Personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

If you are a Christian, do you REALLY have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

So often I have heard, “it’s not about religion, it’s a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” Have you ever considered what that really means?

Say there is a celebrity that you really enjoy watching perform and you enroll in a fan club. Does that automatically give you a personal relationship with that celebrity? Say you read a magazine once a week that tells you what that celebrity has been up to, does that give you a personal relationship?

If you are married, would you be satisfied if once a week your spouse came to a building where a group of perhaps hundreds were gathered and that was nearly the only time that week that they took time for you? Would you have a very good relationship?

Are you making the connection here? Many people profess to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but when you begin to ask about what they are reading in the Bible or what God is teaching them, the conversation comes to an abrupt halt or they start making excuses about why they don’t have personal devotions. Their communication (key word here) is limited to church where they sit in a group and listen to what someone has to say about Jesus. Granted, this type of worship is real and essential to the Christian life, but if that is the extent of it we are surely lacking a much more intimate relationship.

Here are a few descriptive words we often use for those we have some sort of relationship with…

Sometimes we just say “I know of him, or I know who she is.”

Acquaintance

Friend

Good Friend

Best Friend

Mother

Father

Wife

Husband

Now, if you consider the different relationships here, what are the key factor that changes the level of relationship you have? It is communication and time.

You may have an acquaintance at Church and through communication you find that you have something in common. That draws you into a closer relationship and the more you communicate, often the closer you become. The more time you spend with someone often determines the closeness of the relationship. I have become friends with people that originally I wasn’t very fond of, usually because I was afraid of them because they had an outspoken personality. As circumstances brought us together, I learned to understand them and not be afraid of them anymore but enjoy being with them and perhaps even laugh at their sharpness.

I was close with my siblings and my parents and often miss them and wish we could be together more often. We spent a lot of time together and that drew our hearts together. My parents took time to do things with us, from playing catch, to going swimming at the lake, to racing us to get back in line for our favorite roller coaster. My parents spent time with us and in return when my friend asked me at an amusement park once, “when do we ditch your parents?” I was astonished; it wouldn’t be as fun without my parents! I probably wouldn’t have had that attitude if my parents didn’t take time to be with us and develop that relationship.

The most intimate relationship is between a husband and wife. I have found that when we are really busy and don’t make time to spend together communicating and just enjoying fellowship that I am less concerned about what he cares about and more likely to do my own thing even if I know what he would prefer me to do. When we are spending time together, it is easier to overlook my own will and seek to do things that I know will please my husband. (It is the same with my relationship with Christ!)

I think I’ve made my point. It takes communication and time to develop a personal relationship with someone. And the more time you spend the closer you become; and the less time you spend the farther apart your relationship seems to go.

Of most of my old friends I can say I enjoy seeing them again but don’t really have that feeling of loneliness when I think of them. My family would fall into the loneliness category, the amount of time we spent together drew our hearts together and I still miss them when we are apart. If my husband is gone even for an evening, I get lonely for him. We are a unit and when we are separated for any unusual length of time, I feel it.

Now, of all the relationships that I mentioned, which does the Bible use to compare the relationship between Christ and the church? It is the closest relationship we have, that of a husband and wife. When our marriage reflects what the Bible says about marriage it is a beautiful close relationship. Likewise when our relationship with Jesus Christ is in order with the Word of God it is a beautiful close relationship, it truly is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!!!

Here are some snapshots of how my relationship with Jesus Christ affects my life.

• I read the Bible and spend time in prayer daily and if I become too busy and allow my devotions to be set aside I can see how it affects my day. Often I don’t handle interruptions, children squabbles, and a list of other things very well when I haven’t put my time with the Lord as the first priority of my day.
• I can see how God is molding my character little by little as I spend time with Him and seek to conform my life to His Word. I often have a prayer in my heart of thanksgiving when I recognize the work He is doing in my life and in my home. (If you don’t believe me, I can give you references!!! J )
• When I read the Bible, often one or two verses is enough because I have such a need to grow in that area I don’t want a lot of other thoughts crowding out the thoughts the Holy Spirit has lain on my heart.
• I believe that the Bible applies to me today just as much as it applied thousands of years ago, and that makes it a joy to read, not just my duty; in it I find the words of life and when I allow the grace of God to work in me to conform me to His will it draws me nearer to Him and strengthens my faith as I see the power of God revealed in my life.
• My relationship with Jesus Christ is just as real and active as my relationship with my husband! We have little snippets of conversation all through the day and night, sometimes more focused, sometimes just a quick prayer of thanks or help from me, or a portion of scripture or song or chastisement from Him.

Here is an example of how God is working in my life. I used to struggle with anger. When I was tired, we’d be behind so the house is a disaster, the children were dawdling or just plain not doing what they were told, I would tend to get angry and yell at my children!!! That is sin! Why you ask?

Galatians 5:16-25

(16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

(17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

(18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

(19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

(20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations,

• wrath,

• strife,

seditions, heresies,

(21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is

• love,

• joy,
• peace,
• longsuffering,
• gentleness,
• goodness,
• faith,
• (23) Meekness,
• temperance:

against such there is no law.

(are these fruits being displayed to my children when I am yelling at them in anger?)

(24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

(25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

By God’s grace I have mostly over come my anger, but I still need His grace because it is easy to get irritated instead of asking God to help me with the situation. If God is in control and I’m walking in the Spirit it can be a character building lesson for us all; if I yell it just tears down relationships and does not help to remedy the situation at all AND it teaches the children to yell instead of using good character and seeking God to help remedy the situation. Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

It is not my goal to sound like I’m “holier than thou.” I sin and come short of the glory of God just like everyone else, but for years I didn’t understand what it really means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is my goal to give a glimpse of what a close relationship with Jesus Christ might look like and perhaps help someone that doesn’t know how to get beyond the prayer of faith they made.

My question for you today, what category would your relationship with Jesus Christ fall into? Can you honestly say that it is a Personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Would you be able to share what Christ is doing in your life?

If you can’t, please seek Him today. If you study God’s word and ask Him how to apply it to your life He will show you how He would have you to live!!! He will truly transform your life!!!

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.