Topic: Strive to become intimately acquainted with God [Jentezen Franklin Ministry Devotional 9 August 2021]

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Strive to become intimately acquainted with God

August 9, 2021

“So I could know Christ personally…and go all the way with him.” Php 3:10 MSG

It’s one thing to know about God, but it’s entirely another thing to know Him intimately. Take a moment and examine your life today. Has your walk with God slowed to a crawl? Are you running on empty? A full tank is only possible by making regular visits to the pump; that means paying attention to your fuel gauge. And a full tank doesn’t just happen; it requires vigilance, commitment and action. Your flesh will work against you every day, and adverse circumstances will come to discourage you. Even those close to you may misunderstand your new spiritual priorities. If it was easy, anyone could do it. The prize goes to those who can say like Paul: “I gave up all that inferior stuff so that I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him” (vv. 10-11 MSG). The Bible tells us, “The man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame” (Ge 2:25 NLT). That’s physical intimacy! But the ultimate intimacy is not between a man and woman; it’s with God! And Paul didn’t just pray for it; he pursued it with all his heart. Nothing was more important to him. How about you? Do you sing God’s praises in church with a mind that’s elsewhere? Have you become so critical around others that you sound like an unbeliever? Have you allowed sinful habits to rob you of your confidence toward God? (See 1Jn 3:21-22). If you have, you must do something about it! Starting today, strive to become intimately acquainted with God.