Uth Chronicle 2009-IV

8/14/2019 Uth Chronicle 2009-IV

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2/24

Greetings, dear reader =)

You are currently holding the

last issue of the Uth Chronicle

for the year of 2009. By Gods

grace we have managed to put

it together despite many

delays! Do pray for the Uth

team as we start work on the

first issue for next year.

Hopefully well be able to stick

to the schedule and publish on

time!

The theme for this issue is

Study. It is something that

all of us can relate to as

students, but let us also

remember that we should also

be diligent students in the

study of Gods Word.

Another year has flown by

and before we know it, it will

be the New Year. Perhaps a

little stock-taking is in order

have we spent our time wisely

when it comes to studying?

Many of us are students and

time management is an item

that crops up time and again

on our prayer lists. Indeed,

sometimes it seems that there

is too much to do and too little

time with which to do it.School can seem so

overwhelming at times

(especially for those who have

just started in University) and

we often spend most of our

days studying for a test or

rushing an assignment;

sometimes all of it seems to be

a futile endeavor. But what

should our attitude be

towards studying? Pr.

Lingkang shares with us his

testimony of studying in

FEBC, and the lessons he has

drawn from it that we can

apply to our own secular

studies.

What of our spiritual lives?

Have we also spent our time

in the study of Gods preciousWord? It is a pursuit that

should take precedence over

our own earthly desires;

without the Bible guiding us,

we are prone to wander off

the straight and narrow.

Elder Chew writes to us about

how Jesus Himself valued the

Scriptures and how we, as

Christians, should do likewise.

Rev. Quek also shares with us

a comprehensive guide into

reading parables to help us

properly discern the meaning

behind the stories that Christ

told. May we remind

ourselves of the necessity of

studying to show ourselves

approved unto God, a

workman that needeth not to

be ashamed, rightly dividing

the word of truth. (2 Tim

2:15)

Before you read the rest of

this issue, there is a little

verse I would like to share. If

we find ourselves struggling

in secular studies or

struggling to keep our daily

Quiet Time, let us remember

that it is not by our own

strength that we overcome

the trials and temptations set

before us. Are we falling

behind in class? Pray for

guidance and contentment!

Are we quietly pushing aside

our Bible? Pray for a more

fervent desire to read Gods

Word! The less we are able to

do something, the more we

should pray and echo the

words of Paul where he

shares, And he said unto me,My grace is sufficient for thee:

for my strength is made

perfect in weakness. Most

gladly therefore will I rather

glory in my infirmities, that

the power of Christ may rest

upon me. (2 Cor 12:9)

May God bless your reading. =)

Thank you to all who have

contributed to this issue inone way or another. To God be

all glory!

Editor-in-Chief

Brian Lim

Editors Note


3/24

ther than parables, there

are no other genres of

writing in the bible where

the LORD Himself providesreaders of Gods Word with an

interpretation. After the LORD

spoke on the parable of the Sower

(Matt 13: 1- 9), the disciples asked

for an explanation. From Christs

answer, we can glean the steps on

how to interpret parables.

CONTENT of the Parable

The parable of the Sower

portrays a Sower who sowed

seeds which fell on four

different kinds of ground: by

the wayside and the fowls came

and devoured the seeds; stony

places without much earth and the

sun scorched the plant because it

had no root; thorny places which

choked the plant; and good

ground which brought forth fruit ahundredfold, sixtyfold and

thirtyfold. The end of the parable

has the words who hath ears to

hear let him hear.

EXPLANATION of the Parable

The four kinds of ground describe

the four ways of receiving the

Word of the Kingdom. The

wayside refers to those who hearthe Word of God but have no

understanding and the wicked one

takes away the Word of God that

was sown. The stony places refer

to those who hear the same Word

preached and immediately

receives the Word with gladness.

But there is no root at the point of

receiving the Word, i.e. there is

mental acceptance withoutheartfelt conviction. It lasts but for

a while. When there is tribulation

or persecution because of the

Word of God, these hearers are

offended and reject the Word of

God. The thorny places refer to

those hearers who are like the

stony places hearers. These

receive the Word with joy

immediately and feel good about

it. But the cares of the world and

the deceitfulness of riches choke

the Word and there is no fruit.

The lives of these hearers are not

transformed by the Word of God.

The good ground refers to those

who hear, understand and who

bear fruit in their lives. Their

lives are transformed by the Word

of God which becomes their light

in the pathway of life.

OBSERVATIONS of Christs

Explanation

a. The main thrust of each parable

is found at the end. Do not be

too quick to apply in parables.

Patience is needed to first

establish the teaching in the

Parable. In the case of theParable of the Sower, the thrust

is on godly and acceptable

reception of the Word of God;

b.In parables, the interpreter must

distinguish between

embellishments and key

elements. Once that is

accomplished he must then

ascribe the correct

interpretation to these key

elements. He must refrain from

ascribing meaning to the

embellishments. Some of the

embellishments are there to

make the storyline complete.

The key elements possess

spiritual significance; the

embellishments do not. The

seed represents the Word of the

Kingdom; the fowls represent

the wicked one. The seed thatsprings up represents immediate

acceptance of the Word with

joy. The sun represents

persecution and tribulation

because of the Word; withered

away represents the offended

reaction; thorns refer to the

cares of the world and

deceitfulness of riches; the

choking of the plant refers tothe choking of the Word; the

good ground refers to the right

kind of hearing; and the

O

Understanding ParablesBy Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew

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fruitfulness of the ground refers

to the fruitful life of the

Christian. The examples of

embellishments in this parable

are not as obvious as in other

parables. Some of them would

include fowls [plural] but refers

only to wicked one [singular];not much earth, and no

deepness of earth, have no

special significance.

APPLICATION of the Parable

If the seed refers to the

gospel of salvation, then

the hearers would refer to the

four different groups of people who

receive the gospel or the fourdifferent ways the gospel would be

received. One group would reject it

immediately; another would say yes

to the gospel but when persecution

for the faith comes, they would give

up their faith; the third group

would say yes but allow the cares of

the world and the deceitfulness of

riches to draw them away and to

reject Christ; and the final group,which responds rightly to the

gospel, say yes and allow their lives

to be transformed and they will not

allow persecution, neither the cares

of the world nor deceitfulness of

riches to lure them away from

Christ!

But if the seed refers to the general

teaching of Gods Word pertaining

to sanctification such as thedoctrines of prayer or tithing or

fasting, then the Parable of the

Sower would refer to Christians

who hear Gods Word preached.

Some would show no interest; there

are those who would give mental

and verbal acceptance but then

persecution, the cares of the world

and deceitfulness of riches would

discourage them and they will notobey. The only way to receive

Gods Word that is accepted by the

LORD is to obey the Word

whereby the believers life is

transformed and is become more

like Christs.

The Parable of the Sower teaches

one single truth - the right way to

receive Gods Word is to embrace

and live it !

Before Examinations:

I am so worried about this

particular subjectPhil 4:6-7Be careful for nothing but in

every thing by prayer and

supplication with thanksgiving let

your requests be made known

unto God. And the peace of God,

which passeth all understanding,

shall keep your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus.

My mind cannot

concentrate during

revisionIsa 26:3

Thou wilt keep him in perfect

peace, whose mind is stayed on

thee: because he trusteth in thee.

I cannot even sleep

peacefully nowadays

Psalm 3:5

I laid me down and slept; I

awaked; for the Lord sustained

me.

I am physically and

mentally fatigued

Isa 40:31

But they that wait upon the

LORD shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as

eagles; they shall run, and not be

weary and they shall walk, and

not faint.

There is no hope for me.

Im too far behind to

catch up

Psalm 43:5

Why art thou cast down, O my

soul? And why art thou

disquieted within me? hope in

God: for I shall yet praise him,

who is the health of my

countenance, and my God.

Coping with ExaminationsPrecious Promises and Answers I

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esus, the Living Word, has

declared, "Heaven and earth shall

pass away: but my words shall notpass away. (Lk 21:33). The

Lord Jesus is the Wordmade flesh,

[who]dwelt among us (Jn 1:14).

It may be asked, Does Jesus need

the Word of God like us, to lead and

guide Him and to be the rule of

faith and practice? What about the

exhortations to us to meditate on the

Word of God and to hide them in

our hearts so that we will not sin

against God? Do these apply to

Christ, the Incarnate Word, as well?

To answer these questions, we need

to know who Jesus Christ is. He is

the Son of God and Son of Man in

one person, very God and very man,

without sin. He is perfect, He sins

not and is in constant fellowship

with the Father, abiding in the Wordof God and the Word of God in Him.

Sin is the transgression of the Law

of God (1 Jn 3:4). Since our Lord

Jesus never sins, He never

transgresses against the Law of God

at any time but is in perfect sync

with the Word of God. He knows

the will of the Father and He lives in

perfect harmony with it. Never once

is He ignorant of the Fathers will,

such that He has to stop to search

the Scriptures. He never sins, even

ignorantly as some of us do, and

unlike us He never sins willfully

against what He knows to be the

Word of God.

However as a man, Jesus could have

succumbed to the temptations and

trials that plague every man, and

that dogged him. He could, for

example, have naturally gratified hisphysical appetites when fasting,

transported himself supernaturally

instead of toiling under the hot

Judean sun, and most of all, shielded

himself from the anguish and pain

on the cross.

How did Jesus the man remain true

to his calling? By the reading,

meditation, and obeying of Gods Word.

If Jesus needed the Scriptures, what

more us?

Jesus said Search the scriptures; for in

them ye think ye have eternal life: and they

are they which testify of me.(Jn 5:39).

On another occasion he rebuked theSadducees Ye do err, not knowing the

scriptures, nor the power of God.(Mt

22:29).

Jesus set us the example in the

account of his temptation by the

devil. (Mt 4:1-11) Jesus was hungry

and it was then that the devil came

to tempt him, If thou be the Son of

God, command that these stones be made

bread. Our Lord answered and said,It is written, Man shall not live by bread

alone, but by every word that proceedeth out

of the mouth of God. Notice how our

Lord resisted the temptation, by

relying on the inerrant, infallible

eternal Word of God. This account

teaches us that this was the same

meat that sustained the Lord Jesus

Christ, the Son of Man, day by day.

How much more do we, as fallen

depraved individuals, need the

Scriptures!

Notice how the Lord was tempted

again. Then the devil taketh him up into

the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle

of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou

be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it

is written, He shall give his angels charge

concerning thee: and in their hands they

shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou

dash thy foot against a stone.(v5-6) It is

instructive to note that even the devilquotes the Scriptures to prove his

point! If you do not know the word

of God, you can be misled by the

devil who will wrest the Scripture to

guide you in the wrong path. So

beware! But Jesus said unto him, It iswritten again, Thou shalt not tempt the

Lord thy God.

Once again, our Lord fended off the

fiery darts of the devil by resting in

the authority of the Scriptures. Are

we able to do likewise? How shall we

stand against the wicked forces of

darkness that seek to cripple us so

that we will sin against God and

become ineffective for Christ in this

world of darkness? We need theSword of God in our hand!

Again, the devil taketh him up into an

exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him

all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory

of them; And saith unto him, All these

things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall

down and worship me. (v8-9) How did

our Lord reply? He had used the

Word of God but the devil did not

relent in his attack. Should He tryanother method? Then saith Jesus

unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is

written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy

God, and him only shalt thou

serve.(v10-11)

Jesus continued to resist the devil by

abiding in the Word of God and

Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold,

angels came and ministered unto him.So

says James, in Jas 4:7 Submit

yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,and he will flee from you.

The way to victory against sin is to

hide Gods Word in our hearts and

to rest in and submit to it. How

ought we then to meditate daily on

the Word of God, to ingest it

thoroughly so that our Sword is

sharpened and ever ready against

the hour of temptation.

God bless your endeavour to Study

to shew thyself approved unto God, a

workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Ti 2:15)

J

O how love I thy law(Ps 119:97):How Jesus valued the study of the scripturesBy Elder Chew Chong Kiat

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As so many have said before me, your time ofstudies is one of the best times of your lives.

You have the most freedom, and the least

amounts of responsibilities. Of course this isa general statement, and each ones personalexperiences might differ from individual to

individual. But generally, our schooling daysshould be cherished and treasured, and we

should make the most of it. It is a time whenwe are filled with youthful energy and

exuberance, unbound by pressures of ourown family or responsibilities of the

workplace. We have much time on our handsto manage as we please. It is a time where

we can do so much for the Lord. It is also atime for great learning not just from

academic knowledge in the classroom, butalso from life experiences where we learn to

trust in Gods grace and to follow His willeach step of the way.

I have been asked to share a short testimony

of my 4 year journey in FEBC, of the lessonslearnt and the experience garnered. And so

below, I have listed a few things that I havelearnt, many of them the hard way, about

studying for the Lord. You may say that

because I was in Bible College my experiencewould have been different from one in a JC

or Poly or University, but my reply is this: nomatter what course of study we are taking or

what institute of education we are at, thesame principle applies we are Christians

first, students second, and therefore we areto do all for the glory of God.

Always study for the LordThe first point that I would address would bethe issue of our motivations. What motivates

us to study? That was something that Istruggled with constantly as well, even in

Bible College. Oftentimes I found myselfdoing an assignment for the lecturers sake,

or so that I could get the A that I wanted, forprides sake. I knew that often the motivation

that kept me up late studying away was sothat I could achieve a good grade for my own

glory. And so I had to constantly remindmyself, and was also constantly reminded by

the Lord through His word and through Hisservants, that my purpose there was not at

all for self but always only for the Lord. Mypurpose in studying was not so that I could

prove that I was smart but simply to preparefor whatever ministry that the Lord had for

me, and to be a good testimony to thepeople around me.

We all know this principle that we are to

study for God and for His glory. Yet

oftentimes that is not the case, for we areoften motivated by self and pride, in seeking

results, the glory of scholarship, a desire for agood job and future. Either that or we study

to please our parents or teachers andlecturers, or even just so that we can do

A Testimonyof SchoolBy Ko Lingkang

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better than our classmates. But

what we must realize is that ourstudies should be for none of these

reasons. We must constantly remindourselves that our purpose in

school is to study for the Lord, andfor that reason alone. Yes we do our

best and fulfil all that is required of

us, but only so that we can be agood testimony, so that we canshine forth for Christ. If anything

that we do takes us away from thatsingle motivation, we must stop to

check ourselves to make sure thatwe are studying for the Lord alone.

These verses in Colossians sum upthis principle quite well: Servants,

obey in all things your mastersaccording to the flesh; not with

eyeservice, as menpleasers; but insingleness of heart, fearing God: And

whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, asto the Lord, and not unto men;

KnowingthatoftheLordyeshall

r ece iv e the r eward o f the

inheritance;foryeservetheLord

Christ(Col3:22-24).

Andsowiththatinmind,itwill

beagoodsafeguardagainstboth

wo rl dl y a mb i6 on , a nd a ls o

laziness,forwe mustrealize that

Whatsoeverthyhandfindethto

do,doitwiththymight;forthere

is no work, nor device, nor

knowledge, nor wisdom, in the

grave, whither thou goest (Ecc

9:10).

Always study relying on the

Lord

For sure, I did face numerous

difficul6es in my 4 years of

study.Therewere6meswhenit

seemed that there was simply

not enough 6me to finish all

thatIhadtodo.Other6mes,I

felt so overwhelmed by the

m o un ta i n o f a s si g nm e nt s

before me that I just felt like

giving up. There were 6mes of

weariness and fa6gue, where I

justwantedthesemestertoend

and the holidays to come. But

through it all, 6me and 6me

again, theLordshowed that His

g race i s s uffici ent ; t hat Hi s

strengthis madeperfectthroughour weakness. I realized that

each 6me I rely on my own

strengthtoaccomplishmytasks,

Iwouldgetnowhere.ButwhenI

commit it to the Lord, and rely

onHimandnotmyself,Hewould

prove that it is His grace that

wouldseeus through.Atthe end

of each semester, I would look

back and marvel at the way

which theLordhad brought methrougheachtask.Truly,Iwould

not have been able to do

anythingat allwithout theLord

guiding andleading me. Andso

inthis,IechothewordsofPaul,

But by the graceofGod I am

what I am:and his gracewhich

wasbestowed uponmewasnot

in vain; but I labored more

abundantlythantheyall:yetnotI, but the grace of God which

waswithme(1Cor15:10).

That should therefore me the

principle that we should bring

with us not just through our

studies, but through everything

inlifeaswell.Alwaysremember

that anything we do, it is only

done by His grace. We should

never trust in our own wisdomand understanding, or our own

talents andabili6es,for they will

a l w ay s f a i l . A s S o l o mo n

observed: I returned, and saw

under the sun, that the race is

nottotheswiO,northebaPleto

the strong, neither yet bread to

thewise,noryetrichestomenof

understanding, nor yet favor to

menofskill;butQmeandchance

happeneth tothemall.Forman

alsoknowethnothisQme:asthe

fishes that are taken in an evil

net, and as the birds that are

caught in the snare; so are the

sons of men snared in an evil

Qme, when it falleth suddenly

upon them(Ecc9:11-12).While

it is generally the case that the

s mar t er, more ha rdwor ki ng

person would get the beYergrades, we know that is not

always the case. Why? Because

God is always in control. We

cannot and should not expect

thingsto go theway weexpect

it.Instead,weshouldalwaysrely

fully onthe Lord, doingourpart

to the best of our abili6es, but

leavingtheresultsuptoHim.

AlwaysstudywiththeheartAs a Bi ble student, another

problem that I would o]en

struggle with would be the

maYerofstudyingwithmyheart

a n d n o t j u s t m y m i n d .

O]en6mes, taking theology,

Biblebooksandsuchassubjects

can easi ly b eco me ju st a n

a c a de m i c p r o ce s s , w h e re

informa6on is processed by thebrai n, but never e nters t he

heart,notisitappliedinmylife.

There is a great danger in this,

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for it would just make me one

bloated with head knowledge

and pride, but liYle spirituality

and humility. I thank God that

themaximfromJohnCalvinwas

con6nually drilledintomy byall

the lecturers from day 1, that

the three important principles

that we must have in studying

theology is simply humility,

humility, humility. There was a

g re at d an ge r t ha t a ll t he

knowledgegainedwouldsimply

make us puffed up, with no

a pp li ca6 on i n o ur l iv es . I

certainlydidnotwanttobethe

mandescribedinJames 1:23-24

For if any be a hearer of the

word, and not a doer, he is likeunto a man beholding hi s

natural face in a glass: For he

beholdethhimself,andgoethhis

way,andstraightway forgePeth

whatmannerofmanhewas.

Never entertain the thought of

compromise

As a Chris6an student, and

especiallyas a Biblestudent,one

thingthatalwaysweighedheavyonmy mindwas thatit isalways

G od fi rs t, s tu d ie s s ec on d .

B e c a u s e s o m e 6 m e s , o u r

pragma6c thinking tried to take

control, and comes into conflict

with our Chris6an ethics and

morals.Itisinsuchcasesthatwe

a r e t h e n t e m p t e d t o

compromise, to commit a liYle

sin,forthesakeofgainingsome6me or opportunity to finish

st udy i ng fo r a te st o r to

complete our assignments that

are due. One thing which I

observed,andwouldadmitthatI

did succumb to at 6mes, would

be to use the 6me during

lectures or evenchapelto study

for upcoming quizzes. Many

students would also flout the

rule about lights off at FEBC tostay up late to finish their

assignmentsorstudyfortests.

Weknowthatitiswrong,butyet

such acts have beco me so

commonplace, that it almost

b ec om es h a b it ua l . To d o

h om ew or k o r t ut or ia ls o f

another class during another

subjects lecture; to skip classes

sothat wecanstay at hometo

study more produc6vely; to

study onSundays regularly orto

skip F or even Sunday worship

servicestospend6medoingour

work.

esIwouldbethefirsttoadmit

that I havecommiYedall of theabove in my student life, but

many 6mes, I am also rebuked

andremindedbytheLord,thatit

is a ques6on of our priori6es.

Will we place God first, or our

st ud ies first? H ow i s Go d

honouredandglorified,ifinthe

process of geng our good

grades, we sin against him?

Whatis thepointofstudyingfor

that ex tra hal f ho ur duri ng

chapel,ifat theendofthe day I

show a bad tes6mony to the

peoplearoundme,andmissout

on the Word of God preached?

SoIo]enhadtoremindmyself

thatImustneverallowmyselfto

c o mp r om i se a ga i n st G o d s

standards, to sin against him in

thecourseofpursuingmybeYer

grades. We are to be Chris6an

students,whoarerovidingforhonest things, not only in the

sightoftheLord,butalsointhe

sightofmen(2Cor8:21).Forif

we honour the Lord, we know

that He will honour us. If we

forsakeHim,hewillforsakeus as

well. The LRD is with you,

while ye bewith him; and if ye

seekhim,hewillbefoundofyou;

but if ye forsake him, he will

forsakeyou(2Ch15:2).

Conclusion

In summary, the point that I

would like to make is very

simple. Our period of studies is

butaphaseoflifethateveryone

hasto go through. Our purpose

as a student is like thepurpose

of any other Chris6an, and that

is to glorify God and to enjoyHimforever.Allthatwedoasa

s tu de nt s ho ul d b e g ea re d

towards this purpose. If we are

i n i t f o r o ur o w n s e l fis h

ambi6ons or pleasures, thenwe

are not mee6ng the mark of

G od s h ol in es s i n u s. T he

ques6on is: Do we desire to

honourand glorify Godand our

Lord Jesus Christ in our lives as

students?

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I was asked to write an article on

studying. But I wondered how Icould approach the topic from a

different viewpoint. An eventhappened while writing this article

that helped my train of thought.How do you as a Christian Student

deal with friends and friendshipswhen they go sour? What advice

does the Bible have for you? Howdo you deal with unhappiness? These were my

thoughts as I pondered how to best counsel a student

facing these issues.

Most of us are social by nature and when things go

wrong, who do we turn to for help? You have beenworking on a project with friends, good friends, friends

who you think feel the same way about you. Butsuddenly, as quick as a change in the weather, they

begin to avoid you. They refuse to reply your SMSes.They call you names behind your back. Their MSN nick

is a veiled criticism of you.

Examine yourself

As Christians, our first reaction must not be to do denyeverything. Get an external unbiased opinion.

Extend the hand of reconciliation

After careful examination, if we are in the wrong, it

would be good to admit your shortcomings. And see ifyou can move on. Extend the hand of peace.

Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, andlend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall begreat, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is

kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Excuse

Now the other party may or may not accept the

apology/explanation. If they continue to be hostiletowards you, the best thing may be to excuse yourself

from working or hanging out with the group.

But you say, Now my group of friends do not wantanything to do with me. They dont sit with me, they

dont ask me for lunch. It is a lonesome path, however ifyou have done your best to make peace, perhaps it is

best to leave that clique, to find new friends.

So what can you do?

Talk to Christian Friends/YFers.

Dont forsake your friendships in church. They are yourmutual encouragement.

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the{kisses} of an {enemy} are deceitful.

Be sociable

Yes you may not be in the in crowd but it is time tomake wise choices beyond popularity. Take the effort to

talk to classmates who may be quieter.

Seek and Pray for God to lead you to mutuallyencouraging friendships with classmates

I encourage all young people to pray as

you begin your school term, pray thatGod will bless you with good friends

and classmates. Fair weather friends willleave you when the group decides they

no longer like you. Good friends willstand up for you. Good friends will tell

you your faults. And good friends willremind you of Gods promises in the

midst of times of trial and difficulty.

Proverbs 3:5 {Trust} in the {LORD} with all thine {heart};and lean not unto thine own understanding.Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall

direct thy paths.

As a lecturer I found it really hard to counsel students.Secular counseling techniques advise us not to give a

solution but to allow the student to come to theconclusion by themselves. I listened, I prompted, but I

couldnt tell the student to seek the Lord.

My fellow brothers and sisters, our hope, ourconfidence, should be in the Lord. It is not an easy road

to walk if you are not in the majority. But our Lord andSaviour walks with us and guides our footsteps. Trust in

an Almighty Saviour to carry you through these storms.Trust in Him to bring you true friends and help you

through each semester of your studies.

Psalms 20:7 Some {trust} in {chariots}, and some inhorses: but we will remember the nameof the LORD our God.

LIM HSIEN YONG

is a full time audio geek and alecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.He can always be found somewherenear the PA room every Sunday.

Dealing with Betrayalin SchoolWhen friends turn against you

9


10/24

Now that youre in your late teens,I am writing to give you a glimpseinto growing up. The road ahead

will be full of bumps, some of whichare pretty hard knocks. Sometimes

you will be disappointed, frustratedand grieved. At other times, you will

laugh over an intelligent joke withbosom buddies or smile knowingly

at good memories with loved ones.

People will come and go in yourlife, even those whom you think are

close friends. But the constant isGod never forget that He has

been watching over you and willcontinue to do so until you see

Him face to face. He is your trueBest Friend.

You are now wondering why all

your female friends have boyfriendsor have guys approaching them, but

you are treated as a buddy by yourguy friends. You begin to ask

whether you are that ugly oruncool. Its just not your time yet.

You are not mature enough for agiving relationship, one that

cherishes God as Master and King.There will be attractive, kind and

sensitive guys in your life. But theyare not for you chiefly because they

are not His children. The good,

Christian ones are either seeingsomeone else, are not interested,or are immature.

God will send along one generous,

loving and God-fearing man. He willappear later in your life yes,

after your friends are married andhave their own kids. But it is worth

the wait. Why? Its simply becausehe is Gods gift to you. Arent Gods

gifts the best for us? Anyway, youllbe more mature and ready then.

Your parents will also approve ofhim at first sight. So dont go

around finding your own happinessrashly.And then there are conflicts at

home. You and I know whats beengoing on, so theres no need to go

into details here. Sometimes thingswill get so bad, you will wonder

why other peoples families seem tobe far happier than yours. You will

often cry out to God for His graceand peace. It sure is the way to

real peace of mind, because youtend to think over and over howelse things could change.

Youve been a quick and organised

worker, but this time, the problemsare beyond your abilities and

understanding. Remember this well man can change only with Christ

in his/her heart. So, the struggle isnot just to persevere in praying for

your parents salvation, but also tobear in mind that salvation belongs

to the LORD. Dont run accordingto your own will its unwise and

unnecessary.

Youll find a whole new world opento you in university. Hostel life is

vastly different from home life, andyoull soon realise that undergrads

reflect the different personalities inthe working world. There will be

buayas, skivers and martians in thisjungle of a world. And of course

there will be the glam, popularones. Looking back, I cant resist

smiling at who those termsrepresent.

You will be excited to join the

hostel band, choir and dramagroup. You are a performer at

heart. There will be long hoursspent in rehearsing and performing.

Sure, youll feel a high, but all isvanity. Why? Its self-promotion

after all. No, Im not saying all art isevil; Im saying that your reason for

being involved and the circle ofinfluence are wrong.There will be many who call

themselves Christians, but watchhow they behave and hear their life

goals and directions. Mark thosewho are wise in the LORD. The

Bible will help you discern whoyour real friends are. They will pray

with and encourage you with Godsword.

You will also learn how others see

you you might have goodintentions but your bluntness might

hurt others feelings. Its indeed apainful journey to learn what it is

to be approachable, because ithurts to find out your own

weaknesses. Proverbs 18:24 Aman [that hath] friends must shewhimself friendly: and there is a friend[that] sticketh closer than a brother.

Growing up sounds rather

bewildering, doesnt it? It can beconfusing, and sometimes you are

puzzled as to why your intentionsare misread. You might wonder

what the meaning of life is, and feellike giving up altogether. In times

likes these, dont despair. To despairis to have no hope. Since Christ has

saved you, and is the LORD of

everything, how can there be nohope?

Make this your life reminder Iam crucified with Christ: nevertheless Ilive; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:and the life which I now live in theflesh I live by the faith of the Son ofGod, who loved me, and gave Himselffor me(Galatians 2:20).God hassaid this for a very good reason.

Live it until you see Christ.

Oh, and God loves you very much.

Hey!ere y"n#r me,

Eena

10
http://www.apostolic-churches.net/bible/search/list/?search_book=Proverbs&search_chapter_verse=18&varchapter_verse=18:24http://www.apostolic-churches.net/bible/search/list/?search_book=Proverbs&search_chapter_verse=18&varchapter_verse=18:24http://www.apostolic-churches.net/bible/search/list/?search_book=Proverbs&search_chapter_verse=18&varchapter_verse=18:24


11/24

I supposed I knew my BibleReading piecemeal, hit and miss,

Now a bit of John or Matthew,Now a snatch of Genesis,

Certain chapters of IsaiahCertain Psalms (the twenty-third);

Twelfth of Romans, First of ProverbsYes, I thought I knew the Word;

But I found that thorough readingWas a different thing to do,

And the way was unfamiliarWhen I read the Bible through.

Oh, the massive, mighty volume!Oh, the treasures manifold!

Oh, the beauty of the wisdomAnd the grace it proved to hold!

As the story of the HebrewsSwept in majesty along,As it leaped in waves prophetic,

As it burst to sacred song,As it gleamed with Christly omens,

The Old Testament was new,Strong with cumulative power,

When I read the Bible through.Ah! Imperial Jeremiah,

With his keen, coruscant mind;And the blunt old Nehemiah,

And Ezekiel refined!

Newly came the song idyllic,And the tragedy of Job;

Deuteronomy, the regal,To a towering mountain grew,

With its comrade peaks around itWhen I read the Bible through.

What a radiant processionAs the pages rise and fall,James the sturdy, John the tender

Oh, the myriad-minded Paul!Vast apocalyptic glories

Wheel and thunder, flash and flame,While the church triumphant raises

One incomparable name.Ah, the story of the Saviour

Never glows supremely trueTill you read it whole and swiftly,

Till you read the Bible through.You who like to play at Bible,

Dip and dabble, here and there,Just before you kneel, aweary,

And yawn thro' a hurried prayer;You who treat the Crown of Writings

As you treat no other bookJust a paragraph disjointed,

Just a crude, impatient lookTry a worthier procedure,

Try a broad and steady view;You will kneel in very raptureWhen you read the Bible through.


12/24

Greetings from India! Its been a few months since Ive disappeared from YF, and Im sure you must be wonderinghow I have been doing over here. I must say I am enjoying myself thoroughly the food here is fantastic, the

people are the most hospitable folk Ive met, the travelling opportunities are immense, and the culture andatmosphere of this place is simply amazing. It has had such an influence on me that my parents are complaining

that I subconsciously shake my head in the Indian-style now when Im speaking. Haha, I guess I have becomeIndianized in that sense.

But thank God for his preservation thus far. I have survived the horrible traffic, the street food, the poverty andfilthiness of the place, and other practices known only to a 3rd world country. My fellow German exchange

students have had diarrhea a couple of times already since they have arrived. Ive only had the fortune of having itjust once, and it was a mild one too, so Im incredibly grateful.

School isnt particularly intensive, considering how Im on exchange. It is actually rather relaxing. I have the timeto go on holidays to various parts of India (as of October Ive been to Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Calcutta and

Tamil Nadu) and have seen and experienced the sights and smells of an extremely diverse country. Its what Iexpected and more! One of my friends here, Vrinda, says that Ive assimilated so well that Im like a desi, which is

a term used for Indians who reside overseas and come back to India to visit once in a while. If you want to knowmore stories, youll have to speak to me in person!

The only thing that has been very trying is to find a sound church. My school and hostel is located in a villageabout an hour away from the Bangalore city. Furthermore, if you dont already know, India is predominantly

Hindu. Christian communities exist, but they are in small pockets. I was church hopping when I arrived in thebeginning, and have finally settled on an Assembly of God church, which is slightly bigger than Calvary Pandan. The

messages are solid and based on the KJV, so thats something I appreciate. But the worship is rather charismaticand there is tongues-speaking, so thats something unfamiliar which I have to deal with. Nonetheless its always

awe-inspiring to hear the pastor keep repeating the mantra of shining for Christ in a God-forsaken land. InSingapore we dont really feel the need to. But in a country like India, its heartening to see pockets of Christians

being fervent and living as a good witness for Him.

Well, I think thats about all I have to update. Ill be back really soon anyway in just a few months. So Ill see you

when I get back!

MY BLOO

Dear YFers,

God Bless,Danny

During Examinations:

I dont understand what this

question is all aboutProv 3:5,6

Trust in the LORD with all thineheart: and lean not unto thineown understanding. In all thyways acknowledge him, and heshall direct thy paths.

I am too nervous to

think properlyJohn 14:27Peace I leave with you, mypeace I give unto you: not asthe world giveth, give I untoyou. Let not your heart betroubled, neither let it be afraid.

Coping with ExaminationsPrecious Promises and Answers II

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13/24

Reflections on organizing the 30th Anniversary ThanksgivingAnd Asa cried unto the LORD hisGod, and said, LORD, it is nothing withthee to help, whether with many, orwith them that have no power: helpus, O LORD our God; for we rest on

thee, and in thy name we go againstthis multitude. O LORD, thou art ourGod; let not man prevail againstthee.(2 Chronicles 14:11)

To be honest, when I received the

invitation to write on theanniversary thanksgiving for Uth, my

initial reaction was to decline, forthroughout the entire planning, I

wished for all the glory to go toGod, and I feared that writing this

article would glorify me instead. As Iprayed more about it, the Lord laid

it upon my heart to use thisopportunity to share with you how

to glorify God in all aspects of yourlife, even in such major events. For

when I was younger, I sometimessinned in desiring recognition for

what I had done.

Back in mid 2008, after the Church

session decided that we should havea 30th Anniversary Thanksgiving andI was then asked to take charge of

it, my recurring thought was tomake sure that no glory must go to

me. Do understand that it is veryeasy for a person to exalt himself in

this position of being able to directboth the banquet staff at the

external venue as well as our ownmembers who are involved in

helping out. Yes, someone must

lead, for there must beresponsibility and accountability. But

as God had given Calvary Pandanthese 30 years, He must be given

the glory for our thanksgiving ofthese 30 years.

A plan was drawn up to ensure the

organizing was broken down intovarious tasks that would be handled

by capable members who would inturn form their own groups; in this

way, no one person would beglorified, only Christ. The Church

session had already agreed oncritical details such as the venue and

the order of events, so whatremained was to flesh out the rest

of the details, brief the organizingmembers, and most importantly,

pray. For just as king Asa in the textabove faced a million Ethiopians

with a considerable army of his ownnumbering 580,000 and having

fortified his cities, he still chose tocommit it all to the Lord in prayer,

and God gave the victory. Similarly,

though this dinner plan wascomprehensive and we had thepower of many involved, we

committed it all to the Lord duringchurch prayer meetings that He

would be glorified.

Thus, even when the economicrecession hit and the signup rate

was slow during the

initial weeks of registration, I did

not panic because it was clearly theLords will that we gave thanks for

30 years in Pandan; He would givethe increase. Praise God that just a

couple of days before the event, thetotal number of tables committed

to was finally fulfilled. As the eventdrew near, the main challenge was

dealing with change. I purposed inmy heart that I would try not to

complain about all these changesnor feel it was MY plan, for this

was definitely not glorifying Godand instead glorifying myself. Truly

His grace proved to be sufficient:for example, help came from so

many members, especially for lastminute demands. All praise to God

that at the end, everyone whoattended the anniversary

thanksgiving could give God theglory, and there were no major

hiccups. God allowed minormistakes of my own doing, to keep

me humble, and to make Hisstrength perfect in my weakness.

Sola Gloria!

Deacon Milton Ang,or affectionately BM to many.

After Examinations:

What will my results bePsalm 37:4,5

Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee thedesires of thine heart. Committhey way unto the LORD trust inhim; and he shall bring it to pass.

Doesnt God care if I fail1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him;

for he careth for you.Rom 8:28

And we know that all thingswork together for good to themthat love God, to them who arecalled according to his purpose.

DOYOURBESTANDLEAVETHERESTTOGOD!

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Thank God for the September

Retreat, it was certainly encouragingto see so many take time off their

busy schedules to come andlearnmore of God's Word together! (:

The theme for the retreat,

"Treasures", was taken fromMatthew 6:19-24. The messages

delivered by Bro Paul Fergusonreminded us to check our heart's

condition and to reflectif we havebeen pursuing after the things of the

world. Personally I felt that themessages were very pertinent since

most of us have just started a new

schoolterm in university and as theworkload starts to get heavier, it is

very easy to get caught up with the

cares of the world and neglect ourwalk with the Lord.This definitelyshould not be the case, sincestudying is merely our earthly

vocation, and what is moreimportant is laying up for ourselves

treasures that willlast for eternity!It is only by having an intimate

relationship with God will we be

able to find true happiness andpeace. And as He has promised, allotherthings will then be addedunto us (Matthew 6:33)! (:

We had a blessed time of

Fellowship Walk around theneighbourhood, where the YFers

shared with each other theirburdens andblessings which theywould like to thank the Lord for. Itwas an excellent opportunity to

interact with people whom we didnot know too well prior to

thisactivity, and I hope that all of ushave gotten to know them a tad

better now!

The object lesson on Saturdayafternoon was also enjoyable, where

the theme of the retreat was

reiterated in the form of games. Thecampers were once again remindedtoalways set our affections onthings that will bring glory to God'sname, be it inserving others,spending time reading the bible orliving our lives in accordance to His

Will.

It has indeed been a blessing to beable to serve alongside Joyce, Brian

and Lingting in planning

andorganizingthis retreat! Andmany thanks to those whohavehelped out in one way oranother; your service is greatlyappreciated! :D

A Report on the September Retreat by Dorothy Chiang

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What do you think YF willbe like?I think that YF will be an

older version of Teenz, with

all the fellowship, camps,

retreats but also more

fervent as we grow up inserving the Lord. Just that

people arent talking of

secondary schools and O

levels now, but JCs,

polytechnics and A levels.

I probably wont know most

of the YFers but Im

guessing theyll be quite

friendly.

What are your thoughtsabout moving up to YFafter Teenz?I have gone to YF before, so

I guess its the same

thoughts you get when

moving up from JW toTeenz Im getting older.

Physically, mentally,

spiritually and all.

Self-IntroIm Grace, a sec 3 from

Teenz, from St. Margarets

secondary school. I like red

and I dont like cakes.

I think YF would be like a moreadvanced stage of Teenz, but

catering to a wider spectrum ofages. It is, in my opinion, sort of a

Christ-centred platform for like-minded brethren to fellowship

together, to encourage and edifyone another, and most

imperatively to study Gods wordtogether. It is essentially a

blessed time for spiritual feeding.I think the people in YF would be

like friendly big brothers andsisters whom I can look up to,

and who are more than willing toprovide wise, godly advice and

sincere guidance. I am somewhateagerly anticipating the imminent

move from Teenz to YF, not onlybecause I get to expand my

network of Christian friends, but

more importantly because of thein-depth coverage of certaintopics related to the Bible and

everyday life. :)

TEENS THAT TALK

I think that YF is like teenz in

many ways, for example theretreats, but probably more

mature, as YF people are usuallyex-teens :) Another difference:

its now no longer talking aboutwhich JCs or poly(s) to go to,

more likely talking aboutuniversities, masters, PhDs, jobs,

etc. The people in YF willprobably be familiar to us as they

might have attended teenz orretreats or camps together

before. Therefore, a lot of familiarfaces! Although, there is probably

a very big difference between YFand teenz. The messages of YF

probably require a lot morestudying of the Bible, as well as

the significant absence of BM :)

All in all, to me, going from Teenzto YF is like going up to the nextlevel :D!

What we think YF would be.

We think that it is a fun and lovingplace to be in for fellowships. We

hope that we would be able tounderstand the messages and mix

around with the YFs. Mostimportantly, to walk closer to God

through YF.See you soon.

Thank you!Thank God for YF!

ANONYMOUS 1 ANONYMOUS 2 ANON. 3, 4 & 5

We asked some teens 2 questions about YF,

and here are theyre responses! (Do we

really talk about Masters and PHds?! im

not in the loop!- Grace AY)

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EXPOS! STUDY DESKSWe asked some of you to show us what your

study table looks like, and here are the pictures!

Try and guess who these tables belong to!

PERSONAL POINTS: THE SIBLINGS EDITION

Name: Choong Kai Shuin

Age: 18 ++Working at: Home Team Academy, 501 Old Choa Chu Kang Road!!!I study Gods word in the morning. Then on the way to work, I studythe sleepy-faces and those that K.O-ed on the bus; and soon Ill join

them as well. When I reach office, I study my bosss mood patterns(which hardly changes). I also study the office politics taking place in

the offices next to mine, since I dont get any in mine (only my bossand I in my office).

Hobbies:

-Sports! But no water sports please, I dont like water!-Socializing

-Playing musical instruments

My 3 wishes:

-Finish NS as soon as possible!

-Continue to grow spiritually and serve the Lord - till my very lastbreath!

-Grow by another 5 cm... Im still that bit away from my ideal height!

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except theLord keep the city, the watchmen waketh but in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

Name: Choong Yi Jie

Age:16+

School: Anglo-Chinese Junior College

Subjects: GP, Chinese, PW (waaaa,use up all my time) Biology, Chemistry,

Mathematics, History.

Hobbies: Harp & Singing

Hopes and Dreams:

1) Lead a life that pleases God!2) For my brother to do well! (Had tohave this in the list since he is the one

typing for me)

1.

2.

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EXPOS! STUDY DESKS 2

3.

5.

6.

7.

4.

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12.

13.

19

11.

10.

9.

8.

8.


20/24

16.

15.

17.

18.

19.


20

Answers!1.Yeda2.Brian3.William4.Gabriel5.MatthewYeo6.GraceandJoyce7.Clement8.JonTay9.Wella10.Ivan11.Phoebe12.Sophia13.Anonymous14.JoshLoh15.Kenny16.Jonan17.JonPoon18.Joanne19.JasonLiew

14.


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Indeed, it is good to cultivate

a habit of setting aside time to

begin the day by praying and

meditating on Gods Word.

May we pray for more time

and a greater desire to come

before God for a sweet hour of

prayer!

YF SPEAK: ONCE UPON A LACK OF TIME

Thereareonehundredandsixtyeighthours(168)inaweek.Thatsalotoftime!Sohowmuchofthattimedowespendonsomeoftheseactivities?HeresaquicklookattheaveragesthatweveobtainedafterpollingtheYF!

3

23

6 9

10

10

Time spent on personal study ofGods Word/QT3 hours weekly OR ~25 mins daily Church Activities

(YF, FCM, Contact Groups, etc.)10 hours weekly OR ~1 hour 30 minutes dailyIt is a great blessing for us to be able to come

before God to worship Him on Sundays and to

learn more of His Word and fellowship with

likeminded brethren. But let us also seize the

opportunities presented to us during the rest of

the week; there are many blessings to be had.

It is often easy for us

to neglect our family

because of all the time

we spend on work and

play, but let us

remember that we

ought to honour our

parents. We can also

edify our siblings and

encourage ourparents by simply

taking some time to

talk to them and

share their burdens.

Time spent withFamily (Dinner,Outings, Etc.)10 hours weekly OR~1 hour 30 minutes daily

As with studies, we must

take care that we do not

spend so much time and

energy on our hobbies and

CCAs that it negatively

affects our service to the

Lord. While these activities

may not be innately sinful,we should take care that

we do not accidentally turn

them into idols.

Hobbies/CCAS9 hours weekly OR~1 hour 15 minutes daily

With a medium as

pervasive as the Internet,it is difficult to determine

exactly how much time we

spend on things like

Facebook. Who hasnt had

the experience of popping

onto Facebook for just a

little while in between

doing work, only to find

that hours have flown by

without us making any

progress? Let us keep aclose eye on how we spend

our time here!

Social Networking(Facebook, Friendster, etc.)6 hours weekly OR~50 minutes daily

There is a fine line

to be drawn

between sloth and

possiblyoverzealous

studying, and we

must take heed

that we do not

swing to either

extreme. May we

constantly

remember to

commit our

studies to God,

that we may be

good testimonies

to our friends in

school.

Secular Studies(Excluding Curriculum Time)23 hours weekly OR~3 hours 15 mins daily

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NOVEMBER

7th Cottage Meeting at Dr

Tows place14th, 21st, 28th

Godly Leadership by Bro

Lingkang

DECEMBER

5th YF Games Day

12th Cottage Meeting

Myself Inside, Jesus

Aside? Dn Chia14th -19th Combined YF

Camp

26th Remembrance Night

Nov Bdays: 16 William 17Joy 25 Damien 30 Yeda

Dec Bdays:07 Dorothy, Evangeline,

Matt Chiang

08 JasonQuah 10 Kai Shuin, Yi Jie

14 Jeremy Zhang 19

Wanping 21 Popeye 31

Abigail

JULY12th Danny Quah flies to India for

a year at the National Law School

of India.

15th Kenny Cheong arrives from

Melbourne to commence his

studies at FEBC.

18th Serena Ng returns from

Warwick for good after

graduating with a Bachelors

Degree in Economics.

24th dotK Sister Debbie gives a

biblical response to Feminism.

AUGUST9th FCM celebrates its 23rd

anniversary at CPBPC. Dr. S H

Tow speaks on Psalm 23 The

Lord is My Shepherd.

11th Several YFers begin their

university life Brian Lim,

Dorothy Chiang, Grace and Joyce

Auyong at NTU; Joanne Khor,Ong Su Ling, Chew Wanping and

William Quah at NUS.

12th Preacher Ko Lingkang flies

to Perth to minister to the

brethren at BPCWA, and is well-

received. Celeste Chin returns to

America to continue her studies

at Bob Jones Academy.

15th YFers go tracting in the

Jurong East and Clementi areas.

29th CPYF holds its gospel rally.

Rev Quek speaks on the topic

The Pursuit of Emptiness.

SEPTEMBER4th & 5th YF September

Retreat on the theme of

Treasure. Many are blessed

by Dr Paul Fergusons

messages on Two Treasures,

Two Hearts and Two

Masters.

12th KING and 2ndhome have

a combined group cycling

outing at East Coast Park.

Brian Lim and Marcus Lim

learn to cycle in record time

thanks to some mutual

friendly competition.

18th FCM Combined Meeting,

organized by the NUS FCMers,

is held at CPBPC. Preacher

Dennis Kabingue speaks on

Discovering Your Spiritual

Gifts.

21st YF Leaders Retreat at

Elvins house leaders plan

for Year 2010.

22nd Lisa Ang returns from

Sydney to visit her niece

Olivia, who was supposed to

be due on the 19th but refused

to be born.

26th Danny Quah pops back

from India for a long weekend.

28th Sophia Huang returns to

the UK for her final yearstudies at Imperial College.

Jonathan Tay delivers his

first baby, a 3.5kg boy.

ShortandBroad

Calendar of Events

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A Publication of

Calvary Pandan Youth Fellowship

Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church

201 Pandan Gardens

Singapore 609337

Email: [email protected], Educate, Engage
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Uth Chronicle 2009-IV

Documents

Transcript of Uth Chronicle 2009-IV