Principles to Live By: Spiritual Intimacy, Pt. 5

If the most miserable person in the world is the Christian who is out of fellowship with God, then the most blessed and peaceful person is the Christian who is walking closely with God.

Principles to Live By: Spiritual Intimacy, Pt. 5

"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)

This week we have been studying what Dr. Charles Stanley calls Life Principle Number 1: Our Intimacy with God. In his message, he lists the four types of relationships we can have with God:

General relationship. Stanley says we all have a relationship with God, whether we know it or not and whether we want it or not. He means this in the sense that since God created us, He knows us, and there is a relationship because of our being created by Him in His image. You could say we are all God's children in this sense. This does not mean that an unbeliever has a relationship with Him like believers do. This person will die and not spend eternity with God in heaven because he or she never responded to God's love and desire for them to know Him and walk with Him.
Distinct relationship. This is someone who has received Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior and Lord. They repented of their sins, accepted Jesus Christ by faith, and when they die, unlike those who are only in the first category, they will go to heaven. This is the desire of God's heart, that everyone knows Him. As 2 Peter 3:9 teaches, God does not want anyone to perish but for all to come to repentance. Praise God for His grace! This person is redeemed, justified, set apart, reconciled, and lives life to the highest level.
Distant Relationship. This person knows the Lord but is not walking in closeness or intimacy with God. They do not pray much, read their Bible, give very much, or serve, and most people in this category have never been discipled. I know this must grieve our heavenly Father for some of His children to know Him but not walk in closeness and intimacy with Him. There is very little spiritual fruit, and seldom if ever does this individual share their faith with a lost person. Stanley's teaching about this reminds me of Jim Putman's excellent book on discipleship called, Real Life Discipleship Training Manual, where he presents a spiritual wheel. There are those who are spiritually dead and in sin, then spiritual infants, those who have just recently come to know Christ, then spiritual children, who are spiritually immature in many areas, then spiritual young adults, who are fairly mature and active in their faith and serving, and then finally, spiritual parents, who are actively leading others to Christ and discipling them. I am sad to say there are many in our churches who are well up in years physically but still children spiritually.
Personal and Intimate relationship. This is where God desires all of us to be. If the most miserable person in the world is the Christian who is out of fellowship with God, then the most blessed and peaceful person is the Christian who is walking closely with God. This is the life He wants for all His children! This life is the Spirit-filled life, the Sermon on the Mount life where you are yielded to Christ and spending time with Him first thing every morning and throughout the day as you pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This person walks in close intimacy with God. At this point in Stanley's message, he used one of his favorite words, and that was the word "listen". He said, "Listen, don't miss the ultimate purpose of your life."

I am so glad you read this week's devotions. We have been looking at Charles Stanley's first life principle which we should prioritize and live by, and that is our relationship with the Lord. Where are you? Are you just "General", where God knows you, but you do not really know Him in the sense of having a relationship with Him? Are you perhaps a backslidden believer who falls into the "Distant" category? Or are you walking in an intimate relationship with God? I pray that you know Him and walk in sweet fellowship with Him!

If you do not know God, turn to Him now in repentance and faith. Romans 10:13 teaches us that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

If you know Him and are not walking closely in relationship with Him, then repent and turn back to your first love, and incorporate the spiritual disciples of prayer, Bible intake, worship, and service. Get back in a sweet and intimate relationship with God.

If you would like for someone to pray for you, please send your prayer requests to pray@dfea.com, and we will lift you up in prayer to God.