Faced with the very same situation, our responses can be so different. Some hearts go forward with joy, obeying God’s word with an “Amen,” while at other times negative words or complaints rise up first before we even realise it. This habit of the heart shows itself most clearly in house church meetings. When “it’s hard, it won’t work, it’s bad” comes out first at sharing time, the whole atmosphere of the house church sinks. Above all, it wears out those who are listening, and VIPs no longer want to come to the house church.
This is exactly why house church meetings begin with thanksgiving. The habit of sharing even small things — “this happened this week and I was thankful” — is training in faith: looking first at what God has done rather than at reasons why things cannot be done. A house church that opens with thanksgiving comes alive, and the shepherd gains strength as well.
A person who first thinks of what will be is, in fact, someone who already sees the future God will bring about and speaks and acts in that faith here and now. Our future is not decided on its own; it is shaped little by little by what we think today and what words we put in our mouths. If we keep repeating “it probably won’t work, it will be too hard,” those very words hold back our steps and our house church. But when we declare “if God does it, it will be done; He will give grace this time too,” those words of faith lead us and the whole house church into new places of obedience.
Then what should we do in our house churches? The method is surprisingly simple. When words like “it can’t be done, it’s too hard” are about to come out first at sharing time, practise filling that place first with one thanksgiving, one small answered prayer. As these words of gratitude build up, they strengthen the shepherd and create an atmosphere of faith across the whole house church.
Word of the week
Faith is not living by what we know — only what we live out is truly ours. This week, let us put just one thing from the Lord’s word into practice.
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이동주 2026.07.11 15:50
신고
Faced with the very same situation, our responses can be so different. Some hearts go forward with joy, obeying God’s word with an “Amen,” while at other times negative words or complaints rise up first before we even realise it. This habit of the heart shows itself most clearly in house church meetings. When “it’s hard, it won’t work, it’s bad” comes out first at sharing time, the whole atmosphere of the house church sinks. Above all, it wears out those who are listening, and VIPs no longer want to come to the house church.
This is exactly why house church meetings begin with thanksgiving. The habit of sharing even small things — “this happened this week and I was thankful” — is training in faith: looking first at what God has done rather than at reasons why things cannot be done. A house church that opens with thanksgiving comes alive, and the shepherd gains strength as well.
A person who first thinks of what will be is, in fact, someone who already sees the future God will bring about and speaks and acts in that faith here and now. Our future is not decided on its own; it is shaped little by little by what we think today and what words we put in our mouths. If we keep repeating “it probably won’t work, it will be too hard,” those very words hold back our steps and our house church. But when we declare “if God does it, it will be done; He will give grace this time too,” those words of faith lead us and the whole house church into new places of obedience.
Then what should we do in our house churches? The method is surprisingly simple. When words like “it can’t be done, it’s too hard” are about to come out first at sharing time, practise filling that place first with one thanksgiving, one small answered prayer. As these words of gratitude build up, they strengthen the shepherd and create an atmosphere of faith across the whole house church.
Word of the week
Faith is not living by what we know — only what we live out is truly ours. This week, let us put just one thing from the Lord’s word into practice.