Friday 25 August 2017

Relationship and Healing by Pastor Seumean Kuon dated 20.8.17



What hinders someone from coming to Jesus Christ?  Is it wealth? Is it education? Or hurt and pain?

When you experienced hurt and pain in your own family, you will usually argued that you cannot go out there to serve Jesus. But with God it is possible.

Illustration of a family scenario that can happen in any place in the world.  He said a family was getting ready to go to church on Sunday, but the parents were quarrelling and the children had difficulties getting ready.  Mom and dad quarrelled over themselves and the children.  Everyone was angry with each other and they yelled as each other in the car. However, when they arrived at the front door of the church while greeted by the pastor, everyone smiled and said all was well.  They behaved normally in Church but as soon as they got off church, they were back to quarrelling.  Many Christians behave this way.

Pastor Seumean said 80% of children who were brought up in Church left Church in their teens when they attend college.  The reason is that they observed that their families behaved one way in church and another when they are out of church.  To them this is not real.  We are losing our young people to the secular world everywhere.  We need to do more.  Why?

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Jesus has come to help us.  Why are we still struggling and hurting?
John 8:32 “ Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We need to know the truth of Jesus.

In Luke 4, Jesus was tempted by the devil.  We are also tempted in many ways.  If we put our hearts on something more than God, these are idols.  They can be our hobbies, work, etc.
Hurt and pain got us to do things that are sinful.  But there is good news. Let go of hurts and pain.  It will be easier to hear from God and experience His love for us.  We need to do what He wants us to do. No need to wait until we are in heaven to experience no pain and no hurts.

Wealth

Is wealth preventing any one from God?  Not necessary.  There are rich people who are Christians.  Money is not what is evil, it is the love of money.

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Colossian 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

Education

It is harder to share Christ with people who are educated.  This is not necessary true.  Paul was the most educated disciple of Jesus.  He was the Pharisee of Pharisee.  Yet, he met Christ, and became a disciple.  It is not about how much or how little we know.
Act 4:13 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Many of Jesus’ disciples were uneducated men.  The key was that they were with Jesus.  The requirement to be Jesus’ disciple is not education but to be with Jesus!

Christianity is not a religion but a relationship.  It is our relationship with God.  This is often connected with love, a loving relationship.
 Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.”
We are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Our God is awesome and He is near us when we prayed to Him.
Deuteronomy 4:7 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”

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