Need #1 turn to God and take him seriously (written form)

 By Russ Kujawski

I came across these 5 needs as I was writing a paper called " When a fire becomes a flame" So I thought I would try and expand on these 5 needs. Or essentials for a Biblical relationship with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There could be more needs. These needs are one's I think we as Christians need to practice and learn to rely on to have a success full walk in our relationship with God

So, before I start let’s see what the difference is between a Need and a Want. A need is something that we must have to survive or be successful and a Want is something we think we must have.

 

Need # 1 Turn Too God and Take Him Seriously

As a Christian how much do you rely on God? How seriously do you take God? How much you rely on God shows how seriously you take him. The basic Christian answer is yes, I do trust and take God seriously., but is that true.?

OK so I'm just thinking out loud here, if we really took God seriously Would the church be this screwed up, would your relationship with God be lacking almost non-existent. I grew up in a time when Church was on Sundays morning and night and on Wednesday. Of course, taking God seriously doesn't mean you must go to church every time the doors are open. Or does it?

Hebrews10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The Body of Christ is the Church, we need each other.

1Cor 12: 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

 In 12:31 the greater gifts Refers to gifts that benefit the entire church community

Church attendance is indeed important, we are instructed to not forsake the gathering with other believers. Why? So, we can encourage each other and to be encouraged, to share in each other’s suffering and praises, and of course to break bread together to be taught. God’s word, to confess, to bear each other’s burdens. So, should we go to church when the doors are open? You decide. Of course, I need to be careful I'm not say you must do "A" to get "B" A s in a legalistic works based faith. When you turn to God you need to be serious about it.

 We have times of failure, we have times we take our eyes off God and on to something else. There will be times when were not serious about God. Why is that?  The answer is relatively simple We live in a sinful world and at times life just sucks. At times, we are walking in the desert.

  Call of Abraham God reached out to him and he responded, he listened, he did as God commanded. He took the relationship between him and God seriously. Yet Abraham still had failures. God had to call him a second time out of Haran because his journey to Canaan was incomplete. He had stopped and settled in Haran. Abraham had other failures also. He took God seriously so much so that he was considered a friend of God

Isaiah 41:8 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

 God promised Abraham's offspring would bless ALL nations because he OBEYED Gods voice. That promise was fulfilled in Jesus the Christ (Messiah) Gal 3:16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offspring’s,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

 God called Abraham out of the land of UR. I suspect Abraham worshiped false idols if my understanding of Joshua 24:2 is correct, And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Tarah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.

 James 2:23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. Belief = Obedience

 There is another well-known person in the Bible that took God seriously and yet had many failures. he was considered a man after Gods heart. That was David. The son of Jesse: Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Even with their failures they took Gods call of them serious, you also must take Gods call serious even with the failures your likely to have. Maybe there not failures as much as you think and are trials to strengthen your growth. Failures do not equal how serious you take God, but can shine light on it, by the way that you respond to the failures. Reach out to God ask for forgiveness.

As it says in Isaiah 43:            “I, I am he

                        who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,

                        and I will not remember your sins.

           

 God remembers them no more, wow that's great isn't it. He won't bring them back up so when you take God seriously and ask forgiveness for your sins, you need to remember

that he remembers them no more and you should do the same thing forgive yourself and move forward not dwelling on the past. Don’t give Satan a weak spot to use against you. I know that this is easier said than done. Taking God seriously you can achieve it. Not in the manner of works but in the matter of will. Gods will. We need God to be with us as we work on building our relationship with him, Call on God during Good and bad times he is there.

  Here is my last thought on our need for God and taking him seriously. Without GOD there is no relationship., no relationship with Christ, no Holy spirit dwelling in us, there is NO CHRISTIANITY.. You can't have relationship with a Triune God and leave 1/3 of the trinity out. It’s all or nothing. We need GOD I believe everyone has a sense of God a need for him in them. Even the Atheist. God wants a growing relationship with us and we need a relationship with him. It’s a win win for us and God.