Is it possible that a church can intellectually understand the foundations of faith, theologically believe the doctrines of Scripture, daily go through the emotion of Christian living: and yet miss the power of God at work in the lives of its members? Today's church is full of people who are not worshipping God for who he is, but for what he promises to give them. Today's church is a church that is longing, hungry and empty; and yet looking in the wrong places to fulfil its needs.
Come down Lord, we miss you. We can't imagine going through this year without you. We want to become those people that once enjoyed your fellowship, that once experienced your power, that once basked in the sunshine of your love. This is the commitment that this message is asking of you, that this year is going to be a year of longing and waiting, hungering for more of God, rethinking and refocusing our relationship with God. That this year is going to be a year where the Church will cry for God's smile; cry for God's helping hand; and cry for God's caring heart.
Most people are usually more interested in getting gifts from God than in God himself. They love the gift-giving hand more than the gift giver! Are presents or the presence of loved ones the greatest need of individuals and families during Christmas?
In this message, I want to draw your attention to two gentlemen from the scripture, whose lives were turned around by the Lord Jesus Christ. When these men encountered Christ, their lives were never the same again. And this same Jesus who never leaves the same things the same, who never leaves the same person the same, who can never leave the circumstances where he finds you the same: is the one I will be sharing with you.