Gods not dead.

So why do we treat him that way, why do we put lifeless things like movies, television, school and friendship ahead of him?

We put these things ahead of God, thinking, 'this will make me happy.' And more often then not, we think 'The Bible can't make me happy, I already know its' contents.' Its the same old verses over and over, the same old stories, and the same old lessons, so obviously there's nothing more you can possibly learn. Believe it or not, Noah's ark and Judas' betrayal aren't the only stories the Bible contains, you can always learn more from it. Yet you ignore it, you keep it on a shelf collecting dust while you pray for a better relationship with God. Then you go off and watch a movie, somehow hoping it can make your life better. Maybe if you can just be more like Han Solo, saving the world with your best friend, or Ginny Weasely, a girl with a strong heart, you can find a better relationship with God. You'll be happy, and being happy means you will have a good relationship with God right?

Nope, Chuck Testa. (A.K.A, you're way wrong.)

Being happy is great, but it shows no causation of your relationship with God. Your relationship with God only gets better by dwelling with him. You must actually pray, and read the bible. So where do you start? How about with the beginning, have you ever read the Bible front to back? There are so many stories in the Bible that you can discover, stories that your all knowing Sunday school teachers never thought to tell you. Have you heard the story of Solomon? Yes, he asked for wisdom, we all know that part... but did you know that a few short years later he turned away from God to serve a god named Baal? you probably didn't.

If you read the Bible and really start to look for a better relationship with him, you will find it. You will see how God wants us to interact with him and how he wants us to pray, and what he wants us to pray about. You will often find these things in stories of people you've never even heard of, like Habakkuk.

Prayer, is just as important as reading the bible, and often goes hand in hand with it. You want to know how anyone could possibly come across an uncharted book of the bible such as Habakkuk? Prayer that God would show me a story I hadn't heard of. Prayer works. Its the real deal, if you pray about (or for) something God will answer it. A few years ago, my sister prayed for direction on what to do job wise, and when she ordered a few textbooks, she got one extra by "accident" called "Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, An Introduction to Missionary communication". She is currently working her way up to international missions, by working with an on campus organization called Cru, and serving her community. Don't be afraid to pray for signs and answers. They will come, if you ask. But in the process of asking, don't forget to give thanks to God for all the good you have in your life. You have to pray always, and on a good day that means thinking him, as my pastor once said "If you only pray when you're in trouble, you're in trouble".

I know what you're thinking.

'What about school? I want to spend more time with God but I have a research paper due in a week and a lot of math homework.'

Same here.

Did you pray about it? Believe it or not, if you spend time with God, he can help you out with your homework. He will make sure you have the time to do it, even if you have a busy schedule.

God wants to spend time with you, he wants it so badly that if you just trust him and spend that time with him, he will clear your schedule where its needed and help you to do the other important things in your life. That's why God comes first, well that and hes the all powerful God who is the beginning and the end.

God comes first because he will bring you joy, because he will help you and never let you down. He will give you what you ask and he will lead you places you never thought you would go. He will light your path. Not a single movie, TV show, or classroom can solely direct you to the plans God has for you. You have to have a relationship with him, to enter them and fufil them.