17 June 2016 - Burning Hearts

On Friday, the Burning Hearts conference was blessed by Francis Chan

All were moved by the powerful words and testimony of this great man

A picture of a large army came to him before he spoke to the big crowd

He then said that people in God’s army should be fearless, never cowed

Francis highlighted the story of Gideon in Judges chapters six and seven

Gideon's army of thirty two thousand was too large, said God in heaven

Asking those who “trembled with fear" to leave led to the first reduction

In Numbers, only two were fearless, surviving by obeying God’s instruction

Francis pointed out that with affluence, the church often struggles to thrive

This is probably because riches and comfort tend to our courage deprive

In Matthew twenty four, Jesus voiced a warning about love growing cold

Reminding believers that no matter the environment, we must stay bold

Per Hebrews twelve verse twelve, Jesus suffered outside the city gate

We should also not fear being unpopular and rejected, Francis did state

Jesus went through temptations, challenges, and a very unjust process

We should follow Him rather than crowds, and in doing so be fearless

For going with the flow and the popular way does not give us true life

In fact we must lose our life in order to find it amidst this earthly strife

Regarding the challenges of affluence, Francis turned to First Timothy six

Paul said not to put hope in wealth, but that to God our eyes should fix

Living for God leads to good works as well as a generous spirit and heart

Remembering that it is more blessed to give than to receive is a good start

Similarly, Christian thinking should be focused not on one’s self but on others

We should treat everyone as well as we treat our own sisters and brothers

Paul said that power comes from prayer, per Ephesians chapter three

For motivation comes not from external factors but from the Spirit Holy

If our thoughts, words, and actions are rooted and grounded in love

We will be walking in accordance with the desires of our Lord above

In summary, Francis asked the congregation what we want to be known for

Go beyond being great leaders, parents, and businessmen, he did implore

For it is far better to be filled with the fullness of God and follow His way

Even if that means challenging the popular political correctness every day

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

16 March 2014 - Deborah Samson and the Judges (part two of two)

Yet again “the Israelites did evil” that God too often had seen

God delivered them into Philistine hands, per Judges thirteen

Then to a sterile woman, an angel of the Lord did one day appear

She would have a son, but from unclean foods she must stay clear

The boy would be a Nazirite; “no razor may be used on his head”

“He will begin the deliverance of Israel” is what the angel said

So “the woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson”

“The Lord blessed him” with strength that could not be outdone

The Spirit of the Lord stirred in him more than in his peers

Samson subsequently led the Israelites for twenty years

In Judges sixteen, with Delilah Samson did later fall in love

The Philistines asked her to find out his secret from above

They promised her lots of silver for this valuable information

For then they would subdue the leader of the Israelite nation

He said that seven fresh undried strings would do the trick

She did this but he snapped out of them with a mere flick

Samson was thus able to ward of the Philistine threat

“So the secret of his strength was not discovered” yet

After three such instances, Delilah got angry with Samson

And said that was no way to treat a supposed loved one

“So he told her everything”, that his hair had never been cut

He was finally telling her the truth, she then knew in her gut

By doing this, Samson has disobeyed God’s commands

So the Philistine rulers returned with silver in their hands

His head was shaved and his strength then disappeared

The Philistines gouged Samson’s eyes out and they jeered

The Philistines offered a sacrifice and started to celebrate

People wanted to see Samson perform in his feeble state

They did not realize that his hair had started to grow back

And that Samson then prayed to God for one final attack

So in between two pillars of the temple Samson stood

He then pushed them with all the strength that he could

The temple thus came down, crushing many a Philistine

In the end, Samson’s love for the Lord proved genuine

16 March 2014 - Deborah, Samson, and the Judges (part one)

Per Judges two, the people served the Lord for a generation

But then nobody had seen what God had done for the nation

“Then the Israelites did evil” and the Baals they did serve

God’s anger was provoked when these acts he did observe

Whenever they went to fight, they did not have his blessing

So they were defeated all the time, it was quite distressing

“Then the Lord raised up judges”, who did the people save

But as soon as a judge died, evil ways again they did crave

The people became “even more corrupt” than in earlier days

Refusing “to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways”

“After Ehud died, the Israelites again did evil” in God’s eyes

So the Lord sold them; being made slaves was their demise

After twenty years, the people cried out to God in distress

Per Judges four, Israel was led by Deborah the prophetess

She sent for Barak and told him what God did command

That he should take ten thousand men from their land

God promised to deliver Sisera and his troops to be killed

Barak refused, not trusting that God’s plan would be fulfilled

Deborah said she would accompany the fearful man that day

“The Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman”, she did then say

To Barak, Deborah said “has not the Lord gone ahead of you?”

Per Judges four, she told him what he was supposed to do

Sisera and his chariots and army, the Lord did then rout

While his army was being decimated, Sisera bailed out

He fled on foot to the tent of Jael, who invited him in

Jael then gave Sisera milk and covered him with a skin

As he slept, she took a tent peg and a hammer inside

Jael “drove the peg through his temple…and he died”

27 October 2013 - ENCS

From Nashville, Pastor Kevin Yorke made a long trip

He spoke to us today on the topic of leadership

The world faces many leadership crises, Kevin did say

Leadership involves being a catalyst for change every day

We can be catalysts for both physical and spiritual change

Especially in those places which have some values strange

 

He referred to the book of Judges and Deborah

She was a unique judge who is viewed with awe

The Israelites cried to the Lord for help one year

Because Sisera's oppression had them living in fear

Commandments from God she did the mighty Barak instruct

But due to a lack of faith, true leadership and honor he ducked

She accompanied Barak to battle, but with him was quite candid

Deborah prophesied that to a woman Sisera would be handed

This shows that God often chooses unlikely people to lead

There are many examples of this in the Bible we do read

 

The first step of being a leader, Pastor did not make us guess

He said that God taps us because we are going to say yes

Nonetheless, he said, it is never easy to lead

But God is there, just waiting for us to proceed

This is in contrast to several of the Israelite tribes

Whose unwillingness to fight led to Deborah's jibes

Pastor added that when leaders lead, not all will follow

When we say yes, we will be let down by some we know

 

But when we lead and are in trouble, God will intervene

As with rain that stopped Sisera's chariots in that scene

Godly leaders will give God the glory, as a matter of course

And give credit to others, even if they were a weak force

 

By saying yes to God, we are chosen to lead

The talents He has given us are all we need

7 August 2011 - ENT

At Every Nation Tallahassee Pastor Ron did speak
Into 'why is there pain and suffering' we did peek
The relevance for me was extremely high
It was part of an ongoing series entitled 'why?'

For suffering can lead to a questioning of faith
Which is somewhat natural, Pastor did sayeth
Before looking at suffering, pleasure we must assess
Miserable is the pursuit of happiness, many do profess
Look at Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Although with much wisdom he was blessed from heaven
"Pleasures are meaningless" he did rightly conclude
"What have I accomplished?" he asked and rued
"Nothing was gained" is what Solomon did say
Even though he pursued pleasure every day

Modern examples include those who win the lottery
Many of their lives were destroyed, we can see
Financial problems, death, and lots of unhappiness
Their bank accounts had more but they had less

Pastor Ron then referred to his favorite show
To The Lion King movie and musical he did go
"Hakuna matata" means "no worries, be carefree"
But this is a rather purpose-less philosophy
Simba eventually finds his life's purpose true
He then returned and did what he had to do

Pleasure, not pain, will destroy our culture is has been said
This country needs to regain its puritan work ethic instead
We must take responsibility and use our God-given gift
By blessing others with our talents, we serve to uplift

Pastor then referred to Judges 7 verses one to seven
How Gideon was victorious, thanks to God in heaven
God used how men drank to distinguish and separate
Those who knelt were distracted and did not concentrate
We need to identify legitimate pleasures in the same way
In the context of our God's plan for our life, Pastor did say

He then referred to Susanna Wesley, nineteen children's mother
Including the itinerant pastor John and Charles his musical brother
It is well worth remembering her definition of sin
As it helps focus us even when operating in a din
"Anything that increases the power of the flesh" she apparently said
Is sinful if it affects the Spirit and detracts us from serving God instead

And then before we approached the communion table
We remembered that Christ's suffering was not a fable
And the significance of why Christ for us did die
Was the removal of sin for both you and I
And sticking with the topic of suffering
God can relate to whatever our lives bring
For He suffered more than we ever might do
Despite having no sin, not even a few
And suffering can help us to others relate
Which can help with the Commission Great
We find that our defining moment is often the one
That was a challenge, not some good time done

Suffering, therefore, Pastor Ron did say to us
Is about redemption, significance, and purpose
This sermon reminded me of Romans 5:3-5
A very inspirational verse while I am alive