from it and permits his creation to administer itself through natural laws.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Deism thus rejects the supernatural aspects of religion, such as belief in revelation in the Bible.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>I seriously doubt that the people of God in the days of Moses considered the Lord their God to be a \u201cdistant\u201d God.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Whether it was at the burning bush or throughout the ten plagues, whether it was at the parting of the Red Sea or at Mount Sinai the Lord God proved to His children beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is the God who does indeed get \u201cup close and personal\u201d with His Creation!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">That truth is clearly emphasized throughout Scripture\u2014 including right here in the book of Deuteronomy.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The book of Deuteronomy is Moses\u2019 farewell speech to the Children of Israel.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The forty years of wandering in the wilderness are coming to an end.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Because of his own disobedience Moses would not be allowed to lead God\u2019s people across the Jordan and into the Promised Land.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>As Moses prepares to turn the reigns of leadership over to Joshua he reminds God\u2019s people that even though they are about to experience many changes as they transition from a nomadic life of wandering in the wilderness to a life of settling into the Promised Land, the most important things would <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> change.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The Lord their God would <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> change.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>The covenant which the Lord God had established with them would <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> change.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And, the revealed Word of God would <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> change.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>To emphasize all of that Moses says in the opening verses of our text, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cHear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the L<\/i><\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">, the God of your fathers is giving you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the L<\/span><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> your God that I give you.\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Does it get any clearer than this, my friends?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Could it be stated any simpler?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Unlike Islam which adds the Koran as a \u201csuperior\u201d revelation of God\u2019s Word, unlike the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints which adds the Book of Mormon as an \u201cupdated\u201d revelation of the Bible, unlike the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses who subtract from the Bible both by altering the definition of key terms such as \u201cgrace\u201d and the \u201cSon of God\u201d as well as by denying key teachings such as the Trinity and the meaning of the cross (Pointing to the cross) \u2014 the Lord God very simply and very clearly says to His children:<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Do not <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">add<\/b> to My Word and do not <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">subtract<\/b> from My Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Keep My Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Believe My Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Teach My Word <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">as<\/i> I have revealed it to you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See also Revelation 22:18-19)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">When by the grace of God you and I believe, teach and confess that the Bible <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\"><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">is<\/i><\/b> the holy, inspired and inerrant Word of God from Genesis to Revelation then as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of the Bible it will become more and more clear to us that through His Word our God comes into our \u201cpersonal space.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Through His Word our God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And as Moses brings out here in our text, when God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word He gives to us true <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cwisdom\u201d<\/i> and true <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cunderstanding.\u201d<\/i><span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>What does that mean to us as individual children of God?<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>It all depends on what we need to hear, doesn\u2019t it.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">When we have sinned the Lord our God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word to remind us that, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cThe soul who sins is the one who will die\u201d<\/i> (Ezekiel 18:4) and <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cFor we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad\u201d<\/i> (2 Corinthians 5:10).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When we confess our sins and repent of our sins the Lord our God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word as He takes us by the hand, leads us to the foot of the cross of His Son and says, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cIt is finished\u201d<\/i> (John 19:30), <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cTake heart, son; your sins are forgiven\u201d<\/i> (Matthew 9:2).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When we are feeling sad or lonely or afraid, when we are feeling tired or weak or burdened the Lord our God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word to give us whatever it is we need at that time.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">When we stop to remember, my friends, that the God of heaven gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His holy inspired Word then we won\u2019t want to change God\u2019s Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We won\u2019t want to alter God\u2019s Word to fit our way of thinking.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We won\u2019t want to add anything to God\u2019s Word or subtract anything from it in any way whatsoever.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When we stop to remember that the God of heaven gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word we will want to read God\u2019s Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We will want to study God\u2019s Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We will want to \u201cinwardly digest\u201d God\u2019s Word both here at church as well as at home.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Before we run out of time let\u2019s turn our attention to the second point I want to emphasize from this text.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We\u2019ve seen that God gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with us through His Word.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Now let\u2019s see that we get \u201cup close and personal\u201d with God through prayer.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Look at verse seven, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhat other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the L<\/i><\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> our God is near us whenever we pray to him?\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">As the beloved saved children of God you and I have the privilege of knowing the Almighty Creator of the universe as our \u201c<i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">Abba,<\/i> Father\u201d (Romans 8:15).<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Through the cross of our only Lord and Savior we know that the sins that once separated us from God, the sins that once kept God from even hearing our prayers\u2014 all those sins have been completely taken away.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>(See Isaiah 59:2)<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Through the cross of Jesus Christ we know that we now have free, direct and unrestricted access to God\u2019s eternal throne of grace.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>In other words, my friends, no matter where you are and no matter what you are doing, no matter what time of the day or night it might be and no matter what the reason\u2014 you can go to the Lord your God in prayer and say, \u201cFather, Daddy, I need to talk to you.\u201d<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>His response to you will <u>always<\/u> be, \u201cCome, My child.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Sit right here by My side and tell me what is on your heart.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Sometimes I think it is easy for us to lose sight of the tremendous power and privilege of prayer.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We get so busy during the course of the day that we just don\u2019t take the time to get \u201cup close and personal\u201d with God through prayer.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We get so overwhelmed by all the things that we need to do and all the things that we are struggling to take care of that we lose sight of the privilege of getting \u201cup close and personal\u201d with the God who has both the power and the love to take care of all those things for us.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>And yes, sometimes we may even lose our focus in life.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We wander away from the Lord.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>We become like the people who feel that God is \u201cdistant\u201d from us\u2014 not actively involved in or overly concerned about our personal life.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Do <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> let your hectic schedule, do <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> let your stressful life, do <b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight:normal\">not<\/b> let your old sinful nature keep you from getting \u201cup close and personal\u201d with the Lord your God through prayer.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Whether it is in the morning when you get up or in the evening before you go to sleep or at a set time during the course of the day remember the wonderful truth brought out here in our text for today, <i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\">\u201cWhat other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the L<\/i><\/span><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"layout-grid-mode:line\">ORD<\/span><\/i><i style=\"mso-bidi-font-style:normal\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"> our God is near us whenever we pray to him?\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\"><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Think back to the list of names I asked you to compile in your head.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Picture the faces of the people that you warmly welcome into your \u201cpersonal space\u201d and how comfortable you feel in that situation.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Then remember, my friends.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Remember and rejoice in knowing that the Lord your God is the God who loves to get \u201cup close and personal\u201d with you\u2014 His dearly beloved child.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every time you pick up this Book (the Bible) to read it and to study it, every time you hold the teachings of Scripture close to your heart the God of heaven gets \u201cup close and personal\u201d with you.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>Every time you exercise the tremendous privilege of prayer the Creator of the universe welcomes you to get \u201cup close and personal\u201d with Him by sitting directly beside Him and sharing with Him whatever is on your heart.<span style=\"mso-spacerun:yes\">&nbsp; <\/span>When we stop to remember that the Lord our God is indeed the God who loves to get \u201cup close and personal\u201d how can we not join together in saying\u2014<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">To God be the glory!<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">Amen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-pagination:none\"><span style=\"font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;layout-grid-mode:line\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<p> <\/font><\/p>\n<div class=\"postie-attachments\">Download sermon audio ::  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Pentecost-15-09-02-18.mp3\">Pentecost-15-09-02-18.MP3<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 2, 2018 Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Up Close and Personal! &nbsp; Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you.&nbsp; Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1050\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}