intimacy w God 2

Intimacy with God
Bill Bright
“The Love of God took me totally by surprise.”
It was as if Jesus stepped right out of that Holy Book and commanded my full and complete devotion. Christ Pursued me. I determined that I would not stray from the love of God but strive to see it grow “more perfect”. It would be reflected in my selfless devotion to God and others. Joined by a few others, we established a small group that called themselves the Fellowship of the Burning Heart and pledged to make ourselves totally expendable for God. (wow…what a thought)
One afternoon in 1951, I signed away my life, my future, and everything we owned or would ever own to Christ. Next to the moment of my salvation, this was the most important and liberating day of my life. We unconditionally turned over to our loving Father, every possession, goal or concern of our present or future. It was a contract with God to be a bondslave to the only Master who could ever love and care for us.
Most true believers can point to a time when their hearts were on fire for Him. They loved Christ with a passion that no one could help but notice. Their hearts were on fire for Him. His love had transformed them from the inside out. But somehow, for many reasons and without intending to, many Christians let the flames of love and devotion to God die down to glowing embers, a wisp of smoke and ashes.
How does this manifest. In DOING work for God, we often avoid God Himself. True disciples find themselves at His feet, much like Mary. Jesus replied to Martha by saying there is only ONE THING worth being concerned about and Mary has discovered it. I won’t ask her to stop. Martha had a good heart but a busy heart. The temptation to become so busy with the whirlwind of service that you take leave of the passion that first inspired that service. Jesus is NOT saying you should neglect the everyday responsibilities. But you cannot let those things become diversions from the ONE THING worth being concerned about. SEEK FIRST His kingdom AND Righteousness AND all else is added. If you do anything, it should be an expression of your love for Him. But if what you do is not an expression of that love, it’s far worse than if you did nothing at all.
You may forget the ONE THING about which you are to be concerned. But when you can focus on the ONE THING, then your love for Him will linger. What about you? Have you become busy with the details of life and left your passion somewhere along the way? Rev 2:2-5 You have forsake your first love. Look how far you have fallen. To leave or forsake is an act of will. You have chosen…other things to love and FORSAKEN your first love. You do not lose your love for a spouse or a friend or Jesus. You walk away from it. If you say you’ve lost something, it almost sounds as if it just an unfortunate occurrence that is nobody’s fault-something you can lose in the same way you would misplace your car keys. But YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE to take hold of the love of God and to cling to up and never let it go.
HOW do we do this.
REMEMBER Your first love.
He wants all of you and wants you to have all of Him. If you are struggling with relationships in your family, in your workplace or in your established friendship, the first place you should check is how you’re getting along with God…or how they are. One or the other has probably stepped away from the pursuit. We are to abide and remain in Christ. Abiding in Christ is the deepest meaning of maintaining your first love. As you remain in Him you are fully dependent upon Him.
PRAY- nothing can accelerate your return to first love like fasting and prayer.
To maintain and advance our love relationship with God, fasting and prayer must be an integral part of that pursuit. And doing that together with another adds accountability to that formula and brings accelerated pursuit and causes you to move closer and not drift away.
ALL FOR YOU