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READ:

2 Thessalonians 2:14

¹⁴ Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

EXHORTATION:

The believers in Thessalonica were told by Paul that they were called by God Himself through the apostolic preaching of the Gospel. Theologians refer to this as the “effectual calling unto salvation”. When the Gospel is preached to a group of people, it is only those who are persuaded in their hearts that the Gospel is a divine invitation to them to believe on Christ the Saviour, who will repent and trust Him for their salvation.

We believe in the Gospel, because we have heard and understood it as God lovingly calling us to receive His gracious salvation. His calling had been most earnest and compelling in our souls when we heard the Gospel. Though the ones who preached the Gospel were persuasive, we understood it as God Himself persuading us to reconcile to Him. We have been convicted of His beckoning of us unto Himself, through the Gospel presented to us.

In the preceding verse, the apostle Paul described the divine working that led to our salvation. He wrote, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (v. 13). In 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul said, “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance”. Our conviction of the divine call unto faith and salvation is the result of the Holy Spirit’s powerful persuasion of our hearts by the Gospel.

It is also interesting to note that Paul referred to the Gospel as “our gospel”. Is it not the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Why then should he say “our gospel”? When the apostle and his fellow preachers presented the Gospel, they presented it as their own conviction and experience. Their voices not only declared the Gospel, but their lives as well, which were completely overwhelmed, fashioned and directed by the Gospel. Like the apostles, let us consecrate our lives unto the heralding of the Gospel.

Paul also said that God has called us by the Gospel “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Gospel is a divine invitation to us to partake of the eternal glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the Gospel, God will lead us all the way to His glory. As Paul said, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

READ:

Galatians 1:9b

^9b If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

EXHORTATION:

An absolute denunciation of every preacher of the false gospel is uttered here. This is the second time in two successive verses that Paul denounces false preachers. In the previous verse he said, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). Whether it be a man of repute (like the apostle) or a heavenly being (like an angel), if he distorts the truth of the Gospel, he is an accursed individual!

In the Galatian church, certain Jewish men were insisting that Christians – whether Jew or Greek – should subscribe to Jewish ceremonial customs, such as circumcision and dietary laws, in order to be saved. They are known as Judaizers. Those men were undermining the pure Gospel message that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone, who died and rose again for the forgiveness of sins. Many of the Galatian church members were severely affected by the teachings of the Judaizers. So Paul said in verse 6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel”.

Any gospel other than “salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus who died and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures”, is a distorted gospel. Even today, many add to or subtract from the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a great need for us not only to preach the pure Gospel with clarity and zeal, but also to denounce the false gospels and their advocates.

Note that the apostle’s severe censure is not only for the false gospel message but also for its preacher. He said, “let him be accursed.” The word “accursed”, translated from the Greek word anathema, denotes a person given up to be cursed and destroyed. Indeed, those who preach another gospel are already given up to be cursed and destroyed. If we do not warn Christians about false teachers who shall arise and their false doctrines, many unsuspecting people can be misled to accept their false teachings and false ways.

Paul, the zealous champion of the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, warns us against believing and propagating any perverted form of the Gospel of Christ. May we be steadfast and true to Christ and His Gospel.

READ:

Romans 10:16

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

EXHORTATION:

The faithful, clear preaching of the Gospel will not necessarily result in its acceptance by the hearers. Even though a biblically sound message is preached by a godly, faithful preacher whom God has appointed, Scripture reminds us that hearers could still reject it.

The apostle Paul says without any hesitation, “But they have not all obeyed the gospel.” In Acts 28:24, concerning the response of the Jews who came to hear Paul expound the Old Testament Scriptures concerning the kingdom of God, Luke reported, “And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.”

The apostle Paul reminds us that the rejection of the preaching of the Gospel was not something peculiar to him alone when he referred to the prophet Isaiah’s lament, “Lord, who hath believed our report?” (cf. Isaiah 53:1). The expression “who hath believed?” is a Hebrew literary genre that emphatically expresses that only a few or even none had done what is mentioned in the phrase. Isaiah was very grieved that hardly any of his Jewish hearers believed what God had told him to prophesy about Christ.

The words “our report” indicate that the prophet had accurately communicated to the people the words which God had given him. The preacher’s greatest duty is to tell the people all that God has revealed with precision and faithfulness. He cannot alter his God-given message to suit the expectations or opinions of the hearers.

Just as the preacher ought to be faithful, the hearers ought also to be faithful to God. Faithful hearers would respond to faithful preaching with obedient faith. An unfaithful audience is the despair of every faithful preacher. The two verbs that Paul uses to denote the response of the hearers are “obeyed” and “believed”. Obedience is an inseparable feature of faith. The only appropriate and acceptable response of the hearers of the Gospel is their obedient faith. The reason why obedient faith is required from the hearers of the faithful preaching of God’s Word is because the message carries the authority of God.

Dear preacher, are you a faithful preacher of God’s Word? Dear hearer of God’s Word, do you obediently believe it?

READ:

Luke 9:24

²⁴ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

EXHORTATION:

This statement of Jesus seems paradoxical in two aspects: “whosoever will save his life shall lose it”, and also “whosoever will lose his life … shall save it.” This seemingly paradoxical statement is also found in Matthew 10:39. In John 12:25, Jesus states it in an explanatory manner: “He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”

So it is apparent that Jesus used the word “life” in two senses – firstly, life as pertaining to earthly life with all its sins, cares, ambitions, pleasures, etc; and secondly, life as pertaining to eternal life.

Thus Jesus was essentially saying, “If the desire and focus of your heart is to save your earthly life because of your love for its carnal pleasures, material glory and suchlike, then you will lose sight of the importance of pursuing your eternal life and will eventually lose your very soul in hell. But if you give up the carnal pleasures and material glories of your earthly life for the delight and pursuit of eternal life that Jesus offers, then you will have life eternal.”

Self-love and love for the world and the things of the world are ruinous to one’s soul. It prevents a man from setting his mind and his affection on Christ and eternal life. If a man, like the rich young ruler, loves and holds on to his earthly life and its glories, he will go away without eternal life.

It is important to take note that Jesus was not advocating that by simply giving up one’s earthly gains, one would have eternal life. Jesus has clearly said that eternal life is for those who “will lose his life for my sake”. In other words, the reason for giving up earthly life has to be for the pursuit of Christ. By giving up everything for charitable purposes would not grant anyone eternal life. The emphasis is on one’s total consecration to Christ, even at the expense of one’s physical life. So, if a man hates his material and carnal way of life and totally turns to Christ, he renounces the sinful, carnal pleasures and temporal glory, and shall thereby gain eternal life.

Christ calls all His followers to put Him first in their lives. Nothing should be given priority in one’s heart above Christ, if one is to be a possessor of the eternal life that Christ promises.

READ:

Mark 16:15b

^15b Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

EXHORTATION:

Christ’s commission to His apostles gives the Gospel work a global scope. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be offered to the whole world. It must be extended beyond all boundaries, divisions and classes. The whole world is to be reached with the Gospel. When it comes to our commitment to spread the Gospel, it should not be subject to limitations of country, or distinctions of culture, or barriers of ethnicity, or restraints of language. We are commissioned to preach the Gospel to “every creature”. Wherever there is man, Christians should attempt to bring the Gospel. Our Lord has commanded us to constantly expand our vision for the Gospel outreach. It is gross disobedience to limit our attempt to spread the Gospel beyond our region. We must be ever ready to forward the Gospel to new frontiers. No one who takes the words of the Lord seriously can remain passive about the global advancement of the Gospel.

Christians must know that they are commissioned by their Lord and Saviour to be wholly involved in the global movement for the Gospel. They must join forces, as God has enabled them, with the rest of the church to send forth the Gospel everywhere. Not every Christian is called to be an evangelist or missionary or preacher. However, every church and every Christian must joyfully yield to advance the Gospel across the world.

The preaching of the Gospel is the greatest work that Christ has entrusted to Christians. Therefore, all true Christians must enthusiastically give themselves to make Gospel-preaching a worldwide movement. It must be their joy to be part of the Lord’s grand plan for redeeming sinners and gathering them as His saints for the eternal celestial home which He is preparing. The apostle Paul asks us, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15).

Our Lord says to us, “Go”. Will we then answer Him, “No, we will stay back or hold back”? Our Lord’s charge is that we must always be committed to spreading the Gospel. Let us arise then and go to preach the Gospel to the uttermost part of the world. Let us do our part for global evangelism.

Vaping is the act of inhaling vapour produced by an electronic device, commonly known as an e-cigarette. These devices heat a liquid that typically contains nicotine, flavourings, and a cocktail of chemicals, many of which are harmful to the lungs and overall health.

Inside most vaping cartridges are liquids laced with nicotine and sweet flavourings that appeal to young users, ranging from candy and fruit to even peanut butter. However, beyond the enticing tastes lie hazardous substances, including carbonyls, formaldehyde, benzene, and heavy metals, such as tin, lead, and nickel. These are toxic compounds, especially when inhaled.

Medical professionals have raised serious concerns. Vaping, they warn, can damage the lungs, heart, and immune system, and may even lead to cancer. One doctor recently shared, “Some end up in the intensive care unit, requiring all sorts of invasive measures just to stay alive.”

Here in Singapore, reports of an alarming rise in youth vaping—including children in primary schools—have deeply troubled many. Despite vaping being illegal in Singapore, the problem is growing, prompting authorities to consider stronger enforcement measures.

Local newspapers have not minced words, calling it “the vape scourge in Singapore”, “inhaling the breath of death”, and “the invisible crisis”. This is not a concern confined to our nation alone. Neighbouring countries are witnessing the same destructive trend. Youths on overseas trips, especially without parental guidance and supervision, are particularly vulnerable to exposure.

According to a report in The Straits Times, “Vaping is a global crisis that is getting more youth hooked on drugs, as crime syndicates pack potent and addictive substances into small devices that look like pens or lighters.” (Read more here: www.straitstimes.com/singapore/why-the-vape-scourge-in-singapore-concerns-everyone).

Our Christian Response

As pastors, parents, and concerned believers, we must not stay silent. Scripture calls us to be stewards of our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20), and to protect the young and vulnerable from harm. Let us pray, speak, and act with both truth and love, educating our youths, supporting wise policies, and reminding all that true freedom is found not in indulging the flesh, but in walking by the Spirit.

Your Body Is God’s Temple—Not Yours to Damage

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you… and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body…” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Vaping, like other addictive behaviours, threatens the health of the body and clouds the mind. Scripture teaches that your body is not your property, but God’s, redeemed at the cost of Christ’s blood. How you treat your body reflects your reverence for God’s ownership, and your honour for His indwelling presence.

Vaping may seem trendy, but it is a fleeting, destructive trend. Worse still, it turns you away from honouring God with your body.

So, whatever you do with your body, ask yourself: Is what I’m doing showing reverence for the body God gave me?

Don’t Be Conformed—Be Transformed

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The world says, “Do what everyone else is doing.” But the Word says, “Be different, be holy.” All believers should reject the ungodly, unsafe, and unwholesome patterns of this world. Instead, they must embrace a transformed life through the renewal of the mind in obedience to God’s Word. True worship involves presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, set apart for God. Transformation begins inwardly, shaping our thoughts in submission to God’s will, as revealed in His Word. Then our actions will reflect God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will—and not of the world’s destructive fashions.

Vaping has become a cultural phenomenon, especially among young people. But the call of Christ is to stand apart, even when it’s unpopular.

Christian children and youths, you should not be defined by trends, but by the wisdom of God’s Word. Be bold enough to say, “I belong to Christ—I don’t need a device to find peace or pleasure.”

Avoid Traps That Lead to Bondage

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Paul warns us not to let any habit or pleasure gain control of our lives. While many things may be permissible or desirable, not all are beneficial in our spiritual growth and in honouring Christ. Paul warns against being mastered by any habit that hinders spiritual freedom and growth.

Vaping is often marketed as harmless, but science and the experience of many are proving otherwise. It usually leads to nicotine addiction, deeper substance use, and mental health struggles. Many teens use vaping as a coping tool, but rather than helping them, it often deepens their emotional struggles. Reports in Singapore point to the fact that, instead of alleviating anxiety or stress, vaping worsens them through nicotine-induced neurochemical changes. 

Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to self-destruct. True freedom is the power not to be mastered by anything but the Spirit of God, who helps us to have spiritual comfort, peace, and a fruitful life.

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Mission Report from Pangasinan

Donald dela Cruz

I praise the Lord for sustaining the people who come from nearby Inlambo. Four newcomers returned to worship with us last Lord’s Day. I am bringing the minivan to their area to fetch them to and fro. May the Lord help them to learn and settle in the church.

The brethren in San Fernando are also inviting their family members to join the worship service. Two of the regular worshippers invited their siblings last Lord’s Day. Many teenagers from the area likewise attended our service last week. I shared with the brethren our desire to have home visitations in the area from time to time. My family and I plan to stay at one home on one Monday per month, and visit two other homes there. May the Lord guide us to encourage the brethren in San Fernando.

This week, Elsa, who is one of our regular worshippers, underwent an appendicitis operation.  The family falls into the lower income bracket. The family’s source of income is to buy and sell calamansi, and just live day by day with no savings. I urged the brethren to contribute for the expenses of the surgery. Thank God for brethren who responded. I also extended our help of PHP10,000 through the Charity Fund. After the surgery, I invited Elsa to stay in the church to recover and rest. Their house is very small, and she has small children as young as 2 years old. She has stayed here for 6 days and may still continue for another week.

I praise the Lord for preserving my family and me, when we met with an accident on the highway. A motorcycle with a sidecar hit the side of the van as we were turning left. The motorcycle was very fast and not able to apply the brakes on time. The motorcycle flipped after the accident, and the driver and pillion rider fell. The driver was working at a car body-repair shop, and we settled amicably after fixing the car. I brought the car to their shop last Monday, and it will be released on Saturday. Thankfully, only a minor injury was sustained by the motorcycle driver.

Our programme to send our less privileged youths to school has officially started. We are supporting one Grade 7 student; his name is Ren Lloyd. He has been attending the church for many months. Five siblings are living with their grandfather. The father has abandoned them a long time ago, and their mother also deserted them recently. The mother went to Manila ostensibly to look for a job to support the children, but it was an excuse to run away. The grandfather is also sickly and cannot work well. Ren Lloyd is still living with his grandfather, and we are giving him his daily school pocket money. We also provide one sack of rice to the family every month to help them with their daily provisions.

Please pray for us.

Sermon Text: Psalm 113:1–9
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 20th July 2025

READ:

Psalm 27:10

¹⁰ When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

EXHORTATION:

It is possible that a Christian may be abandoned by his parents. Such tragic scenarios do happen in real life. In fact, Jesus had warned of such betrayals: “Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Mark 13:12-13).

David had, on occasion, felt forsaken by his own household. This we see in Psalm 69:8, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children”; and in Psalm 31:11, “I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.” Is it not also true that our Lord Jesus Christ “came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11)? Likewise, the apostle Paul lamented in 2 Timothy 4:16, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me”.

This shows how vain it is to put our trust in man, “for vain is the help of man” (Psalm 60:11; cf. Psalm 108:12). Indeed, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help” (Psalm 146:3). Even in times of need, it is best to wait upon the LORD. Craving for man’s help may not only end up in disappointment, but even peril at times.

Nonetheless, when men forsake us, be assured that “the LORD will take me up.” Men may hate us, but God shall show us His favour. We may be forsaken by all, but God shall have mercy upon us. “Forsaken by man, but favoured by God” has often been the experience of God’s children.

Let us not doubt the LORD’s favour upon all who trust in Him. The LORD declares in Isaiah 49:15, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Are you perplexed that none of your nearest and dearest is by your side to comfort and strengthen you? Are you dismayed that all have forsaken you? Like David, stand in the promise of God’s unchanging presence. He is our very present help in our trouble (Psalm 46:1). The LORD is sure to help us, even though our natural parents may fail to render their support. God is our succour when others fail us.

READ:

Proverbs 3:12

¹² For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

EXHORTATION:

The Scriptures often ascribe a paternal relationship to the LORD’s dealings with His people. In the text for today’s devotion, the LORD’s corrective measures are depicted as those of a loving father. The idea of God’s paternal correction is evidently taken from Deuteronomy 8:5 – “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.”

Like a father, the LORD corrects us. The Hebrew word for “correcteth” has also been translated in the King James Bible as “reprove”, “rebuke”, “reason”, “chasten”, etc. It refers to verbal corrections, as well as the applying of physical disciplining, like “the rod of correction”. These are the providential interventions of the LORD in our lives to stop us from continuing in our errors and to turn us back to the path of righteousness.

Such “corrections” are the corrections of love. Certainly, corrections can be painful experiences. However, they are necessary actions of His love. They are not meant to repel us from God, but to draw us closer to Him. The LORD’s corrections are marks of His paternal love for us. Every son in whom the LORD delights, He will chastise.

The LORD’s chastisements are not irrational outbursts of an offended and angry heart. “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:8-10). He does not take pleasure in afflicting us. In Lamentations 3:33, it is said, “For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” So when the LORD chastises, He does it out of the necessity for correction which His justice and holiness demands. He does so, not as one who takes pleasure in the miseries of men, but as one who yields to a painful necessity. Moreover, though the LORD may severely chastise us, He will not be cruel. When He chastens, He mitigates its severity with tenderness. He will not keep His anger forever against His people. The actual purposes of His chastening are to bring about the fruit of repentance, holiness and blessedness. God has many gracious and blessed purposes when He chastises us. So, like grateful sons, let us yield to His chastening willingly.

READ:

Psalm 103:13

¹³ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

EXHORTATION:

Our heavenly Father’s pity is briefly and yet eminently described here by comparing it with the pity of a human father. God is pleased to call our attention to His paternal character of pity, so that we may have the best conceptions of the character of God.

Pity is the tender love and mercy shown by the infinitely superior God to the undeserving, rebellious creatures as we are. Divine pity is God’s loving kindness. No other word brings home the truth of God’s paternal love, mercy, kindness, patience and benevolence better than “pity”. The pity of our God is His condescending love.

Though we are so utterly unworthy to receive any favour from the LORD, He is ever ready to extend His great compassion and forgiveness when we cry unto Him. James 5:11 declares, “the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

Consider the following verses that declare the LORD’s amazing pity:

“Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God” (Nehemiah 9:31).

“But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath” (Psalm 78:38).

“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19).

When the LORD pities us, He does not condemn nor destroy us. In His pity, He not only ceases from His anger, but also moves to deliver us and restore us. His pity is not a passive feeling, but a bountiful expression of His mercy, love and goodness.

When we tremble at His presence in the fear of His great and holy name, He will have pity on us. “The LORD pitieth them that fear him.” Let us reverence and worship Him. Let us come, believing that He is full of pity.