Ministry

Well it has not been all gloomy. We’ve been teaching and interacting with the people. In our first few days, we were working with Agape Shalom Centre which teaches English to students (majority non-Christians) of all ages from Kindergarten to University students. We had some conversation classes with them and teaching as well. In the course of teaching and speaking with them.

On Friday, we had a kind of fellowship with the University students. About 40 of them were in attendance. I shared the gospel with them. About 7 of them responded to the altar call. I was later told that 4 of them are new comers to the center who have never known anything about Christ.

And just this morning, at a church service, we had five people giving their lives to the Lord. Surely God is at work in Cambodia. I also prayed for healing and empowerement for ministry for some of them that came forward. About five of them testified to receiving the touch of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

To God be the Glory.

What actually happened?

The Khmer Rouges were communist minded rebels that wanted to turn the entire country into a peasant and agrarian society. Hence they went all out against anyone with any religious ideology. The people living in Phnom Penh the capital were all sent to the villages to go and farm. They worked an average of 12 hours a day with little to eat. Children were separated from their parents. Husbands and wives were separated. It was a chaotic living experience.

At Present
Although Cambodia is in democracy now, but there is another genocide that is subtly plaguing the society. It is corruption. Unlike the Khmer Rouge genocide which wiped out over a million of the population, this one is drowning the soul of the country. Cambodia is impoverished. Can you imagine a high school teacher getting a salary of US $60 dollars a month? That is the level of poverty in the land. I learnt Policemen and Soldiers get a salary of $30 a month.
Just to check how powerful the money is, I went to the local market to have lunch, which is like one of the lowest places to eat; I discovered that to have a plate of rice or noodle, you need at least $1, i.e. not taking any drink at all. You now wonder how the people are surviving on that kind of salary.

Cambodia, 24 May 2008

We arrived here in the evening of Tuesday 20th of May, about five days ago. It’s been a wonderful experience. Cambodia is another world completely. Our first visit was to the Toul Sleng, the genocide museum, at least to have a feel of the land, especially of their past. It was an agonizing experience to learn how cruel one man can be to another.

The museum was an old secondary school converted by the Khmer Rouge government to a prison during their reign of terror in the land. The evidences are still there. The instruments of torture and wickedness are still lying there.

In that prison, the best of the people were incarcerated, tortured and ultimately exterminated. Anyone with any trace of education, that could challenge the authority of the khmer rouges be it teachers, government officials, doctors, lawyers, all were herded into their place.

Jesus is still on the Way!

Look with me to the gospel according to St. Mark 5:21-24; 35-36. Here was a man that came to Jesus with a great need. He came with so much faith. He came with so great expectation. He came knowing full well that Jesus could help him.

Does that not sound familiar? Some of us came to Jesus like Mr. Jairus; with full faith, full confidence and assurance. You were so sure if only I can pray. If I only I can tell Jesus about this problem. Even preachers encouraged you to do same.

vs 24 And Jesus went with him

But along the way, several things happened. What you thought would only take a few days or at most a few weeks had become some months and even years now. And like Jairus, you keep following Jesus on the way. You see others receiving their miracles. You hear others share their testimonies. You are even eyewitnesses of some of them. You saw the lady with the issue of blood got her miracles. And several others.

And you keep wondering: will it ever be my turn? Will it ever happen for me? Will I receive my own miracle? Will Jesus do my own?

The Lord gave me a good news for someone which I believe it’s you. Jesus is still on the way. And you know what? He is on the way to YOUR HOUSE!

One great man of God said: “when it appears Jesus is coming late. He’s not coming late; he is coming BIG!” Do you know how I define BIG—Beyond-Ima-Gination! BIG!

You look at yourself and your situation, it is becoming worse. No improvement whatsoever. Ever since you report the matter to Christ, instead of it to get better, it’s becoming worse, Vs 35.

Like Jairus, you want to give up. You are tired of praying. You can’t see any reason to continue trusting God over this matter. You have done your best. And yet no change. Nothing positive. No sign. No miracle.

What do you do? Can you read Vs 36a in the NIV: Ignore!

Refuse to be moved by what you see. Because we walk by faith, and not by sight. 2 Cor. 5:7. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, for a time, not forever. 2 Cor.4:16-18.

One songwriter said: “I’m not moved by what I see . . .”

God is coming BIG! So it is time to ignore. Even when you are face to face with the signs and symptom; even when the facts are staring right at your face, IGNORE. Refuse to be moved. Don’t let the situation intimidate you. Your God is bigger than any problem. He is bigger than any mountain. IGNORE.

When the devil comes with the picture or even with the video, playing on the big screen of your mind, you need to blast him back and say: Devil, I’m not moved!

You may say, “But Pastor, this is not easy! It’s because you are not in my shoe.” I understand. But you start to do it. You will get used to do it. That is what Abraham, your father did. Rom. 4:19—He considered not his own body which was now dead. What is that called? IGNORE!

Empty Cross proves His Resurrection

The Cross today is empty. Hallelujah! Jesus Arose and He is Alive forever more.

Easter in Malaysia

I was in Malaysia town of Malacca and Segamat during the last Easter. What a beautiful moment we had there. I had four sessions all together. My text was taken from the Gospel According to St. Mark 2:1-5.
First night which was friday, I majored on verse 2 where the Bible says "and he preached the word unto them." I titled the message "The Power in the Word."

Second night, speaking mainly from verse 5, I talked about "The Force of Faith."

Sunday morning I was in Segamat for the Morning service while I was back in Malacca in the evening for the last night of the meeting. I spoke on "the Danger of Sin."

It was a beautiful programme. There were salvation, healing, deliverance. The Spirit of God moved mightily. The heaven opened over the church.

Glory to God.

Help for Cambodia

I will be going to Cambodia from 20^th of this month (May) for about 3 weeks as part of my Cross-Cultural Internship, and also to see how we can reach out to this hurting nation, and be of help to ministries on the ground there.

Why Cambodia?

Cambodia is a country with a terrible past; A deeply scarred nation; A nation that is in need of help; A crying nation; A nation with a sordid past.

In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh (Cambodia capital) and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war.

Although many years have passed but the scar is still there. This is one nation that needs the help of the Christian church. Although there is serious poverty in the land but this nation needs more than money. It needs healing—both spiritual and emotional healing. It needs the mercy of God, for innocent blood cries, and the cry is for judgment. But more than anything else, it needs the gospel of peace.

Most Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists but the country also has a substantial number of Muslim, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and small animist hill tribes.

But the good news today is that the door of this nation is wide opened to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Though the number of Christians in this country is still minute, just about 60,000 in a country of over 14 million, far below 1%, there is a hope. For as long as the door is still opened, we can do a lot. Jesus can capture the nation for His glory.

Please pray that the Lord will prosper my mission in Cambodia, and open the door of acceptance to my ministry.

Shalom