23 April 2017 - ENCS

The concept of pain was introduced in Genesis three

After Eve and Adam ate fruit from the forbidden tree

Pain in childbirth for women and painful toil for men

We feel physical and emotional pain time and again

Sometimes it is the result of what we have done

Other times it reflects the situation of a loved one

But through all of this temporal pain we remember

Jehovah Jireh is present from January to December

More importantly, whatever pain on earth we feel

The absence of pain is a part of heaven’s appeal

16 April 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh spoke as Easter Day came to a conclusion

In Genesis three, the serpent sowed seeds of confusion

Leading Adam and Eve to eat forbidden fruit, the first sin

So the natural question is whether Satan did actually win

Per Revelation, God has won the war but battles rage

God opted for an interesting option at that early stage

He did not take our freedom away, but free will He gave

Even though consequences can follow us to the grave

Righteousness is impossible, the Old Testament did show

For relationship trumps religion, God wants us to know

The God of peace will crush Satan, Per Romans sixteen

Which links back to God’s words in Genesis three fifteen

Per Revelation five, only Jesus can open the book of life

For He has won the victory against all the enemy’s strife

As a result, we once again have with God a relationship

And be assured of our destination at the end of life’s trip

Jesus paid that price but also felt what we go through

So He understands completely if it is He that we turn to

Per Romans sixteen, Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies

We owe Him everything so our actions should aim to please

16 April 2017 - PLMC

As the morning sun arose on yet another splendid Easter Day

We heard a message using John twenty one from Wendy Tay

Some disciples had caught zero fish despite being out all night

Unbeknownst to them, Jesus was on shore at the break of light

“Friends, haven’t you any fish?” to the disciples He did call out

Per John fifteen, Jesus considered them friends without a doubt

By giving them a sense of purpose, God made His will known

Extreme compassion and empathy Jesus had once again shown

Jesus then instructed the disciples to cast the net out to the right

One hundred fifty three fish were caught, a reversal from the night

The disciples demonstrated obedience, in the text we clearly see

And thus overcame familiarity, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency

Even though He had built a fire; bread and fish He did prepare

Jesus asked the disciples to bring some fish to eat and share

So that the fruits of their labour together they could celebrate

Because they were part of the miracle that He did perpetuate

In summary, before we went to eat breakfast, Pastor Tay did say

We should empathise, show obedience, and fellowship each day

14 April 2017 - PLMC

Using Hebrews twelve verse two on this Good Friday

“Death must precede resurrection” Bernard Lee did say

Jesus was the first born of the dead and the resurrection

He rose to glory as He embraced death without objection

“Death is great mercy” Bernard went on to strongly state

As it shortens our life of sin and sets our focus straight

To the “law of the grain of wheat” Mr Lee also did refer

Grain must die to produce fruit, like us we should infer

In some part of our life, we will probably be asked to die

So that we can do our duty and God we will then glorify

God intends to give us holiness, not mere happiness

So we can fulfil His destiny for out lives, nothing less

Bernard shared “death experiences” numbering three

From these, Moses, Joseph, and Ezekiel did not flee

Moses was in exile forty years; Jospeh became a slave

When they became leaders, they know how to behave

God has a use for us, no matter what we have done

For no matter what our age, His plans can really stun

God wants to resurrect that which is in a way dead

To do things which will serve to glorify Him instead

As Jesus did, death experiences we should embrace

Knowing God prepares us for challenges we will face

We must repent of our sin and to God serve faithfully

Letting “not our will but His will be done” be the key

26 March 2017 - ENCS

Temptation was initially introduced in verse one of Genesis three

But it can be overcome in First Corinthians chapter ten we do see

Remember that the enemy’s lie is designed to look like the truth

To refute it, just compare to the Bible, whether an adult or youth

Note that per Matthew twenty four and Second Corinthians eleven

False prophets appear and Satan looks like an angel from heaven

The devil’s "weapons of mask deception" tempted Adam and wife

They were desires of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life

Desires of the flesh include morals, character, and self-control

But if we wrestle with God, He can change our innermost soul

Lust of the eyes affected many including both David and Samson

After his atonement, David penned Psalm one hundred and one

Pride of life is how Lucifer fell and how he often attacks our heart

Per First John three, not letting people deceive us is a good start

When in doubt, we should go back to the truth, for in apt summary

John chapter eight thirty one states that the truth will set us free

5 March 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh said in the Bible all the answers we can see

As we seek answers on origin, meaning, morality, destiny

Our origin must logically be the result of intelligent design

Without meaning, life is unfulfilling Pastor Josh did opine

Morality guides our behaviour and thus how we operate

While destiny tells us where we head at the Pearly Gate

After six days of creation, as recorded in Genesis one

God said “very good” in response to what He had done

But later God stated it was not good for man to be alone

God did fellowship with Jesus, seated upon His throne

Loneliness has been proven a major health issue to be

We are made for relationships, whether youth or retiree

Per Genesis chapter two verse eighteen, God did decide

To create a helper for Adam, someone to be by his side

Although some singles in the Bible did lead a fulfilling life

Remember that neither Christ nor Paul ever had a wife

But fellowship is spiritual, per First Corinthians twelve

So into what fellowship is not and is Pastor did delve

Paul went on to pen there are many parts in the body

Each has its own function for that is how it should be

An eye looks attractive in a face, but repulsive alone

With our talents, we should not have a haughty tone

As parts of the church, we must always work together

We all need help, regardless of the place or weather

Fellowship leads to growth, as per Acts two forty one

Living a "shared life” is what the apostles had done

For although Jesus can provide everything we need

He often acts through others via their word and deed

Verse forty three talks about people overcome by awe

The apostles’ sense of wonder is what others saw

In conclusion, there is amazing power in community

Which benefits everyone if we are able to act in unity

In fellowship, we must for each other support and pray

Remember that diversity is not something to downplay

Josh then reminded us how we should ourselves equip 

We should pray, meditate, proclaim, and then fellowship

26 February 2017

Genesis is the Bible’s seed plot, Pastor Josh did say

Freedom was the focus on his sermon on Sunday

In Genesis two, God commanded the man to be free

With one exception, Adam could eat from any tree

God gave us freedom to choose right from wrong

But with choices come consequences, some lifelong

Adam was told if he ate from that tree, he would die

He made the wrong choice and our God did not lie

God blesses us but if we don’t treat blessings right

A blessing can become a curse, but not from spite

We must remember to worship God, who provides

Rather than the blessing itself, which has downsides

The more connected we are with God in a relationship

The easier it will be to ignore others and avoid a slip

Per Romans six, just because we are under grace

We should not sin because death we will still face

Whatever overcomes a man, per Second Peter two

Is what unfortunately he will then be enslaved to

Also from Romans six, from sin we are all set free

So that slaves of righteousness we choose to be

We each choose who to serve - self, Satan, or God

Per First Peter, a free servant of God gets the nod

And instead of always struggling to themselves find

Per Philippians three, God is the target for mankind

The phrase “free love” is a dangerous contradiction

The nature of love is to bind itself, that is not fiction

Following God’s commandments, per First John five

Is not burdensome if we love God while we are alive

Per Galatians five verse one, Christ has set us free

So we should never again submit to a yoke of slavery

Through love serve each other, per Colossians three

For the Spirit’s fruit is love, in Galatians five we see

Josh then shared his four steps that help us equip

We should pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship