Accepted Because of Faith
With the coming of Chinese New Year, may I wish my family in Christ a blessed New Year! In Acceptable 2019, may we find peace and joy at home and at work; may we be hugely prosperous in everything we do; may we be greatly strengthened in discipleship as our lives continue to be uplifted! I especially bless our single members to meet their godly partners and be greatly accepted by God and man.
At the end of 2018, I retreated with the “Curator Staff” to Kuching. In sheer amazement, we watched the galaxy God had created. Psalm 19 came to my mind: “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” Delving into that passage, and through that wonderful astronomical phenomenon, God revealed to us that it would be a year of acceptance.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Ps 19:14 NKJV)
After I released that message in faith in the first week of 2019, then in January 2019, God allowed us to possess land – we bought land (160,000 sq. ft. in size) along the fertile riverbank of Nam Tum, Cheong Chau. Moreover, the good news of two pairs of single brothers and sisters entering courtship came to us on the same day, and I am sure plenty more are coming!
I strongly believe that we shall greatly experience God’s Favor this year as He accepts the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts. Therefore, we must learn how to present our needs to God, and how to keep declaring and praying. Trusting God to be a God who delights to reward us, we shall stay in faith and great expectation of Him.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Heb 11:6)
It is my prayer that the congregation shall reach 12,000 this year. Also, I hope that our members shall desire more of God’s Word, and that the attendance of morning devotion shall continue to grow. I hope that we shall receive more fresh manna in order to walk in God’s Revelations.
Going towards the vision of “Planting Trees of Life everywhere in 52 years”, I pleaded with God to pave the way for us to start Bible Schools in Africa and the Philippines, training up workers for the Lord there. I pleaded with God to pave the way for us to set up branch churches in the five continents, and plant Trees of Life everywhere.
Turning to the nations, we pray that China shall be more blessed, that governors of many nations shall trust in God and walk in His Truth. It is my deep longing to see the China-US relationship restored, and to see the whole earth enjoying peace.
The recent Bible reading during morning devotion has been a constant reminder to us to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and to humbly walk with Him. If we are faithful in these things, then His protection and blessings shall be with us always. In this New Year, may I bless my children to meditate more on what is good, righteous and godly. Also, my children shall learn how to pray for themselves, their family, and their country: hence, all our prayers shall be answered, and we shall all enter into the promise of being accepted by God! • [2019.02.03]