Building RelationshipI do not want the gathering of information or facts to be the focus of this course. The overall goal of the next several weeks together will be to share with you how you might build a deeper relationship with God, and through that relationship understand that Jesus is more than enough to meet every need in your life.
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Phil 3:8-10
Conversation of Relationship: Prayer
Jesus set the standard for knowing God. His example shows us how to sustain our relationship with the Father.
Read the following passages of Scripture. Write down what you learn and observe from them.
Matt. 26:36-46
Matt. 14:13-23
Luke 5:15-16
Luke 6:12-16
Jesus talked to the Father about everything. After a day of ministry He did not sit around with His disciples and talk about what went right that day, how they could have done this or that better or what the next day held. No, He went to His Father and shared everything with Him. Jesus was able to with stand the cross because He stayed in His Father’s love. The Father and I are One.
Foundation of Relationship: Surrender
Read Psalm 51 written below:
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your
great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and
cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always
before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your
sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost
place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be
whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed
rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me
a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from
your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your
salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach
transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from
bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your
righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You
do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in
burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and
contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. In your good pleasure make Zion
prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem. Then there will be righteous
sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on
your altar.
Who is crying out to God in Psalm 51?
Why is he crying out to God in this Psalm?
What does his prayer reveal about his relationship with God?
How was he able to be so transparent in his prayer?
How do we get to the point that we can totally share our heart with God?
Our heart seeks relationship. That is how we are made…even more so since we are women. We hunger and thirst for someone to know us and love us for who we are. We want to be known as we know. Another person can NEVER fully meet that need. No matter how hard we work at any earthly relationship, it will always leave us wanting.
God did that. He does not want anyone to fill up that emptiness. It is left there for Him, so why do we avoid the deep conversations with Him? Why do we only fall on our knees when we are hurting? If we could talk to our God like we talk to our husband, best friend or even our counselor, we wouldn’t feel so empty. We would not try to fill that emptiness with things that only hurt us, because we would not feel alone.
God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17: 27-28
Revelation of Relationship: The Word
Every relationship is built on two way communication. It is not enough to talk to your friend. You have to listen to them in order for them to feel valued and loved. God is no different. He speaks to us in many different ways: trials, other people, circumstances, His Spirit, but one of the key ways is through His Word.
In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Hebrews 1:1-3
Consider the following portions of Scripture, and write out what you believe them to be saying. How important is the Bible to the overall well-being of a Christian?
Psalm 1:1-6; specific emphasis on verse 2
Psalm 119:11
Psalm 119:97-104
Does it sound odd to think of loving the law? The word law for us means something very different than it did for the writer of Psalm 119. For us it is this thing to obey so we don’t get a fine, or have to go to jail. We know it protects us, but I don’t think we would say that we love it. The law being spoken of in Psalm 119 is not the law as we see law, although that type of law was included. The Torah or the Pentateuch is the law being spoken of here. The Five Books of Moses make up the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Based on this understanding of the law, what was the psalmist saying in Psalm 119? What did he love?
Why should we meditate on the Word of God?
Look up the definition of meditation in the dictionary. What is the definition? What kind of meditation do you think is being spoken of in the Psalms?
Psalm 19:14
Psalm 104:34
Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. What could be more praiseworthy or excellent than the Word of God.
The only way we will ever know the heart of our God is by seeking Him. How blessed we are that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Our Creator gave us the Bible to reveal Himself to all of mankind.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it. Rev. 1:3
These words are specific to the book of Revelation, but I believe that if we read the Bible, meditate on it, and then apply it to our lives we too will be blessed.
Father, relationships are hard to build and to maintain. They take time, which is a commodity that we seem to always be short on. As we seek You, give us the wisdom to know what things are taking time away from our relationship with You. Be it service to the church, work, other friendships, books, or a multitude of so many other good things. Help us to let go of the good for what is the best, so that we might know You more fully. It is in the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
