3 September 2023 - ENCS

Pastor Joey started a series “How Is Your SQ?" today

Following on “Foundations” and “Maturity” he did say

In Ephesians, five times ‘heavenly realms’ is referred

There was a clearly a reason this phrase Paul preferred

In the heavenly realms is where all our blessings are

Per Ephesians one, God’s blessings form a reservoir

The heavenly realms are where power actually resides

And from where manifold wisdom the Lord provides 

From the heavenly realms physical struggles emanate 

Against dark world powers, as Ephesians six does state

Spiritual manifestation in the natural, seen in Daniel ten

Daniel’s humility and prayer helped him time and again

It is quite clear that Spiritual Quotient starts with prayer

In Matthew six, the Lord’s Prayer we are made aware

First Thessalonians five says to pray without ceasing

Matthew eighteen encourages joint prayer increasing

23 July 2023 - ENCS

The Firm Foundations series Pastor Joey did complete

Hebrews five shares six elementary truths not obsolete

The last being eternal judgment, as per Revelation five

So at the title The Glory of the Last Lion Joey did arrive

The significance of God’s justice is where Joey started

It is the foundation of God’s throne, never departed

Psalm eighty nine, righteousness and justice are key

While love and faithfulness go before us, we can see

God’s justice also ensures fairness and impartiality 

Post restitution and retribution, restoration there will be

It puts in us a holy fear, also known as a reverent fear

For God judges our work in First Peter one we do hear

So then what does eternal judgement actually entail?

It is for everyone, both old and young, male and female

Per Hebrews nine, we all die and then judgement face

Our entire life is known, there is nothing we can erase

Per Hebrews four, nothing is hidden from God’ sight

It is a time of accountability, everything comes to light

Per Second Corinthians five, all appear before His seat

Since God sees all, His judgement we can not cheat

Ephesians two says we are created to do good works

But we should do these out of love, not for the perks

Joey said that eternal judgement is also a test of quality

Our foundation is in Jesus, per First Corinthians three

Our rewards will then be crowns that last for eternity

In First Thessalonians two, crowns of service we see

The crowns of devotion, as per Second Timothy four

But to Jesus, we give all the crowns and even more

21 August 2022 - ENCS

Pastor Josh continued the series on Evil Days Ahead

Passages from several books of the Bible he then read

Ephesians six mentions the breastplate of righteousness

God says to stand firm, First Peter five does profess

The work of righteousness is peace, per Isaiah thirty two

Romans eight states God will always see us through

No weapon formed against us by the enemy will prevail

If, per Isaiah fifty four, of God’s righteousness we avail

Righteousness is reflected and evident in our actions

Rooted in covenants and relationships and reactions

In verse six, God’s words to His people Micah did share

Comparing our righteousness to His, we should not dare

First Thessalonians five says to put on faith and love

As a breastplate to signify we belong to God above

Remember we are all unclean, per Isaiah sixty four

A message repeated in Romans three wit detail more

Righteousness gives us peace, protection, and power

Through right standing, relating, and living every hour

By letting go of self-righteousness and receiving God’s

For believing our hearts are worth it increases the odds

1 Peter 5:8

1 Thessalonians 5:8

Ephesians 6:13-14

Isaiah 32:17, 54:17, 61:1-7, 64:6

Micah 6:1-8

Philippians 3:6-8

Romans 3:10-12

22 December 2019 - ENCS

This is unfortunately more than a little bit late

But I think the words carry just as much weight

So please do forgive my tardy poetic posting

I guess towards year end I started coasting

****At the start of service we did see****

****A nice carol from Charles Wesley****

****"Hark the herald angels sing****

****Glory to the newborn king****

****Peace on earth and mercy mild****

****God and sinners reconciled"****

Pastor Josh then spoke to us about faithfulness

What we celebrate about the Lord, he did stress

God honours our faithfulness with responsibility

Even if that often may take away our tranquility

Like Jesus who appeared as a babe in a manger

If we believe we are not special, we risk danger

For like Jesus whose substance outshone his form

He changed the world, introducing us to a new norm

For Paul wrote about this in First Corinthians one

We are righteous because of what Jesus has done

Per Luke two verse ten, the angels said not to fear

“Good news of great joy” were the words to hear

We all need a saviour because of our imperfection

By following Jesus we head in the right direction

From our Creator who so loves us, we have hope

God knows what is our full potential and scope

Per Colossians one, He delivered us from the dark

The contrast with the Holy Spirit is extremely stark

The Spirit gives us righteousness, peace, and joy

About substance versus form, Josh was not coy

The kingdom of God is about your soul’s health

And sharing it with others generates true wealth

We are branches from Jesus’ vine, per John fifteen

If we abide in Him, much fruit will be born and seen

Ephesians two says He makes us alive despite sin

Jesus is the spiritual air that we should breathe in

Per First Thessalonians five, pray without ceasing

With prayer, our relationship with God is increasing

Per Psalm one hundred nineteen, open our eyes

So we can see His wonders on land and in skies

God clothes us with salvation, per Isaiah sixty one

But we also need earthly community in the long run

Per Ephesians two, we are all part of His household

So we fellowship with others both young and old

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

3 September 2017 - ENCS

The series on Life and Death, Pastor Joey Bonifacio did conclude

Speaking about the "King of Kings”, or Christ Jesus, with certitude

He should be the foundation of all that we build, we clearly see

For fire tests the quality of our work, per First Corinthians three

Revelation nineteen says Christ’s eyes are like flames of fire

Implying that into our actions, from heaven He will duly inquire

Jesus’ throne in heaven is surrounded, per Revelation four

By twenty four elders who then laid their crowns on the floor

We are all promised crowns in heaven, Pastor Joey did state

Crowns of righteousness, imperishable, glory and life do await

The righteousness crown is awarded, per Second Timothy four

To those who have kept the faith by fighting the fight with vigour

To get the imperishable crown, per First Corinthians nine

Joey stated that we must treat our faith as a passion genuine

The crown of glory can be ours, per First Thessalonians two

If we use boldness in reaching others in what we say and do

The crown of life is promised to those, per James chapter one

Who persevere under trial and stand the test in the long run

The elders cast their crowns, Pastor Joey did paraphrase

For the King of Kings Christ Jesus is worthy of all our praise

18 June 2017 - ENCS

On Father’s Day, from the Genesis series we took a break

About fathers and fatherhood, Pastor Josh did clearly speak

Positive paternal experiences many people may not have had

(As a side note, I am very blessed to have a wonderful dad)

There is no perfect instruction manual to tell dads what to do

So Josh referred to verse eleven of First Thessalonians two

For their children, fathers should exhort, encourage, charge

Tailoring the approach to account for differences often large

Paul prefaced this, saying actions matter more than words

This requires hard work, not doing things by halves or thirds

As Jesus is the model leader, God is the perfect model father

Prioritising and focusing on others while for self less bother

A sense of security for his family, a good father should create

By exhorting and acting as a counsellor rather than to berate

Encouraging with calm words, providing a safe place to try

The children will both succeed or fail, Josh did then specify

Charging involves pushing one’s children to do their best

With talents and chances that each one God has blessed

The Lord is a father to the fatherless, per Psalm sixty eight

Both directly and also via earthly support to set us straight

God oft needs to change and humble us to fulfil our destiny

We learn from Him and others so good fathers we can be

12 February 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Harris started by asking why do people get jealous

Often because we are not sure what we have, he did tell us

God has a plan and a place for each of us, per Genesis two

As such we should let God guide us in what we should do

For with all pleasant things God’s original garden was filled

Adam and Eve should've understood that and been thrilled

But instead they ignored God’s command about one tree

Introducing sin to the world, the consequences we still see

In Psalm sixteen, David acknowledged that God had a plan

And of course God’s knowledge exceeds that of any man

As part of His plan, lines or boundaries God does introduce

Boundaries limit us but also protect us, we should deduce

David recognised that only God gives us eternal inheritance

In tough times, it may be worth to give this psalm a glance

About a young boy looking through a fence, Josh did share

But when he turned around, into Disneyworld he did stare

This reminds us, despite boundaries, of how blessed we are

For looking to God for our happiness is the best path by far

On how to get there, four points Pastor Josh then did share

To pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship we are all aware

If we lack wisdom, we should ask God per James one five

Per Joshua one eight, to repeat His Word we should strive

The enemy was conquered by words, per Revelation twelve

The tongue has immense power, if into the Bible we delve

Paul says to build each other up in First Thessalonians five

Romans fourteen says the Spirit provides while we are alive

Specifically offering us peace and joy and righteousness

Which provide us with love so that others we can bless

27 November 2016 - ENCS

The "words of wisdom" series tonight Pastor Josh did finish

That we each build strong foundations is God’s stated wish

Step-by-step is the way such foundations we must build

Asahel ran too fast and as a result with a spear was killed

We need a foundation so that when our platform arrives

We are prepared for the challenge and can impact lives

We should not despise discipline, per Proverbs three eleven

For discipline is only for those loved by our Father in heaven

The verse mentions “reprove”, which is a gentle correction

Also “loves” and “delights” which imply a family connection

Proverbs twelve five says His discipline not to regard lightly

Nor to feel weary or condemned and thus behave contritely

Josh drew a line from ‘fear of the Lord’ to 'love of the Lord’

Too extreme towards fear leads to legalism from the Word

Going too far towards love leads to YOLO in not a good way

Rather, balance gets us peace and righteousness every day

Hebrews twelve eleven says that discipline seems painful

But it yields the fruit of righteousness, far from disdainful

We must put in effort to follow our calling good works to do

And ensure our character is ready as opportunities accrue

Josh again highlighted four steps to help us on life’s wisdom trip

To pray, meditate on the Word, preach, and engage in fellowship

Referring to First Thessalonians five sixteen and Romans eight

Second Timothy three and First Thessalonians five add weight

We should preach to ourselves and others every day and night

Encouraging others especially when a bad mood we must fight

11 September 2016 - ENCS

Pastor Josh spoke on “Fast and Furious” part two

Reminding us of God’s purpose in all that we do

We should not let 'urgent' from 'important’ distract

Life can be a stressful mess, that is indeed a fact

Jesus said that it is tough to enter the narrow gate

Per Matthew seven, it is worth it and is never too late

As we find our purpose, there are enemies three

Comfort, convenience, and control they would be

Choosing what is right is harder than status quo

By ceding control to God, a fulfilled life will show

Luke nine says to deny self in order to Jesus follow

Taking up the cross daily and letting earthly idols go

Responding to Peter’s quip, Jesus said in Mark ten

Believers are repaid many times and in eternity again

But there will also be persecution, in word and deed

Remember that with our words, others can be freed

Our purpose, per First Thessalonians chapter four

Is to walk, please God, and be sanctified even more

Josh highlighted two ‘friends’ of achieving this destiny

The first is character and the second is community

God cares more about who we are, not what we do

Per Second Peter one, all power come from Him too

Paul continued by listing characteristics of character

Knowledge, self-control, godliness, and love for sure

We must try to increase these qualities as we live

Otherwise, we will become unfruitful and ineffective

In Acts sixteen, Paul had a vision and others followed

By working as a community,  we can share the load

Josh pointed out that this is a key in choosing a career

With a good team, we can do more for God without fear

We are all members of God’s house, per Ephesians two

Therefore bear in mind our specific role in all that we do

In summary, to get closer to Christ should be our creed

So both character and community are what we do need

David called to God in prayer, per Psalm one forty three

He was asking for protection from enemies plus mercy

6 March 2016 - ENCS

 Pastor Mark Chew was the guest preacher for Campus Sunday

“Change the campus, change the world” is what he did often say

He started his sermon by saying that campus ministry was actually fun

Fun is part of abundant life, which per John ten, comes from the Son

Campus ministry is also fulfilling, as various pictures we did view

The people we disciple bring us joy, per First Thessalonians two

We heard short testimonies from two of the younger generation

Both of the students provided insights, laughs, and a revelation

The first said that when God puts something into your heart

You must respond and honour Him, for that is doing your part

The second highlighted that our identity is as a child of God

The command to love our neighbours as ourselves got a nod

Campus ministry can get a bit messy, Pastor Mark did continue

Remember we all make mistakes in what we say and what we do

Perhaps most importantly, God’s heartbeat is in campus ministry

We should teach youth commandments, in Deuteronomy six we see 

In order to obey the Great Commission said in Matthew twenty eight

Older and younger generations must work together, without debate

One thing each one of us can do is to pray and pray again and again

There is danger in not sharing about God, per Judges two verse ten

With our words and actions, our walk should be a model for all

Per First Corinthians four, we should imitate Christ, as did Paul

Everyone needs a father, as intimated in First Corinthians eleven

Providing love, guidance, and instruction as did Christ from heaven

Sometimes to be a good father, it is important to first be a good son

Reconcile with our earthly and heavenly fathers for what we have done

In summary, the importance of campus ministry should be quite clear

For today’s youths will become tomorrow’s leaders in not many a year

15 February 2014 - Fruit of the Spirit (part two)

“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous”, says Psalm 33

For right, true, and faithful the Lord’s word will always be

And despite empty stalls and a harvest that was null

Habakkuk rejoiced and in God his Savior was joyful

“May the God of hope fill you all with joy and peace”

Per Romans fifteen, so hope will overflow and not cease

In Philippians four, from Paul’s pen and in his voice

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Do not be surprised at trials and sufferings and more

But rejoice, per verse thirteen of First Peter chapter four

Psalm 104 says “May the glory of the Lord endure forever”

“May the Lord rejoice in His works” that disappear never

“I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” it does say

And “may my meditation be pleasing to Him” every day

In Zephaniah three, despite destruction, he said not to fear

For the Lord took delight in Zion, which he held so dear

In Hebrews twelve, Paul said to persevere with our race

And to not lose heart but to fix our eyes on Jesus’ face

For “who for the joy set before him endured the cross”

As “the author and perfecter of our faith”, He bore the loss

In Numbers six, God told Moses how the Israelites to bless

“The Lord bless you and keep you” he did on them impress

“The Lord [will] turn his face toward you and give you peace”

He will “be gracious to you” and your blessings will increase

In verse one hundred sixty five of Psalm one hundred nineteen

“Great peace have they who love [God’s] law” is clearly seen

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast”

For per Isaiah twenty six, the Lord’s time is never passed

In John fourteen, Jesus said “Peace I leave with you”

Telling his disciples not to fear in anything they would do

In Philippians four, Paul said “do not be anxious about anything”

“But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving”

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding”

“Will guard your hearts and your minds” through everything

Per Colossians three, “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts”

Since all were to called to peace as one body with many parts

Per Psalm twenty nine, David’s love for God never did cease

For “The Lord gives strength” and “blesses his people with peace”

In Isaiah chapter nine, a child’s birth was foretold to one and all

The Mighty God and Prince of Peace will David’s throne reinstall

As a result, “of the increase of…peace there will be no end”

For from ongoing justice and righteousness He will not bend

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith”

“We have peace with God”, Romans chapter five saith

And per 1 Thessalonians chapter five verse twenty three

“May…the God of peace, sanctify…spirit, soul, and body”

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him”

“Do not fret when men” do evil and things look grim

Psalm thirty seven continues, “… and turn from wrath”

And “do not fret” for that only leads to an evil path

In Psalm forty, David said that he patiently did wait

God heard his cry and saved David from a bad fate

Proverbs fourteen says “a patient man has great understanding”

“But a quick-tempered man displays folly” in virtually everything

“Love is patient, love is kind” per 1 Corinthians thirteen

About patience in suffering, in James five is also seen

“Be patient…until the Lord’s coming” for there is nothing to fear

“Be patient and stand firm…because the Lord’s coming is near”

2 Peter three says “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise”

“He is patient” so believers should not doubt as did Thomas

God wants “everyone to come to repentance”, per verse nine

“The day of the Lord will come like a thief” says the next line

“And the earth and everything in it will be laid bare”

By living “holy and godly lives” we will not despair

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation"

This pearl of wisdom Paul also shared in many a quotation

29 November 2013 - Thanksgiving in the Bible

In the Bible there are many verses about Thanksgiving

Which are applicable for every day that we are living

 

We see in Nehemiah twelve verses forty six and forty seven

That the entire nation gave thanksgiving to God in heaven

In Psalm ninety five verses two and three

Again thanksgiving to God we do see

In First Corinthians one verses four and five, Paul did write

We should thank God for grace which makes all things right

In Second Corinthians four verses fifteen and sixteen

Grace leading more people to thanksgiving is seen

In Second Corinthians nine verses eleven and twelve

Into generosity and thanksgiving Paul did then delve

Later in Ephesians one verse fifteen and sixteen

Paul's never-ending thanksgiving to God is seen

In First Timothy four verses four and five

True thanksgiving we do not need to contrive

From First Chronicles sixteen verse thirty four

We should give thanks to God forever more

Psalms seven verse seventeen and twenty eight verse seven

Speak about giving thanks to our righteous Lord in heaven

Psalms one hundred verse four and one hundred six verse one

Talk of praising God for His name and all the things he has done

In Isaiah chapter twelve verse number four

Give thanks for God for his deeds of yore

In chapter thirty three verse eleven, Jeremiah does say

To give thanks to the Lord Almighty forever and a day

From First Thessalonians five verse eighteen

"Give thanks in all circumstances" is seen

 

We all have so much to be thankful for all the time

And that is one of the points of this simple rhyme

But more important than the "what" is the "who"

For God who deserves thanks our whole life through

 

I know and acknowledge that by God I have been blessed

Of course what His Son did for me outweighs all of the rest

But that does not deter me from giving thanks for other things

A loving family, caring friends, even the morning bird that sings

Being able to worship God without persecution fear

Having a house and food on the table year after year 

Dear God, please never let me get complacent about this

For to do so would be very ungrateful and of course remiss

 

So no matter where you may be living

I wish you a Happy Thanks-giving

15 April 2012 - ENCS

On "The Power of a Sanctified Life" Rachel Ong did talk
As we went through the seventh chapter of our Romans walk
She talked about newness of life versus the lust of the flesh
What we want to do and not do seem to intertwine and enmesh
The law is spiritual but we are carnal says verse fourteen
If we do not refocus on God daily, more sin is then seen
Rachel also touched on verses eighteen to twenty
Our sinful nature leads us from good to stray plenty
Which is why we read in 1 Thessalonians 5 : 23
That only God himself can sanctify us completely

Rachel then talked about man's three part whole
The exterior body, our inner spirit, and our soul
The body is a dwelling place, what people see
The soul has our mind, emotions, and personality
Our spirit is our identity so we need Jesus there
To fight temptation we need to reach out in prayer
Per 2 Corinthians 5, anyone in Christ is a creation new
Jesus came to make our bodies and souls true

The message that Rachel did then give
Is that to die to self is the only way to live
We each have our daily crosses to bear
About all of them, Jesus Christ is aware
The first step is to surrender our rights
So that sanctification can be in our sights
And then Rachel said, in her very next breath
We must put the "law of sin and death" to death

God can change our lives, making us a new creation
If we allow His Way to be our core foundation
But why does God let us struggle after that?
Because God loves us no matter where we're at
If we could kill sin in our lives once and for all
We wouldn't have needed Jesus to take the fall
We should humbly receive God's word per James 1:21
And delight in His Law, per Psalm number one

Remember that the rockiest soil produces the best wine
Because the grapes' strength comes from the vine
Jesus is our one true vine, per John chapter fifteen
So in the rockiest times, God's best fruit can be seen
All we need to do is to listen and abide
Not be discouraged, hopeless, or teary-eyed
We need to wait on Jesus in His time
That has been the point of many a rhyme

In summary, Rachel said with a spring
Is that sanctification leads to anointing

25 February 2011 - 1 Thessalonians 2:4,6

"On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God"
"To be entrusted with the gospel" is far from odd
"We are not trying to please people" any more
"But God, who tests our hearts", says verse four
"We were not looking for praise from people"
Even from those who worship under the steeple
For as His disciples, "we could have asserted our authority"
But we do not require or seek the plaudits of the majority

Dear God, thank you for this reminder
Let your Word be my direction finder
And even if their comments try to dissuade
Do not let my actions by others be swayed
For yours is the only acceptance that I need
So your will is what I will try to heed

11 January 2011 - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18

"Acknowledge those who work hard among you"
"Who care for you...and...admonish you" too
"Hold them in the highest regard in love"
"Because of their work" for God above
"Live in peace with each other"
"And we urge you," every Christian brother
To "warn those who are idle and disruptive", says verse fourteen
And "encourage the disheartened" and let your patience be seen
"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong"
"But always strive to do what" helps people get along
"Rejoice always, pray continually"
"Give thanks" for every eventuality
"For this is God’s will for you"
"In Christ Jesus" all the way through

The message here, from the pen of Paul
Is obviously applicable to us all
For me, every line is worth a mention
But my issue is not the comprehension
I have to consistently apply what I read
In every thought, every word, and every deed
So dear Jesus, help me do this today
For I know this is the only true way

1 August 2010 - ENCS

We heard a special sermon at ENCS today
From Guam the pastor was Mark Benavente
He started by referring to the movie "Inception"
And led us to the performance orientation
The need to be loved and the fear of rejection
Often result from a childhood predeliction
The focus on performance is driven by a false motive
That is not how God wants us to live
For to depression this cycle usually leads
As we can never meet all of other people's needs
By doing more and more, to the point of too much
A "new normal" is created that is out of touch
There is nothing we can do that can impress God
Remember that in his image we were put in our bod
Being a child of God is what He did presage
Jesus came to restore us to that image
From Proverbs, "as we think within ourselves, we are"
Many times, from good we think we are far
But 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says God will sanctify us
Our "whole spirit, soul, and body" without a fuss
Our body is what we are used to seeing
Ephesians 3:16 says our spirit is our inner being
And from 2 Corinthians 1 verse 22
God put his spirit in our hearts, that's true
Which is why Proverbs 4:23 (the first part)
Says that "above all else, guard your heart"

Satan has tried to destroy us over the years
Attacking our hearts with lies and fears
Making us believe that our hearts our bad
But reading Colossians 2:11 should make us glad
Romans 7:23 leads to Romans 8:10
Talking of the Holy Spirit living in us once again
This way we can avoid being like a Christmas tree
Only appearing to be alive, when death is clear to see
Sin dwells in our body but die it should
For God gave us a new heart which is good
Our heart and mind don't always work together
But God wants them to be attached with a tether

We must recognise sin, confess, and repent
Replace our old ways with new ones is what Pastor meant
And don't forget Titus 3 verse 5
Through God's righteousness, we are alive
God has changed our inner essence
He loves us completely, without any pretense

25 July 2010 - ENCS

Pastor Charles continued the series on "Praying Effectively"
His sermon "Pray Through Storms" applied collectively
Verses 23-27 of Matthew chapter eight
Tell of the disciples and a storm that would not abate
In the midst of the storm Jesus acted with aplomb
He woke up, rebuked the winds, and all was calm
Pastor rightly said that we cannot have storm-free lives
But we can be prepared when such a storm arrives

He started by asking "why do we pray?"
Since God knows everything every day
It may seem kind of strange
But prayer is a "vehicle of divine exchange"
Prayer is indicative of our relationship
About prayer Jesus gave us more than one tip
Pray daily, per Mark 1 verse 35
The flow, per Matthew 6 from verse 5
With his disciples, this knowledge Jesus did share
Because important decisions require prayer

Pastor then asked "why don't we pray about something only once?"
Especially since God remembers what we say, for he is no dunce
The key is that prayer changes us as well
God will answer our payers, Pastor did tell
So into our lives don't let storms cast any doubts
Beware for this is one of the enemy's favorite routes
As long as prayer comes from the heart it is good
To communicate with God, it is understood
And from James 5 verse sixteen
Pastor told us what fervent does mean
Our prayers should be "heated until boiling point"
And we know God's power will not disappoint

To Philippians 4: 6 Pastor then referred
"Do not be anxious" says the Word
And "the peace of God", the next verse starts
Will guard our minds and our hearts
In referring to storms whether seen or unseen
Pastor then turned to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice, pray, and give thanks in all things"
That is "in" not "for" the trouble that life brings

Pastor asked "how do we pray through the storms of life?"
Psalm 91 talks of God's cover through the strife
Matthew 7:24 says to build our house upon the Rock
Per Proverbs 12:7, the house of the righteous is of firm stock

Pastor went on to say we should not walk alone
We need the prayers of others when into storms we are thrown
We should not wait until the storm to develop a life of prayer
God will always hear us, because He doth care
But we will find it easier to hear
If we also pray in times of cheer
There is one final thought in our mind to keep
Jesus is in our boat and He is not asleep