Foot-wash

As I did my today’s meditation, I pondered upon how the disciple Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, do you wash my feet? .... You shall never wash my feet.” (JOHN 13:8, NIV), indeed, I saw how foot washing was not a luxury, but a necessity. Omitting this service was a serious breach of hospitality (GENESIS 18:4; JUDGES 19:21; LUKE 7:44, NIV). And, Jesus had sent Peter ahead to prepare the Passover (LUKE 22:8–13, NIV).

For three years, Jesus had been teaching and modeling humility and servanthood. Perhaps now, He waited to see if any of His disciples would grab the basin and do the necessary. Why not Peter, His right hand man? Truly, the foot washing foreshadows the Cross where sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus.

Indeed, Jesus said, “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (JOHN 13:14, NIV). Truly, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said how a leader’s authority is only as great as his or her humility as highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text. Again, Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (MATTHEW 20:26-27, NIV).

You will never arrive at the state in life where you’re too important to help with menial tasks. God will never exempt you from the mundane. It’s a vital part of your character curriculum (RICK WARREN) as he highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text.

Hence forth, I confess my sin of self-importance. I’m guilty of playing the power game and pulling rank. I’ve relied on my position and authority to whip others into shape instead of leading by example in doing the menial stuff. I’ve failed to model what it means to be a servant. Father, crush my ego + crucify my flesh. Free me from self deception. Break the strongholds of false identity derived from titles, rights, and privileges. Give me the mind of Christ who, being in the form of God, took on the form of a slave, and washed his disciples’ feet. Lord, whether it’s stacking chairs, clearing trash, washing dishes, cleaning toilets, or pushing wheelchairs, help me to do it with all my heart (COLOSSIANS 3:23, NIV).

As the apostle Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God” (1 PETER 5:6, NIV), I pray that I’ll humble myself under the mighty hand of God when I simply and willingly cooperate with Him, as He gives me countless opportunities to be humbled under His mighty but a gentle hand.

If serving is beneath you, leading is beyond you (TOBY MAC) as he highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text.

As Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (MARK 10:43-44, NIV).

May we always take the lowest place, grab the most humiliating task, and do it with grace and gladness under Christ’s mighty hand!

Profile Background:
Jeremy Koh is a disabled graduate from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore – formerly known as Spastic Children Association (1987–1997). He graduated with Certificates in Microsoft Office Skills & a HR Administrator Graduate (CHRA) under Human Capital Singapore–SGEnable Collaboration of Partnership – HCS HR PowerBank (7th Dec 2021 to 3rd June 2022) | Former Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant |A Connecter in ServeHope Pte Ltd & GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd | A KeyGuard Specialist @(these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch) | an Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017); A Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Stories for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster) |A PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, give us the presence of mind to recognize the many occasions you arranged for us to become last of all and servant of all. Help us not miss a single opportunity, but make the most of each one of them.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 18th July 2019)

Eye of the needle

As I did my today’s meditation, I pondered upon how Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven;” (MATTHEW 19:23, NIV), I examined how a young rich man confided in Jesus saying, “What do I still lack?” then Jesus replied, “go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (MATTHEW 19:20-21, NIV), truly, to be perfect means to achieve one’s God-given purpose in life. However, worldly wealth was more important to him than heavenly treasure and he walked away from Jesus sadly (MATTHEW 19:22, NIV).

Yet, Jesus said that whatever you leave behind in this world, you’ll get a hundred times more in the next. On top of that, you’ll inherit eternal life (MATTHEW 19:28-29, NIV). And, God doesn’t need your money. He wants your heart. We cannot serve God and money. Mammon is a power that seeks to dominate us… a rival god that seeks allegiance (RICHARD FOSTER). This encourages me to surrender my life, my all to Jesus, being my Master as I resist the devil. And, I reject the worldly mantra that money is everything. Indeed, Money can buy medicine, but not health. Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can buy companionship, but not friends. Money can buy entertainment, but not happiness. Money can buy food, but not an appetite. Money can buy a bed, but not sleep… Money can buy the good life, but not eternal life (CHARLES SWINDOLL). Truly, money can rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral, but not the church itself. Today, I pray for God will set those free from sin – those who are serving Mammon.

It’s reported how Singapore is home to 183,737 millionaires. Wealth per adult has increased more than 146% since the year 2000. Globally, we rank number nine in terms of highest average wealth per adult (THE STRAITS TIMES, 18 OCTOBER 2018).

I give thanks to God for Singaporean Christians who are well represented in the arena of wealth creation and business enterprise, as the power to create wealth is a gift from God (DEUTERONOMY 8:18, NIV). Yet, business is never just business. The business profession has a moral role in society, bringing goods and services for the betterment of all (RICHARD FOSTER) as he highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text. And, I pray for God that He would ‘raise’ up a critical mass of God-fearing disciples in the business world to steward His wealth in His way, for His purposes, and for His glory.

It’s also reported that while some are getting richer, others are getting poorer. The number of Singaporean families depending on long-term financial aid has increased (THE STRAITS TIMES, 4 OCTOBER 2018). Hence, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required” (LUKE 12:48, NIV), and this also encouraging me to have a greater social responsibility to steward a greater wealth that God entrusted me today.

Are you hoarding wealth for fear of lack? Are you self-indulgent, flaunting your wealth or success? With this, I seek God for His investment strategy and for my project life stories team members to work with Government authorities to help reduce income inequality in the special needs community.

How does the global church spend its money? 

Truly, 87% is spent on the church, 12% on ministry among the reached, and just 1% on unreached peoples, among whom are the poorest of the poor (GLOBAL STATISTICS). Today, some 250 million people have no access to any Scripture in their heart language (WYCLIFFE GLOBAL ALLIANCE) as they mentioned their points inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text.

Let’s not hold back our wealth for a good cause and redistribute our wealth + channeling them to God’s mission to the unreached world today!

Profile Background: 
Jeremy Koh is a disabled graduate from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore – formerly known as Spastic Children Association (1987–1997). He graduated with Certificates in Microsoft Office Skills & a HR Administrator Graduate (CHRA) under Human Capital Singapore–SGEnable Collaboration of Partnership – HCS HR PowerBank (7th Dec 2021 to 3rd June 2022) | Former Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant |A Connecter in ServeHope Pte Ltd & GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd | A KeyGuard Specialist @(these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch) | an Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017); A Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Stories for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster) |A PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, we repent for holding back our wealth for a good cause and pray for a redistribution of wealth that comes from our churches in Antioch of Asia to God’s mission to the unreached.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 17th July 2019)

The time is now!

A couple of months ago, there was a particular week when my schedule was insanely packed out. I had different meetings and speaking engagements from Monday through Thursday. Then on Friday, there was Pray Singapore, our regular gathering of church leaders for prayer at St Andrew’s Cathedral. As I was preparing, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the prayer gathering was the most important event of the entire week. No matter how amped up I may feel towards Turning Singapore Godward, Winning The Youth and Blessing The Nations, unless God is in it, our best works are in vain.

As I pondered upon what the Psalmist said, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain” (Psalm 127:1, ESV), I observed how the builders are labouring and the guards are standing watch. They are not lazy. They are not indifferent. They do not abdicate their responsibilities. Like many of us, we love Jesus and His Church, and we are willing to work hard, yet the psalmist says that unless the Lord builds the house and unless the Lord watches over the city, our best efforts are in vain.

The three focal points that God has given to the Singapore churches and Christ–followers are spiritual in nature. No amount of human effort alone can produce an ounce of spiritual fruit. We need God. We need to seek God’s help, wisdom, guidance and strength in prayer.

Attention is the beginning of devotion:
In the digital world that we live in, everyone and everything is vying for our attention. In 2015, TIME magazine published an article stating that the average attention span for the notoriously ill–focussed goldfish is nine seconds, but according to a study from Microsoft, people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds. Microsoft also found that since the year 2000 when the mobile revolution began, the average attention span of people has dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds.

We now have a shorter attention span than goldfish. This is quite laughable and sad at the same time!

In John 15, Jesus said in no unclear terms that, apart from Him, we can do nothing. Jesus teaches the importance of abiding in Him, the importance of giving Him our attention and staying connected to Him when He says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4, ESV) – to be devoted to God and His purpose, we need to first give God our attention. And one of the ways to give God our attention is through prayer.

Many of us have participated in Day of His Power this year. We gathered to pray in churches all across the north, south, east and west of Singapore. This is a beautiful picture of unity in Christ and dependence on God. Thank you for playing a vital part in the redemptive plan of God for Singapore.

Look to God in prayer:
The time is now to Turn Singapore Godward. The time is now to Win the Youth. The time is now to Bless the Nations. And the time is definitely now to pray together!

Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.

Let us look to God in prayer!

Reflection:
1. How has God changed your heart for those who don’t yet know Jesus?
2. How will you pray for youths and families in Singapore?
3. What are some things God is leading you to do to turn Singapore Godward, win the youth and bless the nations?

Prayer Response to the featured article above:
Jesus, teach us to, first and foremost, devote ourselves to you. And as we do that, transform us and use us for your glory. Thank You for your amazing grace and goodness in our lives. We pray for a Godward Singapore. Ask for godly leadership, a people united in the desire to do good and be compassionate, a Church committed to sharing Gospel hope. We pray that God’s light will shine brightly in every area of darkness and every believer become an active ambassador of this light.

We pray earnestly for God to stir the hearts of young people across Singapore, drawing them to His grounding truth and unshakable hope – praying for opportunities to invite them into church communities, small groups and worship services. Ask God to equip us and others with the ability to guide these young hearts in their spiritual journey. Jesus, give us the conviction and the courage to take the first step, whether it’s signing up for a short-term mission trip or finding other ways to serve God’s global Kingdom.

Profile Background:
(Reflected by Pastor Jeff Chong, the Senior Pastor of Hope Singapore and the Chairman of LoveSingapore; 9th Aug 2024 – National Day)

Radical forgiveness

As I pondered upon how disciple Peter said to the Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (MATTHEW 18:21-22, NIV), we see how Peter and Judas might have quarreled with each other. And, the rabbis suggested three times. Indeed, the disciples of Jesus were prone to quarrel. Homeless and jobless, they travelled and lived together in close quarters. And, they argued about which of them was the greatest. They vied for privilege and position in the coming kingdom (MATTHEW 18:1; MATTHEW 20:21; MARK 9:34; 10:37, NIV).

Yet, Jesus’ answer dismisses all petty notions about how people take advantage of us and walking all over us. Nor does he mean that we can stop forgiving after counting off 77 or 490 times. As the apostle Paul, “Love keeps no record of wrongs” (1 CORINTHIANS 13:5, NIV), truly, Jesus expects a certain quality of forgiveness from us that is radical, infinite, divine. As the apostle Paul also said, “Forgive as God has forgiven you” (EPHESIANS 4:32, NIV) and how Peter needed this divine forgiveness, where he denies Jesus three times. And, Jesus also needed to extend unconditional forgiveness to those who crucified Him on the cross. Indeed, community is not possible without the willingness to forgive one another seventy-seven times. Forgiveness is the cement of community life. Forgiveness holds us together through good and bad times, and it allows us to grow in mutual love (HENRI NOUWEN) as highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text.

Today, I make the choice to overthrow Satan’s evil ploy by choosing to forgive as Christ has forgiven me, as I resist the temptation to feed on malicious words and deeds + as I move on for my own good, for the sake of the Church, for God’s glory. I pray for shepherd leaders of the church to guard themselves from temptations as Satan is all out to destroy the Jesus community from within through one unforgiving relationship at a time, and for them to obey Christ’s call to forgive radically and infinitely as I did my today’s meditation.

Hence, I ask God to forgive us for any wrong attitudes and actions which might have tainted our witness and strained our relationships with pre-believing family, friends, and neighbours where there are old hurts or new conflicts between us & them, for us to forgive them and be forgiven by them every day, as we honour Jesus in our lives daily.

I also pray for us to continue our relational evangelism every day in every sphere across Singapore, even though the Celebration of Hope rallies have ended; but the glorious work has only just begun (BISHOP RENNIS PONNIAH) as he highlighted this point inside the 40 Days (2019) devotional text.

As Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (MATTHEW 5:9, NIV);

May our forgiveness be so real, so radical, so refreshing, that the unsaved around us will be deeply moved to follow Jesus.

Profile Background:
Jeremy Koh is a disabled graduate from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore – formerly known as Spastic Children Association (1987–1997). He graduated with Certificates in Microsoft Office Skills & a HR Administrator Graduate (CHRA) under Human Capital Singapore–SGEnable Collaboration of Partnership – HCS HR PowerBank (7th Dec 2021 to 3rd June 2022) | Former Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant |A Connecter in ServeHope Pte Ltd & GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd | A KeyGuard Specialist @(these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch) | an Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017); A Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Stories for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster) |A PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, enable us to practice the Golden Rule – do to others as you would have others do to you (GOOD NEIGHBOUR DAY 2019).

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 16th July 2019)

CHRISTIAN VIEWPOINT FEATURE #14

War Your Way to Heaven:
Greg shares how a Christian life is one of fierce holiness. Christ calls us to hoist crosses, hack off limbs, gouge out eyes, contend for souls, and wage war against spiritual powers.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/war-your-way-to-heaven by Greg Morse – (Staff writer, desiringGod.org) 16th July 2024 |inside Desiring God)

Savor Christ in Every Psalm: The Joy of Singing with Jesus
Chris describes how you can take the Psalms on your lips, as you sing the songs of Jesus declaring that He is the center of the Psalms, the lead singer of the Psalms, and the great conductor of the choir.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/savor-christ-in-every-psalm by Christopher Ash – Guest Contributor, 15th July 2024 |inside Desiring God)

The Spirituality of Tithing:
Ps Leow highlights that the purpose of the tithe is for supporting the ministry of the Levites since they had no territorial inheritance. Since there were eleven other tribes, ten percent of tithing from each tribe approximately made up one whole tribe’s income (remember that the Levites themselves also had to tithe to the Lord, i.e., a tithe from the tithe, cf. Numbers 18.26).

If we understand this, then we would realise that the Torah’s ten percent figure was a practice contextualised to the ancient state of Israel. We should not thoughtlessly apply it to our own practices of tithing today.

(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/the-spirituality-of-tithing/ by Ps Leow Wen Pin | 15th Jul 2024 | inside Credo)

Does God Speak My Language? – The Pioneering Legacy of Cam Townsend
The last century brought astonishing growth in Bible translation – much of it due, under God, to a college dropout with a vision for mother – tongue ministry.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/does-god-speak-my-language by Chris Tachick – Guest Contributor, 1st July 2024 |inside Desiring God)

Speak to Men Like Men:
In our overly sensitive society, have we lost the ability to talk to men like men?

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/speak-to-men-like-men by Greg Morse (Staff writer, desiringGod.org), 29th June 2024 |inside Desiring God)

Drug Trafficking and the Death Penalty: A Christian Perspective
On May 8, 2024, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam delivered a ministerial statement in which he declared that Singapore is waging a war against drugs. He stressed that thousands will suffer if the nation-state does not take this war seriously and put up a fight, or if it loses the war.

(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/drug-trafficking-and-the-death-penalty/ by Dr Roland Chia | 17th June 2023 | inside Pulse)

Why do we Keep Squabbling Over Nothing?
Have you gotten into a heated argument with your spouse, and then looked back and thought, “What were we arguing about?”

You’re not alone in this experience. Find out what lies behind petty squabbles and how we can stay in love despite the conflicts we have with our spouse.

(For more info, – https://family.org.sg/resource/why-do-we-keep-squabbling-over-nothing by June Yong, Author | 6th June 2024, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Promises, Patterns, and Principles – A Primer on the New Testament’s Use of the Old:
The New Testament refers to the Old Testament in powerful yet sometimes perplexing ways. So, how might we learn to read Scripture like that?

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/promises-patterns-and-principles by Brian Tabb, President, Bethlehem College & Seminary | 4th June 2024 |inside Desiring God)

The Precious Perfection of Christ – How Jesus Paves Our Way to God:
If Jesus were not “made perfect,” as Hebrews says, then we would lose our perfect example, our perfect priest, our perfect mediator, and our perfect king.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-precious-perfection-of-christ by Jared Compton, Professor, Bethlehem College & Seminary | 3rd June 2024 |inside Desiring God)

Give Them Time to Grow – Learning the Power of Patient Love:
The apostle Paul knew something of such patience. His own testimony bore the marks of God’s long-suffering love, his “perfect patience” (1 Timothy 1:16). And Paul remembered that patience. He couldn’t forget it. Though slandered (2 Corinthians 10:1–2), though underappreciated (Galatians 4:15–16), though repeatedly faced with startling folly and sin (1 Corinthians 3:1–4), Paul remained patient, a disciple of God’s perfect patience. He yearned, he prayed, he labored, he pleaded, but he also waited “with utmost patience” (2 Corinthians 12:12). He let miracles take their God-appointed time. Patience, for Paul, was not merely one way of responding among many: it was a robe to clothe all responses. For, “Miracles are wondrous things. But many miracles take time and remarkable patience.”

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/give-them-time-to-grow by Scott Hubbard, Editor (desiringGod.org) | 28th May 2024 |inside Desiring God)

The Splendor of His Queen – How the Church Reflects Christ’s Majesty:
For now, the church appears with spots and wrinkles and many blemishes. But the day is coming when Jesus will present her to himself in splendour – as the reflection of his own majesty.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-splendor-of-his-queen by David Mathis, Executive Editor (desiringGod.org) | 25th May 2024 |inside Desiring God)

On Promethean Shame and the Gift of Creatureliness:
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan god, a potter, who created the first man and woman out of clay. He is also believed to have been the one who stole fire from Zeus to give to man, thereby enabling him to fashion tools.

The German philosopher Gunther Anders was in California on a tour with his friend T. to visit an exhibition of technology in 1942. Anders noticed how T. “concealed his hands behind his back, as if he were ashamed to have brought these heavy, graceless and obsolete instruments into the company of machines working with such accuracy and refinement.” The philosopher christened his friend’s reaction “Promethean shame,” “shame when confronted by the ‘humiliatingly’ high quality of fabricated things (selbstgemachten Dinge).”

(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/on-promethean-shame-and-the-gift-of-creatureliness/ by Khaw Siew Ping | 20th MAY 2024 | inside Credo)

Trusting the Process in Motherhood:
Being a mum is one of the most unique experiences in this world, special in every way – even in the way it grows and challenges a person.

Filled with seasons of sowing, waiting, pruning and harvesting, what does it mean to trust the process in this dynamic journey of motherhood?

(For more info, – https://www.family.org.sg/resource/trusting-the-process-in-motherhood/ by Unknown Author| 30th April 2024, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Through Hell to Hope: Feeling Reality in Dante’s ‘Inferno’
Dante wrote his epic story, with its descent into hell, to hold out hope to Christians on their long and hard pilgrimage through life.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/through-hell-to-hope by Clinton Manley| 29th April 2024 |inside Desiring God)

Better Than Our Bitter Thoughts: The God of Surprising Goodness:
Hard and bitter thoughts about God reveal far more about us than about him. He is the good God, the wonderful God, far better than our best thoughts of him.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/better-than-our-bitter-thoughts by Greg Morse|27th April 2024 | inside Desiring God)

How do I Know my Marriage is Ready for Kids?
The decision to become a parent is a weighty one that should be made intentionally as a couple. Instead of asking, “Am I ready for parenthood?” you might want to ask, “Is our marriage ready for parenthood?”

How do you determine if your marriage is ready for a baby?

(For more info, – https://www.family.org.sg/articles/how-do-i-know-my-marriage-is-ready-for-kids/ by Swee Fen Chan, Author| 6th April 2024, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Ritual Matters:
Do you find that most of the time, things do not go according to plan? And when that happens, what do you do? Rev. Dr. Simon Chan discusses the concept of ritualism as a spiritual entrenchment in human beings. He goes on to argue that rituals are the most intrinsic ways of knowing, and that habits are actually the result of us being incredibly social creatures.

(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/ritual-matters/ by Rev Dr. Simon Chan|15th Jan 2018| inside Credo)

Quarreling and Strife

There is a legend from Greek mythology that the god Hercules was once walking along a narrow road when a strange-looking creature appeared threateningly in front of him. Hercules struck this creature with his club and passed on, but soon afterwards was surprised to be confronted by this same creature, only now three times as large. Hercules struck it again and again and each time it grew in size until finally it completely blocked the road. Then the goddess Pallas Athena appeared to Hercules and told him to stop. “The monster is called Strife,” she said. “Let it alone, and it will soon become as small as it was at first.” All quarreling and strife will certainly return to manageable proportions and ultimately cease if one of the quarrelers lets it alone. One is either a peacemaker or one is a “stirrer” – determined to keep the argument going for the sake of satisfaction.

Abram says to Lot’ “Let there be no strife between you and me and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred” (Genesis 13:8, NIV), I saw how Abraham’s herdsmen quarreled, and he and Lot might have quarreled too, had not Abraham taken the wise course and ended it. “Lot,” he said, “this won't do. Let there be no strife between you and me or between my herdsmen and yours, for we are all brothers” And then he became the generous mediator and told Lot that he could have the best land in the east, if that was what he wanted. It was wise to separate the two groups and it was generous of Abraham to give Lot first choice. Abraham was above personal gain he did not seek after flocks and herds, silver and gold, servants or the best land. God was sought first; other things were added. Lot, on the other hand, couldn't keep his eyes off the fertile plain of Sodom. He wanted it; then he wanted more; he got it; then lost it all. As an elder he could have dictated the terms but he was above meanness and was blessed as a result.

Profile Background:
(Written by Pastor Ron – (Clark of Tasmania, Australia) from the Upper Room Ministries)

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Do pray that God to help us not to be greedy for personal gain and material possessions.

(The unrecalled date/year of published time)

How to Start the Climb out of Debt

Imagine where you could be in a year if you took diligent steps to be free of debt.

As I meditated upon what Solomon says, “Don’t withhold repayment of your debts” (Proverbs 3:27, TLB) and this requires me to make a tough decision + committing to discipline myself to get out of debt if ever I am in it.

Like how the apostle Paul says, “Let no debt remain outstanding” (Romans 13:8, NIV) and God declares that wisdom will help us to get out of debt as it is not a good thing.

Indeed, Hosea reminded me that repentance brings about blessings upon people’s lives (Hosea 14:1-9, NIV) and this reminded me how I must repent my sins so that blessings could be poured in my life + that the blessings will flow outwardly to others once I share this blessing with others.

Truly, Solomon says, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5, NLT).

Today, I make a commitment to the plan, and decide to be free from debt + to stay out of temptation as I did my weekend reading.

If you were not in debt right now, what would be different about your life today?

Profile Background:
Jeremy Koh is a disabled graduate from Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore – formerly known as Spastic Children Association (1987–1997). He graduated with Certificates in Microsoft Office Skills & a HR Administrator Graduate (CHRA) under Human Capital Singapore–SGEnable Collaboration of Partnership – HCS HR PowerBank (7th Dec 2021 to 3rd June 2022) | Former Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant |A Connecter in ServeHope Pte Ltd & GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd | A KeyGuard Specialist @(these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch) | an Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017); A Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Stories for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster) |A PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, help us to live freely from debt situations today.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 16th March 2020)