We enter into connection with Jesus by focusing our hearts on him. We use prayer, reading scripture, worship, fellowship to initiate and enhance that focus.
This connection is an exercise of the relationship we have. Just like going on a date, weeding the garden or playing softball are exercising the relationships we have with people. Jesus proclaims that our relationship with God is a love relationship. There are ways to enhance this love relationship and there are ways to damage it.
Human beings were designed in a specific way. There are ways to improve\damage physical health. There are ways to improve\damage emotional health. There are ways to improve\damage spiritual health.
God has prescribed the means to improve spiritual health in scripture. The advice can be summarized as "obey what God says."
When we obey God:
- We work with God's design,
- We strengthen the connection with Jesus,
- Joy flows from our hearts.
God commands us to live out our design. the introduction of sin has confused us from naturally moving with our design. He needs to remind us what we should do. We need to remind each other what we should do.
The primary design requirements is love. Love completes the law. Scripture specifies this in many places. Love of Jesus and love of people strengthen the connection. Love bears fruit.
The connection ties into God's heart. We know him better. We conduct ourselves in ways that please him better. What we desire in hour hearts flows with his purposes and his design so he acts as we pray for things.
(Prayer is an not an expression of a "bless me" club. It is our first means of partnering with God in his purposes. God is concerned about our needs. He does want us to ask him to meet desires we have. But far too much of our prayer is for those personal needs and desires, and not enough is aimed beyond the horizon.)
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