ENGLISH SERVICE
16 August 2026
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Matthew 15:21-28
Pastor Simon Lam
A.I. = Audacious Intercession. What does it mean to pray with audacity? In Matthew 15:21–28, a Canaanite woman refused to stop crying out to Jesus for her daughter. Her prayer is bold, persistent and desperate. She simply went to Jesus acknowledging He is Lord, and that even the overflow of His mercy is more than enough.
Audacious Intercession is ultimately not about the strength of our prayers but about whom we are praying to, trusting in God’s faithfulness and unchanging nature.
1. Pray boldly.
The Canaanite woman boldly approached Jesus calling Him the Son of David, acknowledging Him as Messiah and Healer. Hebrews 4:16 invites us to approach the throne of grace with confidence because Jesus is our great High Priest who sympathises with our weakness. Boldly praying therefore is confidence in the One we’re asking, believing in His steadfast love and that God is worthy of our trust even when we do not understand His ways.
2. Pray persistently.
The woman “kept crying out” and “kept kneeling.” The disciples wanted her sent away. Jesus was silent. His response seemed to be another barrier in front of her. Yet she did not leave. Her persistence was not an attempt to manipulate or force Jesus’ hand to grant the outcome she desired. Her persistence flowed from trusting in Jesus and His mercy.
Oftentimes, when nothing seems to change, our prayers begin to die and we assume that God is not listening. The Canaanite woman shows us how to persist even in silence. We may not know what God is doing in situations that seem beyond repair or redemption (a wandering child, a struggling marriage, a chronic diagnosis) but we can continue to place people and situations before Him, trusting that no prayer offered in genuine faith is wasted.
3. Pray desperately.
Her daughter’s suffering became the woman’s own cry: “Have mercy on me.” This is the posture of Moses pleading for Israel, Jacob wrestling with God, Paul agonising in prayer, and ultimately Christ Himself interceding for His people. To intercede is to allow ourselves to be moved by another person’s brokenness — not from a place of self-righteousness, but because of love and compassion. We bring both “us” and “them” before God: Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, help us.
Ultimately, audacious intercession is not about striving or making a transaction with God. It is having the stubborn confidence that God remains good whether the answer comes today, comes differently, or remains hidden from us.
When we struggle to pray, the Holy Spirit will help us pray, and Jesus continues to intercede for us. We can pray boldly, persistently, audaciously because the God we’re asking is good, whether the answer comes today or not.
💬 Reflection:
活石华语崇拜
16 August 026
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马太福音 6:25-34
孙振乾弟兄
16 August 2026
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Genesis 18:1-8
BE Dr Wee Boon Hup
ENGLISH SERVICE
9 August 2026
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Psalm 33:8-22
BE Dr Wee Boon Hup
As we celebrate National Day, we may desire for Singapore to be a “Christian” nation especially in light of Psalm 33:12: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.”
Without its context, it is easy to surmise that the emphasis of the verse is on the “nation” and the people, which can then lead us to think that size matters, that how Christian a nation is is measured by the number of its Christian population. However, the emphasis should rightly be on the next part of the verse, God!
There are three ways the passage highlights which shows God is Yahweh the Lord. He is the Lord of Creation (v6-9), the whole earth fears the Lord who spoke them into being. He is the Lord of History (v10-17) who is able to “foil the plans of nations” and “thwart the purposes of the peoples”. This echoes Genesis 11:9, where the Lord frustrated the plans of the people who were building the tower of Babel. God is the Lord of unfailing love (v18-22) who is steadfast and committed to the people with whom He has entered into covenant.
Blessings come not because of who we are, the numbers of Christians in a population or the influence we exercise. The blessings come because of who God is, His grace and the outflowing of His steadfast love. The outcome is still the Lord’s to give; He is the one who chooses to bless.
Jesus did not come to establish a Christian nation, but He came to establish the Kingdom of God which is not of this world. How should we respond in this shared call to establish God’s kingdom?
Wait on the Lord (v20)
God is in charge; we wait for His instructions. Instead of jumping ahead of Him, we must learn to listen first to what comes out of God’s heart and mind.
Rejoice in the Lord (v21)
If we are always on the go, trying to plan for the next best thing, it is hard to rejoice. Instead, we are to wait with joy.
Hope in the Lord (v22)
The steadfast and unfailing love of the Lord is something that we can always rely on. Even if things do not turn out the way we expect, we still hope.
We cannot deny the fact that Singapore has been really blessed. But it is not so much because the efforts of Christians here and the prayers that we’ve prayed. The blessings are due to the prerogative of God who is the Lord of all. Thanks be to God!
💬 Reflection:
1. How have I been thinking of Singapore as a “nation whose God is the Lord”? How have my perspectives changed about where true blessings come from?
2. When have I been tempted to “jump ahead” of God? What would it look like to practically trust His timing and leadership in one area of your life? Share and pray for one another.
3. What are some practical ways that I can wait on, rejoice and hope in the Lord?
活石华语崇拜
9 August 026
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路加福音 12:15
刘丽娜姐妹
8 August 2026
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Ephesians 2:13
Pastor Ian Wong
ENGLISH SERVICE
2 August 2026
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Psalm 42:1-5, Acts 2:42-47
Rev Emanuel Goh
We may know physical hunger but when it comes to our spiritual appetite, have we ever let ourselves actually feel hunger for God as described by the psalmist, or know what it is?
1. The Hunger That Came First
When we say God “hungers” for us, it refers to His desire freely given to spend time together with His children.
Scripture reflects this desire in Zephaniah 3:17 where the Lord “rejoices over you with singing” and in the parable of the prodigal son, where the father was filled with compassion for his son and ran to him (Luke 15:200. Our hunger for God does not start with us. It echoes the hunger He has for us first that we finally begin to notice and respond to.
2. The Hunger Named (v1-2)
This psalm is attributed to the “Sons of Korah”. Korah had led a rebellion against Moses and was swallowed by the earth for it (Numbers 26:11). The descendants, saved from judgment, spent their lives leading Israel in worship. They knew grace. Because of grace, we, like them, can be hungry for God.
The psalmist used the Hebrew word for “pants” that refers to the whole self-seeking for God as if survival depends on it. It is not just a feeling or emotion but an existential thirst.
In describing such hunger, St Augustine famously said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” There is a hunger in our soul for God because we are made for Him. God’s face, turned toward his people as in the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:25), was always the goal.
3. The Hunger Fed (v3-4)
What makes the present dryness unbearable is the recalling of God’s past faithfulness. Memory, or remembering through ritual and testimony, is one of the tools God gives us to deepen our hunger for him.
A structured ritual such as Holy Communion spurs our collective hunger as the body of Christ remembers God’s goodness together, so the struggle is never yours to carry alone.
Testimony gives remembering its immediacy, reminding of God’s goodness and faithfulness in your own life. Ritual gives it permanence, affirming what God has always fone and will keep doing, we need both.
4. The Hunger Voiced (v5)
Psalm 42 is a lament, a prayer that brings raw, unresolved pain directly to God. It simply points us to still hunger for and put our hope in God despite feeling dry, discouraged and being mocked. Rather than let our mood and fears narrate our theology to us or numb our pain with substitutes – busyness, achievement, scrolling, self-improvement – we can, like the psalmist, actively preach the truth to ourselves and turn in prayer to Jesus, the living water who alone can satisfy our thirst and hunger.
Prayer is where our hunger for God lives and grows. As we become more wholehearted about prayer, the desire God has already planted in us reveals itself more and more. May we draw near and be hungry for Him.
💬 Reflection:
1. How has God been good and faithful in your life? Remember and testify to your cell members to encourage them too. that would spur you toward greater hunger for him in a dry season?
2. What truths of God did you recall that has helped you in your dry season?
3. Listen to the song of response (As the Deer) and commit to pray wholeheartedly and hunger more for God.
活石华语崇拜
2 August 026
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马太福音 6:1-8; 16-18; 5:8
李园园姐妹
1 August 2026
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Psalm 42:1-5, Acts 2:42-47
Rev Emanuel Goh
ENGLISH SERVICE
26 July 2026
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Acts 2:42-47; Luke 21:1-4
Rev Joey Chen
There are many things one can be devoted to. One can be ardently dedicated to pop stars we adulate, to noble causes we uphold, or even to individuals we love.
Of significance was the devotion demonstrated in Acts 2 where the early church not only committed themselves fervently to God’s word and works but also dedicated themselves to each other in the community.
The Christian disciple’s devotion to God is the best form of ardent dedication and loyalty because it is directed to Someone who is first devoted to us (1 John 4:19). He created us out of love, in His own image. He loves us so passionately that He had even devoted to destroy entire nations that attempted to separate His people from Him, as revealed in the Old Testament. God displayed His ultimate unwavering chesed love for us through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and death on the cross for our sins then and for all time. Scripture reminds us that due to Jesus’ devotion to us, “in Him, we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28); in Him, all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). God’s devotion to us is complete.
How then should we respond to God’s love? In the account of the widow’s offering (Luke 21:1–4), Jesus praised the widow not for the monetary value of her gift but because she surrendered all she had. The true measure of devotion is not what we give to God, but what we do not hold back from Him. Genuine devotion involves trusting God completely, surrendering our possessions, ambitions, relationships, and even cherished idols. Total devotion to God changes our perspective of worldly pursuits and enjoyments. The more we experience and know God, delighting in His beauty and goodness, all competing devotions weaken and lose their grip.
There is no greater love than God’s love for us, and therefore there is no one more worthy of all our love than God. God invites you to more devotion today. How will you respond?
💬 Reflection:
活石华语崇拜
26 July 2026
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马太福音 5:21-24
林建成牧师
25 July 2026
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Professor Robin Lim
ENGLISH SERVICE
19 July 2026
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Revelations 7:9-12
Rev Jacob Lim
In his final message in English at PLMC before starting his new season, Ps Jacob looked back on PLMC’s place in his new life with God, the past 6.5 years of ministry here and the very personal chapter of the birth and loss of his daughter in infancy. He shared how God’s love and faithfulness was experienced through this PLMC family. In seasons of uncertainty and grief, the congregation became a tangible expression of Christ’s love through prayer, presence and steadfast care.
These experiences point to a deeper reality as revealed in the Scripture passage: God’s vision for His Church has always been one of a diverse people united as one family in Christ.
God’s Kingdom is Diverse, Yet United
The Apostle John was given a vision of a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language worshipping before God’s throne. This is not simply a snapshot of the future but it is also God’s vision for His Church today.
Unity in God’s Kingdom is not premised on uniformity. Rather, it is unity in diversity, where different languages, cultures and expressions of worship are welcomed and brought together in Christ. At PLMC, we have the privilege of hosting congregations of different ethnicities, proclaiming the hope we have in Christ in various heart languages, and where the truths of the Gospel become all the more intimate and personal, revealing the one true God who desires to dwell among His people.
Living out this vision requires intentionality. Diversity without unity creates division, while unity without diversity diminishes the fullness of God’s Kingdom.
Guarding Against Division
As we seek to live as citizens of God’s kingdom, let us reflect and review attitudes that might hinder us from living out God’s vision of unity. These are subtle postures that we can unconsciously adopt, even with the best of intentions.
1. Tokenism
Tokenism happens when inclusion is merely superficial. People may be present, but their voices are not genuinely heard or valued. Over time, this often leads to withdrawal, disengagement and broken relationships. The Church is called to be a place where every member is seen, heard and valued as an indispensable part of Christ’s body.
2. Protectionism
Protectionism arises when personal interests and traditions are elevated above God’s Kingdom. A historical example of the Chinese Rites Controversy reminds us that clinging too tightly to our own worldview can hinder the advancement of God’s Kingdom and fracture unity. God’s Kingdom calls His people to humility, expressed by the willingness to listen, learn and serve one another. One practical step we can take is to be mindful of the language we use. For example, referring to the English service as the “main service” may unintentionally imply that other services are secondary. Yet every congregation and language community has a place and is an integral part of the church. Each part of the body of Christ can use their gifts and resources to strengthen and bless the others, as brothers and sisters all serving together in Christ.
From the scattering of the people through various languages at Babel to the gift of tongues at Pentecost, Scripture reveals God’s heart to unite people by His Spirit. This is the vision of the Kingdom: diverse peoples, one Church, worshipping one King.
As we go about our week, how may we continue to honour God and one another?
💬 Reflection:
1. As a small group, how can we intentionally welcome every person in our church and help them feel genuinely heard, valued and included in our community?
2. What assumptions, preferences or habits do I hold that may be preventing me from embracing God’s vision of unity across different cultures, languages or ministries? Share and pray for one another.
3. What is one way my small group and I can use our gifts, influence or resources to strengthen another part of Christ’s body this week?
活石华语崇拜
19 July 2026
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马太福音 5:27-30
李沙龙弟兄
18 July 2026
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Luke 15:1-10
Mr Wayne Sim