Restoration Faith Centre

I am come that they might have life, and that they might

have it more abundantly. John 10:10 KVJ

 

Sunday 11th March 2007, Volume 5, Issue 7

 

Well, what an awesome week we have all just had. It’s a great joy to receive the changes that God wants in our life, even if at times it can be up-setting and even hurtful. Looking back most of our struggles have been caused by our own selfishness and doing and planning our future by our flesh and carnal minds rather than obeying God's word which    instructs us all to; "Take everything first to the Lord in prayer.....and always be led by His Spirit.....” and according to Romans 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." and in Romans 8:4 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.".....Romans 8:5 says; "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit."  We are warned in verse 8 of the same Chapter...."So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Finally in vs. 14..."For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God."

 

WELL - ARE WE A LOVER OR A FLIRT???

This year I have spent some time thinking about my relationship with my Heavenly Father and creator and asking     myself "How much do I really love Him??" Even in RFC we have two types of Christians; 1. Those who are sold out daily and committed to His Love.  2. Those who are just a Flirt. What does the dictionary state a Flirt as being? One who has superficial interest, traits or deals with in a wasteful and non-serious manner, in it for only what they can get but no commitment whatsoever.

 

I have been asking myself daily: “If I truly love God would I not be continually seeking, yearning, pressing in and     committed daily to His destiny, plan and goal for my life?” If so, all things and all my desires would be consumed with seeking His face and presence!! My answer was - I was not committed and consistently seeking His face and Presence. Now a lot of the time that was my desire and aim, but there was still hours that I could of been more diligent and committed to God.

 

The next question I had to ask myself was: "Why was I not pursuing Jesus and what was I pursuing?” After all He is my only reason for living, He died for me and my sins He gave his life for me, so that in this world I may have      ABUNDANT LIFE. The Apostle Paul stated in [Matthew 6: 24] “That we can not love TWO MASTERS equally but that we will LOVE One and hate the other, or else be loyal to one and disloyal to the other”. The word hate is a very strong and powerful word, it contains feelings and emotions of malicious and selfish distain for other people. God sees it as this: To love less than we have been called, ordained and commanded to is nothing less than to HATE. In Mark 12:30 we are instructed: "We shall love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, with ALL our soul and with ALL our mind and with ALL our strength. Then in 1 John 5:3 we read there also: "For this is the Love of God, that we keep His commandments, His instructions and teachings and that His commandments are not burdensome". If we put those two  scriptures together it means that our love for God must be demonstrated and this demonstration is in Persistent and Continuous SUBMISSION and OBEDIENCE to Him. At times this may seem an up-hill and daunting task in nature but our Heavenly Father has not left you and I to our own devices. So great is His LOVE and COMMITMENT to each of us that He has given us:

1. HIS WORD. [2.Tim 3:16-17]  [Psalm 119: 105 ,130]

2. His Holy Spirit [Romans 8:26] 

These two gifts have been given to us all, to ENSURE that we are all able to Super-naturally do this. Without these we cannot truly LOVE GOD and we are just FLIRTING WITH HIM.

 

We are told in 1 John 1:5 "If any one loves the world [lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, the pride of life] the love of the father is NOT in him”. In the end it’s ALL OR NOTHING for you and I, to do otherwise is to be a Flirt.  God is not      deceived and not to be mocked. [Galatians 6:7]. Daily we can choose to close ourselves from HIS LOVE and seek our pleasure and future. We can end up SHIPWRECKED destroying our relationship and the gift of FAITH that we have all been given. Don't forget that God's gifts and blessings can never replace Him and we must at all times seek Him and not His gifts and blessings. We are all called in 2007 to be LOVERS OF GOD and not just flirting with Him. FAITH is a       relationship of LOVE with God, and the moment things become central in our relationship with God we are no longer in FAITH and daily living in His LOVE. We are warned about the story of the Rich young Ruler in [Matthew 19:16-22] where he walked away from Jesus and stayed where his true love was - in His earthly treasures. Flirting with God is just        another form of RELIGION and the result is a "Form of Godliness which denies His power" from such people we are to separate ourselves.  What are you seeking today? Jesus, things, people, influence or treasures of this world? Ask the Holy Spirit of TRUTH that lives in you He will show you your TRUE HEARTS CONDITION at the service.

 

MONDAY night at 7.30pm at 5. Lerwick Terrace we have our Prayer and Encounter Meeting....don't miss it.

WEDNESDAY at 7.30pm Bible Teaching Meeting on how to live in Victory in 2007.

SATURDAY at 12 noon we depart CITY OUTREACH, what a blessing and joy to go out and obey the Great Commission. All meetings at 5.Lerwick Terrace, Lyall Bay.

 

Have an OVER-COMING week and receive the powerful message that Pastor Dion has for us as he continues his message on The Power of God's LOVE and GLORY.