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As mortal beings, our life is fragile and fleeting. Ours is a perilous journey through time. This life on earth will not last long; it consists only "of few days" (Job 14:1; cf. Gen 47:9a). The strength of our bodies will decline sooner than many of us realise or imagine. Even those of us who might live seven decades or more will face death someday soon.

Life is Short/

Since the time of the first parents’ disobedience, there was never a hope of living forever here on earth. God had unequivocally proclaimed that death would ensue if they would sin (Genesis 2:17). Just as God warned, death (both physical and spiritual) entered the world the day Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit.
The first parents died, and all their descendants too, with just a couple of exceptions, namely Enoch and Elijah. We too will die, if Jesus would tarry further. Every life that is born into the world faces the reality of its demise shortly or later. Death is inevitable.

Even the longest life is very short, especially in comparison to eternity, for which our souls are created! Moses graphically spoke of the brevity of life – "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10).

Consider Scripture’s sombre biblical depictions of finite man’s weakness and the shortness of his life:

• "… our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding" (1 Chronicles 29:15).
• "Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey" (Job 9:25-26).
• "He (man) cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not" (Job 14:2).
• "They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn" (Job 24:24).
• "For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb" (Psalm 37:2).
• "… they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again" (Psalm 78:39).
• "Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth" (Psalm 90:5-6).
• "… we spend our years as a tale that is told" (Psalm 90:9).
• "My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass" (Psalm 102:11).
• "Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away" (Psalm 144:4).
• "…all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow" (Ecclesiastes 6:12).
• "…All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass" (Isaiah 40:6-7).
• "Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me" (Isaiah 38:12).
• "… as the flower of the grass he shall pass away" (James 1:10).
• "…For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14).

Our life on earth is like an arrow that is sent forth from the bow of an archer – it moves forward with great speed without any chance of retreating or returning to the beginning of its flight. Life only goes forward, never backward!

Life is Limited

You may be a young man or a young adult, and you may be thinking that you have many more years to live. But, do not forget that you are closer to your grave than yesterday. Consider also how much of your life has already elapsed.

Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). That prayer does not mean that we should know the day and hour of our death; rather, it urges us to have a practical impression that life is brief and the opportunities to live for God’s glory and for the blessings of God’s people are rather limited. Man has a set time to live and do the will of God. God has set our lives’ bounds, which no man can pass. Note that we are asked to number our days, and not our years or months or weeks! We must live a day at a time.

If you live a few more decades, your present youthful days will become a distant memory. The vigour and vitality of youthfulness will be replaced by the fear and feebleness of old age. We do well to ponder how well we have traded the talents, gifts and opportunities bestowed upon us. Such reflection should lead us to repentance within us for time misspent, gifts neglected, and opportunities squandered. It should also lead us to reconsecration of our lives to be faithful stewards of our limited opportunities.

Let us not misspend our time nor waste our talents. Put your God-given gifts to full use. Solomon the wise king advises us, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Our Lord Jesus Christ provides us with the perfect example of making full use of one’s short life and its limited opportunities. He said in John 9:4 – "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

Our time on earth can end soon, either by our death or by Christ’s return. With such thoughts fixed firmly in our minds, we must be determined not to indulge in sin or lethargy, nor to waste precious moments of our limited life. As Paul said, "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation" (1 Thess. 5:6-8). Much can be accomplished in the meantime for Christ’s glory and praise, by yielding ourselves wholeheartedly to do His purposes. This means that we seriously consider the shortness and limitation of our life, and commit ourselves to making the most of what remains.

Dear Christian,
Life is like a race. We, like runners approaching the finish-line, will soon come to our life’s end. It shall not go on and on.

How true are the words of Isaac Watts:

Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

My younger brother’s sudden death last Monday, at the age of 53, left my aged parents, his family and many of us who have known him shocked and devastated. We were dumbfounded that his life ended so fast. But we were grateful that the Lord has called him by the Gospel and prepared him through his short life on earth for heaven’s glory.

We may say that life is uncertain, but life will certainly end very soon, and it shall never again return to this earth. So Job said,

7 For there is hope of a tree,
if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth,
and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud,
and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away:
yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
(Job 14:7-10)

The realisation that our life is extremely brief has a very sobering effect on us. It leaves with us many hard questions about the purpose of our existence on earth. Why do we work so hard for this transient life on earth? Why should we take pride in our accomplishments, our wealth, our fame, etc.? Certainly, life does not revolve around its luxuries and pleasures.

If life would end soon, then why be fretful that it is full of troubles and disappointments? After all, it shall soon end, and believers shall enter the glory that God has prepared for them!

As I considered my brother’s sudden death, I have learned that the inescapable fact of life is that it revolves around God! He is the Giver and Taker of our life! He alone is eternal – without beginning or end. In view of His eternity, the duration of our earthly sojourn pales into insignificance. Moses said,

1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction;
and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are
but as yesterday when it is past,
and as a watch in the night."
(Psalm 90:1-4)

Life, then, is like a race. When the whole race is over, if we had run well, we shall soon hear the commendation: ‘Well done! Well done!’

Run Your Race with Christ in View

The Christian life is a race in which God’s child is focused on Christ, from the beginning to the end. Christians are exhorted to "run with patience the race that is set before us" by "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2).

The Greek word for "looking" (aphoráō) literally means looking away from one thing to some other thing in a steadfast or intent manner. It has been used to denote the fixing of the mind upon something. It expresses the mental posture that all Christians should maintain in relation to Jesus, as they run their Christian race. It should be a holy habit of our souls to keep the Lord Jesus in our view.

Looking at Jesus at the beginning of the race and then totally keeping Him out of view, is not the right kind of faith that Scripture teaches us. We should never lose focus of Christ in our Christian race. The reality is, some of the people who started the race with us may drop out of the race altogether while some others may be distracted and refuse to keep up, thus leaving us disappointed and troubled. But we must not let our minds be affected by their quitting. We must look away and fix our thoughts upon Christ. Even if all around us are a constant encouragement to us in our Christian race, it could well be our own lethargy and lust that hinder our race. Only when our minds are steadfastly fixed on Christ can we then overcome all distractions and obstacles, and complete our Christian race.

We look away from all else to Jesus only, for He is "the author and finisher of our faith". The Greek word for "author" was translated earlier as "captain" in chapter 2, verse 10. There it was said of Christ, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Christ has set the path and He calls us to follow Him. It is Him, not the crowd, that we follow. The course of our race is shown by Him. He leads and we follow. His is our Guide, Strength and Motivation in our Christian race.

Jesus, the Author of our faith, has entered the heavenly sanctuary as our Forerunner (Hebrews 6:19-20), and has opened "a new and living way" for us that leads to this sanctuary (Hebrews 10:20). He is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 21:6; cf. 1:17; 22:13). He is our perfect Saviour and Captain, who is able to perfect all who have placed their trust in Him.

In 1 Corinthians 16:13, the apostle Paul wrote: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

What does the phrase, "quit you like men", in 1 Corinthians 16:13 mean? It is the translation of a Greek verb (andrizesthei) which has its origin in the root word (aner) that refers to adult males. Hence, the word denotes two ideas: (i) male as opposed to female, and (ii) adult as opposed to child. The twin emphases of the word in the ancient world were masculinity (vs. feminineness), and maturity (vs. childishness).

The phrase, "quit you like men", was used to call people to manliness, which is characterised by courage, bravery, resoluteness and strength. The apostle Paul used that phrase to demand that Christians put away every smidgen of fear, insecurity, nervousness and reluctance, and then to rise to fulfill their duties with courage and strength.

No man is without feelings of fear, anxiety or frailty, especially Christians who have to face troubling, frightening, even life-threatening situations as they live for and serve Christ. Nonetheless, Christians should not succumb to those powerful, debilitating emotions within them. They must set aside those emotions, and bravely confront the adverse situations that threaten to undermine their pursuit of Christ’s kingdom.

Christians should not only be bold and determined, but also be matured in their responses to the challenges that arise in the midst of their service for the Lord. They should not act like little children, who lack maturity. Paul exhorted the Corinthian Christians, "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men" (In 1 Cor. 14:20). As we grow in the Lord, we should be able to say, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Cor. 13:11). When a child becomes a man, he puts aside childishness, with all its limitations and immaturity. His increased knowledge and understanding will equip him to act wisely, and he is ready to be tried and tested. A matured person acts with a sense of control, confidence and courage – having outgrown the immature, childish person that he once was.

Paul’s command to the Corinthian Christians to "quit you like men" was a summon to act differently from their past mannerisms, which were anything but spiritually matured. The Corinthians needed to wisen up. Paul knew that they did not make any progress since their early years when he was pastoring the church in Corinth – "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able" (1 Cor. 3:1-2). Paul was upset that he could not speak to the Corinthian believers as unto spiritual men. Since they had come to faith in Christ, they had gone no farther. Most of them were acting as if they had just been born again. They were still "babes in Christ"! Their immaturity and childish behaviour was so upsetting to him that he chided them, saying, "What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?" (1 Cor. 4:21).

The schisms, immorality, abuse of sacraments, etc. found among the people of the Corinthian church were evidence of their immature, childish mindset. They needed to be watchful of their own condition to make a difference as mature Christians. So he wrote, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong."

If Christians remain childish, timidity and immaturity will act together to wreck their testimony and service for the Lord. Cowardice and foolhardiness must be quickly expelled from the lives of every Christian. How can we attain such manliness as what the apostle Paul summons us to? How can we grow to the maturity and strength of a strong spiritual man?

Paul expected the Corinthian believers to watch over their thoughts, emotions, words and actions. He wanted them to bring themselves under subjection to the Spirit and the Word, and thus be spiritually strong and valiant. Fortitude of a matured, godly man is what Paul is urging all Christians to exhibit.

We must be nourished up in the grace and wisdom of God through His Word. The apostle Peter exhorts us in 1 Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby"; and in 2 Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." We must think and act according to the counsels of God’s Word. If we ever act without the Word of God, we will be immature and imperfect in our actions. Hence, Paul reminds us in 2 Tim 3:16-17 that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Likewise, we are admonished in Ephesians 4:14-15, "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ".

Refuse all childish cowardice and immaturity! Rouse yourselves to be spiritually strong Christians – biblical, Spirit-led men and women of God!

Every married man, if he is sincere, would confess that loving his wife is a lot more difficult than he had imagined. Why is it so? One of the most common responses of husbands is that the wife is not easy to relate to or that she is a very difficult person to communicate with. Though it is true that some women do exhibit a bitter and defiant spirit towards their husbands, it is undeniable that husbands do fail to love their wives as expected by the Lord.
The biblical imperative is that husbands ought to love their wives as Christ has loved the church – "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). No husband has ever fully loved his wife to that degree or extent which is expected of him by the Lord. So, every Christian husband must make it his duty to love his wife likewise.

Antecedent Love

In the relationship between Christ and the church, Christ’s love is antecedent to the church’s love for Him. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10). "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).
Christ’s loving redemption did not come to the church because she was perfect in her ways and pleased Him always. Instead, Scripture says, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). So, husbands’ love for their wives cannot be merely a reciprocal affection. Husbands should love their wives, even though they feel disrespected or hurt by them.

Volitional Love

It is because of divine love that Christ has chosen a people to be redeemed and be His church. He said, "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you … Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…" (John 15:9a, 16a). Indeed, "Christ… loved the church" (Ephesians 5:25) – He chose to love the church.

Husbands must be committed to love their wives even when they are taken for granted or disrespected by their wives. It must be emphasised that the biblical command given to the Christian husband to love his wife is not contingent upon how well she conducts or fulfils her role. The desire to love his wife must always be kept burning within the heart, even when it seems very difficult.

Sacrificial Love

Christ’s love for the church is sacrificial; He made the ultimate sacrifice by dying for her redemption. "Christ …loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25).
Every husband must be willing to make sacrifices for his wife. This does not just mean that you are prepared to make that one ultimate sacrifice by dying for her, if need be. More than that, it means that you will live daily for her by painstakingly seeing to it that she be cared for and nourished up in Christ. Husbands ought to live sacrificially for his wife. He must be willing to set aside his personal interests to help her to be a happy and fruitful Christian woman.

Serving Love

Christ said that He came to serve the church - "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). He knew the physical and spiritual needs of His disciples, and ministered earnestly to them without delay.

Husbands must be concerned about and be ready to care for their wives’ needs. Husbands who are too occupied with themselves are often ignorant and indifferent to their wives’ problems and needs. Husbands are exhorted to "love their wives as their own bodies" (Eph. 5:28), and to "love his wife even as himself" (Eph. 5:33). Normally, no man would harm his own body, but would cherish and nourish his body. Likewise, every husband must love, care and nourish his wife. Though they abstain from adultery, husbands would still fail miserably in loving their wives as Christ loved the church, if they only think of being served by their wives and not serving their wives to cherish and nourish them. Husbands who show little interest in caring for their wives’ emotional, physical and spiritual well-being, must repent and strive to be servant-leaders, as Jesus is to the church.

Sanctifying Love

Christ loves the church with the intention of presenting her sanctified - "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:26, 27).

Husbands who love their wives as Christ loves the church must also desire their spiritual purity, that they may be set apart for God’s glory and honour. Christian husbands must do everything needful – rebuke, instruct, encourage and lead – in order that their wives may pursue their sanctification. They should at all costs avoid provoking or guiding her to sin. There should be no vulgarity, dirty jokes or ungodly activities, such as watching ungodly movies and following a materialistic lifestyle. Husbands must admonish their wives if they have unbiblical thinking, bad habits or sinful conduct. Wives must also be instructed to dress modestly, to avoid appearing "under-dressed" (with hemlines above their knees, revealing clothes, etc.) – that they may not be sensual in their appearance and become a temptation to other men. Husbands must not approve of any worldly lifestyle adopted by their wives (1 Jn 2:15) if they were to love their wives as Christ loves the church.

Husbands’ highest duty of love to their wives is to help them grow in purity and holiness before God. Husbands must encourage their wives to be set apart for God and to increase in the service of the Lord. Husbands must always be mindful that their wives are given to them not merely for their pleasure and comfort, but to guide them according to the Scriptures for the Lord’s honour and glory. Through biblical instruction and example, husbands must help their wives to put sin to death so that they can come alive to righteousness. It is also the task of the husbands to help their wives flourish in the exercising of their spiritual gifts to serve and glorify God. Their wives must be encouraged to bring glory to God by doing good to others. Husbands ought to love their wives with a sanctifying love.

Steadfast Love

Jesus’ love is an enduring, steadfast love, for "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" (Jn. 13:1). It is with a lasting, faithful love that Christ loves the church. As the apostle Paul said, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:35-39).

Husbands must be utterly faithful and committed to their wives in the same way that Christ loves the church. Christian husbands must provide their wives the security of steadfast and faithful love, in which she can blossom emotionally and spiritually. A husband must be committed to his wife to the exclusion of all others – "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh" (Eph. 5:31; cf. Gen. 2:24).

Conclusion

A husband, who ill-treats his wife and puts her down, dishonours Christ. Such a husband projects a false picture of Christ, a "Christ" that could possibly abuse and put down His bride, the church. Husbands who desert their wives – either through infidelity or indifference – in effect portray a heresy, which gives the impression of a false Christ who could abandon His church. So, let every Christian husband bear a good witness in this ungodly world concerning his Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, by loving his wife as Christ loves the church.

Two days ago, the CNN reported: "As the coronavirus outbreak continues spreading across Asia and the rest of the world, grief and anger are cutting through the noise, after the death of Chinese whistleblower-doctor Li Wenliang." In Singapore, as of Friday (7th February 2020), about 33 people have been reported as having contracted this deadly virus. Channel News Asia reported on Friday, "Coronavirus outbreak: Singapore raises DORSCON level to orange; schools to suspend inter-school, external activities." The World Health Organisation (WHO) has now declared the virus outbreak a global emergency.

As the fear of pestilence grips the people of our city-nation, we must be prepared to face whatever come our way. Yes, we must observe good hygiene practices as a precautionary measure. But even more importantly, let us also be spiritually ready as we face this time of emergency.

Pestilence in the Bible

What does the Bible say about "pestilence" or "plague"? The Hebrew and Greek words for "pestilences" (Heb. deḇer and Gk loimós) in the Bible refer to contagious epidemic disease. Pestilence is often associated with other calamities (e.g. Exod. 9:3–15; Leviticus 26:25; Habakkuk 3:5; Luke 21:11). It is recorded as a judgment or punishment sent by God, rather than a naturally occurring phenomenon.

In the Bible, pestilence (Heb. deḇer, māweṯ; Gk. thánatos) usually refers to divine intervention in human history in the form of human sickness to punish the rebellious conduct of people. God had pronounced that pestilence will be brought upon Israel for her neglect of her covenant obligations to God. In the case of His covenant people Israel, it served as a scourge to bring about repentance and obedient behaviour.

• Leviticus 26:25 – "And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy."
• Deuteronomy 28:21 – "The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it."

The Lord destroyed 70,000 Israelites after David’s census, which was out of prideful confidence in the number of their people (2 Samuel 24:13–15).

Certain prophets of Israel, like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who proclaimed divine sentence on the rebellious Jews, almost always predicted pestilence as part of a list of scourges that would befall them: "the sword, the famine, and the pestilence" (Jeremiah 24:10, cf. 14:12, 27:8, etc.). The enemies of Israel could also be the objects of this form of judgment (Psalm 78:50; Ezekiel 28:23; 38:22).

As for ancient Israel, when pestilence was sent as a punishment for sin, it was not applied indiscriminately upon all. The one who remains faithful was promised divine protection from its effects.

• Psalm 91:1-3 – "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence."

Jesus mentioned "pestilences" as part of the signs of His coming. They will, according to the Book of Revelation, reach unprecedented proportions, causing great pain and distress upon the earth during the seven-year Tribulation prior to Jesus’ return to this earth.

• Matthew 24:7 – "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."
• Luke 21:11 – "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

Our Readiness

In recent history, Singapore had encountered pandemics, such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003, swine flu (H1N1) in 2009. According to the National Library Board’s Infopedia, an estimated 415,000 people were infected with H1N1 influenza in Singapore, and there were at least 18 fatalities. Now, we are facing another crisis.

How shall we prepare ourselves to face such an outbreak of diseases in our present times?

Firstly, let us pray for God’s mercy to protect us and heal those who are infected by this disease. Let us remember in our prayers doctors, nurses and all medical professionals who work hard to attend to the sick and also to prevent the spreading of the disease. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

Let us act responsibly by taking all necessary precautions to avoid being infected and also to prevent the spreading of the disease. Please pay attention to put into practice the advice given by the government’s medical authorities as precautionary steps.

If any among us become afflicted, let us be comforted that the Lord is with all those who trust Him. Even in death, the Lord is with His people. So we can assuredly say, like David, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).

If a believer dies due to this outbreak, he will certainly be with the Lord. "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). So, let us humbly seek and worship Him. Let us also labour for Him, "knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:24).

Is your mind made up before getting any counsel? Christians who are young in the faith may lack the necessary biblical knowledge to make certain decisions in life. This may be due to their lack of understanding concerning some biblical doctrines. When certain situations arise, they do not know what to do. They would usually ask more spiritually mature Christians for advice, as they genuinely want to know and do God’s will.

However, there are those who ask for counsel for the wrong reasons. Some, being driven by personal lusts, seek God’s help to gratify their desires. When they ask for counsel, they ask with the hope that the counsel they receive will be in line with their intentions. In other words, they have already decided on their course of action even though the counsel they seek might be different!

This all-too-familiar scenario in the church also happened during the time of the prophet Jeremiah. Certain individuals went to Jeremiah to seek counsel concerning God’s will but only to act contrariwise.

Acting before Asking for Counsel (Jer 41:17 – 42:3)

Judah was in ruins in the year 586 BC. The "terrible and dreadful" Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:7) destroyed the city of Jerusalem and burned down the Temple and all the houses of Jerusalem. They also carried off many people and the treasures of the Temple, leaving behind the poor ones (2 Kings 25:9-13). In the chaos that ensued, a man named Johanan took some of the Jews and "dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt" (Jeremiah 41:17).

He was already on the move to go into Egypt for fear of the Babylonians (Jeremiah 41:18). However, Johanan and the people still asked Jeremiah to show them God’s will concerning them so that they might act accordingly (Jeremiah 42:1-3).

Sadly, even today, there are some who seek counsel only after having taken steps towards a particular direction. Though such an action seems to be irrational, many are found making this mistake. For example, some, having established relationships with unbelievers, approach their preachers or elders to ascertain whether such relationships are okay. Some others proceed to make investments before praying earnestly about those matters. There are others who apply for jobs without considering whether those professions are God-honouring or not. They act before asking for or finding out God’s will. If a Christian is sincere in seeking spiritual counsel, he should not act before getting an answer from God.

Placing Self-gratification over Obedience (Jer 42:5-6)

Another characteristic of people who have made up their minds before asking for counsel is that their decisions are based on what is most pleasing to themselves. Such people tend to give only lip service to God. Johanan and the people professed that they would do all that the Lord said, whether they liked it or not (Jeremiah 42:5,6). Yet, Johanan and the people had already presumed that which would please them the most would be the best. They claimed that they would obey God so that His favour would be upon them. But in reality, they only wanted God to approve what they had decided beforehand as the best course of action. Being overwhelmed by fear of Nebuchadnezzar, they were only concerned about their own survival and safety, rather than doing God’s will.

When a person has decided on his own what pleases him the most, he will be very hesitant to obey God’s will. Although God’s will may at times not make sense to us, we just have to trust it to be our perfect guide. We just need to do what God requires of us. Our heavenly Father always knows what is best for us. Therefore, it is better to pursue His will than follow what we think to be the best.

Levelling Blatant Accusations against Faithful Counsel (Jer 43:1-4)

Jeremiah gathered Johanan and the people after receiving an answer from God. He then made known to them that God wanted them to stay back in the land that God might build them up. God also encouraged them not to be afraid of King Nebuchadnezzar, as He had promised to be with them. A warning was also issued against Johanan and the people that if they were to flee to Egypt, they would die in Egypt and none of them would escape (Jeremiah 42:7-22).

When they realised that Jeremiah’s counsel was not in line with their plan, they turned against Jeremiah. They accused Jeremiah of lying. They also disputed that Jeremiah was sent by God to give such a message. They even charged Jeremiah for being involved in a conspiracy to deliver them into the hands of the Babylonians. Thereafter, Johanan and the rest of the people acted against "the voice of the LORD". Their self-pleasing attitude emboldened them to blatantly accuse God’s appointed servant (Jeremiah 43:1-4).

Pastors and preachers are often attacked by self-seeking, disobedient people. Such people have no regard for God’s messengers. Neither they reverence God’s Word. Oh, what tragic errors are found in those who made up their minds even before seeking spiritual counsel!

Report on Gethsemane Malayalam Fellowship Retreat

Psalm 16:11 — "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

We thank God for helping Gethsemane Malayalam Fellowship to organise a retreat on Monday, 27th Jan 2020. We are grateful for the good feasting of God’s Word during this year’s Chinese New Year holiday. Including children, 34 Malayalees gathered at Gethsemane Media Centre. Malayalees are from Kerala (a south Indian state), and we speak the Malayalam language. Roughly 30,000 Malayalees live in Singapore. For the past 13 years, we gather together every Sunday in Gethsemane BP Church as Malayalam Fellowship, with our pastor teaching us from various Scriptural books/topics. During this fellowship, we sing spiritual songs, pray, read the Scriptures and study the Word in our mother tongue, and it is a great blessing for our spiritual growth.

During this year’s retreat, Pastor Prabhudas Koshy preached two messages on the topic of "Living in the Awareness of God’s Presence", and Sister Abigail Skariah taught our children from the same topic. During the first session of the retreat, Pastor explained from the Scriptures that no one can hide from the presence of God (Psalm 139). His presence will be unbearable for those who live in sin, and try to flee from Him. But believers who sinned against God, fearing that God will cast them away from sin, would pray, "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11). To all those who repent, the Lord shall not only grant forgiveness, but also His fellowship. 1 John 1: 6-9 declares, "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." In the second session, from the life of Moses and Joshua, we learned how to rejoice in the presence of God. It is very important to learn how to live in the presence of God, which is a life of heavenly joy. If we live a moment without the awareness of the presence of God, we may fall into terrible sins. God’s presence will give us real peace in our life.

We thank God for bringing some new contacts to this retreat. We are planning to follow up with those new contacts and invite them for our regular meetings. Please pray for the Holy Spirit’s working in the hearts of all those who came so that they, being convicted of the truth, may join our main worship services and Malayalam fellowship gatherings. If you have friends, neighbours or colleagues who speak the Malayalam language, please invite them to our church and to our Malayalam Fellowship. May our God use all of us to reach people around us, even people of various languages and cultures, with His glorious Gospel. All glory to God!

(Extracts of recently received correspondence from Pr Sujith Samuel)

We thank God for helping Gethsemane B-P Church, Singapore, to finish the renovation works of the new premises in Singapore and begin the work for the further extension of God’s kingdom. May the Lord use this new place for His glory.

The last semester’s classes of Gethsemane Bible Institute (GBI, Vizag, India) ended on 14th November 2019. Most of the students attended the examination. We will be conducting a supplementary examination for those who needed more time to complete their assignments. Many of them were taking theological examinations for the first time, which understandably was a difficult experience for them.

The classes for the new semester (Jan-April, 2020) of GBI have begun. We have 14 students this semester. Thank you very much, Pastor, for making available your video courses, class materials, financial support and guidance needed for the work here. FEBC online classes are also very helpful for the students. The students are very happy to study many subjects offered by GBI and FEBC. We are also planning and getting ready to have live classes with you through Skype. We eagerly look forward to having this facility soon.

Since the second week of November 2019, a Telugu worship service has been conducted after the English Service held on Sunday morning. Pastor Thomas, who is one of our students, is helping to organise it. Bro Joshua, a local man, is very interested in bringing more people to the Telugu service. He is trying to spread the word especially among his relatives and friends.

I have been invited by Pastor David to preach in his church during the Christmas service, and again in the coming week. My Christmas ministry in his church was a blessed experience. The believers gathered in a small room belonging to a member of Pastor David’s church to hear me preaching. That’s where the church meetings are currently held. Because there is insufficient space for their gatherings, they decided to construct a small meeting place on top of the house. The total estimate for the work is around Rs 200,000 (SGD 4,000). They had already finished half of the work by raising funds from church members and friends. It will be good if we can extend some help to them in finishing the work. The pending work includes painting, electrical works, bathroom works, etc.

This semester, the following subjects are offered:

1. Ecclesiology (GBI online),
2. Eschatology (GBI online),
3. The Book of Revelation,
4. Biblical Covenants,
5. Calvin's Institutes,
6. Minor Prophets, and
7. Westminster Standards.

Since more students have joined GBI this semester, we need to purchase some new tables and chairs. Our office computer is also failing. It will be good if we can buy a new PC for the office and GBI.

Thank you for all the prayers and support for the work here. May the Lord guide and help us forward.