Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Humility on Display

“Humility is like underwear—essential, but indecent when it shows”
- Helen Neilson

A man was voted as the most humble person in a village. As a reward for exhibiting this laudable virtue, he was awarded a gold medal. But the next day, the villagers withdrew the gold medal because the man was found wearing it!  
Be careful how you display your humility; the moment you think you have it, you have lost it. Consider another Man. In His life was no trace of extravagance, ease, selfish-gratification, or indulgence. Instead, He consistently displayed self-denial and self-sacrifice—from His humble birth to His humiliating death. “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, … and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord …” (Philippians 2:5-11).
To know Him is to cultivate His winsome grace of humility. Humility is on display if Christ seen, lived and exemplified in us. Be humble...(adapted from Dr. Samuel Koranteng Pipim) 

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Debut

LAST Sabbath, we had two debuts o(^_^)o

First, we started the much-awaited curry by the Team Curry!
Everybody liked it! \(^o^)/

美味しいかったよね〜!
ごちそうさまでした!(*^_^*)

On a serious note, we have also started watching videos of The Revelation Seminar series by David Asscherick. 
We are hoping to watch two episodes every fourth Sabbath (or whenever we have a chance!) during the afternoon after potluck.

Bring your Bibles, some snacks or drinks to share and let us all enjoy the Revelation of Jesus Christ!

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Sermon Notes: Battle Over Self by Seth Okyere

THE THIRD WORLD WAR: Battle Over Self

Key Text: Luke 9:23
Transcript of a sermon presented at Osaka SDA IWG by
Seth Asare Okyere

Sermon Introduction

There is a global war, a war everyone is involved in, aware or unaware, believer or unbeliever, religious or irreligious, old or young, strong or weak. It is the war of
  • What we are and what we ought to be.
  • Over ‘I’ and ‘Him’.
  • ‘What I am’ versus ‘what God wants me to be’.
  • It is the war over ‘self’.
‘The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, requires a struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in holiness’ (Consecration, p. 43)
‘Self…The strongest foe man has to meet’ (Messages to Young People 134.1).
The greater battles are between what we say we stand for and what we do actually do, between the values we proclaim and the realities we impose—Haroon Mogul

Let us note the following…
  • Lucifer became Satan because he wanted to upgrade ‘him-Self’.
  • Eve sinned because she wanted to elevate ‘herself’.
  • Adam and Eve sinned because they cared about themselves than God.
  • Sodom and Gomorrah sinned because they liked to ‘please themselves’.
  • Judas sinned because he liked to satisfy himself.
  • Peter sinned because he trusted himself.
  • Many people will lose heaven because they love themselves.
  • Jesus saved us because he gave ‘himself’.
Self is our greatest enemy. To keep it is to deny Christ; to lose it is to win Christ. The natural self is enmity with God; it cannot please God because it is not subject to the law of God (Romans 8:7).

Daily battle: The war over self is a daily battle, and we must lose self daily that we may take Christ.

So how shall we fight the daily battle over self: Three hints from scripture.

1. Die to self: Gal. 2:20

In the battle with self, we must die to live. In the world you must live to die. But for Christ unless self dies, Christ cannot come in to grant us life in Him. As Paul said, without crucifixion there is no resurrection. Without death to self, there is no life in Christ. This is the mathematical equation of Christianity.

2. Discipline your self: 1 Cor. 9:24, 27 Prov. 16:32

‘A noble character is the result of self-discipline, of the subjection of the lower to the higher nature—the surrender of self for the service of love to God and man’ (Education, 57.4).
‘He who can stand unmoved amid a storm of abuse is one of God’s heroes’. { Messages to Young People 134.2}

3. Distrust your self:

Mark 10:18: We ought to be careful in compliments—both spiritual and physical. We like to hear good things about ourselves. But such praises, which Jesus avoided, may lead us to trust self instead of the source of all good—Christ. Self must never be trusted.

Matt 14: 28-30: Looking unto Jesus, Peter walks securely; but as in self-satisfaction he glances back toward his companions in the boat, his eyes are turned from the Savior. The wind is boisterous. The waves roll high, and come directly between him and the Master; and he is afraid. For a moment Christ is hidden from his view, and his faith gives way. He begins to sink. But while the billows talk with death, Peter lifts his eyes from the angry waters, and fixing them upon Jesus, cries, “Lord, save me.” (Desire of Ages, 382)

Conclusion

‘To subdue self, and bring the passions under the control of the will, is the greatest conquest that men and women can achieve’. {Testimonies, Vol. 3 183.0}

Our prayers may be: ‘Lord, empty me of me that I may be filled with you’

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Leave a Legacy

NONE was ever honored for breezing through life; they are remembered for weathering the storms. Do you seek to leave your mark? Then, find your calling and run with it. Don’t settle for the status quo, but put some quo in the status: “Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible. Work more than others think is necessary” (Unknown). And when threatened or rewarded with stabs in the back, shackles on the feet, or shots to the heart, say with the Apostle Paul, “None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, that I may finish my race with joy” (Acts 20:24). Brave the storm. Leave a legacy.Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, PhD

Saturday, January 16, 2016

At HIS Service

THESE are the newly-formed committees in our International Worship Group, fired up and ready to serve! 

Presenting Team Curry!
Now we can enjoy a lovely curry and rice meal every fourth Sabbath 😆 Thanks to our Rice Guys and Onions, Potatoes and Carrot Ladies 😅

Presenting REAL Nerds!
Of course, this blog is not going to be possible without our media ministry team. We look forward to serving you all for His glory!





Happy New Year!

                       WELCOME 
                            2016!!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Awaken the Force


TODAY is the beginning of this year's 10 Days of Prayer. We are praying for the Holy Spirit to teach us how we can abide in  Christ and receive the "life more abundant."

There are many things we can pray about these ten days but be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to show you how or what to pray for in a person's life or in a particular situation. The Holy Spirit is the One making intercession for us. 

If you have any prayer requests, we are more than glad to lift you up in prayer. Comment below or email us at realgroupsda@gmail.com.

                         ✨✨✨

Since its release last month, many have been talking about the latest Star Wars movie. Personally, when I think of "star wars," the cosmic conflict between good and evil in Revelation 12 immediately comes to mind. There was also a theme of rebellion in the movie and the war is against the forces of light and darkness. 

We are still amidst a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12), the great controversy of the universe (Revelation 12) and we are encouraged to pray and have faith as we press on. My prayer is for the force of Christ in us, the hope of glory, to be fully awakened and for us to experience revival like never before.

May the Holy Spirit of God be with us!

Download resources: www.tendaysofprayer.org