Young People's Group

“And They Shall Be My People”

by Mitchell Tan
March 17, 2017

THANKING GOD FOR A SPECIAL TIME OF HEARING HIS VOICE

Gratitude should fill our heart as we reflect on Family Camp 2017. Not only did the running of the camp go very well at the Le Grandeur hotel, our Lord God Almighty spoke to many hearts, revived and renewed them. Pastor began the first evening at Camp by speaking of the great need to listen to the voice of the Lord. The word of the Lord would come to His servant and he in turn was to bring His word to the people (Jeremiah 2:1). The Lord God was meant to speak through Jeremiah the prophet. The challenge for His people was to hear His voice and to respond to it.

HIGHLIGHTING THREE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF RELATING TO GOD AS HIS PEOPLE

The Family Camp was essentially about having a clear understanding first with regards to a covenantal relationship between God and us.

“So shall you be My people, and I will be your God.”
Jeremiah 11:4

The Lord God repeated the above statement several times in the Scriptures. Each time He did this, there was an important aspect being brought across. Let me highlight three of them.

1. A HEART TO OBEY GOD’S VOICE

“‘Obey my voice.’ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart”
Jeremiah 11:7-8

The challenge given to the people of Israel was to obey the voice of the Lord and to do according to all that He had commanded them. When they do follow His voice, they shall become the people of God. However, Judah chose to follow the dictates of her own heart and did evil in the sight of the Lord. The danger that is very common today is for us to “listen to our own heart”. The challenge is to listen to the voice of God and to obey it.

2. A HEART TO KNOW GOD

“Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.”
Jeremiah 24:7

Those who would return from 70 years in exile would be planted back in the land of Israel. The Lord would set His eye on them for good. And He will give them a heart to know Him. He would be known to them as the Lord. The people were to return to Him with the whole heart. It is truly wonderful to know that we can have a heart that would want to know Him. Young people, do you have a heart that desires to know Him? Let’s truly seek to understand and know the Lord for His lovingkindness and righteousness. This is the only thing worth glorying in (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

3. A HEART THAT PLEDGES TO APPROACH HIM

“‘For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
‘You shall be My people,
And I will be your God.’”
Jeremiah 30:21-22

Another wonderful aspect with regards to those returning from exile was that the Lord would cause the leaders and the people to draw near to Him. The Lord would bestow His blessings on the people and He would cause them not to be small but to glorify and establish them. They would have the privilege to draw near to Him. They would be committed to approaching Him and to following Him. As we have our Bethany 4 Church dedication service this weekend, let’s rejoice. Let’s pledge ourselves to approach Him with joy. Let’s seek to draw nearer to Him in the year ahead.

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