Every morning from at 7.30 a.m. my wife and I are the the gym doing our exercise for about half an hour to 45 minutes. Then we move to the garden for our walk and returning to our unit about 8.45 to 9.00 a.m. We do this everyday except Thursday when we go the Prayer meeting at Territorial Hqrs Bishan and Sunday day of worship either at the church here or when we are invited elsewhere to share the word of God
We never expected this privilege. This is another of God's blessings He has provided. Blessings abound whenever He reigns.
Folk here are extremely kind to us and go out of the way to be helpful. Yes our hearts are overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving to God.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Engaging in ministry.
We've been retired for 17 and half years. I am not involved in any administration; we won't be able to cope, not at our age.
However, I continue to preach the word for this my calling. Ministry never ends while we still are alive and well able to manage.
I was privileged to be invited to speak at Central Corps on 18th in the absence of the Corps Officers (pastors) now on furlough in New Zealand. They gave me the topic to preach "At the name of Jesus there is freedom for the disciple."
The church was quite full and it was good to meet a number of old friends. But more than half the people in the congregation were new to us. In one sense we were disappointed that some of our friends have left the church and gone elsewhere - to other churches, or still church hopping and shopping for a place to belong as it seems to be the culture of this generation. Well there may be reasons and it is not for me to judge.
In another sense, we were happy The Army is reaching out to new people. We don't want to be a holy club where we meet for fellowship without outreach. New people are being contacted and many have found the Lord. We give God the glory.
Yesterday, it was my turn to give the message at Changi Corps, the church we now belong. Even in the short period of just over a month we have seen growth. Again the new pastors had chosen the theme "Shine for Jesus" for the month. Jesus is the Light of the world, and we as His followers are reflect that light. The message was based on Philippians 2: 1-18.
I have committed myself to preach once a month for the first six months. By then the pastors would have completed their training and commissioned and ordained as Salvation Army officers. It is quite unusual to have them in charge of the church before their commissioning and ordination. It has been tough for this lovely couple with a child - to pastor a church and to still attend classes.
I am very impressed with their commitment. They spend a lot of time visiting the folk and trying to bring the lost sheep back to the fold.
We thank God in retirement we can still in a small way contribute to our church and it is our daily prayer that the Lord will continue to give us grace and strength for service.
However, I continue to preach the word for this my calling. Ministry never ends while we still are alive and well able to manage.
I was privileged to be invited to speak at Central Corps on 18th in the absence of the Corps Officers (pastors) now on furlough in New Zealand. They gave me the topic to preach "At the name of Jesus there is freedom for the disciple."
The church was quite full and it was good to meet a number of old friends. But more than half the people in the congregation were new to us. In one sense we were disappointed that some of our friends have left the church and gone elsewhere - to other churches, or still church hopping and shopping for a place to belong as it seems to be the culture of this generation. Well there may be reasons and it is not for me to judge.
In another sense, we were happy The Army is reaching out to new people. We don't want to be a holy club where we meet for fellowship without outreach. New people are being contacted and many have found the Lord. We give God the glory.
Yesterday, it was my turn to give the message at Changi Corps, the church we now belong. Even in the short period of just over a month we have seen growth. Again the new pastors had chosen the theme "Shine for Jesus" for the month. Jesus is the Light of the world, and we as His followers are reflect that light. The message was based on Philippians 2: 1-18.
I have committed myself to preach once a month for the first six months. By then the pastors would have completed their training and commissioned and ordained as Salvation Army officers. It is quite unusual to have them in charge of the church before their commissioning and ordination. It has been tough for this lovely couple with a child - to pastor a church and to still attend classes.
I am very impressed with their commitment. They spend a lot of time visiting the folk and trying to bring the lost sheep back to the fold.
We thank God in retirement we can still in a small way contribute to our church and it is our daily prayer that the Lord will continue to give us grace and strength for service.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Thanking God for family and friends
We have been here in Changi on the eastern side of Singapore for just over a month and slowly we are getting our things sorted out. We like our new home and the surrounding and above all the people around us.We believe the move is timely, yes in God's own time. I have been pondering over the verse which has brought me much comfort and encouragement "I know the plans I have for you", says the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29: 11
How often people equate the word 'prosper' with material things only. We are not thinking of material things. And here I must add, we have enough. All through the years the Lord has wonderfully provided for our needs, spiritual and material.
Everyday, we thank God for our family - our daughter with her husband and their three children and since August they have added a daughter-in-law. They live and work on the western side of the island, but do visit us when they can. They love the Lord and are active in mission.
So does our son and his wife and three children. They also added a daughter-in-law in August. They too live and work on the western side. Yes, they visit us despite their busy schedule. What a joy to see the three grandchildren plus grand-daughter-in- law, active in Singapore Central Corps. We visited this Corps to give the message last Sunday.
We thank God for filial children and grandchildren all believers in Christ. Our daily prayer, "May the Lord guide them and keep them faithful.
One blessing living here, we have the privilege of visiting our youngest child, with special needs everyday. She is very well cared for at The Salvation Army Peacehaven Nursing Home. She is only two floors below where we live.
The Lord has been good.
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
Monday, January 5, 2015
A day with God alone
I was not able to attend our own meeting at Changi Corps on Sunday because of my bad cough. So I spent quiet time at home and watched the video produced by Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation Church. He gave a very interesting sermon on "GOD'S PROTECTION PLAN against The four horses of the Apocalypse" based on Revelation chapter 6.
I did a series of Bible studies at the William Booth Corps on Revelation and it took me 18 months to complete it. Revelation is not an easy book to understand. Many Christians avoid its study. Dr William Barclay writes, "Revelation is notoriously the most difficult book in the New Testament....Revelation has sometimes been abandoned as quite unintelligible, and sometimes has become the playground of religious eccentrics, who use it to map out celestial time tables of what is to come or who find in it evidence for their own eccentricities" He then concludes, "We shall no doubt find this book difficult and bewildering; but equally doubtless we shall find it worthwhile to wrestle with it until it give us its blessing, and open its riches to us."
The sermon gave me much food for thought and I have been pondering over the message. The quiet time alone with God proved beneficial, although I missed the fellowship of the church folk on this first Sunday of the new year.
I did a series of Bible studies at the William Booth Corps on Revelation and it took me 18 months to complete it. Revelation is not an easy book to understand. Many Christians avoid its study. Dr William Barclay writes, "Revelation is notoriously the most difficult book in the New Testament....Revelation has sometimes been abandoned as quite unintelligible, and sometimes has become the playground of religious eccentrics, who use it to map out celestial time tables of what is to come or who find in it evidence for their own eccentricities" He then concludes, "We shall no doubt find this book difficult and bewildering; but equally doubtless we shall find it worthwhile to wrestle with it until it give us its blessing, and open its riches to us."
The sermon gave me much food for thought and I have been pondering over the message. The quiet time alone with God proved beneficial, although I missed the fellowship of the church folk on this first Sunday of the new year.
Friday, January 2, 2015
New Year Reflection
We still send out Christmas cards, but the number of cards decreases each year. Most of our friends and relatives are connected with us via the internet. So e-cards and messages are used. There are some elderly folk who still prefer the Christmas card.
My wife spends considerable time on the computer making cards for special events like wedding anniversaries and birthdays. Whatever mode we use the important thing is to make contact. We like to keep in touch with people, some on a regular basis, but the majority perhaps just once a year.
Relationships are preserved or enhanced when we keep in touch.
Be in touch with God
And how more important it is to be in touch with God. We can be so busy these days and fail to keep in touch with our Sovereign God and Heavenly Father who we profess to love and serve. We set aside time to prepare our meals, to see to the family and to fulfil life's obligations. Let us not forget to set aside time for our prayers and devotion.
Be in tune with God
Go to a concert and notice, before the orchestra commences to play, the whole orchestra starts to tune their instruments to ensure they are in perfect harmony. To do God's work we too need to be in touch and tune with Him. His will must be in sync with my will. This should be a daily exercise.
Be in time with God
We need to keep in touch with Him regularly, and make daily commitment of our lives to Him. We can call on Him at any time and anywhere. He is always available to us. It stands to reason if our mutual relationship is right, we are available to Him when He needs us. So like Isaiah after that glorious vision made that commitment "Here am I my Lord send me." We need to be always be in tune with Him.
This is the second day of the New Year and I leave these three thoughts with my readers - It is important to be In touch with God, in tune with Him and in time for Him.
My wife spends considerable time on the computer making cards for special events like wedding anniversaries and birthdays. Whatever mode we use the important thing is to make contact. We like to keep in touch with people, some on a regular basis, but the majority perhaps just once a year.
Relationships are preserved or enhanced when we keep in touch.
Be in touch with God
And how more important it is to be in touch with God. We can be so busy these days and fail to keep in touch with our Sovereign God and Heavenly Father who we profess to love and serve. We set aside time to prepare our meals, to see to the family and to fulfil life's obligations. Let us not forget to set aside time for our prayers and devotion.
Be in tune with God
Go to a concert and notice, before the orchestra commences to play, the whole orchestra starts to tune their instruments to ensure they are in perfect harmony. To do God's work we too need to be in touch and tune with Him. His will must be in sync with my will. This should be a daily exercise.
Be in time with God
We need to keep in touch with Him regularly, and make daily commitment of our lives to Him. We can call on Him at any time and anywhere. He is always available to us. It stands to reason if our mutual relationship is right, we are available to Him when He needs us. So like Isaiah after that glorious vision made that commitment "Here am I my Lord send me." We need to be always be in tune with Him.
This is the second day of the New Year and I leave these three thoughts with my readers - It is important to be In touch with God, in tune with Him and in time for Him.
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