Form of godliness or Intimacy: By James Lantz

     God was so gracious to provide the earth and everything in it for all of mankind to enjoy! Even after man’s rebellion, God graciously sent his only begotten Son to pay the price for our sins and give us a bright future. God’s desire to have an intimate relationship with his man becomes clearer and clearer as we recognize  His acts of love and experience some of that love. 1 John 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Oh, how much he loves you and me! His attention to know all the details of our life, even the number of hairs on our head. He knows the problems we are experiencing, His protecting hand is on us. Just like God heard the cries and the groaning of his covenant people burdened down with Pharaoh’s cruel demands, he hears our cries today. Jesus is our Jubilee! Every fifty years in the old covenant they had Jubilee. If you had lost your farm because of debt, your debts were cancelled, if you were made a slave because of debt, your debt was cancelled. Jesus Christ is our Jubilee! This is not the time to be playing church, having a form of godliness, but denying the power.  God is looking for someone to believe him.  Faith pleases God because this allows his exceeding abundant grace to be released into our life. Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The reward is what Jesus purchased for us through his death, burial, and resurrection (salvation, baptism in the Holy Ghost, healing, deliverance, prosperity, protection, wholeness). Not only did Jesus purchase every good thing for us but he is seated at the Father’s right hand as our high priest. He counts our faith as righteousness and sees to it that we receive everything that we say. Rom. 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (also Mk.11:23 & Heb. 10:19-23)  When we grasp that God accepts us as righteous when we believe him, and releases the reward upon our confession of faith, we will be joyful. There is no such thing as being in faith and not being joyful. Rom. 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit specifies that real heart faith can only be released from someone with a pure heart and a good conscience. 1 Tim. 1: 5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned (unfake or real).  Lk. 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Recognize that the only soil (heart) to bring forth a harvest is the good soil. The harvest represents prayer fruit.

(see John 15:7&8)  According to Jesus parable about the word being sown, only twenty five percent received any harvest (fruit). That’s one out of four people who are successful in keeping their hearts pure and free from the contamination in this world. Jesus said beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Leaven (sin) is like yeast which causes the bread to rise. Their words may sound good sometimes but their actions reveal their hypocrisy. They say but they do not do. By their fruits shall you know them.  Another place Jesus said to the Pharisees and scribes, you honor me with your lips but your heart is far from me. Mk. 7:9 … Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. They were saying that they did not have to honor their parents because they gave a gift to God. Today a popular theme, even among church goers, is family first. Now if Abraham had believed like many church folks today, he and Sarah would have said that was not God’s voice asking Abraham to sacrifice their son. Then God would have had to find someone else to covenant with in order to bring His Son into the earth. The first law of blessing is, God first, and you put God first by doing what He says. Mt. 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Jesus told his parents when he was twelve years old, I must be about my Father’s business. Early on in Jesus ministry, when his mother and brothers kept their distance from him in his meetings, he left them know that blood relation is second to covenant relationship (his disciples). Mt.12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!   Mt.12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.  When traditions of men are honored over what God has said, it causes the blessings of God to be absent from their lives.  Many times people look at the blessings of God as immediate financial gain but this is no indicator that we are obeying the Lord. Yes, financial blessing’s are part of God’s blessing but there are many others. Your life is spared when others didn’t make it, your kids are not on drugs, but rather serving the Lord, you have the peace and joy of the Lord. Our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is number one in our life. When the disciples reported back to Jesus after ministering, they were excited about the fact that devils were subject to them in His name. Jesus makes it plain that the biggest miracle is not running devils off, but rather that they have been qualified to live with God.   Luke 10:20   Not with standing in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. This is what it is all about, Jesus loving us, and us loving him. It also brings our rejoicing around to what God has done for us and not what we can do with his name. Many have no concept of what God did for us through his mighty power, when He raised Christ from the dead. You cannot receive what God has done for you without receiving Him.  2 Tim. 3:1 – 5  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, with out natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power there of: from such turn away. In talking with people, many believe that they are going to heaven just because they are pretty good people. They have a form of doing right but inside they are full of pride and selfishness. There is a day spoken of when Israel was to suffer from their pride and haughtiness, the women will lose their wealth they trusted in and many of the men will fall to the sword. Isaiah 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. Now this was God’s mercy for those who survived the judgement, but oh how far from God’s best. Jesus wants us to enjoy the intimacy of marriage with him, his love and care, his provision, as well as his name. In the kingdom of God, we need to yield ourselves to him, to enjoy the benefits of intimacy.  Romans  7:4  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 

Rev. 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is a thrist come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.