Dear Brethren,
Thank God for another blessed trip to Kuching that I went last Sunday till Tue. It was an extremely busy week as I went to Kemaman on Thursday after coming back from Kuching. God’s grace is always sufficient for every strength that we need to go through the challenge of each day. Always look to the Lord and experience His goodness and mercy in our lives! I would like to share 3 spiritual lessons that I learned in my Kuching trip.
Kuching Church has grown…. “God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6)
I hope you remember that the Lord led us to organize a 2nd camp for the Kuching Church in March this year. A new family of 4 came to the camp. The husband and wife have backslided from the Lord for a few years. The Lord revived their heart in the camp and since the camp, they have joined the Church in Sunday worship and Monday prayer meeting. From a church of 10 members, this is an increase of 40%. Praise the Lord! It was a great encouragement to the Church members.
This is an important lesson for all of us. The Bible reminds us to “cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” (Eccl. 11:1). What does it mean? We must keep on sowing God’s Words – give a tract, invite someone to Church, share the Gospel, go for mission trip, do something good to someone etc – and we will never know when the day of reaping will come that someone will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ through our small and feeble effort.
My Notebook broke down…. “All things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28)
I always bring my Notebook to Kuching as I have some spare time on Monday to do my work – clear my office emails and also prepare my messages. When I turned on my Notebook on Monday morning, to my surprise, the screen was blank. I tried many times but in vain. I knew I could not use the Notebook at all. It was easy to complain and ask God why. Immediately, my thought went back to the March Kuching camp that I brought the Notebook and had to use it for the songs and 3 messages that were preached. Had the Notebook broke down in March, it would affect the camp greatly. The Lord is good and knows when is the right moment for the Notebook to break down. I thank the Lord that indeed all things work together for good. Thank the Lord for my iPhone that I can use to clear my office emails even without the Notebook. Let us always be grateful children of the Lord.
Visiting the Sick… “Remember … them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” (Hebrews 13:2)
A young lady in her 20s in Kuching Church has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. When I arrived on Sunday 15 May, she was just discharged from hospital after undergoing her 5th session of chemotherapy. She was very weak and unable to come to Church on Sunday. I received a phone call on Monday morning from her father that his daughter has invited me to their home for lunch. I know my Monday’s plan was disrupted and also I cannot taste my favourite “zhu zha” (pig stuff) soup that I always eat whenever I go to Kuching. This is the best pig stuff soup I have tasted in my life!
When the call of duty comes, and I remember the sister in adversity who needs much encouragement, I immediately answer “Yes” that I will go for the lunch. Thank God for the time to pray and encourage this sister in the Lord. This is an important lesson for us who are in good health to be with those in adversity and comfort and strengthen them in the faith. It may mean the sacrifice of time and disruption of our routine life, but this is the way of blessings and joy that the Lord wants us to do. May brotherly love always continue in our Church! (Hebrews 13:1)
Elder John Leong