• {ur relationship with God is made possible through Jesus Christ (John 14: 19-21)-John 14:19 (NIV) Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.  John 14:20 (NIV) On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  John 14:21 (NIV) Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Our relationship with the living God is made possible through Jesus Christ.  His death on the cross paid the price (atonement for all sin) for all who believe in Him, and accept Him as LORD and Savior.  While Jesus Christ lived on earth bodily, He prepared His Disciples for what was to come after His death on the cross.  Here we see that the world was not going to be able to see Him after His death except the few chosen Disciples.  He also promises that through His eternal life, His followers will also have eternal life in Him.  Clearly He is promising for His Children to see him face to face.  And we see that if we have a relationship with Him, we also have a relationship with the Father.  So we know that His Spirit lives within Us, and We live within Him.  We also, therefore, live within the Father.  When we know and keep His commands to live a life of holiness, He confirms that this is evidence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, and proves Our love for God.  Therefore, if We love God, God will love Us, and also Jesus the Son of God will love Us, and show Himself to Us.  This revelation will take place in His Kingdom in heaven for all eternity.  

• Our relationships should not compromise our faith (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18)-2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV) Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  2 Corinthians 6:15 (NIV) What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  2 Corinthians 6:16 (NIV) What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”  2 Corinthians 6:17 (NIV) Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”  2 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV) And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

We are clearly instructed as God's Children, not to unite with unbelievers.  So, a firm Christian is not to unite in holy matrimony with someone who is not firm, or does not believe at all in the one true God.  This is because someone who is living a God-fearing life cannot unite with someone who does not care to submit to God.  Anyone who does not want to submit to God, is clearly considered wicked-an unbeliever.  Someone living in the true light of God cannot have fellowship with someone who lives in spiritual darkness.  There will never be peace nor harmony between Christ and His Followers, and the devil and his followers.  We do not have anything in common with those who do not believe.  Therefore, we cannot agree with those who do not serve the one true and living God.  We (believers) are the temple (home/dwelling) of the one true and living God.  He promises to live and walk with Us.   He is our God, and We are His People.  He calls Us to come out of the world, separate Ourselves from the world, not to touch anything unclean.  If we follow this, He will receive us (for eternity).  He promises to be Our Father, and We will be His Children.

• We are unified with all believers in God's family (Ephesians 2: 21-22)-Ephesians 2:21 (NIV) In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  Ephesians 2:22 (NIV) And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as LORD and accepts Him as their one and only {exclusive} LORD and Savior is joined together; and we rise together to become a holy temple (home/dwelling) of the Spirit of the LORD.  As we live in Him, we are growing spiritually together to become a temple in which God lives in Spirit.  

• Our relationship with Christ is deep and abiding (2 Timothy 2: 11-13)-2 Timothy 2:11 (NIV) Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 2 Timothy 2:12 (NIV) if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 2 Timothy 2:13 (NIV) if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

A relationship with Christ is a very deep relationship and it is a continuous relationship.  The reason it is continuous is because the LORD is faithful.  In the spiritual sense, when we believe in Christ and accept Him, we die to the world and are reborn spiritually to live in Him.  And if we are in fellowship with the LORD, then die bodily, we will also live with Him in heaven for eternity.  If we endure life with all the trials and tribulations that it brings, we will reign in heaven with Him for all eternity.  If we disown God, meaning we reject Him as our LORD and Savior and decide to live our lives for ourselves, He has no choice but to disown us.  Therefore our souls will be lost.  We cannot be saved and go to heaven if we reject God.  If we lose our faith, He continues to be God.  He is still LORD of heaven and earth, He cannot discontinue to be who He is just because we lose faith.  

• Our relationship with Christ makes us children of God (1 John 3: 1-3)-1 John 3:1 (NIV) See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  1 John 3:2 (NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.    1 John 3:3 (NIV) All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

To believe in Christ as LORD and Savior is to have a relationship with Him through prayer, reading His word, fasting, and meeting with fellow believers in worship, song, and prayer.   This makes us His Children.  The world does not know us, meaning they do not understand us.  They do not understand us, because they do not understand God.  What we will be has not been made known yet to the world.  But, we know that when Christ returns, we will be like Him, we will see Him just as He is.  Everyone who has this hope in Christ purify ourselves, just as He is pure.  Therefore we live as He lives in sanctity.  We will love what He loves, and hate what He hates.

I hope this study on relationships is helpful to you.  Let us continue to pray for one another in hopes of spiritual growth, maturity, and purity.  Let us prepare for all that the LORD has for each of His Children.  If you have not yet accepted the LORD Jesus as your one and only exclusive LORD and Savior, and are in need of prayer, or, you have accepted the LORD as your Savior, but, just need prayer we are glad to pray with and for you, please contact us in the contact tab in the About Us section of this page.  May God bless you until the next study! 

• God may not always answer our questions (Job 42: 1-3)-Job 42:1 (NIV) Then Job replied to the Lord: Job 42:2 (NIV) “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  Job 42:3 (NIV) You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

This passage is about Job; a servant of God.  This man named Job lived a life that was blameless before the LORD.  This servant was also severely tested in the faith.  And when his faith was tested, he questioned the LORD.  He spoke to the LORD acknowledging the fact that God is all powerful, all knowing, and Soverign.  Here he acknowledges that God's plans cannot be prevented, nor changed.  Any time we attempt to change God's plans, it is clear that we do this without wisdom/understanding.  If we truly knew what we were doing, we would not even attempt to change God's plans.  Here he both is acknowledging that the LORD's wisdom is above all, and that he was speaking foolishly before the LORD, whenever he did question the LORD.  He was speaking of things that he simply did not know.  In this story we see how God's plan is a great learning lesson for Job, and for future generations to come.

• God welcomes our sincere questions (Luke 7: 18-23)-Luke 7:18 (NIV) John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, Luke 7:19 (NIV) he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”  Luke 7:20 (NIV) When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ ”  Luke 7:21 (NIV) At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.  Luke 7:22 (NIV) So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  Luke 7:23 (NIV) Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

God does welcome sincere questions from His Children.  In this passage, we see how Jesus' cousin John the Baptist sent believers to Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah.  Jesus replied to them, instructing them to point out the proof of healing and miracles he performed as well as the preaching of the message of Salvation and Truth to those who believe in Him, that He was in fact, the promised Messiah.  Anyone who does not stumble is blessed.  When we believe in Him, and the miracles He performed, we are blessed.  There are people who did not believe in that time that He was the promised Messiah, and instead blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, saying He casted out the demons and illness by the power of the devil.  That is the unforgivable sin; it shows you do not believe in the one true God.

• We need not be afraid when questioned about our faith (Luke 21: 12-15)-Luke 21:12 (NIV) “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.  Luke 21:13 (NIV) And so you will bear testimony to me.  Luke 21:14 (NIV) But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.  Luke 21:15 (NIV) For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

The LORD had prepared His Disciples for what was to come.  He had prepared them thoroughly; and encouraged them to be strong, have faith, and keep their eyes on the prize; eternity with Him, in Paradise.  He told them not to be afraid whenever they are brought before kings, governors, etc., on account of His name.  And so they were instructed to speak the truth about what Jesus had taught them.  He assured them that He would give them the words to speak whenever they were questioned.  It is the power of the Holy Spirit that gives them both the wisdom and words to speak at the appropriate time.  Also, whomever they speak to will not be able to deny that what they are saying is the truth. 
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• We should be ready with answers when questioned about our faith (1 Peter 3: 15)-1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

In this verse we see that we should be ready to give answers to anyone who has questions about our faith.  This is to be done with respect towards Christ our LORD and Savior.   He instructs His Children to do this with love as He would do.  We are to be a reflection of Jesus Christ.  We learn in these passages that it is ok for one to have questions for both God, and His Children.  Man is not all-knowing.  Only God is all-knowing.  With this in mind, we must be prepared to handle every situation the way He has done, with love, and respect towards one another.  I hope this study on questions is as helpful to you as it is to me.  Until the next study, be blessed.