Warren quotes the Bible eighteen times using seven translations and paraphrases. People often blame God for hurts caused by others. Yes, your joy will overflow!". He offers his friendship to the godly - Proverbs 3:32 Draw close to God and God will draw close to you. You are as close to God as you choose to be. Genuine friendship is built on disclosure. Ties right in with what Jesus says about hearing his words and acting on them. God's agenda was his agenda, and God's passion was his: "The thing that has me so upset is that I care about you so much-this is the passion of God burning inside me!" Remain in my love. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. I must desire friendship with God more than anything else, The Psalms are filled with examples of this desire. You are as close to God as you choose to be. The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty-about your faults and your feelings. God told the captives in Babylon, "When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.”. Developing your friendship with God He offers his friendship to the godly. Proverbs 3:32 (NLT) Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Actually, God is more pleased when we do small things for him out of loving obedience. If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now! You’ll discover in a fresh way the God who loves you. Joshua 24:15 …choose you this day whom ye will serve… What is your attitude? He told Moses he would keep his promise to give the Israelites the Promised Land, but he wasn't going one step farther with them in the desert! You'll you'll do these things anyways, they'll come naturally to you and uh and that's the thing about developing your friendship with God is that you know the more you fall in love with him and the closer you get to the easier it is to trust him and obey him and have this relationship with him. Absolutely! Your friendship with God will also develop when you learn to desire his friendship more than anything else. Verse to Remember: “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.” James 4:8 a (NLT). This is the reason God used Paul in such a great way. Remember, it's your choice. While these close companions had special privileges, they were still subject to the king and had to obey his commands. Paul is the best example of this. To instruct us in candid honesty, God gave us the book of Psalms-a worship manual, full of ranting, raving, doubts, fears, resentments, and deep passions combined with thanksgiving, praise, and statements of faith. Expressing doubt is sometimes the first step toward the next level of intimacy with God. It won't happen by accident. As noted, much of our teaching about God has stressed fear of God. Developing Your Friendship with God ~ Day 12 Proverbs 3:32 "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you" (James 4:8). Day 12, Tuesday, February 4, 2014 “Developing your friendship with God” PONDER: I am as close to God as I choose to be. This is what friends do-they care about what is important to the other person. David passionately desired to know God above all else; he used words like longing, yearning, thirsting, hungering. Like any friendship, we must work at developing our friendship to God. I must choose to be honest with God. If so, this study is a great place to learn that God is a friend worth having. You are as close to God as you choose to be 4. It’s a relationship that will last Forever. Do you take time to listen to him - and his cares? God allowed Abraham to question and challenge him over the destruction of the city of Sodom. It takes desire, time, and energy. God is to be your closest friend. It takes desire, time, and energy. Like all friendships we must be honest with Him. - James 4:8. It's encouraging to know that all of God's closest friends Moses, David, Abraham, Job, and others-had bouts with doubt. Every time you trust God’s wisdom … Point to Ponder: I’m as close to God as I choose to be. This chapter talks about how we can develop our friendship with God. Chapter 12—Developing Your Friendship with God (pages 92-99) A Christian always has options in the development of his friendship with God. Paul told Timothy, “some of these people have missed the most important thing in life-they don’t know God.” Remember, it’s your choice of a friendship with God. God told them, "You haven't been honest either with me or about me-not the way my friend Job has.... My friend Job will now pray for you and I will accept his prayer.". The truth is-you are as close to God as you choose to be. The amazing part of that story is that God, who is all powerful, let Jacob win! The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty—about your faults and your feelings. They consist of Family, Co-workers, People from high school, etc. Our friendship with God takes desire, time, and energy. “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.” James 4:8 (NLT). God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty. You are as close to God as you choose to be 3. Have you been missing out on the most important thing in life? God listens to the passionate words of his friends; he is bored with predictable, pious cliches. I'm a nice guy and I'm good at making friends. Rick points out that progress in friendship with God is linked closely to doing something about what God says. I pray God is plentifull. Even through such simple acts as telling the truth, being kind, and encouraging others, we bring a smile to God's face. When Jesus asks us to love others, help the needy, share our resources, keep our lives clean, offer forgiveness, and bring others to him, love motivates us to obey immediately. He said, “… You are my friends, if you obey Me.” John 15:14 (CEV), There is nothing—absolutely nothing—more important than developing a friendship with God. It's a relationship that will last forever. He may be as close to God as he chooses to be—since He was created in the image of God, he was empowered to make the decision to accept God’s gift of salvation; and, he is empowered to exercise choice, which should be governed by the … There is nothing-absolutely nothing- more important than developing a friendship with God. It won’t happen by accident. Catch up on our series, "Little Brother, Big Truth," here: https://crossroadsthechurch.com/media/playlist/little-brother-big-truthDownload the … The Bible tells us, "What pleases the LORD more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obedience to his voice? James 4:8 (NLT) You are as close to God as you choose to be. James 4:8 a (NLT). If you want a deeper, more intimate connection with God you must learn to honestly share your feelings with him, trust him when he asks you to do something, learn to care about what he … Do you really want it-more than anything? God was fed up, and he let Moses know exactly how he felt. More intimate? Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God. God encouraged it. Notice that Jesus expects us to do only what he did with the Father. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty. For I am overwhelmed.". Three of these caught... Point to Ponder. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. Because of God’s grace, Jesus is still friend of sinners. Jesus said, "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. VERSE: James 4; 8a Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you QUESTION: What practical choices will I make today in order to draw closer to God? "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16) -- then you and your friends can know -- enough to prove God is real for yourself and then bless the whole world with God… You’ll see how he has sought you out, and that he really desires to know you as a friend. Thirty years of pleasing God were summed up in two words: "lived obediently"! Verse to Remember: "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you." I’ve felt abandoned and left to walk the path of life with no guidance or direction. Are you traveling with us or not?...' The truth is, you’re as close to God as you choose to be. He offers his friendship to the GODLY (proverbs 3:32) Draw close to GOD, and GOD will draw close to you (James 4:8) You are as close to GOD as you choose to be. Remember, it’s your choice. Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God I've got a lot of friends. We don’t normally think of obedience as a characteristic of friendship – that’s reserved for relationships with a parent or the boss or a superior officer – not a friend. Developing a friendship with God will only continue to help you grow in all your worldly friendships. Pain is the fuel of passion-it energizes us with an intensity to change that we don't normally possess. Powered byEunosmedia created by Antonio Vaz. It takes time, desire and energy.If you want a deeper, more intimate connection with God you must learn to honestly share your feelings with him, trust him when he ask you to do something, learn to care about what he cares about and desire his friendship … Point to Ponder: I’m as close to God as I choose to be. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." The redemption of his people. However, Jesus made it clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God. Friends of God tell their friends about God. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendships with GOD. It is better to obey than to sacrifice.". His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Summary: If you want a deeper, more intimate connection with God, you must learn to: 3. Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God: Why would I want to be God's friend if he allowed this? It won’t happen by accident. Make time to draw close to Him Scripture records that “ [t]he Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). This can be spot on with a true friendship, but without a friendship with God first you're missing a whole piece of the relationship. Pray this throughout your day: "Dear Jesus, more than anything else, I want to get to know you intimately." When you read the emotional confessions of David and others, realize this is how God wants you to worship him-holding back nothing of what you feel. You can pray like David: "I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. He said, "You are my friends if you do what I command.". You are as close to God as you choose to be. Point to Ponder: I'm as close to God as I choose to be. Your love, LORD, means more than life to me. You can do something about it starting now. Chapter 12: Developing Your Friendship with God. Having a relationship with God is simple, just as any friendship should be. Can God handle that kind of frank, intense honesty from you? Every possible emotion is catalogued in the Psalms. He knows who and what is best for you. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. Fortunately, because of God's grace, Jesus is still the `friend of sinners."'. It takes desire, time, and energy. If perfection was a requirement for friendship with God, we would never be able to be his friends. But there is an easier way to reignite your passion for God: Start asking God to give it to you, and keep on asking until you have it. We are friends with God, but we are not his equals. In the Bible, the friends of God were honest about their feelings, often complaining, second-guessing, accusing, and arguing with their Creator. It won’t happen by accident. They may be unnoticed by others, but God notices them and considers them acts of worship. Matthew 11:19 In the Bible, God’s friends were honest with their feelings, often complaining, second-guessing, accusing, and arguing with their Creator. Nothing mattered more; it was the first priority, total focus, and Ultimate goal of his life. You can do something about it starting now. God treasures simple acts of obedience more than our prayers, praise, or offerings. Have you been missing out on the most important thing in life? Job was allowed to vent his bitterness during his ordeal, and in the end, God defended Job for being honest, and he rebuked Job's friends for being inauthentic. How else will I know that you're with me in this, with me and your people? The Bible says nothing about those hidden years except for a single phrase in Luke 2:51: "He went back to Nazareth with them, and lived obediently with them" (Msg). Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God. Abraham pestered God over what it would take to spare the city, negotiating God down from fifty righteous people to only ten. The second dearest thing is when his children share that news with others. #1.In developing your friendship with God: you must choose to be honest with God! What does God care about most? His relationship with his Father is the model for our friendship with him. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. This creates what William Backus calls "your hidden rift with God.". To be a friend of God, you must care about all the people around you whom God cares about. Every time you trust God’s wisdom and do whatever he says – even when you don’t understand it – you deepen your friendship with God. Friendships don’t develop by accident - they take time and effort. Your problems are not punishment; they are wake-up calls from a loving God. True friendship isn't passive; it acts. God is not mad at you; he's mad about you, and he will do whatever it takes to bring you back into fellowship with him. The thing I seek most of all is the privilege of meditating in God’s Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. God doesn't expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty. Is it worth the effort of developing the habits and skills required? Online Services | 11:30am, 3:00pm & 6:00pm, Christian Life Center | 2699 West Commercial Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 | (954) 731-5433 | info@clcftl.org. That’s certainly a part of God’s values. They did all the right things, but out of duty, not love. That's the whole reason Jesus came to earth. That was the problem of the Christians in Ephesus-they had left their first love. It takes desire, time, and energy. The antidote, of course, is to realize that God always acts in your best interest, even when it is painful and you don't understand it. If you don’t feel close to God, you have to ask, “Who moved?” knowing that it wasn’t Him. God doesn ’t expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. If you've just been going through the motions spiritually, don't be surprised when God allows pain in your life. Day Twelve: Developing Your Friendship with God. Jesus did whatever the Father asked him to do-out of love. But instead of masking their misgivings with pious clichés, they candidly voiced them openly and publicly. Last week, we looked at this and how, through prayer and meditation, you can be closer to Him than you are now. It won’t happen by accident. But the point I am insisting on as foundational is that you must trust in Christ as your sin-bearer before you can develop a friendship with God. The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty—about your faults and your feelings. “Since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life” (Romans 5:10 NLT). However, Jesus made it clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God. But releasing your resentment and revealing your feeling is the first step to healing. God also listened patiently to David's many accusations of unfairness, betrayal, and abandonment. Don’t live in the past, live in the present. Kailangan mo maglaan ng oras at lakas. – PSALM 27:4. Rick links this with a passion for people – evangelism etc. You are as close to God as you choose to be. Your relationship to God has many different aspects: God is your Creator and Maker, Lord and Master, Judge, Redeemer, Father, Savior, and much more (see Psalm 89:26, 95:6, … God said to Moses, `All right. If we cannot fully open up to God, and share everything with him, then how are we going to develop our friendship? Honestly share your feelings with Him. I must choose to value what God values. You, frankly, can be as close to God as you want to be and it depends on you. He is our loving leader, and we follow him. Friendships take time, and friendship with God is not an exception. Are you a person that God can use? Paul told Timothy, “Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don’t know God.” 1 Timothy 6:21a (LB). Friendship with God requires being available for it. Jesus began his public ministry at age thirty by being baptized by John. What may appear as audacity God views as authenticity. Paul was another man passionate for friendship with God. What may appear as audacity God views as authenticity. It won’t happen by accident. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. What is it worth to you? It is likely that you need to confess some hidden anger and resentment at God for certain areas of your life where you have felt cheated or disappointed. It won’t happen by accident. Why don't you just consider making God your best friend? The first building block of deeper friendship with God is complete honesty – about your faults and your feelings. At one point, I had close to 500 from playing online games. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. Genuine friendship is built on disclosure. 2. We need a level of honesty with God. He craved God. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me.”, God doesn't expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty, Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God. Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. It is God's way of arousing us from spiritual lethargy. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. To be God's friend, you must be honest to God, sharing your true feeling, not what you think you ought to feel or say. Day Twelve – Developing Your Friendship With God Bible Passages. Copyright © 2021 ACADEMY OF PUBLIC POLICIES, Royal Academy of Nutrition and Health Eating, Breast Cancer Prevention (several languages), Stroke - Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) (several languages), Combating Human Trafficking, Pedophilia, Prostitution, Pornography and Sex Industry, Royal Academy of Globalization & Business. For another, friendship with God leads to a wider and wider circle of friends as we realize that God’s desire for friendship includes all people. The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty—about your faults and your feelings. Because we have been forgiven and set free, we obey out of love-and our obedience brings great joy! Here are 8 ways you can grow your friendship with God 1. Just trust him. It won’t happen by accident.It takes desire, time, and energy. The dearest thing to the heart of God is the death of his Son. As so many people in the Bible did, tell God exactly how you feel. To be God’s friend, you must be honest to God, sharing your true feeling, not what you think you ought to feel or say. You must intentionally seek it. If you want a deeper, more intimate connection with God you must learn to honestly share your feelings with him, trust him when he asks you to do something, learn to care about what he cares about, and desire his friendship more than anything else. Is it worth it to develop the skills and the habits to be God’s friend? Every time you trust God's wisdom and do whatever he says, even when you don't understand it, you deepen your friendship with God. Intimate friendship with God is a choice, not an accident. None of God's friends in the Bible were perfect. It takes desire, time, and energy. There seem to be many times in my spiritual journey with Christ where I’ve been confused and desperately frustrated. It won `t happen by accident. 5. God did not slay Jeremiah when he claimed that God had tricked him. 1. Do you desire a deeper relationship with God? This is the first building block with any relationship because complete honesty about your faults and your feelings will open arms and hearts. Purpose Driven LifeChapter 12: “Developing Your Friendship with God”*we do not have the copyright of this music*-“Friend of God” by Israel Houghton

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