Sunday, October 29, 2017

29 October 2017 - ENCS

The series on Genesis, Pastor Josh did this evening continue
Per chapter eight eighteen, God did what He said He would do
He delivered Noah’s family and all the animals from the flood
He protected them from harm with no loss of life or even blood

When we get breakthroughs, Pastor asked about our celebration
Or do we tend to focus more on our God in times of desperation
For a lack of gratitude is dangerous, per Romans chapter one
As people’s hearts darkened when God they foolishly did shun

Jesus healed ten lepers, per Luke eleven verses eleven to sixteen
But only from the Samaritan was thankfulness to Jesus even seen
Pastor reminded us that when an illness God does for us defeat 
The first thing we should do is to give thanks and fall at His feet

Having a ‘foreigner’s attitude” so everything is amazing and new
Gives us fresh eyes and into our hearts thankfulness will imbue
This is what Noah demonstrated in Genesis eight verse twenty
Upon exiting the ark, he built an altar and gave offerings plenty

God was pleased and made a promise never to destroy again
Although as a righteous judge, He had to deal with sinful men
His solution involved his only son Jesus, per Isaiah fifty three
Who was offered as a perfect sacrifice, crucified so willingly

What that means for each of us, Pastor Josh did then conclude
Is our response should be thankfulness, worship, and gratitude
We should easily find many things to give thanks for each day
And reflect that in our attitude, not just to God when we pray

Sunday, October 22, 2017

22 October 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh spoke about Noah and the flood from Genesis seven
As promised, for forty days torrential rain came down from heaven
Noah had followed God’s instructions about the ark, not just a boat
While everything else was destroyed, on the water the ark did float

The flood lifted Noah toward heaven, Charles Spurgeon did state
The ark provided rest and peace, while protecting from a bad fate
For us, true rest and peace can only be found from our God above
Without Christ as our ark, we do not have perfect safety and love

Floodwaters covered everything, per verses nineteen and twenty
We also sometimes similarly feel flooded, overwhelmed a-plenty
Noah was not in control and had to wait for instructions from God
If we do not likewise trust in God, the results will oft be slipshod

Beyond the first forty days, many more months Noah had to wait
Waiting can be uncomfortable and unproductive that we all hate
But like Noah, who God never forgot per Genesis eight verse one
We must patiently wait, not knowing when our storms will be done

The waters eventually subsided as the God’s wind, or spirit, blew
To remind us what matters, storms we must sometimes go through
The ark came to rest on Ararat but Noah's waiting was not complete
It was several more months before on land Noah could put his feet

God was preparing Noah, for results matter less than one's heart
This is consistent with what Jesus in Luke chapter five did impart
Pastor said we are often brought closer to God through desperation
And our relationships with God can dwindle in times of celebration

Over the months on Ararat, Noah sent out a raven and then a dove
He waited more than a year before finally hearing from God above
We need to ask if it God’s will as well as His timing before we act
For if we proceed without both in place, the results will be inexact

"Go forth and multiply” God said in chapter eight verse seventeen
The precise phrase that in Genesis chapter one was initially seen
Pastor Josh said that waiting can allow God our world to reboot
Which as a summary of Noah and the flood is difficult to refute

Sunday, October 15, 2017

15 October 2017 - ENCS

The lengthy series on Genesis Pastor Josh did today continue
Per chapter six verse seventeen God knew what He had to do
In order to rid the role of all the corrupt behaviour and violence
Due to all the sin, almost everything on earth he had to dispense
To focus on our relationship with God, for a crisis we cannot wait
For if we don’t know how to hear God by then, it will be too late

God told Noah he would establish a covenant, per verse eighteen
It was God’s first, although until chapter nine details were not seen
“Just trust me and be obedient, Noah”, God was effectively saying
His omnipotence and love are why we should frequently be praying
God said to take a male and female of all species in verse twenty
That would enable them all to procreate and repopulate aplenty

As a side note, Josh asked if we have built an ark for our families
So that when storms inevitably hit, they will feel like a light breeze
Noah did everything that God commanded, per verse twenty two
That is a reminder that knowledge means nothing unless we do
And the greater the crisis, the more important it is to fully obey
For God always has our best interests at heart, Pastor did say

We should set boundaries and discipline our children in love
In the same way we are guided and disciplined by God above
Not disciplining our children is in fact hate, per Proverbs thirteen
As we are God’s legitimate children, the same approach is seen
Proof of how much He values us is seen when He sent His son
To pay the price for all the sinful behaviour we have ever done

God actually protects us by giving us commands, Josh did state
Being able to hear Him and then obey can help avoid a bad fate
Per Genesis chapter seven verses twenty two and twenty three
It is evident that Noah’s obedience affected his family’s destiny
So as we go forth into this world filled with its challenges and sin
Listening to and obeying God's commands should be our linchpin

Sunday, October 8, 2017

8 October 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh spoke about Noah based on Genesis chapter six
The corrupt and violent earth the Lord was determined to fix
Per chapter two verse fifteen, God placed man on the earth
To care for everything and glorifying God in hIs immense worth
God warned Noah of consequences in chapter six verse thirteen
Luckily he had found favour in God’s eyes, as previously seen
In verse fourteen, God provided Noah with a specific instruction
And then lots of details that were to be followed in construction

Similarly we each need to build our own safe place, our own ark
And we must listen to God, for He does not tell us things as a lark
Both are important as we must take care not to be “of” this world
As being “in” the world means that temptations to us will be hurled
To withstand floods and turbulence, Noah’s ark was carefully built
We need to follow God’s instructions so our defences do not wilt
It is important to remember that God’s process may seem slow
But the journey of freedom takes a lifetime, we should all know

When we disobey God’s instructions, consequences there will be 
Some are immediate while others take time for us to feel and see
Of course with God there is always a way back, albeit with pain
That’s why Pastor Josh told us to be obedient, again and again
It is easier to freely walk if we invest to help others, it is observed
For it is better to give and to serve than to receive and be served
Per Hebrews eleven seven, Noah built the ark by faith and in fear
He did so in order to save his family, the Bible makes that clear

In summary, Josh said to pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship
Building our own ark requires consistency on all fronts, he did quip

Sunday, October 1, 2017

1 October 2017 - ENCS

On Genesis chapter six and Noah, Pastor Joey did speak
To find favour in God’s eyes like Noah we should all seek
He was righteous and blameless, per verses nine and ten
Noah walked with God, not just once but again and again
To do likewise there are three elements, Pastor did instruct
Have the right character, the right cause, the right conduct
Of course this is far from easy to do - in fact it is very tough
For having one or even two without the third is not enough

As Ironman told the hero in the latest Spiderman movie
Having talent without character is a waste, as all can see
Our hearts and souls, per Deuteronomy chapter eleven
Should be pressed by words from our Lord in heaven
For character allows us the right lives and paths to walk
True beauty comes from an inner light, not just nice talk

To build a good thing, a good cause must be the ambition
ML King and Mandela were driven by a sense of mission
Conduct is living out your character and cause every day
Walking with God is the secret of success, Joey did say
Pastor Joey then shared his four steps that help us equip
We should pray, meditate, proclaim, and then fellowship