CHRISTIAN VIEWPOINT FEATURE #8

Raising Kids to be Wise About Sex and Relationships:
Parents are the first teachers of their children. When it comes to the topic of sex, however, it’s likely that kids have already been given an introduction by their friends, the media or the Internet. It is far better that kids gain credible answers from parents or trusted adults, rather than getting patchy or inaccurate information from peers or the World Wide Web.

(For more info, do click the link – https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Parenting/raising-kids-to-be-wise-about-sex-and-relationships.aspx by Sophia Huang | 19th January 2023, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Begin Where You Are – How to Renew Your Prayer Life:
Begin where you are. This simple sentence, tucked away in C.S. Lewis’s book Letters to Malcolm, has the potential to transform your prayer life. In four basic words, it ties together a biblical vision of prayer that avoids two errors that often smother our thanksgiving and adoration of God and hinder our requests to him, especially in relation to earthly blessings and goods.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/begin-where-you-are by Joe Rigney| 12th January 2023, inside Desiring God)

When Your Spouse is Overly Controlling – Re–balancing power in your marriage:
Maintaining a marriage with a controlling spouse can be emotionally exhausting but there is no need to write them off. Some people may not even be aware they are being controlling. They may think they are being protective or helping their spouse grow in their areas of weakness. There are many reasons why people crave control: insecurity in the relationship, childhood trauma, fear of abandonment, low self-esteem, perfectionism, or irrational beliefs about marriage.

If you have a controlling spouse, it is best not to expect overnight change. However, if the power dynamics in your marriage leads to abusive behaviour, do seek professional help straightaway.

(For more info, do click the link – https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/when-your-spouse-is-overly-controlling.aspx by Chan Swee Fen | 12th December 2022, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Christians for Climate Action:
From 6 to 18 November 2022, Heads of State, ministers, climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs met at the Egyptian Coast city of Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss climate change and climate action.

This gathering known as the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 – sought to build on the decisions and outcomes of COP26 held at Glasgow (U.K.) last year.

What can the Bible say to us in this world where pollution, heat waves, floods and droughts are frequent? The Bible does not tell us anything directly about how to evaluate scientific reports or how to respond to a changing environment, but it does give several helpful principles: Care for creation, love our neighbours and witness to the world.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/christians-for-climate-action/ by Dr Roland Chia | 19th Dec 2022 | – inside Pulse) 

Same King, Different Story – How Narratives Shape the People of God:
Old Testament stories are like tours, but they are sacred tours. “All Scripture is God breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), and God “never lies” (Titus 1:2). While ordinary tour guides are notorious for mixing fact and fiction, the authors of Old Testament historical narratives never fabricated or misconstrued history for ancient Israel. Jesus and his apostles believed this to be true, and there are no more reliable witnesses. Moreover, unlike the flawed lessons ordinary tour guides often give, Old Testament authors taught fully trustworthy lessons through their tours. They selected, shaped, and arranged their narratives to give invaluable guidance for ancient Israelites to take home with them.

To explore how Old Testament authors acted like sacred tour guides, we will look at two presentations of King David’s reign in Scripture, the first in 2 Samuel and the second in 1 Chronicles.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/same-king-different-story by Richard L. Pratt Jr., Guest Contributor | 6th December, 2022| – inside Desiring God)

How to Avoid Sibling Rivalry?
What if life is not always fair?

“It’s not fair!” exclaimed the 17-year-old boy, “My mother is always siding with my brother.”

Alex* was almost in tears when he broke down in the counselling room. He had been meeting me on a regular basis to discuss various issues related to his identity and sense of self-worth.

With pain in his eyes and a quivering voice, he described all the instances when he felt that he was treated unfairly by his mother. This included extra Japanese classes, an overseas exchange programme in Japan, and even money to buy a new car – for his brother, Joseph*.

“I just don’t understand why she can give him anything that he wants. But when I ask her for anything, her answer would always be ‘no.’ It’s so frustrating.”

Alex shared that the rivalry with his brother had gone back as far as he could remember, and this has affected his perspective of himself. He had always felt inferior to Joseph, who seemed to do much better in everything that he did.

(For more info, do click the link – https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Parenting/how-to-avoid-sibling-rivalry.aspx by Mark Lim | 13th December 2022, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

How to Get Your Teens Off Their Screens and Into the World?
“Hooked on screens” – the phrase might be an apt description of the silent “epidemic” that has crept surreptitiously through our busy lives, straight into our homes, and smack into the faces of our children.

Getting our teens off their screens is somewhat of a modern-day conundrum. After all, they are Gen Z, the generation hailed as true digital natives and born in an age where devices fit almost like appendages to our bodies.

(For more info, do click the link https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Parenting/how-to-get-your-teens-off-their-screens-and-into-the-world.aspx by Tracey Or| 10th NOV 2022, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Christmas and COVID-19:
The world this Christmas is looking to be pretty much the same as it did last Christmas. At this writing, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases reported across the globe is over 225 million, and over 5.1 million have succumbed to the disease. Even with the drive in most countries to inoculate their population from the virus, the number of new cases remains high, averaging around 4 million globally each week.

In Singapore, the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb despite the fact that more than 80 percent of its population has been vaccinated, and even as the government plans to treat the disease as endemic. The pandemic, however, is not the only menace that is plaguing our world. 2021 has seen some of the wackiest weather conditions in recent history with hurricanes, floods, forest fires, and extreme temperatures reported in different parts of the world. In June, the World Meteorological Organisation reported that: “2021 is a make-or-break year for climate action, with the window to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.”

Both Christmas and COVID confront us with some inconvenient truths about the world in which we live. The world as it is, is not the world that its Creator intended it to be. In other words, Christmas and COVID make it undeniably clear that ours is a fallen reality that is severely marred because of human rebellion and sin. Our earth, writes Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, is “accursed ground”. Because of sin, it is “cast out of the glory of its created state, out of the unambiguous immediacy of its speech and praise of the Creator into the ambiguity of utter strangeness and enigma”.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/christmas-and-covid-19/ by Dr Roland Chia | 7th Nov 2022 | – inside Credo)

Identity in Christ and the Moral Witness of the Church:
Identity in Christ:
The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) aptly captures the essence of Christian identity in its answer to Question 1: “What is your only comfort in life and death?” The answer reads, “That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.” Indeed, Christians do not have their own identity. Rather, they have discarded their old sinful identity in exchange for a new identity in Christ, who first identified with them in his substitutionary death which bore the penalty of their sins. Belonging to Christ means Christians no longer own themselves; instead, they have been transferred from a life of bondage to sin to a life of freedom in Christ.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/identity-in-christ-and-the-moral-witness-of-the-church/ by Dr Ng Kam Weng | 7th Nov 2022 | – inside Credo)

5 Questions to Guide You in Resolving Couple Conflict – Building healthy communication habits for life:
Given a choice, most of us prefer living peaceful and conflict-free lives, especially when it comes to our marriage and families. But conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. While unhealthy conflict with lots of shouting and physical violence can cause a lot of grief and heartache, most everyday conflicts are made up of disagreements and misunderstanding, and when dealt with constructively, can help us to grow in our understanding of our spouse.

(For more info, do click the link https://www.family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/5-questions-to-guide-you-in-resolving-couple-conflict.aspx by June Yong | 2nd NOV 2022, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

The Poor You Will always Have: A Reflection on Poverty
In her book, This is What Inequality Looks Like (Singapore: Ethos Books, 2018), the sociologist Teo You Yenn gauges that ‘roughly a fifth of the resident population of Singapore could be defined as poor.’ This estimate presenting a high proportion of people in poverty is likely to raise eyebrows, given that the city-state in question has been often hailed as one of the richest in the world. But Teo’s claim is not without basis. It is made, she notes, in accordance with the poverty line defined by some international organisations and scholars—at the level of less than half the median household income of the population.

Whether the poverty line adopted by Teo is too high or too low is a question which is best left to the social scientists, economists, policymakers, and other experts. A related and perhaps more basic question to ask would be whether a poverty line is needed, and it is with this that I wish to begin.

Some people may find it surprising that Singapore is among the few developed countries in the world in which there is no officially agreed upon poverty line. Renewed calls to establish one have been rejected by the government. Explaining the stance taken, the then Minister for Social and Family Development (MSF) Chan Chun Sing writes, ‘A poverty line does not fully reflect the severity and complexity of the issues faced by poor families, which could include ill health, lack of housing or weak family relationships. If we use a single poverty line to assess the family, we also risk a “cliff effect”, where those below the poverty line receive all forms of assistance, while other genuinely needy citizens outside the poverty line are excluded.’

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/the-poor-you-will-always-have/ by Dr Lim K Tham | 5th Oct 2020 | – inside Credo)

Developing Complexity:
The Covid-19 pandemic illustrates a complex issue which requires many disciplines to understand and tackle. Broadly speaking, it is a public health crisis which requires medical knowledge to treat; the use of mathematical models to understand how the virus mutates and spreads; economics to calculate the impact of lockdowns; and psychology to mitigate the negative impact of a pandemic on human behaviour while still attempting to build healthy people and communities.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/developing-complexity/ by Dr Kwa Kiem Kiok | 3rd Oct 2022 | – inside Credo)

In Every Season:
Making your marriage the best it can be

“Anything in life that truly matters can be boiled down to relationships.” – Gary Smalley

Marriage is a living thing. As with every relationship, it grows, evolves, and requires nurturing.

Like a tree that undergoes different growth phases, a marital relationship goes through different seasons of growth – each with its own set of joys and stresses.

In his book “The Four Seasons of Marriage”, Gary Chapman helps us to understand the changes in our marriage using the analogy of the natural seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter. While we may not experience the natural seasons on our tropical island, we are familiar with their characteristics.

(For more info, do click the link https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/in_every_season.aspx by Focus on the Family Singapore | 22nd May 2020, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Annihilation or Restoration:
What will be the fate of our planet earth at the end of this age? Will it be annihilated or restored? This is not only a stimulating theoretical question, but also one with significant practical implications for our life and ministry.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/annihilation-or-restoration/ by Dr Leow Theng Huat |16th Nov 2020 – inside Credo)

Combating A Culture of Criticism in the Home:
Renowned couples therapist John Gottman studied more than 3,000 couples in his Love Lab, and discovered four factors – criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling – that predicted divorce and separation in marriages; he dubbed them “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”.

Considering the devastating impact of the Four Horsemen on a marriage, how then does this apply to the parent-child relationship? I believe that these four ingredients can also adversely affect our relationship with our children.

(For more info, do click the link https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Parenting/combating_a_culture_of_criticism_in_the_home.aspx?utm_source=comms_headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Oct2020 by Mark Lim | 21st Sept 2020, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Righteous and Inclusive (Isaiah 56:1-8):
How do you respond when you hear the word ‘inclusive’? Does it make you uncomfortable? Do you find yourself mentally putting up your defences? We may know people in Christian circles who are fond of words like ‘accepting’, ‘welcoming’, ‘loving’, and, not least, ‘inclusive’. On closer examination it may turn out that their aim in using such language is to push the envelope: they want the church to modify its teaching in particular areas (for example, the uniqueness of Christ or sexual morality). In effect, they use the language of inclusiveness to undermine the church’s traditional teaching. Is it surprising that we are wary when we hear the word ‘inclusive’?

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/righteous-and-inclusive/ by Dr Philip Satterthwaite | 17th Aug 2020 | – inside Credo)

Worship, Music and Theology:
Contemporary evangelical Christianity has rightly placed much emphasis on the Church’s worship and the music that brings that worship to expression. Bach’s challenge to the modern church is to recognize that the theology that undergirds the worship of the church, especially the hymns and songs it sings, is of paramount importance and should never be neglected or compromised.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/worship-music-and-theology/ by Dr Roland Chia | 17th Aug 2020 | – inside Pulse)

One Saved, is the Entire Family Saved?
Question: “We frequently say the phrase “when one is saved, the whole household is saved,” and examples like the Philippian jailer & his household, and the salvation of Cornelius’ household are often cited. It is often taken as one of the promises that God made through scripture. Is it accurate to take it as such?”

Household salvation is the assertion that the saving of an entire family can be accomplished through the faith of one member of the family. At times, it is more specifically framed as through the faith of the leader of the family that the whole family is saved.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/one-saved-is-the-entire-family-saved/ by Dr Tan Loe Joo | 7th Sept 2020 | – inside Credo)

Growing Even More in Love with Your Spouse:
“A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.” – Pearl S. Buck

My husband and I turned 12 as a married couple this year.

With three children in primary school, and both of us working (albeit part-time for me), it can be challenging to find the time to tend to our relationship.

But still, we try.

 I remember our first year of marriage quite vividly. As I got pregnant shortly after our honeymoon, we barely had enough time to get used to being known as “Mr and Mrs” before becoming “Dad and Mum”.

We got mad at each other often, had cold wars, and disagreed over the habits that we each brought into our marriage.

Thankfully, with some work, lots of conversations, and tonnes of understanding and forgiveness, we navigated our way through the minefield of early marriage and parenthood.

Healthy marriages allow room for negotiation, change and growth. If we had entered into marriage thinking that life would be just the same as it was before we said “I do”, we’d have been blindsided, and thoroughly disappointed.

(For more info, do click the link – https://www.family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/growing_even_more_in_love_with_your_spouse.aspx by June Yong | 14th Sept 2020, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)

Sharing God’s Earth: A Christian Vision of the Environment, Justice and Human Flourishing:
This essay is a slightly revised version of a talk that I gave at the East Asia Region 2020 Electronic Pre-Assembly of the Council for World Mission on 2 April 2020.

Let me begin with some words from Scripture. From the sixth chapter of Micah:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

In this passage, the prophet Micah, addressing the covenant people of God in the midst of the injustices and violence of 8th century Judean society where political oppression and economic exploitation was rife, asked a most crucial question, one which remains ever so pressing today: ‘What does the Lord require of you?’ The answer, supplied in the very same verse, is crystal clear: ‘to act justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly before God’. To ‘act justly’ has negative and positive implications and connotations. Negatively, it is to avoid oppressing our fellow human beings, especially the weak and the vulnerable. Positively, it is a call for a sense of responsibility towards others and to ensure that their basic rights are not violated. Justice, however, must be always be tempered with mercy, which includes compassion, love and kindness, if society is to truly flourish. Only when we learn to ‘walk humbly’ Coram Deo, that is, with or before God, can we treat our neighbours with justice and mercy. For to ‘walk humbly’ in this context means to be ever so mindful of the needs of our neighbours and to be willing to be at their service; Such service requires a measure of sacrifice, which in turn is possible only with self- forgetfulness and denial in the interest of the welfare of our fellow human beings.

(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SHARING-GODS-EARTH.pdf by Dr Roland Chia | 6th July, 2020|)
 

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)