Intimacy With Christ | - Devotional Blog

Welcome to the Intimacy With Christ Devotional Blog
Every day brings new opportunities to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Here you'll find biblical devotionals, practical Bible teaching, and Christ-centered encouragement designed to strengthen your faith and deepen your relationship with God. Whether you're seeking wisdom, healing, renewed hope, or a deeper understanding of Scripture, these devotionals will help you apply God's Word to everyday life. My prayer is that each message inspires you to spend time alone with God, trust His promises, and experience the transforming power of His love. ~ Author Richard Wafford
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." — James 4:8

Deathly Pride | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/11/2026

Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

You were raised to have what you need and to get what you want; you have been groomed to satisfy yourself! No one else will be going too. But that is the problem in our walk with Christ: everything in life is not about us; it is all about Him. Life will be so much richer and fuller when you figure this out.

You have nothing; God provided everything you have on loan from Him. All things you have come from God, all things come through God, and all your things will return to Him. Out of the kindness and generosity of God’s love, everything you have is for you to enjoy.

Pride is unstoppable; therefore, you need to guard yourself against it and always be on the lookout for it. Pride alone will stop your love, joy, and peace in their tracks. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal.”

Your Intended Purpose | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/10/2026

John 1:1–2, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

You struggle throughout life trying to find your reason for being here. If you live contrary to your created purpose, you will be disappointed with your life and always feel that there must be something more.

Jesus Christ is the Logos. This is where we get the word logic or reason. To know the logos of a thing is to know the reason it exists. If you use an object for a purpose it was not designed for, you will end up breaking it. If you use a screwdriver as a chisel and hammer it, you will eventually break it.

When you live contrary to what God has designed you for, you end up broken in your purpose. You will feel a sense of worthlessness and emptiness. Your sole purpose for being here is to repent of all your sins, turn your life over to Jesus for the forgiveness of all your sins, and surrender all your rights and your own will to the will of God; your life will become whole and complete. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal.”

Counting The Sand | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/8/2026

Psalm 139:17–18, “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.”

It’s amazing to me as I think of all the times I have been put down over the years. Every single one of them I had to overcome, stop myself from dwelling on them, and then think new thoughts toward myself, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. I had to dig into the Word of God and believe what God says about me is true: that I am the apple of His eye (Zech. 2:8). God’s thoughts toward us are precious. If you could hold a handful of sand and count them, maybe 100,000 grains, and then look at the shoreline, you would see that God loves you more than you can fathom. Everything that happens to you in this life is because He loves you, and somehow, somewhere, it is for your good and His glory. So just accept it with a grateful heart and a big smile. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal.”

Heaven Coming Down | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/7/2026

Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

The true mark of a Christian in whom the Holy Spirit dwells is forgiveness. And it’s not easy to forgive someone who has wronged you and has been downright nasty and abusive toward you. A preacher online said, “Heaven is full of people who are forgiven, and hell is a place where people are not forgiven.” So, when you forgive someone, you pull heaven down to earth, and every time you refuse to forgive someone, you pull hell up into your life. That’s a profound thought. Either you are displaying the love of God or the hatred of Satan. Which pretty much tells you what to expect in your life: either peace and tranquility or chaos and unrest. Thank you, I’ll go with God’s way. ~ Richard

Excited For Jesus | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/6/2026

Matthew 5:14–16, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

It is appalling what you see in the news. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst of mankind, they commit such wickedness against the innocent, and it sickens you. Then you cry out to the Lord, even so, come, Lord Jesus.

You need to get excited about your salvation because your redemption to eternal life is closer than you realize. An excited person cannot contain the good news; they must share it with others and be a light that glorifies God. Like the woman at the well, she was so excited about meeting the Messiah that she left her water pots, ran into the city, and proclaimed, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him (John 4:29–30). Because of her excitement, the whole city came out to meet Jesus and believed in Him. It’s your excitement in sharing the good news that will get people’s attention. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which unlocks the mysteries of God’s truth that the devil doesn’t want you to know.

Investing In People | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/5/2026

Matthew 6:19–20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

People invest all the time to gain more money, only to die suddenly and leave it all to someone else. The saying is true: you cannot take it with you. Every cent, every dollar, and every precious thing you hold dearest is left behind.

The only true investment for the Christian is to invest in what will go to Heaven. When you invest in people's lives, you will enjoy your treasure in eternal bliss. Imagine being in Heaven; your focus will no longer be on the things of the earth, no longer longing for material things but for things eternal. Imagine how disappointed you will be in yourself for not trying harder to store up treasures in Heaven by reaching more people and discipling more. Be persistent. Be that man or woman of God, a powerhouse for His kingdom. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which unlocks the mysteries of God’s truth that the devil doesn’t want you to know.

Life’s Ups And Downs? | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/4/2026

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

In the high times and in the low times, God is there with you. If you pay close attention, you will see that God is trying to guide you to place all things in His hands and to give Him thanks for everything you are going through. When you recognize the hand of God in good and bad times, you know that in those moments God is working all things for your good. Otherwise, you will focus on yourself, play the victim, and want everyone to join the pity party you have thrown for yourself.

You will be an unhappy, unjoyful person who is not very pleasant to be around. You’re going to have problems, afflictions, heartaches, and pains, but when you realize that God has allowed these things to come into your life to mold and shape you into the image of God, permanently erasing the old sinful person you used to be, you will proclaim that God does all things well. Because God’s grace is always sufficient for you during those times. Because in your weakness God’s strength shows up (2 Cor. 12:9). ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which unlocks the mysteries of God’s truth that the devil doesn’t want you to know.

Failure Isn’t Defeat | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/3/2026

Proverbs 24:16: “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.”

I’ve failed more times than I can count, and I’m harder on myself than any man alive. God must remind me to forgive myself, get back up, and keep moving forward. That isn’t easy when you feel undeserving of forgiveness, honor, and the Lord’s favor. It’s hard for someone like me to accept that everyone fails multiple times in life and that God understands our failings. God knew of all my future failings before He gave me a new heart and Spirit and saved me anyway. He considered me worthy to become His child and poured out His grace, mercy, strength, and favor upon me like a water bucket challenge. It’s hard for me to understand that kind of generosity and unmerited love. It’s still hard for me to accept praise and honor in a public setting among my peers. But I am forever grateful unto the Lord for such recognition, for without Him I am nothing and can achieve nothing. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which grew out of my own experience of a time of darkness, desperation, and healing, and the hope I needed in Christ.

Hope Is A Future Word | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

8/1/2026

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

In this world of dark depression, adversity, and confusion, there is one word that rises above all others, and it is the most valuable word known to mankind. The word is hope. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an atheist who denies the existence of God or an agnostic who believes only what they see; we all wake up every morning because of that one word: hope.

Hope keeps you moving forward no matter what you have gone through. Jesus is your hope, and the Word of God is His promise to you. Your promise of salvation is your hope in eternity in the presence of God. Hope is a word of the future. Hope is not a present-in-the-moment type of word; hope is always in the future, and all our hope is in Christ. Paul gives you a hope to be excited about: Christ’s imminent return. You are to be excited and look forward to it. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which grew out of my own experience of a time of darkness, desperation, and healing, and the hope I needed in Christ.

Kindness Feeds Your Spirit | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

7/31/2026

Deuteronomy 8:2–3: “You shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Many are the troubles of life, yet these same troubles are beneficial to those who truly understand. Some understand, and many never will, living their lives in a senseless haze, a fog that obscures their minds from the reality that life isn’t merely physical but also spiritual, and that man truly does not live by bread alone, but by the words of hope that proceed from the mouth of God. When you interact with people, every interaction is spiritual, for everything you do speaks to the spiritual nature of your soul. A physical smile, a wave of the hand, a warm bear hug, laughter, a giggle, and even a friendly nod speak volumes to a hungry soul. If you were put in isolation, your spiritual nature would starve to death. Even though you are well fed, you will still die without your spirit being fed. The Word of God and obedience to it feed your soul and allow it to thrive. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford
Many of these lessons are in my new devotional book, “Warrior of the Cross, 40 Day Discipleship Challenge & Journal,” which grew out of my own experience of a time of darkness, desperation, and healing, and the hope I needed in Christ.