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Jude 12—“These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots”.

Jude writes with urgency about false teachers who had secretly entered the church (v. 4). Verse 12 exposes their true nature through vivid imagery that reveals both their danger and their spiritual emptiness. These individuals were not outside the fellowship but among believers, participating in the church’s “feasts of charity”, gatherings marked by fellowship, worship, and expressions of Christian love. Jude calls them “spots in your feasts of charity”. In the original Greek, “spots” refers to hidden reefs (spilades) beneath the water. They were blemishes and hidden dangers within the congregation. 

First, Jude says they are “feeding themselves without fear”. Instead of shepherding others sacrificially, they selfishly served their own interests. They lacked reverence for God and concern for His flock. Such self-centred ministry remains a serious concern today, for spiritual leadership and service must reflect Christlike humility rather than personal gain (1 Peter 5:2–3).

Second, they are “clouds…without water”. Like rain clouds that appear full of promise but produce no rain, they offer hope yet provide no true refreshment. False teachers often appear impressive in speech and appearance but provide no true spiritual nourishment. Their doctrines are unstable, “carried about of winds”, constantly shifting rather than anchored in truth. 

Third, Jude describes them as fruitless trees. They are lifeless despite outward appearance. “Twice dead” emphasises profound spiritual barrenness and separation from God.

Believers ought to exercise discernment. Not all who appear devout are spiritually sound. The church must cherish biblical truth, examine teachings carefully, and pursue genuine spiritual fruit. Christ desires not outward profession alone, but hearts rooted deeply in Him.

1 Samuel 7:12—“Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.”

For twenty years, the nation lamented under Philistine oppression. Under Samuel’s leadership, they repented of idolatry with fasting, confessed their sins, and sought the LORD at Mizpeh. Israel then experienced divine deliverance when God thundered against their enemies (1 Samuel 7:3–11). The LORD granted Israel a remarkable victory over the Philistines. Samuel responded by erecting a memorial stone, calling it Eben-ezer, meaning “stone of help”.

This memorial was not erected to celebrate Israel’s strength, military skill, or strategy. It testified solely to God’s faithfulness. Samuel declared, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” The word “hitherto” is rich with meaning; it looks back upon every mercy, every danger survived, every provision received, and every deliverance granted. Israel’s history was not a story of human success but of divine preservation.

This verse teaches God’s covenant faithfulness. The LORD who called His people, chastened them for sin, received them upon repentance, and fought for them remained unchanged in His mercy. Believers today stand upon the same truth. Our spiritual victories, perseverance, and preservation are not achievements of self-sufficiency but testimonies of divine grace (Psalm 124:1–2).

We are often quick to pray for future needs but slow to remember past mercies. Samuel’s stone calls us to cultivate thankful remembrance. Reflect often on God’s faithfulness through trials, losses, joys, and uncertainties. Every believer should have many “Ebenezers” in the heart, declaring with gratitude: “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” When you face an uncertain future, look back at your Ebenezers and rest in the truth that the God who helped you hitherto will sustain you tomorrow.

Joan Cheah

I thank and praise the Lord for His goodness throughout this blessed church camp.

My heart is filled with gratitude for every hymn, message, prayer, act of service, and worship rendered unto God during the camp.

I have learned much about God’s preservation of His holy Word, which is infallible and inerrant, and has been faithfully preserved throughout the generations. As the Psalmist declares in Psalm 12:6–7: “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” I pray that the Spirit of God will help me to remain faithful in trusting the Scriptures as the supreme authority and the foundation of my life.

Besides this, it is my earnest desire that the Lord will continue to grant me grace, wisdom and strength to remain steadfast in His holy precepts and to serve Him wholeheartedly throughout my life until He calls me to His glorious home.

I also wish to express my joy for the warm fellowship I enjoyed with the brethren during those five days at the church camp. It was a time of mutual encouragement and exhortation in the Lord, for which I am truly thankful.

I would also like to thank the camp committee for their labour of love and service unto God. Their careful planning and arrangements, including the accommodation at Courtyard Marriott Hotel and all the logistical preparations, contributed greatly to a blessed and comfortable camp experience.

Above all, I thank the Lord for all the valuable messages preached by the preachers.

The topic on the “Bible Presbyterian Distinctives”, faithfully preached and taught by Pastor Koshy, has benefited me greatly. These messages have enriched me spiritually and reminded me to live as a child of God – to be fruitful, to persevere in the faith, and to serve Him faithfully.

To God be all the glory and honour. Amen.

Elder Alan Choy

Thank the Lord for His goodness and grace in granting us a wonderful church camp, a time of revising and learning the important theologies from God’s Word. We are exhorted to “sanctify the Lord God in our hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us] with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Thank God for His servants – our Pastor and the preachers – who divided the Word faithfully to us. Thanks to our Camp Master and all the camp committee members for their labour of love, looking into every detail of the physical arrangements for the campers. It was indeed a joy to see brethren coming together in the unity of faith.

Reuel Resuma

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

I thank God for enabling my family to attend this year’s church camp, where I’ve been blessed with a five-day-long study of God’s Word. I’ve been especially blessed in this year’s camp, in that I have been instructed in the doctrines of our church, so that I may clearly understand why we stand firmly as Bible-Presbyterians in a world filled with numerous denominations and doctrines. I also thank God for the morning devotions and the messages on stewardship, from which I realised that I still have much to learn to be a good steward of Christ over the things He has entrusted to me. I also thank God for the camp committee, who diligently planned this event, for every preacher who faithfully expounded the Word to us, and for all those who served humbly behind the scenes. I also thank God for the fellowship and fun I’ve had with other brethren. I pray that I will take back the lessons that I have learned and apply them to my life, and that I will serve God and others with the gifts He has given me and glorify Him always.

Margie Jasmin

I’m Margie Jasmin from Pangasinan, the Philippines. Thank God for giving my two children and me the opportunity to travel to Singapore to attend a church camp in Malaysia. I didn’t expect to come here because of the many struggles in processing my passport and financial needs. Thank God for the Lord’s gracious provisions that helped us to come for the church camp.

I thank God for all our brethren here in Singapore for their hospitality and fellowship since we arrived in Singapore and during the journey to and from the church camp. We shall now go back to Pangasinan, encouraged and happy to share with our fellow brethren what we have learned at the church camp. Our heartfelt thanks to the pastors and the preachers who preached the Word of God and provided spiritual learning. Thanks also to all elders and deacons. To God be the glory.

Nathan Resuma

I thank God for this church camp, where we could come together to worship Him as one body—the church—and for His abundant blessings throughout the camp, including His gracious providence in enabling my family to attend. I thank God for the pastors, preachers, and children’s teachers who faithfully taught from His Word, especially on the theme, “The Doctrinal Distinctives of Our Bible-Presbyterian Church”, and for the camp committee who diligently planned every aspect of this camp.

I also thank God for the blessed fellowship I enjoyed with my roommates, family, and friends. I pray that God will help me to apply the lessons I have learned, that I may live victoriously for His glory and “finish my course with joy” (Acts 20:24).

All glory be to God alone!

Lok Qian Ning

In a world that favours ecumenism, what a precious blessing it was to attend the recent church camp, where many of the distinct doctrines and principles of the Bible-Presbyterian church were so clearly spelt out from the truths of God’s Word. Truly, the importance of knowing and communicating God’s truth cannot be overstated. Though there’s still much more to learn, I thank God for Pastor who laboured much to concisely deliver the key points of the B-P distinctives. The messages on stewardship were also excellent reproofs and reminders to examine my faithfulness to God in how I use what He has entrusted to me. Thank God as well for the preachers who led the morning devotions, and for the camp committee who worked tirelessly. Indeed, learning from God’s Word and serving at church camps have been among the best uses of time, treasure, and talents!

Aron Ong

It was by God’s grace and mercy that my family and I were able to attend this year’s church camp. I was taken ill by a viral infection slightly over a week before the camp and am thankful to recover just in time, and also that my family members were protected from the illness.

I thank God for our Pastor and preachers who faithfully ministered the Word through the camp theme messages on our Bible-Presbyterian doctrinal distinctives, the morning messages on stewardship, and the daily morning devotions. The messages on stewardship refocused our mindset on managing and using our God-given resources for the glory of God. The camp theme messages renewed and reinforced our understanding of the biblical basis of our B-P faith, and together with the Q&A clarified and addressed some of the questions I had. I especially love the messages on Calvinism - the 5 points of TULIP - O the blessed thought of God’s saving grace to me and the reassurance of His preservation of all His chosen ones.

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Last but not least, I thank God for the opportunities to serve and fellowship in the camp. Thank God for the camp organising committee, the games organisers, and all the brethren who have made this a blessed camp for God’s glory.

Shaphrang Lyngdoh Nongrang

As one who is a sinner saved by grace but often filled with doubts, I must confess that I struggled last December with the decision to sign up and attend the Gethsemane Church Camp 2026. In my heart, I desired to return home to my family during the vacation, thinking that would be far better for me. Yet I thank God for His sovereign grace in bringing me to this camp. Looking back, I see clearly that it was not my own desire, but the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ that led me to attend the camp.

This being my first Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church Camp, and coming from a non-BP background with just a year at FEBC, I had only some knowledge of certain doctrines. Through the preaching of God’s Word, I was humbled to see how shallow my understanding was and how weak my convictions remained. Christ was set before me, and my heart was searched.

In particular, the morning devotion on contending for the faith preached by Pr Samson from Jude 3–4 deeply convicted me. I saw my fear, my silence, and how easily I shrink from standing for the truth. I realised that contending for the faith is not something distant or theoretical, but a personal calling. Too often, I desire comfort more than faithfulness, and ease more than obedience.

The messages on stewardship, especially on time, treasure, and gifts, were very searching, showing me how much of my life I still hold back from Christ, even though I belong wholly to Him. The teaching on Biblical Separation, though I had learned it last semester at FEBC, brought fresh conviction that I must live a life set apart unto Christ without compromise. The teaching on total abstinence was also new to me, as it is not something I had been taught in my church, and it reminded me of the warnings in Scripture concerning the dangers and deception of strong drink (Proverbs 20:1; 23:29–35), and how I need to live soberly. I am likewise thankful for the teaching on VPI and VPP, which has helped strengthen my confidence that the Word of Christ is perfectly preserved and trustworthy.

As I consider returning to Shillong in the future, according to God’s will, where many worldly and charismatic influences seem to be increasing, and where we as Christians may be losing our Presbyterian roots, I am humbled and convicted that I must not remain passive. By His grace, I desire to stand firm, hold fast to His Word, and be ready to contend for the faith with humility and courage, remembering the teachings I have learned from this church camp. I pray that Christ will continue to sanctify me, making me more faithful and obedient not only to speak of Him but also to live for Him, and above all to be more conformed to His image.

I also thank God for the love and fellowship of the saints at Gethsemane. This was not mere outward kindness, but true communion in Christ that refreshed my soul. Through the care and conversations with the church leaders and members, I experienced a genuine love for Christ and His truth. It gave me a foretaste of heaven, where Christ will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:28), and His people perfectly united in Him. Even now, I sense something of that unity and joy, and it stirs my heart to long for that day. I pray that God will help me to cherish the fellowship of His people and to walk faithfully among His saints for His glory. I also desire, by His grace, to serve, to be edified, and to continue learning from the example of Gethsemane Church in unity and sound doctrine. May God help me.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Timothy Hu

I thank God for the privilege of attending the Gethsemane BPC Church Camp 2026. After a year of studying at FEBC and worshipping at Gethsemane BPC, I am thankful to see how much the Lord has helped me grow spiritually. I felt immense gratitude when Dn Lijoy told me we could attend the church camp without worrying about the cost. I am also deeply thankful to be at the Gethsemane Church Camp, where I have been reminded of our Bible-Presbyterian distinctives and have experienced the genuine love and care of the church family.

I thank God for the camp speakers, Pastor Koshy, all the preachers, Camp Master, and those who worked faithfully behind the scenes. I loved every message. Each one felt like a condensed FEBC lecture, a powerful reminder of my standing in the faith, why I hold fast to the truth, and why I must continue to stand firm in these biblical doctrines and Bible-Presbyterian distinctives.

I enjoyed every aspect of the camp, from the faithful preaching and uplifting singspiration, which filled my heart with joy as I sang together with my brothers and sisters in Christ, to the enjoyable games, godly fellowship, and delicious meals. Witnessing the communion of the saints throughout the camp greatly encouraged me and reminded me of the beauty and preciousness of Christian fellowship. It truly felt right and joyful to be among God’s people.

I also thank God for the privilege of serving on the AV team; through this opportunity, I learned much, not only about audio and visual work but also about functioning within a well-organised team. My first Gethsemane B-P Church Camp was so wonderful that I must be careful not to take it for granted.

To end my testimony, may I share a Bible verse that I am very fond of, Psalm 36:9-10: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.”

Sermon Text: Psalm 138
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 21st June 2026

1 Samuel 3:10—“And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.”

This verse records a young boy’s response that alters Israel's history. It was a time when “the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision” (1 Samuel 3:1). Israel was suffering under the corrupt, stagnant leadership of Eli the priest. God had stopped communicating with His people through the corrupt leadership. 

Yet, the LORD sovereignly called Samuel, a young servant who was quietly ministering in the tabernacle.  God broke the silence not by addressing the established religious authorities, but by speaking to a child in the dark. This reminds us that God may prepare His servants in obscurity before using them publicly.

The repeated call, “Samuel, Samuel,” signals urgency and an intense personal relationship. Samuel did not seek this revelation; God sought him. So too, all true spiritual understanding begins with divine grace. Left to ourselves, we do not naturally hear or seek God rightly (Romans 3:11). God speaks first; His people respond.

Samuel’s answer is a model of humble readiness: “Speak; for thy servant heareth.” He did not negotiate, delay, or dictate terms. He submitted himself as a servant prepared to obey. Biblically, hearing God involves more than listening with our ears; it requires a receptive heart that responds with faith and obedience.

Today, God speaks through His written Word. The question is not whether God has spoken, but whether we are listening. Let our daily prayer be Samuel’s prayer: “Speak; for thy servant heareth.” A listening servant becomes a useful servant in the hands of God.

1 Samuel 2:30—“Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

These solemn words were spoken by the LORD through His prophet to Eli the priest. Though Eli held a sacred office and belonged to a privileged family, he had failed to restrain his sons, who dishonoured God through corrupt and sinful conduct in the priesthood. This verse reminds us that divine privilege never excuses disobedience.

To “honour” God means more than offering outward worship. It involves reverence, obedience, submission, and placing God above personal interests and relationships. Eli’s failure was not merely parental weakness; he “honourest thy sons above me” (1 Samuel 2:29). He allowed family affection to take precedence over loyalty to God. The Lord demands first place in the hearts of His people (Matthew 10:37).

God’s declaration, “I will honour”, reveals an important theological truth: God notices and rewards those who esteem Him rightly. His honour may not always appear in earthly success or public recognition, but He grants spiritual favour, fellowship, usefulness, and eternal reward. To be honoured by God is greater than all human applause. Jesus said in John 12:26, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

Conversely, “they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed”. To despise God is not merely open rebellion; it may also include neglect, compromise, or the casual treatment of holy things. Those who diminish God’s glory eventually discover the emptiness of self-exaltation.

Believers must therefore examine their priorities. Do we honour God in our worship, choices, relationships, and service? Those who give God His rightful place will never lose by doing so, for the Lord honours those who honour Him.

1 Samuel 2:2—“There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” 

These words arise from Hannah’s song of praise after the Lord graciously answered her prayer for a son. Standing at the tabernacle in Shiloh after surrendering her long-awaited son, Samuel, to the Lord's service, she articulates a solemn, foundational truth: God has no rivals.

Her worship moves beyond personal thanksgiving to profound theology. Having experienced God’s mercy, Hannah declares not merely what God has done, but who God is.

First, Hannah proclaims God’s incomparable holiness: “There is none holy as the LORD”. God’s holiness speaks of His absolute purity, moral perfection, and glorious uniqueness. Unlike fallen humanity or lifeless idols, the LORD is entirely separate from sin and infinitely exalted (Isaiah 6:3). He is also entirely separate as the Creator from all creatures. His holiness assures believers that His ways are higher, righteous and perfect; His promises trustworthy; and His judgments just.

Second, Hannah affirms God’s exclusivity: “there is none beside thee”. This is not merely a denial of idols but a confession that no rival exists to God’s authority, power, and glory. Israel’s covenant God alone rules heaven and earth. Every blessing, deliverance, and mercy flows from Him alone (Deuteronomy 4:35).

Third, Hannah describes God as “a rock”. In Scripture, a rock signifies stability, refuge, and unchanging strength (Psalm 18:2). Human supports fail, circumstances shift, and earthly securities crumble, but God remains immovable. Hannah, once distressed and reproached, had found firm footing in Him.

Believers today live amid uncertainties and shifting values. Yet this confession remains our comfort: our God is holy, unrivalled, and steadfast. Therefore, trust not in changing circumstances but in the unchanging Rock who never fails His people.

Deuteronomy 8:2—“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”

As Israel stood at the border of the Promised Land, Moses instructed them not merely to anticipate future blessings but to remember past dealings of the LORD. Memory was to be a spiritual discipline. Before entering the abundance, they were to look back upon the wilderness.

The wilderness years were not accidental detours but divine appointments. Moses says, “The LORD thy God led thee”. The same God who redeemed Israel from Egypt also guided them through barren places. Their hardships, delays, hunger, and uncertainties were all under God’s sovereign hand. Believers today must likewise recognise that God’s providence governs not only seasons of prosperity but also seasons of trial (Romans 8:28).

God had holy purposes in those forty years: “to humble thee, and to prove thee”. Trials expose what comfort often conceals. Afflictions reveal whether our trust rests upon God or upon earthly securities. The Lord does not test His people because He lacks knowledge, but because He graciously exposes and refines what lies within our hearts (Psalm 139:23–24). The wilderness uncovers pride, self-reliance, unbelief, and disobedience, while also nurturing dependence, prayerfulness, and faith.

The question was whether Israel would “keep his commandments, or no”. Obedience remains the evidence of genuine faith. Therefore, remember your wilderness seasons. God cares far more about the condition of your heart than the comfort of your surroundings. Your current wilderness is not designed to destroy you, but to deeply root your dependence on Him. They were classrooms of grace. Your paths may be difficult, but your Guide is faithful. He will cultivate you in His blessed will, and He will never abandon you.

Deuteronomy 7:9—“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”

Israel was preparing to enter Canaan, a land filled with dangers, temptations, and powerful nations. In such uncertainty, Moses directed the people not to their own strength first, but to God’s unchanging character. Moses handed them an anchor for their souls.

The command begins with “Know therefore”, a call to Israel to a settled conviction, not uncertain opinion. This is not a casual awareness, but a deep, unshakeable certainty. Their confidence must rest upon who God is.

“The LORD thy God, he is God” affirms His uniqueness and sovereignty. Israel’s covenant relationship was not founded on lifeless idols, human promises, or military might, but upon the living and true God. Moses then describes Him as “the faithful God.” Human loyalty often wavers, but God remains steadfast: “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13). He is faithful today, tomorrow, and forever.

God “keepeth covenant and mercy”. His faithfulness is not a cold obligation but covenant love expressed in mercy. Yet the verse also reminds us that covenant blessings are experienced by those “that love him and keep his commandments”. Obedience does not earn God’s grace but demonstrates genuine love for Him (John 14:15). His faithfulness is inextricably linked to His covenant, stretching out to a “thousand generations”, a biblical hyperbole denoting infinity.

What a comfort to weary believers living in uncertain times to know that their God would remain faithful to them. Circumstances change, people disappoint, and earthly securities fail, but God remains faithful. Therefore, anchor your soul not in your consistency, but in His. The God who kept His promises to Israel remains the covenant-keeping God of His redeemed people today.

Deuteronomy 6:4—“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD”

This verse, known as the Shema (from the Hebrew word “hear”), is the foundational confession of Jewish faith. In the plains of Moab, Moses declared to a generation preparing to enter Canaan, a land filled with idols and false gods. Before discussing obedience, worship, or family instruction, God first established this foundational truth: there is only one true God. Israel is called to an exclusive and wholehearted allegiance to the one true God.

The declaration begins with a command to “Hear”, which means more than merely listening. It calls for attentive, believing, and obedient reception of divine truth. God’s people must not merely know about God; they must respond to Him with wholehearted devotion. The phrase “The LORD our God” speaks of a covenant relationship. Jehovah was not a distant deity but the God who redeemed, guided, and preserved His people.

“The LORD… is one LORD” proclaims God’s uniqueness, unity, and exclusivity. Scripture repeatedly affirms this truth: “I am the LORD, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:5). There are not many paths to God or many equal deities. The one true God alone deserves worship, trust, and obedience. There is no rival to the LORD in worship, trust, or obedience.

This verse guards us against idolatry, divided loyalties, and worldly compromise. It also reminds believers to examine whether God truly occupies the throne of their hearts. In a world crowded with distractions and competing allegiances, this ancient call remains urgent: hear God, know Him personally, and worship Him exclusively. He is the one constant centre who holds all things together. Turn your gaze from the many distractions to the One who is everything. When the one true God rules the heart, life finds its proper order and peace.