Suggestions for Christians

[jv4ml]

I started this thread because there are many teenagers as well as adults, who are not necessarily struggling to believe in God, but may just be struggling to get close to him. So if you have any suggestions for these christians, i would and im sure they would too, appreciate it if you would post them here.

For christians all over the world, my own advice for you: Never go a day without taking a minute or two to express how you feel to God. It could be as simple as "I love you God, for all the many things you have done for my brothers and sisters and for your love and all that you have sacrificed." See it's not that hard.

 

[OracleX]

Start by obeying God in the small things. As you obey and follow Him, He will continue to reveal Himself to you and you will grow closer to Him.

Never let a day go by without prayer and time in the Word.

 

[WeakButHopeful]

When I first joined CF a few weeks ago someone gave me the good advice that developing a relationship with Jesus is a process. It takes time and energy and humility. And if we fail, He understands, just keep trying. And try to keep the focus mostly on Jesus and you in the now, as opposed to you and the rest of the world in the future!

Another thing that will help anyone get closer to God is meditating on His nature, and a very large part of that nature is love. I know that word is thrown around a lot today, so when I say meditate on God's love, I don't mean "think how really nice He is." I mean, think deeply about the many ways His love touches you on an hourly basis. Most husbands or wives could easily list the many ways that their spouses show their love. There are many, many more ways that God showers us with His love.

But God's love is not a smothering love. He has woven our unique identities into His infinite plan, and we can all play a part, by being a channel of His love and mercy. But that is a fruit of our relationship with Jesus, and it's important not to put the cart before the horse.

And so (I think) it's fitting to mention the imagery of John 15 that we are to abide in Jesus as the vine does with the branches. The vine doesn't knock itself out to try to be a better vine, it just stays tightly woven to the branch and the sun, water and nutrients it needs are brought to it by the branch, and the vine in due season produces much fruit. But if by some perverse fantasy the vine should imagine itself a branch and separate itself from the true branch, it would wither and die.

Actually, my comments above are in sync with jv4ml's and oraclex's calls for prayer, because prayer is a process to which you must devote energy and time, during prayer you should meditate on God's love and what He may be calling you to do that day, and sometimes just quietly abiding with Him in peace and thanksgiving.

 

[endure]

well i believe there are two simple practicle things that all christians must have in order to develop themselves and grow closer to God.

jesus told cornelius that in order to be saved we must be
1.born of water.
2.born of spirit.
in john 3.5

i think being born of water is simply speaking of the bible, the word of God, without we know nothing and cannot be saved from lack of knowledge.
becuase more than once in the scripture, the word is called water.
and i beleive being born of the spirit is simply describing spiritual experience with him, talking to him, praying to him, worshipping him, fasting and getting alone with him. thats why you have to pray and confess beleive in your heart to be saved, you have to have that experience with him.

i think all spiritual growth and maturity pretty much comes down just 2 things.

1. getting to know God yourself spiritually,experiencing him. (born of spirit)
and that is talking about praying, worshipping, praising, things you do that involve you seeking God, talking to God, having conversation with him, things that bring you into fellowship with him. thats why i beleive it is important that every person have a time and place that they pray, worship, praise, and just get alone with the Lord everyday of their life, and talk about whats going on. and even if it doesnt seem to make a dramatic change in a day, you just being around him and talking to him and waiting on him to reply, is changing you more than you know. its creating a spiritual experience with him, and that changes you.

2. learning more truth. (born of water)
and that is why we must constantly be reading and meditating on the scriptures at all times, it is the truth that God gave us so that we could continually read it and conform ourselves to it, and to give us all the answers to life.
this is why we must go to seminars and sit under people and learn, go to church and listen to great pastors, buying books and reading them.
becuase YOU CANT DO, WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.
it is absolutely important that you read the word and go and get wisdom and an understanding so you know the truth, the bible says we perish for lack of knowledge, and it is the truth that sets us free.
people ask questions like "how do i get closer to God?"
and the truth is what they seek.
you have to do all you can do to go buy books, spend hours reading the bible, come to this forum and ask questions, you have to do all you can do to gain a wisdom and an understanding. becuase you will never do what you dont know.
so many people perish and fail and mess up and say "but i didnt know..."

but i beleive one scripture that sums it all up is this one.
2 cor 3.18
but we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.
are changed into the same image, from glory to glory,by the Spirit of the Lord.

that is simply saying that God will change you, into his very own image, as you behold him.
that is why praying, worshipping, reading the bible, going to christian meetings, fasting, etc changes us and brings us closer to him and makes us more like him. becuase as you do those things, you see and experience and get glimpses of new sides and facets of him youve never seen before, you are beholding him. and beholding him changes you.
we just need to behold him, do everything we can to behold him a little longer, a little more, and we are changed more and more and more.
you are learning, and experiencing.

 

[veggietales]

Hi I struggled to get close to God for ages, but the best thing I found was talkingto Him .ike he is always there, incorporate Him into evrything you do.

Example: when I get up in the mornings I say "good morning God" and when i go to bed I say "good night good". This is very basic but it really started me thinking and it developed my relationship with him.

Keep plodding on never give up and just remember to call on Him

 

[pmarquette]

how about " Christianity is a come as you are party "

We are fisher's of men ...... some one still has to clean up the fish we catch ( work of Holy Spirit , within the church - helps people , deacons ).

We are to love the unlovable , help the unhelpable, care for the uncaring , forgive the unpardonable -- AGAPE , the Love of God within us .