EMBRACING SALVATION.

 *SUNDAY SERVICE*

 *SERMON*:   

             EMBRACING SALVATION.

 _INTRO_ :  Salvation is a spiritual program that we have decided to yield our heart to .

     It occupies the rest of our lives. It dominates and influences many parts of our lives. 

   Therefore, it is very necessary for us to think about salvation most of the our time and how we organize our hearts to benefit from it.

 _PROB_ :  But the problem we have is ; though we have embarked on this eternal program, we don't give it the much time it needs and thus don't reap the ultimate benefits attached to it.

 _PURP_ :  Therefore, the purpose of this lesson is to prepare our hearts to fit in the timeless salvation we  have so as to reap it's benefits.

  >> Salvation as a gift from God determines what kind of person we become now and in eternity.

   Salvation influences our lives in such a way that the devil fights to fail us knowing that if he fails us in it, he has failed us for good.

  Embracing something is to accept it eagerly with sound affection. For example: if you were given a company to govern, the day you were given is the day you start to think all round; thinking of the best ways to use in order to produce the best. It means you embraced the responsibility of governing the company.

  Therefore, embracing salvation is giving it all our best in the spirit and body, in the mind and in abilities. It is valuing it so much in your heart as a cornerstone of your life.

  When you start a journey, the first thing you do is to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the journey.... Therefore , in the first place, we need to prepare ourselves for the journey of salvation...

♦️ *BE READY TO FIGHT THE WAR*. 

  * 1 Peter 4:12-13.  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

    In the above book, it means that trials, temptations and various challenges are all part of christian life. We cannot call ourselves christians if we don't share in the suffering of christ. The word christian itself bears christ. Christ came to be the savior of mankind after suffering. We cannot come to be victors in life without facing challenges. Therefore, Christian challenges are not strange. 

      Challenges are a tool that God uses to process our spirit and prepare us for the future. Challenges produce character such as perseverance, patience, tolerance...;creating a bond between us and God which cannot be broken. Challenges prepare us for the bigger future which needs a stronger spirit.

   We need by all means to fight all the way through this journey, so that nothing will separate us from the love of God. Be aware of what strengths you have and what weaknesses you have. The devil uses our weaknesses to fail us, therefore, use your strengths against your weaknesses. Use your abilities to overcome your failures. If you know how to pray, pray. You should prepare your mind and have a strong mindset, holding onto your abilities and strengths to fight the war.

♦️  *CLING ON A FAITH.*

  * Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

   Three men were given different amounts of talents according to their different abilities. This means that different people are given different abilities, and have different beliefs and faith. What a pastor can do is not what the prophet can do. You cannot succeed by holding on the beliefs you are not grounded in. Some believe that teaching others about christ grounds them in salvation . Some believe that giving to others attracts for them blessings and grounds them in faith.

   One person cannot have all kinds of beliefs. Therefore it is important to identify a belief and a faith you can work best in and use it to progress in salvation. If it is a faith of healing, do that and do it well. It is focusing on those inbuilt faiths that will help you reap better results.

    Water makes bricks weak but makes a tree strong, and the sun makes a brick strong and a tree weak. What is the faith that makes you strong? The faith that makes us strong is not the same one that makes others strong. Embrace your faith profitably; if it is teaching, do it with all your heart and at your best. It is that single faith of teaching that could become a pillar of your salvation. If you talk of pastor Serwadda, you think if his teachings. And if you talk of prophet TB Joshua, what comes to your mind are his miracles. But if we talk of you , what comes to people's minds?  What is that strong faith you have built that people should know you for...and God should?

♦️ *UNDERSTAND THE VALUE YOU ADD TO THE CHURCH*.

* Acts 10:1-4. At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment .2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!".4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.

   A memorial is something by which someone is remembered for. Cornelius had two major values on which God could remember him. Prayer and gifts to the poor. He was disciplined in doing that and he did it well. He did it with all his heart. He braced his faith. 

   Persistence in our value addition to the church is very important in our current life and eternal life. If God knows for sure that you have a great value addition to the church, your personal needs will be automatically satisfied . God will work in your direction until you lead a life to heaven.

   You need to definitely understand what values you add to your church. To embrace salvation, embrace those values.

   There was a woman who used to work in a certain church. She used to clean the church every day before the day of service. And additionally, she used to pray for all the believers in the church. On the other hand, her pastor used to come when his time to give a sermon had come. These two reached a point and both of them died- the pastor and the woman. Now God in heaven started allocating rewards. He gave the woman such a reward that the pastor become too excited. He thought his will be greater. When it came to his turn, he was not pleased with the reward. It was smaller. 

   That story indicates that it is the small small values; either spiritual or physical that are building blocks for our palace in heaven. 

♦️ *UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO INLINE WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS*..

   We all have spiritual gifts. But what do you do everyday to make your spiritual gift better. If you have a gift as a singer, do work on new songs everyday?; Do you work everyday to make music better in God's house? Working on your gift everyday shows you embrace salvation.

♦️ *HAVE FRUITS TO BEAR.* 

    The bible talks of the fruits of the spirit such as love, patience, kindness. Have you produced one fruit due to receiving salvation? Have you endeavored to work on one fruit, such as patience? Compare the fruits you had before salvation and what you have now; the difference will show whether you embraced salvation or not. 

   The fruits we bear is one of the yard sticks God uses to measure our progress in salvation. If you have love, He will use that, if you have total patience, He will measure. What kind of fruits do you have and how much output do you have because of them?

 ♦️ *BALANCE YOUR BUSINESS LIFE AND YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.*

   One  thing that shows that you cherish the salvation you have is the amount of time you give it.  You cannot be recognized as a believer unless you set time aside to carry on your belief. Setting aside time to evangilse shows that you love the salvation you received. If you always spare time to prophecy, we will know that you embrace your salvation.

How much time do you spare for God... everyday, every week? It is that time that you spend with God that makes you stronger in spirit.

>>>You need to embrace your salvation with all your heart, with all your love, energy, with all your hard work and with all your gifts.

*CONCLUSION.*

✓You need to build a memorial before God from today. And continue reinforcing what you have built.

✓Have a faith that you are good at and do well with it.

✓Draw out values that you add to the church.

✓What is that , that you work on everyday that God will remember you for?. That is what will be a pillar of your salvation.

✓Don't focus on everything, but find out what God has put in your heart and be best at that. Embrace your salvation and grow to be remembered by God.

GOD BLESS YOU.

By kutosi Simon.

10:13Am-10:56Am

Sunday 27th March 2022.

 

                            _76th msg_