The Soft Heart of Love - Santosh Poonen - July 31, 2015
http://rlcfchurch.org/the-soft-heart-of-love RLCF Youth Conference 2015 - Session #10 River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central message is that God is on the side of the young people, encouraging them not to compare themselves to others or feel discouraged by their current level of passion. The core call is to follow Jesus by heart, trusting that God desires to transform them internally, making them useful for His kingdom regardless of their current feelings or outward appearance. This transformation is rooted in embracing the nature of God, which is love.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
The tussle between the world and following JesusYoung people face intense emotions, worldliness, and the temptation to follow unfulfilling paths, yet deep down they want to give their lives to Jesus.
God is on your side even when passion feels lackingEven if you do not feel the passion you see in others or in preachers, God is rooting for you and more determined to help you than you are.
I will because I loveThe essence of the message is that God is on your side to help you obey and choose him simply because you love him.
God's discipline as a manifestation of loveGod disciplines His children out of love, just as an earthly father disciplines his sons and daughters for their ultimate good.
God collects every tear in a bottleGod hears our grieving and records our tears of loneliness and longing, keeping account of every trial we face as young people.
Responding to discipline like EphraimWhen we repent and learn the lessons from God's discipline, our hearts turn fully back to Him, realizing how much He yearns for us.
Writing the law on the heartUnder the New Covenant, God does not just give external rules on stone tablets; He writes His law directly on our hearts so we know Him intimately.
The purifying hope of becoming like JesusBelievers have the hope that when Jesus appears, we will be like Him, and this hope motivates us to purify ourselves and keep getting up when we fall.
An unshakable life that produces sweetnessJesus gives us an indestructible, unshakable life so that no matter how much we are shaken by circumstances, only sweet water spills out.Hebrews 7:15
God acts for the glory of His holy nameGod cleanses wretched failures and transforms them not just for our sake, but to display the greatness of His saving power to the world.
The heart transplant: from pig to catInstead of tying a pig down with chains of rules, God performs heart surgery to replace our love for filth with a nature that loves cleanliness.
A closing prayer for a tender heartThe message concludes with a time of quiet prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to remove hard-heartedness and grant a soft, obedient heart.
