Lord’s Love Toward Us Can Never be Lockdown
A month before the Chinese New Year, the fire of the preaching of the gospel was burning within the brothers and sisters. And there had been nearly five hundred baptized into Christ, and they entered into the church life. Glory to God on the throne.
As brothers were fellowshipping for the Chinese New Year, for the arrangement of several upcoming gospel meetings, and how to fight the good fight of the gospel, all of a sudden, the pandemic broke out. What followed was lockdown–lockdown of cities, communities, streets, and villages. We could not go in or out, but could only stay home.
Although there was the lockdown of the city and streets, there can never be lockdowns of the Lord’s love toward us. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:8[-9] says, We are pressed on every side but not constricted; unable to find a way out but not utterly without a way out; Persecuted but not abandoned; cast down but not destroyed. Although the cancellation of various meetings has caused us to suffer loss, we would never abandon our assembling.
Thank the Lord! Before the lockdown of our locality, on the second day of the Chinese New Year, a few of us brothers fellowshipped. We decided to use Wechat at home to begin our online study [or, pursuit]. Because the Wechat conference call is limited to nine people, we break into groups to get online. From the Gospel of Matthew to Revelation, we read the Bible and the Life-Study, and then study and share.
Thank the Lord! The Lord has provision. A few days later, there were the software of Zoom and Wechat meeting. Our number continues to increase. Every day we get online three times—morning, afternoon, and evening—and share the Bible and Life-Study; each time is about an hour long. We also revived the brothers and sisters who have not been meeting. They testified that they will surely come to the meetings, and will invite the brothers and sisters to their house for love feast, and will preach the gospel in their workplace.
In this special time, the brothers and sisters were revived. On the one hand, it [the pandemic] rings the bell of warning to us, and on the other hand, it causes us to be ready to be the faithful slave and the prudent virgins with oil in both our lamps and vessels.
Furthermore, every day we have thirty minutes of watchful prayer. The saints are busier than before, because they have more things to do. All the meetings are now online. Small group meetings, Lord’s Day meetings, fellowships, shepherding, and gospel are all online. It is just like the days of apostles where they met and broke bread from house to house. Hallelujah. Everyone can function, and the whole Body serves. Everything is the best arrangement. All things work together for good to those who love God.
Source：https://www.facebook.com/churchnews/posts/2999179480103946
