God is Trustworthy 神是信实的

This time last year I experienced more about stepping out in faith with action by allowing God to go before me, and in faith being obedient to Him. 去年这个时候，我更多地经历了操练信心的行为，让神在我前面行，凭信心顺服祂。If you want to know more check out last year’s Sermon “Two Types of Faith”. 如果你想了解更多，可以去听去年讲道“两种信心”。

In summary, God paved a way to employ Jose involving adding 16 new Clients in the month of April 2024 to the business to allow this to happen. 总而言之，神开了一条路，使Jose能够被雇佣，并让公司在2024年4月新增了16位客户。

But the journey continued throughout the year for God is alive. 但这趟旅程贯穿了整整一年，因为神是活着的。Looking back over the year I clearly see the marvelous hand of God in my personal journey with Him, 回顾这一年，我清楚地看到在与神同行的旅程中，神奇妙的工作，in my relationships with my wife Kayla, my family and the Business. 在我与妻子Kayla、家人以及事业上的作为。

Brothers and sisters, don’t be mistaken—弟兄姐妹们，不要误会this journey hasn’t always been easy, especially in the area of marriage, and it’s still ongoing. —这趟旅程并不总是轻松的，尤其是在婚姻方面，而且仍在继续。But our God is good, and He uses the challenges and circumstances around me to confront deep strongholds in my heart, 但我们的神是良善的，祂使用周围的挑战和环境来对付我心中的深层坚固营垒，so I can keep growing to become more like Jesus. 使我能不断成长，更像耶稣。

So an update on the Business for the 12 months to 31 March 2025, God has blessed the Business with:截至2025年3月31日的12个月里，神大大赐福了这家公司：

44 New Clients, more than I could imagine. 44位新客户，远超我所能想象的。
Turnover has increased 12% and in the last 2 years by 24%. 营业额增长了12%，在过去两年里增长了24%。
Profit has increased around 14% this last year and in the last 2 years 70%. 利润在过去一年增长了约14%，在过去两年增长了70%。
Praise the Lord!! 赞美主！！

How? 如何做到的？

I have learnt to humble myself a little and acknowledge that God is in control through practicing reading His word more and learning to pray more before I make decisions.我学会了稍微谦卑自己，并借着更多读神的话和在做决定前更多地祷告，来承认神掌管一切。He aprendido a humillarme un poco y a reconocer que Dios tiene el control, practicando leer más Su palabra y aprendiendo a orar más antes de tomar decisiones. Not easy, as for the last more than 25 years I was used to making decisions about career or business. 这并不容易，因为在过去25年里，我已经习惯了自己做职业或公司的决定。While on my lips I said it was God’s business,
虽然嘴上说这是神的事业，in my deep heart I treated this business as my own and treated myself as god and made all the decisions. 但在内心深处，我把这家公司当作自己的，并且把自己当作神，做所有的决定。This did not go well and I learnt as I put my trust in man I cursed myself and allowed the family curse of finance to rule my life. 这并不顺利，我学到，当我倚靠人时，我是在咒诅自己，并让家族的财务咒诅掌控我的人生。

Jeremiah 17:5, Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 倚靠人血肉的膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人有祸了！

So, when I practiced repenting of trusting in staff or myself and acknowledged that apart from God, mediating on “He is the vine and I am the branch” I can do nothing. 因此，当我操练悔改，不再倚靠员工或自己，并承认离了神，我就不能做什么，默想“祂是葡萄树，我是枝子”。I also continued to learn to forgive people who offended me and didn’t do things my way, 我也继续学习饶恕那些冒犯我的人，或不按我的方式做事的人，while also practicing to stop, pray and allow God to go before me. 同时操练停下来、祷告，并让神走在我前面。God revealed how trustworthy He is. 神向我显明了祂是何等可信赖。

Psalm 1:1-3, 1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 1不从恶人的计谋，不站罪人的道路，不坐亵慢人的座位，

2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 2惟喜爱耶和华的律法，昼夜思想，这人便为有福！

3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 3他要像一棵树栽在溪水旁，按时候结果子，叶子也不枯干。凡他所做的尽都顺利。

Cursed are those who trust in man. Blessed are those who put their trust in God. 倚靠人的人有祸了，倚靠神的人是有福的。

Reflecting on this I observed two things: 反思这一点，我观察到两件事：

Psalm 37:19, In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. 他们在急难的时候不至羞愧，在饥荒的日子必得饱足。

I am experiencing this promise of God. 我正在经历神的这个应许。

For the Business has grown and thrived even though the New Zealand economy has been struggling, interest rates rose and the cost of living skyrocketed. 尽管新西兰经济低迷、利率上升、生活成本飙升，我们的生意仍然在增长。So while we added 44 Clients I had about 6 Clients close their Businesses as not profitable, 因此，虽然我们增加了 44 位客户，但也有大约 6 位客户因亏钱而倒闭，a number of Clients struggling to pay bills and tax on time, 还有一些客户无法支付账单和税款，the tax Clients paying dropping as not as profitable 缴税的客户减少了，因为他们赚的钱少了，and one Client on the brink of collapse making huge losses coupled with owing the IRD a large amount of money. 还有一位客户濒临破产，亏损严重，并且欠了税务局一大笔钱。

So compared to the New Zealand economy some would say I have hit the jackpot and the business has been hugely blessed. 所以，相较于新西兰整体经济，有人会说我运气好中了头彩，生意大大蒙福。

Secondly, I also see God’s hand in my Team, for I don’t have a team of highly qualified people, 其次，我也看到了神的手在我的团队中，因为我的团队并不是一群高学历的人，but rather a Team that is faithful and hardworking – people who love God.

而是一群忠心又勤奋、爱神的人。

When I couldn’t even finish my work because I was in China for 21 days or more often emotionally tormented and couldn’t focus, 当我因在中国 21 天无法完成工作，或者因情绪折磨无法集中注意力时，Jose and the Team helped me. Jose 和团队帮助了我。Whether doing some work or Jose sharing a word. 他们分担了一些工作， Jose 分享了神的话语。

So, it’s truly for God’s glory! 所以，这一切都是为了神的荣耀！He didn’t use experts to help me, but those who love Him—to be on the Team and glorify His name. 祂没有使用专家来帮助我，而是使用那些爱祂的人—和祂成为一个团队，并荣耀祂的名。His ways are not our ways. 祂的道路高过我们的道路。

God has given the business the right people to do the right things and in the face of a bad economy blessed the Business. 神让合适的人来做合适的事，并且在经济低迷的情况下赐福了这个生意。This for His glory. 这一切都是为了祂的荣耀。He is worthy of all our Praise!!! Amen! 祂配得我们所有的赞美！！！阿们！