1. Series: Learning From The Master – A Plan to Live By How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God?

2. Hebrews 10:22(KJV) 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. We can be closer to the Lord!

3. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? Psalms 145:18(KJV) 18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. Face the truth…we need Him.

4. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? ASK Luke 11:9-10(KJV) 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Jesus wants us to know… We need to ask!

5. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? Standard (easy) answer: Pray Read your Bible Go to church

6. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? SEEK How can we be close to the Lord if we do not seek Him?

7. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? OBEY GOD’S WORD Luke 11:28(KJV) 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. You cannot be close without keeping God’s Word in your life

8. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? LET OUR “LIGHT” SHINE Luke 11:33-36(NKJV) 33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

9. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? SEEK (VALUE) THE RIGHT THINGS IN LIFE Luke 12:29-34(NKJV) 29 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. 32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

10. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? BE READY AND WATCHING FOR HIS RETURN Luke 12:37-40(NKJV) 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

11. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? LOOK AT YOUR OWN NEED, NOT OTHERS Luke 13:4-5(NKJV) 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

12. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? PLACE HIM ABOVE ALL OTHERS AND ALL THINGS Luke 14:26-33(NKJV) 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’

13. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? PLACE HIM ABOVE ALL OTHERS AND ALL THINGS 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

14. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? SHOW THANKS Luke 17:12-19(NKJV) 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

15. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? SHOW THANKS 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

16. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? KEEP ON KEEPING ON Luke 18:1(NKJV) 1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

17. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? DON’T TRUST IN YOUR GOODNESS, BUT TRUST IN THE LORD’S Luke 18:14(NKJV) … for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

18. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? So, How do we get closer to God? SAY YES TO THE LORD Luke 19:5-6(KJV) 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

19. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

20. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

21. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

22. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

23. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

24. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

25. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

26. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

27. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

28. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

29. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

30. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? We need to ask Him We need to seek Him We need to obey God’s Word (completely) We need to let our “light” shine We need to value the right things in life We need to ready and watching for His return We need to seek Him for our own individual need We need to place Him first in our lives We need to give Him thanks We need to hang in there and not give up We need to trust in His goodness instead of ours We need to say yes to Him

31. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? James 4:1-10(NKJV) 1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4£ Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

32. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

33. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? What does James tell us? Loose our pride Be humble Resist the devil Draw near to God Quit the sin Humble ourselves before God and He will lift us up

34. How Can I Develop A Better Relationship With God? What does Jesus want us to know? We can have a better relationship with the Lord!