26 May 2019 - ENCS

About relationships, Pastor Harris shared more today

We are to love God and our neighbours, Jesus did say

These two commandments, as per Matthew twenty two

Are the basis of all other laws because they are so true

As we heard last week, relationships are based on trust

Just as importantly for relationships, love is also a must

We all hear about love in songs and poems and vows

First Corinthians thirteen describes attributes to espouse

Patient and kind, not envious or boastful, but enduring

That we cannot do this, our imperfect nature is ensuring

Earlier in the chapter, of love’s importance Paul writes

For without love, meaningless is our faith and its heights

Per Galatians five, Paul talks about the works of the flesh

The fruit of the Spirit is love so of course they do enmesh

And having Spirit-love in us allows us to each other love

Per First John four, that Spirit is given to us by God above

Josh cautioned us to continue with Jesus to spend time

So that our thoughts, words, and deeds are in fact prime

We love because Jesus first loved us, per First John four

Even while on the cross, His persecutors He did pray for

To harness that Spirit we also need the right environment

For our own flesh cannot be trusted one hundred percent

Because sin includes what we have and have not done

We should share God’s love with others, as did His Son

19 May 2019 - ENCS

The short series on relationships, Pastor Joey did continue

For our existence and happiness, relationships are the glue

As with a chair, we must trust a relationship’s foundation

Without trust, relationships falter and go into deterioration

For human beings, having trust and relationships is a must

As we are all sinners, we can never be fully trusted or trust

So about what builders trust, five points Pastor did share

As always, looking to God and the Bible helps us to prepare

For per Proverbs three, trust in the Lord with all of our heart

And in all of our ways, from a straight path we will not depart

Pastor used the letters of the word 'trust’ to form an anagram

For some of us, that is easier to remember than a diagram

With four letters in common, truth is the first basis for trust

Truth is tough, as half truths and fake news are oft-discussed

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life per John fourteen

So from Jesus and with Jesus truth we can surely glean

Reliability is another basis, as trust follows consistency

God is always reliable, so we should trust Him completely

His promises always come through, per Joshua twenty one

While His trust in us is dependent on what we have done

The third basis is unity, our words and actions aligned

The level of  consistency is how our integrity is defined

God is perfect unity, per the words in Deuteronomy four

Therefore versus humans we can trust Him infinitely more

Fourth is standards, akin to our building blocks or bricks

God is considered “holy, holy, holy” in Isaiah chapter six

Last but not least is time as per Hebrews chapter thirteen

Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever it is seen

Pastor concluded by talking about how we build this trust

Giving and receiving trust is inherently risky, he discussed

He mentioned that if we can not trust people to be on time

It is hard to trust them with bigger things (but not a crime)

The bottom line is for us to do the right things consistently

Then amazing relationships with God and people we see

12 May 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Josh shared some thoughts on this Mother’s Day

God-sent angels who teach us how to serve and to pray

Mothers very often exhibit various forms of sacrificial love

Which in effect is replicating the Lord in heaven above

On the importance of relationships, the sermon did focus

They bring out emotions like a beautiful blooming crocus

Our God is a god of relationships, Pastor Josh did state

Starting with his triune nature, ever since creation date

This is clear in Matthew chapter three from verse sixteen

The spirit of God came to rest on Son Jesus, it was seen

God saw that man needed a companion, per Genesis two

Because relationships are critical in everything we do

Given that, Pastor asked why relationships are so hard

God is omnipotent, loving, and is never caught offguard

But as human we all have limits and can get offended

Even if the impact of the action or words was not intended

Per Proverbs eighteen, taking offence is very unyielding

And like a castle, quarrelling puts up bars for shielding

But by putting up bars, we end up being more isolated

We need forgiveness for our mistakes, Pastor stated

As always, the hardest part is determine how to do this

Don't empower others to control our emotions and bliss

God loved Jesus and was well pleased, per Matthew three

And this was before any the Son’s miracles or ministry

Similarly, God loves us for what we are, not what we do

We should remember that to us His power does accrue

God chose us before creation, as per Ephesians one

In line with His pleasure, as each of us is an adopted son

Jesus came so we have abundance, per First John four

And thus we should love one another, he did underscore

God chose us, so we should have love and confidence

But if we do not connect to Him, the challenge is intense

Jesus sacrificed his life for his friends, per John fifteen

When we do things sacrificially, a similar attitude is seen

About relationships, we should have healthy expectations

A flow of generosity starts when it is at our foundations

God does more than he has to, we should remember

He wants to spend time with us January to December

And when we allow that, we learn about relationships

Giving us more security and confidence at our fingertips

28 April 2019 - ENCS

Using Genesis chapter twenty two verses one through eight

On the topic “The Genuine Test”, Pastor Arnie did us educate

Abraham was a great man but like us, was far from perfect

Sometimes his actions and his stated faith were in conflict

But yet through it all, Abraham could recognise God’s voice

He knew God was faithful so obeying God was his choice

We take tests to see if we meet standards and have learned

When told to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham was not concerned

As per Hebrews eleven, he knew God could raise the dead

With firewood and a knife, Abraham and Isaac went ahead

Because test are for individuals, he left his servants behind

Per James two, Abraham's faith and actions were aligned

Isaac asked his father where they would find the sacrifice

God would provide, Abraham stated just once - not twice

Years later, the Lord would send his own son to the cross

Per John three, His love for us led to Christ’s earthly loss

Abraham relied on God to bring him through every test

Loving and worshiping God is the response valued best

Tests can teach us patience or prepare is to help others

For the Lord is faithful to all believing sisters and brothers

He did not spare His Son so will surely give us all things

In return we should honour Him more than we do kings

Giving Him our heart and our life without any debate

For we are all more than conquerors, per Romans eight

21 April 2019 - Easter

Walking into a sunrise service this morning at six twenty

I looked around the room, there were seats a-plenty

Then I walked over and tried to sit in my normal spot

Only to be instructed by an usher that I could not

But no reason was provided when I asked him why

Feeling rather unwelcome there, I then said goodbye

It made me wonder how often this happens to others

Who may feel unwelcome by some Christian brothers

We all have interactions with unbelievers every day

Do our actions or words welcome or drive them away?

Remembering that we were lost before Jesus we found

Do we accept them despite their looks or background?

When we are given the opportunity to meet a new face

Do we focus on their sin or convey God’s love and grace?

God created and loves us all, so wants a relationship

The Bible tells us how to pray, to live, and to worship

On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ resurrection we celebrate

To the world, He brought redemption and love great

So in unison we say “He is risen. He is risen indeed”

Thanks to the empty tomb, that is all that we need

19 April 2019 - Good Friday

In the midst of the first Lord’s Supper and Holy Communion

To betray Jesus, the disciple Judas left the sacred union

To Gethsemane, Jesus and the other disciples did retreat

“Your will be done” to God in prayer Jesus did then repeat

Jesus the human was in agony and like blood He sweat

He knew what was forthcoming to pay for our sinful debt

Being crucified would be the Son's ultimate act of obedience

For the Holy Jesus was not allowed a path of expedience

He earnestly prayed for the cup of suffering to be removed

By sending an angel, God’s love for His Son was proved

Strength was provided, as only an angel of the Lord could

For per Isaiah, this anguish would result in eternal good

So as I reflect on this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday

I again realise that obedience to the Lord is the only way

And when facing challenges, I may be tempted to complain

I remind myself of Jesus’ undeserved suffering and pain

Knowing that after two days of the enemy’s celebration

Jesus would be resurrected, offering hope and salvation

7 April 2019 - ENCS

Pastor Joey spoke about Genesis chapter twenty one

Four different perspectives from one story were spun

When Isaac was weaned, Abraham threw a great feast

Hagar’s son Ishmael laughed, Sarah’s angst increased

Abraham sent Hagar and son away per Sarah’s request

In the heat of the desert, Hagar became quite depressed

God came to her and behold there was water to drink

Ishmael would father a nation, with God’s plan in sync

Each of the four looked at things in a earthly perspective

Adopting God’s perspective would be far more effective

Sarah’s perspective was in fact about self-preservation

But she should have trusted God about Isaac’s nation

We should not judge people or situations too quickly

For God wants the preservation of all, as we often see

Abraham’s perspective and solution were problem-driven

If we are purpose-driven, better approaches will be given

Hagar’s perspective was fear-driven, not wanting death

God says “fear not” and He does not waste His breath

Ishmael’s perspective was limitation-driven and grim

But God’s ways are unlimited so we should follow Him