Personal Devotions

It seems to me that everyone are on different pages when we are engaging in personal devotions.  Currently, PGC as a whole is studying the book of Revelation.  During through the Bible chapter by chapter classes, we are studying the book of John.  Personally, I am reading through the Bible again for the 4th time and I am on 2 Chronicles.  I am going to introduce three different ways of personal devotions for you to choose from.

Method 1: Follow the PGC 260 Devotion (Read the passage, Apply the meditation questions)

Method 2: Center the week's devotion around the last Bible class
ie) Let say you studied John 4 last Sunday, pick 4 short passages from John 3-5.  Our expectation is you engage in devotion (4/6) days from Monday to Saturday.

From the passages you selected, you answer the following three questions:

1. What was God doing during this period?
2. What were the people doing in response to God?
3. How can I relate to the timeless truth in the passages?
4. How can I apply what God spoke to me TODAY?


Method 3: Go through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation:
1. Spend 8-10 minutes reading the Bible in chronological order, try to finish at the end of a chapter.  Try to do this (4/6) days from Monday to Saturday.
2. What was God doing during this period?
3. What were the people doing in response to God?
4. How can I relate to the timeless truth in the passages?
5. How can I apply what God spoke to me TODAY?

Illustration for method 1: Revelation 13:11-17


In the Devil’s design, Satan will deploy his troops. The land beast will dupe
us and coerce us into idolatry. On the other hand, Satan tries to deceive us
by disguising itself as the world’s saviour, claiming to deliver health, wealth,
happiness and immortality. Do I see Satan’s activities in our society today?
How prepared am I in facing the political persecution, or the economic
temptation? How am I engaged in the daily deliberate practices of Bible
reading (260) and prayer as they are part of the effort
toward spiritual maturity, sensitivity and defences?

Illustration for method 2: John 4:39-42
Jesus Christ visited the Samaritan woman.  Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus Christ because of the woman's testimony.  Many people including myself may relate to the Samaritan woman.  We may feel unworthy, unpopular, despised, and we make excuses for not witnessing for Christ.  God can use any willing person for His glory.  I can apply this truth today by boldly witness for Christ regardless of how others think of me.  I am going to share the joy of experiencing God to the friends I may see tonight at fellowship.

Illustration for method 3: 1 Chronicles 23-26
God was helping David his nation with setting up a structure of Levites, priest, singers, gatekeepers, and officials.  The names and duties of the officials were listed.  The people were faithful in carrying out the duties that were assigned to them.  God called me to serve Him by modelling how to worship and pray to God.  I can apply this truth today by faithfully carrying out the duties God assigned me TODAY.

June 3 Message: Foundations of a person in Christ

FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL MAN/WOMANHOOD

Why do they need to hear this?

You were a sinner.

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

Colossians 3:5-6 – Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Who am I in Christ?

You are redeemed and forgiven.

Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

You are loved.

Romans 8:31-39 – What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You are a channel.

John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

2 Corinthians 2:14 – But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

May 6 Message: Instruction on worship

In May and June, we are going to study the book of 1 and 2 Timothy.  These two letters are written by Paul to Timothy.  They are instructions on building up the church.  Here is a brief outline of the message from 1 Timothy 2.


What is worship? Prayer for all people (v.1-4)
Why worship? Jesus is mediator between God and man (v.5-6)
How to worship? Order in the family of God (v.7-15)

What is worship?

To worship means to pray.  Prayer is conversation with God.  We can confidently and freely approach God because we belong to God.  The local church is a family of believers gathering together.  This is your spiritual home.  Worship service is like a family gathering where we all engage in worship to God.  Prayer is to be made for all people, especially for kings and all those in authority.  God is sovereign over the government, the corporations, the social media, etc, we pray for the Gospel to be shared in those in authority.

Why worship?

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.  This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.  We can approach God solely because of Jesus Christ.  As child of God, we received Jesus by repentance from sin. We accept what Christ has done on the cross, he was a ransom for all people.  By having this faith, we submit to Jesus Christ as lord over our lives.  

How to worship?

We are going to touch on some sensitive issues in today's passage.  It is important for everyone to be on a solid ground regarding the theology of human being.

Theology of human being:

-Humans are made in the image of God.  

-Male and female are equally valuable before God.

-God created male and female for different roles. (Man = head, Woman = helper)

-Men and women living out God’s design gives glory to God. 

Exposition of verse7-15

v.7 God appointed Paul to be an apostle.  

And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle —I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

Why did God choose Moses, Samuel, David, Peter, John, Paul… Francis Chan, David Platt, Rick Warren, Rev. Siu to be his special servants?  We will never know, we may find out in heaven.  But nonetheless, they are called by God to teach the Word of God with God’s authority.  We are called to submit to their teachings because they are speaking on behalf of God’s authority.

v8. I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 

If you call yourself man after God’s heart, or man on a mission, do not be ashamed in lifting up hands to pray and worship God.  We are to pray everywhere: in your school, work place, family, amongst your friends.  The attitude is important, not with anger and disputing, be in peace with God and people.  If you want to be a real man, you are to be unashamed in your worship to God.  You worship God by leading under Christ’s guidance and authority.

v9-10 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

What you dress communicates a message of who you are.  If you dress with elaborate hairstyles, fancy jewelry, sexy clothing, and expensive clothes, what kind of message are you trying to tell people around you?  If you dress modestly and appropriately, how would people look at you.  Your good deeds will set a good witness as a follower of Christ.  Immodest clothing is a stumbling block and a poor witness for Christ.

v.11-12 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

In ancient culture, women were not allowed to learn as they were labelled as inferior.  Biblical based Christianity actually treats women with dignity as they are encouraged to learn.  The attitude of learning is important.  A student who learn with a humble attitude will reap benefits, whereas a prideful student who dispute his/her teacher would not reap much benefits.  A woman according to God’s design is to be the helper in the church.   

v.13-14 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.  15 But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

We know that Adam was with Eve in the garden.  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Adam failed by not taking up leadership in protecting Eve against temptation, and he gave in to Eve’s temptation.  There is positive light for women in this passage.  Women find fulfillment as wife and mother, as they are saved through the good news of Christ.  The calling of nurturing the next generation is a high calling.

Conclusion and reflections:

1. Pray for all people. Crossroad is a house of prayer!

Is prayer is central to everything in Crossroad: worship, fellowship, lessons, discipleship…? 

2. Jesus Christ is mediator between God and human

Is Christ in the center of all your relationships (God, family, friends, coworkers)?

3. Do you respect leaders with God’s authority?

4. Are you clear on God’s design on manhood and womanhood for God’s glory?

5. Young men: Are you taking up God’s call to lead and accept responsibility?

6. Young women: Are you taking up God’s call as a helper by submitting to leadership?

April 22 Message: Power of the resurrection of Christ

The message is taken from the passage in Mark 16:1-8 and Acts 1:6-11.

In the first half of the message, the resurrection account is preached.  The resurrection of Jesus was testified by the empty tomb, the angels, and eye witnesses.

There are people who challenges the validity of the resurrection of Christ.  Some may say that the women and disciples went to the wrong tomb!  Seriously?  would you go to the wrong grave of someone you loved?  Some people say because women were the eyewitnesses, their testimonies were invalid because they were women.  Well, I leave it for those people to defend themselves.  Some people say the disciples stole the body of Jesus and claimed that he resurrected.  What did the disciples gain for proclaiming this news? Wealth? Power? Popularity?  Well, some of them got to be crucified and then burned.  Jesus Christ is a real person, not a legend, and he was raised from the dead.

Before Jesus was taken up back to heaven, He told us that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us; and we will be His witness in our local setting and then to the rest of the world.

What is this power through the Holy Spirit?


This power opened the eyes of the blind and the hearts of unbelievers. This is the power that is promised to those who wait on God and to follow Him.  The power of the Holy Spirit lives in you and can abide upon you.  God’s power is totally different than the power of this world.

What do we do with the power? Seeing sin and repenting of it, Understanding and speaking the Word of God, Experiencing God in intimate ways, Hearing God’s voice, Living out the good news of Christ.

How do you get this power?

Prayer: In Acts 4:31, after prayer, the Holy Spirit filled the room that the apostles were praying in.

Obedience: "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him," (Acts 5:32)

When do you receive this power? 

You must first be cleansed by Jesus before you can be indwelt by the Spirit.  Before you fill a cup you clean it, otherwise it is not suitable for use.

I use the analogy of avid COD players as an illustration to applying this verse.

 

Conclusion:

We are using God's power through the Holy Spirit only when we are an active witness for him.  The application is directly related to the theme of Crossroad.

Being filled with God's power = Grow deeper in the love for God

Actions and words guided by the Holy Spirit = Love by shepherding one another

Witness Jesus Christ to friends = Proclaim Christ to friends. 

April 15 Message: Christ will come again

Rev. Siu preached the message for us last Sunday.  The theme is "Jesus Christ will come again".  He taught on how we should live our lives as followers of Christ waiting for his return.  This hope of his return is certain.  Because of this hope, we can have strength to persevere.

He taught us to pray always.  He introduced four short prayers call breathe prayers.  We are to pray unceasingly and to pray in all circumstances.  The four short prayers are:

1. God, I belong to you.
2. Jesus, have mercy on me.
3. God, save me!
4. Lord, thank you for today.

When we keep ourselves alert and awake by prayer, we would be able to face the pressure and temptation of this world.  As a result, we would be able to love God, love others, and make disciples.

April 8 Message: Death of Christ

I began the message by asking the question "What makes you think you can approach a holy God?".  My systematic theology professor repeatedly asked this question in his class.  There are many ways to phrase this question, but there is only ONE answer to this question.

We believe that the death of our Lord Jesus Christ satisfied all the demands of God’s law, redeeming us by shedding His blood and assuming our curse, men and women can have a just standing before God.



We then read the whole chapter of Mark 15.  Here is a summary of what happened:

Jesus before Pilate: sinless and innocent
Soldiers mocked Jesus: tortured and humiliated
Crucifixion: further insults and punishment
Death of Jesus: darkness and forsakenness from God

Total Depravity:   “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).   Sin is not just big things like murder or blasphemy but also includes lying, lusting, and stealing. Even the love of money or hatred of enemies is sin, according to the Bible. Good works cannot make up for wrongs against the holy God.

God is Holy:  Having sinned against God, we deserve His punishment. A judge who pardons lawbreakers isn’t a good judge.  God is justice.  Likewise, God will not overlook sin. He pours out His righteous wrath against sinners.

Atonement for sin:  In the Old Testament, innocent lambs were sacrificed as a substitute for the punishment men deserved.  Sacrificing an animal acknowledges that sin required death.  Only a sinless person can sacrifice once and for all.  Jesus finished paying the punishment for sin as the perfect Lamb of God.


Authenticity of God's witness:  The prophets foretold Jesus’ death.  From Adam to Jesus, God sent prophets to mankind, warning them of sin’s punishment and foretelling the coming Savior. Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah described Him: The prophet compared the coming Saviour to a lamb, slaughtered for the sins of others.

Conclusion: We hope that with a deeper understanding and conviction.  You can confidently approach God because of what Jesus Christ has done for you.

The take away is:  How are you responding to the love of God?

Structure of Crossroad

Structure and committed disciples are absolutely necessary for obeying the great commission of making disciples.  The following are an outline of the roles and responsibilities of leaders in Crossroad.

Planning committee: Setting the direction of PGC
(Expectation: Multiplying Disciple)

Coaches: Providing spiritual direction to student leaders
(Expectation: Growing Disciple)


Parent Relation: Communicating and caring for parents (Expectation: Growing Disciple)

Worship Leaders: Leading brothers and sisters to praise God through music and God’s Words.

Fellowship captain: Overseeing Crossroad so that Crossroad remains faithful to the vision of PGC

Outreach Assistance: Reaching out through personal visits and volunteering initiatives.

Small Group captain: Pastoring/shepherding a small group

Expectations of student leaders

Goal: Moving  from being a connecting disciple towards a growing disciple

-Declares faith in Jesus Christ to friends and family

-Faithful participation in PGC Worship, Crossroad, and equipping classes 

-Monthly leader’s prayer/planning meeting

-Bi-weekly discipleship with a coach (In small groups or individually, various setting: worship practice, visits, fun activities)