The Lord Opened the Eyes of Balaam

 

Outline of Online Service 12^th September 2021

 

  The Lord Opened the Eyes of Balaam.  Num 22:31

Hymn 105:  Praising the Creator

 

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 111 – The Works of the Lord are Great

 

Bible Readings:

·       The Tower of Babel:  Genesis 11:1-9

·       The Talking Donkey:  Numbers 22:1-6, 20-35

·       The Creation Speaks:  Isaiah 40:25-31

·       Communicating in the Spirit:  Romans 8:22-27

·       Talking With God:  Matt 13:9-17

·       Hymn 99:  An Unspoken Word!

·        When God initially created people they all spoke the same language, but after the Tower of Babel languages were sent to divide the unity that existed

·        The Bible does not say whether people and animals used to speak verbally to each other, but they have had ways of communicating!

·        God used a talking donkey to awaken Balaam to His Presence

·        God continually communicates with us through His Creation, but do you hear, see and recognise Him?

·        The whole creation groans and travails waiting for the return of Jesus Christ to reconcile the World to God, including the fulfillment of the promise to receive everlasting life (without physical death) – the redemption of our body. (Rom 8:23)

Hymn 51:  How to be Ready

Doxology

He Shall Teach You All Things

 

Outline of Online Service 29^th August 2021

 

.. He shall Teach You all Things..  John 15:26

Praise through Singing

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 143–Taught and Led by God  

Catechism Questions – 285-286

Hymn 100:  Walking the Narrow Way

Bible Readings:

·       Personal Conviction:  Jeremiah 31 - extracts

·       Advice for Christian Living:  1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, 15-28

·       Prophecy of The End:  Revelation 1:1-3, 9-11, 3:17-22, 14:1-5  

·       Hearing From God:  John 14:23-27

Hymn 34:  Living in the Spirit

·        God has provided instructions on how we should live in the Bible 

·        God had provided details about His Plan for this World through the prophecies in the Scriptures

·        However, to understand and believe what is written each of us needs to develop a relationship with God’s Spirit

·        Whilst the words are necessary to convey the message, the meaning only comes when we are individually taught what it means by God

·        In these Last Days we look for fulfillment in the return of Jesus Christ, and seek to God to draw us to be of those who will sit with the Lamb on Mount Zion. 

Hymn 131 (First 3 verses):  A Personal Relationship

Doxology

The Lord hath Appointed Me to Preach

 

Outline of Online Service 8^th August 2021

 

.. The Lord hath Appointed Me to Preach..  Isa 61:1

Hymn 123:  Showing God’s Light

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 78:1-8 – Passing On the Message  

Catechism Questions – 278-280

Bible Readings:

·       God’s Commission:  Isaiah 61:1-6, 10-11

·       The First Missionary Appointed:  Luke 8:26-28, 35, 38-39

·       Apollos:  Acts 18:24-28

·       Barnabas and Silas:  Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3; 15:36-41; 16:25-34

·       Timothy:  Acts 16:1-2; 2 Timothy 1:1-7.

Hymn 90:  God’s Witnesses

·        God appoints whom He will to preach His Message   

·        Sometimes God selects people to share their own experiences, and sometimes to proclaim the Message as set out for all in the Scriptures

·        Once we are convicted of the Truth of God and His Ways, we will want to share our beliefs with others

·        Some may want to share the wonderful assurance of the resurrection, and others the hope of being alive until Jesus Christ comes back to this earth

·        We believe we are living in the time when we can seek to be preserved wholly in spirit and soul and body until that time, and be changed by the Power of God from mortal to immortal beings at His return. 

Hymn 51:  Seeing Clearly

Doxology

With Righteousness Shall He Judge

 

Outline of Online Service 11^th July 2021

.. With Righteousness Shall He Judge  Isa 11:4

Hymn 128:  Come, Worship Jehovah

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 95:1-11 -  Harden Not Your Heart

Catechism Questions – 270-272

Bible Readings:

·       God’s Judgement:  Isaiah 11:1-12

·       Judas Iscariot:  John 13:18-30

·       Caiaphas:  John 18:12-14, 24; Matthew 26:57-65

·       Pontius Pilate:  John 18:28-38

Hymn 22:  His Name Written on Their Hearts

·        These three people – Judas, Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate – all made judgement about Jesus based on what they knew and taking into account their own agendas

·        God’s servants will judge in accordance with God’s righteousness

·        How can we know that our thoughts are being directed by God, and our judgments are based on His Truth in our hearts

·        Each of us must seek to God to establish a relationship with Him and to know He is leading us in our own lives

·        As the end of this world grows closer there will be a greater need for us to judge righteously as we seek to be preserved in spirit and soul and body until the return of Jesus Christ to this earth

·       Hymn 30 – Tune 34:  Seeing Clearly

Doxology

Be Ye Also Ready - John the Baptist, and Mary and Joseph

 

Be Ye Also Ready  Matt 24:44

Hymn 102:  Trust in God

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 139:1-6, 14-17, 23-4 -  God Prepares Us

Catechism Questions – 256-258

Bible Readings:

·       Looking to God:  Isaiah 40:1-5, 12-14, 25-31

·       John the Baptist:  John 1:19-29

·       Mary and Joseph:  Matt 1:18-25

·       Be Ye Therefore Ready:  Matthew 24:36-51

Hymn 123:  Show Thy Presence in Our Lives

·        God has a Plan for this world, and nothing that happens is a surprise to Him!

·        God frequently reveals aspects of His Plan by way of prophecy, then fulfills it in due time, often with an early and latter dual fulfillment.

·        John the Baptist was the forerunner of the coming of the Messiah, but the prophecies relating to him can also apply to preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

·        Mary and Joseph were selected by God to fulfill many prophecies in Scripture without realising they were doing so.

·        Jesus spoke about His return and what we need to do to be prepared for it.

·        Are we willing for God to include us in His Plan relating to Jesus Christ’s return, and do we hold the hope of being preserved wholly to witness that great event?

·       Hymn 47:  Proclaiming His Return

Doxology

Trusting God in all Things

 

Trusting God In All Things  Psalm 37:5

Hymn 105:  Thanks and Praise to God

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 37:1-7 -  Trust in the Lord

Catechism Questions – 258-259

Bible Readings:

·       Daniel and His Friends:  Daniel 1:1-21

·       Three Men in the Fire:  Daniel 3:16-27

·       Daniel Given Understanding: Daniel 12:1-9

·       Unfeigned Faith:  2 Timothy 1:1-7

·       The Substance of the Vision:  2 Peter 3:1-4, 10-14

Hymn 118 – Tune 117:  God’s Power and Lasting Peace

·        Daniel and his three companions all trusted God, and they were prepared to commit their lives for the belief they held

·        Paul talked about Timothy’s faith, and explained how he had received it through his mother and grandmother

·        Today is Mothers Day in Australia, calling us to recognise the important role Mothers play in influencing the lives of children

·        It is likely that the faith held by Daniel and his friends was similarly nurtured in them by their mothers as they were growing up

·        The New Heavens (Jerusalem Above), for which we look, represents the Spirit of God the Mother (Gal 4:26) – the Holy Ghost – Who will teach and lead us to truly follow God 

·        Through the Power of God the Father and God the Mother, God’s people will withstand the lion (Satan) and be tried by fire (fire of purification) to prove that they have unfeigned faith in God

·        These will be preserved wholly - without physical death - to meet Jesus Christ when He returns to this earth.

·       Hymn 57:  New Heavens and Earth

Doxology

Samson and Samuel

 

Thou Art My Hiding Place  Psalm 32:7

Hymn 122 – Tune 115:  Human Nature!

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 32: Forgiveness, Deliverance, Guidance and Protection

Bible Readings:

·       Samson:  Judges 13:1-7, 24-5; 16:16-20, 28-30

·       Samuel:  1 Samuel 3:1-10; 12:1-5

·       Christian Liberty: Romans 14:1-4

·       Jesus on Judgement:  Matthew 7:1-6

Hymn 14:  Good News

·        Samson is a well known Bible character remembered more for what he did wrong rather than for what he did right!

·        Samuel, like Samson, was dedicated to God before his birth, but in his life he showed a Godly example for all to follow

·        Samson and Samuel were quite extreme compared to each other, but both servants of God

·        Paul, who had been putting Christians to death for their beliefs, was turned by God to become a great preacher

·        Each has to answer to God for what they do, and we have no authority to judge or condemn anyone for where we find them

·        Satan causes us to transgress God’s commandments, but when his power is taken away all will serve God

·        Let us seek to “hide” in God’s Spirit so that the need for forgiveness will be transcended, and we can be preserved wholly in spirit and soul and body until our Lord’s return.

·       Hymn 51:  Seeing Clearly

Doxology