Daniel - The Wise Shall Understand

Outline of Service 30^th March 2025

Wisdom:  Growing Closer to God

Daniel – The Wise Shall Understand

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A Musical Item

 

Hymn 81:  Understanding God’s Plan

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 104:31-35– I will be glad in the Lord  

 

Bible Readings:

·       Favour with the King:  Daniel 1:5-21

·       God’s Wisdom Revealed:  Daniel 2:13-24

·       Daniel’s Wisdom Later Recognised:  Daniel 5:9-16

·       The End times:  Daniel 12:1-13

·       The Victory to be Gained: Revelation 19:1-10

·       The Kingdom Prepared:  Matthew 25:31-34

 

Summary of Readings

§   Daniel was taken captive to Babylon when just a teen-ager, but was selected as one of the brighter students and offered special training

§   Although Daniel was trained in the ways of the Babylonians, he retained his personal relationship with God and the ways in which he grew up

§   Daniel was recognised as being wise, and as having wisdom by the king, and later by the king’s son

§   Through Daniel God revealed a lot about the kingdoms that would rule in this world through the ages

§   The ultimate Kingdom to be established will be the Kingdom of God on Earth in the last days – which Kingdom was planned from the foundation of the world

§   Those who are wise today will be seeking to develop a relationship with God, and to present themselves wholly to Him in spirit and soul and body, to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ to this earth to establish God’s Kingdom here.

 

Hymn 125:  Interpose, and Cleanse and Clothe

 

Message

 

Hymn 6: Sing Praise to the Creator

 

Doxology 

Wisdom From Four Little Animals

 

Wisdom From God:

Wisdom - Lessons from Four Little Animals  

Hymn 105: Sing Praise to the Creator

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 119:137-144 – Small and Despised – Give Me Understanding  

 Bible Readings:

·       Four Little Animals: Proverbs 30:24-28

·       The Ants - God’s Guidance: Proverbs 6:6-11

·       The Conies – God’s Protection:  Psalm 18:1-3

·       The Locusts - Community and Cooperation: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

·       The Spider – Being Directed by God: Philippians 4:4-13

·       God’s Power and Greatness: Isaiah 40:12-31

·       The Wisdom and Knowledge of God: Romans 11:33-36

 Summary of Readings

§   There are many examples of God’s Wisdom in the world around us

§  In Proverbs chapter 30 we are told about 4 little animals created by God, and given instinctive attributes which could apply in our lives that show His Wisdom,

§  The ant depends on guidance from God, the conies (little rabbits) depend on God for protection, the locusts survive by all working in unity, and the spider just goes about its work as directed by God without being influenced by others

§  God’s Wisdom is far beyond our understanding, but in these animals we find wise principles for life

§  God presents us with a hope to seek to be preserved in spirit and soul and body until the return of Jesus Christ to this earth

§  May God give us a desire to seek and to follow Him with the same passion as these little animals have in living their lives!

 Hymn 104:  God is Our Refuge

Message

Hymn 26:  God’s Plan for Our World

 Doxology

The Routine of Life - The Benefits of Being Diligent

 

Outline of Service 23^rd February 2025

The Holiday Season: Back to Work - The Routine of Life

The Benefits of Being Diligent

Faith – like a Continuing Holiday; God does the work, and we get a reward.

 

Hymn 102: Trust and Obey

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 

Psalm 33:12-22 - God directs the Outcomes  

 Bible Readings:

·       What NOT to Do – and Why: Proverbs 6:6-11,

·       God Delights in Diligent People: Psalm 37:22-40

·       Our Duty in Life:  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

·       Faith – the Foundation Stone: Hebrews 11:1-7

·       The Master is Watching: Revelation 22:7-17

 Summary of Readings

§   Why should we always be neat and tidy? There is a benefit in always trying to do the right thing

§   God delights in the actions of good people, but does not reward those who do not make an effort to do the right thing

§   Our duty in life is to fear God and keep His commandments

§   Note, however, through faith we are saved by grace, but receive a reward based on our actions – even though it is God that has done those actions in us

§   God’s rewards vary as the sun, moon and stars – we can seek to Him for a reward in the resurrection, or in preservation of spirit and soul and body without physical death, at Jesus Christ’s return. 

 Hymn 24:  Standing for The Truth

Message

 Hymn 59:  The Promised Rest

 

Doxology

Naomi and Ruth - A Planned Sojourn

 

Outline of Service 26^th January 2025

Holidays and Journeys

Naomi and Ruth – A Planned Sojourn

A certain man went to sojourn in the country of Moab.  Ruth 1:1

 

Hymn 119: Join in Worship to God

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 

Psalm 89:1-7 - God’s Greatness …  

 

A Talk on Friendship – John 15:14

 

Some thoughts on Naomi and Ruth

 

Bible Readings:

·       A Chosen Sojourn, with Detours: Ruth 1:1-22

·       Finding the Right Destination:  Hebrews 11:8-16

·       Perseverance: Hebrews 12:5-13, 22-24

 Summary of Readings

§   This topic is about Naomi’s Sojourn, Ruth’s Journey, and in an allegorical sense it is also more broadly about our sojourn here on this earth

§   Because of a famine Elimelech, Naomi and their sons chose to leave Israel (their spiritual home) to sojourn in Moab (a land with a different culture and God)

§   The many “detours” on the journey left Naomi in Moab with 2 daughters-in-law and no family support

§   Ruth, one of the daughters-in-law, developed a strong friendship with Naomi and insisted on taking the journey back to her late husband’s birthland

§   Our life on this earth is a sojourn from our spiritual home to a physical realm where our spirit receives a body and a soul

§   Most return to the spiritual realm with a spirit and soul only, but there is a hope to retain the three components – spirit and soul and body –when Jesus Christ returns to this earth.  

 Hymn 100:  True and Living Bead

Message

 Hymn 102:  Joy In God’s Presence

 

Doxology

Reasons to Celebrate - The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost

 

Outline of Service 15^th December 2024

Reasons To Celebrate

       The Feast of Weeks – Pentecost      

. John 2:21

Hymn 3:  God’s Appointed Time

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 146:1- 10 – Put TRUST in God  

 Bible Readings:   

Shavuot:

·       The Feast of Weeks:  Deut 16:9-12

·       The Day of the Firstfruits:  Num 28:26-31; Lev 23:15-22

·       The Feast of Harvest:  Exod 23:16-17, 20-22

·       The Day of Pentecost:  Acts 2:1-4, 14-21

Ruth and Shavuot: Ruth 2:1-3, 14-23

The Final Harvest:  Matthew 13:36-43 

 Summary of Readings

§   The Celebration is known as The Feast of Weeks (Lev 23), The Day of the Firstfruits (Num 28:6), The Feast of Harvest (Exo 23:16) and Pentecost (Acts 2:1)

§   It is known by the Jews as Shavuot, and is celebrated 50 days – a week of weeks plus one day – after Passover

§   Fifty days after they left Egypt was also the day on which Israel received the Ten Commandments, and God commenced giving the Law to Moses (The Torah)

§   The most significant record of the Celebration in the Old Testament is in the story of Ruth, and Ruth and Boaz may have been married on that Day

§   In the New Testament, in Acts Chapter 2, there is a record of celebration of The Day of Pentecost

§   The purpose of The Feast was to thank God for the Harvest He had just given, which for us, is a figure of thanking God and celebrating His blessings as we travel year by year through this life 

§   The great celebration will be the Harvest at the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, when those who are preserved alive in spirit and soul and body will be changed from mortal to immortal beings.  (1 Thess 5:23)

 Hymn 46:  Signs and Seasons

Message

 Hymn 123:  The Old Prophetic Fire

 

Doxology

The Temple - Herod's Temple and Jesus Glorified

 

Outline of Service 24^th November 2024

O! Israel Praise The Lord

The Temple – Herod’s Temple and Jesus Glorified

He spake of the Temple of His Body. John 2:21

 

Hymn 127: Praise The Lord

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 

Psalm 103:1-8 –– Be Thankful to God for His Mercies …  

 

Bible Readings:

·       Israel Praises The Lord: Various

·       Herod’s Temple and Jesus: John 2:12-22

·       Jesus Christ in Revelation:  Revelation 1:12-18

 

Summary of Readings

§   The Tabernacle was a place where God met with His People – a figure of His Spirit for us to dwell in as we travel through the “wilderness” of life in this world

§   The Ark of the Covenant signified God’s Presence and Holiness 

§   The Temple is a place where God has said He will dwell with His people, leading to statements like Paul made, Know ye not that your body is the Temple of God – speaking of what was to come.

§   Jesus clearly likened His body to The Temple, which the disciples realised later, when he was crucified and rose from the grave.

§   Revelation gives us a glimpse of the glorifies physical body of Jesus Christ.

§    For our body to truly become the Temple of God He must overcome the evil in us, and we must be preserved wholly in spirit and soul and body at the return of Jesus Christ.

 

Hymn 134:  Raise Your Voices in Praise to God

Message

 

Hymn 59:  All Creation Will Praise God for His Goodness

 

Doxology