What God Wants

What do you do about people like Pharaoh who say, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord" (Exodus 5:2, NKJV)? How do you respond when they patronize your faith saying, "Well, it's nice that you have something to believe in"?

The number of people who doubt God's existence is growing every day. Men and women of every nation are saying, "I don't believe there is a God." So, how does God respond?

Receive
The Bible is pretty blunt when it describes this type of person.

1. "The fool has said in his heart,
2. 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1, NKJV).
3. It's foolishness for anyone to conclude there is no God because God has made it clear He exists.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20, NKJV). God has made Himself known in nature, and He has also revealed Himself in the Bible.

When you encounter someone who claims there is no God, you can point out these facts to that person. But keep in mind that knowing about God is not the same as a relationship with Him. Read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and you'll discover several instances when demons rightly identified Jesus as the Son of God. (See Mark 1:22-24; Mark 3:11). They knew exactly who He was, but they certainly didn't have a personal relationship with Him.

So, how can we bring these friends into a personal relationship with the God we know? Truthfully, we can't--but God can. Salvation, entering into a relationship with God, is His gift to those who respond to His Spirit. But even though we can't make our friends and neighbors into Christians, there's still a lot we can do to help them open up to Jesus.

Reflect
Paul talked about his ministry in 1 Corinthians by saying, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase" (3:6, NKJV). His point was that it is God who saves a person, and we should therefore identify ourselves as children of God, not as children of Apollos or Paul. What does it mean to plant? To Water? What are some ways we can plant or water today?

Respond
Peter advises in his first letter, "Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15, NKJV).

1. Have you ever given your testimony?
2. If somebody asked you today why you believe in God, what would you say?
3. Don't wait for someone to ask. Take some time today to write out your testimony. Write about how you met God and how your life has been changed since.
4. Ask God to bring someone across your path this week that you can share your story with.