“God made the world and EVERYTHING in it, He made from one man EVERY nation of mankind TO LIVE on all the face of the earth, that they should SEEK GOD, and FEEL THEIR WAY (psēlaphaō: to connect for more familiarity) toward Him and FIND HIM…He is actually NOT FAR from each one of us, for “IN HIM we LIVE and MOVE and HAVE OUR BEING…we are indeed HIS CHILDREN.” (Acts 17:24-28) God wants us to COMMUNICATE (talk and listen) with Him and COME INTO A CLOSENESS with Him so we can have an intimate relationship.
How do I know this? God created us TO BE HIS FAMILY, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…heirs of God (we are His children) and joint heirs with Christ (He is our brother)…” (Rom. 8:16-17) God’s intentions ARE to be with us as He was with Adam and Eve before the fall. Adam and Eve, “…heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” (Gen. 3:8) God would appear in the garden each day and fellowship with His family, Adam and Eve. “Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and BROUGHT THEM TO ADAM TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD CALL THEM. And whatever Adam called each living creature, THAT WAS ITS NAME.” (Gen. 2:19)
Adam and Eve gave that all up when they sinned, how do we get it back? “…anyone who belongs to Christ has become A NEW PERSON…all of this is A GIFT FROM GOD, who BROUGHT US BACK TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST…” (2 Corin. 5:17-18)
God’s gift to us is that He BROUGHT US BACK into a relationship with Him like He had with Adam and Eve. We must accept that and START LISTENING to the gentle voice of love, grace, and mercy, God speaks to us today. “Whoever belongs to God HEARS WHAT GOD SAYS.” (John 8:47) “My sheep HEAR MY VOICE, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) “Everyone who is of the truth HEARS MY VOICE.” (John 18:37)
GOD’S WORD IS LIVING, GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL, GOD’S WORD IS TRUTH…
-Bill Stockham