the orientation came to a close on friday. okay it was fun getting together and cheering our lungs out. and getting my pants, hands and shirt all covered in paint for the nehoma banner. the banner's so nice right! well okay basically its kinda sad in that sense that it all has to come to an end. like people who were total strangers on tuesday, are now cheering their lungs out on friday. we had this disco thing in the hall but apparently the sound system crashed everytime it overloaded. so there wasn't much sound and everyone was just like dancing to the CD player. but its like really strange to see, well be with people who can like totally jump to music on a CD player, what bout they jump for God instead? there was one praise song though, "one way". but its like they decided not to do any other songs coz its kinda inappropriate esp since there are non-Christians around too. oh yeah and people were like starting all those clubbing moves and stuff. yes and i guess the guys were starting to get real rowdy and erm, nearly started a fight?

well moving on to service today. it seems as though, even pastor Jeff's having this bad feeling about the year 2006. you know it kinda gets scary, when so many of us are getting this word from God about this year. so here's the teaching on..


How To Overcome The Fear Of The Future

"1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." - Psalm 23


In Verse 4, David said "Even though", and not "if". Problems in our Christian walk is definitely inevitable.

Everyone of us not only lives for now, but for the future. which thus lead many who wants to know about the future, to try various ways, like palm reading, horoscope, etc.

Ecclesistes 3:11 - " He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

People worry about tomorrow, and therefore they don't enjoy today.

Worry is an issue of control. If we know that for every exam we would be able to give ourselves full marks, would we then worry for it? No. People worry because they do not know what lies in tomorrow.

As one pastor once said, "It's okay to worry in everyday of your life except yesterday, today, and the day after today."

As Christians we can be glad to know that our future is secured. Surely, we do not know what lies in tomorrow, but we know who holds our tomorrow.

" Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." - Psalm 23:6


1) Know That God Is Watching Over Me. (v6)

God watches over us all the days of our lives.

Romans 8:28

If we trust and walk close to God, everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen, will work out for our good.

It's God's "responsibility" to work out everything for our good if we trust Him completely.

Good times blesses us, but bad times builds us.

God's greatest goal for your life, is not for you to lead a comfortable life, not for you to be the walking testimony for the straight As or whatever, but for you to be more like Christ Jesus.

Like every wise parent, they do not shield their children from every of life's problem. But like every loving parent, God will not tempt us beyond what we can endure, or let us down. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
In fact, He will be there to help you overcome it.

Hebrews 12:11

Training isn't much fun, but it is the well-trained who find maturity in their relationship with God.

Certainly, being a Christian isn't gonna be easy. People may make fun or even ridicule you. Think about it, it is certainly easy to get angry and retaliate when getting confronted by. But God teaches us not to hate our enemies, but instead to pray for them. Don't just do what is right, but what is biblical. for at times, what is right may not be what is biblical.


2) Know That God's Love Works In Me. (v6)

God's love consists of:
- God's grace
- God's mercy

Grace: Getting what we do not deserve.
Mercy: Not getting what we deserve.

Surely 2006 would be a challenging year. We need to approach it with courage, strength and the right attitude.

Ask God for wisdom too. Work hard and work smart. We need wisdom to reach out to people in our lives, and to make those complicated and tough decisions.

We need mercy, because we need forgiveness.

Hebrews 4:16

Approach the throne of grace with confidence, not fear. so that we can receive mercy and find grace, and not condemnation.

"Reckless" confidence. Grace allows us to do what He wants us to do. Mercy will help us out when we do what He does not want us to do.


3) Know That heaven Is Waiting For Me (v6)

David knows that his fuure is assured. Many fear death because they do not know where they are going after physical death.

People who know God need not be afraid, for we know that heaven is waiting for us.

Be assured of our position in Christ.

Revelation 21:4

Even if we feel down and spiritually dry, know that our future is secured.

The key to this whole psalm, is in the first five words, "The Lord is my shepherd."

Who is really the shepherd of our lives? The environment? People? Or Jesus Christ?


How about we repharse the first verse. Instead of "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want". why not see it in the real context of, "The LORD is my shepherd, I have everything that I need."