Sunday Service: Contagious Faith

This week, Gitiong lead us in cell prayer. These were the points he dished out to us, as we stood around him in a circle, right outside chapel, shortly before service:

·         Being bold in turning to God regardless of magnitude of issue

See, often times, when the issue’s “controllable” we have no qualms about committing it to Him in prayer. But we have a tendency to struggle on our own when things go out of hand (it may be the other way around for certain people).

·         Against compromise

Even small ones can change a person. According to James 3:44, “Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.” Just like the rudder, the little compromises we make can drive us in the wrong direction.

·         Solid, child-like faith; like a mustard seed.

Because mustard seeds can grow to become big trees, upon whose branches birds take refuge. We want our friends to be able to take refuge in us; in God.

After that, we had service, and this week’s sermon, on Contagious Faith, by P. Andy, had an illustration which moved me to tears. As he broached the subject of how we may have been hurt sometimes by the peers whom we tried to reach out to, he invited a boy from the congregation to help him by playing “man”, and he was to be “God”.

“Every time, God reaches out, and you reject Him, it’s like (paused here, spoke to the boy, who gave him a slap on the cheek) a tight slap in God’s face.”

“HARDER! “ he exclaimed, in response to the boy, who repeated.

“HARDER!” this time; the slap was so loud, it was heard throughout the chapel, and I burst into tears; because God convicted me at that moment, when I was growing weary about reaching out to this friend who has caused me so much pain previously, and yet He still wanted me to press forward. Seeing my Pastor get slapped was painful; but the revelation of the message he had meant to convey through it struck me even harder.

taby