Singapore's calling and destiny

At YWAM class yesterday, we had Joseph Chean come talk to us about missions. It was an inspiring class.

One thing that struck me deeply was just how God's hand had always been on Singapore. We are a tiny red dot nation, located in the backwaters of Southeast Asia. But God knew he had a destiny for our little land. And He sent missionaries from the early days to evangelise our forefathers.

So shortly after Stamford Raffles arrives to found Singapore in 1819, the first Protestant missionary sets up a local ministry here. In 1826, the Anglican church is founded in Singapore. In 1835, the Armenian church, founded by the Sarkis Brothers who built our iconic Raffles Hotel, is built. The missionaries also set up schools and hospitals - praise God for them! In 1885, Rev William F. Oldham arrives to head the work of the Methodist Church of Singapore - I grew up a product of the Methodist Church!

In the 1930s, John Sung - known as the Billy Graham of Asia - preaches in China and the overseas Chinese population in Southeast Asia. Wikipedia says by 1936, it is believed that more than 100,000 Chinese were converted through his ministry. Today, some in Singapore are second or third-generation Christians because their parents or grandparents believed in God after hearing John Sung.

In 1978, Billy Graham preached in Singapore, and people crowded into the 55,000-seat National Stadium each night to hear the message. More than 19,600 people - many of whom are leaders and pastors today - surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. It was Billy Graham who called out Singapore's destiny - saying God wants our little nation to be the 'Antioch of Asia' ... a hub or stepping stone for the rest of the world into Asia. I think our strategic location in the middle of key trade and air routes is no coincidence!

I was almost in tears when I considered our illustrious Christian heritage. What are we after all? A citystate with no natural resources and no hinterland, and just over 4 million people. It is a miracle that we survived independence, let alone be transformed from a third-world country to a first-world nation in one generation. For that, we have to thank God and the leaders He gave us. Indeed, in Singapore, we have been blessed beyond all measure - both materially and spiritually. And now, we have this amazing calling as 'Antioch of Asia' - to send out missionaries, to bless the Asia people materially, to be a place of refreshing and refuelling for the church workers in our neighbouring lands.

As I was reminded of the torchbearers - the men and women God sent our way to point the way to Christ - I thank God for their obedience. Truly God, you have done this. May we do the same for those who do not yet know Him.

Postscript: In 2017, Lou Engle released a prophetic word over Singapore. 2018 marks the 40th year of Billy Graham's word to Singapore that we are an Antioch to Asia. 40 years is a significant timeframe in the Bible, as it denotes a generation. Would we come into fulfillment of our calling and would we care enough to contend for it, or would we be satisfied with where Singapore is now? Would we pay the price for our nation to come into its fullness of all God has for us? To read what he said, click here. 

God's assignments for us

"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" I asked. "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. "What shall I do, Lord?" I asked.
"Get up," the Lord said, "and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do." (Acts 22:6-10)

Jesus had assignments for Paul. Likewise, I believe God has assignments for us all. Recently at YWAM, we have been learning about calling and destiny. What is our calling? What is our destiny?

Some lessons: God is liberal with our destiny. And He has big dreams for us. He called Gideon a mighty man of valour, before Gideon ever achieved anything for God.

Was at a bookshop recently, and noticed that there are plenty of self-help books and books on self-esteem. Self-esteem and self-confidence are wonderful, I thought. Especially the right esteem about ourselves in God's eyes.

Until I read this in the notes a friend shared with us this evening, and it makes so much sense: "Self-esteem is focused on self. Christ-esteem is recognising I’m filthy, sinful and have no good apart from God – I look to Christ – Jesus alive in me. I don’t have to struggle because my self is dead. And I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

"You can be everything you want to be – that’s the world view. But what does Jesus want me to be? That's the kingdom view."

"Don’t discourage children and their big dreams, but refocus it to how they can align their dreams with God."

Prayer today: Father God, I want big dreams. But I want them to be aligned with your big dreams. My vision, no better how big, is still much smaller than yours; because you are a Big God, and you are liberal when it comes to destinies. Help me to live the fullest life that you intended me to live when you conceived me in your mind. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The heavens are telling of the glory of the Lord!

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crowned him with glory and honor (Psalms 8:3-4)

Recently, I saw a Louis Giglio video on the stars that God created. Before this, I thought stars were little twinkling things in the sky (a misnomer probably caused by the nursery rhyme one learnt at kindergarten). When I realised that some of the stars in our universe are way way bigger than Earth, it took my breath away. It really caused my mind to be quite blown away. And this is just fingerwork for God!!!!

What a Great God we serve!

Christian the Lion

Saw the book on Christian the Lion at the bookshop today, and remembered what a wonderful story it is. This is a true story... and the following is an account from Wikipedia: "Christian was a lion originally purchased by Australians John Rendall and Anthony "Ace" Bourke from Harrods department store of London in 1969 and ultimately reintroduced to the wild by conservationist George Adamson. One year after George Adamson released Christian to the wild, his former owners decided to go looking for him in Africa to see whether Christian would remember them. Surprisingly, he did and with him were other lions in the pride who were also friendly."



This is so immensely touching. Impossible? On this earth, it's very likely a one in a million ... but I am looking forward to when Christ establishes His kingdom, and when even the predatory animals become peaceable :) Just like Christian the Lion.

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6)

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 65:25)