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2 Timothy 1:7—“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Paul writes this second epistle to Timothy during a time of increasing hardship for followers of Christ. Paul himself was imprisoned and facing the end of his earthly ministry. Timothy was serving in a difficult setting where opposition and discouragement were real dangers. In this situation, Paul reminds him of the kind of spirit God gives to those who belong to Him.

The verse declares, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear”. Fear can paralyse the heart and silence faithful witness. It causes hesitation when courage is required and discouragement when perseverance is needed. Paul assures Timothy that such a spirit does not come from God.

Instead, God grants a spirit marked by “power”. This strength does not arise from human ability but from the work of God within the believer. Through this strength, followers of Christ are enabled to remain steadfast even in the face of hardship. God provides His power to accomplish His purposes through us. 

Along with power, God gives “love”. The love that comes from God is agape, a deliberate and selfless love that seeks and acts for the good of others. Love guards the heart from bitterness and hostility. Even when facing opposition, believers are called to reflect the compassion and kindness that flow from Christ.

The verse also speaks of a “sound mind”, which refers to a self-controlled, disciplined, and properly prioritised mind. God’s presence brings stability rather than confusion. A sound mind helps us to focus and direct every part of our lives according to His will. 

 Together these qualities shape a life that stands firm in difficult times. When fear threatens to dominate the heart, this verse reminds believers that God equips His people with strength, love, and steady judgment for every challenge they face.

2 Timothy 1:3—“I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day.”

In his final letter, Paul writes with deep affection to his younger co-worker Timothy. The words of the Second Epistle to Timothy were written as Paul neared the end of his life. Yet instead of bitterness or despair, his opening words are filled with gratitude: “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience.”

Paul speaks of serving God “from my forefathers with pure conscience”. He recognises a long heritage of faith that stretches back through the history of God’s people. Though his understanding of God was transformed when he encountered Christ, he still saw himself standing within that unfolding story of devotion to the Lord, a story traced through a long line of Jewish fathers.

Paul’s gratitude in prayer as he served God was also for Timothy, who was not merely an acquaintance or a mere fellow worker; he was someone Paul continually remembered before God. Day and night, Timothy’s life and ministry were brought before the Lord in prayer.

This verse reveals how deeply the Christian life is shaped by gratitude and intercession. Thankfulness directs the heart toward God, recognising His grace in the lives of others. Prayer expresses care and spiritual concern, lifting others before the Lord.

Today’s verse gently encourages believers to cultivate the same pattern as we observed in Paul. Instead of allowing daily concerns to dominate the mind, the heart can turn regularly to God with gratitude and prayer for others. When believers remember one another before the Lord, bonds of faith grow stronger, and the work of the gospel is sustained through loving and faithful prayer.

Psalm 1:1—“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

The opening verse of Book of Psalms presents a clear contrast between two ways of living. It begins with the declaration, “Blessed is the man”. This word describes a life marked by deep joy and well-being that comes from God. Such happiness is not the result of wealth or success but flows from a life ordered according to the Lord’s truth.

The verse first describes what this person refuses to do. He does “not walk in the counsel of the ungodly”. This refers to rejecting advice or thinking that ignores God’s wisdom. Human ideas that exclude the truth of God’s Word may appear attractive, yet they lead away from the path of life.

The verse continues with a progression: walking, standing, and sitting. These actions describe increasing involvement with those who oppose God’s ways. To “stand in the way of sinners” suggests lingering in patterns of conduct that dishonour the Lord. To “sit in the seat of the scornful” portrays a settled attitude that mocks what is good and true.

The blessed person avoids this downward path. His life is shaped by reverence for God rather than by the influence of those who disregard Him. This verse reminds readers that choices about companionship, influence, and daily direction shape the course of life.

For believers, the verse encourages careful attention to whose voices guide their thinking. True happiness grows from a life that turns away from harmful influence and seeks the Lord’s wisdom. When a person walks according to God’s truth, he discovers a life that is stable, fruitful, and deeply satisfying before the Lord.

Ephesians 1:12—“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

As Paul explains the purpose of God’s saving work in Christ, he shows in this verse that salvation is not only about receiving blessings but about bringing glory to God. Those who trust in Christ are called to live in a way that reflects and magnifies God’s greatness.

The phrase “to the praise of his glory” teaches that the ultimate aim of redemption is God’s glory. When God saves sinners by choosing, redeeming, forgiving, and transforming them, His grace and power are displayed before the world. The changed lives of believers become a testimony to God’s mercy.

Paul also speaks of those “who first trusted in Christ”. This refers to the early believers who placed their hope in the promised Messiah upon hearing the gospel. Their faith was not placed in human effort or religious works but in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Believers are reminded that salvation begins and ends with God’s glory. Faith in Christ unites believers to Him and places their lives within God’s greater purpose. This truth shapes how Christians live. Trusting Christ is not only a personal experience of salvation; it is a calling to live for God’s honour. Every act of obedience, love, and faith becomes a way of praising God.

Thus, the believer’s life is meant to display God’s glory, showing that Christ is worthy of trust and worship.

Ephesians 1:3—“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

In the opening of the Epistle to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul begins with a hymn of praise to God. Before speaking about the duties of the Christian life, Paul directs the church to the great blessings God has already given to His people. He writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

This means offering praise and thanksgiving is our calling. The reason for such praise is that God Himself has already blessed His people. The Christian life begins not with what believers do for God, but with what God has done for them through Jesus Christ.

Paul explains that God has given “all spiritual blessings”. These blessings are not mainly earthly riches or temporary advantages. They are spiritual gifts that come through the work of Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In the verses that follow, Paul speaks about some of these blessings—being chosen by God, redeemed through Christ’s blood, forgiven of sins, adopted into God’s family, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and much more.

These blessings are found “in heavenly places in Christ”. “Heavenly places” indicate the spiritual realm where Christ reigns, and God’s saving purposes are accomplished. It emphasises that believers’ blessings come from heaven, are secured in Christ, and belong to God’s eternal kingdom. Every believer who is united to Christ shares in these riches.

Pastorally, this verse reminds Christians that their great treasure is already secure in Christ. Even when earthly circumstances are difficult, believers possess immeasurable spiritual riches. Such grace calls for thankful hearts, confident faith, and joyful praise to the God who has so richly blessed His people in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:7—“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 

In chapter 5, Paul reflects on the Christian’s present life and future hope. Though believers live in fragile earthly bodies and await their eternal home with the Lord, they are called to live with confidence. In this context, Paul declares, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The Christian life is described as a walk, a daily journey with God. This journey is guided by faith rather than by sight. Sight represents what we can immediately see, measure, or control in this world. Faith, however, rests on the promises and character of God. Believers trust what God has revealed even when circumstances seem uncertain or difficult.

Paul himself lived this way. He endured persecution, hardship, and suffering, yet he continued to trust the Lord’s promises. He knew that the visible world is temporary, but the unseen realities of God’s kingdom are eternal. Faith allows believers to look beyond present struggles and hold firmly to the hope of resurrection and eternal life through Christ.

Here, Christians are called to have steady confidence in God and His promises. Life often presents situations where the future is unclear. Our feelings and circumstances may change, but God’s Word remains sure. Walking by faith means trusting Christ in daily decisions, relying on His guidance, and believing that His purposes are good even when we cannot see the full picture.

Such faith brings courage, perseverance, peace and hope as believers continue their journey toward their eternal home with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:4—“For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” 

In 2 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul reflects on the believer’s present life in the body and the future hope prepared by God. Using the image of a “tabernacle”, Paul describes the human body as a temporary dwelling. Just as a tent is not meant to be permanent, our earthly life is fragile and passing.

Paul admits that those who live in this earthly tent “groan, being burdened”. The burdens of life are real. Believers experience sickness, weakness, sorrow, and the effects of a fallen world. This groaning is not merely physical discomfort, but the deep longing of the heart that knows life was meant for something greater. The brokenness of the present age reminds us that the world is not as God originally created it.

Yet Paul carefully explains that the believer does not desire to be “unclothed”. The Christian hope is not simply to escape the body or to exist without it. Rather, believers long to be “clothed upon”, meaning to receive the new and glorified life God has promised. The final hope of the gospel is resurrection life, when mortality will be completely overcome.

Paul declares that “mortality might be swallowed up of life”. This powerful expression points to the victory Christ has secured through His resurrection. Death will not have the final word. God will replace what is weak and dying with what is eternal and full of life.

All believers, especially those who feel the weight of earthly burdens, must find comfort and strength in this great declaration of the Apostle. Our groaning is not hopeless despair. It is the longing of hearts that know God has prepared something far greater—life everlasting in Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:29—“That no flesh should glory in his presence.” 

In the opening chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul confronts the pride and divisions that had arisen within the church at Corinth. The Corinthians lived in a culture that admired eloquence, philosophy, and social status. Yet Paul reminds them that God’s work of salvation operates according to a very different principle. In the preceding verses, he explains that God has chosen “the foolish things of the world” and “the weak things of the world” to accomplish His purposes (1 Corinthians 1:27–28). The divine intention behind this surprising choice is clearly stated in verse 29: “that no flesh should glory in his presence”.

Salvation is arranged in such a way that human pride has no place before God. No person can stand in the presence of the Lord and boast of personal wisdom, moral achievement, or religious merit. The cross of Christ removes every ground of self-glory. We are not saved because of our intellect, our strength, or our righteousness, but solely because of God’s grace in Christ.

This truth humbles the believer. Whatever spiritual blessings we possess—faith, forgiveness, righteousness, and hope—are gifts freely given by God. As Paul later writes, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).

At the same time, this truth brings great comfort. Our acceptance with God does not depend upon our abilities or accomplishments but upon Christ alone. Therefore, we come before God not with pride, but with gratitude and worship, giving all glory to the One whose grace alone has saved us.

A Pastoral Appeal to the Church to Pray for Ministers of the Word in Local and Foreign Fields

Christ’s Assessment of the Harvest and the Harvesters

When our Lord Jesus Christ looked upon the multitudes that followed Him, He did not merely see a crowd of people gathered around Him. He saw their true spiritual condition. Matthew tells us that He was “moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). The people were weary, confused, and spiritually helpless. They needed guidance, truth, and salvation. Out of that compassionate observation came one of Christ’s most urgent appeals to His disciples.

In Matthew 9:37–38, Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” In these words, our Lord reveals two great realities. First, there is a vast spiritual harvest. The world is filled with souls who need the Gospel and the shepherding ministry of God’s Word. Second, there is a serious, painful labour shortage. Having men called and sent by God to preach, teach, and care for souls is the greatest need of this world, that people may be brought under God’s truth to receive His salvation and guidance.

Christ’s Appeal to Pray for Harvesters

Our Lord’s first response to this urgent need was not strategy, organisation, or human ingenuity, but a call to earnest prayer to the Lord of the harvest, that He may raise up and send forth labourers. These words ought to lie heavily upon the heart of every church.

This is what the church desperately needs to hear again – a beckoning to pray for labourers in the ministry of the Word. If Christ commanded His disciples to pray for labourers, then surely the church in every age must give itself to prayer for pastor-teachers, evangelists or preachers of the Word, both in local congregations and in distant fields where the Gospel is little known. The ministry of the Word is central to the life, purity, growth, and mission of the church. Therefore, the church must be earnest, constant, and believing in prayer for those whom God has called to preach Christ.

Christ looked upon the crowd not as mere numbers, but as distressed and spiritually needy souls. The image of sheep without a shepherd is especially weighty – “…they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36). It points to the need for spiritual guidance, doctrinal instruction, tender oversight, and saving truth. The church must therefore pray because human souls do not merely need relief from outward troubles; they need shepherds who will feed them with the truth of God.

Our Lord says, “The harvest truly is plenteous”. The problem is not that there is a lack of work in soul-gathering, or that God has no saving purpose in the world. The problem is that “the labourers are few”. Few are willing to spend and be spent in the work of the Gospel. Few endure hardship, study the Scriptures diligently, shepherd souls patiently, and proclaim the whole counsel of God without compromise. Therefore, Christ directs His disciples to prayer: “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest”. The harvest belongs to Him. The church belongs to Him. The ministers belong to Him. He alone can raise, equip, preserve, and send forth labourers.

This command teaches the church at least three things. First, ministers are a gift from Christ. They are not ultimately produced by seminaries, institutions, or ecclesiastical systems. Whatever good means may be used in training men, the call itself is divine. It is the Lord of the harvest who must send forth labourers. Second, the need for ministers is perpetual. Every generation requires faithful men to preach the Gospel afresh. Third, prayer for ministers is not optional. It is a plain duty laid upon the church by the Lord Himself.

Meditative Questions on Praying for Labourers

1. Concerning Our Understanding of Christ’s Concern

• Do I see the world as Christ saw it – full of weary souls like sheep without a shepherd?
• Do I recognise that the spiritual harvest is truly great in my locality and across the world?
• Do I believe that the shortage of faithful Gospel labourers is a serious concern for the church today?

2. Concerning Our Obedience to Christ’s Command

• Since Christ explicitly commands us to pray for labourers, am I obeying this command regularly?
• When was the last time I intentionally prayed that God would raise up and send forth faithful ministers of the Word?
• Is prayer for labourers a regular part of my personal and family prayer life?

3. Concerning Our Burden for the Ministry of the Word

• Do I pray earnestly for my own pastors and preachers, that they may preach with clarity, courage, and faithfulness?
• Do I pray that God will preserve them from discouragement, temptation, and spiritual weariness?
• Do I thank God regularly for those who labour among us in the ministry of the Word?

4. Concerning the Global Harvest

• Do I pray for ministers and missionaries serving in distant lands where Christ is not yet widely known?
• Am I aware of the needs of churches in other countries that lack faithful preachers of the Gospel?
• Do I remember persecuted or struggling ministers in my prayers?

5. Concerning the Raising of New Labourers

• Do I pray that God will raise up young men from our churches to serve as pastors, evangelists, and missionaries?
• Do I encourage those who show gifts for the ministry to pursue God’s calling?
• Am I willing to see members of my own family or church sent out for the Gospel ministry?

6. Concerning My Own Heart

• Does the spiritual condition of the lost move me to compassion as it did to Christ?
• Am I willing to support the ministry of the Word through prayer, encouragement, and practical help?
• Am I open to the possibility that God might call me, or someone close to me, to labour in His harvest?

7. Concerning Faith in the Lord of the Harvest

• Do I believe that God still raises up faithful labourers in answer to prayer?
• Do I pray with confidence that the Lord of the harvest will send forth workers into His field?

Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 24:18
Speaker: Preacher Kelvin Lim
Date: 15th March 2026