Day 4: Week 3 (Personal God)

[russhutto]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thankful that I am indeed a FRIEND OF GOD and that you all are "friends" in Him!

Personal God

1) Central Passages:

Romans 8:15-17
Matthew 10:30
Luke 12
Genesis 3:8-13
2 Chronicles 20:7
Isaiah 41:8
Proverbs 18:24
Luke 7:34
John 15:13
1 Peter 1:17
John 15:15
Matthew 17:1-2
Mark 14:32-33
John 15:14


2) My Daily Praise:
Thank God for being God ALMIGHTY and then praise Him for being God YOUR friend!

3) My Daily Surrender:
Pray a prayer of submission and obedience to God.

[Wannabe a Worshiper]

Central passages
Today's study brought to mind the image of a janitor working in a large corporate office building, who is befriended by the CEO. The friendship was initiated by the CEO, and the janitor is an unlikely choice for a friend. And the janitor must never forget that he is the janitor. He should count his blessings that for some reason, the CEO wants to be his friend.

I cannot imagine, in that scenario, that the janitor would ever say to the CEO. "Not today, I'm too busy" or, "Look, Boss, I appreciate that you want to be my friend, but I have a lot of other friends that are a lot cooler than you are."

But that is exactly the message I often send to my CEO, God.

That God can be Elohim, the Almighty One, and at the same time be Jehovah, the One who desires a relationship, is mind-boggling. But it is a beautiful truth, and I need to let it sink in and become part of who I am.

Daily Praise

God Almighty, holy and all-powerful, creator of all things, ruler of the universe, how incomprehensible that you would even notice that I exist. Yet because you are also Jehovah, you not only know that I exist, but you also desire to by my friend, to have a genuine relationship with me. What a magnificent truth! What a wonderful opportunity for me!

Daily Surrender
Lord God Almighty, Elohim, I should tremble at the mention of your name. But I don't. Jehovah, God with us, you have initiated a friendship with me, yet I often ignore you, or don't even hear when you call my name. Forgive me for my callous indifference, for my failure to acknowledge you for who you are, for my frequent choice to seek the wrong friends, when the God of the Universe has chosen to be my friend. Give me a steadfast heart that desires to know you, to obey you, and to love you with the same undying love you have for me.
Tom

[bkwestman]

1. Central Passage
- From the transcendent God to Emmanuel - God with me. The comment about "Friend of God" stood out to me. After all these years, I still haven't incorporated that song into our worship rotation at our church, not because I don't like the song, but there has always been something about the lyrics that haven't sat quite right with me. It's interesting to hear that others have the same feelings. "Our friendship with God is based on our present obedience, while a relationship is based on our permanent adoption." That's a key point.

I couldn't help but thinking about Facebook while I was reading the next section about how God wants to be our Friend. While no one else on earth may care if we stubbed our toe that day, or where we went for lunch, God does!! He wants to be our Friend! He cares about every little detail of our life, and we can bring our concerns and cares to Him. We'll probably get a much better response from Him, than we do from some of our Facebook "friends"!! And, as we learned later in the day's study, He friend requested us, not the other way around! LOL!

2. My Daily Praise
- Lord, thank you that You are both Elohim (fearful and powerful) and Jehovah (the One who wants to be our closest Friend). Help me to gain that balance between a fearful respect and that close relationship. Thank you that You can be both to us when we need it. You are truly amazing!!

3. My Daily Surrender
- Lord, show me what I need to do to be more obedient to you. I know there are areas of my life that I have not been completely obedient to You, so show me those areas. Lord, I submit to Your leading. Help me understand this whole concept of friendship with God being based on our present condition of obedience. I have not thought about it that way before, and right now it's confusing to me. Lord. Can You be my Friend one day, and then not the next? I know I will always be Your child, and I thank You for that truth.

[russhutto]

1) Central Passage:

I defintely think that for me, one of the most difficult promises of God for me to walk confidently in is the FRIENDSHIP promise. I know God is big. I know God is transcendent and all-powerful. I know He is Creator and Provider. I know He is good. I know He is loving.

But I struggle with the He is mine and I am His apsect of relationship. And sitting here pondering it, I know it's the most personal and beautiful part of my "knowledge" of Him. I am HIS friend. He is MY friend. Wow.

2) My Daily Praise:
Father, thank You for patiently inviting me into Your friendship, made possible by the life, death and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, and illuminated daily by the Holy Spirit. Help me to continue to press in to your heart and to grasp how amazingly huge your love for me is.

3) My Daily Surrender:
Show me your ways. Teach me your paths. Thank you for your kindness in correction and your patience with my stubborn independence. I need you. I'll always need you. Amen.

[InHisName]

Central Passage

I was in Florida one time, visiting the Space Center (Kennedy or Cape Canaveral, I don't remember which) and there was an astronaut there doing Q and A with the crowd. I think he was referencing Buzz Aldrin when he said one of the astronauts looked out the window into outer space and acknowledged the presence and glory of God. So it might not be the astronomers here on earth that give praise to God. It's the ones who actually leave Earth and live among the stars that can see who God really is.
I had said in my last post that Day 2 (transcendent God) actually made me feel farther away from God. These last two lessons have put me squarely back to where I belong...as a personal friend of God with a (hopefully) ever growing relationship. I am his friend!

Daily Praise

God, you have already opened my eyes to a GLIMPSE of your almighty power and majesty as Elohim. Now, Lord, I thank and praise you for being Jehovah, my closest friend. Let me never forget your great wisdom in being glorious and loving.

Daily Confession

Lord, there are many ways that I am disobedient, and I ask you to show me ways to improve. I am disobedient in little things and I pray you strengthen me to improve. I have been disobedient in your command, and it has been fear and doubting that has held me back. I cannot do it without you, though. I pray you help me to see clearly the path you set for me and bless me with the strength to move forward. Amen!

[WorshipVanguard]

1. Central Passages:
When I read, Genesis 3:8-11, I thought of my mom’s favorite hymn, “In the Garden.” The lyrics are a beautiful description of a personal friendship with the creator, “And he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known.” How beautiful of a moment in the garden at the beginning of creation, and how wonderful of God to desire that same relationship with us! I also love how the children of Judah recognized God as both Elohim and Jehovah!

2. My Daily Praise:
Lord, thank you so much for pursuing me! You loved me before I ever knew you. How can I deny a love like that? I’m still amazed that an all-powerful God would love and desire a close friendship with sinners. Your love softens a hardened hearts, and you mend the broken hearted. Thank you for valuing my higher than the birds of the air. I’m worth more than many sparrows, and you know how many hairs are on my head because you placed each and every one of them. You know how many breaths I take and how many times I blink in a day. For someone to pay that close attention, you know my needs better than anyone. Thank you for such a love that you laid down your life for me.


3. My Daily Surrender:
Lord, there are days I just want to give up. Obedience is extremely difficult at times. My emotions like to get in the way of discerning what is of you and what is me getting in the way. Please help me gain better discernment between my soul and my spirit. Since your word is sharper than a 2-edged sword able to cut between soul and spirit, I have a good tool, but I still lack in discernment in usage of your word. I want to be more sensitive to your Spirit as I continue on this journey you have placed in front of me. At times, I feel like a sheep without a shepherd, by you are my good shepherd, drawing my close to your heart. You know my devotion is to you and your kingdom first.