Intimacy with the Father, by what can we gauge it?

sermonindex Oct 7, 2006

October 7, 2006

~~[b]~~Intimacy with the Father, by what can we gauge our progress?[/b]

God's law to the children of Israel was a sign of His intimacy; His desire for relationship with His people purposed to be in union with Him. To embrace His Law from love, from desire, was to embrace Him. Because of obstinacy (flesh), they embraced it from need. Because of the flesh, God's provision did not stimulate them towards love but rather pride and presumption. With exception, no amount of God's provision brought love to him. As a result, fear of him; the fear of destruction was the effect upon them until even pride and presumption removed that. Love was what God was after, sacrifices from love, not sacrifice for sins. But even their fear of him waned as He demonstrated His love by prospering their lives. It all became something to be manipulated by the rulers (judges-gods) who enjoyed being rulers. However, God always had his remnant through whom, in the fullness of time, He would further reveal His desire for intimacy by sending His Word (Law), made in the flesh by His own seed, into their midst. Now, to them who believe in (trust in-rely upon) the revelation of His name, the fleshly expression of God Himself, to them He gives power to become as He is. He gives His very nature to his "remnant". This new remnant are those who see and strive to enter His Kingdom. (~~[i]~~cf. 1 Cor.13[/i]). Those who receive the Word made flesh are those who set their heart to love Him and are absolutely His; indwelt by Him and His Love made manifest. As Chambers would put it, they are ready to be "broken bread and poured out wine".

This is a short summary that can be enlarged to fit even our nation in this time of trouble.

Orm

sermonindex Oct 9, 2006

Ormly wrote:
October 7, 2006
~~[b]~~Intimacy with the Father, by what can we gauge our progress?[/b]
God's law to the children of Israel was a sign of His intimacy; His desire for relationship with His people purposed to be in union with Him. To embrace His Law from love, from desire, was to embrace Him. Because of obstinacy (flesh), they embraced it from need. Because of the flesh, God's provision did not stimulate them towards love but rather pride and presumption. With exception, no amount of God's provision brought love to him. As a result, fear of him; the fear of destruction was the effect upon them until even pride and presumption removed that. Love was what God was after, sacrifices from love, not sacrifice for sins. But even their fear of him waned as He demonstrated His love by prospering their lives. It all became something to be manipulated by the rulers (judges-gods) who enjoyed being rulers. However, God always had his remnant through whom, in the fullness of time, He would further reveal His desire for intimacy by sending His Word (Law), made in the flesh by His own seed, into their midst. Now, to them who believe in (trust in-rely upon) the revelation of His name, the fleshly expression of God Himself, to them He gives power to become as He is. He gives His very nature to his "remnant". This new remnant are those who see and strive to enter His Kingdom. (~~[i]~~cf. 1 Cor.13[/i]). Those who receive the Word made flesh are those who set their heart to love Him and are absolutely His; indwelt by Him and His Love made manifest. As Chambers would put it, they are ready to be "broken bread and poured out wine".

This is a short summary that can be enlarged to fit even our nation in this time of trouble.
Orm

Just curious --- No one has replied to this from me and I was just wondering why. Is what I stated too complicated, not Biblical, or something no one ever gave any consideration to as being significant in their walk with the Lord?

:-?

H

HeartSong Oct 9, 2006

Hi Ormly,

I will give it a try here -

Those who receive the Word made flesh are those who set their heart to love Him and are absolutely His

For me it was more a matter of His capturing of me - He tore down my walls, poured in His Love, and my life will never be the same! I am totally infatuated with Him and that which is His. There is no sacrifice. I only wish I could do more.

It was in the book "The Divine Conquest" (sadly retitled "The Pursuit of Man") by A.W. Tozer that I finally found clarity.

"Then begins the divine conquest of our lives. This God accomplishes by an effective seizing upon, a sharp but love-impelled invasion of our natures. When He has overpowered our resistance He binds us with the cords of love and draws us to Himself. There 'faint with His loveliness' we lie conquered and thank God again and again for the blessed conquest. There, with moral sanity restored, we lift up our eyes and bless the Most High God. Then we go forth in faith to apprehend that for which we were first apprenhended of God."

sermonindex Oct 10, 2006

HeartSong wrote:
Hi Ormly,
I will give it a try here -

Those who receive the Word made flesh are those who set their heart to love Him and are absolutely His
For me it was more a matter of His capturing of me - He tore down my walls, poured in His Love, and my life will never be the same! I am totally infatuated with Him and that which is His. There is no sacrifice. I only wish I could do more.
It was in the book "The Divine Conquest" (sadly retitled "The Pursuit of Man") by A.W. Tozer that I finally found clarity.
"Then begins the divine conquest of our lives. This God accomplishes by an effective seizing upon, a sharp but love-impelled invasion of our natures. When He has overpowered our resistance He binds us with the cords of love and draws us to Himself. There 'faint with His loveliness' we lie conquered and thank God again and again for the blessed conquest. There, with moral sanity restored, we lift up our eyes and bless the Most High God. Then we go forth in faith to apprehend that for which we were first apprenhended of God."

That sounds like such a wonderous experience, Heartsong. I want one of them! However, what I had in mind when suggesting this thread was to point up the everyday natural life we should all come to expect as revealed by Jesus. We know from scripture that the mountaintop experience is just that, an experience. We can't live there but rather must live in the valley where the troubles are. Nor can we be for those who seek just an experience but are to be *"broken bread and poured out wine" to the ones who hope. God knows and it is union with Him that we to should know. "Let this mind be in you....." remember?

Intimacy with Him is to have the dross removed from my life that He is able to call on me for His use --- at anytime! That is revelation truth to me.

I pray the revelation of Himself to you will further encourage you since I believe that is what all such mountaintop experiences are purposed. The valley lies ahead wherein is the way of the cross.

Thanks for sharing

Orm :-)

{*Chambers.}

I

InTheLight Oct 10, 2006

This reminds me of something I read recently...
There are multitudes of conscript Christians pressed into Christ's army by the constraint of the law. They render acceptable service, and will be rewarded for their fidelity, as the grateful country gives pensions alike to the drafted and volunteer soldier, and indiscriminately decorates their graves. But the volunteer enjoyed his service, finding the battle-field a delight because it afforded him an opportunity to suffer for his loved country, while the conscript, just as faithful in the outward act of obedience, never tasted joy in his irksome toils and sacrifices. Which kind of a Christian do you choose to be? You may serve all your life under the constraint of law, or you may serve with gladness in the way of God's commandments under the mighty impulse of love, perfect love, which casteth out all servile, tormenting fear.
-from ~~[i]~~Love Enthroned[/i] by Daniel Steele

M

mamaluk Oct 10, 2006

To be able to draw intimately to the Father, we have to first realize,

John 15:16
~~[b]~~Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.[/b]

The gauge of such intimacy can be seen as in John:

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will ~~[b]~~keep my words[/b]: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ~~[b]~~ye would rejoice[/b], because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ~~[b]~~ye bear much fruit[/b]; so shall ye be my disciples.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall ~~[b]~~abide in my love[/b]; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

To maintain all this, one ought to do as in Matthew 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, ~~[b]~~enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;[/b] and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Thanks again Orm, very encouraging reminder!

sermonindex Oct 11, 2006

Just curious --- No one has replied to this from me and I was just wondering why. Is what I stated too complicated, not Biblical, or something no one ever gave any consideration to as being significant in their walk with the Lord?

The way I see it is that a believer's awareness of what is theirs through faith in Christ and the baptism of the Spirit, increases as they continue to believe in Him and walk in the Spirit.

It is only as I've come into personal clarity that I realise how true it is that the whole world lies in wickedness, and a certain amount of mental darkness and previous thinking patterns persist..... until our Father brings a thing to our attention with the express purpose of causing us to think as He does on a matter.

Thus, as a newborn baby is undiscerning about many things, so are newborn Christians, but, if they eat what they should and grow, they will develop an appropriately 'mature' relationship with their heavenly Father.

sermonindex Oct 11, 2006

Regarding the question of intimacy: The Father draws us, who are "hungering and thirsting" to Himself; to be absolutely His. He reveals to us Jesus Christ who is the way, truth and the Life He desires for us. When we "see" Jesus, He explains the Father's heart -- an ongoing process through the abiding and NOT quenching of the Holy Spirit..

~~[b]~~"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."[/b] John 6:44 (KJV)

That's the way it has been made real to me.

:-D

H

HeartSong Oct 13, 2006

Hello Orm,

I've been thinking about what you said:

We know from scripture that the mountaintop experience is just that, an experience. We can't live there but rather must live in the valley where the troubles are.

and then

The Father draws us, who are "hungering and thirsting" to Himself

From what I can see, whenever God talks of mountains and valleys, he also talks of hills and rivers. I may be wrong, but I have come to see water as referring to the Holy Spirit, and if this is correct, He flows from the mountain tops to the valleys (always in the "low" areas) and is there to draw, sustain and cleanse us (rising back to the mountain tops to again flow forth - continuous - constant) . . . anyway, just a thought.

In His Love,
Laura