Many of us read the word “intimacy” and get embarrassed. But intimacy is not always about sex. The word is defined as: closeness, togetherness, rapport, attachment, familiarity, friendliness, friendship, affection, warmth, confidence. So, when I talk about intimacy with God, I am talking about coming closer to Him – knowing Him, sharing life with Him.

So many of us hold God “at arm’s length.” I suppose there are plenty of reasons why we do that. Some of us may be afraid that if we come closer to God, we will be exposed. Yes. That is a part of intimacy, too. But, you have to understand, we are talking about GOD here! He already knows all your business, and He chooses to love you in spite of it.

Often I observe the behavior of Christians, and I am amazed that they do some of the things they do. One conclusion I have come to about this is that they lack that closeness with God which would change how they act. How much do they honestly love Him?

I know in many ways, you and I am free to act any old way we please. We are adults. We have a free will. We can make our own choices, right? Ah, yes, but my Lord has bound me to Him with cords of love. We are so close that anything I do or say, or even THINK is laid bare before Him. Knowing how much He loves me should influence the way I act. Knowing the price that was paid so I could have this sweet intimacy with Him helps me to make choices that I know will please Him. If there was no relationship, it would be different.

If some stranger on the street came up to me and said I was a big jerk, I doubt it would bother me much. They don’t know me. We have no connection. What they think is not my concern. I don’t live to please them. It is easy to brush off their words. But, if someone I care about –someone I love – tells me I am a big jerk... well! That is a different story. Love changes everything.

Yes. Love. Amazing love. Perfect love.

Sometimes I hear Christians say that they feel God wants them to do this thing or that thing, but THEY JUST CAN’T. Hmmmm. Why? Could it be because they just don’t love Him enough? Could it be that there are other things in life that are more important to them than their relationship with God? Do they choose fear over Him? Do they choose the opinions of others over Him? Do they choose a comfortable, easy life? Does their pride come first?

Lest you think I am some kind of “holier than thou” type, I have said no to God a time or two. But, the terrible feeling that weighs my heart down is not worth it. Usually, after a bit of struggle, I find myself running to Him and asking forgiveness and for another chance to obey.

If you truly love someone, and they ask you to do something, no matter how hard it is, you will try to find a way. You will do everything in your power to grant the request of this one you love. Say, for instance, one of your children becomes ill and needs a kidney transplant, you would PRAY you were a match! Or, suppose your dearest friend is in a desperate situation and needs help. You will try your best to be there for them, right? You LOVE them.

OK, so if you, as a believer who loves God, is asked by Him to do something – something hard and a little bit scary– will you do it? Will you step out and trust Him? Will you make excuses, or will you take a deep breath and say, “Yes, Lord”? I believe this is the true test of our love for Him.

(1Jn 4:7-8 NLT) Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

To be honest, sometimes I struggle to find the balance, you know? I read the verse that talks about not piling up treasure here on earth, and while you could hardly call what I have treasure, I do like what I have.

(Matthew 6:19 - 21NLT) "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

A lot of things I love are right here on earth. Well, not so much THINGS as PEOPLE. I do enjoy my life. I enjoy the beauty of nature, working hard, and laughing with my husband. I adore my grandchildren, and love all of my family and friends. I am happy to be used by God here in Denmark. I love seeing people grow and change. I think of these things as “treasures,” but I don’t think this is what the verse means, either.

Is there some possession I have that I totally love and could not live without? Hmmm ... I do enjoy my possessions, such as they are, but they are just THINGS. I had a bottle of really nice perfume, and I dropped it on the floor. It broke. I felt bad. But — stuff happens. I like perfume. I don’t need it. As missionaries, we certainly do not have a lavish lifestyle. We rent an apartment in government subsidized housing. Our furniture and other furnishings (even most of our clothes) come from second hand shops. But life is good.

Then sometimes, I look through those glossy magazines, you know? --- The ones that show lovely homes, perfect gardens and all that, and if I am not careful, I can feel dissatisfaction trying to rise up in my heart. It can happen so easily. You can find yourself coveting something and resenting where you are and what you have. It's a dangerous place. It's a place where you take your eyes of the Lord. When I feel that happening, I remind myself that "stuff” has no eternal value. Living to accumulate nice things is a shallow dream indeed. Owning all that may be nice, but the pleasure that comes with it is fleeting, because soon you find yourself discontented and needing MORE! It is knowing Christ, really knowing Him, that is the great reward! It is living in peace and contentment of His sweet presence that truly satisfies. My heart longs to know Him more. I want others to know Him, too.

We do not need to feel guilty if we have nice things. We just need to be careful that the nice things to do have US! We need to be sure what matters above all else is the Kingdom of God. We need to remember that while this life is enjoyable, it is a mere eye blink compared to eternity. This is not all there is, but the choices we make here will prepare us for what comes after this life. We have a short time, really, to make a difference in this world.

So, where is your treasure? What holds your heart? What do you long for?

How many of us do the right things for all the wrong reasons? What are some of the wrong reasons?
1. Doing things so people will like us.
2. Doing things to impress others.
3. Doing things because we are afraid to say no.
4. Doing things because we like to be in control.
5. Doing things out of guilt.
6. Doing things because we are too proud to delegate or ask for help.

God is looking at our hearts. God is interested in what motivates us. He sees the pride. He sees the fear and guilt. He wants so much more for us than the small life that comes from letting the wrong things rule your actions.

What are some good motivations to do what we do?
1. We enjoy it.
2. We love God and know He has asked us to, and we desire to please Him.
3. We want to be responsible and set a good example.
4. We see a need and feel called to help.
5. We know it is right.
6. We know it will bring us joy.
7. We feel compassion.

The other day I was thinking about how many things people do with fear being the motivation. For example... taking vitamins. Do you take them because it seems like a good idea, or because you are afraid of getting sick? Even things like cleaning the house or washing the car can be motivated by worry of what others might say if we don't. My mom used to clean the house before the cleaning lady came to clean the house! Kind of silly, isn't it?

We worry a lot about what people will think. We really should be most concerned with what GOD will think, but too often, He is pretty far down the list. We try to impress certain people with what we wear, what we drive, etc. How hard to we try to impress GOD?

I believe if we want to enjoy this life God has so graciously given us, we need to do things for the right reasons.

(Eccles. 12:1 NLT) Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor Him in your youth before you grow old and say, "Life is not pleasant anymore."

The problem with doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is that after a while, you start to be resentful. You feel used and unappreciated. You feel stressed, angry and trapped. There is no joy in that.

I have found that if I have the proper motivation, I am able to do really difficult things with a good attitude and outcome. If I know it is the right thing for me, the commitment is there, and God gives me wisdom, grace and strength. If I feel pushed or "guilted into" what I am doing, I do not give it my all. I do not try to do my best, and I don't have the support of the Lord, because He never ask me to be there in the first place!

So, my friend. What are you doing, and why are you doing it? Have you lost your joy? Are you are feeling burdened and stressed? Resentful? Maybe you are doing things God never ask you to do. Maybe it is time to examine your heart and ask yourself some hard questions.

Sunshine makes me happy. Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream makes me especially happy. But I can't be happy every minute. I would weigh 300 pounds! Happiness comes and goes. Some mornings you wake up and you feel good. Some mornings... not so much. That's life.

But joy! That is another thing entirely. My joy does not come from possessions, weather, food or circumstances. My joy is a result of knowing Father God, and that can never be taken away from me. It is a constant in my life.

The dictionary defines happiness as: "the result of a pleasurable or satisfying experience." Yep. But I see joy as something deeper; something more lasting.

I suppose, all things considered, I was not a "terrible person" before I gave my life to God. I never killed anyone. I didn't vulgar language, and I had never been in jail. But, inside I felt sick, dirty and confused. Inside I felt lost and afraid. All of that changed when Jesus took over. All the guilt left. All the sin-sick confusion and shame were gone. Oh! The JOY was incredible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h89-3_kIRDA Keith Green wrote a song that describes it well. The song is called Your Love Broke Through.

Like a foolish dreamer trying to build a highway to the sky
All my hopes would come tumbling down, and I never knew just why
Until today, when you pulled away the clouds
That hung like curtains on my eyes
Well I've been blind all these wasted years, and I thought I was so wise
But then you took me by surprise

Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed
Until your love broke through
I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me
Until your love broke through

All my life I've been searching for that crazy missing part
And with one touch, you just rolled away the stone that held my heart
And now I see that the answer was as easy as just asking you in
And I am so sure I could never doubt Your gentle touch again
It's like the power of the wind

Even when things are not going well, I can feel that deep joy singing in my spirit. Sure, I cry sometimes. Circumstances in life can be painful and frustrating, but in the midst of it all, there is an abiding joy. When you read through II Corinthians 4, you hear a bit of what the early disciples of Jesus endured. Many were beaten, stoned, hunted down and tortured for their faith. But they considered it a small price to pay for knowing Jesus.

(2 Cor 4:8-9 AMP) We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.(V 16-17) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

I have never had to suffer what these men and women of God suffered for their faith. I find it uplifting and incredibly wonderful that they were sustained through all their trials by hope and joy. It gives me peace to know this same joy is mine for every situation I must face.

(1 Peter 1:8 AMP) You love Him even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him now, you trust Him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.