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Monday, 01 September 2008
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You are so faithful - lyrics
We ended with this song for service today. Surprisingly, I found only 2 versions of it on youtube. The link here is sung by the original singer and writer, Bob Fitts. The video is sweet :) though it does not quite fit the lyrics.
It's been some time since I heard it. It was one of my favourites in the past but with the passing of time, and the newer songs that came up, it just slipped away. When we sang this today, it brought back memories. Nostalgic and sweet. The song may be 'old' but the truth will always stay the same. And that's the beauty of the song.. and the intimacy.
Sing it to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I love You Jesus...
Like the sun that rises everyday,
You are so faithful. Lord, You are faithful.
Like the rain that You send,
And every breath that I breathe,
You are so faithful, Lord
Like the rose that comes alive every spring,
You are so faithful. Lord, You are faithful.
Like the life that You give,
to every beat of my heart,
You are so faithful, Lord.
I see the cross and the price You had to pay,
I see the blood that washed my sins away.
In the midst of the storm
through the wind and the waves,
You'll still be faithful, You'll still be faithful,
When the stars refuse to shine and time is no more,
You'll still be faithful,
You'll still be faithful, Lord.
Monday, 18 August 2008
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What do you think happens to us after we die?
I'm going to my mansion in heaven!
On another note, I'm asking the Lord to satisfy me with long life that I may see His glory on earth! I'm believing that the times are near.. so I'll be raptured and not see death :)
What exciting times we live in! Praise Jesus! What a great work He is doing! Oh, it's dangerous NOT to be a Christian. I'll choose being Christ's! Being a dangerous Christian any day!
I just answered this Featured Question, you can answer it too!
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17 August 2008 - Sin offering
[My thoughts in square brackets. Verses that are in square brackets are not specifically referred to in this service but supports the point that he was making.]
17 August 2008 (3rd service)
Pastor Prince – teaching on the Sin offering
Numbers 18:8-11
And the LORD spoke to Aaron: “Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.
This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering and every sin offering and every trespass offering which they render to Me, shall be most holy for you and your sons. In a most holy place you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you.
“This also is yours: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.
Under the old covenant, you perform to become.
Under the new covenant, you become to perform.
In the Old Testament, the priests were healthy and strong for service and the work of the tabernacle. This is because under the old covenant, the priests had to fulfil criteria – no blemish, etc..
It is a lack of understanding of Jesus’ work in their lives that people are suffering. To the extent you have fear and anxiety, to that extent you do not know. Humble yourself to ask the Lord to reveal the truth in your life.
Of the 5 offerings, 3 are a sweet smelling aroma to God: Burnt offering (perfection of Jesus), Grain offering (beauty of Jesus) and Peace offering.
The burnt offering is burnt on the altar of burnt offering within the temple whereas the sin offering is burnt outside the camp because it reminds God of our sins.
Leviticus 4:11-12 (there is offal in sin offering because it reminds God of our sins, not burnt offering)
But the bull’s hide and all its flesh, with its head and legs, its entrails and offal— the whole bull he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out it shall be burned.
Our self-efforts are dung – even our achievements. Whenever we try to achieve righteousness by works, our righteousness are like filthy rags.
[Philippians 3:4-9
If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;]Hebrews 13:11-13
For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
4 types of people in the OT who offered the sin offering –
Person
Anointed priest
Whole congregation
A ruler
A commoner
Sacrifice
Young bull
Young bull
A male kid
A female kid
Blood
Blood put on the horns of the altar of incense
Blood put on the horns of the altar of burnt offering
[Tabulated for easier reading. All verses found in Leviticus 4 (extracted at the end of the sermon notes)]
Typology:
Female and male speaks of “strength” – passive and active. It is not literal.
Eg. You may be a female but you have the strength of a male in the things of God – i.e. hungry for the things of God. You may be a male but are a female in spiritual matters – i.e. fall asleep during service!
The sacrifice – sin offering – speaks of Jesus carrying our sins
Male kid: A leader who sins must have a strong active appreciation of the finished work of Christ
Hebrews 10:1-4
For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
The moment you have a perfect sacrifice, there is no more sin consciousness.
We have a divine redemption for all eternity.
To be conscious of sins when you know that it’s been removed is to insult the blood of Christ.
God forgave us, not based on our knowledge of our sins, but by His knowledge of our sins. [That means, all our sins, even sins we are unaware of, are SURELY paid because it’s by His knowledge!]
God is not merciful in making us righteous. He is merciful in sending Jesus. Our sins brought Jesus down. His righteousness brought us up to the Father’s throne. Today, His judicial righteousness must abide by the finished work of His Son who paid for our sins with His blood! (without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins)
The question to ask is whether God is satisfied with the sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus’ sacrifice – our true rest. Your heart is at liberty in rest.
Blood of bulls and goats – temporal forgiveness.
Blood of Christ – eternal forgiveness.
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
In the mind of God, the burnt offering and the sin offering is one.
The Holy Spirit is jealous to guard the glory of Jesus.
Because of the sin offering, God turned His back on His Son. But as the burnt offering, Jesus was never more pleasing to the Father.
We are transformed by beholding the glory of the Lord by the Spirit of the Lord.
Would to God that God gives us more new covenant ministers to uncover the beauty of Christ!
As your Sacrifice is, so is your rest.
Just as Jesus’ sacrifice is eternal, so is our rest divine and eternal.
Hebrews 10:11-12
And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,
In the OT, the priest had to stand.. daily.. repeatedly..
But this Man, one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down. [It is a completed work!]
In the OT, the judgment is greater than the sacrifice. Elijah called down fire, which consumed the sacrifice, the water, and even the stones! Nothing was left.
In the NT, the Sacrifice is greater than the judgment. After Jesus consumed God’s judgment, He could say, “It is finished!” and like the King He is, dismissed His Spirit to God. The Sacrifice is greater than the judgment! What assurance! Hallelujah! Fully fully paid!!!
4 types of people in the OT who offered the sin offering –
- Leviticus 4:1-3
Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and does any of them, if the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as a sin offering.
- Leviticus 4:13-18
Now if the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which should not be done, and are guilty; when the sin which they have committed becomes known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for the sin, and bring it before the tabernacle of meeting. And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD. Then the bull shall be killed before the LORD. The anointed priest shall bring some of the bull’s blood to the tabernacle of meeting. Then the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil. And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of meeting; and he shall pour the remaining blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
- Leviticus 4:22-23
When a ruler has sinned, and done something unintentionally against any of the commandments of the LORD his God in anything which should not be done, and is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a male without blemish.
- Leviticus 4:27-3
If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering. Then the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the remaining blood at the base of the altar. He shall remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma to the LORD. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
Monday, 11 August 2008
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10 August 2008 - notes from Pastor Mark's sermon
Pastor Mark preaches to the hokkien and mandarin congregation in our church. Most of them used to be taoists. Pastor Mark himself, before he was born again, was one of those who used to take himself off to Thailand to visit temples, buy charms etc. God has revealed to him the roots of many chinese customs which could be traced from the Old Testament. It's amazing!
I have just reproduced the notes though without the explanation :) So if you're familiar with chinese customs, I do not mind elaborating if you want to discuss. (Especially since this month is the 7th month.)
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10 August 2008
Pastor Mark
Exodus 28:29-30
So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the LORD continually. And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim,and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.
Ezra 2:63
And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.
Romans 8:29-30
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
因 为 他 预 先 所 知 道 的 人 , 就 预 先 定 下 效 法 他 儿 子 的 模 样 , 使 他 儿 子 在 许 多 弟 兄 中 作 长 子 。 预 先 所 定 下 的 人 又 召 他 们 来 ; 所 召 来 的 人 又 称 他 们 为 义 ; 所 称 为 义 的 人 又 叫 他 们 得 荣 耀 。
John 3:16
神 爱 世 人 , 甚 至 将 他 的 独 生 子 赐 给 他 们 , 叫 一 切 信 他 的 , 不 至 灭 亡 , 反 得 永 生 。
Colossians 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
My future is secured. The path of the righteous shines brighter. My future is very bright.
Accept His salvation everyday. Jesus specialises in saving me. From my problems etc. He loves to save me because He came to die for me.
The righteous by faith will speak forth. (Romans 10:6)
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”(that is, to bring Christ down from above)
Whatever you depend on Christ will always be a success.
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Cf Fengshui. The place of protection, of blessing is in Christ
How to get a placed blessed? Proclaim the Word of God over your place, yourself, your situation.
What God does for you is permanent.
If we fall sick, contrary to the Word “by His stripes we are healed” and we say what we see, we are contradicting the truth in our lives. (Facts vs truth. Facts are temporal but Truth, backed by God Himself, is eternal)
We want to say what we see, but God wants us to say what we want.
God wants us to believe first.
God is waiting for me to open my golden mouth!
Everything (we have/want/need) is at the cross.
God wants us to have a blessed life on this earth. He wants us to reign in this life.
As long as you have Jesus.
God is giving us a simple way. Trust Him (not your circumstances)
Believe and say
I am destined to reign. I am a blessed woman! Praise the Lord!
1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Monday, 21 July 2008
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Feeding on Jesus' love
Yesterday, Pastor Prince unveiled Jesus in Leviticus in the peace offering sacrifice.
20 July 2008 (Sunday – 2nd service)
Pastor Prince
FEEDING ON JESUS’ LOVE
Let’s learn to encourage ourselves in the Lord
Pastor’s ministry – not of motivation but an unveiling of Jesus
Famine רעב (Hebrew) – a leader looking at the house
- When the prodigal son was out of his father’s house, he was in the pig pen
- Provisions and abundance are in the house of God
- God supplies all your needs according to His riches in glory
- Isaac sowed in famine and reaped a 100 fold
- Jacob thought “all these things are against me” but his beloved son Joseph was the one in authority
God does not send the famine. But in every famine, God makes use of it. 2 things happen:
i) Unveil the true heart of the people – do they really trust God?
ii) Unveil God’s heart
Joseph told his brothers to come near. The heart of our heavenly Joseph is revealed during famine.
God gives us more than enough during the famine. He is the one who sees us through
Natural facts (temporal) versus eternal truth
- People are more willing to trust a written cheque for one million dollars than God’s Word
- God’s integrity is behind every redemptive truth in the bible
The road to Emmaus (Luke 24) – He restrained their eyes from seeing Him bodily and expounded from the bible things concerning Himself.
Find Christ in the bible – that’s your identity, your inheritance.
Bread – you can eat it.
The word “Emmaus” means “warm baths”
The disciples had warm hearts (“did not our hearts burn within us”) because they saw Jesus in the bible. Warm hearts = health
Feeding the new Adam, not the old man
See Jesus in the bible (not in person). Their bodies were rejuvenated (v33 “and they rose up the same hour and returned to Jersualem”)
Jesus lifts you out of your depression and self-occupation by expounding things concerning Himself.
For you become like the one you see
- Eg Peter was able to walk on water like Jesus as long as he kept his eyes on Him.
We are in the world but not of the world
Rich in every way (you do not want to have lots of money but be a poor man)
The way you feed on Jesus is in finding Him in the bible
Salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2) In Hebrew, “Jesus is Lord”(Yeshua Jehovah) – at the point when he said this, his prayer was answered.
Revelation is transformation
Peace offering – Leviticus 10:14
The breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering you shall eat in a clean place, you, your sons, and your daughters with you; for they are your due and your sons’ due, which are given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
His sinless life qualified Him for His death on our behalf
The peace offering (shelemim) – plural – sacrifices
Shele – comes from the word shalom – peace for spirit, soul, mind and body = sacrifice of peace-s
Offeror lays hand on the offering (ox, lamb) – his sins are transferred; all the “acceptableness” (of the sinless sacrifice) is transferred to the offeror.
The lamb is placed on the altar of burnt offerings. Fire consumes the sacrifice (judgment)
The offeror goes out without sin-consciousness because another is dying in his place. He goes out with the acceptance and perfection of the lamb, and lives with the expectancy of good.
“What does Jesus’ righteousness deserve in this situation?” For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Leviticus 10:14 – it’s your due because you’re a priest
Priest of the bible – must have no blemish.
Today, Jesus qualifies you to become a priest. You don’t become to qualify.
I am a king-priest
Leviticus 7:28-34
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offering to the LORD shall bring his offering to the LORD from the sacrifice of his peace offering. His own hands shall bring the offerings made by fire to the LORD. The fat with the breast he shall bring, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the LORD. And the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. Also the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a heave offering from the sacrifices of your peace offerings. He among the sons of Aaron, who offers the blood of the peace offering and the fat, shall have the right thigh for his part. For the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering I have taken from the children of Israel, from the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the children of Israel by a statute forever.’”
v 30 “..that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the LORD.”
- Breast speaks of love
- Your food is to feed on Jesus’ love for you (not your love for Jesus)
John depended on the Lord’s love for him.
Peter boasted of his love for the Lord.
John was the only disciple at the foot of the cross, fit for the Master’s use.
There is all nourishment in the breast of the sacrifice. (Jesus’ love)
God is love. How can there be love where there’s nothing to be loved? Long before all things were created, the Father loved the Son and the Son loved the Father. And the Father gave His Son for us. Jesus gave His life because He loved us and because He loved the Father.
v 30 “.. as a wave offering before the LORD.”
- Jesus finds His nourishment in loving you. He feeds on His love for you.
- Fellowship – sitting at the same table, eating the same food (feeding on Jesus)
v 31 “..the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’.” – Jesus has qualified us to be priests. Aaron is the high priest just as today, Jesus is our High Priest.
v 32 “Also the right thigh you shall give to the priest as a heave offering..”
- Thigh – a picture of strength
- Heave – resurrection – raise
- The wave offering and the heave offering (actions), makes a picture of the cross
v 33 “He among the sons of Aaron, who offers the blood of the peace offering and the fat, shall have the right thigh for his part.”
- you’ll first feed on His love then you feed on His power. Power always follow after love
- “Because You love me, Your power shall supply all my needs”
v 33 “He among the sons of Aaron..” – “who offers”
- not all the sons of Aaron, but he who offers
- offers (H7126) in Hebrew means to come near to Jesus
- drawing near is looking to Him, “Because You love me, Your power is on this situation; and protect him” (to pray for our enemies too..)
In the midst of your challenges, He prepares a table. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies ..(Psalm 23:5)
I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds tomorrow.
Don’t determine God’s love for you by looking at your circumstances. The way you determine God’s love is the cross.
We have a hero, Jesus. And He is no fantasy.
We are designed for the love of Christ. Even at a ‘lower’ level, when you love someone, that person is transformed.
What’s the difference between “kindness” and “loving kindness”, “mercies” and “tender mercies”?
- eg. A little boy falls off his bike. A kind stranger picks him up, a ‘merciful’ stranger brushes the dirt off his pants. Suddenly, a lady pushes through the crowd to her son, hugs him and comforts him. Here is “loving kindness” and “tender mercies”
- it’s not just the action, it’s the heart. And God loves us like that!
The most important thing to do every single day is to feed on His love.
Eg. When you hug your daughter and love her and are reminded that Jesus gave her to you.
Worship is when you love someone/ something and your heart overwhelms with thanksgiving for the One who gave him/ it to you.
You are what you eat J
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)
- in Christ, all things are held together (relationships, marriages, business, mind and consciousness)
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Leviticus 10:12-13 (Grain offering – next week)
And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Elemazar and Ithamar, his sons who were left: “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the LORD, and eat it without leaven beside the altar; for it is most holy. You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, of the sacrifices made by fire to the LORD; for so I have been commanded.
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