Friendship with a Holy God

 There are Christians who worship Jesus, but they are motivated by religious duty, not spontaneous love.

Some pray with a prayer book. Others pray without a prayer book, but their prayer is a religious routine.

Some misunderstand the Lord's Prayer.

Jesus said we should know our heavenly Father as ABBA. ABBA means Papa or Daddy in Hebrew.

But there is another extreme. There are Christians who want to treat Jesus as their mate, and a very permissive mate at that, who supposedly doesn't take little faults like pornography addiction seriously.

I once heard of a young Christian who was enthusiastic about reading charismatic paperbacks and discussing revivals. His girlfriend was a prostitute and his life was far from chaste and holy.

I sometimes see supposedly devout Christians who consider sex before marriage normal. I am amazed that they do not suffer painful pangs of conscience. I could never live like that.

God is love. He longs to love people as friends.

 In the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses and David were friends of God.

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Ex 33:11 NIV

But there is no true friendship without love and respect.

God is holy.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Heb 12:14 NIV

Arthur Blessitt is an American missionary and evangelist. When he was a young preacher, he evangelised in a red light district. Like Jesus, he did not stay away from sinners and prostitutes, but like Jesus, he was also holy and faithful.

He asked permission to preach in a nightclub with naked dancers. He went backstage and spoke to the naked young women who were having a rest.

Many men would be overcome with sexual thoughts and feelings in this situation but God gave Arthur Blessitt the gift of grace to minister with God's holy love.

After listening to the loving sermon for a while, the women began to have chaste feelings and they covered their naked bodies with towels.

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them. Ps 25:14 NRSV

God's Secrets

 God wants to take you on a journey. He wants to guide you with love. He wants to let you look into your own heart, but not as a harsh judge, but as a loving counsellor or therapist.

Sometimes we are afraid to look into our own hearts because guilt and pain are hidden there, but God sent Jesus to bear our guilt and all our pain on the cross.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Ps 51:7 NLT

I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” Is 44:22 NIV

But God not only wants to reveal your own heart, he also wants to take you on a journey into his own heart. He wants to reveal his own heart to you and share wonderful secrets from his own heart with you.

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them. Ps 25:14 NRSV

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. Ps 25:14 AMP