Spiritual Intimacy Begins With A Life Philosophy Series

SPIRITUAL INTIMACY BEGINS WITH A LIFE PHILOSOPHY - Part 2

Last week we started talking about a life philosophy. Let me remind you of the one I’ve followed for the last 30 years.

TO KNOW LOVE AND GLORIFY GOD, AND TO BE USED OF HIM TO MAKE DISCIPLES, MATURE THE CHURCH AND TO ADVOCATE REVIVAL.

Last week, we talked about a desire to know God. Obviously, my desire to be used to mature the church and inspire a hunger for revival is unique to my calling.

I do believe that the first part of this is applicable to anyone who is seeking an intimate, vital relationship with God. ‘To know, love and glorify God and to be used of Him....’

I. SPIRITUAL INTIMACY IS A LOVE RELATIONSHIP.

It is one thing to know someone, it’s another thing to love them. The result of getting to know God is that we love God.

It may seem odd to say this, but the reason we should love God is because we are commanded to do so.

Deut 6:5 " You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Loving God means I have no rivals in my heart. He is the love of my life - any other love pails in comparison.

11:1-"You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments. Loving God is evidenced by obeying His Word.

30:16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. we find life - blessings - in loving God.

Josh 22:5 "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." love for God shows up in my willingness to serve Him with the right spirit.

Ps 31:23 O love the LORD, all you His godly ones! The LORD preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer.

Godly people are those who love God and find His support and strength.

Matt. 22:37-And He said to him, " ’YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment.

God never commands us to do something that is....

☛ impossible.

☛ unreasonable.

Loving God is not optional - it is commanded. If I am going to be intimate with God, I have to obey His commands.

IT’S THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE LIFE OF FAITH.

God knows that man in is a Baal maker in his heart. His people can quickly turn to idols of their own making. While we don’t build statues of wood or stone today – we do have idols to contend with.

☛ The idol of religion – putting my church position ahead of God. Putting tradition before truth. Putting my preferences before God’s principles. 2 Kings 17:33 ‘They feared the Lord, and served their own gods’ - tried to have their cake and eat it too.

☛ Christian idols – (a)worshiping a past experience (b)substituting a dead experience for a living relationship.

☛ The idol of materialism - wanting more and more. Justifying disobedience in the area of giving while at the same time, saying I love God. ‘You can not serve God and mammon’ Luke 12:15 ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." In a sense, it’s easier to survive poverty than prosperity. Eve - Achan - David - all 3 ‘I saw, I coveted, I took’

☛ The idol of self – what’s in it for me? When do I get to be in charge? Why can’t I have that? Jer. 45:5 ’But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them;

☛ Other idols include: work - status - race - patriotism(that makes country more important than God.

WE may consider the word ‘idolatry’ to be antiquated, and that’s exactly what the devil wants us to think. It is the most often mentioned topic on the Word except for God Himself.

Paul to Corinth ‘my dearly beloved, flee from idoltary...’

John wrote, ‘Little children, keep yourselves from idols....’

IDOLATRY - “Inordinate affections given to something or someone other than God.”