17/07/2022
Good evening my dear ministers,
Today I've a good Sunday service where we looked at Jacob and his descendants returning back to bethel when the Lord commanded him.
topic:
Return, Renew your life and ministry at Bethel.
Text:
Genesis 35:1-
Base on the topic and text, we discussed three main points:
*Looking at your earlier experience with the Lord.
Jacob was reminded about his previous encounter with God, he recognized those times he tasted the goodness of the Lord, the day he feels the call of God upon his life. In the past, Jacob feel the true presence of God and he made some promises to God that he was going to be a committed Follower.
Today, backslides have to think about their previous encounter and experience with the Lord. At the beginning they were once zealous and devoted to the things of God.
They made some promises to God that they'll serve the Lord all the days of their lives.
Remember Jacob recognize his earlier experience with the Lord.
*Direct command.
It was a direct command for the Lord to Jacob and his descendants to leave their comfort zone and return to Bethel.
Today the Lord is commanding backsliders to leave those pleasure areas and lovely things and return to their first love.
*Definite commitment.
Now here we see that Jacob exercise a high level of obedience and Commitment to the voice of the Lord by taking immediate action.
He told all his descendants to clean themselves, purification was taken by he and his descendants quickly.
They didn't ask God to give them some time to decide and think better before following His command.
And as the Bible says, Jacob and all his descendants put away every unclearn things, unclearn language, unclearn dressing, unclearn worship and many more...
But the question goes to us today, are we taking immediate response to the commandments of God in our daily lives?
Are we willing now to return to our bethel, so we can renew our life and ministry?
There are many areas in our life need to be renew.
Today's message touched the deepest part of my soul.
I was almost the one the pastor was talking to...
I opened up my heart and digested every point of the message.
Now I'm seeing my errors and leakages in my spiritual life.
I now know that I'm in a strange land, a land full of sexual immoralities, lies, greediness, deceptions, worldly speech, and etc and etc...
I realized that I once feel God's true presence and annoiting upon my life, His grace and protection was once upon me. I was once zealous towards the things of God, I used to evangelize people to Christ. Everywhere I go people used to know that I was a Christian.
Everyday I never sleep without reading scriptures, singing hynms and praying to God.
But now all have been down and gone away.
Today I was reflected about my past encounter with the Lord, my spirit was connected to Him, all my movements were lead by Him.
Oh, today I've realized that I'm in different land, a land of distruction. If I could die today I was definitely be leading to eternal tourments.
But thank God for His divine grace and favor upon me, He know exactly why He continue to prolong my days.
The merciful God has given me a great opportunity to see all my errors and downfalls.
By His special grace I have give a definite Commitment to today's message.
Brethrens, I'm returning to my bethel.
I trust the Lord, He who has started the good works will definitely reach me to my bethel.
