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MARANATHA MESSENGER Weekly Newsletter of Private Circulation Only MARANATHA BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 28 November 2010 “Present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28)

Address: 63 Cranwell Road, Singapore 509851 Tel: (65) 6545 8627 Fax: (65) 6546 7422 E-mail: maranatha.bpc@pacific.net.sg Website: www.maranatha-bpc.com

Sunday School: 9.45 am Worship Service: 10.45 am Wednesday Prayer Meeting: 8.00 pm Pastor: Rev (Dr) Jack Sin (HP: 9116 0948)

Down Memory’s Lane -

Kelapa Sawit BP Church, Malaysia

Last Saturday was an eventful day as Mrs. Irene Tan kindly drove Angie, Robin (from Christ Grace Church) and me to Kelapa Sawit BP Church Malaysia (Ngik, Teng and Caroline from JB joined us as well). It has been a long time (at least 10 years ago) since I preached in Kelapa Sawit

BP Church as it is a predominantly Chinese congregation. But God used Enid Ling to jostle me into this and I fearfully agreed to minister at the seminar, Doctrine of Angels. Thank God for sending Rev. David Wong to save me as he ably interpreted the message into Mandarin with many difficult theological words to about 60 who came. There was a good interaction after the message as there was Q & A session and many good questions were asked. The message was recorded in MP3 and there are notes as well for those who are interested in this topic (call church office). Kelapa Sawit BP Church, Malaysia was started in1953 when the late Andrew Gih and Miss. Leaona Wu evangelised the area and then the late Rev. Dr. Timothy Tow went regularly to support the work followed by the late Rev. John Ling and sister Sang Chew who served there for many years. Today, the church has 120 attending the service and Nepalese service as well with one elder and 4 deacons and the 3 capable daughters of Rev. Ling serving along side, Enid, Lily and Carol.

Jack Sin

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Reflections from the Pilgrim Band Thank God for a Blessed Pilgrimage

Did you know that after Israel, Turkey has more biblical sites than any other country in the world? Many Christians are unaware of Turkey’s unique role in the Bible, because biblical references usually refer to the various parts of this strategic peninsula, bounded by the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas, as Asia Minor, Phrygia, Galatia, Cilicia, Cappadocia, etc.

The land of Turkey is important in understanding the background of the New Testament because a number of New Testament books were written either to or from churches in Turkey. Also, the Apostles Paul and John ministered extensively in Asia Minor, which is now Turkey. Turkey’s rich spiritual heritage starts in the book of Genesis, because Noah’s ark rested “upon the mountains of

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Ararat” (Gen 8:4), which is in northeastern Turkey.

All praise and thanks be to God for being with the 34 pilgrims during their two-week pilgrimage following in the footsteps of the Apostles Paul and John. Thank God for safety in travels, for good health along the way, and for wonderful fellowship among the believers. We have given brief reports from Greece and Turkey; here’s our concluding report. Lord willing, some testimonies from pilgrims will be published in the near future.

Concluding Report about the Turkey Pilgrimage

The visits to the locations of the seven churches in Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3 were most interesting. While the churches themselves are no longer in existence, the ruins of temples, schools, libraries, market places, etc., gave us a good understanding of life in the first century AD.

The geographical settings also helped us to understand the Word of God better. For instance, the water from the hot springs in Hierapolis flowed down the mountains and mixed with the cold water from the springs in Colossae. This resulted in the water becoming lukewarm (see Rev 3:15-16). The messages of the Lord Jesus Christ to the seven churches in Asia Minor are for us today.

Traveling from Thyatira to Istanbul we stopped by Nicaea. While this town is not mentioned in the Bible, it is very important in Church History. The first and seventh ecumenical councils were held there, in 325 AD and 787 AD respectively.

The first Council of Nicaea was called to discuss and settle the matter of the eternality of the Lord Jesus Christ. A presbyter (elder) by the name of Arius claimed, “There was a time when he was not”, saying that the Lord Jesus Christ is not eternal, but had a beginning. Deacon Athanasius led the charge that this was heresy and that He is eternal. The council affirmed and defined what it believed to be the teachings of the Apostles regarding who Christ is: that Christ is the one true God of the same substance as the Father, i.e. He is eternal (John 1:1). The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58) and “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). That is what we believe.

Our visit to Istanbul (formerly Constantinople and Byzantium) was memorable. We went to the “Old City” where we saw the “Blue Mosque” and visited the Basilica of Hagia Sophia (Church of Divine Wisdom), now called the Ayasofya Museum. This church was originally built by Constantine the Great, but was destroyed by fire. Construction of the present building was completed in 537 AD. While earthquakes damaged this building, it was restored and is still in good condition.

Three things should be mentioned about this church. First, it was the venue of the “Great Schism” in 1054. This ultimately led to the establishment of the eastern (Orthodox) churches and the western (Roman Catholic) churches. Second, after the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into the Ayasofya Mosque. Third, in 1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, transformed the building into a museum. It was an interesting place to visit and a number of original wall paintings of biblical scenes showed that the building had originally been a church. We concluded our visit to Istanbul by attending the worship service of the Union Church of Istanbul, which met in the Historic Dutch Chapel. Rev Jack Sin and a few others also attended a Chinese worship service in the early afternoon. After worshiping the Lord, we returned to our hotel, and finished our packing for our return journey to Singapore and Perth. To Him be all praise and glory!

Rev. Edward Pauuwe Covenant BP Church, Perth +++++++++++++ We are pleased to present our brief testimony on the Pilgrim Journey. The 15 day Pilgrim Journey was fairly exciting. The Routes and Sites chosen were interesting, educational and have ecclesiastical emphasis.

The Helenistic Period (323 BC to 63 BC); the Roman Empire Period (1st Century BC onwards) had left

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behind the most historical sites and ruins both in Greece and Turkey. The Ottoman Empire (1453 -1920) had also provided a few historical Sites mainly in Church and Mosque Complexes in Istanbul.

We would only touch upon a few of the prominent / significant sites based on our personal perception. The PARTHENON and the Acropolis in Athens are most outstanding in respect of their splendid sizes and substantial preservation. They also display marvels in architetural and engineering designs and construction.

The 10% exposed Ruins in Corinth had to be highlighted. Although it was a large Ruin, where 1,000 priestesses operated as prostitutes to the large clientele of

sailors frequenting its Ports, only a small portion of its ruins had been exposed. They once worshipped Diaana, the Greek Goddess of fertility. Although a small portion of the Ruins had been exposed, the Bema or the Seat of Judgment of Christ was well preserved and prominent. We deem this end result as the providencial exposition of God : submerging much of the evil practices of the Corinthians; yet exposing sufficient evidences of their degrading practices!

The small stream in Miletos, where Lydia was baptised by Paul, brought the Bible alive. The Baptismal Church that has been built in commemoration was most befitting. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul was impressive and still being sustained as a place of Muslim worship.

The Basilica of Hagia Sophia (Church of Divine Wisdom) in Istanbul had been turned into a Museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1935, displayed many exhibits of diamond, precious stones of Rubies and Jake, ceremonial thrones and ornamental swords and septres. The monasteries and nunnery on top of the Meteora Rock Formation were breath taking. The Rock Formation is 1,000 metres above sea level and occupies 30 sq km. in extent. It is situated at about 100 km North West of Athens.

The ruins of the seven churches enunciated in Revelation 2 and 3 brought the Bible alive. They are all situated in the western end of Turkey. The general sceneries along the highways we traversed were similar in Greece and Western Turkey. There were rocky mountains on one side and fertile plains on the seaward side. Only about 50% of the land is fit for agriculture. Olives cotton, figs, vineyards and even rice were cultivated in abundance. Both Greece and Turkey are not advanced in their industries. However, Turkey could claim a major industry in the production of Mercedes Benz Buses and Trucks, which are exported to the Middle East and Europe.

Turkey has a population of 73 million. Istanbul alone could boast a population of 15 Million: one of the world's top ten Cities by population. The travelling schedules were a bit tight like an intensive course. The stormy weather around the Island of Patmos, off Turkey, had prevented us to witness the Island, where St. John had his visions of the seven Churches and Heaven.

Though it is not relevant to the Tour in general, I and Mary were almost disallowed boarding the Emerate Flight at Istanbul. It could be due to ignorant or over zealous counter staff of the Emerate Air-Line that we were disallowed to board due to the fact that we could not produce for inspection our connecting air tickets for the connecting flight out of Singapore! Thank God, their local Manager accepted our right to board after much explanation and prayer.

We would like to record our thanks to Pastor Jack Sin and Angelina Sin for the organization of the Tour and leading the tours. We would also like to record our thanks to Pastor Jack Sin, Pastor Peter Chua and Pastor Edward Paauwe for leading the many devotions along the travel routes.

Siow King Loh Covenant BP Church Perth +++++++++++ My wife Angela and I thank God for the opportunity to be in this Pilgrim Journey. Our thanks are also due to Rev. Jack Sin and his very efficient and dedicated wife Angelina who organised and co-ordinated all matters to make this event possible for all the 34 of us. Of course we are also grateful to Rev. Jack Sin, Rev. Edward Paauwe, and Rev. Peter Chua for their teaching from the Holy Bible.

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Ancient Sites and Churches

Rev. Jack Sin's briefing on the domination of ancient world by the Egyptians from 2500 BC to 1500 BC followed by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and the Romans until the period of Apostle Paul's missionaries was very useful. The historical background helped us to understand references of events recorded in the Bible.

Letters To The Seven Churches

Our Risen Lord told that he knew everything that was going on in each of the 7 Churches. He knew their works, labour, patience and tribulation. He knew the

status of their love to Him. Some had fallen short and some had gone neither hot nor cold. Some Churches had even condoned or permitted teachings and practices contrary to His commandments.

However, in our Lord's messages to them, He showed His attributes as a loving, caring, compassionate, holy and a righteous God. He was also merciful and graceful. To those who had sinned, He asked them to repent (a word that had been repeated 7 times in the messages).

However for those who had overcome (a word that had also been repeated 7 times in the messages), our Risen Lord made eternal promises to the believers. The promises included eating of the tree of life in the midst of paradise of God , not having their names blotted out from the book of life and also sitting with Jesus in His throne as Jesus was with the Father's throne.

In the message to believers in the Church in Sardis, our Risen Lord gave this reminder from Revelation 3: 3, ‘Remember therefore how thou hast received, heard, and hold fast and repent.’ My wife and I take this as a timely reminder and let us also be guided accordingly.

Yen Fye and Angela Yap Covenant BP Church, Perth +++++++++++

I want to thank the Lord for enabling me to join this Greece / Turkey trip, personally visiting the land where the Apostle Paul had trodden on his missionary journeys. I recalled how he toiled and laboured when he preached in Achaia and Macedonia. When we visited the historical site of the seven Churches in Asia Minor, it reminds me of what the Apostle John said: ‘He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches’. God will be judging the world one day; we really ought to listen to His Word!

Here, I would like to express my gratitude to the brethren for their love and care towards me during these two weeks of journey. On our way, I coughed badly. Some of you offered me medicines, some gave me vitamins supplements, others offered me their thermos flask to store warm water for drinking, many send me your well wishes, love and concerns. The sister who had shared room with me had to put up with my persisting cough without any complaint. I was at a lost not knowing how to express my gratitude and apologies to her. All I could say was thank you dear sister, once again!

May the Lord reward you Himself, and I will not mention your names, may your names and your good deeds be remembered in Heaven, and may the Lord recompense you richly. Perhaps God wants me to learn profound spiritual lessons through this minor ailment, teaching me that I ought to care for others too, in which I have not done my utmost best, henceforth I will take note of this aspect in particular.

Before I came for this trip, my loved ones at home are worried that I could not adapt to the local weather and environment, as I have always been very sensitive to dust and pollen, they are also worried that I am too frail to carry my luggage. Perhaps they have forgotten one thing: Who are my travelling companions. I have a big group of the Children of God travelling with me! The Lord said to Joshua more than once: Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest (Joshua 1:9). Based on the promises of God, I am not the

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least worried or afraid.

May all Glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ forever, may God’s cup of blessings runneth over in your life. May your life in Christ be like streams of living water that is within you springing up into everlasting life. Amen.

Irene Lim Covenant BP Church

Perth

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We want to thank and praise God for bringing all the pilgrims safely back to our respective countries. It is all by the grace and mercy of God that the trip to Greece and Turkey went according to plan. John Ch 15:5, ‘For without me ye can do nothing.’ All glory and praise to God.

The wonderful fellowship amongst the pilgrims is a testimony in itself. The spiritual feeding that we received from Rev. Edward Paauwe, Rev. Peter Chua and Rev. Dr. Jack Sin throughout the journey is something very special, in the context of the countries that Apostles Paul and John visited. Not only the spiritual food was

excellent, but the meals and accommodation were also of high standard.

To visit the sites and the seven churches that were mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, were indeed humbling. If God can used apostles Paul and John in a mighty way, we can be sure that our great God can also use us, if we surrender to His will.

We also want to thank Pastor Jack and Angie Sin for their tireless and unselfish efforts in organizing this pilgrim journey. It is by no means a small task.

Jimmy and Florence Orchard Covenant BP Church, Perth

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A Springboard of Faith in Action

From Conception to Birth (Angelina’s favourite phrase) From Thought to Deed From Suggestion to Implementation From Dream to Reality

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From Cold Feet to Confidence From Sighs to Songs From Supplication to Smiles

From Prayer to Praise Thank you, dear Rev. Jack and Angelina for making this real journey back in time possible due to the insatiable and relentless desire to share with us what both of you had seen and learnt during your own first “missionary” trip to Greece and Turkey with some American Christian brethren in May 2009. I would not be surprised that once the pangs of labour pains are soon forgotten, another out of the blue opportunity could be beckoning Angie to roll up her sleeves and start to work for the third “missionary” journey. Is anyone interested? Rev. and Mrs. Peter Chua Sharon BP Church

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We praise and thank God for the opportunity to join in the pilgrim journey to Greece and Turkey. It was a good time of biblical and spiritual learning and understanding, and fellowship with brethren of like-minded faith. In our journey, we saw many great and beautiful-buildings, temples, statues - not only in architecture but also in intricate carvings and sculptures, as perceived through the existing reconstructed and fallen pieces. We marvelled at the engineering and artistic skills of those times-no doubt God-given. However, many of these structures, dedicated to the many gods, involving millions of man-hours, have been destroyed by earthquakes, burning and pillage of wars and the passage of time. This brings to mind the words in Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

‘Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away.....' This is a reminder to us - to use our time well for the Lord, so that our labours here will not be in vain; that the things of this earth will pass away. As we went through the places of Paul's missionary journey, we are reminded of his perseverance in the

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face of all the very tough challenges he faced in bringing forth the gospel. May he be an example for us truly to follow. Praise be to God! Frederick and Mei Ling Tan Sharon BP Church

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AN UNFORGETTABLE PILGRIM JOURNEY TO TURKEY

No two trips are alike and this trip is memorable in a very special way. The Republic of Turkey, in south-eastern Europe and western Asia, mostly covering the Anatolian plateau (Asia Minor) has much to offer in church history and tourism. From the onset of prayer and planning I had a strong desire to join the pilgrimage from 1 to 15 November 2010 led by Rev. Jack and Mrs. Angelina Sin. I realised I could not because I was already committed to go to Adelaide at that time. I continued to pray for the success of this Christian Pilgrimage Journey to Greece and Turkey – Tracing the Steps of Apostles Paul & John. My heart was excited for each and everyone who was able to make it to go.

God’s higher hand answered my silent prayer on 3 October 2010. The Lord opened the way for me beautifully and I sincerely thank Dr. Tan for his kind understanding and support to the matter. Thereafter, there was no turning back but to move forward with Mrs. Angelina Sin and myself communicating back and forth with the two travel agents who helped to make my joining the pilgrim band on the second part in Turkey possible. All praise and thanks to God, when all details were neatly tied up and the tickets delivered to me on 30 November 2010, the eve of my departure to Adelaide. Psalm 37:4-5 became a reality, ‘Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord: trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.’ In the early morning on 5 November 2010, I left the group in Adelaide earlier and flew to Singapore to catch my onward flight to Istanbul via Dubai. I learned to trust the Lord for every step of the way from the time I landed in Istanbul International Airport to meeting the group at way past ten o’clock on 6 November 2010. The forty-four hours and twenty minutes, inclusive of travelling time on the road, flight time, transit and near-miss ferry ride to reach the hotel in Cannakale was an experience long to be remembered. The journey was long and tedious but hiccups made the joy of the Lord my strength. I appreciated how carefully the bus driver drove for long hours with poor visibility on the road covered with heavy fog. The meaning of Psalm 119:105, ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path’ came alive for me. It was disheartening to all passengers when on reaching the Ferry Terminal the big bus was disallowed to get into the ferry to cross the Sea of Marmara. Helplessly at that moment, God opened an avenue and help came through a local who asked if I would like to join the others to transfer to a smaller vehicle to go to a smaller ferry or to stay the night alone on the bus. As a last passenger, all I could say was, “I’m unable to swim” but I was willing to follow. It was standing room on the ferry but I got across the sea safely. In the coldness of the night, I pulled my luggage along to take the transfer to the hotel. Truly

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God’s sufficient grace saw me through my physical need for food and toilet. What a joy to join the pilgrim band to continue on a meaningfully fruitful journey the following day onwards. I had the opportunity to reflect how real God’s Word and to review my personal Christian walk with the Lord thus far. Also to visit the familiar sites and view the ruins at Pergamos, Smyrna, Ephesus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea was to me like coming back to hear the hustle and bustle of the richness of life in the once upon a time thriving cities of old. It was also there that the feet of apostles Paul, John and heroes of old once walked, taught and tears shed for the many hungering lost souls. In every cold and silent stone left, there was a special story attached for our current learning. People come and gone, cities once stood tall, collapsed and remained in excavated ruins but God’s story stood the test of time and remains fresh to all generations. It was such a treat to listen to three pastors, Rev. Peter Chua, Rev. Jack and Rev. Paauwe’s preaching, from daily morning devotion before starting out to the clear onsite teaching that lifted the truth of the seven churches in the Book of Revelation and the hearing of historical, spiritual and secular background of each particular place visited. I truly appreciate the pilgrimage review and clear explanation on The First Universal Church Council of Nicea in AD 325 and various reasons for the seven councils held. All grateful thanks to God for His diligent and faithful servants’ many hours of loving preparations to make things so memorable for us. There is so much to appreciate about this trip, from good fellowship to accommodation, delicious food, pomegranate juice, shopping and many, many more. I would call this a trip of information upload, to bring us closer to the Word of God and to spur us on to walk the talk and be watchful for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. ‘He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.’ Revelation 22:20, 21

Irene Tan Sharon BP Church +++++++++++

The journey of Saint Paul marks a leap in making the gospel known to the known world at that age. With Paul writing more than 10 of the 27 books of the New Testament, his contribution is not only vital but critical. In this pilgrim journey to Greece and Turkey, the realization comes to me concerning Paul's challenges of various proportion in his missionary journey. 1. Witnessing to people who worship the ancient Greek gods. For man seek the pleasure of what other gods can give them. Paul has to bring to their attention that there is no other gods other than our Saviour Jesus Christ. 2. Telling the Jews about the new covenant as a result of the resurrection of Christ - For Paul, the first place of visit at every new place upon arrival is the

synagogues. For generations, even until today, the Jews are still waiting for the return of the Messiah. Having to convince them that Jesus who is humble and meek, is their long awaited Messiah, is like breaking a stone with an egg. . 3. Avoiding the persecution of the authorities who do not believe in the gospel. Truly, Paul had witness or heard of the martyr of the other apostles. And being a citizen of the Roman empire, to willing to risk what he could lose can come from the wisdom and fear of the Lord. 4. The disagreement within the church. Some said that the greatest danger always comes within. To set the spirit right among fellow believers so as not to cause division is a challenge even today. Having realized his challenges, what could have kept Paul going is the realization that all his possible

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losses cannot match the eternal rewards he will be receiving. The reminder for me this year is to matter the things in eternity. God, His Word and those who trust in Him are the only entities in eternity. Likewise, let us focus on our eternal rewards which will be everlasting. As the scrolls, trumpet and bowls unleashed in heaven, it only shows His coming as it gets nearer. We speak about His second coming, but let us in the meantime tell as many people as we can to those who have not heard about His first coming. As we watch over Israel when the scattered Jews across the globe, return to the promised land (physical restoration of God's kingdom), let us bring the gospel to the lost souls which are spiritually scattered (spiritual restoration of God's kingdom). For Paul’s journey may end, but we must continue sharing the Gospel around the world. Let us continue to restore God's kingdom by witnessing and evangelizing while we can, for in heaven we cannot do that anymore. Ken Goh Covenant Evangelical Church +++++++++++

This trip to Greece and Turkey in tracing the steps of the Apostle Paul and John have given me a better spiritual understanding of Paul’s missionary journeys and the revelation to the seven Churches. In Greece, we visited Athens where the site of the Acropolis and new Acropolis Museum showing all the Votives, actefacts of everyday life in the ancient times and the model of the Parthenon Hall. These were exactly, what Paul in Acts 17:16 experience - ‘the city wholly given to idolatry’. We travel to Ancient Corinth and visited the site of the Bema where the ‘Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and bought him to the judgment seat’. Acts 18:12b. We are also reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:10 ‘For we must all appear

before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad’. On our way to Thessasloniki, we came to this mountain ridge of huge rocks called Meteora and went up to one of the monasteries which sit on top it. In Thessasloniki, we were exhorted by Paul to preach Christ in Acts 17:3 ‘that Christ must needs have suffer, and risen again from the dead’. Paul received a vision to go to Macedonia and Philippi was the chief city. We visited the St Paul’s prison. Paul was imprisoned because he preached the Gospel of salvation and healing the woman possessed with a spirit. After this we visited Lydia’s Baptismal site – a simple church near a stream. Lydia was a rich woman ‘whose heart the Lord opened’ and it was noted to be the first European Christian woman. Acts 16:9-40. We have lunch and travel to Alexandroupolis, the last Greek town then cross the Greece / Turkey check point to Canakkale. In Turkey, we began our journey to the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 1:9-11. We are supposed to visit the island, Patmos, but our guide told us that the harbour was closed because of bad weather. The Apostle John was in exile to the island of Patmos. On the Lord’s Day, he was inspired by God to write down what God had spoken to him and sent it to the seven churches. The three elements of the message to the seven churched were as follows: a) God knows the works of each church b) God knows the character of each church

Ephesus - left the first love Smyrna - compromise Pergamos - stumbling block

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Thyatira - misleading Sardis - imperfection Philadelphia - faithfulness Laodicea - indifference

God gives each church a chance – ‘He that hath ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith’ Please read Revelation 1 – 3 and as you read May the Holy Spirit convince and convict you to humble yourselves so that God blessing be upon you. Revelation 1:3, ‘Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.’ We are all truly grateful to our almighty God for his guidance, leading and safety throughout the entire trip. I thank the three Pastors Rev. Dr. Jack Sin, Rev. Edward Paauwe and Rev. Peter Chua for their respective daily devotion and on site exhortation. Also a very special thank to Rev. Dr. Jack Sin and Mrs. Angelina Sin for initializing, planning and leading us. Calvin Chan Philadelphia BP Church +++++++++++

Psalm 78:7, That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.’ I wish to sincerely thank Rev. Jack Sin and his dear wife Angelina from Maranatha BP Church in Singapor e for organising the Christian Pilgrim Journey to Greece and Turkey “Tracing the steps of Apostles Paul and John” from 1 to 15 November 2010. There are 4 of us who travelled separately to join the Pilgrims from Singapore and Western Australia in Athens, followed by sister Irene Tan who joined us in Turkey. The Tour was very well organised as we are given ample notes to guide us through our journey. Personally I consider this as one of my best learning Holiday. We are truly blessed by the presence of 3 experienced pastors on our Pilgrim Journey

including Rev. Jack Sin, Rev. Edward Paauwe and Rev. Peter Chua and their spouses. Our Lord had been gracious and merciful to us as we have wonderful weather and we were fed very well spiritually and physically throughout the 15 days. Each morning we started off our journey with a word of prayer, singspiration, followed by the Word of God shared by one of our Pastors. Our experienced tour guides Voula (Greece) and Cem (Turkey) will give us an account of the History of the places that we are visiting and at our destinations, one of our Pastors would share the Word from the Books of Acts and Revelations. Being present amongst the ruins and the seven churches in the Book of Revelation, reflecting on the teachings of the Apostles brings the Bible to life. We were reminded to search the scriptures daily and use our time wisely and to share the gospel with our family and friends. In this pilgrim journey I was blessed with the presence of our Christian brothers and sisters from 10 different churches. We had experienced loving care and warm fellowship with each others. When someone was feeling unwell there was no shortage of medicinal aids offered and we have a couple of fellow brethren who relieved frustrations of practical inconveniences with their well equipped tools. Often we would share some laughter from the Pilgrim Group. Besides the rich spiritual lessons we received, we are learning about the culture and tasting the cuisines of Greece and Turkey. There were some minor accidents when a few of us fell and hurt ourselves but it did not dampen our spirits. Our God had been gracious to us throughout this Pilgrim Journey in granting us safety and solid learning

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and I pray that we will remember the challenges to the Pilgrim as expounded by Rev. Jack Sin on our last day of the Journey from Jude 20-25, ‘But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.’ Peng Ha Yeo Hope BP Church, Adelaide, Australia

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It is not by chance but by God’s gracious appointment that 34 of us came together to make this pilgrimage. It had given us a clearer insight into epistles’ of the book of St. Paul and St. John. It was not easy to bring together a group with an average age of 62. Once again ‘Thank you’ Pastor Jack and Angie for all that both of you had done in making this a successful and memorable one. We see the love and passion for Christ in both of you. Syabas! Jehovah Jireh, our God who supplies all our needs. We were supplied with :

1. Reading Materials beforehand which were of great benefit throughout the

journey

2. Pastor Jack Sin, Pastor Peter Chua and Pastor Edward Paauwe whose sermons nourished our souls

and minds. Indeed we were blessed. Since the average age of the group is 62, Pastor Peter Chua associated with this stage of life to 18:00. This struck us most “Have we lived our lives for Christ?” What astonished us was Pastor Edward’s sermon to “Ask God to give me a blessing today” as we have always thought differently to ask God to bless others. He supplied us with fine weather, good food and fellowship, journeying mercies

It saddens our hearts to find the lands where Christianity was first started have turned cold – the land were our saints risked and died for Christ have turned away from him. Let us in our daily devotion cry out to Christ to revive and convict the people to know the truth. Dear Fellow Pilgrims, let us remember one another in prayer as we plod onwards keeping out faith and trusting Him – acknowledging He is our Rock, our Refuge. Maryanne and Adeline Chin Evangel BP Church Petaling Jaya, Malaysia +++++++++++

First and Memorable Pilgrim Journey Following Paul and John’s footsteps - Greece: Athens, Corinth, Berea, Thessaloniki, Neapolis, Philippi and Alexandroupolis; Turkey: towns of seven churches, Nicea and Istanbul.

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Seeing much - St atues, museums, agoras, churches, etc. Notables Include Acropolis Museum, Temple of the Olympian Zeus, St Paul’s Prison, House of Mary, Lydia’s Baptismal, sites of seven churches, Basilica of Haggia Sophia

Feasting on God’s messages - Blessed by three pastors each sharing daily. The messages were mostly about Paul’s missionary journeys and the seven churches, at the sites where we stood, making the messages come alive, and accelerating learning. A Dutch Reform Pastor talked about Paul’s emotional meeting at Miletus. Felt Paul’s pains. Experiencing God’s grace and fellowship - Prayers of thanksgiving and

fellowship united us in Christ. Minor sickness, travel inconvenience, and putting us together help us learn to bear with and build up each other.

Taking another step of faith - Journey enhanced my understanding of faith (a gift from God). It begins with hearing God’s Word and accepting Christ yet it needs continuing daily obedience.

This journey reminds me that my faith needs to show in my daily walk, as I strive to develop intimacy with God. So that at the “BEMA” I can hear Christ says “well done”.

Ting Ong Keok and Ling Ah Ngik Holy Light Presbyterian Church JB, Malaysia

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God’s Sovereign Salvation of a Soul I was overjoyed on 23 November 2010 when I received an SMS from Elder Daniel Tau that her mother confessed and accepted Christ as her Saviour and Lord and was baptised by the work of the Holy Spirit as witnessed by Rev. and Mrs. Heng and his cousin in Teochew. When Elder Daniel Tau smsed last week that her mother was going to A & E and ask for prayer, Angie and I prayed not just for physical healing but for the saving of her soul by the grace of God as He wills . Elder Daniel Tau has been sharing at the prayer meeting and the church has been praying for her and God answers prayer in His sovereign good time. It reminded me of the salvation of my father 5 years ago and his baptism at Kim Tian Church after the family prayed for him and my mother for many years.

We will need some follow up as well for her by a Teochew speaking person to minister to Elder Daniel Tau’s mother to help her grow in her faith and we will visit her as the Lord leads. We just shared at the Kelapa Sawit BP Church seminar on 20 November 2010 that angels rejoice over one sinner that repents and now there is a great rejoicing in heaven (Lk 15:10) salvation is of the Lord. This is one of the best news that one can ever receive! To God be the glory! Amen.

Here is Elder Daniel Tau’s testimony and thanksgiving :

Thank you for all the prayers! Our Heavenly Father has answered our prayers for my mother’s (Chain Choy Keoi) salvation.

For those who are still praying for their loved ones to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, do continue to pray without ceasing and losing hope. Pastor Philip Heng asked me if I prayed much and I told him yes – day and night. I must admit there were times I almost want to give up because of the hardness of her heart. Yet the love of God constrained me to carry on praying.

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What happened yesterday afternoon was indeed the working of the Holy Spirit convicting her of her sin and convincing her that her decision was a right one. While Mrs. Heng and her niece-in-law, Brother Kheng Hee prayed quietly, our God used His faithful servant Pastor Philip Heng and his niece, Chor Siang, to share with my mother the Gospel message – starting from the creation of God in Genesis 1, the creation of Adam and Eve, the Original Sin, and how sinful man in his own effort cannot come to our God who is Holy, only through faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, she was convicted of her sin and confessed to God and prayed the sinner’s prayer. When asked if she wish to be baptized as it is the commandment of God to do so for those who believed in Jesus Christ, she was agreeable and asked how to go about it. Pastor Philip Heng explained to her and she was baptized in the living room. My daughter Grace took the video of her grandma’s water baptism. Mrs. Heng took some photographs of the baptism.

Our family was rejoicing and is still rejoicing. Andrew smsed me and said “Thank God!” when he learned of his grandma’s salvation. He and I were with the grandma when she was in the A & E on early Friday morning about 1am and during the wait outside the A & E treatment room we were sharing that it is important that his grandma be saved, otherwise, she will go into eternity without Christ and face the judgment of God. Praise and thank the Lord Jesus Christ, He had mercy on my 85 years old mother and saved her on last Sunday.

All glory to our merciful God!

Elder Daniel Tau

Jack Sin

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Dn. George Tan, Helen, Angie and I visited Elder Daniel Tau’s mother last Thursday night and shared the Word from John 14:1-6 to reassure her of her faith and God‘s eternal plan for us in heaven. We also prayed for her and gave her a Chinese scroll with Words from Psalm 121 which she read clearly in Teochew.

Psalm 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

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Theme for the Quarter:

“Precious Promises in Perilous Times” (Studies in 1 Peter) Rev. Dr Jack Sin

‘The Accountable Christian in End Times’ (1 Peter 4:1-9)

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