Embracing a Conversational Relationship with God

Devotional

Day 1: Humility in Understanding God

Understanding God's nature is foundational to understanding ourselves and our relationship with Him. Misunderstanding God can lead to a distorted self-view, so it is essential to approach Him with humility and openness. Recognizing our limited understanding allows us to be open to His guidance and wisdom. By acknowledging that we do not have all the answers, we create space for God to reveal Himself to us in new and profound ways. This humility is not about diminishing our worth but about recognizing the greatness of God and our need for His perspective. [01:17]

"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." (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself assuming you know God's thoughts or plans? How can you practice humility in seeking His guidance today?

Day 2: Embracing God's Communication

God communicates with us in various ways, including through the Bible, dreams, visions, and the still small voice. It is crucial to resist the urge to control these communications and instead embrace a posture of listening and openness. When we try to fit God's voice into our preconceived notions, we limit our ability to truly hear Him. By relinquishing control and allowing God to speak in His own way and time, we open ourselves to a richer and more authentic relationship with Him. This openness requires trust and a willingness to be surprised by how God chooses to communicate. [02:21]

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21 ESV)

Reflection: How can you create space in your daily routine to listen for God's voice in unexpected ways? What might you need to let go of to hear Him more clearly?

Day 3: Initiative and Responsibility in God's Kingdom

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 illustrates the importance of taking initiative and responsibility in our relationship with God. We are called to actively participate in His kingdom, using what He has entrusted to us. This means recognizing the gifts and opportunities God has given us and using them creatively and purposefully. The failure to act on what God has entrusted to us is a grave mistake, as it reflects a misunderstanding of His nature and our role in His creation. By stepping out in faith and taking responsibility, we honor God and contribute to His kingdom. [07:57]

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV)

Reflection: What is one talent or resource God has entrusted to you that you have not fully utilized? How can you take a step today to use it for His kingdom?

Day 4: Prayer as a Genuine Exchange

Prayer is not merely a ritual or a means to get what we want, but a genuine exchange where we discuss what we are doing together with God. It requires honesty and a willingness to engage with God on a deeper level, beyond simply seeking guidance for our actions. This kind of prayer involves sharing our thoughts, feelings, and plans with God and being open to His input and direction. It is a dynamic and interactive relationship that deepens our connection with Him and aligns our hearts with His purposes. [29:31]

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ." (Colossians 4:2-3 ESV)

Reflection: How can you make your prayer time more of a two-way conversation with God today? What specific area of your life do you need to discuss with Him?

Day 5: Experiencing the Nearness of God

God is not distant or far removed from us. By understanding the nature of spirit and embracing the speed of spirit, we can experience the nearness of God in our daily lives, transcending physical space. This awareness of God's presence transforms how we live and interact with the world around us. It reminds us that God is involved in every aspect of our lives and that we are never alone. By cultivating an awareness of His presence, we can experience His peace, guidance, and love in tangible ways. [39:18]

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145:18-19 ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of God's nearness throughout your day? How might this awareness change your perspective on your current circumstances?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, we explored the profound concept of living in a conversational relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's nature and our role within His creation. The foundation of this relationship is built on friendship with Jesus, which invites us into a deeper understanding of ourselves and our purpose. Misunderstanding God leads to a distorted view of ourselves and our relationship with Him. Therefore, it is crucial to approach God with humility, recognizing that our understanding is limited and that we must be open to His guidance.

God communicates with us in various ways, including through the Bible, dreams, visions, and the still small voice. However, the desire to control these communications can hinder our ability to truly hear God. We must resist the temptation to force God into our preconceived notions and instead embrace a posture of listening and openness. This involves relinquishing control and allowing God to speak in His own way and time.

The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 serves as a powerful illustration of our responsibility in this relationship. It teaches us that God values initiative and creativity, and that we are called to actively participate in His kingdom. The failure to take responsibility and act on what God has entrusted to us is a grave mistake, as demonstrated by the one-talent servant who misunderstood God's nature.

Prayer is a vital component of our conversational relationship with God. It is not merely a ritual or a means to get what we want, but a genuine exchange where we discuss what we are doing together with God. This requires honesty and a willingness to engage with God on a deeper level, beyond simply seeking guidance for our actions.

Finally, we must recognize that God is not distant or far removed from us. He is present in every moment, and our relationship with Him transcends physical space. By understanding the nature of spirit and embracing the speed of spirit, we can experience the nearness of God in our daily lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Understanding God's Nature: Our perception of God shapes our understanding of ourselves and our relationship with Him. Misunderstanding God leads to a distorted self-view, so we must approach Him with humility and openness, recognizing our limited understanding. [01:17]
2. God's Communication: God speaks to us in various ways, including through the Bible, dreams, and the still small voice. We must resist the urge to control these communications and instead embrace a posture of listening and openness. [02:21]
3. Responsibility and Initiative: The parable of the talents teaches us the importance of taking initiative and responsibility in our relationship with God. We are called to actively participate in His kingdom, using what He has entrusted to us. [07:57]
4. The Nature of Prayer: Prayer is a genuine exchange with God, where we discuss what we are doing together. It requires honesty and a willingness to engage with God on a deeper level, beyond simply seeking guidance for our actions. [29:31]
5. The Nearness of God: God is not distant or far removed from us. By understanding the nature of spirit and embracing the speed of spirit, we can experience the nearness of God in our daily lives, transcending physical space. [39:18]
** [39:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - God Creates Community
[00:59] - Understanding God and Ourselves
[02:21] - Hearing God's Voice
[03:06] - The Bible as God's Word
[04:28] - Control and Communication
[05:54] - Responsibility in Relationship
[07:12] - Parable of the Talents
[09:08] - Misunderstanding God's Nature
[10:56] - Conversational Relationship
[12:47] - The Art of Conversation
[16:31] - Forcing God's Voice
[19:19] - God's Presence and Space
[29:31] - Prayer as Joint Activity
[39:18] - The Speed of Spirit

Sermon Clips

The very idea of hearing God is troublesome. There are many ways that one can get it wrong. One problem is set by the fact that God communicates with us in many different ways. We have to come down on what I call and what others call the still small voice, but God does communicate in many ways, and sometimes they're quite puzzling: dreams, visions of various kinds, actions in the physical world, in the social world. [00:02:15]

We have to read the Bible on the assumption that we don't already know what it says. We have to come before it humbly, repentantly, assuming that I haven't got it, and that is crucial because when we're talking about God speaking to us, we must always leave it in a position where we are not in control. [00:03:47]

The desire to control is one of the primary ways that we fail to hear God, the desire to make Him say what we want Him to say. And I think that very often we come to think that some ways are superior to others, that if we are spoken to by a vision, that's better than being spoken to by the Bible. [00:04:16]

Responsibility is the heart of our relationship to God. Responsibility, initiative on our part, and if we aren't careful and we lose that idea, then we will misconceive the very nature of our heavenly Father, and we will come to think of Him as working with robots. So that's a great danger. [00:05:48]

The parable of the talents is a teaching about our responsibility. The discussion in the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 is actually about responsibility and the failure of responsibility, and Jesus is judging in terms of how people responded to other people. [00:07:01]

He took initiative. He did not wait to be told what to do with it. He was told to have charge of it, to use it, but he was not told what to do. The one-talent man is the most instructive for many people because they had this one-talent man. His problem was he had the wrong view of God. [00:08:19]

Prayer is kind of like spiritual happy hour. You feel better maybe if you do it, it lifts your spirits, does something for you, but it makes absolutely no difference in what God is going to do. Okay, now when I say that often, people hang on me the whole open theology agenda. Please don't do that. [00:26:16]

Hearing God is an honest exchange. Conversation is an honest exchange between people where you are dealing with things that you're doing together. See, in prayer I'm talking with God about what we are doing together. I'm not putting in an order, I'm not dropping a coin in the Coke machine or now it's a bill. [00:29:16]

Most of what God has to say to us is not about what we're supposed to do. A lot of it is just teaching, helping us understand things and appreciate things, and there is the element of what we're doing together and we talk about that, but that's only part of the conversation. [00:31:55]

God is not far off, as Paul said in his sermon on Mars Hill, He is not far from us because in Him we live and move and have our being. Space and distance is not a problem for God's word, and that's where again our theology becomes so important in enabling us practically to interact with God in a conversational relationship. [00:39:18]

The speed of spirit. How long does it take your mind to travel from the moon to the sun, from thinking about the moon to thinking about the sun? How long does it take that? How long is that faster than the speed of light? So just think a moment about the speed of spirit and put that on a continuum with light and sound and matter. [00:35:01]

When you try to come to think about the relationship now between you and God, not just in terms of conversation but in general, you want to remember that it is not laid out in space. It is the communion of spirit. You are a spiritual being, God is spirit, and He is looking for those who would worship Him in spirit and in truth. [00:41:06]

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