The Objectives : The two main objectives of this study are to teach disciples how to have an accurate (biblical) view of God and inspire them to build a daily relationship with God.

Q: How do you think your experiences growing up have shaped your view of God?

Q: How was your relationship with your father? How do you view authority? Do you have any negative experiences with authority figures in your past?

Our relationship with our earthly fathers and our past experiences with other authority figures can have a profound effect on how we view God. God is NOT distant, aloof, or disinterested; He is NOT angry or short-tempered; God is not unjust or unloving. God is the perfect father and he desires to have a real, daily relationship with us.

The Scriptures:

1. You are important to God.

Luke 15:3-6
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

If you were the only person who needed to be rescued…God would come running after you! He loves you so much. This is who God is.

2. You are valuable to God.

Luke 15:8-10
8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Q: Have you ever searched frantically for something you lost? What?

Q: Would you go through the garbage or mud for a single penny? How about a $100 bill or winning lottery ticket?

How valuable an item is determines our earnestness in finding it, and what we would be willing to do (even get dirty) to recover it.

There are many scriptures in the Bible that show us how valuable we are to God. In the Old Testament, God called his people, his “treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2, 26:18; Psalm 135:4) In the New Testament, he calls us sons and daughters, a royal priesthood, a chosen people, a holy nation, the body and bride of Christ and tells us that he loved enough to send his One and Only Son to die for us. (Ephesians 1:4-8; 1 Peter 2:9; John 3:16)

The Bible teaches us that we are very valuable to God!

Psalm 40:1-4
1 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

Q: From what mud/mire did God save you?

3. God longs to be with you.

Luke 15:11-32
11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
28 "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
31 "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

Q: When you sin and hurt God, does it make you hesitant to spend time with God?

Q: Do you think the prodigal son was initially eager to return to his father after what he had done?

Q: How did the father respond when his son returned home? Describe the father’s love for his son.

Q: How does God feel if we choose to stay in the muck/mire of sin rather than repent and return home to him?

Q: How will God respond when we choose to repent, come home and spend time with him?

God loves us and desires to have a daily relationship with us. The only thing we can do to mess that up is to forget how much God loves us and allow Satan to convince us that we are better off with the pigs (in the muck/ mire of sin) or that God will not accept us if we return.

The Spiritual Exercise: Take some time and write a letter about your upbringing, and specifically, how it may have affected your view of God. Work on having a biblical and accurate view of God.