In this article, we will be looking at the word of God; and the crux of our conversation will be based on our relationship with God. So, the title is Relationship with God in the 21st Century. That's what we will be looking at in the next few minutes, as the Holy Spirit teaches us.
Now, when we hear that topic, what comes to mind? Okay, how are we supposed to relate with God? Now, the reason why our attention is being drawn to this is because many people have stopped relating with God. People are more interested in relating with themselves than with God.
I think in this generation, now, they call some people generation Z; the Gen Z’s. Now, the reason why many people struggle, and you see people die in their prime. I'm not saying it's absolute. But, many of the reasons, foundational to the reason why many people die in their prime is because they don't put God first. You hear people commit suicide. You hear people do all manner of things in this generation. The Bible says, the joy of the Lord is your strength. If you faint in the days of adversity, it is because your strength is small. And where are you supposed to get your strength? In the Joy of the Lord!
The Bible says in the presence of God, there is fullness of joy, at His right hand, there are pleasures forevermore. There is no strength outside the presence of God. There is no strength outside God. True strength is domiciled with God. You want to enjoy the strength that is able to stand against adversity; it is in the joy of the Lord.
Have you not seen very rich people commit suicide? Have you not heard, if you have not seen, of very wealthy people; influential people, famous people commit suicide? They just end it. What has happened to them? They have become weak in the face of adversity. Their strength was small in the day of adversity, so they could not contend. Because you would ask, is it not everybody that is going through one thing or the other? How come some people will just think within themselves, I can't take it anymore and some people are still taking it? The difference between the people that are still taking it and the people that are saying I can't take it anymore is the presence of strength or the lack of it.
So, our observation is on relationship with God in the 21st century. It is important we come back. God was speaking to the children of Israel, He said go and look for the ancient paths, where the good way is. He said when you find it, walk in it and you will find rest for your souls. And they said, we will not walk in it. Because we are going back to find the ancient path, and as this word is coming to you, that you will find that ancient path as the word is leading you to it and you will walk in it and you will find rest for your soul in Jesus name.
Let's start our observation from Hebrews chapter 13. Relationship with God in the 21st Century! Why is this important? Why is this very vital? Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8, the Bible says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever more.
Now, Jesus Christ is the same. What does it mean? Jesus Christ is eternally changeless. Jesus Christ is always the same. Yesterday, He is the same Jesus that helped. He is the same Jesus that saved. He is the same Jesus that raised Lazarus from the dead. He is the same Jesus that raised the widow of Nain’s child from the dead. He is the same Jesus that raised the dead daughter of Jairus. He is the same Jesus that called forth Lazarus, who was already dead for many days, out of the tomb alive. He is the same Jesus that opened the blind eyes of Bartimaeus. He is the same yesterday. He is the same today. Now, the reference here is that Jesus Christ is the same today.
Call today 21st century, call it 22nd century, call it whatever century, the Bible says Jesus Christ is the same today. One generation goes, another comes, Jesus Christ is the same. So, if people in the past, the people in yesterday had a relationship with God, it is also possible for you and I, to also have a relationship with God. He does not change.
Malachi chapter 3 verse 6, we are just establishing the point, that it's important to understand that if people in the past could have relationship with Jesus, they could have relationship with God, it is possible for you and I. Malachi chapter 3 verse 6, “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
I am the Lord, I do not change, whether it is the 21st century or the 22nd century or it is the 19th century or the 18th century, or even centuries before Christ, and centuries after Christ, I am the Lord, I do not change. What does He mean? I remain faithful. I remain committed, I remain steadfast.
So, when we talk about relationship with God, if Abraham could have a relationship with God, so can you. If Isaac could have a relationship with God, so can you. If Jacob could have a relationship with God, so can you because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. And in Malachi 3:6, God said, I am God, I am the Lord, I do not change. I am the LORD, I do not change!
Because there are some of us that are saying it was during the time of Abraham that it could happen, it can’t happen in our own times. You know, many times there's this cliche that is often said that “God says like yesterday, but it is us that does not believe like yesterday.”
Let me explain it to us, what it means is that, the way Abraham believed God yesterday, do we believe God like that today? Because God does not change. The Bible says that God is not a man that He will lie, in the book of Numbers, nor the Son of man that will repent. It means that, if God has not changed, what has changed? If God says, I do not change and He does not lie, then what has changed? It means that it is you and I that have changed. So, that saying is that, God has not changed, God still saves like yesterday, God still heals like yesterday, God still blesses like yesterday, but we don't believe like those of yesterday believed.
We don't believe like Abraham believed, like Noah believed, like Enoch believed. And that's what the conversation is about. Jesus said something about relationship with God that I want us to see in John chapter 15 verse 15, 15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
Jesus said something very important. He said, No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what is master is doing.” True or False? True! No longer, so I use to call you servants, but no longer will I call you servants. For a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you, what? Friends! “for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” So, what is the level of relationship that Jesus is talking about in John chapter 15 verse 15? Our relationship with God in the 21st century must be in accordance with what Jesus said in John 15 verse 15. We must position ourselves and we must relate with God as friends.
But is this the first time in the Bible, that the Bible will make record that men or children of men are called the friends of God? No! So, what is Jesus saying here? He said, we must be aware of what God is doing.
So, we are going to use Abraham as a case study to understand relationship with God in the 21st century. If God, the Bible says, does not change. If in Hebrews chapter 13, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forevermore, then, there must be something about yesterday that we must see, to make reference to today.
Genesis chapter 18, we are using Abraham as a case study. Genesis chapter 18 verse 17, “And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?” Do we remember John 15:15 that we read? Jesus said, I no longer call you servants, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I call you, what? Friends! Why do I call you friends? Friendship is a level of relationship that is deeper than servant-master relationship. Friendship is a level of relationship that Jesus described and called our attention to in John chapter 15 verse 15; I no longer call you servants. So, your relationship with God in the 21st century should not be a master-servant relationship. In the 21st century, your relationship with God should be a friendship.
And see, we are using Abraham as a case study, Genesis 18 that we read, verse 17, “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham, what I am doing? Verse 18, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after me, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
Verse 17, And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? This statement, where does it place Abraham? He placed Abraham in a place where is a friend of God. The Bible also records it in James chapter 2, because it is important for us to understand this status of friendship and what it entails. James chapter 2, verse 20, 20 “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.”
Abraham was called the friend of God. That status is not exclusive to Abraham. Why was Abraham called the friend of God? If you backtrack to verse 20, it shows us that Abraham was justified by works; his faith was made perfect by works. Abraham believed God. So, when you want to get into friendship status with God, relationship with God in the 21st century is being in friendship with God. And what does it entail? You must be aware of what God is doing. What does this mean? What God is working out, must not be strange to you. When God is doing something in your family, you must be aware if you are a friend.
Let's look at what friends do. Let's look at friendship. Do you know if you have a very close friend, you will reveal to that friend the things you do. You’ll tell the friend things. When you want to travel, you’ll call the friend, “my friend I'm traveling to so and so place.” The person is aware of what you are doing. Is it not true? When you want to get married, you call your friend, guess what? The Lord has done it, I'm getting married. When you get a new job and you want to rejoice with people, is it not your friends that you will call? You will call your friend, “praise the Lord, the Lord has done it, I just got a new job”.
So, when we talk about relationship with God at the friendship zone, we're talking about you and God, being aware. God being aware of what you are doing, you being aware of what God is doing. Will you call it friendship when it is only one person that tells what is happening, the other person just listens, will you continue such friendship?
If you have a friend and you are the one that is always telling him everything, he does not tell you anything about himself, will you call that person your friend? No! And that's why many of us, we call God our friend, but God is not aware of what we are doing. And we ourselves are not aware of what God is doing, that is not friendship.
Relationship with God in the 21st century requires that you know what God is doing, and God knows what you are doing; that’s relationship with God. He reveals to you everything. There is no secret. When you have a true friend, you know we have some fake friends that just tag along when you just want to feel good, you just take them out. You just go out together. But we're talking about intimate friend, tight friend, close friend. If you have a close friend, you will reveal everything to the friend. Why? You trust the friend.
Let us look at 2 Chronicles chapter 20 verse 7. We are looking at relationship with God in the 21st century. Why is it important for us? The world is filled with all manner of things. To be safe, is to be in relationship with God. To be safe, is to be in that friendship zone with God. 2 Chronicles chapter 20, verse 7 7 “Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?”
This Scripture repeating it that Abraham is the friend of God. It said, are you not our God, who drove out? You see, God is the best friend you should have. Do you know why? God is the kind of friend that even when you are not there, God can speak for you. God will not betray you. God will look out for you in your absence.
This place, Abraham had died, see the testimony. Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? God was faithful to everything he told Abraham. God was committed. God did not betray Abraham even though Abraham had died. He is the best friend to have. He reveals everything to us.
Do you know why it is important to have relationship with God? In this present 21st century, so much is happening. You need someone to confide in. You can confide in God with everything. God is not the friend that when you tell him your secrets, you will hear it from another person. Whatever you share with God stays with God. You can confide in Him. God confides in His friends.
Remember, we're using Abraham as a case study. When God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot was there. God confided in Abraham. I'm sure we have not looked at this story like this before. God confided in Abraham in that Genesis chapter 18 that we read, when God said, will I hide from Abraham what I am doing? God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin was so much and their cup was full.
And God said, I'm going to share this, I'm going to confide in My friend, Abraham. And God started gisting with Abraham. Abraham, I'm going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And Abraham said, God, what if you find fifty (50) righteous people there, will you still destroy it?
I want us to go back to Genesis chapter 18, let’s start our read from verse 20. So that it doesn't look as if I'm sweet talking the relationship. Let's go back to that Genesis chapter 18 and let's start our read from verse 20, where God started talking to him, 20 “And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it and that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You, this can never happen if Abraham was not a friend of God, would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? This is conversation. 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, Abraham was speaking because he knew God. He said far be it from you, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” 27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.” 30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
And it went on and on, let’s go to verse 32 32 “Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” So, they started from 50. Now, Abraham spoke with God till 10. It only takes friendship to be able to do this. Till ten. Suppose you find ten? “And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.”
Friends speak to each other. If you are not speaking with God, you don’t have a relationship with Him. Relationship with God involves speaking with God. Abraham was not a friend of God by mouth. It is not by singing, “I am a friend of God, I am a friend of God,” it is not by singing, it is by living. It is by living!
God did not call Abraham is friend, just because Abraham was singing. He was living that life. So, when God has finished speaking with Abraham, Abraham returned to his place. God confided in Abraham, and what Abraham and God shared together did not get out. How did I know that? God so trusted Abraham that this conversation will not get out. He confided in him, and that was it. Because, if the conversation had gotten out, don't you think all the people in Sodom and Gomorrah would have left the place? They would have left the place! God confided in Abraham, God trusted him and he trusted God.
Relationship with God in the 21st century, involves us confiding in God. Many of us, we are too consumed with going from one place to another, looking for one person to another, looking for advice, when God is there. Relationship with God in the 21st century is based on friendship.
I'm going to share with us, three (3) important things that friendship is based on. Number one, When you have a Friend, You call on Him. Genesis chapter 21 verse 33, 33 “Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.”
And there he called. You call on your friends. If you are in relationship with God, you are in friendship with God, you call on Him. In our own time, if your friend is far away from you, what do you do? You pick your phone and you call. If your friend is close to you, what do you do? You call the friend's name, Joshua come, let's talk. Call on Him! You cannot say you have a relationship with God and you are not calling on God.
Number two, You believe Him. You have a relationship with God, you believe Him. Genesis chapter 15 verse 6, we're using Abraham as a case study. 6 “And he, Abraham, believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
What is the point of friendship when you don't believe the person? Your friend is gisting with you and you are saying it is a lie and you keep saying that. What kind of friendship is that? It is not a true friendship. When you have an intimate friend, you believe the friend. So, if you are in relationship with God, you must believe Him. When God speaks to you, you believe Him.
Number three, When you are in friendship with God, You obey Him. Genesis chapter 26, verse 5, 5 “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
Because Abraham obeyed My voice, you can’t say you have a friend and the friend advises you, or asks you to do something for him or her and you say, I won't do it. Then you don't have correct friendship. Correct friendship, when you are a correct friend, you will obey the friend. There will be nothing too difficult that a friend cannot take from you. And there will be nothing too difficult that you cannot take from the friend.
Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, are My laws. Abraham obeyed God completely. No wonder he was called the friend of God.
Let us see Hebrews chapter 11, another account of the obedience of Abraham. I'm sure we are familiar with this particular chapter on faith, but let's see how he scripts the obedience of Abraham. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 8 to 12. 8 “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”
Abraham obeyed God. So in friendship with God, when we say we have relationship with God in the 21st century, we must call on Him, we must believe Him, and we must obey Him.
So, when we do all of these, what is the result of our friendship with God? Haven't done all of these, what is the end result? What do we benefit? What do we stand to gain? Genesis chapter 24 verse 1, I'm going to share four (4) points with us. We are still using Abraham as a case study. So, everything we will be sharing here is going to be based on the life of Abraham.
Number one, Genesis chapter 24, verse 1, “Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” “When you are in relationship with God, when you are in friendship with God, God blesses you.” You receive the blessing. When you are intimate with somebody in friendship, the person just say, “you are such a good friend to me. In fact, you are just a wonderful friend” and the person prays for you. So, imagine that you are in a relationship with God; you are in friendship with God. God is a blessed God, He will pronounce His blessing on you. Abraham was a friend of God and the Bible says, and the Lord had blessed him in all things. In all things! When you are in friendship with God, God blesses you in all things. In all things!
Now therefore, now I'm going to do a paraphrase of what happened here. There was famine in the land where Abraham was, so he journeyed, he went to Egypt, and when he got to Egypt, he was trying to disguise so that they will not send him away. So he disguised and said to them that Sarah was his sister.
So, when Pharaoh saw Sarah, Sarah was a beautiful woman. When Pharaoh saw her, Pharaoh told them to bring Sarah to him. Now Abraham was afraid, he could not speak for himself. So in verse 7, God had to speak for Abraham. This is God speaking to Pharoah, 7 “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
“God defends His Friends. He will speak for you, when you cannot speak for yourself.” He will defend you. These are the benefits of being in relationship with God. Where you cannot be, God will be there for you. That's why it's important to have relationship with God in the 21st century.
Number three, Genesis chapter 18 verse 19, 19 “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”
“When God is your Friend, He Chooses You.” He will choose you. That's why as a friend of God, you enjoy favor. When you are in relationship with God, you enjoy favor because you are a friend of God. So, when you are in that place, and they need somebody, God will pick His friends. God will do what? He will pick His friends.
When a favor is about to come, God recommends His friends. When God wanted to replace Saul, who did He pick? He picked David. He said, for I have found David, a man after My heart. God recommends His friends for greatness. So, when you are a friend of God, He chooses you. He chose David. He chose Abraham. In fact, at some point, He told the children of Israel, He said when you want to call Me, call Me the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And He said that's the name I want to be called in all generations. Why? He had a friend in Abraham.
Lastly, number four, Genesis chapter 21 verse 9 to 13, 9 “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
“God counsels His own.” You can’t get it wrong when you are a friend of God, He will counsel you Because the Bible calls Him the only wise God. At this point, when Sarah was speaking, Abraham was not happy. He said, but Ismael is also my son, why should I cast away my son? And God counseled him. And He said to him, listen to Sarah. For the sake of your future, listen to Sarah.
When God is your friend, He will counsel you. The thing might not be okay for you, but God has your future in mind. So, if you are a friend of God, He counsels you.
