How to be God's friend

Hello again - still with me in this Good Bible Study? We are getting down to it now, aren't we? Some of us are going to be tempted to drop away, after all this is getting serious. Instead of getting what we want from God, we are being asked to give. Yikes.

Anybody tempted to run back to that prosperity teaching? You know, just keep sending in your money folks, and then go on living your life, business as usual, and don't worry because now God is obligated to open the store houses and return to you a hundred fold for your investment . . . 

I have no doubt there are preachers and teachers sharing this message in the proper way, who are not suggesting God will bless us financially in direct exchange for our monetary generosity. And yes, we are responsible to help support our ministers and missionaries so they can concentrate on serving. I'm just saying we can all get real off balance with thinking money is the answer to our problems and that we can manipulate God into providing it.

To tell you the truth, I was right there with you a few years ago. I learned the hard way that God is not obligated to do a darn thing but love me (that's a verb, remember.) He's a good parent. He knows what we need to grow up well.

Did you know God wants you to grow up and be his friend? We all start out as babies with our little mouths open saying, "feed me, feed me!" And everyone loves babies, right? So full of wonder and excitement! But, no one wants to change diapers forever. In addition to listening to preachers and teachers, we need to open those Bibles and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His Word to us personally!

That's why I have you look up verses for yourselves. Because I want to help you get comfortable going to God yourself and learning who He is firsthand.

Jesus says we must keep that quality of excitement and wonder for God, but also grow up and develop the ability to remain passionate through faith, through our own knowledge of the Word, through testing our faith and seeing He is faithful to help us when we call on Him. Let me tell you, the knocks of life can quickly quench the fire of someone new to knowing God, who thinks God will now protect them from all uncomfortable circumstances or pain.

I was that baby Christian and I was sorely disappointed to find out being a Christian didn't mean God would spare me from pain, it meant He would bring me through pain to the other side. I had to grow up and realize I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me - not protects me always, not puts me in a bubble in which I can have no compassion for those in pain because I have never felt pain.

Read Philippians 4:13.

Do you remember the lesson in which we learned that Christ always goes first, then encourages you to follow His example? No matter how it hurts, He felt it first. No matter how much is scares you, keep your eyes on Him and He will show you how to do it afraid.

Christ didn't calm the waves when He walked on water. He just walked on water and told Peter to get out of the boat and walk on the water after him. Read Matthew 14:25-33 for yourself.


A follower of Christ should be in some ways like a child: sincere, eager, trusting in the Lord (faith), and aware of your total dependence on God's strength to live life in joy and with courage. Read Mark 10: 13-16.


Jesus said you must receive His kingdom (His gift of salvation) with child-like belief, open-hearted and with no reservations if you expect to enter His heavenly kingdom one day. 


Why do you think that is true? Why not believe just enough to pass in church?
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Jesus also tells us He wants us to maintain that child-like belief yet grow up and be a true friend of God.

To whom do you turn for advice? Your friend. Who's opinion do you value? Your friend. Who do you need to have your back at all times? Your friend. Who do you expect to be there when they are needed? Your friend.

What do you expect from a true friend?
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Read Exodus 33:11

"So the Lord spoke to Moses _____ to ______, as a man speaks to his _________." NKJV

Read 2 Chronicles 20:7

"Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of _________, Your ___________ forever?" NKJV

What does God say makes a true friend? Read Psalm 17:17 for the answer. Write it below:
____ _______ _________ _____ _____ ________.

Moses and Abraham loved God at all times, not just when God did everything they wanted, in their timing, and according to their demands. They were His friends.

Father, I want to grow up and be your friend. Help me to love you always, not matter what comes. Where else can I go Lord? Who else could love me without condition the way You do? Who else is always working things out for the best for me? No matter where I am when I turn to you, You are already there ready to bring me out of despair and into Your love. Help me to allow you to take any circumstance, no matter how painful, and bring good from it, and from me. Make me a good friend, Lord, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Love, Karen

Photo by Andrew Kazmierski
Courtesy of photoxpress.com

 

Be transformed

Hello. Welcome again to A Good Bible Study! Get ready to be transformed.

By the way, I am so excited to hear how your day went after yesterday's session. It was a moving, meaningful lesson for me, one of those good crying, praying, loving God loving me kind of moments.

Let's pray for more of those:

Father, I thank you for opening  my heart more fully to you. I pray for a soul-searching, heart-wrenching, love-fest kind of session today in your Word, for each person reading this. You know what we each need, Lord. We want it and we want it abundantly! In the name of Jesus, amen.

God has so much for us. The great thing is He does 99% of the work. All we have to do is be willing to be renewed. Are you willing?

If not, what is holding you back?
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Say a prayer on your own right now, asking God to remove any obstacles in your heart or mind.

When you're done, begin by reading Romans 12:2 to see what God can do with a willing heart.

"And do not be ____________ to this world, but be ________ by the renewing of your mind, that you  prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God." New King James Version

The Message translation says it this way: "Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Conformed means to mold or form yourself to the world, which is defined as the current age or era. The Nelson Study Bible New King James version emphasizes that spiritual transformation starts in the heart and mind.

If you are dedicated to following your culture's concerns and values, you will be tossed back and forth by the current of popular opinion. But those who are dedicated to God's truth can stand the test of time. "We can resist the temptation of our culture by meditating (thinking about it frequently and studying what it means) on God's truth and letting the Holy Spirit shape our thoughts and behaviors."

Joyce Meyer, the author of the study I'm in the midst of, The Love Revolution Devotional Workbook and Field Journal, calls this verse a "revolutionary war verse."

She says, "Love is the power of the Gospel . . . Jesus died for all, that all those who live might no longer live those selfish, self-centered - me,me,me - lives, but they might live to and for Him. He died so that you would not have to live a life that you are in all alone. Love is the highest form of spiritual warfare." p. 53

Read 2 Corinthians 5:15

Understand?

Joyce recommends we write this verse down, and take it out throughout the day and read it. Let it sink into your spirit, and commit it to memory. It is why He gave his earthly life, and why He rose from the dead, to demonstrate to all of us who will not believe without seeing, that He is the Christ, the Son of God, able to take the punishment we deserve, and yet have the Authority to transform Himself from death to eternal life.

You know, the historical evidence, aside from the Bible even, is so overwhelming that Jesus lived as a human being, was crucified just as described in the Word, and was raised from the dead to resume His ministry on earth for another 40 days, to demonstrate He did what He said He would do . . . is remarkable. Read books like The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel (for one) that research and document the historical evidence.

Not one writing of the day, not even from His enemies, not one religion (even the Muslim religion) refutes the fact that He lived, was crucified, and rose again on the third day, performed all the miracles in Scripture, and ascended into heaven in full view of the people (Acts 1:3). It would take more faith to disbelieve Jesus, than to believe.

He is real, and you would not be here today if some part of you did not believe that already. He wants to renew you from the inside out. He is renewing me even now. If you have not already, join the revolution!

Lord, thank you for every moment you took on human form and lived as us, and for us. You took the pain that was mine, you accepted the blame that rightly belongs to me. Change me Lord, every day do the work for me so I know it wasn't my effort that made this new creation, it was Your love! In the name of Jesus, amen.

Stay still, read 2 Corinthians 5:15 again, and be transformed.

Love, Karen

Photo by Dmitry Remesov, courtesy of photoxpress.com