Articles (Page 99)

By Not Known There is much to appreciate on the 40th anniversary of Singapore’s independence. Singapore has set a stunning example of nation building from a small resource base and in often challenging circumstances. Let’s be grateful for such things as : social stability; security; good government; hightly functional public infrastructure; economic…

By Not Known How would you define ‘sin‘? Many of us would define sin in terms of outward acts such as theft, physical violence or sexual relationships outside of marriage. Or perhaps some of us go deeper and refer to the inward attitudes of greed, hatred, lust and such like that lay behind the outwards acts. The Bible certainly labels these outward acts and…

By Not Known The Bible talks about sheep and shepherds quite often. God is described as the shepherd of his people (eg. Ps 23:1; Is 40:11). This title is specifically applied to Jesus in the New Testament (eg. Jn 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4 ). The idea of God being a shepherd speaks of his personal and complete provision for his people. It is a most attractive…

By Not Known The Temple precincts at Jerusalem were brightly lighted up by four great candelabra to celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacles. It was against this backdrop that Jesus proclaimed: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8: 12) Earlier in John 7: 37-38, Jesus had barely…

By Not Known If you have an opportunity to travel to Israel, you would not miss the sight of the orthodox Jews at the Western (Wailing) Wall. Their constant rocking motion, the incessant chanting of the Talmud (Law) or from the book of Lamentations, their donning of the prayer shawls over their heads, the leather bands around their arms, the small wooden boxes on their…

By Not Known Lamentations 5 is a plea to God – Who has brought grief and judgement to His people, but will also restore them to Himself when their sufferings have led them to cast themselves under His mercy (vv 21- 22). It reiterates the hope that God will again be gracious to His people, now purified in the furnace of affliction. Very often our first response when…

By Not Known A sense of hope is important to our inner well-being. On the one hand, good memories and present joys lose their pleasure if we have a sense that they will soon end and not be repeated. On the other hand, we can endure present unpleasantness and difficulty if we have a sense that things will be better tomorrow. Hope lifts our spirits and motivates us. The…

By Not Known Our morning congregation is working through the Old Testament book of Lamentations this month. The book is well named, for it is a series of poetic laments for Jerusalem after its sacking by the Babylonians army in 587BC. The details are gruesome and the poetry is heart-wrenching.…

By Not Known Despair is a common human condition. Sometimes we feel miserable for no apparent reason. At other times we are troubled by internal or external problems. Whatever the cause, dispare can rob us of joy, sap our energy and leave us even less able to cope with life’s problems. left untreated, despair can damaged the depths of our being. People of faith can…