I have written and mentioned in several places before, but I will write it again: Christianity is about relationship. Not religion or religious practices.

Now, how do you have a great relationship with God? My take? You have to understand His Character. Further, you can see it personified in the person of Jesus.

Keep in mind, Jesus was fully man and fully God all at the same time. Difficult to comprehend? Perhaps, but it is true. Jesus is the perfect representation of God’s character and nature. He is the perfect representation of God’s love for us.

So lets look closer at who God is, and what should we know about Him. Let’s break it down:

#1 God is Great... God’s capability and aspects are infinite ~

Here is a few of His skills and attributes. He is: Omnipotent, Omniscient, Immortal, Omnipresent, Immutable, Self-Existent, Self-Sufficient, Sovereign, Transcendent, Immanent, Holy, Just, Righteous, Merciful, Gracious, Loving, Faithful, Truthful. He is the Creator of all things. He is the Sustainer of all things. He is the Judge of all things. He is the Redeemer of all things. He is the Savior of all things. He is the Lord of all things. He is the King of all things. He is the God of all things. He is the Alpha and Omega. The Beginning and the End. The First and the Last. The I Am that I Am.

#2 God is Good and always wants the best for you ~

"God is Good" is easy to say, but can be challenging to understand. We have all experienced bad things in our lives. We have all done bad things in our lives. We have all been hurt by other people and we have all hurt other people. So how can we say that God is good? Because He is good. His original plan for the world was perfect. He created a perfect world and put perfect people in it. He gave them everything they needed to be happy and to thrive. He gave them free will and choice. Simply put, they (and we) chose to disobey Him and to sin. Sin is anything that goes against God’s will and His plan. It is anything that goes against God’s character and His nature.

God wants that turned around and made perfect again. He accomplished this through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Now, the door is open for communion with Him through Jesus. He wants to be your Guide if you will allow him. His Holy Spirit stands ready to guide you and help you to make choices that align with His will and provide you more freedom and more life.

#3 God has a plan for your life and God made you specifically ~

God has a detailed idea of what you could accomplish with the attributes He entrusted to you. He also gave the ability to alter the plan and make modifications. Sometimes we make choices that are not in line with His plan. Sometimes we make choices that are in line with His plan. Sometimes we make choices that are in line with His plan, but not in line with His will. Another way to look at it is that we can choose to align our lives with God's plan and His will, or we can choose to go our own way. God allows us to make our own choices, but there are consequences to both choices.

God also understands that your use of “free will” and “choice” could sizably change the outcome He intended. Regardless of the choices we make, God's plan remains intact. He has a plan and a purpose for you today no matter where you are, or what you have done to date. No one can take that away from you. Ask Him to show you His plan. You will be so glad you did!

#4 There is nothing you can do to earn God’s Love. You are fully loved already ~

Yes you! Christ's redeeming sacrifice on the cross demonstrated His love for you. All you must do is accept His love, confess your sins (those things that keep you at a distance from God), and be willing to let him be the Lord of your life going forward. He will your Guide if you will allow him. His Holy Spirit stands ready to guide you. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Accept that truth and you will be saved and be on path to learning about God's love for you from before time.

So there you have it. The 4 Pillars of the Christian Faith. If you understand and accept these 4 pillars of faith, you will have an improved relationship with others and with God. You can begin to experience the Love God has for you already. You will be able to trust Him and to rely on Him. You will be able to love Him and to serve Him. God will help you live a life that is pleasing to Him and that is fulfilling for you. The path to the joy and the peace that comes from knowing Him and from being in a relationship with Him (your Creator) .

Want to know how to start to experience God's Love if you are currently struggling? Consider praying these words (if you are not used to speaking directly to God): "Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father. I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please you. I choose you. I give myself to you. I receive your forgiveness and ask you to take your rightful place in my life as my Savior and Lord. Come reign in my heart, fill me with your love and your life, and help me to become a person who is truly loving—a person like you. Restore me, Jesus. Live in me. Love through me. Thank you, God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen"

Now let's find you a local church to join!