I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NASB).
Have you pondered what it really means to be a Vertical Christian? Being a Vertical Christian means developing, nurturing and maintaining a strong relationship with God. Your relationship will be based on the three components of the cross. The Center - where only God resides (center of your heart and life); the VERTICAL beam of the cross represents your relationship with God; and the horizontal beam represents your earthly relationships and service to others, reaching out to encourage and serve others. Each day we are ‘Striving to become a Vertical Christian’ so that we may ‘reach upward to reach outward’ to serve others (©The Vertical Christian).
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2 NIV).
Having a relationship with God does not mean only going to God when challenges arise or when you need something or when you're hurting. No, God desires us to have daily communication with Him. He desires our adoration, our obedience, our love, our worship, our commitment. Do you realize that when you go before God with an adoration of Him, He is so pleased? Think about it. When you wake up in the morning, before you pray for anything or anyone else, try saying: "Good morning Heavenly Father. God, I give You honor and praise this morning because You are a majestic and loving God. You are the only God who can breathe breath into my body, open my eyes to see another beautiful day that You have created, and give me the activity of my limbs and organs every morning. Only You, God, can be everywhere at all times. Lord, I thank You that You are the Make of Heaven and earth and the One true and living God.
Think about how you feel when someone compliments you or something you've done. Or when your child says, “Mommy, you’re the best mom in the whole world!” or “Daddy, you’re the greatest dad ever!” How does it make you feel? God is the same way. He desires our adoration and praise. His word clearly tells us, “Lift up our hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD (Psalm 134:2). Yes, He knows who He is! But our honor and adoration ensures God that we know who He is.
What is your relationship with God?
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