When God fights for you

James 10:1-14 concludes that God is fighting for Israel, saying that God is active, and is personally leading His people.

v. 1-5
Israel has successfully conquered many lands but things start to get difficult.
GOD FIGHTS FOR US BECAUSE HE KNOWS WE WILL BE IN A BATTLE
People will experience problems as you become a Christian. You tend to become weird and different. People start feeling negatively repositioned.

v. 6-8
GOD FIGHTS FOR US BECAUSE HE IS A GOD OF A COVENANT
Israel has a treaty with the Gibeonites, and Joshua and the Israelites will fight along with them. They were reminded of the assurance on James 1:3-6 that He will give succes to Joshua.
We can be strong and courageous because God will fight for us.

v. 9-13
GOD FIGHTS FOR US BECAUSE WE NEED SUPERNATURAL RESOURCES
Israelites knew that the best they can do is annoy the enemies, but God provided three miracles:
-causing confusion among the enemies
-sending hailstones to kill many of the enemies
-theearth had its longest day

The biggest miracle is that God listends to puny man.

*based on Prov. 3:5-6
by Rev. Anthony Hao

The Marks of a Genuine Christian

1. Willingness to sacrifice
-Jesus talked to His disciples about the pains of His future. He will prove to them that He is God.
-JH Jowett said "Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing."
-We will have to sacrifice time, resources, our selves, etc.
-Like a punching bag, we will have to expect pain as part of our being

2. Humility
-The servants wait for the master to exalt the servants, not exalting the self
-Jesus showed Himself to serve the disciples (Mk10:36)
-Like a sim card inside the cellphone, we must be present in ministry but need not shout for attention.

3. Willingness to serve
-Jesus came to not be served but to serve
-It is our job to find our spiritual gifts and use them accordingly
-Like an all-around house help, we do not hesitate nor do we choose the roles we play, we simply need to be told.

*based on Mark 10:32-45
by Ptr. Edu To

Pre-departure

Things we ought to do as we wait for Jesus' return:

1. We must constantly attune our ears to the voice of Jesus (v12-14)
-Jesus gave us new life, which allows us to be victorious.
-Oftentimes, we do not put our new lives to good use.
-We can only be victorious by obeying Jesus Christ daily.

2. We must constantly focus our attention on sharing for Jesus (v15-16)
-We should ask ourselves that thoughts we should fill our minds with everyday.
-We must consider what things we are attracted to--money, recognition, pleasure, etc?
-We ought to puruse things that will glorify Jesus.

3. We must constantly keep ourselves accountable to others (v16-18)
- We have to be true, pure, strong, brave, and faithful.

*based on Philippians 2:12-18
by Rev. Dr. David Go

Under new management

For a restaurant we love, if the management changes bu the food does not, we are open to accept it. For the country, the change in leadership is useful only if the new president effects positive change. For our lives, when we are under new management, there are changes that come along with it. With our lives, we may hear the part of the gospel talking about the benefit of heaven, but we must also reckon the change that must be evidenced in out lives as we have a change in management.

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour:
1. We have a new master to whom we owe our allegiance.
-before Jesus, we were under the rule of satan, being his slaves, inclined to sin, leading to ever-increasing wickedness.
-loyalty to satan is seen in our succumbing to the sinful nature.
-when we come to faith in Jesus, we must no longer be slaves to sin, but have Him as master, and be a slave to righteousness.
-we must show our loyalty to Jesus by bringing Him glory, looking into all areas of our lives
> in our minds (rom12:2, phil4:8)
>in our bodies (1cor7)
>decision making process (prov3:5-6)
>finances
>use of time
since Jesus is now our master, we must submit all these areas to Him

2. We have new goals in life
-before Jesus, on one hand, our lives could be controlled by our own willful desires, with goals set by our own selves. on another hand, our lives could just be lived daily with no purpose or goal, living aimlessly.
-we now not only have new live, but along with it new goals and purpose. we have new objectives and instructions:
>to please Him
>to honot Him
>to pursue righteousness
>to bear fruit

3. We have a new object of affection
-before Jesus, we were married to our sins, but in Christ, we are now dead to sin
-it is hard to remember that we now have a new relationship with God and often go back to our old habits.
-we must constantly remind ourselves of our new love.


*based on Romans 6:15-7:6
by Rev. Alex Uy

How Dare You!

As Christians saved by grace, we cannot and should not continue to live in sin because...

1. We had a change of status when God gave us new life
-from being children of darkness to children of light
-along with this change in status is a change in behaviour (v.1-4)
-as we accepted Jesus Christ, we are along with Christ in His death and ressurection
-like a newly sworn in president, our baptism gives us a change in status with a higher standard of living and expectations.
-we may look the same outwardly, but we are now a new creation from the inside.

2. We had a change in our spiritual capacity when God gave us new life.
-we now have a newly wired power to combat sin.
-not that we will have no more desire for sin, nor are we free from temptation. instead, we will have the power over sin and power to resist sin (v.5-7)
-this power is inherent to the new life.
-to utilize the power, we must always be reminded to be connected to the source, who is God Himself.

3. We have a change of sight when God gave us new life.
-we have a different perspective and direction as we turn over our lives to Jesus, being His slaves (v.8-11)
-the command to count ourselves dead to sin is in its present perfect tense, and it is imperative and compelling.
-along with the constant compulsion, we must take action
>nip sin in the bud--as early on as possible (v.12)
>do not offer any part of our body to sin (v.13)
>offer each part of our body to God (v.13-14)

*based on Romans 6:1-14
by Rev. Dr. David Go

Give me this mountain

We each have a mountain we seek to possess, whether it is business, finances, academics, etc., but God GIVES mountains to a Caleb kind of man:

--those who wholly follow the Lord, his God (v8,9,14). You must keep His commands in all of
daily life's directions. You can claim Deut.28:1-2 (being set high above the nations of the
Earth, with blessings coming upon and accompanying you), and must be careful of
Deut.28:15 (having all curses come upon and overtake you).

--those who stand alone (v8). Caleb stood ground on issues of faith, character, for the right.
Though he was alone, he willingly claimed "no more compromise."

--those who are faithful (v8,10). Caleb stood up, unrecognized, stood behind the scenes--
faithful. He also served his family (ch15).

--those who wait on God (v10). Caleb could've gone angry or rebellious, but he waited 45 years
for God's appointed time (Isaiah 64:4).

*based on Joshua 14:6-14
be Rev. Burton Williams

Faithful to the End

Following Jesus doesn't guarantee a WORRY-FREE life.
- What we proclaim is not prosperity gospel
- The disciples were obedient, bu they were tired.
- Jesus' promise was His presence with us to the end.

Following Jesus guarantees the HARASSMENT from the ENEMY.
- Satan wouldn't just sit around
- Jesus' prayer in John 17 was for the disciples to be protected from the evil one.

Following Jesus guarantees the PROTECTION, POWER, and PRESENCE of GOD.
- In the squall, disciples aired out emotional reactions to tough situation, but God guarantees protection.
- Jesus' orders to the wind and waters solved the disciples' problem.
- The safest place to be in is the center of God's will.

As we follow Jesus, there may be obstacles, but:
- do not be discouraged (which is what Satan wants us to feel)
- submit yourself to God and continue to do His will
- thank God for what has happened (because Satan's attack simply implies that you are doing what is right and important)

*based on Mark 4:35-41
by Rev. Dr. David Go

There must be a reason

The command to not love the world sometimes appears illogical. Afterall, God is the one that put us here. He does not want us to be attracted to the world, but God Himself loves the world. There must be a reason to this command. As Christians, we must realize that:

1. This is not our world. The ways of the world are ways that we must find offensive. And the way we ought to live should be offensive to the standards of this world.

2. The world is wicked and is controlled by satan. The system or ways of the world are always in opposition to God.

3. Loving God and loving the world cannot exist.

4. The world will cause you to be sinful, proud, and selfish--three things that fuel the system od the world. In particular, we must resist the:
- lust of the flesh (inappropriate sex, food, revenge)
- lust of the eyes (improper desire to own things)
- the pride of life (being overrun by achievement, power)

5. The world is temporary. We so not intend to stay here for long since our citizenship is in heaven. As we are here, we are to accomplish one particular purpose: to GLORIFY GOD.

6. Loving the world affirms that we are still of the world.

The challenge is to evaluate where our love lies.

*based on 1 John2:15-17
by Rev. Dr. David Go