Finishing Well
As we draw close to the end of 2021, how do you hope you can end the year? We know that a good start is very important, yet to be able to finish well is also not so simple. Some people have a blessed start, but they may not finish in a blessed way. What are the things that hinder us from finishing well? How can we finish well?
Do Not Try To Outsmart God
Sometimes, we can be very persistent in sticking to our preferences and plans, even if we got indications from God that what we intend to do doesn’t quite fit His will. But can we really succeed in trying to outsmart God? What happens when we treat God’s will lightly?
Failures and God’s Training
Have you been “over-zealous” before, but ended up disappointed with the outcome? Perhaps you have been trying to counsel someone but the other party found you a busybody, or you put in efforts to serve but got hurt in the end, or you thought you were contributing to God’s work but no one appreciated you. What is God’s message for you at such times? How is God training you through these?
God Can Do Far More Than All We Imagine
We do not like to encounter crisis, but often crisis provides the occasion for us to rely on God more and for God to demonstrate His great power. Have you ever experienced God doing more than you imagined? How had God proven you wrong when you acted by fear instead of faith? How had God surprised you when you trusted God against all odds?
How To Respond To God’s Secret Will?
Do you like things to be clear? Can you still trust God when you do not know His specific will or what He is going to do? Sometimes, even after you prayed sincerely and humbly, God still does not give you clear direction. What do we do when God’s will remain unrevealed? How can we respond to God’s secret will?
The More Oppressed, The More Blessed?
It sometimes seems strange that God’s blessing may look like trouble at first. Yet, the perspective and interpretation to a same matter is important. In fact, what the enemies of God meant as evil, God can easily turn it into a blessing. If God wants to bless His people, who can stop Him? In Exodus, we read about God’s people facing ruthless oppression by the Pharaoh, why did God allow that? How did He still prove His might over man’s schemes? In the face of spiritual battle, how should we stand our ground?
Continuation Of God’s Covenant Blessings
Have you ever wondered whether good things will continue and whether God will still remember to bless you tomorrow? We are often laden with all kinds of worries about our future, and sometimes when we look at our situations, we can’t help but question how God can possibly still fulfil His promise to us. What has the Bible to say about such concerns? How can the contents of Genesis and Exodus relate to God’s faithfulness to us?
“Good Pretending”?
Have you ever played “dress-up” as a child, pretending to be a character of your dream such as a policeman or a fireman? Do you sometimes feel that you are “hypocritical” when you pretend to be like Christ, when you are far from being Christ-like? But what if there is a kind of pretending that is good? What is the difference between good and bad pretending?
The Need For Solitude And Community
Are you someone who prefers to be alone or hang out with people? Does time alone draw you closer to God, or lead you deeper into certain temptations or loneliness? Bonhoeffer ever said, “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. Let him who is not in community beware of being alone.” Do you sometimes feel that as long as you get the support you need from the Christian community, you do not need to pray so much to God yourself? Or do you feel that you do not need to be in a Christian community because you can build good relationship with God on your own?
Counterintuitive and Sufficient Grace of God
We have always heard that there is no free lunch in the world. Thus, we tend to get very suspicious of deals which are too good to be true. Also, we are very used to the idea of “earning for our rewards”, so it feels strange when we do not have to put in efforts to attain something precious. That is why God’s grace is so counterintuitive to the human mind. How is the gospel counterintuitive? How is Jesus enough for all human needs? Find out more through this message.
