Part 2 - Intimacy Brings Unity

· Although intimacy is exclusive, it does not mean that intimacy can exists in a vacuum.

· Intimacy needs two people to survive.

· In the case of creation, even though all God made was very good, but yet it was NOT good that man be alone.

Genesis 2:22–25 (NLT)

22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ”

24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.

· Adam and Eve were literally “made FOR each other, for they were made FROM each other

· Since Eve was made from Adam’s rib, she was to be by Adam’s side. Not trampled under his feet or over lording over his head.

· Through physical intimacy, Adam knew Eve, they were fruitful and reproduced the heart and vision of God through children.

· As we are the bride of Christ, God wants us to know Him as intimate as a bridegroom, where we share the same vision, want the same things, and, walk in the same direction, as Adam walked daily with God physically in the Garden of Eden during the cool of the day.

Intimacy with God is the ultimate unity.

In John chapter 14, Jesus prayed WE would be one as He and the Father are one.

John 17:21–24 (NLT)

21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.

23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

24 Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!

Intimacy is Vulnerable, yet Secure

· Even though Adam and Eve were naked, they were not ashamed.

· They had nothing to hide from each other, they did not play any games and did not hold anything back from one another or from God until they sinned against him.

· Only after sin did they hide from the Lord to try to cover themselves because of shame.

· But God went immediately to work to cover them and forgive them to restore the intimacy as much as possible until the second Adam would arrive from their family to redeem mankind back to himself.

· Let’s always be open and vulnerable to the voice and leadings of God’s Holy Spirit, regardless of where we have been or what we have done. Let God’s love heal your hurts.

Intimacy is Commitment

· Intimacy says - I’ll be there - no matter what

· Intimacy never has to look over its shoulder to see if his partner is still with him or not.

· Jesus said “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Intimacy Requires Trust

· GOD will never hurt you.

· Don’t let man’s unfaithfulness tarnish your view of God. He is good all the time!

Intimacy is a 2 Way Street

· Intimacy requires a Response

· The deep heart of God calls to the deep need of man!

Intimacy brings Fruitfulness

God gave us natural examples to illustrate spiritual truths.

For example, God walked in the garden of Eden with Adam in the cool of the day

· A natural example of spiritual intimacy between God and man, and between Christ and the Church, is demonstrated by the marriage between one man and one woman.

· Holy matrimony represents holy intimacy.

· Knowing someone means to be intimately close with them

· Holy Discourse brings holy intercourse, one heart one mind.

· God wants to walk with you today.

Intimacy Brings Exclusive Knowledge

Song - “To KNOW Him is to LOVE Him!”

· Intimacy means to KNOW someone deeply

· Adam KNEW his wife intimately:

· One of the Hebrew words for intimate knowledge is:

3045 דָּעָה, יָדַע [yadaʿ /yaw·dah/][1]which means - to show or reveal one’s self, to be made known by experience, to recognize one

· God wants you to know Him even more intimately than Adam knew his own wife

· To KNOW Him is to LOVE Him!

Your marriage reflects your relationship with God

· Do you talk about anything with each other, openly and honestly, without fear of judgment or reprisal?

· Can you safely share your deepest desires, regrets, fears, and questions?

· How close do you Walk together?

· Do you still sit close together?

· Is your marriage still a loving relationship, or has it become a business relationship for the sake of the bills and the children?

· Is your life a set of isolated compartments or do you openly share them with your spouse?

· If you own a business, can you mix business with pleasure?

Personal Challenge:

Let’s always draw closer to the Lord so we can know Him better!

[1]Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.