I have been thinking a lot lately about intimacy. It's a word that keeps coming up in conversations, sermons, and in my heart-more specifically, intimacy with the Lord. At church, we've been learning that, as believers, we will truly be able to influence the world for Christ when we have true intimacy-when people can tell we've been with Him. I'm reading through Acts right now and have been so challenged by the life-style of the disciples and apostles. Why and how did they impact the people around them so greatly? Acts 4:13 says: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." They had been with Jesus!! And people could tell! In fact, the people in this particular verse that were noticing that they had been with Jesus, weren't even believers! They had the power of God! I've been learning that the more we are with Him, the more we are filled with His power, the more our faith increases, the more we will reflect Him, and the more He will use us. Our strategies for ministry are useless if we have no intimacy with Him, if we don't have His power, and if the Holy Spirit isn't our guide.
Praying for more intimacy...
Ah Sharon, thanks so much for posting this. It was very deep and thought-provoking. You are right - our ministries are worthless if we don't have intimacy with Him!
ResponderEliminarI have been learning along the same lines, thank you soo much for sharing. YOU are an influence and and impact on my life.
ResponderEliminar