God’s very essence is love. (1 John 4:8) He has always been love, even before He created you and loved you. He has always sought to have a close relationship with people. You see this truth taught throughout Scripture beginning with Adam in the Garden of Eden, and also in the book of Exodus when Moses climbed Mount Sinai to commune with God.
It was high on a mountaintop where the Lord spoke to Moses and commanded him to tell the Israelites:
"This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now, if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’” (Ex 19:3-6)
God proved He is love by sending Jesus to walk among us and die in our place. God reached out to us in the most intimate and personal way. John the Beloved shows us in 1 John 3:1-10 that as a result of what Jesus did, we can now, as His children, experience how great the love of the Father is. The wonder of what that means has not yet been entirely made known.
“But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)
Now that we are His children, we can no longer continue to sin in God’s eyes because His seed, His very essence, is now in us. This means that we can’t go on sinning because we have been born of God.
1. Living a life flowing with forgiveness is the distinguishing mark that lets the world know who the children of God are.
—as well as who the children of the devil are!
2. If we do not forgive and seek reconciliation with those who have wronged us, and love them freely, then we are not doing the very thing that proves we are truly children of God.
In 1 John 4:7-21, the Apostle John encourages and challenges us to love others.
John writes: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God--for God is love”.
Because He has loved us so much, we have been “born of God,” so “we surely ought to love each other.” “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us”.
John also tells us that if someone says they love God but hates a Christian brother or sister, “that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? (1 John 4:7-21 NLT)
A. DEVELOPING A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THE FATHER
1. Questions to Ponder
• Do you see God as a tyrant? If so, why?
• Do you feel you cannot come to Him for everything? If so, why?
• Do you fear Him to the point of not talking to Him? If so, why?
• Are you mad at God for your life or current situation? If so, name the situation
• Are you unhappy with how He created you? If so, what is it you don’t like about yourself?
• Do you see God as your Heavenly Father? If so, how?
Compare your notes to these truths about who God is: (Where there are scripture references, please take the time to open up the Bible and read for yourself – remember, God’s Word heals and delivers. What we say doesn’t!
"The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord." (Proverbs 21:31)
B. God’s Plan
For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek me, if you look for me in earnest. (Jer 29:11-13 TLB)
“When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
“Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.” (Eph 3:14-21 NLT)
C. God’s Character and Nature
“He is merciful and tender toward those who don't deserve it; he is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for his mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him.” (Ps 103:8-14 TLB)
1. You’d be surprised how many people see God as a tyrant waiting to pounce on them when they do something wrong. They don’t see Him as a loving Father wanting to help His children.
2. They only have their fathers to compare God with and don’t understand the Love of God. They may fear their fathers to the point of avoiding them.
3. Many people transfer this kind of fear to God. God wants us to come to Him any time, day or night, about anything!
4. What have you believed about God?
a. "My son if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding, Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding, if thou seek her as for silver, and searches for her as for hid treasures, THEN shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." (Prov 2:1-5 KJV)
5. We have the wrong kind of fear about God!
6. The book of Jeremiah also speaks of relationship with God. Also includes relationships with others and with ourselves, explaining the results of not abiding in truth!
7. Foundational Truths about Father God, He:
a. is our loving Father
b. created you with His hands.
c. is Love. (1 John 4:16) Jesus came to SHOW us His love)
d. is a Friend (Luke 11:5-11) (Gen 18:22 – persistent) was the friend of God. Moses was the friend of God. Enoch was a friend of God. Adam was a friend of God. Can you go boldly to God at any time for any reason?
e. is sovereign. (Patient and Kind when dealing with us.)
f. so loved the world that He gave us His Son. (John 3:16)
g. is omnipotent. He sits on the throne in Heaven.
h. need to draw close to the throne. (Heb 4:16)
i. gives mercy and grace. (Ps 23)
j. exalts us. (Heb 5:5)
k. is good!
l. never changes.
m. is Holy.
n. answers prayers.
o. blesses.
p. longs to visit with us. We were created for fellowship with Him.
q. promotes us, and God Honors us. God lifts us up. (Heb 4:10)
r. is my Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
s. is with me always. (Ps. 23:4)
t. You are precious in His sight because He loves you (Is 43:4)
God is my hiding place IF I let Him hide me!
NOTE: If we knew how much God loved us, we wouldn’t be acting the way we do. Do you have kids that are disobedient and disrespectful? Are they struggling with their lives, with a relationship with you and others and themselves? It’s simply because they don’t know how much you love them. They don’t know how to "receive" your love. It’s not that you don't love them, it’s that they don’t know how to receive your love. This is the same with our relationship with God. We don’t know how to receive His love.
D. God is Ever-Present
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Ps 46:1 NIV)
1. God is right here, right now.
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save” (Zeph 3:17a NIV)
2. In the midst of your trials and tribulations, He is there for you. You never separated from His love and strength. The great Almighty God, the Infinite Creator of the universe, takes great delight and unsurpassed joy from your relationship with Him.
3. He rejoices “over thee with love." (Zeph 3:17b)
4. You ravish his heart for He takes great “delight in you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride” (Isaiah 62:4-5).
The Father’s passionate rejoicing echoes throughout the heavenlies.
5. Jesus paints a wonderful picture of unbridled joy:
"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." (Luke 15:7 NIV)
6. Repentance is the catalyst for experiencing both joy in heaven and freedom on earth.
God promises that He:
“will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul" (Jer 32, 40-41).
Deuteronomy says that the Lord takes "delight in prospering you" (Deut. 30:9).
David understood the love of the Father and exclaimed to the world that "no good thing does [God] withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Ps 84:11).
The psalmist declares that goodness and mercy will pursue us all the days of our life (Ps 23:6).
The book of Romans tells us that all things work together for good "for those who love him" (Rom 8:28). If we delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4).
E. YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD THROUGH PRAYER
How do you imagine God to be when you pray? Is He far from you or near? Is He powerful or passive? Is He disgusted with you or in love with you? Is He a mean old man, or a kindly grandpa-type, or neither? Is He listening? Does He care for you? Can He help you?
1. What you believe about God is the most important thing contained in your mind.
2. It affects everything about you. Specifically, what you believe about God affects the way you pray.
Unfortunately, there are many wrong perceptions of God that are commonly believed. These misconceptions distort our prayers and, in some cases, prevent people from praying altogether. For too many people, God seems remote, impersonal, and unknowable. Because of that, even Christians suffer from an inability to feel forgiven, nagging doubt, mistrust of God, and even bouts with hyper-perfectionism.
3. Failure to love and trust God often comes from our pictures of God as unlovable and untrustworthy.
4. Our prayers are shaped by the way we picture God.
A dysfunctional picture of God results in a dysfunctional way of praying. Jesus revealed this truth;
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?" asked Jesus. "Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (Luke 11:11-13 NIV)
Those that had a father who was never around when they needed him or has experienced trauma, abuse, or extreme discipline will have a very difficult time pursuing an intimate relationship with the heavenly Father.
II. YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS, GOD THE SON
Now that you have had a glimpse of God, the Father, it’s time to understand who God, the Son is.
A. Write down the answers to these questions:
1. Who is Jesus?
2. Is He your personal Savior?
3. Is He the center of your thoughts?
4. Do you accept the total redemption He paid for you, or do you think you have to earn it somehow?
5. Do you have to pay penitence for your sins?
6. Do you love him? He said, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments.” What kind of a relationship do you have with Jesus?
B. These are some of the attributes and characteristics of Jesus:
Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
Jesus was the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world.
Jesus is our provider. He made a provision for us to go directly to God.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the door.
Jesus is our brother and friend.
We are heirs with Him.
He is God’s Son!
He came to show us the Love of God, our Father.
We are also children of God because of what Jesus did.
Jesus tore the wall down, so we had free access to God ourselves. (John 16:25-27).
Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:12)
Jesus was a carpenter. He’s building a mansion for us in heaven.
Jesus was the Word made flesh. (Jesus is the Godhead bodily.)
Jesus helped God build the earth. He was there when all was being created.
We were made in His image.
Jesus experienced what it is like to live in this fallen world. Yet, he did not sin.
Jesus has the power over death. (Heb 2:14)
Jesus is the great high priest (Heb 4:14)
Jesus is there in the time of need. (Heb 2:18; 4:15)
Jesus sets people free.
Jesus is faithful (Heb 3:1)
Jesus is my teacher, master, Rabbi.
Jesus is the great physician.
He has all things under his feet. (Heb 2:8)
Jesus sits at the right hand of God, making intercession for us.
Jesus is the sole expression of God’s glory.
Jesus is the very imprint of the nature of the Triune God.
He is higher than the angels.
Jesus is light.
Jesus is life.
Jesus is light and in him is no darkness.
Jesus was obedient.
Jesus sits on the throne beside God. (Heb 12:2)
Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2)
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8)
****Do you believe that Jesus is the answer?
C. The Character and Nature of Jesus
1. Jesus Christ is: (1 Cor 13)
Very patient, Kind, Never jealous or envious.
Never boastful or proud Never haughty or selfish or rude
He doesn’t demand His way He’s not irritable or touchy
He doesn’t hold grudges He is never glad about injustice.
He rejoices whenever truth wins out. He loves you
He will be loyal to you. He will always believe in you.
You can always expect the best of Him
He will always stand His ground in defending you.
2. God, the Father, identifies us in Christ Jesus.
3. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:6-7 NIV)
“‘…let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.” (Jer 31:34)
C. You Take His Breath Away
1. You took His breath away to create the Universe
“By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. (Ps 33:6 NIV)
2. You took His breath away when He formed You
“The time came when the Lord God formed a man's body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And man became a living person”. (Gen 2:7 TLB)
3. You took His breath away when you chose Him as your Lord and Savior
“Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." (John 20:21-22 NIV)
4. Now, it is your turn to let Him hold you so close that He takes your breath away because ever since the beginning of time, you have been taking His breath way every moment of every day
“You have ravished my heart, My sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart. With one look of your eyes, With one link of your necklace. 10 How fair is your love, My sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices!” (Song 4:9-10 NKJV)
III. YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT
Once we have learned about God the Father and God the Son, it is equally important that you understand your relationship with the Holy Spirit. He is your counselor, comforter, and guide.
“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26-27 NIV)
A. You have been Born-Again of the Holy Spirit
1. You can only become a child of God.
"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)
You aren’t born that way. Like begets like. An eternal God begets eternal children. In the human family, conception and birth are not dependent on the baby but on the parents. So it is with God. The difference between natural birth and spiritual birth is spiritual birth gives spiritual life.
"Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:5-8 NIV)
2. The Holy Spirit or the incorruptible seed is the source of your new birth. “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)
B. You have been Washed in the Rebirth.
1. This washing took place at the cross through the shed blood of Jesus.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus 3:5 KJV)
2. This is a once and for all experience.
"And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6:11) Notice that this verse says that you were (past tense) washed.
Jesus taught us that to have fellowship with Him, you don't need to repeat over and over the complete bath of the new birth. You only need a daily cleansing of your soul because it becomes dirty as a result of walking in a sin-cursed world.
Listen to what Jesus said to Peter after Jesus told them He was going to wash his feet:
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." (John 13:8-10 NIV)
This is why Jesus said that eleven of them were clean (saved through the complete washing of the new birth), but not Judas, who had never experienced the new birth. What you need when you sin is not to be reborn all over again, but to experience the daily cleansing through confession and repentance of the sin.
C. You have been Baptized in the Holy Spirit.
You have been permanently immersed in the Spirit and forever enclosed by Him. You are not only identified with the Spirit, but with all Christians as well.
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Cor. 12:13 NIV)
D. You have been given the Guarantee of the Holy Spirit.
1. The Holy Spirit is in the heart of every believer, guaranteeing their inheritance.
"set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, <guaranteeing> what is to come." (2 Cor. 1:22 NIV)
It is like an engagement ring that signifies the promise of marriage. It is an advance payment for things to come.
E. You have been Sealed with the Holy Spirit.
1. A seal is a sign of ownership and authority.
He has set His seal “of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Cor. 1:22 NIV)
2. The proof that the Holy Spirit has sealed a person is if there is a desire to stop sinning.
3. The presence of the Holy Spirit causes Your body to become a holy temple.
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own." (1 Cor. 6:19)
4.He enables you to understand and comprehend spiritual truth in the Bible
"We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (1 Cor. 2:12 NIV)
