Deepening Your Relationship with God

Do you want to become closer to God? Do you feel a desire to deepen your faith? The suggestions below will help make your faith an integral part of your life, every day.

• Pray that the Lord would cause you to thirst to learn more about Him, to want to read His Word. 
• Read the Bible. There are many translations available;consider a study Bible, which has notes that will help you better understand the readings. Start in Genesis, and read straight through. Or start in Matthew, and read the New Testament first. Or read the chapter of Proverbs that corresponds to the date; read Proverbs 4 today, and Proverbs 5 tomorrow, for example. A Chronological Bible will allow you to read through the events in the order in which they happened. Whatever you read will increase your knowledge of God and His will, and what He wants from us. "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
• After you've chosen a Bible, make daily personal Bible study an absolute priority. You cannot develop a relationship without the Lord without spending time with Him! Write in your Bible, or use a notebook to journal what you learned and your observations and questions during your Bible study. 
• Begin your day with prayer. Thank Him for the blessings He has given you and ask Him to bless your day. Philippians 4:16 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."   1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to "Pray without ceasing." 
• If you haven't already, find a church home. Talk with friends, or local pastors or priests, about the beliefs of their church, and choose one to attend. Ask questions so you know what the beliefs of that denomination are. If you have a church home but haven't been regularly attending, attend church every week. Yes, you can be a believer without attending church, but worshiping with other believers strengthens your faith, teaches you about your faith and your Lord, and encourages you in your daily walk. 
• Become more involved with your church by attending Bible class, teaching Sunday school, or volunteering where needed. Being with other believers will deepen your faith. 
• Take sermon notes. It will help you remain focused during the service and give you a study reference. 
• Keep a prayer journal. List what you are thankful for as well as your requests for yourself and others. Date your list and record God's answers so that you can look back and see how He answered your prayers.
• Listen to Christian music. The encouraging messages and uplifting music will put a positive spin on your day, no matter what is happening. 
• Post Bible verses, written on notecards or sticky notes, around your home (on your bathroom mirror, on your refrigerator, and so on), so you'll read them several times a day. 
• Proceed with caution in choosing devotion books, websites, TV shows to watch, or programs to listen to. Many "Christian" authors and speakers seem to use the right buzzwords, but be very discerning--test everything you read or hear against the only Authority--the Bible. Subscribe to the Nebraska Family Times and you will receive a truly Christian newspaper in your mailbox every month!  

How do you make time with the Lord a priority? How have you deepened your relationship with the Lord? What's your favorite way to study the Bible? 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This entry is adapted from the book "Home is Where the Mom Is; A Christian Mom's Guide to Caring for Herself, Her Family, and Her Home", by Shelly Burke. To read more about "Home is Where the Mom Is" click the "Table of Contents" tab at the top of this page; to order, see the sidebar of this page.