Saturday, December 31, 2011

31 December 2011 - An Old Year, A New Year

As we come to the end of another year
We look back at what did see and hear
We give thanks for how we have been blessed
For God has given us daily bread and His rest
We mourn the loss of those we did treasure and love
But are comforted as they are with our God above
In our own ways, we each somehow did grow
Spiritually, physically, or in what we might know
So for all of these reasons, we should celebrate
But above all, because God's love overcomes hate

The unknown poet did more than 130 poems pen
But he also had dry spells every now and again
And I can't say that my walk was consistent
I did not avoid all the temptations the enemy sent
But nonetheless I know that God is always there
And for me and my loved ones, He will always care

Now as we head into year two zero one two
I have a special wish for each one of you
May the year bring good health and happiness
And may you accept whatever God does you bless
Lastly, may your friends and family bless each of you
In the same way each of you for me always do

Sunday, December 25, 2011

25 December 2011 - Another Christmas Ode

The Scriptures do a wonderful story clearly tell
There were shepherds and more than one angel
The Magi with gifts came from afar
All the while guided by a special star
And then in a manger our Saviour was born
Although on his head no crown did adorn
But thank to Mark, Joseph's new wife
Jesus came to give all of us new life
So now we all have reason to celebrate
For the earth can have love, not just hate
And as festive music this season we do hear
Let us focus on our Saviour Jesus dear
As throughout the Bible we can see
He came to fulfill more than one prophecy
He was born in Bethlehem, the city of bread
But Jesus was the bread of life instead
So on this Christmas as much food we eat
Let us feast on Him, so in eternity we can meet
Let us make sure that for Him we make room
So we enjoy His blessings and overcome gloom
Finally, as the Scriptures do us often tell
Remember that "God is with us", Emmanuel

25 December 2011 - A Christmas Ode

As we all celebrate this Christmas Day
A few things the unknown poet wants to say
Let's start by remembering that for this season
God's son Jesus' birth is the real reason
And don't forget as we shop in the mall
That He is the greatest gift of them all
For without that gift from our God above
This world would be devoid of true love

Speaking of gifts, instead of searching for the perfect toy
We should listen to the words of "Little Drummer Boy"
For as the "pa rum pum pum" we do heartily sing
"I have no gift to bring""that's fit to give the King"
For anything I have, from God it came
Talents and opportunities, 'tis the same

So to honor God, all I really can do
Is to live a life honorably and true
For the way I live and how I act
Separates the fiction from the fact
So dear God, on this Christmas Day
May I remain focused on Your Way

Sunday, December 18, 2011

18 December 2011 - Prayer

"Does prayer work?" many times I do ask
But what really is a prayer's task?
To communicate with God is to pray
I know He listens to everything I say
Communication is of course a two way street
And if I don't listen, how can sin I defeat?
So with God I need to both listen and talk
Only then can I walk as He wants me to walk
Returning to the question "does prayer work?"
It does - otherwise I would have gone berserk
For the knowledge that He is always there
Provides comfort when things are hard to bear
Knowing that He possesses two listening ears
Helps drown out so many of my earthly fears
So I need to remind myself for prayer to make time
Whether I communicate in prose or in rhyme

Sunday, December 11, 2011

11 December 2011 - His presence and strength

When away from God we turn and run
Does He ever us really abandon?
I don't think this is ever the case
Instead it is from God we turn our face
The Holy Spirit is always there, ever-present
No matter what we did or where we went
To reconnect, all we really need to do
Is to allow the Spirit our hearts to imbue

Do dear God, I know that you are there
And I also know that you really do care
I am struggling as you already know
I don't want to fall prey to the evil foe
So please give me the strength that I need
And from these shackles let me be freed

11 December 2011 - Psalm 51:1-6

"Have mercy on me, O God" above
"According to your unfailing love"
"According to your great compassion"
Please "blot out my transgression"
"Wash away all my iniquity"
And "from my sin""cleanse me"
For my transgressions I surely know
And to you my sins always show
I have sinned and done evil in your sight
So "when you speak""you are proved right"
Surely "I was sinful" from when I was born
For this, every day I repent and mourn
Surely you desire truth, not just a good face
"You teach me wisdom in the inmost place"

Dear God, as David prayed when he wrote these words
Please forgive me and withhold your judgement swords
For my sin inhibits my relationship with you
And discredits any good deed that I may do
So my sins please wash away with your grace
Cleansing my heart for this ongoing earthly race

Sunday, December 4, 2011

4 December 2011 - ENCS

With that unique approach and delivery of his
Pastor Josh started the series "Christmas Is.."
In Luke, four times angels did appear
Each time, they told people not to fear
So about fear Pastor Josh today did talk
Saying it has no role in our Christian walk
For Jesus brings "good tidings of great joy"
Unlike the thief who comes to steal and destroy

Then Josh, without making any more fuss
Highlighted three things fear robs from us

Being in God's presence is what we lose first
Throughout history this has been the worst
From Adam in Genesis 3, verses 8 - 10
We try to hide from God again and again
Coming to God with our problems is preferred
So that on us His grace can be conferred

God's purpose is something else we do lose
Genesis 2:28 was the verse Pastor did choose
We are supposed to be fruitful and fill the earth
Being gardeners for God has great worth
Pastor then read from Hebrews 2:14 and 15
From the fear of death, lifelong slavery is seen

With fear, on God's promises we can not stand
Remember Exodus 3:8 talked of the promised land
But in Numbers, spies came back filled with fear
So to the promised land, the Israelites did not near
Per John 10:10, the thief comes to cause strife
But our Jesus came so we may have life

But before saying that that we are all done for
Josh said that the same things Jesus can restore

We were separated from God, per Ephesians 2:12-18
But "in Christ Jesus", a radical change was seen
To God, both Jew and Gentile can now access
For Jesus is our eternal peace, nothing less

Per Ephesians 2:10 we are "God's workmanship"
To do good works is why we God did us equip
Pastor referred to American football player Tebow
The fact that he loves God, he wants all to know

Pastor then read from 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20
Jesus brings us God's promises, they were plenty
And then from 1 John 4 verses 16 and 18
"God is love" and "no fear in love" are seen

Concluding, Pastor spoke of his big brother
Who protected young Josh like no other
Moreso God will protect us, especially our heart
If only we will believe and let Jesus do His part

Sunday, November 27, 2011

27 November 2011 - ENCS

The "Sign of the Times" series ended today
Pastor Larry told us how to respond and obey
He started by referring to Matthew 24:14
The end will come after the Word all have seen
Then Colossians 1:6 and the spreading of the gospel
Some interesting statistics Pastor to us did tell
Christianity has quadrupled in the past one hundred years
Now the biggest religion, yet still billions of untouched ears

In this vein, Pastor interviewed Hiram Ring
He translates Bibles, but he can also sing
6000 languages, one third with no biblical translation
Sharing the Word in a new language, what a sensation
Pastor said that for God's glory, our gifts we should use
Since God gave us our talents, there is no excuse
Hiram then regaled us with a nice song
About the sea and his journey long

We then watched a video about an Indonesia tribe remote
A New Testament translation come by air, not by boat
For Psalm 126:5 holds true for every man and every boy
"Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy"
For 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 should act as a clarion call
Jesus' love compels us because He died for us all
The Word is what we must go to others and tell
For we don't want our friends to end up in hell
Per Acts 1:8, remember what our Lord Jesus did say
The Holy Spirit's power strengthens us when we obey
We should all obey Jesus' last words in Matthew twenty eight
Take the Word to the ends of the world - the Commission Great
Look at what Paul did after his encounter and rebirth
He spent his life sharing the gospel around the earth
We all have the same role no matter what God calls us to be
Whether we are a businessman, a pastor, or a missionary

Foreigners account for 42% of the population of Singapore
Like an Antioch in Asia, to the region we can be a door
People are waiting and there are lots of opportunities
Remember Psalm 2:8 as these chances we seize
Pastor referred to Matthew 9:37-38 right on cue
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few"
So when, as in Isaiah 6:8, the Lord does ask
We should be more than willing to do any task
And like the Citipointe drummer last week did say
We should give it our all, as if it is our last day

For if we are willing the Word to preach
The five billion we will most assuredly reach

Sunday, November 20, 2011

20 November 2011 - ENCS

After worship was led by the group from Citipointe
With a sermon, their leader Aaron Lucas did us anoint

Thirteen years ago his life was changed one day
Since then God has "messed him up" in a great way
At a young age, his parents divorced - lots of tissues
As a youth, drugs and alcohol - lots of issues
Aaron was always trying to fill the void in his heart
But you can't just pick and choose like in a supermart
In New Mexico, he had an encounter with the One who cares
For the next two and a half hours, Aaron said many prayers
But it wasn't until he was playing guitar in a youth camp
That his pain came out in tears that made the ground damp
For that is when he felt that his chains were broken
He felt liberated as if to him God had personally spoken
For the first time in his life Aaron felt true love
The type that can only come from God above
After such an encounter, nothing can ever be the same
For per Citipointe's song, there is power in His name
But having an encounter is actually not enough
We must choose his love even if reality is tough
The relationship with God we must maintain
If from the encounter we are to get the full gain
In the realm of passion our lifestyle must stay
Our passion for God must be with us every day

Three ways to do so, Aaron did with us then share
To ensure that our passion is constant, not rare

We need to pursue God was point number one
We must hunger for Him and never from Him run
By earthly problems, we should not get bogged down
For we can always bring them to our God of renown
To Matthew five verse six, Aaron did then refer
Upon those who thirst, righteousness God will confer
Of course we need to be emptied before we can be filled
We must give up being so proud and strong willed
He urged us to serve the church in some detail
Otherwise, he warned, our faith will grow stale

We need to live desperate lives was point number two
For those who are truly hungry are desperate too
This desperation should live inside of our heart
And the corresponding expectation should never depart
For with God, anything is possible to achieve
As long as we continue to truly believe

Point number three was the need to understand the cross
We must encounter and worship God for His loss
Remember that the cross has such amazing redemptive power
We should thank Jesus for his sacrifice every single hour
For without the cross, we can not truly understand
About God's love and what He has for us planned
Matthew seven verse seven says to ask, seek, and knock
Such access to God's power, only the cross can unlock
We should never take the cross for granted is the bottom line
For with God's love and vision we must our hearts align

PS. Citipointe Live's music blows me away
I could listen to it several times every day
Citipointe Live website : http://citipointelive.com/

Thursday, November 17, 2011

17 November 2011 - Day by Day

Today I woke up with a tune ringing in my head
Rather than invent, I will use its words instead

"Day by day, day by day
Oh Dear Lord, three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly"
These are sung sincerely

For in the words of this simple song
Are the keys to living right, not wrong
To see, to love, and to follow God
In other words, to be part of His squad

I see Him through His word and His world
Every day, new truths to me are unfurled
I love Him with my devotions and prayers
For about all of us, He obviously cares
I follow Him through my words and actions
Trying not to be influenced by sinful distractions

But when I fail, as I so often do
I know that with Him I can start anew
This gives me hope and a sense of calm
That is also evident when I read a psalm

So please dear God, hear my plea
And through this day, please be with me

Sunday, November 13, 2011

13 November 2011 - ENCS

In the "Sign of the Times" series, Pastor Charles did speak
Saying that "False Teachers" attack if our faith is weak
He read three warning passages, although there are many more
Matthew 24:4, 2 Peter 2:1, and 2 Timothy 4:3-4
The word "deceive" comes from "planao" in Greek
To lead away from the truth that all should seek
There is deceptive teaching because of our hearts
We must be on guard, Jeremiah 17:9 imparts
Paul warns of a different gospel, per Galatians 1:6-10
Those who preach such confusion, God will condemn
But Charles said that genuine things will always be tested
With the example about forged bills that lead to being arrested
This is of course true for our faith as well
Only with testing will its true strength tell

About false teachers, Pastor then shared with us marks twelve
Being rushed for time, into details he could not really delve
Denying Christ's deity, death, and resurrection is number one
Two is legalism, for our salvation is based on what He has done
Three is if they try to win the approval of men
These points all come from Galatians 1:6-10
From Jude sixteen and nineteen come the next three
Arrogant, divisive, manipulative, and full of flattery
People who speak for their own glory, per John 7:18
It is in such people that narcissism is seen
Preaching that "godliness is a means to financial gain"
Per 1 Timothy 6:5 is missing the message main
Points nine through twelve come from Jude 12 and 13
Hidden reefs, clouds without water, wandering stars are seen
Autumn trees without any fruit he does not condone
For by their spiritual fruit people must be known

Two ways to be on guard for false teaching, Charles did then share
For about our spiritual health he obviously does care
"Build yourself, keep yourself" per Jude 20 and 21
Keep praying in the Holy Spirit until our lives are done
"Become a Berean Christian" per Acts 17, verse eleven
Every day they examined the Scriptures from heaven

Have a blessed week and remember to beware false teaching
Even those false teachers whose congregation is far reaching

13 November 2011 - Genesis 1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth
Then He said, "let there be light"; light shined forth
He called the light "day" and the darkness "night"
It took five more days to make everything right
Creating the sky, the ground, and lots of vegetation
Plus the sun, the moon, and more than one constellation
Then came the fish, the birds, and creatures of the land
On the sixth day, "man in His image" came from His hand
"God saw that it was good" is written here times six
On the seventh day, He rested; there was nothing left to fix

God was a worker who created things of value
To do otherwise would not be giving God his due
Ecclesiastes 3:13 says to find satisfaction in our toil
Whether we are pushing paper, teaching, or working the soil
But remember that on the seventh day God did rest
We must do the same if we want to be at our best

Sunday, November 6, 2011

6 November 2011 - ENCS

Today began a new series, "Signs of the Times"
Pastor Larry spoke; this is a summary in rhymes
The Bible has many references about warnings
False prophets, earthquakes, and dark mornings
One such list comes from Matthew twenty four
Other books such as Revelation have even more
Verse twelve was the focus of the sermon today
"The love of most will grow cold" it does say
This will result from an increase in wickedness
Those who stand firm to the end, God will bless
Pastor shared four stories of wickedness from days of old
Leading to four ways to keep our love from growing cold

To the time of Noah does Matthew 24:37-38 refer
The people's evil ways, God's warnings did not deter
He saw their great wickedness, per Genesis 6:5
And decided to eliminate almost all who were alive
Thoughts of evil pervaded almost every person's heart
By being righteous and blameless, Noah did his part
Philippians 4:8 tells us what we should think about
Truth, purity, excellence, and praise - have no doubt
Hebrews 11:7 calls Noah one of the heroes of faith
"Remember what God has done", Pastor did sayeth

About Sodom and Gomorrah Pastor did then talk
Their people were so sinful; at nothing did they balk
Their hearts were evil and their actions were base
Visiting angels said they were going to destroy the place
For so much wickedness God has long detected
But Lot was righteous and the angels he protected
Lot and his family were allowed to be saved
His wife died because to temptation she caved
We need to be aware of the environment we are in
Lest we gradually acclimatise and fall prey to the sin
Put another way, we must "realise where we are"
Making sure that from God we do not stray far
For destruction follows if compromise is our way
We need a spiritual love check, Pastor did say
It is important that we live and be seen to live right
Otherwise, our faith won't be evident in others' sight

In Romans 1:25 and 26 as well as 29 to 31
Paul talked about what God's creation had done
The church had exchanged the truth for a lie
They even worshipped other things, Paul did sigh
So God gave them over to shameful lust
In depravity, not God's knowledge, they did trust
"Recognise that God is with us", we must understand
Per Psalm 16:8, because He is at our right hand

Pastor then referred to three passages from Revelation
Three different churches were the subject of consternation
One lost its first love, another was spiritually dead
The third was rather lukewarm in its faith instead
All three needed to "repent and pray"
We need to do the same in this day
For per 2 Chronicles seven verse fourteen
To humble prayer, God's response will be seen
Remember Nineveh, where was reluctantly sent
The entire city was saved because all did repent
Later this month, on the confluence of eleven-eleven
Proverbs 11:11 will be the focus of prayer to heaven

Four Rs was the message that Pastor Larry sent
To Remember, Realize, Recognise, and Repent

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

1 November 2011 - Isaiah (BSF Grand Sharing)

My name is Nels Friets, the guy who serves as a host
Also called the big guy, the one who laughs the most
And for those of you who may not know it
On my blog, I am known as the unknown poet
So here is a poem I wrote for tonight
I sure hope that it turned out alright

I started BSF eight and half years ago
I didn't know how much I didn't know
From the first pilot class until today
Making lots of friends along the way
Challenging questions and an odd personal one
Were all valuable even if not always that fun
There were DLs nine and TLs two
All helped me learn what I should do
I thank you all for somehow putting up with me
Especially when my ignorance was plain to see
And all my absences that you did overlook
You've all been a blessing in my book

We looked through Philippians in the pilot class
Then through Minor Prophets and Acts we did pass
Colossians, Ruth, Philippians in the stub half year
Then about Genesis and Romans we did hear
We studied Matthew, Moses, and then John
And now Isaiah - the cycle is done

Isaiah was a prophet from whom a lot I did learn
It makes be very glad that to BSF I did return
Isaiah's name and message are "The Lord is Salvation"
His message was for the world and Israel the nation
The sixty six chapters cover past, present, and future
He was a prophet of God - of that I am very sure

"God's Indictment of Judah" is covered in chapters 1 to 6
7-12 talk of "God's Promise of Immanuel", the world He will fix
"Judgment of the Nations' is seen in 13 to 23
Chapters 24-27, "A Little Revelation" we did see
"Woes" are the topic of chapters 28 to 35
Then into "Historical Interlude", 36 to 39 did dive
"Deliverance of God's People" in chapters 40 to 48
49 to 57 spoke of "The Suffering Servant" that some did hate
The last nine chapters talk about "Future Glory"
For eternal life with God is the right end to our life's story

In today's world, Isaiah still has relevance and application
The lessons and lectures serve as both warning and motivation
About Israel and the rest of the world were Isaiah's predictions
Imploring us to live a consistent lifestyle with strong convictions
For although God is patient, merciful, and kind
He also demands retribution, as Isaiah did oft remind
When I hear the phrase "new heavens and a new earth"
It reminds me of what God's love is really worth

This has been a life changing time for me
Hopefully this is evident for others to see
Through the poems I try to regularly write
Perhaps my heart is also just a bit more right
And while I will miss being a BSF host
I know what I will really miss the most
It is the discipline and all the fellowship
Thank you all for helping me on this trip
I hope that our paths continue to cross
If not, it will surely be my immense loss
But it is now time for these lessons to apply
For I know where I want to go when I die
And now the BSF slogan no longer makes me nervous
"A season of training and a lifetime of service"

I need to finish this before my two minutes runs out
Or before I break down and tears flow out
So now as I complete this rambling poem
Our leaders and admin team, you all know 'em
Can everyone out there please arise and stand
And join me in giving them a great big hand

Sunday, October 30, 2011

30 October 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Yesupadam joined us today, along with Monica his wife
He said he would "teach the gospel until the last breath of his life"
Through them, many thousands of Indians have been blessed
And with their efforts, the Word will surely reach the rest
He then spoke about three topics starting with God's vision
Which links to Jesus' mission and the Holy Spirit's Commission

People perish without a vision, Yesupadam said
What God wants is how we should be led
God's plan for our lives includes us getting blessed
So we can glorify and represent Him to the rest
In His divine image, He did us create
And redeemed us so we could avoid our fate
He wants us to have life everlasting
His son ensured we don't face death's sting
For Jesus did his Father completely obey
This was Jesus' mission, Yesupadam did say
The Holy Spirit works together with Father and Son
It took over when Jesus' work on earth was done
For humans are weak, we need help from above
The Holy Spirit can give us both power and love
Helping people apply God's vision and Jesus' mission
Is the Holy Spirit's primary commission
For we should represent God and His power
Through our lives, every day and every hour

To Deuteronomy 26:1, Yesupadam did then refer
As an inheritance, the Promised Land God did confer
Peter and John faced many challenges and issues
But they persevered instead of complaining with tissues
Like them, we should aim to shake the nation
Even if from others, we face condemnation
We should aim to inherit, seek, and dwell in Singapore
Divine opportunities are what we are really here for
For as God looks down on each of us
He has in mind a vision and a purpose
With that in mind, our actions we should not postpone
Shirking responsibility to share the word, God will not condone

Saturday, October 29, 2011

29 October 2011 : Isaiah 65-66

We completed the BSF year, looking at Isaiah 65 and 66
TL reminded us that on God's Word we should our hearts fix
For unlike our bodies, our spiritual beings will never die
Our eternal destiny - life or death - it is no lie
About "New Heavens and New Earth", TL did speak
We will share our experiences and thoughts next week

Starting with Isaiah 65 verses one to sixteen
"The eternal seriousness of sin" is clearly seen
God is always there even when we try to hide
And when we make religions and habits out of pride
For when we focus on ourselves and things of this world
We are creating idols that take the place of our Lord
How to detect an idol, TL told us five different ways
Questions we should ask of ourselves all of our days
For man-led religions dishonor God and mistreat people
Leading to self-righteousness, even under a steeple
God will punish false worshippers, for He is just
We should beware hypocrisy, only in God's word trust
Principle 1:"to reject God is an infinitely outrageous crime"
For when we sin, we are rejecting God's love at the time

Moving on to Isaiah 65 : 17-25, we can clearly gauge
That he talks of "the enduring delights of the Messianic Age"
A message of hope, words can not describe the immense delight
The new earth will have no death or sorrow, all be be right
TL also pointed us to Revelations chapters 20, 21, and 22
Even during the Millennium, there will be pockets of resistance few
But the transformation of the natural world and all the rest
Will result in our descendants leading lives truly blessed
Principle 2: "to receive God is to inherit an infinitely glorious future"
The opposite of principle 1, even if we are receiving a suture

Isaiah sixty six is about "the enduring justice of God"
Remember that He knows our hearts, inside our bod
A mere outward form of worship is dangerous, even during Lent
God wants us to be humble and contrite - so we truly repent
As He forgives us, so should we others forgive
Obeying his word is how we really must live
Glorifying God is something that can happen very quickly
Just like His return, whether we are ready or sinful and sickly
Principle 3: "Isaiah's uncompromising message of judgement and grace"
"Must still be maintained"; we must spread the Word with pace

The new heavens and the new earth will endure and so will we
In all we do, remember the blessings and punishment of eternity

Friday, October 28, 2011

26 October 2011 - ENCS

25 countries were at the Asian Pastors Equipping Conference
To Pastor Steve's "experimental" sermon, none took offense
As he had walked around town just the other day
He noticed many changes, not all were okay
He noted that the world is changing, not always for the better
We mustn't let ourselves the ways of the world fetter
In such a culture, how can we thrive?
How can we please God while we are alive?

Pastor referred to Daniel and the numbers 10, 7, and 3
A few passages from Daniel 1-6 we then did see
Within these six chapters, there are six stories
All are worth reading, none are mere allegories

Daniel and friends were 10 times better, per Daniel 1:20
The Babylonian king preferred them to his magicians aplenty
In a pagan culture, how can one be noticed and shine?
Daniel, in 1:18, did not defile himself when he did dine
No compromise, therefore to temptation he did not fall
Per Daniel 1:12-13 on three friends he did call
Saying "we are better together", with God in their hearts
The group was more powerful than just the sum of parts

Later, in Daniel 3:19, his friends were punished under a new law
The inside of a furnace 7 times hotter than normal they saw
Other gods they refused to serve or to bow to
They honored and trusted God in all they did do
God intervened and save them from the intense heat
Likewise, He loves to step into any fires we may meet
This is doubly true if persecution we do face
For alone, He does not expect us to run the race

In Daniel 6:10, the ruler was Darius the Mede
To his thirty day rule, Daniel did not heed
Daniel continued to very visibly pray
To God, 3 times every single day
This was not something that Darius could condone
So to the hungry lions Daniel was therefore thrown
To Daniel's rescue, God not surprisingly came
As a result, the lions lay down and were tame

How to be 10 times better, Steven did then say
When faced with 7 times hotter, pray 3 times a day
We can get by with a little help from our friends
And of course, help from God which never ends

In summary, so this mathematician will not forget
Adding 3 to 7, 10 I will surely get
Sticking to the math, if I add prayer even more
Onto me, more blessings and protection will surely pour

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

25 October 2011 - Unanswered Prayers

For inspiration, into psalms and songs this author looks
Today there are wise words from singer Garth Brooks

"Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers"

I guess one of the points of this rhyme
Is that God has His ways and His time
For a different perspective He does see
And He definitely knows what is best for me

So dear God, patience let me possess
And do not allow me to distress
For a delay or an unanswered prayer
Should never imply that You don't care

Monday, October 24, 2011

24 October 2011 - Isaiah 61-64

About Isaiah 61-64 was BSF lesson twenty eight
TL started by asking us how well upon God do we wait
He asked what we conclude about God's silence
Can we conclude anything with confidence?
For "God's promises are certain", if He says so it will be
"But their fulfillment may not be immediate" for us to see

Isaiah 61 is about "The Lord's Mission" TL did say
God will transform Israel, for that is His way
And despite all of their sins, shame, and messings
He will give them an inheritance of double blessings
God will keep His covenant, as He always has done
"The Lord's transforming grace delight in praise to God" (Principle 1)
Early Christians felt tremendous joy, nothing less
As it replaced their despair and helplessness
We should have joy no matter what the circumstances be
For God's grace can overcome any adversity we may see

Isaiah 62:1-63:6 is all about "The Lord's Salvation"
A new relationship with God, leading to transformation
This relationship forever can last
For it is not rooted in the past
A new identity comes from getting a new name
For God's redemptive powers are always the same
"The Lord's redemption of His people is also the day"
"Of the Lord's vengeance", Principle 2 did say
If the Lamb is angry, it reflects our rejection of love
But if we've been aggrieved, let justice come from above

TL then spoke about Isaiah 63:7-64:12
Into "The Lord's mercy" he did delve
Isaiah prayed for all the people of the Jerusalem town
He asked God to look and then come down
From His people, God seemed to be withholding compassion
But this often happens when wandering from Him is the fashion
For if we end up with a hardened heart
From God we will eternally be apart
Sin is power beyond our control
Without prayer, it takes a huge toll
When we pray, we should keep nothing in reserve
Asking God not to discipline as we rightly deserve
"Intercessory prayer glorifies God because it admits"
"Total dependence on Him", Principle 3 really fits

We must pray for God's will, not ours, to be done
And for His presence when circumstances are not fun

Sunday, October 23, 2011

23 October 2011 - ENCS

The sermon was delivered by Steve Murrell
A three word summary of the Bible he did tell
Only fourteen minutes would he need
From John 19 : 28-30 he did read

All humanity deals with guilt and shame, Steve did say
Everyone deals with these in their own distinct way
Westerners tend to focus on guilt, Easterners on shame
But this is now intertwined due to the globalisation game

We should ask how Jesus dealt with these on the cross
Focus on His purpose, else His pain was a complete loss
The three words are "it is finished", from Jesus' last breath
They immediately preceded his humiliating earthly death

Start with "it", this is word number one
This is expiation, our atonement is done
For Jesus willingly sacrificed himself for our sin
Over death and the enemy, God did therefore win

Moving on to "is", our second key word
It is definitive, what is done by our Lord
In other words, this is our present reality
Not something that we may or may not see

"Finished" is word number three we heard today
For only Jesus can really have the last say
We are now forgiven, our guilt is gone
So we should not fall for the enemy's con

These three words are but one in the original Greek
"Tetelestai" means "it is finished", a word unique
It was often used to say that a bill was completely paid
So of sin's price we should no longer be afraid

The cross is about Jesus and what He did
Nothing we do can help our sin be rid
With His blood, His work he did sign
Thanks to Him, our future is divine

Monday, October 17, 2011

17 October 2011 - Isaiah 60

Isaiah 60 was the focus of BSF this past week
Telling us that it is God's light we should seek
About 'The Coming of The Glory of the Lord' in heaven
This is rather apt, as we are now on lesson 27

"God's Light Attracts", per verses one to nine
In this dark world, only God's light can really shine
We should also shine so that others can readily see
The Lord's glory that is available for free
His glory can serve to reunite the human race
If only to God everyone's heart doth face
Principle 1 : "The glory of the Lord shines on his people"
"And turns darkness into light" like a lit steeple
So remember to let our light shine to others
Which results in a growing number of Christian brothers

"God's Light Transforms", per verses ten through eighteen
His compassion throughout history has so often been seen
Israel will be saved, open always will be its gate
For it will be permanently safe, with no threat from hate
Those who believe should worship and serve, don't be coy
Those who do not worship and serve God, he will destroy
God is transforming Jerusalem to reflect His glory
Everlasting peace and righteousness will be the story
A long term enemy can be turned into a friend
If God is in our midst, from start to end
Principle 2 : "The glory of the Lord transforms individuals and nations"
This should be true whether we are at work or on vacations
And then to conclude the section, TL did ask instead of say
'What hope does God's transforming power give us today?"

"God's Light is Everlasting", per verses nineteen to twenty two
There is no need for sun or moon, as God's light will clearly do
As a result, in time, there will be no more night
If we display His splendour, we bring him much delight
Principle 3 : "God's people are for the everlasting display"
"Of this splendour", TL did repeatedly say

He then referred to verse 5 of 1 Peter 2
Being living stones in a spiritual house is what we should do
TL did conclude the lesson in a loud voice
"Having seen the future, we need to make a choice"

Sunday, October 16, 2011

16 October 2011 - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

About 1 Corinthians 13, I remind
Love is patient, love is kind
It does not envy, it does it boast
It is not proud, it humbles the most
It is not self-seeking or at any time rude
It is not easily angered even in a feud
It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
It protects, trusts, and perseveres until long in the tooth
Love never fails, that is the key
With God, love is what we can always see

16 October 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry brought the 'Change for Good' series to an end
After the head and heart, about habits he did attend
He started by reading from Romans 12 verse two
Don't fit into culture without thinking about what we are to do
Most of us know about killing a frog by bringing it to a boil
Ditto for our lives, from sinful habits we tend not to recoil
A habit is like a recovery pattern with frequent repetition
Also, be aware that a bad habit can become an addiction
"We are what we repeatedly do", said Aristotle the Greek
So instead of bad habits, it is good ones that we should seek

There are four characteristics of a habit Pastor did say
About each of them we must understand and of course pray
What we do automatically is number one
In the morning or stressful times, this is what gets done
What we do unconsciously is number two
From triggers or trauma these actions are due
What we do skilfully is number three
Years of practice make things seem easy
What we do comfortably is number four
Although we must exit our comfort zone a bit more.

For our habits, there is a battle ragin’
The enemy wants us to habitually sin
This can destroy our destiny- not to mention our life
Which inevitably leads to trouble and lots of strife
Paul talked of this in Romans 7:15 and 20
Even he faced trials and battles a-plenty
Pastor said we need to change our to-do list
If from our lives, big messes are to be missed

Habits are like a rut from which it is hard to move
Pastor said if we are in a rut, we should change our groove
For sin is a rut that is often hard to fix
Therefore, we need to die to sin, per Romans 6:6
James 4:17 instructs us all to live for God
Cain knew what to do but still gave sin the nod
Titus 2 verses 11 and 12 says we need to pray for grace
Saying no to ungodliness and passions of this temporal place

Like a wheel you cannot get off, habits can unfortunately be
If stuck living the rat race, God's purpose you should instead see
Romans 12:2 talks about God's perfect will
Daniel, Joseph, and Job led lives that prayer did fill
Like them, prayer should be something we do more naturally
Pastor told us 1 Corinthians 9:27, we should see
Our bodies should be disciplined like an athlete
For changing habits is no easy feat

Habits are like taking steps within a small range
If out of line, our steps must therefore change
Remember that to sin is to miss the mark,
Which of course leads us to live in the dark

In regards our habits, don't let the enemy win
Into our lives, allow God's destiny to climb in
It takes twenty one days for a bad habit to break
At the same, however, a good habit we can make

Sunday, October 9, 2011

9 October 2011 - ENCS

Continuing the "Change For Good" series was Pastor Josh's task
"Is change good?" was the first question he did ask
The Lord does not change, per Malachi 3 verse 6
While He is perfect, we have so many things to fix

Josh chose "character" as his main topic
At philosophy majors he took a small kick
Ethics are what we ought to do
Morals are what we actually do
In unchanging ethics we should always trust
To these ethics, our morals must adjust
For if all the time, our goals seem to change
We will never get anywhere, very strange
We need a standard to judge movement by
The Bible of course, for it does not lie
Leviticus 26:10 tells us what we should do
"Clear out the old to make room for the new"
And per Matthew 23 verse twenty eight
The Pharisees' hypocrisy Jesus did hate
For as righteous as they appeared on the outside
Their hearts were filled with lawlessness and pride
God's law was good, it came from The Book
Instead of being good, they just wanted the look
Remember that Jesus did not want to change the law
He focused on the thoughts, not the actions others saw
Josh asked if we are living from the inside out
Our compassion lead to action, have no doubt

We then looked at verses 1-6 of Acts chapter nine
How Jesus changed Saul so that he could shine
For although all the laws Saul had been fulfilling
Pride is what his religion had been instilling
And if we judge others when they inevitably trip
That is pride and religion rather than a relationship
For better than others our works do not make
This is a prideful belief we really must shake
Saul had been persecuting believers, as if with a sword
On the road to Damascus he asked "who are you, Lord?"
And in the same way Jesus told Saul what he had to do
Obedient relationships with God are needed for Gentile and Jew
If God says to do something, "why?" we should not ask
Just trust in Him, obey, and complete the task

In Philippians 3:7-14, Paul later did conclude
That with gain from Christ he should be imbued
And later in that same passage we then saw
That righteousness depends on faith, not the law
In order to "attain resurrection from the dead"
Our sinful bodies need to be glorified instead
Per verse 12, we must press on and forget what is behind
We should let God define us, not our past remind
Verse 14 talks of pressing on towards the goal
Change does not come easy, it takes a toll
We should set our minds on things above, not of this earth
By giving our lives to Jesus so they really have worth

So do not let our pride get in the way
Of letting us make changes this very day
For we know God-driven change is for the good
Letting us think, talk, and act as we should

Sunday, September 25, 2011

25 September 2011 - ENCS

With Pastor Neli speaking, “the Race” series did complete
But we first heard about Kah Shin’s ultra-marathon feat
250 kilometres across the Sahara Desert he ran
There was lots of training before he even began
He referred to the core text Hebrews 12:1-2
Running life’s race with perseverance so we do not rue
Then we read Habukkuk 3:19 and Isaiah 40 verse thirty one
The Lord is our strength and renews ours when we have none
Kah Shin’s secret weapon was to meditate on Bible verses
That helped him finish, even though they were tough courses
He mentioned 2 Timothy 4:7 and Psalm 91:7
Fighting the good fight and getting protection from heaven
Pastor Larry then reminded us that we each run a spiritual race
We should learn from Kah Shin to overcome challenges we face

We then watched a video during which Pastor Neli did speak
For our life’s race, what is the meaning we should seek
Our own likes and strengths dictate how we should run
Remember that this is definitely not being run for fun
For how we run determines our eternal prize
Per 1 Corinthians 9:25 which appeared before our eyes
Our life is a marathon, not a sprint at all
There will be times when we “hit the wall”
We should remember that Jesus also ran life’s race
In three years of ministry, many challenges he did face
But he always ran with eternity in his heart
This allowed him to persevere and do his part
The night before he died, he sweat blood and wanted out
But God’s will was very clear so Jesus had no doubt
We can therefore run our life’s race as did he
Our strength from God, Jesus is the prize we will see

Pastor Neli asked what we are running for in our life’s race
From a person’s dreams and nightmares we can actually base
The prize we aim for is what we most glorify
Or what we sacrifice for before we must die
Christianity promises persecution but also blessing
1 Corinthians 9:25 leaves no room for guessing
For if we train hard to get the gold
Our prize is a crown that will not grow old
Disciple and discipline come from the same word
We must be passionate about the prize, Jesus our Lord
Compared to eternity, so meaningless is our time on earth
Instead of being a lukewarm Christian, give it all of our worth
Pastor asked if we become weak on weekdays
We should run with eternity in mind, not in a daze
We can be physically and spiritually weary
Especially if we run the wrong race, oh deary
Pastor shared two indicators about the race we should run
In the end, they reflect the key things we should have done
“Will our life bring glory to God?” was the first of the two
“Will we help others to know Jesus?” by what we say and do

Sunday, September 18, 2011

18 September 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Charles continued the series on "The Race"
He spoke of "Mentoring and Coaching" at a good pace
He first referred to Hebrews 12, verses one and two
To persevere and fix our eyes on Jesus we must do
For Jesus will be waiting at the finish line
If through our lifetime we run the race fine
He also read from Proverbs 27 verse seventeen
For "iron sharpens iron" it is so often seen

For individuals to mentor, encourage, and lead
Professionally and spiritually we have the need
There are silent mentors whom we may read about
And Jesus is always there for us, have no doubt
But human relationships and mentors we also need
To "stand on the shouder of giants", from Newton indeed
A mentor is a faithful teacher, guide, and friend
To help us from the beginning until the very end
A mentor can help us maximise our own strength
And fulfill our calling and destiny over life's length
If we really want to influence and impact others
We need mentors - spiritual sisters and brothers

Jesus had twelve disciples, each of them was a mentee
But Peter, James, and John were the special three
John was referred to as the one Jesus loved the most
We can all have that relationship with the heavenly host
Paul had Timothy, his "own true son in the faith"
That is what 1 Timothy one verse two sayeth

Pastor said that a good mentor fulfills roles numbering three
An advisor, sounding board, and journeyman he should be
An advisor offers suggestions and advice, but not directions
A sounding board listens and asks the tough questions
A journeyman with lots of experience from his own life
Can help you succeed without causing additional strife

Pastor returned to "iron sharpens iron" before he was done
Remember that using a sharp knife is safer than a dull one
A mentor will often give you sincere affirmation
His words of adjustment will not be a condemnation
Beware flattering words that can deceive and harm
Even if they may sound as sweet as a charm

In conclusion, Pastor said that mentors we all need
For encouragement and their advice we should heed
Some of these are seasonal and some for lifetime
We should never walk alone as there are hills to climb

Sunday, September 11, 2011

11 September 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Josh continued the series on "The Race"
It's frustrating not knowing the end, no matter the pace
Without knowledge of the rules it is hard to win
It's the same with life - and it leads to sin
From the Westminster Shorter Catechism Pastor then read
The goal of life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, it said
God wants us to be happy, we must remember
While we glorify Him from January to December

How do we glorify God, Pastor Josh did then ask
John 15:8 says that bearing fruit is a disciple's task
He then asked how we go about bearing fruit
Model our lives after Jesus, don't try to be cute
We need discipline to remain in God's presence
John 15 verses 4 and 5 makes a lot of sense
Jesus said "you can do nothing" "apart from me"
Making a faith choice is what God wants to see
For God is actually with us all the time
Trusting in Him is the opposite of a crime

We also need the discipline of rest
Living in God's presence is the best
Hebrews 4:9-11 also talks of another perks
Entering God's rest allows rest from work
The process of discipline can involve pain
But it pays off for us again and again
We must trust God's plan and purpose
For He wants rest and joy for us
About things of eternal value we should care
So the busier we are, spend more time in prayer

Pastor said we must enter God's presence by faith
Read Hebrews 11:6, he did earnestly sayeth
Without faith, pleasing God is impossible
We must believe God exists in full
God rewards those who truly seek Him
Pastor read Hebrews 4:2-3, not on a whim

"How to get faith?" was the last question he did pose
Knowing the Bible does not solve all our woes
For God's word we must actually hear
To Luke 17:5-6 Pastor did us steer
Jesus talked about a little mustard seed
Having that faith is all that we actually need
But faith, like a muscle, we must grow
Exercising it daily is the only way to go

That ended the sermon by Pastor Josh
On discipline, rest, and faith we must nosh

11 September 2011 : Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth”
For moths, rust, and thieves will destroy their worth
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”
Where they will last a million years times seven
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be”
From verse twenty one it is plain to see
And if treasures in heaven we want to build
Our thoughts on tithing should be strong willed

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Isaiah 46-48

In BSF we heard about Isaiah 46 though 48
Which reminded us that only God is great
God's people in Israel, Isaiah kept warning
But to idols instead they kept turning
For even if idols are made from pure gold
The future they cannot tell, let alone mold
Our only hope is from God's salvation
That is free for Israel and every nation

As TL spoke of the thirteen verses in Isaiah 46
On "God's Patience" he asked us to transfix
Unlike our God, other idols need to be made
But that is why God's power will never fade
Everyone has faith in something or someone
"The object of one's faith is critical", it's not for fun
Do we criticise or pray, speak in anger or with love?
We should have patience with others, as does God above

TL then spoke of Isaiah 47, verses one to fifteen
Babylon went from the highest of nations to unseen
The title os the section was appropriately "God's power"
For He will discipline all, when He decides the hour
People often go too far, usually due to pride
They will suffer unless God is on their side
"The content of one's faith is critical", TL did say
For what we believe has consequences every day
We are free to think what we want to think
But cannot dictate the results, swim or sink
Consequences are both temporal and eternal in nature
God is the right content and object for our faith, to be sure
We should ask ourselves how we spend our time
For that our 'idol', per the topic of this rhyme

TL went on to talk of Isaiah 48, verses 1 to 22
Why is God so patient and caring in what He does do?
"God's perseverance" means that He never gives up
Even when we are stubbron, rejecting his cup
We need to pay close attention to His word
He loves us for the sake of His name, our Lord
God treats us all far better than we really deserve
Blessings are withheld from stiff-necked He doth observe
"True faith begins and ends with the one true God", TL said
Knowing God is a two way relationship, for He is not dead
We must submit all our thoughts, wordsm and actions
He expects our praise and worship without distractions

Sunday, September 4, 2011

4 September 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry started a new series “The Race”
Related to our spiritual life and pace
He read the NKJV of verse seven, Proverbs 23
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”
And as with the first marathon Pastor did run
By having the right attitude, half the battle is won
On Hebrews 12:1-2 he did then focus
Talking of three phrases starting with “let us”

“Let us throw off everything” was the first
Deciding to run is a daily decision, not a burst
The verse starts with “therefore” so we looked at chapter eleven
Which listed several great heroes of faith who are now in heaven
They followed God until from the earth they departed
Illustrating that our efforts cannot be half-hearted
From Galatians five verse seven Pastor did then read
We should throw away excess baggage we do not need
And then from Ephesians 4 verses 22 to 24
We must not put on our “old self” any more
Pastor then shared a tribute video of Uncle Andrew
Who ran a good race despite all he went through

“Let us run the race marked our for us” was number two
In other words, “stay committed” in what we do
Philippians 2:5 talks of having the right attitude
It should be like Christ’s – that’s not a platitude
The “be-attitudes” from Matthew 5 Pastor did share
Be humble, repentant, and obedient if you care
Also be righteous, compassionate, and holy
In the Lord, be peaceful and strong wholly
The Spirit’s fruits are listed in Galatians five
For love, joy, peace, and patience we should strive
Kindness, goodness, and faithfulness
Plus self-control and of course gentleness
God transforms us if to Him we commit
When things go wrong, get up – don’t sit

“Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus” was number three
Look to the cross, “stay focused” we should be
To 1 Corinthians 9:24 and Philippians 3:14 Pastor did refer
“Run in a way to win” for the prize is great, of that be sure
God prepares us and knows the right time
But His ways may be subtle or even sublime
We then saw a video on a British Olympic runner
Running well, his pulled hamstring was a stunner
But he kept on going, walking until the end
He “had to finish” before to his injury he did tend

We should remember this lesson every hour, every day
Stay committed and focused on the race, that is the way

Sunday, August 28, 2011

28 August 2011 - ENCS

The “Attention” series continued with “Forgiveness”
Pastor Charles even used a one point sermon no less
He referred to two passages of Scripture
That we got the point, he was making sure
Colossians 3:13 was the first we did view
Saying “forgive as the Lord did forgive you”
And then verses 25 and 26 from Mark eleven
“Forgive so we are forgiven by God” in heaven

For forgiveness, Pastor shared Greek words three
‘Chorazomai’ is the extend grace, we did see
‘Apheimi’ is to command to go away
‘Aphesis’ is to grant a pardon, he did say
We can get offended by what people say or act
The key of course is how we choose to react
As Philip Yancey wrote in ‘What’s So Amazing About Grace”
Forgiveness is about the hardest work we will face

Remember Joseph, whose brothers gave him away
He forgave them when they later came his way
That was part of God’s plan, per Genesis 50:20
For Joseph had ensured there was food aplenty

The girl whose body was covered in napalm
Spoke at a church in 2006, her voice very calm
Despite all that so many people had done
“Forgiveness is more powerful than any weapon”

Forgiveness is an initiating process
Per Romans 5:8, God the same for us
For our sins, Jesus did die
He did so without even a sigh

“Forgiveness is the essence of Christianity”
Said John Macarthur about our activity
To really forgive, for others we must pray
For them to be blessed, Pastor did say

Pastor concluded his sermon with passages three
Psalm 22 was the first he did direct us to see
Interesting is the reference to a worm in verse six
A worm gets crushed, unlike a snake when in a fix
Then we looked at Luke 23 verse 24
Jesus forgave and even prayed some more
And nine verse later in Luke 23 : 43
To the repentant sinner, “in paradise with me”
Look at forgiveness as our inheritance in the same way
And include it in our behaviour each and every day

Sunday, August 21, 2011

21 August 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued the series on “Attention”
“Don’t worry”, have childlike faith, was his contention
He read to us from Matthew 6, verses 25-34
Which told us not to worry about things any more
For “each day has enough trouble on its own”
About our worries we should try not to moan
The top causes of worry are things that us attack
Children, money, job, relationships, and a health lack
So Pastor Larry set out questions to answer three
Trying to help us live a life that is worry-free

“Why did Jesus say not to worry?” was the first
Worry is when our mind is in persistent fear immersed
Remember that from God, worry is clearly not
The enemy uses worry to get our faith to rot
For worry gets in the way of God’s great plan
And per John 14:1, trust in God – not in man
If we trust in Him, troubled will not be our heart
And with Him in control, worry from us will be far apart

“How does worry affect us?” was number two
In reality, it affects us in all that we may do
Physically, it leads to sickness, aches, and pain
Spiritually, it takes away from our focus main
And then relationships come under attack
Because attention to positives is in the lack

“How do we win the battle over worry?” was number three
Pastor said we need to apply God’s promises made to you and me
He shared “don’t worry, be…” numbering six
All are designed to this human state fix

“Be secure” per Matthew 6 verses 26 and 27
For supernatural provision comes from God in heaven

“Be peaceful” per verses 6-7 of Philippians 4
For God’s peace guards our hearts, minds, and more

“Be careful” per verse 7 of 1 Peter 5
For God cares as long as we are alive

“Be trusting" per Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6
Our paths He will always straighten and fix
To ‘Soul Surfer’ movie Pastor also did refer
By trusting God, challenges should not us deter

“Be happy” per John 16 verse thirty three
For God is in control, throughout the Bible we see
And per Proverbs chapter 17 verse 22
“A cheerful heart is good medicine” too

“Be purposeful” per Romans 8 verse 28
For God turns situations around before it is too late
Remember that “in all things, God works for the god”
“Of those who love Him”, as we all should

In summary, about Horatio Spafford Pastor did speak
Losing his son and then four daughters was not for the meek
He found the spirit to pen a hymn despite that heavy toll
Saying “it is well, it is well with my soul”

Sunday, August 14, 2011

14 August 2011 - ENCS

At ENCS, the "Attention" series continued along
With a sermon "Have Faith" by Rachel Ong
Jesus' commands are not meant to restrict but to guide
We are to obey them, for John 14:21 we can not hide
Rachel referred to Jesus' commands in Mark 11:22-23
With a little faith, a mountain can be thrown into the sea
Rachel shared two testimonies in this vein
Her sister's short leg length did gain
And the five year old girl with only one malfunctioning kidney
Suddenly two good kidneys the shocked doctors did see
But God does not always immediately heal
For with faith, patience we must also feel
Per Hebrews 6, nothing pleases God more than faith
But God's invisibility makes this hard, Rachel did sayeth
Although it is not natural to always trust God in heaven
"We live by faith not by sight" per 2 Corinthians 5 : 7
We need to obey Him even if we do not understand
As God taught Israel en route to the Promised Land
The Greeks used "logic" to understand first
But without trusting God, the result is worst
Rachel then compared a man with no faith (red)
Versus a green man, who has faith instead

The first difference is that the green man fears God
Whilst the red man gives others and their views the nod
Rachel referred to Psalm 122 and then Proverbs 9:10
"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" for men

The second is that the green man rests, the red man strives
For resting in God means we can do more with our lives
The heavy laden can get rest per Matthew 11:28
Even if there are sometimes we must be patient and wait

Third is that the red man is stressed, the green man is at peace
With Jesus' peace, our troubles and fears should soon cease
The enemy wants us to focus on the future and the past
God wants us to think of today and an eternity that will last

Fourth is that the red man is angry, the green man is meek
Anger, like all addictions, is caused by relationships weak
Matthew 11 says Jesus was meek and humble (lowly of heart)
We must surrender our self to let God do His part

Fifth is that the green man has patience, the red man restless
Patience is part of God perfecting our character, Rachel did sayeth

In summary, Rachel asked if we walked in green or in red
If red, we should change our default to green instead
We should not let things get in faith's way
For we must live out our faith every day
We then saw a video of Reena, who lost her sight
But her passion for life makes her attitude right
Change can be a stumbling block or a stepping stone
To inspire others, her heart God did hone

12 August 2011 - Dreams

Is a dream a lie if it don’t come true?
Or is it something worse, Springsteen did rue
But a goal is actually a dream with a deadline
And smaller tasks result in a goal achieved fine
So if a dream seems very far away
Think of the tasks to do each day
And since a single step starts a journey of many miles
Doing the simple tasks should bring about many smiles
For if we have joy in our heart
We know that God is doing His part
Remember that the Bible says
We should be joyful always

So dear God, let me be filled with joy
Even though I am no longer a little boy
For the blessings that I have are immense
To forget this would be ungrateful and dense
And when things don’t seem to be going right
Please let me see - and be- a light
With joy in my heart and light in my eyes
I can then be sure that the dream never dies

9 August 2011 - Thoughts from Tallahassee

As I spent more days in hot and humid Tallahassee
I thank God for all the blessings that came to me
Throughout this trip He has kept me safe and sound
And time for reflection and friends I have found
I thank Him for the Bible, His written word
As well as songs on the radio that I have heard
And while the humidity and bugs tend to overwhelm
I know that everything here is part of His realm
In the same way, it comforts this troubled man
To know that everything can work towards His plan
Although His plans are not necessarily for me to know
I do have a good sense of which way I should go
And so as I pen yet another simple rhyme
I remember that all things happen in His time
So although challenges seem to be of interminable length
God, please give me patience, wisdom, and strength

Monday, August 8, 2011

7 August 2011 - ENT

At Every Nation Tallahassee Pastor Ron did speak
Into 'why is there pain and suffering' we did peek
The relevance for me was extremely high
It was part of an ongoing series entitled 'why?'

For suffering can lead to a questioning of faith
Which is somewhat natural, Pastor did sayeth
Before looking at suffering, pleasure we must assess
Miserable is the pursuit of happiness, many do profess
Look at Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Although with much wisdom he was blessed from heaven
"Pleasures are meaningless" he did rightly conclude
"What have I accomplished?" he asked and rued
"Nothing was gained" is what Solomon did say
Even though he pursued pleasure every day

Modern examples include those who win the lottery
Many of their lives were destroyed, we can see
Financial problems, death, and lots of unhappiness
Their bank accounts had more but they had less

Pastor Ron then referred to his favorite show
To The Lion King movie and musical he did go
"Hakuna matata" means "no worries, be carefree"
But this is a rather purpose-less philosophy
Simba eventually finds his life's purpose true
He then returned and did what he had to do

Pleasure, not pain, will destroy our culture is has been said
This country needs to regain its puritan work ethic instead
We must take responsibility and use our God-given gift
By blessing others with our talents, we serve to uplift

Pastor then referred to Judges 7 verses one to seven
How Gideon was victorious, thanks to God in heaven
God used how men drank to distinguish and separate
Those who knelt were distracted and did not concentrate
We need to identify legitimate pleasures in the same way
In the context of our God's plan for our life, Pastor did say

He then referred to Susanna Wesley, nineteen children's mother
Including the itinerant pastor John and Charles his musical brother
It is well worth remembering her definition of sin
As it helps focus us even when operating in a din
"Anything that increases the power of the flesh" she apparently said
Is sinful if it affects the Spirit and detracts us from serving God instead

And then before we approached the communion table
We remembered that Christ's suffering was not a fable
And the significance of why Christ for us did die
Was the removal of sin for both you and I
And sticking with the topic of suffering
God can relate to whatever our lives bring
For He suffered more than we ever might do
Despite having no sin, not even a few
And suffering can help us to others relate
Which can help with the Commission Great
We find that our defining moment is often the one
That was a challenge, not some good time done

Suffering, therefore, Pastor Ron did say to us
Is about redemption, significance, and purpose
This sermon reminded me of Romans 5:3-5
A very inspirational verse while I am alive

31 July 2011 - ENCS

The "Attention" series Pastor Neli continued
From last week's command, this one ensued
Per 1 John 4, verses seven and eight
Each other we must love not hate
This follows from the importance of loving our God
To the Good Samaritan parable Pastor gave a nod
As Jesus told the lawyer, the way to eternal life
Involves loving others, not just family and wife
Pastor made eight points about this story
It has relevance, as it is not just allegory

The lawyer started by putting Jesus to the test
Jesus responded, putting the topic to rest
Remember that eternal life starts right now
Through Jesus' fulfillment, that is how

By loving God with all our heart, mind, and soul
Loving our neighbour will be an implied goal
The lawyer knew the words in the Scripture
But he didn't fully comprehend, that's for sure
The Bible is about Jesus, future and past tense
A key byproduct of loving Jesus is obedience

Jesus said to do this and you will live
Justification the lawyer tried to give
By asking who was his neighbour
His intent was far from good and pure

With a parable Jesus then did answer
To the points made we must concur
The allegory has multitudes of truth
The holy ones' actions were uncouth

Pastor said one thing we should never do
Is to forget the pain of our rescue
Israel in the Old Testament did oft forget
Are we any different? not really, nyet
Taking forty years after the exodus the desert to cross
Instead of eleven days, as they forgot who was boss

The priest and the Levite went to the other side
Instead of compassion, they were driven by pride
Remember that God is coming back for His church
If we are on the other side, we will be left in the lurch

The Samaritan did the right thing right away
Although he was oft despised in that day
Instead of pity, compassion he did show
Through our actions, others our love will know
Jesus must be evident in us to those we meet
Whether we are in the mall or on the street
Singapore is well placed and very blessed
We should thus be helping all the rest

Dirty the Samaritan's hands did clearly get
Onto his animal the injured man he did set
The parallel for us is clear of course
We need to get off of our high horse
To help the disadvantaged and the poor
Should be a big part of our inner core

The Samaritan also promised to pay the bill
Just as Jesus did for us out of His free will

Pastor Neli then tried to summarise
Living for Jesus, who is the prize
Uncomfortable things we need to do
Every minute of the day, not just a few
An "other side Christian" Pastor said not to be
If eternal life with Jesus we want to see

28 July 2011 - two short poems

The offering message was shared by Ivy
1 John 4:19 on the screen we did see
"We love because he first loved us" it did say
Ivy said there really is no other way
For although one can give without loving
It is impossible to love without giving
And when out of love we give to another
God will bless us, as did Merin's mother
Since he can bless us all night and all day
We should tithe without fear, Ivy did say
---------------------
As I was reflecting on God's word
I thought about something I had heard
That "God is just a prayer away"
Even if I am having a really bad day
This is very comforting to know
As it strengthens me to face the foe
---------------------

24 July 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Josh started a new series titled "Attention"
Jesus' commands matter to God is the contention
Per Romans 10:9-10, if what we believe in our heart
Te be saved, professing this is an important part
Salvation is really fixing our relationship with God
He is perfect and can forgive our sins with a mere nod
None of us is perfect in what we do or what we say
So reconciliation must be through Jesus, who is The Way
By professing pour faith and obedience to Him
Jesus' righteousness covers us through thick and thin
We then looked at Matthew 22 verses 35 to 38
At the commandment Jesus said was first and great
To love God with all our heart and soul and mind
Results in keeping his commands and being kind
For if we don;t love God, obey Him we cannot
John 14:11-15 should clearly not be forgot
Pastor directed us to 1 Samuel 15:22-23
To obey is better than sacrifice, we did see
Remember that arrogance is doings things our way
That is idolatry and rebellion, Pastor did say
Only God can be God, His words are true
This is mentioned many times, not only a few
God is my Father, Jesus did often say
That is how He lived - and how He did pray
"We love because He first loved us", per John 4:19
His love is like 1 Corinthians 13, it is easily seen
And per 1 John 4:8, if we do not love
It is because we don't know our God above
Remember that God's love is a gift
We must have this love to avoid a rift
Galatians says that the fruit of the spirit is love
But again, remember that this comes from above
On God's strength, not our own, we must rely
That is a central tenet of Christianity
God works through us and gets the glory
Pastor Josh then shared with us a sad story
Harrison's drug problems followed his search for love
Instead, he should have surrendered to God above

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Isaiah 40:12-31

Howe Lai spoke of "The Incomparable God" at BSF this week
Per Isaiah 40, through His eyes God we must seek
Looking more deeply at verses twelve to seventeen
God's Incomparable Power and Wisdom are seen
Ten rhetorical questions Isaiah did rapidly ask
Even though ridiculous, the answer can not mask
Remember that God transcends all creation
This is a message we should not shun
"Nothing that God created is worthy of worship"
With God we should have eternal fellowship
Having no relationship with God is a tragedy
So having one, our life's objective should be

TL then asked who we could compare God to
But since God is unique, none of our ideas will do
Remember that God sits above the earth
Life without Him has no value or worth
"Nothing that man creates is worthy of man's worship"
Over our ungodly hobbies don't let us trip
We should not limit God due to our finiteness
During worship, focus on God- nothing less

We should look to heaven for the answer
A septillion stars is a lot, that's for sure
God puts them in order and knows each one's name
For us, He will of course be able to do the same
God's strength holds all the stars in place
So we should not doubt when trouble we face
For God, time is not a limitation we sense
We should have hope, waiting with patience
Looking to God, we will never weary grow
For the line to God is always open, don't you know?
The last principle was that "doubting God's care
Makes one an idolater" - so we must beware!

Monday, July 25, 2011

24 July 2011 - Lighthouse

About "Making Wise Decisions" Pastor Ronny did speak
Into Luke fourteen verses 28 to 32 we did peek
The cost of discipleship is what the passage is about
That is a key decision, of that we should have no doubt
We should ask what is the worst thing that can happen
And look at the best case scenario once again
We should not go down a path if the cost is too high
For instance, think about what will happen when we die
The most important decision is choosing our eternal path
Do we go to heaven or face God's eternal wrath?
The Bible tells us about both heaven and hell
Although some extreme details, words cannot tell
Re heaven, read Revelations 21:3-5
God will be there, making us feel alive
No more crying as he wipes away our tears
We will have a new life without any fears
Re hell, read Mark 9 verse 43 to 48
A place so horrible, the torment and hate
A simple risk-reward analysis helps us to choose
For there is "everything to gain and nothing to lose"
God wants us in heaven, of that we can be sure
He will always protect us if our love for him is pure
The devil wants us in hell where we would burn
He puts up roadblocks any way we try to turn
But the reason Christ came to earth and died
Our sins were forgiven when he was crucified
There is a mansion waiting for each of us in heaven
Don't wait for a minute, let alone an hour or seven

Monday, July 11, 2011

11 July 2011 - Malachi 3:11-12

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse"
"That there may be food in my house"
The passage continues with this word
"Test me in this" says the Almighty Lord
"See if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven"
"And pour out so much blessing" says verse eleven
"Then all the nations will call you blessed"
"For yours will be a delightful land" above the rest

This is the passage read by Arnie on Sunday
He said to 'trust God' for there is no other way
I must think of tithing not just money but time
It is the latter that is hard, per my infrequent rhyme
But throughout the day many opportunities exist
As long as temptation I do my best to resist
So dear God, please give me the strength and will
To stay focused on You and your wishes fulfill

Sunday, July 10, 2011

10 July 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued talking about Endangered Species
"Friends" was the fourth sermon in the ongoing series
Friends are ones who often introduce us to church
Friends are ones who never leave us in the lurch
The TV sitcom Friends was very popular for ten years
Man's best friend the dog puts loyalty above his fears
Pastor then read from Proverbs 18 verse 24
A friend is like a brother, but even more
Three key things Pastor then did highlight
In order to be a friend for others, which is right

To "be a friend of God" was the first
Moses prayed so his people were not cursed
As we heard last week, to pray is to communicate
We must talk, listen and often times also wait
Remember that prayer was the source of Jesus' power
He communed with God until the very last hour
Being God's friend also means that we should obey
As Abraham did, per what James 2:23 doth say
Similarly, as Jesus was quoted in John 15:14
From His friends, obedience is expected to be seen
All of this reminds us that we need to read the Word
So that we can glean truth and befriend the Lord
If we know, trust, and obey Him from start to end
He will bless us for being such a good friend

To "be a friend of sinners" was number two
Per Matthew 11:19, that is what Jesus did do
Remember to love the sinners but hate the sin
Be careful else trouble you will also fall in
Pastor then read from 1 Corinthians 15 verse thirty three
"Bad company corrupts good character" it is plain to see
And like spilling spaghetti sauce on a nice white shirt
On a Christian, sin is more visible than a speck of dirt
In the same way, per verse 14 of 2 Corinthians 6
To unbelievers we should not ourselves affix
Don't be emotionally joined to those who pull us away
And don't be wordly minded , as James 4:4 does say

To "be a friend of adversity" was point number three
Proverbs 17:17 Pastor did ask us to see
"A friend loves at all times" the passage does say
Which is especially valuable on a rough day
Pastor said to be a true friend, three things are required
Be truthful, sacrificial, and accountable even when tired
Ephesians 4:15 says to "speak the truth in love"
That is consistent with being part of the body of Him above
Paul even rebuked Peter, per Galatians 2:11
But that was consistent with guidance from heaven
For a Proverbs twenty seven verse nine so clearly does tell
"The pleasantries of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel"
In regards sacrifice, we read John 15 verse thirteen
Jesus did more for us than ever before or after seen
We should be willing to be persecuted for others
Or have reputations attacked for our brothers
Remember Ananias standing up for Saul
And Barnabas doing the same for Paul
Pastor referred to Ecclesiastes 4 verse 10
Talking about friend's helping again and again
True accountability also involves being tough
Asking questions about sin and similar stuff
And per Hebrews 10:25, we should not give up
Keep encouraging others, even while we sup

In summary, Pastor referred to Maximus
From Gladiator, a movie seen by most of us
"If we stay together, we will survive" he did say
Being a friend who others can lean on every day
We then sang Bill Withers' "Lean On Me"
As Pastor encouraged us friends to be

Sunday, July 3, 2011

3 July 2011 - ENCS

The Endangered Species series continued this week
On “Intercessors” and prayer Tony Lim did speak
From 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray continually”
Rejoice and give thanks, from verse 16 we see
“The action of intervening on behalf of another” is intercession
Praying for others, organisations, or nations in a session
Tony referred to James 5:16 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2
2 Thessalonians 2:1 and Psalm 122:6 too
He shared three ways to ensure that prayer does not die
As well as six misconceptions – each of which is a lie

The first thing we must do is to always prioritise prayer
To “rejoice always”, not giving circumstances a care
As every relationship is rooted in strong communication
With God, we should pray and read the Bible in dedication
There are so many distractions facing us today
Without prioritising prayer, other things get in the way

Misconception number one is that there is no need for prayer
For God has everything planned, whether her or there
But per 1 Kings 18, James 5, Genesis 18, and Exodus 32
Prayer shapes things, resulting in a much better world too
We should think of a “house of prayer” per Isaiah 56:7
Always communicating with our Lord God in heaven
Misconception number two is that we don’t have the time
We should pray first, like tithing with our first dime

The second thing we must do is to practise prayer
We should “pray continuously” – all the time, everywhere
Rafferty then shared his heartfelt testimony
Using Proverbs 3:5-6, his joy in praying is not phony
Another point that his testimony did show
Is that over time, our love for prayer can grow

Misconception number three is that prayer is complicated
By not being sure of what to pray for, doubt is created
But per Romans 5:26 and Ephesians 1:17
Prayer is the best mobile plan ever seen
To God, we can get through right away
Never being disconnected, we can pray all day

“I don’t have the gift of prayer” is misconception number four
But everyone can pray, as what 2 Corinthians 9:8 had in store
That “prayer doesn’t work” is misconception number five
We read from Daniel 10:12 and Luke 18:1 (when Jesus was alive)
God answers all of our prayers, of that we can be sure
With a ‘yes’, a ‘no’, or a ‘wait for later’ to answer
No matter what, when we pray we must believe with faith
We should never be disheartened, Tony did sayeth
Misconception number six is that “I can pray by myself”
Just by reading from the Bible that is kept on the shelf
But per Matthew 18:19-20 and Ecclesiastes 4:12
The role for corporate prayer emerges as we delve

The third thing we must do is to promote prayer
“Giving thanks to God in all circumstances” is only fair
About God’s grace and love we should testify
So that others’ hopes and prayers He can sanctify
And we should share with others when prayers get answered
So that others get encouraged and do not get deterred

In summary, Tony gave us three steps to take
And addressed six misconceptions many make
We should prioritise, practise, and promote our prayer
This is God’s will, for about us He does truly care

Monday, June 27, 2011

27 June 2001 - 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

The Moabites and Ammonites waged war against Jehoshaphat
Fortunately, Jehoshaphat asked God what to do about that
He proclaimed a fast and the people sought help from the Lord
The king stood up and prayed before taking up the sword
“Lord, are you not the God who is in heaven?”
“No one can withstand you” (before verse seven)
“The descendants of Abraham…will cry out to you”
“And you will hear us and save us” without further ado
The Lord said “do not be dismayed or discouraged” by what is seen
“For the battle is not yours, but God’s” per verse fifteen
“You will not have to fight this battle”, just have a firm stance
“Take up your positions” and the Lord will give you deliverance
In praise and worship, all of the people of Judah fell down
Joined by Kohathites and others from Jerusalem town
Jehoshaphat said “have faith in the Lord…and you will be upheld”
“Have faith…and you will be successful” he compelled
The Lord set ambushes against the hordes of men from the enemy
Resulting in a desert filled with dead bodies from their army
Per verse thirty, the “kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace”
“For his God had given him rest on every side”; war did cease

Pray, praise, believe, and have faith
That is what these words sayeth
So dear God, please let me remember this way
And then I am sure things will turn out okay
For even though I am plagued by fear and doubt
And it may seem that there is no way out
Throughout the Bible your power is often seen
So I know that at the right time you will intervene

Sunday, June 26, 2011

26 June 2011 - ENCS

The "Endangered Species" series was continued by Rachel Ong
She spoke about servants after we prayed and worshiped with song
The main passage was Matthew twenty verses 26 and 27
Have a servant's heart in order to glorify God in heaven
For in order to make a difference and be great
We must start by serving, even those we may hate
Rachel told us three ways to start
If we are to develop a servant's heart

The first was the "desire to serve with no expectations of return"
We need to be humble, giving, and of course willing to learn
"Perfect hospitality", as mentioned in Luke 14: 12-14
Means inviting those from whom repayment will not be seen
By giving to those who cannot pay us back
God will bless us and ensure we never lack
And per Isaiah 2, we should not forget aliens in our land
For hospitality draws others to Christ, Rachel does understand
A true servant has no expectations, she then said
At least not from others, trusting in God instead
Per Psalm 62:5, in God alone we should find rest
For "hope comes from Him" who should be blessed

To "determine to serve with all diligence" was number two
We should put complete effort into all that we do
For if we strive to be excellent and diligent
God will notice and blessings will be sent
Rachel's company has benefited from this phenomenon
A small firm getting contracts where only big ones have gone
She also spoke of "A Message to Garcia", a movie based on fact
Where Col Rowan's diligence and obedience were never off track
Rachel contrasted this with many workers today
There is a lack of independent action, she did say
She asked if we are diligent and dependable
Even if the sacrifice seems quite formidable

The third was having a "purpose to give God glory"
Rachel shared Hobby Lobby's rags-to-riches story
David Green did everything his first boss did ask
Even if it was a menial and thankless task
His stores are always closed on Sunday
To allow staff time to rest and to pray
Good work can become great when God blesses
This should encourage us when faced with messes
For a servant, a test of fire is indeed won
By responding well when treated as one
From Psalm 119:165 we then all saw
"Great peace have they who love" God's law

In summary, to Jesus the servant-king she did point
He came to serve, but as our King we should anoint
She referred to Matthew 20:28 and Philippians 2:7
Jesus humbled himself, following orders from heaven
We should be "dying to self" in the same way
Humbly submitting to God and man every day

Thursday, June 23, 2011

23 June 2011

Dear Lord God, I am nothing without you
But with you, there is nothing I cannot do
Without you, Lord, life so often humbles me
But humbling also results when your Word I see
Job was an amazing man with great faith in You
That same trait should serve me in every job that I do
So let me be humble with great faith
Drawing strength from what the Bible sayeth

Life can be challenging, tough, and confusing
Even when it is Your path that I am choosing
But I know deep down in my heart
That my role is just one small part
For Your plans are awesome and great
And that with you, safe is my eternal fate

So let my time be spent in productive and godly ways
And let me be a shining light for others all of my days

Sunday, June 19, 2011

19 June 2011 - ENCS

Pastor Larry started a new series
It was entitled “Endangered Species”
Appropriately on this third Sunday in June
He spoke about fathers until it was noon
Pastor referred to Malachi 4 verses five and six
Onto children, the hearts of fathers must affix
And then in 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, from the apostle Paul
“In Christ…I became your father in the gospel” was his call
Pastor used D-A-D to show where intervention was needed
So that fathers’ love and role are not reduced or impeded

To “Demonstrate honour” was the first point of three
Honour and long life are linked, from Japan we can see
To honour one’s parents is a commandment with a promise
Leading to a long life that is fulfilling and far from godless
This comes from Deuteronomy 4:16 and Ephesians 6:3
On a related point, Mark 6:4 Pastor asked us to see
If we do not honour our parents, we will regret
For God’s full blessings we will not get

The second of his points was to “Always forgive”
Unlocking bitterness allows us to really live
Per John the Baptist in Luke 1 verse seventeen
To turn the hearts of fathers, he was keen
We then heard a testimony from Pastor Mark
With his father, ten years passed with not a remark
When he went through the forgiveness process
An email arrived, asking to meet him no less
He said that forgiveness opened a window for him
Allowing reconciliation from a relationship that was dim
Pastor Larry said that if we don’t forgive we cannot be healed
For the promise of generational curses will then be sealed
But if we obey God, our sins we will not be judged
This is a view from which Pastor cannot be budged
Psalm 68 : 5 says God is father to the fatherless
So about earthly concerns we should not stress

Pastor’s third point was that we must “Declare love”
In order to likewise receive love from God above
He read 1 Corinthians 13: 1 and 1 John 4: 7-8
Even John the son of Zebedee was set straight
And then reading from 1 John chapter three verse one
The love God lavishes on His children is never done

In conclusion, about the prodigal son Pastor Larry spoke
Our Father welcomes us back with open arms and a cloak
As fathers here on earth we should likewise do
We have a very important role to pursue

19 June 2011 - Job 42:1-6

After Job faced many trials (but not the sword)
He had these words to say to the Lord
“I know that you can do all things” Job did report
Plans of yours, it is clear that nobody can ever thwart
“Surely I spoke of things I did not understand”
I did not know but all were as you planned
God says to listen when he doth speak
And answer when asked, don’t be meek
Job concluded that his eyes had now seen
What his ears had heard since he was a teen
“Therefore I despise myself and repent” Job did conclude
“In dust and ashes”, resulting in humble solitude

To me, Job’s words ring so very true
They should encourage when I am feeling blue
For Job went through many a trial and tribulation
But he never did succumb to the frustration
For in the Lord our God, complete faith he had
He remained positive even when events were sad
Dear God, from Job let me draw strength and learn
That You are the only to whom I should turn

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

14 June 2011 - Global Day of Prayer 2011

Attending the Global Day of Prayer Sunday night
Thousands of believers – what an awesome sight
“To the coming generation” was the theme
Based on Psalm 145 verse 4 it did seem

“I will exalt you, my God the king” David wrote
“I will praise your name for ever” he did emote
“One generation will commend your works to another”
They will tell of your mighty acts” to every brother

About two aspects of the Great Commission we then heard
From Matthew 28 and Psalm 22, stated not inferred
First is “all nations” or geographical
Second is “all people” or generational

“Passing of the Faith” was the first corporate prayer
Skipping church the Seaward children did not dare
From Proverbs 22:6, “Train up the child”
So he will choose the right path, not go wild

Related to families and healing was the second corporate prayer
David’s house provides many bad examples – so we best beware
Unfaithfulness, a lack of discipline, rebellion, and unforgiveness
Instead of reconciliation, respect, and one-togetherness

The first assembly prayer focused on our nation
Moral decay and materialism cause consternation
From Proverbs 14 verse 34 read Bishop Moses Tay
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach’ it does say

The third corporate prayer focused on fathers and men
For they have a key role to play, we heard again and again
The leaders read from Luke chapter one verse seventeen
“Turn the hearts of the fathers to the children” we did glean

The last corporate prayer was for the rebirth of youth ministries
On the raising up of mentors and teachers the leaders did seize
From 2 Timothy 2 verse 2 they did read
Reliable, qualified people are always in need

The third assembly prayer was for the Holy Spirit to outpour
Into our generation and land, more and more
The leaders read from Acts four verse thirty one
Telling stories of what the Holy Spirit had done

The last assembly prayer focused on missions from here
Targeting unreached peoples both afar and near
And referring to Isaiah 60 verses one to three
Perhaps like Antioch Singapore can be

And so concluded Global Day of Prayer two thousand eleven
We all know that our prayers will be heard in heaven
For at the end of the third hour
We could all feel prayer’s strong power

Sunday, June 12, 2011

12 June 2011 - ENCS

The “built to bless” series Pastor Neli did conclude
Talking of life’s dead ends and our resulting attitude
“When Life Doesn’t Make Sense” was the title of the sermon
Three biblical examples show how it should be done
He first mentioned Hannah, Elkanah’s first wife
She was barren and leading a desperate life
To the Lord she then poured out her soul
She later gave birth to Samuel, who played a big role
From Acts 16, Pastor then told of Silas and Paul
On the way to Macedonia following God’s call
For releasing a girl’s spirit, into prison they were thrown
They prayed and praised God; they did not moan
An earthquake came, all the prisoners were freed
Paul and Silas stayed behind to help the jailor in need
The third example was of Daniel’s three friends
We all know how their trip to the furnace ends
They had refused to bow down to an image of the king
But into Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, change God did bring
All of these show that a dead end can be an opportunity
If only the perspective of God’s will we choose to see
Pastor then gave us three rules to follow
When at a dead end our paths seem to go

“Prayer and praise first” was rule number one
For God has been pulling the strings since time begun
We should go to God with prayers of faith
As per what Hebrews 11:1 sayeth
Romans 8:28 talks of God’s purpose and will
His perfect plans are what we should fulfil
In us, an attitude of praise should always be seen
Per Psalm 34:1 and Ephesians 6:18

“Expect God” was rule number two
We should declare his power in all that we do
Then Pastor said to “get the but out of the way”
We should talk as if we know God when we pray
Prayer should be full of expectation
Not filled with doubt or hesitation

“Help others in need” was point number three
In Jesus’ actions this was plain to see
For in Gethsemane when He did pray
Despite stress, submitting to God’s way
Jesus looked beyond his mortal dead end
And to the world’s needs he did tend
And about Jesus’ turning water into wine
The six urns used were far from fine
In the same way, God uses ordinary people
Who are selfless, thinking more of the steeple
In prophetic terms, joy is what wine represents
We can bless others – in the present and future tense

We often pray to be blessed, Pastor did say
There is a need with our name on it every day
We should be careful when life is going too fast
Lest we find that opportunities we have passed
And then from Matthew 6:8 Pastor did unmask
That God knows what we need before we ask
Sometimes when we think we are at a dead end
It is so that to others we can assist and attend
And other times when things seem so dim
It is so that we can fully trust in Him