======================================================================== O TO BE LIKE JESUS by Annie Poonen ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the power of prayer and worship through hymns as a means to express our deepest feelings to the Lord when we lack the words. It delves into the significance of surrendering all aspects of our lives to God, seeking to be transformed into His image and likeness, filled with compassion, forgiveness, and humility, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to God. Duration: 9:31 Topics: "Power of Prayer", "Surrendering to God" Scripture References: Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 4:22, Colossians 3:12, Acts 1:8, Matthew 5:5, Matthew 5:6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the power of prayer and worship through hymns as a means to express our deepest feelings to the Lord when we lack the words. It delves into the significance of surrendering all aspects of our lives to God, seeking to be transformed into His image and likeness, filled with compassion, forgiveness, and humility, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life pleasing to God. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sometimes when we ask our little children to pray and they don't begin to pray. They want to pray but they just can't say the words. And then the mom comes and whispers in the child's ear some short prayer and the child repeats it. And that's how the mom helps the child to pray. I think of that many times when I want to talk to the Lord and I don't have the words. But there's so much feeling in my heart. And sometimes the words of some hymn, like the one which we just sang, comes to my mind. And even the first line, Oh Lord, I wish I could be like you. Just that one line uplifts me and makes me take off. And then when I read or sing the rest of those words in that song, it's almost like the mom has whispered the prayer in the child's ear. It's almost like the Holy Spirit has said the words which I have, I am meant to say, are there in this hymn. And I say, Yes, Lord, that's exactly what I mean. That's exactly what I want to tell you. That's exactly what my need, which I want to express to you. This beautiful song, which we just sang, was written by a man called Thomas O. Christian. He's the same person who wrote Great is Thy Faithfulness. And both those songs have so much meaning and been a blessing to me. After listening to a message like what we heard today, I thought this is the right song which I want to express to the Lord. Oh, to be like the blessed Redeemer. First of all, we have to know the Lord as our Redeemer. Otherwise, it's just a beautiful song. We have to realize how much our Lord has done for us to redeem us from the slavery of sin and wash us in his precious blood. And this is not just a one time experience. Every day, my constant longing is this, Lord, my prayer. Every day, my prayer is this. And as we heard just a little while ago, I gladly give up all earthly treasures which I'm holding on to. I open my palm and I want to give up everything, my ambition. If I have given it up to you and you give it back to me, it's different. Then it's not my ambition. It's the ambition that you have given me, Lord. Same way with anything which I hold. My riches. My health. The way I look. The way others think of me. Everything, Lord, I want to give it all up to you. And you can take care of it and you can give me what you think I need. But, Lord, my greatest desire is that I should be like you. Whatever I am on outwardly, that's going to perish one day in the grave. But the inward likeness which you have given me, which you have changed me into, that's the thing which I'm going to take back, take to heaven with me. So I want that, Lord. I want that in my life. And the chorus says, come in thy sweetness, come in thy fullness. Stamp thine own image deep in my heart. When God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, he made them in his image. Anyone who saw them at that time must have seen this image of God on these two people. But over the years, because of sin, the dirt of sin has covered that image and eroded it and taken it away. Some have lost it completely. And when we come to the Lord and we have accepted him as our savior and the Holy Spirit has come into our heart, we can say, Lord, please put back that image, restore that image which we lost. Keep in my heart, write that image, Lord. And if you have written it, it will never be erased. As long as you are there and I keep away sin by your strength, by your power, I keep away from sin. That image will be there all my life. So it's a song of triumph. It's a song of hope. And when his image is there, the second and third verses we can sing and it will be fulfilled. To be like Jesus, full of compassion. We really need compassion in our homes, towards our children, our life partner, brothers and sisters in the church, towards our aged parents and loved ones. Maybe people at home we have left behind and who are struggling. We need that compassionate nature and the Lord can do that. That is part of the image he is going to imprint. Full of compassion, loving, forgiving. Yes, a lot of people may have done harm or said words or written things to hurt us. They may not have expressed things the way we wanted to hear and we find it hard to forgive. And then the Lord says, I'll teach you. I'll help you to forgive the most unkind people you can forgive. And I can replace that unforgiveness and give you love for that person. He can make us tender and kind. The third line of verse two says, helping the helpless, cheering the fainting. Yes, many times our children, the weaker people in our home are almost going to faint. We can help them and lift them up. The last line says, seeking the wandering sinners to find. Yes, there are so many we come across in our workplace, in our homes. Maybe some of our loved ones haven't yet found the Lord. The Lord has to give us an opportunity at least to pray for them and seek ways where they can come and find the Lord and find him. Third, third versus ought to be like the lowly in spirit. There's no person who was lowly and humble as Jesus, the great king, king of kings. He said, learn of me for I am meek and lowly. Holy and harmless, patient and brave. Yes, we don't want to harm anyone. Even if people have been harming us, we don't want to return harm to them and kindness to them. We want to be like Jesus, returning love. Be patient towards them. Meekly enduring cruel reproaches. Some of us have had reproaches from people, some of our loved ones who have not known the Lord, maybe. Or some people who may hate us in the office and always wanting to bring us down and say rude things or write rude things about us. We can the Lord can help us to endure those approaches, willing to suffer, willing to suffer any amount so that others might be saved. And then how can we do? How can we live like this? Only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord, I need your Holy Spirit power every day. Lord, I'm coming. Now to receive the anointing divine. And in exchange for that. Power of the Holy Spirit, which you're going to give me. I am bringing all to you and surrender my life, surrender my ambitions and everything. So from this moment, Lord, let me be yours. And all that I have is yours. Last was ought to be like the while I'm pleading. Yes, we have to plead. Jesus said we have to hunger and thirst. We have to thirst for the Holy Spirit. Only to those who thirst. God, the Lord will give us that. Water of life. So while I'm pleading, Lord, pour out your spirit. Fill me with your love. Make me a temple. Which is fit to be your dwelling. And make me fit for a life which you will approve. Ought to be like the while I'm pleading. Pour out thy spirit. Fill with thy love. Make me a temple. Meet for thy dwelling. Fit for a life which thou would approve. Amen. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/WbODbMjfN_8.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/annie-poonen/o-to-be-like-jesus/ ========================================================================