Following God without Question: How Do Build a Relationship with God and Jesus


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It was about 10 years ago, when I first started attending Bible Study at my church, that I realized I had a dysfunctional relationship with God and that I was the one contributing to that dysfunction. I realized that I didn't fully trust God; would always pray for this or that, but then turn around and worry about it. That night I made a commitment to re-establish my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. While I did have faith (little) in Him, I prayed and asked the Lord to help strengthen my faith in Him. Oddly enough, the seed that started that was tithing. I began tithing, regularly CONSISTENTLY tithing. On my payday, before I sat down and sorted my bills, I prayed and thanked God for my employment and my income, and asked Him to help me be cheerful, obedient, and consistent in my giving back to Him. I then asked Him for wisdom when it came to the remaining 90%. Just like the awesome God that He is , the Lord manifested Himself to me, as He's always done throughout my entire life.

Consistent tithing then led to a consistent prayer life and fasting. I learned to offer different types of prayer to the Father, and not just prayers where I ask Him for things. I've learned to offer prayers of thanksgiving, confessions, intercessions, and most importantly, prayers of adoration and praise to Him! Yes, I do still ask for things for myself, but I have graduated from asking for material things to asking for Spiritual blessings (growth, maturity, wisdom), which gave me insight on the importance of fasting. I didn't think that would ever be possible for me, but the power of the Holy Ghost and remembering how Jesus sacrificed for me, I was and am able to fast (when directed to do so). It was during those times God gave me revelation that allowed me to fully realize that I'm not just down here on Earth to take up space, but I have a job to do.

Consistent prayer led to activating my faith and doing ministry work. I have a friend and sister-in-Christ who is my spiritual mentor and teacher. She's a licensed ordained minister, and she is constantly studying, taking/teaching courses that will make her a more effective witness of Christ. Back in April 2014, she invited me to a banquet that celebrated the students in a class that taught them to be and make disciples. During that banquet, the speaker said that we (Christians) are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to pass on His teachings to others so that we can witness. That same night, I went home and prayed a new prayer, asking God to use me in whatever capacity for His kingdom. Two weeks later, I was asked to speak at our Young Adult Ministry conference (Single Parenting); 3 days after that I was asked to be the assistant director for our Annual Community Health Fair (served for 3 years); in December I was asked to join the Daughters of Zion Ministry (in my 5th year). In 2016 I was asked to be the secretary for our Women's Ministry (now serve as Treasurer), and in 2017 I was asked to serve as Registrar for our Christian Leadership School(now into my 3rd year). I am in my 6th year as secretary for our Singles Ministry, and in my 8th year as a member of our Intercessory Prayer Ministry. God has allowed me opportunities to share with others through my work in ministry.

Consistent Kingdom-building has led me to consistent Word & devotional time. Before I read the Word of God, I pray for understanding and retention. And I pray to go deeper in His word, pray for deeper revelation and meaning. I can't even begin to describe how I feel when I'm alone reading His word and meditating on Him! It's like I'm re-discovering God all over again, this time, seeing Him as the awesome, almighty God that He is! God also showed me myself through His word. But His love and mercy endures forever, because He not only showed me how ugly I was, but showed me how far He's brought me, and revealed to me what I was created to be!

I have totally surrendered myself to Jesus Christ. I trust Him with my life completely. Now, all I want to do is please Him. All I want to do is just sit in His presence and allow Him to fill me, use me, make me, break me, just invade all of my space and time. I'm still growing and learning and maturing, and I'm still building on the foundation of my relationship with Him through faith, His mercy and grace. And I'm having the time of my life!
 
It was about 10 years ago, when I first started attending Bible Study at my church, that I realized I had a dysfunctional relationship with God and that I was the one contributing to that dysfunction. I realized that I didn't fully trust God; would always pray for this or that, but then turn around and worry about it. That night I made a commitment to re-establish my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. While I did have faith (little) in Him, I prayed and asked the Lord to help strengthen my faith in Him. Oddly enough, the seed that started that was tithing. I began tithing, regularly CONSISTENTLY tithing. On my payday, before I sat down and sorted my bills, I prayed and thanked God for my employment and my income, and asked Him to help me be cheerful, obedient, and consistent in my giving back to Him. I then asked Him for wisdom when it came to the remaining 90%. Just like the awesome God that He is , the Lord manifested Himself to me, as He's always done throughout my entire life.

Consistent tithing then led to a consistent prayer life and fasting. I learned to offer different types of prayer to the Father, and not just prayers where I ask Him for things. I've learned to offer prayers of thanksgiving, confessions, intercessions, and most importantly, prayers of adoration and praise to Him! Yes, I do still ask for things for myself, but I have graduated from asking for material things to asking for Spiritual blessings (growth, maturity, wisdom), which gave me insight on the importance of fasting. I didn't think that would ever be possible for me, but the power of the Holy Ghost and remembering how Jesus sacrificed for me, I was and am able to fast (when directed to do so). It was during those times God gave me revelation that allowed me to fully realize that I'm not just down here on Earth to take up space, but I have a job to do.

Consistent prayer led to activating my faith and doing ministry work. I have a friend and sister-in-Christ who is my spiritual mentor and teacher. She's a licensed ordained minister, and she is constantly studying, taking/teaching courses that will make her a more effective witness of Christ. Back in April 2014, she invited me to a banquet that celebrated the students in a class that taught them to be and make disciples. During that banquet, the speaker said that we (Christians) are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to pass on His teachings to others so that we can witness. That same night, I went home and prayed a new prayer, asking God to use me in whatever capacity for His kingdom. Two weeks later, I was asked to speak at our Young Adult Ministry conference (Single Parenting); 3 days after that I was asked to be the assistant director for our Annual Community Health Fair (served for 3 years); in December I was asked to join the Daughters of Zion Ministry (in my 5th year). In 2016 I was asked to be the secretary for our Women's Ministry (now serve as Treasurer), and in 2017 I was asked to serve as Registrar for our Christian Leadership School(now into my 3rd year). I am in my 6th year as secretary for our Singles Ministry, and in my 8th year as a member of our Intercessory Prayer Ministry. God has allowed me opportunities to share with others through my work in ministry.

Consistent Kingdom-building has led me to consistent Word & devotional time. Before I read the Word of God, I pray for understanding and retention. And I pray to go deeper in His word, pray for deeper revelation and meaning. I can't even begin to describe how I feel when I'm alone reading His word and meditating on Him! It's like I'm re-discovering God all over again, this time, seeing Him as the awesome, almighty God that He is! God also showed me myself through His word. But His love and mercy endures forever, because He not only showed me how ugly I was, but showed me how far He's brought me, and revealed to me what I was created to be!

I have totally surrendered myself to Jesus Christ. I trust Him with my life completely. Now, all I want to do is please Him. All I want to do is just sit in His presence and allow Him to fill me, use me, make me, break me, just invade all of my space and time. I'm still growing and learning and maturing, and I'm still building on the foundation of my relationship with Him through faith, His mercy and grace. And I'm having the time of my life!

Beautiful witnessing my sister, the Lord is using you in a mighty special way. Your words are full of Spirit and convey a complete submission to the will of God.

I have been walking in my faith, as humble as I can, with term "laboring faith" in mind for around five years or more. Your example of humble, good and faithful service to the Lord, a gift no doubt given to you by Him, has given me, through Him, the revelation and visualization to fully understand why that term has been in my head.

Thank you sister, your witness has been fruitful.

Much love!

God bless!
 
I question Him consistently about things I don't quite understand, but I seek answers in His word. I feel that I'm growing spiritually and He has reminded me that I have grown by leaps and bounds thus far. For me, the key has been to question Him in peaceful moments and pray for the capacity to understand what He reveals to me. When I lost my mom in 2014, I was as prepared as anyone could've possibly been because He spoke peace over my storms during that time and gave me the answers I was looking for and for that I am forever grateful. I questioned Him about having to go through all of that with my mother because at that time, I was a grad student, full-time mental health counselor, and actively assisting in the planning of my wedding. Mother made her transition just 28 days before I got married and I was so internally angry about that, but for only a brief moment because it all came rushing to me. He answered my prayers as they shifted from prayers for her healing to just letting His will be done. I chose to give Him the glory in that dark hour because of the conversations that my mom and I had already had. She was ready and even though I wasn't, I had to be. God's answers were the catalyst to my shift. I just had to realize that He had been present all along. I had nothing to worry about and didn't even know at the time.

My prayer life grew and the unthinkable challenge of fasting came with it lol...I hadn't sang in church since I was a small boy and my mom always tried to pull it out of me, but it took me surviving that season to realize when and how to go about giving Him the ALL of the glory. Nowadays, I'm on multiple praise teams and even a part of the Fellowship's choir. I have made it my personal practice to always keep God on my mind and in my prayers both in and outside of my ministry through music. He granted me the opportunity to witness my own testimony unfolding and I offer up praise for that. Questioning God is something that I think we all do at some point. How we dissect those answers (hopefully through prayer and consecration) is what has helped me to grow. I still have a lot to learn and quite a way to go, but I'm excited about the Christian journey!!
 
I question Him consistently about things I don't quite understand, but I seek answers in His word. I feel that I'm growing spiritually and He has reminded me that I have grown by leaps and bounds thus far. For me, the key has been to question Him in peaceful moments and pray for the capacity to understand what He reveals to me. When I lost my mom in 2014, I was as prepared as anyone could've possibly been because He spoke peace over my storms during that time and gave me the answers I was looking for and for that I am forever grateful. I questioned Him about having to go through all of that with my mother because at that time, I was a grad student, full-time mental health counselor, and actively assisting in the planning of my wedding. Mother made her transition just 28 days before I got married and I was so internally angry about that, but for only a brief moment because it all came rushing to me. He answered my prayers as they shifted from prayers for her healing to just letting His will be done. I chose to give Him the glory in that dark hour because of the conversations that my mom and I had already had. She was ready and even though I wasn't, I had to be. God's answers were the catalyst to my shift. I just had to realize that He had been present all along. I had nothing to worry about and didn't even know at the time.

My prayer life grew and the unthinkable challenge of fasting came with it lol...I hadn't sang in church since I was a small boy and my mom always tried to pull it out of me, but it took me surviving that season to realize when and how to go about giving Him the ALL of the glory. Nowadays, I'm on multiple praise teams and even a part of the Fellowship's choir. I have made it my personal practice to always keep God on my mind and in my prayers both in and outside of my ministry through music. He granted me the opportunity to witness my own testimony unfolding and I offer up praise for that. Questioning God is something that I think we all do at some point. How we dissect those answers (hopefully through prayer and consecration) is what has helped me to grow. I still have a lot to learn and quite a way to go, but I'm excited about the Christian journey!!

I'm bout to take off running right up outta here! This right here is the evidence of Spiritual growth and maturity, things essential in a relationship with God.

My mind is constantly blown away when I think how awesome God is. I'm reading this beautiful testimony, and I see the hand of God over your life and how He is about to take you higher in Him! I don't know why you chose mental health as a profession, but all I saw from your testimony was how God had all of this ordained at the creation of the world. It's amazing how God would allow you to work in a field giving care and health and restoration skills to those whose minds are in need, and yet He knew that the day would come where your own mind would be (temporarily) in need of a Spiritual awakening that would permanently affect you and your faith in Him. Working full time, attending school, planning your wedding, the sickness (and transition) of your mother..........all of this happening at once. The awesome Jehovah-el Shaddai also knew that if you had not gone through all of this AT ONCE, you would NOT realize His ever powerful & strengthening presence that enabled you to go through what you thought to be a "dark hour" but was actually your transformation in Him! And now, praise God, because you SURVIVED, you not only have a powerful testimony to share with others, you will be a better mental health care worker because of it! You will be a wonderful husband because of it! And you will be a great, much-needed asset to the Body of Christ because of it!

We all have a long road to travel in our faith journey and walk with Christ. And with each step, the challenges will get more and more difficult. But remember, if you survived one, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with you, and you WILL survive the next one and the next one and the next, if you DON'T GIVE UP! Your mother was ready to be with the Lord, and that is a great thing to hear! She was ready to meet her Savior, which says a lot about her faith. When we can reach that kind of faith, where we are anxious and excited to meet Him and ready at any given moment to meet Him, WOW! What a joyous thing!

Thank you for sharing this. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always!
 
I question Him consistently about things I don't quite understand, but I seek answers in His word. I feel that I'm growing spiritually and He has reminded me that I have grown by leaps and bounds thus far. For me, the key has been to question Him in peaceful moments and pray for the capacity to understand what He reveals to me. When I lost my mom in 2014, I was as prepared as anyone could've possibly been because He spoke peace over my storms during that time and gave me the answers I was looking for and for that I am forever grateful. I questioned Him about having to go through all of that with my mother because at that time, I was a grad student, full-time mental health counselor, and actively assisting in the planning of my wedding. Mother made her transition just 28 days before I got married and I was so internally angry about that, but for only a brief moment because it all came rushing to me. He answered my prayers as they shifted from prayers for her healing to just letting His will be done. I chose to give Him the glory in that dark hour because of the conversations that my mom and I had already had. She was ready and even though I wasn't, I had to be. God's answers were the catalyst to my shift. I just had to realize that He had been present all along. I had nothing to worry about and didn't even know at the time.

My prayer life grew and the unthinkable challenge of fasting came with it lol...I hadn't sang in church since I was a small boy and my mom always tried to pull it out of me, but it took me surviving that season to realize when and how to go about giving Him the ALL of the glory. Nowadays, I'm on multiple praise teams and even a part of the Fellowship's choir. I have made it my personal practice to always keep God on my mind and in my prayers both in and outside of my ministry through music. He granted me the opportunity to witness my own testimony unfolding and I offer up praise for that. Questioning God is something that I think we all do at some point. How we dissect those answers (hopefully through prayer and consecration) is what has helped me to grow. I still have a lot to learn and quite a way to go, but I'm excited about the Christian journey!!

God bless you brother! Glory to His name!
 
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