GROWING IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

PRIORITY FOR THE NEW YEAR

If you want to become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, you must make your relationship with God your highest priority. A growing love relationship with God is central to everything else that happens in the Christian life. That’s why we were created, that’s why Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that’s why God is preparing an eternal home for us in heaven.

When Jesus was asked which is the most important commandment of all, He replied,  “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (Mark 12:30, NLTSE).

Do you have a personal relationship with God? If not, invite Him into your life today through His Son, Jesus Christ. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and invite Him to live in you, to guide and direct you daily.

If you have begun your relationship with God, would you describe it as “intimate”? Are you growing closer to Him with every passing day? Is that your desire? Has that become your highest priority?

Meditate on the following Bible passages and ask the Holy Spirit to increase your love relationship with God.

Deuteronomy 6:5, NIV
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

God's command to love with all we are has not changed. What blessings await the obedient soul.

Psalm 63:1-8, NLT
“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. I think how much you have helped me; I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings. I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.”

Notice how God consumes the Psalmists' heart and mind. God is the number one priority in his life. God satisfies more than the finest richest food. Try Him and see!

Psalm 42:1,2, NIV
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

In those days they met God in the Temple. Today we can meet God in our place of prayer wherever we are as we commune with Him.

Psalm 143:6, NIV
“I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”

Hands lifted in thirst for God's presence will result in a fulness of God's presence. He will satisfy the thristy soul.

Psalm 130:6, NIV
“My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.” Waiting on God, not trying to hurry through prayer will result in satisfacton of the soul.

Psalm 84:2, NIV
“My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

The longing soul will surely be satisfied.

Psalm 73:25, NIV
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

As you grow in maturity you will find that everything here on earth will lose it's luster and all you work so hard for will belong to someone else. You can take nothing with you when you leave this earth. If you have spent no time with God, you will have nothing of any eternal value. But time spent with God will result in a close relationship with God that will last through eternity.

Isaiah 26:8,9, NIV
“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for You in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for You.”

These are the words of someone who has lived a life full of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. They have lived their life in God's way, always waiting on Him for every decision in life. They understand what is really important in this life and the life to come.

Isaiah 55:6, NKJV
“Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.”

There are some who put off seeking God until it is too late. God's Spirit is tugging at your heart right now.  There is a time when it will be hard to find God. Wise men came a long way seeking the Lord Jesus and to worship Him.

Jeremiah 29:13, NAS95
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

This is God's promise to you and me. You will find Him when you sincerely seek Him with all your heart.

Psalm 27:8, NLT
“My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.’”

Can you hear the voice of God saying to you “Come and talk with Me?” Then be obedient and receive all that God has for you. God waits for you right now! God desires a very intimate relationship with you. Will you come and talk with Him in prayer, right now as soon as you finish reading this article.

In these verses of scripture you see a picture of one who is truly seeking a closer walk with the Father God. As we seek a closer relationship with God, His blessings and favor will be poured out on you. God seeks those who desire more of Him in their daily lives. He wants to lead, guide, and direct us along life's journey. He made us and He knows the way for us that opens the way for His blessings in your life. God wants to bless all people, but He can only work in the lives of those who desire Him to. We have free wills with which to make decisions in life each day. Remember Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

If you begin to desire God as the above scriptures point out, you will discover something that will bless your life and give you a greater sense of the presence of God working in your life every day.

No matter what life may bring, God's Presence and victory is yours through Christ our Lord.
INVITATION: If you don't personally have a relationship with the Father God and you desire to have a relationship with Him, you must confess your sins to Jesus Christ, God's Son and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your life to take charge of you. If you are sincere Jesus will save you and you will become a child of God forever and God Himself will come and live inside of you by His Holy Spirit. Will you do it? You won't be sorry you did. You will have the most blessed "2013."  

God's Promises to You

Psalms 91

Claim This Scripture For Yourself

It’s God’s Word To You

^{1  I dwell in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover me with His feathers, And under His wings I shall take refuge; His truth shall be my shield and buckler. 5 I shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 7 A thousand may fall at my side, And ten thousand at my right hand; But it shall not come near me. 8 Only with my eyes shall I look, And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because I have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, my dwelling place, 10 No evil shall befall me, Nor shall any plague come near my dwelling; 11 For He shall give His angels charge over me, To keep me in all my ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear me up, Lest I dash my foot against a stone. 13 I shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent I shall trample underfoot. 14 "Because I have set my love upon God, therefore He will deliver me; He will set me on high, because I have known His name (Jesus.) 15 I shall call upon God, and He will answer me; He will be with me in trouble; He will deliver me and honor me.                                                                   16 With long life God will satisfy me, And show me His  salvation."                                                                                                                                         Copy and print this. Post it in your home as a reminder of how God is always watching over you and is your protector from all enemies and harm.}

Give it to someone who is in trouble or is struggling with any problem.

If you don’t know God this well, ask Jesus to save you and invite Him into your life. Then you will know the truth of this scripture in your life!