Intimacy with God

Isaiah 1:10–20 (NLT)

¹⁰ Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”

Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”

¹¹ “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”

says the Lord.

What good does it do to follow the letter of the law but miss the intent – the – of what that instruction was supposed to bring?

The Law was supposed to help grow the relationship between God and his people.

“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of fattened cattle.

I get no pleasure from the blood

of bulls and lambs and goats.

¹² When you come to worship me,

who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?

¹³ Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;

the incense of your offerings disgusts me!

As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath

and your special days for fasting—

they are all sinful and false.

I want no more of your pious meetings.

¹⁴ I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.

They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!

¹⁵ When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.

Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,

for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.

¹⁶ Wash yourselves and be clean!

Get your sins out of my sight.

Give up your evil ways.

¹⁷ Learn to do good.

Seek justice.

Help the oppressed.

Defend the cause of orphans.

Fight for the rights of widows.

¹⁸ “Come now, let’s settle this,”

says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

I will make them as white as snow.

Though they are red like crimson,

I will make them as white as wool.

God is still willing to get involved .

¹⁹ If you will only obey me,

you will have plenty to eat.

²⁰ But if you turn away and refuse to listen,

you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies.

I, the Lord, have spoken!”

This isn’t spoken by an God, but by a loving God who longs for us to change our path so we don’t fall into the quicksand of consequences.

1 Timothy 1:5-6a (NLT2) ⁵  The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. ⁶  But some people have missed this whole point.

John 14:15 (NIV)  “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

is perhaps the greatest way we love God.

What do we do?

• Let God know you want to know him, and hear him, and love him
• Ask him to help you, to forgive you
• I recommend you take some time every day to imagine sitting on a bench with Jesus
  • Write down your conversation
  • You’ll grow to know his voice