The standard of a child of God
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English
Hymnal #364 Sweet Hour of Prayer (#482 in previous version)
When an unimaginable awful event arises or in the case when you have to make a decision without anyone’s help, a fearful and hasty heart forms and you act according to your own convictions. Even as the believers of the Early Church were feeling the terrors of death, they did not grow hasty and gathered together in prayer. When people saw them, they did not seem like a big deal, but for those who believed in and depended on God, the miracle of world evangelization taking place arose. What kind of choice must you make when you are faced with events for which you don’t know the reason, bad environments, and people who you find difficult to understand?
1. Who am I?
After Jesus died, Peter, who had denied Jesus three times, lived in despair and returned to his original means of living. Peter returned to his past, but Jesus did not give up on him. After Jesus resurrected, he sought after Peter again and asked John 21:15, “Do you truly love me more than these?” Jesus did not ask this question to Peter because he was curious, but it was a question to restore the faith of Peter. For me to forget my sense of identity is like returning to sin and the authority of death.
2. Why are problems given to us?
Because we are children of God, we pray, find the plan of God hidden in the Word, and struggle to discover the countermeasure for problems when they arise. If we are to decipher what part of the Word is God’s voice when we listen to the Word, all we need to do is start a sincere prayer before God. ‘God, why have You given me this problem? God what do You desire to do right now? Through this problem, what do you want me to realize?’ When we ask a sincere question, God gives us the correct answer.
3. What is the answer given to me?
God is prepared to give the answer, but the forces of darkness continue to deceive us. Joseph did not fail because he faced suffering. Did David, who was a fugitive on the run, flee in vain? The opportunity has come for you to discover yourself and God’s plan for you. God gives a problem knowing that if a problem did not come, you would not seek God. If it has not worked until now, it is the opportunity to start anew. If you have a disease, it is the opportunity to become healthy. Problems are the plan of God to give you blessings.
- How do I appear to God? Am I giving a sincere prayer to God? Am I living with the thoughts of the flesh? Start with the prayer that discards my thoughts. Specialized Evangelism Training Message / 2011.11.29