Can you develop your friendship with God?

Question

Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. James 4:8

In the Bible, the friends of God were honest about their feelings, often complaining, second-guessing, accusing, and arguing with their Creator. God, however, didn't seem to be bothered by this frankness; in fact, he encouraged it.
Every time you trust God's wisdom and do whatever he says, even when you don't understand it, you deepen your friendship with God. We don't normally think of obedience as a characteristic of friendship; that reserved for relationships with a parent or the boss or a superior officer, not a friend. Hovever, Jesus made it clear that obedience is a condition of intimacy with God. He said, "You are my friends if you do what I command" John 15:14

The truth is -you are as close to God as you choose to be. It's a choice, no accident. You must intentionally seek it. Do you really want it- more than anything? What is it worth to you? Is it worth the effort of developing the habits and skills required?

Answer 1

Absolutely. your as close as you wanna be we become close to GOD by the amount of time we spent with HIM seeking and talking to HIM. draw nigh to GOD and HE will do the same.

Answer 2

You got it right, friend. Christianity is especially a personal relationship [friendship] with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This is not a religion, because it is more personal than a religion. God bless.

Answer 3

Very interesting to read. Yes I agree that a relationship with God is only as close as you make it. In Christianity and also in Islam we believe this. If you take a step towards Him he'll come running to you. (so to speak)

Answer 4

When God told *Moses he was going to destroy man, He told him "Then destroy me too." Even Abraham argued with God. (For the ones who were innocent, living in Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, his brother for instance.) I think that you have to sort out a lot of B.S. in order to get close to God. And of course, NOT BEING ASHAMED is a good start.

Answer 5

i like to not talk about god i like to talk to them myself and there is times i hear the voice and i do what it says and im convinced that is what god put me here to do but the naysayers try to tell me they dont like what god has made me into and they complain when im doing the work of god and evil presents itself and threatings me with violence and oppression and trys to convince me out of gods work they tell me that the wrong path is the right path and i have to join them cause the local govt says im unshure what to do an i dont want to resort to violence i voiced my concerns but it seems like knowone is listening

Answer 6

I have a "friendship" with God. But I don't need the Bible, Jesus, other believers, or a Church and pastor to do it.

Answer 7

It has been worth the effort to anyone who has drawn closer to GOD.

Answer 8

yes
It is never an easy road to take, but a few in the Bible did follow this path so look at them;Genesis 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 22Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
1 Kings 15:3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
1 Kings 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
2 Kings 20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Now in God's nature to be our Savior consider what God does want most from us is to do wht he did save the world, Moses did this many times; Numbers 14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
Abrham did this for Lot; Gen.18: 22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD. [e] 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
David did this many times and God did call him a man after his own heart.

Answer 9

Friendship implies equality and we are not equal to God.

Answer 10

Well said my friend. I'll see you in heaven.