Sunday 2 September 2012
God formed me in my mother's womb!
Perfect and wonderful creation!
Psalm 139: 1-18b
I fell asleep for a long time, but I awoke to find you are still with me and have always been!
You know my beginning and my end. You know everything I have done, felt, thought and every attitude good or bad, everything in my heart!Yet you are still here by my side!
How marvellous to know you and know that you will never leave! It's taking me a lifetime to get to know you, but you know me through and through and yet you still choose me to be one of your own!
What could ever be said or done in response- nothing could repay! We are ever endebted to you. But by your spirit we just want to be with you! That is the only reward we want from you and it's the only requirement from you: that we accept your sacrifice and remain with you. All praise and honour belong to you!!
Songs: Just To Be With You ( Baloche), The Everlasting God, Faithful Father, Here I Am To Worship, I Adore You, Arms Of Love, Amazed
Mark 8: 27-38
To know Jesus is to know who we are.
To know Jesus is to be like Him.
He is our life, our existence, our power, and who and what we are revolves around who we think Jesus is, the man, the Messiah, the righteous one, full of wisdom beyond everyone else, the pure one, the one who died for us, the risen one, Son of God, all powerful, almighty, loving, forgiving, healing, all seeing and knowing, our King and judge, our brother, our friend who would do anything for us! Walking with us, guiding us, comforting us, helping and protecting in every situation, no matter what! He is there for us and will be forever!
Isaiah 35: 4-7a
Say to those who have toiled long and are growing tired and to those who have become afraid;
God will come with healing and restore your land. He will heal both the people and the land!
Psalm 125
Those who trust in God will never be defeated in their battles, their trials, the problems they face or any crisis. While they are going through trials it may not look like they are being delivered, but they are!
All the time, God surrounds and protects us.
The time will come when God will take away the evil and those who are righteous through Christ will remain and have peace at last!
From Joyce Myer's broadcast, September 6, 2012
Jeremiah 17: 7-8
Our suffering doesn't glorify God, but our attitude during suffering does. Are you rooted in love?
Some receive the miracle of being delivered from trials, but others have the miracle of staying loving and trusting while going through the trials. That defeats the devil, keeping the faith during trial, staying a loving person during trial.
Suggested songs:
The Everlasting God, Everlasting God, He Did Not Bring us Out This Far, Blessed Be Your Name, Faithful Father, Hosanna.
What does God expect of us?
Nutshell:
This week's reading is very simple, but it is very exciting to me, because it answers the question- how do we ever get to become the example of Jesus in our lives on Earth from where we are now? How do we ever get to be like Him and do the things He did? How could we ever love as He?
What God wants is very simple. Do good and what is right to each other, be a loving person, a helpful and good neighbour and all God's blessings will come to you. We all want great miracles, signs and wonders! Fantastic, spectacular things happening! Lots of noise and excitement!!
But what did God do? God came down to Earth born as a helpless baby, grew up as an average middle class man who just loved people, taught in the synagogue, and helped the poor. Miracles came out of that and as we live our lives in a loving way, miracles can come out of our lives too. Having Jesus live an ordinary life in a loving way prepared Him and the people around Him for His ministry. Not only did Jesus heal the sick and feed the hungry miraculously, He taught us how to live and usher in His Kingdom just through loving each other. God is love and wherever there is love, God is there.
Psalm 15
Who may spend time in God's presence?
Those who speak truth with sincere hearts and refuse to slander others or harm them in anyway.
Psalm 45: 1-2, 6-9
From verse 6, 7: Your throne O God endures forever, your royal power is expressed in justice. You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefor God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
Chain References for Psalm 15:
Zechariah 8:16 The Lord's love for mankind is passionate and strong! The Lord wishes to live in everyone's hearts. As we allow God to live in our hearts, we will be called faithful for the Holy spirit will make us so. Then we will enjoy all the benefits of that.
God will make our cities safe to live in. God will be faithful and just to us. God will plant seeds of peace and prosperity among us. We will enjoy abundance. We ourselves will be a source of blessing. People from all over the world will come to us asking for a blessing from God. "And they will say, " Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you."
To gain all this, you must continue pursuing God and doing good to others. Pursue in every situation what is right to do. Be truthful to each other. Never tell anything false that would hurt anyone. Love truth and peace and God will turn your times of mourning into festivals of joy and celebration.
Ephesians 4: 25, 26a
Tell your neighbour the truth because we belong to each other and don't let anger cause you to sin.
Psalm 34: 12-14.
Do any of you want to live a life that is long and good? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from telling lies! turn away from evil and do good. Work hard at living in peace with others.
Leviticus 19:13-18
Be respectful and fair to all no matter if they are poor or challenged in some way. Don't try to benefit yourself at the expense of others.
Exodus 23: 1-3.
Don't be swayed by the majority. Don't disrespect the poor.
Chain References for Psalm 45: 6,7.
Psalm33: 4,5
For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything He does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and His unfailing love fills the Earth.
Psalm 21:6 The joy above all other joy is the joy of being in the presence of God. We have the same joy that has been given to Jesus!
We have been given the joy of knowing that we are forgiven and loved, the joy of knowing that we will live with God forever, the joy of knowing that we will be protected in perfect peace forever!
That's cause for celebration everyday and what better way to do that than by helping others in need. That is what Jesus showed us: to love one another for if you do that, you fulfill the whole law because when you are helping others, you won't do anything to hurt them. As you are helping others, you are getting to know them, your love for them grows and because you are investing your time in them, you care what happens to them.
Jesus did this himself by waiting on God for the help of the Holy Spirit. We are encouraged by His example to do the same. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God's love and inspires us what to do to help others. It's the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do God's will. If you can't hear the Holy Spirit for what ever reason, then return to love, do something out of love, for love is the basis of everything good! Where there is love, there is God!
Songs:
Above All, Only You, How Great Is Our God, Be Thou My Vision, Take My Life And Let It Be, Carry Your Love.
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