Lord’s Day Message
Philippians 4:10~23
“…for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (11b~13)
Message Outlines
1. The secret to the Christian life: Having the Lord inside us and the brothers and sisters around us will not only make us joyful but also strengthen us to face all situations.
- The strengthening from the Lord inside
Make us to be content: This is not passive, but is to know and to experience that Christ is our satisfaction. What He has measured for us is for our benefits.
Make us to be able to face all situations: Either low or abound, plenty or hunger, abundance or need, these are all opportunities for us to experience Christ and gain Christ. Because of Christ who empowers us inside, we have strength to face different situations. (verse 13, I can do all things, the Greek word of “do” has a meaning of “to have power”.)
- The support from the brothers and sisters around us
They care for us.
They can help us in reality by supporting what we need.
They share our afflictions .
2. Concerning the giving and receiving: Here Paul did not show his human thanksgiving, instead his focus is to bring the brothers and sisters into a spiritual insight and blessings.
- He helped them to know that giving is a sweet savour, an acceptable sacrifice, acceptable to God.
- He prayed for them: The fruit abounds to their account. God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Betty’s Testimony
For the last few weeks, the whole church has been excited and worked hard to prepare for this special conference. Someone called ‘Titus Chu’ was coming to our church for a three day conference. Looking around the church meeting hall, I could see new banners on the floor and everyone is putting in their own effort to make the conference a success. It made me wonder who brother Chu was.
In the first few minutes of the first session, what I noticed first, as a speech student, was that his skills in speech making were exceptional. Not only did he engage his audience with humour, he also kept each person interested by an occassional exclamation to wake those who were ‘sleeping’. But what was different in his speech was that he was sincere, and spoke not only from his heart, but also from his spirit. When he said that you may not understand the majority of a conference, but if one sentenced reached you and made a change, that was all he needed, his sincerity really touched me.
I was not present on the second day due to not feeling too well (which was very unfortunate) but his messages on the 1st and last day have made a change within me. He made me realise that everytime we touch God, there is a new beginning, and also that everytime he forgives us, there is also a new beginning. That God is the ‘creator’, not only did he create us, as humans, but also he can create and initiate changes within us, and only he can create the change. It’s such a nice and simple message, but can really open up a person’s view on life once again.
Leaving the conference, I felt I grew in the spirit a bit more, and thanks to Brother Titus, I learnt that we have to just open up a bible and keep reading it, bit by bit, and day by day, we’ll gain a little extra. With God, all is possible. And only with him, can we really change ^^
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