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Rev. Reggor Galarpe (Gethsemane BPC-Cebu, the Philippines)

Isaiah 55:8-9; "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Once again, we have been reminded and comforted of this great and wonderful truth about God - that His ways are higher than ours and so are His thoughts!

Just when everyone thought that everything is reduced to the minimum and that the ministry of the Word is hindered by this global crisis on Covid-19, the Lord has opened wide a great door of opportunity for His people to be "gathered together" before Him in this Online Bible Conference!

I praise and thank God that my family can join the Bible Conference and be "one" with all of you our brethren in Singapore, and the rest from all over the world.

It’s such a great joy to worship the Lord together though we are miles apart from one another. Likewise, it’s such a great blessing to study and learn God’s Word from Pastor Koshy. Add to it, the blessing of having fellowship with one another.

Together with my family, we rejoice together with you all for the blessed Online Bible Conference. Praise God for the brethren serving and labouring hard on and off the camera. Thank you, Pastor, for the faithful teaching and preaching of the Word!

All glory be to God!

Joel Tan and Cecile Batrina

We praise God for the technologies that have paved the way for the thoughts / plans (which God has planted in the church leadership’s minds) for this Bible Conference to be materialised. We have been truly edified and nourished up in the Word during these 5 days of Bible Conference. Earlier this year, when we learnt that the Missionary Conference-cum-Church Camp (supposed to be held in June) was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were saddened.

However, the Lord had other plans for us - and not least that the conference this year would be held in a very unique format!

We thank God for using our Pastor to teach us many lessons in this conference. We benefited much from his teaching on the theme of "Holding faith, and a good conscience", taken from the theme verses, 1 Timothy 1:18-20. Here’s a summary of what we learnt:

1. Christians do not quit easily from the posts that God has assigned to them.
2. The life of a Christian is often likened to that of a soldier in war, and indeed, Christians are soldiers for Christ.
3. The common threats facing a Christian come from many fronts: the body and its flesh and its sinful tendencies, the secular world, false teachers and wrong doctrines, false brethren, and Satan and his demonic hosts.
4. There are many dangers if we fail to hold on to faith and a good conscience.

Those are just a few of the lessons we learnt from the theme messages, not forgetting the morning devotions preached by Pr Kee How, Pr Jeremiah, Pr Daniel and Pr Samson. We also learnt precious lessons from their expositions of the Bible.

We thank God for the singing of the hymns, and for the fellowship with the saints from various nations. We enjoyed the games section, and thank the Lord for those who organised them.

We also thank God for the worship chairmen – Elder Mah, Elder Choy, Elder Francis, Elder Ng. We thank God for Dn Boon Siang, who was one of the administrators. We further thank God for the conference committee, who worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth running of the conference. Praise God for their efforts – may the Lord bless them.

We thank God for granting us a place that is quiet and free from distractions, to sit through the sermons. All glory be to God. It is our prayer that we will be able to meet physically soon.

Chua Beng Yan

Thank God for enabling Pastor Koshy to exhort us so thoroughly on the various aspects of holding faith, and a good conscience, and for teaching us regarding our dutiful responses as a result. As a sinner saved by grace, I need to be a soldier fully armed with the armour of God, ready to fight the spiritual warfare lest I failed my King and ended up being "shipwrecked"! I know I am not alone in this battle because I have a good King who will stand by me and I can have the victory if I am committed and faithful to Him.

Doreen Ng

I am very thankful for the many spiritual lessons I have learnt from this year’s Online Bible Conference. The messages have helped me to realise it is important for me to hold on to "faith, and a good conscience", from conversion till I reach home to be with the Lord.

At conversion, not only is my soul saved but my conscience is transformed too. As a young convert, I find that my conscience is weak to rely upon. This weakness can be overcome by prayer, Bible study and consistent obedience. The problem is to recognise it, for the solution is plain and simple. We often blame other things – environment, education, friends, etc. But these are just excuses. The Lord desires to strengthen and build up our weak conscience. A good conscience is God’s desire for every born-again believer. The upkeep of a good conscience must be continually pursued as I am instructed more perfectly in the will of God. The Holy Spirit dwelling in me works through my conscience to guide me in His truth and righteousness. When I learn the will of God as revealed in Scripture, I will be more careful, conscientious, dependable and usable in the kingdom of God.

Jinky Batrina

I thank God for helping me to be part of our GBPC’s Online Bible Conference (beginning last Monday evening till Friday afternoon), even though I could only join part-time for the main messages. I’ve learned much from God’s Word concerning "holding faith and a good conscience". Our faith in His Word is our greatest strength in our lives, so that we can face all the temptations and trials that challenge us. May the Lord help us as we now face the Covid-19 pandemic, and all the problems that come with it. We must strengthen our faith in our God and live for Him.

Timothy Goh

I thank the Lord for enabling me to be able to join Gethsemane BP Church’s Online Bible Conference during the lockdown in Singapore. I have never attended any Bible Conference before as I had not been walking close with God. I thank the Lord for leading me to TGCM, and it helped me to walk closer to God.

This Bible Conference helped me to know the truths of the Bible more in depth. I have been so moved that I looked forward to every day of the Bible Conference.

Thank the Lord for all the hymns and the morning devotions given by the different preachers each morning.
To God be the glory. Amen.

Yuan Lim

I would like to give thanks for all those who have worked so tirelessly to make this Online Bible Conference possible. Thank God for allowing everything to come to pass! Through the messages, I have been both admonished and encouraged. I pray that the Lord will help me to be more diligent in setting aside the distractions of the world and worries of life, and focus more on the study of His Word so that I can be more sensitive to the leading of His Spirit in my life. I am so weak but thank God for His grace! I trust that He can and will help me walk closer to Him so that I can shine brighter for Him.

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:9-11).

Tan Yeh Wen

I thank God for the Online Bible Conference, even on the theme: "Holding Faith, and a Good Conscience". While I had previously learned, by the grace of God, that every one of our actions impacts the church, I’ve now been brought to a greater reality about the implications of holding faith and a good conscience in my personal responsibility to God and to the church.
It behoves me to resist the world, the flesh, the devil, and many other fronts as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, warring a good warfare – not just publicly but also privately, lest I should make shipwreck of myself and others around me. Furthermore, this was emphasised not only for the leaders of the church, but also for each and every member of the church, that all may see the great importance of the "charge" to hold faith and a good conscience. The terrible idea that such a charge is only for eminent men of the church is quickly driven out when we understand clearly that this charge was given to the church. Therefore every member, from the greatest to the smallest, from the oldest to the youngest, is responsible to hold faith and a good conscience. Thank God also for showing me the connection between the "faith" (the Word of God) and a "good conscience" (which we hold before God first and then to man), lest any should say that one can exist without the other, and fall into great error. Apart from the theme messages, I also thank God for His Word expounded through the morning messages, drawing us to be aware of our pride, to bless the Lord who blesses us, to serve the Lord with gladness, and to be restored to God who lovingly calls us to Him.

Apart from God’s Word which was clearly expounded, I join many others who thank God for the organisation and hard work of many behind the scenes, whether they are working on the streaming, the administration, the singspiration, the preaching, or even prayer to support the hands of those who labour, so that God’s Word may be clearly and smoothly streamed over the Internet. I thank God also to know and to see the sincere desire of Christians around the world to come and listen to the Word, and I thank God for such peculiar circumstances that made it possible for the Word to be spread around the world. Thank God for allowing us the pleasure to see one another, albeit virtually.

May God be pleased to use His Word preached mightily in the hearts of His people, that every one of His saints may be revived and renewed in love to God, and may those who have backslidden or fallen away be rebuked to turn back and seek Him once again. May God be pleased to cause His truth to continue to remain in my heart, that I would not only hear but also do them – not just like a flash of fire that dies off with the end of the conference, but as a continued flame for the Lord. Amen.

Lim Ah Sang, Chow Lin and Vance

Praise the Lord for His leading of my family to the GBPC’s Online Bible Conference. I thank the Lord for the edification we received from the messages in the Conference. The messages also addressed issues that were in my heart. It was truly a blessed Bible Conference. With the blessings received, I will also sign up for the GBI-Online.

Thank God for all your labour of love in helping us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. May God grant us grace, that we might "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Col 1:10).

Olive Balicao

I was supposed to fly into Singapore from the Philippines for the Missionary Conference in June. I looked forward to it with much excitement. But as the days drew nearer, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the flights were cancelled, and that dimmed my hope of attending the Missionary Conference. It affected everyone and brought terrible uncertainty, anxiety, and downright fear to our hearts. Surely, the words of Christ must dwell in us at such times.

We give all praise to the Lord for the wisdom, enablement, and provisions that He has so graciously bestowed upon Pastor Koshy, the elders, deacons and the all the administrators who worked and collaborated fervently to organise the Online Bible Conference amidst the shutdown caused by the pandemic. Praise the Lord for bringing us to Gethsemane BP Church. I thank God for the faithful preaching of God’s Word (which is the supreme and final authority of our faith and life). By the grace of God, this Conference has been a way of spreading godly and profound teachings by our faithful church leaders. We have had participants not only from Singapore, but also across South East Asia and even from Germany, Australia, India, US, China and so forth. This online conference was accomplished because God has been good and gracious to us.

I praise God also for the opportunity to have fellowship with so many of His saints, even if it’s with a simple "Hi" and "Hello" through the zoom session. It gives us motivation, encouragement and edification during all the fellowship sessions. Truly, I thank God for the modern internet technology (Zoom Video Conferencing), which gives me a chance to "view" our brethren through their video frames, as well as those who laboured to spread God’s holy Word through the media.

I must say watching the children, who participated in the Online Bible Conference singing and praising God, was both humbling and rejoicing to my heart. God is indeed nurturing the spirit and character of a new generation for the future of His church. I pray that they will receive and pass on the Word of God faithfully to another generation, like Apostle Paul who expected Timothy to teach God’s Word to another faithful group.

Lastly, thank God for the faithful leaders who led us during the ‘Singspiration and Prayer’ sessions, and also for Pastor Koshy who expounded God’s Word from 1 Timothy 1:19 - "holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck". A very timely reminder that we must gear up and fight a good warfare, especially in these days when we are facing many ‘battles’ in our minds, and in our houses, that we may avoid the "shipwreck" of our faith. May we not be easily overtaken by false teachings in the internet and social media. A good soldier must obey the charge of his King to avoid the doctrines of the devil. My sincerest prayer is that I will grow closer to God, and serve Him with clean hands and a pure heart, and rely on the Holy Spirit to live a life that glorifies God. I look forward to the day, God willing, when my husband and I can serve God together as a family in His church, with much joy in the Lord.

Grace Lim

Thank you very much for the many uplifting and encouraging messages on "Holding Faith and a Good Conscience". I’m tremendously blessed and "recharged" listening to the biblical charge – concerning our commitment to our King, His people and our warfare against spiritual shipwreck – being expounded to us daily during the Online Bible Conference. I pray that we will not be hearers only, but also doers of God’s Word. May God help us.

Shu Mun

I thank God for the wonderful time of studying God’s Word and fellowship with our church brethren (which we have missed since the start of the "circuit-breaker" in Singapore), and also with brethren from around the world. It was disappointing that we had to cancel the previously planned Missionary Conference in June 2020. So, it was great to have this unexpected Online Bible Conference during this time of lockdown in Singapore. Praise the Lord for all who have served Him by organising, preparing and handling this Conference so meticulously and efficiently. I am also thankful for the good attendance and for all the participants, including the less IT-savvy, who have embraced this new online video conferencing with enthusiasm.

Praise the Lord for the messages taught by Pastor and the preachers, reminding us to examine ourselves, to be soldiers of Christ, to fight a good fight of faith. All glory to the Lord!

Celine

I want to thank the Lord for helping Pastor Koshy to deliver God’s Word during the Online Bible Conference, as well as in the Bible Study during SIT Campus Ministry on Friday afternoons (3- 4pm). I have learnt a lot the past few days!

Shirley Ho

I would like to praise the Lord and express my thanks to Pastor Koshy, the preachers, elders, deacons and all who were involved in organising the Online Bible Conference. It was such a blessed time of singing, worshipping, fellowship and studying God’s Word throughout the 5 days of conference. I rejoiced to see the warm and friendly faces of many familiar brethren.
By God’s grace, I received with joy the teachings provided through this conference. I have learnt much about the importance of "holding faith and a good conscience". The exhortations have also struck within me a godly fear and a keener awareness of my lacklustre attitude in the study of God’s Word and in my daily Christian living. I was particularly taken aback that I knew so little about God’s Word, and how vulnerable I am to the attacks of the devil. And all this is because I have not been diligent in studying and meditating on His Word daily, and in spending more time with my Lord in my quiet time. I thank God again for teaching me as to what my duty / responsibility is to my God, my church, my family and to all whom God has placed in my life. May I submit more to His will, wait on Him, and be a good testimony for His glory.

Judy Chan

"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" (Hebrews 12: 6-7). These two verses sum up my response to the lessons I learnt in the Online Bible Conference. May the Lord help me in "holding faith, and a good conscience" (1 Timothy 1:19). And may His Words stay with all of us.

A major subject that the apostle Paul teaches in Romans 8 is the Holy Spirit’s work in every Christian’s life. The Holy Spirit is mentioned nearly twenty times in chapter 8 of Romans. Therein, Paul explained certain important works of the Spirit in every Christian’s life. Thus, it provides us with a treasure trove of theological, spiritual and practical truths concerning the Spirit’s work in a Christian’s life. It is amazingly enriching and inspiring to all who seek their spiritual growth.

In a Christian’s life, the Spirit’s influence is essential to all that he ought to be as a godly person to glorify God. He is the Source, Enabler and Securer of our spiritual life. True believers serve God, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). It is the Holy Spirit, who ultimately will bring every believer to eternal glory in the presence of God.

Christians’ Life is a "Walk" in the Spirit

In Romans 8:1-4, Paul wrote, "1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 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: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Everyone in Christ Jesus has been liberated from the divine condemnation and the subjugating power of the carnal passions of the flesh. He is now characterised by a new life that is "after the Spirit". The spiritual freedom from sin and condemnation sets him forward to live according to the direction of the Holy Spirit, who now dwells in him. Such an individual’s life is no more anchored on his fleshly or carnal desires. His passion for living is as the Holy Spirit guides him. So, it is said in verses 1 and 4, that Christians "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit". In fact, a Christian’s life is a life in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit!

Paul testified concerning his own Christian life in verse 2, that it is a life directed by the Spirit – "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Here, Paul uses the term "law" in the sense of "governing operation" or "effectual working", and not the Mosaic Law or other divine commandments. The effectual working of the Holy Spirit ("the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus") grants to every Christian the power to break free from the bondage of sin, guilt and condemnation ("the law of sin and death"). When a person experiences the saving work of Christ through the Holy Spirit, he is endued with a newness under the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit.

Paul also said that such a renewed spiritual life was "what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh" (v. 3a). In verse 3, "the law" refers to the Moral Law of God (i.e. the Ten Commandments). In other words, a godly life, as taught by the Law of God, was not possible because he was kept weak by his carnal nature ("flesh"). Man’s sinful corruption made the Law powerless to save him. The Law could only condemn man for all his sins. But God worked out the sinful man’s deliverance from the miserable bondage of sin and condemnation by "sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh". By Jesus’ death on the cross, our sin and its condemnation had been removed. Jesus bore the fury of God’s wrath that was against our sin, and thus He broke sin’s power over all those who would come to Him with faith. Jesus’ death was "for sin" and it "condemned sin in the flesh". Whereas sin once condemned the believer, now Christ condemns sin, delivering the believer from sin’s power and penalty!

The freedom from sin and condemnation which Jesus has secured for the believer results in a life of righteousness. So Paul said in verse 4, "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Once a person trusts in Jesus for deliverance from sin and judgment, he is freed from the slavery of sin and empowered through the Holy Spirit to live a life of sanctification. Every true Christian is under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and hence will possess the divinely imparted ability to live righteously. It does not mean he will be utterly free from temptations of the flesh and its influence. But he will be empowered to overcome such attempts of the flesh by the working of the Holy Spirit. God does not redeem men in order that they may continue sinning, but in order that they may begin to live righteously by having the requirement of the Law fulfilled in them.

God has made available the Holy Spirit and His empowerment to all Christians so that they "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit". Without exception, every Christian can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit to live a righteous life. The word "walk" is used figuratively to refer to a habitual way of life or a lifestyle. A Christian’s habit is to walk in the Spirit and not after the sinful passions of his flesh. Because every true believer is indwelt by the Spirit, every true believer will produce the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). A true believer, whether young or old, immature or mature, has the influence and the enablement of the Spirit to live a biblical, righteous life.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16).

God’s Word Found:

"Thy words were found…" Have you found God’s Word? It is the wisdom and truth of God’s Word. Every soul that discovers the immense value and power of God’s Word would have great joy in all His words. Therein, he will find the Gospel of salvation, sanctifying truths, exceedingly great and precious promises, perfect guidance, blessed hope, etc. The written Word of God is all about Christ, the Living Word. It reveals to us His greatness and His truths, by which we may be ushered into His salvation and all spiritual blessings. It is the sacred treasure trove of Christ to His people.

God’s Word Eaten:

"…and I did eat them…" He, who has found God’s Word for what it really is, would quickly consecrate himself to enjoy its dainties. By looking at good food and merely analyzing it mentally, no one can enjoy it. Everyone must eat the food to be nourished up by it, and so it is with God’s Word. It is the soul’s food - wholesome, savoury, saving and nourishing. Looking at it with an intellectual understanding of its contents would not suffice for our enjoyment of it. But everyone should consume it by making it the principle of his life. It will delight his soul and excite him to pursue all its truths and counsels with an irrepressible passion.

God’s Word Enjoyed:

"…and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart". When God’s Word is consumed through the reading and studying of its contents, one will be encouraged to apply its truth, wisdom and counsels in his life. Thus, God’s Word will provide a delightful experience of spiritual joy and rejoicing to one who savours it. He would then be fully assured of the gracious calling of God to His wonderful and glorious salvation and all the eternal blessings, as Jeremiah said: "for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts".

The following testimony by Bro. Tan Eng Huat, who has been diligently studying God’s Word through the courses offered by GBI-Online, will cheer you to pursue the joy that comes through the study and application of His Word.

Testimony

Jesus said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt 5:6).
I have been puzzled by the Beatitudes, including this verse in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, after becoming a believer in my early 20’s. Thanks to God for faithful preachers and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who illumines, I have a progressively better understanding of this verse and passage. God knows the need for His children to be instructed in His ways, for He "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph 4: 11-12). For when the Spirit puts in my heart the sense of poverty of spirit, and the grief over my sins and failures (Matt 5:3-4), He also puts in my heart a strong desire to seek wisdom and understanding through the Scriptures. I was struck by the apostle Paul’s zeal and love for Christ. Though he was an apostle and endued with deep understanding through special revelation (2 Cor 12:4), he expressed the need to continue to pursue after the "excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord", that he "may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death" (Phil 3: 8, 10).

I am grateful that God has put in place excellent teachers and preachers in Singapore to enable me to have clearer understanding and interpretation of His Word. The FEBC courses that I have attended for quite a number of years have blessed me greatly in my spiritual growth. I learnt of the GBI online courses when I came to Gethsemane BP Church for worship last year. Since starting on the GBI online courses in January 2020, I have come to appreciate the limitless immensity of the knowledge of God. Though incomprehensible, yet God allows Himself to be known of His children, that we may rejoice in this knowledge and render a deeper worship in greater awe and understanding of His presence. I am also more conscious of my need to learn more about the Triune God and how much I need Him to help me in my earthly sojourn, that I may always bring gladness to Him in the way I live my life, as well as how I may be a blessing to the people around me and how I may edify the brethren of the body of Christ.

Through the course of Bibliology, I can better appreciate God’s goodness towards us in not forsaking man even after Adam failed Him in the garden of Eden. He left us not without witness (Acts 14:7), but put in each and every one of us an awareness of His presence in our conscience, that we may seek and find Him (Acts 17:27). For this reason, my heart is filled with thanksgiving and gratitude to God for revealing Christ to me and providing me the faith and the way to embrace Him as my Saviour. I also thank Him for the priceless gift of the Holy Spirit that indwells me to help me understand His Word. For all His mercy and grace, and His gifts and providence, I am made more aware of the need to diligently seek Him through the study of His Word. And I realise that I can only seek by His power and enabling to obey Him, that my life may be consecrated to my Saviour. As I grow in the faith, I am also more and more conscious of my weaknesses and my proneness to pride and carnal desires. But God is gracious and full of tender mercies in that He has not left me without help. The Holy Spirit is also my Teacher and my Comforter. He impresses upon me the imputed righteousness of Christ, which is perfect. He also comforts and encourages me when I feel disheartened and helpless.

The GBI online courses are a treasure trove for believers and lovers of His Word. The Bible which has been preserved faithfully through the ages is the only treasure worthy of my time and effort to study, understand and live by (Matt 13:44-46), for the Book is true, totally reliable, and a Light in my earthly sojourn. Knowing His Word is the only way for the carnal self to decrease and Christ to increase in my life. Just as Paul has set his heart upon Christ as his righteousness, so must I (Phil 3:9). Just as Paul has set his heart on the ultimate prize of resurrection to that of a glorified presence with Christ, so must I, that I might not be ensnared by worldly things (Phil 3:11). Just as Paul continues to crave for more of God’s grace to be manifest in his life (Phil 3:12-14), so must I never cease to use every opportunity to revel in the knowledge and experience of God’s grace through the study of His Word.

I am thankful for the extra time given by God due to the Covid-19 pandemic to study His Word through the GBI online courses. I am also reminded that the study of God’s Word is not merely for knowledge acquisition, but that I may be sanctified and be fit for His use. May God’s name be praised and magnified through His people.

In the past few weeks, we were enabled by the Lord to extend help to needy brethren in our mission stations. We were able to send timely help because of the quick response from our members and friends to the dire needs of brethren in the mission fields.

Last Tuesday night, immediately after the live-streaming of the prayer meeting, I received the following message from a participant: "Thank God for the blessed message from the praying meeting which just ended. Can you advise me on the amount needed by the GBI students in India, which you mentioned in the meeting? Will send you a cheque. Thank God for your faithful preaching of His Word… My dad died when I was 10, left $10 for my mum to feed a family of 4. As what you have preached just now, God had taken me through a childhood of poverty with much hardship and now has blessed me with abundance, so as to be His channel of blessings. Thank God for His providence."

As we learned last Tuesday night, it is the grateful acknowledgment of the abundant grace of God extended to us that makes us generous givers. Even though we are unworthy of His goodness, the Lord has sustained us daily by His grace and also blessed us with savings for the future. When God gives us abundantly, God wants us to be gracious helpers to those in need. That is what the Lord taught the Israelites – "If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth" (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).

Similarly, the New Testament reminds us, Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). Therefore, let us "do good, that [we] be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (1 Timothy 6:18).

Following are the notes of acknowledgment and thanksgiving from our missionaries.

From Rev. Ephrem Chiracho (GBPC, Alem Gena, Ethiopia)

Dear Rev. Koshy,

Greetings in the blessed name of Jesus Christ!

Praise God for hiding you, your family and the whole church under the shadow of His wings.

I have come back safely from visiting my relatives. We had a good time encouraging one another and discussing family matters.

Although we could not do God’s work in full force, like before, due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are trying to do everything in our power to further the cause of Christ. Please keep us in your daily prayers.

May God bless Gethsemane BPC leaders for their love and support. Once again, thank you for the love gifts sent from the church brethren to the families of all our full-time workers in God’s vineyard.

May the Lord protect you, your family, and all Gethsemaneans in this trying time. Please convey my regards to all. Please pass my regards to your family and the whole church.

(Pastor’s note: Our missionaries Pr Engida Tefera and Pr Imane Dola had called me to acknowledge and express their thanks to all the brethren in GBPC, Singapore, for their prayers and support. Our Board of Elders have also decided to extend support for the two graduates of GBI, Ethiopia, who are assisting the work in Alem Gena. They are Bro. Bayera and Bro. Bedada.)

From Rev. Reggor Galarpe (GBPC, Cebu)

Dear Pastor,

Greetings to you in our Lord’s most blessed Name!

I checked my personal bank account (ATM) and there was PHP 45,000.00 added to the standing balance which I presumed is the peso equivalent of the gift for the church that you mentioned during our phone conversation. On behalf of the church, please receive our sincere thanksgiving.

With regards to the "cash gifts" that you have advised, here are the names of brethren and the proposed amount that would be given. For easy distribution, we thought of having the amount rounded off to the nearest hundreds.

1. Bro. Dave and Sis. Maan Taburada and family,
2. Bro. Oscar and Sis. Marie Tamarra and family,
3. Bro. Narciso Alcaraz (TGCM Helper) and daughter Stephanie,
4. Sis. Flordeliz Cortes and daughter Hannah,
5. Bro. Joey and Sis. Ana Ebareta, and baby Ezekiel,
6. Bro. Clark del Castillo (TGCM Helper),
7. Bro. Gee Casinillo (TGCM Helper),
8. Bro. Johnny Rey (GBI student),
9. Bro. Warly (GBI student),
10. Bro. Kenneth (GBI student)

Total amount distributed is PHP 24,500.00. The remaining balance (PHP 20,500.00) will be used to buy sacks of rice and foodstuffs that we would be giving out to every family and household. The said amount will be sufficient for us to do 2 rounds of distribution.
For transparency purposes, I have cc. this email to the Church Session (Cebu).

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! Pastor, thank you very much!

From Eld. Eliezer Ortega (GBPC, Bogo)

Dear Pastor Koshy,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Praise the Lord for His gracious provision. Thank God for the gift that the mother church sent through the church account, amounting to 16,771.00 pesos for the brethren of Bogo and San Antonio churches. Our heartfelt thanksgiving for the gift received.
We will use this said amount to buy rice and food provisions for the brethren of Bogo and San Antonio for the duration of the quarantine. Likewise, we would give cash aids to those who are in maintenance medication.

Praise the Lord for His goodness.

From Pr Edsel Locot (GBPC, Bohol)

Dear Pastor Koshy,

We thank God for His provisions. I distributed the love-gift from GBPC, Singapore, to the brethren here last Sunday, after the worship service. For the brethren in Anda, I sent it to Bro. Hansel, who distributed it to the brethren there, and the brethren would sign to acknowledge their gifts received.

Thank you, Pastor, for your prayers and care for the brethren in Bohol.
In total, we have distributed PHP 33,900.00. I’m sending to you the list of the brethren from Tagbilaran, Bohol, and Anda, Bohol, who received the love gifts from Gethsemane BP Church, Singapore according to their needs. They are: Archie & Taelma Galigaw, Eutiquiano Bucio, Leah Bucio Rebuyon, Nestor Israel, Michelle Coquila, Angelcito Mendez, and Paterna Locot.

From Pr Sujith Samuel (GBI, Vizag, India)

Dear Pastor,

The gifts (SGD 2,000 & SGD 500) transferred to my bank account have been received. Thank you for sending this support for the needy GBI students and worshippers.

I will give to those who are really in need, and will send to you the list of recipients and the amounts I distributed to them. Please know that I would like to give some special help to Bro. Murali, who is awaiting a leg surgery. He had a motorbike accident, and was planning for it in February. But because of lack of funds, he didn’t go for the surgery. Soon came the coronavirus and the lockdown. Now, the surgery can only be in May or June. Since the accident, he could not come for GBI classes. He has pain, and experiences great difficulty in walking. He is on medication for pain management. Another student who has not been well is Pastor Timothy, who is suffering from sickle cell anaemia. He also dropped out of study this semester as he needs to go for blood transfusion on occasions. His brother and mother are helping him, so his financial situation is not so bad.

Lockdown in India is extended for another two weeks. Some of the brethren would join the GYAF seminar - some from Vizag and some from other places. Please plan for an online youth seminar for the youths here. Several youths, who had planned to attend the Youth Seminar that we wanted to hold in March, are interested to join the online seminar, if there will be one.

Report by Samson Hutagalung

"I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation" (Psalm 40:9-10).

David’s commitment to declare God’s greatness and His truth among all the people of God reflects our prayer and passion behind the GBI-Online ministry. "God shall send forth his mercy and his truth" (Psalm 57:3), and for that purpose, God has appointed "the church of the living God" as "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15).

Hence, it is with much thanksgiving to our God that I write this brief report on Gethsemane Bible Institute (online) or GBI-Online. Six years have passed since we made our first humble efforts to start this ministry. His grace has enabled us through this ministry to extend the teaching of God’s Word in our church to God’s people all around the world. Our hearts are thrilled to see how the Lord has used GBI-Online to educate and edify God’s people everywhere.
I am glad to report to you that the Lord has used GBI-Online to spread the Gospel everywhere. We have now 155 active students, learning God’s Word from different countries. These students came from different backgrounds and countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, India, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Zambia.

GBI-Online now offers several courses, including the following: (1) Systematic Theology 1 – Theism; (2) Systematic Theology 2 – Bibliology; (3) Systematic Theology 3 – Anthropology; (4) Systematic Theology 4 – Soteriology; (5) Systematic Theology 5 – Ecclesiology; (6) Systematic Theology 6 – Eschatology; (7) The Book of Jonah; (8) The Names of God; (9) Theology of Prayer; (10) Divine Adoption; (11) The Book of Revelation. In addition, we currently have two ongoing courses that Pastor Koshy is still teaching off-line, namely (1) The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (which quite a number of you are taking online, due to the current situation), and (2) The Book of Isaiah (which Pastor Koshy teaches during every Wednesday Lunch-Hour Bible Study).

We are glad to know that some of you desire to study the Book of Isaiah. Thus, we shall try to make it available in GBI-Online as soon as possible. Since the Book of Isaiah is still ongoing offline, we shall offer this course gradually. We shall make available the study of the first nine chapters of the Book of Isaiah, and we shall add more lessons as we go along. You may remember Pastor in prayer as he labours to teach these two subjects.

Currently, we can access 12 courses at GBI-Online. Let us make use of the time and opportunities that we have now to learn God’s Word in-depth. Visit http://www.gbi-online.com and sign up for any course from those made available for your learning. Blessed be the LORD God who hath not left us destitute of His mercy and His truth.

Apart from the courses mentioned above, we are also working on another two set of courses which Pastor had taught before for Wednesday Lunch-Hour Bible Study, namely (1) The Book of Zechariah, and (2) The Book of Job. We are working on the technical issues; when ready, they will also be offered as part of GBI-Online.

During this period of global pandemic, how good it is that we spend more time with the Lord in the study of His Word. As the apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:18, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." As the Lord commands us to know His Word, let us hunger and thirst for its knowledge and blessings. Without His truth that edifies us, we cannot live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

May we continue to pray for Pastor Koshy, as he labours day and night to teach God’s Word and makes it available through GBI-Online. Please also pray for our GMC media staff (Arnold Diaz, Matthew Peh and Melissa Mah) and me, as well as all who labour daily to record, edit and make available the teaching of God’s Word.

We also thankfully remember all those who have assisted us, from time to time, in many different ways. Continue to cheerfully give as the Lord leads you, that this ministry may be well-maintained and become profitable to God’s people – not only in Gethsemane BPC, but also all around the world. May the Lord make Gethsemane BPC a blessing to God’s people everywhere.