One was the underground carpark and the other was the lift at the shopping mall.

In the carpark, you have SUVs and MPVs driving and turning, with the sound of their wheels screeching. For a little boy of his height, these vehicles are like tanks. He’d be very scared.

What does a child do when he is very afraid? He would look up and say: “Daddy! Carry! Carry, Daddy! Quick! Quick! Daddy, carry!”

The other place he was very afraid of was the shopping mall lift. Usually, when the lift door opens, we parents are very protective and we’d say, “Very crowded! Quick, quick, go in!” And then we push the child into the corner.

When he turns around as all the adults come in, what is his view? He’d see the back side, front side, side-side of adults.

And then he would grab me and say, “Daddy, carry!”

Would Daddy say, “Scaredy cat! Why you so scared?”?

No! Daddy comes down to his level (on earth) and lifts him up (towards the heavens).

My son would grab hold of me. Suddenly, peace and calm come to him. When he turns around and looks down, everybody is shorter than him, he’s not scared anymore. There’s no more fear. 

Where does he draw that strength, courage and boldness from?

From Daddy, and from that height.

Seeing things from up high

Similarly, when we are scared, and don’t know what to do, we can pray The Lord’s Prayer – the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray (Matthew 6:9-13).

It starts with “Our Father in heaven” – which, to me, is basically “Daddy, carry!”

Jason, with his wife Donna and their children. Here he is carrying his son Samuel, who is now 24.

I realise now that it is meant to remind us that earth and heaven are very different. “On earth” – your office, your industry, your sphere – can be a very scary place.

Our perspectives – like a young child’s – are very earthly. Whereas, God looks down from heaven.

But just like how my young son would calm down when I carried him and he could see things from “heaven”, when you go back to office, go back to the world, you just need to say “Daddy, carry!” when you are scared.

So “Our Father in heaven” is an antidote to our fear, when we allow God to come down and lift us up, to carry us – just as toddlers reach up to their parents to be carried. 

Why “our Father”?

In The Lord’s Prayer, why did Jesus say “Our Father in heaven” and not “Our King in heaven” when afterwards it says “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done” ?

If I say, “This is your teacher”, who are you? You are a student. If it’s “This is your pastor”, you are congregation members. If it’s “This is a doctor”, you are the patient. “This is your Member of Parliament”, you are constituents.

So if it’s “This is your king”, then we are subjects, soldiers and slaves; then we are orphans – we have no father.

That is why Jesus was very clear that He wanted us to know who we are.

He said: “Pray like this: ‘Our Father in Heaven’.”

He wanted us to know that God is our Father. We are sons and daughters of God.

When you invite Jesus into your life, the spirit you receive does not make you fearful slaves. “Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15).

Neither are you an orphan who thinks: “I’m not good enough”.

For six years, when I was a Senior Director at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, I oversaw the foster care service in Singapore, and the residential homes that looked after hundreds of children and youth who didn’t know or couldn’t be with their parents. Some of them end up misbehaving, since they think: “Nobody wants me, nobody loves me”. Some end up striving, because they think: “They don’t want me, I need to prove to them I can make it. I don’t need them”.

But yet, if our Father has a Kingdom, He is King. If He is King, who are you? You are a prince! You are a princess!

“My father (pictured with my daughter) encountered Jesus in the hospital, and was healed of the pain to the point where even the doctor and my mum were surprised,” said Jason.

And if you do not know what to do, pray: “Our Father in heaven, may Your kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

“Our Father, You show me what You are seeing.”

For example, if my little son were standing here, he cannot see very far because the adults will be blocking him. But if I lift him up, he will be able to see what I see.

After he sees what I see, he knows my heart. And when I put him back down, he will be a different person because he saw what his father saw. He feels what the father feels, and he will do what the Father has assigned him to do.

I don’t know what you are going through – it could have something to do with a relationship, your work, your school, your family – and you may feel that you don’t know where to turn. The only way is to grab the Father, look up and say, “Daddy, I need You to carry me.”

Some of us are carrying burdens. God wants to help us carry our burdens.

Some of us need courage, some need peace. Allow the Lord to carry you. 

For some of us, God wants to carry us so that we can soar higher, we can see further, and become closer to Him.

I often tell my two children this: “Daddy will not be here with you and for you forever. So get to know God deeply and stay close to Him like the way I have done. I may not be with you, but Daddy God will always be with you. He will look after you when I am no longer able to.”

Extracted and adapted with permission from a sermon, “Our Father in Heaven”: Unlocking the Secrets of The Lord’s Prayer (around the 20:14 mark) that Jason Wong gave at Church of Singapore Balestier in September.

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The post “Daddy, I need You to carry me!” appeared first on Salt&Light.

How would the speed and distance run by Elise and Faizal impact my 12-year-old’s life 10 years from now? What about the ratio of cherries Mrs Lim used for her small and large cakes, or the state of Helen and Ivan’s finances valued in coins? 

Reading the word problems, I chuckled to myself for temporary respite from PSLE revision.

This year, my younger daughter takes the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

She revealed to me that the common sources of stress among her schoolmates pertaining to academics are the unrealistic expectations of parents, comparing grades and getting left behind.

Not that different from when I was 12, but the stress is probably intensified now by the exponential speed at which the world is advancing.

A torrent of emotions flooded her on the eve of her preliminary oral exams recently, probably pent up from the anticipation. This was unusual for my usually composed and even-tempered child.

She has been consistent in her schoolwork but the fear of the unknown and whether her preparation was sufficient, overwhelmed her.

As her mother, I thought about what and how I could pray for her and the other participants in this race. 

PSLE may be considered by many parents as the most important year of their child’s life, but it is important to remember not to “embitter your children” (Colossians 3:21) as you battle through this year with them.

Other than the obvious – good grades, good health, good concentration – I thought it was important to focus on values that could anchor and equip them not only during the PSLE, which is but a small fraction of life, but for the long term.

Capturing my main prayer points using the PSLE acronym, I spoke the Word of God that brings life.

A prayer for all going through PSLE

“Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for Your promise to parents that we can commit our children to You, Almighty God, Who instructs them (Isaiah 54:13).

Help us to be good stewards of Your gifts, laying aside our earthly wisdom and committing to bringing our children up in Your ways, to fulfil Your purpose.

May Your all-sufficient grace be more tangible to the single parents among us who may feel burdened and lonely, especially during this time.

We thank You for the tireless dedication of all educators who have sown into these young lives. Please strengthen and refresh them through Your Holy Spirit and bless them with an unending sense of fulfilment and joy (Proverbs 11:25).

As our children take the upcoming PSLE, may Your Shalom be upon them and give them confidence that You are the Lord their God who helps them (Isaiah 41:13).

As they experience success, may they always have the humility to acknowledge Your sovereignty over their lives.

PERSEVERANCE

Strengthen the young ones to persevere in their respective race of life specially marked out for each one, and to finish well. I pray that they will always keep their eyes fixed on Jesus Christ and the things that matter in eternity.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV):

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

“As they experience success, may they always have the humility to acknowledge Your sovereignty over their lives,” prays our writer whose daughter is undergoing PSLE this year.

SECURE IDENTITY

Create in them a secure identity in Jesus Christ, with full confidence that each one of them is unique with distinctive abilities to accomplish Your purpose. Help them not to conform to the values of this world but be transformed by the continual renewing of their minds in Christ.

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV): For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

Romans 12:2 (NIV): Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

LOVE

Help them to receive Your love and to love You first so that they can love others and be a blessing beyond their circumstances. I pray they will be steadfast in seeking You first in everything and consequently, find freedom from worry about the future.

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV): Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV): But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

EXCELLENCE

Inspire them to pursue excellence through faithfulness and diligence, knowing that they can surrender the outcome to You Who works out everything according to Your perfect plan.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV): Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Thank You, Father God, for Your goodness and unfailing love that follows us all the days of our lives. We rest in Your faithfulness.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

RELATED STORIES:

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The post P.S.L.E.: A prayer for our children appeared first on Salt&Light.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the spirit of the season – hearing voices from all denominations, church and parachurch, male and female, young and young at heart.

What do you do at the end of every great endeavour?

Once you graduate, what do you do? You work. The real work begins. School was just preparation for the work.

Once you finish a marathon, what do you do? You build on it. You have reached a certain level of speed and fitness – so that the next time, you will be faster and fitter.

So what do we do, now that we’ve hit Day 41? There are 325 days to go until 40.Days 2025. We can’t down tools till then. Now the work begins; now we build on what we have come through.

Here are four things for you to prayerfully consider as we reach the end of this season of united prayer:

1. Don’t just pray about Turning Singapore Godward. Evangelise.

The late, great evangelist Reinhard Bonnke – founder of Christ for all Nations, which just celebrated its 50th year – said: “Praying for God to work is fine, but praying for Him to do what we should be doing is pointless.”

Another great evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill, said: “Prayer is the battle in the spiritual realm. It must be followed by action in the physical realm.”

When it comes to evangelism, yes, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict a sinner to salvation. But it is the work of the sinner’s friend to share the Gospel. How can anyone believe in one of whom they have not heard? How can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14)

Church, we heard from many speakers over the 40 Days emphasise that the fields in Singapore are ripe for the harvest. Don’t just talk and pray about evangelism. It is time to do the work. Get out there and share the Gospel!

2. Don’t just pray about Winning the Youth. Engage.

We heard about how churches must form healthy communities for the next generation.

We heard about how they are in need of mentors and role models in the faith.

We heard about how winning the youth starts at home here, here and here. 

My wife and I have learnt that, as parents, the best thing we can do for our children is to pray for them – but that alone won’t win their hearts. Same goes for the church. 

To keep our youth in church, the church must engage them in a manner that excites them about the faith. To win the youth beyond church walls, the church must adapt to become loving and lively communities where children and youths want to come and want to stay.

Without engaging the youth – be it through conversations, friendship, sports, recreation, whatever it takes! – we will never win the youth. Pray for the opportunity, then do it.

3. Don’t just pray about Blessing the Nations. Explore.

Singapore used to be a missionary-sending nation. In the early 1990s, we were the number one missionary-sending nation in the world! 

We sent out more than a thousand missionaries across all the continents. But by 2020, however, the number of missionaries had dropped by half, to about 516. And many of these are now in their 50s or older.

Two famous passages often cited in church remind us that we are called to bring our work of evangelism not just to our nation, but to the nations – to every people group.

In Mark 16:15, we are told to “go into the world and preach the Gospel to all creation”. 

In Matthew 28:19-20, we are told to “go and make disciples of all nations”. 

So … go! And you don’t have to wait until God downloads a specific nation. As Pastor Bill Wilson, who runs the global Metro World Child ministry reminds us, “the need is the call”. Find out where the needs are and explore the possibilities. 

Let the Antioch church arise! 

4. Don’t just pray for 40 days. Endure.

Honest confession: My monthly church prayer meetings were in a sad state up to a couple of years ago. Less than 5% of our adult congregation would show up to pray.

Aggrieved, we were stirred to do whatever we could, whatever it took to help church members make personal and corporate prayer a priority. We pleaded from Scripture; we shook up the prayer format to make the idea of prayer less daunting. Fan the flames! 

After more than a year of investing in equipping church members to pray, we’re seeing it bear fruit. During this past 40.Day 2024 season of prayer, we held weekly prayer meetings in which, for the first time ever, we had to open our extra section of seats for a prayer meeting.

We don’t want numbers for numbers’ sake. But we know that everyone attending chose, at least for that evening, to make prayer – our connection with God – their top priority.

But what happens at the next prayer meeting? After the rush, after this season? We’re hoping for more.

Because we have come to learn that everything else we do as Christians and as the Church is of secondary importance to prayer. Without prayer, we are essentially telling God that we want to do church and do life without Him in the picture.

The famed evangelist John Sung died 80 years ago, in 1944. In the 1930s, he came through Singapore 7 times, seeing thousands saved. 

He was known as an evangelist, but this is what he said about prayer in his last years:

“I deemed evangelism the most important work, but now I see that prayer is more important than anything. If there were 100 evangelistic teams in Southeast Asia that have tasted of the sweetness of prayer, the whole of Southeast Asia would turn to the Lord. If every church could have one of these teams, it would receive revival.” 

Prayer precedes the revival!

Don’t stop at Day 40 of prayer, said Ps Edric. Let Day 41 be the first day of a new, lifelong season of prayer.

So, to recap, this is what the 40 Days of prayer have taught me:

Pray. But don’t just pray. On top of prayer, we must:

• Evangelise right where we are, in Singapore.
• Engage the youth.
• Explore how to bring the Gospel to the nations.
• And finally, Endure – Persist – Devote yourself to prayer.

Don’t stop at Day 40. Let Day 41 be the first day of a new, lifelong season of prayer for you. And as you see God moving in prayer – may it move you to action, too. 

Dear God,

This is our prayer, just as it was the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ: To do the work of Him who sends me.

In prayer, we speak to You, and You speak to us. You tell us not just about ourselves, but also about others – especially the many others who have yet to know You as Lord and Saviour.

We hear You, God. Break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Help us to not merely be hearers of the word, but doers also.

Here I am – send me, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

RELATED STORIES:

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The post (The unofficial) Day 41 Devotion: What now? appeared first on Salt&Light.

Bible reading for Day 40  | Psalm 127:1

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

Learn

Did you know a goldfish can only pay attention for nine seconds? 

And people pay attention for even less time – eight seconds! 

There are so many things in this world that take our attention away from God. But the Bible says we need to look at God, not other things, because we can do nothing well without Him. 

Unless God helps us “build our house”, our house will fall down. It is the same with everything else – unless God helps us do anything, what we do will not last. 

Sometimes we get so busy, we think we must finish all our work before sitting down to pray. But what we are busy with will be useless if we don’t do it with God and for God. 

Have you been giving God your attention? Prayer is one way to stay close to God our Father.

This is Day 40 of our Family Devotions. But it is not the last day. Keep praying that the Church of Singapore – yes, that includes you – will:

• Turn Singapore Godward
• Win the Youth
• Bless the Nations

Great job in finishing 40 Days of praying every day with Christians in Singapore to build God’s Kingdom! 

Discuss

1. Have you shared the Gospel with someone yet? It is time for you to just do it!

2. Will you promise to pray to God every day? Ask Him to help you talk to Him as soon as you open your eyes every morning, or before you go to sleep at night, or any time you want to talk to Him.

Pray

1. Pray that Singapore will turn to God. Ask Him for leaders who want to follow God’s ways and who love the people of Singapore.

2. Pray that the young people in Singapore will look for God and find Him. Ask God for a chance to invite your young friends to church where they can hear more about His love for them.

3. Ask God how you can bless people from other countries, whether it is to pray for them or to go with your church to their country to share the Gospel with them. 

Follow Salt&Light on Telegram, Facebook or Instagram for more of LoveSingapore’s daily family devotions until August 9, 2024.

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This is Day 40 of 40 Days. 40 Voices. 40 Prayers.

Thank you for journeying with us over the last 39 days. I am sure we have gained insights, inspiration and instructions from the different pastors and leaders.

A couple of months ago, there was a particular week when my schedule was insanely packed out. I had different meetings and speaking engagements from Monday through Thursday. Then on Friday, there was Pray Singapore, our regular gathering of church leaders for prayer at St Andrew’s Cathedral.

As I was preparing, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the prayer gathering was the most important event of the entire week. No matter how amped up I may feel towards Turning Singapore Godward, Winning The Youth and Blessing The Nations, unless God is in it, our best works are in vain.

In Psalm 127:1, the Bible says: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

Note that the builders are labouring and the guards are standing watch. They are not lazy. They are not indifferent. They do not abdicate their responsibilities. Like many of us, we love Jesus and His Church, and we are willing to work hard.

But the psalmist says that unless the Lord builds the house and unless the Lord watches over the city, our best efforts are in vain.

The three focal points that God has given to the Singapore churches and Christ-followers are spiritual in nature. No amount of human effort alone can produce an ounce of spiritual fruit.

We need God. We need to seek God’s help, wisdom, guidance and strength in prayer.

Attention is the beginning of devotion

In the digital world that we live in, everyone and everything is vying for our attention.

In 2015, TIME magazine published an article stating that the average attention span for the notoriously ill-focussed goldfish is nine seconds, but according to a study from Microsoft, people now generally lose concentration after eight seconds.

Microsoft also found that since the year 2000 when the mobile revolution began, the average attention span of people has dropped from 12 seconds to eight seconds.

We now have a shorter attention span than goldfish. This is quite laughable and sad at the same time!

In John 15, Jesus said in no unclear terms that, apart from Him, we can do nothing. 

Jesus teaches the importance of abiding in Him, the importance of giving Him our attention and staying connected to Him.

Jesus said to His disciples, including you and me:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4)

To be devoted to God and His purpose, we need to first give God our attention. And one of the ways to give God our attention is through prayer.  

Many of us have participated in Day of His Power this year. We gathered to pray in churches all across the north, south, east and west of Singapore. This is a beautiful picture of unity in Christ and dependence on God. Thank you for playing a vital part in the redemptive plan of God for Singapore.

Look to God in prayer

The time is now to Turn Singapore Godward. The time is now to Win the Youth. The time is now to Bless the Nations. And the time is definitely now to pray together!

Apart from Christ, we can do nothing.

Let us look to God in prayer!

Jesus, we need You! More than the air that we breathe, more than anything, we need You. Teach us to, first and foremost, devote ourselves to You. And as we do that, transform us and use us for Your glory. Thank You for Your amazing grace and goodness in our lives. 

In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen. 

Reflect

Over the last 40 days:

1. How has God changed your heart for those who don’t yet know Jesus?

2. How will you pray for youths and families in Singapore?

3. What are some things God is leading you to do to turn Singapore Godward, win the youth and bless the nations?

Pray

1. Pray for a Godward Singapore. Ask for godly leadership, a people united in the desire to do good and be compassionate, a Church committed to sharing Gospel hope. Pray that God’s light will shine brightly in every area of darkness and every believer become an active ambassador of this light.

2. Pray earnestly for God to stir the hearts of young people across Singapore, drawing them to His grounding truth and unshakable hope. Pray for opportunities to invite them into church communities, small groups and worship services. Ask God to equip you and others with the ability to guide these young hearts in their spiritual journey.

3. As you seek to bless the nations, pray for the conviction and the courage to take the first step, whether it’s signing up for a short-term mission trip or finding other ways to serve God’s global Kingdom.

Follow Salt&Light on Telegram, Facebook or Instagram for more of LoveSingapore’s daily devotions until August 9, 2024.

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Bible reading for Day 39  | Matthew 28:18-20

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Learn

Matthew 28: 18-20 is called the Great Commission. It is Jesus’ call to all Christians, young and old, to go and tell everyone in every country on earth about God. 

The are 5 P’s about the Great Commission:

The main Players. Who is Jesus talking to in The Great Commission? He is talking to us – we are the main players whom He tells to go and make disciples!

The main Power. Where do we get the power to persuade people to believe in Jesus? Our authority, or power, comes from Jesus Christ Himself.

The main Purpose. There are four action words in verse 19: “Go”, “baptise”, “make” and “teach”. Can you guess which is the most important?  It is “make”. We “go”, “baptise” and “teach” so that we can “make” disciples. Disciples are not just those who are baptised or who go to church or who read the Bible. Disciples are those who study God’s Word and live as God’s people. 

The main People. Who does Jesus want us to make into disciples? All the different people from the different countries in the whole world! When everyone hears about the Gospel, Jesus will come again!

The main Passion. God’s passion is to gather everyone to worship Him together. 

God shows us in Revelations 5:9 the wonderful picture of a complete Church when the Great Commission is finished. 

May Singapore go, baptise and make disciples of every country in the world until Jesus comes again! 

Discuss 

1. God loves people, not countries. Do you know people living in Singapore who have not yet heard of Jesus?

2. What can you do to be a disciple of Jesus, and not just a believer?

Pray 

1. Pray for Jesus’ power to be with missionaries, or those who go to faraway countries just to tell people the Gospel.

2. Pray that the churches in Singapore will send more missionaries to places where people have not yet heard about Jesus.

3. Pray that all believers will be brave to obey God’s call to make disciples.

Follow Salt&Light on Telegram, Facebook or Instagram for more of LoveSingapore’s daily family devotions until August 9, 2024.

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Let us read Matthew 28:18-20 and ask the Holy Spirit to give us fresh insights into this familiar but vital passage of Scripture.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Now let’s take a good look at what it says to all of us.

1. The main Players of the Great Commission

“Then Jesus came to them …”

To whom was this Great Commission given? The disciples of Christ. We are the main players in this vital game of world missions!

The whole Church must be mobilised to be a part of God’s redemptive plan. 

It takes the whole Church to bring the whole Gospel to the whole world. 

2. The main Power Base of the Great Commission

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me …”

Where is the power base for the Great Commission?

We often begin with the question: “How can the Church finish this task?”  

By so doing, we have made the Church the main power base for missions, but the power source is really found in the fact that: “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Me.  Therefore go …”

The main power base of the Great Commission is not the Church or the mission agency but Christ Himself!

And He promised us: “And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Why this promise of God’s presence? Because the task is not easy. The disciples will face intense spiritual warfare in wanting to wrestle souls from the powers of darkness.  

But by the power of God, this task of world missions will be finished!

3. The main Purpose of the Great Commission

There are four action verbs in the Great Commission: “Go”, “baptise”, “make” and “teach”.  

Of these four, three are what we call “helping verbs” and only one is an “imperative verb”.

This is the one that all the rest are helping to fulfil. The imperative verb is not “go”, “baptise” or “teach”, but it is “make”.

This means that we “go”, we “teach”, we “baptise” only to fulfil the ultimate purpose which is to “make disciples”.

The final measurement of the Great Commission is not: “How many went on the mission trip?” Or “How many responded to the altar call?” Or “How many were baptised?” Or “How many came to our teaching conference?”

But: How many became true disciples of Jesus Christ?

Until we have made disciples, we have not fulfilled the Great Commission.

4. The main Pursuit of the Great Commission

“… make disciples of all nations …”

The word “nation” is the Greek word “ta ethne” from the root word “ethnos” which literally means “people groups”.

So, this word is really referring to ethnic groups and not geographical nations like Singapore or Malaysia or Australia.

This is a critical missiological truth because Jesus told us in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations (ethnic groups), and then the end will come.”

This is the clearest sign in the Bible to signal the Second Coming of Christ.  

When this Gospel of the Kingdom reaches all the ethnic groups of the world, “then the end will come”!

5. The main Passion of the Great Commission

What is at the heart of the Great Commission?

I think it is the Father-Heart of God for the lost and our desire to bring glory to His Name.

God’s desire is to gather unto Himself a Body that is made up of every tongue, tribe, nation and peoples to worship the King of Kings.

I like what John Piper said: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exist because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship therefore is the fuel and goal of missions.”

The goal is not only for people to be saved, but that they will become worshippers.

“Missions exist only because worship doesn’t.”

Revelations 5:9 paints us the vision of the finished task: “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’”

May the Lord give the Church in Singapore new eyes to see God’s heart for this lost world and an Antioch passion to go and bless the nations. And The Time Is Now!

Let us pray:

Father, I pray in Jesus’ name that through this short time we have together, open our eyes to see Your heart for the lost world. We pray that You will make the Singapore Church a Church that carries an Antioch passion to want to take Your Gospel to the ends of the earth until every people, every tongue, every tribe, every nation is represented before Your throne of grace, worshipping our King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect

1. How has your view of missions shifted, knowing that the “nations” in Matthew 28:18 refers to ethnic groups rather than geographical locations?

2. “The goal is not only for people to be saved but that they will become worshippers.” How will your Gospel message change if you aim to transform non-believers into – not just saved individuals – but lifelong worshippers?

3. How will you pray over missionaries and mission agencies, remembering that “the main power base of the Great Commission is not the Church or the mission agency but Christ Himself”?

Pray

1. Pray for our worship to be so authentic, so transformative, so joyful, that we long to share the Lord whom we worship with those who lack it. “We must never rest until everything inside us worships God.” (AW Tozer)

2. Pray for obedience and courage to heed God’s call to leave our comfort zones to seek and save the lost. Ask for Christ’s love for the lost to fill us and overflow into an urgency and compulsion to share the Gospel with those who don’t know it.

3. Pray that God will so enlarge the vision of the Singapore Church beyond our immediate circumstances that we eagerly respond to, and rejoice in, God’s work everywhere, within our nation and beyond.

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“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

Where there is unity, God commands a blessing.

Often we think of unity around a cause, a style, or an agenda. But that is uniformity. Unity is not the same as uniformity. 

Uniformity deals with appearance; unity deals with the heart.

To bless the nations, let us first be a blessing to our brother, our sister, to one another.

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

We will be a blessing to the nations – not by our efficiency, not by our generosity, not by our excellence – but by our love for one another.

Unity is not a flag, or a brand, or even a cause. True unity is centred on relationship and how we treat each other.

First of all, are we aligned in our will, mind, body and soul?

It’s hard to have unity among one another in the body of Christ if we have tension within ourselves.

Our lives become a façade, a performance, when we try to live it in compartments.

Instead of thinking: What hat do I need to put on? think: How can I be the best version of Andrew that God intended – as a father, a husband, a son, an employee. 

Then we would be the same person in public and in private.

3 ways to achieve unity 

1. Surrender fears and seek God for healing

There was a time when I would wake up every morning at 7am, read the Word, and lie in bed, asking God: “Father, who am I and what do you want me to do?” 

I would hear God speak, and His word would bring peace and healing, creating in me love and joy that I had never experienced before.

2. Build unity amongst the brethren

Are we united with those who are meant to be closest to us? Have we forgiven those who have hurt us? Have we resolved past conflicts that have been swept under the carpet for years? 

It is a pointless cause trying to be a blessing to the nations when we can’t be a blessing to our brother.

How do we know there’s unity? There’s peace when we  think about that person. We can share a meal together, we can pray a blessing over each other.

A great way to tell if there’s unity is when we can serve one another in love. Surrender self, serve others.

Let not my will, but Yours be done.

3. Desire that commanded blessing!

True unity commands a blessing. 

A member of our church highlighted this to me recently. She said: “I see you pastoring the church, I see your eldest daughter caring for the babies and I see your helper, Anita, always with a group of Filipino ladies following around her.”

We didn’t intend to set it up this way; we didn’t ask for my daughter or my helper to care for babies or other Filipinos. But I thank God for His commanded blessing.

To be a blessing to our nations, let’s fight for true unity among ourselves, with our brothers, and especially with those in our homes.

Let’s pray.

Father we thank You for this beautiful nation of Singapore. We thank You, God, that You have called and have chosen us to be a blessing to the nations. 

Father God, we lift up every person, every church, right now, that there would be a pursuit and a desire for unity among ourselves within the church, and that there will be a commanded blessing when we pursue unity above all. 

Father we thank You that, as You bless this nation, there will be an outpouring, an overflow, of blessings that will touch nations all over the globe. Father bless the Church and bless Your people. We lift You up above every other name. We thank You, we love You, we honour You. 

In Jesus’ most precious name we pray. Amen.

Reflect

1. In what ways can you seek unity among Christian brothers and sisters who may come from a different church culture?

2. Unity is developed not only by extending positive acts but also by stopping negative behaviours. Have you caught yourself nursing a heart of prejudice, selfishness or complaint? Will you pray instead for a spirit of love, generosity and praise?

3. What hurts and wounds do you need to surrender to God today in order to have a heart of forgiveness and unity?

Pray

1. Pray for unity and peace to abound among the diverse people and different generations who make Singapore their home, especially in this year of leadership change. Contend for the destiny of Singapore that He may cause our nation to walk in and choose the path of righteousness, wisdom and compassion, that we may “stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God”. (Colossians 4:12) 

2. Pray for a personal desire to live out the Gospel not just in belief but also in behaviour. Commit the people in your life to the Lord, praying for and seeking their good.

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Bible reading for Day 38  | Psalm 133:1

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity!”

Learn

God loves unity among His people. What is unity? Unity is having love and kindness in our hearts for each other. Wherever God sees unity, He pours out His blessing. 

God Himself is a unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit working together.  

But unity is not the same as uniformity. Uniformity means everyone is the same – wearing the same thing, doing the same thing, saying the same thing. 

God did not make us all the same, but He wants us to be united. 

To bless other people, we must first keep the unity in the family of God. 

Here are 3 ways we can be united with other people: 

1. Bring any fears or hurts to God so that He can bring healing 

If there are any quarrels, ask God to help the people exchange anger for forgiveness.

2. Care for others

Think of others before ourselves. Be a good friend, child, schoolmate, or neighbour.

You will know there is unity with someone else when you can happily have lunch together, when you can pray for one another, when you can help one another willingly.

3. Pray for the blessing that God pours out when there is unity

 Unity pleases God. Only if we are united can we be a blessing to others. 

Discuss  

1. What does unity look like in a family?

2. What does unity look like among friends?

3. Our pledge includes the words: “One united people.” What does unity look like in a country? 

Pray  

1. Pray that there will be unity and peace among Christians in churches, and among the different people and different generations in Singapore. 

2. Pray that God gives you a heart to want to live like Jesus, not just in what you say but also in the way you behave.

3. Pray for the people you know – your family and friends – and ask for blessings over their work, their friendships and their life.

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Jesus has entrusted us with the Gospel to change human destinies and human lives. We cannot take that lightly.

The Gospel is not just a message that makes people’s lives better, but a message that pulls people from the depths of hell.

Many are ready to hear the Gospel, but fewer are ready to preach the Gospel. Are you called to preach the Gospel?

Let me tell you a story about me. I didn’t think I had what it takes. I thought I wasn’t Gospel material.

But the truth is, when I saw the need on the streets of Singapore – people walking past me and knowing they were not yet saved – my heart was moved with compassion like Jesus.

I knew I had to bring the Gospel to my school or to anyone who would listen. 

For the past year I have been preaching the Gospel to complete strangers online and beyond Singapore in Asia, America and Africa.

And I realised that, though I didn’t feel ready, the truth was that I was ready, because all I needed was to know the Gospel. 

You are the vessel to carry the light

Jesus has readied and commissioned us to go.

As He said in Matthew 28:18-19: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  

When Jesus was speaking here, He wasn’t speaking to top Bible school students; He was speaking to fishermen.

This is a commandment for all, not just evangelists or pastors. Sharing the Gospel is not an option; it is a commandment!  

Either we live out the Word of God or we live in rebellion.

The Church has to be a lifeboat rescuing the perishing, not a cruise ship recruiting the promising. 

If you have truly caught God’s heart for the lost, you cannot live a normal life. 

A lot of people don’t want to give up their lives for Jesus. But each one of us is anointed to preach the Gospel. 

As the Bible tells us, the Spirit of the Lord has anointed us to preach the Gospel, to set the captives free. (Luke 4:18)

Don’t let your fear of man or fear of failure overshadow God’s call.

Obedience is not birthed out of convenience. Jesus isn’t asking you to do something easy. But He will empower you with boldness to do it, to be bold enough in the middle of opposition and inconvenience.

You should be thinking: What would it profit me to gain the world, but in doing so, see my friends lose their soul? (Mark 8:36)

You were called for such a time as this. You were born in this generation for a purpose! You are placed in this nation for a calling!

The late Reinhard Bonnke, founder of Christ For All Nations, once said: “Jesus does not sit with sitters and sleep with sleepers, but He goes with goers and works with workers.”

Look up! The field is ripe for harvest, wherever you are in this world. Your family, friends and neighbours need to know Jesus. And you are the vessel to carry the light to these people.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” (Matthew 5:14-15)

So let us pray:

Dear Lord Jesus, I thank You that everyone hearing this is anointed to preach the Gospel and to set the captives free. I pray that where there is fear and intimidation, there shall be a greater spirit of boldness. When people go out and preach the Gospel, may they see salvation, signs, wonders and miracles and their lives will never, ever be the same. Lord Jesus, we honour Your work on the cross and we thank You for it.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect

1. “Jesus has readied and commissioned us to go.” Looking back on your life, how has God readied and prepared you to share the Gospel?

2. Who are the “captives” in Isaiah 61:1-3? Who are the “captives” you see around you today?

3. What fears or concerns do you have when you think about missions either in Singapore or in the nations? How do you see these concerns in the light of Luke 4:18, that says the Spirit of the Lord has anointed us to preach the Gospel and to set the captives free?

Pray

1. Pray for your speech, actions and choices to win those in your circle of influence for Christ.

2. Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Act 2:17) upon the communities and nations you have been sent to preach the Gospel, believing that God desires them to come to His saving grace.

3. Pray over Matthew 4:19: “Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” First, we follow Christ, and then we become fishers of men. Commit to higher discipline, a deeper prayer life, more devoted study of His Word in order that we may boldly step into our role as fishers of men.

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