Sunday, August 9, 2009

Today's preaching was awesome. Somehow when pastor Jo preach, it always kept me at the edge of my seat and time seems to stand still. I am not exaggerating. I was really engrossed in today's sermon.

His style of unrivalling the truth of the Word of God to make it understandable, get the big picture and then help you make sense out of it - makes it easier to apply. It is sort of letting the Word speak for itself, instead of adding too many other things to make it "look cool". The Word is already good, we don't have to make it better, just explain it out.

Today's sermon was about Nehemiah 2:1-11
How Nehemiah turned his burden into action. He was burdened for the ruins of Jerusalem, he fasted and wept but that still bothered after months. Then he was sad in the King's presence and he took the right opportunity to act courageously. The fact was that he waited for the right opportunity to act instead of rush into things. This principle of waiting for God's right timing is very important.

People who wants to change things may have the impulse to act. They are acting with passion. But people who succeeded in bringing glory to God such as Queen Esther, Nehemiah, Paul and Jesus waited for the right opportunity.

Being rash is a sin and a foolish thing though there will be situations when we FEEL so much to act. Being able to hold up is wisdom. Pastor Jo gave the example of how Jesus maximised the glory unto God by delaying to go to Lazarus even when he was seriously ill. He waited till he was dead then he went! He knew what God had in mind (this is not to say that we delay helping people).

Esther too, waited for the right time to meet the King to give her request. She fasted and prayed and get people to pray with her (same as Nehemiah) and then made herself look probably cute and lovely and the King saw her and called to her.

There is just so much insight to the Word of God. When the Word is being expounded, its just like you just saw something that you didn't noticed it was there all along!