What are some of the things we can do in our life, especially our everyday life, to be closer to God? To feel God's presence more, or to awaken ourselves to God?

Read the Bible and pray.

What ways are there to pray?

I'd like to add: "Serving others".

What else can we do?

how about giving to the poor. Or just doing randome acts of kindness.
I think that always works

of coures you don't have to be religious to do that too, just a bit on the wild side.

Ghost

Thank you, Ghost. I believe there are a great many things people can do to 'get closer to God', and many of those things can be done, with great benefit, by people who don't believe in God.

"What ways are there to pray?"

There are many ways to pray. You can pray outloud or pray in your mind, either way, you shouldn't do it to be a spectacle. If you want something, you should pray for it a lot, as a way of proving to God how important it is to you. That doesn't mean God will do or give you want you want, but I suppose it makes it more likely. I think the only formulaic prayer that we should use is the Lord's prayer taught by Jesus. Other than that, you should let the words come out of your heart as they are. Don't waste your time saying "Lord, Lord, Lord", saying God's name many times is like thinking that if you call to Him enough, then and only then, He will hear you. Other's believe that you have to end each prayer with "In Jesus' name" or "Amen", but that's not true. God hears your every desire, but he only answers prayers that are made by good people for good things. "In Jesus' name", means in Jesus' place. You should always ask for what Jesus would ask for in your place. You can add "In Jesus' name" or "Amen" if you want, but don't think that it's like clicking the "Send" button in your email, God knows what you are going to pray for before you start.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, Spider.

I see some things in Spider's post which some people may disagree with, and I'd like this to be a kind of 'brainstorming'. In brainstorming, you just list all the possibilities, without worrying about whether a particular suggestion is a good one or not.

In other words, lets keep thinking of other ways there are (or may be) to get closer to God, rather than arguing about whether someone else's idea is 'right'.

"I'd like to add: "Serving others"."

"how about giving to the poor. Or just doing randome acts of kindness. I think that always works "

I'm going to have to strongly disagree. If your goal is to get close to God, then read the Bible, pray and obey the commandments. I don't believe you can grow closer to God by serving others by itself. There are many altruistic and loving non-Christians in the world. Sometimes seeing the suffering of the world without understanding God's plan can work to drive you away from God instead of towards Him. Charity and love for your neighbor is wonderful and a goal we should all seek to acheive, but they will become second nature if you love God and serve Him with all of your heart. The first three of the 10 commandments tell us to get right with God, so getting right with God should come before doing right by man.

As I posted earlier...

Job 35:5-8
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Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
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Doing good by our fellow man doesn't give God anything. Doing wrong by man doesn't take anything away from God. Serving God with a humble and loving heart is the way to knowing God and eventually the path to serving all of mankind.

I don't mean to be a Party pooper. But when one pray's over their food, let's say. And the food is of very low quality as far as health goes. Isn't that counter productive? I mean to give thanks for the food you are about to ingest is good but if it's eventually going to kill you by being highly cholesterol hardening then wouldn't that be thanking God for this posion

Ghost

U R ALL RIGHT IT DONT TAKE A TON OF BRICKS 2 GET CLOSE TO GOD JUST OPEN A DOOR 4 SOME 1

Ghost, Spider,

Will you do me a huge favor and bring it over to this thread?

I hope this method works... I like both a) having debates and b) having a comfortable space to share ideas.

http://www.justsayhi.com/topic/show/29033

I GUESS WHAT I THINK DONT COUNT ::::::::::::AND I DONT F """""KIN CARE ???? DONT TALK UNLESS U KNOW WHAT U R TALKING ABOUT

Well a lot of ppl would find God in giving to some televangalits as part of their salvation due to their lack of understanding of the true meaning od giving. So I can think that a simple act of kindness would surfice to be truely in tune with what ever creater you are afilliated with. If not then there is truely a problem with this thing called religion.
I understand this thing of God helps those who help themselves. But at some point you need someone to carry you to get back on your feet too.

Ghost

>> I GUESS WHAT I THINK DONT COUNT ::::::::::::

Eagle, are you saying this because I addressed Ghost and Spider? That happened because we posted simultaneously - I had not read you post when I had written that last one.

Here's what I see so far:

Read the Bible
Pray
(Out loud or in your mind, perhaps asking for something)
Serve others
Give to the poor
Random acts of kindness
Open a door for someone
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We are all going to have opinions about whether certain of these really have any bearing on one's relationship with God... but I'd like to keep hearing ideas, any ideas at all, for what -might- help people get closer to God.

I'd like to add:

Being open to new ideas.

I feel closest to God when I am in nature. God flows through all that is and I am part of it.

Part meditation ... sort of prayer ... really just an ongoing conversation filled with gratitude and expanding love. Being present and mindful.

It feels like a sigh

Thank you, Artgurl. I feel the same way.

This is from Ghostrecon, in the other thread:
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>> "What ways are there to pray?"

>> Meditate. Do your every day thing. Or just take a walk in the woods
>> to be closer with nature. Think out load.
>> That ussually is a sign your in tune at least with your mind.

>> Ghost

>> Personnal I like to surf porn sites. LOL
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(disclaimer not my words above )

Hey guys, cool topic.

I never really thought about getting closer to God. I really feel as if God's with me all the time. I may not consciously think about it, but when I do, I just feel it is so. It's an Omnipresent type of thing.

There's a story in the Bible, Spider help me out here, I don't remember who it was, in which someone was lamenting: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Have y'all ever felt that way and then as soon as you thought or spoke it, you just knew it wasn't correct?

Oh yeah, I journal a lot too. A lot of those times, I'v realized I end up directing those written thoughts to God. So, I guess it could be equaled to writing to God.