31 December 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Larry gave his last sermon of year twenty seventeen

Through the Bible, the theme of giving thanks is clearly seen

Per First Thessalonians five sixteen, Paul took no chances

“Rejoice always, pray,…and give thanks in all circumstances”

The power of giving thanks, four points Pastor said we glean

From the story of the ten lepers in Luke chapter seventeen

Leprosy is an illness but also represents being an outcast

Something we will all face even if we have not in the past

By giving thanks and acknowledging God, we remain humble

Remember that even the men of faith in the Bible did stumble

Per passages in First Peter five and Second Chronicles seven

If people humble themselves, healing will come from heaven

That the obedient lepers were cleansed reminds us to obey

Worship includes listening to God, Pastor did emphatically say

This was evidenced by Namaan’s story in Second Kings five

Only when he finally listened to Elisha did his cleansing arrive

Giving thanks builds our faith and that of those around us

In John four, the woman at the well testified about Jesus

Romans one says those who do not give thanks are fools

Ephesians two says we are saved by faith, not our tools

Having a grateful heart brings and sustains our healing

We should give thanks no matter how we may be feeling

But this must be a continual action, not just a point in time

For throughout our lives, there will be mountains to climb

In summary, so many references to being thankful are seen

We should thank God for He is good per Psalm one eighteen

Per Philippians four, we are not to be anxious but thanks give

He will guard our heart and mind for as long as we shall live

24 December 2017 - ENCS

Calvin Hong delivered the Christmas Eve exhortation

He referred to the Isaiah chapter nine proclamation

As a Wonderful Counsellor Jesus would never cease

And Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

To the shepherds in Luke two the angels did appear

The Saviour was to be born, they should not fear

Before His arrival, there was no hope for the earth

God sent Him to prove that all mankind had worth

Due to His death and resurrection there is now hope

God’s love and mercy help us do more than just cope

It is not just Jesus’ birth that Christmas we celebrate

But also eternal life, peace, and joy which are great

Jesus is the good news and also knows our situation

Like the Magi, we should trust in him for the duration

He can heal us if to Him we turn without expectation

And for us with His Father, He brings reconciliation

Per First John four, perfect love drives out all fear

That Christ offers us that perfect love is quite clear

For Jesus not only healed, but He offered hope too

Per Second Corinthians five, reconciliation anew

So as we continue in this festive Christmas season

Let us remember God’s gift to us, the real reason

Here’s wishing each of you a Christmas blessed

Let us celebrate with our lives full of God’s zest

17 December 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh started by quoting Provers twenty nine eighteen

"Without prophetic vision, people cast off restraint" was seen

Vision is needed to do the right thing physically or spiritually

It provides motivation, without which growth we will not see

Referring to current affairs, Pastor then quoted John McCain

He said that presently in Congress, political chaos does reign

Compromise is no longer acceptable as the vision changed

The role to govern and lead, other forces have rearranged

Pastor Josh then linked this thought to the Christmas season

Saying that unlike the world, we must remember the reason

We are easily distracted by the gifts, food, friends, and family

Remember that Jesus was a gift from God for all humanity

Isaiah nine verse six highlights what we should all celebrate

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given” it does state

Jesus created the world but He returned as a humble man

Showing true leadership and self-sacrifice was God’s plan

Jesus "will be called Wonderful Counsellor", per Isaiah nine

Per Psalm nineteen, His perfect wisdom He does us assign

The Lord gave His beloved Son for everyone on this earth

Implying that in God's eyes everyone has tremendous worth

Jesus became wisdom from God, per First Corinthians one

His goodness outweighs all of the bad things we have done

Jesus gives us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption

These are offered as gifts to all believers, without exemption

Per Isaiah, Jesus is also Mighty God and Everlasting Father

For He is always with us and about us He always will bother

God lavishes great love on us, per First John chapter three

So therefore being a child of God should be our core identity

That core identity should provide a purpose and self-confidence

With peace and stability, aid to others we can readily dispense

Per Luke one, into earthly darkness Jesus came to shine light

And "to guide our feet into the path of peace" - which is right

10 December 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Joey announced this was his last sermon of the year

In Genesis ten, about Noah’s sons after the flood we did hear

In verses five, twenty, and thirty one four key terms we do see

All people are part of nations - language, clans, and territory

Clans are circles of family, offering acceptance and familiarity

Together with affirmation, affection, and consistent availability

Languages are instruments by which people communicate

While territories are habitable lands which people populate

Nations are a race of people, like Israelites from Abraham

An indefinite lineage for mankind, all are the race of Adam

In God’s eyes, all clans and nations come together in unity

His love and spirit outweigh all the differences and variety

God’s desire for all nations, per Psalm ninety six verse three

Is to proclaim His salvation and glory daily from sea to sea

Pastor highlighted that according to John three verse sixteen

God gave his Son so eternal life is available to all, it is seen

Since eternal life is timeless, only God can fulfil this desire

We serve an infinite God, the master of the universe entire

His glory is in seeing relationships cut across any diversity

And if we rely on His love, we can overcome any adversity

This knowledge is important because it provides us hope

Per Hebrews eleven, being armed with faith helps us cope

For Paul stated that faith is the conviction of things unseen

The ancients were commended for faith that was so keen

In summary, Pastor said having a successful life on earth

Does not always equate to one leading to eternal worth

We should focus on doing things which lead to eternity

That is what we should remember from a Christmas tree

3 December 2017 - ENCS

The series on Genesis and Noah, Pastor Joey did continue

But first a litany of Noah’s life themes he did take us through

God’s calling, grace, righteousness, and Noah’s obedience

Waiting, seasons, blood of life, and covenant did commence

The word ‘account’ appears multiple times within Genesis

The importance in chapters two, five, six we can not dismiss

Now the account of Noah’s sons is mentioned in chapter ten

And the theme of ‘sons’ is also repeated time and time again

Ham had four sons, named Cush, Egypt, Canaan, and Put

Into many foreign lands their descendants did put their foot

This is odd because Noah cursed Ham’s youngest offspring

Canaan fathered many tribes and was effectively their king

Why Noah’s curse seems to be so harsh, Pastor did question

Maybe because it was the first record of his verbal expression

This appears to have coincided with Noah being with the flesh

Instead of previously when with the Spirit he did clearly mesh

A “father wound” is something that we all face, Pastor did say

Due to a father’s emotional absence or physically being away

It can also result from emulating weaknesses like selfishness

So having an eternal loving father is critical, Joey did impress

Several characteristics of the “father wound” he did highlight

Feeling rejected, lacking self-confidence, fearing the night

An extreme reliance on self, being suspicious of all authority

Distorted views on relationships as well as a loss of identity

JI Packer said the fatherhood of God is central to Christianity

We should turn to the Father for we are part of his family tree

Paul said that the spirit of adoption not slavery we did receive

Per Romans eight, His acceptance and access will never leave

In summary, of God the Father we are all children and heirs

We should thus remember that He always loves and cares

And linking back to Noah in Genesis, what God has blessed

Even a father’s curse cannot undo this blessing which is best