Special 2013 New Year Meetings

Well, 2012 is drawing to a close and we had some wonderful sharing during the Sunday Church Service when we heard from 3 sisters and 1 brother as they shared how God has been active in their lives this last year and gave thanksgiving to God for His awesome love and faithfulness.  Their stories were truly heartwarming and encouraging and we give God all glory.  Despite many challenges this last year, we have seen God’s guiding hand at work moving us in the direction of His will.

As we get started with 2013, it is only right that we begin by coming together for a Special New Year Service to commit the direction and  work of the church and all its members to the Lord’s will.  The Elders who have been seeking God’s face and guidance will share the burdens that God has placed in their hearts for the church.  This is an important meeting as we want the church to be united in purpose and direction and we would want every member to understand the workings of the church and be excited by a common vision for 2013.

Of equal, if not greater importance, will be the Special First Church Prayer Meeting for 2013.  Prayer is what God uses to bring our heart in line with His will and it is by prayer that we become of one mind and it is by prayer that God’s power is demonstrated in the furtherance of His Kingdom.  If you have not been in the habit of attending the church prayer meeting, make 2013 the start of a new and powerful prayer life for you.  See you there.

 

Special New Year Service 2013

Venue: Bangsar Gospel Centre

Time:  10 – 11.30 am  (There will be food and refreshments after the meeting for a Fellowship Brunch)

 

 

Special First Church Prayer Meeting 2013

Venue: Bangsar Gospel Centre

Time: 8.30 -9.30 pm

 

 

Parents – Need Help?

“Parenting Trends

Raising Children for the 21st Century”

Speaker: Lee Wee Min from Focus on the Family

28th  July 2012; 10 am to 12 pm

Venue:   Mosaic Community Studio Sdn. Bhd
S20,Centrepoint, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama.

Calling all parents.  Feeling the generation gap?  Unsure or unfamiliar with the changing challenges that children face today?   Did you use to play with spiders when you were young but your children now play with Playstation?  This may be the seminar for you.   The session highlights include a) trends confronting both parents and children today, b) trends from media and cultural influences, c)  trends in contradiction with traditional perspectives; d) modern barriers to parent -child relationships and e) ingredients to develop meaningful relationships.   Admission is FREE!

To find out more about Focus on the Family, please click this link.

Tony and Ashley Low’s Testimony

Last Sunday, after the worship service, there was a special meeting at the church during which Tony and Ashley Low shared their testimonies and those of us who were there were truly blessed and encouraged to declare that “our God is an Awesome God” (which ties in so nicely with our last post).

Tony and Ashley both come from well known families in Malaysia.  Tony obtained his MBA in England and went on to be involved in property development, manufacturing and hotel business.   Ashley studied civil engineering in England and then went on to do her MBA and has a career in banking.  Together, they have a 14 year old son.

However, about 14 years ago, Tony was diagnosed with stage four or final stage cancer.  Both were from Taoist backgrounds and Ashley’s mother especially encouraged them to seek the help of a famous Taoist medium from Penang.

Ashley spoke of how they tried everything that the medium told them to do which ranged from drinking the ashes of burnt magical writings, to drinking scorpion fortified wines and when the cancer still persisted recommended the ultimate treatment ………to get struck by lightning!  They were so desperate they tried it all!

However, the cancer got so bad and Tony was in so much pain, they finally went back to western medicine.  But by then the cancer was so advanced and had spread so far through the body that most of the doctors just told him that he had about 3 months to live and that he should go home to wait his fate.

However, one doctor was willing to attack the cancer aggressively with chemotherapy and thus started a twelve year journey consisting of a cycle of weakening chemotherapy, joy of remission and followed by the despair of discovering the cancer had returned.  During this time, Tony and Ashley went deeper into Buddhism, making many visits to India.

Ashley shared of her spiritual journey during this time but finally she came to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour and started to attend St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Kuala Lumpur.  Her fellow believers then began to support both Ashley and Tony in their prayers.

The fourth time that the cancer came back it had returned with a vengence in the form of a tumour the size of an avocado in the right frontal lobe of Tony’s brain.  The doctors decided that an operation was necessary to remove the tumour even though the chance of dying during surgery was very high.

This really looked like the end of the road and Tony was trying to ready himself for death in accordance to his Buddhist beliefs.  When Ashley’s pastor came to pray for him before the surgery, he chased the pastor away saying that he did not know this Christian god and would only believe if he could see and speak to God directly and not through a mere messenger.

The operation did not go well and Tony was in a coma.  After 4 days, Tony was being kept alive by a respirator machine and his kidney functions were failing.  Basically, his body was shutting down and doctors urged Ashley to give permission for them to take him off the life-support and let him die.

But Ashley received words of encouragement from God through a couple of verses in the Bible and decided not to give that permission.  Both her family and his thought that she was being unrealistic in carrying on.

Then to everyone’s surprise (except maybe Ashley’s), Tony came out of the coma on the 7th day and his body began functioning again.  Even more amazing, he had been given a vision of God during his coma and woke with a conviction that God had prolonged his life to testify about God to other people.

So Tony went into the operation as a Buddhist and after the coma, came out as a Christian!

The awesomeness continues.  Despite being surprised that Tony was still alive, the doctors then went on to tell them that during the operation, they had to remove about a quarter of Tony’s brain and he was going to be paralysed from the neck down.

Well, Tony is alive today, more than two years on, and is totally healed.  He has no paralysis.  God healed him completely of cancer too.  Tony is now taking a long break from business and has started studies in theology at Presbyterian Bible College in Melbourne. Enjoying the fruits of the spirit God has granted him.

What has happened to Tony has no medical explanation!  As a result, two of his doctors has since found faith in the Lord Jesus!  Praise be to God!

Despite the length of this post,  much has been left out about the amazing details of how God dealt with Tony and Ashley with such grace and love during their long journey with cancer and listening to their actual testimonies is still highly recommended.

A recording of their sharing was made and copies are being made on CDs.  If you would like to have a copy to listen to the testimonies or to share it with others, please leave a request in the comment section (to leave a comment, click on the white word balloon on the top right of this post).

Confessions of an ex-Taoist Medium

Vincent Liow grew up in a staunch Taoist family. As a child, his parents would bring him to Taoist temples to seek the help of idols whenever he fell ill. As an adult, Vincent became a practicing Taoist medium for more than ten years. As a medium, Vincent would summon spirits and go into trance.

However, when he faced a serious crisis in his own life, he came to realise that these spirits had no power to help him with eternal issues but by God’s grace, he had an encounter with the living God which changed his life completely and he surrendered his life to Jesus.

Vincent has written a book about his experiences, “Confessions of an Ex-Taoist Medium” and has publicly shared his testimony on many occasions.

Vincent Liow will be at Bangsar Gospel Centre at 11.30 am, Sunday 22nd April 2012. (after Worship Service)

Come and listen to his testimony.  Bring along relatives and friends – especially those of Buddhist or Taoist backgrounds and beliefs.

Different But Not Less

There will be an extra special meeting on Sunday 25th March  at 11.30 -1.30 pm at Bangsar Gospel Centre, after the church Sunday Worship Service.  Don’t miss this opportunity.

It is entitled “Different But Not Less“.

Children with so called ‘learning  difficulties or  special needs’ are often categorized as “less” because they are deemed to be unable to fit into the system of our society.  But each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.  Let’s reconsider our perspective by gaining a better understanding of these children or even adults and seek wisdom from God as to how to encourage them.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Parents, Children Workers or anyone who are in contact with Special Children.  Learn to appreciate, love and embrace them as Jesus would.

Paul & Emily Sebastian

The session will be led by husband and wife team, Paul and Emily, who worship and serve at Damansara Utama Methodist Church.  Paul runs a home centre for children (6-18 years old) and Emily runs an Early Intervention Centre (3-6 years old).  Both have experience working with children with ADD, ADHD, dyslexia, dispraxia and autism.  Come and benefit from their experience and vision of children, family and community working together to embrace the differences in one another and move forward together.