SID: You know Rick, this is such a beautiful garden. It’s like Heaven, except you’ve been there. I haven’t. What’s the difference?
RICK: It’s very beautiful, I agree, but it’s not Heaven. Heaven, there is no comparison. I mean, this is a reflection. The whole physical universe is but a shadow compared to Heaven. But this gives us a little [unintelligible].
SID: I feel something when I’m in such a beautiful environment. I can only imagine what Heaven would be like. Now you went on a 900-mile motorcycle ride for a family vacation and to write a book. What was that like?
RICK: Well I had never ridden a motorcycle more than 300 miles in a day, and that was when I was younger. I heard a clear word from the Lord to do it. I would have never considered such a thing. So I’m thinking I’m going to take a week to get down there and my knees were bad, my, there were storms on the route, and but I heard him say go. So I’m determined to be obedient.
And he healed my knees. The storms were wonderful. It was like it was much better than that Florida heat. I started looking for storms to go through. They were so refreshing.
SID: You were telling me that you felt the presence of God right behind you on the motorcycle. I might even get on a motorcycle if I can do that.
RICK: It was, you know, I love motorcycles and riding. This was the best ride of my life because of the Lord, the presence of the Lord. But I had never had an encounter with Him quite like this one, so personal, so Him wanting to talk about the things He wanted to talk with me about. And it was whole new open door into a whole new relationship with the Lord, and that’s why He wanted me on that motorcycle. No cell phones, nothing else can disturb me.
SID: You were going to write a book for God. What did He tell you?
RICK: Well He said labor is cheap, you can get anybody to write books. He said, “But friends are expensive.” He wanted friendship.
SID: You know, did you hear that? God wants friendship. God wants your friendship. So how do you relate to God being from a servant to a friend? That’s a big jump, Rick.
RICK: It’s a huge jump and I confess to being as awkward as I possibly could imagine. And you know, my whole approach to God had been one as a servant, give me orders, tell me what to do, I want to obey. And all this is good, but He wanted a friend He could converse with, discuss things with. And He wanted me to share my concerns, He wanted me to share my questions, He wanted me, He wanted interchange. And you know, this is really what He created man for. He wanted fellowship.
SID: And yet, you told me you felt extremely awkward. Why?
RICK: Unbelievable. Because I only related to Him as the king, give me orders as your servant or as a good solider, tell me what to do and I’ll do it, and that ended my whole approach to him. And I believe what led to this was months ago, getting to pray, my relationship to him I felt was becoming dry and, you know, mechanical, and I asked him to help me. I said, “Lord, I want you to be my first love, I want you to be my first thought.” This is when this whole encounter began. And but He said I could never have been his friend if I hadn’t learned to be His servant. And He said He was going to have to deliver me from my slave mentality to be a friend, but He said, “You couldn’t have gotten here without that slave mentality.” It’s like I wonder if that’s why Israel had to become slaves before they could become His friends. I think there is a sense where we really have to know Him as Almighty God, as the awesome Creator, you know, as the foundation of our relationship to Him. And yet, He’s looking for friends, and even more than that, He’s looking for sons and daughters.
SID: But you know, it blows my mind. I can see us humans looking for friends. It’s hard for me to fathom. God, would you say He’s desperate with this friendship?
RICK: He said He didn’t have many friends, and that’s what shocked me.
SID: Okay. I understand why you’re a friend. You paid the price. You did all those things. You had the servant mentality, you get promoted. But what about every believer? I mean, are we Swiss cheese?
RICK: No, no. Of course, and I don’t know why He said that, you know, to His disciples there is a point where He says, “I no longer call you servants, but now I call you friends.” There was something, a promotion. By the way, they got that promotion much faster than I did. I have been a servant for 40 years and I don’t even think a very good one. I would say, you know, I’m trying that best, but this isn’t that great. And but He grades on a curve, thank the Lord, you know.
SID: So you’re saying anyone can be where you’re at and go further. Are you, is that what you’re saying?
RICK: Yeah, I think he can do it much faster, much better. I don’t want him to. I want to be the best friend God has ever had, you know. But I say I don’t want Him to. He deserves the best we could have. I want Him to have great friends.
SID: Okay. So what is a friend? What is being a friend to God? I mean, I know what a friend is. I can be your friend. I understand that. How do you become God’s friend?
RICK: Well I’ve got a lot of employees, as you do. But there are some that make that jump and they become your friend. You go out to lunch with them. You go to the beach with them or families. There’s a whole different, and you relate to your friends differently than you do just employees. And I think there’s something of that intimacy where we really love the same things, we do the same things. You just want to be together. This isn’t about being on the job and getting a paycheck. You just want to be together and have that fellowship. And you know, I sometimes struggle. I consider myself a very baby friend right now. I’m just starting this new journey of understanding of how to be a friend with the Lord.
SID: Well I want you to come with this on this adventure. I’m coming on this adventure, and if I’m coming, you’re coming. We’re going to get God so many friends, but it starts with you, it starts with me, it starts with Rick. When we come back, I want to find how you go swimming with Jesus.
Tags: its supernatural, Sid Roth
Tags: its supernatural, Sid Roth