No denial of reality

In my today’s devotional reading, I saw how Jesus acknowledged that the global world would be experiencing natural calamities before His return and how God would judge the world through His cleansing fire on their sin. By this, this had expected Him to accomplish redemption for the lost mankind back then and in so doing, Jesus submitted His will to the Father to do the will of God through Him as He trusted the heavenly Father for His ultimate good and for the good of others (Lk 12:49–50, 22:41–42).

Likewise, I desire to surrender my will to God to let Him accomplish His will through my life as He knows what is the good of others, as the Psalmist in the Bible (Ps 130:1) encourages me to look up to the throne of heaven knowing that God hears and respond to every cry of my pain, yet I know that I can receive mercy in those times of need.

Let’s surrender our will to God to let Him accomplish His will through our life today!

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

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Lord, would you help us to set all our pain and suffering before ‘You’. By Your Will, help us not to deny any encounter with reality of God.

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 8th February 2014)

All in United in Prayer

 

Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1–4 – “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 Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

On August 9, 2025, Singapore celebrates her 60th year of Independence!

Turning 60 is considered a major milestone in life. It is a time for reflection on past achievements, and it holds the potential to embark on new experiences and adventures.

As Christ–followers in this land, it is a good time for us to remember the grace of God that has brought us thus far. SG60: From mudflats to metropolis. It is also a good time for us to see the potential that God has destined for us – to be an Antioch nation. A nation that will plant Antioch churches that will plant Antioch churches that will further plant more Antioch churches, locally and globally;

This is clearly a vision that is worthy of our best and our all. We must surely go all in for God’s destiny for Singapore. It is also a good time for us to see the potential that God has destined for us – to be an Antioch nation.

As we celebrate SG60, one of the ways Christ-followers can go All In is to pray.

Let us walk through Paul’s words in 1Timothy 2 – “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people” (1Timothy 2:1, ESV) – Paul instructs Christians to prioritise prayer for all people, not only for those within the Christian community. We pray for all people, regardless of their race, language and religion.

Then in the next verse, Paul specifically mentions that we pray for those in authority – “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1Timothy 2:2, ESV)

We should pray for our government, our bosses, our school Principals and teachers, our Pastors and our parents. Pray for them so that we can live in peace and stability.

Moving on, the goal is not just for peace, stability and – if I may add prosperity as an end – “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3–4, ESV)

This goal is not your goal or my goal. This goal does not originate from your church or my church or any organisation. This goal is God’s goal.

God’s desire is for all people to be reached and transformed by the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

In the summer of 1876, a devastating grasshopper plague destroyed the crops in Minnesota, USA. Fearing a repeat in 1877, farmers were filled with anxiety. In response, Governor John Pillsbury declared April 26 a day of prayer and fasting, urging the entire state to seek divine intervention. Businesses, schools, and offices closed as people united in solemn prayer.

The next day, temperatures soared to midsummer levels—unusual for April—causing billions of grasshopper larvae to hatch. For three days, the tiny pests multiplied, and fear spread that they would soon ravage the wheat harvest. Then, on the fourth night, the temperature suddenly dropped, and a frost covered the entire state. By morning, every grasshopper larva had perished, as if wiped out by fire or poison. The people of Minnesota knew that God had heard and answered their prayers. This event became a historic testament to faith, prayer and trust.

God longs to answer the united prayers of His people!

This is why, every year, on August 8 and 9 – the days we celebrate our nation’s birthday – we encourage all believers to go All In to pray at Day of His Power, a national concert of prayer. In the past, we used to gather in one large venue to pray. For the past three years, we have decided not to let prayer be limited by the size of the venue but by the hunger of our hearts. We have decentralised Day of His Power to many locations, all across Singapore.

God longs to answer the united prayers of His people! 2025 is special, because not only is it the 60th year of Singapore’s Independence, it also marks the 30th year of the Day of His Power.

I believe many of you joined us this year in our 40 Days of Prayer, and we pray many of you will join in, year after year.

Why does our unity in prayer matter? Because when we go All In and go all out to pray together, we will make a big dent in the kingdom of darkness and usher in the Kingdom of light all over Singapore and our world, as we ponder upon 40 DAYS Devotional Reflections.

Our prayer is the most precious gift we can present to Singapore on her 60th birthday.

Reflection:
As Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence, what are you most grateful to God for?
Singapore’s destiny is to be an Antioch Church. Pray that the Lord will enable us to rise up to the call to build more Antioch Churches across Asia.

As these 40 Days of Prayer come to a close, how will you remain All In? Ask the Lord to show you what to do.

Profile Background:
Pastor Jeff Chong is the Chairman of LoveSingapore, Senior Pastor of Hope Singapore

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Father, what a privilege to be called the children of God, and we have this privilege to pray. Lord, as we pray, we know that You hear us when we pray according to Your will. Heal our land and help Singapore fulfill her destiny to be the Antioch of Antiochs. We pray that our prayers for the Church, for one another, for the nations, and for the youth will continue to be lifted up after these 40 Days of Prayer; for God to bless our nation with peace, stability, prosperity and His presence – that our nation will be transformed by His love. We pray that as Singapore crosses 60 years and the Day of His Power, 30, the Church will experience unparalleled unity and purity as it overcomes the darkness with the Light of Christ.

(Reflected devotional written by Pastor Jeff Chong, 9th August 2025 – National Day)

A Basic Precondition

As I meditated upon how the Scriptures in Bible said, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (Jn 20:9), I am being reminded of how the disciples couldn’t have understood how Jesus had to rise from the dead on the third day. Indeed, I read how the late Bishop John Robinson said, “The resurrection of the body of Christ is no essential belief for Christian people, and it would make no difference to their faith if the Lord's body had been flung into the Valley of Hinnom, like those of the malefactors, to disintegrate among the rotting corpses” as he highlighted his point inside the Every Day Light online devotional text.

Hence, I recalled how Jesus cleared the doubts of Thomas and said in Bible (Jn 20:27), “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe”  seeing how Jesus encouraged Thomas to believe that He’s alive that he shouldn’t keep on doubting that He has risen & resurrected from the grave. Indeed, I also read how Eric Sauer, a writer and Bible teacher also said, “Just as our Lord's body was capable of transfiguration without losing its identity, so it was capable of disfiguration without losing its identity” as he pointed out inside the Every Day Light online devotional text too.

By this, I rejoice in the resurrection of Christ to know that He has conquered sin and death for you & me as we confess how Jesus is our resurrected LORD and that He has saved us from the sin of death like how the apostle Paul wrote in Bible saying, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9) as I pondered through my today’s reading.

Do you believe in the resurrection of Christ today?

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

Prayer Response to this featured article:
Jesus, we rejoice in your resurrection today. Hallelujah! 

(Written by Jeremy Koh, 11th January 2021)