OOPS! Series is on YouTube!

If you've been following my blog, I had a couple of posts about the series OOPS! Christians Got It Wrong About Christ. In fact, those were my first few posts! Well... if you want to get an even better feel of how mindset-changing the sermons are, you can now check them out on YouTube!!



For those whore are a bit lazy, I'm posting them here haha.... 
They are just short clips, but you will be able to see the full version of Part 2 on www.pastorhow.com/oops-series - go check it out!

In the meantime, here are some of the clips! you should just go to the Heart of God Church YouTube Channel (I also saw it at - "Pastor Tan Seow How's YouTube Channel") to go look at all of them. There's a playlist there so you don't have to search out the videos one by one!

Part 1



Part 2  (My favorite part!) - Why are Christians so judgmental? 
This was a eye-opening part of the series. I copied so many notes (and posted them in an earlier blog too haha) 


Part 4 - Rules vs. Conditions
I really liked this one too - it was something that cleared up a lot of questions in my mind about why there had to be rules --- coz a lot of my old friends used to think like church is just a bunch of rules and that God is out to make our lives difficult and miserable. I didn't feel that way in Heart of God Church, but I didn't quite know how to explain it until this sermon!


So, if you're looking for YouTube videos to watch these come highly recommended!

S.H.A.P.E. (Pastor Tan Seow How)

Last week's sermon was about discovering our S.H.A.P.E. - it was not a very long sermon and I don't think you want to know what was mine, so I'll keep it quick. 

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Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that "salvation is by grace through faith"
Ephesians 2:10 goes on to say that "we are God's workmanship, created for good works."

While we are not saved BY good works,
We are saved FOR good works.

God leaves us in the world so that we can love and serve people.
God not only prepared us, He also prepared good works.
God has a plan for us!!
God makes us exactly the way we are because there is a work that only we can do.
We are uniquely SHAPEd for a reason and purpose.
So, what is SHAPE? 


S - Spiritual Gifts

1 Peter 4:10-11
Romans 12:4-8 (NLT)

Our spiritual gifts are not for ourselves but to serve one another.

Different peope have different gifts.. Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leadership, Showing Kindness
Some gifts don't result in having a title but our gifts are for others.


H - Heart
What are your burdens? Passions?
What makes you sad? What makes you cry?

What are your interests? What do you love to do?


A - Abilities
What are you naturally good at? Talents? Skills? 
What is your training and education?
What is your work experience? 

A lot of people think that in order to serve in church you need to be a leader, give Bible studies or on the stage. That is not true.
God uses all kinds of abilities. You can serve in church no matter what your abilities are!


P - Personality
What is my personality like? And what ministry best suits my personality?

Are you...
Thinker / Planner / Hands-On
Extrovert / Introvert
Like People / Shy with people
Front line / Support / Back-end


E - Experiences
God can use your experiences, whether good or bad.
If you come from a good family, you can give young people an opportunity to experience what a good family is like.
If you come from a not-so-good family, you can empathize with others that come from a similar background

2 Corinthians 1:4
God comforts us... so that we can comfort others... 

Comforted people, comfort people

Many of us ask "why?" - why did this happen to me? 
But we should instead "what?" - what do You want me to do with my experiences?
It's not about finding the reason but finding the purpose....

Some people think they wasted their years..
Don't waste your wasted years.

Some of us have made bad decisions...
Don't dwell in your bad decisions...
Don't waste the mistakes and failures.. God is a God of redemption...NOTHING IS WASTED.

OOPS Series Part 5 (Pastor Tan Seow How)

Can't believe it! Last part of the series Oops! Christians Got It Wrong About Christ by Pastor How! The series went by really fast, but it sure made me think about what wrong things I've believed for so many years... I guess that's what Christianity is about, like the Bereans in the Bible who always tested what they heard against the Bible, I love how when I review the sermons and read the Bible things become so much clearer and I know what I need to grow in and change.... God's truly amazing. 

Anyway, here it goes!!
Last part... 

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OOPS SERIES PART 5 (by: Pastor Tan Seow How)


We misrepresent Christ because of wrong beliefs which results in wrong actions.

The cross is both vertical and horizontal. 
The vertical is our relationship with God.
The horizontal is our relationship with people.

Our vertical relationship with God is defined by FAITH.
Out horizontal relationship with man is defines by LOVE.


With God all we need to do is believe, to have faith. 
In Hebrews 11:6 it says that without faith it is impossible to please God

In John 13:34-35 it says that people will know we are Christians if we love one anther.

So, We should have faith in God and love each other. 
But most of us love God and put our faith in people. 

When you have faith in men, you will have disappointments from unrealistic expectations. People are not strong enough for us to anchor our faith on. They will make mistakes, change and disappoint us. God is constant and consistent, so the only one we can have faith in is God.

However, while people will disappoint us, we should still love them. 

Our vertical relationship with God is passive righteousness. Our horizontal relationship with Men is active righteousness. - Martin Luther

PASSIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS
When it comes to God, there is nothing we can do to make Him love us more. All we need to do is to believe. (Ephesians 2:8-9) We are righteous because of the finished work on the cross.

ACTIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS
With people we need to actively love and serve and care.
Romans 13:8 -- owe no one anything except to love one another.... 
If you love one another you have fulfilled the law.


Passive righteousness tells us that God does not need our good works.
Active righteouseness tells us that our neighbours do.

Some Christians are passive, passive. 
They think that because we don't need to do anything with God we also don't need to love and and serve others.

Some Christians are active active. 
These people love and serve but they are religious. They don't understand that they don't need to perform for God. They act as if the length of their prayers or their works will earn them priority with God.

It is finished on the cross so that we can begin on earth.

Luke 7:37-38,44-48 (NLT)
vs 47 - a person who is forgiven little shows only a little love
A person who has experienced the love of God much will love much

Loved people love people.
Forgiven people, forgive people.

1 John 4:19 (NLT) "we love because He first loved us."

Without experiencing the love Christ, we can never be able to love fully. 
We all can love to some extent but we would not be able to love unconditionally.

His love for us produces love from us.
We are objects of his love first, then we are transformed into His subjects who love.

2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT)
He comforts us... So that we can comfort others... Then we are able to give them the same comfort we have received.

Loved people love people.
Forgiven people, forgive people.
Comforted people, comfort people.





Pay Attention (Daniel Goh)

Sorry, this is coming late - I was trying to find a video that Daniel used in his sermon that I really thought was cool to illustrate his point.

I really like how Daniel preaches - it is simple but yet it makes you think about your life to see what adjustments. So, here it goes!


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PAY ATTENTION (Daniel Goh)

Your attention is one of the most powerful tools that God has given you.
Attention is like a camera focus. It is like shining a spotlight on something.

But the question is not whether you are paying attention because we are always paying attention to something. Check out this video. 



The real question is WHAT are you paying attention to? Because whatever you pay attention to will grow.


3 Areas That We Must Always Pay Attention To:

1. OTHERS

Luke 10:30-37
The Priest and the Levite saw the same thing as the Samaritan but the Priest and the Levite didn't pay attention to the wounded man at all. 

We must ask ourselves - Is there anyone around me that I can love surprisingly today? Show concern today? Share about Jesus with today?

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." 
             - St. Augustine

2. OUR HEART

There are 3 Kinds of Sight:
- HINDsight
- FOREsight
- INsight (the most important)

What is your heart?
Our heart is our thoughts, motives, values, desires and decisions 
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
Proverbs 23:7

The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Inside Van Halen's Technical Rider there was a note not to include Brown M&Ms. Many people thought this was because the rock bands of that time were demanding divas. But the reason they included it was because the Technical Rider was a very important document that outlined all the safety requirements. It was very thick and had a lot of details. Van Halen knew that if he spotted Brown M&Ms in the bowl, that there was a chance that people missed out other important details that could result in serious injury. 



It is the smallest thing that makes the greatest impact - a small speck offense, pride, jealousy - it is the small things left unchecked that become the big things in life. 
Do you have any Brown M&Ms in your heart today?

Don't let busyness take away from that place where we can evaluate our heart. 
Always bring these issues to God, so that He can change us. 


3. GOD
Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship. 
It is God's desire to speak to His children. Don't just speak to God, learn to listen to Him.

1 Samuel 3:1-4
Samuel grew up in a time when there was no widespread revelation but Samuel heard the voice of God and responded..

Mark 4:24 (NLT)


Pay close attention to what you hear

Easter Weekend at Heart of God Church


It's Easter Weekend! Can't believe the first quarter of the year has passed so quickly.
Easter services are always something to look forward to - this year we had a totally new GXT Video with new characters (although there was a cameo appearance of some old characters) and of course, in 3 / 6 services (including the one I went to) there was a segment dedicated to pay tribute to our founding father, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. I'll share all the stuff about Mr. Lee in another post (I know I said that last week), but here are my sermon notes as usual. 

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3 Things that Jesus Christ Taught Me (Pastor Tan Seow How)


1. Jesus taught me how to DREAM
    ... All things are possible
    ... To him who believes

Matthew 19:26 (NKJV) 
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

Mark 9:23 (NKJV) 
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 


2. Jesus taught me how to DARE
    ... I can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13)
    ... We do not need to be intimidated... if God is for us who can be against us

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) 
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 


3. Jesus taught me how to DIE
    ... Jesus died young. He was only 33. He did so deliberately because He thought about transition and succession... He said He had to go so that the Holy Spirit could come. 

John 19:30 (NLT) 
…He said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit

"It is finished" is very different from "I am finished"
... He released His Spirit - He had the power to choose when and where to release His Spirit. He is God so death doesn't overcome Him.
     
Real success is not what you achieve but what you set in motion.

Napoleon said at the end of his life.. 
“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I founded empires by Force.  
But Jesus Christ founded His empire by LOVE.  At this moment, millions of men would die for him.”

The reason the kingdom of Christ is still going strong is because of Love.

John 15:13 (NLT) 
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

Matthew 16:25 (NKJV) 
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 

Jesus taught us how to die and how to live, how to love, how to be selfless.

Government and administration can change a nation but only Jesus can change our hearts. 

*** There was a powerful story shared at the end of the sermon that really touched me... It was about this guy, Han Siang, who used to come from a background of gangs and gambling and smoking. He was marked by the police even in secondary school and lost like $7,000 in a few minutes of gambling. His mom was a Christian who was constantly praying for him even though he went wayward. 

Well, when he was at his lowest point wondering about what he was going to do with his life he came to Heart of God Church. Was really funny because he shared that the people made him feel so welcome and comfortable that he hung out with them playing games in a circle and he said "if my gang friends saw me they would think that I'm crazy" He really felt the peace of God and the love of people and his friends and leaders gave him the courage to quit smoking. Jiewei fasted with him and KS sent him encouraging messages just at the right time. He even quit his gang. 

Now his life is totally changed. He is helping other boys from similar background. He brings them out for family meals and spends time with them. He said something that really got me. He said, "I want to show them that if I can do it, they can do it too!" Love these kinds of stories... this is what Easter is all about I guess.