{"id":41331,"date":"2026-08-02T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/?p=41331"},"modified":"2026-09-27T17:03:25","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T14:03:25","slug":"handling-your-personal-selfish-life-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/handling-your-personal-selfish-life-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Handling Your Personal Selfish Life. Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"\u041f\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0436\u0438\u0437\u043d\u044c - \u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a \u0443\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0425\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430. \u0427\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044c 3\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/egzlhJah9Bo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exalting the Name of Jesus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prayer of Worship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Exalted name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Philippians 2:9-10 &#8220;Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Your word is above all names. Your name is above all names. And I thank you for your name because everything is submitted to you. There is power in your name. We thank you for giving us the right to use your name. Thank you for the privilege to approach the Father through your name. Help us to get to know your name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psalm 91:14 &#8220;Because he loves me,&#8221; says the Lord, &#8220;I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you for the revelation about your name. Through this we can have life. We can get over all obstacles and fulfill your will. Thank you. Help us, Father, not just to sing, but also to allow these words to pierce our hearts and transform us and change our attitude toward you. We do ask you, Lord, accept our worship. Accept our praise and worship, for you are worthy to receive glory. You are worthy to receive praise and thanks. You are worthy to receive power and glory. I thank you, Lord, in the name of Christ. And everybody said, Amen. Say louder, Lord, you are worthy. Louder, Lord, you are worthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revelation 4:11 &#8220;You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you, Lord. Everybody said, Amen. Please turn to somebody else next to you and tell him a few words of encouragement before you take your seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discipleship and Its Essence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I want to continue sharing the word about discipleship and the essence of discipleship. As we mentioned before, the point of discipleship, the goal of discipleship, is killing your selfish desires. As long as you keep living such a life, the life of Christ cannot express itself in full in you. But you do not like this kind of death. You prefer to love what we love. Even when God says He does not like it. And I want you to really dig deep into this. I believe anything God speaks to us is worth our attention. The time keeps going, and the time which has already finished cannot be returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stewarding Time in Light of Eternity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And what you have done in this time will have an impact on your eternity. You can say, &#8220;We have no time.&#8221; But what has God given you time for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everything God gives to us, He gives us with a purpose. When we are too busy, there is one thing that has no right to suffer: your relationship with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Busyness and the Priority of God<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin Luther once said, &#8220;I&#8217;m too busy; that&#8217;s why I spend three hours in prayer daily.&#8221; You will probably expect somebody saying, &#8220;I&#8217;m too busy; that&#8217;s why I can dedicate only one minute a day to God.&#8221; But even when you are too busy, there is one thing that has no right to suffer: the time you spend with God, your reasoning about God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meditating on God Day and Night<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even David writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psalm 63:6 &#8220;On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Psalm 1:1-3 &#8220;Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither &#8211; whatever they do prospers.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>And David understood what success meant. The more I read these verses, the more I realize how huge the difference is between people&#8217;s minds and God&#8217;s mind. People&#8217;s definition of success and God&#8217;s definition of success are very different. And many of God&#8217;s children torture themselves because they have accepted the success defined by this world, and they are going for it. Meanwhile, the disciples of Christ would rather allow Jesus to determine what success is for us. We are to dedicate ourselves to reaching this divine success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Essence of Discipleship: Killing Selfish Desires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The essence of discipleship is killing your selfish desires. You are to kill the selfishness in yourself, not in your brother, not in your neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Root Issue: Independence from God<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the very beginning of human history, we can see that humanity had an issue. But it is not about sinful deeds. The issue was deeper. Humans decided to live separately from God, independently from God. Humans wanted to set their own goals by themselves and become the source of their own lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dying to Self and Taking Up the Cross<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>And through his own efforts, he wanted to reach what he wanted to reach. But this dependence does not come from God. And God wants to lead such an independent life to Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: &#8220;Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>You are not aware of how much we have to die until God allows us to see what is inside. As long as you keep your emotional life for yourself, the life of Christ will never manifest itself in your life. As you know, the world is waiting for the life of Christ, not for your life. Your best efforts cannot bring freedom to the world. But the life of Christ in you is what the world needs, what the world is looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why, when Paul comes, he says, I only want to see Christ in you, besides Christ crucified and his life, nothing else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1 Corinthians 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the answer. This is the light, this is wisdom, and this is the power the world is waiting for. It is written, Christ in you is the expectation of God&#8217;s glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>But all Christians, non-believers, and the whole creation are expecting Christ to come in his fullness and be manifested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hindrances and Holy Thirst<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>But I know that one of the things that prevents such things from happening is a person&#8217;s selfish life. As much as you submit yourself to God, so much your spiritual life begins to manifest itself. When you see what God can do, His abilities, and when you truly experience God&#8217;s power, you feel that you become thirsty. When you see the limitation of your views, you have simply not seen anything better. But when you see something better than you have, you become thirsty for it. You begin to think, this is what I want. Lord, you have created me for this. I&#8217;m not willing to be just an observer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Observer to Participant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many believers like to take a position of an observer. My &#8220;me&#8221; is in the center of my world. My issues are being solved, and this is the best for such people. They feel no discomfort. Such people are happy about the state. I have a church which I can attend. My God, as you know, is not willing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being Part of the Church, Not Just Attending<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>He is not willing that you simply attend church. He wants you to become part of the church. Does it make sense to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you just attend a church, you&#8217;re attending a place where God&#8217;s presence is locked in. And that&#8217;s why, when people say, &#8220;I want to invite people to the church,&#8221; I&#8217;m not saying it&#8217;s wrong. When people become a part of the church, then God will work in their lives in a supernatural way. He can do it in every place where His people have gathered together. Do you know that God works not only when you have gathered together in one place, not only in a particular building?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you believe that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We read the Bible. Do you remember that man, sick of leprosy, sitting at the entrance to the tabernacle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The disciples approached the temple. They were not in yet. And God healed that man who was sick with leprosy. That man had never entered the temple before, and God healed him. Can we expect such a thing to happen in our lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Be the Church Every Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are seven days in a week. We only meet on Sunday once a week. So God wants you not only to attend church, but He wants you to be a part of the church every day. God wants you to be the church wherever you are so that God can express Himself through you. God wants to show up in you. He&#8217;s not willing to be locked within a particular building or within a temple. We are His churches. He&#8217;s not willing to be locked within you. He wants to manifest Himself through you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surrendering Selfish Plans to God&#8217;s Will<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>But how does it happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can it happen when a selfish life is not killed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such a situation, your own plans prevail over God&#8217;s desires, over God&#8217;s plans. That&#8217;s why God wants you to sacrifice yourself and give up before Him. It&#8217;s not about losing something; it&#8217;s about gaining something. We want to gain more. That&#8217;s why we give up ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gaining God Through Surrender<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The more we give up ourselves, the more we submit ourselves to Him, the more we gain of God. And this is not the end of your personality, it&#8217;s rather the beginning of your dedication. When you give up your selfish personal life, you enter your call in God. That&#8217;s why last week we discussed that. The way of a disciple goes from &#8220;I want&#8221; to the place where you say not my will, but your will be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luke 22:42 &#8220;Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Does it make sense to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ask God About Every Area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each time you want to say, I want, let this word shout within you: It does not matter what I want, but your will be done, O Lord. What do you want to do in my life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My finances?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you want in my finances?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you want in my relationships?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you want?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When did you say it last time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lord, what do you want?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know why often you never ask this question?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you consider yourself as a smart person, as a professional, and think to yourself, why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What for?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I know how to do and what to do. Why should I ask God instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jesus Our Example of Being Led<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>But Jesus showed us a different example. He showed us an example of a different life. Jesus never said anything unless the Father told him to say it. Imagine how long he used to spend before he said something. Now you should understand why it&#8217;s written:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romans 8:14 &#8220;For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus was the Son of God. He fully understood the meaning of these words. He was the firstborn. And he wants us to be like him. What distinguishes him from all the others?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was led. Look, he enters a place with many sick people. He had compassion for everybody. And who knows that compassion can be purely based on feelings and emotions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So he entered the place and he healed only one person and left. Lord, what about the others?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They asked him. Why did you not heal them all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the Father had pointed at one only. If I had healed all of them, it would be a self-activity, my own initiative. Who thinks that you should be led by your needs. His voice, his desire, his will. Those are the things that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Led by God&#8217;s voice and will<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Those are the things that should lead you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And God is looking for people who are so closely united with Him that they are ready to do only the things He tells them to do, even in their ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christ is our example, our role model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the Bible tells us that some people had gathered together at a conference offered and led by Jesus. They had come to listen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jesus prioritizes the Father over the crowd<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At a certain moment, Jesus simply left them. How do you like that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus simply left. Where did He go?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He climbed the mountain to speak to His Father. But didn&#8217;t those people come to listen to Him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But can you love people more than you love God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even your own children &#8211; can you love them more than you love God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are certain things &#8211; the time has not come yet. God is looking for people who will not prevent Him from doing what He wants to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not outrun God&#8217;s timing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes we are too fast. God has not told us to do it yet, but we are already doing it. Because we think God is late, we have to start now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But later the Lord comes and asks, What have you done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How did I ask you to do it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a different plan. I wanted to do a different thing. I had a different plan for the life of that person. And these are serious things. You ought to train your spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And they started to discuss Peter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God&#8217;s redemptive approach to the fallen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I like the fact that God is not evil. When God puts you in a situation or sends you to a trial, He always offers you a solution. If you learn to listen to Him, He will always show you the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m talking about Peter. God expanded this thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peter&#8217;s failure and second chance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>After Peter had fallen into sin, he was given another chance to meet Jesus in Galilee again. And the intention of that meeting was to save him because it was his last chance after Peter had betrayed Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My God restores. He is the Restorer. He lifts up those who are fallen. God never finishes those who have fallen. He always gives a chance to be lifted up, to get up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope you like this approach of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know what Christians do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When somebody falls, they come and finish him. And they say, We warned you before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mercy for the Fallen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You did not obey us. So now you have fallen into a pit. Just stay there. You have deserved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some unknown reason, Christians sometimes are very cruel. But when it happens to them, then they are looking for mercy. But God is different. He treats others the way he wants to be treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jesus Restores Peter and Leads to Maturity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus came to restore Peter, not only to lift him up, but also to show him the way to go so that Peter could reach maturity, because Peter had fallen. We usually fall when we are not mature, when we remain infants, and we cannot handle particular trials. And Jesus wanted to show him the way that led to maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s read John 21:18-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 21:18-19 &#8220;Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.&#8221; Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, &#8220;Follow me!&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>So here the Holy Spirit showed him what way Peter was doomed to die. And as we know from history, it really happened to him. But not only that, it also shows us a spiritual story. It shows us how God tries to lead you from infancy to maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Growing Toward Maturity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You have already heard some characteristics of a Christian. They will help you to determine who you are, what category you fall into. There&#8217;s one thing I definitely know for sure. We are still to grow, even those who are preaching. Even me. I&#8217;m standing before you, but I still have to grow. There is still space to grow. There is still space for growing. That&#8217;s why you are not to stop here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your growth does not happen automatically. It never happens when you do nothing. It only happens because you know. I know where to go. And when I make certain efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Youthful Independence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you were young, you dressed yourself. You never asked anyone for advice. You went where you wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Self-Reliance to Being Led by God<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The &#8220;I&#8217;ll Do It Myself&#8221; Mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You did whatever crossed your mind. Things you thought were good for you, what you liked, and you probably discarded things you did not like. You could manage your life by yourself. Many people, many believers, have been in God for a long time, but they like this approach so much: I&#8217;ll do it myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever heard this expression from your little children?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ll do it myself. I myself. Let me help you. No, I&#8217;ll do it myself.&#8221; And then you just stand beside and look at him as he is doing it by himself. Imagine how interesting it is when you reply to God, &#8220;I&#8217;ll do it myself.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maturing Into God&#8217;s Leadership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>But once you grow up, God replies, &#8220;Allow me to lead you.&#8221; When you are a young girl, manage your life by yourself, and you do whatever you want. But it does not mean you do not love God. That is the dangerous part. You love God, and so does God. He loves you too. But you think because you love God, it all will be covered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peter&#8217;s Sincere Love and Hidden Issue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are certain things you know about Peter, and I am just willing to mention points that prove Peter really loved God. When you discover Peter&#8217;s life, you can find interesting facts. Peter was the first person who said he loved God. He was the first one to say, &#8220;I&#8217;ll follow you till my death.&#8221; He was the first one who tried to defend, to physically defend, Jesus. But behind all that sincerity, there was an issue. And you might have the same issue, even though you say, &#8220;I love Jesus.&#8221; Peter&#8217;s love was sincere, but Peter trusted in himself. He did not put his hope in Jesus. He relied on his own power, and that was his issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Cross, Judgment, and Knowing Your Weakness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe I do love God, and the love for God is sincere and true. But your soul has not passed through the cross and the judgment. You have not died to yourself yet. You do not know the depth of your personal weakness yet. You have not come to know it yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Powerful Peter was so weak. He was not aware of his weakness until a little girl came to the place. At that moment Peter became weak, and he began to curse and to swear. He began to deny his master.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tested by a &#8220;Little Girl&#8221; or by Money<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dear friends, make sure, be certain you will be tested one day, either through a little girl or through money, for example. It can be anything. God can use anything in order to test you. What are you going to say?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Facing the Test of Loyalty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you going to reply that you don&#8217;t know him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Love is always put to the test through trials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know why betrayal takes place in the house of God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Betrayal Happens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Betrayal among believers happens because your soul is still alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Workplace Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ll tell you a story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two people were working in the same company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The owner of the company and one of the best workers of the company used to attend the same church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But a different company tried to pull that good worker over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They began to make very appealing offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After a while, that worker began to answer, &#8220;I&#8217;m really tired of this company I&#8217;ve been working for.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because somebody else had switched on a green light before him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Temptation and a Mis-sent Email<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One day this good worker replied with a terrible phrase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He was about to send it to the other company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He pressed enter, but instead of the other company, his email was sent to his boss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His boss, who had an intention to give a promotion to that worker, was shocked, so he decided to forward his email to the pastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Consequences and Counsel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The pastor gave him advice to fire that worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once that good worker received the message about being fired from his boss, he also forwarded it to his pastor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pastor replied, &#8220;You have not been sincere with your boss, so his solution is fair.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your neighbor that you will be tested, and God is willing to kill your selfish life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Restoration and Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After that person got fired, he returned to the church, and God helped him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God worked on his character, also on his heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today that person is running his own company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God has taught him a lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The person learned the lesson that you are not to slander anybody.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peter&#8217;s Early Immaturity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, as you can see, when Peter was young, younger<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Spiritual Maturity: Trusting God&#8217;s Leading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not Physical Age, but Maturity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And later Jesus told him that once you become old. It is not about physical age, but about maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your maturity is not about your ability to make your own decisions, but it&#8217;s about your ability to manage your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it is not the sign of your spiritual maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sign of your spiritual maturity is your level of trust, the level of your trust in God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me say it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 21:18 &#8220;Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being Led Where You Would Not Choose<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine, it is not what you want, but what somebody else wants will lead you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you are being led now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You yourself will not be able to decide where to go anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the other person will not consider what you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He will consider what he wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Jesus here, Jesus is talking about a different person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that other person was God Himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">United With God&#8217;s Will by Free Choice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Say, the Lord leads me where He wants me to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not where I want to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s easy to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the moment is coming when you stop being the master of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because now you are voluntarily united with the will of God by free will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get united with the will of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what God is looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the sign of maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why I am making this point again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maturity is not about being able to manage his life on his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>True maturity is about being able to trust God so deeply that he can allow God to manage his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not Robots, but Trusting People<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So God is not trying to oppress your own will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is not trying to oppress your will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the opposite case, you would be a robot, but God is not looking for robots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is rather looking for people who believe in His care so deeply and trust Him so much that they have free will to allow God to lead them where He wants to lead them, even when their human will is opposing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Marks of a Mature Disciple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A mature disciple is not relying on, is not clinging to, his own desires, nor to his plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He trusts the Lord based on free will and follows Him wherever God leads him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surrendering to God&#8217;s Leading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, even if this way requires some offerings or sacrifices, leads through trials or sufferings, or is in contradiction with your own personal desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is important for you to see where God is trying to lead you to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In such a situation you will not cling to your own desires anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will only stretch your hand and allow God to lead you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you follow God with pleasure, based on your free will, because you trust Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trusting the Guide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Who of you has ever visited a different country?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you have no idea about anything around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there&#8217;s one person who leads you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you follow him, relaxed, because you know he or she is leading you in the proper direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But many people follow the route looking at the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Love for God and the Selfish &#8220;I&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Look, we love God, don&#8217;t we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your love toward God is sincere, but if you do not allow God to remove your selfish &#8220;I&#8221; and take it away, even your good intentions will be mixed with your selfish spiritual life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Good Intentions Can Be Defiled<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We bring sacrifice to God because we love Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know His desire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we want Him to do something for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But because of your selfish personal life, your good intentions get defiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Serving God While Retaining Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a person wants to minister to God with all his heart, sincerely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But he still keeps the right to choose his own direction in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I choose where I want to minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even when God tells me to minister in a different place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maturity Means Letting God Lead<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">John 21:18 &#8220;Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>But now when you are mature, and you are old, He does not want you to choose your own way any longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, He wants to lead you where He needs you, where He wants you to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Clarifying Emphasis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There is one moment I want to emphasize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try to understand me correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Allowing God to Work Through Us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Kind of Workers God Seeks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>God is not looking for ministers for His kingdom. But He is looking for people who want to do something for Him. He is not looking for those who want to do something for Him. Instead, He is looking for people who would allow Him to do what He wants to do through them. Let me say it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who of you wants to do something for God because you love Him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you read or when you hear a sermon about the invitation to serve God, even Jesus Himself told us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matthew 9:37-38 &#8220;Then he said to his disciples, &#8216;The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>But why did He ask us to pray for them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask yourself what kind of workers He is asking for there. At the time of Jesus, there were many people who were praying and studying the law of God, or administrative people of this kind. But He was not looking for such people, because those people were led by their own desires. They used to go where they wanted to go. But doers or workers are those who allow God to do what He wants to do. Those who see God allow God to do God&#8217;s work through them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you get the difference between these two kinds of people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two Kinds of Workers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you do something for God&#8217;s sake, you do it in your own power, in your own wisdom, according to your own understanding. But meanwhile, when you allow God to do something through you, you actually manifest His wisdom and His power. And such things will have an impact on eternity. If you agree, say Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maturity and Surrendered Will<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is transformation into maturity, when you allow God to work through you. Not because you are losing your own will, but because you consciously hand your will over to God. And I say, not mine, but Your will be done. The third thing happens because God has done something in your heart. We even sing a song: &#8220;I wish to fulfill Your will. Your law lives in my heart.&#8221; Do you remember these verses from the song?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wish it. This is my choice. I want to fulfill Your will because Your law is not living in my mind but in my heart instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God&#8217;s Loving Cleansing and Discipline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>God is cleaning us, but not all of us allow God to do this cleaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By His mercy, God allows you to be the way you are for a certain time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What wonderful news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Illustration of Permissive Parenting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are a parent and you allow your child to do whatever he wants, of course, in the eyes of a child, you are the best parent ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I want to do it, I do it. I do not want to do it, I do not. I want to go, I go. I do not, I do not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;You clean after yourself,&#8221; says your parent. &#8220;I do not want to.&#8221; &#8220;Okay, you do not want to, I will not do it. Great.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you think such parents are good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Love That Will Not Leave Us Unchanged<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And this is our attitude towards God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you were children, God, in His mercy, often gave you certain discounts. He treated you gently and forgave many things. But love never leaves a person in the same place for good. God never leaves us in the same place for good. He loves us too much. That is why He never leaves you intact. Unless you get transformed, you will fall into the hands of your enemy. God loves us so much. That is why He never leaves us the way we are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God Exposes Hidden Spheres and Heals Motives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why the moment comes when God begins to influence the spheres of your life that had remained hidden before. Maybe outwardly we were behaving like good people. And outwardly we might seem like those who have everything in order. But God knows better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surgery on Motives, Not Stickers on Symptoms<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a sphere of your life where you need surgery, not just a sticker put onto an aching place. He wants to heal you from unclean motives. He is not just watching. He is not just looking at our wrong motives and wrong deeds. He looks at the reasons why such things happen. Unless those motives are corrected, nothing will help you. He is not looking only at your deeds; instead, He looks at the root of the evil, namely the reason why we are doing it this way. We want to dig deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pure Motives in Serving God<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people are doing something for God, but the reasons they are doing it are not pure at all. They are not godly. But outwardly it looks fine. It looks like a good job. No doubt such people are doing good jobs, but their motives are wrong because they are not free internally. They want to lift up their own ego through their achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exposing Motives Behind Good Deeds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people have fear inside, or competition, or uncertainty. Some people are looking for their own benefit. But outwardly, those deeds look very good in the eyes of people. But God asks, Why are you doing this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What are your motives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And God begins to work on us. There are certain people who are working for God, but in essence, they are building their own kingdom. Not the kingdom of God, but their own kingdom instead. There are such people. Some people are looking for fame, for honor in the eyes of people. That&#8217;s why the Lord is not satisfied. He&#8217;s not happy with outward things. Instead, he&#8217;s trying to transform your hearts. He transforms your heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God Seeks Heart Transformation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Say, God, transform my heart. Say, Lord, transform my heart. Lord, transform my heart. Because you&#8217;re good, and you test the depths of human hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Growing Dependence on God With Age<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And when you become old, you will not be able to manage your life on your own. You will trust God so deeply that there will be only one thing you&#8217;re interested in, namely, what God wants to do through me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Risk in Praying, &#8220;What Do You Want to Do Through Me?&#8221;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know why it&#8217;s important?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why it&#8217;s dangerous to pray this way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because when he asks you to do a certain thing, you might not be happy with what you hear from him. I suspect you might answer a different way. Lord, forgive me, but I have no such skills. I fear. I&#8217;m afraid to do so. I&#8217;m too shy to do it. What if I fail?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know what it sounds like?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s called rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moses&#8217; Excuses and God&#8217;s Response<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know why the Bible says that the wrath of God flamed against Moses?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exodus 4:14 Then the Lord&#8217;s anger burned against Moses and he said, &#8220;What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>When God had come to Moses and told him,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exodus 3:7 The Lord said, &#8220;I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exodus 3:8 &#8220;So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey &#8211; the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe at this point Moses replied, Glory to you, O God. Thank you for coming. I also saw the sufferings. I even wanted to help them. I even killed one of them in my zeal. Glory to you, O Lord, for coming and willingness to help. And God continued. And now God says, Well, now I&#8217;m sending you. Whom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moses answered. Me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. I&#8217;m not a good orator. When I read about Moses&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Excuses to Being Sent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moses &#8211; powerful in speech and action, yet full of excuses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Book of Acts it says Moses was powerful in speech and action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acts 7:22 &#8220;Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>But later he pretended he was not able to speak. Later Moses continued, I will come. What should I say? They will not believe me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Moses had a lot of excuses, but God provided him an answer to all his questions. But before it happened, Moses made a proposal: God, send somebody else, not me. And the wrath of God rose up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What am I trying to tell you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He wants to do his deeds through you. So you can ask him, What do you want to do through me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What do you want me to do in your name?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who of you believes that God wants to do something through you in order to raise your church higher?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">God&#8217;s desire to multiply and honor his people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once God said, I will multiply them; they will not get fewer. I will multiply them; they will not decrease in numbers. I will glorify them; they will never be humiliated, and this matches another word of God. This is what God promised. From the least, thousands will rise. From the weakest one, a strong nation will rise up. And this is the will of God for our church. Do you believe this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jeremiah 30:19 &#8220;From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Isaiah 60:22 &#8220;The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the desire of God, that we do not decrease in numbers, but increase instead. And God can do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what is the question?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do it, O Lord. We are not going to become an obstacle in your way. Finally, Lord, we have prayed for it so much, for so long. Do it. And God replies, Hold on, I am sending you. And God will continue doing it, and he will do it through particular people who will stop acting according to their own will, who will stop making excuses. God will delegate you. He will urge you to certain action. But will you be able to hear it, and will you be able to do it, or will your selfish personal life become an obstacle on this way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing to read Malachi 3:2-3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let us open Malachi 3. Malachi 3:2-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Purifying Love of God<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank God for His love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are talking a lot about it, but I want you to know it has to do with strong discipline until He makes us in His likeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The love of God is not manifested outwardly but internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scripture: The Refiner&#8217;s Fire<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That is why the prophet says here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Malachi 3:2-3 &#8220;But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner&#8217;s fire or a launderer&#8217;s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fiery Discipline for Purification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fiery discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We see here that God compares it to a gold and silver refinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He compares us to the purification of the Levites, those who serve the Lord in the tabernacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He sends the fire, but the purpose of this fire is not destruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Silver does not get destroyed by the fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather, it removes the garbage from the silver and leaves the pure metal in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when the silver has some other components mixed together, the silver is not pure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the same way, God sends fire, not in order to destroy us, but in order to purify us and remove all the garbage from us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, to refine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To separate all the components that are not gold or that are not silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To purify from all things that do not belong to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It might be a painful process because God wants us to see that we cannot do it on our own, but we need His help instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Help me, O Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When God Delays to Test Us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>God allows circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What kind of circumstances?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, something does not happen at the time we want it to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you see something hesitate to happen, at that moment God actually is watching you, how you react.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people get irritated because something does not happen the way they expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Purification Through Weakness and Dependence on God<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trials Reveal Irritation, Doubt, and Frustration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One little word and they get irritated and they explode. Others begin to doubt, Has God really told me that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And they ask themselves. And others get frustrated. And God allows all those things in order to allow you to discover how helpless you are. Say, Helpless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some people believe they are so great here, such great heroes, but instead they are just helpless. Without God, without God&#8217;s wisdom, without His power, you are helpless, and all your achievements are temporary. Without God&#8217;s leading, when Paul was praying, he discovered he was weak. And God replied to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2 Corinthians 12:9 &#8220;But he said to me, &#8216;My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.&#8217; Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ&#8217;s power may rest on me.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2 Corinthians 12:10 &#8220;That is why, for Christ&#8217;s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Crucified With Christ, Christ Lives in Me<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Say, Lord, help me so that I can say the way Paul said. In any circumstance of my life, I can minister to You. I can submit myself to You. Because it&#8217;s not me who is living, but Christ is living in me. And by faith I live in this power that lives in me. This is what Paul said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Galatians 2:20 &#8220;I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.&#8221; (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>And God is willing to see His children like this. God helps us to get purified through the circumstances and gives us understanding that it&#8217;s not us anymore, any longer, but Him who lives in us. That we allow Him to do what He wants to do through us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not by Might but by His Spirit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zechariah 4:6 &#8220;Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,&#8221; says the Lord Almighty. (NIV)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s not me who is, Paul says. I&#8217;m crucified like Christ was crucified. And my selfish life is nailed on the cross. I&#8217;m dead to that life. It&#8217;s not here anymore. And Christ is the only one who has left with me. He lives through me in my life. That&#8217;s why I can say, In all trials and sufferings, in all my needs, in all my weaknesses, I&#8217;m still strong because my power is in You, O Lord. My power is in You. You&#8217;re my power. I have learned to rely not on my natural things, not on my human abilities. Now I only have ability in God. And imagine how God wants us to live. He wants us to live life with Christ in the center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Prayer of Surrender<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s stand up and pray. Tell God that you know that He loves you. I know You have allowed me to live the way I wanted to live. But now, Lord, I surrender. Lead me where You want me to go. Not my will, but Yours be done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Exalting the Name of Jesus Prayer of Worship Exalted name. Philippians 2:9-10 &#8220;Therefore God exalted&#8230;","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41330,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sermon-notes"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":490,"label":"Sermon Notes"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2026-08-02-paklausiga-dzive-patiesa-macekla-pazime-3-dala-en-1024x576.webp",1024,576,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Rolands Zelti\u0146\u0161","author_link":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/author\/rolands-zeltins\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":490,"name":"Sermon Notes","slug":"sermon-notes","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":501,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":14,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":490,"category_count":14,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Sermon Notes","category_nicename":"sermon-notes","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41331"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41345,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41331\/revisions\/41345"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/satchurch.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}