|
Home | About Us | This Week | News | Ministries | Gallery | Devotional | Resources | Opportunities | Contacts |
|
Devotional for week – 21 July 2008 Sermon Title: True Worship Requires Trust Nowadays, life has improved so much that if you have a GPS (Global Positioning System) installed in your car, you would have no problem locating a place within a certain time, even if you are totally new to the location. We are so conditioned and comfortable with our modern technology that we may be exercising less faith than before. Yet, it was so different during Abraham’s time. In Genesis 12:1-8, it is recorded that Abraham ventured into the unknown without any GPS, cell phone or compass. All he had was faith. And with faith comes greater trust in God’s leading and direction. With this biblical model in mind, let us study three areas of true worship: 1. True worship requires faith to act and to believe In our worship of God, it does not mean that we only come to the house of God to express our response in worship, such as singing of praises, praying, in listening to the preaching of God’s word or giving our offering to God. More than that, our worship of God is where we also build our faith and enhance our Christian belief. I remember praying for a couple at the altar in my former church. They had the desire to start a family but after a few years, there was still no news. They became anxious and approached me after worship service one day for prayer. I prayed for them at the altar. I thank God their prayers were answered; they were soon blessed with a baby and subsequently two more children. In our worship, let our faith arise for us to act and to believe. Let us pursue every opportunity to seek God and I am sure God, in His mercy and grace, will reach out to you. 2. True worship calls for the attitude of emptying ourselves The way God spoke to Abraham was to ask him to leave everything behind. This was a very drastic move. He had to leave everything behind - his family members, siblings, and even his wealth. Only his immediate family was with him. It was not an easy decision. Isn’t that the same call Jesus had for His disciples? Jesus said in Mark 8:34: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” There was to be no turning back. As I look at modern Christians today, it has become increasingly harder to follow Jesus. Instead of emptying oneself, we bring many things before Jesus - our degrees, careers, possessions, investments, even our children’s education. Our hands are full; we are always so pre-occupied. We end up not being able to leave our fishing nets, as the early disciples did, and follow Jesus. I know of a brother-in-Christ, Dr Philip Huan, one of our church camp speakers. Philip was a straight A-student. He was also very much on fire for the Lord and wanted to serve in God’s ministry. So he made an agreement with his parents that he would complete his university studies. True to his word, Philip graduated from university and went to bible college and is today serving God in the pastoral ministry. I believe his ministry has been very well-received. If you are prepared to obey the call of God, you have got to trust God. You have got to move out beyond your parents’ dreams or your own dreams. Abraham did that! Just as he left everything behind, he had everything before him. God honoured his faith and made him the father of a great nation; many generations after him were blessed too. When we obey God, God fills us up both physically and spiritually. 3. True worship requires a willingness to make sacrifices in worship In Genesis 22:1-19, we learn how God wanted to test Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac to God. Abraham obeyed the Lord faithfully without making any bargain, murmuring or disbelief. Abraham recognised that in worship, there had to be a sacrifice. He reckoned his son Isaac could be it. But deep inside him, Abraham knew God was trustworthy. In Genesis 22:7, when Abraham’s son, Isaac, asked him about the lamb, to be sacrificed, Abraham’s answer was that the Lord would provide. True enough, when Abraham was about to slain his son, an angel came and stopped him. He had passed the test and God had provided a substitute ram. Abraham called that place, “The Lord will provide.” This is a great testimony - the God we believe is Jehovah Jireh - God will provide. In the book “Living a Fulfilled Life – Making your Life Count for God” is a testimony of a man of God, Rev Dr Abel Thomas. An itinerant preacher, he started the ministry with so little that he and his wife had to save up $320 to buy a washing machine. After saving up a sum of $160, a ministry colleague wrote to him for financial help. Thomas initially struggled with his response, but he finally released that money to his colleague in faith. All he was left with was $1 in the bank. Later someone Thomas had a conversation with passed him an envelope and said, “This is what God told me to give you.” In the envelope was a cheque of $320, exactly what he needed! Thomas had this to say in his book: “I am not speaking to you from what I do not know.” Indeed he knew who had provided for him. Worship requires us to act to obey and to give. But God will never forget what you have done. He will always reward us with much. I am sure anyone who ventures out for God will be blessed accordingly. Are you prepared to venture out? You don’t have to have great degree, a well-paid job or a great background. The answer is: If you are willing to forsake yourself, obey and exercise faith to act and make sacrifices for God, you will get there! Prayer Lord Jesus, I worship You. I trust in You. I empty myself of my vanities, my ambitions to follow after You. I do not want to get too comfortable here on earth. In faith, I want to believe and act on Your purposes for me. I want to make my life count for You. In Your precious name I pray, Amen. Devotional based on a message by Rev Lee Yam Kai
|