We just had our first combined prayer meeting on 26^th January 2024. It was a wonderful meeting to discern the Lord’s will for SJCp henceforth. As mentioned during the meeting, SJCp belongs to all the members in the church and not the vicar, the PCC or the pastoral team. Therefore, the discerning must be done by the entire church or those willing to come together to pray for the church.

While preparing for the meeting, the Lord impressed to me to share from Joshua 5:13-15. On the verge of the conquest of Canaan, Joshua was praying and the Lord appeared to him. His strategy of the conquest of Canaan was to follow all that God told him to do. The first of which was to be strong and courageous.

Indeed, we need to be strong and courageous. To walk by faith that the Lord leads us, we need to be fearless. That is because the Lord’s way is not the way of the world. Does the battle of Jericho looked anything like the way people should fight a war. The enemies probably laughed their heads off at the ridiculous way of Joshua’s troop marching around. But marched around they did, shouted they did and won the battle they did. The way of God is not the ways of the world. The world looks for profit and what’s in it for me. The Lord looks at how to benefit others. The existence of the church is to do the will of God, to love others. To share with them that they, too, will not be in need. To reach out even before they can ask for help. To truly live out the love of Christ. To do this will need us to truly live by faith. IF we are always looking at the problems, or perceived problems, then we will be paralyzed to be of any use to the Lord. So, what reason is there for the Lord to continue to bless us? Are we not blessed to be a blessing?

Brothers and sisters, living by faith will need us to do things away from the norms of the world, especially in the area of ‘give us today our daily bread.’ The way of the Lord needs us to be strong and courageous.

God bless,
In Christ’s service,

Barry Leong

我们刚在2024年正月26日举行了第一次的联合祷告会。这实在一个极美好的聚会来辨识主对圣约翰堂前面路的心意。正如在聚会中所说的，圣约翰堂是属于教会所有的肢体，而不是属于牧正，执事会或是教牧团队的。如是，这应当由全体的教会或是那些愿意聚集在一起同心为教会祷告的来辨识。

当为聚会准备的时候，主定意要我分享约书亚记5:13-15. 当对迦南地征伐之际，主向正在祷告的约书亚显现。他对征伐迦南地的战略乃是跟从主神对他所说的。首当其要的是刚强壮胆。

是的，我们需要刚强壮胆。走在主引领的信心之路，我们需要无畏惧。这是因为主的道不是世界之道。耶利哥之役岂是像人们争战那样。仇敌可能对约书亚的军旅以可笑的行军方式嗤之以鼻。但是，如他们环111绕行军，如他们呼喊，如他们得胜战役。上帝行事之道迥异于世界。世界以利益为至上以及我可以在其中捞到什么好处。主却是要使别来得祝福。教会的存在乃是行出上帝的旨意，爱人。与人分享，使人们也不缺乏。我们可以在人们还没有寻求帮助之先就伸出援助之手。真实的活出基督的爱。为实践此需要我们凭信心而活。如果我们只单单关注问题，或察觉问题，我们将会瘫痪以致主无法使用我们。这样，还有什么原因促使主继续的来祝福我们？我们岂不是被祝福成为别人的祝福吗？

弟兄姐妹，凭信心而活需要我们不跟随这一个世界行事的方程式，特别是在“赐给我们日用的饮食”上。主乃是要我们刚强壮胆。

上帝赐福,
在基督里服事的,

Barry Leong