Monday, December 11, 2006
Sermon notes from camp! :)
Discerning God's voice
Pastor Jeremy Seaward
Exodus 32
1) They didn't treasure it
- Israelites asked Moses to go listen to God's voice
- Israelites didn't know what they were missing, and they didn't understand the opportunity they had
2) They wanted their own way
- Thought they could find a substitute. Instead of them following God, they wanted their God to follow them where they went: that's wanting the convenient way
- They lived their own way, but expected God to show up and speak
- We should ask: What does God want, what is His desire
- Are we willling to hear Him?
3) What has He spoken to you?
- Joshua 1:1-9 "...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
- Judges 6:1-5 "Am I not sending you?"
- Ruth 2:8-9
- Isaiah 44:8 "Do not tremble, do not be adraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God beside me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
- What has He spoekn to you ALREADY? Are you ignoring? Do we doubt and question? And still, ask God to spek when we don't hear?
- God has already spoken. Thing is, are you ready to do it, to live it?
- Be faithful in the Word God spoke. Hang on to it, don't stop believing.
-
BIG
Pastor Dave Reardon
Psalm 18:35
"You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me.
You stoop down to make me great."
- See yourself as God sees you– one of great destiny.
– Daniel 11: People who know their God will be strong and do great exploits.
1. BOLD
- Exodus 4: God is looking for people who are bold in their worship
- When we sing, do we mean what we sing? Beautiful lyrics we sing should hold true for us- mean what we sing
- When you step out in boldness, with wisdom, God will honour that. Be bold in faith, and in taking God-given opportunities
2. INFLUENTIAL
- Exodus 23:35- Worship God, and He'll reward you with so much. You'll have so much blessings
- You'll be influential, when you worship in Spirit and in truth
- Be generous. And God will be generous to you. When you're generous, others see that generousity, and will learn to be generous too
3. GODLY
- Godly = God-likeness: it's how we walk, talk, etc. like our Father (God).
- To be a reflection of Jesus, and not caught up in our own desires, lust etc.
- 2 important days:
1. The day you were born
2. The day you discovered why you were born
-
Identify, Personalise, Prophesy
Pastor Dave Reardon
Jeremiah 32
To reach your destiny in God, this is the process:
1. IDENTIFY
- Identify the root, the cause, rather than the issue
- John 11 which talks about Lazurus' death and Jesus raising him up. People asked questions about 1. Timing (when?) and 2. Motivation (Jesus addressed the root. The first thing He said, among all the people asking questions, was, "Lazurus, come out.")
2. PERSONALISE
- The story of Zacchaeus the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). Jesus called out his name, and wanted a gathering at his house. Jesus wanted to minister to him, to warm his heart
- "Give the ball to me": Don't always wait for others to stand up and do things. YOU do it. You score that winning goal. God stooped down to make you great! You just got to stand up. YOU pray, YOU witness
- Jeremiah 32: Jeremiah stopped talking about stuff, he personalised it by buying the land (you've got to read the story in Jeremiah 32 to understand this)
3. PROPHESY
- Why keep asking God to fall on you? He's already in you. Ask Him to RISE UP in you
- The prophetic act is something you do. Like in Jeremiah's case, when he bought the land
- Do something prophetic to see things happen. Eg. You want to be a missionary. But you keep waiting, and waiting, for something to happen. Instead, you should do something, by like, enrolling in some bible course or somethinig.
-
It's only Friday. Sunday's comin'
Sermon notes from camp! :)
Discerning God's voice
Pastor Jeremy Seaward
Exodus 32
1) They didn't treasure it
- Israelites asked Moses to go listen to God's voice
- Israelites didn't know what they were missing, and they didn't understand the opportunity they had
2) They wanted their own way
- Thought they could find a substitute. Instead of them following God, they wanted their God to follow them where they went: that's wanting the convenient way
- They lived their own way, but expected God to show up and speak
- We should ask: What does God want, what is His desire
- Are we willling to hear Him?
3) What has He spoken to you?
- Joshua 1:1-9 "...Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
- Judges 6:1-5 "Am I not sending you?"
- Ruth 2:8-9
- Isaiah 44:8 "Do not tremble, do not be adraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God beside me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
- What has He spoekn to you ALREADY? Are you ignoring? Do we doubt and question? And still, ask God to spek when we don't hear?
- God has already spoken. Thing is, are you ready to do it, to live it?
- Be faithful in the Word God spoke. Hang on to it, don't stop believing.
-
BIG
Pastor Dave Reardon
Psalm 18:35
"You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me.
You stoop down to make me great."
- See yourself as God sees you– one of great destiny.
– Daniel 11: People who know their God will be strong and do great exploits.
1. BOLD
- Exodus 4: God is looking for people who are bold in their worship
- When we sing, do we mean what we sing? Beautiful lyrics we sing should hold true for us- mean what we sing
- When you step out in boldness, with wisdom, God will honour that. Be bold in faith, and in taking God-given opportunities
2. INFLUENTIAL
- Exodus 23:35- Worship God, and He'll reward you with so much. You'll have so much blessings
- You'll be influential, when you worship in Spirit and in truth
- Be generous. And God will be generous to you. When you're generous, others see that generousity, and will learn to be generous too
3. GODLY
- Godly = God-likeness: it's how we walk, talk, etc. like our Father (God).
- To be a reflection of Jesus, and not caught up in our own desires, lust etc.
- 2 important days:
1. The day you were born
2. The day you discovered why you were born
-
Identify, Personalise, Prophesy
Pastor Dave Reardon
Jeremiah 32
To reach your destiny in God, this is the process:
1. IDENTIFY
- Identify the root, the cause, rather than the issue
- John 11 which talks about Lazurus' death and Jesus raising him up. People asked questions about 1. Timing (when?) and 2. Motivation (Jesus addressed the root. The first thing He said, among all the people asking questions, was, "Lazurus, come out.")
2. PERSONALISE
- The story of Zacchaeus the tax collector (Luke 19:1-10). Jesus called out his name, and wanted a gathering at his house. Jesus wanted to minister to him, to warm his heart
- "Give the ball to me": Don't always wait for others to stand up and do things. YOU do it. You score that winning goal. God stooped down to make you great! You just got to stand up. YOU pray, YOU witness
- Jeremiah 32: Jeremiah stopped talking about stuff, he personalised it by buying the land (you've got to read the story in Jeremiah 32 to understand this)
3. PROPHESY
- Why keep asking God to fall on you? He's already in you. Ask Him to RISE UP in you
- The prophetic act is something you do. Like in Jeremiah's case, when he bought the land
- Do something prophetic to see things happen. Eg. You want to be a missionary. But you keep waiting, and waiting, for something to happen. Instead, you should do something, by like, enrolling in some bible course or somethinig.
-
It's only Friday. Sunday's comin'
Friday, December 01, 2006
Important camp info
Hello, here's A LOT of important camp info. Please read!
1. General info
2. Workshops you have to choose
3. FREE night sessions: invite your friends!
4. Important rules to take note of
-
General Information
Venue : Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Hostels
6 Fort Canning Road Singapore 179494
Start : Tuesday, 5 December, 0930hrs
End : Friday, 8 December, 1330hrs
-
Workshops for camp
The handout for this will be given out on Sunday, 3 Dec, but here's it, in case you missed it.
- You will be asked to sign up for your preferred workshop during REGISTRATION on 5th December 2006 at 9.30am.
- Workshop availability is on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- Please study this handout carefully and prayerfully consider which workshop you should sign up for.
- You are required to sign up for ONE workshop.
Keys to Leadership in Youth Ministry
Ps Dave Reardon will be conducting a seminar for all YM leaders. This will be an interactive forum-based discussion on what it takes to be a leader for the long haul in YM. This workshop is only open to A/YSGLs.
Male 101
"What are little boys made of? Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails That's what little boys are made of!" Male 101 will deal with the essentials of being male in the eyes of God. How does God view masculinity and what is God's role for men in the world today. In particular, Jerry Ong will focus on issues of relationships, sex and love typically faced by males. Male 101 is suitable for male youths ages 15 and above.
Female 101
"What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and all things nice- that's what little girls are made of!" Female 101, by Joyce Lo, will deal with the essentials of being female. How does God view femininity and what is God's role for women in the world today. Female 101 is suitable for female youths ages 15 and above.
iDeaf
iDeaf will be an introduction to Christian perspectives on the music of our times for example, contemporary, rock, punk music, heavy metal. There will be a discussion on why youths are influenced by music and how it affects us. This workshop by David Blakeley will challenge us to consider questions such as whether Christians should listen to secular music, is listening to secular music the same as following the devil, should we attend concerts of our favourite musicians or buy and support albums of secular artists etc. iDeaf is suitable for youths ages 12 to 14.
Apologetics
Christian Apologetics is about learning how to intellectually defend your faith. Many times our friends may ask us difficult questions like "Do all religions lead to the same God?" or "why does good God allow suffering?" or "is Christianity irrational and illogical?" In this workshop, Adriel Loh will deal with the answers to some of these difficult questions and provide you with a philosophical and intellectual framework to defend your beliefs while exposing the logical flaws in other beliefs. It will seek to show you why Christianity is the only rational choice. 'Apologetics' is suitable for youths ages 17 and above.
Cults
This workshop by Andre de Winne will give you an introduction to the more famous and well-known cults like the Mormons, Scientology, Jehovah's Witness and Free Masonry. It will deal with questions like what makes a group a cult? What is the Christian perspective on cults? Is there any hope for those who are involved in cults? The Cults workshop is suitable for youths ages 17 and above.
Why Serve?
What does serving mean? Who am I serving and what am I serving for? Many of us would like to serve but we may not have time or the inclination to do so. Some of us may feel that we're "not ready" or we have no talent which God can use, some of us may just be "too busy", perhaps we may just be waiting for the right opportunity to come along. If you have any questions about serving, this is the right workshop for you. Why Serve, by Pastor Jeremy Seaward, is suitable for youths of all ages especially if you're thinking about serving but have not taken the step yet.
-
YM Camp 2006 Plenary Sessions.
All are welcome, no registration needed, FREE
Hi! The night sessions are free, so do feel welcome to invite your friends to come and be blessed! Details as follows.
"Discerning God's Voice"
Date : Tuesday 5 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue : YWCA Ballroom Level 2
Speaker : Ps Jeremy Seaward
"Fear of the Lord Part 1"
Date : Wednesday 6 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue : YWCA Ballroom Level 2
Speaker : Ps Dave Reardon
"Fear of the Lord Part 2"
Date : Thursday 7 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm-10.00pm
Venue : Wesley Hall, Wesley Methodist Church
Speaker : Ps Dave Reardon
Visitors are kindly requested to leave by 10.00pm.
-
Camp rules
These are some rules which we want to highlight to you now... so don't say we didn't tell you! :)
- Be decently and appropriately dressed (no FBTs at all times). Most importantly, we should be respectfully attired during worship and speaker sessions (no slippers, spagehetti strapped tops or shorts).
- Keep your mobile phones, electronic devices and valuables locked in your rooms at all times during programmes so that everyone participates wholeheartedly (unless you have permission).
- No one is allowed to leave the campsite unless express permission is given by the relevant authority. If you have to leave at any point, please inform your Group Leader, who will then reflect the request to the camp planning team (Carol).
Important camp info
Hello, here's A LOT of important camp info. Please read!
1. General info
2. Workshops you have to choose
3. FREE night sessions: invite your friends!
4. Important rules to take note of
-
General Information
Venue : Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Hostels
6 Fort Canning Road Singapore 179494
Start : Tuesday, 5 December, 0930hrs
End : Friday, 8 December, 1330hrs
-
Workshops for camp
The handout for this will be given out on Sunday, 3 Dec, but here's it, in case you missed it.
- You will be asked to sign up for your preferred workshop during REGISTRATION on 5th December 2006 at 9.30am.
- Workshop availability is on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- Please study this handout carefully and prayerfully consider which workshop you should sign up for.
- You are required to sign up for ONE workshop.
Keys to Leadership in Youth Ministry
Ps Dave Reardon will be conducting a seminar for all YM leaders. This will be an interactive forum-based discussion on what it takes to be a leader for the long haul in YM. This workshop is only open to A/YSGLs.
Male 101
"What are little boys made of? Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails That's what little boys are made of!" Male 101 will deal with the essentials of being male in the eyes of God. How does God view masculinity and what is God's role for men in the world today. In particular, Jerry Ong will focus on issues of relationships, sex and love typically faced by males. Male 101 is suitable for male youths ages 15 and above.
Female 101
"What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and all things nice- that's what little girls are made of!" Female 101, by Joyce Lo, will deal with the essentials of being female. How does God view femininity and what is God's role for women in the world today. Female 101 is suitable for female youths ages 15 and above.
iDeaf
iDeaf will be an introduction to Christian perspectives on the music of our times for example, contemporary, rock, punk music, heavy metal. There will be a discussion on why youths are influenced by music and how it affects us. This workshop by David Blakeley will challenge us to consider questions such as whether Christians should listen to secular music, is listening to secular music the same as following the devil, should we attend concerts of our favourite musicians or buy and support albums of secular artists etc. iDeaf is suitable for youths ages 12 to 14.
Apologetics
Christian Apologetics is about learning how to intellectually defend your faith. Many times our friends may ask us difficult questions like "Do all religions lead to the same God?" or "why does good God allow suffering?" or "is Christianity irrational and illogical?" In this workshop, Adriel Loh will deal with the answers to some of these difficult questions and provide you with a philosophical and intellectual framework to defend your beliefs while exposing the logical flaws in other beliefs. It will seek to show you why Christianity is the only rational choice. 'Apologetics' is suitable for youths ages 17 and above.
Cults
This workshop by Andre de Winne will give you an introduction to the more famous and well-known cults like the Mormons, Scientology, Jehovah's Witness and Free Masonry. It will deal with questions like what makes a group a cult? What is the Christian perspective on cults? Is there any hope for those who are involved in cults? The Cults workshop is suitable for youths ages 17 and above.
Why Serve?
What does serving mean? Who am I serving and what am I serving for? Many of us would like to serve but we may not have time or the inclination to do so. Some of us may feel that we're "not ready" or we have no talent which God can use, some of us may just be "too busy", perhaps we may just be waiting for the right opportunity to come along. If you have any questions about serving, this is the right workshop for you. Why Serve, by Pastor Jeremy Seaward, is suitable for youths of all ages especially if you're thinking about serving but have not taken the step yet.
-
YM Camp 2006 Plenary Sessions.
All are welcome, no registration needed, FREE
Hi! The night sessions are free, so do feel welcome to invite your friends to come and be blessed! Details as follows.
"Discerning God's Voice"
Date : Tuesday 5 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue : YWCA Ballroom Level 2
Speaker : Ps Jeremy Seaward
"Fear of the Lord Part 1"
Date : Wednesday 6 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm - 10.00pm
Venue : YWCA Ballroom Level 2
Speaker : Ps Dave Reardon
"Fear of the Lord Part 2"
Date : Thursday 7 December 2006
Time : 7.30pm-10.00pm
Venue : Wesley Hall, Wesley Methodist Church
Speaker : Ps Dave Reardon
Visitors are kindly requested to leave by 10.00pm.
-
Camp rules
These are some rules which we want to highlight to you now... so don't say we didn't tell you! :)
- Be decently and appropriately dressed (no FBTs at all times). Most importantly, we should be respectfully attired during worship and speaker sessions (no slippers, spagehetti strapped tops or shorts).
- Keep your mobile phones, electronic devices and valuables locked in your rooms at all times during programmes so that everyone participates wholeheartedly (unless you have permission).
- No one is allowed to leave the campsite unless express permission is given by the relevant authority. If you have to leave at any point, please inform your Group Leader, who will then reflect the request to the camp planning team (Carol).
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Group leaders, asst group leaders and facilitators
Hello all group leaders, asst group leaders and facilitators, there'll be a briefing for all of you:
Date: 3 December, Sunday
Time: 2pm
Venue: YWCA room 810
See you all then! :)
Group leaders, asst group leaders and facilitators
Hello all group leaders, asst group leaders and facilitators, there'll be a briefing for all of you:
Date: 3 December, Sunday
Time: 2pm
Venue: YWCA room 810
See you all then! :)
Pre-camp devotionals
Hello! These are devotionals you should use before camp which will help prepare you for camp. Whether you're going for camp or not, do read through it thoughtfully and reflect.
PART ONE: ONE
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
- Jeremiah 32: 39a (NKJV)
For those of you who've signed up, well, camp has a lot to do with fun and games and fellowship. But more than that, it's a time to come before God. To learn more about Him and experience Him while you learn to worship Him in everything you do. This year's theme is on the Fear of the Lord. Not sure what that means? Don't worry- we'll explain it in the later devotion. However, you could start preparing your heart by praying and asking God to reveal Himself to you. It doesn't have to be at the camp that He does that because experiencing God isn't just something that happens only at camps. You can experience God all the time! He could reveal Himself to you at any moment, even while you're playing, eating, sleeping or studying.
Let's take a look at the theme verse for camp, Jeremiah 32: 39a.
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
What does it mean to have one heart and one way? One refers to single-mindedness. So here, we are looking at having a heart that is devoted to God.
Who does your heart belong to? What do you find when you look deep down in your heart? Distraction? Darkness? Or Jesus? If you can't say for sure that your heart belongs to Jesus, then maybe it is time to do some searching. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24). If your heart truly belongs to Jesus and is devoted to Him and Him alone, you will embrace God and love Him. So which "One" would you choose today?
Prayer: Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (Psalm 86:11) Reveal yourself to me, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
-
PART TWO: THE HEART
What's so important about the heart?
The Word tells us that God dwells in our heart, as such we must be mindful of the condition of our heart as God's glory resides within us.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
- Matthew 6:21
Last year's camp was about surrendering our secret places- all that's in our hearts- to God. In the previous week, we talked about having one heart and therefore, one way.
Matthew 6:21 says,
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Last week we responded to the question, to whom or what does our heart belong? Here's an example: If your heart is set on computer games and it becomes your "treasure," then your heart will be for games. The same applies to all the "treasures" in our lives like our grades, our hobbies, our friends and even our families. Therefore if your heart's treasure is God, then He will be your primary focus, and you will desire more and more of God. This doesn't mean that you do nothing else but think about God. Instead, it means that in everything you do, your heart is in the right place, doing what you do, for God.
The heart is so important because the kind of heart you have shows the kind of person you are. Matthew 12:34 says, "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks". Jesus was telling the Pharisees (or the Hebrew teachers of the Law) that He could tell what was in their hearts when they spoke, in that even though they sounded holy, their intentions were evil.
God conditions our hearts, the place within us where He dwells. Ephesians 2:22 says that we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Our hearts continue to be under construction, preparing for His glory.
If we want to see God's glory, see who God really is, our hearts must be in the right order because God dwells in holy places. Therefore start preparing your heart now so that it can in time be a place where God loves to dwell. If God were to look into your heart now, what do you think He will see? Allow Him to look deep within you, to shine His light within. Ask Him to show you what your "treasures" are and to allow Him to repair, restore and revive your heart today.
Prayer: Lord set my heart right with you, so that you can come and dwell in me, and I may be in Your presence always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
-
PART THREE:PREPARING OUR HEARTS PART 1
Confession, Repentance and Forgiveness
Last week we looked at our hearts being at the core of our being. We also know that once we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, in our hearts. In this sense, our hearts need to be repaired, restored and revived so that God’s dwelling place is holy and set apart for Him and His glory can dwell in us. When we are able to "feel" and "see" God’s glory in our lives, we call this God's "manifested presence".
If we desire God's manifested presence in our lives, there are some things we need to understand. (1) When there is sin in our lives, our heart as the dwelling place of God becomes tainted and we are unable to enjoy the manifested presence of God. (2) To enjoy His manifested presence, the divine pattern and order must be established in our lives. (3) When God's manifested presence is in our lives, judgment comes swiftly when sin is present. (4) With judgment, comes the fear of the Lord. When the fear of the Lord comes upon us, the divine pattern and order is then re-established in our lives. As you can see the above can be represented as a cycle in our lives and in the history of mankind. For example, Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden, the unacceptable offering from Aaron's sons at Moses' tabernacle, Joshua and the sin of Achan, David & Bathsheba etc. We start then with the understanding that we desire God's manifested presence in our lives. Is this you? Do you desire more of God in your life? Do you long to see God work in all the areas of your life? If this is you, read on!
As sinners rescued by God, we know that our sins are forgiven and taken upon the cross of Christ. However, we are also aware that the temptation to sin continues as we live in a sinful world and we still struggle with our sinful desires. If we desire God's manifested presence in our lives, we will become aware of our sins and need to know how to deal with sin. Are you ready to deal with the sin in your life?
To deal adequately with sin, there must first be an acknowledgement that we have sinned, then we need to confess and repent of our sins. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. Confession and repentance is not a mere repetition of words like a ritual, there must be a genuine desire in our hearts to turn away from the sin that is in our lives.
Application
Take some time to be quiet before God. Last week when you prayed and asked God to reveal the sinful areas of your life, surrender these areas to Him. Acknowledge that you have sinned and list these areas one by one, asking God to forgive you for each one.
Sometimes our sin includes bitterness or hatred of others for deeds committed against us by them. In these areas, forgiveness is very important. To be released from bitterness and hatred, we need to forgive. Forgiveness is not excusing the other person but forgiveness releases us from our own sin. God will deal with the other person as He sees fit.
Take sometime as you release forgiveness to each person who has committed any deeds against you. You may want to say “I forgive _(name)_ for _(specific deed)_ and I bless you with the love of Christ."
Once you have dealt with these different areas in your life, thank God for His forgiveness and His love to you. You may feel nothing but that doesn't mean nothing is happening to your heart. As God continues to work in your heart, He is preparing your heart to be His dwelling place.
-
PART THREE: PREPARING OUR HEARTS PART 2
Featuring : Extreme Awe & Reverence
"I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me." -Jeremiah 32:39a(NKJV)
Yesterday, we dealt with the areas of sin in our lives. Once sin is dealt with in our lives, we will become more aware of God in our lives. For some of us, we can sense a greater desire to spend time reading the Word and praying. For some of us, we sense a change in our heart attitude towards God- we are able to sense Him more in our lives and for some of us, we see changes happening in our lives, it seems like our behaviour and attitudes towards issues, people in our lives start to conform to God's standards. Dear friends, these are all signs and signals that God is beginning to establish His divine pattern or order in our lives ie God's manifested presence becomes more real to us.
We also know that when the manifested presence of God is in our lives, judgment comes swiftly. We can see this happening in the Acts Church. In summary, the disciples feared God and waited in obedience in the Upper room – the divine pattern was established. In God’s time and conditional upon obedience of the first church, God's manifested presence came in the visible form of tongues of fire and the people speaking in tongues on Pentecost. Judgment also came swiftly when Ananias & Sapphira told a lie about the funds they gave to the church and they were struck dead instantly. When judgment came, Acts 5:11 tells us that "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these events”.
As you prepare for camp, prepare your heart also for God's manifested presence in your life. We may be fearful that if we displease God, He will punish us. However, that is not the kind of fear that God wishes to instill in us. When the fear of the Lord came upon the Acts Church, they were motivated to grow in their faith and deepen their spiritual walk. This is because the fear that seized them was fear that led to awe and reverence.
In Jeremiah 32:38-41 (NIV), God lovingly tells the Israelites that "they will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul." Today, God says the same things to us, as His children in the new covenant.
Application
Spend a few minutes meditating on Jeremiah 32:38-41. Read the verses aloud twice, slowly, absorbing every word. Read it a third time and as you read, imagine God saying these words to you. Personalise every word. Write down your thoughts or impressions.
God desires to bless us, to do good things to us and he rejoices in doing good and establishing us in our place in this world. In the history of man, God has constantly reached out to us, loved us and gave us life. In fact, His ultimate gift of love was in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross. We need not look any further than the cross.
We have freely received from God this gift of love and our response should be a response of fear for a loving God. This is what is meant by fearing Him with awe and reverence. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above! Come prepared to meet your King!
Hello! These are devotionals you should use before camp which will help prepare you for camp. Whether you're going for camp or not, do read through it thoughtfully and reflect.
PART ONE: ONE
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
- Jeremiah 32: 39a (NKJV)
For those of you who've signed up, well, camp has a lot to do with fun and games and fellowship. But more than that, it's a time to come before God. To learn more about Him and experience Him while you learn to worship Him in everything you do. This year's theme is on the Fear of the Lord. Not sure what that means? Don't worry- we'll explain it in the later devotion. However, you could start preparing your heart by praying and asking God to reveal Himself to you. It doesn't have to be at the camp that He does that because experiencing God isn't just something that happens only at camps. You can experience God all the time! He could reveal Himself to you at any moment, even while you're playing, eating, sleeping or studying.
Let's take a look at the theme verse for camp, Jeremiah 32: 39a.
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
What does it mean to have one heart and one way? One refers to single-mindedness. So here, we are looking at having a heart that is devoted to God.
Who does your heart belong to? What do you find when you look deep down in your heart? Distraction? Darkness? Or Jesus? If you can't say for sure that your heart belongs to Jesus, then maybe it is time to do some searching. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24). If your heart truly belongs to Jesus and is devoted to Him and Him alone, you will embrace God and love Him. So which "One" would you choose today?
Prayer: Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. (Psalm 86:11) Reveal yourself to me, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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PART TWO: THE HEART
What's so important about the heart?
The Word tells us that God dwells in our heart, as such we must be mindful of the condition of our heart as God's glory resides within us.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
- Matthew 6:21
Last year's camp was about surrendering our secret places- all that's in our hearts- to God. In the previous week, we talked about having one heart and therefore, one way.
Matthew 6:21 says,
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Last week we responded to the question, to whom or what does our heart belong? Here's an example: If your heart is set on computer games and it becomes your "treasure," then your heart will be for games. The same applies to all the "treasures" in our lives like our grades, our hobbies, our friends and even our families. Therefore if your heart's treasure is God, then He will be your primary focus, and you will desire more and more of God. This doesn't mean that you do nothing else but think about God. Instead, it means that in everything you do, your heart is in the right place, doing what you do, for God.
The heart is so important because the kind of heart you have shows the kind of person you are. Matthew 12:34 says, "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks". Jesus was telling the Pharisees (or the Hebrew teachers of the Law) that He could tell what was in their hearts when they spoke, in that even though they sounded holy, their intentions were evil.
God conditions our hearts, the place within us where He dwells. Ephesians 2:22 says that we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Our hearts continue to be under construction, preparing for His glory.
If we want to see God's glory, see who God really is, our hearts must be in the right order because God dwells in holy places. Therefore start preparing your heart now so that it can in time be a place where God loves to dwell. If God were to look into your heart now, what do you think He will see? Allow Him to look deep within you, to shine His light within. Ask Him to show you what your "treasures" are and to allow Him to repair, restore and revive your heart today.
Prayer: Lord set my heart right with you, so that you can come and dwell in me, and I may be in Your presence always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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PART THREE:PREPARING OUR HEARTS PART 1
Confession, Repentance and Forgiveness
Last week we looked at our hearts being at the core of our being. We also know that once we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, in our hearts. In this sense, our hearts need to be repaired, restored and revived so that God’s dwelling place is holy and set apart for Him and His glory can dwell in us. When we are able to "feel" and "see" God’s glory in our lives, we call this God's "manifested presence".
If we desire God's manifested presence in our lives, there are some things we need to understand. (1) When there is sin in our lives, our heart as the dwelling place of God becomes tainted and we are unable to enjoy the manifested presence of God. (2) To enjoy His manifested presence, the divine pattern and order must be established in our lives. (3) When God's manifested presence is in our lives, judgment comes swiftly when sin is present. (4) With judgment, comes the fear of the Lord. When the fear of the Lord comes upon us, the divine pattern and order is then re-established in our lives. As you can see the above can be represented as a cycle in our lives and in the history of mankind. For example, Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden, the unacceptable offering from Aaron's sons at Moses' tabernacle, Joshua and the sin of Achan, David & Bathsheba etc. We start then with the understanding that we desire God's manifested presence in our lives. Is this you? Do you desire more of God in your life? Do you long to see God work in all the areas of your life? If this is you, read on!
As sinners rescued by God, we know that our sins are forgiven and taken upon the cross of Christ. However, we are also aware that the temptation to sin continues as we live in a sinful world and we still struggle with our sinful desires. If we desire God's manifested presence in our lives, we will become aware of our sins and need to know how to deal with sin. Are you ready to deal with the sin in your life?
To deal adequately with sin, there must first be an acknowledgement that we have sinned, then we need to confess and repent of our sins. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”. Confession and repentance is not a mere repetition of words like a ritual, there must be a genuine desire in our hearts to turn away from the sin that is in our lives.
Application
Take some time to be quiet before God. Last week when you prayed and asked God to reveal the sinful areas of your life, surrender these areas to Him. Acknowledge that you have sinned and list these areas one by one, asking God to forgive you for each one.
Sometimes our sin includes bitterness or hatred of others for deeds committed against us by them. In these areas, forgiveness is very important. To be released from bitterness and hatred, we need to forgive. Forgiveness is not excusing the other person but forgiveness releases us from our own sin. God will deal with the other person as He sees fit.
Take sometime as you release forgiveness to each person who has committed any deeds against you. You may want to say “I forgive _(name)_ for _(specific deed)_ and I bless you with the love of Christ."
Once you have dealt with these different areas in your life, thank God for His forgiveness and His love to you. You may feel nothing but that doesn't mean nothing is happening to your heart. As God continues to work in your heart, He is preparing your heart to be His dwelling place.
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PART THREE: PREPARING OUR HEARTS PART 2
Featuring : Extreme Awe & Reverence
"I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me." -Jeremiah 32:39a(NKJV)
Yesterday, we dealt with the areas of sin in our lives. Once sin is dealt with in our lives, we will become more aware of God in our lives. For some of us, we can sense a greater desire to spend time reading the Word and praying. For some of us, we sense a change in our heart attitude towards God- we are able to sense Him more in our lives and for some of us, we see changes happening in our lives, it seems like our behaviour and attitudes towards issues, people in our lives start to conform to God's standards. Dear friends, these are all signs and signals that God is beginning to establish His divine pattern or order in our lives ie God's manifested presence becomes more real to us.
We also know that when the manifested presence of God is in our lives, judgment comes swiftly. We can see this happening in the Acts Church. In summary, the disciples feared God and waited in obedience in the Upper room – the divine pattern was established. In God’s time and conditional upon obedience of the first church, God's manifested presence came in the visible form of tongues of fire and the people speaking in tongues on Pentecost. Judgment also came swiftly when Ananias & Sapphira told a lie about the funds they gave to the church and they were struck dead instantly. When judgment came, Acts 5:11 tells us that "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these events”.
As you prepare for camp, prepare your heart also for God's manifested presence in your life. We may be fearful that if we displease God, He will punish us. However, that is not the kind of fear that God wishes to instill in us. When the fear of the Lord came upon the Acts Church, they were motivated to grow in their faith and deepen their spiritual walk. This is because the fear that seized them was fear that led to awe and reverence.
In Jeremiah 32:38-41 (NIV), God lovingly tells the Israelites that "they will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul." Today, God says the same things to us, as His children in the new covenant.
Application
Spend a few minutes meditating on Jeremiah 32:38-41. Read the verses aloud twice, slowly, absorbing every word. Read it a third time and as you read, imagine God saying these words to you. Personalise every word. Write down your thoughts or impressions.
God desires to bless us, to do good things to us and he rejoices in doing good and establishing us in our place in this world. In the history of man, God has constantly reached out to us, loved us and gave us life. In fact, His ultimate gift of love was in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross. We need not look any further than the cross.
We have freely received from God this gift of love and our response should be a response of fear for a loving God. This is what is meant by fearing Him with awe and reverence. Our God is an awesome God, He reigns from heaven above! Come prepared to meet your King!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Packing List + Prayer Items
Packing list
Hello! Here's the stuff to bring for camp!
- 4 sets of clothes (including 1 dark-coloured set)
- 4 sets of undergarments
- A jacket/ cardigan
- Toiletries (toothbrush/ paste, shampoo, soap, towel etc.)
- Running shoes
- Sandals/ slippers
- 2 to 3 pairs of socks
- Water bottle
- Bible
- Notebook
- Stationery
- Medication (if any)
Note:
Do not bring too much cash along with you ($30 would suffice). For security reasons, you might want to leave your valuables at home (e.g. electronic devices, laptops, expensive jewellery etc.).
Prayer Items
Hello campers! Camp is in just *gasp* 13 days!!!!! We hope you're excited and really looking forward to it! Well, one thing we should do is to pray for camp because if we want to see God moving, we should ask of Him, through prayer! Prayer is power!
Here's a list of things you can pray for:
Speakers
- Speakers: Pastor Dave Reardon the main speaker, and the workshop speakers
- Pray that they will speak words from God, to give the right message at the right time
Campers
- Open, expectant hearts
- To be excited and enthusiastic about camp
- Pray for pre-believers coming for camp (friends of YM-ers, for example)
Weather
It's been raining recently, so let's pray that God will give us good weather for camp so that all outdoor activities and all else will go fine!
Activities
- Worship: will be pleasing to God, that people will freely worship!
- Games: will run smoothly and that no one will get injured
YM
- Since this is a YM camp, let's pray that YM will be united and we will all grow together in this camp. That God will come in a mighty way and that this camp will be one that pleases and glorifies Him.
This list is not exhaustive! There may be other things you think you should pray for. So just pray for whatever God puts on your heart to pray for :) Thank you for praying with us :)
Packing List + Prayer Items
Packing list
Hello! Here's the stuff to bring for camp!
- 4 sets of clothes (including 1 dark-coloured set)
- 4 sets of undergarments
- A jacket/ cardigan
- Toiletries (toothbrush/ paste, shampoo, soap, towel etc.)
- Running shoes
- Sandals/ slippers
- 2 to 3 pairs of socks
- Water bottle
- Bible
- Notebook
- Stationery
- Medication (if any)
Note:
Do not bring too much cash along with you ($30 would suffice). For security reasons, you might want to leave your valuables at home (e.g. electronic devices, laptops, expensive jewellery etc.).
Prayer Items
Hello campers! Camp is in just *gasp* 13 days!!!!! We hope you're excited and really looking forward to it! Well, one thing we should do is to pray for camp because if we want to see God moving, we should ask of Him, through prayer! Prayer is power!
Here's a list of things you can pray for:
Speakers
- Speakers: Pastor Dave Reardon the main speaker, and the workshop speakers
- Pray that they will speak words from God, to give the right message at the right time
Campers
- Open, expectant hearts
- To be excited and enthusiastic about camp
- Pray for pre-believers coming for camp (friends of YM-ers, for example)
Weather
It's been raining recently, so let's pray that God will give us good weather for camp so that all outdoor activities and all else will go fine!
Activities
- Worship: will be pleasing to God, that people will freely worship!
- Games: will run smoothly and that no one will get injured
YM
- Since this is a YM camp, let's pray that YM will be united and we will all grow together in this camp. That God will come in a mighty way and that this camp will be one that pleases and glorifies Him.
This list is not exhaustive! There may be other things you think you should pray for. So just pray for whatever God puts on your heart to pray for :) Thank you for praying with us :)
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Camp Details + Camp Awareness Day + Form
Camp Registration Form
Download a copy of camp registration form here!
Just click the picture of the disk (save a copy) and save it to your computer so that you can print it out, fill it up, and return it to our booth open every sunday after youth services from now till 22nd Oct 2006.
Do remember to invite as many of your friends as you can! :)
Be excited to meet God during camp!
Camp Awareness Day
Thank you everybody for your participation and support in the first ever Camp Awareness Day held last month!
We hope the Sec 1-3s had a great time with the FearFactor-like brownie-eating competition and the dodgeball, and the Sec 4s and above had a great time of fellowship with your small groups coming up with the innovative and wacky ideas for Camp this year!
The camp committee has consolidated and will take the feedback received into consideration while seeking God's guidance as we plan for the upcoming camp.
Stay excited and do visit this blog often for more updates!
Camp Details
YM Camp: Featuring Extreme Awe and Reverence.
Theme verse: Jeremiah 32:39a (NKJV)
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
Date: 5 - 8 December 2006
Location: YWCA + Wesley Methodist Church
Key speaker: Pastor Dave Reardon
Early-bird registration closing date: 15th October 2006.
Registration closing date: 22nd October 2006.
Camp Details + Camp Awareness Day + Form
Camp Registration Form
Download a copy of camp registration form here!
Just click the picture of the disk (save a copy) and save it to your computer so that you can print it out, fill it up, and return it to our booth open every sunday after youth services from now till 22nd Oct 2006.
Do remember to invite as many of your friends as you can! :)
Be excited to meet God during camp!
Camp Awareness Day
Thank you everybody for your participation and support in the first ever Camp Awareness Day held last month!
We hope the Sec 1-3s had a great time with the FearFactor-like brownie-eating competition and the dodgeball, and the Sec 4s and above had a great time of fellowship with your small groups coming up with the innovative and wacky ideas for Camp this year!
The camp committee has consolidated and will take the feedback received into consideration while seeking God's guidance as we plan for the upcoming camp.
Stay excited and do visit this blog often for more updates!
Camp Details
YM Camp: Featuring Extreme Awe and Reverence.
Theme verse: Jeremiah 32:39a (NKJV)
"then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever."
Date: 5 - 8 December 2006
Location: YWCA + Wesley Methodist Church
Key speaker: Pastor Dave Reardon
Early-bird registration closing date: 15th October 2006.
Registration closing date: 22nd October 2006.
