19 February 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh did recap the messages year to date

Fasting aided listening and create a trusting state

Fruitfulness, enjoyment, and then purposeful rest

And looking at boundaries as a way to be blessed

Pastor then quoted from Genesis two verse eight

God planted a garden in Eden, it did communicate

He also put a man there, which serves to remind

We should allow God to place us as He designed

Interestingly, per Genesis chapter two verse fifteen

God put Adam to work, or “blessed labour” is seen

This transpired before the fall, so it was God’s plan

Josh said “Enjoying Work” should be an aim of man

Per Genesis three seventeen, resulting from sin

A different type of labour, “painful toil”, did begin

But instead of focusing on work as a job or task

Per Psalms, in God’s inheritance we should bask

Per a TED talk, excellent work requires passion

Plus vision, focus, and perseverance not to ration

Remember that spiritual and secular are not split

All is sacred, as God’s ambassadors we commit

Work is FROM GOD, as it is a golden opportunity

For us to emulate God’s roles so others can see

We can thus bring light to events darkest places

And use our experiences to brighten sad faces

Work is FOR GOD, per Colossians chapter three

We should do everything in Jesus’ name, we see

Whatever we do, for God we should work heartily

So always operate with excellence and integrity

Work should be WITH GOD, as David did show

Per Psalm seventy eight, into a king he did grow

Why we are put in places we may not understand

Like David, have an upright heart and skilful hand

God wants us to be a light for everyone we meet

By relying on Him, all challenges we can defeat

For our purpose is bigger than any one person

Which gives us lots to do before our time is done

12 February 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Harris started by asking why do people get jealous

Often because we are not sure what we have, he did tell us

God has a plan and a place for each of us, per Genesis two

As such we should let God guide us in what we should do

For with all pleasant things God’s original garden was filled

Adam and Eve should've understood that and been thrilled

But instead they ignored God’s command about one tree

Introducing sin to the world, the consequences we still see

In Psalm sixteen, David acknowledged that God had a plan

And of course God’s knowledge exceeds that of any man

As part of His plan, lines or boundaries God does introduce

Boundaries limit us but also protect us, we should deduce

David recognised that only God gives us eternal inheritance

In tough times, it may be worth to give this psalm a glance

About a young boy looking through a fence, Josh did share

But when he turned around, into Disneyworld he did stare

This reminds us, despite boundaries, of how blessed we are

For looking to God for our happiness is the best path by far

On how to get there, four points Pastor Josh then did share

To pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship we are all aware

If we lack wisdom, we should ask God per James one five

Per Joshua one eight, to repeat His Word we should strive

The enemy was conquered by words, per Revelation twelve

The tongue has immense power, if into the Bible we delve

Paul says to build each other up in First Thessalonians five

Romans fourteen says the Spirit provides while we are alive

Specifically offering us peace and joy and righteousness

Which provide us with love so that others we can bless

5 February 2017 - ENCS

Pastor Josh highlighted that most people desire more rest

Even after taking a vacation where the beaches are best

God took a rest after His creation work, per Genesis two

But God never grows weary, Isaiah forty says this is true

He took the rest to make the day holy, the first such nod

And man's first full day was spent in fellowship with God

But by the time Leviticus chapter twenty six Moses wrote

God made observing the Sabbath a rule, an odd anecdote

Mankind had fallen into sin but also had a feeling of lack 

Obeying the Lord was the way to get His blessings back

In return, Leviticus promises plentiful harvests and peace

God does not abhor us and His power will never cease

Pastor Josh said slavery is abhorrent but does still exist

Not just physically but emotionally too, there is quite a list

In Leviticus twenty six thirteen, the Israelites God did free

Disobedient ones won't enter God’s rest, per Hebrews three

Verse nineteen goes on to say that unbelief prohibits rest

Isolating us from the Lord is the enemy’s continual quest

As we trust and submit to God, rest comes much easier

With God’s immutable love and care, life will be breezier

Per John chapter six, Jesus represents the spirit of the law

Relationships require mercy, not sacrifice, is what we saw

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God did our sins forgive

So we should be able to forgive others as long as we live

Josh pointed out that this applies to ourselves just as well

We must learn to forgive ourselves and our sin, he did tell

Jesus came to redeem all under the law, per Galatians four

So we could be God’s sons with inheritance forever more

Come to Jesus and He will give us rest, per Matthew eleven

Even if working or burdened, true rest comes from heaven

29 January 2017 - ENCS

In closing, Pastor Josh challenged us to be like fruit trees

Giving out new fruit and blessings as often as we please

Let your light shine, per Matthew chapter five verse sixteen

So that your good deeds that glorify God will by all be seen

Per First Peter chapter two verse twelve, lead a life so good

That even pagans see and then glorify God as they should

This should be our desire until the day that we eventually die

With that, here’s wishing everyone a blessed Gong Xi Fa Cai

22 January 2017 - ENCS

Today Pastor Josh continued on the theme of “Clarity”

In Genesis one, God’s creation plan was plain to see

He had clarity of purpose and followed a logical plan

He created the earth, water, animals, and then man

Pastor then provided us with a piece of sage advice

That sometimes we may need to be not entirely nice

We need to say ‘no’ at times, for a variety of reasons

So we can be more fruitful and happy in all seasons

God saw everything He had made, per Genesis one

 ‘Very good’ was His view in terms of all He had done

That result came from steps aligned with a clear vision

There were daily objectives, all achieved with precision

It is very important that per verses twenty six and seven

Man was made in the image of the triune God in heaven

And as Josh said, it is very difficult for us to comprehend

But having a relationship with us is what God does intend

Matthew twenty eight refers to the Father, Son, and Spirit

God’s pleasure with His Son was evident for all to hear it

God was well pleased before Jesus even began His work

Likewise, not based on works, His love for us is not a quirk

The nature of our relationship with God and others is trust

Josh highlighted five elements that he considers a must

The acronym Truth, Reliability, Unity, Standards, and Time

(That last one makes it relatively easy to develop a rhyme)

Josh pointed to John fourteen verse six in regards truth

McDonalds is reliable although often targeted at youth

The reliability point also made in Hebrews thirteen eight

Everything moves at the speed of trust, Covey did state

Per James one, unity will never change on God’s part

In Psalm eighty six, David asks for an undivided heart

We must avoid relationships with those of standards low

Per First Peter one, in holy obedience we should grow

God is faithful throughout time, per Psalm thirty seven

Isaiah forty says forever stands the Word from heaven

And while human maturity leads to more independence

A mature Christian sees reliance on God in ascendance

The key to every relationship we have is therefore trust

Something we must work on but God never has to adjust

In summary, Pastor highlighted key actions to take four

To pray, to meditate, to proclaim, and to fellowship more

8 January 2017 - ENCS

As ENC globally heads into a prayer and fasting week

On the topic of fasting Pastor Joshua Harris did speak

With a look at Matthew nine verse fourteen he did start

With a reminder that Jesus’ answers focus on our heart

That passage says to be relational rather than religious

For getting closer to God is obviously more prodigious

That should be our purpose of fasting from whatever

For by freeing up time to talk with God, we are clever

Proper fasting can turn a perceived duty into delight

Some effort may be required but the result is alright

Remember that whatever we do for God does pale

In comparison to what He did for us in gory detail

That is evidence of His infinite love for every person

When we do not love others, we therefore incur sin

Pastor Josh then turned to Psalm sixteen for advice

It states that God does not delight in our sacrifice

Rather, God takes delight when we do listen to Him

For then we do God’s will and the result is not grim

By letting His Word take its rightful place in our heart

Our lives will illustrate His glory as we all do our part

Fasting’s focus changes from deprivation to desire

And from desperation to devotion we should aspire

Per Joshua three verse five, in order to aptly prepare

We should focus on God so that He can show His care

Josh said that by fasting at the beginning of the year

It is like rebooting a computer when problems appear

We should thus move from religion to relationship

And remember we have nothing to fear on life’s trip

Per Psalm sixteen, God provides counsel for the heart

Peace and pleasures forever is what He does impart

Joy means having positive expectations all of the time

Hence what God is doing in our lives becomes prime

In summary, as we fast from things that get in our way

We should focus on the eternal, not temporal, each day

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!