Journey Outside the Camp

Being part of the Global Day of Prayer

It was quite an experience to be at the Global Day of Prayer in Singapore. There were two adult sessions and I was at the second one. I'm not sure how many of God's people were gathered but a ballpark estimate would be 5,000. It was amazing to be with so many believers praying together. We started by praying for ourselves, then for our churches, then for the country, then finally for the nations. God's Spirit was definitely moving among the people as I could sense the Holy Spirit helping me to worship God.

I was touched also by Rev Wee Boon Hup's account of how as a boy, he had witnessed the previous generation pray for God to raise up a generation for himself in Singapore. And tonight, looking at the mass of people, he noted that their prayers were answered. It was now our turn to pray for God to continue to expand his kingdom unto the next generation. And to that end, it was exciting to hear that this year, there was a Youth session for GDOP. And there were also two children's session as well.

It was a foretaste of what it will be like to honour and worship God together as a united body of Christ. Amazing.

Global Day of Prayer 2009

31 May is Pentecost Sunday and millions of Christians around the world will join together to pray at the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). Some information from this year's GDOP prayer guide:

At the turn of the millennium, believers in South Africa sensed God calling them to seek Him in repentance and prayer and to call people across their country to assemble in united prayer for their cities and nations. Soon gatherings like it—all meeting on the same day of the year—multiplied across Africa, and in the years that followed, all over the world. The result was the first Global Day of Prayer on Pentecost Sunday in 2005.

Last year, Christians from 214 nations gathered to pray for the world. Our family is eager to join in the Singapore GDOP event this Sunday and see how God will transform the world. Check to see what's happening in your corner of the globe.

God is one

Romans 3:29-30 says, "Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith."

These are weighty words from Paul. And they have huge implications for everyone and every nation. These words are also very offensive to a lot of people if they understood clearly what Paul is saying. After reading up on it and listening to a message preached on it, I learnt several things.

God is one. There is only one true living God and he is the ultimate source of everything except God. How do we know there is only one ultimate God? Well, the very word ultimate is the key. You can only have one ultimate source. You can't have two ultimates. If there is one ultimate God, then everything comes from him. It's as simple as that.

Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."

The Bible states clearly there is only one God who made all things by his own power. There is no other. God is one also means that he has only one way for all the nations to get right with him. That is, justification through Jesus by faith alone. God has a oneness about him, he has a coherence in all his dealings with men. He doesn't reveal himself with one set of standards to one people and another set of standards to another group. In other words, he does not reveal himself in contradictory ways. He is always the God of sovereignty, grace and wrath. Therefore no one can claim they have a different way to be made right with God because God provided only one way.

For many non-Christians, this is no doubt starting to sound offensive. Such talk flies in the face of pluralism. In today's world people are saying, "I have my truth, and you have yours. We can live together, no problem." Such an opinion as God has only way one to salvation is offensive. How dare you say what I believe is not the right way! I learnt that we should not be too worried about this because the church of Jesus Christ was born in one of the most pluralistic cultures in the world. The Roman world was far more pluralistic with its plethora of gods and cultures. And the early church back then had far fewer members than we do today and still the church flourished and grew. We therefore have no excuse about finding it hard to fight a world steeped in pluralism. The church has been through it before.

With the message we carry of one God and one way to salvation, we will encounter the criticism of arrogance, presumption and offensiveness. Our faith is very threatening to pluralism. But we must not back down from the truth. We must however, go in humbleness. We can go in humbleness because we hold fast to another great truth. In John 18:36, Jesus declares, "My kingdom is not of this world..." Jesus was not interested in taking over geography and establishing an earthly kingdom where his subjects would rule and lord it over others. No, Jesus' kingdom is in the hearts of people. Therefore, as his followers, our commitment is not one of bringing others under our rule but rather going to others in love. Jesus' kingdom is not spread by violence, nor political maneuvering, nor coercion. His kingdom is spread by love, spread by service, spread by prayer, spread by proclamation, spread by being persecuted.

One last thought. Verse 30 says God will justify the circumcised and the uncircumcised. I think there is meaning here that goes beyond physical circumcision. Circumcision can be broadened to include all the things we do which we think will make ourselves right with God. This could be doing good deeds, being religious, reading the Bible and so forth. These things will not get us justified before God. The uncircumcised can be expanded to include all those who feel they are completely unworthy to be in the presence of God and do deserve his wrath. God says in verse 30 that he will justify both types of people through faith in Jesus. It is not anything we are or anything we've done that will merit God justifying us, i.e., making us righteous before him. This act of justification is done by him, outside of anything we could ever be or do. And that's the beauty of the Gospel. It is not gained by merit. It is freey available to all.

There is only one way to God but that way is available to all who believe and not based on any merit in a person. Now that truly is good news.

The world has hated me before it hated you

These past few weeks, I have seen and read the most awful comments hurled at Christians. There were many Christians who expressed shock and surprise at the vicious words levelled against those who strive to follow Christ. Even I got a little distressed by all the vitriol in the press and online.

But the Holy Spirit reminded me that as followers of Christ, we are not to be loved by the world. In fact, if the world were friends with me, it would mean I was not a friend of Christ. For in John 15:18-20, Christ himself said:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you."

It's a humbling reminder not to slide into a state of somnolence and become one with the world in terms of values and aspirations. Christ rescued us from the world, which is under Satan's control. We are to live in the world but we are not to be part of it. These past few weeks have been a stark reminder of the battle we are in. We must not expect to be loved by the world and we must be ready to be persecuted.