{"id":124,"date":"2024-11-29T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-29T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ytmatrimony.com\/blog\/?p=124"},"modified":"2024-11-14T04:35:56","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T04:35:56","slug":"intimacy-with-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ytmatrimony.com\/blog\/intimacy-with-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Intimacy with God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Be still and know that I am God: Before you read this article, may I ask you to take a few moments off and \u2013 just be still\u2026 really still\u2026 quieten your mind\u2026 the feverish activities of the body\u2026 now close your eyes and focus on God, His majesty and splendour, His glory and the beauty of His holiness. Let your mind dwell on the wonder of our God to whom we belong!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ah! How difficult this is, isn\u2019t it? Did you find it is easy to be still? Were you able to be quiet enough to think of God? Or did other anxious thoughts of problems you are facing, keep chasing round in your mind? Did you find that thoughts of God kept fading out and your mind kept filling up with your worries instead? Take a d-e-e-p breath! Consciously, open yourself to Jesus\u2026 Ask the Spirit of God to breathe into you, His freshness and fullness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you do this exercise, it is important that you specifically use the Name of Jesus \u2013 not just \u2018God\u2019 or \u2018Lord\u2019! Now\u2026 slowly breathe out! As you breathe out, exhale consciously things that worry you and weigh heavily on your mind \u2013 breathe out all the anger bottled inside of you, the frustrations\u2026 the hurts\u2026 Do this a few times and R\u2026E…L\u2026A\u2026X\u2026 your face muscles\u2026 your shoulders\u2026 hands\u2026 your whole body\u2026 Battle is in our Mind: Our mind is like a computer! Through the day, all that we see, hear, think, read, talk, touch \u2013 every one of these things are \u2018keyed\u2019 into our mind. Say in a day, we have half an hour of \u2018Quiet Time\u2019? And what of the rest of the day? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thoughts of God or what he says in His Word seldom recur, except perhaps in passing. God has given us 24 hours a day. That makes 1440 minutes. Out of this we spend about 6 hours for sleeping. That leaves us 18 hours for all that we do in the day i.e. 1,080 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spend about 30 minutes with God (approx.) and the remaining 1,050 minutes on everything else in the world around us! It is only what you \u2018key in\u2019 that comes out! That is why it is so difficult for us to concentrate on God in prayer, without the loud clamour of our own restless thoughts pushing themselves to the front of our minds, demanding attention and time! God designed us for Happy and Wholesome Relationships:God has created and designed us for relationships primarily with Him and with one another. However, today we find that there are many things, like the TV, computer, our work, etc., which destroy our relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So much of our time is spent on these things that we have no time or little time for God. Men and women allow love of other things, pleasures of this world etc. to replace God and are empty within! But my friends there can be no substitutes. That\u2019s why we have so many suicides. Do we continually allow the Holy Sprit to spring within us, overflowing into rivers of living water in a dry and thirsty land? Or is that \u2018spring of living water\u2019 clogged – by sin and disobedience to His Word? Are we preoccupied with maintaining a polished \u2018image\u2019 outside, at the cost of our inner relationship and \u2018identity\u2019 with Christ? Unconsciously are we beginning to put the emphasis on \u2018doing\u2019 instead of \u2018being\u2019; \u2018service\u2019 instead of \u2018character\u2019; and our \u2018work for the Lord\u2019 instead of \u2018our walk before the Lord\u2019? Have we substituted ACTIVITY for INTIMACY with God? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Searching Question: Imagine Jesus is standing before you. With deep love and compassion in His eyes, He is asking YOU a question. Do you love me more\u2026? What will you answer Him? He is insistent… He awaits your answer\u2026 In his last letter to Timothy, Paul warns: \u201cPeople will be lovers of themselves\u2026 of money\u2026 of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Therefore they will be boastful\u2026 proud\u2026 abusive… disobedient to parents\u2026 ungrateful\u2026 unholy\u2026 without love\u2026 unforgiving\u2026\u201d 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) In Rev. 2:1-5 the risen Lord Jesus is talking to the Church in Ephesus on the importance of first love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the kind of \u2018bridal love\u2019 that longs for each other\u2019s presence, delights in whispering attestations of love, willing to sacrifice just anything for the pleasure and approval of the loved one. May our prayer be one of longing for a closer walk with the Lord rather than the blessings we can receive from Him. Moses the man of God, at the end of His life was never satisfied with all that he knew and saw of God. He prayed this passionate desire: \u201cLord, show me your glory!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few simple suggestions: Review your life, your goals, your occupations, and your activities. Take yesterday, last month, last year. Remember your promises to God when you first knew Him as your own personal Saviour. Remember the burning love you had for Jesus. Repent that you have allowed that love to grow \u2018cold\u2019 over months and years, by letting your work, pleasure and leisure, squeeze out your time in God\u2019s presence – so that you are no longer able to enjoy God. Re-prioritise that which is really important – and stick to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t let yourself become a victim of \u2018the tyranny of the \u2018urgent.\u2019 Reschedule your activities through the day. Cut off anything that does not contribute to what you believe God wants you to do. Be focused. Resist any inroad the devil will make into your life through the \u2018deeds of the flesh\u2019 e.g. unforgiveness, critical spirit etc. Confess and receive forgiveness of God and of one another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renew your mind by practicing the presence of Jesus with you not just at your \u2018Quiet time\u2019, but also continually through the day. Practice the truth of Philippians 4:8. Let your mind think only of good and lovely things. Reject negative thoughts! Revive your spirit by being filled with the Holy Spirit moment by moment. Experience what it means to spill over with Jesus \u2013 and your cup will overflow! Reflect and mirror Jesus by disciplining yourself to \u2018crucify the flesh\u2019 daily, so that Christ may be magnified in your body in life or death. Be Christ-like! Represent Jesus wherever you are! What will Jesus do \u2013 is what you and I should also be doing! Stand up and speak out for the Truth and Values of Jesus. May you experience the life and love of Jesus in such a way that you will thrill and be amazed as you develop the intimacy of your love – journey with the Lord Jesus! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Author: Ms. Juliet Thomas is a professional Christian writer and Counselor. She is the President of Tara Holisitc Development of Women.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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