6 January 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Larry asked how we can start the new year right

The Lord sitting on a throne, from Isaiah six he did cite

Isaiah forty says God is everlasting and understanding

God gives us strength, tough situations not withstanding

"Hurry is a great enemy of spiritual life", per Dallas Willard

Pastor declared “The Power of the Wait” we should guard

Pastor’s first point was “Wait is silent reflection prayer” 

Per Psalm sixty two, David knew God always did care

Daniel, Paul, and others relied on God as their rock

We should do likewise, so we can withstand any shock

“Be still and know that I am God”, per Psalm forty six

Per Romans twelve, patience and consistency do mix

“Wait for the praise of power” was his point number two

In Acts one, the disciples were told what they should do

To wait for the Holy Spirit and then receive God’s power

Thanks to that, Peter then preached for many an hour

The Spirit will give life to our bodies, per Romans eight

And prayer can impact self and others without debate

"Waiting Brings Change” was the final point Pastor made

Per Isaiah forty, with the Lord we should not be afraid

Psalm ninety one says God is our refuge and fortress

Per Matthew eleven, with rest He will the weary bless

Rejoice always and pray with thanks, per Philippians four

The peace of God guards our hearts, minds, and more

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

26 March 2017 - ENCS

Temptation was initially introduced in verse one of Genesis three

But it can be overcome in First Corinthians chapter ten we do see

Remember that the enemy’s lie is designed to look like the truth

To refute it, just compare to the Bible, whether an adult or youth

Note that per Matthew twenty four and Second Corinthians eleven

False prophets appear and Satan looks like an angel from heaven

The devil’s "weapons of mask deception" tempted Adam and wife

They were desires of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life

Desires of the flesh include morals, character, and self-control

But if we wrestle with God, He can change our innermost soul

Lust of the eyes affected many including both David and Samson

After his atonement, David penned Psalm one hundred and one

Pride of life is how Lucifer fell and how he often attacks our heart

Per First John three, not letting people deceive us is a good start

When in doubt, we should go back to the truth, for in apt summary

John chapter eight thirty one states that the truth will set us free

1 January 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Larry spoke about “The Slingshot Effect” today

As we start a new year, encouraging words he did say

Per First Corinthians fifteen verses fifty seven and eight

We are to give thanks to God, Paul did resolutely state

For no matter what struggles or obstacles we may face

Our work for God is never in vain thanks to His grace

“Do not fret” in Psalm thirty seven King David did write

Nor should we envy those who act in ways not upright

For per Psalm one hundred and eighteen verse seven

We will triumph over enemies thanks to God in heaven

In Ephesians four, Paul repeated a similar exhortation

We should let Christ, not our worrying, be our foundation

Pastor Matsuwaki's first message for us we did then hear

For twenty seventeen, remember “this year, crush fear”

Returning to Psalm thirty seven, in God we should trust

By committing our ways to Him, His actions will be just

None of God’s promises ever fail, per Joshua twenty two

All enemies will be defeated for the Lord's Word is true

Pastor Larry’s second message to us was no less bold

“This year, determine to trust in God” we were told

And per Psalm thirty seven verses twenty three and four

If God delights in our ways, He will uphold us for sure

Pastor Matsuwaki then told us to do something different

“This year, build a closer walk with God” with intent

For in order to grow our faith, Pastor Larry did state

We must focus on our walk with God to reinvigorate

In conclusion, struggles and troubles we will all face

Like Apollo Thirteen and its challenges in outer space

The astronauts, like David, used a slingshot approach

We should see God working in our lives like a coach

Pastor said that last year’s hardships did us prepare

To experience greater things this year - if we dare!

29 May 2016 - ENCS

Pastor Larry brought the series on the book of Acts to an end

There is power in one prayer and one message, he did contend

And there is clearly power of the gospel in this world of selfies

For when shared, the gospel can change lives with great ease

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, per Romans one sixteen

For the gospel is the power of God for salvation of all, it is seen

Peter and the centurion Cornelius were at the core of Acts ten

Cornelius may have been the one about whom Luke did pen

Devout, generous, God-fearing, and prayerful per verse two

We should not look at appearances but on what people do

Pastor Larry then said that the gospel builds faith to pray

Which then reminds us of the power of praying every day

From verse nine, Peter had a vision telling him to eat everything

Which was God’s way of telling him that to tradition not to cling

God said “do not call anything impure that God has made clean”

For sharing the gospel with Gentiles is what He really did mean

Pastor Larry then highlighted that the gospel trumps tradition

The gospel is available to everyone, for God has no predisposition

In the next part, we are reminded about Peter and the number three

Cornelius sent three men and the vision three times Peter did see

Linking to his denials and Jesus’ reinstatement in John twenty one

For God prepares us for the future as he repairs what we have done

Pastor Larry then stated that the gospel heals our broken past

So once we accept the gospel, there is no reason to be downcast

Peter spoke to a large group of people, starting with verse thirty four

God’s message and the Holy Spirit are for everyone, he did implore

This is why believers have been charged with the Great Commission

Because in God’s ideal world, there should not be a single omission

Pastor Larry concluded by saying that the gospel is to be preached

That is the only way the good news can be shared with the unreached

28 February 2016 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued the series on “Heart of the Matter”

About spiritual parenting, from a child’s first pitter patter

There are lots of struggles and even panic for every parent

But through it all, the joy received is of course heaven sent

“Wake Up and Raise Up” was the title of tonight’s sermon

Whether to raise sons or monuments is for us to determine

The Corinthian church wanted knowledge more and more

Paul rebuked them for not sharing, per First Corinthians four

Similarly, if we do not share, we end up building monuments

Larry said focusing on raising kids makes much more sense

He then focused on King David, a man after God’s own heart

Unfortunately, for a long time, as a father he did not do his part

Per Second Samuel three, he had six sons from six different wives

Chapters thirteen and eighteen tell how messed up were their lives

David knew what was going on, then got angry and even cried

But correcting their bad behaviour is not something that he tried

Of course David did not have a good earthly role model father

He was shunned by brothers and even King Saul did not bother

So David loved God dearly but still needed to make some change

Which came about after he and Nathan had a strong exchange

David wrote Psalm sixty eight, as God is father to the fatherless

This is a critical point which Pastor Larry took pains to express

But as can be clearly seen in both Proverbs four and twenty two

With Solomon, as a spiritual father David now knew what to do

He provided instruction from the Lord God as well as discipline

And in First Kings two, David provided guidance to his next-of-kin

Telling Solomon to act like a man and to always God above obey

Then he would be successful in all his efforts, so David did say

In conclusion, Pastor said that to God the Father we can look

For His guidance is worth far more than any self-help book

Elijah wanted to connect fathers and sons, per Malachi four

Or else a complete destruction of the land would be in store

He then showed a trailer from the movie entitled “War Room”

We should pray to God for others we can rescue from doom

20 December 2015 - ENCS

The “Christmas Foretold” series today Pastor Larry did complete

But the key messages from the last two weeks he first did repeat

Isaiah chapter nine verse six talked of Immanuel, God is with us

Isaiah chapter fifty three verse five spoke of how God saves us

Today’s message of “God anoints us” was from Isaiah sixty one

In Luke four, Jesus said it was fulfilled, in other words it was done

Pastor Larry said that as believers we are anointed to proclaim

Sharing the good news with the poor in spirit should be our aim

Luke chapter two said angels brought "good news of great joy"

“For all the people” so that the enemy our God can fully destroy

That Jesus fulfilled more than three hundred fifty prophecies

Defies all odds of random occurrence, per lots of analyses

In John chapter one, about Jesus did John the Baptist speak

That Jesus would take away the world’s sins, rather mystique

The word of testimony, per Revelations twelve verse eleven

Needs to declare Jesus is Lord, seated with God in heaven

From the Old Testament, proclaiming good tidings we do see

Bringing joy as per First Chronicles sixteen verse twenty three

Pastor Larry said that as believers we are anointed to heal

God mends broken hearts and bones, Isaiah does reveal

To those from broken homes and families, we should reach out

Per First Peter two, words from Jesus can heal, have no doubt

So that he could help so many others, Peter himself was healed

Per Acts three, great power in his words Peter did then wield

Pastor then said God answers us the minute He hears our prayer

We may need to wait, but that does not mean He does not care

Like when the wise men brought Jesus gold, incense, and myrrh

The lengthy and arduous two year journey did not serve to deter

Pastor Larry said that as believers we are anointed to love

Because He loves us so, to earth Jesus came from above

Likewise, in this dark world we are each to be a shining light

Such a love revolution can assuredly make this world right

John thirteen verse thirty five says we are to love one another

For this shows that in Jesus, we are each a Christian brother

Per First John three, we have been called to do God’s work

The fact that God’s glory appears in us is a wonderful perk

In conclusion, we are anointed to proclaim, heal, and love

For these are instructions from our dear Lord God above

19 July 2015 - ENCS

About personalising revivals, Pastor Larry did today talk

We can’t bring revivals to others unless we do the walk

A revival happens when there is an urgent hunger for God

To Acts chapter two verse seventeen, Pastor gave a nod

For the Holy Spirit is available to everyone on this earth

Proving that in God’s eyes, we all have the same worth

The story of Jonah, in Matthew twelve Jesus did use

Jonah’s personal revival followed a change in his views

But what caused Jonah to turn from rebellion to right

In the whale’s dark belly, he repented and saw the light

In Jonah chapter two, his transformation we clearly see

On the topic “Faith Is Rising”, Larry shared lessons three

The first lesson is that our situation we must RECOGNISE

As Jonah did, seeing his hellish existence with his own eyes

For this recognition forces a change in our perspective

Which brings about a revival, a change in how we live

The Bible is full of such instances, Pastor Larry did tell

Referring to Isaiah fifty nine and Acts chapter two as well

He said that God sometimes puts us through times tough

So that we can be ready and be armed with the right stuff

The second lesson is that we must REPENT of our sin

To do this, we must first hate our sin from deep within

Otherwise, we will continue to give in to temptation

Dulling our sensitivity to God, leading to separation

No temptation is too great for Jesus to overcome

When we resist the devil, from us he will flee from

The third lesson is that we must RESPOND to our Lord

Salvation comes from Him, a fact that cannot be ignored

If we do not know the Bible, many problems can arise

For it is full of the absolute truth, and contains no lies

Very importantly, on the cross Jesus did die for our sake

Our words can also a big impact on many others make

In summary, revival starts with us, and is never fully done

Pastor closed by reading Romans eight verse thirty one

19 April 2015 - ENCS

The "Serve Nations" series Pastor Larry Matsuwaki did continue

In terms of reaching nations, the church takes on a world view

To support the Great Commission, each person has a different role

Some people go or fund, but about those who pray Pastor did extol

He mentioned that Singapore is hosting many events of prayer

Jesus' life and ministry revolved around prayer, he did share

This is why Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them to pray

And why the enemy attacks our prayers, Pastor did then say

 

In Matthew twenty one, Jesus said the temple was a house of prayer

But the moneychangers and merchants turned it into a robber's lair

Jesus was a passionate prayer warrior who prayed for many others

For people of all backgrounds and situations, not just His brothers

 

Pastor Larry said that in terms of types of prayer, there are two

First is personal prayer, which is something we all tend to do

There is nothing wrong with asking for things, per Philippians four

Which also says that prayer should push anxiety out the door

But if or perhaps when our prayers are not immediately answered

Questioning God leads to doubt and uncertainty, which is absurd

For blessed are those who keep the faith without understanding

To our knowledge that "God is still God", we should always cling

It is natural at times to complain about the situation we may be in

Per Second Corinthians twelve, even Paul expressed his chagrin

But God responded to Paul that His "grace is sufficient for you"

But also that the Lord knows exactly what we are going through

 

Pastor said that the second type of prayer is prayer for the nations

Group prayer is very powerful and establishes strong foundations

God told the Jews to pray for peace and prosperity for their captor

Per the words in verse seven of Jeremiah, the twenty ninth chapter

For God had great plans for His nation, filled with hope and a future

By praying and knowing God better, they could their troubles endure

Similarly, we should pray for those who God has thrust into our life

That is how to others around the world we show love and avoid strife

28 December 2014 - ENCS

At ENCS on this last Sunday of the 2014 year

A double message from pastors we did hear

First from Pastor Larry, who the year did recap

Focusing on positives allowing energy to tap

We cannot put God in a box, Pastor did then say

When we come together, nothing can get in our way

He implored us to 'dream together' for Singapore's jubilee

Believe, intercede, and grow BIG, so success we will see

 

Then Pastor Arnie spoke on Philippians chapter three

In verse fourteen, the words goal and prize we do see

He said our goal for the year comes from verse eight

To draw near and know God, the reward is so great

He referred to Psalm 145:18 and John four twenty four

Of course the Bible is full of similar passages many more

God's Positioning System directs our life's path

Ensuring we get His blessing instead of His wrath

If we try to know, gain, be in, and be like Christ

At the end of life, it will have more than sufficed

 

Arnie then spoke about winning the prize

A life fully committed to God never dies

It is about disciple-making discipleship

To commit and submit helps us to equip

Jesus is our Savior and Lord so we will never lack

But as disciples, we must move forward not back

As Henrichsen said, "destroy avenues of retreat"

For then we can ensure that the enemy we defeat

In conclusion, we can press on and win the prize

For Jesus paid the price and from death did arise

30 November 2014 - ENCS

The Redemption Stories series was continued by Pastor Mark Chew

He said we all have stories, some that are old and some that will be new

God is actually redeeming us, per Philippians chapter one

Our picture and story reflect our response to what is done

More often with others, our stories we should share

That is one way we can show God that we do care

Luke chapter twelve warns us against covetousness

The rich man planned for more but ended up with less

 

Pastor Mark's goal was to have a condo and cars three

Looking back, he realizes just how foolish that would be

The phrase 'full time' was planted in his brain

If he loved God so much, the answer was plain

God's gifts are irrevocable, per Romans eleven

Mark tried to bargain with our God in heaven

But he felt no peace, so he decided to take the leap

In his first church job, the learning curve was steep

 

Similarly, God has already called each and every one

We might have to give up dreams or even some fun

But per Psalm thirty one, in God we should trust

Pursuing God's dream with excitement is a must

For if to God we say yes and serve full time

He will not shortchange us by even a dime

 

Full time takes various forms, Pastor Larry did say

It does not mean being in the church every day

But whether in church or in the marketplace

On God's plans, our actions we must base

2 November 2014 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued the series entitled "Redemption Stories"

Redemption saves us from sin, enabling us to receive God's glories

Because Jesus redeemed us so we can have life eternal

Changed should be our lives, both internal and external

Pastor then read from Revelations twelve verse eleven

The exiled John heard these words, directly from heaven

"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb" we did see

And then, as importantly "by the word of their testimony"

The enemy wants us to feel defeated and facing damnation

But God says we are victors, not victims, in every situation

 

By the blood of Jesus, Pastor Larry said we can overcome

Jesus' sacrifice was required, so we should be far from glum

We have all sinned and fall short, per Romans chapter three

The penalty should be death, in Romans six we clearly see

But per Hebrews nine, we have now secured redemption

Our sins are forgiven, so from death we have exemption

Isaiah fifty three prophesied that by His stripes we are healed

So when we claim victory, the enemy will be scared and yield

 

We also overcome by the work of our testimony, Pastor did say

Per Colossians one, God has rescued us out of harm's way

Since we live in freedom, we all have a testimony to share

They can encourage others who may be feeling despair

Redemption stories were then shared by Alymark and Marisol

About how they escaped troubled pasts, they both did tell

Pastor Larry referenced Psalm one hundred twenty four

And told of man who paid to release a bird out a cage door

Similarly, Jesus loves each of us so much that he gladly died

After living an earthly life that still acts for us as a perfect guide

He effectively opens our individual cages and lets us go

In return we should tell our testimonies instead of lying low

 

By not loving our lives is the third way that we can overcome

Per Mark ten, Jesus' life was ransomed for many, not just some

He expects the same from His followers, both then and now

In Romans one, unashamed of the gospel Paul did avow

For the gospel is the power of God that is salvation for all

So from telling others our testimonies, we should not stall

12 October 2014 - ENCS

On Sunday, the "Go" series Pastor Larry did complete

He showed a video of a mission trip in the Philippine heat

Based on Acts 1:8, the series talked of what our purpose should be

Using God's anointing power, we can reach family and community

Breaking through cross-cultural barriers is a way to share the worth

His sermon was not surprisingly titled "To the ends of the earth"

As Singapore is prophesied to be the Antioch of the region

People come in and go out on mission trips by the legion

The apostles went around the world to many different places

All but John were eventually martyred, with joy on their faces

Similarly, reaching out to the world should become our norm

That is why Pastor Larry focused on the word "transform"

For although the world may be under control of the evil one

God has shown his far greater power in all He has done

Per John 5:19, sixteen forty three, and fourteen twenty seven

We can overcome, with the peace of God who resides in heaven

 

Pastor then mentioned transformations numbering four

Although I am sure he could have come up with more

To be transformed for a purpose must be the case

For we are not here on earth just to take up space

Transformed love, per John thirteen verse thirty five

As disciples of Jesus, our love for others should thrive

Per Luke five, we should also have transformed obedience

We should follow quickly, but not just out of expedience

Lastly, Pastor said we need to have transformed thinking

So that from our Christian purpose there will be no shrinking

3 August 2014 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued the series titled "Centered"

Into the third chapter of Colossians we entered

About roller coasters, he said he was often scared

They are often like our life of faith, he then shared

The downward rush of fear, the upward relief of joy

The enemy attacks us, trying our lives to destroy

Every time that he tells us to disobey and not to step out

What he is really doing is sowing more and more doubt

God has called us into a life of faith, we must remember

This is true all the time, from January through December

The tendency may be to get off the roller coaster ride

Because as it continues, we get more scared inside

But we should never give in to the "whatever" attitude

That lowers our standards and allows too much latitude

 

The title of his sermon was "The Virus Called Whatever"

In the text, the word appears many more times than never

Verse seventeen says in whatever we do, do in God's name

Verse twenty three talks of the heart and then says the same

The enemy will continually try to distract us by whatever means

Overwhelming us with challenges or boring us with routines

In return, we must do whatever it takes to do things for God

Whether or not they may appear normal or even quite odd

For as per verse one, we "have been raised with Christ"

We should set our hearts on Him, who has always sufficed

 

Pastor's first point referred to John ten and "You Have Power"

Paul encouraged us to be aware of God's strength every hour

In Colossians chapter one, he refers to "holy and faithful brothers"

If we do not see ourselves in that way, then neither will others

To do God's calling is a privilege and is why we are here on earth

We should get in the game and give excuses a very wide berth

We should be rooted and strengthened in Christ, per chapter two

Our family and friends should always challenge us better to do

But we should not get hung up on mistakes, even if they are often

For obedience comes one step at a time; the path God will soften

Pastor then pointed out that self-focus usually leads to resistance

But through it all, God provides the power for us to go the distance

 

Pastor Larry's second point was that we should "Live Higher"

Per verses five and eight, our earthly nature we should retire

And not to revert to old ways, then we must always take care

Reading the Bible every day is just as important as prayer

Like training for a marathon, we must prepare to finish strong

Per Amos, God is angered when for other things we long

By reading the Bible daily, we prepare for times of temptation

Per Colossians three verse ten, this forms a strong foundation

 

In summary, Pastor said that we should do whatever it may take

To step out in faith and overcome our fears, doing all for His sake

15 June 2014 - ENCS

Pastor Larry continued the "Greater Than" series this Father's Day

Talking about suffering which of course happens in many a way

But first we took some time to hear the testimony of the family Brill

Who went through tough times but are now living per God's will

To Joel chapter two verse twenty five they in conclusion did refer

That God can repay the years of suffering, they clearly do concur

 

From John sixteen and James five, Pastor Larry did then read

Despite our worldly troubles, God offers all the mercy we need

"God is Greater than Bad Days" was the apt title of Pastor's talk

Reminding us that none of our bad days compared to Job's walk

On one day, he lost all his cattle and most of his family as well

On the second, he got sores all over his body the Bible does tell

Into his life and actions and faith, Job's wife and friends did prod

Job corrected them, prayed, remained silent, and repented to God

 

Job suffered loss and emotional pain greater than most could bear

But per Isaiah sixty one, we are told to praise instead of despair

When Job was faced with the losses and pain, God he did worship

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away," he did astutely quip

 

Job suffered sickness and much physical pain, Pastor went on to say

Per John nine, sometimes this comes so God's work He can display

When faced with this, Job's wife asked him to curse God and die

He rebuked her strongly and instead focused on how to God glorify

 

Job suffered accusations from his friends and therefore mental pain

Per Matthew five, for the kingdom of heaven the persecuted will attain

Despite that, Job knew that God knew the way that Job would take

God was ultimately in control and happy is what He would Job make

 

In conclusion, Pastor Larry then read from First Peter chapter number four

Which said that no matter what trials we face, we will be blessed even more

So remember that struggles and challenges this world will momentarily bring

And we should worship, glorify, and give thanks in the midst of any suffering

------

As I listened to Pastor's sermon, I thought of another poem once done

About suffering and perseverance, using Romans five from verse one

"Therefore", the start of this passage sayeth
"We have been justified through faith"
"We have peace with God through Christ"
For it was his sacrifice that sufficed
"In the hope of the glory of God" we rejoice
But also in our sufferings, for we do have a choice
For "suffering produces perseverance"
Which then leads to character's appearance
From character we then get hope
Can hope disappoint us? Nope!
"For God has poured out his love into our hearts"

That is where the work of the Holy Spirit starts

20 April 2014 - Easter (ENCS)

On Easter, the "Cross Words" series was ended by Pastor Larry Matsuwaki

When Jesus said "it is finished", He meant that it was a complete victory

While "I thirst" was an obvious sign of Jesus' humanity

It also referred to what in Psalm sixty nine we do see

We need a relationship with God, as Jesus well knew

The "it is finished" statement meant that He did not rue

The Greek word "tetelestai" is in the perfect tense

The action happened once but lasts for eternity hence

Jesus finished three things, Pastor Larry did then say

Sacrifice, substitution, and salvation all came that day

 

Jesus' sinless sacrifice finished God's plan that had been so often foretold

Per Matthew five, over three hundred fifty prophecies from the Testament Old

To Hebrews nine, Romans five, and Revelation twelve Pastor did refer

Saying that Jesus' blood gives us forgiveness, righteousness, and power

 

Jesus' substitution atoned for our sins, Pastor did say

A very high physical and emotional price Jesus did pay

Per Romans five, Second Corinthians five, and Isaiah fifty three

Jesus took all of our sin and justified by His blood now are we

That word "tetelestai" also means "paid in full", like our debt

Per Romans eight, no condemnation about which to fret

We are forever free of guilt and shame and of being afraid

For granted we should not take the great price that He paid

 

Jesus died to give us life, per John three verse sixteen

As long as we believe in Him, in John eleven it is seen

We should not live for other relationships, career, or money

For the enemy wants to kill and destroy, in John ten we see

But to destroy the devil's work is why Jesus did appear

We should walk in victory and no longer anything fear

And by listening to God more than to the enemy

Going to waste, we won't let Jesus' action be

 

Jesus has conquered death and He reigns forever

His love for us and our salvation He will not sever

23 March 2014 - ENCS

The "Discipleship" series today Pastor Larry did conclude

That "A disciple is in Christ" is unlikely to lead to a feud

The enemy tries to distort our view, often at great length

Because he knows where we can find supernatural strength

In life, we often find our identity as part of a crowd

Usually it is something that makes us feel proud

But pastor said that these are all self-focused from the devil

For our heart is deceitful if with the Lord we are not level

In his early days, Paul's discipleship was driven by performance

But after his Jesus encounter, he rapidly changed his stance

Pastor referred to Second Corinthians chapter thirteen verse five

If we examine ourselves, only by being in the faith can we thrive

About Luke chapter eight more wisdom he did then impart

The seed is the God's word and the soil represents our heart

Pastor then looked at First Corinthians chapter one

To help clarify how "walking with Jesus" is best done

First is to be sanctified, or made holy, in Christ per verse two

Paul told the Corinthians that living sinfully they should not do

He pointed out that their lives were not aligned with God's desire

If people don't see Christ in our actions, the outcome will be dire

As was evident in Paul's life of ministry and some suffering

If we let our light shine, some offense the gospel may bring

But as per verse thirty nine of Romans chapter eight

From the love of God, nothing should ever us separate

The second point was based on Paul's words in verse four

That we don't deserve the grace Christ gave us is the core

Our lives are important to God, no matter how big the mess

So there is always hope despite our inherent wickedness

God's grace saves us, as per verse twelve of Titus chapter two

It teaches us to say 'no' when there are things we should not do

We should think of God when confronted by temptation

How can we hurt him after he has given us salvation

The third point is based on verses twenty eight to thirty one

We should only boast in God, no matter what we have done

For we are in Him because of Him and His sacrificial deed

Instead of paying the price for our sins, we have been freed

We can only be in Him, in conclusion Pastor Larry said

Because on the cross, Jesus took our place instead

When we stand up for Him, He will for us stand up too

Seeing our boldness, He will be pleased with the view

9 February 2014 - ENCS

Continuing the series on "The Core", Pastor Larry today did preach
Impacting the communities and nations is the focus of outreach
By lovingly serving and preaching the good news to all
Per Matthew 28:19, we can follow Jesus' clarion call

Brian, about his eight years in Turkey, did with us then willingly share
Sharing the truth with others has become his commonplace, not rare
The same approach works both in countries afar and Singapore near
That is the way to do outreach with the various communities here
Ana then shared about her recent experience in a shopping mall
She invited a Vietnamese couple to worship in our movie hall
The transiting couple later treated her family to a very nice lunch
As a result of her proactivity, everyone was blessed quite a bunch

Pastor Larry said that being willing to follow God's prompting is key
Jesus was often filled with compassion, as in passages we can see
There are three accounts of how the leper jesus did heal
But only in Mark 1:40-42 do we read how Jesus did feel
When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with compassion
We can in a similar way let it motivate our resulting action
For the Spirit can help us sense what others are going through
That should then help guide us in what we should say and to do
Remember that spiritual lepers is what in a sense we all are
But despite our sinfulness, Jesus wants us to be close not far
We can all be reconciled with God, for we all have lots of value
It is only when we fail to call to Jesus for help that should rue

When we reach out to others, many lives we might impact
Especially when we are moved by compassion - that's a fact
Then the question becomes if we are willing or not
In other words, whether our outreach is cold or hot

29 December 2013 - ENCS

After a video recapping 2013 the congregation did see

Pastor Larry Matsuwaki spoke about Jesus and humility

Baby Jesus was wrapped in linen cloth, Luke 2:12 does say

For the King of Kings, royal robes should have been the way

Jesus humbled himself on earth, per Philippians chapter two

We should adopt the same approach in all that we say and do

 

Remember that as worship leader, Satan was by God's side

But then he fell from heaven because of his immense pride

Per Proverbs 16:17-18, pride comes before the fall

Jesus' message to walk humbly applies to us all

The letter "I" is in the center of both "pride" and "sin"

That is of course where Satan's attacks often begin

At us, he will throw fear, criticism, and sickness

Getting us to say "I can't" and thinking of God less

We need to focus on God and serve one another

For ego-boosting appreciation we should not bother

 

In Matthew 18:1, the disciples failed a basic test

They asked Jesus who among them was the best

Jesus' answer as recorded in verses three and four

Emphasized the importance of humility even more

1 Peter 5:5 talks of the importance of being submissive

Being clothed in humility is thus the way we should live

 

Humility, as C S Lewis' famous saying does clearly impress

Is not thinking less of one's self, but thinking of one's self less

Saint Augustine said pride changed angels into devils

But it is humility that can take men to angelic levels

In summary, Pastor referred to 2 Chronicles seven verse fourteen

If we humble ourselves and pray, our sins will be washed clean

22 December 2013 - ENCS

Pastor Larry said that God brings life to barren places

That fact should be enough to bring smiles to our faces

For if we learn to depend on God when desperate we are

Then He will enable us to do great things near and afar

 

The barren woman was Israel in Isaiah 54 verse one

But it also foreshadowed old Elizabeth having a son

There were in fact miraculous pregnancies twofold
A barren lady and a teen virgin, as Luke one told

This in itself would have been very big news

But more so because their sons God did use

It was God's plans John and Jesus did fulfill

He also wants to enable us to do His will

Pastor then pointed us to Isaiah fifty five verse eleven

Our actions should be based on His word from heaven

 

The sermon title was "Jesus is the greatest gift within you"

Luke 1:37 says that with God, nothing is impossible to do

About Mary, Isaiah seven verse fourteen does say

And her son Immanuel - God is with us every day

Isaiah said that in the midst of a difficult environment

God would deliver for our blessings are heaven sent

Isaiah 40 verse 31 says that those who hope in the Lord

Will renew their strength, more powerful than the sword

But it is important to remember that patient we must be

In His own time, God always comes through, we will see

We must guard what He gives us, per 2 Timothy 1:14

For He has entrusted it to us, for plans often not seen

We should not let the enemy rob us of our confidence

Thanks to Jesus, its sting death can no longer dispense

But when we sin, confidence is precisely what we lose

Until we earnestly repent and God's path we choose

Earlier in 2 Timothy, Paul says to fan God's gift to flame

For the Holy Spirit which lives in us shares His name

Pastor said that with God, nothing happens by accident

His healing and redemption are obviously heaven sent 

 

In conclusion, Pastor asked if for God we would make space

So we can receive Jesus to help us run the rest of life's race