Intimacy with God
- By Fern Poyser
- Published 05/18/2008
If we spend all of our time listening to what other people know of God and never spend any time with Him ourselves, do we have much hope of ever really hearing from Him for ourselves?
One of the first keys to developing a relationship with Jesus is getting into His Word. In the books of the Bible - especially the stories of Jesus and the letters written by Paul and the other apostles - God Himself writes to us, letting usknow what He thinks is important and telling us stories of all those through the years who have been courageous enough to draw close to Him and do His will. In getting into His Word, it is also good to get into Bible studies and sit under the teaching of others to learn what they know and how it has changed their lives. God has called us to need each other and learn from each other as fellow believers and we need that constant interaction to make us stronger.
Prayer is a two-way communication. Not only do we need to spend time talking - but we also need to listen. We need to do more than present our requests and needs to God; we need to let His requests and needs touch our hearts. We need to let His passion and energy soak into our hearts.
Then we need to get into His presence. When His people gather together and lift their voices to Him in praise and worship, that act of worship creates room for Him to come and be with them.
When we are willing to lay aside our own needs and desires for a time to come before God and sing our thanksgiving and praises to Him, it allows Him to fill us afresh with His Spirit, speak to us, and touch our lives.
The closer we draw to Him, the more we learn to recognize His voice, the easier it will be for Him to speak to us directly and go guide us into the abundant life He wants for us.
We can miss the SUPERNATURAL by seeking the SPECTACULAR. We want a dream or a vision, but all God gives us is an impression, and we end up missing Him not because He is silent, but because we are trying to control the way He speaks to us.
One of the first keys to developing a relationship with Jesus is getting into His Word. In the books of the Bible - especially the stories of Jesus and the letters written by Paul and the other apostles - God Himself writes to us, letting usknow what He thinks is important and telling us stories of all those through the years who have been courageous enough to draw close to Him and do His will. In getting into His Word, it is also good to get into Bible studies and sit under the teaching of others to learn what they know and how it has changed their lives. God has called us to need each other and learn from each other as fellow believers and we need that constant interaction to make us stronger.
Prayer is a two-way communication. Not only do we need to spend time talking - but we also need to listen. We need to do more than present our requests and needs to God; we need to let His requests and needs touch our hearts. We need to let His passion and energy soak into our hearts.
Then we need to get into His presence. When His people gather together and lift their voices to Him in praise and worship, that act of worship creates room for Him to come and be with them.
When we are willing to lay aside our own needs and desires for a time to come before God and sing our thanksgiving and praises to Him, it allows Him to fill us afresh with His Spirit, speak to us, and touch our lives.
The closer we draw to Him, the more we learn to recognize His voice, the easier it will be for Him to speak to us directly and go guide us into the abundant life He wants for us.
We can miss the SUPERNATURAL by seeking the SPECTACULAR. We want a dream or a vision, but all God gives us is an impression, and we end up missing Him not because He is silent, but because we are trying to control the way He speaks to us.