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
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Sunday, June 10, 2018
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.
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.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
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.
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.
Saturday, May 5, 2018
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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. "
3. Walk of Love (9 August)
4. National Prayer Convocation (7 Oct - National Stadium, 4 -7pm)
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)
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)
Sunday, March 18, 2018
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?
"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?
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