Weekly Newsletter of MARANATHA MESSENGER Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2 October 2016 Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Colossians 1:28) Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore 509851 E-mail: maranatha.bpc@pacific.net.sg Sunday School: 9.45 am Sunday English / Chinese Worship Service: 10.45 am Sunday Chinese Worship Service: 7 pm Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm How do I know that I am saved? Acknowledge that I am a depraved fallen sinner and cannot save myself (Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10-12, Genesis 6:5) Believe that Jesus is God and that He died on the cross and rose again on the third day for my sins (Romans 10:9-10, 1 Corinthians 15:1-5) Confess and repent of my sins sincerely before God and seek His forgiveness (1 John 1:9, Matthew 3:8, Acts 20:21) Devote my life fully to Christ as His disciple and read His word daily (Luke 9:23; 2 Timothy 2:15) Endeavour to pray to Him and to come to church to worship God every Sunday to grow in my faith (Hebrews10:24, 25, 2 Peter 3:18) Faithful to God to the end as His responsible disciple and steward (1 Corinthians 4:2, Hebrews 12:1-2) Godliness and growth in the knowledge and the fear of God as my goal till He comes again (Proverbs 9:10, 1 Timothy 4:7, 8) Jack Sin ++++++++++ 1
4 TH Missions Trip to Myanmar 6-12 September 2016 The date of the Maranatha Missions trip to Myanmar is easy to remember, as it was scheduled during the one week September school holiday. This year, we had three children, James Hong, Chen Kai Xing and Joy Seow, travelling to Myanmar together with 9 adults. As someone from the missions team put it, their presence (or absence) during the trip was noticeably felt. Everyday as we travelled in the minibus from one place to another, the bus would be filled with their conversation, jokes and laughter, at times providing us music with their singing of hymns and spiritual songs. One would notice a sudden quietness in the bus and this was when they were either too tired or sleeping. Thank God that the children settled down well in the new environment. They listened to the day-long lectures, though at times tried to keep the sleeping bug away. They were involved in the VBS programme in singing, doing the craft and helping wherever needed and Joy Seow shared a testimony during the VBS. They mingled with the children and took photos with them, and when the time came for us to leave the orphanage, we even noticed teary eyes and sadness among them. Indeed, it is a blessing having children as travelling companions as they added to the memories of this trip. The missions programme generally consists of : Pastor Jack teaching the book of Haggai and Obadiah at Biblical Reformed Seminary A workshop on a topic or book study and women s seminar with a relevant topic Vacation Bible School for the children from Rev Salai s church on one day and another day at the orphanage A home visitation in the evening Worship services at Yangon BPC and at Immanuel Evangelical Presbyterian Church And being in a foreign land, a visit to one or two popular places for shopping. Though this is the fourth missions trip to Myanmar, each trip is different from the other as we learn new knowledge from the Word, new members join the missions team and we make new friends and know one another better. This year was also different in that we saw the construction of a new building and joined some 200 people in thanksgiving and dedication of this new orphanage. The missions team also brought along medical and nutritional supplies and conducted medical examination for the orphans. On the first day, the missions team sat together with about 90 others, including students of Biblical Reformed Seminary, missionaries and pastors and church members while Pastor Jack conducted lectures on the book of Haggai and Obadiah. I am thankful to Pastor Jack who prepared 28 pages of lecture notes in the missions handbook, which made following the lesson much easier. At the end of the day, we took an examination for which the students would earn one credit point if they pass the exams. I did not do well as there were just too many new things to learn and remember, but we were shown a test paper of all correct answers from one of the students. 2
On the second day, we learned another lesson from the book of Colossians conducted by Dn Peter Ong. Peter also gave out notes which we could follow easily. In the afternoon, we went to Bogyote market. While the team members were doing their shopping, we saw Pastor Jack witnessing to a lady from a store. Later, Rev Salai and Sister Amanda joined in, got her contact details and invited her to church. During the trip, Pastor Jack said he had given out more than 30 tracts and this encouraged us to give tracts to hotel staff as well. The trip to the market and shopping mall was planned both for first time visitors to Myanmar and so that we could purchase some toiletries for the orphanage. In total, we bought 50 pairs of slippers and two large trolleys of items consisting of towels, toothpaste, soap, notebooks, clothes and foods for the orphans and VBS. In the evening, we visited a couple who have just got married. The wife is a Christian and the husband a Buddhist. The parents of the girl were naturally saddened and I have seen this same girl attending the Bible lectures and VBS during our past missions trips to Myanmar. Nevertheless, Elder Sherman Ong shared the gospel from John 3, and prayed that the Lord would turn the heart of the husband from spiritual darkness to His marvelous light. Rev Salai will have regular follow up sessions with the husband. During the sharing by Elder Sherman, the lights went out and there was total darkness for a few moments, and Joy made a comment about the pitch-black darkness that we may not experience in Singapore. On the third day, we had VBS with the children from IEPC, Rev Salai s church. The VBS was originally scheduled on the second day but we learned that the schools do not announce exams until few days before the actual date. As a result, the Vacation Bible School for IEPC children was pushed back by one day, so that all 18 children from IEPC could come for the class. Most of the team members were involved in the VBS, with Sisters Julia Kwok and Wendy Gong in teaching of hymns, Dn Hong Che Hwee in Bible lesson, Brother Seow Zi Fa in teaching ukulele, Thiam Koon in games and craft. In the afternoon, Julia also taught a lesson on Discipline of a Godly Family to the ladies in another classroom. The fourth day was spent at the orphanage, with thanksgiving service in the morning and VBS in the afternoon. Over in Yangon, preparations for the thanksgiving service started many weeks earlier with items such as the number of people to invite, arrangement for transportation, food, the service order, getting the plague, and even monitoring the progress of the construction work to be in time for the service. It must have been a very busy period for Rev Salai and others involved in these preparations, in addition to their already busy pastoral duties. Someone mentioned to me that Rev Salai slept as late as 3.00am as he has also to do the translation of the Bible into the Chin language. May the Lord grant His faithful and diligent servant strength and good health. At the thanksgiving service, we saw the whole upper storey filled with about 200 people, some were village officials, neighbours and non-christians, and we pray that they hear the Word of God and come to the saving knowledge of God. The new concrete two-storey building is a stark contrast to its immediate surrounding of much smaller rattan-made huts. Some of us 3
visited the old living quarters and saw the change ourselves. We thank God for the love of some members who visited the orphanage last year during the missions trip, saw the living conditions of these orphans and decided to build a new building for them. Now that the building is almost complete, it will need 25 double-decker beds costing $3,750 and shared cupboards / cabinets estimated to be about $2,000. The missions team raised $2,500 during the trip to buy 16 double-decker beds first and pray for His people to provide in this area. Thank God who through His people, made it possible to transform the lives of his less privileged children in the orphanage. On the Sabbath, it was worship at two churches. Most of us had already completed our assigned roles by now and were ready to receive the much needed rest and spiritual food. During the worship service Pastor Jack shared four points from Ezekiel 37, that spiritual change and revival is brought about by the hand of God, hearing the Word, knowing the Lord and the Spirit of God filling us. In the afternoon service, he preached from Exodus 3 on the life of Moses concerning Moses encounter of God, enquiry of God and empowerment by God. One key takeaway from Moses is that the life of a believer is one that progresses from no faith to little faith to a man of faith. Besides the children, who were a blessing during the trip, we had new members like Sister Wendy Gong from Covenant BPC, Australia, Elder Sherman Ong from Life BPC, Brother Seow Zi Fa and Sister Julia Kwok from Maranatha BPC. Missions trips provide a platform for knowing new friends and developing bonds as we work, eat and stay together for the week. Thank God for the zeal manifested in each one in contributions of ideas and diligence in preparing and carrying out their roles. Thank God that Sister Chiang Mui Leng could make it for the trip to conduct a medical examination for the orphans some of whom had earlier been infected with fungal diseases. Thank God for many others who did not go but contributed books, medical supplies, towels, toiletries, goody bags, love gifts and prayers. Thank God for warm and hospitable brethren in Myanmar. Thank God for leading us to work with faithful servants of the Lord, who trust in the Lord and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. On the last day, the team gathered together in one of the rooms for a reflection on the trip. These are some of the statements made : I got to know more of one another. I learnt spiritual lessons from the lectures, workshop which were well prepared. Nothing is better than seeing for yourself what a missions trip is about why are we here, because we love God and want to spread the gospel it s amazing to see kampong vs high-rise building in Singapore. It s an eye opener it s impressive that one child whom I spoke with is focused on pursuing his studies amid the existing living condition my son enjoyed himself, not likely to be the last trip, the people faced challenges as Christians, and we want to encourage the brethren in another part of the world the unity in Christ binds us together time at the orphanage is too short Missions trips are rewarding and fulfilling. There is so much we can contribute and so much 4
we learn and experience. There is also much to be done, to edify the saints, to evangelize the lost, to establish the church. May the Lord give us the burden that we Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2. Dn Ng Thiam Koon Myanmar Missions Team Leader ++++++++ Reproach, Regret, Repent. My Three R s These 3 words had never ever crossed my mind. Neither were they in my vocabulary register. But recently in early August recently, my whole life came to a sudden stand-still. I was diagnosed with liver cancer, stage four. Nothing Matters to Me Any More Then, I remembered my two sisters open invitations to attend the services at Maranatha BP Church where they are worshipping and were baptised. When my medical condition was made known to my siblings, they were all very supportive and encouraging towards me. Both my sisters then asked for my consent to seek Pastor Jack Sin s spiritual encouragement and support in prayer supplication. I knew that this was it. NO ONE and NOTHING in this world is able to save except the Almighty and Triune God whom my sisters had been praying to for my salvation and that of my other siblings still outside the kingdom of God. I am a physician for all these 38 years and what is the end result? I need not have retired in this miserable state of affairs if only I had lived my life differently. My focus was on earthly things. I had no regard for God. Hence, in the light of my affliction, I reproached myself for not accepting God s gospel message of eternal salvation which is so rich and free, regretted chasing a meaningless pursuit in life and repented sincerely of all my sins against God. It is a very humbling experience for me because there is really nothing that I can do to save myself, given all my wealth and also being a well-informed physician. 5
However, having heard the gospel and confessing before Man my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour during my baptism on 20 September 2016, I have God s people whom He has sent to build up my mustard seed of faith, trust and hope in Him. Nothing Happens by Chance God has given me a U-Turn in my life to make the CORRECT decision before it is really too late to reproach, regret and repent. Dear reader, do search your soul and seek out God while you still have time and breath in your nostrils. All praise and glory to God. Amen. Han Kin Zee (NB. Thank God for her salvation and baptism and let us continue to pray and witness to our loved ones with the gospel in the will of God and not give up.) +++++++++ 6
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Theme for the Quarter : Christian Resources in Facing the Terrible Ds English Worship Service Rev Dr Jack Sin speaks on Facing Death (Scripture Text : Luke 16:19-31; Responsive Reading : Psalm 39:1-13; Ecclesiastes:12:1-14) [End of MM] 8