I just came back from a time of fellowship with some siblings-in-Christ. We had a simple dinner at a coffee shop and then desserts at a couple's place in Bishan. I am glad for the time spent with them as it took the attention off the things that I have been dealing with the past two days or so.
After that a dear brother and I, as we were heading home, walked and talked about things. I appreciated his willingness to listen to my struggles and offering counsel accordingly.
I praise the Lord for giving me people to encourage me during this time of struggles in my pilgrim's journey.
This morning before I went with mum and dad to the hospital, I was watching a VCD on the testimony of a brother-in-Christ by the name of Kelvin Soh. It was his song that comforted me yesterday when I was at a Christian bookstore.
He was a drug addict who had been in and out of prisons and rehabilitation centres for the past twenty years. He was released in 2002. His mum left him when he was a boy. His dad was a drug addict himself and had seldom the chance to take care of brother Kelvin. He was basically looked after by his grandma.
He took up the habit of taking drugs and sniffing glue from his dad. When he did not have money to buy the controlled substances, he resorted to stealing from his grandma who kind of gave up on him after a while.
Brother Kelvin's life changed when one day he was given a Bible when he requested from a prison warden for something to read. He chanced upon a passage from Hebrews 12:5-6. Those verses made him realised his life could not be transformed by his own effort. Only God could. He disciplines and rebukes because He loves His children. It was here Kelvin gave his life up to God. From then on, he was transformed. Even while in prison God used him mightily to reach out to his fellow inmates. He continued to serve God after he was released.
He met a sister-in-Christ one day whom he came to love deeply and eventually took her as his beloved wife. Now they are serving the Lord together. His wife basically accepted Kelvin as who he is - his past, his character, his all - and God is now using them powerfully!
His grandmother also came to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour after seeing the transformation in Kelvin's life. The grandson she once thought was condemned is now a changed man. This made her realised that the God Kelvin serves is very much alive and real.
Watching this video presentation served as a rebuke for me that there is no such thing as someone being beyond hope. With God there is always hope. I also learnt that there is no such thing as small or big sins. A sin is a sin. When Christ died on the cross, He did not die only for the big sins of man. He simply gave His life as an atonement for man's sin. Period.
In this world, be it convict or not, all have sinned and fallen short the glory of God. A person who has never been imprisoned does not mean he is not guilty of wrongdoings - at one point of our lives, we probably would have committed a sin. A lie is one example. This simply tells us that we are no different from those who have been convicted before. So we are all the same and Christ died for us all and not some.
This testimony of brother Kelvin has opened my eyes towards my view of people in general. I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me for the way I have judged some people. By judging, I have already sinned. It is time that I learn to see others with the compassionate eyes of God - to love and accept them as God would.
Thanks be to God for the above-mentioned. I am moved to use one of brother Kelvin's songs when I lead next Sunday at the 11:15am service. The theme for that day's sermon is on grace and this song I am considering speaks about grace. The only thing is the song is in Chinese but the service I am leading is in English. I guess God can still speak through the language barriers. Well, I shall pray and let God move me accordingly.
Before I end, I want to praise God for the church member who was admitted into hospital on Sunday. Yesterday I shared his heart-rate were exceptionally high and his temperature was fluctuating. Well, this afternoon his wife called to inform me that everything is back to normal and that this dear brother-in-Christ would be transferred to a normal ward.
Thanks be to God for the power of prayer! His health condition was sent to the church prayer network yesterday. I believe God has heard the prayers of His people on behalf of this brother!
I guess I shall stop here and share further tomorrow.
To God be the glory!
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:5-6
After that a dear brother and I, as we were heading home, walked and talked about things. I appreciated his willingness to listen to my struggles and offering counsel accordingly.
I praise the Lord for giving me people to encourage me during this time of struggles in my pilgrim's journey.
This morning before I went with mum and dad to the hospital, I was watching a VCD on the testimony of a brother-in-Christ by the name of Kelvin Soh. It was his song that comforted me yesterday when I was at a Christian bookstore.
He was a drug addict who had been in and out of prisons and rehabilitation centres for the past twenty years. He was released in 2002. His mum left him when he was a boy. His dad was a drug addict himself and had seldom the chance to take care of brother Kelvin. He was basically looked after by his grandma.
He took up the habit of taking drugs and sniffing glue from his dad. When he did not have money to buy the controlled substances, he resorted to stealing from his grandma who kind of gave up on him after a while.
Brother Kelvin's life changed when one day he was given a Bible when he requested from a prison warden for something to read. He chanced upon a passage from Hebrews 12:5-6. Those verses made him realised his life could not be transformed by his own effort. Only God could. He disciplines and rebukes because He loves His children. It was here Kelvin gave his life up to God. From then on, he was transformed. Even while in prison God used him mightily to reach out to his fellow inmates. He continued to serve God after he was released.
He met a sister-in-Christ one day whom he came to love deeply and eventually took her as his beloved wife. Now they are serving the Lord together. His wife basically accepted Kelvin as who he is - his past, his character, his all - and God is now using them powerfully!
His grandmother also came to know Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour after seeing the transformation in Kelvin's life. The grandson she once thought was condemned is now a changed man. This made her realised that the God Kelvin serves is very much alive and real.
Watching this video presentation served as a rebuke for me that there is no such thing as someone being beyond hope. With God there is always hope. I also learnt that there is no such thing as small or big sins. A sin is a sin. When Christ died on the cross, He did not die only for the big sins of man. He simply gave His life as an atonement for man's sin. Period.
In this world, be it convict or not, all have sinned and fallen short the glory of God. A person who has never been imprisoned does not mean he is not guilty of wrongdoings - at one point of our lives, we probably would have committed a sin. A lie is one example. This simply tells us that we are no different from those who have been convicted before. So we are all the same and Christ died for us all and not some.
This testimony of brother Kelvin has opened my eyes towards my view of people in general. I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me for the way I have judged some people. By judging, I have already sinned. It is time that I learn to see others with the compassionate eyes of God - to love and accept them as God would.
Thanks be to God for the above-mentioned. I am moved to use one of brother Kelvin's songs when I lead next Sunday at the 11:15am service. The theme for that day's sermon is on grace and this song I am considering speaks about grace. The only thing is the song is in Chinese but the service I am leading is in English. I guess God can still speak through the language barriers. Well, I shall pray and let God move me accordingly.
Before I end, I want to praise God for the church member who was admitted into hospital on Sunday. Yesterday I shared his heart-rate were exceptionally high and his temperature was fluctuating. Well, this afternoon his wife called to inform me that everything is back to normal and that this dear brother-in-Christ would be transferred to a normal ward.
Thanks be to God for the power of prayer! His health condition was sent to the church prayer network yesterday. I believe God has heard the prayers of His people on behalf of this brother!
I guess I shall stop here and share further tomorrow.
To God be the glory!
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:5-6
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