Lunar New Year Celebration

February 1, 2009

Praise the Lord for the Lunar New Year Sunday Service,which fell on the 7th day of the Year of the Ox.

It was a festive day indeed and we exchanged not only the usual Chinese New Year greetings, but also blessed each other with Biblical-style greetings like “Jue Yan Sheung Joi” (Grace of Lord is with you always); “Chat Nin Fung Sa” (Seven Years of Abundance). Many of these auspicious words were inspired by the special “Fai Chun” stuck up around the hall area during this festive season.

Brother Raymond and his team, dressed in gold traditional Chinese costumes, welcomed the congregation and led us into a powerful session of praise and worship for our almighty God

Brother Chun, a quiet and soft-spoken brother, testified the faithfulness of our Lord throughout his life. Chun recalled while attending different churches in the past, he had given up God on so many occasions, but each time our gracious father managed to use someone to bring Chun back to Him and now he has found home after settling down in Hope of God Church. Brother Chun’s testimony reminded us how we must have complete faith that the Lord will never give us up during all the times that we may have deviated from His plans.

In line with Brother Chun’s testimony about the changes in his life, Sis Arlene also gave a timely sermon regarding changes. She shared with us that indeed Christians will undergo lots of changes in life, but our changes should be for the purpose of glorifying God’s name and testifying God’s presence in our lives before the people. We should put on the love of Christ in our daily life by putting in us the right attitude, not just once but everyday in our life. During the changing process there will be clashes and conflicts with others but our hearts should be ruled by the peace of Christ, this can be done if we are indwelt with the Word of Christ by constantly praising and worshipping Him in our hearts. By putting our Lord constantly in our presence, we will depend on His power in every circumstance in life and therefore will do everything in His name.

New Year has always been associated with changes, from old things to new things. In the year of the Ox, let us all be changed in Him!