Last week, I shared that “Perseverance with Faith” is very important for fulfilling the Lord’s mission.  Faith must be combined with perseverance.  It is indeed a very important match.  Having faith does not mean that the road will be smooth and easy.  To complete the hard road with faith, you must have perseverance in order to bear good fruit.  It was by the power of the Holy Spirit and the perseverance of faith that BAC has gone through the difficult road this past year.  However, the grace that God bestowed on BAC during the pandemic in 2020 was extremely abundant.  There was no delay in ministry and tithing was not lacking either.  This is a beautiful testimony of the faithfulness and unity of the brothers and sisters of this family to God.  

      Psalm 50:23 reminds us that “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me,and to the blameless I will show my salvation.”  Today, at the beginning of this new year, let us all give thanks and glory to the one true God with one heart! 

      It doesn’t matter whether you consider our forty-year anniversary a long or short time.  What is important is whether BAC gives thanks, glorifies God and walks on the right path in each of these forty years.  A church that glorifies God is a church that acknowledges the gracious God.  It is a church that makes disciples according to God's will, and works hard to spread the gospel to fulfill the Lord's mission.  To achieve the above goals, brothers and sisters must be united in the Lord, and consider this church their spiritual home. Every family member must participate and commit themselves together, to humbly serve and love one another.

      I have served in BAC for twenty-six years.  I dare not say that every one of our brothers and sisters have united to work hard to serve the Lord in the past, but I am certain that we are all trying hard. The ups and downs are inevitable, but God’s grace is sufficient for us.  The Holy Spirit has always protected and guarded us.  Even though there will be moments of trials, interpersonal issues, and problems of dealing with sin, God has made us grow and mature through fire and trials.  In the past twenty-six years, I have always been grateful after each year’s review.  Was this guaranteed to happen? Certainly not!  This was built step by step by the devoted pastors and faithful brothers and sisters of the past forty years.  

    In the past five years, God has taught us to receive God’s will, His vision and direction for BAC through prayer.  Through everyone's prayer, BAC has received a clear vision that everyone has helped to promote and take part in over the past five years.  Was there adversity or difficulty?  Certainly!  But in the midst of adversity and difficulties, we survived and continued to implement.  This is because through prayer, God gave BAC the vision and showed us His direction.  God will accomplish His work.  We have all witnessed the faithfulness of God in these past five years.  By persevering with faith, brothers and sisters have overcome difficulties, worked together to fight against the evil one, and continued to do God's work in spite of the pandemic.  2021 is a time for every one of us to participate and learn to be a follower (disciple) of Christ with Christ as the center, the Holy Spirit as the power, and mission as the focus.  Heading towards our 40th anniversary with excitement, let us all lift up our offering in thanksgiving to God.

    上星期與大家分享到有信心的毅力,對實踐主基督的使命,是十分重要的。信心必須加上毅力,的確是一個十分重要的配搭。因為有信心並不等於道路就必會平坦易行。要憑信心行完艱苦的路,就必須要有毅力,才能結出美好的果子。本宣家在過去一年,就是靠著聖靈的力量,憑著信心的毅力,跨過不易行的路。然而,神的恩典在過去一年的疫情之中給予本宣家的,卻是極之豐富的。無論在事工上沒有拖延外,在奉獻上亦是極為豐富的一年。這是本宣家的弟兄姊妹對神的忠心與及同心合一的美好見證。 

     詩50:23提醒我們說:“凡以感謝獻上為祭的，便是榮耀我；那按正路而行的，我必使他得著我的救恩。”今天,讓我們在新的一年開始,都以感謝獻上為祭,同心榮耀真神。 

    四十年是長是短並不重要,重要的是本宣家在這四十年,是否每年都是以感謝獻上為祭獻給神,是榮耀神,是按正路而行的。一間能夠榮耀神的教會,是一間知恩而感恩的教會,是按神的心意建立主的門徒,與及努力傳福音,為要完成主的使命的教會。能夠達到以上的目標方向,弟兄姊妹必需要在主裡同心合一,以本宣家為自己屬靈的家。而每一位家人都要一同參與,一同委身,彼此謙卑,用愛心互相服事。 

    我在本宣家事奉了二十六年,雖然不敢說在這二十六年,所有弟兄姊妹都是合一同心,努力事奉主的。但我可以肯定地說,我們大家都是努力地嘗試。起起伏伏是必然有的,但神的恩典足夠本宣家所用。聖靈一直保護保守著我們,縱然都會有經歷試煉的時刻,有人際關係的問題,也有要處理犯罪的問題,但神卻使我們經歷試煉後更加成長成熟。而過去這二十六年,在我記憶之中,每年的回顧,總是感恩的。這是必然的嗎﹖當然不是。這是過去忠心的牧者,過去忠心的弟兄姊妹,從四十年前開始,一步一步地建立而成的。 

      在過去這五年中,神更教導我們要在禱告中領受神的心意,領受神給予本宣家的異象方向。藉著大家的禱告,本宣家建立了清晰的異象,在過去五年裡而,大家同心推動及參予。當中沒有逆境,沒有困難嗎﹖當然不是。而是在逆境和困難中,我們都可以安然渡過,繼續推行及完成。因為我們從禱告中所領受的這一切,都是神給予本宣家的異象方向。神的工作,神必定成就。本宣家過去五年,都見證到神的信實。弟兄姊妹憑著有信心的毅力,排除萬難,同心抵抗惡者的攻擊,而且更能在疫情中,完成神的工作。2021年是本宣家的弟兄姊妹, 開始參與及學習作一個以基督為中心,以聖靈為能力, 以使命為焦點的基督跟隨者(門徒)。讓我們懷著興奮的心情,一同以感謝獻上為祭,邁進第四十週年。 

 

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