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How to have a relationship with God
How
big are your spiritual muscles?
Every body builder knows there are just three primary exercises to gain
size and strength. Squat, dead lift and bench press. Do these three
consistently and you’ll gain size and strength.
Building a relationship with God is much the same.
There are really just three major components
to building a relationship with God: Prayer, Bible study and Church.
#1- Prayer… Prayer is communication with God. Every relationship is
built on communication. When relationships do not have good
communication the relationship begins to deteriorate. So talking to God
and learning to listen to God is important. Some people say, well I pray
all the time. Great! But at least once a day set aside some time to talk
to God- alone. The Bible says that Jesus often went alone to places for
prayer. I’m a big believer in journaling my prayers. The simple process
of writing often slows us down enough to listen as well as to think
about what we are saying. What should I pray about? Jesus gave us a good
outline at Matthew 6:9-13. Note: It’s an outline for what to pray about-
not an actual prayer to pray.
#2- The Bible… The Bible is God’s word. The way we know someone is
through their words. If you and I never spoke to one another I might
know what you look like but I would never know you. The Bible reveals
who God is. Jesus said if you have seen me you have seen the Father. In
other words if you want to know how God, acts, talks, thinks and
interacts with people- look at Jesus. (That’s why a great place to begin
reading the Bible is the gospel of John.) So Bible reading- even if it’s
just a few minutes a day- is important to a relationship with God. The
Bible says, Your word is a
lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
His word, the Bible.
#3- Church… Many people have told me over the years that they can have a
relationship with God without going to church. That statement reveals so
many things: 1st- that they are trying to get away with
something. 2nd- that they don’t understand the church. And 3rd-
that they don’t care much about what God says. Church is where we get
more in depth teaching; it is where we worship together; it is where we
find our purpose in serving God and its where we spend time together
with other believers. We grow better together as we share our mutual
struggles and victories. That’s why the Bible says,
Let us not give up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one
another… Hebrews 10:25
So Church is vital to a relationship with God as well.
Of
course first and foremost, a relationship has to have a beginning. …to all who
received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to
become children of God… John1:12
Notice that it’s not believing in any old god that causes “thee God” to
call you His child… No, it’s those whom have believed in His name. The
name He is talking about there of course is the name of Jesus. Believing
and receiving Jesus Christ is the beginning of a relationship with God.
My concern is (and should be) that there are allot of people out there
who think they have believed and received Jesus- but never really have.
If there isn’t much prayer, Bible and church evidence… well you have to
ask yourself, have I really given my life to Jesus?
So
there you go… How big are your spiritual muscles? The Bible says,
Don’t be misled. Remember that
you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you
sow! Galatians 6:7 |