Knowing how to distinguish what should and should not be done can be easy.
But being able to perform it in our actions is hard.
Hmm... How should I put this together?
Moral codes? Ethical codes? Or convictions?
What actually motivates us to live on a different standard?
For me, it's the convictions - those of the Holy Spirit.
Some backstory for the drawing:
From the moment I caught this word, my mind blew.
I couldn't think of anything to associate to.
This word, "consecrate", is deep, deeper than my imaginations can lead me.
As I learn more about the word,
I turned to the fire of the Holy Spirit, what my Senior Pastor preached during our youth service.
The scripture he referred to was 1 Kings 18:21-39,
Where Elijah lead the people from Baal to God with fire in the most least possible way.
The illustration I drew is an altar.
It symbolizes Elijah taking the effort to fix the altar
And his strong faith in God.
Elijah focused on the details in fixing the altar.
Placing the stones that symbolize the twelve tribes.
He ordered the people to flood the altar with precious water.
And God cast down a fire, acknowledging Elijah's faith and sacrifices.
Consecrate doesn't only mean all the holy things.
It means being prepared as well.
Consecrating is to set apart - to lean not to unrighteousness.
To set apart is sacrificing something for God.
Sometimes people ask me why do I go to church early...
Like two hours before everything starts.
I'd say I'm there early for preparations.
I'm serving God and His people, of course I need to be prepared!
My Senior Pastor, Reverend Kenneth Chin said this:
It actually means being fully prepared by being early!
As I eventually get into serving in the church, I learned this...
Setting apart your time to serve is a form of worship...
But there's something even more simple...
Setting apart the time to be early is a form of worship.
Why preparation?
Preparation are done to be ready for something bigger.
Be it training for a performance or setting up decorations,
These actions use a rather long time before the actual goal.
We prepare ourselves for the things that are ahead of us.
Those that God seeks to place in our lives.
The calling each of us will have and take on.
We as Christians - "little Christ" are called to live a higher standard than others.
Being the salt to bring change to the senseless world (ref: [Matthew 5:13]).
Being the light that lets people see Christ (ref: [Matthew 5:14]).
Being role models for others to learn from (ref: [Matthew 5:16]).
Perhaps I should simplify the above?
Be passionate in all that you do.
Be faithful even in the smallest of things.
Be humble and grateful daily.
Be the person God wants you to be (ref: [1 Corinthians 11:1])
Closing this post with a scripture I happen to read on:
Blessings
Nic
But being able to perform it in our actions is hard.
Hmm... How should I put this together?
Moral codes? Ethical codes? Or convictions?
What actually motivates us to live on a different standard?
For me, it's the convictions - those of the Holy Spirit.
 |
| "Consecrate", the sacrifice on the altar. |
Some backstory for the drawing:
From the moment I caught this word, my mind blew.
I couldn't think of anything to associate to.
This word, "consecrate", is deep, deeper than my imaginations can lead me.
As I learn more about the word,
I turned to the fire of the Holy Spirit, what my Senior Pastor preached during our youth service.
The scripture he referred to was 1 Kings 18:21-39,
Where Elijah lead the people from Baal to God with fire in the most least possible way.
The illustration I drew is an altar.
It symbolizes Elijah taking the effort to fix the altar
And his strong faith in God.
Elijah focused on the details in fixing the altar.
Placing the stones that symbolize the twelve tribes.
He ordered the people to flood the altar with precious water.
And God cast down a fire, acknowledging Elijah's faith and sacrifices.
At the time of sacrifices, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."
Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. - [1 Kings 18:36-38]
Consecrate doesn't only mean all the holy things.
It means being prepared as well.
Consecrating is to set apart - to lean not to unrighteousness.
To set apart is sacrificing something for God.
Sometimes people ask me why do I go to church early...
Like two hours before everything starts.
I'd say I'm there early for preparations.
I'm serving God and His people, of course I need to be prepared!
My Senior Pastor, Reverend Kenneth Chin said this:
"To be early is to be on-time, to be on-time is to be late."The first time I heard it I felt like it doesn't make any sense.
It actually means being fully prepared by being early!
As I eventually get into serving in the church, I learned this...
Setting apart your time to serve is a form of worship...
But there's something even more simple...
Setting apart the time to be early is a form of worship.
Why preparation?
Preparation are done to be ready for something bigger.
Be it training for a performance or setting up decorations,
These actions use a rather long time before the actual goal.
We prepare ourselves for the things that are ahead of us.
Those that God seeks to place in our lives.
The calling each of us will have and take on.
Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. - [2 Timothy 2:21]
We as Christians - "little Christ" are called to live a higher standard than others.
Being the salt to bring change to the senseless world (ref: [Matthew 5:13]).
Being the light that lets people see Christ (ref: [Matthew 5:14]).
Being role models for others to learn from (ref: [Matthew 5:16]).
Perhaps I should simplify the above?
Be passionate in all that you do.
Be faithful even in the smallest of things.
Be humble and grateful daily.
Be the person God wants you to be (ref: [1 Corinthians 11:1])
Closing this post with a scripture I happen to read on:
Blessed is the man 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 - whatever they do prospers. - [Psalm 1:1-3]
Blessings
Nic
