On the Fourteenth of May..

Alright, if you're a loyal visitor to this site, then you're already familiar with the drill of our Saturday nights. If you're not then...go read the older posts before this then come back once you get the gist of it :D I'm kidding, I'll break it down just for you.

We had our pre-service prayer led by Ps. Victor this week.

Prayer: An act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving.

We then lightened the mood with an ice breaker, also led by Ps. Victor.

Ice breaker: Something done or said to relax an unduly formal atmosphere or situation.

Lots of pushing and shoving this week. But of course, all in the name of fun :)

This week's game however, was meant for us (okay, most of us) to sit back, relax and laugh at cheer for the unlucky ones who had to "tail" themselves with a piece of cloth at their behind.

Point of the game was to try and grab the other person's "tail" while keeping yours safe from attack. It really is more entertaining in real life than it sounds here.

Attaching their tales to their um...pants.

Here's a small tip for those of you who play this game in the future: don't pin your opponent to the wall. You're never going to get that tail.

Another tip: When playing with the opposite gender, be very careful with where you put your hands x) Learn from Ben - grab the girl's head and just start shouting.

Spot the tail! Spot the tail! Spot the tail!

Next up, a short break before we entered a time of worship, led by Yan-Y.

Worship: The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed.

After giving the Lord our praise, Lester took over the mic for weekly announcements.

Announcement: public or formal notice announcing something.

1. Global Day of Prayer

It's coming soon!

Keep your calendars marked for 12 June 2011!
Be at the Komtar Dome at 7.30pm sharp for an amazing time of worship and prayer with God and a whole bunch of other believers.
If you want to see a change in our world and believe that we can make that change happen, then show up for GDOP! :)

2. RUNPEN 2011

Also coming soon!

What is RUNPEN? Run for Penang. It consists of people running, and praying WHILE they run.

Main point: To have fun running with each other while praying for our state and our country.

If you consider yourself a multitasker and if you love our dear Penang enough, then hopefully you already signed up for it cause the closing date was Saturday!

You could try begging our resident Sports Head, Gary Lee to let you run. BUT, don't be saddened if you can't join us in the run. You can still join us in PRAYER!

For those of you who signed up, here's a reminder: You are set to run on the 11th of June 2011!
Fees to join is RM25 which includes a free vest, and just so you know, your money will go to the funding of some community work :)

For more information, please contact Gary.

This is Gary.

3. EXCITING NEWS, Firebrands!

Our floorball team, Patriots have just been crowned Champions of Division 2, 2011!

As a special appreciation for our Floorball coaches, Gary Lee and Daniel Tan, the Patriots captain, Shaun and the new All-Star keeper, Nick presented them with medals of their own.

Congratulations, Patriots. All glory to God in the highest!

Now that we're done with that, we come to the highlight of the night.

Introducing the speaker, small in size but big in his faith in God, JAMES TAN!

Centered about 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, James shared about What God's Will Is For Us.

And what it is is SANCTIFICATION.

Sanctification: a religious ceremony in which something is made holy.

What is it to be made holy?
You can try to live a blameless life but your life is not holy unless the Holy Spirit is in it.

³ It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; (1Thessalonians 4:3, NIV)

What is sexual immorality?
Fornication - lusting after something sexually that we do not own or are not given.

This applies to everyone.

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24, NIV)

² But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2, NIV)

Why do we need to live a life that is pure/that is free from sexual immorality?
-Sexual purity pleases God.

¹ As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1, NIV)

We are here to do God's will. Part of His will is sanctification.

⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’” (Hebrews 10:7, NIV)

He is coming back. He is expecting a bride that is pure and spotless. But he will not come until we are ready. We need to prepare ourselves for when He comes. When He comes, He will come with power and judgement. And whoever is not ready will be left behind.

We must always honour others in this area: sexual purity.

When we live in sexual purity, it is for the good of someone else.

Christians LOVE people, they do not USE them.
This is what Christians do:

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28, NIV)

We must honour: ourselves, our friends, our family and our community.
How: by living uprightly and not using them.

⁶ and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. (1 Thessalonians 4:6, NIV)

Christians should love to hate sexual immorality just as God does.
We know that God forgives, but out of our love for God, why would we do anything to hurt Him in the first place?

Think. And remember 1 Thessalonians 4:6!

p.s. sorry about the weird font changes in this post! I always hated html codes.