Mar 2009

Hear God Speaks	1 Mar 09	LOOK UNTO JESUS Pastor Dennis
	8 Mar 09	CURE FOR CRISIS Fear Not, Fret Not & Forget Not
	15 Mar 09	SINGING OR SIGHING
	22 Mar 09	THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
	29 Mar 09	SING TO YOUR MAKER
1 Mar 2009 LOOK UNTO JESUS Ps Dennis Tan As we face the storms of life, we need to look unto Jesus. Hebrew 12:1-3 God Disciplines His Sons ¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Look At Jesus Looking at Jesus means looking away from people. Our journey of faith is like race with a finish line. We will bring to pass many things when we consider His goodness and His grace for he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the author and finisher of our faith. Life is forward looking but the experiences of life can only be enjoyed/remembered by looking backwards. More often , the past and history of our life cannot be changed including all the scars, hurts, past mistakes, decisions, our neglect of the Lord ( in worship, prayer life, Word of God) or lack of devotion. We can, however, move forward and press on towards the future. God is not interested in the substance but our conditions of the heart. Psalms 119:11 ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. This is how we ought to look at Jesus Look back- thank Him Look up -worship Him Look forward- Trust Him Look out- Honour Him Look around- Serve Him Look in- Find Him ( for His Holy Spirit dwell within us) Look far- Feel Him Close Look straight – Walk with Him Jesus came not to be served but to serve humanity. In the eyes of God we are all the same – all saved by His grace. We need to serve one another. We do not need to look far and wide for pastors or other churches, start where you are. He who is within me is greater than he who is in the world. Look at the world- distress Look within – depress Look to Christ- be at rest With the anxiety and stresses of this world, who else can we look to. When you experience double storms, God will grant you double grace. When we are disappointed – we need to turn our eyes to Jesus. Fanny Crosby- who is blind from birth wrote the beautiful song – All the way my savior leads me. She recognize that life is a pilgrimage, and she will still choose to be born blind again, so that the first person she sees in heaven will be the Lord. We who have eyes are blind to the lost souls. Even with vision, we lose sight of lost souls. Crosby was never bitter about her disability. At the age of eight she wrote these verses about her condition: Oh what a happy soul I am, Although I cannot see; I am resolved that in this world Contented I will be. How many blessings I enjoy, That other people don't; To weep and sigh because I'm blind, I cannot, and I won't." She later remarked: It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me. She also once said, "when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!" She composed her poems and hymns entirely in her mind and then dictated them to someone else. She was said to work mentally on as many as twelve hymns at once before dictating them all out. Like Peter, we have many fears about tomorrow, finances, uncertainties, business, crisis and storms. In our moments of discouragement, depression and despondence, lift up your eyes and look to Jesus and He will lead you – to victory, success, breakthroughs. Matt 14:28-31 ²⁸"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." ²⁹"Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" ³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Psalms 121:1 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? Look unto Jesus CLICK TO TOP
8 Mar 2009 CURE FOR CRISIS Ps Phillip Lee Our human life is finite and we are created from dust and to dust shall we return. As recorded in the bible, our human life is probably around 82-85 years . However to God who is infinite, 1000 years is but 1 day. Hence our life span is probably only 1 ½ hours in God ‘s timing. As in the past so it is now. The bible is never out of date and is always up to date. In our life on earth, no one is exempted from crisis, calamities, problems and disasters. How do we cope and go through them. Are we emotionally strong and spiritually steady. The simple cure FEAR NOT, FRET NOT AND FORGET NOT FEAR NOT Isaiah 41:10 ¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Fear is a spirit. We are suppose to be free from all fears when we were created. God has given us a spirit of power, love and sound mind. Fear starts when we choose our own ways. We allow outside spirit/ fear to invade our inner man. 2 Timothy 1:7 ⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. The solution to overcome our fears are as follows: 1. His presence For I am with you – yes - experience the reality of his presence. Nothing happens by chance and so when we experience crisis of different dimensions – in our job, family, health..etc - do not fear like the psalmist of old- I will fear no evil for you are with me. 2. His love 1 John 4:18 ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Perfect love cast out all fears e.g fears of failure and rejection. God’s love take care of the problem 3. His Light Psalm 27:1 ¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Often the roads of life we travel upon- are not clear and unfamiliar. We make detours, stumble..etc until we allow His light to shine upon us to cast out all fears. 4. His salvation He is in control of our life and the strength of our life. When we focus on His salvation, we find the anchor to our life. Psalm 46:1 ¹ God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. FRET NOT Crisis can get us down- we can become mentally confuse, and sometimes financially burden. Psalm 37:1-7-8 Psalm 37 ¹ ^[a] Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; ⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. Psalm 73:3-12 ³ For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴ They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. ^[a] ⁵ They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. ⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. ⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity ^[b] ; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. ⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. ⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. ¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. ^[c] ¹¹ They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" ¹² This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth. Psalm 37:3-5 ³ Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: We are not to envy others – even as they may successful or as we see evil man being successful. FORGET NOT Even in times of crisis, we are to do good – forget not. We can start where we are in the church. Do not go into D E B T ( Do Everything But Tithing). Let us be doer of the Word so that the character of Christ will shine forth. Heb 13:15-16 ¹⁵Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Heb 13:2 ²Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. CLICK TO TOP 15 Mar 2009 SINGING OR SIGHING Ps Phillip Lee We are to sing to our maker. We are like sheep of His pasture. Once upon a time, we were in darkness, but when the glorious light of Jesus shine into our hearts, we see His light and His abundant mercy. Psalm 100:1-3- A psalm. For giving thanks. ¹ Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. ² Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. ³ Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his ^[a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 1 Peter 2:9-10 ⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. If we are not careful and cautious, the things of the world can take over our lives and desires. When we lose the desires or stop singing to the Lord, we need to check ourselves to avoid drifting and sighing. Now we are in his light we should turn our sighing into singing. Our God is the giver of songs. Psalm 42:8 ⁸ By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. Psalm 77:6 ⁶ I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: Job 35:10 ¹⁰ But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, SONG OF REDEMPTION Like Moses of old, we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We are like Moses wondering in our own desert/ wilderness. God instruct Moses to carry out the animal sacrifice to save the children of Israel. Jesus is our Passover lamb- our salvation, our strength and our song. Exodus 12:12-13 ¹² "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. ¹³ The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. Exodus 15:1-2 The Song of Moses and Miriam ¹ Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD : "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. ² The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Rev 5 :9-10 ⁹And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. ¹⁰You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." CLICK TO TOP SONG OF DELIVERANCE Paul sang in the prison and was delivered. The disciples also sang hymns before Jesus was delivered. David sang to the LORD when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. Acts 16:25 ²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Matt 26:30 ³⁰When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Psalm 18:49 ⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name. Psalm 33:3 ³ Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. SONG OF VICTORY 1 Samuel 18:6-7 ⁶ When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. ⁷ As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands." Psalm18:1-3 ¹ I love you, O LORD, my strength. ² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn ^[a] of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. Psalms 18:46-50 ⁴⁶ The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior! ⁴⁷ He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me, ⁴⁸ who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. ⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name. ⁵⁰ He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever. Psalm 89 ¹ I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. ² I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Click and Listen to these songs What a friend we have in Jesus Amazing Grace Blessed Assurance CLICK TO TOP 22 Mar 2009 TBA-4 CLICK TO TOP 29 Mar 2009 TBA-4 CLICK TO TOP