Relationship With God

Have you ever wondered what being a Christian is really all about? I mean, there's going to church, and not going out and getting wasted every weekend, and good stuff like that. But have you ever felt that there must be more to Christianity beyond saying the prayer of salvation and going on your merry way, pretty much the same as you were before?

There is a life that God wants his people to live. The whole point of becoming a Christian is to live a new life. Of course, many people get saved just so they won't go to hell when they die, which is fine and good. But after someone has been a Christian for a few years and had time to mature in their faith and it's still just about not going to hell, they are missing much of what the Lord wants for them.

You see, God has called us Christians to more than just saying a prayer, going to church, being nice, and looking forward to dying. God has a life for us to live. As Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The Bible says in Matthew 5 that we are the light of the world, the salt (flavoring) of the world. The unsaved should look at us and see something more than church-goers. They should see people with something, some wonderful mystery, that they are missing out on. Living as a Christian is an ever-unfolding mystery, a life of discovery of the divine nature of our Heavenly Father, a journey deeper and deeper into the very heart of the Lord Almighty.

The key is seeking a relationship with God. God is not a distant ruler who only intervenes in emergencies, he isn't an angry God just waiting to strike down the wicked at the slightest offense, and he's not a cosmic Santa Clause who is only there to hand out blessings. God wants us to be aware of his presence, his power, his judgment, and his love and mercy at all times. Not just when we pray before bed at night, but God should be our focus constantly. We should talk to him, listen to him, think about where he wants us to go and how he'll get us there in all kinds of situations. God is our Heavenly Father. He never leaves us, and does not want us to leave him out of our day to day lives. That is where God can reveal himself in the most life changing ways!

The basis of a relationship with God is to seek the will of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:5-14 (NIV) says:

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

This is where the tricky part comes, where our natural ways clash with God's supernatural ways. Jesus's words about turning the other cheek and giving to the poor set forth a great moral standard, but who can really live up to those words? Even a Christian who knows the Sermon On the Mount word for word can think of a dozen good reasons to hit back when they are hit. Even if our natural selves know God's word, our natural selves cannot follow it. Paul says in Galatians 5:17-18 (NIV), "the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law [that is, the curse.]"

The Bible makes it apparent that our only strength is the Holy Spirit. Where does a Christian's power to "turn the other cheek" come from? Where does a Christian's power to not even look at someone lustfully come from? Certainly not that person himself or herself. It comes from the Holy Spirit of God, who lives in that person.

That's why the Bible says to seek the will of the Spirit. The Spirit will never force us to do things his way; we must simply be at the point where we yield ourselves and our wills over to God's will. We must say "God, I want to do things your way, simply because your way is better than mine. It may not feel natural or even feel good sometimes, but I know your ways are higher than my ways and your thoughts higher than my thoughts."

This is the beginning of a relationship with God. God commands us to "pray without ceasing" and "meditate in the Word day and night." Why does God command this? Because he wants to take up a lot of our valuable time to prove our dedication? Oh no, my friend.

Why do parents want their children to spend time with them? Why does a husband or wife want his or her significant other to be with them for the rest of their lives? Why do we hang out with our friends? Fellowship. Relationship. Love. God loves us. He proved that with Jesus, but what does it really mean beyond going to heaven when we die? It means that God wants to spend every moment of every day with us. God enjoys being with us. And, truly, if you give it a chance, being with God is the greatest joy there is.

You see, the Bible says that "the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:19-21, NIV) Why do our natural selves want to act this way? Do we have passions and desires? Do we have feelings and limits to how much we can take before we snap? Yes! God does not want us to act like we don't have emotions and desires. Instead, he wants us to indulge those feelings in him, instead of the world or in our flesh. Scripture continues: "but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:22-25, NIV) Do you see the differences in these two passages of scripture? When we give our passions over to our sinful natures and the things of the world, it causes death, and worse, can easily cost someone their place in heaven. But when we let God have our desires and make him our greatest desire, when we indulge our passion in the Lord and let him control our feelings and reactions instead of our flesh, the results are joy and peace and love! God can make us happy even in times when we shouldn't be happy, and let us enjoy a greater love with him and with those around us. God also gives us the patience, self-control, etc. to live like Christ has called us to, because we can only live up to Jesus's commands through Jesus's power.

God has set forth commands for Christian living in the Bible. Obeying these rules is very important. Jesus said "if you love me, keep my commands." (John 14:15) But keeping the commands is not something that we accomplish with our own righteousness. It is a work of the Holy Spirit who lives within us. Only when we make up our minds to follow God and live by his power instead of our own can we show our love to Jesus by obeying his commands.

For instance, the Ten Commandments say "You will not commit adultery." But Jesus said "Whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) Jesus looked past the letter of the law and into the purpose of the law: peoples' hearts must not be led away from the righteousness of the Lord. Indulging the will of the flesh, even if it doesn't lead to a physical act, is the essence of sin. In this case, lusting is the gateway through which all adulterers enter. Dedication to the Holy Spirit closes off these spiritual gateways to tangible sin.

God wants to bless us with his joy. The closer you follow God, the more of his joy you get as a natural consequence. But just as there is a blessing for seeking the will of the Lord, there is a curse for not following the will of the Lord. Jesus said in Revelation 3:15-16, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth." What is Jesus saying here? Someone who is hot or cold is someone who goes to one extreme or another to serve the Lord and walk with him. In the same way that nobody wants to drink a room-temperature drink, an un-dedicated, lukewarm Christian is not pleasing to him. A person can try to be a Christian and live for him or her self at the same time for a while. But you will always eventually bow down to what you really serve. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 "No man can serve two masters... he will hate the one and love the other." If you try to be a Christian but you want to live for you or for the world more than you want to live for God, your faith will not survive. I can say this with such authority because I've been there and speak from first hand experience. Trying to walk on the fence between God and the world does not work; you will fall off to one side or the other sooner than you would think.

Where are you right now? Are you hot? Are you cold? Or are you straddling the line? Jesus wants to have a real relationship with you! Not just be a distant deity. God has told in the Bible how he wants us to live, and it is all so that we can just be close to him. Remember the words of Jesus: "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Grab hold of that life! Revel not in the evil things of this world, which will only last for a while. Revel in the joy of the Lord, because it's right there for you to take! Jesus gives us overflowing life not only in this life, but also for eternity. The intimacy between a Christian and God in this life is the warm-up for heaven: "In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself: that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:2,3) We aren't just going to sit on clouds and play harps when we go to heaven; we are going to be with Jesus on a daily basis forever! So, read your Bible. Pray all the time, not just before bed, because God is always listening and always cares about what you are feeling every minute of every day. Make up your mind to do what God wants you to do, as revealed in the Bible, not to do what you want to do. This is truly the key to happiness. I know, I've tried it.

Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it... that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. The old things have passed away; bohold, all things have become new.

Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin. And sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof. But he that does the will of God abides forever.

And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." And He that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said unto me, "Write: for these words are true and faithful." And He said unto me, "It is done. I am Alpha nd Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that thirsts of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."