Introduction

When a person becomes a Christian, one of the first spiritual activities he will be introduced to is praying. Very often, praying can be a very daunting endeavour. We often hear many new (and sometimes, even experienced) Christians ask questions like, “Am I praying correctly?” “Is God pleased with the things that I utter in my prayers?” “Will God listen to me?” Therefore, praying aright is a serious concern to Christians of all levels of spiritual maturity. “Template” prayers that lack authenticity and sincerity are often heard. It is sad that many Christians do not know how to pray in a proper manner. As praying is communing with the Most High God, it is most important that prayers be uttered in a God-pleasing way; hence Christians must learn how to pray aright. Praying aright brings about many spiritual benefits to a Christian, enabling us to not only receive answers to our prayers, but also spiritual blessings from God.

The best way to learn how to pray is from the Word of God that the Heavenly Father has provided for His children. He has given us a manual on how to reach out to Him in prayer, particularly in the Book of Psalms. Psalms were written by different believers and compiled over a long span of time. The prayers of the psalmists arose out of their personal experiences of faith. At times, the prayers were written during times of great cheer and jubilation, and at times in extreme afflictions. Their prayers, out of the vicissitudes of their spiritual experiences, expressed their longing for God. Hence, in the Book of Psalms, we Christians have a rich resource from which we can learn how to pray.

To begin with, it is useful to categorize the prayers in the Book of Psalms into overarching topics and observe the manner in which the psalmists prayed. In this twopart article, we shall consider the following 5 overarching elements that constitute effective prayers. They are: (1) Praises of God, (2) Thanksgiving, (3) Confession of Sins, (4) Petitions and Lamentations, and (5) Expectations.

Praises of God

The Hebrew title of the Book of Psalms, Tehillim, means “praises”. The Book of Psalms is replete with praises of God. Out of the 150 Psalms, almost all of the Psalms carry a note of praise. This shows that in all the circumstances of life, there are always reasons to praise God in our prayers. In all the ups and downs of life, Christians will never be without occasion to praise God.

One of the common ways by which the psalmists praise God is by simply describing God as He is. For example, God is described by the psalmists as “excellent” (Psalm 8:1), “full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15).

It must also be mentioned that praises of God are seldom found without referring to God’s deeds. The psalmists would not stop at the adjectives used to describe God, but would go on with what God had done. For example, Psalm 19:1 says that “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” God’s work in creation continuously shows forth His glory. In Psalm 8, God’s Name is described to be excellent in all the earth. The reason for the excellence of God’s Name is because of God’s condescension to the lowly and humble ones despite His greatness. God is the Creator of the entire universe (Psalm 8:3). Despite His great power, He has condescended to man in making man to have dominion over His works (Psalm 8:6). In Psalm 9:1, the psalmist cried out, “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.” The marvellous works related to the deliverance that God had given to the psalmist from his enemies (Psalm 9:3-6).

Christians can learn from this pattern when they praise God. When they praise God for being good and gracious, it is meaningful to complement that with how God has been good and gracious to them in their lives. Descriptions of God’s Being, attributes and deeds go hand in hand in magnifying the great God.

Thanksgiving

The natural progression from praising God is to give thanks for who He is and what He has done. There is always a close association between praising God and giving thanks to Him. Psalm 92:1 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High”. Psalm 79:13 says, “So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.”

The following are examples of how some psalmists were being thankful to God for who He is. When they remembered God’s holiness, they thanked God for it (Psalms 30:4; 97:12). They thanked God for His goodness and enduring mercy (Psalms 118:1; 136:1-3). Our contemplation of God’s wonderful attributes should stir us to give thanks to God for who He is because there is none like Him in the entire world. God is incomparable. Furthermore, the great God has made a covenantal relationship with His people whom He has chosen to save.

The works of God are also reasons for Christians’ thankfulness to Him. Psalm 26:7 says, “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” In Psalm 30, the psalmist expressed his gratitude to God, for He had turned his “mourning into dancing” and “hast put off [his] sackcloth, and girded [him] with gladness” (v.11). Likewise, from Psalm 35:18, the psalmist was overwhelmingly thankful to God and expressed it among many people because God had delivered him from his enemies.

Because of who God is and what He has done for His people, Christians must go before Him with a thankful disposition. This is especially so during times of worship. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). Throughout the week, if Christians constantly meditate on God’s attributes and His deeds, their hearts would surely be filled with thanksgiving. They will then look forward to the day of worship and come before Him with a grateful heart to thank Him. Sometimes, even before the arrival of Sunday worship, a Christian can be overwhelmed by a great sense of gratitude, and would even rise up at midnight to thank God (Psalm 119:62).

(to be continued…)

Calling for your prayerful participation in the upcoming church events

Dear brethren,

Several important events are lined up in the coming few weeks to spread the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus near and far. Your prayers, participation, cooperation and contributions are much coveted. Children, youths, adults and seniors alike must rise up to serve the Lord with joy and enthusiasm.

May what was said about the Thessalonian church be true of our church also – “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Please read the following, and purpose in your heart and do all that you can as the LORD leads you. Our love for the Lord, His Word and Christian fellowship should not decline. With purity of heart and zeal, we must serve the Lord.

Mission Trip to the Philippines (23-28 May)

As you read this pastoral letter, two mission teams from our midst will already have been ministering in two different parts of the Philippines. All of them had left Singapore yesterday. One team, ministering in Pangasinan, comprises Pr Dennis Kabingue, Pr Jeremiah Sim and his wife Gina, Kenneth Wong, Violet Quek, Joanna Lim and Sarah Yong. The other team, ministering in Cebu, is made up of Eld & Mrs Mah Chin Kwang, Pr Kelvin Lim, Melissa Mah, Cornelius Koshy and Dorcas Koshy. My wife Carolyn and I left Singapore on Thursday morning to minister to our mission church in Bohol, and will be joining the team in Cebu this evening. Members of the teams will be involved in several activities - preaching in the worship services, special meetings and lectures, praising God and exhorting brethren in songs, DVBS for children, home visitations, street evangelism, etc.

Youth Gospel Meeting (30 May)

Here is an excellent opportunity to bring some youths to the knowledge of our Great Saviour. Preacher Ko Lingkang (from Calvary Pandan BPC) will preach the Gospel message. I would like to urge all, both adults and youths alike, to take full advantage of this event to bring someone who is yet outside Christ to hear the Gospel.

Chinese Bible Conference (06 June)

Our Mandarin congregation has planned a Bible Conference on the topic, “Value of Godliness”. Scripture says in 1 Timothy 4:8, “godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” Let us come and consider together this very precious topic from Scripture. Invite Christian friends also. God willing, I will be preaching in English, with Pr Daniel Lim interpreting into Mandarin. Please pray for us.

Church Camp (15-19 June)

In less than a month, if the Lord permits, we will be heading to Holiday Inn Resort, Batam, for our annual church camp. The next few weeks of preparation are crucial to us. Let us earnestly pray for the camp committee and all those who assist in various aspects of the camp. The camp committee is made up of Eld Ng Poh Kok (Camp Master), Pr Jeremiah Sim, Bernard Lim, David Tan, Ng Kwan Teng and Matthew Mah. The committee is in the final stage of organising the camp. Let us praise God for their labour and cooperate with them so that we may all enjoy a blessed camp.

This camp has the largest participation we have ever had. We thank the Lord for enabling 216 (to date) to sign up for the camp. Let us avail ourselves to be a channel of blessing to one another. Because of the larger than expected gathering, there can be potential delays and problems in some areas of the camp. Let us show patience, if problems do occur. Please approach the camp committee members for any assistance you need. Nonetheless, let us have the mind of our Lord always – “not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Matthew 20:28).

There are about 10 brethren who are in need of help. Those of us who have the ability to lighten the burden of these brethren, let us give as the Lord enables us. (Please indicate at the back of the cheque or on the envelope, “For the support of Church Camp participants”.) Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Let us also earnestly seek the Lord, that our faith may be strengthened through the learning of God’s Word and the fellowship of the saints. The study of God’s Word in the camp will be centred on the theme, “Have Faith in God”. During the night messages, Rev Tan Kian Sing will teach from the Epistle of James on how we should exercise our faith in fulfilling our duties and overcoming our challenges and trials of life. For the morning devotions, God’s Word will be expounded by Pr Dennis Kabingue, Pr Jeremiah Sim, Pr Kelvin Lim and Bro Andrew Koh. In the morning sessions, I will expound the camp theme from God’s Word. Brethren, pray for us that God’s Word will be greatly magnified in our midst. Oh that our faith may increase day by day!

Have You Been a “Dwelling Place” of Christ’s Word?

The apostle Paul exhorted in Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom”. What is “the word of Christ”? It refers to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Christ is their author and their subject matter. The Scriptures testify of Him. Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).

So, when we listen to the words of the Bible, we are listening to Christ Himself. It should surprise no one that Christ has such titles as “the Word” (John 1:1, 14; 1 John 1:1-2; 5:7; Revelation 19:13), “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; Colossians 2:3), and “the truth” (John 14:6). He was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14); in fact, “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17)!

We honour Christ by honouring the Scriptures which testify of Him and His will. So Paul exhorts us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you”. His Word must not be like a guest, a visitor, an acquaintance or a stranger with whom we cherish no special, devout and abiding relationship. His Word must not be like a friend whom we seldom meet up with, but rather, His Word should be as a resident member of our family with whom we are in constant and loving communication.

Let the Word of God dwell in you. To be sure, it is not enough for God’s Word to be on your study-tables, in your bags, in your hands or in your digital communication devices. Rather, you must yield yourselves as sacred “dwellings” to be occupied by His Word. It should be allowed to control and direct your lives at all times.

We are exhorted not only to let the Word of Christ dwell in us, but also to let it dwell richly in all wisdom. It must be allowed to teach, rebuke, correct, instruct, comfort and guide us, so much so that all its wisdom may be seen pre-eminently in all aspects of our lives.

Simply put, no other “occupant” is allowed to remain in us unless it is in full agreement with this chief dweller. Any other human thought, idea, ambition or craving that is contrary to the Word of Christ must be expelled at once. All our thoughts are to be vetted and approved by its wisdom. All our ambitions must be made hallowed by its wisdom. The wisdom of Christ’s Word must guide us all day long, and all the days of our earthly life. Christ’s Word must fully occupy us always. Let its glorious wisdom illumine us within, so that its splendour might shine through us.

The Seniors’ Ministry praise God for her 10th anniversary thanksgiving held on 7 May 2015 at Aloha Changi Chalet. It was a blissful and fruitful day where the elderly gathered to commemorate and recount God’s amazing grace and mercy bestowed upon them in this ministry for the past 10 years.

We arrived at the chalet at 9.40am. There was delightful laughter as the elderly folks appreciated the melodious singing of the various kinds of birds, as well as the awesome sea view which the chalet afforded.

Singspiration began at 10.15am, followed by a devotion message entitled “Gracious Living” by Rev Wee Eng Moh. He shared from the book of Ephesian 2:1-5, exhorting us on how we ought to live graciously trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ in all circumstances. We then had three seniors who testified the Lord’s goodness upon their lives and three young sisters who praised God with their voices.

After which, we proceeded to have lunch-fellowship and at the same time to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to the unsaved friends in our midst. After lunch, the friendly battle of games started and the elderly “competitors” were divided into four groups, each led by a group leader. The four games lasted for 2 long hours, with each team earnestly challenging to win. We were impressed by the ability and the amount of strength the seniors demonstrated as they competed with one another in the games. Truly, it was all of God’s sufficient grace that granted the elderly the strength and the privilege to enjoy such experiences. “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28). Elder Mah and I gave away prizes to all four groups, from the first team to the fourth team, as all participants were deserving winners!

After tea break, the seniors prepared for the evening devotion. We sang joyfully several spiritual songs led by Elder Mah. The seniors thanked the Lord also for Pastor Koshy’s preaching from 2 Timothy 4:7-8 entitled “Gracious Leaving”. He reminded us of God’s sufficient grace which will enable us to leave graciously from this world to the eternal glory which our Saviour has prepared for us who believe. We truly thank God for these comforting verses which not only comfort and give us hope, but also reminded us that, as Christians, we are not earthly-bound but heavenly-bound!

God’s grace and mercy were seen being extended upon the Seniors’ Ministry where many brothers and sisters have been a great help to assist the uncles and aunties at the chalet. We thank God for such brothers and sisters who labour in the Lord to serve others. “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13).

Thanksgiving Testimonies of Members of the Seniors’ Ministry

I have been joining the Seniors’ Ministry for the past 2 years, listening to God’s Word, praying and sharing together. Through the faithful preaching of God’s Word, God has changed my views in life. I have enjoyed the company of the seniors very much; through this ministry, I realize my need of walking closer to the Lord day by day.

The following are what I have benefited from the Seniors’ Ministry:

1. Prayer – Prayer means instant access to God. During our gathering, Elder Mah, Preachers Daniel Lim and Jeremiah Sim will pray for us. I learn that prayer is simply communicating with God, listening and talking to Him in faith. Thus prayer is important in my life. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).
2. Thanksgiving – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Bearing this verse in mind, I must constantly remind myself to praise and thank Him for all things that have happened in my life.
3. Bible teaching and reading – During the fellowship meeting, I have the privilege to hear our preachers preach from the Bible; their detailed explanations of God’s Word help me to understand better. Recognizing that Bible reading is very important in the life of a Christian, I have also cultivated a habit of reading the Bible daily.
4. Service – Lastly, I ask myself how should I serve my Lord? The Bible says, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on things of others” (Philippians 2:4). Thank God that as a retired nurse, I hope to be able to use my nursing skills and knowledge to help my fellow senior sisters and brothers should the need arise.

All glory and praise be to our Lord. Amen.

Maggie Ho

Ithank and praise God for His grace, providence and protection upon our Seniors’ Ministry over these past 10 years.

Our good God enables us to meet every Thursday morning to listen to His Word, and be blessed and edified by the messages. I have learnt many precious truths from God’s Word. God uses the weekly messages to reprove me to repent from my sinful ways, to convict me to be humble in all circumstances, as well as to lean upon His promises knowing that His grace is sufficient for all my needs.

I am touched to learn from our Pastor’s sharing that the knowledge he imparts to us through his messages is the fruit of his 20 over years of studying the Bible and reading Christian books. What we are receiving week after week comes from his years of hard work and hours of diligent reading. I pray that I will never take Pastor’s messages lightly.

The same is true about the messages we hear from our preachers every Thursday. Elder Mah and Preacher Jeremiah Sim spend hours in the meditation of God’s Word and preparation of sermons to preach to us. Thank God also for Pr Daniel Lim, who puts in much effort to interpret the sermons for those who are Mandarin-speaking.

Thank God also for providing the seniors with transport, through the 2 church vans and the cars of Elder Mah and Sister Kim Lei. Truly, thank God for His protection as the respective drivers help to ferry most of us to the houses where the meetings are held.

Amongst our group, we have some disabled friends who come in wheelchairs or with walking sticks. I am encouraged by their perseverance to attend the meetings regularly, as well as the constant joy on their faces despite their difficulties. This also makes me mindful to be more caring towards those who are afflicted, and to pray for the health and God’s protection of the elderly.

Finally, may we treasure God’s Word and not grow cold towards His Word. Through His Word, we receive the Spirit’s counsels. So, let us take heed to the exhortation in Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh”. Amen.

Jesse Ng

When I was first invited to give my testimony, I was apprehensive, but I was also reminded that I could not let such an opportunity pass by. My God has been so good to me and has provided all that I need even before I ask of Him; “how can I not use this chance to praise Him?’’

About twenty-five years ago, the Lord has amazingly turned around my life. Truly, as Matthew 19:26 says, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” I was deeply troubled by what was going on in my life. My sins were deeply bothering me and always making me feel guilty. I was vexed by sins and totally helpless.

One day, one of my friends who knew I was deeply burdened invited me to her church. It was there that I remembered closing my eyes and pouring my heart out in prayer, telling God that I had sinned: ‘Please forgive me. I want to leave my sinful ways. But I am helpless. Please help me.’ I must have appeared very distraught as some of the sisters in the church came to comfort me and offered their help should I need it.

Amazingly, soon after my heartfelt prayer for God’s forgiveness and mercy, the Lord has changed my circumstances, thus giving me an opportunity to flee from my sinful entanglement. This all happened shortly after I prayed to the almighty God for forgiveness and help. I could not deny the presence of such a God, and could only thank Him for forgiving a sinner like me and allowing me to leave a life of sin.

Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Regardless of what trials come before us, as long as we are ready to ask for forgiveness and seek His help, our Lord will answer our prayers in His time and will.

This turning point was only a beginning. The Lord later gave me more opportunities to read and study His Word, and now I understand what Christ had done for me on the cross. Dear fellow seniors and friends, as long as you are willing to confess, repent and accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you will be saved into eternal life in heaven. That is not all. After accepting the Lord, you can also appreciate the kind of joy and peace one can have in the Lord. As for fellow believers, I want to encourage you to rejoice, to pray without ceasing and be thankful always for the blessings that our God has given us. May we always praise and thank God. Amen!

Magdeline Lim

Pitfall #4: Wallowing in Self-pity that Excuses Worry, Bitterness and Other Sins

The struggles of a church leader are seldom fully understood, let alone empathised, by those who are around him. The apostle Paul has succinctly captured the troubles of the church leaders when he wrote: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Some in the ministry have been so plagued by problems that they allow their souls to plunge into self-pity and many other sins that accompany anxiety, worry and fear. Some leaders have used their needs, loneliness, problems to excuse their sins of greed, theft, sexual promiscuity, abusive behaviour, etc. They would say, “Nobody understands my problems. Nobody seems to care that I also have to take care of my family’s needs. It is such pressure that led me to steal.” Or they may say, “Nobody else seems to feel for me in my loneliness the way she does. If any of them knew what I was going through in this leadership role, they would understand why I need this kind of embrace, and why I need this kind of ‘unconditional acceptance’. I have borne enough of the burden of being everybody’s spiritual example; I can’t take it any more! And I don’t care if they don’t approve!”

Self-pity is a subtle sin; it is packed with deceptive power. It looks so meek and weak, but underneath it is pride. Self-pity is a blind leader of proud men, guiding them into pits of sins.

Every leader must learn to find his strength, wisdom, courage and provision in the Lord. The Lord— and He alone—must be our portion; otherwise we will give in to self-pity and all the sins that accompany it. We must seek the presence of God where there is “fulness of joy” and where “at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). Let us learn to draw near to God when all kinds of troubles befall us. Truly, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2).

Pitfall #5: Falling in Love with the Present World

“For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica...” (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas was a fellow labourer of Paul in the work of the Gospel (cf. Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24). Paul mentioned him along with the early church leaders like Luke, Marcus and Aristarchus.

Apparently, Demas left Paul and the ministry after he fell in love with this present world. What is it about the world that leaders (like Demas) in particular are tempted to love?

In Luke 8:14, Jesus cautioned, “... when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” Our Saviour mentioned three causes that could lead a man away from being fruitful in the kingdom of God. They are cares of this life, riches of this world and pleasures of this world. Sadly, Demas’ motive for forsaking Paul might have been his love for worldly ease, safety and comforts, as well as his disinclination to brave danger with Paul.

Anyone who sincerely serves the Lord will soon find that he needs to sacrifice all his desires for comfort, pleasure and glory of this world. Anyone who entertains an immoderate love for this material world, and its gain, pleasure and glory, will not be able to serve God fervently and faithfully. He will soon wilfully abandon the cause of the Gospel because of his love for this material world.

The best safeguard from this pitfall is to always set our mind on the glory of God and His kingdom. Paul said, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). The spell of sin’s fascination is broken when the superior pleasures of God’s presence become our preoccupation.

If we love the Lord and His work, then we must also remind ourselves that “the friendship of the world is enmity with God” and “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). Think long and hard about those who have fallen so painfully and drastically, having drunk the deadly poison of worldliness. May we be warned!

Church leaders are not free from the temptations of sin. They need to be always on guard lest they be suddenly overtaken by the deceitfulness of sin. My prayer is that the Biblical expose of the deceitfulness of sin that surrounds church leaders will further intensify our vigilance and prayer so that we may keep ourselves pure for the work of the Lord.

Pitfall #1: Having a Sense of Self-Glory and Vindictiveness

The apostle John wrote about an early church leader who walked into this pitfall. “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (3 John 9). It is not at all uncommon that the behaviour of certain men in the church leadership degenerate into one of self-assertiveness and selfglory. A sense of immunity from accountability and authority fills their minds. They act as though they are above everyone, and even the demands of morality and charity.

Like Diotrephes who opposed and sidelined the apostle John and other leaders of the early church, some of the modern-day church leaders also act highhandedly. They become domineering, bossy and love the prestige and power of leadership so much that they care for none but themselves. They forget godly men whom God has used to nurture the church. They slander good men and promote those who are just like themselves

Let us protect ourselves from this sin of pride by co-labouring with and submitting ourselves to godly men who love God’s truth and righteousness and serve before Him humbly, faithfully and diligently. The apostle Peter advises church leaders, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock … Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:3-6).

Submit yourself also to a council of biblically-minded, spiritually-wise advisers. “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established” (Proverbs 15:22). The Bible makes clear provision for rebuking an elder who persists in sin (cf. 1 Timothy 5:19-20). No one is above reproof. Everyone ought to be accountable. Let every one of us who serves in the leadership remind himself that God expects us to be humble, submissive and accountable to one another.

Pitfall #2: Succumbing to Itching Ears as Love of Truth Evaporates

The apostle Paul cautions, "For time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Many who express a passion for God’s truth at the beginning of their ministry have succumbed later to the popular notions and expectations of the people around them. The love of truth is weakened by the love for recognition and admiration, and soon integrity has no leg to stand on. Every manner of rationalization and compromise to meet the demands of the expanding audience takes over. Doctrines are not emphasized; moral purity is not pursued after. The audience is to be entertained — the itching ears are to be “scratched” — or else he would have to face the unhappiness of the crowd. He is afraid that people would desert him, so immunity from objection and opposition is created with a heavy dose of relational ethics. The language of love, forgiveness and acceptance abounds — but for those who have eyes to see, it is but a camouflage to cover up the abandonment of love for God’s truth!

In order to protect ourselves from such perilous compromise in the ministry, we should cultivate an unflinching commitment to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). Remain fully dedicated to proclaim the truth, even in its smallest details, and turn a deaf ear to the desires of men to have their ears scratched. Compromise with falsehood often begins in small things.

In order to be a brave and faithful preacher of the Word, “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). In the ministry of many leaders, the Word of God has taken a backseat to storytelling, social analysis, family discussions, psychological diagnoses, etc., which begin to usurp the authority of the inspired and preserved Word of God. Loose and sloppy handling of the Scriptures eventually leads to loose and sloppy living of the leaders and the congregation. Let all leaders protect themselves and their congregations through a disciplined study of God’s Word and faithful preaching.

Pitfall #3: Disregarding the Family Life

The apostle Paul very emphatically advises that leaders should “be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly” (Titus 1:6; cf. 1 Timothy 3:2, 4, 12). It is tragic that many leaders have failed to give careful attention in the nurturing of their own children in the ways of God. Therefore, Paul challenges us, “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5).

Our loving treatment of our wives ought to be the reflection of Christ’s wonderful love for the church. The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 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.” Let every church leader remember that his treatment of his wife is reflective of how greatly he thinks of the Lord’s loving dealings with the church.

An adulterous church leader is a disastrous testimony before the church. He does not portray the Lord’s faithful and true love for the church. The apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 5:31-32 that Christian marriage is a token of the mystery of the relationship that Christ has with the church. “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. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Adultery is an appalling desecration of the image of Christ and His church.

Let every church leader remember that God expects him to prove his faithfulness as a leader in his own home first. Remind yourself repeatedly that your marriage is a living testimony of Christ’s relationship with the church. We simply must recover the wonder of this truth. Marriage has to do with Christ, not just two people trying to seek fulfilment. It is a mission whereby God’s love is to be portrayed to the world. It is an extraordinary calling.

To be continued next week...

God has always called upon leaders to guide His people. In 1 Samuel 13:14, we read, “The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people.” God told Ezekiel, “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).

Church Leadership is a Calling from the Lord

When it comes to who should be appointed to church leadership, let it not be taken lightly that only those whom God has called to the office should be appointed. Appointment to the offices of Pastor, Elder and Deacon is not to be based on mere human ability, seniority, social status, wealth or suchlike. Church leadership is not an honorary position conferred to reward people. It ought to be filled by men who are prepared by God through His calling.

All the offices of the church must be filled with people who are called by the Lord. We often associate “calling” with pastors, missionaries and other fulltime workers of the church. Yet, how about elders and deacons? Scripture is clear that God also calls men to these offices; only those who are sure of God’s appointment should enter these offices. The candidates for Church Session must be sure that they are called by the Lord to serve Him in these roles.

Paul had this to say to the Ephesian church leaders who came to meet him in Miletus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God. . .” (Acts 20:28). Paul’s advice was that all leaders must firstly take care of themselves as they were “made overseers” by the Holy Spirit.

It is, therefore, important that those who come to leadership must know with certainty that leadership is God’s appointment for them. No one is to enter these offices of the church because of human persuasion or appointment. Though men can be instrumental in God’s hand in directing people to leadership, each candidate must nonetheless be sure in his heart that God has called him to serve in the church leadership.

One’s Calling must be Confirmed by God’s Word

How can a man know whether God wants him to serve as a leader? The first and foremost sign from the Lord comes by means of His Word. If a man has all the Scriptural qualifications listed out in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5, he is certainly eligible for church leadership. If he lacks any one of them, he is certainly not eligible.

When the apostle Paul commissioned Titus to appoint church leaders in Crete, he was not allowed to choose leaders based on his own human wisdom and judgement. Instead, Paul gave Titus a list of spiritual qualifications that he should look for in the lives of those whom he would ordain as elders. If anyone lacked a single one of those qualifications, Titus could not have considered him as God’s choice for leadership. Likewise, Paul also instructed Timothy that he should abide by the guidelines set by the Holy Spirit in His Word for the appointment of elders and deacons in his pastorate.

So, let us consider these qualities prescribed by the Scriptures to determine who should be the leaders of the church. Let us not unwisely or unwittingly encourage anyone who does not meet these qualities for leadership. It is a sin to appoint anyone against that which is prescribed by the Lord. Neither should anyone take up leadership if he himself is not assured of God’s calling through the Scriptures.

One’s Calling must be Confirmed by Prayer

Secondly, one must receive peace and assurance within himself to serve the Lord by waiting upon God in prayer. Proverbs 3:5-6 promises, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thine ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

We also see in Acts, how the early church spent time in prayer and fasting to seek God’s leading in the appointment of brethren for various roles in the ministry. Luke wrote about how the Holy Spirit led the church in Antioch in appointing men for the work. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Earnest praying of the church is also pertinent in knowing God’s choice of suitable men for the leadership.

One’s Calling must be Confirmed by the Family

This is necessary, especially for the married believers. Apart from the personal spiritual qualifications, Scripture also insists that the candidates should have a godly family which is submissive to his leadership. A married candidate must have a godly and submissive wife and obedient children. Scripture clearly states, “For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5). So, if one’s children are unbelieving and rebellious, we cannot consider him for church leadership. Three times (twice in 1 Timothy 3, and once in Titus 1), the apostle Paul has unambiguously delineated that those who will be appointed to rule the church must be those who rule their household by raising up submissive children. A troubled and disunited family will inevitably be a hindrance to a man’s service in the church.

One’s Calling must be Confirmed by the Church

In Acts 6:3, in the appointment of men to serve at the tables (very likely as deacons), the apostles asked the congregation, saying “look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” The candidate for Church Session must have the recognition of the church. The members of the church must indicate their acceptance of the candidate’s spiritual ability to rule the church.

At this time, it must also be said that the congregation as a whole must be prayerful and also faithful to God and His word while casting their votes. No member of the church should cast his/her vote based on selfdetermined criteria. The church must prayerfully and joyfully elect and support those who are called and prepared to be leaders according to God’s will.

In opposing and rebelling against God, Satan and his demons target their attacks at the believers. It is because of their hostile activities that Christians are caught in that intense struggle mentioned by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” These satanic forces are unleashed against us to accomplish “the wiles (schemes) of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Satan and the demons are constantly conniving to discourage and defeat the saints in their individual and corporate life and ministry.

Scripture does not say that all our struggles with evil come directly from demons. Much of these also stems from our own evil nature (Romans 7:21-24; James 1:14-15) and from the world of lustful men around us (Ephesians 2:2-3; 1 John 2:15-17). Nevertheless, we must recognise that there are a great number of unseen hosts of evil spirits arrayed against us and we must prepare for this battle by putting on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11).

The devices of the devil against God’s people and the church are many. It is not possible to describe all of them in this article but some of the more common ones are mentioned here.

AGAINST INDIVIDUALS

Assault on the Spiritual Life of Believers

The armour of God reflects the kind of spiritual attacks we may expect. Ephesians 6:14-18 suggests that Satan and the demons will hit us at the most crucial points in which our usefulness to God will be greatly affected.

They attack our confidence in God’s truth and promises, as well as our stand for righteousness (v. 14). These demons will also seek to cripple our Gospel efforts (v. 15). Our faith in Christ would also be threatened as fiery darts of trials and testing are hurled at us (v. 16). Lastly, our assurance of salvation will be under siege as they try to cloud our minds and cast doubt on the Word of God.

Assault on the Physical Body of Believers

The battle may also shift to the physical realm as demons can likewise attack by inflicting Christians with various maladies. Satan afflicted Paul with a “thorn in the flesh”. Paul pointed out this physical difficulty or sickness in 2 Corinthians 12:7 and referred to it as “the messenger [angel] of Satan to buffet” him. Most likely it was a demon that caused his affliction, but only because God had allowed it according to His sovereign purpose.

The same affliction can also be seen in the life of the Old Testament saint named Job. Satan had probably used demons to afflict Job in order to get him to turn against God (Job 2:7-9).

AGAINST THE CHURCH

Satan and the demons seek to oppose the main purposes of the body of Christ. The church is to glorify God, extend the Gospel and be edified in God’s truth (Matthew 28:18-20; Ephesians 4:7-11). These activities are sure to draw the malicious attention of the devil and his minions. Hence, believers can expect the demons to spare no effort in frustrating these purposes in many ways.

Doctrinal and Practical Schisms

The church is to keep the unity of the Spirit in the body of Christ; such unity is to be maintained in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3- 6). Demons would love nothing better than to divide the church, whether locally or universally.

They will seek to create schisms within the church by promoting doctrinal divisions. Speaking through false teachers (1 Timothy 4:1-3), they will generally deny or cloud the truth of Christ’s deity, humanity, or His substitutionary sacrifice and its appropriation by faith (1 John 4:1-4). In view of this, God’s ministers should unambiguously teach and gently correct those who are influenced by them so that they may repent “to the acknowledging of the truth”, and thereby escape from “the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Demons will promote practical divisions, too. Because of earthly, sensual and even devilish wisdom that can pervade the lives of God’s people, jealousy, selfishness, arrogance and a contentious spirit could so easily arise (James 3:14- 16). Demons can exploit the fleshly lusts of Christians to create strife among the believers (Galatians 5:19-21, 26). They may even cause believers who are filled with carnal wisdom, to misguidedly rally around several of God’s servants to stir up partisan feelings (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

Their evil work can also include causing the believers to harbour ill feelings towards a sinning brother and inciting differences of opinion as to his treatment. As a result, an attitude of resentment or a lack of full forgiveness among the brethren may open the door for Satan to cause further conflicts (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).

Hindrance to the Gospel Ministry

The Satanic hosts have always sought to hide the Gospel message from lost sinners, by blinding their minds (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) and perverting the Gospel message (Galatians 1:7-8). They will strive to hinder the Gospel preachers from performing their responsibilities (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18). As a result, they sometimes cause the Gospel efforts of the minister to be misunderstood (vv. 2-16). Believers ought to pray for deliverance from such evil plots so that the Gospel ministry may extend rapidly and God be glorified (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Persecution of God’s People

Christ warned the church in Smyrna of satanic persecution that would result in imprisonment for some of them, bringing about tribulation and possibly death (Revelation 2:8-10). Demons would be involved in this. They can play out this persecution through religious sources such as “the synagogue of Satan” (v. 9). Jesus has warned His disciples to be wary of some religious fanatics who may think that in opposing true believers, they are doing God a service (John 16:1-3). This will be the scene in the last great apostate ecumenical religion. Demons will be instigating men to persecute and kill true believers (Revelation 18:24).

Conclusion

Since his incursion into the garden of Eden (the perfect world of God’s creation), Satan and his demons have always been on the prowl looking to frustrate God’s people in their desire to live godly lives. Our Christian faith is constantly being sifted as we go through trials, temptations, attacks and assaults from demonic beings.

Therefore, we must be vigilant against our enemy and his ploys, and resist him (1 Peter 5:8-9). As the apostle Paul admonishes us, let us “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” and “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

In these days, prayer in the Christian realm is increasingly putting on the characteristics of unbiblical mysticism of the oriental religions. Prayers of Christians ought to be guided and moulded by biblical injunctions and patterns of prayer. The following characteristics of biblical prayer can be of help to maintain proper prayer habits.

Prayer should always be Godward

Prayer is unidirectional – believers speaking to God and Him alone. Philippians 4:6 says, “Let your requests be made known unto God” (cf. Nehemiah 4:9; Acts 12:5). Jesus said, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10). Never does the Bible speak of prayer as a request made to dead saints, angels or demons. In truth, the Bible prohibits any form of prayer to idols, spirits of the dead persons and devils (Deuteronomy 18:9-13; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; 2 Kings 17:17; Psalm 115:4-8; Zechariah 10:2). No man, whether dead or alive, is worthy of our dependence. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8).

Unfortunately, there are many who claim to be Christians but practise necromancy (praying to the dead) and other forms of prayer and worship that are abominable to God. It is not uncommon nowadays to hear some charismatic preachers talking to the devil in the midst of their prayers. These practices, biblically-speaking, are distortions of prayer. Prayer should only be rendered unto God.

Prayer provides immediate access to God

To all true Christians, prayer means instant access to God. Paul affirmed this truth in Ephesians 2:18 – “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (cf. Romans 5:2). Likewise, Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Christians can have boldness in the fact that they can have access to God’s gracious throne any time they need His help.

All those who have been reconciled to God through Christ can have the assurance that God is ever ready to hear their prayers. In fact, because God is omnipresent (God is everywhere regardless of time or circumstances) and omniscient (God is all-knowing), He not only hears prayer immediately but even knows the content of prayer before it is formulated by the one praying. Isaiah 65:24 says, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Psalm 145:18 promises, “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (cf. Psalms 50:15; 91:15).

Prayer is independent of ritualistic posture and activities

The Bible records God’s people praying in various physical positions. Praying in various circumstances necessitates different postures. In the Bible, people prayed standing (Genesis 24:12-14), lifting up their hands (1 Timothy 2:8), sitting (Judges 20:26, 2 Samuel 7:18), kneeling (Daniel 6:10; Mark 1:40), looking upward (John 17:1), bowing down (Exodus 34:8), placing their heads between their knees (1 Kings 18:42), lying down on their bed (Psalms 4:4; 63:6), bowing on their bed (1 Kings 1:47), pounding on their breasts (Luke 18:13), facing the temple (Daniel 6:10), and prostrating (Mark 14:35; Revelation 7:11).

The above brief review indicates that in the Bible, there is not a particular posture of prayer. Postures are important only to the extent that they are the external expressions of reverence, inner feelings and commitment to the Lord. No single posture is able to express all feelings of the praying man. Hence, we find in Scripture a diversity of options and possibilities. One should adopt one’s posture of prayer in a reverential manner. Our posture in prayer should be the reflection of our hearts, whether it be hearts overwhelmed with the cares of life, hearts overawed by the majesty of God or hearts hushed in humble obedience to God.

Above all, the Bible emphasizes the posture of the heart more than the external posture. Isaiah 29:13 admonishes us: “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” Jesus also warned against the hypocritical prayer postures – “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:5).

Prayer can be offered anywhere

We are not required to be in a church building or a sacred place in order to pray to God. (Of course, this fact should not be cited as an excuse for forsaking church prayer meetings and worship services.) The Bible records people praying in all sorts of places: in a closet (Matthew 6:6), before the congregation (2 Chronicles 6:13), as a church (Acts 2:42-47), in a garden (Matthew 26:36-44), on a mountainside (Luke 6:12), in a home (Acts 9:39-40), by a river (Acts 16:13), on the shore (Acts 21:5-6), while sinking in the sea (Matthew 14:30), on the way by the well (Genesis 24:11- 27), in the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53), in battle (2 Chronicles 13:14-15), in a cave (1 Kings 19:9-10), in bed (Psalm 4:3-4), in the stomach of a fish (Jonah 2:1-10), on a housetop (Acts 10:9), in a prison (Acts 16:23-26), in the wilderness (Luke 5:16) and on a cross (Luke 23:33-34, 46).

In 1 Timothy 2:8, Paul said, “I will therefore that men pray everywhere.” For the Spirit-filled Christian, every place becomes a place of prayer.

Prayer can be offered any time

A believer is always aware of his insufficiency and therefore the need to live in total dependence on God at all times. The Bible records the testimony of those who cried unto God day and night (Psalm 88:1; Luke 2:37; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Timothy 5:5; 2 Timothy 1:3). Everyone who humbly accepts his insufficiency and dependence on God will be eager to pray always. So Jesus exhorted: “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).

Scripture records people praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10), in the morning (Psalm 5:3), in the evening (1 Kings 18:36), before meals (Matthew 14:19), after meals (Deuteronomy 8:10), at the ninth hour (Acts 3:1), at bedtime (Psalm 4:4), at midnight (Acts 16:25), day and night (Luke 2:37; 18:7), often (Luke 5:33), when they are young (Jeremiah 3:4), when they are old (Daniel 9:2-19), when they are in trouble (2 Kings 19:3-4), every day (Psalm 86:3), and always (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer has no language barrier

Prayer has no language barrier. Even though man thinks and speaks in different languages, God understands all of them. He is the God of all nations and Scripture says, “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Psalm 86:9). This certainly gives evidence to the fact that language is no barrier when it comes to praying to God (Acts 2:4, 11; Acts 10:46). God even searches the hearts of His children and thereby knows their motives, needs and desires, no matter what language they think or speak in (Romans 8:27).

Prayer can be presented to God in various forms

Since God knows both the hearts and thoughts of everyone, prayer may be expressed mentally, audibly or in song (psalms). In times of great trials, we may prayerfully sit before His throne though without the power to express our thoughts. In times like these, the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and makes our feelings and thoughts known unto God (Romans 8:26; Hebrews 4:15).

There is a time for offering up our prayers in a proper, clear and formal manner. This should be the case, especially when we pray before a congregation or fellowship group. However, we can come before God with broken hearts and weeping, crying audibly (1 Samuel 1:10; Psalm 34:18). At times, it may be expressed in the form of making a vow (1 Samuel 1:11; Acts 18:18), making sacrifices (Psalm 20:1-3) and singing songs (Psalm 59:16, 17; Acts 16:25).

People in the Bible prayed sitting in ashes (Job 1:20-21; 2:8), wearing sackcloth (Psalm 35:13), crying with tears (Psalm 6:6), smiting their breasts (Luke 18:13), throwing dust on their heads (Joshua 7:6), tearing garments (1 Kings 21:27), fasting (Deuteronomy 9:18), sighing (Ezra 9:4-15), groaning (Psalm 6:4-6), crying out loud (Hebrews 5:7) and sweating as if bleeding (Luke 22:44).

Sometimes, Christians may engage in prayer for several days (Esther 4:16), several hours – all through the night (Luke 6:12), or short ejaculatory prayers (Matthew 14:30). Some would even take time to pray several times a day (Daniel 6:10).

Conclusion

Prayer is to be a total way of life—an open and continual communion with God. It is not limited or restrained by factors such as time, posture and place. Under any circumstance, a child of God can call on His God.

The New Testament affirms the resurrection of Christ as a historical event. The gospels and the epistles recorded the appearances of the Risen Christ. Moreover, the apostles insisted on His resurrection in their public teaching. Many appearances of our risen Lord are recorded in the New Testament.

Consider the following New Testament records of the risen Christ’s appearances. (The following section is adapted from Easton’s Bible Dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.)

1. To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John (20:11-18), and alluded to by Mark (16:9-11).
2. To certain women, “the other Mary,” Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew (28:1-10) alone gives an account of this. (Comp. Mark 16:1-8, and Luke 24:1-11.)
3. To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (See Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5.)
4. To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke (24:13-35. Comp. Mark 16:12, 13).
5. To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others “with them,” at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day. One of the evangelists gives an account of this appearance, John (20:19-24).
6. To the disciples again (Thomas being present) at Jerusalem (Mark 16:14–18; Luke 24:33–40; John 20:26–28. See also 1 Cor. 15:5).
7. To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee. Of this appearance also John (21:1–23) alone gives an account.
8. To the eleven, and above 500 brethren at once, at an appointed place in Galilee (1 Cor. 15:6; comp. Matt. 28:16–20).
9. To James, but under what circumstances we are not informed (1 Cor. 15:7).
10. To the apostles immediately before the ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend “till a cloud received him out of their sight” (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50–52; Acts 1:4–10). It is worthy of note that it is distinctly related that on most of these occasions our Lord afforded his disciples the amplest opportunity of testing the fact of his resurrection. He conversed with them face to face. They touched him (Matt. 28:9; Luke 24:39; John 20:27), and he ate bread with them (Luke 24:42, 43; John 21:12, 13).
11. In addition to the above, mention might be made of Christ’s manifestation of himself to Paul at Damascus, who speaks of it as an appearance of the risen Saviour (Acts 9:3–9, 17; 1 Cor. 15:8; 9:1).
12. It is implied in the words of Luke (Acts 1:3) that there may have been other appearances of which we have no record.

BW Retreat Testimony

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]raise God for His provisions so that my family and I could sit at Christ’s feet to learn from His Word during the recent Bible Witness Retreat.

Acts 8:30-31 reads, “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”

Once again, the Lord has used Pastor’s sermons during the BW Retreat to open my eyes to behold such marvellous truths which I had not previously gleaned from my limited personal study of His Word.

My heart rejoices with thanksgiving that God’s outstretched arm has reached out to me – a Gentile – with His divine adoption! Though I am definitely unworthy, God has graciously bestowed upon me the glorious privilege of being called a child of the Most High God. It reminds me of Paul’s words in Rom 9:26, “And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.”

May my Heavenly Father empower me to “fear not… for it is (my) Father’s good pleasure to give (me) the kingdom” (Luke 12:32), as well as to “walk worthy of God, who hath called (me) unto His kingdom and glory” (1 Thess 2:12).

Dorcas Koshy

“But God forbid that I should glory,
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me,
and I unto the world”
Galatians 6:14

We are not Boasters in the Flesh

In his epistle to the Galatian church, Paul warned and corrected believers who were misled by a group of Jewish false teachers who had penetrated the church. These false teachers were what we now know as “Judaizers”. They insisted that Gentiles who became Christians ought to observe the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, such as circumcision and the dietary laws. According to them, faith in the atoning death of Christ is not enough; it must also be accompanied with the practice of the ceremonial laws.

After a series of arguments against the false teachings of the Judaizers, Paul came to a head when he wrote about them, “As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh” (vv.12-13).

According to Paul, the Judaizers’ insistence on circumcision meant that:

1. they were self-promoters – they wanted to present a pleasing front in the flesh, that is, outwardly, to other Jewish men by citing that Gentiles were circumcised by their effort.
2. they sought human praise and approval – they were anxious to gain the approval and respect of the Jews who were hostile to the Gospel of Christ, a goal that should have shown the Galatians just how wrong-headed the false teachers were.
3. they sought to glory in their flesh rather than in Christ – they, by insisting on circumcision, made their fleshly achievement far more important than the cross of Christ.
4. they sought comfort and ease – they tried to avoid the bitter experience of persecution from their families and friends who rejected Christ by compromising and yielding to Jewish traditions. Many Jews who followed Christ wholeheartedly faced slander, threats, ostracism, mental and physical torture, etc.
5. they sought to obey the ceremonial aspect of the law without yielding to its moral claims – they thus promoted a hypocritical religion. None can be justified through circumcision and be right with God if he breaks even one other commandment (cf. Galatians 5:3; James 2:10).

All such boasting in one’s flesh is utterly futile. Our justification and redemption are not our works. Be it the ceremonial or moral aspect, we have already corrupted the law and are unable to perfectly fulfil the righteous demands of the law. Paul said in Galatians 2:16, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

We are Boasters in the Cross of Christ

Thus, Paul tells us that the only worthwhile boasting is in the cross of Christ - “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

Our boasting is not in ourselves, but in the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. We rejoice and are assured that our salvation is secured by the price that Jesus paid with His precious blood which He shed in His death on the cross. Our boasting is only in God’s grace and the price His Son has paid on Calvary to redeem us.

The only appropriate boasting is that Christ on the cross has eradicated our sins and guilt, and thus made us His children. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Romans 8:3-4).

We do not rejoice or exult in anything that this world offers more than the cross of Christ, which has removed our damnation and blessed us with eternal salvation and all divine blessings. Life’s status, human praise, reputation, wealth and all things that have a show of earthly splendour are not what thrill a genuine Christian. All such things are dead to him, as Paul said, “by whom (Christ) the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Dear Christian, is your boast in the Cross of Christ? Do you value Christ’s death more than the glittering prospects and the wealth of the world? Or does the world make your heart numb and cold towards Christ? “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).