Starting a relationship with God (Part 1 of 2)

Starting a relationship with God is similar to starting any human relationship. You need to get to know one another, build trust, and it requires time. I mentioned trust, but I also think there are other vital components in a relationship such as communication, respect, and support. First, let's talk about communication. I remember taking a Communications course in college, and the Instructor taught about a communication model. There are different types of models, but their concepts are very similar. Communication is a natural process in which a person sends a message, and then a person receives the message. The people can take turns and go back and forth. Communication can be verbal or non-verbal; it can be a gesture, note, email, gesture, sentence, etc. Therefore, if you would like to begin a relationship with God, you must communicate with Him. This can be through prayer, singing, thoughts, or reading the Bible. One thing to remember is that you cannot always be the sender. In a relationship, I wouldn't always want to be the one talking, nor would I always want to be the one listening. It may work for a little while, but the relationship will get weak. To strengthen it, we must also let God speak to us. The communication should go back and forth. God speaks to us through the Bible, so it is imperative that you read the Bible. God can also speak to us through people teaching sermons, the lyrics of a song, or even heartfelt movies; however, the Word of God is powerful and critical in growing and cultivating your relationship with Him.

Furthermore, if you would like to start a relationship with God, I encourage you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Jesus says in John 14:6, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. So to get to know the Father, we must accept Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was sent by God to be crucified for our sins. Because God is Holy He cannot look at sin; hence, sin separates us from God. Jesus took all of our past, present, and future sin upon himself so that we would be able to go to Heaven, and spend eternal life with God after our life here on earth. Jesus' blood cleanses us from our sin. So, if we do not accept Christ, we cannot go to the Father or to Heaven.

The Bible says, Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). The gift of salvation is why we accept Christ, but there is even more to that. Having a relationship with God allows Him to help us in all our troubles and circumstances. Do you have problems in your life? I know I do. Yet, in the Bible, God is called Abba or Father (Galatians 4:6), Alpha and Omega (Revelations 1:8), Almighty (Genesis 17:1), Creator (Genesis 1:1), Shepherd (John 10:11), Healer (Exodus 15:26), Peace (Judges 6:23), Physician (Psalm 103:3), Provider (Genesis 22:14) and so much more. Thus, God can help you with literally any issue, problem, need, or concern you have--anything!

When I gave my life to Christ, I spent a lot of time reading the Bible. I wanted to know God, and I figured that was the best way to do so. I started with the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They all give an account of Christ, how he lived, how he died, and the resurrection. I loved it because I could compare each person's account, and also read it from their perspectives. I fell in love with Jesus because of his compassion, patience, love, grace, mercy, and kindness. Jesus is God in human form, so it was a great way to get to know God, as God can be intimidating. Jesus helped me get to know God on a personal level. If you are ready to accept Jesus Christ, I would love to share this moment with you and lead you into prayer. To make Christ your Lord and Savior, you can say the prayer below.

Father God,

I know that I am a sinner, and that I have sinned against You. Please forgive me and cleanse me of my sins. I believe that Jesus is Your son, and that He was crucified for my sins. I also believe that You raised him back to life. I invite Jesus into my heart and into my life to be my Lord and Savior. Please write my name in Your Book of Life. I thank you for the gift of salvation, and ask that you help me. Thank you Lord for forgiving me and for eternal life. I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

If you have said that prayer, let me be the first to welcome you into the Family of God. You are now a child of God, and my brother/sister in Christ. If I may, I ask that you find a local church and other believers to support you in this new journey. It may not be an easy one, but it will not be a regrettable one. The angels in Heaven are rejoicing (Luke 15:10)!

Now, let us Pray together.

Lord God, Our Father,

I thank you for the reader(s) who have decided to commit their life to You today. I rejoice with those in Heaven. I pray that You will send brothers/sisters into their lives to help and support them on this new journey. I also ask that you give them your Holy Spirit that they may live this new life with confidence and victory. Please speak to them as they read the Bible and give them wisdom and understanding. Lead and guide them, hold their hands, and also send them resources to help them. I pray that they will have courage, and that you will answer their prayers and meet their needs. Also Lord, speak to them through sermons, and draw near to them as they draw near to You. I know that You will never leave them. Let Your Will be done in their lives. Father, I give you praise. All Glory, Power, and Dominion is Yours.

Prayerfully,

Pam