Time With God
Lesson 4
Truth about God: Jesus is a good friend. He likes to be with us.
John 15:12-17
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other. (NIV)
Introduction:
What kinds of actions develop a friendship with a person?
What kinds of actions would help you develop a friendship with God?
Explanation: A good friendship requires time, energy, and openness. It involves two way communications. In our friendship with God, God speaks to us through His Word, and we talk to God through prayer.
I. The Word of God--The Bible
When we open the Bible we should say, "God, please speak to me through Your Word." (Psalm 119:18)
Results from reading the Bible
Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. (NIV)
Joshua 1:8
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (NIV)
What are some results of reading the Bible?
II 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. (NIV)
What do we learn from the Bible?
We learn everything we need to change our lives. We learn what we should be doing, what we are doing wrong, and how to change toward doing what is right.
Application: On lined paper in this notebook, you can start a journal of your Bible reading.
- Write out your favorite verse in the chapter you read.
- Explain why you think it is important.
Here are some things you can or should do with your favorite verse.
- Obey it (James 1:22-25)
- Confess any sin you see in yourself (1John 1:9)
- Meditate on it during the day (Joshua 1:8)
- Share it with another Christian (Colossians 3:16)
- Memorize (optional) (Pslm 119:9-11)10
II. Prayer
Prayer is simply talking with God. The following are some concepts that will make your prayer more fulfilling and more effective.
Attitude in Prayer:
Psalm 63:1-8
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. (NIV)
Describe how David felt about being with God in prayer.
Explanation: David’s interaction with God is called praise. Praise is telling God how much you love Him and how much He means to you.
David realized what a great privilege it was to interact with the infinite God who created him and loves him.
Prayer for Our Concerns
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
When we talk to God about our concerns, what does God promise in v. 7?
What are some of your concerns right now?
I remember a talk by Josh McDowell where he pointed out that God does not promise he will answer “yes” to your request. Josh told the story of a house that he wanted to buy and that the financing would not go through. He was upset with God but he prayed about it and got God’s peace. It turned out that just a few weeks later a nicer home came on the market for less money, and the financing went through. After prayer, peace came, though the circumstances had not changed.
Prayer for Others
One of the great models in prayer in the Bible is the Apostle Paul. He prayed for others regularly and he prayed deep things for people.
Philippians 1:3-11
3 I thank my God every time I remember you.
4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God. (NIV)
What did Paul pray for his friends?
What are some things you would like to pray?
for your friends, family, or others
for people who do not know Christ
for the needs of people
Take Time to Build a Friendship with God A friendship is built upon being with your friend. The same is true of our relationship with God. Can you think of a time in your day, and a quiet place where you could read and pray consistently? Don’t have time with God because you have to fill a time slot of some sort. Just hang out with him, and let his presence refresh and renew you.
Extra Reading: Read the whole of Psalm 119 and write down the benefits which are listed for the person who reads the Bible. Write your observations in your journal. Pray each day for the concerns you mentioned in this lesson. You can also write prayers in you journal. This can help you remember to thank God for answered prayer (Luke 17:11-19)
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