Draw Me Nearer, Lord
By Dennis Huebshman
Over the course of my seven decades on this earth, there have been major changes in people’s attitudes toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ that should not surprise me, yet they do. (ESV – all emphasis mine)
John 15:18-23; “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. (19) If you were of this world, would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (20) Remember the word that I said to you; a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. (21) But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know Him who sent Me. (22) If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. (23) Whoever hates Me, hates My Father also.”
One of the most well known Bible verses is John 3:16; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
To complete the Savior’s message, we must include verses 17 and 18. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” Verse 18 completes Jesus’ message with; “Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Just believing that God and Jesus exist does not save someone. James 2:19 states; “You believe that God is one, you do well. Even the demons believe and shudder.” The demons were angels that followed satan when he allowed destructive self-pride to condemn him forever. Satan and the fallen angels have no pathway to forgiveness as all humans have. In fact, the eternal lake of fire was specifically created for them for when the Father finally imposes their eternal doom upon them. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 19:20 and Revelation 20:10-15) They had all been in the presence of our Heavenly Father and seen His glory, but followed satan anyway.
When the first sin was committed in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, Our Heavenly Father knew that He would have to supply the only “blood sacrifice” that He could accept as payment for our sins. No human except for His Son in human form could appease His need for perfection.
Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us; “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we esteemed Him stricken; smitten by God and afflicted. (5) But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.”
When I read these verses in scripture, the “our”, “we”, “us” become “My” and “Mine”. Even though you and I were not here when our Savior was crucified, His pure blood sacrifice reached forward to include all of us; every human to ever live from Calvary to the end of this earth’s existence.
There is definitely a condition to receiving this gift, and it’s found in Romans 10:9-13. “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth (or in some cases with the mind) one confesses and is saved. (11) For the scripture says everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. (12) for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. (13) For all who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
When a person takes a serious look at just what our Jesus provided as a free gift for us, it should be natural to be drawn to such a loving Savior that He is.
In 1875, Fanny Crosby wrote a song titled, “I Am Thine Oh Lord” also known as “Draw Me Nearer”. It is one of the finest praise and glory songs ever written that should inspire all of us.
1.) I am Thine, oh Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy Love to me. But I long to rise in the arms of faith, and be closer drawn to Thee.
Ref.) Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer Blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died; draw me nearer, nearer, nearer Blessed Lord; to Thy precious bleeding side.
2.) Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine. Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in Thine. (ref)
3.) Oh the pure delight of a single hour, that before Thy throne I spend. When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee My God, I commune as friend with a Friend. (ref)
4.) There are depths of Love that I cannot know, till I cross the narrow sea. There are heights of joy that I may not reach, till I rest in peace with Thee. (ref)
Our Savior knew that in the long run, more people would accept satan and the desires of this world over what He has provided for us. Matthew 7:13-14 tells of the two eternal destinies, and that more would be on the road to destruction than on the pathway to eternal life with Him.
We are told by Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, John and others that near the end of this age people would turn away from anything to do with Jesus or being a Christian. Looking at the attitudes of society today worldwide, we are at that point.
Paul tells of an event commonly known as the Rapture that will take place in order to keep God’s promise of keeping all true believers from the coming wrath/tribulation. It’s found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. When one takes into account Paul’s message in 2 Timothy 3, it is apparent that we are close to the trumpet of God and the shout from an archangel taking place.
For anyone who says they believe Jesus is real, but have not called out to become a part of His precious flock, today would be a good time to consider doing so. When the trumpet and shout takes place, no one will have time to call out before the Rapture I over. In 1 Corinthians 15:52, it states, “in a twinkling of an eye”.
No one has sinned so greatly that the Savior’s blood cannot cover them. All who truly call on Him will be saved. And yes, once saved does not mean perfect and sinless. Romans 3:10; 3:23 and 6:23 tells us all have sinned. However, 1 John 1:9 tells us how to receive forgiveness when we do sin. We have God’s word on this, and He cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)
Consider carefully where you would like to spend eternity, and know the choice is totally yours. God will force no one to receive and accept His Son, but will accept everyone who truly seeks Him. “A-B-C”; Admit you’re a sinner; Believe Jesus is the true Son of God who died for your sins and was raised from the dead to conquer them for us; and Call on the Lord to save you and be your eternal Shepherd.
Hope to see you at Home!
Maranatha – Come Lord Jesus