Intimacy With God; What Is It?

•1.  Many of God's people think they know the King, but they don't, and it's cost them their life.

•a.  I'm not talking salvation, but life...spiritual vitality, power, effectiveness, impact, punch, meaning, fulfillment!

 Jesus said He came to give us life, and life abundantly.

The word "abundantly" means, overflowing.

• Not a dribbling...not up to the brim...but an over- flowing.

•b. We know things about God, His word and His ways, but how many of us would say we know God?

•  Don't confuse the two because there is a difference between knowing things about God and knowing Him.

• You say... well...what do you mean by "know"?

•c. Define, "know"

• the hebrew word for "know" is yada

• the greek word for "know" is ginosko.

Both speak of an intimate knowedege gained by getting up close to something.

•d.  Which statement more closely describes your relationship with God:

• "I know a lot of things about God." or...

•"I know God personally, intimately. He's real to me. I enjoy God and have fellowship with Him."

Most Christians claim the first statement instead OF the second.

 Jesus said:

"And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent."
-John 17:3

 Jerimiah said:

"Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boast, boast of this.....that he understands and knows Me...."
- Jeremiah 9:23

•e. Part of the new covenant included the guarantee that we would now be able to know God intimately..... Jeremiah. 31:31- 35

Let Look At God's Covenant: (The word Covenant in Hebrew,

A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18, 19).

The corresponding word in the New Testament Greek is diatheke, which is, however, rendered "testament" generally in the Authorized Version. It ought to be rendered, just as the word berith of the Old Testament, "covenant."

This word is used (1) of a covenant or compact between man and man (Genesis 21:32), or between tribes or nations (1 Samuel 11:1; Joshua 9:6, 15). In entering into a convenant, Jehovah was solemnly called on to witness the transaction (Genesis 31:50), and hence it was called a "covenant of the Lord" (1 Samuel 20:8). The marriage compact is called "the covenant of God" (Proverbs 2:17), because the marriage was made in God's name. Wicked men are spoken of as acting as if they had made a "covenant with death" not to destroy them, or with hell not to devour them (Isaiah 28:15, 18).

 The word is used with reference to God's revelation of himself in the way of promise or of favour to men. Thus God's promise to Noah after the Flood is called a covenant (Genesis 9; Jeremiah 33:20, "my covenant"). We have an account of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17, Compare Leviticus 26:42), of the covenant of the priesthood (Numbers 25:12,13; Deuteronomy 33:9; Nehemiah 13:29), and of the covenant of Sinai (Exodus 34:27,28; Leviticus 26:15), which was afterwards renewed at different times in the history of Israel (Deuteronomy 29; Joshua 1:24; 2Chr. 15; 23; 29; 34; Ezra 10; Nehemiah 9). In conformity with human custom, God's covenant is said to be confirmed with an oath (Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalms 89:3), and to be accompanied by a sign (Genesis 9; 17). Hence the covenant is called God's "counsel," "oath," "promise" (Psalms 89:3, 4; 105:8-11; Hebrews 6:13-20; Luke 1:68-75). God's covenant consists wholly in the bestowal of blessing (Isaiah 59:21; Jeremiah 31:33, 34).