Session 5: Developing God's Heart for People

16 August 2009

ROR Cell: Session Five – Developing God’s heart for people

1 Thessalonians 2:13 – 20

Three lessons about developing God’s heart for people:

1. Look for ways to encourage and praise people.
1. Have to be observant in order to encourage people; challenge: praise 5 ppl per day for the next 7 days
2. Tenaciously protect those you love from spiritual harm.
3. Develop a personal passion for people.
1. Intimacy and relationship

Questions/take-away from video:

What are the barriers that stop the group from developing the relationships deeper?

What are the steps we can take to deepen the relationship?

It is in relationship that we experience the richness of life

What is the difference between authentic praise and flattery?

Discussion:

1. Are we an encourager? > spiritual
2. Serene: is there difference between encouragement and praise?
1. Encouragement > is something for the person to move forward/and make something happen
2. Praise can serve as an encouragement and is two-ways. (Encouragement may not be praise)
3. Sharon: What is spiritual encouragement?
1. Serene: To grow in our walk with God.. comes with a deep relationship.
2. Emma: cannot categorise what is spiritual encouragement, but it is the values that we hold that encourages others.
3. James: help to turn people’s attention to God
4. Sets the environment > ref previous cell material: how to create a safe environment for sharing.
4. Belle: Encouraging non-christian friends may sometimes be harder because the relationship may not be as deep, Emma: it takes time to invest in the friendship and before they trust and be willing to open up for us.
5. What are the barriers/fear that keeps us from opening up?

a) Level of relationship

b) With non-christian friends – afraid that we may give the wrong impression and cause them to stumble.

c) Trust – abused trust and will not believe again.

d) James: When you share openly, it makes you vulnerable, if the group doesn’t have openness or vulnerability then we don’t share, Emma: but we should also have some courage. Rachel: sometimes the vulnerability is necessary. Emma: sometimes it’s a pride issue.

6. How is our cell doing? Serene: we’re doing good, growing. (multiplying?)
7. How can we improve?
1. More organised activity outside of weekly cell. Ladies’ night? Men’s night?
2. Commit to our prayer partners.

Happiness

Cell notes for 24 may 2009

Cell activity:
“Think about one thing for the past one week (or month) that you have made happy.”
- Mmm...interesting activity for us to do during QT? =)

Bible Verse: Psalm 1: 1 - 6

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Verse 1:
Progression: Walk, Stand, Sit.
Walking: Something like following. Counsel: Work of advice, a thought, not action yet.
Stand: You pause. Way: Following the way which is more behavioural and involving more action.
Sit: You join their cam and become more like them. Seat: Permanent already.

Verse 2:
Law: Knowing God and his ways and Knowing Jesus as Lord God;
- It takes time and patience to learn his commands.
Meditate:
- Being aware and having God in mind could be a way of meditating.
- Focusing on God himself.
- Think, understanding, Remember, Live and do it “day and night”.
What are some creative ways we can come up with to engage deeper with God’s word?
- Discovering delight in following his ways.
- Use different ways that appeals to different people to enjoy the presence of the Lord, like listening to music if you enjoy music, or if you want to memorise, write verses and paste everywhere as a constant reminder.
- Depend on the Holy Spirit. Let it help guide you and teach you. Hebrews 10: 15. Reading the bible to confirm what the Holy Spirit deposited in our minds. When we read the word, the Holy Spirit will open our hearts to the words of Jesus. One way to awaken the Holy Spirit is to pray in tongues.
- Start with psalm or paragraph of scripture.
- Read repeatedly until you can memorize
- Summarize the main point
- Summarize the principles
- Think through and ask god to apply truth of our life
- Apply the truth and watch the difference God can make


Verse 3:
Uses simile: “Like a tree...”
“A tree planted by streams of water...” will naturally grow and prosper, just like when a person follows the word of God, he will “naturally” and eventually prosper.
The tree is used to represent the “Cross”. The water is used to represent the “word of god”. When we are in Christ, we will prosper in his word and yield the fruit. “Planted” also refers to the roots or washing our feet regularly with the word of God.

Verse 4 - 5:
Reference to Malachi 3. Chaff: Like raw rice or wheat covering. It’s easy to be blown away without firm roots grown into the grown.
Wind: Holy Spirit? Acts 2:2-4: A strong wind came and they began to speak in tongues. Well, may or may not be in this context.

2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled
the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of
fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled
them.

Think of people you know who may be like the chaff. What do their lives seem to be rooted in? How contented are they? What about us?

Joy is without context, despite circumstances. Happiness is based on the circumstances. Happiness can be based on the things that they think they like to do. Usually, it is after that they achieved happiness that they aim for that they will find that it is so empty. The real challenge is realigning to what it the purpose of what you want to do.

Verse 6:
Matthew 5:13-16: Good summary of those who are blessed. Us being salt and light for the earth.

13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Are these verses are those that stand out to us, that at first appear opposite to happiness, but now have a deeper meaning?

Are we cheerful or weary that God is watching our ways? Mark 14:28. God goes before us.

More applicable is how others can see the delight and joy that we are based on.

We have to be real to share about our fears, but still also say our delight in the God. Even the bible says that we have to weep with the weep. We should not be hypocritical and we are not perfect.

Further reference: “The Blueprint for Happiness” by Greg Laurie.

"Hee, this time updated earlier! =) Enjoy!!"
Best regards,
Yi Xian

Jesus rewards our obedience

“There is a difference between obeying someone to earn their love or respect and obeying someone because you love them or respect them."

Hey All! Here's the cell notes from 30th Nov 2008! =) Haha, know this took a long time to "hatch", but well, here it is!! I have included some questions that I noted down during our GG that time. There were not much responses during that time and was somewhat left hanging, but still felt that it is good to put it here.. hee... food for thoughts? =)

Best regards,
Yi Xian

Message bible version of John 14:15-24, 23 “Loveless world is a sightless world...” Written by one theologen, but disagreed by many scholars.

Relationship between loving and obeying
Obedience is
· the proof of love.
· the response to love.
· FLG: “love and obedience are proportionally related” Which comes first, is like the chicken and egg?
· Obedience, by definition, is the act to obey or the willingness to obey. The more you love, you understand more why he love and then the more willing you will obey.
· FLG: “Keep his commandment is the basic act in response to love” So love comes first, and because you love him, you will obey.

Some people obey but don’t mean they love, just like they obeying societal expectations or for something that they are after.

Regarding Judas’s question about why the Lord do not intend to show himself to only his disciples, John 14, earlier, he healed and preached to the people so he has shown physically to other people. Probably Judas is asking regarding the spiritual aspect, what is the contrasting part of revealing this to the disciples and the world?
Paul: Is seems that in that he will send the Holy Spirit when he is away, but it is impossible for him to show to the rest, and that he is facing crucifixion. It is like how he commissioned his disciple to preach the gospel. It is the Holy Spirit that he decided to reveal to the world.

Physically, he may not be able to guide them, but the Holy Spirit will remain to help and guide them and to connect them with God. They will continue to work inwardly in them to help them. From scripture, Holy Spirit is supposed to reside in Man to guide and teaching you and tightening the mind with the knowledge of the word. It has the utmost knowledge of whatever that we lack. Verse 17: Everyone experience the works of the Holy Spirit in us. It is different from what Jesus used to do outside of us, that the world will believe through seeing. But his disciples possess the Holy Spirit to experience him from within.

The Holy Spirit is against the flesh and not the personal spirit. Paul, your mind is to connect with the Holy Spirit, and the mind is trying to connect with the Holy Spirit and to obey the flesh, so it is in a constant war. So it is that we have to continue to renew our mind to obey the Holy Spirit. “So does the Holy Spirit replace the spirit man?” “What about the spirit of the flesh?”

Emma: In the past, others can only see Jesus is a physical form. However, now, He given everyone 100% attention and 100% help through the Holy Spirit, everyone of us, and it is a gift from Him.

Why do we so often disobey? Paul: The story that Ps. Matthew shared about the “coats”. People seem to be putting on different masks everyday in fear of rejection, in fear of pride, in fear of man rather than God. Reasons are probably due to our sinful nature, greed. Sometimes, we did not do to the full teaching of Christ. Sometimes, we are ignorant, or due to inconvenience or laziness or we did not see the importance of obeying him totally. 1 Samuel 15 v19. v72, obeying is more important, and rejected the word of God is as good as rebellion.

Emma: Burnt offering is to cleansing and asking for forgiveness. But people may become taking it for granted. However, God may be looking at the attitude for us in doing things.

Emma: What are some of the feelings that we have when we disobey god?
The Holy Spirit may trigger you off, so we may feel guilt. Holy Spirit vs our own conscious?

Emma: Would you condemn yourselves? Paul: would God want us to feel condemned?
Sarah: Whether Satan will use our fear and guilt to attack us? Emma: Rom 8 v1. From Peter’s story, when Jesus tell Peter, the guilt and condemnation when Peter seems to overwhelm Peter. However, all the 3 times that Peter betrays God, everytime God asked him for the 3 times, it is to cleanse him and break down the feeling of guilt.

Emma: Do you think it is your choice of what you feel, and to decide what you want to do after that?
1st is to bring your sins to light to God and only through that, a choice to move, so that you can be forgiven and freed from the guilty feeling. Sarah: If you think that your sin is so big that you cannot forgive yourself even after you repent to God, you seem that you are greater than God!

Paul: Can we “outsin” God’s forgiveness?

Paul: If children sin, how would parents feel?

Kenny: Psalms 30 v4-6: God will get angry but not overnight, but he will still love us.
Serene: Natural for children to feel guilty, not worthy of God’s love, but God is a gracious God, and knowing his character will help us truly repent and it should come with action and to depend on God’s strength to not do it again and be stronger in our walk with God.
Emma: God knows that based on our own strength, it’s difficult for us to overcome. But through his grace, we can do all things. Amen!

Sarah: Knowing how much you are forgiven, the more you will learn to love. The more you sin, the more you will learn about the greatness of his forgiveness and love him more?

Paul: However, do not go into condemnation along the way, if not, you are taking things into your own hands and not trusting God and seeking God’s forgiveness.

Sarah: I really felt the peace of God throughout the Bangkok trip really.
Kenny: there are so many products of HP. And there are so many issues with HP products, but it still manages to arrive at the balance point/ target point. There are many issues with the line, overdrawing, and so on, but it still manage to go back to target point.

Emma: Work was terrible! Realising how others take your credit does not feel good. I’m glad that the Holy Spirit reminded me not to gossip and try to control and not to just walk off so that you don’t get into the mess which you will need to clear up later.

Sarah: It’s may be different to say just share, or to say bad things about the situation. Of course, choice of someone to confide to is also important.
“Ji jiao” boss, God created everyone differently. For some, they may seem over, but it is valuable in some sense, like delivering quality work.

Kenny: Jeremiah 29 v 11-14. Some encouragement.
Mark 14 v20.

1 Samuel 15 v74 – Linked to the fear of Man.

Get into groups of twos. Choose one statement below and finish it:
• Without the love & presence of God in my life, I would…..
· Not be who I am today
· Seek love in the wrong place
· Be nothing
· Be lost
· Sin more
· Not speak with boldness and security
· Be afraid
· Be very afraid
· Not have meaning in my life

• I do not sense God is present in me when…..
· I’m stubborn.
· We are suffering.
· I place other things as higher priority than God
· When I worry.
· When I’m angry.
· Lost faith in times of fear, worry, sickness, and becoming insensitive to God
· Walk away from God
·
• I am struggling to obey the teaching of Jesus because he is asking me to…


• I have renewed confidence in God’s presence in me because…
· He lives
· His grace is sufficient in me
· His strength is made perfect in my weakness
· Of the promise of the Holy Spirit
· Of His unfailing love
· He loves me

Love him and obey His commandments, from the project to reach out to make disciples.
Encourage each other to grow in our walk with God and in our knowledge of the word
Being more transparent with each other, being accountable and to encourage each other to obey.
Blog is helpful to incur spiritual growth, daily bread.
Meet more outside, other than Sundays.

Conclusion

Serene: Through our obedience, there will be more revelation of who God really is, and to allow knowledge to come into reality.
Emma: rewards of our obedience come from obeying commandments.

*FLG: From the LDR Guide

Fireproof Message by Pst David Lim

" Never leave your partner behind"... quote from the movie 

4 points that were preached by Pastor David Lim that night on marriages:

1. Work

- constantly work together in marriage (i.e: as the marriage vows state - for better or for worse, for sickness or in health, for rich or for poor)

- study each other like you do when you first try to win each other's hearts. (it is a constant learning process)

2.Warfare

- always be on a look for each other on spiritual/physical attacks that sabotages marriages.(i.e: verbal attacks during arguments)

3. Worship

- everything lift up in prayers to the Lord together ("couples that pray together rarely fall apart")

- worship the Lord together.

4. Word of God

- build your marriage on the foundation of the word of God

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys, I can only remember this much from that night.. those who remembers more can add in to the pointers. Thanks! : )

Thanks be to God

Hi all, just an update, the day before we went for our photoshoot, it was thundering and raining, the morning of our photoshoot it was raining, the day after our photoshoot it was super hot outside. I think God is marvellous. The weather on the day of our photoshoot was very good, it wasn't too hot and not rainy.

As for our hdb balloting, we got 2284 out of 10,000+ applicants, but for only 438 flats, so we don't think we'll get it. But it's ok, because God already has the best flat in mind and arranged for us. So we'll just keep looking around for resale flats. Keep praying for us. Thanks!

-Sarah and Paul

We need your prayers

Hi all,

Please pray for Paul and myself as we go for our photoshoot this Thursday. It's raining and thundering outside now as I write this, so please pray for good weather for us!

Also, our hdb balloting results will be out this Wednesday. There were more than 10,000 applicants for 438 flats all over Singapore. Out of the 438, there is only 1 in CCK that we are looking at. So please pray for favour and God's will to be done.

If you're reading this after these have passed, no worries, because God works beyond the boundaries of time!

Thanks in advance!!

-Sarah

Please pray for my cousin

Hi guys, my mum just informed me that one of my cousins (her brother's son) got an overdose on panadol and was admitted to hospital. They suspect that he is having depression because he's still waiting for university results and some of his friends already have been accepted. He took 35 tablets of panadol. His parents might refer him to a psychiatrist. His family is Buddhist.

I was very disturbed and upset upon hearing this, not only because he's my cousin. Actually we aren't close at all, because of some family problems earlier, so the extended family isn't as close. But even if we're not close, it is still upsetting to hear that my cousin is in depression. But more disturbing is because I don't see why he should be in depression. Is it that society places too much pressure on all of us, that there is no room for failure at all? Is it his parents that have been pressurizing him too much? Or is it simply just a lost boy without God, without any meaning in life or achievement to place his identity with, and without his possible university education, life has no meaning for him?

It's so depressing. It's probably a combination of reasons. Low self esteem, lack of family support or encouragement, too much pressure, and others. But all rooted in the fact that God is not in his life. And it's so sad. That when I compare my life in God, I feel so immensely blessed. It's not that I have found God, but that God has chosen me. My blessings are many and countless. But yet, there are people out there who are lost and without hope in their life. And they need God.

It may be easy to say, what is a university education in Singapore? At most don't study university lor. Just start work or do a diploma. But then it's different for everyone, people with different circumstances and pressures and expectations.

Anyway, just want to share this, hope that when you read this you could also pray for my cousin and his family, that they will get to know God and be saved, and hope that God will use my family and also bring other people to reach out to them.

-Sarah