JURONG OUTREACH - January 10

Are You a Camel?
3rd Jan 09

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ," Galatians 6:2.

The camel is an interesting creature. Its name comes from the Hebrew word, Gamel, which means "carries a burden." Camels can carry loads equal to their own weight for short distances. The average camel weighs about 544 kg. So, you can understand that a camel can carry a very large burden.

Camels have been used for a very long time in the Biblical lands. In fact, they have been used for over 4000 years to transport goods through the deserts. They are able to travel long distances in very dry environments. They are able to carry large loads while traveling.  

Sometimes our brothers and sisters in Christ have very difficult loads to carry. These are not loads of physical things. These are mental, emotional and spiritual loads. These are the difficult trials of life. It is our responsibility to help them with these loads.  The Bible sometimes depicts this world as a wasteland or desert. As a good spiritual camel, we will help each other carry these difficult and heavy loads through the desert. We will help each other make it to the good land, Heaven. We will not be too concerned about how long the journey will be. We will be willing to help transport the load. We have observed the camel's amazing ability to carry heavy burdens. We noticed that Christians should help each other carry burdens of this life.  

The camel also is amazing in his ability to use water. A camel can travel for as many as eight days without drinking water. This is even possible with the temperature of the desert getting as hot as 48 degrees Celsius.  

A human would collapse if he lost 12 percent of his body fluids. A donkey would collapse if he lost 25 percent of his body fluids. But the camel can lose more than 40 percent of his body fluid and keep going.  

The camel prepares himself for such long trips under such extreme circumstances. The camel can drink up to fifty gallons of water at one time. This is equal to more than one hundred and eighty-one kilogram of water. The camel will store this water in different areas of his body (not just in the hump, which most people believe).  

Jesus said he was the living water (cf. John 4:7-14). He meant that he was the spiritual water. He stated that anyone who drank of him would never thirst. The Christian should be like the camel. The Christian should drink as much spiritual water as he can hold. This water will allow the Christian to undergo extreme spiritual conditions and still keep going.  

If the Christian will drink spiritually like the camel, then the Christian will be better able to help carry the burdens of other people. If the camel does not drink in preparation for the desert, then the camel may die on the journey. If the Christian does not drink the spiritual water, then the Christian may die on the journey of life. And others may die because that Christian was not able to help them bear their load. 

A blessed new week ahead

Suppose we start this very day To live our lives in a different way; Suppose we vowed and constantly tried To help those in trouble on life's wayside; If we showed by our deeds a hint of His love  Wouldn't earth be a bit more like heaven above?

ON SUNDAY: Don't let worry and care depress you, or brush your joy away. 

ON MONDAY: Look for a smile today and return it with one of your own. Give someone faith and hope, it's such a beautiful loan.

ON TUESDAY: Gather a thought that's kind, one that's sincere and deep. Be sure to pass it along for such are too precious to keep.

ON WEDNESDAY: Forget yesterday's sorrows, mistakes, sadness, and pain. Lift your heart with hope as flowers to sun and rain.

ON THURSDAY: Offer a word of comfort and prayer to help someone in need. A little thoughtful gift, some flowers, or a smile makes us all rich indeed.

ON FRIDAY: You shall not pass this way again, so do any good you can do. Don't put it off till tomorrow or the chance may be lost for you.

ON SATURDAY: Today will soon be a memory so don't let it come to an end, without a smile, without a song, or just a word from a friend. But arise and give thanks to God above, for His love and another 'Blest Day.' 

'...let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others' (Philippians 2:3-4 

Moses and His Excuse (1)
17 Jan 10

Most people know the story of Moses and the burning bush (cf. Exodus 3-4). They know that God spoke to Moses out of a burning bush. God wanted Moses to go to Egypt and bring the Israelites out of slavery. He wanted Moses to lead them to the Promised Land.  

Moses asked some questions and made some statements in response to God. While to some extent Moses may have been trying to find a reason for not going, there was some legitimacy to most of what Moses said. It is interesting that God did not get mad at Moses until his last statement.  

Moses first asks who he is that he should be asked to go. It is true that Moses had been reared in the Egyptian palace. And it is possible that he was being groomed to be a Pharaoh one day. As an Egyptian prince he was given a first-class education. He learned several languages and studied astronomy, mathematics, geography, history, and many other subjects. An Ethiopian legend says that he was a mighty general in the Egyptian army.  

But, it had been forty years since he had been in Egypt. For forty years he has been in Midian. For a good portion of those years he has been a shepherd. He has not been leading an army. He has not been studying or preparing to be a Pharaoh. He has not been living in a palace. He has been leading a very quiet life.  

His question is very similar to statements made by other great Bible characters. Jeremiah said he was but a child, when God wanted him to be a prophet (Jer. 1:6). In 1 Kings 3:7, Solomon said he was a child that did not know how to go in or out. In 1 Chron. 29:14, David asked who he was that God should bless him so. Paul said he was the chief of sinners - yet by the grace of God was allowed to preach the gospel. Moses by his statement was showing great humility. Forty years earlier he had decided it was his role to deliver the Israelites. He had taken matters into his own hands and arrogantly killed an Egyptian. Forty years wandering in the wilderness and working as a shepherd had humbled him.  

All of us need humility. Each of us need to ask from time to time, "Who am I" that I should be so blessed. We need to consider, "who am I", that God would be willing to forgive me of my sins. We need to think about "who am I" that God would entrust the spreading of the gospel to me. We should not think about this to try and make excuse for not serving God, but as a way to inspire us to better service to our loving God.

The second question that Moses asks is "Who should I say sent me?" This was a very valid question. For many of the societies at that time, the name of a god was very important. The Egyptians and Canaanites believed that the name of a god gave a sense of the very nature of that god. It is likely that the Israelites would ask Moses who had sent him. He needed that information.  

Other great Bible characters wanted to know the name of God. Manoah wanted to know his name in Judges 13:17. Jacob wanted to know his name in Genesis 32:29. God did not condemn these individuals for asking the question.  

God does not get angry and tell Moses to quit asking questions. Instead, he tells him his name is I Am That I Am. In the Hebrew the name is 'ehyeh.' It is in the first person imperfect There is some discussion among scholars as exactly what it means. 'I am that I Am' is probably a very good translation. But it could also be 'I am being what I am being' or 'I will be what I will be'. When Aaron and Moses tell the Israelites his name, they use the third person form of the name. We know that name as Jehovah.  

And it is most interesting that God says that this name was a special name. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He had used the name with Abraham when he originally made the covenant with Abraham. But, Moses and the Israelites are going to know the name in a different way than Abraham knew it (This is what is meant in Exodus 6:3, when he says Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not know this name.) They will experience the fulfillment of the land covenant and thus fully recognize this name as the covenant name of God. Psalm 30:4, Psalm 97:12, and Psalm 135:13 all talk about the 'memorial name' of God. Jehovah is that name.  

In association with this question, God also tells Moses to tell the Israelites that he had visited them and had seen their persecutions. This was a fulfillment of what Joseph had told the Israelites immediately before he died. God also tells Moses to instruct the Israelites that when they leave Egypt they will take many riches with them. This will fulfill the prophecy given to Abraham in Genesis 15. These words would help demonstrate that Moses was indeed speaking for Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  

Study your Bible. Learn that God has made promises to us. Learn what those promises are. Then learn what to do in order to obtain those promises. Learn what you need to do to tell others about our God named Jehovah.

Moses and His Excuse (2)
17 Jan 10 

Moses replies to God, in Exodus 4:1-2, with the statement that the Israelites will not believe him. He believes they will say God did not send him. Moses was probably right. It was not unusual for individuals to claim to be speaking for a god. The Egyptian Pharaoh supposedly spoke for the gods. Egyptian priests claimed to speak for certain gods. Canaanites had those who claimed to speak for different gods.  

It is possible that God had not spoken much to Israel during the many years since Joseph's death. We have no record of such interaction. The first inclination of anyone would be "how do I know you are really speaking for God?' This is the primary reason for the miracles during the First Century. Hebrews 2:3-4, Mark 16:20, and John 14:11, tell us that the miracles were performed to verify the truth that was being preached. These miracles would prove that the message was inspired. Jesus even said that if the people did not believe what he was saying they should at least believe the works he did (John 10:38).  

God gives Moses three signs to demonstrate his inspiration. He would throw his staff down and it would become a serpent. Then he would pick it up and it would turn back into his staff. Moses was to put his hand in his cloak. When he withdrew it, the hand would be leprous. Then he would return it into his cloak, and when he pulled it out it would be normal. The final thing he would do would be to dip water out of the Nile and pour it on the ground. When he poured it, the water would become blood. God said that these three things would convince the Israelites that Moses was speaking for God.  

Today, we must know where to show people the miracles in the Bible. God gave us the Scriptures to tell us what we must do to obey Him, but also to give us a record of all the marvelous things he has done throughout history. The Scriptures demonstrate for us his love and his power. He has given us in Scripture all that we need to know. Learn where you can go in the Scripture to demonstrate God's miraculous power.  

Moses’ fourth statement, in Exodus 4, is that he is not an eloquent speaker and that he is of slow speech and tongue. Stephen, in Acts 7:18-30, says that Moses was mighty in word and deed. Some commentators then come to the conclusion that Moses was therefore telling a lie when he said he was slow of speech. But God does not call Moses a liar. God does not get angry with Moses for his statement. Instead, God tells him that he will be with him and put the words in his mouth.

It is interesting that it was an ancient Jewish tradition that Moses could not pronounce b, f. m, p, or v. While Moses was highly educated, it does not mean that he could not have a speech impediment. While he may have had a speech impediment, he was highly educated. Therefore, when he did speak, he spoke with intelligence and with wisdom. He may have been one of those individuals that did not speak often - but when he did speak, people listened because they knew what he had to say was important.

Obviously, Moses should have acknowledged God's power and accepted God's assurance to be with him. It would seem that God's reply would indicate that indeed, Moses had a speech problem. God did not see that as a hindrance to the role that He had planned for Moses. God has the power to overcome any obstacle.  

You do not have to be an eloquent speaker today to spread the gospel. We have God's written word, the Bible. You can show people the Scriptures and direct them in reading it. No matter what your obstacle may be, you can find a way to help spread the gospel. Do not make your obstacle an excuse for not obeying God. Look for ways to work around it. 

Moses now says that God should probably get someone else who would be better for the job (Exodus 4:13). Now God gets angry. It is obvious that God's assurance to give him the words to speak is not sufficient for Moses. While Moses is extremely humble, at this point he has gone past being humble to having pity for himself. His reaction demonstrates a lack of belief in God to overcome his speech problem. How do we know this? Because God still does not call Moses a liar regarding the speech impediment.
 

Instead, God's reply now is to tell Moses that Aaron, his brother, speaks well. God will tell Moses what he wants said, Moses will then tell this to Aaron. Then, Aaron will speak publicly. Moses will not have to speak publicly when he first meets the Israelites. Nor will he have to speak publicly in front of Pharaoh. Moses will not be alone in presenting the messages of God.

Could God have made Moses the public speaker? Yes. Why did he not do that? I do not know for certain. But even in his anger, God's solution acknowledged that the speech problem was a real problem. Perhaps God knew that in time Moses would gain confidence in his abilities (with God's help) and would step forward with more courage to speak publicly. This is what happened, as Moses gave some very impressive speeches before he died. God was angry because Moses had doubt and tried to tell God what to do. But in his anger he still demonstrated patience and love for Moses. And though Moses doubted, he eventually became one of the greatest Bible characters.

Do not make excuses to not obey God. Everyone has some weaknesses that they can use as excuses. Each person should pray for wisdom in finding solutions to overcome obstacles. Each person should be looking for ways to help others overcome their obstacles to obedience.

I Do Always Those Things That Please Him
24th Jan 10 

On one occasion some Jews asked Jesus, "Who art thou?" (John 8:25). His answer was, "Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning." As Jesus continued His conversation with them, He declared, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29). What a statement! Let us break it down and consider each part of it. 

(1) "And he that sent me" This is an expression that we often read coming from the lips of the Messiah. Who is the One that sent Jesus? The same verse goes on to mention "the Father." Jesus had just told the Jews, ". . . but he that sent me is true" (8:26). John, the writer, then adds, "They understood not that he spake to them of the Father" (8:27). In another of John's inspired writings we read, "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world" (1 John 4:14). Thus, it is plain that the Father is the One that sent the Son.

(2) "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone" On the night of Jesus, betrayal, He told His apostles, "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me" (John 16:32). What a comfort it must have been to the Son to know that His heavenly Father was with Him "through thick and thin." What about faithful children of God today? We know that Jesus promised His apostles that He would be with them when they went to preach the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19,20). It is comforting, indeed, to know the Lord's promise to us, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). Of course, that promise is conditional. We are comforted to know that as we walk in the light, we have fellowship not only with other faithful saints of God, but also with the Godhead (1 John 1:3,7).

(3) "For I do always those things that please him" From the context of this statement, we learn that both what Jesus did and taught were in harmony with the Father's will. Jesus had earlier stated that He came down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will of Him that sent Him (John 6:38). Here is a lesson for each of us. God's will is revealed to us in the Bible. As we learn that will, it then becomes a matter of choice for us: we will either choose to live according to those things that please the Lord, or we will choose to do those things that please someone other than the Lord. Some strive to please other people. Others strive to please self. However, if we want to please the Lord, there is only one right choice: strive to please Him! Remember what Paul wrote about this: ". . . if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). What is it that true servants of the Christ do? They try to please Him.

(4) "For I do always those things that please him" Jesus not only knew what pleased the Father, and He not only talked about what pleased the Father. He actually did what pleased the Father! Many people know what the Lord desires. A whole lot of folks talk about what the Father desires. Knowledge and proper teaching are important, but they are of no value to our own relationship with the Lord unless we actually do what pleases Him. If the Savior counted it as essential in His earthly life to do what pleased the Father, then should not you and I count it as a serious, required course of action for us as well? Somehow Satan has convinced masses of religious people that striving to "do" the Lord's will is an evil concept. To many, "doing" the Lord's will (that is, keeping His commands) is legalism or evidence that one is trying to earn his/her salvation. The Bible teaches no such thing! The one that truly knows God is the one that keeps His word. The Bible says so (1 John 2:3-5). The one that is allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven is the one that does the Father's will. Jesus said so (Matthew 7:21). Thus, making a serious effort to do what pleases the Father is not a wicked thing at all. In fact, it puts one in pretty good company, for that is what the Christ did when He lived on the earth.

(5) "For I do always those things that please him" Jesus, commitment to doing the Father's will was continuous. It was a daily, ongoing, never-stopping course of action for Him. The second point that we noticed above from John 8:29 was the fact that the Father was with Jesus. Here is the Lord's own explanation of why that was the case: "For I do always those things that please Him." Brothers and sisters, if we want to be pleasing in God's sight, then we, too, must make a continuous effort "always" to do that which pleases Him. Surely none of us wants to be a part-time doer of the Lord's will. No, we want to know His will, then we want to do His will. When? "Always." Where? Wherever we are. I can remember my mother telling me on many occasions as I was planning to leave and go somewhere, "Be on your best behavior." For a child of the living God, our "best behavior" is doing the Lord's will. You cannot get any better than that, and you cannot have the best behavior without doing His will! When should you and I be concerned about doing what pleases Jehovah? It is not a Sunday only affair, my brethren. Regardless of the situation, let us all strive to imitate Jesus and "do always those things that please him." If that is the pattern of our life, we will not regret it in this life, nor will we regret it in the life to come.

Roger D. Campbell

Epitaphs God Wrote (Gal. 6:7)
31st Jan 10

INTRO: Sometimes I like to take a walk into the silent city of the dead. It is almost deathly quiet. When viewing the grave makers, you may wonder what the person looked like, what they did for a living, how hard a life they had, etc. Most of the time you wonder if they were Christians. The only light you can receive is the short epitaphs written by men.

As we read, it may be difficult to realize that one day someone will read our epitaph. Life is so short. It is like a vapor. James 4:14. Like a flower. 1 Pet. 1:24. Death is so certain. Heb. 9:27. We are somewhat concerned what man may say about us after death, but far more important is what will God write?

I. THE CUSTOM OF EPITAPHS CHANGE.

Tombstones once contained some statement of the person’s life and some verse of Scripture or poetry. Usually this writing expressed hope for the departed loved one.  Nowadays there are usually just the name and dates of the birth and death of the individual. 

II. GOOD EPITAPHS WRITTEN BY GOD.
The Bible contains many epitaphs; let us notice the good ones first.

“Went about doing good.” Acts 10:38. Written about Jesus. How wonderful. Would God write this about you or me? Are we too selfish to go about doing good? Jesus healed and helped.

“Full of good works.” Acts 9:36. Dorcas has a wonderful epitaph. She worked that which was good to help others; works that had a lasting effect. The evidence was garments and alms-deeds. Acts 9:39. How will ours read?

“Good man.” Acts 11:24. How many of us will have these things said about us as Barnabas did?

“Walked with God.” Gen. 5:24. How close Enoch must have lived with God. Also Heb. 11:5.

“Being dead yet speaketh.” Heb. 11:4. So obedient was Abel that his life still speaks. How will our life read when we are gone?

“Asleep in Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:17-18. These died faithful; such have hope in the resurrection. A heavenly body will be resurrected. Heaven awaits these. How will our epitaph read?

“Well done.” Matt. 25:21. The man with five talents used them well and was rewarded. How are we using our talent?

“Kept the faith.” 2 Tim. 4:6-8. Paul was faithful until death. He will receive the crown. Look at all he went through. Will it be said of us?

III. GOD WROTE BAD EPITAPHS AS WELL AS GOOD.

        “Betrayed Him.” Matt. 26:25. Judas.

“Sinned willfully.” Heb. 10:26. Man can turn away from God, he can reach the place that he can so willfully sin and be hardened that repentance is not possible. He is not effective any longer.

“Forsaken the right way.” 2 Pet. 2:15. Here are the epitaphs on the tombstones of those that are bondservants of corruption. How horrible to leave the right way after knowing it. How will yours read?

“Left first love.” Rev. 2:4. This is the trouble with many congregations; we lose that which first pushed us to really serve.

“Loved present world.” 2 Tim. 4:10. Demas forsook Paul, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the brethren. The love of the world was too strong. How will your epitaph read?

“Obeyed not the gospel.” 2 Thess. 1:7-9. Will you live a lifetime without obeying? Will this be your epitaph?

“Repented not.” Rev. 2:21. The church of Thyatira would not repent. How true of many of us today. Nothing can move us to repentance.

IV. HOW WILL YOUR EPITAPH READ?

God wants us to have a good one. Rev. 2:10. The goodness of God leads us to a good end. Rom. 2:4. We will reap as we sow. Gal. 6:7.

CONCL: If you were to leave this life in your current condition, and someone took a walk in the cemetery and flashed a light on your tombstone, what would your epitaph read?