Tag: dating

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How do I Get Closer to God?

QUESTION

Dear Pastor Chris,

I am  Cameroonian girl. I want to get closer to God but I keep falling back to my old self. I know the Bible says we should not be lukewarm Christians. I have a boyfriend who is not a Christian. I do not know what to do.

~ Christy 

ANSWER

Dear Christy,

Jesus is our life (John 14:6). Jesus said that He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). The enemy of our soul comes to “steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). You will not find purpose and fulfillment in any person other than Jesus.

There are several things we can do to get closer to God:

  • Read part of the Bible every day. There is no substitute for this. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. Think carefully about the passage you read. After thinking about the passage for a period of time, take a notebook and write down, 1) “What God said to me”; and, 2) “What I said to God”. Write this related to the verses you just read.
  • Pray. Use the passage you just read as a guide for your prayer that day.
  • Sing or play Christian music. This will fill your heart with joy!
  • Seek a Christian woman who is mature in the Lord and ask her to guide you in your Christian walk. Ask her to teach you the scriptures.
  • Form a small group of other Christian ladies your age and study the Bible together.
    Be consistent. Christians need to spend time with other believers. Pray for each other. Share your hearts with each other.
  • Be active in the worship services of your church.
  • Serve God in a ministry through your church.
  • Your boyfriend is dragging you down and hurting your walk with Christ. Let your boyfriend know that you can no longer be with him because your first loyalty is to Jesus.

Do these things with your whole heart and you will grow closer to Jesus.

~ Pastor Chris

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How do I move forward in a Godly way with dating relationships?

Dear Pastor,

 

I’ve been a lover of Jesus since I was 18, and throughout my lifetime God has revealed to me my greatest hangup: relationships. I Personally connect with God through prayer journals & daily bible study. Yet, we all fall short! I Was married for 6 years to the wrong man, and I was given a second chance when he committed adultery. Otherwise, I’d be married still, as I struggle to follow His rules/guidelines for my life. I fell head over heels for The first man who came along. We dated for over a year, but god clearly moved me to end the relationship this past December. I know it was the right thing at the time. However we met yesterday, and he has grown much closer in god. He feels this is why we were supposed to separate. I do love him, but there’s a major catch… I have also developed strong feelings for another man. I never believed people who said they were in love with two people, yet, here I am. I do love both for different reasons. I’ve prayed and prayed, yet I feel as though God wants to teach me through this process. Please share with me advice on how to choose correctly. Since my failed marriage (6 years of emotional/mental torture)… I’m terrified of getting mixed up again! How do I go forward in a godly way?!? Please advise me on the best approach!!!

 

Blessings,

Ann

 

ANSWER

 

Ann,

 

Remember that your first and most important relationship is with the LORD. He is the only one who can satisfy your deepest longings. You must not let any human being pressure you to take any particular path unless the LORD has given you the green light. Anytime the LORD gives you the “go ahead” it will be consistent with Scripture. He will never violate His Word. Until the LORD says “Go” it is far and away best to wait. We make many foolish decisions when we are pressured either by ourselves or by others. King Saul is an example (see 1 Samuel 13:5-14).

 

As to your question concerning love, it is possible to love more than one person. Just ask any mother who has more than one child. God Himself loves the entire world (John 3:16).

 

Remember that love is more than feelings. No one stays on an emotional high. Feelings are like the tide, they come and go and are not always of the same strength. Also, true love requires us to do things that do not feel good (like take a child to the physician for a vaccination). The Bible speaks of this as agape. Agape is sacrificial. Agape puts the needs of the other person before your own. Agape involves commitment. Agape is a choice, an act of the will. Hollywood puts all of the emphasis on the warm, fuzzy feelings of romance. Romance is important but it is not the total experience of love. It is a part, but only a part.

 

Give this issue some time. You have been impulsive in the past and it has gotten you in trouble. Over time you will see both men in a variety of situations. Make the effort to discover their true character and their true heart for Jesus. Clarity will come as you continue to depend on the LORD, asking Him to reveal His will. You do not have to decide today.

 

I’d like to recommend two books to you, both by Dr. James Dobson. He is a respected Christian author and psychologist. You will do well to read them.

Emotions: Can You Trust Them?

Head Over Heels: How to Fall in Love and Land on Your Feet

~ Pastor Chris