Depleted Yet Filled With Joy!
Last weekend was the most challenging by far. The exhaustion showed after 5-6 weeks of continuous preaching. I was like a walking dead man at the end of yesterday’s Filipino service. Contending for the spiritual eternity for souls is indeed hard work.
On the other hand, I was blessed by the many lives that have been turned around for eternity. My tiredness does not in anyway diminish the transforming power and love of the gospel message. It is indeed good news that Jesus had come to help us live life in all its fullest.
The more I shared it to the people, the greater the message grows in me. I am really glad that Jesus had come for me. I am so thankful that God had spared no effort to reach a sinner like me. I am truly a life that had been transformed! Not just me but many many more around me and in our church too!
There was this particular lady who was so overwhelmed by the love of God that she actually passed out after praying the sinner’s prayer. This is certainly a first for me! Just like how the wise men were overjoyed when they saw the star that led them to Jesus, this lady was so overwhelmed by the goodness of God that she fainted! Not to worry, she did regain her consciousness after some help from the people around her…
For this week, I am pacing myself to be prepared for the harvest in Kallang Theatre on the weekend. I know that it is going to be a fantastic time! I need to prepare myself physically (more act of self mutilation through running again!), spiritually (fasting and praying) and emotionally (resting enough to fill up my emotional tank).
Let’s anticipate a great time of harvest on the weekend. We can all play a part by inviting people to any of possible events and services throughout the week.
I was also at the Mandarin church musical rehearsal yesterday and it was most refreshing for me. Let’s not let Christmas bypass our friends, families and relatives. Let’s allow Christmas to happen in them in 2006!
On the other hand, I was blessed by the many lives that have been turned around for eternity. My tiredness does not in anyway diminish the transforming power and love of the gospel message. It is indeed good news that Jesus had come to help us live life in all its fullest.
The more I shared it to the people, the greater the message grows in me. I am really glad that Jesus had come for me. I am so thankful that God had spared no effort to reach a sinner like me. I am truly a life that had been transformed! Not just me but many many more around me and in our church too!
There was this particular lady who was so overwhelmed by the love of God that she actually passed out after praying the sinner’s prayer. This is certainly a first for me! Just like how the wise men were overjoyed when they saw the star that led them to Jesus, this lady was so overwhelmed by the goodness of God that she fainted! Not to worry, she did regain her consciousness after some help from the people around her…
For this week, I am pacing myself to be prepared for the harvest in Kallang Theatre on the weekend. I know that it is going to be a fantastic time! I need to prepare myself physically (more act of self mutilation through running again!), spiritually (fasting and praying) and emotionally (resting enough to fill up my emotional tank).
Let’s anticipate a great time of harvest on the weekend. We can all play a part by inviting people to any of possible events and services throughout the week.
I was also at the Mandarin church musical rehearsal yesterday and it was most refreshing for me. Let’s not let Christmas bypass our friends, families and relatives. Let’s allow Christmas to happen in them in 2006!
posted by Jeff Chong at 8:26 am
8 Comments:
Dear Pastor jeff, Jia you!
Btw, i think your sermon yesterday was really Great!! really.
anway,the miracle for me is seeing my mum lfiting up both her hands in prayer/worhsip in response to the response time.
Thanks for delivering GOd's truth through your everyday/week's preaching.
Hi Pastor Jeff,
Stand firm, let nothing move you !
Btw, I've some question for you =)
I've seen couple of people buying food & drinks from Isle Cafe and eat it in the S11 sometimes (While it stated no outside drink and food). I did it also last time.
What is your view on this ? isn't it we must submit to the authority ? although this is a small matter but i just can't stop thinking about it hehehe.
Thanks in Advance for your reply
^_^
Thanks Doreen for sharing the testimony about your mum. I am very encouraged by that!
Hi anonymous, we should not be eating outside food in S11 as it is stated so.
This is the right thing to do... else it would be unfair to the S11 owner who provides us with the seats but would not earn any money from us.
Hi anonymous,
we should not be eating outside food in S11 if we don't buy anything else especially during peak times
but if there are many empty seats at certain times such as on some mornings, and the S11 stallholders don't mind people sitting there then clearing up themselves (but not leave packets behind for the cleaners to clean), then it's OK.
It's part of their building relationship with customers who do eat there at many times & who will reciprocate by eating there regularly at other times. But if any one stallholder or the proprietor indicates any displeasure, then we should move immediately & not do it.
Another situation is if we are in a group and SOME people buy food there and SOME others buy food from somewhere else. It's ok IF the S11 people don't mind. Sometimes they may even like it because they prefer groups (such as church groups that have to sit together) to at least buy some things from them instead of taking their whole business away (if they don't even allow any outside food & the group chooses to all go somewhere else instead).
Another situation is if some people buy some food from S11 and drinks or some other food from somewhere else. Again, the same logic as the above paragraph applies (the S11 vendors may not want to lose their whole business to other foodcourts nearby , which they insist on no outside food at all).
So, in looking at your question, it's a good question but we must be wise and not legalistic.
i think mi is right and so is pastor. We must look at the situation and the reason behind the prohibition rather than just the prohibition.
the reason is S11 is afraid people will take up seats without giving them business. So if people do give them business (e.g. buy some food there and some food from outside, or in a whole group some people buy from there and some from elsewhere) , then the S11 people may feel it is okay for customers to take in some outside food . otherwise they lose their whole business to another foodcourt nearby that will allow this.
So when we look at things, we must be holistic . otherwise we may not even be helping the S11 foodcourt owners or stallholders when actually we want to help.
Wow... thanks all for the useful comments. The different scenarios painted are most helpful. And you guys are right, if we are eating outside food and if the people workign there asked us to nto do so, we should follow.
Good principles presented here...
Thanks All !
But isn't it still breaking the rules ? even though there are empty seats or we eat as a group ?
is not that we cannot be flexible , but they already stated clearly no outside food and drink, they did not put "No outside food & drink except there are a lot of empty sit or you eat as a group"
and how do we know that the owner doesnt mind ? have you ever ask the owner of s11 ? we also cannot assume that the owner did not tell us anything that's mean we are allow to do it.
Isn't it same like when Jesus told to pay the tax. in the flexible way Jesus don't have to pay the tax because He's the king and the owner but anyway He still following the rules by paying tax
Guys this is just my opinion, of course I don't want in the end we fight each other hahaha ^_^ we just take it as friendly debat ? hahah
So what's your opinion guys ?
Hey mi, a & t, keep the lively and friendly discussion going... anyone else has any opinion, do feel free to share it.
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