2011 Jan 13 - 2 Corinthians 5 - Shelley

Goodafternoon all,

 

I had quite a busy day at work surfing from one website to another to prepare some games and activities for the children in the coming school semester. Quite satisfied with the outcome and look foward to teaching it with the kids after they are done with their examinations!

 

Andy really appreciate your sharing so much and especially when you mentioned how we should deal with the wrong doings and how Jesus paid the consequence for us. I also was impacted on your sharing on the campus ministry and the vision was to repent, revive and renew. We work as a 'team of family members' when one rejoices we all rejoice when one is sad we all feel for them and encourage them. I did not like the 'old days of church' esp before 2002 of 'lording it over ours' without any conviction behind why we do the things we do or why we go after so many number of bible studies but question whether we really keep loving the person we have baptised and follow up on them and their spiritual needs. I see how we have learned from the mistakes of the past and changed since then. Thank God for His abundant mercy and grace. We may continue to understand more about His grace and that we will make mistakes but we have the 'chance' to repent and change because of the cross and not have any reason to do things out of guilt.

 

I think of this scripture to also confirm my own conviction on doing the right things for God. 
2 Corinthians 5:14 "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.'

 

We do the very things we do in the kingdom and we deny ourselves and our comforts because we live for Christ and are motivated by His love. I feel at times I struggle to do something that goes against my comfort zone but then I need to ask myself who am I living for? What would Jesus do in this situation I am facing, how would He respond? Then I imitate Him and pray for a softer heart. No one else can convince me of this but only out of my own conviction and decision to follow Him.

 

I am also very grateful to live on Ma Wan and that it is so convenient for me to go to Tsuen Wan everyday. Quiet places and where the nature is, is what motivates me to be still and know that God is God. God knew in advance exactly what kind of surrounding Brenda and I needed to glorify Him more. Amen.

 

It's getting a bit warmer today everyone and the year of the rabbit is approaching. Lets look forward to some good times and be positive for the coming Chinese New Year.

 

Love to you all,

 

Shelley

2011 Jan 13 - Psalm 96 - Andy

Dear all,

A beloved Thursday because I would have an 7:30 prayer @Kln Tong

Kenneth was not here today, but this let me to have longer prayers and singings time.

Stay until 9:00 ^^

I would like to share the below scriptures with u guys :P

Psalm 96:8

"Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments, O Lord"

What is your attitude towards judgments?

To me, judgments, even are the fairest one, like release of exam results or appraisal, make me fear and worries. 

It is an amazing thing to me that the rebellious Israel is glad to see and longing for God's judgments. Doesn't them fear about their consequence of the wrong-doing?

We should. But what God wants us to deal with our wrong-doings are - He paid for the consequence (thx for Jesus and his cross!) and we need to repent and start trying again - repentances, with hope, joy and hate of sin, and gave away the guilty feeling.

As the scriptures follows: "Let those who love the Lord hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart." (v10-11) 

Also, the song below:

傳揚神十架犧牲，             Sing of crosses and his blood;

天崩漆黑水泛濫，             Earthquakes, darkness and the flood;

無窮原諒與救恩，             Sing of judgment, sing of grace,

歡呼終跟主見面。             Sing until we see his face.

So match these scriptures.

I recall that a radical repentance of the Whole Church Campus Ministry in the Campus Training Camp in 08/09 (31/12/2008 - 02/01/2009), (thx for xanga help me to record what had happened). The main theme of it is 3"R"s: Repent, Revive and Renew.

After years of diminishing campus, we have a time to review the past few years campus campaign, with many proud to build the ministry within their own, and the scattered (not unified heart), we just trying to use all the ways and all the techniques with all the past experience but no co-ordination within whole ministry.

Even in a cold weather in 白沙澳, I remember they need to walk inside for 45 mins, we have a time of fast, meditation, and also the amazing winter swim, to drive out our fear and to have a radical sign of repentance. God has answered our repentance and our eagerness to unify.

Then, the next year, campus ministry started to growth, with more than 20 baptisms (nearly doubling the size of the whole church campus), and you know, we get 5 Males and 2 Females in our campus BT. 

(The best is yet to come, I know they goal for 4M4F this year!)

God did not hold back to give us baptisms because of our past sins. Now, we are in great joy in campus ministry.

So, judgment should be something we joyful about, as we no longer be condemned by our past mistakes and sin; either God want us to look forward to the future, the judgment days with grace!

Let us have an different attitude towards judgment today!

Love the QT these two days, Psalms 90s brings me a joyful heart and a positive attitude towards the day.

Cheers,

Andy

2011 Jan 13 - Zephaniah 3 - Brenda

Hey everyone! Good afternoon I must say!

Have been a great day today been having QT and praying with Joanne and long sharing of each other's ministry. 

I really have quite a long time reading and I've been reading the book "The prayer of the righteous" by  Mark Templer. And today I read about "God is singing to me" in Zephaniah 3:17 it says"The lord your God is with you, her is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing". In HK I think people are busy all the time and it's hardly to stay focus, luckily we live in Mawan in HK and we were able to stay in the remote place that far away from the crowd. With lots of distraction, physically and emotionally we are hardly able to listen to God's singing. Therefore we need to make effort to find a good place and a quiet place so that we can stay calm and focus to listen to God's singing. I am grateful that I am here in Australia and I am able to really let God cleanse my soul and let him involve in my praying and singing. 

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves that if we see Jesus as joyful man? and what kind of songs that will be our favourite songs to praise God.  I will make some time here to write a new song to encourage God.

Be joyful aways guys even though it's cold out there!

Love you!
Brenda

p..s serious flooding in Queensland and sister's household was in flooding and they need to move to a refugee's camp, please pray for them and all families in Queensland that the flood would go away and they could rebuild their home soon. Also pray for the sisters they are going to Queensland - their 1st stop in Aussie and they would make it finally!