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Volume. XXVI, No. 48 How Healthy Are We? - Part Two...continued from last week One might scoff and ask, "Why so much fuss about exercising faith?" When in my case, the doctor tells me that I should exercise because my medical condition makes me 3 times more prone to getting a heart attack or stroke than the average person, it can become a matter of life and death. The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 warns us not to be unprofitable servants, like a servant that does not fulfil the expectations of his master. Such an unprofitable servant is "cast into outer darkness: [where] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." So a profitable servant will seek to fulfil his master\'s expectations. Another dire warning from Our Lord Jesus Christ, is given in Matthew 7:19-23. Note that "every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire," and "not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." How sad it will be if we have been deceiving ourselves all this while, and especially when it is too late as we stand before the Lord on Judgement Day. My friends, please do not be upset with me for I do not accuse anyone of being unfruitful, for I am not any different. I have been unfruitful in my days, and even now I dare not claim to be fruitful, for it is God who looks upon the hearts of men, and it is God that gives the increase. Only we ourselves know our own standing before God. But if I have made you feel uncomfortable, then I am glad because it might be that you need to think upon the terrible warnings that our Lord has given us and the implication upon our lives. If you are already serving God faithfully, well and good. Continue in your good work and to be an encouragement to others, that the Body of Christ may be edified by your faithfulness to God. May the fruit you bear be a testimony of God\'s Lordship in your life. In serving God, it is worth remembering that we cannot bear fruit of ourselves, but only in Christ, so we have to be wary that we do not try to bear fruit without Christ. It is so easy to lead busy lives, even in Church service, that, little by little, we find we have pushed God out of our lives, stopped communing with Him and replaced Him with our prideful self. Our relationship with Him becomes that of an acquaintance rather than our Heavenly Father. In all that we do, it must be for Him and in obedience to His will. When I decided to serve in Hope B-P Church, I had to be approached to serve for I would not have volunteered myself. Maybe you are like me, but I know many of you are better than me for I see many that are already serving voluntarily. But if you are like me, I hope that when you are approached, you will give it careful consideration and serve as God directs you. Now, let me share with you a little about what I am learning as I serve, as a brief example of how blessed it is to serve. Being involved with the life of the Church, I can see that God is using this to cause me to grow spiritually. I am spending more time reading and studying His Word, and understanding what it means to be concerned for the things of God. I can see that He is teaching me how to be concerned for others, to be more patient towards other people, and to learn that they are more important than the temporal things of this world. He takes me aside to show me that I can trust Him to meet my needs, the futility of coveting the things of this world, that I can be thankful in all things, and how deceitful is my pride. Don\'t get me wrong, for I am not saying that I have attained all the benefits of service that I have listed, for I still struggle with sin, with inconsistency, with personal failings in the very things I have mentioned, and my pride. It is only by God\'s grace that I am being sanctified, and He has not given up on me due to the slowness of my heart. Will it not be wonderful to see our lives bearing God\'s fruit, to feel His pleasure and approval? Doesn\'t it make more sense to spend our time equipping ourselves for eternity in Heaven, rather than eternal damnation? Well, one might begin to think that this is outright propaganda to increase the number of people serving in the Church! Let me assure you that though that should be the result, it is more a call to examine ourselves and to consider our standing before God. Even as we are concerned about our own health, shouldn\'t we be concerned about our spiritual health and the health of the Church as well? Where would we all be if we allowed this Body of Christ to perish? May God deal graciously with us all. Deacon Colin Gan **************************** Anniversary Greeting Dear Pastor Weng, the Session, and the Hopefuls:
Though Myung and I are not in Adelaide to celebrate the church anniversary and to give thanks to the Lord for His grace upon the Hopefuls, our hearts and minds are naturally gravitated toward you all on this day. I am thinking of greeting you in the same way that Paul did to the believers in Rome. “To all that be in Adelaide, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It comes from Romans 1:7. I feel that I understand Paul’s heart when he wrote an epistle to the believers in Rome. Myung and I are longing to see your faces and to encourage you and to be encouraged by you. I thank the Lord for your faith in Jesus Christ and your faithfulness to the Lord. I pray that Hope church will be a beacon of light in this darkened world, a spiritual oasis in this spiritually dry land, and a refuge in this insecure life. I pray that Hope church will enjoy constant flows of biblical and spiritual teachings and fellowship and demonstrate unceasing love and care amongst the brethren. I pray that hungry and thirsty souls will find satisfaction and the discouraged ones, encouragement and strength in Hope Church. I hope and pray that the name of God will be always honoured and glorified in the hearts of the Hopefuls, and that lost souls will hear the name of Jesus Christ for their salvation. Thank the Lord for Pastor Weng, the Session and all Hopefuls in Hope Church. I also thank the Lord for the friends of the Hopefuls who have shared the burdens of labours for the Lord for many years even until now. I thank the Lord for Rev. Patrick Tan who came and ministered to the Hopefuls today. May the Lord establish each and every one of you according to the Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of God in the Scriptures! We send our love and affection to you all from cloudy and rainy London. “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” (Romans 16:27)
With lots of love and prayers, Pastor and Myung Ki
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