When faced with disappointment, disaster, and despair, we often find ourselves putting God in a box, but Pastor Isaac Macharia of Trinity Chapel Kampala urges that God is limitless both in power and in His love for us.
While at Worship Harvest Church – Naalya , the preacher urged Christians not to get caught up in the patterns of how they think God should act.
His sermon was aimed at sparking a fire of faith and obedience that burns up the attitude of mediocrity and status quo in the body of Christ.
“Move out of that box that you think God should operate in because He can do more… Don’t think that He will only move when you sing a certain song, or move when a certain preacher is speaking,” he said.
“Do you know that after killing Goliath with a stone, David never threw stones again? It is the stone that killed Goliath, just one, but after that, you never see him throwing stones again. He is onto horses and chariots. Don’t box God. Open your spirit and heart to greater horizons that God has for you,” he said.
Pastor Isaac Macharia urged that obeying God is essential to a Christian’s daily walk. He said that how we conduct ourselves among each other, other Christians, and out in the world among non-Christians, matters.
“When you walk into a homestead that has sheep, you don’t need a commission of inquiry to explain to you that there are sheep here. The scent is proof enough. And like wise, those of us who are of the kingdom, should be obvious to the world because of our scent, worldviews, expressions and lifestyles. It would be unfortunate if someone has to figure out that you are a follower of the Lord. In-fact, it would be more unfortunate if they doubt,” he said.
“There is something very interesting about sheep. Sheep are known to be foolish. But let me tell you this, sheep that are foolish, are the kind that do not have a shepherd. Sheep that submit themselves to a shepherd will not be led in foolish places. Sheep that chose to follow other sheep, will get lost,” he continued. “Christ Jesus is our Shepherd.”
“One of the things I have come to learn is that sheep will only benefit from the Shepherd if they follow him,” he explained, quoting John 8:31 which says, “Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples.””
Also quoted was John 10:27-28: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
Pastor Isaac Macharia noted that while following the Shepherd, one will be able to experience three things; Divine provision, protection and promotion.
“God will provide for you. Psalms 23:2 says, ‘He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.’ If you have taken care of sheep before, at what point do they lie down? When they are satisfied. Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to submit to you that if you follow the Lord, He will provide for your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.”
Through 1 Kings 17:2-16, the preacher explained how ravens were under divine instructions to feed the servant of the Lord during a crisis. Also, through Exodus 16:35 he detailed how God supernaturally fed the Israelites for forty years, until they came to a land that was settled.
“What makes you think if you follow God He will not provide for you? This provision is not limited to material or physical needs. God will give you worth, value and significance. Material things make no sense if you do not have a sense of worth and value,” he said.
“As a sheep following the Shepherd, you will experience divine promotion. God will lift you from one level of faith, glory to another. He will keep on exposing you to bigger and better, if you are faithful where you are and keep your focus on Him. Psalms 23:5 says, ‘Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over,'” he said.
The preacher noted that when Daniel chose to trust God and continue with his daily pattern of prayer despite a major decree (Daniel 6:22) from authorities who said ‘if anyone was caught praying to another god, or man, besides the king (Darius), during a specific thirty-day period, that person would be thrown into the lion’s den’, he experienced divine protection saying, “My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.”(Daniel 6:22 NIV)”
