ENGLISH SERVICE
17 August 2025
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Genesis 40-41
Rev Jacob Lim
Being forgotten is never easy. It can bring up deep hurt and insecurity, especially when the ones who forget us are the people whom we love and trust.
Betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, wronged by Potiphar’s wife and subsequently thrown in jail, forgotten by the cupbearer – Joseph must have felt completely alone. He might have been forgotten by the world, but he was not forsaken by God.
Sometimes we may think that God only works by speaking to people (either audibly or through impressions). But we cannot miss how God also works by shaping the events in our lives in accordance with His plans.
In Joseph’s life, God gave him two things that were never taken away. Indeed, Romans 11:29 states that the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Joseph’s gift to interpret dreams stayed with him through every season of his life – from his innocent younger years with his family, to his dreadful time in prison and finally to the grand courts of the Pharaoh. His dreams as a 17-year-old about his calling to save his family and nation in Genesis 37 would also be fulfilled. God was turning what seemed like a series of painful setbacks for good, even when He appeared to be silent.
We too may feel forgotten or forsaken during the painful seasons in our lives. But our response matters. We can:
1. Turn inward
We can start feeling sorry for ourselves, feel small and insignificant due to the situations that are out of our control.
2. React outwardly
We can lash out in anger against any wrongdoings, choose to be upset or even seek revenge against the people who may have put us in these situations.
3. Forget but not forsake
Joseph forgot the pain and misdeeds that were done to him and let go of past hurts. Realising God never forsook him, he in turn did not forsake his devotion to God. He honoured God for his gift of interpretation, and chose forgiveness, saying to his brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)
Like Joseph, will you choose God, even when He appears to be silent in the challenges you face? God is faithful and will never forget nor forsake you!
Reflection Questions:
1. “Others may forget you, but God will never forsake you.” Is this your understanding or experience of God? Do you feel comforted by this statement?
2. When have you felt challenged to forget the pain others had inflicted on you? How did holding onto God help you?
3. Reflect on the gifts and calling that God has blessed you with. How have you been stewarding the gifts? How have you been following God’s calling in your life? Share and pray for each other.
活石华语崇拜
17 August 2025
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路加福音 15:11-32
讲员: 李园园姐妹
16 August 2025
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Luke 10:25-37
Rev Joey Chen
ENGLISH SERVICE
10 August 2025
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Genesis 39:1-23
Rev Emanuel Goh
In Genesis 39, Joseph’s life takes another sharp downturn. Sold into slavery, far from family, falsely accused and imprisoned, Joseph’s situation seemed hopeless. Yet, the chapter repeats this truth: “The Lord was with Joseph” and “… the Lord gave him success in everything he did” (Gen 39:3). God’s presence with Joseph was constant and His hand was always at work. Even when life seemed to spiral downwards, God was writing a story that would one day be lifted up for His glory.
1. The Lord was with Joseph
Although Joseph lived as a slave in a foreign land, God’s presence was evident even to those who did not worship Him. Potiphar recognised the Lord’s presence because blessings overflowed wherever Joseph served, fulfilling God’s promise to bless those who bless Abraham and his descendants, and that they would be channels of blessing (Gen 12:3). As God’s people, we too are called to be conduits of blessing, bringing His presence into workplaces, friendships, our families and even in hard places.
2. Fleeing Temptation
When faced with temptation from Potiphar’s wife, Joseph anchored his response in faithfulness to his master and to God. He fled, losing his cloak but keeping his integrity. Joseph lost his position in Potiphar’s household, but God’s protection placed him where future doors would open.
What we lose in faithful obedience to God is far less valuable than what we keep in character. The treasures of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness far outweigh the treasures of this world.
3. Trusting God’s Sovereignty Amidst Injustice
Joseph’s slavery and imprisonment remind us that godly living does not shield us from injustice. Sin still pervades this world, yet God’s purposes will prevail as He reigns over all. If we were to liken unjust life circumstances to being passengers in a plane going through turbulence, our perspective is limited looking through a small window. However, God, who is like the pilot, never leaves the cockpit and can see the way forward. We can surely trust Him to be with us and deliver us. As with Joseph, what others may intend for harm, God can turn it for good (Gen 50:20). In facing injustice, the cross is our greatest assurance of God’s authority and love for us. He gave His all through His Son. Jesus entered the lowest of lows to raise us to life with Him (Rom 6:5).
Even when we cannot trace His hand, we can trust His heart. He is our God – merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. His grip on us is firm and His story for us is not finished. Will you trust Him to be sovereign in your life too?
💬 Reflection Questions
1. To whom is God calling you to bring His blessing in your spheres of influence?
2. When faced with private temptation or an unseen compromise, what would it look like for you to choose God’s standard over personal gain, even if it costs you?
3. In your current “pit” or “prison” season, how can you actively trust God’s sovereignty?
活石华语崇拜
10 August 2025
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马太福音 26:39; 20:1-15
讲员: 李沙龙弟兄
ENGLISH SERVICE
3 August 2025
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Genesis 38:1-30
Bishop Emeritus Rev Dr Wee Boon Hup
In Genesis 38, the chapter sheds light on another of Jacob’s sons, Judah, and his dysfunctional family. The sordid details cover five areas of disobedience, namely, marriage to unbelievers, wickedness, abuse of authority for sexual gratification, making promises without intention to keep them and pre-meditated incest. Amidst the callous attitudes reflected by the behaviours of Judah, his sons and the desperate act of his daughter-in-law, Tamar, God’s redemptive hand was at work as it is revealed that from the line of Judah and Tamar comes kings and the ultimate King of kings, Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).
1. Re-Storying
God’s ministry of reconciliation and re-storying comes when we encounter the Lord of breakthroughs. From 2 Corinthians 5:17, we are reminded that “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Despite Judah marrying a Canaanite woman, losing two of his three sons, failing to honour the promise to Tamar and even committing incest with her, God could still restore and redeem this family’s lineage.
2. Repentance
When his unrighteous actions were exposed, Judah did not acknowledge Tamar as righteous but “more righteous”, as he had done a greater evil (Genesis 38:24-26). Judah’s repentance of his sins against God and Tamar was the turning point, opening the door for God to change the course and rewrite his life. Judah later put himself on the line for his family, foreshadowing the ultimate Rescuer to come from his line who gave his life as a ransom for all who will repent.
3. Radical
God’s heart is always for the least, the last and the lost, having a special compassion for the marginalised (Psalm 146:9, Jeremiah 22:3). Having lost her husband, Tamar was a childless widow dependent on her husband’s family in her culture. Suffering such injustice could only be redressed by a radical act. The figure of Tamar breaks down the stereotypes of those deserving of honour and recognition. God helped her have a breakthrough. This came through her twin sons Perez (meaning a breach or one who breaks through) and Zerah (Genesis 38:27-30). Thus, Tamar received what was her legal right in the custom of the time, and she was honoured as part of Jesus’ genealogy.
No matter how desperate our situation is, we too can have a breakthrough when we repent and allow Jesus to take control and do His work of re-storying our lives.
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you felt like Tamar, at wits’ end and in need of rescue? What character of God did you see through His work in re-storying your situation?
2. Share about a time when you were confronted with your sin and sought repentance from the Lord. How has the Lord been working on this area in you since then?
3. What is a radical breakthrough that you need from God for this season in your life? Share and pray for one another.
活石华语崇拜
3 August 2025
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创世纪 35:1-29
讲员: 林建成牧师
2 August 2025
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Genesis 35:1-29
Rev Emanuel Goh
ENGLISH SERVICE
27 July 2025
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Genesis 37:1-36
Rev Dr Kow Shih Ming
What dreams are you building in your life? God has placed a unique dream in each of our hearts, a purpose that will build His kingdom and bring glory to Him. To build that dream, we must respond with faith, commitment, and a heart fully yielded to His direction. Below are four ways that we can start to build the dream that God has placed in our heart.
1. Prize God’s Dream
Not all dreams are created equal. The most meaningful dreams are those birthed in God’s heart and revealed to us through prayer, Scripture, and a relationship with Him. Valuing God’s dreams means aligning our ambitions to His will and seek His kingdom first. Watch out for dream destroyers such as family, friends, fear, and failure. Trust God and press forward despite challenges, knowing that His dream will be fulfilled in His time and way.
2. Pay the Price
Sometimes, a dream from God will come with a cost, building God’s dream may require us to give up comfort, convenience, or even approval. We must be ready to sacrifice time, resources, effort, and sometimes even our family and reputation to pursue what God has placed in our hearts. What are you unwilling to give up to build God’s dream for you? Know that the price is always worth paying when you can reap eternal outcomes for His glory. God uses challenges and delays to form Christlikeness in us. Like Joseph, who faced trials before fulfilling his God-given dream, we must trust God’s process and allow Him to shape us for His purposes.
3. Pursue Servanthood
To build our dream, we must learn to love as God does and have a servant heart. Christ Himself demonstrated servanthood by loving and caring for people in need. Being a servant of God is a high calling as it means always being on the lookout for those in need, those who hurt, and blessing them with God’s touch and healing.
4. Posture Your Heart
Just like an Olympic sprinter’s race depends on how he prepares at the starting blocks, we must position our hearts to fulfil God’s dream for us. This means letting God shape us through practices such as reading and living out His Word for transformation, spending quiet time in His presence, examining our lives with Him, and humbly receiving correction. These spiritual disciplines help form Christ in us, making us more like Him in character. When we posture our hearts in this way, we’re ready to run the race God has set before us.
If you are still seeking to have God’s dream revealed for you, start paying the price to have Christ formed in you. Pursue servanthood, and posture your heart with the spiritual disciplines. When He reveals His dream, you will then be ready to live the dream, just like Joseph!
Reflection Questions
1. What dream are you currently pursuing? How does it align with God’s dream for you to build His kingdom and bring Him glory?
2. What sacrifices or changes do you need to make to build God’s dream for your life?
3. How can you intentionally practice spiritual disciplines to posture your heart for God’s dream?
活石华语崇拜
27 July 2025
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创世纪 35:1-29
讲员: 刘光明博士
26 July 2025
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Genesis 34:1-31
Rev Joey Chen