Kevin Gerald taught City Harvest Church members how to identify different forces that are constantly shaping our destinies, through a divine partnership with God.
By Joelle Pang
CN PHOTOS: Benjamin Tan and Jeremy Ong.
While people commonly think that they are powerless in determining their future, Kevin Gerald, senior pastor of Champions Center, Washington, begged to differ.
“God has a great plan for our lives,” said Gerald, quoting from Jeremiah 29:11, as he preached to the congregation at City Harvest Church.
Over the weekend of Jun. 23 and 24, Gerald brought messages of profound truth packaged in simple words and practical steps to the members of CHC. His ministry in the United States aims to impart practical Bible principles to equip children of God to lead successful Christian lives. Through his international and local television program, KevinGerald.tv, as well as through books he has written, his messages are brought to Christians worldwide.
How A Future Is Formed
Before diving into his main message, Gerald explained that the will of God is not whatever happens, and the things that happen may not be the will of God; in fact, many things happening in the world today are actually out of the will of God. A believer should thus partner with God daily to live out God’s will for his life.
Reading from Matthew 7:24, where it says that a wise man builds his house on the rock, Gerald encouraged the congregation to be like the wise man and to learn to recognize forces in their lives that determine the strength of the life they are building. Once they can recognize these influencers, they can take practical and Biblical steps to build their lives positively and work towards the destiny and purpose that God has prepared for them.
Force Of A Seed Sown
Actions, words and decisions are like seeds, and when these seeds are sown, they will affect one’s future and destiny. Hence it is crucial that God’s people work towards being good “seed inspectors”, and ensure that the quality of seeds sown will produce a good harvest in future.
“What happens if you go to the field and say ‘Field, I want potatoes?’” Gerald asked. “Nothing will happen! The field will not produce things we dream, it produce things we sow, Christians and non-Christians alike.” With this, he encouraged members not just to pray for their dreams, but to take action and sow into it.
Force Of Relationships
“We often underestimate the effects of second-hand smoking on our health, just as we underestimate the negative effects of unhealthy relationships on our lives,” Gerald stated.
He warned the members not to be misled that the relationships do not affect them. “You may not realize that you have been hanging out with people with issues; after a while, you will realize that you are now facing the same issues.
“But the good news is, in the same way, if we hang around people who have good values, we pick up the same good values. When we surround ourselves with the right company, they will bring out the best in us.”
Gerald also reminded the members that just because some people are good to them, it does not mean they are good for them.
“We need to learn to let go of certain relationships in our lives. Whenever we let go of people who pull us down, God has positive people to put into our lives. Sometimes we need to be willing to hang out alone for a while in order for God to put the right people in our lives.”
Force Of Thought
Gerald likened thoughts to trains—they take people places.
“We don’t get onto a train without asking where it is going!” Gerald said. “But yet we jump on to trains of thoughts and before we know it, we end up in ‘Poor City’ or ‘Sadville’.”
It is important to recognize that everyone has the power to choose to hop on the right trains, to take on positive trains of thought.
Force Of Belief
During CHC’s Sunday service, Gerald started the service teaching the members that whatever they believe in has an impact on what is being received, because people experience their lives according to their beliefs. If we have the right intentions, but the wrong beliefs, we are heading for a collision in life. So we need to lean on God’s word to get our beliefs right.
Force Of Habit
Gerald shared that habits works in both good and bad ways; the important thing for God’s people to do is to incorporate habits that will move them closer towards His purpose for their life.
Force Of A Dream
Dreams are the use of our imagination to picture what is hoped for in the realm of the invisible. It is a faith picture that God already has a plan for to help it come to pass, said Gerald. It is a resounding reminder to hold on to the dreams from God and to never give up.
“The reality now was once someone’s dream,” Gerald said, exemplifying his point with CHC—what it is today is the result of a dream CHC’s senior pastor Kong Hee once had.
The congregation was greatly touched by the messages preached by Gerald, and many responded to the altar call on both days.
Jonathan Chng, 20, a School of Theology student shared, “Sometimes without knowing, our journey with God can move into auto-pilot. I was truly impacted on how we need to take ownership in the areas of sowing, building the right relationships and having the right thoughts. We are responsible for who we are in Christ.”
Dylan Lye, a young believer who is just 12 year old, also felt that he now has a better idea of the factors that affect his future . He realizes now that wrong actions can lead him along an entirely different path from what God has intended for him.
Audrey Sim, 39, a homemaker, applied the message to her role as a mother of two, saying that it has given her a lot to think about with regards to bringing up her children, and taking note of the company that they mix with.
Gerald’s messages impressed upon the church that salvation from sin is just the beginning of the plan and purpose in our lives, that God saved His people to place them in a position of strength and purpose for their lives and their future. The best days of His Kingdom are truly ahead!
