Devotional Blog - Intimacy With Christ

Welcome to the Intimacy With Christ Devotional Center
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. ~ Author Richard Wafford

Settling For Less | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/30/2026

Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

The unbeliever does not struggle against the world; he wants the world, and the world wants him. Together, they are content in their present state of sin. The one who comes to Christ is sick of the direction his life is heading. When he hears the Word of the Lord and realizes that his condition is far worse than he had thought, he knows his sins will send him to hell for all eternity. He wants to experience this new life in Christ, so he turns his life and his sins completely over to God. By faith in the works of Christ, he is given a new heart and Spirit.
You might think this is the end of the struggle, but he learns that he must pursue God every day to keep his hunger and thirst for more of Him alive, or he will be pulled back into the world that once controlled him. People get stuck in the middle, torn between the world and God's loving, gentle pull. The truth is that you can have as much of God and the world as you want; you must make a decisive choice for the one worth forsaking the other. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

True Love | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/29/2026

Song of Solomon 7:10: “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.”

How far would you go for someone you love? Would there be anything too small or too big you wouldn’t do for the object of your love? Come Hell or high water, you would go to the ends of the earth and back. You wouldn’t allow anything in the world to drive a wedge between the two of you.

Then why is it such a big deal if Jesus tells you to be morally upright, honest, loving, and caring toward others? Loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself is easy enough when true love is present. You wouldn’t allow anything to drive a wedge between the two of you, especially the stranger of sin! ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

I Love Being Sick | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/28/2026

John 5:5–6 “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

Jesus asked a man who had been sick for 38 years a seemingly strange question: “Do you want to be made well?” But is it really a strange question? Some people love the thing that made them sick. People often treat a sick person with more compassion than a person who is well and healthy. So today's question is, “Do you want to be made well?” Are you willing to let go of what made you sick in the first place? That sin you love so much- is it really worth it? Let go of it so you can truly enjoy life to the fullest; allow Jesus to heal you completely; step out in faith. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

Engaged To The Lord | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/26/2026

Leviticus 19:1–2 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

If a woman or a man engaged to someone told you that, when you get married, there are two people in your life you still want to date six days out of the year, would you still marry such a person? Of course not; you would end the marriage then and there.

When the Lord says, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy,” He wants you to be wholly and completely His. He will not share you with the sins of the world six days out of the year. You were redeemed, bought with a price, and are wholly and completely the Lord’s possession. When He granted you the right to be His child, you are not to willfully step outside your engagement to the Lord; you are to be faithful in your walk with your Husband. “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2). ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

Valued Asset | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/25/2026

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The most valuable things are loved and cherished, held close to the heart. Freedom was worth fighting for in World War II, when Hitler threatened everyone’s freedom and was murdering millions of innocent people. For those fighting against him, it was different: we fought for our families and friends. That gave us the will and the edge to win, no matter the cost.

There is also something else worth fighting for, especially in the spirit realm. Your soul is God’s most valued asset, and it’s the one thing that would hurt God most if anything were to happen to you. This is why Satan wants to destroy, deceive, and confuse you, and to flood your mind with worries, fears, anger, bitterness, and doubts. Satan hates God and, in turn, hates you because you are God’s most valued asset. That is why you will face spiritual warfare, which is nothing more than the demonic realm fighting for dominance in your mind. What you think about most is who you obey most. Therefore, you must choose whom to obey: God or Satan. Your spiritual freedom from this tyrant is worth fighting for with every ounce of strength you have through Jesus Christ. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

Closer To Thee | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/24/2026

Psalm 63:1 “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.”

The closer your relationship is to Christ and God the Father, the more severe and catastrophic your spiritual warfare will be. But here’s the thing: the more Satan attacks you, the more God equips you with the strength to handle it in Him. You must understand this: the closer you are to God, the stronger your faith, the more you rest on His promises, and the more you rely on Him with every ounce of your being. You won’t be perfect, but you will be unshakable in your pursuit of truth and of God. With the know-so-faith you now have, the Holy Spirit of God within you will whisper in your mind, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). God Himself will move every mountain and cast down every giant. Fight every battle and destroy every stronghold. You have nothing to fear because Daddy is ever watching you and holding your hand! ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

An Unworthy Love | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/23/2026

Hosea 2:16 “And it shall be, in that day,” says the Lord, “that you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’”

In my opinion, there are no greater verses in God’s word than these. No longer will you call Him Master, but my Husband. One who is a master cannot be embraced as a husband, but one who says, “I am your Husband,” by virtue of His love for you, can you call Him Master! There is nothing greater than having a personal, intimate God you can call your friend.

Then God says through Hosea, in Hosea 2:19–20 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” Such undeserving, unmerited love is not something you or I deserve, yet it has been granted to you by a loving Father. God’s greatest plan for you is to have a close-knit relationship with you! What a great future you have ahead of you! ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

My Best Friend | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/22/2026

John 13:12–14, “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

The King James Version uses the word Master, while the New King James Version uses the word Teacher. In Greek, “Didaskalos” means Teacher, which makes this passage more personal. Master suggests blind obedience, leaving no room for a personal attachment to a friend. To reveal His true intentions in His relationship with them, He stoops down and humbly washes their feet. You will do more for a friend than for a master who enforces his will upon you. A relationship is to love, share, and enjoy your Teacher's company.

As your teacher and friend, Jesus gently leads you in how to live life to the fullest, making Him more personal and intimate to you. He reveals who you really are and who you were meant to be when He created you. Sin has blinded your eyes to the real you on the inside, creating a harsh, cruel, prideful attitude that hides your true personality. He alone knows you better than you know yourself. To discover the way of life is to allow Jesus to be your Master Teacher Friend, who shows you that the more you know Him personally as a best friend, the more you discover the best version of yourself. You want to really bond with another person? Go wash their feet.
~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

Relationship Takes Time | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/19/2026

You want faster internet, faster cars, and get-rich schemes. You want fast food, and at home you have microwave ovens. Some things in life you just cannot rush. The best things in life, the most valuable, need more time to develop and work on. For instance, taking the time to raise our children properly and to cultivate a strong relationship with your spouse.

1 Kings 18:42-43 And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So, he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”

This fast-paced world has penetrated the church. Remember from God’s word that waiting on Him renews your strength, just like the eagles. Building any relationship, especially with Jesus Christ, requires time. You need to spend significant time in His word to truly understand who God is. Prayer also cannot be hurried—you must spend time praising, exalting, and expressing gratitude for God's material blessings. Then, dedicate specific moments to particular prayer requests, praying until your faith firmly takes hold of heaven’s throne. When this happens, no one can shake your confidence; you will be certain that God will answer. Pray passionately with groans and moans only the Holy Spirit can interpret. Let your heart be burdened again for the lost and noncommitted followers of Christ. As Paul expressed in Galatians 4:19, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you," he prayed fervently until his disciples were rooted and grounded in Christ's love. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford

Beacons of Light | Intimacy With Christ | Richard Wafford

9/18/2026

Ephesians 5:8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

You already know that the forces of evil are increasing and sweeping across the land, and that those who are born again are being relentlessly attacked as never before. You who are strong and steady in the Lord are beacons of light to those who are weak in the faith and to unbelievers. Within you lies the reality of Heaven and Hell, which the world needs to know before it is too late for them!

You are light in the Lord; walk as children of the light. Humanity is relentlessly searching for the hope you have within you, but they are too blind to see it. It is vitally important for unbelievers to see the truth in action, to witness firsthand the truth being lived out in the real world. Then the truth you speak to them will carry the power of the Lord, bringing them under conviction and godly sorrow to repent and turn away from sin. ~ Richard

Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved © Richard W. Wafford