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It's A Relationship |
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Article by Tom Gilbert
I knew my chance of getting the job was good when the consultant
told me he had a personal relationship with the man I was to
interview with. He was willing to be the mediator for me. His
reference went a long way towards my hiring.
We often look for that inside track in life. If you have someone
who will be a mediator it really improves your chances. When
it comes to knowing God, is there someone we can count on to
be that mediator?
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Nice to Meet You, Jesus
One of the difficulties we face in getting to know God is our finite
minds can't comprehend infinite God. God is well aware of this
challenge for us. He reveals himself to us with His Spirit.
In the most intimate way possible a relationship is formed.
He goes even farther, because Jesus and God are one. So, to
have a relationship with God all any of us need do is form that
relationship with His son.
No one has seen the Father but the Son. And no one can go to the
Father without the Son. This is one of the fundamental truths
Jesus revealed. You want to get to know Him? You can, and will,
through Christ. You don't need to get tight with a priest, minister
or any other spiritual guru. You might benefit from fellowship
and shared insight with them. However, we all can go direct
to the one who has all power.
While Jesus teaches us to come to the Father through Him, isn't it
interesting that the Master told us that what we do to others
we are doing to him? Not only is this a great way for us to
learn the meaning of loving others, it also seems like a good
test of our sincerity. It's not such a problem to want to know
Jesus and be His friend. But, I have to treat others the same
way? Even the ones who are smelly, dirty, mean or ugly?
Whatever you do for the least of these….
It's all about a relationship. We should desire with all our heart
to know God and we do that through knowing His son, Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus calls us to love others just as he loves us
we discover that this relationship goes two ways. Our love for
God. God's love for us. And just as Jesus is the way to the
Father, our love for others is a conduit for God's love. We
permit God's love to be demonstrated through us. What an honor!
What a responsibility!
God made us to know Him. We have a "God-sized" hole that
only He can fill. He longs for us to spend time with Him and
return His love.
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Teaching Us To Live
I think one of the great benefits of a relationship with God
is how He teaches me to live. He wants that personal relationship.
And He wants me to share that with others. This takes religion
out of just a church or a building and puts it into the streets.
Life is all around us. God is all around us. We can choose to
ignore or to interact. Our interaction can be positive or negative.
What kind of relationship do you have with God today? Are you grateful?
Do you have forgiveness in your heart? Do you believe with all
your being in the goodness of the Lord, yet humbly come before
Him without any spiritual arrogance?
No matter what we do or how imperfect we are in our approach to
God we find that He will never turn His back on us. What about
us? Do we have the same attitude towards God?
One of the convictions that stings me the most is when I realize
that I haven't made time for God in my life. I've failed to
invest in our relationship and then I wonder why I feel hollow
inside. There is no other relationship that can yield more benefit
than this one. To be in God's presence is an honor and a delight.
Of course, any good relationship means lots of communication. Prayer
is how we talk. Pray anytime and always, says Paul. Remember,
our prayers are to be honest and loving and not selfish demands
or "escape hatch" pleas.
Because of the Trinity of the eternal One God in three persons – Father,
Son and Holy Spirit – it is perfectly acceptable to pray to Jesus,
the Holy Spirit or the heavenly Father. There is no jealousy
between them. However, Jesus taught us to pray to the Father.
As we pray Jesus and the Spirit are interceding for us. It is
a wonderful fellowship of the heart.
The personal relationship we develop with God in our private prayer
and devotion time is crucial to living as a true Christian.
We should also involve ourselves with others, uplifting and
encouraging our brothers and sisters in the faith. In this way
we affirm our faith and we realize the truth of the personal
relationship that each of us enjoys with God. The combined effect
of personal and community interaction with the divine One keeps
us accountable and helps make us whole.
How is your relationship with God today? Are you loving God? Are
you letting God love through you? It's all about the relationship.
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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout
the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for
the offering of goods or services requires the prior written
consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA.
All
rights reserved.
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MATTHEW 25:34-36
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Then
the King will say to those on the right, `Come, you who are
blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you
fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger,
and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave
me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison,
and you visited me.'
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(NLT)
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