Non-magical relationship with God

[AimlessEMF]

Alright magic i've kind of come to understand is kind of a primitive religion in that it is the attempt to persuade or force God or some other supernatural power to your bidding or desire. If that's the case.... What is religion. All my life I've always asked God for things.... But that to me because I hold this belief seems to be out the window...I knew it was selfish in the first place...

However, it seems all I'm left with is praise and thanksgiving, but that's not really a relationship... and really just boils down to a Jeffersonian Deism almost.

 

[Jinn_Ku]

And your question is...?

 

[AimlessEMF]

How do you have a relationship with God that isn't based on your own selfish B.S. but is at the same time Christian and not Deism?

 

[Rafael]

You have to understand what love is and what it costs in commitment. It isn't just a feeling, but a commitment of trust and action. We love God because He loved us first by giving us His Son, and the sacrifice and commitment shown to us in Christ was the ultimate when He gave His life for us. We are supposed to pour our lives out on others in like manner. Yes, religion is very close to what you said in your first post, but true Christians are not really religious but responsive to the efforts God has made towards us in love.

 

[princess heart]

When you pray asking God for something, you are as a child approaching your Father, not trying to force Him to give you things. Because He is a good and loving Father, His answer will be to your good regardless of if it is yes or no. It is not selfish to ask God for what you want or need. He is your Heavenly Father, He promised to provide for you and if He didn't want to bless you with the things that You desire, according to His will, He wouldn't have told us to "ask and it shall be given unto you...." (Luke 11:9)

 

[marc]

You have to understand what love is and what it costs in commitment. It isn't just a feeling, but a commitment of trust and action. We love God because He loved us first by giving us His Son, and the sacrifice and commitment shown to us in Christ was the ultimate when He gave His life for us. We are supposed to pour our lives out on others in like manner. Yes, religion is very close to what you said in your first post, but true Christians are not really religious but responsive to the efforts God has made towards us in love.

ditto.

AimlessEMF,

If God never does anything for us besides send His son, He's done all He needs to do. Because of this we worship Him.
The bonus is that He has offered to do so much more! He offers the Holy Spirit.

 

[Brandie77389]

By studying the Bible, which is the inspired word of God. When you read scripture prayerfully you come to recognize the character of God. A personal relationship with Him is possible if you invest the time to get to know Him. He is not a bully to come knocking you down so that you'll spend time seeking Him; He patiently waits for you to come to Him.

 

[sawdust]

Alright magic i've kind of come to understand is kind of a primitive religion in that it is the attempt to persuade or force God or some other supernatural power to your bidding or desire. If that's the case.... What is religion. All my life I've always asked God for things.... But that to me because I hold this belief seems to be out the window...I knew it was selfish in the first place...

However, it seems all I'm left with is praise and thanksgiving, but that's not really a relationship... and really just boils down to a Jeffersonian Deism almost.

I think you might be missing the crux of the human condition. The problem is really about "control". Who is in control? There is nothing wrong in "seeking, asking, knocking" as Jesus directed us to do these things, but in the doing we must ask ourselves this question. "By whose will shall we abide by, ours or God's?" It is only selfishness if you insist upon "your will to be done". I hope that might make things a little clearer for you. Some thought to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane may help.
take care

 

[theseed]

You have to understand what love is and what it costs in commitment. It isn't just a feeling, but a commitment of trust and action. We love God because He loved us first by giving us His Son, and the sacrifice and commitment shown to us in Christ was the ultimate when He gave His life for us. We are supposed to pour our lives out on others in like manner. Yes, religion is very close to what you said in your first post, but true Christians are not really religious but responsive to the efforts God has made towards us in love.

I agree

 

[theseed]

I think you might be missing the crux of the human condition. The problem is really about "control". Who is in control? There is nothing wrong in "seeking, asking, knocking" as Jesus directed us to do these things, but in the doing we must ask ourselves this question. "By whose will shall we abide by, ours or God's?" It is only selfishness if you insist upon "your will to be done". I hope that might make things a little clearer for you. Some thought to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane may help.
take care

I agree

 

[AimlessEMF]

Thanks to everybody for replying... took me a while to get back to this...
Hey sawdust, that made a lot of sense, thanks.

 

[HomeBound]

I think you might be missing the crux of the human condition. The problem is really about "control". Who is in control? There is nothing wrong in "seeking, asking, knocking" as Jesus directed us to do these things, but in the doing we must ask ourselves this question. "By whose will shall we abide by, ours or God's?" It is only selfishness if you insist upon "your will to be done". I hope that might make things a little clearer for you. Some thought to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane may help.
take care

That's what it's all about sawdust. Good answer.

The conditions of our being Human; Lust, envy, greed, etc... the more we live on in this life, the stronger those conditions become. But just as those conditions become stronger, the inner fight against them should grow as well. As a result of this inner fight, we tend to have slight feelings of guilt when making requests known to him.

But pray away, I say. 'Cause God knows all our needs, and whether those needs are lusts, but when we vocalize those needs, we learn about ourselves.