Bob Sorge’s
By Dutch Sheets
A Publication of Cornerstone Community Church, NOVEMBER 2013, MICA (P) 080/02/2013.
contents
at-a-glance
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In the House Forest of Dreams Gayle Quah 8 Kingdom Invasion 2013 Ps Qiu Wen Hui Chow Wen Han 12 Flavours Dominic Low 36 F a i t h f u l C h r o n ic l e s Church Camp 2013 Dennis Milner 22 Fe at u r e The Eye Gate Bob Sorge 4 The Pioneering Spirit Dutch Sheets 32 True Chr istianity What is in Your Basket? Fu Ceming 30 Li v i n g T e s t i m o n i e s Over Cliffs & Tam Wai Jia 26 Under Bridges Healing Testimony Esther Look 42 Blessed With a Child Ginny Khoo 42 Miracle Baby Vanessa Yu 42 The Lost Son Returns Naga Bhushan 43 Father heal my eyes Mercy Flora 44 God is Faithful Karen Tan 44 Baby David Annie Chang 49 I n t e r n a t i o n a l Mi n i s t r y The Derwen Fawr Ps Daphne Yang 39 COVP in Bali Joe & Carol 56 Ge n er ations Top 10 Reads from the Song Ting Xin 50 Eyes of a Gen-er The Next Level Natasha Chua 52 Conference A Rising Generation Regena Tan 54 & An End-Time Army Let The Children Come Cornerstone Children’s Soh Wai Leng 46 Church Camp 2012 Community Buzz CCS Financial Assistance Juliet Chia 20 Award Ceremony Christmas High-tea 2012 Winnie Chin 58 All images ar provided by our resident photographers, members of Cornerstone Community Church & purchases from iStockphoto.com. We resever the rights to all articles and images. Should you need to reproduce any articles or images from this publication or past publications, please send your request to obtain written permission from Cornerstone Communicty Church. OR Email us at mail@cscc.org.sg All rights reserved @ Cornerstone Community Church Designed by Ideafarm Pte Ltd 2
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editor’s message
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ivine presence and glory filled the sanctuary and His awesome majesty could be felt but not yet seen. There were people filling the hall with gasps of exhilaration and shouts of joy were heard. Then a heightened atmosphere took over when they saw the King of glory walking in their midst! Could this be a scene in heaven? This is a picture of the foretaste of heaven on earth. It is the presence of God coming in and His glory touching the flesh of men. This is when new life is birthed, and life’s purpose is defined. Where many receive their healings and more are made whole. This is called faith. It is this faith that has been imparted to us to believe, for without faith it is impossible to please God. And when we start believing God to do what He says He will do, we begin to see the manifestation of the kingdom of God on the earth. I believe we are entering into a period of great intensity of God’s global manifestation on the earth. And this scripture comes to mind when that fullness is revealed, that “the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God”. We must understand that there is One King and His kingdom, and He will reign eternally, and everything is under His feet. It is time to hold fast, to fear Him and to seek His face, both the small and great! Therefore, in expectation of things yet to come, we choose godly fear for John wrote in Rev 11:18, “… And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great.” Without a doubt, the time is drawing nearer to the fullness of the manifestation of His glory as the waters cover the sea. Therefore it is wisdom for us to live with knowledge and understanding of the times. So very often the Christian drifts along in his journey and he is unaware of his need to be rooted in the word, to be led by the Holy Spirit and to walk in surrender to His will. Yes there is mercy for all, but the urgency is to awake from your slumber. We need His grace to understand truth, because there is the season of “the suddenly” that is coming. So we have to prepare by living soberly, and not to be caught unaware. In Malachi he tells us, “and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple”, Jesus says, “Watch you therefore… Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping” and in Acts, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven”. For Philip it was, “the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away”, and Saul who was later called Paul, “sudden-
ly a light shone around him from heaven”. For Cornelius, “suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me”, and when Paul was in prison, “suddenly there was a great earthquake … and immediately all the doors were opened“. In the book authored by Mary K Baxter called “A Divine Revelation of Hell”, she received this vision amongst her many encounters with the Lord and here she writes, “I heard weeping and gnashing of teeth. Nowhere before had there been such utter hopelessness ... The angel that stood before us had no wings. .. about thirty feet .… Jesus knew my thoughts and said again, “This is outer darkness. Remember that My Word says, ‘The children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” “Lord,” I said, “You mean your servants are here?” “Yes, “said Jesus, “servants that turned back after I called them. Servants who loved the world more than Me and went back to wallowing in the mire of sin. Servants that would not stand for the truth and for holiness. It is better that one never starts than to turn back after beginning to serve Me.” “Believe Me,” Jesus said, if you sin, you have an advocate with the Father. If you repent of your sins, I will be faithful to cleanse you all unrighteousness. But if you will not repent, I will come in a time you think not, and you will be cut off with the unbelievers and cast into outer darkness…. “My Word means just what it says: they shall be cast into outer darkness.’” Some may ask if this can be true and my exhortation to you is, to take this vision seriously as His word is truth. We must know that the manifestation of His increasing presence and glory is the preparation for the coming of the King to His people, and it behooves us to be ready to receive Him. Mary has authored another book called, “A Divine Revelation of Heaven”, which she believes was given to her by Jesus Christ in order to give her balance because of her many visits to hell. And described in her own words, “experiencing hell was so horrible.”. It is important that even as we start off well, we must finish well!
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beauty, and then her eyes pull him in for the kill.
he great battle today is for your eyes. Heaven and hell are in an epic struggle to gain your gaze. Why?
Jesus Himself drew a clear connection between eyes and sexuality. “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell (Matt. 5:28-29).”
Because the eye is the gate to our sexuality. Picture a castle, with a gate that regulates all incoming and outgoing traffic. Whatever the eye permits determines the nature of the traffic in the heart. To engage in the battle for sexual purity, we must start with our eyes. Until the eye gate is subdued and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the high ground of purity cannot be held.
Actually, the eye is a gate to more than just our sexuality. It opens to many areas of desire, including things like food, drink, possessions, etc. I’m sure John had all areas of desire in mind when he wrote about “the lust of the eyes” (1 Jn. 2:16), but in this book I am focusing specifically on the way the eye triggers our sexuality.
Peter also acknowledged this connection when he described false leaders in the church as, “having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls” (2 Pet. 2:14). These leaders were using their influence among the people to entice unstable believers to sin. Their hearts were full of adultery, and you could see the lust seething inside by following their eyes. The gate of their eyes was wide open to immorality.
(Reproduced with permission)
It’s a rare instance when sexual temptation has absolutely no connection to the eyes. Almost every sexual temptation that hits you is somehow channeled through this gate.
The eye is not the only gate to our sexuality. Later I will mention ears, hands, and nosehearing, touch, and smell which are secondary gates. They are a distant second, however. Except for the visually impaired, the eye is the primary gate, and once it is subdued, the others easily come into subjection. The eye is the first and great gate to be mastered.
Theaters, TVs, computers, mobile devices, tabloids, and people are powerful conveyors of temptation. This is why provocative programs zoom in on the eyes of the actors and actresses.
THE BIBLE CONNECTS EYES WITH SEXUALITY
They’re looking at her, she’s looking at them; he’s looking at her, she catches his eye. Eyes full of adultery lock with eyes full of adultery. And the viewers, entering vicariously into the scene, become eyes.
The connection between eyes and sex is readily affirmed in Scripture. For starters, we can mention again the leading text for this book, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1). But that’s not the only Bible verse to link the two.
It’s all about the eyes. THE BATTLE AT THE GATE As the gate to our sexuality, the eyes are the first things assaulted in our battle with temptation. I use the word battle because James 4:1 describes the fight for purity as an all-out war. What we allow or forbid at our eye gate determines the conditions under which we fight for sexual consecration. Let me explain.
When the Bible speaks of the sexual desire Potiphar’s wife had for Joseph, it connects it to her eyes. “And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, ‘Lie with me”’ (Gen. 39:7). Solomon addressed the eye/sex link when he warned his son about the harlot’s snare. “Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids” (Prov. 6:25). The word lust refers to a sexual desire that is sinful. If not careful, a young man’s eyes can be snagged by a harlot’s
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“The eye is the gate to our sexuality” |
If your eye gate is sealed shut, the enemy is kept outside your castle (your life) and you can fight him from a position of strength. If the gate is relaxed and sometimes found open, temptation will gain access to the inside of your castle - into your mind and CO R N E R S TO N E
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heart and now you are very vulnerable. You’re still trying to put up a fight, but you can’t gain the upper hand because the enemy has slipped inside the gates of your castle.
will come much more swiftly.
When I compare our lives to a castle, I’m employing the imagery of cities during Bible times. Large stone walls were erected around a city, making it a veritable fortress so it could withstand attack from foreigners. Gates were made of iron. When under attack, the city gates would be drawn shut, and the city’s warriors would take their positions on the wall to repel invaders.
An eye covenant doesn’t eradicate or silence temptation; it keeps it outside our lives. It denies stimulating visuals from gaining access to our minds because we absolutely refuse to look in temptation’s direction. A closed eye gate lifts us to the high ground of mastery over temptation. We’re high on the wall, thwarting every attempt of the enemy below, and contending for a pure thought life from a place of advantage.
Invading forces always targeted the gate first. Since the city walls were usually very thick, the gate was the most vulnerable part of the fortress’s structure. Battering rams always went after the gates. If the attackers could just penetrate the gate and get inside, the city would quickly fall. This is why Isaiah 28:6 spoke of “those who turn back the battle at the gate.” The defenders inside the city would take their stand on the wall and fight to defend the city gates from being breached. Picture that city under siege. That’s a snapshot of your fight for sexual purity. Temptation wants to penetrate and set up camp inside your mind. You’re under incessant attack, and if you can keep the enemy on the outside of your castle, you can remain victorious in your fight for consecration. But if your eye gate is compromised, you’re toast.
THE EYE FEEDS THE MIND If the eye is the gate to the castle, the mind or heart is the inner courtyard. (The mind and heart are often interchangeable terms biblically. See Genesis 6:5, for example, where it speaks of “the thoughts of the heart.”) When it comes to sex, your mind is the control tower or main hard drive. Jesus confirmed this when he portrayed the heart as the ground and center of all sexual activity (Mat. 15:19). The eye triggers the mind-that is, whatever the eye allows determines the atmospheric conditions of the mind. When the eye rests upon something and sends its data to the mind, the mind takes and runs with it. If the eye is good, it will forbid entrance to tempting images and only grant access to light and truth, filling the whole body with light (Mat. 6:22).1f the eye is bad, it will allow darkness to penetrate the heart until the heart is bound in darkness and even the body is full of darkness (Mat. 6:23). James described how temptation works when it’s allowed access to our castle (Jam. 1:14-15).If allowed to enter, it awakens sinful desires in the heart. The mind grabs it, dwells on it, and the desire grows. Eventually that desire conceives and gives birth to sin. Sin, once full-grown, eventually ends in death. Gaining control of the eye gate, therefore, is a matter of life and death. What you allow through your gate can literally kill you. What a mighty little gate! To change metaphors for a moment, lust is a forest fire in the heart. The fire is fed on three fronts: the eyes (sight), the ears (hearing), and the hands (touch). To master the forest fire, you must engage the fire on all three fronts. For example, if you’re not looking at sensual images but you’re listening to sensual music, the fire won’t abate. All three senses of sight, hearing, and touch must be addressed. But start with the eyes. Once you firmly close the eye gate, victory in the other areas 6
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Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (Prov. 4:23).
How do we shut the eye gate? By making a covenant with our eyes.
If you already have complete victory in your sexuality, then you don’t need this book. But if you find that, despite your best resolves to walk in purity, you have moments of vulnerability to temptation, the message of this book may be especially helpful for you. If it seems there’s sometimes a tiny crack in the door of your heart, and you open to certain kinds of compromise, an eye covenant has the power to take that crack and seal it shut.
THIS IS A NARROW GATE It’s not easy to make a covenant with your eyes. You’ll probably encounter various emotions, such as, “It’s scary to make this kind of a covenant with God - what if I blow it?” Or, “Am I really ready to never again feast my eyes?” It’s like forever kissing good-bye the sinful indulgences that have consoled and fed your flesh. This vow is a death to self. It’s a crucifixion. It hurts. It kills. We feel a sense of loss. The flesh wants to know, “You mean, I’ll never again be allowed to have another look?” Answer: No. The command is clear. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). That area in your members doesn’t want to die. It will clamor for even a tiny air hole. To obey Jesus, you must utterly suffocate it. Then drive a sword through it. The most practical and helpful way to put to death your members, as it relates to sexual sin, is to make a covenant with your eyes. Jesus said, “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mat. 7:14). Putting your members to death is narrow and difficult. But here’s the wonder of it: Once you do it, you enter into the joy of Spirit-empowered obedience where you’re freed from the bondage of sin. It’s like a grace-awakening in which you discover that the “narrow” and “difficult” (Mat. 7:14) is actually “easy” and “light” (Mat. 11:30).
“What you allow through your eye gate can literally kill you.”
First we close the eye gate through an eye covenant; then we go for the jugular-our thought life. This is the realm of fantasy, imagination, aspiration, and desire. If our thought life is pure, our sexuality will be expressed in purity and honor; if our thought life is impure, it will eventually find expression in sinful actions. Scripture instructs us to exercise control over our thoughts: “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 1 0:5). An eye covenant doesn’t “fix” your thought life; it only prevents new visual data from gaining entrance. But all the old data and thought patterns are still swirling in the heart, even after you make a covenant with your eyes. So make the covenant-and then tackle your thought life. An eye covenant equips you to tackle this great and final frontier. If you are to walk in consecration, it is essential that you enter aggressively into the battle for your thoughts. Every thought must be made to bow to Christ, one at a time. If you make a covenant with your eyes, but continue to allow fantasies to run wild in your heart, the waters of your heart will never become clean and clear. Don’t make a covenant with your mind. Don’t say, “I vow to never think an impure thought.” That kind of vow would set you up for failure. Who has the ability to never again think an impure thought? Make a covenant with your eyes, not your mind. As regards your eyes, make a covenant; as regards your mind, make resolves. Resolve in your heart to bring your thoughts into submission to Christ. Let your resolve be, “As the Lord grants His grace, I’m going to do warfare against every impure thought until each one is submitted to the Lordship of Christ.” We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), which means we have the ability, by the power of the Spirit, to gain mastery over impure thoughts. It is inexcusable, in Christ, to allow fantasies to trample our hearts unchecked. Hunker down. Fight for your heart. Every time an impure thought fills your heart, deal ruthlessly with it by taking it to the cross. Replace it with thoughts that are noble, just, pure, lovely, and virtuous (Phil. 4:8). Prepare yourself to fight, even to your last breath, for a pure heart. The Holy Spirit is ready and waiting to help you in
THE POWER OF AN EYE COVENANT An eye covenant carries remarkable ramifications for every area of your sexuality. Make it, and you’ll be amazed at its ripple effects-that is, at how many other issues it engages and addresses. Here’s just a few examples.
Once the eye gate has been mastered and sealed shut, the traffic in our souls calms down, and we can progress to the final frontier in our quest for consecration: the heart. Scripture reveals that the heart, which is the true essence of a person, is the central and ultimate battleground of this struggle:
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But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt 5:28).
What a powerful tool the Lord gave us when He equipped us with Job’s covenant. It cuts to the chase and seals off the gate.
THE FINAL FRONTIER
It will determine what programs you watch and what songs you listen to. It will govern what you allow yourself to read. It will alter how you look at men and women. It will change how you speak conversationally with others. It will impact your computer usage. It will affect the things you buy. It will guide how you touch others.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jer. 17:9). For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov. 23:7).
* Bob Sorge’s book “A Covenant with My Eyes” is available at Faithworks Bookstore
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FOREST OF DREAMS Cornerstone Community Church’s first Christmas production
Q Really? Cornerstone’s first Christmas play is called Forest of Dreams?” “But what has a forest got to do with Christmas?” “Yes, the bible talks about dreams and the story of Joseph brings dreams to life in the Old Testament… But what has dreams got to do with forests… and in a Christmas play????
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uestions, questions and more questions were running through my head when news of Cornerstone’s first Christmas production broke last year. They were probably the very same thoughts everyone else had. It got many of us curious about how the birth of Jesus – one of the best seasons Christians all over the world (and even those in the secular) celebrate with much gusto – could have any relation with dreams and much less, forests. The production team was also hush about everything. Trying to dig information out of the cast and crew was akin to prying an oyster open. Yet, the pearl within was exactly what the entire congregation and guests were treated to when the production came to fruition Christmas morning. Forest of Dreams came about as a concept sometime in the first half of 2012. What followed were the casting calls for actors and crew – all of whom have no professional acting cred. Thereafter, production and rehearsals started from September 2012. To say then that it was going to be a large scale production would be an understatement – from the auditions, to rounding up the right people and finally settling everyone in character and tirelessly arranging for rehearsals and rehearsal venues – it was no small feat, yet the production team came through by the grace of God.
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eading up to Christmas, there was much talk about how the Christmas production would turn out as much anticipation was building while the mystery behind it remained intact. Among my clique of friends, we were excitedly talking about whom we should invite to the production. “Colleagues! They should have kids who are keen to watch a play…” “Hmmm… How about your relatives? My auntie hasn’t been to church in a while; this is the perfect opportunity to bring her!” “Yeah, I think my friends from Korea would love to attend it… they’re so far from home.” The gospel of Jesus Christ was to be preached through Forest of Dreams and whoever needed to hear it would be there to hear it, and that’s all that was needed to reassure us. As the invitations went out to families and friends, the journey in itself was already a fulfilling one for both the cast/crew and the general congregation, even before the production took place. Then came Christmas morning. I woke up filled with the joy of the Lord that this wonderful day had finally arrived. Thumbing through the newspapers, I came upon a news story, “Churches put on a show for Christmas”. The writer had written about churches in Singapore that were staging drama productions and musicals to commemorate the festivities. I couldn’t help but snap a shot of the story and sent it to my closest friends at church. Me: “Guys!! Cornerstone is in the news!!” Friend: “Wow!! For what?!” Me: “Forest of Dreams! Our Christmas production!! Go read! This is HUGE!!! *smiley*”
The Forest Unfolding
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orest of Dreams was held over two free ticketed sessions at the Fairmont Singapore, one at 9am and the other at 11am. Queues quickly formed before the start of each session and audience capacity reached near full house. As the story unfolded, the questions about forests and dreams were slowly answered. I was glad that I hadn’t found out earlier what it was about, because the gems that I got out of the production far exceeded my curiosity and expectations. The story was essentially about the birth of Jesus, as told by three “trees”. These trees had great aspirations when they were young - to be a battle ship, treasure chest or a big, beautiful tree offering shade and shelter. As they grew up and went about their own life journeys, they found
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themselves together again in an old junkyard in Jesus’ time. It was here that they recounted their life experiences to one another. One tree grew up to be a “manger”, another an “old boat” and the one that seemed least interested in sharing his story due to the shame he thought he had brought, was the “old rugged cross”. The story was intricately intertwined, shifting from the scene at the junkyard, to scenes in old Galilee, Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. Scene changes were well timed and seamless, such that the audience could only focus on the stories in the bible that were brought to life, responding to the Holy Spirit tugging at their hearts and recalling how Jesus’ work on the cross has paid the price for the salvation of mankind forever. There were some poignant moments, Like when Mary sang her heart out over the death of her brother, Lazarus, and the joy the whole village experienced when he was raised from the dead; when Peter’s faith was tested as he left the boat and attempted to walk on water; when Jesus was maligned and the villagers were calling for his crucifixion. Each of these scenes was all the more memorable owing to the combination of effort that went into the lighting, the sound and stage set. Never mind that these actors were not professional stage actors, or that the sets were created in-house by the youths of Cornerstone, the standards that were set for Cornerstone’s first Christmas production were high and the hard work paid off through the thoughtfully crafted script, carefully selected cast, great costumes and make up, and commendable acting and singing.
Comments from Facebook A superb production! The amateur actors carried out their roles with depth of emotion and conviction. The props were astounding, and the lights and sound effects well thought through and executed! Well done Juliana Tan and every team member!! And your thrill and
reward of the labour would be - all the people who responded!! By Tracey Chia Awesome play. Most importantly, the presence of God was tangible throughout the play, especially the part when Jesus was on the cross. By Robin Fong
The gospel of Jesus Christ was to be preached through Forest of Dreams and whoever needed to hear it would be there to hear it, and that’s all that was needed to reassure us. The Reason Behind Christmas
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he production ended aptly with all focus on the “ol’ rugged cross”, and this was when Senior Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong appeared on stage to proclaim the simple truth of the gospel, the message behind the cross. A salvation call was given and those who felt led by the Holy Spirit courageously took the step towards receiving the same gift that Jesus Christ has for everyone who believes. Father God was calling His own back home and there was just no better season than Christmas! The months leading up to the production, and the tireless work and rehearsals that went behind the two runs of the first Cornerstone production, Forest of Dreams, were certainly worthy of a standing ovation. But for the 79 salvations that Christmas morning, it is a marvellous feat for the Kingdom of God that will ring through the rest of their lives and into eternity.
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he Kingdom Invasion Conference this year saw about 4,000 day registrants with about 650 foreign delegates from 26 countries, and almost full-house evening attendance for the 3-day conference at the 6,500-seater hall. The hall was packed to the brim and people had to be turned away despite the addition of extra seating on the last evening. The level of passion and anticipation in the crowd for an encounter with God was electrifying. The number of salvations was outstanding. The
significant healings that took place were amazing. And many walked away with a greater vision and faith to believe God for the impossible! There has been an unprecedented awakening of the healing power, miracles, signs and wonders of God in recent years. God is pouring His new wine to usher in a new wave of His power and presence on those who are willing to be His hands and His feet to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and set captives free. When Jesus gave the Great
KINGDOM
Commission, He wasn’t just talking about ministry within the four walls of the church; He was commissioning us to “Go into all the world.” (Mark 16:15). Where does your world begin? Your home? Neighborhood? School? Marketplace? It’s easy to be caught up with our own needs and forget about those around us whom God wants to minister through us. When Jesus was on the earth, He dived into the muck and mire of humanity, right where He was. Wherever He went, He touched people, healed people, and taught people. It’s the highest
honor given to us, to join the work that Jesus started 2,000 years ago. The conference may have ended, but the invasion of the Kingdom of God continues through the Body of Christ!
INVASION
By Ps Qiu Wen Hui 2013
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healing testimonies
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Kingdom Invasion 2013
Kingdom Invasion 2013 testimonies of K ingdom I nvasion
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“...I caught a glimpse of heaven!” By Chow Wen Han
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erving as an altar worker during Kingdom Invasion gave me a whole new experience. I had many different encounters, all of which touched a chord in my heart and will be etched forever in my mind. I saw hundreds of teary faces coming to the altar, full of gratitude for Christ, and receiving Him as their personal Saviour for the first time. I have not yet seen so many salvations in a single meeting before and I believe at that point in time, the whole of heaven was rejoicing! I also saw many who were convicted by the Holy Spirit, to lay down their lives as a living sacrifice, to go to the ends of the world to fulfill the Great Commission. I witnessed how a despondent-looking lady in a wheelchair turn into a joyful woman leaping and pushing her wheelchair around. She was healed after a period of intense prayer! I spoke to a Taoist with stage four pancreatic cancer, who told me that he felt a warmth at his abdomen when he was being prayed for. The next day, when another person prayed for him, he experienced warmth in his whole body. I told him to get his healing verified with scans at his doctor’s and he promised to email the church if he got healed. I truly believe that he is healed, for he was already touched by the finger of our living God! 1 6
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I observed a young altar worker earnestly placing himself behind an elderly man to try to catch him in case he fell, yet right after the man was prayed for, the power of God touched the young altar worker instead. The altar worker was literally pushed back in his abdomen by the touch of God and he fell and rested in the Spirit for a few hours. God remembers even when you serve! I followed a young, innocent child of less than 5 years old, who hopped over legs and ducked under hands, running in and out of the sea of people laying at the altar. Both her parents were individually dedicating themselves to Him once again. At the end of the session, she did find her way back to her parents. I saw pastors and missionaries – men and women who gave up so much of their lives to serve Him – kneeling at the altar, desiring a fresh touch from Him. Simply, they just wanted to have more of Him. And how He answered them! He poured out Himself onto them and filled them! There were countless who were touched by His joy and could not stop laughing. Others experienced manifestations which they never had before. Yet many others received a word from Him as well. Finally, I also watched dancers moving according to the Holy Spirit and worshipping before the Lord, reminding me of how David danced before Him, giving him-
self fully to worship Him. These three days at Kingdom Invasion have been nothing short of the extra-ordinary. Many lives were transformed in an instant, mine included, for I caught a glimpse of heaven.
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t was my joy to bring a group of 33 from a House Church in China to Kingdom Invasion 2013. This is our 2nd year having this opportunity. Of course, attending such an amazing event brings personal benefit and encouragement, but my SIGNIFICANT satisfaction was in watching the impact on the precious souls that I brought from China. Many in the group received physical healings, and there were personal heart-issues that were ministered to powerfully as well. I watched them
worship with abandonment and eagerly learning from the speakers. Relationships were built, and great fun we had. But it wasn’t just an experience – what was learned was brought back home, and put into practice. Ministering healing is now part of the life of the Church. Discovering the power of the testimony at KI - having people share their stories of healing before the congregation - has blessed and encouraged many. An interesting thing to note is that when we had our team share about how KI had
blessed them, overwhelmingly it wasn’t the great teaching and ministry that impacted the team as a whole the most. Rather, it was the love they experienced. Many shared that they’ve never experienced love like they did under the hospitality of Cornerstone Community Church. From arrival to send-off and all the time in between, they were genuinely loved and cared for like they’ve never been before. Thank you Cornerstone for hosting this event, and me, and enabling me to bring this group. We love you back! David Gartner Missionary
emails from those who received healing at K ingdom I nvasion 2 0 1 3
healing testimonies T estimony 1
From Amanda Ng I had a 5cm cyst in my right ovary that shrunk to 3.5cm after I received prayer at the Kingdom Invasion Conference! Previously, I was taking lots of Chinese medicine and even talisman water, but the cyst grew even bigger. When I heard about the Kingdom Invasion Conference, I decided to attend the evening sessions and to receive prayer for healing. When
I went for my regular medical check-up on 25 March 2013, the scan results showed that the cyst had shrunk! Praise the Lord for His healing! T estimony 2
From the Kingdom Invasion Facebook page
A little boy, Isaac, who had clubbed feet was completely healed. For the first time in his life, he could run without tripping on his own feet! Glory to Jesus!
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A 37 year-old lady, who had a tumour that caused her to be deaf, was healed during the pre-service prayer and she could hear! Praise the Lord!
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Our Thrift Barn is managed by volunteers. The thrift shop carries pre-loved items donated by members of the public. And prices start as low as S$1.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
We make sure that everything is in usable condition before they are put up for sale. Come and visit us today, and if you like to part-time volunteer, come on in and let us know who you are.
11 East Coast Road, #01-11, Singapore 428722 Opening Hours: Tue - Sat : 11am to 5pm Sun : 11am to 3pm Close on Monday 1 8
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faithful chronicleS
Cornerstone Community Services Student Financial Assistance Award Presentation Ceremony 2013
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he conventional notion of success is not simply that of gaining material goods or just getting good grades. “When we learn from our failures – that is success,” said Mrs. Daphne Yang, the President of CCS, as she encouraged the 216 recipients of this year’s Cornerstone Community Services (CCS) Student Financial Assistance Award with a few words on the true meaning of success. The students received various awards including the Merit Bursary Award for Primary and Secondary, and the School Allowances for Primary, Secondary 2 0
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and Tertiary. Indeed, receiving such a grant is one of the many small steps of success that the students and their parents will experience this year. Mrs. Daphne Yang reflected in her opening speech that it is the small steps we take that lead to that great moment - the success that many of these students and parents hope for and aspire towards. The CCS Student Financial Assistance Award is also a small step taken to reach out to needy students and their families. Every contribution made in terms of finances or time in volunteering to organize the awards has
made it possible for this award to be held for 6 consecutive years. In fact, this 6th year of the awards has received a bumper crop of $71,100 in total, increasing the number of recipients from a range of 180 in the previous years to 216. Though the road to success for many of these students would require work and then more work on their part, every little thing counts towards encouraging them on their journey. In the words of Frank A. Clark, a writer well-known for distilling sermons into one-liners, “Everyone is trying to accomplish something big,
By Juliet Chia
“Though the road to success for many of these students would require work and then more work on their part, every little thing counts towards encouraging them on their journey.”
not realizing that life is made up of little things.” And this award is just one of those ‘ little things’. |
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FAITHFUL CHRONICLES
CHURCH CAMP 2013
Stirring up deep deep wells Standfirst: The Cornerstone Family Camp 2013 was a wonderful time spent in expounding His word, much singing, dancing, laughter and a deepening of bonds within the family of God. Bom Cha Cha reports. By Dennis Milner
We’re stirring up deep deep wells… stirring up deep deep wateeeeeers…. 2 2
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in the house
“Our imagination is the page that God writes on” ~ Dale Fife. One particular message that I hold close to my heart is to become a canvas that God can freely write on. The interesting part about this canvas is that no frame would be large enough to contain it. Too often, our faith sets limits to the possibilities that we can achieve when we try to stay within the safer grounds of our frames. If God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are higher than ours, what we can expect ahead of us is nothing short of an exciting and adventurous journey of the unknown! May He grant us eyes of faith to see His kingdom manifested on earth and to know the richness of His glory. - Ng Xinyi Home. The word that Pastor Yang shared on the third day of camp resonated within me the strongest. As I reflect on the message, I’m reminded that we stand on the shoulders of giants, people who have paid with their lives to give us what we have today. I am inspired to not only protect but to build upon what we have, so that one day, someone else will built upon what I have, and stand on my shoulders to rise higher and go farther than we’ve ever been. - Jeremy Tay It was my first camp and I had no clue what to expect but all I can say is that God really blew my mind! Was really touched by the sermons and worship and I learnt so much more about loving people and living my life wholly for God too. It was all great; even Pastor Nicky’s dancing too! -
Sarah Thomas
Not a single church camp goes by without dwelling, spiritual feasting, midnight supper and great fellowship... And every year, that, we expect and looking forward to. In this camp, the great time occurred, however, God, in his Almighty ways never fails to arrange nuggets of new discovery or simply refreshment that keeps all camps in a good suspense. And this, we anticipate and long for. Our loving Father arrested us all over again with his sovereignty and love, claiming us His sons and daughters. Reminding us of His name above all names, and that every knee would bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:9) With this, we return to our routine, refilled, recharged, continuing our in our glorious status as children of God, a privilege to walk with Him, the one above All. - Dion & Josie Koh 2 4
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T
he catchy lyrics from the song, Deep Cries Out, somehow became the unintended de facto theme song of the Cornerstone Family Camp 2013. It was held over four days from 11 to 14 June at Renaissance Hotel and Bayu Marina Resort in Johor Bahru. The camp lived up to the hype and expectation with every person so anointed whether to play, sing, preach. God was truly in the house! The atmosphere in church camps is always high and gives anyone who is truly seeking and hungry for the word, to be blessed. Personally, I was seeking for two specific words, and the Lord did speak. Once through a fellow brother from my cell, and the other was during one of the morning runs I had around the hotel. The insightful messages from our speakers, Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong, Pastor Nicky Raiborde and Dr Dale Fife reinforced what God had to say to anyone who was hungry for more of Him. As it was the first time we had Dr Dale Fife at the camp, his style of preaching interestingly interweaves symbolism with very normal things that surround us. From being an “egg”, to my favourite about using ships as his analogy, ”You can’t sail on yesterday’s wind”, it taught me that we all need to stay fresh and not rest on our past glories. The hard working camp committee’s organisation was almost flawless and their many hours of work allowed most of us to go through the camp without any major incidents and to just enjoy the camp. So after a few days of being blessed and ministered to by the word during all the excellent sessions, came the final night – gala night! Let me tell you: it was stressful… stressful for the people involved… and stressful for those who were wondering if their names would be called to go on stage! There was much talk and expectation about the evening. The gala night was helmed by the Bom Cha Chas (BCC) who all hail from the same cell group (Rehoboth Mishkan). Performing in the BCC is one of the ways we bond together as a cell. We had a few first timers to church camp and three members having been in the cell and church for less than six months (the youngest being just three weeks old in church), but common suffering builds common bonds. We were still refining our routine while trying to piece everything together at the camp, and we knew we had to be more interesting than the previous year. We were rehearsing every night after all sessions ended till past midnight. All under the watchful eye of the “brains” of the Bom
Cha Chas, cousins Winnie and Wendy Chin. They were the ones who decided what we should wear, what we should sing; how we should dance and made sure we were all in step and on cue. Just the night before gala night, there was much rejoicing, lively celebration and dancing around the hall. Pastor Yang was especially humorous and engaging on stage that I went up to him after that night and said, “Pastor, tonight is going to be hard to follow.” However, Pastor Daphne who was nearby heard me and immediately said, “But you guys have got the gift, don’t worry!!!” I wasn’t sure if I felt comforted, motivated, encouraged or even more stressed out at that moment… but probably a mixture of it all. With the camp already leaving everybody spiritually blessed, encouraged and refreshed, the gala night committee led by Yvonne Goh and the Bom Cha Chas aimed to give all a chance to have good clean, healthy fun and laugh hard as a family. Instead of just being comical, this year the Cha Chas decide “to go spiritual” and dance to Deep Cries Out, which happened to be a song we sang a few times during the camp without knowing beforehand. But of course, in true Cha Cha style, we did what Steve Carpenter describes as “worsherobics”. We had so much fun on stage and the audience was particularly easily tickled as they laughed and cheered at almost anything that went on, it was simply amazing to see the wealth of interesting talent in the family of God and how sporting everybody was, from our youths, to the pastors and the invited guests. Where else would you find pastors, deacons and young members being willing to put themselves forward in front of 900 people and lead the way in fun? It was truly a night to be joyful and remember that we are part of a family that knows how to worship, pray, honour God and yet have great fun at the appropriate time. The gala night was just the icing on the cake for a camp that spiritually met our needs, blessed our hearts, inspired us, enriched our minds, challenged us out of our comfort zones and reminded us that we are part of a family – one to be proud of. I liken it to what Pastor Yang shared during his heartfelt message on the last day, on the joys of being in this family and the importance of keeping it strong for the Lord. Let’s keep “……stirring up deep deep wells…..stirring up deep deep wateeeeeeeeers………….” |
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living testimonies
God calls us to go further, to the edge of cliffs as waterfalls, where nothing else but the wind of His love can catch and carry us; He calls us to go lower, under bridges as rivers, where the darkness reeks of destitution, dirt and dryness; He calls us to be wells of living water, to dig deep and spring forth His fountain of life and love with others.
By Tham Wai Jia It was a heart-wrenching sight. gainst the background of the eclectic, bustling streets of Hong Kong filled with psychedelic billboards and a pulsing throng of people, a little man lay on the dirty sidewalk, tummy-side down, underneath a bridge, his neck straining to look up, only to look at the shuffling feet of the passing crowd. Dressed in rags, a pair of old, dirty crutches lay beside his missing limb, and a little plastic red bowl with spare change placed in front of his chin. It was my husband, Cliff,
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who saw him first. On our way to catch a ferry to visit Cliff’s grandma across the sea, we both knew we had to stop, even though we were running late. He placed a large note in my palm, a repeat gesture of love as he had done several times before when we passed hunched, wrinkled elderly people selling trinkets or picking garbage off the streets of Hong Kong. It was a chilly evening. Exchanging knowing glances and bending down, we both asked the man simultaneously if
he had had anything to eat - Cliff in Cantonese, and I in mandarin. To my surprise, he responded to my mandarin instead of Cliff’s Cantonese. It was then that we realized he wasn’t from Hong Kong, but mainland China. “Xie Xie, Xie Xie,” he thanked us profusely, as Cliff walked across the street to buy him a hot meal of char siew (marinated pork) rice in the wintry weather. Crouching down on the damp road filled with the stench of wet fish and smoke, his eyes met mine. I tried to fold my
oversized trenchcoat in between my legs, but they swept the dank floor anyway. For that moment, we were on the same level. “What is your name?” I asked in mandarin. “Wo jiao Zhe Bin. ( My name is Zhe Bin.)” Many years ago, as a child, he lost his left leg in a road accident. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Wei le zhuan qian. (To earn money),” he replied, not straining his neck anymore. “I earn a little more here than across the border back home.” “Does anyone bully you here?” “So far no trouble.” I didn’t know what to say. The bill would last him a few days perhaps and the meal, a few hours. Whatever we did seemed so temporal. So I said the only thing I knew, “Do you know God? I just wanted you to know
that He loves you, He cares for you, and when you pray when you are sad, He listens and He will provide for you.” I half-expected a blank look, a cynical snort perhaps. Instead, the lines on his face melted into a knowing look of nostalgia. “God?” he replied. “Ah, my big aunt back home used to tell me stories about Jesus.” “He loves you very much,” I said. “Can we pray with you?” Eagerly, he agreed.
“Do you want to believe in God?” I asked, my voice slightly tenuous. “He will not cause all your troubles to disappear magically, you may continue to have ups and downs in your life, but... He is waiting for you to accept Him. He loves you very much.” “God sent you to me today. I want to believe in Jesus because I know today He cares for me. Please, pray with me.” As Cliff returned with dinner and we prayed the sinner’s prayer together, quietly, a crowd of nearly twenty people had stopped to stare at us under the |
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bridge. We were a spectacle, an exhibit that had won instant interest. They could not hear our conversation, but the sight of a young couple squatting to speak with a maimed man lying prostrate was a draw enough. The old, the young, and the middleaged, all came to watch this strange and unthinkable scene. Somehow, people who had been too busy to stop for this man suddenly had the time to watch this unfold. It was late. Cliff’s ninety year-old grandma was waiting. We said goodbye and hurried
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off, with twenty pairs of eyes still following our backs. As we wondered why it should seem so abnormal to stop for the poor, a man, six feet tall with broad shoulders and a wide jaw stopped us at the traffic junction. He had followed us a distance round the corner. Frowning, he asked gruffly in Cantonese, then English after realizing I could not understand him, “You from Hong Kong?” His voice, slightly threatening, intimidated me a little. Cliff held my hand tightly. “You are obviously not from here,” he said in Cantonese to Cliff, then repeating himself in English. “Let me tell you, it is ILLEGAL in Hong Kong to beg. It is against the law. These beggars, they come from mainland China to win the sympathy and cheat the money of our people. The people of Hong Kong do NOT beg.” His animosity and acrimony towards the mainland Chinese people cut the cold winter air like a knife. He then turned to look at me, his hard frown softening to a fatherly look of exasperation. “You, young lady, I see you looking at him, so compassionate. These people LIE and CHEAT to win your sympathy. You understand? They don’t deserve what you are doing for him. THEY ARE CHEATS.” The light turned green. Time was ticking. We bade the tall man goodbye, and I worried if he might beat or cause Zhe Bin trouble. We hurried along the sidewalk. “Are we doing anything tomorrow evening?” I asked Cliff. Knowing me all too well, he replied, “You want to buy him dinner? Sure, let’s do that.” Half-running, we dashed back and made a date with Zhe Bin quickly, trying to avoid attention. Same time, same place tomorrow.
standing. Slumped against the edge of the bed on the floor, we were both in awe and wonder at the Holy Spirit’s consistency and divinity. . It was raining the next evening. The air, cold and wet, had a chilly, biting edge. There Zhe Bin was again, prostrate on the wet ground, this time on some newspapers, and clad in a tattered jacket and old dress shoes, dressed with respect for a dinner date with us. And next to him, the crippled man we had seen a few days ago under the same bridge! We were overjoyed to have him join us as well.
They lie and cheat. Those words kept ringing in my head. Was a missing limb a lie, leaving a coin box on the floor, trickery? Just an hour before our date, I sat to pray, asking God what it was that we could do for this man. Show me one thing, God, that we can do for Zhe Bin. Buy him new crutches, give him more money, ask for his address? How far should we go? Would we love till we reached the shore of convenience, to avoid getting wet by the sea of sacrifice, or would we go to the edge and learn to go where only You could stop us from falling? As my husband’s name would suggest, Cliff constantly provokes me to be challenged by what it means to go all out to the edge for Jesus. This was supposed to be a vacation for us, to visit Cliff’s relatives in Hong Kong.Just then, an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his patience, compassion, understanding and flexibility to change plans flooded my heart. While praying, I decided to pick up “Learning to love”, a compilation of wonderful stories by Heidi and Rolland Baker about their journey of loving the poor in Mozambique, Africa, to read a short chapter. These words leapt out to me, “..,Jesus brought dignity and eternal life to the Samaritan woman when He stopped and asked her for a drink of water from the well...” That was it! Suddenly a deep and profound sense of peace and divine knowing pervaded my heart - dignity and eternal life. That was the answer to my prayers as to what to impart to Zhe Bin- dignity and eternal life. “Oh God,” I prayed, remembering yet another crippled man we had seen under the bridge days ago, “how can we love them all?” As soon as I had the revelation, Cliff awoke from his nap. Excitedly, I shared with him what I felt the Spirit had put in my heart. It was then that Cliff shared, that as he was falling to sleep, that very same story in the bible came to his mind, as God revealed to him the importance of overcoming all barriers to stop for the one, just as Jesus broke the cultural norms of the time to speak to a woman of low
“We are maimed and crippled,” they said. “There are few options and fewer opportunities to find better work than this. So we move around like this to try and earn a living. Sometimes, like today, the police come, and we have to move. Why do people call the cops? Do we cause trouble or get in their way?”
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“What is your name?” “Guo Hui. Wo jiao Guo Hui.” It was awkward at first, to see Guo Hui wrench himself forcefully from his worn out wheelchair, collapsing to the ground then waddling a few feet before pulling himself on the chair. Over a hot meal of claypot rice and soybean milk, Zhe Bin and Guo Hui shared their lives with us. When he was eight, a lorry had crushed Zhe Bin’s left leg. When he was three, Guo Hui contracted polio. On that table, suddenly we were all equal. Our eyes met each other’s on the same level. They were fathers, sons, brothers neighbours. They had taken a train across the border to “work” here because “money here is better”. The clothing factory they used to work for had closed down, giving way to rapidly expanding manufacturing plants which crushed out any competition employing manual labour, leaving them jobless. Zhe Bin has two sons and a daughter; Guo Hui has one son.
When Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a drink of water from the well, the woman had thought how incredulous it was that God should want to associate with someone of her low social and moral standing, but He did. It brought to my mind a strange dream Cliff once had about me drinking from a pool. He said for some reason, in the dream, he himself was the pool. Weeks later I learnt his last name, when read in Chinese, “Tam” has the same pronounciation as the word for a ‘pool’ in mandarin. I realized that my husband’s name not only reminds me of the call we have to go to the edge, but to dig deep like wells, to be pools of living water to the people around us. God calls us to go further, to the edge of cliffs as waterfalls, where nothing else but the wind of His love can catch and carry us; He calls us to go lower, under bridges as rivers, where the darkness reeks of destitution, dirt and dryness; He calls us to be wells of living water, to dig deep and spring forth His fountain of life and love with others.
Everyone needs some time to rejuvenate, refresh, recharge and restart
“Thank you so much,” they said. “Today is the most significant day of our lives. We know God truly does exist.” Over cliffs and under bridges. Are we willing to go? Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13
“But today,” Guo Hui said, “is the happiest day of my life. Can you share with me this God you shared with Zhe Bin? Because I want to know Him too. I know He will not cause my problems to disappear magically, but I know He cares for me. He sent you two to send His love for both of us. Back home, we have a church, we will go back there together.” We were amazed. There and then, we prayed the sinner’s prayer again, this time, with Zhe Bin leading part of it spontaneously, in his excitement to lead his friend to Jesus. That meal cost us less than twenty Singapore dollars. Yet, its value was infinite and eternal. God had brought us under a bridge and over a cliff to see how amazing things can happen and how lives can be unexpectedly touched when we let go and let Him interrupt our lives. A day ago I had shared with Cliff, that perhaps all we were meant to do was to make a beautiful memory for someone in need, but God had done more than that. Remembering the words “dignity” and “eternal life”, I said, “He sent us to share His love... but He also wants you to lead a life of dignity.” While those words were hard to say, they pierced their hearts deeply, lighting up their countenance. “Yes, we know what we are doing isn’t real work. It is begging. It is against the law,” Zhe Bin repented aloud, bravely. So in that humble little shophouse on that drizzly night over a warm meal, we prayed that though we did not know how, that God would somehow show them the way to quit this life of begging, and to find respectable work back home.
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S
ometime back, Sis Margaret Seaward shared a story about a brother who had a dream before he passed on. He was a career man and he mistook God’s placement in life as his ultimate purpose. He spent his life chasing earthly pursuits and forgot about storing up treasures in heaven. In the dream, he was in a line waiting to see Jesus and men in front of him all carried a basket each. Everyone had something in his basket and it suddenly dawned on him that his was empty! Finally, his turn came and he stood before Jesus, with nothing to show for his time on earth. The horror of such a moment - when one should stand before Jesus and see nothing but sadness on His face. The brother pleaded for mercy and was given one month as a second chance. He did everything he could in this time to talk about Jesus and the kingdom of God. Just as he was told, he passed on exactly a month later.
By Fu Ceming Reports in themselves can be quite sobering. I am not referring to the type in thick files that we see in our offices, but something closer to home, something more personal. Reports can present us with a pleasant surprise, or they can hand us a rude shock. It can tell us that we have been given a “clean bill of health” or that there are only six months left in the hourglass. Whatever it is, a report seldom leaves us in the neutral. It either stirs up gratitude, or reveals regrets in our lives.
“In the Gospels, there are two parables that reveal one of the principles of the kingdom of God. It is the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Pounds. They share many similarities and the object lesson was obvious to the listeners of the day – multiply what you have been given, maximize every God-given opportunity and do not let fear master you. The point couldn’t be clearer! “
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In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar was weighed on the eternal balances and found wanting. In other words, there was nothing substantial in his life; his basket was empty. He had his father King Nebuchadnezzar as a wise example, but he did not take heed. And the report given him on a night of revelry was that he had totally missed the mark. Many centuries later, the Apostle Paul echoed similar words in 1 Corinthians 3 - each one’s work will be revealed and tested by fire. The difference between gold and grass will be clearly seen. It is not about having a basket full of things. The important thing is to fill the basket with the right things.
sumptuous sort, but it is those moments when we jump into something bigger and greater than ourselves because God said that is the right thing to do. You see, God does not give us an empty basket to start with. He has placed gifts, abilities and opportunities in all of our lives. Like the master mentioned in the parables, He does not leave his servants empty-handed and therefore, neither is He ready to see an empty basket when we are presented before Him. The Bible tells us that we have been given everything we need to live a godly life, which includes being fruitful and effective in our station in life. (2 Pet 1:3, NLT) I am sure all of us like a good report, especially if it concerns our life. And it is absolutely possible to be given one, by the Lord Jesus Himself. In fact, it is God’s desire that all of His children do well, and be commended and rewarded. Therefore, the question we need to ask ourselves is, “What is in my basket?” Will your life count when weighed on the eternal balances?
You see, God does not give us an empty basket to start with. He has placed gifts, abilities and opportunities in all of our lives. Like the master mentioned in the parables, He does not leave his servants empty-handed and therefore, neither is He ready to see an empty basket when we are presented before Him.
In the Gospels, there are two parables that reveal one of the principles of the kingdom of God. It is the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Pounds. They share many similarities and the object lesson was obvious to the listeners of the day – multiply what you have been given, maximize every God-given opportunity and do not let fear master you. The point couldn’t be clearer! The late missionary Jim Elliot put it this way, “Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” Yet, there are a few subtleties in the parables and one of them is that the faithful servants traded. This may seem like a minor detail until we understand the context. In the culture of the day, servants do not trade. Masters do, and most likely, they are well-versed in it. But this is not a regular thing to do for servants. The application for us is that when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we must learn to go beyond ourselves, beyond what is safe and common. Sometimes that will require us to put ourselves out on a limb. To walk by faith requires risk-taking. It is not of the reckless or pre-
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By Dutch Sheets
(An excerpt from the book “The Pioneer Spirit” by Dutch Sheets)
To your own frontier You’re a pioneer
Pioneer. ‘ Take the lead or initiative in, ‘ open up an area or prepare a way.
1993, Nancy Honeytree Miller, OakTable Publishing, IntrASCAP
It was July 4’’ weekend. I should have been in a celebrative mood but instead I couldn’t quit crying. This continued off and on for several days; once or twice I even cried myself to sleep. Thankfully, it wasn’t because of bad news. It was-are you ready for this?-a song. The words were haunting me. Like the in audible voice of God mysteriously calling a salmon back to the place of its birth, the voice of God was connecting to something deep in my DNA through the words of this song. I couldn’t shake it. I didn’t want to.
As I listened to the song over and over, I realized why the effect on me was so intense. It was calling to who I am. I am a pioneer. I’ve known the lonely road; I’ve known the uncharted wilderness pathways. I have known and accepted for some time that I’m different. (Understatement!) I’ve pondered this often and have now come to believe that God made me this way.
“Pioneer” is on a CD by one of my spiritual sons, Rick Pino [The Narrow Road]. The song was actually written by Nancy Honeytree in 1989. Rick sent me a pre-release copy stating that the words to this song had an intense effect on him. Believe me, I understand! As with any great song, the melody, arrangement and skill of the singer all contribute to its impact, but the words of “Pioneer” are themselves profound.
“The body of Christ should be leading America back to its foundations but Christians have lost the pioneer spirit that birthed the church. Deep in the DNA of every believer is the spirit of Christ, the Pioneer of all pioneers, but this has been lost in the wilderness of compromise and religiosity.”
(Chorus) Pioneer, pioneer Keep pressing onward, beyond your fear Only the Father goes before you To your own frontier You’re a pioneer Uncharted wilderness stretches before you And you thrive on going where no one has gone Still it gets lonely when darkness deepens So sing by the fire until the dawn You travel light, you travel alone And when you arrive, nobody knows But the Father in heaven, He’s glad you can go For those who come after you will need the road What you have done others will do Bigger and better, and faster than you But you can’t look back, you gotta keep pressing through There’s a wilderness pathway, calling you Calling you, calling you clear Keep pressing onward, you can’t stay here Only the Father goes before you
Examples? I would much rather create the flow than go with it. I love people-passionately-but I’m a loner. “If it ain’t broken,” as the saying goes, sometimes I’ll break it just so I can fix it! My thoughts? Simple: there must be a better way. And if something actually is broken, I’ll try to fix it even if I don’t know how. Why not give it a shot?-”good enough” should never be left alone. I love to explore-ideas, a forest, small towns, antique stores-doesn’t matter what. I just need to scout around. When I hunt, I rarely harvest an animal because I can’t stay still (good news for the “anti” crowd). I have to know what’s around the next bend, over the next hill. I have passed up opportunities to shoot because I didn’t want to end my hunt, which, of course, would have also ended my time in the woods. I’m not a hunter, I’m an explorer. A pioneer. What Is a Pioneer? The dictionary defines a pioneer as someone who explores, prepares or opens up a new way; someone who takes the lead or initiative. We’ve all read about the early American pioneers who opened up the American frontier, preparing the way for others to follow. We often refer to those who open up space exploration, technology, medicine, or science as pioneers. It can include any field of exploration or preparation. Pioneers initiate. They go first, always ready to try something new. Not only are they open to change, they insist on it. They are rarely satisfied. “There must be a better way,” is never far from the thinking of a pioneer. They are inventors, explorers, scouts, pathfinders, trailblazers, innovators, reformers and forerunners. Pioneers are the research and
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“I love to exploreideas, a forest, small towns, antique stores-doesn’t matter what. I just need to scout around. When I hunt, I rarely harvest an animal because I can’t stay still (good news for the “anti” crowd). I have to know what’s around the next bend, over the next hill. I have passed up opportunities to shoot because I didn’t want to end my hunt, which, of course, would have also ended my time in the woods. I’m not a hunter, I’m an explorer. A pioneer.”
development crowd, the “what if ’ bunch, the “why” and “why not” folks’. And not only are they always searching for the new way, you can rest assured they will never act like everything is okay if it isn’t. They’ll rock any boat, experimenting till they find a new way, a better way. Not much is sacred to a pioneer.
If you’re a pioneer, don’t ever settle for being a settler! If you do, a part of who God created you to be will never find its voice. Determine riot to allow that. Find your voice. In fact, find your shout.
Here are some hints that might help identify whether or not you or someone you know is a pioneer-or one in the making.
My generation hasn’t seen many pioneers; we’ve mostly been followers, or settlers. We’ve built our walls of protection, gotten comfortable, and essentially said, “We want our security; we want someone to take care of, provide for and protect us. “We lost the impassioned pioneer spirit that birthed America.
• You are often dissatisfied with things as they are AND you want to help change them. • Something deep inside of you comes alive when you hear someone talk about making a difference. • Being in the right is more important than being in the majority. • The inconvenience of change bothers you less than the staleness of stagnation. • Trying, even when you fail, is more appealing to you than risk-free living. • You refuse to quit, realizing that dead-ends and failed attempts are just part of the path- finding process. • The beaten path doesn’t beckon you but un charted wilderness does. • The boredom of the familiar scares you more than the fear of the unknown. • Status quo bothers you. • You have a warrior spirit that would rather fight, even die, than forfeit liberty. • You’d rather advance a cause than maintain a position. • Playing it safe isn’t appealing to you. • You can’t seem to leave well enough alone. • You want your life to count for more than money or pleasure.
America Desperately Needs Pioneers
But deep in the soil of this land is pioneer blood, crying out for a new generation to answer the call of the wild. America desperately needs these pathfinders and way- makers to arise. Why? The reason is simple: we’ve lost our way. We have strayed from the basic principles that made us great. Truth, integrity, personal and corporate responsibility, self-discipline, biblical morality and the rejecting of the ideologies of our founders have all been abandoned by much of America. The body of Christ should be leading America back to its foundations but Christians have lost the pioneer spirit that birthed the church. Deep in the DNA of every believer is the spirit of Christ, the Pioneer of all pioneers, but this has been lost in the wilderness of compromise and religiosity. However, God is sending a spiritual awakening and issuing a fresh and powerful invitation: “Leave the safety and boredom of tame, anaemic, organized religion. Leave the shallow life lived by the average narcissistic, self-loving Christian in America. Leave the fear of death, loss and the unknown. Follow me back to what I birthed 2000 years ago: radical, worldchanging, miracle-working, fearless, love-not-their lives-unto-death, passionate, warrior pioneers!”
Ever wished you can spend quality time together with both your natural and spiritual family?
Well, now you can! Sign up for the coming family camp in 2014. Watch out for details in our website. Dates : 04-07 June 2014 Venue : KSL Hotel, Johore Bahru
START PLANNING NOW!
Heaven is waiting for us to answer this call and begin the pioneer journey. Come on, let’s go! Published with permission from author.
• Makin’ a difference means more to you than makin’ it big. • You’d rather die trying than live trying not to die. • You march to the beat of a different drummer, and you often hear a completely different song . . .
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in the house
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lavours” was our themed evangelistic combined service held on 17 August 2013 at the Fairmont Hotel ballroom where we had our different congregations present, namely, the African congregation, the Bahasa congregation, our youth ministry Generations and not forgetting, the English congregation. We saw in attendance a total of about 1,700 people and on top of that, we had 60 salvation responses. Praise the Lord! The service was lined up with a programme that showcased the theme “Flavours” and here are some highlights. We first
An event with a theme like “Flavours” surely cannot do without food! In order to bring out the talents from our very own “Cornerstonians’, we had participants who signed up for the “Master-Chef” competition to showcase their best dishes. We had a wide variety of food available for the congregation to sample, from oxtail stew, to kueh kueh and many more. To help judge and determine the winner of the Master-Chef competition, we had a panel of judges lined up and with the help of the congregation, we were able to arrive at a winner. However, there was a tie for the title of Master-Chef and the winners are Allelon serving Pasta Lohei and Merri’s Delight whipping up sweet treats that came in the form of minions! Though the
By Dominic Low had Strikeforce, a percussion group that performed two items. For the opening act, they dressed in chefs’ uniforms banging on pots and pans with ladles and spoons. They demonstrated to us their version of “STOMP” with a local twist, cheering out famous local dishes like “Char Kuay Teow” and many more. It certainly did keep the audience engaged! We were also introduced to flavours in the Bible through a video screening which showed some significant meals recorded in the Bible and thereafter, Pastor Yang spoke with much passion and expounded on it. The message was indeed compelling!
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queues at each of the stalls were long, it was also worth it as everyone got a chance to taste the fruit of the hard work that all the chefs have put in. The little children had their fair share of fun too! They each made 4 fruit tarts while learning on the goodness of God. Of course at the end of their hard work, the children were treated to yummy ice-cream and pop-corns! All in all, it was an unforgettable Sunday with friends, family, fun and of course, food!
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i n t e r n at i o n a L m i n i s t ry
T HE DE DERWE FAW R RWE N FAWR estat e By Ps Daphne Yang
ince the purchase of the Bible College of Wales estate by Cornerstone in December 2012, we have seen a constant stream of visitors on the grounds and a wonderful buzz of activities. We have had Lou Engle, Tommy Tenney and Lance Lambert from Israel amongst many others who came to bless and pray for the work. Interest in the purchase has also been growing and we have Christian TV stations and ministries offering their services. This is very encouraging for us and there’s definitely a spiritual awakening in the land. As you enter the estate, you feel an awesome presence, especially if it is your first time being there. You are standing on the grounds where many battles were fought in the heavenly. Stories told of the many battles won in persistent intercession and calls for solemn assemblies with prayer and fasting, these are the testimonies we hear of. These are the stories of victories in the areas of healing and finance, which the Lord would teach Mr. Howells through the crucified life. The precious history on the estate holds amazing truths and valuable treasures which must be told to the next generation, and this is for them, to experience its power. The Dewern Fawr estate will become a second Cornerstone base for our mission work in the nations, especially towards Europe and regions covering the Apostles’ early missionary journeys. Ps Yang and I are witnessing the hand of God, leading us in this extraordinary expanding journey of faith. So often the Lord has said to us, “Rehoboth”, spaciousness. There is going to be space and room for the work to grow, so prepare! And with this word, we will need many hands to come on deck, volunteers willing to serve for three to six months, availing their gifts and talents, willing to roll up their sleeves, to do what needs to be done on the grounds. We also have Ps Mark Ritchie, our pastor in Swansea, and his team who have been getting the property ready, working with the architects and builders. A congregation has also been birthed on the grounds, inaugurated on 30th June, named Liberty Church. With this infusion of life, community and activity, the kingdom of God is coming through. This is important because we almost lost this wonderful heritage to a proposed residential development project that was to replace it. Praise God it did not happen! The kingdom of God was manifesting during those earlier years, and it was accomplished because they understood the will of God. We want to see this power of intercession which was a pivotal ministry in those years to continue, and for the will of God to be done. So since March of this year, a Tuesday prayer meeting has started. Believers, former staff and students of the college, many from different congregations and different nations have come to pray. They are pressing in each week, to see where and how God is leading and revealing Himself. A testimony from a Cornerstone member who recently visited Swansea and who attended the prayer meeting, this is his description, “It was awesome and the presence of God was thick.”
On BCW grounds
Ground breaking service
To add insight to the intercession that Mr. Howells entered into, Doris M. Ruscoe wrote daily journals of the prayer
meetings led by Mr. Howells. She was the headmistress of the school for missionaries’ children, founded by Mr Howells since 1933. In her book, “The intercessions of Rees Howells”, and referencing from the scripture in Romans 8:26, “Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” She wrote of what Mr. Howells said, “In intercession you must always allow the Holy Spirit to direct you in it. Everything of yourself, of your own life, must go if you are to be an intercessor, but you cannot give your life for others if it belongs to you. There are only two Intercessors, the Saviour and the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit have a body to pray and intercede through.
Mr. Howells’ consecration - bridge in Brenneman, birthplace
Renovation works on Hall of Residence
I have never done one thing in intercession without his telling me. Before God can disclose His will to you, you must be willing for his will to be done through you and to pay the price. The strength of an intercession is the price paid for it. The Saviour placed the highest value on lost souls so that he was prepared even to die for them. That is why one soul is worth more than all the things of the world put together. I have never lost the consciousness that I was bought with the blood of the Saviour, and if he, who was perfect, was made sin for me, I should regret it throughout eternity if I had been unwilling for the Holy Spirit to pay any price through me for others.” These are valuable teachings and remarkable encounters we want to draw from, something of the old, and at the same time to enter into the new things God has for us. Matt 13:52 tells us, “Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” To those who believed together with us and have paid the price in purchasing this property, you will have no lack in your house. This journey of faith will keep you in awe, and as Mr. Howells often spoke about the hundredfold principle, he believed that when one is placed on the cross with Christ, there would be a resurrection on the hundredfold!
Renovation works on Hall of Residence
The renovation work has begun on the main Derwen Fawr building and you can get updates and information on how you can continue to give, pray and support the work at www.cscc.org.sg/wales. We believe that by the time the estate is in full operation in 2015, we will have paid off everything and the estate will be completely debt-free! Finally, Wendy Yu from Cornerstone Singapore was sent to serve with Ps Mark, to assist in the work. She arrived in Swansea on the 2nd October and since then it has been busy, serving and getting involved with the people and ministries. This is what she says, “God has been teaching me precious lessons on prayer and faith and I am excited at being part of helping lay the foundations for the new church and the Bible College of Wales. It’s really a new season of my life and it is a privilege to be here.”
Tuesday Prayer Meeting
We are storing for ourselves treasures in eternity as we journey in faith here on earth. Always pressing in for more of Christ Jesus!
living testimonies
01. Healing Testimony Healing of a son
02. Healing Testimony By Ginny Khoo
God blessed us with a child
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y husband and I have been trying for a child for about 4 years. Every month was like an emotional roller coaster because I always hoped that I would miss my period. Whenever my period appeared, I would feel sad and ask God why He has not blessed us with a child yet. Perhaps as a woman, the desire of wanting a child might have been more
02. Healing Testimony Blessed with a child
intense as compared to my husband. Hence, I had many thoughts running through my head to comfort myself, such as “Perhaps God does not desire us to have children”, or “Is there something I did not do, that is why I am unable to conceive yet?” or “If God wants to bless us with a child, then let it be in His time.” However, I started listening to sermons speaking about our opinions of God. From there, I realised that my previous thoughts were doubts about God’s ability to bless us with a child and I had taken a laid-back approach in
03. Healing Testimony Miracle babies
believing God for one. I changed my prayers and began to thank God for the child that He would bless us with and told Him that we look forward to seeing our baby. It was a battlefield in my mind because the enemy would constantly challenge my opinion about God and His promise in blessing us with a child, which I overcame by declaring out loud that God is good and He will fulfil His promise. In early April 2012, my husband and I were preparing for our mission trip to Central America with the Global Awakening team
04. Miracle Testimony The lost son returns!
in May 2012. I told God that it would be nice if I was pregnant this month, even though I was going on a mission trip! Then a thought came to me, saying that I would not be pregnant. I felt discouraged when I had that thought but then I realised that this is not the nature or character of Jesus to deposit such discouraging thoughts in us. Instead, Jesus would always encourage His children. So I knew that thought did not come from Jesus. Hence, I rejected the thought and declared out loud that Jesus will bless us with a
04. Miracle Testimony
01. Healing Testimony
I want to thank God for healing my son, Joshua.
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or many months, he had something that looked like a pimple on the skin near his left eyebrow. It had a whitehead but we could not scratch it off. A needle was required to prick it, but since it looked harmless, we just left it as that. Recently, the pimple became inflamed and swelled to the size of his thumb. The lump was hard and painful to touch, and Joshua subsequently developed a fever. We brought him to see the doctor, who diagnosed it to be a dermoid cyst and advised us to bring Joshua to K.K. Hospital for the removal of the cyst. Believing that God heals, my husband brought Joshua to the altar area after Sunday service to receive prayers for healing. During the week itself, on Thursday evening, the lump started to burst and 4 2
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by Naga Bhushan Cornerstone Telugu Fellowship
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we managed to squeeze out the pus and blood. The lump greatly reduced in size. On the following Tuesday, the lump bled again and we managed to drain out the final residue of what remained. Today, the lump is completely gone. We want to praise God for the healing.
By Esther Look 03. Healing Testimony by
Vanessa Yu I am writing to tell you about our miracle baby!
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y husband and I had been trying for a baby since the end of 2006. Early 2007, I had a miscarriage, and after that we tried IUI and Chinese medicine, but nothing seemed to work. At that time I was new to Christianity, attending church for the first time in 2007 because I wanted to ‘give it a go’ and my ‘mission’ was to get pregnant ASAP in any way possible. However, over the years I have grown and have learned to trust in Him and to wait for His timing, and that timing finally came! At the end of February 2011, Pastor Yang preached about a breakthrough in barrenness. It was during the most “unfavorable baby-making” months, and I hardly saw my husband due to his busy work schedule! Also, I was increasing my
jogging sessions in preparation for a race. Yet 3 months later, I found out that I was 7 weeks pregnant! Actually my being present at that particular service where Pastor Yang preached about a breakthrough in barrenness was also divine. I was away visiting family, and had planned to only arrive back in Singapore that Sunday night, yet for some reason I decided to come back during the week, and was then able to make it for that church service. Also, I’ve always wanted a girl, but I didn’t want to get “greedy.” In any case, the odds were against me. A girl in the family was unprecedented of: I have a boy, my sister-in-law has 2 boys and is expecting her third boy soon, and my husband has a brother. Yet in January 2012, God blessed us with a healthy baby girl! I refer to her as our miracle baby. It has been quite a journey but God is good! In fact, He is amazing!
Naga Bhushan Cornerstone Telugu Fellowship
When I woke up the next morning, I was totally healed. My body feels so refreshed and light as if something was lifted off me.
06. 05. Miracle Testimony Miracle Testimony “Father, heal my eyes!” God is faithful
grew up in Assam which is one of the north eastern states of India. I understand Telugu since my mother’s family is from Andhra Pradesh but I can better communicate in Hindi. I came to Singapore to work in one of the shipyards with only one motive: to earn money and become rich. When I came here, I got involved with bad company and acquired bad habits that almost ruined my life. I became a drunkard and wasted most of my income on alcohol. I didn’t know where I was going in life. On 25 Dec 2011, one of my dormitory mates invited me to Cornerstone Telugu Fellowship. I went to the Christmas service that day and felt good. However, I didn’t continue to go to church even though my friend invited me a few times. I was just living and enjoying my own life and was a slave to alcohol. After six months, my life became even worse and I was getting frustrated with myself. I didn’t know what to do and where to go to get rid of my bad habits. During this time, my friend again invited me to church and I just went with a casual attitude to the service. The message preached that night impacted my thoughts and something happened in me that birthed a desire in my heart to know God. Since I understood better in Hindi, I was introduced to a Hindi-speaking cell group. I started going to cell group on Saturdays and attending worship service on Sundays. As I hear the words from the Bible every week, my life |
child. On 28 April 2012, I found out that I was pregnant! And yes, I still went ahead with my mission trip when I was 7-weeks pregnant as God impressed upon me that He would take care of everything that was in my body! And He did, God is good. This journey has taught me that having a good opinion of Jesus is so important and we need to declare it with our mouths to overcome the enemy’s discouragement. We hope that this testimony has been a blessing to you.
began to change and all my bad habits, including drinking, were gone. I grew more conscious about my sinful life and started praying for forgiveness from God. There was unexplainable joy and peace that came into my heart. I’ve never had such an experience before. My thoughts, words and deeds changed completely. My only desire now is to know God and obey Him. I want to be close to God and become a disciple of Jesus Christ. God did an amazing miracle in my mother’s life recently. On 11 Nov 2002, as I was going back to my dormitory after the church service, I called home and came to know that my mother’s health was in a critical condition. She is a diabetic patient and was hospitalized for a several days. I didn’t know anything about it until I called my grandmother that night. My grandmother told me that I should immediately rush back to India if I wanted to see my mother for the last time. My mother was going to die. I was very sad and cried that night, not knowing what to do. I sent a message to my cell leader to pray for my mother. I didn’t call home again until 2 nights later, and I was surprised to hear my mother’s voice over the phone. She said, “On Sunday night, I had a dream and saw you beside a tall man who was wearing bright and shiny white clothes. Both of you came to me and gave me something bitterto eat, which I did. When I woke up the next morning, I was totally healed. My body feels so refreshed and light as if something was lifted off me.” As I heard that, I had tears of joy and shared with my mother about my new faith in Christ Jesus and how He has changed my life around. I also told her that it was Jesus who had healed her. She was very open to my sharing and encouraged me to continue to walk in the way of Christ. My faith became even stronger since then and I want to follow Jesus all my life.
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living testimonies
Robert Morris
james w. goll
scott anderson
05. Healing Testimony
by Mercy Flora Nallathambi
had to do was to look for the person-in-charge they would teach me what to do and I just had to follow their instructions.
“Father, heal my eyes today!
I
started wearing spectacles from the age of 13. It was a struggle as the optical power of my eyes was unstable and I had to change my spectacles often. On the last evening of Kingdom Invasion 2013, I said a simple prayer, “Father, heal my eyes today!” That very evening, the conference speaker, Randy Clark, called for those who needed healing on their eyes. I was excited! I received an impartation of faith from God for my healing, and I stopped wearing spectacles after much consideration, knowing it wouldn’t cause any harm. And sure enough, I didn’t feel any difference without wearing spectacles. Recently, while trying on my spectacles, my eyes felt painful, and so I went to an optician to check my eyes. To my great surprise, the optician said that the degree of my myopia had improved and I no longer need to wear spectacles! I was so excited, that I started sharing the Gospel to the optician and told him that it was Jesus Christ who had healed me! 4 4
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06. Healing Testimony
by Karen Tan
God is Faithful
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od is God indeed! I thank God for providing a way out for me where there seemed to be no way. I have been working as a frame-maker for many years. The current company that I am in has many projects with the Singapore Heritage Conservation Centre. What we do at the Centre is to frame art pieces using materials that the Centre provides. Often time, these materials are very expensive. Due to the extensiveness of the project, my boss would personally be there to supervise or do the framing himself. But this time, he sent me and a colleague to manage the project. He said it was a very simple project, all I
However, when I saw the art pieces that needed to be framed, I was horrified! There were two pieces that required their matt-board to be overlaid with silk. This was going to be my first attempt! I had absolutely no idea how to go about doing it. Moreover, there was no room for mistakes due to the cost involved and there being insufficient material for a redo. When I consulted my boss, he too had no idea how to do it! We were given 5 days to complete the whole project. The first 3 days were spent working on other framing jobs before embarking on the challenging pieces. Time was not on our side! As the deadline drew closer, I still had no idea how to overlay the silk onto the matt-board using their material without destroying it. I was desperate! Deep down in my heart I knew I had to get down on my knees to pray. So I did, “Lord, HELP!
Please show me how to do this!” That night, I fell into a deep sleep and I saw a pair of hands showing me step by step what needed to be done. On my way to work the next morning, the vision was still vivid in my mind. Each time I closed my eyes, l saw that pair of hands. When I reached the Centre, the personin-charge showed me a sample of what they wanted. However, the sample was of a different size and materials used. The actual piece that I was going to work on was bigger. Thus I could not follow their sample so I asked them if I could do it my way. I wanted to produce what God had shown me in the vision using His method. They said I could. However, I had to do it right at the 1st attempt as there was insufficient material and I was well aware of that. Praise the Lord, God’s method work! The art pieces turned out well and our customers were very pleased with them. I can only give the glory to God! Wow! We serve a God Who will never forsake His people in time of need.
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david pawson
LET THE CHILDREN COME
Cornerstone Children’s Church Camp 2012
“She cried and felt the peace from the Lord! It’s so wonderful!” ~ Grace
(28-30 Nov)
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” By Soh Wai Leng
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ittle children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them.” (Matthew 19:1315). God unfolded and revealed this portion of the Scripture to His little children; giving them a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven as He put His hands on each of them during the 3-day camp. It was another milestone that God laid upon us as we witnessed how He unlocked hearts that have never opened to Him before, comforted souls that are broken and hurt by an unpleasant past, healed minds and bodies which are considered incomplete by man... Jesus laid His hands on all of these who came to Him. God is love.
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More than 100 children of ages between 5 and 12 were present at the 2012 Camp which was held in our newly-renovated home ground, “Noah’s Ark”, a major facelift done to our existing Children’s Church premises. God’s little flock entered the “Ark” with great anticipation; eager to find out what was in store for them and with much excitement to meet the two camp speakers from overseas, Uncle Brendon and Aunty Cathie Clancy! The Clancys are no strangers to many of us in the local children’s ministry arena. They frequent Singapore to conduct Children’s Worship Conference (iSOW) and to lead in Children’s Prayer and Worship concert (ARISE) in the last one decade. The camp marked a convergence and collaboration between the Clancys and us as we bear witness in His spirit upon the level of intimacy that God is drawing His children unto Him. Every God-
encounter moment is an enlargement of our ears attuned to His voice, of our vision focused upon His plan and of our hearts to carry His love for the people. God is amazing. The camp ended with a big bang of children’s high praises and worship unto the sovereign God in our church main auditorium on 30 November. Parents were invited to join in the “Family Night”, more than just finding out what the children learned in the camp, it was to witness the amazing love of God upon every little child that God had put His hands on. Deep within every young and old, there was much thanksgiving in the hearts as the little children choir made up of God’s royalties lifted up the Name of the Lord. Many parents were touched by how God embraced their children unconditionally and testimonies of God’s goodness started pouring in immediately after the camp.
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” If you have missed the camp last year, do not miss it again this year. God is faithful. Brendon and Cathie Clancy are going to minister in the Children’s Camp from 3-5 December. Mark out those dates on your calendar. See you at 2013 Camp!
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e found out that I was pregnant late last year but shortly after, were told that the baby had a high probability of Down Syndrome and other abnormalities. It was devastation beyond words, a real shock to us. Whilst the news saddened us greatly, there was a certain peace beyond our understanding as well. We wondered if the peace arose from: 1. Faith that the Lord will reverse the situation and grant us a healthy baby or 2. Grace that leads to holy acceptance of the situation. I was constantly reminded of three things: 1. The desire for a 3rd child is from God. When I was pregnant with the second child, I had always thought that was it. But sometime during the last trimester, I had the desire for a 3rd child and I knew it is a desire planted by God.
“I was checking with Nic on how was the camp… and she told me that the last day was awesome. She cried and felt the peace from the Lord! It’s so wonderful! She loves all the camp songs so much that we bought three song CDs by the Clancys.” ~ Grace Sim (parent of a 9-year old child)
2. On Rick’s birthday on 20 September last year, I felt the excited prompting from the Holy Spirit to do a pregnancy test. The Holy Spirit told me to do the test so that I can present Rick with the wonderful news during dinner that night. This was to be a gift from God to him. I didn’t believe I’d be pregnant and procrastinated. I conducted the test only on the following day and found that it was positive.
testimony of years of experience in practice, professed that he had never seen such odds before - 1:5 probability of Down. (To put things in context, my eldest child had a reading of 1:3000+ and the second was 1:1000+.) We wanted to contend for a miracle but there was also a fear of disappointment. A lot of questions surfaced, but the encouragement of the saints and most importantly God, sustained us. Divinely, since the time of the news, every
3. When I learnt I was pregnant, there was an affirmation in the spirit that it was going to be a healthy baby boy and he is to be called David. Somehow, the word “healthy” kept coming back to me, and I was assured that this boy will beat the odds of genetic history and not be plagued by the low-grade allergies that his sisters have been suffering from. I am also convinced it was a word from the Lord because if we had our way, we’d want the 3rd child to be a girl as well. But the Lord gave me a deep revelation about the name David many months ago and through that name, had prepared me for a boy.
week’s sermon had a mention of David. It could either be the main message (as in Pastor Lip Yong’s powerful sermon on David in En Gedi) or a random mention of David by the speaker as led by the Holy Spirit. Never did a single word fail to lift us up in the midst of the tears. Initially Rick and I were adamant that we will not do further tests and regardless of the outcome, we will keep this baby. But our gynaecologist appeared uncomfortable with our inclination and insisted we seek a second opinion and consider the amniocentesis test, which will derive a conclusive result on the state of the fetus. Obtaining the peace to go ahead with the test, we de-
Psalm 22:9-10 A Psalm of King David to God. But You are He who took Me out of the womb;You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb. You have been My God.
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The day before the test on Monday, the Lord comforted me during worship, saying that the baby in me is to be the son of promise. Tears flowed and for once, I found myself being excited about baby David, regardless of how he shall turn out. I found new strength and knew that should he turn out abnormal, I will be able to see him not as the greatest challenge of my life, but the beloved of God for whom a great destiny awaits. The Lord had indeed given me a new perspective of looking at the situation. During the procedure, when the needle was inserted in the womb, tears flowed down my face. It felt like the finality of moments. This was it. We laid our fears, hopes, dreams, promises and prayers before God. There was nothing else we could do.
D a v id & A nnie C hang
The news of this pregnancy being a very high-risk one ran in total contrary to what I had understood from God. My gynaecologist, with his more than 40
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cided it was a responsible thing to do. With the intent of saving this baby at all costs, we would trust the Lord to protect baby David in this low risk but nonetheless invasive procedure.
A week later, the news came. “Annie, this is Dr Chew. I’m reading the report… the baby is a boy, and it is good. Everything is normal.” Indeed, the Lord is good. His promises are yes and amen. No words can adequately describe the ecstasy and joy of our hearts. We are still letting the wonderful news sink in. Rick rightly pointed that more than the gift of a normal baby, it is the fact that the promises of God stand and prevail over everything (ie. our human understanding, medical reports, etc.). Beyond a heart full of thanksgiving, this episode has also greatly strengthened me in my walk with God. It is most encouraging to see so many people rejoicing with us, people who had been praying and shedding tears for us in the midst of the journey. The presence of the family of God has been most comforting to us - in this Body of Christ, we never walk alone.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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Baby David was born healthy and strong in May 2013.
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G e n e r at i o n s
Top Ten Reads From The Eyes Of A Gen-er
Check with Faithworks Bookstore FIRST!
Here are ten good suggestions to replace alternatives to Facebook: The Way of the Shepherd, Kevin Leman & William Pentak
By Song Ting Xin
Full of practical tips, this book offers helpful handles for young shepherds full of heart and willing to learn. Keep your eyes peeled and hearts open – you’ll find yourself learning much about Jesus’ way of servantleadership through these pages.
“Two things will greatly impact you – the friends you have, and the books you read”. This quote, by our Senior Pastor, contains more truth than many of us would like to believe. My guess is that not all readers are hungry, but hungry people will always be reading. Truth be told, this article was birthed forth by a desire to see reading picked up by Gen-ers of all ages, because as the old proverb goes, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.” So teach yourselves to read, and you’ll learn lessons that perhaps no one in your life will ever be able to impart.
The Fear of The Lord, John Bevere
As youths growing up in a society that is so sorely deprived of the fear of the Lord, we need solid teaching on the fear of the Lord more than ever before. This book brings fresh insight to the subject, and along with learning how to stomach this message will come a greater understanding of true intimacy with the Lord.
Unlocking the Bible, David Pawson
Have you ever thought to yourself, “Why did the apostle Paul write that? That was just whacky” or “How was life like in the days of Jeremiah the prophet?” Unlocking The Bible will take you through knowledge that has left me sometimes gasping, sometimes laughing and many times amazed by the sheer revelations I get of the Bible just by knowing the historical background and notable patterns in these books. A study guide not to be missed!
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“A Life Lived For God”, a phrase on the cover of this book, could very well be the most accurate description of Rees Howell’s life. This book documents his biography, one that was so purely laid down in love of the Saviour. The Bible College of Wales, a heritage centre that Cornerstone finds itself in such a close yet humbling association with today, finds its roots here in the life of a humble man who was so in tune with God that he prayed through and bought the Bible College when he barely had two coins in his pocket! And this is just one of the many jaw-dropping stories of intercession that you will find in here.
Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill
Tale of Three Kings, Gene Edwards
One of the greatest indicators of how far we go in ministry is our heart’s response in the face of human imperfections. Written in a prose format, Gene Edwards dramatically re-tells the story of how David meekly responded to spears, betrayal and heartache, allowing us to imagine walking in David’s shoes, and then bringing us to the reality that we will someday be faced with a choice on how to respond ourselves. A pageturner in every sense of the word!
The Blessed Church, Robert Morris
When a pastor starts off his book by recounting an incident of how he would not be senior pastor unless he heard from God, you know he’s someone who cannot and will not try to multiply his church by his own strength and wit. It is out of a love for God’s people that he writes, and his candid sharing offers valuable and timeless principles for leaders and aspiring leaders alike.
The Journey, Dr Brian Bailey
A must-read for every Christian desiring to enter into full maturity. If you’re visionless and full of faith, you’re still visionless. This teaching on the Journey of Israel puts forth a strong and compelling vision of Mount Zion, and teaches us the lessons that the children of Israel went through along the way, which the Bible describes as being “written for our admonition” (1 Cor 10:11). A great teaching written by the late spiritual father of Cornerstone, Dr.Bailey.
The Intercessor, Normnan Grubb
Finding Home, Jim Daly
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Raised in what had become a flurry of memories from childhood - parental divorce, an absentee father and unmet promises as a kid that threatened to severely overshadow Jim’s life. But in the midst of pain, his life collided with God’s grace and today he stands as the humble president of one of the most effective family organizations, Focus on the Family. Finding Home offers you that story.
A classic read, this book brings back the absolute essentials of what it means to be a disciple and brings us back to measuring our lives by the standards of God’s Word, rather than the diluted standards of the world. Written by a revivalist, it is bound to bring tears to your eyes and inspire you to live radically.
The Cross & The Switchblade, David Wilkerson
If you’ve ever had a desire to live a life that is so dependent on the Holy Spirit that it becomes an adventure, this is a good read. Led by the Spirit, David Wilkerson plunged into a Spirit-dependent adventure that radically changed his life and city. He showed us that a preacher had no need to get tattoos to be relevant to New York gangsters, nor did he need to change his message one bit. One of the worst gang leaders swore to have him dead – but was so powerfully transformed by God that his own biography sits on the shelves next to this book today.
So head down to Faithworks today… And as the Gothere Maps app sometimes tells us (rebukingly), “It’s just a short walk away!” |
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The Next Level Conference 2012 By Natasha Chua
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enerations held The Next Level Conference 2012 from 11th to 13th December 2012, following on the success of the Fascinate Youth Camp held the year before. For three days, both the youths and the leaders in Generations were blessed to have three amazing speakers - Pastor Philip Mantofa, Pastor Henry Seeley and Pastor Jeremy Seaward grace the conference. The theme for this conference was “Next Level Outreach; Next Level Worship” with a focus on reviving youths to be passion5 2
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ate lovers of God in the aspects of worship, in our personal lives and corporately, as well as in equipping youths with skills of evangelism and sustaining our school outreaches for God’s Kingdom. A school outreach is a group formed by radical Geners within the same school, who aim to bring the Gospel to their schoolmates, impacting lives through their actions and by being the light and salt to the world. It also aids in creating a community where camaraderie is formed with the same goal of loving God and hungering for the move of
God in their schools. Like other conferences, The Next Level Conference was lined up not only with powerful sessions, but also workshops that catered to Gen-ers in accordance to their interests. Every workshop was beneficial to the attendees with queries and doubts answered by the guest speakers. All seven sessions that took place over the three days were stupendous, as God’s presence never failed to show up and attendees were either at the altar or in their seats crying and contending for more of God in their
schools, their personal lives, as well as in the Youth Ministry. The last two night-sessions were called “Revival Nights”, where Gen-ers had the opportunity to invite their unsaved friends for the sessions.Pastor Philip shared a heart-wrenching and uncompromising gospel, leading to many salvations at the altar by the end of the day. During the concluding night-session, Pastor Henry Seeley, former Worship and Creative Director of Planetshakers City Church, led the opening praise and worship. The Generations
Worship Team had the opportunity of being a part of the incredible experience of leading praise and worship with him. The whole auditorium was not only filled with energetic and exciting music but also with the sweet presence of God that lingered throughout the session, leading to increasing hunger and longing for more of Him. The entire conference concluded with a time of praise during which Gen-ers were all up on their feet dancing. In their individualways, Gen-ers expressed their gratitude and admiration for all that God had done during the
conference. There was also anticipation for a greater move of God in the coming year. The Next Level Conference 2012 had been such accomplishment success that the committee has already started preparing for another youth conference this year! Generations is believing and expecting for a greater hunger and a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Though the conference is over, the hunger and motivation for moving on to the next level with God will never diminish. May we be found contending for more |
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of His presence and for a greater move of the Holy Spirit; where our hearts will be challenged, lives will be transformed and revival would take place. Stay expectant, Generations!
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g e n e r at i o n s An End-Time Army will not compromise
An End-Time Army is a Lover of God and not of Oneself
A Rising Generation and an End-Time Army
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ave you been told that after saying the sinner’s prayer, an access to heaven after death is guaranteed? That is true, but so is this verse:
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16, NKJV). Jesus’ call to commitment was simple - it was all or nothing. Francis Chan says it best in the book, Crazy Love. “As I see it, a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron, there’s no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are ‘lukewarm’ are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven.”
By Regena Tan
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11) 5 4
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Yet it is prevalent among the youths today that we are only willing to make changes if it affects our salvation. People would ask questions like, “If I’m ashamed to talk about Christ, will He really deny me before His Father?” and, “Am I still a Christian if I get into a relationship at this age?” These questions demonstrate that heaven’s access is more important than loving Jesus. But Jesus said “If you love Me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15). Then people would begin to question, is it then possible to enter heaven without truly and faithfully loving Jesus? I remember a “sheep” (member of the cell group) once told me that it is okay to believe in God and not attend church services or cell groups. However James 2:19 says, “You believe in one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.” God is not interested in good theology as much as He wants us to know Him and love Him.
To call someone a Christian simply because one is regular for all services and cell groups is untrue, yet to declare someone who sins “unsaved” is to deny the reality and truth of God’s grace as well. God is not looking for perfect Christians, as that itself is unattainable, He is looking for disciples. Have we tweaked Christianity to something easier, more comfortable and convenient so that the numbers in our cell could grow? I have Christian friends who will often ask why Generations’ standards are so high and why Gen-ers are discouraged from getting into relationships at a young age. However, I believe that standards, like laws, are here to protect us. And that the standards are not just the leaders’ or pastors’ standards, but from God: “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:19) Jesus never compromises on standards to get followers; in fact, He spoke in parables when the multitudes were building up so that those who weren’t really listening wouldn’t truly understand what He was saying. We are meant to be the salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:1316). Compromising standards actually causes us to blend into the world. It’s time for an Endtime army to arise, an Army of God that is set apart for Him.
An End-Time Army is made up of disciples Discipleship may not be easy, but it is not impossible. Discipleship humbles us and causes us to draw near to Him, to know that we are unable to do it with our own strength. But God gives grace to the humble (Proverbs 3:34). Discipleship requires paying the price and carrying the cross (Luke 9:23). Discipleship, not conversion, is what the Great Commission is about: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of age. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Discipleship is a call to be part of God’s army, to be enlisted in the ongoing spiritual warfare. I remember my zone leader telling us during an intense spiritual battle in the zone that for every bear that David slayed, there was a lion. And with every lion, there was a Goliath, then Saul and finally Absalom. With every battle faced, God is preparing us for a greater battle, a greater victory ahead. The warfare will only intensify as the last days approach, but God is inviting a Rising Generation, an End-time Army to be partakers of this, that we may experience His glory. Cheap Christianity may be alluring and comfortable, but it will crumble in the End Times. Going back to the introduction, yes, we will make it to heaven if we accept Jesus into our lives. But if all we are going to contend for is an access to heaven, we will never see God’s call and promises upon our life come to pass; never be able to experience His glory; and not able to make it through the last days. It is possible to overcome the enemy in the last days but we must prepare ourselves now.
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of a well-paying dream job with the best private bank in the world. Then suddenly, there was a sense of peace in our hearts. I tendered my resignation the following day and the rest was history. Finally, we received a surprise call from Pastor Yang encouraging us to consider a 3 months COVP (Cornerstone Overseas Volunteer Program) in either Philippines or Bali. Without hesitation, we accepted his invitation to go. After some prayers, the Lord directed us
On 16th January 2013, after 2 weeks of church attachment with Cornerstone Singapore, we arrived in Cornerstone Bali to kick start our 3 months COVP. The church is a rented house located in Denpasar at Jalan Gatsu, an industrial estate. The compound is large enough to accommodate the church office, a sanctuary for worship services, a pre-school and an orphanage. Majority of the congregation is from different parts of Indonesia such as Java, Ambon, Jakarta and Papua with
ally ($280). With such a meager income they can hardly feed themselves, let alone send their children to school. Therefore, the church is stepping in to see how they can support these villagers by providing basic education for the children and helping them improve their sources of income. Cornerstone Bali is a progressive church that believes strongly in the prophetic move of God. To date, they have helped plant 2 Cornerstone Homes cum churches - one at
the Balinese Christians and the tireless servant-hood attitude of going the extra mile to support one another in the work of the ministry is remarkable. Comparatively, adjusting to the culture shock, climbing mountains, throwing up occasionally while on the roads plus the hot and humid, erratic weather is really not much of a big deal after all. Indeed, God was good to us and we were so greatly blessed throughout the trip. Despite the short stint, we
to the beautiful island of Bali. While preparing for the trip, the roads became bumpy. Fears and worries crept in as uncertainties loomed around us. Here we were, without a job and a house, plus having to forfeit our advance 3 months house rental and 1 month agent’s commission which had already been paid prior to our decision to go. And in the midst of all these, I underwent another corrective surgical procedure for a botched job done previously which left me immobilized for 2 weeks. Many times we questioned if we had made the right decisions but God kept assuring and spurring us on through His Word, prophecies and visions each time we prayed. Thus we were comforted and had the courage to stay on track for the COVP.
only a small percentage being local Balinese. During the 3 months, we were involved with many things. We taught English classes in the pre-school, ministered to the children in Sunday school through the preaching of the Word and through Praise & Worship, participated in their healing services which saw many salvations, healings and deliverances, visited and prayed for families, ventured into remote Hindu villages up in the mountainous regions at Gitgit, the northern part of Bali reaching out to the villagers and introducing micro-financing (cattle/pig farming) and organic farming techniques (mushroom farming) to educate and help poor villagers improve their standard of living. These poor families earned around 2 million rupiahs annu-
Negara at West Bali and the other at Singaraja at North Bali. We spent a week at the newly set up Cornerstone Home 2, pastored by Pastor El Roi, with Adi and his wife running the home. They have adopted a group of 8-10 Hindu children from the nearby village. These poor villagers could not afford to feed them and had to send them away to a foster home. We also managed to reach out to one of the unreached peoples group - the Loloan tribe; a descendant of migrants from Sulawesi, Borneo and Malaysia. The population size is about 15,000 with 0% Christian. Looking back, this whole experience has been rewarding and humbling at the same time. Seeing the demonstration of brotherly love among
have made some good friends and forged strong relationships, and saw the hand of God move in unexpected ways; touching hearts and lives. We were pleasantly surprised when the church celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary which makes it special and memorable for us. We had two of Bali’s signature dishes; the succulent Babi Guling (roast piglet) and Ayam Bebek (spiced duck). Our 3 months COVP may have ended but work has just begun for us. Not only were our hearts enlarged with greater love for our Lord Jesus, there is also a renewed faith and a kingdom vision to see the Gospel preached and the lost reached for Jesus. All glory and honor be to God.
Joe & Carol’s Bali I
n our younger days, we had been on several mission exposure trips and did some humanitarian work, such as going to some parts of India, Malaysia and Banda Aceh, Indonesia after the Tsunami in 2007. These trips usually lasted a week or at most ten days. We thought we knew something about mission work until we stepped into Cornerstone. Having heard various ministers of the Gospel, seasoned missionaries and great men of God share on their journeys of faith, we realized how shallow our perceptions of missions were. Indeed, there is so much more to the world of missions. Serving in the mission field together has always been our dream. But that remained a 5 6
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Write-up
16 January - 4 April 2013 dream. It is seemingly impossible with work commitments, bills, housing liabilities and all...the dream seemed like a thousand miles away. Yet, at the back of our minds, we knew that one day God will enable us to fulfill it and grant the desires of our hearts. In September 2012, in one of her sermons, Angela Greenig said God is calling for a radical group of people to be conscript-
ed into His reformation army and so we said a resounding ‘Yes’ to God’s clarion call in our hearts. Then Pastor Yang exhorted the congregation to respond to God but he reminded us to carefully consider the call and weigh the cost as God is looking only for yielded hearts that were fully surrendered to Him and willing to let go of everything to follow after Him. Immediately, we
responded to the altar call. Though we responded in faith, we were apprehensive not knowing what is to come. Then we saw the unfolding of the Lord’s perfect plan in the months that followed. First, our prayer to sell our house which we thought was ridiculously priced at that time was answered within 24 hours of committing our lives to the Lord. Next, I woke up one morning at 4 and told Carol that I have decided to quit my job at UBS just barely 4 months after joining them. Initially, she was taken aback. She knew getting into UBS was my career aspiration, and having gone through six grueling interviews from six different International market heads, I was about to walk out
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faithful chronicleS
Christmas High-Tea 2012, Dec 22 2012, 3-6pm By Winnie Chin
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he day finally arrived. Our 4 months of extensive planning was all going to culminate in these 3 important hours. 100 elderly guests from the Old Airport Road community and Cornerstone Community Services’ Silver Programme were coming for a sumptuous and fun Christmas high-tea organized by Cornerstone Community Services (CCS), and we had to get the tentage set up at Odeon Katong and programme ready and fast! Thankfully we had the help of 40 eager volunteers who chipped in to prepare the stage, sound equipment, food, tables and 5 8
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props, while the performers and emcees rehearsed. Everyone was in high spirits. Somehow all of us had an assurance in our hearts that the event was going to be a love and joy-filled one. Our guests arrived promptly at 3pm and were ushered to tables hosted by Cornerstone’s own church staff. The 2 emcees, Lina Ng and Rongli, opened the programme with boundless energy as they effortlessly weaved between Mandarin, English and Hokkien, much to the delight of the guests. Before the guests could tuck in to the sumptuous high-tea spread, we
made sure they expended some calories first! PROAGE’s Isaiah Chng came on stage and led the guests through an energetic Conductorcise workout. The entire arena was soon overtaken by smiles and laughter, as this was a new experience for many guests. Next up was a knots-tying competition, followed by a scavenger hunt with an interesting list of oddities like buttons, stockings and torches (we counted 3 torches!) The guests then dined to a power-packed line-up of Christmas carols and worship
songs. 30 adorable children from Cornerstone’s Sunday School first melted the audience’s hearts with their angelic voices, before a lively worship team from our English and Chinese congregations came on to sing about God’s love in English, Chinese and Hokkien.
were announced. Even a few guests who had with mobility issues leapt to the stage with unrivalled enthusiasm! President of CSS, Mrs Daphne Yang, then closed the event with a short sharing about God’s great love, and a benediction prayer to bless our guests.
Next up was an extensive blessing draw, with gifts ranging from including pots, a DVD player, to and hot plates, thanks to the generosity of our congregation. It was heart-warming to see the pure joy and appreciation of our guests when their names
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with the best deals to optimize our budget, blessing us with fine weather, and providing us with a big crew of enthusiastic volunteers and fertile receptive hearts. Most importantly, He showed our guests and all involved, the greatness of His love. All in, mission accomplished and a thank you to all who tirelessly supported and served at this event!
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C
ornerstone Community Services seeks to bring hope and change to the lives of many people we serve.
Through the years, we have been able to meet the needs of the various strata in society. This was made possible through the generous donations we have received from you, who believe in our vision and mission.
Each year a budget of about S$300K is needed to run our programs. This Christmas Gift Catalog contains some of our programs that you can lend your support to. We want to empower our recipients to live their lives to the fullest and it requires finances. This Christmas, invest in a gift and choose to make a difference in someone’s life. Your help counts and your gift will add great value to many lives and go a long way for them. Be different and make a difference, start your giving with us this Christmas! Blessings to you this Christmas season, Mrs Daphne Yang
FOR YOUTHS The youths of this generation have immense potential and our Youth Outreach Service takes great pleasure in being a part of the nurturing process, nurturing the youths to reach their potential and become socially responsible adults. CCS aims to: 1. Develop leadership qualities 2. Address at-risk youth behaviours
COMMUNITY IN ACTION
Cornerstone Community Services was started with the purpose of bringing hope and change to the lives of people around us. Through our care for the community, we empower our beneficiaries and volunteers to live their lives to the fullest – one programme at a time.
3. Provide experience through service to the community CCS has three programmes catered to the needs of the youths: • Student Development Programme • Student Support Programme • Student Financial Assistance Scheme
As a non-profit, voluntary welfare organisation, our work is made possible through the generous support of donations from people who share our vision for empowering lives. All resources entrusted to us are apportioned as effectively as possible to these general areas: • Operating programmes – these funds go towards the running of programmes that benefit the people we work with • Fundraising – donations of cash and/or kind are channelled directly towards our beneficiaries, often in the form of bursaries • Administration – human resource, overheads and general marketing costs
We aim to promote richer family life and strengthen the family unit in the community through our programmes. Having a little knowledge applied at the right time in the right way makes all the difference in handling life and relationships. Our family life education programme covers talks and workshops that will equip and build strong families. • Personal Wellbeing • Couples • Parents
SUPPORT US Donate online at www.sggives.org/ccsc Donate by cash or cheque made payable to “Cornerstone Community Services”
FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
You can make your donations to Cornerstone Community Services either by cash, cheque, GIRO or Credit Card through SG Gives (http://www.sggives.org/ccsc/). For further enquiries please contact us at 6344 7321 or visit our website at www.cornerstoneservices.org.sg | Please provide your tax-reference numbers (NRIC/FIN/UEN) if you wish to qualify for 250% tax-exemption. 6 0
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• Thrift Barn • Overseas Medical Clinic • Christmas@Katong
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FOR FAMILIES
With the nation’s aging population, we recognise that there are needs amongst our senior citizens. We aim to help our senior citizens age gracefully through our programmes and activities. We also seek to provide an avenue to cultivate a love and appreciation of senior citizens. • Befriending Outreaches • Silver Activities
We believe that as we serve the community, we not only change the lives of our beneficiaries but also our own. We provide avenues for individuals/families to reach out to the less privileged in the local and overseas community.
Our Operating Hours Tue-Fri: (9.30am - 6pm) & Sat (9am – 12 noon) (closed on Sundays and Mondays) Address: 40 Ean Kiam Place, Singapore 429125 Tel: 63447321 Fax: 63443877
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Like us @ Facebook http://www. facebook.com/CornerstoneServices” For more information, please contact us at 63447321 or EMAIL info@cornerstoneservices.org.sg or VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.cornerstoneservices.org.sg
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s u b - e d i to r ’ s m e s s a g e until he had seen the Christ. Then when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the temple to be blessed, Simeon lifted him up and said, “Lord now let your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all the world to see.” God has His own timing. In our perspective, God is very slow. Perhaps it all started with instant noodles, instant cash from the ATM, instant information on the internet, so much so that we have lost our ability to allow life to unfold in its own timing. I have heard a preacher once said, “We are a generation of microwave serving a crock-pot God.” Humorous it may sound but isn’t it true?
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The way of God is the way of waiting. Holiness is not achieved through hurriedness and instant production. God’s promises are true. He calls us to continue to believe, move ahead in purity and reverence. God will always be true to His promises but… … He fulfills them in His time.
Studying the life of David, we will discover that he spent a great deal of his time waiting. David had to wait about 15 years from the time he was first anointed by Prophet Samuel to the time he became king over Judah. It was another seven years before David was anointed king over all Israel. This means David waited over 20 years of his life to be made king. Think of old Simeon, the priest in the temple, who waited his whole life to see the promised Messiah. God had told him long before that he would not die
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23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. 35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
2013
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Hebrews 10: 23-25, 32-39
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In the case of Joseph, he understood what God had spoken to him and declared about him was true despite what the circumstances indicated.
Wait as God wants us to wait.
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But a God-given purpose, will inspire, motivate, and help restrain your flesh in the absence of any evidence that it’s coming to pass. And don’t be surprised if some of your fiercest opposition comes from those close to you.
“If we could picture this, that God is the master gardener, what we would mostly see Him do are those slow, time-consuming, tasks of pruning, tying, staking so that over the years the vine will cover the arbor and be full of grapes. It takes time. It takes years for a gardener to get a vine to grow as he wants it to grow. Most of the time is spent waiting.”
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If we could picture this, that God is the master gardener, what we would mostly see Him do are those slow, time-consuming, tasks of pruning, tying, staking so that over the years the vine will cover the arbor and be full of grapes. It takes time. It takes years for a gardener to get a vine to grow as he wants it to grow. Most of the time is spent waiting.
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What about Joseph? Joseph’s story started with a dream at the age of 17. Joseph believed what God had spoken even though it was not received by others. He now had a purpose and vision for his life. It was this very dream that kept Joseph on track through the most difficult times and fiercest oppositions in his life. Finally, Joseph was promoted to a position of power, second only to Pharaoh. But for seventeen years, Joseph had either been serving as a slave or being imprisoned. It’s so tempting to become weary or impatient and abandon the vision for an easier way.
CHRISTMAS
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Remember Abraham, the father of faith? How long did he wait for God to fulfill His promise of a son? God first revealed to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations when he was 75 years old. Fifteen years later, when Abraham was 90, God renewed His promise. Ten years later, at the age of 100, Abraham and Sarah finally had their son, Isaac. That’s a total of twenty-five years!
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What does waiting for God’s timing produces? It produces faith! The Christian life would be easy as a pie if God fulfills all promises in a day, week or even a year. But we would have no faith. The Word of God would not be precious to us. We would not then have the power that comes from a life of faith. But by waiting to fulfill His promises, God exercises our faith. Not only is faith produced in the time of waiting, our heart is being purified and transformed. Our minds are being renewed, having the mind of Christ. These are essential processes that we need to undergo, to be made ready, before God can bring the fulfillment of His promises in our life.
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re there unfulfilled promises of God in your life? Has it been years past and you are on the verge of giving up hope on those promises? Have you been bombarded by the thoughts that these are just mere imaginations and wishful thinking? Hang on! You are not alone.
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