Articles

On May 9th Malaysia saw a new government ushered in. Some called it a “New Malaysia”. Malaysian churches prayed for it. God’s grace and mercy gave the nation a fresh wind. Personally, I believe we are entering a second wind. It is in the air. It is up to us to rise up to move in this second wind. Don’t miss the opportunity, before another storm takes over. This second wind I am thinking of includes these components:

• New governance in the nation that is responsible and righteous in God’s sight, and evil abated
• New opportunities for blessings and businesses to ride on the new political climate
• New responsibilities as missional churches by Asians for Asia; a growing vision among Asian Leaders in recent years. We increase momentum in what we have already started.

Vital for the second wind is a CULTURE of PRAYER. Intensified prayer makes the above realities.

 

First Call to Prayer: pray for the Nation

It is easy for people to stop praying after GE14. That would be a huge mistake. A pastor friend of mine says ‘Don’t stop now!’We cannot presume that old agendas that had stifled the nation had ebbed away. If the new government is halted after its first term, without the time to correct past ills, the jubilation of newness would be short-lived. If churches intensify prayer, the Lord will finish what He’d started. Pray for the nation whenever you meet, in Life/cell groups or in church meetings.

Second Call to Prayer: pray for leaders 

I made this call recently. The call is to pray for lead pastors, pastors and leaders of our churches. I had explained to the Pastors and in one prayer group on ‘why’. Please implement this in your churches.

Third Call to Prayer: pray for heads of families at home and in the marketplace

Here, I make this third call. Please gather as hubs of people to pray for heads of families, business people, and corporate figures who are influential in their respective arenas. As they are covered in prayer, protected from the evil one, they may continue to be a blessing to their families, their church and the society. It is intentional prayer with others for such covering and fruitfulness that lifts us to a higher vision than just the home being blessed and have a happy family. I do wish for happy families. But I wish our New Life Churches to have MISSIONAL FAMILIES: families that are blessed and are able to be in God’s missions in Asia and the nations – our own mission fields, or pioneer others.

Asia Missions by Asians

Asians have characteristics that God can use. Asians excel in hospitality and generosity. Because you sow, you will reap. Malaysians are obedient, communal in culture, and are in God’s end-time harvest of souls in Asia. Malaysians have a definite place in God’s plan for Asia. I am catching this wind. I want to lead all of New Life Restoration Churches in this second wind of God’s revival move in Asia. I hope you will believe this with me and upgrade your spiritual development to a higher and wider vision. Discipleship for God’s higher purpose is needed in your private life.

God bless you all,

Pr. Jeremiah Yap
September 2018

In the upcoming General Elections, GE14, when political speeches and flags of political parties are flying everywhere, we should raise, exalt and extol the standard of God’s Kingdom higher. The Lord Jesus, whose Name is above every name must be exalted high above our nation. Believers in Christ ought to praise and worship the Lord in exuberant faith acknowledging God who is King above all kingdoms. The Spirit of the living God reigns supreme.

To release the work of the Holy Spirit and God’s angels to permeate the uttermost corners of the nation during GE14 so that His righteousness,  peace and joy (Rom 14:17) prevail in Malaysia, Jesus and the Father must be exalted by our faith. Below are some pointers I have asked Brother Cheam to give us regarding GE14. I like for all our NL members to take note.

 Kingdom Blessings,

Rev. Jeremiah Yap   

GE14, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

GO OUT AND VOTE

Your vote is your most sacred right as a citizen of Malaysia, enshrined in the Constitution. You get to exercise it only once in five (5) years. So go and exercise it.

Do not let anyone tell you your vote is not important and does not matter at all.

Go out and vote. Vote for the future of our beloved Malaysia.

 

On voting day, go out early in full force to vote to prevent any possible untoward happenings, e.g. like someone misappropriating your right to vote by voting on your behalf without your consent or knowledge.

ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE

Do not just vote. Walk the extra mile. Encourage all your family members, your neighbours, your friends, your office mates and everyone you come into contact with to vote. Those who do not have transport, volunteer your assistance. Be a helper. Be an encourager.

 COME HOME AND VOTE

Last GE13, I challenged my many overseas friends who were very super vocal to come home and vote. Actions speak louder than words. To my delight many accepted my challenge and did come home to vote. Yes, every vote counts. Come home and make a difference. Make a sacrifice.

 How about postal votes?

I would encourage all to cast their votes in person as far as possible.

 CHECK AND RECHECK YOUR POLLING STATION

With the very recent redelineation of constituency boundaries please make sure you check and recheck where you are supposed to vote. Many have found their polling stations changed. Check it today. Check again a week before polling date. If possible, check again the night before polling date.

BE A POLLING or COUNTING AGENT (PACA)

Volunteer as a polling or counting agent. Be a watchman for GE14. As a PACA, we can help to ensure a clean and fair election.

How can you assist? Sign up today as a polling and counting agent.

What does a polling agent do? A polling agent observes the electoral process, ensure that every voter that comes in is truly a registered voter in the roll.

What does a counting agent do? A counting agent observes the counting process to ensure that counting process is fair.

 In the end, it is up to the voters to make the decision. The politicians have played their role in the past five years but it is the voters who will write the next chapter of Malaysian history.

Vote wisely. Vote for the future of our beloved Malaysia. Vote for the future of our children. We, Malaysian citizens whovote, will write the next chapter of Malaysian history.

 “Be the light and give light to everyone in the house”  (Matthew 5:15)

God bless Malaysia.

L S Cheam

I see Kingdom Family Spectrum worked out as a blessing to the nations, in this case in Japan.  This year, Pastor Lawrence, Lip Yee and team helped the Kobe Bible Fellowship (KBF) in pioneering cell groups. This initiative has been well received. I believe it contributes to the apostolic vision of the Great Commission and helps Pastor Rob’s desire for revival in Japan. Cell group is a key to pastoring revival.

As  the  year  passed,  Pastor Rob became very ill again, stricken with cancer. We were told a prophetic  word  given  him  in our September 2016  mission trip  about  his destiny for Japan, sustained him. Pastor Rob said “there was not a wasted word in that prophecy. Every word was fulfilled”.    At   9.00am  on  23 September 2017 Jesus vindicated for him. He bounced back to life. Apostolic authority in prayer and kingdom destiny overcame cancer and death!

 This November trip was an eye opener for my family, Kar Sum and Vivian. We not only saw the spectrum of gifts in operation, we heard many testimonies from Pr Rob, Rachel, Pr Akira, Pr Katsumi and others, of how God was so real. Upon a prophecy on angelic presence, they opened up and shared of angelic symphony in their prayer time with 30 people on February 28th. This stretches our vision for Spectrum of Kingdom Blessings! Heavenly visitation was truly something else! I sense KBF is very much a part of Japan’s revival. Rob told me, his internet sermons are now heard by 10000 listeners. He announced that  NLRC appeared whenever they faced difficult times in the last 9 years. NLRC is privileged to be part of all these!

 Kingdom Family Spectrum of gifts displayed in the apostolic and prophetic; cultural items and contributions by way of Satay, Bak-kut-teh, etc., forevangelistic outreach; puppetry and wayang kulit for teaching; first visit by Prs. Ron and Lawrence;  were  all memorable to them. This spectrum of gifts shows the value of NLRC people as they step into our New Life vision of “Blessing the Nations”. But Kingdom Family Spectrum is not only in gifts.  It  is also the spectrum of relationships formed between Japanese and Malaysians – among NLRC-KBF pastors and our members. I gave them  our  “R n R”  (Reflect and Refocus)  pastoral key that has sustained us for 36 years. Now, they start their own “R n R” meetings to build relationship and communication.

 Everything is a spectrum: gifts, relationships, faith for revival and miracles, evangelism and business people in kingdom success and service. My encouragement to KBF and now to us, in a scale of 1 to 10, is to see us growing towards 10. For example, if we have faith to pray for the sick, grow our passion to 10. If families are growing well, go for 10. Growing our spectrums in life experiences gives joy and strength to our family and the Church Family.

 Rev. Jeremiah Yap

December 2017   

 

Testimonies from Kobe Mission Team

 I went to this trip being encouraged that I should practise hearing the word of God for people.   As  the Saturday seminar began, a lady caught my eye. I thought to  myself  that God  must have a word for her but I didn’t know what. I did not tell anyone. When the seminar began, my dad (Pr J) started to prophesy on her. Then I knew that was it! Even though I didn’t know what God wanted to say, I felt a little excited that I was on my first small step to hearing God.

During the Sunday international service, Pr. J addressed and acknowledged the Holy Spirit before we sang the song “Holy Spirit”. We sang it very simply but every single one of us in the team and the congregation from the bottom pews to those upstairs told us they felt the tangible presence of the Spirit. Some cried because they felt so touched. He came into our midst as we worshipped God. I learnt how important it was to acknowledge the Holy Spirit. Without Him that service would not be as powerful as it was. Praise the Lord.

~ Eunice Yap

 

It was my first time to Japan, so I was excited to get a glimpse of the Japanese culture and meet the people of KBF church. Throughout the trip,  we  had  the  privilege of hearing from Pr Rob and Pr Akira of their experiences of the angelic visitations during worship and the miracle healing of Pr Rob that took place over this year. I was very uplifted when I heard their stories of the supernatural.

Pr J (my Dad) taught on the importance of understanding and living in the Kingdom of God beyond just doing church. While we each shared our testimonies and also some songs, I felt the presence of God strongly during the worship time. So did our team and the church at KBF.

This Kobe trip showed me the Spirit’s power in connecting the Body of Christ. KBF being a Presbyterian church is different to NLRC. From their testimonies of prayer and prophesies, we saw how the power of the Holy Spirit transcends barriers of cultural and denominational differences, enabling the deeper connections not achievable by any other means. ~ Stephen Yap

 

On this second trip to KBF, I could feel a deeper level of fellowship with our KBF friends.   Pr. Rob shared  with the KBF congregation that under God’s divine plan, New Life has been there for them at different junctures of their walk.

All the past mission trips conducted by New Life over the last 9-10 years that began with friendship-building have allowed our team to also to participate and experience the move of God in Japan. I could feel the presence of God tangibly during the worship sessions and Pr. Jeremiah’s messages.  Peace and joy have uplifted my whole being with a sense of purpose.

This reminded me of the Book of Acts about Apostle Paul preaching the Gospel, establishing churches and encouraging congregations through visitations and written letters.  This mission trip highlighted to me that there is more to God’s Kingdom beyond our own church walls and God could  use  partnerships  and team work to build the Kingdom of God on earth. ~ Wong Kar Sum

 

This trip allowed me to see God’s healing miracle in Pr Rob. When we were there in Kobe, he was able  to eat, stand, walk and drive when  previously he was so weak at the  hospital  ( in  July  when  the other Malaysian team was there). We trust God for his full recovery, Amen.

It was amazing to hear about the angelic visitation in KBF back in February 2017.  Pr Rob and some church members experienced the presence  of  angels  in  their  midst church members experienced the  presence  of  angels  in  their  midst during one of their prayer meetings. Their experience gave me a glimpse of Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

It was evident that the KBF members were very comfortable with our Malaysian team as there were altogether 30 of us during the final night’s dinner and fellowship!  ~ Soon Vi Vian

How to use the book KINGDOM FAMILY?

This book tells you…

Kingdom Family is life in God’s Kingdom that pertains to God’s highest authority as the King of kings in the affairs of those who belong to Him, His citizens, ambassadors, royal children (lineage), His Kingdom servants, and enforcers of God’s righteous rule.

This means the dad the authority figure of the family – under God’s Open Heaven, and aligned under it – is in the line of God’s spiritual authority and heavenly blessings that flow into his wife and children in his family. The family is closest to anyone’s heart.

Your family is close to God’s heart too because the existence of your family was His idea. He knew each one of your family. Your family is His Kingdom Family. Satan knows you inherit His kingdom, so he seeks to block your family from prospering in health and in your soul (3 John 2). Imagine what happens when you tap into God’s spiritual authority and power, living to carry out the righteous work of God into your family and your world? Nothing the enemy intends to hinder you in God’s plan and destiny shall prosper. Your life victories and divine favours will make you God’s light!

My friends Russell and Carolyn gave me this testimony last Sunday. Their business had not done well toward the end of last year. Learning this power of speaking blessing over their business, it grew and income increased. They had submitted to the KING and allowed Him to use their faith, faithfulness and voice to speak God’s intention of Kingdom victory over their business. They praised the Lord for the power of blessing over their business by their utterance as heads of the family.

My dream is for our NLRC churches to be in the highest rung of spiritual significance with God in the spiritual realm. KINGDOM FAMILIES are in the vision of human welfare in God’s economy, and in a love-empowered Christian community which serves God together fruitfully. Everyone have storms in life but with the KING in your faith, and the power of authoritative prayer, you will have peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Roman 14:17).

Pastor David Keys asked me how he can use this book KINGDOM FAMILY with his church. My response is for our church members to read the book for themselves. The church may select only eight chapters to focus on, for example, the chapters on destiny, family as emotional units, 5 aspects of Kingdom Family Culture, and Hubs of God’s Presence. If they can implement these dimensions in the church members’ families, they will grow to be a Kingdom Church!!! NLRC churches, you can apply yourselves in the same way.

 Love,

Pastor Jeremiah Yap

 

July 2017

Kingdom Family Spectrum defined

The church is God’s manifold wisdom (Ephesians 3:10). His glory is diverse and colourful, and He wants to shine through us. Spectrum is used here to mean diversity of God’s colourful glory.

This is possible especially when we live in His Word. The Word of God is like a mirror (James 1:23). It is also like cleansing water (Ephesians 5:26). His word is living water (John 4:10). When God’s pure light casts upon a mirror or a body of water, a spectrum is established. When we have the Word of God hidden in us, God’s light creates a spectrum of His technicolour glory in His blessings, favour, miracles, goodness and mercy, in and through our life. These glorify Him. On the contrary, when our life is dull and pale, He is not glorified.

The Bible shows us things that are described as a range. (‘spectrum’)

For example, love is described in a range/diversity of meanings: agape (God’s love expressed by action, obedience, not feeling; example John 3:16, as in Christ’s sacrifice), phileo (friendship love, emotional; example John 11:3, as in Jesus and Lazarus), eros (marriage love, emotional), and storge (family love; example Romans 12:10 as in brotherly love).

Another example is prayer. In the Bile, we see prayer is asking God for needs met. We also see prayer as petition to a righteous judge to vindicate against the evil one; as meditative thoughtful yearnings in the heart when even words are unable to utter; and then there are occasions when prayer comes out as declarations, proclamations or decrees.

God is shown to us as Creator of the Universe, Husband to Israel, Judge that spares no evil in the Old Testament, God of grace in the New Testament, God of all good at Eden, a friend to Moses and Abraham, King of kings, Father of Jesus, our heavenly Father and provider.

Jesus is shown to us as Saviour, Emmanuel (God with us), advocate, redeemer, Christ the Messiah, the coming King, Son of God, and the firstborn of all creation, our brother and friend to us, healer, deliverer, Word made flesh, wonderful counsellor, prince of peace, mighty God, everlasting Father.

The Holy Spirit is shown to us as helper, teacher, guide, power, God, counsellor and comforter.

There are so many facets of God and diversity of His works that await manifestations in and through us. I believe God’s Kingdom is manifested most in relationships. That is why God brings about His Kingdom by referring to Himself not only as King but also Father in heaven (as in the Lord’s Prayer). God’s Kingdom is executed on earth through the family and the church (which incidentally, is also a family, God’s Family).

Through acceptance and appreciating one another as in a family, God is able to release the gifts and talents, personalities and uniqueness of everyone to fit into His giant jig-saw puzzle of His big, grand picture of His Kingdom purposes on earth.

Everyone is born with God’s intentions and destiny. There is a book of our destiny pre-determined in heaven even before we were born. It is our duty to know and live out our destiny. Being saved and go to heaven is too basic and insufficient. Being blessed just to attend church and have a religion is too uninformed. You have a purpose in God that only you can fulfil. Together with others, we fit into God’s plan for the ages for His Kingdom of heaven to come upon earth in the fullness of His technicolour glory. He wants to glorify Himself in and through you. You are important to His divine purpose.

Love,

Pastor Jeremiah Yap

Kingdom Family Spectrum 1

On 8 January 2017, I loudly encouraged NLRC churches to focus once again on the family, especially our families in God’s Kingdom and His purposes. This makes our families Kingdom Families. In the same breath, I also taught that the Bible tells us the Church is also a family, it is God’s Family. In this light, we must see that the church exists for God’s Kingdom. Hence it is also Kingdom Family. So the concept of Kingdom Family is two-fold, applying to our natural family and the church as a family.

Families are Emotional Systems

Both the natural nuclear family and the church family are emotional systems. Saved and born again in the spirit, we are new creation in Christ and perfectly righteous through Christ in the spirit. But our soul, that is our mind and emotions need to be converted. This is a big process. Failure to see this has kept genuinely born again believers in the bind and control of the flesh, the world and the devil. This makes them ineffective in their faith. My call is for families to be successful and healthy families in their physical, spiritual and especially their emotional state so that they enjoy what Jesus says in John 10:10, to live life abundantly (wholesomely), in spirit, soul and body.

 

Anxiety

Jesus and Paul the apostle emphasized the need to refrain from anxiety. Stress, hurts, offences, and anxiety are weights that prevent Christians from enjoying their abundant life. Someone gave this apt illustration. Stress is like a glass of water. Held for one minute, it is nothing. Held for an hour, your arm will ache. Hold it for much longer, you feel numb. Much longer still, it paralyses the arm. Stress and anxiety are like that glass of water. The right thing to do is to put it down. In the words of Paul: cast all your cares upon the Lord; be anxious for nothing but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Jesus addresses anxiety in ten verses in Matthew 6:24-34. That was in the context of the Lord’s Prayer. We cannot be in prayer and still stay anxious. This contradicts the idea of faith. Trust in the Lord.

The Big Thing is God’s Kingdom Purpose and Destiny for you

Let God’s Kingdom purposes and destiny be your main focus. It is the biggest thing in the universe. It is God’s Kingdom that brings all other things in this world under its rule and dominion, especially all things that pertain to the evil one. Things that have harmed people with addiction, selfish plans, greed that hurt others, diseases, corruption and perversions; these things must be brought under God’s just and righteous jurisdiction. The world is full of these. Unfortunately, sometimes, many Christians are still suffering these things. They have inner conflicts and are at a loss. To win over these and not let worldly issues dominate our life, we live for God’s higher cause and bigger purpose. When you do not have a big thing small things become big. Pains, hurts and worries will dominate and some people get into a downward emotional spin. Others get into depression. It is not worth it. Live for God and be lifted to a higher plane.

Here is the Good News of the Kingdom. Sin is already judged at the Cross. Believers do not need to stay under condemnation as Christ has borne all our sins. Whenever we confess our sins and ask God to forgive us, by what Christ has done in his death, shedding of his blood, God readily forgives us and is able to cleanse all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God is waiting for us to effect what Christ has done for us at the Cross and resurrection. Once forgiven, God casts our sins from the east to the west, never to be remembered. Do not stay condemned and guilt-ridden. Whenever there is anything in our life that the Devil can accuse us for, he will claim his right to torment us. Job was a classic case. He was a righteous man but his children were not. That is why he made offerings daily hoping to atone for their lifestyles of dishonour to God. His children’s sins alone, was enough to give Satan the legal ground to torment Job who stood in intercession.  But we the New Testament believers have Jesus our Intercessor who intercedes for us unceasingly before the

Father (Hebrews 7:25). He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

The question is executing what Christ has done for us to live with an inner freedom. Repent from motives or behaviour that displeases God so that the devil has no place to keep accusing you. The devil is legalistic. He builds a case against us if we can.

The Holy Spirit will be able to vindicate you and judge the devil and his demonic cohorts to dispel their presence and mischief in your life. These include freedom from sicknesses, generational curses, obstructions to answers to prayer and breakthrough that you need. It’s only ignorance that prevents Christians from freedom from things that must be brought under the judgment of God our Righteous Judge and King. We need to see to it that we are individually set free from the wiles of the enemy, and to protect our family especially the ones who are young and vulnerable. My focus on families is so that they all come under God’s Kingdom authority, power, protection and provision.

In freedom, we are able to enjoy God’s spectrum of His glory in our families. Within each family, and I mean both your nuclear family and the church as God’s Family, there are many talents and many opportunities God wants to manifest His manifold wisdom, supernatural works and glory. If we align our life under Him, we enter into the flow of His grace and favour from His Throne of Grace. This river of grace includes healing power, gifts of the Holy Spirit, voice of God that leads in every situation, in your home, at school, at work or in your business. This is Kingdom Family Spectrum.

Love,

Pastor Jeremiah Yap

Pastor Hock and Jinny are a very loved couple among us in the New Life Family. Very talented and full of the heart of service, both these precious souls are working out their life of God’s Kingdom Purpose with a church-centred family lifestyle. They remind me of our early life of NLRC. Our children were brought into every church meeting in their baby basinets at their early age. Our baby baskets were passed around from family to family in the church until they finally disappeared. But the story was the same, raising babies in God’s presence in our church services and events, year in year out. We now have children that love church in their adulthood. Hock and Jinny are sowing similar seeds. They pose as a challenge to those who tend to keep their babies and children overly sanitized from church music and church people.

As I read their article, I can see a couple whose priority is the Kingdom of God. It gives me a sense of confidence that the Lord Jesus’ promise of provision will be accorded them will come true. Already, they received as a gift a seven-seat MPV when they proclaimed that they would like to have a number of children. God’s faithfulness is always available for the faithful.

Enjoy their article…

Love,

Jeremiah Yap

December 2016

Kingdom Family Culture

By Pr Teo Chung Hock & Jinny

To me, Kingdom Life is about living our faith accurately for His will to be carried out on earth. It’s a life long journey which requires progressive faith and learning. But it has to start with the change of our mindset and desire to live out this Kingdom Life.

Kingdom Family is about living out this Kingdom Life amongst our family members especially those who are under our care. I observe how churches have become so institutionalised that we have forgotten that we were born spiritually into this Family of God. Seeing a church as an organisation with many departments versus pastoring a church as a family are so different and would require us to re-think as to how we are to treat others and how to structure the church.

We have three very young children at this moment. They are respectively five years old, two and a half  years old, and six months old at the time of writing this. Although we may not have many years of parenting experience to share, but both my wife and I do set certain Kingdom values in our family. Weekly Dawn Prayer in church is one of the highlights in discipling our children. Whether if they understand or not (actually most of the time they are sleeping while we pray), we just want them to grow up in the presence of God.

Another value is living with a mission in mind. Whether long term or short term mission, we will want to include our children. As a family, we live a life which is flexible enough to be used for mission purposes. On a practical side, our kids are trained to be able to sleep everywhere at any time. We recognise that it is a grace given to them.

We have also made our home as a ministry house where we host youth gathering, short term missionary team, pastors and speakers. By doing so, we also see that our kids grow up knowing the ministry and learning how to interact with others better.

The advantage of having spent lots of time with our children growing up, we manage to guide and help them in seeing God through some basic practical theology, understanding God through daily living. I personally find this the most challenging task for Christian parents and Christian families. By the time our kids reach youth, they would have heard the bible stories many rounds but might not have a clear understanding of their faith. This is one area which we need wisdom to disciple them to experience God and have a personal faith rather than just having the knowledge of what Christians should do and behave.

Application:

1. Why do you think it is important to disciple our family (especially our children) to live a Kingdom Life?

2. What are some practical ways we can start today to disciple our family spiritually?

It is my pleasure to introduce Pastor Kenneth and Loo Ann Toon in this issue of Kingdom Family. They have a journey of sincere service to the Lord Jesus and a family life of Kingdom living up until this stage when both their children have grown up. I recall how their son, Benjamin, brought up under the prayer of his parents, was a little toddler standing in the time of worship, sucking his dummy but deeply soaked in God’s presence with his eyes closed. That picture was most amazing and how I wish that photo is still available. Eliza was a natural when she danced as a little girl during the worship time. Now she writes with passion and pour her heart out fluently through her mighty pen.