Throughout the ministry of Jesus, we constanly find the Lord refering to the disciples as his “brothers”.  When dispatching Mary from the garden to notify them of  his resurection, he directed her to go and tell his brothers that he was alive.  When asked by the disciples in Luke 11 to teach them to pray, Jesus focused first on the subject of relationship by encouraging them to pray to God as their father.  It seems that with Jesus, spiritual life was always connected to the issue of relationship.  In fact, just hours before Jesus would be betrayed by Judas, he challenged the disciples to recognize that “love for one another” was the way the world would identify them as disciples of Jesus.  (John 13:35)  It all involves the issue of relationship.  Relationship with God through Jesus Christ is much like any relationship that becomes a part of our life.  When I was first married over 30 years ago, the new relationship I had entered into with my wife Teresa had a profound effect on my life.  It changed old habits, it introduced me to new ways of thinking and acting.  It provided me a new voice to point out my strengths and weaknesses…(mostly weaknesses!)  In other words, this new relationship had a profound effect on every part of my life.  A relationship with Jesus is the same.  From the moment you get to know Him intimately as your Savior, your life changes.  New ways of thinking, acting become a part of your life as you grow in fellowship with Him.