Is there a reliable way of knowing that you have a relationship with Jesus?

[Invited_Christian]

This is why I'm asking for reliable ways to know that you have some relationship with God, and how would that manifest, etc.

Christ is all about changing us from the inside to be like Him.
Christ is into transforming men and women into His image by degress, successuvely, gradually, slowy, drop by drop, day by day.

The destiny is that He makes us sons of God. This brings joy and peace. This brings liberation and freedom from many enslaving things.
Could we have done it otherwise on our own we certainly WOULD have.

Christ is beyond "Self improvement."
For one we do not know what we need within. We know what we want.
But we don't really know that which we need in the inward parts of our personality. Christ the Good Shepherd of the sheep knows.

It is good to pour out our heart to Him as best we can.
I encourage being gut level HONEST with Christ about all that troubles you - that is ALL without exeption.
You bothered about reliogiouis hypocrisy? Pour it out as a complaint before God.

I find it very effective to pour out my complaints and concerns before Jesus. Yet I practice to always accompany my
petitons and prayers with some thanksgiving and some praise. It is good to enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.

As you should be able to see in the 150 some Psalms, the psalmists often poured out his heart in stark honesty before God.
Bring with you some praise and some thanksgiving and with reverance pour out before God that which troubles you.
Eventually, you will find the Holy Spirit will even help you to have the adaquate utterance to express such deep concerns.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

I'll address these one by one.
I would say rather than all stress went away it was like this -
A man is up to his neck in quicksand. He feels overwhelmed and about to slip under the mud.
But a mighty HAND suddenly grasps his hand. And he instantly KNOWS - "It will be alright. Someone is holding me. I can feel His faithfulness, His power, His strengtth, His undying love."

No, ALL my problems did not go away. But I knew I was on solid ground and all would be alright. Peace. God is now in control.
The One who walks upon the waves has my hand, I am saved from my own stubborn way.


The idea of winning loads of materials goodies to too superfiscial to speak to.
Christ is not the great ATM in the sky. I have experienced outward blessings for sure.
But Jesus is into changing hearts from the inside.

I agree that even if God could give you all of the money in the world, that it could be bad for him to do so because some might abuse it.

I'm looking for something more beyond feelings involving peace. I'm sure you can ask God questions, as many Christians claim to do. And some also claim to get a response back. This is where your feelings example fall short. It would be unreliable to say that I feel God is leading me to do this or that I feel that this is the answer. But too often, this is all that Christians resort to. Some may go further and said they had a dream, but then I question how do they distinguish that dream from any other dream. Is it just a pick and choose.

My overall point is that there is a lack of ways to verify that God is there or that he's telling you to do something. Or perhaps this is really a problem of Christians and not Christianity itself. I say that because maybe God can or does provide clear signs that it's him but then Christians settle for less or don't ask for a clear sign.

 

[Invited_Christian]

I agree that even if God could give you all of the money in the world, that it could be bad for him to do so because some might abuse it.

I'm looking for something more beyond feelings involving peace. I'm sure you can ask God questions, as many Christians claim to do.

Before we speak to other matters beside peace I want not in the least to UNDERESTIMATE peace.
I do not want to sweep aside peace as superficial, insignificant, and flimsy. So not so fast on "graduating" from peace.

Do no turn your nose up at peace for this is peace such as the world cannot give.
A teacher asked some students to draw a picture discribing peace.
One child drew a nice sunset over the sea.
Another child drew fluffy clouds over a field.

Then one student drew a tumultuous waterfall with tons of turbulent water cascading down with a roar.
But in front of the plunging vciolent torrents of water there was a limb, a branch of a tree.
And on the branch was a little bird pirched on it yet sleeping quietly. The picrture was called "Peace."

The peace of God in not in the outward circumstances or situation.
The peace of the presence of Christ is intrinsically inward where no one and nothing can touch it or disturb.

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Far be from me to quickly move on from "the peace of Christ" which is not like anything the world, meditation, calm music, quiet undisturbed circumstances can give. No sir. It is too inward and uneffected by anything going on around me.

The peace of the Victor Christ reigning in our heart is the greatest Arbitrator having the final word about everything we do.
The peace of this One who overcame the world is the freat Umpire deciding the most critical decisions we make in life.
The Apostle Paul says to let this supernatural peace arbitrate in our hearts showing us the path we must walk on.

And let the peace of Christ ARBITRATE in your hearts, to which also you were called in one Body; and be thankful. (Col. 3:15)

Even the very very question you ask indicates you have a need for this peace of Christ.
Your insistence that "Oh, I don't need this peace of Christ stuff" does nothing to impress me that you can get along fine without this.

This peace of Christ is a great GUARDIAN protecting the believer to stay in the realm of His presence.
It is like the index of the face, the area around the eyes in a person where you can detect their thought.
In the face of Christ, His smile, His approval, His loving presence is priceles a totally irreplacable.
Men who died in flames at the stake would rather have this peace of Christ than anything.
Women with their children thrown to the lions would rather be filled with this peace that recant their faith in the Son of God.

This is the presence of the One who has overcome the world.
These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

You seek from me "understanding". I tell you that the peace of Christ SURPASSING every man's understanding.
It GUARDS, it protects, it garrisons our inward being such that we prevail in victory over tribulation.
And the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)
Agnostic_Boy, I am not too impressed by your quick dismissal of the peace of God as if that is too flimsy for you.
You are seeking this assurance. Why act as though you are looking beyond it?

He is the God of peace. And He can crush the Devil under our victorious feet with this divine peace.
Now the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (Rom. 16:20)
This is the peace which tears down the walls of cultural divisions allowing believers of different races to be one.
Dare we dismiss this peace as insignificant.

But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ.
For He Himself is our peace, He who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition, the enmity,
Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace, (Eph. 2:13-15)

Did you think I would be impressed with an agnostic's attitude "Oh I need more than this peace stuff"?
I am not impressed by this in the least Agnostic one, not even a little bit.

He is the God of eternal encouragement and hope - that is peace stronger than the Rock of Gilbrater.
Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope in grace, (1 Thess. 2:16)
The peace that passes all understanding is priceless, irreplacable, and of infinite preciousness.
What ever mathematical formula you may wish to assure you of God's existence WILL NOT do for you what the peace of Christ's in your heart can do.

Do you have some chemical formula or mathemitical axiom which assure you of God's reality?
If you could with precision calculate the probabilty of God to the .00000000000009 degree would you be at peace?

We need His smile in our hearts.
We need to see in the index of His eyes His eternal love.
We need to know that our sins were judged, erased, taken away from us as far as the east is from the west - JUSTIFIED.

Not so fast on "Hmmm, I need something more than this peace deal."
It grows with the encrease of trials.
Tribulation cannot drown it out.
Turmoils without or within cannot put out the fire of this divine comfort.
It was the God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead.
Hebrews 13:20 - Now the God of peace, He who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, in the blood of an eternal covenant,

And some also claim to get a response back. This is where your feelings example fall short. It would be unreliable to say that I feel God is leading me to do this or that I feel that this is the answer. But too often, this is all that Christians resort to. Some may go further and said they had a dream, but then I question how do they distinguish that dream from any other dream. Is it just a pick and choose.

I may have said this here. I am not sure.
But when I was a young believer I had a prayer which God answered.

I ask the Lord to put me with some Christians who would ENCOURAGE my faith rather than DISCOURAGE my faith.
He answered this prayer.
I do not look for Christian who will discourage me.
I always seek out brothers and sisters whose testimony is an encouragement and nourishing of my faith.

Stop looking around for religious people who will give you discouraging ideas.
Pray to the Father to place you with those who can help you to grow in the enjoyment and experience of Jesus.

My overall point is that there is a lack of ways to verify that God is there or that he's telling you to do something. Or perhaps this is really a problem of Christians and not Christianity itself. I say that because maybe God can or does provide clear signs that it's him but then Christians settle for less or don't ask for a clear sign.

Jesus told Peter - "You follow Me."
I think we tend to want to point as Peter did - "What about this disciple? What about that disciple? What are they doing?"
Jesus' reply to Peter when Peter inquired about what would happen to John was . . . " You follow Me."
It was as if Jesus said to Peter "What does it matter if John goes to the Moon. YOU follow Me."
I wouldl encourage you to look less around at this reason to be discouraged and that other reason to be discouraged.
Resolve before God that whatever the other guy did you intend to follow the Lord Jesus.
That is if you really want God.
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Now having said this perhaps I can go on a little latter.
There is no assurance that is as assured as His WORD.
Sometimes a airplane pilot can see out the window and thus navigate the plane by sight.
At other times when flying through stormy clouds the pilot has to look at the RADAR screen.
Looking out the window will not do. He must check what the RADAR tells him.
This is something like the assurance of the WORD of God.
The Christians eventually will pass through experiences where SIGHT and OBSERVATION cannot be trusted.
God's promises in His WORD are like the radar blip which WILL bring the believer through to safety - to the intended destination.
This is a TRUST in God's promises. Yet our trust means nothing much if God is not TRUSTWORTHY.
Our faith by itself means nothing. It is our faith PLUS the FAITHFULNESS of God which works together.
In His curriculum of lessons of deeper and deeper walking with God, the believer learns that
nothing matters except His word. By testing he learns that His promises are rock solid.
Great is Thy faithfulness.
Look at creation and get the hint.
The sunrise, the sunset, the precision of the earth's motion, and the sun, and the stars.
The universe testifies of the faithfulness of the Creator.
The is the book of nature.
Then there is the book of God - the Bible.
Heaven and earth will pass away. But His word will not pass away.
There is the assurance of His peace within. And there is the assurance of His torture tested word.

He returns to this earth with a name written on Him - "The Word of God"

And His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written which no one knows but Himself.
And He is clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God. (Rev. 19:12,13)

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Before we speak to other matters beside peace I want not in the least to UNDERESTIMATE peace.

I actually agree that peace is important. And God does promise it according to the Bible.

Still in my view that isn't enough to establish a relationship or address the scenarios I brought up earlier. I know you brought up an analogy involving radar. Even with that, you're still left finding the answer yourself by perhaps using the Bible's message as parameter.

So much of your view is unproven which of course is different than saying false.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Here's another way I can sum up my point in the OP.

I believe that communication is required for a relationship. If we say that God has a relationship with Christians, then that would come with communication or back-and-forth responses. What I'm wanting to know is if there is a reliable way of knowing when God responds or communicates with Christians, and I mean reliable, as in something that can't be mistaken a Christian's own thoughts and feelings.

 

[Invited_Christian]

Here's another way I can sum up my point in the OP.

I believe that communication is required for a relationship. If we say that God has a relationship with Christians, then that would come with communication or back-and-forth responses. What I'm wanting to know is if there is a reliable way of knowing when God responds or communicates with Christians, and I mean reliable, as in something that can't be mistaken a Christian's own thoughts and feelings.

My experience is that with patience one proves by testing.
One proves (to an adaquate degree) that passing through successive learning situations - certainty is developed.

Perhaps you know the man who you call your father. Perhaps you know the man whom you called "Dad." I hope he is well.

Do you REALLY know that he is your father?
He told you he was perhaps. He COULD be mistaken.
Take no offense please. But for discussion's sake he had to in turn TRUST what your mother said.

Now put on the skeptic's hat.
You don't KNOW that he is your father.
You don't KNOW that the women you called "Mom" was not mistaken about who was your father.
You TRUST the your "Dad" and your "Mom" are not mistaken or not misleading you.

Did you double check your birth certificate?
The skeptic makes room for the possibility that even the doctors made an error.
Perhaps the hospital made an error. It is logically possible that their records are in error?
It is logically possible that you look like the man you call "Dad" because another relative is your real father?

You trust that that did not happen. You don't KNOW that that didn't happen.
You don't KNOW that the hospital's birth records were not forged or mistaken.

A famous American singer Bobby Darwin was mislead by the women he thought was his SISTER.
After years of deception she confessed latter to him that she was in fact his MOTHER.

So you don't KNOW that the man you call "father" is REALLY your father.
You have learned perhaps, to TRUST that man's word. Perhaps, and I hope, his love for you tends to convince you that he is your father. But in spite of your trust in his care, you REALLY don't know. Do you?

I began a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Through successive trials, circumstances, situations, obstacles, I have learned a deeper and deeper TRUST that Jesus is really Lord, the Son of God.

I trust also that eventually faith will turn into sight.
It certainly was in EVERY WAY, the best life I could have possibly have lived trusting in Christ.

In terms of reconciliation with wrongs done for which others were damaged and I was ashamed - trusting in Christ was the best decision. In terms of something transforming me from within which seems beyond what I would ASK or THINK, trusting Christ was the best way to go.

In terms of peace with who and what I am in this vastness of the creation, again, Christ was the best way for me to go. Having assurance that I am on the right track will do.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

My experience is that with patience one proves by testing.
One proves (to an adaquate degree) that passing through successive learning situations - certainty is developed.

Perhaps you know the man who you call your father. Perhaps you know the man whom you called "Dad." I hope he is well.

Do you REALLY know that he is your father?
He told you he was perhaps. He COULD be mistaken.
Take no offense please. But for discussion's sake he had to in turn TRUST what your mother said.

I'll give you this much in that I have different standards of proof that varies on the circumstance. For instance, I don't expect scientific evidence for historical matters, esp. the further back in history we go.

As vague as it might sound, I do at least expect reasonable standards that fit the circumstance, or that would normally be expected. For a relationship, I would expect clear communication. I'm willing to downgrade my criticism to say that it applies to Christians who go by things that can be reasonably mistaken for something else, and not to those who reasonably try to discern between God and natural causes.