Embedded Files
Step by Step
Chorus
O God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
O God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
O God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
O God You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
Hosanna in the Highest
Verse 1
Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Hosanna hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Chorus
Lord we lift up Your name
With hearts full of praise
Be exalted oh Lord my God
Hosanna in the highest
Verse 2
Glory glory
Glory to the King of kings
Glory glory
Glory to the King of kings
Chorus
Lord we lift up Your name
With hearts full of praise
Be exalted oh Lord my God
Glory in the highest
Chorus
Lord we lift up Your name
With hearts full of praise
Be exalted oh Lord my God
Glory in the highest
Hope of the Nations
Verse
Jesus hope of the nations
Jesus comfort for all who mourn
You are the source of heaven's hope on earth
Jesus light in the darkness
Jesus truth in each circumstance
You are the source of heaven's light on earth
Pre-Chorus
In history You lived and died
You broke the chains You rose to life
Chorus
You are the hope living in us
You are the Rock in whom we trust
You are the light shining for all the world to see
You rose from the dead conquering fear
Our Prince of Peace drawing us near
Jesus our hope living for all who will receive
Lord we believe
Verse
Jesus hope of the nations
Jesus comfort for all who mourn
You are the source of heaven's hope on earth
Jesus light in the darkness
Jesus truth in each circumstance
You are the source of heaven's light on earth
Pre-Chorus
In history You lived and died
You broke the chains You rose to life
Chorus
You are the hope living in us
You are the Rock in whom we trust
You are the light shining for all the world to see
You rose from the dead conquering fear
Our Prince of Peace drawing us near
Jesus our hope living for all who will receive
Lord we believe - Lord we believe - Lord we believe
Goodness of God
Verse 1
I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God
Chorus
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
Verse 2
I love Your voice You have led me through the fire
In darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a father
I've known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God
Chorus
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
Bridge
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after
It's running after me
Chorus
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
Chorus
All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God
Take my Life and Let it Be
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.
Pursuing God
Pursuing God
Intro
Intro
GM – it so great to be here with you today.
It has been a while since I was here last and I am excited to share a message with you and to give you a bit of an update on our campus ministry called Momentum <BAM>.
· You might also know us by the name of Geneva House – which is our Queen’s ministry. (started in 1974)
· But MCM is what we have grown into – it is the name of all of our ministries combined – it is Geneva at Queen’s but also our ministry at SLC Kingston and Brockville, Royal Military College, Loyalist College (Belleville), and Trent U (Peterborough).
Even though we are on a lot of dif campuses – we have one mission which is to be an incredible community where people experience Jesus and His transformation.
And to accomplish our mission we focus on 3 things: <BAM>
· Building community, disciples and leaders
If you would like to know a lot of specifics of what we do you can read our latest ministry report. You can get that by emailing me – my email address is on message ho.
But in case you don’t get to it, here is a really quick snapshot of what that our ministry looked like this year. <BAM>
· Huddle Discipleship Groups (35) – 33 Q, 0 SLC, 1 RMC, 1 Trent - about 190
· The Well (Worship & Small Groups) - over 200
· GB – yp and grad students (85)
· Mentoring and Discipleship
· Ministry Houses (10) – 9 at Queen’s and 1 in Peterborough
· Restored – helping students find freedom from pornography and sexual addictions
· Faculty of Education Student Ministry – Mentoring and support for students who will be teachers one day.
· Commerce Student Ministry
· International Student Ministry
· Saturday Socials – alternative to shenanigans
· Leadership Development (14 staff, 30 SI, whole bunch more team leaders – see them in the pic)
So that’s a little about what God has been doing on our campuses.
Isn’t that exciting to hear?
This morning I would like to talk to you about a topic that is at the core of campus ministry and especially our goal of building disciples –
Do you want to know what we are going to be talking about?
We are going to be talking about Pursuing God. <BAM>
o I would like to share with you why I think it is so important to pursue God
Now, I am not sure where you are at in your relationship with God.
· Some of you might be here for the first time and you are just starting to explore a relationship with God.
· Some of you might have grown up in the church and you have heard a lot about God, but you aren’t really sure if you want to commit to following Him.
· And some of you may be committed disciples of Jesus and you have been that for a long time.
Wherever you are at, I am hoping you this message will resonate with all of us in some way.
If you are new to faith, or unsure if you want to give your life to Christ, I am hoping that what we talk about today will give you a little glimpse into how amazing it is to be a follower of Jesus and the incredible benefits.
And if you are already a follower of Jesus, I hope that what we talk about today will inspire you to reflect on why you are a follower of Jesus. I think it is so important for us to know our why – for our own sake, but also for the sake of others.
· I love what the apostle Peter says – always be prepared to give an answer for the reason for the hope you have.
· It is important for us to know why we believe, so we can be effective in helping others figure out why they might want to as well.
· Does that make sense?
So wherever you are at this morning, I am glad you are here, and I am excited to see how God will speak to us all, as we consider the idea of pursuing God.
So let’s jump in. (ref the HO)
If you are sitting here this morning, and the Bible is something that is familiar to you, I would like to ask for your help with something. I would like you to help me answer this Q: <BAM>
· Who are some people in the Bible, who pursued God.
o You know I am used to working with Young Adults, and they are full of life, so we are going to get a little interactive today.
o When I say go, I would like you to shout out as many names as you can think of of people who pursued God in the bible.
§ and it is ok if you say the same person as someone else.
· Ready? Who pursued God in the Bible? Go.
(take responses)
Don’t you think there are a lot of characters in the Bible who pursued God.
· And what I find really interesting and really comforting is that none of them were perfect.
o A lot of them made some really big mistakes, but they all pursued God and were blessed because of it.
This morning I would like to read a passage in the Bible written by one of these characters who pursued God so much that he was described as a man after God’s own heart.
· We mentioned his name already – it is David.
David committed some terrible sins, but he also experienced incredible forgiveness, and he was so passionate about pursuing God and being close to Him.
Look at what he wrote in Psalm 63: <BAM>
1You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary (place of God’s presence)
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Did you feel David’s passion for God?
David had experienced God’s presence and God’s love and it changed his life forever.
· He knew how amazing it was to be close to God and how amazing it was to be loved by Him, and David wanted more of God in his life.
· David was driven to be close to Him.
And David knew that you don’t get close to God, by accident. To get close to God:
· You need to pursue Him.
· You need to seek Him.
· You don’t experience God’s presence by sitting back, and doing nothing.
A deep connection with God takes initiative and it takes effort.
It is really like the rest of life.
· You don’t become a great musician without practicing your skills
· You don’t get fit if you never workout.
· You don’t get close to someone without investing deeply.
Does that make sense?
Pursuing God takes:
· intentional choices
· that come out of a desire for something more, something greater than we have right now.
Who here has ever taken a math course? Who here liked it?
· I was terrible at math – there was something about it that just didn’t add up for me. It caused a lot of division in me.
Well, whether you like math or not, I have a special treat for you today.
I have an equation for you: <BAM>
Pursuing God = desire + action (say it with me)
Chasing after God involves:
· A desire for something more, something better than we have
· And then doing whatever it takes to get what we are seeking
Who here is old enough to remember the 1990’s?
· Weren’t those crazy years?
If you weren’t privileged to have lived in that era, the 90’s were a fascinating time where the coolest kids wore parachute pants and neon coloured clothes. <BAM>
· I know some of you are still wearing these. And that is ok. There is no judgment here.
· Long live the 90’s!
The 90’s were such a different time that:
· If you wanted to watch a movie at home, you usually had to leave your house, go to a store, and rent a big bulky VHS tape off the shelf <BAM>
o And sometimes you couldn’t even watch the movie you wanted because someone else had rented it before you.
§ Who remembers that?
§ If you didn’t live in the 90’s - doesn’t that sound terrible?
§ There was no such thing as on demand. It was all on de-shelf. (true story)
· And it gets worse - In the 90’s guys had a haircut called a mullet <BAM>.
o For some strange reason Gen Z has brought this back
o I guess when it comes to this hairstyle, they just can’t part with it
o The love the business in the front, party in the back look
o These are hair raising times.
Well back in 1998, <BAM> (blank) I had just finished university.
· I went to a school called Redeemer in Ancaster
· And after graduating I became a youth pastor at a church just down the road from it.
Being an alumni at Redeemer was great b/c it meant I got some things for free.
· That was exciting for me, because (like some of you) I come from a Dutch background.
· My parents were Dutch immigrants and do you know what Dutch people love? Free stuff.
· It doesn’t have to be good stuff, it just has to be free, and we will take it.
At Redeemer I could use the library for free, which helped with ministry prep.
And I could use the gym for free, which quite frankly made me pumped.
Well one day I went to workout for free, and something amazing and life changing happened.
· As I entered the gym doors, I came face to face with a stunning young lady working at the athletic centre desk. <BAM>
· There’s a yearbook picture of her back in the day. In the 90’s we didn’t even have colour yearbook photos.
o How did we survive?
· This young lady’s name was Julia and interestingly enough – and it still is.
As Julia stood there behind her desk, I had a moment.
· My heart began to race a little
· and suddenly I had this thought – do you know what I thought? - I need to work out more often.
o Not because I wanted to get ripped, but because I wanted to get to know this girl.
So I started going to the gym, a lot. <BAM>(blank)
But there was a problem. Do you know what the problem was?
· The problem was - she wasn’t always there.
· And if I went to workout and she wasn’t at the desk it just felt like a waste of time.
· What would be the point of that?
o That’s why I went to the gym
o If she wasn’t there, I couldn’t get close to her
Back then, we didn’t have all the technology we have today.
· We didn’t have snap chat or Instagram, or even Google calendars
And so back then in order to schedule things, we used this really ancient technology called paper.
· And to share our schedule we had to write it out on a piece of paper and post it on an actual, physical wall.
Now it just so happened that in the athletic center, the place they posted their workers’ schedule was right by the desk that I had to walk past to go to the change room.
Do you see where this is headed?
So one day when I was at the gym,
· I headed to the locker room, and I casually and inconspicuously glanced at the schedule.
o And lo and behold,
§ There was the schedule
§ There was Julia’s name on it.
§ There were the times when she was scheduled to work.
And so I started timing my workouts strategically, so that our paths began to cross.
Wasn’t that a brilliant idea?
Today that might be called stalking, but back then, life was simpler, and less creepy.
o Maybe it was the neo
o We were blinded by the light
So I started timing my workouts around her schedule.
· I would come in and say hi
· And then we would talk a bit.
o It wasn’t much, just a bit of small talk.
And that was a start, but it was not enough for me. I had a desire for something more. Something greater than I had.
And then I realized there was a water fountain right by her desk.
So do you know what I did?
· I started drinking a lot of water, b/c it gave me an excuse to talk to her more.
· I would do a few reps and then after 5 min I would come out. And I repeated that.
· Sometimes I wouldn’t do any reps, I would just wait for a bit and come out.
o There is only so much a guy can do)
One day she noticed I came out of the workout room a lot to drink water, and do you know what she said to me?
Do you want a water bottle, so you don’t have to keep coming out here?
And I just looked at her and said – that’s ok, I don’t mind coming out here.
And so I drank some water, and we talked, I drank some water, and we talked.
Then I went to the washroom, so I could drink some more water and we talked.
And then one day all of my water drinking finally paid off when Julia asked me to play badminton in the gym with her and I won her over when she destroyed me.
· What I didn’t know at the time was that she went to OFSSA for badminton and she was very good.
· I on the other hand had gone to my backyard to play badminton, and I was not good at all.
o She literally wiped the floor with me.
o I may have dove a few times, which apparently not a lot of people do in badminton
o But I did to make a point – I wanted to show her that I was all in
· And that day, I learned a valuable lesson about relationships.
o Do you know what I learned?
§ Losing at badminton is how you really court someone.
§ Alright don’t raise a racket.
That was the day that I lost the game, but I won her heart.
After that I kept looking for ways to spend time with Julia and the more time we spent together the closer we got.
And this past June, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.
Here is a quick Disclaimer:
· I am not saying stalking is a good idea.
· It is ok to be strategic, just don’t be creepy
· If you are not sure the difference, come and talk to me some time, I will explain it to you.
But the point is <BAM>
Pursuing someone or something involves (what?) desire + action
I had a desire to get close to Julia and I did what I needed to do to get close to her.
When it came to Julia, I thought:
If I could just get close to her, maybe something special could happen and it did!
Now think about this - if I wasn’t intentional and didn’t take action, nothing would have happened.
And can you imagine if I had done nothing?
Can you imagine what I would have missed out on?
Pursuing Julia is one of the best decisions I have made in my life.
And it is second only to one other decision I have made: my decision to pursue God.
<BAM> (blank)
Like some of you, I grew up in the church, and overall I would say I had a good experience.
· It wasn’t perfect.
· The church isn’t a group of perfect people, everyone in the church is broken and that often spills over in community.
· Church can be messy, because everyone including followers of Jesus are messy.
o Does anyone else here know what I am talking about?
But even with all the messiness, I had a pretty good experience.
And from a young age
· I believed in God, and decided living for God was a lot better than not living for God.
· Now, Looking back I realize I had a pretty self-serving view of my relationship with Him.
· Again maybe it was my Dutchness, but it seemed like a good deal.
o Sure I had to give up some things, but I got a lot more back in return.
And that meant that growing up my relationship with God was more about doing the right things and trying to not make God mad at me.
It was more fear based and pretty distant.
And that was all I really knew, so I was ok that that arrangement.
But a couple verses in the Bible always intrigued me growing up.
· At the beginning of the bible, in Genesis 5 it talks about a guy name Enoch.
o Enoch had such a close relationship with God, that one day God just literally transported him into heaven so that they could be together.
Isn’t that crazy?
Here is how the Bible puts it: <BAM>
23 Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. (NLT)
Could you imagine being that close to God?
o How does that happen?
o How do you have a relationship with God that is not based on rituals and rules and having to do the right things all the time?
o How do you have a relationship with God that is so intimate, and so close,
o God literally invites you into His presence?
Well, there is a lot to that Q, a lot more than we have time to unpack today. But I think another verse in the Bible helps to begin to answer that question. I love this verse so much, b/c it is so powerful.
And in it, there is a promise from God to anyone who wants an intimate relationship with Him.
James 4:8 <BAM> says:
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8a) NKJV, NET
Would you read that again with me out loud.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Even after 25 years of marriage, I still pursue Julia.
But I pursue God even more.
My greatest desire in life is to be close to Him.
· I don’t want a relationship with God that is transactional.
· I don’t want a relationship based on fear.
· I don’t want a distant relationship.
· I want a David relationship where I pursue God’s own heart
· I want an Enoch relationship where I walk closely with God every day and He invites me into His presence
· I want a passionate, intimate, authentic and powerful relationship with the triune God of the universe.
Because I have discovered that life is way better when you are living close to God.
· Does anyone else know what I am talking about today?
As I have pursued God, so many incredible things have happened.
I could come up with a huge list but let me really quickly share 4 amazing things that have happened as I pursued God.
And all 4 start with P for your convenience.
Perspective
First of all, the more I pursue God and draw near to Him, the more I get perspective. <BAM>
There is a lot in life that I don’t understand.
· I don’t understand why certain things happen in the world.
· I don’t understand how everything fits into God’s plan
· I don’t even understand everything that is written in the Bible
And I know I won’t understand everything fully until I am with Jesus in person,
but I love what He said in Mark 4:24. <BAM>
Do you know what Jesus said:
The closer you listen (to Him), the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
Isn’t that so powerful?
The closer we listen to Jesus, the more we are going to understand things.
And I have to tell you, I believe Him, and I know it is true.
I have experienced this in my own life.
B/c I have found that the more I draw near to God, the more I see things from His point of view.
o The more time I spend with Him
o the more wisdom I get
o and the more I see things the way He sees them.
And I have discovered that God’s perspective is always better than mine.
The first P is perspective.
(will you say perspective)
Purpose
The second P = purpose. <BAM>
The more I draw near to God, the more I find my purpose in life.
I am not sure where you are at right now, and what stage of life you find yourself in, but I know a lot of students and young professionals who are desperately looking for purpose and meaning.
A lot of research is showing that Gen Z in particular is looking for purpose. (HBR)
Gen Z is the high school and YA population.
· An article in the Havard Business Review <BAM> said this
McKinsey research confirms Gen Z is a purpose-driven generation. Their desire to know how their individual contributions and role in the team help support the organization's mission differentiates them (sets them apart). They make career choices and purchasing choices driven by the impact these make in the world.
A little while ago I had a conversation with a computer engineering student who was trying to figure out what to do after school and he had some great options.
· Some that would make a lot of $.
· But do you know what he told me? He said to me that $ didn’t really matter to him.
· He was looking for more than just a big pay cheque – he wanted his work to make a difference.
· He wanted to work and live with a purpose.
Can anyone here relate to that?
I know I can. That is how I want to live. I want to make a difference, don’t you?
<BAM>(blank)
Well, here is some good news - God has incredible plans for each one of our lives.
· He specially designed each one of us on purpose to do some amazing things.
o God chose our personality
o He (gave us) coded us with special skills
o He gifted us with awesome abilities
And He has exciting things for us to accomplish while we are on this earth.
We are here on earth because God has a mission for us.
That is why we exist.
We were sent here b/c God wants us to work for Him and work with Him
to do some great things that are going to make a big difference.
That is why we are here – we are here on earth on purpose b/c we have a mission from God.
I am not sure if you are like me, but sometimes I am tempted to think life is about me.
But the more I draw close to God, the more I realize that life is not about me.
Life is about God, and living for Him and accomplishing His mission.
God sent us here at this time and in this place to fulfill His purposes.
But the only way to figure out what our God given purposes are – is to draw close to the one who designed us.
Wouldn’t it be tragic if we missed out on the great things God has created us to do?
Someone once said: <BAM> The saddest thing in life is wasted talent
· What if Vladimir Guerrero Jr <BAM> had never played baseball – I don’t think we would have made it to the World Series without him
· What if Steve Jobs <BAM> never started Apple?
· What if Billy Graham <BAM> never became a preacher?
o Over 58 years, Billy G reached more than 210 million people with the Gospel (Wikipedia). What if he didn’t answer God’s call to be on mission?
Friends, I have to tell you something. These superstars aren’t the only one with special gifts. <BAM>
· God has given each one of us with a whole portfolio of talents.
· You are so gifted.
· You are oozing with God given potential.
· If you draw near to Him, God will begin to reveal His purposes for your life.
Will you say purpose?
Person
The 3rd p is person. <BAM>
The more I pursue God, the more I become the person I was made to be.
Someone once said that we are the average of our 5 closest friends. Isn’t that an interesting idea?
Craig Groeschel puts it this way: <BAM>
“Show me who your 5 closest friends are and I will show you who are becoming.” (podcast)
“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. The people you’re hanging out with today are shaping the person you will become tomorrow.” (Divine Direction)
So let me ask you: <BAM> Who is your closest earthly friend?
Who is the person that you are closest to?
· Could be best friend
· Spouse
· Sibling
Who is the person that you spend most of your time with?
I would like to write a name down on your HO or just think about a specific person in your head.
Think about this person for a minute.
· The more you spend time with this person, the more you invest in them
· the more their traits, ideas, thoughts, values, beliefs, mannerisms will rub off on you.
We recently had an Scottish exchange student who was on staff with us named Jess Maclean.
· Jess spoke just like the rest of our team, except she had a mild accent and sometimes she would come up with some funny words for things.
· Like one time she was talking about the trunk of her car, and do you know what she called it? The boot.
But other than the occasional word, and a bit of an accent, she talked like us.
Except for the time her mom who lives in Scotland called and Jess instantly turned back into full on Scottish Jess. The way she talked totally changed and it was like she flipped a switch and spoke like a different person. I could hardly make out what she was saying, and it was like she gave Canadian Jess the boot.
It was so fascinating to witness.
We become like the people we draw near to – either intentionally or unintentionally. <BAM>
So, What if God was our closest friend?
What if we spent more time with God than any other friend?
What if He was closer than anyone?
What do you think would happen in your life?
I have found that as I draw close to God, I become the best version of myself.
· I become the person I was originally designed to be.
· I am not 100% there yet, and I have good days and bad days.
· But I know I am getting better. And I like who I am becoming.
When we pursue God, we become our truest self. Our best self.
We become real, authentic, and the person we were designed to be.
Will you say person?
Praise
And the final P is praise. <BAM>
The more I pursue God, the more I praise Him.
· That is because the more I pursue God, the more I realize He has been pursuing me first.
Whether we realize it or not, God has been with us every single day of our life, watching over us, walking with us, and wooing us.
· He has been strategically positioning Himself in our lives, in an attempt to win our hearts.
Before we even knew Him, God loved us.
Before we were even born, He died for us.
God’s love for us is so great, He was willing to do whatever it took to be close to us.
Nobody will ever love us more than God.
And like David, the more I experience how much God loves me, the more I have to praise Him.
I can’t hold that in. I can’t contain it.
B/c I have discovered that God’s love is actually better than life itself.
I have to praise Him – will you say praise?
<BAM> (blank)
Almost 2 years ago now, our oldest daughter Megan went off to university. And guess where she went? Redeemer U.
· She has followed in Julia’s and my footsteps.
· And get this - she also got a job working at the athletic center desk and guess what happened?
o A nice young man started hanging around her desk and now they are in a dating relationship
· Maybe if you are looking for someone, that is the place to go
Well sending our first child off to university was really hard for me.
On the drive down, I was really sad.
I had that feeling you get when you go to a funeral.
I literally had a toilet paper roll ready for all my tears.
But when I got there, something amazing happened. The funeral turned into a reunion.
· As soon as I got there, I met old friends, and dormmates, and even one of my youth from when I was a youth pastor.
· It was so great to reconnect, and catch up, and share memories.
· I was having so much fun talking to people that I didn’t even help Megan unload the car.
· By the time I was done chatting, she was already moved into her dorm room.
And while I was chatting with my buddies on Megan’s front porch something happened.
We had a moment of realization.
· Someone did some math, which is always a bad idea, and we realized that it had been over 30 years since we started university.
· And I couldn’t believe it.
· But the #’s and the grey hair and the tiny little bald spot don’t lie.
One day, you will get to a time in your life when you look back, and you will start to reminisce.
I guarantee you, it is going to happen. Some of you are already there and know what I am talking about.
One day - You will say things like: where has the time gone?
And you will ask yourself – what have I done with my life?
And at that moment,
What will matter most is not how much $ you have, or how many followers/likes on social media.
What will matter most is who you have invested in and who you have become.
And so let me ask you:
Who are you investing in?
Who or what are you pursuing?
Who are you becoming?
The more you pursue God,
· the more you will get perspective
· the more you will find your purpose
· the more you will become the best version of yourself
· the more you will praise Him
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Reflection Questions
I would like to close with a time of prayer and I would like to give you a few moments to pray quietly and personally through this Q:<BAM>
What do you need to do to pursue God more?
· What do you need to stop doing?
· What do you need to start?
What do you need to do to pursue God more?
I encourage you to pray to God silently and ask Him what He would like you to do
And then I will close in prayer.
Prayer
Lord, you are so so good to us. Thank you for loving us so much
Thank you for running after us. Thank you for your desire to be close to us.
Lord, Help us to pursue you the way you pursue us.
Help us to chase after you. Help us seek you with all of our heart.
Because we want to be close to you. We want more of you in our lives.
Amen.
If you here this morning and you haven’t made a decision to pursue God, or if you want to talk about how to pursue God more, I would be happy to talk to you after church.
I would love to help you get more connected with God.
It will be the best decision you make.
Parting Blessing (if needed)
It was so great to spend time with you today.
Thank you again for all of your support.
As we leave our gathering,
May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (20a,21)
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