30 September 2010 - Jeremiah 7:1-8

To Jeremiah came this word
Straight from our Almighty Lord
He said "reform your ways and your actions"
"And I will let you live in this place" of satisfactions
"Do not trust in deceptive word"
Saying "this is the temple of the Lord"
Verse five says "if you really change your ways"
"And deal with each other justly" all the days
"If you do not oppress the alien...or the widow"
Then to the promised land I will let you go
So do not trust in words that are deceptive
For that is not how God wants us to live

About false religions this passage was about
But for other things it also holds true, I have no doubt
The best words to trust come from the Bible
In God's eyes, ignoring these words makes us liable
So in the same way, and this is a must
In my actions and words, let others trust

29 September 2010 - John 15:1-4

Verse one says "I am the true vine"
The gardener is the Father of mine
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit"
Those that do bear fruit, he prunes to a shoot
In that way, more fruitful will be the branch
So God can use us carte blanche
Jesus said "remain in me and I will remain in you"
For to bear fruit, with Jesus all we must do

The analogy of the branches and the vine
Is a particular favorite of mine
I try to keep the picture in my head
Especially when my plans seem dead
Setbacks may be God's way of saying
"That's not the way, keep on praying"

28 September 2010 - Proverbs 2:6-11

Verse six states "for the Lord gives wisdom"
"Knowledge and understanding" "from his mouth come"
"He holds victory in store for the upright"
He shields those who walk in his light
"For he guards the course of the just"
Protecting his faithful ones is a must
"Then you will understand what is right and just and fair"
"For wisdom will enter your heart", do not despair
"Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul"
"Discretion will protect you" without taking a toll

Wisdom is an important and desired trait
But is most valuable when God's word sets it straight
For if we follow God's chosen path
Through our enemies He will cut a swath
The key to me is verse ten, the first part
Reminding us that wisdom must enter our heart
For truth without light is to no avail
And the converse will also surely fail

So please dear God, open my heart
From the Bible, your wisdom do impart
And give me the strength to rely on you
In everything I think, say, and do

26 September 2010 - ENCS

Pastor Charles used Ephesians 6:19-20
As his basis for his talk on missions aplenty
For Jesus we should live and make a difference
In both the present and the future tense

The first phrase in the passage was about the power of words
They can either help encourage or hurt like swords
The words with the greatest power, Pastor did tell
Come straight from the Bible, especially the gospel
Colossians 4:6 talks of speech with grace
Salt in our words also has a place
Salt has healing properties and can preserve
Its penetrating power can also serve
We must tailor our answers for each one
So that the most benefit can be done

The purpose of missions is to reach out to others
"Intentional, purposeful, relationship building" with brothers
To share Christ, we must pray for an open door
That's what Tim Keller's "missional living" is for
Then Pastor referred to Acts one verse eight
"To the uttermost parts of the earth", the commission great

On three levels of evangelism he did then speak
The first is "our city", as to Jeremiah 29:7 we did peek
The second is to "neighboring lands and peoples"
Many of these countries have too few steeples
Two-thirds of the world's population lives near
Less than seven hours flight from here
The third are those places 'distinctly different'
Far away places we are sometimes sent
But our primary calling is in this land of our own
That is where the most seeds can be sown
Family, neighbors, colleagues, and friends
The list of targets really never ends
And as per John 20 verse 21
Our work is never really done
With these words, Pastor's sermon was sealed
"You are now entering the mission field"

22 September 2010 - Philippians 4:10-13

"I rejoice greatly in the Lord"
And your concern for me is not ignored
"I know what it is to be in need"
"And I know what it is to" succeed
"I have learned the secret of being content"
"In any and every situation" and event
Whether at war or in detente
"Whether living in plenty or in want"
"I can do everything through him"
"Who gives me strength" in every limb

A friend reminded me of this verse last night
Reading it brings a sense of delight
The key is of course is verse thirteen
God's strength is far from routine
For as long as to God we remain true
There is nothing we cannot do

21 September 2010 - Matthew 11:28-30

In Matthew eleven verse twenty eight
Jesus told us not to wait
"Come to me, all you who are weary"
"And I will give you rest", so don't be dreary
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me"
"For...gentle and humble in heart" I will always be
"You will find rest for your souls" all day and night
"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light"

Jesus is there for us all the time
Relying on Him is far from a crime
For He promises to give us rest
Even when we are hard pressed

Jesus, help me with these burdens I bear
For you have plenty of strength to spare
Rejuvenate my body and my soul
For doing your will remains my goal

20 September 2010 - Proverbs 3:25-35

"Have no fear of sudden disaster" says the 25th verse
"Or of the ruin" that makes the wicked's life worse
For about you the Lord has always cared
"And will keep your foot from being snared"
"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it"
"When it is in your power to act", don't reserve it
"Do not say to your neighbor 'come back...tomorrow'"
"When you now have it with you" for him to borrow
"Do not envy a violent man or choose...his ways"
"For the Lord detests a perverse man" all of his days
"The wise inherit honor" in God's name
"But fools he holds up to shame"

Earlier verses were mentioned in church yesterday
But these are more appropriate today
I must remember not to be afraid
For God's love will never fade
Helping those in need I must
For in God's providence I trust
I must not look at others with envy
For like them I do not want to be
I must seek wisdom from the Lord
And continue to study his word

For my blessings, I thank thee
And I know that my heart you can see
For my sins, I humbly apologise
And ask for forgiveness in your eyes
Please be with me as I start a new week
Please keep my spirits up even if things are bleak
Please give me strength to encourage others
And thank you for all my Christian brothers

19 September 2010 - ENCS

From Brisbane, Cityspring Live made a long trip
To lead us in a rousing time of praise and worship
Then Pastor Larry used Ephesians 6 verse ten
As part of the "Be The Church" series again
If to the Lord we really belong
Then we are assured of being strong
As we read in Daniel 11 verse thirty two
He stayed strong in God rather than be untrue
God told Joshua to be strong and courageous
Before entering the promised land - how outrageous
Pastor also referred to Acts 19:11-12
And into Paul's deeds he did delve
Following on in verses thirteen and fifteen
Speaking of our faith has the enemy seen?
With God we must have a relationship
Per Philippians 3:14, us He will then equip
Then our strength can face all conditions
And thwart all the enemy's ambitions
In the same way, per Ephesians 6:11
We need the full armor of God from heaven
If any of the pieces we do lack
The enemy will scheme and attack
From Galatians five verses nineteen to twenty one
The list of our sinful nature was just begun
But per 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Thanks to God, we have a victory great
Remember not to trade the truth for a lie
Doing so may lead to strength going bye-bye
And don't worship the creation instead of the Creator
That will only lead to punishment later
Going back to Ephesians chapter six
Verses 14-17 list our weapons to fix
Truth, righteousness, faith, and peace
Salvation and the word of God shall never cease
Salvation for us is not a one time event
Every day, we must affirm our intent
For if God's love we do accept
Then God's promises will be kept
It is notable that Ephesians 6 verse 18
Says the same as 1 Corinthians 16:13
Stand firm, be alert, be strong, and pray
This is what Paul said to do every day

16 September 2010 - Hebrews 2:1-4

"More careful attention""we must pay"
"So that we do not drift away"
"For if the message spoken by angels is binding"
About our actions we should not need reminding
If "every violation...received its just punishment"
"How shall we escape if we ignore such a...salvation" event?
"God...testified to it by signs, wonders, and...miracles"
"Gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His" principles

This is a message to which I should pay attention
For if it was not for Jesus' sacrificial intervention
I would be facing a future of fire
And that would of course be quite dire
Instead I can look towards heaven
And thank Jesus for forgiveness seventy times seven

14 September 2010 - Hebrews 11:1-16

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for"
"And certain of what we do not see" any more
"This is what the ancients were commended for"
For the Old Testament is fact, not lore
We read of Abel's faith and sacrifice
Noah built an ark; others paid the price
Abraham obeyed and to a new land he went
His kin received an inheritance that cannot be spent
We also read as we turn the page
That Abraham became a father at a ripe old age
"All these people were still living by faith when they died"
"They did not receive the things promised" but God had not lied
For "they admitted that they were aliens...on this earth"
And they knew God's promises had eternal worth
"They were longing for a better country - a heavenly one"
And God was waiting when their lives were done

Great men of faith were all of these
Their faith and actions did God please
But I also know from Jesus that all I need
Is faith the size of a small mustard seed
So simple this does sound
Such faith should easily be found
But then why do I have such a hard time
Finishing up this devotional rhyme
Incomplete faith it must reflect
When my heart God does inspect
So God, as I kneel and pray
Please help grow my faith every day

13 September 2010 - Matthew 5:38-41

You may have heard that is was the truth
An "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
But verse 39 says that what should be done
Is "do not resist an evil person"
"If someone strikes you on the right cheek"
Your left also allow him to strike, not just tweak
"And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic"
"Let him have your cloak as well", if he doth pick
"If someone forces you to go one mile"
"Go with him two miles" with a smile

By turning the other cheek
We might appear rather meek
But Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth
Which is a lot more than a cloak is worth
More to the point is that by loving others
We can help turn them into Christian brothers
So please God help me to turn the other cheek
As your love and glory I continue to seek

12 September 2010 (ENCS)

Pastor Neli talked on the topic of "Respect"
Ephesians 5:18 - 6:9 we did inspect
The world's view of respect is recognition by others
Dictionary.com has two definitions, take your druthers
"Esteem of an ability" or "a particular detail"
From Latin "look back in regard" they entail
Pastor said that in an intersection not to stop
Even if the worldly view is to always be on top
The biblical view turns that upside down
From the bottom, serve all others in town

Pastor talked of four facets of godly respect
All of us must die he did interject
This is important for us to bear in mind
God's respect is more important than that of mankind

To be filled with the spirit was the first
Hannah and David's praise could not be reversed
We should also learn to praise God more
Instead of giving athletes and singers a roar

The second facet was submission
Hidden agendas we should decommission
True submission means being willing to serve
Loving our neighbor, keeping nothing in reserve

Genuine service, not eye service was the third
Don't be a people-pleaser, from Pastor we heard
Serve even when there is nobody observing
Even if this thought is a bit unnerving
So instead of exalting yourself and then being humbled
Be exalted by humbling yourself without a grumble
Instead of saying "check me out"
"Pour me out" is what life should be about

An attitude of sacrifice was number four
Per God's will, the cross Jesus bore
What He did for us was perfect
So He deserves our respect
In the same way, we should aim
To live for God, not for fame

7 September 2010 - Jeremiah 29:11-13

"For I know the plans I have for you"
The Lord declared to the exiled few
"Plans to prosper you and not to harm you"
"Plans to give you hope and a future" too
"Then you will call upon me"
"And pray to me" upon your knee
"And I will listen to you" all the time
No matter what hills you must climb
"You will seek me and find me" on your part
"When you seek me with all your heart"

These verses from Jeremiah
Also speak of our Messiah
We do not need to understand it all
Just know He will be with us in the squall
This is important for me to remember
As I head into a challenging September
I must ensure that each and every day
I never forget to praise and pray
Listening for God's word and advice
Will help me escape this tightening vise

3 September 2010 : 1 Peter 1:6-7

Peter says in a strong voice
"In this you greatly rejoice"
For he says that "though for a little while"
You have faced situations rather hostile
"You may have had to suffer grief"
But this should not shake your belief
Verse seven says that "these have come"
So stronger our faith can become
"Praise, glory, and honor" will not be concealed
"When Jesus Christ is revealed"

Lord, I am in need of your strength
Is there no end to my grief's length?
Please replenish my tears
And take away my fears
As into more tribulations I now go
Let your wisdom and peace show

31 August 2010 : Psalm 3

"O Lord, how many are my foes!"
"How many will I have to oppose!"
"Many are saying of me,"
God will not listen to his plea
"But you are a shield around me, O Lord"
"You bestow glory on me" as a reward
"To the Lord I cry aloud" for a pain pill
"And He answers me from His holy hill"
"I lie down and sleep"
Safe the Lord doth me keep
Verse five says "I wake again"
Because the Lord doth me sustain
"I will not fear" the opposition applied
"Drawn up against me on every side"
"Arise, O Lord" continues verse seven
"Deliver me, O my God" in heaven
"Strike all my enemies on the jaw"
"Break the teeth" so they can not gnaw
"From the Lord comes deliverance"
His blessings are more than circumstance

This psalm is a good reminder about fear
God's love can make it disappear
My attitude must adjust
And in Him I must trust
And if fear God can take away
Then he must be able to help me today
As I struggle with what to do
About challenges old and new