Pastor Edmund Smith who is fondly known as Pr Ed, is a Pastor in Real Love Ministry (RLM) Melaka, Malaysia. He is a tireless minister in God’s Kingdom and through his church and ministry, the RLM, he has done much to reach out to the sexually broken.

Pr Ed himself had a transgenderred identity and lived a homosexual lifestyle for many years. The Lord delivered Him and gave him a new identity and purpose in His Kingdom. Today, he is married to his amazing wife Pr Amanda, and they are blessed with two lovely children, Angelica and Ethan. Pr Ed, who is also a professional performing artiste, travels all over Malaysia and even all over the world, to teach and preach God’s Truth and Sexual Recovery.

Pr Ed Smith

Recently, he shared about the heart of living faith in a very relational message.

The First Key to Living Faith

From this passage in the Bible, we can draw certain pointers. What do we do in times of hardship when living faith is so necessary? The Bible says we need to ask, seek, and knock on the doors of Heaven (Matthew 7:7).

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‘Ask is an active element,’ Pr Edmund shared. ‘Seek is also an active element. To knock on the door is a third active element. Notice that there are three active elements in this one verse; a number of completion. Jesus rose on the third day. We consist of three parts; spirit, soul, and body.’

Our Father in Heaven is a perfect Father. He loves to hear us when we come to Him and ask for our daily needs. And He is the faithful Father. God will not say yes to everything and there are reasons behind these occasions, but He will also not simply say no.

God is the Heavenly Father and He is perfect in His knowledge and answer. He knows what is best for us. And the Bible tells us very clearly that everyone who is a child of God, when they ask, seek, and knock, He will answer. When we ask from God, there are three ways He will answer us. When He says yes, it is good for us. When He says no, it is similarly good for us. But there are times when He will give a third answer, and that is to hold on.

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God will give us either one of these three answers. When we are unclear about the answers from God during our prayers, it is the time when we need to keep seeking. ‘Our job is to keep praying,’ conveyed Pr Ed. ‘So do not make our own assumptions, whether it is a yes or no. Keep seeking after God and He will give you a clear answer.’

One of the keys to faith is a life of prayer. The problem comes when we seldom pray and ask from God. Pr Ed communicated, ‘The Bible says everyone who is a child of God is to pray; to ask, to seek, and to knock. Not just the pastors. Do not give excuses that prayer is not my style. God does not expect us to pray in perfect English. He wants prayer that comes from the heart. Why ask, seek, and knock? God is stressing to us the importance of prayer.

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‘Don’t think to ourselves that we cannot pray. That is the lie of the devil. We can pray in the simple manner of a child. Prayer is just like talking to God. And when we pray, learn how to come together in prayer,’ Pr Ed shared. Both Pr Ed and his wife Pr Amanda sets apart every Friday night for a special time of collective prayer.

Why does God want us to pray? It is because God desires a living relationship; a two-way street. ‘How does a person feel if his relationship is a one-way street? In the same way as a loving spouse wants a relationship with their significant other, God wants us to love and have a relationship with Him. Do not substitute Him with idols. And don’t forget to be grateful when He blesses us.’    

The Second Key to Living Faith

The second key is a prayer of faith. In Matthew 17:19-20, the disciples asked Jesus after they had failed to cast out a demon why they had failed. Jesus’ reply was simple but insightful. The disciples had little faith. ‘So when we pray we must pray in faith and we must believe. Jesus mentioned faith the size of a mustard seed. Do you know that the mustard seed is the smallest seed in the world? And it produces one of the largest trees on this planet,’ communicated Pr Ed.

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‘There is no size to faith. Jesus was not talking about a literal size. He was saying it is easy to have faith. Just trust and believe in Him. At the end of the day, we are the only ones who have control over our belief and faith.

‘Jesus can do all the good things for a person and the person can still choose not to believe. He can choose to be ungrateful and trust in something other than Christ. He can choose to trust the wisdom of men and the words of motivational speakers more than Jesus.’    

In this world, there will be problems, Pr Ed conveyed. It is in times of problem that a person grows and becomes sharper. But the person needs to pray in faith. Men can sometimes be cast so strongly in the accepted wisdom of the world, trusting in their own feelings and logic. This is the reason why we need to renew our minds with the word of God.

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‘We have to trust God in everything that He says,’ Pr Ed said. ‘At times, our minds are so full of noise. And we need to come before God, one-to-one with Him.’

The Third Key to Living Faith

The third key to living faith can be found in James 2:17-19. The verse tells us that faith without works is dead. ‘Some people misinterpret the context of this verse. What does it mean to have faith with works? The works mentioned in this verse is about response, doing something out of our faith, acting it out, seeking, serving, not being a lazy Christian, moving and pressing on.’

Furthermore, the verse also tells us that even the demons believe in the greatness of God and tremble at it. So what is the difference between Christians who believe and the demons who believe? It is the obedience of the followers of Christ to His word. ‘The difference is that we have living faith that is active while the demons have dead faith. There is no use to just believe and do nothing, not responding.’

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What if the answers to our prayers are based on what God knows is best for us and not what we want? What if it involves sacrifices like serving in an unfamiliar environment? When God answers our prayers, we need to obey His prompting, no matter what it is. When we pray for a new calling, for example, we need to act on it when God brings opportunities along the way.

‘We have to move forward. Faith without works is dead!’ Pr Ed imparted. ‘And if your prayers do not get answered because you do not move, don’t put the blame on God at the end of the day. If you’re walking with God, don’t be afraid to work. When God is with you, nothing can stand against you. Your God will protect you and His voice will be very clear.

‘Believing alone is not enough. Get ready to move! When God says to move, we move! When God says to stop, we stop! When God says to give, we give! And when the fruits of the obedience come, nothing in this world can compare to it. Our God is a good God!’

The Requirement to be Born-Again

Finally, to tie all this together, in order to have living faith, we must be born-again. This is not a maybe or a perhaps. It is not a choice. The Bible is very clear about this. Every true Christian must be born-again. To be born-again speaks about being a new person.

Ref: redletterchristians.org

John 3:7-8 illustrates to us what it is to be born-again. When we are born-again, we will be led by the Spirit. We are no longer led by our emotions. It is like the wind, we are led by the Spirit, and everything that the Spirit speaks is from the word of God. It is the reason why we must read the word of God. The more we know the word of God, the more we will be able to discern the Spirit’s leading.

‘It is different to read the Bible as a born-again Christian. The Spirit will guide us; “This is what I want you to learn today. These are the caution you must take heed of.” It is different and it is the reason why we must be born-again. And it is not difficult. The Bible says if we ask in sincerity for the Holy Spirit, He will give us the Holy Spirit. And then we ask God to continuously fill us with the Spirit every day,’ Pr Ed imparted.

Ref: withhisgrace.com.au

This is what it is to have living faith. It is to be led by the Spirit each and every day of our lives. Ephesians 2 reminds us that we are saved by faith and should not boast of our good works, for they were done by the leading and grace of the Holy Spirit. When we were still sinners, Christ came down to redeem us. Despite our pasts, He came to give us a new life, identity, and purpose.

In John 14:26-27, Scripture reminds us that God has sent the Spirit who is our comforter to teach us all things and to bring all the things He has said to us to remembrance. And along with the Holy Spirit will come real peace, and not as the world gives, but as only God Himself can give.   

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Jason Law

We live in a world full of greed and exploitation and man-made suffering—a world where nations are at war with one another. On a more personal level within those nations, we have broken homes as a result of selfishness and adultery. We see continuous and repetitive events of suffering and pain.

It’s not all bad. Thankfully, we do see great good in the world by God’s grace and in His kindness, and we do see justice prevail over evil in certain situations, but it’s always against a backdrop of crime and corruption and suffering in so many places. Will our world ever change? Will justice ever truly be done in every sense on every level—globally, locally, and personally, in every way?

On Sunday November 8th, Ps. Tim Philips assured the congregation at SMACC (St. Mary’s Anglican Cathedral Contemporary) that “Yes!” Justice will come. Ps. Tim preached out of Revelation 19:11-21, as they make their way through the book of Revelation as a church. “Our world will be held to account one day when God decisively deals with all that is evil on every level, once and for all,” he said.

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The Likeness of God’s Judge

‘Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True…” (Revelation 19:11)

The first thing we’re told about God’s judge for His world in the last day is that He is known as Faithful and True. Straightaway in this vision, the judge of the world—through whom God will judge all things, is identified as Jesus. We know this because the same title was used to describe Him earlier on in Revelation.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.” (Revelation 3:14)

The reason why Jesus is the only one through whom God will judge His world is because He alone is worthy to do so, as the Faithful and True one. He is the only one who is truly just in and of Himself. He is the only one who has lived this life but reflected the goodness of God in every way.

Jesus never strayed from the will of God though He was tempted greatly. He never gave in to temptation, dishonored God, or went His own way for His own benefit for a minute. He never failed to love God, and so He never failed to love His neighbor and His fellow men as Himself—even to the point of an unjust and cruel death at the cross.

By that very cross, Jesus defeated the power of Satan, of sin, and of death itself. He brought wickedness to its knees. Jesus alone is qualified to be the judge of our world because He alone has overcome wickedness. Evil has no hold on Him in the way that it does on us who have resigned to it.

“…in righteousness he judges and makes war.” (Revelation 19:11)

Jesus is the one true judge who will never turn a blind eye. He will never be swayed by popular opinion or party interests. He can’t be bribed or bought. He will decide on the basis of what is right. Nothing less, and nothing more. He will judge and make war. He will carry His judgments through. It won’t be just about what He says. He will carry it through as well.

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“His eyes are like a flame of fire…” (Revelation 19:12)

This is how Jesus is described to the Church in Thyatira back in Revelation 2.

“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. (Revelation 2:18)

“And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” (Revelation 2:23)

Eyes with flames of fire represent His awareness of all the facts in every case. Everything is revealed before Jesus before His awesome and penetrating gaze, even to the level of the motivations and inclinations of the human heart—things that a human judge can never see.

Whatever has taken place on every level, Jesus sees it all. And so there is not one case that He will judge on the final day that will end up undecided due to lack of evidence. Jesus alone has all the evidence before Him.

These next two descriptions show how He can never be overruled in His decisions. The justice He brings will not be undone.

“…on his head are many diadems…” (Revelation 19:12)

A diadem is a type of crown. Other than Jesus, only two other characters wear it: Satan in the form of a dragon has seven diadems (Revelation 12:3), and the beast by whom Satan leads the world astray in sin has ten diadems (Revelation 13:1).

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The diadem is a symbol of rulership. Here, we see Jesus as the final judge with not seven or ten diadems, but many. His rule is far above that of Satan or his beast. In other words, He and only He will be in charge on the final day; no one else—no other power or authority, human or spiritual.

“…and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.” (Revelation 19:12)

This is not the first time we come across an “unknown name” in the book of Revelation.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)

Jesus promises this church that faces so much affliction and the probability of death in His name this security: a new name that no one else knows. It is a sign that they belong to Jesus—that they are secure and that no one can take them from His hand even in death.

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The unknown name in revelation is a symbol of belonging—of ownership. What then does it mean for Jesus to have a name known only to Himself? It is effectively saying that Jesus belongs to Himself and no other. He is not owned by anyone. No one can overrule Him. He has a name that is hidden far above any power, and so He will face no competition on the day that He judges.

“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood…” (Revelation 19:13)

These words are also found in Isaiah, where Isaiah describes God Himself coming as a warrior king to deliver His people from their enemies.

¹ Who is this who comes from Edom,

   in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,

he who is splendid in his apparel,

   marching in the greatness of his strength?

“It is I, speaking in righteousness,

   mighty to save.”

² Why is your apparel red,

   and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?

³ “I have trodden the winepress alone,

   and from the peoples no one was with me;

I trod them in my anger

   and trampled them in my wrath;

their lifeblood[a] spattered on my garments,

   and stained all my apparel.

(Isaiah 63:1-3)

Jesus is the ultimate judge who wears a robe dipped in blood and it is the blood of His enemies. It is the blood of all who will ultimately stand against Him. It’s another symbol showing His unquestionable victory over evil. He wears the blood of His enemies—not the other way around. And so His authority soars high above those who vainly resist Him on that final day.

“…the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” (Revelation 19:13)

When John introduced this book, we see that Jesus and the Word of God are one and the same. Jesus is the living Word of God. He carries the authority of God Himself as the living Word. And so Jesus will be God’s final Word in His final judgment. He’s going to have the final say over everyone’s eternity. Isn’t this the kind of Judge we need for our broken world?

We have a judge who is upright in every way, truly just, righteous in His decisions, cannot be bribed, able to see all the evidence—nothing’s hidden from His sight, triumphant in His judgments, cannot be stopped from bringing justice, belongs to no one but Himself, cannot be overruled, will defeat every evil, and will always have the last word.

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And here we have His promise: One day God will right every wrong through His Son. It is an inevitable and promised future day. It is a day that will mean deliverance and victory for those who have not only bowed the knee to Christ in this life and belong to Him, but have also shown their allegiance by suffering for His name when necessary in this fallen and sinful world.

The Actions of God’s Judge

Jesus does not come alone. He brings a company with Him.

“And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.” (Revelation 19:14)

At first, we may think that the armies of heaven must be angels, but then we see how they are described: Arrayed in fine lined, white and pure. We see a group described exactly this way in previous verses:

⁷ Let us rejoice and exult

   and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

   and his Bride has made herself ready;

⁸ it was granted her to clothe herself

   with fine linen, bright and pure.”

(Revelation 19:7-8)

We see the Wedding Supper of the Lamb and that God’s people finally delivered and in the secure presence of Jesus our Lord. We then read that it was granted unto the bride of Christ to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and pure, for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

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Those who are riding behind Jesus are not angels of heaven, but the people of God—us, if we are in Christ—showing the truth of our faith for our righteous deeds in the here and now, made possible by His grace. If Jesus is your Lord, know that you will not be facing this judgment that He brings here.

We have been spared this great judgment by His blood that was shed for us. And so those who truly belong to Him will be brought with Him in His train to see this judgment among the nations. We will be standing on the sidelines and watching. But for those who continue to resist Jesus and sin, it will be a day with no safety and no security, because Jesus not only brings a company with Him. He comes to rule.

“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 19:15)

As the true King comes home to rule, His enemies will be struck down, and everyone must bow the knee. Jesus has been greatly misrepresented in our world today, but not on that final day. The nations will have to recognize Him as King as He claims His rightful place on His throne.

It will be a day of great comfort for some, and a great tragedy for others. The suffering of God’s church has not ceased since John’s day. But here, God gives His church a promise: Your suffering will be short-lived. Your mighty Savior and King is coming back, and no matter what you endure for His sake in this short life, it will be worth it.

When we suffer for our faith and are tempted to fight back in dishonorable ways, we must remember that this day is coming; that it is the Lord’s revenge. He will repay according to His perfect justice. We are not to join in the hatred of those who are opposed to cross. Instead, we are to trust that He will right every wrong in the end.

The Verdict of God’s Judge

At the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, we see a great banquet and the salvation that we will enjoy with Jesus for all eternity. But now at the final judgment, we see that another great feast takes place. And it could not be more different from the first.

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¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”(Revelation 19:17-18)

It is a horrific image representing the inevitable destruction of all who stand against God and oppose His kingdom. As we read on to the end of the chapter, we find that the armies of God’s enemies are gathered for battle, but there is no great war.

¹⁹ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

 

There is no contest. It emphasizes the simple warning that all who stand against God and His kingdom will perish without a fight. They do not stand a chance, because the verdict is already given.

We need to ask ourselves, “Which supper am I invited to?” The Wedding Supper of the Lamb, rejoicing with Jesus whom we know as our Lord and Savior, or the great supper of God’s judgment? We may think that we are good enough people, but we will not be judged by our standard; we will be judged by the King’s standard.

We need to remember that none of us are innocent before God and have a right to stand in His presence and live. We cannot rely on ourselves or our works. Thankfully, we can rely on someone else: the One who is this Judge and is the only righteous One. Through faith in His blood, we may be at the wedding feast, rather than at the funeral supper of the world.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)

Have you trusted in the blood of Jesus to cover your every sin and so bowed the knee to Him? Have you recognized Him as God’s King and Savior to us? If not, please do. Because this day is coming. If we do not meet Jesus now as our Savior, we will meet Him on that final day, as our judge.

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Esperanza Ng

When we were called through grace by Christ unto salvation, we were given new and born-again identities. But these identities were never meant to exist in isolation.

Jesus Christ also spoke about the Great Commission and the great heart of service. Above all, He spoke about love, both for God and unto others. We are called to love each other in the same way we love ourselves. None of this has any meaning without a community, and the Church of Christ is precisely that.

For the last six years, a relatively young church has grown by leaps and bounds. Its pastor is an unassuming man of humility and non-dominance, but he derives an extraordinary and singular love from those who know him.  Though the church has grown to be quite sizeable today, most of the congregation knows each other intimately and the church is like a huge family.

Pr Peter and sis Tan Seefen of tNCC.

Recently, The New Covenant Church (tNCC) at Damansara Kim celebrated their sixth anniversary, and Pastor Peter Sze shared a message about the meaning of Christian community. It was a message that was not just relevant to tNCC itself, but also one that serve as a great reminder for the Church at large. 

‘Anniversaries are a time of celebration and as we look back over the last six years, we come together to celebrate God’s goodness throughout the years,’ Pr Peter shared. ‘We want to thank Him. We want to acknowledge that it is He who has made it all possible. You know, we don’t even have a single person here who’s paid to do anything. Everything is done by volunteers all over, and it is because it is their passion, it is because they want to do it.’ 

Defining Community

What is the secret behind such a dynamic and united community of believers of Christ? Pr Peter conveyed that, first of all, right from the beginning, God has great plans for each of us individually. We respond, we come into the Kingdom individually. It involves a personal response to God. We acknowledge who Jesus is and then we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

Pr Peter sharing about what it means to have a community in Christ.

‘No one can do it for us. We must do it ourselves. This is true and it is also true that God truly loves us and wants to bless us and prosper us. But that is not God’s grand plan. His grand plan is to have a people for Himself and that is always true throughout the Scriptures.’

God came not so that we would have many good solo Christians hanging around doing their own thing. He wants us to come together as a family, as a community, as a people, so that we may work out our salvation together, so that we may work out the truth that we know about Him, within our community, that we may find people to love and receive love in return.     

1 Peter 2:9-10

9But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

‘This is what God, our Heavenly Father is doing. He’s bringing together people from different backgrounds, from the whole spectrum of the Malaysian society. We might not have known each other 5 or 6 years ago but today we are part of one big family. Once we were not connected in any way but now we are the people of God.’

We are a community of God’s people. What then constitutes a community of a People of God? 

A New Covenant Community

First of all, we are a people of a New Covenant. What does it mean to be under the New Covenant? While the Old Testament described God’s love as conditional or reciprocal only upon obedience, the New Testament described God’s love as an agape type of love.

Sister Evelyn Kew sharing her testimony through songs.

In the Old Testament, if you obey the Law, you were blessed. If you disobey, you would be cursed. But there was also grace in the Old Covenant. God provided them a way out and for their atonement through animal sacrifices. And though the animal sacrifices could only provide cover for sins temporarily, it also pointed to the Cross, where the Lamb of God would deal with sin once and for all.

Jesus was and is today the Lamb of God, our High priest and the Ark of the Covenant. When we have faith in Him and in His finished work, we are included into the New Covenant. In the New Covenant, there is forgiveness. There is right standing before God not through our own righteousness, but through the imputed righteousness that comes from Christ.

Musical Performance by the ladies of tNCC.

Most significantly, there is Sonship. We are more than servants in God’s Kingdom. God considers us His family, His community. In Christ, we are: made alive, a new creation, free from condemnation, righteous before God, blessed and rich in Him. Christ in us is therefore our hope of glory.

A Community of Grace and Truth 

Secondly, we are a community of Grace and Truth. We experience and exhibit God’s grace in our lives. We live out the truth of our identity in Christ, not merely as servants anymore, but as sons and daughters of God. We practice Grace and Truth consistently.

Pr Peter shared a verse from John 1:14 in which we are reminded that Jesus is full of Grace but also full of Truth. ‘We cannot separate these two attributes from the person of Jesus. Jesus is not all grace but without truth, nor is He all truth but no grace. Jesus is fully Grace and also fully Truth.’ How does this translate to our daily lives?

Worship leaders during the celebration.

If we have Grace but no Truth we will have a lepak culture and we will not know the full richness of a life in Christ. If we have Truth but no Grace, we will have a legalistic culture full of judgment instead of a community of love and redemption. If we have neither Grace nor Truth, we will have a tidak apa culture devoid of anything meaningful. Jesus’ community is full of both Grace and Truth.

Pr Peter communicated that as Christ’s community, we must also be full of both Grace and Truth. God’s community must be motivated by love, committed to radical grace and uncompromising in Truth-telling and –listening. Loving others involves accepting each other as they are, not according to a code of standard. A commitment to truth-telling means speaking the truth in love to one another, even if it’s not easy.

A skit performance during the celebration.

As a family, we need to help each other pick up the pieces and walk through our failures, mistakes and brokenness. In God’s community, we are all in a safe place where we stand together and help each other in the journey. Where we don’t have to hide, pretend, or try to look more spiritual than we really are. No matter where each person may be in their spiritual journey, we work out our issues together, alongside a partnership with God and with each other. 

A Community That Reaches Out

Christ also gave us the Great Commission. God’s community is also one that is called to reach out. We can do this through various ways, through providing education to the broken and the poor, in supporting missionaries and their work, or in street ministry. Wherever we are, God has called us to a privileged role of redeeming the world unto Him.

A Supernatural Community       

Brother Samuel Soon leading the worship.

Alongside the call to reach out, we are also given supernatural empowerment through the Spirit. Whenever calamity threatens to fall upon us, the Lord intervenes in our lives with favour and blessings. His grace enables us to will and do what pleases Him. Through the gifts of the Spirit, He empowers us to impact others.

A Discipling Community 

Why do we reach out to others? We are called not just to get decisions, but also to make disciples. Pr Peter conveyed that the essence of discipleship is to learn to become like Jesus, both in character and competency.

Christ was always in control. When the people around Him needed food, He fed 5000 of them with a few fishes and a few loaves of bread. When the storm came upon the boat where He and His disciples were, He spoke and the storm died. When the Pharisees tried to challenge Him, He always confounded them with divine wisdom. The specifics and level of spiritual authority may differ but the analogy of having control over our circumstances is apt. 

Part of the community at tNCC today.

Discipleship has to be developed and it takes time and discipline. It has to be caught from a good mentor rather than taught. It must be both structured and spontaneous. It must be both organized and yet organic in its growth and development. It has to involve a formal element and yet involve some informality in that it cannot become rigid.

Ultimately, what defines a community of God’s people? Jesus’ community is a New Covenant community of Grace and Truth that are supernaturally blessed and empowered to reach out and make disciples.     

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Jason Law

On the surface, the Federal Constitution may seem to have a tenuous connection with spiritual Christianity. Yet the Bible is also full of counsel concerning not only obedience to appointed authorities, but also a proactive engagement within our respective nation. And nothing ties a nation together as much as a shared identity, as typically embodied in a nation’s Constitution.

What are Christians to make of this? As citizens of a nation, we have certain mutual agreement with every part of society, be it fellow civilians, or the government. For every Malaysian, the Federal Constitution is the starting point in understanding our place as citizens within this nation. But for Christians it goes beyond that.

Our nation’s Federal Constitution unites multi-cultural Malaysia into one shared identity.

We are called by God to be a positive force in our nation, and in order for this, it is important that we understand the local context in terms of our nation. A part of such a context exists within a social contract and a shared history. We need to be aware of the communities and interests that make up Malaysia as a whole, and as Christians, we need to be in touch with these realities. 

It is also one of the keys towards understanding ourselves and our neighbours. Consequent to this, an objective and careful study of the Constitution through the eyes of legal experts is necessary to understand the context we are in for us to relate better with others.

Copies of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia (ref: borneoaseanreports.com)

The understanding of the Federal Constitution is fundamental in engaging society because it is a starting point for us as citizens, and a common document that we share with our neighbors. It is the most important document in a nation that unites us all together. If we are determined to love our neighbors, we need to know this common platform we share and also to learn to listen. This is essential to our being salt and light in this land.

Recently, in early November, the Citizens Network for a Better Malaysia (CNBM) hosted and organized a session on our Federal Constitution, guided by constitutional law expert Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi. Dr Faruqi is a Senior Professor of Law and Legal Advisor at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam. It is the hope of CNBM that Christians in this nation would work together to build bridges, together as a nation, on aspirations that are shared by many parties.

Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi.

As an expert on the Federal Constitution and constitutional law in general, Dr Faruqi has authored 9 books and contributed 435 articles to legal periodicals, anthologies and newspapers and has presented over 300 seminar papers in 15 countries.

He also served as a consultant to many countries, even helping to draft the constitution of the Republic of Maldives as part of an Asia Foundation Project in 1991. He holds distinguished membership and positions in numerous organizations and is a judge on the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Court.

A Basic History of the Federal Constitution

One way for us to understand our characters as citizens is to understand our shared history. Dr Faruqi shared that constitutions are born to mark stages in progression towards self-government, to establish the foundations of a newly independent state, or to start afresh after a revolutionary or ideological upheaval.

In British Malaya, Datuk Onn’s opposition to the Malayan Union proposal of 1946 galvanized Malay nationalism. The multi-racial alliance that was forged to struggle for independence earned a massive victory at the 1955 Election to the Federal Legislative Council, and demands for the removal of the yoke of colonialism was made.

The birth of the Federal Constitution had to go through many complexities, and CNBM attendees were guided through many of the historical events such as the London Conference of 1956, the Reid Commission, and the appointment of the Tripartite Working Party, right up to the ratification of the Constitution.

Some CNBM attendees of the workshop.

From the very start, in the very formation of the Reid Commission to draft the Constitution, we could already see that the early leaders were determined that it was to be independent and free from bias and prejudice. The Reid Commission was a compromise that consisted of leaders and experts on Constitutional Law from other nationalities.

Half of the 20-page memorandum that was drawn up for the Reid Commission dealt with communal issues and with the need to cater to Malaya’s dazzling diversity. On most issues the Reid Commission showed deference to the “social contract” negotiated by the communities.

Between June and October 1956, the Commission held 118 public and private hearings and the first groundwork of the Constitution was drafted. It provided for, among other things, a supreme Constitution, an independent judiciary with powers of judicial review, a federal system of government with a heavy central bias, a Westminster style of parliamentary democracy, and a constitutional monarchy at both state and federal levels.

Members of the Reid Commission posing for a photo after a dinner hosted by Tun Dato’ Tan Cheng Lock.

Among other things, it also provided a chapter on partially entrenched fundamental rights, provisions for Parliamentary power during times of emergency, special protection for the rights of Malay rulers, and a continuation of the historical provisions relating to Malay privileges, but with liberal rights of citizenship for all persons born in the Federation including linguistics, culture and religion.

There were consternation with some parts of the Reid Proposal, and a Tripartite Working Party was formed in response. Some “Malay features” of the Constitution were augmented but they were balanced by safeguards for other communities. Dr Faruqi shared that the spirit of the forefathers that animated the Constitution was one of tolerance, compassion, and compromise.

The master plan that was finally adopted bore the mark of idealism and realism, the old and the new, the indigenous and the imported. Among Constitutional ideas that were blended with Malayan traditions were those from the UK, India, Ceylon, Australia and the USA.

The road to Malaysian independence was long but the leaders stayed united in a spirit of tolerance, compassion, and compromise.

The Tripartite Working Party Report had to underwent a lengthy and extraordinary process of ratification of the Merdeka Constitution by the Federal Legislative Council, the Assemblies of the Malay States, the United Kingdom Parliament and the British Crown, and though there was a stormy debate from the 9^th-29^th of July 1957, the leaders of the Alliance stood firm and united by their negotiated settlement.

At the stroke of midnight on August 31, 1957, at the Stadium Merdeka, the Duke of Gloucester, on behalf of the British Queen, handed over to the Tunku the constitutional documents signifying the independence of the Federation of Malaya.

Significance of National Constitutions

Why is it important that we know our Federal Constitution? Dr Faruqi communicated that Constitutional Law is linked with a nation’s philosophy at one end and its politics at the other. It is silhouetted against the panorama of history, economics and culture. More than other fields of law, it reflects the dreams, demands, values, and vulnerabilities of the body-politic within a nation.

A Constitution is like a political architect’s master-plan for the nation. It is a body of fundamental law that describes the manner in which the state is organized, government carried on and justice administered.

The Malaysian Parliament Building.

If we are to play a positive role as citizens, we must be familiar with our Constitution. At the organizational level, Constitutions create the various organs of the state, describing their power scope and limitations, as well as the rules of relationship between them and citizens as well as each other.

It tells us how authority in the State is localized and how to manage our power and rights. It also tells us how we can secure our liberty during the process. It supplies us with the fundamental or core values on which our society is founded, and we can start to channel our blessings through these core values.

Understanding Concept of Rights within the Federal Constitution

If we are to exercise our rights as citizens, we must also understand them within their proper context. One certain way to this is to know what comprises those rights.

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia consist of 183 Articles and 13 Schedules, and it is a Supreme Constitution, adopted as a written and supreme charter in 1957. Articles 4(1) and 162(6) affirm the supremacy of the basic law over all pre- and post-Merdeka legislation.

Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi guiding attendees in understanding the Federal Constitution and a shared commonality and role in Nationhood.

This implies that the Parliaments and State Assemblies of Malaysia are not supreme powers, and that there are procedural and substantive limits on their powers. Any federal and state legislation can be nullified by the Courts if they are inconsistent with the Supreme Constitution, and on 20 or so occasions since Merdeka, this power was exercised with telling effect. Likewise, executive actions can be tested in the courts for their constitutionality.

As an extension, this means that there is a certain contract between us and the State as bounded by the Supreme Constitution, and we need to understand this agreement. Articles 5 to 13 and elsewhere within the Federal Constitution protects a large number of political, civil, cultural and economic rights. Some of these are:

• The Right to Personal Liberty; every arrestee has a right to know the grounds of arrest; right to see a lawyer; right to be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours (Article 5).
• Protection Against Slavery and Forced Labour (Article 6).
• No criminal law creating an offence or increasing the penalty of an offence can be backdated (Article (7(1))), and anyone who has been acquitted or convicted of an offence cannot be tried again and again for the same offence (Article (7(2))).
• On the principle of “Like shall be treated alike”, and subject to the exceptions provided by the Constitution, there is equality before the law and equal protection of the law (Article 8).
• Freedom of movement within the country (Article 9) and freedom of expression of speech, assembly and association (Article 10).
• Freedom of religion is protected (Article 11)
• There are rights in respect of education (Article 12)
• The right to property is protected (Article 13)          

There are many other rights that are protected by the Constitution including the right to citizenship, the right to vote, the right to contest at elections, the right to pension for civil servants and the right of preventive detainees to some safeguards for due process.

Dr Faruqi communicated that the question of rights, however, are a grayish area and there are always debates within it, and that the borders of the area is constantly expanding. Guidance were given on such topics as Emergency Powers, the Federal System, the features of the Constitutional Monarchy and Conference of Rulers, Parliamentary Government and Electoral Democracy, the Judiciary, and many other fields within the Constitution. 

58 Years after the Constitution’s Ratification

Dr Faruqi shared that 58 years later, as we look back on our history of legal, political and social landscape, it is possible to say that by and large, the Constitution has worked well. It has provided the foundation on which Malaysia’s rock-solid political stability, its spectacular economic prosperity and its hitherto exemplary record of racial, religious and regional harmony have been built.

He shared that Malaysians must not take these blessings for granted. It must be remembered that the country’s communal harmony is founded on the courage, conviction, sacrifices and compromises of the Forefathers who had to struggle not only with the inter-ethnic rivalries but also with the demands of the radicals within each of their own communities. They debated, negotiated, pleaded and chiseled out painstaking compromises.

The hope and future for Malaysia depends on the conduct and responsibilities of both its leaders as well as its citizens (photo ref: theantdaily)

For 58 years, Malaysia has provided the world with an example of how a fragmented, multi-ethnic and multi-religious polity can be wielded together in a common nationality. Malaysia achieved this by adjuring extremism, rejecting ideological radicalism, in favor of weaving a rich cultural mosaic.

‘Dark clouds are looming across the horizon. There are those who would do the Constitution in because it does not fit in with their vision of the ideal society. They need to be reminded that though imperfect, this Constitution has served us well,’ Dr Faruqi conveyed.

‘Our chieftains have the responsibility to uphold the spirit of the forefathers and the Constitution. As leaders of substance, no matter from which divide, they should not follow opinion polls but rather, mould opinions, not with guns or power or position, but with the power of their soul.’ 

NOTE: All pictures of the seminar kindly contributed by the Citizens’ Network for a Better Malaysia (CNBM)

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Jason Law

In honor of Dr. Philip Yancey’s recent trip to Malaysia during which he spoke at several events, Bro. Lawrence James of PVM Harvest Resources Christian Books Publisher and Distributor held a welcome dinner for Dr. Yancey.

The publisher for Dr. Philip Yancey’s books, PVM Harvest Resources invited church leaders from the Klang Valley area to dine with Dr. Yancey at Grand Dorsett Hotel, Subang Jaya on November 13th. After a scrumptious meal, Dr. Yancey delivered a brief but encouraging message.

Dr. Philip Yancey and Bro. Lawrence James @ PVM Harvest Resources Bookstore in Klang

“I did not grow up in a healthy church, and I did not grow up in a healthy faith,” Dr. Yancey said. “In some ways, it’s harder to become a Christian when you have been betrayed, in a way. For instance, the church I grew up in was very racist. We were told that people of a different skin color were inferior.

“I found later that they had lied to me. They were wrong. And if they had lied to me about that, maybe they lied to me about the Bible—maybe they lied to me about Jesus. So that was a huge crisis of faith, and I just backed away completely. It’s important to get our theology right, isn’t it?

“Because if we emphasize the wrong thing, you can really wound people. My brother has never recovered. Fortunately, by God’s grace, I have. My career as a writer is really the same as my pilgrimage as a Christian. I feel very blessed to be able to spend my time writing what I would be doing anyway: Working out my faith.”

Dr. Philip Yancey and his wife, Janet with Bro. Lawrence James and his wife, Agnes

Dr. Yancey described his Christian journey to be similar to picking up old stones and scrubbing off the moss and dirt to see which ones were worth keeping, and which ones needed to be thrown out.

He also likened his writing process to hacking his way through a jungle with a machete. “I usually start with a question—and I feel like in the process I’m cutting my way through a jungle and I don’t know where I’ll emerge.

“So for a year or so, I’m just hacking away, clearing a path, trying to find a way through the question I started with, and then at the end, I reach a lake or a mountain, and I turn around to look behind me and to my surprise, there are other people on that same path, saying, ‘Thank you for helping clear the way!’

“It’s so moving to me,” Dr. Yancey said, “because when I decide to write a book, I don’t think, ‘What book would sell?’ or ‘What do people need?’ I think, ‘What don’t I know?’ And when I find something I don’t know, it’s a privilege to go to some people who can help me.

“So I don’t write a book on prayer because I’m a great prayer warrior. It’s because I’m really lousy at it and I know I need to work on it and understand it better, and learn from those who can truly help me.”

Dinner with church leaders

Dr. Yancey then went on to talk about how it is always a learning experience for him to visit countries where Christians are a minority, saying that America didn’t use to be that way, but is certainly headed in such a direction.

“What I find as I go to places like Malaysia, Indonesia, or even some of the post Christian countries like Australia, or the UK, is that there is a more likely spirit of unity among the Christians, and I’m pleased to say that that’s represented here in this room tonight.

“Unity is essential when you’re a minority, and that is actually something that Jesus highly values. His very last prayer on earth with His disciples was, ‘Lord may they be one, as we, the Godhead are one.’

Dr. Yancey mentioned a book he recently read called The Church in Exile which points out that the Church, throughout the ages, has always been made up of a small group of people surrounded by hostility. From the Old Testament, all the way into the New Testament, it was always about a small group of people standing up for what they believe.

Dr. Yancey signing his books for the church leaders

“The people who wrote the Bible were living in the reality of pagan Rome. But the early church didn’t worry about making the Roman Empire Christian. They were worried about being different from the pagans around them. They adopted babies and took care of the sick. After awhile, people looked at them and said, ‘I like the way they’re living better than the way I’m living.’

“And in a few centuries, they converted the majority of the Roman Empire. When Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God, He used small images. He said it’s like a sprinkling of yeast which causes a whole loaf of bread to rise. It’s like a sprinkling of salt that keeps the whole piece of meat from going spoiled, and it’s the smallest seed in the garden that falls to the ground and dies, but when it dies a great bush grows up, and the birds of the air come and nest in it.

“Whenever the kingdom of God takes root, we see the fruit. The author of The Church In Exile uses a phrase that captures what I think the church could be: Communities of engaged non-conformity. So we’re a community. Christianity was never meant to be practiced alone. It is the body of Christ. Jesus left earth, but when He left, He said, ‘I’m going away, but you are now my body. You are the presence of God in the World.’”

Ref: peninsulabaptist

Dr. Yancey told the story of a woman he once interviewed. A prison in South Africa that had 275 acts of violence in one year was transformed by the work of one woman who went in to hold prayer meetings and Bible studies. The year after she started her ministry, there were only 2 cases of violence.

“I asked her, ‘What really happened there?’ And she looks at me, and she said, ‘Well Philip, God was already present in that prison. We just had to make Him visible.’ God is already here in Malaysia! He’s already present in Beijing and Moscow, and Washington DC. It’s up to us to make Him visible. That’s the mission that God has given to us: To show to the rest of the world what God had in mind in creating humans in the first place.

“We bring God pleasure by being the kind of people that He designed us to be. Communities of engaged non-conformists. ‘As the Father has sent me, I send you out into the world,’ Jesus said.

“The beautiful thing about the body of Christ is that we all have a different part to play. There are some who are eyes, and some who are toenails, and some who are kidneys. Our job is to not all try to do the same thing. The body wouldn’t work. Our job is to find out our role in the body of Christ, and to do that to the best of our ability with God’s help.”

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Esperanza Ng

In just four years after its inception at Sydney in 1980, the C3 Church grew from a handful to nearly 400 people. Since then, the church has developed into a Church planting movement with over 400 churches around the world. It was not always easy, however. In the early years, as with many other ministers from God, the C3 founders had to go through intensive tests of faith.

Last Sunday, one of the pioneers of the C3 movement, Pr Mark Kelsey, paid a visit to C3 Subang accompanied by his wife Pr Bernie. He shared a testimony about his experiences of what it meant to be hidden in Christ.

Pr Mark Kelsey at C3 Subang.

He first shared from Luke 4:14-30, the passage on how Jesus began His ministry. This was just after Jesus had undergone the test of temptations in the wilderness. ‘The Bible says it was Jesus’ custom to go to church (v16). You see, God does not just want us to hear about Him. He wants us to be an active part of His Kingdom. He wants us to belong, and to be part of the family of God. So the first thing we learn is that God wants us to be connected to Him and to be in this family of God.

 ‘Moving on with the passage, it tells us that the scroll of Isaiah was handed to Jesus on that day. Contained within it was the prophecy that Isaiah wrote ages ago about the Messiah. And Jesus unrolled the scroll and read aloud to the congregation the prophecy concerning Himself.’

When we go to church, we are handed the word of God. But it is more than passive receiving. When we receive the word of God, it is our task to unroll it; to let the word of God speak in a personal way to each one of us. Jesus found the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning His Identity within the word of God.

Ref: squarespace

Pr Mark communicated that a remarkable aspect of Scripture is that it is written to be read and fulfilled. For as it is written in Colossians 3:3, we are each of us dead to our old lives and is now hidden with Christ in God. It means that we have not to just listen to the word of God but to actively live it out. To put it simply, the word of God is alive and extends beyond even the experiential.

In Ezekiel 47:1-10, we read about the river that flows from the Temple of God. This river that flows out from the Throne of God is constant, and within it flow the life that comes from God. How do we access this river of life? Our access is through Christ Jesus. We experience this when we are in worship.

Prayer and worship in C3 Subang.

God never just throws us into the deep end of the River. He is gentle with us and He eases us in. Many people experience God during worship, but they end there at what Pr Mark calls Experiential Christianity. We come to church, we worship God, and we are refreshed by the River for a while. And then we go out to the external world, and the River dries up.

But God does not want us to be just at ankle-deep. He wants us to go deeper. And some of us, we go knee-deep and we find ourselves at Directional Christianity. The word of God comes alive, and we find daily guidance from the word of God. The heart and mind becomes willing to be guided by God and we find our lives progressing a little from our past.

Ref: silouanthompson.net

But there is more. When we go deeper into waist-deep water, we find ourselves being transformed by God. From the foundations of our being, even before we were born into this world, Christ has already a new version of us in mind. Some people never reach here because they are too bounded by the old personality. In order for God to transform us, we need to venture further away from our old bondages.

And then for those who are faithful enough to go even deeper, we find ourselves submerged in the river. Here it is no longer about us. Our Christianity becomes missional. We connect with God and we no longer seek for our own will but for the mission of God. This is where things can be scary but it is only here that we experience the full glory and power of God. It is here where we find the full life in Christ.

Pr Mark and Bernadette Kelsey.

Pr Mark shared that where the river flows there is movement, and none more so than in deep currents. When God first called Pr Mark to plant a church in New York (a completely foreign environment to him) like many of us, he found it terrifying, and he first posed a ‘Gideon Challenge’ to God. 

He set 3 conditions; firstly, that his senior pastor would talk to him about planting a church specifically in New York; secondly, that his wife would be present at the conversation, and thirdly, that all this would happen within 24 hours.

The next day, while leaving church for home, his senior pastor approached him to broach the discussion. The amazing thing was on that day, his wife was also on the way from home to his office right at this very moment, and she was also pulled into the discussion. All three conditions came together within 24 hours.

Pr Mark sharing his testimony.

When Pr Mark first started planting his church in New York, it was not easy from the get-go. When they were first in New York, his wife Pr Bernie took up the call from God and went around the neighborhood, letting them know that they have come to start a new church in the city.

They were in fact evicted from their first home because their neighbor happened to be an atheist. Because she was annoyed with him and his wife, she went around petitioning for support to get him and his wife expelled. God directed Pr Mark to a venue for his new church and he found a church but there were only 6 people at the time.

Pr Bernadette Kelsey sharing a good will message with C3 Subang.

Pr Mark shared that it was very rough in the beginning. God had directed him to a 1000-seater auditorium but there were only 6 people. A few weeks went by like that. One day, a lady came and enquired who he was. Wary of his previous experience, Pr Mark and his wife however decided in the end to be honest with the lady. The lady sat and listened and she accepted Christ right in that service! The next week she brought her husband, the week after that they brought their friends. Their friends brought more people, and in less than 4 months, they had 60 people in their congregation!       

‘Remember the River? When you are in the river, life becomes bigger than circumstances,’ Pr Mark shared elatedly. From a trickle in the beginning, the water outlet soon overflowed. ‘The Bible tells us that the River of God flows not only to us but through us. Out of our belly flows Living Water!

‘There are many thirsty people in this world. They are trying to quench their thirst by seeking for answers from it but it is like they’re drinking salty water. God has called each of us to be reservoirs of fresh water for His kingdom. And where fresh Rivers flows, there is life.’

Pr Mark praying for the congregation.

Ezekiel 47 is a reminder to us that God wants us to empty our lives so that we can abide in Him. Every river has an origin and a destination. The origin of God’s River of Life is His Throne and the destination of the River is the world.

This is God’s grand plan. It is what we are called for and when we’re in the deep parts of the River, there are no words in this world that can describe what it is like and the things of God that we will see.

NOTE: All pictures from C3 Subang used with kind permission from the church. 

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Jason Law

The problem of a pain is both a universal and timeless one. Since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, men have struggled with suffering throughout history. Tsunamis, earthquakes and war are very much an accepted reality in huge parts of the world.

Such questions have driven many to believe that the world, and in fact the universe, to be a random place full of chaos. Amidst such questions, many search for answers. In Evangelical Christianity, few writers have been as honest, insightful and compassionate, as Dr Philip Yancey.

At Dr Philip Yancey’s conference in Wesley KL

During a recent conference in Malaysia, he shared of the complexities behind this question that never goes away. Dr Philip is himself no stranger to pain, losing his father to polio when he was still a baby.

His father had been a young man who had been preparing to go to Africa when the disease struck him and confined him to an iron lung machine that helped him breathe. Several thousand people came together in a prayer chain resolved to pray for his healing. Well-meaning friends and relatives could not believe that God would ‘take’ a man who was so young and full of promises, and with his father’s consent, went to a recourse of a ‘step of faith’. Within weeks, however, his father was dead. As he was growing up fatherless, this cloud of unanswered prayer haunted the young man.

No matter which part of the world we go, there is this question; if God is real where is He and what is He up to in a world of such tragedy and pain? In 2012, Dr Philip paid visits to three particularly traumatized places; Japan after the 2011 tsunami, Sarajevo, and Newtown Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred.

Dr Philip Yancey

All 3 places were crucial ones where the question confronted him face-on; in three different continents where three tragedies of completely different natures took place. Though the scale of casualties and the source of the tragedies were dissimilar, he learned along the way that pain cannot be quantified. The parents who lost their children in the Sandy Hook tragedy experienced as much pain as the people in Sarajevo and Tohoku, Japan.

Yet the Bible does shed light on where God is. Dr Philip related, ‘Because of Jesus, whom the New Testament describes as ‘the image of the invisible God’, I can say with confidence that God is on the side of the sufferer, even in Japan where few believe in God or in Sarajevo where religion lies at the heart of the hostilities’.

He shared that we only need to observe how Jesus responds to the Samaritans, or to pagan Romans with sick family members in order to recognize this. On the cross, Jesus too experienced the same feelings of pain and abandonment.

Observing the places he visited and listening to the people he talked to, Dr Philip came across another answer to the question of where God is. In Japan he met workers who had travelled halfway around the world to rebuild houses that had been destroyed by the tsunami. In Sarajevo he stayed with Fransciscans who remained behind during the siege to serve the poor and work for peace. In Newtown, a church had set up a reserve fund for future needs, such as providing long-term counseling for surviving children of the tragedy.

‘If the church does its job, people don’t torment themselves wondering where God is. They know the answer. God becomes visible through people who live out the calling and mission of bringing comfort to a hurting world. God is now in the Church.’

Ultimately, as Christians, we also have the promise from God that He is preparing a place for us. This is the promise that Jesus gave to His disciples in John 14:3, a promise that remains true for us today.     

Dr Philip shared that the Bible does not give answers to all the questions we have, and oftentimes the attempt to find our own answers to the ‘why’ results in more harm than not. A focus on the ‘why’ shifts attention from the one suffering to the circumstances that caused it and in the process does little to help the person in need.

Like Job who finally acknowledged that God is God, there are times when we must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and that He has plans for our good though we may not understand everything all the time. And just as with Job’s friends who attempted vainly to find the causes of Job’s sufferings, we discover that what matters in the end is the response. Significantly, through Job’s life, we also learn that God is not the direct cause of suffering.

For the suffering, the Bible emphasizes our response and the work that God produces out of pain instead of the causes. Time and time again He is there, binding up wounds and healing hearts, helping people to grow, developing their discipline, helping them to grow deeper in their faith and relationship with Him.

‘The Bible did not promise a life that is free from problem,’ Dr Philip shared. ‘It promised us that there is nothing that is irredeemable that can happen to His people. God can redeem any circumstances.’

God lavished the world with grace and beauty out of simply who He is, even before we discovered such wonders as the Great Barrier Reef that is so full of life. The world was made good and it is good. But it is also broken and wounded.

‘We receive the blessings from God so that we can pass them on to others. From comfort to comfort, from healing to healing, from love to love. Along the way we learn how it is to really love others.’

Sharing a reflection he has gained from the well-known writer and theologian Dorothy Sayers who wrote in her book ‘The Mind of the Maker’, Dr Philip conveyed:

The Artist does not see the world as ‘merely’ a problem to be solved but about creating things anew.

This is the secret to the Universe. The world can and will be redeemed by God. One day, all the pain and suffering will be swept away like a forgotten dream and the world will be made anew.

In the meantime, as God’s delegated presence on Earth, Christians have an important role to play in bringing healing to a deeply wounded world.       

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Jason Law

On November 15th at Wesley Methodist Church, Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Philip Yancey shared two stories from the Bible that, on the surface, seem to have nothing in common. “You may be asking yourself why those two stories? How do they fit together? And that is what I want to explain today,” he said.

The first story comes from the Old Testament. It’s a story of King David. King David is perhaps the most famous man of the Old Testament, as there is more written about him than any other character. “He had quite a life!” Dr. Yancey said. Nobody expected him to be the chosen king to replace King Saul, but he was.

However, even though he had been anointed by God to be king, things did not come easy for him. King Saul didn’t like this idea of someone replacing him and so they had a guerilla war, and David was chased around a lot. Many of David’s psalms were written because he thought, “Wait a minute, God told me I’m going to be king and instead, I’m almost killed every day.”

David ended up marrying King Saul’s daughter, Michal, and he eventually did become king. And he was a great king. He expanded the borders of Israel as large as they had ever been. He is known as the all-time great king of Israel. But he made a few mistakes along the way. He not only committed adultery. He also committed murder. That being said, one of the great things about King David was the way he handled his mistakes.

Ref: 3.bp.blogspot

When the prophet Nathan confronted him about his affair with Bathsheba, he didn’t deny it. Instead, he said, “I have sinned against the Lord,” and wrote Psalm 51. Many of us are familiar with verse 10, which says, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” This psalm became kind of an anthem that the whole nation of Israel would sing.

And so we get to the first story of the morning:

“¹³ And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” ¹⁶ Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord ¹⁷ and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.” 

(2 Samuel 23:13-17)

“I remember how when I was a child, I would read this story and it would confuse me,” Dr. Yancey said. “One day David was off in a cave from being chased, and he just kind of gets homesick. And he says, ‘If only I had a cup of water from my hometown, Bethlehem.’

“So these three men risked their lives, went behind enemy lines, and got a cup of water from a well in Bethlehem. They came back and presented it to David. But he didn’t say, ‘Oh this is so good! Oh I love this water!’ Instead, he poured it out on the ground! He said, ‘I could not possibly drink this water. It would be like drinking your blood. This water is sacred. There is only thing worthy of this water.’ So he poured it out as an offering to God, and the men understood his actions. That was part of David’s secret. He was always living for God.”

Ref: marysrosaries

Dr. Yancey went on to say that there are 150 psalms, 70 of which are credited to David. Of them, about 14 psalms tell us what was going on in David’s life when he wrote them. So one day, Dr. Yancey did an experiment. He went to those 14 psalms that explain what happened, and sure enough. Whenever David reflected on his circumstances, he didn’t reflect so much on his image or the shameful thing he had done. He focused on how he had failed God— “Against You only have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4)

Upon further research, Dr. Yancey found that time and time again, David would write a psalm of praise to God after narrowly escaping death or getting out of a difficult situation. Even though he managed to get himself out of the situation, his psalms only highlighted how God had delivered him.

In our day-to-day life, we all have our own private movie of what goes on, and just by nature, the star of our movie is ourselves. That’s just the way it is. But it was different for David. Whether things were going well or he was on the verge of dying, God was the star of David’s life.

Ref: 3.bp.blogspot

It’s one thing to turn to God when things aren’t going well. It’s another thing to turn to God when things are going well. When things are going badly, we turn to God. We go to church. We pray. That’s really not the problem. The problem is when things are going well, and we become the stars, and we take credit. The unique thing about David is that he turned to God even when things were going well.

It is very easy to forget God. David’s spiritual secret was that when everybody else was giving David credit, David was giving God credit. “That’s the lesson I learned from this story,” Dr. Yancey said.

The second story is from Luke 7:

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

(Luke 7:36-50)

It’s hard for us to grasp the shock of this situation. We read this story about a prostitute barging in on Jesus’ dinner, but we lose the force of it. In order for us to fully comprehend this scenario, we must understand that Jesus was a dinner guest with some very important people, while this woman was the town prostitute. Everybody knew who she was.

“What puzzled me about this story as a child is that the woman would waste so much perfume by pouring it out into the ground,” Dr. Yancey said. That alabaster jar of perfume contained a year’s wages.

Ref: pinimg

Dr. Yancey then went on to explain the significance behind the woman’s actions. “Her job was selling her body. In those days, she didn’t have a lot of things available to her to make her more attractive. This was a desert—a hot place. Smelling good was a great asset, and her job was to get people interested in her body. The best thing she had going for her was that jar of perfume.

“And so she wasn’t just anointing Jesus. She was giving away her career. She was pouring out the most precious thing she had on Jesus’ feet. She was trusting Jesus with her future,” Dr. Yancey pointed out.

If we look through the gospels at all the people Jesus encountered, it is interesting to see how the most responsible and good citizens—the ‘godly people’ were the ones who were threatened by Jesus, while the ‘bad citizens’ and the outcasts were the ones who were drawn to Jesus.

Dr. Yancey drew a parallel between Jesus and the church. If we become the kind of place where sinners don’t want to come when they are in need, then we’re doing something wrong. Jesus was perfect, and it was the person who knew her need for Him who came and poured out her life before Him.

Jesus concludes, “She who has been forgiven much, loves much.” Grace is a free gift from God. You can’t do anything to earn it or to deserve it. To receive it, you need to have your hands open.

Ref: healingcem

Jesus saw two groups of people: Those who were in need of grace but denied it, and those who were in need of grace and knew it. People like the woman at the well, this woman, the thief hanging on the cross… desperate people who had nowhere else to turn. And God loves desperate people. He’s the giver of gifts. He wants to find people with hands open to receive those gifts.

In closing, Dr. Yancey pointed out that these two stories actually have the same plot. Both of them poured out the most precious thing they had as an offering to God. One was about a famous man. Whether or not things were going well for him, it didn’t make any difference. David always made God the star of his movie. And so for those of us where things are going well, watch out because it’s easy to forget God.

And then there’s this woman—we don’t even know her name. But in one of the gospels, Jesus said that as long as history lives, we will be retelling the story of this woman, because she who has been forgiven much, loves much. This woman trusted God with her life and her future, and so should we. 

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Esperanza Ng

If you could grab a cuppa with 28 Asian leaders all at once, would you take this opportunity to have a heart-to-heart talk with them?

Dr John Ng, Chief Passionary Officer of Meta Consulting, had done all this for us by spending the last four years interviewing and compiling the heart-throbbing and gut-wrenching life stories and lessons of 28 distinguished and prominent Asian leaders. 

In his 308-page book entitled ‘HEART to HEART with Asian Leaders,’ the book boasts a repertoire of insiders’ stories of esteemed leaders we grew up with, including Lim Guan Eng, Idris Jala, Francis Yeoh, Roland Wong and Sandra Lee amongst the list.

The attendees of the book launch

“All of the leaders showed great recovery efforts because all of them failed. Leaders get punished. Leaders are fallible creatures; they are human beings. But the true test of a leader is the ability to bounce back, recover, and become even greater leaders,“ said Dr John, adding how integrity and humility were common key characteristics he observed in all the leaders he interviewed.

More than 90 Christian leaders and businessmen attended the ‘Heart to Heart’ book launch on November 22^nd, graced by guest speakers YB Hannah Yeoh, Dato’ Roland Wong, and first Malaysian Olympic badminton medallists – Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang. 

Dr John Ng (1st from right) with Dato’ Roland Wong (3rd from right) and his sportsmen, Cheah Soon Kit (2nd from right) and Soo Beng Kiang (4th from right)

YB Hannah Yeoh shared how the book contained invaluable insights of personal pitfalls and vulnerabilities revealed by our leaders, some which might be hidden even in a private setting. 

“A book like this gives us insight into leaders’ personal thought process. Sometimes, leaders are often misunderstood. They can make a decision. But people do not understand why they make such a decision.’ 

“And so, to have a book like this and have them explain certain unpopular decisions they had to make, this would help us appreciate not just the action, but the thought process behind it,” said YB Hannah Yeoh. 

Dato’ Roland Wong, a guest speaker and interviewee in the book, also graced the event to meet face-to-face with the attendees. Having served as the Deputy President of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) from 1993 to 2009, he shared about his firm belief of walking together as a family.

Dato’ Roland Wong with Dr John Ng (right)

“If you punch one hole and another person punches another hole in the same boat, we will all sink together. I always tell people that we are in the same family, the same boat,” said Dato’ Roland who practiced collaborative leadership in making all decisions.

In fact, his leadership comes from a heart of genuine love for people, which was especially evident in his father-son relationship with national badminton legends, Cheah Soon Kit and Soo Beng Kiang. 

“I am like a father to them. They are like my godsons. I mean I can tell them off and yet, today they would still come and support me. You know, I spent quite a lot of time with these guys. I took them out separately for lunch and dinner. 

“They were the ones who won the Thomas cup. To me, they were the top players. After they won the last point, Beng Kiang took the shuttlecock, ran up to the stage and gave it to me. So, thank you both for supporting me,” he said, looking at his beloved godsons with love. 

Dato’ Roland Wong (1st from left), YB Hannah Yeoh (2nd from left), YB Teresa Kok (3rd from left), and Dr John Ng (1st from right)

He also shared about his testimony of how he knew God during a financial crisis in year 1997. Overcame by God’s love, he shared how God gave him, His transcending peace, wisdom, and hope, to overcome his near-bankrupt state.

“Even though I would lose money in a project, I would complete the project with a ‘Well done!’ And because of that, I have won my clients’ trust. I have established a good relationship with them,” he added.

Lastly, he shared that an aspiring young person must have the four D’s to succeed, which include desire, determination, dedication, and discipline.

“So, for aspiring young people, if you’re starting a business, you must work together as a team, stay focused, start small, and do things step-by-step” said Dato’ Roland, in summarizing his personal nuggets for success.

From left to right: Dato’ Roland Wong, Dr John Ng, and YB Hannah Yeoh

Hence, such was the depth and wealth of information shared by Dato’ Roland’s lifelong lessons of leadership – which is only a fragment of what is covered in the book. Imagine the wealth of knowledge we would acquire from all the 28 Asian leaders! 

“I am passionate about leadership because the world needs leaders who can lead in the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous climate today. Leaders can make a difference, either for good or evil. And I am so glad that we have leaders who can do this,” said Dr John. 

Dr John Ng has also written other 5 books including Dim Sum for Great Parenting — Tips for Parents; Dim Sum for Great Marriages; Dim Sum Leadership; Dim Sum Leadership (version 2): Your Second Serving; and Smiling Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

| Share the Good News | 

Note: All pictures are credited to Scott J Wong

Every revival begins from prayer. Prayer is such a powerful force. It is the acknowledgement and alignment of our being with what and who God says He is and we are. It is the proclamation of the Truth – that Jesus Christ is the LORD of Lords and the KING of kings – and all glory, honour, power, and strength belongs to Him!

In year 2012, Pastor Philip Marc and his wife VinSie was led by God, in the All Nations Convocation Jerusalem (ANCJ) in Jerusalem to build a prayer tower.

Prophetess Cindy Jacob was prophesying for the nations, when she suddenly called Philip Marc to come onstage. Before she called, Philip already felt a prompting in his heart that Cindy would be calling him.

“Cindy said that something is going to happen in Malaysia that will capture not only the country’s attention but the attention of the world, and to tell the royal family to get ready because God will be visiting them soon.”

Then she turned to Philip and said, “The LORD says to you that He is getting ready to give you the property for the prayer tower. The land, the field, and the finances are already there. Go buy the land, you build it, they will come.”

The land, the field, and the finances prepared for the prayer mountain by the LORD

Cindy shared that what happened in Indonesia will happen in Malaysia. Indonesia started their first Prayer Tower in year 1998, and now they have the most Prayer Towers in the world.

This prophecy was fulfilled in part in the year 2013. Bob Quah – owner of Grace Commission Centre (GCC) in Bentong – decided to give Philip Marc and his wife VinSie, their mountain top to build the house of prayer.

But the Marcs wanted to make sure that this land was appointed by YAHWEH, and not taken by default for being free. Hence, they and many people sought YHWH in this. Among the people, two intercessors from abroad prayed and confirmed that Bentong is the place where the prayer tower will be erected.

One confirmation came from Siska from Gereja Bethel Indonesia. She is one of the four original watchmen commissioned by her church to plant the first prayer tower in Indonesia. This sparked off one of the biggest 24/7 prayer movements in Indonesia.

The attendees coming from different churches in Malaysia at the consecration and dedication of the Bentong Prayer Tabernacle

The other confirmation came from Singaporean-born Catherine Sim who envisioned with Siska that the prayer tower template will have a mountain and a valley. Fondly known as ‘Cat’, she has been working for this vision as their Prayer Facilitator for close to a year now.

The Marcs had already started a prayer house in Klang Valley under their ministry Elim Freedom. It is called Tabernacle of David Harp & Bowl held at SOKOGIM, SEA Park. The only lacking element from the template was the prayer tower in the mountain.

“We are working on the Bentong mountain to become a 24/7 prayer tower”.

Called as the ‘cross roads’ of West Malaysia, Bentong is a strategic place indeed to build a prayer tower. He also shared that the prayer tower will anchor on Isaiah 56:7.

I will bring these people to my holy mountain.
    I will give them joy in my house of prayer.
The offerings and sacrifices
    they place on my altar will please me.
This is because my Temple will be called
    a house for prayer for people from all nations.

(Isaiah 56:7)

The flags erected to symbolized the body of Christ coming from all nations under the rainbow

This prayer tower is built under the willful submission to and covering by Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations (JAHOPFAN) on Mount of Olives, Jerusalem.

In terms of architecture, the Holy Spirit had been impressing in VinSie’s heart that the Bentong Prayer Tower would follow the JAHOPFAN Prayer Tower. 

This was confirmed by intercessor Brigitta Grace, who came to visit the Bentong Mountain during its consecration and dedication day of the ground. Alongside Philip Marc, Brigitta is also part of the International Council of Elders (ICE) led by Chief Elder Tom Hess in JAHOPFAN.

After praying, VinSie also saw a clear vision of how the prayer tower in Bentong will look like. It will be a combination of a strong tower and a lighthouse.

“During old times, a light house was used to give warnings to ships when there was danger or emergency. But now, the lighthouse also functions as a signboard that draws people to the light of YAWHEH.

“In this sabbatical year, as we travelled, everywhere we went in Southern Europe and Australia, we saw lighthouses. We were wondering if YHWH is telling us something”.

The people from different churches gathering in the Tabernacle of the Prayer Mountain, which is the first phase of the building

One of the major visions of the prayer tower is to direct Malaysia to its purpose as the revival catalyst of the Golden Gates nations in Asia-Pacific. There are a total of 12 gates in the Bible, and Malaysia holds the key for revival among the nations in the Golden gate region.

This was prophesied by both Chuck Pierce and Cindy Jacobs that Malaysia is the key to unlock and change nations! To accomplish God’s purpose for Malaysia, Philip Marc is elected as one of the key Golden Gate Keepers of the All Nations Convocation Jerusalem currently.

Philip also shared that the Church must realize that she would need to return to its Hebraic roots, where Jews and Gentiles come together as the one new man and one bride, before the Messiah returns.

Hence, on the 28^th of May this year, the Tabernacle of the Bentong Prayer Mountain was completed. After the dedication by Tom Hess and Afeef Halasah from JAHOPFAN, a very unique rainbow immediately appeared in the clouds. They were reminded of Number 6:25, of how God the Father was shining His Face down on them.

YHWH’s face shining down on His children immediately after the dedication and consecration of the Bentong Prayer Tabernacle, YAHOPFAN (Numbers 6:25)

“We are really amazed with how ELOHIM (God in Hebrew) showed that He is please – not only because we have dedicated a new House of Prayer For All Nations – but also because we are lifting the name of YAHWEH. Many churches are not using the real name of YAHWEH”. 

They were also led by ELOHIM to name the prayer tower as YHWH’s Asia House of Prayer for All Nations or YAHOPFAN. It can also mean YAH’s House of Prayer For All Nations.

People of different tongues and tribes coming together with one language of prayer to Elohim

Indeed, many believers representing different countries have visited this prayer tower including Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France, French Guyana, Norway, Cyprus, Uganda and Israel.

And while the Marcs are taking their one-year sabbatical after six years of working, Pastor Philip Soh, Deborah Anita, Catherine Sim, Mei Wai, Bob Quah, John Lee and his wife Sally, are assigned to take care of the prayer tabernacle and mountain currently.

Before the Marcs took their sabbatical, ELOHIM impressed on their heart to do a fundraiser. Sufficient money was gathered to build the Tabernacle and pay the people involved. The final stage will be building the tower.

“YHWH has provided for this prayer house. It is Him who has covered the cost for building the Tabernacle. And we believe that He will do the same for building the Prayer Tower which would take around three million ringgit.

The church of Jesus Christ worshiping God together as one body, during the consecration and dedication of the Bentong Prayer Tabernacle

“One thing we believe very strongly is that we will do our best to listen to and discern what the Father wants, especially everything that is concerning the ministry and its direction.

“YAHWEH’s work done in YHWH’s Way will never lack His provision. From the beginning, He has always been the One who provided for us supernaturally. We don’t have churches funding us and we don’t have salaries.

“But now we are paying people salaries. We look at this as His grace for us. We are only stewards of His work. We believe Yeshua has already chosen people to work in His team. We claim no credit in what we have done and we give all glory to Him”.

The prayer tabernacle and tower are built for all churches and believers in Malaysia to come together to pray and keep watch. The Marcs hope that churches, prayer houses, and ministries would send people over to cover the 24/7 prayer watches.

“We are not a church where we have a community or a congregation to feed the prayer tower. That is why we need believers from all over Malaysia to come”.

The attendees being amazed with the manifestation of the rainbow in the sky after the consecration and dedication of the Bentong Prayer Tabernacle

People can do a short-term mission prayer to intercede for the whole weekend. One prayer watch is three hours. Under the council overseen by Pastor Philip Soh, the watchmen must pray for Malaysia, Israel, and another Asian country according to their prayer maps, in addition to other Kingdom needs.

“John Wesley said that God doesn’t do anything on earth except for a response to prayer. Every revival starts from prayer”.

Deborah Anita, prayer coordinator of YAHOPFAN, shared how they declared God’s Word to unite the churches in Malaysia as of Psalm 133, in Bentong Prayer Tabernacle and in SOKOGIM, Sea Park. After that, they saw ELOHIM answering their prayers from the further development and strengthening of collaborative projects between churches and ministries.

Let all churches, ministries, and believers come together as one Bride to worship and pray to our LORD Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ). He deserves all praise, glory, power, honour, and strength!

YAHOPFAN Watchmen Center will be having the following events:

Event | 24/7 worship and prayer (Harp and Bowl)

Venue | YAHOPFAN (Bentong Prayer Tabernacle)

Date | 4 – 5 December 2015 | 6 PM – 6 PM

Their team has conducted numerous 24/7 watches with different groups, especially with the Orang Asli led by Philip Soh. Join the Marcs and other worshippers to worship and pray. On 6^th of December at 3 PM, YAHOPFAN will be celebrating its one-year anniversary thanksgiving. All are invited to come and fill in the different slots to celebrate with them. Please contact Deborah at 013 390 7357 or Bob Quah at 012 225 5599 for arrangements and directions.

Event | All Malaysian-Golden Gate Revival Convocation

Venue | Grace Convention Center

Date | 26 – 29 May 2016

Co-hosted by YAHOPFAN, Elim Freedom, Grace Assembly and a coalition of churches and ministries, come join the fourth All Malaysian-Golden Gate Revival Convocation. In the convocation, you will meet all the Golden Gate Nations coming to Malaysia. The theme is Nations of the Golden Gate Aligning to fulfil their Destiny – Preparing the Way for the KING of Glory!

Once Philip Marc and VinSie complete their Sabbatical on 1 February 2016, they will be travelling across Malaysia and other nations in the Golden Gate to rally ambassadors of the Kingdom of God for this convocation. They will be ending their sabbatical in Uganda, equipping themselves through their mentor and friend John Mulinde.

| Share the Good News |

From 27th to 29th of November, OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship) held their annual missions conference at Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya. This year’s conference was particularly special, as they celebrated their 150th Anniversary.

The conferees in session
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

The conference kicked off on Friday afternoon with a message from Dr. Martin Goldsmith, one of the pioneering OMF missionaries in Malaysia. For Dr. Goldsmith and his wife Elizabeth, the celebration was not just for OMF’s 150 years, but their 50th anniversary of their arrival in Kluang where Dr. Goldsmith pastored Kluang Presbyterian Church.

Dr. Goldsmith began by sharing Psalm 77: 11-15.

¹¹ I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
¹² I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders;
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
¹⁵ You with your arm redeemed your people,
    the children of Jacob and Joseph. 

(Psalm 77:11-15)

He then went on to emphasize the importance of remembering God’s work and His faithfulness, even as they reminisce about OMF’s rich history. Dr. Goldsmith highlighted some events that took place in the earlier years of OMF, and how God pushed and challenged the missionaries to go to places they never imagined possible.

“As we remember some of the things that God has done for OMF in the past 150 years, we don’t just remember them in the sense of not forgetting our history. We also associate ourselves with the working of God with that history, and we bring that history into the present, and into the future, knowing that the Lord who has done those things is the same Lord with us today. We can be nostalgic about the past, but we bring the God of those events into today’s world—into our mission today.”

Dr. Martin Goldsmith giving his message.
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

OMF’s roots trace back to Hudson Taylor’s heart for the people of China in which he started CIM (China Inland Mission). The missionaries were doing a great work in reaching the Chinese, but when communism overtook China, it was only a matter of time before they were forced to leave the country.

It was then that their eyes were opened to see that there were many people of Chinese descent living outside of China. Thus the name China Inland Mission was changed to Overseas Missionary Fellowship—‘overseas’ being the Chinese people outside of China.

It was through this series of events that people like Dr. Martin Goldsmith and many other missionaries were led to South East Asia. Their ministry, that started off with a vision that was strictly for the Chinese-speaking Chinese eventually spread to other people groups and ethnicities who spoke other languages, including English!

“God worked in that way, moving the CIM out of China into all of these different countries, and what a blessing it has been,” Dr. Goldsmith said.

Dr. Patrick Fung, General Director of OMF International
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

Later that night during the anniversary dinner celebration, Dr. Patrick Fung, the general director of OMF International shared an encouraging message based on some of Hudson Taylor’s core principles, which remains part of OMF’s motto.

“Both you and I can still say of the past, Ebenezer; of the present, Jehovah Nissi; and of the future, Jehovah Jireh.”— James Hudson Taylor

“Watchwords (or mottos) are very important for an organization,” Dr. Fung said, “but watchwords hold no meaning if they form only a creed to be recited. No warrior is equipped by simply holding a sword. No man is made a scholar by simply giving him a book. No servant of God is made effective by simply reciting a mission statement.

“These watchwords only have meaning if each generation of OMF missionaries live by faith and experience God’s provision and help, and advance under God’s direction.”

Dr. Fung went on to elaborate on each of the three points, Jehovah Jireh, Ebenezer, and Jehovah Nissi.

OMF 150 Years Dinner Celebration
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

Jehovah Jireh: The Lord will provide

In Genesis 21, Sarah bears a son and says, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

As we read on, Abraham is given a surprising command to sacrifice that child of promise. Isaac said to his father, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb?” and Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.”

When Abraham saw the ram God had provided, he called that place Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14). This account had a great impact on Hudson Taylor, to which he said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”

A traditional dance performance during the dinner
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

“As in the days of CIM, we are still on a faith journey,” Dr. Fung said. “Many of us read Genesis 22 and say, ‘Yes, God will provide,’ but the focus there is not just on God. It also focuses on the servant who is willing to obey. It is both—the call of God who provides, and also one who obeyed the call.

“Today, as we look back, we also look forward. God has challenged OMF to obey and bring the Gospel to the people of East Asia. For the past 6 months we have been praying and thinking about what God wants us to do, and He has been laying on our hearts to look particularly at some of the still-neglected frontiers. The church is very vibrant in many places, but many places still do not have a single church. People need to hear the Gospel.

“We are also looking at Africa. We never dreamed that OMF would have work in Africa, but God has pushed us to expand. Today we have Malaysian missionaries working in Africa amongst Chinese prisoners because they speak the language.

Juwita Suwito led the worship sessions throughout the conference.
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

“God just opened the way! We used to think that East Asian people are in East Asia, but today, East Asians are everywhere. As we pray, God is challenging us to send workers, and we are trusting that He would provide.”

Ebenezer: Thus far, God has been our help

The Scriptures affirm the importance of remembrance. After Joshua led the people of Israel over the Jordan River, God told him to set up stones to remember that God is powerful and has helped them. Later in 1 Samuel 7, Samuel set up a stone between Mizpah and Shen to instruct the Israelites to remember the Lord’s help in their battle against the Philistines, and called it Ebenezer.

“As we look back over the past 150 years, God has been our help. But we do not just remember the times of spiritual breakthrough. We also remember times of trial and suffering. God never abandoned us. He was there when we went through difficult times.”

Dr. Fung then went on to share about how a tragedy killed five OMF missionaries and their seven children. A memorial service was held for them in Thailand, where these missionaries had been serving, and more than 700 people attended that service. The majority of them were not Christians.

An article was published a month later, and this was written:

“For 25 years, they had been [witnessing to a town in central Thailand] where there had been resistance and hardship. Perhaps, it would take a visual aid such as the loss of our beloved fellow laborers and their children to demonstrate the validity and reality of the gospel that we preach. We are praying that the fragrance of Jesus—the Savior of life unto life may pervade [all of central Thailand], and this loss of life by Satan—an act of desperation—will be the beginning of a breakthrough for the Gospel.”

“OMF cannot guarantee the safety and security of our members, but God can,” Dr. Fung said. “He alone is the Ebenezer. He only is our comfort and our source of security. And so as we look for workers for the neglected frontiers, as we reflect on where God is calling us, we are also praying for workers to go to what we now call the ‘engaged communities.’

“These are places we have been working in, but the church still needs help and strengthening. Not just church planting, but also strengthening. It is very powerful to see God at work among the churches. Not just us—it is never just OMF. It is always with the churches. We are now in a stage of journeying together.”

Dr. Tai Kim Teng, Executive Director of OMF Malaysia, and his wife with Dr. Martin Goldsmith and his wife.
Photo Credit: Johnny Ong

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord is my Banner

After the very first battle where the people of Israel won the war through prayer, Moses built an altar and called it, “The Lord is my Banner” (Exodus 17:15). “God is leading. Let us be very careful,” Dr. Fung cautioned. “God is not just the banner of OMF, but of His people. So to go forward does not mean that we are doing it alone, leading all the time.

“One of the core values of OMF is the indigenous principle—or what Hudson Taylor called the “scaffolding.” Our purpose is to build the church of Jesus Christ. OMF is only the scaffolding structure. It can be taken away. I think of the three key words of OMF: Pioneering, persevering, and partnering.

“The important thing as we see God continue to work is the partnering. Often, our roles will change from leading to following. That is why, as we talk among our leaders, we are engaged in a process of asking leaders from the national and indigenous churches to review our work.

“As we remember, rejoice, and renew throughout this celebration, there is one more word to take into consideration, and that is repentance. I think there can be no celebration without repentance. We look to you to advice us, journey with us, and partner with us that we may do God’s work in a way that honors Him.

“For the past 5 to 6 years, God has been sending to OMF 110 new workers every year. We are praying in faith that God would send us more workers for the neglected frontiers, and so we are praying for 150 new workers per year and we ask that you join us. In 7 years, we would have 1000 new workers.”

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Esperanza Ng

On November 29^th, THE MOVEMENT, a band of Christ-centred men from different churches led a passionate worship at Victory Church at Ara Damansara.

Co-founded by Pastor Ramesh Kumar and Bro Asaph Shavindran this January, THE MOVEMENT moves very strongly in prophetic and free-flow worship. The band of six members has since ministered in churches, evangelistic dinner banquets, and camps (Nicholas Teh from Grace Assembly PJ was unable to join this time).

Pastor Ramesh Kumar from Full Gospel Christian church, vocalist and guitarist of The Movement

THE MOVEMENT desires to fully surrender to the Holy Spirit and worship according to God’s agenda, not men’s agenda.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. (John 4:23)

Rogers Sek, bassist of THE MOVEMENT shared his testimony of how God’s grace drew him back to church after backsliding for 10 years. He found that we need to be faithful in the little things given by God, before bearing bigger responsibilities from Him.

Rogers Sek from Holy Trinity Bukit Bintang, bassist of The Movement

Pastor Ramesh from the Full Gospel Christian Church in Brickfields also shared a timely message on what God taught Him in times of trouble. He shared about how the disciples faced the storm when they crossed the lake in Luke 8 (expanded with permission by the writer).

#1 God is with us in the storm

Luke 8 shows us that although it was Jesus’ idea to cross the boat, a storm came and threatened to capsize the boat. Likewise, although we are doing what God calls us to do; we will still face obstacles and challenges.

However, like how Jesus was with His disciples in the boat, He is with us as well in the thick of our storm. Indeed, our God never leaves us or forsakes us. He promised to be always with us.

Asaph Shavindran from Victory Church, guitarist and vocalist of The Movement

Shaveetha Dianithi from Victory Church, keyboardist of The Movement

#2 God wants us to fix our eyes on Him in the storm

Yet, we often also forget about God when we face our problem. It is not until we have exhausted all our resources, that we come seek Him. In fact, sometimes God is the last person we go to when we have a problem.

Like the disciples, the storm takes center-stage than Jesus Himself. But what does Jesus want us to do? He says, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”

Jesus’ solution for us is to fix our eyes on Him in overcoming our storm. And fixing our eyes on Him would involve unraveling His Word. Jesus ‘was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1-2). Simply put, Jesus is inseparable from the Word of God. The Word of God contains every solution to all the problems we have.

Edwin Manibo from Full Gospel Christian Church, electric guitarist of The Movement

Aaron Chew from Wesley Methodist Church in Klang, drummer of The Movement

#3 God listens to the whisper of a humble heart in a rumbling storm

Some of us may feel unworthy to come before God because of our mistakes and sin. Yet God hears the whisper of a humble heart over a rumbling storm.

The LORD says, “My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chron 7:14)

Another verse says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7).”

Why is it so important to be humble? This is because only a humble person can receive instructions from God.

Pastor Ramesh Kumar preaching the Word

The Movement leading a passionate worship in Victory Church, Ara Damansara

#4 God brings us into a storm only to bring us higher

After Jesus rebuked the storm, He asked His disciples, “Where is your faith?” It is an interesting question because it showed that Jesus expected them to have faith.

At this point, the disciples had already witnessed the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, the deaf hearing, the lepers cleansed, and the dead raised. All miracles happened in the human realm.

Yet, when the saw Jesus calmed the storm, they were fearful and amazed. That was the first time they saw even the realm of nature obeying Him. They asked amongst themselves, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him.”

Likewise, we may find our faith challenged when we encounter a new and bigger obstacle, even if we have seen God worked many miracles in our life before. But if God has brought you through your past problems, why can’t He do the same for you this time?

Most of all, God brings us into a storm, not to bring us down but to bring us higher. From going through the storm, the disciples learn who Jesus is. Jesus is God. And nothing is impossible for Him! Jesus showed the disciples that He is bigger than the storm! And likewise, through our storm, He will show us that He is bigger than our problem.

Pastor Joel Liew of Victory Church saying a prayer for the church

As a worship team, THE MOVEMENT focuses on teaching and allowing people to experience prophetic worship, encounter God, receive impartation from the LORD, and receive breakthrough where it is needed.

Invite THE MOVEMENT for a Spirit-filled worship by contacting Asaph at asaph86@yahoo.com or Pastor Ramesh at badgbie@hotmail.com.

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Sometimes, we listen to testimonies shared by missionaries and we are blown away by how God has worked in such incredible ways through their lives, and we may think to ourselves that we are not like them. We are not equipped to serve God in any significant way. “It is not something that I am good at.” “I can’t do what they do.” “I can’t be used by God…”

As small as we may feel, however, every Christian can be used by God in missions. “Today I just want to share with you that yes, God has called some people and put them to do a special work, but He has also particularly equipped you to play a specific role in world missions,” Dr. Jennie Fung said at the recent OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship) Annual Missions Conference.

Dr. Jennie pointed out that God has given the great command to go and make disciples of all nations and has therefore equipped each one of us to be a part of that calling. Before going into how we can be part of the great commission, Dr. Jennie first addressed the question of ‘Why?’

Why Should We Do Missions?

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate.” —John Piper

Worship does not exist in over 1/3 of the world’s population. Scattered into over 6000 ethnic groups, 2.5 billion people have no access to the Gospel. There are not enough Christians in these communities to share Christ with them. For these unreached people to know God and worship Him, we need missions.

Ref: amazonaws

On a more personal level, you and I ought to do missions because of our own experiences with God and His goodness. We should want other people to experience that goodness as well, and we should want to express our love for God by obeying His command to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.

How Can We Do Missions?

The answer is, ‘One at a time.’ One person, one ethnic group, and one nation at a time. It takes much effort, but it can be done. To demonstrate how the whole body of Christ which is made up of individuals with a variety of difference skills can be involved in making this process possible, Dr. Jennie called upon volunteers from the audience.

She began by calling two people onto the stage: One to represent a missionary, and another to represent an unreached person. Having them stand a good 15 feet apart, she pointed out that many things contributed to the distance between them—geography, culture, linguistics, etc.. But then, she began calling more people onto the stage:

Someone to represent prayer, someone to represent financial support, someone to represent the local churches, someone to represent biblical/theological training, someone to represent medical advisory, someone to represent office management and coordination, someone to represent a teacher for the missionary children, someone to represent a language coach…

Ref: english-test

As more and more people came to stand behind the missionary, they nudged her forward toward the unreached person, thus bridging the gap between them. Finally, Dr. Jennie called on someone to represent a local Christian in that mission field to be the link between the missionary and the unreached person.

“We call this the missions chain,” Dr. Jennie said. “Together, we can reach the unreached people in the world. 2.5 billion is a daunting figure, but each of us can play a part in it. It is not a task for one person.” She then went on to share about the different areas in which people can become involved with missions.

6 Ways You Can Be Involved In Missions:

1. Going

2. Sending

3. Praying

4. Welcoming

5. Mobilizing

6. Learning

Going

This is what Jesus commanded:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

(Acts 1:8)

We know that Jesus told His disciples to go and be a testimony and witness for Him. But sometimes, by our human nature, we want to know what we are going into. We want to be in control—to be certain of what it will be like. Going can be scary. You can imagine all the different ways you could die in the.

Michael Griffiths lists 7 or 8 possible causes of death on the mission field in his book. But he said, “The good news is, you will ever only experience one of these!” Indeed, it is dangerous on the field, but the safest place in the whole world is in the center of God’s will.

Ref: tongiecc

There are many ways to go. There are short-term missions, which are anything between 2 weeks and a year, medium-term missions which are 2 to 3 years, and there are long-term missions, which is anything beyond that. You can go on a missions trip or a prayer journey. You can go as a church planter or as a professional—whether in business, medicine, information technology etc.

Sending

Ref: pinimg

The Apostle Paul said, “How can they go unless they are sent?” If we need people to go out, we need people behind them, sending them. The function of a sender is to enable the goer to serve effectively.

Senders equip and train missionaries, support them financially, debrief and counsel them, and help them with re-entry. They also help missionary children adjust with tertiary education upon leaving home and provide care for missionaries’ aging parents.

Praying

Paul said to the Colossian church, “Pray for us that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3). Paul was known as the great apostle, but even he asked for prayer.

Prayer is needed not only in the process of sending our missionaries out into the field, but even throughout the time they are there, and after they return. We sometimes feel like there is not much we can do except pray. But prayer is work. It can be very hard work if you choose to persist in prayer and to pray in season and out of season.

Ref: wpengine.netdna-cdn

There are many ways to pray—as an individual, as a family, or as a prayer group. God will move along with you in that journey. You never know how God will open doors and change you. We have prepared prayer guides for different countries and different ministries. Start praying.

Welcoming

We also call this the diaspora ministry. Some of us may never have to leave our home country to serve among unreached people groups, as many of them are already here.

“And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19)

With the great influx of foreign workers and students in our homeland where we can freely share the Good News, we are to receive them. God has not only brought missionaries to foreign lands. He has also brought the unreached people to our doorsteps! Welcoming can be a very powerful ministry that you can be involved with right here, right now.

Mobilizing

“Someone must sound the rallying call. Those who desire to see others trained, prepared and released to ministry are known as mobilizers. Mobilizers stir other Christians to active concern for reaching the world. They coordinate efforts between senders, the local churches, sending agencies, and missionaries on the field. Mobilizers are essential.” —Phil Parshall

 

If we want mission work to continue, we need mobilizers. Each one of you can be a mobilizer. You can pick up a book from this conference, go back, and share it with your friends. You can start a prayer group within your church or your community. You can share what you have learned with others around you and go for a short trip together with your friends. Serve among the poor. Share your passion and your experiences.

Ref: lingos.files

We often hear about the 10/40 window, but there is also the 4/14 window. That is the age range in which children are most receptive of spiritual things. Not just for them to come to faith, but also for them to learn about missions. We can mobilize them by simple missionary stories and how God is working in different parts of the world.

Learning

Learning undergirds the other 5 ways we can be involved with missions. If we do not learn, we cannot pray effectively. We cannot mobilize, send, go, or welcome. At the same time, we learn as we get involved through the other 5 ways.

In closing, Dr. Jennie shared from Luke 8: 1-3

“¹ After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, ² and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

 

This is an interesting glimpse of Jesus’ itinerant team. There were the twelve—the prominent disciples we need no introduction to. But there were also some women who served out of gratitude. “I can imagine her (Mary Magdelene) going around talking to people and saying, ‘Have you heard, do you know how Jesus has healed me?’” Dr. Jennie said.

Joanna, on the other hand, was a woman of high standing. She was used to fine dining and being waited on by many servants. But here, she was going around from town to town, sometimes sleeping in the open, doing what she can to help. She was definitely out of her comfort zone. But she was willing.

Ref: i.ytimg

Suzanna and other unnamed women also served out of their own means. It is unlikely that they had much money, but with their individual skills, they contributed. “We can serve because there are others who support us, and serve though the gifts and abilities that God has given them,” Dr. Jennie said. “So it is with you and I.”

“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”

(2 Corinthians 8:12)

“So, stop looking at what you do not have and what you cannot do,” Dr. Jennie admonished, “but look at what God has given you, what God has enabled you to do, and use it for His glory and His Kingdom!”

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Esperanza Ng

For the past 21 years, the School of Acts has equipped Soldiers for Christ. Its course and syllabus are well-known world-wide, and students come to the school from as far abroad as India and Japan. Students of TSoA do not just go through theoretical lessons within classrooms, but actual practical opportunities of guided mission work and preaching. The aim is that by the end of each academic year, students will be fully equipped as God’s Army in today’s world.  

Recently, a new batch of students, the class of 2015, graduated from the School of Acts, taking on the vision ‘Advanced and Fired Up’ for Christ, in an event held at J W Marriott Kuala Lumpur.

In a formal address to the congregation and the Class of 2015, Pr Raymond Mooi shared that the days of today and the days of yesteryear are vastly different. In the days of the past, the distance between nations and even within a single country was vast. Today, we are connected like never before.

In such a place and time with such great potential to share the Gospel, it is the Christian’s duty and dispensation to share to the world the Good News about Christ. Through social media, we are connected like never before. There is no such thing as isolated pockets any more and every brother and sister in Christ all over the world are connected as one big family.

Pr Raymond Mooi sharing his message.

Pr Raymond Mooi during worship session.

This is Christ’s vision, that no matter where we are, as children of God, we are called to advance and be fired up for God. Pr Raymond conveyed that the class of 2015 has taken this vision to heart and very seriously. He further gave thanks to the supportive family members and friends of the graduates that have made it possible for them to graduate on the day.

As the class of 2015 marched in to wishes of congratulations and ovation, two students shared their testimony. Sister Lim Rue-Hann, as representative graduate from Malaysia, shared that she made the decision to enroll in the school’s programme at the lowest point of her life, and that the time in the School of Acts has brought new-found meaning and purpose to her life again.

TSoA’s Class of 2015 marching in.

Sister Lim Rue-Hann sharing her testimony.

Brother Justin John from India shared that TSOA has been like a spiritual service station where Father God repaired, restored and refreshed him through the leadership, love, and concern of His people, the staff and teachers at TSOA.  Though he had to experience a personal family tragedy towards the end of his course, it was his identity in Christ that kept him strong and able to complete the course and be a fighter for Christ.        

Pr Tsugumichi Ohkawa, the senior pastor of Yamato Calvary Church, one of the largest churches in Eastern Japan, shared a message of greeting. He shared that in today’s world, there are plenty of challenges for Christians. The School of Acts’ Class of 2015 has taken the call of bearing the cross of Christ, but there will be further challenge on the road of discipleship.

Pr Tsugumichi Ohkawa sharing his message of greeting with the help of interpreter.

Fred Seaward, one of the teachers of TSoA.

On such a road, it is extremely important that we stay focused on Jesus.  When we are sick or when we pray for the sick, we must see Jesus the Healer. When we see the broken people of the world or when we feel broken, we must see Jesus the Redeemer.

When we are hungry or when we feed the poor, we must see the Jesus that fed 5000 people with two loaves of bread and 5 fishes. When we see people hurting and being subjugated in parts of the world, we must see the compassion of Jesus. As Christians, we must never lose sight of Jesus and the hope we have through Him.

Pr Raymond Mooi presenting the TSoA graduates of 2015.

In total, 47 students from 7 countries graduated this year. The countries represented by the TSOA’s Class of 2015 are Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Japan, Nigeria, and Canada.  

NOTE: All pictures kindly contributed by The School of Acts.

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Jason Law

On Sunday, December 6th, Ps. Gideon Lim of Klang Baptist Church gave a timely sermon to his congregation on giving. “God has been so good to us and there are many ways we can respond to His grace and goodness in our lives. One of them is to express our gratitude to Him through giving” he said.

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will give you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and offer my prayer to you.

(Psalm 116:12-13, 17)

“The Psalmist reminds us that we should not only express our gratitude in words, but also through our actions,” Ps. Gideon pointed out. “The psalmist wants to lift up the cup of salvation to tell the world about God’s salvation. In addition, he would like to offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord. Not only is his heart filled with gratitude. He also puts his gratitude into action.” Ps. Gideon proceeded to elaborate on the reasons for giving, and the importance of doing so with a grateful heart.

True gratitude is not merely an internal state. Rather, it is accompanied with external expression. ‘Sacrifice of thanksgiving’ clearly reveals that gratitude and giving are inseparable, because sacrifice is a practical action of giving. That being said, God is not pleased with insincere and ungrateful sacrifices. Similarly, merely saying words of thanks without any sacrifice of giving is hypocrisy. Therefore, a truly grateful person will definitely respond to God with sacrifice.

Ref: generationsofexemplaryentrepreneurs

One main reason to give is to respond to God’s grace in our lives. Giving also helps us to learn to depend on God. One of the reasons to don’t like to give is that we fear we will lack. We are afraid that once we give, we will not have enough. There is a lack of trust here. We do not have enough faith that God will provide for us.

In actual fact, when we give cheerfully, generously, and freely, we personally experience God’s providence. We are telling God that we put Him first, and we trust Him to supply all our needs. Giving develops our trust in God instead of in our possessions. As we learn to trust Him more, our faith in Him will also gradually grow.

Ps. Gideon then went on to use the story of Elijah and the widow to further illustrate his point.

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”  

² Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ³ “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. ⁴ You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

⁵ So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. ⁶ The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

⁷ Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. ⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to him: ⁹ “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” ¹⁰ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”¹¹ As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”

 ¹² “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 

¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lordsends rain on the land.’”

¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

(1 Kings 17: 1-16)

To better understand this account, Ps. Gideon provided a little bit of background. The context of this story happened in the northern kingdom of Israel during the time that the Jewish nation was divided into the north and the south. Ahab, an evil king, was king of the northern kingdom and had led many of the people to worship Baal, the fertility god of Canaan.

Since Baal was the fertility god, the people believed that he was the one who would provide the rain so that they could produce food. Baal worshippers would sleep with temple prostitutes. Under the influence of Baal worship, the northern nation of Israel led a very immoral lifestyle.

Ref: vigilantcitizen

So God sent Elijah to pronounce judgment on them by announcing a drought on Ahab and the people. Baal was supposed to produce rain, but now God was going to show them the true God. As soon as the drought was announced, God directed Elijah to go to the wilderness to hide from Ahab, and promised that He will provide for him through ravens.

Elijah’s obedience was amazing. The wilderness was a great place for hiding, but not that great for surviving. Yet, Elijah immediately went without any question, and put himself in a place of total dependence on God, as nobody else was going to provide for him. God had to come through—and He did.

He sent wild ravens every morning and evening to feed Elijah. He supplied not only in abundance, but also in quality. He provided Elijah with meat! Even if there wasn’t a drought, meat was a luxury—a delicacy. God provided in a rich way. Those who trust in the Lord will not be in want.

Ref: distantshores

When the brook that Elijah had been drinking from dried up, God came up with even wilder instructions. Because of God’s past supply, however, Elijah was ready to obey. Now he was to leave the area and go across Israel to a gentile area controlled by Ahab. He was going into enemy territory, a place of great danger. God’s instructions did not make much sense.

The craziest part of it was that he was supposed to go there and find one of the poorest people in the land: A widow; a single mother who was already over-stressed about trying to feed her family. Elijah was supposed to look for her to feed him.

Bizarre as it seemed, Elijah had just had a personal encounter with God through God’s provision in the wilderness and therefore had the confidence to give himself to God again. If we really want grow in giving—to become real givers, we have to remember the history of God’s provision to others and ourselves.

“As I look back at God’s past provision in my life, I’m amazed.” Ps. Gideon said. “It gives me more confidence to give myself to God again and to obey Him again. If we want to become courageous givers, we need to count our blessings and think back on how God has carried us in the past.”

Elijah’s experience clearly demonstrates that very often, God uses the unimaginable or unexpected to accomplish His will. Ps. Gideon admitted that he would have chosen a wealthy person to provide for Elijah. Yet God chose the poorest of the poor.

Ref: distantshores

God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond our comprehension and expectations. This is to help us recognize that He is our ultimate provider. He also teaches us to wholly surrender to Him and trust Him. As long as we are willing to obey, we will definitely experience God’s faithfulness.

Elijah’s obedience resulted in his experience of God’s provision. Next, we see that the widow’s giving enabled her to experience God’s provision as well. When Elijah arrived, he saw this woman gathering sticks and tested her by asking for a smaller need first. Water was scarce because of the drought, but it was more plentiful in this widow’s life than food.

So he started with a lesser need. Instead of ignoring him, this gentile woman went off to get this foreigner a drink of water. But as she went to get him a drink, Elijah added, “Oh by the way, may I have some bread too?”

Ps. Gideon asked the congregation to put themselves in the widow’s situation and think about how they would respond. The woman objected. She said, “I don’t have much. In fact, I’m down to just a handful of flour, and a little oil. I have just enough for one more meal, and after that we’re done. We’re going to die.” She found that this kind of courageous giving was more than she could do.

But Elijah encouraged her with God’s promise that her flour will not run out throughout the duration of the drought. “God will take care of you.” Elijah knew that it was a challenge for her. But because of his own history of seeing God provide, he gave her the opportunity to give and also experience God’s provision.

“If I were to list to you all the ways that God has blessed our family, we will be here for a very long time,” Ps. Gideon said. “God’s blessings are not just for ourselves. They are for the benefit of others. This is not the prosperity Gospel. It’s not about giving more and getting rich.”

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work

(2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

In other words, if you give generously, God will supply you generously so that you can give more—so that you can be His channel of blessing. “Don’t let God’s blessings stop with you. Let His blessings flow through you. That is His promise,” Ps. Gideon admonished.

In order to experience God’s promise, we must step out in faith and obedience to practice what He commanded us to do—which is to give. We must use our actions to catch His promise. After listening to Elijah’s request, the widow could have trusted in what she saw: make a final meal for herself (and her son) and then starve or, she could do the courageous thing of trusting what she did not see yet and believing God’s promise by giving her food away to the prophet.

She had to make a choice. Thankfully, she chose to step out in faith and give, and as a result, she experienced the miracle of God’s provision.

Ref: ministry-to-children

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family grew up watching his father give away whatever little they had, fully trusting that God would provide in their time of need. Sure enough, God matched his father’s giving step for step. As a grown man, James Dobson said, “God never made us wealthy, but my young faith grew by leaps and bounds. I learned that we can never out-give God.”

¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

(1 Kings 17:16)

This widow and her son were on the brink of death because of the drought, but because of her step of faith, her bread supply tripled over the next 12-18 months. This unleashing of God’s miraculous work came not by her holding on to what she had, but by giving it away. She gave in response to Elijah’s distress and God’s promise, and God provided abundantly.

“Elijah and the widow always had enough. Dobson and his family experienced this. My family experienced this, as have many of you. God always provided enough for us. When we obey and give, God promises to provide,” Ps. Gideon said.

The discipline of giving is a process of learning to trust. If you have never given before, start small, and gradually increase it. You will be amazed at how God comes through. As we obey and give, we will be surprised at what God can do through our trust and obedience. The more we give, the more we experience God’s provision.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

“Christ is the reason we give,” Ps. Gideon said, “so in this Christmas season, let us respond to grace by bringing a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Think of whom you can bless. Let me challenge you to continually give courageously and sacrificially in the coming new year. I guarantee that you will never be in the want. You will always have enough because you can never out-give God!”

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There is an irony that with all the advances in technology and conquest of outer space, there is yet still an emptiness in many people’s life. Though the inner space is so much closer to our own selves, many experience turmoil within it and cannot calm it. Why is this so?

Recently, sis Kok Meng Chow, one of the respected elders at Kajang Assembly of God shared an in-depth and comprehensive message about the cultivation of the inner space. This inner space that we are speaking about refers to the inner life of humanity where our heart, spirit, and soul are.

Sis Meng Chow back when she shared an impactful Mother’s Day message in 2014.

Because the outer physical world of our senses is so much more concrete and tangible, we tend to focus a lot of our advancement into it. Oftentimes, however, we end up neglecting the nurturing of what truly matters; our spirit and souls.

Sis Meng Chow shared that work is good, for we need to take care of our own lives. For many of us, there is also a family that we need to take care of. Still, amidst all the busyness, we need to ask ourselves, is our work producing fruits that would matter for eternity?

This is a question that each of us must ask ourselves individually. It is extremely important that we tend to our spirit, and this space can only be filled by God. Many such questions that we ask can only be answered by having a relationship with God and through the time we spent seeking Him in our time alone with Him.

Ref: dream-wallpaper.com

If we want to live a victorious and a fruitful Christian life, we need to build a strong inner life, allowing God to fill the inner space. The Bible speaks in the Parable of the Sower of the good soil and of the bad soil. The seed being sowed is the word of God and the soil represents our heart conditions. How can we cultivate good soil within our hearts? There are several ways. The first is through building a strong prayer life.

Building a Strong Prayer Life

Why is prayer important? It is because prayer is our life line to God. The Bible says in Jeremiah 33:3 that we need to only call on God and He will show us great and mighty things. That line is always open, 24/7, but it requires us to dial in.

Nevertheless, though we know that prayer is an extremely important part of our Christian life, many of us struggle to keep a consistent prayer life. Even the disciples succumb to the weakness of their flesh in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:41). We all recognize the reality that though our spirits are willing, our flesh is weak. So how do we overcome this problem?

We need to feed our spirits with the things of God. The parts that we feed will grow and become stronger. If we feed our spirits, our spirits will grow. If we feed our flesh with the things of the world more, our fleshly desires will grow.

Ref: framepool.com

Sis Meng Chow shared that while initially our spirits may constantly battle with our flesh, we must not lose heart or give up.  We must keep pressing in. Over time and with diligent effort and the help of the Holy Spirit, our spirit will grow strong.  Our spirit man will eventually rise up to tell the flesh who is boss.

How do we pray and what is prayer about? First, we must be intentional and make effort to build our prayer life. As we go deeper, we can pray in the Spirit. Prayer is also not just about meeting our own needs. Rather, prayer is about God and His will being done.

This is how Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Luke 11:2). Jesus pointed them to God the Father in Heaven and His Kingdom.  To pray the Kingdom prayers as taught by our Lord Jesus, we must firstly know our Father in Heaven.  We can come to God the Father only through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Ref: ytimg

Another way we can pray is through the Closet Prayer. Sis Meng Chow shared that public prayers build the breath in our prayer life.  It is the closet prayers however that will build strength and depth in our prayer life (Matthew 6:6).

Closet Prayer involves Time Alone With God and can be found in the secret place. The secret place is right here, within our heart, where our spirit communes with the Spirit of God.  This is where we can meet with God and spend intimate times of quietness and unrushed prayer. We don’t need to go far away to some mountains to find God.  He is right here where we are. All we need to do is to be still, and enter into fellowship, friendship and deep intimate relationship with God.

To be still means to be in the state of being where:

• We are at rest in His Presence:  we stop fighting and struggling but let God be God
• We are anchored in God and understand the secret of being in His Presence
• We meet with God and loving Him whole heartedly; where God can love us unreservedly
• God communes with our spirit: inspiring, correcting, teaching, soothing and loving us

It is during times of stillness that we cultivate seeing eyes, hearing ears and perceiving hearts.  In His Presence, something deep has transacted, something has changed from within.  In that stillness, God wants us to know Him as our Father. Jesus revealed to the disciples the Father’s heart of God; our daddy God who is a good and generous God, who will loves and lavish His children with good things. 

For those who are fathers and mothers, they will understand what it is to love their children. They want to give their children good gifts. Our God is a God of “How much more” (Matthew 7:11). It is only when we know God as our Abba Father, as the God of the how much more will we respond to His love as His children.  

Ref: hiltonsutton.org

Once we know Him, we will be praying Kingdom prayers that will ignite Kingdom action for Kingdom advancement: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.  Your Kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. “ (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). To know Him, is to love Him; to love Him is to obey Him.

Saturating Our Lives with the Word of God

Besides a strong life of prayer, we also need to saturate our lives with the Word of God. Scripture tells us in John 1:1-3 that Jesus is the Word of God and Colossians 1:16 says that all things were created through Jesus and for Him.

Sis Meng Chow communicated that something happens in our inner lives when we read the word of God for it is alive and powerful. The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword; it pierces the spirit and soul and discerns the thoughts and motives of men.

In this manner, the word of God is like water washing us clean and renewing our minds.  The Word of God is like refining fire burning up the dross and purifying our hearts. The Word of God brings life to our body, soul and spirit, transforming us into the likeness of Christ.

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The Bible also counsels us that we will do well to guard our hearts by letting the Word dwell in us richly (Col 3:16). This is so that when we are squeezed by adversity of life, what comes out of our mouth will be the Word of God.  We need to declare and decree God’s word.

When we decree the word of God, we will possess what we say. There is power when the word of God comes out of our mouth. So when we release the Word of God from our mouth, we are become God’s mouthpiece and we are releasing His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This will change the atmosphere around us. We declare and decree His Presence, His Prosperity, His Blessing and His Healing.

Ref: biblia.com

Sis Meng Chow conveyed that we must learn to search the Scriptures and declare and decree God’s Word, bringing His will on earth – bringing light where there is darkness, bringing hope where there is despair, bringing life and healing to those who are sick, breaking strongholds where there are bondages.

Cultivating a Life of Praise and Worship

A third way we can cultivate our inner life is by cultivating a life of praise and worship. The atmosphere of praise and worship attracts the presence of God.  When we cultivate a lifestyle of praise and worship, we will move into the glory realms where anything becomes possible.

What is the significance of our praises to God? God inhabits the praises of His people. Sis Meng Chow imparted that praise delight our God and the greatest instrument of praise that God has given us is our voice. We must learn to lift them up to God.

God breathes in our praises and He breathes out His Glory, which is His manifested presence. Sis Meng Chow shared that there are times when circumstances overwhelms us and we don’t sense the God’s presence.  One way to get back right into His presence is to start to praise with thanksgiving. 

Ref: wordpress

Along with our praises comes our worship. Worship is our heart response to our revelation of God.  It is a heart of adoration. As we press in, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the majesty of our Father God and the beauty of Jesus.  If there is a depth in the revelation we have received of God, there will be a corresponding depth in our worship, and the more we worship, the more revelation of God we will receive.

True worship begins with Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6).  Without Christ, no one can truly worship God but all believers in Jesus can truly worship God.  True worship must come from our spirit because God is Spirit. Right in the secret place of our hearts, the presence of God can be found.  When we worship God, we look into His face and we are being transformed from glory to glory.

Ref: wordpress

We become like the One we worship.  We will slowly change and will take on His character, we talk like Him, and we walk like Him.  We become more and more like Jesus and we become pleasing to our God. When our worship touches the heart of God, His Glory comes.  Glory is the realm of heaven where His Presence is manifested.  In His Glory, we can sense the majestic presence of God.  In that realm, nothing is impossible.

Lives Lived Inside Out

Sis Meng Chow shared that as Christians, we are called to live our lives inside out, just like David who slew Goliath. There was a time when he was a solitary shepherd boy, tending his sheep all alone in the field. He fought the bears and lions where no one could see him. But this was also where David practiced his sling shots and where God trained him to fight.

Ref: wordpress

When it was time, God rewarded David with victory when he killed Goliath in public, where everyone could see. This was because he had learnt to fight the lions and the bears in private, where no one except God could see.

She conveyed that we are all at different stages of our Christian life.  We are all on our journey of life and the road ahead may have challenges.  But there is also one certainty; our Lord Jesus did not intent that we just survive the journey. Jesus wants our lives to be fruitful. 

God wants us to live an overcoming and victorious life. As we cultivate and nurture our inner life, our life will bear fruit. And this will only come to be when we take the cultivation of our inner lives intentionally and soberly.

NOTE: Much of this article was strongly guided by the notes provided through the kindness and generosity of the speaker and a desire to bless others through the message.

|Share The Good News|

Jason Law

“Oh how I love Him! How I adore Him… The Great Creator became my Savior!” Two-time Grammy Award nominee and Gospel singer, Brad White broke out into song in the middle of Loon Sing Oriental Thai Seafood Restaurant on Sunday evening, 13th December.

Organized by Foursquare Gospel Church Malaysia Central Region that consists of four churches (Vision Harvest Church, Faithline International Ministries, Calvary Glory, and Victory Church), the Christmas musical concert was filled with fun, good food, and a display of the Brad White’s incredible musical talents.

That being said, one thing that stood out more than Brad’s breathtaking performances on the piano as well as on the saxophone was his obvious love for Jesus and his desire that everyone else could experience the same kind of joy that he finds in the Lord.

Photo Credit: Victory Church

Brad shared that his wife was diagnosed with cancer four years ago, and leaving her behind to travel around the world was not an easy thing to do. “I love Malaysia, I love to sing, and I love people,” he said. “But I’m gonna be honest with you. I don’t travel 8000 miles just because I love to sing. I want to know that I have shared Jesus with as many people as I possibly could in this life.”

He quoted a verse from the Bible:

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

 (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Who are the people addressed in this verse? Is it the people out there? Or is it the people inside the church. ‘My people.’ “It is us, folks.” Brad said. “It is those of us who call on the name of Jesus. If we, the people of the church would turn from our wicked ways, then will He hear from heaven, forgive us our sins, and heal our land.

Rev. Henry Liew, Chairman of the National Foursquare Gospel Church of Malaysia addressing the guests. 
Photo Credit: Victory Church

Guest of honor, YB Teresa Kok, encouraged the Christian community to be the light that reflects Christ to our fellow Malaysians and the foreigners among us.

“What I want to get across to you tonight is that you are the hope for this nation. If you and all your other brothers and sisters in Christ would follow the prescription of 2 Chronicles 7:14, God will heal this land.”

Brad then highlighted another passage from Scripture—a well-known story about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. “We often hear people talk about Sodom and Gomorrah in the context of judgment coming to the land. But I want to take you to the moments before Sodom and Gomorrah to a story about Abraham.

“Do you remember that God told Abraham that judgment was coming and He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? Well, Abraham started to bargain with God. He said, ‘God, would you really destroy the city if there were fifty righteous people there?’ And God said, ‘No.’ Abraham then started working his down by fives and tens, all the way down to ten.

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

(Genesis 18:32)

“Why did Abraham stop at ten? If he had the nerve to go from fifty to ten, why didn’t he just keep going? Because Lot’s family lived in that city. He thought that Lot’s family would more than cover those ten righteous people that he needed. And so he left God’s presence thinking that he had just saved the land.

“But God still destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. God said that those people were not righteous. Abraham thought they were righteous, but it didn’t matter what Abraham thought. It only matters if God calls you righteous.

“If God stood here tonight, would He find ten people that He called righteous? If ten people were just like you, would it be enough to spare judgment on your land? My friends, the difference for your country is the body of believers in your churches. And the Good News is that God forgives sin.

“That is the message of Christmas! Jesus Christ came to save us. This world was full of sin, and God looked down at us and wanted to redeem mankind. The Bible says He sent His only begotten Son to die so that He could redeem our souls.

“My friends, I don’t know about you. How many of you love your children? If I loved [someone] enough to give [him/her] my child, that would be an incredible act of love, wouldn’t it? But what if I knew that by giving my child to [him/her], my child would have to die for [him/her]? How many of you love another person enough to let your son or daughter die for them?

Ps. Ernie and his brother, Eric, singing a duet.

Sis. Caronika performing one of her own original songs

“The Bible says that Jesus didn’t just come to save the world. He came because he loved you. All by yourself. He loves each individual so much, that God would have sent Jesus to save one person.”

“The Lord does not delay His promise, as some esteem slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”

(2 Peter 3:9)

“God created each of us with a void in our heart—an emptiness that can only be filled by one thing, and that is a relationship with Him. Perhaps you never knew what Jesus did for you, but you know that down deep, you have never found complete joy or peace. You can try to fill it with relationships, alcohol, drugs, or material goods… But you find that you still have an emptiness—a question in your heart, ‘What is the meaning of life?’

Brad White singing an interactive round of Jingle Bells with the audience

“I’m telling you tonight that Christmas is not about trees or lights or music. The message of Christmas is that God so loved this world, and God loves you. Religion tries to bring us up to God, but the Good News of the Gospel is that we don’t have to go up to God, because He came down to us.

“Do you know Jesus as your Savior?” Brad asked. “He offers you a gift. It’s His birthday, but He’s giving us the gift. If you accept Him, you will have eternal life!” To the Christians present, Brad posed the question, “Are you telling people this Christmas season what Christmas is all about? Are you telling the Good News that Jesus saves?”

“Only one life, t’will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” —C.T. Studd

|Share The Good News| 

“Tonight, can we extend the boundaries of what we think is appropriate and stop to clean it up. Stop trying to make it tidy. Let’s get messy! Cause I tell you when the Spirit of the Living God falls in your heart, it’s messy.

“When the Spirit of conviction comes, He rights things that are wrong. He heals brokenness. It’s messy. So, let revival happen in all its messy glory tonight!” said Jacob Cook from Bethel Music on 18^th of October in SIBKL, Petaling Jaya.

From left to right: Amanda Cook, Josh Baldwin, and Hunter Thompson

More than 1,700 people came to worship in the Spirit-saturated night of the Californian worship group, with Jeremy Riddle, Kalley Heiligenthal, Amanda Cook, Josh Baldwin, and Hunter Thompson onstage.

Before the worship began, Jacob prayed for God to enlarge the hearts of the attendees, so that they will have a bigger capacity to dream and imagine. He prayed that revival will happen in Malaysia.

Standing in the gap, the worshippers of Bethel Music prayed until God’s presence would come like a hurricane and stir up faith to a flickering light and a full-blown fire in Malaysia.

Everyone lifting their hands to worship God

“There is only one condition that happening. You always have to be one accord. Let us tear down that separation. We are the sons and daughters of one Father. We are family. This isn’t just an event or concert. This is our living room. We are all love-sick for Jesus”.

As Bethel Music sang their first song, Fall Afresh, the Holy Spirit’s presence was invited in.

Kalley Heiligenthal and Jeremy Riddle feeling the Presence of God

Jacob Cook sharing the Word of God

“Holy Spirit, You are welcomed. It’s You, we want to see. It’s You, we want You to fill us. Pour on us afresh. Do something extraordinary in this place tonight. Holy Spirit, may Your breath fall and may your tongues of fire fall”.

The crowd lifted their hands feeling the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which saturated the atmosphere. All eyes were on Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Worshipers of the Bethel Music nigh, in Spirit and Truth

“The atmosphere on that night was emotional but electric with the Spirit of God ever present. Each song just drew me closer to God’s great calling,” said Adrian Nicholi Vincent, an attendee of the Bethel Music.

Another attendee Grace Sng added, “There was such an atmosphere of deep hunger and keen anticipation for God’s Presence to manifest. I could recall numerous moments when it felt like the heavens were opened. Everyone just lifted unhindered praise and worship to God in one spirit and heart.”

Everyone lifting their hands as one body in Christ

On that night, Bethel Music worshipped a repertoire of songs including Breaking Through, Ever Be, God I look to you, No Longer Slaves, We will not be Shaken, Our Father, Forever, One Thing Remains, etc.

“I hope that we are on a voyage of discovering that God has been on our side all along that we can live a whole life full of heart, with the capacity to process pain, wrestle with truth, and find ourselves steady at the end of our pilgrimage.

“There is an endless possibility for God to create a world within us, a world transformed through the bravery of perfect love. My prayer is that you will experience that realm… that you are a brave new world.

Jeremy Riddle basking in the Presence of God

“May you be filled with hope with the One who’s mercy is timeless and whose love remains kind, as boundless as the sea,” said Amanda Cook in a video shown, relating to their vision for Bethel Music next year.

Jacob Cook shared about how a song called Kind was written by his wife Amanda from their house, which filled the place with God’s Presence. The song talks about what God is not.

“I so long for the day where Malaysian believers and all of the prophetic songs that you write with those unique expressions in love… So, write your songs. Painters, paint your paintings. Dancer, dance your dance,” he said to a roaring applause of the audience agreeing with his hope.

Amanda Cook leading worship with passion

“God is the creator of arts. That’s the best way to teach the world how to love God. I am so grateful”.

The worship night ended with an encouragement, “I just want to say that we are so proud of you… You guys are carrying a torch to your nation. No matter what happens, that torch is touching so many parts of the earth. So, when you are raised, shine your light no matter what.

“We just feel this hunger that is unmatched. There is something about Southeast Asia. There’s this tipping point where the believers had been contending for something so long but the world oppresses the object of your desire – the outpouring of the Spirit in your nation. If you press a little longer, that will happen”.

God’s presence manifested strongly and heaven was brought to earth as the Bethel Music team guided every attendee to usher in the Spirit and fully surrender their whole hearts to Jesus Christ.

The Bethel Music team praying for Jeremy Riddle

| Share the Good News |

As we near Christmas, there is something of greater significance to the season for those who have heard of the Gospel and believe in it. But there is also a question of how the heart of humanity responds to the Good News. In our personal capacities as well, we need to ask ourselves this question. Not long ago, Pr Mayumi Yamazaki of JCM Agape Network in 1 Mont Kiara shared a message from her heart concerning this.

Pr Mayumi shared that if we want to know about Jesus, the place to go to is the Gospels; eyewitness accounts of the Messiah’s coming on earth. Among all the Gospels, the best source to know Jesus is that written by the apostle John. John was described as the disciple closest to Jesus’ heart, and he identified himself as the beloved of the Lord. There is something special in the Gospel of John.

Worship at JCM Agape Network Church.

However, in the early chapters of the Gospel of John, there is another man who is also called by the name of John. Before the advent of Jesus, this John had already had a calling; in John 1:6-7, the Bible says that John the Baptist was sent by God. John the Baptist’s mission was to testify of the Light of the World, so that through him all may believe. But John the Baptist was not the Light; he only came as a witness to the Light.

Why are these facts significant? What John the Baptist was proclaiming was not his own opinion or imagination, Pr Mayumi conveyed. He was testifying the truth about the Light, received through a revelation from God. Jesus was coming as the true Light that delivers everyone who was, and is coming into the world from darkness. Yet though Jesus was not just the Light who had come into the world, but also its Foundation, the world did not recognize Him.

Ref: istrianet.org

There is in fact a sad and profound irony in this. During Creation, God had created us in His image. This meant that He invested something of Himself inside of us. He created us with the capability to know Him. Despite that, there was a time when through all our searches, we were unable to see or hear Him. The Fall in the Garden of Eden had completely separated us from God. There was no hope for us and we were once totally spiritually blind.

During the time of John the Baptist the Israelites were in a similar situation. It was necessary for Jesus to come, for we can never find God unless He reveals Himself. Jesus came into the world as the revelation of God, an act of incredible grace. He did not leave us in the darkness. He came so that we may have hope.

We are not just celebrating the birthday of the infant Jesus on Christmas Day. There is something much more significant to the Person of Christ. It is the hope that came into darkness that we are celebrating. Pr Mayumi expressed that this is why Christmas is significant to those who know the Messiah.

Ref: wordpress

How then do we respond? For there comes a time when every single person will have to make the decision as to their own response. We have no excuses because the Son of God had come to live with us, and not just to move among us, but to dwell in the midst of us. God has revealed Himself to us.

Through Jesus, we are able to see God and recognize His purity and holiness, and this holiness is innate in God. The most important thing in our life is knowing our Creator. Coming to know our Creator changes our lives and everything that is about it. Everything revolves around Jesus for the very fact that He is the center of everything in existence. Through Him everything was made, and nothing can stand alone apart from Him.

Ref: cbcop.org

We come to this identification when we truly understand the Good News and what Christ has done for us. Pr Mayumi imparted that to understand the Gospel we must understand also the other side of it. We must face the problem of sin head-on especially when we share the Good News with others. We cannot always just put the blame on Adam and Eve. We must take responsibility over our own responses.

The story of Adam and Eve points to a cosmological problem about the human condition. In the Garden of Eden, God had walked with Adam and Eve everyday and there was only one commandment. Yet though God had blessed Adam and Eve and took care of them everyday, they had chosen to believe in the stranger instead of the One who had taken care and fed them.

Pr Mayumi conveying her sharing about our individual response to the Gospel message.

‘How would we have felt if we were betrayed in the same way?’ Pr Mayumi conveyed.  The ones that God had love and taken care of chose to believe in the word of a stranger and turn their backs on Him. However, eras later, the people that Christ had come to save and given hope, turned their backs on Him and nailed Him to the cross. People had not changed much.

This is why the Scriptures say though Christ was the light of the world the world did not know Him. We must ask ourselves; how would we accept Jesus if He were to come today? The less people know, the more they’ll judge others, Pr Mayumi expressed.

There are many arguments today centering around Jesus and what Christianity is about. Part of this has been about the difference between Christianity and other religions, but it is actually really straightforward.  It is not about the religion and the lessons on life that we receive through religious classes. Christianity is foremost coming to the understanding that redemption can only come through Jesus. The real point of the Gospel message is of the person of Jesus and the faith in Jesus.

Ref: davemumford.com

There is a difference in knowing the Good News and really knowing it. Truly knowing the Good News takes a level of commitment. There is a truth that while information doesn’t save us, we cannot be saved without it. But this also requires us to respond on our faith.

Scripture says Jesus knocks on the doors of our hearts and if we open the door He’ll come in and abide in us. Hearing the knock is the information; God speaking to us. Going to the door is belief; acting upon the information. Opening the door is commitment; the part of saving faith.

Ref: cwfrantzen@wordpress

Pr Mayumi conveyed that we must approach the Good News in its totality. We must preach the whole message of the Gospel. This was what John the Baptist was doing. Her challenge is that this Christmas will be a time of worship and gratitude unto the Lord. God has given us everything, even the power to believe and to receive; to become the children of God. We must all stand together in our response to this.     

|Share The Good News|

Jason Law

The 25th of December is a significant day to the body of Christ. All across the globe, people gather in churches to remember the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. For Kuala Lumpur Baptist Church, this year’s celebration was especially momentous, as their very own Singing Ambassadors performed a brand new musical called, The Story.

The Singing Ambassadors creatively incorporated a local twist to their musical, in which video gamer-turned-celebrity, Jerry Won, has a dream that he died and was not allowed into Heaven because he lived his life solely for himself. It is in this dream that an angel appears to him and asks him if he has ever heard the most important story in all of history.

Jerry Won being showered by affection from his fans
Photo Credit: KLBC

Jerry Won practicing for a video game championship
Photo Credit: KLBC

Jerry’s encounter with the angel in his dream
Photo Credit: KLBC

Arranged and orchestrated by David Hamilton, The Story presents a narrative of God’s story from the creation of the world, all the way till Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection, and the hope we have in His second coming. In between, songs that tell of God’s love for His people and the gift of Salvation that we can have in Him, the stories of Adam and Eve, Abraham, David, and other characters were told.

The Singing Ambassadors singing in unison
Photo Credit: KLBC

Photo Credit: KLBC

At the end of the final act, Bro. Frederick Kok, who plays the character Jerry Won, shared his testimony of how he himself had a dream in which he was brought to Heaven only to find that his name was not written on the list that would include him as one of God’s own. “It was a wake up call for me to do something for God,” he said. “I have been a Christian for a long time but I had been taking things for granted. On that great day when Jesus comes, God is going to ask each and every one of us, ‘What have you done with My story?’”

Bro Peter Lim, the conductor of The Singing Ambassadors
Photo Credit: KLBC

Ps. John Kok then delivered the Christmas message—a message we also know as the Gospel. “We have a story to tell you this morning,” Ps. John said. “It’s not about food, fun, and parties. It’s not about Santa Claus, Frosty the snowman, or Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. The story that I want to share with you is God’s story—a story of a true God who loved us and provided a way of salvation to eternity.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

“This story started with a perfect world. God created the heavens and the earth, and on the sixth day, He created the first man, Adam. Everything He created was good, except this: God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper.’ So Eve was created from the rib of a man. And God put them together in the garden of Eden to care for it.

“He gave them this command: ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die. It was a very simple and straightforward command: ‘Don’t eat.’

Ps. John Kok sharing the Christmas story
Photo Credit: KLBC

“But the following tragic account took place: Eve was tempted by the devil, ate, and gave some to Adam. Here begins the story of disobedience, lies, and sin, which resulted in eternal separation from God. From Genesis to Revelation, the first and last book of the Bible, it is about God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.”

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 53:6)

“We sin and continue to sin, and continue to be led astray,” Ps. John said, “but God’s story reveals that He has not given up on us. Instead, He acted out of love at a great personal cost on our behalf. He gave us His one and only Son. We have to ask ourselves, what could be more precious and costly than that? Would you be able to do that?

“This is the Biblical definition of God’s love. He gave His only Son. The goal of God’s love is salvation. Whoever believes in Him may be saved. Salvation means, ‘You will not perish. You will experience eternal life.’ This life is better, deeper, more holy and more abundant than the life we have now, and this is available to each and every one of us.

“Jesus, the Son of God, became man. This is Christmas. Jesus suffered for our sins and died on the cross. This is Good Friday. On the third day, He rose again. This is Easter. All this happened because of the world. Because of us.

It was a full house at KLBC on Christmas morning
Photo Credit: KLBC

“This is the story we want to share with you. Will you receive it? The Bible says you have to believe. Nobody can do that for us. My friends, you have nothing to lose by believing. We are the reason that He came and died. On that great day, will our name be on the list? If it is not, we lose everything: our soul, eternal life, and heaven.

“We should have been nailed to the cross for our own sins, but someone else did that for us: Jesus. Jesus loves us, and He provided a way back to God for us. Without Jesus, there is no Christmas. For it is He who came to save His people from their sin!”

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Esperanza Ng