Reminder from Deuteronomy 20

 Today's QT with the Lord reminds me -

1) My LORD, GOD is with me and my family.
     Do not :-
     Be fainthearted (of small courage or be feeble minded)
     Be afraid (fear)
     Panic (be disturbed)
     Tremble (be shakened or alarmed)
Because He goes with me and my family to fight for us and to save us.  V 1-4

2) Hebrews 12:2 "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Since my family and I have started our faith in the Lord Jesus, He is the Author and Finisher of our faith journey, we are to persevere and run the race of life turning to Him for strength and grace to endure whatever He has set for us.

Hebrews 12:4-13

4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^a

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13“Make level paths for your feet,”^b so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

In Deut 20: 5-7 talks about the man who planted the vineyard, the man who built a new house and the man who is engaged that they should finish their tasks to enjoy the fruit of the labour. These 3 verses reminded me that if man should do that, what more a covenant- keeping GOD. A faithful GOD. A merciful and loving GOD. A GOD who gives and wants the best for us.

Yes, Lord, we need You. Please have mercy on us and heal us. Help us to obey 

You and be sensitive to Your Spirit's leading.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mq59iE3MhXM - Be still my soul
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nCg-QXhhC5I - It is well with my soul

Reflections on current church crisis

What did I learn from an ongoing church crisis of 4-5 years?

1) A Senior Pastor (SP) who ate lots of humble pies and remain teachable and faithful to GOD, in spite of what he and his family are going through; the hurt, humiliation, grieve, etc that they face and endure.

2) Honouring GOD and obeying; following instructions from His Word. Because SP obeyed and trusted GOD, GOD used a group of church members to celebrate his 60th birthday with cake-cutting in church and a dinner attended by members and friends. This encouraged not only SP, his family but also the members of the church. The event was aimed at building bridges, showing love and reinforcing the fact that we are one in the Body of Christ. There maybe fractures but the true Body of Christ cannot be broken. 1 Cor 1:13 "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

3) Despite the above sufferings, SP continues to persevere in prayers and walk with GOD. Walk your talk! Be an example to the flock of sheep GOD has placed under your charge. Show us what it means to believe in a Sovereign GOD.

4) Looking back to the first EGM where one of the elders announced the board's decision to 'transit out' the SP, GOD has caused things and situations to happen, raised members to be part of His work, bit by bit, just like He led the Israelites in Exodus 23:22,30.

5) SP sought the Lord and heard from Him through the Scriptures, through members and circumstances, to be bold and courageous, to stay and continue to serve as SP in the church.

6) Upon reflection of the above, there are positive things that came out of the group whom the Lord has raised, giving feedback and enforcing unity, love, forgiveness, reconciliation and building bridges in the Body of Christ Jesus although others may view them differently. May GOD grant us clear eyesight and not tainted ones to see His hand working through this group of members.

7) GOD brought us all into this family of His for a purpose.

Romans 12:6-8
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let us practice what we preached - to love and accept one another. Many are not having a good time; they do not feel loved, not feel accepted, have been hurt again and again by the so called brethren in the Body. May we have the eyes and heart of Christ to see them as He would. Love and accept them as Jesus would -  don't see them with tainted eyesight and wrong perceptions. They are also human beings with feelings.

May GOD open our eyes and hearts, be obedient to Him and learn the lessons of the Israelites; not to harden your hearts or be rebellious to His grace upon us and the church.

Ephesians 4:1-8, 17-24

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it say: “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives and He gave gifts to men....

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Surrender

GOD gave me these words when i struggle with so many "Whys". Still learning to surrender bit by bit as i journey with Him as my Guide and Comfort.

V1
Surrender, I must surrender.
All these feelings,
All these anger,
Surrender them to Jesus,
He will understand.
Only He can mend.

V2
Surrender, I must surrender
All these disappoinments.
All these heartaches
Surrender them to Jesus,
He can heal, and He will.

Chorus
Each and every heartache He feels.
Each and every teadrop He sees,
Every lonely moments He knows.
And He has always been there for me.

V3
Surrender, I will surrender.
It's His battle, I'll surrender,
He allows things to happen,
He is in control. I can trust Him so.


V4
Surrender, i will surrender.
For He loves me and He'll save me
Surrender them to Jesus,
He will restore.
Praise Him forevermore!

Isaiah 45: 9-12

9.        "Woe to him who strives with Him who formed him,
             a pot among earthen pots!

            Does the clay say to Him who forms it, ‘What are You making?

            or ‘Your work has no handles’?

10  Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
 or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”

11 Thus says the Lord,
 the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:

“Ask Me of things to come; will you command Me concerning my children and the work of My hands?

12 I made the earth  and created man on it;
it was My hands that stretched out the heavens,

 and I commanded all their host."