How to grow in your relationship with God
"Come close to God, and God will come close to you." James 4:8 (NLT)
I've grown up pretty much my whole life in the church, but it wasn't until late middle school or early high school that I got serious about my relationship with God.
I'm not Jermaine Jackson, but I I wanted to get serious.
Only people that were around in the '80s or people that love music from the '80s like myself would get that reference. LOL.
I didn't just want to hear about God or have a belief in Him, but I wanted to start growing closer to Him. I wanted to know Him for myself.
Spiritual growth is God's plans for all of us in Jesus Christ. God wants us to grow spiritually. He wants you to develop a relationship with Him and flourish in that relationship.
But how do we do that?
1.Cultivate a personal prayer life (Ephesians 6:18)
If we want to grow in our relationship with God, we must have a prayer life.
No relationship can grow without communication.
Prayer is communication with God. You don't have to impress God when you pray (no fancy vocabulary needed)- be real with God.
Talk to God like you're talking to your best friend. God wants to hear from you. Start your day with prayer, pray during the day, and end your day with prayer.
2.Develop a Bible reading habit (Joshua 1:8)
Get in the habit of reading your Bible.
The Bible is God's instruction manual for daily living.
If I can be honest, there was a moment in my life when I wasn't reading my Bible like I
should because I was "too busy."
I was too busy to read my Bible, but I wasn't too busy scrolling on Instagram. We make time for what we want.
Now reading my Bible is the first thing I do when I wake up after I thank Him for another day.
Make time every day to read your Bible. Just start with a verse or two. You can't survive without the Word.
3. Find the right church (Hebrews 10:25)
You need to get in a good Bible-teaching church where the preacher is correctly teaching God's Word.
My church has been very instrumental in the building of my faith.
Don't just think you can watch sermons on YouTube and be okay. You need a spiritual covering, and you need to be under a spiritual leader and around your brothers/sisters in Christ.
If you need a church home, go online, and search for local churches near you, ask for recommendations,
visit churches and pray before making a decision. Get in the church and stay in the church.
4.Build Godly Friendships (Proverbs 27:17)
We need good Christian friends. There's nothing like having friends who are in the Lord. I'm so grateful for my Christian friends that I can vent to, ask for advice, pray with, goof around with, and relate.
We need to be around people that will bring us closer to God and will help us stay on the path
He has for us. Life is better together than alone.
If we want to grow in our relationship with God, we need to pray, read our bibles, weekly attend a Bible based church, and build godly friendships. God wants to be closer to you. He wants an intimate and personal relationship with you. Value your relationship with God and make it a priority.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you!
Guest Blogger
Kyler Briscoe is a 19-year-old Christian blogger who's mission is to uplift and spiritually connect God's people back to Him. His approach to the gospel has equipped teens, millennials, and even adults to seek spiritual growth in spite of the struggles you face.
For more details on Kyler check out his blog website other social accounts:
https://medium.com/@bkyler2000https:/
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