A Right Relationship With God
Series: Relationships That Rock
INTRO: Relationships. We hear about them all the time. There are all kinds of experts around that hold seminars around the nation. Marriage seminars are big. Advice is given on forging strong working relationships for business people. Families strain to have good living relationships in their homes. Even churches seek to do well in this area and often those who develop caring relationships within the framework of a loving church are very satisfied. Why? What’s the big deal? Because for almost everyone, relationships are an important way of life. Even with our dogs, we have ascribed a saying, “A dog is a man’s best friend.” We all want to be liked and do well with our lives in this area. All of us probably remember a relationship in our lives with fondness.
Today I want to look at a relationship that should be our most cherished relationship in our lives. This is with God. Let me ask you, do you have a right relationship with God? Is He an important aspect of your life?
Before I get into the message, let me share some statistics from Barna.org.
March 17, 2008
(Ventura, CA) Americans have a global reputation for being religious people, but a new study from The Barna Group indicates that people’s most important personal relationship is not with God. Family surpassed their Heavenly Father as the key personal connection. However, when asked to identify the most important group or network in their life, colleagues from their church topped the list, mentioned by three out of every ten adults.
Most Important Relationship
Adults are clearly most focused on their family in terms of important relationships. Overall, seven out of ten adults mentioned family or family members as their most significant connection. One-third said their entire nuclear family is tops, while one-quarter (22%) named their spouse and one-sixth (17%) identified their children. (An additional 3% mentioned their parents as their key relationship.)
The only other relationship mentioned by at least 3% was various iterations of people’s deity. God, Jesus Christ, Allah, and the Trinity were among the names listed by one out of every five adults (19%).
Surprisingly, just 2% of adults said a specific friend represented their most important personal relationship.
Among the related findings were:
1. The people most likely to list God were 40 or older.
2. Political conservatives were almost three times as likely as political liberals to identify God as their most important relationship (33% vs. 12%, respectively).
3. People in the Midwest were only half as likely as residents of the West and Northeast to say their children are their most important relationship.
4. The only subgroup for which at least one-third said God was their most significant relationship was evangelicals, among whom 70% listed God.
5. Thirty percent of Protestants listed God as their most important connection. In contrast, just 9% of Catholics did so.
6. Blacks were about twice as likely as all other Americans to describe their bond with God as their most important relationship.
7. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to list their children as their most important relationship.
Okay. I am not going to dwell with a lot of these statistics, and I have not read them to throw stones, but I will say this, “We need better relationships with the Lord God Almighty!” Let’s get into the message.
HAPPY EASTER! I know we hear the same message every year – He is risen! Let me say, that He is risen indeed! Truly Jesus Christ is sitting at the right had of God today and awaits the command to come and get His church. By church, I mean all born-again believers, not some organization.
May you feel welcome today, and may you know the joy that Jesus can bring into your life. May you have a proper or right relationship with God.
How many of you desire better relationships in your life? I know I do.
Well, we can have a better one with the Lord if we approach it correctly.
How can we know? His Word directs us. Communication is almost always listed as an important ingredient to improve relationships. God communicates to us through His Word – the Bible.
Let me tell you some of the things God wants us to know from His Word…
He loves us
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
There it is. As simple as that, God truly loves each and every one of us this day. He wants you to know that He loves you – a lot!
We can see form this that…
He gave His very Best (for us)
Let me tell you, His best was and is good enough to accomplish the job He was given – Who is that? He was the Jesus Christ of the Bible.
And, this is what Easter is all about…
His Best is alive
He did die on a cross
He was laid in a new, empty tomb
After three days He arose or was resurrected
He is not in a tomb
He ascended into heaven
He lives today, fully resurrected in a glorified body in the presence of God the Father
Luke 24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
But I am not here to prove the resurrection today, but to encourage you to have a better relationship with God.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
We can only be saved through Him
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Just a little side note that I get excited about – we as believers are coming with Him
Colossians 3:1-4 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. {2} Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. {3} For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. {4} When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Ok, what else does God want us to know about our relationship with Him?
He wants us to be close!
But before I look at that, What hinders our relationship with God?
Sin
Unbelief
Disobedience
Negligence (look at the stat from earlier)
The people most likely to list God (as most important relationship) were 40 or older.
Why do we wait to reach out to God until we are old?
Is that smart?
Is that wise?
Is that what God wants in our lives?
Are you neglecting God?
Is that the right thing to do?
Does that hurt your relationship with Him?
What should you do about this?
And we also are guilty of…
Overcrowding (many only give God a portion with others or the scraps of our time)
Ok, back to…
He wants us to be close!
Living a godly life
Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Living a worshipful life
Psalms 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
God wants to have a good relationship with you
God wants to have a right relationship with you
I trust you believe that God loves you
That He gave His Only Son, Jesus for a sacrifice for you
That Jesus is the way for salvation for us
That He is not dead but alive with God the Father
That He will save you if you seek Him
That He wants you to be close to Him in a great relationship
Honestly, you have to decide that you want Him
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 032308am_easter