Psalm 13

Psalm 13:1-2
   -David starts looking at the inside... At the darkness

-David, man after God.. but he is in sorrows

-happy times flies but in hard times hours crawls

Psalm 15:11

   -David knew what went wrong.. But in psalm 13, David don't know why terrible things happen

      -when we don't know why terrible things happen, we start to question

What to do when we have are facing terrible situations

   -hold on to the things revealed

   Deuteronomy 29:29

-there are secret things (invisible)

   -what we experience in the present, rmb the past... But the future is unknown

      revelation 22:13

   -but God knows... God is the alpha and omega

Hold on to the things revealed!

   -God is faithful!!

Psalm 13:3-4

-when our hearts are overwhelmed, we tend to turn away from God

   Jeremiah 2:13

-draw near to God and He will hold on to you!

Psalm 13:5

   -David held on God's unfailing love

      -unfailing love = steadfast, unfailing

   Deuteronomy 7:9

      -God will do His miracles... He will not break His covenant

Psalm 13:6

   -deo gratias (Latin): thanks be to God

Psalm 136

   -thanksgiving to God for His enduring mercy

-give thanks to God not only is happy times but also in 

2 chronicles 20:1, 17, 21, 22

   -Jehoshaphat did not offend anyone but 3 armies came against him... But still it happened

-give thanks to God not cos of the troubles... God is good!!.. At the end, He will make a way

      -thank God for His mercy endures forever!

Luke 22:19

-Jesus knew tt He will be hung on the cross... Jesus experienced the pain, the suffering.. Jesus gave thanks cos He trust in the Father!

      -thanksgiving preceeds miracle

Luke 17:12-16

   -ten were healed, but only 1 returned to give thanks... he not only received healing but also the healer (Jesus) walking with you every single day

In every situation... Give thanks to God!!!

~pastor Bobby

out of a far country

when you encounter Jesus, He will impact all aspects of your life!

parents, it is more impt to make the children focus on their studies and results or being a follower of Jesus?

its God's kindness that brings us to Him.. not God's rough nor anger

unconditional love is not the same as unconditional approval for our behavior
   -"be Holy for I am Holy"

God created everyone to have greatness in His eyes.. not in the eyes of the ppl


~Dr Christopher Yuan and parents

Social ethic

Genesis 1:15

To what extent do we go in to society tt does not affect our identity

Foundation of
Principles of human dignity
   -it requires judgement
   -dignity =intrinsic value worth of a human
   -every human life begins with God
      Jeremiah 1
 
Genesis 1:26
    -every human us created in the image of God and therefore deserves respect
Genesis 9:6

Cos of the dignity of human being... They are to live in consistent to the quality of life
   -no hunger, no fear, in respect, in prosperity

Jesus said God is Spirit... Not in a human form
   -we are not created in the image of God physically... God breath into man thr breathe of life

Attributes God has given us
   -power to reason
   -creativity
      -we are the most like God when we create
   -speech
      -ability to share thoughts
      -God created through speaking
   -self awareness
      -each person is diff from the other.. even twins are diff
   -self determination
      -power to choose (free-will)
   -self transcendnce
      -imagine what could happen in the near future
   -self reflection
      -empathy, conscious
   -morality
   -affections
      -feelings
   -social beings
      -human are created to be in social
      -human grow in community, not isolation
      -human need family

*does having the attributes make us the image of God?
   -we are born with the potential for the attributes but attributes develop over time!
   -even if the child is born with deficiency, it does not mean tt does not carry the image of God
   -the image of God is more than just attributes
-status = rank
-status is what God gave to all human beings.. It's what sets up apart from the animals
*the image of God is the value, worth, dignity given to human
   -tts the reason why we are to treat all human with respect
*nv ever belittle or mistreat the image of God
   -nv think, function below the status God has given

~ dr A R Bernard

COVENANTAL RELATIONSHIPS

Ephesians 2:19
    -the church is God's own family here on earth
      Psalms 92:13
   -you (as a believer) belongs to God
      -a Christian without a church family is a contraction
         Galatians 5:13
      -being part of a local church is a must!

Ephesians 2:19

  -shame = fear of disconnection

   -2 groups of ppl
      -stay in the shame
      -get out of shame
         -vulnerable

            -ppl who are vulnerable has a sense of worthiness
               -worthiness = deserved to be love
               -courage = able to tell their stories with their whole-heart
               -authentic = ability to let go of who you are
      1 Peter 2:4-5
         -living = feeling
      Genesis 11:3

   -the spiritual house is
      -not perfect (not uniform, diff size)
      -water can flow (allows thr Holy Spirit to move)
   -tower of babel
      -water cannot flow
   
   *when the rock is missing, not all the rocks know but the owner of the house will know
      -God knows when any of us is missing

John 13:18-30
   -Juda's spirit... intimacy without covenant
1 Samuel 18:3-4
   -Jesus gave us 3 things
      -robe of righteousness
      -made Himself vulnerable
-betrayal = taking tt which is intimate abt me tt no lie else knows and using it against me
*challenge in a conventional relationship is to the depth of the level of love is to the level of hurt
* to be vulnerable, drop all the weapons and robe... And just be as you are

~pastor Meng