I Knew God Through Sunday Lunch

THE MAGAZINE OF FAITH METHODIST CHURCH | MICA (P) 154/11/2011 | Sept 2012

The Fruit

of theSPIRIT

No More Pretty Mask!

华语主日崇拜两岁了!

劫后逢主恩

400 Commonwealth Drive Singapore 149604Tel: 6475 9433 Fax: 6475 3339 Email: mail@faithmc.sg Website: www.faithmc.sg

Faithlink is published quarterly by Faith Methodist Church, Singapore, for internal circulation within the congregation of Faith and their friends. Views expressed in Faithlink are of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Church and the Editorial Board.

Noelle Tang Shuk YeeChief Editor

I blame the 40 days Journey into the New Testament.

Before this, I happily thought that I am doing just fine – I do daily Bible reading, I pray, I attend my small group weekly (and love it!), I care for people, I am joyful, I am aware of my weaknesses and work hard to be a better Christian, I serve the Lord in the church…AND, I read through the New Testament in 40 days! Hey, I am doing just fine.

God started gently prodding and showing me specific areas and mindsets that I needed to change during the 40 days. That is alright – as a good Christian, I should obey Him and be teachable. Doing good things is a good thing! I am doing just fine.

Post-Journey in May, the first monthly memory verse was the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. I remember doing a mental assessment of myself using the list of virtues. I concluded that, while I am not there yet, I am doing just fine. Then, my small group started doing a study which dealt with, again, the fruit of the Spirit, as well as other godly virtues. I wish God would be gentler, but He revealed that some of the virtues I thought I had were actually ‘perversions’, or in short, counterfeits. Ouch. And what is worse, this time, I am not given a clear action list to do. If I am serious about growing, I need to be with the Lord and let Him do the work, which is a lot harder for the activity-driven sorts like me.

The fruit of the Spirit is the theme for this issue, perhaps a timely one in our collective goal to “present everyone mature in Christ”. The condition of the nine-fold fruit in each of us is a barometer

FINEPRINTThe

of our spiritual maturity. The fruit of the Spirit is the Father’s desire for forming godliness in His children, because it reflects the very character of His Son Jesus Christ. Since it is of the Spirit, we cannot manufacture the virtues through self-effort. We have to cooperate with God’s grace, remain in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate them in us. This issue, Faithlink takes us through each virtue and how we can cooperate with God to cultivate them.

Also, be sure to read the varied life stories of people in Nuggets of Thanksgiving that are bound to strike a chord. Whether they have been betrayed, beaten, defeated, confused or afflicted, each has found that God is all-sufficient for them; each has grown in the fruit of the Spirit in some way. And finally, our Chinese column has a line-up of seven life stories – do pass copies of Faithlink to your Mandarin-speaking friends and bless them!

As you read and mentally assess yourself, are you also thinking that “I’m doing just fine”? I’ve learnt that when that happens, God is going to rock the boat or raise the bar so that we will not be complacent. It is going to be hard work – I am still struggling with it – but I look forward to becoming more ‘fruitful’ in all aspects of faith, virtue and works. I hope you do too.

Pastor’s Heart

400 Commonwealth Drive Singapore 149604Tel: 6475 9433 Fax: 6475 3339 Email: mail@faithmc.sg Website: www.faithmc.sg

One of the things we do when we wake up is to look at the mirror. Do you like what you see? Sometimes I do not, and I am not referring to my unkempt hair, my blurry eyes, or my dishevelled look. I am referring to the person I am and am becoming. I have been a Christian for more than three decades and yet too often I find a gap between who I long to be and who I am. And I suspect that I am not alone in this.

Reflecting on this, I can think of at least three reasons for this disconnect in our beliefs and our transformation:

The GapClosing

One, we have reduced the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the minimum entrance requirement to get into heaven. We have neglected the commission from Jesus that we are to make disciples, not merely ticket holders to heaven. We betray ourselves that this is what we really believe by how we measure the growth and strength of a church. We will count the number of persons who prayed to receive Christ or the number of baptisms the church had in the year, both of which are very good and helpful statistics. Unfortunately, we stop there. We do not count the number of people who have grown in Christ-likeness. Do you know of churches who ask the question, “How many people have become more loving, more joyful, more peaceable, more patient, increasing in goodness and faithfulness, kinder and gentler, and demonstrate greater self-control?”

Two, if we take disciple-making seriously, too often our approach to discipleship addresses the outer person but leaves the inner person largely untouched. The activities many Christians engage in are good but they do not address the deep inner issues of a person’s life. Hence, we may be very active in church, involved in demanding Bible studies, serve in different events, participate in a small group, and even be a leader or pastor in a church, yet we remain largely unchanged within since becoming a Christian. We either do not know how or do not want to do the hard work of engaging in practices that changes us from the inside out. The truth of the matter may be that we do not want God to speak to us about the darkness in our soul. We are afraid that when God sees our darkness, He will stop loving us and/or we have to give up more control of our lives. The irony is that God already sees our darkness and is waiting to set us free from the inner compulsions that drive our lives.

In the history of Christendom, the means by which we deal with the inner person are called the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. Though each one of us will have a spiritual pathway that best reflects how God has wired us, I believe that there are five indispensable disciplines if we want to be the person God wants us to be, to be transformed in the inner core of our being. These disciplines are lectio divina (spiritual reading), silence, solitude, Sabbath, and examen. For this short note, I will not elaborate on each of

these disciplines. A good introduction to these disciplines is found in Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline. I have found this book helpful in getting me started in the practice of these disciplines.

Three, we have largely consigned the teachings of Jesus to church life. And if we do recognise the unbiblical nature of the secular and spiritual divide, we confine His teaching to character and relational matters. But surely, if we declare that Jesus is in charge of ALL of life, then He must also impinge on ALL aspects of our lives. Many of us will have no hesitancy in applying biblical principles to how we run our families. But how many of us actually allow biblical principles to impact how and what we do at work? Do we ever asked the Lord to show us whether the way work is done in our office is how Jesus would like it to be done? Or have we adopted the practice of the culture and norms of the industry?

As an example, James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask of God. In the course of my work, am I consciously aware of God’s presence and seeking His wisdom in all I do? Or do I only tap on the God-line when I am stuck? Chances are that many of us rely on our training, our experience, and our intellect to try to figure things out. Training, experience and intellect are gifts of God to be used but is there the “asking for wisdom from God” part in our work? When I was an engineer, asking God about an engineering problem seemed irrelevant since the Bible does not say much about engineering problems. But if God is the one who created all things, surely He knows a little more about engineering than I do! And this is true for all fields of our work.

This challenge is certainly felt in the church as well. Many times when a team of us is faced with a difficult situation, we would go into a meeting concerning the matter, engage in discussion and sprinkle prayer on the decision. And it may be a good decision (thanks be to God), but I sometimes wondered whether it was a God-decision. I wonder whether I could have done better in getting us to engage in prayer and searching the Scriptures to know the mind of Christ on the matter before we engage the mind God has given us to address the issue at hand.

If I say that Jesus is in charge of my whole life, then everything I am about and do must reflect who He is and His approach to life. When I take that seriously, it changes how and what I do at work. It moves me forward from who I am now to who I long to be in Christ.

A Christian who is not growing and closing the gap is an oxymoron. A Christian is one who has the Spirit of Christ living in him and where the Spirit is, there will be growth. If we are not growing, perhaps Jesus is not really our Saviour and Lord! If so, it is not too late! We can each begin the journey to maturity in Christ right now.

Will you join me in this journey?

Rev Dr Kow Shih MingPastor-In-Charge

A Christian who is not growing and closing the gap is an oxymoron. A Christian is one who has the Spirit of Christ living in him and where the Spirit is, there will be growth.

the Fruitof theSpirit

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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23, NIV

PASTOR’S HEART01 Closing The Gap

EDITORIALThe Fineprint

FEATURES06 The Fruit of The Spirit 11 Love 14 Joy 17 Peace 20 Patience 23 Kindness 26 Goodness 31 Faithfulness 34 Gentleness 37 Self-control 40 Singing Our Faith 44 Wanna Grow The Fruit? Dig In!

HOME FRONT47 Fruity Talk! Getting to Know The Church Staff And Their “Fruits” 58 Twists And Turns: Up Close with Pastor Benjamin Lee 60 Saying Goodbye to Pastor Clarence Lee 62 The Mandarin Celebration Service Turns 2! 66 Counselling: What It Is And What It Is Not

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The Fruit of The Spirit

Editorial Team

Chief Editor: Tang Shuk Yee Noelle

Coordinator: Shawn Lam

Editor (Theology):Ng Moh Ying

Writers: Khoo Tse HorngAida MekonnenHarry TanMichael TanRichard SohAlan WongYap Tat Ming

Contributors: Cheong Ing Ing 张茵茵 Cui Hai Yan 崔海燕Phoebe ChewDavid ChongElaine ChongChong MingliChow Tat KeongPatrick ChuaRev Dr Kow Shih MingLily LeeNg Moh YingNg Soh LanPauline ShanVivian SiaGrace TanTimothy TanVicky TanWilliam TayMary ThamWee Lian Kuanh

Translator:Tammy Ang 翁丽丽Christine Cheah 谢佩珊Roy Lam 蓝福来Carol Leung 梁可泳Lim Chu Yeong 林子扬

Photography: Pee Lay HoonEugene KohThomas KohAlice NgJimmy PngGodiva Ysip

Twists And Turns: Up Close

with Pastor Benjamin Lee

His Faithfulness, My Faith

80

CROSSINg BOUNDARIES68 No Problem!

NUggETS OF THANkSgIvINg70 Discovering Self And God 73 No More Pretty Mask! 77 I Knew God Through Sunday Lunch 80 His Faithfulness, My Faith 84 Rescued! 86 I Went Through Cancer!

Mail BagHave you enjoyed reading Faithlink? If you have, encourage the Faithlink team by telling us! Similarly, we also welcome your feedback.

Do drop us a note at faithlink@faithmc.sg, fax: 6475 3339 or send to:

Faithlink Mail BagFaith Methodist Church400 Commonwealth DriveSingapore 149604

Please indicate your full name and contact number in the correspondence. Selected letters may be published in subsequent issues of Faithlink.

Have a story to tell?

Tip us off at faithlink@faithmc.sg or contact Noelle at 6471 9424!

We welcome contributions to Faithlink. To avoid duplications, please let us know before writing your article or story. Articles should be kept within 800 words. Submissions must include the writer’s profile, photo and all necessary accompanying pictures in high resolution format.

Faithlink is also available online at: www.faithmc.sg/faithlink

92我的人生有了依靠!

中文栏目90 华语主日崇拜两岁了 92 我的人生有了依靠! 94 告别李光汉牧师 95 祂的信实,我的信心! 98 发现神和自我的旅程 101 不再戴漂亮的面具! 104 我从星期天午餐认识神 108 劫后逢主恩 110 我经历了癌症!

1 LIFE 4:1112 Tomorrow Never Ends 114 Baking With Kids 116 Helping Hands 118 On The Big Screen 120 Who’s Reading What

When it comes to spiritual maturity, how are we to know that a person is mature? Knowing the Scriptures is a very good thing but there are many people who know the Scriptures and yet are spiritually immature; they are obnoxious, arrogant, hateful and self-centred. Being a person in prayer is highly prized but it is not a definitive descriptor of a spiritually mature person.

In the Scriptures, a mature person is a person who is Christ-like in thought, word and deed. One Scripture text that probably best presents these qualities of Christ-likeness is found in the Apostle Paul’s words in Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV):

The fruit of the Spirit is love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness

and self-control. Against such things

there is no law. Those who belong

to Christ Jesus have crucified the

sinful nature with its passions and

desires. Since we live by the Spirit,

let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Towards Maturity In Christ

Why does Paul use the phrase “the fruit of the Spirit”? In the preceding verses, Paul was describing the evil traits of the sinful nature, and then suddenly when he comes to this verse, he used the metaphor “fruit” to describe those who walk in the Spirit. Why doesn’t he use the word “traits” or “characteristics”?

Tim Keller, to whom I am much indebted to for this article, suggests that Paul used the word “fruit” because he is deliberately evoking a metaphor of botanical growth; something that the biblical writers often do. Even Jesus in what is commonly known as the “Parable of the Sower” used seed and the growth of a plant as a metaphor to describe spiritual growth in a person.

One reason for using botanical growth as a metaphor is that spiritual growth is gradual just like the growth of a plant. The thing about botanical growth is that you can never really see it happen right before your eyes. Many of us during the Lunar New Year season would have experienced our relatives telling us that we or our children have grown. And when we compare our children’s heights this year with last year, our relatives are right. But we do not actually see the growth happening right before our eyes. Growth is so gradual that we cannot see it.

There are seasons when growth comes very quickly. On the other hand, there are other seasons when growth seems non-existent. There are times when there is a growth spurt. At other times, the growth is almost imperceptible. So, growth is not only gradual, it is also seasonal. This is true of a child growing, true of a plant growing, and true of our spiritual growth.

We cannot see growth, but growth is something that can be measured or tested. You may not be able to see whether someone has grown in his understanding of a particular subject. He might be studying the subject for the longest time but the only way we can know whether he has grown intellectually is to measure or test his grasp of the subject.

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Spiritual growth is similar. You can never really tell that you have grown until you are tested, until trouble comes into your life. How you respond to the trouble or test reveals whether you have grown. That is why James wrote in James 1:2-4 (NIV): “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” When you are tested, you may realise that you are able to respond with greater patience and more self-control than before. You may not feel that you are more patient and you have more self-control, but when the test comes, it reveals your growth in these areas.

The implication of the gradualness of growth is that we need to be patient with ourselves, with others, and with God. Dramatic change in our lives may not occur. We may not see overnight transformation of our inner person. We need the reminder of Philippians 1:6 (NIV), “…that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”. It is God who began the work of spiritual transformation in you, and you who call Jesus your Lord can have the confidence to know that He is continuing the transformative work in your life, though you may not be able to see it.

In other words, spiritual transformation is inevitable in a Christ-follower. Spiritual growth is inevitable because it is the fruit of the Spirit. If the Spirit of God is in you, there will be changes in your life. You will become more loving. You will become more

joyful. You will have a growing peace in your soul. The Spirit of God living in a Christ-follower will bear fruit. If the Spirit of God is in your life, you will change. If you are not changing, then you need to reflect on the presence of the Spirit of God in your life. If there is a lack of love, a lack of joy, a lack of peace, a lack of patience, a lack of kindness, a lack of goodness, a lack of faithfulness, a lack of gentleness, and a lack of self-control in your life, you need to look deep into your life and see whether the Spirit of God is in you; for where the Spirit is, there will be the fruit of the Spirit, there will be spiritual growth.

The metaphor “fruit” also conveys the idea of organic growth in contrast to mechanical growth. Organic growth is internal whereas mechanical growth is external.

If you keep throwing bricks on a pile, the pile is growing. But it is not organic growth. The pile is growing simply in quantity. It is not becoming more complex. That is mechanical growth.

When a child grows, she is becoming more complex; physically, emotionally and mentally. When a fruit grows, it is changing in its form internally to be one that is able to bring forth more fruits. That is organic growth. Spiritual growth is similar in that it is about organic and internal growth.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, was someone who was very religious for many years before he was apprehended by the Holy Spirit. He did many good things. He was an ordained Anglican

The implication of the gradualness of growth is that we need to be patient with ourselves, with others, and with God. Dramatic change in our lives may not occur. We may not see overnight transformation of our inner person.

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pastor. He preached sermons. He ministered to people. He wrote books. He was a missionary to the native Indians in the Americas. But his soul was restless. His life was not bearing the fruit of peace that can withstand the storms of life; not until the Spirit of God got hold of his heart.

Paul gives us a picture of the contrast between mechanical growth and organic growth in the well-known passage in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul says that we may teach with tongues of angels, we may know all mysteries, we may give our bodies to be burned, and we may give our money away – this is a description of mechanical growth. Paul says that we can have all this mechanical growth, but we will still have nothing if we do not have the organic growth in love, in patience, and in kindness. Paul is saying that it is possible out of a desire to prove ourselves, out of a desire to feel superior to other people, or to earn the approval of God and others to get very active in the church and end up thinking that we are growing spiritually. But the evident lack of the fruit of the Spirit reveals the truth that we are not growing in Christ. True spiritual transformation always results in changes to the internal core of our being.

Understanding Maturity In Christ

Paul also does something very strange in describing “the fruit of the Spirit”. He uses the singular word “fruit” and then proceeds to give a list of the virtues of the Christian life. The subject is singular and the predicate is plural. As any good English teacher will remind you,

that is not good grammar. But Paul did this on purpose.

Remembering that the original Greek text has no punctuation marks, some scholars have suggested that the singular fruit refers to the first virtue, “love”. This is then followed by a colon. The rest of the virtues are then an expansion or explanation of the virtue “love”. The sentence will then read: Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV): The fruit of the Spirit is love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Another way of thinking about this verse is to see the list that Paul gave as communicating that all the virtues are one and that all the virtues go together. For example, let us consider the virtues of gentleness and faithfulness. Some people are just temperamentally and physiologically gentle. One can be so gentle he does not want to hurt anybody. So he hedges or avoids the truth. In other words, he is not really faithful. Real gentleness is always connected with faithfulness. The virtues are connected and interdependent.

Another example of how the virtues are connected and interdependent: Some people are very joyous but they cannot keep their friends. They have few friends because they are not faithful and patient. Joy that does not go along with being faithful and patience is mere extroversion. It is not real joy. Real joy has to go with patience and faithfulness. There is a connection between the virtues. The virtues are interdependent on one another.

SpiritThe

of TheFruit

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Love... the fruit of the Spirit is love...

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Love tops the list of the fruit of the Spirit because it is first in importance. In my view, it is the only one attribute that is absolutely needed and the key to all the other attributes. It has been termed by one writer as the “energy of spiritual gifts” because any gifts and virtues without love are useless.

What is “Love”?

The Greek word used in Galatians 5:22 is Agape. According to the Apostle Paul’s description of ‘Agape’ love in 1 Corinthians 13 (AMP), it is sacrificial, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited; it is not rude and does not act unbecomingly. Love does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes do not fade under any circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails.

Love summarises and epitomises the ultimate nature of God. It is a divine attribute – “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8, NASB) Love is the motivation behind

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

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redemption – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16, NIV). Love is revealed in the person and work of Christ – “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us…” (1 John 3:16a, NASB). Love is expressed by Christian love within the body of Christ – “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35, NIV).

God’s love originates in Himself, was manifested in His Son and is perfected in His people. God’s love is perfected in us when we reproduce it in or among ourselves, primarily in our relationships. This is why it is important that we belong to a small group and be in the fellowship of believers. Fellowship is a fundamental outlet for the manifestation and perfection of God’s love among and in God’s people.

Even as God is revealed by what He does, so will His children. His love makes this possible. 1 John 4:19 (KJV) says, “We love him because he first loved us.” Thus, our love for Him is a response to His love for us. Since God shows His love for us by drawing us to Him, it befits us to do acts of love toward others to draw them to Him.

God’s love for us in Christ enables us to be filled with God’s Spirit, who then generates the virtue of love in us as we relate to others. There are two dimensions in our experience – the love we share with God, expressed through Jesus Christ; and the love we share in the community, as a by-product of God’s love. God intends the love of Him and the love of others to be inseparable parts of the same experience. In 1 John 4:20 (NASB), John explains this: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”

Soh Lan is Parish Leader at Faith Methodist Church who oversees 30 small groups. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying out new recipes and brisk walking.

By Ng SOH LAN

Therefore, God’s love is perfected among us not through our perception of it or our experience of it, but through our expression of it. We show our love toward God by keeping His commandments. We show our love toward man by showing love toward our fellow brothers and sisters, and we demonstrate that best by helping them in their physical as well as spiritual needs.

Love is to characterise our Christian walk (Ephesians 5:1-2) and is to be the overriding motive for all that we do (1 Corinthians 16:14). Love is what prevents our Christian freedom from turning into selfishness (Galatians 5:13). It is to characterise our preaching and teaching of the truth (Ephesians 4:15). Love for others must go beyond loving those who love us. We demonstrate that we are truly children of God when out of love we do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who spitefully misuse us and we do not retaliate those who do evil to us but treat them as our Heavenly Father treated us (Luke 6:27-28).

God will keep His love flowing into us as long as it keeps flowing out from us. It must also flow back to God – a grateful, reciprocal, responsive love for God – and it must flow out in love and service to other people. The more you give it away, the more you will have. And the more you love others, the more you will be loved.

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... joy...

JoyJoy

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“God is the most joyful being in the whole Universe” ~ John Ortberg

This statement took me by surprise. God is the most joyful being? That was a rather strange and alien concept to me. I am more familiar with the idea of the ‘God of Love’, the ‘Righteous Judge’ or even the ‘Coming Conquering King’. But “joy” is not something I have often associated our God with.

In John Ortberg’s “The Life You Have Always Wanted”, he states that all Christians should be on the quest to find joy because God is the most joyful being in the whole Universe! It definitely got my attention. Ortberg reminds us of Jesus’ assurance in John 15:9-11 that when we abide in His love our joy will be complete and full. One chapter later, Jesus again urged his disciples to “Ask and [we] will receive, and our joy will be complete.” (John 16:24, NIV) And not forgetting that Jesus in his parables also said “come into the Master’s joy…”!

So, joy was indeed one of Jesus’s prerogatives. But how does that make Him the “most joyful being”? I am not convinced yet.

There is a children’s song that goes like this: “J-O-Y that is down in my heart, deep, deep down in my heart…” It was a song I learned eons ago. Can it be that joy is buried so deep, deep, down in my heart that it is finding trouble springing forth? Sure, I count myself more joyful than a lot of sullen folks, especially considering the life challenges and circumstances I have been through, but I would not say I am abundantly joyful. Not yet.

If knowing Jesus means knowing a God of Joy, I would liken my state to that expressed by Bono in U2’s early hit “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”:

I believe in the Kingdom come…

You broke the bondsAnd you loosed the chainsCarried the crossOf my shameOh my shameYou know I believe it

But I still haven’t found what I’m looking forBut I still haven’t found what I’m looking for...

Turning to one of my favourite authors, CS Lewis, I was surprised that he has plenty to say about God and joy! Lewis, in his book “Surprised By Joy”, argued that joy is the serious business of heaven, and suggested that the mundane life we are more familiar with has sapped us of the joy required to see God. The spontaneity, the abundance and the faith that is so evident in children are often sucked from our souls by the merciless and relentless demands of this world.

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Richard attends the 11am Service with wife Vivian and children Daniel and Michelle. He does his discipleship training with Family Connect 2 small group.

By RICHARD SOH

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This is all beginning to make sense to me finally! Our hurried lifestyle, our faithless ways and our pride has made us increase and Christ has decreased. It is no wonder then that joy is often so fleeting.

To understand God as a joyful being is therefore not too difficult. When we look at the diverse and intriguing nature around us, we see fingerprints of a joyful creator, for the Bible tells us that the heavens declare His glory, and the skies proclaim His handiworks (Psalm 19). How joyful are the sight of flowers swaying in the wind; birds soaring to the clouds above; the dancing lights of aurora; penguins gliding on their ridiculously round bellies and even the laughter, love and pleasure of friendships around us! When we abide in His love (John 15:9) as He commanded, we will begin to develop the fruit of joy and then we will indeed find something great, something infectious, something flowing out of our hearts.

G K Chesterton expressed a fascinating thought about God’s exuberance and creativity in his book Orthodoxy:

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”

Hence, I am taking up the Master’s invitation… “To do His work so that I can enter into the Master’s joy”! I may not be as joyful as I should be yet, but for a start, I will not be rocking to U2 anymore, but to a different tune; of one that has a flag flown high from the castle of my heart because the King is in residence there!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NIV)

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... peace...

Peace

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Lian Kuanh attends the 8am Service at Faith. He is married to Belinda and they have two lovely children, Liza and Daniel. Lian Kuanh loves the great outdoors – he is often contented with kite-flying or feeding fish with his kids at Botanic Gardens, and is super happy when he goes on a dive trip!

By WEE LIAN kUANH

The fruit of the Spirit is listed in the context of ‘living by the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:16), which is contrasted with the acts of ‘living by what our sinful nature desires’ (Galatians 5:19). Living by the Spirit means we are obeying the Holy Spirit’s prompting and leading and following the Holy Spirit’s guiding. How will this give rise to peace?

In John 14, after Jesus told his disciples about his impending betrayal, He comforted them with “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1, NIV). Later, after He told them about the Holy Spirit who will be with them forever and who will teach and remind them of all of Jesus’ teachings (verse 26), He said to them: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV)

When we listen to and obey the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of truth who lives in us – Jesus promises us His peace. This is the same peace that Jesus experiences in His oneness with God the Father. “…If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23, NIV) God, the Creator of all that exists, and Jesus Christ his Son, making their home with me! What could be more peaceful than being at one with God? No wonder Jesus said the words “I do not give to you as the world gives”. The ‘peace’ that the world gives – health, wealth, power, absence of problems – is counterfeit peace.

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As the song goes, ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus…and the things of earth will go strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace’. Turning our eyes upon Jesus implies a right relationship with the Lord. We get troubled and afraid often because we do not consider Jesus. As Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest” wrote, “When we confer with Jesus, the perplexity goes away”.

Chambers also suggests how we can be at peace with God: firstly, we must have complete reliance on God; secondly, we need to submit to the authority of the Holy Spirit; thirdly, we must be obedient to God; and lastly, we have to get rid of the things that come between us and God. The life of peace is a life “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Chambers calls such a life “the most secure thing, because it has the Almighty God in and behind it”.

If truth be told, the list above looks daunting. But we are promised divine power from the Holy Spirit as we “continue to work out [our] salvation…for it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13, NIV).

So what does this peace look like? How do we know we have this peace that surpasses all understanding? We may perhaps answer this question by describing

what peace is NOT, by identifying the acts of the sinful nature that are opposed to peace. So, peace is not “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy…” (Galatians 5:20b-21a)

This peace is founded on the nature and promises of God and on our personal relationship with Him. “…God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’. So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV).

Do you want this peace in your life too? Believe in Jesus Christ, that He has paid the penalty for our sins, so that we can be reconciled and be at peace with God. Believe God when He says “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you” (Hebrews 13:5-6, The Message). In whatever circumstance, turn your eyes upon Jesus!

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Do you want this peace in your life too? Believe in Jesus Christ, that He has paid the penalty for our sins, so that we can be reconciled and be at peace with God.

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... patience...

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1 George, Timothy. The New American Commentary: Galatians (MN: Broadman & Holman Publisher, 1994), 402.2 Fung, Ronald Y.K. The Epistle to the Galatians (MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), 267.

When we think of ‘patience’, we naturally think of ‘time’. In this age that promotes and rewards productivity and speed, patience is a rare commodity. When someone takes up too much of our time, we get impatient. When we are made to wait, we get upset. When we are told to queue up in line, we get frustrated. When the driver in front of us does not accelerate the moment the traffic light turns green, we get irritated. To satisfy our hurried spirits, we rely on faster technologies to do more in less time. But in doing so, we do not realise that we have become slaves to impatience.

Understanding Patience

In Galatians 5:22, the virtue of patience or longsuffering speaks of a mindset to consider everything in good part and not to be easily offended1. It also denotes an attitude to defer one’s anger when provoked and a refusal to retaliate for the wrong done2.

Patience has its roots in God’s character. To understand what patience looks like, we can begin by looking at God’s patience with us.

In the Old Testament, God’s patience is often understood as being “slow to anger” (for example, in Psalm 103:8, Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Joel 2:13). Just like He

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Tat Keong is Parish Leader at Faith, overseeing 27 small groups. He is married to Siew Chan and they have three grown-up children Jonas, Janice and Joanne. In his leisure time, he enjoys listening to music.

By CHOW TAT kEONg

faith. Jesus devoted thirty years of his life preparing for His ministry. God is patient. He certainly does not appear to be in any hurry.

Therefore, we can demonstrate patience by trusting in God’s timetable.

Secondly, be patient with one another’s weaknesses. One glaring failure within the Christian community is our impatience with another’s weaknesses. We are quick to see the “speck” in someone else’s eye but disregard the “beam” in our own eye (Luke 6:41). We would do good to follow the exhortation in James 5:8-9 to be patient and not to grumble against one another.

Thirdly, pray! Prayer demands time, attention, silence and waiting. When we are in a hurry, we cannot pray. So in those moments when you feel impatient, take time to pray, and ask the Lord to help you view and deal with the situation from His perspective and timetable.

Finally, as we each work to cultivate the virture of patience, let us remember that patience must be anchored in love because God is love (1 Corinthians 13:4; 1 John 4:16). In the words of Adel Bestavros, “Patience with others is love; patience with self is hope; patience with God is faith.”

was patient with the Israelites, He bears with all our indifference, sins and rebellion against Him. He does not draw back when we reject Him but remains patiently faithful to us. The prophet Micah paints a marvellous picture of this patient, longsuffering God in Micah 7:18-19 (NIV).

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

In the New Testament, the apostles similarly often refer to a patient and longsuffering God (for example, in Romans 2:4, Romans 9:22, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Peter 3:20, 2 Peter 3:9,15). In Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Sheep, He reveals God as the Shepherd who never gives up on a lost sheep, but will search the hills and valleys for the one that has wandered off. In a similar vein, God is portrayed as a longsuffering Father in the well-known Parable of the Prodigal Son who, in spite of the rude rejection from His son, waits in eager anticipation to receive the prodigal son home. And when the wayward but repentant child returns, the loving Father welcomes him warmly and restores to him his dignity.

Cultivating Patience

As Christians, we are called to develop godly character. Since we know that God is patient and longsuffering, if we lack the virtue of patience in our lives, it is time to nurture it! Cultivating the virtue of patience begins from the divine source of the Spirit living in us. How can we play our part to work with the Spirit’s transforming grace in us?

Firstly, remember our God. Christian patience is dependent upon our faith in a sovereign God who is in control and at work in the world (Psalm 92:1-5; Romans 8:28). God works patiently over many generations to nurture a people who will bear witness to Him. He taught the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years about dependence and

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... kindness...

Kindness

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is the first letter of the word “CAR”. It stands for Character. In this instance, it is the character of God to be kind. God takes delight in showing kindness (Jeremiah 9:23-24). He has a special place in His heart for widows, orphans, foreigners and the poor. Throughout the Bible, I cannot ignore the fact that while God is pure, holy and righteousness, He has never failed to exercise His

kindness in forgiving those who are repentant. God’s grace and mercy in forgiving is closely linked to His capacity to show kindness. More importantly, God’s kindness is never void of love — a deep love for His creation.

Lest I send the wrong message, when I sin and fail God, through confession I am forgiven purely on God’s kindness found in His grace and mercy, but not without me having to bear the consequences of my sinful actions or thoughts.

Kindness

Kindness in a CAR. Each time I get into my car, I am reminded to be on the lookout for opportunities to do a kind deed. However, I must confess it is not always easy to show kindness, because I have been ‘burnt’ before for doing so. There was pain, frustration and disappointment each time my kindness was taken for granted. But when I see my car or another other car on the road or in the car park, the Holy Spirit still uses the virtues in the fruit of the Spirit to gently remind me to be kind.

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Features

Timothy is Parish Leader at Faith Methodist Church. He is passionate about playing a small part in transforming the lives of people he meets and knows. He is married to Elsie for 25 years, and they have two young adult daughters. In his free time, he enjoys reading and catching up with sleep.

By TIMOTHy TAN

is for Appreciation. God is well aware that I am no different from people around me. I long to be appreciated for who I am and my little acts of kindness. Trust me, there were numerous occasions in my life when I felt unappreciated. There were also times when I felt my kindness taken for granted. When that happens I will grumble and complain; I have even gone to the extent of saying I will stop being kind! But I cannot stop being kind, especially when I

know that God Himself who is kind has also been taken for granted! In fact, I am guilty of being unappreciative of God’s kindness. Yet, He continues to be kind towards me.

I have read in the Book of Proverbs that being kind to others is the same as being kind towards God (Proverbs 19:17). People may forget to show their appreciation; God however does not. He may not reward me with more money or material gains for every kind act, but I know God does reward my kindness. I have from time to time received little cards bearing words of appreciation for my kindness to others, and people have sent emails to express their appreciation. Though I still struggle with the feeling of being unappreciated, I am slowly learning to accept that it is far better for God to appreciate me than to long for human appreciation!

is my Response. If my life is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ and I am to help bring about change in the world, I cannot stand by idly and not exercise kindness. Yet, I recognise that my ability to be kind is very much linked to the resources that God has placed in my hands. I am sure you must have heard this phrase before: “Live within your means”. It is the same with exercising kindness. I try to exercise kindness within my means. For example, money is what I do not have in abundance, but I make up for this lack by offering my time and energy when called upon (Luke 6:30).

There are times when I do feel tired. Sometimes my personal frustrations get the better of me. When that happens, I am reminded of 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV): “And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.” This verse also reminds me how God always tirelessly exercises His kindness when I least deserve it.

Every time I see a CAR, I think of God’s kindness; I remember that He appreciates my efforts at being kind and my response is to continue to work at it. Make no mistakes, I am not perfect. I am not great at being kind. It is work in progress. I am learning to

exercise kindness within my means with my God-given resources.

What about you? Are you being kind by helping people in need within your means?

Kindness

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... goodness...

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What is goodness in the context of the fruit of the Spirit? Is it the goodness in the colloquial expression of “Goodness gracious me!”, or it is simply not doing evil? YAP TAT MING explains the virtue of goodness in an interesting series of illustrations.

Goodness gracious me! It’s already 7am! Wake up Mike, you’re gonna be late for school!

‘“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good – except God alone.”’ Mark 10:18

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9

The Bible says no one is naturally good except God. Now, let’s get changed and go to school.

It’s just a term to express my surprise, son. I didn’t mean I’m any good. Now, wake up!

Did you just say you are “good” and “gracious”?

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“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Does that mean we can never be good?

We CAN be good when we put our trust in the saving work of Jesus. God will give us a new nature to do good and be good.

But I really struggle to do good, so often I just don’t feel like being good.

We all do. But if you abide in Jesus and master your Bible, you’ll have the desire and power to do good.

Oh my goodness, it’s 7.15am, Mike! Put on your shoes and LET’S GET MOVING!

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“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your

whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of

darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is

that darkness!” Matthew 6:22-23

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such

things.” Philippians 4:8

Okay, Mom! Is “goodness” somebody you call out to when you’re late?

No, it’s just an expression. God calls us to do good. And being punctual is good. NOW, GET INTO THE CAR!

Besides mastering your Bible, you must guard your mind, as sin always starts in your mind. Be careful the kind of books or magazines you read, the kind of programmes you watch on TV and the kind of music you listen to.

How else can I learn to do good?

If you want to do good, think about good, positive, and uplifting things. Expose yourself to good materials.

We should also develop convictions and courage to be different because goodness demands us to take a stand for God.

We must also meet with other believers and encourage each other to do good.

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“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” 1 Peter 2:19-20

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10:24-25

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” Ephesians 2:10

By yAP TAT MINgIllustration by gABRIEL yAP

Is “goodness” somebody you thank when you’re relieved?

Is “goodness” somebody you do for his sake?

Arggh! For goodness sake, when will you stop asking questions?

Hmmm... useful suggestions for learning to do good.

Thank goodness! No more questions.

No more questions! Going to school! Thanks for being such a goooood Mom, goooood bye!

No, these are just EXPRESSIONS! What’s your question again?

Tat Ming and Gabriel attend the 8am Service and SUNJAM @ 8 respectively. They are members of United-in-Christ small group.

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... faithfulness...

Faithfulness

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1 Faithfulness Tells Us How God Regards Responsibility

Faithfulness is not only something God desires, or something that He admires, but it is also something that God requires. The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 shows us that. Talents really represent areas of responsibility. In the parable the master represents God; the servants represent us. You would notice that the talents were given from the master to the servants. You see, we are owners of nothing. But we are stewards of everything. To put it another way, faithfulness is simply taking every opportunity to use every ability for the glory of God. The Bible also says in 1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV), “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” We are all stewards, and we are all to be faithful in our stewardship. Not everyone is born with equal ability, but everyone is born with an equal responsibility to take every opportunity to use the ability you have for the glory of God.

2 Faithfulness Tells Us How God Requires Accountability

The master in the Parable of the Talents returns, and we are simply told in Matthew 25:19 that “he settled accounts with them.” To settle an account simply means to call for accountability. We are accountable to use what God gives. So, we ought to be faithful in our work. We ought to be faithful with our wealth. We are to be faithful in our worship. We ought to be faithful to our word. And we ought to be faithful in our witness. The one thing God really wants out of us more than anything else, is just old-fashioned faithfulness.

One of the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit is “faithfulness.”

To understand what faithfulness is, and what it does, here

are three great truths about God and His desire, even His

demand, for faithfulness.

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Michael Tan is Executive Vice President at Eagles Communications. He is also an editor and evangelist. Michael and his wife Siwilai attend the 11am Service and Grace small group at Faith Methodist Church.

By MICHAEL TAN

3 Faithfulness Tells Us How God Rewards Dependability

In the parable, the master said to one of his stewards, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matthew 25:23, NKJV) Each received an equal reward. Jesus is not looking for equal success. He is looking for total faithfulness. Rewards are not going to be given according to ability, or even according to responsibility, but according to dependability. 1 Corinthians 3:8b (NKJV) says: “Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour.” You are not accountable for being the best, but you are accountable for doing your best.

You see, faithfulness is not a matter of temporal success, ecclesiastical recognition, or popular acclaim. It is simply a matter of doing your best with the talents, abilities, and opportunities that God has given to you. Longfellow once said, “Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambition.”

You may not think it is very important to be faithful in little things, and you may not think it is very important to be unfaithful in little things, but notice what happened to the unfaithful servant: “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29, NKJV)

Jesus is not looking for equal success. He is looking for total faithfulness. Rewards are not going to be given according to ability, or even according to responsibility, but according to dependability.

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... the fruit of the Spirit is... gentleness...

Gentleness

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Husband of one and father of two adult sons, Alan is a teacher at SunJam@10, ACJC and the Acting National Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship, Singapore. He is the author of “Building the Next Generation”, a book on dramatised family devotions for preschoolers and early primaries. He is also the webmaster of a parenting and education website.

By ALAN WONg

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“Dad, I picked up the bad habit from you!” That was what one of my sons told me a couple of months ago. That habit seemingly is my irritability ... shown on my face and in my tone of voice. Then, about a month later, I had a conflict with my other son. I had weighed my words carefully so as not to pass judgment but my wife told me that my facial expression communicated a different message; she added that this son is sensitive to my body language. I believe that I was correct in my assessment of the situation but of course, my son would dispute that.

What do all these have to do with “gentleness”?

In Galatians 5:22, “gentleness” is translated from a word that means “kindness” or “usefulness” morally, and excellence (in character or demeanour). First and foremost, gentleness is a heart attitude (1 Peter 3:4) and this inner quality is evident in a person’s words and actions. His words are kind and soothing (cf. Proverbs 15:1). His actions towards others are kind and humble, considering others as more important than himself. Jesus is our example; He is gentle and humble (Matthew 11:29).

Gentleness begins inside of us and flows out to others even when we think we are, or when we are indeed, in the right. The Bible will attest to that. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” (Galatians 6:1, ESV). “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25a, ESV) “But in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect...” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). My rightness is no excuse for my irritability.

I am a careful and controlled person. Yes, I do get upset but my reaction is always triggered by others (such as family members). I love my wife and play many supporting roles to her and one of these is IT support. However, I get upset when she is slow in finding a file on her computer, when I have to format a messy document or do what I deem as “inefficient”. She has told me many times, “Please, be patient

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with me.” The problem is, I do not see “irritability” as my problem ... but my “justified reaction”. But in the light of the above Scripture texts, I have to conclude, it is my problem. I am responsible for my actions and reactions. Like gentleness, irritability begins in the heart but it manifests itself in words and actions that are the opposite of gentleness.

I seek to honour the Lord. As a parent and a teacher, I subscribe to 1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV) which states, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” But my son’s comment about him having picked up the bad habit from me is humbling. That day, when I had the conflict with my other son, my wife added, “I bear with your irritability all these years but each time it causes great distress in me.” I did not realise that my behaviour was having such a devastating impact on my dear wife for so long...

Through the years, I have become easily irritable. Irritability is embedded in me and will not be easy to extricate. Nevertheless, I resolve to allow God to work in me to bring forth this virtue of gentleness in my relationship with others. I will continue to walk in the Spirit, keeping in step with God’s Word and His promptings and trust Him to transform me ... slowly but surely ... into a gentle man. It has been said that gentleness is “strength under control”. I would like to add to that, that it is under the control “of the Holy Spirit”.

Will you offer a prayer for me?

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SeLF-control

... the fruit of the Spirit is... self-control...

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“Larry, can you share with your parents why you have done so badly for the whole year that you now have to be retained?” I asked. Larry (not his real name) and his parents were sitting opposite me in my school office. They had come to appeal for a chance for Larry to be promoted to the next level.

Larry replied sheepishly, “I had difficulty staying awake in class.”“Why?”“I stayed up late to play computer games.”“What were you playing?”“A game that I build houses and cities.”“Can you show me your cities?”“I can’t; it is all virtual.”“Do you realise you had spent so much time building something virtual that it now costs you to repeat your Secondary Three?”“I knew it was virtual.”“Why didn’t you stop?”“I can’t help it.”

Larry’s confession of ‘I can’t help it’ echoes the lamentation and also the denial amongst many youth who are addicted to computer games. But it is not limited to youth and adolescents. Adults and seniors too struggle with alcohol, gambling and the list goes on. CS Lewis has this to say in “Mere Christianity” when he talked about temperance (self-control): “A man who makes his golf or his motor-bicycle the centre of his life, or a woman who devotes all her thoughts to clothes or bridge or her dog, is being just as ‘intemperate’ as someone who gets drunk every evening.”

“I can’t help it’ is not limited to indulging in things we know we should not. “I can’t help it” includes practising good habits that we should have. The common challenges for some of us include keeping a healthy diet, an exercise regime, or doing daily Bible reading such as our recent 40 days of reading through the New Testament.

Paul summarised our predicament in Romans 7:15 (NLT): “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.” He stressed our struggles by adding: “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.” (Romans 7:18, 19, NLT)

Are we then destined to be ‘I can’t help it” people? Isn’t self-control part and parcel of the fruit of the Spirit?

There is no doubt that self-control is a much needed virtue. Someone even suggested that love and self-control in Paul’s list are like bookends holding the other virtues of the fruit of the Spirit together. Some go as far as to propose that self-control is the capstone of all the other virtues.

In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul reminded that the fruit of the Spirit is not based on law. In The Message version, it is put in this way: “…not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.

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Tse Horng has been blessed by the ministry of Faith’s people and his small group (Barnabas) since 1982. He now attends the 11am Service with his wife, Bee Leng and youngest child, Eliora. His other children Zuriel and Karis are in Sun Jam. He hopes to receive comments at tsehorng@gmail.com.

By kHOO TSE HORNg

energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.” In Romans 7:24, we are reminded by Paul that it is not us against temptation for Jesus has won the battle on the Cross.

The solution to “I can’t help it” is not “I will put in more willpower” but to surrender ourselves to the lordship of Christ and be driven by our love for Him. We have time and time again surprised ourselves with the feats we performed because we were driven by love. Those were the times we put aside any discomfort and laziness to do it. For instance, I learnt to cycle in my twenties. Why? I did it in order that I could cycle with my girlfriend, now my wife. I would still risk falling to cycle with my loved ones. Paul put up the suffering because of his love for God and the people, and challenged us to ‘beat our body’ to complete the race well. (1 Corinthians 9:27) Well-known Chinese Christian evangelist Dr John Sung preached till his body hurt because of his love for God and the Chinese.

Let our love of God and for God energise us to submit our fleshly desires under His Cross, so that we will no longer be controlled by the flesh but have the Holy Spirit work in us to have self-control. Because Christ has won the battle on the Cross, we too have the victory over the “I can’t help it”s in our lives!

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Singing of hymns has always been an integral part of Christian worship. There are many passages in Scripture where we find God’s people praying and worshipping in song. In Acts 16:25, we find Paul and Silas “praying and singing hymns to God while chained in the Philippian jail. In Ephesians 5:19 (NIV), Paul advocates his followers to “speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” Again, in 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV), Paul advocated that this be done for the strengthening of the church. “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”

Hymns have also been used throughout the ages as vehicles of God’s truth. Within our own Methodist tradition, the hymns of John and Charles Wesley are rich with theology drawn primarily from the Bible. In fact, it was said of their hymns that “a skilful man, if the Bible were lost, might extract much of it from Wesley’s hymns.”

To help us sing with spirit and understanding, this is the first of a series of articles on hymns which give insight into some of the hymns sung at Faith Methodist Church. In line with the theme “Fruit of the Spirit”, we begin with three hymns which are expressive of the first three virtues of love, joy and peace.

Singingour

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LOVELOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING

Words: Charles Wesley, 1747 Music: John Zundel, 1870

Love Divine, all loves excelling,Joy of heaven, to earth come down,

Fix in us thy humble dwelling,All thy faithful mercies crown.Jesus, thou art all compassion,Pure unbounded love thou art;

Visit us with thy salvation,Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,Into every troubled breast!

Let us all in Thee inherit;Let us find that second rest.

Take away our bent to sinning;Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith, as its beginning,Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,Let us all thy grace receive;Suddenly return, and never,

Never more thy temples leave.Thee we would be always blessing,

Serve thee as thy hosts above,Pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,

Glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creationPure and spotless let us be;

Let us see thy great salvation,Perfectly restored in thee,

Changed from glory into glory,Till in heaven we take our place,

Till we cast our crowns before thee,Lost in wonder, love, and praise!

The hymn is one of celebration and praise and is addressed to Jesus Christ who is “love divine” – God’s love in human flesh who as the “joy of heaven” came down to earth to find “humble dwelling” in human hearts. The second stanza is a prayer for spiritual maturity with the Holy Spirit invoked as the agent of sanctification. The third stanza refers to the Father as the source of life. The fourth stanza affirms that Christian maturity goes on to the end of life, for we are “changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place.”

It uses the Welsh hymn setting “Blaenwern”. The second verse is at times omitted as it encapsulates Charles Wesley’s “Perfectionist” belief in Christian perfection, namely that one could be completely sinless in this life – a belief which was at odds with most theologians of his time and even his brother, John. The other verses have also seen almost countless word and phrase alterations.

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The words of the hymn are from a poem written by Henry van Dyke in 1907 while he was in Williams College, Massachusetts. He wrote the poem with the intention of musically setting it to the famous “Ode to Joy” – the melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s final symphony, Symphony No. 9.

The hymn is not a hymn to joy but a hymn of joy. It speaks of the importance of genuine joy in the life of every believer and of praise to the God whose goodness is the source of all deepest and surest joys. There is a joyful interplay between God’s created world and the manifestation of this same creative spirit in the life of a believer. The verses remind us that all creation speaks of his glory and in doing so directs our worship to the Creator Himself. The fourth stanza concludes with an invitation to all of God’s children to join ‘the mighty chorus’ and, in so doing, find the encouragement needed for any circumstance of life. Of this hymn, Van Dyke himself wrote “this is a hymn of trust and joy and hope”.

JOYJOYFUL JOYFUL WE ADORE THEE

Words: Henry van Dyke, 1907Music: Ldwig van Beethoven, 1824

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All thy works with joy surround thee, earth and heaven reflect thy rays,

stars and angels sing around thee, center of unbroken praise.

Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,

chanting bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest,

well-spring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!

Thou our Father, Christ our brother, all who live in love are thine;

teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the mighty chorus which the morning stars began; love divine is reigning o’er us,

binding all within its span. Ever singing, march we onward,

victors in the midst of strife; joyful music leads us sunward,

in the triumph song of life.

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PEACEIT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL Words: Horatio G Spafford

Music: Philip P Bliss

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in lifeThou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,Even so, it is well with my soul.

References: Hustad, Donald P. The Worshiping Church: A Hymnal, Carol Stream, IL 60188, Hope Publishing Company, 1991. Osbeck, Kenneth W. 101 Hymn Stories, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1982.

Moh Ying is Director of FaithFormation at Faith Methodist Church. She enjoys reading and discovering new things. She is married to Charles and they have three grown-up daughters, Christine, Deborah and Joanne.

By Ng MOH yINg

A series of great personal sorrows led to the writing of this song. Horatio Spafford, a wealthy Chicago businessman, suffered the death of his son and financial setbacks due to devastation caused by the Great Chicago Fire. Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters and wishing to assist Moody and Sankey in a crusade, he booked passage to England for his family. Because of a business emergency, he sent his wife and four daughters ahead. On 22 November 1873, the ship was struck by another vessel and sank. Only his wife survived. As he sailed to England to join his wife, he wrote this hymn of faith in adversity.

The words “When sorrows like sea billows flow…” describe Spafford’s own grief. However, Spafford does not dwell on the theme of life’s sorrows and trials but focusses attention on the redemptive work of Christ (third stanza) and His glorious Second Coming (fourth stanza). The hymn expresses the poignant reality of trials and strong confidence in God. In the midst of such personal tragedy, Spafford could still say with amazing clarity “It is well with my soul”.

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Here are some resources for you to dig deeper into the fruit of the Spirit. But just digging is not enough – remember to plant the seed by applying what you have learnt!

BOOKS

Wanna Grow The Fruit?

dIGIn!God’s Power to Change Your LifeRick Warren

What does it take to...Become more loving? Live more peacefully? Develop patience? Have self-control? ‘In the years I have been a pastor,’ writes Rick Warren, ‘the number-one question I’m asked is, ‘Rick, why can’t I change?’’ People want to change – but they are stuck. Do you want to get unstuck? Here is how. Drawing simple but powerful truths from the Bible, this book gives you practical guidance for specific types of change, and it links you up with the power to actually make the changes you long to make. As you apply the truth of God’s Word by the power of his Spirit, your life will change. You will move out of your rut – and get on track with God’s wonderful purposes for your life.

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Fruit of the SpiritJohn Sanderson

We have many yardsticks for measuring Christian greatness, but the fruit of the Spirit is not high on the list. We seem to prefer other forms of greatness. Yet the Scriptures place the highest value on the fruit. The studies in this book are an outgrowth of a series of sermons Sanderson preached. Addressed to people, and not just to ministers, Sanderson has made an effort to apply the biblical insights presented to the problems of present day.

Secrets to Exceptional Living: Transforming Your Life through the Fruit of the SpiritJoyce Meyer

God has provided all the resources we need to live an exceptional life. It becomes evident as we learn to operate in the fruit of the Spirit, which is available to us by His grace.

Love, faithfulness, goodness, patience, kindness, peace, humility, joy and self-control are what make our lives exceptional; they are a reward themselves. We were born to display them, and we will never be fulfilled without them.

Life on the Vine: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Christian CommunityPhilip D. Kenneson

Philip Kenneson combines in this book rich, theologically grounded reflection on Christian life and practice with stunning analysis of contemporary culture. After a probing introductory chapter on the necessity and complexity of cultural analysis, Kenneson takes up each of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. He explores what each fruit means in its biblical context, then investigates how key traits of late modern Western culture inhibit the development and ripening of each fruit.

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Fruit of the Spirit: Living the Supernatural LifeBill Hybels, Kevin G. Harney, Sherry Harney

Putting others’ needs ahead of our own is the ultimate expression of love – and the hardest. Fortunately, we do not have to go it alone. It takes the power of God to produce the character of God. In this book, you will learn about the life-transforming qualities God wants to cultivate inside you. And you will discover the supernatural Agent who empowers you to attain them: the Holy Spirit, working within you to produce each kind of spiritual “fruit”. If you are the discussion leader, you will find additional suggestions and helpful ideas in the Leader’s Notes.

The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through YouJerry Bridges

Best-selling author Jerry Bridges explores nine aspects of the “fruit of the Spirit” as described in Galatians 5:22-23. Demonstrating the need for prayerful preparation and careful cultivation, Bridges shows you how to produce an abundant crop where it counts the most – in everyday life!

Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the SpiritBeth Moore

Through this study you will come to appreciate the supernatural aspects of the fruit and that you cannot grow, learn, or produce the fruit on your own. Beth Moore challenges you to develop the fruit by maintaining an intimate relationship with the Spirit of God. The Learner Guide is a ten-week study with personal interactive studies for five days a week. At the end of each week’s study is a Listening Guide for the group video sessions. A separate Leader’s Guide with step-by-step instructions for facilitating the sessions is available.

SMALL GROUP RESOURCES

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Since we are on a fruity roll, Faithlink went around the Faith church staff team to take in the aroma of low-hanging fruits and check out the ‘sky-high fruits’ in their lives! From pastor to support staff, each shares candidly about the virtue he/she has grown in and the one they wish to grow.

Pastor Kow Shih MingPastor-in-charge

I have grown in…This is a difficult one to answer as I often feel that I have so much more to grow in every one of the virtues. If I have to choose the one that is more developed in my life, I guess that would be joy and peace. Even in the midst of great challenges, the Lord often gives me joy and peace in my life. I would like to grow in… I need to grow in all of them! But with a naturally loud voice and a strong personality, it’s especially hard to come across as a gentle person. So I think the one virtue I need to grow in most is gentleness – not the wimpy kind but the Moses and Jesus kind!

Pastor Paul NgaPastor, Marriage, Prayer And Outreach Ministries

I have grown in…Patience is probably the most developed at this point of my life. I find that I am willing to look beyond the present situations or problems in persons and processes to the possibilities according to God’s plan and timing. Therefore, most of the time I am willing to persevere even when there are no visible and tangible progress and results in the beginning.

I would like to grow in… Joy is one aspect I would like to grow in. I often allow the things of this world and the pressures and stresses of life to weigh me down and deprive me of the “joy in the Lord”!

FRuITy TaLK!Getting To Know The Church Staff and Their “Fruits”

Our Pastors

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Pastor WendyAssistant Pastor, The TackleBox Youth Ministry

I have grown in…I think it would be faithfulness. I am faithful because God is faithful! My Christian journey thus far has many “handprints” of God to testify of His faithfulness in my life. Because of that, I choose to remain faithful in whatever and wherever God has called me to accomplish or go. I would like to grow in… That would be patience. I am impatient by nature and my nurturing environment adds on to it, as my dad is a super impatient man! I have to remind myself, whenever I can, to wait on God and not run before Him, because it is so easy and tempting to just ACT. I need “pit stops” (with people, time and space) to wait on God, to pray, to hear and to walk slowly.

Pastor Ming Feong ChingAssistant Pastor, Mandarin Ministry

I have grown in…Peace. Through every happening and event I have encountered in my faith journey, I have been brought closer and deeper into the knowledge that I am a child of God; a child forgiven and unconditionally loved. And this love leads to a settled peace in my heart.

I would like to grow in… There is a hard nut to crack in my life, and that is self-control! Self-control is a virtue that affects every area of our lives, so I look forward to the time when I not only have the fruit in my hands, but that I would have also cracked the nut and reached for the treasure within.

Pastor Joel YongPastor, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…Joy is the easiest for me. Knowing that God loves a sinner like me leaves me with no other response!

I would like to grow in… Patience is tough as I find life too short to wait!

Pastor Benjamin LeeAssistant Pastor, Chaplaincy at Anglo-Chinese Junior College

I have grown in…Joy. I am filled with gratitude and gladness of heart as I look back in my life and see how the Lord has blessed me with my wife, children and the calling He has given me.

I would like to grow in… Patience. I get frustrated when I am late for an appointment as punctuality is important to me. That frustration sometimes translates into my impatience with others, which is not helpful.

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Our Pastoral Staff

Chong MingliLay Executive Staff, Counselling

I have grown in…I would say Joy. My spirit rejoices with the truth that God is faithful and loving when I wake up each day. I can testify that the Lord has put joy in my heart and assures me with His promises whenever I give thanks to Him in the good and bad times.

I would like to grow in… I would say patience. Being impatient is mostly the root cause for my anger. I feel convicted that being impatient does not solve ‘the problem’ but the ability to master a loving response will grant me more peace at the end of the day.

Chow Tat KeongLay Ministry Staff, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…I believe “faithfulness” sounds to me like a “low-hanging fruit” in this season of my life, because each time when the journey grows difficult, the Lord would remind me of my conversion experience and how He has proven His faithfulness to me and my familyover and over again. I would like to grow in… I would say “joy” and “love”. While I can be faithful, I may not be able to rejoice in trying moments! “Love” or “lack of depth in love” is the root to impact the other virtues.

Patrick ChuaSenior Lay Ministry Staff, Bridge Builders

I have grown in…Faithfulness. I’m quite single-minded and focused on what is worthy in my life such as God’s calling and His purpose for me. Once I ‘get it’, I will give my best to fulfill it. This helps to keep me resilient as well. I would like to grow in… Love. Agape Love. Selfless love and love without condition. It’s tough! It’s human nature to be selfish and to switch to a survival mode when we are required to step out of our comfort zone and give up our ‘rights’. I am still learning to love those whom I feel are unlovable and underserving on a daily basis.

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Lim Ewe TeikFinance Manager

I have grown in…Patience. I would like to believe that after 53 years of life and many years as a follower of Christ, God has taught me to be patient in many aspects of living with people. I feel that I do not find it as difficult to wait upon God’s answers to prayers and to accept situations as God gives them as I did in the past. I would like to grow in… Self-control. The Good Book says that a man without self-control is like a city without walls. It terrifies me to think that I can be totally without defence and open to attack by the enemy! The ‘controls’ in my life come mainly from my family and social responsibilities, so over the years I have tried, with God’s help at times, and on my own at other times, to develop a measure of self-control.

Ivan HoLay Ministry Staff, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…I suppose it is faithfulness. First and foremost, faithfulness to God. Ever since I distinctively heard God’s call to full-time ministry some 10 years ago, I have been faithfully serving Him. Secondly, faithfulness to my lovely wife. Besides staying married these past 16 years, my love for her grows even stronger each day!

I would like to grow in… It has to be joy. Friends whom I have known for a long time call me a “deep joy” Christian. Perhaps the fruit of joy is not fully ripe yet. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will drill deep within my soul so that exuberant joy could gush out and overflow from my life into many other lives!

Peter FooLay Ministry Staff, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…Kindness. My wife and daughter say it’s the way I think of and put others before self. (But I think the keyword is ‘sometimes’!)

I would like to grow in… I guess it’s ‘love’ as the Lord says: “Owe no one anything except love” in Romans 13:8. And it’s so true how we love others so imperfectly!

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Esther OngParish Leader, The TackleBox

I have grown in…Faithfulness – I am still here since knowing Christ at age 11 when I was in Faith Methodist Church! My friends from other churches would say to me, “I see you are faithfully in Faith!” I would like to grow in… Joy. At the moment, I am grieving the loss of my beloved mum and dad. I also feel the need to rekindle my passion and joy to serve after almost 20 years in full-time ministry without a break.

Ng Moh YingDirector, FaithFormation

I have grown in…This would be joy. Having tasted God’s goodness and experienced His faithfulness in my life, I am able to remain ‘joy-full’ knowing that all things that happen to me (good or bad) are for a higher purpose. Moreover, His promise in Jeremiah 29:11: “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” gives me the foundation to maintain a positive attitude at all times.

I would like to grow in… Self-control. This will help me to avoid not only outright evil but also too much of the good things in life. Moreover, this is the virtue I need if I am to be successful in exercising the other eight virtues.

Ng Soh LanSenior Lay Ministry Staff, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…Faithfulness. All these years that I served my Lord, He has never failed me. How can I ever let Him down?

I would like to grow in… Self-control. I can still do better. I shall continue to work hard to grow in this virtue so that I will be complete in my faith, ready to bear fruit for every good work.

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Timothy TanLay Ministry Staff, Small Group Ministry

I have grown in…Kindness. I do not have much to give in terms of material things but one thing I do is the willingness to give of my time. Even though there are times I’m hard pressed for time, I will still put down whatever I am doing to assist anyone asking for help. Whether I am appreciated or not does not matter, for I’m happy when I see smiles breaking out on the faces of people whom I have been kind to.

I would like to grow in… Self-control. I struggle with controlling my temper. I do have a short fuse and would blow my top over little, insignificant events. Those who have sat in my car would have noticed my impatience with bad drivers on the road! Though my daughters are now young adults, I still find myself losing my temper when attempting to help them in managing their lives. Self-control has always been my stumbling block and it is only by God’s special grace that I have not lost my temper to the point of being violent!

Pearly SimLay Executive Staff, Children

I have grown in…I think gentleness is my ‘more mature fruit’. I’m gentle in spirit and in my dealings with others, even in difficult situations. It does take a lot to get me riled up!

I would like to grow in… Peace is probably the fruit where I’m lacking the most. I tend to let the things of the world rob me of my peace. Watching the news is a real peace and joy-killer. Injustices of the world, especially those affecting children and senseless violence upset my peace equilibrium. However my joy is often restored while reading God’s Word which is full of His promises. Doing whatever I can for those children whom I can reach out to also restores my inner peace.

Andrew SeowOperations Manager

I have grown in…Patience – the years in ministry has taught me to be tolerant and to wait on God’s people.

I would like to grow in… Kindness. I need to exercise kindness in the course of work despite the need to move forward and to get things done. I need to be kind even though there is the need to enforce certain guidelines and to ensure that things and matters are in order.

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Home Front

Noelle TangCommunications Manager

I have grown in…Faithfulness. I’m fairly obedient when I hear or sense a direction from the Lord and in the different arenas of life I try my best to honour Him in all that I do. Integrity and loyalty are values I hold dearly. I’m faithful to my friends and can be single-minded about deeply-held principles and values. Sometimes I have to check myself to make sure I’ve not become a legalist!

I would like to grow in… Love! I always pray that I can love people like Jesus. Perhaps due to my strong sense of loyalty and justice (sometimes over doing it), I find it hardest to love people who hurt or bully my friends, never mind whether we are close friends or just fellow brothers and sisters who serve together. And if I perceive anyone hurting the church or giving God a bad name, it never fails to ruffle my feathers. Not very loving I know. I’m working on it.

Gloria WangsaputriLay Ministry Staff, Music & Worship

I have grown in…Patience. God has given me the ability to show tolerance toward others, and to accept difficult situations without making demands or conditions. I always believe that God will make a way and help me through those situations.

I would like to grow in… Faithfulness, because I want to be found as a faithful servant of God at the end of my life.

Godiva YsipSenior Lay Ministry Staff, International Ministry

I have grown in…Faithfulness. Experiences in my Christian journey are testimonies of God’s faithfulness and workmanship to make me want and desire to be a better person. It is His faithfulness that compels me to be faithful, or else I would not have been in full-time ministry for more than two decades!

I would like to grow in… At this stage in my life and ministry, it is “peace”. It is quite heart-wrenching to be faced with challenges that are beyond my control and capacity to endure, so I need peace from the Lord.

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Our Support Staff

Belinda ChanPersonal Secretary to Pastor-in-charge

I have grown in…Faithfulness. To me, faithfulness is continuing to stand by something or someone even through the hardest of times and continuing to believe in them and in God. The incident of stroke in my husband three years ago has been a trying time for me but I continue to believe in God for my husband’s recovery and I will stand with my family through it all.

I would like to grow in… Recent circumstances have helped me to see that I need to develop the virtue of patience. I have been rather quick to anger and irritated these days. I feel that God is trying to take me out of my comfort zone and to develop this virtue in me.

Paulo Joel CaperigMinistry Assistant (Youth)

I have grown in…Joy. I’m really just enjoying myself most of the time. God has put a song in my heart! I have this habit of breaking into a song even during conversations when I hear mentions of lyrics from a song I know!

I would like to grow in… Peace. I’m always very consumed with something; from books, to music, to plans, etc, so much so that I never really have that space to settle down. Even my quiet time isn’t too quiet sometimes, as I tend to overthink when I’m reading the Scriptures!

Tammy AngMinistry Assistant(FaithConneXions & FaithFormation)

I have grown in…A friend told me that faithfulness is evident in me, so I’m going with that! Prayerfully, the rest are ‘maturing’ right along.

I would like to grow in… I sure would like to mature more in the virtue of love. There must be a purpose why it’s placed as the first fruit and since Jesus’ command to us is to love God and others, I think the rest of the virtues will follow when love develops nicely.

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Home Front

Cheng Wee ChinSecretary

I have grown in…Peace – not from the absence of trouble, but from faith in God, knowing that He causes all things to work together for good. Knowing that He knows and cares for me helps me not to be anxious.

I would like to grow in… Self-Control. I need to keep myself in check, and have mastery over eating, playfulness, desires and disobedience.

Mary LewAdmin Assistant

I have grown in…Joy, because it is contagious and influences others. In my conversation with others and in my answering of calls at the church office, it gladdens me when I hear feedback that there was a ring of joy or pleasantness in my voice!

I would like to grow in… Love. When people’s needs are not met and they become nasty, they start using unnecessary words or make false accusations. That’s when it is particularly hard to show love.

Angelia KohAccounts Assistant

I have grown in…Patience. My friends said that I am very patient with children and that I also have a good listening ear!

I would like to grow in… I have a weak spot in buying watches and shoes! So, I hope to exercise more self-control in this area. Haha!

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Pee Lay HoonCommunications Assistant

I have grown in…Relatively speaking, I think patience is a virtue which is more mature in me compared to the other eight. Being a slow learner and having had some struggles in life before, I think I can empathise with other people’s struggles. So I give people time, if I know it’s a genuine struggle. I don’t give people a “hurried presence”, so as to not make them feel bad to be asking for help.

I would like to grow in… Self-control, especially over food and the discipline of exercise, is what I need to work on!

See Su MingSecretary

I have grown in…Patience. Being patient allows me to think before acting. It had enabled me to wait on God as well and has certainly helped improve my interpersonal relationships at home and at work. Most of all, I think that patience is a way to extend grace to others. I would like to grow in… Joy. Recently, I was reminded to appreciate the joys in my ministry and at home. Most of the time I do not think about joy or what gives me joy, so this is a fruit I wish to grow more. May the Joy of the Lord be my strength!

Pauline KohAdmin Assistant

I have grown in…Gentleness. Colleagues affirm me that I am gentle in my approach to people, even those who are a bit more challenging and difficult to handle.

I would like to grow in… Patience, especially with my children! When my husband was around, he used to help me around the house and he was a fast worker. Now I need to be patient with the ‘unhurried’ nature of my children.

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Home Front

Richard TanFacility Officer

I have grown in…Self-control. As per 1 Peter 5:8, self-control helps me not to easily give in to temptations.

I would like to grow in… Patience, especially with my children. I need to learn to understand them more, so that I can help them to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Stella YangSecretary

I have grown in… Joy. Many years ago, after I prayed to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I opened my eyes and literally the world seemed more beautiful! The grass and the trees looked greener...the birds in the air sang more beautifully and the skies looked bluer! I thought, ‘Wow ... the whole world went into the washing machine!’ No, it was me who ‘went into the washing machine’. And I am still living in the fruit of that joy today!

I would like to grow in… Love; not mine, but God’s love. When I heard the Gospel for the first time, I heard that God loves me. I knew that God gave His Son to take my beatings so that I can have His blessings. Because I know that He loves me so much, I want to share His love that I have received with others.

Yee Lai SiongSecretary

I have grown in…I feel that I am far from attaining any of the virtues, if unless one would count me “faithful” for my 11 years of service in the church office!

I would like to grow in… Like everyone who always seems to be rushing and need more time, and with school-going children of my own, I need to develop more patience in my life.

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Twists and

TuRnSup Close with Pastor Benjamin Lee Let’s meet Pastor Benjamin Lee, who joined our church in August. He shares with us moments of hope, anxiety and near-despair in his mission to answer God’s calling.

Pastor Benjamin Lee’s impassioned move to serve in full-time Christian vocation met with a few twists and turns over a stretch of nine years since 2001. He likens it to having a tug-of-war with God, except that the Creator was inevitably the One pulling the strings.

Pastor Ben (short for ‘Benjamin’) recalled: “In 2001, I responded to an altar call and received my pastoral calling.” The Electrical Engineering graduate from the National University of Singapore had by then started work as a Solutions Consultant in a major American IT company.

“In 2003, my employer posted me to Bangkok for a project. In my daily devotions, I told the Lord I really wanted to quit my job to go into full-time ministry. I remember pounding my fist on the floor, with tears running down my cheeks, and asking Him again and again if it was the right time. But God said that I had to first work on some personal issues at that point in time, which I subsequently did.”

“In 2006, He told me that I could quit my job to embark on pastorship, but as my first child Caleb had just arrived, we dilly-dallied for a year.”

Then came the watershed year, 2007. Pastor Ben ran his first 42-kilometre marathon, but not before going for a full body checkup. What followed was nothing short of a miracle, a testimony of God’s grace upon him.

He shared: “The pre-marathon full body checkup revealed that a cancer marker reading was high. But the doctor said my wife and I should not worry about it, and advised us to return to the clinic for a re-test one month later, after the marathon. We heeded the doctor’s advice to the tee.”

“The re-test results showed again high readings and the doctor, thinking it could be terminal pancreatic cancer, ordered an immediate CT scan. That sounded alarm bells for us and our countenance went into a tailspin. I even thought of buying a videocam to record messages to my children, so that they could watch and listen in their growing-up years in my absence!”

“By God’s wonderful grace, the results from the scan unexpectedly turned out negative, and the

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good news was that my pancreas was cleared of cancer.”

“It was through that ordeal that we decided to commit our lives to serving the Lord as He has called us, regardless of whether I had two, ten or twenty years to live. I wanted to enroll with Trinity Theological College (TTC) (through the church) but the 2008 deadline had already lapsed. So it was only a year later, in 2009, that I went into full-time theological studies at TTC.”

Pastor Ben graduated in May this year with a Masters in Divinity, and joined Faith Methodist Church in August. He is expected to be busy as the Chaplain ministering to students in Anglo-Chinese Junior College, assisting Pastor Joel in the Pastoral Care Ministry and working with Pastor Wendy in The TackleBox youth ministry, among others.

The 37-year-old clergyman has run two marathons in all, and has put on hold any plans to compete in future runs. Still, he tries to jog twice weekly in Bedok Reservoir park, near his home, to burn off calories from two of his favourite foods – beef noodles in soup and the famous NYDC cheese cake.

Pastor Ben is married to varsity sweetheart Genevieve and both are proud parents to Caleb, 7, Sarah, 5 and Sophia, 3. Changi Airport Terminal 3 complex, which houses two children’s playgrounds and a foodcourt at the basement, is the family’s current weekend jaunt.

What has been his most joyous occasion to date? “Being there beside my wife to witness the delivery of each of my three kids! Those were very special moments, because each bundle of joy is a blessing from God Almighty!” Pastor Ben lauded.

Harry and his wife Grace worship at the 11am Service. They belong to a small PCM group led by Mr Fong Ngan Keong.

By HARRy TAN

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After serving two years with Faith Methodist Church, Pastor Clarence Lee bade the Faith church family a fond farewell as he moved to Methodist Church of the Incarnation on 1 August 2012. Pastor Clarence’s new appointment came as part of the connectional system of the Methodist Church polity where pastors are employed by the Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC), and are appointed to the local churches on an itinerant basis.

Having served actively at Faith’s FaithConneXions and Mandarin ministries for two years, Pastor Clarence left the second church he has served in after his home church Toa Payoh Methodist Church, with a somewhat heavy heart and warm memories. “My most enjoyable moments in Faith are spending time with our Mandarin congregation and also with some youths. Just sitting with them and spending unhurried time in spiritual conversations has brought me great joy in my time here,” said Pastor Clarence.

GoodBye Saying

to Pastor Clarence Lee

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a chord with him. “There are many members who truly love the church, and they will continue to serve through thick and thin. Another aspect is the care that they give to each other – I think Faith members are generally very generous in their care and support for one another. I’m also heartened by the support they give to our community through FaithActs, and Adopt-a-Block.”

As he prepares to start the new leg of his pastoral journey, Pastor Clarence asks to lifted up in prayer for adaptability, specifically, “that my family will fit in well in the new church family, and that I will work very well with the staff and leaders there”. Pastor Clarence’s departing prayer for Faith continues to be that more members of the Faith church family will love and share their resources with the community: “My prayer is that Faith will always be sincere and pure in her love for the Lord and for others; and that your role model will always be Christ, and not any other.”

At the point of the interview, Pastor Clarence shared that he and his family, who worshipped with him at Faith, were still adjusting to the news of leaving the church family. He added, “I personally feel sad to be leaving. I will certainly miss the people here, especially those I have grown closer with these past two years.” In fact, the Faith family has also grown close to Pastor Clarence through his personal, thought-provoking sermons both at the English and Mandarin Services. Recalling a sermon where he extolled the importance of making the effort to understand the needs of others so as to help them in a real way, Pastor Clarence recounted, “I remember sharing during my sermon about my wife’s desire to help resolve a fight that had broken out between two hawkers. That afternoon, after the sermon, I met a church member at the hawker centre, and he said to me, “Pastor, don’t worry, if anything happens today, I’ll be here to help.” We laughed, and I thanked God that he had listened and remembered the message!”

In what ways have the Faith family left the deepest impression during these two years? Pastor Clarence shared candidly that the way the congregation loves the church and the community has struck

Home Front

Aida worships at the 11am Service and attends Agape Amigos small group.

By AIDA MEkONNEN

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Home Front

The Mandarin Celebration Service was started on 12 September 2010 to meet the needs of Mandarin-speaking parents, relatives and friends of the Faith church family as well as communities around the worship centres of Faith Methodist Church. Our small groups have been reaching out to the Tanglin Halt and Commonwealth communities and over the years, we found an increasing number of Mandarin-speaking residents who wanted to know more about the Christian faith. The Mandarin Service was therefore a timely ministry to connect them with our church family.

Our Birth

We took deliberate care in introducing the first few Mandarin Services to the church family, as Faith was, up to that point, an entirely English-speaking

congregation. Two monthly pre-launch Mandarin Services were held in July 2010 and again in August. On 12 September 2010, the weekly Mandarin Service was officially launched.

We started with a group of volunteers who had the passion of reaching and ministering to the Mandarin-speaking, availing themselves in different aspects of the Celebration Service, be it ushering, preparing refreshments, befriending new-comers, setting up sound equipment, playing in the band, serving as projectionist, being a support singer, leading small groups and many others. Till today, I still marvel at how God has brought people with various giftings, talents, abilities, passion, personalities and experiences together like an orchestra with different instruments playing in harmony to bring the sweetness of His presence and glory to all who are at the Celebration Service.

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Our Character

The Mandarin Service family, over the last two years of growing and serving together, has slowly developed a character of her own.

Focused on Outreach As the Celebration Service aims to reach those who want to find out more about the Christian faith as well as new Christians, all that we do and all our decision-making follows in the direction of reaching out to pre-believers and discipling new believers. For example, we adopt a contemporary style of worship which comprises contemporary Mandarin worship songs and band, as we recognise that most people, including the elderly, listen to contemporary Mandarin pop songs. Preachers at the Mandarin Service are also mindful that the sermons should be simple, easy to understand and applicable to both pre-believers and new believers.

Welcoming to NewcomersWe are a big family with a big heart to welcome and include newcomers in our Mandarin small

The Mandarin Service needs more helpers! If you have a heart for outreach or simply wish to serve the Lord, contact Pastor Ming Feong Ching at 6471 9421 or email mingfeongching@faithmc.sg.

groups, regardless whether they are Christians or not. For newcomers who are just coming to explore the Christian faith, we allow them space and time without pressurising them to commit to Christ. We want this Service to be a place where everyone can belong in our church family!

Service is for EverybodyWhether you are young or old, you can serve! We have youth who play in the band, adults who serve as ushers, befrienders, logistics crew, sound crew, preparing refreshments, driving the van to fetch the elderly who have difficulty in walking. Most of our volunteers are either English-speaking or bilingual so there is no need to worry about not being proficient in Mandarin. Even the seniors serve by coming early before the Service to pray for the Celebration Service, and most of them are young believers!

Our Hearts

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV) After years of actively reaching our community, the birth of our Mandarin Celebration Service is indeed the fruit of our labour and a milestone in our work to touching the lives in our community!

I am personally very thankful to taste the sweet fruit of our hard work and to be part of God’s instrumental work in pioneering the start of the Mandarin Service. My heart’s desire for our Mandarin Celebration Service is for it to grow! I pray that we will reach more than 100 regular attendees weekly. This hope does not stem from a desire for numerical growth per se, but it is so because there are still so many who have yet to taste the goodness of God! May Psalm 34:8 (NIV) “Taste and see that the LORD is good...” always be an invitation from our Mandarin Celebration Service to many more who are hungry and thirsty for a deeper relationship with God.

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18-05-2008

Whazzup!

Photography: Alice Ng, Noelle Tang, Eugene Koh

18-05-200826-05-2012 & 27-05-2012Baptism, Membership Confirmation and Reception

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Counselling as a profession and service has borne the brunt of misunderstandings for decades. If counselling is a person, he would have been one who has suffered wrong for years and is crying out for redress. CHONG MING LI, our Counsellor at Faith Methodist Church, speaks up against the common myths that people have of counselling and tells the facts.

What It Is And What It Is NotCounSeLLInG:

MYTH : Counselling is only for mentally ill or weak people.

FACT : Counselling is for anyone who is wondering how to manage a problem or concern in their lives.

Problems are inevitable in our lives. Changes and life transitions bring about stress that needs to be managed before it overwhelms the individual. While no one is without worry, how we handle the issue determines whether we manage the problem or the problem manages us. Acknowledging our problems and taking responsibility for it is a sign of courage and strength in difficult times.

MYTH : ‘Just talking’ can’t really help in any way.

FACT : Counselling is an interactive process where purposeful steps are discussed to help in handling the situation at hand.

Contrary to popular belief, counselling is not ‘just talking’ but also about being heard and understood as well. The talking should lead you to actions to bring about a change in your circumstances.

MYTH : I don’t like to be told ‘what to do’ by others.

FACT : The Counsellor does not tell you what to do.

The Counsellor’s job is to facilitate your thinking process as you come to a decision on what you would like to do regarding your problem. You can gain new insights and skills along the way to cope with your current situation.

MYTH : The Counsellor will not be able to understand or help me because he/she has not gone through the same experience as me.

FACT : No two persons will experience or feel the same way concerning a similar circumstance, but we all share basic emotions.

Basic emotions such as anger, fear, joy and frustrations are part of the human life experience which need to be validated. The Counsellor will give you the space and time to voice your innermost thoughts and seek validation for your emotions. You do not have to worry about him/her judging you as

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they are not a part of your social life (unlike your family and friends).

MYTH : I only need to see a Counsellor when things are beyond control.

FACT : Prevention is better than cure.

Save yourself the pain and time by going through your concerns with someone before they snowball into something overwhelming or devastating. When we give attention to the tensions in life, we can gain more control over our feelings and situations.

Have a question regarding counselling? Feel free to email your questions to Ming Li at chongmingli@faithmc.sg!

Faith has a team of Lay Counsellors who are here to work through your concerns with you. If you or someone you know is facing a difficulty in life and needs someone to talk to, please call 6471 9414/33 or email chongmingli@faithmc.sg to arrange for an appointment. All information shared during counselling sessions are strictly confidential.

A Counsellee Shares...

“I was in deep depression and was entertaining suicidal thoughts when I decided I needed help. I was referred to Ming Li subsequently by a church friend.

My initial visits were filled with sobbing and digging up of things from my sad past. I was filled with bitterness and unforgiveness towards others and myself. I was a perfectionist then, often driving myself too hard, making myself miserable and strained.

Counselling has helped me by showing me a new path – a well-lighted one. I learnt about my true identify in God and that made me secure and confident in His love. Mingli was a good listener and pointed me to the way of resolving my conflicting issues, through knowing what my guiding principles in life are.

It is important to seek counselling when you feel that life has no meaning. A counsellor is like a friend who doesn’t judge but is there to help you walk victorious out of the darkness. Learning about the truths in life is like taking a breath of fresh air. Don’t be afraid to share honestly how deep your darkness is or how troubling things are.”

~ A counsellee (name withheld for confidentiality reasons)

Ming Li is Counsellor at Faith Methodist Church and attends GST2 small group. She is a self-confessed animal lover and she enjoys music and trying out new things in her free time.

By CHONg MINg LI

Home Front

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No Problem!No problem is too great or unwelcome in the hands of the Lord Jesus. PAULINE SHAN and her mission team experienced this firsthand as they served at an English Camp in Thailand.

In June 2012, a team of 13 volunteer teachers from Faith Methodist Church embarked on a mission trip to conduct a three-day English Camp at BanDonTaNin Primary School in Northeast Thailand. According to the plan, we would be conducting English lessons for six classes from Primary 1 to Primary 6, with about 20 students per class.

Upon arrival, on the first day of the English camp, we were warmly greeted with a grand opening ceremony for the camp, in the presence of the school director and teachers. To our pleasant surprise, the school had invited three other surrounding village schools to join in the camp. The educational deputy director of the area, along with the school directors of the schools officiated at the camp opening ceremony!

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Pauline is the Country Champion for Thailand under the International Ministry. She attends the 11am Service with her family and D’Light 2 small group.

By PAULINE SHAN

Initially, we were apprehensive as to the rather ‘high-profile’ nature of our arrival and the repercussions if we failed to meet their expectations. For the past few years, we had taught the students at BanDonTaNin school only, and although there were other primary and secondary schools in the area, we did not know how they would respond if we offered to teach English in their schools, especially when they know that we are from a foreign church.

On the first day of the camp, we were overwhelmed by the number of students – we had prepared teaching resources for only 120 students, so we ran out of materials right on the first lesson! Hence, we had to quickly adapt our lesson plan for small group teaching to large group teaching. Half the team members were on their first teaching trip, and there was no time to get the team together and redo our lesson plan to cater for 40 to 50 students per class.

It was a challenge to build rapport with so many students on the first day, especially for our first timers. I was concerned that our members may not handle this very well. Yet, as I went from class to class during the first period, I was amazed at how each member embraced this “problem” with much excitement and joy displayed on their faces. They patiently listened to each student as they read out their names and carefully attended to the new students from the other schools. There was not a glimpse of worry or panic, but display of patient kindness and loving care for the students. That was Christian love! And this was witnessed by the directors and teachers who came along with the students from the other schools too.

Through this trip, we saw how God truly carried each one of us through, showed us how to handle the “problem” well and multiplied our limited resources and abilities to the fullest. We sailed through the first day smoothly and immensely enjoyed God’s provision of strength, patience, kindness and joy when interacting with the students.

On the second day, we had the opportunity to visit one of the schools situated a few kilometres away from DonTaNin. This school has a total of 74 pupils coming from a village of 132 households. All the pupils from this school met us at the English camp. God has opened the door to reach out to this village, as well as two more schools, and we anticipate with excitement how He will work in more villages!

What we saw as a fearful situation, the Lord has turned it around and made it an opportunity to reach out to new students, and in turn new families, who live in a much wider area than BanDontaNin.

Now, I see challenges in a different light – with the Lord’s enabling, challenges and ‘problems’ can be turned into great opportunities to bless more people with the love of Jesus. I am so excited and looking forward to going to the next village!

Crossing Boundaries

Now, I see challenges in a different light – with the Lord’s enabling, challenges and ‘problems’ can be turned into great opportunities to bless more people with the love of Jesus.

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SelfDiscovering

And GodPreviously a self-made man struggling with pride and confused with

life, DAVID CHONG shares his path of self-discovery and God-discovery.

His story of finding faith is one that resonates with many of us who

wander about in the rat race seeking authenticity and meaning. This

testimony was first shared at a Membership Reception session where

David was confirmed as a member of Faith Methodist Church.

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As an ethnic Chinese born in Singapore, I grew up in a Chinese home with strong Chinese beliefs. As my parents were both Buddhists, I naturally became one. Although I had heard of the Christian God, I had never doubted that my “god” should be a ‘Chinese god’. Hence I piously followed my mother to pray at the Chinese temple every month. I had always prayed sincerely from my heart, because I knew somehow that there was a real God who cared for me.

I took a path that may have seemed successful in the eyes of many Singaporeans – receiving education in good schools, clinching a government scholarship to study in Japan, and landing a job with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs eventually. However, I became proud because of my achievements.

My family was never well-to-do, and my parents did not receive much education. It was their dream to see me lead a life that was different from theirs. My mother, in particular, taught me sacrificial love as she did all she could for my brother and me. Knowing this, I endeavoured to excel

in my studies, which I thankfully did.

My life started to change with National Service. I did not cope well with the harsh discipline and physical training. Many of my platoon mates grew to dislike me for my sharp tongue and lazy attitude. One night, I felt so miserable that I even drew up a long list of faults which I wanted to change. And I cried fervently to my ‘Chinese god’ to help me. But nothing changed. It was around that time when I received news that I had been awarded a scholarship

to study in Japan. I was

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

excited not only because of the future prospects that it offered, but because it seemed to be an opportunity for me to start my life on a clean slate. I was quickly proved wrong. Over time, my boastfulness and often insensitive words to those around me estranged me from my friends. The irony was that I did not even realise this until a close friend kindly pointed this out to me in private. It suddenly dawned on me how terrible a person I had become.

After the episode, I started to question life. Being far away from my family and Singapore for the first time, I was able to reflect on my life more objectively. By this time, I was deeply attracted to the idea of developing my own set of philosophy to replace my religious beliefs. The thought of questioning everything that is thought to be absolute intrigued me.

But it did not take long before I was thrown into confusion and even depression. I was swarmed by so many questions about life, but was unable to obtain any of the answers from philosophy.

All these had happened during my first year in university.

One day, a Japanese classmate told me that he had met a group of Singaporean students from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Tired of meeting Singaporeans, I quickly turned down his suggestion to meet up with the Singaporean group. But it was God’s will that I bumped into him and the group on my way home that day.

It turned out that the group was a mission team comprising students from NUS. This piece of information initially put me off, as I disliked Christians who were “pushy” about their beliefs. More

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importantly, the perception of Jesus Christ as a “Western god” stopped me from wanting to know more about Christianity.

However, there was something about the students that attracted me. They were genuine and sincere, and they were certain about their direction in life because of their God. I followed the mission team throughout their evangelistic activities at my university campus. I even volunteered myself as their interpreter. There was an incident that set me thinking: one day, they planned an evangelistic event and invited a Christian speaker to speak after school. Eventually, only two students turned up for the talk. I recall laughing in my heart: “If God were real, He would have brought people to the talk!” But I was surprised when the students prayed to thank God for the event. I told myself that either the students were crazy, or their God was real.

The mission team’s stay was quickly coming to an end. As the movie “Titanic” had been screened not long ago then, the team leader shared about how Titanic had been the pride of mankind; nobody had imagined that the mighty ship would sink one day, but it did. Drawing a parallel with the Christian faith, he shared that it was the pride of man that stopped us from knowing God. Unless we put aside our personal pride, we would never get to see God. That included admitting our sins.

The following night, I cycled home with an Indonesian Christian friend who helped to support the mission team. It was 1am in the morning, and we stopped by a convenience store to have ice-cream. As we were eating ice-cream outside the shop, still sitting on our bicycles, he asked me if I would like to receive Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

I told him frankly that I hardly knew who Jesus was, but I wanted to know the driving force that dwelled in him and the Singapore students. I asked if it was ok to receive Jesus even though I had little faith. My friend said yes, and he led me in a prayer to accept Jesus into my life.

That moment, tears suddenly flowed freely from my eyes. Memories of the sins that I had committed

David attends the 10am Service with his wife Phoebe, son Noah and daughter Nadia.

By DAvID CHONg

in my life flashed in my mind. Since high school, I had never shed tears except for times when I felt that the world was being unfair to me. But this was the first time I cried in repentance – I felt that my heart was no longer hardened like before.

Interestingly, I regretted my decision to follow Christ the next morning. I wondered skeptically if I had been ‘brainwashed’ into the religion. Hearing this, my Indonesian friend suggested that I challenge God to find out if He was real. I did. My prayer as a young Christian every night for the next few months was for God to show Himself to me. And amazingly, God spoke to me in many ways through the Bible and those around me. But it was an email forwarded by a friend, written from God’s viewpoint, that struck me – it said that until I stopped issuing ultimatums to God dictating how He should be, I would never come to know Him. This made me realise that I had treated God like an object of scrutiny – as if I could fathom His infinite wisdom with my finite human mind.

The rest was history – HIS STORY unfolding in my life!

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Are you carefully painting and putting on a pretty mask every day, so that no

one can see your tears and imperfections? Was there a day when you wanted

so badly to take it off, but do not know how to anymore? PHOEBE CHEW is

a fellow sojourner who, through many twists and turns, has found the way

to the destination of true peace and joy. This testimony was first shared at a

Membership Reception session where Phoebe was confirmed as a member of

Faith Methodist Church.

Pretty Mask!No More

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I have always strived to be perfect till I met God. I may look confident and cheerful but I was not always like this. I used to be filled with insecurities and weaknesses. It was through God’s grace and mercies that I found true love, peace and hope.

I believe that God had always tried to draw me to Himself. I studied in Methodist Girls’ School and knew who Jesus was, but I would say the Lord’s Prayer in school every morning and pray to my ‘Chinese god’ at night.

Before my parents’ marriage broke down, I thought our family was perfect. But when it happened, it changed my outlook towards life. I never felt whole after that and I set up walls in my heart to protect myself from being hurt. I became confused, lost, and was always searching for love and peace.

It was my sister Phyllis who introduced me to Jesus Christ. Although my mum opposed her faith, I saw how she continued to pray and was eventually allowed to go to church. My mum even attended her baptism. But I thought that God’s blessings were not meant for me as I was not a good person.

By then I had gone through two serious relationships in which both guys were unfaithful. They left me heartbroken.

I began to lead a self-centred lifestyle. I was then young, free, and had a new job that allowed me to see the world. I made myself wear a mask that seemed perfect – pretty and all smiles. Yet how I hated and mocked the mask! I even set my email address as “prettymask”, a mockery of my life itself.

Before I knew it, I was in another relationship with a dark and mysterious guy who resembled myself. We were wrong for each other right from the start. I fell for his terrible lies and we were both unfaithful to each other. Though I saw in him an image of myself, I thought I could change him.

In 2001, after a major quarrel with the guy, my sister invited me to church. There, she asked me if I wanted to accept Jesus who knew and loved me. I was moved to tears and I said yes. Afterwards I felt the emotional walls in me crumble, and I clung onto

I have always strived to be perfect till I met God. I may look confident and cheerful but I was not always like this. I used to be filled with insecurities and weaknesses. It was through God’s grace and mercies that I found true love, peace and hope.

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David was there in 2004 as I went into the waters of baptism. I was trembling and crying and shouted loudly “yes!” when asked if I would give my life to Jesus and follow Him. I felt that the old me had truly died and risen with Christ.

I told myself: “This is it, Phoebe, a new beginning.”

Our wedding was one of the greatest blessings that God had given us. Through it all, He kept to His promise of being with me. And I finally found true love in God and David.

Now I have peace within me, most of the time, and though I am far from perfect, I have hope in Christ knowing He is changing me day by day. I try to remember this verse daily, because it is so close to my heart: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23, NIV)

May the Lord continue to use me till I meet Him in eternity and may I continue to fight the good fight together with my household of faith.

Phoebe attends the 10am Service with her husband David, son Noah and daughter Nadia.

By PHOEBE CHEW

my sister with a mixture of fear and excitement of a new beginning.

My pride and stubbornness did not make easy for me to yield to God to change me. I did not like the idea of God changing me! I wanted to be in control and change my life by my own strength. But God knew that my pride needed to be broken down.

In 2003, I lost my job and boyfriend. I was at the lowest point in my life. One night, I cried out to God, asking Him why I was such a failure. I cried long and hard. It was the first time that I asked God to change my life and help me grow in Him. That night, I asked God not to let me meet another guy unless it was my future husband.

Subsequently, I found a new job, started attending church regularly, made good friends there, and even joined the choir. Little by little my heart felt the joy, peace and love which had eluded me for so many years.

A colleague then introduced a guy called David to me. He told me: “David is a man of God”. Was that a joke? No good guy would want me, I thought. But somehow I felt that he was the one God had intended for me, but I still prayed: “Lord, if he is not the one, please take him out of my life”. David was and is still my ideal husband, someone that I had dreamed of marrying since my childhood.

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

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18-05-200815-04-2012

Whazzup!Indonesian Ministry Anniversary Celebration

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Every now and then, God touches someone’s life and it is never the same again. VICKY TAN recounts her faith journey, which interestingly started from Sunday lunches. Her story also bears testimony to the essential faith formation elements in our Christian walk – being in community, studying the Word, serving, baptism and membership and transformation through application of God’s Word. This testimony was first shared at a Membership Reception session where Vicky was confirmed as a member of Faith Methodist Church.

I KnewGodSunday Lunch

Through

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

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will act at His timing. God really works in mysterious ways....imagine me following my family to Church just in order to have lunch with them!

At my family’s encouragement, I joined a new small group named “GST2”, which stands for “Growing Spiritually Together, in Grace, Steadfastness and Truth”.

When I first started, my group was studying the book of Romans – a book in the New Testament that is rather difficult to understand. As a new Christian, I knew nothing about Bible study and found the questions so difficult! I almost wanted to give up. Every time it came to answering questions, I really felt like hiding my head in the sand! I told my family that we were on the book of Romans, and they quipped, “Wow, if you can get through this, nothing will be more difficult for you!” I confided in them that I felt very inadequate during small group meetings. They were very encouraging, and told me not to feel that way, that we were all there to learn together. They said to me: “If you do not know the answer, just say that you do not know, but don’t give up.” I persevered, pressed on and I managed to complete the book of Romans. I am blessed to have encouragers in my family!

After joining a small group, I felt that I have grown spiritually. I learned how to pray and I enjoyed the fellowship, friendship, sharing and warmth amongst

Knowing Jesus Christ changed my life.

I used to study at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School and although I attended Chapel Service every Friday, I did not know God. My parents were Taoists and I considered myself a staunch Buddhist.

When both of my daughters got married and moved out to stay on their own, they asked me to attend Sunday Church Services with them, so that it is easier to go for lunch together thereafter. I agreed, but in the beginning I found the Service very boring and would either doze off or be distracted. My daughter Phyllis saw me doing that a few times and I felt bad, so I decided to make an effort to be more attentive. Interestingly, as the Sundays went by, I began to like the sermons and I enjoyed worshipping too.

On Mother’s Day of 2009, I made the decision to accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. My family was overjoyed! My daughter Phyllis actually told Pastor Shih Ming how she had prayed 12 years for me to come to know God! I am now thankful that Phyllis persevered in praying for me, even though her prayers were not answered immediately. I know now that we must have the faith to believe that God

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the members of our group, who have been just like family to me.

I attended Faith’s foundation classes FMC 101, 201, 301 and 401. As part of the membership process, I needed to serve in a ministry, but I did not know which one. I met up with Pastor Clarence, prayed for God’s guidance, and the next thing I know was receiving a call from a Mr John Donaldson asking if I would like to help out as a Greeter every first Sunday, which I accepted. On the first Sunday I served as Greeter at the 10am Service, Belinda, our Chief Usher, approached me to help out every second Sunday as Usher, which I gladly agreed too. Now I am serving happily, meeting, greeting and guiding worshippers into the worship venue two Sundays a month!

I was baptised on 19 November 2011. That morning, when I woke up, the excitement and sense of joy was akin to my wedding day! I invited all my siblings to witness this important milestone in my life. Though most of them are not Christians, I was so happy that they made an effort to attend my baptism. It was the happiest day of my life. I felt reborn and clean.

How has my life been after knowing Jesus?

Being a Christian, I have learnt to forgive. I remember Luke 6:27 (NIV): “...Love your enemies,

Vicky attends the 10am Service and GST2 small group. She currently serves as Greeter and Usher at the 10am Service.

By vICky TAN

do good to those who hate you...” In one of Pastor Shih Ming’s sermons, he taught us from Luke 23:34a (NIV): “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. We must learn to be like Jesus, forgiving those who hurt us. It is through forgiveness that we can let go of the hurt and move on.

I knew I had to put into practice what I have learnt. Hence, I forgave my ex-husband. Yes, indeed, I have been living with the hurt for many years and finally, after making the decision to forgive him and releasing the hurt, I am a much happier person now. I allowed my ex-husband to join in our family functions and I have also expressed to him that for the next function, he can bring his wife (who broke up our marriage) along. I have been praying for him to know the Lord too.

I thank my daughters, Phoebe and Phyllis, as well as my sons-in-law, David and Vincent, my Parish Leader, Soh Lan and my small group, for all their prayers and encouragement throughout my budding Christian life. It has been an awesome journey so far but I believe the best is yet to come!

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

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About 20 years ago, when divorce became a reality, my supposedly blissful marriage (which started at a wedding ceremony in Faith Methodist Church) shattered like a huge mirror smashed into many little fragments. During the period of hopeful reconciliation, I was abused physically, verbally, emotionally and humiliated in public. I even gave my then-husband a five-figure sum to help him settle a failed business which involved his lover. Was I being stupid or a hopelessly faithful wife?

I was suddenly left alone with my 18-month old son, only sixty dollars ($60) in my savings account, no credit card, plus the burden of mortgage for our matrimonial flat. Given that situation, I had to be prudently frugal, gearing up emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually for a seriously tough journey ahead. There was a day when it rained heavily. I was with my young son at a flooded bus stop. I saw my

hISFaithfulness,MyFaith

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“then husband” driving past with his lover. Tears just flowed. At that time, I was glad the rain drops camouflaged my rolling tears while I comforted my son.

For years I refrained from all social activities; my next day’s lunch at the office would be the previous night’s left-over dinner. There were no enrichment classes for my young son. At the supermarket, I would spend five to 10 minutes poring over the bread loaves, counting every slice of bread to ensure the cheapest bread loaf contained at least fourteen pieces to last me through the week’s breakfast. The LCD or plasma screen television set was a popular presence in many households but not mine. Many youth had their own handphones but I could not afford one.

During that most painful period as well as subsequent years, instead of questioning and blaming, I chose to focus on my Heavenly Sovereign Father and decided to move on as a single mother, in faith with God. I would claim His promise: “For nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37, NIV) Each day, in my simple, humble attitude, I would seek His leading to give me the wisdom to be a mother filled with godliness, grace and confidence to raise my son to be a godly man with a good character for His glory. Each day, I would spend quiet moments praying to our Heavenly Father, communing with Him, reading His Word. Every Sunday morning, my first priority was to attend Church Service at Faith Methodist Church together with my son.

In my son’s toddler years, I began to experience God’s abounding grace. One night, when I was crying, my two-year old son hugged me and patted me with his little fingers. Surely I was so assured God was with us! l learnt and appreciated the importance of the Lord’s Word, strength, peace and comfort that armoured me to overcome many challenges. He taught me many endearing lessons on humility, listening, patience, forgiveness, thankfulness and yes, FAITH.

I thank God for His amazing grace and blessed provisions these years. I learnt to embrace simplicity of living through the years without alimony coupled with the loss from the sum of money I gave my ex-husband. My son is now 22 years old. It is a joy as a mother to see him complete basic certification

in theological studies, actively involved in church ministry and currently studying in university. I, too, have received numerous provisions which were testimonies of His divine grace – through major overseas job assignments with travels on business class; being an invited public speaker at conferences; having successful career achievements in big multinational corporations including receiving an individual award at the national level; and even having received my driving licence on the first try. Within five years of my divorce, my financial status had stabilised so much so that my son and I were able to travel to countries like Switzerland, France, Japan and Korea.

I share this very personal story not to gain any pity or to amplify my achievements. I only seek to proclaim the Almighty Lord’s faithfulness. Today, if you are facing difficult and uncertain challenges ahead of you, allow me to share some encouragement out of my own journey.

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

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Be humble, seek Him – “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time…” 1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)

Connect and commune with our Heavenly Father through prayer – “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (NKJV)

Believe in the power of prayer – “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NIV)

Be Assured of our relationship with God – “…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” Colossians 1:12 (NIV)

Believe in faith – “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Delight in God’s Word – “For the word of God is living and powerful…” Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

Commit our plans to God – “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)

Trust in His faithfulness – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

Be strong in God who provides – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

Indeed our Heavenly Father is One who lives, whose love is unfailing. Hold on to His Hand and walk with Him, through good days and bad.

Mary attends the 8am Service and leads Grace Vision small group. She serves as a choir member in the Dawn Voices choir, as a volunteer at the Information Counter, as well as at FaithActs’ WOW Workout. By profession, she currently works in the healthcare industry.

By MARy THAM

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18-05-200813-05-2012

Whazzup!Filipino Anniversary Celebration

Photography: Godiva Ysip

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“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.He makes me lie down in green pastures,He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23, NIV)

An unexpected car accident led Christine Cheah to a deep experience of God’s mercy, grace and love.

On 31 October 2011, Christine was driving home from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to visit her family. Although she was exhausted and lacking in sleep, she decided to drive herself as she wanted to go home as soon as possible. She tried very hard to fight back fatigue and the urge to doze off while

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Nuggets of Thanksgiving

in the car, and recited the Lord’s Prayer repeatedly in an attempt to keep herself awake. However, in spite of all her efforts, Christine succumbed to exhaustion, and unknowingly dozed off at the wheel. By the time she realised, it was too late.

Christine and her car headed straight towards a concrete divider beside the road. The impact of the collision sent the car flying. She was strapped to her seat motionless, watching the windscreen shatter before her eyes! Finally, the car landed half submerged in a stream beside the road. That moment, Christine had only one thought: “I am going home to heaven today!” Surprisingly, she remained calm and at peace.

A good Samaritan who was behind Christine’s car saw the whole accident, and pulled over to help her out of the car. As she sat by the roadside staring at the wreckage, she was filled with thanksgiving and praised God for the divine protection. God had preserved her life and gave her an opportunity to witness His goodness to her. Christine recalled, “I was shocked when I saw the pile of twisted metal that moments ago was my car. My physical body was also undergoing shock as pain pierced through my spine. I was filled with fear. I was afraid the extent of my injuries would be similar to that of the car! I remember being wheeled into an ambulance and praying through the journey to the hospital asking for God to help alleviate my pain and fear.”

Under God’s miraculous protection, Christine sustained only compression fracture to the C12 section of her spine and minor external injuries.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NIV)

It was this passage in the Bible that encouraged Christine during that difficult period of recuperation. Despite facing the possibility of side effects from the spinal injury and having to handle various procedures post-accident, the Lord Jesus took away her anxieties and filled her with peace and assurance. “During my recuperation, simple activities such as walking, sleeping sideways, sitting up for a meal, going to the toilet etc became daily challenges. I had panic attacks often, when I worried about long-term effects on my mobility and car insurance matters. I knew I had only God to depend on. I felt the Lord holding my hand every step of the way, blessing me with His peace and assurance. I remember there was one time when I felt such great fear, and heard His firm and still voice saying: “Relax. Trust me. Everything will be fine.”

In the midst of her recovery, Christine experienced deeply God’s presence. Love from God, her family and small group members helped her recover quickly. Even her orthopedic surgeon was pleasantly surprised at the rate her spine had healed. The Lord Jesus Christ was with Christine throughout, giving her indescribable energy and taking away her fears and anxieties. During that period, Christine exclaimed, “I have no fear even if the sky decides to fall on me, because the Lord is with me!”

Having received God’s strength, Christine recovered fully in just two and a half months – not just her health but also the confidence to drive. In no time, she was driving on the North-South Highway to and fro Kuala Lumpur and Singapore again.

Ing Ing attends the Mandarin Service at 10.15am, and Blessed Assurance small group. She is a home-maker and has a three-year old daughter Emma.

By CHEONg INg INg

Translated by CHRISTINE CHEAH

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It all began in November 2011 when I discovered a spot of blood on the left side of my bra. At first, I thought it was an injury caused by my mother when she fainted and fell on me in late September 2011. However, when there was more discharge of blood, I began to worry. I began to do self-examination – there were no lumps but when I pressed gently on my left nipple there was a drop of blood. I suspected something was wrong because discharge from the nipple is one of the symptoms of breast cancer. My world collapsed. I dreaded seeing a doctor for fear it will confirm my suspicion. I confided in one of my small group members who persuaded me to consult a doctor immediately. After some thought and prayer, I went to the doctor who subsequently referred me to Singapore General Hospital.

iWent Through

CanCeR!

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operation. I felt the peace and was even singing on the operation table! The next day I was discharged.

My small group members, church friends and line dancing ladies came to visit me at my home. One week later, I went for a follow-up visit to my doctor. Praise the Almighty God, my lymph nodes were not affected, the cancer was diagnosed to be Stage 1A and I do not need to go for further chemotherapy or radiation treatment and neither do I have to take any medication. God is good all the time! For those who are going through health challenges I encourage you to read the verse in Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV):

“But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

This verse gave me much hope and encouragement and I claimed the promises of God all the time especially during my ordeal and struggle. So can you!

Nuggets of Thanksgiving

Grace attends the 8am Service and leads Evergreen small group. She enjoys serving as an Usher and line dancing.

By gRACE TAN

A mammogram and an ultrasound were done on 6 January this year. The report was devastating. A biopsy was done a few weeks later and it was confirmed that my nipple had already been inverted and it was left breast invasive cancer (multifocal tumours). My heart completely sank.

The doctor informed me that the only option is a mastectomy (removal of left breast) and further investigations will be done on two lymph nodes to check if they were affected, the extent of the cancer and if there is a need for further treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation or hormonal medication.

My small group members, friends from the line dancing group, CareNet and Usher Ministry rallied around me during that difficult time, offering prayers, comfort, support and practical help. I asked God why He had allowed this to happen to me; I even had thoughts of suicide. But God reminded me of His mercy and grace in Matthew 8:1-3 which recounted Jesus healing the leper. God helped me to see that while my cancer was the giant in my life, instead of focusing on this giant, I needed to turn my eyes to focus on Him. God told me not to run away from it but to face the giant. I believe that this was an opportunity for me to encounter the Lord’s healing and to experience His grace.

I prayed for peace and calmness to face it. God not only comforted me but also gave me the courage to go through it. My abdominal scan and CT bone scan showed that the cancer cells were contained in the breast and did not spread to other parts of the body.

When I had my operation on 20 March this year, two of my small group members came to encourage, support and pray for me. I was very much encouraged, and trusted God to see me through the

When I had my operation on 20 March this year, two of my small group members came to encourage, support and pray for me. I was very much encouraged, and trusted God to see me through the operation. I felt the peace and was even singing on the operation table! The next day I was discharged.

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18-05-2008Science Powerlab 2012

Whazzup!

Children Turned Detectives for CSI Fun

Fascination spread around a mock crime scene outside the doorstep of Faith Methodist Church Attic’s ‘laboratory’. It drew the attention of close to 60 children, most of whom were from the community, who came to participate in a two-day CSI edition science workshop. Student teams took part in activities on forensic science including fingerprint, lip print, ink, and powder analysis. Volunteers were on hand to show them how to investigate the traces left behind, and solve cases of home burglary and cheque forgery through dusting for fingerprints, and applying ink chromatography. The students were also taken on a journey through a CSI skit to help solve an important case entitled” The Case of the Empty Tomb”. The three-hour programme each day included time to detail findings in special take-home journals, make souvenirs such as invisible ink letters to other team mates, and get an up-close look at microscopic cells of plants and humans. Students also got to assemble their own working submarines using bottled water, pen caps and plasticine, and play with amazing sand that remains completely dry and flows freely despite being soaked in water. The hands-on lessons demonstrated to everyone wonderful science processes, how they relate and integrate into everyday life and point to an amazing Creator. The ‘Bible osmosis’ times during the workshop also helped the children know more about Jesus and His miracles through Bible stories.

Elaine attends Agape Amigos small group. In her leisure time, she enjoys the company of close friends, and playing with her rescue dog, Pin.

By ELAINE CHONg

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18-05-200805-06-2012

Whazzup!

Photography: Thomas Koh

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2012年9月9日，思珍堂华语主日崇拜将庆祝两周年！蒙上帝的恩典，每星期天

早上10时15分，有大约八十位教友聚集在英华初级学院第一讲堂参加华语主日

崇拜。带领工作小组在两年前创立华语崇拜的蔡锦昌传道叙说这段旅程，并庆

祝这个新家庭所包含的价值与文化.

华语主日崇拜

两岁了!

华语主日崇拜于2010年9月12日成立，为的是

满足那些主要以华语为沟通媒介的思珍堂会

友的父母、亲戚和朋友，以及社区居民的需

要。多年来，我们的团契小组在东陵福和联

邦社区做事工，并发现有越来越多说华语的

居民想了解更多有关基督教的信仰。因此，

华语主日崇拜的成立把他们与我们的教会家

庭串连在一起。

我们的诞生

我们在刚开始引进华语崇拜时小心翼翼，因

为到那时为止，思珍堂是一个全然用英语沟

通的教会。在2010年7月和8月，我们开始了

每月一次的华语崇拜。在2010年9月12日，每

周的华语主日崇拜正式开始。

我们组织了一群对华语事工有热忱的志愿

者，在华语主日崇拜各方面事奉，例如做招

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待员、准备茶点、帮扶新朋友、准备音响器

材、做乐手、投影、辅助歌手、小组领导等

等。直到今天，我仍惊叹上帝如何把拥有不

同才华、能力、热忱、个性和经验的人聚

在一起，就像交响乐团以不同的乐器和谐演

奏，将主的同在和荣耀带给每位出席华语主

日崇拜的教友。

我们的个性

过去两年，华语主日崇拜的家庭一起成长与

侍奉，渐渐地培养出她自己的个性。

专注于传教

华语主日崇拜旨在接触那些想更加认识基督

教信仰的朋友以及新的基督徒。因此，我们

做的一切和所做的决策都要朝向未信主的朋

友传教和初信者训练这方向走。例如，我们

采用了现代崇拜风格，其中包括现代华语崇

拜的歌曲和乐队，因为我们认识到大多数人

包括乐龄人士都有听现代华语流行歌曲。华

语主日崇拜的牧师和传道们也注意到他们的

讲道应该简单和易于理解，并适合未信主的

朋友以及初信者。

欢迎新人

我们是一个有包容之心的大家庭，不管他们

是否是基督徒，我们都欢迎他们加入我们的

华语团契小组。对于那些只是来探索基督教

信仰的新朋友，我们给予他们空间和时间，

不向他们施压成为基督徒。我们希望这个崇

拜是一个每个人都可以归属的地方！

大家都能侍奉

无论你是年轻还是年老，您都可以事奉！我

们有青年做乐手，成年人做招待员、帮扶

者、后勤人员、音响设置、准备茶点、驾车

接送行动困难的老人家。我们的志愿者大多

是讲英语或双语，所以你不需要担心不精通

华语。即使是乐龄人士，他们也在崇拜之前

来参与祷告作为一种事奉；他们其中大多数

还是初信徒呢！

我们的心

“所以，我亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你们务要坚定

不移，总要竭力做主的工作，因为你们知道

自己在主里面的辛勤付出不会白费。”（哥

林多前书15：58）

经过多年积极地事奉我们的社区，华语崇拜

的诞生的确是我们劳动的果实和我们事工的

一个里程碑！

我个人非常感恩能够尝到我们劳动的甜美果

实，和成为上帝创办华语主日崇拜的开拓者

之一。我的愿望是要华语主日崇拜成长！我

祷告我们将达到每周超过100位出席者！这个

愿望并不源于仅仅数值的增长，而是因为还

有这么多人还没有品尝到上帝的良善！愿诗

篇34：8：“你们要亲身体验，就知道耶和华

的美善”永远是华语主日崇拜对饥渴与神建

立更深切关系的人的邀请。

锦昌育有一子，是思珍堂的教牧同工，领导并热衷福音传道的事工。

蔡锦昌

梁可泳 翻译

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来到新加坡，即便我没有信耶稣，但是祂已经一直眷顾我。

上帝的其中一个恩赐就是让我认识我的干姐姐郑权Jenny。因为她，

我得以结识了身边的一帮好姐妹、好朋友，包括之前生病回了天家

的小静。也正是在小静生病期间，我在她的住处第一次遇见李昭娥

Janice。我现在都记得那时的情景，是在2008年的上半年，昭娥打开

圣经向我讲读一段经文，我淡然地拒绝了她。现在想想，自己当时还

蛮无情的。因为当时我崇尚佛教教义，觉得那些对人生更有启发。后

来昭娥也传简讯邀请我参加一些教会活动，但我多数拒绝了，并且很

清楚地表达了我不会信基督教的立场。

同时，我也继续着自己挣扎的人生，时常觉得空虚、挫败。2010年我

在工作和感情上都遇到问题，人生经历了一段低潮期。幸亏我的身边

依靠！有了我的人生

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还有郑权、顾华、王英等一帮朋友的陪伴、

支持和关心。当时郑权的父母也在新加坡，

我更是得到他们的安慰和怜爱，让我觉得自

己还是一个幸运的人。就在郑妈妈回中国之

前，她受洗成为一名基督徒，我当时受邀观

礼。我向来欣赏阿姨温暖的心，而她信了主

耶稣，我心里思量着她的决定，起码有了了

解基督教的心。几个月后，郑权也受洗了，

我又参加了。那一次我听《一生最美的祝

福》这首诗歌而落泪，很感动。后来，郑权

每个星期天都邀我来教会。起初，我真的是

因为无事可做，就答应了。几次之后，我发

现我喜欢听这里的牧师和传道讲的道。李光

汉牧师讲的道，时常感动到我，令我好几次

泪流满面。记得第一次李牧师告诉我，他可

以跟我聊聊人活着的意义，我很惊喜，因为

这正是我想知道的。有一次听的道是讲：财

主留一笔钱给他的三个仆人而外出的故事，

是讲耶稣希望我们要使用，而不要浪费自己

的天赋。这让我的人生重新找到方向，有了

动力。

在这期间，朋友王英借了一本《游子吟》的

书给我，说可以一看。这是一位旅美华人传

道士写的传道书，其中针对中国人对基督教

的疑问，写的很中肯，言论让人信服。他另

外也写了他自己得救，蒙召的见证，这些都

我的名字叫崔海燕，来自中国江苏省。她在1999年10月来到新加坡，今年八月她已离开这个工作和生活了12年的地方，回去到父母的身边，开始另一段人生历程。

崔海燕

让我对基督教，对《圣经》有了更大的认

同。我渴望从《圣经》中不断找到充实，指

引人生的道理。

去年圣诞节崇拜，李牧师召唤愿意信主的人

上前时，我心里很想去，可身体却没有听

话。之后我回去中国过华人新年，在假期

中，我发现我遇到困难的事情时，已经会

本能地向耶稣求助，也常用“平安”，“喜

乐”这两个词。就在回来新加坡之前，我也

初步决定要离开新加坡，回到父母的身边。

这个决定并不是容易的，过程中充满了神奇

的力量。而决定后，思量回去中国的人生，

我想我更需要主的陪伴。我决定宣告要信靠

主耶稣，也要接受洗礼，让我的人生从此有

了依靠，也让神的话语成为我人生的旨意和

指引。

我感谢帮助过我的所有朋友，感谢你们让我

找到平安喜乐，找到主耶稣！也感谢主，我

已成为神的孩子！阿门！

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Aida 参加思珍堂的11点主日崇拜和 Agape Amigos 小组。

AIDA MEkONNEN

告别

李光汉牧师

历经两年在思珍堂的侍奉，李光汉牧师于8月1日向

这大家庭告别了。李牧师已经由卫理公会三一年议

会委任于卫理公会道生堂。

在思珍堂之前，李牧师在卫理公会大巴窑堂任职。

在思珍堂的 FaithConneXions 和中文事工事奉了

两年后，他是带著沉重且缅怀的心情离开这个大家

庭的。李牧师说道：“在思珍堂最愉快的时光莫过

于跟华语主日崇拜的教友以及一些青少年相处的日

子。与他们坐着聊天，有灵命上的对话，这是非常

畅快的。”

访谈时，李牧师透露他与他的家人正在适应离开思

珍堂的消息。他坦言道：“我本身对离开倍感伤

怀。我一定会想念这里的弟兄姐妹，尤其是亲近的

朋友。其实，思珍堂这个大家庭也从李牧师切身和

发人深省的中英文讲道与他建立了密切的关系。李

牧师忆述有一回在讲道中他强调真心了解他人的需

要，以便给予实际帮助的重要性时提到他太太想化

解两位小贩争端的事件。“当日下午，我在小贩中

心遇到一位教友，他说 :‘牧师别担心，如果今天

发生什么事，我会助您一臂之力。’我们都笑了。

我感谢这位教友有聆听并记得神的话语！ ”

这两年来，思珍堂最令李牧师印象深刻的什么呢？

他说是教友对教会及社区邻里的爱。“有许多教友

真心爱教会，不辞劳苦地事奉。他们慷慨互助和关

怀的精神也让我感触良深，尤其是他们通过惠爱社

区服务中心和探访居民中对邻里社群所流露的关心

与帮助。”

正当李牧师踏上新的旅程，恳请大家替他与他的家

人祷告，让他们能适应新的教会，并且能和教会领

袖及教牧同工们愉快地事奉。对于思珍堂，李牧师

希望有更多教友关心并爱戴社区居民，殷勤与他们

分享神的爱。“我祈祷思珍堂会永远以最真诚和纯

洁的心事奉主，并以耶稣为唯一的模范。 ”

林子扬 翻译

94 Faithlink

大约二十年前，当离婚成为一个无法避免的事实时，

我原本以为美满的婚姻（婚礼还是在思珍堂举行的）

竟像一面被打碎的大镜子，完全支离破碎了。在期待

着复合的那段时间，我饱受身体、言语及心理上的虐

待，还在大庭广众下被羞辱。我当时还甚至挪出一笔

五位数的款项来周转生意失败的丈夫和他的情妇。我

到底是愚蠢或只是一个忠诚到无可救药的妻子？

突然之间，我孓然一身，只剩下一个18个月大的儿

子，还有户头里的60块钱。我没有信用卡，而且还得

承担房子的贷款。在这样的情况下，我必须谨慎节俭

并且做好情绪、体力、精神及心灵上的准备来面对接

下来艰苦的日子。记得有一次下着倾盆大雨，我携着

幼小的儿子在一个淹满了水的巴士车站等候时，看见

当时的丈夫和他的情妇驾着车驶过。我的眼泪夺眶而

出。我一面安抚儿子，一面庆幸当天的雨水掩盖了当

时的泪水。

祂的信实,我的信心

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接下来的几年，我尽量避开所有的社交场

合；午餐都是前一个晚上的剩饭。我没能让

儿子上任何的辅助课程。单单在超市买面

包，我就常常站个五至十分钟，细数每个包

装里的面包，确认最便宜的也有至少十四片

面包，好维持我一整个星期的早餐。当年，

每户人家普遍都有液晶显示屏电视机，但这

是我们无法拥有的奢侈品。就连一般年轻人

拥有的个人手提电话我都买不起。

在那最艰难的期间，以及接下来的几年，与

其质问和责怪，我选择瞩目于主权的天父上

帝并决定凭着对神的信心，以单身母亲的身

份往前走。我领取祂的应许：“因为在神没

有什么事是不可能的”（路加福音1:37）。

我每天以单纯，谦卑的态度寻求祂的带领，

让我拥有智慧作一个虔诚、满怀恩典和信心

的母亲来抚养我的儿子成为一位爱神以及拥

有高尚品格以荣耀上帝的人。我每天都会划

出时间来祷告和读神的话语。每个星期天早

上，我优先做的事就是和儿子一起参加思珍

堂的主日崇拜。

在儿子童年时，我感受到神丰盛的恩典。有

一晚，我正在哭泣时，当时两岁大的儿子竟

然上前拥抱我，用小手轻轻地拍着我，安抚

我。我当时确信神一定与我们同在！我学习

且意识到神的话语、力量、平安和安慰是多

么地重要 — 它们像装甲般护庇我，使我克服

重重困境。神从中教导了我许多，如谦卑、

倾听、耐心、宽恕、感恩还有最重要的 — 信

心。

我感谢上帝这些年来的奇妙恩典及丰盛的供

应。在没有领赡养费的情况下，加上由于给

了前夫一笔钱而承受的损失，我学习到如何

过节约和简单的生活。我的儿子现年22岁。

身为一个母亲，看着他完成基本神学课程，

在教会事奉方面非常活跃而且目前就读大

学，这是何等的喜悦。我本身也领受到无数

不同的恩赐，见证着神对我的恩典 — 例如，

我有机会乘搭商务舱出国公干、被受邀到不

同的研讨会发表演讲、在跨国公司拥有成功

的事业，包括获颁全国性的荣誉奖，甚至第

分享我的亲身经历并非要博取

任何同情或是要张扬自己的成

就。我只求宣告我们全能神的

信实。今天的你，如果也正在

面对生命中的考验，请允许我

用我的自身领悟来鼓励你。

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一次便考取驾驶执照。在离婚后的五年内，

我的经济状况变得稳定，让我和儿子竟然能

够到瑞士、法国、日本和韩国等地旅游。

分享我的亲身经历并非要博取任何同情或是

要张扬自己的成就。我只求宣告我们全能神

的信实。今天的你，如果也正在面对生命中

的考验，请允许我用我的自身领悟来鼓励你：

以卑微的心寻求祂 — “所以，你们当在神大

能的手下降卑，好让祂在所定的时候高举你

们。” 彼得前书 5:6

以祷告与神联系和交流 — “不住地祷告，凡

事感谢；因为这是神在基督耶稣里对你们的

旨意。” 帖撒罗尼迦前书 5:17-18

相信祷告的能力 — “所以，我告诉你们：

凡是你们所祷告和祈求的，当相信已经得着

了。这样，事情就将为你们成就。”马可福

音 11:24

确信我们与神的关系　—　“感谢父 — 祂使

你们能够分享圣徒们在光明中的继业”　歌

罗西书 1:12

凭信相信　— “信，是对所盼望的事有把

握，对看不见的事有确据。” 希伯来书 11:1　

先玉，又名玛丽，从事医疗保健行业。她参加思珍堂早上8点的崇拜，目前领导 GraceVision 小组。她是 Dawn Voices 唱诗班的成员之一,也在询问柜台以及惠爱乐龄活动事奉。

湛先玉

翁丽丽 翻译

喜爱神的话语　— “神的话语是有生命的，

是有功效的” 希伯来书 4:12

将所有的计划交托给神　—　“人心中有

许多计划，唯耶和华的旨意成就。”箴言

19:21

信靠祂的信实　—　“我们要坚定不移地持

守我们所认定的盼望，因为赐应许的那位是

信实的。”希伯来书 10:23

靠神得力量　—　“靠着赐我力量的那位，

我凡事都能做。”腓立比书 4:13

我们的天父确实是永活的神，祂的慈爱直到

永远。无论在满有恩典或是充满挑战的日子

里，让我们紧握祂的手跟随者祂。　

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张文腾是一个从前靠着自己力量成功，却苦

苦地在自傲和困惑中挣扎生活的人。他在此

分享他发现神和自我的心路历程。他的故事

相信会引起许多徜徉在激烈竞争的社会中，

渴望寻求真实与意义的人的共鸣。

发现神和

自我的旅程

98 Faithlink

作为新加坡的华人，我在有强烈华人信仰的

家庭中长大。由于我的父母两人都是佛教

徒，我理所当然也跟从他们。虽然我曾听说

过基督教的上帝，我却坚信我的“神”应该

是个“华人的神”。因此每个月我都会虔诚

地跟着我的母亲去寺庙上香。我总是发自内

心真诚地拜拜，因为不晓得为什么，我总是

知道有一位真神在关心我。

我走上了一个在很多新加坡人眼中看起来是

成功的道路 — 我在优秀的学校受教育，后来

获得政府奖学金去日本留学，并在外交部任

职。然而，我因为我的成就变得骄傲自大。

我的家庭不富裕；我的父母也没有受过多少

教育。他们的梦想是看到我能生活得比他们

更好。我的母亲尽一切力量照顾我和弟弟；

在她身上我学会了什么叫做无私的爱。明白

了这些，我努力读书争取好成绩，而我也欣

慰自己做到了。

我的生活在国民服役时开始有了变化。我无

法妥善地应付严峻的纪律及体能训练。很多

同营队友越来越不喜欢我的牙尖嘴利和懒散

的态度。一天晚上，我甚至痛苦到列出了一

张清单，写上一连串自己需要改进的缺点。

我虔诚地求我的“

神”来帮我，但什

么也没有改变。

就在这时候，我收

到了消息，知道我

获得奖学金到日本

留学。我很兴奋，

因为这个不仅仅

是为我的前程铺

路，也似乎是一

个让我重新开始

生活的机会。

我的想法很快就灭了。我的浮夸和不顾他人

感受的话语使周围的朋友疏远我。可笑的是

我甚至没有察觉，直到一位好朋友私下告诉

我。我如梦初醒，惊觉我竟然成为一个这么

可恶的人。

这事过后, 我开始对人生产生疑惑。第一次远

离家庭和新加坡让我能够更客观地反省我的

人生。这时，我发展了自己的一套哲学来取

代我的宗教信仰。这种质疑一切被认为是绝

对的“哲学”对我深具吸引力。

但没有多久我就陷入了混乱甚至抑郁。我被

很多关于人生的问题围绕着，但我却无法从

哲学中获得任何答案。

这些都发生在我读大学的第一年。

一天，一个日本同学告诉我他碰到一群从新

加坡国立大学来的学生。我厌倦了遇见新加

坡人，很快就拒绝了会见他们。但是上帝的

旨意叫我那天在回家的路上碰见了这位同学

和国大的一群人。

原来他们是一群新加坡国立大学的学生宣教

团。知道他们的身份后反而令我反感，因为

我不喜欢基督徒对他们信仰的坚持和固执己

见。更重要的是，耶稣基督对我来说是位“

西方神” — 这个既有的观念阻挡了我想要认

识更多关于基督教的信仰。

然而，我觉得这群学生有独特的吸引力。他

们真心和诚恳，并因为他们信仰的上帝所以

对人生的方向很确定。我在大学校园跟着他

们整个宣教活动，甚至自愿担任他们的翻译

员。但有一件事让我深思：有一天，他们筹

办了一个宣教活动并邀请一位基督徒演讲者

放学后来演说。最终，只有两个学生出席。

我记得我在心里笑了起来: “如果上帝真的存

在，祂应该会把人们引进来听教！”但当学

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生们祈祷要为这个活动感谢上帝时，我感到

惊讶。我告诉自己要么这群学生是疯子，要

么就是他们的神是真实的。

宣教团在日本的逗留很快就到尾声。当时电

影“铁达尼号”刚在不久前上映，所以团长

分享了有关“铁达尼号”如何是人类的骄

傲；没有人会想像这艘巨轮有一天会沉没，

但它确实发生了。同样的，是人的心高气傲

阻止我们认识上帝。除非我们撇开个人的骄

傲，承认我们的罪，否则将永远不能看见神。

第二天晚上，我与一位帮忙宣教团的印尼基

督徒朋友骑着脚车回家。这时已是凌晨1点。

我们停下来在一间便利店吃雪糕。当我们在

店外坐在脚车上吃雪糕的时候，这位朋友问

我是否想接收耶稣作为我的救主。

我坦率地告诉他我几乎不知道耶稣是谁，但

我想要了解他和新加坡学生心中的那股驱动

力。我问他如果我只有小小的信念，是否也

可以接受耶稣。他说可以，并领导我祈祷邀

请耶稣进入我的生命。

就在这一刻，我突然间簌簌泪下。我过往犯

下的罪孽在脑海中历历在目。自高中以来，

我都没流过泪，除非是感到委屈愤慨时。这

是我第一次哭着忏悔 — 我觉得我的心不再像

从前那么硬了。

文腾与妻子佩佩以及一对子女一同参加思珍堂上午10点的主日崇拜。

张文腾

蓝福来 翻译

作为一个年轻的基督徒，我在接下

来的几个月每天晚上的祷告是求上

帝在我面前显现。令人惊叹的是，

上帝通过圣经和周遭的人在很多方

面对我说话。

有趣的是，第二天早上我就对接受耶稣的决

定感到后悔。我怀疑我是否被‘洗脑’入

教。听到这话，我的印尼朋友建议我试探上

帝以证明祂是否是真实的。我做了。作为一

个年轻的基督徒，我在接下来的几个月每天

晚上的祷告是求上帝在我面前显现。令人惊

叹的是，上帝通过圣经和周遭的人在很多方

面对我说话。但是一位朋友转寄的一封从神

角度写的电邮震撼了我 — 它说除非我停止向

上帝发出最后通牒，指令祂应该怎样怎样，

我将永远不会真正认识祂。这让我意识到我

对待上帝就像在检视一件物品一样，仿佛我

可以用我有限的人心去揣测他无穷的智慧。

其余的都是历史了 — 祂每天都在写着我生命

的故事！

100 Faithlink

漂亮的面具！不再戴

你是不是每一天都精心绘制和戴上漂亮的面具，不让任何人看到你的眼

泪和缺陷？是不是有一天你很想把它拿掉，但却已经不知如何下手了

呢？周佩佩和大家一样在人生道路上兜兜转转，经过几许曲折，才找到

真正通往平安与快乐的道路。

101Faithlink

我一直都在追求完美，直到我认识了上帝。

我看来自信、开朗，但这并不是以前的我。

从前，我内心常充满了软弱又缺乏安全感。

通过上帝的慈爱和恩典，我才能找到真正的

爱、平安和希望。

我相信上帝一直以来总是试图把我拉近祂的

身边。我在美以美中学读书时知道了耶稣是

谁，但每天早上我在学校念主祷文，晚上却

拜“华人的神”。

我父母的婚姻破裂之前，我以为我们的家庭

很完美。但是事情发生后，我对人生的看法

改变了。我感觉到我的生命从此不再完整，

并且在心中筑起围墙来保护自己不受伤害。

我变得混乱、迷失又永无休止地在寻找爱和

平安。

是我的妹妹让我认识耶稣基督。虽然我母亲

反对她的信仰，我看到她如何继续祈祷，并

最终获准上教堂做礼拜。妈妈甚至参加了她

的洗礼仪式。但我觉得上帝的祝福是不属于

我的，因为我不是一个好人。

这时的我已经历了两段认真的感情，尝到两

个男人的不忠与背叛。我的心碎了。

我开始过以自我中心的生活方式。当时的我

还年轻、自由，并有一份能够让我去环游世

界的新工作。我让自己戴上一个似乎完美的

面具，让我永远展现漂亮和充满笑容的一

面。但是，我不知道有多讨厌和嘲弄自己的

面具！我连电邮地址都写上“prettymask”

– 真是对我人生的讽刺。

不知不觉，我又跟一个像我自己一样黑暗又

神秘的男子来往。我们从一开始就是错误。

我被他可怕的谎言欺骗；我们彼此都对对方

不忠。虽然我从他身上看到自己，我以为我

可以改变他。

2001年，跟那男人大吵一场后，我妹妹邀请

我到教会。在那里，她问我是否愿意接受了

解和爱我的耶稣。我感动得哭着说愿意。当

时我觉得我内心的围墙崩塌了，紧紧抱住我

妹妹，心里既害怕却又憧憬一个新的开始。

我的骄傲和固执并没有使我轻易地屈服于上

帝，让祂来改变我。我不喜欢让上帝改变

我！我要让自己掌控并凭我自己的力量改变

自己的生命。但上帝知道必须驯服我的自傲。

2003年，我失去了工作和男友。这是我生命

中的最低点。一天晚上，我悲从中来，哭喊

着问上帝为什么我会这样的失败。我哭了很

苦很久。这是我第一次求上帝改变我的生命

并帮助我在耶稣里成长。

接着，我找到一份新的工作、开始定期去教

会，交上好朋友，甚至加入诗班。一点一滴

102 Faithlink

地，我的心重新尝到了这么多年来那遥远的

喜乐、平安和爱。

一位同事介绍了我认识一位男子文腾。他告

诉我：”文腾是属神的人”。那是一个笑话

吗？没有好的男人会要我的，我想。但不知

为什么，我感觉到他是神安排给我的。但我

仍然祈祷：”主啊，如果他不是我的意中人

的话，请让他离开我的生活”。文腾至今仍

然是我最理想的丈夫，是我自童年以来就梦

想跟他结婚的人。

2004我接受洗礼时文腾也在场。当被问及是

否愿意将一生献给耶稣和跟随祂时，我颤抖

和哭泣着大声喊叫“是!”。我感觉到旧的

我已经死去，新的我随基督复活。我告诉自

己：“佩佩，这就是你的全新开始。”

我们的婚礼是上帝给我们最大的恩赐之一。

经历这一切，祂坚守祂的承诺，对我不离不

弃。我终于在上帝和文腾身上找到真爱。

现在的我心中常常充满了平安。虽然我不完

美，但我有希望并知道基督每天都在改变

佩佩和丈夫文腾以及一对子女参加上午10时的主日崇拜。

周佩佩

蓝福来 翻译

我。我试着每天记住这段如此接近我内心的

经文：“但现在你们已从罪中得到释放，做

了上帝的奴仆，这样会使你们圣洁，最终得

到永生。因为罪的代价就是死亡，而上帝借

着主基督耶稣赐下的礼物则是永生。”（罗

马书 6：22-23，当代译本）

祈求主继续使用我直到我们在永生中相见，

并让我携同我的家庭坚守信仰，为我们在主

里的人生打一场漂亮的仗。

103Faithlink

有时侯，神触动一个人的生命，使

它不再一样。陈丽芳讲述她从星期

天午餐开始的信仰之旅。她的故事

也见证了我们基督徒灵命成长的基

本要素 — 置身于群体之中、学

习神的话语、侍奉、洗礼、加入

教会以及和通过应用神的话语受

到改造。

我从星期天午餐认识神

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认识耶稣基督改变了我的生命。

我以前就读巴耶利巴美以美女中，虽然每星

期五都有参加崇拜，我却不认识神。我的父

母都是信奉道教的；我也认为自己是一个虔

诚的佛教徒。

我的两个女儿结婚并搬出去住之后，她们邀

请我跟她们去教会参加主日崇拜，好方便之

后我们一起吃午饭。我同意了，但在开始的

时候，我觉得主日崇拜很沉闷，要么打瞌

睡，不然就是心不在焉。我的女儿婷婷有几

次看到我这样，所以我觉得不好意思，就打

定主意要努力专心。有趣的是，几个周日过

去了，我开始喜欢听讲道, 也喜欢崇拜。

在2009年的母亲节，我决定接受耶稣作为

我个人的救主。我的家人喜出望外！我的女

儿婷婷告诉高时敏牧师她如何为我祷告了12

年，希望我认识神！现在，我很感恩婷婷即

使在祷告没有立即实现的情况下仍然坚持祈

祷。我现在知道，我们必须有信心，相信神

会在祂选择的时机回应我们的祈求。上帝的

做工真的奇妙。。。我跟随我的家人到教会

竟然只是为了和她们共进午餐！

在我的家人的鼓励下，我加入了一个新的小

组，名为“GST2”，英文的意思是“灵命上

以恩典、坚定和真理一起成长”。

刚开始时，我的小组在学习罗马书 — 这是一

本相当难以理解的新约书。作为一个新的基

督徒，我对查经一窍不通，也觉得讨论问题

非常困难！我几乎想放弃了。每次轮到回答

问题的时候，我真的想把头藏在沙里！我告

诉我的家人我们在学习罗马书，他们就打趣

说：“哇，如果你可以过这一关，以后没有

什么会难倒你了！”我向他们吐露，在小组

里，我觉得自己很不够格。他们鼓励我并叫

我不要有这样的想法，因为我们都是在一起

学习。他们对我说：“如果你不知道答案就

说不知道，但不要放弃。”我坚持下来了，

并完成了罗马书。我很蒙恩有我家人的鼓励！

加入小组后，我觉得我有灵命上的成长。我

学会了如何去祈祷，也很喜欢与组员之间的

团契、友谊、分享、温暖。他们就像我的家

人一样。

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我上了教会的几堂信仰基础班。要成为教会

成员，我需要在一个事工部门侍奉，但我根

本不知道选哪一个。于是，我与李光汉牧师

会面，并祈祷神的带领。接下来我就收到

John Donaldson的电话，问我是否愿意在

每一个月的第一个星期日做迎宾员。我答应

了。我在上午10时的主日崇拜做迎宾员的第

一个星期日，我们的首席招待员就邀请我每

第二个星期日参与招待员的事工。我也欣然

同意了。现在的我快乐地事奉，每个月两个

星期迎接及招待教友进入崇拜厅！

我在2001年11月19日受洗。那天早上我醒

来时，那种兴奋和喜悦类似我的婚礼当天一

样！我邀请了我的兄弟姐妹见证这个在我的

生命里重要的里程碑。虽然他们大多不是基

督徒，我很高兴他们来参加我的洗礼。这是

我一生中最快乐的一天。我觉得我脱胎换

骨、被洁净了。

认识耶稣后，我的生活如何？

作为一个基督徒，我已经学会了宽恕。我

记得路加福音6:27：“…..要爱你们的仇

敌，要善待恨你们的人”。在高时敏牧师的

丽芳参加思珍堂上午10点的主日崇拜和GST2小组。她目前是主日崇拜的招待员之一。

陈丽芳

其中一篇讲道中，他用路加福音23:34教我

们：“耶稣祷告说：“父啊，赦免他们！因

为他们不知道自己在做什么。”我们必须学

会像耶稣一样，原谅那些伤害我们的人。通

过宽恕，我们可以放开伤害继续前进。

我知道我必须实践我学到的。因此，我原谅

了我的前夫。

是的，我已经带着这份伤害生活了很多年。

作出决定原谅他并放开这份伤害后，我现在

更加快乐。我允许我的前夫参加我们的家庭

聚会，也向他表示下一次的聚会他可以带他

的现任妻子（当年破坏了我们婚姻的人）来

一起参加。我也一直在为他祈祷，希望他也

能认识主耶稣。

我感谢我的女儿佩佩和婷婷、我的女婿文腾

和斌昇、我的教区领袖淑兰和团契小组，在

我萌芽的基督徒灵命中给予我祷告和鼓励。

到目前为止，这个旅程很棒，但我相信最好

的还在后头！

梁可泳 翻译

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18-05-2008Baptism at Mandarin Service 华语主日崇拜洗礼

Whazzup!06-05-2012

Photography: Jimmy Png

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逢后主恩

耶和华是我的牧者。我必不至缺乏。

祂使我躺卧在青草地上，领我在可安歇的水边。

祂使我的灵魂苏醒，为自己的名引导我走义路。

我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害。因为祢与

我同在。祢的杖，祢的竿，都安慰我。

在我敌人面前，祢为我摆设筵席。祢用油膏了我

的头，使我的福杯满溢。

我一生一世必有恩惠慈爱随着我。我且要住在耶

和华的殿中，直到永远。

诗篇二十三篇

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一场出乎意料的车祸，让谢佩珊深刻体会到

阿爸天父的恩惠和慈爱。

2011年10月31日，佩珊从新加坡驾车回吉隆

坡探望家人。那一天，佩珊虽然睡眠不足，

身体很疲累，但由于心急着要回家，她仍然

坚持自己开车，并且一路中努力让自己保持

清醒。佩珊仍然记得很清晰，为了使自己能

够不睡着，她沿途一直默念着主祷文。但

是，强烈而不受控制的倦意，让佩珊在不知

不觉中睡着了。当她察觉不妥时，已经太迟

了。

佩珊的车子朝着路旁的混凝土反射柱撞了过

去。佩珊在车里随着车身飞起翻滚，汽车的

挡风镜就要她的眼前破裂！最后，车子掉落

在路旁的小溪里。这时，佩珊脑海里闪过了

一个念头：今天，就是她回天家的日子了！

她的心里竟然出奇的平静。

当好心的路人把她从车子里拉出来的时候，

她坐在路旁，望着破损的车子，心里却只有

不停的感激，感谢阿爸天父的呵护和看顾，

因为祂保全了自己的生命，让自己能够再次

有机会在世上见证祂的好。佩珊回忆道： “

我看着车子毁坏的程度，感觉无比震惊。我

的身体也是处在震撼的状态，感觉到疼痛穿

刺我的脊椎。同时，我也对于伤势的程度感

到害怕。在救护车里，我一直祷告，求主减

轻痛楚，赐我祂的平安。”

在神的保护保守下，佩珊奇迹地只受到了脊

椎骨第十二节的骨折，以及轻微的皮外伤。

我将这些事告诉你们，

是要叫你们在我里面有平安。

在世上你们有苦难，

但你们可以放心，

我已经胜了世界。

约翰福音第16章33节

圣经上的话语鼓励着受伤疗养的佩珊，尽管

面对未来身体行动会受到影响的种种可能，

即以车祸善后的各项事务，主耶稣却把所有

的忐忑不安一扫而空，取而代之的却是无限

的平安。“康复期间，日常习以为然的动作

如走路、侧身睡觉、坐着用餐、上洗手间等

等对我来说都变得非常具有挑战性。我不时

有惊恐症，对于汽车保险事宜、伤势后遗症

等等承受心灵和精神上的煎熬。在这段期

间，我只能依靠主。我感受到神一直在握着

我的手，给予我无法形容的平安和慰籍。我

还记得有一次在我感到惊慌时，我听到祂坚

定微小的声音说：“放心。相信我。一切都

会没事的。”

在休养时间，佩珊深刻体会到阿爸天父的存

在；祂的爱，以及家人和弟兄姐妹无私的关

怀和照顾，让佩珊很快地恢复健康。甚至连

她的主治医生都很惊讶佩珊痊愈的速度。有

主耶稣陪着佩珊渡过疗伤的期间，主的爱

带给她无限的力量，完全驱除了她心里的恐

慌。那段时间，佩珊因为“有主在，天塌下

来也不怕”！

靠着主，在短短的两个半月的时间里，佩珊

不仅身体恢复了健康，甚至有信心再次手握

驾驶盘，来回南北大道，从新加坡往返吉隆

坡。

茵茵参加思珍堂上午10时15分的华语主日崇拜，和Blessed Assurance小组。她是全职家庭主妇，育有一名三岁的女儿刘乐昀。

张茵茵

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一切都在2011年的11月开始。那天，我在胸罩左

边发现了一滴血迹。我起初以为是因为母亲在9月底昏倒，跌在我身上时不小心弄伤的。可是，当

血迹越来越多时，我开始担心了。我自行检验，

虽然没有硬块，但当我轻按左乳头时，却有血渗

出。我怀疑不妥，因为这是乳癌的征兆。我的内

心世界瞬间倒塌。我害怕看医生，因为担心他会

证实我的怀疑。我向一位小组的成员倾诉这件

事，她就劝我应该马上求诊。我在经过多番思考

与祷告后看了医生，然后被转诊到中央医院。

经历了我癌症

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我深信神一定会让我平安度过手术。我感

觉很安详，甚至还在手术床上歌唱呢！感谢

主，我明天就得以出院。

我的小组成员、教会及排舞的朋友都来我家

探访我。手术后一个星期，我到医院复诊。

感谢全能的主，我的淋巴结并没有受到影

响，而且结果显示癌症是在初期阶段，不需

要进一步的治疗或服用任何的药物。神永远

都是好的！

我想以以赛亚书43:1-2来鼓励现在正在面临

病魔挑战的朋友们：　

“雅各啊，以色列啊，创造你的耶和华

说：“不要害怕，我已经救赎了你；我点名

呼召了你，你属于我。你穿越洪涛，我必与

你同在；你渡过江河，必不会被水淹没；你

在火中走过，必不会被烧伤，火焰不会烧到

你身上。”

这段经文给了我很大的鼓励和希望，而我也

经常会在面临困难和挑战时，领取神给我们

的应许。你同样也可以！

丽华参加思珍堂早上8点的崇拜，目前带领Evergreen小组。她热爱在教会里担任招待员的事奉工作以及跳排舞。

陈丽华

翁丽丽 翻译

今年1月6日，我做了乳房X光检查还有超声波

扫描。检查结果令人震惊。几个星期后，医

生为我做了一个活检后，证实了患有左乳腺

浸润性癌（多灶性肿瘤）。我的心好像顿时

沉了。

医生告诉我唯一的治疗方法就是进行乳房切

除手术将左边的乳房切除，之后再对淋巴结

做进一步的检查，看它们是否受影响以及查

看癌症的严重性还有是否需要进一步的治

疗，比如化疗、电疗或荷尔蒙治疗等。

我的小组成员、排舞的朋友、CareNet及招

待员事工的同工们都在这最艰难的时刻围绕

在我身旁，透过祷告、慰问和实际的帮助来

扶持我。我问神这样的事为何会发生在我身

上；我甚至起了自杀的念头。但神以马太福

音8:1-3里叙述耶稣医治麻风病人的故事来提

醒我祂的恩典和怜悯。神帮助我意识到，虽

然现在癌症是我生命里的‘巨人’，但我不

可以专注它，而是要将眼光定睛于神。神叫

我不要逃避而是面对这个‘巨人’。我相信

患上这个病是一个体验神医治大能和恩典的

机会。　

因为这样，我为自己祈祷有着神的平安，让

我能从容地面对。神不但安慰我，还给予我

勇气度过这个难关。我的腹部及电脑断层

(CT)扫描显示癌细胞并没有扩散到身体其他

部位。

在今年3月22日，进行手术当天，我小组的两

位成员来医院为我祷告、支持我、鼓励我。

手术后一个星期，我到医院复诊。感谢全能的主，我的淋巴

结并没有受到影响，而且结果显示癌症是在初期阶段，不需

要进一步的治疗或服用任何的药物。神永远都是好的！

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Tomorrow

NeverEnds

“I’ll do it tomorrow then!” was the casual answer my daughter gave me when I asked what she would do if she ran out of time on one of her particular endeavours. There was nothing unusual because it was a rather acceptable answer. But what intrigued me was the remark that followed: “There will always be tomorrow…and tomorrow…because tomorrow never ends.”

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Richard attends the 11am Service with wife Vivian and children Daniel and Michelle. He does his discipleship training with the Family Connect 2 small group.

By RICHARD SOH

She was about five years old then – where did a young girl like her get such a notion? Was it from observing and learning from the lifestyles and values of the adults? If truth be told, many of us do live as if “tomorrow never ends” – at least our earthly tomorrows.

When I shifted to a new office, some stuff was left in boxes…to be unpacked “tomorrow”. In a blink of an eye, eight months have gone by and the boxes are still neatly stashed away. If I am to be absolutely honest with myself, it was not that I had no time to unpack them. In reality, I had no discipline, no commitment and no need to unpack those boxes. And so I continue to borrow tomorrow’s time to store today’s responsibility.

There were numerous projects in my drawers – half-drawn sketches, ideas raw in its infancy, half-built models, half-read books… all cast aside to be completed “tomorrow”. I had started on so many projects without a serious commitment to finish them! And maybe this casual treatment of ‘time’ has sub-consciously developed in me habits of sloppiness, laziness and procrastination. Perhaps these were the very habits my daughter has observed and assumed to be normal behaviour.

“Tomorrow never ends” can also speak of a deep-seated yearning of eternity within us – the heavenly type of “tomorrows”. Never-ending tomorrows are an ideal, a hope, a picture of perfection. Remember that familiar stir of satisfaction within us whenever we read of happily-ever-after endings, or hear of love that is so magnanimous and so everlasting? My own heart was set aflamed when God’s eternal love was revealed to me. When Jesus came back from the dead, His disciples were transformed by the hope that rose within their hearts. By faith, they brought the Gospel message all across the lands. That same faith has seen men and women mocked, scourged, chained, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, tempted and put to death. But the faith in and the hope of eternity kept these men and women going because God promised that He has provided something better for all of us! (Hebrews 11:36-40)

The Bible itself is a divine message that points to the fact that our “tomorrow never ends”. It tells me that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God… and the penalty of that sin is death. (Romans 5:8) But we have a loving God who paid that penalty for us by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins so that we will live forever! (John 3:16)

One day, my earthly “tomorrows” will end. So while I still have “today”, I have decided to make it count. I am going to exchange the time given intentionally for purposeful work that God has intended for me, with loving Him, His family and taking care of issues close to His heart being my priorities.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, NIV)

1 Life 4:1life’s little adventures

The Bible itself is a divine message that points to the fact that our “tomorrow never ends”. It tells me that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…

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Vivian attends the 11am Service with husband Richard and children Daniel and Michelle. She does her discipleship training with Family Connect 2 small group.

By vIvIAN SIA

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Ingredients 50g butter (chopped) 90g dark chocolate for cooking (roughly chopped) 2 tablespoons caster sugar 1 egg (beaten)8 frozen tarts

Method1. Preheat oven to 200°C.2. Have the kids mix the butter, chocolate and caster sugar in a small

saucepan. Melt over low heat. Get them to wear kitchen mitten and use a wooden spoon to stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth. Remove saucepan from stove. Let the children add the egg and mix until well combined and smooth.

3. Get the kids to place the tarts onto a baking tray. Spoon the chocolate mixture evenly into the tarts and bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the filling is puffed.

4. Let the tarts cool slightly and have the kids remove the foil moulds. 5. The kids can decorate the yummy tarts with rainbow sprinkles, mini-

chocolate or almond nuts to their heart’s delight!

here is an easy and delicious chocolate tart recipe for the whole family. you can prepare and make this yummy snack within 30 minutes. The best part – no mess! The kids will love the chocolatey taste! happy baking and bonding!

1 Life 4:1baking with kids

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Alzheimer’s disease involves a progressive deterioration of brain cells in the patient. Providing proper management may delay the progression.

First of all, understanding the nature of Alzheimer’s reduces stress and problems for family members and caregivers, as well as the patient. Alzheimer’s disease gradually affects memory, behaviour and cognitive skills which progressively interfere with daily routine tasks. The common signs and symptoms are:

• Difficulty in remembering newly-learnt information

• Difficulty in planning or completing daily living tasks for herself and others

• Forgetting simple words, family members’ names and substitution with unusual words

• Getting lost in familiar places• Disorientation with time and space• Difficulty with abstract thinking and reasoning• Misplacing things in unusual places• Mood and behaviour change rapidly without

apparent reason • Extreme anxiety, confusion, irritability, and

unwarranted suspicion• Physical or verbal outbursts• Difficulty in speaking and swallowing• Decrease in mobility and balance • Sleeping problems and inactivity

Alzheimer’s disease is complicated and the associated effects gradually worsen over time, though there may be periods with better functioning. In the later stages, hallucination and delusional episodes may occur.

My mother is now 75 years old and was diagnosed with having Alzheimer’s disease recently. How can I care for and manage her at home?

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Managing an Alzheimer’s patient

1. Make a simple schedule for your mother to perform daily tasks and weekend activities. Include a hobby or suitable work, but do not expect perfect outcomes. Daily simple activities like cooking, watering plants, painting, drawing, flower arrangement, newspaper and magazine reading and grocery-marketing will be helpful.

Challenging mental games and physical activities are also good for maintaining brain activity. Use written notes and reminders to manage memory issues, a daily calendar in remembering the date and month, and a clock with simple numbers on the bedside table for checking of time. Although the patient may not like the schedule, if you persist, there is a stronger likelihood of establishing a good routine after a few weeks or months. Monitoring and assistance must also be given as and when necessary along the way.

2. The caregiver should have a weekly break to avoid burnout. Family members and caregivers may contact an Alzheimer’s disease support group to get training and support. The patient may need to depend fully on the caregiver in the later stages so the caregiver’s ability to stay calm and provide a secure environment is essential.

3. Simple daily exercises such as walking, bathing, washing, eating, brushing teeth and getting up from the bed or chair are good for mobility and balance functions.

4. Some modification of the environment, utensils, furniture etc, as well as learning of new techniques to do the same daily tasks are necessary for safety and ease of use. For example, use an arm chair to get up and sit down, non-slip table mat, bent spoon to scoop and put food into the mouth easily, a cup with handle for showering, dim light at night, to have the bed’s height at knee level, a commode chair close to the bed for toileting at night, clothing with big or fewer buttons, wearing an identification card with a contact number etc. Physical prompts and/or step-by-step verbal instructions are needed in some situations.

5. Slow music is good for calming and inducing sleep. Rocking on a chair and massages are good for relaxation as well.

6. Touching or holding heavy and hard objects and smelling various types of objects or household items, cooking materials and perfumes can provide stimulation. Patients often like to eat crunchy and strong tasting foods. Sensory integration helps to regain some functions.

7. Family members or you as the caregiver should talk to your mother so as to know how you can help. Those who do not live with her can talk to her by making phone calls regularly. Talking is good for mouth muscles. If there is a tendency to substitute words or sentences, family members need to figure out what it means before they get upset or angry. For example, Alzheimer’s patients may say that you did not give them a meal if they did not get their favourite meal. When that happens, try to ignore negative or disparaging comments.

8. Include your mother in social situations as much as possible so that she can participate and interact. Take her out to a non-crowded place at least once a week.

9. Regular medical check-ups are required for overall health, including eyes, ears and bones. Monitor your mother’s intake of water and nutritious foods. First aid training for handling choking emergencies is also useful especially when the patient is aged. Eventually, when 24-hour care is required, you would have to consider a permanent helper or nursing home to fully provide for her needs.

Lily is a physiotherapist by occupation. She is married to Victor Lee and they have two adult sons, Jonathan and Daniel. She attends the 8am Service and Sweet Aroma small group. In her free time, she enjoys flowers and gardening.

By LILy LEE

1 Life 4:1

The information provided here is for educational and information purposes only. This is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified and licensed physician or healthcare provider. Please consult your doctor if you require professional medical help.

helping hands

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Image from www.impawards.com

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William attends the 8am Service, together with his wife Evelyn, two children, Gabrielle and Glenn, his mother, Nancy, and their Christian domestic helper, Sati. He and his family also host and lead an inter-generational small group, “Big Feet and Little Feet”.

By WILLIAM TAy

1 Life 4:1on the big screen

As promised, the movie I am reviewing this time round is a non-animated movie. However, the director, Brad Bird, is the same director of my all-time favourite animated movies, Ratatouille and The Incredibles.

I had doubts initially as to whether Brad Bird was able to make the leap from directing a family-friendly animated film to a high octane, action-packed film tailored specifically for adrenaline junkies. Also, I was sceptical as to whether Tom Cruise, who played the lead role at a ripe old age of 49 years, was able to carry the film through.

Well, my verdict after watching MI4: not only did Brad Bird succeeded in making the extreme transi-tion, Tom Cruise as superspy Ethan Hunt has pos-sibly never looked and performed better!

The PloT

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) took charge of a team of agents which included Jane (Paula Patton) and Benji (Simon Pegg) to retrieve nuclear launch codes before a crazy extremist intercepted them and initiated a global nuclear war. Along the way, another member Brandt (Jeremy Renner), with a secret to hide, was added to the team. Together, they had to try and stop the nuclear threat after they have all been disavowed with no assistance whatsoever from their government.

hiT or Miss?

Touted as an action movie, obviously acting performance was not a big deal in the movie. However, Cruise, Renner, Patton and Pegg did have some really great chemistry going on in the movie!

Given the very high stakes – dodging death at every step of the way, thrown into seemingly impossible-to-escape situations, while trying to thwart a nuclear war – the film is surprisingly funny! You would probably wonder how they can find time to kid around and make jokes when they are on the verge of a nuclear catastrophe but it nevertheless helped to lighten and refresh the seeming non-stop action momentum in the movie.

The highlight of the movie can only be the Dubai skyscraper scene, which was a sequence so death-defying that you might even laugh at your own susceptibility (especially if, like me, you happen to have a fear of heights). Moving and climbing up, down and around the surface of the world’s tallest building, with the ground looking as if it must be a mile below, Cruise morphs into Spiderman, but without the superpowers. Just as we are quite sure our hearts could not drop any lower into our throats, one of his ‘magnetic’ gloves short-circuits and loses it adhesive power! If you watched it on an IMAX screen (like I did), you can nearly feel each punch, get rocked by every explosion and jump at every unexpected crash or bullet collision!

Values

The message of good versus evil underpins the movie; and when the team managed to thwart the extremist’s attempt to start a nuclear catastrophe, good eventually triumphed.

I see too the message of sacrifice for the greater good in the movie. The team had to sacrifice their personal safety to try and stop the calamity, with no one and no help available to assist them in the extremely dangerous mission. And, risking a spoiler, nearing the end of the movie we learnt that Hunt sacrificed his personal happiness in order to protect his wife. This, to me, is shadow of the selfless love that Christians are called to embody.

The Final Word

MI4 is exciting, explosive and lots of fun to watch, even if it is a tad too long. Personally, I think MI4 should rank as one of the best or if not, the best action movie of 2011! Though it was not emotionally engaging, the freight train-speed action, gadgets, and seemingly impossible situations made MI4 a must for action junkies!

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This work on the Fruit of Spirit by our very own Bishop is a recent release in July 2012. As the title suggests, the book expounds on what it means to live a virtuous life in Christ, and is a direct assault on legalism, religiosity and counterfeit spirituality that Christians today, similar to the Galatian Christians in the time of Paul, were facing. Fresh out of the oven, it aims to “meet a real need in the church” through exploring the list of virtues listed in Galatians 5:22-23 in the context of “its Trinitarian roots – that it has to do with the Father’s eternal purpose, the character of the Son of God, and the ministry and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.” (preface, vii) This indeed encapsulates the approach and purpose of the author – to point readers to the Trinity in order to lay the foundation for the understanding of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Books on the Fruit of the Spirit are not in abundant supply. The book is an insightful read and suitable for lay persons. Bishop Solomon writes in a teaching style and is careful to explain theologically-laden terms, at most times

WHO’S READING WHAT Looking for book recommendations or just curious what Faith’s bookworms are poking their noses into? Faithlink hunts down our own personalities to find out for you!

The Virtuous Life:

Cultivating The FRuIT ofThe SPIRITRobert M Solomon

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avoiding such vocabulary altogether. Nonetheless, this does not presuppose that the book is an easy one to get through. As the writer lays the principles and central truths, and brings the reader through each virtue, he also challenges the reader to consider and confront his/her own spiritual maturity and how each of the virtues are being experienced and exhibited in his life.

The book’s contents page catches some eyeballs. After three chapters of understanding the Fruit in the context of the Trinity, Bishop goes on to talk at length about each virtue, placing them in relation to “Love”, which he argues is “the characteristic and distinct fruit of the Spirit, and that the other eight character qualities are different aspects of love.” (page 49) Hence, we see chapter titles such as: “Love: The Chief Fruit of the Spirit”, “Joy: When Love Sings”, “Peace: Love at Rest”, “Patience: When Mature Love Waits”, and so on. Not everyone will agree with this perspective, but that should not stop us from appreciating and learning from this work.

Considering that Faith Methodist Church’s theme for this year is “Presenting Everyone Mature in Christ”, a work like “The Virtuous Life” is an aide-de-camp in our Christian transformation if we apply the teachings. This is the first book I have read that focuses solely on the Fruit of the Spirit, a topic that has sparked recent prominence in my own Christian walk. I particularly like the writer’s organisation of content in each chapter of the virtues – he would explain what the virtue means in the biblical context, how it looks like in different arenas of life, and practical action steps for cultivating the virtue. In fact, at the end of every chapter, there are some questions for reflection, making it a useful resource for both personal and group study.

Noelle serves as Communications Manager in Faith Methodist Church and attends Agape Amigos small group. She loves the 11am Service and you can often find her at the second row when she is not roaming with a camera in hand. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and reading, and cuddling her Norfolk Terrier. When the travel bug hits, she loves to travel and have varied experiences of this beautiful world!

By NOELLE TANg

1 Life 4:1who’s reading what

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The Fruit of the SpiritWord SearchAre you ready for a challenge? Search for the words in the puzzle, which may appear forwards, backwards, diagonal, up or down. Make a copy of this page and challenge another person in your family to find all the words in the shortest time.

FAITHFULNESSFRUIT

GENTLENESSGOODNESSHOLY SPIRIT

JOYKINDNESS

LOVEPATIENCE

PEACESELF CONTROL

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KKThe answers to the word search are found on page 124.

It’s Fun Time!

Husband of one and father of two adult sons, Alan is a teacher at SunJam@10, ACJC and the Acting National Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship, Singapore. He is the author of “Building the Next Generation”, a book on dramatised family devotions for preschoolers and early primaries. He is also the webmaster of a parenting and education website.

By ALAN WONg

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ANSWERS:

The Fruit of the SpiritWord Search

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e-Faithlinkwww.faithmc.sg/faithlink

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