LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E

Are you God's FRIEND? Do we even know what that means? Dare I say, have we ever truly EXPERIENCED a friendship with Him? In taking a real honest look at my own life... day by day, moment by moment... I am afraid of what the answer to that question might be. We spend so much energy and time trying and trying to "look for" or "figure out" who we're suppose to be, what we're suppose to be doing, what we're suppose to be planning, thinking, saying, learning, etc., etc., etc. It's quite exhausting. And I'm learning that an outlook such as this, such as the world encourages us to bear, is really one of the greatest LIES ever told. It is NOT the way of our Father. This is not what He ever intended. God LOVES you... and me... and the person who's trying to figure out his life. We are his prized possession (it's true, see James 1:18), and more than ANYTHING that ever existed, or ever will exist, He simply desires to BE for us who He truly is: our Father, and our Closest Friend. He says, Seek Me ABOVE ALL ELSE, and I will give you everything you need (Luke 12:31).

I'd like to think that I love God... I say I do. I hope I do. I really believe I do. But do I? Do YOU? Do we really LOVE Him? In a message tonight by Stephen LeBlanc (Gateway Community Church - Seven ministry) (Please view below) I have been directly challenged in my "friendship" with the Lord. Towards the latter part of his sermon about "Who Hear's God's Promises?", Stephen lays out a perfect analogy of what it looks like to be God's close companion. Love is spelled T-I-M-E. Show me where or with whom you spend your time... I'll show you what or who you love. I know I fail often at giving as much time as I desire to the people closest to me in my life. WHY is that? More tragically, do I do that with God too? How frequently do I fail with spending time with the One who gave me life, who gave up everything for me... who adores me, marvels at me, thinks obsessively about me, wants to bless me beyond ANYTHING I could think or ask? Who saves me, protects me, fights for me, forgives me, guides me, holds me, loves me anyways, understands me, knows ALL the plans He has for me... "plans for good, not for disaster, to give me a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). What is the condition of my heart? What is the condition of your heart? ARE WE LOVING?

I want to be a FRIEND of Jesus. And I want to be the greatest friend to the people I love the most. I don't want to be someone who just talks or thinks about how awesome it would be to truly have such relationships, to truly have the BEST Relationship. I desire to EXPERIENCE it, walk in it, breath it, live it. Experience HIM... face to face. And I believe that's exactly what God wants, too. I need to ask my Father to help me take the principal of priority to heart... I want to do better. I want to be more. I want to LOVE more. I want to make God SMILE. I want to be one of His greatest friends He has ever walked with. I want to hear His voice, know His plans and promises, share all of my deepest hopes, dreams, fears, desires, and do His WILL... and then allow Him to teach me HOW to love the people in my life like that.

I no longer want to settle in what I see around me. God, give me the courage to be DIFFERENT. Give us the grace and the power it's going to take to switch our priorities around. Lord, You can do it in our lives. Help us to LET You. Give us the courage to love like never before.

VIDEO:

Seven Sermon Center Gateway Church