Two verses that stood out to me recently were ‘Let it be done to me according to your word’ (Luke 1:38, HCSB) and ‘The disciples gladly took him into the boat, and immediately the boat arrived at the place where they were going’ (John 6:21, ).
Since I am in charge of the sermon this week, I started to prepare for it last week. However, although I have been inquiring of God how to write this sermon, I never knew how to write it. It was not until yesterday (28 July) that God revealed to me a mentality in my heart, that is, I felt that I had preached a good sermon last time (7 July), so I was complacent and hoped that I could preach just as well, or even better, this time. In other words, when I asked God how I should preach this time and how I wanted to preach well, I just wanted to gratify my fleshly desires and even glorify myself, not giving glory to God alone.
It turns out that often, if we have the wrong mindset, entertaining evil thoughts, God will not listen to our prayers. It is right to want to preach well, to serve well, to be a missionary, to have a family, But do we want to hold fast unto the prayer“Be it unto me according to Your word” …we are seeking our own, and then blame God for not listening to our prayers. We honour Him with our lips, but our heart is far from Him.
John 6:15 - 21 tells us that after the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, the disciples were about to cross the sea to Capernaum, but Jesus was not among them, but withdrew to a mountain by Himself. While the disciples were crossing the sea, there was a strong wind and the waves were tossing. The disciples were able to walk for about ten miles, swinging their oars. Mk 6:48 adds to the account that the disciples were struggling with the wind and the oars. Then Jn 6:19 - 21 tells us that Jesus came closer to the disciples' boat, and the disciples took Jesus into the boat, and immediately the boat arrived at the place where they were going.
The disciples had a hard time rocking the boat before Jesus got into the boat, but after Jesus got into the boat, the boat ‘immediately’ went where they were going. Many times when things don't go well for us, it turns out that one of the key points is whether or not we are ‘getting Jesus on board’ and inviting Him to steer; Check your meditation. Is your meditation of Jesus sweet to Him? Are you willing to say,”Be it unto me according to Your word,” whether we are only willing to seek our own in our ministry?
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