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Does it matter what sort of music one listens to?

A large number of Christians of our time have no qualms about listening to and singing worldly music. After singing hymns of faith and spiritual songs on Sunday in church, they would spend the rest of the week watching R-rated movies and listening to R-rated music. They learn by heart the lyrics of those profane songs. Their minds are filled with the sights and sounds of the filthy themes of those songs.

Let us not be foolish to embrace the secular music of our time. It is highly pernicious and certainly perilous to the Christians’ pursuit of holiness. The “Beatles” of yesteryear had helped to bring up a generation around the world that was characterised by loose morals, drug abuse and blasphemous beliefs / conduct. The members of this band themselves were fornicators, drug abusers and profane people. And yet, we hear of Christian musicians declaring themselves to be ‘Beatle fans’.

Today’s famous secular musicians are not any better than them. If anything, they are coarser in their songs and conduct. The secular musicians and their music have been one of the greatest contributors to the moral erosion of our society. Not only do they promote sexual promiscuity and violence, they also sneer and belittle godliness and purity.

The irony of it all is: why would Christians, who are called unto holiness, give themselves to such ungodly entertainment? Are not Christians taught in the Scriptures to have no association with people and activities that would stain their minds and instil ungodliness?

Every singer and song that glorifies that which is opposed by God should be rejected utterly by Christians. The apostle Paul warned the Ephesian Christians to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). Likewise, Christians are admonished in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”

Why are Christians warned against associating themselves with those things that are forbidden in the Bible? It is important to realise that the things we watch and listen to, do affect us - just as we are affected by the people whom we have associations with. When it comes to our sanctification, it is an absolute necessity that we keep ourselves away from that which corrupts us. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 reminds us: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 insists that Christians are to “abstain from all appearance of evil”. This is particularly true when it comes to our struggles with sin. The perverse things we watch and hear will entangle us in sins that easily beset us. For instance, if a Christian who is struggling with the lust of the flesh gives himself to watch obscene movies or listen to sensual songs, he will be led to temptations of lust whenever those scenes and songs come to his mind. If a man struggles with swearing, and yet closely associates himself with vulgar people (or listens to songs with lots of swearing), it will be harder for him to have purity of thoughts and words. So give diligence to remember Christ’s words: “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29).

Please abstain also from socalled Christians who try to influence you with the wicked entertainment of this sinful world. Take heed to the warning in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Rather than dwelling on that which defile our minds, let us give ourselves to all things that will influence us unto purity and godliness. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

David, the King, trusted in all of God’s words because he believed them to be perfectly pure. In today’s article, I would like to consider the purity of God’s words based on David’s two testimonies.

His first testimony in Psalm 12:6 is:

“The words of the LORD
are pure words: as silver
tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times."

The excellence of the Holy Scriptures is powerfully presented here by David. Firstly, the phrase “the words of the LORD” points out that all the words of the Scriptures are the LORD’s. Every word of the Bible proceeds from the LORD Himself. He used men, who were His servants, to write them down. As 2 Peter 1:21 declares, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Likewise, 2 Timothy 3:16 declares, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The LORD is the actual author of the Bible.

Secondly, we are told that all the words of the Bible are “pure words”. The Hebrew word for “pure” has also been translated as “clean”. It points out that the Scriptures are absolutely free from all impurities of falsehood and error. Proverbs 30:5 also declares, “Every word of God is pure.”

The purity of the Word of God is illustrated and affirmed by these words, “as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times”. This evidently refers to the ancient process of purifying silver. The “furnace of earth” is where the metal was tried and purified. It refers to something like a crucible placed on the ground, around which a fire of intense heat was made. Such structures were found near the mines where ore was obtained. The ore was then purified by smelting it repeatedly till all the dross was removed from it. Here it is said that the ore was purified “seven times”. In other words, a time-consuming and meticulous effort was made to ensure the purity of the silver. Likewise, the LORD had seen to it that every word of His is pure in His infinitely pure eyes. He shall also keep every word of the Scriptures pure through all ages. So the next verse says, “Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Psalm 12:7). We can be absolutely sure that every word in the Holy Scriptures is kept pure in all ages. Today, just as David had pronounced in Psalm 119:140, so can we also assuredly say, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it”!

The Holy Scriptures need no updating, editing, or refining. It is eternally pure and faithful. It is God’s infallible, inerrant and perfect Word. It is eternally true, relevant and enduring. It is God’s revelation kept pure for every generation. Because it is pure, it shall purify all those who live by it.

His second testimony in Psalm 119:140 is:

“Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.”

David always had the highest regard for Scripture. He always considered it as belonging to God; hence he referred to it as “Thy word”. In Psalm 119 alone, 35 times David used the phrase “Thy word” to refer to the Holy Scriptures.

We too must read the Scriptures in the belief that we are listening to the words of our God. Through the Scriptures, God communicates with us. So with great reverence and joy, we must attend to God’s Word. We must receive the truths it teaches as divine and glorious. Nowhere else have we such a perfect body of divine truths revealed for our blessing.

We have no reason to doubt what God’s Word says, for it is “very pure”. The Hebrew words “very pure” literally means “much tried or refined”. As David said in Psalm 12:6, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” God’s Word has been utterly tried and has been proven to be absolutely pure and perfectly righteous. Its purity is the purity of its Author, the infinitely holy God.

Like David, many men, who have repeatedly relied on all that Scripture says throughout their lives, have testified unto us with utmost certainty and joy that all that it says are pure. David also confessed, “therefore thy servant loveth it.” Would anyone declare his unabated, unbounded love for God’s Word if it has ever been found defective, deceptive or unreliable? David’s open declaration of his love for God’s Word is a grand testimony to its trustworthiness. Those who trust all that it says shall not be ashamed, as it has already been tested and proven pure.

Because God's Word is pure, it will also purify and preserve those who trust and obey its pure words. Earlier in this psalm, David said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (Psalm 119:9). It could very well have been David’s own experience, for he confessed later that “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). He also testified, “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word” (Psalm 119:101). The beauty of God’s holiness shines through every word of His Word. Those who walk in the light of His Word shall have the joy of walking in the beauty of His holiness. The pure Word of God shall keep us away from all defiling ways. So, let us love it as David did.

In Hebrews 3:12, churchgoers were forewarned, “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.”

Everyone in the church is admonished to see to it that he has no evil heart. It is with brotherly love that such an admonition is given. The author of Hebrews addressed them as “brethren” to show that his admonition is given, not out of any hard feelings or distrust or jealousy, but rather out of a loving care for their spiritual safety.

What does “an evil heart of unbelief ” imply? It implies negligence and rejection of divine truths while pursuing sin. Such a heart would not submit to the claims of the Gospel of Christ. Indifference to the grace exhibited in the Gospel would be apparent. It would refuse the application of the Gospel truths to itself. That is the ultimate sign of unbelief. Just as it is by faith that a person receives Christ as his Saviour and Lord, it must also be asserted that it is a vivid manifestation of unbelief if one rejects Him. As submission to Christ’s righteousness is the greatest act of faith, rejection of His righteousness is conversely the greatest act of unbelief.

Some openly reject Christ and scorn His Word. Others do so secretly by merely paying lip service in their profession of faith. Their profession of faith is employed only as a cloak for their sins. While they claim to have given their hearts to Christ, they continue to yield themselves to hidden lusts lurking in their hearts. Their natural inclination is to sin, as sin reigns in them. It is impossible for unrestrained love for sin and faith in the Saviour to thrive in the same heart. While faith in Christ leads to sanctification, unbelief paves the way to more sins.

In an evil heart of unbelief, love for the world and for its pleasures, riches, honours always supersede the eternal things of God’s kingdom. In such a heart of unbelief, spiritual matters are deemed unworthy of its pursuit. Loss of material gain or comfort for Christ’s sake will not be tolerated, as it glories in the things of the world more than the things of Christ.

Such an evil, unbelieving heart will inevitably depart from the living God. Apostasy (or departure from God) first exists in one’s heart, and then is manifested in one’s life. Apostasy finally exposes the prideful, self-willed heart of an individual. Such departing from the living God is an immense evil and the greatest insult to God! It is the worst tragedy one can bring upon oneself. So brethren, be vigilant against the apostasy of your hearts.

]In Psalm 119:11, we read the confession of David which gives us understanding to the secret of His victorious life over sin – “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” This confession to the LORD reveals to us that he was very conscious of the possibility of being overpowered by temptation of sin. Temptation of sin is a terrible evil that lurks around every man to seek to destroy his testimony, peace and spiritual well-being. There is also a propensity in man to fall into this evil. So David sought for an effective precaution against sin. It was a very wise act by David to safeguard himself against sin. What a good desire it was to fight off sin!

Sin will weaken and degrade every man. Sin will ruin his nature, and destroy his happiness. We are all in danger of falling into it, especially if left to ourselves, and to our own ideas, inclinations and desires. We need to be ever on our guard. We must always be vigilant and pray for the Lord’s help to safeguard ourselves against sin’s assault.

David had found for himself an excellent precaution against sin in the Word of God. By its very nature, the Word of God is a counter-remedy against sin. Because it is God’s revelation of His truth and wisdom, it promotes holiness and prevents sin. It is the source of everything good and holy, which equips us to stand against sin.

Like David, we must hide God’s Word in our hearts. Having a copy of the Bible or occasionally listening to its preaching is not enough. We must lay it upon our hearts. It must be allowed to cast its light upon our desires, passions, motives and ambitions. If we give it the most prominent place in our hearts, it will teach us what is holy and acceptable to God, and thus will fortify our resolve against every sin.

God’s Word hidden in our hearts will alert us to sins’ stealthy invasions. If we know God’s Word well, we will be able to recognise those things that God abhors and detests. It will not only reveal what God’s will concerning us is, but will also expose the presence of sin. In fact, it will warn us before sin starts its assault. It will sound the alarm before rudes into our life – so we will have enough time to resist and thwart its attack. It will also teach us how to avoid sin and escape before it strikes. It will point us to the “secret” door of escape through which we may flee and be safe. God’s Word will also strengthen and steel our resolve in times of sin’s threats. So, let us hide God’s Word in our hearts like a sword in its sheath, ready to be drawn out at a moment’s notice to fight off sin’s attacks!

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This verse records the words which the Lord Jesus spoke to Simon and Andrew. This special invitation by Jesus Christ was first extended to those fishermen of Galilee. He took great pleasure in those people who were at the lower strata of society and offered them what they could not have otherwise inherited. These words are full of invitation, incentives and promises. They are for the joyful contemplation and obedience of all who have trusted Christ, regardless of their social status.

Firstly, we notice that herein is a warm invitation from our gracious Lord. He gently beckons us, “Follow Me.” He is sure of the way, for He Himself is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). What a great honour it is for us to receive an invitation from the Son of God to follow Him all the way to His glorious heavenly abode...

Secondly, He beckons us to accept His leading and demands total commitment from us. We cannot be halfhearted followers if we are to be partakers of the blessings unto which He is leading us. We must give Him our absolute allegiance. He makes no other demand here except that we faithfully follow Him.

Thirdly, He assures us that He will not fail to lead us. The words “Follow Me” are very assuring, for they bespeak Christ’s role as our unfailing leader. He is ready to lead us all the way. He does not give us any notion that at some point in our lives, He would desert us.

Fourthly, He gives us a personal promise, “I will make you fishers of men.” Simon and Andrew were only familiar with mending and casting nets. How could men, who had only been accustomed to boats, nets and fishes, be at home in preaching sermons? How could men of the sea become men of the Word? Nothing is impossible with the Son of God. Just as He promised, He used those fishermen of Galilee to conquer the souls of the rich and poor, the kings and peasants, the scholars and barbarians from around the world. We know, with hindsight from biblical and world history, that they became great soul-winners just as Jesus has promised.

Are you brought low by a sense of your own unworthiness? Do you feel that you can never be useful to lead men to Christ? Do not doubt any more. Accept His call. Follow Him and His will. Then His wisdom and power will transform you to be a soul-winner for His kingdom!

Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). This is an immensely concise divine precept that applies to every word and action of a Christian. It is a succinct, yet comprehensive rule for a victorious Christian life. In any circumstance of life, it will serve as a golden rule for a God-honouring life. All of life’s scope is addressed with the words “whatever you do” and “in word or deed”.

Though the principle specifically mentions every word and deed, it also concerns our thought and motive. It presents to us the purest motive for every word and action – “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus”. If this motive would govern every speech and action, our life will be holy and acceptable to God. Only when we do all things in our Lord Jesus Christ’s name can we dispel selfishness and ungodliness from our conversations and activities.

The “name of the Lord Jesus” provides us with the blessed assurance that all matters of our relationship with God (i.e. worship and prayer) and all matters of our daily activities, are acceptable and pleasing to God. Living our lives in Christ’s name will grant us the confidence that the Lord is pleased with us, and that our ways will redound to His glory.

Let us also take note that “the name of the Lord Jesus” concerns His authority, His character, His truth, His will, His purposes, His pleasure and His glory. So living in accord with His name means to live in harmony with His revealed will, in subjection to His authority, and in dependence on His power. In other words, we are most concerned about His repute and glory. We will thus do nothing apart from His approval and blessing.

Let us also take note that “the name of the Lord Jesus” concerns His authority, His character, His truth, His will, His purposes, His pleasure and His glory. So living in accord with His name means to live in harmony with His revealed will, in subjection to His authority, and in dependence on His power. In other words, we are most concerned about His repute and glory. We will thus do nothing apart from His approval and blessing.

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Youth Camp Testimonies (24th – 27th Dec 2014)

All praise and thanks be to God for this camp. Like a few other youth participants had shared in this camp, I also noted myself having grown lukewarm in my faith, and thus have been most refreshed by sitting at Christ’s feet and continuously feeding on God’s Word during the 4 days.

During the icebreakers, in the midst of my excessive excitement, I banged hard against my brother’s elbow and for the following 2 days, my nose was very painful. This minor hit was a striking reminder to conduct myself in a self-controlled and gentle manner, especially during the games.

I’m particularly grateful to be exhorted to seek constant spiritual growth; yes, it will assure myself of my salvation, but more importantly and wondrously, it will glorify my Heavenly Father

Through the second theme message, God has taught me that there are many areas of my spiritual life which I need to seriously take heed of; I must beware of relying on my personal strength to overcome tripping obstacles and reach greater heights. Praise the Lord for His exceedingly, amazingly and bountifully plentiful ocean of grace, from which He provides for my growth. I pray that I will launch out into the deep and be “lost” in the depths of His infinite grace.

All glory to God.
In Christ,
Dorcas Koshy

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As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

Through the message ‘Need for Spiritual Growth’, I learnt that if one is truly saved, spiritual growth must be present. I have not been walking close with the Lord and spiritual growth has been absent from my life. By God’s grace, through this youth camp, He has allowed me to see my depraved state. I felt so “tormented” at my malnourished spiritual state; yet thank God that through the very same grace, He reached out to me and I repented in my heart.

During the second message, Pastor asked us for words to describe God’s grace. “Marvellous”, “amazing” and “incredible” came up. But the one word that rang out to me was “undeserving”! Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Despite how wretched I was, God never forsook me and always called me back to Him. As fallen creatures, we really do not deserve His grace, mercy and love. And yet He continues to care for us and to teach us as we walk with Him.

I’ve also learnt that I should put aside all childish things and be spiritually mature, not to be like the seeds that fell by the wayside, on the stony ground or the thorny ground but rather, to be like the seeds sown on fertile land. As I continue to walk close with Him, I hope that I would keep growing like a blooming lotus flower, for His glory.

Love in Christ,
Abigail Tan

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Praise God for a really blessed GYF camp. Thank God for all those who had laboured to make this camp a fruitful time of studying God’s Word concerning spiritual growth and hindrances.

I have learnt a lot of lessons, which helped to clear the uncertainties that I have regarding my spiritual walk with God. The verse that pricked me most, is 1 John 2:13 – ‘I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.’ I discovered I was still a “little child”, because I haven’t overcome the wicked one yet. This struck me because I thought that being in a Christian family, I knew a lot about the Bible.

Last year, I had some heart-searching struggles which unfortunately drew me away from God and good Christian fellowship. I thank God for the close fellowship all of us had during the camp, in games, singing of hymns, meals, etc. Oh, how wrong I was in thinking that if I avoided fellowship, then no one would know about my struggles and I could still continue projecting a good testimony. In fact, fellowship is the best medicine against spiritual dejection as we gather with true Christians and feast on God’s Word together!

Through this camp, the Lord slowly drew me back to Him and I pray that 2015 will be a year where I lean upon Him, no matter what happens along the way. I pray that I will be like a lotus, blooming brightly for Christ after pushing up through the dark waters. ‘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’ (2 Peter 3:18).

All glory be to our gracious Father in Heaven!
Duaine Kabingue

"God is love.” Though short, this sentence is a statement of eternal magnitude and significance. Never was more meaning encapsulated in so few words than in this short sentence – “God is love.” The Apostle John stated this truth twice in his first epistle (cf. 1 John 4:8, 16). The message of this short verse reverberates throughout the Bible!

Some clarifications, though, are necessary before any further elaboration of this glorious statement is attempted. When John wrote that “God is love”, he was not saying that “love” is the complete revelation of God. In fact, he has already written in the same epistle that “God is light” (1 John 1:5), which refers to God’s holy nature (cf. John 3:18–21; 1 John 1:5–10). So, love is not the only attribute that adequately describes God. God cannot be fully explained by one of His attributes alone. Love is not the only perception we ought to have of Him. Neither was the Apostle John implying that “love is God”. The emphasis of the saying, “God is love”, is that in God alone can one fully view what true love is, and only by His enablement can one have the power to express true love.

God is Boundless Love

The declaration that “God is love” not only reveals God as a loving God, but also portrays love as natural and essential to His divine glory. All of God’s will and all of His works are draped in His glorious love. In nature and essence, He is “God of love” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

God is perfect, and His love is perfect too. God is unfathomable, and hence His love is beyond our full grasp. But the knowledge that God is full of perfect and infinite love enables us to draw near to Him with full assurance of faith for pardon and redemption.

In this dark world of hatred, sin and sorrows, we have the assurance that a God of infinite love rules over all. Though we may not be able to reconcile all the cruelty and tragedies that occur around us, yet by exercising faith on this marvellous declaration, we can find consolation. In fact, amidst all the sadness, sin and sorrow, there is abundant evidence that God is love. Among all the manifestations of His love in this dark world, the gift of a Saviour is the greatest of all.

God Manifested His love through His Son

We can know God because His great love is manifested unto us. Immediately after making the assertion that “God is love”, the Apostle John wrote, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). God’s love has sent the Son of God to bear all our sins so that we may know Him intimately.

How amazing it is that God should love vile mortals like us. Who can fully comprehend that the holy, eternal God would love ungrateful rebels such as we? What a great mystery and a grand miracle that divine love would send His only begotten Son into the world for us! If this is not love, what is then?

John says, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). God’s sending of His Son is so unusual and such an unprecedented expression of love that the apostle says, “Herein is love”. God loved the world so wonderfully, so amazingly and so incredibly that He sacrificed His only begotten Son as the ransom for the redemption of sinners. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God’s Matchless Love

Being moved by the love of God manifested through Christ, the Apostle John exclaimed, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1a). John encourages us to contemplate the greatness of God’s love. He points us to God’s love as peculiar. It is an “out-of-this-world” kind of love. There is no act of love in this world that can ever be compared to God’s love that received us as His children, though we were once His enemies.

The apostle was so astonished at the greatness of God’s love that he wrote, “What manner of love”. The Greek words potapên agape, used by the apostle, point to both the quantity and quality of God’s love. Its length, breadth, depth and height are beyond description!

How can we ever describe the love of God that allows us to call Him, “Father!” There can be no higher expression of love than His adopting of us, reckless children as we are, as His own, now and forever. There can never be any greater act of love – even from God – than that which He has manifested through the sacrifice of His Son, so that we may be reconciled to Him as His children! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

He loved us, when we had no love for Him. He lovingly came to us, even when we had wandered away from Him. When we laid down in our sin, guilt and misery, His tender love sought to redeem us. When we were undeserving, ill-deserving, polluted and unclean, He stooped down in love to wash us from our sins with His sacred blood. While we were dead in trespasses, His love for us affixed Him on the cross to die that we might live forever through Him. He loved us, wretched sinful mortals, that we might live in heaven, live with God and live in eternal glory and blessedness with Him and through Him: O, what love has reached us here on earth!

Conclusion

All those who have tasted His love, in receiving the salvation by faith in Christ, must praise Him for His eternal love. When we remember how insignificant we are as creatures, and how ungrateful, rebellious and vile we have been as sinners, we may well be full of adoration and worship at His love which had adopted us into the holy family of God, so that we may be regarded and treated as the children of the Most High. The love of God that surpasses all finite conception will be the theme of adoring praises from multitudes that no man can number, for ever and ever. Moreover, we should declare His love to every creature, that others may also come to Him and rejoice in His love.

Even in this world of animosity, bitterness, violence and suffering, we have sufficient evidence to prove that He is benevolent. Let us always behold the cross where the love of God shines through the injustice, travesty and violence of human sin. The gruesome experiences of this earth tend to mask our perception that God is love. The full glory and meaning of His infinite love will be fully understood only when we reach heaven. In the meantime, let us hold on to the truth that God is love. Let us believe that He sincerely desires our good, and that what seems dark to us is designed for our welfare. Amidst all the sorrows and disappointments of the present life, let us be rest assured that our interests and our destiny are in the hands of the God of love.

There is none who is infinitely perfect in love as God. O, what astonishing goodness and condescension from the Almighty God towards us who believe on His Son. Indeed, God is love!

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19: 40).

Indeed, the stones did ‘cry out’ unto us, like witnesses, when we visited the Holy Land from 1st to 10th Dec 2014. weere were stones galore at the southern part of the Holy Land. No wonder stones featured prominently throughout the Bible. In Bethel, Jacob used them as his pillows to sleep (Gen 28:11), whereupon he dreamt of the ladder reaching to heaven and heard God promising to give him the land. throughout the O.T., stones were heaped together to bear witness to commemorate important events (Gen 31:46, Jos 4:7, 1 Sam 7:12). Furthermore, those who are “biblically instructed” were also grimly reminded that stoning to death was a way of punishment. The land was dry and thirsty, full of stones and difficult to tread upon. In that kind of environment, we armed ourselves with hats/caps/umbrellas, shoes with good grip and kept drinking to hydrate ourselves. If we had been travelling with Moses then, wearing robes and sandals, having no food or drink in that dry, stony terrain, we would for sure have murmured and complained like the Israelites over food and creature comforts. Really, the stones literally cried out against us as we pondered over what the Israelites had to go through and how we could have easily sinned like them!

The Bible says there is “a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together” (Ecc 3:5). The building of the great temple and the destruction of it, the building of strong cities and the destruction and ruins of them, cry out to us too. While we admired the magnificent remains of Jerash and Capernaum, and the intricate carvings on each piece of the remains, fear and awe of God struck us because these are reminders and evidence that He alone has the power to set up and put down “whom he would” (Dan 5:19, Matt 11:23).  e stones are warning us - which side are we on? Better be safe – choose the LORD’s side!

Thank God for making us “as lively stones, … built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices” through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:5). This is an apt description of our group when we worshipped and prayed together, edified and took care of one another. Love, unity and patience were displayed abundantly throughout the trip. We, like little children, curiously explored the sights, sounds and smells of the Land of the Bible, and learnt geography together. Every difficulty was conquered by faith and love the Christian way, no less. We have enjoyed the trip very much, and this sentiment was shared by many others, including those who have travelled to the Holy Land several times before.

This trip has created new meanings for us when we now read the Bible. We pray that we shall be steadfast and unmoveable in our faith, lest we should be a “castaway” (1 Cor 9:27b). We pray that we can be “lively stones”, to be a good testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wai Mun and Jolyne Cho
December 2014

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I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Ps 121:1, 2, 8).

Truly, the LORD our God has been our help, and has blessed us with a safe travel and good health in our Holy Land Bible Study Tour. From soaring into the sky in modern aircraft to the ancient mode of commute on horses and camels along the sandy paths in Petra, from floating on the Dead Sea to gliding in the cable cars in the ancient fortress of Masada, from tracing the footsteps on the land which our Lord Jesus Christ literally walked on to sitting in the comfort of the airconditioned coach, the modes of travel on this Holy Land Study Tour has for sure been like no other. Barren, sandy plains and fruitful green terrain are often just minutes apart in our journey. Though some skirmishes could sometimes be heard, we echoed with praise and thanks to God the words of the psalmist: the Lord has preserved our going out and coming in. From commute to food, from culture to politics, from history to geography, the Lord has blessed our group of 48 in many ways. Our thanks go to Pastor Koshy, Dn Lok and the team for organizing this study tour.

More importantly, our LORD has blessed us with a deeper yearning to learn and consider meditatively His working and dealings with His prophets and people of old in the Bible, and also His patient dealings with us individually today. Ps 121, commonly called the “traveller’s or pilgrim’s song”, was the passage of our devotion and meditation on 10 Dec, Day 10 of our 11-day tour. Several times during our travel, the Lord impressed upon our hearts that we are not just tourists, but pilgrims on a journey. A journey, though covering just 11 days on our itinerary, is a journey that has transcended thousands of years of the rich and significant Christian heritage. Each of the sights and experiences which we took in was overwhelmingly educational and enriching to our Christian faith – from visiting the shore of the Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth’s surface) to standing on top of Mount Nebo (where God showed Moses the horizon of the promised land of Canaan); from walking the town of Jerusalem to silently reflecting Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; from admiring the calm and peace as we sailed the Sea of Galilee to standing on Megiddo with the sudden solemn reminder of the reality of the Armageddon battle to be fought in the future; from the meditation of the Cross on Golgotha (where our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was crucified) to the empty tomb (reassuring us of His triumph over sin and death); etc. We were further blessed with the delightful sighting of a beautiful rainbow on Day 9!

Even observing the orthodox Jews’ prayer practices at the Wailing Wall and how they observed their Sabbath Day brought about a humble gratitude to God for His mercy, stirring us to see how we too were once lost and blind, but now by His amazing grace, we see the light of His salvation. The devout steadfastness and the intensity of the people in the Holy Land in holding on to their respective beliefs and convictions, whether they are religious or political in nature, were evident in their tones, conversations and practices.

The irony of it all is that though the sights and visits have been tremendously helpful and enriching, how is it that people who are now living in the Holy Land could not see the His light? I am reminded that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. Regardless of the ongoing land disputes and anticipated future archaeological discoveries, we are to walk by faith in the promises of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the faithful, unchanging God – resting assuredly and walking daily in obedience to the veracity of the Word which He has preserved for us.

Though we reached the end of our study tour itinerary and returned safely on 11 December, the blessed learning from this study tour will be an abiding education each time we read the Bible and listen to His Word being expounded. Israel today (with a population not much more than Singapore and a land area proportionally smaller than the share of the world news / attention it receives) will continue to be a place that is closely watched for its greatness and blessings, only because this is the sovereign selection and promise of God in His eternal covenant with His chosen people (Gen 12:2).

There remain many more lessons and meditations to understand and absorb. At the end of the day, we are to trust and obey – trusting in the faithful, unchanging God, seeing how Scriptural prophecies have been fulfilled in the places we visited, and obeying His Word and trusting in His promises. Like the psalmist, may we say “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law, yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” May we continue to cast our eyes on God, who is “our help in ages past, and hope for years to come”!

Thankful pilgrims,
Ricky and Stella Yang

Since we are commanded to love without dissimulation, should we love all and sundry indiscriminately? Does love demand that we need to accept all without discretion? Can a loving person refuse to accept another in view of sin, falsehood and unrepentance?

In the name of love, Christians are increasingly developing close friendships with unbelieving and ungodly people, while also unabashedly embracing their unscriptural ideas and worldly ways. This is totally contrary to the biblical counsel of Romans 12:9b, “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

Concerning charity, Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 13:5-6 that it “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth”. Clearly, Scripture teaches us that true love not only recognises the difference between truth and falsehood, good and evil, sin and righteousness, but it also clearly discriminates against and rejects those that are false, evil and sinful.

We are instructed to “Abhor that which is evil”. The word “abhor” means to hate, to turn from, or to avoid. The word “evil” here refers to malicious, ungodly belief and conduct. We must hate sin, no matter in what form it appears. Whether it is in thought or in action, be it trivial or great, personal or public, covert or overt, we must hate sin. No matter how sin may appear, we should not tolerate it.

It is not only unwise, but is also incongruent with Christian charity, to even wish to accommodate sin. We are told to “Depart from evil, and do good” (Psalm 34:14). In Psalm 97:10, Scripture commands us, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil”. Let us not condone sin in our thought, word or action. If we ever fall into sin, let us repent as soon as we realise the evil in our ways, and depart from it.

On the other hand, we are exhorted to “cleave to that which is good”. The word “cleave” denotes the act of attaching or uniting firmly to something or someone. It indicates active partaking and participation. We ought to adhere to all that God’s Word reveals as truth. We should love to cleave to all things that are good in the sight of God. We must relentlessly pursue truth and righteousness with increasing fondness. Steadfast, constant pursuit of truth and holiness must characterise every Christian. May our hearts and hands be always devoted to propagating His truth and doing His righteousness. Let us walk “in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luke 1:75).

Mission Report from Pr Donald dela Cruz

We praise the Lord for continuously sending people to hear His Word at the mission station here in Dagupan. Over these past weeks, we have seen three families consistently attending our worship service. We are praying that they will serve the Lord together with us.

We seek your prayers for a lady named Rhona, who had previously attended the church for many Sundays. She was very blessed by our ministry, but was forbidden by the husband and mother-in-law to come. After meeting in their home for our Friday Bible Study on one occasion, the mother-in-law warned her not to do it again. This family is very poor and their house is very small with no water and electricity. To have light in the night, they have to tap electricity from a nearby house which belongs to their relative. But the relative was not happy and so cut off the supply for their light. As a result, her family had to use candles for their lighting for many nights. Thank God that we have solar-charged lights in the mission station. Without further delay, I gave her two lights so that she can use one to prepare dinner for the family and another to “see them through” the night. In this way, they can also save up whatever little they have to fork out to pay for their light consumption. We see God’s providence at play here. Praise the Lord that the husband now allows her and their three-year-old daughter (by the name of Tracy May) to attend the church. We are praying that the Lord will also move the husband to come together with them. Truly, “Man’s extremities are God’s opportunities”!

We thank the Lord for blessing our mid-week activities. Every Tuesday night, both Sejin and I take time to study God’s Word together and pray for the needs of the mission station here, as well as those of the other Gethsemane B-P churches. We are praying that more will be able to pray together with us. Incidentally, we had our first Tagalog lessons a couple of weeks ago. I praise the Lord for enabling me to teach Sejin our local language. May the Lord help her to learn quickly and be able to speak the language. Also, we download the Sunday messages from Gethsemane B-P Church in Singapore and listen to them during Monday nights. We praise the Lord for the Internet ministry, enabling even those miles away to be ministered by the messages.

Meanwhile, Sejin would have to go to Korea alone to visit her parents. The Korean Embassy did not honour my Employment Certificate; my application was denied, in spite of my attempts in appealing three times, as they are strict in their “no work, no visa” policy. I could only send her to the airport on Monday before immediately returning to Dagupan. May the Lord strengthen Sejin in her travelling alone.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4a).

First of all, we have here an invitation to come to the place of God’s worship. Secondly, we also have here an instruction on how we should come to His place of worship.

The verb “enter” is a strong imperative, commanding all His people to be in the place of worship. It is not merely a suggestion that it is good to be in the church, though that statement is wholly true. The divine intention of this command, unquestionably, is that every believer ought to gather together in the appointed place of worship to praise Him.

The words “gates” and “courts” evoke strong memories of the temple of the LORD. While “gates” denote the entrances to the compound of the LORD’s temple, “courts” refer to the open spaces which surrounded the temple, where the people of God would gather to worship God. Only the priests were allowed to enter the temple proper; thus the “courts” denote the places around the temple marked out for the gathering worshippers. The courts of the tabernacle and the temple were the most yearned after place of the saints. In Psalm 84:2, the saint of God says, “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” Similarly in another place, a saint of the LORD says, “I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 116:18-19). They knew that there are special blessings attached to those who delight in the public worship of God in the courts of His house. Psalm 92:13 declares, “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.”

Attached to the LORD’s invitation to His house of worship is the clear instruction to come with “thanksgiving” and “praise”. No other disposition of heart is better suited for His worship than thanksgiving. The praise of the LORD proceeds from thankful people. The offer of praise is the most befitting thanksgiving to God. Let us be eager to enter His house to praise Him with songs and prayers of thanksgiving. Let His praise fill your heart and be upon your tongue. It is the common heritage of God’s people to praise Him in His house. May it be our greatest pleasure to be found in His presence with God’s people. Let us also encourage others and be an example in the matter of public worship of our thrice-holy God.

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My Blessings from Tuesday Prayer Meeting and Bible Study

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This is my testimony of how I have been blessed by our church’s Tuesday night prayer meeting. When I first heard of the Tuesday prayer meeting, I thought it must be a meeting where brethren would pray for more than one hour, which would not suit me as I wouldn’t have many things to pray. In those days, I could only think of praying for my studies, my family, but not about others. Thinking that church prayer meeting is optional, I even convinced myself that it is better to spend time studying than going for prayer meeting. After all, I gave myself the excuse that prayer without hard work cannot give me good grades.

My thinking changed after attending classes at FEBC last year in my intent to acquire more knowledge about God. During the semestral break, a close sister-in-Christ asked me to think about going to prayer meeting on Tuesday nights. My reply was “Yes”. Since then, I never looked back. I would learn that it is God’s appointed meeting for me. Today, my boss knows that every Tuesday I need to go off from work on time. I am amazed at the way God beckons and leads me into His will and service. I pray that l would not esteem it lightly. Thank God for using the right people at the right time to “guide” my steps.

After attending my first Tuesday prayer meeting, my whole concept of a prayer meeting was “turned upside down”. Prayer meeting comprises a time of singing of hymns, followed by a message from Pastor, and then prayer time in small groups or amidst the whole congregation. The choice of hymns by brethren is a spiritual exercise which I can joyfully identify with. Some choose a song because it has been recently sung on the Lord’s Day or in their family worship. Others choose a song because it is their favourite hymn. Yet others choose to learn a relatively unfamiliar song, or a song which reflects the thought of Pastor’s Bible-study topic, or one that encourages someone in the congregation. Whatever be their reasons, I benefit from learning lots of hymns which are very dear to me, some of which will certainly stay with me, even till my deathbed!

God’s messages through Pastor have played an important role in shaping my understanding about prayer. Praise God that He not only calls me to communicate with Him in prayer, but also clearly tells me in His Word how I ought to pray in an acceptable and pleasing manner. This gives me the assurance that all my prayers shall be answered. The ongoing topic on “The Names of Christ”, which Pastor is teaching, is very enlightening. In the Bible, every name that God has revealed about Himself is meant to help us know His character, will and greatness. As the whole duty of man is to know God and enjoy Him forever, learning about His names and His character is a most blessed privilege a child of God can be granted!

Moreover, the time of prayer with my prayer-partners also helps instil in me the right choice of words in prayer. Even though God looks at the heart of the praying saint and not his choice of words, I cannot “put up with” myself when I find myself struggling to express my thoughts to God and the prayer becomes rather “stunted”. (I do not want my prayer to be unedifying to my prayer-partners.) I am also amazed that God sometimes answers my inner concerns through the words that my partners utter in prayer. God uses their words to comfort me in my struggles and remind me of certain passages in Scripture. Prayer time is indeed a learning time for me!

Last but not least, another blessing I have received is that I get to know more about the joys as well as struggles of other brethren. Of course, I do not mean being a busybody, but fulfilling God’s commandment to love my brothers and sisters. Truly, when I pray for them, my love for them also grows, no matter what the level of closeness of our friendship. I trust that God is pleased when His children love one another openly or “upon every remembrance” through prayer.

Undeniably, one of the purposes of my testimony is to encourage more brethren to come and join our Tuesday Prayer Meeting and Bible Study. If you haven’t been attending, I would like to encourage you to come as often as possible, that you may be blessed. Truly, I realise that man’s invitation can serve as a timely trigger for God’s effectual calling. I hope I can be that “trigger” in someone’s life, as my close sister-in-Christ had been to me last May.

In Christ,
Sister Misty