A "relationship" with God?

[toecutter]

alright, a term I hear often, and have used often myself.

how exactly would someone define a "relationship" with an incorporeal being? In all my years as a christian, I never once went out to lunch with God, or had communication with him (note: communication with him means an exchange ie: back and forth) or went to the beach to have some hot dogs, or anything.

I know how to define a relationship with a person, but how does that work on the supernatural level? just curious, case most answers I've heard have been variations of

1. prayer
2. reading the bible
3. listening to god
and
4. spending time with other believers.

well, I never once felt "led by the spirit" or spoken to by God. in 5 years of steadfast dilligence and earnest belief. never once. so, maybe i've got something broken, cause it seems like communication is the basis of relationship. and all those previous methods never worked for me.

 

[tuv]

None of those things will work for you until you accept Him as the true living God who came to earth as Christ to die for your sins. After that those things that you have tried before (praying,reading the word, fellowship) will not seem as fallible means of communication.
Right now God can't talk to you one on one if you arent willing to accept Him, right now He's trying to get your attention he's like "HEY!!! I wanna talk to you to just accept me"
After this Im sure alot of clarity will be shed on communication with Him.
It probablly seems like this big secret, and I know its hard for you to understand something you can't see, but please accept Him and recieve the greatest gift that awaits you.

 

[Samuel0310]

alright, a term I hear often, and have used often myself.

how exactly would someone define a "relationship" with an incorporeal being? In all my years as a christian, I never once went out to lunch with God, or had communication with him (note: communication with him means an exchange ie: back and forth) or went to the beach to have some hot dogs, or anything.

I know how to define a relationship with a person, but how does that work on the supernatural level? just curious, case most answers I've heard have been variations of

1. prayer
2. reading the bible
3. listening to god
and
4. spending time with other believers.

well, I never once felt "led by the spirit" or spoken to by God. in 5 years of steadfast dilligence and earnest belief. never once. so, maybe i've got something broken, cause it seems like communication is the basis of relationship. and all those previous methods never worked for me.

Well, I see yr belief sign as agnostic, which means you're not very sure whether there's a God or not, are you? Or just that you have some doubt about God's presence?

Like what Tuv had said, the first thing to do is to make sure that you "personally accept Jesus" as your Lord and Saviour. This can be done by saying the sinner's prayer, proclaiming that you accept Jesus into your life to forgive you your sins, and that you will turn to God and away from sin. I need to ask you this because, there are people out there (don't be surprised) who claimed to be Christians and do not even know that they had not repented and accepted Jesus personally into their lives.

It is said that going to church(or even having Christian parents) doesn't make you a Christian any more than growing up in a garage makes you a car. Hence, this initial step of accepting Jesus personally is very important. And from then on, relationship with Jesus will never be the same again. He will not be only a great teacher or just a close friend, or a nominal God. He will be the closest kin we'll ever have, coz it is said in the bible that we are the bride and He is our bridegroom. We are married to Him, and not just befriended another person.

Just like the defining moment at the altar when both the bridegroom and the bride have to proclaim their personal acceptance of each other, we (the bride), need to say "yes", and "accept our groom (Jesus) personally" before we can belong to each other officially.

And regarding closer relationship with Jesus, I would like to refer you to one of my previous posts some time ago:
You can also search for the thread "Hurting God" posted by Nikicarol.

Well Niki, I think most of us can identify with you here. And we have to do that continually, i.e. talking to Him, guarding our hearts and staying close to God always; and not to look for him only when we need Him, let alone complaining when He is seemingly absent amidst predicaments.


Q: Out of 24hrs everyday, how much time do you spend talking to God?


Personally, I think talking to God doesn't necessarily mean we need to allot specific time-slots to do it (not that I'm saying there's no need to set aside time for prayer - that's very important alright), but actually in everything that we do, in every moment, we can talk to God, treating God as being present right there right then, yes, right beside you! Whether we're working, studying, relaxing, playing, talking or whatever it is, if we behave as if God is just beside us (in fact, He is ), life would be very different, after all, how do you forget someone who's accompaning you all the time (even to the loo)? After all, we're all "married" to God, so He's just like our "spouse" isn't He? just more special and intimate.


Of course, it is easier said than done, this comes with practice and more importantly, from a heart which longs to love Him more and more and have a closer relationship with Him.


Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength - Mark 12:30

 

[the_extreme]

Greetings!

You know, I'll admit that on the surface that's a pretty logical way to feel. It's hard for us as humans to accept things that aren't real. Most everything we experience is tactile... it can be seen, heard, smelled, and so on. Having a relationship with God isn't like that, though. It's not like anything else that can be experienced. But I've gotta tell you, as one who who can't deny the reality of that fellowship with God... it is undeniably real.

tuv makes a good point in that one really needs to give their heart to God before they can fully understand what it is to have a relationship with Him. I had a pastor once who talked about skeptics he came across... they always wanted God in a test tube. His response - that they had to be the test tube.

Truthfully, communication with God isn't like communication with people. It's different. It's when you see a coincidence, but we know better... it really isn't a coincidence. It's God working, wrestling with a mind or two, trying to get our attention. It's when there are things that have no reasonable human explanation, yet make perfect sense. It's the times when we know what logic would dictate we do, yet we know the greater good is served by doing something else. And there are times when communication with God can scare me to death, because there's risk involved. I don't know how to explain it, other than to say, take it from this test tube... it's just real.

I guess the last thing I might leave you with is how God has tried to communicate to us. Think of you looking at an ant. Suppose you notice the ants are near a playground, and you know that when recess comes around, little kids will be out stomping on them the way good winemakers stomp on grapes. How would you warn the ants of what's coming? How would you tell them to flee underground? I'll propose that the best way to do it would be if you could become an ant yourself. Right? Then you could communicate with them exactly like they do with each other, and at their own level.

But then, isn't that the way God communicated with us? By becoming a man Himself... Jesus?

Hope this helps you out...

The Extreme

 

[Rafael]

If you didn't go to lunch with God it was because you refused to acknowledge His presence or wanted Him to be manifested in some kinda show other than the one already going on all around you in the experience called life. It's a pretty awesome and corporeal experience just to live and be part of the life He has given us, IMHO. God doesn't jump through hoops for man on an individual basis, but He has already came in the flesh for all man, once, and accomplished, at the cross, the ultimate expression of His love for His creation in man.
We all know that there are many things of power that are unseen, and even the atomic world is identified this way by scripture, yet people have a hard time believing in the face of a creation all around that literally screams the glory and awsome power of a Creator. ??? Even our own bodies are composed of things that are unseen, like atoms and molecules, and these are readily accepted - but not the One who put order to them in their making.
Have you asked to be born again, and meant it? Have you ever sinned and had to ask God for forgiveness? Do you know and understand what these things really are?
I hope you get a hold of faith and see that God is speaking to you in life all the time. Do you see sin and death? Do you see man destroying Himself and letting His neighbor die over greed, materialism, and neglect? Are we swimming in a sea of our own filth and carcinogens..?! God speaks very clearly from the prophets about Israel today and about the city of Jerusalem in the end times, and since 1948 the powers of the world have come back to focus on the place of beginnings, as the prophets foretold. He speaks to us on the evening news every night from the Middle East.
I think God is rightly accurate in His discription of man's fallen condition and that mankind needs a Savior from a loving God. His gift of the new birth and Holy Spirit will lead you into the patient everyday work of faith that is needed to be a light to the world by being of service to others, feeding the hungry and clothing the poor - visiting the sick, doing all the works that are a result of being a new creation instead of complaining of being blind to Him. Don't let you confession be one of having eyes that cannot see or ears that can't hear. Realize that God speaks to the deep of you with life. He is speaking. Be still and listen to the still small voice. Be careful of the loud but temporary voice of the world's lies. Listening to those that would instill doubt can take away from your faith.
God bless...

Hebrews 11:1 ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again.

 

[klewlis]

I agree with the above posts and would like to add:

There are several ways in which God does speak to us, but the main way that he has chosen to do so is through the Bible. This does not mean that he spoke once and that's it, but he continues to use the Bible to speak to us *personally* through his Holy Spirit when we read and study it.

It is the Holy Spirit that makes it all possible, which is why someone who has not accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit is not able to communicate with God (although sometimes God will break in and speak to people anyway!).

There are also some cases in which people hear actual voices, and other miraculous occurrences through which God talks to us.

So there is definitely two-way communication.

 

[Bonhoffer]

I've been out to the cinema with Him once. However he was bored because He had already seen the movie. lol

 

[Bonhoffer]

Seriously though Christianity is about a relationship. I've even felt God laugh a few times.

When you know Jesus your heart is on-fire.

You said that you strongly beleived in Jesus for many years but never experienced Him or had a relationship with Him. Thats because you beleived in your head. However the Bible tells us to "beleive in your heart". Its about where the heart is. But you can only accept Jesus into your heart if you stop resisting Him. Let loose all barriers and open up to him. If you truly do this then you will experience something that will take your breath away. Its like moving into another dimension. Its very much like the Matrix. The world you live in will never be the same again. Its surreal but SO exciting!!
Happy clappys are happy for a reason.

 

[toecutter]

although I appreciate what you guys have said, it's pretty much a reiteration of all those i've allready heard. yes, i said the sinners prayer, and yes, I really meant it. though I don't see how saying a couple words will magically open God's mouth more than years of devotion. well, enough digression. I did accept, I did recite the sinners prayer, and I did live my life for him. spent hours and hours in study, in prayer, in fasting. he never showed up. that's why my belief sign is a question mark. I just don't know anymore.

 

[Oblio]

This is one of the reasons that Christianity is so much more than the sinners prayer and claiming to have 'invited Jesus into your heart', it requires a literal change of life, it is not easy, and it requires effort. This effort does not save you, but it does bring you closer to God.

 

[toecutter]

well, i'm glad to know that people don't know how to read here on the internet.

 

[Oblio]

toecutter,

Communication consists of a transmitter, a receiver, and a communications channel. All three of these introduce noise and affect information transfer. Don't assume where the fault lies.

 

[Serapha]

although I appreciate what you guys have said, it's pretty much a reiteration of all those i've allready heard. yes, i said the sinners prayer, and yes, I really meant it. though I don't see how saying a couple words will magically open God's mouth more than years of devotion. well, enough digression. I did accept, I did recite the sinners prayer, and I did live my life for him. spent hours and hours in study, in prayer, in fasting. he never showed up. that's why my belief sign is a question mark. I just don't know anymore.

Hi there!



Simply saying the "sinner's prayer" won't save you... it is the faith that through Christ, you will be forgiven, and not the "works" of the words that saves you.


If you were saved "once", then you are still saved. You might think that you have broken the relationship, but you have only broken the fellowship.


Have you ever asked God to put His presence in you? You know, ask the Holy Spirit to indwell in your "heart", or your inner being? That's being born again. When one is born again, then your spirit being is "quickened" or born, and it is your spirit being that communicates with the Spirit of God.


~serapha~

 

[toecutter]

toecutter,

Communication consists of a transmitter, a receiver, and a communications channel. All three of these introduce noise and affect information transfer. Don't assume where the fault lies.

alright, I'm not. i'm not assuming anything. I tried my best to communicate with the big man in the only way I knew how. It just so happened that the only way I knew how is the same, exact, friggin way that everyone keeps telling me to communicate with him. so maybe i'm just busted. maybe my "prayer" antenna is whacked. I just don't know. I mean, my intentions were true, pure, earnest. So i've got to think I was doing the right thing. maybe i'm whacked, though, i'll admit that.

the reciever is God, and he's perfect, yeah? so theres no way the fault is through him. and the communications channel, well, i've already told you. I've tried every way I could think of. prayer, works, fasting, reading, fellowship, worship. all those key words that I've been hearing so often. I did em. I did em and I did em and I did em. for five.straight.years. no dice.

yeah, my prayer antenna must be on the fritz.

and Serapha, if you'd be so kind as to read what i've already posted, you'll see that i've done that whole "truly accepted into the heart" bit. I did it already. I really meant it. I asked him (still ask him, when i'm feeling fed up with arrogant indignation) to come into my heart. to fill me up to overflowing. man, If I could have one minute where I could feel the presence of God, I would have no quarrel with the myriad other reasons i'm doubting. but this is the key. this is what started the whole shebang.

I tried, I tried I tried, and it did not work. I did every single thing I could think of, in the utmost earnesty, to please god, in hopes that I could feel that same peace that everyone else feels, that I could feel connected to this supreme and perfect being. I tried so hard, for so long, that i'm just fed up with it. and you know, if i'm short, if i'm snappy or rude, I apologize, but i just kind of get sick of hearing these same easy answers to a question that easy answers just cant handle.

you know what answer becomes more and more plausible to me? that i've been dreaming. that this idea of a God who cares about me... it's a dream, it's a fairy tale. that i've been getting calloused knees for an echo off the ceiling. that starts sounding more and more like a legitimate answer every time I hear another person tell me that i've just got to "say the sinners prayer, and really mean it, and live a life for him"

i'm getting to the end of my rope.

 

[klewlis]

Perhaps the problem is simply that your expectations are too high.

While it is SOMETIMES true that God speaks to us in a way that is what we want, most of the time he does not. He is very subtle and if we are not looking in the right direction, we can often miss it.

Faith should not be based on whether you *feel* God or not (or hear him or see him or any of those other things). Faith is based on what you know to be true even when you *can't* feel it.

Also, it doesn't do to demand that God do things our way... "prove yourself to me in this fashion or I won't believe". He is not obligated to do anything simply because we demand it. Instead, we are obligated to believe and trust even when it feels like we are grasping at empty air.

God is faithful. He promised that if we continue to seek him, we will find him. But sometimes that takes longer than we want, so we get frustrated and impatient. You just have to keep trying, keep wrestling with Him, and eventually (when the time is *right*), he will prove himself to you in ways that you never imagined possible.

I highly recommend Philip Yancey's book "reaching for the invisible God", which addresses this issue at length.

 

[toecutter]

my expectation that God should communicate with me on some kind of recognizable plane is too high? man, God must really not want to strain himself.

 

[Bartimaeus]

Hi there!



Simply saying the "sinner's prayer" won't save you... it is the faith that through Christ, you will be forgiven, and not the "works" of the words that saves you.


If you were saved "once", then you are still saved. You might think that you have broken the relationship, but you have only broken the fellowship.


Have you ever asked God to put His presence in you? You know, ask the Holy Spirit to indwell in your "heart", or your inner being? That's being born again. When one is born again, then your spirit being is "quickened" or born, and it is your spirit being that communicates with the Spirit of God.


~serapha~

Amen, Serapha. I had prayed the sinners prayer, too. But, just last night, I asked for the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the /Spirit, and it actually felt like I thought my original conversion was going to feel like.

There are no words to describe it, accept to say you do feel reborn.

 

[Bartimaeus]

my expectation that God should communicate with me on some kind of recognizable plane is too high? man, God must really not want to strain himself.

Well, what do you mean by recognizable plane? I'm not mocking you, here, but aare you wanting hHim to suddenaly appear in front of you, wave to you, and say "Hi dude!"? If so, that's not how God works.

Maybe it's not your expectations. Maybe you're looking too hard. In other words, I've heard people say, "I couldn't find what I was looking for because I was looking too hard for it." Make sense?

 

[toecutter]

recongnize. meaning, I can see that it is god. not that he comes in a big ball of light. just that i'm aware of his presence. just that I know he's there, and loves me.

if those expectations are too, high, then I wonder why I ever bothered looking for God in the first place, if he doesn't affect your life in even the slightest recognizable way.

 

[Bartimaeus]

No, that is not too high of an expectation. I'm tempted to quote "Be still and know that I am God", but I am sure you've heard about enough of that.

All I can really offer is that God's ways are mysterious, and often very subtle. I will pray for you. I hope others (family, friends, people at church, if you go to one, ) are praying for you.