Jubilee Message by Elder Dr. Bernard Chong Hin Fatt
"Going Forward In 2018
As our Jubilee celebration is coming to a close in 2017, I could sense the Lord is re-positioning us as a church and getting us ready to engage in a deeper level with Him over the next fifty years - beginning in 2018. It's akin to Ezekiel's vision of the Temple in chapter 47:1-12. The man in the vision took him out of the Temple so he may see what's happening in the outside world and invited him to swim with the stream of living water that comes out of the Temple. Bill Johnson has always taught that the Holy Spirit in us is like a river and not a lake. The Holy Spirit is symbolizes by the stream of living water.
The river from the Temple began as a trickle but soon it becomes a torrential flow of life giving water that redeems death as it crosses the semi aridArabah desert until it empties itself into the Dead Sea. And the Dead Sea is no longer dead but teeming with life of all kinds. Everything it touches, life was produced. That's the picture of the work of the Holy Spirit in this end time.
The Lord is preparing His people and He never forces anyone to do His bidding. The man in the vision led Ezekiel to deeper waters as he obeyed, albeit step by step, until it comes a time and a place where the water is deep enough to carry him under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That's the point of no return, a breakthrough over flesh and a complete infilling of the Spirit of God. The outcome of such a baptism will lead to a supernatural transformation and miraculous living.
We, at CGBC, is at the point of waist deep in the stream of living water in 2017. Beyond that will be like the description of Ezekiel 47:5, "He measured off another thousand cubits, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in - a river that no one could cross." Prior to 2017, the Lord has led us through many years of ankle deep water, then knee deep and now we are at waist deep - ready to soak in and break out with the Almighty Spirit and go wherever He takes us.
The signs that CGBC is ready and in waist deep water are:
1. There are four outreach churches under apostolic vision and operation.
2. There is revival in the personal and corporate prayer lives of church members.
3. There is a strong desire in the Word and many are being trained in theological schools.
4. There is a vibrant and strong back-up praise and worship ministry.
5. There is a greater networking with mission partners and participation of members.
6. There is a bigger infrastructure utility in CGBC as the building is now fully developed.
7. There is an expanding vision in KKC and the team has began to move out in mission.
8. There is a strong unified young working adult group who host most of the activities.
9. There is an expanding community ministry in our neighborhood through the CCC.
10. There is a strong partnership of cell leaders with the various ministry in church.
The man asked Ezekiel, "Son of man, do you see this?" (Ezekiel 47: 6). It's my hope that, where the Word of God is concerned, we do not just add knowledge but understanding. That 2018 will be a year of understanding and living in fulfillment.
God bless you."