Psalm 145:7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and JOYFULLY SING of your righteousness.

CELEBRATION AND PRAISE
Praise is the vocal, audible, and/or visible adoration of God; It is sing a new song of celebration to God.

I.  WHAT? SING A NEW SONG  (Psa. 98:1-3)
“Sing to the Lord a new Song ” (98:1)

1.  SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT – Song of Victory (:1)Song of Salvation (:2-3)

2.  CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD SONG AND THE NEW SONG

3.  SINGING THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED (Rev. 15:3)

II.  HOW?  SING WITH POWER: MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE (Psa. 98:4-6)

“Joyously sing” (Psa. 145:7b)

1. Biblical Celebration and Praise is Usually    “Noisy”

2.  Celebration and Praise  must have JOY at its bottom line

III.  WHO?  SING EVERYONE, EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, EVERYDAY ! (Psa. 98:7-9)

1.  SING – All of God’s People (:7), All of God’s Creation (:7-8)
2.  SING TOGETHER Celebration and Praise must be in community, not simply individual.
3.  SING BEFORE LORD. “.. Before the Lord; for He is coming (:9)

I WILL SING, SING, SING !

I WILL CELEBRATE: TOWARDS A LIFESTYLE OF CELEBRATION
(Psalm 145:1, 2, 7)
A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 7 & 8 January 2012

Psalm 145
1 I WILL exalt you, my God the King;
I WILL praise your name forever and  ever.
2 Every day I WILL praise you and extol your name forever and ever.
7 They CELEBRATE your abundant     goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

I.   CELEBRATION IS AN ATTITUDE – The “I WILL” Attitude
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his  body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. (1 Pet 4: 1)
1. Attitude Principles: Attitude is a CHOICE, is NOT dictated by CIRCUMSTANCES , are CONTAGIOUS
2. Festive Attitudes of Life:  Celebration as an Expression of – THANKFULNESS (Col. 3:15), GENEROSITY (1 Tim. 6:17,18)and JOY (John 15:11; Phil. 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16-18)

II.   CELEBRATION IS A DISCIPLINE
1.  Celebration is a COMMAND (Lev. 23)
2.  Celebration is EVERYDAY (Psalm 145:2)
3.  Celebrating the Moment -TODAY (Psalm 118:24)
4.  Celebrating ALL CIRCUMSTANCES  (James 1:2-4; Hab. 3:17, 18)

I WILL CELEBRATE !
in my Attitudes
as a Discipline

(Psalm 145)

A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 1 January 2012

CELEBRATE ! (:1,2)

A celebration is a visible validation of God’s faithfulness in the presence of saints and sinners alike.

Celebration is “Spirit-filled living that shows deep gratitude for the richness of God’s love and mercy. “

The practice of celebration is our expression of Joy (Phil. 4:4)

The Psalmist encourages us to Celebrate in each day (Psa. 118:24)

GOD WANTS US TO CELEBRATE BECAUSE:

1. Celebrations remind us of who God is (Psa 145:1-13a)

2. Celebrations remind us of what God has done (:13b-17)

3. Celebrations are a witness to unbelievers (:18-21)

I.  CELEBRATING WHO GOD IS  (Psa145:3-13a)

1.CELEBRATE GOD’S GREATNESS – HIS POWER (:3-6)

2.CELEBRATE GOD’S GOODNESS – HIS PERSON (:7-9)

3.CELEBRATE GOD’S GLORY – HIS PREEMINENCE (:10-13a)

II.  CELEBRATING WHAT GOD HAS DONE AND WILL DO (Psa. 145:13b-20)

4.CELEBRATE GOD’S GENEROSITY – HIS PROVISION (:13b-16)

5.CELEBRATE GOD’S GRACIOUSNESS – HIS PROVIDENCE (:17-20)

COME ON AND CELEBRATE ! (:21)

GOD IS ..

I WILL … CELEBRATE

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit
The Christian life is one of Transformation !

“Transformed”
1.    metamorphoo = “to change into another form, to undergo a complete change, to transform, to transfigure.”  An inner kind of change that affects character, moral behaviour etc.
2.    metaschematizo = a change in appearance or outward change

The Three Stages of Transformation:There is a beginning, a process, and an end or finished product

I.  WHERE TRANSFORMATION BEGINS
LIBERTY BEFORE TRANSFORMATION2 Cor 3:17-18
Reasons why people don’t change
A hardened mind – Their minds were hardened (2 Cor. 3:14a)
A darkened heart – A veil lies over their heart (2 Cor. 3:15b)

THE GOSPEL BRINGS CHANGE
REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM (Luke 3:3)
Repentance literally means a change of heart or a change of direction
Baptism is the first step in a new life with Christ that is full of changes. Rom. 6:1-14; 2Cor. 5:17

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John 3:7)
When Christ enters your life – He changes your Direction, Desires and Destiny

PRACTICAL CHANGE (Luke 3:4-14)
God wants the changes in our lives to be more than surface changes. God wants to change us from the inside out, so that what we do and say is a true reflection of who we are.

II.  THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION
1. God’s transformation process is a cooperative process.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18; NKJV)
2. God’s transformation process is a continuous progressive process.
“…are being transformed … from glory to glory” (NKJV)YOU ARE I.T. – In Transformation
3. God’s transformation process is a Christ-centered process.
“into his likeness with ever-increasing glory” (NIV)
4. God’s transformation process is a Spirit-empowered process.
“just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
The Christian life is not to be static, but a dynamic process
Transformation means you are not the person you used to be. You may not be who you should be, you may not be who you want to be, but thank God, you’re not who you used to be.

III.  WHERE TRANSFORMATION ENDS
And the biggest change of all…we can live forever…a promise of life everlasting with the God who loves us.
WE SHALL BE CHANGED (1 Thess. 4:13-17)
Because the tomb is empty…because Jesus did indeed rise from the dead…those of us who choose to be Christ followers will get to experience the resurrection…the new life everlasting with God! 1 Cor 15:35-44a And that new, resurrection, body will be amazing. That’s more than just a change. That is a Radical Transformation.

HE HAS TRANSFORMED OUR SPIRITS (Col 1:12-14)
HE IS TRANSFORMING OUR CHARACTER (Col 3:9-10)
HE WILL TRANSFORM OUR BODIES (1Cor 15:51; Phil 3:20-21)

CELEBRATE TRANSFORMATION
There is freedom to be celebrated!2 Cor. 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” So, Celebrate!
“A celebration is a visible validation of God’s faithfulness in the presence of saints and sinners alike. Celebration is “Spirit-filled living that shows deep gratitude for the richness of God’s love and mercy. “

REASONS TO CELEBRATE !(Psalm 145:1-21)
1. CELEBRATION REMINDS US OF WHO GOD IS (:1-13a)
2. CELEBRATION REMINDS US OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US     (:13b-17)
3. CELEBRATIONS ARE A WITNESS TO UNBELIEVERS (:18-21)

WHEN HEAVEN CELEBRATES  (Luke 15)
WHEN THE CHURCH CELEBRATES (Psalms 149)

Let’s Celebrate! This is a day of Celebration!! This is a day of New Beginnings!!!

I.  AN ASSURING HOPE: Hope is Certainty
Heb. 6:19“We have this HOPE  as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast”
Hope means Certainty.
Hope is a Promise.
“Hope is an expectation based on the promises of God.”

II. AN AUDACIOUS HOPE: Hope Never Dies
1 Pet. 1:3-6″Let us thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through His loving-kindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead….  With this hope you can be happy even if you need to have sorrow and all kinds of tests for a while. (NLV)

The Power of Hope – How it Empowers 1 Pet. 1:13-15; 1John 3:2-3

III.  AN ABOUNDING  HOPE: Hope Overflowing Rom 15:12-13

The Place of Hope – How can you get Hope?
Rom 15:12-13“May the God of (THE) HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may overflow in hope.”

PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD – THE GOD OF HOPE
Psa. 33:16-22; 147:11
Isa. 49:23; Lam. 3:25

THEY STAYED TO SERVE
(Gen. 46:6-7; 47:3-6)
A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 19 & 20 November 2011

I. THEY CAME WITH THEIR RESOURCES

“And they took their cattle, and their goods which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his seed with him” (Gen. 46:6). “And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks and their herds, and all that they have” (:32)

II. THEY SERVED WITH THEIR TALENTS

“Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, What is your occupation?” (Gen. 47:3 NET)
“… If you know of any highly capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock” (:6)
He brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters – all his descendants (46:7)

The Genealogy of Jacob (46:8-27). Capable People. All those named in Numbers 26 as heads of tribes or families are found in this listing of descendants in Gen. 46
The Blessings of Jacob (49:1-28).“Everyone according to his blessing he blessed them” (:28)

III. THEY WERE SHEPHERDS, AND NOT ASHAMED

“That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers …. for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians” (Gen. 46:34). “And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers” (Gen. 47:3)

THEY CAME, THEY STAYED, THEY SERVED
… AND THEY MULTIPLIED
Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number. Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. (Gen. 47:27-28)

I.  EGYPT AND POVERTY THINKING (Gen. 47:13-26)

SEVEN FORMS OF POVERTY
The Bible recognizes 3 Forms of Poverty:
1. Physical poverty (2 Cor. 8:13-14).
2. Poverty of spirit (Lk 6:20; James 2:5; Exo. 22:27)
3. Voluntary poverty (2 Co. 8:9; Phil 2:3-7)
Various Forms of Artificial Poverty:
4. Projected Poverty (Jas 2:15; Prov. 30:8-9)
5. Provoked poverty (Dt. 8:10-14).
6. Perceived poverty (Ex. 20:17; Dt 5:21)
7. Pretended poverty (Tim 3:14; 2 Th 3:10).

WHY THERE IS POVERTY
a. Injustice –Prov 13:23
b. Physical Problems – Mark 5:26
c. Sinful Living – Prov. 23:21
d. Laziness–Proverbs 14:23; 22:13
e. Wrong choices. Prov. 13:18|
f. Voluntary poverty – Mat 19:29

FOUR PROBLEMS WITH POVERTY THINKING
a. There is a presumption that anyone doing well financially must be doing something wrong or dishonest.
b. It exaggerates the role of sacrificial work.
c. They are extremely naive.
d. It can become a manipulative lifestyle.

POVERTY IS A LIE
Mat. 26:11 Jesus said, “The poor you will have with you always.”  Jesus was not condoning the existence of the poor; He was reminding us, with some considerable irony, that the poor are here because we have failed to keep God’s commands.
“However, there shall be no poor among you… (Deuteronomy 15:4-6).

II. ISRAEL AND PROSPERITY THINKING (Gen. 47:27)

FOUR ERRORS OF THE FINANCIALLY BLESSED
a. Taking credit for prosperity
b. Ingratitude
c. Guilt
d. Dependence upon prosperity

THE PROBLEMS WITH A PROSPERITY THINKING
a. Prosperity is a sign of God’s approval.
b. It produces guilt.
c. It creates wrong motives.

12 PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN PROSPERITY
Prosperity is not a right, but a privilege and a responsibility. God promised Israel prosperity if they would faithfully obey Him and keep His commandments (1 Kings 2:3; Deut 5:33)
1.THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRST FRUITS (Exo. 34:26a; Prov 3:9-10; Leviticus 27:30)
2.   THE PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP (1 Cor 4:2; 1 Pet 4:10 Mat 25:14,15,19-29 )
3.   THE PRINCIPLE OF SOWING AND REAPING (2 Cor 9:6-8; Lk 6:38; Mat 19:29)
4.THE PRINCIPLE OF PROVISION PLANNING (Pro 6:6-11; Gen 41:35-36)
5.THE PRINCIPLE OF PRIORITY(Mat 6:31-33; Pro 3:5-6)
6.The Principle of Making Good Decisions. (God Decisions) – Prov. 13:16; 21:5 Josh 1:8
7.The Principle of Diligence–  Prov 12:24, 27; 6:8; 10:4
8.   The Principle of Living in a Budget – Luke 14:28
9.The Principle of Saving and Investing – Prov 6:6-8
10. The Principle of Not falling into Debt
11.The Principle of Contentment – 1 Tim. 6:6
12.The Principle of Following the Direction of the Holy Spirit – Prov. 3:5 Romans 10:17

III. CHASING WEALTH OR CHOOSING PROSPERITY? (Gen. 47:28-31; 3 John 2)

THE ECONOMY: ENSLAVEMENT OR EMPOWERMENT?
(Gen. 47:13-31)
A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 29 & 30 October 2011

I.  THE ECONOMY OF EGYPT AND ISRAEL (Gen. 47:13-27)

1.  PHARAOH’S ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PLAN (ETP) (Gen. 47:13-26)
“Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”  (:15; Rev. 6:5-6; Prov. 23:4-5)
Joseph took control of their:Money (:13-14)Possessions (:15-17)Property (:18-20)Persons (:19; 21)Positions (:21)Production (:23-26)
Joseph did not suggest they sell their lands and bodies to Pharaoh, they did (47:18-19)

2. ISRAEL’S ECONOMIC MIRACLE (Gen. 47:27)
So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly (Gen 47:27).
But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them (Exo. 1:7).

II. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (Gen. 47:27-31)

1.  GOD vs GOVERNMENT (:25, 27)

2. LONG-TERM vs SHORT-TERM THINKING (:25, 27; 1 Cor. 15:32)

3. SOWING AND REAPING vs BORROWING AND TAKING (:25, 27)

Wesley’s Economic Plan:
Get all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can.

CARING FOR PEOPLE
(Gen. 47:7-27; 1 Tim. 5:3-8)

I.  THE PRINCIPLE: BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING
1. A Patriarch Blesses a Pharaoh  (Gen. 47:7, 10)
2. A Hebrew Destined to Save Many (Gen. 45:5-8; 50:19-21) “It was GOD …”

II.  THE ACT OF BLESSING/CARING (Gen. 47:11-26)

1. A GIVER: CARING FOR/BLESSING YOUR FAMILY (Gen. 47:11, 12)
RESPONSIBILITY: We can only give what we have
We are to care for our own, especially for our loved ones (1 Tim. 5:8)

2. A STEWARD: CARING FOR/BLESSING OTHERS (Gen. 47:13-26)
ACCOUNTABILITY:We cannot give away for free what we do not own.
No freebies or handouts here – Gen. 47:14, 20, 24.
The character and support of “Widows Indeed” or “widows who are really widows” (1Tim. 5:3, 5)
We are to care and provide for people who are really in need.

3. THE RESULTS: BLESSINGS MULTIPLIED (Gen. 47:27)

III.  HOW TO BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING (Gen. 47:27)

1. BUILD YOUR RESOURCES – Biblical Financial Management. (Prov. 21:20, NIV).

2. PROVIDE YOUR RESOURCES – Godly Stewardship (Proverbs 22:9; 1 Tim. 6:17-19)

MOVING INTO THE PLACE OF BLESSINGS
(Gen. 45:9 – 47:6)

A Message by Rev Dr Vincent Leoh on 25 September 2011

I.  MAKING THE MOVE: WHEN LIFE SENDS YOU MIXED MESSAGES  (45:9-28)

“Go down into Egypt”? (46:3) cf. Gen. 26:2-6
Jacob was “stunned” (45:27)

II. WHEN THE SPIRIT IS REVIVED, BLESSINGS FLOW (45:27, 28)

CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE!
No man has ever been so eager for death to come as Jacob. (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 45:28; 46:30). Why would this patriarch be so eager to die? Jacob’s confession to Pharaoh provides us with a clue to his preoccupation with death: “few and unpleasant have been the years of my life” (Genesis 47:9). Life was PAINFUL!

III. BEGIN AT BEERSHEBA, THE PLACE OF PROMISES (46:1-4)

Eight times the Old Testament uses the phrase “from Dan to Beersheba”

GOD’S PROMISES (46:2-4).
Principle #1: BEERSHEBA: No matter where you are at, stop and worship.
Principle #2. COVENANT: No matter what you go through, God is committed to you.
Principle # 3: GRACE: No matter what your needs are, God’s grace is enough.

III. GETTING GOSHEN  (46:5-47:6, 45:10)

The utmost care is given to seeing that the family is located in the land of Goshen. The meticulous details of Joseph’s instructions are followed exactly by his brothers. (Genesis 46:31-47:6). Pharaoh had already promised Joseph’s family the best of Egypt (45:18), but Joseph was careful to see to it that this became reality.

Why was getting Goshen such an important objective
First, Goshen must have been some of the best land in Egypt. That is what Pharaoh promised (45:18) and what he professed to give (47:6).
Second, it was located near enough to Joseph that he could see his family frequently (45:10).
By far the most important reason for settling in the land of Goshen was in order to keep his family isolated and insulated from the culture and religion of Egypt.

GOSHEN AND THE PURPOSES OF GOD (v. 3)
When we go into Egypt,
1. We SHALL BE BLESSED
2. We eventually GROW numerically.
3. We must do so TEMPORARILY.