Church News (Page 66)

By Not Known When I completed the last paper of my PSLE, I thought I was getting nearer to be a fighter pilot as I always wanted to.  I loved to fly even though I had no idea at that time where the airport was even situated.  I had only seen planes on TVs and movies.  After two years, that ambition gave way to being a professional athlete when I took up…

By Not Known I remember a TV documentary some time back when a male German Shepherd came running to its owner after wandering off to the field. It would run toward him and then off again and then back several times until its owner realised that it was trying to get him to follow in its direction.  He did, and found another dog with its leg severely wounded by a…

By Not Known In 1856, God worked through some Scottish expatriates as they founded this church. Since then, we could see how God has been with us. With every generation carrying and building on from the last, from a small congregation of a few, we now have many. From what little resources the early generation had, we now have plenty.  Indeed, let us give thanks to…

By Not Known What is the difference between fervent petitioning and faithless nagging on God? Jesus describes the latter, in the case of the Pharisees, as an endless babbling and an empty showmanship (Matt 6:7). While many of us would also frown upon that, it is worth examining our own intercessory life. Why do parents nag their teenagers? Why does a wife nag her husband?…

By Not Known Many possibilities associate themselves with the exclamation – “Thank God!” From simply a self-congratulatory relief to a heartfelt gratitude to God, this phrase has by and large lost what its words literally mean – Thank You, God! “We always thank God… when we pray for you…” (Col 1:3).  The faith of the…

By Not Known Having been told that his wife will take legal action against his stubborn stance, an unrepentant husband who had strayed said, “Up to you lah… Take legal action lah. Sell it (the flat). Do whatever you like.”  This is an example of a person who has allowed his sin to go spiraling down further.  Instead of acknowledging his…

By Not Known For the Jews, the temple was everything.  It still is.  It is for them the symbol of God’s presence in their midst.  When the woman of Samaria said to Jesus (John 4:21-23) that she perceived that he was a prophet, she was referring to the destroyed temple at Mount Gerizim just about a hundred years before.  This Samaritan temple was…

By Not Known On 27 September, a good number of churches in our region will be commemorating the 110th anniversary of the birth of the Rev Dr John Sung Shang Chieh (宋尚节 1901-1944).  Regarded by some to be the greatest preacher of the 20th century, Dr Sung’s short earthly ministry of 15 years brought about revivals in churches stretching all the way from…

By Not Known 1 Timothy 2 is a difficult chapter because it raises numerous issues that rouse gender sensitivity. When read plainly, Paul seems to prohibit women from teaching and having authority over men in the church (v12). But before the battle line is drawn for or against Paul’s instructions, let’s keep in view the central focus of the chapter:…

By Not Known The first thing I learnt about prayer many years ago was that God does not depend on me to pray.  Yet he wants me to keep the lines of communication with him open faithfully and consistently.  I used to think that prayers are what I bring to God and depend solely on my initiative.  Prayer is not my initiative.  It is God’s. …