Ultimate Relationship
Our relationship to God is our most important relationship. God and Moses
talked face to face in the Tent of Meeting, just as friends do. Why did Moses
find such favor with God? It certainly was not because he was perfect, gifted,
or powerful. Rather, it was because God chose Moses, and Moses in turn
relied wholeheartedly on God’s wisdom and direction. Friendship with God
was a true privilege for Moses, but the other Hebrews refused it, and asked
Moses to speak to God for them (Exodus 20:18-19) “and all the people saw
the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the
mountain smoking and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar
off. And they said to Moses, speak you with us, and we will hear, but let not
God speak with us, less we die”. But it is not out of reach for us today.
In the beginning Adam was placed in the Garden to enjoy friendship and
communion with God. When Adam and Eve chose to assert themselves
rather than live under the Creator’s gracious care, the fellowship was broken.
As a result, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Genesis
3:8). Yet God immediately sought them out and revealed His plan for the
restoration of sinners through the work of the Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). The
Old Testament tells how God began to draw a special people into fellowship
with Himself. Enoch is described as a man who walked with God (Genesis 5:
22,24). Noah, likewise, walked with the Lord (Genesis 6:9). And Abraham,
the father of Israel, is called “the friend of God” (James 2:23). No Old
Testament person had deeper fellowship with God than did Moses during his
forty-day encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). Later in Israel’
s history, David wrote psalms that reflect a heart in turn with the living God
(Psalms 16; 34; 40; 63).
Our relationship to God is made possible through Jesus. Jesus didn’t come to
give us a religion, He came to give us a relationship (II Corinthians 5:17-19)
“therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed
away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself,
not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation”. Religion is man’s attempt to reach God, but God made the
way for us to reach Him. John 3:16-17 says “for God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”. We are
saved by grace and that sounds like we can sin as much as we want too, but if
you love God you won’t want to sin (I John 2:6) “he that says he abides in Him
ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked”.
Jesus called His disciples and, by extension, all of His followers, His friends
(John 15:13-16) “greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his
life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Hereafter I call you not servants, for the servant knows not what his lord does,
but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father, I
have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you,
and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father, in My name, He
may give it you”.
Jesus is talking about a new relationship between the believer and God.
Previously, people approached God through priests. After Jesus’
resurrection, any believer could approach God directly. A new day has
dawned and now all believers are priests, talking with God personally and
directly (Hebrews 10:19-23) “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way, which He has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. And having an
high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of faith
without wavering; for He is faithful that promised”. We approach God, not
because of our own merit, but because Jesus, our great high priest, has made
us acceptable to God.
When your relationship is right you have fellowship; believers have fellowship
with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17:21-26) verse 21 says “that they
all may be one; as You Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be
one in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me”. As a result of
Christ’s work on the cross, God now makes His permanent home in each
believer’s heart (John 14:23) “Jesus answered and said to him, if any man
love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and We will come
to him, and make Our abode with him”. The fellowship that now takes place is
nothing less than the spiritual union of the believer with Christ. Fellowship
with God is the goal of the Christian life. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “but
seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you”. People come to Jesus and then get caught up in
trying to receive blessings, but the first move is to activate the ultimate
relationship that God wants us to have and the things will come. The depth of
fellowship among the first Christians is portrayed in the early chapters of the
book of Acts. Psalms 91 reveals benefits and rewards of living an ultimate
relationship with God. Through this Psalm, you clearly see the protection of
God over the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High.
Let us not be like Adam and Eve and hid from God, or like the Israelites and
refuse to press into because of fear. God wants a relationship with each one
of us and has made the way open by tearing the veil in the Temple from top to
bottom and Jesus died (Matthew 27:50-51) “Jesus, when He had cried again
with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was
rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent”. Just as you would build any relationship, it takes time with one another,
you spend time with God through His word. Establish a time to worship, pray
and just talk with your heavenly Father.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 13, 2008
Our relationship to God is our most important relationship. God and Moses
talked face to face in the Tent of Meeting, just as friends do. Why did Moses
find such favor with God? It certainly was not because he was perfect, gifted,
or powerful. Rather, it was because God chose Moses, and Moses in turn
relied wholeheartedly on God’s wisdom and direction. Friendship with God
was a true privilege for Moses, but the other Hebrews refused it, and asked
Moses to speak to God for them (Exodus 20:18-19) “and all the people saw
the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the
mountain smoking and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar
off. And they said to Moses, speak you with us, and we will hear, but let not
God speak with us, less we die”. But it is not out of reach for us today.
In the beginning Adam was placed in the Garden to enjoy friendship and
communion with God. When Adam and Eve chose to assert themselves
rather than live under the Creator’s gracious care, the fellowship was broken.
As a result, Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence (Genesis
3:8). Yet God immediately sought them out and revealed His plan for the
restoration of sinners through the work of the Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). The
Old Testament tells how God began to draw a special people into fellowship
with Himself. Enoch is described as a man who walked with God (Genesis 5:
22,24). Noah, likewise, walked with the Lord (Genesis 6:9). And Abraham,
the father of Israel, is called “the friend of God” (James 2:23). No Old
Testament person had deeper fellowship with God than did Moses during his
forty-day encounter with the Lord on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). Later in Israel’
s history, David wrote psalms that reflect a heart in turn with the living God
(Psalms 16; 34; 40; 63).
Our relationship to God is made possible through Jesus. Jesus didn’t come to
give us a religion, He came to give us a relationship (II Corinthians 5:17-19)
“therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed
away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has
reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of
reconciliation. To say that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself,
not imputing their trespasses to them; and has committed to us the word of
reconciliation”. Religion is man’s attempt to reach God, but God made the
way for us to reach Him. John 3:16-17 says “for God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”. We are
saved by grace and that sounds like we can sin as much as we want too, but if
you love God you won’t want to sin (I John 2:6) “he that says he abides in Him
ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked”.
Jesus called His disciples and, by extension, all of His followers, His friends
(John 15:13-16) “greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his
life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
Hereafter I call you not servants, for the servant knows not what his lord does,
but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of My Father, I
have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you,
and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father, in My name, He
may give it you”.
Jesus is talking about a new relationship between the believer and God.
Previously, people approached God through priests. After Jesus’
resurrection, any believer could approach God directly. A new day has
dawned and now all believers are priests, talking with God personally and
directly (Hebrews 10:19-23) “having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. By a new and living way, which He has
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. And having an
high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of faith
without wavering; for He is faithful that promised”. We approach God, not
because of our own merit, but because Jesus, our great high priest, has made
us acceptable to God.
When your relationship is right you have fellowship; believers have fellowship
with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (John 17:21-26) verse 21 says “that they
all may be one; as You Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be
one in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me”. As a result of
Christ’s work on the cross, God now makes His permanent home in each
believer’s heart (John 14:23) “Jesus answered and said to him, if any man
love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and We will come
to him, and make Our abode with him”. The fellowship that now takes place is
nothing less than the spiritual union of the believer with Christ. Fellowship
with God is the goal of the Christian life. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 “but
seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you”. People come to Jesus and then get caught up in
trying to receive blessings, but the first move is to activate the ultimate
relationship that God wants us to have and the things will come. The depth of
fellowship among the first Christians is portrayed in the early chapters of the
book of Acts. Psalms 91 reveals benefits and rewards of living an ultimate
relationship with God. Through this Psalm, you clearly see the protection of
God over the one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High.
Let us not be like Adam and Eve and hid from God, or like the Israelites and
refuse to press into because of fear. God wants a relationship with each one
of us and has made the way open by tearing the veil in the Temple from top to
bottom and Jesus died (Matthew 27:50-51) “Jesus, when He had cried again
with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was
rent in two from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks
rent”. Just as you would build any relationship, it takes time with one another,
you spend time with God through His word. Establish a time to worship, pray
and just talk with your heavenly Father.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 13, 2008
