Approaching God
The essence of true Salvation is the foundational understanding that God so loved because we so needed. The verse, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend” (John 15:13), is only grasped by the human heart when we understand that our life started out in a direction that was leading us eternally away from God. Nothing we could do or say would change that direction. But God did! God changed the direction! God moved, His Son died and arose, and we are saved!
Listening to God
Our hearts are moved by the passion of the heart of God to save His precious creation.
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?” (Proverbs 24:11-12)
God, through Jesus Christ, entrusted us with bringing the Good News to the World. Few mainline churches in America are actually carrying out the Great Commission. In a very dark America, it is time for the church to repent and return to the call to “go and make disciples.”
Talking to God
If it is true that God knows exactly what we have or have not done, then is it time for a revival in our hearts! Confess to God the times that you knew He had opened a door for the Gospel and you were afraid to speak. He knows it already; agree with His heart so that your heart can be always reforming and changing to be in submission to His.
Responding to God
The very greatest thing I know about faith in God is that it is all about the very next decision out of my heart. I don’t have to dwell in my past decisions. I can respond by making my next decision in obedience to Him. I can pray: “Lord, you open the door for me today to share the Good News with someone at work and I will follow through!”
Surrendering to God
“Lord, today I hear your voice saying, ‘Come, let us return to the Lord,’ and I am coming to you. I need revival in my heart. Yes, I acknowledge that in my disobedience I have felt torn apart and injured, but I believe that you will bind up these wounds. You promised, Lord, that you would revive and restore us if we call on your great name and so here I am calling on you. I need the closeness of your presence. I need to acknowledge that I will press on for that closeness and invite others to come close to you. Lord, open the doors and I will walk through. Show me the way and I will walk on your path! Let your name be made great through my life!”
By Wayne Ondersma
A HISTORICAL SIDEBAR
In 1552 John Calvin wrote to Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556; leader of the English Reformation): “Amongst the greatest evils of our century must be counted the fact that the churches are so divided one from another that there is scarcely even a human relationship between us; at all events there is not the shining light of that holy fellowship of the members of Christ, of which many boast in word, but which few seek sincerely indeed. In consequence, because the members are torn apart, the body of the church lies wounded and bleeding. So far as I have it in my power, if I am thought to be of any service, I shall not be afraid to cross ten seas for this purpose, if that should be necessary.”
