30 December 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Mark Chew continued "The Greatest Gift" series today

When shopping we are all keen on free gifts he did say

Per Matthew 10 :8, Jesus told his disciples how to live

He commanded "freely you have received, freely give"

 

But we can only give what we have, Pastor did note

From Acts 3 and Exodus 4:2 he then did quote

What we have may be just what someone else needs

That is why simple actions can turn out to be great deeds

 

Our ability to give is constrained by our supply

But what if our supply was as limitless as the sky?

For as per Philippians four verse nineteen

God will meet all our needs even when unseen

 

If God can get his hands on what He has given to us

He will not only use it but multiply it without a fuss

Remember the story of the five loaves and the two fish

After feeding thousands, the leftovers were many a dish

2 Corinthians 9:10 says that God will supply the seed

And enlarge the harvest to meet everybody's need

 

But to freely receive, we must unlock our heart

Then and only then can God do His part

That is how we receive God's mercy and love

Forgiveness, trust, and life's destiny from above

 

For the nature of God is to give, we can clearly glean

His greatest gift to us is mentioned in John 3:16

He gives to us all the time in so many varied ways

If it pleases His heart, he will give all of our days

24 December 2012 - ENCNY

I attended Morning Star New York this Christmas Eve
From Pastor Adam Burt the sermon we did receive
Once the Christmas hymns were sung and done
We partook of a meaningful and special communion
About Christmas Pastor Adam wants us to remember
Not just the lights and presents that appear in December
Jesus is the one we should remember instead
Although Mary and Joseph did once, Pastor said
He then read from Colossians 2 verses 16 and 17
We should not be judged by what may be seen
Instead, in Christ is where we should find our reality
With His light, through the shadows we clearly see

We should see Jesus in each and every light
When the tree is lit up, everything seems right
Pastor Adam then read from Isaiah nine verse two
They saw light in the darkness, more than just a few
For in the dark, even a small light shows the way
Jesus is the light of world, for all time including today

For many, Christmas is about anticipation
For presents and food there is expectation
Humanity had been waiting 400 years since Malachi
For the Saviour about whom so many did prophesy
When God sent his son Jesus to the earth
Man being reunited with God is of great worth
Yet remember that He will return once again
This was just a foretaste of what will be seen

In gifts we receive, we should also Jesus see
They are all around us, aware we should be
We should never take these gifts for granted
John 3:16 and God's greatest gift Pastor recanted
This gift addressed our greatest need
It allows forgiveness of every sinful deed

I wish a blessed Christmas to each of you
And of course your families and loved ones too

2 December 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry began a new series "The Greatest Gift"

With a message and words that will serve to uplift

"Be The Gift" was the sermon's title today

Pastor then proceeded to tell us the way

He said that we are God's gifts to others

We should treat everyone like our brothers

If we are not God's gift, then others we do deprive

For receiving gifts makes us feel valued and alive

Romans 6 : 23 says the wages of sin is death

But God's gift to us is eternal life and breath

We must remember the joy of salvation when depressed

For if we receive God's gift first, He will do the rest

Pastor then referred to Ephesians two verses eight to ten

We are God's workmanship, to do good works Paul did pen

In other words, for each of us God has a unique plan

That has actually been the case since the world began

 

We then heard a powerful testimony from sister Ruby

Psalm 27:10 states that "the Lord will receive me"

For in God's eyes, nobody's life is a waste

By being a gift, the world can be graced

Remember that others will watch what we may do

Acts of kindness should be many, not just a few

He mentioned the New York City policeman's kind act

Buying boots for a homeless man was great, that's a fact

 

Pastor referred to Peter and John in Acts 3 : 1-7

They reached out to the lame man with a gift from heaven

Why was then able to walk after so many lame years

He shared this testimony into many people's ears

Similarly, we should ask the Lord what he wants us to do

So others' physical and emotional lameness can attend to

For if we deal with others showing various forms of love

We are obviously sharing the gift from the Lord above

 

For if we read from verses 6 and 7 of Micah chapter four

God will create a remnant that others can not ignore

He has saved us for a purpose here on this earth

To save nations and people, for great is their worth

Matthew 10:8 says to freely receive and freely give

That, said Pastor, is the right way for us to live

And from verses 37-40 of Matthew chapter twenty five

We can glorify God with our actions while we are alive

In summary, Pastor said to be the gift God wants us to be

Then God's love wil lshine brighter than any Christmas tree

25 November 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry gave the last sermon in the "Next Phase" series

He shared with us God's words, not just random theories

People often slip during phases of transition, he did us remind

But encouragement in Matthew 11:12 we can readily find

It speaks of the kingdom of heaven advancing and forceful men

We all need to grow and expand, he reminded us once again

But God knows that a transition period is something we each need

To prepare for the next phase of growth and to confidently proceed

Pastor then turned to Isaiah fifty four verses one to three

There are four ways to enlarge our tent, we did hear and see

 

The first is to rejoice by singing praises and shouting for joy

Especially when we are overwhelmed, this is a good ploy

By singing, we acknowledge that God is the one in control

For His love can save us from even the darkest hole

This was often practiced by the apostle we know as Paul

But also when shouting brought down Jericho's wall

Paul repeated Isaiah's words from Galatians 4 verse 27

He says that we are all children of promise from heaven

 

The second is to take a risk - to enlarge, stretch, and lengthen

Look at how David, Daniel, and Joseph God did strengthen

God helps ordinary people do extraordinary things

We should not hold back for God can give us wings

Remember the expression that good is the enemy of great

In the same vein, God really does not want us to stagnate

He needs us to be willing vessels to fulfill His plan

Prayer is very powerful for every believing man

 

The third, Pastor said, is for us to take responsibility

We should not hold back when opportunities we see

This is true whether they are for ourselves or another

And also whether the person happens to be a brother

Pastor read from First Chronicles chapter four verse ten

Like Jabez, we should ask for God's blessings again

"Pray like it is all up to God" DL Moody once did say

"But work like it is all up to us" so we can do God's way

 

The fourth and final point is to be ready to fight

Even in the early days, things were not always right

Acts six and eight mention complaints and persecution

Psalm 118:6 says that God's presence offers the solution

For when God is with us, we should not be afraid

With Him, great power and actions can be displayed

18 November 2012 - ENCS

The "Next Phase" series Pastor Charles did continue

On "Warfare", Luke 8:41-56 he did go through

About the enemy we read in 1 Peter five verse eight

Like a lion who brings fear with a roar so great

In the same way, the enemy tries to instill fear

But we should not be scared, we did then hear

Two stories of illness the Luke passage does contain

Jairus' dying daughter and a bleeding woman in pain

The Roman god of the underworld is named "Dis"

Dis-agree, dis-content, and dis-ease are far from bliss

 

About Jairus' daughter Pastor Charles then did speak

At Jesus' feet Jairus fell, healing for her he did seek

For a ruler of the synagogue, this was desperation

But it was the only way he could get her restoration

Their movement to his house, the crowd did impede

Then they were delayed by the woman who did bleed

Pastor asked how we handle what we perceive as a delay

We should be waiting on the Lord in more than one way

First is that we should wait, for He does things in His time

Second is that we should serve Him, not just pen a rhyme

Verse 50 says "don't be afraid, just believe, and...be healed"

Like Jairus' daughter's spirit was restored after he appealed

 

Pastor then talked of the woman bleeding for twelve years

She had used all her money and must have had many fears

But in spite of the crowds and the required social isolation

She was desperate for Jesus who was near her location

His cloak she did grab (or fasten if you look at the Greek)

In the same way, our desperation should be far from meek

Pastor said that we should grab God and never let go

Ask for healing, even though Jesus must already know

"Your faith has healed you. Go in peace" Jesus did to her say

If we approach him with faith, we will be healed in the same way

 

With words from a song, Pastor did then conclude

Hoping that his message will into our hearts intrude

"When you can't understand, when you don't see His plan

When you can't trace His hand, trust his heart", yes you ca

2 Corinthians 3:5-6

"Not that we are competent in ourselves"

Nor "to claim anything for ourselves"

"But our competence comes from God"

To think otherwise would be rather odd

For "He has made us competent"

"As ministers of a new covenant

"Not of the letter but of the Spirit"

That is what Paul did transmit

"For the letter kills" verse six does continue

"But the Spirit gives life" and guidance too

Dear God, my errors and sins you know

You are the only one to whom I can go

Whatever strength I have is from you

You are with me in all that I do

Dear God, you know what I need

Guidance. Not just what I read

4 November 2012 - ENCS

The "Next Phase" series today Pastor Larry did start

About "Lost in Translation" thoughts he did impart

We get stronger as through challenges we go

As God becomes closer, the more we know

To Job 32 verses 18-19 Pastor then did refer

About new wine, Luke 5:37-38 does concur

God brings growth in different life seasons

He wants us to grow for various reasons

To lift the lid of growth, Pastor shared three ways

These are lessons that can help us all of our days

 

The first way is that we should let go of our past
By it, we should not be enslaved or harassed

This is what Pastor calls the mindset change phase

If we are stuck in the past, we cannot change our ways

In Numbers 11:5-6, the Israelites complained about food

Despite being free, they kept their enslaved mood

Salvation is the biggest change and should be celebrated

God never puts lids on us to keep us down, Pastor stated

Willing vessels is what God wants us to be

Let Him do His work and then we will see

 

Pastor said the dependency phase was the next way

We should always take time to intercede and to pray

Prayer needs to be deeper, from inside our heart

This can bring growth, no matter where we start

From ourselves to God, our eyes will turn

As in Numbers 11:2,God's fire will not burn

Later in that chapter, around verse eleven

Moses poured his heart out to God in heaven

The burden of his people was for Moses too great

So he prayed to God to determine his fate

Remember that God can always bring stability

Try earnestly praying, then the results we will see

 

The faith phase was number three, Pastor did saith

Remember those who had a different spirit of faith

Joshua and Caleb did well to remember God's promse

Despite the situation, they were not like doubting Thomas

If we believe by faith, God will come through

For with Him, there is nothing we cannot do

God was testing his people in Deuteronomy 8:2

After forty years in the desert, their faith grew

In the same way, He often causes us to stumble

So that we remember lessons and remain humble

Pastor then turned to Jeremiah 29 verse 11

Plans for each of us, has our God in heaven

He wants to prosper us and allow no harm

There should never be any cause for alarm

His plans include a future and hope no less

This is true no matter how long the process

 

Pastor ended his sermon with the worship team along

We can lift our lids

4 November 2012 - 2 Corinthians 5:7

"We live by faith, not by sight"
A simple line that is forthright
We must trust in God for He knows best
Instead of following along with the rest
At times we may not fully understand
But we still trust in what God has planned
For His is the Way that we must continually follow
Even if at times bitter medicine we must swallow

So dear God, please let my faith be strong
And with your plans let my heart go along
For with you, my heart knows what is right
As you are the One that provides the light

28 October 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Charles spoke, in a way that only he can
About the sovereignty of God and the will of man
God and Seekers was the title of his sermon today
About Luke 19 :1-10 Pastor Charles had a lot to say
Zacchaeus was s short man who climbed up a tree
For Jesus was who this tax collector wanted to see
Jesus then told Zacchaeus to from the tree come down
For Jesus was to stay in his house on this visit to town
Others complained that Jesus went to stay with a sinner
But Zacchaeus truly repented and became a winner
For Jesus came to "seek and to save", per verse ten
This primary objective is repeated again and again

Zacchaeus' passion to see Christ led him to be bold
Similarly, Jesus came to seek the lost, we were told
This is the Augustine theology of "prevenient grace"
Divine grace precedes any decision by the human race
God reaches us through circumstances in our life
Pastor's height was given so he could marry his wife
Remember that God pursues us even if we may doubt
We can receive His love at any time, on any route
God loves and looks over us all of the time
Even if like Adam we sin or commit a crime
Of the spiritual world, we all have some fear
To dispel this is the reason Jesus did appear

"No one...seeks God" says Romans 3 verse 11
Paul said all had turned away from God in heaven
Isaiah 53:6 says we are like sheep gone astray
For "each of us has turned to his own way"
But God's remedy can be found in John 12:32
When Jesus was crucified, as He came to do
To himself, Jesus said he would draw all men
And we know Jesus will not quit on us, amen

As the Hound of Heaven, the Holy Spirit was referred
For God's relentless love for us can not be deterred
Luke 15's three parables talk of things that were lost
For the sheep and coin, they were found at great cost
But nobody seemed to be searching for the lost son
His elder brother did not do what he should have done
For he served his father well but did not know his heart
Before and after his brother's trip, he did not do his part
Per Romans 8:29, Jesus is actually our brother firstborn
He came to seek and to save us, no matter the scorn

21 October 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Kenneth spoke today about "Father's Love"
1 John 3:1 says that we are children of God above
Everlasting love is highlighted in Jeremiah 31:3
We are sons, not slaves in Galatians 4:6-7 we see
"Moving from Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship"
Pastor Kenneth focused on in order for us to equip

All earthly love is by God's love far surpassed
Our love versus His perfection does contrast
Experienced this love many of us have not
Even though it is talked about quite a lot
In John 14:18, Jesus provides us with a big clue
"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you"
He was of course talking about our spiritual state
Hoping that we do not end up following Satan's fate
Lucifer was the worship leader before he did transgress
But out of wickedness, he chose to be fatherless
To break our relationships, Satan doesn't need a sword
He knows that all he must do is to sow seeds of discord
But when God from Eden pushed Adam and Eve
He always loved them even though He did grieve

Pastor then spoke about orphan hearts
Versus hearts of sonship, in five parts
Image of God, Theology, Need for Approval were three
Followed by Motivation for Purity and View of Authority
Orphan hearts, to please God, harder and harder try
Hearts of sonship know it is God's relationship, that's why
Orphan hearts love the law and try to rules adhere
Hearts of sonship live by the law of love it is clear
Orphan hearts want constant earthly approval and praise
Hearts of sonship know God accepts them all of their days
Orphan hearts need to be holy to get God's nod
Hearts of sonship want to be holy to honor God
Orphan hearts view any authority with suspicion
Hearts of sonship respect those in higher position

God wants us each to make that trip
From orphan heart to heart of sonship
The prodigal son who returned with repentant heart
The elder brother for the wrong reasons did his part
In other words, the orphan heart must change
Into a heart of sonship it must exchange
For misrepresenting God's love, we must our parents forgive
None of us is perfect, but in a broken state we cannot live
On being sons and daughters to our parents, focus we must
In that way, we can learn to honor, respect, obey, and trust
For in 1 Corinthians 15 verse forty six it does say
The natural precedes the spiritual, that is the way
As the son of God and of man Jesus did himself refer
To have the heart of sonship, we should not defer

21 October 2012 - Proverbs 21:21

"He who pursues righteousness and love", be it father or son
"Finds life, prosperity, and honor" says verse twenty one

This sounds straightforward but is hard to do
For the mistakes I make are so far from few
Although good may be the intentions of my heart
My body and mouth don't always do their part
So dear God please let me have a brand new start
For in your overall plan, I know I should have a part
And when I feel discouraged, tired, or run down
Let me remember to smile with joy, not to frown
For I know that you are with me every single day
From your love and guidance, I should not stray

14 October 2012 - ENCS

Josh spoke about "Why Life Groups?" today
Read "The Lego Principle" he also did say
To understand life groups, he asked "why people?"
Josh loved God but not all who were under the steeple
He ran away from the church as a result
That is not uncommon for a young adult
But it is not enough to have a relationship with God
We must love others even if they are extremely odd
So then Josh heard "it is now time to serve me"
He realised that words from God those had to be

Then to First John 4, Pastor Josh did refer
Verse 11 says "we should love one another"
With this theme, subsequent verses continue
If we love God, we must love others too
Love is the focus of First Corinthians thirteen
It implies action, not just a feeling unseen

We need people in our lives in order to grow
Other people wrote the Bible, don't you know
Josh then turned to 1 Samuel 23 verse sixteen
Jonathan helped David in this famous scene
We must fix ourselves, Josh did then remind
Instead of fault with others trying to find
Let the Bible correct others, adult or teen
This is the message from 2 Timothy 3:16

And then from Hebrews ten verse twenty five
We must not give up meeting while we are alive
For this is how we can encourage each other
Family and friends, be it a sister or a brother

As good works in His name we are all called to do
Even if a situation is tough, we must push through
This is how we can end up serving nations
Something that can last for generations
Pastor then referred to First Samuel 22 and 23
Distressed people became mighty men we did see
We can invest in others at any time, Josh did say
Even if from His path we may occasionally stray

John thirteen verse thirty five does explicitly show
By loving others, our love for Jesus others will know
And we should love because He loves us first
That is something that will never be reversed

9 October 2012 - The Lord's Prayer

Most of us refer to Matthew 6 for the Lord's Prayer
Luke 11 is clearly the shorter of the reference pair
The core message is of course one and the same
Prayer consists of thanking before asking in His name

Matthew 6:9 starts with "Our Father, who art in heaven"
Followed by the "hallowed be your name" of Luke 11
And then to Luke's "Your kingdom come", which makes us glad
"Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" Matthew does add
"Give us each day our daily bread" both do proceed
Jesus did not forget about food, a basic human need
"Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us"
Some translations use "trespass" instead but it's no big fuss
With "and lead us not into temptation" Luke's version does end
"But deliver us from evil" Matthew's version does append

When we recite this prayer, comfort our God does provide
But as importantly, a template for praying it does provide
So dear God, I thank you for giving us this prayer
It is yet further proof of how much you really care
Please let the words resonate in my heart
So that from your way I do not depart

7 October 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry spoke of "Overflowing Love" today
With Jesus as our guide, we should go His way
From Galatians 5 verses thirteen and fourteen
We should serve others humbly in love, it is seen
That is why God sent His son Jesus to the earth
Telling us, in God's eyes, how much we are worth

And as per verses 13 and 14 of Revelations three
Whether we are hot, cold, or lukewarm God will see
Pastor Larry told a story about parking his car
He missed a chance though the Spirit did him jar
Our anger and pride can prevent God's love from flowing
Doubly so if the devil's handiwork is what ends up showing
But if in God we believe and are therefore secure
Our insecurity disappears, for God's love is pure
And if through us God's love does diffuse
Then the result is that the devil will lose

1 Corinthians chapter thirteen focuses on love
It is more important than various gifts from above
Galatians six verse seven says we should know
That we will each reap what we each doth sow
Pastor said we need to have love to have anything
This means that we must have patience everlasting
We should not keep a record of every single wrong
The enemy wants us to do so, it is very very long
But remember that God forgets when he does forgive
That is how we Christians are also supposed to live

Second Corinthians 3:18 is a statement, not a story
We with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory
We should not stop loving, let others always see
In the same way that God loves us for eternity
By accepting God, we are no longer slaves to sin
And then God's love will flow in us from within
Remember that "we love because he first loved us"
For First John four verse nineteen says it is thus

7 October 2012 - Psalm 37:7-9

David said to "be still before the Lord"
"Wait patiently for him" and his Word
"Do not fret when men succeed in their ways"
Using "wicked schemes" all of their days
"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath"
"Do not fret"; it only leads to an evil path
"For evil men will be cut off"
At this we should not scoff
"But those who hope" in our God
"Will inherit the land" with His nod

Patience is a virtue that is hard to find
Words said in haste are hard to unwind
It is better that I bite my tongue and wait
Rather than acting in an angry state
And if this means that I must silently stew
That is still better than causing a to-do
So dear God, patience please give me
So that from anger I can really be free

30 September 2012 - ENCS

The "In It To Win It" series will be no more
Pastor Larry concluded it after the other four
To convey messages, parables Jesus did use
Psalm 78:2 and Matthew 13:35 provide a view
Per Matthew 13:13, Jesus used parables in large part
To let people understand and thus influence their heart

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure was the focus today
Finding God is the greatest treasure, Pastor Larry did say
Per Matthew 13:44, there were key messages times two
The hidden treasure is God's kingdom, very valuable too

The kingdom of God is being in His presence, Pastor said
To understand, read Matthew 6:10 and Romans 14:17 instead
What we reflect is what is king of our heart
Following the Lord's Prayer is a good start

Pastor then turned to Matthew 5:3 and Matthew 6:33
About how to get to His kingdom we can see
Being hungry for God and avoiding complacency
We seek God's kingdom first and get gifts in eternity

We asked how much we treasure God's kingdom
In Philippians 3:8, about this Paul was not mum
In order to gain Christ, all earthly things he would lose
That same path is one we can follow if we choose
Hebrews 11:6 and of course Matthew 22:36-39
Talk about loving God and letting His light shine

But Pastor said that we are God's treasure too
Jesus gave His life willingly despite what we do
We should not listen to the words of the enemy
For his words are lies, even of told eloquently

We then heard from Joy, who gave a testimony
Changing from self view to God's view set her free
For whatever God is to you, she did then say
He will be through you, each and every day

Pastor referred to the jars of clay in 2 Corinthians 4:7
Our lives can only be changed by our God in heaven
Of one thing Pastor reminded us to be very sure
True love is Jesus, who is our ultimate treasure
And if we love Him, value Him, and live for Him
Our eternity will be very bright, not at all dim

We heard Jaeson Ma sing his "What is Love?" song
The words and the video were both quite strong
True love is selfless not selfish - and involve sacrifice
Look at Jesus who, for us, paid the ultimate price

What God looks at is our heart, Pastor did conclude
For all will be good if our heart has the right attitude

30 September 2012 - Ephesians 2:8-10

We have been saved by His grace
This is on what our faith should base
For this grace is a gift from our God
It is not ourselves that get the nod
About our works we should not boast
They succeed thanks to the Holy Ghost
For we are indeed God's workmanship
To do good works He doth us equip

No, we are not saved by good works
But do them willingly, for they are perks
For what matters is what is in our heart
So that each of us do our God-chosen part

Dear God, please give me unfettered sight
About what to do to show your true light

23 September 2012 - ENCS

About Luke 19:12-27 Pastor asked me to speak
So into three different translations today we did peek
'Grow by making the right choices' I titled the sermon
The 'In It to Win It' series is therefore almost done

First reading from the traditional NIV
“The parable of the minas” we did see
The literal translation focuses on investment
We should try to generate returns, Jesus meant
Remember the positive effects of compounding
And that the cost of inflation is astounding
This applies to investment, I did sayeth
But is just as relevant for one’s faith
Remember that God is the course of all things
That is something about what Psalm 24 sings
“The love of money” said apostle Paul
Is the root of kinds of evil all
For getting rich is not the objective
Having more allows us more to give
And if we always tithe our ten percent
I am sure we can always pay our rent
For God will reward those who tithe
And will not make us squirm or writhe

But also, if we manage to generate a good return
We can bless others, so about Jesus they can learn
And remember that from God everything does come
So be a good steward every day, not just some

About talents we read from Matthew 24
Versus a mina, a talent is sixty times more
Gifts from God is what our talents are
They can spread the Word both near and far
We must also invest in talents to make them grow
We should not be shy about letting them show
For talents are valuable gifts from God
So many gifts, Paul did give a nod
In regards our talents, if we do not use them
Then rest be assured that we will lose them
I started writing poetry to ensure my eyes did not close
Now this math major finds it easier than writing prose
As with minas, we must be good stewards of our talents
For they are worth more than dollars and cents

In order to put our investments and talents to work
We must seize opportunities, for everywhere they lurk
Our faith must be demonstrated by our good deeds
Maximising our own abilities, make sure nothing impedes
We should try to excel in everything all of the time
If we put in effort, the result will be no crime
Generating returns on opportunities allows them to grow
Helping the church and blessing others are what our actions show

So what stops us from growing in this way?
Three points come to mind this fine Sunday
A poor self-image is point number one
Doubt sets in before he have even begun
But we were made in God’s image and have talents
So trust in God, for He makes the most sense
The second point is that we have fear
About risks, not rewards, we tend to hear
But remember that fear hinders faith, that is dumb
And the other side of fear is actually freedom
Miplaced priorities was point number three
But remember that fear hinders faith, that is dumb

And the other side of fear is actually freedom
Misplaced priorities was point number three
But God is where direction we can really see
There are also consequences of not being stewards good
Using minas, talents, time, and opportunities we should
If the church was a business and I was an employee
Would I keep my job or a year-end bonus ever see?

We need to take our minas, talents, and every opportunity
To generate a return, help grow the church, and bless those we see
GROW stands for Generating Returns on Opportunities Wisely
So we can be good stewards and make the right choices daily

16 September 2012 - ENCS

The "In It To Win It" series was continued by Rachel Ong
Her observations and points are very rarely wrong
Into Luke 16:10-13 we first took a peek
On "being a faithful steward" she did speak
And then to help us faithful stewards be
She delved into traits numbering three

"Being faithful with our treasure" was number one
We must choose to serve either God or Mammon
Rachel said there are three types of people here on earth
Versus takes and wasters, energy givers have more worth
About Bill Gothard she then did share
About others he obviously does care
She used him as an example of how we should live
We should be frugal in order to generously give
And then into frugal versus stingy she went
The only real difference lies in the intent
We should learn from Jesus, be meek and humble
That will keep us focused, balanced, and humble
Rachel said that money does strange things to people
This is true for some who worship under the steeple
The world says to maximise what we end up keeping
Jesus says to maximise what we give without weeping

"Being faithful with our time" was number two
Colossians 4:5 says to be wise in what we do
We each have twenty four hours each and every day
We must be resourceful, not wasteful she did say
We should be frugal with our time for the days are few
We should be spending on things with eternal value
At the workplace we should our light shine
Idle talk robs our souls and is far from fine
Clocks remind us of the value of every hour
From time, not money, we get the most power

"Being faithful with our talents" was number three
We should seek to excel, using talents skillfully
Because in God's own image He did us create
We should therefore strive to do things great
Paul for instance had certainty in his heart
Reaching out to the Gentiles was his part
Our true credentials are not some fancy degree
It is what we do and what others therefore see

Rachel then made a couple of conclusions
Referring to the first chapter of Colossians
With the knowledge of God's will
We should want our souls to fill
And by reading and studying the Holy Word
We should walk in a way worthy of the Lord

2 September 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry started the "In It To Win It" series
With a sermon filled with facts, not theories
In many areas the enemy tries to attack
Telling us about many things we may lack
Focusing on money is perhaps his main scheme
More than half of Jesus' parables dealt with this theme
Pastor focused on the Parable of the Rich Fool
Looking at Luke 12:13-21 as if we were in school
After reading it all, he zeroed in on verse fifteen
Because in that passage, three key points are seen

The first is to "watch out, be on your guard"
We must be ready to battle the enemy hard
For he tries to rob our inheritance and joy
All sorts of temptations he does employ
And because the enemy wants us to be hurt
Per 1 Peter 5:8, be self-controlled and alert
We then heard a strong testimony from Art
He never quit and then God did His part
So when we feel like we are in a dark hole
Just remember that God is always in control

The second is "against all kinds of greed"
Pastor mentioned things we don't need
The first three that he did then name
Too much money, prestige, and fame
These can lead to gluttony and hoarding
The result of course is far from rewarding
The spirit of greed causes a downfall
For people and nations, one and all
Greed is the desire to have more and more
Which per Exodus 20:17 God does abhor
Money "merely unmasks men" said Henry Ford
That is consistent with the views of our Lord
Instead we should help others in need
Be careful, for pride often leads to greed
Materialism can rob us of blessings from God
To Luke 12:17-19 Pastor then gave a nod
So many "I"s and "my"s, he was so self-centered
Heaven was not a place the rich fool entered
To Colossians 3 verse 5 we did then turn
"Put to death" greed, or idolatry we did learn
For the greedy, Matthew 6 : 24 will hit a nerve
Between God and money, one cannot both serve
If we are generous, per 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
We will be taken care of by God in heaven
He will look after both our desires and needs
If we are not greedy in our thoughts or deeds
This can be seen in Ephesians five verse three
No hint of impurity or greed should others see

What life does not consist of was the third
"An abundance of possessions" we heard
For in Jesus is where real life is found
This is a topic on which to expound
More money and things do not our lives really fulfill
To focus on quality, not quantity, should be our will
Pastor then referred to 1 Timothy 6 : 17-19
"Be rich in good deeds" is there clearly seen

In God, not wealth, we should put our hope
The other way leads to a slippery slope
Doing good creates a strong foundation
Be the opposite of greedy, in summation

In conclusion, a nugget Pastor did us feed
He said "don't feed greed, sow the seed"

26 August 2012 - Luke 6:37-38

The Sermon on the Plain's words cannot be fudged
Jesus said "do not judge, and you will not be judged"
"Do not condemn", and condemned you will not be
"Forgive, and you will be forgiven" to the same degree
He continued with "give, and it will be given to you"
For God's riches are more than we can ever accrue

No poem can ever do justice to these verses
They focus on God's blessings, not curses
And no matter which translation is read
This is the way to be eternally ahead
Which means that in everything I think, say, or do
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

19 August 2012 - ENCS

"The Champion" series Pastor Charles Curtis did continue
The topic "Jesus our Champion" he did earnestly pursue
"Who is Jesus Christ?" is such a pivotal question
Pastor could elaborate on it for many a session
No examination will challenge or confront us more
For those who try to discredit Christ, failure is in store
Two books on the subject did Pastor refer to
He gave authors Sanders and Strobel their due
"The Incomparable Christ" and "The Case for Christ"
He implied their contents could never be overpriced

Pastor then referred to Christ as the elegant solution
For our sinful nature, His death was a perfect substitution
This is what Paul did clearly state
In Romans chapter five verse eight
With His actions, Christ answered the question of sin
He died for us, despite the sinful state we were in

Pastor then read Philippians two verses five to eleven
Which talk about the "kenosis" of Christ from heaven
Kenosis means to empty completely
That is what Christ did so freely
He humbled himself upon the cross
Our gain thus resulted from his loss
"Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place"
And every tongue shall confess His amazing grace

In regards confessing, per Romans 10:9-10
Our voice is much mightier than the pen
If "Jesus is Lord" with our mouth we confess
We will be saved for eternity, nothing less
The Bible is filled with promises in which to believe
From God there are so many gifts we can receive

Moving on to Second Corinthians five verse seventeen
If anyone is in Christ, a new creation is clearly seen
It says that "the old has gone, the new has come"
That is not something about which Paul was mum
Pastor concluded with Romans 7 verses 24 and 25
Our "body of death", only Jesus can revive

19 August 2012 - Isaiah 40:29-31

"He gives strength to the weary" when things look bleak
Verse 29 adds that He"increases the power of the weak"
"Even youths grow tired and weary" per verse thirty
"And young men stumble and fall" and get dirty
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength"
"They will soar on wings like eagles" at great length
Verse 31 says "they will run and not grow weary"
"They will walk and not be faint" nor be teary

It has been said that if we feel weary, one thing is for sure
We have strayed from God and disregarded a law of nature
For doing God's work brings recuperation and joy
No matter where or how he chooses us to deploy

So dear God, I apologise for being so weary and tired
As it shows that my time has not been by you inspired
For prayer and bible study I must find time every day
Otherwise from your path I will surely deviate and stray
And by following your Way and doing your Will
I know that my body and soul your energy will fill

12 August 2012 - ENCS

The "Champions" series was continued by Pastor Neli
In Joshua 1:2 about treading five points we did see
But first Pastor read about Joshua in verses one to eleven
"Be strong and courageous" came the voice from heaven

Pastor started by referring to "Moses my servant is dead"
With previous generations in mind is how we must tread
For although God uses revelations and with relation
(Testimonies are powerful; we should not act in isolation)
He also tends to build generation upon generation
As with Singapore our forty seven year old nation

The next word mentioned was "arise" from verse two
To tread, sitting down is something we cannot do
In what we believe, we must take a stand
Even if it contradicts all others in the land

"Go over" was the next phrase mentioned by Pastor
Without small steps, walking we cannot master
We should keep stepping out in faith in the same way
We will then gain more confidence every single day

About "you and all the people" Pastor did then talk
With other people is the best way to tread or walk
To walk with us, God often sends others
Young and old, sisters and brothers

The last was "into the land I am about to give them"
Where God places us we should not condemn
For wherever he leads, we should tread
And in that way, His Word we can spread

In conclusion, we must all learn to tread
The alternative is really something to dread

5 August 2012 - ENCS

About Second Chronicles 7:14 Pastor Larry did speak
He also referred to Singapore 47th birthday this week
The island nation and its people are so obviously blessed
But it faces economic and moral challenges like all the rest
This was a lead-in for Pastor and a series new
Talking about "Champions" and what they do
Pastor said that victors is what God wants us to be
But not by the cheating ways that we often see
For per 2 Corinthians ten verses three to five
Paul says that although others may connive
We are to "wage war" in a different way
By being obedient to God every day

The title was "Champions Confront Life's Strongholds"
Remember it is through challenges that God molds
Pastor based his sermon on 1 Kings chapter eighteen
About Elijah, one of the greatest prophets ever seen
Any revival requires a remnant to in faith step out
Per verse 21, about God's power Elijah had no doubt

To "recognise a stronghold" is step number one
In Elijah's day, there seemed to be followers none
A stronghold means saying "I will never change"
But we know this is something God can arrange
Strongholds lead to doubt and double mindedness
Plus of course negative feelings and lots of stress
If from James one verse eight we do read
Stability is what double minded people need
But through trials we can develop maturity
If we rely on the Lord as our real security
Strongholds come from sin, culture, and pride
And mean that to God's word we do not abide

Next we should "confront strongholds with action faith"
Look at 1 Kings 18:24 to see what Elijah did saith
And in the same way that the fire God did arrange
From impossible to possible, God can effect change
Pastor talked of family and nation breaking down
We then heard a testimony from a visitor in town
He said that if his dire situation could be reversed
There is no reason that our lives should be cursed

Lastly, we should "confront strongholds with prayer"
Per verses 37-39, the Lord will show that he does care
He will give us what we solely and jointly need
But He is waiting for us to pray and intercede
His fire is to fill us up, not to destroy others
He wants us to enlist more Christian brothers

In summary, Pastor said that we need to be on fire
If we are to take ourselves - and our nation - higher

29 July 2012 - PLMC

Today Pastor Reuben finished five years at PLMC
Into Luke chapter ten verses 38-42 we did see
The sermon was titled "One Thing Needful"
Pastor gave us several things over which to mull
As Jesus entered Bethany, Martha invited him in
She loved the Lord, that is obviously no sin
But sister Mary listened, sitting at Jesus' feet
Her focus on Him was utterly complete
Martha's preparatory tasks did her distract
Her complaint to Jesus was valid, that's a fact
"Martha, Martha" in response Jesus did say
This highlighted His very compassionate way
Only two other times did Jesus repeat names in the Bible
To Jerusalem and also to Simon Peter the disciple
Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away
Communing with Jesus should be a priority every day
For this is time that cannot be replaced or bettered
True fellowship with Jesus is best if it is unfettered

With herself, Martha was seemingly preoccupied
Whilst Mary focused on Jesus who she sat beside
For Jesus, Martha was trying to do something
But Mary focused on the words of Jesus the king
To please Jesus, Martha tried and tried
Mary listened to Jesus could be her guide
For "the good part" is the living word from Him
Allowing the worldly lights to go strangely dim

Was Mary heavenly minded but not earthly good
In reply, read John 12:1-2 Pastor said we should
For washing Jesus' feet with oil and her hair
Was a prophetic act, Jesus did later declare
For when on Jesus our thoughts do fixate
Our earthly deeds will follow and be great
The more time with Jesus that we do spend
The more we love Him and comprehend

Looking at Hebrews 12:1-2, Pastor then did sayeth
We should fix our eyes on the perfector of our faith
Turning to Revelation twenty two verse thirteen
Jesus is the beginning and the end, it is seen
And if John chapter fourteen verse six we do read
He is also the way, the truth, and the life we need
"Christ is all" says Colossians three verse eleven
The truth that will set us free comes from heaven

Pastor said to have this focus, there are things to do
One key is sitting for more than just a minute or two
For sitting is really a picture of rest
That is when our focus can be best
It is never our strength, smarts, or saintliness
Without Jesus, we would achieve far less
Pastor referred to Colossians 2 verses nine and ten
In Jesus we are made complete, it says again
Interestingly, the root word for shalom is wholeness
Implying we want peace from Jesus, nothing less

Be seated and focused on Jesus, Pastor did tell
This was the key message in his sermon farewell

8 July 2012 - PLMC

Today as Paya Lebar Methodist Church turned eighty
Pastor Wee Boon Hup's sermon was simply titled "See"
The passage that was first flashed upon the screen
Was First Corinthians chapter two verses six to sixteen
It talked about imparting wisdom that is real
Through the Spirit, the truth God does reveal
Pastor spoke about three types of sight
On the third he shed much more light

The first is with our naked eyes, which can mislead
Therefore sometimes our eyesight we should not heed
The second is what we see with our mind and heart
Put another way, this is called insight on our part
This goes beyond the physical and leads to understanding
This is a good thing, but often far from outstanding

For the third type of sight, Pastor invented a new word
About "pneu-sight" several perspectives we then heard
"Pneu" is Hebrew for wind, air, spirit, breath, or revelation
Which means that seeing by God-given insight is no aberration
This discernment is ready for us to receive
For it is available to all who in God believe

To understand what God is doing requires special insight
On a variety of topics, our God can shed much light
Whether it be medical, economic, social, or political
Getting answers and guidance from God is critical

We should understand what God has to us freely given
This is God's grace, for it means our sins are forgiven
Note that this is written in the past tense
We don't have to wait for God to dispense
To us, there are many things God wants to reveal
His grace is waiting for us to receive and to feel

Receiving His grace calls for a response and action
We must accept this for it to have any traction
From Ephesians 2 verse 8 Pastor then read
We have been saved by faith, the passage said
And as 2 Corinthians 8 verses 6 and 7 do tell
We should excel in the grace of giving as well

We tend to focus on the best, ignoring all the facts
But we need the full picture so we can do good acts
So along with prosperity, healing, and good health
We should see failure, sickness, and lack of wealth
In this way, as seen in Matthew nine verses 35-38
Having compassion for others is a Jesus-like trait

Pastor said that it is not natural to have pneu-sight
We need the Holy Spirit to provide that special light
When looking at crowds, he asked what do we see
Can we identify an individual who needs to be set free?
Are we able to help struggling and insecure people?
Or do we just focus on those already under the steeple?

To see what God wants, pneu-sight is what we need
Then both power and love are required to succeed
Social services imply compassion with love
Miracles however rely on power from above
Pastor implored us to go and a difference make
We should do that for our Lord Jesus' sake

1 July 2012 - ENCS

Today the "Encounter" series did at ENCS start
Talking about prayer, Pastor Larry did his part
With God, routine is never the way
He performs miracles every single day
Encountering God should make us transformed
Look to Elijah and Moses, we can be reformed
The text today was taken from Exodus 3:1-4
Moses and the burning bush are the story's core
Moses saw the flames and then from God heard
Pastor Larry shared three insights about the Word

First is that God reveals himself in a supernatural way
This often occurs when we stop and earnestly pray
Pastor referred to Acts two verses three and four
The Holy Spirit filled all those who walked in the door
For they had prayed from deep in their lungs
So the Spirit came to them in fiery tongues
Similarly, we should let the Spirit in us burn
For we should never away from God turn
Within us, God and the Spirit always dwell
That is why at all times we know "all is well"
Often we don't listen when God does speak
But we really need to if His path we do seek
Pastor mentioned Moses, Elijah, and Paul
Humans like us, they prayed through it all

Second is that God wants for us to look
That is what Moses did in the Exodus book
To the burning bush, he went over to see
That was much better than turning to flee
From seeking God, nothing should us distract
Distractions are from the enemy, that's a fact
Being too busy is often used as a reason
But putting it mildly, that is akin to treason
He wants for us to look to Him in prayer
He will then respond, do not despair
After Moses went to the bush, God did speak
With God's strength, Moses became unique
To the Lord, the people Moses did draw
Focusing on himself would have been a flaw
Pastor also referred to Daniel nine verse three
Daniel fasted and prayed to God, we did see
In chapter ten, to Daniel an angel did appear
Saying that all of Daniel's words God did hear
We don't have all the answers but should not grieve
For God tells us to pray to Him and in Him believe

Third is that God sees and speaks when we pray
God knows our names and destinies, Pastor did say
And for every child, woman, and man
God has in mind a very specific plan
From verse nine of 2 Chronicles chapter sixteen
God looks for "fully committed hearts", it is seen
Good things will happen when we fervently pray
"Pray incessantly", 1 Thessalonians 5:17 does say
For God will hear us and so often astound
He is able to turn lives and nations around

In summary, Pastor referred to Acts 4 verse 31
The place was shaken after the praying was done
In the same way, he wants our lives to be shaken
When we allow the Spirit within us to awaken

24 June 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Kenneth talked about "The Power of Unity"
He based his talk on Psalm 133 verses one to three
Unity is the state of being one
If Christians unite, the devil is done
For the devil always tries to break us apart
Unity allows God's blessings for us to start

"Why Unity?" was the first question Pastor did ask
Making "all believers as one" is no simple task
He referred to John 17 verses 20 through 22
"So the world will believe" we did thus see
But if the unity is not for God's good, it is hollow
Then, as Babel saw, disaster will surely follow

About the "Benefits of Unity" Pastor talked some more
He went into some detail on benefits numbering four
The first is the "good and pleasant fragrance" of God
To Second Corinthians 2:14-15 he did give a nod
The second is that "unity leads to fruitfulness"
For united people are more productive, not less
Pastor referred to Old Testament passages two
From Genesis and Isaiah, mentions of heaven's dew
The "power of agreement" was point number three
From Matthew 18 verse 19, this is plain to see
If two agree and ask, it will somehow get done
The power of unity can be overcome by none
The sound of unity, known as "sumphones" in Greek
Helps others, especially those who a Godly path seek
The "strength of unity" was Pastor's point number four
If we step forth, we will be joined by more and more

"Achieving Unity" was the third topic of the day
Three simple instructions Pastor did then say
First, to be of one spirit and accept one another
No matter our background, treat all like a brother
He referred to the one hundred twenty disciples at Pentecost
Their diverse unity led to thousands of souls saved, not lost
Second, we must ask for forgiveness and must also forgive
Ignoring offenses, like water off a duck, is the best way to live
Third, we must commit and take ownership
If we own something, our efforts will not slip

In conclusion, Pastor said that we should all know
That it is of course easier to hold on than to let go
But we must let go of the old to get the new
And we don't have forever to decide what to do
God knows where He wants us, Pastor did say
But first we must learn to trust and obey

10 June 2012 - ENCS

This morning Nancy Webb came from Hawaii to speak
"3 Keys to Victorious Living" was the sermon this week
"When the going gets tough", Nancy did loudly say
"Then the tough get praising, each and every day"
John 16:33 says that "in this world you will have trouble"
But Jesus has "overcome this world" and its awful rubble
So in Jesus, we can have peace
Even if our problems do not cease
Then, reading from 1 Thessalonians 5 :16-18
The three biblical keys to victory are clearly seen

The first key is to "always rejoice"
A sacrifice of joy should be our choice
Psalm 27:6 as well as Nehemiah 8:10
Mention the same theme once again
The joy of the Lord should be our strength
The enemy targets that joy at great length
A warning comes from Deuteronomy 28:47
We must remember to serve God in heaven
Or else we will serve the enemy sent
Leading to anger and discouragement
If joy is inside of us, then without question
It can overcome all, including depression

The second key is to praise and pray
A sacrifice of praise is more than okay
Hebrews 13:15 as well as Psalm 34:1-4
Talk about the "fruit of our lips" and more
Remember that God is always there
Praise Him for His constant care
Praise Him even when times are tough
For He will grant us safety enough
The enemy or God, we must obey one
If the former, our lives will be done
Keep our tongues from evil disbelief
That way, we can avoid serious grief
In heaven, there are never any complaints
Only positives come from mouths of saints
We should be a positive testimony at all times
Whether working, talking, or writing rhymes

The third key is a key to blessed living
It is to present a sacrifice of thanksgiving
We see this in Psalm 107:22 and Psalm 100:4
Psalm 50: 14 and 23 repeat it some more
A thankful heart keeps things in perspective
Omitting the complaints is the way to live
A positive spirit also comes from a thankful heart
With the love of God is how we should start
For we should give thanks like Silas and Paul
Thanking God for the good, the bad, the all
Persevere with praise says Hebrews 10:36
A harvest can be reaped, Galatians 6:9 predicts

In summary, remember that God's promises are true
Much bigger than any circumstances that may accrue
The three biblical keys to victory, Nancy did reiterate
Joy, praise, and thanksgiving will keep us straight

27 May 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry spoke about Romans chapters 15 and 16
Bringing to an end the longest series ENCS has seen
First he did recap the entire Romans book
Into Faith, Hope, and Love it does look
Chapter One deals with the realities of being alive
The need to build standards through chapter five
Understanding our struggles from six to eight
Between God and us, nothing can separate
Clarification to lead us through, from nine to eleven
Twelve to sixteen provide encouragement from heaven

Pastor said the final challenge is to receive others
Whether Jew or Gentile, all can be Christian brothers
We must overcome cultural biases, per Romans 15:7
Receiving each other as we have been by Christ in heaven
We should work with people of every nation and age
Whether they be rich or poor, uneducated or a sage
We should receive patience and comfort, per verses 5 and 6
Towards one another be like-minded, on God our eyes fix
Moving on to chapter fifteen, verse thirteen
Receive hope, joy, and peace can be seen
And from Pastor's message we did hear
That faith is the best way to fight fear
In verses 18 and 19, Paul states as clear as he can
That it is wrong to worship the accomplishments of man
For to Christ alone, all accomplishments are due
And we should remember all of them, not just a few

Chapter 16 says to receive women, who are not weak
About their strong points, Pastor's wife Elaine did speak
And it is important to note that in the eyes of the Lord
Women have a key role to play in spreading His word
God uses circumstances to get us to the right place
Different people have different challenges they face
But in ministry all people can be effective
Through their words and how they live
Per 1 Timothy 4 verses fourteen and fifteen
We should not neglect our gifts, even if unseen
To our life's doctrine we must stay near
In a word, we must always persevere
In Romans 16 verse twelve we can see
That women have the gift of hospitality

Turning to verses 17 and 18, Pastor then did say
Avoid the divisive types, as they get in the way
And concluding with verses 19 and 20
There are comforting words aplenty
We should be wise about what is good
And be innocent about evil, that we should
Know that God will crush Satan under his heel
For that, we should bow to God and kneel

20 May 2012 - ENCS

About Romans 14 Pastor Josh did speak
But into philosophy first he did peek
If we came from nothing, then nothing matters
But God created us, so that view is in tatters
He created us to bring love and joy
Wanting a relationship, not a toy
He loves each of us despite our obvious flaws
"To love each other" is core to all of His laws
Romans 14 is about choice, Pastor Josh said
Each of the twenty three verses we then read

In verse one, "accept him whose faith is weak"
It is not our job to judge others or to critique
That message is repeated through verse four
Some can eat less, others can eat more
It is not right for us to on others look down
If we do so, God will in our direction frown

Verses five and six talk of how we look at each day
Whichever is special, we honor God in that way
Then through verse nine, none of us lives alone
We should live and die to Jesus on the throne

And then as we looked at verses nine to twelve
Into the reasons for this we did somewhat delve
For we will each bow to God and our sins confess
So let us not be stumbling blocks creating a mess
But we do have a stewardship role on this earth
This God-given authority comes with a new birth

Moving on to verses thirteen to seventeen
We should note that "no food is unclean"
But if we want to be good by "acting in love"
Our eating should not provide a negative shove
"Do not allow...good to be spoken of as evil"
It is better to back down than to cause upheaval
"The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking"
But the Holy Spirit's joy and peace driving our thinking

The same message comes through verse twenty one
Do not make choices that allow God's work to be undone
If we make choices to prevent others from stumbling
We should not then complain or go around grumbling
Think about the impact our actions may have on others
We don't want to hurt the walk of our Christian brothers
In regards drinking alcohol, Pastor Josh then declared
We should never allow decision making to be impaired

The summary of the chapter we can plainly see
Reading verses twenty two and twenty three
Is says "the man who doubts is condemned if he eats"
For his eating is not from faith but the one who deceits
For "everything that does not come from faith is sin"
Following that path can only lead us to feel chagrin

God wants us to follow Him, not a set of written rules
Remember that for His work, He has given us tools
The key is to spend time listening to God's direction
Then applying it, even if we can not reach perfection
In conclusion, Pastor Josh did therefore us cajole
To have an eternal relationship with God is our goal

19 May 2012 - Proverbs 3:5-6

From The Message this passage does start
"Trust God from the bottom of your heart"
Self-reliance is not something it does condone
"Don't try to figure out everything on your own"
"Listen for God's voice in everything you do"
"He's the one who will keep you on track" anew

This passage reminds me of "Trust and Obey"
Which of course continues "there is no other way"
For although God has given us many a skill
We must rely on His strength to do His will

13 May 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Larry today talked about Romans thirteen
Verse number seven was the first one seen
"Give everyone what you owe him" that verse does say
"The Power of Honoring MOM" was the topic of the day
Masters, Others, and Messiah were the key words three
Although a Happy Mother's Day it was also meant to be

Submit to all authority is stated in verse number one
For God has put all authority in place, bar none
Parents, government, business, and even church
Pastor gave us passages to read and research
Ephesians 6:1-3 and 1 Peter 2 verses 13 and 14
Colossians 3: 2-22 and 1 Timothy 5 verse 17
For God uses authority figures to us mold
In some cases, the results were quite bold
Think about Moses with Pharaoh and David with Saul
Remember that our God is really on charge of us all
Per John 19:10 and 11, much to Pilate's dismay
All power comes from above, Jesus did say

Pastor then said, moving on to verse two
To rebel against authority is against God too
In the same vein, how we respond to authority
Also indicates whether we give God priority
Pastor mentioned the example of King Saul
Who, by rebelling, ended up losing it all
That said, there are limits to how far we obey
Look at Acts 5:28-29 Pastor Larry did say

Verses eight to ten talking about honouring others
We must love all, not just our fathers and mothers
For anyone who does others so love
Has fulfilled the law of our God above
"Love your neighbour as yourself" is the key rule
Which is why we learned it in Sunday school

"Behave decently" per verse thirteen
Whether in day or when the moon is seen
By the desires of the flesh we should not be enticed
Instead we should clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ

13 May 2012 : Joshua 1:5-8

After His servant Moses' life was done
The Lord spoke to Joshua, son of Nun
"No one will be able to stand up against you"
"As I was with Moses", I will be with you too
"Be strong and courageous" after verse five
And into the promised land you will arrive
"Be strong and very courageous" per verse seven
"Obey all the law" given to Moses from heaven
Then God instructs, in verse number eight
On His words, day and night should meditate
"Be careful to do everything", even if stressful
For "then you will be prosperous and successful"

These few words serve to encourage and uplift me
A reminder that "strong and courageous" I should be
God keeps His promises and provides us His word
So to ignore either one would really be absurd
I ask to be "strong and courageous" in decisions I make
As well as in the words I say and the actions that I take

6 May 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Neli returned, his overseas trip done
To talk about Romans 12 verses 1 to 21
He said that the chapter belongs in this place
For it tells us how to respond to God's grace
In reverse order Pastor Neli did then go
For an important point he wanted to show
The sermon title was "Worship - From the Inside Out"
That he loves to worship God, there is no doubt

"How we worship" is covered in verses nine to twenty one
It is about giving our best from sunrise until the day is done
Verses nineteen back to thirteen talk about things to give
ForGIVE, GIVE honour, GIVE selflessly in how we live
GIVE compassionately, GIVE liberally
GIVE fervently and GIVE constantly
A core truth Pastor Neli did then impart
When we give, what matters is our heart
And then Pastor Neli did strongly assert
Like Jesus, we should give until we hurt

He moved onto verses three through eight
With a list of gifts to set us straight
Prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation
Plus leadership, mercy, and contribution
Per verse six, this diversity we should celebrate
For all of them equally valuable does God rate
So don't be conceited in words or even in the mind
Be the measure of faith that God has assigned

Then to the key verses Pastor Neli did reach
"Therefore" refers to earlier chapters, he did teach
For only here about "what is worship" can we read
Even though such knowledge we clearly need
Then of course is the phrase that sounds so nice
To "present our bodies as a living sacrifice"
There are two types of worship that can be inferred
"Spiritual" worship is how most understand the word
But "reasonable" worship is a response most logical
After reading the preceding chapters theological

In summary, Pastor Neli said not to the world conform
Instead, we should let our hearts by God transform
For if the will of our God we really know
We will surely go against the world's flow
By the grace of God, our minds can be renewed
Whether from insecurity, greed, or something lewd
"Worship is our lives laid down", Pastor Neli did say
That is something to remember each and every day

6 May 2012 - Isaiah 33:5-6

"The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high"
"His justice and righteousness" will never die
And they will surely fill the Zion nation
"For He will be the sure foundation"
"A rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge"
To obtain these, one does not need to go to college
For "the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure"
And paradoxically, this fear leads to great pleasure

Believing in our Lord leads to more than one paradox
For only with this faith can the enemy we outfox
We must surrender to God to become eternally free
Praying with eyes closed allows us His path to see
He sent His son to show us how to really live
But His death was the best present He did give
Yet no matter how many paradoxes there may be
Believing in God is the only way forward for me

29 April 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Josh talked about Romans chapters 9 to 11
Starting with Paul wanting his friends to go to heaven
This highlights a big change in Paul's heart
From his old ways he clearly did depart
Onto God's children in the eighth verse
The offspring of promise, not the reverse
Verses 9-29 talk about God's election
Sometimes unfair seems His selection
But be careful about asking for fair
We wouldn't be saved if He didn't care
Josh said mercy is getting what we don't deserve
For instance, grace when laws we don't observe
Then looking at verses thirty to thirty two
By faith the Jews did not God pursue
Trying to rely on works led to a mess
While the Gentiles attained righteousness
The themes of chapter nine, Josh did saith
Are clearly compassion, mercy, and faith

Moving onto chapter eleven, we then did see
The themes are God's grace and sovereignty
Verses one to six say a truism again
That a remnant will always remain
From verses 7 to 24, a new plant has been crafted
For onto the vine, the Gentiles have been grafted
Moving onto verses twenty five to thirty one
God's ultimate plan will of course be done
From all nations, God wants to get all people
To worship together under a common steeple
And by making the Israelites jealous
He hopes they will again be zealous

Josh then returned to chapter ten
What should be done by all men?
In verses four through eight we so clearly saw
That salvation comes through Christ, not the law
To be saved, verses nine and ten do impart
We must confess by mouth, believe with our heart
To be made whole be God is to be saved
That is how our road to heaven is paved
Verses 11-13 say those who call on God by name
Will be saved and will not be put to shame
It matters what goes on in a person's heart
And remember that prayer does play a part
Josh said that prayer can change history
That statement should not be a mystery

Reading verse seventeen, Josh did then conclude
That through the word of God, faith is imbued
Whether through the Bible, prayer, or a sermon
We can hear His word and then His will can be done

22 April 2012 - ENCS

Today we heard from youth pastor Mark Chu
With Romans eight the series did continue
Mark said that verses one to fourteen
Continued what in Romans seven we had seen
He did read from verse one, with no hesitation
For those in Christ, there is no condemnation
He then read the verse past number thirty eight
From God's love, nothing can us ever separate
But condemned is what we often still feel
Prohibiting us from getting God's full deal
Per verse 14, the Spirit gives us our identity
In 15, about the Spirit of sonship we do see

Mark asked "who do we say God is?"
And "what does God say about His?"
His father told him, when Mark was just sixteen
If abide by the rules, many privileges will be seen
But God is better, per the parable of the Prodigal Son
Privileges awaited no matter what the son had done
Giving us a robe of righteousness is God's way
For Bill Johnson said "God is in a good mood today"
Being a son of God means to be fully restored
We don't need to do anything to get this reward
In verse twenty eight, this is clearly stated
Since He loves us, we should be elated
And as we read again in verse thirty one
God loves us so He did not spare His son

Concluding his sermon today
Pastor Mark then did say
Our God is an awesome dad
Loving us even when we are bad
And with verse nineteen he then appealed
For us, the sons of God, to be revealed
Saying we should walk with our heads held high
So the world can learn about Christ, that's why

15 April 2012 - ENCS

On "The Power of a Sanctified Life" Rachel Ong did talk
As we went through the seventh chapter of our Romans walk
She talked about newness of life versus the lust of the flesh
What we want to do and not do seem to intertwine and enmesh
The law is spiritual but we are carnal says verse fourteen
If we do not refocus on God daily, more sin is then seen
Rachel also touched on verses eighteen to twenty
Our sinful nature leads us from good to stray plenty
Which is why we read in 1 Thessalonians 5 : 23
That only God himself can sanctify us completely

Rachel then talked about man's three part whole
The exterior body, our inner spirit, and our soul
The body is a dwelling place, what people see
The soul has our mind, emotions, and personality
Our spirit is our identity so we need Jesus there
To fight temptation we need to reach out in prayer
Per 2 Corinthians 5, anyone in Christ is a creation new
Jesus came to make our bodies and souls true

The message that Rachel did then give
Is that to die to self is the only way to live
We each have our daily crosses to bear
About all of them, Jesus Christ is aware
The first step is to surrender our rights
So that sanctification can be in our sights
And then Rachel said, in her very next breath
We must put the "law of sin and death" to death

God can change our lives, making us a new creation
If we allow His Way to be our core foundation
But why does God let us struggle after that?
Because God loves us no matter where we're at
If we could kill sin in our lives once and for all
We wouldn't have needed Jesus to take the fall
We should humbly receive God's word per James 1:21
And delight in His Law, per Psalm number one

Remember that the rockiest soil produces the best wine
Because the grapes' strength comes from the vine
Jesus is our one true vine, per John chapter fifteen
So in the rockiest times, God's best fruit can be seen
All we need to do is to listen and abide
Not be discouraged, hopeless, or teary-eyed
We need to wait on Jesus in His time
That has been the point of many a rhyme

In summary, Rachel said with a spring
Is that sanctification leads to anointing

15 April 2012 - 1 Kings 19:3-9

Elijah was afraid and from Jezebel did run away
And into the desert he did journey for a day
Sitting under a tree, he prayed he would die
"I have had enough" to God he did cry
"I am no better than my ancestors" he did say
He fell asleep under the tree where he did lay
An angel touched him, telling him to "get up and eat"
Warm bread and water were by his head, not his feet
Elijah ate, drank, and again fell asleep as he lay down
"Get up and eat" again said the angel in a gown
Adding that "the journey is too much for you"
Elijah then realised that this was indeed true
Strengthened by the food, he travelled forty days
He then went into a mountain cave to seek God's ways

Elijah was clearly feeling desolate and defeated
But God's work for him was far from completed
So as Elijah asked how he had strayed so far
God replenished him with bread and the water jar
In the wilderness there is often weakness and despair
But we should never forget that God does really care
On the mountain, there is strength as well as hope
It is therefore always worthwhile to walk up that slope

8 April 2012 - ENCS

On the sixth chapter in Romans Pastor Larry did speak
"Dead to sin, alive to Christ" was the apt title this week
For that is in line with the message of Easter weekend
And what in so many books of the Bible is penned

The first two verses refer back to Romans 5: 20
Shall we sin just because we have grace a-plenty?
"By no means", Paul seems to shout
Because "we died to sin", have no doubt

Further substantiation comes in verses three to ten
"Died with Christ, alive in Christ" again and again
And what must cause the enemy much chagrin
"Anyone who has died has been freed from sin"

Moving on to verses eleven through twenty three
Paul makes it clear that "alive in Christ" we should be
We should not obey our body's evil desires
But instead be a slave to righteousness' fires
Remember "the wages of sin is death", per verse 23
But the gift of God is life with Christ in eternity

Pastor ran through his points very quickly indeed
So that with moving testimonies we could proceed
We heard about so many before and after tales
God's hand was apparent, even in small details

8 April 2012 - PLMC

Christopher Chin spoke at the service at sunrise
Using acronyms for "EASTER" was quite a surprise
But first, he read from Luke 24 thirteen to thirty five
And the congregation responded "He is alive!"

Encountering Afresh Saviour Through Emmaus Road
Is what the disciples felt, to Jerusalem they strode

End's At Sight, Trouble Eventually Rolled-away
That is of course a key message on Easter Day

Pastor then referred us to verse five of Psalm thirteen
"God's anger lasts a moment, His favour a lifetime" is seen

Eyes Able to See Tomb Emptied and Redeemed
Things were great, not bleak as it first seemed

Ending All Sadness/Sickness Through Eternal Resurrection
We are all healed and benefit from His immense protection

Encouraged Again, Sent to Tell Everyone Rejoice
This is what we should all do in a very loud voice

Empowered And Sent to Testify, Evangelise, and Reach-out
God gives us new strength, of that there is no doubt

Acronym number six was the last
For the allotted hour had passed

6 April 2012 - PLMC

On this Good Friday in our faith's Holy Week
About "The Exchange" Pastor Reuben did speak
God's love for us should keep us going
For it is constant, not to-ing and fro-ing
On the cross, for six hours Christ did hang
A "measure of His great love", as we sang
Three hours in light, three hours in the dark
When God forsook Him, the contrast was stark
For when Christ took on the sins of the world
God could not look even with eyebrows furled
Jesus was beaten and whipped night and day
Yet he chose to take our sins on Himself anyway
And no matter how betrayed or pained Jesus did feel
Soldiers were slain and the centurion's ear he did heal

To prove that Christ did this voluntarily
Pastor referred us to Matthew 26:53
Legions of angels Jesus could have called
His enemies could have easily been malled

In 1 Corinthians chapter two verse two
Paul made it clear what we should do
Ignore the other lies we may hear
Focus on Jesus, for He is so dear
In this way, we give Him access to our heart
Once there, the Holy Spirit can do its part

"It is finished", Jesus said after taking a drink
This is good news; our hearts should not sink
His work was perfect and was finally complete
Our sins forgiven, the enemy Jesus did defeat
There is nothing we can do to add to His work
From believing in Him we should not shirk

Another passage telling us what Jesus had done
Is 2 Corinthians chapter five verse twenty one
Putting our sin on the one who was sinless
So God's righteousness we might possess
The cross is a symbol of suffering and shame
But even more powerful is Christ Jesus' name
For his actions bridged an immense gap
For our sins, from God he took the rap

Looking at verses 59 and 60 of Matthew 26
To Jesus, no false accusations could affix
And reading on through Matthew 27 verse 1
It is quite clear what the Sanhedrin had done
They all plotted against Jesus and wanted him dead
Christ spoke the truth; they called it blasphemy instead

Pilate said that Jesus was not guilty of any crimes
In John chapters 18 and 19, three separate times
But with Pontius the Jews would not agree
A crucified Christ is what they wanted to see

We turned back to Matthew 27 verses 16 and 17
For this is where the exchange is actually seen
Barabbas' first name was also Jesus is turns out
That he was a hardened criminal, there is no doubt
Son of the father is what Barabbas' name did mean
There were hidden meanings in this famous scene
The Jews decided to set Barabbas free
But this is what was intended to be

On Good Friday, Pastor says not to mourn
Remember that the temple's curtain was torn
There is one real reason for Jesus' selfless act
God has great love for us, that is a fact

From 1 John four verse seventeen we do read
Boldly we can approach judgement day indeed
Because in us, love has been made complete
That is something we should be happy to tweet

Pastor related this to the parable of the prodigal son
Particularly Luke fifteen verse thirty one
The elder son's jealousy was plain to see
"My son, the father said, you are always with me"
"Everything I have is yours" he then said
We should be out celebrating instead

In conclusion, Pastor then asked how we should live
"With this truth in our hearts" was the answer he did give

6 April 2012 - 1 Corinthians 10:13

1 Corinthians 10 verse 13 makes points two
Starting with "no temptation has overtaken you"
"Except what is common to mankind"
Nothing is unique to us, it does remind
The second is that"God is faithful"; He is just and fair
"We will not be tempted beyond what we can bear"
And when we are tempted, we should have no doubt
We can endure it for "He will provide a way out"

So dear God, on this Good Friday morn
Let me never be discouraged or forlorn
All temptations will disappear or abate
For I know that our God is indeed great

1 April 2012 - ENCS

Pastor Charles spoke about Romans chapter five
Martin Luther's life it apparently did revive
The earlier chapters say all men are in sin
Chapter five talks of all the benefits we win
Another way to talk about the author's shift
Is that he now provides a much-needed lift
"Justified by faith" is mentioned in verse one
"Access by faith" is how it should be done
Pastor shared with us points one to four
With more time, there would have been more

The first is that we have been justified
Pastor Charles then gave us a little aside
He told us that when the Bible we do read
We should study it well, not go for speed
Paul made a point in Galatians 2 verse 16
Justification comes from faith, it is clearly seen
It is not enough to keep the Commandments Ten
This point has been made again and again
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus did tell
That more than actions, it is thoughts as well
As such, we could never really do our part
That is why God came to change our heart
To be justified is to be declared not guilty by law
Thanks to Jesus, God does not see even one flaw
To stand in the presence of God, not chagrined
Allows us to feel "just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned"

The second is that with God we have peace
That means that our war with God will cease
The conflict for our soul is over indeed
The enemy may fight but he will not succeed
Pastor Charles then read to us the tenth verse
Being reconciled, things will be better not worse

We have access to God is point number three
We can approach boldly, in Hebrews 4:16 we see
Our faith should not be passive, but instead be bold
For God's grace He will not from us withhold

We have eternal hope in God is point number four
Our inheritance is entering through heaven's door
For we have been reconciled per Romans 5:11
Thanks to Jesus who came down from heaven
This atonement is not just the covering of sin
But the replacement of all sin that has been

In conclusion, Pastor did not leave us guessing
For us, Jesus purchased every spiritual blessing
And from Ephesians 1:3 we can gladly read
That in Christ, we can find everything we need

25 March 2012 - ENCS

About Paul's letter to the Romans we heard more
Today Pastor Larry focused on chapter four
In the overall flow, this chapter seems to be a break
But using Abraham, several points Paul did make
From the word "faith", Pastor used each letter
To get across five key points even better

Father of faith is what Abraham became
From Genesis 12 or Romans 4:1, both the same
He discovered his faith through experience
Becoming the father of all, in the future tense
The message for us, it is plain to see
Is that bring circumcised is not the key

Abraham did not boast, per verse two
Although this is what the rabbis did do
Abraham trusted God, per verses four and five
His reward came by faith while he was alive
Reading from Ephesians 2:29 and Romans 3:27
We aren't saved by works but by grace from heaven

Inheritance of this blessing is in righteousness
His offspring were more than stars, not less
This point is important, Pastor Larry did us tell
The words in Genesis were quoted in Romans as well
In verses 6-9, righteousness is mentioned times four
Of God's blessings, we are carriers and more

Tested was Abraham's faith on occasions three
Even willing to sacrifice his son, for God to see
When we are tested, we should not walk away
It is a chance to grow our faith in another way
Abraham didn't waver; his faith was strong instead
Remember James 2 says faith without deeds is dead

Hoping against all hope, Abraham's actions were seen
This we can read in Romans chapter 4 verse eighteen
God always delivers, if we look at Hebrews 6:11 and 12
We must be diligent and from our faith never swerve
Proverbs says that giving up hope takes a big toll
Hebrews 6:19 says hope is an anchor for our soul

In a video testimony that we had not earlier seen
In a hopeless situation, God did clearly intervene
Evangeline Mok was able to turn her life around
Although she had to spend time in a prison ground
Paying for her past, she spread the word to all
Thus clearly responding to God's clarion call

Pastor summarised for us before we did leave
Blessings are for all who in Jesus believe

17 March 2012 - Kingdom Invasion

We went to the Kingdom Invasion tonight once again
Along with a hall filled with thousands of women and men
After worship, Ricardo Sanchez did loudly say
That more get healed when more people pray
Ricardo shed some tears when he did talk
His son broke his neck but now can walk
And before he gave us permission to sit
He said " when God is in it, there is no limit"
Then, as the convention hall became a bit dark
We heard about faith's importance from Randy Clark

He started with John 14: 12 and 13
Jesus' words about faith are clearly seen
With faith, we can do things even greater
Glory to God will come sooner not later
Signs, wonders, and miracles give glory to God
Only the pillar of fire in the Bible gets a bigger nod

We then heard from John 15 verse 8
Jesus wants us to bear fruit great
Fruit, according to John, is things being revealed
A demonstration of God's glory is people healed

Per John 16:13, the Spirit will into truth us guide
What is to come, He will tell us - not from us hide
The Spirit takes from Jesus and makes it ours
By doing so, His believers He empowers
Revelations lead to faith, which gets us to speak
That leads to the miracles we so often seek

For faith requires our declaration, it is seen
In 2 Corinthians chapter four verse thirteen
Psalm 116 says "I believed, therefore I have spoken"
In this way, the spirit of faith is now awoken
For faith should be a verb, not just a noun
That helps us on the enemy's face put a frown

And then from 2 Corinthians 1, verses 18-20
We learn God's faithfulness is more than plenty
With Jesus, there is no reason to guess
For His word never means "no", always "yes"
God is the ultimate man of integrity
He gives us His word unconditionally
Whether we receive His "yes" depends on how we respond
We must receive in faith in order to cement our bond

Randy Clark's conclusion, at the end of the hour
Is that healing is the manifestation of God's power

16 March 2012 - Kingdom Invasion

We went to the Kingdom Invasion last night
Thousands of people, what a great sight
Prayer and worship set the stage
Lots of songs, page after page
Highlights of the conference flashed on the screen
Many healing miracles were there to be seen

About "Hosting the Presence", Bill Johnson did speak
For a relationship with the Spirit is what we should seek
From Johnson's mouth, there were exhortations aplenty
God "sent His Word and healed them", per Psalm 107:20
He said that for Christians, every hour is happy hour
For God's good mood provides lots of awesome power
But nothing happens without a declaration first
For the Spirit's healing, we all should thirst

From Luke 8, Jesus could feel the power leave
Even though the woman just touched his sleeve
Similarly, we must recognise the Spirit's power
Even if ministering is not what we are doing that hour
And since God is with us all night and day
For His presence, we don't need to pray
From experience, we should try to learn
Instead of to an instruction manual turn

In children, there are many things that God does admire
Adventure, innocence, and curiosity that does not tire
God wants us to have these same childlike traits
Creativity is also something He highly rates

The Spirit rested on Jesus after he was baptized
Its presence is not something that can be disguised
The Spirit can influence the environment around us all
Like Peter when people around him sick did fall
The Spirit's presence we must value and protect
So that it can do its job completely unchecked
Even the Spirit's shadow can do miracles and heal
That's why having it inhabit us is so ideal
We often focus on problems but not the answer
For the Spirit can cure all ails, including cancer

The dove of peace looks for people on whom to rest
How we react determines how much we are blessed
Jesus startled his disciples in John 20 verse 19
They were happy when his wounds had been seen
"Peace be with you" he repeated to them twice
Getting a second chance from God is rather nice
The Holy Spirit is what God wants us to receive
It wants to rest on the shoulders of those who believe
And if the Spirit is with us, by others it can be sensed
God's light will be emitted and it cannot be fenced

It is from yielding, not effort, that faith does result
Is that why it is easier for a child than an adult?
Remember that faith is normal for those who believe
Our hearts must be ready and open in order to receive

11 March 2012 - ENCS

For the past few weeks poetic words I did lack
But now it feels pretty good to be back
And though my body may be sore and weak
I know that God’s word and peace I must seek
For every day that I hear His voice
Gives me another reason to rejoice
So no matter what my mood or pain
I say “God is with us” once again

The ongoing series on Romans continued today
About Chapter Two Pastor Charles had lots to say
Martin Luther said Romans is the Bible’s ABC
There are so many truths that are there to see
God’s great plan of redemption is clearly seen
From chapter one through the end of sixteen
Chapter One spoke of Gentiles being “under sin”
Chapter Two says Jews are too, to their chagrin
For righteous is something none of us can claim
No matter our race or ethnicity, all the same

Scold the Jewish people did Apostle Paul
But his message actually applies to us all
For if we judge others, it is ourselves we condemn
From Matthew 7:1, this lesson does actually stem
To judge others’ actions is being rather hypocritical
For when we look inwards, we are more analytical
Of course, when Romans two verse six someone reads
God will judge each of us according to our deeds
But thanks to Christ, we have will not perish
For being reunited with God should be our wish

To understand sin, we should look at the word in Greek
“Harmatia” means to miss the mark that we do seek
Referring to archery, Pastor did then conclude
That our arrows are bent; our lives morally skewed
Or think of where our moral compass should turn
It is from God’s words that we really should learn
For per Romans 5:8, God hath provided the solution
He showed His love for us through a sacrificial substitution

Pastor Charles moved on and then did say
In front of Christ, our sins we must lay
An atheist said there may be no God so don’t worry
But this train of logic is more than a wee bit blurry
For instead of worrying, confident we should be
Thanks for Christ’s sacrifice substitutionary
Remember Jesus’ words in John ten verse ten
He came so we could have abundant lives, amen
From sin, short lived indeed is the pleasure
And it makes us miserable in many a measure
For sin’s stomach is never full for long
Another sign that sin is always wrong

Pastor said Jesus is the answer to the sin question
From Romans, that is more than a mere impression
In Romans 2 verse 4, Paul takes a clear stance
That God’s kindness leads to our repentance
But to be a man of God requires an inward circumcision
Per Romans 2:29, of the heart, but with the same precision
This means allowing God to change our heart
Only in that way, can we do our own part
In conclusion, Pastor referred to Ezekiel 36 : 26
With a heart of flesh, our heart of stone God will fix