How to get close to God?

It's pretty easy. It's through God's grace. Try thinking of grace like God's hand reaching out to you to pull you close to him. That doesn't mean that God's big arm is a tracor-beam that's going to pull you into the sky and fly you to heaven right this second. What it does mean is that he's asking you to become like a little kid, crawling up into his big, soft lap, giving every part of your life to him.

Sometimes you might not want to give God every part of your life, but when you give him all of yourself life gets really good! He's sp smart and good that he will take better care of you than anyone else including you. The closer you get to God, the more you experience the cool stuff that comes with having him as you perfect Father and best friend. Paul writes about some of this cool stuff in Galatians 5:22-23:

Joy.  Even if your bike gets stolen, you can still be grateful for the other stuff that you have.
Peace. When your best friend is getting ready to move to another state, you won't freak out.
Gentleness. If everyone else in your class is making fun of the girl with the big teeth whi sits in front of you, you make an extra effort to be kind to her.
Self-Control. When you are tempted to check out the websites and chat rooms you know you shoudn'y, you shut down your computer and phone a friend instead.
Ask God to draw you close.Today.

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Dad

Lots of us have great dads - dads who play with us, pray with us, and love us. Some of us have not so great dads, and some don't have dads at all. No matter if you have a great dad or no dad, God is there to be your loving father - one who will never let you down.

Like a good earthly father, God the Father helps us learn how to live our lives for him through discipline and guidance. Being disciplined is rarely fun (remember the last time you were grounded?), but God promises that later you'll reap some great rewards if you learn from his lessons.

The God of the universe calls us his children! Realizing that amzing fact should make us want to obey our perfect Father and love him with all our hearts.

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God Is With Us... In Our Confusion

Being a teen can be a confusing time. There are lots of big decisions looming in your future. You're trying to figure out who you are and what God wants you to be. On top of all this, friends move away, people get cancer, parents divorce and there seems to be bad news happening all over the world. God seems far away when so much is happening that we don't understand. Sometimes when we ask "why?" God shows us the answer clearly. Other times, he simply lets us know that he still loves us, but it is not for us to know all his reasons. It's hard to not get the answers we want, but God knows best, and sometimes we have to just rest in that.

When faced with bewildering circumstances we are tempted to ask "Why?" But a better question to ask is "What?.. What do you have in mid now, Lord? Though it may sometimes seem that things are out of control, we can take comfort in God's enduring promises and constant presence.

We'e all experienced doubts about God. We may wonder, Is God real? Is he fair? Does he care? Having a case of doubts doesn't mean you're a bad person. It just means you need something to boost your belief system. After all, being a Christian is all about believing what other's don't.

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When God is Silent

Have you ever experienced that God seems so silent? When you ask directions, he's not responding? When you have physical illness and you pray that He will heal you there's no answer? When your kids are in the wrong path then you plead to light them up, still no answer? How do you respond to that situation? Do you respond by thinking that God is not interested or He's distant from you? or God doesn't care for you? Does God have a purpose for that? Ye, indeed. Then, how do you respond?

It was monday morning when I began to worry about my tuition fee in school. Enrollment will end on friday. I asked my dad to give me the money for my tuition fee, I need a php 15,000 for a down payment but my dad don't have that big money in a snap! So he told me to wait but It made me worry... I prayed to God "Lord, I'm praying before you to help me in my studies... I know your there listening and I trust in you". Tuesday came, still don't have the money. Wednesday... I went to school to talk to the business office if it is okay to get enrolled and pay the 15,000 later but she said no... Thursday... I prayed again to God about my situation but no answer... Now, its friday... last day of enrollment, my dad still didn't provide the money and I begin to cry... in the last hour of the enrollment my sister who lives in Florida called at home and said Have you been to school? Are you enrolled? I said no. Then she said get a paper and a ballpen and write this numbers. It was a no. to get the money from the western union. I was so happy and hurriedly went to school to enroll myself. Trusting God is what we should do if God is silent to us.

Sometimes God is silent but He's not silent all the time. Then, what is God's silent all about? Have you been angry with God or discomforted if he doesn't show the way to you? God's silent is very good for us. Silent time is silent God's preparation. What are the reasons for God's silence? One is... God wants to get our attention. He wants us to pray and talk to him because we have given Him less time. Second is God wants us to confessed our sins. God wants us to realized that we have done something to Him.

Third is we are not ready to listen to him. Fourth is He's teaching us to trust Him. When God is silent, can you trust him? Despite that silence, God wants us to trust him deeply. Fifth is... God is teaching us to distinguish His voice from others. He's voice is far more clearer than others. Lastly, He's bringing us to a deeper understanding by praying down the wall. God wants us to keep praying. You don't quit because his silent, right? By continually talking to God, you might break that silence with God.

Do you been excited being quiet with Him? Can you trust being with his presence? How do we respond when He's quiet? Remember, if a person who never kneels before God has a problem. Some people respond by being guilty. They feel that God is displeased with them and God is shutting the heavens. Some have this feeling of being separated and fear. Has God deserted? Then, what is the best way to respond to God when He's silent? How should we respond? Then, ask God why... God won't punish you if you ask why he's silent. It doesn't bother Him. Secondly, remember that his silence doesn't mean that He's inactive. God is not a God in demand. When God is not silent he is listening to your prayer and his doing something about it. If he's silent just trust quietly with Him and anticipate a more intimate relationship with God.

God is silent because he wants god to be silent. Respect Him when he chooses to be silent. Lastly, continue reading the word of God. Continually talking with God breaks the silence. Always remember that when God is silent He's up to an intimate relationship from you.

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Life's Most Important Activity

Each of us has different kinds of activities. But what is the most important activity in our lives? Is it spending time with our friends for leisures? or working to support our families? As a christian, the most important activity that we should do is to have a private meditation with God. Sometimes, we keep on talking and talking to God but why not give ourselves a time to listen to God. Let God do the talking for a while. Listen to him in a quiet place and a relaxing place,where you feel comfortable with. If you haven't try it... why not give it a try today? Choose the time that you are free and pick a quiet place where you can have a private conversation with God. As a followers of Christ let us read the bible everyday and listen to what God is saying.

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How to Stay Young and Fruitful All Your Life

Do you use miracle medicine to stay young? Exercise daily? Dieting? These may promise to preserve our mental acuity or physical appearance. But they fall short of the abundant life Christ wants to give you. According to Dr. Stanley, there are things that we should do to keep us young and fruitful throught out our lives.

1. Keep leaving. Those who want to be youthful can not carry around the weight of emotional baggage. Painful memories may come to mind, but don’t allow yourself to dwell on them. God doesn’t want you to focus on the past. Christians should enjoy the present and anticipate the future.

2. Keep Longing. Never stop thinking about what the Lord may want to do through you. People with no purpose in life will age faster than those inspired by God-given goals.

3. Keep Looking. Read His Word and expect Him to reveal spiritual truth. Pay attention to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He guides you moment by moment.

4. Keep Laboring. Today, many people want to work less than that. But God designed us to be active. Exercising our bodies—through manual labor and other physical activity—keeps them healthier.

5. Keep Leaning. Turn every burden and worry over to God.

6. Keep learning. Acquiring new skills or knowledge stimulates our minds. Research has discovered that people who stop educating themselves usually age faster.

7. Keep loving. A loving person always smile and happy. Happiness makes that aging process slower.

8. Keep laughing. It relaxes your body and helps release tension and stress.

9. Keep your language positive.

10. Keep listening to the Lord. When you pray, don’t do all the talking. Ask the Father to guide your life each day.

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God is With Us in Our Everyday Lives

Maybe you think that God doesn't want to "be bothered" with the details of your everyday life... stuff like tests, fights with your parents, and struggles with your friends. Well, if you thought that way, you'd be wrong! God is right beside you every moment of every day, and he wants you to talk to him about everything. If you'll do that, you'll find that he will become your best friend, one that will never let you down.

"The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one ca fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

God never stops wanting to hear from us about every aspect of our lives. So while we all must grow up, we never have to stop being God's child.

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