Drawing Near to God in Fear and Love
March 19, 2023 · 2:26:43 · Watch on YouTube ↗
These notes - summary, key points, and highlighted thoughts - were generated by AI from the recording and are not the preacher’s exact words.
Summary
This youth-led service carried two heartfelt messages. The first speaker shared what he called the traits of a growing, effective Christian, born from a revelation he had been given, and urged everyone to examine whether their daily life is actually moving them toward becoming more like Christ.
Those marks of a maturing believer were: reading and obeying God's Word rather than only hearing it, keeping an active prayer life in the secret place by persistently asking, seeking and knocking instead of treating God like a genie, setting spiritual goals rooted in Scripture, serving others with the gift each person has received, and staying focused on the kingdom even when, like Peter on the water, we lose sight of Jesus.
The closing word used a parable of three kings and their sons to teach the balance between the fear of the Lord and the love of God. One son hid from his father in dread of judgment, another abused the offered pardon as a license to keep sinning, and the third drew near and received his father's guidance. Drawing on Exodus, Romans, 1 John and Hebrews, the preacher explained that Christ, our High Priest, carried the wrath we deserved, so we can come boldly to the throne of grace, holding together deep reverence for God and confidence in His love, like the father who runs to embrace the returning prodigal.
Key Points
- We are made to grow more like Christ, so honestly examine whether your everyday life is moving toward Him.
- Do not just read Scripture - obey it; be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.
- Pray persistently in the secret place: keep asking, seeking and knocking instead of treating God like a genie.
- Set spiritual goals rooted in God's Word so your plans bear fruit rather than become a burden.
- Use whatever gift you have received to serve others, following Jesus who came to serve, not to be served.
- Keep your eyes on the kingdom; when you lose focus like Peter, God's hand is still reaching out to lift you.
- Hold the fear of the Lord and the love of God together - grace is power to overcome sin, never a license to keep sinning.
Devotional
God never meant the fear of the Lord and His love to pull against each other. Like the prodigal's father who runs to embrace his returning child, He longs for you to draw near rather than hide in dread of judgment. Come boldly to His throne of grace today, knowing the wrath you deserved was carried by Christ on the cross. Let that same grace stir a deep reverence in you, not a license to sin but power to overcome it. Stay in the secret place until your heart hungers for nothing more than His presence.
Do not just read the Word and store it in your head - be a doer of the Word and act on it.
Pray until you receive, the way you would search for something lost until you finally find it.
The one merely scared of God hides; the one who fears the Lord is terrified to live apart from Him.
