Set Free To Serve – Part 8

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).

As amazing as it may seem, it is not unusual to find people doing all kinds of unnecessary “work” in the church. Maybe they are trying to reach a level of acceptance in God’s eyes or seeking to please another person. Striving to gain the approval of others is stressful at best. Trying to gain God’s approval is useless. This is because God has already placed His stamp of approval on your life and nothing you do can cause Him to love you more than He does right now.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you gain everything there is to gain of God’s love. Even before you were created in your mother’s womb, God loved you fully and completely. This world has nothing of lasting value to offer us. All of our striving and rushing to gain approval results in only one thing: emptiness of heart and soul.

Satan’s greatest folly is to tempt us into believing that through our good works or our smart appearance someone will love us more. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Don’t allow the enemy to entice you into believing you are unacceptable. God accepts you just the way you are. All He longs for you to do is to love Him with a whole heart. When you truly understand your acceptance in Christ and experience the everlasting love of God, you will obey the Lord as an expression of your love. You have been set apart to serve Him, the Most High God.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me even when I act unlovable. Forgive me for the times when I turn away from You. Help me to surrender my life to You daily. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

110813 – Deeds & Perseverance Before God

020713 – The Unchangeable God – Rev Oriakhi (LOTW)

Free To Serve – Part 6

The writings in Isaiah 5 is related to Ezekiel 19 which is a major part of Jesus’ parables.

Here, Jesus spoke about His vineyard where He found bloodshed and cries of distress, and instead of good grapes are sour grapes. He also spoke about His visitation (judgment) upon the vineyard. He enjoined us to be fruitful (see John 15:16). This parable of vineyard tells us that God always looks at, and comes back to check your heart. The state of your heart determines whether you can receive the blessing that God brings. The blessing of God doesn’t just come to a person anyhow; you must be in the right spirit to receive it.

Isaiah 5:4 says, “What more could have been done for My vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?”
Matthew 6:25-33 says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, … … … … Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? … … … … … So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 

Prayer: Father, let my fruits be commensurate to your expectations. Let the products of my attitude be satisfactory to You on Your day of visitation. Father, destroy everything in me that produces evil and take every deception away from me. Refine my thoughts that I may produce fruits of righteousness. Lord, Let my fruits be delightful to You, take away sourness from me and let me not bring regret or shame to Your name. Let my life and attitude be dedicated to You. Help me to always consider Your word before I act. Refine my heart, my life, and my church. Deal with every action of my heart, bad attitudes and habit. Destroy every rebellion in my heart and help me to submit to Your counsel so I can be Your delight. Help me to yield good fruits with my relationship with You and human beings. All these I ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

CFT

3x Things God Loves – Apostle Williams