I have just made a trip back to London for the Europe Leaders Conference (ELC). Although it was just for a week, I managed to do a fair bit during this trip.During Ps. Simon and Sis. Lai Eng’s visit to London for the ELC, Kim introduced them and myself to the musical Jersey Boys. I must say it was very enjoyable with many Golden Oldies like Sherry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Oh What A Night, Bye Bye Baby, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like A Man. They brought back a lot of memories of my growing up years (way before Kim’s time of course). An
d I can see why seeing a musical is on the “must do” list for visitors to London!The theme of the ELC was on Wisdom, a timely topic for the church. I pray and hope that God’s people will have His wisdom as we venture forward to build HIM churches around the globe. We will need God’s wisdom to be effective and relevant wherever we plant.
The ELC also marked the close of a chapter in my ministry where I relinquished my role as Hope West Europe Regional Pastor. It was emotional but at the same time gratifying to see the succession of younger leaders carrying on the building God’s church in West Europe. I will now focus on Hong Kong and China, as led by the Lord!
Besides preaching in the Combined Service at London Central, I also visited London West (Ealing), which had made huge steps in the past year. I believe it is because Dexter, the pastor is ready to take up the role.
They are now using a very nice church hall in West London, close to an Unde
rground Station. They now have a lot of talents. They have a great worship team and one member is training his children to be involved in the worship team. And one of the members is a builder. He is helping to build a sound room at the back of the 
hall. Its great to see members using their talents to serve in the church.
rground Station. They now have a lot of talents. They have a great worship team and one member is training his children to be involved in the worship team. And one of the members is a builder. He is helping to build a sound room at the back of the 
hall. Its great to see members using their talents to serve in the church. Hope London West will celebrate their 5th Anniversary this weekend and they are expecting 200 people, praise the Lord!
I also visited my dentist friend Dr. Gouw for a cleaning while I was in London. He is a Christian from Indonesia and it was great to catch up with him. I noticed a poster on the wall of the reception room. It was a National Health Service poster by the UK Government. What captured my attention was the message – “Stop tobacco use before Ramadan”. I have never seen one on “Stop tobacco use before Easter” or “Stop tobacco use before Christmas”. Why
Ramadan is more important than Easter or Christmas??? Why the favouritism by the UK Government??? I thought the UK used to be a Christian Nation, or wasn’t it any longer???
This is an alarm bell for all Christians in the land. The Scripture in [Matt 10:32] "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” came to me! Let all Christians realize the subtlety of the enemy’s cunning schemes. Let us cry out to God – “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more."…….. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. [Ps 83:1-4,17,18 NIV]
Sometimes we can be very naïve. We need to know God’s Word better and its true meaning. One such Scripture is found in King Solomon’s Song of Songs. “How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! …….You are a garden locked up……Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices…….. [Song 4:10-15 NIV]. The fruit (9 in number) in the garden is in fact mirrored by the fruit (9 in number) of the Holy Spirit in [Gal. 5:22,23]. When the 3 Magi brought gold, incense and myrrh to Jesus the child, they represented Jesus’ purity, faithfulness and gentleness!
Our response to God’s Word will depend on the type of “soil” we are. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." [Matt 13:3-9,18-23 NIV]. Let us be good soil that will yield a 100, 60 or 30 times.
I like the humble attitude of King Solomon when he wrote this proverb: “I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” [Prov 30:2-9 NIV]
Amen & amen.
I also visited my dentist friend Dr. Gouw for a cleaning while I was in London. He is a Christian from Indonesia and it was great to catch up with him. I noticed a poster on the wall of the reception room. It was a National Health Service poster by the UK Government. What captured my attention was the message – “Stop tobacco use before Ramadan”. I have never seen one on “Stop tobacco use before Easter” or “Stop tobacco use before Christmas”. Why
Ramadan is more important than Easter or Christmas??? Why the favouritism by the UK Government??? I thought the UK used to be a Christian Nation, or wasn’t it any longer???This is an alarm bell for all Christians in the land. The Scripture in [Matt 10:32] "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” came to me! Let all Christians realize the subtlety of the enemy’s cunning schemes. Let us cry out to God – “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. See how your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more."…….. May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace. Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD — that you alone are the Most High over all the earth. [Ps 83:1-4,17,18 NIV]
Sometimes we can be very naïve. We need to know God’s Word better and its true meaning. One such Scripture is found in King Solomon’s Song of Songs. “How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! …….You are a garden locked up……Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices…….. [Song 4:10-15 NIV]. The fruit (9 in number) in the garden is in fact mirrored by the fruit (9 in number) of the Holy Spirit in [Gal. 5:22,23]. When the 3 Magi brought gold, incense and myrrh to Jesus the child, they represented Jesus’ purity, faithfulness and gentleness!
Our response to God’s Word will depend on the type of “soil” we are. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." [Matt 13:3-9,18-23 NIV]. Let us be good soil that will yield a 100, 60 or 30 times.
I like the humble attitude of King Solomon when he wrote this proverb: “I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.” [Prov 30:2-9 NIV]
Amen & amen.
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