We have seen in the past 3 sessions that evangelism is very close to God’s heart. He desires that all people to be saved, as 1 Tim 2:4 will tell us that “(God) who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”And who does He choose to use to share this wonderful gospel by which all man can be saved? Us, the unreliable human beings. Rom 10:14-15a tells us, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”

Evangelism is definitely something we must depend on God for since it is Jesus who gave us the responsibility. And there are 2 things specific to evangelism that we should be praying for:
1. Pray that God sends people out
2. Pray for opportunities and that the speaker might be clear
Pray that God sends people out
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.’ ”(Matt 9:36-37)
Jesus saw that there was a need for people to be saved. His instruction regarding this need to the disciples was to pray that God would send people to reach out to them. This instruction is very applicable to us today. There still are lots of people who are yet to know who Jesus is, and many of our friends, schoolmates and colleagues still do not know Jesus. We should pray that God would send people to reach out to them.
Pray for opportunities and that the speaker might be clear
“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison– that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” (Col 4:3-4)
This passage shows us that we should also pray for opportunities to share and that those who share would present the good news clearly. Right opportunities could be the time like when your friends are considering a religion or pondering about life. We’re told to pray that for such opportunities for our friends to be open to the good news. And once they are open, someone must tell them properly what Christianity is all about clearly.
I remember the first time I was doing street evangelism. The person I chose to share the gospel to happen to speak only in Chinese, and I was struggling to find the right words. Sometimes other things can get in the way of sharing the good news, like nervousness, forgetting certain details, our poor explanation skills, etc… It’s natural for people to make mistakes here and there; hence we should pray that those who share the gospel to do so in as clear a manner as possible. Like you can pray that those sharing won’t be nervous, that they’ll understand the good news sufficiently well, and that the presentation would be understandable.
Conclusion
But as to whether these non-Christians will believe in Jesus, that is not our role. Changing hearts is God’s job. We just make the environment conducive for the change through making friends and living wisely to those outside.
And as we pray for evangelism, we are changing our perspective to become more like God’s. As we pray, we would go out and share, we would be the ones seeking opportunities, and we would be the ones seeking to be clear in sharing the good news.

Last night we launched THE GAP, a prayer initiative to develop WRPF members into disciples who know the Lord and who intercede for others.It was 730pm Friday night and we began with instrumental music and fifteen minutes of silence and waiting on God.

Music and praise and worship was interspersed througout the whole two hours, not just at the beginning. The harp (worship) and the bowl(prayer of the saints) were combined in the presence of God.

They had time to share what the Lord has done in their life and to share prayer concerns they have. Then they prayed and ministered to one another.

We stood in the gap to intercede for the lost souls that we will reach through the equipping program, Just Walk Across the Room, and the Alpha Course following the Chinese New Year.

We also spent time just waiting on God and allowed the Spirit to edify the gathering with scripture reading, prophecy and revelation. Soaking in the love and gentle presence of God is truly invigorating.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT THE TRADITIONAL PRAYER MEETING.

The gathering had a good mixture of people of different age groups, and nationalities, and both the stalwart members and leaders as well as the very new converts. Praise God that though the verse in Ezekiel expressed the despair of the prophet, there were seventy prayer people who stood in THE GAP. Many were tired after a day’s work and travel but when we left we knew the Lord has heard our prayer, we have been strengthened with his peace and faith.

STAND TOGETHER IN THE GAP NEXT ON THE 26TH FEBRUARY 2010.

26 passionate prayer people (many of whom are pastors, elders and cell leaders) turned up at 9am on 1st November to intercede together for church needs. Alvin Lim led us in a few choruses, and we prayed thematically over various needs of the church. We also gave time for prayer for one another. It was energizing to see God’s people come together in intercession like this. Their prayer will undergird the forward movement of the church in spreading the good news and making disciples. The next Space is at 9 am to 9.45am at the DFF hall on the 6th of December, Sunday. ALL ARE WELCOME.

Recently I went back for a routine check up. My doctor was shocked because he found a 5cm cyst on my right ovary. To be safe, my doctor advised me to have a key hole operation to remove the cyst due to my medical history. I was very reluctant at that time, because I do not wish to go through another operation. Furthermore, as I am a dance instructor, I did not wish to stop teaching dance classes for at least 2 to 3 weeks. After much negotiation with my doctor, he agreed to let me have 2 weeks grace period before going back for a review. If the cyst is still there, I will have to agree to go for the operation.

During these 2 weeks the only hope to let me avoid the operation is to pray and really learn to have faith and to trust in God. Daily I told God my real feelings. I was unwilling to go for the operation. It was interesting that before my check up, the Lord had been showing me Mark 6 “Jesus walks on water”. In addition, verse 50 in Mark 6 spoke to me so loudly, “Take courage! It is I, Don’t be afraid”. During the two weeks of waiting, I had to learn to lean on this promise of Jesus.

Two weeks later, I went back to the clinic for another round of ultra sound scan and to my surprise, my cyst had reduced to 2cm. Praise the Lord! God heard my prayers. I was elated, because it meant no operation for me. However, my doctor still wanted me to go back for monthly check ups. This time round, I learn to pray by faith. When I left the clinic, I told God the next in the next appointment, the cyst will be gone in the name of Jesus.

Just a few days ago, I went back for a scan. The doctor found no cyst in my right ovary. God has removed the cyst completely. Indescribable joy exploded within me on hearing the news.

In the last few weeks I have learned that God will answer prayers and He is always there for me. I seriously thought that the cyst would not be gone, and at most maintain its size, but God surprised me by removing it completely!

I now have a stronger faith within me when I pray for impossible things. God reminded me once again that He is a faithful God who will answer prayers and always wants the best for His children.

I worship a faithful God and He will always be my best friend. (by Gracee)

For the smooth AGM. For the positive progress of the application for visa in a restricted country.

PRAY…..

1.  For Matthew Siew who has gone to work at Kaust, a Saudi Arabia university. He will be building and managing the infrastructure for technology transfer. Pray for clear mind and wisdom; major cultural adjustment; health and safety especially for wife Josephine, and children Clara and Dominic Siew. (Matthew can be contacted at matthew_siew@hotmail.com)

2.  For Sam Ng’s father,  75, who has stage 2 cancer. The scan results showed that the cancerous cells have spread to one of the spine bone, so neither surgery nor radiation will work now. The doctor’s plan for my father is to put him on hormonal therapy for 3 months to slow the growth for the next 1-2years. Pray that instead of relying on his “god” and that he will turn to Jesus to save him. Pray also for Abe Chan’s mum to be healed completely of liver cancer.

3.  For Kith & Kin Dinner Chinese outreach: the organizing committee; the church to invite Mandarin speaking friends(kith), and family and relatives( kin); pastor Edmund Loong who will be preaching.

4.  Myanmar Mission Trips (26th May and 29th May to 4th June 2009) that the youth will capture vision for missions; and dormant faith of second generationers may be activated; and safety and health; and ministry to the people there will be effective – souls saved and saints revived.

5. For cyberwellness to pervade the whole church: addictions to be broken; wisdom in prioritising their lives to be established; for teenagers to honor and obey their parents and parents to not exasperate their children.

6. For the process of church consultation of elders board with Dr Philip Huan to be effective and guided by the Lord.

7. For a capable administrator pastor or executive pastor to be added to the church team and good responses to advertisement and discernment in the interviews of the candidates.

8.  That the swine flu that has just killed people in Mexico and has now spread to several other countries may by the grace of God be taken seriously and contained and not allowed to spread. Pray for Andrew and Dorothy Mok and their sons Gabriel and Gareth as they live in Brownsville near the border of Mexico among many Mexicans. “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day. Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.”(Psalm 91:5-7)

9.  For all members of the cell groups ( youth and  main service) to to be revived during this season of prayer from May to September and the fullness of Spirit and love will unite and empower them to be effective witnesses and soulwinners.

10. For the workers of Good News Kids to be refreshed in spirit; renewed in vision; and returned to spiritual vitality in their walk with the Lord; and for the children’s church to be blessed by the Lord’s hand.

11. For Missions Sundays on 3rd and 10th May to effectively educate and challenge and raise the necessary funds of $15,500 mainly for Myanmar work.

12. For unity in the clusters among cells and unity in the cells among members. Pray for Francis (Cluster A Leader) and Puay Hee( Cluster B) and Tat Loong(Cluster C) and Paul Chan (Cluster D) and Agnes Chua (Young Adult Cluster Leader) wisdom to guide the groups in grace and growth.

13. For Pastor Barnabas and the rebuilding process taking place and the new visitors and members regularly coming to the service and cells to be established.

14. For the new board of Elders and pastors to work in unity and wisdom and that they be full of the Spirit and faith.

15. For the renovation of the main worship hall headed by Sunny Chong to go smoothly and efficiently to the glory of God.

16. For Sim as he recovers from his triple bypass and for his wife and children during this period.

17.  For all marriages and families and singles in the church to experience harmony and love in families, revival in their faith and walk with the Lord, and peace and joy in the midst of stressful work and study situations.

18. For Daniel Yuen and Abraham Sim as they assemble a new Project Grace team.

19. For the spiritual gift of discerning of spirits to manifest in the church: so that all BOE, pastors and cell and ministry leaders can discern the source of words and actions of people; whether they originate in the flesh, the evil one or the Spirit of Christ.

20.  For Simon and Rinda as they lead  2 retreats  in May:  one for Alpha Singapore office; and the other, a St John St Margarets’ cell group.

–To add a specific prayer request, click on COMMENTS on top right hand of this post and fill the form  and add your name.

* that Sim is recovering well from heart operation; that Jorris is better; that the finance committee has done a good job with initial budgetting; that Judith Chia has consented to serve in the BOE and Karen and Eunice to stand for re-election.

PRAY

* for Jude Ng who is entering Discipleship Training School YWAM, and Midori who is leaving the Myanmar field and praying for directions for the next chapter; vital work of our missionaries in restricted countries, particularly for application for work visa to be granted in one of them.

* for cyberwellness to pervade the whole church: addictions to be broken; wisdom in prioritising their lives to be established; for teenagers to honor and obey their parents and parents to not exasperate their children.

* for the process of church consultation of elders board with Dr Philip Huan to be effective and guided by the Lord.

* for all our working people to be a witness for the Lord: radiating his generosity, love and peace with people who do not know the Lord.

*for a capable church administrator to be added to the church team.

* for all the cell groups (chinese, youth, GNK, main service, deaf service) to edify and evangelize out of fullness of Spirit and Word, and not out of habit, routine, or dull duty. Pray especially for cluster leaders, cell leaders and intern as they lead God’s people.

* for a smooth AGM which will be held on the last Sunday of April 2009.

*for the people of the Worship Ministry and Ushers Ministry to be refreshed in spirit; renewed in vision; and returned to spiritual vitality in their walk with the Lord; and for their leaders Cedric and Leck Seng respectively.

–To add a specific prayer request, click on COMMENTS on top right hand of this post and fill the form  and add your name.

29 MARCH 09

@ 8.45 AM

Join us for a time of thanksgiving and praise for what God is doing in GNK!  COME and pray for the children and be blessed!  See you this  Sunday, 29 March 09 at 8.45 am in GNK room!

Prayerful reflection is an important aspect of Ignatian spirituality. St Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, was especially keen on this prayer of reflection on the day. For the Jesuits he founded, he insists on two 15-minute periods of such prayer each day. This prayer has variously been called the Examen, the Examination of Conscience, and, more recently, the Examen of Consciousness, or the Review of the Day. It is almost as if Ignatius were saying, “How can you say you are living a Christian life if you never reflect on it? How can you say you are doing God’s will if you never look to see what you are really doing? You want to serve Christ and live a more Christlike life, well then, reflect on how your day has been, and let the experience of the day teach you what it will.”

Most Christians believe God is working through his Spirit in their lives – unfortunately few reflect on this crucial fact of their lives. The Examen is a short prayer exercise which can help develop in me a greater awareness and sensitivity to the concrete ways God has been working in my day for me. This greater sense of God with me leads me to a more accurate and spontaneous response to the initiatives of his presence. Traditionally there are five aspects or moments to the prayer of Examen, and on any one occasion perhaps one or more aspects will predominate. So these five aspects are not a syllabus to be got through. I give any one of these aspects the time I desire and need.

The First aspect is the fostering of an attitude of thanksgiving or gratitude. There is nothing that has not been given me. I am always on the receiving end of gift. I myself am God’s greatest gift to me- I am the gift by which I can know every other gift. I am the gift in which I can know my own giftedness. So I spend what time I need to become aware of my need to be grateful, to see the giftedness of my own life and living. As this gratitude touches me I express it how I will to Father, Son and Spirit.

The Second aspect is to ask for light. I beg the Spirit to enlighten me to see what the Spirit wants me to see. In other words, it is not my analysis of the day which is important. Nor is it my judgement of what is fine or fitting that is central. Nor has this enlightenment anything to do with my own leanings towards a morbid introspection. I ask the Spirit to show me in the everyday events and people of my life where and how God was present and working for me. I am seeking to find God. The Examen is positive. Without this prayer for light I could all too easily poke around within myself in such a way that scabs are knocked off wounds that would heal very well if only I left them will alone.

The Third aspect of the Examen is to play back the day in such a way as to find God in all of that day of mine. I remember the places I have been in; I recall the activities I undertook; I see the people I was with. In other words: places, occupations, people. I ask the Lord to show me where he was present, in me and in others. To say that God is everywhere may be very true, but it is not very helpful here. It is probably more helpful to remember that God has been acting for me wherever I notice the traces of the Spirit in those places, in those occupations, and among those people of my day. So where have I been aware of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control?(Galatians 5:22,23). I notice each place and express my gratitude. Where I was able to open myself to the work of the Spirit I give deeper thanks. Where I closed myself to those gifts, I ask for sorrow and express my repentance, in some appropriate way seeking reconciliation.

The Third aspect of the Examen automatically flows into the Fourth aspect, which is the deepening of the gifts of sorrow and gratitude. I beg the Lord to deepen my awareness of not allowing him to work for me in his gifts, or of not allowing him to work through me for another, or through another for me. I praise the Lord for those times I did let him work for me, when I co-operated with his gifts.

On any one occasion of praying the Examen I may just wish to take one gift of the Spirit, for example joy. I see where I noticed joy in my day, and give thanks; the places where I entered into the joy of another, or allowed another to enter into my joy; the times joy was shared. These were the concrete moments when God was acting and working in his gift of joy for me and for others. Conversely, I become aware of the times and places when I prevented God acting for me in his gift of joy; when I would not enter into the joy of another, or when I was a kill-joy. I see this now and express my sorrow. And so similarly with the other gifts of the Spirit which are being continuously poured out on my life moment to moment.

The Fifth and final aspect of the Examen is to take a look ahead and to ask for what help and guidance I will need. I can foresee fairly clearly the next day, or half-day: what places will I be in? what people will be with me? what occupations will I take on? or be involved in? With this person I will need the gift of patience; in this place, perseverence; with this occupation, the gift of gentleness, if someone is not to be unduly hurt, etc. I ask for what I see I need very simply and humbly with trust in the loving providence of Father, Son and Spirit – God-with-me.

The practice of the Examen will help foster a growing sensitivity to God, the Trinity, moment to moment at work with me and for me, and through me for others, and through others for me. My life becomes one of greater ease in ’seeking and finding God in all things’, as St Ignatius would put it.

David Keith Townsend, SJ

Sunday, 17th April, 1983.

Over the last couple of months I sense that there is a “changing of seasons” in our church.  Let me elaborate.  While meditating on this term, I reflected on what the scriptures talk about, when the words ‘time’ or ‘seasons’ are mentioned.  In the New Testament the words for ‘time’ are ‘chronos’ and ‘kairos’.

• The word chronos refers to the general process of time or chronological time.
• The word kairos refers to the right time, the opportune time or the strategic moment.

As I was taking in the beautiful sights of the Alpine and the serenity of Lake Lucerne whilst passing through numerous towns in Switzerland, God began to reveal an important truth to me. We have always separated the concept of chronos(chronological time) from kairos(right time). God is showing us that they are simply different phases of the same process.  Kairos, in many ways, is an extension or continuation of chronos.  As the process of God’s plans unfolds, chronos becomes kairos.  The new is connected to the old and in fact, is often a result of the old.

I reflected on the building project of our church over the last 3 years, more specifically Project Grace.  At first I wondered what hindered us from getting the next property for our church. As I pondered over the numerous properties that we evaluated, starting from the site where our ex-neighbour Berean Assembly used to worship; to the Jurong West site which City Harvest was willing to sell us at $6.0 mil but which we had to forego as we could not get a partner for this project; and then to the more recent site – Plaza Theatre at Textile Centre, I began to realize that our church is going through a chronos time.

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. – Galatians 6:19

This understanding of God’s timing is indeed a great encouragement to me as I reflected on the journey to purchase the next property for our church.  I sense that God is more concerned with His Church i.e the people, than the Church building.  There will be a change of seasons very soon.

Much of life in the chronos season seems tasteless, even bad, but God is able to combine these ingredients of our lives in such a way that a shift occurs and a banquet results. (Edward Rowell’s “Fresh Illustration for Preaching & Teaching” Christianity Today 1997, P118)

Life is a series of changes – a process of going from the old to the new – from chronos to kairos.  Growth, change, revival are all processes.  Life sits on a time continuum.  Not understanding this, we tend to belittle the chronos times of preparing, sowing, believing and persevering.  Our preference is to always to live in the kairos times of fresh and strategic opportunities.   However, it is important to realize that our actions and attitudes in the chronos times are factors that determine whether or not God can shift us into the kairos times.  It is in the chronos times that our lives are molded and with the right ingredients added. The old and the new are inseparably linked – different yet part of the same process.

Understanding this will enable us not to grow weary or lose heart in doing good during the chronos times.  Yes, I believe we will move into our new building soon, but this shift in seasons must first come.  God is preparing us as a church and He is more concerned with our spiritual lives than with a physical building.  Knowing that we are cooperating with God and giving Him what He needs to bring about the new, we can rejoice, rather than despise, small beginnings.

We won’t despair about prayer meetings that go on for several years, during which a group of committed brothers and sisters meet every Sunday morning interceding with little apparent fruit.  We won’t despair even if the Project Grace team has to trudge on for another three years before we get our new property.  Our faith is based only on the truth of God’s Word and our obedience to it – Then we shall reap if we faint not.

-Paul Chan