Restoring Family Peace that brings Unity

As I look forward to celebrating the Lunar New Year, I wondered how many of us do spend time with our extended family members regularly – perhaps once a week, once a month or once a year during the festive periods only. Indeed, celebrating festivities can be a joyous thing for us to celebrate about but there is a price to pay when it comes to keeping a peaceful home in one accord that unifies everyone together in the same household. Indeed, I recalled how the apostle Paul encouraged the Ephesus church to focus on Christ that united them as one big family as they have their relationship with Him and to have Him as their “peace” and not to be “dividing wall” to each other by their own upbringing and culture. (Ephesians 2:14, NIV), putting aside their differences for unity binds people together as “God’s people and also members of his household” (Ephesians 2:19b, NIV).

Today, I want to encourage families, friends and people to bind themselves as one big family together regularly and not to be “dividing wall”by their own upbringing and culture just as the Ephesians initially did, but to have Christ as their peace in their lives and put aside their differences with others surrounding their lives, even through Chinese New Year might be a stressful time with all the preparations that needed us to prepare for this new seasonal year ahead. Truly, I pray for families, friends to be united with their loved ones and their families as one household today and pray for Christ’s peace to rest upon them all, for “God’s people” are “members of his household” too. And, family unity protects our children lives, their development and their well–being that causes them to grow with us as one accord allowing us to bring others to this unity with God’s family as well.

What are the steps that we can take and reach out to broken families and restore their relationships to wholeness from their hurts, pain and brokenness today?

 

Blessed Lunar New Year 2023!

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). Jeremy has also worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013); as 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); as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, Jeremy is 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) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in the society, as well as being a PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, help us to be an ultimate peacemaker to all people relationships today.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, adapted from 19th December 2022 reading for 21st January 2023 – CNY Eve)

Time to make a difference

 

On this New Year’s Day, I discovered how the Israelites met up with God at the foot of the mountain of Mount Sinai as they entered into the presence of God that required them to purify themselves and refraining themselves from sexual intercourse (Exodus 19:7–15, NIV). Hence, I pondered upon how I could prepare others & myself to meet God in acting and speaking decisively on behalf of His afflicted people (Isaiah 62:10–12, NIV).

As such, I reflect upon how you & I could prepare our heart to receive Him where if we are truly repentant and humbled, to being saved and be satisfied; and to humble ourselves if we were to become haughty and arrogant; and to have our characters being straightened out if we were to become dishonest like tax collectors; if our rough ways to be made smooth like for soldiers and others, our crude temperaments would be tamed and refined (Luke 3: 4–5, NIV), as mentioned these pointers inside the Every Day with Jesus devotional text.

By this, I thank God for saving you & me by faith so that we could see the day of salvation as we share in the blessings of His glorious Kingdom (Luke 3:6, NIV).

We rejoice to see the day of salvation!

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). Jeremy has also worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013); as 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); as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, Jeremy is 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) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in the society, as well as being a PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer response to the featured article:
Father, would you prepare us to be ready for the Lord in the days ahead.

 (Written by Jeremy Koh, 1st January 2015 – New Year’s Day)

 

MISSIONARY NEWS FEATURE 18

United Arab Emirates:
Oil wealth transformed much of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from a poor, rural region to a haven and playground for the world’s ultra-rich. Now it branches out to business and finance, as well as tourism. While those at the top live with incredible wealth, millions of migrant labourers often work in terrible conditions for low pay. Injustice, human rights violations, and human trafficking are significant challenges. Pray for God's compassion for the poor and downtrodden to be powerfully conveyed to all migrant labourers who endure oppressive conditions in the UAE.

Increased numbers of people coming to Christ from other backgrounds; This is shifting from a trickle to a flow as more and more Arabs, South Asians, East Asians and others meet Jesus in a personal way. Some ministers are overwhelmed by responses to the gospel - praise God for such a challenge! Expatriate Christians have opportunities for discreet sharing as the nation becomes more open and international. However, arrests, imprisonment and deportation still occur for those who evangelize or distribute Christian literature unwisely.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/12-03/#united-arab-emirates to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 3rd Dec 2022)

Thailand:
Thailand was traditionally a stable country in a troubled region. From time to time, power struggles emerge between political parties. Occasionally these bring the nation to a halt, until the military steps in. Traditionally, the royal family enjoyed highly revered status - a status quickly eroding under the current monarch. Violent activity among Muslims in the south at times brings further upheaval. Widespread corruption in business, politics, the military, and the police allows dishonest people to make themselves rich by oppressing others. Thailand means “Land of the Free”, because it remained free when Western powers colonized the countries around it. Yet the land remains captive to Buddhism, traditional culture, spirit worship, and even occult practices.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/11-18/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 18th NOV 2022)

Deeper Discipleship Transforms Lives in Indonesia:
Since putting his faith in Christ, Dimas Sinurat* has left his drug habit and the theft that supported it, but his wife and children have yet to return to him. His family still does not trust Sinurat, who is in his late 40s. He used to steal and also attacked people for their money. His wife and children left him because they couldn’t stand his way of life, the leader of a native ministry said. “He had stopped mugging when he was in his mid-30s because it involved a high risk of being killed in action,” the ministry leader said. “However, he continued to steal and abuse drugs until late last year, when he met our church planter.”

By the time Sinurat accepted Christ, workers at the native ministry had discovered conventional ways of discipling new Christians were impractical and largely ineffective; villagers were usually working such long hours in order to survive that they rarely had time or energy to meet for Bible study and prayer.

“The average believer works long and irregular hours to provide for his family, and it makes it difficult for our workers to schedule meetings for discipleship.” And, “The average believer works long and irregular hours to provide for his family, and it makes it difficult for our workers to schedule meetings for discipleship,” the leader said. On the occasions when it was possible to schedule times for discipleship, too often the villagers, many without phones, didn’t show up. Workers concluded that they needed to find ways to get to know them better and create space for new Christians to ask questions.

We pray for local missionaries to be proactive involving themselves in new disciples’ daily lives and for them to create space for new Christians to ask questions.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.christianaid.org/missions-insider/2022-deeper-discipleship-transforms-lives-in-indonesia – 17th-Nov 2022 | – inside Mission Insider)

Israel’s Election Results:
We praise God for the former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu who headed Likud party and leading a coalition of political parties – Religious Zionists, Shas, and United Torah Judaism, has secured a super majority of 64 of the 120 seats in the Knesset on 1st November giving him the strong mandate to form a strong right-wing coalition government and make a comeback as the nation’s Prime Minister. We pray for Netanyahu to lead coalition talks wisely and for God to bless his firm hand as he shapes the most right–wing government in Israel’s history. We pray for the unity in Israel as she continues to serve the interests and welfare of all groups including minorities groups.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/live-updates-721259 by Live Updates |3rd Nov 2022 – inside the jpost on Israel–Elections)

Spain:
Spain has experienced a profound transformation since 1978. It abandoned a dictatorship for democratic rule, moved from poverty towards wealth, integrated into Europe, and increased religious freedom. But economic progress and increasing secularization seems to have deeply eroded moral foundations, and has accelerated a rapid decline of spirituality. Spain's younger generations are among the most spiritually disengaged in Europe. Materialism and hedonism have brought about widespread prostitution, alchohol over consumption, and illicit drug use. Gambling addictions are a serious challenge to society, as are depression and other mental health issues. These factors and the easy access to abortion makes it no surprise that Spain's birth rate is one of the world's lowest.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/11-02 to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 2nd NOV 2022)

Singapore:
The Church in Singapore has grown steadily since 1970, especially among evangelical and charismatic groups. And while there are notable megachurches in Singapore, more remarkable is the impressive number of large, stable, growing, multi-congregational churches across the entirety of the denominational spectrum. Mission schools and effective campus ministries draw many of Singapore’s educated people to faith. As a result, many believers have influence in society, as well as good opportunity as missionaries to work in professional roles around the world. Praise God for the positive impact of the Church in Singapore!

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/10-25/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 25th Oct 2022)

Senegal, Seychelles:
Dakar, the capital, is the most strategic location for evangelizing the entire country. It hosts over 25% of the nation's population as well as representatives of every ethnic group. From 15 evangelical groups meeting in 1990, there are over 60 today. But while Dakar itself is blessed with many congregations, the outlying areas have only a few small churches - for the nearly three million dwelling there. Dakar is the mission base for most agencies, but only a few missionaries are actually committed to church planting there.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/10-22/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 22nd Oct 2022)

El Salvador:
Praise God that peace has held since the end of the civil war in 1992. Since then, corruption in politics has been a big problem in El Salvador, but multiple free elections have occurred, with different parties prevailing at different times. El Salvador’s main struggles are now against poverty and gang violence. Money sent home from Salvadorans working abroad is the largest part of the economy. Nearly 40% of the country lives below the poverty line. Violent criminal gangs known as “maras” keep the nation among the global leaders for murder rates and juvenile delinquency. Overcoming these two giants will take more than just good social and economic policy – El Salvador needs a spiritual awakening that transforms the nation!

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-14/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 14th May 2022)

Egypt:
A decade has passed since the upheaval of the Arab Spring. Some of the change protestors hoped for has arrived, but much remains the same as before 2011. President Sisi appears to be instilling authoritarian rule once again, but many – including Christians – feel this is necessary to curb Islamist movements from regaining control. Christians still live in a precarious situation regarding religious freedom and persecution. Many Muslims would prefer Egypt did not have such a large Christian population.

For over 1,000 years, Egypt was a majority-Christian country, even after the Arab Muslim conquest in AD 640. Egypt gave to the Christian world some of its greatest theologians and the monastic movement. Egyptian Christians may be more clearly linked to the original Egyptian civilization that pre-dates the coming of Islam. Some efforts have been made to minimize Egypt's great Christian heritage, to downplay the size of the Church and to marginalize its contribution to society. But the Church survives.

(Do click onto this link – https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-12/ & https://operationworld.org/prayer-calendar/05-13/ to read for further news by Operation World Prayer News, 12th & 13th May 2022)

 

Beyond the Baby

In my Christmas meditation, I am being reminded of how an angel (Gabriel) of the Lord appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:9, NIV), and how he encouraged the shepherds to think beyond the baby when he announced aloud saying, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you, He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11, NIV) after he assured Mary not to feel afraid but he was bringing good news for those who hear it, which would speak of unspeakable joy filled with full of glory (Luke 2:10, NIV). Through this, I saw how the angel Gabriel was able to look beyond the manger and spoke of Jesus as the One who was the Saviour, the Messiah, the Lord rather than merely announcing the birth of a baby only.

Today, I rejoice at hearing the great news of the birth of a newborn King as I sing about the birth of Jesus as the baby looking beyond the manger and not feeling afraid about proclaiming to others that He is the One who is the Saviour the Messiah born on this happy morning, and have Jesus reign over and through my life as I look at Him beyond the baby as my newborn Messianic King and Redeemer this day even as I pondered upon my Christmas Day’s reading.

How are you looking at Jesus Christ as your newborn King when you think of Him beyond as a baby in the manger 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). Jeremy has also worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013); as 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); as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, Jeremy is 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) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in the society, as well as being a PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, help us to see you beyond the manger as we truly see who you are to us today.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 25th December 2022 – Christmas Day)

The Promise

 

I am being reminded of how you & I are pledged to God through the seal of the Holy Spirit like an engagement ring as I meditated upon how the apostle’ Paul said, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13, NIV) knowing that we’re a part of the mysterious Bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2, NIV). As such, this encourages us to accept an invitation and receive Christ into our hearts as God is ever constant and true to His promises that He has for us today.

 

Hence, I thank God for giving me this gift of Christ who gives me eternal life in salvation (John 3:16, NIV) that assures me of the true promises that He has given me today. And, this also encourages me to press on deeper into God’s heart. Indeed, Charles Wesley said, “A puppy’s for life, not just for Christmas” for the “love divine, all love excelling” (Cited source from Charles Wesley: edwj.org/nd21-24dec1 [accessed 12/08/2021]) as he mentioned this point inside the Every Day with Jesus online devotional text. 

 

Truly, this is the gift of Jesus Christ that we have through the relationship with Christ today. And, this prompts me to keep growing my faith in God as I commit myself to building an exclusive relationship with Jesus through the communication of the Holy Spirit today, as I did my Christmas Eve’s reading.

 

Are you willing to keep growing faith with your commitment to Christ today?

 

Prayer Response to this featured article:

Jesus, nourish us by your Word spiritually as our eyes keep focused on you and you to nurture our growing faith in you.

 

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). Jeremy has alsoworked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013); as 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); as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, Jeremy is 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) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in the society, as well as being a PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

 

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 24th December 2021 – Christmas Eve)

 

Looking up to God

 

As I meditated and reflected upon Psalm 121 in my Advent’s reading, I give thanks to God that the Psalmist writer encourages us to “look up” to the LORD being our Helper and Maker (Psalm 121:1–2, NIV). Truly, I praise the LORD to know that He is the One who watches over us ((Psalm 121:3, NIV), and that He guides and protects us through our coming in and going out (Psalm 121:5–8, NIV).

 

This Advent season, I thank the LORD for reminding me that I can always “look up” to Him as the  source of my hope in times of my helplessness transforming my despair to expectation found in Christ and that He is my Helper and Maker (Psalm 121:1, NIV) who sees me through all the days of my life. Truly, things can distract us easily by all kinds of celebrations during this season and the expectations of others, yet I believe that we got to focus on the expectations and hope found in God being our Helper and Maker as we look up to Him this season too.

 

Are you looking up to God’s promises this season for the expectation and hope that He is giving you today?

Prayer Response to this featured article:

Father, lift our eyes up to you as our “Lord the Maker of heaven and earth” as we grip onto your promises in our lives 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). Jeremy has also worked in ServeHope Pte Ltd – Project Assistant/Email Marketing Consultant for 5 years (March 2008 – August 2013); as 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); as GB Connector in GrowthBeans Team in Savior-Asia Consulting Pte Ltd (October 2018 to December 2019). Today, Jeremy is 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) that serves the Special Needs Community at-large in the society, as well as being a PwD Advocate – a representing voice of the Disabled Community to the public today.

 

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 27th November 2022 – Advent Sunday)

 

Walking Down the Road of Bethlehem

 

As I meditated upon what the Scriptures said, “He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” (Luke 2:5, NIV), I see how both Joseph and Mary were descendants of David’s throne, they were a young couple who’ were making their way to Bethlehem from Nazareth, through days of walking dusty, rocky roads - three days of sleeping outside on the hard, cold ground especially for Mary in late pregnancy. There is no doubt that surely it was not a journey that Mary wanted to make. It was a journey from comfort to suffering, from clarity to ambiguity, from the known to the unexpected, and how Mary had carried new life within her & that life did not magically transport her above her circumstances. True, we find ourselves at a place we never intended we would be. We would ask God, “Why?” 

Life takes us all down the road to a spiritual “Bethlehem.” There are circumstances that would spin out of our control, and life does not go the way as we expected it to be. We too, carry the life of God within us.  If we are faithful to the call of that life, there will be times when we travel roads that we will not choose, to places where we may not want to go. But yet the destination is a place of new life, of beginnings, of promises fulfilled.

Hence, the life of God within us reveals God to others.

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Pray, we thank God for the gift of His son Jesus Christ. Pray, we share Christ’s light and love with all we meet. Pray, God would take us on the journey. Pray, God helps us to reveal Christ to those we encounter on the way.

Profile Background:
(Written by Susan Petropulos – (Florida, U.S.A.), from the Upper Room Ministries, except the unrecalled date/year of published time)