It takes one man, one woman

Rev Dr. Anthony Phua

Hold the PowerPoint as I have decided to share a different message. I was also wondering why there were no Christmas songs so I am going to try another message. I'll try my best. 

God has put a word in my heart. 

Hebrews 8:5b “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

While man is looking at ways to built the church, God is looking for a man to build. 

God has got a plan and his plan always include a man and a woman to build his house. And unless God build the house, the labourers build in vain. 

There was a time when I wanted to attend a convention. In Singapore there is so many conferences and I wanted so much to attend this convention because of the speaker. I wanted to hear this man, Lester Sumrall, from Cathedral of Praise, Manila as I have heard so much about him. 

The morning sessions was for leaders and pastors and there was a Q&A session. Then came the Q&A and a man asked the pastor, and he said "I heard that in your church you collected seven offerings in one service. If I collected two, next Sunday the collection came down or the people leave.  How did you collect so much yet your church is growing?" The pastor answered with no hesitation "where your treasure is, there your heart is also". Matt 6:21. The people just give and give and give until they have nothing left, then they give themselves. The more they gave, the more the church grew. 

Whenever man and woman come together to build God's house the presence of God fills the house of God. Who is this speaker? Lester Sumrall started his ministry in 1954-55 in Manila. He was one day reading an article about a 14 year old demon possessed girl. The evil spirit would bite her behind her back. You can see the bite mark. Medical profession cannot help her except to tie her down and immobilize her. There would be denture marks all over her. 

God spoke to Lester to go to the hospital to set her free. He entered with permission and saw the girl at the corner. In Jesus' name he freed her from that day. The mayor met him and said any thing you need the state will pay. He asked for a place to preach and the mayor offered him a place to preach and a church was born. Thousands was ushered into the Kingdom of God. Lester Sumrall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Sumrall

We have every reason to celebrate Christmas because of one woman, Mary who allowed God to use her as a vessel.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

While Moses was building the house there was murmuring amongst the Jews. They were slaves that were building the temple of Pharaoh. Deep in their hearts they have a desire to build God's house. Four hundred years past. But their dreams and desire was transferred from generations to generations. For ten generations. Then they build the temple of God, at the eleventh generation. 

God is looking for that one man, Abraham, Moses, Mary. 

Wherever you are, you have the ability and influence to build God's house. I see in your church there are many generations, the young and the old and the dream can be shared by the generations. The desire of God is for men and women to build his house. Just one man. He involves you and I. We are not perfect but God still uses us. 

The house of God is not mortar and cement but is you and I. Dream to expand your work. Not just the third floor but the whole building. It takes one man and one woman. 

My congregation is smaller than yours. Just 150 people. Yet we own two properties. For a small church like ours it has to be God. 

Have faith. Begin to plant churches. We believe in planting the house of God. Give to God's house and he will multiply. 

Look at my boy. He is a miracle. He is 15 years old. He has Down syndrome and God spoke to me that he will give me a special boy. A few days later the doctor told us that he has a hole in his heart and the doctor said at 12 days he will die. And true enough on the twelve day he died in my wife's arms. But we rushed him to the hospital and strange enough the hospital was empty that day and they operated on his heart at 33 days old. He was in ICU for 60 days. It was like the pool of Bethesda. We saw children worst than my child. I learnt to praise and thank God that it was not worst. 

God is looking for that one man. In that 60 days we could touch many lives. We healed many with the touch of God and people say physician heal yourself. Our faith was tested. Here was our child in need but God taught us faith. 

There was one time a lady near my baby went ballistic and was screaming. The nurse said her baby died. I was judgmental. I thought every body die once even babies. But the nurse said no, this was her fifth baby that died. I asked for forgiveness. I was judgmental. No wonder she went ballistic. 

I discovered God built his house through one man and one woman. You are the answer and the influence. God can use you here in Penang. It is possible. Nothing is impossible to God. Just see your congregation, next year with everyone bringing one person the church will double. And the leaders will have a headache trying to find another property. It just take one man, one woman. 

Rev Anthony Phua praying for those that responded to the altar call.