Topic: Faith
Our financial background, experiences with people and personal habits all play a big part in how we view money. When we feel we do not have enough money, the most natural response is to worry. How can turn away from our worry, and turn towards a God who knows our needs and desires to provide for us? Join us as we conclude our two-part Price-Tagged series with the message, Who Do We Trust.
We pursue many things in life, but what does it mean to pursue a life in God? Hear from Pastor Alan Platt, Senior Pastor of Doxa Deo Church on how we can live in freedom and purpose from the work of Christ on the cross.
Happiness is one of the deepest longings of every human heart. We are one of the most comfortable, entertained, well-fed and leisured people ever in world history, so why bother with God? Join us as we explore these questions of the Christian faith and more.
A SONG IN THE NIGHT
Did you know that one in seven people in Singapore have experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime? Mental distress is such a prevalent yet unspoken topic in society. Today, guest speaker Pastor Chua Seng Lee share with us how we take back our minds in this age of anxiety and receive peace!
Our core cannot be seen most of the time, yet it is the one thing that holds everything together. When crises come and difficult decisions need to be made, our response reveals what we are really made of.
As Christ-followers, our faith can only be proved genuine when tested by fire. Learn how we can build our core today so that we can stand firm and last in the testing and trial of tomorrow.
Experience God’s Presence with our special worship service, led by Pastor Sidney Mohede and JPCC Worship! Regain your strength, courage and passion through soul-stirring songs that point us back to God.
Regardless of the circumstances we are going through today, let us choose to surrender wholly to God and find rest in the fact that He is present and with us, always.
BEYOND THE DAILY GRIND
Text: Ephesians 6:5-9
Series: Thank God It’s Monday
Before we are employees or employers in the marketplace, we are servants and followers of Christ. What kind of workers should we be, knowing that Jesus is our ultimate boss?
Discussion Guide
1) Work For the Audience of One (vv5-6)
Every adult comes under some form of authority at work. And to a large extent, the state of our work life is affected by the type of bosses we have. Were there any difficult situations you faced due to the demands of your immediate superiors? Share some of your personal stories. What are some typical behaviours subordinates tend to exhibit towards difficult bosses?
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23 to work with all our heart in whatever we do, because ultimately we are working for the Lord, the audience of One. Since Jesus is our ultimate boss, what difference should it make in our attitude towards work? How will this translate to our behaviours at work? One way to work for the audience of One is to respect the authority placed over us by God. Reflect upon our own attitude towards the bosses over us. Is there proper respect? Does it reflect our desire to obey God? Discuss how we can grow in this aspect.
While we want to worship God through our work, we want to be mindful that we do not end up worshipping our work. What are some possible signs that reflect the latter? What are some safeguards we can put in place in order to not fall into this?
2) Know That What We Do Matters to God (vv7-8)
Share some instances at work where you encountered either injustice due to your boss’s decisions, or felt small / insignificant due to your boss’s response towards you. How did you feel during these moments? To what extent did these affect your attitude towards your work? How did you resolve these feelings and thoughts eventually?
What does Bible say in response to times where our work may not be appreciated by our earthly bosses? What is the right attitude to adopt in such situations? Our work is a gift from God, and how we treat it matters to God. How well have I been stewarding this gift so far? Think of how we can grow to be better stewards, and share to one another.
3) Seek the Good of Those We Work With (v9)
Most of us work within hierarchies, interacting with people of different job scopes and responsibilities daily. If we are not careful, it might be easy to naturally equate work position with a person’s value and dignity. As a Christian, what is the basis for us to see every person as equal? If there is no such thing as an unimportant person in God’s eyes, how should we be treating the people around us at work? What are some obstacles that make it challenging for us to seek the good of those we work with? What motivates us to love difficult people at work? How can we look out for their interests even if we experience conflicts or misunderstandings with them?
Would we describe ourselves as more task-oriented or people-oriented? Share some instances at work that shows our tendency towards either. How has being task-oriented / people-oriented at work been beneficial for those around us? Reflect on recent situations at work. Were there any instances where our tendencies led to strained relationships or hurt feelings? What did we learn from those experiences? Share with the LG. Identify 1-2 areas that we can grow in, in terms of our attitude and behaviour at work, so that we can glorify God and be a bigger blessing to the people around us. What steps are we taking to grow in these areas?
Reflection Questions
1) Work For the Audience of One (vv5-6)
Since Jesus is our ultimate boss, what difference should it make in our attitude towards work? How will this translate to our behaviours at work?
2) Know That What We Do Matters to God (vv7-8)
What does Bible say in response to times where our work may not be appreciated by our earthly bosses? What is the right attitude to adopt in such situations?
3) Seek the Good of Those We Work With (v9)
As a Christian, what is the basis for us to see every person as equal? If there is no such thing as an unimportant person in God’s eyes, how should we be treating the people around us at work? What motivates us to love difficult people at work?
HOW DO I KNOW I’M HEARING FROM GOD?
Series: You Asked For It
How do we hear from God in a world of noise and multiple, sometimes conflicting voices?
Discussion Guide
What are some reasons believers want to hear from God? What do you think are some fears or concerns that believers may have when it comes to hearing from God? For example, do you think people worry that they would miss out on God’s plan for them if they do not “hear” correctly? Where do you think these fears or concerns come from?
Psalm 23 depicts God as the shepherd who provides and cares for his people. The role of the shepherd is to guide the flock to food and water and keep the sheep safe from predators. What does Psalm 23 tell us about God’s willingness and ability to guide us as we navigate the challenges of life? How then should we respond to him as our shepherd? Think of the many characters in the Bible whom God took the initiative to communicate to so that he could lead them in his plan. Do you trust that God would also take the initiative to reach you and lead you? Why? How does knowing that God is willing and able to communicate to us enable us to seek his guidance with assurance that he will lead us? Why does knowing that God is bigger than our mistakes assure us that we need not be anxious that we may hear him incorrectly?
1) God speaks to us through the Bible
What do you think are the dangers if we ignore God’s will that is already revealed in God’s Word? If we can already hear from God through Scripture and yet we don’t bother to know and practise it, what does this say about our willingness to obey God in anything? How can we grow in our submission to Scripture? What can the LG do to encourage one another to obey all that God says in his Word?
2) God speaks to us through other means (eg prayer, life circumstances and godly counsel)
How can you cultivate spiritual disciplines such as prayer to draw closer to God and position yourself to hear from him? How can the LG support each other to do so? Who are some people you allow to speak into your life? How do you know you can trust them? If we are seeking God’s guidance for a certain decision, why does it benefit to hear from Christians who show signs of walking right with God?
Reflection Questions
How does knowing that God is willing and able to communicate to us enable us to seek his guidance with assurance that he will lead us? Why does knowing that God is bigger than our mistakes assure us that we need not be anxious that we may hear him incorrectly?
1) God speaks to us through the Bible
If we can already hear from God through Scripture and yet we don’t bother to know and practise it, what does this say about our willingness to obey God in anything? How can we grow in our submission to Scripture?
2) God speaks to us through other means (eg prayer, life circumstances and godly counsel)
How can you cultivate spiritual disciplines such as prayer to draw closer to God and position yourself to hear from him? If we are seeking God’s guidance for a certain decision, why does it benefit to hear from other Christians who show signs of walking right with God?