You Are As Close To God As You Want To Be

Heb 4:16
let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The very thought of being close to Almighty God should thrill every born-again Child of God, and to compel them to seek out this special relationship above everything else in life. Nothing compares to it here on the earth. Just imagine, though we’re on the earth, we have a unique and special opportunity to have a close, intimate relationship with our beloved God. We should desire to wrap ourselves around this wonderful concept even as he desires to wrap himself around each of us in intimacy. It’s literally heaven on earth to those who find it. In this closeness, all troubles and concerns of earth quickly disappear. Every Christian needs to seek it with their whole mind, spirit, and body. It is the greatest thing that you or I can ever hope to achieve here on this earth.

That God would even permit such a relationship with humans goes beyond my wildest dreams and comprehension. Though many feel it is mere wishful thinking, I assure you it is as true as his word. We know from scripture that God enjoyed daily fellowship with his creation, both in the Garden of Eden, which was the ideal setting, and of course with men and women of faith after the fall. Remember, by example that scripture plainly tells us that God spoke with Moses as a man speaks with a friend. Ex 33:11 KJV And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend;

So, my blog is appropriately entitled…

“You are as close to God as you want to be”.
Now, just let that concept sink into your mind for a bit. This bold statement delivers a very clear message to you and me. As children of God, at this very moment in time, we are as close to, or intimate with God as we want to be.

It’s no doubt shocking to most Christians to hear such things, though I’m not really sure why. The truth of this message is so simple that children find no difficulty in accepting it.

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be closer to God than other people? Though most probably never question it, there are undoubtedly a few who have given it some thought.

If you’re one of those who have given it some thought, what might be your conclusion as to why they have this special kind of relationship with God?

1) Does God have favorites?
2) Is God a respecter of persons?
3) Does God purpose to have special relationships with some and not others?

Scriptures clearly tells us that it’s you and I who determine the level of intimacy that we have with Almighty God.

James 4:8
draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Heb 10:22
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
So, according to this scripture, we’ve all been extended the invitation from God himself. We’re the ones who are to fearlessly and confidently draw neigh unto the throne of grace.

Read it for yourself.
Eph 2:18
for through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father.

Eph 3:11-12
according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our lord:
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Heb 10:19
having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Here’s our opening scripture again.
Heb 4:16
let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Now listen carefully. There are four levels of intimacy that you choose to have with God.

The one that you chose will be the one that determines just how close to God you are and the relationship that you have with him.

God called Moses to the top of Mount Horeb, which is the mount of God, to speak with him face to face. After that, God then established three more levels, or borders where others could ascend in order that they might draw near to him also.

#1 – The first level or border is at the foot, or base of the mountain.
Exod 19:9-12
And the Lord said unto Moses, lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the lord.
And the lord said unto Moses, go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,
And be ready against the third day: for the third day the lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai.
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:

#2 – The second level was about a third of the way up the mountain.In scripture we find the Lord inviting Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders to come up into his mountain.

Exod 24:9-11
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

#3 – The third level was even further up the mountain.

Exod 24:12-14
And the Lord said unto Moses, come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
And he said unto the elders, tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

Do not miss this – When God called Moses up into the mount, Joshua followed him. You should know, Joshua was not one of the elders, or leaders of Israel, and yet here he is following Moses up the mountain.

This should cause you to shout and dance, if you’ll understand the significance of what is happening.

#4 – Is the highest level in the mountain – THE TOP.

Exod 24:15-18
And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
Here’s the breakdown of who went where.

1) First level or at the base of the mountain – Over 3 + million men and their families.
2) Second level or about a third of the way up the mountain – 74 people / priests and leaders.
3) Third level or higher still – 2 people / Moses and Joshua.
4) Fourth level or the top of the mountain – Moses alone.

Surely you must ask yourself, why would God restrict which of the people could come into a certain level of his presence (up the mountain), and not all? Then why would he further restrict that number to only two (Moses and Joshua) and finally only Moses would be permitted to come to the very top of Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai) where he would see God face to face?

Each of these four groups actually represents the various levels of intimacy these groups of people had with their God. Their commitment to know God can be easily witnessed by their ascent up the mountain of the Lord.

You see friends, it’s you and I that determine what depth of his presence that we live in or enter into. We decide to what level we’ll ascend the mount of God, by the level of obedience and commitment that we have in our lives.

Let me show you some things that will change your life. Let’s go back to the first level, or the foot of the mountain.

Listen to the Lord as he speaks to Moses.

Exod 19:9
And the Lord said unto Moses, lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Moses, go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes,

The Lord is saying to the people of Israel; I am coming to visit you, but you can only come this far into my presence – the base of the mountain. The people were satisfied and comfortable with these words and didn’t go one step closer to the God they greatly feared. In fact, I’ll bet most of the people never even got close to the base of the mountain. They were fearful of God and his potential wrath and quite content to let someone like Moses go up for them. To them God looked like a consuming fire and someone to avoid at all costs.

These are the same group who would later build a golden calf because when Moses had been gone too long on the mountain, fearing he was dead.

This group built the calf out of earrings and gold that God had given them, as a blessing, when they left Egypt. Gold which was meant for use in the temple of God was made into an idol that they worshipped instead of the living God.

These same people would continue to murmur and complain against Moses because of the lack of food, water, and meat. They rejected all of the promises God had made to care for them, believing that his purpose was to destroy them and they’re families in the wilderness. The last insult was that they refused their inheritance, the Promised Land, that he had prepared for them – cites built and vineyards planted by others.

The second group, who would ascend the mount of the Lord, was privileged to see wondrous things – the beauty of the Lord’s feet and also to eat and drink in his presence.

Remember, that at this second level Aaron and the other leaders worshipped God. Aaron later helped the first group build the golden calf. Nabab and Abihu (the sons of Aaron) who shared the same encounter with God, would lose their lives because of disobedience, when they offered “strange fire” (unacceptable sacrifices) in the Tent of the Congregation.

Num 3:1-4
These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.
And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

Joshua an aid and minister of Moses, was allowed to climb the mountain of the Lord even to the third level of intimacy. Here he witnessed Moses entering into the cloud of God’s holy presence.

Why was Joshua able to come to such a level? He had humbled himself as a servant (minister) and faithful assistant of Moses. He was dedicated to serving God by serving Moses. Wherever Moses went, Joshua followed. When he wasn’t serving Moses, it says that Joshua was praying.

Exod 33:11
And the lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Joshua was later to become one of the twelve spies who were sent into the Promised Land and bring back a report. If you’ll recall, only Joshua and Caleb brought back a favorable report concerning the land that God had given them.

After the forty years isolation in the wilderness, Joshua would be the one the Lord would choose to lead his people into the Promised Land, instead of Moses.

Josh 1:1-3
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the Son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

Four levels of intimacy…

You are as close to God as you want to be
In the New Testament we can see these same four levels of intimacy demonstrated in the lives of those who followed Jesus Christ as well.

First level of intimacy…
Luke 10:1
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Second level of intimacy…
Matt 10:1
And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Third level of intimacy…
Matt 17:1-2
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Fourth level of intimacy…
John 13:23
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

There is great similarity in these levels of intimacy as there was in the Old Testament.

Let me bring this to light for you.

Level one
Christ appointed at least seventy people to go forth and to go ahead of him announcing to everyone that he was coming.

Level two
Out of these seventy he would chose only 12 disciple who would have a deeper level of intimacy with him.

Level three
Peter, James, and John would be taken by Jesus into situations that none of the others would be allowed to share, even Christ’s transfiguration.

Fourth level
But out of those three only John would enter into a place where he would be comfortable enough to rest his head upon the breast of Jesus, as he listened to his Lord speak and teach concerning the Kingdom of God.

1) Jesus had seventy acquaintances.
2) He had twelve disciples.
3) He had three close friends.
4) He only had one who loved him like a brother.

Jesus loved them all and they all loved him. He was not a respecter of persons as many would say. Not everyone was willing to make the life changing commitment to enter into a personable and intimate relationship with him, including many of his disciples.

Each was as close to God as they wanted to be.

Want some truth?
Not everyone is willing to pay the price it takes to walk close to God. They may say they are, but you always have to ask yourself. Why aren’t they up on the mountain of God? The price for admittance is loyalty, devotion, commitment, and time.

Every day you do the things that you feel must be done, or are important to you. You make choices, and those choices have consequences – good or bad.

Here are things you might say to yourself.
1) You can say that you are just too busy to be in God’s word.
2) You can say that you do not have time to meditate and pray to him .
3) You can say that your day is full and you need your rest.
4) You can always find an excuse.

The reality is as simple as the nose on your face. If you say that he is the most important thing in your life, you will need to find time for him and his word. Why is it that he doesn’t have a place of importance in your daily lives?

If you want intimacy with God, then you’d better give him some of your time so it can develop.
You must also protect this precious allotted time, this intimacy with your God. Fight every evil distraction and desire to do other things, which wants to rob you of your intimacy with Almighty God.

God is worth it friends! He felt you were worth it too. That’s why he sent Jesus to restore it. So don’t lose it!

Relationships require commitment. Make yours today!