“God’s orchard in the desert” (Is. 32:15-17)

​The world is like a desert (Is. 8:22-9:2). But God promised that it will become an orchard. The orchard will turn into a forest.
How does God realize it?
God will send righteousness. It’s like a man comes into the wilderness, cultivates the dry land, makes a small field, and sows seeds. The righteousness of God comes into the world which is filled with distress and darkness. The Holy Spirit works on it, it will grow gradually and bear the fruit. Love, joy, peace and other fruits will spread out into the world which is filled with suffering and despair.
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NLIF is an international church in Yangon. Come and join our English Sunday worship service.
Connect with us: www.facebook.com/nlifygn

“God’s Vision for the Church” (Eph. 4:13-16)
 
1. To have the unity in the faith and in the knowledge
2. To become mature
3. To attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ
 
Church is built in love, in the love of God for church, in the love of church that loves God, in the loving fellowship of people who love God. And when the world sees that, they can truly recognize that God is surely there, and they will come to know that it is true and real that God loves the world. His name will be glorified and worshiped by all nations.
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For LifeNet groups and personal reflection
1. How do you describe “God’s Vison for the Church” by your own word? How do you feel while you are picturing that vision in your mind?
2. What is your challenge to integrate faith and knowledge? What help do you need? Where will you receive the help?
3. You may observe your emotion in this week. At the end of each day you may look back your day. Can you recognize a time when you were like an Emotional Infant, Emotional Child and/or an Emotional Adolescent? Can you notice any pattern? Can you think of the reason why you felt that way? What will you do to grow that part? What help do you need? Where will you receive the help?
 
NLIF is an international church in Yangon. Come and join our English Sunday worship service!
Connect with us: www.facebook.com/nlifygn

Psalm 139:23-24; Ephesians 4:21-24; 2 Peter 1:3-9
 
Theme: Being committed to grow spiritually (What it means to "put on the new self")
 
Step back and look at the big picture of your life.
 
Reflection on Scriptures

1. Ephesians 4:21-2
   

• A Hello? from Paul (implying, "Surely you know better")
  

Put off the old self that is being corrupted
Requires being honest with yourself
Reject and renounce what you know is wrong
Get enslaved to righteousness, not to sin (Romans 6:19)

• Be renewed in the attitude of your mind. How you think (and look at things/people) affects how you act.
  

Put on the new self
Surrender to God's will
Acknowledge inability to overcome sin in your own power 
Don’t look for magical solutions. 
Take action

2.  2 Peter 1:3-8
Putting on the new self is made possible because of God’s presence within us.
“Make every effort” to add to your faith…
Develop godly qualities, viz. Goodness, Knowledge, Self-control (saying more Yes to what God wants for us rather than what we want), Perseverance, Godliness (living as God would live), Brotherly Kindness, Love.
Change is possible for Christians. God supplies the power, and we supply the effort.
Spiritual growth leads to more effective and fruitful Christian service.
Application

• The daily test of our commitment: living it out is not easy. Choose your first priority based on the better outcomes.
  
• Listen and Cooperate
  
• How has the Holy Spirit been speaking to you today?
  
• What are your goals and priorities for your spiritual life this year?
  Listening to the Holy Spirit and then cooperating with however He leads will lead us to greater focus on the right things and higher commitment to what's most important.

 
Come join us at our English service of the International Church in Yangon!

“A Life Worthy of the Calling” (Eph. 4:1-10)
The life of faith, to live a life worthy of the calling. It is not that we will do something for God, but it is to have God work in us, through us. That is how we come to know how rich the grace God has given to us. To know him and to make him known.
This new year, 2017, let us live a life worthy of the calling!
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For LifeNet groups and personal reflection:
1) What kind of disunity do you see in the society? How does it affect people?
2) Do you know of any case of disunity among Christians or churches? What is the case? What can you learn from it?
3) “A life worthy of the calling you have received.” Describe it by your words. What did and will God do for it? What is your part? What help do you need? Where will you receive it?
4) “Jesus has descended from heaven to the lowest place.” What does it mean to you? How does it encourage you?

NLIF is an international church in Yangon. Come and join our English sunday wroship service.