TAKE OFF THE LID AND STEP-OUT

Scripture Texts: Joshua 5:1-3; 6:1-6
Speaker: Ps. Chia Beng Hock
Date: 14 June 09

 

INTRODUCTION:

(1) Investment: $950 per franchise – selling
     hamburgers.

Ray Kroc: Macdonald’s

Ray Kroc took the step of faith to join the franchise and now he has the Macdonald’s chain and earn billions of dollars.

(2) A “C” grade business concept plan

Fred Smith: Federal Express

Fred Smith, invested his life savings to start the delivery business from small and now his company is one of the top delivery company.

Both Kroc and Smith took risks.

TAKE OFF THE LID AND STEP OUT

3 things required:

(1) Commitment Established

Joshua 5: 1 –3 (Israel Is Circumcised) 
1Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel. 2At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.”3So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.

 

(a) Evaluate our relationship with God

• Putting aside risk (circumcision involves pain on the men and as they just cross over Jordan, they need to defend themselves from the enemies), God wanted them to put right their covenant relationship with Him

(b) Repent and Renew our commitment

• Change of mind, heart and direction: turn back to God.

(c) Calculated Risk: Based on our conviction that God can be trusted.

(d) Get right with God so that we can take off the lid and step-out.

 

(2) Consider the risks

(a) What keep us from taking off the lid and step out?

• Fear of uncertainty
• Fear of failures
• Fear of embarrassment
• Not wanting to step out of our comfort zone

Joshua 6:1-6 (The Conquest of Jericho)
1Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3“You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4“Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5“It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.” 6So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.”

Calculated Risk: Based on our conviction that God can be trusted.

• When we take risk, we are stretching beyond what we think are our limits to achieve desired results.

 

(3) Consider the results

• Joshua & Caleb (went into the promise land)
• Ruth (followed Naomi)
• Peter (walked on water)
• Paul (risked his life to preach the Gospel)
• Sta (or Santa) Barbara Church, Philippines (situated among the staunch Roman Catholics, threw stones and blast their music at them when the Service start, survived persecution and grew to be one of the strong church)
• Bethel Community Outreach (TCM, Film Outreach, etc.)
• Mentoring (Youth, Young Adults, Young in faith).

Calculated Risk: Based on our conviction that God can be trusted.

Consider the results: The blessings HE has prepared for you!

Trusting God – Our Heavenly Father

Scripture Text: Proverbs 3:5-6
Speaker: Ps. Patrick Lau
Date: 7 June 09

 

Proverbs 3:5-6
⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your
own understanding. 
⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

 

(1) WE CAN TRUST GOD, OUR HEAVENLY 
     FATHER because HE is a good Heavenly
     Father. 

• Our Heavenly Father is completely different from our earthly father.

 

Characteristics of God, Our Heavenly Father…

1st – HE is our HEAVENLY FATHER

Matthew 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way:
'Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name. 

2nd – Our Heavenly Father is in-charge of all the affairs of this world.

Matthew 6:10 “'Your kingdom come Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

 

3rd – Our Heavenly Father is our provider

Matthew 6:11 'Give us this day our daily bread.’

 

4th – Our Heavenly Father is the One who can forgives us and forgives us without hesitation.  As long as we go before Him in repentance, He forgives.

Matthew 6:12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’

 

5th – Our Heavenly Father is a Father who delivers, watches over us by letting us know where are the pit falls and temptation so that we can escape.

Matthew 6:13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]'

• All power and glory belongs to HIM. No other powers can stay before HIM.
• Because of HIS characteristics, no matter what we go through, we can trust in HIM.
• Don’t doubt HIM when HE asks you to go to do something or go to some places or do something that seems ridiculous to you.

Example: God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac and Abraham did it and before Abraham can kill his son, GOD intervened and stopped him from doing so. Abraham was willing to obey because he knows who GOD is – Abraham trusted God 100%.

 

(2) GOD OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SHOULD BE
     TRUSTED

• We may have failed to trust God in our past and thus made some mistakes and now living in regrets, but God doesn’t wants us to live in regrets in our lives, that's why we need to trust HIM (because of our relationship with HIM through Jesus Christ).

Example: King Saul who did not learn to trust God in HIS timing. HE took over the Prophet Samuel’s role to offer sacrifices when King Saul didn’t see Prophet Samuel, he began to get anxious and want to please the people instead of God. Thus he lived in regrets the rest of his life.

• God is gracious, He will gives us chance again to learn to trust in HIM, if we failed the last time.
• We need to be humble before God.

 

(3) GOD MUST BE TRUSTED

• When we understand the characteristics of God that HE can be trusted, this will lead to HE should be trusted and must be trusted.
• We must trust God to lead us, guide us in life.

Example: H1N1 Flu

Matthew 24:8 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Luke 21:26 men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 

Conclusion:

God can be trusted, should be trusted and must be trusted.

THE LOST GENERATION

Scripture Text: Matthew 24:9-14
Speaker: Ps. Bernard Foo (Harvester Singapore)
Date: 31 May 09 (Mission Sunday)

All Scripture texts are quoted from New American Standard Bible

Matthew 24:9-14

⁹"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. ¹⁰"At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.  ¹¹"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. ¹²"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. ¹³"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. ¹⁴"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

 

3 Main clusters of people living in this end times:

(1) The LOST Generation
(2) The LUST Generation
(3) The LORD’S Generation

 

(1) The LOST Generation
Three causes

a) Foolishness
    - Aimless, getting caught up in the world system, 
      lost.
    - Luke 15:1-7

Luke 15: 1-7

The Lost Sheep
¹Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ²Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and ^(B)eats with them."³So He told them this parable, saying,⁴"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵"When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' ⁷"I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

 

b) Careless
    - Luke 15:8-10

Luke 15:8-10

The Lost Coin
⁸"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹"When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!'¹⁰"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy ^(D)in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

 

c) Wilfulness
    - Luke 15: 11-24

Luke 15:11-24

The Prodigal Son

¹¹And He said, "A man had two sons.

¹²"The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me ' So he divided his wealth between them.¹³"And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.¹⁴"Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished.¹⁵"So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.¹⁶"And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.¹⁷"But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!¹⁸'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'²⁰"So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.²¹"And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'²²"But the father said to his slaves,
'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
²³and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; ²⁴for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

(2) The LUST Generation
Two Causes

a) Lawlessness
    - Matthew 24:12 “Because lawlessness is 
      increased, most people's love will grow cold.”

    - Genesis 6:11-13, 17-22

        ¹¹Now the earth was ^(N)corrupt in the sight of  
       God, and the earth was ^(O)filled with violence. 
        ¹²God looked on the earth, and behold, it was  
       corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way 
       upon the earth. ¹³Then God said to Noah, "The
       end of all flesh has come before Me; for the
       earth is filled with violence because of them;
       and behold, I am about to destroy them with
       the earth.

 
         ¹⁷"Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of 
        water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in 
        which is the breath of life, from under heaven;
        everything that is on the earth shall perish.
        ¹⁸"But I will establish My covenant with you;
        and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons
        and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
          ¹⁹"And of every living thing of all flesh, you 
        shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to
        keep them alive with you; they shall be male
        and female. ²⁰"Of the birds after their kind,
        and of the animals after their kind, of every
        creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two
        of every kind will come to you to keep them
        alive. ²¹"As for you, take for yourself some of
        all food which is edible, and gather it to
        yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for
        them."²²Thus Noah did; according to all that 
        God had commanded him, so he did.

b) Lovelessness

 

• Because of adversity Christians are not willing to preach the Gospel.
• The Great Commission belongs to ALL BELIEVERS.

 

(3) The LORD’S Generation
      Two Distinction Characteristics:

a) Watchfulness

• not deceived; prayerful; endurance
• know that the coming of the Lord is sure.
• keep awake spiritually
• wants to hear what God is saying and not what the world is saying.

b) Gratefulness

• Grateful people are faithful people, faithful to the plan of God.

Sunday Service @ HIS Sanctuary

Sermon Title: 5 Jewels of Spiritual Transformation
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 22:1-2; Isaiah 45:3; 
                        Ps. 34:1-7
Speaker: Ps. Monte Lee Rice

 

Introduction:

1 Samuel 22:1-2 ¹So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father's household heard of it, they went down there to him. ²Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him.

Picture source: http://christianity.about.com/od/symbolspictures/ig/Israel-Tour-Pictures/19IsraelCaveAddullam800x600.htm

Cave of Adullam: This is the cave where David hid from King Saul when Saul sought to kill him. It is a large & deep dark cave.

Isaiah 45:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

• We can find treasures in the darkness.

1 Chronicles 12:8 From the Gadites there came over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.

Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord GOD is my strength, And
He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

• It is during the ‘dark period’ we are being changed and transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
• Don’t get too quick to get out of the darkness. But learn to seek out the treasures.

 

5 Jewels of transformation

Ps. 34:1-7
(The LORD, a Provider and Deliverer.
A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed).

¹I will bless the LORD at all times;
  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
  The humble will hear it and rejoice.
³O magnify the LORD with me,
  And let us exalt His name together.
⁴I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
  And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵They looked to Him and were radiant,
  And their faces will never be ashamed.
⁶This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
  And saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.

 

What is Church all about?
It is about becoming more like Jesus and Christ is being formed in us.

The 1st jewel: The Altar of Sacrifice (Worship)
Ps. 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

What is worship?
It is about sacrifice.

Hebrews 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

• Offer your dreams & aspirations to Jesus Christ.

 

2nd Jewel: Humility

Ps. 34:2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.

How do i live my life in this world?

• By being humble, just like David who was willing to share his cave with others.
• God gives grace to the humble.

 

3rd Jewel: Seeking the Lord

Ps. 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.

• SEEK and you shall find; ASK and it shall be given to you; KNOCK and the door will be opened for you.

 

4th Jewel: Discipleship (following Jesus)

Ps. 34:5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.

• When comes to discipleship we tend to look for so and so to be our mentor, but is Jesus your teacher or coach?
• Jesus wants to disciple us and teach us to be like Him.

1 Peter 2: 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps

• Read, observe and meditate on Jesus Christ in the Gospel.
• To become like Jesus Christ, we must be willing to pay the cost of discipleship.

 

5th Jewel: Fear the Lord (Reverence)

Ps. 34: 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them.

What it means to fear the Lord?
By giving God the space to be God.

Ps. 46: 10a "Cease striving and know that I am God…”

• It means that we take our hands off in our situation and let God do the necessary.
• God is the God of surprises.

 

Really thank God for this message that HE reminded me on how to apply Ps. 34 in my life. I remembered this Psalm was given to me by my friend on my 22nd Birthday and i asked God what it means. At first, He did not say anything, so i told God that i will read until i get the ‘answer’.

God is gracious. HE knows when to ‘appear’ in action. I flipped my study bible and in front of me is Ps. 34 and the explanation for this Psalm. It says “What ultimately matters in life is not one’s power and position, but one’s attitude and response to God.” When i get to know of this, i became angry at God because during that age, i want to be famous, status and position are very important to me. But after about two minutes, i calm down and began to told God that HE is right and ask Him to help me to apply Ps. 34 in my life.

Thank you Father God for your grace and mercies upon my life. You not only reminded me and help me on how to grow in Christ and also help me to realise that i can find treasures in deep darkness and hidden wealth of secret places.

Father God, help me to grow stronger in You. Transform me to be like Your Son Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Waffle Time@Gelare on Wed, 6 May 09

Make a Smilebox photobook

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Loved by God

Week after week, every Thursday i will attend my church prayer meeting. However on 19 Feb 09, it is very special. I just sensed that God is asking me in my heart to attend prayer meeting and not to worry about preparing my Friday cell lessons. Inside my heart i have such peace and also feelings of being "missed" (as i skipped prayer meeting last week to prepare my cell lesson), like God is thinking of me kind of feeling. Besides that personally i also felt a longing of getting done with my work and quick go to church to meet up with God.

I really thank God for ministering to me through a song that HE helped me to memorise when I was a young Christian. The song is “I come into this Holy Place”. I felt loved by God, that as if HE is telling me that I won’t be left alone or I will not be left out. Is like telling me that He is watching over me and He will never leave me nor forsake me.  

Prayer meeting ended and I went home. As usual I will check my emails and one of the subscribed scripture verse of the day is “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Thus this really assures me that God truly is looking out for me and also He takes note of me attending Prayer Meeting.

Thank You Father God for being so loving, gracious and merciful to me. Not only that, thank You for your Faithfulness even when I am unfaithful.