To Be Friends with God, You Have to Slow Down

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Awesome Relationships

To Be Friends with God, You Have to Slow Down By Rick Warren — May 24, 2016 “Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises” (Psalm 25:14 TLB). If you want to build a deep relationship with God, you have to slow down and be quiet. Friendship with God is like any other friendship — you have to make time for it. If you don’t make time for your human friends, they’re not your friends. You make time for your friends. And if God is going to be your best friend, you’ve got to give your best time to him. The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a NIV). You need to have a daily quiet time with God. You have to be still so that you can know God better. Psalm 25:14 says, “Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises” (TLB). Many people don’t know God. They haven’t experienced God’s love. They don’t know why he does what he does. Yet, the Bible says that friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. In other words, those who slow down and spend time with him. What would a friendship be if you never invested your time in it? Friendships need attention. You will never know God intimately if all you do is just come to church services. You’ve got to read God’s Word and ask him, “God, is there anything you want to say to me?” You don’t have to use any fancy phrases or words. Just talk to him authentically. And then listen! The Bible says it like this Matthew 6:5-6: “When you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production ... Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace” (Matthew 6:5-6 MSG). Slow down today, focus on God, and listen as he speaks to you about his grace. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over What are the distractions that keep you from being still before God? How can you limit those distractions? Why is it sometimes easier or more enjoyable to spend time with our friends on Earth rather than with God? What do we misunderstand about God when we feel this way? We sometimes over complicate our quiet times? What kind of things can you do to slow down, be quiet, and spend time with God simply and honestly? Our Gift: Awesome Relationships Study Kit If you’d like to improve all of your relationships then you’ll want to experience Pastor Rick’s new four week DVD study called, Awesome Relationships. In this amazing study Pastor Rick shows you how to be intentional about building up your relationships so you can experience the awesome relationships that you desire. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Awesome Relationships teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: Fighting for an Awesome Marriage Message 2: ​​​​​​​​Fighting for an Awesome Family Message 3: ​Making Friends for Eternity Message 4: What ​Destroys Relationships and What Builds Them Message 5: Finding the Love of Your Life Message 6: ​Becoming Best Friends with God PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2016 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe