September 07 Memo

Sept 2nd - Bethel Family Day at Jurong Bird Park. I enjoyed the trip despite the early bus ride from Geylang East Central to Jurong. The church also provided us with a goody bag that consists of wet tissues, tissues, a fan, a pair of sunglasses (which i gave it to my colleague's son), a bottle of water, umbrella. In the middle of the programme, sweets were passed to us. After the whole programme, me and Fioeve walked round the park and went home at 2pm using Church transport.

Sept 4th - Celebrated Weiling's birthday. Both of us went to Parkway to have Japanese dinner and she gave me a bag for my birthday on the 5th. Thank God for the blessing.

Sept 5th - My colleagues celebrated my birthday. Grace gave me a bouquet of flowers, they brought me to "Botak Jones" at Toa Payoh to have a sumptuous lunch. See the pictures below:

the bouquet of flowers

my leftover lunch - too big portion of turkey sandwich - it's US size.

My present from my colleague is a hot coral red sling bag.

I ended the day by going shopping! Get two new tops from Club Marc at 70% discount! So worth it! Hmmm...actually i want to buy a pair of shoes but did not find one that i like...it's okay...who knows when i chance upon a good comfy pair it will be on sale. Yeah...better pray...

Prayer Meeting Sharing by Ps. Jack Theva on 30th Aug 07

Notes from the exhortation:

Unanswered prayers maybe the best thing for us. For God knows us and loved us too much. He only gives us enough.

1. We cannot pray selfishly ---> "I want this..."

• Selfish prayers are dangerous - be care of God's permissive will.
• James 4:3 (NLT)" And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure."
• Pray for the will of God and accept it.
• When we pray, there must be a change of character.
• We must come before the Lord to guide us and to convict us of our sins so that we will not repeat it again but be changed.

2. Prayer must change our character

• Israel was in worse shape spiritually after they got what they waited.
• Numbers 11:31-34 (The Message) says:" Then Moses and the leaders of Israel went back to the camp. A wind set in motion by God swept quails in from the sea. They piled up to a depth of about three feet in the camp and as far out as a day's walk in every direction. All that day and night and into the next day the people were out gathering the quail—huge amounts of quail; even the slowest person among them gathered at least sixty bushels. They spread them out all over the camp for drying. But while they were still chewing the quail and had hardly swallowed the first bites, God's anger blazed out against the people. He hit them with a terrible plague. They ended up calling the place Kibroth Hattaavah (Graves-of-the-Craving). There they buried the people who craved meat. "
• The Prodigal son "Father give me..." - ruined him. When he said "Father make me..." his character changed.

3. We must always pray for God's will.

• "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven..."

26th Aug 07 Sunday Service Sermon

Work Together towards Unity of Christ

Ps. Chia

Ephesians 4:17-24

Eph.4:24 "and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. "

• A new person (born again Christian) must live out the new life to bring forth the image of God.

How?

1. Thinking must be different

• Be imitator of God.


• Don't go back to the old thinking


• Romans 12:2 says: " 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."

2. Should not follow the ungodly

• They are separated from the life of God.


• They are ignorant due to the fultility of their mind (Eph 4:17b - 18 says: " the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart..."


• Romans 2:14-16 (The Message) says:"When outsiders who have never heard of God's law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God's yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences.

3. Live according to the teaching of the Word of God

Eph 4:21-24 (NLT) says:"21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

• The Word of God Sanctify us


• The WOrd of God keeps this new life in us.


• Don't grief the Holy Spirit/God. (By disobeying God and not being sensitive to God).

3 areas we need to watch out:

(i) Speech

• Put off falsehood but speak the truth in love to build and not to hurt one another.


• No unwholesome talk - words that'll tear down people; talk that don't glorify God or dirty jokes.


• Be quick to listen and slow to be angry.

Before you speak, ask yourself:

N - Neccessary? (Think Carefully)

E - Does it emancipate? (free the person?)

E - Does it energise people?

D - Does it dignify people? (Make people feel significant, someone in Christ, life is worth living)

(ii) Surge of emotion

• Do not sin in your anger. This is because you'll speak rashly.


• Anger will lead you to think "how I wish I didn't see you"


• Suppressed anger will lead u to brew over it, hold it in your heart and becomes depressed or even bitter.

(iii) Stealing (pilferage)

• Eg. steal office time to do shopping or from Christian counsellor by not changing your ways (for those organisation that do not charge a fee).

Conclusion:

• Get rid of all bitterness, brawless anger.


• Learn to control our tongue.


• Be kind & compassionate to one another.

That's me with my friend's sunglasses. I looked so cool! :)B-)