We had the great opportunity to hear the testimony and work of a missionary commissioned on behalf of Light Presbyterian Church.

A life of transformation in Christ is oft accompanied by many facets of change by the power of Christ. You might think the issue of self-centredness is the worst of them all; or the sin of gluttony and self-indulgence; or the love of self-pity and self-condemnation. Across many bible scholars, underlying the manifestation of all these sins lies the ultimate sin of a justified love of oneself: pride.

As we grow to know God more and more, we come to know Him as a good Father who wants to give us every spiritual blessing (ref). More than just a good or perfect job, a good or caring spouse, or a good and easy life, His gift of spiritual blessing for us is greater than a life without worry or pain. Inevitably there will be a disconnect in receiving His blessing and living a comfortable life reflecting the truth that He is good. What does it take to be like the drink offering from the olden days, an offering given under circumstances of great passion and fervour for the Lord continuously (v17)?

In today’s passage, we will look into how Nehemiah remained faithful with his vision and calling from God as he faced internal conflicts.

How do you go about discerning God’s will? Our life is filled with decisions. What are some of the questions you are currently facing?

Though some may debate whether the story of Job actually took place, we can see that Job is referenced in both the New Testament and Old Testament more than once. Job embodied many great qualities before God on a continual basis: he was righteous, devoted, deeply spiritual, and truly loved God through his actions. Though Job was declared righteous by God Himself, he experienced deep pain and calamity. He faced loss in many areas of his life: family, wealth, property, belongings, health, etc. Some may say without reason, Job succumbed enduring the lowest of lows. When we look at Job’s life, we may ask how can our God let suffering happen to obedient, humble, and good people?

Last week, we looked into the historical context in which Nehemiah was written. This week, we dive deeper into what happens after Nehemiah weeps and mourns in fasting and pray for God’s help in delivering the people of Judah. Nehemiah isn’t immediately mobilized by God, but instead we see a 4-month gap between Nehemiah receiving his calling and making his first move. We will focus on what Nehemiah’s 4-month delay can teach us about the posture we bear as we carry out our callings in a godly and successful manner.

The Book of Acts is the story of the church - continuing the story of Jesus, through the church. In Acts 19, we see a contrast in the power of Apostle Paul and a small group called The Seven Sons of Sceva. Paul encountered God and was transformed from the inside out. He became someone who God performed extraordinary miracles through. Word was also spreading that in the name of Jesus, there is power; in the name of Jesus, miracles can happen.

This week, we finish off our sermon series on the Ten Commandments. We look into how coveting is prominent in our society today and how we may overcome its influence on shaping the way we define and measure our life satisfaction. We will explore the new reality available to us as believers who are freed by God’s love and freedom for free people are joyfully content.

We look at the significance behind the Lord’s Name for us and in our daily lives. What is the meaning when we call upon the Name of the Lord? Why is there reverence attached to the use of God’s Name? We will look into these questions today in the third commandment (Exodus 20:7).

We look at the second commandment today - “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” (Exodus 20:4-6) We question in our daily lives in what ways we have chosen to make idols in the form of something — choosing to worship them — other than God alone.

The Ten Commandments given to us in the Bible are often perceived as outdated, not applicable in modern society, or contentious in driving people into legalism. We will dive into a new sermon series where we examine each Commandment and seek the Lord’s divine purpose and significance for us.

There are two ways to build our lives. We can build our lives in faithfulness to God - Noah building an ark out of faithfulness to God. We can build lives in isolation from God - the ambitions of the Tower of Babel. The towers differ not only in the materials used or the time of when it took place; no, the towers differed largely because of the wrong motives for one (Babel) and the right motives for the other (the Ark).

Today’s passage covers the story of Noah and the ark. We look at this story to understand the sinfulness of the world, the corruption and evil that was rampant among mankind, and yet God still chose to use Noah to showcase His saving grace and mercy for humans.

As we continue on in the story, we see how the fall of Adam and Eve segregate them from God. The punishment of sin brings about a loss of privilege of abiding close to God’s presence and shalom, and the sense of security and rest they were meant to enjoy. 

In today’s passage, we will explore what life looks like outside of God’s providence. We see how sin naturally grows (metastasizes); we see how sin intensifies and spreads throughout humanity; and we see how sin destroys relationships. Though the stark reality of human sinfulness without the Lord’s favor is shown, sin does not have the last word – the Lord’s graciousness and authority does. 

It is hard to deny that evil broods deep in each one of us. Everyday, we are constantly bombarded by stories and news of suffering and pain resulting from wars, crimes, scandals, abuse, and more. Humanity holds so much potential to do good but we also have an infinite capacity to destroy and ruin. In today’s passage, we will look at when sin first entered into the world, it’s distorted effects on the lives it affects, and how to overcome sin with Jesus’ help.

David is the author of today’s psalm. He was often described as a: shepherd, the defeater of Goliath, courageous, the King of Israel, and genuine. God Himself even calls David “a man after His own heart”. Psalm 103 is an exhortation that David lifted up to the Lord. At the bottom of his heart is a genuine sincerity to praise God.

We continue in discussing the topic of gender from last week’s sermon. Today, we’ll explore 5 questions:

1. What is gender?

2. What is gender dysphoria?

3. What causes gender dysphoria?

4. What does God say to those who are struggling with gender?

5. How should we respond to those who are struggling with this issue?

When we speak about sex and gender, there are nuances that are not apparent to each person.

Sex often refers to the physical body – the biological aspects and physicalities that are true to our human bodies.

Gender refers to the sense of self that is culturally, psychologically, socially, and spiritually created. Gender is more subjective and less tangible than the use of sex.

We continue our series on Genesis, and how the creation we are part of reflects the image of God. Last week Pastor John spoke specifically about how “rest” fits into the plan of creation, its importance and what rest means: that rest is not just about napping or playing – although it could be – but that rest is essentially “to be free from the unrest of stress, striving, chaos and trouble… to trust in God’s unfailing love.”

Today we will discuss how marriage relates to the image of God.