JURONG OUTREACH - JAN 07

WHAT DO YOU HEAR?
7 Jan 07

A Native American and his friend were walking near Times Square , New York . The streets were filled with people, across multiple lanes cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, and sirens were wailing.  

Suddenly, the Native American stops and says, "I hear a cricket." His friend is astounded, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" "No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket." 

"That's crazy," said the friend. The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.  

"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!" "No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours." "But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise." "Yes, you could," came the reply.

 "Here, let me show you....." 

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within 5 meters turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. 

"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what you're listening for...... what's important to you."

What do YOU hear? What’s important to YOU?

In the midst of the noise, distractions and cares of life.... there is an ALL-IMPORTANT message that each of us needs to hear. It is the message of salvation from sin through Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel, the "GOOD NEWS" that  Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:1-3).

Those who HEAR and OBEY this message are saved from their sins.

To OBEY the message, we must: place our faith in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31),

confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Then we must CONTINUE to heed his instructions so that His blood can CONTINUE to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7). 

“He who has EARS to hear, let him HEAR” - the Word of God (Matthew 11:15), and may he OBEY what He hears! Because “blessed are those who HEAR the word of God and KEEP it!" (Luke 11:28). 

Have you HEARD the Word? Will you now OBEY it? 

Where Is God?

He was just a little boy,
on a week's first day.
He was wandering home from Sunday School,
and dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass;
he found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
and blew out all the "filler."

A bird's nest in a tree over head,
So wisely placed on high.
Was just another wonder
that caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
and hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he'd been that day
and what was going on.

"I've been to Bible School," he said
and turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a wiggly worm
replying, "I've learned a lot of God."

"M'm very fine way," the neighbor said,
"for a boy to spend his time."
"If you'll tell me where God is,
I'll give you a brand new dime."

Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
"I'll give you a dollar Mister, if you can
tell me where God ain't!

FAMILY
14 Jan 07

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

"Oh excuse me please" was my reply. 

He said, "Please excuse me too;
 

I wasn't watching for you." 

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
 

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
 

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
 

While I lay awake in bed,

A my heart within me said,
 

"While dealing with a stranger,

common courtesy you use,
 

but the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,
 

You'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers he brought for you.
 

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
 

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.
 

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
 

He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
 

I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
 

He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway."
 

I said, "Son, I love you too,

and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

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                                                                Rom 13:10

                 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

                    ***************************************************************************

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company

that we are working for could easily replace us in

a matter of days.

But the family we left behind will feel the loss

for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more

into work than into our own family,

an unwise investment indeed,

don't you think? 

So what is behind the story?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Don't ignore and God will bless you

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Please read the following scriptures:

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Rom 14:19 

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Col 3:12-13 

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

IF ONLY I HAD IT TO DO OVER
21 Jan 07

A time for reflections: 

I won't beat around the bush. If I had it to do over, I would spend more time with my children. I would spend more time talking to them and listening to them. Praying with them and playing with them. Taking them to church and reading the Bible to them. Hugging them and kissing them.  

It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since they were small. Jeremy is now 32. Ashley is 29. And Jessica is 26. My where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday when Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy were such a part of our home. Days turned into weeks. Weeks to years. And years to decades.

Oh, I heard the warnings… 

"Kid's grow up so fast."

"Enjoy your children while they are young."

"They won't be with you forever."

And I remember the verses...  

"And these words, which 1 command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children..." (Deut. 6: 6,7).  

"Train up a child in the way he should go..." (Prov. 22:6).

 "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6:4).  

I remember a saintly sister telling me once that the happiest time of her life was when her children were at home. I remember hearing a preacher once say, "There are special moments that only come around once in a lifetime... and if' you miss them, you just miss them." I can remember one of my girls telling her Bible class teacher, "But Daddy’s never home." If only I had listened ... if only I could roll back the clock ... if only they were small again ...if only I had stayed at home...if only...  

God's grace is sufficient. It is twenty years earlier than I imagined. He has given me the chance. How will I use the time? 

-Keith Parker 

God’s Child

Her neck stretches to see. Is he listening? Is he behaving himself? It was such a short time ago when she would complain “I did not hear a word the preacher spoke” but now her thoughts are distracted for another reason. Now her children are not beside her—they are “too big.” Her arms ache for a child squirming in her arms all through church. She stands to sing, and her body sways as if rocking a child. Where did the years go? Was it worth all those frustrating Sunday mornings? Sunday nights? Wednesday nights? Oh, there he is, Look at him…he’s singing. His eyes are attentive. She feels so much joy. Look! There’s my child. No. He’s God’s child! 

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How time flies and they all grow up all too soon. Children are like wet clay, mould them in God’s way while they are young and so that they will be set for the Lord’s use when the time comes. May the Lord bless all godly parents in His kingdom.

WHERE DOES YOUR ABILITY STOP?
28 Jan 07

Abilities are different from person to person. Some have many abilities; others have few. The abilities which we do have, whether few or many, have been given to us by God. These lessons arc manifest in our Lord's parable of Matthew 25:14-30, which has been called "The Parable of the Talents."  

Another lesson which one cannot help but see is that the Lord does not condemn a person because he has few talents, nor does He reward a man just because he has many talents. The five-talent man did not receive a blessing because of his many talents, but because he used the five talents he had. "And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.. ." (25:20, 2 1).  

On the other hand, the one-talent man was not condemned because of his one talent, but because he did not put the talent to use. "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast what is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant..." (25:24-26).  

We, too, will give account. We, too, will stand blessed or condemned, not because of the number of abilities which we possess, but because we have either used the talents, or have not used them.  

Many people in the Lord's body possess talents. Many of them are as the one-talent man and are not using them. They will be cast "into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt. 25:30). For one reason or another, they refuse to use the talent. To those who have buried their talent in the earth, we want to ask this question, "Where does your ability stop?"  

With some individuals their abilities stop where their "I don't want to's" begin. It is not that one does not possess the ability to teach a Bible class, but he just does not want to. One may be able to lead singing, or lead prayer, or wait on the Lord's Table; but his "I don't want to" keeps him from it. Members fail to make visits to shut-ins, nursing homes, and hospitals just because they simply don't want to.  

With others, ability stops where indifference sets in. Multitudes of preachers could reprove false teaching, but they arc indifferent to it since it does not directly affect them. Hundreds of Bible studies could be taking place, but the saved are indifferent to lost souls.  

Another place where ability stops is when using the ability will cause time to be lost from more preferred activities. There are those who would rather watch television than prepare a dessert for a family facing a funeral. For a host of others, the beach takes precedence over Bible study. Clubs and associations are more important than the work of the church for scores of others.  

Where does your ability stop'? Is it where your "I don't want to" comes in? Could it be where indifference has stilled your soul? Maybe it is where time lost in other areas can be felt. It may be that your ability has stopped where your anger has begun. Remember the parable of the Master, whatever your excuse for not using your talents, you will stand condemned for not putting to use the talents which God has given you.  

-Victor M. Eskew, The West Side Epistle

 ‘7-UPS for the New Year.’  

The first is WAKE UP--Begin the day with the Lord. It is His day. Rejoice in it. 

The second is DRESS-UP--Put on a smile. It improves your looks. It says something about your attitude. 

The third is SHUT-UP--Watch your tongue. Don't gossip. Say nice things. Learn to listen. 

The fourth is STAND-UP--Take a stand for what you believe. Resist evil. Do good. 

Five, LOOK-UP--Open your eyes to the Lord. After all, He is your only Savior. 

Six, REACH-UP--Spend time in prayer with your adorations, confessions, thanksgivings and supplications to the Lord. 

And finally, LIFT-UP--Be available to help those in need--serving, supporting, and sharing.