You were created for relationship with God. Through daily prayer and listening to His voice, you can experience the love and guidance He has for you.
Christianity is not a religion. It's not. Christianity is a relationship. And for a relationship to happen between individuals, there must be communication. Did you know that in America, according to the Pew Research Research Center, about 55% of Americans say that they pray every single day.
Not only that, over 95% of Americans say that they pray at least 1 time a month. That means that when stuff gets tough, almost all of us reach out to something bigger than ourself. But that doesn't mean just because over 95% of Americans pray once a month, that doesn't mean that over 95% of Americans know God. See, there's a difference between between praying and between or between praying and knowing God. Why?
Because to really have a relationship, you must have communication. And communication takes 2 things. Communication takes speaking to someone. Well, that's prayer. Right?
Over 95% of people pray to God and and at least have a hope that God is hearing them. But communication also takes hearing the other person, listening to them, and that's really how you get to know them. So 2 parts in communication and prayer, there's speaking and listening. And the problem is that many people that pray and believe and hope that God hears them do not really understand how to hear God. And the reason is, for many people, it's because they don't know him.
What would it be like to have a daily relationship with God where you know beyond a "shadow of a doubt" that you could hear him? Where you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God could speak to you and could could communicate what you needed to do in the day in and day out? In the mundane of life and in the biggest things ever. What if you could know that? A daily conversational relationship with God.
What would it be like in the most tumultuous times, in in the tough times to be able to walk forward with confidence because you knew that the creator of the universe was listening to you, knew where you were, but was also speaking to you and guiding you. And I want you to know that that he wants you to experience that kind of a relationship. He doesn't wanna be cryptic. He doesn't want you to to guess whether or not he's speaking, but he wants you to know exactly what he's saying in the day in and day out. He wants you to know the little that he cares about even the little details of your wife.
Why? Because God absolutely *loves* you. *John-10:27* says this, my sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. In John-8:47, it says this, whoever belongs to God, hears what God says.
See, God wants you to hear his voice and he wants you to know him and be known by him. And *Matthew-7:21* is pretty clear and it's pretty tough. Let's look at it. In Matthew-7:21, give me a second. I'm getting there.
It says this, many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord. And when somebody says Lord, Lord in those times, it meant like a sign of friendship. So these people thought that they were friends of God. And maybe it's because they threw up a lot of prayers. Right?
Maybe they were talking to God but never really knew how to hear his voice. They didn't have a relationship. But it says, many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? They all they did amazing things for God and they spoke to God. But it says, then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you.
Away from me, you evil doers. That's pretty tough. Like I said, these guys did a lot of things for God. They prophesied, they performed miracles, they were super spiritual, they prayed to God, but God said that he didn't know them. It's a relationship.
It's hearing God speak. And it's not about you achieving some super spiritual place, but it's about it's not about you even achieving some level of belief where, man, you made it to level 6 or you made it to level 7. That's junk, guys. It's not about how much you do this or how much you do that. It's about **belonging to him**.
It's about being known by him and knowing him. In John-8:47 again, I'm a read it. It says, whoever belongs to God, here's what he says. And then it says, the reason you do not hear is because you do not belong to God. See, you're created to belong to God.
You're created to know his voice. And God still speaks and he wants to speak to you right now, right where you are. He wants you to know that he loves you. He sees you. He sees what you're going through.
And the bad things that have happened to you, the the tough stuff, you losing your job, maybe you getting sick, maybe divorce, all the things that you've even blamed God for, he didn't do it. God loves you and he wants to redeem. He wants to help the situation. He has peace for you. He has good news for you.
And right now, he wants you to experience a *relationship* with him. He's saying to you, I am your peace. I am your joy. I am love so you can know me and experience love. Maybe some of you for the first time, really.
He wants to lead you through the tough times of your life. And when it seems like there is no hope, he wants you to know that he is your "living hope". Maybe you're watching this and you're like, I need that. I need to know Jesus. I've never experienced Jesus before in my life and I need to experience a relationship with him.
Listen to me carefully. The Bible says that Jesus died on the cross for you. Jesus laid his life down to pay for your sin, to pay for all your junk that you've done, to pay for the stuff that you're ashamed of and you're you felt guilty for. Jesus died in your place so that you wouldn't have to pay for your sin. And then he rose again 3 days later so you could experience his life, his resurrection life.
The Bible says if you believe that do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus died for you and rose again? The Bible says if you believe that and you confess that he's your Lord, you will be saved. For those of you that don't know God's voice and you want to know his voice, for those of you that want to receive a relationship with Jesus right now, I want you to pray this with me. And if you're on our platform right now, you can click and just raise your hand like, hey, that's me.
I need to receive Jesus right now. Pray this with me out loud. Wherever you are, in front of your computer, in front of your TV, whatever you're watching, pray this out loud. This is very important. Say this.
Say, Jesus, I believe that you died for me. Go ahead and say it out loud. I believe you died for me. And I believe you rose again 3 days later. Forgive me of my sin.
I've been living for me. But right now, I see you and I choose to live for you. Teach me what it means to follow you. You are my Lord. Now, everybody watching, whether you've given your life to Jesus just now or you've been following him for all of your life, say this with me out loud.
Say, thank you, Jesus. Everybody, come on. Thank you, Jesus, that I'm forgiven. Thank you, Jesus, that I'm loved by you. Thank you, Jesus, that I'm yours.
Thank you, Jesus, that I'm "brand new". Thank you, Jesus, that I have hope. Thank you, Jesus, that you're my peace. I receive you. I receive Holy Spirit, I receive you into my life.
If you just gave your life to Jesus, the Bible says that you're born again. You're brand new creation. The old is gone. The new is here. He cares for you, and he has a future for you.
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