God Encounters

Paraphrasing what our former YM Chairman would response when asked why we normally experience God so real at camps?

When all the conditions are set in place when one gather with likeminded believers in one same place, away from distractions, with constant worship, bible studies, fellowship, prayer and all this just create an environment where it leads our hearts and minds to be so open to meet God! And with such a desperate HUNGER to meet God! GOD WILL SHOW UP!

Jeremiah 29:13-14 

"13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD..."

Hebrews 11:6

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Decided to share this note of 3 amazing God encounters of His Holy Spirit coming upon us in a community of believers!

This 3 points based on my youth small group acronym of G.E.L came to me when we were praying & listening to God on day 0 of our GEL ysg retreat from 27-28 Nov last week. 

 1) Gathering together 

  

Below is a picture of an ideal beginning of what I see in an ideal small group, and this is based from the recordings of the early church in Acts!

Acts 2:42-47

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 

This fellowship of believers gathered together in groups and were Devoted to God & to one another. They were willing to takerisk, learn to be vulnerable. They practice Honesty & build trust in relationship

But before these fellowship of believers came to this ideal state of what a small group should become! It all started with a deep encounter of God in the upper room in Acts 2! But flash back abit more in Acts 1:8, Jesus promised this to his disciples!

Acts 1:8 (NIV) 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

2) Encountering God

We need to first HUNGER for God! And when a community of believers come together in this desperate HUNGER! Expecting God to show up! God will! If we come to him in a state of absolute Surrender and repentance to Him! 

And this is how the story of the Day of Pentecost came!

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them...

Acts 2:16-17

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,     I will pour out my Spirit on all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy,     your young men will see visions,    your old men will dream dreams. 

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,     I will pour out my Spirit in those days,     and they will prophesy. 

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above     and signs on the earth below,     blood and fire and billows of smoke. 

20 The sun will be turned to darkness     and the moon to blood     before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 

21 And everyone who calls     on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 

Acts 3:19

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

This is the revival of Jesus! 

After sharing on point 2, Encountering God... God showed up! In the midst of worship, sense the presence of God so powerfully and it led to one by one my youths responding to the Lord. Some went on bended knees on the floor in the room in a posture of Surrender to our Lord! Some was so touch by the Lord that tears flowed from them, and one suddenly even spoke in tongues. Everyone started praying for one another, and as I just looked up and see them praying for one another, my heart melt to see how much each of them have grown up since 4 years being in this group. They have finally matured to the kind of youths I hope too one day when I took them at Sec 1. And this love they showed for one another is what a small group should be!

Below are 2 images of 2 other God Encouters at the GAP retreat on Day 0 of Submin retreat & at the post sharing from Ps Raymond at YM Combined Submin retreat...

Recording of the spontaneous free-worship session at our recent GAP retreat  

After Encountering God! We shouldn't just leave the experience to ourself. We need to allow GOD's LOVE to OVERFLOW in our LIVES to ONE ANOTHER!

3) Love one Another

John 13:34-35

New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I believe the love for one another within a community of believers is the greatest form of evangelism when a pre-believer visit such a small group and see such a vibrant community! This will prove to the world that we are a disciple of christ when we have love for one another!

If I can summarise this! When we 1) Gather together to that desperate hunger to seeek God. He will find us and it will lead to us having an 2) Encounter of God,  and that will transformed us from the inside out to 3) Love one Another! 

(Got this 3 questions from Ai Mei's sharing on a Vibrant community) 

Are you that friend who facilitates the encounter of Jesus ?

A community that learns to trust 

Is our small group that Faith filled awe filled relationship with others today?

Hebrews 10:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

At the end of the day! Let's form spiritual friendship, aka "friendship discipleship" where we always ENCOURAGED, EXHORT & EDIFY one another whenever one meet up! This is what will keep one PASSION for Christ! And it is my dream to see such KINGDOM Minded communities coming together to support one another and to look outward to others beyond the 4 walls of their church!