Moving From Interest To Action (This Is Level 2)
Sunday Morning
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30am Stream
3/14/21
{All scriptures are NIV unless stated}
We’re trying to find purpose in 2021.
We’re talking about us achieving what God has for us this year.
We spent last month talking about cleaning our closet.
Looking at those around us to see if they are helping or slowing us from achieving our purpose.
We will be doing this study in levels.
Each level gets more increasing in terms of scope.
The whole thing this month is about relationships.
How far do you want to go?
Last Week: Level 1
We mentioned that there are many people who will tell you the secret to relationships.
We talked about 3 consistent things to make them work.
Things That Make A Great Relationship:
- Love
- Friendship
- Genuine Care
I made the case that we have a God who wants a relationship with us.
That he loved us first.
Before we knew him…he was already loving us.
We also mentioned that God’s love is unconditional.
Isaiah 54:10
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
That even if the world comes to an end.
God’s love for you will not change.
While other people may love you based on conditions.
We can’t be separated from God’s love.
{New for today}
Romans 8:38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God Will Never Stop Loving You
God also called us friends.
James 2:23
23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
The mere fact Abraham believed God, he was called a friend.
“I Am A Friend of God” song
God Calls Us Friends Because We Believe In Him!
Lastly, God has compassion on us.
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
He cares for us.
He comforts us in all our troubles.
That he cares about the things we care about.
That he is the one who will be with us when no one else will.
This is the God that wants a relationship with you.
{repeat}
My God Wants A Relationship With Me
All that was Level 1
This Is Level 2
Now that we understand that the God of all wants a relationship with us.
What’s the next step?
How do we build that relationship?
Here is the foundational idea for what we’re doing.
Memory Verse:
Isaiah 55:6
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
While he may be found…go after him.
While he’s still here…
Now that we know God is the best relationship…we need to build it.
We need to go after God.
What Is The Normal Flow Of A Relationship?
How does it go?
The Flow Of A Relationship
- We Find Out About Them
- We Spend Time With Them
- We Make A Commitment
When there’s a potential for a relationship,
We find out about the person.
Who are you?
What do you do?
What are your interests/hobbies?
We want info about their character.
If all that checks out…then we move to other things.
We spend time with them.
Are they enjoyable to be around?
Do they make good conversation?
And if all that works out…
Generally we make a commitment.
Level 2: Interest To Action
We established God as THE relationship to go after.
Isaiah 55:6 (NCV)
6 So you should look for the Lord before it is too late;
you should call to him while he is near.
There is a such thing as a “too late.”
How many of us know we can miss out on a relationship?
Not Every Relationship That Got Away Was A Bad One
This idea implies that only the bad ones don’t work.
Sometimes WE Make Mistakes!
Not everyone you dated before was stupid.
If so…why do you keep dating stupid people??
Sometimes WE were stupid!
We mess up sometimes.
Sometimes it’s because of things we DID do.
Sometimes it’s because of things we did NOT do.
We’ll hear that “Whatever God has for you…is for you…”
You better be careful…
You better remember Faith Without Works.
You can believe all you want…but you have to work.
For example:
If we pray for a dream job…we get called for an interview.
Potentially salary looks amazing!
Job description looks amazing!
We’re praying and fasting…
Driving by and throwing oil in the parking lot of the place…
We WANT this job!
But the day of the interview we forget to set the alarm and oversleep…
Do we automatically say…well God didn’t want me to have that.
No!
We Can Mess Up!
For those of us married/engaged now.
You might think because God put it together you can’t mess it up.
Matthew 19:6 (KJV) What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
You can mess it up!
Don’t Let God Get Away!
We are to seek God while he is here!
There will come a time where we can’t work to build this relationship with God.
So How Do We Build This Relationship With God?
What do we do?
The Flow Of A Relationship With God:
- Seek To Know Who God Is
- Spend Time With Him
- Live Our Life For Him
- Seek To Know Who God Is (Read His Word)
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
God is his word.
If you want to know who God is…it’s there…in his word.
If you want to learn to understand God, read his word.
God’s Word Tells Us Who He Is
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
God’s word is breathed out by him.
If You Want To Learn About God, Read His Word!
Our problem is we don’t read his word.
How Can You Know What God Can Do In Your Life If You Haven’t Read What He’s Done Before?
What Can You Learn From The Bible?
For Example:
Our God Is A Way-Maker (Exodus 14:21)
When God’s people were cornered at the Red Sea,
God MOVED the one thing no one expected out of the way!
What Does It Say About God?
It tells us that when we have run out of answers and it seems like we’re cornered…If God has to “create” a way to get us out, he’ll do it!
He Is A Way Maker!
Our God Is A Protector (Daniel 6)
Daniel was thrown into a pit of lions for not hiding his faith.
God protected him from those who set traps for him.
What Does It Say About God?
That even if we have people setting traps for us…
If we remain faithful to God…they’re really setting traps for themselves.
Our God Is Faithful (Genesis 17)
God made a promise to Abraham.
(A man who could not have children of his own) would be the father of many nations.
Although it took time, God fulfilled his promise!
What Does It Say About God?
That God’s promises to us are true!
It might not look like it will happen, but if God said it…expect it!
We may have given up on things the Lord has promised us.
If we’re still here, he still has time.
He might be waiting on us!
There are promises all throughout the bible.
How do we know what to expect if we don’t read it???
This Week:
Commit To Reading The Word More
We have a reading plan for making it through the bible.
If you’re a member, you may already have it.
If not, you’re welcome to download ours.
Bible Reading Plan
www.guidinglight.org/discipleship
If the reading plan seems like a lot.
Get a good daily devotional.
Start somewhere!
Start Your Day With The Word Of God!
This is Level 2.
If You Want A New Level With God, You Have To Do New Things!
What’s the 2nd thing?
The Flow Of A Relationship With God:
- Spend Time With Him (By Praying More)
How do we spend time with God?
We spend time with God through prayer.
How Often Do We Pray?
When was the last time you prayed?
Do we only pray before we eat and sleep?
How can we build a relationship with God if we don’t spend any time with him?
How long can you be in a relationship if you never talk to the other person?
Prayer is intentionally being in the presence of God.
When we pray God hears us!
Psalm 17:6
6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
We can trust that when we call on God, he will answer.
God Hears Us When We Pray!
Psalm 34:15
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
We serve A God who listens!
But it’s not just about listening!
We have to listen too!
Don’t Just Talk To God, Listen!
Do you know what it’s like to be around someone who is always talking and never lets you talk?
This is the God of all!
Don’t just talk…give him your ear!
God wants to speak!
Job 33:14
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
though man may not perceive it.
Many times we don’t perceive it because we talk too much!
Proverbs 8:34 (MSG)
Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me,
awake and ready for me each morning,
alert and responsive as I start my day’s work.
How Can You Listen If You Don’t Hear?
and…
How Can You Hear If You Don’t Pray?
We are building the relationship.
It’s not just about what we can get from God.
What does he have for us?
We are blessed if we listen.
This Week:
Commit To Praying And Listening More
Even if it’s just an extra time a day.
Start somewhere!
The word says we’re blessed if we do it!
Every relationship needs communication!
And finally:
The Flow Of A Relationship With God:
- Live Our Life For Him (Through Commitment)
When we live our lives for him,
We make a commitment to follow him.
We make a commitment to follow what God says.
We make a commitment to be obedient to his will.
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
What Are The Commands Of God?
They’re written in his word.
As we read more about God…
We see more about his plan for us.
As well as the best way to live for him.
They’re designed to make us better than we are today.
They’re designed to change us from the inside out.
God Will Change You And You’ll Never Be The Same
It’s time to make a commitment.
It’s time to be serious about God.
Recap:
The Flow Of A Relationship With God:
- Seek To Know Who God Is Through His Word
- Spend Time With Him Through Prayer
- Live Our Life For Him By Committing
If you want to get on Level 2.
We have to make some changes.
Let’s read more of the word!
Let’s spend more time praying!
Let’s get serious about our commitment!
Level 3: How Far Do You Want To Go?
