Does God exist?

24 Sep 09: News Bulletin

Hi guys, some important news.

Finish up APQ Book 5
At cell yesterday, we've covered the first 3 questions to the book "If God Is Just, Then Why Doesn't He Punish The Bad People Right Away?" Please finish up the rest of the 3 questions on your own. Should you have any questions about this topic, feel free to share it during our next cell meeting.

Read APQ Book 6
With the above, we'll be doing the next book for our next cell discussion on October 7. It'll be APQ Book 6 "If God Is Merciful, Then Why Did He Create Hell?" As again, please read this prior for a more meaningful discussion. :)

Next week is Fellowship Week!
Please don't forget that next week is our cell's fellowship week, meaning that there'll be no cell on Wednesday. The date will be October 2, so mark it in your calendar if you've yet to do that. I'll arrange with Elaine on what time is best to begin and what time will be good to meet at Yishun MRT.

For those who have yet to confirm your attendance, please send me an sms on whether you are coming or not so that I can update Elaine. Many thanks! :)

Blessings,
Lionel

23 Sep 09: Memory Verse

Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

~ Contributor: Daniel

16 Sep 09: Memory Verse

Psalm 91:2 (NIV)
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

~ Contributor: Yiyi

Noah's Ark

I love this cartoon because the creator is imaginative and brilliant. The characters are also adorable.

Arminianism or Calvinism?

Do you believe God predestined you for salvation?

Two schools of thoughts - Arminianism and Calvinism



What's your belief?

On faith.

Pastor Colin preached that we should not take our faith for granted. He said that it is possible for a believer who has regularly been attending church for the past 20 years to drift away from God. He or she may one day decide to be openly defiant and stop attending church.

He added that the person describe above can be a spiritual leader or even pastor. In his previous church, there was this sister who was leading the youth group. She had great enthusiasm for the Lord and in-depth knowledge of the bible that all the youths would always sit up and listen to her. Suddenly, she refused to attend church. Pastor Colin and a few brothers were puzzled and went over to her house to find out why. When asked, she said that church goers are hypocrites and it is best she worship at home. The brothers tried to persuade her by quoting verses from the bible. However, she rebuked by throwing many verses back at them. The brothers were stunned by how well she knows the bible and were almost won over by her.

One question that I bothered me was, "Is attending church an essential element to increase your faith?"

I once believe that one can still walk with God by reading His Word and worshiping Him at home. Thus, going to church is not necessary. My thinking gave a 180 degrees turn after I experienced the power of spiritually-filled individuals/groups. They can help propel your faith much more than when you do it alone. With this, I remember a quote, "If you want to go faster, go alone. If you want to go further, go together."

Pastor Colin ended off by saying, "Let us not to take for granted that our fellow brothers and sisters will be in cell or in church this weekend (or from this day onwards)." Hence, we should pray for our continual faith in the Lord, including that of our brothers' and sisters'. At the same time, it is crucial to note that it is our own responsibility to take care of our faith and make sure it is renewed and strengthened on a regular basis.

Prayer for perseverance in faith

"Lord, I thank You for suffering and dying on the cross for me, and for rising again to defeat death and hell. I believe my enemy is defeated because of what You have done. I am thankful that you have given me all authority over him. I have faith that by the power of Your Holy Spirit I can successfully resist the devil and he must flee from me.

Show me when I am not moving in faith. Teach me to use that authority You have given me to see the enemy defeated in every area of my life. In Jesus' name I pray."

9 gifts of the Holy Spirit

1. Word of Wisdom
God's supernatural perspective on how to achieve God's will. God's knowledge rightly applied to specific situations. (1Cor 12:8)



2. Word of Knowledge
"Facts" given by God that are unknowable without revelation. (1 Cor 12:8)




3. The Gift of Faith
The supernatural ability to believe God without doubt. Essential to the Gift of Healing and Miracles. (1 Cor 12:9)



4. The Gift of Healing
Supernatural healing through special anointing of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12:9, 12:28)



5. The Working of Miracles
A supernatural display of power that goes beyond the natural to counteract earthly and evil forces. (1 Cor 12:10, 12:28)



6. Discerning of Spirits
Spiritual insight into differences between the Holy Spirit, the Human Spirit, and evil Spirits at work in the earth. It is not the discerning of character faults. (1 Cor 12:10)



7. The Gift of Prophecy
The forth telling of God's utterance. It is not of the intellect but of the Spirit. It is divinely inspired and anointed words spoken by a believer. (1 Cor 12:10, 1 Cor 12:28, Rom 12:6, Eph 4:11)



8. Different Kinds of Tongues
This is not to be confused with the use of tongues in private prayer or worship. This refers to the ministry of tongues to others. An utterance from a believer to another in a language unknown
to the speaker (Is. 28:11, Mk. 16 :17, Acts 2:4; 10:44-48; 19:1-7,
1 Cor. 12:10; 13:1-3; 14:2; 14:4-22; 14:26-31; 28:31)



9. Interpretation of Tongues
Supernatural power to reveal the meaning of tongues. Not a translation, but an interpretation. Tongues and Interpretation working together can be the equivalent of prophecy. (1 Cor 12:10)



Adapted from: Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Wikipedia

New Game For Cell!

And so the memory verse game evolves~ :D

This is how it's going to work from henceforth.

1. Everyone will prepare their own memory verse.
2. During cell, the person who was asked to share his/her memory verse during the last cell group meeting will ask a random person to share.
3. This new sharer will share the memory verse of the week, and everyone is encouraged to commit it to memory.
4. Rinse, lather, and wash from step 1. loL~

The whole objective of this game is that everyone will constantly meditate upon God's Word, knowing that His Word is Truth and Life. In times of despair and darkness, His Word will shine forth!

Psalms 119:105 (KJV)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

And we're fully confident that His Light will cast out the darkness, for the Word says,

John 1:5 (ESV)
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

We need to constantly labour and build on the foundation on which our Lord Jesus Christ has laid, so that our faith may not be in vain.

1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (ESV)
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

Let's encourage one another with these beautiful verses that our God has given to us. :)

Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Quoting from our last memory verse to end off this post, ;)

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

02 Sep 2009: Memory Verses

Proverbs 16:12-27 (NIV)
12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.
14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
but a wise man will appease it.
15 When a king's face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.
18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and pleasant words promote instruction.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.
26 The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.

~ Contributor: Adriel

This week's memory verses are longgg! haha.. But it's assigned by Adriel, so here's to list down which is who's. :)

• 12-13: Adriel
• 14-15: Stanley
• 16-17: Siew Hor
• 18-19: Min Shiung
• 20-21: Yiyi
• 22-23: Gabriel
• 24-25: Elaine
• 26-27: Lionel

Cheers peeps! Let's do our best for Christ! :D