What is shaping our life, our story? Who do we allow to shape and form our daily life? Is it the circumstances? Chance? Other people? Family? Politics? The economy? Are you pleased with how any or all the above shape your story?
If you are a Christian, you know that above and beyond all the diverse influences upon our lives the most powerful influence that should shape your life is God’s Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit moulds us step by step into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit being in us gives us a unique power and potential to shape our lives and life around us and make us stand against the devil’s schemes (read Ephesians 6:10-18). By the Holy Spirit we can overcome evil, darkness, temptation, fear, even death itself!
“What we need in the church is more of God!“
Therefore, it is sad and disappointing to see Christians and the church, having the power of the living God Himself in them, being so helpless and powerless in the world today. Our church, the Church of Scotland, is shrinking, congregations are becoming smaller, less and less people enter the ministry, the funds are decreasing substantially, and in these circumstances the policy the Church adopted and wants to put into plan is to reduce ministry by 40%, possibly followed by a reduction of church buildings with about 30% or so as well.
It is a justified question to ask: Why? If we got the power to go forward, why are we retreating? Why are we not making use of it? If we have the power to change things, why are we standing by helplessly and allow to be changed and shaped by the world around us?
It is time for the church to wake up! It is time for us here at SSCB to wake up! Our next sermons series – starting on 24 April – are a wakeup call to all of us! We will explore what God tells us in His Word we, His people, could do and should do! He calls and encourages us to wake up and shape our story, instead of letting the world shape it for us. The living Lord has an amazing plan for us, but we need to wake up and play our part in His plan. We have God’s Word to guide us, the risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, to lead us, and the Holy Spirit to empower us!
Please start praying now! Pray earnestly, sincerely, and without ceasing to have more of God in your life, in our life in the church family, make space in our church and in our lives for MORE OF GOD!
‘Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.’ (Ephesians 5:14)
[from GV]