The Power of Influence

The Power of influence

A pastor had been busy packing, preparing to move to another church. Finally he breathed a sigh of relief when he had packed the last box and said, “Thank God, now I’ve packed everything” A friend who had been helping him retorted, “No, you haven’t. You have left something behind.”

“O what is it? He queried.
“Your influence.”...was the response.

How true, we all leave our influence, good or bad behind us.
Some leave behind an influence that corrupts. It was said of Jeroboam that he “made Israel to sin.” What an epitaph to tag to a man in such a high position!

Dr. James Edwin Orr (1912-1987) a well-known Baptist minister, writer and composer of hymns during his visit to New Zealand overheard some Aborigine girls singing a Maori Song of Farewell.

This tune stuck in his memory and led him to compose the song based on Psalm 139:23-24 I pray this prayer daily asking the Lord to search my own heart, just in case I cause someone to sin.

Search Me, O God
Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy Name.

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.

O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival,start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now,O Lord, I humbly plead.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

Some have an influence that cancels when we do not practise what we preach. Father and son live together in the same house – Dad a Doctor of Divinity and son a medical doctor. The telephone rang, and one of them responded “This is Dr… speaking”

The voice on the other side of the line then asked a question, “Are you the doctor who preaches or the one who practices” We all need to ask this question sometimes, “Am I the Christian who preaches, or the one who practises.” Let us practise what we preach.

May we all exude an influence that counts. Jesus tells us to be salt of the earth. Salt has tremendous influence. It adds to taste, it preserves from decay. It is a commodity we cannot do without.

Jesus tells us to be light in the world. Its influence in our world is great – it gives warmth, heat and illumination plus other functions.
Genuine Christians are like salt and light in our world. May the Lord enable us each one to be a reflex of His holiness.

Saviour if my feet have faltered

 Charles Dickens many years ago wrote the following as the introduction to his book, “A Tale of Two Cities.” 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity. It was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”

Our world has not changed much. We today still have to face life’s challenges – good times, bad times, happy times, sad times and at all times we need to focus our eyes upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”

A couple, good friends of ours from Perth Australia visited us recently. They attended our church service then came upstairs to our humble home to have a cup of tea with us. There was so much to talk about as we shared experiences. it was well past lunch time. When about to leave for the café nearby he requested that we should first sing Albert Orsborn’s song,

“Saviour if my feet have faltered by the pathway of the cross.”

We moved to the keyboard and four of us sang

Saviour, if my feet have faltered
On the pathway of the cross,
If my purposes have altered
Or my gold be mixed with dross,
O forbid me not thy service,
Keep me yet in thy employ.
Pass me through a sterner cleansing
If I may but give thee joy!

Chorus
All my work is for the Master,
He is all my heart's desire;
O that he may count me faithful
In the day that tries by fire!

Have I worked for hireling wages,
Or as one with vows to keep,
With a heart whose love engages
Life or death, to save the sheep?
All is known to thee, my Master,
All is known, and that is why
I can work and wait the verdict
Of thy kind but searching eye.

I must love thee, love must rule me,
Springing up and flowing forth
From a childlike heart within me,
Or my work is nothing worth.
Love with passion and with patience,
Love with principle and fire,
Love with heart and mind and utterance,
Serving Christ my one desire. Albert Orsborn

Albert Osborn went through a crisis period when he was a Divisional Commander. His growing Division was to be divided and he resented the decision from his leaders. He became rebellious and resentful. He was running after a bus, slipped and fell and injured his knee. He was taken to Highbury Nursing Home for officers. In an adjacent room some officers were singing in their prayer meeting,

“Nothing from His altar I would keep. To His cross of suffering I would leap.”

 He joined in the singing and yielded to the Holy Spirit and even wept. In these circumstances the song was born and it has blessed thousands through the passage of time.

Who among us have not at times faltered and fallen in the journey of life? Physically, i slipped and fell twice two years ago within the space of two months. Today, my wife and I both use walking sticks when we go out. We need more than walking sticks, we need to stretch our hands and hold on to Him who walks and talks with us on life’s journey. My prayer is

Hold Thou my hand; so weak I am, and helpless,
I dare not take one step without Thy aid;
Hold Thou my hand; for then, O loving Saviour,
No dread of ill shall make my soul afraid.
Frances Crosby

Good friends inspire each other

The Lord has given us with many friends who are of great blessing to us. Many live locally here, others reside elsewhere; Where they live is immaterial. It is a small world and with modern technology we can always connect with each other.

I recall the year 2002 when my wife and I were invited to visit Perth to preach and conduct Bible studies at Floreat Park Corps (church) The following week we took on responsibility of preaching at the Perth Chinese speaking Corps. The officers in charge, Keith and Mary Cheng were originally from Hong Kong where we were the leaders from January 1983 for seven and half years. Keith was then the Social Services Secretary.

This couple resigned and emigrated to Australia where Keith worked for the Australian Government as a social worker for quite a number of years. However, one day they decided to return to The Salvation Army. They were reaccepted as officers of The Salvation Army and appointed as the pastors of the Chinese Ministry at Perth. We were invited to preach to his congregation.

Keith introduced us to his brother Kenneth and sister-in-law Wendy, a lovely devoted Christian couple belonging to the Anglican church. They were very hospital to us, invited us to their home for dinner and I recall we spent a whole evening singing hymns and Salvation Army songs.

We learned that day that Kenneth was formerly a Salvationist of Kowloon Central Corps Hong Kong in his younger days! He was one of the delegates to the Salvation Army International Youth Congress held in London! I could sense his heart was very much "Army."

At present he and his wife worship at a Church in Perth where the pastor and his wife were formerly from Trinity Christian Church Singapore! In fact she is Angelina Yeo of Balestier Corps (church) and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Yeo!  My wife dedicated Angelina when she was a baby! What a small world.

Kenneth and Wendy Cheng decided to attend Changi Corps (church) on Sunday and  I happened to be the preacher for the meeting. After the service we went for lunch and spent the whole afternoon together reminiscing the past. They are here to visit their daughter and family who are now Singaporeans.

We had a great time together and felt truly blessed by their company. We thank God for our many friends like the Chengs.

A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” Anon.

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”– Albert Schweitzer