School of Spiritual Deepening (YWAM Seamill)

In October, I went to YWAM Seamill. It was a dream come through. Had always been drawn to revival and the YWAM school, with its emphasis on the Father's Heart, hearing the voice of God, the fear of the Lord, and missions. But the 5-month Discipleship Training School has always been too much of a commitment and time off from work. Then, there is the question of which YWAM school to go to. With so many to choose from in the different nations, my heart has inclined for some reason to either Scotland (land of the warriors), or Herrnhut (land of the Moravians, and 24/7 prayer). But Scotland seemed more intimate, more homely. So when the Lord opened the door for me to go recently, to attend the two-week School of Spiritual Deepening, I was so excited! Nervous and excited, because when it's been a lifelong dream, there is so much expectation wrapped in it. Would it be as what I thought it was? Or would it be a letdown?

Having completed the school, I must say that it was such a tremendous blessing! I loved every bit of it -

1. The YWAM Seamill community. Am sure the community changes all the time, with people coming and going, but there is such a wonderful warm air about the place. There is a commitment to seeking the Father's heart, whether through Monday base worship, or praying for the nations (every Thursday). Interestingly, in my time there, there was quite a number of Americans, Germans, etc. Not many Scots!

2. The old building that is the base. This stately house is massive -- and can apparently sleep 100 people at a time. It was built more than a century ago, and was a convalescence home for miners, being so close to the Firth of Clyde and sea-air. The doors are heavy in this place! I loved the space, and the common rooms like the lounge and our classroom. There is a library here stocked with hundreds of Christian books, which is so precious!

3. The surroundings and the neighbourhood. Just 5 minutes across the road is the Firth of Clyde -- my goodness, this seascape is raw, natural, vast beauty. As I walked one day down the seashore, with my eye looking as far as could be, the verse that came to mind was "How precious to me are your thoughts, Lord. How vast is the sum of them. Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand." (Psalm 139) The vastness of the Firth of Clyde evokes that emotion! And then, on the backside of the school, just 2 minutes away, is such a picturesque glen. Because I was there in autumn, was treated to such beautiful autumnal colours walking through the glen to the village. It was just such a treat!

4. The School of Spiritual Deepening itself. Conducted by Shawna and Greg Hayes, the school was such a precious time for me, of being reminded about cultivating the inner life, so Christ is fully formed in us. We learnt so much over the 10 days about different disciplines to cultivate in our lives, whether it is eating the word through a time of corporate bible reading, praying the Psalms, coming to the Lord in courtroom prayer, or teaching. There was a time of one-on-one with Shawna, to process our time here at the school; and times of creative processing at the beach or just outdoors. And we got to participate in base rhythms, spending time with the DTS folk over mealtimes, fellowshipping with one another, doing practical helps like simple chores. I also really enjoyed the weekends, which was our free time; spending a Saturday in a small town with a fellow classmate and Sunday at the Lighthouse Church in Troon. And I loved my classmates!! It was a small school, and there were just 5 of us, but each has such an amazing testimony of how the Lord has worked in their lives; and have such treasure within. The oldest was 73, the youngest is in her 20s. I was the only one from Asia! The diversity was beautiful!

All in, was so glad to have taken the plunge. Now, to make sure to continue to work out my faith in fear and trembling, and to order my life with some of these spiritual rhythms incorporated into part of the daily routine :)

The call of God

"God calls me. In a deeper sense than any other species of earthbound creature, I am called. And in a deeper sense I am free, for I can ignore the call. I can turn a deaf ear. I can say that no call came. I can deny that God called or even that God exists. What an amazing grace -- that the One who made me allows me to deny His existence! God created me with the power to disobey, for the freedom to obey would be nothing at all without the corresponding freedom to disobey. I can answer no, or I can answer yes. My fulfillment as a human being depends on my answer, for it is a loving Lord who calls me through the world's fog to His island of peace. If I trust Him, I will obey Him gladly." (Elizabeth Elliot, Discipline: The Glad Surrender)

All of us are called.  First: to acknowledge that without Jesus, we are lost.  And to therefore receive His invitation to be Lord and Saviour of our lives. Second, to acknowledge that being saved, He has a purpose and destiny for our lives, if we would yield to His call on us.

How will you respond today? 

What is your core? Knowing how God wired you.

Cornerstone Community Church's Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong preached a sermon on "Find out what is your core" in 2017, and I was reminded of this sermon recently. It is a really important sermon on finding out how God has wired each and everyone of us, so we can lead a focused life. There are commands God gives to all of us -- to love God, to love our neighbour, to preach the gospel to every creature etc.  But there are also specific callings he gives to each of us to steward, and gifts that accompany that calling. In my 20s, I was in a bigger church which had many ministry opportunities in which to serve. Because I knew myself so little, I thought the ministry of hearing impaired and learning to sign was so cool -- joined that ministry, then realised I had no aptitude for learning the sign language. Thought the puppetry ministry was really cool -- joined it, but lacked the arm strength to keep my puppet up behind the curtain throughout the duration of the entire evangelistic skit. Helped put together a centennial book to commemorate the church's history - and saw that through using my secular training ... that was cool too, but didn't exactly set my heart ablaze.  So throughout a span of 10 years, I was perhaps in and out of 7 to 8 ministries, trying to find myself.

Finally, one day, I happened to read Jim Cymbala's "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire", an autobiography of how he was handed over the reins of pastoring the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. It was a terrible challenge, pastoring this church in the heart of a drug-infested neighbourhood. But God showed him that if he would build the church on prayer, God would do the rest. After I finished reading the book, it so inspired me, that I cold-called the prayer ministry leader and asked if I could join them in prayer. Now prayer was the last ministry I would have joined -- it was not how I thought God had wired me. But after a few weeks in that ministry, I knew that I had found my HOME. And 20 years on, it's still the place I know God has called me to.

That's why I'm so big on people knowing who they are in Christ, and where God has called them. If everyone in the body of Christ is in their placement, serving one another, it would be as God intended.

Ps Yang gives important clues to find out how God has wired each of us -- and I've spent time over the years praying to God about the answers to these questions. They include:

1. What are your life verses?
2. What are your life books?
3. What frustrates you?
4. What are your core competencies?
5. What is your secular training like?
6. What Bible character do you most resemble? (This is a question especially for Holy Spirit to reveal)

I've also thrown in for good measure as I think about these things: What are your life movies?  What is your heart country.

Recently, I spent two weeks in YWAM Scotland, and on the second day, discovered a library there to my joy and delight. There were perhaps a few hundred Christian books in the library and I thought to pick one out to read during my stay there. I ended up picking out "The Nations Called" by Pieter Bos, a book on the calling and destiny of nations.  Reading the book, there were many moments when I had to stop and pause, because it felt like I was drinking from a well.

On my second last day there, at a dinner, I sat next to an elderly missionary and we spent some time finding out about each other - our lives, our passion points etc. She asked about my passion points, and I told her that my heart was for the revival of nations, and for nations to come into their destiny. She then said, "Oh! Then you must read Pieter Bos' The Nations Called". I was so excited, because it was an affirmation of the book I had picked out!

As one gets older, God brings us to a place of convergence - where our training, our passion, our skills and gifts come together for us to serve Him and to advance the kingdom of God in a unique way. Take some time to pray about how God made you and go on and serve him as only you can do.

Government of Self

A prayer to pray:

Will you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.

Mind you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. It's not all down to you!

Emotions you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. I acknowledge that you are real but you may not always be based on truth. The best place for you to be is in submission to my spirit and being parented by myself. Come and take your rightful place.

Body you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.

Spirit I call you to attention. I command you to rise up and be in government over myself. Come and take your rightful place.

Solemn Assemblies (Day 6/40)

Friday. Stepped into church half an hour after the prayer meeting started, and it was FULL. I mouthed the word to the usher who was trying to find me a seat, "Full?" Incredible stuff. When the house of the Lord is packed to the gills not because a well-known speaker is preaching but because a solemn assembly has been called, would God not move?

Yet, tonight, the theme of prayer was a sombre one: abortion. Singapore has one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world, being just one of seven countries permitting elective abortion after 20 weeks (ours is 24 weeks; the other nations are US, Canada, China, Netherlands, North Korea, Vietnam). The issues are not easy: and our laws permit the abortion of a baby at 6 months to provide options to mothers of babies with deformity or abnormality.  Compassion. Love. Grace. Yet, God is also very clear in His word about the sanctity of all human life.  We prayed for mothers and fathers to have a change in heart, to love their own, to feel they have options. And also, for more to rise up to be willing to be a fosterer, to be willing to take care of children not their own.

In the scene in Lord of the Rings, Gandalf confronts a monstrous being that seeks to cross an old bridge with the words "YOU SHALL NOT PASS."

As watchmen over Singapore, will we likewise say to the spirit of abortion, that in our land, "you shall not pass."

Solemn Assemblies (Day 5/40)

This evening's meeting was focused on praying for the young people, the next generation. And oh wow, there was such a mighty presence of God in the room, a knocking on heaven's door, a cry to the Father to reprise the Holy Spirit revival that started from ACS in the 1970s. Do it again, Lord!! We prayed for the teachers in our land, who wield such an influence in young lives. The young prayed for the fathers and mothers in the land, who likewise prayed for the young people to surpass our generation. It was just such a wonderful time in the Lord. And the auditorium was full on a Thursday evening (a work day) with cries rising up to heaven, and impassioned pleas to the Lord. I think tonight, I caught a glimpse of what can happen when the saints in the land carry a burden in their hearts as one, and in one accord, knock on the doors of heaven. Send rain, send revival, Lord!!

Solemn Assemblies: Day 3/40

Day 3/40: A night of recognising the holiness of God, a night of consecration. Such a strong presence of the Lord in the house... also a reverence before a holy God. Praying O Lord that we will shed every weight and sin that entangles. And that with one heart, we will continue to stand with each other to pray for Singapore to be a dwelling place for the Lord. 37 more days to go of this 40-day solemn assemblies: come!

Solemn Assemblies (Day 2/40) - Prayer of repentance

Day 2/40, Cornerstone: Today we heard the report about FOPx that took place on the grounds of St Andrew's Cathedral yesterday. Despite the rain, some 2,000 young people came to pray and worship the Lord. In 1978, Billy Graham had apparently preached on those grounds too, and many of those who came to faith grew up to become pastors, preachers and missionaries. Awaken this generation again, Lord!

This evening's prayer focus was on repentance -- personal, corporate (church) and national.  We repented for walking away from our first love, and for our pride and unbelief. We prayed "God, change us!" Oh Lord, that after these 40 days, we would be a people that are changed, a people who love! That we would be like the Acts church! 

We prayed, "Don't leave us to ourselves, Lord".  Hem us in (Psalm 139) if necessary. Hem us in for our own sakes, that Singapore will enter into her destiny. 

"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on Earth. " (John Wesley) 

Solemn Assemblies - 40 days of prayer for Singapore (1 July - 8 August) (Day 1/40)

Day 1/40: Sunday, 1 July 2018, Cornerstone Community Church. Today marks the first day of the 40 days of prayer for Singapore. Every year, this is spearheaded by the Love Singapore movement, and there is a booklet on prayer pointers that is available for believers in the land to pray on their own, ahead of the Day of His Power, which is a gathering of the corporate body together. This year, though, because of a sense of the kairos time for Singapore - the 40th year of the prophetic word upon Singapore as the Antioch of Asia - different churches are helming corporate prayer meetings over the next 40 days.  There are 4 churches helming the prayer meetings this week -- but I am at my home church, Cornerstone.

Wow. I am so glad to have been there. There was such a spirit of prayer in the auditorium!! There was also quite a crowd so that was a wonderful encouragement to me -- that there are so many people who would come together to pray for the land of Singapore!! My heart was so moved. 

The prayers that I found notable this evening:

1. "Send the Spirit now for Jesus' sake".  We prayed the great Welsh prayer of revivalist Evan Roberts over our meeting. 

2. We prayed to secure Singapore's Antioch calling.  That we will be willing to send forth labourers from our midst to the harvest fields, to the ends of the earth. That parents would be willing to release their children to God's calling and destiny for them.  

3. That we would hear from the Holy Spirit as clearly as the church in Antioch did in Acts 13.  "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart from me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off." We prayed that at the end of the 40 days, or in the midst of the 40 days, that there will be such a clear word from the Holy Spirit of His heart for Singapore. 

4. 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." Oh Lord, that we will humble ourselves before you. 

5. Joel. Last night I felt led to revisit and study the book of Joel, and so many prayers from the pulpit today were from the book of Joel. Oh Lord, that we would weep between the porch and the altar (Joel 2:17), that our old men will dream dreams and our young men will see visions (Joel 2:28), and that the Lord would be merciful toward us and relent (Joel 2:14) 

6. We prayed for the young people, who tonight were at the St Andrews Cathedral Open field worshipping and praying to the Lord. May the Lord empower this younger generation to run faster than us, but may the two generations together do more than any one single generation can do alone. Amen. 

For the schedule of prayer and prayer pointers, click here.  Schedule is on the last few pages of the booklet.  

When ACS-RI boys come together to pray

Marking down 18 June 2018 as a night of prayer-worship by the ACS and RI boys.  It was held at Zion-Bishan BP, and wow!  What a privilege it was to witness this.

Throughout the meeting, I felt such a manifest presence of the Lord - the atmosphere was so pregnant - and it seemed as if the slightest flame would spark a fire in the place.  It was almost as if God was just so longing to meet with these young people.

Towards the end of the meeting, one of the praying moms shared that the R.I Times reported that in January 1965, the Raffles Christian Fellowship would meet every Friday at the Bethesda Gospel Hall at Bras Basah Road.  There were two sessions -- one from 1.15 - 2pm for those who attended morning school, and another, from 12.00 - 12.45pm for those in the afternoon session.  RI was only one of five schools involved in this Christian Fellowship, the others included Victoria School, ACS, Gan Eng Seng Secondary and St Andrews Secondary.

The notion was that God desires to see a unity among the schools, to worship and pray together, to support each other.

To see boys from two rival schools come together to pray for each other and for the nation of Singapore was such an incredible blessing!! What was even more wonderful to behold was when the "fathers" came. They prayed for and exhorted the boys to carry the baton forward. One of them was an ex ACS boy who was part of the ACS clocktower revival in 1972!! If there could be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the schools in 1972, why would He not repeat that in 2018?  The rally cry, "Do it again, Lord!"

"Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known, in wrath, remember mercy." (Habbakuk 3:2)

PS. Learnt that on 19 June, the Polys, ITEs and other private institutions are having a worship-prayer night at Kum Yan Methodist. And that there will be a worship night at ACS Barker on 29 June. Wow! If the young people keep contending for their generation, I know God will honour their seeking.

Singapore's Charismatic Renewal of the 1970s and its unlikely beginnings

In 2017, Lou Engle shared at Kingdom Invasion that 2018 would be a significant year for Singapore - the 40th year of Billy Graham's word to our nation, that we would be an Antioch to Asia. But he also shared that God is coming to weigh us on whether we have been true to the assignment He has given us. And Lou challenged us to contend for the calling and destiny of Singapore. The word weighed on my heart. And one of the questions I asked the Lord was, "Lord, what does revival look like?" I had read of the revivals around the world in times past -- the Welsh Revival, Pyongyang Revival, Argentinian Revival, Azuza Street Revival, Hebrides Revival etc. So I suppose my question was about revival in my own nation, Singapore. I wanted to know because I wanted to know what would be the price worth paying for revival.

Then I fell upon the book "Unfolding His story: The Story of the Charismatic Movement in Singapore" by Georgie and Galven Lee, a father and son team. 

The book chronicles how God moved upon the believers in Singapore in the 1970s with a Holy Spirit outpouring. I am so grateful for this book because, to me, it is a story of God's faithfulness through the generations. In this particular case, it filled a missing piece for me on how many in an earlier generation met the Lord.  So there was a great move of God in the 1930s when John Sung preached to the Chinese church here, and another in the 1970s! To me, the authors are faithful to God's exhortation "One generation commends your works to another. They tell of your mighty acts." (Psalm 145:4) 

Here are some of my takeways from their account:

1. The story of Singapore's 1970s charismatic renewal is remarkable because it started in the most unlikely of places -- in the schools. In particular, ACS would be the epicentre of the Holy Spirit's move, and then, the fire of revival would quickly spread to other schools like Dunearn Technical Secondary School, Tanjong Katong Girls' School, Anderson Secondary School, Raffles Girls' School, St Andrews' School etc. 

2. Even before the ACS boys received the gift of tongues, they were fervent in prayer and evangelism.  According to the book, "These schoolboys gathered often in school to pray for 'Revival, holiness and world missions'. They understood the importance of an authentic Christianity, to be lived out in the day to day context of their school campus. Thus, as Malcolm Tan recounts, the schoolboys were particularly ardent in regularly evangelising their ACS schoolmates. 

'After being saved, witnessing became part of our practice. And we also brought friends to the clock tower to share with them salvation. I remember we would sit under the tree, share salvation from our little pocket New Testament. The guy says he wants to accept Christ, okay, we drag him to the clock tower, he prays the Sinners' Prayer there.'

Malcolm Tan was only 14 years old then. In June, during the school holidays, he would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit while at home. Fully convinced this was what his schoolmates needed, he ensured the entire ACS Christian Fellowship, of which he was Follow-up Chairman, heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit from him when the new school term started'." 

3. At Dunearn Boys, on 15 July, one of the schoolboys Philip Lee, received the gift of the Holy Spirit. He prayed for a friend to receive the gift as well - and this soon spread - with these schoolboys praying behind the school's science laboratory in tongues at all times of the day. 

4. The ACS boys would seek guidance and mentorship from a Reverend David Hugh Baker, an Assembly of God pastor and missionary. I like how he described their enthusiasm.  

"All these young men from ACS were full of questions. I have never been asked so many questions in my life. I had to find the answers that I had never answered before. I was in constant contact with heaven to find out what I should tell these people." 

5. What transpired in the schools was roundly criticised by the media who thought the boys had gone into hysterics.  It also disturbed the mainline church leaders. By the end of 1972, the number of students who embraced the baptism of the Holy Spirit numbered some 200. From this epicentre, however, would come a huge tidal wave that would spread to the mainstream churches in Singapore and make deep, lasting impact. (to be continued). 

The manifest presence of God

The presence (of God) and the manifestation of the Presence are not the same. There can be the one without the other. God is here when we are wholly unaware of it. He is manifest only when and as we are aware of His Presence. On our part, there must be surrender to the Spirit of God, for His work is to show us the Father and the Son. If we co-operate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us, and that manifestation will be the difference between a nominal Christian life and a life radiant with the light of His face -- A.W Tozer

When we are enjoying the conscious presence of God, we are fulfilling the tenets of our salvation. -- A.W Tozer

The Christian life is to live all your life in the presence of God. -- R.C Sproul

The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way. -- Brother Lawrence

If you find a reluctance to go into the presence of God, there may be unconfessed, unrepented sin in your life. Part of your quiet time is to get your heart clean and pure. Each of us needs to take ourselves by the nape of our necks and confess and repent before we come into God's holy presence to fellowship. -- Adrian Rogers

Singapore's little piece towards the Trump-Kim Summit

As Trump and Kim meet in Singapore on 12 June 2018, Singapore is also thrust in the spotlight as the host of this historic meeting. Much is in the balance. Will the talks have a good outcome? Will it result in the end of the 70-year Korea War? Will it result in the end of North Korea's rogue nation status, the end of international sanctions, the end of an economic and spiritual drought? The world is watching, and the believers are praying ...



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-trump-and-kim-end-korean-war-summit-singapore/

Some in Singapore question the wisdom of hosting the meetings. The objections stem from the fact that it is not our business (Blogger's note: not true. International peace is our business), the logistical cost to Singapore of SGD 20 million (Blogger's note: we can be gracious hosts for a once-in-a-lifetime event), the security risk to Singapore etc.

What is more pertinent to me is: let's not forget Singapore's destiny and purpose. Just as God conceives in His mind the destiny for each and everyone of us (Psalm 139: All the days about me were written in your book before one of them came to be), He has conceived in His mind the destiny of each and every nation.

Singapore may be small, but He has always given us amazing global connections from the time of our founding. It's almost as if we have a destiny to contribute our piece to world affairs or evangelism. How else can we account for the following ... that in our annals of our history, we can find the imprint of great men like William Wilberforce (slave abolitionist), Robert Morrison (translator of the Bible into Mandarin), Paul Revere (of the famous Boston Freedom Trail), Alfred Einstein, Sun Yat Sen etc. They intersected with Singapore in some way; not necessarily big ways, but the fact that they have some connection to Singapore (a little red dot) is itself extraordinary!

1. William Wilberforce. This great slave abolitionist was named to the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Institution, the school Stamford Raffles wanted to establish for local students. The foundation stone for the school (the precursor of Raffles Institution) was laid in 1823.

2. Robert Morrison. This missionary was sent by the London Missionary Society to China. Prevented from proselytising, he took it upon himself to translate the Bible into Mandarin instead. His was not the first Chinese translation but would be the most used. He, too, was on the Board of Trustees of the Singapore Institution.

3. Paul Revere. This Boston silversmith is made famous by a courageous deed he did warning the colonial militia about the British before the wars of Lexington and Concord. Unfamiliar to Singaporeans, his is arguably the most famous name in Boston, USA. His courageous act is immortalised in Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride". The wonder is that he too is connected to Singapore in some way. His daughter Maria Revere married Joseph Balestier, the first American Counsel to Singapore, and whom Balestier Road is named after! It is also the reason why there is a Revere bell in the National Museum, the only such bell outside the US.

4. Albert Einstein. The famous Nobel Prize winner in Physics was in Singapore on stopover in 1922 to raise funds for the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. While here, he met the Jewish community including the 14-year old David Marshall. I wonder if even then, Singapore had the gift of wealth and giving.

5. Sun Yat Sen. The Father of the Republic of China made Singapore the Southeast Asia base of his revolutionary activities. The contributions of the Singapore Chinese -- men like Teo Eng Hock, Lim Nee Soon, Tan Chor Nam, Lim Boon Keng etc, towards the cause of the revolution cannot be underestimated. When he passed away in 1925, the amount raised by the Chinese Singaporeans for his funeral was the largest of any overseas Chinese community.

Other examples abound. Like how 70 years ago, Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were brought to Singapore (one of several places) after his assassination on request of the Indian community leaders here, and later scattered in the sea near Clifford Pier.  Or how Justin Trudeau, PM of Canada, is a descendent of William Farquhar, first Resident of the colonial Singapore.

Though small, Singapore has a deep and rich heritage, a heritage that is interlinked and interwoven with the nations of the earth.  It has been the case from the time of our founding.  We have been blessed by the nations and in turn, let's been a blessing to the nations of the earth. Let us be pleased and honoured to offer our little piece towards the historic 2018 Trump-Kim Summit too.

Historic 12 June 2018 Trump-Kim Summit in Singapore

12 June 2008: US President Donald Trump is to meet North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in a historic summit in Singapore. It's two more days to go, and the world is holding its breath. Will this lead to a historic peace accord and enable the walls built around North Korea to come down?  The world is praying. Singapore is praying (and we need to continue to pray!) because this Summit is here in our land.

May the Lord watch over the proceedings, and may He get His inheritance among the nations.

Which leads me to my second point: which is that I believe the Lord never forgets the blood of martyrs. In 1866, the Welsh missionary Robert Jermain Thomas was martyred bringing the Gospel to North Korea. Between 1904 and 1907, the great Pyongyang Revival swept many into the Kingdom of God. The current leader Kim Jong Un's great grandparents were Christians. Pyongyang was called the Jerusalem of the East. But in the last three generations, God has been completely removed, and Christians killed or persecuted. This is not the destiny of North Korea - she belongs to the Lord. Let us contend for this too.

What a Beautiful Name (Hillsong Worship)

You were the Word at the beginning
One With God the Lord Most High
Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You our Christ

What a beautiful Name it is
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a beautiful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

You didn't want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now

What a wonderful Name it is
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King

What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus

Death could not hold you, the veil tore before you
You silenced the boast, of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring, the praise of your glory
For you are raised to life again

You have no rival, you have no equal
Now and forever, God you reign
Yours is the kingdom, yours is the glory
Yours is the name above all names

Praying for Singapore 2018 schedule

2018 has been designated Year of Prayer, as we enter into a time of contending for the Lord's purposes for our nation. "Consecrate a fast: call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord." (Joel 1:14)

Here is a summary of what has been planned:
1. 40-day prayer (July 1 - August 7).  Over a span of six weeks, 24 churches will helm a time of prayer nightly -- so as to cover the North, East, West and Central areas of Singapore. Here is the schedule of where to go to join fellow believers in prayer during this time. "

2. Day of His Power (8 August) - Singapore Indoor Stadium
3. Walk of Love (9 August)
4. National Prayer Convocation (7 Oct - National Stadium, 4 -7pm)

And of course, there are still the weekly prayer meetings going on which one can participate in.  These include the daily 6.30 - 8.30am prayer meetings at Kum Yan Methodist Church (including public holidays) and city@prayer every Friday 12.30pm - 1.30pm at St Andrew's Cathedral.

If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Billy Graham National Stadium crusade, Singapore (1978)

For those of us too young to remember, the Billy Graham crusade took place at the National Stadium for five nights, from 6 - 10 December, 1978. It united 237 churches, drew 337,000 attendees, and recorded 12,000 conversions. It was at these meetings that Billy Graham prophesised over Singapore our destiny to be the Antioch of Asia.



2018 marks the 40th year of this prophetic word (In the Bible, 40 years, 70 years or 100 years all signify a generation).

It marks a transition year: what the Lord is saying, and what He will do, I know not yet. But there is a significance to the times and seasons we are in; would those of us who love Singapore press in to hear the Father's heart for our land?

An earlier generation paid the price to bring the gospel to Singapore and Asia.  Only let us keep the fire burning in our generation, too.

"One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts" (Psalm 145:4)

Hear us from heaven (New Life Church)

One of my life verses is 2 Chronicles 7:14.
"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 will forgive their sins and heal their land."

This song is literally written out of that scripture verse.  Love it so much because as it is so much a cry to the Lord to heal our land.

2018 is a pivotal year for Singapore; it is 40 years (a generation) from Billy Graham's word to us that we are an Antioch to Asia. But from prophetic words released to us, our destiny is not secured, because this is also the year of the prophetic review, when God weighs us as a people to see if we have responded to the call.

This must be a year when the church is sober-minded, and in intercession for Singapore. If we will respond rightly, God must do as He promised according to 2 Chronicles 7:14, because He is a God who cannot lie. But do we have the love and passion for Singapore to contend for our nation in this hour?