I just want to know...

what does this entail for you, the various inhabitants of this board? It was something I was thinking about the other night, and it's something I hear a lot, having a relationship with the Lord, our God, but it is such a nebulous subject that so many seem to have a different approach. So...what is your approach?

Like any relationship, communication is essential.

For me, prayer is not enough in regards to communication with God. It's like the "just talking" part of it. Meditation is the other half of the conversation - it's like the listening part of communication.

I remember my prayers early on, were pretty bossy and selfish. It was a lot like:

*picks up the phone*
Yeah God? Hey! I've got this list of things for you to do. When you get done with that, I have another list. Amen!
*hangs up the phone*

That's hardly a good base for a relationship. Not only was I not listening, it was all about me wanting what I wanted.

When I pray/talk to God, it isn't just about things I want Him to fix. I'm not much for foxhole prayers either - bargaining with or making promises - "Just get me out of this mess, and I'll never do it again!" type prayers.

The rest, other than talking and listening has to do with what I'm talking about, and if I actually apply what I've listened to.

It might be common for me to just do a "thank you" prayer, or a "just because" small-talk type prayer. Since God does care about the details, I can just ramble to Him like I would to any other friend. I don't only go to Him when something is wrong.

When I listen for His Will for me, life goes a helluva lot smoother - especially when I turn my will (my thinking) and my life (my acting) over to Him.

I like that a lot. I am tired of Christianity being reduced to bumper sticker like prayers and cliche's. Hence why I ask y'all here

It seems as if people are purposely fleeing from all mystical and spiritual aspects of god and settling for ritualism, something I desperately want to get away from.

Yeah, tradition is little more than habit. It really doesn't have to do with that relationship with God at all, and is more along the lines of going through the motions.

A relationship with God is a very personal thing. ^_^

What trips me out.. is how people can Not have a constant communication with God going on every day. I've been used to it for so long.. it's wierd to realize that most people do not have it.

For certain sever matters.. i am required by Him to get on my hands knees and plead for forgiveness. He literally forces me to the floor. But most times I am just talking to Him anytime , anyplace.. with ease. And also Praising Him. Sometimes also getting fatigued at Him and telling Him that I have had enough... etc. But always knowing that He is God.

God is love on all levels. a Friends relaxed love, a Lovers jealous and intense love, a Families insistent love.. etc. And a relationship with Him includes all of those factors.

Kamerad Ash wrote:

What trips me out.. is how people can Not have a constant communication with God going on every day. I've been used to it for so long.. it's wierd to realize that most people do not have it.

You might not want to get weirded out a.k.a. lose touch with "most people" there, chief. You'd be a better witness to them if you can understand, relate to and empathize with "those" types.

Kamerad Ash wrote:

For certain sever matters.. i am required by Him to get on my hands knees and plead for forgiveness. He literally forces me to the floor. But most times I am just talking to Him anytime , anyplace.. with ease. And also Praising Him. Sometimes also getting fatigued at Him and telling Him that I have had enough... etc. But always knowing that He is God.

I tend to start my morning with a "please" and close my night with a "thanks". (those are the topics - I don't just say the words. ^_^) It's one thing to make amends, repent and apologize, but I don't grovel for something that's already been paid for. Do you really do that Ash?

Kamerad Ash wrote:

God is love on all levels. a Friends relaxed love, a Lovers jealous and intense love, a Families insistent love.. etc. And a relationship with Him includes all of those factors.

True that!

For a relationship to work there must be communication.. from both. I've always struggled with the listenning part. I'd try to be as attentive as I could, but I really couldn't make the difference between when whatever goes through my mind and God speaking to me. And it has bothered me for a long time until last night I cried to God and asked Him what is it that is between Him and I that creates such a huge gap that I am really unable to hear Him clearly. And half a second later, I heard (not audibly) that there is too many things in my heart between Him and I.

I understood that, while I tried to put God first in my life, some things were still taking the spot before Him sometimes. Silly things like video games, or girls. See, God is God. He deserves the best you can give. I understood that, for my relationship with Him to go to a higher level, I'd need to be much more dedicated than I ever was. And this, for me, means getting rid of some if not all of the stuff that made him go to the second or third place some times. It's constantly striving to please Him through whatever sacrifices I must do in my life.

With better dedication comes better communication. And that is needed to do precise work for Him. Most, if not all of those who had visions and experienced divine stuff in the bible were extremely dedicated to God. I see it as a requirement to be used by God. And, if we can not be used by Him, what good do we bring? Why should He keep us if we are not willing to be used by Him and therefore make the sacrifices for this to happen? This verse comes to mind.

Matthew 5:13
[ Salt and Light ] "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

and also,
Romans 12:1
[ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.