Dearly Beloved Brethren,
The Year 2013 is coming to an end…
Today we enter into the first Sunday of November 2013. In 2 months’ time, the year 2013 will draw to a close and it will be another chapter of history in our life. The important question we have to examine our hearts before God is whether we have grown in our spiritual life in 2013. Have we redeemed our time to make improvement spiritually that our inward man is renewed daily? So often we just fall into the routine way of life without a purpose and resolve to grow spiritually. Hence, year after year, our spiritual life is mediocre and for many who are Christians for 5 or 10 years or even more, we are still at Kindergarten level spiritually. How sad and shameful it is before God if this is our condition today!
I would like to encourage and challenge you to rise spiritually in 2 areas before 2013 closes its chapter in your life:
Follow Me, and I will make you Fishers of Men (Matthew 4:19)
This is the 1st area that we must make spiritual progress to be a soul-winner and be evangelistic for the Lord. Let the Church theme in 2013 be real in us. The Church plans for 4 Gospel Worship services in 2013. The first 3 Gospel Worship services have come and gone. Perhaps you did not pray and bother to invite anyone. Your heart has little concern for your loved ones and friends who are heading for eternity in Hell Fire. But pray now for a burden for souls. The Lord will use you to lead someone to Jesus Christ. There is one more Gospel Worship service on 29 Dec 2013. You can do something for the Lord! You can be a Fishers of Men for the Lord!
Every Christian is a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian must bear a good testimony for the Lord. Every Christian must share the Gospel to others. Pray to the Lord to be such a true Christian. Come for the monthly evangelism session to share the Gospel and give out the Gospel tracts. Don’t let 2013 pass without sharing the Gospel to someone and inviting someone to Church.
Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness (Psalm 96:9)
The 2nd area to improve before the year ends should be our worship to the Lord. What is your attitude when you come to Church every Lord’s Day? Is it a drag and you try to find excuses not to come? In the worship service, you find yourself sleepy and learning nothing. After Church, you want to leave as soon as possible. There is no desire for the Lord and no hunger to worship Him. This is a grave sin to fall into. Let me share what worship means to a true Christian.
The word “worship” comes from the root-word “worth.” Therefore, worship means to adore and serve one whom we consider worthy of our worship. Before a person is saved, he does his best to avoid God because he views God primarily as a Judge. After a person receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, his spiritual eyes are opened. Thereafter, he realises that he is marvellously created by his Creator, gloriously redeemed by his Saviour’s sacrifice at the Cross, graciously provided by his Provider, safely protected by his Power, wisely led by God’s Word and eternally destined in God’s Kingdom. He also realises his own unworthiness and sinfulness. Therefore, he stands in awe before his God and worships Him.
True worship of God fills the deepest part of man, which is his spiritual being. John 4:24 says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.”
Our spirit is satisfied and strengthened as we meditate on God’s attributes and worship Him. A true worshipper would prepare himself throughout the week for worship by praying and eagerly await with anticipation and joy for the Lord’s Day. He will dress appropriately, arrive early at church, worship the Lord reverently, sing heartily, listen obediently to God’s Word, give gratefully and serve joyfully.
May the year 2013 be a year of spiritual progress and growth in our witnessing and worship to the glory of God!
Elder John Leong