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Humankind was created as a very special being by God in His own image and likeness, to represent God, care for the world, and engage in his Creators worship. We should have a personal relationship with God, helping us find our identity, purpose, and letting us grow spiritually to a deeper union with our Creator. A Personal Relationship With God Why a Personal Relationship with God First are relations, we are encountered with many a relations in our life from the time we are born. There are family relations, friendly relations, work relations and many more. Then there are relations that are very special to us, relations we cherish and we love. This relation is muscled with love, trust, hope, and faith that we have towards the other person. All our good and bad secrets and moments we can share with this person and trust its safe keeping. The person can be a friend, our spouse or a family member. This person is special and thus we have a personal relationship with this person.   Personal relationship is very important. It gives us a companionship of love, trust and support from the other person. If earthly relations matter and can get personal, a personal relationship with God, let it not be just a devotion but a relation that is intimate and beyond. Prayers and devotion are essential for a Christian, but a relation with Jesus cannot be just to give thanks and to praise Him. Jesus seeks more, His love and sacrifice deserves far more. Jesus, son of God is not commanding you, He is seeking love as response to His love, that He has for you.   An unconditional love, no earthly give and take kind. No matter what you think or treat Him, for Him you are special, you are very personal and important. Jesus the kings of kings, God of Gods seeks a personal relationship with you.   You may be an atheist, or the modern mind thinking that you don’t have anything to do with God. Now God’s response would be (according to us humans and our behavioral pattern) “Fine. I’ll blow you off, too. I will never help you.” God is not like that. He’s as close to you as the breath you breathe. All you have to do is call Him out, to draw close to Jesus, and He’s right there. He’s not holding the past against you. No earthly grudges that we as humans specialize in… He’s not upset because you ignored Him. He’s not turned off because you didn’t believe in Him. God waited when you were off course and discarded Him of your life, as somebody that is fiction, yes for many God is a fiction or to a few, a superstition. God waits when you had a bad attitude towards Him. He even smiles over your limited understanding. He waited when you failed, when you were addicted, when you were compromising. He showed you mercy. He picked you up when you fell. He protected you when you chose the wrong friends. He prevented the accident that could have taken you out of your living days. He waited when you were upset because God didn’t answer your prayer. He’s waiting for you even now. His arms are always wide open, seeking a spiritual hug. Why don’t you draw close to Him? He’s promised to draw close to you. “You are forgiven” are the Lord’s words every day. After all that, this is what you should will to do, is to have a personal relationship with God.     Matthew 11-28 What happens in a Personal Relationship with God   This walk of life has its share of runs and falls, we are tired and weary and the promise first came from Jesus… This hand of aid and concern first came from Jesus. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!                                                                                           (Matthew 6 :8)   Jesus has lived it all, our Lord is no stranger to our anguishes and pains. When Jesus walked on earth, if He was 100% divine, He was also 100% human, that’s our faith. As human even He wept, was tempted, faced and lived extreme agony. Jesus thus by living on the small blue planet, knows our agony and pain too. As Christian, in faith we believe in Jesus as the son of God, and God Himself. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   (John 1:1) John is now putting Jesus on the same level. He is giving him a place of equality with God. So a personal relationship with God involves even when we have it with Jesus, as Jesus is God. Having a personal relationship with any person as we live on earth, gives us trust, faith, comfort, and a feel of companionship. Yet all that can fail and end even at a slightest stir of misunderstanding. There’s no strength and longevity guaranteed to earthly relations, even if you tag it as highly personal. Jesus relationship with His creation that includes nature is pure and overflowing in love, and with humankind it is held dear and spiritually bonded. Jesus love for humanity was already tested by the sacrifice of His body and blood that He offered so that we humankind would be saved and be in His kingdom, its love of Jesus for us each alone, that will bring us salvation, and none of our own earthly deeds and actions, that are filled in sins and a life of unwillingness of God that we live. A personal relationship with God will prepare us to know the will of our Creator, it will imbibe in us the very nature of God. Do not us, as we live our earthly days get influenced and imitate to live the kind of life in actions and deeds of persons that really impact us and our understanding. For the foolishness of

The Holy Bible says that Human Being was made in the image and likeness of God. God had breathe His own spirit on man. So we also have the spirit of God within us. As we live our days, our inner self is always lacking, the inner voice is missing and there is an absence of light within us. We feel a spiritual dryness within ourselves, it usually means that we feel distant from God or are struggling to grow spiritually. Overcoming Spiritual Dryness SPIRITUAL DRYNESS: WHAT IS IT? We always feel a void inside us, an emptiness. There seem to be something that we are always searching for. We believe the spirit of God dwells within us, but still feel He is less present in our life. As life happens and we are burdened with the trials and troubles of life, we feel discouraged and broken. We then look for the comfort and aid of God, we search for God “in dry and parched land where there is no water” Psalm 63:1 It is a time of spiritual dryness. Sometimes spiritual dryness is due to our personal sin. Sin can cause us to feel distant from God because we are attempting to live for ourselves instead of living for God. Sins within us troubles our peace thus it’s advised to confess our sins at confessions so as to lighten our troubled heavy heart. Sometimes the wears and rips of our life as we live, our financial problems, family troubles, work pressures, marital issues and more tend to physically and mentally drain us dry and we don’t like living our lives. All the above discomforts keep us occupied and distant from the presence of God with no spiritual connect with Jesus and a feeling of spiritual dryness. The ways of the Lord is always a mystery for us mankind. God sometimes allows a person to reach a low point before intervening in a powerful way. In all this was just a journey, an exercise, to build a strong will and spirit to the bearer by God so as to face with strength and vigor and also know the immense mightiness of the Creator of everything in this world. As we contemplate on life we realize that experiencing spiritual dryness can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to deepen our faith and reconnect with God. Spiritual Dryness within Us, Recognizing and Accepting It First is the thirst, do we have the thirst for Jesus, only then will we go in search of the water or else we will not realize the value of the water of life that Jesus spoke of to the outcast woman at the well … John 4 : 4-42 We have a fast paced lifestyle of work and social with varied further distractions like social platforms and attractions and addictions to pass our time with TV and all that plays in it. So faith and God takes a backseat rather only a few moments are spend by us hurriedly that seem more ritualistic then of essence. So we need to acknowledge that spiritual dryness is a common part of the faith journey in our life. (not that we should believe thinking then that it’s not our fault).    Beginning with a thought that it is a phase will help us to approach it with patience and an open-mindedness.   The psychologist’s, mind and success trainers say that it’s all in the mind. What your mind thinks, you believe. We need to contemplate and meditate in our solitude and ponder over the whys and what’s of life. Engaging the philosophies of life and trying to find of your very existence on earth. It’s like now the mind is not speaking, but your inner spirit that came from your Creator that is speaking to you.   Give vocal to your inner voice that was dumb, let the inner light be lit and the darkness go. Recognize and accept that this is a phase in your life of spiritual dryness, and you need the water of life that Jesus spoke of to the Samaritan woman at the well. Travel yourself inside your mind to that moment when Jesus was speaking to the woman at well, find yourself seated near the well listening to Jesus in converse, see yourself seated with folded hands asking also for that living water to quench the spiritual dryness within you. Jesus as He is merciful will surely turn to look towards you and will give you the water of life.   We need to practice meditating in the presence of Jesus and for that we need to spend moments to minutes and maybe an hour in the future, but to begin with if not at one go then at least in small breaks, every day. Build habits to quench the spiritual dryness within you. Change your life, alter the schedules of your daily routines, and fill your moments of prayer and talking with Jesus inside your day timetable. Remember to quench your thirst, you will need to go to the well, the well won’t be coming to you. Reading the Bible is another way to quench this thirst and spiritual dryness. Bible is God talking to us. God knows of our spiritual weaknesses. From time to time God has spoken of ways to overcome this dryness and be filled with the living water that God has to offer us. Holy Bible SPIRITUAL DRYNESS: HOW TO OVERCOME IT? We need to overcome our spiritual dryness and there are a few ways to begin with, Prayers Praying is talking to God, He can be your Lord, a father, a friend, a teacher or a master. Whatever relation gets you to sit beside Him and have a tell all moment, is Prayers. Prayers is not always asking or seeking from God, it is sometimes telling Him all that’s inside and troubling you. Be honest with God about your feelings. Share your struggles, doubts, and desires. Sometimes, simply expressing

Am I close to Jesus in my life and its living days should be my quest, as a true Christian. Though I believe Him to be my God and my savior, it seems like He is less present in my mind, my thoughts, for me to feel and believe my intimacy with the Lord.  CLOSE TO JESUS WHAT IS PREVENTING ME TO GET CLOSE TO JESUS Life is fast for us all. With progress of generation came also the regress of the generation in consequence, when measured in spirituality and in faith. Our life is occupied today and pre occupied for tomorrow. Life is speeding fast and limiting us from getting closer to our loved ones on earth, then to get closer to God. Religion and spirituality can wait in our living busy hours today and can be realized for us to understand and practice when our years go grey, we think so. We treat today is separated from a future when we retire. Time is running its pace but our lives seem to race just from our infancy to boyhood to adulthood and till we retire. We are lined up with things to do all in a period of measured time. God, we respect Him, we hope in Him. We pray to Him. We visit places of worship and attend the church rituals and we thing we know God, but are we close to God? We live a life with its many a problems and hindrances. We love people and hate many. Our lives are like machines now and our aided further by technological devices. These tools and apps instead of aiding us are ruling our lives. They are making us live a life all centered on them. Jesus, our God are for days like Christmas and Easter and the Sunday, as it’s a holiday. We reach Jesus with our wish list and judge Him when all our wishes are not answered. To get close to Jesus we seek not, and thus there is a spiritual dryness and an absence of divine presence in our lives. We desire no company of the pious, the holy or the spiritual books and faith teachings do not interest us. For us the cause of a life and living is finding material, worldly and tangible success. What my fellow beings thinks of me is vital and no thought of a heavenly creator erupts for us to ponder and reflect. We like our earthly relations and objects treat our relations to be the same with our lord, and think it to be easier to feel close to Jesus. But are we really close to Jesus or is it all felt to us as brimming but in real all hollow at the core?       JESUS IN THE BIBLE UNDERSTANDING, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CLOSE TO JESUS FROM THE BIBLE   “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” When we seek God with all of our hearts and draw near to Him, we will feel His presence once again. (James 4:8)  “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:23-24) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)         Bible is the map, the textbook for God and man relationship, for us human, explaining to us of what and how should our relationship be with Jesus. First we ought to understand the significance of being close to Jesus. Numerous verses from the bible have a core substance within it for us humans to live in our life and what it is to remain always close to Jesus, our God. We read the Bible to understand the nature of God’s spirit and its implications in our life. We need to understand it. The words from the Bible are not hollow words but heavy with the Lord’s message for us and our lives. The above scripture verses, all lead us to knowing God and its meditating and essence, elevate us to get close to Jesus. We need to explore deep spiritual wealth in the Word Of God from the Bible. We need to invite the Holy Spirit seeking guidance and thus it will feel self-explanatory for us revealing the relationship between God and Man. Like it is also given a full form in our modern times, that Bible stands for (if not in actuality) but can easily be termed as “Best Instructions Before Leaving Earth”.  JESUS AND MAN DAILY PRACTICES TO STRENGTHEN GETTING CLOSE TO JESUS Knowing Jesus, is an ever expanding thought, a journey. A thousand times if I have to be born on earth, would I still not know wholly about Jesus. But Jesus in all His love and mercy for us has still made it easy for us. He says just love me, talk to me. Finding Jesus is not a highly burdensome uphill task. It’s as simple as it’s pure to get close to Jesus.  Finding Jesus in the Bible. Bible is the Word of God for us. God speaks to us Reading the Bible will get us close to Jesus, revealing to us his words and love for us. Reading the Bible seems like a core source seeking to get close to Jesus, knowing His will for us.   The Power Of Prayer In Building A Connection With Jesus   Prayer is conversing with God. In our daily living we experience how communicating with others each day only builds our understanding and relation with the other person. God has thus kept it simple. Just talking to the Lord ordinary things will have you find a consoler, a troubleshooter for life

In a life filled with trials and tribulations, God’s Word offers us strength and comfort in the midst of our life struggles. The word of God in the Bible are promises of God, promises of healing, peace, comfort, and a way to be in union with God in eternity. God’s Word The Power in God’s Word And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”       (Genesis 1:26) Above we find the power of God’s Word, just a word that created everything. That’s the power of being a God, just a word is enough and it will be done. My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do.”     (Isaiah 55:11)       No word in vain, no word a waste or a casual remark. A word that would produce all that was intended. The same word of God we find in the Bible. God made humans in His own image and likeness and loved humanity the most thus made them the highest of all His creation so humans can rule over other beings. (Genesis 1:26) God wanted to keep his union forever with humanity and thus we read in the old testament of the Holy Bible of how God worked with the human creation and blessed and multiplied them. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,     (Genesis 26:4)     Words in the Holy Bible is God’s word spoken to us to keep in communion with His people. God in the Bible is sharing and exchanging His thoughts and His spiritual will with us so we would be saved and live in eternity in His kingdom. It’s His eternal love for us that God gives His word for us. The word of God has power to save us. This word of our creator in the Bible is a lifeline for us humanity, the spiritual umbilical cord that keeps us united with God. But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.     (Genesis 26:4)    That is the faith of the Centurion that he told the Lord Jesus that He need not bother Himself to come to his house to heal as He (Jesus) just need to say the word from here and his servant many a kilometers away will be healed. This Centurion believed in the power of Jesus’s word. Even Jesus had acknowledged the Centurions faith and said … When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!      (Matthew 8:10)  We further see the power of Jesus’s word when Lazarus was dead for four days and Jesus had asked the stone before his burial tomb be removed, and Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come Out!” and Lazarus was raised back to life. Jesus’s words to raise Lazarus back to life is showing the power of Jesus’s words over life and death, signifying His divinity and also strengthens the Christian belief that death on Earth is not ultimate, but merely a passage to a new life, thus resurrection and eternity. Psalm 119 -105 In Psalm 119, the Psalmist speaks of the importance of keeping God’s Word. The word of God provides direction and clarity in the darkest time, illuminating the path of righteousness. (A lamp for my feet, a light on my path…) Psalm 119:105   The power of words in the Bible prepares us mentally, making us strong in will to clear the path of obstacles, leading us to live our lives fearlessly and in resilient, accepting all that a life offers or we encounter with in a life. John 1-14 The Living Word In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.            John 1:1 In the Gospel of John, the author beautifully depicts at the very beginning about Jesus as the word from which begin everything and this was God’s word and this word (Jesus) was God. This word was born and dwelt amongst us (John 1:14) This word is still living and present now and will be forever. The word of God is living because it is revealing to us the nature, attributes, righteousness, love, forgiveness, and power of God, and all this we see in Jesus, the word that dwelt amongst us. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,          John 5:39 The words in the Bible are God’s word, everything in the Bible revolves around just God, midst all the stories of persons and times is the spirit of God that is being revealed more and more. In the above words Jesus speaks of all the scriptures that are testifying about Him, so the eternal life that you read in the scriptures is present here before you, travelling besides you, read and spoke out to you, it’s in Jesus that the search is complete, the salvation rests. Find Jesus, Find Everything. God when he reveals all the above to us is not trying to just portray His infinite divinity but he also desires out of love for us that we adapt the same in our living life, all that is of God as we were made in His image and likeness. The words in the Bible are not just scriptures

God is known by many names like Abba Father, Jesus, Lord, Almighty, Divine, Creator and more. Bible shades God with a new name, Love. Living our lives to experience our Creator as a God of love is to embrace in His presence and absorb our minds and spirit with His divinity. God of Love Understanding “God Of love” Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.        (1 John 4:8) Love as an emotion first came from God. It was God’s love for us humanity that He made us in His image and likeness and made us to rule over all His creations.  God’s love is clearly demonstrated to us when God gave Jesus, His only begotten son as a sacrifice to us humanity in atonement for our sins so that we be saved. Jesus death and sacrifice on the Cross for us exemplifies to us a God of love.    In the Bible we read of the many times when the human race had gone against the will of God and even believed in a false God, making God angry and He wanted to punish the humanity but each time God had mercy on us and forgive the human race to rebuild again the relationship between God and humanity. We see in… Noah’s Ark Sodom and Gomorrah 100 Bible Verses about God Will Destroy Earth By Fire The above is a proof of God of love when in relation with humanity. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.   1 John 4:16 The above words speaks of the nature of God that is love. God’s love can be glimpsed in the Old Testament in the Holy Bible through Covenants with figures like Abraham, Moses and David. And the ultimate Covenant of God’s love at the Mount Calvary where God of love, Jesus was crucified and Himself chose to die in ransom for our sins. We see the evolution of the understanding of divine love from the Old Testament to the New Testament. John 3 -16 Jesus truly a God Of love Jesus, God in the Holy trinity, talks, feels, smells, heard and everything about Him is love truly a God of love. The parables spoken of Jesus is of love and forgiveness. Forgiveness can happen only if the root is love. The parables… The Prodigal Son The story of the prodigal son is a picture of God’s love for us as His children. God’s love for us does not depend on our faithfulness; it is unconditional. He loved us while we were still sinners. Though we are demanding and do not remain faithful, God is still our faithful and loving Father. When we come to repent of our sins, He is willing to forgive us and welcomes us with open arms. The Parable of the lost sheep and the coin The Lost Sheep — speaks of the love of God the SON, (the Good Shepherd) Just as the good shepherd will risk His own life to save the sheep from the wolves, so did Jesus, God of love and His love for us was the reason He died on the Cross for us. The Lost Coin — speaks of the love of GOD, the HOLY SPIRIT Again when a sinner comes back to God as was lost and now found will be rejoiced in heaven as God love was unconditional towards him and his sinful deeds. It also shows how much God seeks humans to be saved to be with him.    Jesus’ various healing of the blind, the evil possessed, the lame, the bringing back to life of Lazarus, the twelve year old Jairus’ daughter being raised from death and the twelve year constant bleeding woman suffering and being healed are testimonies of a God of love, Jesus. Though a few were stories of their faith that healed them, but why is not the love of God seen in all the healing as it only shows God’s love for the humanity. Jesus, left the heavenly comforts to come to earth, live, heal, sacrifice and save us. All he did for His unconditional love for us. Jesus healing is just not to show the glory of God but also it showcases His love and mercy for us sinners. Jesus in the Bible, His ministry, healing and preaching is a sign of God’s love for us humans.His love is not just complete in display once He sacrifices Himself for us on the cross. It continues forever when he resurrects for us, showing us our resurrection also will be there as He has resurrected. Its Jesus love for us that He wants us to be with Him in eternity. Truly a God of love. Mark 2-17 God Of love And The Human Sufferings One thing that has perplexed humanity to question from time innumerable is why a God permits so much suffering on earth? Is it that after God had made us in His image and likeness, we chose to disobey God (Adam and Eve) making us break that spiritual umbilical cord that we had with God at the beginning. We now chose our freewill and as living on earth, we had our lives mixed with the doings of the evil one. But the disobedience of the first human beings is also why we have an earth. Also in the Bible we encounter how the holy and pious also had to suffer. The story of Job tells us of how he being closer to God still went through the worst but the only difference was in his response of trust and hope in a God of Love, he surely even in his hardships and trials trusted in God’s love. Jesus the son of God lived to suffer and die and be resurrected.   Reading from the bible can be highly inspiring and answering to this quest is about

Living our lives we feel amiss, our conscience pricks us, reminding us of our sinfulness. There is a belief of Jesus love for sinners that our Christian faith speaks of especially when in a state of despair and self-hate. The need is just to reach to the Lord and experience His love and forgiveness. Jesus Love For Sinners Why is Jesus Love for Sinners Essential To err is human and for us humans to sin is our trait. Nobody as he or she lives, is without a sin. This isn’t what we humans ought to be known for with our sinful lives, we are “called to be saints” as written in the Holy Bible. We have been “sanctified in Christ Jesus” says the Scriptures. Sanctified means we are set apart or declared holy.  This may not seem easy for us humans, we have not trained ourselves for being thus. If we cannot be a saint, we can at the least strive to live a life with the living nature of a saint. They can be simple minimalist forms of living, a life with a sense of holiness.  Jesus engagements with the sinners found in the Bible is a testimony of His deep empathy and mercy towards them.   The Holy Bible especially the New Testament has many an instances showing Jesus’ love for sinners. In the Bible the striking feature of Jesus ministry is His compassion for sinners as found in Luke 5:32. Jesus love for sinners found in the Bible is a story of conversion of sinners and His grace. Luke 5:32 Jesus Love for Sinners in the Bible Jesus Forgives And Heals the Paralysed Man From the Holy Bible, Mark 2: 1-12 Mark 2: 1-12 Jesus told the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven” Some teachers of the law were also present when Jesus forgive the sins of the paralytic man and healed him of his disability. Over here Jesus by forgiving the sins manifested Himself who He was. And as the teachers of law protested that only God could forgive sins, these same teachers were too blind in their minds to even recognize if what they said of only God forgiving sins, then here indeed was God who was forgiving the sins. Jesus judged not the man’s sins and also did not for a moment condemn him, but healed him because of the faith of this paralyzed man and his friends who got him down from the roof. A Sinful Woman washes Jesus feet From the Holy Bible, Luke 7: 36-50 Luke 7: 36-50 When a sinful woman bathed Jesus’ feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Lk 7:48); Here again it’s the faith and the remorse of the woman who felt burdened by her sins that saved her and all her sins were forgiven by Jesus. Jesus connects a sinful heart that regrets, for the sins committed. Jesus showed mercy to the sinful woman and did not judge her like the others for her sinful life. By forgiving her sins, Jesus gave her a second chance, a new life to begin. Jesus by forgiving her sins had healed her soul and also the wounds of self-hate and inferiority she felt of herself. She was a renewed person now with a God loving spirit.   Woman caught in adultery From the Holy Bible, John 8 : 1-11 John 8: 1-11 Jesus instructed the condemners of the adulteress woman to cast the first stone at her if they had never committed a sin ever or weren’t still in sin, asking them not to judge her but judge thyself first. The adulteress woman was brought to be stoned, where was the Man? Maybe that’s what Jesus scribbled on the floor asking them, maybe Jesus also wrote the sins of all those who prepared to stone her, starting from the old to young thus the order of their departure. Jesus then told the woman that she is not condemned even by Jesus, meaning He has forgiven her sins but also told her to sin no more. Thus, Jesus Loves Sinners but not their sins. Jesus and the Good Thief From the Holy Bible, Luke 23 : 39-43 Luke 23: 39-43 There were two criminals hung on each side of Jesus, one criminal mocked Jesus but the other, a thief rebuked him for talking ill to Jesus and also realized his own sinful life as he was dying on the cross. His talking to the lord, as he hung on cross next to Jesus seemed like asking mercy for his sins from Jesus. Merciful Jesus granted him forgiveness with the words that you will be with me in paradise. The criminal thief became the good thief now with the grace and mercy of our lord Jesus. Jesus will not see our sins, he will see your faith and your hope in Him to be saved. Does Jesus Love For Sinners Means We Can Sin Jesus loves sinners but He hates sin. Thus on the night after the last supper and before he was arrested Jesus prayed at the garden at Gethsemane and here Jesus Christ underwent agony in this garden as He prayed and His sweat were like drops of blood falling to the ground. He experienced great anguish and prayed to be delivered from His impending suffering that were to follow, while also prayed that He would still accept the will of His Father and not His own will. Was Jesus afraid of the suffering, the passion that was to follow? NO… Jesus was not afraid of the passion, He surely was afraid… Afraid of that moment when He being without a stain of sin all His earthly life was going to take upon Himself all the sins of all the human generations that lived from the start of the earth, to the present and till the very end of the earth. He would bear all upon Himself. And the consequence

Life is never lived without difficulties, finding faith in difficult times is the key to bringing calm to the troubled times. It’s the faith in Jesus that is at core of every Christian belief that God will be there for us always even when our earthly friends and relations cease to be with us. Finding Faith in Difficult Times What is Faith in Difficult Times? Life set of problems can come in volumes if measured as pages, there can be illnesses, relationship breakdowns, job losses, financial problems and more. One life can be like living an era and the mounting difficulties can make us detest the gift of life to live. The wise and the holy always advised as we read in the Holy Scriptures of finding faith in difficult times. How will faith affect or release the qualms of difficult times faced in a life? Is faith a medicine of cure or an app finding answers or solving the difficult times? So what is it or why is faith to be found when troubled or in difficult moments of life? Life challenges can make us test our faith. Is the faith giving me strength and resolve to face them all, and are these moments leaving us feeling lost and overwhelmed. If the difficulties have come to a life, the need to resolve these difficulties is upon the very person facing these difficulties. It might not be easy as said in words above to release or resolve the difficulties of life by oneself but as Christians being believers of Christ we believe in finding faith in difficult times. We ought to live our faith to deliver us of these difficult times.  And what is our faith as Christians? Our faith lets us believe that “Faith can move mountains” and also that “Our God is bigger than our difficulties” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20) “Your faith has healed you” were the words said by our Lord Jesus on many occasions when He healed persons in difficulties of sicknesses. So even Jesus acknowledged that “faith” first is the seed to resolving the difficulties in life. Finding faith in difficult times can fructify only if there is a faith that as Christians we believe in the divinity of Jesus. Our faith should guarantee us to believe that no difficulty is bigger or impossible for our God to resolve. We should be finding the faith in difficult times that has no limit or prescribed weight or measure. This faith is limitless and without boundaries, just a complete faith. Finding faith in difficult times begins with the wholehearted belief that my lord and my God, Jesus Christ loves me and will never abandon me. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  (John 14:18) That’s the promise from Jesus and this should be our faith that my God will be there always for me and more so in my moments of difficult times. The same faith in Jesus is the trigger that will help us in our difficult times and then indeed Jesus will be saying to us also, “your faith has saved you”. I will never leave you orphans Navigating Life Challenges with Faith in Difficult Times Life challenges can be like huge storms and we feel being drowned. Faith in difficult times can be our anchor, our savior. We need to practice the faith in deeds and action, all body mind and soul. There are ways to let us discipline our faith, it just cannot be merely words or in mind but we need to exercise and train our faith as this will profit us more and make us Christian soldiers of faith.        Praying Praying has power. Praying connects us to God. It builds a personal relationship with God for us. Prayer teaches us to trust in God. It teaches us to hope in God alone. Prayer will strengthen us to believe we are not alone, our savior Jesus is there with us. Prayer will make our faith strong. Finding faith in difficult times requires that when we are encountered with life turmoil’s we in faith go to God in prayers asking His intervention, asking Him to let the moment of agony and pain pass away and there is nothing impossible that God to whom we pray with hope to let go and destroy these earthly troubles and upsets.   Word of God Find God in the Scriptures. Holy Bible is centered on God and His will for us humanity. Word of God heals. Our faith is inspired and increased when we read the Word of God. Stories of people of faith in the Bible encourages and energizes us to believe and hope that just as God had saved them because of their faith, God will rescue us too in our moments of difficulties. Finding faith in difficult times can be bolstered by the hope that the Holy Bible brings. The word in the Bible are not just words or scriptures, they are indeed the spirit of God and it is always working.   So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)   When we read the word of God it should be with faith and belief. We should find and read verses that resonate with our current situation and difficulties like…   …”Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”         (Psalm 23)   “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by

We believe there is a God but do we know Him. How well do we know God or how much we desire to know Him? For an exercise if you know a fellow person, your sibling or your spouse or a close friend really well (LETS CALL HIM, Darwin), Compare your knowing God to the way you know Darwin… So do you know about God as much as you know about Darwin? Know God Seek to know God When we seek to know God, we realize that God is not playing hide and seek with us, but desires to make Himself known to us. Because He loves us. His is an unconditional love for us each, individually. How do we know people? We speak to them, we hear them, and we keep communications. The same works with God. We need to rather seek Him to know Him. Prayers… Prayers What is this? That’s (way 1) to know God. In Prayers we communicate with God, we talk to Him, we hear Him…wait we never hear Him exclaimed Ryna, as she had said the same to her spiritual counsellor. It’s just one way converse from me, God never talks, and He is silent. He will talk replied the counsellor, have patience but practice first. Don’t you practice hard each day for years till you become a pro tennis player or practice hard a skill like singing or writing till you can write or sing amazingly? Prayers are the same for the humans and they are like human traits to be followed. There will come a time continued the counsellor when the silence of God will have sound for your ears. His words and whispers would be heard in His silence. It’s when God and human will communicate even when they are both silent. Its then the words of God will be heard by your spiritual heart and not your human ears. So find and know God in Prayers. Build your friendship and fellowship with God by spending time with Him. Prayers can be extended beyond your worshipping God   before the altar or in your room in solitude. Prayer can be talking to Jesus in your mind as you walk or travel to work, a mini converse of a few seconds when at work, college or at leisure. He is Omnipresent, time and space do not bound the maker of the very cosmic features.   Holy Bible… Holy Bible Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4   God speaks through the Bible, this is the book of promises for us humanity till the end of all times. Know God and feel His nature, His will for us, it’s all in the Holy Bible. If you eat food to survive each day, your spiritual survival also needs to be fed by the ‘Word of God’, food for your soul and conscience. Bible is the road map leading to the very presence of the divinity of Jesus.          Meditation and Contemplation … Meditation and Contemplation We were each born individually and not in groups thus there is to be a one to one with their Creator. Our life is for what? What is the purpose? What happens after death? Why should I know God, is it because He is my Creator? All these questions make us go deeper in contemplation trying to seek the answers and meaning from the Creator. Meditating and contemplating involves quieting the mind, focusing inward, and practicing mindfulness. This leads to a sense of peace and an awareness of the divine presence within oneself and around.         Knowing God as Christians Knowing God As Christians It was love alone that had Jesus die for our sins. He answered, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10: 27 Not loving means not Knowing God. The very core of knowing and loving God is manifested in how they treat others in their daily lives, their family members, friends, work colleagues and even strangers. Being Christian is being like Christ, making one to see the image of Jesus in others, even if their behavior and act go against them. Serving the needy and the down trodden. Mother Teresa now known as Saint Teresa when served and nursed the sick and the homeless on the streets would often say that she would see ‘Jesus’ in them as she served them. Praise and Worship Praise and Worship… There is power in the name of Jesus’, yes that’s true and also is true that “praising God is twice praying”. Praise Him for He loves us un-conditionally, not holding back or judging us with our sins. Praising God, through singing, can be a more profound and complete act of prayer and worship. Christian Preachings and Teachings Spiritual Teachings… Listening to Spiritual teachings and faith discussions and podcast is a profound method to know God. Persons of deep faith find it evangelizing and making it known to others the will of God and to those with less faith, about Jesus, aiding them in their journey of knowing God. This can be a significant method of understanding the faith and God’s will from these anointed persons of faith.  Listening to Bible and faith based teachings on YouTube or podcast by faith scholars and preachers is a good way to know God and His will for our life.   “Know God Through Nature”  Observing the wonders of Nature, from a sunset to the detailed design of a flower, the changing weathers,  the beauty, and the Nature’s gift of our survival needs like food, water and air makes us awe and wonder of God’s majesty, beauty and power. Many a saints and seers of God have spoken of finding the presence of God in

For a Christian, how to grow spiritually in Christ would mean becoming more like Christ in character, thoughts, and deeds. As believers of Christ we are called to accept Jesus as our Savior and follow and live His teachings in our lives, growing in faith every day and building a personal relationship with Him. How to Grow Spiritually in Christ Growing Spiritually In Christ Growing Spiritually in Christ is not being just a Christian following Church rituals and worships, it is an inner cleansing process whereby overcoming and purifying of all the vices and sins that is keeping the presence of Jesus afar. It is choosing to have a personal relationship with Christ. It is also a journey with the Lord that becomes spiritual in essence and a feel of blissfulness traverses now, all because of the presence of Christ in our lives. We as Christians can have the awareness and understanding of our faith but growing spiritually in Christ is much higher then all our human wisdoms and our being theologians and experts of the faith. It is good to have immense knowledge and being scholars of the Christian faith, but still it lacks behind or is weak when in compare to a person of mystic, growing spiritually in Christ. Even an ounce of Jesus’s presence in spirit is much more worthy and massive as compared to the weight in tons of knowledge of the faith and religious beliefs.   The living water that Jesus promised to the Samaritan woman at the well is still outpoured by the Lord even today. It’s the vessel of faith in spirit that we need to bring before the Lord to receive it.  How to grow spiritually in Christ is to know Jesus. Knowing Jesus, it’s a lifelong search. We will never know Him all, but again an ounce of knowing Jesus spiritually as mentioned earlier is enough to tread us in this walk of life. No one, even the highest saints or even heavenly angels can claim to have known Christ and His divinity completely. Thus just an ounce of knowing Jesus is enough. When we know Jesus then this life when we walk, we walk not alone, the Lord accompanies us. This makes the journey more blessed, as you grow spiritually in Christ, more and more is revealed each time that makes you seek and know more of the Lord. Thus contemplating and desiring to know more of Jesus and His teachings is what would mean how to grow spiritually in Christ.           Growing A Personal Relationship With God Building to Grow Spiritually in Jesus The basics of how to grow spiritually in Christ begins with inner transformation, obedience to the will of God and pure love for God. The ways to reach Christ are many and the attainments are spiritual blissfulness and bearing fruit of the spirit of the divinity in Christ.  How to grow spiritually in Christ would mean making ourselves find His presence,     Rooted in God’s Word   The foundation of spiritual growth is the Word of God,   2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.  (Psalm 1:2-3)   Find Jesus in the scriptures, He is all dissolved in the Words of the Bible. Regular Bible study and meditation help us grow in wisdom, faith, and obedience. It also reveals to us when we read the Bible, the will of God for our lives.         A Life of Prayers        2.  A Life of Prayers   Prayer is talking to Jesus one-on-one. When in prayer, the divine King of Kings, the Creator of the Universe, Jesus is in communion spiritually to one His conception, a mere human sinner in me.   Praying is growing spiritually in Christ and engaging in a loving fellowship, so as to be spiritually in oneness with the Creator in Christ. Jesus by example to us, often withdrew to pray, showing us the importance of maintaining a close relationship with the father. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16)         FAITH MOVE MOUNTAINS           3.  Living the Faith     Foremost is the faith, faith in Christ and His teachings The teachings of Christ is not confined as holy for the Christian as a religion and for the Bible alone, it is a way of life that the Lord advocates us to follow and live every day in our lives.   How to grow spiritually in Christ, is to live like Christ and to exercise His teachings of love, forgiveness and service towards our fellow beings as we live our lives with others. Our relationship with our fellow beings as willed by Jesus for us, truly defines our being Christian in spirit.   37 And he said to him,  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  38 This is the great and first commandment.  39 And ha second is like it: iYou shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)           Be A Person Spiritually Close To Jesus How to Grow Spiritually in Christ: Learning from Persons of Faith Reading of Saints and persons of faith in Jesus can be inspiring in our journey of knowing just how to grow spiritually in Christ. They can be role models for us and also our guiding light of faith and hope in our moments of darkness and spiritual downfall. Jesus Christ calls all people to draw near to Him, and these individuals serve as extraordinary examples of what it means to live in close communion with Him. Through their faith, love, and sacrifice, they inspire us to seek a deeper relationship with Christ in our own lives. Whether through prayer, acts of charity, or humble service, each person has the opportunity to grow in holiness and walk more closely with Jesus every day.   Persons and Saints Spiritually Close to Jesus

Forgiving is one of the most profound yet beautiful virtues of a Christian life and faith teachings. It’s pillared as a Christian virtue and foundational for every Christian to live it, as it comes to us directly from the Lord, in “The Lord’s Prayer.” …And forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us. Forgiving Why Being Christian is Practicing Forgiveness Being Christian by faith is being like Christ not just in our beliefs and His teachings but also in the way that Christ lived. Jesus and His life should be a model and a way of living for every “true Christian.” If we just live as Christians without imbibing inside us and practicing the Lord’s teachings and virtues, we resemble Christ only by name (Christians) and have no real depth and discipleship of Jesus. When we implement Jesus’ teachings in our lives, we let Jesus live and walk in our lives. We not only believe Jesus’ teachings; we become all that is Jesus’ teachings. Why forgive?   But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Roman 5:8) It began first with Jesus as He absorbed the cost of our sins and endured it all upon Himself, our hatred, our selfishness, and our wrongdoings. He chose the cross to be His instrument of sacrifice in atonement for our sins. We all are inspired and rightfully believe in Jesus as Thomas, the apostle, when he doubted and Jesus’ appearance had him rightfully proclaim… “My Lord and my God!”  (John 20:28) Yes, that’s what Jesus is to each and every Christian. Being Christian is understanding the immense debt of our sins that is forgiven or taken over by Jesus upon Himself, and this should humble every Christian and motivate us to extend the same grace to others. Remember what ‘God the Father’ said at the ‘Transfiguration of Jesus’ … “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” (Mark 9:7) Listen to Him, and what does God’s son say… “To forgive not seven but seventy times seven.” “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) Also Jesus’ words when dying on the cross towards His oppressors and wrongdoers… “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Jesus did not only preach forgiveness; He practiced and lived it till the end when dying on the cross. A true Christian is the one who practices and lives the life and teachings of our dear beloved Jesus Christ. God remembers our sins no more Growing and Forgiving In Our Daily Living Matthew 18:21-22 Peter: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus: “I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”     Jesus in the above words is telling us that to forgive is to be endless times. To forgive is not optional; it is woven into the very fabric of the Christian faith. But knowing that forgiveness is important and at the core and actually practicing it in daily life are two different things. In our lives it is indeed a struggle for us each to forgive as we hold onto hurts or the painful conversations, or we avoid people who have offended us. We may say we have forgiven, but our hearts remain bitter and bruised with unforgiveness and the pain-filled memories. How can I outgrow this resentment and pardon the wrongdoings by others towards me in my daily life? To begin with, we need to grow in our understanding of what the Lord means about forgiveness, and the growth is not only in our understanding but also a growth of our own selves wherein we live a life of utmost peace and spiritual gratification. Forgiveness is hard. We should not pretend that the hurt didn’t happen or allow ourselves to be mistreated again. We might be hurt, but we need to have a heart that chooses to release someone from the debt of hurt they owe you and to hand the justice and the healing of oneself over to God. It’s a daily practice; it’s choosing to face it every day and still not be affected. What happens when you choose to forgive? Now Jesus is present in your forgiveness. His love is brought to life when we mend our ways by conversing with those who have hurt us. The compassionate eyes of Jesus are in sight when we look with compassion and forgiveness towards those who have hurt and betrayed us. The obedience towards Jesus’ words to forgive with passing time feels like freedom of mind and soul. A weight-filled heart feels like it weighs like a feather now. The core remains that the unwillingness to forgive is a barrier in our relationship with God. We cannot have a clenched fist holding on to other people’s wrongs and asking God to forgive and release us from our own wrongdoings. We cannot receive grace and mercy with a closed fist. So asking God forgiveness for our own mistakes and wrongdoings, we will need to open our wrists (releasing people whom we’ve not forgiven) and bring those open palms now together in a posture of prayer, asking God to forgive. When armored with this weapon of virtue that is forgiveness, we will grow spiritually, finding ourselves living a true Christian discipleship of Christ. God & Us The Daily Art of Forgiveness: Practical Steps to Free Your Heart Believing in forgiveness as an important Christian virtue and practicing it in our daily living can feel overwhelming and difficult. How to practice this profound theological truth not as a single grand gesture but as a meaningful ongoing habit would mean our lifestyle would be molded around the following. Prayers Don’t rush to force