Can I honestly say I am always kind, gentle and patient?

Impossible! This is especially so in Singapore where we demand the fastest and the best in every facet of life. Anything that defies this narrative is judged and criticized.

The sobering truth is that we can’t match up to God’s standard. Not by a long shot. In that case, why would He bother detailing commands to such an extent?

Before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, He reminded the Israelites who He is and what He has done for them.

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2).

This bears great significance! It’s like a blanket of grace that covers the commandments that follow!

Before Jesus commanded his disciples to continue the Great Commission, He told them who He is (Matthew 28:18). It’s like a blanket of grace that covers the commission that follows!

Leviticus 19 speaks of many laws, with God punctuating them by saying “I am the Lord your God.”

Pick up your Bible and read now. How many times does this statement appear?

Can we keep the commands with our own strength?

No. We need to fix our eyes on the Ruler, the Saviour whose grace enables us to follow His commands.

Surely, the commands still stand, we must abide and follow them. However, God in His great grace is present as we carry out these commands, and is merciful when we fall short. We can be assured of His presence with us.

Jesus said “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” He really meant it. Not in the sense of “Oh, I’m just a phone call away”, but “here, take my hand let’s walk through obedience together.”

Maybe you’ve given up altogether, resigning to the fact that it’s impossible to follow all the Christian commandments.

Remember, even in our failures, God is with us. Let His truth penetrate our motives and spur us on to grow in obedience.

Therefore, stop dwelling in the futility of our efforts but look to God in the faithfulness of His character.

The first step to complete obedience is to recognize that without God’s own hand, we cannot do it. May you fix your eyes on Jesus as you carry out his commands and grow in Christ-likeness.

by Lester Tan

The post Obeying God’s Commands appeared first on Sengkang Methodist Church.

我能坦诚地说自己经常善良，温 柔，耐心吗？

不可能！尤其在新加坡，我们力求在生活的每一方面都是最快速，最全面的。违反了当被判断与受批评。

事实上我们不能完全满足律法的要求。那么，为什么上帝愿如此详细地解释祂所定下的诫命呢？

在上帝给摩西十诫之前，祂提醒以色列人祂是谁以及祂为他们所做的一切。

“我 是 耶 和 华 ─ 你 的 神 ， 曾 将 你 从 埃 及 地 为 奴 之 家 领 出 来 。” （出 埃 及 記 20：2）。

这意义是何等重大！这就像在恩典里，涵盖了接着而来的诫命！

在耶稣吩咐门徒继续大使命之前，祂告诉门徒们祂的身份（马太福音28:18）。这就像在恩典里，涵盖了接着而来的使命！

利未记19记录了许多律法，而上帝也在每条律法后，加上“我 是 耶 和 华 ─ 你 们 的 神 。”

现在就翻阅你的圣经。这句话出现了多少次？

我们可以单 靠自己的意志和能力就能遵守上帝的诫命吗？

不行。我们必需定睛统治者，靠着救赎主的恩典使我们守全律法。

当然，诫命依然存在，我们必须顺从和遵守诫命。上帝大能的恩典将陪伴我们完成这些诫命，而仁慈的上帝更在我们失足时扶持我们。我们坚信祂与我们同在。

耶稣说：“我 就 常 与 你 们 同 在 ， 直 到 世 界 的 末 了 。” 他的的确确是如此认真。 不是所谓的“哦，我随传随到“，而是“牵着我的手，让我们一起走在顺服的道路”。

撰稿: 陈知恩

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“Earthquake!!! Earthquake!!!”

Someone shouted. The shake gradually increased in magnitude till the entire wall seemed to be collapsing on us (it was a 7.9 magnitude!). It was also accompanied with the massive sound of wind. Immediately, we hurried down to an open space beside the church. While waiting, I continued preaching and encouraged everyone, including myself, to trust in our Great Redeemer who loves us all.

“God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains falls into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46: 1-2)

Are you in trouble? Is your life shaken right now?

Although we cannot prevent a shake, we can prevent our hearts from falling into pieces because of that. As we began to rebuild our lives, my family learnt to trust in God even more. With strength from God, Jacqueline and I ministered to our friends in Nepal through relief aid ministries and reconstruction ministry. Amen.

by Gopal Sebastian

The post What a Massive Shake! appeared first on Sengkang Methodist Church.

“地震 !!! 地震 !!!”

Sebastian 和家人在尼泊尔侍奉上帝已经十年。他非常感恩上帝多年来一直看护和保守他一家人。有人喊道。震动越来越剧烈，仿佛整道墙壁隆隆隆的塌落在我们身上（这可是7.9级地震！），还有那紧紧伴随着的凶猛风声。

我们立刻赶往教堂旁的一片空地。在等待的时候，我继续讲道，鼓励大家，包括我自己，信靠爱我们的救赎主。

“神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时都可得到的帮助。因此，地虽然震动，群山虽然崩塌入海洋的深处，我们也不害怕。”（诗篇46：1-2）

你有烦脑吗？你的生命正面临震动吗？

虽然我们躲不了震动，我们却可以防止我们的心因震动而破碎。就在我和家人重建生活时，我们学会了更加信靠上帝。借着上帝所赐的力量，Jacqueline和我通过救援事工和重建事工，服侍尼泊尔的朋友们。阿们。

撰稿: Gopal Sebastian

The post 巨大的 震动! appeared first on Sengkang Methodist Church.

At first, I ignored it but by the second and third day, I could not ignore it further. I had lost so much of my precious hair! I cried for almost an hour each time I took a bath. My tears would flow out uncontrollably.

Although I sensed God very near me every day, I still felt confused whenever I looked at myself in the mirror.

At about the same time, the pulpit theme in church was about how as believers, we are called to walk against the tide. God was getting my undivided attention for Him each day. Through my helpless situation He was teaching me that in my weakness and helplessness, He is more than enough for me.

As I stood in faith to pray for myself, God started bringing to my mind many of my friends, colleagues, cell mates and church mates whom I usually do not pray for. Because I needed a miracle for myself, I began asking God for a miracle for each of them too.

During this process, I went to two different doctors – my own general practitioner and a Chinese physician. After a series of investigations, the diagnosis I received from the doctors was that my hair loss was stress-induced. At that moment, I felt so boxed in by my condition.

Despite my misery, as I journeyed with God more closely, I felt His peace and love; He sent His saints to comfort me.

Now, with or without hair, I no longer feel depressed. I am myself again. I wear a wig whenever I am out of the house. The best part is that everybody tells me I look prettier than before.

I spend more time in God’s Word and especially love to rewind the Sunday sermons to listen to them repeatedly. The Holy Spirit would point me to the details in His Word that I had overlooked before. In this process, I discovered my identity in Christ.

I am so thankful that I am wonderfully and beautifully created by my Heavenly Father.

It is my prayer that you will also experience the supernatural peace and love of God in your heart today and every day

by Juliet Low

The post Let go, let God appeared first on Sengkang Methodist Church.

起初我并没有理会，但是过了两，三天，我不能否认自己已经失去好多头发。我每次洗澡时都痛哭近一个小时。泪水总是不由自主地流出来。

在那段时间里，虽然我每天都感觉到上帝就在我身边，但我每次在镜子里看到自己时，心中仍然感到非常困惑。

大约在那段时候，教会里的讲坛主题是关于信徒如何活出入世而不属世，逆流而上的信仰。我给予上帝我全部的关注. 我也从中领悟到，在我软弱和无助时，上帝的供应对我来说是绰绰有余的。

当我开始凭着信心为自己祷告时，上帝让我想起我周围的许多人 – 朋友，同事，小组成员，和教会的弟兄姐妹。这些是我平时很少会想到或关注到的一些人。因为我在为自己祈求上帝给我一个身体医治的奇迹， 我也开始为脑海里浮现的每一位人代祷。

在这段时间里，我看了两个不同的医生 – 我的家庭医生，和一名中医。经过一系列检验后，医生诊断我脱发乃因压力造成的。顿时间，我感觉整个人被困在脱发的身体状况中，非常痛苦。

尽管我有多痛苦，当我更接近上帝时，我深深感受到祂的大爱和所赐的平安；祂更差派圣徒来安慰我。

现在，不论有或没有头发，我不再感到忧伤。我已找回以前的我。我每次出门都戴假发。周围的每个人都告诉我，现在的我，比以前更漂亮了。

我把更多的时间花在上帝的话语里，特别喜欢重复听每个星期天牧师的讲道。每一次听道，圣灵都会指出我以前忽略的细节。在这个过程中， 我重新肯定自己在基督里的身份，确信我就是天父心爱的创造。

我心充满感恩，亲身经历上帝在我人身旅途中与我一起同行。我祈祷你在生活中每一天里也能亲身体验上帝所赐的平安与大爱。

撰稿: 刘佩卿

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