Spiritual Thought for the Week 2008/11/2

Spiritual Thought for the Week
As I was approaching the end of my medical leave, I had a preparatory meeting with the brothers and sisters in the church council. They asked me a question, “Rev. Chan, we don’t know why you got sick, and you left us just like that. Now you are back and we don’t know what we can do for you!” I said, “You do not need to do anything for me. You only need to listen to God and do the job for Him.” For the Lord had given us a job, while he found no one to do it he was appalled. It was recorded in Ezekiel 22:30 thus: “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”
The issue is not because God does not have a mission for us. The issue is because God can not find us willing to do the job. Many of us like to build high towers and walls. But few of us like to do the job of filling the gaps and repairing the walls. Many people want to speak on a high platform. But few are willing to intercede for others and bow down before the Lord. Yet, these are the people God has been looking for. He wants to find people who intercede for the land so that God will not destroy it.
To finish a big project like building a new city is not something anyone can do. But to repair the wall and fill the gap is a job you and I can do. To speak eloquently in front of a congregation may be something only great preachers can do. But to pray for others before the Lord is something you and I can do. In fact this is one of the most significant, accomplishable and effective jobs we are supposed to do. You can not say you don’t find any such job in our church! Can you? Look at the life and work in our church; the life and work of our brothers and sisters at home, in schools and in the offices; have we bore good Christian witness to others… has God’s name been glorified in our deeds…these are some of the things we can pray for one another before the Lord.
God is searching for people like these to do the job. Who is willing to do this job? This job costs time and commitment. But the pay off is great. It involves the everlasting value of eternity. So if you want to work and find out there is not much work opportunity out there. Come here, there is a lot of work opportunities. If you see no prospect in the job you do. Come here. There is great prospect that promises you bright future. Come and share your joy with the Lord. You can come and have intercessory prayer for the church, for our ministry, for brothers and sisters; for believers and non believers. With your petition and supplications you see how God will bestow his grace upon us, works on his mighty act and accomplishes his good will for us.
Do we have a gap to fill and a wall to repair in this church? Oh yes, we do. Not only that we have one, we have many that need our attention. If we have gaps to fill and not fill them. They will grow bigger and bigger as days go by. This will create weak points and unprotected spots for Satan to launch attacks on. We put up considerable amount of time to care for our families and love ones. But who care for the house of God? Who care for the work of the kingdom? God is perplexed when he see his people have no one who cares, no one who do intercession for others. And the consequence is detrimental. “So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own head all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Ezekiel 22:31
The Lord is looking for someone who will watch and pray for others. Are you willing to do this job?

本週默想分享
在我病癒之後，第一次與堂會弟兄姊妹開會的時候，他們問我，“陳牧師，我們不知道你為甚麼突然因病告假，你現在回來了，我們也不知道我們能做甚麼來幫助你。”我說，“你們不需要做甚麼來幫助我，你們只須要聽神的話，願意做神要你們做的工作就成了。”神已經在聖經上說過嚴厲的話：“我要尋找一人重修牆垣，在我面前為這國站在破口防堵。。。，卻找不著一個。”（結22：30）
神不是沒有使命和工作，乃是找不到一人肯作，願意作。許多人願意建築高大的城樓，卻不願意修堵破口。許多人願意在人面前居高談論，卻不願意在神面前俯伏代求。然而這正是神所要尋找的人，要作的工。
我們要作大的工，造一個新的城，可能是辦不到。但修理墻垣，堵住破口卻有可能作成。我們在人面前講，可能機會不多，但到神前代禱卻常可實行。其實這是更重要，更有把握和效果的工作。難道神今天沒有墻垣修補嗎？沒有破口可堵嗎？神的家是什麼情況，神的兒女們是什麼光景，神的見證在那裏表明，神的榮耀在那裏顯出。。。你們都應該比我更清楚你們要為教會代求的事。
神現在就是尋找這樣的人，有誰願意作這樣的工作呢？是要付出代價的，然而卻是有永恒價值的。所以當我們有心為主工作，而沒有機會的時候，這裏有極多的機會。沒有出路的時候，這是更好的出路。到神那裏去吧！與神同樂，為我們的教會，為許多信徒來獻上代禱，祈求，讓神賜下恩典，顯出大能，成就祂的旨意。今天我們的教會破口不但有，而且很多，若不堵住，會越來越大。撒但就有更多藉口攻擊我們，欺騙我們。我們都顧念自己的家，想自己的事。有誰以神家的事為念，為神的國勞苦呢？神見無人拯救，無人代求，甚為詫異。“所以我將惱恨倒在他們身上，用烈怒的火滅了他們，照他們所行的，報應在他們頭上。這是耶和華說的。”（結22：31）
神要尋找守望代求的人，你肯去嗎？

Sermon 2008/10/26

Sermon 2008/10/26
SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 96:1-6
SERMON: Eight things I love about this church
講道題目: 我愛這禮拜堂的八個原因

On this church anniversary Sunday, it is most appropriate to ask ourselves why I love this church.. For me there are eight things I love about this church.
1. God’s strength is found in our sanctuary—When ever I enter the sanctuary I feel the strength of God working in my spirit. Strength is power in action.. Strength which is found in our sanctuary is the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes us understand the Bible. The Holy Spirit makes us understand who Jesus Christ is. The Holy Spirit makes us understand the meaning of the Holy Sacrament celebrated here. The Holy Spirit works in the heart of each individual member, and making each believer a living stone. He unites and builds up these living stones until the whole grow into a holy temple of the Lord.
2. God’s beauty is enjoyed in our sanctuary—When ever I come to our church I can sense beauty in the sanctuary also. Like King David said in Psalm 96:6, “Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. There is beauty in the sanctuary as well as strength. What is this beauty? Beauty is the abstract term to denote any resemblance of grace. It is used in the Bible to signify holiness. It is constantly associated with that word as the human expression of divine perfection. For holiness is but another name for wholeness, and signifies that to which nothing can be added, but which blends in itself all moral perfection in its utmost harmony and completeness. Holiness is God’s beauty, and when we pray with the writer of the 90th Psalm, “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,” we pray that God may be present with us in his holiness, and impart to us the blessings which result from that holiness. So when we say, “Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary,” we mean by the term “beauty” to declare that God’s holiness—the perfection and glory of the divine Being—is to be seen and enjoyed in his sanctuary.
3. The Bible is the center of our belief.--I find a Bible placed at the center of our sanctuary. It reminds us that our church is built from a belief that God speaks to us. We come here to hear God speaks. This is a house where one comes to listen to God. This is a fundamental doctrine of our faith—that God speaks to us. Our church testifies to that.
4. We have an organ, hymn books, a choir and a place to pray here—That means our church testifies to the complimentary fact that not only does God speak to us, but also we can speak to God. This is a place where we can come, and out of our joy and prosperity praise God, or out of our sorrow and adversity call upon him for comfort and strength. Here we can confess our sins to our Father or can ask him for the wisdom that is not of this world. This church is an eloquent testimony to the fact that we can speak to God and that God will hear and answer.
5. We have a pulpit –We testify to the fact that there is a Gospel in this world. Our pulpit means, not a study about truth, but a message from the truth, which is something to be proclaimed, a gospel. Our church testifies to the reality of this gospel. It might be summed up thus: God the Eternal Father; we his children; we are meant for God; God loving us and saving us when he departs from the Father; Christ the means of this salvation, bring grace and life from God freely to all mankind; the life, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the revelation of the eternal heart of God and the goal of mankind; the immortality of the soul; the coming of the kingdom of God whose law is love and service; the final brotherhood of mankind. These are the things I treasure in my pulpit.
6. We have a communion table—While Catholic churches have an elaborate altar, our church has a table. But whatever it is, it is a sign of the presence of Christ. When we gather about this table we expect to meet Christ face to face. Christ is there. This communion is always a testimony to the present Christ. We are a testimony to the world of the living Christ. Our Christ is not a dead prophet who wonderfully taught and beautifully lived and heroically died in Palestine; but he is the triumphant, living Christ, the eternal companion of our way to Emmaus, the One who is alive forevermore.
7. We have a Sunday School—We meet on Sunday mornings to study the truth. We have children and adults who meet to study the Word of God. This means our church is dedicated to the truth.
8. We are an assembly of God’s people—We the people are the real church, the organized body of believers—not the building, but the souls within the building. The little flock which has built the church building has dedicated ourselves to the service of the world. Our church exists to serve the world from the strength and beauty in our sanctuary. Our church stands for service. Our church will begin with the neighbourhood. We will try to reproduce ourselves throughout the whole community. We will touch every interest of the community—physical, as well as spiritual. We will address ourselves to poverty, intemperance, vice, corruption of all sorts. Our boys and girls, our men and women are all our brothers and sisters (even the foreigners) and we will welcome them and care for them all. With God’s help we will make it.

These are the reasons why I love this church. And these are also the reasons why I know this church loves me. During the time of my infirmity the devil tried hard to talk me into not loving this church. But I rebuked the devil by telling him I love this church and this church loves me. No one can separate me from the love of God revealed in this church. Praise the Lord I won my battle over the devil. I hope you all can win the same battle too when the devil tempts you not to love this church.
Amen

A Synopsis of the message
On this church anniversary Sunday, it is most appropriate to ask ourselves why I love this church.. For me there are eight things I love about this church.
1. God’s strength is found in our sanctuary
2. God’s beauty is enjoyed in our sanctuary
3. The Bible is the center of our belief
4. We have an organ, hymn books, a choir and a place to pray
5. We have a pulpit
6. We have a communion table
7. We have a Sunday School
8. We are an assembly of God’s people
These are the reasons why I love this church. And these are also the reasons why I know this church loves me. During the time of my infirmity the devil tried hard to talk me into not loving this church. But I rebuked the devil by telling him I love this church and this church loves me. No one can separate me from the love of God revealed in this church. Praise the Lord I won my battle over the devil. I hope you all can win the same battle too when the devil tempts you not to love this church.

信息大綱
在堂慶主日的今天，我們要問“是甚麼東西使我愛這禮拜堂？”
1. 在這裏我找到神的力量
2. 在這裏我找到神的榮美
3. 聖經是我們信仰的中心
4. 我們可以唱詩祈禱神
5. 我們可以聽到神的道
6. 我們可以守聖餐
7. 我們可以參加主日學
8. 我們知道自己是被神的愛所呼召出來的子民
正是這些原因，使我愛這禮拜堂，也使這禮拜堂愛我。魔鬼常常用謊言欺騙我，說：“你不配愛這禮拜堂，這禮拜堂也不會愛你。” 但我對牠說：“我愛這禮拜堂，這禮拜堂也愛我。你不能把我和禮拜堂的愛分開。”各位親愛的弟兄姊妹，倘若您遇到魔鬼給你這樣的試探，請您能夠像我一樣，有相同的決心和信心，把魔鬼趕走。

Spiritual Thought for the 2008/10/19

Spiritual Thought for the Week
Four months ago I fell ill and had to rest at home. People asked me, “What have you been doing at home for so long?” I told them, “I have been praying in my home everyday.” I prayed for all of you; I prayed for the church; I prayed for myself. In the prayers God told me you guys were praying for me also. The church had been praying for me too. I heard God telling me through the Bible as recorded in Acts 12:5 that “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
God often puts his children and servants in difficult situations. The situations become so miserable that we find there is no way to go except the way to prayer. There is no one to turn to except to turn to our Father God. There is no strength we can rely on but the strength of our Creator.
Therefore no matter how unbearable the hardship; no matter how unfair life treats us; no matter how unjust the world has been to us, if we care enough to come before the Lord on our knees, problems will turn to solutions; impossibilities will turn to possibilities again. Solutions and possibilities often come by way of either one of the two following scenarios: 1. When we pray ourselves as in the case of Paul and Silas praying in the prison cell as recorded in Acts 16:25-26, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.” 2. When others pray for us through intercession on our behalf. Like Peter’s miraculo0us escape from prison as recorded in Acts 12:5-6. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared” to lead him out of prison… And the rest was history. Prayers are never said in vain when they are said in earnest trust and belief. The church during Peter’s imprisonment was praying earnestly for Peter. Prayers have to be said earnestly. Otherwise you won’t see the obvious result. For if you pray earnestly, it means you are not only desperately in need of help, but you are also in sheer reliance that God will deliver you. You know His power and His might will prevail in the end.
Hardship to a believer is like good medicine to his soul. It pushes him to come before God. There is no help at hand except the help of prayer. There is no one to call upon except to call upon God. It is then time to bring us closest to God. We will then see the priceless value of prayer. When we are alone with God, and free from the entanglement of the world and human relationships, we find life’s new possibility, and we see God never so real revealing himself to us. So no matter what problems you have. It may be large or small. No matter what situations you face. It may be hard or easy. Please bring them before the Lord. As long as you pray earnestly, God will never ignore your plea. God will exercise His power of mighty act. He works miracles for you. Since the beginning of history, God has listened to thousands of millions of people in their prayers. Especially when the church prays earnestly together, the earth will shake, the prison doors will fling open, God’s servant will be set free, the gate of the Gospel will be spread wide open.
I have gained my strength back. I am well now. I have been set free. Thanks be to God. Let us go together again and fight the good fight for God.

本週默想分享
四個月前我病了，須在家休息。許多人在問，我這四個月在做甚麼？我每天都在切切的禱告。我為您們禱告；我為教會禱告；我為自己禱告。在禱告中神告訴我，原來你們也在為我禱告；教會也在為我禱告。我聽見神藉著使徒行傳12：5告訴我“教會都為他切切的禱告神”
神有時讓祂的兒女和僕人陷到患難中，環境那樣惡劣，遭遇非常不幸，自己無能為力，似乎只有任憑惡人逼害，或者眾叛親離，再也無路可走了。然而卻有一條通天道路，就是禱告。還有一種無窮的力量，就是神自己。
所以，不管境遇如何艱難，緊逼，危險，只要到神的面前來切切禱告，困難就能得到解決。這種解決有時是藉著自己的禱告，如使徒行傳16：25-26 所記載的，約在半夜，保羅和西拉禱告唱詩讚美神，眾囚犯也側耳而聽。忽然地大震動，甚至監牢的地基都搖動了，監門立刻全開，眾囚犯的鎖鏈也都鬆開了。。。有時卻是藉著教會和別人的代禱，如彼得在使徒行傳12：5-19天使救彼得出監的事件一樣。無論如何，禱告是不會落空的。當時教會是切切的為彼得禱告。禱告不懇切，效果就不明顯。切切禱告，不但表明需要的急逼，也表明信心的把握，知道禱告必定能成就。
信徒遇見難處，是他屬靈的益處，催逼他到神面前來。因為沒有別的依靠和辦法，就只有禱告。只剩下神，這樣就把我們帶到和神更親近，將禱告看為更寶貴。而脫離世界和人的各種阻攔，又一次得著生命的轉機，更認識神自己。無論遇見甚麼事，環境多麼難，只要禱告，切切禱告，神不會不聽，祂要顯出祂的大能，行出神蹟來。自古以來，神聽了千萬人的禱告，特別是教會的懇切禱告。地會搖動，監獄的門開啟，神的僕人得釋放，福音之門大開。
我的病好了，我得釋放了，讓我們繼續為福音打美好的勝仗。