1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

Miracle
Service Repor t
>> December 13, 2014
>> Repor ted by Stacey Seah
In this evening’s message so aptly titled
“Because of Me”, Pastor Rony tells us a
bittersweet story about the love of a man
for his sister and family. See if you can
spot the parallels in this story for what
Jesus Christ did for you when He went to
the Cross at Calvary.
Her name was never mentioned, but this
is the story of a young dancer girl. She
was born in the time when Kim Jong-il
ruled the land of North Korea and was
a troupe member performing for the
supreme leader. During times of hardship
and poverty, she managed to look healthy
when putting on appearances for the
ruler with god-like status. All these came
to an end one day when she was hit with
typhoid fever. With no food or medication
available, her brother lived in fear of
losing her right before his very eyes.
The entire family was struggling with lack
of food and having his sister stricken with
typhoid fever was not something they
could afford. One day, this man decided
to brave the dangers surrounding him.
He would risk his life and carry his sister
across the North Korean border into
China to get medical help.
The soldiers were on the prowl for anyone
who tried to sneak out of the country,
regardless of how old or sick they were.
He knew that a small mistake would be
fatal. The entire journey was filled with
fear and anguish, yet there was hope that
his sister would get well if only he could
get to the other side. After many sleepless
nights treading through treacherous
grounds, he was successful.
This man toiled day and night to pay for
his sister’s medical expenses. Although
his sister was recovering well, he had
many nagging thoughts about the family
he left back in North Korea. The thought
of them starving at home was enough
for him to drop what he was doing in an
attempt to smuggle food back for them.
Anyone in his right mind will know that it
was the most dangerous thing one could
ever attempt to do. Sneaking out of North
Korea was dangerous enough yet he
wanted to bring food back!
Out of sheer determination and love for
them, he was successful several times in
his pilgrimages from China to North Korea
and back. His sister would wait for him
in China with unending thoughts of her
brother’s death, yet each time he would
return unscathed. After several successful
trips, her innermost fears came to pass.
News of how her brother was caught and
tortured to death reached her ears. She
knelt over with guilt.
Some time passed and she had the
opportunity to defect to South Korea. And
in an interview with the media, she said,
“My brother was tortured, and he died
because of me.”
Does it all sound familiar? Do you see
the similarities of this story with what
Christ had done for you on the Cross?
Her brother saw no other way to save his
sister and protect his family except to
take the tremendous risk that ultimately
claimed his life.
When Jesus was incarnated to be a man
2,000 years ago, He did not pretend to be
human. He was indeed a man who felt
as you and I would. Jesus knew of the
impending sufferings He would face on
the Cross, but He also knew there was no
other way to save mankind from their sins.
Jesus had to be shamed, tortured, ripped
apart and left to die on the Cross, as other
criminals would be at that time, so that we
can be saved from eternal life in hell.
Today, Jesus calls us His friends if we
believe in Him. Oh how much He must
have loved us to die in such a horrible way
to cleanse us from our sins and reunite us
with God. “For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 KJV). Are you
willing to call the Creator of the heavens
and the earth your Savior and Friend? If
you make this decision today, you can call
Heaven your Home after death. There is
no other way, Jesus IS THE ONLY WAY.
There were many testimonies reflecting
the goodness of God through the lives of
His people that evening, here are a few of
them.
Imagine how hard it must be for a little
girl to grow up with curvature of the
spine. That is exactly what 11-year-old
Efani Yeoh experienced in her childhood.
Her aunt, who attends the Miracle
Service, decided to pray for her condition
sometime in May this year. Efani proudly
told us on stage in her sweet little voice
that she noticed that she was standing
straighter when she looked in the mirror.
A recent MRI confirmed that no further
operations were needed. Praise the Lord!
Fear gripped Nathanael Vanniasingham
when he felt congestion in his lungs
one day. The inability to breathe left him
gasping for air while he felt his heart
palpitations increasing rapidly. He was
immediately admitted to the hospital
where water was drained from his lungs
and fresh oxygen was administered to
him, however to no effect. His blood
pressure was abnormally high and his
heartbeats became irregular. It was
during this time that Nathanael, who is
a Gospelighter, put all his faith in God to
preserve his life. He rallied urgent prayers
from his cell group. He also felt deep down
that God was saying to him, “There is no
such thing as a premature death for a child
of God.” As he started praying and claiming
the healing touch of Jesus, he felt himself
being delivered of the condition. The fact
that he was well enough to share his
testimony on stage was yet another proof
that God is faithful to His children, isn’t He?
Next Sunday
STARTING AFRESH
By Pastor Rony Tan
DECEMBER 28, 2014
If you have experienced a chronic sickness
of some sort before, you will understand
how fearful Lan Cher Chye must have felt
when he had a relapse of his past eczema.
Forty years ago, Cher Chye experienced
chronic eczema, which took five years
to clear up. Two months ago, it revisited
him. This time, however, Cher Chye had
Jesus in his life. He prayed at the Miracle
Service regularly while taking medication
at the same time. With God’s healing touch
upon him, he is now 95% healed in just two
months. This is what happens when a child
of God claims His healing promises and
believes in faith that he will be made whole!
All glory to our
Jehovah Rapha
( our God t hat heals ) !
Pressing On!
By Pas tor Pacer Tan
Today, we will study Philippians 3:12-16 together.
It is a deeply encouraging text.
As we close this year, let us think of the words of Apostle Paul
to press on toward the goal of Christ!
Messages in CDs and DVDs may be ordered at the counter.
▲▲
Today's Pre-Service Upperlight
1. Thanksgiving For The Year 2014
2. Students Preparing For School Reopening
New Year Greetings
Pastor Rony and all his staff wish every
Lighter and friend
COUNTDOWN
TO 2015
Gracelight
Recruit ment
The Gracelight Ministry is recruiting dancers.
If you have a passion for dance and a desire
to serve the Lord in the Worship Ministry,
we welcome you to come forward for an
audition. Training will be provided.
Entry Criteria
Age
: 14 years old –
early twenties
Gender : Female
Physique: Slim built
May 2015 be a greater one for you and your family.
May God bless you and your loved ones with
peace, good health, good cheer and much
prosperity.
We appreciate your thoughtfulness toward us
during this Christmas season. Thank you for your
Christmas cards, gifts and prayers for us.
In keeping with our year-end tradition,
join us at the Watch Night Service on
December 31. Light refreshment will
be served from 8.45 pm, and the service
proper will commence promptly at
10.00 pm.
Pastor Rony will be preaching an inspiring
message “A Real Practical Change” to
prepare us for the New Year.
Sunday, January 18
6.00 pm
Lighthouse Woodlands
The Israelites brought their 8-year-old children to the priest
for blessing. Hannah brought her long-awaited son Samuel to the priest
Eli to dedicate him to the Lord. And Mary and
Joseph brought the Lord Jesus, when He was
a baby, to the temple for His dedication.
Parents, like them, we should offer our
children to the Lord. If you want to dedicate
your child/children to God, fill out the form
available at the counter and submit it via the
form-collection box. Registration closes on
January 11, 2015.
Other highlights of the program include:
– A time of great worship
– A time for quiet reflection
– Wonderful testimonies
– The Upperlight – a time of earnest
prayer.
What are you praying and
believing Christ for in 2015?
Begin to think about the areas you want to
believe Him to do for and through you. In
the Watch Night Service, we will be handing
you a slip to write your requests. Then
we will be making time at the service to
pray for them. After which, at every first
Thursday Upperlight of 2015, we will also
be praying for these requests.
Don’t give this memorable year-end event
a miss!
Call the M&D Office at 67449848
for more information.
God Wit h Us
Have you ever thought about how different your
life is when you are alone, versus when you are
connected deeply to others?
We all face difficult challenges, such as issues
in marriage, relationships, parenting and work.
That is a normal part of life. But when we are
disconnected from the support and love of
others, we lose energy, become discouraged,
and tend to repeat old behaviors that don’t work.
On the more positive side of life, we all have
passions and dreams as well, such as a great
family or a fulfilling career. Yet accomplishing
those dreams will be accelerated or decelerated
by whether we are working on them alone, or
are accompanied by support.
Life is simply better when we are with others,
and worse when we are isolated.
by Dr. John Townsend
God designed us to be connected, and life breaks
down when we are not.
Relationship is the very fuel of our existence
and path. And this is not only true in our human
connections, but with God Himself as well. The
name given to Jesus in the Christmas story is
wrapped up in this idea:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son,
and they will call Him ‘Immanuel’ (which means
“God with us”). - Matthew 1:23
To be “with” means “on the same side.” It signifies
that someone is present with you, has your back,
is accompanying you, and wants to help you in
every way. Jesus’ birth announcement provided
another name for Him, to convey an idea of hope
to us. It is that not only is God the Creator and the
Sustainer of life, He is also present. He is deeply
and intimately connected in relationship to you. He
knows your struggles and your dreams, and walks
with you through them.
Think how much better life is with the right safe
people in your life. Then think how much better life
is than this, when you allow yourself to experience
the “with” of Jesus. This Christmas season, spend
time with Him and ask Him to visit you and be with
you in a way that brings you ever closer to Him. God
bless you.
An Excerpt From The Book
C l ea r i n g C o b w eb s
W r i t t e n B y Pa s t o r R o n y
WAKE UP PRAYING
I have cultivated the habit
of setting the tone of
prayerfulness first thing in
the morning when I wake
up. Regardless of how I feel,
I direct my first thoughts to
Him and say something like,
“Good morning, Lord. Thank
You for this brand-new day.
I welcome the Holy Spirit to
empower me and guide me
through the day.”
Of course, I do not use
these exact same words
every morning. But I am
sure the Lord is pleased
that I make it a point that
He is the first Person I talk
to before I start the day.
Then I will commune with
God while I am still lying on
the bed. When it is time for
me to get out of bed, I am
still talking to Him. From
then on, I weave in and out
in my dialogue with Him.
I also take the Lord into
my thought process and
pray out my thoughts. It
is okay to talk it out with
God regarding the things
you have to do for the day
and the problems you are
encountering, while you
are in the process of your
daily duties.
Sometimes, it is half talking
to myself and half talking to
the Lord, if you know what I
mean. That’s how I develop
what I call “breathing
prayer” which Paul the
Apostle calls “praying
without ceasing”.
Now, I have the habit of
speaking my thoughts to
Him. Incidentally, my wife
likes to speak her thoughts
out loud, especially when
we are in the car, and I am
the captive audience.
She would rattle on
about the items she must
remember to purchase
at the shopping mall,
the forgetfulness of our
domestic helper who has
failed to inform her of
certain household items
which have been depleted,
the menu for dinner and
why certain dishes should
or should not be included,
the uncertainty of our
children joining us for
dinner, the rising prices of
certain food items and an
endless host of connected
and disconnected thoughts.
By then, I get a little
irritated. So I say, “Honey,
can you not speak your
thoughts aloud?”
In response, she replies in
a hurt tone, “This is what
we call conversation. If not,
$12
y
per cop
there is no conversation.”
By this time, I dare not say
what is on my mind. In my
mind, I am saying, “This is
not conversation, it’s your
monologue.”
For the record, this issue
has never led us to a
quarrel. She will stop
her monologue, and I will
change the subject to
something more pleasant.
GOD LOVES TO HEAR
FROM YOU
Here is the point of the
story. Although people may
be annoyed with you when
you speak your thoughts
and ramble on, God loves to
hear from you. Even if you
go “toing and froing”, God
simply wants to talk it out
with you.
I have discovered that
since I have developed this
praying habit of speaking
my thoughts to God, I have
become more sensitive to
the Lord’s promptings in
my spirit.