My main update will be on events from the 12 Feb to today (21st Feb). Reason for this being that there are many important things to share about regarding this particular week. This is going to be a very long post. So u may want to read by date.

12 Feb 2005.

Today was the wedding of Reverend Gerard Lim and Ms Shelly Loo. Was asked by Mrs Seet to do the decorations with Aunt Juliana sometime in Dec 2004 on a wednesday night prayer meeting. Managed to ask a few of the youths to come and help me with the decorations. Those who came to help were Ethan, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Charis, Mary and Susanna. Susanna came even though she was pretty sick with fever. (more will be said about this) We started to do the decorations at around 12 and managed to finish it by 120 or so. Was really surprised at the speed which we took to complete it. The decorations were pretty simple with just lots of ribbons. We had a wedding sermon given by Dr Hubert Spence (we have been anticipating this man of God for months to come to Singapore to speak to us) His message was on the man and his woman. He mentioned that there was no word for wife in the Hebrew so woman could only be identified as belonging to her man. (then he added on another day that there was also no word for husband in Hebrew thus the husband could only be identified with his woman) Before the message, the choir sang Hallelujah and Come let us praise the Lord (chinese item). After the service was done, we had a phototaking as a church with Rev Gerard and his wife. Since, there were too many, we took according to congregation. It was during the photo-taking that the decorators had to remove all the decorations in life church. I din really see a point in removing it so fast when there are still many people in the church. But aunt juliana insisted that we removed it, so we just followed.

13 Feb 2005

Attended 2nd service. The message was preached by Dr Robert Wilson. His message was on Burdens and he gave a power message with appropriate scripture references. The message really left a lasting impression in my mind about how spiritual these men of God are. Dr Spence played for us for the offertory item and he played marvellously. I later learnt that the message in 1st service was preached by Dr Spence. Would have came for both sermons had i known that. After service, Ira and I had lunch together before going for tracting with Charis, Mary and Gloria. had a minor accident on my way to the block we were going tracting at. Got rammed by a taxi who turned illegally but thankful to God that no one was hurt.

14 Feb 2005

Valentine's day but also the first day of the Bible conference and Revival meetings. There were 2 messages one at 7 and the other at 830. The first message was on music (mon, wed and fri were to be the music seminars on CCM, tues and thurs for separation) and the second on revival (all nights) Dr Spence is an authority on CCM and wrote a book on confronting contemporary Christian music with great detail on our age, the progression of music and the church. Many of these things can be read in the book. He spoke about our age/contemporary(aion) for the message on sacred music and about the flesh in the message on revival.
I reached church at 645 after my dinner. Was there in time to help unload the books, CDs, tapes and scores for sale. Helped to type the price list for the various items. The choir sang before the 2nd message (we sang psalm 1) Felt extremely blessed that i could come and listen to Dr Spence speak for truly he is a man who is given power from above. Brought 2 books after the messages. The 2 cheaper ones cos i din have enough cash for the rest. Rev Seet also asked me to handle the sales of the books for the rest of the week.

15 Feb 2005

Today was the second day of the conference. went to church early but had difficulty trying to find a parking lot. It was really full along the lanes outside so drove a few rounds before getting a lot. Made some changes to the price list with some additions and created a list for selling the books so i wun get confused. Brought the other items i wanted to get. In all, i got everything except the tapes and scores. There were 4 books and 3 CDs in all. Messages today was also preached by Dr Spence and he gave us an account of the history of the Church in the message on separation and for the revival message he spoke to us on what is our motivation to be with God - the answer is our Love for Him.

16 Feb 2005

Likewise for today had extreme difficulty in trying to find a place to park. Went 5 rounds around church before getting a lot. It is still the providence of God that i managed to get a lot. Enlisted the help of ethan to man the store during the break as i needed to sing with the choir before the 2nd message. The message on music was given by Dr Wilson. He brought us through the american hymnody and the reasons why the hymn writers wrote hymns. The burdens that they had and how the 2nd generation hymn writers had a different focus. There was a shift from the hunger of holiness which lead to unspeakable joy to just happiness. Dr Spence gave us the message on revival. He talked about Israel after they were delivered from Egypt. He believed that after Israel crossed the red sea they were in the promised land. But when they were wandering many of them looked back to Egypt. This is said to be of the Carnal Christian who tries to live a Christian life by his/her own strength. This cannot be done because our flesh cannot allow us to live a Christian life. There is a Holy land(Canaan) within the promised land this represents the deeper part of Christian life where we have victory upon victory. Where we live not in our flesh but in God. For only in God can we live the Christian life. We must submit our entire lives, our all to God. May we strive for this kind of Christian life, the deeper part.

17 Feb 2005

Came to church with Ethan today. Managed to find a parking space in just a round. Thank the Lord. Dr Spence preached both messages. Separation - Dr Spence talked about the need for Holiness and why there must be hatred between the Christian and the world. For hatred is the key that keeps these 2 apart. He also mentioned that there can be no Biblical fruits without Biblical separation. For the message on revival, Dr Spence talked about the mind and how the key to a victorious Christian life is the thought life of a Christian. He spoke to us and gave us insights into the Word of God such that we may understand that there are always principles in God's word and if there aren't any princples clearly stated there are patterns from the Old and New Testaments.
Today was the day that Peijuan left for Australia to study and Reverend Gerard returning to China with his wife. Went to the airport with rachel and charis after the conference but could only make it to see Peijuan off. After that drove back home.

18 Feb 2005

Today was in a rush due to the need to complete an assignment to hand it in on time and needing to get to church as soon as possible. My class ended at 6 and the message starts at 7 so had to take the PIE all the way from NTU to Church. it was really a long trip but its definitely worthwhile.
Dr Spence spoke about the development of CCM in his message on sacred music and how the change occurred. He also played several pieces of CCM to tell us what was wrong with it and how to identify it. He warned against the specials using the contemporary beat and rhythm in the songs sung. Cos its in the specials that it starts to creep in. He also told us the effect that music has on our mind, body and spirit. For the last message on revival, Dr Spence talked abut the responsibilty of passing the gospel down to the next generation. How the gospel must be kept and constructed the exact way without changing it. This is in reference the the tabernacle which is a type of Christ in the Old Testament. We must keep the gospel the way it was given to us without adding or substracting anything from it. This message left a lasting impression in my heart. Dr Spence also gave us a quote by his father. "A success without a successor is a failure"
After the message, i did the accounts for the sale of the books before attending the overnight prayer meeting. Following the meeting, Ira and Joshua Koo took my car back. Drove Jos home and Ira stayed in my house.

19 Feb 2005

We had the YF/YAF CNY visitation to the old folks. We went to a number of places and split the group to visit some places separately before meeting up in Thiam Boon's place. After a short time of fellowship there, we returned to church for dinner. Uncle James Khor and his wife auntie jenny prepared food for us. After dinner, we prepared ourselves for the special message to the youths given by Dr Hubert Spence. It was on this day that i went to talk to Dr Spence and Dr Wilson. I'm glad that i did go to talk to them for they are truly a great encouragement to me. And Dr Spence asked me if I knew what God's will for me in life was. That i'm uncertain at the moment but i know that i want to serve Him. I just need to know where does He want me to serve in which field. Dr Spence's message to the youths, he spoke to us on the importance of finding God's will in our lives and gave us a few steps on how we can go about finding it. The 3 simple steps are 1) to read the Bible everyday with a prayerful heart asking God to reveal His will to you, 2) To ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us through those passages and 3) the providences of God and how he brings it all to pass.

20 feb 2005

Attended 2nd service today eventhough i wanted to come for both service. Woke up at 8, so was unable to make it in time for 1st service. But i finished the remaining chapters of the book with regards to Confronting Contemporary Christian Music before coming to church. Was the usherer today for 2nd service with Andrew. First time doing ushering duty so was raw about many things. The message for 2nd service was about the secret coming of Christ in the Rapture and how we as believers must be truly prepared at all times for His coming as we'll be snatched away in an instant when He comes. He tells us that Faith is neccesary to be raptured as Enoch was taken up by God in Faith (Hebrew 11:5) He also focused on the 2nd coming of Christ in the light of those left behind after the Rapture. After service, I talked to both Dr Spence and Dr Wilson before going for lunch with Ira and Ethan. Asked Dr Spence and Dr Wilson what time would they be leaving Singapore on monday morning. Promised that I'll go to the Airport to send them off. Made arrangements with Ira and Charis to go to the airport.

21 Feb 2005

Woke up at 310 this morning with my alarm clock ringing a different tone than i expected. Had a message from Charis that she left home and going with her dad to the hotel to pick Dr Spence up. After that, decided against leaving my house too early as i would be waiting in the airport for a long time. Reached the airport at 405 since i left my home at 345 and travelled at the acceptable speed for the expressway. Reached the departure hall in time to see Dr Spence and Dr Wilson going to the counter to to check in their luggage. Chatted with Charis and Ira while waiting for them. Miss Ng told me that Dr Spence and Dr Wilson was expecting me. That was a big surprise to me. Went to the other side to wait for them before we exchanged our farewells and goodbyes. After the exchange, Dr Spence and Dr Wilson went in and we waved them goodbye. After that i returned home and here i am typing this extremely long entry for the past 10 days.

Edit/Additions at 6pm, 21 Feb 2005

Dengue Fever
Many members of the church have been hit by dengue fever. Aunt Sheena, Samuel Ong and his dad, Andrew, Yikai, Susanna, Ms Shelly Loo. Thank the Lord that they were healed and have recovered from the fever. Aunt Sheena was near death but the Lord knew when was her time and it wasn't here yet. Thank God for His mercies on His children.