15 January 2023 - ENCS

Pastors Neli and Tina Atiga spoke about progress today

Progress is possible and it is also purpose, they did say

Neli and Tina both complimented and complemented

And a very powerful message they jointly presented

Neli referred to Exodus fourteen, verses six to fourteen

The Israelites yearned for where slaves they had been

Egypt was significant for Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac

All three went there at times when food they did lack

But when Moses brought the Israelites to the Red Sea

Moving towards the Promised Land, they did not agree

Akin to lifting weights to gain strength, as we know

We must be broken, rest, replace, in order to grow

But this process of progress should not be feared

Per verse fourteen, the Lord has never disappeared

Tina said we need a new wineskin in order to progress

We have had setbacks, heartaches, and often a mess

But Tina pointed out that we must recognise the pain

Not easy but failure to do so will our progress constrain

We must know our purpose, clearly rooted in our identity

God’s plans for us stand forever, per Zephaniah three

Psalm one hundred thirty nine says to God give praise

For we are fearfully and wonderfully made, to paraphrase

Our words can give death and life, per Proverbs eighteen

Speak positively so as children of God we are to be seen

Remember Proverbs chapter nineteen verse twenty one

We may have plans, but God’s purpose will be done

The Lord chose us because of our future faithfulness

Thankfully not because of our past failures or success

18 May 2014 - The Prophets to Judah

The book of Nahum shared an oracle concerning Nineveh

For Nineveh was a major city in the kingdom of Assyria

“The Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath”

He will not leave unpunished those who block his path

His indignation nobody can realistically endure or withstand

With an overwhelming flood, he will destroy Nineveh’s land

The king of Assyria and his people will then scatter

And all other people will rejoice about the matter

The future of Jerusalem is prophesied in Zephaniah three

Zephaniah says “woe to the…rebellious and defiled” city

For in the Lord the people did not trust or draw near

The leaders’ arrogance and treachery did not disappear

The Lord dispenses his justice in keeping with His name

He does not fail “yet the unrighteous know no shame”

But God will take away punishment and grant a new start

So Israel should then “be glad and rejoice with [its] heart”

Jeremiah was a son of a priest, per Jeremiah one

The Lord’s word came to him until Judah’s exile begun

God appointed Jeremiah as a prophet before he was born

So he must do whatever God commanded, God did warn

But Jeremiah was not to be afraid, for God would protect

Then into Jeremiah’s mouth His words the Lord did inject

Jeremiah saw a boiling pot tilting away from the north

God said that on the people, disaster would flow forth

He would pronounce His judgments against them

Their wickedness and actions He would condemn

But God made a fortified city with a bronze wall

This enabling the people to fight and not to fall

After many years of prophesying, per Jeremiah twenty six

The people still ignored him and their ways they did not fix

God once again told them to listen and to follow his law

If not, they would be cursed instead of being held in awe

As soon as the people heard this, Jeremiah they did seize

For they disliked the message conveyed in his prophesies

One more time, God’s message Jeremiah boldly shared

The officials told the priests that his life should be spared

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

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

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

And despite empty stalls and a harvest that was null

Habakkuk rejoiced and in God his Savior was joyful

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

Per Romans fifteen, so hope will overflow and not cease

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

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

Do not be surprised at trials and sufferings and more

But rejoice, per verse thirteen of First Peter chapter four

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Hebrews twelve, Paul said to persevere with our race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In verse one hundred sixty five of Psalm one hundred nineteen

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

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

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

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

Telling his disciples not to fear in anything they would do

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

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

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

“Will guard your hearts and your minds” through everything

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For from ongoing justice and righteousness He will not bend

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith”

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

And per 1 Thessalonians chapter five verse twenty three

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

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

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

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

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

In Psalm forty, David said that he patiently did wait

God heard his cry and saved David from a bad fate

Proverbs fourteen says “a patient man has great understanding”

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

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

About patience in suffering, in James five is also seen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This pearl of wisdom Paul also shared in many a quotation