Sunday, April 24, 2011

24 April 2011 - Easter Sunday (ENCS)

After Pastor Larry prayed for the leaders and our nations
He spoke on “how to speak life into your dead situations”
He referred to Luke 24 : 5-8 and John 20:31
As well as John 11:35 before his intro was done
The angels asked “why look for the living among the dead?”
Telling the women to remember Jesus’ words instead
Jesus was flogged and insulted as a punishment
This was intended to get criminals to repent
But Jesus was innocent so never swayed
Even when thirty nine times he was flayed
Pastor talked of three feelings that Jesus must have felt
As He was beaten and whipped like an animal’s pelt

Judas’ betrayal must have been on Jesus’ mind
For one of his disciples to be so unkind
Pastor said it is normal for us to go through bouts
Of having similar “is it worth it?” doubts
But we should remember what Jesus went through
And therefore instead of hate, to forgive we should do
For Jesus forgave our sins heretofore
Per his words in Luke chapter 23 verse 34

Peter’s denial per Luke 22:61 and 62
Would also disturb Jesus, that is true
But although Peter’s actions were rather grim
Jesus forgave Peter and even reinstated him
But isn’t it just about the same
When we deny Jesus or his name?
When our values we do compromise
In clear view of Jesus’ eyes?
And since Jesus forgave us all
To forgive others should be our call
In John 21:17-22, Jesus told Peter to follow him
And told him not compare with others, even on a whim
We should not focus on others and then grumble
We should focus on Jesus so we do not stumble

Lastly, for our sins Jesus made the sacrifice
Implying that we are worth it, whatever the price
All the pain and suffering he gladly endured
So that our eternal life would be assured
For per Colossians 2 verse thirteen to fifteen
Nailed to the cross our sins have been
And per 2 Corinthians 1 verses 8 to 10
When in hardship, rely on God should all men

Pastor then mentioned Romans 8:11
Living in us is the Spirit from heaven
This Spirit raised Jesus from the dead
So can easily help us overcome dread
And then from Isaiah 53 verses 3 and 4
Our infirmities and sorrows Jesus bore
So we should repent and forgive others
For He can heal and save all Christian brothers

24 April 2011 - Sunrise service

Pastor Lynette spoke at the sunrise service today
We read Mark 16:1-8 after we did pray
For Jesus three women had lots and lots of love
They had cared for the needs of the one from above
To complete His anointing they went to His tomb
Worried as the rock could not be pushed by a broom
But when they arrived, the stone had been moved
God’s awesome might had once again been proved
Entering the tomb, the focus was on that unseen
Where was their beloved Jesus the Nazarene?

They were comforted by an angel of the Lord’s
“Don’t be alarmed” were his first words
Pastor Lynette then to us did proceed to tell
That the words are relevant for us as well
We should let our heart’s burden be rolled away
Like the tombstone was that first Easter Day
For Jesus is not trapped in the tomb
And we have no reason to fear the doom
The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out
But to let us in, of that have no doubt
So don’t let the stone stop us from being blessed
If we know God’s plan, let Him do the rest

Just as Jesus promised, He did return
So we should be confident, we did learn
From Matthew 28:20 Jesus’ words we did read
“I will be with you always”, especially in times of need
For Jesus keeps His promises – always has, always will
Unlike humans, His failure rate is nil
What lies ahead of us we cannot foresee
To prepare the way, Jesus went ahead to Galilee
That is in keeping with John 10 verse 11
He is our good shepherd, sent down from heaven
Despite uncertainties, it is Jesus we should trust
Having confidence in Him for Christians is a must

The angel wanted the women the disciples to tell
So the disciples would know that all was well
“Trembling and bewildered”, the women were afraid
Despite the opportunity being of front of them laid
Our world is filled with darkness and pain
We must share the good news again and again
For if comforted and confident we are
Our commitment should take us far

The empty tomb was found early at the start of the week
Symbolic of the new beginning that we need to seek
From Jesus we get promises to conquer our fears
“Not adding years to our life, but life to our years”

Friday, April 22, 2011

21 April 2011 - Maundy Thursday

At PLMC last night from Pastor Seet we did hear
Into Luke 22 and Mark 16 we did peer
Pastor told us about Maundy Thursday, or Covenant Night
Jesus shared about the new covenant that would set things right
For this new covenant God will not break
As in love (hebed) He did it make
And referring to Isaiah chapter fifty three
Jesus' body was broken for you and me
"Maundy" of French origin means commandment
With a new commandment from Jesus disciples went
He said "love one another as I have loved you"
For doing so implies that you love God too
Jesus' actions that night and the next days
Changed the course of history and human ways
For as Pastor Seet with emotion did then tell
We now have access to heaven instead of just hell

Pastor then spoke of Peter, the impulsive one
Despite great love for Jesus, his failures were far from none
When at the Last Supper, Jesus wanted to wash disciples' feet
Peter first refused, then wanted his body to be washed complete
In the garden when Jesus' anguish was so deep
Peter (and the others) kept falling asleep
When soldiers came, Peter struck off an ear
Without waiting for Jesus' instructions to hear
And then before the cock in the morning did crow
Three times Peter denied that Jesus he did know
At this point, after falling yet again
Peter wept bitterly and felt lots of pain
On Easter morning Peter was singled out
The angels' message left him no doubt
For although he thought his prospects were very dim
Peter then knew that Jesus had remembered him
Over time, Peter learned his lesson very well
And became the church's leader, Pastor did tell

To Peter's story we can all surely relate
As our actions deserve an unpleasant fate
But God's love and healing is meant for us all
All we need to do is to heed His call
Each of us has a covenant relationship with the Lord
He remembers us children of God, says the Word
For "by his stripes, we are healed"
This new covenant is forever sealed
So whether emotional, mental, or physical is our pain
We can be healed by pressing in again and again

Thursday, April 21, 2011

21 April 2011 - Isaiah 13-14

These chapters in Isaiah were compared to the game of chess
Who the white King is, ‘tis not very hard to guess
These chapters begin the “Judgement of the Nations”
A lot of time is spent talking about Babylon’s condemnations
Babylon symbolises all of God’s enemies
For into everyone’s hearts He always sees
No nation that sets itself against God will prevail
For without Him, even strong nations will surely fail
Our God is faithful and just
In Him we must always trust
And since vengeance only comes from our God above
Remember that our enemies He wants us to love

The King of Babylon suffered along with his nation
This must have caused the proud king much consternation
For he had lots and lots of power
But it all disappeared in one hour
For he did not acknowledge the true Lord
Even though he was warned by Isaiah’s word
Earthly success went to the king’s head
He should have had humility instead
And if like the king, we are filled with pride
Then we will not be playing on God’s side
We must trust Jesus in order to avoid the same fate
For pride and arrogance God really does hate
To exalt ourselves is to steal God’s glory
Leading to eternal judgement that is rather gory
TL said that “God will not share His glory with another
I guess you could say that competition He will smother
Our actions make it very clear
What things we really hold dear

His people God will always protect
This truth the Bible does reflect
Israel should take much solace in the prophecies
For God’s plans are effectively kingly decrees
God’s plans will not be thwarted
This was the last principle TL exhorted

So we must ask ourselves each and every day
Are we living in a biblically-consistent way?
Do we spend our time reading the Bible and praying
Or on the internet googling and playing?
There is one thing for which God will continually chide
That is of course the ever-present human pride
As often stated, God knows what is within our heart
We should show more humility on our part

Monday, April 18, 2011

18 April 2011 - Psalm 53

There is no God” the fool says in his heart
But “they are corrupt”; no good do their actions impart
God looks down from heaven on the sons of men
To see if any understand or seek him again
But “everyone has turned away” and become corrupt
There is no one who does good”, David did erupt
Will the evildoers never learn?”
David asked with much concern
There they are, overwhelmed with dread
Because the situation was so misread
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you
You put them to shame”; “God despised them” too
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion
Let Jacob rejoice” and roar like a lion

David wrote this to highlight the folly of evil men
And to remind us of God’s ultimate power, amen
Dear God, I thank you for this psalm
As my fears it helps to becalm
And please know that I want to be
One who your glory can eventually see
So please help me to always learn
And for your love always yearn

Sunday, April 17, 2011

17 April 2011 - ENCS

On Palm Sunday, Pastor Charles did talk
Telling us “make Him known” on our walk
He reminded us that John chapters 12 to 21
All focused on Holy Week and what was done
The core passage today was Matthew 21:1-10
The first trip to Jerusalem for Jesus and his men
Jesus sent some disciples to get a donkey
In order to fulfil Zechariah’s prophecy
A question that comes up as a matter of course
Is why Jesus rode a donkey instead of a horse
Horses are what warriors tend to ride
But kings sat on donkeys with some pride
The disciples were nervous when they were sent
But the key is that they were very obedient
Christ engages us in the same way
He wants our obedience every day
Pastor told of his brother and Wyoming’s Laramie
Where he went following a dream he did see
And to a quote from Hudson Taylor we should comply
“God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply”

Returning to the donkey of which much was spoken
“Never a man sat”, in other words it was unbroken
Per Luke 19:30 and Mark 11:2
No other ride for Jesus would do
But when Jesus sat, the donkey was completely at peace
The same is true for those who to Jesus their hearts release
For when we invite Him into our life
We will have calm instead of strife
Two donkeys were mentioned in Matthew 21:2
Perhaps symbolising covenants both old and new

The palm branches and clothes that were laid down
Were symbols of victory and joy, not a frown
People shouted ‘hosanna’, or ‘save us now’
But we should let God decide the when and how
We should let Him decide how to respond when we pray
For surely He knows the most appropriate way
The people wanted deliverance from the Empire Roman
For they did not like all the things that were done
The Romans used crucifixions to generate fear
It is ironic that we now hold the cross so dear
For Jesus overcame death and our sin on the cross
Following instructions from God, the ultimate boss

“The whole country was moved”, says the tenth verse
Our hearts should be stirred when in Jesus we immerse
At the end, Pastor gave us a rather apt dare
Will we be willing the Lord’s burden to bear?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

13 April 2011 - Isaiah 11-12

At BSF last night we did delve
Into Isaiah chapters 11 and 12
Hopeless the situation must have seemed to be
But good news would come from the stump of Jesse
For from Isaiah 11:1-9 we read the good word
That Messiah would appear with the Spirit of the Lord
Throughout the OT, the Holy Spirit did exist
Its power so strong, not even evil could resist
More than ourselves, ‘trust Messiah’ we did hear
For in His perfect world, we have nothing to fear
TL said that “the righteous rule of Messiah brings peace
And this peace (with self, others, and God) will never cease

To people all over the world, Jesus will act as a banner
Only He can unite and bring joy in this manner
A remnant of Israel God will always save
The path for reconciliation He will pave
Hostility between Israel and Judah will exist no more
They will work together and defeat enemies in war
As a result, peace will return to the earth
This is clearly something of great worth
The redemptive rule of Messiah brings unity” TL said
So we should not lose heart; turn to Jesus instead

In Isaiah 12, he repeated “in that day” twice
Saying to be joyful even if not all is nice
For salvation is the reason for individual praise
His living water will refresh us all of our days
This water is accessible to everyone on earth
The more we drink, the more we praise His worth
This Spirit can flow from us to many others
Sharing the joy with sisters and brothers
And when believers do congregate together
They should sing praises no matter what the weather
When Messiah rules, the joy of His people overflows
In thanksgiving and testimony”, for His love shows

In conclusion, the message is clear
We really do have nothing to fear
Peace, unity, and joy will arrive
If in God’s ways we do strive

Dear God, please let me walk your talk
And in the face of challenges, do not balk
For I want peace, unity, and joy
For every man, woman, girl, and boy

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

12 April 2011 - Delayed Gratification?

Delayed gratification is a topic discussed in a book
(Entitled “The Road Less Travelled”, take a look)
Postponing some pleasure for short term pain
Knowing that the end result is a bigger gain
And whilst to earthly matters the concept does apply
For God’s blessings, I need not wait until I die
For although heaven is the ultimate prize
If I can reject all of the enemy’s lies
I have no doubt that I will also be blessed
Here on earth, until my final day of rest

So dear God, this I humbly pray
Please do not allow me to delay
For this is what I really need to do
Truly repent and always follow you

Sunday, April 10, 2011

10 April 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry spoke about “What A Waste”
In the Cross Roads series without any haste
Value-based decisions he urged us to make
As Mary did when on Jesus the perfume she did break
Per Matthew 26:7-9 and John 12:1-8
Over money, the love of Jesus she did rate
Pastor shared three messages that should not be erased
All about our values, on which our decisions should be based

“Value relationships more than rewards”
This relates to time, which is really our Lord’s
Take Mary, who was often found at Jesus’ feet
Versus Martha, who served instead of taking a seat
Mary wanted to spend time with Jesus every day
No matter what anyone else might decide to say
Pastor also read from Luke 7 verse forty seven
Important words of Jesus, who came from heaven
“Many sins were forgiven for she loved much”
A phrase that should help us keep in touch
Pastor asked if we are investing enough time
If we aren’t, it is effectively a crime
When Pastor is in a rut, he thinks of salvation
Then his zeal returns with extra determination
He ended this part with Matthew 6 :19
Where are treasure is, our heart will be seen

“Value God more than goodies” was number two
This talks about trusting God in all that we do
Mary used a very expensive perfume on Jesus’ head
Some disciples though it could have been sold instead
But remember the message from Matthew 6:24
Between God and money, one must be served more
And if we choose to spend our time with God
He will take care of us with a simple nod
This is the message from Matthew 6:33
The proof of which will be visible for all to see

“Value life more than looks” was the third
I.e., the importance of character to the Lord
And per the twenty fifth verse of Matthew six
Our life matters more than any clothes we affix
We must choose to be Christ-like or worldly
Our actions show which one we want to be
Matthew 6 also says that God values mankind
With this, our actions should be aligned
We should value both God and others
Whether or not they are Christian brothers

Pastor asked us to also make the right decision
Make them value-based, he repeated with precision
We will be held accountable in the end
Our actions on earth we will have to defend

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

6 April 2011 - Isaiah 10

We looked at Isaiah chapter ten last night
Something about Judah was just not right
The people were ‘godless’ and needed discipline
God said there must be consequences for their sin
TL said that we should be careful not to confuse
God’s objectives with the tools he does use
God used the Assyrians to inflict some pain
The Assyrians’ pride was clearly their bane
And with God their real purpose was not in line
God’s name and power they even did malign
God still let the Assyrians do their task
And in their self-glory they tried to bask
But God punished them from inside and out
He was in control all the time, have no doubt
For “God may use anyone to discipline his people”
Whether or not those worship under His steeple
And when God does discipline us, TL did reflect
His timing and his approach are clearly perfect

Through it all, God takes great pains
To ensure that a remnant remains
TL said that the remnant will rely on God
He also gave 2 Corinthians 11:4 a nod
To be part of the remnant, we must repent
And rely on Jesus, who for us God sent
Then TL gave us another principle in a sentence
“The right response to God’s discipline is repentance”

Like a father, God will always his people protect
In the end, the enemy’s progress will be checked
Isaiah reminded about God’s timely intervention
Moses and Gideon got plenty of attention
In the same way, Assyria ran amok until Nob
In God’s eyes, that was the end of their job
God intervened when all seemed helpless
So true believers should not distress
He is sovereign and can control any situation
Whether it is with a person, a group, or a nation
“God controls those He uses to discipline His people”, TL said
Instead of worrying about others, we should trust Him instead

God’s discipline we should not resist
Even if He gets non-believers to assist
And the pain is something we must accept
For without God’s grace, we are inept
He disciplines us all with a father’s love
For that, we should give thanks to Him above
Remember that what gets in the way is often pride
Like Jesus, we should have true humility inside

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

5 April 2011 - Finding time

Is this going to be another day
Where my time seems to run away?
Will I crawl into bed late at night
Knowing that the day did not go right?
Will I have more than a tinge of regret
About important things that I did forget?

I don’t want this to be the case
So on strong foundations I must base
To God my eyes must raise
And to Him let me sing praise
Following that I must commune with prayer
For I know that He will always care
I think that it would be really smart
If this is how my day doth start

So dear God, please let me live this rhyme
For you and for prayer let me always have time
By putting you first where you belong
I know that you will keep me strong

Sunday, April 3, 2011

3 April 2011 - ENCS

The Cross Road series Pastor Neli started
With his usual banter, knowledge he imparted
The title was “While You Wait, Wait a While”
He led worship as well, being so versatile

From John chapter eleven Pastor read
About Lazarus being raised from the dead
Remember that our concept of time and pace
Differ a lot from that which God does embrace
God operates outside of our expectations
We must learn to have lots of patience
All of a sudden sometimes He intercedes
Other times it takes years before He proceeds
So when Jesus took his time going to their house
It was not because their hopes he wanted to douse
In fact, an important lesson he wanted to teach
Only four days after Lazarus died, Jesus did reach
“Jesus wept” tells of His caring heart
Then he had others do their part
After the stone was rolled away in a snap
Lazarus’ burial clothes they did unwrap
In the same way, God wants us to help
Others, whether or not they decide to yelp
Pastor then asked why we worship God
Does ‘who He is’ or ‘what He does’ get the nod?
He referred to Romans 8 and 12 verse 2
Which tell us God’s will is what we should do
We should enjoy the blessor, not the blessing
Even when events lead to lots of stressing
For in reality we need Him, not His stuff
Again, even when things get really tough

Three key points Pastor then shared about waiting
All were valid, there was no need for debating
The first is to slow down while we wait
The importance of this he could not overstate
For if we do not hear God’s whispers in our heart
We move too fast or from God’s path we depart
He referred to Isaiah 40 verse 29 to 31
God can provide strength for everyone
Like eagles, on the Holy Spirit we can soar
Instead of flapping like chickens near the floor
The second is to do what you know to do
For waiting does not mean stopping to stew
But while waiting, we should definitely pray
Which is communing with God, Pastor did say
Walking with God is a measure of success
So we must pray the right way, Pastor did stress
To Matthew chapter six verse six he did refer
God knows our needs, of that we can be sure
To fight going and stopping is the third
Only proceed if His plans you have heard
But giving up is also something we should do not
Remember Daniel’s friends and the oven hot
Their faith was strong and true
No matter what the others did do
For our eternal prize in heaven doth await
Which is far better than any earthly fate

Pastor said that God is all we’ve been waiting for
There really is no need for anything more