Monthly Archives: September 2018

PHOTO OF YEAR 1977 PENANG HILL REVIVAL CAMP (BRETHREN FROM BHS JESUS SAVES MISSION)

Out of 30 Brothers and Sisters above about 50% later received the Call to Serve in Full Time Christian Service

Front Row (Kneeling) Fifth from Left is Mrs. Bethany Khng (name changed from Betty) Wife of Rev. John Khng, Pastor of Mt Calvary Baptist Church (Standing last Row from the Back (4th from the right)

Middle Row from Left First is Mrs. Rhoda Khoo (Wife of Rev. Matthew Khoo, current Chinese Pastor of Jesus Saves Mission, Singapore)

Middle  Row from right 1st is Sister Lim Meng Gaik (Wife of Dr. Jonathan Ang, Pastor of Faith Independent Baptist Church Singapore)

Middle Row from right 4th is Mrs. Yong Seow Fong, Wife of Rev. Matthew Yong,  Assistant Pastor of Jesus Saves Mission, Singapore

Last Row from right No. 2 is Rev. Daniel Khoo, Chinese Pastor of Bible Presbyterian Church, Singapore

Last Row from right 3rd is Rev. Peter Tan, Associate Pastor of Calvary Jurong Bible Presbyterian Church

Standing last Row left 1st is Pastor James Foo (whereabout unknown)

Kneeling front row left 1st (partly hidden by leaf) is Sis Hannah who married Bro Thiam Chong (Pastor of Baptist Church, Singapore)

Many others are also in Full time service serving as deacon, teachers & missionaries.

Very precious memories

REVIVAL DAYS ARE GLAD DAYS. DAYS OF HEAVEN ON EARTH.

Comments Off on PHOTO OF YEAR 1977 PENANG HILL REVIVAL CAMP (BRETHREN FROM BHS JESUS SAVES MISSION)

Filed under Uncategorized

JSM

Comments Off on JSM

Filed under Uncategorized

An Hour With George Muller: The Man of Faith to Whom God Gave Millions edited by A. Sims

George MullerPastor Charles R. Parsons describes an hour’s interview with George

Muller toward the close of his life as follows:

A warm summer day found me slowly walking up the shady groves of Ashley Hill, Bristol. At the top the immense buildings which shelter over two thousand orphans, built by a man who has given to the world the most striking object lesson in faith it has ever seen, met my gaze.

The first house was on the right, and here, among his own people, in plain, unpretentious apartments, lives a saintly patriarch, George Muller. Passing through the lodge gate, I paused a moment to look at House No. 3, one of the five erected at a cost of $600,000.

The bell is answered by an orphan, who conducts me up a lofty stone staircase, and into one of the private rooms of the venerable founder of this great institution. Mr. Muller has attained the remarkable age of ninety-one. As I stand in his presence, veneration fills my mind. “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man” (Lev. 19:32).

He received me with a cordial handshake and bade we welcome. It is something merely to see a man by whom God has accomplished a mighty work: it is more to hear the tones of his voice; far greater than either is the privilege of being brought into immediate contact with his spirit, and of feeling the warm breath of his soul breathed into one’s own.

The communion of that hour will be graven on my memory while life shall last. This servant of the Most High opened his heart to me, counseled me, prayed with me, and gave me his blessing.

In that hour the source of George Muller’s great spiritual strength was clearly made manifest. The aged saint with all his faculties unimpaired, was eloquent the whole time on one theme, the praise of Jehovah, the great Hearer and Answerer of His people’s prayers. My own words were few.

“You have always found the Lord faithful to His promise, Mr. Muller?”

“Always! He has never failed me! For nearly seventy years every need in connection with this work has been supplied. The orphans, from the first until now have numbered nine thousand five hundred; but they have never wanted a meal. Hundreds of times we have commenced the day without a penny; but our Heavenly Father has sent supplies the  moment they were actually required. There never was a time when we had no wholesome meal. During all these years I have been enabled to trust in the living God alone. Seven million five hundred thousand dollars have been sent to me in answer to prayer. We have needed as much as two hundred thousand dollars in one year, and it has all come when needed. No man can ever say I asked him for a penny. We have no committees, no collectors, no voting, and no endowment. All has come in answer to believing prayer. God has many ways of moving the hearts of men to help us, all over the world. While I am praying, He speaks to one and another on this continent and on that to send us help. Only the other evening, while I was preaching, a gentleman wrote a check for a large amount and handed it to me when the service was over.”

“I have read your life, Mr. Muller, and noted how greatly your faith has been tried at times. Is it so now?”

“My faith is tried, as much as ever, and my difficulties are greater than ever. Besides our financial responsibilities, suitable helpers have to be found constantly, and suitable places provided for hundreds of orphans constantly leaving the homes. Then often our funds run very low; only the other week we had come nearly to the end of our supplies. I called my beloved helpers together, and said to them, ‘Pray, brethren, pray!’ Immediately five hundred dollars was sent us, then a thousand, and in a few days seven thousand five hundred came in. But we have always to be praying, always believing. Oh, it is good to trust in the living God, for He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’ (Heb. 13:5). Expect great things from God, and great things you will have. There is no limit to what He is able to do. Praises for ever to His glorious name! Praise Him for everything! I have praised Him many times when He sent me ten cents, and I have praised Him when He has sent me sixty thousand dollars.”

“I suppose you have never contemplated a reserve fund?”

“To do so would be an act of the greatest folly. How could I pray if I had reserves? God would say, ‘Bring out those reserves, George Muller.’  Oh no, I never thought of such a thing. Our reserve fund is in Heaven. The living God is our sufficiency. I have trusted Him for one dollar, I have trusted Him for thousands, and never trusted in vain. ‘Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him'” (Ps. 34:8).

“Of course you have never thought of saving for yourself?”

Not easily nor soon shall I forget the dignified manner in which I was answered by this mighty man of faith. Hitherto he had been sitting opposite  me  with his knees close to mine, his hands clasped, his eyes betokening a calm, quiet, meditative spirit. Most of the time he had leaned forward, his gaze directed on the floor. But now he sat erect, and for several moments searched my face, with an earnestness that seemed to penetrate my very soul. There was a grandeur and majesty about those undimmed eyes, so accustomed to spiritual visions and to looking into the deep things of God. I do not know whether the question sounded to him as a sordid one, or whether it touched a lingering remnant of “the old self” to which he alludes in his discourses. In any event, there was not a shadow of doubt but that it roused his whole being. After a brief pause, during which his face was a sermon, and the depths of his clear eyes flashed fire, he unbuttoned his coat and drew from his pocket an old-fashioned purse, with rings in the middle separating the character of the coins. Placing it in my hands he said quietly, “All I am possessed  of is in that purse—every penny! Save for myself? Never! When money is sent to me for my own use, I pass it on to God. As much as five thousand dollars has thus been sent at one time; but I do not regard such gifts as belonging to me; they belong to Him, whose I am and whom I serve. Save for myself? I dare not save; it would dishonor my loving, gracious, all-bountiful Father.”

I handed the purse back to Mr. Muller. He told me the sum it contained, and what he himself had given to the Orphanage and the Scripture Knowledge Institution. These matters, however, together with a few others, I am not at liberty to disclose.

There was a glow of holy enthusiasm in the face of this aged, faithful man as he related some of the incidents pertaining to his preaching tours in forty-two different countries [Note: Mr.  Muller  began  his  travels  when he was 70 and continued until he was 87 (from 1875 to 1892)] and how, in traveling from place to place, in some instances thousands of miles apart, his every need had been supplied. Hundreds of thousands of men and women of almost every nation had come to hear him, and his great themes were the simple message of salvation and the encouragement of believers to trust in the living God. He told me that he prayed more about his sermons than anything else and that often the text was not given him until he had ascended  the pulpit  stairs,  although he had been praying for it all week.

I asked him if he spent much time on his knees.

“Hours every day. But I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times my prayers have been answered. When once I am persuaded a thing is right, I go on praying for it until the end comes. I never give up!”

These words were spoken in an exulting tone. There was a ring of triumph in them, and the man’s countenance was aglow with holy joy. He had risen from his seat while uttering them and had walked around to the side of the table.

“Thousands of souls have been saved, in answer to my prayers,” he went on. “I shall meet tens of thousands of them in heaven.”

There was another pause. I made no remark, and he continued: “The great point is to never give up until the answer comes. I have been praying every day for fifty-two years for two men, sons of a friend of my youth. They are not converted yet, but they will be! How can it be otherwise? There is the unchanging promise of Jehovah, and on that I rest. The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.

“Oh, how good, kind, gracious, and condescending is the One with whom we have to do! He has given me, unworthy as I am, immeasurably above all  I  have asked or thought! I am only a poor, frail, sinful man, but He has heard my prayers tens of thousands of times and used me as the means of bringing tens of thousands of souls into the way of truth, in this, and other lands. These unworthy lips have proclaimed salvation to great multitudes, and very many people have believed unto eternal life.”

I asked Mr. Muller whether when he had any idea whereunto the work would grow when he first began. After speaking of its commencement in Wilson Street, he answered:

“I only knew that God was in it, and was leading His child into untried and untrodden paths. The assurance of His presence was my stay.”

“I cannot help noticing the way you speak of yourself,” I said, conscious that I was approaching a  subject at  once tender, sacred, and closely allied with his deepest spiritual moods and personal relationship to God, and I half-reproached myself as soon as the words were uttered. He disarmed my fears by exclaiming, “There is only one thing I deserve, and that is hell! I tell you, my brother, that is the only thing I deserve. By nature I am a lost man; but I am sinner saved by the grace of God. Though by nature a sinner, I do not live in sin; I hate sin; I hate it more and more, and love holiness more and more.”

“I suppose through all these long years in your work for God, you have met with much to discourage you,” I asked.

“I have met with many discouragements; but at all times my confidence  has been in God,” was the reply. “On the Word of Jehovah’s promise my soul rested! Oh, it is good to trust in  Him;  His  Word never  returns void! ‘He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might, He increaseth strength’ (Isaiah 40:29). This applies also to my public ministrations. Sixty-two years ago I preached a poor, dry, barren sermon with no comfort to myself and, as I imagined, with no comfort to others. But a long time afterwards I heard of nineteen distinct cases of blessing resulting from that sermon.”

I told him a few of the things that had discouraged me, and I expressed a hope to be used more of God than ever.

“And you will be used of God, my brother,” he exclaimed. “God Himself will bless you! Toil on!”

“May I venture to ask you to give me a word of special counsel in regard to my own work for God,” I asked, “that I may pass it on to other Christian toilers in the great harvest field of souls?”

He answered: “Seek entirely to depend on God for everything,” he answered. “Put yourself and your work into His hands. When thinking of any new undertaking, ask, Is this agreeable to the mind of God? Is it for His glory? If it is not for His glory, it is not for your good, and you must have nothing to do with it. Mind that! Having settled that a certain course is for the glory of God, begin it in His name and continue in it to the end. Undertake it in prayer and faith, and never give up!

“And do not regard iniquity in your heart. If you do, the Lord will not hear you. Keep that before you always. Then trust in God. Depend only on Him. Wait on Him. Believe on Him. Expect great things from Him. Faint not if the blessing tarries. And above all, rely only on the merits  of  our adorable  Lord  and  Saviour,  so that according to them and to nothing of your own, the prayers you offer and the work you do be accepted.”

I had no word of answer. What was there to say? My eyes were filled with tears, and my heart was overflowing; and besides—

“There was the speechless awe that
dared not move,
And all the silent heaven of love.”

From another room Mr. Muller fetched a copy of his life, in which he inscribed my name. His absence afforded me an opportunity of looking around the apartment. The furniture was of the plainest description, useful and in harmony with the man of God who had been talking to me. It is a great principle with George Muller that it does not become the children of God to be ostentatious in style, appointment, dress, or manner of living. He believes that expensiveness and luxury are not seemly in those who are the professed disciples of the meek and lowly One who had not where to lay His head. On a desk lay an open Bible, of clear type, without notes or references.

This, I thought, is the abode of the mightiest man, spiritually considered, of modern times—a man especially raised up to show to a cold, calculating, selfish age the realities of the things of God and to teach the Church how much she might gain if only she were wise enough to take hold of the Omnipotent Arm.

I had been with this prince of prayer one whole hour, and only once had there come a knock at his door. It was opened by Mr. Muller, and there stood one of his orphans—one of the largest family on earth—a fair-haired girl. “My dear,” said he, “I cannot attend to you just now. Wait awhile and I will see you.” Thus was I privileged to remain uninterrupted with this man of faith, this prevailer with God, this traveler of ninety-one years along life’s rough pilgrimage—a man who, like Moses, talks to God as a man talketh to his friend. To me it was as one of the hours of Heaven come down to earth.

His prayer was short and simple. Going to his knees he said, “O Lord, bless this dear servant now before Thee more and more, more and more, more and more! And do Thou graciously guide his pen in what he may write in regard to this Thy work and our conversation today. I ask it through the merits of Thy dear Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen!”

George Muller”s Life and Work

The writer of the foregoing interview furnishes the following particulars concerning the life of George Mueller:

The Founder of the Ashley Down Orphanage, Bristol, England, was born in Prussia, September 17, 1805. In his young manhood he lived a godless life, but at the age of twenty-one he was suddenly converted to God at a prayer-meeting held in the house of a pious tradesman. Shortly afterwards, he came to England, bringing with him no letters of introduction, no money, no name, no recommendations, and only a very imperfect knowledge of the English language. What, then, did he bring? He brought God with him. Shortly after landing, he wrote in his journal: My whole life shall be one service for the living God. His principles were deeply rooted in the Holy Scriptures, and he adhered to them through the course  of  his  long  life.  He  never asked  help from anyone and never hinted that help was needed.  Solely in answer  to  believing  prayer more than a million and a half sterling, seven million, five hundred thousand dollars, was sent to him for the building and maintenance of “God’s Orphanage,” for his missionary enterprises, and for the circulation of the Scriptures.

In  his  homes  ten  thousand  destitute orphans have been received, trained, educated, and sent out into the world.

In his old age he traveled nearly two hundred thousand miles in forty-two countries, preaching the Gospel to three millions of hearers.

Having thus served God in his day and generation, his spirit, like that of Moses, was kissed away by the mouth of Jehovah, when all alone in his room, on the early morning of March 10, 1898. His age was ninety-three.

“He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.”

 

Note: George Mueller has been a great inspiration to my prayer life.  It was George Mueller who told Hudson Taylor that he could only conquer China on his knees (Calvin Tan)


Copied for WholesomeWords.org from An Hour With George Müller: the Man of Faith to Whom God Gave Millions edited by A. Sims. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, ©1939.

Comments Off on An Hour With George Muller: The Man of Faith to Whom God Gave Millions edited by A. Sims

Filed under Uncategorized

Story Of Olive Zhang — Told by Dr. John Sung

The Miraculous Effect of Praying Together in Unity

The story of Olive Zhang tells us how important it is for God’s children to pray together earnestly in unity! The effect is amazing! Just as the first Pentecost, a group of people about one hundred and twenty joined together for a time constantly in prayer in Mark Tower, which brought amazing effect. Just as the Scriptures says: “In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest?” (Isaiah 29:17) “Till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.” (Isaiah 32:15) With this story, may the Holy Spirit stir up God’s children to pray persistently in one heart! Only by faith, praying according to God’s promise, not looking at the environment, not by sight, you will see the work of the Holy Spirit and the miraculous effect in His time. (It is suggested that Christians join together to read a passage or a chapter of the Scripture to know God’s will, then pray together.)

How potent it is by joining together and grasping God’s words in prayer

There was a man named Olive Zhang, who lived on the mountain of Olives. He had four friends, who always prayed with him on the mountain of Olives. Their names are: Extracting Oil, Planted before God, Oil Circulation and Seven Lights Glowing. His four friends were with him from morning to night. There was a desert down the mountain where one could seldom see a soul. Five of them plowed, planted olive trees, read the Bible and prayed on the mountain. They transformed all the secular chores into spiritual services. Everyday they lived the kind of life that transcended the world. One of the peaks of the mountain of Olives was called Instructing Peak. Olive Zhang and his friends always had fellowship up there. Together they studied one chapter of the Bible, which was read aloud by Extracting Oil. Then Planted before God prayed, Oil Circulation said Amen, Seven Lights Glowing chanted, and Olive Zhang recorded every details of their fellowship. This mysterious group always gathered at the Instructing Peak and prayed. Their spiritual fruits could not be understood by others.

One morning, Extracting Oil recited Psalm 23, Planted before God prayed according to Psalm 23, and Oil Circulation said Amen all along and Seven Lights Glowing chanted joyfully. Olive Zhang recorded everything. No one knew what had happened to those seven churches down the mountain on that very day.

There were seven churches around the mountain and they all experienced miracles on that day. The Church in Ephesus suddenly regained their first love and saw God’s miraculous love on them. They truly understood that the Lord was their Shepherd and they should not be in want. The Church in Smyrna had been under severe afflictions, but all of a sudden she entered His rest. Truly they understood these words: “He makes me lie down in green pasture, he leads me beside quiet waters.” The Church in Pergamum had a sudden revival and forsook the false teaching of Balaam. They consecrated themselves and truly experienced the meaning of: “He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness.” The Church in Thyatira came to great awakening and disassociated with Jezebel: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” The Church in Sadis woke up suddenly and were comforted by the Lord’s rod and staff. The Church in Philadelphia on the verge of destruction was anointed by the Spirit. Truly they ate the feast before their enemies and were anointed with oil. The Church in Laodicea experienced a sudden revival. They entered God’s grace, enjoyed the heaven feast and never wanted to leave: They would dwell in the house of the Lord forever. As soon as Olive Zhang was informed of the revival in the seven churches down the mountain, he and his four friends focused more on the work instructed by God and lived a godly life.

 

Calvin comments:

The Life of Dr John Sung moved me deeply whenever I read or heard about him. Having read “THE LOST JOURNAL” twice by Dr John Sung I ended the book in tears. Tears of deep joy how Almighy God worked through His selfless servant. I have copied & posted this message on Olive Zhang as a fragrant & an inspiration for United Prayer.  AMEN AND AMEN

Comments Off on Story Of Olive Zhang — Told by Dr. John Sung

Filed under Uncategorized

REMEMBERING THE BLESSED EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN OF SEPTEMBER 2 – 9, 1978 (40 YEARS AGO)

Today is the 40th Year Anniversary of the EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN In JESUS SAVES MISSION, Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore.

Wow! 40 years have come and gone so swiftly. I am so thankful to Almighty God for His Day of visitation for 8 days. But those were the days of sacrifice, hard work, fasting and above all – the prevailing power in prayer and getting hold upon God & His unfailing promises.

Not too long ago my wife visited Perth’s Bible Presbyterian Church in WA, Australia. There she met Sis Allison which was one of the converts. Thank God for the lasting  fruit of this Campaign in year 1978.

We had lost contacts with the rest as we have resigned from Jesus Saves Mission in Year 1988 – 30 years ago.

In years 1979 to 1980 God called me to serve for 2 years in the Penang Jesus Saves Mission. A tropical Island North West of Malaysia. Then in 1981 I was called to serve in KL Jesus Saves Mission for 7 years until year 1988 when we resigned from the JESUS SAVES MISSION. Within these 7 years I got married to Christiana & we started the BEREAN BOOK CLUB (CENTRE) in Year 1982 which closed in year 1987. Within these 5 years we sold Bibles & Christian books worth a quarter million ringgit. It was a tremendous time of blessing as we will relate later

We had resigned & left Jesus Saves Mission since 1st May 1988, 30 years already. These 30 years Almighty God has supplied our needs living & serving Him and Him alone. Amen

And there will be more testimonies of God’s power in operation by prayer. Both before and after we joined & left the “Jesus Saves Mission”

Comments Off on REMEMBERING THE BLESSED EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN OF SEPTEMBER 2 – 9, 1978 (40 YEARS AGO)

Filed under Uncategorized