7 Jun 2009
TBA
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14 Jun 2009
Sacrifices
of God
In old testament times, the quality of the
bread offerings is a symbol of great importance- it shows honor. Polluted
bread shows contempt. Jesus represent the living bread that was laid at the
altar – the perfect living sacrifice. Our entire being must be consecrated
and presented to the Lord. After consecration comes contribution- to the
church, to our family..etc .
Malachi 1 :6-7-8
6 "A son honors his
father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due
me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty.
"It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
"But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'
7 "You place defiled
food on my altar.
"But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?'
"By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8
When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you
sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them
to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says
the LORD Almighty.
How do we offer our sacrifices – out of
ritual, out of duty, out of feelings- it must come from the heart as daily/
evening spiritual sacrifices so that we may experience divine visitation. We
worship and lift up our hands as sacrifices of praise.
In biblical times, Jesus was anointed to
do good. Even today, we may also offer tangible sacrifices- such as giving
to someone in need – according to their needs and not greed. God is well
pleased.
Rm 12:1-2
Living Sacrifices
1Therefore, I urge you,
brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a]
act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern
of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and
perfect will.
Psalms 141:2
2 May my prayer be set
before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
1st Timothy 2:8
8I
want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or
disputing.
1st Peter 2:5
5you
also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a
holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ.
Heb 13:16
16And
do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices
God is pleased.
Phillipians 4:18-19
18I
have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I
have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant
offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19And
my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ
Jesus.
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21 Jun 2009
Invisible VIP - The Holy Spirit
In the eyes of the modern world, Jesus
produces a bunch of mediocre disciples. In His times, he cannot bring 100%
transformation, but he promises that He will go away- so that the counsellor
, comforter and holy spirit/ghost can come. God promise the divine trinity-
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The importance of the Holy Spirit in our
daily walk is essential for our spiritual growth- it convicts us and
transform us. We are not to grieve the Spirit but to welcome it and enable
it to operate in our lives.
Acts 5:4-8
4Didn't
it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money
at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not
lied to men but to God."
5When
Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who
heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward,
wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About
three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter
asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?"
"Yes," she said, "that is the price."
Acts 2:4
4All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a]
as the Spirit enabled them.
Isaiah 32:15
15 till the Spirit is
poured upon us from on high,
and the desert becomes a fertile field,
and the fertile field seems like a forest.
Rm 8:27
27And
he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Acts 5:4
4Didn't
it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money
at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not
lied to men but to God."
Acts 7:51
51"You stiff-necked
people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers:
You always resist the Holy Spirit!
1st thess 5:19
19Do
not put out the Spirit's fire;
Eph 4:30
30And
do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption.
Mark 3:29
29But
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is
guilty of an eternal sin."
Acts 10:44
44While
Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard
the message.
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28 Jun 2009
Within the will of God
Pastor Jeff
What drives people to do things that they do. Your
answer determine your perspective. With this approach, we can see in the
words of David Livingstone and his desire to do God ‘s will:
All that I am I owe to Jesus Christ, revealed to me in His divine Book.
Fear God and work hard.
I am prepared to go
anywhere, provided it be forward.
I determined never to stop
until I had come to the end and achieved my purpose.
I will go anywhere, provided
it is forward.
I will place no value on
anything I have or may possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ.
If you have men who will
only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men
who will come if there is no road at all.
Nothing earthly will make me
give up my work in despair.
David Livingstone says it is good for me to die in the
wilderness within the will of God then in the Palace outside the will of
God.
What is your perspective, what drives you, how do you
conduct yourself. At the end of the day God’s will counts, Are you in or
out.
Matt 9:36
36When
he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and
helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Jesus’s compassion drives him to do extraordinary acts
of driving out demons, healing the sick and feeding the poor. Compassion
always demand action. True compassion is love in action. We need action to
support that word of love that is spoken. For example, love of God can be
turn into food for the hungry. True compassion is not in the religion- it
lies in the heart – where the spirit dwells – the fruits of the spirit is
the result. Hence we need to ask the spirit to guide us The essence of the
church is the people- hence we need to have a heart that cares for people.
The race is not over yet. What do you have with you.
Moses’s staff becomes God’s staff after the intervention.Remember last shall
be first- so keep doing the things in obedience- even greater things- such
that – at the end of this race- our credit will be “well done good and
faithful servant”.
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