ARE YOU ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
(Testimonies from the Young People Who Attended the True Life YPF-Calvary Pandan YF Camp at Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing, Dec 17-22, 07)
Providential Hand of God
The Combined True Life YPF and Calvary Pandan YF Camp 2007 was held on 17 December to 22 December 2007 at Resort Lautan Biru in Mersing. The Camp Theme was “Are You on the Lord’s Side?” where everyone was challenged not to be fence sitters but to make a determined effort to follow Christ and obey His Word. At night, we had a study on the epistle of 3 John conducted by Brother Ling Kang, an FEBC student, where we learnt about true Christian joy, love and service. We were also blessed by the morning devotions by Brother Judah and Brother Rajan who are also FEBC students.
Even before the start of the camp, we can see the providential hand of God leading the two youth fellowships to combine their efforts to organise this camp. There were also torrential rains and flooding before the camp that blocked the routes to Mersing. However, the Lord cleared them the day before the camp. On our way back, we also received reports from Singapore predicting floods that will prevent our return. But God gave us sunny weather all the way back home. Men may predict the weather, but it is God who controls His world. As long as everything is done in God’s will, nothing can go against it.
Resort Lautan Biru was founded upon the vision that God gave our pastor Rev Timothy Tow to have a resort for young people to enjoy their Christian spiritual retreat. It was the Lord who directed Rev Tow to the purchase of the site. It was the Lord who oversaw the completion of the resort. The Resort is a source of spiritual blessing from the Lord, and no one should seek to close it down. We are all accountable not to remove our neighbour’s landmark (Prov 22:28).
We have been truly blessed during the camp this year and have learnt many lessons from the forever inspired and preserved Words of everlasting life. Special thanks go to Mr and Mrs Raymond Tan, the caretakers of the resort, for their tender love and care towards us. God willing, we will have another youth camp at Resort Lautan Biru in obedience to the vision the LORD gave our pastor. At the same time, the YPF will continue to stand firm on the presently and forever infallible and inerrant Words of God. We are on the Lord’s side. His providential hand is upon us. Chew Yiming Clement
Spiritually Revitalising
All praise and glory to our God Almighty, for He has so graciously blessed and provided for everything during the Combined True Life and Calvary Pandan Youth Camp. Surely, it was nothing we deserved, and more than we could ever ask for. At the end of it, we can all say, truly, we were all very blessed by the messages and the fellowship, new bonds between the two churches were fostered, and existing ones were made even stronger by God’s Grace.
As many have heard, there have been reports of flooding in Malaysia, and that many roads and highways were inaccessible because of the effect of heavy rain. Thank the Lord, for the weather conditions on the way up to Mersing on Monday was just wonderful, with almost no sign of flooding throughout the journey. Such undeserved mercy the Lord has shown us, has shown me that it was God’s will that we reach Mersing, to kick off what was to be the start of a truly blessed and spiritually revitalising youth camp.
The theme of the camp was “Are You on the Lord’s Side?” Dr Khoo was our main speaker and Brother Ling Kang spoke on 3 John in the evenings. The messages were such wonderful reminders and encouragement to be on the Lord’s side, of His truth based on His Word, making that choice being convicted of the truth, not halting between two opinions, but persevering in faith in trials and testings by His Grace for His Glory. Oh may the Lord grant the grace and the strength, and the faith and courage that He may find us faithful, delighting in His Word and standing on His side in such perilous times!
I must also say the Lord has truly blessed the organising committee with very smooth running of the camp. The Lord took care of every single detail, that the campers and ourselves had nothing to worry about, and could focus on learning His Word and having sweet fellowship with one another. It is nothing less than amazing, and we can do nothing but thank and praise God for His goodness for the success of this camp. May the Lord bless us all with a closer walk with Him as we stand on the Lord’s Side, and be a shining testimony for Him as we return to our normal routine in Singapore. May the Lord also sustain the work in Malaysia at Resort Lautan Biru, that many more Christian Youths may be blessed there. Andrew Kan, Camp Committee 2IC
Unity among Brethren
“Are You on the Lord’s Side?” The theme of the camp has impressed upon my heart greatly. Through the messages, I have been reminded of the need to stand up for the Lord in these days of apostasy. There can be no sitting on the fence for a believer and we need to follow God and not men. During the discussions, it caused me to reflect on the birth of our church, True Life BPC. There was a need for the separation and we did not come out of Life BPC blindly following our pastor, Rev Tow, but we left because we wanted to take the side of the Lord, so we followed Rev Tow as he followed God. I pray that the Lord will continue to preserve Rev Tow, True Life BPC and FEBC. I pray that the Lord will help me to always stand up for God in every aspect of my life.
It is truly a blessing working with like-minded brethren. At camp, the unity among brethren is evident. Everyone had a blessed time of fellowship. I pray that the Lord might strengthen the bond between the two youth groups so that we might continue to build each other up in the faith even after the camp. This camp has exemplified Psalm 133:1, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”, and all this is possible because of the truth of God’s Word that binds the two churches together. Thank God for everything! Candice Tan, Camp Committee Member
Very Enjoyable Experience
I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be able to go for the YPF camp. It was a very enjoyable experience for me. I want to thank God for giving us a nice resort and the facilities which we are able to use. Thank God for the preachers. The camp theme and the messages by Dr Jeffrey Khoo really opened my heart to always depend on the Lord as well as to assure me that we are on the Lord’s side. The food too was sumptuous. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to God and the people for making the YPF camp a huge success. David Tay
Christ in Me
I want to thank God for two things. Firstly, I want to thank God for giving me good N-level results just before I came to camp. I am so happy that I can be promoted to Secondary 5. Secondly, I want to thank Him for Wednesday’s night message by Brother Ling Kang concerning the good example of Demetrius in 3 John. I pray that I will keep a good testimony and conduct in front of my friends just like Demetrius so that they may see Christ in me. All thanks and glory be to God. Yamato
Sweet Fellowship
Thank God that I am able to come again to another year of YPF camp where I can enjoy sweet fellowship with like-minded Christians and learn more of God’s Word. I learnt from the theme messages that we have to be truly born again to be on the Lord’s side. Definitely, strait is the gate and narrow is the way of Christ. Similarly, it is not just a joy ride when we decide to follow Him. A fine example would be the Levites who took the Lord’s side against those who worshipped the molten calf. To follow the Truth, we have to fight for and defend the faith.
Thank God too for the many hands that prepared the better-than-army meals each day. Lastly, thank God for the success of the camp that we may take home whatever knowledge we have gained to be applied to our lives. To God be the glory. Jonathan Lee
No Neutrality
I am thankful that I attended this combined youth camp. Initially, I was somewhat hesitant as I had a lot of work to do over the Christmas Holidays. I thank God for the message shared by Brother Ling Kang the first night of the camp. As Christians, we find our true joy in growing in the knowledge of God and His Word. This is a pursuit worth sacrificing for. I found the camp theme most timely, and the messages by Dr Khoo very relevant, especially in these last days of apostasy and falling away. In this conflict, there can be no neutrality—those that are not on the LORD’s side are against Him. I am also especially grateful for the testimonies shared by my fellow campers on how God has worked in their lives and turned around seemingly terrible situations to His own glory. The camp has truly been a most blessed time of fellowship and spiritual feeding. Samuel Joseph
Immersed in God’s Words
Thank God for the many blessings showered upon us during the camp. We were nourished spiritually from all the messages faithfully preached, as well as the sweet fellowship we had with one another. Thank God also for preserving the beautiful Resort Lautan Biru, where we were able to enjoy the environment and facilities, shut out the world around us and immerse fully in the learning of God’s words.
The theme for the camp was “Are you on the Lord’s side?” Even though it may seem an easy choice to choose between God and Satan, Good and Evil, we as believers are still bent on sinning due to our innate sinful nature. We need to recognise that God is to be fully in control of our lives, and the only way to know God’s will for us is through His words. Rev Khoo emphasised that the Bible is our sole and supreme authority of our faith and practice and we thank God for inspiring and preserving the inerrant and infallible Bible even till today. Bernice Xu
Spiritual Discipline
The youth camp serves as an avenue for Christians to be trained in spiritual discipline so that we might be refined to become more and more like Christ. I thank God that FEBC has produced faithful speakers to teach us from the absolute and unchanging truth in God’s Word. Samuel Goh
