Welcome to
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church

Sunday, 17^th September 2023

Rev Daniel Xi An Poon

Where is our root and our family? Family is where our heart is, we must change our eyesight, even though we may be in the season of immigration, but everything is about our heart. God’s will for us is to give us peace, do we really feel happy and enjoy our lifestyle here? Or do we work hard and try to make our lives better, using the way we used to live in the past? If our lifestyle is still the same, then why do we move to a new country? We thought everything we do is for our next generation, but how we act, how we live, and how we behave will affect our next generation, no matter where we go.

We thought bringing our children overseas we can change out children’s future path, but in fact, we still living in the old way, we bring our own homeland, our own culture in the foreign land, at the end, we cannot bless the land, we cannot learn from the land, but we try to take over the land. The Bible teaches us to bless the land where we go, when we want to bless the land, we must first know who is the authority here, who allows us to come here, not how well we have done or how much money we have… it’s God.

It’s so easy for us to close our doors to God, we cannot see God is with us and He brings us to where we are today. Why do we have burden and yoke? Because God is not with us, we become our own god, there is no God in our lives but just ourselves. We call ourselves Christians, but we hardly open the Bibe, we hardly pray, and we don’t have a relationship with God. When we see God as our Father, we know we have a home, we know we have a family, and we will be willing to do anything for our family.

Do we worship God with songs and praises, as well as our offering? The widow in the Bible gave the best she had, what about us? We aways say thank God for this and for that, but do we really give back to God? It’s not about the church wants our money, but it’s about our heart. When we have opportunity to serve the church, do we give thanks? Do we see serving in our church as a burden? Our church is our family, what are we willing to do for our family? When we see our church is in need, do we reach out to support? Pastor and Shimu have always been volunteers of our church, but we are not here to be volunteers, we are here because we are a family. We give, not because we have extra money. Why are we here today? Do we really believe that we are here not by accident but has a purpose from God?

It’s never about the benefit, it’s never about what we want, but it’s about God’s Will. He is our provider, and when we know He is our provider, we must take action. When we say God first, we must really put God first. Where is our God in our lives? There are many ways to connect with our Pastor and Shimu, there are many ways to connect with our Mother Church, do we make an effort to make the connection?

We are here to build a glorious church, this is not from us, this is not our will, but from our Mother Church. We are not alone, and we are not a just a local church. We are the hand of our Mother Church reaching out to bless this land. Our vision is not just about building a local church, but we are the church to bless the whole Oceania. How do we see ourselves? We must know the heart of God, He wants to bless us, He wants to help us to breakthrough, and He wants us to step out by faith.

God puts us here not because how much money we have, but it’s by God’s grace, we can have the opportunity to give, to offer and to serve. Stop thinking that everything we have is earned by our own hands. One earthquake, one tsunami, one fire, might destroy everything, but when we choose to rely on God, when we bring our children to God, trust in God to lead them and guide them. Of course we must do our part to educate our children according to the teaching of the Bible. But we must let God be their God.

Psalm 27:1-8

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,”

We don’t need to be afraid of what is going to happen, when we trust in God and fully offer ourselves to God. He will lead us and guide us to the end, no matter what happens. God is moving forward, the church is moving forward, our Mother Church is pouring down God’s anointing to us, we must follow closely, and we must connect. 1993, God brought Rev Daniel to NZ; 2003, God brought Rev Daniel and Kathy to the Chinese church; 2013, God brought our family to connect with our Mother Church, Bread of Life Christian Church in Taipei; and this year, 2023, God changed our name to Zion Bread of Life Christian Church and called us to arise and shine.

God called us to build a glorious church, God called us to be great, but we cannot do it with our own strength, we cannot do it by ourselves, we need our family! David had the same heart, all his life, he had been preparing to build the House of God, and God’s blessings came upon him and his future generations. Do we know Who our God is? Do we know where our home is?