Maunthy Thursday
Mrs Lily Ch'ng
John 13:3-7: Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel round his waist. Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel round his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?"
Jesus answered him, "You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later."
*Maunthy's maundatum - Italian
*Leonardo made a mistake in the piture of the last supper. He painted the disciples looking up and smiling but actually they were fighting on who would be the greatest
*Jesus must have been exasperated. Not about power and position
Matthew 20:26-28: This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, he must be the servant of the rest; and if one of you wants to be first, he must be your slave -like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people."
*He walked all the way from Bethany with dusty feet
*He took out his outer cloth, wrapped a towel around him, poured water and washed the disciples feet
*Can you imagine the surprise, the shock and the quietness?
*John Sung brought a coffin in chuch saying that everyone will die but where would our spirits go?
He urge them to believe in Jesus -it was a lesson that people won't forget
1. Jesus, the ruler of the universe became a servant
*We should have security and confidence to be children of God
*There is witness that we are children to the King of Kings
*Wash their feet and serve by humility (training in servanthood)
2. Only those who are washed by Jesus Christ can be part of the Kingdom of God.
*Washing of the feel symbolizes cleansing of our sin
*Peter was saying 'I am a sinner' 'You are a great teacher (v8-11)
*Disciples considered clean because of the word that was spoken to them
*Allowed Jesus Christ to wash parts of us that are dirty
-Eyes for watching pornography, mouth for gossipping, heart for unforgiveness
1 John 1:9: But if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.
- he will always forgive us from all unrighteousness
3. Our mission for Jesus, to be humble ike Jesus
*Jesus instructs to follow him washing feet of one another. -he says it three times (v14-17)
What is Jesus trying to say?
1. To learn servanthood, act of kindness to the world
2. The unwillingness to forgive will eat you up
-Jesus always emphasize on unforgiveness
-Do not forgive seven times, but seventy times seven times
-We too need forgiveness from God
3. We must set up foot washing groups -encourage, nurture one another
-It is ony when we come in small groups - where we can trust, be encouraged and vulnerable to one another
John 13:17: Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!
-He concludes his comments on foot washing
-Not just intellectual capacity/ knowledge but practical work as well
-Come to the table, repent, resolve to be obedient, be willing to forgive each other and let your dirty feet be washed.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Transforming Power of Prayer
Dr Thomas Chung
28.3.2010
*Bario Revival
*They climb a mountain which is said to be if your don't climb yourself, you have sinned
*Preacher up there prophesy to 2 Yang Berhormat and many people
*Manifested evil spirits
*Pray in tongues, healing takes place without doctors
*Acts 12:1-17 : About this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death by the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter. (This happened during the time of the Festival of Unleavened Bread.) After his arrest Peter was put in jail, where he was handed over to be guarded by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after Passover. So Peter was kept in jail, but the people of the church were praying earnestly to God for him.
The night before Herod was going to bring him out to the people, Peter was sleeping between two guards. He was tied with two chains, and there were guards on duty at the prison gate. Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shouder, woke him up, and said, "Hurry! Get up!" At once the chains fell off Peter's hands. Then the angel said, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so, and the angel said, "Put your cloak round you and come with me." Peter followed him out of the prison, not knowing, however, if what the angel was doing was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed by the first guard post and then the second, and came at last to the iron gate leading into the city. The gate opened for them by itself, and they went out. They walked down a street, and suddenly the angel left Peter.
Then Peter realized what had happened to him, and said, "Now I know that it is really true! The Lord snt his angel to rescue me from Herod's power and from everything the Jewish people expected to happen."
Aware of his situation, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outside door, and a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer it. She recognized Peter's voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Peter was standing outside. "You are mad!" they told her. But she inisted that it was true. So they answered, "It is his angel."
Meanwhile Peter kept on knocking. At least they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were amazed. He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, an he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell this to James and the rest of the believers," he said; then he left and went somewhere else.
*Earthquake - an aftershock
*When Jesus said it was finished, an aftershock happened
*Jews offering sacrifice - curtain torn from top to bottom, only God can do that.
*Cross imperfects sufficient sacrifice
*red, purple, blue - heavy curtain
*Sinful man can enter heaven if he/she believes God died for his/her sin
*Acts 5: 17-21: Then the High Priest and all his companions, members of the local party of the Sadducees, became extremely jealous of the apostles; so they decided to take action. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates, led the apostles out, and said to them, "Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new life." The apostles obeyed, and at dawn they entered the Temple and started teaching.
-open prison door for apostles
*Acts 16:16: One day as we were goin to the place of prayer, we were met by a slavegirl who had an evil spiritthat enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
-prison in Phillippi (Paul) -conversion of jailer
-letters to Phillippians = more personal and emotional
*Chuch of Phillippi started from the house of Lydia
*Beautiful description of the world - the book of Joshua about Jericho
*to go in, you have to open the outer door and you can only do that with the sword that is the word of God
*God still has the last word - sovereignty of God
*Wealth, family, health -cannot touch his life -God has the last say
*If God were to bow to Satan and get his authority, the cross could be avoided
1. Nature Prayer
*We rest in the victory God gave us, we do not need to be involve in Spiritual Warfare
2. Earnest Prayer -without any foul language towards Satan
3. Emphasize made for Peter
4. Must be Specific
5. Must be directed to God
-Prayer meeting use to direct to God, not one another
-made by the chrch -more powerful, is the apple of God's eye, "and I will build the church against the gates of hell."
6. Directed against the enemy
Picture of the World
1. Peter is sleeping-not expecting anything
- without Jesus, they are on their way to hell
2. He was sleeping between 2 soldiers
-let us hope the church is no asleep
3. Bound with chains
4. Centurions guarding the door
-Don't need to be Christians -family is good, I'm not as bad as the other man, I live by my conscience
-different people have different conscience, beheading people to some may be normal
5. Nature/characteristic of prayer
6. Work of evangelism
-don't see between their consequences
-transform thinking
regeneration = metamorphosis
we become like a butterfly when we have the spirit of God.
Consequences of Prayer
1. The angel of the Lord appeared -symbolic of God coming to the scene
Daniel 10:12:
Then he said, "Daniel, don't be afraid. God has heard your prayer ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in order to gain understanding. I have come in answer to your prayer.
"It is beacuse you have prayed that I came"
2. A light shone in the cell - "darkness have not overcome it"
John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.
3. Angel strike Peter on the side- God made contact with him, worship is a form of making contact with God
(not physical contact)
*Pray.Results in a spiritual awakening - in the presence of God
The angel said "Get up"
*God sets no conditions -his love is unconditional
*Salvation is free of charge but the price is to surrender to him
*When you serve God, you are not the highest servant but out of love
*My chains are gone - free man, we can follow Jesus whole- heartedly
4. Sometimes we have not even realise God has answered our prayers
5. Prayer is sometimes like a dream - spiritual awakening by God
*What is God doing in your life today?
*You got a testimony of your life today
*Christian life is a living experience
*Sometimes if we persist to ask about the wrong thing and get angry because God did not answer it, our spirituallity will slowly swivel
*We don't expect because we got a perception on how God ought to answer our prayer.
*God will only give us good things
*Never cease to give God his glory
John 17:1-5: After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you. For you gave him authority over all mankind, so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him. And eternal life means knowing you, the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.
*He moved on from that experience of being feed from prayer before he goes for his next transformation.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
28.3.2010
*Bario Revival
*They climb a mountain which is said to be if your don't climb yourself, you have sinned
*Preacher up there prophesy to 2 Yang Berhormat and many people
*Manifested evil spirits
*Pray in tongues, healing takes place without doctors
*Acts 12:1-17 : About this time King Herod began to persecute some members of the church. He had James, the brother of John, put to death by the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he went on to arrest Peter. (This happened during the time of the Festival of Unleavened Bread.) After his arrest Peter was put in jail, where he was handed over to be guarded by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put him on trial in public after Passover. So Peter was kept in jail, but the people of the church were praying earnestly to God for him.
The night before Herod was going to bring him out to the people, Peter was sleeping between two guards. He was tied with two chains, and there were guards on duty at the prison gate. Suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and a light shone in the cell. The angel shook Peter by the shouder, woke him up, and said, "Hurry! Get up!" At once the chains fell off Peter's hands. Then the angel said, "Fasten your belt and put on your sandals." Peter did so, and the angel said, "Put your cloak round you and come with me." Peter followed him out of the prison, not knowing, however, if what the angel was doing was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed by the first guard post and then the second, and came at last to the iron gate leading into the city. The gate opened for them by itself, and they went out. They walked down a street, and suddenly the angel left Peter.
Then Peter realized what had happened to him, and said, "Now I know that it is really true! The Lord snt his angel to rescue me from Herod's power and from everything the Jewish people expected to happen."
Aware of his situation, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outside door, and a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer it. She recognized Peter's voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Peter was standing outside. "You are mad!" they told her. But she inisted that it was true. So they answered, "It is his angel."
Meanwhile Peter kept on knocking. At least they opened the door, and when they saw him, they were amazed. He motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, an he explained to them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. "Tell this to James and the rest of the believers," he said; then he left and went somewhere else.
*Earthquake - an aftershock
*When Jesus said it was finished, an aftershock happened
*Jews offering sacrifice - curtain torn from top to bottom, only God can do that.
*Cross imperfects sufficient sacrifice
*red, purple, blue - heavy curtain
*Sinful man can enter heaven if he/she believes God died for his/her sin
*Acts 5: 17-21: Then the High Priest and all his companions, members of the local party of the Sadducees, became extremely jealous of the apostles; so they decided to take action. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But that night an angel of the Lord opened the prison gates, led the apostles out, and said to them, "Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new life." The apostles obeyed, and at dawn they entered the Temple and started teaching.
-open prison door for apostles
*Acts 16:16: One day as we were goin to the place of prayer, we were met by a slavegirl who had an evil spiritthat enabled her to predict the future. She earned a lot of money for her owners by telling fortunes.
-prison in Phillippi (Paul) -conversion of jailer
-letters to Phillippians = more personal and emotional
*Chuch of Phillippi started from the house of Lydia
*Beautiful description of the world - the book of Joshua about Jericho
*to go in, you have to open the outer door and you can only do that with the sword that is the word of God
*God still has the last word - sovereignty of God
*Wealth, family, health -cannot touch his life -God has the last say
*If God were to bow to Satan and get his authority, the cross could be avoided
1. Nature Prayer
*We rest in the victory God gave us, we do not need to be involve in Spiritual Warfare
2. Earnest Prayer -without any foul language towards Satan
3. Emphasize made for Peter
4. Must be Specific
5. Must be directed to God
-Prayer meeting use to direct to God, not one another
-made by the chrch -more powerful, is the apple of God's eye, "and I will build the church against the gates of hell."
6. Directed against the enemy
Picture of the World
1. Peter is sleeping-not expecting anything
- without Jesus, they are on their way to hell
2. He was sleeping between 2 soldiers
-let us hope the church is no asleep
3. Bound with chains
4. Centurions guarding the door
-Don't need to be Christians -family is good, I'm not as bad as the other man, I live by my conscience
-different people have different conscience, beheading people to some may be normal
5. Nature/characteristic of prayer
6. Work of evangelism
-don't see between their consequences
-transform thinking
regeneration = metamorphosis
we become like a butterfly when we have the spirit of God.
Consequences of Prayer
1. The angel of the Lord appeared -symbolic of God coming to the scene
Daniel 10:12:
Then he said, "Daniel, don't be afraid. God has heard your prayer ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in order to gain understanding. I have come in answer to your prayer.
"It is beacuse you have prayed that I came"
2. A light shone in the cell - "darkness have not overcome it"
John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.
3. Angel strike Peter on the side- God made contact with him, worship is a form of making contact with God
(not physical contact)
*Pray.Results in a spiritual awakening - in the presence of God
The angel said "Get up"
*God sets no conditions -his love is unconditional
*Salvation is free of charge but the price is to surrender to him
*When you serve God, you are not the highest servant but out of love
*My chains are gone - free man, we can follow Jesus whole- heartedly
4. Sometimes we have not even realise God has answered our prayers
5. Prayer is sometimes like a dream - spiritual awakening by God
*What is God doing in your life today?
*You got a testimony of your life today
*Christian life is a living experience
*Sometimes if we persist to ask about the wrong thing and get angry because God did not answer it, our spirituallity will slowly swivel
*We don't expect because we got a perception on how God ought to answer our prayer.
*God will only give us good things
*Never cease to give God his glory
John 17:1-5: After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you. For you gave him authority over all mankind, so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him. And eternal life means knowing you, the only true God, and knowing Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.
*He moved on from that experience of being feed from prayer before he goes for his next transformation.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Living Life Out of the Bottom Deck
Pastor Andrew Lim
*Cruise ship = Christian Life
*We fail to keep to the promises of God - we prefer the bottom deck -secure food
*Completely new life altogether - full of God's love, help and promises.
*Traditional image = goes to church, be holy, life of restriction.
*Salvation only happens when we die. This is not true but it is normal for a Christian to have suffering.
*Don't live a non-full Christian life.
*There will be suffering, tribulations but God wants us to live a full Christian life.
Privilages and Benefits
1. Eternal life on our present life
2. Victorious life - privilege to
Romans 8:35-37: Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? As the scripture says,
"For your sake we are in danger of death at all times;
we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
1 John 5:1-4: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child oso. This is how we know that we love God's children : it is by loving God and obeying his commands. For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us, because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith.
*What are we overcoming -sin and bondages
1 Corinthians 10:13: Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will no allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain frm; at the time you are put to test,he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
*Have the potential to break the sin and bondage
*Past hurts, everything that hold us back from a wholesome life
Romans 6:6-7: And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. For when a person dies, he is set free from the power of sin.
*We carry our burdens forward and affects our relationships with the Lord, family, friends, etc.
Luke 4:18:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind;
to set free the oppressed."
1. Victory over sin and bondages
2. Victory over problems and circumstances
Romans 8:28: We know that in all things God works for good with those who ve him, those whom he has called according ot his purpose.
*Whatever the circumstances, you have a helper.
John 14:16-18: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you for ever. He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God.
The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
John 14:26: The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.
*Promise of God everyone must hod
Isaiah 43:2 :
When you pass through deep waters,
I will be with you;
your troubles will not overwhelm you.
When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt;
the hard trials that come will not hurt you.
*God did not say he will take away your problems but in the midst of your difficulty, I will be there.
*We choose to fight problem with our own strength, we will feel self-pity.
*Know the difference between righteousness and foolishness sake
*To overcome the problems with relationships and others, reap the benefits just like the cruise ship
3. Abundant Life
John 10:10 - Not a dog eat dog world out there.
The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life- life in all its fullness.
*Problems with health, wealth (success in life)
*Good to make God prosper in your life
Joshua 1:8- Free of worries, love and peace
Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Ten you will be prosperous and successful.
Psalm 1:3:
They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They suceed in everything they do.
*We have access to direct healing. Jehovah Jireh - healer
*God's miraculous healing is available for us. According to his will and purpose
Ephesians 3:20: To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more that we can ever ask for, or even think of.
Luke 6:38 : Give to others, and God will give it to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands - all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.
how? to recieve abundance in life?
*Accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour
*Set a purpose/desire in your heart that you want to live a full Christian life
*Recognizing you cannot do it alone but only the spirits of God
Romans 8:5-8: Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants. To be controlled, by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace. And so a person becomes an enemy of God when he is controlled by his human nature; for he does not obey God's law, and in fact he cannot obey it. Thos who obey ther human nature cannot please God.
Romans 12:1-2: So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicate to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God --what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Do you desire to live a full Christian life?
*Enough of struggling, defeated life but an abundant, full Christian life:)
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
*Cruise ship = Christian Life
*We fail to keep to the promises of God - we prefer the bottom deck -secure food
*Completely new life altogether - full of God's love, help and promises.
*Traditional image = goes to church, be holy, life of restriction.
*Salvation only happens when we die. This is not true but it is normal for a Christian to have suffering.
*Don't live a non-full Christian life.
*There will be suffering, tribulations but God wants us to live a full Christian life.
Privilages and Benefits
1. Eternal life on our present life
2. Victorious life - privilege to
Romans 8:35-37: Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? As the scripture says,
"For your sake we are in danger of death at all times;
we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us!
1 John 5:1-4: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child oso. This is how we know that we love God's children : it is by loving God and obeying his commands. For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us, because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith.
*What are we overcoming -sin and bondages
1 Corinthians 10:13: Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will no allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain frm; at the time you are put to test,he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
*Have the potential to break the sin and bondage
*Past hurts, everything that hold us back from a wholesome life
Romans 6:6-7: And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. For when a person dies, he is set free from the power of sin.
*We carry our burdens forward and affects our relationships with the Lord, family, friends, etc.
Luke 4:18:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind;
to set free the oppressed."
1. Victory over sin and bondages
2. Victory over problems and circumstances
Romans 8:28: We know that in all things God works for good with those who ve him, those whom he has called according ot his purpose.
*Whatever the circumstances, you have a helper.
John 14:16-18: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you for ever. He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God.
The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
John 14:26: The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.
*Promise of God everyone must hod
Isaiah 43:2 :
When you pass through deep waters,
I will be with you;
your troubles will not overwhelm you.
When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt;
the hard trials that come will not hurt you.
*God did not say he will take away your problems but in the midst of your difficulty, I will be there.
*We choose to fight problem with our own strength, we will feel self-pity.
*Know the difference between righteousness and foolishness sake
*To overcome the problems with relationships and others, reap the benefits just like the cruise ship
3. Abundant Life
John 10:10 - Not a dog eat dog world out there.
The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life- life in all its fullness.
*Problems with health, wealth (success in life)
*Good to make God prosper in your life
Joshua 1:8- Free of worries, love and peace
Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Ten you will be prosperous and successful.
Psalm 1:3:
They are like trees that grow beside a stream,
that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They suceed in everything they do.
*We have access to direct healing. Jehovah Jireh - healer
*God's miraculous healing is available for us. According to his will and purpose
Ephesians 3:20: To him who by means of his power working in us is able to do so much more that we can ever ask for, or even think of.
Luke 6:38 : Give to others, and God will give it to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands - all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.
how? to recieve abundance in life?
*Accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour
*Set a purpose/desire in your heart that you want to live a full Christian life
*Recognizing you cannot do it alone but only the spirits of God
Romans 8:5-8: Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants. To be controlled, by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace. And so a person becomes an enemy of God when he is controlled by his human nature; for he does not obey God's law, and in fact he cannot obey it. Thos who obey ther human nature cannot please God.
Romans 12:1-2: So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicate to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God --what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Do you desire to live a full Christian life?
*Enough of struggling, defeated life but an abundant, full Christian life:)
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
"Adversity is the Diamond, Dust Heaven Polishes Its Jewels With"
"Adversity is the Diamond, Dust Heaven Polishes Its Jewels With"
so that we can shine further with God.
Psalm 130
A Prayer for Help
From the depths of my despair
I call to you, Lord.
Hear my cry, O Lord;
listen to my call for help!
If you ket a record of our sins,
who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.
I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,
and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.
Israel, trust in the Lord,
because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
*Many are hurting but they don't know who to turn to
*We must have the gut to cry out to God at the rock bottom
*Bible says "God hears their cry"
1. Crying out to God (vs 1-2)
*v1 : From the depths of my despair,I call to you, Lord.
- a cry of desperation "Out of the depths"
*take a way self- pride
*"The depth" in Hebrew refers to the depths of the sea, the watery chaos in life"
Shortet verse. "Jesus wept" (John 11:32-38)
*He didn't cry once, he cried many times
*Real pray begins when desperation sets in
*What does God want from us more than anything else?
*You are close to him
*Love the Lord, Love your neighbour
vs 2 : Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help!
- A cry of doubt "Hear my voice"
*A christian must trust in a withdrawing God
Psalm 28:1 :
O Lord, my defender, I call to you.
Listen to my cry!
If you do not answer me,
I will be among those who go down
to the world of the dead
2. Recalling God's love (v3-4)
If you ket a record of our sins,
who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.
*Worse panic-when we are disorientated
*God did not give up on us. We gave up on him
*Sin is fatal - "Who could stand"
*Sins of commission,
sins of omission
(we do nothing about it),
sins of presumption
(1. taking for granted the grace of God; 2. Do things that try God's patience; 3. We hear half truth and we make assumptions about that person)
*Good news! Forgiveness is available. It can never be exhausted
Romans 2:4 : Or perhaps you despise his great kindness, tolerance, and patience. Surely you know that God is kind, because he is trying to lead you to repent.
3. Longing for God's Presence (v5-6) - unfailing love
I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,
and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.
*We are always tempted to give up -don't!
Matthew 5:6: "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!
*We would not value God's blessings if they always arrived at the instant we felt we need them
4. Share the blessing (v7-8)
Israel, trust in the Lord,
because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
*The writer is so joyful that he wants others to experience his joy
*There is no evidene that anything has changed in his circumstances yet
*God's love is abundant -
v7: "With the Lord, there is forgiveness"
v8: He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
Conclusion
*When we learn the secret of how to rejoice in the Lord in the midst of a hard situation, then we know how to help someone else.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
so that we can shine further with God.
Psalm 130
A Prayer for Help
From the depths of my despair
I call to you, Lord.
Hear my cry, O Lord;
listen to my call for help!
If you ket a record of our sins,
who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.
I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,
and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.
Israel, trust in the Lord,
because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
*Many are hurting but they don't know who to turn to
*We must have the gut to cry out to God at the rock bottom
*Bible says "God hears their cry"
1. Crying out to God (vs 1-2)
*v1 : From the depths of my despair,I call to you, Lord.
- a cry of desperation "Out of the depths"
*take a way self- pride
*"The depth" in Hebrew refers to the depths of the sea, the watery chaos in life"
Shortet verse. "Jesus wept" (John 11:32-38)
*He didn't cry once, he cried many times
*Real pray begins when desperation sets in
*What does God want from us more than anything else?
*You are close to him
*Love the Lord, Love your neighbour
vs 2 : Hear my cry, O Lord; listen to my call for help!
- A cry of doubt "Hear my voice"
*A christian must trust in a withdrawing God
Psalm 28:1 :
O Lord, my defender, I call to you.
Listen to my cry!
If you do not answer me,
I will be among those who go down
to the world of the dead
2. Recalling God's love (v3-4)
If you ket a record of our sins,
who could escape being condemned?
But you forgive us,
so that we should stand in awe of you.
*Worse panic-when we are disorientated
*God did not give up on us. We gave up on him
*Sin is fatal - "Who could stand"
*Sins of commission,
sins of omission
(we do nothing about it),
sins of presumption
(1. taking for granted the grace of God; 2. Do things that try God's patience; 3. We hear half truth and we make assumptions about that person)
*Good news! Forgiveness is available. It can never be exhausted
Romans 2:4 : Or perhaps you despise his great kindness, tolerance, and patience. Surely you know that God is kind, because he is trying to lead you to repent.
3. Longing for God's Presence (v5-6) - unfailing love
I wait eagerly for the Lord's help,
and in his word I trust.
I wait for the Lord
more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn
than watchmen wait for the dawn.
*We are always tempted to give up -don't!
Matthew 5:6: "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; God will satisfy them fully!
*We would not value God's blessings if they always arrived at the instant we felt we need them
4. Share the blessing (v7-8)
Israel, trust in the Lord,
because his love is constant
and he is always willing to save.
He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
*The writer is so joyful that he wants others to experience his joy
*There is no evidene that anything has changed in his circumstances yet
*God's love is abundant -
v7: "With the Lord, there is forgiveness"
v8: He will save hi people Israel from all their sins.
Conclusion
*When we learn the secret of how to rejoice in the Lord in the midst of a hard situation, then we know how to help someone else.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Friday, April 2, 2010
Worship
*Worship is a life orientation
*Worship is done to be aware of the presence of God
Romans 12:1 So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrific to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.
*God created the world, he did everything first.
*It was by grace we worship him
*We give back, we respond to what he has done for us
*We are invited to enjoy God
*Everyone has a part to play in worship- scripture reading, sound technician, ushers
*We are all leader drawing response to God
*Everyone has to work together to be coherent.
*We play less so that other people can draw near to God
*To lead worship, we must first worship and come to the foot of the cross through God's grace
*Worship is consistent
*If we are not up leading or playing, we have to worship
*Do not care about the technicalities in what our or other people's styleof worship. We have to put that down.
*We come to know God better
*Be in our Father's embrace.
*We are called in the long obedience.
*When was the last time you worship and just enjoy God?
*It is very easy to do sound check, planning, doing activities that we leave our heart behind.
*If we don't engage our heart, doing will become a chore and burn out occurs.
*Nothing can ever be separated from the grace of Christ.
*Doing duty with a passion we need to be converted to God, know God's ove, be instruments before we abroad in God's presence.
*We should spent time with God, awaiting for God's presence
John 15:1-5 "I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. You ahve been made clean already by the teaching I have given you. Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way, you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.
*He choses us to be his friends.
*In any spiritual state we are in, we should all worship God.
*Whatever the circumstances is he extends us to know that his presence is with us.
*If you have been enjoying God's presence, we should continue praising him.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
*Worship is done to be aware of the presence of God
Romans 12:1 So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrific to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.
*God created the world, he did everything first.
*It was by grace we worship him
*We give back, we respond to what he has done for us
*We are invited to enjoy God
*Everyone has a part to play in worship- scripture reading, sound technician, ushers
*We are all leader drawing response to God
*Everyone has to work together to be coherent.
*We play less so that other people can draw near to God
*To lead worship, we must first worship and come to the foot of the cross through God's grace
*Worship is consistent
*If we are not up leading or playing, we have to worship
*Do not care about the technicalities in what our or other people's styleof worship. We have to put that down.
*We come to know God better
*Be in our Father's embrace.
*We are called in the long obedience.
*When was the last time you worship and just enjoy God?
*It is very easy to do sound check, planning, doing activities that we leave our heart behind.
*If we don't engage our heart, doing will become a chore and burn out occurs.
*Nothing can ever be separated from the grace of Christ.
*Doing duty with a passion we need to be converted to God, know God's ove, be instruments before we abroad in God's presence.
*We should spent time with God, awaiting for God's presence
John 15:1-5 "I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. You ahve been made clean already by the teaching I have given you. Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way, you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.
*He choses us to be his friends.
*In any spiritual state we are in, we should all worship God.
*Whatever the circumstances is he extends us to know that his presence is with us.
*If you have been enjoying God's presence, we should continue praising him.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Unlocking the 3 keys to Heavenly Rewards
Fast vs Feasting
*Fast on the bad things, feast on the good things
Season of Lent
*not only keys to spiritual discipline but having right keys to heavenly rewards
Matthew 6 - God gave us 3 keysto recieve heavenly rewards
3 keys to heavenly rewards.
1. Generous giving (6:1-4)
"Make certain ou do not perform your religious duties in publix so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.
"So hen you give somethig to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses o worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that eve your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
*We give the right heart attitude, God rewards us
*What is giving?
-giving to the poor (Proverbs 19:17)
when you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.
-giving tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-10)
I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. 'How?' you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings.
2. Powerful Praying (6:5-15)
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them, I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who i unseen. And your Father,m who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
"When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, ho think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven:
May your holy name be honoured;
may your Kingdom come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
as we forgive the wrong that others have done o us.
Do not bring us to hard testing,
but keep us safe from the Evil One.'
"If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done."
*Everyone knows how to pray but do not know powerful prayer
Revelation 3:20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me.
Matthew 6:5 "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them, I assure you, they have already been paid in full."
*Prayer is developing relationship with Jesus
*Lord's prayer begins with a person- "Our Father in Heaven..." - assuming us that God wants the best for you.
Praise -Hallowed be Thy Name
Priorities- Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Provision- Give us this day our daily bread
Pardon- And forgive us our trespassess as we forgive those who trespass against us
Protection- Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
Praise- For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Big hindrances- unforgiveness
3. Faithful fasting (6:16-18)
"And when you fast, do not put on a sad face as th hypocrites do. They neglet their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure you, they have already been paid n full. When you do without food, wash your face and comb your hair, so that others cannot know that you are fasting --only your Father, who is unseen, will know. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
*You can fast on food but food can move us away from everything else for an extended period of time.
*We are filled with so many small things of the world, fasting cleanse us from all that.
Conclusion
*lent- 40 days of prayer and fasting
*Lets seek God for revival and revival of the church
*The book of Isaiah revolves in these 3 keys of heavenly rewards
Isaiah 58:5-10 When you fast, you make yourselves suffer; you bow your heads low like a blade of grass, and spread out sackcloth and ashes to lie on. Is that what you call fasting? Do you think I will be pleased with that?
"The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.
"Then my favour will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond.
"If you put an end to oppression, to every festure of contempt, and to every evil word; if you give food to the hungry and saisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon."
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
*Fast on the bad things, feast on the good things
Season of Lent
*not only keys to spiritual discipline but having right keys to heavenly rewards
Matthew 6 - God gave us 3 keysto recieve heavenly rewards
3 keys to heavenly rewards.
1. Generous giving (6:1-4)
"Make certain ou do not perform your religious duties in publix so that people will see what you do. If you do these things publicly, you will not have any reward from your Father in heaven.
"So hen you give somethig to a needy person, do not make a big show of it, as the hypocrites do in the houses o worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in such a way that eve your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
*We give the right heart attitude, God rewards us
*What is giving?
-giving to the poor (Proverbs 19:17)
when you give to the poor, it is like lending to the Lord, and the Lord will pay you back.
-giving tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8-10)
I ask you, is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not, yet you are cheating me. 'How?' you ask. In the matter of tithes and offerings.
2. Powerful Praying (6:5-15)
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them, I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who i unseen. And your Father,m who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
"When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, ho think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long. Do not be like them. Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven:
May your holy name be honoured;
may your Kingdom come;
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need.
Forgive us the wrongs we have done,
as we forgive the wrong that others have done o us.
Do not bring us to hard testing,
but keep us safe from the Evil One.'
"If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done."
*Everyone knows how to pray but do not know powerful prayer
Revelation 3:20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and eat with him, and he will eat with me.
Matthew 6:5 "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites! They love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on the street corners, so that everyone will see them, I assure you, they have already been paid in full."
*Prayer is developing relationship with Jesus
*Lord's prayer begins with a person- "Our Father in Heaven..." - assuming us that God wants the best for you.
Praise -Hallowed be Thy Name
Priorities- Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Provision- Give us this day our daily bread
Pardon- And forgive us our trespassess as we forgive those who trespass against us
Protection- Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
Praise- For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Big hindrances- unforgiveness
3. Faithful fasting (6:16-18)
"And when you fast, do not put on a sad face as th hypocrites do. They neglet their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure you, they have already been paid n full. When you do without food, wash your face and comb your hair, so that others cannot know that you are fasting --only your Father, who is unseen, will know. And your Father, who sees what you do in private, will reward you.
*You can fast on food but food can move us away from everything else for an extended period of time.
*We are filled with so many small things of the world, fasting cleanse us from all that.
Conclusion
*lent- 40 days of prayer and fasting
*Lets seek God for revival and revival of the church
*The book of Isaiah revolves in these 3 keys of heavenly rewards
Isaiah 58:5-10 When you fast, you make yourselves suffer; you bow your heads low like a blade of grass, and spread out sackcloth and ashes to lie on. Is that what you call fasting? Do you think I will be pleased with that?
"The kind of fasting I want is this: Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.
"Then my favour will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed. I will always be with you to save you; my presence will protect you on every side. When you pray, I will answer you. When you call to me, I will respond.
"If you put an end to oppression, to every festure of contempt, and to every evil word; if you give food to the hungry and saisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon."
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Total failure
'Against you only have I sinned.' Ask the Lord to show you your sin. Confess it and receive his forgiveness.
Mark 14:71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, 'I don't know this man you're talking about.'
In Peter's downfall we see echoes of our own. His journey from self-confidence and self-belief to true self-awareness is one we all take.
Peter had a flash of self-knowing when he first understood the power of Jesus
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw what happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, "Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!"
But over the years with Jesus, sharing in his ministry, his self-confidence ad self-belief had grown
Mark 14: 31 Peter answered even more strongly, "I willnevr say that, even if I have to die with you!"
Jesus had warned him
Mark 14:30 Jesus said to Peter, "I tell yo that before the cock crows twice tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me."
Mark 14:38 And he said to them, "Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
but Peter had not acted.
Mark 14:40 Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open, And they did not know what to say to him.
Are you and I vigilant and prayerful about our spiritual state?
Are we quick to act on the warnings the Lord gives us through his Word or by his Spirit through another Christian?
Maybe, like Peter we only remember when it s too late.
Mark 14:72 Just then a cock crowed a second time, and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will say three times that you do not know me." And he broke down and cried.
Realising that we have failed the Lord, especially when we have known him for a long time, cuts us to the core. Peter did not realise that his moral failure would be paid for in full by Jesus himself. We do know that Jesus went to the cross, willingly.
As weep for our sinful state, our tears should be mingled with tears of gratitude for all that he has done
Lord, forgive me for I am a bitterfull utterlly awful sinner in your eyes. In everything I do, I realise that it is you that brings out the person I am, it is you that I completes me. Without you, I am nothing but a speck of dust on the ground. You are my all and I surrender my whole self to you. Teach me, guide me and lead me everyday and every moment in my life and let me be a testimony to other people, to live a Christlike living in everything that I do. Amen.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
Mark 14:71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, 'I don't know this man you're talking about.'
In Peter's downfall we see echoes of our own. His journey from self-confidence and self-belief to true self-awareness is one we all take.
Peter had a flash of self-knowing when he first understood the power of Jesus
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw what happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, "Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!"
But over the years with Jesus, sharing in his ministry, his self-confidence ad self-belief had grown
Mark 14: 31 Peter answered even more strongly, "I willnevr say that, even if I have to die with you!"
Jesus had warned him
Mark 14:30 Jesus said to Peter, "I tell yo that before the cock crows twice tonight, you will say three times that you do not know me."
Mark 14:38 And he said to them, "Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
but Peter had not acted.
Mark 14:40 Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open, And they did not know what to say to him.
Are you and I vigilant and prayerful about our spiritual state?
Are we quick to act on the warnings the Lord gives us through his Word or by his Spirit through another Christian?
Maybe, like Peter we only remember when it s too late.
Mark 14:72 Just then a cock crowed a second time, and Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will say three times that you do not know me." And he broke down and cried.
Realising that we have failed the Lord, especially when we have known him for a long time, cuts us to the core. Peter did not realise that his moral failure would be paid for in full by Jesus himself. We do know that Jesus went to the cross, willingly.
As weep for our sinful state, our tears should be mingled with tears of gratitude for all that he has done
Lord, forgive me for I am a bitterfull utterlly awful sinner in your eyes. In everything I do, I realise that it is you that brings out the person I am, it is you that I completes me. Without you, I am nothing but a speck of dust on the ground. You are my all and I surrender my whole self to you. Teach me, guide me and lead me everyday and every moment in my life and let me be a testimony to other people, to live a Christlike living in everything that I do. Amen.
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
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