Aaron & Becky's story here.
I wasn't able to attend one of my ex-housemates' wedding earlier this year because I was in training, but if all goes well I should be able to attend another's in Zurich at the start of next year!
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Monday 3 October 2011
God is sovereign and good and just
"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done." - Psalm 62:11-12 (NIV)
Who God Listens To
"We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will." - John 9:31 (NIV)
Sunday 2 October 2011
Pastoral Prayer
Father, we come this morning as one people with one voice declaring our praises to You. We want to acknowledge that Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. All that we are and all that we have comes from You and we want to thank You and we want to praise You.
May Your Spirit lead our minds away from the many things that bog us down in our lives and lead us to an inner renewal of our soul.
Take our hearts and our minds away from the many things that are occupying our lives, the things that we need to do, the problems we need to resolve, the demands we have both at work and at home.
We seek not to run away from these responsibilities but we seek to not let these things distract us from giving our hearts and minds and our whole beings in worshipping You this morning and to trust that You, O Lord, are in control of every situation in our lives. Help us to cast all our anxieties unto You and lead us in accordance with Your ways.
May our souls be enabled to learn to rest and wait upon You, may our minds be focused on You and our hearts be surrendered to You.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.
- Pastor Andrew Goh, KPRBC (2 Oct 11)
May Your Spirit lead our minds away from the many things that bog us down in our lives and lead us to an inner renewal of our soul.
Take our hearts and our minds away from the many things that are occupying our lives, the things that we need to do, the problems we need to resolve, the demands we have both at work and at home.
We seek not to run away from these responsibilities but we seek to not let these things distract us from giving our hearts and minds and our whole beings in worshipping You this morning and to trust that You, O Lord, are in control of every situation in our lives. Help us to cast all our anxieties unto You and lead us in accordance with Your ways.
May our souls be enabled to learn to rest and wait upon You, may our minds be focused on You and our hearts be surrendered to You.
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.
- Pastor Andrew Goh, KPRBC (2 Oct 11)
Saturday 1 October 2011
Unlocking the Second Third Prison
Launched in 2004 by the President of the Republic of Singapore Mr S R Nathan, the Yellow Ribbon Project seeks to engage the community in accepting ex-offenders and their families, giving them a second chance at life and to inspire a ripple effect of concerted community action to support ex-offenders and their families.
The Yellow Ribbon Project seeks to unlock the second prison, the prison of social stigma towards ex-offenders upon their release from the first prison. In fact, the theme of this year's ICPA (International Corrections and Prisons Association) 13th Annual Conference - which Singapore was hosting for the first time and which I had the privilege to attend from 11 to 16 Sep - was Unlocking the Second Prison.
One idea which struck me - and stuck with me - throughout the conference was that rehabilitation should take place before - and in preparation for - future release, not upon release. This got me thinking about a third prison which we all live in, the prison of sin. We may not be prisoners of the law of Singapore, but we are all prisoners of the law of sin, 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23, NIV).
"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." - Romans 7:21-25 (NIV)
As prisoners of the law of sin, we have lost the freedom which was given to the first Adam. However, by God's grace we have freedom in Christ, the second Adam.
"But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith... It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 3:22-24, 5:1 (NIV)
We unlock the third prison - the prison of sin - by faith.
Rehab, Renew, Restart: An Offender's Journey Through Three Prisons
First Prison - Sentence
1. Remand
2. Conviction
3. Rehabilitation
4. Release
Rehabilitation should take place before - and in preparation for - future release, not upon release.
Second Prison - Society
1. Separation
2. Forgiveness
3. Resocialisation
4. Reintegration
Resocialisation should take place before - and in preparation for - future reintegration, not upon reintegration.
Third Prison - Sin
1. Law (Old Covenant)
2. Cross
3. Resurrection/Justification of Christ (New Covenant)
4. Resurrection/Justification of Christians, Renewal of Creation
New creation has already begun with the resurrection/justification of Christ! We should continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling before - and in preparation for - our future resurrection/justification (ie. in our lifetime), not upon our future resurrection/justification.
"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." - James 2:20-24 (NIV)
The Yellow Ribbon Project seeks to unlock the second prison, the prison of social stigma towards ex-offenders upon their release from the first prison. In fact, the theme of this year's ICPA (International Corrections and Prisons Association) 13th Annual Conference - which Singapore was hosting for the first time and which I had the privilege to attend from 11 to 16 Sep - was Unlocking the Second Prison.
One idea which struck me - and stuck with me - throughout the conference was that rehabilitation should take place before - and in preparation for - future release, not upon release. This got me thinking about a third prison which we all live in, the prison of sin. We may not be prisoners of the law of Singapore, but we are all prisoners of the law of sin, 'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23, NIV).
"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." - Romans 7:21-25 (NIV)
As prisoners of the law of sin, we have lost the freedom which was given to the first Adam. However, by God's grace we have freedom in Christ, the second Adam.
"But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith... It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 3:22-24, 5:1 (NIV)
We unlock the third prison - the prison of sin - by faith.
Rehab, Renew, Restart: An Offender's Journey Through Three Prisons
First Prison - Sentence
1. Remand
2. Conviction
3. Rehabilitation
4. Release
Rehabilitation should take place before - and in preparation for - future release, not upon release.
Second Prison - Society
1. Separation
2. Forgiveness
3. Resocialisation
4. Reintegration
Resocialisation should take place before - and in preparation for - future reintegration, not upon reintegration.
Third Prison - Sin
1. Law (Old Covenant)
2. Cross
3. Resurrection/Justification of Christ (New Covenant)
4. Resurrection/Justification of Christians, Renewal of Creation
New creation has already begun with the resurrection/justification of Christ! We should continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling before - and in preparation for - our future resurrection/justification (ie. in our lifetime), not upon our future resurrection/justification.
"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." - James 2:20-24 (NIV)
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