The Work of Salvation for the Miserable and the Poor

District Apostle Helper Edy Isnugroho accompanied by Apostle Sigfried Catan (Philippines) along with all Apostles and Bishops from Indonesia held the second Divine Service for the Departed this year at Rawaselang congregation, West Java on Sunday, July 2, 2017.

“But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God” – This Psalm 40:17 (NKJV) was the Bible text used in that divine service.

“This special divine service is not a service to commemorate those who died, then we cry and grieve, but instead, the special service is where we realize that the Almighty God is the loving Father, the Father of grace” said the District Apostle Helper. “God wants to help the miserable, the suffering, the poor.”

First, let us recognize that we can only see the outward condition of the miserable and the poor. God is different. God not only sees the poor and miserable circumstances, but He sees the whole. God can see the heart of the miserable, God knows the thoughts that exist, God knows the situations and the background. God also has the power to deliver and help all our circumstances, because God has everything unlimited.

But, in order to be saved, these souls have to believe God’s power:

  • Recognize the poor self because of sin. Blessed are those who acknowledge “I am miserable, I am poor” especially this poorness is inflicted by sin. Man can not forgive this sin, only the triune God can.
  • Acknowledge the miserable self. Man must recognize God as the source of help, the One who comes to deliver from misery.
  • Recognizing that God has the will, the plan and actions that we often do not understand and do not comprehend. We cannot rule God to do this and that. God has a much more beautiful plan.
  • Able to forgive others. This is a very important requirement, so these souls gain mercy.

“Let us pray that our loving and merciful Father deliver the souls from this poor and suffering condition, so that they become the children of God and together with us have an eternal fellowship with God.” Thus the District Apostle Helper closed this Divine Service for the Departed.

This post is also available in: Indonesian