Relationship

Revelation - Theology - Doctrine - Dogma - Religion - Relationship

We were all created for a specific purpose. This purpose was not for us to follow sets of strict rules and regulations but to love, worship, honor, cherish, and bring glory to God in close, personal, and intimate relationship with Him. Instead of doing this, we live in rebellion against God preferring to worship ourselves, or just about anything else, over Him. God gave us this capacity to reject Him because He does not desire robotic or forced affection but desires that we freely choose Him. His desire, in fact, is that we love Him so much that we willingly give up all the pleasures and distractions of this world in order to serve and to worship Him alone.

It was in this way that God first showed His great love for us. Most of us can recite John 3:16 which sums up God's love for us.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but His love and desire for us is so great that even while we were still sinners He sent His son, indeed He Himself became flesh, to take the punishment we deserve so that we can again be reconciled to Him an spend eternity in His presence.

God does not require your blind obedience but longs for your complete and total surrender to Him in love. Once we are in Christ and give up our lives completely to Him then He begins the work of regenerating us into His image. His Holy Spirit fills us and changes us to conform to Him. We begin to find that we no longer desire the things of this world and we are no longer interested in those harmful ways that once dominated our thinking.

Being born again does not mean losing who you are. It means truly discovering the person that you were originally designed and created to be, completely unfettered and unencumbered by the wickedness of this world. It doesn't matter how old you are, how long you have been running from God, or what you have done in your life no matter how bad you think it is. God wants you back and He will welcome you this very instant. Angels will sing an excited hallelujah of praise at your return as all of heaven rejoices! You are exactly that important to God.

Jesus paid the full price for your sins on the cross and rose from the grave to defeat death forever so that you - yes, you personally - could spend eternity with Him. In Romans 10:9 Paul lays out all that you need do:

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

It really is that simple. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Confess with your mouth (true faith is not a private and personal thing but is a public declaration) that He is your Lord and believe in your heart that He is all that He claimed to be. Dedicate yourself to Him and He will set you free.

Once you do this it is vitally important that you find a strong Bible believing church and begin to read your Bible for yourself. Ask God to explain it to you. Take things slowly and allow the Spirit of the living God to teach you about Himself and to show you who He wants you to be. Every day recommit yourself again to Christ and to growing in your personal relationship with Him.

There is never a point in this life where we have learned enough or have grown enough to become complacent. We should be growing in spirit every day until Christ returns or calls us home. Seek those who will encourage you and seek those to whom you can provide encouragement.

Whether you are still skeptical, just now dedicating your life to Christ, or a long time Christian, may God richly bless you in all that you do in His service!

God does not require your blind obedience but longs for your complete and total surrender to Him in love.