How do you talk with God, not just to God?

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How do you talk with God? And not just to God. I wish I had a quick search guide when I first became a Christian. I know I got a Bible, but there were also specific questions that I wanted the answer to quickly. And I was reading it, but I also just wondered, is there a way that I could talk with God and learn from him directly? So, as I dug into it, there are tons of examples of people actually having a conversation with God before Jesus. But, what about after Jesus came? Are there still examples of people being able to talk with God? Well, what I found is, yes, there are tons of examples and even directions on how to do it. All in the Bible. So, let's start with Jesus. Because he says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father except through me." So, we have to look at his example. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where he prayed." Now, we've heard this before. Prayer is super important, but at some point some of us wonder, is this just me talking to God? Will I ever get to hear back from him? Well, again, looking at the model of Jesus, let's see what happened after he prayed. Jesus said, "For I did not speak of my own, but the Father, who sent me, commanded me to say all that I've spoken. I know that his commands lead to eternal life. So, whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." Now, we might say, "Yeah, but that's Jesus. He is God. I'm not Jesus." And that is correct. But, it is because something Jesus said that enables us to talk with God. "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." So, for anyone that believes that God came down as Jesus, lived a perfect life, yet chose to be the sacrifice for our mistakes, died and rose again. Anyone of us who believes that in faith and confesses that, not only gets access to eternal life with God in the future, today God sends the Holy Spirit to live inside us so we can be taught all things and be reminded of what he said. So, here are the four ways that talking with God has worked for me. First, if we want to hear what God is saying, it's right here. The Bible says, "The word of God is alive and active." Although it may have been written a long time ago, God knew what we'd be going through. He could put a message in a bottle thousands of years ago and know we were supposed to read it today. So, number one, we hear what God says by reading the Bible. Two, Jesus went off to a quiet place and prayed. In those moments, it's not only talking to God, it's making space for God to speak to us through the Holy Spirit, reminding us of words he said here, but then also using our life situations to teach us new things. Three, sometimes God speaks to us, sometimes God shows us. Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air. They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Jesus used real life to speak God's principles to us, the things we sometimes overlook or take for granted. God is still using them to teach us if we'll just take a moment to see them. Four, we are to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. "Give thanks to him and praise his name." As God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, we see him in the world, we read his words. We always want to make sure that we are saying, "Thank you." Because even if we don't always hear it, he is always speaking. Let us know how we can be praying for each other today, friends. God bless.