Congreation & Church Concerns 2009/2/22

DATE: 2009/2/22

CALL TO WORSHIP: I John 3:18-19


SCRIPTURE READING: Hebrews 10:32-39
SERMON: Be a Man of Integrity
讲道题目: 做个有诚信的人

CONGREGATION & CHURCH CONCERNS:
1. Annual Congregational Meeting was held last Sunday. 7 council members were elected. They are Brother Frank Pan, Brother Liang Yi, Brother Wei Wang, Brother Bruce Newman, Brother Simon Ma, Brother Tie Qiang Hu and Brother Winson Orr. We look forward to a vibrant church ministry under their leadership.
2. This Friday Feb. 27, 2009 evening 8 pm Rev. Wilson Chan will lead Bible study and prayer in the dinning hall. We are studying the methodology of how to establish a prayer ministry. We will pray for our church as well as for individuals’ blessings. All are welcome.
3. This Saturday Feb 28, 2009 evening 6:00 pm Chinese Scholars’ Evangelist Testimony on DVD will be held in the dinning hall featuring the 7th lesson on “the way of faith” by Rev. Hong Yu Jian. All are welcome.
4. Lent is commencing this Wednesday Feb. 25 called Ash Wednesday for a period of 40 days. Please take this time to fast and pray for the preparation of Christ’s saving act on the cross.
5. Elderly Sister Wing Chu fell and broke her thigh bone at her home in Glebe Center last Sunday. We pray for a successful operation to recover her injury. May God’s healing comfort be with her.
6. Congratulations to Brother Shupang Chou who won the group A table tennis championship title in the 2009 Family Sports Day event held last Monday in McNabb Community Center. Our church shares the honour and joy of achievement with him.

会友与教会关怀：

1. 教友大会已於上主日举行，选出7位堂会职员，他们是：潘文弟兄，梁毅弟兄，王蔚弟兄，Bruce Newman弟兄，马文豪弟兄，胡铁强弟兄和柯文生弟兄。愿主祝福本堂在新一届堂会领导下继续发展天国圣工。
2. 本星期五2月27日下午8点，陳偉甡牧师将带领查经和祷告。我们现在研究如何建立强有力的祷告事工。我们也为教友的事情和教会的事工，同心合意祷告
3. 本星期六2月28日下午6时，中国学者传道人布道光碟见证晚会有『洪予健讲道集』。第七讲"信心之道"，请带新朋友来参加。
4. 为期40天的大斋节於本星期三2月25日（灰的星期三）开始。请弟兄姊妹多作禁食祷告。预备迎接救主在受难节和复活节所成就的救赎大功。
5. 我们年长的朱莹姊妹上星期天在家中跌倒折断了腿骨，需要动手术医治。愿主保护安慰她早日康复。
6. 恭喜周树邦弟兄上星期一在2009年家庭同乐日运动会比赛荣获甲组兵兵球冠军，我们为他勇夺殊荣感到高兴。

本周默想分享
一个有诚信的人,是一个慎始而敬终的人.一个信耶稣的人,更加是一个不会半途而废的人.希伯来书十章三十六节说:“你们必须忍耐,使你们行完了神的旨意,就可以得着所应许的.” 信徒从信主得救後, 他的一生就是遵行神旨意的一生.这是进天国的道路,得应许的条件,蒙福的根源.然而却不是容易的,因为一直有自己的意思在哪里.有自己的喜好,要求,愿望,虽不是容易看得出来的罪,但是从肉体和属世的生命出来的,常是与神的旨意相反.随从自己的意思或顺从神的旨意,这两种力量在信徒里面的争战是激烈的,长期的,痛苦的.这问题不解决,是没有法子走灵程的.
首先应当认识到,只有神的旨意是正确的,永存的,对我们有益的.在神的旨意之外,既或暂时有所成就,终必败坏,归於无有.而且今生也是有害的,将来永远的损失就更大了.所以不要以为自己的意思得以成就,就一定是最好的.神的旨意成就不合乎自己的意思就一定是不好的.这是极其错误的想法.
在信徒的心中,许多时候都能知道神的旨意是最好的,但却胜不过自己的意思.这就需要惊醒祷告,求神加添力量,光照,启示,以致能甘心乐意地遵行神的旨意.有决心放弃自己的意思.圣灵对我们的感动正是为此.罗马书八章二十七节说: “监察人心的,晓得圣灵的意思,因为圣灵照着神的旨意替圣徒祈求.”希伯来书十三章二十一节说: “在各样善事上成全你们,叫你们遵行他的旨意;又藉着耶稣基督在你们心里行他所喜悦的事.”
今天的经文告诉我们行完了神的旨意,就可以得到所应许的.这并不是说不行神的旨意,也可以得到所应许的.那是错误,自欺欺人的想法.神为我们所定的旨意,有诚信的基督徒,在世的时候,一定把它行完.正如大卫在世的时候,遵行了神的旨意,就睡了.(徒13:36).

Spiritual Thought for the Week
A man of integrity is a man who is sincere and trustworthy. He knows what he is doing. When he begins a job he will not leave the job until it is completely finished. A Christian is a man who by the grace of his saviour Jesus Christ does the will of God until his life purpose is accomplished. In Hebrews 10:36,it says, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” The mission of a Christian is to accomplish the will of God. This is the way to heaven, the fulfilment of the covenant and the assurance of blessedness. Such undertaking is not easy because selfish desire always gets in the way. Pride and self centeredness may not seem to be obvious sins. But when we recognize they are derived from the flesh, we know they are in conflict with the will of God. Do we listen to the voice of our earthly nature or do we listen to the voice of the divine will? This is a stern and hard spiritual war we have to fight everyday. If we don’t stand up against the foe, we will never be able to advance in our spiritual pilgrimage.
The foremost important procedure is to recognize that God’s way is the best way. God’s will is the best will. Even though sometimes our way seems to prevail over God’s way, yet eventually we reap failure and disaster. The outcome produces nothing for us in this life. Not to mention in the life after. So lets not pray for our own will be done. Pray for God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Why wouldn’t we pray for God’s will be done? The reason is not because we don’t know His will. It is because we don’t want His will be done. We do not want to surrender our will under God’s will. It is time we should ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us and grant us that willingness. In Romans 8:27, it says, “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” If we surrender our will to Jesus, then he would, “equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him.” (Hebrews 13:21)
A man of integrity will see to it that God’s will be done. He will not rest until he finishes his job. “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.” (Acts 13:36)
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