"I'm just a thirsty sinner, who found a living well," Joseph Solomon declared, as he looked out into the crowd of young adults staring back at him. Some were very single, others in committed relationships, and many were in between the two. However, everyone was looking for an answer from God. An air of anxiousness, and worship was in the air from the praise and worship team that preceded Joseph speaking. But everyone was yearning, you could feel the desire to learn more move from person to person in the room, regardless of their situation.
I was beside myself with excitement to meet Joseph Solomon because I'd actually come in contact with his Youtube channel entitled ChaseGodTv. Not only is he a talented orator, but a poet and singer. I looked forward to seeing those many God given gifts manifest in person.
Joseph started off coming from I Corinthians 7:17-24, where the apostle Paul was speaking to the Church of God in Corinth, or the Corinthian Christians. In this chapter Paul sought to clear up some things about marriage. This particular excerpt speaks in reference to being aware of your "assignment." No matter what particular season you're in God can and will use you. Instead of thinking that God is waiting on a particular place to use us, we have to be reminded that He can use us right now. Whether we are single, courting, or married, we have to walk in the place that we are in right now.
For the sake of the occasion, and because it was a single's conference, Joseph focused on explaining singleness to the audience. "Singleness is not a curse!" He exclaimed. "You were called to be single at this particular time." He cross referenced into I Thessalonians 4, which speaks of living a holy life in order to please God. "As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." (I Thessalonians 4:1). We should be seeking how to control our own bodies, and thoroughly loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. This includes taking advantage of one another, and being overly dependent. We tend to idolize both independence and dependence, and fail to find that happy medium. If we are too dependent we find ourselves more attached to people than we are to God. And if we idolize our independence we get in the mindset of not wanting to answer to anyone, and living an isolated or lonesome lifestyle. Neither independence or dependence are unsatisfactory, BUT the idolatry of them turns them unholy, and often times toxic.
Jesus empathizes with us because while here on earth He was single. But, He also found himself surrounded with His twelve disciples. We have to understand the importance of community, as Jesus did. Having a community of believers to guide us and hold us accountable is important in our walk. Many times we will find ourselves wanting to react out of emotion. God sends us prayer and CERTAIN people in order to help us see things in a holy way. Titus 2 explains to us how young men and women should learn from older women and men. And the relatioship should go vice versa, so that no man or woman is ommitted, but lifted. We should be seeking people out to share Jesus with! Man's chief end is to glorify God, and ENJOY him. So we have to be mindful not to sulk, or be envious of others in their season. But we can no longer waste time, there are disciples to be made!
I was beside myself with excitement to meet Joseph Solomon because I'd actually come in contact with his Youtube channel entitled ChaseGodTv. Not only is he a talented orator, but a poet and singer. I looked forward to seeing those many God given gifts manifest in person.
Joseph started off coming from I Corinthians 7:17-24, where the apostle Paul was speaking to the Church of God in Corinth, or the Corinthian Christians. In this chapter Paul sought to clear up some things about marriage. This particular excerpt speaks in reference to being aware of your "assignment." No matter what particular season you're in God can and will use you. Instead of thinking that God is waiting on a particular place to use us, we have to be reminded that He can use us right now. Whether we are single, courting, or married, we have to walk in the place that we are in right now.
For the sake of the occasion, and because it was a single's conference, Joseph focused on explaining singleness to the audience. "Singleness is not a curse!" He exclaimed. "You were called to be single at this particular time." He cross referenced into I Thessalonians 4, which speaks of living a holy life in order to please God. "As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." (I Thessalonians 4:1). We should be seeking how to control our own bodies, and thoroughly loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. This includes taking advantage of one another, and being overly dependent. We tend to idolize both independence and dependence, and fail to find that happy medium. If we are too dependent we find ourselves more attached to people than we are to God. And if we idolize our independence we get in the mindset of not wanting to answer to anyone, and living an isolated or lonesome lifestyle. Neither independence or dependence are unsatisfactory, BUT the idolatry of them turns them unholy, and often times toxic.
Jesus empathizes with us because while here on earth He was single. But, He also found himself surrounded with His twelve disciples. We have to understand the importance of community, as Jesus did. Having a community of believers to guide us and hold us accountable is important in our walk. Many times we will find ourselves wanting to react out of emotion. God sends us prayer and CERTAIN people in order to help us see things in a holy way. Titus 2 explains to us how young men and women should learn from older women and men. And the relatioship should go vice versa, so that no man or woman is ommitted, but lifted. We should be seeking people out to share Jesus with! Man's chief end is to glorify God, and ENJOY him. So we have to be mindful not to sulk, or be envious of others in their season. But we can no longer waste time, there are disciples to be made!
"17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches."
(I Corinthians 7:17)
(I Corinthians 7:17)