Do This to Get Closer to God

One Thing: Pre-deciding to Pursue Intimacy with God

Scripture References

Primary text

• Psalm 27

Other references

• Psalm 63
• Psalm 19
• Psalm 122

Overview

Pastor Craig opened the new series “Think Ahead” by focusing on King David’s single, guiding decision: to pursue intimacy with God above everything else. David’s “one thing” (Psalm 27) models a life that thinks ahead—pre-deciding to seek God’s presence, God’s word, and God’s people before pressure or emotion can pull us elsewhere. Craig showed why that same pre-decision is critical for us today and gave three areas where desperation for God must shape our daily choices.

Main Points

The Power of a Single Request

• Question posed: “If God would do one thing for you, what would you ask?”
• David’s answer (Psalm 27): dwell in God’s presence, gaze on His beauty, seek Him in His temple.
• What we ask reveals what we value most; deciding in advance to value God guards us from lesser pursuits.

Desperate for God’s Presence

• Intimacy never happens accidentally; it requires intentionality.
• Craig’s life snapshot: daughters battling illness, friends in a nightmare, heavy ministry load, upcoming wedding, personal health flare-ups.
  • Story: These pressures keep him awake at night and remind him he is “desperate for God right now.”
• David’s wilderness prayer (Psalm 63) shows thirsting, longing language that goes beyond casual belief to urgent need.
• Every distraction in culture fights against this pursuit; we counter by pre-deciding to seek Him daily.

Desperate for God’s Word

• Relationship grows through shared words; Scripture is God’s ongoing conversation with us.
• David’s description (Psalm 19): perfect, trustworthy, right, clear, more desirable than gold, sweeter than honey.
• God’s word supplies whatever is lacking: encouragement when sad, guidance when confused, peace when anxious, strength when weak.
  • Examples Craig quoted to himself in the night: “Do not be anxious…”; “Do not grow weary…”; “The Lord is my refuge…”. (No chapter citations were given.)
• We read the Bible because we want to, not because we have to; it is spiritual oxygen.

Desperate for God’s Church

• David’s joy (Psalm 122): “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”
• Church involvement is not optional for followers of Jesus; we need “God with skin on” through other believers.
• Story: Nearly every major blessing in Pastor Craig’s life—salvation, discipleship, marriage to Amy, children’s spiritual growth, lifelong friendships—traces back to the local church.
• Promise (quoted): “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish.”

Pre-Decide Today

• You will need God’s presence, word, and church in the future, so establish the rhythm now.
• Intimacy flows from intentional habits: daily prayer, daily Scripture, weekly gathered worship.
• Without a pre-decision, busyness and emotion will win; with it, closeness to God becomes the default.

Key Truths

• You never drift into closeness with God; intimacy requires intentionality.
• Desperation is not weakness—it is accurate self-assessment that drives us to God.
• God’s word is perfectly suited to meet every spiritual, emotional, and practical need we face.
• The local church is God’s chosen environment for flourishing believers and families.
• Pre-deciding anchors our future actions when emotions, fatigue, or temptation arrive.

Response

• Set a daily appointment for unhurried prayer and keep it.
• Open Scripture before opening a screen each morning.
• Plant yourself—don’t merely attend—in a local LifeGroup, serve team, or ministry.
• Identify one distraction that steals time from God and eliminate it this week.
• Teach your household that gathered worship is a non-negotiable rhythm.

Closing

Pastor Craig urged every listener to act now rather than wait for a crisis: decide today to seek God because “whether you know it or not, you are desperate for Him.” He then invited anyone uncertain of their standing with God to surrender to Jesus for forgiveness and new life.

“We choose to seek You, God. When we draw near to You, You draw near to us.”

Prayer

“Heavenly Father, would You forgive my sins?
Jesus, save me, make me new.
Fill me with Your Spirit so I can walk in Your presence, know Your word, and be strong in Your church.
Thank You for new life; I give You all of mine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Resources

• Think Ahead — book by Pastor Craig Groeschel (releasing this week)