Retreat 2008 - Reflections from Wee Peng

Forerunners’ Zone Retreat 2008

Reflections

1. What God has spoken to you about?

• My family. Why have I not been sharing the word actively with them? My prayers are not consistent and I’m not spending enough time with them. Is it the lack of fear in the Lord or is the lack of love for them?

• My pride. Do I always consider myself better than others? This is an absolutely wrong attitude that I shouldn’t have, but unknowingly have I been adopting that and refusing to be corrected? It took an encounter during retreat for me to realize this.

• 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4

  
  

• Even as I seek to grow in this church, I must not be like “Selfish”, which is the closest I could identify with.

• Relationship with Swee Ching. Are we bearing fruits. Is it honoring to Him and would He use it to speak into other people’s lives?

2. What God has impacted you the most and why?

• Fear of the Lord. My understanding of it is now better and that it has to go hand in hand with Love for Him. For fear keeps us from lawlessness, love keeps us from legalism. I realize that sometimes I have many human fears (especially in my work) but this should never outweigh the fear of the Lord. I asked that God gives me the courage to overcome the human fear for courage is not the absence of fear but the overcoming of it. May I overcome any human fear with Him but may the fear of Him remains in my heart.

3. How has the past 5 sessions changed your view about Christianity and your life from now on?

I’m sure of my salvation but after these 5 sessions, I realized that there is much more to it. It’s not about where, it’s about HOW!

• There is much more to eternity and we need to be really driven by it.



• Relationship with God. Is He please with me, to allow me to spend eternity with
  Him in his kingdom, near to Him and not in the outlands?
  

My Weeping Moment

I wept during worship extravaganza 2. I did not know why I wept when it started. I have written down some thoughts that went through my mind during the time when Adrian is ministering to those who stepped forward but as I walked to the center of the room, it just happened suddenly. First, my face got contorted and then tears started streaming. Incontrollable sobbing followed next. I could not restrain it and I did feel like I want to because it felt really felt good to cry (The last time I cried was when my dad suffered a stroke and I cried with my mother. It was moved by my feeling of overwhelming sadness. This time round it was different. I was not moved by any emotions) There was a sense of relief though I did not know where it came from.

Subsequently, Matthew and Xinglong came to me and prayed for me. I began to realize why I wept. There was joy and fear at the same time. Joy because I am assured of my salvation but fear because I’m afraid I might not see my parents in heaven. As Adrian continued speaking while we have sat down, tears were still streaming. I also had a strange thought: if I have not laughed in 6 years, God would have made me laugh out instead. What an amazing God, He just told me in a most tangible way that He was with me at that very occasion. Never felt that before. Let me work boldly towards my family’s salvation. Praise God.

In Faith and Truth,

Wee Peng

29/10/2008

Refreshed by God!

Testimony – Workplace Alpha Day Away on 26 April 2008

(By Carol Yip)

In March this year, at the encouragement of my cousin Yvonne, I enrolled myself in the Workplace Alpha program over lunchtime at Telok Ayer Methodist Church. As I am already a believer, I went with the aim of grounding myself once again in the foundation – which is the Word of God. I also hope that through the Alpha, I’ll be refreshed by God as the past year (2007) has been a traumatic one for me.

25 October was my dad’s birthday. Unfortunately, it was also the day which he passed on after a sudden heart attack. I was devastated and no amount of words could describe how I felt. I could not express myself and only managed bouts of tears occasionally. My dad was not a believer and thus the buddhist rites at the wake did not make me feel any better. More often than not, my heart was filled with fear and flashbacks of how my dad grasped for his breath during the attack. I remembered telling God that I did not want my dad to suffer on my way to the hospital and I would like to believe that God answered my prayer as my dad look peaceful at his death and the time of pain was relatively short.

When all the rites and wake was over, when friends and relatives resumed their routines, I was still in a state of shock and fear. I could not sleep well during the night as I was constantly haunted by flashbacks. Eventually, I broke down and had to confront the pain of losing my dad. On many occasions, prayer was difficult and I doubted the goodness of God in my life.

Despite the fact that I was faithless, God remains faithful. He has surrounded me with many friends and a loving community of believers who was there to catch hold of me when I was down. My leaders and cell members at AMKMC also took time to keep me company at almost every time interval during my dad’s wake. My colleagues and friends also showered me with their love and concern.

More importantly, God also spoke to me during the Alpha Day Away on 26 April 08. God reminded me through the word of knowledge that I needed to spend more time with my mum and I believed God also wants me to share Christ with her. I was also moved by the presence of God during the time of worship and ministering during the Day Away.

I thank God also for my cousin Yvonne, without which I would not be attending alpha and sharing my testimony with you. I also thank God for Peggy, my group leader for praying with me and for her faithful service every week.

Moving forward, I pray that the joy and presence of God will continue to be my strength. Amen.

In His Grace,

Carol

Transformed in Christ: A family’s journey into love and life.

- By Mrs Patricia Wong

As the mother of two young children, I used to feel burdened with the responsibility of bringing my girls up the right way. I was often frustrated when they asked me about God, so I would tell them that God does not exist. I now thank God for placing the hunger in them to long to know Him and to persevere in finding out the truth. God has been very kind to our family. He did not leave us even though my heart was hardened.

We were having dinner at my sister’s house one evening when Jaymie (my younger daughter) asked innocently, “Is there a god in the world?” My sister’s best friend, Christine was patient in explaining the answer. “In the beginning, God created the earth. Then God created man. We can’t see God but He sees us and He loves us!” The girls’ faces lit up when they heard about our good God and how powerful and mighty He is. Their hunger for God was evident.

I knew then there was no way I could deny my children of the opportunity to know God but at the same time, I felt unworthy of His love. I prayed for strength and courage and God gave me both and much more. The Lord said to me, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.”

We started our walk from darkness towards the path of light.

The first lesson I learnt was that the Christian walk is not a bed of roses. I was terribly uncertain when I faced challenges. However, God has been faithful to send Christine into my life. She encouraged me greatly with these words. “Just tell God you are uncertain and let Him handle the rest. He knows what you are doubtful of because He is your Creator!” During this time, I grew more intimate with the Lord as He taught me that "He will redeem us from our iniquities’” (Psalm 130:8)" …"and present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 24) Praise the Lord!

The first challenge came when the girls started asking many questions about God’s nature. I felt helpless and embarrassed as I was unable to answer to most of their questionsqueries. Tamie (my elder girl) wanted to know if God has hands and Jaymie could not believe that God is everywhere! Fortunately the teachers in Sunday school took time to explain things to them.

The biggest challenge came when I faced objection from my husband. He was upset with me for bringing the girls to church every Sunday morning and frowned when we turned on worship songs in the car. I felt that God was taking us away from my husband. It was later on that I found out it was far from the truth! Our marriage is a blessing from God.

My relationship with my husband Peter was not good. Before I accepted Christ, I was too busy with my children to remember that Peter is the head of the household.

As I read the Bible, I found out that God wants us to respect our husbands. The Word also says, ‘”A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies”’ Proverbs 31:10 Thus, After this realisation, I started showing love and respect for to my husband out of obedience to God. I now recall that would have been impossible to do without God’s help! God strengthened me with His Word each time I needed encouragement and to my amazement, our marriage improved over time.

I thanked God when Peter came to realize the change in me. Eventually, he also accepted Christ. Tears flowed down my cheeks when I heard him say the sinners’ prayer with brother Cam Yew, Calvin and some of our cell group members on 23^rd December last year. The girls were delighted that daddy has gained eternal life.

It is so wonderful to know God. There is now peace and joy in our family and we experience God’s love in our daily living.

Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise?

Psalm 106:2

Patricia now worships at 10.30am service and serves as an usher. Her girls are attending Sunday School at the Hub, while her husband worships at the Mandarin Service at Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church (CAC).

The Seed of God's Love, The hand of His faithfulness.

A Testimony From Sister Silvia (Ching Yen)

1- 3 Nov 2007 is our annual staff engagement activity at Cameron Highlands.

It would be the first time i invited my family members to join. And i was delighted that both my parents and my aunt could make it for the trip.

Next come a shocking news: my boss has asked me to invite the pastor from Miri to come and join us, so that he could share the gospel during devotional time.

My task, is to make sure that my parents would attend the devotion as well.

Gup...as i recall how my dad has shared with me in the past that he would debate with those pastors until humiliation is done successfully. I begun to sweat.

God, surely if You have arranged this, you will shield your servant as well, right? Pastor Liik is a very good pastor, i do not wish to see him being humiliated by my dad.

The first day devotion is a killer. The pastor made me cried in public. With good intention. He was inviting me to share on my parents' love to me... very difficult indeed as it has never been said before among my family members...about love. I lost my speech towards the end with tears as i describe how my dad loves me... my mom step forward to hug me so that i no need to continue the sharing. Very embarrassed indeed.

Then the pastor continued with sharing on the love of God. My dad has shown "Bo Cap" face while the pastor is sharing, but he did not say a word to rebuke him.

After the session was over, my parents invite the pastor along to join them for breakfast while we staff continue with our staff session. My heart was worried while they were out. Will my dad debate with him in the car? When they returned, it seems nothing has happened. The pastor joined my family for all outings in this trip. Peaceful and joyful indeed.

When the trip is over, my dad did comment that if the pastor had asked him to share, he will surely share something to attack Christianity. Then he smiled when he said, "He asked you to share instead."

It was the one & only time, my dad sit still to listen to the gospel for 1 hour long. Major motivation for it: i think it is my sharing that has stopped him from retaliation and keep him quiet for the whole session. The pastor encouraged me while we bit farewell to each other: "Do not worry, if he has experienced God's miraculous healing, and now listen to His love, i am sure God has plans to save his life even if he does not respond now."

Yes, i believe so. God is patient in leading stiff-necked people like us to embrace His love.

The second day devotion...somehow God prevented my family members from joining. And astonishing indeed, this time round, Pastor Liik shared about his own personal struggles in life, in serving Him. He brought forth a very important message to me as i was searching for clue on how i should live my life next year in serving Him. He shared how painful it is as he grow up with pride and insecurity...then he concluded, "Forgo the past glories and failures, start from zero, learn to do it all over again like you have never done it before, learn to embrace His wonderful new plans, new wisdom & new experiences. While the previous skills and experiences are what God has given you, your obedience and reliance on Him is the key for you to unlock His plans for you."

It is a wonderful trip indeed.
My dad, has finally heard the gospel.
I know what i should do. Be it my church ministries, my workplace, and my relationships.
Thank God for His amazing arrangements.

Thank God for Pastor Liik Tong Yeu, the ever friendly and helpful Methodist Miri District Superintendent and a pleasant company to be with. Thank you so much. =)