Dear TB family,
This week we learnt about Baptism in the Holy Spirit in our weekly bible study. Praise God we were able to meet onsite for this session before we break for 2 weeks. Pastor Ben spoke on the manifestation of the HS, and in particular, speaking in tongues. The presence of HS was evident in our midst, as Sandie experienced the wonderful gift of speaking in tongues for the first time! Here is her testimony:
On Tuesday night, towards the end of the session, we were given some time to settle down and to welcome the Holy Spirit in our life. B came to pray over me and asked what I most wanted. Without hesitation, I said I desired the gift of speaking in tongues. When B lay his hands on me, the words “ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you” repeatedly flashed through my mind. I felt both my clenched hands shaking and alas! I felt my mouth uttering something for a few seconds and then I started crying. It was a joy that I cannot describe. Was I just imagining things? When I got home that night, I was still in awe and started praying (around 1.00 am) and was overwhelmed because I started to sing “Holy Spirit fall on me now, Holy Spirt you are captivating my soul, and everyday I grow to love you more, You hold my life in your hands, nothing compares to this place where I can see you face to face, I worship you in spirit and in truth” (though I love this song but cannot remember all the lyrics) and started making clucking sound with my tongue and lip moving very fast, next minute I started laughing!! I was really scared! But I felt a sense of peace and calmness thereafter. Next morning and still feeling unsettled, I started to pray and the uttering (very foreign) come back again. God, thank you so much. Thank you Father for your promise, that when we seek, we will find. When we ask, we will receive. When we knock, the door would be opened. Amen.
On 2nd Sept, we had our monthly on-site service. We welcomed some new friends who joined us for the first time. One interesting couple that I met was this young couple who signed up for the marriage prep course led by Pastor Ben and Andrea. They shared that they got to know TBF marriage course from an online search. It is divine how God pointed them to TBF and that our pastor prepped not one couple initially but 3 in this course. Praise God. I heard that they have completed the course. We pray that these couples will continue to journey with God as they prepare for a new journey as husband and wife.
Pastor Ben preached on “Tongues and Prophesies”, from 1 Cor 14:1-5. A key takeaway is that both are spiritual gifts available to everyone who desires them. Speaking in tongues is the gift of a heavenly language, enabling us to stay connected to God. Prophesying is the ability to perceive God’s heart and speak to his people. The purpose of prophesy is to build, strengthen and comfort. It is not to condemn. As we sang during the service, ‘even the worst of my mistakes / are miracles in the making”. God can turn our mess to good, God gives us hope when we feel hopeless. I recall my younger day before I became a Christian, my family would consult the ‘Chinese God’ in many aspects of my life, we asked for protection and about future. I remember the prophesy often sounded scary, rigid, and it instilled fear. It was the exact opposite of what God desires to bring us! Pastor Ben reiterated we can have the gift of prophesy. When we ask, it will be given, because that is the heartbeat of our God. A few shared their vision during the service which further confirms the reality of the presence of HS. We give thanks for this courageous witnesses of Christ.
We thank You, Lord, for the guiding of HS and we pray that each of us will boldly ask for these spiritual gifts. May our church be one that uplifts, strengthens, encourages, loves and comforts.
Signing off,
中文小组
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