March 2012 - Blessings of Divine Guidance

On 27 Jan., by divine appointment, a sister from Shanghai (let me call her Sister E for security reason) visited the BBC School. I found out that she has a marketplace ministry in Shanghai. We met up a couple of times since to talk about her ministry and she formally asked me to provide spiritual covering for her. On Sunday, 12 Feb., I formally prayed for her in church and told her that I would visit her from time to time.

Three days later, on Wed. 15 Feb., I received an invitation from the Senior Vice President of the Institution of Structural Engineers, UK to be an Examiner for an exam. in Shanghai for 57 Class 1 Engineers from different parts of China on 19 & 20 Mar.. God’s timing was amazing!

Sister E went back to Shanghai on 19 Feb and started to plan for my visit at short notice! By God’s grace, she managed to put together two programmes, one each for the 17 and 18 Mar..

Kim and I landed in Putong Airport on Friday, 16 Mar., our first ever visit to Shanghai!

1)      Saturday, 17 March – Graduation Ceremony for 5 Alpha Course graduates.

It was held in a very nice club house restaurant where each attendee pay RMB 100 for a dessert buffet and had the use of the venue for free. I used that opportunity to share my testimony about coming to faith in Christ at the age of 42. About 25 people attended the celebration party and 7 newcomers signed up for a new Alpha Course due to commence on 21 Mar..

2)      Sunday, 18 March – Water Baptism for 11 new believers.

The venue was not found even a week before the meeting and a big turnout was expected. Miraculously God provided a venue 3 days before the meeting. A Christian business woman opened her 3-storey house for our use. Some 40 people attended.

The meeting was from 10:00 to 12:00am. A few of us went there early to water baptize a blind sister who had to go to work that morning. When she was young an explosion caused the blindness. Her face was also badly scared. The house maid witnessed the baptism and we could see that she was visibly touched. Tears run down her face!

At 10:00am, the meeting started with praise and worship. In my message, I shared about “Faith That Brings Victory” from [Heb. 11:30] based on the story of Jericho. I then dedicated a one year plus boy to the Lord. This was followed by a testimony of one of the sisters who was getting water baptized. She supplemented her testimony with a song she had written. It was a very moving song. I was led by the Holy Spirit to seize the opportunity to do an Alter Call. Five visitors responded and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord! I then water baptized 11 New Believers. It was a blessed and joyful occasion!

Kim and I then went to lunch with a few of the leaders. We decided to go back to the house to see if the maid would like to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord & Saviour. She did. I led her through the Sinner’s Prayer and also water baptized her!

I was amazed how ripe the harvest field in China was and how open the people were. God is definitely moving in the Nation! 

Upon our return to Hong Kong, I received a message from Sister E that the number of people signed up for the Alpha Course that was due to start on Wednesday 21 Mar. had increased from 7 to 13. I am truly humbled at what God is doing in China and I give Him all the glory!

I give thanks to God for the few days I spent in Shanghai. I give thanks for the six people (including the house maid) who came to faith in Jesus Christ. I give thanks for the 13 people who were water baptized. I give thanks for the 13 people who have signed up to join the Alpha Course. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever……Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."………The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. [Ps 118:1-9 NIV]

The Lord’s return to judge the world is near. In the meantime, He is patiently extending His Love to those who humbly accept His Lordship. But for those who reject His Love……"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day. "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. "In that day "the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst. They who swear by the shame of Samaria, or say, 'As surely as your god lives, O Dan,' or, 'As surely as the god of Beersheba lives'-they will fall, never to rise again." [Amos 8:9-14 NIV]

Indeed, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen……For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" [1 Peter 4:7-19 NIV]

Let us be clear that “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart. To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice………There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. [Prov 21:1-3,30,31 NIV]