Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
After accepting Jesus as your Savior (Romans
10:9), making Him your Lord is a process, which can only come through
developing a personal relationship with Him. Your relationship with Jesus is
the most important relationship you will ever have because it dictates how you see
yourself, how you see and relate to others, and how you see the world. Below is
a list of steps to developing a personal relationship with Christ.
Step one: purchase a Bible. I suggest the
International Children’s Bible and a King James Bible as you progress in your
relationship with Jesus. You will also want to purchase a Biblical Concordance
and a journal. Use a Biblical Concordance to look up definitions to words you
don’t understand. I recommend Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Go to https://therain.org/studies/strongs.html to learn how to use a concordance. Do not use a Webster’s
dictionary or otherworldly dictionary to look up Biblical words. They will not
have the same meaning because they exist in two different kingdoms.
Step two: establish devotion time. Dedicate a
set time and place to meet with Jesus daily. Look at your meeting as a date –
the most important meeting on your schedule. I recommend starting with thirty
minutes. Turn off all distractions. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you
in what you should read and study, in addition to asking Him to give you an
understanding heart so that you can perceive what you read and apply it.
Use 5-10 minutes to meditate on what you read by
asking the Holy Spirit to reveal how to apply what you have learned to your
day-to-day life. Quietly sit until you hear from Him. You will have to train
your mind to do this. If your thoughts start to wander, bring them back to
focus on the scripture reading. When the Holy Spirit responds, write down His
feedback in your journal. Do not become discouraged if you do not hear from the
Holy Spirit for a while. Some people may hear from Him instantly, while others
do not. This does not mean that you’re less important than the next person.
Jesus wants to talk to you. He has so much to say to you. So if you don’t hear
from Him during your first few devotions, be persistent. Continue to meet with
Him at your appointed time. He will talk to you.
Step three: what should I read or study? There
are various ways to read and study the Bible. You can start from the book of
Genesis to the book of Revelation, alternate between the Old Testament and the
New Testament (e.g., Genesis, Matthew, Exodus, or Mark), or you can choose a
topic or theme. Sites like Free-Online-Bible-Study.com and
teachsundayschool.com have great resources on various subjects about the Bible.
Step four: pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide
you to a fellowship group or church that teaches Biblical doctrine. Avoid
churches that identify explicitly with a particular denomination, such as Jehovah's
Witnesses, Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Apostolic, or Catholic. They
have their own doctrine and do not precisely follow the doctrine of Jesus
Christ, or they will add their theology to the gospel (Revelation 22:18-19).
Jesus tells us in His Word that His followers are of one church – one Lord, one
faith, and one baptism. (Ephesians 4:1-6 and Philippians 1:27). Avoid churches
that ask you to take the right hand of fellowship to join their church or
request that you sign some document. You became a member of the Church of God
when you accepted Jesus as your Savior. You can fellowship and be taught the
Word of God under a minister with other believers in a home, community center, or
park. Fellowshipping with other believers in prayer, worshipping, reading, and
studying the Bible is essential to your growth as a Christian (Hebrews 10:25).
Step five: pray and ask Jesus to send you an
accountability partner, godly companions, and wise counselors that can support
you in your new walk with Christ.
Continue to consult Jesus on other things that
you can do to deepen your relationship with Him.
Last but not least, obeying God is the ultimate
key to an intimate relationship with Jesus. Obey God no matter what. Your
obedience to God will increase your faith in Jesus.
XOXO,
Jay
