Developing a heart for God

I had the opportunity to hear David Yonggi Cho preach at a City Harvest service two weekends ago. Cho is senior pastor and the founder of the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, which is the world's largest congregation with over a million members. He's also instrumental in the early revival Pentecostal and prayer mountain movements in Korea. Before he shared his message, the screen flashed an introductory video on him, which was a broad brush of his 54 years of ministry with revival rallies both at home and abroad, including in Africa and Europe. Throwing in a personal anecdote, I recalled quite healthy demand for his books at my auntie's bookstores when I was there helping out during term breaks. 


Below are some sermon excerpts: 


Key bible reference 
Proverbs 4:23 
Keep your heart with all vigilance 
For from it flow the springs of life 


1. The heart should be developed first 
References: Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 
Visible change begins with change in the invisible heart. Only God can deliver us from hearts of darkness, disorder and discouragement; from sin, from despair and from sickness. Behold, the old has passed; the new has come. God's Word - the Bible - offers a solid foundation in transforming our minds and our hearts. We're to saturate our minds with the Word of God and our hearts with the redeeming grace of Christ. 


2. We need a clear vision and goal in our lives 
Reference: Genesis 12 
God will plant visions and reams in us before we can be effective for Him. We need only prayer and the Holy Spirit in order to have visions and dreams. The foundations of our ministry for God will be built on these because the Holy Spirit will come in and work through us. For example, Abraham received his vision when he was 75 before he did anything for God. We have the inventor and creator God in our hearts and we will grow by inspiration, not by striving. In so doing, we preach life instead of preaching culture. People need life; people need hope; people need Jesus. 


3. Have faith and believe 
Reference: Mark 13 
God says give me your mustard seed of faith, and I will move mountains. The devil comes to us and says we have 99% of doubts but God says to us that we focus on the 1% of faith because with that, we can move mountains. Everybody has doubts but let us focus on faith. It shall be done according to your faith. 


4. Active confession 
Reference: Romans 10:9-10 
We have a gold mine in our hearts but when we bury it, it will go straight to our tombs. Speak the Word of God over our lives. Release our faith through confession of our blessings. Speak blessings to our families. 


 All this will enable us to be change agents for God in this world.