Everyday Christianity Part I

this is my first ever msg that was preached home ground at Brighton Youth Conference on 21 May 2005 I was so scared. It was even worst than when I got the opportunity to share God's words to the GMSS students. But slowly like always, blank head I go to the pulpit, full of the spirit I became. I don't know...whenever I preach, there is this anger in me to ensure that it gets to the people and the scene where Jesus chases the people out of the temple because of the low regard of it's holiness always captured my being and my thoughts during preaching. Ps Danny always encourage me to cool down and speak softer, really a tall order for me, tried and tested. After the sermon, some said that they were really ministered by it, another thinks it is shallow. But i believe that God's word is spoken for it's time and place no matter what crowd and regardless of what people think as long as it is from the unchanging word. Jesus is the way, the only way, the counselor of truth. The sermon will be placed as a three part series in my blog. I pray that you be ministered by it. I was in my room praying and asking God what He would want to speak to the young of today and He impressed that our faith has been watered down much in the rigidities of weekdays, compromising our faith much, hence EVERYDAY CHRISTIANITY, may the HS be with you :)

A question has to be asked, “How do we serve God in everyday?”

Everyday life is not camp, though Brightonyouth camp is really awesome
Everyday life is not conference where you have Andrew Yeo ushering the presence of God or LJ our drummer kicking the beat brother! Everyone is jumping, shouting it is AWESOME!
Everyday life is not James Singh coming to you and FIRE

Everyday life is learning not to get upset with your mom, because it is like the umpteen times she has been asking you how are your studies doing son and you tell her, “I don’t know mom, it is only the first day in school”
Everyday life is making sure today you actually don’t hit your brother
Everyday life is waking up not complaining to your mom who made you a sumptuous breakfast meal and all you have to say to her is “don’t you know I am on a diet?”

This is everyday life, how do I serve God in an everyday life? I am talking about Everyday Christianity. When I am in my National service, I realize that life is not a euphoric mountain top experience. Usually life most often is a progression of a daily routine exercises. And the man and woman who succeeds in life, sucks the most out of these routine exercises and truly fulfils their destiny is the young men and woman who finds great meaning in the routine exercise of Everyday Christianity. You need to understand that. Particularly after June or December camp, people have Camp Christianity, when time allows them for prayer they pray or to be spiritual for that matter a fact they are into it, it is good, it is cool. But when school time comes back to them, the rigidity and school schedule, and the demands on your time and your attention begins to suffocate your spirituality.

You know mother’s day was just over and on that I was with Reynard and Winston. They can be witnesses to this testimony. We were fiddling thru the DVD shop looking for love stories and stuff and we made our way to my place and I remember that I always buy a cake for my mom on mother’s day. SO with the last 20 dollars I have, I bought a juicy black forest cake. I was jubilant, the guys were excited about this outing and I can’t wait to see my mom’s face. I got back, showed her the cake, she was happy and I kissed her on her cheek, the guys were fiddling with their food and suddenly there was silence when my mom told me to give the cake to my grandmother! I remembered that it is mother’s day, not grandma’s day. I bought the cake for her! SO I ask her what is this? And she says just do it. I said no…I got the cake for you, why are you asking me to bring the cake to someone else? Why can’t you just receive it!!!

*I am talking about everyday Christianity, not sitting on soft red chairs, nice auditorium, listening to ian preaching. I am talking about everyday Christianity.
Mom, I got the cake for you why can’t you just take.
COs I want grandma to have it…I was like AHHHHHHHHHH. N the faces on Reynard they know that what I said wasn’t very nice. And I know it! And I went to my room huffing and puffing…everyday Christianity

This is where it really happens; this is where it takes place,
Am I a Christian or am I not?
Do I have a relationship with Him or not?
Do I really talk to Him?
When I have a bad day, do I really talk to Him, interact with Him?
Or I only have communion or communication with Him when candles are burning and One Way is playing on the cd or my life is full of nice flowery experience with no grey clouds to BUG me. Are those the only times I engage with God?

At that time, I wasn’t very spiritual but I was anointed. I was Argh…all sorts of noise came out from my mouth…and then I prayed, no one was around me cos I am in my room. If my mom heard me, she would say, “uh huh, you better call on Buddha too hmph!” I started praying and I asked, “Jesus right now I need grace, I need grace, GRACE right now because I am ticked off!” I was fired up but I said it again, Jesus I need grace! It wasn’t like in a spiritual voice, Father in heaven, would you pour down your glorious grace from your throne, your great white throne that is. It more like, Jesus I need grace before I break something!

Then something happened. A peace got into me as I think about Him. And I realize there is no need for all this senseless anger, after all it is mother’s day and I am enjoying a dvd romantic movie with my guy friends and furthermore I get to see my grandma whom I have not visited in ages. There was a perspective change and I am back to my usual heavenly self. You can ask Reynard and Winston to be judge of that…Amen?

I am talking about Everyday Christianity. What does Jesus have to say about Everyday Christianity? Two things He said:

to be continued...
find out what Jesus have to say bout Everyday Christian Life...(^__________^) _