The Joshua Mission Podcast
PODCAST – Weekly, Wednesday, from 20 March 2024 for 4 weeks
Updated 240302, Saturday
Theme: Growing in Holy Living
Spiritual Retreat – 3-5 July 2009
Austin Hills Resort, Johore Bahru, W. Malaysia
Purpose of Retreat
A Time for Reflection to Deepen our Personal Walk & Ministry in Christ
A Time for Fellowship to Reflection with others in Christ
Retreat Sessions
Session 1 – Devotional Life & Family Life
Session 2 – Personal Growth & Work Life
Session 3 – Victory in Spiritual Warfare
Session 4 – Being a Fruitful Witness
Reflection
Talks
These are given to give biblical content and spiritual insights for reflection
Group Discussions
This is to help you to learn from each other – both what you have done right and what you have done wrong – in the light of God's Word and the Spirit's leading.
Guiding Principles for Sharing
NO one is to be pressed to share what he or she does not want to share.
Everything shared is CONFIDENTIAL to the Group – unless the sharer indicates that he or she allows or likes it to be shared with others.
The More Honestly, the More Fully Each is willing to share, the More Lessons the More Insights may be received through the sharing by all.
Seek the leading of the Holy Spirit always!
Fellowship
Take the opportunity afforded by this Retreat to get to know each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
This is always VALUABLE In CHRIST!
He uplifts us through each other.
This will also Strengthen our Relationship and Interaction AFTER the Retreat in all the classes and occasions where we will meet.
Session 1
Devotional Life & Family Life
Devotional Life
Word
Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8
Prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18; Matthew 26:40-42
Practical Guide
The Practice of Regular Personal Devotion
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Do it onto the LORD
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Consistency
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Commitment
Journaling
Family Life
Marriage
Gen 2:18-15; Eph 5:22-33
Key Points
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Marriage is a Covenant
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Husband vis a vis Wife
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honesty & trust – mutual openness
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care vis a vis respect – NOT “who is in-charge?”
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Parenthood
Eph 6:1-4; Deut 6:4-9; Prov 1:1-7
Key Points
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Fatherhood – loving guidance & instruction in the Lord
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Motherhood – loving care & encouragement
Personal Time
Mk 1:35 & context
Key Points
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Personal Time for Personal Sanity!
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Personal Time is Time with the LORD alone
Family Devotion
Deut 6:4-9; Acts 10:23-24 – Cornelius's household;
Acts 16:29-31 – the Philippian jailer & his household
The Covenants of GOD are ALL through a man his family
Key Points
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the Family is a God-given unit!
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It is the Home for Husband-Wife Bonding
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It is the Home for Child-Care & Upbring
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It is the Basic Building Block of Society
Group Discussion on Session 1
Devotional Life & Family Life
Guide
Please use these Questions to Start and Guide your group discussion.
Feel free to add Additional RELEVANT Questions.
Do jot down your own notes for your own reference to help you benefit from the discussion Both During and AFTER the discussion & retreat
Devotional Life
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Share with each other how you usually do your Personal Devotion.
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In your own assessment, how well have you prioritised your Personal Devotion?
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What are your areas of difficulty?
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How do you think it might be overcomed?
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What do you find Most Uplifting or Helpful?
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After discussion, what would you do to Improve your Personal Devotional Life?
Family Life
Marriage
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What do you find is good is your marriage?
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What do you find is difficult in your marriage?
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What do you think may help to improve your marital relationship and home life?
Parenting
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What gives you joy and satisfaction in parenting?
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What do you find most difficult in parenting?
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What key areas, key principles or key practices do you find most important or effective in good parenting?
Session 2
Personal Growth & Work Life
Personal Growth
Biblical Teachings
Psalm 1 – the Evergreen Life
John 15:1-8 - I am the Vine you are the Branches
1 Peter 2:2 – Desire the milk of God's Word to grow
Hebrews 5:11-14 – Solid food is for the mature
Eph 4:7-16 – all to grow towards the Fullness of Christ
Areas of Growth
Discipleship Perspective
Word, Spirit, Worship, Prayer
Fellowship, Ministry, Witness
Life Call Perspective
Call, Character, Capability
Areas of Life
Spirituality
Personhood, Character
Home & Family; Work; Social Life; Education; Leisure
Personal Organisation
Focus
Prioritisation
Balance
Time Tabling
Vectors – Useful Tool
Work Life
Biblical Teaching
Gen 1:26-29 – rule over the animals
Gen 2:4-15 – till the ground
Gen 3:17-19 – thorns, thistles & toil
Romans 12:3-8 – each serve according to the measure of each's gifts
1 Cor 3:10-15 – God calls us to account for our stewardship & rewards each accordingly
Prioritisation
Work vis a vis other areas of life
Expectations
Calling & Gifting
Motivation
Impact of Character & Discipline
Group Discussion on Session 2
Personal Growth & Work Life
Guide
Please use these Questions to Start and Guide your group discussion.
Feel free to add Additional RELEVANT Questions.
Do jot down your own notes for your own reference to help you benefit from the discussion Both During and AFTER the discussion & retreat
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What has been your First Priority in life?
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Why is that your first priority?
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How did it become your first priority?
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What do you understand by Personal Growth prior to this Talk?
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How has the Talk changed that?
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Where is the Place of Personal Growth in your life?
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Is it in the right place vis a vis other areas of life?
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Why or why not?
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Where is the Place of Work in your life?
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Is it in the right place vis a vis the other areas of life?
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Why or why not?
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Session 3
Victory in Spiritual Warfare
Bible Teaching
Eph 6:10-20; 1 John 2:15-17; Rom 3:23; 6:23; James 4:1-10
Key Points
Christian Life involves Spiritual Warfare
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God is rescuing us and the earth from our Fall into sin
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Being saved in Christ involves an ongoing fight against all the forces of evil that seek to enslave us in sin
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This fight enters into all areas of our lives as all areas of our lives are corrupted by our sinfulness
Christ has Already Won the Victory for us!
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When we Walk in Faith & Obedience we ALREADY walk the Path of Victory that Christ has won for us
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Living by and Staying on this Path is how we see & receive the Victory of our Lord in ALL areas of life
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We are NOT called to do our own battles and fight our own wars – if we do we will fail because we are already fallen in sin and in sin we are under the devil's power
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Evil is NOT God's Equal – God is Supreme over all
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He is rescuing us from our own pit brought by our fall into sin
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From our finite human perspective it may seem as if good & evil are equals fighting each other
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But from the Bible's perspective GOD is Supreme over all – the devil is a fallen archangel, demons are fallen angels, all under His judgement and authority
Spiritual Warfare is Three-Dimensional
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Sin – the Enemy Within
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World – the Enemy Around us
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Devil – the Enemy who works for our downfall
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Each of this Dimension is ALWAYS Present with the others
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Each of this Dimension has to Be Deal with In Jesus' Name
The Weapons of Spiritual Warfare is the SAME for All Three Dimensions
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this is as given in Eph 6:10-20
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Apply it in Relevant Ways to Sin, the World and the Devil
Live ALL Areas of Life with Spiritual Warfare as our Guide
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Walk in Christ's Victory
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Fight in His Name, by the Holy Spirit's Guidance & Empowering
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Do this for ALL the Areas of Life noted in Sessions 1 & 3
Session 4
Being a Fruitful Witness
Biblical Teaching
Acts 1:8 – we are Made Witnesses by the Holy Spirit's presence & power in us!
Luke 24:45-49 – our Witness is what spreads the Gospel of Christ
John 15:5-8 – we are to show that we are His disciples
Mtt 5:13-16 – salt & light – truth & righteousness against lies and wickedness
Mtt 7:15-23 – we are known by our fruit
Mtt 10:332-33 – those who deny Christ before people He will deny before the Father
Key Points
The Analogy of the Sphere or Circle
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Imagine that each one of us is a Sphere or a Circle
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Our Walk with GOD forms the Inner Areas of the Sphere or Circle
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Out WITNESS is the Outward Visible Side of the Sphere or Circle
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Therefore our Witness is the OUTCOME of our Walk with God
Dimensions of our Witness
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our Relationship with People
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home
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work
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friends
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society
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strangers
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our Commitment to our Tasks
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how we do the things we do
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how we uphold or discharge our responsibilities
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the Values and Beliefs we uphold
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this underlay all our relationships & commitments
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Sharing the Gospel by word - Evangelism
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we are called to invite people to respond to the Gospel of Christ
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the Gospel is Christ's call and invitation to respond to what He has done for us on the cross through His death and resurrection
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we Need to know what it is
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we Need to know HOW to share & explain it correctly to those who would listen
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A Guide for Evangelism – the Farming Analogy
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Plowing – helping a person to be receptive to the Gospel
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Seeding – sharing what the Gospel is and inviting a positive response
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Weeding – removing objections or misunderstanding
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Watering or Fertilising – encouraging and persuading a positive response
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Waiting – praying to the Lord for the Spirit to lead the person to respond from his or her own heart
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The HARVEST – receiving the person into the Faith through his or her repentance of sin, submitting to Christ as Lord and Saviour, committing to a life of faith and obedience to Him, acceptance to be
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AFTER the Harvest – A NEW BEGINNING as Learn to BE a Disciple – NOT the End
Some Problems in Evangelism
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Preoccupation Only with Harvesting
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Not prepared to do all the Step that Are NEEDED that lead to the Harvest
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Seeking to increase our own membership Rather Than True Concern for the person's salvation and well-being in Christ – an expression of God's Love
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Not Sharing the Full & True Gospel but a “sanitised” or edited version of it – e.g. only share the benefits not the cost Or striking fear & terror because of judgement instead of showing the love and grace of God
Some Helpful Guidelines
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Be a Good WITNESS by Life & Behaviour & Deed & Speech
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KNOW what the Gospel is
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KNOW at least One Way of Sharing it Clearly
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REMEMBER to Invite a Response – Encourage the person and Leave the person to respond at his or her own time when he or she is Ready to Do So – Don't Depend on our own Judgement on the person's readiness
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Seek Opportunity in the SPIRIT to share in a relevant way with those who are prepared to listen
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Take the Opportunity as it comes – to plow or sow or weed or water or harvest – we may be doing different things with different persons as the Spirit leads
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Don't argue or debate – Share the Facts, Be a Witness
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PRAY for the person to be responsive