Basic Truths with Pastor Chadwick
God Wants to Know You Personally

If you look around, you will see order and design. The universe is so complex, and so beautiful, Somebody knew what they were doing when all of this got put together. God is that Somebody, and it was His intent that all of the awe and wonder that you may have experienced at some point in your life (even if it was a long time ago) would point to Him. (Ps. 91:1). In Romans 1:20, the apostle Paul tells us that God has made Himself know to us through nature and an inner, instinctive recognition of who He is:

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

In nature, you can find evidence that God exists... but nevertheless... you will still need to accept Him by faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

If you don’t believe in God, there are probably a billion reasons you could find not to believe. But, if you honestly step back and look at all of this around us... it really takes more faith NOT to believe than it does to acknowledge that all of your awe and wonder should be directed at Him.

Look at the sunset.

Watch the waves crash onto the seashore.

He made it all.

“So what if He does exist... He is so distant anyways, it doesn’t really matter.”

“God doesn’t really care about my problems. How could He. There are 7 billion people in the world. Many of them are worse off than me. How could He notice me?”

You’re not the only one to feel like the only one when it comes to these feelings and thoughts about God.

But, take a look at what the Bible says about a God who is seeking you out, because He wants to be with you. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26) God wants you to reflect His image. The Creator of everything you see wants you to have a personal friendship and relationship that is real and tangible. He wants you to know Him, and He wants to be your closest friend.

All of us have a need and a desire to know and be known by God. Completely known by God.

But often we are kept from entering into that whole relationship because of sins from our past... or the skeletons in the closet. If you could enter into that kind of relationship, regardless of what you did last year... or last month... or last night... wouldn’t you go for it?

To have someone accept you for who you are, and where you are at... the dirtiness... the shame... all of it... Can you admit that that is exactly what you hope for in God?

Good News! The God who created the world (and you) is hoping you’ll accept His invitation to know Him.

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

But before we go there:
What prevents us from believing that the Creator God would want to have anything to do with us because of how we have desecrated His wonderful creation?