Sermon Text: Psalm 108:1–13
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 18th May 2025
Sermon Text: Psalm 108:1–13
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 18th May 2025
(Edited excerpts from the message preached during last Tuesday night’s Prayer Meeting)
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).
Although not structured as a formal prayer, Galatians 6:14 conveys the apostle Paul’s deep godly aspiration and resolve out of a heart wholly submitted to God for the exaltation of Christ alone. Paul’s words in this verse contain several traits of genuine prayer: (i) they exhibit a worshipful resolve, (ii) they express the spirit of devotion, even a cry of deep allegiance to the cross of Christ and a forsaking of worldly and self glory, and (iii) they exemplify a heart dedicated singularly to the holy aspiration of magnifying Christ above all else.
“But God forbid that I should glory...”
Paul’s language (“God forbid”) is strong. “God forbid” translates a Greek phrase of strong rejection – “May it never be!” He was expressing a strong prayerful wish that it would never be found in him to boast in anything that exalts self. He desired to be stripped of every inclination to seek honour from his righteousness, success, or possessions. He wanted any desire or expectation of human praise out of his mind. His prayerful ambition was that he would be delivered from self-exaltation and spiritual pride.
In the context of this verse, Paul exposed the motives of the Judaizers, teachers who insisted that Gentile believers must be circumcised and observe the ceremonial laws to be fully accepted by God. Paul argued that they did so to avoid persecution and to boast in the outward conformity of their converts. Their focus was on external religion, not inner transformation. The false teachers boasted in the flesh – in outward marks of religiosity, such as circumcision.
We must be aware of our potential to succumb to subtle arrogance that can cause us to boast in our religious rites, roles, titles, performance, etc. So, like the apostle Paul, we must seek God’s help to cast down every trophy of flesh. A believer’s prayer must echo this rejection: a heart emptied of self, so it may be filled with Christ.
“O Lord, forbid that I should glory in anything of myself, my intellect, my beauty, my success, or my religious heritage. Let all boasting be silent before the weight of Thy glory.”
“... save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ …”
Paul’s prayer was that his soul would glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ alone – not just the wooden beam on which He was hung, but all that it means: the perfect atoning sacrifice Christ made for the forgiveness and justification of sinful, guilty, and condemned humanity. The cross was the symbol of God’s merciful provision for the removal of His wrath against us, that we may be eternally reconciled to God and be heirs of all His promised blessings, including heaven. The cross is not merely the entry point of salvation; it is the daily triumph and glory of the believer in all that God has provided for us through Christ (cf. Romans 8:32).
This prayer acknowledges the centrality of the cross as the believer’s sole claim before God. Paul utterly rejected any grounds for boasting in himself, his achievements, or religious observances (like circumcision, which he has discussed earlier in the Book of Galatians). The cross is the heart of a Christian’s theology, ethics, worship, ministry and life. The desire and prayer of a Christian’s life and ministry ought to be enjoying and fulfilling the purposes for which Christ died on the cross.
So let us pray, “Lord, teach me to live under the shadow of the cross. In all duties and experiences of my life as a Christian, may I humbly live for the cross of Christ, and not for the honour of self and the world. May the cross be my identity, my song, my hope, and my anchor.”
“... by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
To say that “the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world”, is to declare that the world’s allure is dead and powerless to oneself. The world, in its rebellion against God, promotes self-exaltation and glory, so the believer ought to see through its dreadful spiritual state, and pray to God for maintaining a separation from it.
Paul sees not only the world as dead to him, but also himself as dead to it. This is a two-way crucifixion! Like Paul, every Christian should consider the world to be crucified through Christ. The believer, living by Christ, has a new identity in the world. He is no longer a worldly citizen, but a citizen of heaven on earth. His loyalty is no longer to this world, but to Christ. He lives not for earthly gain, but for divine purposes in Christ. Because of our admiration for Christ, the world should grow dim in our minds. Its pleasures should lose their sweetness, its ambitions their shine, and its applause its value.
Let us pray, “Lord, make me dead to the systems and values of this fallen world. Help me to detach myself from its pride, its lusts, its carnal passions. Guard me from loving what Thou hast taught us to hate in this world. May I be quick to sever the cords that tie my heart to worldly prestige, fleshly desires, and selfish ambition. Let Thy cross separate my soul from this present evil world, that I may always live for Thy glory.”
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Christians are exhorted here not to act in a way that would cause the Holy Spirit to be sorrowful. The word “grief” denotes pain or sadness felt in the heart of someone who deeply loves another. This is a reminder that we should always seek to please the Holy Spirit, who so affectionately and assiduously works in us.
The apostle Paul has mentioned the Holy Spirit about a dozen times in his epistle to the Ephesians, in connection with what He does for Christians. The Spirit of God has been at work within us to impart spiritual life, and to sanctify, strengthen, secure us for the Lord. By the Spirit, we are sealed unto the day of redemption (1:13; 4:30). He is “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” that gives us the knowledge of the Lord (1:17; 3:5). It is by the Spirit that we have access unto the Father through Jesus Christ (2:18). Through the Spirit, believers are built “together for an habitation of God” (2:22). We are strengthened with might in the inner man by His Spirit (3:16). The Holy Spirit helps us to keep the unity of the church in the bond of peace (4:3, 4). He fills us that we may sing and give thanks unto the Lord (5:18ff). He equips us with the Sword of the Spirit (6:17), and aids us in our prayers (6:18). When the Holy Spirit does all these and so much more to guide, empower and preserve us, how can we grieve Him?
Let us be cautious of our conduct lest we grieve and pain the blessed Spirit of God who dwells within us. An attitude of ingratitude and sin certainly would sadden Him. Paul had already warned in this epistle against theft, falsehood, anger, unwholesome words, etc. Our open and gross sins will grieve the Holy Spirit. Our carnal thoughts and desires will grieve Him. The Spirit of God is pure, ever working to create within us virtuous passions and goals. So, how can we expect Him to dwell in our soul if it is filled with desires and thoughts that are abominable to Him?
The words of Paul remind us of the prophet Isaiah’s words, “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit” (Isaiah 63:10). Let us not vex the Holy Spirit if we are genuinely thankful that He has “sealed” us for the final “day of redemption”. To seal the soul unto the day of redemption is to make our salvation sure. The only appropriate conduct in view of all that the Holy Spirit does for us is that we yield ourselves to please Him.
29b But that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Immediately after prohibiting corrupt communication, Paul encourages good speech. He advises Christians to see that their words are wellchosen, to the extent that they edify others. The conversation of Christians should be honourable and beneficial, so that it edifies, rather than harms or destroys others.
Speech is a special gift from God. We must use it as His Word directs us. Here we are exhorted to use it for edifying one another. The Greek word that Paul used for “edifying” (oikodómēsis) denotes the act of building a house. In Paul’s epistles, it is used to indicate spiritual nurture or advancement.
We must, through our speech, seek to build one another up. We must speak so as to do good to others. By relating our testimony of salvation and sharing the Gospel of Christ with the unsaved, we can point some souls to Christ our Saviour. Through friendly discussions, we can impart God’s truths to the young or less mature in faith, that they may grow in the knowledge of God’s Word. We can comfort those who are weary and sad with God’s promises. We can prevent some from going astray by providing timely and wise advice. We can correct and restore those who have erred in their ways by admonishing them in love.
There is a great need for us to engage in godly conversation that will bring edification to one another. Merely refraining from corrupt speech is not good enough. Great spiritual disaster will come upon our church, friends and family members, if we choose not to speak when there is a need to do so. Where there is a lack of godly conversation, the unhindered growth of spiritual maladies will take root and fester.
We must speak with wisdom and grace to impart spiritual blessings and protection to others. May our words provide spiritual benefits. As Paul said, we must strive to “minister grace unto the hearers.” Proverbs 25:11 tells us, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” Appropriate words spoken at the right time in the best manner are beautiful and precious, indeed. Let us remember that our words have power, either for good or evil. Let us, therefore, speak in such a way that will build up our hearers, and not tear them down.
29a Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.
This is a prohibition against bad speech. The Greek word for “corrupt” denotes that which is putrid, rotten and hence corrupting, defiling and injurious. Jesus said in Matthew 15:18, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
Corrupt communication includes many kinds of bad speech, such as bad language, vulgar and profane exclamations, foolish talking, filthy conversation, unprofitable remarks, profane oaths, lies, false witnessing, angry utterances, provocative words, demeaning statements, hurtful words, curses, threatening, abusive language, ridicule, gossips, slandering, false accusations, proud and arrogant expressions, boasting, flattery, misleading advice, false teaching, unwholesome and filthy songs, etc.
Corrupt communication can easily occur; it is a common malady even in churches and among Christians. Not only do new Christians fall prey to it, even believers who are well advanced in sanctification have been overtaken by the sin of evil communication. We must always be watchful against falling into this unsavoury conduct. Since our bad speech is an expression of our defiled thoughts and feelings, we must strive to cleanse our hearts and minds constantly, and to keep them from being defiled again.
It is also important that we avoid the company of men and women who engage in evil communication. Those who spend time communing with people who are unguarded in their speech will soon be like them. Those who read unwholesome materials or entertain themselves with profane shows will easily learn their bad language and mannerism. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”
Godly men will be cautious of what they say. They will pray to God to help them guard their speech. If we learn to control our tongue, we can avoid many embarrassing situations. We can also avoid many quarrels, as well as the poisoning and even severing of friendships. Let us make David’s prayer in Psalm 19:14 ours as well: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
28b But rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
A Christian should never pursue any dishonest means of material gain, such as through stealing. He is advised to “labour, working with his hands”. The thief must stop stealing and begin to put in some hard, honest labour. The Greek word for “labour” (kopiáō) denotes toil or engaging in hard work to the point of exhaustion. Paul used this word in connection with “working with his hands”. Christians should prefer hard, manual labour to stealing. The apostle Paul, when he was without any financial assistance, had given himself to hard labour, working with his hands to support the Gospel work (1 Corinthians 4:12). According to Acts 18:3, when he was in Corinth, he supported himself by working as a tentmaker, together with Aquila. In Acts 20:34, referring to his time in Ephesus, he further said “that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.” Without question, he worked hard to support himself and those in need.
Whether it was in a secular profession or in the ministry, Paul was assiduous and hardworking. In 1 Corinthians 15:4, he said, “but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:9, Paul wrote, “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.” Like Paul, we must dedicate our hands, our minds and our strength to undertaking and accomplishing tasks that are good, instead of doing that which is bad, contrary to God’s law. We must not be slothful or lazy in our work. We must not detest hard work. Christians must always be industrious people. Whether it is at workplace, at home, or in church, let us be diligent to put our hands to useful and profitable things.
A commitment to hard work will not only help us to cease from dishonest and evil activities (such as stealing), but will also provide us with means to earn a living for ourselves and to help others in need. The Bible teaches us to be eager to help others who are in need. Paul was a tender-hearted, generous person who took lead in helping others (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:26; 1 Corinthians 16:1-9). As he wrote in Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
28a Let him that stole steal no more.
This is a prohibition against stealing. The word “stole” in Greek is a present participle verb, which has durative force. Thus, it denotes ‘he who used to steal’ or an actual thief. Whatever form of stealing there had been in a person’s life, once he becomes a Christian, he must stop it utterly.
Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-19 that thefts proceed from the heart and defile a person. Stealing is an unrighteous act that does not befit the followers of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, the apostle Paul listed thieves among those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. He said, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Theft was regarded as a serious sin in the Old Testament and prohibited in firm words – “Thou shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15; Leviticus 19:11; Deuteronomy 5:19; Isaiah 1:29; Jeremiah 7:9). Jesus cited the commandment, “Thou shall not steal”, in Mark 10:19, and so did the apostle Paul in Romans 13:9. Stealing is a violation of God’s commandment; it is also a social evil that disrupts the peace and progress of every community.
Stealing is taking another person’s property without permission or legal right, and without any intention of returning it. It is the illegal possession of anything owned by others. Many people practise various forms of stealing today - robbery, burglary, shoplifting, looting, petty theft, fraudulent business, profiteering, withholding employees’ promised pay, mismanagement of time and properties at work, cheating on taxes, refusal to pay debts, plagiarism, copyright violation, not giving tithes and offerings to support God’s work, etc.
Let us not engage in any form of stealing. Neither let us admire nor follow the pattern of those who become rich at the expense of others. Do not collaborate with those who covetously deal with others. Some may have committed certain form of stealing without realising the severity of the misdemeanour. Nonetheless, everyone should repent from the sin of stealing when the Spirit of God convicts him through His Word. And wherever possible, he should restore those things to the rightful owner.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
After emphasising God’s grace that leads us through our sufferings to eternal glory, Peter burst forth into a brief anthem of praise to God. This doxology is found at the end of Peter’s prayer. Earlier in this epistle, a similar doxology was mentioned - “that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).
This is the ultimate expression of praise from a grateful heart that has understood the greatness of God’s grace and power which have been made available to him through the Lord Jesus Christ. Every thankful heart delights itself in glorifying God. As Psalm 71:8 says, “Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.”
Moreover, praise is due unto Him by virtue of the excellence of His nature, the grandeur of His majesty, the greatness of His power, the magnificence of His wisdom, and the exceeding riches of His grace and blessings. We must render praise to Him all day long. We must exalt His great and wondrous name as often as we think of Him. Whenever prayers are made, we must ascribe honour and praise to Him. We must exalt Him in times of our individual prayers and worship. It must also be our joy to talk of His greatness before others. Furthermore, we must unite our hearts with all His thankful people to raise the anthems of His praise in worship, saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
Note what Peter first of all said - “To him be glory”. The glory of God is what He is essentially. The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of all His manifold perfections. Our God is glorious. All His attributes and all His works are glorious. Now what is giving glory to God? When we acknowledge Him and submit ourselves to Him to praise Him as glorious, we are giving glory to God.
Secondly, Peter also said, “To him be... dominion”. When we ascribe to Him dominion, we acknowledge and humbly yield to His majesty and eternal reign. We honour Him as the Sovereign King and render ourselves to obey His commandments and serve Him. May it be our joy to give ourselves to glorify the all-glorious God and King, every day of our lives.
10b After that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Earlier, Peter has said in this verse that God of all grace has called us unto eternal glory by Christ Jesus. But the path through which our gracious God leads us to His eternal glory is strewn with suffering. As we journey through this world, we must be prepared to bear sufferings which we will encounter from time to time. It may appear strange that our gracious God would permit us to be afflicted. However, let us acknowledge that for the present, it is our lot to suffer according to His gracious plan for us.
We may not all experience similar sufferings, but none of us shall be wholly free from them. Jesus said in John 16:33, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”. Our sufferings may be inward or they may come from without. But as Peter has stated, it shall only be for “a while”. The word “while” can mean “for a short or brief time”. In view of the eternal glory that we shall soon inherit, Peter considers our earthly sufferings as just for a little while. This statement by Peter is very much in line with the apostle Paul’s declaration: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Our sufferings are short in the light of eternity; they are light when compared with the exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The contrast between the brevity of our earthly sufferings and the perpetuity of our glory cannot be more pronounced. For the moment, the suffering seems severe; but it is both little and brief, compared to the glory of eternity.
Whatever we may have to suffer, be it an assault on our character or possession or body, let us fix our thoughts increasingly on the eternal glory that we shall soon inherit. Assuredly, our sufferings of this present time will not last forever. Moreover, the God of all grace will sustain and nurture us through our affliction. Peter tells us that He will make us “perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle” us. Our suffering does not contradict the grace of our God. Whether our suffering be a chastisement or trial of faith, His grace will use it as a means for perfecting, establishing, strengthening and settling us. Whatever be our ordeals, we are not going to get worse and worse in our faith, conduct or service. The God of all grace will ensure that we are being equipped, strengthened and established in faith, hope and holiness as a people of eternal glory. So, let us also pray that in our suffering, the Lord will perfect His good work in us.
(Report by Pr Jeremiah Sim)
It was a sacred and joyous occasion for the Seniors’ Ministry to come together to reminisce and reflect on 20 years of God’s abundant richness and blessings upon this ministry. Our hearts are filled with praise as we echo the words of the psalmist in Psalm 111:1-4, “Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.”
We are truly grateful to the Lord for enabling us to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry with a retreat held at Gurney Bay Hotel, Penang, Malaysia (9th-12th April 2025). It was solely by God’s unfailing grace, mercy, and aid that every aspect of the event – from the meticulous planning to the demanding logistics – came together smoothly. We truly wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lord for the brethren who enthusiastically served faithfully and joyfully, labouring in love and unity to ensure the seamless execution of this memorable 20th Seniors’ Ministry Anniversary Thanksgiving.
Upon our arrival at the Gurney Bay Hotel, there were mirthful delight and joyful excitement as we gazed upon the splendid view of the serene sea and coastline, which are wondrous manifestations of God’s marvellous creation (cf. Genesis 1:10). After a hearty dinner, our first meeting began at 8:15pm, with heartfelt praise and worship led by our song leader. Pr Samson then delivered the first exhortation, from Colossians 3:15-17, on the theme: “Be Ye Thankful”.
Over the course of the retreat, Pr Samson preached five encouraging and comforting messages, as follows:
The Reason for Being Thankful to the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)
In addition, we were edified by the sharing of God’s Word by Eld Mah, Eld Ng, Pr Jeremiah, and Pr Daniel, through four morning devotion messages, and a night prayer meeting.
We give all glory to God for the rich spiritual lessons learned during this retreat. It was truly a fruitful time of reflection, thanksgiving, and growth for our seniors. Throughout the four days, many had put their faith into action—encouraging one another in the Lord, and showing care and kindness, especially to those who were less mobile. We praise God for His divine protection throughout our travels and the entire retreat. As the psalmist declares in Psalm 107:1, so too we pray, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
To God be all the glory!
Dns Diana Chan
Thank God for a blessed GSM 20th Anniversary Retreat in Penang. I am thankful to Eld Mah and the team for their labour of love in organising the retreat for our seniors. In the morning of day one, we were encouraged by Eld Mah’s sharing of Pastor Koshy’s well wishes and prayer for us. Praise God also for church brethren’s prayers and love gifts for the retreat, as well as a blessed time of learning God’s Word and fellowship with retreat participants (not to mention the enjoyment of local delights in Penang).
I thank God for the exhortation of God’s Word on the theme, “Be Ye Thankful”, preached by Pr Samson, and the devotions by Eld Mah, Eld Ng, Pr Daniel, and Pr Jeremiah (not forgetting the interpretation by Pr Daniel). Praise God too for the singing of hymns and spiritual songs (both in English and Mandarin), from pre-recorded piano instrumentals.
Among many valuable lessons, I learned that it is the duty of believers to give thanks to God. The duty is not enforced. It is our required role. Realising that we were once wicked and doomed for judgment, but now are justified and saved for the eternal glory of God, we ought to thank God for the sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to redeem us from our sins. Our thanksgiving is rendered only unto God, the most High.
Our attitude in thanking God should be of a joyful and grateful spirit, like the thankful leper, thanking God for what He has done for us. A thankful heart is a peaceful heart. So, “let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15). A thankful heart is also one that is ruled by the Word of God. We are to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). Furthermore, a thankful heart is one which is filled, controlled and ruled by the Holy Spirit. A person dominated by the Holy Spirit will honour God.
May I give thanks and pray without ceasing (Acts 12:5), make a joyful noise unto the LORD, serve Him with gladness (Psalm 100:1-2), offer unto God thanksgiving, and call upon Him in times of trouble. All praise be unto God!
Carrie Lee
I thank God for enabling my husband, Raymond, and me to attend the recent Gethsemane Seniors’ Retreat in Penang. Thank God for the faithful exposition of His Word by Pr Samson. Thank God too for the morning devotions by the preachers and elders. I thank God for all who have laboured tirelessly for this retreat, be it in logistics, refreshments or other areas. Thank God for the sweet fellowship among like-minded brethren. May God help me to always remember to come before Him with much thanksgiving for what Christ has done at the cross. Help me to be thankful, Lord!
Wong Ah Yee
I learned much from the messages during the retreat for four days (9th-12th April 2025). God has helped me during the trip to Penang. I returned back home safely on Sunday, 13th April. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to go for the trip. I have to thank God for everything. I am very happy to go for the trip. If there is another chance to go for another Bible retreat, I would like to go again.
Margaret Poon
I praise and thank God for the opportunity to attend GSM’s 20th Anniversary Retreat in Penang, together with my mother (whom many of you call Auntie Rose). Thank God for the caring elders and other brethren, who are constantly on the lookout for the well-being of my aged mum, as well as other elderly members. I would like to express my gratitude to God for their kindness and support.
May the Lord bless the brethren who had laboured and served joyfully in various capacities for the retreat. Indeed, the retreat’s committee and group ICs went above and beyond to provide excellent support, assisting with web check in, hotel logistics, serving in tea breaks, etc, providing a blessed experience.
The messages on “Be Ye Thankful” emphasise the importance of acknowledging God’s blessings in our lives. Indeed, “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).
May the Lord continue to preserve us in our daily walk with Him, with grateful hearts through actions as well as words.
Cheng Han
Thank God for the organising committee of this year’s GSM Retreat, during which I learned many precious lessons from God’s Word through Pr Samson’s 5 messages.
One lesson that struck me was how the Lord Jesus told the woman who had committed adultery, to “go and sin no more”. We were taught that we ought to thank God for our salvation. When our sins are forgiven, we have peace with God. We must then continue to embrace God’s law and live holy lives.
When we are thankful, we must tell others about the goodness of God. When we count our blessings, our hearts are full of joy. We encourage, edify and love one another, as we do all things heartily as unto the Lord. To do the work of God, we need to heed His Word, study His Word, hold forth the Word of life, and declare the whole counsel of God. I am thankful for Pr Samson, Pr Jeremiah, Pr Daniel, Eld Ng, and Eld Mah for their love for God.
Mary Goh
Recollecting God’s blessings and giving thanks for all His benefits are reflections of our humble desire and gratitude to honour and praise God (Psalm 100:1-5).
On the morning of 25th March, 2025, I slipped on a mango skin at the curb of the road. I lost my balance and fell by the roadside, resulting in the hurting of my left thigh all the way to the ankle. The pain was excruciating. I thank God that, by His mercy, the X-ray taken showed only a slight fracture of about half an inch away from the joint. I had to wear a cast under the doctor’s advice. By His grace, the cast was removed before the GSM 20th Anniversary Retreat, which enabled me to attend the retreat in Penang (9th-12th April 2025). I am truly thankful to God! In addition, I wish to thank Him for another of His blessing, in that as I walked the pain also subsided slightly. All praise be to the Lord (cf. John 15:7)!
The preaching of God’s Word during the retreat gave me times of reflection on God’s abundant mercies and the many blessings He has bestowed upon me, individually and as a fellowship of believers. As a follower of Christ, I have to thank God in whatever things I do (Col 3:17), and for whatever things that happen in life. God is to be honoured and praised in the lives of His people (1 Thess 5:18).
Daniel Svasti
We are thankful to God for Pr Samson’s teaching us through the 5 retreat messages, beginning with the sad but true reality that people are not naturally thankful. We were taught that we can only have peace with God when we are reconciled through His Son, and that “In every thing give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Reinforcing the messages were the daily devotions. Pr Jeremiah reminded us that as the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3), we are to ponder and thank God for His Son, and for the privilege to listen to His Word. Eld Ng taught us to be grateful, just like the only leper (among the ten healed) who returned to thank our Saviour (Luke 17:11-19), and to thank and praise our Lord in times of affliction (Job 2:10). Pr Daniel not only translated every message and devotion during the retreat, but also gave the third devotion in English and translated it into Mandarin. He taught that in times of trouble, we must pray without ceasing (Acts 12:1-5). Eld Mah brought us the final devotion, leaving us with much thought from Psalm 50:14-15, where we learnt of the believer’s duties and God’s assurance.
We thank Eld Mah for coming up with the Retreat Handbook and WhatsApp messages, to keep us all organised. We thank Pastor Koshy for his foreword (drawn from Psalm 71:17-18), which exhorted us that even when we are old and grey-haired, our Lord will not forsake us until we have shown God’s strength unto this generation.
Stella Svasti
Thanks to God for sustaining the Seniors’ Ministry for 20 years, and for giving Daniel and me this opportunity to attend the Thanksgiving Retreat in Penang. This blessed spiritual event is based on the theme, ‘Be Ye Thankful’, as well as the well-loved, heartwarming hymn, ‘Thanks to God’.
It was a special joy to hear Pr Samson expounding the 5 theme messages taken from Col 3:15-17. May we let the Word of God manifest daily in our lives, that the new man in us be thankful in all circumstances, knowing that such thankfulness will bring forth peace with God and fruitfulness. We are to let God’s Word govern our hearts, so that we may love to proclaim the Word. We were further blessed by daily devotions from Pr Jeremiah, Pr Daniel, Eld Ng and Eld Mah.
We have so much to be thankful to the Lord for – His grace, mercies, goodness and daily provisions. The retreat helped us to appreciate the heavy responsibilities and challenges the organising committee had undertaken, so as to meet the participants’ physical and spiritual needs. O Lord, may You give me a thankful heart at all times!
Aileen Yan
A command to “Be Thankful in All Things” is the theme for the messages of the Seniors’ Ministry 20th Anniversary Retreat, held in Penang (9th-12th April 2025). I thank God for enabling me to attend this retreat, together with 48 participants, to receive great blessings to learn from His precious Word.
Thank God for blessing us through Pr Samson’s sermons from Colossians 3:15-17, as well as through the devotions shared by Eld Mah, Eld Ng, Pr Jeremiah and Pr Daniel.
Lastly, I thank God for blessing us with very warm fellowship and willingness in extending care for one another. Praise the Lord for blessing all participants with good health and safety in travels. All glory be to God for granting all of us a very blessed 20th Anniversary Retreat.
Benjamin Chong
I thank God for enabling me to attend the 20th Seniors’ Ministry Anniversary Retreat at Penang. The messages preached by Pr Samson on the theme, “Be Ye Thankful”, are a timely reminder that “whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col 3:17).
Against the severity of our lost condition, God’s goodness is manifested in the context of the salvation that Jesus has achieved eternally, which secures for us the peace from then on. This peace is constantly being built up through obedience, spiritual discipline, and with thankful hearts. Obedience calls us to have commitment to our duties of proclaiming God’s truth and love through our words and actions, which in turn will multiply thankful hearts within and around us.
It is a joyful encouragement to know that “thankfulness” can be achieved in all situations (Rom 8:28). It is not founded upon baseless worldly hopes, but fully grounded on God’s truth and character.
Ara Ballega
I praise the Lord for His abundant grace and provision in granting me the blessed opportunity to take part in the GSM 20th Anniversary Retreat. Truly, He orchestrated all things perfectly, and my heart overflows with thankfulness for His faithfulness (cf. Colossians 3:15). As I reflect on the Lord’s manifold blessings during the retreat, I’m thankful for the privilege of serving and growing together in Christ. I like to share some key takeaways, as follows:
Joyful and faithful service – I am deeply grateful for the dedicated efforts in the preparations, implementations / execution of the entire programme, including the preaching of God’s Word during the morning devotions (by Eld Mah, Eld Ng, Pr Jeremiah and Pr Daniel).
Nourishment of God’s Word – the exhortation of God’s Word by Pr. Samson on the theme, “Be Ye Thankful” (Colossians 3:15-17), which deepened my understanding of gratitude in Christ.
Spiritual blessings – The retreat was a time of feasting upon the wonderful truths of Scripture, strengthening our faith and drawing us closer to the Lord.
Sweet fellowship among the saints – God’s love was beautifully evident through the mutual care, encouragement, and prayers shared among brethren, a true testimony of His presence in our midst.
God’s provision – The Lord graciously provided a conducive venue, as well as nourishing meals and safety throughout our travels, ensuring our comfort and well-being.
Miriam Wong
I thank God for the preaching of God’s Word, and the fellowship, as well as the labour of love shown by all the brethren in Christ who toiled hard for this retreat. Thank God also for the readily available Grab service to bring us around the place.
I see God’s goodness upon my father and my mother’s lives through Gethsemane Seniors’ Ministry. I am most humbled by their being alive, and that God is working in them still. Though it is heartbreaking that my mother could not join us in the retreat, I must learn to submit to God’s will in our lives.