- James 4:8. Jesus said, "I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. God was fed up, and he let Moses know exactly how he felt. 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? It is also a passionate activity, and God loves it when we are passionate with him. David felt the same way: "Passion for your house burns within me, so those who insult you are also insulting me. David passionately desired to know God above all else; he used words like longing, yearning, thirsting, hungering. 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. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. There seem to be many times in my spiritual journey with Christ where I’ve been confused and desperately frustrated. What may appear as audacity God views as authenticity. Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God. Point to Ponder: I’m as close to God as I choose to be. For I am overwhelmed.". 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. #1.In developing your friendship with God: you must choose to be honest with God! The truth is, you’re as close to God as you choose to be. ", The more you become God's friend, the more you will care about the things he cares about. Your friendship with God will also develop when you learn to desire his friendship more than anything else. It won’t happen by accident.It takes desire, time, and energy. The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty—about your faults and your feelings. In one startling example of frank friendship, God honestly expressed his total disgust with Israel's disobedience. The more you become God's friend, the more you will care about the things he cares about, grieve over the things he grieves over, and rejoice over the things that bring pleasure to him. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendships with 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… What is it worth to you? C. S. Lewis said, "Pain is God's megaphone." Paul is the best example of this. I’ve felt abandoned and left to walk the path of life with no guidance or direction. Paul told Timothy, "Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life-they don't know God.' If perfection was a requirement for friendship with God, we would never be able to be his friends. 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. Developing your friendship with God He offers his friendship to the godly. Genuine friendship is built on disclosure. You are as close to God as you choose to be. Developing Your Friendship with God ~ Day 12 Proverbs 3:32 "Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you" (James 4:8). So uh but yeah, I mean you know, he says. WONDER ABOUT IT: You are as close to God as you choose to be. Developing a friendship with God will only continue to help you grow in all your worldly friendships. We obey God, not out of duty or fear or compulsion, but because we love him and trust that he knows what is best for us. Is it worth the effort of developing the habits and skills required? 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. That's the whole reason Jesus came to earth. What had Jesus been doing for thirty years that gave God so much pleasure? The redemption of his people. 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. Chapter 12—Developing Your Friendship with God (pages 92-99) A Christian always has options in the development of his friendship with God. You can do something about it starting now. 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.". This is the reason God used Paul in such a great way. You are as close to God as you choose to be. 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. You can do something about it starting now. We are as close to God as we choose to be. It takes desire, time, and energy. However, Jesus made it clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God. 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. Is it worth giving up other things? Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God: Why would I want to be God's friend if he allowed this? 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 … Powered byEunosmedia created by Antonio Vaz. God said to Moses, `All right. Because we have been forgiven and set free, we obey out of love-and our obedience brings great joy! Day 12, Tuesday, February 4, 2014 “Developing your friendship with God” PONDER: I am as close to God as I choose to be. As so many people in the Bible did, tell God exactly how you feel. Fortunately, because of God's grace, Jesus is still the `friend of sinners."'. Friendship with God requires being available for it. More intimate? Have you been missing out on the most important thing in life? The second dearest thing is when his children share that news with others. And those 240 aren't even all my friends. This is what friends do-they care about what is important to the other person. Honestly share your feelings with Him. Question to Consider: What practical choices will I make today in order to grow closer to God? The first building block of a deeper friendship with God is complete honesty-about your faults and your feelings. The dearest thing to the heart of God is the death of his Son. 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!" Like all friendships we must be honest with Him. James 4:8 a (NLT). God treasures simple acts of obedience more than our prayers, praise, or offerings. It won’t happen by accident. God encouraged it. Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. It won't happen by accident. Do you take time to listen to him - and his cares? God listens to the passionate words of his friends; he is bored with predictable, pious cliches. 2. The Amplified translation expresses the full force of Paul's passion: "My determined purpose is that I may know Him-that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. Abraham pestered God over what it would take to spare the city, negotiating God down from fifty righteous people to only ten. If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now! Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God I've got a lot of friends. It's a relationship that will last forever. God doesn't expect you to be perfect, but he does insist on complete honesty. 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. Expressing doubt is sometimes the first step toward the next level of intimacy with God. 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. They consist of Family, Co-workers, People from high school, etc. You must intentionally seek it. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. God listens to the passionate words of his friends; he is bored with predictable, pious cliches. You are as close to God as you choose to be 4. If you've just been going through the motions spiritually, don't be surprised when God allows pain in your life. It won’t happen by accident. None of God's friends in the Bible were perfect. It is better to obey than to sacrifice.". It takes desire, time, and energy. At that event God spoke from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him." Like any friendship, you must work at developing your friendship with God. Can God handle that kind of frank, intense honesty from you? You’ll discover in a fresh way the God who loves you. Every possible emotion is catalogued in the Psalms. That’s certainly a part of God’s values. While these close companions had special privileges, they were still subject to the king and had to obey his commands. You can pray like David: "I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. Purpose Driven LifeChapter 12: “Developing Your Friendship with God”*we do not have the copyright of this music*-“Friend of God” by Israel Houghton 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. Joshua 24:15 …choose you this day whom ye will serve… What is your attitude? You are as close to God as you choose to be. He said, "You are my friends if you do what I command.". It takes desire, time, and energy. It takes desire, time, and energy. Yes, your joy will overflow!". – PSALM 27:4. The word Jesus used when he called us "friends" could refer to the "friends of the king" in a royal court. Here are 8 ways you can grow your friendship with God 1. As noted, much of our teaching about God has stressed fear of God. Friendships don’t develop by accident - they take time and effort. God is to be your closest friend. God did not slay Jeremiah when he claimed that God had tricked him. 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