Hokkien Testimony #78

Hokkien Testimony #78

A little grass, a little dew. God will take care of you. Rely on him, avoid troubles. There is always a way out.

Today we welcome you to the 78th testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Each week we have different people from different churches share their stories with us. Everyone has their own special story of how God has changed their life even in difficult times. God is there with us and gives us hope. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Jason Ong who will be sharing about God’s work in his life. Let’s listen to Jason share his personal story. You will see that God has definitely shown his great love to him and his family. An English summary is also provided below.

Jason Ong’s Testimony:

As a child, I was a problem and got into a lot of trouble.  As Pastor Lim said, God loves naughty children, and can change their lives for God to use them. I have now been a Christian for seven years. I have to say, that believing in Jesus has changed me and enabled me to walk in the way that I am now. No matter how difficult my circumstances are, God is with me.  I have to admit that even after accepting Christ, that doesn’t mean that I am perfect. I still have problems that I face, and I don’t always do what is right. But God still loves me. As Pastor Lim shared, if we don’t have problems in our life, then we may never know that we need God. My huge life struggle came when I went to see the doctor and was told that I had cancer. The doctor told me that it was a rare cancer and I was the first in Singapore to have this. Worldwide, there were only about 30 cases. So it is a very rare cancer. The doctor said that chemo would not work, so the only option I had was surgery. However, it was a great risk. So when we face death like this, we come before the Lord asking for his help. My wife and I were afraid. In Romans 8 it tells us that if we trust in the Lord he will take care of us. So we have to have faith in him as we ask for healing.

When the surgeon operated, it took 20 hours, which is a very long time. Then he called my wife and told her that they were not able to remove all of it because some of it could not be disturbed and would be life threatening. My wife told him to do the best that he could. He said that I basically had about 6 months. He also said that I would need to have another MRI to check on my situation, and then they could make a decision about future medical procedures. After 6 months when I went for another examination, he was surprised that I was still living. God really was watching over me. As a Christian we look at a situation like this and realize that God is at work. If we don’t trust God, then we worry, can’t eat or sleep and don’t know what to do. So prayer is a learning opportunity for us. We must learn to turn our problems over to God and leave them with him and allow him to lead us.

After 6 months when the doctor looked at the new MRI, the cancer that was left in my body was no longer there. It was gone. He said, this is what you Christians would call a miracle. With man things may not be possible, but with God all things are possible.

Today, I continue to serve in my church. However, later when I went for another check up with my doctor, they discovered that there was a tumor on the left side of my brain. It was actually very strange. Usually when a person hears this kind of thing, they would cry. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a man or woman. However, hearing that my cancer had returned, I didn’t feel that way. I told him that I had peace and I was trusting God. It was complicated and talked about the effects that this could have. He even said that I shouldn’t swallow. So how could I eat? They said that I would have to be fed through a nasal tube. So they didn’t want me to eat anything, or use my jaws to bite down. And they didn’t want me talk either. I told the doctor that would not be possible, because I needed to talk in order to share the gospel. So I made the decision that I would not go through this process, and just put my trust in the Lord. I felt that if God wanted to continue to use me, that he would heal me. It was not an easy decision, but I felt that no matter how long I lived, I would allow the Lord to use me, because his will for me is the best and most beautiful. So I just trusted in the Lord’s grace for my life, and count his blessings. When we are weak, he shows his strength.  

As our program comes to an end, I want to encourage listeners. No matter what difficulties you face in life, I encourage you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. So the first step is to put your trust in him. Christ is able to do what we cannot do ourselves. Jesus healed me the first time and the second time. When our time to leave this world arrives, Jesus will take us home to be with him in a beautiful place already prepared for us. So matter what our circumstance, we can trust the Lord.

Pastor Lim:

One thing we must remember is that those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ are not afraid of death and we are not afraid of ghosts or demons. In Jason’s life God allowed him to experience this in order to glorify God and know his abundant grace. As we look at Jason’s life, he doesn’t know what the future holds for him, but he is trusting God. You too can experience this abundant grace, just as Jason has done. You too can experience living and eternal hope. Would you like to believe in Jesus? If you do, then follow me sentence by sentence as I pray.

Lord Jesus, I know that there are troubles in this world. However, in you I can have peace. At this time I turn to you and pray. Please forgive me and use your precious blood to cleanse me of my sin. Then I invite you to come into my heart and be my Lord. I know that with you in my heart, I will have peace. You will give me joy, the faith to believe and hope as well.  Lord Jesus, I put my trust in you, lean on you and allow you to direct my future. You also know my greater challenges and can bear them. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

God bless you.

Hokkien Testimony #51

Hokkien Testimony #51

Today we welcome you to the 51st testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Each week we have different people from different churches share their stories with us. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Mr. Zou Wei Jun. Let’s listen now to his Hokkien story. An English summary is also provided below.  

Mr. Zou Wei Jun’s testimony:

In my family I have four brothers and I am the youngest, and being the youngest, I was loved very much. In fact I was very much spoiled. As a child, if I didn’t get my way I would throw a fit, cry or do whatever to get what I wanted. As a result I grew up with a mean streak and had a bad temper. After I married my wife, our communication was not good. We fought and didn’t really communicate well at all, and there was more than just verbal abuse, there was also physical abuse involved. It was so bad that the neighbors also knew it. We lived in government housing and really had problems. As a result of all of this, I was very displeased with myself. From childhood I felt that I should get whatever I wanted; however, in this marriage that was not so and I was very stubborn. My attitude definitely affected the relationship that I had with my wife. As far as my education, I studied through the fourth year of middle school, then left school and started working. For about seven years I repaired machinery, but the wages were low so I decided to find a better paying job. So I began to drive a taxi.

I have been a Christian now for four years. The Lord definitely paved the way for me to become a Christian. I would get up early in the morning to drive my taxi and first go by a Coffee Shop. One morning a man came over by me and we began talking. He is a Christian. As we began to talk we shared about a lot of things. I had served in the military and was a drummer. He told me that I should check out their church. God was leading. He told me that their church needed a drummer. I asked him if it would be okay to check out his church, even though I was not a believer. He told me that would be fine. So I did go and see for myself. I listened to the songs, but although I had never heard of any of them, they were beautiful. So I did play the drums, and I was very moved but I didn’t dare share with anyone how I felt.  

One day when I was in my taxi, all of a sudden there was a fire and I couldn’t drive the car. I called and asked someone if they would come and help me and he did. Through this all, I asked if I could go to church with him, and of course he said yes. I accepted Christ and very passionately followed after Jesus. I also went home and told my wife that I had become a Christian. She said that she didn’t oppose me doing that, and she hoped that as a person I would change. I shared the new things that I had heard at church with her. Christ has definitely changed me. I do not have the bad temperament that I reflected before. After trusting in Jesus he has given me a new life. Having Christ is the biggest joy. The things of earth are temporary, but the things of Christ are eternal.

My wife noticed the change in my life. I didn’t argue or fight like I had in the past. I told her that the decision whether or not to accept Jesus was for her to decide. We began to communicate with each other. I had gone before the Lord and just cried my heart out, telling him I was wrong and sorry. I also told my wife that I was sorry for the wrongs I had done in the past. I made the decision not to worry about the things that I had done in the past, but to focus on now and the future. It is just me and my wife, we have no children. My wife doesn’t work outside the home, because she is carrying for her mother. My mother is still living, and after I accepted Christ I shared that with her. She did not oppose me doing that, but told me to live my life well. I also have been sharing the gospel with my family. I know that this is in God’s hands and takes time. However, we as Christians must accept the responsibility that has been given to us.

As a taxi driver, I also have experienced the change that Christ has brought into my life. He leads me with wisdom to do my job. There are even times when people riding in my taxi have forgotten their things such as their cell phone. On one occasion I returned the cell phone to its owner and he asked for my name to report to my company how honest and helpful I was. Sometimes taxi drivers would just keep things for themselves to use. However, as a Christian I cannot do this. It wouldn’t be right.

Pastor Lim shared the story of a woman in Hong Kong who formerly was wealthy. However, she came to the place in her life when she had no money. She too began to drive a taxi in order to care for her family. One day when she was praying over her taxi and passengers who would ride with her, a man came over to talk with her. He thought she was cleaning her car; however, she had no cloth and the man thought it was strange. She told him that she was praying over her car and passengers who would ride in it that day, asking for safety and peace. She did her job with great joy and God gave her opportunities like this to give witness. God blessed her work.

Of course while working as a taxi driver, there are people whom I encounter who are difficult. I try not to pay any attention to them and get them to their destination safely. Pastor Lim asked me how things were going for me as a taxi driver during this challenging financial time. Well, as Christians I don’t think we need to spend time worrying about that. Pastor Lim reminded me that as believers we must use our work and all that we do to bring glory to God’s name. Some Christian drivers will play Christian music in their taxi. This is one way to give testimony about Jesus. Passengers who ride in a taxi with a driver who serves them well will notice the difference. This will bring even bigger blessings into your life.

As we close out this program, I would like for you to pray for me to have an even more meaningful life so that I can continue to serve as God’s disciple.  I also hope that my wife will not live in the past and that someday she also will accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. And of course I also desire for my mother and my entire family to become Christians as well.

Pastor Lim shares:

Today we have heard a wonderful testimony and have been touched to see how God has worked in Mr. Zou’s life. You too can receive this same blessing. If you desire to ask Jesus into your life, then as I pray, follow after me. If you ask Jesus into your heart, then your life will be blessed and never be the same. Your work, your life, your attitudes will all be different. If you invite Jesus into your heart, this will be your greatest blessing. If you desire to make this decision, then follow me in prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus, you are our all-powerful Lord and Savior. You will lead me in every way in my life and I want to thank you. You came to this earth and died for us sinners. You have provided an opportunity for us to know you. At this time I am willing to believe in you. Please forgive my sins. Use your precious blood and cleanse me of my sin. Please come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. I will love and serve you for the rest of my life. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

The Lord bless you.

Hokkien Testimony #43

Hokkien Testimony #43 

Today we welcome you to the 43rd testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Each week we have different people from different churches share their stories with us. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Sisters Lin Ya Jaio. Let’s listen now to her Hokkien story. An English summary is also provided below.  

Sister Lin Ya Jaio testimony:

I came to Singapore when I was very young in order to go to school. If you listen to me talk you will know that I have an accent from the Chinese province, Choan Chiu, where I was born. I was very focused on my education and later became a teacher. Some people say that teaching is the best profession for a woman. I have been a teacher now for more than 30 years. During that time I also married and started a family. I became a Christian in 1980. At that time my daughter was 7 years old and of course very precious to me. As Pastor Lim reminded us, there is a Chinese saying that it is easy to give birth to a child but not so easy to raise that child. I certainly agree with that.

When our child was born she already had a lot of physical challenges and spent a great deal of time in the hospital. She was sick for a long time, and she continually coughed. So of course we spent a lot of money on medical needs. During this time we tried everything to find a solution to our daughter’s health. We worshiped idols, drank water with ashes in it from the temple, and tried both western and Chinese medicine. However, no matter what we tried, nothing worked. It was a waste of time and money, because her health did not approve. We tried everything.

However, I have a co-worker who was like an angel to us. She knew that we had tried everything, but she told us that Jesus is the great physician and we should try him. She said that we should allow our daughter to accept Christ and that Jesus could heal her.  At the time I thought that I wouldn’t lose anything by trying. I had already tried everything else. So I allowed our daughter to go to church, but I didn’t go with her. I was afraid of losing face, since I worshiped local gods.  I had already worshiped these gods for so many years and didn’t feel that I needed to abandon these gods and worship another god. The main thing was that I wanted my daughter to be healed.

After our daughter started going to church I could see a real change in her. She had a deep understanding of the Bible and her health began to improve. She became stronger and stronger and time went on. I also noticed the smile on her face. She was different. As Pastor Lim reminded me, the Bible tells us that a joyful heart is good medicine. When we accept Christ and begin to change in our thinking, our health may also improve. As Pastor Lim said, the Christian faith has a positive outlook, full of hope. We are not abandoned or alone and are forward looking in our thinking. This kind of joy in our hearts helps us to become healthier.

Since I am a teacher I feel that I understand students pretty well, and I felt that way toward our daughter. After she started going to church, she was much more energetic and I was very happy to see this. However, about six months later she seemed to have regressed. She lost her energy and smile. I talked with my co-worker friend who had taken her to church. She said that our daughter went to church and was taught one thing; however, when she came home it was a totally different religious belief. It was like trying to grow two different flowers together. It just doesn’t work well. As a teacher I knew just what she was saying. For my daughter’s sake, I too must join her and accept Christ. That day, my friend led me to Christ.  I have never regretted making that decision. In fact, I have drawn closer and closer to the Lord.

I must say that when I accepted Christ, my husband and my mother and in-laws all disapproved of my decision. Since my husband is the oldest son, I had to think about my decision because I was very much involved in preparing things for family idol worship. Neither side of our family had any Christians in it, so this was a big challenge. I would be the first person to accept Christ and felt that I would probably run into a lot of dissention. They were very opposed. But my friend encouraged me and said that our God is all powerful and that I should pray about this so I would not experience severe persecution.  I made the decision to follow Christ. My husband traveled out of the country a lot, and during this time I was active in church. However, the day came when my husband also accepted Jesus. He saw the change in my life, and he too became a believer. He also saw that our daughter was healthy and had been healed. He also saw how my attitude and behavior toward him changed, and he too wanted Jesus.

My mother had worshiped idols all of her life, and she was very fervent about it. However, her requests were not granted. She had health issues. I didn’t want to push anything on her, but I began to share with her testimonies that I heard at church. I suggested to her that since she had tried everything else, she could go to church with me. The pastor prayed for her and her life was changed. She was transformed into a person who had more faith, peace and joy in her life. Many elderly people are afraid of death, but now that fear no longer exists for her. She is already in her 80’s. Our Lord is the overseer of life, and we don’t need to be afraid, but trust in him. All of life is in his hands.

Later my younger brother and his wife also accepted Christ and were truly blessed. My in-laws also received Jesus as well. When my mother-in-law was ill, she asked to be taken to church. So they too accepted Christ. When our entire family comes to Christ we receive an even great blessing in our lives.

Pastor Lim shares:

Today, once again through this testimony we see that Jesus is real. She, her daughter, husband, mother, younger brother’s family and her in-laws all accepted Jesus. This is a road of blessing for all of us. It is a bright road for us to travel. Life can be very dark and much like a crooked road, but in Christ we have peace and his protection as we journey through life. So if you trust Christ, your life will change. Do you want to accept the Lord Jesus? If you desire to do this, then follow me as I lead us in prayer.

Dear Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior. I thank you for coming to this earth and dying on a cross. You shed your precious blood to forgive my sin. At this time I ask you to forgive me of my sin. Please use your precious blood to cleanse my sin. I also ask you to come into my heart to be my Lord and Savior and be the master of my life forever. I know that you will never leave me. Please heal any sickness that I have and give me peace, joy and hope. Jesus, thank you for hearing my prayer. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Brothers and Sisters, if you have made this decision today, we hope that you will find a church nearby and worship with them so that you can better understand this real and living Jesus.

May God bless you.

Hokkien Testimony #35

Hokkien Testimony #35

Today we welcome you to the 35th testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Lan Gui Ming and his wife, Chen Qiao Jiao.  Let’s listen now to their Hokkien story. An English summary is also provided below.  

Lan Gui Ming and Chen Qiao Jiao’s testimony:

I, Qiao Jiao, grew up in the countryside, in a rural area. My sister attended church, and even though my parents didn’t like for her to attend, she was allowed to continue. However, they did not want me to go to church. Yet, they said something that really caught my attention. They told me that after I married, I would be free to do as I please.

For me, Gui Ming, I had the experience of going to a church when I was young, but my family followed local traditions and worshiped local gods. A friend had told me about Jesus, but my impression was that this was a god for foreigners. I was not told Jesus was a bad choice, I just thought it was for foreign people. However, when I served in the military I had a friend who was a Christian and he told me about Jesus. After Qiao Jiao and I were married we felt a lot of uneasiness in our lives just dealing with everyday life. We had no peace and even in our work we just weren’t fulfilled or satisfied.

I, Qiao Jiao, often wondered how in the world could I solve my problems? Who could help me? I felt that my problems were big, and I need a god to assist me. During this time neither I nor my husband knew what was going on in our hearts. I dealt with my issues, and he was busy with his life. The truth is that I, Gui Ming, felt that we had talked a lot before we married, and after marriage we really had nothing else to say. So we didn’t really communicate much. So yes, Qiao Jiao did have many problems but she didn’t share them with me.  And as we know, many men are not prone to talking a lot, so we did have a communication problem.

At this point in our relationship, I, Qiao Jiao, decided to search for a church where I felt I could find help. When I went there I was very moved by the songs that they sang. As an adult I really didn’t sing, but when I was a child I ran around singing all the time. I had no idea that I loved music like this. I can say that ten years after I accepted Jesus, I can look back and see what a big difference there is in my life. I could pray to God and he helped me deal with life. The big things that burdened me over time just seemed to disappear. The first decision that I made was to accept Jesus because I needed him to solve my problems. However, the second decision that I made was to cast all aside and to stand with Jesus and really follow him. At first when I went to church I basically knew about Jesus in my head and wanted resolution to my problems, but I didn’t really experience knowing Jesus personally in a deeper way.

So ten years after I began attending church I truly experienced knowing Jesus as my personal Savior. Formerly in my life there were so many things that I was not happy about. I was dissatisfied. However, after accepting Jesus not only did I know him personally and better understand him, I also had the opportunity to better understand myself as well. Early in my journey I would read the Bible, but I wasn’t very consistent. However, after coming to know Christ in a genuinely personal way I felt the Bible came alive to me and I wanted to read it daily. As I read it, I was moved to tears and felt God was speaking to me. I know that our God is alive and communicating with me. It is such a warm experience for me. As Pastor Lim said, we all change over time; however, do we become better people. In Christ this is possible.

I, Gui Bin, noticed the changes in Qiao Jiao’s life. Originally, I also, didn’t spend much time reading the Bible. However, I must say that the closer we get to Jesus, the closer we also grow together with our spouse. I, Qiao Jiao, wanted to talk, but I felt Gui Bin’s attitude made me feel like he didn’t want to listen. He would just go to sleep when I tried to talk with him. We both just accepted the fact that this was the life that we were given and nothing was going to change that. It was destiny. As Pastor Lim reminded us, the closer we grow in our faith, the love between us as a couple also deepens. If we depended on ourselves to live life and solve issues, it seemed that things worsened. But when we studied God’s word and followed his teaching, then we knew better how to navigate in life. As Pastor Lim said, the Bible is our standard for living. When we follow our own standards we can face many challenges; however, when we follow God’s teaching we are blessed. He also gives us the grace and strength to live our lives on a daily basis. So today we have peace, joy and are very fulfilled in our lives.

I, Gui Bin, have to say that we have experienced something special in our lives. Before we received Jesus we didn’t really have much to do with music. However, now we really enjoy singing and now Qiao Jiao even writes songs. That for us is very special. For me, Qiao Jiao, sometimes when I am reading the Bible or out of life’s experiences, God just speaks to me and from that a song emerges. In the beginning I would just sing for God to hear, not for anyone else. Then I would call for Gui Bin to hear me sing. For me this was the greatest way for me to express my inner feelings. It can not only benefit me but others as well. After I wrote something if I felt pretty good about it, I would keep it. As Pastor Lim said, writing these songs was only to please the Lord. I need not worry about anything else. That’s true about everything in life.

In closing I, Qiao, Jiao, just want to say that none of us are perfect. The teachings that Jesus has given to us are all for our good. We must do our best to humble ourselves and with the Lord’s help we must continue. Don’t give up but trust in him.

A word from Pastor Lim:

Today this concludes our time together. As you have listened, maybe you have felt that this Jesus is indeed very special. He can provide me with a better and more beautiful way to live life. If I have Jesus, then my life would be more meaningful. If you desire to accept Jesus, then simply follow me as I pray. Jesus will clarify things for you and when he comes into your life, he will make the purpose of your life more clear to you and make your life more colorful. Follow me as I pray.

Lord Jesus, I am willing for you to come into my life. Please take the things in my life away that are not complete or good for me. I am willing for you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior and make my life more meaningful and of more value. Please forgive me of my sin and allow me to live in your love, joy and peace and be filled with these things. In the name of the Lord Jesus we pray, Amen.

God bless you.

Hokkien Testimony #30

Hokkien Testimony #30

Today we welcome you to the 30th testimony in our Hokkien Harvest series. Today Pastor James Lim interviews Mr. Lim Ke Hui.  Listening to Mr. Lim’s testimony once again reminds us that God indeed loves us no matter who we are or where we come from in life.Let’s listen now to Mr. Lim’s Hokkien story. An English summary is also provided below.  

Mr. Lim Ke Hui’s testimony:

I traveled a long way to come to Singapore. I am from the Hokkien province in China and grew up in a Christian family. Very early on my grandmother accepted the Lord. When she was first married and before she accepted Christ, she had children that died, and it was at that time that friends encouraged her to believe in Jesus. She did accept Jesus, and she also took in a little girl to raise as her own.  My grandparents had five boys and one girl. My father was the oldest son. His name was Chu Un (The Lord’s grace). And each of the children’s names had this Christian tie, the word “Un” which is part of many Christian words such as gift, grace, etc. My grandmother is still living and in her 90’s.

About twenty years ago my grandmother encountered a huge problem. At that time she was in her 70’s. One morning she woke up and as usual went to brush her teeth. She had false teeth. However, all of a sudden her teeth went down her throat, but she didn’t spit them out. Instead, she swallowed them. As a result, she had to immediately be taken to the emergency room. The false teeth had lodged inside her intestines so told them that they must perform surgery to remove them. Our family was very concerned and we gathered together to pray. Then the doctor told us that it would be better not to operate. They waited and two hours later they were able to retrieve the teeth. We felt that the Lord had really given the doctor wisdom in how to resolve this problem. God answered our prayers.

As I grew up I followed my father and was always in church. My impression of the church was that it was filled with loving people. In typical Chinese worship we not only have worship services, but we also have small groups as well as family worship times where we invite others to join us. Our church is quite large. When we gather together for worship we have more than 2,000 people in attendance. So this is the kind of church in which we had the opportunity to grow and learn. The most meaningful part for me has always been hearing truth preached by our pastor as well as testimonies that are shared. This is a great encouragement for us to continue to live in the right way and not go down paths that are bad for us. Jesus has also given us peace.

I accepted Christ when I was young, but I wasn’t baptized until I went to Japan. As a young child I went to church and of course heard about Jesus, but I didn’t have a deep understanding. As children we enjoyed playing and being together; however, as I grew up I began to listen to the truths that were taught, studied my Bible and little by little I began to understand about Jesus. The first time that I left China I traveled to Japan. I was very young and didn’t know anyone. Life was pretty empty, and I was all alone. I decided that I would try and find a church. I felt that Christians would show love and kindness. The first church that I found was in Japanese and that was tough for me because I really couldn’t communicate much in Japanese. However, in this church was a man from Taiwan who introduced me to a Hokkien/Taiwanese congregation. So I started going to this church, made friends and also had the opportunity to serve with them. The pastor asked me if I had ever been baptized, and I told him that I had not. He took the time to teach me from the Bible about following Christ and baptism. So at Christmas time I made the decision to be baptized. I was so joyful and happy and felt like a new person. I gradually began to grow spiritually. I lived in Japan for six years. After six years I went back to China to get married. I had a bride waiting for me.

After we were married we began a business, but it wasn’t long before we felt that we were not suited for business like this. We just didn’t have true understanding about the business market and procedures. After six months we already were in debt for several hundred thousand dollars. We were in the food industry. We had borrowed the money from the bank and were in real trouble. This was a huge burden. However, during all of this time my parents continued to encourage us so we never lost faith or felt badly toward God. The truth is that in life we will all face discouragements and failure so this is something we must realize. We were very fortunate in that my parents each month began to pay back the money that we owned.  My wife and I also worked to pay off this debt. In 2006 we moved to Singapore.

While in China we also had children. One of our children was born with extra toes and fingers. We were really stunned. My parents encouraged us and said that this child was a gift from God and that we could rest in that and trust in God. Later we took our child to the doctor and they operated and removed the extra appendages. We praise the Lord that everything went well and our child was fine.

Right after we moved to Singapore we were challenged. Our child had a problem and the doctor said that it was a heart condition. We were really in turmoil. We were new to Singapore and faced so many challenges. We also looked for a church. We shared with the church about our child and our struggles. Immediately the pastor gathered people together to pray for us. Our child had heart surgery and everything went very smoothly. Also our church from Xiamen, China also gave us $5,000 to pay for the surgery. We are grateful to God and to the churches for all they did. We were able to pass through this difficult time with peace. The Bible tells us not to worry about tomorrow, because the Lord will lead us. We are grateful to the Lord for all that he has done..  

A word from Pastor Lim:

This is the end of our time today, but before we close I would like to lead us in a prayer. If you have been moved and would like to accept Jesus into your heart, you will be truly blessed. Please follow me as I pray.

Lord Jesus I thank you because you came into this world to save us. At this time we ask you to wash away our sin, save us from evil and come into our heart to be our Savior and Lord. We know that you will never leave us. From today forward we will experience your love, as well as the miracles that you perform in our physical bodies. Thank you, Jesus. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

The Lord bless you.

30 Days of Prayer Day 14 2021

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 14 2021

God loves all the people of the world – Part 2

Day 14 – August 21: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month.  To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

Romans 5:6-8

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Let me ask you a question. Can people change their lives by depending on their own effort? If that is true, then the number of people in prison should be fewer and fewer. In society there should be fewer and fewer criminals. What about death? When it comes, can we face it bravely? You know, I don’t really know if a lot of people are afraid to leave this world. What about you? Are you afraid?

We often see ourselves as people lacking the power to do what we desire. I mean that my heart wants to do something, but I don’t have the strength to carry it out. We often suffer from sin, the influence of evil and the temptation of sin. The result is that we often feel weak and powerless with no way to overcome this, and we fall into the bondage of sin. Although there may be good and righteous people who passionately want to help us, we find that we still can’t do it. There are so many good and righteous people such as our parents, husband, wife, teacher, or friends who also reach out to us. However, in the end they often give up and leave us.

Have we tried our best to change? Yes. However, even if we have, we find that we still can’t depend on our self. We are disillusioned and give up hope. But there is more good news, and that is that Christ understands us, because he himself came in the flesh and lived in this world. He was willing to die in our place in order to save us. He was willing to die not because we are worthy, but in his own initiative he loves us and wanted to show God’s love for people. 

The story is told that the former mayor of New York (Guardia) was very caring toward the people in his city. One day he was in the courtroom to handle a case of theft. There was a poor man who stole a loaf of bread from a shop owner. He pleaded guilty and was fined ten dollars. He stole the bread because everyone in his family was hungry and they had no food. He also had no money to buy food, so he stole the bread. The truth is that he didn’t even have any money to pay the fine. However, the mayor took the initiative to pay the fine of ten dollars that the man owed. The people watching were very moved and also gave money to help this poor family.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, we know that we are not good or righteous people, but we are unrighteous sinners. Thank you for bearing our sin when you knew that we were sinners you died for us, and through this we can be justified. In this 7^th Month of the lunar calendar, we ask that more people would be moved to believe in you. We are children of yours, Heavenly Father, and we love you. We also desire to share this news with our relatives and friends so they will have the opportunity to accept the Lord’s salvation and love. We pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer #9 2021

30 Days of Fasting & Prayer Day 9 2021

I Can’t Save Myself

Day 9 – August 16: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month.  To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese script, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray to the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. We pray that all glory will go to our Lord, Amen.

Romans 7:18-19

¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

It is said that it takes three years to learn something good, but only three days to learn something bad. However, in this advanced age of technology it doesn’t take three seconds to learn something bad. Three years to learn something good is a goal that we may set for ourselves. However, after three years do we attain that goal? Do we weed out and change the bad things in our lives. The Bible says, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” This explains that we have thoughts of doing good things, but we don’t accomplish what we set out to do. There is no proof of goodness in the flesh. And what is even worse is the evil that we don’t wish to do, we later return to do it. Then we are rebuked by our conscience, and in our hearts the feeling of guilt is always there. Faith in Christ is not just to persuade others to be good. We cannot do good things on our own relying on ourselves to save us. Consequently our heart often hurts, and we desperately need to accept the salvation of the Lord Jesus. The Bible tells us that only Jesus can save us.

There was a man who was taking drugs, and over a ten year period was in and out of prison about 20 times. Every time he came out of prison, he said in his heart that he wanted to change his past. He wanted to reform and become a new person. But each time he was disappointed and reverted back into selling and using drugs. So he would find himself back in prison. The last time that he was in prison he was so discouraged and said that he really wanted to change and save himself from this kind of life. But he knew that there was no way he could do it in his own power. During this time he applied to attend a meeting in the prison. At that meeting he was very moved by the songs and the things that the speaker had to say. He knelt down before the Lord, and with tears accepted the Lord Jesus as his personal savior. His life completely changed because of this. Now he still goes in and out of the prison, but he is no longer a prisoner. He’s a counselor and returns to help those who are in prison.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people whom you are acquainted with and do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I want to confess that no matter how hard I try, I can’t save myself. I have failed so many times and have been very disappointed. I am standing at a crossroad and don’t know whether I should go or not. I don’t how what to do. Many times I have discouraged, disappointed and saddened those who love me. At this moment I plead with you Heavenly Father to have mercy on me and help me during this seventh month of the lunar calendar. I want to see your light and hope of my salvation. Because of this I cry out to you and ask you to save me Jesus. Lord, you once said that anyone who cries out in prayer to you and asks for you save them, Plead with Heavenly Father to have mercy on me and lift me up. During the seventh month of the lunar calendar, I desire to see your light and hope of your salvation. Lord you once said that anyone who asks in your name will be saved. I believe your words that you will save me and give me eternal life. Jesus thank you. We pray in the holy name of our Lord Jesus, amen.

30 Days of Prayer #2 2021

30 Days Fasting and Prayer 2021

Day 2: Welcome to the Hokkien Harvest 30 days of fasting and prayer during this 7^th Lunar month, Ghost month. To access the Hokkien audio post which also includes Chinese characters, just click below. At the bottom of this post we also provide a brief English summary. May God bless greatly during this 30 day period of fasting and prayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, pastors, and brothers and sisters in the Lord, I bring you greetings of peace. During these 30 days of fasting and prayer every day we can pray before the Lord for relatives and friends who have not yet come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior. We ask the Lord to use you and for the Holy Spirit to also move these relatives and friends to accept the Lord as their personal Savior. Glory to our Lord, Amen.

John 17:3

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Human beings have been working hard for a long time to prolong their lives. Scientists even think of ways to transform people through their genes that would enable them to have a life span that is five times greater. However, no matter how long a person can live, death is ultimately the end of everyone.

Genesis 2:7 tells us:

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

This verse tells us that the God who created the universe is the source of life. Later human beings sinned and separated themselves from a Holy God and consequently faced death. The Lord Jesus in John 17:3 said: Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. The understanding here refers to having a deeper relationship with the true God not something that you just hold on to in your mind.

“Only” means that there is only one God, the God who created humankind. The “True” tells us that God is not only real, but also alive. His presence is something that people can experience. Only this one true God can give eternal life to the world, because he is eternal God.

False gods cannot grant eternal life to man. John 17:3 tells us that if you want eternal life, then you must come to know the saving power of this true God. Christ is the Savior sent by God.

A tadpole said to a fish that in a few days he would be leaving. The fish then asked him where he was going. We were born here and we will die here. But the tadpole told him that he knew of a place that had sunshine and flowers and he was going there. The fish told him that he really didn’t think that there was a place like that. Nothing could be better than where they were, and they must accept that. So no matter what the tadpole said, the fish did not believe there could be something better. The tadpole told the fish how it would be possible for him to make this transition, but the fish was not willing and didn’t believe.

Some people are like this. An unbeliever might think that there is nothing better than what we have right now. A believer might explain that there is a place that is safe where there is no fighting or sickness. The unbeliever might like the idea, but if he does not accept Christ and make that transition then he is not a child of God and cannot enter God’s Kingdom.

At this moment, please bring the names before the Lord of those people who do not yet know Christ.

Prayer:

I beseech God, our Heavenly Father to forgive Chinese people of their transgressions. Please forgive those who did not seek to know you, the one and only true God, and did not give you glory. At this moment, I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus to bind every spirit that brings fear during this 7^th Lunar month. I pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken their souls and that the light of the Gospel will shine on them. As they see God’s light, this would allow them to know that Jesus is the image of God and the source of life. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

EASTER CELEBRATIONS

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Some of you already know because I have posted it in several places. We are so excited to see people coming to Christ from the Hokkien community and beyond.

Our SE Asia HH ministry partners have reported that a family of 4 will be baptized this weekend, AND on one of our Hokkien fishing islands a Vietnamese lady who was demonized accepted Christ and was set free in Jesus. They are searching for a Vietnamese Bible and resources for her.

Then we received word that one of our good friends and partners in Taiwan led a men in his 90’s to Christ. Now these are all something to celebrate, right!

Today we also received a report that our Hokkien partners in SE Asia were asked to borrow baptismal robes for 14 new Tamil believers. One church many languages. I just know that brought a smile to God’s face.

Celebrate with us and pray for these church leaders and new believers as they begin their new journey in Christ. Oh believe me, there are other stories that we will share in the days ahead. We wish all of you a BLESSED Easter that will draw you closer to Christ.

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Wow! Christmas!

You know, when the shepherds and wisemen heard the great news that Jesus was born, they had to travel and put out some energy in order to worship King Jesus. Well, we just received word that partners from our newest church start also had to travel and make the effort to journey to a fishing island village, KS, in SE Asia. With tears in my eyes I share this report!

Tonight’s Christmas Celebration in KS . . . 30 plus adults and 20 plus children came. 3 people accepted Jesus. All praise and Glory to God!

I don’t need to add anything to that. It’s Christmas. We celebrate the coming of Jesus, and he always shows up. Thank you soooo much for your prayers and encouragement.

Have a blessed and Merry Christmas.