Category: My Faith Journey

Just before I was enlisted for national service after I had finished the final year examination in the Singapore Polytechnic in 1980,  I went back to the campus to see the results of the examination.

The results printed on computer paper were pinned on the main notice board of the Polytechnic administration office.   Those who had passed the exams would have their names shown.  And if you had any distinction for any particular subject, the subject code would be printed next to your name.

Many would anxiously look for their name.   I saw my name very quickly with a single distinction in Mathematics.  I was jubilant to have passed.

Then, we would see who were the top students among the 170 students of the electrical engineering course cohort.  We only sat for 6 subjects in the final year.  Two of my classmates had 4 distinctions each.  Probably 7 to 8 of them had 3 or 2 distinctions each.  And then another few had 1 distinction each like me.

A few weeks after I had enlisted for national service, I received a notice to collect my results slip personally and another letter telling me that I had won a prize from the company Olivetti.   I had no idea of the reason for being awarded the prize.

When I went to collect the results slip from the Polytechnic campus,  many course-mates were there too.

To my surprise,  I came in second in the whole course !   How could that happen ! ?   After all, I had only 1 distinction out of 6 subjects while several of my course-mates had 4, 3 and 2 distinctions.

God is good.  Not only I had managed to do well in Mathematics when I was so close to failing the subject and the whole exam,  I had done so well surprisingly at the end.

My results were 1 distinction, 4 As and 1 B.   The classmate who came in first had 4 distinctions and 2 As.   Another classmate had 4 distinctions, 1 A and 1 D.   Some had 3 distinctions, 2 As and 1 D.

Then I realized several top students had a D for one particular subject, Circuit Analysis & Measurements, which pulled down their marks so much.

This subject was an easy subject as only formulae were involved in the analysis and measurements of electrical circuits.  It is almost impossible for the top students to do so badly.

I believe God had granted my prayer petition beyond what I had asked, though I was audacious then to say that His honor was at stake in my anxiety and desperation during the Mathematics exam.  Praise and utmost thanks be to His name !

Because of this good result,  I was permitted to join the local National University of Singapore to study for the Bachelor of Engineering course in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the second year.

It was so incredible.  I was denied a place in Pre-University to study in the top 2-Maths and 2-Sciences classes in Raffles Institution.  Most of these students in these 2 classes went on to study electrical and electronics engineering in the local university.  And I could join them again in the university in the same course year !

All glory to God !

3rd July 2015

I was half way through the first year of pre-university course in 1977 when I decided to terminate and apply to study in Singapore Polytechnic. I applied to study 2 mathematics and 2 science subjects in Pre-U but was denied a place as these places were much sought after then. And I was placed in the economics and biology class which was not of my interest and I could not cope.

So off I went to Singapore Polytechnic to study the 3 year electrical engineering course. I did fairly well in the first two years in a cohort of 170 students.

In the final year, I had to sit for the exams of 6 subjects. In the few days prior to taking the final exam paper of Engineering Mathematics which was my favorite subject and I had done well in the first 2 years, I was feeling relieved that the exams would eventually be over and I would join the workforce to support my family. We were downright poor then.

Came that day to sit for the Mathematics paper which would last for 3 hours from 9 am to 12 noon. The paper would consist of 5 compulsory questions in Section A worth 11 marks each and 3 selection questions out of 5 in Section B worth 15 marks each.

My mind went nearly blank for the first 2 hours and I could only answer 2 questions in Section A. That would give me 22 marks and I could not even pass even with a provisionary pass. In those days, if you failed one subject, you had to be retained again for the whole year.

I must not fail !

I had been active serving in the Christian ministries in the polytechnic then. I played the guitar and led the worship in the lunch time meetings. The registered groups of the other faiths were also very active then in proselytization too and there was rivalry.

Thoughts went through my mind that these groups would mock me and my faith for failing the exams.

I asked for permission to go to the toilet to wash up. When I locked up the toilet cubicle, I prayed. I prayed to God that His honor was at stake for I had been conscientious in my studies as well as in service. I knew I could answer the questions except that my mind went blank, so I asked for clarity of mind and that the cloudiness in my mind could disappear.

When I went back to the exam hall, I was able to answer one more question in Section A and another in Section B. Mentally I worked out that I could have 48 marks and that would be enough to qualify for a provisionary pass. Relief and gratitude to God came to my mind.  I went on to finish all questions except one.  Thank you so much, Lord !

When the results came out, I was surprised that I had a distinction for Mathematics !  Only 2 in the cohort had distinction for Mathematics. Hallelujah ! Praise the Lord !

The story did not end here. I will continue with the testimony in another post.

2nd July 2015

I had made the decision to believe in Jesus and accept Him as my personal Lord and Savior 4 decades ago. But I cannot say that I was being saved then as true repentance and commitment to follow Him as a true disciple did not come till much later.

Looking back at the last decade or two since I am being saved, my faith journey is filled with numerous trials and blessings.

Our Lord had promised His Spirit to indwell us, give us a new heart and a new spirit and to train us to live in God’s will.  Ezek 36:26-27; Eph 1:4-6; Titus 2:11-12.  And in each trial or blessing, I could really sense the presence of His Spirit walking with me through it.  Everything, be it trial or blessing, indeed work together for good in transforming me to be more and more like Him. Rom 8:28-29. Heb 12:7,11.

I look forward to sharing each of the trials and blessings as far as I could remember in the hope of giving glory to God primarily and encouraging fellow brothers and sisters secondarily to know that God is a very personal God who loves us. And He is definitely very pleased with every intimate moment of our relationship with Him as long as we seek Him earnestly.  He will reward us handsomely too. Heb 11.

Even for petitions which I had come to God with increasing importunity,  He had always answered my prayers – sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly but better as I looked back – in the sense that my faith deepened to take a deeper rest in Him.

(Some of the trials and blessings are also mentioned in my book, The Coming Economic Flood.)

After the incredible vision given me by God in September 2001 which was the turning point in my life,  I knew God wanted me to come out of my career to serve Him.    It was subsequent years of waiting, serving and His divine guidance that I come to realize the message God has given me is to come out of this Babylonian system and to warn others as well.

I will also look forward to sharing about God’s divine guidance to give glory to Him and also to encourage you to know that God rewards those who seek Him diligently and He is pleased to see His works manifest in the weak.