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| The Rev Dr Kow Shih Ming |
Sunday 11 August 2013
Wesley Methodist Church Singapore
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| Gothic M: Adding to my FONT library as advised by my Rockstar Scribe course |
The sermon was from Rev Dr Kow Shih Ming
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| Romans 15:3 |
I used a simulated Gothic Font to start the bible quotation and remembered that the first letter could be in RED!
HOPE was capitalised by me as it was the central theme for the sermon.
and the abundance of hope OVERFLOWING was captured as that overflowing from a champagne cup.
This text that I read gave me a PROMISE with a PREMISE
The PROMISE was that GOD WILL fill me with all JOY and PEACE
so that I would OVERFLOW with HOPE (by the POWER of the Holy Spirit)
The PREMISE is that I must TRUST in God.
USS S-4 (SS-109) was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy.
On 17 December 1927, while surfacing from a submerged run over the measured-mile off Cape Cod near Provincetown, Massachusetts, she was accidentally rammed and sunk by the Coast Guard destroyer Paulding
As the trapped men used the last of available oxygen in the sub, a diver placed his helmeted ear to the side of the vessel and received this morse-coded message, “Is … there … any … hope?”
As noted
We can survive
40 days without food
8 days without water
2 minutes without air
BUT we can not live without hope!
In a study of how prisoners responded to deprivation and torture, psychologists found that when a man has hope he is capable of bearing much suffering and punishment.
So the question come:
Where do we find hope?
Certainly NOT from
deception
fortune telling
astrology
"faith healers"
charms and armulets
these lead to dissappointment and false hopes
GOD is the source of hope
Psalms 52:9
For what you have done I will always praise you
in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
for your name is good.
"Name" is a definition of your character
match aspirations of your parents
God is given many names in Bible: Including:
Jehovah Shalom: Judges 6:24 God of peace
Jehovah Jireh Genesis 22:14 PROVIDER, meet all your needs.
Jehovah Shamar Psalms 121:5
I Am the Lord Who is Your Keeper (Hedge of Protection, Who Preserves You)
I Am the Lord Who is Your Keeper (Hedge of Protection, Who Preserves You)
Always there
God of times
good times
bad times
all the time
past, present, future
THREE ANCHORS
PRESENCE
PURPOSE
PLACE
ANCHOR ONE: PRESENCE
His presence is watching over me.
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 41:10
Fear of being abandoned?
What if husband leaves?
What if children leave?
BUT God will be with me always.
This is a certainty that brings hope.
God will never leave me.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalms 32:8
God will show us a way in the future.
When we can not figure out the purpose of things we feel hopeless.
But just trust God who has figured it all out.
Lamentations 3:22-23
"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Hope is the certainty that something makes sense.
God's presences is with you
Put your hand in his hand
Have hope in God's certainty.
Have hope because God's purpose is working in your life.
When you can see the purpose you can endure it.
Even if the situation is bad it could be for the ultimate good
God has good plans for us:
"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. Jeremiah 29: 11
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
This is a certainty
We know!
that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
Life tells us that the many different ingredients of a cake when tasted separately may not taste good, but when blended and mixed together and baked, taste good.
So the individual experience may not be good, but the outcome when blended with otherexperinces and baked in the oven of life, is a wholesomecake.
A tapestry may seem a jungle of a jumble of yarn when viewed from one side:
But when seen from God's side the whole full picture of the embroidery emerges.
ANCHOR THREE: PLACE
The ultimate hope rests in our ultimate destination.
Heaven
a real place
God's place.
A place of release and relief
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev 21:4
So where to find hope?
In relationship with Jesus Christ
"Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he,
I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you."
Isaiah 46:4
Are you feeling trapped?
Hopeless situation
in job?
marriage?
illness?
finances?
Give it to Jesus
exchange your hopelessness for hope.
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1 Peter 1:3
If God can raise dead Jesus, God can raise our dead hopes, dead marriages!
CRISIS will come into your life
Inevitable
When crisis does come, remember 3 things
1) GOD is there : Jehhovah Shimar
2) God's PEOPLE are there: Church/ small group : Let them minister to you.
3) God's PROMISES are there: rely on
His presence
His purpose
His place
Isaiah 40:31
Amen!
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