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