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(Previously published on 9 March 2008)

With a view to a more careful adherence to the Biblical model, which I have showed you last week, I would suggest that children who are in primary 4 and above – though there need be no arbitrary distinction as some younger children might well be able to be present at an earlier age – should be present in the public meetings of the church (especially on the Lord’s Day). I would also suggest that parents consider bringing children to midweek prayer meetings, as much as possible.

The children should sit quietly and attentively, endeavouring – to the best of their ability – to participate reverently and intelligently in the various exercises of worship. To attain such a goal requires that parents be diligent and thorough in preparing their children for attendance at and participation in the public meetings. In order to help parents and the church accomplish their Biblical responsibility, please consider the following guidelines, which I hope will act as an aid to such preparation. (The ideas reflected in the following sections are not entirely mine. I have adapted some from various books and articles, with changes to suit our congregation.)

Practical Suggestions

• Conduct family worship daily. This can be just a 15-minute spiritual discipline for the family, where everyone sits together to sing a song, read the Scriptures and pray. This spiritual exercise is a good avenue to teach your children the behaviour expected of them during the Sunday Worship.
• Seek to order things in your home so that children have adequate rest on Saturday night. We ought to be at least as concerned that children get enough sleep as on a school night, and have adequate time on Sunday morning to prepare to leave the house, so that they are in every respect ready for church.
• Aim to arrive in good time (perhaps 10-15 minutes before the service begins), and be in the appropriate place for worship as soon as reasonably possible. Remind your children in advance the behaviour that is expected of them in Sunday school, the worship service and/or the prayer meeting.
• Accomplish necessary tasks (such as getting a drink or using the toilet) before the start of the service. Advise your child not to run in and out of the worship hall, because leaving the worship (even for legitimate reasons) is a distraction, at least to those nearby. Such a departure will also disrupt your child’s and your worship of God. It will impair your ability to follow, understand, and therefore benefit from the preaching of God’s Word. The logic and continuity of Biblical preaching is lost when there are interruptions in the hearing of it. Seriously consider the possibility of refusing your child’s desire to leave the meeting place.
• Train your children to be good listeners. Instruct them to sit with good posture and focus their eyes on the one leading the service or preaching. When the Scriptures are read, have them turn to the text and follow in their own or your Bible. Likewise, help them turn to each hymn and follow from the hymnbook, helping them as required. With older children, consider such means of helping them to concentrate as taking notes.
• Encourage children to continue behaving well (e.g. not making excessive noise and shouting), even immediately after a public meeting. Help children to behave politely to one another and to adults (holding open doors, helping with tasks, etc.), and to behave in a friendly fashion to visitors, particularly children who are visiting.
• As much as possible, follow up on the preaching and teaching with your children (during the drive home, lunchtime, or family worship), by asking them appropriate questions.
• Remember also the power of our parental example (good or bad) in preparing for and participating in the public meetings of the church. If we have not been the best example, we need to humbly correct ourselves. If necessary, explain to our children why correction is needed and how to make the correction. This is the only way you and I can guide our families to a better worship of God.

Nursery to Primary 3

• In this category, most of the older ones (Primary 1-3), if properly guided, will be able to sit through the worship without causing disruptions. Right now, we have a special Junior Worship lesson conducted for this group during the sermon time, so that they may be taught the Word in a way they can comprehend.
• While they are present during the first part of the worship service, they must be instructed to have proper attitude and behaviour. If the parents are unable to attend to them, let the Junior Worship teacher or another adult sit with the children to guide them.
• It is important that we insist on good attitude during worship. If your child becomes restless or behaves inappropriately, remember to deal with him in a way that will not disrupt the focus of the other worshippers. There is no need to leave the worship at the first sign of disturbance from your child; the congregation should appreciate that a very young child does not always behave perfectly. If there is no alternative, take your child out of the service. Ensure that this is not seen as a ‘reward’ for disobedience. If possible, deal with the particular issue appropriately and immediately, and then return to the meeting room to continue participating in the public worship of God.
• If it is predictable that you will need to take your child out of a service to train or discipline him, aim to take seats near the doors of the meeting room, where you can get in and out with least distraction to others. When leaving or entering, try to do so with a minimum of fuss and noise. Other members of the church – ushers, for example – might be able to render a helping hand to you. Return to your seats as soon as possible with minimal distraction.
• Remember that the children are to participate intelligently in worship. Diversionary activities (drawing, writing, reading other children’s books, playing, etc.) are not part of the worship of God. Neither is eating nor drinking (except for the Lord’s Supper). All these can be distracting for the child, yourself and others. These things will undermine a child’s active and intelligent involvement in the worship of God.

Infants and toddlers

• Toddlers are often restless and fidgety. They are also prone to cry aloud. Parents of infants and toddlers are invited to use the “cry-room” section. If you are in the main worship hall, please be seated near the door, so you can easily exit the worship hall to attend to your child who is crying. If your child is getting unusually restless, please consider using the “cry-room”. Or you may take your child out of the worship hall with as little disturbance as possible. Please seek help from the ushers, if you need assistance. Quietly return to your seat as soon as possible after attending to the child.
• Parents who are in the “cry-room” must remember not to engage in conversation or activities that will distract others from concentrating on the worship. Let us endeavour to keep the solemnity of worship at all times. As much as possible, make sure that your movements and activities are least disturbing to others around you. Let all parents be mutually helpful and forbearing.

The Lord calls out to all our children, saying, “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD” (Psalm 34:11). “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts” (Isaiah 28:9). Parents, come with your children to worship the Lord!

(Previously published on 2 March 2008)

This topic has been a great concern in my heart for a long time. As I have recently mentioned in the church, I strongly believe that we must let our children join the main worship service with the adults as early as possible. There is no biblical warrant for separating children from the main worship, especially those who have grown beyond their toddler stage. I sincerely think that there is great godly wisdom in integrating our children into the main worship, especially those who are 8 years old and above. (In fact, most children can be trained to sit through the main worship service from the age of 6, and some even earlier.)

Biblical Evidence of Children in the Main Congregation

When God’s people in the Old Testament were required to come together to worship the LORD in the hearing and exposition of the Law, the children came together with them. Children were neither excluded nor segregated from the adults who came for worship. The following are some examples of adults and children coming together to hear the Word of God.

At the renewal of the covenant in Deuteronomy 29, we are specifically told that the “little ones” were present together with all the adults and even dignitaries. “Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day” (vv. 10-12). The word translated as “little ones” refers to little children.

Similarly, at the sabbatical year convocation, we are told that men, women, strangers and children were instructed to gather. “When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it” (Deuteronomy 31:11-13).

Then again, in Joshua 8:35, we are told that “There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.” And again we read of similar gatherings during the time of Jehoshaphat – “And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children” (2 Chronicles 20:13).

In Nehemiah 8:2-3, we read, “And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.” Here the phrases “all that could hear with understanding” and “those that could understand” were not referring to adult men and women, because they were already mentioned. So these would be children who were able to perceive what was being read from the Law and also the exposition.

In chapter 12 of Nehemiah, we are told of a thanksgiving service held in the house of God. Children are mentioned along with the adults as rejoicing before the Lord – “Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off” (v. 43).

Just imagine all these happened long before the day of cushioned pews and air-conditioned sanctuaries!

What’s more, in the New Testament, during the ministry of Jesus and the apostles, we see no segregation of children from the adults when people gathered to hear them preach or for worship. The entire family would worship the Lord together. When the people gathered to hear our Lord, the young children were usually present too (cf. Matthew 14:21; 15:38). On one occasion, we are told that the people began bringing their young children to the Lord to be touched by Him (Mark 10:13). For some reasons, the disciples tried to stop them. They even rebuked the parents. “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14).

There is little doubt that the practice of having children in the worship service was the norm in the early church. This is corroborated by the fact that the apostolic epistles, which were read during congregational worship in the early church, addressed the children directly (cf. Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20; 1 John 2:12; etc.). In general, the biblical pattern is that the Christian family ought to worship together.

Exclusion of Children from the Congregation is a Modern Innovation

In many churches today, bringing children into the full session of the main worship is postponed as long as possible. After Junior Worship, children are provided with Teen and Youth worship services. All these are held separately from the main worship services. As they grow up, they are rather unwilling to participate in the Scriptural form of worship. They look for fun and entertainment, such as what they were given in their Children and Teen worship services. They dislike the solemnity of biblical worship, and prefer a light-hearted and entertaining worship service.

Today, we may be considered radical for suggesting that children go to “big church”. Some would surely consider it to be an impractical thing. I will not be surprised if we also would receive such responses. Over the past 50 years, the church has been encouraging parents to be segregated from children during worship time. In many churches, children are left at home alone, while parents go for prayer meetings.

By the grace of God, in Gethsemane we have seen the blessings when parents encourage their children to join the main worship and even prayer meetings. Though there are difficulties, it is possible to overcome them if we (parents and the congregation as a whole) are willing to train the children to worship our sovereign God with patience and forbearance. Can we teach our children to worship God as we teach them to walk, talk and tie their shoelaces? Certainly. But first, we must see it as a biblical pattern which we must be committed to.

God willing, I will discuss more of the practical aspects of “Children and Worship” in the next article. Let us continue to pray that our children would grow up to be a generation that will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

On 6th August, three elderly folks from Lions Home for the Elders (Bedok) will be baptised. They turned to Christ upon hearing the Gospel brought to them by those who serve in the Gethsemane Lions Home Ministry. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

We praise God for the commitment and zeal of all who serve in this Gospel outreach ministry, led by Pr Jeremiah Sim. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15b).

Sometime ago, I saw a report that said, “In 2005, one out of every 12 Singaporeans was aged 65 or above. By 2030, they will number one in five” [Committee of Ageing Issues 2005, Report on the Ageing Population (Singapore: Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports, 2006)]. Today, many elderly are decrepit, lonely and shut up in their homes, in nursing homes, or in old-folks’ homes. Through your visits to the elderly, you can bring the Gospel to the unbelieving, and be a channel of Christian fellowship and cheer to the believing old folks. Sunday afternoons and evenings can be a good time to visit old folks. How wonderful it would be if more of such ministries to the elderly in our society can be carried out! “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10)

Let the Strong Help the Weak

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e then that are strong” says Romans 15:1, “ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” It is God’s design that we strengthen and edify one another through mutual care.

The first counsel that Paul gives in our text is let the strong help the weak. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak”. Paul’s use of the word “ought” (opheilo in Greek), which means “owe” or “be a debtor”, suggests that the strong ones must feel an indebtedness to God to help His weak children. The word “bear” (bastazō in Greek) has meanings such as “carry”, “endure” and “support”. Hence, it is the duty of every Christian to bear patiently with the weaker ones around him and help them to walk and grow along with him. He who is spiritually strong should neither despise nor neglect those who are weak. Instead, he graciously renders himself available to support and help them. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye” (Romans 14:1). In 1 Corinthians 12:22-24 we read, “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked”.

Paul’s second counsel for Christians is “not to please ourselves”. A Christian should not be self-centred if he is to help others as God expects. A person’s spiritual maturity is evidenced in his willingness to give up his rights so that others may be helped. We must be willing to deny ourselves if we can promote others’ happiness in doing so. Our conduct should not be motivated by our personal happiness or gratification, but rather by the welfare of others. We must, like Paul, be able to sincerely say, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more... To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22).

Every true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ knows deep in his soul that it is his solemn duty from the Lord to pray for full-time Christian workers. Who among us would forget our Lord’s earnest words - “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2)?

Those words of Christ confirmed in my heart His call in 1982 that I may serve Him as a preacher of His Word. Since then, those words of Christ have also placed in me a deep desire to see many others also serving the Lord for the salvation and edification of souls. After my marriage, my wife and I prayed that the Lord would call our children to serve Him full-time according to His good pleasure. Both of us were so deeply convicted of the gravity of the need for more labourers in the work of the Lord that we could do no other but desire, pray and dedicate our children to the Lord for His service. We are grateful to the Lord for all, both in our church and elsewhere, who have been praying along with us for the same burden.

About two months ago, when our firstborn, Cornelius, related to us of his conviction of God’s gracious call to serve Him full-time, both my wife and I were overwhelmed with powerful emotions – unspeakable joy and also overwhelming burden. It is not possible in this brief note to describe all those feelings. As we praise God for giving the conviction to Cornelius, we pray earnestly that he will remain faithful to the Lord, that he may do all His good pleasure in the Gospel work. We are grateful to the Lord for Gethsemane BPC’s prayerful support, which we, as a family, have been abundantly receiving as we serve Him in this beloved church. Please read Cornelius’ testimony of call to full-time service below, and kindly remember him in your prayers that God would equip him with all grace and knowledge to serve Him all the days of his life.

My Calling

To my spiritual family in Gethsemane,

Ihave received God’s call to give my life to serve Him, and I am very sure of it. I am certain because I heard His call through His unmistakable Word. I tried to resist it, but the call was irresistible. With such an irrepressible call into the ministry, I must needs bid His call. During our prayer meeting on Tuesday (11 July 2017), I testified how God worked through His Word to:

1. alter my perspectives towards consecration and God’s sovereignty;
2. allay the fears I had towards my abilities and the demands of the ministry; and finally
3. move me to accede to God’s call to serve Him full-time.

Today’s publication serves as a written and summarised testimony of how I came to know God’s will concerning full-time ministry.

The Specific Call and Its Context

“… but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8).

The context to this verse, found in 2 Timothy 1:5-9, deals specifically with Timothy, who is already a servant of God, serving alongside Paul. Timothy, however, needed spiritual strengthening, and Paul was God’s appointed encourager to Timothy. Just as Timothy was exhorted by Paul in v. 8, “be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God”, I hear the Holy Spirit’s convicting call to me through Paul’s words to Timothy.

My Circumstances

By the providential leading of God, He has earlier led me to two passages which prepared me for this final and third call in 2 Timothy.

Firstly, from 1 Samuel 1-2, my perspectives were altered when I learnt, from Hannah’s life, that the consecration of a child is an acknowledgment that God is the Giver of life. By consecrating Samuel, she was affirming her trust that God is sovereign, and that He will provide. From the life of Samuel, I was rebuked by his life of pure obedience. Never once did he murmur against the sovereign will of God, but obediently he served in the house of the LORD in Shiloh. His obedience was unquestioning; it was swift; it was unwavering; it was lifelong – the theme of obedience recurs in 1 Samuel and culminates in the famous verse: “… Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22b).

Secondly, from Ephesians 1:3-12, my fears of the ministry were adequately allayed when I learnt that all spiritual blessings are promised to me, and that the salvation I have in Christ Jesus is the security (or evidence) that I will be equipped with spiritual graces necessary for an effective ministry.

The Spiritual Strengthening

In 2 Timothy 1:5-7, Paul exhorts Timothy to remember the unfeigned faith of his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. Timothy had personally witnessed their unrestrained service, and here Paul encourages Timothy to stir up the gifts in him for God’s service, with the lives of his grandmother and mother as living examples that God will be with him. Paul then reminds Timothy that God has not given him a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind. The vestiges of fear that resided in Timothy’s faith had to be eradicated with the remembrance of the faith of Lois and Eunice, and with the trust that God has given us the spirit of power, and not fear.

These passages were thus providentially given by God to prepare my heart to receive the call in 2 Timothy 1:8.

Qualification

I must qualify that the term “afflictions” in 2 Timothy 1:8 does not merely refer to the generic category of trying and painful encounters of every man, but the specific trying and painful experiences that meet the preacher of the Gospel. Paul writes to Timothy, using the singular second-person pronoun “thou”, thus directing his exhortation to Timothy and not to the body of believers at large. If Paul had intended the “afflictions” to refer to the broad experience every believer would face, he would have used the plural second-person pronoun “ye”. It is clear, from Timothy’s position as a servant of God, that the “afflictions” here refer specifically to the painful experiences that come with being a “partaker” or servant of the Gospel of Christ.

The Call Reaffirmed

Knowing that these verses refer specifically to the ministry of the Gospel, I am convinced that the LORD is calling me into the ministry. The LORD calls me to be like Timothy (a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel of Christ), to suffer so that the truth of the Gospel may continue in the church and be preached to all; to preach the Word of God for the salvation of sinners and for the sanctification of believers; and to be an instrument through which the power of God – the Gospel – may work effectually to the salvation of many.

An Accompanying Promise

Afflictions notwithstanding, the LORD calls me to serve Him “according to the power of God”. That is to say, the afflictions of the Gospel will not exceed the power of God that He equips me with; there will be no affliction without the accompanying empowerment of God! This promise is assuring – that the spirit of power, which displaces the spirit of fear, will steer and propel me forward in the ministry, come what may.

May God be merciful to sustain me in the ministry, that I may be used effectively for the sake of the Gospel, and for His glory.

In service to God who has called me,
Cornelius Koshy

In View of the GBI Course on Eschatology

Christians live on earth with an anticipation of a “blessed hope”, which is spoken in Titus 2:13 – “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”.

The Christian’s hope of Christ’s return is called “blessed”. The word “blessed” denotes all the blessings of His divine presence (cf. 1 Timothy 1:11; 6:15). What a blessing it is to have such a hope! Eternal blessings await Christians at His coming. When He comes, we shall be eternally delivered from all the temptations and trials of this world, and shall enter into eternal sinless perfection, joy, bliss, rewards and glory. We live every day with that sure hope. So, we long for His return. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:8, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

There has been some debate as to whether “that blessed hope” and “the glorious appearing” of Christ are two different events, namely Rapture (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:6-17) and His return to this earth at the end of the seven-year Tribulation (cf. Revelation 19:11-21). But there is little in this verse’s context to suggest that Paul was distinguishing those future events in connection with Christ’s return. Paul was simply saying that we are looking for the blessed hope, which is the appearing of the Lord. Although we understand those events of Rapture and His subsequent glorious return to rule the world for a thousand years (cf. Revelation 20:1-10; Isaiah 2:1-4; 11; Ezekiel 37; Daniel 2:44- 45; 7:13-14; Zechariah 14) as distinct, Paul is here referring to the return of Christ as a whole, and not its various stages. The blessed hope is a fixed historical reality which we long for.

The prayer of the apostle John at the end of the book of Revelation should characterise every Christian’s hope: “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Biblical Christian faith teaches us that “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).

Do you eagerly long for Christ’s return? Many Christians, who are caught up in enjoying the good things of this life, neglect their preparation for Christ’s return. On the other hand, many other Christians, who are experiencing suffering or persecution, or who are more elderly and infirm, exhibit great enthusiasm and intense longing for His return. It is then necessary that Christians take great caution to avoid being entangled in the worldly affairs and failing to be ready for Christ’s return. To “be ready” for Christ’s return (Matthew 24:44), we ought to be faithfully obeying Him in the present, actively engaged in whatever work He has called us to. We must lead our lives carefully so as to hear Jesus saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).

Do you know what the Scriptures say about the events of the future, especially things associated with Jesus’ return? The study of future events is often called “eschatology”, from the Greek word “eschatos” (ἔσχατος), which means “last”. The study of eschatology, then, is the study of “the last things”.

Christians are given a special privilege to know the major events that are yet to come. About the events which the Bible prophesies, we can have absolute confidence because God is never wrong and He never lies. We must know, for it is our “blessed hope”. Unlike the unbelievers, we don’t have to wonder how things will turn out. Although we cannot know everything about the future, God knows everything – and He has revealed the chief things that we need to know about the future in the Scriptures.

The course on Eschatology will be covering the following topics and more:

• The Rapture
• The Tribulation
• The Millennial Reign of Christ
• The Resurrections
• The Eschatological Judgments
• The Eternal State: Heaven and Hell

Only very few seats available. Please hurry to sign up!

Living in debt has caused not a few lives and families to be cast into horrible pits of disarray and troubles. Have you not seen heart-breaking news headlines, like “Debtridden farmers end life”; “Debt-ridden students opting for ‘sugar daddies’ to pay rent, tuition, etc.”? Before anyone casually responds by saying, “Well, those reports do not really show that loans and debts really affect people at large”, let me assert from anecdotal evidence and my counselling encounters that living in debt is a widespread problem that affects even Christians.

In recent months, I have had conversations with some youths who have been troubled by the burden of bank loans taken by their parents or by they themselves for their tertiary education. This phenomenon of our time is an omen of severe spiritual, financial, familial and social troubles that will oppress and wreck our people in the days to come.

Borrowing pressurises one into hurtful options

Under the intense pressure of debts, young people are increasingly becoming desensitised to and undiscerning of the perils of get-rich-quick offers from cunning men. Desperation to liberate themselves from the shackles of debts is pushing them to look for huge financial rewards. Many of them fall victim to rich, filthy men and women who, having offered enormous financial rewards, take advantage of their vulnerability. They abuse these obtuse youths for their carnal pleasure, and even endanger them for greater material gain. What’s more, some of those youths do not anymore think that such a lifestyle of loose morals is hazardous, and have even adopted for themselves ungodly living for greater material gain!

Certainly, not all debt-ridden youths have fallen into such dangers. Yet, many other kinds of hazards surround them. A young lady, who is a recent university graduate, tearfully shared with me of her many struggles because of the student loan her parents have taken to send her to university. While she desires to be married and be a homemaker, which is also the desire of her husband-tobe, the parents insist that she should not get married immediately, but that she should first focus on earning money to pay off the debt and then consider marriage and family life. Now, that would take years! Oh, the dreadful snare of debt that stops young women from fulfilling the divine injunction – “… that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 7:9; Hebrews 13:4a).

Debt is not only delaying some young people from getting married early in their adulthood, it also burdens those who enter marriage life. Many begin their marriage with loans and credit purchases to start off their life together in fancifully-renovated houses filled with expensive furniture, appliances, cars, etc. Lenders often require repayment of debts with their stipulated interests. Interests charged are often high, making it difficult to repay the loans quickly. Repayments of loans are even harder for the poor borrower, adding more trouble to the needy – hence the saying, “Need is a frying-pan, but debt is the fire.”

High financial burdens on borrowers drive them to live a life that is addicted to moneymaking, which soon negatively affects their spiritual pursuits and family unity. Worry and fear, arguments and quarrels, materialism and spiritual deterioration, and suchlike soon overwhelm them. Neglect of family relationships, children’s care, etc. soon bring about many sorrows in their lives.

Even then, sadly, many blindly believe that living on borrowed money is wise financial planning. However, according to the biblical teachings, it is a fallacious notion. Though the Bible acknowledges that the poor may be compelled to borrow in their emergencies, it does not encourage borrowing. More often than not, the Bible warns strongly against borrowing.

Biblical warnings against borrowing

The Biblical wisdom is that we “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another” (Romans 13:8a). Nowadays, many financial pundits will tell you that leverage – the use of borrowed money to buy assets for appreciation – is the way to prosperity. But be warned that such an advice is contrary to biblical wisdom. Absolutely nowhere in the Scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given financial objectives.

Even if one is able to get interest-free loans from relatives or friends, the Bible forewarns of painful consequences. Borrowing money from someone is certain to change the relationship with that person. Proverbs 22:7 cautions that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” Even if one were to borrow money from parents or siblings or children, the relationship will soon sour.

So, the Bible warns us not to put ourselves in a surety situation. Proverbs 11:15 advices, “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.” Likewise, Proverbs 22:26-27 says, “Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?” In other words, if a person puts up security for another, he will suffer, but he who refuses to pledge is safe. The Biblical advice is that we had better not be a guarantor for others’ debts. If you’re in a surety situation, like having taken a student loan for your child, the Bible’s advice is that you had better pay it off and get out of it. It is very unwise to take a huge loan for any enterprise, without having the means to pay back.

Also, be warned that there is no promise in the Bible that God will bail you out of the unwise debts you have accumulated. Some Christians who unwisely borrow seem to think that the promise of Philippians 4:19 – “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” – would solve their debts. That promise is not a divine guarantee to cancel the consequences of unwise borrowing. Those who think that their decision to borrow money is an act of faith should know that God has never said that He will provide for His people’s needs through moneylenders. How sad it is that many Christians look to moneylenders as their provider! They have made moneylenders their god who would allow them to achieve all the desires of their hearts. Rather, the promise of God is that He will provide for all our needs (cf. Psalm 23:1), and not all our cravings and greed. The Bible teaches us that “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

Certainly, it is best to bear our troubles with much prayer, and overcome them through hard work and wise planning. Entering into debt, especially borrowing beyond our means to pay back, is unwise and can lead to more severe troubles. As much as possible, be debt-free.

There are some brethren among us who are facing destabilising problems, and excruciating pain and sorrow. Here is a WhatsApp message that I received recently:

“Hi Pastor Koshy, so sorry that I have to pull out of the Missionary Conference… due to post-shingles pain. It has been 67 days since I contracted shingles. S-virus is eradicated but post-pain persists. No improvement. Pain has been erratic – from a scale of 5/10 to 7/10 every day. Some relief (of a few minutes) every now and then from the GRACIOUS LORD, otherwise a throbbing or triggering pull. Night-pain is more intense but the Lord gives me 5-6 hours of sleep, though sometimes broken by pain. I have stopped taking painkillers as they don’t work on me. I endure the pain, often with crying.

My doctor said that shingles surfaced due to my weak immune system. Now, the nerves cut up by the virus are raw and are also trying to repair themselves by joining back. In so doing, they tug and pull. Now I understand fully what is “nerve-wracking”! Post-pain may take months or years to recover, depending on individual and age. There is no sign of improvement and I fear further weakening. I hope to listen to live webcast, if possible. Don’t call me as I will cry while talking to you. Nevertheless, I have become clearer in what it is to “count it all JOY when we fall into diverse temptations”, and what is meant by “the JOY of the Lord is my strength”. Still struggling to actualise it. I have also understood what you always say about God giving us His grace. It’s Him giving us His divine strength to go through our afflictions, right? I have been praying for you more often as I could not sleep sometimes. God bless.”

What shall we think in such times of afflictions? How shall we respond to our troubles? I would call your attention to the words of James: “Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:11b).

Job was an exceedingly tried man. He endured his trials with patience. Job would not have manifested patience if he had not suffered his extraordinary afflictions. If he had not known such extraordinary sufferings, his fame would not have been heard down the ages.

Job was patient when all his ten children were killed without warning. Oh, to have patience amidst bereavements! He was patient when all his wealth was taken. Bearing all his losses patiently, he said in worship of the LORD, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). When his own body was full of boils (from head to toe), he patiently endured the tormenting bodily pain with which he was afflicted. Still, that was not the end of the agony he had to endure. Then there was also mental and emotional distress brought on by the conduct of his wife and friends. He was insulted when his wife tempted him to “curse God, and die”. And then Job’s friends, whom he later called “miserable comforters”, rubbed salt into the wound with their unwise remarks. In the midst of all these, he also suffered sleeplessness!

The patience of Job is held up as a powerful moral and spiritual example among men. If Job could remain patient under trial and affliction, why should we not be too? He was but a man; what was wrought in one man may be done in another. True, he had God to help him, but so have we. Like Job, we must patiently wait on the Lord for our deliverance.

Though Satan afflicted Job, God was with him through it all. God was not absent while His servant suffered. The unseen hand of God was sustaining and nurturing Job in the midst of all his suffering. The Lord was with Job right to the end of his trials. Thus, James could declare, “Ye…have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy”.

As it was with Job, the Lord in His mercy will see us through in all our trials. The Lord, who allows us to be tested, will also strengthen us to endure our afflictions. Such is the experience of all afflicted saints. We do well to remain patient under our trials, for the Lord is ever working in us to build us up as His patient, blessed children. Let us therefore submit to all His sovereign and gracious dealings with us in our trials.

AAs we commemorate the 14th anniversary of our Chinese Ministry, the words of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 are fitting to be recollected and meditated on – “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you”. Here we see that Paul desired that the Word of the Lord will be spread unhindered. As the Gospel preachers dedicated themselves to be industrious in their preaching ministry, they also urged the brethren to support them with their prayers – “Brethren, pray for us”. Preachers labour to declare the Word, and the rest of the church co-labour with them in prayer for the advancement of the Gospel. No one in the church should be disengaged or withdrawn from the burdens of the Gospel work. All members of the church, young and old alike, ought to be prayerpartners in the Gospel-work.

“And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you” (1 Corinthians 12:21). All believers together form “the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Corinthians 12:27). This mutual dependence is acknowledged by Paul in his request for the Thessalonians’ prayers. When the members co-operate with the preachers of the church with their prayers, the success of the church’s evangelistic efforts will be secured.

If the apostle Paul highly viewed the efficacy of church brethren’s prayer, who are we to think otherwise? This little word “pray” should be regarded as one of utmost importance to God’s blessing upon preaching. Paul’s most earnest request for assistance from the Thessalonians was that they would “pray”.

Both preaching and prayer are very important to all the ministries of the church. By prayer, we speak to God; by preaching, we speak to man on God’s behalf. By prayer, we receive God’s wisdom and strength to move men to God through Christ.

Brethren, pray earnestly for Pr Daniel Lim that his preaching of the Word of God in the Chinese ministry will turn many to God. Pray also for Pr Jeremiah Sim, who ministers to many of our Chinese-speaking folks through Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry. May the Lord be glorified today as we thank God for His help through the past 14 years of Gethsemane Chinese Ministry.

Thanksgiving Emails From Our Missionaries

Hello Pastor Koshy,

I praise the Lord for bringing my family to the 5th Missionary Conference, especially when an ordeal almost prevented me from attending. When clearing the immigration checkpoint at the Manila airport, an immigration officer intercepted me and put me on hold. He then took me to his supervisor and started questioning me. They said that there was a warrant of arrest issued under my name. The officer asked me a lot of questions regarding my whereabouts. Thank God that they were finally convinced that the warrant of arrest was not for me. However, they told me that the case was about “car-napping”, and advised that I have to go to Antipolo (about 250 km from Dagupan) to clear my name and request for certification that I was not the person for whom the arrest warrant was issued. When I returned after the conference, I was reminded again by the immigration officer to get the clearance.

I praise the Lord for the lessons learned during the Missionary Conference. As I listened to the messages, I felt as if the events in Galatia were happening right before my eyes. It was as if I was literally part of that church and sitting in its pews. I thank the Lord for our preachers who expounded the Word of God. May the Lord help us to be faithful in His work.

Praise God for refreshing us. God’s Word and the fellowship of godly friends help us to press on with the work. Thank God for godly leaders and congregation whom we can emulate as the biblical pattern. I praise the Lord for raising godly men to guide the church to follow our Saviour.

Praise the Lord also for the monetary gift given to us by the church, and for providing for us through the church and the Session members. I would like to ask permission to use the money to buy a second-hand car. We need a reliable car if we are planning to conduct Bible studies in San Fernando. I am planning to sell my current car (which is very old) so that with the added love gift, we can get a better car. Our current car not only breaks down frequently, it is also not air-conditioned. We normally travel to the homes of the brethren to conduct Bible study immediately after our lunch. And under the very hot sun, the ride can be very uncomfortable. My plan is to buy a small car to use to move around, especially to help us with long journeys that would take several hours.

Thank you for your love and care.

Praying always that we will faithfully serve our Saviour,

Pr Donald and family

Pastor’s Note: The elders will soon consider Pr Donald’s need for a vehicle; may all our readers pray how we can help with this need in Pangasinan. Meanwhile, let us pray that the Lord’s leading will be upon our church leaders to study the matter and provide appropriate support for the Gospel work of Pr Donald and family.

Dear Pastor,

Greetings in our Lord’s blessed Name from Cebu, Philippines! We arrived safely here in Cebu on Sunday afternoon (11th June) – just in time to prepare for the evening service. Praise God!

I thank the Lord for the privilege to attend the 5th Missionary Conference as it has brought manifold blessings upon me and, I believe, upon everyone who attended. It’s such a joy to see and fellowship with the brethren I knew way back in my FEBC student days; to fellowship with fellowlabourers in the work of the Gospel; and to meet the new ones in the church. Praise God also for the time of learning more of God’s Word from various preachers, as well as from your pastoral care and counsel for us preachers in reminding us of the great responsibility of handling the Word carefully.

Thank you very much for praying for us.

Respectfully,
Rev Reggor

Thanksgiving

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Through the Bible Witness Web Radio (BWWR), the power of the Gospel preaching has been brought to the hearts of many people over the past 10 years. BWWR resounds long after the preacher has descended the pulpit of Gethsemane BPC and also of sister churches. (Please read the short words of thanksgiving below, from some BWWR listeners. Praise the Lord that the message that Pastor preached in 2011 – “The Prayers of Apostle Paul” – continues to work even 6 years later in the hearts of those who heard it for the first time.)

From Singapore

I had always been looking to listen to Christian radio online. And it’s always so hard to find. I was glad when I came across this, and it’s something so close to home, thank you.

Please continue to bring His message to Singapore and the rest of the world.

BWWR’s Reply

We are glad that you find our broadcast useful and you are tuning in. We pray that we will continue to increase and publish more good and edifying Christian materials for our listeners worldwide. Appreciate your prayers for this ministry, and do continue to tune in!

From Singapore

What wonderful programmes on BWWR!

I love to turn on the radio whenever I can. It is so comforting and I found peace by listening to it.

Thank you so much for your hard work.

God bless!

BWWR’s Reply

Praise the Lord, it is always a pleasure to hear from our listeners, and we are truly thankful for this opportunity to declare God’s truths through this channel.

We broadcast many sermons, messages and music that will minister to Christians and encourage them in this life’s journey to press on upward and forward for the Lord.

May His name be praised and magnified!

By the way, if you have been blessed by our broadcast, the ladies, men’s and youth weekly programmes are available for “on-demand” listening on our website, and available for listening at any hour of the day.

From Australia

Hi, I have been listening to the web radio recently and would like to know how to share a particular message with a dear sister in Christ. I can’t seem to find it in the search column.

The title is “The Prayers of Apostle Paul” (2 Cor 12:8-9) preached by Rev Prabhudas Koshy. Please advise.

BWWR’s Reply

The message you hear on our radio is not for download; however, we would be happy to send it to you personally for the edification of other Christians. I’ll find it in our archives and send it to you asap.

Our Goal

This ministry – to publish the truths of the Gospel throughout the world with clear, faithful preaching – is a great duty that the Lord has entrusted to Gethsemane B-P Church. Everywhere, there is a great need for the pure Word of God to be heard. It is not just at the time of the 16th-Century Reformation that the battle for truth was fought. We are at another “dark age” of Christianity. Christians today are lost in a sea of false preaching and are confused about what Christianity ought to be. Many do not have access to Biblical preaching throughout the world, and this includes Singapore, as one of the emails received indicates.

All the more then should we do our Gospel duty by sounding out the Word of truth. That is why the BWWR motto is “Preaching the word of God and edifying the body of believers”. BWWR makes every effort to sound out the message that Jesus saves, and there is no other way, no other Saviour, no other Rock on which to build our lives but Christ. As long as such Internet technology exists, we can utilise it to propagate, defend and teach the truths of the Gospel, even unto the next generation.

Our Plans and Challenges

Praise the Lord that towards the end of last year, the Lord provided us the means to upgrade our Bible Witness Media Ministry recording system, with the ability to produce better quality music. So in addition to preachers’ faithful preaching, more men, women, youth and children must join us to sing and play hymns and spiritual songs, read the Scriptures, and contribute to various BWWR programmes. Everyone can do his part to publish the glad tidings of the Lord Jesus, that sinners may be freed from their despondency and filled with the hope of Christ.

Thank God for Bro Eric Delina who has completed his FEBC theological studies and can now fully devote his time on our Internet ministries. Praise God for some brothers who are working on the Bible Witness app to make it more functional. Please also pray that we may be able to keep our web radio “virus-free” to run our programmes, as we do encounter threats from hackers who are on the prowl to destroy websites like ours. The BWWR ministry is in its 11th year; however, we are not functioning as effectively as we desired to do in the work of the Lord. In order to overcome our shortcomings and produce a better quality web radio broadcast, we need more skilled co-labourers, especially those who are willing to give their lives and talents to the Lord in full-time service in media ministry.

More upgrading of audio equipment, computers, servers, software, etc. are needed in the coming months and years for improvements. We pray that God will bless us with more funds and skilled co-labourers.

Dear brethren, this Gospel door is open to us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It was set up to publish words of exhortation and comfort to needy souls throughout the day, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as He commanded: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Ours is a small work, but may God be pleased to grant us increase in the days ahead, that millions of lost souls in the world who are hungry for the Word of truth will be fed.