8 January 2017

My dear readers,

A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD AND A NEW SPIRIT OF WORSHIP - I

Dr SH Tow, April 2003

1. A CLOSER WALK WITH GOD IS A WALK OF FAITH

1.1 This great hymn of faith written by William Cowper, England’s best loved hymn writer of the 18th Century, touches on our theme.

Stanza 1: O for a closer walk with God,
A calm and heav’nly frame;
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb.

1.2 A wish expressed, a prayer uttered from the depths of the soul, will surely receive an answer at God’s blessed throne of grace. And what better than to walk with God, knowing that priceless and enduring rewards await at the end of the road.

Recall Enoch’s walk with God, and how God took him (Gen 5:24); Noah also walked with God (Gen 6:9) and "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb 11:7).

1.3 Today the world, with its seductions, sweeps multitudes of pleasure seekers into the broadway of destruction. May God’s people cleave as never before unto the Saviour, walking with Him along life’s narrow road.

1.4 To do any less is to open oneself to the lure of the world and the irresistible slide away from God. In the few days of this Bible Conference let us learn from God’s blessed Spirit the goodness of this "closer walk."

1.5 A closer walk with God begins with the filling of the Holy Spirit. When one’s heart and life are fully yielded to the Lord, and

a) Christ is Lord and preeminent (Phil 1:21)

b) self is crucified (Gal 2:20)

c) the world is crucified (Gal 6:14)

d) God’s Kingdom and righteousness take first priority in life (Matt 6:33),

then a closer walk with God becomes a reality.

1.6 This closer walk with God manifests thus:

1. Delight in the Word of God

2. Fervency and Power in Prayer

3. Delight in the Holy Sabbath

4. Victory over sin

5. Joy in Life and Service for God

6. Burden for the lost

7. Urgent Expectation of the Lord’s Return

2. A NEW SPIRIT OF WORSHIP AND HOLY SPIRIT REVIVAL

2.1 Let me share with you the blessed experience of Holy Spirit revival in the nineteen thirties.

2.2 UNPRECEDENTED DELIGHT IN GOD’S WORD

Never before and never after has Singapore seen such a hunger for God and His Word. Everybody seemed to have an insatiable appetite for God’s Word. Within one week the entire stock of Bibles in the Bible Society was sold out. Reading and memorizing Scripture was as important as daily bread. QT at the pre-dawn hour became a daily habit. God’s Word was much sought after, "better ... than thousands of gold and silver" (Ps 119:72). It was a revival of the Word.

2.3 GOD GAVE MIGHTY POWER IN PRAYER

John Sung’s prayer fervency was SPIRIT-POWERED. When he prayed it was as though he was on a "hot line" to Heaven. His mighty prayers moved the congregation. MASS CORPORATE PRAYER is uplifting, and powerful. Everyone praying out loud did not lift the roof but it lifted hearts, opened the windows of Heaven, and touched the heart of God. Day after day, testimonies of salvation blessing were heard as the most haughty and hardened of sinners surrendered themselves to God.

With hearts revived, Midweek Prayer Meetings saw record attendances. May God give us POWER IN PRAYER today.

2.4 KEEPING THE LORD’S DAY A DELIGHT

Revival brought a real change in worship and observance of the Lord’s Day. Love for the Master was translated into joyous anticipation and observance of His Day -

"Day of all the week the best

Emblem of eternal rest."

Banished were those unworthy thoughts and habits of late night out on Saturday, and a late morning for "sleeping in" on Sunday. Sunday sports, games, outings, entertainments, and even newspapers became offensive. One dominant thought seemed to fill the mind: the Lord’s Day must be spent only for the Lord in worship and witness. We knew it was right and we did it. "In Spirit and in truth" meant greater reverence for God’s House and God’s Day. (To be continued)

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor