Destiny is Intimacy

Rhoni · #1 02-21-2007, 05:15 AM

This week I have been listening to a revival held by Dr. Gerald Jeffers. His Doctorate is in counseling [I knew I loved that man's preaching for a good reason].

I will add to this as I review what was said, but I think I mentioned this on another thread: Back in the 70's I read a book entitled, The Divine Romance. God compares his relationship to the church as similar to that of a husband and wife. God is a gentleman and He romances his bride, makes her feel safe, comfortable, and cared for so much that she has no fear of unveiling or uncovering herself/making herself vulnerable to him. Then he fills her with promise, with hope, with new life. She gives birth to this promise and nurtures it, and grows it.

Many times we seek ministry, we promote programs, people, and signs. These are comparable to artificial insemination. This all takes place in a laboratory with little or no intimacy involved. Yes, you love your spouse and want to have his child even if it is under less than intimate means, but intimacy is lacking here. God wants us to praise him [kiss], and invite him in [woo], but he also wants intimacy [worship].

If we want things; ministry, money, reputations, gifts of the spirit...we must become intimate with God [the giver of all these things]. Stop thinking about the things he has to give and love him, romance him, and worship him. Seek Him and then he will shower his bride with all these things that he has to prove his love for his bride.

Please feel free to add to...I will also.

Blessings, Rhoni

Scott Hutchinson · #2 02-21-2007, 08:26 AM

This is good,because God is looking for relationship , that's why I think preachers in times past who weren't great at oratory and preaching hermeneutical and homiletical correct messages saw moves of God,because they had great prayer lives and they earnestly sought the face of God.
God blesses relationship with Him.

Trouvere · #3 02-21-2007, 08:35 AM

Sister Rhoni I see the church as a father and child relationship.There are those who compare it to a marriage but the word says we call him ABBA meaning father.So I see God as the ultimate good father who though He administers correction always loves us and sees our good as the result of His actions.I feel that some expect Jesus to be more than a father.
Our relationship with him cannot replace human contact.Just some thoughts today.I do see your point as valid though.

Rhoni · #4 02-21-2007, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trouvere

Sister Rhoni I see the church as a father and child relationship.There are those who compare it to a marriage but the word says we call him ABBA meaning father.So I see God as the ultimate good father who though He administers correction always loves us and sees our good as the result of His actions.I feel that some expect Jesus to be more than a father.
Our relationship with him cannot replace human contact.Just some thoughts today.I do see your point as valid though.

Isn't it so wonderous a mystery how that Jesus can be: the father and the son, the lamb and the shepherd, the beginning and the ending, the alpha and omega, the husband and the father, flesh and spirit...

Scripturally the church has always been referred to as the bride of Christ. The role of husband and wife is a poor subsitiute for the relationhsip that Christ has with his bride/the church. Many times a husband's love is conditional, and when his wife would make a mistake he refuses to cover her and love her regardless. But Christ's love for his bride/the church is unconditional. We mess up and he forgives and restores. We betray and seek other gods/relationships but he is always there to cover, forgive, and restore.

Can God fill the void of the absence of a love relationship in the natural...ABSOLUTELY. There has been no man, husband, or love like the love between Christ and I. A moment in His presence more than adequately makes up for the loss of intimacy in any respect.

Blessings, Rhoni

Trouvere · #5 02-21-2007, 11:01 PM

I look more to the scriptures that speak of us calling him ABBA.We are adopted sons and daughters.I don't see God as my husband.A husband makes a poor substitute for God anyway.God never fails whereas man always does in one way or the other.But a father has much more responsibility toward a daughter than a husband does a wife.He raises her through the vunerable times and protects her.
A husband in this day and time who could fill those big shoes would be rare.I know it is preached in pentecost that He is our husband but I think it stands more in committment.God cannot take the place of a physical husband.He can though be the father you go to when the world has let you down or you have a need.
I have to admit I disagree with the notion that is being preached in churches around the globe that Jesus is our lover.That is not the level He is on.He is on a higher plane than that.

#6 02-22-2007, 05:06 AM

Hey Rhoni and Trouvere,

Maybe we are son's of God AND the Bride of Christ and you are both right!???

(TIC)

J/K J/K

Rhoni · #7 02-22-2007, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philjones

Hey Rhoni and Trouvere,

Maybe we are son's of God AND the Bride of Christ and you are both right!???

(TIC)

J/K J/K

Glad to see your response Bro. Phil. And I agreed [refer to previous post]. The one thing that I know the premise of the Bible to be built on is God's relationship to the church. It was always in the plan of God to have BRIDE. He desires intimacy with man. Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the evening...he enjoyed fellowship with man. Man's sin separated God from the creation that he so desired to have companionship and intimacy with. He went to great lengths to restore relationship through the sacrifice of himself: For God so loved the world...that he gave. JN KJV

God's ultimate desire is relationship born out of loving him for who he is and not what he does or can give. When the scriptures speak of Destiny...it means ultimate relationship with the church to the ultimate wedding ceremony of the lamb presenting to himself a bride without spot or blemish..

Many times, we see Destiny as validation in ministry. God is not looking for more preachers, more singers, more evangelist and teachers...he is looking for :the true worshippers/lovers to worship him in spirit and in truth. This is why the scriptures about those who do many great things by the name of Jesus: Casting out devils, healing, prophesying...but in the end Jesus will say: Depart from me I never knew you. Why? Because we are so busy with the ministry that we forgot to form relationship with the person for whom we minister. It is like a wife who takes her husband's name, uses his charge cards, is known by reputation to be his wife but who never has sexual relationship with the spouse or any intimacy.

God created us, redeemed us because he wants a bride, not only in name but in relationship. He wants intimacy with us. From where I am and where I have been...one cannot know true intimacy with a spouse if one does not have true intimacy with Christ.

Is God "ABBA" Father? Of course. He, like husbands are commanded to do..loves, protects, cherishes, defends...whether deserved or not because we are his children. God commands the same from husbands, and models it through his relationship to us/the church. When we grow up...mature in Christ we always need our father's love but we are more in need of a spouse who covers us as a Father would, but loves us like only a spouse can do!

Blessings, Rhoni

Rhoni · #8 02-22-2007, 06:03 AM

Christ, as husband, wants us to seek his face...not his hand of blessing. When we seek his face in true intimacy and relationship then there is nothing his hand will withhold. Christ's ultimate goal is to present to himself a bride...not because she is worthy and hasn't taken other lovers...but because he has forgiven, restored, sanctified, and washed...by his own blood to present to himself a pure and spotless bride.

Jesus My Lord, and My God...the lover of my soul.

Trouvere · #9 02-22-2007, 08:47 AM

There are many who would disagree that God loves you like only a spouse can.
He loves the church as a whole like this but individually God loves you like his daughter.The intimate relationship is not the husband and wife relationship because the love of God is agape love.That is much different that earthly love.
He is not earthly in any sense yet has been on earth but He was alway above
us in this plane.Jesus lived on earth with victory over the flesh as only the Holy
Ghost walking in flesh could have.He was subject to the same passions but did not let those passions override the purpose of his coming.
So no I don't beileve that God loves you personally like only a spouse can.He loves the church like this but individually you are a child to him.I believe those who are preaching this are off doctrinally.Sorry sis.I still love you.If this was so then Adam would have had no need for and Eve.After all he had God walking with him in the cool of the garden.

Trouvere · #10 02-22-2007, 08:52 AM

Here is bible.Nothing carnal about the love of God for us here.Sorry I disagree with
Dr.Jeffers on this one.I like his subject and text but I disagree with some of the things he sad as they were to EROS.

NT:5368 phileo
<START GREEK>file/w
<END GREEK> phileo (fil-eh'-o); from NT:5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while NT:25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as NT:2309 and NT:1014, or as NT:2372 and NT:3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specifically, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness):
KJV - kiss, love.

NT:25
<START GREEK>a)gapa/w
<END GREEK> agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o); perhaps from agan (much) [or compare OT:5689]; to love (in a social or moral sense):
KJV - (be-) love (-ed). Compare NT:5368.