23 February 2025 - ENCS

The spirit empowerment series was continued by Mark Chew

Focusing on the fruit of the Holy Spirit and what it can do

Per First Corinthians thirteen, to use our gifts we need love

The passage also lists facets of love that come from above

These facets correspond to a list in Galatians chapter five

John thirteen and Romans thirteen tell us how to be alive

Loving one another as Jesus loved both Jew and Gentile

Praying for others, even if they have been extremely hostile

An Attitude of Gratitude includes giving thanks all the time

For our blessings and even when things are not in the prime

We should Pray Outwards for our needs God already knows

That ia for the lost, believers, and those who do us oppose

We should Know Our Worth for we were bought with a price

We are chosen and are children of God to be very precise

16 February 2025 - ENCS

Pastor Josh continued his “spirit-empowered” series yesterday

Knowledge needs to turn to wisdom, Josh did pointedly say

We are all given spiritual gifts but need to remember the giver

Because God loves us, no matter the gift, we should not quiver

Josh referred to Ephesians chapter four and Romans twelve 

Into First Corinthians thirteen and James one he also did delve

Since every good and perfect gift comes from God above

We should know they come to us personalised with love

Gifts can be motivational, of ministry, or for manifestation

We must share our gifts with others without any hesitation

Spiritual gifts equip us to edify Christ’s body by serving

Even if at times the concept may seem quite unnerving

The Validity of Spiritual Gifts  is that they are given by God

That means they are good and perfect, far from slipshod

Each gift is valuable due to The Variety of Spiritual Gifts

The different gifts combine into one body which uplifts

The Value of Spiritual Gifts is to overcome evil with good

Equipping others to serve and to grow, as we all should

9 February 2025 - ENCS

The “spirit-empowered” series Pastor Josh did continue

He read from Genesis one, Luke eleven, and Acts two

We may not sense it but the Holy Spirit is with all of us

About Pentecost and the apostles Josh did then discuss

Rushing wind and tongues of fire came upon the group

Speaking in other tongues threw the crowd for a loop

The Spirit gave Peter the courage to eloquently speak

Then the followers did PMPF* throughout the week

The Holy Spirit baptism is God-powered, Jesus-provided

Providing us all the power to be witnesses, Spirit-guided

With courage and conviction, show compassion and love

We receive the Holy Spirit by having faith in Jesus above

*Pray, Meditate, Proclaim, Fellowship

2 February 2025 - ENCS

I could blame the long absence on my cancer

But in truth that is really not a very good answer

For I should always be able to find the time

To listen to a sermon and summarise in rhyme

On being Spirit-empowered Pastor Josh spoke 

Per Acts one, the Holy Spirit we should invoke

When Jesus was baptised, God sent a dove

Symbolising the power of the Spirit from above

Pastor Josh ran through John fourteen to sixteen

Where references to the Spirit are clearly seen

The Spirit gives peace, per Psalm twenty three

So troubled and/or afraid we should never be

The Holy Spirit is God, our Helper, and the Truth

We should not allow ourselves to be uncouth

Giving us help is actually God’s great delight

So let the Spirit in to help make situations right

30 June 2024 - ENCS

Pastor Mark Chew spoke about parables three

In Matthew twenty one and twenty two we see

The focus of all three is actually Jesus, the Son

“What do you think?” is appropriate for everyone

The parable of two sons Jesus shared, not afraid

One son pretended obedience, the other delayed

True obedience is like Jesus, following God’s will

It may not sound that exciting but it sure does fulfil

Obedience also reveals the trust we have in God

It is the hallmark of Jesus so we should be awed

The parable of the talents talks about stewardship

And faithfulness to use our talents on our life’s trip

For this is how we should give honour to our God

Fruitfulness serves to revere the Son we applaud

This parable also acts to foretell Jesus’ final days

His suffering and death due to others’ evil ways

The wedding banquet parable has persuasion

The first invitees were indifferent to the occasion

So the invitation then became open to everyone

Akin to our imputed righteousness via the Son

23 June 2024 - ENCS

Pastor Seth Trimmer from Oregon spoke on “Church Hurt”

A topic which is both universal and historical, he did assert

From a passage in Second Corinthians chapter thirteen

Even Paul struggled with the Corinth church, it was seen

He said that people hurt leaders and leaders hurt people

This is true in many workplaces but also under the steeple

But church hurt tends to hurt even more than other places

As our expectations are for loving and supportive bases

When we experience pain, we tend to want for it to stop

But God wants us to achieve growth as our pain we swap

Jesus knows all about pain, both physical and emotional

His pain helps us achieve glories, so it’s not just notional

Pastor Seth said there are three questions we should ask

When dealing with hurt in church or elsewhere is the task

Who hurt you? Were you hurt or were you harmed? is next

Was the hurt initiated or aggravated? then gives us context

Tim Fletcher says that healing requires a surrogate family

And of course that is what a church community should be

Excitement often leads to disappointment which we loath

We should follow on from there to adjustment and growth

16 June 2024 - ENCS

Pastor Arnie Manzano this morning shared wisdom aplenty

His sermon “Lord Like No Other” based on Matthew twenty

Starting with an important reminder from the chapter before

Many who are first will be last, many who are last will get more 

Arnie said Jesus being The Generous Master is clearly seen

Per the parable of vineyard workers in verses one to sixteen

For expectations develop easily and can go on to breed envy

Comparison is the thief of joy, per the Roosevelt named Teddy

God’s salvation is open to all so we should trust His generosity 

For it is by His grace we are saved, in Ephesians two we see

Jesus The Servant Leader is seen through verse twenty eight

He shared with His disciples what in Jerusalem did Him await

Entitlement breeds expectations but Jesus said to be selfless

Those wanting to be great must serve and then God will bless

Jesus gave His life for many so we must trust Jesus’ sacrifice

Isaiah fifty three had prophecied that Jesus would pay the price

Jesus is The Compassionate Healer per the final eight verses

Two blind men were persistent despite others yelling curses

Jesus hears our cries and He causes change to be revealed

We should trust God’s compassion and to the Holy Spirit yield