26th July Sermon Discussion - “Molded to be a Masterpiece”

Scripture references: Jeremiah 18:1-10

A. WARM UP
In small groups of 3 or 4 persons, share what you know about the process a potter takes to produce his final ceramic/potter product. (take about 3 min)

What are the factors that will determine how the final product will look like? (take about 3 min)
Possible answers:

• The picture the potter has in mind and his continual shaping
• The treatment process to the clay (quantity of water used, frequency of water used, ability to get rid of air traps in the clay…)

B. DISCUSS
Let us read Jeremiah 18:1-10

Observation: In this passage, you will learn what you’ve just shared earlier, that is

1. How the pot turns out as a final product depends on the potter, and
2. How the pot turns out as final product depends on the quality of the clay

Therefore, from Jeremiah 18:1-10, we learn that if we want to be molded as God’s Masterpiece, we need the same 2 truths:

Truth #1: It’s NOT ABOUT Me! God Must Be My Centre Of Attention – Don’t Be 2nd Best
Jeremiah 18: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."

Truth #2: It’s ABOUT Me! I Am God’s Centre Of Attention – There Is A 2nd Chance
Jeremiah 18:4 “But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

C. APPLICATION

1. We all want to be molded by God to be His desired masterpiece. Is there any area in your life right now that God is showing you that He wants to remould for His purpose. Share and pray with one another.
2. In the process of being molded by God to be His desired masterpiece, God always gives us a second chance. Share a breakthrough that you want to see God do for you today. Pray a blessing for each other.

(Click here to read full post)

19th July Sermon Discussion - “Standing Tall in Turbulent Times – God and God Alone”

A) Warm-up activity: Tear Down Pride

Logistics: Enough balloons for each cell members (can substitute with nice colored papers too if you can’t get hold of balloons), 1 sharp toothpick, Some markers & 2 “surprised” gifts ( e.g. Chocolates; flowers etc)

1) Distribute a balloon to every cell member and ask them to inflate it (or pass out the sheets of paper).
2) Write on the balloons (or papers) 3-5 things that they are proud of about themselves / what they have.
3) Everyone takes turn to share what they wrote.
4) Cell leader to choose to burst 2 balloons after all have shared (or tear up the papers if papers are used).
5) Cell leader to get the 2 members to share how they felt about having their balloons burst (papers torn); in view of the rest still having theirs left untouched. (Possible responses: Upset, puzzled, feel picked on, unfair why the rest still have their balloons, papers, hurt.)

Transition Statement: We all tend to find our significance / security in the areas we wrote on our balloon. How would you feel if God took that all away? Let’s study the life of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 and learn how and why God humbled him.

B) Sermon Discussion:

1) Read Daniel 4:28-37
2) How did God humble Nebuchadnezzar? (v33- He lost his sanity; driven away by his people; lived like a wild man)
3) Why did God humble Nebuchadnezzar? (v28- He took credit for his status and achievements without recognising that God ALONE governs.)

How did God restore him and why did God restore him?
(v34-36 Only when Nebuchadnezzar looked to God and humbled himself to recognize that only God alone rules, then he regained his sanity, splendor and honor was restored and he returned to the throne even greater than before.)

Seeing how God restored King Nebuchadnezzar, restoring to him all that he lost and even more, we know we have a gracious God.

At this moment, cell leader to present the surprised gifts to the cell members whom he/she had earlier on, burst their balloons (torn their papers). This is to help them recognize that we have a gracious God by giving them now more than what they had at the beginning.

C) Application:

In view of God’s sovereignty and graciousness,
1) What is an area of pride that you would like God to tear down?
2) Share a difficult moment you are walking through. Instead of resisting God, LOOK UP to Him now and acknowledge that He alone rules and thank Him for helping you grow in humility through that struggle.
3) Pray for each other.

(Click here to read full post)

12th July Sermon Discussion - “Standing Tall in Turbulent Times – Drawing the Line”

Scripture Reading: Daniel 3:16-18

Warm-up:

A. Play the familiar game, “Simon says”.

For those who do not know the game, “Simon says” is a game where the game leader specifies a few commands. If the game leader starts the command with “Simon says”, the participants are required to obey the command in order to stay in the game. If the game leader did not use the phrase “Simon says”, participants are required to ignore the command. Let’s start the game with:

(i) Simon says, “Jump 3 times.”

(ii) Jump 5 times.

(iii) Simon says, “Tickle the friend seated next to you.”

(iv) Stop tickling your friend.

(v) Simon says, “Run to the nearest wall, touch it, come back & sit down.”

(vi) Simon says, “Give me a 10 cent or 20 cent coin each.”

(vii) Simon says, “Dig out a $2 or whatever dollar note from the wallet of the person seated on your right and keep the money for yourself.”

a) How did you feel when you were asked to take money from your friend’s wallet? Would you do it?

b) If the rest played along to take money from their friend’s wallet all in the name of fun and you choose not to follow the crowd, how would you feel about being the only one not doing what others are doing?

B. Read Daniel 3:16-18. How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego draw the line in obeying God ?

Review what Ps Khong taught us about drawing the line.

The 3 Principles about “Drawing the Line”

(i) Please God, not man

(ii) Have a Personal Knowledge that God is Great and God is Good

(iii) Be Willing to Pay the Price for Obeying God

C. Are there situations in your life that you will follow the crowd mindlessly or be prone to compromise in?

Some possible peer pressure situations: Copying homework, speaking vulgarities or swear words, please your friends etc.

D. How can you draw the line for your situation using any one of the 3 principles listed above?

(Click here to read full post)

5th July Sermon Discussion - “Running On Empty”

Scripture Reference: John 7:37-39

Icebreaker : What is your favorite drink when you’re really thirsty ? Does it immediately quench your thirst or make you even more thirsty ?

Context: Some of us may be running on empty without realizing it. We feel drained & tired.

In the John passage, the Lord Jesus invites those who are thirsty to come to Him and drink. Streams of living water will flow from within. We will be able to enjoy an overflowing life.

Q1 : What do you think is the condition of your heart today?

We need to constantly take time out to check the condition of our heart. It is like a car having a fuel gauge to know when it will run empty. Are you near “Empty” or “Full “ ?

Q2 : Is your heart tender & open for God to refill you ?

Our hearts need to be open for God to work & refill us. Same like the car; the fuel cap needs to be opened before the owner can refuel it. Therefore, our hearts need to be open.

Q3: Have you been refilled by the Lord ? How can you be a blessing to someone this week ?

As we are being refilled by the Lord, we must believe God's blessing will flow to us. Through us blessing will flow out to others. We can be streams of living water & a blessing to others.

(Click here to read full post)

Baptism Testimony - "No more vulgarities & bullying - God changed my Life!"

Before I accepted Christ, I used to think that a man needs to enjoy life to the fullest by doing what he or she likes. In the past, I had a group of friends whom I felt were fun and cool. I followed them in speaking vulgarities, bullying others, stealing, cheating and many other bad habits. I felt good and thought they were the only people I could be with and trusted them for my life.

When I was in primary school, I attended a few church activities arranged specially for the kids. Church was enjoyable and wonderful as interesting stories were shared. During my secondary school time, I wanted to join a church and was once invited to an Easter Day event held at the indoor stadium. A lot of amazing testimonies were shared. People got healed and wonderful things happened there. Since then, I began to know there is a God that heals and many people put their faith and trust in Him. It was a special experience. However, I was still very confused and did not join a church.

After a few years, I found no meaning in the things I do. I asked a friend of mine who was attending Church, to bring me along. The very first day I step into church, the people there were very nice, friendly and I love it. It was the very first day I got to know my cell leader Alvin. I asked him lot of questions about God. He would either call or send sms, asking about my being and guided me with bible verses to help me to know Jesus more. Eventually, we began to build our relationship and he signed me up for an encounter camp.

The three days of encounter camp drew me closer to God and I realised I need to invite God into my life. Furthermore, I said to myself that I must be serious with Jesus, to have faith and trust in Him. During the camp, I was praying for peace in my family as there are usually quarrels at home. When I got home from the camp, my family became more peaceful and I knew God had answered my prayer. My faith began to grow more in Him and whenever I faced problems, I would pray to Him for I knew that my God is a god who answers prayer. Furthermore, my character changed gradually better and I stopped speaking Vulgarities and the bullying, and growing in humility each day. I didn’t follow after my usual friends anymore and I found my life more meaningful than before.

After knowing the Lord, I encountered healing and grace from Him. Firstly, I went for running one evening. When I came back, one of my feet was so painful that I could not walk well. At night, I prayed for healing and to my amazement, my foot was alright the next day. Secondly, I did one of my practical tests in school badly. I knew I would fail as I could not understand very well what my teacher was teaching. However, thank God for His grace, when my teacher reviewed the names of those who failed, my name was not mentioned in the list.

Thank God for He listens and answers prayers and my life was changed.

By Nelson Wong Teng Guo
Testimony dated 26th June 2009 (Click here to read full post)

Baptism Testimony - "God's Love is Fresh Every Morning"

Hello everyone! My name is ShuJing. It’s a wonderful day today for me and you. God bless you! As I stand here, I proclaim that truly, God’s love is fresh every morning and this fellowship that God has freely given to me fills my heart with thanksgiving. God is with us, and He never fails. I would like to testify of God’s love for us through my story.

What happened was this: Amidst the confusion and stress in my adolescent years, I suffered from anorexia nervosa. In the beginning, I was conscious of my body image, and then it deteriorated to the point of obsession. I refused to eat anything. I was skin and bones all over. My hair kept dropping. I even faint when I walk about in my house. My sister Su Chin nursed me back to health eventually.

Because of this incident, I experienced rejection from my friends, yet also the unconditional love my family had for me. I was up and about in no time. Months later, I realized with dread that I had stopped having menstrual periods. As the reality sets in, I felt hopeless at the improbability of having my own children in the future.

As I was crying myself to sleep one night (year 2002), I said, “God, if you are real, please help me!” The time with which God uses to work miracles still amazes me. The following morning, God has restored my body. However, I did not know how to know Him better and I got busier with studies. It was three years later that I found God when my poly friend invited me to FCBC. Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you. ”

During the three years, God sent His witnesses to me to share the gospel with me at the MRT station, inside the MRT cabin and when I was walking home. In 2005, my poly friend, Cher, invited me to the Christmas Service at FCBC. Ps Khong shared about God’s love for us and I recognized that the God that I have been seeking was Jesus Christ and I received Jesus into my life. But I didn’t commit to knowing Him more and stopped going to church and cell meetings as my schoolwork took priority. Although I studied hard, I could find no joy, there was still a void inside my heart. I switched courses to study in yet I failed to find what I want.

After going one big circle, a year ago in April 2008, I wanted to get into this florist apprenticeship in fareastflora.com so much that I prayed “God, if you give me this opportunity, I will come back to church and follow you with all my heart.” Again, God heard me and answered my prayer. Praise God! Someone once said that there is a God-shaped void inside every one of us, that only God can fill, and wow, that’s really true.

When my friend XinYan invited me to attend church with her, I knew it was the Lord reminding me of my prayer. I also joined XinYan’s cell group and grow spiritually with the rest of the cell sisters under our cell leader Cindy. Cindy loves each one of us and I thank God for her and also all my cell sisters who are God’s blessings in my life.

The encounter camp has been a tremendous blessing, where I received an outpouring of love from God. I learnt that the more you allow God and the Holy Spirit to move in your life, the more He will bless you with.

Before I end, I bless you with Psalm 118:14 that says, “The Lord is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation.”

God will bless us and our families, and the nations too, praise God!

by Beth Quah Soo Jing
Testimony dated 26th June 2009 (Click here to read full post)

28th June Sermon Discussion - “Standing Tall in Turbulent Times – Good News in Bad Times”

Scripture Reading: Daniel 2

1. Warm-up: Sing the song “This is the day that the Lord has made…”
Go around and share the meaning of this song. Remind them that God is in control of every matter in our lives. We need not fret, worry, panic or sweat. Is there something that you are worry about right now? Let’s submit our problem to Him…

There’s good news in bad times because God’s news is always good news. God’s good news is:

a) God controls the future – Don’t Sweat!
b) God confides in His people – Don’t Speculate!
c) God is the champion – Don’t Surrender!

2. Ask if they confide in someone and vice versa. We confide in this person because we trust this person and believe that this person is willing to listen and may give us advise to our problem. God is someone we can trust and He loves us and wants to give us good advise to guide and protect us. Let’s allow God to speak to us…

3. What is a champion? Can you name someone whom you can call a champion? God has the wisdom and power to overcome all obstacles and problems in our lives. Is God your Champion?

I can do all things in Him who strengthens me (Phil 3:17). Let’s believe that we can overcome all problems and trials because God is our Champion.

(Click here to read full post)