July 11, 2021 Pastor Jim Hardesty

Our routine is a schedule of our priorities.

You must schedule time with God. If you do not add God to your routine then God is not a priority and you will lack intimacy with God.

Jesus went out to a desolate place to be alone with God. If the Son of God needs intimacy with the Father, how much more do we need it?

Jesus was guarding himself against 3 cancers of spiritual intimacy:

1. Busyness – When we keep ourselves so busy, whether in ministry work or at home, that we are not spending time with God, we are losing our chances for intimacy with God.

2. Complacency – Not doing things with your whole heart  or mind. How many times have your worshipped or read the Bible without putting your complete effort into doing so? Completing actions, but not really seeking after God means that God is not a priority.

3. Comfort – Like a snooze button on the alarm clock, are you putting God off until it is convenient for you? Comfort will steal your prioritized time with God.  Your intimacy will suffer.  If TV, work, sports – comforts – come before God you are putting your comfort before God.

The only way to climb Mount Desolate is to prioritize God.