Sunday, 22nd May 2022
Pastor Maosong Chang (Guest Speaker)
II Timothy 1:6-12 says, ‘Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason, I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.’
DO NOT BE LUKEWARM
The words coming out from our mouth have authority. Paul knew this truth, he has experienced when he preached and when he praised God, the earth was shaken. Paul was writing this letter to his disciple, Timothy, and he urged him to have passion in serving God. He is the King of kings, we cannot take it too lightly when we serve Him or when we pray to Him. When we give thanks to God, what is our attitude? When we pray, do we really believe in what we pray? When we worship, do we really pour out our hearts and souls?
God is serious about us, He allowed His only Son to die on the cross for us, He thinks we are precious. Do we respond God the same way? There are people who would cry during the worship, would jump up and down while singing praises, but there are also people, who would not have any response. Do not let this fire go out, failures, rejections, being hurt, being alone… may all be the reasons stop us being passionate about God. We should strive to keep this fire. Sometimes being too busy can also stop us experiencing God, the matters of this world attract us and pull us away from God. We must be deliberate to keep the fire and keep the passion. We also need to sing songs of faith, worship loudly, draw close to those who are on fire for God, and stay away from those people, who always see things on the negative perspective.
TO BE STRENGTHENED IN GOD
Paul urged Timothy to be strong and courageous. So many Bible verses teach us to be strong, to not give up, and to see God is our help. Psalm 121:5-8 says, ‘The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.’
And in Psalm 35:1-3 says, ‘Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”’ God continues to encourage us and to teach us to be strong. Being able to serve God is an honour and a blessing, it’s not shameful but full of glory. Paul was also reminding Timothy the same thing, that he was serving the King of all kings! We know whom we believe in, we know whom we serve, and we know we will be glorify together with Him. We are nothing but by serving God, we will be able to sit next to the Son of God, how honourable this is!
The God we believe in is a miracle working God, all the healing, all the deliverance, even raising the dead to life, we can experience Him. He is a loving God, He cries with us and rejoices with us. He gives hope to the hopeless. We must know the God we believe in, so be passionate and courageous in serving Him.