Defeating Depression

Defeating Depression
Ps Philip Kao
Psalm 42
29 July 2007

View the Defeating Depression

RENEWING THE INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP

Author: Matt Redman

With worship leading it’s not “what you know”, it’s “who you know”. I’ve been reminded of that recently. After a busy few months I found myself a victim once again of the Martha syndrome – so busy with the preparations and serving that I’d somehow neglected the better thing – sitting at the feet of Jesus, just being devoted to Him, as Mary did. (Luke 10:38-42).

Don’t get me wrong; I still knew how to raise my hands in the air, I could still remember the words, chords and melodies of the songs… but it’s so easy for these meaningful expressions of a heart full of worship to become empty outward habits. It’s not what you know – any knowledge or experience of worship or worship leading that may have been gained means nothing at such a time. It’s who you know. I want every word and every note to be an expression of relationship with God.

Worship in its truest form is about relationship. In the Westminster Shorter catechism the definition of the chief end of man is “To glorify God and enjoy Him forever”. Firstly, to glorify in other words is to respond to this wonderful God with our lives, our deeds, our thoughts, our words and our songs but also to enjoy. He has called us to an intimate relationship with Him. It would be an honour in itself to stand from afar and revere this King of Kings with songs of praise. Yet He has called us to something even deeper… intimacy with Him. This is the King of Revelation chapter 1 who in v.16 is described majestically as holding the seven stars in his right hand, and then in the very next verse is drawing near to John, touching him with the same right hand and offering the comfort, “Do not be afraid.” Described is a King worth being afraid of, and yet whose intention here is clearly not to promote fear, but relationship.

Strangely enough, this “reverence” and this “intimacy” are not contradictory, but instead actually complement each other. In the New Revised Standard translation, Psalm 25:14 tells us “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him.” Indeed, in our relationship with Jesus, the more we revere Him, the more we realise the wonder of the closeness that he has invited us to.

I want to know this King and this friend as deeply as I can. And I find the more I know Him, the more I want to worship. The more He reveals Himself to me, the more my heart cannot help but respond. Sometimes when things grow a little cold, it’s simply because I haven’t been putting myself in a place where I can receive this kind of revelation from God. I need to spend time reading his word afresh, and trying to listen to Him.

In a place of having lost his first love, the late poet and hymn writer William Cowper, asked, “Where is the blessedness I knew when I first saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view of Jesus and his word?” What a wonderful way of expressing our desire to become consumed again with Jesus, the reason for it all.

Many of us as worship leaders and those involved in worship teams, will now and again find ourselves in a place where we have somehow lost some of our focus. Maybe we’ve been giving too much output without enough input. Maybe we’ve become so busy that we’ve become distracted. I’ve met so many musicians this year in that place, and I’ve been there myself. The main thing is that we need to get back to the heart of it all. Sometimes it’s good to drop a few things for a while to give yourself some space to re-focus.

God is calling you back to the place of friendship. In John 15:15 Jesus tells his disciples “I no longer call you servants, but friends”. Now, of course we are still meant to serve Him, but the indication here is that the relationship God calls us to goes well beyond that a servant. Indeed, as Jesus goes on to say, “A servant does not know his master’s business”. God is calling us, as His friends, deeper than a servant could ever go. Perhaps some of us as worship leaders have become dry, and settled for the role of “servant”. Perhaps our leading has become a little mechanical. It’s time to renew the intimate friendship.

Do what you must, as soon as you can. Because, in the end, with worship leading it’s not about what you know; it’s all about who you know.

The Battle Above Us

The Battle Above Us
1 Peter 5:8-10
Pastor Simon Ang
14 July 2007

Discernment is the ability to not look at something but to see through it.

4 Kinds of spirit
· The Holy Spirit
· The Human spirit
· Angels
· Demon spirits

- 2 Corinthians 2:11
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
- Ephesians 6:12
- Leviticus 17:7

1. Distract Us
To distract us is to lure us off course
- Luke 4:1-13


2. Deceive Us
- John 8:44
- 2 Corinthians 4:4
- Matthew 24:4-5
- Proverbs 4:23
- 1 Timothy 4:1

3. Divides Us
- Ephesians 4:3; 26-27, 30 - 32

4. Discourage Us
- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

5. Depress Us
Oppress means there is a power that has come against us and has taken control over us

6. Denigrate Us
They put us down. They condemn us.

Three Things to overcome this spiritual battle

1. Discern
- Be spiritually alert to what happening in your life.
- Watch and pray.

2. Defend and Attack
- Spirit of Nehemiah, who was a protector.
- Spirit of David, who was a pursuer.

3. Dedicate yourself to the Lord
- The enemy is after our faith

My Utmost For His Highest

July 11, 2007
The Spiritually Vigorous Saint

. . . that I may know Him . . . —Philippians 3:10

A saint is not to take the initiative toward self-realization, but toward knowing Jesus Christ. A spiritually vigorous saint never believes that his circumstances simply happen at random, nor does he ever think of his life as being divided into the secular and the sacred. He sees every situation in which he finds himself as the means of obtaining a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ, and he has an attitude of unrestrained abandon and total surrender about him. The Holy Spirit is determined that we will have the realization of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives, and He will bring us back to the same point over and over again until we do. Self-realization only leads to the glorification of good works, whereas a saint of God glorifies Jesus Christ through his good works. Whatever we may be doing— even eating, drinking, or washing disciples’ feet— we have to take the initiative of realizing and recognizing Jesus Christ in it. Every phase of our life has its counterpart in the life of Jesus. Our Lord realized His relationship to the Father even in the most menial task. "Jesus, knowing . . . that He had come from God and was going to God, . . . took a towel . . . and began to wash the disciples’ feet . . ." ( John 13:3-5 ).

The aim of a spiritually vigorous saint is "that I may know Him . . ." Do I know Him where I am today? If not, I am failing Him. I am not here for self-realization, but to know Jesus Christ. In Christian work our initiative and motivation are too often simply the result of realizing that there is work to be done and that we must do it. Yet that is never the attitude of a spiritually vigorous saint. His aim is to achieve the realization of Jesus Christ in every set of circumstances.

++++++++++++++++++++
My Utmost For His Highest

My Time Has Not Yet Come

My Time Has Not Yet Come
Pastor Simon Ang
John 2:3-4; 7:3-6, 30
8 July 2007



1 Chronicles 12:32
Psalm 90:12
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Ephesians 5:15-16

1. Let Nothing Distract You

“If you want to defeat them, distract them.”
Ancient proverb

2. Let No One Manipulate You

Acts 21:10-14

3. Stay Focus On Your Life Mission

1 Corinthians 2:2
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Galatians 6:9-10

Op Night

A Different Spirit

A Different Spirit
Numbers 14:24
Rev Chan Nam Chen
1 Ju;y 2007

1· A Spirit of Obedience

2· A Spirit of Faith

3· A Militant Spirit Num.13:30
- Num.13:30Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.“
- Ezekiel 3:14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.

4· A Strong Spirit Josh.14:6-12
- John the Baptist: Luke 1:80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.
- Job 17:1 My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me.
- Psalm 143:4,7 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit failsProverbs 18:14 A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?
- Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.

A Life of Praise

The Book of Psalms - indeed the whole Bible - exhorts God's children to praise Him. Praise is simply joyfully expressing your adoration and appreciatioin for your worthy God. And the Psalms offer great guidance in praise.

Who is to be praised? 145:1; 147:1.

Why is He to be praised? The reasons are innumerable, but start with Psalms 21:13; 89:5; 138:2; 145:4.

Who is to praise Him? Read Psalms 148 and 150:6.

When are we to praise Him? Read Psalms 35:28; 71:6; 72:15; 146:2.

How should we praise God? Here are some ideas to get you started:










Dull. Dry. Boring. Weak. Lifeless.

Would you admit that those adjectives describe your Christian life?

The problem may stem from clogged communication lines between you and your loving God. Of course, God didn't clog them. So, if you've let unconfessed sin pile up, consult 1 John 1:9 and Psalm 51:10 and talk about it to God. He delights to hear the sincere prayers of believers who desire His cleansing touch.

A life of praise can bring delight both to God and to yourself. Spend some time praising your Lord right now. To help put your feelings into words, pick one of these selected psalms: Psalms 8, 19, 29, 33, 36, 103-105, 111, 113, 117, 135-136, 139, 145-150.

But don't just tell God how you feel about Him. Tell someone you know who needs to hear the Good News about your praiseworthy Savior.

As Revelation 4:11 capture it, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to received glory and honour and power: For thous has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Extract form Your Daily Walk by Bruce H. Wilkinson