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Friday, September 16, 2005

Hey guys! Sarah here. I've been super excited about the worship and sermon on Friday, so I thought I'd blog about it and what I remember. Those who weren't there, well, you don't know what you missed!


Right, so, so the topic for last Friday was "You are what you see". Basically the Bible passage that was talked about was the part in Exodus when the Israelites arrived on the outskirts of the promise land and they sent 12 spies into the land.


All 12 spies saw the same a thing - a land of milk and honey, and filled with giants and enemies. When they went back to tell Moses and the people what they saw, 10 of them said that it was not possible for them to take over the promise land. They saw the people as giants, and compared themselves to grasshoppers. However, Joshua and Caleb (the remaining 2 spies) saw themselves as giants. And they said, Let's go and take over the land AT ONCE for the Lord has given it to us. (I really admire their faith!)


Because of how they saw themselves, God gave the promise land over to the Israelites under Joshua. Before they entered in, they found that there was one thing that stood between them and the promise land. Jericho. In the Bible, Jericho is said to be a place which cannot be broken into/conquered. But Joshua did not let that faze him. He trusted in God, saw through eyes of faith and obeyed. Becasue of that, the walls of Jericho came crashing down, and the Israelites were able to enter into the promise land.


See, the thing is, had Joshua seen himself as the grasshopper, just like the other 10 spies, none of this would have happenened. At least, not through him. He would'nt have obeyed God, etc. But because he saw himself as the giant, and believed wholeheartedly that God is a God who keeps His promises and who is on their side, He obeyed God and stepped out through faith, and a whole city was conquered. Not just any city, but the one no one thought would ever be conquered. And all they did was obey God and march round it! Joshua knew that with God on their side, victory already was (is) theirs. His job was to TAKE HOLD of what God had already given them through His promise.


It's the same thing with us, the same challenge. First of all, how do we view ourselves? As grasshoppers? As something smaller, maybe ants? Or are we like Joshua, who saw himself as a giant? We are what we see. And if we see ourselves as tiny little creatures in the face of giants, how will we ever get anywhere? We'd be too consumed by fears and worries, and then we won't be able to step out into faith.


Next, who do we say/believe God is? Do we believe our God is a powerful, almighty, sovereign and faithful God, who keeps His promises and is already victorious? Do we believe that God can work miracles and do great things, and that He can use US to do it? And do we believe that because God is on OUR side, we have victory through Him? Our job is simply to see through eyes of faith and believe that what God can do is beyond our wildest imaginations and take hold and obey. God's plan cannot and never will be twarted. And if we trust and obey, HE WILL CATCH US in the free fall.


I was really touched and inspired by the sermon because it was really encouraging, especially when the pastor started talking to us about the lost and our commission to go out into the world to preach the gospel, as well as the church.


Personally, God has burdened my heart for the lost, and sometimes I get really discouraged/depressed when I think about the spiritual state of the world.I once said that it's good for me to have to pass by the temple almost everytime I come to church, because I'm constantly reminded of the lost world that we live in, and our need to pray for and reach out to them, to claim them for Christ. However, it's always too easy to be discouraged, and I realized that sometimes, subconsciously, I think that it's an impossible task: That there's no way all these people are going to be able to know Christ, and there're too many places where the gospel has not been preached yet. And then sometimes I think of the church, both our church and the body of Christ in general. And I think (of our church and youth group), I doubt that this church is going to grow. I doubt there'll be a revival. I think of the body of Christ, and I find it hard to believe that God can use us as His instruments. Us. Fallible humans who fail again and again. Us. People with faults and weaknesses, who keep turning away from the Lord, who fail to listen, to be faithful and obedient. How can God possibly use us?


You know what? This was what the pastor was talking about! You are what you see: Grasshopper, or giant? In those moments, when I doubted, I saw myself as the grasshopper. How we view ourselves and the powerful God we serve affects our attitude towards life and the things we do. Believe and know who God is - Creator, Alpha and Omega, our saviour who conquered death on the cross, faithful and sovereign. If we acknowledge this, then we need NEVER be afraid or discouraged. Put our hope in God and take heart, because the Lord has conquered death on the cross! The penealty of death has been paid, and God holds each one of us in the palm of His hand. Because of this, He can use all of us, despite all our faults, weaknesses, etc. His will/plan will prevail.


So this is the challenge, (for me especially). If we know all this, then do we believe that God can do great things? I DO!! On Friday, my thinking was totally turned around. All those doubts/discouraging thoughts that I previously had were totally washed away. I once saw myself as the grasshopper, and now I see myself as a giant, with God on my (our) side. (Hmm..Does make me/us a giant giant?) And you know what? I believe that there will be a revival in our church. I believe that our church and youth group will grow, and every Friday night and Sunday morning, we'll see people streaming into church, so many that our church overflows, and each with a heart that truely yearns for and desires God. I believe that not only will our church grow, the whole community will be changed and turn to God. I believe that God can and will use us and Jericho, and we will be (we already are, but we'll be greater) lights and witnesses for Christ!I believe that there'll be even more churches in Singapore, each growing and filled with people who love God. I believe that the whole of Singapore will be saved and we'll be a light unto the world.


There's a verse in the Bible about our transgressions being moved from the east to the west. I believe that God's word will be spread all throughout the world, to the NSEW, that millions, billions, will come to know of His saving grace and grow to be like Him. And all of their and our sins will be far removed from us because of the wonderful work that Christ has done on the cross for us. I SEE a blood covered nation, a blood covered world. I BELIEVE that it will happen. And I will TAKE HOLD, for God has already promised us that victory is ours. The fields are ripe unto harvest.


I know that there'll be times in the future when I'll be discouraged, etc again. But now I know how to deal with it: Look to God. Because of Him, we have hope. We just have to believe and take hold of what's already ours.


So that's the challenge that I was faced with, and that's the challenge I want to post to all of you. Are you going to see yourself as the grasshopper? Are you going to see and believe with ALL of your heart(140%) in who God really is? Are you going to believe that God can use you for His work, and He can do miraculous things through you? Are you going to surrender yourself wholeheartedly to be His servant? Are you going do your best, with God's help, to walk closely with Him and be a light to your community? And finally, are you going to believe, see, and take hold of the promises of God? Step out in faith, see things through God's eyes. Take hold. Believe and know that in God all things are possible. I have. Will you?

GodRawksOurWorld ;
9/16/2005 02:30:00 PM

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bout us...
[Our Cell Group]

Samantha 12 March
Cheryl 18 April
Ruijun 28 April
Lydia 19 May
Douglas 20 May
Elaine 18 August
Tammy 3 September
Cassandra 4 October
David Lim 27 October
Yurong 25 November
Joel 9 December
David Chan 11 December


We praise God because We are fearfully and wonderfully made; His works are wonderful, We know that full well.