Church Billboards

• "Big Bang theory? You've got to be kidding." - God
• "C'mon over and bring the kids." - God
• "Do you have any idea where you're going?" - God
• "Don't make me come down there." - God
• "Follow me." - God
• "Have you read my #1 best seller?  There's going to be a test." - God
• "I love you and you and you and you and…" - God
• "Keep using my name in vain, I'll make rush hour longer." - God
• "Let's meet at my house Sunday, before the game." - God
• "Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage." - God
• "My way is the highway." - God
• "Need direction?" - God
• "Tell the kids I love them." - God
• "That "Love They Neighbor" thing... I meant it." - God
• "We need to talk." - God
• "What part of "Thou Shalt Not..." didn't you understand?" - God
• "Will the road you're on get you to my place?" - God
• "You think it's hot here?" - God
• Be ye fishers of men. You catch 'em. He'll clean 'em.
• Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
• Come work for the Lord.  The work is hard, the hours are long and the pay is low.  But the retirement benefits are out of this world.
• Don't put a question mark where God put a period.
• Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
• Forbidden fruit creates many jams.
• God Answers Knee-Mail.
• God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
• God grades on the cross, not the curve.
• God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"
• God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
• He who angers you, controls you!
• If God is your Co-pilot, swap seats!
• If you don't like the way you were born, try being born again.
• Memberships available free to everyone under the Son.
• Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
• The Bible is Not Antique, Nor is it Modern, it is Eternal.
• The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
• The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
• Turn Life's Cares into Prayers.
• Want to make God laugh?  Tell him your future plans.
• We don't change the message, the message changes us.
• When you pray, don't give God instructions, just report for duty!

02.09.2011 - Drama-Mama - Bible In A Minute

Performed: Friday 2nd September 2011

Bible In A Minute (1st Person)

1-2-3
Bible in a minute

Earth made, Adam Eve
Cain kills Abel, has to leave
Boring Genealogy
Great flood, olive leaf

Tower of Babel, Abraham
Sodom and Gomorrah, and
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses
Ten Commandments, Promised Land

Judges, David, Solomon
Sent away to Babylon
Job, then a bunch of Psalms
Proverbs and the Song of Songs

Major prophets, lion's den
Minor prophets, Bethlehem
Gold and Myrrh and Frankincense
Satan and Samaritan

Choose disciples, other cheek
Walk on water, thousands eat
Lazarus, fig tree
Last supper, Gethsemane

Blood Money, third denial
Pontius Pilate, public trial
Forty lashes, to the tree
Why have you forsaken me?

Third day, empty tomb
Reappears, five wounds
Acts of the Apostles next
Epistles and Apocalypse

WHOA!!!!

. . .

Bible In A Minute (2nd Person)

1-2-3
Bible in a minute

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom boom boom
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat Promised Land

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Job... Ret
Proverbs… Error

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat Samaritan

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat Gethsemane

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Pontius Pilate, public trial
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Why have you forsaken me?

Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat
Boom boom chat boom (breath) boom chat

WHOA!!!!

19.08.2011 - Drama-Mama - Set Free

Performed: Friday 19th August 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbvrvrelDUo&feature=share


"But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, he tells them what they have done-- that they have sinned arrogantly. He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge." ~ Job 36:8-12 (NIV)

INTRODUCTION

First of all, I want to introduce the roles that are being portrayed here in our first drama act:

Jeremy – Jesus
Patrick – Satan (Pride)
Joel – Greed
Stanley – Envy
Ivana – Anger
Arabelle – Lust
Annette – Gluttony
Wai San – Sloth
Myself – I represent everyone who has suffered under the weight of sins and was set free by the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ

Together, we make up the OCF Melbourne City drama team, which is called “Drama-Mama” according to Jeremy.

Our purpose is to worship God through various means, which include singing, dancing and acting. Anyone can be part of the drama team and everyone who participate in the drama team hold the same responsibility and leadership. There is no supervisor, manager or leader of the drama team besides God.

MAIN

As you probably have noticed, our first drama act is based on the Seven Deadly Sins, which originated from the Catholic Church with Pope St. Gregory the Great and St. John Cassian. However, it is really more of a guide for spiritual progress than a doctrine. Therefore, it is not reserved exclusively for Catholics but applies to all Christians in general.

As a matter of fact, you cannot find a complete list of all the sins in one place in the Bible. The Bible covers all these sins in different books. So the list of the Seven Deadly Sins is really just a condensed version of what the Bible already stated clearly throughout.

So how did people come up with Seven Deadly Sins and not eight or nine? King Solomon stated that the Lord specifically regards “six things that the Lord hateth, and the seventh His soul detesteth”:

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,
A false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

The rest of the Seven Deadly Sins is also mentioned in:

Galatians 5:19-21
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
Idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Looking at the Seven Deadly Sins, we must not forget that there is another matching list that is the Seven Godly Virtues. Let me introduce you to the sins and virtues in their traditional order:

Seven Deadly Sins and Seven Godly Virtues

Pride - Humility
Greed - Generosity
Envy - Kindness
Anger - Patience
Lust - Chastity
Gluttony - Temperance
Sloth - Diligence

. . .

Pride – is an excessive confidence in an individual's own abilities that interferes with the individual's acknowledgment and understanding of the grace of God.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Humility

Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

. . .

Greed – is the overwhelming desire to gain wealth. It places the love of physical objects above the love of people and the love of God.

Luke 12:15
Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:11
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

. . .

Envy – is a feeling of discontentment created by witnessing or hearing of the advantage, benefit, prosperity, gain, or success of others.

James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Kindness

Act 4:9-10
If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

. . .

Anger – is the rejection of love. It occurs when man chooses not to forgive and it leads to fury and sometimes to wrath.

Ephesians 4:26
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

Patience

Ecclesiastes 7:8
The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

. . .

Lust – is an excessive sexual appetite that results in one seeking immediate or ruthless satisfaction. It places the love of other people above the love of God.

Numbers 15:39
You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

Chastity

Ephesians 5:3
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

. . .

Gluttony – is the excessive desire for food or drink. It can cause direct physical harm to the body, which is supposed to be the temple of God.

Proverbs 23:1-2
When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,
And put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

Temperance

Romans 13:14
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

. . .

Sloth – is the procrastination or evading of either physical or spiritual work. It causes man to become complacent and unwilling to carry out the service of God.

Romans 12:11
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Diligence

Hebrews 6:11
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

. . .

Why do we make such a big deal out of the sins and virtues anyway?

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Before knowing God, we experience many temptations. In our walks with God, we experience the heaviest temptations. This is all because the devil tries to pull us away from God.

“Did you know that demons tremble at the name of Jesus? Satan is defeated, this is a visual example of how demons have to flee when you repent and come to Jesus. The Power of God is real!”

CONCLUSION

For this Semester, I just want to ask you:

Do you want to be free?

Strip away everything that is holding you back. Lift all your troubles and worries to the Lord. He came to set the captives free.

Let all Glory be unto God. Amen.

Mark 17

A minister told his congregation, “Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17.”

The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up.

The minister smiled and said, “Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying.”

If God Had A PC

In the beginning, there was the computer. And God entered:

C:\Let there be light!
Enter user ID
C:\God
Enter password
C:\Omniscient
Invalid password
Enter password
C:\Omnipotent
And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.

C:\Let there be light!
Unrecognizable command
C:\Create light
Done
C:\Run heaven and earth
And God created Day and Night.
And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Monday, March 2.
C:\Let there be firmament in the midst of water and light
Unrecognizable command. Try again.
C:\Create firmament
Done.
C:\Run firmament
And God divided the waters.
And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Monday, March 2.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.
C:\Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and...
Too many characters in specification string. Try again.
C:\Create dry_land
Done.
C:\Run firmament
And God divided the waters. And God saw that there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.
C:\Create lights in the firmament to divide the day from the night
Unspecified type. Try again.
C:\Create sun_moon_stars
Done
C:\Run sun_moon_stars
And God separated the light from the darkness. The sun ruled over the day and the moon and stars ruled over the night.
And God saw there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.
C:\Create fish
Done
C:\Create fowl
Done
C:\Run fish, fowl
And God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that creepeth where with the waters swarmed after its kind and every winged fowl after its kind.
And God saw there were 0 errors.
And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.

And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Friday, March 6.
C:\Create cattle
Done
C:\Create creepy_things
Done
C:\Now let us make man in our image
Unspecified type. Try again.
C:\Create man
Done
C:\Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth
Too many command operands. Try again.
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 6 errors.
C:\Insert breath
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 5 errors.
C:\Move man to Garden of Eden
Filename: Garden of Eden does not exist.
Abort, Retry, Ignore?
C:\Create Garden_of_Eden
Too many parameters
C:\Create Garden.edn
Done
C:\Move man to Garden.edn
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 4 errors.
C:\Copy woman from man
Done
C:\Run multiplication
Execution terminated. 2 errors.
C:\Create desire
Done
C:\Run multiplication
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Create freewill
Done
C:\Run freewill
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Undo desire
Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created.
C:\Destroy freewill
Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.
C:\Help
Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created.
Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.
C:\Create tree_of_knowledge
And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn
Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.
C:\Create good, evil
Done
C:\Activate evil
And God saw he had created shame.
Warning system error in sector E95. Man and woman no longer located in Garden.edn. 1 errors.
C:\Scan Garden.edn for man, woman
Search failed. Abort, Retry, Ignore?
C:\Delete shame
Shame cannot be deleted once evil has been activated.
C:\Destroy freewill
Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed. Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.
C:\Stop
Unrecognizable command. Try again
C:\Ctrl_Break
C:\Ctrl_Break
C:\Ctrl_Break

ATTENTION ALL USERS *** ATTENTION ALL USERS:
COMPUTER GOING DOWN FOR REGULAR DAY OF MAINTENANCE AND REST IN FIVE MINUTES. PLEASE LOG OFF.
C:\Create new world
You have exceeded allocated file space. You must destroy old files before new ones can be created.
C:\Destroy earth
Destroy earth: Please confirm.
C:\Destroy earth confirmed
COMPUTER DOWN *** COMPUTER DOWN.
SERVICE WILL RESUME SUNDAY, MARCH 8 AT 6:00 AM. YOU MUST SIGN OFF NOW.
And God logged off at 11:59:59 PM, Friday, March 6.
On Saturday, March 7, God rested.
On March 8, God created Macintosh.

I Pay All My Tithes

There were two men stranded on a deserted island. The first man was frantic and worried about being rescued. While the other was nice and calm, happy as could be.

The first man was pacing up and down the beach, worrying and cussing about what are they going to do. "They've got to find us, what are we going to eat, how long are we going to survive?" And so on he went just a worrying the whole time.

The other guy was just kicked back soaking up the sun, just having a good time. Not a worry in the world.

The first guy, irritated by his calmness, asked him "how can you be so calm, we're going to die if someone doesn’t find us?"

The second guy said "let me put it to you this way, first I'm a Christian, secondly I'm a CEO at my company, and I brought in over 500 thousand dollars last year, and I pay all my tithes. Believe me my pastor is going to find me."

Email From God

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the evil that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth to check it out.

So he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.

When the angel returned she told God: "Yes it is bad on Earth, 95% is bad and 5% is good."

Well, God thought for a moment and said: "Maybe I had better send down a second angel, to get another point of view."

So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time too.

When the angel returned he went to God and told Him: "Yes, the Earth was in decline, 95% was bad and 5% was good."

God thought this was not good. So He decided to E-mail the 5% that were good. He wanted to encourage them and give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what that E-mail said?

...

You didn't get one either, huh?

Christian Alphabet

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame.
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know.
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee.
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone.
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command.
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high.
Yes, there will be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

"Too blessed to be stressed!"

The shortest distance between a problem and a solution equals the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Be Blessed.

Big Trouble

There were two brothers, 8 and 10 years old, who were exceedingly mischievous. Whatever went wrong in the neighbourhood, it turned out they had had a hand in it. Their parents were at their wits' end trying to control them. Hearing about a priest nearby who worked with delinquent boys, the mother suggested to the father that they ask the priest to talk with the boys. The father agreed.

The mother went to the priest and made her request.

He agreed, but said he wanted to see the younger boy first and alone.

So the mother sent him to the priest.

The priest sat the boy down across from him at a huge impressive desk.

For about five minutes they just sat and stared at each other.

Finally, the priest pointed his forefinger at the boy and asked, "Where is God?"

The boy looked under the desk, in the corners of the room, all around, but said nothing.

Again, louder, the priest pointed at the boy and asked, "Where is God?"

Again the boy looked all around but said nothing.

A third time, in a louder, firmer voice, the priest leaned far across the desk and put his forefinger almost to the boy's nose, and asked, "Where is God?"

The boy panicked and ran all the way home.

Finding his older brother, he dragged him upstairs to their room and into the closet, where they usually plotted their mischief.

He finally said, "We are in BIG trouble."

The older boy asked, "What do you mean, 'BIG trouble'?"

His brother replied, "God is missing and they think we did it!"

Christ Is Better Than Moses

Preface

Hebrews 3:1 – 4:13

Describe your favorite ways of resting and relaxation. How often do you do this?

Introduction

Having argued for the supremacy of Jesus (who is shown to be superior to the prophets and the angels in the last Bible study), the Spirit-led writer of Hebrews now makes the case for how Christ is better than Moses, the one through whom the first covenant came.

The author will issue a second warning, now against forfeiting the rest offered to us (What was the first warning about?). The importance of rest is then expounded in chapter four.

Questions

1. Why is Moses so esteemed by the Hebrew people? Briefly recall facts about his life.

Read Hebrews 3:1-6

2a. In what way is Christ better than Moses?

b. Why did the writer of Hebrews argue that Jesus is greater than Moses?

Read Hebrews 3:7-19

3a. A warning is given, based on the Old Testament passage in verses 7-11. Who is this warning for?

b. What is the nature of the warning? (What is its severity of the warning? What is the tone of the author? Is it pleading or punitive? What effect does the rhetorical style used have on the feel of the message?)


c. What will be the result of not heeding this warning?

4. We are told to encourage one another to identify with Christ rather than be overcome by unbelief (Hebrews 3:13)

a. How is sin deceitful?


b. How does encouragement help?


c. How can God use you today to encourage another believer?

Read Hebrews 4:1-13

6. Who gets to experience God's rest?

Read Joshua 21:43-45

7a. Describe the kind of rest the people experienced. Of what did this rest consist? Did this rest last?


b. What does this rest mean for us as Christians?


8. Take some time to examine your own heart and life. Have you entered into God's rest through faith, or are you still trying to be saved through your own work and self-effort? What evidence would you give to support your answer?

Read Hebrews 4:12-13

9. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we are instructed to wield. How may we do so in the world of our everyday student lives?

Conclusion

The need for God's rest is urgent. A person should diligently, with intense purpose and concern, secure it. It is not that he can work his way to salvation, but that he should diligently seek to enter God's rest by faith – lest he, like the Israelites in the wilderness, lose the opportunity. God cannot be trifled with. If you are walking by faith today, you can feel sure of your security in the love of God.