Around 100 pastors and ministry workers from the surrounding islands gather once a month on the main island of Batam to worship and pray together. Around 50 attended on 5 Nov while the other half attended to something unforeseen. What a joy to witness the unity of God’s servants.
I was deeply honoured to share a message on true faith – a faith that bears true fruit and leads to true freedom in Christ.
All glory and thanks to the Lord for the privilege of fellowshipping with these faithful servants.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We are commissioned to go and make disciples, and not merely sharing the gospel. Sharing the gospel is only the starting point of true disciple making.
Many churches and ministries today stop at “decisions for Christ” but Jesus our Lord called for making disciples who live under His Lordship. Without emphasising the cost of discipleship, we risk creating a shallow Christianity that lacks endurance, fruit and holiness.
Postscript :
Even if one obeys the Great Commission to go and make disciples, can he or she make disciples if he or she is not one in the first place ? Our Lord had given 3 demands of discipleship in Luke 14:26,27 and 33. If he or she cannot fulfil these 3 demands, can he or she considered himself or herself a disciple ?
If one has true or legitimate faith in Christ, he will abide in Him and produce true fruit and in turn, he will have true freedom in Him.
True Faith
Hebrews 11:13–16 teaches that true faith looks beyond this world. It believes God’s promises even when they are not yet fulfilled, lives as a pilgrim and stranger on earth, and seeks a better, heavenly country.
True faith does not turn back to the old life but presses on toward God’s eternal city. Because such people desire God above all, He is not ashamed to be called their God, and He prepares a place for them.
True Fruit
Jesus warned in Matt 7:21-23 that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” or performs miracles in His name will enter the Kingdom. Spiritual power can impress, but it does not prove a true relationship with Him.
The Lord looks for the fruit of repentance — a heart changed by the Spirit. True fruit is not seen in signs and wonders but in obedience, humility, mercy, and love.
As Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
When we abide in Christ, His life flows through us, producing lasting fruit — the character of Christ in us.
True Freedom
Many seek freedom — freedom from rules, from people’s expectations, from pressure. But the freedom the world offers is an illusion. It often leads us deeper into bondage — bondage to sin, fear, guilt, and self.
Christ offers a different kind of freedom. Through His death and resurrection, He broke the chains of sin that enslaved us. No longer do we have to live under guilt or condemnation. In Him, we are forgiven, accepted, and loved.
This freedom is not a license to do whatever we please. It is the power to live as we were meant to — walking in truth, loving others, and serving God from a willing heart. The Spirit now writes God’s law on our hearts, and we obey not out of fear, but out of love.
True freedom is being released from self-centered living so that we may live for Christ and His kingdom. It is freedom from fear and striving, replaced by peace, joy, and purpose in the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 2:44-45, what we see is not just a model of community but the outworking of the Holy Spirit’s transforming power. The believers were so gripped by the reality of Christ’s resurrection and the urgency of His return that their priorities radically shifted – possessions, comfort, and even life itself became secondary to living in the Kingdom of God.
Over time, as the church institutionalized, it gained structures that were at times helpful (guarding truth, organizing mission), but also often became entangled with worldliness, politics, and comfort-seeking. In many places today the church looks more like a service provider – meeting felt needs, offering programs, or becoming a social network – than a Spirit-filled counterculture living under the rule of King Jesus.
Should the faithful return to house gatherings and communal living in the end times ? A few biblical considerations :
House churches were the norm in the New Testament (Rom 16:5; Col 4:15, Philemon 1:2). Small, intimate gatherings foster accountability, shared life, and deep discipleship.
Communal sharing was voluntary, not forced (Acts 5:4). The Spirit prompted generosity, but it wasn’t about creating a rigid commune – it was about meeting needs out of love.
Jesus warned of tares among the wheat (Matt 13:24-30). No structure – large church or house church – can prevent that. The key is faithful teaching, discernment and endurance.
The last days picture : persecution, deception and economic control (Matt 24; Rev 13) may very well push believers back into small, hidden, Spirit-led communities where reliance on one another is essential.
So the answer may be : Yes, the faithful should rediscover the simplicity and depth of home fellowship, shared resources, and true Kingdom living. Not because “big churches” are inherently wrong, but because what is coming may demand that believers lean on each other more radcally – for spiritual strength, daily provision, and endurance in trials. It’s not merely about form (house vs building) but about substance. Are we living as a family under the Lordship of Christ, ready to bear one another’s burdens – even unto suffering ?
No treasure, title, or triumph in this world can equal the gift of being called a child of the Most High. it is not merely an honour – it is the ultimate fulfilment of human destiny, the very reason we exist. Nothing, absolutely nothing, on earth can rival this eternal identity. All the world offers is dust compared to the glory of being His. This one gift – to be known by God, loved as His child – outshines all the accolades of men.
You may feel like the darkness will never go away and have no more strength to continue. You are not alone. There is One Person who sees every tear, hears every silent cry, and He whispers,”Come to Me. I will give you rest.” His name is Jesus. He knows what it feels like to be rejected, abandoned, even crushed. Though He was called the Man of Sorrows, yet He carried your sorrow to the cross. He died—not because you are a failure, but because you are deeply loved. And He rose again so that your story doesn’t need to end in pain or death, but in healing, peace, and a new beginning. Please don’t give up.You may not see it now, but your life is precious in His eyes.You are not forgotten and forsaken. And you don’t have to walk this valley alone. Jesus is here. Let’s walk together with Him who love us so much.
The Heb 11 faith chapter presents two groups of the faithful and they are specifically mentioned in verses 32 to 40. This passage helps me to understand the perennial tension between the continualists and the cessationists today.
The first group (verses 32-35a) are the ones who experienced miraculous victories and deliverance. They conquered kingdoms, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, escaped the edge of the sword and received back their dead by resurrection.
The second group (verses 35b-38) were also commended for their faith but their experience was very different – they were tortured, refusing to accept release, mocked and flogged, killed with the sword, went about destitute and wandering in deserts and mountains.
The Continualists emphasize the ongoing miraculous works of the Spirit – healing, prophecy, tongues, signs etc and this mindset resonates with the first group where faith leads to visible triumphs and miracles.
The Cessationists believe that certain supernatural gifts ceased after the apostolic age. Many of them focus on endurance, fidelity to Scripture, and suffering for Christ and aligns more closely with the second group where faith is shown through perseverance under persecution and loss, without necessarily seeing outward miracles.
This Scriptural passage gives no superiority to either group. Both were commended through their faith (verse 39). The miracle-receivers and the martyr-sufferers are equally honored. In fact, both groups are seen incomplete without us – pointing to something greater in God’s plan (verse 40).
In conclusion, Scripture is certain that faith is not validated by visible outcomes, where miracles occur or not. God works both through signs and through silence. Faith, in both cases, is what pleases Him.
Postscript : I must mention that the NAR movement is in neither of these 2 groups. If we test them by the criteria of a different gospel, different Jesus and different spirit – namely the way of Cain, Balaam’s error and Korah’s rebellion – these so called prophets and apostles are found wanting. I am not surprised that many are already being exposed for their immorality and lack of integrity.
In the parable stated in Matt 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12 and Luke 20:9-19, the vineyard represents national Israel (cross ref : Isaiah 5:7), the tenants are Israel’s religious leaders, the servants are the prophets whom the leaders rejected and killed, the son is Jesus and the owner is God who will destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others.
When Jesus our Lord said that the Kingdom of God would be taken away and given to a people producing its fruits, He was not talking about real estate (the land of Israel) being permanently taken away but about stewardship over God’s kingdom – specifically the spiritual leadership and privilege of representing God’s rule on earth. In Matt 21:43, the Kingdom of God is being taken away from corrupt Jewish leaders and given to others who will bear its fruit referring to the apostles, the early Jewish believers and eventually Gentile believers grafted into the people of God (Rom 11).
This parable does not teach that Israel is rejected forever. Rom 11:1 stated clearly that God has not rejected His people and Rom 11:25-26 stated only a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of Gentiles has come in and then all Israel will be saved. God’s covenant with Israel is not nullified. There will be a future restoration promised.
In summary, the parable is about spiritual leadership and not permanent loss of land. It warns that rejecting God’s Son leads to loss of kingdom responsibility. The Kingdom message moves from rebellious leaders to faithful people – who follow Jesus.
Element
Symbol
Old Tenants (Rejected)
New Tenants (Accepted)
Vineyard
God’s covenant people / kingdom
Israel entrusted to religious leaders
The Church – all who follow Jesus
Owner
God
Sends prophets and His Son
Still the same Owner – God remains faithful
Servants
Prophets
Beaten, rejected, killed
Honored by the faithful
Son
Jesus Christ
Killed outside the vineyard (Jerusalem)
Believed, loved, followed
Tenants
Leaders/stewards
Chief priests, scribes, Pharisees
Apostles, Jewish believers, and Gentiles in Christ
After 3 years of travel restriction due to the pandemic, I went on a recreational trip with my daughter in March 2023. After landing in the capital city of this country, we took a train to our hotel. En-route, I was pickpocketed and lost my wallet which contained all my cards. Three pickpockets worked as a team and they touched my body at the same time which distracted my feeling of my pockets. By the grace of God, I did not lose my handphone and money in my other pocket. Immediately I terminated the use of the cards using my handphone and made a police report within one hour as the police station was just 100 metres from the hotel. I managed to claim from the travel insurance policy all the cost of card replacement and some cash upon my return.
All thanks to the Lord for answering my prayer for His journey mercy. My holiday was not ruined and I did not lose anything substantial due to the insurance claim.
All thanks to the Lord for the tent-making opportunity of leading tours for these 2 years. Led a group to Xinjiang, China in mid March 2025 which spring was supposed to be starting but the weather was unpredictable and could swing from -10 deg C to 18 deg C in various cities in Xinjiang. Our first stop for 2 days was in Kanas National Geopark in the north and the temperature dropped to freezing. Suddenly a snowstorm was forecasted and access road to the mountains was sealed off by the authorities while we were leaving. We even encountered an avalanche on the way down. All thanks to the Lord for His journey mercy and uninterrupted travel down the mountains. If we had arrived 2 days later, our trip would be ruined due to the disruption.
On the way back to Urumqi, we encountered very strong winds and the main highway was closed. We had only one longer alternative route which we prayed that it would not be closed as well. Again, our trip would be ruined if we had to turn back to Turpan city. I was nearly blown off by the strong winds when I went to the toilet at the R&R stop along the way. It was the first time I had such an experience. I saw a 40 ft container being overturned.
All thanks to the Lord for His journey mercies. Giving thanks also that our trip was not ruined as a result of such unpredictable weather. Everyone returned safe and sound. Nobody was sick as a result of such wild swing of temperature also.
On the way up the mountains, saw a fox at close range. An avalanche happened just a few cars ahead of ours.Flaming MountainsTruck overturned due to very strong winds
