1 April 2018 - PLMC

Three PLMC pastors reflected on the meaning of Easter Day

As we gathered for service to greet the morning’s first sun ray

Pastor Chris asked what if Christ was not raised from the dead

And leaving us with only Good Friday and forgiven sins instead

Our faith would be futile, per Paul in First Corinthians thirteen

For without the resurrection God’s work is incomplete, it is seen

Pastor Irene concluded that Easter makes our faith a daily event

Per Romans eight, in us dwells the Holy Spirit that God has sent

The women shared the good news, as per Matthew twenty eight

We should do likewise with other people, for it is never too late

God will give us strength, according to Ephesians chapter three

Christ’s power enables us to do more than we imagine, we see

Pastor Jonathan spoke about the heavy stone in Mark sixteen

It can represent obstacles in our lives, both visible and unseen

Whe the women reached the tomb, the stone was rolled away

The promise that God deals with our obstacles holds true today

In conclusion, Easter provides us hope and promises salvation

This good news we should share without further procrastination

16 April 2017 - PLMC

As the morning sun arose on yet another splendid Easter Day

We heard a message using John twenty one from Wendy Tay

Some disciples had caught zero fish despite being out all night

Unbeknownst to them, Jesus was on shore at the break of light

“Friends, haven’t you any fish?” to the disciples He did call out

Per John fifteen, Jesus considered them friends without a doubt

By giving them a sense of purpose, God made His will known

Extreme compassion and empathy Jesus had once again shown

Jesus then instructed the disciples to cast the net out to the right

One hundred fifty three fish were caught, a reversal from the night

The disciples demonstrated obedience, in the text we clearly see

And thus overcame familiarity, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency

Even though He had built a fire; bread and fish He did prepare

Jesus asked the disciples to bring some fish to eat and share

So that the fruits of their labour together they could celebrate

Because they were part of the miracle that He did perpetuate

In summary, before we went to eat breakfast, Pastor Tay did say

We should empathise, show obedience, and fellowship each day

14 April 2017 - PLMC

Using Hebrews twelve verse two on this Good Friday

“Death must precede resurrection” Bernard Lee did say

Jesus was the first born of the dead and the resurrection

He rose to glory as He embraced death without objection

“Death is great mercy” Bernard went on to strongly state

As it shortens our life of sin and sets our focus straight

To the “law of the grain of wheat” Mr Lee also did refer

Grain must die to produce fruit, like us we should infer

In some part of our life, we will probably be asked to die

So that we can do our duty and God we will then glorify

God intends to give us holiness, not mere happiness

So we can fulfil His destiny for out lives, nothing less

Bernard shared “death experiences” numbering three

From these, Moses, Joseph, and Ezekiel did not flee

Moses was in exile forty years; Jospeh became a slave

When they became leaders, they know how to behave

God has a use for us, no matter what we have done

For no matter what our age, His plans can really stun

God wants to resurrect that which is in a way dead

To do things which will serve to glorify Him instead

As Jesus did, death experiences we should embrace

Knowing God prepares us for challenges we will face

We must repent of our sin and to God serve faithfully

Letting “not our will but His will be done” be the key

27 March 2016 - PLMC Sunrise Service

Pastor Lynette spoke on “Easter Hope” at sunrise service this Easter day

Given recent news headlines, violent and dark times appear to be the way

Easter is the counter-argument - love, new life, mercy, and forgiveness

Good overcame evil in Jesus’ day where the evil was actually no less

We often think that evil has the upper hand, like Good Friday afternoon

But should remember that Jesus ensured that death went into a swoon

Things will improve - light will replace darkness, truth will overcome lies

So we should have hope and optimism in our hearts, minds, and eyes

Each of us has our own personal “Brussels” challenges and frustration

Being hopeless is worse than failing, for it is the greatest condemnation

But the message of Easter is one of hope, which promises a future bright

Which we should carry with us no matter how dark is the current night

In Luke twenty four, the women remembered, returned, and reported

Angels came to correct the women’s initial view which was distorted

Similarly, if we need healing, we should trust Isaiah chapter fifty three

And if we lack provision, Genesis twenty two has words we should see

And even when faced with an apparent contradiction, we must proceed

We must leave our empty tombs and testify the truth that we are freed

Lynette said that in church we need participation, not just observation

For Jesus’ resurrection is for our salvation, ending our condemnation

We were buried but now have new life in Him, per Romans chapter six

So remember that Jesus loves us and can help us any problem fix

Insead of getting caught up with the empty tomb and the negatives

Lynette said that we should remember all of the love that God gives

25 March 2016 - PLMC

Leslie Quahe spoke on “Perspectives from the Cross” this Good Friday

When God calls us, there is always sacrifice involved he did rightly say

The shofar, or trumpet in the Bible, provides a good reminder Leslie did tell

It comes from a dead kudu and still has blood vessels and a pungent smell

When it comes to perspective, we should be on our knees looking to God

Per Psalm one hundred twenty one, lifting our eyes is correct, not odd

We often think the Bible offers an earthly view of heaven, Leslie said

But it actually as effectively offers a view of earth from heaven instead

For Jesus’ perspective from the cross, he referred to First Peter one

The plan for redemption was planned before the creation was done

It was planned in order to show the fullness of God’s love via sacrifice

For He has a plan so we should persevere even if things are not nice

The two thieves hanging on the crosses each had a different perspective

That in the end would actually determine where each would for eternity live

The first was cynical, blaming the unfair world for his bad actions so long

The second noted that it was really unfair that Jesus had done no wrong

Jesus told the second that they would meet in paradise later that same day

He offers us the same promise as for our sins the price he already did pay

The centurion’s perspective was driven by his time spent in battle, seeing death

He concluded that Jesus was God’s son, as love emanated until His last breath

Today as we gaze upon the cross and wonder why things go wrong frequently

Leslie reminded us of thorns and thistles God promised Adam in Genesis three

But he then told us there were three crosses on Calvary that fateful dark day

Standing for the three Ts - thorns, thistles, and triumph if we follow God’s way

Even Jesus’ disciples gave up hope, as His promise of resurrection they forgot

So regardless of what we do or think, God’s plan and glory shines through a lot

25 December 2015 - PLMC

Rev Dr Isaac Lim spoke at PLMC this Christmas Day

About “Christmas as a heart story” he had lots to say

The heart of God always reaches out to the heart of man

Throughout the Bible, this was evidently the game plan

Mary, Zechariah, and Joseph were examples of this

Angels came to assure each that nothing was amiss

John’s perspective differs from the others, it is seen

As evidenced in chapter one, verses one to eighteen

Per the first two verses, Jesus was there at the beginning

In fellowship with God and He actually was God the King

Darkness entered the world, per verses three and four

Evil intentions come from within and defile forevermore

But verse five says that in this dark world, Jesus is light

And light cannot be overcome, because of God’s might

John the Baptist was not the light, per verses six to nine

For man alone cannot with paradise completely align

Similarly, Christmas is actually a celebration in darkness

Unless Christ is present to bring His love into the mess

Evidence of God’s love for the world, Christmas is in fact 

But we need to receive His wonderful gift and then act

Verses ten to thirteen say Jesus is not accepted by all

Each person’s heart decides how to respond to His call

Our response is what limits God’s willingness to save

Once we do accept Christ, a new path He does pave

Then moving onto verses fourteen through seventeen

From Jesus alone, grace and truth are clearly seen

These establish Christ’s presence within our mix

Any challenging situation we can with love then fix

We then heard of a monastery looking for a breakthrough

A wise rabbi told them that “The Messiah is one of you”

Which led everyone to treat others with more respect

For in each person, at least part of Christ we can detect

Christmas isn’t Christmas until it happens in the heart

By bringing light to the darkness, we can do our part

5 April 2015 - PLMC Sunrise Service

At Sunrise Service today, Pastor Lynette Sithiasingam spoke

On "Come, see, ...go and tell", as the angel that day spoke

Her sermon leveraged the first ten verses of Matthew twenty eight

About what transpired at the tomb at dawn on that first Easter date

Pastor Lynette focused on an invitation and four imperatives

On this important aspect, all four gospels include narratives

 

"Do not be afraid" to the women, the angel on the stone did say

He invited them to COME into the tomb to assuage their dismay

In many circumstances, Jesus instructed people to COME to him

Per Matthew eleven, He called those who were weary and grim

Or in John four, the Samarian woman at the well He addressed

With an invitation and a promise that He would give them rest

 

The angel told the women to SEE where Jesus had been laid

They were then filled with joy, although still somewhat afraid

Although they witnessed the earthquake and the stone rolled

It was imperative they actually SEE what prophets had foretold

It is our relationship with God that defines our faith, Pastor said

For then we can share experiences with others and not be misled

 

"GO quickly" was the third instruction that the angel did convey

Which mirrors the Great Commission from Jesus, Pastor did say

As Christians, we should never be content to be complacent

We are to spread the good news why Jesus to earth was sent

It is not enough for believers to just their own faith cultivate

We must GO everywhere in order to His kingdom inflate

 

The last imperative from the angel to the Marys was to "TELL"

Our life - and its words and actions - should do this as well

We should TELL others of this urgent message of hope

All have direct access to God's grace, not just the pope

Our testimony of what we have seen is what we should share

For that is how we really show people that we earnestly care

 

The four imperatives are thus to COME, SEE, GO, and TELL

This call to action, Jesus' resurrection should us duly compel

20 April 2014 - Easter (PLMC)

At the sunrise service, we heard about "Good Morning" from Gladwin Lee

There was much anxiety on that first Easter Sunday, per John twenty three

First Jesus had dies and now his body was not there

So many possibilities - it was too much for Mary to bear

She did not recognize Jesus at first but the news was good

He went to heaven; she ran to tell others as fast as she could

 

People are happy because "hope springs eternal in the human breast"

Only hell has no hope because Jesus defeated death and all the rest

Per First Corinthians fifteen, He overcame death's sting

Jesus is alive and thus eternal life His victory did bring

Pastor Gladwin said nothing we do for God is ever useless

Jesus' resurrection gives us hope that helps with any mess

 

King George the Sixth proved to be a role model in World War Two

He overcame his stuttering and told the people what they should do

Saying it was better to walk hand in hand with God in the dark of night

As that hope and confidence was superior to any other form of light

 

Similarly, Jesus' empty tomb tells us that Jesus is alive

With worship each day, for God's glory we should strive

18 April 2014 - Good Friday (PLMC)

On Good Friday morning, Pastor Lynette spoke on "Why The Cross"

The empty cross actually reflects Jesus' resurrection, not his life's loss

He died so that we could have a personal relationship with our God

The cross stretched between heaven and earth like a connecting rod

Pastor Lynette then discussed Jesus' last phrases, numbering seven

And told us that this number is perfect in the eyes of God in heaven

 

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing" was first

This referred not only to those who by rights should have been cursed

Including the execution party, the priests, Pilate, and the abusive crowd

But is representative of all of us for sins in our hearts as well as out loud

Pastor asked is it is true that we "know not what we do"

The real message is of forgiveness for all, not just a few

 

"Today you will walk with me in paradise" Jesus did then say

The focus is on an individual, for God cares for us every day

As foretold in Isaiah fifty three, nobody is beyond redemption

If we confess sins and ask for forgiveness, we receive salvation

Our salvation does not depend on good deeds we may have done

But is free because of what was done on the cross by God's son

 

"Dear woman, here is you son" and to John, "here is your mother"

For Jesus' relationships are full of love and each of us is a brother

A true friend would lay down his life for another, per John fifteen

In John three verse sixteen, God's love for the world is clearly seen

Jesus had human feelings and therefore feels our suffering and pain

The cross means that no type of discrimination should occur again

 

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", Jesus cried out

Until that point, of God's constant presence He never had any doubt

But when Jesus bore the world's sin, darkness came and God turned away

But Jesus carried out God's will and paid the price of atonement that day

 

As the cross took a physical toll on him, Jesus said "I thirst"

For the lingering and painful death on the cross is the worst

Per Psalm twenty two, His suffering was real despite being divine

We will likewise suffer but the deliverance will make things fine

 

"It is finished" marked the end of the work of redemption

Which fulfilled prophecies, including from just after creation

Jesus said "it" not "I" so there is nothing more for us to do

Our debts have been paid and we can proceed with life anew

 

"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit", Jesus did conclude

He called again to God before He decided to die on the rood

For Jesus Laid down His life for us of His own accord

As such all the security we need the cross does afford

 

Pastor said that these seven sayings will to us security bring

Jesus is no longer on the cross and is our eternal king

And as we read what on the cross He did say

He is available to each of us every single day

31 March 2013 - PLMC

At Sunrise service this bright and sunny Easter Day

"Do Not Be Afraid" is what Pastor Lynette did say

 

She said that there is a thief lurking through the year

We feel it at night and when darkness is near

It stops our actions because of its words we do hear

Stealing our joy and courage - its name is fear

Although this fear is not something we actually see

It often tells us to swap our integrity for popularity

It taunts us, saying we are unloved and unwanted

Through fear of failure and death, it persists undaunted

Fear's objective is to turn us into cowardly, joyless souls

Removing smiles and taking eyes off Jesus are its goals

 

Pastor then read Matthew 28 verses one through ten

The word "afraid" is repeated again and again and again

"Don't be afraid" appears 365 times in the Bible, it is said

Like a daily reminder from God, call it our daily bread

Pastor pointed out that although Jesus' guards seemed so strong

When the Lord's angel appeared, the guards did not last very long

Meanwhile the two Marys, despite being considered among society's worst

Were given the honour of hearing the angel and then seeing Christ first

They were given this very important part

Because of the attitude within their heart

 

Pastor then highlighted parallels between Christ's resurrection and birth

The circumstances and the words, they must have double the worth

Angels appeared both times, saying "do not be afraid"

We should not live in fear, God's love will never fade

Psalm 46 says "He is our refuge and our strength"

"Our help in times of trouble", no matter the length

Faith gives us strength and comfort, we should not fear

That is the phrase from Lynette we continued to hear

An author said to keep our fears to ourselves, with others courage share

Lynette said to give fears to God in exchange for courage anytime, anywhere

 

Pastor said to remember that the cave is not the end of the story

This is important, especially when things seem dark, dismal, or gory

At both his birth and resurrection, from the cave Jesus did come

We should remember this, for Jesus is waiting for us in His kingdom

For all of us, Christ Jesus went to the cross

That was a transforming event, not a loss

With those still in caves, we need this message to share

Making sure that nobody can say that "God does not care"

 

We may come to Him with fears that do not seem to fade

But remember that Jesus often said "do not be afraid"

He will deliver us to a world of hope no matter how bad things seem

Pastor said that there is no tragedy from which He can not redeem

Easter is about new life, with Jesus leading the way

No matter how good or bad things are on the day

So although we may all at times be gripped by fear

"Our Savior lives, we should not be afraid" we did hear

24 March 2013 - PLMC

On this Palm Sunday Pastor Jonathan Seet did speak

Into Song of Songs 1:8 to 2:6 we did more than peek

"Let Him Embrace Me" was the title of the sermon

The reason was clear by the time Pastor was done

 

On the fragrance of spikenard, chapter one verse twelve talked

Mary later used spikenard on Jesus' feet that so far had walked

Intimacy with others comes from praise and affirmation

That is why we worship God with a loud proclamation

In the passage, there were many references to praise

In order to remind us that there are so many ways

 

The rose of Sharon is ordinary like a crocus

But that was not the bridegroom's focus

In Christ, we can become lilies among the thorns

Becoming more beautiful as His presence adorns

For us, the basis for a godly relationship

Must surely start and focus on the worship

 

Myrrh is then mentioned in chapter one verse thirteen

A long list of its attributes from Pastor were then seen

An expensive painkiller with a smell so nice

It symbolises Christ's suffering and sacrifice

So when we feel like giving up in times of trouble

Remember His sacrifice which turned evil to rubble

In Christ, we can turn our sinful smell

Into one that is pleasant and swell

Our pain is diminished with His myrrh

Because of what He did, that is for sure

 

Chapter two verse six talks of the right and left hand

Each symbolises something, Pastor let us understand

The two arms and hands provide the divine embrace

Letting us gently rest looking at His loving face

The right is for things God has done of which we are aware

The left is for the unseen things, which are far from rare

Pastor then showed a video of "Footprints in the Sand"

Reminding us that we are always safe in God's hand

31 December 2012 - PLMC

Pastor Lynette spoke at the service watch night

Even while rain and darkness hid the moonlight
She gave the Bible a great big nod

It tells so much about our God

Great is His faithfulness, per Psalm 89 versus 1-4

Psalm 103:8 says He is merciful, gracious, and more

He is eternal, per Deuteronomy 33 verse twenty seven

Jeremiah 23:24 says we can not hide from God in heaven

God is omnipotent, we read in Genesis 18:14

He is wise and invincible, from 1 Timothy 1:17

Hebrews 13:8 says God is changing never

Leviticus 19:2 says He is holy now and forever

John 3:16 tells how much the world God does love

The conclusion is that He is faithful, our God above

29 July 2012 - PLMC

Today Pastor Reuben finished five years at PLMC
Into Luke chapter ten verses 38-42 we did see
The sermon was titled "One Thing Needful"
Pastor gave us several things over which to mull
As Jesus entered Bethany, Martha invited him in
She loved the Lord, that is obviously no sin
But sister Mary listened, sitting at Jesus' feet
Her focus on Him was utterly complete
Martha's preparatory tasks did her distract
Her complaint to Jesus was valid, that's a fact
"Martha, Martha" in response Jesus did say
This highlighted His very compassionate way
Only two other times did Jesus repeat names in the Bible
To Jerusalem and also to Simon Peter the disciple
Mary chose the good part, which will not be taken away
Communing with Jesus should be a priority every day
For this is time that cannot be replaced or bettered
True fellowship with Jesus is best if it is unfettered

With herself, Martha was seemingly preoccupied
Whilst Mary focused on Jesus who she sat beside
For Jesus, Martha was trying to do something
But Mary focused on the words of Jesus the king
To please Jesus, Martha tried and tried
Mary listened to Jesus could be her guide
For "the good part" is the living word from Him
Allowing the worldly lights to go strangely dim

Was Mary heavenly minded but not earthly good
In reply, read John 12:1-2 Pastor said we should
For washing Jesus' feet with oil and her hair
Was a prophetic act, Jesus did later declare
For when on Jesus our thoughts do fixate
Our earthly deeds will follow and be great
The more time with Jesus that we do spend
The more we love Him and comprehend

Looking at Hebrews 12:1-2, Pastor then did sayeth
We should fix our eyes on the perfector of our faith
Turning to Revelation twenty two verse thirteen
Jesus is the beginning and the end, it is seen
And if John chapter fourteen verse six we do read
He is also the way, the truth, and the life we need
"Christ is all" says Colossians three verse eleven
The truth that will set us free comes from heaven

Pastor said to have this focus, there are things to do
One key is sitting for more than just a minute or two
For sitting is really a picture of rest
That is when our focus can be best
It is never our strength, smarts, or saintliness
Without Jesus, we would achieve far less
Pastor referred to Colossians 2 verses nine and ten
In Jesus we are made complete, it says again
Interestingly, the root word for shalom is wholeness
Implying we want peace from Jesus, nothing less

Be seated and focused on Jesus, Pastor did tell
This was the key message in his sermon farewell

8 July 2012 - PLMC

Today as Paya Lebar Methodist Church turned eighty
Pastor Wee Boon Hup's sermon was simply titled "See"
The passage that was first flashed upon the screen
Was First Corinthians chapter two verses six to sixteen
It talked about imparting wisdom that is real
Through the Spirit, the truth God does reveal
Pastor spoke about three types of sight
On the third he shed much more light

The first is with our naked eyes, which can mislead
Therefore sometimes our eyesight we should not heed
The second is what we see with our mind and heart
Put another way, this is called insight on our part
This goes beyond the physical and leads to understanding
This is a good thing, but often far from outstanding

For the third type of sight, Pastor invented a new word
About "pneu-sight" several perspectives we then heard
"Pneu" is Hebrew for wind, air, spirit, breath, or revelation
Which means that seeing by God-given insight is no aberration
This discernment is ready for us to receive
For it is available to all who in God believe

To understand what God is doing requires special insight
On a variety of topics, our God can shed much light
Whether it be medical, economic, social, or political
Getting answers and guidance from God is critical

We should understand what God has to us freely given
This is God's grace, for it means our sins are forgiven
Note that this is written in the past tense
We don't have to wait for God to dispense
To us, there are many things God wants to reveal
His grace is waiting for us to receive and to feel

Receiving His grace calls for a response and action
We must accept this for it to have any traction
From Ephesians 2 verse 8 Pastor then read
We have been saved by faith, the passage said
And as 2 Corinthians 8 verses 6 and 7 do tell
We should excel in the grace of giving as well

We tend to focus on the best, ignoring all the facts
But we need the full picture so we can do good acts
So along with prosperity, healing, and good health
We should see failure, sickness, and lack of wealth
In this way, as seen in Matthew nine verses 35-38
Having compassion for others is a Jesus-like trait

Pastor said that it is not natural to have pneu-sight
We need the Holy Spirit to provide that special light
When looking at crowds, he asked what do we see
Can we identify an individual who needs to be set free?
Are we able to help struggling and insecure people?
Or do we just focus on those already under the steeple?

To see what God wants, pneu-sight is what we need
Then both power and love are required to succeed
Social services imply compassion with love
Miracles however rely on power from above
Pastor implored us to go and a difference make
We should do that for our Lord Jesus' sake

8 April 2012 - PLMC

Christopher Chin spoke at the service at sunrise
Using acronyms for "EASTER" was quite a surprise
But first, he read from Luke 24 thirteen to thirty five
And the congregation responded "He is alive!"

Encountering Afresh Saviour Through Emmaus Road
Is what the disciples felt, to Jerusalem they strode

End's At Sight, Trouble Eventually Rolled-away
That is of course a key message on Easter Day

Pastor then referred us to verse five of Psalm thirteen
"God's anger lasts a moment, His favour a lifetime" is seen

Eyes Able to See Tomb Emptied and Redeemed
Things were great, not bleak as it first seemed

Ending All Sadness/Sickness Through Eternal Resurrection
We are all healed and benefit from His immense protection

Encouraged Again, Sent to Tell Everyone Rejoice
This is what we should all do in a very loud voice

Empowered And Sent to Testify, Evangelise, and Reach-out
God gives us new strength, of that there is no doubt

Acronym number six was the last
For the allotted hour had passed

6 April 2012 - PLMC

On this Good Friday in our faith's Holy Week
About "The Exchange" Pastor Reuben did speak
God's love for us should keep us going
For it is constant, not to-ing and fro-ing
On the cross, for six hours Christ did hang
A "measure of His great love", as we sang
Three hours in light, three hours in the dark
When God forsook Him, the contrast was stark
For when Christ took on the sins of the world
God could not look even with eyebrows furled
Jesus was beaten and whipped night and day
Yet he chose to take our sins on Himself anyway
And no matter how betrayed or pained Jesus did feel
Soldiers were slain and the centurion's ear he did heal

To prove that Christ did this voluntarily
Pastor referred us to Matthew 26:53
Legions of angels Jesus could have called
His enemies could have easily been malled

In 1 Corinthians chapter two verse two
Paul made it clear what we should do
Ignore the other lies we may hear
Focus on Jesus, for He is so dear
In this way, we give Him access to our heart
Once there, the Holy Spirit can do its part

"It is finished", Jesus said after taking a drink
This is good news; our hearts should not sink
His work was perfect and was finally complete
Our sins forgiven, the enemy Jesus did defeat
There is nothing we can do to add to His work
From believing in Him we should not shirk

Another passage telling us what Jesus had done
Is 2 Corinthians chapter five verse twenty one
Putting our sin on the one who was sinless
So God's righteousness we might possess
The cross is a symbol of suffering and shame
But even more powerful is Christ Jesus' name
For his actions bridged an immense gap
For our sins, from God he took the rap

Looking at verses 59 and 60 of Matthew 26
To Jesus, no false accusations could affix
And reading on through Matthew 27 verse 1
It is quite clear what the Sanhedrin had done
They all plotted against Jesus and wanted him dead
Christ spoke the truth; they called it blasphemy instead

Pilate said that Jesus was not guilty of any crimes
In John chapters 18 and 19, three separate times
But with Pontius the Jews would not agree
A crucified Christ is what they wanted to see

We turned back to Matthew 27 verses 16 and 17
For this is where the exchange is actually seen
Barabbas' first name was also Jesus is turns out
That he was a hardened criminal, there is no doubt
Son of the father is what Barabbas' name did mean
There were hidden meanings in this famous scene
The Jews decided to set Barabbas free
But this is what was intended to be

On Good Friday, Pastor says not to mourn
Remember that the temple's curtain was torn
There is one real reason for Jesus' selfless act
God has great love for us, that is a fact

From 1 John four verse seventeen we do read
Boldly we can approach judgement day indeed
Because in us, love has been made complete
That is something we should be happy to tweet

Pastor related this to the parable of the prodigal son
Particularly Luke fifteen verse thirty one
The elder son's jealousy was plain to see
"My son, the father said, you are always with me"
"Everything I have is yours" he then said
We should be out celebrating instead

In conclusion, Pastor then asked how we should live
"With this truth in our hearts" was the answer he did give

24 April 2011 - Sunrise service

Pastor Lynette spoke at the sunrise service today
We read Mark 16:1-8 after we did pray
For Jesus three women had lots and lots of love
They had cared for the needs of the one from above
To complete His anointing they went to His tomb
Worried as the rock could not be pushed by a broom
But when they arrived, the stone had been moved
God’s awesome might had once again been proved
Entering the tomb, the focus was on that unseen
Where was their beloved Jesus the Nazarene?

They were comforted by an angel of the Lord’s
“Don’t be alarmed” were his first words
Pastor Lynette then to us did proceed to tell
That the words are relevant for us as well
We should let our heart’s burden be rolled away
Like the tombstone was that first Easter Day
For Jesus is not trapped in the tomb
And we have no reason to fear the doom
The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out
But to let us in, of that have no doubt
So don’t let the stone stop us from being blessed
If we know God’s plan, let Him do the rest

Just as Jesus promised, He did return
So we should be confident, we did learn
From Matthew 28:20 Jesus’ words we did read
“I will be with you always”, especially in times of need
For Jesus keeps His promises – always has, always will
Unlike humans, His failure rate is nil
What lies ahead of us we cannot foresee
To prepare the way, Jesus went ahead to Galilee
That is in keeping with John 10 verse 11
He is our good shepherd, sent down from heaven
Despite uncertainties, it is Jesus we should trust
Having confidence in Him for Christians is a must

The angel wanted the women the disciples to tell
So the disciples would know that all was well
“Trembling and bewildered”, the women were afraid
Despite the opportunity being of front of them laid
Our world is filled with darkness and pain
We must share the good news again and again
For if comforted and confident we are
Our commitment should take us far

The empty tomb was found early at the start of the week
Symbolic of the new beginning that we need to seek
From Jesus we get promises to conquer our fears
“Not adding years to our life, but life to our years”

21 April 2011 - Maundy Thursday

At PLMC last night from Pastor Seet we did hear
Into Luke 22 and Mark 16 we did peer
Pastor told us about Maundy Thursday, or Covenant Night
Jesus shared about the new covenant that would set things right
For this new covenant God will not break
As in love (hebed) He did it make
And referring to Isaiah chapter fifty three
Jesus' body was broken for you and me
"Maundy" of French origin means commandment
With a new commandment from Jesus disciples went
He said "love one another as I have loved you"
For doing so implies that you love God too
Jesus' actions that night and the next days
Changed the course of history and human ways
For as Pastor Seet with emotion did then tell
We now have access to heaven instead of just hell

Pastor then spoke of Peter, the impulsive one
Despite great love for Jesus, his failures were far from none
When at the Last Supper, Jesus wanted to wash disciples' feet
Peter first refused, then wanted his body to be washed complete
In the garden when Jesus' anguish was so deep
Peter (and the others) kept falling asleep
When soldiers came, Peter struck off an ear
Without waiting for Jesus' instructions to hear
And then before the cock in the morning did crow
Three times Peter denied that Jesus he did know
At this point, after falling yet again
Peter wept bitterly and felt lots of pain
On Easter morning Peter was singled out
The angels' message left him no doubt
For although he thought his prospects were very dim
Peter then knew that Jesus had remembered him
Over time, Peter learned his lesson very well
And became the church's leader, Pastor did tell

To Peter's story we can all surely relate
As our actions deserve an unpleasant fate
But God's love and healing is meant for us all
All we need to do is to heed His call
Each of us has a covenant relationship with the Lord
He remembers us children of God, says the Word
For "by his stripes, we are healed"
This new covenant is forever sealed
So whether emotional, mental, or physical is our pain
We can be healed by pressing in again and again

25 December 2010 - PLMC

Pastor Reuben spoke on this Christmas Day
About a gift God is giving away
And then he went on, with verses, to tell
About the real meaning of Emmanuel
"God with us" is what it doth mean
In Isaiah 7:14 the word was first seen
Christ's birth fulfilled this prophecy
For Mary was in the Lord's favour, don't you see
God's favour is given, not something we earn
If to Him, our faces will turn
Per Luke 4:19, God's favours will abound
For salvation is offered to all who are around
None of us can live up to God's standards
But His grace transcends our actions and words
Per Romans 8:32, God gave us His son
So He will give all things for the price of none
All that we need to do is to believe
If we don't do that, God will grieve
If God is with us, He will give His best
For all of those who are in His nest
And per Acts 3, God wants us all to be healed
If we pray and ask, our relationship will be sealed
The bottom line can really uplift
Just reach out and take God's gift

6 June 2010 - PLMC

Pastor Reuben gave the sermon this morning
But he started by giving us a warning
Per John 8:32, knowing the truth will set us free
But this knowledge must in our hearts be
Intellectual knowledge is not enough
Even if living the truth is rather tough

The message was based on 1 Thessalonians 2
Pastor Reuben related it to what we should do
The title of his sermon was "The Focus"
What he said applies to all of us

The first twelve verses focus on the minister
Paul was exceptional, that's for sure
The verses describe all his traits good
Even in hardship, praise God Paul would
Be bold and pure, do not deceive
Don't think about the glory you could receive
Paul's motivation is seen in verse four
He wanted to please God more and more
To please God, not men is what a focused minister should do
Unlike what is seen in John 12, verse forty two
Don't let others dictate how you feel
Just go out and show true Christian zeal

In verses 13-20 Paul talked about the church
He spoke of their strength, from his moral perch
Despite persecution, they stood firm and fast
This brought glory and joy that did certainly last
Verse thirteen is clearly the key
Receive the word of God, as it may be
Look beyond the messenger to the source
No matter who is speaking, as a matter of course
And be careful of being like a Donatist
Think of Caiaphas, if you get Reuben's gist
In Matthew 26:65 he broke a Levite law
He was redeemed, as in John 11:49-51 we saw
What Paul and the Thessalonians clearly knew
To see God, not men is what a focused Christian should do

Verses 19 and 20 also help us to learn
That everything Paul did was for Jesus' return
Romans 5:5 talks about our hope
Without which, it would be impossible to cope
Because to this earth Jesus is coming again
Our focused reason should be for God, not men

Condensing all this, it is no real surprise
That on God we should keep our eyes