Monday, 27 March 2023

My soul sighs !

Psalms 143.6 – I stretch out my hands to you ; my soul longs for you, like a parched earth.

Have you ever cried that to God ? My soul sighs for you like a parched land.

Sometimes we feel dry, so dry. We then ask God to rain his rain on us. Lord, come and refresh us, come and do your work in my heart, Spirit of the living God ! Come !

Perhaps, you who read these lines, have made this prayer to the Lord and it seems that nothing has happened. If we look at nature, we will be able to see that a land that has suffered drought, if it rains heavily, will not soak up this water but that this water will remain on the surface and slide. It is the same with our dry hearts. The Lord responds and He rains down His rain, but those are small droplets that He rains down so that our hearts can be impregnated with them. Oh, it may seem invisible but the earth of your heart begins to moisten and gradually, it will be able to welcome the strong rain of the Lord. So be patient and be sure that God is at work.

There is also another phenomenon in this world around us. In many cities, trees, green spaces, dirt roads have been replaced by asphalt, brick and concrete constructions. All these natural spaces have been changed by the hand of man. Also, when heavy rains arrive, well, no more land, no more nature to absorb the rain that falls and the water rises : this is flooding. The water is slipping ! In our hearts, it is the same. With how many human things have we filled our hearts ? All these things are there and prevent us from being quenched by the Word of God and by His presence.

If this is your observation, it is time for you to say to the Lord : “Lord, I want you to knock down all these man-made constructions that are in my heart and come to quench my thirst. Lord, quench my thirst, it is You that I want, it is Your presence that I need in my life”. God will certainly answer such a prayer.

Be fully blessed.

Pastor Corinne

Source (Apostolic Center EZ37M) https://ez37m.com

Saturday 4 February 2023

Come back home !

Luke 15:17 and 18 – So he began to reflect on his situation and said to himself : “All my father’s workers have more to eat than they need, while I here am starving ! I want to go back to my father and I will say to him : My father, I have sinned against God and against you”.

How far do we have to tumble to realize that this has to change ? This young man had the painful experience of the school of life. His choices led him from a cozy and loving environment to the freezing cold of indifference and contempt.

How many of us believed that the world loved us ? Some served an employer loyally thinking they were appreciated and ended up being just a number. Others believed in friendship and in the end they were surrounded only by profiteering satellites.

Our prodigal son is disillusioned : where are those who spent his fortune participating with him in this easy life ? Even his employer does not give him food when he would be content with pig food.

It is often at the bottom of the well that we become aware of realities. Our young man began to reflect on himself. The observation was not brilliant but the fruit of his reflection was salutary. It's never too late to admit mistakes and get on the road to repair.

This is exactly the meaning of the word repentance: to turn around. Everyone makes mistakes but what is suicidal is to persist in your evil ways. To make the decision to return to his father was to put aside his self-esteem, his pride and his pride, but the brokenness was enough to accept that.

My beloved ones, it is for you that these lines are written, come back home! Return to the heavenly Father if you have turned your back on him! Put aside your pride so that you may be restored and blessed.

Good reflection.

Pastor Claude

Source (Apostolic Center EZ37M) https://ez37m.com

Wednesday February 1, 2023

Is salvation lost ?

Galatians 4.1 (Word of Life) – Here is what I think : when the heir is still a child, he is no different from a slave. However, he will be the owner of everything.

The use of the word salvation in this reflection speaks of “our place in heaven”, not of the manifestation of “soteria” such as healing, deliverance... which are for us today. Many wonder if one can lose one's salvation. Some say yes, with biblical verses in support ; others say no, with biblical verses to back it up too. It is difficult to navigate, yet the question seems of paramount importance.

In light of our verse for the day, I would like to make a few thoughts. Salvation is part of our heritage. When we talk about the justification of Abraham (we can be sure that he is in heaven since we will eat at table with him), the Bible uses a banking term : justice has been imputed to him (Romans 4:3). It is as if we had made a deposit in his bank account. For salvation, it is the same thing : a deposit has been made in our account but this deposit is not yet available since it is in hope that we are saved (Romans 8.24). However, we can benefit from the down payment of this deposit by the gift of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 2:22).

Therefore, salvation is acquired by faith but will only be fully available in the future. In order to receive this inheritance, the child must become an adult. This is why it is said to work out your own salvation (Philippians 2:12). In this context, the parable of the talents takes on its full meaning (Matthew 25:14 and following).

Is salvation lost ? No, for some it has never been "collected". How to achieve this heritage ? By working with all our heart to please the Lord more and more. Seek maturity, the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in our character. Let Christ grow in us in order to resemble Him more and more...

Good reflection.

Pastor Claude

Source (Apostolic Center EZ37M) https://ez37m.com

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Use caution !

Romans 10.12 - For brotherly love... use reciprocal consideration.

It's Tuesday already ! I hope that yesterday you had a wonderful service with a superb sermon (by the way what was the theme ?). I also hope that the singers have propelled you into the presence of God. That it was all good.

When I look at the Church, a lot of people are invested in the work of God, I'm not talking about activism but a real investment in God for people. For many of us, we find this normal, it is the service of God and Jesus did not give, give, always give. Yes, it's true Jesus gave and loved as a song tells us : “To love is to give and to give oneself”.

I would simply like today that we have a thought for all those who invest themselves in service, whether by announcing the Word, by singing, or even simply by mopping the floor under our chairs on Sundays. evening when we left worship. Let's think for a moment : if to love is to give and to give oneself, to whom today could we give : to give encouragement, to give thanks in the form that God will place on our heart, but to give and just to stop to consume.

I am sure that today there is someone around you who is fully invested in the work of God and whom the Lord wants to bless and encourage with your life. Those who serve the Lord are not a supermarket cashier, a garbage collector, the postman or the waitress of the restaurant... (even if all these people are also entitled to our respect and our gratitude), they are at the service of God for us, they are not consumer goods.

In your community, there are people who are entitled to your gratitude, not only pecuniary but also verbal, friendly and fraternal.

Let's think of someone today and give !

Corinne - Apostolic Center EZ37M

Source (Apostolic Center EZ37M) https://ez37m.com

Thursday September 29, 2022

The call

Acts 6.2 and 3 - ... It is not becoming that we leave the word of God to serve at tables. Therefore, brethren, choose from among yourselves seven men, of good testimony, who are full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, and whom we will entrust to this office.

Many are the children of God who seek their calling, sometimes desperately. The first thing I would like to say is that you are not the result of chance but that God, by weaving you in the womb of your mother, had already chosen you.

The second is that the era, the generation in which you evolve is the one chosen by God. He didn't get the date wrong. You were born for a time like this. Some may reply to me : “But then ! Why can't I know exactly my calling or why can't I enter into my calling ?". It is necessary to hear this call. It lives up to its name : CALL. When you receive a phone call, for example, you have two alternatives : either you pick up or you let it ring. If you answer, you will take the time to listen to your interlocutor. With God, it is so, we must take the time to listen to him.

When we have listened, why don't we go into what God has asked of us ? I would like to say that the call of God is not microwave, but it is a journey, one step at a time. Then, often, we run after servants of God to hear the confirmation of our calling. Sometimes God is gracious and confirms Him ! But then what do we do ? If we stay at the listening stage, nothing will happen. We must decide to rise up and answer the call of God with the elements that are in our hands. It may be just a small seed, but we need to plant it.

Children of God are surprised not to enter into their call yet they have been called prophets, pastors... First of all, it is important to accept to be formed, whether through courses and/or alongside a mentor. If you take Elisha, he was with Elijah, Timothy was with Paul, and the disciples with Jesus. Are we different ? Do we have infused science ? Of course not !

The Word of God also encourages us to do what our hand finds to do (Ecclesiastes 9:10) even if it seems to us menial tasks. However, God does not have the same eyes as us and what He sees is our faithfulness in doing small things in order to entrust us with greater things (Luke 16:10).

So when we receive the call, let's not be surprised that doors open to small things, small beginnings. Let us remain faithful in these things and we will see God opening new doors for us which will gradually lead us into our true calling. I leave these few leads for your consideration.

Have a great day and welcome to your call.

Corinne - Apostolic Center EZ37M

Source (Ezekiel 37 Ministries) https://ez37m.com