BIBLE READING -- PSALM 45-49

People who have wealth but lack understanding
    are like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)

BIBLE READING -- EXODUS 9-12

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. (Exodus 10:27)

"God, I’ll obey Your Word for my life, but...." Compromise! And God says, "No, I’m not interested in partial obedience. The consequences of partial obedience are just as devastating as no obedience." God says, "I want to call the shots because I have a better plan for your life."

BIBLE READING -- PSALM 39-41

And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
    make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
    but God, don’t put it off. (Psalm 40:17,MSG)


I am a Christian for more than 20 years now and still I need God to help me to go through all of my challenges. I cannot say that I fulfilled Christian and I worry nothing now. I took choices in life and who's responsible is that me but when things aren't that well, I begun to think that I did it again. In my current situation, I have nothing to boast and I am nothing but here's the catch: Make something of me, You can do it, you've got what it takes!  I truly believe that God will make something of me, special, uncomprehensible, mind-blowing transformation. 

1. Accept your nothingness.
2. Acknowledge that there is something within you.
3. Recognize what God can do to you.
4. Show eagerness

BIBLE READING - PSALMS 36-38

But the meek will inherit the land
    and enjoy peace and prosperity. (Psalms 37:11)

Meekness
1. Power under control - roughly equivalent in common usage to humility.
2. A disposition to be patient and long-suffering.
3. Meekness is one of the Seven virtues in Christian tradition. Jesus of Nazareth preached, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth".Meek, a Greek derivative, also refers to a war horse that is bridled and ready for battle

BIBLE READING -- MARK 3-4

²⁴ And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure ^[a][of thought and study] you give [to ^[b]the truth you hear] will be the measure ^[c][of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

²⁵ For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away [^[d]by force], (Mark 4:24-25)

BIBLE READIN -- MARK 1-2

Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!” (Mark 2:27-28)

BIBLE READING -- PSALMS 30-32

Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain^[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
    I was dismayed. (Psalms 30:7)

BIBLE READING -- 1 SAMUEL 1-5

When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led Israel forty years.
 (1 Samuel 4:18)

When Eli heard that the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistine, great sorrow that led to death happened. The moment that we depart ourselves to the Word, we should realize that this a great lost personally. As His scripture said in Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. No word, no lamp, no light...

BIBLE READING -- MATTHEW 26-28

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

BIBLE READING -- PSALMS 27:13

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness    while I am here in the land of the living.

 (Psalms 27:13)

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

(Psalms 27:14)

Dreaming of having a good life isnt a dream after all. Surely it will happen. We will taste the goodness of the Lord, not on heaven but on the land of the living. We can taste the goodnes of the Lord while we are living if we wait patiently, bravely and courageousely. The blessings that he has given is not an accident or by your mere strength but this is what the Lord promised. Don't let your worry and challenges to hinder you to become a happy person. This is His divine purpose to us. 

 

BIBLE READING -- RUTH

Woman who impressed God.

Ruth 2:11-12: Boaz replied, "I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband— how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."

The fact that Ruth was a girl that…
- Worked hard
- Was very humble
- Was not self-centered
- And had a servant’s heart


That’s the type of person who impresses God - whether male or female. But before you can truly impress God, you must make the decision that Ruth made when she first considered leaving with Naomi. You must decide to take this God as your own…

BIBLE READING -- 1 cor. 3-5

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. (1 cor. 3:11)

BIBLE READING MATTHEW 23-25

But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24: 13)

Jesus is coming! No doubt about it. When? Nobody knows. And a lot..and again I will say, A lot of bad news connecting the second coming. For me, it will come. It is not our problem. These news are just destructions, to inject fear. The coming of the Lord means that's our Blessed Hope..

Hope..not fear..

BIBLE READING -- PSALMS 24-26

WILL YOU SAY, "TEST ME"?
 
Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
 Test my motives and my heart. (Ps. 26:2,NLT)

Examine me, God, from head to foot,
  order your battery of tests. 
Make sure I’m fit
inside and out (Ps. 26:2, MSG)


Few people are willing to let others judge or examine them. Some hate any kind of test of their mental or physical abilities. Most people do not wished to be critiqued regarding their personal conduct. On the other hand, all humanity will one day stand before God’s Judgment. Solomon conclude his work Ecclesiastes with these words:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” [Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 KJV]

What we need to be willing to do is to walk our lives with integrity.
David understood that if he trusted in the Lord, he would not slide.
Whom do we trust in?
Do we walk in integrity and do we really believe that God can and will move in our lives?

At times, the Lord will test the righteous.
God sees our mind and our heart.

Are you prepared to take your test?
Would you pass it?
Trusting and obeying are the keys to passing your test.

Walk with integrity, and trust in the Lord without wavering.
Like David: Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

BIBLE READING -- JUDGES 17-21

 THE FATE OF UNRULED LIFE

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. 

(Judges 21:25)

A. Though unruled lives may prevail for a time, God’s judgment cannot be forever escaped. 20:1-18

1. Immoral Acts Decried

2. Verdict passed

3. Hardness of Heart

B. The longer God’s rule is resisted the more devastating the final reckoning 20:19-48

1. Battle for Rightousness

2. God’s Deliverance God’s way

C. Even though his judgment is righteous, the fate of the judged should move us 21:1-23

1. First Response is Indignation

2. Second Response Mercy

3. Peace offered to the Judged

4. Preservation of the line

D. While God’s chastening may be harsh, his story remains one of deliverance. 23-25

Final lessons from Judges

A. Fallen humanity will never escape the need for a Deliverer.

B. Until the rule of our lives is fully surrendered to the deliverer, we will likely experience our cycle of sin.

 Forgetting the past
 Looking Elsewhere
 Facing the Cost
 Repentance and Deliverance
 Deliverance Diminishes

C. God will allow us to wallow in that cycle until we truly surrender.

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-fate-of-unruled-lives-the-final-lesson-of-the-judges-bruce-rzengota-sermon-on-judgment-142511.asp?Page=4 Accessed: 25-02-2014

BIBLE READING -- GENESIS 32-35

Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” 
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Gen. 32:26)

BIBLE READING -- 1 CORINTHIANS 1-2

 For, 

“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?

Who knows enough to teach him?” 

But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

We gain the mind of Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit as he reveals it to us through the word of God.

 

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/who-is-the-holy-spirit-and-what-does-he-do-patrick-oloughlin-sermon-on-holy-spirit-general-62335.asp?Page=1 Accessed: 23-02-2014

BIBLE READING -- MATTHEW 20-22

WHAT IS FAIR?

Matthew 20:1-16 Parable of the Vineyeard Workers

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)

As we look at this parable one thing really seems to bother us; the treatment of the workers. It all seems so unfair. We have these men that worked all day in the hot sun only to receive the exact same pay as the workers that only worked one hour. It just seems like something is not right here. I think what really bothers us is not the treatment of these workers, but our potential treatment by God, because we realize that this is a parable about the way God calls us by His grace. In the back of ours minds we feel we that are the ones who worked in God’s vineyard all day. We are asking ourselves the question, "Is this fair?" Are we hard-working Christians going to be treated like these workers? Is the man who lives a life of sin who converts on his death bed going to get the same reward that we are? Will there be Charles Manson’s and Jeffery Dahmer’s getting the same benefits we worked so hard to recieve? Surely we must warrant at least a higher ranking in heaven? Maybe on a cloud with the Apostle Paul or Moses. Surely we life-long Christians deserve more. This is the very argument of the workers in the vineyard.

Is it fair for you to pay these men that only worked an hour the same thing you are paying us? The land owners response is very interesting. He answered, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. You agreed with me on a denarius, didn’t you? Don’t I have the right to do as I please with what is mine?" The land owner is right, He gave the workers the amount that they agreed on. This is the way God deals with us. God’s reward system is not our own. God’s system of reward is not based on personal accomplishments or hard work, but based on love. God, in His mercy, promised us a reward and that reward is eternal life. This reward is not something we earn but it is a free gift. As Paul says in Romans 4, "Therefore the promise is by faith that it might come to us as a free gift [by grace], so that the promise might be sure to all descendants, not only to those who live by the Law but also to those who only believe as Abraham did." God made His rewards available to all. His rewards are available through faith in Christ Jesus. He set up the system, so that everyone that believes in His only begotten Son will not perish but have everlasting life.
The main reason this reward system seems so unfair is that we have no control over it. We can’t work hard and recieve our rewards, because Christ did it all for us. He paid the price that we could never pay. He gave up his very life on the cross in order for us to recieve all of God’s promised rewards. The greatest reward of all is eternal life with God our Father.

However, God does not stop here. He set up the system so that it is not dependant on us having to come to Him. He comes to us. Just as in this parable the Lord invites us into His kingdom. He comes out and recruits us. Some of us were recruited early; about the third hour. We were baptized as infants and became one of God’s children. For others it took God coming to us a little later in life. And for others it will take God until the eleventh hour to bring them into the kingdom. But, never the less, we will be there. God made us a promise and God never gives up on us. He has called us by his grace to be His own. Whether we are "the first or the last" we all receive the same reward: eternal life. So is this fair? Not by human standards, no. This is the very reason Paul said in I Cor. 1:23, "For the Jews ask for miraculous signs and the Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach a crucified Christ. To the Jews this is a stumbling block and to the Greeks it is foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, He is Christ, God’s power and God’s wisdom." Only proving that God’s ways are not our ways. For those whom God has called this message of faith is the power that saves and wisdom for salvation. This message of faith is that Christ loved us so much that he stretch out His arms and suffered and died on Calvary’s cross for our sins. God showed us grace in the form of His only Son, who has redeemed us with His own precious blood.
If you were to ask ten people to define the word grace you would probably get ten different answers. For some grace is a total mystery, but for the Christians it is the reason we are saved. "For it is by grace that you are saved through faith." In the dictionary there are many definitions of grace, charity, pardon, forgiveness. And for the Christian all of these words have a special meaning. The one definition that sums up what grace really means is, "undeserved love." This is what has God shown us, an "undeserved love." Because instead of turning His back on us and walking away, He call us to be His own. He went out and invites us to work in His vineyard. He calls us to be a part of His kingdom.
It is like the parent’s with their first child. All during the pregnancy the parents wonder whether this new little one will actually be apart of the family. You wonder will they really be able to welcome him or her into the this intimate circle of two. You wonder if the new one will even want to be a member of this family. And then once this child is born you realize that you would do anything for this child. You are willing to make all kinds of sacrifices to make sure he or she is happy and safe. Now this child has done nothing to warrant such love, it is undeserved. Yet this love is pale in comparison to the love that God has for us. He sacrificed His Only Son for us. There is no greater love than this. We are God’s children and we can rest assured that His grace is universal.

Finally, this parable not only reminds that God’s reward system is not like ours, and that He calls us all to be his own, but it also shows us God’s universal grace is for all. So to answer the opening question, "what is fair?" Nothing is fair. Fair is the wrong word. God does not deal with us fairly and it is a good thing. We should be thankful God did not give us what we deserved. The word we are looking for is grace. The question should be "What is grace?" And the answer is, it is that "undeserved love" that God has shown us through the death and resurrection of His only Son Jesus Christ. As it is written in John 1:17, "For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." God did what he pleased with that which was his. He decided to save us. We can now go out into the biggest mission field, "the world", with the joy and assurance that we have been chosen by God to work in his kingdom.

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/what-is-fair-byrene-haney-sermon-on-faith-vs-works-79268.asp?Page=3 Accessed: 22-02-2014

BIBLE READING -- ISAIAH 40-43

Everyone will see this. No one can miss it—
    unavoidable, indisputable evidence
That I, God, personally did this.
    It’s created and signed by The Holy of Israel. (Isaiah 41:20,MSG)

BIBLE READING -- JOB 15-16

But if it were me, I would encourage you.    I would try to take away your grief. (Job 16:5)

BIBLE READING -- PSALM 21-23

YOU ARE SHEEP!

The Lord is my shepherd;    I have all that I need. (Psalm 23:1)

In the animal kingdom, there are four survival stances: fight, flight, posture, and submit. We see this in armed conflict as well. I can shoot you, I can run away, I can fire a warning shot, or I can surrender. So how does the sheep stack up?
Fight: Sheep have neither offensive nor defensive weapons. No fangs, no claws, no shell, no spray, nothing. On the upside, they do come equipped with about 8 pounds of Velcro all over their body, so you can grab them pretty much anywhere and drag them to the ground
What about flight? For starters, they’re slow. Their eyesight is just as poor as their hearing. They have little strength, less stamina, and no sense of direction. Best of all, they have an over-active startle reflex, and they don’t blend into anything. So even if they could run, they can’t hide.
Posture. Dogs bark, cats hiss, rattlesnakes rattle… Sheep baaa. Baaa! That’s the barnyard equivalent of  “Please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me!” Fearsome, yeah? Dogs raise their hackles, cats arch their back, rattlesnakes coil and lift their head to make themselves appear larger. What can sheep do? How do you puff up when you’re already fluffy?
Sheep know one trick and one trick only. They flock. We used to think flocking was complex behavior. We’d look at the precision of a flock of birds and imagine how hard it would be to fly planes that close together. We know how hard it is to get a hundred people moving in the same direction, but computer science has taught us that flocking is very simple.

We have no clue what we’re saying! Sheep are dumb, stubborn, and willful. Even when they have a shepherd around they’re not safe because they still get lost, get drowned, and get trapped. Pick another animal. Any other animal. A rat! Sure, they’re flea infested, disease-carrying scavengers, but at least rats are smart. But God says, “Nope. You’re a sheep.”

What does this mean for us? Three things.

First, when we see the phrase, “for his name’s sake” we need to pay attention. If it’s for God’s sake, it’s definitely for our benefit, but probably not for our comfort. All we want is a nice life: enough food, water, and shelter, no pain, no work, no danger. God isn’t satisfied with nice. God is good. Notice the very next phrase after for his name’s sake? “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Sound fun to you?

Second, be like the shepherd. Don’t push. Lead. Don’t yell. Call. Share your life and build trust so that when you speak, your people listen. You don’t need to influence everyone. You just need a little flock of people who know you, who trust you, because you know them. You get to decide whose opinion matters, and it’s not the critic.

Third, we are not nearly as tough, smart, or independent as we think we are. And neither is anyone else. I met a man once, a biker who gave his life to Christ, and he talked about what a relief it was not having to be in charge any more. He had spent a chunk of his life making sure that no one, no one, disrespected him or his crew. He had to be constantly aware, not just of what other people were doing, but what they might be thinking. The weight of it drove him to violence and addiction. It wasn’t until he accepted that he was not in charge that he was free to be himself without worrying what anyone else thought.

We are sheep in wolves’ clothing. Trying to be cool. Trying to be in charge and independent. Who are we trying to impress? Other sheep? We think hanging out on the fringes makes us cool. Actually, it makes us dinner. Smart sheep stay close to the shepherd.

http://revsmilez.com/2010/04/28/sermon-23rd-psalm/ Accessed: 19-02-2014

BIBLE READING -- JUDGES 13-16

TEMPTATION

Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” ²⁹ Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, ³⁰ he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime. (Judges 16: 28-30)

Every one of us faces temptation every day to do things that displease God. In our text tonight we see a contrast between two aspects of Samson's character. As we have said before, he was strong physically, but was weak spiritually. Can we see that contrast here?

1. If we fail to resist temptation, the consequences are devastating.

Ga 6:7-8a "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption…"
2. They are not always immediate, but God's principles are clear.

Jas 1:14-15 "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
3. If we fail to resist temptation, we become blinded to the dangers of sin.

a. We'll end up going to dangerous places
b. We'll end up saying dangerous things
c. We'll end up doing things that are reckless, putting ourselves and others in serious jeopardy.
4. Sin will always take you farther than you meant to go, keep you longer that you want stay, and cost you more than you are willing to pay!

a. Samson started down this road early…
b. He went down to Timnath…
c. Now he goes down farther to Gaza…
d. We will see in the rest of this chapter where this progression leads him!


We still have choice. We can choose to indulge ourselves with temptation or turn our back on it. But be careful with the consequence. Like Samson, he paid it with his own life.


 

BIBLE READING -- GENESIS 28-30

⁴ May God pass on to you and your descendants the blessings he promised to Abraham. May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner, for God gave this land to Abraham.” 
(Genesis 28:4)


¹⁵ What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)

BIBLE READING -- ROMANS 15-16

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. (Romans 16:17)

There is a saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer by a fictional character Michael Corleone of The Godfather. In this sense, it is the opposite. Stay away from them. It is difficult to let go of friends. I don't want to burn bridges but it is true, if this upset your spiritual life then might as well let them go. In His time we will win them back for the Lord. This is a reminder that the people that you are with affects you and mold you of becoming who you are. Truly, there is a time for everything. 

BIBLE READING -- MATTHEW 17-19

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. (Matt. 18:18)

“This is precisely what happens when you pray for something. When you pray for something in the “EARTHLY REALM”, God puts a “CONTRACT” on it in the “HEAVENLY REALM!” That is “IF” you are praying in “ACCORDANCE” with God’s will!”

God wants to bless you far more than you want to be blessed! And His capacity to give is far greater than your capacity to receive!  


Psalm 84:11
“No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly!”

He can hardly wait to “KEEP” His promises! He can hardly wait to “PERFORM” His word! He can hardly wait to “ANSWER” our prayers! So it behooves us “WALK UPRIGHTLY” before Him!

That is the “KEY!” We can’t live less than “UPRIGHTLY” and expect God to “KEEP, PERFORM & ANSWER” our prayers if we’re not living “UPRIGHTLY!”

Folk, that doesn’t mean “PERFECT or PERFECTION” it means making God’s will “YOUR PRIORITY!” It means putting God “FIRST IN ALL THINGS!” It means “TAKING HIM AT HIS WORD, LITERALLY!” It means being “COMPLETE” in Him! 

Jesus is telling us here that God has granted powers of binding and loosing to every believer, and until we act upon them, nothing happens. There are powers of binding and loosing given to us, and in the realm of our personal lives they are almost absolute. God has said that we have power to bind every form of evil in our own lives. There is nothing that needs to have dominion over us. "Sin shall have no dominion over you," Paul said, "for you are not under law but under grace," (Romans 6:14). By grace we have power to bind every evil force, every contrary authority, within us.

i want to go
somewhere

anywhere
except here

i want to go
with you

with you
it's not new

will you come
with me

with me
in an open sea

hold my hand
hold it tight

don't tell me
it is done

coz im not done
really i am

Year of Suddenlies

¹⁸ And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]! (Isaiah 30:18)

BIBLE READING -- ISAIAH 34-39

YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE BOOK

Search the book of the Lord,
    and see what he will do.
Not one of these birds and animals will be missing,
    and none will lack a mate,
for the Lord has promised this.
    His Spirit will make it all come true. (Isaiah 34 16)


1. A book of ELECTION. (Gods Family)

Psalm 139:16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

God knows our hearts

God knows our thoughts

God knows our intents

God knows our lives

2. The book of life (New Birth)


Phil. 4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

God knows the saved ones

God knows if we are workers for him

God knows where we stand

God know how much we labor

God knows how many we have told about Christ.

3.Gods book of remembrance

Malachi 3:16Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.


God knows and has a record

God knows when and where we did wrong

God knows if we are real are a showman

God is the keeper of all men’s lives

God knows if we fear him.

4. A book of condemnation ( Sinners Works)

Revelations 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

The books are for judgment of the sinner

Names not found in the book of life.

Lost without Christ

Now their works come before them again

This is the dead and the live who never excepted Jesus as Lord.

Now they face the reality that hell is real

Where is your name which book is it recorded.

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/you-can-find-it-in-the-book-drwsamuel-legon-sermon-on-bible-influence-148208.asp

BIBLE READING -- JOB 13-14

7 

“At least there is hope for a tree:

    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,

    and its new shoots will not fail.

8 

Its roots may grow old in the ground

    and its stump die in the soil,

9 

yet at the scent of water it will bud

    and put forth shoots like a plant.

10 

But a man dies and is laid low;

    he breathes his last and is no more.

11 

As the water of a lake dries up

    or a riverbed becomes parched and dry,

12 

so he lies down and does not rise;

    till the heavens are no more, people will not awake

    or be roused from their sleep. (Job 14:7-12)

BIBLE READING -- PSALM 18-20

The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.

The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living. 

 Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair. 

 They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb. 

 They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them. 

(Psalm 19:7-11)

Word of God is living and true. No one and nothing can disagree with its purity and sovereignity. If anyone tell that Bible is obsolete and it is not applicable and outdated at this time -- "new generation" it is all lie. His word is true, same yesterday, today and forever. This is a call for being aware of what you heard and read. Check and confirm it in the bible. 

SEVEN WARNINGS

Intro: We live in a world that is filled with danger. Warning signs are everywhere – Beware of Imitation, No Overtaking, Deep Excavation, Beware of Dogs (Phil. 3:2), Never Mind the Dogs, Beware of the Owner! We find warnings on packs of cigarettes, wines and toxic chemicals, “Rx” on medicines, skull and bones on poison (wine bottles should have one!). Government warnings on storms, El Nino, volcano eruptions and tsunamis are SOP’s. Now all such warnings are helpful to protect and preserve life and property. More importantly, warnings about spiritual dangers should be constantly issued to people (see Acts 20:31). Bible warnings are expressed by terms like “Take heed” (55X) and “Beware” (28X) in the KJB. Let’s now look at seven warnings from God’s word– 

1. Beware of Falling (II Pet. 3:17). It is a shame to quit serving the Lord and go back to the old life! That’s why Jesus said to count the cost (Luke 9:62). Falling and failing in the spiritual life can happen even to the best – to Noah, David, Solomon, Demas (Philem. 24 cf. II Tim. 4:10). If you are a Christian believer, beware of coldness, backsliding and falling from your blessed relationship with the Lord!

2. Beware of Forgetting (Deut. 8:11-14). Moses’ constant warning to children of Israel: Never forget God! That is why memorials are common. Such are solid proofs of men’s short memories. Never forget that all your blessings and good things were only made possible by the Lord. Make it a habit to give God the glory and praise (Psa. 103:2).

3. Beware of a Wicked Heart (Deut. 15:9a; Prov. 23:7a). The heart of man is the seat of his thoughts and issues in life (Mark 7:21-23). This is where temptation is conceived and born. Whatever you premeditate in your heart will eventually manifest itself in what you do! The man with an evil heart will surely be destroyed; but he who guards his heart and fills it with God’s words shall be blessed.

4. Beware of False Prophets (Matt. 7:15). These are everywhere (I John 4:1)! Notice Paul says they won’t come with name tag that says “I’m a False Prophet.” Counterfeits come in disguised like the real men and servants of God. They talk, pray, sing, attend church, read the Bible, and even preach God’s word LIKE a true Christian; but they are not real Christians (II Cor 11:13-14). The Lord Jesus said that by their fruits they shall be detected (Matt. 7:20).

5. Beware of Hypocrisy (Matt. 16:6, 12) – which is their false doctrine and hypocrisy!! Be careful NOT to do the right thing, at the right time for the WRONG reasons! (Mark 12:38-40) Examples are: serving and giving to church to be popular and look good; fasting to appear spiritual and holy; praying long prayers with flowery words to impress others, studying the Bible seriously in order to boast of superior knowledge; preaching for money or material gain; helping the poor and needy only to use them later, etc. Good deeds done with wrong motives are Satan’s snares and traps that many have fallen into. Beware of eye-service! (Eph. 6:6-7)

6. Beware of Covetousness (Luke 12:15). Oftentimes, the extreme poverty and selfish desires of many provoke them to become lovers of money and things instead of God. Covetousness, being a materialistic view of life, is dangerous and damning that Paul even equates it to idolatry (Col 3:5).

7. Beware of Vain Philosophy (Col. 2:8). This  warning includes vain traditions (Matt. 15:7-9) and false science (I Tim. 6:20). Christ and His apostles warned that no matter how appealing certain long-held beliefs are (if they are contrary to scriptural truth), we are to avoid and reject such.

Conclusion: Friend, you are exposed daily to many dangers and snares in this world. The most serious danger concerns your soul and its eternal destiny. Jesus declared, “…Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). That’s bad news! But the good news is, God can forgive your sins and save your soul if today you will heed His warning. 

Sermon Central: http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/seven-biblical-warnings-rodelio-mallari-sermon-on-gods-judgment-151664.asp?Page=2 Accessed: 12 Feb 2014

Points to Ponder by Rick Warren

BIBLE READING -- JUDGE 7-11

GIDEON 300
The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” (Judge 7:17)

 The story of Gideon gives us the perfect example of what we are going through .

1. The least likely to succeed. (Judge 6:11)

As far as Gideon was concerned, he was the least likely to become successful, especially as a warrior trying to lead a quarreling and bickering nation of Israelites.
 

2. Shrinking army

Gideon's example proves to us that, through the faithfulness of a few, many can be delivered and become conquerors. With God the outcome doesn't depend on human might and strength.

 God explained to Gideon His purpose for allowing him such a small army to battle the physically and numerically superior Midianites. He was not about to allow Israel to be able to boast that her own strength had saved her (Judges 7:2
; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29


). That honor would go to God alone. But God would work through Gideon.

 3. A victory 

The plan was simple but brilliant: Gideon divided the 300 men into three groups, equipped each of the men with a trumpet and a pitcher covering a lighted torch. He instructed them, "When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets on every side of the whole camp, and say, 'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!'" (verse 18).

In the dark the Midianites panicked at the tumult of shouting, trumpet blasts and breaking pitchers and the sight of torches surrounding them. In their terror and confusion they fought and killed each other. Gideon's men emerged unscathed.

4. A humble warrior

"I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23
).

Gideon's humble, visionary attitude made of him a conqueror before God and a hero in the eyes of his countrymen. Gideon's example proves to us that, through the faithfulness of a few, many can be delivered and become conquerors. With God the outcome doesn't depend on human might and strength (Zechariah 4:6
), because a few plus God is better than a majority without Him!

 

http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/profiles-faith-gideon-when-few-make-majority; Accessed: 11 Feb 2014

 

BIBLE READING -- GENESIS 24-26

Finally, Abimelech ordered Isaac to leave the country. “Go somewhere else,” he said, “for you have become too powerful for us.” (Gen 26:17, NLT)

Abraham was blessed on so many ways. He blessed out of his country and even in his country his blessing was known. He was known lso that God was with him all the time and God favored in everything that he do. And in this chapter, where in time of severe famine, Abraham asked for helped to Abimelec and during the planting and harvesting, still God showed mercy to Abraham and his powerfulness was intimidating to the point that he has to leave the land.

Lord, I prayed that as you blessed Abraham in other land. Bless me also to the point that your work in me was a testimony here in Denmark and also in the Philippines. And the foreign country will be intimadated with the blessings that you showered me.

BIBLE READING --- ROMANS 13-14

God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you. (Romans 14: 17-18, MSG)

Nations are divded because of religion and belief. One is holier than the other. One is doing right and one is doing wrong. One is going to heaven and one is going to hell. This brings into the personal conclusion that people should have one belief and religion for us to be united. If not, chaos and distraction will be the weapon to her their advocacy. But no! We are created in different color and races. In this, we are specially created in our way. People think differently and people act differently.

I had a trip in Morocco last December 2013, a muslim country. Everything was different and new. I felt outsider in a way that I dont dress like them and I dont act like them. And at first, I begun to hate everybody and the place. Non-muslim will react on their behavior as "because they are muslim". What's wrong with that? Then I started to set aside whether I am christian and they are muslim. I began to think that I am just a mere tourist on their own country and look closely on their traditions and culture. I saw things in different perspective.

Life is our testimony and our testimony can change somebody's life not our religion. It is our complete joy and happiness towards life. There are so many religions and doctrines here and there. Stop. Make a difference.

BIBLE READING -- MATTHEW 14-16

Out of the comfort zone.
Matthew 14: 22-34

Often than not, decision and choices has to be made. We might feel that once we decide on the situation we already out of our comfort zone, we made difference. No. getting into the boat, out in the ocean is still out comfort zone. We are not touching the waters, we have out paddles if we want to go back. We have our life jacket to save us. The boat is our comfort zone. Getting out of the boat, touch the water, walk on the water with Jesus is not comforting, right?

1. What we see through our naked eyes might be impossible (4:26)
Like the disciple, Jesus leads them to see the impossible. They cross the lake and walk on water. Jesus will always lead us to the impossible. We will see visions and dreams. He will walk us directly towards our dreams.

2. Encourage (4:27)
Will he encourage us? Of course! He will give us Word, direction, revelation. But the decision is ours. Will you step in or will you paddle back to the shore?

3. Ask/Test (4:28)
As a human, to see is to believe. We test our own faith!

4. Distraction will come and sink throug us (4:30)
Strong wind and wave came. Distraction. This is not to tear you down or sign that this is not good idea. But a test, will this distraction sink through you?

5. He will be there always to save us (4:31)
Always, a helping hand. Now, Peter was saved when he has nearly sinking. Sometimes, the help comes when we about to sink in, when we are sinking or about to drown. But remember, He will be there..always!

Faith brings joy, joy develops endurance, endurance develops character and character strengthen our confident hope of salvation. (Romans 5)

MIRACLE OF ONLY

Mark 6:30-44

Let’s take a look of 3 important characters in the bible: the disciples, the boy and Jesus.

I. ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENT

                -- remote place

                -- very late

                --no food

                --no money to buy

Reaction towards the problem.

·         PROCASTINATE (V.35)

The disciples put off the problem until the end of the day. They did nothing and Jesus was waited on them.

·         PASS THE BUCKET (v. 36)

It’s not our problem. If they’re hungry, let them go find their own food.

·         WORRY (V38)

The disciples’ anxiety went into overdrive and they started worrying.

We pass on different consequence of life. It is a cycle. We will have situation and all we need is a solution. 

Celebrate the past. Acknowledge the present. Prepare the future.

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.(Proverbs 6:9)

II. WILL YOU GIVE IT ALL?

·         He gave what he had

Never underestimate what God can do through ordinary people and limited resources given to him in faith. If you want to be used by God just get available.

Philip – the accountant

Andrew – the solution maker with “but”

·         He gave immediately

The boy didn’t hesitate. As soon as it Jesus needed it, the boy gave it to it Him

III. The ONLY Word that Jesus Doesn’t Understand

ONLY WORD JESUS DOESN’T UNDERSTAND IS: ONLY! The disciples said, “We have here ONLY five loaves and two fishes.” Jesus didn’t even consider the word “only,” He said, “It’s enough!”

The disciples were thinking in human terms of a logical manner to meet the masses’ hunger, not thinking in supernatural terms, of a MIRACLE of GOD to meet the needs of the masses!”

The disciples thought their problem was a lack of food, but Jesus saw that the bigger problem was a lack of faith.

Jesus asks us to sometimes do the impossible also. He’s doing it to test our faith. When I was in college, I had a professor who often started class by announcing, “Everyone clear off your desk except for one blank sheet of paper.” We all knew he was about to give one of his infamous pop quizzes. Sometimes I was prepared and sometimes I wasn’t.

Jesus does the same thing today. When you face the very hardest times of your lives, it’s like God is saying, “Take out a blank sheet of paper.” The only question on God’s test is: Do you trust me? Your answer is not for His information; it is to show you how much faith you really have. Your faith will be tested continually throughout your life, not to shame you, but to strengthen you. In James 1:2-3 we read: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Once you realize problems are God’s pop quizzes, it makes it easier to say, “Oh boy! Another test!” When you encounter a problem that involves a shortage, there are three different approaches you can take.

 

Some people are “feelers.” They address problems with their emotions: You can recognize them because they use this phrase: “I just feel that...” The disciples looked around and saw the mob and they felt panic because the day was getting late and there was no food. Anytime you approach a problem with feelings you are in danger of making a huge mistake. Their “feelings” said, “Send these folks away.” I’ve had people tell me they made major decisions just because, “I felt it was the right thing to do.” That’s a pretty scary way to make decisions because your feelings can be misleading.

Other people are “figurers.” They address problems with their minds. You can recognize them because they often make remarks like, “I think...” These are the calculators, the analyzers. In the account of this miracle in John’s gospel, we are told Phillip made this statement about feeding the crowd: “Lord, a year’s wages would not be enough to buy everyone a single bite.” I think Phillip was the CPA of the disciples. Can’t you see him as he whips out his handheld iAbacus? He says, “Let’s see, 15,000 people at $2 a meal, divided by a month’s wages... ” He had it all figured out, but God’s math is different than ours. When we pass out food we divide it, but when Jesus passes out food He multiplies it! Human math says, “Five loaves and two fish divided by 15,000 = IMPOSSIBLE. God’s math says, “Five loaves plus two fish times the power of God = 15,000 full stomachs. To all the figure-ers, God says, “Your calculation is correct, but you fail the test.”

CONCLUSION:

The disciples said, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.” Jesus said, “Bring them here to me.” They used the “only” word, but Jesus acted like He didn’t even understand it. He said, “Your only is enough for me to make plenty.”

There are “feelers” and “figurers” but the third way to face a shortage is to be a “faither.” A feeler says, “I feel…” A figure-er says, “I think…” But you can recognize a faither a smile away because they say things like: “I believe that God is able…” There was at least one faither in the crowd that day. John tells us Andrew brought a little boy to Jesus who had five loaves and two fish. I like Andrew because he was always bringing people to Jesus. This little unnamed lad “only” had five little buns and two small fish like sardines. You could call it an Israeli Happy Meal. But he had faith in Jesus because he surrendered all he had. He didn’t know what would happen; he just decided to trust Jesus with his food. That’s what faith is. You don’t know exactly what will happen, but you are still willing to trust God. I would have loved to have seen the look in the little boy’s eyes as he watched Jesus supersize that happy meal!

Jesus multiplied “only” that tiny meal until everyone was fed. Not only was there enough for five thousand men, plus all the women and children, there were leftovers! It’s God’s nature to always give more than enough. One of my favorite Bible promises says, “Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us …” (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)

God is asking you the same thing today. What’s that in your hand? You say, “It’s only my job.” God says, “Lay it down before me.” “It’s only my bank account.” God says, “Lay it down before me.” It’s only my family.” “Lay it down before me.” “It’s only my meager abilities.” “Only? I don’t understand that word. Lay it down.”

“The Little Word ‘Only’”

 I considered my little and God said to me,

 “Child, what do you mean by saying, ‘only?’”

It was only a word that created all that you see;

It was only some clay that brought you to be.

Only a staff that parted the sea;

Only one man who set them all free.

Only a young shepherd who took down a foe;

And there’s a lesson to learn that I want you to know:

It was only a stable, and only a girl;

And only a Carpenter who changed the whole world.

So it’s not what YOU have, but MY strength, you see;

And I can do miracles with your little ‘only!’”

God has been performing miracles with “onlys” for centuries. Adam was only a pile of clay. Goliath and the Philistines looked at David and said, “He’s only a boy with only a slingshot.” They said Mary was “only” an unwed teenage mother. They said that Jesus was “only” a carpenter. Just think about what God can do with your “only” if you’ll offer it to Him.