Hey guys! Hope you guys have been great... I know I have been, even though I have to be away from home (Malaysia in case some of you don't know), I feel as though I AM at home right now in Melbourne! :)
I know it's been forever since I've posted something... But I really felt that I needed to post this up - which was the sermont Pastor Sam preached just 2 days ago. It really touched my heart and I don't want you guys who weren't here to miss it. Because it really moved me.
Okay, basically the title's called Giving Yourselves Completely to God. It is just a very simple thing. We should all know that God loves us so much that He gave His only Son Jesus to die for us right? But deep down, do you truly know that God? Do you actually have that kind of relationship with Him?
Romans 6:12-14 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace."
(And more for deeper reading: Psalm 69:9, Matt 19:16-24)
Are there areas in your life and heart where you have locked away and thrown the key away? It may be that hurt or pain or suffering or sin or whatever it may be, don't hold it back. God sent Jesus to die for us for a reason. He wants to take away all our burdens. Not some, but all!
Matt 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ' Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"
This may sound weird to you. At first, Jesus died for us and shows how much He loves us. But at the same time, He doesn't recognise us. He even said He never knew us. Why?
It is because we never actually had that relationship with Him. We may be serving in church or "doing things" for God and be so involved, but still don't have that intimate relationship with the Saviour.
We want to be a church which believes that Jesus is our everything. He is all we've got. We shall be a church who doesn't want position or recognition or whatsoever - we just want to be close to Him. It is all about having a whole-hearted devotion to Him.
Now read this many Scriptures (if you truly love Him, you would want to) :-
Eph 2:4-5, Phil 2:9-11, Romans 5:8, Isaiah 26:3, Eph 1:6-7, 2 Cor 5:21, 2 Cor 3:17, 1 Cor 1:9, Eph 5:1-2, John 15:15-16, Gal 4:6-7, Isaiah 43:2, John 10:27-29, 2 Cor 9:8, Psalm 107:9, Phil 4:19
If you have read them all, your heart must be filled with joy. And at the same time, there is that ache in your heart - because you have learnt to acknowledge how much He truly loves you. And that we ache to be closer to Him.
What more can you ask for? What more could we possibly need?
Just give ourselves completely to Him. Every area of our lives - our relationships, finances, thoughts, studies, our homes our possessions and everything and anything.
This is just a challenge for each of us. Okay, don't take it as a challenge. Do this only because you want it. You want it so much - to be close to God. And to depend wholely on Him only.
This will be an incredible year for us. I believe that there is so much in store for us. It will bea year filled with seeds, plants and even fruits! :) COME EXPECTING!
Hugs everyone!!
Loves,
Ai Ling.
