Refreshed in Singapore

I don’t know why that I like Singapore a great deal. I have come here to get away from the toxic air where I was staying for several months. I only shared with my friend one thing that led to my resignation from the Seminary. As the Psalmist says if he would speak thus he would offend the children of men. People get offended so easily. But prophets are made of steel. One senior leader told me a couple of weeks ago without my prompting “Tony you are like one of the OT prophets. Strong personality.” Yes my face is made like flint so that I won’t flinch from insults and dishonour. I have enough measure of that but likewise honour and praise.

No one who has heard me preach would soon speak evil if they are really of God for they would have heard the Spirit speaking through His servant. Yesterday in a small congregation of 40 adults at least five members came up and thanked me for the message. But not many want the truth nowadays but gather themselves teachers that will tickle their ears. 

Not many who came into the Seminary came with proper motives. Some just want a piece of paper to get a job in church and that’s their career for the rest of their lives. If I am content with just teaching and earning a good salary like many do, I would have stayed on in Singapore. My current place of ministry from which I shall depart in weeks mean little to me. What is there to be proud of? I may take a 30 percent paycut when I return to serve with the people I love. But leaving Singapore to return to Sabah I took a 70 percent pay cut to serve in Ranau. Now with the exchange rate it is easy 85 percent reduction of my pay. 

Why do I do that? Because this life is transient and we are just passing by. It is to follow Jesus and obedience is better than sacrifice. It is to sacrifice for the cause of the Gospel. As I read the Luke 4 passage yesterday I stopped at “preach the gospel to the poor” and this is exactly what I am doing. In the past two months I have preached in churches far and near. The happiest time I had was up a mountain among villagers who were struggling with poverty. They all gave one Ringgit to the box, young and old all gave RM1.00. I have never seen that happen in the last 10 years. That could be what they could afford. Yes Lord You have anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.