The prophet Haggai wrote to the people of Judah after they returned from their exile. Over 70 years had passed since Nebuchadnezzar defeated their city, destroyed Solomon’s beautiful temple, and burned the gates of the city with fire. Most of the people living during the days of Haggai were born in Babylon. They had heard stories from their parents about Jerusalem and the temple but only a few of the oldest people had ever seen it.

Now they returned to Jerusalem and were busy building houses for themselves and rebuilding the temple. The temple of the Lord, however, had been neglected. Haggai pointed out the people’s failure to rebuild the temple and the price they were paying for that failure. “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build My house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” said the LORD. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declared the LORD Almighty. “Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

Some time had passed. The people had taken to heart the Word of the Lord through Haggai, so they began work on the new temple. Unfortunately, the older people who had seen Solomon’s temple were sad; this new temple seemed pathetic by comparison. The LORD asked, “Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?”

Solomon’s temple was a treasure, an architectural sight to behold. The poverty of the people at this point in Israel’s history prevented them from building anything like what Solomon had made. They did the best they could with what they had, but their best wasn’t even close to Solomon’s best work.

God sent the prophet Haggai with this message to encourage the people to keep working. It was true that the new temple would seem like a joke compared to the one it replaced but that was not important. The important thing is that God was with them: “‘For I am with you,’ declared the LORD Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’”

Then He made promises to them. “I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” said the LORD Almighty. God made the most important promise which was that He would be there; His glory would inhabit the new temple just as it had the old one. He would provide the money for it, too: “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declared the LORD Almighty.”

Finally, God said that this temple would someday be greater, more glorious than Solomon’s temple had been: “‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ said the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declared the LORD Almighty.’” That glory might not have been architectural but it would be better–God would work there making peace.

There are times when God’s work seems to take a step (or more than that) backward. What was once exciting, powerful, growing, and wonderful becomes something much less than any of those adjectives. It is naturally discouraging to God’s people when that happens. God, however, wants us to know that He uses small things. When things are weak, God can show His strength.

Are you discouraged about anything in your life because it just isn’t anywhere near what it used to be or could be? This is your opportunity, then, to believe in God and ask Him to work. God can take even the most meager things and make them great, so ask Him to glorify Himself that way. (BRIAN JONES)

THE CHURCH & CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
The church & church office are closed during CMCO. If you need to contact the office staff, these are the contact numbers:
Pastor Ashok @ 012 524 0061
Yap Chee Kai @ 012 2360 457
Pelita Chuah @ 016 625 6188
Jane @ 017 622 7226
Cheng It @ 012 915 3640

NEXT WEEKEND SERVICE
Speaker : Rev Ashok Amarasingham
Dates : Sat & Sun, Nov 21 & 22, 2020
Sermon Title: Being Calm in the Lord
Scripture Text: Psalm 131: 1-3

2ND OFFERING
The 2nd Offering for November will go towards the Salvation Army. You may give your donations to the organization during the entire month of November via online banking. The details are below;-

Bank: Maybank
Name: The Salvation Army
Account Number: 5005 1196 0014
Recipient Reference: Please indicate ‘Donation PR Malaysia’

Important Note:
Kindly ensure you email the transaction slip after making the transfer at pr.malaysia@smm.salvationarmy.org You may also whatsapp the transaction slip to Helen John at 012 502 6959.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Rev Dr Wong Tik Wah who was elected as the new President of Chinese Annual Conference (CAC) for the next quadrennium (2021-2024).

ONLINE BANKING
While we acknowledge that many people are affected by the current CMCO situation, we encourage you to continue giving your tithes/offering during this time through online banking, The details are below:

Pledge Payment can be done via Online to Wesley Methodist Church Klang Bank Account No: UOB 171-315-561-1

Have you ever had one of those days when it seemed as though your prayers just bounced off the ceiling? I think perhaps that is the way David felt in Psalm 13:1-2, where he pours out his heart to God. He asks God, How long will you forget me? How long will You hide Your face from Me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul? Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? [Psalm 13:1-2]

When things are going very well, we feel so very close to God, but the very next day, things could be entirely different. In reality, we are frail creatures who need a lot of reassurance from the Lord. When you think of it, it is much like our relationship with our children, when they are young. We often need to tell them again and again how much we love them.

Often, like David in Psalm 13, when our life seems to be turned upside down, we begin to wonder about our own salvation, or we wonder what sins we have committed to make God refuse to answer us. I think that is what David means by “taking counsel in his soul”.

While it is good to examine our own heart and soul in the light of God’s Word, that may not be the reason for God being distant from us. Many times God is testing us. What will you do now? And many times God wants to remind us that it is He who leads us and guides us each day. We are not in control of our own destiny, as the culture around us likes to believe.

How did David do in response to God seeming to forget him? We see the answer in Psalm 13: 5-6: I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. This trust in God did not come later when everything was going well again, but this trust came right in the midst of his grief and despair.

Oh, that we would be more like David. Perhaps it is because David went through so much grief that he grew to have such a strong faith in God.

When children go through childhood diseases, though it is extremely uncomfortable for them, we realize that they are building antibodies that will protect them for their entire lives. God is doing much the same for us. The many bumps and bruises of life cause us to continually turn to God. As the years pass, we begin to realize that we just do not get all that excited when the evil days come. God has taken care of us in the past and we know He will continue to do the same in the future.

We do find that it is much easier to trust God when everything is going great, but how do we do when everything is going wrong? Paul says it this way in Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (LINDA   CROFT)

THE CHURCH & CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED
The church will remain closed for worship services for the next two weeks. We target to reopen the church on 21-22 November 2020 but that is only if Klang is not in the Red Zone. If Klang remains in the Red Zone, the church worship service will be indefinitely closed until a future announcement is made. If you need to contact the office staff, these are the contact numbers:
Pastor Ashok @ 012 524 0061
Yap Chee Kai @ 012 2360 457
Pelita Chuah @ 016 625 6188
Jane @ 017 622 7226
Cheng It @ 012 915 3640

NEXT WEEKEND SERVICE
Speaker : Rev Terence Poh
Dates : Sat & Sun, Nov 14 & 15, 2020
Sermon Title: Hope In The Midst Of Shaking
Scripture Text: Haggai 2: 5-9

2ND OFFERING
The 2nd Offering for November will go towards the Salvation Army. You may give your donations to the organization during the entire month of November via online banking. The details are below;-

Bank: Maybank
Name: The Salvation Army
Account Number: 5005 1196 0014
Recipient Reference: Please indicate ‘Donation PR Malaysia’

Important Note:
Kindly ensure you email the transaction slip after making the transfer at pr.malaysia@smm.salvationarmy.org You may also whatsapp the transaction slip to Helen John at 012 502 6959.

CONGRATULATIONS
Rev Dr Hii Kong Hock was re-elected to serve as President of the Sabah Annual Conference for a third quadrennium (2021-2024) on the very first ballot with two-thirds majority on November 6, 2020. We congratulate him and the members of S.A.C.

CONDOLENCES
Our deepest condolences to Mdm Boo Lee Eng & family on the demise of her husband, Mr Soh Ah Hee on November 2, 2020.

APPRECIATION
Mr Soh Ah Hee passed away on 2nd November 2020. He is a church member. His funeral service was on 4th November 2020. Mrs Soh, his wife, personally thanks all church members and friends for their love, presence, contributions and messages to the Soh family during this time of bereavement.

ONLINE BANKING
While we acknowledge that many people are affected by the current CMCO situation, we encourage you to continue giving your tithes/offering during this time through online banking, The details are below:

Pledge Payment can be done via Online to Wesley Methodist Church Klang Bank Account No: UOB 171-315-561-1