I grew up in a few good churches that showed me the awesome grace of God and the gift His son died for to pay for my sins. I embraced Christ as my savior at the young age of 7 and basically did what I was "supposed to" as a Christian since. Being so young I didn't fully understand what it means to be a Christian , Doesn't mean I wasn't one. But it just didn't "click" honestly until this year. When you are wholeheartedly seeking Christ, you are going to grow spiritually, and He will reveal things to you when He sees fit.
Something I have learned through reading "crazy love" & "Forgotten God" (both by francis chan) is how to have an actual relationship with Christ. Not just praying at the start of my day, but actually centering my life around Him... By doing that letting Him MOLD ME.
I have come to the realization that when I was 7 all the way until now, that I have been serving Him out of fear. Afraid of going to hell... afraid of the consequences, so i obeyed. (as most children do think.) This is an example of a slave.
Slave:
Captive
Victim
Drudge
Does that sound like what your relationship with Him is?
Or do you Serve Him out of "love"?
John 14:23-24
New International Version (NIV)
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
God is a just God but foremost He is a loving God. When you "fear Him" it should be a fear like you would a father. a Respectful fear. God is not a foreign creator, if you are a child of God saved by grace He is living IN YOU. He is always there!!! So pray to Him like He is a father(bc He is) and form a relationship, not just a fear of going to hell.
You are His Child.
