October 27, 2025 • 19 mins
God will talk to you during your conversations with others. So, how close to you want to get to God? How close does He want to be to you? This is both a practical and powerful conversation, with true stories and Bible scriptures that help you discover how God is the initiator of personal relationships.
His goodness will exceed your expectations if you'll dare to believe.
Special offer!
Prayer changes everything — especially when you’re seeking God for answers to anxiety, depression, relationships, finances, health, or life decisions. 100 Prayers Releasing 100 Cares shares real stories of answered prayer, biblical wisdom for hearing God’s voice, and practical faith tools rooted in Scripture to help you walk in freedom and bold trust in God. "100 Prayers Releasing 100 Cares" Click to order your copy today and begin praying with confidence!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Then I asked him if I could pray for him, which he
was, you know, didn't quite knowhow to take me in, take in a
conversation like this from hisgrandchild.
But he said yes.
So I just prayed a prayersaying, Father, thank you for my
grandfather.
Thank you that he's a godly man,a few things like that.
And something this just came upinside my heart to say, When you
(00:23):
see Jesus, tell him I love him.
And I thought, what?
I can't say that.
That sounds like he's gonna die.
Do you love God but forget topray?
Or feel guilty instead ofenjoying his presence?
I understand.
I know how unsatisfying timewith God can feel if we believe
he is distant and busy.
I'm Lenora, mom, Jesus lover,and former international
(00:46):
trainer.
If you're ready to feel closerwith God without fear or
pressure, have greater abilityto receive from him, and desire
more confidence to make animpact with your life.
Well, get some coffee and let'stalk.
If you're carrying stress andwant support with prayer, I
wrote a book to help you.
It's called 100 Prayers,Releasing 100 Cares.
(01:09):
It's full of real stories,scripture, and 100 prayers for
about every part of life.
A link for the book is in theshow notes.
I really think you'll love it.
Some have said it is the bestprayer book they've ever had.
Many years ago, I mean, in thelast century, by about a decade,
my grandfather was in thehospital.
(01:30):
I've got a phone call and I'dheard he'd had a heart attack
and was in the hospital.
I couldn't go visit him the sametime the rest of my family was
going.
So I just made plans thatafternoon to go see him.
When I got to his room, I wassurprised that he wasn't in the
hospital bed.
He was in his overalls, which iswhat I always saw my grandfather
(01:51):
in.
And he was sitting in a chairnext to the hospital bed.
I was really surprised.
And either he or a nurse told mehe was scheduled to be released
that afternoon, which I thoughtwas pretty awesome.
But since it was just me, I justsat with him.
And we didn't have a ton ofconversations in the past, so it
(02:12):
was a little awkward, but I justwanted to say thank you to him
for having been a Christian.
And that because of that, my momwas, and now I was.
So I would just wanted to sharegratitude.
Then I asked him if I could prayfor him, which he was, you know,
didn't quite know how to take mein, take in a conversation like
(02:33):
this from his grandchild.
But he said yes.
So I just prayed a prayersaying, Father, thank you for my
grandfather.
Thank you that he's a godly manand a few things like that.
And something this just came upinside my heart to say, When you
see Jesus, tell him I love him.
And I thought, What?
I can't say that.
(02:53):
That sounds like he's gonna die.
He's supposed to be releasedthis afternoon.
I so I just didn't say it.
I didn't follow that prompting.
And I said goodbye and left.
A couple hours later, he passedaway.
He did not leave the hospital.
He just, I don't know if he wasjust sitting in that chair, but
he just was gone.
And I thought, wow, I'm so gladI got to talk with him and share
(03:17):
my gratitude for his lifepersonally.
But then I also thought, darnit, I missed the opportunity.
Now I can tell Jesus myself thatI love him, and I do, but I
thought it was a cool idea afterit came up, which I'm pretty
sure, in fact, I'm certain itwas inspired by God Himself,
(03:38):
because that just wouldn't havecome to me.
Plus, I figured he was gonnalive longer.
Anyway, some years later, mydad's mom was in and out of the
hospital with heart issues.
She was 96.
I called her because she livedin Southern California and I was
not in the same state, and Ijust wanted to connect with her.
(04:00):
We did have a bit more of arelationship over the years.
So I did the same type of thingand just shared my gratitude for
her, made sure out loud that Itold her thank you.
And then I was gonna say, Thistime I'm taking this opportunity
because I figured she's been inand out of the hospital a lot.
I know exactly where she'sgoing.
I know she loves Jesus.
(04:21):
She's she's she's gonna be faceto face with God soon.
So I told her, I was going tosay the exact same thing, but it
came out of my heart different.
And I said, Hey grandma, whenyou see Jesus, will you give him
a kiss for me?
And I was like, Well, that waseven bolder.
And she just kind of laughed andchuckled, and I I think it and I
(04:44):
probably embarrassed her alittle bit.
And I I paused and I said, No,I'm serious.
Would you do that for me?
And she said, Yes.
And she agreed.
And it was a you know, a fewweeks later when she passed
away.
And it was so also easy for meto grieve when you've expressed
the love and gratitude you havefor someone.
(05:06):
It does help.
But it was super cool to knowshe was delivering that message.
You know, when we have Christ,when Jesus is our Lord, the
Spirit of God lives in us, we'veaccepted Him as the Son of God,
and He lives in us.
And if you know the Bible, youknow that.
(05:29):
But my question is right now, atthis time, how close do we want
to be with Him?
I mean, there's a lot that goeson in life.
How close do I want to be?
How personal with God do I wantto get?
And I'm bringing this up becauseI think it's an important
question, because I think ourexpectations matter a lot more
(05:53):
than we think because we're madein the image of God.
Again, go back to Genesis.
We're made after his likeness.
It's funny how I mean the worldalmost whether it's the new age
or just whatever, they almostget it sometimes better than
Christians do that what weexpect out of life has something
(06:14):
to do with what we receive fromit.
It's certainly not everything,but it does matter.
And we're made in the image ofGod.
So because of that, our heartscan shut down and say, No, I
don't want X, Y, Z relationship,or yes, I do.
We can choose to get closer to aperson, to a friend, spend more
(06:34):
time with that friendship, havea better relationship in our
marriage by choosingrelationship things.
You get my point.
It's the same thing with God.
Now, scripture says when you'veaccepted Christ, you're one in
spirit.
But what about the rest of you?
Your soul?
What about all your thoughts,your emotions?
(06:56):
How close do you want to be?
Now I want to switch to tell youhow close do you think he wants
you to be?
It's not just for certainpeople.
If you're listening to thispodcast, you most likely know
salvation is for anyone whocalls on the name of Jesus.
And salvation meaning reallymarriage with God, complete
relationship with God comesthrough Jesus Christ.
(07:18):
But God wants it to be a goodmarriage, He wants it to be an
intimate marriage.
Read the book of the Song ofSolomon's.
God understands romance, heunderstands closeness, intimacy,
and that's the kind ofrelationship, heart to heart,
mind to mind, spirit to spiritthat your father wants with you.
(07:39):
Now we're gonna look at twoverses.
John 14 6 and John 6 44.
First one is when Jesus said, Iam the way, the truth, and the
life.
No one comes to the Fatherexcept through me.
Again, if you know the Bible,it's not because he didn't want
to do it any other way, it'sbecause there is no other way
(08:01):
for us to be joined to a holy,holy God, except that all of our
anger, hatred, all the things wedo, and the way we fall short of
his amazing self has to be dealtwith.
And Jesus came to deal with itso that we could, through Christ
(08:23):
Jesus, have that face-to-facewith the Father, like in
Genesis.
They walked with God in thegarden.
He wants you walking with himclose every day, very personal
relationship.
So again, he said, I am the way,the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Fatherexcept through me.
And then John 6.44 says, No onecan come to me unless the Father
(08:45):
who sent me draws him, and Iwill raise him up on the last
day.
So how do these fit together?
It's a beautiful mystery insalvation and about the
relationship with God.
The only way to the Father isthrough Jesus because it
required his holiness that wefall short of.
And Jesus is the exclusivemediator between God and man.
(09:08):
And the only way to Jesus is bythe Father drawing us.
Salvation begins with God'sinitiative, not your effort.
Sometimes we think God isdistant and busy and just
annoyed with people or watchingthem like animals in a cage.
And that is so corrupt.
(09:29):
That concept is so messed up.
I've brought this up on pastepisodes.
Read Ephesians 1.
God's plan from the beginning,like a parent, was to create
this amazing baby room universefor us to be in.
And some of you would thinkthat's crazy.
You know how big the universeis, Lenora?
Well, technically in my mind, Idon't fully grasp it.
(09:50):
No.
But if we're made in the imageof God, we needed a big playroom
because nothing's impossiblewith him.
And he made us after his image,so we needed a big playroom.
But he always made it with youin mind.
It's like a parent who makes ababy room because he and she
want to put that baby in thatroom and be with that child.
(10:13):
Relationship with God startswith the Father's initiative.
He planned for us in the firstplace.
His plan was always for us to behis child.
He knew there was going to be afailure.
They planned for the answerahead of time, and it was
secured.
The answer was secured throughthe Son of God.
And salvation is completed bythe resurrection.
(10:35):
Because it proved our sins werepaid for.
Jesus didn't die for his sake.
He was not a martyr.
He was a sacrifice to reuniteus, reconcile us with God.
Not that God didn't want therelationship, but we had run
from him, and we have an enemy.
There is an enemy that has beenlying from the beginning, and
the lies are rampant still todayof what God is like.
(10:58):
In fact, your enemy, Satan,devil, whatever you want to call
it, part of the definition ofthe word is a divider, one who
puts things to stumble in frontof you.
The enemy wants to break yourtrust, break your trust with
God, break your perspective ofGod, break your trust with
people, and cause us to beseparated.
(11:18):
God wants us united.
God wants us one, wants us inunity.
Not that we do everythingexactly the same, but we can
walk together.
Now out of John 6.44, it says,No one can come to me except the
Father who sent me, draws him.
God sent Jesus, so it was God'sinitiative, the Father's
(11:39):
initiative, and he says theFather draws the person to him.
Again, it's God's initiative.
The word draw means to pull,draw, or drag something with
force.
It implies a strong movement ofattraction rather than a passive
suggestion or a gentleinvitation.
(12:00):
It doesn't mean to invite, itmeans to pull toward.
So God, who started this wholecreation in the first place,
creating mankind, it was hisinitiative.
And now he is pulling us towardshim.
The references in scripture,let's use a couple of those.
John 21, 6 talks about pulling aheavy net of fish, a force
(12:23):
applied to drawing something,drawing that load of fish
towards him.
The same words used in somenegative concepts sometimes.
Acts 16, 19, Paul and Silas weredragged into the marketplace.
James 2, 6, there was appliedpressure.
It wasn't just a gentlepersuasion.
Those are negative examples, butthere's time God is trying to
(12:44):
say, Wake up.
You need to choose me.
You don't know how the enemy'strying to take your life, take
you out.
Come to me while you still havea free will opportunity in this
body of yours to say yes to me,because I want you as my own.
Read the Song of Solomon,chapter 1, verse 4.
(13:05):
Draw me after you.
The word draw also means aromantic pull of love.
God's goodness leads us torepentance.
He's saying, I'm so good.
Come to me.
Jeremiah 31, 3.
I have loved you.
I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
So with God, He initiated in thefirst place this creation.
(13:27):
He always has had a purpose foryou.
And he initiates and activelymoves the human heart.
He's drawing your heart, but youwill always have a free will.
Now, some of you say, Well, Ialready have Jesus.
I get this, Leonard, I'vealready got this.
And I'm so happy you do.
But I think he's also drawingyou into a friendship with God.
(13:49):
Like Abraham was called thefriend of God.
He told the disciples, Jesustold the disciples, I don't
longer call you servants, but Icall you friends.
And I tell you things I don'ttell other people.
He gives you a revelation aboutwhat he's really like because
you're his friend.
Sometimes he tells you thingsthat are coming.
That's what prophetic words are.
God may tell you something.
(14:10):
There's so much that could besaid there.
But there is the real thing ofGod will talk to people.
God will help us see what'scoming because he wants to help
us.
So how close do we want to be?
Again, he uses lovingattraction.
He compels by love.
He wants us to awake to thedesire to know him.
He doesn't force himself onpeople, he wakes them up.
(14:33):
His pull is strong.
And God, I pray right now thatyou are strongly pulling people
that hear this episode to drawnear to you, to say yes, I want
to be close to you.
If they know Jesus already, theysay, God, I want us to be
friends.
I mean real friends.
Help me believe it.
And if they don't know you, God,I pray you are drawing them to
call on the name of Jesus.
(14:54):
Say yes to this God who sayshe's always had a purpose for
me.
I want your purpose for me.
I want the life that you havefor me.
God is so much better.
That was a prayer.
Now I'm back to talking to you.
God is so much better than wethink.
It began with his initiative.
Our response is real, but it'sactually secondary because he
(15:15):
started it.
We're responding to him.
He reveals truth to us, he stirsyour spirit, your conscience, he
awakens desire for him.
He can open up spiritualperception.
I've said in past episodes, andI pray over you and myself.
God open the eyes of ourunderstanding to the knowledge
of you.
(15:36):
Life is how do you say it,incomprehensibly better with
Jesus than without him.
I saw that movie recently.
If you saw the movie Night andDay, there's a scene, actually
two scenes, where Tom Cruise andCameron Diaz are in this crazy
adventure, and he is trying tokeep her alive.
And he is standing there tryingto convince her, I'm not this
(16:01):
horrible traitor that they'vetried to tell you I am.
You're gonna need to trust me.
I'll keep you safe and get youout of this situation.
And he uses his hand high abovehis shoulder to say, with me,
you're safer.
And he puts his hand low,without me, you're not safe.
Except it's just a quick withme, without me.
(16:22):
This is how life's gonna go.
And this is the truth with youand Jesus Christ.
And if and if you want to putthis scene where you're Cameron
Diaz and Jesus is Tom Cruise,he's telling you, here's how
life goes.
With me, the hand is up high,and you're safe.
And if you don't have me, ifit's without me, your life is at
(16:45):
great risk.
With me, without me.
If you've seen the movie, youcan picture the scene.
So don't just expect to somedaygo to heaven.
Life begins at calling on thename of Jesus.
Eternal life is to know God.
You have it right now.
And He wants way more than acontract relationship with you.
(17:07):
It's a covenant, it's amarriage.
And it's our choice to begin tobelieve God actually wants a
friendship with me.
God actually wants an intimate,close friendship relationship
with me.
God open my eyes to that.
Help me say yes.
For some of you, this is just asimple shift or a reminder of
(17:28):
what you already know.
For others, because of all thedifferent ways people have
broken your trust, all of thesituations that have made you
not have hope, to not have agood expectation.
It's a different process.
The truth of God's goodness isthe same, but you've had more
attack you against believing it.
(17:50):
My prayer and expectation foryou is that you're gonna sense
God is good.
You're gonna begin to take morerisks with him, you're gonna be
hungry to start reading hisBible, and you're gonna start
speaking it out loud andagreeing with him, and you're
gonna start seeing themiraculous and start seeing the
good things that he has alwaysplanned for you.
John 10, 10, I'll end with this.
(18:12):
The thief comes only to kill, tosteal, and to destroy.
But I came that you would havelife and have it to the full.
That is the clearest definitionof what God wants for you.
And I speak over you, the wordprophesy, I declare over you
that you will have life inChrist Jesus and life to the
(18:35):
full.
Open our eyes, Father.
We say yes to you, and we begintaking steps and speaking your
blessings over our life,experiencing them, and we will
get stronger than the battleswe're facing because we are in
Christ, and your life iseverything, and it's working in
us today.
(18:56):
Amen.
Love ya.
Thanks for listening.
Hey, my new friend.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
If so, would you take 30 secondsand share this with someone who
needs to hear this or may wantto join you on this journey with
this podcast?
And please take 30 seconds andleave a quick review for the
show on Apple Podcasts andsubscribe so you won't miss an
(19:19):
episode.
It makes me happy to know thispodcast is helping you.
So definitely let me know whatyou want to hear or what impacts
you.
And remember, a link to get theprayer book I mentioned earlier
100 Prayers to release 100 caresis in the show notes.
Thank you for listening.
I'll meet you back here onMonday for another episode.
(19:39):
Until then, be kind to you.
Then I asked him if I could pray for him, which he
was, you know, didn't quite knowhow to take me in, take in a
conversation like this from hisgrandchild.
But he said yes.
So I just prayed a prayersaying, Father, thank you for my
grandfather.
Thank you that he's a godly man,a few things like that.
And something this just came upinside my heart to say, When you
(00:23):
see Jesus, tell him I love him.
And I thought, what?
I can't say that.
That sounds like he's gonna die.
Do you love God but forget topray?
Or feel guilty instead ofenjoying his presence?
I understand.
I know how unsatisfying timewith God can feel if we believe
he is distant and busy.
I'm Lenora, mom, Jesus lover,and former international
(00:46):
trainer.
If you're ready to feel closerwith God without fear or
pressure, have greater abilityto receive from him, and desire
more confidence to make animpact with your life.
Well, get some coffee and let'stalk.
If you're carrying stress andwant support with prayer, I
wrote a book to help you.
It's called 100 Prayers,Releasing 100 Cares.
(01:09):
It's full of real stories,scripture, and 100 prayers for
about every part of life.
A link for the book is in theshow notes.
I really think you'll love it.
Some have said it is the bestprayer book they've ever had.
Many years ago, I mean, in thelast century, by about a decade,
my grandfather was in thehospital.
(01:30):
I've got a phone call and I'dheard he'd had a heart attack
and was in the hospital.
I couldn't go visit him the sametime the rest of my family was
going.
So I just made plans thatafternoon to go see him.
When I got to his room, I wassurprised that he wasn't in the
hospital bed.
He was in his overalls, which iswhat I always saw my grandfather
(01:51):
in.
And he was sitting in a chairnext to the hospital bed.
I was really surprised.
And either he or a nurse told mehe was scheduled to be released
that afternoon, which I thoughtwas pretty awesome.
But since it was just me, I justsat with him.
And we didn't have a ton ofconversations in the past, so it
(02:12):
was a little awkward, but I justwanted to say thank you to him
for having been a Christian.
And that because of that, my momwas, and now I was.
So I would just wanted to sharegratitude.
Then I asked him if I could prayfor him, which he was, you know,
didn't quite know how to take mein, take in a conversation like
(02:33):
this from his grandchild.
But he said yes.
So I just prayed a prayersaying, Father, thank you for my
grandfather.
Thank you that he's a godly manand a few things like that.
And something this just came upinside my heart to say, When you
see Jesus, tell him I love him.
And I thought, What?
I can't say that.
(02:53):
That sounds like he's gonna die.
He's supposed to be releasedthis afternoon.
I so I just didn't say it.
I didn't follow that prompting.
And I said goodbye and left.
A couple hours later, he passedaway.
He did not leave the hospital.
He just, I don't know if he wasjust sitting in that chair, but
he just was gone.
And I thought, wow, I'm so gladI got to talk with him and share
(03:17):
my gratitude for his lifepersonally.
But then I also thought, darnit, I missed the opportunity.
Now I can tell Jesus myself thatI love him, and I do, but I
thought it was a cool idea afterit came up, which I'm pretty
sure, in fact, I'm certain itwas inspired by God Himself,
(03:38):
because that just wouldn't havecome to me.
Plus, I figured he was gonnalive longer.
Anyway, some years later, mydad's mom was in and out of the
hospital with heart issues.
She was 96.
I called her because she livedin Southern California and I was
not in the same state, and Ijust wanted to connect with her.
(04:00):
We did have a bit more of arelationship over the years.
So I did the same type of thingand just shared my gratitude for
her, made sure out loud that Itold her thank you.
And then I was gonna say, Thistime I'm taking this opportunity
because I figured she's been inand out of the hospital a lot.
I know exactly where she'sgoing.
I know she loves Jesus.
(04:21):
She's she's she's gonna be faceto face with God soon.
So I told her, I was going tosay the exact same thing, but it
came out of my heart different.
And I said, Hey grandma, whenyou see Jesus, will you give him
a kiss for me?
And I was like, Well, that waseven bolder.
And she just kind of laughed andchuckled, and I I think it and I
(04:44):
probably embarrassed her alittle bit.
And I I paused and I said, No,I'm serious.
Would you do that for me?
And she said, Yes.
And she agreed.
And it was a you know, a fewweeks later when she passed
away.
And it was so also easy for meto grieve when you've expressed
the love and gratitude you havefor someone.
(05:06):
It does help.
But it was super cool to knowshe was delivering that message.
You know, when we have Christ,when Jesus is our Lord, the
Spirit of God lives in us, we'veaccepted Him as the Son of God,
and He lives in us.
And if you know the Bible, youknow that.
(05:29):
But my question is right now, atthis time, how close do we want
to be with Him?
I mean, there's a lot that goeson in life.
How close do I want to be?
How personal with God do I wantto get?
And I'm bringing this up becauseI think it's an important
question, because I think ourexpectations matter a lot more
(05:53):
than we think because we're madein the image of God.
Again, go back to Genesis.
We're made after his likeness.
It's funny how I mean the worldalmost whether it's the new age
or just whatever, they almostget it sometimes better than
Christians do that what weexpect out of life has something
(06:14):
to do with what we receive fromit.
It's certainly not everything,but it does matter.
And we're made in the image ofGod.
So because of that, our heartscan shut down and say, No, I
don't want X, Y, Z relationship,or yes, I do.
We can choose to get closer to aperson, to a friend, spend more
(06:34):
time with that friendship, havea better relationship in our
marriage by choosingrelationship things.
You get my point.
It's the same thing with God.
Now, scripture says when you'veaccepted Christ, you're one in
spirit.
But what about the rest of you?
Your soul?
What about all your thoughts,your emotions?
(06:56):
How close do you want to be?
Now I want to switch to tell youhow close do you think he wants
you to be?
It's not just for certainpeople.
If you're listening to thispodcast, you most likely know
salvation is for anyone whocalls on the name of Jesus.
And salvation meaning reallymarriage with God, complete
relationship with God comesthrough Jesus Christ.
(07:18):
But God wants it to be a goodmarriage, He wants it to be an
intimate marriage.
Read the book of the Song ofSolomon's.
God understands romance, heunderstands closeness, intimacy,
and that's the kind ofrelationship, heart to heart,
mind to mind, spirit to spiritthat your father wants with you.
(07:39):
Now we're gonna look at twoverses.
John 14 6 and John 6 44.
First one is when Jesus said, Iam the way, the truth, and the
life.
No one comes to the Fatherexcept through me.
Again, if you know the Bible,it's not because he didn't want
to do it any other way, it'sbecause there is no other way
(08:01):
for us to be joined to a holy,holy God, except that all of our
anger, hatred, all the things wedo, and the way we fall short of
his amazing self has to be dealtwith.
And Jesus came to deal with itso that we could, through Christ
(08:23):
Jesus, have that face-to-facewith the Father, like in
Genesis.
They walked with God in thegarden.
He wants you walking with himclose every day, very personal
relationship.
So again, he said, I am the way,the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Fatherexcept through me.
And then John 6.44 says, No onecan come to me unless the Father
(08:45):
who sent me draws him, and Iwill raise him up on the last
day.
So how do these fit together?
It's a beautiful mystery insalvation and about the
relationship with God.
The only way to the Father isthrough Jesus because it
required his holiness that wefall short of.
And Jesus is the exclusivemediator between God and man.
(09:08):
And the only way to Jesus is bythe Father drawing us.
Salvation begins with God'sinitiative, not your effort.
Sometimes we think God isdistant and busy and just
annoyed with people or watchingthem like animals in a cage.
And that is so corrupt.
(09:29):
That concept is so messed up.
I've brought this up on pastepisodes.
Read Ephesians 1.
God's plan from the beginning,like a parent, was to create
this amazing baby room universefor us to be in.
And some of you would thinkthat's crazy.
You know how big the universeis, Lenora?
Well, technically in my mind, Idon't fully grasp it.
(09:50):
No.
But if we're made in the imageof God, we needed a big playroom
because nothing's impossiblewith him.
And he made us after his image,so we needed a big playroom.
But he always made it with youin mind.
It's like a parent who makes ababy room because he and she
want to put that baby in thatroom and be with that child.
(10:13):
Relationship with God startswith the Father's initiative.
He planned for us in the firstplace.
His plan was always for us to behis child.
He knew there was going to be afailure.
They planned for the answerahead of time, and it was
secured.
The answer was secured throughthe Son of God.
And salvation is completed bythe resurrection.
(10:35):
Because it proved our sins werepaid for.
Jesus didn't die for his sake.
He was not a martyr.
He was a sacrifice to reuniteus, reconcile us with God.
Not that God didn't want therelationship, but we had run
from him, and we have an enemy.
There is an enemy that has beenlying from the beginning, and
the lies are rampant still todayof what God is like.
(10:58):
In fact, your enemy, Satan,devil, whatever you want to call
it, part of the definition ofthe word is a divider, one who
puts things to stumble in frontof you.
The enemy wants to break yourtrust, break your trust with
God, break your perspective ofGod, break your trust with
people, and cause us to beseparated.
(11:18):
God wants us united.
God wants us one, wants us inunity.
Not that we do everythingexactly the same, but we can
walk together.
Now out of John 6.44, it says,No one can come to me except the
Father who sent me, draws him.
God sent Jesus, so it was God'sinitiative, the Father's
(11:39):
initiative, and he says theFather draws the person to him.
Again, it's God's initiative.
The word draw means to pull,draw, or drag something with
force.
It implies a strong movement ofattraction rather than a passive
suggestion or a gentleinvitation.
(12:00):
It doesn't mean to invite, itmeans to pull toward.
So God, who started this wholecreation in the first place,
creating mankind, it was hisinitiative.
And now he is pulling us towardshim.
The references in scripture,let's use a couple of those.
John 21, 6 talks about pulling aheavy net of fish, a force
(12:23):
applied to drawing something,drawing that load of fish
towards him.
The same words used in somenegative concepts sometimes.
Acts 16, 19, Paul and Silas weredragged into the marketplace.
James 2, 6, there was appliedpressure.
It wasn't just a gentlepersuasion.
Those are negative examples, butthere's time God is trying to
(12:44):
say, Wake up.
You need to choose me.
You don't know how the enemy'strying to take your life, take
you out.
Come to me while you still havea free will opportunity in this
body of yours to say yes to me,because I want you as my own.
Read the Song of Solomon,chapter 1, verse 4.
(13:05):
Draw me after you.
The word draw also means aromantic pull of love.
God's goodness leads us torepentance.
He's saying, I'm so good.
Come to me.
Jeremiah 31, 3.
I have loved you.
I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
So with God, He initiated in thefirst place this creation.
(13:27):
He always has had a purpose foryou.
And he initiates and activelymoves the human heart.
He's drawing your heart, but youwill always have a free will.
Now, some of you say, Well, Ialready have Jesus.
I get this, Leonard, I'vealready got this.
And I'm so happy you do.
But I think he's also drawingyou into a friendship with God.
(13:49):
Like Abraham was called thefriend of God.
He told the disciples, Jesustold the disciples, I don't
longer call you servants, but Icall you friends.
And I tell you things I don'ttell other people.
He gives you a revelation aboutwhat he's really like because
you're his friend.
Sometimes he tells you thingsthat are coming.
That's what prophetic words are.
God may tell you something.
(14:10):
There's so much that could besaid there.
But there is the real thing ofGod will talk to people.
God will help us see what'scoming because he wants to help
us.
So how close do we want to be?
Again, he uses lovingattraction.
He compels by love.
He wants us to awake to thedesire to know him.
He doesn't force himself onpeople, he wakes them up.
(14:33):
His pull is strong.
And God, I pray right now thatyou are strongly pulling people
that hear this episode to drawnear to you, to say yes, I want
to be close to you.
If they know Jesus already, theysay, God, I want us to be
friends.
I mean real friends.
Help me believe it.
And if they don't know you, God,I pray you are drawing them to
call on the name of Jesus.
(14:54):
Say yes to this God who sayshe's always had a purpose for
me.
I want your purpose for me.
I want the life that you havefor me.
God is so much better.
That was a prayer.
Now I'm back to talking to you.
God is so much better than wethink.
It began with his initiative.
Our response is real, but it'sactually secondary because he
(15:15):
started it.
We're responding to him.
He reveals truth to us, he stirsyour spirit, your conscience, he
awakens desire for him.
He can open up spiritualperception.
I've said in past episodes, andI pray over you and myself.
God open the eyes of ourunderstanding to the knowledge
of you.
(15:36):
Life is how do you say it,incomprehensibly better with
Jesus than without him.
I saw that movie recently.
If you saw the movie Night andDay, there's a scene, actually
two scenes, where Tom Cruise andCameron Diaz are in this crazy
adventure, and he is trying tokeep her alive.
And he is standing there tryingto convince her, I'm not this
(16:01):
horrible traitor that they'vetried to tell you I am.
You're gonna need to trust me.
I'll keep you safe and get youout of this situation.
And he uses his hand high abovehis shoulder to say, with me,
you're safer.
And he puts his hand low,without me, you're not safe.
Except it's just a quick withme, without me.
(16:22):
This is how life's gonna go.
And this is the truth with youand Jesus Christ.
And if and if you want to putthis scene where you're Cameron
Diaz and Jesus is Tom Cruise,he's telling you, here's how
life goes.
With me, the hand is up high,and you're safe.
And if you don't have me, ifit's without me, your life is at
(16:45):
great risk.
With me, without me.
If you've seen the movie, youcan picture the scene.
So don't just expect to somedaygo to heaven.
Life begins at calling on thename of Jesus.
Eternal life is to know God.
You have it right now.
And He wants way more than acontract relationship with you.
(17:07):
It's a covenant, it's amarriage.
And it's our choice to begin tobelieve God actually wants a
friendship with me.
God actually wants an intimate,close friendship relationship
with me.
God open my eyes to that.
Help me say yes.
For some of you, this is just asimple shift or a reminder of
(17:28):
what you already know.
For others, because of all thedifferent ways people have
broken your trust, all of thesituations that have made you
not have hope, to not have agood expectation.
It's a different process.
The truth of God's goodness isthe same, but you've had more
attack you against believing it.
(17:50):
My prayer and expectation foryou is that you're gonna sense
God is good.
You're gonna begin to take morerisks with him, you're gonna be
hungry to start reading hisBible, and you're gonna start
speaking it out loud andagreeing with him, and you're
gonna start seeing themiraculous and start seeing the
good things that he has alwaysplanned for you.
John 10, 10, I'll end with this.
(18:12):
The thief comes only to kill, tosteal, and to destroy.
But I came that you would havelife and have it to the full.
That is the clearest definitionof what God wants for you.
And I speak over you, the wordprophesy, I declare over you
that you will have life inChrist Jesus and life to the
(18:35):
full.
Open our eyes, Father.
We say yes to you, and we begintaking steps and speaking your
blessings over our life,experiencing them, and we will
get stronger than the battleswe're facing because we are in
Christ, and your life iseverything, and it's working in
us today.
(18:56):
Amen.
Love ya.
Thanks for listening.
Hey, my new friend.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
If so, would you take 30 secondsand share this with someone who
needs to hear this or may wantto join you on this journey with
this podcast?
And please take 30 seconds andleave a quick review for the
show on Apple Podcasts andsubscribe so you won't miss an
(19:19):
episode.
It makes me happy to know thispodcast is helping you.
So definitely let me know whatyou want to hear or what impacts
you.
And remember, a link to get theprayer book I mentioned earlier
100 Prayers to release 100 caresis in the show notes.
Thank you for listening.
I'll meet you back here onMonday for another episode.
(19:39):
Until then, be kind to you.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.