Trusting the Lord

Trusting the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-8

Rev Johnny Wong

22 October 2017

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

1) The consequences of disobedience- King Saul

King Saul 1 samuel 13:8-14 and 15:15-1

As recorded in text king Saul started well with glamour and victories in his rule as king over Israel even in turbulent times.However he acted foolishly for not keeping the commands of the Lord for not offering sacrifices to the Lord accordingly and did not sought the favor of the Lord as recorded in 1 samuel 13:8-14.

King Saul also even lied in 1 samuel 15:15-19 for not obeying the Lord's commandment to destroy everything that belongs to the Amalekites .Instead he spared the best sheeps and cattles as sacrifices to the Lord and made a monument for himself. Thus the Lord removed him as king for his disobedience.

In both events he lean on his own understanding instead of trusting and obeying the Lord.

It is not how well one starts that matters but how one finish that matters more!
Rev.Johnny also shared his own testimony on relying on his own wisdom instead of seeking the Lord in helping out his own brother from financial difficulties causing him to fall into deep financial debts which subsequently led him into family crisis.Rev johnny learned a serious lesson from Proverbs 22:26-27 .
He cried out out to God in desperation by singing the song I will Sing by Don Moen.  And  out of God’s mercy he was gradually  relieved  of his financial needs through the help of brothers and sisters in christ. Indeed God has provided him a way where there seems to be no way.

2) The blessings of obedience- King David

King David 1 Samuel 24:3-7; 26:8-12. 
Saul was jealous and sought to kill David when he realised that  David was more successful in conquest and was anointed to be the next king.
 David had on two occasions given opportunities to kill Saul as recorded in 1 samuel 24:3-7 26:8-12 but he refused to do so because he knew that Saul was God’s anointed one .Instead he chose to leave this matter to God rather than take this matter into his own hands.David was conscious stricken when he cut off the corner of the Saul’s robe , despite the fact that he had been anointed as the next king.

Rev Johnny also shared his own testimony on how he struggled after he resigned as pastor of his previous church and how God led him to serve in Bccm .
He experience the provision in times of anxieties as promised in 1 peter 5:7
Recently over the 21 days of fast and corporate prayers organized by Bccm EGC he also experienced prayer revival.

Indeed obedience brings blessings from God and vice versa.

Questions

1. Reflect on an instance in your life when you failed to wait and trust in God’s timing/ways.

2. What are the root issues that cause us to be unable to trust in God wholeheartedly?
(Examples: unforgiveness, fear of rejection, a bitter judgement against certain people etc) share as openly as possible.

3) Drawing from David’s examples, what is required of you to fully trust in God daily ,in every dimension of life? Name one thing you want to work on to  overcome this week.

Nuggets of wisdom from the small and insignificant Rev Chong Fui Yung

Topic: Nuggets of Wisdom from the Small and Insignificant

Text: Proverbs 30:24-28

Rev Chong Fui Yung

15 October 2017

Proverbs 30:24-28

24 "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

26 conies are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;

27 locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;

28 a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.

INTRODUCTION

We can learn spiritual lessons from four small creatures which are insignificant but unusually wise. Nonetheless, God has seen it fit to mention them. In contrast, the horse, lion and eagle are larger and more powerful. Verses 29 to 31 say that a lion, a strutting cock, a he-goat and a king with his army around him, move with stately bearing.

1.         THE ANTS – A Good Concept of Time

Verse 25 – “Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.” Myrmecology is the scientific study of ants. There is some wisdom that can be gained from ants. We may think there is not much to an ant. Ants are not strong but there is something about them that we can learn from. They are wise and well prepared for adverse situations. Proverbs 6:6-8 - Learn from the ants. They prepare for tomorrow. They don’t lie around and wait for handouts. They are aware of the times and the need and act on it. Ecclesiastes 3 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” The ants know this concept. When winter comes and is freezing cold, when food is scarce and hard to get, they don’t need to go out and worry about food. They have a great concept of the future and wisely know how to prepare for it. The most important preparation for us for the future is to be ready for Jesus’ return. Have you made peace with God? Is your future and eternity secure? Are you ready at any minute to meet with your Creator? Ants are wise and store up food in the summer. Are you storing up treasures for yourself in heaven?

Do we have this right perspective of time like the ants?

Ø  NOW is the time to respond to the Lord.

2.         THE CONIES (ROCK BADGERS) – A Great Concept of Security

Verse 26 – “Conies are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags.” They live in the small cracks and shallow crevices of the rocks. Their home is on the solid rocks. Their main defensive move is to hide in the cracks and crevices of the rocks where their predators are not able to reach them. Similarly, Christ is our Rock and Redeemer. We sing, “Rock of ages, Cleft for me. Let me hide myself in Thee.” Psalm 18:2 – God is our Rock. We stand firm and secure in Him. That’s what the rock badgers are reminding us of – Trust and hope in God. He is our Refuge, Protector and Strength.

How does the badgers’ choice of living environment give them security and protection?

From where or from whom do we receive protection and security in life?

3.         THE LOCUSTS – A Great Concept of Strength

Verse 27 – “Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks.” Locusts are rarely mentioned in the singular. They know the strength of numbers. They move together in swarms. The direction they pursue seems to be almost instinctive. They have no king and are leaderless. They do not need directive, but each doing their part together as they move forward. Our primary loyalty is to God and His kingdom. Our priority is to win people to God’s kingdom. Like the locusts, we need to do it in unity. We are knit together, united in love and closely linked. We have that strong bond together. We have the same God, same spirit.

How can we move forward like the locusts together in ranks?

In terms of goal and purpose; in terms of each doing their part according to gifts and abilities for the advancement of God’s kingdom, and for the building up of one another for the extension of God’s church. There is strength in unity. That’s what the locusts are teaching us today.

4.         THE LIZARD – A Great Sense of Place

Verse 28 – “A lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces.” There is no place exempt from the lizard. It is a difficult visitor to keep out. They seem to have the sense of belonging wherever it goes. However, once it is caught, its life is over. Yet they can slip past vigilant palace guards and be found even in kings’ palaces. What wisdom shall we take from the lizard? As God’s people, we need to live in God’s kingdom and remain faithful till we meet our Lord. We have a place through the One who is the Creator. We need to live as God’s people and see our self-worth in God’s creation.

Life is transitory but we have our place in God through Jesus Christ. We have a place in the King’s Palace. I have prepared a room

1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”

John 14:2, 3 – “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

How does this give us an assurance in view of the transitoriness of one’s life?

We can and will dwell in palaces in the presence of Almighty God.

CONCLUSION

The common factor is that these are four small things, but extremely wise in their own ways. We would be wise to learn from them. At times, we may feel small and insignificant. Nonetheless, God values you. He has a purpose towards which you can contribute and play a significant role, just like these four small things.

In Christ we have

1.    A present and future

2.    Our security

3.    Our strength

4.    A place and position

Let’s take another good look at ourselves, recognize all that God provides for us and recognize the ways God can use each one of us. Let the wisdom of these four small things, seemingly so insignificant, bless and enrich our lives. May we know our worth and value before God. Let’s be a blessing to others.

REFLECTION

How can these nuggets of wisdom be applied to our walking wisely in life?

Spiritual Friendship

Spiritual Friendship

Proverbs 27:17

Rev Renny Khoo

8 Oct 2017

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Spiritual friendships are sharpening friendships.

10% of men have intimate friendships/ close friends. 

Even if men have close friends, they don't discuss like ladies would.

Sharpening one another or the wits of one another is liken in the Hebrew language as sharpening the face of your friends. It is a figure of speech of shaping and moulding a friend’s life through spiritual friendship. True friends sharpen one another.
Studies have shown that people who are connected will live longer and happier lives which encourages us to be to be part of a church Connect Group.
Before sin entered the world God made everything good but only one thing that He felt it is not good and that is “it is not good for men to be alone” and God decided to make for Adam a helper who can connect with him. We are created to have friends.

 1.     Authenticity: spiritual friendships is vulnerable Proverbs 27: 5-6
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

i)     Test of authenticity
“Open rebuke” is a direct and honest criticism of one another giving honest feedback of genuine concern with the intention to spur one on to greater heights. “Hidden love” however is pretentious and unexpressed, too afraid to admit that to reprove and correction is part of genuine love. By doing nothing, we have allowed negative things to enter into our lives.

• Are you honest with yourself?
• Are your thoughts and words in sync ?

ii)    Test of vulnerability
Being vulnerable is being in a position of weakness and the risk of potentially being hurt. However, the degree we are able to be vulnerable will be the degree we are able to experience love and be loved.  Thus spiritual friendship must be girded by love. James 5: 16 states that we are to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed meant we are put in a position of vulnerability to allow a connection of sharing openly where evaluation of our character is done in love and uphold in the spirit of prayer. It takes courage to say “I promise I will not be offended. I give you permission to share what is the one thing you like to say to me”

I promise I will not be offended. I give you permission to share what is the one thing you like to say to me. 

2.       Authority: Spiritual friendship is teachable
Proverbs 27.9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.

i)     Test of authority
Advice and counsel are sweet as it is not what we want to hear but what is needed to be heard. It will be heartfelt as the advice would have come from a place of trust, love and care followed by wisdom and insights. We should then be very careful who we ask our advice from as they have the power to build and tear down. The ultimate authority shall come from the word of God as in 2 Tim 3: 16. Our submission is not to the one delivering the message but only to God all in the premise of care and love and not abused or misused.

ii)    Test of teachability 
It was shared that even God fearing people can act defensively and not know they are doing it. When it is pointed out, awareness comes, and will there be found a teachable spirit, willing to receive corrective statement given in the spirit of love. In age of instant gratification, sometimes inadequate time is given to process and provide feedback to form healthy friendship and relationship. A teachable heart requires the allowance of a place of eldership in our lives where one can speak into our lives.

Put in the effort to cultivate spiritual friendship 

Put efforts into friendships. 

Hebrews 13 

 The essence of spiritual friendship is that we love the same truth, embracing a common passion and adoration centred on God. Make friendship with God more important than the friendship with one another. Spiritual friendship requires effort and maintenance. It is a gift to be maintained and effort to grow it. To share feelings, tears, embrace, things, problem, decisions, timely advice etc. So we come together to sharpen each other all in order to be a better person for we are God’s masterpiece. John 15: 15 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. Jesus did not just share his friendship but also his shed his blood and body so that today we can rejoice that Jesus can be our truest friend as we sharpen one another through our spiritual friendship.

Test of authority:

Test of teachability

Why can't we go out and have coffee without an Agenda? 

John 15:15

I have called you friends because I have with you everything.

Questions:
1.   Read through the following: Prov 13:20; 17:16; 19:4; 19:7; 25:16-17; 27:5-6; 27:9-10: 27:14: 29:5.
What does Proverbs say about friends and friendship, in both the positive (what God desires) and the negative (what displeases God)?
2.   Share your experience/thoughts on any one of the tests mentioned.
3.   What are one or two things that you will do to be the kind of spiritual friend you want to be (that you are not now), and/or to have the kind of spiritual friends that you want to have (that you do not have now)?

The Foolish, the wise and the Prosperous

The Foolish, the wise and the Prosperous

Proverbs 28:25-27, 14:24

Pr Janice Chin

1 October 2017

Formulas from Proverbs 

- much wisdom to be found in Proverbs; one theme is money, many sayings touch on this topic;
- prosperity in context of this sermon to be generally defined as wealth, riches, success, etc.

Some formulas from Proverbs? 

1) Prosperity = God's blessing

    Prosperity = God’s blessing (Proverbs 3:9-10; 10:22; 13:4) 

- prosperity is good; sign of God's favour;
- think abt OT characters like Abraham, Joseph and David; material blessings a sign of their chosenness, as God's blessed ppl/man;
- we generally consider favourable circumstances to be blessing from God; rightly so, when we perceive a blessing we should credit it to God;
- Does this formula mean: If you are prospering, God is blessing you? And if you are not prospering, God is not blessing you?
-  

2) Foolish living = Not Prosperous

2. Foolish living ≠ Prosperous (Proverbs 12:2; 14:24; 21:17)
-  cause and effect; a retribution kind of idea, which is good behaviour guarantees good outcome; e.g. if you are kind, you will receive kindness;
- Job's friends believed Job's suffering was due to his doing; blind man was blind because of either his sin or his parents' sin;
- a friend who is an auditor, she chose to reject boss' instruction to cheat, she lost her job and promotion, but now several yrs later she has a great job and earning much more; 
- Does this formula mean: If you are living God’s way, then you will prosper? If you are not living God’s way, then you will not prosper?

- why do the wicked prosper? how can formulas #1 and #2 be true and right? Psalm 73 talks about this conflict of reality;
- these two formulas are absolutely true IF we view prosperity (its definition) and life timeline differently; the psalmist in Ps 73 realised each of us have a final destiny, that we will receive our final judgment before God;
- e.g. principle of sowing and reaping, yes it is absolutely true, but we may sometimes not see the final reaping until the ultimate end; 

Psalm 73

1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.

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.

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; 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.

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.

13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.

15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children.

16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterwards you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

3) Wisdom > Wealth
(Proverbs 15:16; 16:16; 22:1-4; 28:25-27)

- these verses tell us wisdom is ultimately what both rich and poor alike should pursue; the Lord is the maker of all; no matter your wealth, are you humble, righteous, generous, enjoy good relationships, have inner peace?
- on one hand, good standing with God is better than riches, on the other hand, when you have good standing with God it IS riches itself;
- "fear of the Lord is the beginning of..."? Do you fear the Lord?
- To walk wisely is to hold several (sometimes what might seem conflicting) truths in tension;

Poverty is not the opposite of prosperity; poverty is a part of prosperity. Do you recognize you are to be poor in spirit (blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God)? To be rich towards God and others? Being generous not only in abundance but in lack, with not only money but your time, energy, encouragement of others, etc.
- Pr Janice's aunt who has come to know the Lord; she has changed so much; well-to-do but very dependent on God now, sees God as source of her blessings; 
- you may not think you are among "the rich" category, but compared with many around the world you are among the very fortunate; it is relative; do you enjoy a vibrant and growing relationship with God?
- Are you seeking God’s wisdom more than wealth? Are you not seeking God’s wisdom more than wealth?

Proverbs 15:16

16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

Proverbs 22:1-4

1 A good name is more desirable than great riches;

to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

2 Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

3 A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honour and life.

"Let us never give way to the common idea that people are to be valued according to their income, and that the person who has most money is the one who ought to be the most highly esteemed. There is no authority for this notion in the Bible. The general teaching of Scripture is flatly opposed to it. “Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called” (1 Cor. 1:26). “Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he knows and understands me” (Jeremiah 9:24). Wealth is no mark of God’s favor. Poverty is no mark of God’s displeasure. Those whom God justifies and glorifies are seldom the rich of this world. If we would measure people as God measures them, we must value them according to their grace."
~ J.C. Ryle

Questions: 

1. What do we observe about prosperity, from the verses referenced in the sermon? Any seeming conflicts? Any new insights? 
2. How should we live out (apply) God’s principles on prosperity, as disciples today? 
3. Share a prayer need with regard to this topic: Please pray for me, because ____________

500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation

500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation

Reflection #1

Dr Eric Joseph Trozzo