Purpose Driven Life Chapter 12

"Developing Your Friendship with God"

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you... James 4:8

You are as close to God as you chose to be. God desires to be close to you, to be your friend. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." John 15:13-15

You can approach God as a friend, but you must still reverence Him as Lord. As a friend you can tell God anything, but you have to watch what and how you say it to Him. You can talk to Him when you're angry, hurt, disappointed or fearful. You can talk to Him when You're excited or joyful. You can ask Him questions when you don't understand something or need direction in life. You can call on Him anytime and He will answer you.

Our closest relationships hear on earth are close because we share intimate details about our life and things we are going through. We talk about good things as well as bad things. God desires to be close with you, He has told you every thing.

Communication is the key to becoming close to God. Talk to Him often about everything and watch how close you become with your Heavenly Father!

QUESTIONS:
1. Have you considered God as a close friend? Why or Why not?
2. Do you feel you can talk to God about anything? Why or Why not?

The God Kind of Faith

The God kind of Faith, (which Jesus had while on earth) does not put any trust nor look at the things in the natural realm (which are seen) but trust and look at the things in the spiritual realm (which are not seen). 2 Corinthians 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Our faith must be in the spiritual realm. Everything that has been created, was from God, who is a Spirit. Which means the spiritual realm creates, governs and controls the natural realm. When we pray, we must know that we have what we are praying for, it is in the spiritual realm and it will be manifested in the natural realm. It may take some time, but when we keep on believing God, it will come to pass. 1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”