Sunday, October 9, 2016

“Giving Thanks to the Lord with All My Heart”

Psalm 111

1. The work of creation

＊ Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (NIV)

＊ Jyo Niijima’s faith (founder of Doshisha University)

＊ Psalm 139:13-16 “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You were there while I was being formed in utter seclusion! You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!” (TLB Living Bible)

2. The work of grace

＊ Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)

＊ Psalm 11:7 “faithful” = Continuing to be sincere regardless of another person’s behavior

3. The work of providence

＊ “Providence” = God provides guidance for everything taking human’s benefit into consideration

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What is the writer of this Psalm thankful for?

2. What should be thankful to the Lord for? Think of as many things as possible.

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Sunday, October 2, 2016

“A Psalm Prophesying the Messiah”

Psalm 110

1. Prophesy regarding kings

* 1 Samuel 15:22 – 23 “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.’” (NIV)

2. Prophesy regarding Jesus Christ

3. Prophesy regarding the end times

* Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (NIV)

* Mark 16:15 “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” (NIV)

* December 16, 2014 Burushaski, Pakistan

Public school attack by an Islamic extremist group, “Pakistan Taliban Movement” (TTP)

* Matthew 22:37 – 39 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. Why did King Saul lose the blessing of God?

2. What can we learn from King Saul’s way of life?

3. What are the “two greatest commandments” that the Bible teaches?

4. What does it mean to “love your neighbor?”

20161002.mp3

Sunday, September 25, 2016

“Listening to a Silent God”

Psalm 109 (Recitation: Verses 1 – 5, 26 – 31)

* Ephesians 3:19 “And to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (NIV)

* Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (NIV)

1. Prayer that seeks release

* Hudson Taylor (British missionary) Founder of the “China Inland Mission”

2. Prayer that seeks God’s judgment

* Manny Pacquiao (Filipino boxer)

3. Prayer of conviction from faith

* Corrie Ten Boom’s testimony

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. Have you ever experienced “God’s silence?” What did you do at that time?

2. At times of “God’s silence,” what do you think God is doing?

3. What type of blessings do you think are brought about by “God’s silence?”

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Sunday, September 18, 2016

“God Tramples Down Our Enemies”

Psalm 108

* Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (NIV)

* James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (NIV)

1. Thanksgiving and praise to God

* Matthew 10:30 “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (NIV)

* John Testrake’s faith

2. Prayer asking for help from God

* Bill & Cindy Griffiths’ faith: “The Road to Forgiveness”

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. What kind of help does your faith provide in times when you are in a dangerous situation?

2. The devil tosses hatred and anger into human relationships. At those times, how do you think we should cope?

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Sunday, September 11, 2016

“A Song of Thanksgiving for Release From Hardship”

Psalm 107 (recitation from verses 1-16)

1. Give thanks to the Lord

* Psalm 107:1 “good” = protect those in a weak position in a loving manner

* Psalm 107:1 “love” = kindness, goodness, faithful to an agreement

* Nelson Mandela’s faith

2. Reasons to give thanks to God

1. Psalm 107:4-9 (see above)

2. Psalm 107:10-16 (see above)

3. Psalm 107:17-22 (see above)

Greg Anderson’s “The Cancer Conqueror”

4. Psalm 107: 23-32 (see above)

3. The principle of the Lord’s work

* Kiichi Kawakami’s testimony

* Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV)

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. How many reasons can you think of that we should give thanks to the Lord?

2. What kind of change do you think occurs inside of us when we give thanks to the Lord?

20160911.mp3

Sunday, September 4, 2016

“The Baton of Faith”

Romans 1:15-16

1. Do not be ashamed of the gospel

* Romans 1:16A “For I am not ashamed of the gospel.” (NIV)

* 1 Corinthians 1:23 “...a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” (NIV)

* How can you walk with pride as a Christian?

→Fix your eyes on the heart of the gospel: the cross

* Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

* Story about a father and his daughter in Yubetsu-cho, Hokkaido in March 2013

2. The gospel is the power of God

* Romans 1:16B “Because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (NIV)

* “Power” = “Dunamis” in Greek = “Dynamite” in English

* First generation church and Roman empire

3. The gospel spreads through the church

* An orchestra at a high school in California

* Japanese castle stone walls

Thoughts to share at Mini Church:

1. Who do you want to pass on the baton of faith to?

2. How can you walk with pride as a Christian?

3. Have you ever felt the love of Jesus Christ through someone before?

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