April 10, 2018 – John 4
Jesus said: "Yet
a time is has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the
Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks." John 4:23
God builds a
relationship with people who serve His Kingdom and Believe His Word.
Whether you are a parent or not, you’ve probably experienced
a time when a child is being dramatic to gain attention from their parent. Whether in a store or fast food restaurant,
the child will want something, and be pestering their parent to get it. The demand for attention may even lead them
to hysterics, with tears, yelling, crying, and angry outbursts. In that moment, the wise parent doesn’t react
dramatically, but allows the child to calm down, and maintains care while not
coming under the child’s demands. No
matter what the child does to demand it, there is not much relationship
happening until they calm down and the parent initiates it.
If Jesus made one thing clear, it was that we only enter
heaven by having a relationship with God.
The only way to heaven is through a relationship. It’s not based on how good of a person we
are, nor the sins we didn’t commit, nor the good works we do for the Church or
for people. It’s only through knowing
Jesus that we enter heaven.
But here’s the problem, and it may shock you, but you are
not able to build a relationship with God.
That’s right. We need
a relationship, but we can’t build it.
We can’t pray enough, read the Bible enough, pursue His ways enough,
obey enough. All of those are good
things to do when having a relationship with God, but don’t create a
relationship with God.
Jesus said there is only one way to create a relationship
with God: believe in Him, worship Him, and open our lives up to Him. Then, God CHOOSES to seek a relationship with
US. He shows up and starts the
relationship: in a moment during a worship service, at our bedside when we’re
crying out in prayer, in that split second we decide to skip what our friends
are doing and do what God would like. In
those moments, we worship God, and God shows up! He initiates the relationship, and we then
choose whether to accept Him or not.
There are moments when you will sense God’s Presence. You will feel a burden to stop and help a
stranded passenger. You will be prompted
to make a decision in a worship service.
A person you need to talk with will come to your mind. Something will impact you in ways it never
has before. That’s God pursuing a
relationship with you. Don’t blow it off
too quickly. Worship & Obey, and it
will engage you in relationship with Jesus.
Then see how God uses it to expand your faith and impact your life.
Listen to Jesus’ words in John 4, God is seeking a
relationship with those who calm down, worship Him, trust in His Word, obey Him
as best they know, and serve His Kingdom.
Those things don’t dictate a relationship with God, but they open us up
to receiving a relationship FROM God! So
open yourself up today. Be ready and
start doing the things to open yourself to it, and when He shows up, respond!
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