Author andrewong2024

His Church moving forward

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Over the last weekend, City Harvest Church finally held their first service at their new worship venue, Suntec SICEC.

In my viewpoint, this move was celebrated not so much because of a physical building more than the spiritual building of the body of Christ.

Besides this being another historical milestone for this church, more significantly to me, this represented a breakthrough for a progressive Christianity in Singapore.

For too long, Christianity has been on a retreat mode and boxed up by the world. However, another more guilty perpetrator had been (and still is) the corporate spirit of religion emerging among the Christian fraternity.

These have resulted in the presence, power and love of God mainly confined within the four walls of the church without much transformation made in the key areas of our marketplace.

But I strongly believe this is already changing.

In this new day and age, the Holy Spirit has never been more ready than before to release His gifts and anointing over His people and to present Christ in culture with the gospel in its totality.

The question is: “Are we ready and open to receive (as new wine skins)? Or are we unknowingly clammed up (as old wine skins)?”

 

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My Read of the Month:

Title: A Gift from a Friend
Author: Merry Riana
Published: 2006
Genre: Entrepreneurship/Self-improvement
Ratings: 3.0 out of 5 stars

Merry Riana is a 30-year old Indonesian entrepreneur, best-selling author and motivational speaker residing in Singapore.

At the age of 26 years old, 4 years after her graduation, Merry became a millionaire through her financial services business. And has since clinched countless awards and accolades.

In her book, Merry shares with readers her entrepreneurial journey and how it all begun. But more than just a rags-to-riches story to impress, this book provokes one to live beyond the widely-accepted and usual route of living a life of a 9-to-5 employee.

Merry weaves in a couple of key principles she practises that has produced success for her and shares them to her readers.

For instance, she encourages readers to pursue a dream or goal in the name of love. For her, she did it in order to give her family a better life. And her stand on integrity and exercising gratitude in life.

She also explains on the power of association which states how we become like those we spend the most time with. And she encourages her readers to have as many friends as possible but to choose their peers carefully. For our key associations have great influence over our lives.  

Overall, her book is easy-to-read and down-to-earth which inspires and challenges one to consider living life more dangerously in order to achieve personal goals and financial freedom.

But as easy-to-read as it is, the lessons of this book might be easily forgotten due to its presentation of contents which borders on being messy. Nonetheless, this book is for everyone and makes a good introduction to the journey of entrepreneurship!

Who should read it: For aspiring entrepreneurs.



Ten years on…

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Ten years ago or a decade back, my life was a huge heap of a mess.

Back then

I was wasting away on party drugs.

On almost any given night, I was popping ecstasy and snorting ketamine just to chase that next thrill.

I was also delusional about the whole concept of love especially after my family broke up.

That left me incapable of love and commitment. Hence, one-night stands were my preferred way of relating to the opposite sex.

I was just some young, wayward and uneducated kid on his way to total destruction. 

I felt alone and saw no hope in life.

Here now

Ten years on, my life is full of renewed hope and purpose!

I am set free from all the vices that had a grip on me including smoking and drinking.  And the thrill I now chase is being in the presence of God.  

Now I’m committed in marriage with a beautiful lady. And the whole concept of love makes perfect sense.

God is love and only in Him can we experience and offer that true unconditional love.

Unfortunately, now I’m  no longer that young. Haha…

But He has made me forward-looking as I know that I’m an empowered child of God on his way to live his life to the fullest of his potential according to His promises.

And now with Him, I know I’m not alone as I’m part of the Church- my spiritual family and I see a great future lying ahead for me. 

God is good!

Living the abundant life

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“I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture.

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.”

John 10:9-11 (Amplified Bible)

Achieving our goals

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Most of us will undeniably encounter obstacles as we plan and set to achieve our goals.

More often than not, these obstacles are psychological (and spiritual) and cripple us in forms of procrastination and intimidation.

Lesson from my marathon

For instance, when I ran for my first 42km marathon last year, I was intimidated by the excruciating stretch that the extensive distance demanded of me.

That fear would also lead me to procrastinate in sticking to my regularly regime of training.

But while running, I realised that my goal of reaching the finishing line was static and was not the threat.

The actuality was that I or rather my negative thinking was the real threat coming between me and my goal of completing the marathon. 

Overcoming the barrier

Similarly, the key to achieving our goals is primarily overcoming the psychological barrier between us and our goals.

As mentioned, our goals whether to lose weight; to earn that first million bucks; to snag that promotion; to get attached or to rid off of a bad habit, they are static and just waiting for us to reach them. 

In other words, there is no reason why we cannot achieve our goals if we are willing to invest what is necessary and work hard towards reaching it.

Our goals may be static, but we are not. We have the ability or power to act and align ourselves to achieve our goals.

As a child of God, we need to know our birth right and His promises for a full life in Him. Our goals are only impossible to achieve unless we think and say it is.

Getting ready for Him

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Hello folks! I’m back!

For most of last month while away from blogging, I had been fasting and praying.

Initially, I’d planned on 7-day fast. But nearing the last day, I was led to stretch my fast to 21 days instead.

I was hesitant at first, but eventually obeyed (willingly and cheerfully… haha).

Two main reasons why I had obeyed: First was to seek Him and to be in tuned to His will in this new year; and the other was to consecrate or purify myself for His kingdom purpose.

During my fasting period, I discovered I had unknowingly picked up some ‘dirt’ which had affected my spiritual life. So it was a great time of cleansing of my soul and renewing of my mind as I drew closer to Him.

In this 2011, I’m upbeat about expecting more of God and for Him to move in an unprecedent manner. How? When? I honestly don’t know.

What I do know is He is faithful and true, I only need to trust and follow Him by faith. And that’s enough for me.

I just want to be ready when He moves and opens whatever doors of opportunities for me.

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My Read of the Month:

Title:  That None Should Perish
Author: Ed Silvoso
Published: 1994
Genre: Prayer Evangelism/Spiritual Leadership
Ratings: 3.7 out of 5 stars

There are two evangelists that I highly esteem, one is Reinhard Bonkke and the other is of course, Ed Silvoso.

In this book, Silvoso doesn’t present a set of formula or steps to win a city. What he does present are key principles and a biblical framework for any church or leader. This is good as it prevent prayer evangelism to be seen as a programme or job description as a Christian.

Not wanting churches and leaders to merely see prayer evangelism as part of church growth, Silvoso dedicates a large chunk at the beginning of his book in highlighting the need for unity of the Body of Christ among local congregations of a city.

He explains that unity is imperative for any city to be truly transformed. Reading this part did make me realise how much we as believers (including myself) in Singapore fall drastically short in this area. 

Clearly, there’s a real need for a unified platform for local churches and their members to gather in one collective and concerted effort.

Some might argue that there are events staged on a national level. But my take is that there isn’t really one where something really happens. Almost all events have no real sustaining impact to our unity or city. It seems to serve us believers more in creating a false reality that we’re one Body so that we feel less guilty. 

Therefore, I find Silvoso’s book both timeless and prophetic; a deafening war cry for the Church to rise up and beat in rhythm with the heart beat of God of intercession. And to put aside petty differences for the fulfilling of the bigger picture of the Great Commission as we approach the latter days.

Who should read it: For church leaders and missionaries.

Moving ahead to a better year in 2011

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“Forget about what’s happened;
   don’t keep going over old history.

Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
   It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?

There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
   rivers in the badlands.

Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!’
   —the coyotes and the buzzards—

Because I provided water in the desert,
   rivers through the sun-baked earth,

Drinking water for the people I chose,
   the people I made especially for myself,
   a people custom-made to praise me.

Isaiah 43: 18-21 (The Message)