No More for a While
Yip Meng Fai
Before knowing Christ, I was an advocate of European humanism, having been exposed to it during a Secondary Two History lesson. European humanism emphasises the intrinsic value, dignity and rationality of human beings. As explained by Friedrich Durrenmatt, “What the world needs is not redemption from sin but redemption from hunger and oppression; it has no need to pin its hope upon Heaven, it has everything to hope for from this earth.” But such a doctrine places man, and not God, at the centre of creation. In fact, when my Form Teacher asked how many in the class believed in an afterlife, I was one of two pupils who said that one would cease to exist the moment he died. Thank God that this belief did not last. Two years later, a classmate from Life Bible- Presbyterian Church shared with me the Gospel, and I was converted to Christ. God plants believers everywhere!
I attended Life Church with my classmate soon after. My life after believing in Christ had not been an easy one. It could even be said to be a roller-coaster ride. In the first two years of my Christian life at Life Church, while I was zealous for the Lord, I forgot to remind myself to be wary of the dangers that lay in the life ahead of me. Following Christ is like running a race. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain” (1 Cor 10:24). It is like a marathon. One has to pace himself. On hindsight, I might have run too quickly during the initial stages of the race. I sprinted! And that could be the reason for my backsliding during my National Service years. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world” (1 John 3:15a). But I behaved as if I was walking after the flesh. I felt so ashamed when my platoon mate asked me why as a Christian I was uttering vulgarities.
My National Service lasted until the early 1990s. I returned to God at that time. But it was only for a while. I had to choose which course to take up at the university. I was particularly attracted to the discipline of Philosophy, and I decided to study it. “Know thyself, know thy enemy, and every war you fight shall be your victory” was the reason given. To know the enemies of God, I had to “infiltrate” and learn more about them, somewhat reminiscent of the New Evangelical teaching of infiltration. But it was only an excuse. Moreover, to paraphrase what Rev (Dr) Jeffrey Khoo once said, while Theology is like throwing darts and hitting the target, Philosophy is like throwing darts and missing the target. It was also during the 1990s that I committed a grave sin against God and had to bear the consequences of my sin. But I was brought to remembrance how David had confessed his sins after being rebuked by Nathan. I did the same thing, and felt really at peace. I turned back to God. But it was only for a while. Very soon, probably due to my training in Philosophy, I began to think to myself, “What is the meaning of life? God does not provide meaning to my life. I need to look for something deeper. Surely there is a deeper meaning to life. Surely there was more to the meaning of life than just God.” Thus began a long detour in my life in search for the “true meaning of life”.
In the year 2000, while still in my search for “life’s true meaning”, I prayed and asked for a certain favour from God. But my prayer was not answered. I began to be very angry with God. I even cursed and swore at Him. But I forgot that God would answer prayers in His own time, and we had to wait upon Him. “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait” (Ps 130:5a). I feel so ashamed every time I think about what I did.
Yet God never did let go of me. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess 5:24). After a long detour for five over years, I returned to God in 2006. I was like the murmuring generation of Israelites who wandered in the wilderness without reaching the Promised Land. “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me” (Num 14:29). But unlike these Israelites, God brought me back to His bosom. “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring” (John 11:16a). I am in tears every time I think about how God still remembered me after so many years of wandering.
This time, my return to God is not for a while. I know that God is walking with me in my current job at Republic Polytechnic. Every major project and task I had to do was rather smooth sailing, and it would not have been so if not for God. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Ps 127:1). God has also blessed my family. While I did pray for my parents’ salvation, deep in my heart I was sceptical that they would be saved. This was especially so for my father. I thought to myself, “My father’s heart is so hardened. How is that possible? Does the verse “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31) really apply to my family?” But God taught me a lesson. He has shown me that His arm is never too short. “Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not” (Num 11:23b). It was a miracle when both my parents uttered the Sinner’s Prayer.
God is sovereign. As a Secondary School teacher from 2001 to 2005, I transferred from one school to another without first consulting God. But on hindsight, I know somehow that despite my willfulness, God was in control and had planned my route from one school to the next. May God continue to lead me where He wants me to go. And may I walk closely with God in the days ahead. I had learnt my lesson. No more for a while.
Heavenly Father Hears Our Prayers
Long Soo Kwee
I was born in a non-Christian family. My parents, brothers, sisters and I were all free thinkers. After I had completed my primary school education, I decided to enrol in Christchurch Secondary School. This was a Christian mission school. There was a church in front of the school. Every morning, when the school bell rang, every student must go to the church to listen to God’s Word. But at that time, I had not known Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour. The Gospel was something that I found hard to accept and believe.
I have my own family now. Things began to change after my husband passed away in February 2009. I remember going to True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church on Palm Sunday. The following Friday, I also went to church as it was Good Friday. I asked God to forgive me for my unbelief. I had wasted so many years of my life! I knew I was a sinner. I began to pray for peace in my heart, and asked God to forgive me of all my sins.
It has been more than nine months since I worshipped at True Life. Every Sunday, I could see the brethren praying fervently together, and I know that our Father in Heaven hears our prayer.
Thank God for encouraging me to join the AF Christmas Carolling on 25 December last year! I was very happy as all the brothers and sisters were very kind to me. To Mr and Mrs Charles Kan and Sister Wendy Teng especially, I would like to express my sincere thanks. Thank God also for enabling me to attend Catechism Class! I must really thank God for being able to learn so many things from Dr Jeffrey Khoo.
Father, help me to be still and to remember you. Thank you for being with me. Help me to give all of my heart to you, and to increase in my knowledge of God. Father, help me to believe your words and to trust in your grace. Give me a strong faith. Father, give me courage to be honest, and help me to be more like Jesus – the Lamb of God who “taketh away the sin of the world”, who sacrificed Himself on the Cross, and rose from the dead on the third day. Heavenly Father, give me understanding of the Bible, and thank you for everything. Amen.
Life Is No Longer Meaningless
Wendy Yeo Bee Eng
I was born into a non-Christian home. It was only after my marriage that I started following my husband in attending the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) because I felt that it was my duty to bring the children to church and attend worship services as a family. After sometime, my husband did not attend WCG worship services regularly and I also felt that I did not grow spiritually. Since then I stopped attending the worship services at WCG.
I always had the feeling of emptiness in me and I felt very guilty when praying to God for help in times of trouble.
In October 2008 my husband started attending the True Life Bible-Presbyterian Church and I noticed a change in his character for the better. It was on his baptism day 12 April 2009 that he asked me to attend the Sunset Gospel Bible Fellowship (SGBF) in the evening at Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church.
Golgotha, or Calvary, “the place of a skull” (Luke 23:33)
