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READ:

Psalm 95:7a

^7a For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

EXHORTATION:

All who claim that God is theirs must first prove that they are truly His; and they can prove it only if, as our verse states, they are always found in His pasture and they are led by His hand. It is nothing more than a phoney claim when those who would not sojourn with God or be led by Him make claims that God is theirs.

However, to all those who truly abide in God’s pasture and rejoice in His guidance and supervision, He is an eternal inheritance unto His people. In Exodus 20:2, the Lord told Israel, “I am the LORD thy God.” In Hebrews 11:16, we read that “wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God”. In fact, He is our Emmanuel, God who is with us (Matthew 1:23). Oh, how wonderful it is to know that the Lord has given Himself to us, that He may be ours now and for ever! We have no reason to doubt whether He is our God. We can certainly affirm, as we read in Psalm 48:14, “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.”

Could we have ever asked a greater favour from God than to have Him for ourselves? Whatever we may think of asking God for ourselves, He wants us to remember that we have Him for ourselves. In Romans 8:32, Paul reminds us, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

Since God is ours, His pasture is ours, and the guidance of His hand is also ours. Christ, the great and good Shepherd of His people, shall lead us by His hand into the green pastures, and He shall protect and provide for us. He told us in Matthew 6:31-33, “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Oh, what great privilege and blessing belong to those who can sincerely say that “He is our God”! Let our souls rejoice that we have the Lord as our God. Oh, let us gladly proclaim our joy of having Him as our God. Others may reject Him, but we must cheerfully and openly declare Him to be ours. Our confession of Him will glorify Him and strengthen our faith.

READ:

Psalm 95:6

⁶ O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

EXHORTATION:

What a testimony to the commitment that a child of God should have towards the public worship of God! Now and then, I come across people who claim to be Christians but would not join others to worship Him. There are also those who ‘drag their feet’ to church, and find it a chore to spend a few hours to worship and serve Him on the Lord’s Day. But this verse, together with many suchlike ones, shows that God’s people count it their pleasure to gather and worship Him.

The palmist is eager not only to worship God together with others, but also to urge others to join him in the worship of God. He beckons to all God’s people, saying, “O come”. The fact that he could say “come” to others, clearly implies that he has already been to the place of worship or he is on his way there. So by beckoning to others, he is testifying to them the blessing of worship, and also being an example and encouragement for others to consider the joy of worship.

In order to encourage others to worship the Lord, the psalmist repeatedly uses the phrase “let us”. Though this phrase of exhortation is found only twice in our English translation, if we carefully read it we would see that it is meant to be used with all the three verbs in the verse, namely “worship,” “bow down” and “kneel”. In fact, in the Hebrew text, all those three verbs are presented as a plea to the hearers. The repeated mood of imploring in the psalmist’s exhortation makes him a great promoter of congregational or public worship of God. True worshippers of God are great advocates of His worship. They spare no effort to promote worship for the ultimate glory of God and further blessing of others.

The psalmist is also careful to remind the people that God is “our maker”, thus making another effort to compel them to join him and all other worshippers to bow before Him. He reminds one and all that it is their individual and collective obligation to render praise to the One who has made them all. Isn’t our Creator worthy of our adoration? Ironically, there are those who bow before the idols, which they themselves make. Rather, we must kneel before our God who created and redeemed us to be His own people. Hence with profound postures of worship (“bow down” and “kneel”), let us exalt Him as His thankful and reverential people.

Dear Pastor, the Board of Elders, and all the members of the Church,

Greetings to you all in Jesus’ name!

I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for the faithfulness and goodness of our Lord upon all of you. We all believe with firmness the doctrine of God’s providence. Therefore, I am compelled to say again that all the good things that have happened in my life, family, and ministry are indeed from the mighty hand of God. To Him be the glory alone. I play no part in them. I plan not, nor do I expect them. Yes, I prayed unceasingly. It is the Lord then, in His sovereign will, who answered the prayers.

Therefore, I thank my God for His unchanging promises and loving kindness. At the same time, I thank God for all of you, dear saints. The way He does things is beyond my imagination, in a way that amazed me! Dear saints, you have become a blessing from the Lord. He moved you to support the work over here. Your generosity and support humbled me, and I will always be grateful. Your reward will come from the Lord. Dear saints, eternity will tell, and you will be remembered for all the sacrifices you’ve joyfully endured to extend your helping hand for the Lord’s work in our place.

Your care for us is an example to follow. I have learnt from you all. A desire to have the same zeal to bless others the same way you’ve blessed me stirs in my heart. The Lord did provide through you. We praise God for whatever He has done. Blessed be the Lord, O my soul. Brethren, we remember you all very dearly in our hearts. We do that through our unceasing prayers for you; that’s all we can do for you now. We pray that the Lord will help you in your Christian walk, so that you may “shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). The Lord will also provide for all your needs, as promised in Phil 4:19 - “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Brethren, I don’t know what will happen to me tomorrow. The ministry is very tough here. But I take that as a privilege. If it is His will, I want to wake up each day to serve Him, or if it is His will that I should go to be with the Lord, then I want to die serving Him. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). I know that planting the seed of the Gospel will not go in vain. Pray for boldness and strength, not to believe in the lie that the ministry done in the Lord’s name will always go smoothly. 

Thank you for the Christmas gifts, continuous support, the calendars, etc. Lastly, please pray for the work in our town and another village. Pray for this whole year’s outreach programmes. We will be travelling to various villages and markets to preach the Gospel. Pray that the Lord may give us the grace to serve and to be faithful.

We wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year. The Lord be with you all. Amen. SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Pastor J and family

Dear Pastor and Gethsemane BPC, 

Every day, the challenges grow heavier, the opposition stronger, and the road steeper for God’s people in India. I, too, face such trials and feel the weight of these struggles daily. Yet, we stand firm, not by our own strength, but by the grace of our Lord. The battle is real, the trials are many, and the cost of faithfulness is high—but our hope remains unshaken.

I desperately need your prayers. Pray for endurance in suffering, courage in confronting opposition, and unwavering faith in the face of trials. Pray that the light of Christ will shine ever brighter, even in the darkest moments. Your prayers strengthen, uplift, and remind me that I am not alone. Keep me and all God’s people in your intercessions, for the days are growing difficult – but our God is greater still.

Pastor K and family

Sermon Text: Psalm 103
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 16th February 2025

READ:

1 John 2:17

¹⁷ And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

EXHORTATION:

The world is passing away. Its passing is depicted here as an ongoing process. Nothing in this world is permanent and sure. Our experience on earth is one of constant uncertainty and ruin. So Jesus cautioned us in Matthew 6:19, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal”. No reasonable person would lay up treasure where moth and rust destroy and thieves break through and steal, would he?

The material world around us would soon be no more. A fiery end is predicted concerning the world and all that is in it. 2 Peter 3:7, 10 says, “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men... But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Since everything in this world is rushing towards a calamitous fiery furnace and will end up in flames, is it not asking for heartache and misery if you set your heart on it?

Not only is the world passing away, but also the lusts thereof. 1 Corinthians 7:31 also reminds us of this fact when it says, “the fashion of this world passeth away.” So if you cherish the philosophies, trends and pursuits of the world, all of your passions shall also pass away with them. You will lose not only your treasure, but also your soul. If you love the world, it will pass away and take you with it.

Would you buy the stocks of a business that is heading for bankruptcy? Would you think of spending a day relaxing on a sinking ship? Would you want to dance the night away in a nightclub that is on fire? So, if you are pursuing a worldly kind of living, be forewarned of your sure destruction.

Let us take note that only “he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”. Doing God’s will, first of all, involves avoiding the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride in possessions of this life. Secondly, it involves obeying His Word that endureth forever. So, let us put away worldliness that distracts us from delighting in things that abideth for ever, even God’s will. Let us rejoice to do His will as children of His eternal kingdom.

READ:

1 John 2:16

¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

EXHORTATION:

In this verse, the world that is antithetical to God is unmasked. We are told that three elements constitute the ungodly world and all that are in it. A proper understanding of those three aspects of the world will prove to us why all that is in the world “is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

The first element of the world is “the lust of the flesh” (or the cravings of the carnal nature of our fallen body). God has created our body with certain desires, such as hunger, thirst, rest, sex, etc., which are not evil in themselves. It is good and necessary that we eat, drink, sleep, and beget children. Nevertheless, the world, which is under the control of the devil, urges us to satisfy those bodily desires through distorted ways which are forbidden by God. Such desires, which eliminate God’s design and purpose, lead to sinful lust. All the allurements of this world are designed to stir our fleshly desires to go against God’s specific plan and purpose.

The second element of the world is “the lust of the eyes”. The eye, being the “window” of our mind, is a reference to the sinful cravings of our corrupt intellect. Through the eye, our corrupt mind ravenously seeks satisfaction and all that would excite its pride. Through our eye, the world exerts its pressure and instigates us to follow after its pleasures and glory. Thus we engage in materialistic pursuits contrary to God’s will. This would include costly raiment and ornaments, gold and silver, diamonds and jewels, huge and splendid houses, expensive cars, gorgeous furniture and appliances, etc. The lusting of the eye also seeks to gratify the sensual appetites of our fallen body through forbidden ways (e.g. pornography).

The third element of the world is “the pride of life” (or the boasting of life’s possessions). In other words, pride of life means pride in what you possess—the things you have. Generally, man feels great when he flaunts the things he possesses. He wants others to know that he is smart, strong, wealthy and even holier than the rest. Because of the pride of life, some fall headlong into many foolish and hurtful situations.

“The lust of the flesh” and “the lust of the eyes” refer to our desires for what we don’t have; whereas “the pride of life” refers to our obsession with what we have. The world is driven by love for pleasure and pride in possessions; but God’s children must be motivated by His love for them.

READ:

1 John 2:15b

^15b If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

EXHORTATION:

What this verse says is that the one who unabashedly loves the world has never tasted the Father’s love. There is no ambiguity in what is stated in this verse. It is an indisputable fact that a man who continues to love the world and will not forsake it, does not have the love of God in him. Unashamed embracing of worldliness in an individual is an absolute proof that God’s love has not entered his heart.

If one has truly experienced the most fascinating, enthralling, wondrous paternal love of God, he would not easily run into the arms of the world. Who would ever fondly think of loving the world, if he has already been ushered into the love of God? Even when the world seduces a Christian with its powerful temptations, he will be most miserable in that condition and will seek to return to the Lord as soon as he realises his mistake.

The love of God will push out love for the world. They cannot coexist in one’s heart. No human heart can hold these two opposing loves together. To pledge allegiance to one side is to declare war to the other!

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” James 4:4 rebukes those who went after the world, saying, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The Father’s kingdom is at war with the kingdom of this world; the two will never co-exist peacefully. How then will His children love those who are their Father’s sworn enemies? Worldliness will put you together with all the God-haters of the world.

How would a Christian know if he is being ensnared by worldliness? For one, an undue concern for earthly rather than spiritual matters will fill the heart. A Christian affected by worldliness will not be big-hearted when it comes to the service of God. He will grudge and murmur about the labour, fatigue, expense, frustration, etc. involved in the cause of Christ, or in the service of their fellow men. He cherishes the company of worldly men more than Christians. He keeps away from fellowships, prayer meetings, and other Christian activities while preferring the camaraderie and enjoyment of worldly places. What delights you more – God or the world?

READ:

1 John 2:15a

^15a Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

EXHORTATION:

This is not a prohibition against Christians being enterprising and industrious in their work or business. After all, the Scriptures encourage us to be diligent in our occupations. The Scriptures give us commands, such as “Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds” (Proverbs 27:23), and also “He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough” (Proverbs 28:19).

However, nothing in this world, whether it be education, or business, or job, or hobby, or family, or friends, etc., should ever be loved more than God. Nothing and no one should be given first place in our hearts, which is rightfully the Lord’s. Though many things in the world are not sinful in themselves, nonetheless if not checked, they will stifle our love for God.

Our hearts’ supreme affection must be reserved for the Lord, who has loved us and given His life to save us. Our affection for our blessed Saviour must surpass all other relationships and commitments we have. He must be exalted, adored and loved above all else in this world. Everything in our life must remain in subjection to His supremacy. In our hearts, the Lord should always be enthroned, and all else be subservient to His glory and authority. Whatever comes in competition with the supremacy of Christ in our lives must be discarded. All that demand our devotion at the expense of the Lord are unworthy of our consideration.

Unfortunately, worldliness is very prevalent among Christians of our time. Materialism, carnal behaviour, immodesty, ungodly entertainment, intimate friendships with the unregenerate, and many other forms of worldliness are increasing among churchgoers. Very few pastors and preachers warn against this spiritual ‘disease’ of worldliness that affects their congregations. Because of the hesitation of preachers to warn against worldliness, it has become a very deep-rooted spiritual problem in the lives of the church people. To make matters worse, pastors and preachers, and their own families are now promoters of worldly fashions!

Have you ever wondered why many professing Christians are infatuated with the world? When their love for Christ wanes, they become ruinously attracted to the things of this world. So let us be vigilant, lest we too lose our first love for the Lord and be lost in our worldly pursuits.

READ:

Romans 12:2c

^2c That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

EXHORTATION:

The calling of all true Christians in this world is that by their lives, they may “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. Their daily mission on earth is to show forth by their words and actions what the will of God is.

The word “prove” (dokimázō) refers to testing and ascertaining the authenticity and quality of a thing. Christians, who are committed to the renewing of their minds by yielding to the Spirit and God’s Word, will be able to ascertain and demonstrate God’s will. Those who are conformed to the world will never be able to know, affirm or demonstrate what the will of God is. That is why the apostle Paul told us earlier in this verse, “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”. In a world that ignores the will of God, Christians are exhorted to know and do His will. What a solemn duty we have as Christians!

No other sect or group of people on earth is commissioned by God to uphold and show forth His will. Jesus defined true Christians as doers of His Father’s will in Matthew 7:21 – “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” He also taught His followers to pray, “Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2; cf. Matthew 6:10). In Matthew 12:50, Jesus affirmed that “whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Christ, who is the ultimate pattern for Christians, lived with an all-consuming passion for God’s will. He said, “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). So, like Christ, may we also be fully consecrated to know and do His will.

In our verse for today, the apostle gives further reasons to be excited about God’s will by enumerating its three excellent attributes - “good, and acceptable, and perfect”. Other than God’s will, nothing in this world can help us inherit that which is “good” (agathós – virtuous), “acceptable” (euárestos – well-pleasing) and “perfect” (téleios – wholesome) in God’s sight. God’s will is immeasurably good because it prevents us from sin, helps us to please Him and grants us spiritual growth and maturity.

READ:

Romans 12:2b

^2b But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.

EXHORTATION:

Christians are here exhorted to live a transformed life. In the past, we lived according to the lust of our flesh and enjoyed the pleasures of the world. But now as Christians, we ought to be “transformed”. To be transformed is to be metamorphosed, or changed in nature and form. Christians demonstrate a real change in their conduct. They are no more the same as before their conversion.

Their spiritual and moral transformation is effected by what Paul referred to as “the renewing of your mind”. When people turn from their sins to Christ by faith, a radical change in their thinking occurs. They are no more thinking and living for themselves or the world, but for Christ who now lives in them. Their thoughts and feelings are now influenced by the Spirit and truth of Christ. As genuine followers of Christ, they surrender their mind to the renewing influence of the Spirit and truth of Christ.

Paul rhetorically asked the Corinthian Christians, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:16). Paul wants Christians to continue to renew their minds by taking heed to God’s truth brought to their minds by His Spirit.

Christians should not give themselves to think like the unrepentant and unbelieving people who walk in the vanity of their mind. The apostle tells us in Ephesians 4:17-19, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” A Christian’s motivation, desires and ambitions should not be according to carnal and materialistic views of life.

So Paul urged Christians, “But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:20-23). Let us not allow our minds to be corrupted, but rather let our minds be renewed to pursue a life that is according to the knowledge of His will.