Team Building through Guided Devotions

 

Conducting personal devotion is really a struggle. Physically more than spiritually. But how can your team develop the habit?

It must be the resolve of the Team Leader and here are some suggestions

(1) Require each member to recite a memory verse before starting the Saturday practice. A week-long preparation for this one memory verse is fair enough.

(2) Conduct a series of lectures specifically designed for worship team. And what would one expect when there’s a lecture? Quizzes and Recitations!

(3) Require each member of a devotion kit: Bible, Notebook, Pen. The list of verses to be studied will be provided along with a number of standard questions to be answered during personal devotion. The catch here is that before Saturday practice starts it will be checked by the Team Lead (a variation might be checked by a buddy).

It is good to see everyone doing it; encouraging each other to do it; for the Glory of God!

The Last Days 2.0

We Pentecostals/Born-Again Christians believe that one day Jesus will come back again "in a twinkling of an eye" and will take His "beloved". My belief is that these "beloved" are those who "heard" "the call" to "renew your minds", "repent" and "accept Jesus" as your "personal Lord and Savior". This belief in itself draws a lot of debates/argumentations. Nevertheless, salvation is personal, i.e. individual, and it's a relationship me and God alone preserves.

Another belief associated to this "one day" is termed "rapture" - exhibited by an abrupt disappearance of Jesus' beloved. I can imagine the chaos it will bring to the world. It will be the greatest headline the media will ever have. Much greater than the Manila Bus Hostage Taking Crisis, much major major than Ms Raj's major major statement.

While the world is in extreme chaos, there stands a great question: how about those who believe in the Christ which are left behind?

I don't want to be left behind. Do you want to experience being left behind? How then can we keep our living aligned to Jesus' expectations so when that "one day" comes we get "raptured" and spared from the last days?

Heaven is for Little Children Only

Matthew 18:2-3 states that "He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'"

Here our Lord Jesus speaks of the truth about a key to enter heaven: YOU! No one else can get you into heaven but yourself.

There are only two things required of you: (1) change (2) become like little children.

Change to what? Change what? Change when?

The only change Jesus speaks of is the change brought about by being born again.

Like Little Children?

Yes! You know what little children are, right? Cute, fresh, full of hope, never worries, and the list can go on forever.

Ah, you won't argue we love little children very much and that we treat them with special care.

God loves the little children too, and if we grown ups behave before Him like the little ones, He'd throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not have room enough for it!

Give Love A Chance

Why Give Love a Chance?

• Source of Love - God
• Object of Love - World, specifically, you!
• Manner of Love - Jesus at the Cross of Calvary

How can I Give Love a Chance?

• Believe
  
  • B - Bible Reading
  
  
  • E - Exchanging
  
  
  • L - Letting Go
  
  
  • I - Investing
  
  
  • E - Evaluating
  
  
  • V - Vehement
  
  
  • E - Evangelizing
  
  
  
  
• Be & Live
  

What are the benefits of Giving Love a Chance?

• not perish
• have everlasting life

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Taking My God-given Authority

Luke 10:19 reads "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."

Who's speaking here?
Jesus Christ! My Savior and my Lord.

What is Jesus talking about?
Authority! The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge is being freely given to me!

How extensive is this 'Authority'?
trample 'snakes', 'scorpions' and overcome ALL the power of the enemy! Wonderful isn't it? Really awesome!

Bonus?!
Nothing will harm you! OMG! Really, OMG!

What more can you ask of God?! Thank you! Thank you, Jesus!

Faith, Perseverance, Trials & Joy

James 1:2-3 reads "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

Notes:

1. "you know" - I should NOT be surprised that there are NO exceptions with life's trials. Yeah, Christian and non-Christian alike will have some degree of life's trials. The only difference when you're a Christian is that you have the Christ in you.

2. "testing of your faith develops perseverance" - it is NOT all about me but all about the faith I have for Christ. How I value this faith? Up to how much extent I can keep this faith? What life situations are able to shake this faith? Will it hold its ground?

3. "face trials" - I can't claim its a test of my faith if I'm not fighting it head on! Do not shy away from trials but stand firm and hold your ground!

4. "pure joy" - it is human to be sad, distracted, depressed in times of trials but Christians are supernatural beings who finds their joy in the presence of their God!



Thank you Lord for the opportunity to put more faith in you in times of various life's trials.