Care Group
It is through our trials and challenges, that
He is our refuge
When things are rosy, we don’t see Him as refuge.
We are exactly where we are because He has placed us where we are.
The situation in life, we find favour and the choices we make, He has a large role in our lives.
Somehow God does not move when we don’t open our mouth.
Children of Israel for a long time they were suffering. God heard their groan and it reached the throne. Our mouth must activate something.
Pray and talk to Him and be real.
People who are angry with God and challenge God, God will reach out. He promise to shine light in our path.
In this world is getting darker and darker. We are the moon that reflect the light.
His light will shine onto our path and we follow.
What path you choose, God will shine into our path.
Testimony –
Mandy lives with her mum who is a smoker. 7 in a 3-room flat. Not her place, her uncle place. She was slammed onto the wall by her uncle. She got injuried. Things were bad. She was not able to get a house. She got angry with God. She applied for citizenship for 10 years. Her mother is a Singaporean and she was in HK and born a HK citizen.
She grew up here and could not become Singapore citizen for a long time. Finally she could become singaporean.
And she got her house today! She got 4-room flat now! She signed the paper and could collect her flat in December.
Now we can say praise Jesus but during that time she was slammed to the wall.
The moment her uncle pinned her to the wall, she asked God, do you still ℓσνє me?
She said God answer me in action and she knows everything work out together
The most precious of all, she felt so close with her family now.
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Look to God, don’t compare with your peers.
Whatever the case is, you have desire of the things of God.
Things will work out.
When we can in it, there is always 2 options. Either man’s way or God’s way.
God answer your questions in action.
Don’t go holy on Him
He came for the last the least and the lost.
Our heart position, the last the least and the lost.
Possessing your possessions!
Children of Israel possessed their first city (Jericho) after they were circumcised(Joshua 5:2)
Abraham when he was 99 years old, began to possess his possession after he received instruction from God to be circumcised (Genesis 17:1-2)
You shall have a son through Sarah.
Israel was from a borne servant – Hagar
His fruitfulness came after the circumcision
The bible reminds us that circumcision in the New Covenant is a circumcision of the heart and not the flesh.
Romans 2:28-29
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Heart not Flesh
Circumcision is from the heart and not physical act.
Circumcision is a sign of covenant.
Reminder to the children of Israel and to Abraham that they could not receive the promises by their flesh or own work but by faith in God’s grace.
When they are at their weakest they possessed the land (Jericho)
If based on our strength, God has nothing to do with it.
In both instances, God had to do it.
What does circumcision of the heart mean?
If you are believing God for something, do you seek God’s counsel or Man’s counsel? Do you want God’s way or Man’s way?
Godly counsel does not mean got peace. It must be something not right and a man of God tell you point blank and usually not something you want to hear.
First fruit does not mean just tithe alone. First of your produce. The best of your land.
Pastor did not want to give God his leftover strength.
When you want to do it for God, you don’t give the leftover strength.
Principle of Gideon. Gideon tested God.
If you have called me to go, you make the wool wet and rest of the grass dry.
If you have called me to go, you make the wool dry and the rest of the land wet.
And the next day it was.
The wool typified Jesus.
The context for teaching was 4 years.
It was 10%
As a teacher it was super natural journey for Benjamin (CGL)
Whatever job you are in, believe God can prosper you.
Rather lean on my 老大 God
When we give the first fruit, the lump will be blessed.
You can do something and you thought you have blessing and called to do it. After all the increase came, all dry up. The Lord wants you to get out.
Issac was in a drought. There were cracks on the ground. God told him to stay. He seek Godly counsel.
Circumcision of the heart –
Cutting off the flesh. (Works)
Joshua and Caleb were at Gilgal. Before they conquered war, they were circumcised and
they were made to walk around the wall of Jericho
All the silver and the gold bring it to the Lord. You must not keep anything to yourself. Destroy everything else. They could not take the spoil of Jericho but other countries they can take the spoil.
AI is a very small country. 3000 went and 36 got killed. They lost the battle.
They had huge victory at Jericho and yet they cannot win AI! AI were seen as easy to conquer.
The children of Israel did something wrong.
Nobody supposed to take anything from the spoil in Jericho. But one person took something from the spoil. Principle of first fruits
Joshua went in to AI by his strength and his might after his first victory.
The second time Joshua went to attack Ai, he won.
When God wanted to give them the land, the land was flourishing.
There were 5 kings. Lands were very plentiful.
Gibeon is the next country.
They decided to find all the old clothes and old shoes and seek peace with Joshua.
Joshua did not seek the counsel of the Lord.
Joshua cut the covenant with the people of Gibeon. They came to visit Joshua to cut the covenant with them
Because of the covenant cut, Joshua cannot do anything to them.
Gibeon
The place where the sun and moon stood still for Joshua
A flat fertile land with many springs and a flourishing economy.
Joshua 10:2
Gibeon is not a weak country like AI. Gibeon got mighty men. But they went to the lord and cut covenant with the lord. They had the ability to fight Joshua but they did not based on their own ability.
Many of the kings failed did not have prophets with them.
Gibeon went to Joshua humbled.
They humble themselves.
The other 5 kings ganged up and wanted to fight Gibeon.
Gibeon could have fought but they went to look for Joshua.
Gibeon activated the covenant. They activated Joshua.
Joshua went out to fight them. The 5 kings were found in the cave.
The sun and moon stood still in Gibeon.
They went on to wack the 5 kings cities.
The 5 kings were hung on the trees and towards the evening they were taken down.
Do not be afraid, God is with you.
Jericho (principal of first fruit)
Ai (the defeat before the victory)
Gibeon (covenant)
The devourer come like a roaring lion.
The devourer can be someone comes to devour your health, financial.
God considered Jericho as first fruit seriously.
He sees first fruit seriously
When one part is unfaithful the rest all considered unfaithful.
Smallest battle also cannot win without the principle of first fruits.
After a big victory, pride comes in. The defeat will come in. But it does not have to be that way if you humble yourself like Gibeon.
Grace is not entitlement
Grace is not inactivity but spirit-directed activity
Gibeon was very rich and had mighty men. They did not use the strength they activated the covenant.
Gibeon cut their flesh and rely on the promise.
What does God say about the promise?
Speak to your body. Activate the prayer of the tongues.
Speak to your circumstances. Speak to it.
Open the bible and speak out the promises.
There is defeat and after that there is victory
Counsel of the flesh
Not sure, call or text CGL or Pastors. Bounce it off them.
Godly counsel is in the house of the Lord
We are all gathered unto Him
What are you believing God for?
Ephesians 1:3-14
Redemption in Christ
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, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory
He knows your care. His grace will wash you clean.
Bit by bit the troubles you are in, will be washed away.
Because you are in the house, you are blessed.
God is the One who knock on the door of your heart.
If you are doing the same thing but hitting the wall, and expecting a different result, don’t
Pastor Mark shared when you work for people you are also investing. Investing your time into cash.
Nothing wrong with working. You work hard.
Ask God for Godly wisdom.
One clear sign you need Godly counsel is you hit the wall for the same issue.
