Growing closer to Christ

OBEDIENCE with lots of prayer, reading and studying the bible! that about sums it up. seeing God answer prayer and doing wonders in everyday life

 

Id also say, use that memorization of your Bible in order to meditate on God's Word all throughout the day. Also when praying, let God lead you even in your prayer. Pause and let God remind you of what you need for the day.

Don't confuse obeying God with being close to God. Obedience is vital of course, but it is not equal to a walk with God. We can look great on the outside, and be very busy FOR God, and still have a stale walk with Christ. Truly meditating on the Bible is what keeps things alive in your heart.

 

Writing out prayers/ deotional thoughts has helped me to focus. That, and getting out and doing something for Him!

 

Do the same things that help you grow close to anyone. Spend as much time with Him as you can. Talk to Him, confide in Him and let Him talk to you through His Word. Saturate yourself with His Word. Be a sponge and soak up as much as you can.

 

I know thats right!

 

Good words. I agree.

Also I would add just trying to be aware of His presence around you each and every moment.

Writing stuff down has also helped me some too.

 

Does His desire to have you close also have something to do with it?

 

I decided one day (I don't really remember when) that I would allow the Bible to change me. Any time I read something that differed with my doctrine or practice, with the Holy Spirit's help I would then change my doctrine or practice.

Be extremely careful with this--you might end up as a missionary on the other side of the world!

 

Well excuse me for not being more specific bapmom. of course i meant all that. i thought it was obvious what i meant. but then i forgot there are alot of people in certain denominations that put a high importance on the outward apperance and not the heart and a true walk with the Lord.

 

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

 

My goodness Frenchy!

Why the unsolocited attack? I did not direct any of my thoughts at you. I merely shared something which has been a part of my own personal growth. Very often we equate obedience with being close to God, and those of us who grew up in church all our lives can rely on our obedience as the "proof" that we have a real and close relationship with Jesus. I struggle with this all the time, as do many of my friends. We all grow in this area.

There was no need for you to be defensive, and certainly no need for you to direct nastiness my way.

 

that's the way i saw the post, i didn't mean to imply that by OBEDIENCE i meant that it should be outward and not through the holy spirit working in us.

Reading and studying the bible is meditating on it. I guess we need people like bapmom to correctly interpret others post. you corrected every point i made, obedience, prayer, bible reading. of course it was personal, don't now act like it wasn't. i thought i was very clear in what i was saying, to imply otherwise, is to say i didn't have a clear understanding on what it means to grow close to God. Sorry if i responded wrong, i just said what i was feeling at the time.

 

I was not "interpreting your post", Frenchy. Relax.

I was sharing my own experience, which is what had been asked for in the OP. So far, Ive found this thread to be very good.....let's not ruin the spirit in which it was begun.

 

It's not anything I do. It's usually other people shoving me into him, because that really really works!

Seriously though, nothing helped. Just Christ. Mostly through answered prayer, which really set things into a realistic format for me. It grew confidence, and you can't be both confident in Christ and distant.

 

Thats so true, Gina. The times that Ive felt Christ real closely have been when He has become real to me through some adversity, and my confidence in Him has grown. I like how you put that!

 

bapmom,

I noticed you saying in another post somewhere to the effect that to whom much was given, much is expected, mentioning how you grew up in a church and this was different from some others considering others struggles. I considered your response very gracious and humble.

I also found myself getting closest to God through memorization of scripture and then meditation on that effort which usually turned into prayer from the thoughts. I first read the Bible asking for instruction and underline passages that touch me then later write them down to memorize; I feel like God helps pick out the ones He wants me to learn well.

 

Thanks Benjamin,

Im going to try that. I always have a hard time figuring out which verses to memorize.

 

I like all of 2 Peter too. How true. Here's some of it.

3As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 4And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
5So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. 6Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7Godliness leads to love for other Christians, £ and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone.

8The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin.
10So, dear brothers and sisters,£ work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away. 11And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.