INTIMACY WITH GOD
Romans 7:1-3
								

This passage is to illustrate to us that we are under a covenant
 of Grace, not works. The difference is spoken of under the 
similitude or figure of being married to a new husband.

The second marriage is to Christ. By death we are freed from
obligation to the law as a covenant, as the wife is from her vows
to her husband. In our believing we are dead to the law. The day
of our believing, is the day of being united to the Lord Jesus. 

Good works are from union with Christ; as the fruitfulness of the
vine is the product of its being united to its roots; there is no fruit
to God, until we are united to Christ. Nothing more than a formal
obedience to the outward letter of any precept can be performed
by us, without the renewing, new-creating grace of the new covenant.
									 
           Matthew Henry
Psalms 100 & 101
Key:   Vs 3  &  2

To Become Intimate with God we must:
	#1 Know 	#2 Conceive     #3 Travail    #4 Bring Forth

David the Psalmist begins here with an exhortation to Praise the
Lord. Then he continues on by making a vow to chaste behavior
and a profession to Godliness.

There is a longing present for the relationship to become copulative.
	"When wilt thou come unto me?"
The writer feels as though his knowledge of   HIM  is far lesser than the
reciprocal.
It is acknowledged that we are aware than God Knows...
	Our deeds	Ps 139:2a
	Our thoughts":2b ; 44:21
	Our words	Ps 139:4	
	Our devotions	Gen 18:17-19; 22:11-12
	Our needs	Matt 6:32
	What might /could have been   Matt 11:23 
	Our foolishness	Ps 69:5
 	The past, present, future        Acts 15:18
	Our frailties	Ps 103:14	
	Our sorrows	Ex 3:7
	He Knows HIS  OWN  	John 10:14	II Tim 2:19

Even with this almighty ability there are still those who..
."profess that they know God; but	in works they deny him,
 being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." 
 Titus 1:16


To KNOW in the Word of God carries with it a broad sense of meaning.

We should make every effort to know God. 
As Solomon{1}      Moses{2},      David{3},       John{4}
     1. I Chron. 28:9	2. Duet. 4:35      3. Ps 46:10       4. Jn
17:3

	
		
To  become intimate is to Know... Then Conceive

Conceive = to disseminate, plant, fructify, conceive seed,  sow

To Know in the biblical sense was in part for procreation.	
So it is with God and us. Not for the sake of God-children,
but for the sake of reproducing the Christ life in ourselves.

God's word says that not all conception will happen properly.
	Is 33:10  "Now will I rise, saith the Lord; now will I be 
	exalted; now will I lift up myself. Ye shall conceive
	chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire,
	shall devour you."


Our works are futile.
	Is 59:2-7 But your iniquities have separated between you
	and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you,
	that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood,
	and your fingers with	iniquity; your lips have spoken
lies,
	your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for
	justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and
	speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity..
	Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they
	cover them	selves with their works: their works are works
of
	iniquity, and the act of	violence is in their hands. Their
feet 
	run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their
	thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are
	in their paths.

It is God's desire that through intimacy with Him that we could 
conceive as Hannah did.  In I Samuel we see her before the 
House of the Lord in verse 10..."she was in bitterness of soul,
and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.." She went on to make
a vow to the Lord.

After the Prophet pronounced God's will on her, she conceived.
Then about three years later she made good on her promise.  {vs 27-28}

  		 	
The Lord desires that the conception become good seed.
A Good conception has requirements...
	Nu 5:28  And if the woman be not defiled,
	but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall
	conceive seed.

Look at Sara,  Look at the Shunammite woman,  Elizabeth,   MARY


After the conception of God's Word into your spirit, In due time
will come the trail of manifestation we call ... TRAVAIL.

Travail  = to bear young, to beget, birth, be delivered, labour

The travail can come at an hour when you don't know. It is the
unsung hero of the child bearing experience.

Our "pregnancy" in the spirit allows us time to carry and nurture
the "seed" so that we may receive wisdom, knowledge and joy.  
So that when the travail comes we may have time marked.

The Sinner...	
	Ec 2:23  For all his days are sorrows, and his travail
	grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night.
	vs 26..." to the sinner He giveth  travail, to gather
	and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good
	before God."

The sorrowful pain proves to be unbearable and death occurs. 
The labour was useless.

Gal 4: 19   "My little children, of whom I Travail in birth..." 
 The process is one that is to bring about greater life, more life,
 additional life. Not death.

Jo 16:21	A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, 
because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered
of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish..."

To the weary and discouraged this warning is given...
	2Ki 19:3    And they said unto him, Thus saith
	Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of
	 rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are
	come to the birth,and there is not strength to bring forth.

We must lean on Him to be our strength in this hour.

We must know that with His help we can bring forth this child.

Bring Forth  =  Bring up, be delivered, 

The child is the Fruit of the copulation , the conception and the
carrying .

Ones strength must be restored after travail, even increased to bring
forth.

Matthew 5:78 says that "we are to bring forth fruits worthy of
repentance"
These may be things that we have carried around for a long time.
Things that have conceived in our spirits from having been involved
with the world.

Nonetheless...	
Ro 7:4-5    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.	For when we were in
	the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, 
	did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

If we will but have the relationship with Him that He desires He
assures us in His Word in Mark 4:20 that..."these are they which
are sown on good ground; such as hear the word and receive it,
and bring forth fruit,..."


Thanks.!!
Rev.Curtis Butler
HT.COG@juno.com