Principles to Live By: Spiritual Intimacy, Pt. 4

Knowing God, talking to Him daily, & listening to Him speak to you through the Bible: this is what it means to have an intimate relationship with God.

Principles to Live By: Spiritual Intimacy, Pt. 4

"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.'"

(Matthew 22:37-38)

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He responded in Matthew 22:37-40 by telling the person that the greatest commandment was to love God completely and the second was like it, to love one's neighbor as yourself. Jesus' words take us back to Deuteronomy 6:3-5, the Shema (Hebrew word for listen or hear): "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you— 'a land flowing with milk and honey.' Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

Knowing God, having a relationship with Him, talking to Him daily, and listening to Him speak to you through His Word, the Bible: this is what it means to have an intimate relationship with God. The only way we can know God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins and reveals to us how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and arose from the dead. He paid the price for our sins and invites us to trust Him to be our Savior and Lord. Jesus said in John 1:12, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name."

Dr. Stanley says there are four categories of people, and we all fall into one of these four regarding our relationship with God: general, distinct, distant, and intimate. Read our devotion tomorrow as I share these four categories to wrap up this week's devotions on Life Principle Number 1.

But before we close out today's devotion, please take a few moments and evaluate where you are in your relationship with God. It is the most important relationship you will ever have. Knowing the one true God is the most important thing in this world! In Consumed by Fire's powerful song, "First Things First," here is how they describe what is most important in this life: "I don't wanna love what the world loves. I don't wanna chase what the world does. I only want You. I only want You. First things first, I seek Your will, not my own, surrender all my wants to You. Keep the first things first. To live Your truth, walk Your ways, set my eyes, Lord I fix my face on You. All my desires reversed to keep the first things first."

Is Jesus Christ first in your life?