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SUNDAY SERMON RECAP (16 FEBRUARY 2014)

Hearing God’s voice 

by Ps Christopher K

We often think that only the super holy and super righteous ones hear the voice of God, but not the unrighteous, sinful ones. Nothing can be further from the truth as seen in the Bible:

• ·    In Genesis 1:  Adam had sinned a great sin and was hiding amongst the bushes. Yet in his unrighteous state, the tender voice of God (not in anger, but in love) came to him, “Where are you?”
• ·    In the OT: God’s voice came to a sinful Gentile prophet, Balaam, as he pursued the path of sin and evil. God’s voice warned him to turn from sin.

As Christians, we have been chosen to represent God and to carry His voice to others. We are His vessels and instruments to channel His voice to the unsaved ones.

Discerning God’s voice and the devil’s voice:

God’s Voice                                                        Devil’s voice

Truth                                                                    Lies

Leads to freedom and freedom of choice            Leads to bondage, control, 
                                                                             manipulation

Produces faith                                                      Produces fear

Has integrity                                                         Has hidden, crooked agendas

Teaches us to rely on His righteousness alone   Teaches us to depend on our own 
                                                                             works

God wants to work on you today

You cannot come to God in your own righteousness. You cannot earn God’s favour by your own good works (prayers, fasting, charity, etc) (Romans 7:19). You simply need to totally surrender and rely on what Christ has done for YOU on the cross. As you yield your life into the hands of the Potter, God can turn a rubbish into a masterpiece (Jeremiah 18:1-6).

SUNDAY SERMON RECAP (2 FEBRUARY 2014)

Out With The Old, In With The New

by Ps Samuel Hari

Text : Eph 4:17-32 (NLT)

Right believing will no doubt lead to right living. Right believing however needs to be reinforced. Right living involves, putting off the old man/patterns and putting on the new man/patterns.

v17-24 – Change our walk/patterns from the old nature as we are citizens of a new kingdom.

How?
People are hopelessly confused. Everything starts in the head, heart and futility of their minds.

Why?
v18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

The solution
v20-21 Learn about CHRIST! Hear Him, be taught in Him, the truth is in Jesus, He is the TRUTH! Solid about our identity in Christ. Study all the "In Christ" scriptures (meditate, internalise). (Rom 8:1; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 1:27; Eph 2:10; 3:19)

v22 Put off (throw off) the old (which is corrupted by lust and deception. Don't try to repair it. Throw it, aggressively sometimes). Notice this comes AFTER v20-21. We have no strength to put off if we don't have v20-21 (keep going in circles). How to throw off? See how BEAUTIFULLY v22 is sandwiched between v20-21 and v23?
v23 Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. v30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by keeping “skeletons in the closet”. One of the most powerful prayers is, "I cannot.. help me, Holy Spirit".
v24 Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. A very important part of the process as we cannot just keep getting rid of the rubbish, we need to consciously replace it with the truth! Where does it come from? The Word - personal study, group study, sermons, church, cell group, fellowship, IMPACT!

If we just put on the new man without putting off the old man, we are covering up…Sweeping things under the carpet. If we just put off the old man without putting on the new man, then we will constantly live in condemnation and give room for the devil to move in with far worse lies! Through power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, we replace the lies with the truth.

SUNDAY SERMON RECAP (19 JANUARY 2014)

Special Gifts by Ps Samuel Hari 

Text: Eph 4:7-16 

Grace is a Special Gift. One aspect is it’s the unmerited favor of God. The other is it's a special gift! We are GRACED by God through Christ to be a blessing to the church and to the world!

What is the Gift? (V11)
The 5 Fold ministries. We need all five in the church to be balanced. Don't reject or favor a particular ministry because we are uncomfortable or like it. They are ALL SPECIAL GIFTS from the LORD (through the generosity of Christ (v7)) to us.

WHY did He GENEROUSLY give us these gifts? (V12-13)
 • To EQUIP us to DO God's work
 • To BUILD UP the CHURCH or THE BODY OF CHRIST
• A CONTINUOUS and PROGRESSIVE work. We are not there yet; SO be patient...press on!

The result
• Unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God which equals to...
• MATURITY, to a MATURE MAN, which is measuring up to the FULL and COMPLETE standard of Christ

Ephesians 4:11-13 MSG

He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ’s followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

What is “fully alive like Christ”? V14-16 
No longer IMMATURE like children. Childish vs Child-like. We need to GROW UP!
V14. NOT...
• tossed and blown by every wind of doctrine/new teaching
 • be tricked by half truths. Looks like, smells like, feels like but is NOT the truth! Not just doctrines; developing discerning...listed as Holy Spirit gift..1 Cor 12:10
V15. INSTEAD...
• speaking the TRUTH in LOVE
• GROWING in every way, more and more like Christ who is THE HEAD
V16. Christ does His part and we do ours (the gifts given to the body 1 Cor 12:7-11). We cannot leave everything in God's hands without doing our part. It's working together although it seems impossible when people have different gifts, talents and mindsets. However, when we do our part and leave the rest to God, He will fit everything together PERFECTLY and the whole body WILL be HEALTHY, GROWING AND FULL OF LOVE!