BOOK REVIEW INCL.

The Christian Season of Advent

Marye Sierra Moir 🇨🇦
Nov 6 · 10 min read

“[Be] as close to Him as you want to be…”
— Joyce Meyer, Knowing Him Intimately

Photo by Ales Krivec on Unsplash

Seeking Him…

I mentioned in my story, God’s Perspective, His Plan, I personally feel that being intimate with God and others [as an introvert] is only possible through His Strength. In my story, It’s Not Supposed to be This Way, I shared how spiritual disciplines [learned at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship] allow me to deeply know that I received Salvation via Christ. Thus, I hear God. Today, I feel my inner-most spirit has become anointed; as Dr. Joyce Meyers stated in her book, Knowing God Intimately c.2003,… dwelling with God [His Holy Spirit] releases His anointing of supernatural power — assuring me as a doer of His Work on Earth.

Lord, I thank you that God’s redemption via Christ involves us. You know that fears, and worldly things, and intellectual interests & ambitions tempt us; they loosen our hold on claiming freedom via the power of Christ’s name. Yet, I know that if I seek You, You will be revealed. If I allow Your Spirit to align me to God’s Presence, I will take on Christ-likeness. [see notes 1.] I request that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be spiritually pleasing to You.
Also, may every aspect of Your Plan for the Reader(s) align, in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

The Season of Advent, known for the four candles:
Hope/Faith, Joy, Peace and Love.


Some Background Info. to Create A Motif

My goals when I stepped into my journey of preparing this Medium story:

#1. Acknowledge

…that I am currently dealing with a fear:
- God via the Bible speaks of a spiritual darkness;
- biblical scriptures infer that His Presence [at that time] will be known ‘only’, by that I mean solely; …perilously so… via an intimacy — a Bosom Buddy style of intimacy is needed to hear His whispers, and our whispers to Him;
- not that I believe that God’s priority is to be known as a taker —
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.” Job 1:21 BSB,
yet He does want to be our God, no one else is God-Himself;

#2. Do acts

…of gratitude onto the Christ, God’s Son:
- God via the Bible speaks of being a doer of His Work, His Word;
- biblical scriptures promise that prayers/acts of His Works requested in faith will be answered by Him — as a relational God [2.], we’re a top priority;
- I believe that Christ-believers must participate in offering Christ’s Light to the Body of Christ via spiritual accountability;

#3. Learn

…how-to walk the perilous line between, i) having a sanctified personal relationship with others [as God’s People] vs. ii) sharing diluted consolations [meaning Gods’s Strength mixed with worldly, carnal-inspired compassion] which are derived from things like selfish desires.

#4. Keep my appointment

…with God today, tomorrow,… in eternity.


Lord, I ask that Your touch be upon my spirit. Allow me to experience God’s Strength, His joy now — this moment, then another moment, etc.
I request that whatever
is not in alignment with biblical scriptures and Your Being, to be known/revealed as defeated & powerless via Christ’s Shed-Blood & His Resurrection.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

#1 NY Times Bestselling Author, Joyce Meyer’s KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY: Being as Close to Him as You Want to be

“Meyer [3.] Book Review” ©2019 Marye Sierra Moir, Sierra’s Creativity Blog, Guelph, ON

Desiring God Is A Vital Necessity In Our Lives

Lv 1: God’s Manifest Presence
Dr. Meyer’s shares that after years of being in ministry she fervently requested that God’s Presence be intimately revealed to her inner-most spirit. By that I mean that His spiritual anointing be released as she teaches; so that the needs of those seeking Him — her listeners, participants and recipients, will be fulfilled supernaturally [2.].
[…because God is God after all,…]
He is the Presence that restores, anoints, guides. Isaiah 60:10d, Exodus 33:13–14, 2 Corinthians 1:21–21, James 1:2–8 [2.]

The theological discourse on approaching her committed, daily and intimate connection with God captured the selfish desires shrouding my inner-being.
Dr. Meyer’s personal re-alignment to follow His Purpose via godly guidance was similar to other renowned Christian Leaders. Yet, her commitment or trust in Him, His Holy Spirit, to become equipped [to serve in public ministry] allows spiritual conviction for those Readers who suffer ensnaring fears —which bear ‘you of little faith’ symptoms.

Photo by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash

[huh, it’d be me... wondering why He, His Holy Spirit,
dwelling within me is/can be a Gentleman at the second??
]

Dr. Meyer teaches that Jesus of Nazareth, the Apostle Paul, and other biblical people received — as well as became a living vessel of God, His Holy Spirit. [3.] I personally call this spiritual anointing [4.]. In my own words, Dr. Meyer concludes, Lv 1: God’s Manifest Presence by investigating: why the Reader feels that an eternal God [5.], would be serene dwelling within them? Colossians 3:8–11

Photo by Rumman Amin on Unsplash

Thus, as a Reader, I felt a spiritual de-cluttering within my inner-most being. By that I mean that God, His Holy Spirit, reached underneath my inner-pile of God’s provisions, spiritual gifts & godly revelations; then He forcefully extracted confusion on my perception of God-given spiritual inheritance means to me.

a.k.a. God’s treasure(s): what God, His Holy Spirit, longs for — His People to walk free from sin-guilt and evil-doing, as they transmit His Light, the Lord Jesus, …thus, eternal godly treasures are added to Christ’s glory whilst the believer undergoes an individual process of God’s sanctification and gives His Son, Jesus every credit.

Photo by Ashim D’Silva on Unsplash

Lv 2: God’s Transforming Power
Dr. Meyer’s shares her own God-given transformation of “being willing to do everything for the glory of God” into “being willing to do anything for the glory of God”. [3.] I struggled to read the pain inferred within her process of God’s transformation on her spiritual life. My inner-being perceived a reflection of God-allowed pain [6.] which shrouds my personal testimony of God’s healing of my personal trust-issues.

In my own words: seek His help in child-likeness, then trust in the likeness of God’s disciple. Trust that the Person of Spirit of Holiness [dwelling within you] will seek gratification; His provisions, healing & protection; anything that’s God-given — That annoying neighbor too!
Dr. Meyer continues her theological teaching on The Seven Modes of the Spirit; teachings showing the Reader how those seven aspect of His Holy Spirit point to 1.) Jesus, God’s Son walking among us on Earth via authoritzation from God, The Father, and 2.) both the Son of God, Jesus and the Spirit of Holiness, God, His Holy Spirit being part of a triune god [3.]

My take-home thoughts are in the NOTES [7.] at the bottom of the story.

“God never expects us to suffer for Him without His Help.”
— Joyce Meyer, Knowing God Intimately, p.129

The author takes us, the Reader, on a speedy review of her feelings of rejection as His Holy Spirit began to visibly manifest supernatural power [1 Cor. 12] while she acted via trust in His Word. She shares that her biblical teachings truly, visibly were anointed — her audience, those who listened were testifying of God meeting their surrendered-needs. Thus, belief in Jesus began to transform their spiritual-being [3.]. In my own words: stop worshiping and empowering the tools & methods that God uses to offer you freedom of fears and rejection — He created those tools! They are anointed by His Presence, they are NOT God Himself. In my life this was an emotional lesson from God. I used to desire a tangible touch or to physically touch God’s tools of healing and direction… it was fear that accused me of not walking in Christ’s Victory without a ‘talisman’.


THIS IS THE MIDDLE OF THE ‘LEVELS’ OF INTIMACY

Lv 1 & 2 are above,… Lv 3 & 4, plus MY REVIEW are below —
< Dr. Meyer could’ve published this information as a set of books. >


Lv 3: God’s Reflective Glory
< Sigh.
I’ve stopped reading KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY by Dr. Joyce Meyer for some much needed sabbatical time When I feel led to — and with God’s equipping, I may return to reading Dr. Meyer’s book & then I’ll revise this section to include my thoughts on Lv 3 and Lv 4.>

Photo by Levi Bare on Unsplash

So — here I am, Lord of Hosts. Send me. Isaiah 6:5–8
In the Old Testament, Isaiah 65 infers leaving, ie. removing any value from, the lifestyle that His People lived prior to godly restoration. It speaks of God reaching out and successfully connecting to those who need His Presence. Actually, Isaiah indicates that a successful connection is related to acknowledgement of our need to receive God’s Restoration and Agape Love.
My current Senior Pastor, Rev. D. Williams has a diagram; he places it on the overhead screens when he teaches about our new spiritual life via Christ. It has one pathway arrow (of its’ two pathways): beginning at birth and becoming a dotted pathway at our moment of ‘perish’ or death on Earth. A second pathway arrow, running in the same direction, (parallel to the 1st arrow): beginning at out spiritual conversion to being a Christ-believer and continues into an infinity symbol, .

Separate lifestyles: One honors God, one does not.

Same body, yet a newly sanctified spirit and a genuinely loving soul walks on Christ’s pathway.

Do not grasp, or desire the 1st path. Even the most renowned peoples of Earth do NOT compare with the Glory of God, or those who via faith in Christ walk towards Him.

MY REVIEW

Dr. Meyers wrote a strong biblical resource for Christians who know that there is more to doing works in the name of Jesus, Son of God. Her four levels of godly intimacy are clear; yet not written as a personal testimony — this Reader was hopeful of reading that. Her struggle to learn and listen to our Intimate-God is moving: the struggle is real! At a future time, I may continue reading Lv 3. and Lv 4 — although, I acknowledge that I am a Redeemed Sinner who must 1) ask for wisdom, and 2) seek to be equipped to walk in intimacy via God, His Holy Spirit.

Rating

☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ 4 of 5

God Bless.

Tags

#Jesus — the Christ #Jesus — person&offices #gospelofJesus
#online #christian #materials #christianresources #christianauthor #JoyceMeyer #publicspeaker #christianleader #theology #apologetics
#Christianlife #relationships #beingclose #spiritualintimacy #KNOWINGGODINTIMATELY
#godsprovision #godsprotection #trust #truthwillsetyoufree #resurrection — Christianity #whatiamreading

NOTES

  1. AFFECTS OF BEING INTIMATE & IN GOD’S PRESENCE:
    Oswald Sanders, John. (2012, March 26) Four Circles Of Intimacy With God: You’re as close to God as YOU want to be, Last Day Ministries, https://www.lastdaysministries.org/Groups/1000087830/Last_Days_Ministries/Articles/Other_Authors/Four_Circles_of/Four_Circles_of.aspx
  2. RELATIONAL GOD:
    McDowell, Josh. (2015) God Breathed: The undeniable power and reliability of scripture, Shiloh Run Press, Uhrichsville, OH. p.75
    ISBN: 9781630589417
  3. Meyer, Joyce, Ph.D. (2015) Knowing God Intimately: Being as Close to Him as You Want to Be. FaithWords, New York, NY.
    ISBN: 9781455589197
  4. SPIRITUAL ANOINTING:
    a term used out of habit from being an eye-witness of His Presence at the 1990’s Catch The Fire, Toronto, ON (formally known as The Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship).
  5. GODLY HOLINESS ENCOUNTERS CARNAL:
    God, His Holy Spirit whom the believer themselves have invited to dwell inside them,
    (2004–2019) Retrieved from: Book of Jeremiah 10, Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/10.htm
    ONE WHO DWELLS:
    Benner, Jeff A. (1999–2019) Retrieved from: Definition of Hebrew Names: Zebulun, Ancient Hebrew Research Center, https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/names/Zebulun.htm,
    (2004–2019) Retrieved from: Book of John 14:26, Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/john/14-26.htm
  6. GOD-ALLOWED PAIN:
    Pain that I’ve experienced as a redeemed sinner who struggles with selfishness, — it’s allowed by His Holiness rejecting the temptation to be selfish being offered to His People, and/or the ensnaring deception of walking or giving energy to selfishness around us, and/or the accusation based on selfish acts/deep desires which isolate us from a God who’s holy.
  7. MY TAKE-HOME on 7 MODES OF GOD”S SPIRIT:
    * God-Spirit eases our grasp on our [pre-knowing Christ] inclinations,
    e.g. satisfying carnal nature, longings for worldly success & treasures, an inner-being or spirit that is silent/perishing/boring or not sustained by God.
    * God-Spirit creates a dwelling area in our lives to allow trust in Him to develop [often via ‘opening old wounds’ so we understand His Purpose for us].
    * God-Spirit provides our transformation into spiritual beings bearing Christ’s Light or the ‘God-authorized Messiah’ image on Earth; so we’re the redeemed people sharing His Purpose — enjoying the Presence of our Living God.
    * God-Spirit is respect-er of our ‘free will’, who allows us to invite Him to provide freedom-giving truths which rend lies, deceptions, and evil-accusations defeated — they cause hurt, yet via His Holy Spirit they don’t ensnare us.
    * God-Spirit allows us to listen to Him, intimately as Christ hears The Father, so that we learn to prayer well, in His Holy Spirit.
    * God-Spirit not only allows us to enjoy the Presence of our Living God, He lets our inner-being, and our body express spiritual traits of our Adoptive Father.
    * God-Spirit reminds us that we’re known to God, for all eternity — so pursue His Holiness.

Marye Sierra Moir 🇨🇦

Written by

Christian Resources, Blogger… closet SciFi reader!

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