I want to walk with Christ instead of walking for him.

Jonathan Bibb

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Ever since I got saved years ago, back when I was 12, I've never had that emotional connection with Christ. It just feels like I don't want to go to Hell, and that's it. That's the only thing driving me to be a Christian. I can't live in denial anymore. It's been that way ever since. I want to have a real relationship with Christ but I can't force myself to feel a certain way. If I try to live like a Christian should, without that actual relationship, it just feels like a ton of rules to follow that make me miserable and bored with life.
You have to want to follow Christ, not feel like you have to. But I've never gotten past that part.
Now there were times where I did think deep down, I really do love God, it's just not as plain as day.
I would like to hear what you guys think.
 
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Emmy

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Dear Jonathan Bibb. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus gives us good advice. " The first and great Commandment is;
Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself." In verse 40 we are told: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: " Ask and you shall receive,"
ask God for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all love and joy with your neighbour. (neighbour is all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends) We ask for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour. We keep asking and receiving, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour. God will see our loving efforts, and God will bless us. We might stumble and forget, then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving and caring.
The Bible tells us: " Repent and be Born Again," we give up our selfish wishes and wants, and start loving, caring and
forgiving. We will gradually turn into the men and women which God wants us to be. Love is very catching, and love helps us to overcome all wrong and bad behaviour. The Holy Spirit will help and guide us, and Jesus our Saviour will lead us all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY. It might not be easy to start, but God wants our love and kindness.
God will not force us, and we will decide which way we go: either follow Jesus back to God, or go our own way into Outer Darkness, without God`s Love and Light. I say this with love, Jonathan. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.
 
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GracetotheHumble

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The gospel isn't as much about a relationship as it is about having faith in the promises of God. We are to have faith in Jesus Christ and believe the gospel that is how we fulfill our end of the relationship. It's not about having a touchy feely feeling.
 
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BeStill&Know

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Ever since I got saved years ago, back when I was 12, I've never had that emotional connection with Christ. It just feels like I don't want to go to Hell, and that's it. That's the only thing driving me to be a Christian. I can't live in denial anymore. It's been that way ever since. I want to have a real relationship with Christ but I can't force myself to feel a certain way. If I try to live like a Christian should, without that actual relationship, it just feels like a ton of rules to follow that make me miserable and bored with life.
You have to want to follow Christ, not feel like you have to. But I've never gotten past that part.
Now there were times where I did think deep down, I really do love God, it's just not as plain as day.
I would like to hear what you guys think.
hello son, feelings are sand that will slip from under your feet, when problems and doubts wave into your life. It is easier to follow some one you know and respect. So, do you know Jesus or do you know a church?
 
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bling

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Just take the little Love you have with the little faith you have and do something good, but not because you do not want to go to hell (since you are not going to hell). Do some little good purely out of gratitude for what you have been given and not for others to praise your work.
 
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aiki

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Ever since I got saved years ago, back when I was 12, I've never had that emotional connection with Christ. It just feels like I don't want to go to Hell, and that's it. That's the only thing driving me to be a Christian. I can't live in denial anymore. It's been that way ever since. I want to have a real relationship with Christ but I can't force myself to feel a certain way. If I try to live like a Christian should, without that actual relationship, it just feels like a ton of rules to follow that make me miserable and bored with life.
You have to want to follow Christ, not feel like you have to. But I've never gotten past that part.
Now there were times where I did think deep down, I really do love God, it's just not as plain as day.
I would like to hear what you guys think.

Relating to God is not, obviously, exactly the same as relating to another human being. God is Spirit; He isn't generally accessible to us on the physical plane. So, how does one relate with a Being who is intangible? Well, first off, its important to remember that God is a Person, not a Force, or a mystical, incomprehensible thing. How do you maintain healthy relationships with others? Through regular communication. And how does a believer communicate with God? Prayer and Bible study. We speak to God in prayer and He speaks to us from His Word, the Bible. As with every relationship, if we let the communication slide, the relationship weakens and will eventually dissolve. So, how's your communication with your Heavenly Father? Are you praying and studying the Bible?

How has God answered your prayers? His answers communicate to you His will and character and demonstrate His care for you. Have you asked Him to deepen your love for Him? You see, God doesn't want your human affection, your human love. He wants the purest and best love, which is His own. So, in order for you to give Him such love He must first give it to you from Himself. We form a sort of circuit with God, not just in the matter of loving Him, but in all of the things He requires from us. He gives us what He desires from us in the Person of His Spirit and then we offer what He has given back to Him. We work out what He has first worked into us. So, how's this been going? Have you been looking at all to the Holy Spirit to transform you and enable you to "complete the circuit" with God?

Obedience to God's rules must always and only flow out of a love for Him. No other motive for our obedience will do. (Matt. 22:36, 37; 1Cor. 13:1-3; 1Jn. 4:16-19) Fear, guilt, piety, duty - none of these motives for walking with God are acceptable to Him. But how do you come to have a love-motive for walking with God? Well, as I said, this is God's job. You and I are too self-centered to love God as we ought to love Him. God must intervene to break our self-centeredness and reorient us upon Himself. He does this in part by showing us the incredible depth of His love for us by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for our sins. (Jn. 3:16) He also does this by helping us see just how totally unworthy we are of His forgiveness and love (Lu. 7:36-47). Finally, He gives us His love in the Person of the Holy Spirit who transforms us into God-loving people as we submit to him doing so within us. (Phil. 2:13; 2Cor. 3:18; Ga. 5:22, 23)

When I talk about a "real" relationship with God these are the things I describe: Illumination of God's truth, conviction of my sin, comfort in my pain and sorrows, power to live rightly and to stand victorious over sin, joy in worshiping Him, and deep fulfillment in being used by Him to bless others. In these things there is an emotional dimension but emotion or feelings are not the primary basis upon which I walk with God. My feelings follow my mind and will, my mind must have the preeminence in my walk with God, which is how He has told us in Scripture we must walk with Him. (Matt. 22:37; Ac. 17:11; Ro. 7:25; 12:2; 15:6; Eph. 4:17-23; Phil. 2:5, etc.) Your life as a disciple of Christ shouldn't be totally devoid of feeling, of positive emotion toward God, but reject any who would urge you to make such emotion the main impetus for your life as a believer or the way you know you are really a child of God.

Selah.
 
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paul1149

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Ever since I got saved years ago, back when I was 12, I've never had that emotional connection with Christ. It just feels like I don't want to go to Hell, and that's it. That's the only thing driving me to be a Christian. I can't live in denial anymore. It's been that way ever since. I want to have a real relationship with Christ but I can't force myself to feel a certain way. If I try to live like a Christian should, without that actual relationship, it just feels like a ton of rules to follow that make me miserable and bored with life.
You have to want to follow Christ, not feel like you have to. But I've never gotten past that part.
Now there were times where I did think deep down, I really do love God, it's just not as plain as day.
I would like to hear what you guys think.

Hi Jonathan,
I think you are definitely on the right path. All the scriptures point to the Lord wanting intimate relationship with us. We are told to abide in His love, His peace, His joy. We gaze at Him with unveiled face, and His glory transforms us. So keep pressing in and don't settle for warmed over law and religion - poor substitutes indeed! Christ is so much more than rules and regulations.

How to do it? I can only suggest you take in the scriptures prayerfully. Read them for the purpose of better understanding God and what He has done for you, and for drawing nearer to Him and pleasing Him more. At the same time, get real in your prayer life. Open your heart to the lord, and ask Holy Spirit to come in and make it His comfortable home as He wishes. This is an ongoing process, not an one time event. If you want specific reading suggestions, post back what you're looking for.
 
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Jonathan Bibb

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Hi Jonathan,
I think you are definitely on the right path. All the scriptures point to the Lord wanting intimate relationship with us. We are told to abide in His love, His peace, His joy. We gaze at Him with unveiled face, and His glory transforms us. So keep pressing in and don't settle for warmed over law and religion - poor substitutes indeed! Christ is so much more than rules and regulations.

How to do it? I can only suggest you take in the scriptures prayerfully. Read them for the purpose of better understanding God and what He has done for you, and for drawing nearer to Him and pleasing Him more. At the same time, get real in your prayer life. Open your heart to the lord, and ask Holy Spirit to come in and make it His comfortable home as He wishes. This is an ongoing process, not an one time event. If you want specific reading suggestions, post back what you're looking for.
What scriptures do you recommend I read over?
 
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LaSorcia

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What scriptures do you recommend I read over?
Psalms! They cover just about every human emotion.

May I ask, what are your spiritual practices?

And someone mentioned that loving God is the first commandment, and that's true. But how do you love someone you don't know? Following this definitely includes seeking God, REALLY seeking God.
 
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paul1149

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What scriptures do you recommend I read over?
I don't know enough to say which ones will reach deeply into your heart. It may be scriptures which cause conviction. It may be those that offer comfort; or forgiveness, or rest, or simply direction. We're so complex that what works for someone at a given time will not work for someone else, or even for the same person at another time.

The scriptures I referenced in my post are John 14 and 15, 2Cor 1-3, and the end of Mt 11.

Another powerful way to open the heart is through the arts. Worship music, and now Gospel videos, I find very powerful.

There are books too, which can help. Watchman Nee's Release of the Spirit is about getting to the bottom of the heart and making the connection. It is a shorter version of his masterpiece, The Spiritual Man.

I suppose the most important thing is not to give up. Jer 29 promises that we will find God when we seek for Him with all our hearts. Php 3 and 4 may be good to read. It's about pressing on to the higher calling, but also holding on to what we already have in God.

For me, the bottom line is, after all the theology and doctrine and everything else, Jesus is the One who loved me when I was at my worst, when He didn't have a single thing to gain by doing so except to win my love in return, despite doing so costing Him so immeasurably much. Once I saw that, He owned me, and nothing else really matters. I'm FAR from perfect, but what He has done in Me He has done.

God wants each of us to reach that place of personal surrender and consecration. After that, all the other stuff will fall into place - church membership, doctrine, good works, relationships, etc.
 
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ToBeLoved

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The gospel isn't as much about a relationship as it is about having faith in the promises of God. We are to have faith in Jesus Christ and believe the gospel that is how we fulfill our end of the relationship. It's not about having a touchy feely feeling.
I completely disagree. The New Covenant is God WITH us. We are given the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts, God indwelling us and with us.

This was done to restore communion between God and man even while we are still on this earth.

Before Adam & Eve's sin and fall, God walked WITH them in the garden and was in communion with them. That relationship has been restored now with us under the New Coveanant. We still have to deal with our sin and sin nature, but the communion with God has been restored.
 
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ToBeLoved

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What scriptures do you recommend I read over?
These are some.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Find even more verses here https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_being_with_us
 
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GracetotheHumble

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I completely disagree. The New Covenant is God WITH us. We are given the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts, God indwelling us and with us.

This was done to restore communion between God and man even while we are still on this earth.

Before Adam & Eve's sin and fall, God walked WITH them in the garden and was in communion with them. That relationship has been restored now with us under the New Coveanant. We still have to deal with our sin and sin nature, but the communion with God has been restored.

The Holy Spirit's job is to testify of the truth and lead us to believe in Jesus Christ which again brings us back to our end of the relationship...faith.
 
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ToBeLoved

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The Holy Spirit's job is to testify of the truth and lead us to believe in Jesus Christ which again brings us back to our end of the relationship...faith.
No. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. Prays for us when we do not know what to pray for. Seals us in the New Covenant until the Day of Redemption. Indwells us with God Himself. The Holy Spirit reveals to us spiritual things. The Holy Spirit teaches truth. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit guides us to produce the fruit of the spirit and many other things. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are one of Christ's Own.
 
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GracetotheHumble

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No. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. Prays for us when we do not know what to pray for. Seals us in the New Covenant until the Day of Redemption. Indwells us with God Himself. The Holy Spirit reveals to us spiritual things. The Holy Spirit teaches truth. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit guides us to produce the fruit of the spirit and many other things. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are one of Christ's Own.

Exactly. And all those things serve the purpose of Jesus Christ and faith in him.
 
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ToBeLoved

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Exactly. And all those things serve the purpose of Jesus Christ and faith in him.
Of course, but that is not what you said earlier.

The Holy Spirit ONLY testifies of Christ, but He does a lot of different things in that testifying of Christ. It is not just an addition to our faith, it is an addition of truth and the things we need to walk as God intended us to walk.

That was my clarification.
 
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GracetotheHumble

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Of course, but that is not what you said earlier.

Maybe you are misunderstanding.

The Holy Ghost has many roles and functions all of which serve the purpose of Jesus Christ and faith in him, that was my point.

Also, one of his primary functions as I stated is to testify of the truth.
 
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ToBeLoved

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Maybe you are misunderstanding.

The Holy Ghost has many roles and functions all of which serve the purpose of Jesus Christ and faith in him, that was my point.

Also, one of his primary functions as I stated is to testify of the truth.
Ok. If that is what you were saying we agree. :amen:
 
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