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Sons and Daughters of the Almighty King

March 31, 2014 cm-admin News 0

31 March 2014 by Natasha Kim CM-

Senior Dr Paul Chen preached the word during the service at the River of Life Sanctuary, Bandar Puteri on the 16^th of March 2014 about how all of us are the sons and daughters of the Lord our God and King. He began his sermon by talking about the little baby prince that was born in the arms of Prince William and Kate Middleton. This baby is privileged to be born into an easy going life and has his life pretty much planned out in the roads ahead. In comparison, many people in the world have to think about what they have to do in life. We have to think about how to plan our life out, how to earn a living, how to save up in order to make a purchase, how to plan out our next step in life, and so on. Now, since we are sons and daughters of the Almighty King, Paul shared, “Ask yourself, do you have those privileges? If not, then how do we get a full dose of that privilege? It is your right to get that privilege!”

Are you an orphan or the child of the King?

Your relationship with God determines whether you are an orphan or the child of a King, shared Paul. You are an orphan when you lose touch with God or if you fail to make or even maintain a relationship with Him. “In isolation from the promises, the ‘orphan’ has developed a small view of Christ the King and a small view of the Gospel. In contrast, a believer is living as the King’s sons or daughter’s when he or she is walking in faith and living according to God’s promises,” said Paul. The people who walk in faith have a bigger view of the Gospel and a bigger view of Christ.

The BENEFITS of being the King’s sons and daughters

Forgiveness and Eternal Life

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
²⁰but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Discipline

“The second benefit which is discipline is something we do not like, inflatable for sale
but it’s a benefit, I tell you! Don’t count it as a pain. Have you been disciplined by God? I have been disciplined so many times, but I appreciate every discipline I received,” Paul shared.

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement from a father to his son? It says:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. (Hebrews 12:5-8)

Inheritance

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ”Abba, Father.” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:6-7)

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹²In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone. (Psalms 91:11-12)

In terms of inheritance, Paul shared that our heritage, the Bible is greater than any gun! He then began to illustrate by telling a true story of a Baptist by the name of Dr Pastor Tson who pastored a church in Oradea, Romania. As the story goes, Pastor Tson was arrested on several occasions and was subjected to long periods of brutal interrogation. During an interrogation in Ploiesti, he was threatened with death if he did not cooperate with the authorities. He replied with the statement, “Your supreme weapon is killing. My supreme weapon is dying.” He told his captors that his sermons had been recorded on cassette tapes and that he had written tracts to encourage his fellow Christians. He said if he were to be executed, people would know he truly believed what he had said and had been willing to die for those beliefs! This happened many years ago but Pastor Tson survived this event in his life. Every day, a Christian is to be on mission. Then and only then will we find true satisfaction in our daily lives. “So if you are a child of God why are you afraid?” Paul questioned. Do not be afraid for God is might to save.

Future and Hope

“Prince George (son of Prince William and Kate Middleton) has a future and a hope based on royal plans made by his father, but our plans are made by the King himself,” said Paul. In this case, as children of God, don’t fret, we are more privileged than the royalty in this world. God is with you all the time, but you have to ensure that you are not distracted by the noises of the world. Often, it is a matter of tuning into what God is trying to tell us, and that is His heavenly and divine plan in giving us a hope and a future! Go out and plant that seed to flourish your relationship with God and reap all the good He has in store for us all!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)