Monday Musings

I was still full of energy as the result of the anointing of the Holy Spirit when I reached home at 9.30pm last night. I taught for nearly 100 minutes with a few minutes' break in between. I pleaded with the teenagers that they should seek after the Lord and experience the Holy Spirit, as a gift from the Lord. Without the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist twice said he did not know Him. Why was that repeated? (John 1:29-34). At one level, John did not recognise Jesus at first, but like many things in the Gospel of John, there is always a deeper truth for those who seek it. John the Baptist did not know Jesus because he had not experienced the Holy Spirit that only Jesus could give. Without the baptism of the Holy Spirit, no one really knows Jesus the way He is to be known. I told the 20 or so teenagers gathered last night that it is in their hands to know this Jesus, called the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). Most of these youths are third generation Christians where the grandparents or parents are Christians, from the SIB church.
But to me, they are ewes and little lambs that the Lord had entrusted me to care for. Amazingly, there are more guys than girls last night (14 boys and 6 girls plus a few older youths). The attendance was affected because a few parents who had to attend the afternoon service were just too tired to come back for the 6.30pm service and Bible study. Now we have to change so that all the youths or teenagers who want to come could attend. The first Sunday service is not filled up so we might just concentrate on one service. With the uncertain times of Covid-19 and the ease of online service, it is easy to come up with a reason not to attend church. Again, I repeat what I said to my congregation in my second sermon during the MCO (lockdown) that if this MCO is extended over 2 months, we might lose half the congregation. But this is a time of testing and shifting (saringan) for those who know God will do exploits (Daniel 10) and those who are half-hearted in the first place will fall away. If we can't compete in peace times, how can you run in a war? (Jeremiah). Some "Christians" are so easily shaken and they can justify themselves all they want, but those who love God, will love His dwelling place, and His holy temple is where people gathered together in one place and worship Him.