July 2012 Report

Faith@Work Fellowship Reports July 2012 Report
02 Aug 2012

July 2012 Report

Posted by admin, Category: Reports,

July, 2012

Faith@Work Fellowship
through
Asia Seminary for Ministry
(Seminary without borders)
Training Nationals for Nationals

Hi,

(Psa 31:15)  My times are in Thy Hand.

July had been a sweet-bitter journey.  Sweet and blessed was when the children, spouses, grandchildren and we got together for a fun reunion.  Now eight of us, we stayed together, ate, swam and enjoyed one another.  It had been quite a long while for such a unique and warming experience.  God is good to us.  Truly, God is faithful in all generations.

Bitter and painful was when we had to lay to rest three in successive weeks.  We were in the house of mourning.  One was my 19 years old nephew who was taken home to be with Jesus as a result of an accident.  The wake and funeral were agonizing moments. Only the God of comfort can comfort us at times like these.

There is a personal testimony by a man called Job (as recorded the Bible), concerning death.  At particular times in his life, he had lost all his children, his possession and his health.  He wrote: (Job 30:23) “For I know that Thou wilt bring me to death, andto the house appointed for all living.”

Personal knowledge was indicated:  “I know” “me”.  Death is a universal fact.  (Psa 89:48)  What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?  Except for the event of the Coming of the Lord in the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18), death will be everywhere.  None is too young to die?  None too strong either!

Also through our own bodily feebleness, we learn the truth of our frail mortality.  Yet, the commonness of the truth gives us temptation to overlook our personal application. We continue to live as if this world is our eternal home.  However, those who die daily to self, world and Satan will die easily.  When we learn to live as dying men among dying men, we shall truly live.  We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying.  We are in the land of the dying going to the land of the living.  (2Co 5:8)  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The eyes of faith know that it is the Lord God that will bring us into death.  (Psa 48:14) For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.  Life and death are not left to chance, fate or other secondary causes.  We are immortal till His purposes are fulfilled.  We will rest in His wisdom and love though the days be dark.  He will journey with us till death, in death (Ps. 23:4) and will bring us up again.  (Job 19:25,26)  For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. 

Let us then walk humbly before Him and others.  We must despise all pride of birth, rank or wealth.  It is madness for dying men to boast. (Mat 6:34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Let us live diligently in entire submission to His will.  Be prompt to obey Him for life is uncertain and short.  (Mat 6:33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We need to project ourselves into eternity and invest in God, eternity and people that God loves and for whom Jesus died, rose up and coming again.  (Rev 22:12,13)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  Amen.

Computer science professor Randy Pausch died of pancreatic cancer in 2008. In a letter to his wife and children, he wrote a beautiful guide to a better life.  Maybe we can glean some helps from the list.

POINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE 

Personality:1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
3. Don't overdo; keep your limits.
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does.
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
6. Dream more while you are awake.
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/ her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more.
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.Community:15. Call your family often.
16. Each day give something good to others.
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
20. What other people think of you is none of your business.
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.Life:22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything.
24. Do the right things.
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
27. The best is yet to come.
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
30. If you know GOD, you will always be happy. So, be happy.Praise the Lord for your investment in God and people through your prayers and many other ways (clothing and medicine, etc), as we spent precious times in June, in Cambodia (10th to 15th), Kuching, Malaysia (16th to 21st) and Medan, Indonesia (25thto 29th).CAMBODIA: Three of us headed north to Life University in Cambodia, where we taught Bible College students and spoke in the chapel.  The University has some 1400 students from kindergarten to Bachelor programs in different disciplines.  Much prayer and resources are needed as it prepares the students for the market-place as well as for the ministry.  All of us are ambassadors for Christ, no matter what our calling in society is.  The University is a great place to visit and to minister as we can reach out to 1400 students.  Please let us know of your interest in knowing more of the work.KUCHING, MALAYSIA:  Two of us took a journey into a new area of ministry.  We taught at a training centre, had Fathers’ Day celebration and made our way through a swamp to a long house to visit and preach.  Ties were renewed with some leaders there.  Please pray as they revive the training centre and seek for a place to locate the training.  Funds are needed for the land for the training, the planting of crops and raising of animals for self-support, while they will raise up finance from their own people to build some quarters for teachers and students.  This is a great partnership, so please pray for this need.

MEDAN, INDONESIA:  Two of our trainers were there for the 23rd and 24th sessions of our Training Nationals for Nationals.  A good number of 60+ continued to turn up for the training.  Four will be there, 10th to 14th September, training in the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians and in the Old Testament book of Haggai.  A Bible Institute under Rev. Haposan began its training.  Our prayer and goal have always been to train leaders so that they can train others. 

KATHMANDU, NEPAL:  Three of us will visit Kathmandu, 21st to 28th September.  We will be at sessions 23rd and 24th, on Principles of Leadership and Care Ministry.  We will be gathering two groups together for the training.  Thus there would be some 70 students for the week.  As some will have to come from far places, we will have to provide food and lodging.  We are budgeting Sing$100 per person for the five days. That will mean that we are trusting the good Lord for at least Sing$7000.  Please pray for and with us for God’s supply. 

Thanks again for your prayers and support in so many ways.  Please visit FaithatWorks Facebook or our blog, for further news at http://faithatworksfellowship.blogspot.com/.  Be sure to bookmark it.

If we can be of any help to you, please let us know. The good Lord bless you and all yours!

Yours always in Christ and for Christ,

Rev. Goh Seng Fong
(John 12:24)

Handphone:  98207783

                   +65-98207783