Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ

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JimR-OCDS said:
littleone,
God dwells within us, and for us to be close to him, we need to go within ourselves, to the depth of our very being, to be with Him. If you doubt this, here’s just a couple verses from scripture to show that God does dwell within us.
Turning to our interior, is not to be confused with building a self-centered ego. Rather, it’s turning to the interior of your being,(who you are), to be with Christ, who dwells within you.
St. Teresa’s Interior Castle explains this.
Fr. Dubay in his book, “The Fire Within,” does a better job explaining it that I could ever attempt to do. I highly recommend reading his book.
Jim
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I can now see what you are relating to (I think),Jim; however I see it this way that earlier I wrote that I could feel the joy of Jesus being within me giving a love that seemed to encompassed all of my being, it brought such a joy that made me cry as though He is right in all that I am leading to where He wanted, the words that come out of the person are His. I think many people have these experiences at times, it is as though Jesus engulfs their whole body thought word and mind and they feel as though they are floating.
Is this what you are saying?

Godbless
littleone
 
I think the best way to have a personal relationship with Jesus is to remember the key word “personal” in the phrase - Christ is God, but He is also a person who felt and experienced just about everything in life we experience (except sin of course), so we should, in that regard, be able to relate to Him the way we do with our loved ones.

I think this personal relationship idea comes easier to children than to adults. I remember hearing a priest tell a story of seeing a grade-school-aged child sitting in one of the pews in church after school one day, just looking at the tabernacle. The priest came over and asked the child what he was doing there, concerned that something might be wrong, and the child replied that he had just heard a beautiful story in school that day and he wanted to share it with God. I think we need to keep this childlike simplicity in our relationship with God, just coming to Him and speaking to Him about what’s on our minds and in our hearts, seeing him as a friend (or in my case, a future Spouse 🙂 ).

A couple of months ago, some of the young ladies that are part of a Catholic Chaplaincy on my university campus got together for a recollection day. The pastoral assistant who was organizing this came up with a neat idea to set up dinner as a date with Jesus, complete with candlelight and little love notes from Jesus for each of us containing quotes from the Song of Songs. It was a great experience - I had no idea Jesus could be so romantic! 🙂 And as a male friend pointed out after he heard about this, the great thing about going on a date with Jesus is that He will never stand you up! 😛

Another time, I went into a chapel to pray between classes, and I didn’t have much time so I just quickly genuflected, knelt down and launched into a litany that was part of my daily devotions. I kept feeling my gaze pulled towards the tabernacle for some reason, and because of this I couldn’t realy concentrate on my prayers. So I looked at the tabernacle and when I did, I felt Jesus asking me, in a light-hearted, teasing manner, “Aren’t you going to say hello to me?” I almost laughed out loud, and I spent a few minutes just connecting with Jesus before going back to my prayers. Just goes to show you that we’re certainly not the only ones interested in having a personal relationship with Jesus! 😃
 
Prayer is most important in developing a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. If you read the Bible, but don’t pray over it, it’s like having a friend send you letters, but never writing them back. You simply read the letters, and go “Oh, well that’s nice.” If you simply go and receive sacraments haphazardly, without praying, and really pondering what you are doing, it’s like having your friend give you a gift, and you just saying, “Oh well isn’t that beautiful.” Then turning around and sticking it in a closet or something to collect dust. That’s why as the first poster who responded to you said, if you want a relationship with God, you must pray. If you do not talk or communicate with your friend, you cannot know him or love him. The same is true for God. The more often you communicate with God, the more you will grow in your relationship with the Lord.

At least that’s what I heard a priest say once. I thought it was pretty smart.
 
This depends on the definition of a personal relationship with Christ. Yes, we can have a personal relationship, by praying often, studying Scriptures, receiving the Sacraments, and allowing the power of God to be instrumental in changing our lives. This form of a personal relationship enriches and deepens our Catholic faith, as it works in concert with the teachings of the Church.
The other subtly different definition is one taught by some Protestant churches, who actually see it as the sole method of salvation. In this form of a personal relationship, the believer is expected to personalize and customize their religion, even including its doctrines, to their own personal lives. They are expected to interpret Scriptures through the power of the Holy Spirit working in them personally, and even seek to hear the audible voice of God speaking to them. (The most extreme example I have seen is a woman I know who claims to have a personal dispensation from Christ himself to commit adultery and other immoral acts.) Since these Protestants are not bound by Catholic dogma, and often even their Protestant denominations have very basic or no dogma at all, this “personal relationship” blows them around theologically, and may actually drive them far away from Christ as he is revealed in Scripture and through His Church. This is very treacherous indeed.
The key question is, does your personal relationship with Christ originate from and complement the orthodox teachings of the Church, or is it allowed to serve as a substitute? If the former, then it is a necessary, beautiful thing that should be developed; if the latter, then it is dangerous and should be discarded.
 
When you have a “personal” relationship with Jesus, do you fear Him?

Spiritus Sapientiae nobiscum.

John Hiner
 
littleone said:
I can now see what you are relating to (I think),Jim; however I see it this way that earlier I wrote that I could feel the joy of Jesus being within me giving a love that seemed to encompassed all of my being, it brought such a joy that made me cry as though He is right in all that I am leading to where He wanted, the words that come out of the person are His. I think many people have these experiences at times, it is as though Jesus engulfs their whole body thought word and mind and they feel as though they are floating.
Is this what you are saying?

Godbless
littleone
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It is His presence that you feel. In fact for me, on the day of my conversion, 30 years ago, I not only felt His presence, but I was also filled with the light of His being. It was a very bright light, but not one that would blind you, but rather a light of warmth, peace and love. From that moment on, I never doubted the existence of God and who Jesus is. As the saying goes, “for those who don’t believe, no proof is possible, for those who do, no proof is necessary.” Our proof is in our experience with the living Christ, but we’ll never be able to explain it sufficiently, to those who have not had a similar experience.

Jim
 
John_Hiner said:
When you have a “personal” relationship with Jesus, do you fear Him?

Spiritus Sapientiae nobiscum.

John Hiner
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Not in our modern sense of the word, because he is the Good Shepherd. Awe, however, that is another matter.
 
Kevin42 said:
Prayer is most important in developing a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. If you read the Bible, but don’t pray over it, it’s like having a friend send you letters, but never writing them back. You simply read the letters, and go “Oh, well that’s nice.” If you simply go and receive sacraments haphazardly, without praying, and really pondering what you are doing, it’s like having your friend give you a gift, and you just saying, “Oh well isn’t that beautiful.” Then turning around and sticking it in a closet or something to collect dust. That’s why as the first poster who responded to you said, if you want a relationship with God, you must pray. If you do not talk or communicate with your friend, you cannot know him or love him. The same is true for God. The more often you communicate with God, the more you will grow in your relationship with the Lord.

At least that’s what I heard a priest say once. I thought it was pretty smart.
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Thank you Kevin I think Jesus would be very pleased with your understanding of a relationship with Him.
Inour human way of relating to Jesus I also believe that it is in “giving” of one self to Jesus for His use that starts the relationship going in our part. AllowingJesus to be incharge by our knowing that it is in throwing away our abilities andrealising that Jesus wants our availability without hindrance and holding back.

Godbless
littleone
 
JimR-OCDS said:
It is His presence that you feel. In fact for me, on the day of my conversion, 30 years ago, I not only felt His presence, but I was also filled with the light of His being. It was a very bright light, but not one that would blind you, but rather a light of warmth, peace and love. From that moment on, I never doubted the existence of God and who Jesus is. As the saying goes, “for those who don’t believe, no proof is possible, for those who do, no proof is necessary.” Our proof is in our experience with the living Christ, but we’ll never be able to explain it sufficiently, to those who have not had a similar experience.

Jim
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I agree and agree. thanks Jim, God bless. You might like to go to the contemplation thread I put a note in for you because I am interested in Therese in that light.

littleone
 
You might try the Charismatic Renewal. The renewal relies heavily on bringing people into a personal experience of the presence of God. Having had the experience of His presence, it becomes easy to love God, to yearn for His presence/ company. I came through just such an experience and it does do great things for your personal spirituality. I believed before and I loved before but there is now a new depth to it.

Matthew
 
drafdog said:
You might try the Charismatic Renewal. The renewal relies heavily on bringing people into a personal experience of the presence of God. Having had the experience of His presence, it becomes easy to love God, to yearn for His presence/ company. I came through just such an experience and it does do great things for your personal spirituality. I believed before and I loved before but there is now a new depth to it.

Matthew
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Yes I can relate to you there. I wrote a thread some time back asking the question is it contemplative or charismatic or is it both for us? I relate mainly to contemplative but was deep in the gifts of the Holy Spirit for years to the extent of miracles by the tone and whenSt Therese came to New Zealand I found a new life home and relationship of complete ( in a marrital sence) abandonment to God in contemplation.
But God’s will be done

God bless
littleone
 
Without a personal relationship with God, one will cease to exist. It is only by His power that you even exist. That sounds pretty personal to me.
 
kangnamdragon said:
Without a personal relationship with God, one will cease to exist. It is only by His power that you even exist. That sounds pretty personal to me.
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amen and amen and amen:extrahappy: :yup: :bowdown: :bowdown2: :bounce:
 
guanophore said:
Not in our modern sense of the word, because he is the Good Shepherd. Awe, however, that is another matter.
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Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ. Ephesians 5:21 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition.)

The perfection of **the fear of God **is wisdom and understanding. Sirach 21:13 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition.)

Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition.)

What is the “modern” word that we should use?

It seems to me that looking for the Lord in your “innermost being” rather than in the Church is a serious risk.

I seem to recall that St. Teresa of Avila warned of the danger of such inward focused prayer.

Angles and ministers of grace protect us.

John Hiner
 
John_Hiner said:
What is the “modern” word that we should use?

It seems to me that looking for the Lord in your “innermost being” rather than in the Church is a serious risk.

I seem to recall that St. Teresa of Avila warned of the danger of such inward focused prayer.

Angles and ministers of grace protect us.

John Hiner
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Here is what I think:
When a contemplative looks inward, he is not look his inner self,
he is seeking God who dwells in his innermost being. The loving gaze is not on self but on God.

The prayer of recollection and prayer of quiet does not mean to ignore the fear of the Lord. While one desires the solitude to be with God and the inner person is serenely drawn to be occupied with Him, it does not mean one enjoys only the intimacy with God and forget His justice. Therefore, there should be no conflict between having a personal relationship with Jesus and fear of the Lord.

Actually, the more one loves Jesus, the closer the personal relationship is, the more one would want to do His will and follow His commandments. The intimacy with God and the fear of God go hand in hand. Jesus pours His overwhelming love over me, He also convicts me. I tell him I love him, but I also shed my tears to beg for his forgiveness when I repent. Jesus is my love, but I’ll never forget He is the God Almighty.

There should be no conflict between the love of God and the fear of God.
 
InLight247 said:
Here is what I think:
When a contemplative looks inward, he is not look his inner self,
he is seeking God who dwells in his innermost being. The loving gaze is not on self but on God.

The prayer of recollection and prayer of quiet does not mean to ignore the fear of the Lord. While one desires the solitude to be with God and the inner person is serenely drawn to be occupied with Him, it does not mean one enjoys only the intimacy with God and forget His justice. Therefore, there should be no conflict between having a personal relationship with Jesus and fear of the Lord.

Actually, the more one loves Jesus, the closer the personal relationship is, the more one would want to do His will and follow His commandments. The intimacy with God and the fear of God go hand in hand. Jesus pours His overwhelming love over me, He also convicts me. I tell him I love him, but I also shed my tears to beg for his forgiveness when I repent. Jesus is my love, but I’ll never forget He is the God Almighty.

There should be no conflict between the love of God and the fear of God.
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Doesn’t Jesus in the Scriptures seem to have a quick temper? He calls Peter “Satan.” He grows angry with the people in the Synagogue, and there are other incidents of a flashing temper. Further, He had a hand in the plagues of Egypt and the chastisement of cities.

When people claim a “personal” relationship with Jesus, is this the “person” whom they are “relating to”?

Is there a difference between “God within,” “the Holy Spirit in us” and this “Jesus that people find within”?

Can someone help me with some scriptural or magisterial statements that will clarify this idea?

I am still curious whether the following Scripture is a warning against this sort of thinking:

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Lo, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, Lo, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; **if they say, Lo, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. **Matthew 24:25-27 (RVSCE)

Laudatur Jesus Christus.

John Hiner
 
John,
I seem to recall that St. Teresa of Avila warned of the danger of such inward focused prayer.
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You would be recalling incorrectly. St. Teresa’s entire book, The Interior Castle is about going inward to where God dwells.

In fact, St. Teresa says that it is in the depth of our being where the Almighty communicates most effectively with us. It is from the place that the transformation of our souls takes place. She even places it higher than visions.

Also, “Fear of the Lord,” is a technical term used in Scripture, which really has nothing to do with being afraid, but rather, having the personal relationship with God, that the prophets and Saints had.

I just listened to and audio by Archbishop Fulton Sheen and he gave the definition of the word “Fear,” as it means in Scripture.
I don’t have the exact quote but what I described above is pretty much it.

In Christ
Jim
 
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