NUS Campus Crusade for Christ - Science Region

Extracted from "Disciple's Prayer Life, Walking in Fellowship with God" by T W Hunt & Catherine Walker

By Yuhan

A Poem by Gwynnyth Gibson

By Sze Yin

For the past half a semester, I’ve been very busy trying to cope with the increasing workloads in my studies and many commitments in church and crusade. It will never be possible if I were doing all this by my own strength, but I thank God for His strength and wisdom in guiding me through every task that I’m doing.

No doubt, there are still times when I struggled between trusting God and relying on my own strength. It is only when I come to a point when I felt completely helpless and powerless to do the things that I need to do that I can’t help but can only look to God for strength. For Paul, it is when he is weak, that he sees the power of Christ moving in his life. And similarly, for me, it is in my weakness that I see the grace of God which is more than enough for me.

If anyone is feeling weak and helpless, do always remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you and His power is made perfect in your weakness. For when you are weak, then you are strong. Continue to trust in the Lord, who will never cease to strengthen you with His unlimited power!

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10) But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

By Abigail Yong

Last Tuesday, we gathered together to learn more about being a serving community, both for God and for others. As the worship leader for that LM, I had been struggling to cope with the extra responsibility in addition to my usual heavy workload. However, after hearing Sharon’s message, I realised that in being a worship leader, and indeed in all tasks that we do, we should do it all for the glory of God and to serve the community and ultimately God, not ourselves. This lesson from the LM is certainly something to encourage us, especially when we become disillusioned or start thinking of God’s work as a burden.

As Jesus Christ said in Matthew 25, “I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Then we will say, “When did we do any of that? We never saw you.” But Jesus will say, “When you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me. To serve others is to serve God. Is that not what we were put on Earth for?

By Sophia Lim

I helped out at the prayer booth which focused on prayer for the world. Through the preparation process as well as other segments of LM, I saw my own lack of prayer for the world and how narrow my prayers often are. Most of the times, we focus only on our own supplications; we often get so caught up in our own troubles that we fail to see the great needs of the world. I think prayer LM has adjusted my perspectives. Though prayer LM is merely a one-off event, I hope it has shown us that prayer needs are countless; we, as prayer warriors, should see the importance of prayer and continuously intercede for our school, our ministries and the world.

By Ye Chen'en

Dear Crusaders,

By Wong Le Jing

All the food we had.

4th of July was picnic day. That morning, many crusaders prepared food to feed all the hungry people coming. The picnic was pot luck style. Food made with love! By 1 pm, all of us were thanking God for the great weather we had for the day. It was cloudy and slightly windy, perfect for a picnic. We reached botanic gardens and sat near the 'money' tree. For those that do not know, the big tree is affectionately called the 'money' tree because its the tree that appears at the back of our five dollar note. With about 20 plus crusaders, we spared no time laying out the mats and placing all our food at middle. After a little introduction in a circle, Terence took time on behalf of everyone to thank the people who prepared the food for us. We gave grace and ate the food before us! After the food, Shi Wei led us in a time of thanksgiving and worship. Echoing what Terence said, what sets us apart from other social gatherings is that we have God in our midst.

Worship.

After the worship, we moved out of the mat to play some ultimate frisbee. Botanic gardens was surprisingly empty, save for a few young families. Many of us also tried in vain to fly kites. Too bad that there was not enough wind, and too many trees! The kites went up for a while, only to come crashing down later. We also were a little fascinated with a few couples taking pretty wedding photos at botanic gardens. Fpur couples I think? After all the running, we sat down in groups to play the guitar, and other games like chomp and bang. It was a great time of fellowshipping and playing together. Before long, we packed up to go for dinner before it turned dark.

Kite flying.

I thank God for the great weather, great food, and great fellowship we had. =)

Us!

By Valerie Koh

Let me start off by saying first that this camp, is the very first Christian camp I have ever attended in my entire life. Furthermore, I don't really like camps (especially overnight ones). So in the midst of my contemplation whether to go or not, Liting approached me and asked if I wanted to take up the role of AGL in the camp. After a day's consideration, I said yes.

And so the camp commenced and I found that I've been blessed with an awesome CGL (Alicia) and a really wonderful CG (CG4!). I've thoroughly enjoyed the times we spent bonding and getting to know each other more during games, meal times and CG time. There were many things I've learnt during CG time where we got together to share our thoughts and reflections on the Message that Casey has shared with us. I discovered that there were things to be learnt from the message that have never crossed my mind before, but have been brought up by others?

I'm not a very sporty and active person, so it was to my surprise that I found myself actually enjoying the games we played while running about campus, tiring as they may be. What I found really meaningful about these games was that each had an objective behind it, something to be learnt and gained at the end of it all.

It has been a really great three days and two nights learning more about God, having fellowship with other Christian friends, worshipping and learning skills (witnessing exercise). I am glad to have left this camp closer to God and richer in friendship.

All of Science Region campers - look at James!

Story of a Nail
"Don't look down on me just because I seem to be an insignificant nail. I traveled the world and I have seen much in life. The highlight of my life was the day I was taken by a Roman soldier along a dusty road that led to Calvary.

When he took me out of his bag, I saw three men waiting to be crucified. Serve them right, these criminals! But there was something different about the man in the middle. Those weeping women called Him "Messiah". A plaque on the cross read "King of the Jews". So this was no ordinary man. He seemed to be well loved and respected. I hate to see this man die. For once, I wish I wasn't a nail.

A soldier placed me at the wrist of the man in the middle and hammered me in. "Ouch, ouch!" my head hurts.. How self-centered I was. The pain must have been excruciating for Him, but He was silent. As His head turned, I saw those eyes. They were not eyes of anger and hatred, but of love and compassion. I heard Him say, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

There was something I didn't understand. What crime has He committed? "He claimed to be the Son of God," one woman told another. But...to be crucified for that?

Later, I gathered it had to do with what man called "sin". This man had to bear the sins of the world. That sounded pretty heavy. Poor man.

It wasn't long before He breathed His last. Honestly, I was sad to see Him die. If He claimed to be God, and if it is true, surely He can save Himself? Why didn't He come down from the cross? My fellow nails and I secured Him to the cross. But it was love, love for the world that held Him there."

The story of a simple nail triggered much thought about all that Jesus had done. Who drove those nails? Was it the crowd-pleasing Pilate? The religious establishment of the day? Or the dutiful Roman soldiers?

The apostle Peter, in addressing the crowd at Pentecost, said, "...and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him' (Acts 2:22-24, NIV, italics mine).

It was our sins that drove those nails! And it was love, God's love for us that held His Son to the cross.

This Easter, as we ponder on the significance of our Savior's death and resurrection, may we love Him even more. Let us take this opportunity to bring someone into the loving embrace of His nail-scarred hands..

Because He Lives,

Lam Kok Hiang
Campus Crusade Country Director

By Gloria Koh

It was SMAD on 31 March and it was indeed something new to me as this was my first time attending SMAD. Many people put up items to show their appreciation for their SMs and to bless them with little gifts as well. Amongst all the fun and laughter, we haven't forgotten to dwell on God's word. Terence gave a sharing on being chosen to serve God.

Using Po from Kungfu Panda as an example, Terence shared that indeed many of us are not up to God's standard, at that very point when we were chosen, to do God's work as we are very inadequate and sinful. However, we should never forget that nothing is too difficult for God, and that includes moulding a person and equipping him with the right qualities to do the work that God has assigned to him. It was not about whether we are good enough to be chosen by God, but whether we are willing to trust God to help us do His work. One thing that struck me the most was the fact that God chooses the weak and the humble, such that His power and His glory can be clearly shown and manifested in that person's life. Its through our weakness, that God's glory can be visible to the rest of the world.

Let us all stop hesitating to serve God. Let's all take a step of faith and let God transform our lives this very day! =)

By Nigel Ho

I am not exactly the right person to be talking about LM, considering that I had only attended a couple of LMs for this semester. However, I had the privilege of emceeing for one of the LMs, which was LM 6 Missions and Sending. I was touched by the presence of God in the event of emceeing and hearing the message being shared by Ting Ni. As she shared about her experience in East Asia, I just felt encouraged by her faith and boldness to step out of her comfort zone of not knowing how to speak Mandarin and understanding the Chinese words before she went. She gave up her scholarship and ambitions just to obey God and she was rewarded greatly. As the LM was focusing on Missions and Sending, I knew that evangelism and spreading the Good News were the prominent features of Christian living. And if we have experienced abundant love and grace from God, we want to share this good news with others because this love is meant to be enjoyed by everyone! You are saved spiritually so that another person can be saved spiritually through your sharing! (Romans 10:13-15) Besides being encouraged, I was reminded at the same time of my time of seeking God in my future direction after graduation. I asked God to show me the passion of my life. What do I like to do? What gifts have been entrusted to me? What do I see myself doing for the rest of my life? Then I realised something. It isn't the specific calling or passion that is going to play the most important part of obeying God, it's being obedient to whatever God has called us to do in our lives. It's the willingness to say yes to Him that matters, not just a season of our lives when we are at the crossroads and need to make a decision but also in every single thing that He has placed in our lives. May it be in our studies, honoring God, our parents and friends, every word or deed that we say or do, we should work at them with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for men, since we know that we will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward (Colossians 3:23). I know that my passion right now is to allow God to unveil His glory to me by obeying Him each day, and I believe He will show me His plans being unfolded each day as I continue to avail myself to Him. I don't want to live a life without knowing what I can do to live abundantly but surely God will not hide Himself from a person who seeks Him. Hence, the question we should perhaps ask ourselves each day is: What is your passion today?

By Victoria King

Going back to the days when I was still in Year 1, though I was a regular at LMs, I was mainly there for the worship and sharing. Back then, I was a young Christian, one who was just beginning to take my Christian faith seriously. I grabbed onto every opportunity to learn more about God; worship, the Word and prayer, through DG, LM and church. True, LM plays a big role in building my spiritual knowledge but it also helps in building my spiritual growth - Word + Fellowship. It wasn't till when I was in Year 2 that I begin to see LM in a different light. I began to look forward to LM not just for the knowledge I would gain but for a time of refreshing and enjoying the community of crusaders. It is the time when like minded Christians come together to worship God, to listen and learn from Him and frank sharing among crusaders. So, instead of expecting to receive most of the time, I also wanted to offer and give what I can, be it time to arrange furniture, packing, encouraging or praying for others and so so on. Basically, I shifted from being someone who would arrive on time for LM and disappear right after LM ended to someone who "tries" to be early for LM and go back with the crowd. =) Now in my third year, LM has never fail to be treasured time spent. And it is because I enjoy the learning and fellowship, I would like others to share the same with me, by inviting and encouraging them to come and see for themselves. Being an international student, crusaders have become my second family and LM can be said as like a weekly family gathering for me.. =)

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10 : 24-25.

By Chen en

We started LM with an ice-breaker, getting to know the names of everyone who came to LM. It was more than an ice-breaker to me, it was like a family gathering, the warmth and sincerity of everyone present, wanting to know your name and being friends. During E-bites, through a fellow sister's sharing, i learned that we should be obedient to God's calling. Her sharing reminded me of the story of Jonah, who did so much to run away from what God has told him to do. But in the end, in one very simple action, God pulled Jonah back to where he was supposed to be. To me, its a reminder to be obedient, to lean on God for his guidance and strength, whatever efforts to run away will be futile because He is God. He will prepare me with all that i need.

Later, we learned about apologetics, to speak in defense for our faith. It need not be a fierce debate with the other person, all that is needed is just a conversation. Through simple flowchart, we can bring across what we want to say to the person easily and clearly. What I felt that was very helpful were the verses that liting pointed out to us, that can defend that Jesus is not a liar and is not a lunatic as well. This gives me more confidence in defending my faith, as i can now give concrete evidence to people, instead of just saying " by faith lor"!

I went home from LM, feeling lighter and more encouraged. Encouraged by the sharing during E-bites, and knowing how to defend my faith, showing others that we Christians believe with sound faith.

By Joanna Lim

Chen 'en and I said a prayer before doing DG witnessing together, entrusting God to lead us to the people whose hearts He has prepared. We spotted Chen'en's coursemate, Huimin, studying alone and approached her. I shared the WYS booklet with her, all the while noticing that she was moved by the message brought across to her. She agreed to join Group Investigating God thereafter, and I was willing to avail my time to follow-up on her.

I was really nervous the first time I was preparing GIG, more so when preparing for my first DG, because I had no idea what to expect. I did alot of online research beforehand, to prepare myself for questions she might ask. During our discussion, I was also quite self-conscious in the usage of words, all the while trying to make things sound less "weird" to a person new to the Christian faith. However, I learnt that we actually do not need to be richly endowed with biblical/theological knowledge to lead in a Christianity discovery group, sharing with him/her what you normally do as a Christian (praying to God when you need help, saying grace) is a testimony in itself! Exposure is evangelism! :)

Perhaps the most important lesson I've learnt from this whole experience of evangelism is that not everyone is as apathetic to spiritual issues as we think they might be. It was a full 4 weeks between the time I first met Huimin to the time we met for GIG. During this period, I kept in contact with her, asking about her CAs and how she was coping. She responded quite positively, and seemed enthusiastic about meeting up with me for GIG. On the day we met up, she was actually having a CA later that afternoon, yet she availed herself to come! It showed me that she was keen to find out more, though she was unfamiliar with the faith. There are individuals who are really seeking God, waiting for someone to give them answers, or just waiting for someone to hear their questions. All we have to do on our part as followers of Christ is to go out in faith, asking God to prepare the hearts of the people He'll lead us to, depending on the Holy Spirit to lead (and to calm our nerves! :S) and leaving the results to God.Even though Huimin eventually decided to discontinue the GIG sessions, it does not negate what I've learnt, nor what she has. She stated in her sms to me that the session we had together had "opened her mind" and helped her "understand more". She thanked me and Li Ting for the friendships forged, and agreed to contact me if she ever wished to find out more. I will continue to keep in touch with her, so she'll have one more Christian friend :) I leave the rest in God's hands, prayerfully committing Huimin to His care and allowing Him to work on the seed that has been planted in her heart. :)