Sunday, December 28, 2014

Press On

Rev Ramond Fong
PRESS ON!
Wesley Methodist Church
28 December 2014
Text Phil 3:12-14

Why?
To know Christ more and more



Press on
The way a hunter relentlessly persues his prey
Swiftly
Relentlessly
Till reach goal


Goal
Scorpio
Focus of eye
When runner runs his race

How?
I) Passionately persue a holy dissatisfaction
II) Deal effectively with your past 
III) Intentionally reach for future

I) Passionately persue a holy dissatisfaction
Be dissatisfied with remaining the same
Yearn to know Christ
Do not be satisfied with your level of achievement
Say "No I have not achieved it yet"

Hunger and desire to know God more and more.


II) Deal effectively with your past 
"Forgetting" what lies behind
Biblical "forgetting", not so much "not remembering"
But "no longer influenced or affected by the memory"

Can not erase the past
But can remember it differently .
God can change the meaning of the past.
It could be past hurts, mistakes, failures, sins.
Do not let these hinder you.
Forget them.

It could be past good things
Glorious achievements,
Successes
Eg OneChristmas....
Forget these to move on.....




III) Intentionally reach for future
Straining forwards
Mental physical discipline
Focus on the eternal future
Focus on giving God the very best.

"what you do in life echoes in eternity" 
From movie Gladiator

Plan to end well

John Stephen Akhwari (born 1938[ in MbuluTanganyika) is a Tanzanian former marathon runner. He represented Tanzania in the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico CityAs he finally crossed the finish line a cheer came from the small crowd. When interviewed later and asked why he continued running, he said, "My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; they sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race."




Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Gift


Sermon Notes
OneChristmas
Rev Dr Kow Shih Ming
25 December 2014
Suntec
Wesley Methodist Church

Have you unwrapped your Christmas Gift?
It promises 
FREEDOM from past hurts and regrets
POWER to live for the present and
ASSURANCE for the future

For some people, life is like a prison
Regrets of something done or not done
Hurts, hidden wounds in our life

some action
some words
perhaps marriage
abortion
memories of being abandoned
not being loved
abuse
criticism

emotional woulds take longer to heal than physical wounds

JESUS can set you free

THREE steps to freedom
1) FORGIVE the person that hurt you
2) FORGIVE yourself
3) FOCUS on God
Focusing on the hurts and regrets never helps
Focus away from self
Away from your pain
Focus on something better
Focus on the healer, not the hurt
Focus on God always helps.

Instead of trying to get even,
surrender that hurt to God
"I will let you God take charge"

Psalm 56:8 (NLT)
You keep track of all my sorrows
You have collected all my tears in your bottle
You have recorded each one in your book.

POWER to live for the present
Not enough money?
Not enough rebury?
Not enough power?
Feel inadequate?
Lacking skill?
Can not cope with people who are perpetually tormenting you?
Burdened with a terminal illness?
"Oh God when are you going to take me home?"
Overwhelmed?

Philippians 4:13 (NIV) I can  everything through him who gives me strength.

Romans 8:37(NIV) No,  in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.


ASSURANCE for the future
We can face the future because of Emmanuel
Don't worry about tomorrow! Matt 6:34

God has good plans for you
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
 “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
 plans to give you hope and a future."

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.


The sad truth of life is that people will always leave you.
Either a broken relationship, betrayal, mistrust
Or though ill health or accident a loved one is taken away.
"How will I go on living?"
"How can I face the future?"

You don't have to figure it all out:
Just trust God who has figured it all out

you can be assured of a future beyond death
Jesus came
walked on earth for 30 years
was killed
but he came back from the dead
He gives us assurance of a future beyond the grave


Do you want this freedom?
Do you want this power?
Do you want this assurance?

It is your Christmas gift!
All you need to do to receive this gift is to surrender your life to Jesus.
Say in your heart (or aloud)

"God I want freedom from my past
Power for my present
Assurance for my future
I know I can not do it alone.
Come Lord Jesus into my life
I surrender all.
Give me freedom, power assurance."

If you have said this and believe it
please email me or tell another Christian
The community of believers join the angels in heaven rejoicing
We want yo help you grow in your trust in God.

Emmanuel
God with us.

Have a blessed Christmas


Sunday, December 21, 2014

Emmanuel 20141223

The text describes the Angel speaking to Joseph


The core theme is "bringing us home"
Once we accept Jesus in our life we are home
Nothing can separate us from the love of God


When men of Hod were in trouble, they trusted God and went forth
Eg Moses at the Red Sea
Shadrach Mesach Abednego and the fiery furnace
Little David facing Goliath







In the text quoted, the Goapel writer chose to dive back to Old Testament Isaiah to choose the word Emmanuel o reflect the impact Jesus would make in our life/ world 

Emmanuel 
God with us

Powerful
Will change your life
As you experience God's presence with you.


Sooner or later each of us will come across a rough patch in life
Illness
Death of a loved one
Job
Exam
Relationship
Betrayal

When it all seems too much some people
Lash out
Give in
Get headache
Swear
Turn to drugs
Alcohol
Run away
Hide

Others pray.....




Prayer is the art of listening to God

Joseph listened 
And he had the courage to obey
He did not turn the pregnant Mary away
But cared for her and for her son


Would you be like Joseph
Listen To God
do Gods will?

God remains with Ya
And ensures we get home safely


Jesus,
Job, 
Moses
Elizabeth Elliot
Handel
Each trusted God

Emmanuel
God with us
He will see us home.