Pastor Nicholas Tsakis shared with us on Sunday 20 March from Romans 12:11-12.
Think how one experience that is negative can change the zeal and passion of an individual. It's true that we can lose - or have robbed - our passion when we have a negative experience.
From Romans, we learn firstly to be fervent in spirit. Being fervent means to be zealous and passionate. Take note how the key person in this passage from Romans is the Holy Spirit. So don't just rely on your strength, because self-confidence is limited compared with what the Holy Spirit gives in Christ. In summary, we need the Holy Spirit to empower our lives.
We learn, secondly, to be joyful in hope. Joy comes from certainty rather than experience. It's a certainty that you know God is God, and that our life can be anchored in Christ. You can be certain that God is with us and this church. Our assurance is not because of the experience, but because God has everything in control. There is a joy, for instance, when God says everything is going to be okay. See also Hebrews 11:1 and don't give up as faith gives substance to our hopes. And be encouraged by Romans 5:5, which tells us that hope in Christ does not disappoint. It is NOT unfounded optimism.
Thirdly, be faithful in prayer. Don't just pray when things are going well, as Paul Mountney shared so well earlier in our service. Sometimes, we only pray for the now. Let's pray at all times and take no shortcuts.
In verse 11, from The Message, we read about not burning out. Keep yourselves fueled and take note of the warnings that come our way.
We're supposed to be fueled and aflamed with the power of the Holy Spirit.
You can be, with the power of the Holy Spirit. This week, read and meditate on the Word of God. And when the arrows come, you can reject the enemy from your children, your family, your life.
- Posted using an Apple iPad on behalf of Empower Christian Church, Australia
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment