Why don't we just close our eyes right now, shall we? Father, God, we just thank You for the great privilege, of being called to walk in Your kingdom, and to have Jesus as such a model. We thank You Lord, that even now as we open our hearts, You will come forth, and You will serve us. You will minister to us, You will help us. Lord, wherever our feet are dirty, because of the way we've walked our life; we may be down in the pigsty because of the decisions we've made; but You will come, and wrap Your arms around us, and help us to get up out of it.
Just while our eyes are closed and heads are bowed, is there anyone here today, that's not yet become a follower of Jesus, haven't given your life to Jesus? Be a great day to do that, wouldn't it? To be in the atmosphere of God, the presence of God. Why don't you make that decision today: I'm going to actually open my heart to Jesus Christ. I'm going to take the first step, by inviting Christ into my life, and trusting Him to deal with the issues of my sins and failures of the past. That's the first step. Then it's a journey after that, walking with Him. Is anyone at that place to receive Jesus? Would you raise your hand, just let me know, any person here? You're not a Christian by coming to church. You're a Christian by a decision, the work of God; and so the work of God in your heart comes when you believe and trust Christ. Is there anyone here just right at that place of decision right now?
Just before we finish now - we're going to finish just exalting Him and lifting Him up - I wonder is there anyone here, and God really challenged you; you realise actually, this thing of give-me, give-me has been more in my life than I realised, and I really need to address it. God has been speaking to me about this issue of denying self in some area; of actually reorienting, to become what can I give, and how can I serve; rather than what can I get, and what can I receive. If you heard God speaking about that, or maybe about the issue of the cross, where actually you've quit on many things, because people were upset, or someone didn't like it, or it cost you something; it hurt, it was difficult on the way, and there were unexpected setbacks and difficulties; and Jesus is saying: come on, pick up your cross, you need to follow Me again, come on, start walking with Me. If you know you had God speak to you today about that, just make a response today. See, we love all these words about 'destiny' and 'future' and 'purpose of God', but you know the pathway there, is the pathway of following Jesus; and it involves denying self, taking up your cross, following Him. That is the path of a disciple. It's the path of every disciple, there are no exceptions.
I thought it'd be different for me, you know, I'm sort of special. My mum told me I was special. All the time, when the kids bullied me, they told me I was special. Yes, you're special; but stop being a pretty princess, and make a decision to man up and follow Christ. If that's you today, and you know God was speaking to you in some area, why don't you raise your hand right now, God challenged you - God bless, God bless, many hands coming up. Father, I just thank You. Why don't we just, as we stand together, what we'll do is, we'll just worship with that song we sing right at the very end of the service. We'll just exalt Him, and you build an altar in your heart. If God spoke to you: you need to go and put a marriage thing right, a family thing right, a relationship right, a work situation right; work out how to do it, how to own it, how to go there with a serving heart, how to actually make the apology a good apology. Then believe that now you're going to come and serve. You know the path to my promotion in the workplace came one day, when I went to my boss and apologised to him, because I had neglected something in my work that was very important to him. I could see the astonishment in his face, but within eighteen months he'd promoted me. Hmm, principles of God work. Come on, let's just stand and worship Him shall we, let's just stand up, flow into that song.