CG Message - The Shepherd and the Sheep

I think cg was great today. Elaine's testimony was the ultimate!

Today we learnt that a good shepherd, doesnt just live for himself or herself, what he or she can gain, but for the people, for the sheep.

The shepherd knows the sheep and the sheep recognizes his/her voice.

How well do you know your leader?
How well do you know your members?

Have you come to a place where you can joke and talk crap with your leader and leader to the members? Members are you comfortable sharing things with your leader? Leaders do your members feel comfortable sharing things with you? Do you guys go out together? "Clique" together?

A good shepherd is one who is active, always engaging.
If you dont know your members it just goes to show you cant be bothered to press in.
Likewise, if you dont know your leader, you simply dont care.

You're only there for cg, for a certain group of people, for your own interests, what you can gain, good praise n worship, good sermons, good games, etc.
You're totally uninterested in spiritual things, you're not serious, and you're not sincere about growing, not sincere about changing!

Likewise is you're a leader, you can be serving the cg, and not serving the people.
To you, cg is just ministry, you're just there to grow your EXXX, WXXX, NXXX, etc.
You dont care if your members are going through a rough patch, you're just busy with your own life that things go past you unnoticed.

Cg is not just a place for you to grow, its a place for you to build godly relationships that will last for eternity. Dont just focus about winning souls all the time when you cant even win your own cg! Relationship precedes ministry.

Members dont reply the leader, the leader dont reply the members.
There's no initiative, no accountability.

You become who you follow.
Whoever follows you, ends up like you.

It has always worked this way.
So if your members are this way, that way, have you looked at yourself?
No one is perfect, yes, but we must always be careful of how we carry ourselves.
The impression we give to others, especially the new friends.

Members do you engage the new friends when they come? Or do you simply mind your own business and let others do it?

When one member is down, does everyone support him/her. Im really thankful to those who came during my grandpa's wake. It really means a lot and shows a lot. :)

A true shepherd, a true disciple takes ownership of the cg. When there are no one doing the songs, do you volunteer to do it? When no one is queueing, do you volunteer to do it? Or do you simply dont care for anyone but yourself, and take the sacrifices your own brothers and sisters have made, for granted.

Not only you take the presence of God for granted, you take His people for granted.

We are told to be faithful in 3 things:

1. Faithful in the little things.
2. Faithful in tithes and offerings.
3. Faithful in what belongs to another man.

People plan so hard for some activities, are you always those who last minute fly aeroplane? Your word is not even your bond! If you have a reasonable explanation, fair enough. Dont give excuses like, "Oh, I dont have enough sleep, I dont feel like going cg or service." Then SLEEP EARLIER!

You are being unfaithful in what belongs to another man. What is it you may say? Time, energy, effort. People make sacrifices to press into your life, you just sit back, relax, take things for granted, you say you care, but you certainly dont care enough to make him/her feel cared!

If its some recreational activity like clubbing or pool or midnight movie, etc, why not you just stop making excuses, AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? Make adjustments in your life, dont come to a place where you let things come between you and God, then it just goes to show you dont treasure what you have. Talk about stewardship.

Excuses dont excuse and reasons dont explain.
Whatever is within your control you have the right to be responsible over it!

"Oh, I have cough, I cannot come.."
Give me a break. If yours is H1N1, fair enough. But cough? flu? fever? Even people with CANCER GO TO CHURCH AND BELIEVE FOR HEALING!

Even for some who dont get their breakthrough, they keep on showing up, no matter what. Because a true disciple never gives up.

As christians, we live under a covenant with God.

Christ is the bridegroom and the church is the bride.
What does the wedding covenant say?

For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, always to love and to cherish, till death do us part.

Even though we were faithless, God remains faithful.