Centering RELATIONSHIPS Around Jesus (part 2)

Last week I shared on Valentine's Day about JESUS LISENS and the discussion guide for 56 Weeks available to accompany the book. I skipped ahead to the 5th section on LOVE since it was Valentine's Day but also because it focuses on a key Word for 2022 for me: RELATIONSHIPS. I shared Week 21 discussion questions and an image of my book of the Jesus Listen devotion. Even though the guide calls each one a "week", if you have time, it can be done in a day or read the devotion the first day and then do one question each day, making it a 4 day week. I suggest that you use the 5th day to review and maybe write your own prayer like Sarah does in JESUS LISTENS. 

Week 22 is "Finding Confidence", which goes with the entry in the book JESUS LISTENS for August 24th and the scriptures given are Romans 8:31; Matthew 28:20 NLT; Numbers 6:26 AMPC; Romans 8:39 with the prayer written from these scriptures to "Triumphant God... starting out with "If You are for me, who can be against me? Please help me to grasp -- in the depths of my being ---" which is the first scripture given. That's what I like about her books that Sarah shows us how to take scripture and make it our prayer or Jesus Speaking to us. I'm only sharing this much of week 22 and not the 3 discussion guide questions because I plan on moving on to the next week for this week (or this day's blog post) BUT not because I don't need "Finding Confidence" ... since graduating from college & my experience right after graduation, I have struggled to regain my confidence. Some days are better than the others, however before as a teen & child, I would say that I was a pretty confident person. So on to ...

Week 23

Centering RELATIONSHIPS Around Jesus

Falling in Love with God

The Daily Devotion in the book JESUS LISTENS is the entry for October 8th to our

"Delightful Lord, ..."

The Scripture referenced are:

Psalm 37:4; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 118:28 HCSB; Psalm 62:8

1. Think of the people you most respect in life. What are the attributes they have that make them loveable? Do these characteristics make you want to draw closer to those who have them? Why? Now, think about God -- what are the things that delight you about Him? What keeps you close to Him? 2. When your life is God-centered, and you find yourself delighting in His Presence, do you notice a difference in the way you show up in life? How does receiving God's love in your own life strengthen your bond with others? 3. Psalm 37:4 says, delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. What do you desire in your RELATIONSHIP with God? What specific things can you do to keep that RELATIONSHIP vibrant and strong?

My RELATIONSHIP with God is the most important. My RELATIONSHIP with God started through my RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. I've learned throughout my entire life that the Father (God), Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit are One. Yet my RELATIONSHIP needed to grow with each entity separately. Perhaps many of you, won't understand this, since the 3 facets are One, why would I need to develop a RELATIONSHIP with each. Perhaps even I don't understand it completely, yet I know that my entire RELATIONSHIP became more intimate based on each person in the Trinity and the aspect and attributes I attribute to each identity. I find characteristics in each one that stand out more and since we have the New Testament to learn about Jesus, as Man and as God, it's easier to begin with Him.

Jesus Himself tells us, "No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14:6 NIV) so this is where I began. However, doing this allowed me to close the gap between myself and God, the Father, who I love deeply and revere with a deep reverential respect (that has changed to more endearing in the latter part of my life) but at first it was a RELATIONSHIP kept at a distance. Of course, I am in awe of the entire Trinity, especially Jesus yet the Holy Spirit became the second person I drew near to ... and truly respect that person of God alive in me & to each of us in one another as believers. Perhaps, I am treading on dangerous ideas to some of you that may not understand my perspective (but trust me, it is/was not altered by "The Shack"). It just is how my RELATIONSHIP has deepened with God as I look at all of the aspects of each person in the Trinity. No, I don't believe in 3 different Gods, they are and always have been 3 in 1. I distinguish this, for myself, and with some when I attempt to explain our One God, by referring to a human example (it could be any human but I most often use my dad). He is my dad (father) biologically or adopted (in my case, it's biological) but he is also the son of my grandpa (and grandma) and he is also brother to his siblings, or uncle to their children, or many other roles to others, even Santa Claus (to some children; my cousins, our neighbors, some of his friend's or coworkers families, etc.) He is not a different person; he's the same person, just one, but has a different role or title for each RELATIONSHIP. 

I am not answering any of the above discussion questions, however my explanation is an expansion with hopes that you might be able to tell how my God-centered life revolves around Jesus, centered on Him, yet He has deepened my RELATIONSHIP by showing me through His life how He communicated with the Father, as I should. How He came into His Presence, as I can. How He promised that the Father will send in His name, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. (John 14:25---) Staying in His Word, listening to Him speak and teach and living out His Word in my life, spending time with Him, first & last part of my day & throughout my day, deepens our RELATIONSHIP, keeping me walking with Him closer every day, surrounding myself with All that He is in me, for me & through me to others (but I'm working on this, it's a continual process to keep the RELATIONSHIP alive & well; close & personal). More important to me than most other human RELATIONSHIPS because I can depend & trust (have confidence) that HE is who He says HE is & will do ALL that HE says He will do. This RELATIONSHIP is key to my entire life for more than 60 some years. And I pray it will be fresh & new every day until my last.

RELATIONSHIP

is defined as

"the way in which two or more concepts, objects or people

are connected, or the state of being connected"

"An INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP is an *interpersonal relationship that involves

physical or emotional intimacy. Humans have a general desire to belong and to love."

I do BELONG to GOD, He LOVES me and I love Him!

*An interpersonal relationship

is a social connection or affiliation

between two or more people.

{To me, it does not need to be only people, but also spiritual beings.}

There are four basic types of RELATIONSHIPS given in a search:

Family

Friendships

Acquaintances

Romantic

I believe my RELATIONSHIP with God should be listed

especially since it the most important one

and

I believe our RELATIONSHIP is one of all four types

it encompasses being part of a family;

knowing Him as an acquaintance that develops into a friendship

and our intimacy certainly makes it romantic

We have a Divine RELATIONSHIP with our Creator!

My RELATIONSHIP has grown & changed with God from the beginning but I remember when it began (before I even knew for myself the Bible scripture which says this) I prayed: Lord God, I want to know You and love You with all my heart, all my soul, and all my strength. (Luke 10:27) and to serve You through whatever I do in my life. My love for God must be shown in and through love for people. This is my continual prayer as I build my RELATIONSHIP with God. To have a personal RELATIONSHIP with God (it's like any other human one), it takes fellowship (communication), love and trust. He knows the depths of my being and so I too desire to know Him and be known by Him, which is more than just going to Church or even reading the Bible. I want our RELATIONSHIP to be strengthened.

Perhaps you may not have a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus, so I offer you this Link (one of so many) that can get you started. I do not know this "foundation" nor am I affiliated with it but if you want to find out more, their website has an ABOUT tab which drops to a menu giving a Statement of Faith & more. It's worth a start.

I pray that whatever your RELATIONSHIP status is with God that you would understand that HE is waiting to start one, start over or go deeper with you & HE will meet you right where you are so that you can start a fresh RELATIONSHIP unlike any other human one that will grow day by day, step by step, breath by breath ... He so desires to have a RELATIONSHIP with you, His Creation, His Child. He created you to be one with Him and desires that today be your first day of a new beginning. 

That's what having a RELATIONSHIP with God can be - one on one, not just a Church (though they can become your "family" of support & if not keep looking) relationship; but a REAL, Personal RELATIONSHIP with HIM, God alone or first! It's a spiritual connection ... a RELATIONSHIP meant to be & become! I fell in love with God at a very young age & I fall in love with God more and more every day! In fact, I choose to love God but He loved me first! (1 John 4:19) God is Love!