Home of Grace (English Version)

Dear elders, brothers, and sisters in Christ,

Peace to you all. Thanks to be our Lord, for His mercies last forever! Looking back at the past year, God’s grace has been abundant, and His blessings have been countless!

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). We feel deeply in our hearts that from the beginning to the end of 2011, God has been constantly watching over those who belong to Him. During the year, our coworkers, inside and outside of China, old, middle-aged, and young, have been led by the Holy Spirit to different evangelizing and training fields. From Jakarta in Indonesia to Bangkok in Thailand, from Tokyo in Japan to Pusan in Korea, from Hong Kong to Manila in the Philippines, from Mexico City to Europe, and to different areas of China, our coworkers have been sent in different teams and groups. Thanks be to God, for His glory, power, grace, and abundance followed our steps wherever we went. More than ever we felt humbled, powerless, and unworthy! We could not help but praise Him: His plans are wonderful; His wisdom is boundless! Meanwhile, God prepared housing for us at our prayer and training center in Madrid, Spain as well as in London, England. In both places, God demonstrated His miraculous grace in seemingly impossible circumstances. All we could do was to bow down and worship, and sing praises of our Lord!

We held coworkers’ retreats in China in April and outside of China in August. Coworkers from both China and other countries participated in both locations, and the attendance was larger than last year’s. During the retreats, our coworkers all experienced the authority of God’s word and witnessed the power of whole-hearted prayers. Broken and shaken by God’s word and the Holy Spirit, our coworkers reflected, repented, and their lives were renewed and changed to different degrees. On fire for God with missions and visions, they returned to their individual battle fields. We give our God wholehearted thanks for His mercy and faithfulness!

We also want to thank God for giving us “the bread of adversity and the water of affliction.” During the year, attacks and disturbances from Satan never stopped, “yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore” (Isaiah 30:20). Therefore, we were humbled and thankful; we hid under God’s wings to reflect and construct, and we regarded our Almighty God as our shelter.

Looking into the future, we are confident that God’s promise is the source of our strength. “He will increase, and I will decrease.” – Let this be our New Year’s motto. May God’s glory be manifested in heaven and earth forever! The day of our Lord’s coming is near. Looking around, we see the sins of all people on earth reaching up to heaven; we see frequent disasters everywhere; we see God’s wrath coming down! Even though we are in different places, let us pray together with one heart. Let us plead to God to renew His deeds and show mercy in His wrath! Amen!

Let us remember and intercede for one another in front of God! Let us support one another. Let us depend on the one who adds strength to us and triumph! Glory to glory, let us delight God’s heart!

Blessings,

Home of Grace of North America
Dec. 15, 2011

Rev 13:16 / Ps 63

Revelation13:16 “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive or mark on his right hand or on his forehead.”

In Revelation13, there included two beasts. Verse 1-10: The beast out of the sea represented the anti-Christ; Verse 11-18: another beast out of the earth represented the false prophets. Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Brothers & sisters, friends & families,

Greetings from Agnes! I hope that you all had a lovely & blessed Christmas wherever you were – Yes, I know that many places in Europe & USA had a white Christmas… In HK, we did have quite a cold weather too though no snow – but frost in the Hill top!
Read the rest of this entry »

CBS Calendar 2011

For those who have planted bamboo will understand, the size of the bamboo depends on the size of the bamboo shoot. In a bamboo garden, during the time of growing season, there sprang an extraordinary huge bamboo shoot. The size was so large that even one man could not hold it. The gardener was very happy and came everyday to see it. He specially loved this bamboo shoot, watered it, monitored it and often said to this bamboo shoot, “One day when you are grown up, I will use you mightily.”

The bamboo shoot was very pleased on hearing this. It continued to grow, meditate and wait. The bamboo was so joyful each time the gardener came to see it. The bamboo shoot often felt this in its heart, “O Lord, I am here. I am being highly recognized and appreciated. My existence on earth is to be for your usage. There is an old saying, ‘A scholar is ready to die for anyone who understands him.’ I am willing to give away myself to be of use to the Lord!”

In this way, the gardener loved this unusual bamboo. The bamboo also enjoyed the love from its master. Filled with joy, the bamboo awaited for the gardener to see it every day to experience the intimate love.

Unknowingly three years has passed by. This bamboo has grown to be sky-reaching high, tall and firm, fair in its crown with flourished leaves. The whole plant looked healthy and nice-looking. Everyone who saw the bamboo would commend as extraordinary and excellent in its kind. The bamboo was very satisfied about itself and was grateful to the gardener for his favor to be chosen. It became more anxious to be of use by its owner, just as what the gardener has promised. But this day had not come yet. How the bamboo longed to be of use by its master.

The time has come. One day, the gardener came, running around the bamboo, watching and said to the bamboo, “I am going to use you, are you willing?” The bamboo was so delighted and replied, “Lord, I am here. I am meant to be for your use. I existed so you may use me. Because you have chosen me, you knew me and recognized me.” The bamboo has been waiting for this day to repay the master for his grace.

However, the gardener said, “I am going to cut you down!” “O o…” The bamboo was saddened. “Does it mean that I cannot live? I will die!” The bamboo was so miserable. “Are you willing?” “This……” The gardener said, “If you are not willing, I cannot use you.” When the bamboo heard this, it became more grievous. If I could not be used by my master, it would be more unbearable than to be cut off and die. Since it sprouted, it has been loved by its gardener, being chosen by Him. Everyday it said to itself, “My greatest desire is to live to be for the Lord’s work. If the Lord cannot use me, then all the good comments are meaningless and worthless. What is more important than to be used by the Lord.” ‘I am willing!” The bamboo cried as it pleaded with the gardener. “Even to death I will accept, only that you will use me, do whatever you find good!”

Then the gardener cut down the bamboo and said, “I will also cut off the beautifully trimmed leaves.” “Woo…., Lord, all my good comment, my good behavior on earth, can they not be preserved? Can I reserve a little in remembrance?” The bamboo felt very hard to leave all that it had possessed and being boasted of and admired by all other bamboo. “If this is retained, I cannot use you!” “Oh, woo….” The bamboo cried. Is there anything far greater despair than not to be used by its master? “O Lord, cut whatever you wish. I am willing to give up everything to be of your use.” The bamboo gladly revealed how often, when cared for by the Lord, has expressed with tears its thankfulness for the Lord.

Then the gardener cut off the head of the bamboo and trimmed off all its leaves. The bamboo felt very sad. All its former height and fine shape fell down, the thick crown – once was its glory now disappeared. Not a little of its good–looking foliage – its good behavior on earth, was left…. “Lord, I am to be for your use. Now you can take me. I am here.”

However, the gardener said, “I still cannot use you now. I need to burn through your heart. Then I can use you. Are you willing?” ‘Oh, oh! How unbearable is to be burnt through the heart! Lord, can you take away this bitter cup from me? Can you not burn me?” The Lord said, “Then I cannot use you!” “Woo, woo…. What can be sadder than not to be used by you? Lord, burn as you wish!” The gardener said, “Not only to burn but to burn through every sector! “Lord, burn as you wish, only to be used by you, to be used by you, will I be useful. Otherwise I am nothing.” The bamboo cried in distress as it replied the gardener.

Then the gardener burned through every bamboo section, so there was no hindrance between each section. Though the heart of the bamboo was burnt with great pain, it was determined to be used by its gardener. What could have been better than to fulfill its desires?

Finally the gardener burnt through the bamboo, made it into a big natural tube and placed it between the peaks of two hills. Later on, this bamboo became a pipeline of blessing bringing forth source of living water to be directed to another dried hill slope. It continued to irrigate and nourish ten thousand acres of rich fields. The watered harvest enjoyed the love from the Heavenly Father happily, growing day by day. The gratefulness for the Heavenly Lord grew day by day. Everyone gave thanks to the Creator of all things unceasingly. May this good message serve as our encouragement,

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

“Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter” Isaiah 64:10 “…So the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.” Jeremiah 18:4

“If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

Dear brothers and sisters: let us humble ourselves before God who is all powerful, bent our knees and worship Him. Always emptying ourselves and die to the old-self, so the word of the Lord and His Spirit may fill us and make us a suitable instrument, a pipeline of living water, pouring out everywhere to million acres of good field and thirsty heart.

“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me.” (Psalm 86:12-13) Read the rest of this entry »

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”(Rev. 14:13)

With sadness and gratitude, we say goodbye to our dear elder sister Zhang En-Chong. We grieve because we have lost a dear co-worker in the Lord, a faithful watchman, a prayer warrior that stayed watchful day and night. From her youth to old age, being filled with the spiritual burden, she unfailingly and unchangingly paid the price of prayers for the global revival of churches and their co-workers. We witnessed all of these with our own eyes. She left us with beautiful life examples and testimonies. We are very grateful because she has returned to the bosom of our Lord. She left behind the physical sufferings and pain to embrace the everlasting peace and rest! Read the rest of this entry »

Genesis 50 / Jeremiah 3          25 paragraphs 1 vs.1

Do not pretend to return to the Lord. Instead truly return to Him, and vow to return to the promised land.

Psalm 50 / Revelation 13:3

Though the whole world follows the beast, let us obey and keep the covenant to preach and respond to the Lord’s kindness.

Key Verses     Genesis 50:20 / Jeremiah 3:12

Genesis 50/ Jeremiah 3                      Cry and bury, and Return

1.   Mourn and bury

There was a great mourning at Abel Mizraim, which meant that we are to bury the dead at the destined place.  You who depart from evil and do good should not be afraid, the Lord will comfort and guide you.

2.   Return from rebellion

Return quickly, you who are faithless.  Though you have lived as prostitutes, you can return to God.  So long as you confess, God is loving and He will cure you of backsliding.

Psalm 50 / Revelation 13:3       Glorify God vs. Follow the beast

Even when the whole world is following the beast, God’s saints should not do evil.  Rather, they should be grateful and pay their vows to preach and save people.  They should glorify God and benefit the people, obey his commands, and keep the covenant.