The Lord is righteous

As I reflected upon Psalm 94:14-23 (NIV), I saw how the Lord sustained the Psalmist by His mercy despite having him surrounded by evildoers that caused him to have anxieties and doubts in his mind as he nearly fell before onslaughts of men – being ushered into the silence of the cemetery. In reference to Christ in my life, I am thankful that He fills me up with His wisdom and power to help me live out this resurrected life through my daily Christian living for the gospel to be preached out through my outreach efforts to win souls for the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:30, NIV).

Hence, I reflected upon how God’s Word could be internalized in me to become a practical reflection for others to see Christ through my life once the Word Of God is kept in my heart, mind and spirit (Psalm 119:97–99, NIV).

Let’s have God’s Word internalized in us to become a practical reflection for others to see Christ through us today!

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Thank you, Lord, for showing ‘Your’ faithfulness to ‘us’ as we stay faithful in serving God all the days of our life. Thank you for allowing us to meditate on your Word of God daily.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 5th February 2014)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.

Down, not out

As I meditated upon Psalm 129:1–2 (NIV) during my devotional reading, I understood how the Psalmist felt distressed like how Jacob did when he saw how the enemies surrounded Israel who came from Egypt and they had afflicted the Israelites for four hundred years since the time when a prophecy given to Abraham their ancestor, and where their lives were made bitter with hard bondage; and in the times of the Judges, by several neighbouring nations in the time of their youth. Yet, the Psalmist expressed his affection of distress to show how he was overwhelmed by the enemies that surrounded Israel but he was not knocked out by them as he had God by his side to help them defeat their enemies. Indeed, God delivered the Israelites from their captivity while they were being oppressed by the Egyptians and how they went through suffering as a youthful nation; truly, I believe that God has given Christ the authority to deal with all insubordination and rebellion. From then on, Christ will rule with a rod of iron and punish rebellion whenever it raises its ugly head (Psalm 2:9, NIV).

In reference to New Testament, I noted how God allowed the apostle Paul to go through all kinds of persecution such as sickness, sorrow, afflictions, difficulties and distress to have him raised up again to present the glorious news of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:9, NIV).

Hence, this prompts me to let my faith speak out the gospel to others through my transformed life in Jesus Christ despite of the challenges and the obstacles that I have to go through when I am being oppressed by tough circumstances surrounding me today.

Does your faith speak out the gospel to others through your transformed life in Jesus Christ in view of tough circumstances surrounding you today?

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Lord, would you let ‘Your’ perseverance help us move on with our lives by the strength of God.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 4th February 2014)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.

Majulah Singapura!

 

As I celebrate 57th National Day today and meditated upon how the apostle Paul said to the early church’s believers and exhorted them saying, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1–4, ESV), I give thanks to God for our Government and pray that they would live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness which seems good, and how this pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. I pray for the LORD to bless and keep them as He makes His face shine upon them and be gracious to our government leaders and for the Lord to lift up His countenance upon them and give them peace (Numbers 6:24 – 26, ESV – Paraphrased). I give thanks to God for His gifts of peace, prosperity, and progress all these 57 years of nationhood knowing that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17, ESV).

Truly, I praise God that Singapore has ranked third in the world and first in Asia for the effectiveness of government (Chandler Institute of Governance | The Straits Times, 28th April 2022) according to the global index today. I pray for the Multi–Ministry Taskforce, medical experts, scientific community, key consultants, chief decision-makers, doctors, and healthcare workers as they battle Covid–19 and for many individuals of them to encounter God and experience a double portion of rest and rejuvenation, faith and foresight, clarity and courage, wisdom and wonder, shalom and success. I also pray that Government would continue to protect and preserve the right of the Church to profess, practice and propagate our biblical convictions regarding gender, sexual morality, heterosexual marriage, traditional family structure and parenting – without harassment from any third party.

Truly, I praise God and rejoice in the LORD for our 4G Team Leader, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, whom God has positioned to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in due time and how he had made his  public statements so clearly that reflected the values of the Kingdom of God saying that...

“Throughout my life, I’ve never hankered for post, position or power. I’ve always been realistic about my own abilities and strengths. My philosophy in life, instilled by my parents from young – is that whatever task I’m assigned, I will give of my best. And if my best falls short –  as it surely will from time to time – I try to learn, and I strive to improve, and do better.

“So I have never gone out looking for additional work, but somehow the work finds me. Over the last 25 years in public service, my duties and responsibilities have kept on growing …

“Now I will be taking on what would possibly be the biggest responsibility of my life. I am under no illusions about the demands of the job …

“Knowing full well that we will have to earn the right of leadership, I will continue with the same principles that have guided me all these years, which is to give of my best, to engage and listen, and to learn and improve continually.

“And as I have repeatedly emphasized, leadership, and political leadership is never about one person, it’s always about the entire team. Even a giant like Mr Lee Kuan Yew had a team. The same was true for Mr Goh Chok Tong, and now PM Lee. He has SM (Senior Minister) Teo, SM Tharman, and many others. So much more the case will be with me.” (Press conference | 16th April 2022)

Through this, I give thanks to God for having DPM Lawrence Wong’s life chosen to represent as David as His servant … to be the shepherd of His people … And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skilful hands he led them (Psalm 78:70–72, NIV) as His work of grace had been evidently shown in his life – for humility comes before honour (Proverbs 18:12, ESV) and that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6, ESV). I pray that DPM will continue to clothe himself with humility towards all (1 Peter 5:5, ESV).

Indeed, DPM Lawrence Wong “puts his heart and soul into what he is doing and is never a seeker of credit or fanfare” and that he is “patient, listens hard, connects well with people and is intellectually honest while welcoming of vigorous debate … he’s calm under pressure, listens and consults widely … he is prepared to make tough, sometimes unpopular, judgment calls. And if those calls turn out to be wrong, he’s humble enough to admit the missteps and quick to learn from them” (Minister Ong Ye Kung | Professor Donald Low – The Straits Times, 16th/23rd April 2022).

Above all, I thank God for DPM’s sound thinking on faith at work when he said: “I suppose in the Methodist tradition, you would say your work is your worship, right? You don’t delink faith from day to day. Whatever you do on a day-to-day basis, if you do it well, if you take responsibility, that in itself is a testimony of how you as a person are an example, you know, a light for the world.” (‘Lunch With Sumiko’ | The Straits Times, 1st November 2020)

Indeed, public servants who are like DPM Lawerence Wong are “serious, reliable, thorough, questioning, imaginative, always looking out for Singapore” (Lim Siong Guan) as mentioned inside the 40 Days (2022) devotional text.  Indeed, I pray for exceptional grace, wisdom, courage, and unity as DPM Lawrence Wong and the 4G Team to plot the road map for the next decade and beyond as I pondered upon my today’s reading..

(Adapted Text the 40 Days (2022) devotional text, 8th August 2022)

I pray for Section 377A to be governed by legislation and policy, uphold and strengthen the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, establishing this core moral value as the norm – the model for natural procreation, and the stable foundation to bring up the next generation for the long term good and continuity of our nation as our Government is considering how to proceed without “causing a sudden, destabilizing change in social norms or public expectations” (Today, 3rd March 2022) and for God to protect Singapore and keep her safe (Psalm 140:6– 7, ESV) in the days of messy geopolitics ahead.

Indeed, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will”. (Proverbs 21:1, ESV) for “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10, ESV) and for the “Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have insight, I have power” (Proverbs 8:14, ESV); as such, I pray for our Government to take effective measures to protect the young and vulnerable in our society.

Current Singapore’s Cabinet:

Madam Halimah Yacob – President of Singapore

Mr Tan Chuan Jin – Speaker of Parliament  

Lee Hsien Loong – Prime Minister

Mr Lawrence Wong – Deputy Prime Minister / Minister for Finance

Mr Heng Swee Keat – Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister + Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies.

Mr Teo Chee Hean – Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam – Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan – Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister-in-charge of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

Mr K Shanmugam – Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Mr Chan Chun Sing –Minister for Education/Minister in–Charge for Public Service

Mr Ong Ye Kung – Minister for Health – Minister in–charge for ageing issues

Mr Gan Kim Yong – Minister for Trade and Industry.

Dr Tan See Leng – Minister for Manpower/Second Minister for Trade and Industry & 2nd NTUC secretary-general as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Mr S Iswaran – Minister for Transport/ Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations in the Ministry of Trade and Industry

Mrs Josephine Teo – Minister for Communications and Information/Second Minister for Home Affairs & Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative & Cyber–Security

Ms Grace Fu – Minister for Sustainability and Environment.

Prayer Response to this featured article:

We pray for God to enlighten our Cabinet Ministers with wisdom, discernment, depth of insight, foresight, courage and strength to govern this nation in His ways and for His glory. We bless Singapore today

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 9th August 2022, SG National Day)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in society today.

CHRISTIAN VIEWPOINT FEATURE #6

A crazy little thing called trust: Max Jeganathan on the cries of his motherland, Sri Lanka:
Thirty-seven years earlier, a different unruly mob stormed my family’s home just a few kilometres away. Back then, it was a government-sanctioned gang that tried to kill me and my father and burn down our home. Today it’s an anti-government mob that chased the country’s former leader out of office and out of the country. Sadly, for the country of my birth, not much has changed since my family was thrown out of it in 1983. Today’s crisis in Sri Lanka is simply the latest chapter of suffering in a sad history of genocide, war, war crimes, false starts and government ineptitude. These are no new problems. These are the same old problems with new victims. “When sorrows come, they come not as single spies but in battalions.” Shakespeare’s words summarise Sri Lanka’s lamentable history perfectly.

(For more info, do click the link https://saltandlight.sg/news/a-crazy-little-thing-called-trust-max-jeganathan-on-the-cries-of-his-motherland-sri-lanka/ – by Max Jeganathan; 22nd July 2022 – inside Salt & Light)

Tenacious Grace – How We Become and Stay One?
“In this era, our status as redeemed saints is complete, but our experience of redemption is partial”; It’s the participatory dimension of our inherited gift of salvation (and countless facets of this gift, like Christian unity) that explains the New Testament’s teaching on grace and works. The New Testament teaches that we are saved by God’s grace alone (Ephesians 2:8–9), and that works are necessary to our salvation (James 2:24).

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/tenacious-grace – by Jon Bloom; Staff Writer 17th July 2022 – inside Desiring God)

Our Old/Young Earth – Arguments for Billions of Years:
“I do not think the Bible tells us or intends to tell us the age of the earth or the age of the universe.”

But are these continents actually moving apart at that rate? Long-term precise satellite “measurements of the relative positions of North America and North Africa document a current spreading rate of approximately 1 inch per year, a value in remarkable agreement with the radiometrically determined rates.”

“The most natural reading of the Bible’s introduction points to a young earth.” The use of Hebrew yôm (meaning day) with the refrain “there was evening and there was morning” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31), along with the mention of light and darkness, day and night, and the one-week structure strongly, suggests that the communicator of this revelation was portraying the equivalent of 24-hour

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/our-old-earth & https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/our-young-earth – by Wayne Grudem, Professor, Phoenix Seminary & Jason DeRouchie, Professor, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; 7th July 2022 – inside Desiring God)

‘In Faithfulness You Have Afflicted Me’
But can we derive hope, as the author of Lamentations did, not merely from God’s promise to faithfully deliver us from our afflictions, but from what God will faithfully accomplish for us through our afflictions?

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/in-faithfulness-you-have-afflicted-me – by Jon Bloom, Staff writer, 29th June – inside Desiring God)

5 Stages of Building a Successful Team:
In this place, we literally can learn to play and plan and work and enjoy each other all at the same time. Why? Because whether we’re talking about companies, sports teams or families, each group is functioning at a much higher and more effective level. Here, we’re making good, hard decisions that have to be made to be able to make the company more functional and more profitable, to be able to make the sports team better winners and more successful or to make the family not dysfunctional, but more functional. 

(For more info, do click the link https://charismamag.com/relationships-life/446788/ by Ford Taylor on Relationships 27th June 2022 – inside Charisma Magazine)

Is Discipleship More Challenging Today? Five Modern Hurdles to Ministry:
“The only doorway to the kingdom of Christ is through acknowledgment of personal villainy.” Life–on–life discipleship takes hours, days, months, and even years of commitment. It requires sustained scriptural focus. It takes single-mindedness and intentional relationships – qualities more easily attained without a constant barrage of stimuli, whether for entertainment (Netflix, YouTube, TikTok), human connection (Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook), or information (podcasts, TED talks, articles – yes, I see the irony).

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/is-discipleship-more-challenging-today – by Matt Reagan; Guest Contributor, 24th June 2022 – inside Desiring God)

“Spirit of God, fall afresh on us”: Rev Edmund Chan on the demystification of revival:
The defining mark of the church is not size. It is the spirit of the living God falling on them! We cannot engineer revival. We can only respond in faith to the promise of God.

(For more info, do click the link https://saltandlight.sg/faith/spirit-of-god-fall-afresh-on-us-rev-edmund-chan-on-the-demystification-of-revival/ – by Rev Edmund Chan 22nd June 2022– inside Salt & Light)

Do Not Fear to Leave This World:
Perhaps you will feel the same discomfort I felt overhearing saints of old speak of death. “He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool. He is a madman,” began Charles Spurgeon. “Agreed,” said the good Doctor Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Men seem to ignore the plain fact that “the moment you come into this world you are beginning to go out of it.”

But this fact need not spell doom and gloom for the Christian, Spurgeon responded. “The best moment of a Christian’s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.”

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/do-not-fear-to-leave-this-world – by Greg Morse 15th June 2022 – Staff Writer, inside Desiring God)

Find a Storm to Stir You:
The Greek for “stir up” means “to provoke” or “to agitate;” The same word is used just one other time in the New Testament, and it’s used (surprisingly) to describe the “sharp disagreement” that arose between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark (Acts 15:39). There’s a kind of sharpness in the imagery. Shake one another, unsettle one another, upsets one another – with a holy interruption – until love spills over and good works spring to life.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/find-a-storm-to-stir-you – by Marshall Segal 12th June 2022 – inside Desiring God)

How Did Jesus ‘Make Disciples’?
Making good fishermen is a long, involved process, as they knew all too well. It requires teaching and training over time. Not only hearing, and internalizing, clear words of instruction and direction but also watching a master fisherman at work – and catching the unspoken rhythms and patterns of his craft.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-did-jesus-make-disciples – by David Mathis (2nd June, inside Desiring God)

When Your Marriage Hurts – Healing the wounds and travelling light:
Ponder the various hurts you may have accumulated in your marriage life. She criticised you in front of your family members. He forgot your wedding anniversary. She neglected your needs in favour of your newborn child. She compared you with her colleague’s husband. He did not help with chores around the house.

It is a laundry list of hurts – intentional or unintentional.

(For more info, do click the link https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/when-your-marriage-hurts.aspx by Chan Swee Fen, 25th May 2022– inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

How to Have Healthy Expectations in Marriage – Communicating well and showing grace:
Let’s not be shy about admitting it. Marriage is hard. Often, it’s made even harder by the one thing that floats beneath the surface, only surfacing in the midst of quarrels.

Expectations.
 

Whether said or unsaid, expectations, when unmet, can leave couples feeling dissatisfied, disillusioned, and disappointed with marriage life. Expectations allow you to uphold certain standards, but grace allows for flexibility when one party doesn’t meet them.

(For more info, do click the link https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/how-to-have-healthy-expectations-in-marriage.aspx by John Lim, 20th April 2022 – inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Retired Pentecostal Pastor: Will Jesus Return in This Decade?
Much of the time, when people think of biblical prophecy they are most concerned with the personal and practical implications of the “mystery” (a previously undisclosed truth or reality) of the “snatching away” or “gathering together” of the saints of God (living and dead) in what is popularly called the “rapture.” Rather than worrying more about being “left behind,” committed disciples can rest in this future hope and holy assurance.

Could Jesus Return to Earth this Decade?
In a previous article, I asked the question of whether or not Jesus will return in this decade. We affirmed that we do not know and we cannot even be sure that this definite, future event will occur in our lifetimes—let alone in this decade (Matthew 25:13, NIV).

(For more info, do click the link https://www.charismamag.com/spirit/revival/52170-retired-pentecostal-pastor-will-jesus-return-in-this-decade & https://www.charismamag.com/spirit/supernatural/52197-could-jesus-return-to-earth-this-decade – by Gary Curtis (16th & 19th May 2022, inside Charisma Magazine)

The Pillar in the Pews – How the Church Upholds the Truth:
God wants men and women everywhere to hear, believe, and enjoy the truth — the truth about God, about grace, about the cross. And under that truth, he has placed a chosen pillar, a buttress he himself designed and constructed for this global and eternal purpose: the church.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-word-of-god-is-worth-the-work – by Marshall Segal (13th May 2022), Staff writer, inside Desiring God)

The Word of God Is Worth the Work:
In Bible reading as well as mountaineering, many would like the experience of heart-skipping beauty without working their quadriceps to jelly. We often would prefer, say, to drive to the summit of Romans 8 without traversing the rocky fields of reasoning, and climbing the alpine slopes of argumentation, and patiently tracing the winding paths of logic in Romans 1–7. We want the thrill of spiritual feeling without the labor of spiritual thought.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-word-of-god-is-worth-the-work – by Scott Hubbard {Editor} – 5th May 2022, inside Desiring God)

The Sees Family – Part 1 & 2:
When the Sees were featured by The Straits Times about how they feed 8 kids on $300 a week, some netizens commented that the children were so “deprived" and "poor thing”. The Sees family shared their stories of how they can find the joy in life really that doesn’t cost much.

The netizens found it “very impressive” how the parents raised their children to be independent.

(For more info, do click the link https://saltandlight.sg/family/were-not-poor-were-rich-in-family-time-eight-kid-single-income-family-has-no-tuition-helper-or-car & https://saltandlight.sg/family/our-family-relies-on-god-parents-of-eight-kids-were-once-at-risk-of-being-childless/ by Priscilla Goy – 22nd & 29th Apr 2022)

“Come, Holy Spirit:”
For many Christians today, that brief prayer is often connected with heightened emotions, unguided –spontaneous experiences, and an intense expectation of God’s nearness. Something unusual and powerful is about to happen.

Inviting the Spirit to come, however, is no new phenomenon. Christians of all persuasions have sincerely spoken or sung these words for centuries. Which raises a few questions –

If God is present everywhere, isn’t the Spirit already here?

Should we even be praying to the Holy Spirit?

And what exactly are we asking the Spirit to come and do?

We’re going to seek to answer those questions, specifically as it relates to the gatherings of the church. How are we to think about the Holy Spirit’s presence and our engagement with him?

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/come-holy-spirit – by Bob Kauflin {Pastor, Louisville, Kentucky} – 23rd Apr 2022, inside Desiring God)

The Love in His Grief – How the Spirit Respond to our sin:
You’ve done it again. Your conscience begins to stain. Here it is: that sin you vowed – you prayed – never to repeat. You feel the desperate urge to flee from yourself. You wonder, Does God feel the same?

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-love-in-his-grief – by Greg Morse {Staff Writer} – 18th Apr 2022, inside Desiring God)

Joel News International:
UK and India: Oceans apart a mother and son pray for a miracle:
People often talk about the power of prayer, from the mundane to the magnificent. Patrick Gilbert’s story definitely falls on the side of magnificent. It reads like a film-script and what lies at its heart are two people, oceans apart, who prayed for a miracle.

(For more info, do click the link https://mailchi.mp/joelnews/jni-1143?e=947657d957 by Joel News International – 10th Oct 2019)

South Asia: Buddhist monks turn to Christ:
Global Disciples has a big vision - to see the least reached and unreached people groups of the world have the chance to encounter the Gospel. One way the ministry works towards this vision is by training national leaders in how to share the Gospel.

Algeria: Woman's healing brings village to Christ;
A woman in a village in Algeria had been very sick for quite some time. Her husband had taken her to many doctors and specialists and had even tried witchcraft and sorcery, but she remained unchanged.

(For more info, do click the link https://mailchi.mp/joelnews/jni-1132?e=947657d957 – by Joel News International – 7th Feb 2019)

One Long Search for God

Notice:
On 9th August (Tues), your National Day Feature will be posted up from 3.00pm onwards.

 

As I meditated upon how Jesus said, “For it is from within, out of a person's heart, those evil thoughts come-sexual immorality, theft, murder” (Mark 7:21, NIV), I examined how Jesus referred to the evil things as false witness and blasphemy, murder, theft, adultery, lust & deceit that are committed by the action of deeds and through faculty of speech by mouth. As such, I saw how the men had changed God when they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal human beings and birds and animals and reptiles resulting in the sin of their disobedience (Romans 1:23, NIV). By this, I also see how the people on earth had been corrupted in their ways because of the sin of their humanity (Genesis 6:12b, NIV).

Indeed, I read how Herbert Spencer in Natural Law in the Spiritual World defines physical life as “inward correspondence with the outward environment” and through this, I see how we can be out of touch with God where we’ll be out of touch with ourselves and with others unless we know how to have “one long search for God” as one historian puts it, as their points were mentioned inside the Every Day Light online devotional text. And, I agree with two writers to say how our search for God must be found through the only way of the cross.

Hence, this encourages me to repent my sinful nature as I call out Jesus as my God today and draw myself away from being a self-lover, lover of money, boastful, proud, abusive, and disobedient to my parents while living an ungrateful and unholy life (2 Timothy 3:2, NIV) as I pondered through my today’s reading.

Who are you searching out as your God today?

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Thank you Jesus for setting us free from sin & death by the flames of Calvary;

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 5th January 2021)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.

Accepting the Inevitable

As I meditated upon how the Scriptures said, “But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction” (Job 36:15, NIV), I noted how Elihu saw affliction as a reflection of one’s past sins as he remembered them than him seeing afflictions as a discipline and restoration sent by God as he came into repentance before the LORD. Indeed, I see how sufferings can lead one to pay more attention to His Word, leading him to open his ears to LORD’S inward voice. Indeed, I read how Oswald Chambers said, “Life is more tragic than orderly” and I observed how Chambers knew that unless Christians are willing to grapple with this truth and accept it, they will be plagued by inner oughts and shoulds that lead them down the road of illusion, as he mentioned about these points inside the Every Day Light online devotional text.

Hence, this encourages me to thank the LORD for drawing my attention to His Word, causing me to open my spiritual ears to hear the LORD’S inward voice speaking to me about the struggles that I am going with difficult circumstances and challenges in my life as I accept the harsh realities of life today. By this, I desire to boast about Christ through my sufferings like how the apostle Paul boasted about Christ through his sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:16-29, NIV) and this causes me to step out in faith to believe in the unseen things to be made visible (Hebrews 11:1, NIV) as I did my today’s reading.

Do you live your life by faith amidst of your sufferings and challenges today?

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, enable us to live without answers, yet not without you.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 4th January 2021)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.

 

The God who is there

As I did my weekend’s reading, I read how the Book of Job records the story of a godly man who underwent some of the most bitter experiences and how he began facing the reality of what has happened to him and declares that if he could have an interview with God he would tell Him exactly what he thought of Him (Job 23:1–17, NIV) and how he faced his hardships, recognizing how he really felt and admitted it that God came to him and answered him (Job 38:1–41:34, NIV).

As I meditated upon how the Scriptures said, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5, NIV), I noted how God didn’t give any answers to Job’s questions, yet the LORD gave himself to Job who had an encounter with God. And, I pondered how sometimes fear cripples me to think & feel uncertain knowing who God is to me where I prefer to take refuge in illusion, as I reflected upon the points inside the Every Day Light online devotional text. Indeed, this encourages me to face difficult issues & tackle them in my life and let God speak to me through them as I face the reality like how Job did.

Hence, I read how Isaiah asked “With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?” and how the LORD answered that He’s the Holy One who’s the creator of all things (Isaiah 40:18/25-26, NIV). Truly, I praise the LORD to say that there’s no other god like Him who’s so great and glorious as they are, that can be likened to God (1 Chronicles 17:20, Psalms 89:6, NIV) as I did my weekend’s reading.

Who is God to you today?

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, enrich us with your presence in our lives today.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 3rd January 2021)

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. Jeremy has worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013). And, Jeremy did a research work for the keyguard at (these)abilites Pte Ltd handling all KeyGuard Operations for 10 months in World United College South East Asia (Tampines Branch). He was Executive Assistant with Vision Strategy Storytelling (3 months, Aug to Oct 2017). Jeremy worked as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, he continues to be in GB Youth Organizing Team/as a GB Youth Facilitator in YouthCorps Singapore, a former member of the Special Needs Cluster in YCS, and a Founder in the ground up initiative project called – Project Story for LIFE (Affiliated with Youth Corps Singapore) that serves the Special Needs Community at–large in society today.