a guest post (1st of 5) by Lauren Jones Marquez
How do we deepen our intimacy with God? This topic brings to mind a point that seems so obvious – yet because it is so completely essential, it is vital to address up front:
In order to deepen the intimacy in our relationship with God, it is essential that we be in a relationship with God in the first place! The Bible explains that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Our sins separate us from The One and Only perfect and holy God.
The Bible further explains that God – in His infinite grace, holiness, and mercy – crafted an intricate plan that through Jesus Christ we could be forgiven and then reunited back into a reconciled relationship with God – in both our earthly and eternal lives!
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. -1 John 4:10
To be in relationship with God, we must first receive Jesus into our lives to be our Savior and Lord. We must confess our need of a Savior from our sins, receive God’s free gift of forgiveness and salvation through Christ, and choose to follow Him as Lord. This is the first and most important step towards deepening our intimacy with God!
The Bible tells us that there is literally a celebration in heaven each time this occurs! The Bible also tells us that when this occurs, the Holy Spirit of God makes us alive in Christ – we were spiritually dead prior to this, but then we are made spiritually alive by God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is no longer outside of us but comes to dwell inside of us and makes the way for deepening intimacy in our relationship with God (see John 16:13-15).
When a person receives Jesus as his or her Savior and Lord, that person should then tell other followers of Christ and enter into community with other followers of Christ. Ask others to help you find solid, Biblically teaching to listen to on a regular basis. Ask tons of questions of God and of other mature Christians. And of course, dive into the Bible on a daily basis – it is the foundation for all spiritual knowledge and understanding! Do these simple things from the onset, and watch your intimacy with God blossom!
More on exactly HOW to do that in my next 4 posts… :-) –LLJM
____________________
*This post is the first installment of a series of five guest posts on the topic of “Deepening Intimacy with God” by Lauren Jones Marquez. Here are the links to Lauren’s other four posts in this series:
Like Trees Planted 