International Ministry of Praise & Worship

07/19/2023

*Be fully satisfied. Quench your thirst with eternal life-giving spring!*

*John 4:10, 13-14*
*”Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”*

‭‭ If you would like to listen to this message, please click the link below:

https://youtu.be/FEScpWi8eyg

Let’s explore the incredible power of the everlasting water of life from the spring of life.

Often, we feel a deep thirst within us that nothing seems to satisfy. But fear not! Today, we will delve into the amazing gift of eternal life and how it can quench our unending longing for fulfillment.

In this world, we often find ourselves feeling dry and longing for something more. We search for happiness in things that only bring temporary joy, leaving us wanting more. These things can't truly satisfy our soul's thirst, and we're left feeling unsatisfied.

Good news! God offering in our verse today is a special kind of water (Jesus the Word Of God), the water of life. This water isn't like the others—it never runs dry. It can truly fulfill us and bring us everlasting satisfaction. It's an amazing gift from our loving Creator.

When we drink from the Spring of life, it does something incredible within us. It becomes like a bubbling spring flowing endlessly within our hearts. It brings us nourishment, renewal, and eternal life that can quench our deepest longings.

As we accept and embrace this gift of the water of life, it changes the way we see the world. We discover a higher purpose and understand the eternal impact of our existence. With God's guidance, we can face challenges with strength and compassion, knowing that we have the promise of eternal life within us.

Let's not keep this amazing gift to ourselves! We have the opportunity to be like springs of the water of life, offering it to others in need. Our words and actions can reflect the transformation that comes from this divine provision. Let's share the fulfillment we've found, guiding others to quench their eternal thirst as well.

Let's continue to seek and drink from the never-ending spring of eternal life within us. Let's embrace the water of life and let it transform us, guiding us on the righteous path with the help of the Holy Spirit. Together, we can spread the joy, nourishment, and promise of everlasting life to a world that's thirsty for something more. May we always find satisfaction in this life-giving water, knowing it brings us never-ending fulfillment.

*Promise*: “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

*Prayer*: Dear Lord Heavenly Father mighty wonderful God. Lord, we come before You today with hearts full of gratitude for the incredible gift of eternal life that You have bestowed upon us. We are in awe of the power of the everlasting water of life that flows from the spring of Your love.

We acknowledge that in this world, we often feel a deep thirst within us that no earthly thing can satisfy. We confess that we have sought fulfillment in temporary pleasures, only to be left wanting more. But today, we humbly come to You knowing that You have the answer to our unending longing for true satisfaction.

Lord, we thank You for offering us the water of life through Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God. We recognize that this water is different—it never runs dry. It has the power to truly fulfill us and bring us everlasting satisfaction. We are grateful for this amazing gift from our loving Creator.

As we drink from the Spring of life, we ask that You do something incredible within us. Let this water become like a bubbling spring flowing endlessly within our hearts. Fill us with Your nourishment, renewal, and eternal life that can quench our deepest longings.

We open our hearts to accept and embrace this gift of the water of life. Change the way we see the world, Lord. Help us discover our higher purpose and understand the eternal impact of our existence. With Your guidance, give us the strength and compassion to face challenges, always knowing that we have the promise of eternal life within us.

Father, we don't want to keep this amazing gift to ourselves. Teach us how to be like springs of the water of life, offering it to others in need. Let our words and actions reflect the transformation that comes from this divine provision. Use us as vessels of Your love, guiding others to quench their eternal thirst as well.

We commit ourselves to continue seeking and drinking from the never-ending spring of eternal life within us. Help us fully embrace the water of life and allow it to transform us, guiding us on the righteous path by the power of the Holy Spirit. Together, we want to spread the joy, nourishment, and promise of everlasting life to a world that is thirsty for something more. In Jesus’s Holy Name, I pray Amen.

Have a blessed day!

09/01/2021

09/01/2021

*Sing praises to the One who is worthy of everything!*

*Psalm 19*

Psalm 19 is the revelation and acknowledgment of God’s existence, character, will, and plan to the whole humanity.
David first reflects on God’s self-revelation in the sky and stars (Psalm 19:1). Every millisecond of their existence proclaims their creation by a powerful God with an eye for beauty (Psalm 19:2). Their message about God goes to every corner of the earth (Psalm 19:4a).
David then bursts into a song of thankfulness for God’s law (Psalm 19:7). God has not left the duty of revealing who He is to the stars. He takes that responsibility on Himself. God speaks to the world in a way stars never could (Psalm 19:3). Using human words, God reveals Himself in His Law.
No wonder David rejoices over the Law (Psalm 19:8). It is in the Law that he can meet God! That is why David says the Law is more precious than gold and sweeter than the honey (Psalm 19:10). It is the self-revealing voice of God.
There is one more reason David is thankful for God’s self-revelation in the Law. It teaches him how to live the way God wants him to. The Law offers warnings that keep him from harm and commands that lead to reward (19:11).
Finally, David asks God for forgiveness for the sins in his heart he can’t perceive and for restraint against the more blatant sins he tries to fight (Psalm 19:12-13a). His goal is to be blameless, like the God who reveals Himself to Him (Psalm 19:13b).

The New Testament picks up on the idea that creation reveals God to the world. God’s existence and power are clearly shown in the cosmos (Romans 1:20). But that self-revelation means that everyone on earth is also responsible for how they’ve responded to the God who reveals himself in nature (Romans 1:18).
Most of us act as if God does not exist. We live godless lives. We assume we’re our own gods and live however we choose (Romans 1:22-23). And in God’s justice he lets us pursue our own destruction (Romans 1:18).
Like David, we need to cry out for forgiveness for the times when we fall short of God’s revealed character in creation and in his Law. But the good news: God has answered that cry for forgiveness in his greatest act of self-revelation.
More than creation and more than the Law, Jesus is the full and final self-revelation of God (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is God himself in the flesh. If we want to know what God is like, we need look no further than Jesus, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). In him, “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell” (Colossians 1:19).
And this fullness of God’s self-revelation died on the cross for both our secret and blatant sins. And because of that sacrifice, we who treated the gold of God’s revelation as if it were worthless and the honey of God’s Law as if it were tasteless, get to receive a forgiveness we do not deserve.

*Promise*: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

*Prayer*: Dear Lord Heavenly Father mighty wonderful God. Lord, thank You that You began this amazing work of grace in the soul of each believer. You knew each one of us before we were formed in our mother's womb, and You scheduled each day of our lives. In Your grace and mercy, You will perfect and complete the good work that You began, to our eternal benefit, and to Your eternal praise. In Jesus’s Holy name I pray Amen.

Have a blessed day!

08/29/2021

*Deliverance from your adversaries.*

*Psalm 17.*

Deliverance from our enemies often requires help that will protect us from evil or cunning planning and deadly strikes. Psalm 17 is David’s plea to his God, and his creator for deliverance from his foes(Psalm 17:1). David calls out on his God to save him from a wicked attack (Psalm 17:9).
He has an unshakable belief that his God will save him because of his innocence. He reminds God that he has been tested and his heart, lips, and actions are without fault (Psalm 17:3).
It’s significant that David starts with his heart and then moves to outward actions. He is saying that even his intentions, motivations, and affections are perfectly in line (Psalm 17:5).
David prays like this because he knows God will always vindicate what is right (Psalm 17:2). God always upholds justice for those who seek Him. He will always give victory for the righteousness in the end (Psalm 17:7).
However, from worldly perspectives, it doesn’t always seem that way. It sure didn’t appear true in David’s time either. There are arrogant, wicked men/women who seek and are ready to wrongly devour us like David by Saul, his own son, and his other enemies (Psalm 17:12). When the wicked are rich, it is easy to feel like David’s innocence is worthless.
But David presented an important distinction between himself and the wicked. He says that the wicked’s portion is in this life (Psalm 17:14). They are satisfied with the inadequate benefits this world can offer—benefits that will be gone when they die (Psalm 17:14c).
On the other hand, David has a more glorious portion waiting for him. He will behold the face of God (Psalm 17:15a). He will look at the perfect character, righteousness, and justice of God and His likeness will bring perfect satisfaction (Psalm 17:15b).
This is what David hopes to see when he awakes. He looks forward to a day beyond the grave, when he will be resurrected into the presence of God.

Many Christians today are also saved by innocence. However, this innocence doesn’t come from us; instead, it directly comes from Jesus. He is far more so than David, He presented His perfect innocence before God in every way—in his heart, lips, and actions. What was true of David’s innocence in this one instance, is true of Jesus eternally.
But when wicked men sought to devour Him like a lion, Jesus did not appeal to His own innocence so that God would rescue Him (Matthew 26:53). Unlike David, Jesus didn’t even defend His own innocence when questioned by those who were sending Him to death (Matthew 27:12). Instead, innocent Jesus was called guilty so that we who are guilty can be called innocent under His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
When we call out to God and trust that Jesus’ innocence is available to us, we will not only be saved from our enemies (like David), but we will also see God’s face (Revelation 22:4). Let’s focus on His righteousness and use His innocence to defeat our enemy not by rage but through perfect love and sweet blessings to save him and bring him closer to salvation.

*Promise*: “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”

*Prayer*: Dear Lord Heavenly Father mighty wonderful God. Lord, I pray to receive my deliverance from my ultimate foe, May your innocence and righteousness become earthquakes and perfect storms in the camp of the devil that is against my life, equip me with the Holy Spirit in me to go against the powers that are against my intellectual growth, all sickness in my life known or unknowns that brings me down. May all my challenges receive heavenly storm, all conspiracy against any part of my body receive full destruction, and I will become victor over all my foes. May Your Holy name be glorified. In Jesus’s Holy Name, I pray Amen.

Have a blessed day!

04/04/2021

Come see and Go Tell.

Matthew‬ ‭28:7
“Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

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Happy Resurrection Sunday to all my Facebook friends and family. The way when God split the time. Cross was the tool. With it, God split the time itself in half. At the cross, One Age Ends with Words of apparent defeat from Jesus’ lips: “*It is finished.*” Another begins with Two Commands: “*Come see*,” and “*Go quickly and tell others!*”. How can we better reflect the urgency of Christ’s command? The answer is: By reaching out to the Holy Spirit asking for help analyzing our priorities that our actions and our attitudes can reveals. Recommitting ourselves to quickly obeying the Great Commission with perseverance. I wish you all the best start of newness in Christ.

Promise: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Prayer: Dear Lord Heavenly Father, mighty wonderful God. Lord, Thank You, Father, what an astonishing lesson to learn from the wonderful story of the resurrection, where the tears of the women and the doubts of Christ's disciples caused them to forget the truth of Your Word and the glorious gospel of Christ - His sacrifice for sin and His victory over death. I pray that I will not allow the emotions of my heart, the imaginations of my mind, and the difficulties of life's circumstances to eclipse the truth of Your word; or overshadow the many precious promises that are ours by faith in Him. May I stand on the truth of Scripture; obey Your commands; trust Your promises and never forget that Your Word is steadfast; sure; living; powerful; sharper than any double-edged sword and cannot be broken. I pray that with every passing day, I would stand fast on its truth and not be shaken. Father, for Your wonderful words of comfort and peace. I pray that in all the trials and tribulations of life, which seem to be mounting with each passing day, that my heart and my mind will rest in You so that Your perfect peace will carry me through all my difficulties, and I bring all my praises and glory to You. In Jesus’s Holy Name, I pray Amen.

Have a blessed day!

10/18/2020

Covenant Life Church's Online Sunday Service – October 18, 2020 on Church Center.