Eze 28
The description for the king of Tyre is likened to that of Satan, who was the most beautiful angel until he decided to put himself higher than God. The root is pride, to see oneself as God. This was also the original sin committed by Adam n Eve. Pride is usually quite deceptive, and seemingly harmless or beneficial. Hence it is impt for us to keep ourselves in check, lest we fall into the pride trap.
Eze 29-30
When I read Ezekiel's prophecy over Egypt, I'm reminded tt Egypt is like a symbol of bondages to the sinful nature. Though at times we may feel that there is no escape from the cycle of sin, God declares His sovereignty and sets things into motion in our lives, to expose our sins or to waken us up into action to cry for freedom.
Indeed the prophecies given to Ezekiel speak of the supreme sovereignty of our God. We can trust in his unfailing love for us, not just to comfort us, but to teach and exhort us when necessary.
Eze 31
Ezekiel continued to prophesy against Pharoah. Now comparing him with Assyria, which was like a great tree that towered above the rest. This reminded me of the Tower of Babel, which men built in order to reach heaven, and make a name for themselves. Again, we see the deep root of pride in men. If God has allowed us to continue in this pride, it won't be long before we destroy ourselves. Because of His great love, we are not consumed.
Acts 27 & 28
The power that the Holy Spirit can give to us:
1. Courage to get through the storm
Don't stay stagnant.
Sometimes we need to get through a storm in order to reach some place new.
The storm will overwhelmed us if we just face it with our own abilities.
2. Faith to see through the storm
When we go through a storm, visibility drops.
We lose vision. We lose hope.
Acts 28:25-27
Jer 29:11
God has a plan for us. God plans to prosper us. God's idea of prosperity and our idea of prosperity are very different.
Whenever we are in a storm, we need to look at Jesus. He will see us through the storm.
Acts 24-26
The ministry that counts,
Is the ministry that costs
The turning point is not when Paul encountered Jesus, but it is when Paul decided to submit to Jesus' will.
Jer 29:11 God is sovereign.
Rom 5:3-5 this is what Paul wrote about suffering
When we submit to God's will, we enter into His purpose for us.
Q: Are we submitting to God's will, or are we doing our own thing?
What does it take to follow God at any cost?
1. Submit to God's Will - He is Sovereign
2. Surrender to God's Way - He is Supreme
13th Jan 2008
The Way to God's Heart
Ps 1
Qstn: Are you happy?
Psalm- 5 bks (I missed out some info here about the parallelism of Psalm)
Bk 1: Ps 1-41 Genesis
Bk 2: Ps 42-72 Exodus
Bk 3: Ps 73-89 Leviticus
Bk 4: Ps 90-106 Numbers -> wandering
Bk 5: Ps 107-150 Deutronomy -> Deliverance & victory
Invitation to come out of the busy-ness
Learn to pray the prayer of the Plasm
Ps 1 is the keynote
1. Decide to separate our mind from the world
V.1 wicked, sinners and mockers.
New definitions on what these terms mean:
Wicked-loose with the morals & standards
Sinner-deliberately choose a way of their own
Mockers-ridicule and living it different; speech and action do not tally
Gal 6:8
Three actions and their corresponding meaning:
Walk-go about everyday life
Stand-commitment
Sit-attitude
2. Delight to saturate our spirit with the Word
V.2-3 meditates
The natural man is bound to 5 senses
But the spiritual man needs the Word and Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14
Q: who leads you?
Rev 2:4-5 forgotten your first love
Remember -> Repent -> Return
V.3 we don't do this, but God brought this about such that we are connected to God again.
Jer 17:7-8 there will be heat, drought
Psalmist always end with affirmation b'cos they see God.
6th Jan 2008
2008- A Year of Sabbath
Isa 58:13-14
3 promises:
1. Gladness in our heart - Delight
2. Growth in our ministry - Development
3. Global impact in the world - Destiny
3 Focus:
A. Remembrance & Reliance upon the Lord - Intimacy "if you call the Sabbath a delight"
Jan-Apr: A Psalm A Day
Apr (Good Friday): Sanctification wk
B. Restoration & Rebuilding of relationships - Interdependence
1 Jn 1:7 fellowship
Don't just do 1 I at a time. They all come together, just that we focus on 1 I at a time.
Add strength to each other, to do what we could not do alone.
May-Aug: Inter-network activities.
Global day of prayer
LoveSingapore 40 Day of Fast
Day of His Power
Teachers' Conference
NDP - motivators (300 roller bladers, 43 sets of 3-generational family)
Thousand Linking Hands (opening ceremony at beginning of July)
MOL @ Esplanade (17-20 July)
C. Rest & Re-creation of the land - Integration "if... from doing as you please"
If you take your work as your joy, your work will disappoint you. God is the source of your joy. So you need to integrate your work with God.
Exo 20:8-11 Even God rested, and He has set this to the rhythm in creation.
If you break the Sabbath, you will die. Current times we have many stress related diseases.
Lev 26:34-35
2 Chron 36:21 Israel was forced to rest 70 years for the number of years they did not keep the Sabbath.
KPI: Zero growth, but still some growth to maintain zero net growth.
Loss of G12 vision. No passion, no vision. Probably due to slipping of LOS equipping.
Sep-Dec: The Marketplace
Ed Silvoso conference
Work is church. And church starts on Monday
Christmas
Countdown Party to Year of Transformation
Heb 4:11 diligent to enter that rest
Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
For what's in your mind may escape, but what's in your heart will remain forever.
Random thoughts for today:
Forgiveness is such a difficult task that it costs a man His Life.
The Lord gaveth; the Lord takes away.
What is mine to keep, may be lost.
Fear may grip me, but I will not allow fear to have me.
For my life is with the Lord, and I shall fear no evil.
What I try to keep, I have not.
But what I give to lose, I already have.