God’s favorite house part 7
The house of a friend
“TO KNOW GOD AS A FRIEND”
Proverbs 18:24
Intro: Some people are very reluctant to develop new relationships, because of past experiences, but while our relationships in this life can cause our greatest grief, pain and sorrow they can also be the source of our greatest joy and pleasure and without question such a relationship is one that we can have with the Lord.
While it’s a pleasure for us to introduce our friends to other people, there could never be a more important introduction of a friend than the Lord.
God wants us to know Him as a friend (see John 15:)! That’s not to put us on the same level as God, but it speaks of the intimacy God longs for us to have with Him - God’s grace. We have 4 basic different classifications of friends:
1. Acquaintances - Implying more than recognition and less than friendship
Infrequent contact People we see at Wal-mart and say hi
2. Casual friends - Happening or appearing by chance
Common interests might see at a ball park every week or so
3. Close friends - Fitting tightly or exactly
Share life’s goals People we would go to there house and visit but would not necessarily share our most private thoughts with.
4. Intimate friends - Innermost, hence very personal – Characterized by or arising from close association
Regular contact and trust (this is the relationship God desires with us.)
To know God is to:
I. DISCOVER THE PERSON OF GOD
You can’t know Him as a friend until you know Him as God.
Most of the time we associate a discoverer as something that we seek after, but the Lord, who is life’s greatest treasure, is not sought after and discovered His discoverer comes to you rather than you going to look for it.
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:44)
Moses initial encounter with the Lord is found in the Exodus 3:3-4. Notice the steps in discovering the Lord:
A. Attention
Exo 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Exo 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
B. Adoration Heb 11:6 “…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
C. Acceptance Come home your father really loves you.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
8159. sha’ah, shaw-aw’; a prim. root; to gaze at or about (prop. for help); by impl. to inspect, consider, compassionate, be nonplussed (as looking around in amazement) or bewildered:--depart, be dim, be dismayed, look (away), regard, have respect, spare, turn.
II. DETERMINE THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN OUR OWN LIVES
What I am called to do you may or may not be called to do. But what you are called to do I may or may not be called to do.
It requires:
A. Spirituality
1 Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
B. Submission
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
C. Service
1 Cor 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1 Cor 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Phil 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
III. DESIRE THE PRESENCE OF GOD
You must be…
A. Dependent on God
Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
B. Devoted to God
Phil 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Phil 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Devotion to God says No to the world and Yes to His will no matter how hard the flesh fights.
You must
C. Delight in God
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Conclusion:
Do you know God as a friend? If so what kind of friend is He to you?
Is He an Acquaintance?
Is He a casual friend?
Is He a close friend
Or do you truly know Him Intimately?
Come to know God intimately He is waiting for that relationship.
