Greetings, EM family,
Summer heatwaves have come this week! I pray that this email finds you well physically and spiritually.
Last week we lost two world-renown evangelical apologists and scholars, Ravi Zacharias and David Pawson. They helped shape the faith of many believers, and their contribution was beyond measure! Their passing reminds me of a verse in the book of Acts:
36 For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,
(Acts 13:36, ESV)
P.C.: rzim.org and wikipedia.org
They were like the good and faithful servants in Matthew 25:14-30, who were given five talents and, in the end, earned five more for their master.
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.
17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’
23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,
25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’
26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
(Matthew 25:14-30, ESV)
I resonate with one of Ravi Zacharias’ quotes: “What I believe in my heart must make sense in my mind.”
Are you somehow serving your purpose, your values in your generation? Are you still looking for the purpose of your life or what to do with it?
I believe we each were given at least one talent: your life. There is no loss if you invest it… You only lose when you bury your talent and hide it in the ground.
If you are receiving this email, you are somehow connected to Jesus and His church CBCGL. Make sense of Jesus in your mind while you can! And remember…
If your value exists when you exist, then your existence has no value! Make your talent last!!
Announcement:
- Friday Night’s Bible Study is ON. We will continue to study the book of Romans lesson 5. You may dial in or login via your phone or personal computer:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
- This Sunday we are back to the normal schedule. Brother Tao Zhang will be sharing God’s word with us:
- Live stream Youtube: http://cbcgl.org/resources/live-stream/
- Title: We have conquered.
- Text: Revelation 12:7-12.
- Coworker reminder:
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- Sunday bulletin: http://cbcgl.org/ministries/english-ministry/em-weekly-bulletin/
- E.M. Sunday School (9:45am – 11:00am)
- Adult Sunday School
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Dial-in from your phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
- YAs Sunday School (via Microsoft Teams)
Y.A.s Sunday School signup sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H0oSS1kpU8JUZAv0JcmivEIzR-tvDtihkrEtBLE8tJo/edit?usp=sharing
- Returning to church plan is tentatively laid out as follows:
The moving of this plan depends on the situation of Massachusetts.
- From the E.M. Future Search Retreat back in January, many of us have expressed a common desire to become more prayerful people, to grow in love for God and unity as one body. To assess where we are lacking in prayer and gather ideas of how we can improve in the English Ministry, we are requesting all to fill out the following survey:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdUtqyoCTDMXwCxwl5ydW_g5lJTpAPkoThjdrcgwygFAPbjmA/viewform
Besides gathering feedback and ideas, we also want to know if there is interest in forming E.M. Prayer groups – small groups that are intentional about spiritual support/accountability and praying together consistently. Please see the survey form for a greater description of Prayer Groups, and fill out your contact information if you are interested in joining one.
Know that all feedback and ideas towards improving prayer in the E.M. are much welcomed and appreciated, so please fill out the survey! More importantly, be praying for the Spirit to guide and unite us as we seek to grow deeper in prayer together.
- All other announcement items can be found here.
Prayer Request:
- Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 pm – 9:15 pm)
Zoom Meeting:
zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
- If you have not had a chance to look at our prayer list, please do! There are many answered prayers, and many more that require our intercession. Here is the prayer list. You may also enter yours:
Blessings,
Jeremy