Scripture Memory: Communion with Christ.
VERSE : Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

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O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

1 July 2007
8.00 am Worship Service:
Eld Lim Teck Chye (Someone is Knocking At Your Door)
10.45 am Worship Service:
Rev Charles Seet (The New Birth)
6:00 pm Rehoboth Evening Service:
Mark Chen (From Moab to Eliab)

8 July  2007
8.00 am Worship Service:
Rev Colin Wong (The New Life: We Are One In Christ Part 2)
10.45 am Worship Service:
Eld Lim Teck Chye (Someone is Knocking At Your Door)
6:00 pm Rehoboth Evening Service:
Mark Chen (From Bread Basket to Death Basin)

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Have you ever been hurt? I have! I am sure you have been too! Everybody experiences a broken heart. Some of us may have it a little more severe. Whether it happened at age 3 or a minute before you go for your honeymoon or a week before your 80th birthday does not really matter. What really matters is the feeling of having, "been dumped," as some people call it, is not to be taken lightly because it can bring deep injuries or harm to the heart, soul, mind and image.

The world is full of hurting people. Who does not get hurt, dumped or dejected by people? Everybody gets hurt in one way or another. Hurting words are heard in the home, workplace, church and public places. I was counseling someone the other day and she told me that her husband often hurled hurting words at her. He would call her a big, fat pig. The children of today are really breaking many a parent’s heart. Courtesy seems foreign to them. I was having lunch with a good friend last week and he told me how disheartening it was to see his son shouting at the mother with unkind words. Siblings often fight and quarrel and say unkind words to one another.

Hurting words are said everywhere even in the sanctuary of God. Serving the Lord for so many years, I have often heard hurting, unkind, vicious words spoken to fellow members in the church. Yes, Life Church has many hurting people. I am sure you have come across some of them in the congregation and how you wish that you can help them to find relief from that tormenting feeling. Being dejected by someone is a terrible thing. Some members told me that they do not feel accepted in Life Church and they are hurting. Why do some members find it so hard to accept a fellow brother or sister in the Lord? Could it be his/her status? Could it be the school or college that he/she goes to? Could it be his/her race? Could it be his/her personality? Perhaps, there are other unspoken reasons why accepting one another is a real problem to some in the congregation.

Despite some setback, I am thankful to God for some courageous souls who came forward to share with us their hurts and unpleasant experiences. We counseled and prayed for them. The Holy Spirit of God comforted and consoled them. As a result, they found great relief from these tormenting feelings of being dumped by people even of the same faith.

However, I am still concerned (and I hope you too) for members who are still burying their hurtful feelings within them. This is very unhealthy – physically, spiritually, mentally and socially – to their souls. Some of them may not know where to seek help and comfort. So they turn to non-Christians for help and counsel. Others may just leave the church quietly, never to step into it again. And yet others may join another church to begin a new chapter of life, hoping to put the past behind them. Whatever they do, that hurtful feeling still lingers within them.

My dear Lifer, here is a concern before us. As Lifers, what are you going to do? How are you going to reach out to those who are still hurting? You cannot say that this is none of your business. Being a member of the church, you have a responsibility for your hurting fellow brethren. You are your brother’s keeper.

Some may ask, "What about the leadership? Is the leadership going to do something about it?" I am sure the leadership is going to do something about it. But the concern does not lie solely on the leadership of the church. The concern lies on us – every member of the church. You and I are responsible for them. We are to offer them a cup of living water. Like golden apples in silver settings, so is a word spoken at the right time (Proverbs 25:11). O yes, like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is a word spoken to a hurting soul.

Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Hurting people are weeping people. They long for acceptance. They long to be a part of the community of believers. For that reason, no division, discrimination or class distinction should be found in the church.

The Bible teaches the priesthood of all believers. What does it mean? The priesthood of all believers means that in the community of saints, God has constructed his body such that we are all priests to one another. The Priesthood of all believers has more to do with the believer’s service than with an individual’s position or status. We are all believer-priests. We all stand equal before God. Such standing does not negate specific giftedness or calling. It rather enhances our giftedness as each one of us individually and collectively does his part to build the body (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are all priests. We are all responsible (Daniel Akin in Perspectives on Church Government, p. 37).

My dear Lifer, James reminds us in his writing that if we are fellow members of the Body of Christ, we would not treat another fellow member better than others (James 2:1). Hurting brethren are also part of the community of saints. When they get hurt, by God’s command, we are to reach out to them with loving care and prayer. I am not saying that we must go hunting for them on the Lord’s Day. However, I am pleading with you to pray for them first and then God will show you or bring them to you in His appointed time.

What to say to the hurting brethren? Proverbs reminds us that the right word spoken at the right time is like precious gold set in silver. Learning to speak the right word at the right time in the right place is important. Hurtful words spoken are like poison injected into the vein which results in sure death. That is why Proverbs says that even a fool is thought to be wise if he keeps silent. He is considered intelligent if he keeps his lips sealed (Proverbs 17:28).

Let me share with you seven essential tips to help you to minister to the hurting:

1. Be a good listener. Don’t interrupt. Let the person finish before you begin to counsel. Give your full attention to the person who is speaking. Do not get distracted by the surroundings like looking out of the window all the time.

2. Listen for important points or statements that begin with phrases such as "My point is…." or "The thing to remember is…."

3. Ask good questions if you are not sure you understand what the person wants to get across.

4. Be prayerful. Always pray in your heart whenever you counsel a person. While listening to the person, pray for good judgment, discernment and understanding of the issue.

5. Be sympathetic. When a person is hurt, he/she needs sympathy. Do not be harsh to the person. Be like Jesus (Hebrews 4:15).

6. Be firm. Hurting people are highly disoriented emotionally. Sometimes, you need to be firm in order to deal with the issue objectively.

7. Be focused on God. Always direct the person to God, not to yourself. He is the ultimate counselor and solution to the problem.

In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus asked the lawyer a very pertinent question, "Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?" He answered affirmatively, "The one who showed pity." "Great! Now go and do the same," said Jesus (Luke 10:36, 37).

Will you also go and do likewise? Amen. —CW

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1) Sunday Lunch Fellowship: Lunch Coupons for the Sunday Lunch on 15 Jul 07 will be on sale today at $2.50 a packet (prawn mee & bee hoon soup, pineapple rice, vegetable rice).

2) Scripture Memory Review No. 2: Please submit the written review exercise by 15 Jul 07. Review No. 1 sheets are also available for those who missed it. Obtainable at the front counter.

3) Renaming of Room: With effect from today, the Second Parsonage on the 3rd level of the kindergarten block will be known as ‘the Conference Room’ in order to reflect its present usage more accurately.

4) Life BPC Directory 2007: Only Life B-P Church members who have responded to the Membership Roll Update Exercise 2006/2007 can sign out a copy each. Please collect latest by TODAY, between 9:30am and 12:30pm from the MIS Office.

5) Wednesday Night Bible Class (Bible Geography by Quek Keng Khwang) commences this Wednesday, 4 Jul, 7.30 to 9.30 pm, Chinese Service Hall. .

6) Church Camp CD (MP3) at S$1 per copy. Contents: Camp Messages, Morning Devotions, The Ministry at Libo, Testimonies/Presentations, ppt slides and photos. Purchases can be made at RTL (opp. church office) on Sundays. Opening time: 9.25 - 9.40 am & 12.25 to 12.40 pm.

7) The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit by Rev Tan Eng Boo. Every Thursday commencing 12 Jul 07 (14 sessions). 7.30 to 9.30 pm, Chinese Service Hall.

8) YF is organising a Career Seminar on Jul 21. All youths interested, esp. those entering or presently in tertiary institutions, are welcomed. Speaker: Elder Ng BK; Panelists: Dn David Tan & Sis Hui Tin. Venue: Chinese Service Hall. Time: 3pm.

9) Gospel Sunday: Invite your friends and loved ones to the Gospel Sunday on 29 Jul 07 (10:45 am). Please pray for Rev Tan Choon Seng (English) and Tee Chung Seng (Mandarin) who will speak on the topic, "The Abundant Life."

Preaching appointments: Rev Wong in Batam.