Deepening Our Connection: Do You Like God?
Summary
In today's reflection, we explore a profound question: Do you like God? This question is crucial because it influences our ability to maintain a conscious connection with Him. Our goal is not perfection but improvement, a gradual increase in our awareness and relationship with God. If we don't genuinely like God, we may find it challenging to desire His presence. This concept is rooted in the idea of the "like meter," a psychological mechanism that influences our preferences and decisions, often subconsciously. Just as animals instinctively know what they like or dislike, we too have innate reactions to everything we encounter, including our perception of God.
God created us with desires, and He delights in fulfilling them. The key is to develop a friendship with God where we love and enjoy being in His presence. However, several obstacles can hinder this relationship, such as sin, misunderstandings about God's nature, and the devil's attempts to distort our view of God. Jesus often corrected misconceptions about God, emphasizing His loving and providing nature.
The invitation today is to rethink our understanding of God and to cultivate a desire to be with Him. Jesus, in John 10, illustrates this relationship through the metaphor of a shepherd and his sheep, highlighting the importance of recognizing God's voice. This recognition is a learned skill, akin to how a mother seal identifies her pup's voice amidst a cacophony of sounds. Similarly, we are called to learn and recognize God's voice in our lives.
God's will for us is not primarily about our external circumstances but about the character we develop. As Paul writes to the Thessalonians, God's will is for us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. This mindset fosters a pervasive sense of well-being, rooted in the assurance of God's presence and love. By focusing on these principles, we align ourselves with God's will and deepen our conscious contact with Him.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Importance of Liking God: Our ability to sustain a conscious connection with God hinges on whether we genuinely like Him. This relationship is not about achieving perfection but about gradually increasing our awareness and affection for God. If we don't like God, we may struggle to desire His presence. [01:53]
2. Understanding the "Like Meter": The "like meter" is a psychological mechanism that influences our preferences and decisions. It operates subtly, affecting how we perceive everything, including God. Recognizing this can help us understand our reactions and work towards a more positive relationship with God. [02:33]
3. Overcoming Obstacles to Liking God: Sin, misunderstandings about God's nature, and the devil's distortions can hinder our relationship with God. Jesus emphasized God's loving and providing nature, inviting us to rethink our understanding and cultivate a desire to be with Him. [05:04]
4. Recognizing God's Voice: Just as a mother seal recognizes her pup's voice, we are called to learn and recognize God's voice in our lives. This is a learned skill that requires practice and attentiveness, allowing us to deepen our relationship with God. [09:18]
5. God's Will for Our Lives: God's will is not primarily about our external circumstances but about the character we develop. By rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances, we align ourselves with God's will and foster a sense of well-being rooted in His presence and love. [10:23]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:53] - Do You Like God?
- [02:33] - The "Like Meter" Concept
- [04:30] - Friendship with God
- [05:04] - Obstacles to Liking God
- [06:06] - Jesus and the Shepherd Metaphor
- [07:20] - Recognizing God's Voice
- [08:19] - The Seal and Pup Analogy
- [09:18] - Learning to Hear God's Voice
- [10:04] - God's Will and Our Character
- [10:52] - Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks
- [11:58] - Steps Series and Resources
- [12:23] - Community and Prayer
- [12:38] - Closing Remarks
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 10:3-5 - "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice."
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
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Observation Questions:
1. What metaphor does Jesus use in John 10 to describe the relationship between God and His followers? How does this metaphor illustrate the importance of recognizing God's voice? [06:06]
2. According to the sermon, what are some obstacles that can prevent us from liking God? [05:04]
3. How does the "like meter" concept explain our subconscious reactions to God and other experiences in life? [02:33]
4. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, what three actions does Paul describe as God's will for us?
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the metaphor of the shepherd and sheep in John 10 help us understand the importance of recognizing and following God's voice in our daily lives? [06:06]
2. What might be the implications of not genuinely liking God on one's spiritual journey and relationship with Him? [01:53]
3. How can misunderstandings about God's nature, as mentioned in the sermon, affect our desire to be in His presence? [05:04]
4. In what ways do the actions described in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (rejoicing, praying, giving thanks) contribute to aligning ourselves with God's will?
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current relationship with God. Do you genuinely like God, and how does this affect your desire to spend time in His presence? [01:53]
2. Identify any misconceptions you might have about God's nature. How can you address these to improve your relationship with Him? [05:04]
3. Consider the "like meter" in your life. How does it influence your preferences and decisions, especially regarding your spiritual practices? [02:33]
4. What practical steps can you take to better recognize and respond to God's voice in your daily life, similar to how a mother seal recognizes her pup's voice? [09:18]
5. How can you incorporate the practices of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks into your daily routine to align more closely with God's will? [10:23]
6. Think of a recent situation where you struggled to give thanks. How might focusing on God's presence and love change your perspective in similar future situations? [11:18]
7. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your conscious contact with God, as encouraged in the sermon? [09:37]
Devotional
Day 1: Cultivating a Genuine Affection for God
Our relationship with God is deeply influenced by whether we genuinely like Him. This isn't about achieving perfection but about gradually increasing our awareness and affection for God. If we don't like God, we may struggle to desire His presence. This concept is rooted in the idea of the "like meter," a psychological mechanism that influences our preferences and decisions, often subconsciously. Just as animals instinctively know what they like or dislike, we too have innate reactions to everything we encounter, including our perception of God. By understanding and nurturing our affection for God, we can sustain a conscious connection with Him. [01:53]
Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV): "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."
Reflection: What are some aspects of God's character that you genuinely like? How can you focus on these attributes to deepen your affection for Him today?
Day 2: Understanding the Subtle Influence of the "Like Meter"
The "like meter" is a psychological mechanism that subtly influences our preferences and decisions, including how we perceive God. This mechanism operates beneath our conscious awareness, affecting our reactions and relationships. Recognizing the presence of the "like meter" can help us understand why we may feel distant from God or struggle to connect with Him. By becoming aware of this influence, we can work towards a more positive and intentional relationship with God, choosing to focus on His love and goodness. [02:33]
Proverbs 4:23 (ESV): "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
Reflection: Can you identify any subconscious biases or misconceptions about God that might be affecting your relationship with Him? How can you address these to foster a more positive connection?
Day 3: Overcoming Misconceptions and Obstacles
Several obstacles can hinder our relationship with God, such as sin, misunderstandings about His nature, and the devil's attempts to distort our view of Him. Jesus often corrected misconceptions about God, emphasizing His loving and providing nature. By rethinking our understanding of God and cultivating a desire to be with Him, we can overcome these obstacles. This involves recognizing and addressing the barriers that prevent us from fully experiencing God's love and presence in our lives. [05:04]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: What is one misconception you have had about God that you need to let go of? How can you seek a clearer understanding of His true nature today?
Day 4: Learning to Recognize God's Voice
Recognizing God's voice is a learned skill that requires practice and attentiveness. Just as a mother seal identifies her pup's voice amidst a cacophony of sounds, we are called to learn and recognize God's voice in our lives. This involves being attentive to His guidance and cultivating a relationship where we can discern His voice amidst the noise of the world. By doing so, we deepen our connection with God and align ourselves with His will. [09:18]
1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV): "And he said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper."
Reflection: What are some practical steps you can take to better recognize and discern God's voice in your daily life?
Day 5: Aligning with God's Will Through Character Development
God's will for us is not primarily about our external circumstances but about the character we develop. As Paul writes to the Thessalonians, God's will is for us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. This mindset fosters a pervasive sense of well-being, rooted in the assurance of God's presence and love. By focusing on these principles, we align ourselves with God's will and deepen our conscious contact with Him. [10:23]
Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Reflection: In what ways can you actively cultivate the character traits that align with God's will in your life today? How can these traits impact your relationship with God and others?
Quotes
"Do you like God? And the reason this is so important is it will be impossible to sustain a life of conscious contact with God and all we're after right now is not Perfection just trying to improve it if you just been thinking about him a little bit just think about him a little bit more just just trying to improve but will'll never be able to do this if I find that actually I don't like God because if I don't like God I don't want to be in his presence." [00:01:42]
"God created us so that we naturally have Des desires and God loves to fulfill our desires and what's here's what's most important uh when it comes to this 11th step uh God wants for you to be in a friendship with him where you love him and you like being in conscious contact with him so that's the question for today do I actually like that now there's a few things that will try to keep us from liking being in conscious contact with God." [00:04:25]
"One of them is sin one of them is misunderstanding about who God is Jesus told the story once where there's one server who's afraid of the master I knew you were a hard and harsh man and of course God is not that way that's part of why Jesus told the story it's why he was always trying to correct our understanding of Father facts and then the devil will want to keep you from liking God we see this all the way in Genesis 3 when he comes to Eve in the garden did God really say that you're not to eat from any tree makes God out to be much harsher and mean when God in fact is loving and providing." [00:05:00]
"Now the invitation today is uh to rethink God and to learn to want to be with him to trust that God really does love you and care for you and so you can improve your conscious contact with God we'll talk more about how to do this in videos that are coming out but here's how Jesus talks about this uh this is in John chapter 10 he says the gatekeeper opens the gate uh and the shepherd goes out and the Sheep listen to his voice he calls his own Sheep by name and leads them out when he has brought out all his own he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." [00:05:39]
"The idea here is a beautiful one that God is present to us um through his word through the scripture and through nature and in worship and sometimes in our conversations with other people and sometimes God is simply able to bring thoughts to our mind thoughts of Love or thoughts of gratitude or thoughts of service and it is possible for you to come to know your father's voice and that's why in this step it says uh we're pray always asking God would you hand to know your will for my life in this moment would you give me the power to carry it out learning to listen to God learning to recognize his voice it is a learn skill that can be acquired over time." [00:06:37]
"In fact this is one of the great miracles in all of life is the miracle of recognizing a voice and we're made for this I was watching a little movie with my grandchildren R out too long ago called The Wild robot and it's a beautiful story where this service robot ends up having a little goling imprint on it and come to love it and follow it and learn to live and I mean I ended up in tears just watching a stupid cartoon movie about a robot there's research done you can read about this in a number of places it was published a couple years ago uh Pelican Point Cape I think it's called nambia researchers were looking at seals and they're packed into this spot there are thousands of them and the males are all fighting for greeting rights and the moms are giving birth little babies are yeling for food so you can imagine the crowd and the noise there is uh unbelievable and yet a mom will have to go after birth often and uh swim in cold water to cool down within 24 hours of birth how does she ever find her way back to her little pup well amazingly um a mother seal is able to recognize her pup's voice within about 4 hours of birth and that little pup is able to recognize its mother's voice within about four hours." [00:07:18]
"With it's much better than with human beings with human beings it takes the average human mom longer than that in fact after 24 hours only 40% of all moms can recognize the Cry of their own child and with fathers it's much worse you could be a year later their own baby the only one in the house wakes up crying for food at 2:00 in the morning and about 99% of dads don't recognize her wake up enough to hear that sound but anyway it was little baby pups um they know the sound of that voice and they are able to reconnect and their mom knows the sound of the pup and Jesus uses this picture now with sheep but to say uh my sheep my people learn my voice so this is the invitation for you today to increase to improve to Dev to deepen your conscious contact with God just from any moment one moment to the next God your will be done God would you help me to know what your will for me is in this moment." [00:08:35]
"Sometimes we can make God's will real confusing or think that really it only matters on big decisions like what job should I take or should I get married or who should I get married or where should I live no no no no no God's will for my life is not mostly about the circumstances I inhabit it's mostly about the character that I develop so listen here uh this is Paul writing to the church at thessalonica Rejoice always pray continually give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus what's God's will for you today I will tell you what it is it is to rejoice from one moment to the next now of course there are moments where other emotions sometimes deep grief uh are inevitable in human life Jesus experiences that in the Garden of Gethsemane but the idea here is that because life is a gift and God is always present with us and he's watching over us and nothing can ultimately eternally separate us from his love the default mode for human life is Joy a pervasive sense of well-being." [00:09:50]
"Pray continually this doesn't mean my only thoughts are about God but my mind is a very active thing and it's processing information all the time so I continually bring it back oh yeah God is there I'm talking to you right now but God is here so I don't carry the burden of this God what do you want to say and then give thanks in all circumstances not for all circumstances some circumstances are horrendously evil and they are to be lamented and protested and uh uh one day we believe that they will be redeemed but God is present in all of them and it becomes possible to give thanks for God's presence and for the Hope in every circumstance so if you want to know what God's will for your life is you might think well I don't know actually we know quite a lot Rejoice always pray continually give thanks that that'll keep that'll keep us going for today and then come back tomorrow cuz it works if you work it." [00:11:02]
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