Wednesday, December 11, 2019

20 October 2019 - Wayne Community Church

On Jesus' parables Jim Van Cott spoke on Laity Sunday
They are stories within stories with a moral, he did say
A parable is a teaching device for deeper understanding
Per Matthew thirteen, they help in knowledge expanding

Experts say that the Bible contains parables thirty one
All within Matthew, Mark, and Luke since John has none
Jesus went on to say he would proclaim what was hidden
So speaking in parables was welcomed, not forbidden

Jim said that parables can have a very powerful impact
On individuals, multitudes, and nations - that’s a fact
Parables contain teachable moments despite their size
Jesus was a gifted teacher who told the truth, not lies

Jim said Jesus also used parables to make us ponder
Especially about complex moral issues from yonder
His words penetrate souls dispersing “misconfusion”
That is a made-up word but is still an apt conclusion

With Jesus’ compassion, using parables was consistent
Truths are revealed gently rather than in a way insistent
Parables get absorbed by going to our innermost being
Thus leading to a more positive response and agreeing

Jim referred to “Understanding the Bible” by John Stott
Which says that like a rabbi, with parables Jesus taught
A parable is like a diamond with so many faceted sides
Across different audiences, critical tenets it provides

But parables leave open room for other interpretation
Jim referred to the Good Samaritan as an illustration
Does the parable reflect the basics of the Golden Rule
Or by shaming those ignoring those in need, is it a tool?


Parables help us to get to know Jesus on a deeper level
By reinforcing the importance of not choosing the devil
The Parable of the Fish in the Net is a perfect example
There are good and bad fish (and people) in each sample

In other words, parables try to set us on a straight course
For reading between the lines can act as a strong force
Parables become our best “how to” guidelines for life
Helping us to live in a Christian manner without strife

Parables address many human conditions that perplex
Jim mentioned The Lost Sheep and Prodigal Son subjects
God’s love, loving others, plus of course forgiveness
Many moral issues the thirty one parables do address

Through the parables, Jesus speaks to us one-to-one
Going straight to our heart, they cannot be outdone
More powerful than being told what to do directly
 The best way to internalize Jesus’ teachings correctly

Jim also said that as parables come from our mentor
In that way, they act like the Bible’s Visitor Centre
They are thus a condensed version of Jesus’ teaching
Short and to the point, the parables are far-reaching

Very daunting, reading the entire Bible seems to be
But we might do so after the parables we do see
Parables whet our appetite for deeper understanding
Per Maine’s “The way life should be” motto branding

A favorite parable each one of us will eventually find
For Jim, The Parable of the Sower springs to mind
Sowing seeds on different soils leads to varying results
His first Sunday school class students are now adults

The parables adventure, Jim encouraged us to continue
Keep and use the list of parables for follow through
Parables will enlighten, uplift, strengthen, motivate
With that message, it is virtually impossible to debate

Sunday, December 1, 2019

1 December 2019 - ENCS

Talking about a race, Pastor Joshua started December
To always finish the race strong, we should remember
Per Philippians one, God will bring us a flourishing finish
But if we don’t know the finish line, our odds do diminish
Of course life is a series of parallel and sequential races
A lack of clarity is often the biggest enemy in many cases

Per First Corinthians nine, Paul said not to run aimlessly
Second Corinthians five says to please God shamelessly
For if we focus on this objective whether “home or away"
We will all be living for Christ, in every race on every day
All of our problems can be addressed if we hear and obey
Be gracious and forgiving to others, as was Jesus’ way

Per Hebrews twelve, we should run the race set before us
Laying aside our sin and disbelief, so they are superfluous 
Remember that Jesus had joy despite enduring the cross
We should do likewise even if frustrated with energy loss
Our interactions with others can influence them in eternity
Remember how Jesus dealt with sinners and their hostility

Jesus loved us so we should similarly pass His love along
It is only God’s power, not our own, that makes us strong
At times, all we might need to do is obey by saying “yes"
Per Philippians four, we can thus abound in every mess
And reverting back to Philippians one, without a deletion
He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion

Sunday, November 24, 2019

24 November 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Josh ended the three week prosperity series
He first showed a few pictures from internet queries
Images depicted food, family, growth, and money
Some of them were serious while others were funny
Josh then turned to the Bible for a prosperity definition
Per John ten, giving abundant life was Jesus’ ambition
The first mention in Deuteronomy twenty eight eleven
Is relationships, vocation, and inheritance from heaven

The passage says God will make us the head not tail
Lending but no borrowing our lives should thus entail
Per verse thirteen, God ensures that we will be above
Romans eight says nothing separates us from His love
Paul says that tribulation, distress, peril, and persecution
Will always be conquered thanks to Christ’s contribution
We should remember that to serve Jesus came to earth
And by following His example, we will prove our worth

Why people want to prosper, there are reasons three
More and bigger things as well as fear and insecurity
The only good reason is so that we can others bless
As Second Corinthians chapter nine does profess
We should be generous with our gifts and our time
For the impact on others might be clear or sublime
The key is to “pray, meditate, proclaim, fellowship"
Josh wants us to internalise this as it will us equip

Sunday, November 17, 2019

17 November 2019 - ENCS

More on prosperity Pastor Josh Harris shared today
Based on what Deuteronomy twenty eight does say
As Josh said last week, prosperity is more than things
Relationships, vocation, and inheritance God brings
How this really works in our lives is the key question
God’s blessings help us to succeed in our progression

Listen and hear God’s voice, per Isaiah twenty eight
For His word is like a seed that produces fruit great
God instructs and teaches everyone the right way
A wonderful plan and magnificent wisdom, it does say

Deuteronomy says that if we follow God’s commands
Then He will give His “prosperity" throughout the lands
But we are under the power of sin, per Romans three
The law makes us conscious of our sin, we clearly see
Righteousness thus comes not from our works but faith
Though obedience and works follow faith, James sayeth

Through our relationship with God, He can clear our sin
Allowing to our heart His counsel, plans, and wisdom in
We cannot please God without faith, per Hebrews eleven
But it is more than just believing that He exists in heaven
We must believe that He rewards those who do Him seek
Those blessings can be used to bless others every week

If we think of God’s words as seeds intended for our heart
Then how should we live our life and therefore do our part
Pastor Josh repeated “pray, meditate, proclaim, fellowship”
Because each step is critical so none should we daily skip

Saturday, November 16, 2019

10 November 2019 - ENCS

Sunday Pastor Joshua Harris spoke about prosperity
In movies and festive seasons this word we do see
Dictionaries too often focus on flourishing materially
But is that what God means by prosperity, in actuality
Per Deuteronomy chapter twenty eight verse eleven
Abundant prosperity will be granted by God in heaven

A grant provides us opportunities, not the end result
If we use the grant correctly, our value will catapult
But eternal value is not focused on temporal stuff
When we harvest, for others there should be enough
So earthly prosperity should be used to others bless

Three types of prosperity Deuteronomy does identify
Relationships, vocation, and inheritance it does imply
Relationships are based on love so deserve our best
Vocations should be fulfilling but not overly stressed
Our primary inheritance is God’s purpose or calling
For us to do otherwise would be extremely galling

Sunday, November 3, 2019

3 November 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Josh today spoke about Genesis twenty eight
Jacob had left home and was just in a survival state
He stopped for the night and took a stone for a pillow
Angels going up and down a ladder, a dream did show
Of Abraham and Isaac his father, God did Jacob remind
And the Lord's promise to Jacob was very well defined

Remember His promises and blessings are massive
And we can claim them even if our actions are passive
Jacob’s family would be blessed and would bless others
God wants His blessings to expand beyond our brothers
Even in toxic situations, our presence should be a light
Jesus’ miracles often happened out of normal eyesight

Jacob awoke and realised the Lord God had been there
For God is omnipresent, Pastor Josh did then declare
Even or perhaps especially when we feel most alone
God will never forsake us nor will he ever us disown
Jacob said that that place must be heaven’s entrance
Building an altar, Bethel is what he named the expanse

But then Jacob reverted to his simple survival mentality
He tried to make a deal with God, as was his normality
But an encounter with the Lord is of a journey, one part
Obviously important, while often serving as a kickstart
Per John one, Jesus is the ladder which gives us access
Per Romans five, this access is ours by faith not stress

In summary, Josh reiterated four steps for our life’s trip
We should often pray, mediate, proclaim, and fellowship
By doing this, Jesus’ light in us will to others be evident
And thus our lives will reflect why to earth we were sent

Sunday, October 27, 2019

27 October 2019 - ENCS

About making decisions, Pastor Josh today did continue
Per Genesis twenty seven, Esau’s anger at Jacob grew
Rebekah warned her son Jacob of Esau’s stated intent
To her brother Laban in Haran she wanted Jacob sent

As a result Jacob would be on the run most of his life
She said life would be worthless if he took a Hitite wife
Pastor Josh focused on starting over despite one’s age
Basically saying it is never too late to start a new page
Isaac called Jacob to bless him and give him instruction
Teaching us not to let our place in life be an obstruction
Pastor said even if we take wrong turns on life’s route
It is never too late to start over with a spiritual reboot

Esau saw that Isaac gave Jacob blessing and direction
However taking a third wife was very far from perfection
That we should not try to be another is a lesson to learn
Instead focus on being the best we can be at every turn
Be content with our current state, per Hebrews thirteen
But wanting God to improve us in ways often unseen

Esau erred in four different ways, Pastor Josh did share
He applied knowledge without counsel, let alone prayer
He followed form without power, as Paul later did warn
In Second Timothy three, about this trait he did mourn
Esau effectively hid behind tradition without revelation
Per John five, only closeness to God leads to salvation
To work without relationship, change Esau tried to bring
Per Luke fifteen, relationships matter more than anything

Those four mistakes match up nicely with steps to take
By now, the message should be quite clear, not opaque
Pray, meditate, proclaim with actions as well as words
And fellowship to keep our plans aligned with the Lord's

Sunday, October 20, 2019

20 October 2019 - ENCS

Today Pastor Josh talked about Genesis chapter twenty seven
And why we oft make decisions that are not pleasing to heaven
Isaac was old and called his elder son Esau to his resting bed
But he should have thought about succession earlier, Josh said
As a leader or as a parent, we must prepare the next generation
We need to impart knowledge thus ensuring a sturdy foundation

Isaac told Esau to kill and then prepare food to get his blessing
By adding conditions, Isaac compounded his error - distressing
Isaac's wife Rebekah was listening and with Jacob did conspire
Jacob brought two goats that Rebekah then stewed over a fire
To fool Isaac, Jacob wore his brother’s garment and added hair
Jacob’s desire was to get the blessings due to the rightful heir

So Jacob went to see his father Isaac, as Esau he did pretend
We do not need to do so, for individual blessings God will send
Trying to be someone else deprives us of being our own best
Although taking on elements of others can help us be blessed
Jacob claimed with God’s guidance, the goats he quickly found 
By invoking God’s name, he did his sinful situation compound

Isaac heard Jacob’s voice but due to his nonexistent eyesight 
He gave Jacob the blessings associated with Esau’s birthright
Isaac said Jacob would lord over his brothers and be wealthy
Jacob left as Esau arrived to find the situation was unhealthy
That Isaac had deceived him, old Isaac realised a bit too late
To get his blessings, until later in life Esau would have to wait

Blessings from God should lead to blessings for others as well
And definitely not to hatred and discord, Pastor Joshua did tell
As a result of his deceit, what Jacob did sow he did later reap
Despite all of his blessings, the price he paid was quite steep
By contrast, per First Samuel, Saul did treat David very unfair
But in Chapters twenty five and six, Saul’s life David did spare

Pastor Josh then referred to Proverbs ten verse twenty two
As a strong message to trust the Lord is what we should do
Psalm number thirty seven says "delight yourself in the Lord"
And then "the desires of your heart” He will faithfully accord
Bur remember that our desires need to be often God-refined
Which by prayer, meditation, proclamation, fellowship we find

Sunday, October 13, 2019

13 October 2019 - ENCS

About “making bad decisions” Pastor Josh spoke today
Esau married two Hitites, Genesis twenty six does say
This went against instructions that Abraham had shared
As a result of these mistakes, Esau became ensnared
Our internal desires and motives, per James chapter four
End up causing quarrels, fights, sinful action, and more
We should ask with the right motives, per verse three
For friendship with the world leads God to be an enemy

Solomon was extremely wise, as per First Kings eleven
But he didn’t listen to advice from friends or from heaven
Having hundreds of wives and concubines, it was seen
Did ruin him, he foretold in Proverbs five verse fourteen
He also warned against spurning discipline and correction
Instead, we should obey teachers for our own protection

Esau’s choices also did his parents’ lives greatly impact
Rebekah said that she loathed her life as a matter of fact
Our bad choices hurt others both directly and indirectly
For not sharing the word with others is acting incorrectly
Josh said the myth of independence is full of liabilities
People get self-focused and ignore their responsibilities

How we can avoid making bad decisions, Josh did quip
Is if we regularly pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship
Per Matthew twenty six, watch and pray to avoid temptation
Humble ourselves and use Matthew six as the foundation
Meditating on the Word leads to success, per Joshua one
As a good work, proclaiming the Word we should not shun
Per Proverbs eleven, relying on counsellors leads to safety
Encouragement and support can be provided by community

Sunday, October 6, 2019

6 October 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Joshua spoke from Genesis twenty six and Isaac
The envious Philistines said to go away and not come back
Despite Isaac being mightier, he did as his enemies said
Twice more he dug wells and had to move his homestead
Though per verse seventeen he did what his father did do
But the third time was not a problem per verse twenty two
He named the well Rehobath and there was room to grow
God wants us to be in similar places, this we should know

Thereafter, Isaac went to Beersheba to expand even more
And God appeared and spoke to him per verse twenty four
Saying to fear not, that he would be blessed and multiply
Isaac built an altar, dug a well, and pitched a tent to occupy
Abimelek and aides came to visit, as hostilities would cease
Isaac hosted a feast and instead of arguing, agreed to peace
Josh said that we should always keep the end goal in sight
At times, it really does not matter who was wrong or right

On the day he made peace, water came from the new well
For God often blesses those who bless others, Josh did tell
Insead of letting past wrongs negatively impact relationships
We should allow reconciliation and forgiveness to eclipse

Sunday, September 1, 2019

1 September 2019 - ENCS

On the tenth verse of John ten Pastor Josh did opine
For in this one quote from Jesus is a veritable goldmine
For “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy”
But Jesus comes to bring us life that is filled with joy
About how the enemy steals from us, Pastor Josh did talk
Recognising it is tough to find our path on which to walk

The first area is time or at least how we perceive time
Asking “are we there yet” can become a bad paradigm
Looking to the future is okay, as long as within reason
For per Ecclesiastes three, everything has a season
We should focus on the present and its opportunities
And thus we train so God's future plans we can seize

The second area is when we dwell too much on the past
Memories of both bad and good events should not last
Per Isaiah forty three, the past can muddle the present
In verse nineteen, living in the present is God’s intent
We may have challenges, like streams in the wasteland
But God never fails us, for his promises go as planned

The third area is when we focus on ourselves too much
In Isaiah chapter thirty nine, Hezekiah was out of touch
He cared about his life but not the more important legacy
In Genesis twenty five, Abraham cared for his entire tree
We should each do the same with the next generation
For family, church, and career - build a strong foundation

Thus in conclusion, live each moment as God does intend
And per Second Timothy, fight the good fight until the end
By doing so, we can impact others and create that legacy
And then our rewards will come in heaven for eternity
Remember that we can not take things when we die
Only our relationships with God and people do qualify

Sunday, August 18, 2019

18 August 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Josh shared conclusions as well as some facts
Primarily based on the tenth chapter in the book of Acts
Cornelius was a devout man who continually prayed
An angel of the Lord appeared yet he was not afraid
The angel told him to send for Simon Peter by the sea
Peter was praying on his roof when a vision he did see

Animals from heaven while God was saying “kill and eat"
Peter refused as per Jewish law, it would be unclean meat
Josh asked how often we disobey God due to tradition
We should accept His word without so much suspicion
What God has made clean is good, per verse fifteen
Three times by Peter the vision was eventually seen

Due to faith, Cornelius gathered his friends and family
Trusting that unknown Peter would show up eventually 
Cornelius erred when into the house Peter did enter
By worshipping Peter instead of making God the centre
Peter corrected him and then conclusions he did share
Nobody can be unclean, as for all of us God does care

This was a major turning point in Peter’s life and ministry
With Cornelius and guests, Peter shared Jesus’ history
That all of the major prophets bore witness, he did note
All who believe in Christ are forgiven, Peter did quote
The Holy Spirit came on all present, per verse forty four
It was available to everyone, a sign none could ignore

Sunday, June 23, 2019

6 June 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Arnie spoke on significance on Father’s Day
That implies a life of meaning and value he did say
It is much more than just survival or even success
Per Joshua one, the intention of the Lord is to bless
We are created to do good works, per Ephesians two
Paul wrote that "God prepared us in advance to do"

Significance is a relay race, involving run and release
Pastor Arnie used the acronym D-A-D to say his piece
Per Hebrews twelve, we need to run the right direction
And do so with perseverance despite our imperfection
Plus ability and strength from God, per Psalm eighteen
By looking to God, in First Chronicles sixteen it is seen
Lastly as Paul wrote in Second Corinthians chapter five
We need desire and motivation to ensure that we thrive

Faith is belief but love is action per a heart transformation
Per Second Timothy one, God’s word provides information
A successful person finds for him or herself the right place
While a successful leader finds for others the right space
To release others,  develop their gifts and affirm their calling
To relate others, developing gifts and affirmation is key
For to live a truly significant life implies leaving a legacy

Sunday, June 9, 2019

9 June 2019 - ENCS

The relationship series today Pastor Joey did conclude
Relationships are critical for we do not live in solitude
But all are different because each individual is unique
Four common principles determine if strong or weak
Trust, love, forgiveness, and today’s topic communication
The key for all of these principles is the implementation

With a blood analogy, Joey does relationships describe
He put this forward extremely calmly, not in a diatribe
The red and white blood cells represent love and trust
Forgiveness, like platelets, heal wounds, he discussed
Plasma is more than half of blood, akin to communication
Per Genesis four, blood has a role in communication

Communication can be defined as a means to exchange
An intent to commune with others, the spirit does arrange
All good communication starts with God, per Edwin Cole
Four basic communication principles the Lord does extol
God’s words always have a purpose, per Isaiah fifty five
Per James one, being quick to listen we should strive
Jesus’ actions as a human many lessons we do learn
Even without words or actions, the Spirit can discern

Joey said relationships become automatic, in summation
If they have trust, love, forgiveness, and communication

Sunday, June 2, 2019

2 June 2019 - ENCS

More about relationships Pastor Joey did share today
We need love and trust, and forgiveness he did say
He spoke of the why, what, and how of forgiveness
For it is a cornerstone of relationships he did express

Forgivneess is important for health, per the Mayo Clinic
Lowering blood pressure and an immune system uptick
Paul said we are all sinners, per Romans chapter three
Thus pain and sin each day each of us will feel and see

Forgiveness acts like a reset button and a clotting agent
Per Matthew six, Jesus gave a command not just intent
Colossians three says that if we forgive, God will forgive
Like Mandela, we can choose forgiveness in how we live

Of course showing forgiveness is usually quite difficult
First, we must acknowledge pain caused or the insult
Second, per Mark six, forgiving others involves a cost
But without this step, God’s forgiveness for us is lost
His love for us never ceases, per Lamentations three
It is important that God’s forgiveness we feel and see

Third in forgiveness we should aspire for perfection
Per Matthew five, love our enemies without objection
But we must forgive others before we can show love
As Jesus did, praying for others we may be tired of
Fourth is that for God’s healing we should believe
Pain takes time to be healed, not an instant reprieve

Monday, May 27, 2019

26 May 2019 - ENCS

About relationships, Pastor Harris shared more today
We are to love God and our neighbours, Jesus did say
These two commandments, as per Matthew twenty two
Are the basis of all other laws because they are so true
As we heard last week, relationships are based on trust
Just as importantly for relationships, love is also a must

We all hear about love in songs and poems and vows
First Corinthians thirteen describes attributes to espouse
Patient and kind, not envious or boastful, but enduring
That we cannot do this, our imperfect nature is ensuring
Earlier in the chapter, of love’s importance Paul writes
For without love, meaningless is our faith and its heights

Per Galatians five, Paul talks about the works of the flesh
The fruit of the Spirit is love so of course they do enmesh
And having Spirit-love in us allows us to each other love
Per First John four, that Spirit is given to us by God above
Josh cautioned us to continue with Jesus to spend time
So that our thoughts, words, and deeds are in fact prime

We love because Jesus first loved us, per First John four
Even while on the cross, His persecutors He did pray for
To harness that Spirit we also need the right environment
For our own flesh cannot be trusted one hundred percent
Because sin includes what we have and have not done
We should share God’s love with others, as did His Son

Sunday, May 19, 2019

19 May 2019 - ENCS

The short series on relationships, Pastor Joey did continue
For our existence and happiness, relationships are the glue
As with a chair, we must trust a relationship’s foundation
Without trust, relationships falter and go into deterioration
For human beings, having trust and relationships is a must
As we are all sinners, we can never be fully trusted or trust

So about what builders trust, five points Pastor did share
As always, looking to God and the Bible helps us to prepare
For per Proverbs three, trust in the Lord with all of our heart
And in all of our ways, from a straight path we will not depart
Pastor used the letters of the word 'trust’ to form an anagram
For some of us, that is easier to remember than a diagram

With four letters in common, truth is the first basis for trust
Truth is tough, as half truths and fake news are oft-discussed
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life per John fourteen
So from Jesus and with Jesus truth we can surely glean
Reliability is another basis, as trust follows consistency
God is always reliable, so we should trust Him completely
His promises always come through, per Joshua twenty one
While His trust in us is dependent on what we have done

The third basis is unity, our words and actions aligned
The level of  consistency is how our integrity is defined
God is perfect unity, per the words in Deuteronomy four
Therefore versus humans we can trust Him infinitely more
Fourth is standards, akin to our building blocks or bricks
God is considered “holy, holy, holy” in Isaiah chapter six
Last but not least is time as per Hebrews chapter thirteen
Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever it is seen

Pastor concluded by talking about how we build this trust
Giving and receiving trust is inherently risky, he discussed
He mentioned that if we can not trust people to be on time
It is hard to trust them with bigger things (but not a crime)
The bottom line is for us to do the right things consistently
Then amazing relationships with God and people we see

Sunday, May 12, 2019

12 May 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Josh shared some thoughts on this Mother’s Day
God-sent angels who teach us how to serve and to pray
Mothers very often exhibit various forms of sacrificial love
Which in effect is replicating the Lord in heaven above

On the importance of relationships, the sermon did focus
They bring out emotions like a beautiful blooming crocus
Our God is a god of relationships, Pastor Josh did state
Starting with his triune nature, ever since creation date
This is clear in Matthew chapter three from verse sixteen
The spirit of God came to rest on Son Jesus, it was seen
God saw that man needed a companion, per Genesis two
Because relationships are critical in everything we do

Given that, Pastor asked why relationships are so hard
God is omnipotent, loving, and is never caught offguard
But as human we all have limits and can get offended
Even if the impact of the action or words was not intended
Per Proverbs eighteen, taking offence is very unyielding
And like a castle, quarrelling puts up bars for shielding
But by putting up bars, we end up being more isolated
We need forgiveness for our mistakes, Pastor stated

As always, the hardest part is determine how to do this
Don't empower others to control our emotions and bliss
God loved Jesus and was well pleased, per Matthew three
And this was before any the Son’s miracles or ministry
Similarly, God loves us for what we are, not what we do
We should remember that to us His power does accrue
God chose us before creation, as per Ephesians one
In line with His pleasure, as each of us is an adopted son

Jesus came so we have abundance, per First John four
And thus we should love one another, he did underscore
God chose us, so we should have love and confidence
But if we do not connect to Him, the challenge is intense
Jesus sacrificed his life for his friends, per John fifteen
When we do things sacrificially, a similar attitude is seen
About relationships, we should have healthy expectations
A flow of generosity starts when it is at our foundations

God does more than he has to, we should remember
He wants to spend time with us January to December
And when we allow that, we learn about relationships
Giving us more security and confidence at our fingertips

Monday, May 6, 2019

28 April 2019 - ENCS

Using Genesis chapter twenty two verses one through eight
On the topic “The Genuine Test”, Pastor Arnie did us educate
Abraham was a great man but like us, was far from perfect
Sometimes his actions and his stated faith were in conflict
But yet through it all, Abraham could recognise God’s voice
He knew God was faithful so obeying God was his choice

We take tests to see if we meet standards and have learned
When told to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham was not concerned
As per Hebrews eleven, he knew God could raise the dead
With firewood and a knife, Abraham and Isaac went ahead
Because test are for individuals, he left his servants behind
Per James two, Abraham's faith and actions were aligned

Isaac asked his father where they would find the sacrifice
God would provide, Abraham stated just once - not twice
Years later, the Lord would send his own son to the cross
Per John three, His love for us led to Christ’s earthly loss
Abraham relied on God to bring him through every test
Loving and worshiping God is the response valued best

Tests can teach us patience or prepare is to help others
For the Lord is faithful to all believing sisters and brothers
He did not spare His Son so will surely give us all things
In return we should honour Him more than we do kings
Giving Him our heart and our life without any debate
For we are all more than conquerors, per Romans eight

Monday, April 22, 2019

21 April 2019 - Easter

Walking into a sunrise service this morning at six twenty
I looked around the room, there were seats a-plenty
Then I walked over and tried to sit in my normal spot
Only to be instructed by an usher that I could not
But no reason was provided when I asked him why
Feeling rather unwelcome there, I then said goodbye

It made me wonder how often this happens to others
Who may feel unwelcome by some Christian brothers
We all have interactions with unbelievers every day
Do our actions or words welcome or drive them away?
Remembering that we were lost before Jesus we found
Do we accept them despite their looks or background?
When we are given the opportunity to meet a new face
Do we focus on their sin or convey God’s love and grace?

God created and loves us all, so wants a relationship
The Bible tells us how to pray, to live, and to worship
On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ resurrection we celebrate
To the world, He brought redemption and love great
So in unison we say “He is risen. He is risen indeed”
Thanks to the empty tomb, that is all that we need

Friday, April 19, 2019

19 April 2019 - Good Friday

In the midst of the first Lord’s Supper and Holy Communion
To betray Jesus, the disciple Judas left the sacred union
To Gethsemane, Jesus and the other disciples did retreat
“Your will be done” to God in prayer Jesus did then repeat
Jesus the human was in agony and like blood He sweat
He knew what was forthcoming to pay for our sinful debt

Being crucified would be the Son's ultimate act of obedience
For the Holy Jesus was not allowed a path of expedience
He earnestly prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed
By sending an angel, God’s love for His Son was proved
Strength was provided, as only an angel of the Lord could
For per Isaiah, this anguish would result in eternal good

So as I reflect on this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday
I again realise that obedience to the Lord is the only way
And when facing challenges, I may be tempted to complain
I remind myself of Jesus’ undeserved suffering and pain
Knowing that after two days of the enemy’s celebration
Jesus would be resurrected, offering hope and salvation

Sunday, April 7, 2019

7 April 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Joey spoke about Genesis chapter twenty one
Four different perspectives from one story were spun
When Isaac was weaned, Abraham threw a great feast
Hagar’s son Ishmael laughed, Sarah’s angst increased
Abraham sent Hagar and son away per Sarah’s request
In the heat of the desert, Hagar became quite depressed
God came to her and behold there was water to drink
Ishmael would father a nation, with God’s plan in sync
Each of the four looked at things in a earthly perspective
Adopting God’s perspective would be far more effective

Sarah’s perspective was in fact about self-preservation
But she should have trusted God about Isaac’s nation
We should not judge people or situations too quickly
For God wants the preservation of all, as we often see
Abraham’s perspective and solution were problem-driven
If we are purpose-driven, better approaches will be given
Hagar’s perspective was fear-driven, not wanting death
God says “fear not” and He does not waste His breath
Ishmael’s perspective was limitation-driven and grim
But God’s ways are unlimited so we should follow Him

Sunday, March 24, 2019

24 March 2019 - ENCS

On Genesis twenty Ms Rhia Mora did preach today
About why dear Abraham did revert to his old way
There are many reasons such reversion is viewed
Recessive memory, reinforced values and attitude
We don’t want to change for the old way did work
It is about ourselves that old habits we do not shirk

Abraham had wrestled with the Lord in his old life
But still he claimed Sarah was his sister not his wife
He feared for his life when Abimelech he did meet
What he did in Genesis twelve, he then did repeat
Thoughts, words, actions, habits, character, destiny
That is an unfortunate progression we often do see
Blind spots are dangerous and can affect our identity
Without our purpose, we can lose our life’s serenity

In Abraham's new life, God did beneficially intervene
He can bring newness of life even into a bad scene
Even when we are faithless in some things we do
God is always faithful to us, per First Timothy two
Then in Abraham’s now life, everyone God did heal
For faith is about what we do today towards the ideal
Per Hebrews eleven, faith is assurance and conviction
For God gave us Jesus, that is a fact not mere fiction

In summary, Rhia read from Isaiah chapter fifty five
An important point we should remember while alive
Versus ours, God’s thoughts and ways are higher
So having faith in Him helps us escape a quagmire
Sometimes we need friends who tell us hurtful truth
This applies no matter whether old or still a youth

Sunday, March 10, 2019

10 March 2019 - ENCS

With the series on Genesis, Pastor Joey did continue today
We should follow, not filter, God’s word he did earnestly say
Lot became wealthier in Sodom but left with just his family
The angels said not to look back or stop, from Sodom to flee
Pastor said that these instructions parallel repentance for us
If we decide to look back instead of forward, it is dangerous

Lot told the angels that up to the mountains he could not go
Rather he asked to head to Zoar where fresh waters did flow
By focusing on the green pastures and ignoring God’s voice
Pastor said that clueless leader Lot made a clueless choice
We should decide based on faith instead of bowing to fear
Through the entire Bible, this principle is exceedingly clear

We need to decide which game we are choosing to play
God’s game and the world’s game differ, Pastor did say
Different rules, leaders, and results based on the game
Making uninformed or clueless choices is a big shame
Once Lot went to Zoar, with fire God did destroy Sodom
Lot’s wife looked back, turned into a pillar of salt - so dumb

Looking back effectively prevents us from forward moving
Indecision is a decision to be ineffective and not improving
Per James one verse six, we should believe without doubt
Doubt is double-mindedness, leading to an unstable route
Per Joshua twenty four, serving the Lord is the path to take
For himself and family, this is the decision Joshua did make

Unlike Lot, Abraham returned to where with the Lord he stood
God remembered Abraham and his prayers were understood
In the same way, we should each choose to be God’s friend
A relationship with God will ensure that to heaven we ascend
We should opt not to be busy but to the game of faith play
God will bless us for He hears our prayers, Pastor did say

Sunday, March 3, 2019

3 March 2019 - ENCS

Recently about spiritual maturity from Pastor Joey we did learn
Obedience, the ability to feed self, and being trained to discern
Identifying with the lost world and wrestling with God’s truth
Implying that spiritual maturity applies to seniors and youth

Joey based his sermon on Genesis nineteen, one to sixteen
Lot was a leader, for sitting by the city gates he was seen
He rose to meet angels, taking initiative and being persuasive
But he was clueless about the judgement God was to give

Because leadership and spiritual leadership are quite different
Lot could not convince the city folk to respect the angels sent
John Maxwell wrote a book about five levels of leadership
Position, permission, and production are the basics to equip
People development and then to the pinnacle is the ascent
Because of who leaders are and what their actions represent

Lot struggled because he only had a leadership position
Unable to convince the townspeople about their condition
As we are all sinners, other people we should not judge
We all need God’s mercy and many a truthful nudge

We should thus follow God, who is a leader at the pinnacle
His truth, mercy, love, and grace are anything but cynical
He has shown His love in actions for everyone on the earth
Because He is God whose power and love have no dearth

Thursday, February 28, 2019

24 February 2019 - ENCS

Fresh from a two week Kiwi holiday, Pastor Josh spoke
When things are well, do God in prayer we still invoke?
Referring to Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis eighteen
Responding to the outcry and sin, God’s wisdom is seen
Even though He is omniscient, He did not act in haste
Often times, our initial judgements can be misplaced
Per James, we should be slow to talk, but quick to hear
Over time, the complete story becomes much more clear

Do not be envious of wrongdoers, per Psalm thirty seven
Instead focus on doing good and trust in God in heaven
In John fifteen, Jesus instructed us to love one another
This involves doing simple acts of kindness for each other
Per Psalms, if we delight in the Lord and each do our part
He will most assuredly give us the desires of our heart
We should get used to little miracles that God will do
When we are facing challenges, He will help us through

Per Luke six, we should forgive others but not judge
Taking that further, we should not even hold a grudge
Turning back to Genesis, before God Abraham stood
Instead of judging those sinners, Abraham did good
For mercy for Sodom and Gomorrah, he did seek
God’s judgement came, but only after they did speak
In Luke six, Jesus that our enemies we should love
Doing unto others as we would want from God above

Monday, February 4, 2019

3 February 2019 - ENCS

On the last Sunday before Lunar New Year’s Eve
Before to New Zealand Pastor Josh was to leave
He referred to Proverbs chapter twenty two four
The reward for fear of God is riches and honour
For when we fear the Lord and have true humility
He will take care of us and our lives, we will see

Fear actually implies respect, reverence, and trust
As following common sense can often lead to bust
God sometimes asks us to give time or resources
When we are feeling weakest or facing evil forces
We can learn to trust in the Lord if we do our part
Because what God actually desires is our heart

Per verse seventeen of Second Corinthians five
Anyone in Christ is a new creation and can thrive
God offers all of us second chances many times
For He loves us no matter what our sins or crimes
From the domain of darkness, per Colossians one
God can deliver us into the kingdom of His Son

To all sinners, Jesus showed compassion and love
So no matter how we mess up, He will rise above
We can never repay Jesus for what He did for us
We should accept His gift of new life without a fuss
Our reconciliation with God and others is His desire
Like the prodigal son despite all that did trasnspire

Once reconciled with God, ambassadors we become
Representing His kingdom is the obvious outcome
For reconciling with God is a life changing event
That is why His son Jesus Christ to earth was sent
Remember that God created and loves everyone
Reconciliation is open until our earthly days are done