15 October 2023 - ENCS

Pastor Joey today spoke on “The Heart-Eye Connection”

Per Matthew six, our eyes are like lamps giving direction

If our eyes are healthy, then our body will be full of light

If our eyes are unhealthy, our body will be dark like night

The biblical perspective is that values determine vision

So what, why, and how you see follows with precision

Social media algorithms reveal what our focus has been

If values are wrong, we see the wrong thins on screen

Vision is powerful, so the devil wants to take it away

The eye is the lamp of the body, Matthew six does say

Per Proverbs twenty nine, without vision, people perish

In Jeremiah twenty nine, God’s promises are not bearish

Joey concluded with how to have a healthy vision 

Pray unceasingly, as Daniel did when facing a decision

Always meditate on God’s word as per Philippians four

And fellowship with God’s people, find a good mentor

In other words, treat the ENCS mantra as a big tip

Always PMPF - Pray, Meditate, Proclaim, Fellowship

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

19 February 2023 - ENCS

Pastor Josh continued the “What is Church” series today

Church is one body in Christ, Romans twelve does say

God sets us as He pleases per First Corinthians twelve

Into what this means for us, Pastor Josh did then delve

All we do is for the glory of God, per First Corinthians ten

First Corinthians three says Jesus is the foundation, amen

Paul also said faith should be based on the power of God

So to mere human wisdom we should never give the nod

The people who know their God, per Daniel chapter eleven

Will be strong and do great exploits with power from heaven

Second Timothy two says to be strong in Christ’s grace

This will inevitable lead to action points in our earthly race

Social responsibility is referenced in Jeremiah twenty two

Per Acts thirteen, applying our unique gifts in what we do

"Serving the city" can be also be stated as bringing good 

By helping the poor, needy, and downtrodden in the hood

In summary, Josh said church has three foundations

Missional: socially responsible, generations, nations

Spiritual: Honour God, Christ-centred, Spirit power

Relational: family, cultural and faceted every hour

7 May 2017 - ENCS

About Genesis chapter three, Pastor Josh did speak today

Our physical beings will all die, verse nineteen does say

Adam then called his wife Eve, the mother of all the living

It is not clear if this was arrogance of for their sin misgiving

A spectrum about faith, Pastor Josh did with us then share

We need to balance both trust and diligence, not doctrinaire

One extreme leads to skepticism, the other to negligence

We should read God’s word for wisdom, not just intelligence

Per Acts seventeen, we must receive His word with eagerness

And always rely on it for guidance, Pastor Josh did stress

Turning back to Genesis three, per verse number twenty one

God showed grace despite what Adam and Eve had done

He made garments of animal skin for each of them to wear

So they would not be embarrassed by their bodies bare

More importantly, this parallels God covering us with grace

Protecting us from the death that us sinners should face

The righteousness of God, per Romans three twenty one

Is manifested apart from the law for believers bar none

We should always remember that we all sin and fall short

That we need the Spirit is something we should not distort

We are so valuable to God that He sent His Son to die

This divine forbearance actually benefits both you and I

God needed to be just but He wanted to extend mercy

Jesus paid the price so that from our sin we are now free

For that we should not be proud, per verse twenty seven

Instead we should give all credit to Jesus in heaven

Due to the Spirit, we are empowered to differently live

Allowing God to change us and love to others give

Per Daniel nine, based on God’s mercy we should pray

The righteous do live by faith, Romans one does say

By continually pursuing God, our lives get transformed

In this way, hearts of many others will also be warmed

Josh once again shared four steps that help us equip

We should pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship

4 December 2016 - ENCS

Pastor Josh started a new series "Christmas Scene Investigation”

Matthew two details the birth of Jesus, who came as our salvation

The Magi likely came from Babylon, as presaged in Daniel four

They followed a star, as has oft been recounted in songs of yore

King Herod had rebuilt the temple even grander and had a big plan

But he was disturbed and did not want the baby to become a man

The people of Jerusalem were also afraid of any type of change

When Jesus comes into our lives, it might also feel a bit strange

For the Jews, they did not want to get their hopes too elevated

Similarly for us after a good time of worship, Josh then stated

Herod asked the Magi to report back so he could worship the boy

Although what he really wanted to do was Jesus’ life to destroy

A principle is that you will not find what you are not looking for

Herod was looking to protect his power and position, nothing more

But God spoke to the Magi who ignored Herod’s designs uncouth

Fortunately, God leads and guides those in search of the truth

The Magi brought gold for a king and frankincense for worship

And were also prompted to bring myrrh for their extended trip

For myrrh is an embalming herb, as per John chapter nineteen

So from the time of Jesus’ birth, his death for us was foreseen

Even if we don't understand, we should obey God all of our days

For remember, God’s ways are always higher than our ways

An encounter with Jesus will change our life’s direction

As Christ represents omnipresent truth, love, and perfection

Josh asked what are we looking for and who is guiding us

Along with what is our goal and are we willing to obey Jesus

Josh again highlighted four steps to help us on our life's trip

To pray, to meditate, to preach, and to engage in fellowship

6 July 2014 : The Promise of Jesus' Coming

In Isaiah forty nine, his praises were very wise

For he knew that he was honored in God’s eyes

The tribes of Jacob, God promised to restore

Bringing them back to where they were before

For the Gentiles, He will also make a light

His salvation would outshine any blight

God also promised His people, in Micah five

That from Bethlehem, a ruler would come alive

Israel would be abandoned until that time

But the ruler’s powers would be sublime

The people will then be able to live securely

For all the earth will His greatness then see

The prophet had a vision one night, per Daniel seven

He saw the son of man coming down from heaven

The son of man approached The Ancient of Days

And was given all authority and therefore praise

With sovereign power, God did Him equip

All people and nations did Him then worship

His dominion is everlasting and will not pass away

His Kingdom cannot be destroyed, forever it will stay

God used to speak through prophets, per Hebrews one

But later He sent His heir, His only begotten Son

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory…and being”

He provided purification from sin, for all so freeing

And now He sits in heaven by God’s right hand

“Superior to the angels”, we all now understand

Based on "The One Minute Bible Day by Day"

So far, the Old Testament I have tried to convey

More than two hundred stanzas are now complete

The underlying stories are of course not obsolete

But now onto the New Testament I endeavor to go

In the hope that my knowledge continues to grow

Please pray that I manage to find rhyme after rhyme

I hope that you will enjoy them, if you have the time

1 June 2014 - Daniel Reads the Writing on the Wall

“King Belshazzar gave a great banquet”, per Daniel five

He served wine in gold goblets when the guests did arrive

Although from the temple in Jerusalem the goblets came

They praised “the gods of silver and gold” all the same

Then “suddenly the fingers of a human hand” did appear

“And wrote…on the wall,” leading the king to greatly fear

None of his wise men could decipher what the hand did write

So the great king became filled with more terror and fright

The queen came into the hall and said not to be alarmed

For she knew of a man who with great insight was armed

For Belshazzar’s father, Daniel interpreted many a dream

So could thus determine the writing’s meaning and theme

“Daniel was brought before the king” and promised riches

He said Belshazzar’s father had gotten too big for his britches

This arrogance and pride are what led to his big downfall

Yet Belshazzar was doing the same in the banquet hall

By praising the gods of silver and gold and the like

He did not honor God who had the power to strike

So God’s hand wrote “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin”

Meaning that a big mess Belshazzar was now in

His days were numbered, Daniel then confided

His kingdom to his enemies would be divided

And “that very night Belshazzar…was slain”

Darius the Mede thus began his lengthy reign

25 November 2013 - Name Above All Names

Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson wrote a book

Their "Name Above All Names" is worth a look

The title refers to Philippians two verse nine

In the center of a favorite passage of mine

The authors identify attributes numbering seven

Which characterize Jesus who came from heaven

 

"The seed of the woman" is the first

He came to defeat the serpent cursed

This is clear in Genesis three verse fifteen

In 1 John three verse eight this is also seen

 

"The true prophet" is the second

Through Jesus, God beckoned

Per verse 25 and 26 of John chapter 4

In Hebrews 1:1-2 we read some more

 

"The great high priest" is the third

Seated on the throne of grace we heard

And per Hebrews four from verse fourteen

Anything we face, Jesus has felt and seen

 

"The conquering king" is the fourth

A lowly donkey belied Jesus' worth

In John 12:15 and Luke 1:33

This reference we clearly see

 

"The Son of Man" is the fifth

That Jesus said this is not a myth

It was foretold in Daniel 7 verse thirteen

In Mark 8:31 his suffering was foreseen

 

"The suffering servant" is number six

Taking His Father's cup he did not nix

Isaiah 53:3-5 speaks of Jesus being afflicted

Luke 22:42-44 confirms what was predicted

 

"The Lamb on the throne" is the last

Jesus died to atone for our sinful past

John 1:29 mentions the Lamb that came to earth

In Revelations 5, only He is deemed to have worth

 

There is really nothing else that I can add

These seven attributes make me very glad

Without Him, I would pay the price for my fall

I am thankful that Jesus came to save us all

11 August 2013 - ENCS

Aptly, as we just concluded the National Day celebration

Gerald Giam spoke on "How righteousness exalts a nation"

 

His main text was Proverbs fourteen verse thirty four

He referred to other passages, but this was the core

"Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a disgrace"

That decides whether a smile or frown is on God's face

Per Amos 5:12, God knows how great our sins are

Whether they occur at home, in the office, or afar

Righteousness is living a life that honours God

Even when nobody is watching, however odd

In Daniel's three friends, righteousness was seen

As told in Daniel chapter three, from verse sixteen

In Daniel six verse five, Daniel of course did the same

Refusing to worship the king, as God he would defame

 

Gerald then talked about being raised high when we exalt

As contrasted with being condemned when sin is our fault

In Deuteronomy 28:1-5, this promise by God was conveyed

Obey God's commands and His blessings will then cascade

This can be seen in today's world, Gerald did point out

Corrupt countries prosper less, of that there is no doubt

Righteous laws and social equality bring similar rewards

Prosperity and growth are blessings God then accords

 

In Isaiah 42:6, into righteousness God does us call

He wants us to be a beacon of light for one and all

We need to stand up in our community and workplace

Bestowing on others righteousness, care, and grace

Democracy reflects the will of the people, good or bad

So about elected officials, we should not be happy or sad

He then referred to Second Chronicles seven verse fourteen

God's people should humble themselves and pray, it is seen

To Proverbs, chapter twenty nine verse two, he did return

If wicked people rule a nation, there is cause for concern

As a church, we need to speak up, as per Esther 4: 14

If we are silent too long, bad things are too often seen

 

Gerald said we each operate within a given sphere

We can most influence those to whom we are near

That is where we are called to advance his righteousness

Our family, colleagues, neighbours, and friends we can bless

He referred to Martin Luther King's comments on wrong vs right

Who said that for a nation, a righteous leader must be the light

Regardless of whether something is not popular, politic, or safe

A good leader must do the right thing, even if to many it does chafe

 

In summary, from Matthew chapter five verse six Gerald did quote

"Blessed are those who hunger for righteousness" Jesus did note

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

19 September 2010 - ENCS

From Brisbane, Cityspring Live made a long trip
To lead us in a rousing time of praise and worship
Then Pastor Larry used Ephesians 6 verse ten
As part of the "Be The Church" series again
If to the Lord we really belong
Then we are assured of being strong
As we read in Daniel 11 verse thirty two
He stayed strong in God rather than be untrue
God told Joshua to be strong and courageous
Before entering the promised land - how outrageous
Pastor also referred to Acts 19:11-12
And into Paul's deeds he did delve
Following on in verses thirteen and fifteen
Speaking of our faith has the enemy seen?
With God we must have a relationship
Per Philippians 3:14, us He will then equip
Then our strength can face all conditions
And thwart all the enemy's ambitions
In the same way, per Ephesians 6:11
We need the full armor of God from heaven
If any of the pieces we do lack
The enemy will scheme and attack
From Galatians five verses nineteen to twenty one
The list of our sinful nature was just begun
But per 1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Thanks to God, we have a victory great
Remember not to trade the truth for a lie
Doing so may lead to strength going bye-bye
And don't worship the creation instead of the Creator
That will only lead to punishment later
Going back to Ephesians chapter six
Verses 14-17 list our weapons to fix
Truth, righteousness, faith, and peace
Salvation and the word of God shall never cease
Salvation for us is not a one time event
Every day, we must affirm our intent
For if God's love we do accept
Then God's promises will be kept
It is notable that Ephesians 6 verse 18
Says the same as 1 Corinthians 16:13
Stand firm, be alert, be strong, and pray
This is what Paul said to do every day