My pet peeves

I have several pet peeves, including people who smoke in front of me. Today, I am going to talk about something else – people who talk when they should not.

Rely on God and be firm

Rely on God and be firm

Pastor Dr Ling,  20/12/2009

1Sa 30:1-10  Now when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid against the Negeb and against Ziklag. They had overcome Ziklag and burned it with fire  (2)  and taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They killed no one, but carried them off and went their way.  (3)  And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.  (4)  Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep.  (5)  David's two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.  (6)  And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.  (7)  And David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.  (8)  And David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue."  (9)  So David set out, and the six hundred men who were with him, and they came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.  (10)  But David pursued, he and four hundred men. Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor.

1Sa 30:17-25  And David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled.  (18)  David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.  (19)  Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all.  (20)  David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, "This is David's spoil."  (21)  Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them.  (22)  Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, "Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart."  (23)  But David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.  (24)  Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike."  (25)  And he made it a statute and a rule for Israel from that day forward to this day.

Bad fortunes seemed to follow David. How did he face the  unfavourable situations?

Blessed Giving

Blessed Giving

Elder Ong

06/12/2009 1045

(Note: there is no evidence that tithing in the OT is renewed in NT.)

American’s giving is 2% of GDP, which is USD 307 billion (Malaysia’s GDP is USD 200 billion). 34% of the it is given to church.

Elder Ong shared on three periods in the OT: Patriarch, Law and Return from Exile.

Today, he is going to share from the NT – the teachings of Jesus and Paul.

There are three types of giving:

1.       Tithes – mandatory

2.       Alms – help the needy.

3.       Freewill offering