Will you Be My Best Friend?

So the question is, does God speak to us today? Can we get specific direction for our lives? Is it a waste of time to look for answers to the issues in one seemingly insignificant life? I believe the answers to those questions are a resounding yes,yes, and ABSOLUTELY NOT! In the Blackaby study mentioned earlier, the authors are clear about God's response to his children. They talk throughout the study about watching for God's invitation to join Him in His work. Their belief, and mine, is that communication with God must start with relationship first. Here's an example. Suppose you are hit with a major personal crisis. Let's say you suspect your daughter or son is experimenting with drugs. You desperately need someone to talk with. Not wanting to risk the word getting out, you decide to stop a stranger in Wal-Mart and ask that person what to do. You start explaining your problem while the startled person just looks at you. He doesn't know you. You've never spoken before. You've never even seen each other before. What do you think this stranger's response would be? Hopefully, he wouldn't call security, but he might. At the very least he would walk away from you, maybe even calling you crazy in the process. It WOULD be almost crazy to do this. Who would share personal information and ask for advice from someone they didn't even know? You get my point I'm sure. There must be a relationship between two people before a discussion this personal could take place. Same thing with God. The only way God will be able to speak with us if if He knows us. If we have what Blackaby terms an "intimate love relationship" with God. And, as He is known for doing, God won't force that relationship on us. He does pursue us to enter into relationship with him, but He always gives us the choice to respond or not. I believe, and have found in experience, that there is a big difference between being a saved person and having a deep relationship with Christ. Just like friendships. You can be casual friends with a person, but until you spend time together and REALLY get to know each other that friendship isn't deep. You aren't going to call on that person in your greatest time of need. It's not someone you would invite to the hospital waiting room when your child is ill. Someone you'd call on when your mom dies. Someone you'd run to when your marriage is in trouble. God pursues us to rescue us from sin and provide us with the opportunity to spend eternity with Him. Unlike earthly relationships,He never gives up. No matter how difficult we are or how resistant we are to Him, He'll try again. But to truly establish a deep relationship with Him, we have to do our part. I was finally saved, after thinking I was a "Christian" for many years, about 20 years ago. I am certain I was saved at that time. I had somewhat of a superficial relationship with Christ, there but lacking something. Now since we know there is nothing superficial in Christ, it had to be me, right? And it was. Knowing full well there was one area of sin in my life God was requiring me to surrender, I simply refused to do that. Crazy,huh? When I finally surrendered that area,it freed God up to pursue me further. I also developed a deeper need for the Word, prayer, and pursuit of Him. From there it becomes a circle of interaction. The more I pursue Him, the more He grants me the privilege of interaction with Him. A mutual relationship. Someone I can call on anytime,anywhere. And I know to keep that relationship strong, I have to keep the communication going. Just like a human relaionship. You get back what you put into it. So, if you are not getting much back and forth communication with God, check the relationship. Communicate with Him as you would your best friend and see what happens. More later.......

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