How do you have a "personal" relationship with Christ???

bluesbreaker59

Ok, so I haven't been posting a lot lately. Been doing alot of thinking, soul searching, etc. Also been busy with work, making money, hanging with my new girlfriend, and just enjoying my first Christmas season.

But something bothers me... People keep telling me about their relationship with God, or Christ, and how they feel close to Christ. I've never once in my life felt close to God, Christ, etc. I appreciate being on this planet, but I attribute that to mom and dad having sex and keeping me. Even when I've followed biblical living standards to a "T", I've never felt a close relationship.

Don't misunderstand me, I do believe in a creator of all things, etc. But I really just don't feel like they really give a damn. And if they did give a damn, why do they allow suffering of children? Homeless? Hungry or starving?? Wars??? I also feel that the Bible teaches many good lessons, and can instill good morals in people. Do I believe its 100% accurate, hell no, its been translated too many times, and been around too long, and had certain books omitted for god only knows what reason.

I personally believe you should try to be the best person you can be each and everyday of your life on this planet. Help out your fellow man when you can, and love those special to you unconditionally. Why do you need to go to a church to have someone tell you about "prayer requests", "church announcements", certain "ministries", "singing songs"??? Can't you just follow the Bible, if you want??? I don't feel that I'm any closer or further from God, Jesus, or whatever when I'm at home, church, work, kingdumb hall, etc. I always feel the same distance.

changeling

I try to make sure my relationships are with real/not imaginary people.

changeling

OBVES

To have the right personal relationship with God of the Bible you have to meet many requirements that come from the Bible. You can ask any person from any christian denomination and chances are you will be told : "I have the personal relationship with Christ ". And what does it mean ? Does God Yahweh approves of so many religions ? If you think so , can you prove it by changing religion every month .People in each denomination claim they have the personal relationship with Christ !

No way ! There must be an ideal order in this matter and God Yahweh as Perfect God must have perfect plan of salvation and for people to have the right relationship with Him and His Son Jesus Christ.

The similar situation is with prayer. God will not violate His principles . He will not support false religions by answering the prayers of the people who insist in their belonging to the false religions that are contrary to the Bible.

You have to study the Bible and it is a very complex process of coming to the close relationship with God Yahweh and Jesus Christ.

erandir

It would be pretty one-sided. That's no way to have a relationship.

Carmel

I empathize with you. I've never been able to comprehend what a "personal relationship" with someone you've only know in the abstract is like. I personally think it is a mix of vane imagination resulting in a lot of self delusion and wistful thinking...but then isn't that the basis of most believers considering what some of the doctrins of contemporary religions promulgate... carmel

worldtraveller

Obves believe is some sort of endless litimus testing. You fail, you lose! Utter nonsence. Just why would an omnipitent being even consider discriminating against what he created in the first place. It's like giving yourself a failing grade. I think it's ridiculous.

Maybe some might just try too hard and look for something currently out of your grasp. Give it time, if you really want an answer.

I am searching, and as time goes by, I hope all the puzzle pieces will someday fit.

Vernon Williams

Blue,

In answer to your questions, sorta....here is the first of two letters I wrote to "Jerry." If you like this one...I will post the second: it might assist in getting another's viewpoint:

Jerry, when we last talked, I mentioned I was the "simplest minded
Christian" you will, probably, ever meet. I had stripped my
Christianity to three bare essentials:

I believe the Story.

I trust the Promise.

I believe we should move toward and do those things that nourish us
to
the Will of God.

I figure those three are enough to fill my Life, short as it will be
in this present state, and, I will leave all the other theological
"stuff" to those brighter, more informed, and with a lot more time than

this over-worked, under-educated, hillbilly, chicken plant worker.

So, let us start with the first.

The best explanation I have come across I call "Tom Cabeen's Short
History of Christianity." (I have included Tom so he can edit it if I

deviated from his History) OK, here goes....

About two thousand years ago, in the Roman province of Judea,
there appeared a young traveling rabbi. His name was Jesus.
Now, both the occupation and the name were not uncommon. Often, a rabbi, a
teacher, would gather about him a group of disciples, taught ones, and
they would live and interact as a group. To mark this particular
"Jesus" those around him called him "Jesus the son of Joseph the
Carpenter" or " Jesus of Nazareth ."

As time went on, this Jesus began not only a program of teaching,
but, he started doing some really spectacular acts. He could heal anyone
of any disease or ailment. He could cause dead people (really, really
dead people) to come back to life. He could read other's minds and
emotions. And, he was a nice guy. His words and actions comforted
others. He was totally unique. People would come from near and far
to benefit from his words and actions.

This did not set well with everyone. Unfortunately, when one is
outstanding in being good and honest and open and wonderful, it is
compared to those that are not. This "are not" group included a lot
of very prominent people: religious, economic, and social leaders. They
became opponents of Jesus and resisted him.

A little group, twelve in all, came to be very close to Jesus. A
larger group, seventy in all, were an extended arm of Jesus ministry.

These folks worked hard and shared the message and actions of Jesus
over a large area.

A few years go by and a lot happens. One of Jesus disciples that
wrote a book about him said that if everything Jesus did and said was
written down "the world could not hold the scrolls." Jesus and His
were busy.

It was determined by the followers of Jesus that He was the "messiah"
of Jewish prophesy: a wonderfully special man. Jesus went further.
He claimed his was, also, the Son of the Living God. They put faith in
Jesus as such.

On the way to a Jewish celebration in the capital city of the region,
Jerusalem , Jesus told them this:

"Look, as a further, final proof of who and what I am the following
will take place: those jerks in Jerusalem that hate me so much will
overcome me and treat me badly and kill me. Although I have the power
to destroy them, it will happen. This is all for your sake. Three
days later, however, I will rise from the dead."

And, it happened just a Jesus foretold. This includes, of course,
his rising from the dead. We Christians call this "The Resurrection of
Christ". This event is the center of our hope...the one I am sharing
with you.

Well, as you can imagine, all this trauma and turmoil and, in the
end, joy and confirmation, had quite an effect on the minds and the
hearts of those that, personally, knew Jesus. He was someone unlike
anyone that had, did, or would ever live on earth. The followers of
Jesus, those that became "Christians," were so moved by all this that
they started telling this Story. Funny thing, the Story had the same
effect on others, those that never knew Jesus, as it had on the ones
that did. They developed a Faith and a Hope based on the person of
Jesus of Nazareth . You, too, can put Faith in this Story and benefit
as millions have since it was first told.

So, there you have it, Jerry, The Story. It is the one
I tell when I minister to a non-Christian.

Next, The Promise.

In this Journey,

V

wha happened?

I scoff at the idea of a personal relationship with Christ. Where was Christ when my father died of cancer? Where was Christ when My ex wife was doing every brother who was up for it. We're hardly a blip in his radar.