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Patience is one of God’s perfections. In the Christian, patience is a grace wrought by the work of the Holy Spirit; and it is cultivated and perfected through suffering and sorrow. But in God, patience is an essential attribute of His being, a part of His nature, so perfect that He needs no nurturing of it through some disciplinary process. God is never without patience. He is infinitely patient.

In Exodus 34:6, the LORD Himself proclaimed, “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” Numbers 14:18 says, “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” In Nehemiah 9:17, we read, “thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not” (cf. Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3).

How can we define God’s patience? It can be described as God’s restraint of His wrath and power against man’s sins. In other words, it is descriptive of His forbearance of the wicked. As the prophet Nahum wrote, “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power” (Nahum 1:3). Patience denotes the moderation of His provoked justice; His forbearance to revenge immediately the injuries He meets with daily in such a rebellious world.

While explaining the patience of God, Stephen Charnock, the “prince of puritans”, wrote, “Men that are great in the world are quick in passion, and are not so ready to forgive an injury, or bear with an offender, as one of a meaner rank. It is a want of power over that man’s self that makes him do unbecoming things upon a provocation. A prince that can bridle his passions is a king over himself as well as over his subjects. God is slow to anger because He is great in power. He has no less power over Himself than over His creatures.” Puritan writers like Charnock have explained the patience of God as His power over His own passions when dealing with man.

When a person does not have the power to resent an offence or to punish defiance, though he would very much desire to do so, his forbearing is not patience, but simply weakness. That person is merely bound by his frailty. But it is not the case with God’s patience. God is all-powerful; He is always capable of bringing His righteous wrath upon transgressors at any time at His will. He could damn all His enemies in one breath. Yet, He arrests His wrath from instantly destroying men, and that is because He is patient. So, patience is not a weakness in God, but His perfect and powerful virtue. Octavius Winslow, a preacher-friend of Charles Spurgeon, wrote, “The power of God is more manifest in His patience to a multitude of sinners than it could be in creating millions of worlds out of nothing; this was a power over Himself.”

God’s Patience Towards a Provocative Human Race

If we think about the immensity of mankind’s innumerable and despicable sins that provoke God every single moment, we would then have a glimpse of the limitless nature of God’s patience. Man’s provocation of God is great, universal and constant. Every second, billions of people cast themselves into every kind of wicked imaginations, having no reverence for the holy and just God. The more we realize the enormity of humanity’s rebellion, the more we wonder at the immeasurably vast patience of God that restrains His just vengeance against their sins. If not for His patience, the earth would be filled with ruined cities and slain bodies of rebellious people. Psalm 78:38 reminds us, “But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.”

Man should be careful not to think of God’s patience that restrains the quick execution of the divine wrath against all his sins as God’s condoning of sins. God hates all sins though He is long-suffering with the sinner. Sooner or later, God’s wrath would fall upon the sinner. So, let the sinner repent while His patience provides him another occasion by the restraining of His holy wrath against his sins.

God’s early warnings of the coming judgment against men’s sins are also a manifestation of His patience. Instead of immediately punishing sinners, God is seen sending a warning to them. The warning is gone forth, but the execution lingers. In this regard, God’s dealing with the city of Nineveh is a good example of His patience. God said about Nineveh that “their wickedness is come up before me” (Jonah 1:2b). So God sent Jonah to that city and told them, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4b). Instead of sending instant punishment for their sins, God set a forty-day period before He would execute His threat. This was certainly a sign of God’s patience and mercy towards that city. This expression of His patience, through threat or warning of judgment after a period of time, provided Nineveh with an opportunity to repent from its sins. Impenitent sinner! God is giving you space and time to repent, and He expects you to repent lest you perish!

So often, God’s patience also makes His punishment of sinners lighter than His threatening against them. The stroke is made lighter than what the crime deserves by His patience. If God would exhaust the vials of His displeasure upon sinful man, who can bear? His patience towards us has made His punishment less severe than our provocations warrant. The sword of His vengeance is dipped in heaven’s tender mercies and patience, so that we might not quickly be consumed by His wrath.

It is even more wondrous that His patience is still awaiting the repentance of many more gruesome sinners. But for the infinite restraint God puts upon Himself, this fallen world could not exist a moment. Thus the patience of God works for the salvation of man. “...God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory” (Romans 9:22-23).

Peter spoke of God’s amazing patience towards the transgressors of Noah’s time – “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing” (1 Peter 3:20). It is also the case today. Like Noah and his family who embraced the Lord’s enormous patience that manifested in their days, we should also quickly turn away from our sins to the Lord for redemption and sanctification. We will do well if we remember Peter’s words that “the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation” (2 Peter 3:15).

Even though He is aware of all the innumerable provocations of all men, He has been patient with them. Oh, what patience and mercy has He been showing to sinful men! So, sinner, rejoice in His patience and quickly turn from your sin to Christ for forgiveness. Delay no longer!

Without fail, we desire and pray for God’s provision for our daily needs. We pray for jobs that we may earn a living. When our business fails, we pray for His help to meet our financial needs. When we face emergencies, we cry out for God’s quick provisions. We do these because God’s Word teaches us that “this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14). But our desires and prayers are not always in line with God’s will and His ways. There is nothing wrong with asking for God’s direction, but it is wrong to go our own way without waiting for God’s answer. So, when we turn our finances over to God, we must also be willing to accept His direction. Too often, we impatiently seek our own way without any clear direction from Him, sometimes even borrowing money to do His work. Christians have forgotten that God says He will not allow His work to be frustrated for the lack of money. A discourse between our Lord and His disciples confirms this truth – “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing” (Luke 22:35). “God’s work done in God’s way shall lack no supply.”

If we understand God’s view on money and how He uses the need for money and its provision to enhance our relationship with Him, we will be able to recognise God’s directives better.

Purposes for which God uses our need for money and its provision

It is our wrong response to money that causes the problems. To manifest the right response in times of need or provision of finance, we must know God’s plan for allowing such situations. Because God is in control of all things, we believe that He uses such situations for our benefit in several different ways (Romans 8:28).

God uses the need for money to strengthen our trust in Him. Jesus said, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:31-33). God permits needs in our lives to test and to renew our trust and commitment to Him. “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:9-10).

God uses the lack of money to chastise us for not honouring Him or for not giving unto His work. “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me” (Malachi 3:8-9; see also Haggai 1:2-12).

God uses the provision of money to prove His tender mercies, goodness and faithfulness. The Scriptures tell us that it is the goodness and mercies of the Lord that bless us with all good things. “Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:25). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Moses reminded Israel that it was God who would give them the power to acquire wealth – “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Our security is in God, not our bank accounts. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Discovering the Lord’s faithfulness as He provides for our financial need is a wonderful faith-building experience (see Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 112:5-9; Malachi 3:10).

God uses the provision of money to build brotherhood and unity among Christians. “But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality” (2 Corinthians 8:14). God will use the abundance of one Christian to supply the needs of another (see Acts 11:28-30; Romans 15:26; Acts 4:34). Surplus money in our lives has been given by God for the purpose of helping those who are in need (Philippians 4:14- 18; Galatians 6:10).

God uses both the need and provision of money to provide direction. There is probably no way God can direct our lives more meticulously than through the abundance or lack of money. Too often, we believe God directs our lives through the abundance of money, but He also leads us down His directed path by withholding money. This truth can be found in the Lord’s parable of the “Prodigal Son”, whose poverty providentially worked against his backsliding to bring him back to his home.

God uses money to clarify spiritual maturity. Many temptations clamour for the Christian’s attention. A great deal can be learned about our personal character and spiritual maturity by noticing how we handle money and determine financial priorities. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

God uses the provision of money to develop our trustworthiness. This principle is important because our lives generally revolve around making, spending, saving and using money. If He can trust us with money, then He can trust us with greater responsibilities and His true riches. This is what Christ has taught when He said, “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (riches), who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:11).

The Question & Its Circumstance

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30b). That question was not asked as a response to a stirring sermon. Rather, it was a cry of anguish that ensued a terrifying event. A prison guard in the city of Philippi uttered that question after a great earthquake had shaken the foundations of the prison under his watch, in which the prison doors were flung open and every prisoner’s chain unfastened. As soon as he realised what had happened, he panicked, thinking that the prisoners had all escaped in the midst of the pandemonium that followed the earthquake. His heart so feared the severe punishment that would be meted out to him due to the escape of the prisoners that he attempted to kill himself with the sword. (It was rather common among the Greeks and Romans in those days to commit suicide when a man was faced with inescapable dangers. History attests to the tragic reality of many who ended their lives by falling on their own swords!)

But his prisoners, the apostle Paul and Silas, did not flee from the prison. When they saw that the jailer was about to kill himself, Paul shouted out with a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” At this juncture, the jailer cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Though the jailer knew that his prisoners, Paul and Silas, had been preaching the Gospel of salvation, he did not bother at all to enquire about salvation until great trouble befell him. He had seen their scourging and wounds, and had even heard them singing the songs of salvation and praise all through the night in the prison. Yet, he paid no attention to them. But as soon as he realised what great deliverance he had from his life-and-death circumstance, his soul was awakened to seek salvation.

Like the jailer, many have been spiritually awakened by troubles befalling them and have asked questions that matter the most. Much as God would persuade men of His love for them with gracious and merciful things and experiences, He can also see fit to compel them through fearful events in life. “By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation” (Psalm 65:5a). God could shake the very ground under a man’s feet, or He could send great loss or terrible events into his life so as to drive him out of all his confidence to be led to Christ.

The Question & Its Significance

A simple study of the words that constitute the question will help us to see the importance of the question.

• “What”: An earnest enquiry about a matter of great significance.
• “Must”: A thing that is most necessary.
• “I”: A great personal concern of every individual. It is not about what others must do, but what I myself must do.
• “Do”: A single-minded commitment to inherit salvation.
• “To be”: A certainty that one should possess about one’s salvation.
• “Saved”: The pardon of all sins and adoption into the household of God through Christ that grants the hope of life everlasting and the bliss of eternity and heaven in the presence of God.

The Question & Its Answer

The answer given to the jailer was: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31). There is only one way of salvation, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Christ alone acted to deliver us from the curse of our sins. He died on the cross bearing our condemnation, that by His death the wrath of God against our sins may be removed forever. Salvation is found in Christ alone, and not in any other name.

Have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation? Romans 10:9 tells us that “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Come and humbly trust the Lord Jesus, and joyfully confess your faith in Him.

Dear friend, make no delay in putting your trust in Jesus Christ. While Scripture assures us that “He that hath the Son hath life”, it also warns us that “he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12)! Heed the loving voice of the Lord to all: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22).

The Question & Its “Answer-Bearer”

My final word in this pastoral exhortation is to those who have found Christ as their Saviour - Be ever ready to tell the troubled souls whom you meet about Christ and His salvation. Do not hesitate to proclaim Christ to souls who are weary and troubled. Our Lord Jesus Christ is most wonderful and precious to sinners who are confused and troubled. Christ is the only consolation and salvation for weary men everywhere.

Dear Pastor Koshy,

Greetings to you in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

The LORD has sustained and preserved the Bohol mission church, and we thank the Lord for His abundant mercies. We also praise the Lord for bringing back members of two families who left the church several years ago but had recently begun to come for Sunday worship services. The present members of the mission church are persevering in their service to the Lord in spite of the many trials and difficulties they face. Praise the Lord!

A special thanksgiving to God is the new Bible-study outreach in Anda. The town of Anda is situated about 100 km east of the mission church. Anda is the hometown of Sis Roscelle Lim’s mother. The majority of those who joined the Bible study are cousins and relatives of Sis Roscelle. One of her cousins, Hansel Timaan, was a member of Cebu Church while he lived in Cebu. He went back 5 years ago from Cebu to Anda for good. Though he made constant effort to come to our mission church for worship on Sundays, it was difficult for him to travel 100km due to lack of funds to make that long journey. He needed 600 pesos every Sunday for him and his wife to travel for worship.

Pastor Reggor encouraged Bro Hansel to prayerfully consider having a Bible study every Saturday in Anda, so that Hansel could continue to worship the LORD and learn from the Scriptures. Above all, it would provide an opportunity to reach out and share the Gospel with his cousins and neighbours. Hansel shared the burden with his wife, mother and cousins in Anda. All of them expressed interest. So, on the fourth Saturday of July 2017, I went to Anda and conducted the Bible study at Bro Hansel’s house. Since then, the Bible study has a regular participation of 15 persons, though since Christmas, the number has reduced as some had gone away for vacation.

For our Bible study, we use the book “Westminster Standards” as a guide. Those who attend are very attentive and cooperative. They ask many questions. All of them testify that this Bible study is the only opportunity they have to open the Bible to read and hear its words. They have been Roman Catholics. Now having heard and understood the truth of the Bible, their eyes are being opened to see and understand Christ and His Word. It is my prayer that the Lord will continue to work in these people as they hear the Word and learn precious doctrines, so that they will forsake their sins, unbiblical beliefs and traditions, and truly stand for the truth. May the LORD enable me to travel the long distance and to teach them the Word of God.

Pastor, I have also distributed your book, “365 Daily Exhortations”, as well as many issues of Bible Witness magazines, to each of them. They are very happy and have received them with eagerness. Furthermore, the people in Anda were all very happy and excited when I told them that God willing, on April 7, Elder Mah and a group of brethren from Singapore will visit them and join the Bible study.

Thank you very much for your encouragement and prayers!

In His service,
Edsel Locot

Serve the LORD with Gladness
(Matthew Peh’s testimony of his call to full-time service in BWMM)

Iwrite this testimony not only to ascertain my calling, but also to give thanks to God for His goodness in my life. I have grown up with sound preaching in Gethsemane, yet I have oft times been distracted by the allure of the world. Indeed, “[t]he backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways” (Pro. 14:14a). For a long time, every waking thought was focused on the things of this earth instead of my blessed Redeemer. While I was frequent in attending church, there was a certain spiritual lethargy. But God is faithful and healed me from my backslidings (cf. Jer. 3:22).

The greatest sin that plagues me is pride — a struggle I continue to face every day. The first sin that disrupted peace in heaven and on this earth was pride. Satan’s pride led to his banishment (Isa. 14), while man’s pride to be like gods (Gen. 3:5) brought death into this world. Alas, while oft reminded of its dangers, I allowed it to fester in my teenage years. A prayerless spirit ensued: ‘Why pray when everything is going well? Why pray when I’m doing well? Why bother with devotion? I’m alright.’ Like the wicked who seek not after God, God was not at all in my thoughts (Psa. 10:4) as I entertained my pride.

Fast forward to university, where by the grace of God, I did well in my first semester. I still remember a lecturer suggesting to me: ‘Have you considered doing a PhD?’ Oh how that comment made me puffed up! While studying in university, I remained regular in church. A part of me was thinking: ‘I better do my church duties well or I’ll lose these blessings.’ Oh, what a Pharisaic view of things! But the LORD is gracious indeed. Because of His love for me, He has graciously chastised me for my pride and sins (Heb. 12:5-8). Looking back, I see how the many experiences I went through were the LORD’s chastising hand upon me. I want to highlight three such incidents.

First, failing to get a scholarship with MOE after my ‘A’ levels. Friends who did not do as well as me could get the scholarship, but I couldn’t. I was disheartened, but I ‘comforted’ myself by saying at least I wasn’t tied down to MOE. Second, not doing well for my honours thesis (HT). My HT was cross-disciplinary, combining insights from linguistics (my major), geography and sociology. I was so proud of it, for few undergraduates would attempt such an ambitious topic. I thought I’d do well, but alas, I didn’t! Third, the struggle with unemployment for half a year upon graduating in 2016. I was very sure that my good results would yield many job offers. Yet, I wasn’t even called up for interviews. Having no choice, I took on a job through someone’s recommendation, but I found little joy and quit in July 2017.

Yet as I reflect on these things, I see God’s providence at work. If I had a scholarship, I would be bonded and wouldn’t be able to serve God immediately at His call. If I had done well in my HT, I would have been overcome by pride and would have furthered my studies. If I was employed in a government agency, I would have been too comfortable earning thousands a month; I wouldn’t quit in eight months. I wouldn’t have had the time to learn the necessary skills and programmes for use in BWMM. As I sit to write and reflect on these experiences, truly, only God can make all things work in such a manner.

Since November 2017, due to the nature of my freelance work, I could help out in the church office. I offered to revamp the BW website, and had the opportunity to review some of the older issues of the magazine. Volume 15, Issue 5 (‘Redeeming the Time’) caught my attention. It contains sermons preached by Rev Reggor during the 2009 church camp, which I was unable to attend due to National Service. An article, ‘The Brevity of Time’, discussed Psalm 90. Verse 10 talks of the years of man being “threescore and ten”. It dawned upon me that should God grant me life till the age of 70 or even 80, I have already lived out about a third of my life. Oh, how the past 26 years of my life have been so poorly used! Oh, what a poor steward of God-given time I was!

The Lord then reminded me of Ecclesiastes 12:1, where Solomon tells the reader to “remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth”. What else can I do but to serve my Creator? If I do not use my time wisely for God, then what point is there in living? Indeed, “[w]hatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work… in the grave, whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Perhaps then, I can freelance and help in the church office in my spare time? That was my train of thought for a while. But on a Tuesday prayer meeting, Pr Kee How reminded us through his message on Matthew 6:24 that we “cannot serve God and mammon”. Two weeks later, during the YF-YAF retreat, Pastor commented that the work of the LORD is labour and toil, and is ‘no place for volunteers’. Helping out in the office made me realise how time-consuming the Lord’s work is; there isn’t enough time for both my freelance work and the Lord’s work. What then?

The answer is clear: I have to serve God. In the short months helping out in the office, I experienced a joy unspeakable, a joy indescribable. This joy is different from other feelings of happiness. Recently, one of my evening devotions was from Psalm 100:2a — “serve the LORD with gladness”. Psalm 100 exhorts the congregation to praise the LORD for His goodness and everlasting mercies upon His people. After reading that evening’s devotion by Spurgeon, I read Matthew Henry’s commentary on the same psalm, which reflects God’s will “that we should serve the Lord, [that we] should devote ourselves to his service and employ ourselves in it”. I want to experience this great joy every day! Indeed, nothing else can be better than this! I know my own heart: if I continue outside the safety of God’s house, I will easily lose myself in the world. I will lose this joy that I have been so marvellously filled with. If that be so, I would rather die! “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10).

Is there not fear for the future? Is there not fear about financial security? I would be lying if I deny having such fear within me. But in the last 26 years of my life, I see God’s hand at work. Even though I had failed to get a scholarship, the LORD provided for my education through various monetary awards and bursaries. I didn’t have to take any loans, and about three-quarters of my university fees were paid through the awards and bursaries. If the LORD takes care of the fowls and the lilies, what more His own child (cf. Matt. 6)?

What then of hard work? I know that there will be exacting labours, for Paul told Timothy to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3-4). I pray that the Lord will help me to keep my sights set on things above, and that my service to Him in BWMM would be reward enough for me. What a great privilege it is to serve the One who has created and redeemed me! As the hymn-writer put it, may I “give of [my] best to the Master” and “give of the strength of [my] youth”!

The upcoming BW retreat (14-16 March) is just about 6 weeks away. I would like to encourage you to sign up for the retreat without delay. Come and join the retreat for three days of rest and spiritual nourishment. Please pray for the blessing of this retreat.

The messages will explain the biblical meaning, manner and benefits of “Heavenly-Mindedness”. We who are journeying to heaven must “set (our) affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Modern Christianity has become earthly-minded, consciously pursuing worldliness and disregarding the biblical exhortation to live with heavenly-mindedness. Many are seduced to think that “a person may be so heavenly-minded that he becomes no earthly good”! They seem to despise the blessed hope of heaven, as their thinking has become earth-bound.

However, the truth is that heavenly-minded Christians are the most effective servants of God on earth. The more we focus on eternity, the greater the impact we will have on earth for God’s glory, and for the salvation and edification of souls.

Moreover, heavenly-minded people can discern and dispel the corrupting, destructive powers of worldliness. They are motivated and determined, courageous and hopeful, for they work out their calling in this life for the glorious, eternal rewards from their soon coming King.

Brethren, we must not be seduced by the world’s vanity. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit by His Word will stir our hearts and minds to stretch out for the things of heaven. If our minds would remain trapped within the confines of this perishing world, we shall not enjoy the power and hope of heaven. While we realise that those “whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things”, let us also know that “our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:19-20).

Meditate on the following verses that teach heavenly-mindedness

Psalm 73:24-26 – “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (cf. Luke 12:32-34).

Matthew 19:21 – “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

Ephesians 2:5-6 – “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and he hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:10 – “That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.”

Philippians 1:20-21 – “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Hebrews 10:34-35 – “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.”

1 Peter 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”.

As we recall God’s bountiful blessing and goodness upon this ministry to the Lions Home for the Elders (Bedok and Bishan) in the year 2017, we look forward to yet another year of fruitful Gospel ministry in 2018. Indeed, we count it a joyful privilege to serve the Lord among the elderly. Every Lord’s Day, after our church worship and Bible study (now GBI class), we would set out to visit the elderly people in the Lions Home.

The primary purpose of this ministry is to declare the Good News and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that the seniors whom we visit will come to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

This is a very challenging ministry as many of the old folks in these homes are physically impaired, and some also suffer from dementia. Not a few of them have come to think of life as futile and meaningless. To minister in such circumstances, we also need the Lord’s strength and comfort to patiently attend to them with the Gospel. We believe, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 4:7, that “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

We rejoice in the Lord that several old folks have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. We exhort them during our weekly visit to continue to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith (Hebrews 12:2). All glory be to “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

God willing, two more elderly folks who have trusted in Christ will be baptised soon. They are Miss Lee Lai Kuan from Bishan Home and Mr Tan Tiang Poh from Bedok Home. Sis Lai Kuan accepted the Lord as her Saviour a few months ago and has been joyfully attending our meetings regularly. Bro Tiang Poh, who believed in the Lord a few years ago, had been isolated from us due to surgery and ill health. He could not attend our meetings for quite some time now that he is completely bedridden. However, the Lord has been gracious and good to him, and he now seeks baptism. We thank God that permission has been granted to us to visit him and also to baptise him. By the grace of God, I have been visiting both to prepare them for baptism through biblical exhortations. Both of them joyfully look forward to their baptism, which certainly bring tremendous joy to the team of brethren who labour every Lord’s Day to bring the Word to the residents of the Lions Home for the Elders.

Let us continue in our service for the Lord, with full assurance of His guidance and enabling. “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8). We continue to seek the prayers of the church, that through this ministry, our Lord will be greatly praised. Amen.

  A Note of Appreciation

(Hearing that our preacher Eld Eliezer Ortega, who is serving in the mission churches of Bogo and San Antonio, has to urgently pay arrears to the housing authority in order to avoid eviction and also to have the option to purchase it through an instalment payment scheme, our Session decided to request the brethren (during last Tuesday night prayer meeting) to offer their help to Eld Eliezer. The required amount of S$4,500 has been promptly received from the participants of the prayer meeting on the same night – through gifts and promises. The amount was duly transferred the next day (Wednesday, 17 Jan 2018). Helping those who are really needy honours and is most pleasing to God. Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” A note of appreciation received from Eld Eliezer is published below.)

Dear Pastor Koshy,

Praise be unto the Lord for His great mercy and abounding grace! The Lord is ever gracious and merciful.

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you and the brethren in GBPC, Singapore for your love and care for us. We know that God has sent His blessings to us through the loving care and support of you all. As a result, the Lord has tremendously helped us to stay in our rented house through the help received from the church in Singapore.

I was informed yesterday by Sis Sharon about the transfer of funds. As soon as possible, I will confirm with the bank and then go to the housing authority to settle the amount we had owed them for rental.

Thank you very much, Pastor and all the brethren in GBPC, Singapore, for your prayer and generous support for my family and the work here.

Elder Eliezer Ortega

The psalmist David said, “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD” (Psalm 34:2). Similarly, in another psalm it is said, “In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah” (Psalm 44:8). “Boasting” in the Lord is all about duly and joyfully acknowledging and exalting the Lord above oneself and everything else. It is about rejoicing in the Lord and all that He has done. An elevated feeling of gratitude, praise and rejoicing overwhelms the man who boasts in the Lord, and he spontaneously and sincerely exalts the Lord.

Since the soul that boasts in the Lord is most concerned about the Lord’s praise, it will be least concerned about its own glory. When the glory of the Lord is the soul’s uppermost passion, the soul boasts in nothing but the Lord alone. That soul will be selfdenying and full of thanksgiving before the Lord. As one strives to give all glory to God, not only will arrogance and self-glorying dissipate, God’s praise alone will also fill one’s mouth all the time. The passion of every Christian then is to boast in the Lord!

Scripture instructs us, through many exhortations and examples, how we ought to boast or glory in the Lord.

Boast in the Knowledge of the Lord

The Lord has declared, “let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:24).

Intellectual apprehension of the truth of God and His character is an absolute necessity to engender pure, genuine boasting. The people who have neglected or forsaken the Lord have nothing at all to really boast about. Their boasting is in vain! Their confidence in themselves – be it in their own knowledge or strength or riches – would prove futile. Only the knowledge and experience of God and His goodness provide steadfast rejoicing. There is no greater glory than that we live to know God, who has made us for His glory.

The only appropriate basis for boasting is that a person knows and understands the Lord and His greatness, even His “lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness”. Real, perfect lasting glory belongs to God, and only in Him can there be legitimate boasting. Only in the Lord can His people find unfailing love, judgment and righteousness, which can grant them satisfaction, confidence, hope and joy. Only those who are given to enjoy God’s great glory can really have reason for proper glorying or boasting. As the Westminster Catechism states, “The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” Until man subjects his passion and power to the glory and joy in the Lord, he has nothing worthy of boasting. True glory of man comes about only when he has known his glorious God.

Much of the religiosity of our time is generated through the use of sensory appeals in church worship services. It is built upon the philosophy of getting people to attain emotional elation. Very little is achieved when it comes to filling the minds of the people with the sacred knowledge of God with clarity and precision. The religious “boasting” of many modern churchgoers is spiritually weak, for it is not built on sound knowledge of God’s truth. They are like ancient Israel, whom the prophet Jeremiah rebuked: “For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge” (Jeremiah 4:22). Likewise, the emotionalism of modern churchgoers, being without deep-seated understanding of and total devotion to God’s glorious truths, is nothing but vain boasting!

What are you boasting about? Let it not be in any transient, perishing things of this temporal life, but in the unchanging glorious truths of our eternal God. Do you understand the truth of your God and proclaim it? Does your life show forth His righteousness and lovingkindness? Do you thus glory in the Lord? Rejoice in the Lord’s greatness and His wonderful works in your life!

Boast in the Cross of Christ

Instructively, the apostle Paul, while denouncing the glorying of the Judaizers who had infiltrated the Galatian church, unequivocally declared, “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). Here, Paul contrasts his own sentiments and behaviour in relation to the cross of Christ with those of the Judaizers. Those false Jewish teachers taught the people to take glory in ceremonial rites, such as circumcision, as something which would secure and confirm their good standing before God. Instead of totally trusting and rejoicing in the atoning work of Christ on the cross, they foolishly boasted in their own self-righteousness, based on their keeping of religious ceremonies.

So, Paul cautioned the Galatian Christians against glorying in circumcision: “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” (Galatians 6:12-13). One of the reasons why Judaizers despised the cross of Christ (whereby Christ has achieved our redemption), was that they might escape persecution that was unleashed against Christians. They were lovers of themselves and were cowards, having nothing to show for themselves. While they ostentatiously spoke of their preference for circumcision, Paul gloriously spoke rather of his fascination with the perfect work of salvation accomplished on the cross of Christ. Though Christ’s cross was sneered at by the Gentiles and abhorred by the Jews, Paul boasted of its infinite preciousness. It was the cross which had freed him from the servitude and guilt of sin, on top of the Pharisaic Jewish ceremonialism.

As for Paul, everything else in the world pales in significance in the face of the glory of the cross. The world, he says in Galatians 6:14, is to him a thing “crucified”. It has no more attraction for him. He loathes everything that this world presents to him which distracts him from the cross of Christ. “The world” – i.e. the unregenerate men and their distorted philosophy of life – holds no pleasantness or value to Paul. The world’s allurements, fleshly displays and religions of human effort are tossed aside by Paul. The world has become absolutely distasteful and repulsive to him; he is instead totally absorbed by the fascinating glory of Christ and His redemption, which was effected in the cross. Paul thereby boasts in Christ and His cross.

Do you boast of Christ or of your worldly achievements? Do you boast of His cross or of your self-righteousness? What is your greatest fascination – Christ, the flesh or the world?

Thank God for His mercy, grace and providence which enable me to attend this retreat. Truly, “God’s Word is like a deep, deep mine with jewels rich and rare.” I admit that I did not realise how vital and precious the doctrine of the “Communion of the Saints” was, until Pastor expounded on it from the Word of God. I thank God for Pastor’s labour in teaching us. I am also thankful to the Lord for Aunty Carolyn and the helpers who laboured to teach the children so that I could sit through all the messages. (I think this is the first time I have been able to concentrate fully since I have become a mother!)

It is my prayer that I will have a closer communion with God so that I can be a channel of blessing to fellow saints, as well as increase and abound in ministering to others and in the work of the Lord.

It was indeed a communion of saints that I have experienced in this retreat. I am especially thankful to those who patiently took time to play with and teach Nehemiah during their free time, not to mention letting him join in the group games. It may have been something trivial to most people, but it was a great deal of help to me in giving Nehemiah good fellowship and company, while at the same time nurturing and encouraging him.

All glory and thanks be to God for this fellowship of the saints.

Chris

First of all, I would like to thank God for the love expressed by all the brethren during the retreat. As my left foot was injured during one of the games, some of the brethren really took care of me throughout the retreat, while all the rest showed much concern for me (always checking on how I was doing!). The care that everyone showed me was to me a practical application of the “Communion of the Saints” which we learned during the retreat. Oh, how I pray that this kind of love and care will continue among the brethren even in the future when we return to the church. May we care for and help those who are in need, comforting those who are struggling, both in their physical and especially spiritual life.

Since it is the Lord Jesus Christ who had broken down “the wall” between us and God, as well as between one another, it is vital to remember that our communion is, first and foremost, with the Lord. Without Him, all of the so-called expressions of “love” are nothing but vain babbling.

Now, as some of you may know, I will be away from the church for quite some time, while waiting to see if my permit to stay in Singapore will be granted or not. Irrespective of the outcome, I’m very sure that our communion with one another will continue, as we hold on to our common faith in Christ, serving the Lord in our respective areas. Brethren, let us pray for one another, that our faith will not falter. Till we meet again (here, there, or up in the air), may we all be kept in the love of Christ.

Tan Yeh Wen

I would like to thank the Lord for bringing me to my first retreat since I became a Christian in 2014. Praise God for His grace and mercy upon me that allowed me to come to this retreat, as well as for His providential care which has provided me with the funds to come to this combined YF-YAF retreat.

Thanks be to God for the spiritual feeding received through His servants, Pastor Koshy, Elder Mah and Elder Choy. I am grateful for the spiritual feasting of His Word, and also for the experience of the vital doctrine of the “Communion of the Saints” through the fellowship.

I learnt from Pastor Koshy’s messages that communion of the saints first begins from our communion with God, which He, out of His great love and mercy, extends to us. It then spreads out towards the saints. It is necessary, therefore, that such a communion can only be found as part of the church, where His saints gather, and nowhere else. I had the blessed opportunity to experience this during the 3-4 days of retreat, enjoying the pure joy and peace amidst the unhindered communion of saints, which I cannot find elsewhere in the world. Surely, it was a foretaste of that eternal fellowship that we will have in heaven.

Moreover, Pastor Koshy also taught us that through the communion of saints, God’s love will flow and abound in service to the Lord and His saints. I was joyous to see this truth being manifested as campers wholeheartedly fulfilled their various duties, whether it be kitchen duties, cleaning and washing up the entire compound, or even helping one another in small things.

Last but not least, Pastor Koshy taught us that the communion of saints can be hindered by sin. Through the discussions, I was able to understand that unless I flee from all sin, I would not be able to fully enjoy this blessed communion. How can I have blessed communion with the most holy God and know more about God, if I treasure sin in my heart? And how can I have true communion with the saints, if I am not strengthened by my communion with God? Having tasted this blessed communion, how can I then return to the world? I must indeed flee from all sin, that this blessed communion may not be hindered!

All glory be to God.

Jenice Choy

Iwould like to thank God for a blessed time at the combined GYF-GYAF retreat this year. The Lord has blessed us bountifully and we have experienced much goodness from the Lord. Thank God for His Word that has taught me that communion with the saints stems from our personal communion with God. If our communion with God were to be in a disinterested, dry and cold manner, then likewise would our communion with the saints be so affected. Thank God also for the daily morning devotions through which I have learnt much about the sovereignty of God in our lives. Truly, God’s name alone must be praised!

Shu Mun

Ithank and praise the Lord for enabling me to join this retreat. It is only by His providence and timing that I could come to study God’s Word while clearing my leave.

This retreat has taught me the vital doctrine of the “Communion of the Saints”, which tells us that the love of the brethren is a sure evidence of salvation (1 John 3:14-16). I experienced God’s blessings and spiritual nourishment through the wonderful messages preached by Pastor and also through the fellowship of the brethren. Even the resort that we stayed in afforded us a conducive environment for the purpose of the communion of the saints.

Despite the difficulties faced by our church, God has by His grace continually used His servants (namely our pastor and elders) to care for and minister to us, that the body of Christ may be “fitly joined together” (Ephesians 4:16a), and enabled to “increase and abound in love one toward another” (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

All praise and glory to God!

Dorcas Koshy

Personally, I had been praying that God would grant us youths a rightful understanding and application of true scriptural unity during these difficult times. Truly, what a pleasant surprise to find out that the topic was “Communion of the Saints” – a wonderful and timely answer from God, which was beyond what I expected!

I was rebuked, corrected and encouraged through 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you”; and Colossians 2:19 – “And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Admittedly, I have waned in my concern for fellow brethren, thinking that if they’re backsliding, I’ll just let them be since they are willingly disobeying the Word of God which they have heard and known very well. These passages, however, showed me that, as believers in constant individual communion with God, we can only grow more and more in our love for other members of the body of Christ. I should love them to the point of death, for God says in 1 John 3:16, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

The morning devotion from Psalm 46:10, with a quote of Isaiah 55:8 (“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”), encouraged me not to worry or be despondent even as I am praying as to what to do after my impending graduation, but rather to be still and wait on Him who is God. May God help me to be loving and forbearing with all lowliness and meekness, as well as to submit to Him who “will be exalted among the heathen, (and) in the earth”.

Cornelius Koshy

I thank God for this youth retreat – a blessed fellowship with the YAFers and youths of our church. I thank God for the many lessons on the theme “Communion of the Saints”, of which I shall mention two that I have learnt.

Firstly, communion with the saints is dependent on my communion with God. He has given the fullness of Himself (and not just a part of Himself), and so I must know Him more. Only with the fullness of God can I enjoy the fullness of communing with the saints. Secondly, I must love the brethren with wholeheartedness, longsuffering and meekness. Personal grievances cannot be allowed to impede fellowship. I love the brethren because God loves me; I must forgive because God has forgiven me; I must serve, yea even unto death, because Christ gave His life for me.

Indeed, I pray the Lord will help me with regard to these two practical applications which I have learnt. Moreover, I also learnt that each Person of the Trinity plays a unique ministry and role in the communion of the saints. This really gives me a fuller appreciation of the distinct ministry of the Triune God, Who “systematically” extends a divine plan such that I can truly bask in the communion of the saints!

Duaine Kabingue

The theme of this year’s retreat, “Communion of the Saints”, was so apt because I have been so blessed by the communion and love of the saints during the retreat.

I was not well on Sunday during the service, so I was a little apprehensive to join the retreat as I might be a burden to others. Nonetheless, God is gracious, and I attended the first two days with a healthy body and a thankful spirit. Among the many points I learnt during the first few messages, was a timely reminder that a Christian’s communion is first and foremost with God, and then with fellow saints.

However, on Tuesday evening, I became nauseous and kept vomiting. During this time, many brethren cared for me, showing the virtues of kindness and love, as mentioned in Ephesians 4:2 which Pastor had preached about in Message 6. Thank the Lord for sustaining me through the rest of the retreat, so that in the midst of my sickness, I was able to recount the words of the hymn ‘Constantly Abiding’ – “Tho the trials of life may surround like a cloud, I’ve a peace that has come there to stay!”

May the Lord bless everyone who has shown care and love for my sake. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10).

As 2018 dawns upon us, I pray that our communion with God and fellow saints will be “sweeter as the years go by”. All praise and glory be to God!

God’s loving compassion has brought us to the end of 2017 – to Gethsemane B-P Church, it means 29 years of God’s faithfulness and blessings! The year 2018 will be the 30th year of our church. Let us praise God for the salvation, and all spiritual and material blessings that He has abundantly showered upon our congregation all these years. The following words of the psalmist ring in my heart as I think of the excellence of His loving kindness to our church:

“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart” (Psalm 36:7-10).

Reminiscence of God’s Goodness in the “Lead-up” to our 30th Church Anniversary

We thank God that since the inception of our church, the Lord has graciously added a few hundred souls to worship, fellowship and serve with us. In these days, about three hundred people attend our Lord’s Day ministries. His goodness has enabled us to reach out to precious souls through various local Gospel outreach ministries – such as Sunday Evangelism, Prison Ministry, Campus Ministry, Care Ministry (TGCM), the Lions Home for the Elderly (an outreach to old folks in two designated nursing homes) – whereby doors are opened before us every week to reach hundreds with the Gospel. We also have several church-based ministries to edify the members and regular worshippers of all ages. Moreover, every year, thousands around the world are blessed through our Bible Witness magazine, Bible Witness Web Radio, audio and video sermons, as well as Gethsemane Bible Institute on-line courses, on the church website.

Over the past years, the Lord also has enabled us to labour to establish about ten churches, two Bible institutes, plus a Care ministry to reach people lost in drug-addictions. In addition, we also co-labour with like-minded churches and missionaries in foreign lands. Today, our mission activities are found in Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, East Malaysia and India. God willing, soon we hope to establish a publishing ministry in India, which has been an earnest desire of Bro Sujith Samuel, who now labours in the city of Vizag.

More Open Doors

Furthermore, I am very grateful for the special opportunity that the Lord gave to me last week to conduct seven lectures and a “Q & A” session for 69 Filipino pastors who had gathered in Bukidnon, Mindanao, the Philippines. This wonderful opportunity came through Dr Jose Lagapa, who now serves as a preacher in True Life BPC. Since 2011, Dr Lagapa, with the support of True Life BPC, has been conducting this Bible conference every two years for the equipping of pastors from fundamental churches in Mindanao. Dr Jeffrey Khoo had been the main speaker in the past conferences. Our missionaries from Cebu and Bohol have also been attending this conference. (Incidentally, Rev Reggor Galarpe and Eld Richard Tiu have during the past and recent conferences ministered the Word to the pastors in the morning devotions.) In the recent conference, Sis Juvy Anaviso (who is now a student in GBI, Cebu) was also there.

Let us pray for Dr Lagapa who travels to Bukidnon four times a year to conduct special courses for preachers who are in need of further training. Let us also pray that GBI, Cebu will be a place of theological training for many more men in the Philippines whom the Lord will call to labour in her thousands of islands!

Gethsemane Bible Witness Ltd

With the increase in the number of participants in our church fellowships and of our church staff, we have been burdened with the need for a bigger Church Resource Centre. As a church, we have fasted and prayed to the Lord. Our leaders in tandem deliberated and laboured to make progress in acquiring a bigger place. The good providence of the Lord then guided us to register a “company with limited guarantee” (CLG) – namely Gethsemane Bible Witness Ltd – to manage the church’s business and administrative matters, and also to have a larger space for our fellowship gatherings. To date, we also received about S$2.5 million for the purchase of a new place

By God’s providence, the latest development in this matter is that the Lord has brought a buyer to purchase our present CRC for S$1.22 million. The “Option To Purchase” has been signed by our trustees (Eld Alan Choy, Bro Stephen Yap and Bro Neo Kian Seng). We thank God for helping us to secure this deal, which will increase our Building Fund for the purchase of our new premises. As soon as the sale is completed, we hope to start acquiring new premises. Let us continue to pray, and support with our gifts, for this need of our church to be met soon.

Be Faithful and Fervent in the Lord’s Service

More than premises and programmes, our greatest concern ought to be our faithfulness and humility before the Lord. We must resist all temptations of worldliness and falsehood. Purity, devotion and sacrificial service must be our priority. Our preachers and missionaries, together with our elders and deacons, must be men of highest devotion and spiritual integrity!

We all must be vigilant, for the Scriptures warn us that in these last days, many will enter the ministry for self-gain. They are the minions of the devil. They will come to the offices of the church, and view such as a career that will provide a comfortable, easy life. In these days, many churches have been turned into lucrative business enterprises by their pastors. Those who preach for money are exploiters, extortionists and racketeers! The apostle Peter depicted them as those who “… through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Peter 2:3). In the words of the apostle Paul, they are “… men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness” (1 Timothy 6:5).

So brethren, awake out of your spiritual slumber! Stop your wanderings and return to your Lord! Follow Him as His loyal disciple. We, as a church, have much work to do for His glory. We have a high calling from God to fulfil. Only if we are spiritually renewed, revived and reinforced, can we fulfil all the works that God has called us to accomplish. Therefore, let us humbly seek Him, “expecting great things from God and attempting great things for God”. I end with the promise of God in Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Truly, I covet your prayers for all our elders, deacons, preachers, missionaries and staff involved in our church’s various ministries. We praise God for all of you who love us in the Lord, and encourage and support us in the ministry.

My wife, Carolyn, and our children, Cornelius, Andronicus and Dorcas, join me to wish you: “A Blessed Christmas & a Happy New Year!” Please continue to pray for us.

Let us be united for the praise of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Affectionately your pastor,
Prabhudas Koshy