Sermon notes today
20 October 2013
Rev Dr Kow Shih Ming
Wesley Methodist Church Singapore
God will supply all your needs For Joy
Bible text: Psalm 43:4
I was so glad to copy it in Chinese and English.
The musical instrument is variously referred to as a lyre or harp
The Hebrew word in the text for the musical instrument is
Strong's Concordence #3658 kinnowr kin-nore'
from a unused root meaning to twang; a harp: -harp.
Wikipedia Lyre provided a nice image of Greek Vase with Muse playing the phorminx, a type of Lyre
The Psalmist delcares that God is the God of his joy and his delight.
NLT renders "The God who is the source of all my joy"
We all want joy
But joy does not come automatically
Why are some joyless?
DIAGNOSIS: JOYLESS
CAUSES:
A) LOCKED in time warp?
some stuck in the past
B) LOCKED in time warp?
Stuck in the future?
TREATMENT:
C) LIVE in the present: for God's purpose
D) LIVE your life in Christ
E) LIFT your soul in worship
A) LOCKED in time warp?
some locked in the past
locked in the past,
stuck locked in the past:
Could be because of past BAD
Could be because of past GOOD
Past BAD
perhaps hurt
abuse
resentment
regret
shame
skeleton in the cupboard
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who wrote Sherlock Holmes, once pulled a prank on twelve prominent Englishmen. He sent them an anonymous note that said, "All is found out. Flee at once." Within twenty-four hours, eight of those men had left the country!
Past GOOD
Past memory of joy
"Those were the days"
Constantly waiting for a return of that joy?
Forget it
God wants to do a new thing in your life
Your past is not your present
B) LOCKED in time warp?
Stuck in the future?
Nor should you be stuck in the future
Your future is not your present
Jesus told of the farmer who had a big harvest and planned to build a barn to keep his treasure: Luke 12: 16-20
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
Dont try to control your future
Will only result in worry worry worry
Leave your future to God
Pray
PHIL 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
We can not worry and pray at the same time
so pray pray pray
C) LIVE in the present: for God's purpose
Dont run the treadmill on the mountain top
persuit of hedonistic pleasure
Live God's purpose
a purpose that is eternal and greater than you.
God usually does not reveal the whole purpose of your life at one go.
But with such a pupose we can face any setback and still have joy
How do you know God's purpose for you?
Look at your SHAPE
Spiritual gifts
Heart of Passion
Abilities (we have average 500- 600 abilities)
Personality
Experience
Use your SHAPE to serve others.
D) LIVE your life in Christ
But we can not do it alone
we can not do it in our own power
Only through Christ can we
Leave past behind
Trust future to God
Live our present for God's purpose
(Note; Use things love people
NOT use people love things)
E) LIFT your soul in worship
Personal worship
Adore God for who He is
Thank Him for what He has done.
More importantly, do this in corporate worship
Phil 2:5-11 probably incorporates one of the songs of the early Christian church.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Remember: God is in charge!
Phil 1:19
for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
DIAGNOSIS: JOYLESS
CAUSES:
A) LOCKED in time warp?
some stuck in the past
B) LOCKED in time warp?
Stuck in the future?
TREATMENT:
C) LIVE in the present: for God's purpose
D) LIVE your life in Christ
E) LIFT your soul in worship
TECHNICAL NOTE
Recorded on A3 paper
Zig Millenium Pen 0.5 mm
Pentel Oil Pastels
Compared to iPad, I prefer pen and paper
Compared to A6 Sketchbook, I prefer A3 format
Personal preference
What is available
and depending on occasion
(And clients needs)
