Sunday, May 24, 2009

Give Up to Go Up

Think about the best friend you’ve ever had and what made your relationship great. Isn’t it about hanging out, talking and trusting friend enough to share your secrets with him or her?

Have you ever thought that you could have relationship with God as good as the relationship that you have with your best friend?

You don’t just get a close friendship with God because of what your parents tell you about Him or by spending an hour a week in Sunday school. Just like it took hanging out with your best friend, talking and testing his or her trust, it takes hanging out with God, talking to Him and learning to trust Him.

So where does God hang out? Wherever you are! He’s been running after you – yearning intensely and persistently for you. Perhaps you know what pining feels like. Have you ever wanted to be good friends with someone for a long time, yet he or she managed to ignore you or to not realize what a great person you are? Stop for a second and think: have you possibly ignored God lately? Have you talked to Him?

In case you’re wondering how to talk to God, you pray –constantly. Not just before that exam you didn’t even study for; you pray throughout the day. He’d like it if you prayed for everything and anything. He’d just like to hear from you. Of course, you don’t get to know someone if you’re doing all the talking. Let God take a turn talking to you. One way you can let Him do that is to read His Word, the Bible. Come on, don’t say you don’t’ like to read. If your best friend wrote you a 10-page letters, you’d read it immediately, over and over again.

The Bible is filled with letters and poems from God addressed to you, treasures just waiting for your discovery. Your Bible, which hopefully isn’t dusty, is yelling, “Open Me! Search Me!” How you hear God speaking to you is by inserting your name into the scripture you’re reading and seeing how it applies to your personal life. You’ll soon realize that it really was written with you in mind!

As you begin reading God’s Word every day (or if you already are, try spending ever more time reading it, you’ll also begin to trust Him more, and you begin to get closer like a best friend that always around in your success and failures. For the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scriptures is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Your trusting God will cause your relationship with Him to grow. Think of the person you’re closest to. Do you sometimes find yourself knowing what he’ll say or what she’ll do? Do you know what makes him happy or what annoys her? In the same way, soon God’s desires for you will become your own desires! And Psalm 139:4 will be the case: “For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.”

When your best friend’s birthday comes, don’t you want to give him or her something nice? When your relationship with God becomes close, you’ll also want to give Him something. After all, hasn’t God given you everything? In return, how about giving Him the best of your time, your money, your energy, and your love? Most important, how about, giving Him your heart-surrendering yourself to Him?

God is Holy and He hates sin. We are human. We were born in this world with a sinful nature. Romans 3: 10 and 23 says There is none righteous, no, not one; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. See the difference? There is a barrier between God and us, it is SIN. And we can’t be His best friend in that case. BUT praise be to our God, He sent His son Jesus Christ to be our mediator for us (1 Timothy 2:5), our supplications and prayers to be heard. Jesus Christ died for our sins. He tore the veil between God and man.

Now you might ask me, how can I make God as my best friend? By trusting Him; accept Jesus Christ to be your only Savior and Lord, Believe that He died for your sin and He is the only way to eternal life, Confess your sins to Him and live a new life. For the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away behold, all things are become new.”

How do you learn to trust God? By getting to know Him. And do get to know Him? By spending time reading His Word, fellowshipping with other Christians and praying to Him every day.

God say in Isaiah 41:9, “I have chosen you.” Now He’s just waiting for you to choose Him-to surrender to Him in response.

Say this prayer if you want to surrender your life to Him as a response. “Dear God, I realize that I am a sinner. Thank you for sending Your son, Jesus Christ to pay for my sins and save me. Lord Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross and rose from the dead for me. I repent of my sins and receive You into my heart as my Savior and Lord. I accept your gift of eternal life. Thank you for coming into my heart and for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now, congratulations! You didn’t only gain your best friend but you can also be with Him through all eternity in Heaven. :)

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