I grew up in a Christian family, but it was only sometime 2 years ago that I truly accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour.

In the past, God was never in my thoughts. I lived my life as it were, ignorant of the saving goodness of God, disregarding His precious Word of life and steeped in my many sins and trespasses. I only acknowledged God intellectually: I knew He was there, and I knew He was God, but I did not live my life in accordance with His will. In fact, seeking God’s will was never a desire! My heart was indeed a heart of stone, and my pride had blinded me to my vile nature before a just and holy God. My strengths had become my weakness, for I was unaware of the God who loved me and gave Himself for me, leading me on a broad path to destruction. I cared not for my soul, for I never kept eternity’s values in view.

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" –Titus 3:4-6

It was only when the Spirit enlightened me to the vanity of life without God that I began to seek for a Saviour. I was brought to low points in my life, when I was forced to reflect on the frailty of life and the purpose of my existence. I was crushed and made aware of my weaknesses, that I could not possibly live this life without God. The knowledge of my sinfulness was brought before my eyes, and I was ashamed that I had sinned and continued sinning against a thrice-holy God, who cannot stand iniquities (Habakkuk 1:13). I was finally brought to the truth and realization that I desperately needed God. Through these experiences, I was brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and surrendered my all to Him by accepting Him as Lord of my life and Saviour of my soul. What love divine! What joys unspeakable! Jesus sought me when I was as a stranger, wandering from the fold of God. I was as a sheep that had gone astray, and turned to my own way (Isaiah 53:6).

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." –Psalm 73:25

Being made aware of my unworthiness before God, I strive to live a life that is glorifying and honouring to Him. He has taught me obedience through His Word by reminding me constantly of my need for Him. I cling to Him daily for grace and plead for mercy at His throne, and God is ever-ready to hearken to my cries and grant His blessings, if in accordance to His perfect will. I am truly a debtor to His grace. Redeeming love has been my theme, and indeed through His grace, shall be till I die. May I never outlive my love to Christ!

—Russell Joel Indran

By God’s mercy, I accepted the Lord when I was in a Christian mission secondary school in 1975. An older schoolmate witnessed to me when I was lonely and feeling very sad over some family problems. In the school, I was exposed to weekly chapels and Christian assembly every morning. However, I was ignorant of what it means to be a Christian. My schoolmate explained the simple plan of salvation used by the Navigators, a Christian para-church organisation, and encouraged me to accept the Lord. He followed up with me with some bible study and I attended some of the Navigator’s Navteens meetings. I learnt to have daily personal devotions and bible study with my leaders and attended some of their meetings.

My parents opposed my faith then because they believed in Chinese Taoism and ancestral worship. They expected their children to follow suit and to concentrate on their studies. Because of their opposition and financial troubles at home, I was discouraged and was not active and regular in church as a student. (My parents were converted and baptized in 1995. This was God’s answer to my prayers for many years.)

The Lord was abundant in mercy despite my unfaithfulness. During my national service, he provided two very good Navigator Bible study leaders who had very good Christian testimonies in the military. They were faithful to follow me up and I attended a Methodist church regularly and was baptized there in 1980.

But the Lord had better plans for me. I left the Methodist church due to its ecumenical affiliations and shallow Arminian gospel. In 1982, I joined a reformed church. There I learned that our wonderful God of the bible is a covenant-keeping God. I resigned from the church in 2004 due to some doctrinal differences, after some years of struggle.

Together with my wife, we believe Life BP Church is the place the Lord wants us to stay and serve him. Looking back, despite our sins, failings and doubts, it’s the Lord’s mercies and faithfulness that has kept us in his path of truth and love.

—Joseph Tan Tor Swee

As a child, I overheard the gospel being told to my sister. This sister is still not a Christian, but I decided there and then to believe in Christ. Since nobody knew about my decision, I was not invited to a church. Soon after that, on my way home one day, I met Christians from a nearby church who were giving out tracts, and based on the information on the tract, I found my way to the church.

Thus, from a young age, I heard all about the most profound truths: God is a holy God who cannot overlook sin. Sinners must be punished, and Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, bore the punishment for me. This shows that God is just but also merciful and loving. Out of gratitude, I am to live a life that glorifies Him. The truths taught from a young age are deeply embedded, and by God’s grace, He has kept me believing despite undergoing an education that questions the existence of absolute truth, and despite years of teaching others to think critically and adopt the habit of doubting and questioning everything.

As an adult, it is a lot harder to have childlike faith in God to take care of me. But when I place my confidence in my own strength, skills, savings, good works, and family it only breeds a sense of insecurity and fear. It is because all these things are temporal, and as a pilgrim on this earth, the only solid hope I have is in Jesus. I rejoice in the knowledge that God works all things for my good. All the events in my life thus far have shown me that God really has been leading me, using trials to set me on a better path. Because of the Lord’s mercy, I want to walk in His path with my family all the days of my life, and be an instrument of blessing to others. —Irene Tan Lu Hoon

When I recalled the first time that I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour, it was such a long time ago! That was in 1985, at a tender age of 8! Being born into a non-Christian family, I was surprised when my parents enrolled me into a Methodist school. I supposed it was out of love for me because all parents want their children to have a good education. I went through a year of daily devotions at assembly and weekly chapel sessions. It was only in primary 2 that the childlike faith in me prompted me to accept the Lord into my life. Following that was an active search to find out more about this religion.

A year later, I broached the subject of baptism to my parents and was faced with unexpected violent objection from them. Being an obedient girl who did not want to upset them, I gave in but I never gave up praying for the day that I could do so with their blessing. My sweet reward came in 2002 after a long wait of 17 years! However, it did not happen…I was caught in an emergency resuscitation in hospital that caused me to miss the baptism! Perhaps it’s the Lord’s will… perhaps it’s His way of telling me that I was not ready. I spent the next 4 years examining my heart. I realized that the Lord has indeed blessed me very abundantly. He gave me a very meaningful career, a caring family and many more wonderful things in life. No doubt I have faced many trials along the way but I supposed they were there to remind me of the limited ability of the human being and that I needed to always turn to the Lord for strength and guidance.

It is therefore my prayer and desire to be submissive to Him and to serve Him according to His will as I prepare myself for the coming baptism. —Valerie Chia Ling Ling

Time: 10.45 am; Topic: True Peace

Rev Tan Eng Boo (English Service)

Rev Lim Jit Thye (Mandarin Service)

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Time: 6.00 pm at Rehoboth Evening Service

(Reformation Gospel Message)

Topic: The Anxiety of Man

Speaker: Mark Chen