​BUILDING GODLY CHARACTER Part 5 - Communicate With God

READ Hebrews 1:1-4 (KJV).
Loved ones, steadfast communication with God connotes a deep meaningful relationship. Christians are admonished to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The One who became Jesus Christ spoke to Moses and others by voice. Moses pleaded with Him to repent of the wrath He wanted to use to consume the stiff-necked Israelites, and He gave heed to Moses' impassioned plea (Exodus 32:1-14).
Abraham "bargained" with God over the fate of the people of Sodom, finally getting Him to agree to hold off destroying the city if ten righteous people could be found there (Genesis 18:32). These two men talked directly to the Word, the second member of the Godhead, who later “was made flesh” as the Son of man, Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14). Remarkably, they received a response right on the spot.
What about us, do we have the luxury of personal communication with the “Godhead bodily” as they did? (Colossians 2:9). YES, WE DO! Our text says that God has spoken His will to us through Jesus. Now we can use the Bible (His will) to speak back or communicate with Him in prayer.
When we pray, we can take the Bible with us and quote from the Bible God's promises to us. When we quote God's Word and “ask anything according to his will” in our requests, He will listen and respond favorably to our petitions according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).
What about those who are sick? We can go to James and quote directly to God the promises in James 5:13-15. “Father, you have told us to pray when suffering or when someone is sick. And so, IAW your will we ask you to save that sick person, restore him to health, and forgive him if he has sinned. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!” Our prayer of faith (God’s will) can reach God with intensity because we are pleading with God just as Moses and Abraham did on behalf of their people.
Consider Matthew 6:33. There we are told to FIRST seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and He will care for us. If in fact we are truly seeking God and striving for a close relationship with Him, we can quote this passage to Him. This is demonstrated further in Hebrews 4:12-13, 16 (READ).
There is yet another reason to communicate clearly with God. The thought comes to us through Luke 21:36: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be able to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
When Christians diligently make use of their communicative relationship with God, they may qualify to escape the troubles coming upon the world in these last days (Acts 2:17). Our proper Godly character must be such that we take Jesus at His word (Luke 6:46; John 12:48). Then we may very well escape tragedy! More important, we will be able to stand before Jesus when He returns.
Jesus says that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). How? By close trusting contact, prayer, meditation, praise, thanksgiving, and biblically oriented communication. Trusting God saved Shadrach and his friends from a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:8-27). Daniel prayed three times a day and he was saved from the den of lions (Daniel 6:10, 11-23). Communication with God is necessary and may save our lives in certain life-threatening situations.
Therefore, we have all the reasons in the world to communicate with God. We will grow stronger spiritually and when the evil day comes, we will be able to stand (Ephesians 6:10-13). People need to have reinforced training in every profession and skill that they may possess. Commercial pilots must have constant check flights in simulators and in the air. Athletes rehearse specific plays or moves over and over till they become automatic.
Someone once quipped to Ben Hogan how lucky he was at golf. Ben's reply was, "The more I practice the luckier I get!" Christians, too, must be solid, steadfast practitioners of faith in executing biblical principles (1 Corinthians 15:58).
READ Hebrews 5:12-14. Christians need to achieve the principle stated in verse 14. The phrase "BY REASON OF USE" means we are experienced at practicing biblical principles. It is a hurdle for some Christians to realize that they must “work” at overcoming (Revelation 2:5, 7). No one will coast their way to heaven.
Traditional theology teaches that we only have to believe. But belief or faith that produces nothing is worth little – in fact, IT IS DEAD! James wrote that only the “doers” are justified (James 2:14-26). Our minds must accept the principle of “by reason of use” as we grow in our ability to discern good and evil.
Working at conversion on a daily basis is another giant hurdle for some who are striving to build Godly character. The Christian has been given his marching orders by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20. However, the existing "standard" for so many of our religious friends is this: The family attends their church occasionally, especially at “Easter,” “Christmas,” “christenings,” and marriages.
God calls all flesh (Jews, Gentiles, and the lost from the world and from denominationalism) into the ONE Christian faith (Ephesians 4:5; Romans 10:17). How does He do it? These people hear and believe the gospel (Acts 15:7). They repent of their sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30). They confess Jesus as Lord, the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10).
They are baptized (immersed in water) into Christ (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27) for the forgiveness of their sins by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:28). At that point they are saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21), they become Christians (Acts 11:26), and the Lord adds them to the church He built… the church of Christ (Acts 2:47; Matthew 16:18).
These new Christians begin attending worship services with the local saints (other Christians) in their community (1 Corinthians 1:2). This is familiar to them at this point because it mimics their mindset of "church." However, the next step is a giant one. When one is called by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14), a paradigm shift begins to occur because their new relationship with the Father is so different from their previous approach to “religion.”
They discover that they must "work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). To the uncommitted, it may seem burdensome to work diligently at seeking God, but that's precisely what we must do as we resist Satan's influence and the appetites of the flesh (Hebrews 11:6).
Our senses must be developed to discern good and evil (READ Ephesians 3:14-19). Here Paul is showing us that our inner man can be strengthened by God's Spirit. We need God to protect us and deliver us from evil, but receiving God's help requires our participation. With God's help, we can triumph and gain the mastery and become like Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:27).
Learning is necessary for BUILDING GODLY CHARACTER. The Christian must learn. Learning happens when meditation and contemplation takes place (Psalm 1). God’s children must gain true experience with God from life's many choices. There are principles that can be derived from the lives of others (1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Timothy 2:2). Compare yourself to Daniel, Paul, or Moses. What did they do that set them apart?
The Christian needs to know that God understands "our frame;” He knows we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). Therefore, He is not against us or out to get us, but is FOR us, and there to help us in the learning process. The final admonition for us is to ALWAYS do the good that we know to do (James 4:17)! Always do the right thing. We must look to Jesus as the perfect model of righteousness and our source of help!
To the God of heaven be the Glory as His Will is done (1 Corinthians 10:31). Please pray for wisdom, for me and my wife, Cynthia, and for the Liberty NW church of Christ meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. We are praying for you, and we love you all so much. Samuel.