SarahCity

Today, the topic for our children's meeting is "others can count on me to serve them". This meeting is to help the children learn the importance of serving others. There is no need to teach them to think of themselves first because it comes naturally. The sister started the meeting by asking the children a question: Are we willing to serve others or we prefer to take care of our own needs? Most children answered sometimes serving others and sometimes more on their own needs. Similary, we were also asked the same questions. My answer is the same as most of the children. But while I was still pondering over the answer, I realised that I serve others at my convenience. I remember about the story of how Jesus fed the five thousand in Mark 6:30-44 30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat , he said to them, "Come with me by yo

Yesterday, a sister asked the above question. Deep within me, I was thinking, eternal life is to live forever and ever. However, in John 17:3 we see a different perspective of eternal life. "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." In another word, eternal life is to know God. This made me recalled Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. This knowledge of God as He is revealed unto us in Jesus Christ from the Holy Scriptures is not just an intellectual or a speculative knowledge; it is not just a theoretical knowledge of doctrines. But a knowledge that will change our life continually. The more we know God, there is a longing for holiness. He can declare as in Hebrews 11, that he is a stranger and a pilgrim upon this earth and he d

Last few days, I have been thinking about a sermon I heard on a Friday from 2 Timothy 2:20-21 2:20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 2:21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. I was wondering what is this good work that God has prepared me for? Yesterday I heard a brother shared that we are equipped to do the good works. He asked the questions : "What is this good work that God has prepared for you?". He said he also doesn't know but beseeched us to seek from the Lord personally. He will reveal to you. Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater wo

Today I attended a wedding love feast and one of the song we sang is as follows:- In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful, in His time, Lord, please show me everyday, As You're teaching me Your way, That You do just what You say, in Your time The highlight of the event began with the bride's testimony of how the couple got together. The story started with the bride's mother who strongly believed that her daughter and the groom-to-be would be an item in the future. Seemed to me like God has already planned everything. The groom also shared his story and specifically mentioned the 3 phases of their relationship. The first phase started with the couple trying to know one another. This is the most enjoyable phase as they tried to please one another and enjoy most activities together. The second phase began as they learn to open up to one another, and they soon discovered they were so different in term of personality and many other things. They start

Yesterday a sister told me that she was impressed by her new friend who has a very good knowledge of the Bible and can quote verses to handle life issues but yet the person does not believe the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is so easy to treat the Bible as another book for reading but it can be quite dangerous if we missed "HIM". John 5:39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these testify about me. John 5:40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Paul spent his life on earth to achieve only one thing ie. to gain Christ. Phil 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

I believe that this verse is as much a divine command as "You shall not steal". But what does it mean to fret? One person once defined it as that which makes a person rough on the surface, causing him to rub and wear himself and others away. Isn't it true that an irritable, irrational, and critical person not only wears himself out but is also very draining and tiring to others? When we worry and fret, we are a constant annoyance. This psalm not only says. "Do not fret because of evil men" but leaves no room for fretting whatsoever. It is very harmful, and God does not want us to hurt ourselves or others. Any physician can tell you that a fit of anger is more harmful to your system than a fever and that a disposition of continual fretting is not conducive to a healthy body. The next step down from fretting is being quick-tempered, and that amounts to anger. May we set it aside once and for all and simply be obedient to the command "Do not fret"

Tonight a sister shared on a typhoon tragedy which she saw in a television, how a teary grandfather saw all his family members died in this tragedy (about 10 of them). His grandson had barely learn to call him yet. It was a really sad event. Sometimes we take things for granted. We ought to learn to thank God that we are living so peaceably in Singapore. This reminded me of Hebrews 4: 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. We do not know what will happen to us and thus we need to take every opportunity to live our life to the fullest, to trust and obey God and not harden our heart. Let's encourage one another while it is still called "Today".

This is a topic that I need to share with the children in the next few weeks. I ask myself this question : Can God count on me to do my best? Many times, the answer is "NO". In the past, I adopt a "passable" attitude ie. just put in abit of effort and that it. However, God is not pleased with this kind of attitude. God is very concerned that we use our heart in everything we do. Whether it is our work, looking after our family or worship, God demands our very best. I review my attitude in worship. At times, I realise that I might be singing praises to God but at the same time, my mind is somewhere else. Matthew 15:8 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. I need to repent of this kind of attitude. May we all learn to do our very best in everything we do. To God be the glory!!

When I think of Paul, I tend to think of a sturdy rock. He was a man who is neither swayed nor deterred from the course at hand. I see him needing no one other than Christ Himself. Or so it seems. The truth is Paul needed the encouragement of other believers. He longed for the words of fellow Christians to cheer him on while spreading the gospel. Ponder those words he penned to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 7:5-7. What was Paul feeling at this time? Conflicts on the outside and fears on the inside. Yes, that mighty man of God who said."I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13) also struggled with fear, discouragement, and inner turmoil. Paul was a strong man and yet he still needed the words of fellow believers to encourage him to press on. Here are some words a friend would love to hear : You bring out the best in me. You are an inspiration to me. I love to hear how God is working in your life. I'd like your opinion and pr

Yahweh / Jehovah: to exist, be (Exodus 3:14-15) YHVH comes from the Hebrew verb "to be" and is the special name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Therefore, YHVH declares God's absolute being - the source of everything, without beginning and without end. God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations. § Yahweh Jireh: The Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14) o Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” § Yahweh Nissi: He is your Victory (Exodus 17:15) o Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-nissi (which means “the Lord is my

Apostle Paul desired to gain Christ and he devoted his life just doing that:- Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 1:21a For to me, to live is Christ Tonight we sang a hymn and I like stanza 2 which goes this way:- Life is full of opportunities Ordered by our Father's hand; we see Everything's the best that it could be, So let's gain Christ! Christ our content and reality To shine out from us unceasingly He must have a way in you and me, He must have a way Life can be quite challenging the moment we got serious to follow Christ. On one hand we know that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one but on the other hand, God is sovereign and all things that happen to us have to be permitted by Him. 1 Cor 10:13b God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what