Hi guys,
watched a video on a sermon by this American pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Honolulu (a church that has some affiliation with my japanese church) during my youth group on Wednesday so I thought I will just share some of the stuff with you all.
For those of you who don`t know, our church has a weekly youth meeting every Wednesday at my church office, where the youth pastor will cook dinner and we will eat together then have a short English lesson (conducted by one of the church member, Kumi, one of my good friend. She is an assistant professor at a university in Japan). Then we proceed to do a short worship and then some bible study or watch a sermon video. We are currently covering the Purpose-driven Life for the English lesson and sometimes we do G12 materials like SOL1/2 etc.
Anyway, we watched a short video on Global Day of Prayer last week and there were some shots of the Singaporean pastors washing one anothers` feet and everyone praying in the stadium. I remembered some of you telling me about it. So cool!
http://www.gdop.sg/2008/ 11 May 2008 is the Global DAy of Prayer this year so try to make it if you can! :) It is very powerful when we pray corporately!
Okie dokie, here are the pointers I picked up from Pastor Wayne`s sermon:
1) David`s ability to explain enigmas
In the Bible, why was David able to explain many of the baffling enigmas? Interpreting dreams for the King?
The answer is that David is a man after God`s heart. He had a close bond with God and was very in touch with the Holy Spirit. That was why David was blessed with wisdom!
Pastor Wayne goes on to explain that he is not against application Bible but many times, we are so tempted to just turn to the commentary on a certain passage in the Bible when we are stumped.
It is wiser however, to read the normal Bible and spend a moment to meditate upon His word and hear from the Holy Spirit. In this way, you get a personal, relevant, revelation from God instead of some third person`s comment or a scholar`s point of view. The Holy Spirit is alive and lives in us so why settle for second best? :)
The same goes for doing a devotion. Read the Bible verse and take some time to reflect on it and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal something about the verse to you. In this age of speedy technology, we are often tempted to take the easy way out and just jump right into something more convenient but God is waiting for you, to take a listen to His whisper. Just like how God whispered into David`s ears when David seeked God earnestly everyday of his life.
Want wisdom? Slow down and wait on God. :)
2) Solving difficult problems
James 1:19-20
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Anger shuts down your creative power and saps your creativity! Remember, every miracle begins with a problem. God often tests us with the same problem so that we can minister to others through our own experiences (2 Cor 1:3-7).
Pastor Wayne goes on to share about pharisees living in our midst. Pharisees are those who like to go around criticising others but fail to observe their own behaviors! There will always be such pharisees in our churches but we can have wisdom when dealing with them.
First, don`t become a pharisee! That is someone who is more interested in the institution than the individual. Luke 6:41-42 says
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Wow. I was convicted. I guess at some point of time, I was displaying some form of pharisee-like behavoir. Better go and confess and ask God for help.
Pastor Wayne emphasized on the importance of not letting the presence of pharisees compromise your ministry! The first step is to recognise who these pharisees are (usually those who like to point out other people`s faults).
Q:How do we handle pharisees?
A: Listen to them but do not allow them to run the program.
There might be some truth to what the person is saying and you need to allow the public to also be given a chance to hear the other side of the story. `Be quick to listen` was what the Bible has told us but don`t let it go either! We may be tempted to just brush the story aside or just give in to the person.
Sometimes, we have to say `No` even after hearing the story. Make a GRACIOUS decision and speak with the authority of Jesus. Discern with the Holy Spirit and have confidence and authority to deal with such people graciously.
I was reminded of Pastor Wayne`s sermon during cell group on Sunday when we were reading Titus 2.
7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
15... Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
`Scary!` was the general reaction but we know that God disciplines us because He loves us!
Hence this leads us back to the first point of having lots of wisdom from God to be able to discipline firmly but with grace.
Phew! This is one long post.. do leave some comments on your thoughts!
On a side note, I just prayed to God that since this is my last year in Japan, I hope to use this time meaningfully. So I said `Use me, take me, do anything, so that I will accomplish something for your glory before I return to Singapore.`
Sure enough, I was given an opportunity to minister to my Japanese female classmate. Not easy, with a different cultural background and language, too plays a part, but please keep me in prayers that God will equip me with strength, wisdom, discernment and lots of joy and protection.
Somehow God seems to be opening up my eyes to things happening in Japan.. very scary, very overwhelming but I am excited cos God`s gonna be by my side.
Knowing that all of you are laboring hard for God as well, over in Singapore, and that I am in your prayers brings comfort to me. I pray that all of us, at the end of the day, will look back at a life well-led, without regrets, for God.
It can only get better, girls! Praise God for each and every one of you! Hallelujah!
Love you all~
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