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READ:

Luke 22:46

⁴⁶ And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

EXHORTATION:

Jesus was with three of His disciples in the garden of Gethsemane, which was situated on the side of mount Olives, when this conversation occurred. He was there to pray because His heart was in great agony concerning His impending death. Jesus also asked Peter, James and John to stay awake and pray, just as He would do. He told them to “pray that ye enter not into temptation” (Luke 22:40).

However, when Jesus returned to the three disciples, “he found them sleeping for sorrow” (v. 45b). He then asked them, “Why are you asleep?” Jesus was certainly aware that they were too tired to be awake because of their heavy hearts and tired bodies. It was late, very late – probably about midnight or perhaps even a little later. Notwithstanding, Jesus addressed the sleepy disciples, “rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

Jesus wanted the disciples to have the proper response to the grave situation that all of them were facing. An extremely dangerous situation had come upon them. In less than a few hours, the Jews and the Roman soldiers would arrive to arrest Christ; it would then be a time of great temptation and trial for Christ and the disciples. It was very foolish not to prepare themselves in prayer for the trying hours ahead of them.

If one knows that a lion is on the prowl in the vicinity, will one lie down and sleep? If one knew that the rising waters of an overflowing river would swallow up one’s home in an hour, would one take a nap? When a Christian is aware of the temptations and trials that he would soon encounter, he must keep himself awake and pray. In such times, even physical tiredness or sleepiness is not an excuse for neglecting prayer.

Christians ought to be aware of their vulnerability to temptation. When the times of temptation and trial come, we need to be ready. Unless we depend on God in earnest prayer and prepare our hearts to be faithful to God, we will easily be led into temptation. Faithfulness in the midst of temptation and trial requires vigilance and diligence unto prayer.

Let us recall Jesus’ words when He taught us how to pray – “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13).

READ:

1 Thessalonians 5:17

¹⁷ Pray without ceasing.

EXHORTATION:

What is prayer? Prayer is the reverential, worshipful communication of a genuine believer with God. It allows him to affirm his faith and confidence in the Triune God, to give thanks for the blessings received, to confess his sins, to consecrate his life to do the divine will concerning him and serve Him, to submit his petitions and pleadings for divine help in his needs and trials, etc. Prayer opens the door for him to flee from temptations and trials into the refuge of God’s glorious presence. It grants the praying man immediate access to the source of comfort, wisdom, strength and peace.

All believers are enjoined to pray “without ceasing”. That does not mean that we are to spend all our time just praying and doing nothing else. Rather, it is a call to always maintain a trusting, submissive, worshipful spirit before God, no matter what we do. Though there are special occasions or seasons of prayer, we must keep a prayerful spirit all the time. An abiding spirit of prayer will keep us spiritually minded in all circumstances of life. It will keep us God-focused in all our endeavours. It will also prevent us from doing those things which cannot be presented to God with all pure conscience. Conversely, not enduring in a prayerful spirit would leave us open to all kinds of spiritual dangers. Hence, habitual prayer is both a promoter and protector of a godly life; without prayer, it is impossible to maintain a fruitful, godly life.

In addition, steadfastness in prayer would afford the believer unobstructed communion with God. Unfortunately, most people are not even careful to pray at fixed times. Many pray only when they are in trouble or when their feelings are unusually excited. It is lamentable that most Christians lack steadfastness in prayer!

Lack of enduring prayer is a sign of a wandering or backsliding mind. Prayerlessness is an indication of a mind preoccupied with sensual and material thoughts.

Is God habitually in our thoughts? Do we adore and trust Him all through the day? Do we wholly consecrate our thoughts and passions to be sanctified and filled with His good will? Do we yield our minds and our hands to promote His glory? Unceasing prayer requires an unabated, all-pervasive consecration to the glory of God. To pray without ceasing will need a full fascination with God’s glory.

READ:

2 Thessalonians 3:1a

^1a Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

EXHORTATION:

The apostle Paul often requested brethren to pray for him and his fellow labourers in the work of the Gospel (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18). Though the apostles were called, equipped and endowed with the Holy Spirit and extraordinary miraculous gifts, they humbly beseeched the people of the church, both young and old, to pray for them. If Paul (with all his unique, miraculous apostolic gifts) required the prayers of God’s people, how much more preachers and pastors of our time need the prayer support of the church. Those who lead the church should not forget their need for spiritual support from the congregation. One’s office of leadership in the church or spiritual gift or past successful service does not make one self-sufficient for the work of the ministry. Mutual support, particularly prayer support, is vital for the success of one’s service.

Every member of the church, being joined with one another as the body of Christ, is to supply each other that which is needed. The eye cannot say unto the hand, “I have no need of thee”; nor the hand to the feet, “I have no need of you.” Mutual support, according to the ability that God has given, is vital for the efficient operation of the whole church.

The apostle desired prayer, particularly for the ministry of “the word of the Lord”. Prayer, both requested and offered to God, recognises God as the source of the progress and success of preaching. It is a great danger to attribute the success of preaching to the preacher’s talent and not to rely on God’s help, as that would ascribe to man the glory due unto God alone. Every Christian who hears the preaching of God’s Word must remember that he is in the presence of the preacher’s God rather than the preacher himself. The blessing he receives through the preaching of the Word is God-sent. So when he prays for the preacher and his preaching, he links the pulpit to the throne of God, the true fountain of all spiritual blessings.

The object of praying for the preacher is that the Word of God “may have free course, and be glorified”. Paul is here using Greek words that evoke the memory of the ancient Greek runners’ success and honour. Christians must desire and pray for great success through the faithful and fervent efforts of the preachers in turning sinners to Christ and establishing faithful churches for the edification of saints (cf. Psalm 67:1-3).

Beloved in Christ,

On August 9th at 3 pm, when we gather for a special season of singing hymns together, let us be reminded that it is a time of sacred singing by believers united in heart and voice, to glorify the Lord and to edify one another. Such sacred congregational singing is God-ordained. 

Scripture commands it:

Colossians 3:16—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:19—“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”.

Psalm 95:1—“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 

Scripture also models it:

Jesus and His disciples sang hymns together. According to Matthew 26:30, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives” (cf. Mark 14:26).

In small groups and large groups, believers sang (Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:13). Sometimes, even in the midst of their afflictions (Acts 16:25), they sang as a spiritual expression of truth, joy, and unity in Christ.

Singing spiritual songs, hymns and psalms is not a mere tradition or emotional exercise—it is a biblical expression of unified worship, and a spiritual discipline appointed by God for the good of His people.

As the apostle Paul exhorted in Colossians 3:16, Christian singing is to be Word-filled, grace-driven, and Christ-centred. It is not for entertainment or performance, but for glorifying our Redeemer and for building up the body of Christ. Through sacred song, truth is proclaimed, hearts are stirred, and unity is deepened.

As we sing hymns together, we proclaim the Gospel, we rehearse sound doctrine, and we stir one another to faith and hope. Singing together reminds us that we are one body—many voices, yet one heart in Christ.

The need for such singing is especially great in our time. We live in a noisy and distracted world, where the melodies of grace are often ignored and neglected. Rejoicing and singing together is drowned out by the clamour of our culture and care. This effort at sacred singing as a congregation will help reorientate our hearts to what is true, eternal, and God-glorifying.

The purpose of our singing is, first and foremost, unto the Lord. We sing to glorify Him who has redeemed us. But we also sing to one another, teaching and encouraging one another as we lift our voices. Good hymns nourish the soul and help us remember what our hearts too easily forget.

Let our manner of singing reflect reverence and joy. Let it be thoughtful, not careless; heartfelt, not hurried. Sing with understanding, with gratitude, and with expectation that the Lord will inhabit the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

May this special time of hymn-singing draw us nearer to Christ and to one another. May our voices rise as one, testifying to the grace that has saved us and the hope that sustains us. “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).

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A Pastoral Letter of Comfort and Encouragement

Written to the Cebu Congregation as they celebrate their 21st Anniversary

To the beloved saints at Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu,

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As you mark the sacred milestone of your 21st Thanksgiving Anniversary, I write to you with both sorrow and rejoicing in my heart. The news of your dear pastor’s lymphoma has grieved me deeply, and yet I am also stirred with thankfulness for your enduring testimony as a church planted and upheld by God’s mighty hand — through the labours of your pastor these past two decades.

Your under-shepherd, who has faithfully laboured among you in word and doctrine, now walks through a valley where faith is being tested. Yet I thank God for graciously enabling His servant, his family, and the church to find strength and courage amid affliction, resting in the everlasting arms of His providence and love. “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed” (2 Corinthians 4:7-8). This illness has not taken God by surprise. He who appointed Pastor Reggor over you to care for you as God’s flock, has also appointed this affliction for His glory.

Let your love for your pastor be fervent. As Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands in the battle, so hold up your pastor now — with prayer, with compassion, with practical help. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Above all, let your dedication, faithfulness, and zeal for the Lord and His Gospel work flourish; this will surely encourage your pastor. In doing so, you will demonstrate to the watching world your Christ-centredness.

Let us serve with thanksgiving. Twenty-one years of God’s faithfulness is no small thing. Think of the souls converted, the saints edified, the children catechised, the Gospel proclaimed, and the churches planted. You are witnesses to what Paul once declared: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). What God has begun in your midst, He will complete. Give Him the glory.

Let this anniversary be both a memorial and a vow — a memorial of past mercies and a vow of continued faithfulness. Renew your commitment to sound doctrine, to joyful worship, and to bold witness. In days of uncertainty, be sure of this: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).

I urge you to pray not only for your pastor’s healing, but also for the strengthening of his soul. Pray also for one another. Suffering has a way of purifying a church. May this season be a holy fire that burns away all worldliness and impurities, bringing you forth as gold refined.

The mission team from GBPC Singapore, led by our dear Elder Mah Chin Kwang, will soon be among you. We give thanks to the Lord for this opportunity, and pray that their presence among you will be a source of rich encouragement and spiritual refreshment. May their fellowship cheer your hearts, strengthen your hands in the work of the Lord, and deepen the bond of unity we share in Christ across the nations.

Johnny Rey, who has been trained in GBI Cebu since 2018, arrived here early this week from your midst. He is residing in my home. Each day, he accompanies me to the Gethsemane Media Centre (GMC) and other areas of ministry, that he may learn through close observation and active participation in day-to-day ministry work. He has expressed much joy in the fellowship shared with preachers, staff at GMC, church leaders, and fellow brethren. Let us continue to uphold young Johnny Rey in our prayers, that he may be thoroughly equipped in the Word and in the work of the ministry, growing to become a faithful and fruitful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. May God raise more young men and young women to serve the Lord full-time!

Finally, I urge you to rally together to press on in faith and holiness for the future. Be strong. Love one another. Uphold your pastor. Preach Christ. And know that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

Beloved, the Lord is with you. 

With love in the truth,

Pastor Prabhudas Koshy

(On behalf of the Elders, Preachers, Deacons, and Congregation of GBPC, Singapore)

Sermon Text: Psalm 114:1–8
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 27th July 2025

READ:

Psalm 33:4

⁴  For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.

EXHORTATION:

The psalmist began this psalm with a call to praise God. Then he proceeded to give reasons why God is to be praised. The first and foremost reason he gave for praising God is that “the word of the LORD is right”.

God’s Word is absolutely right according to God’s own perfect rule of right. If anyone were to say that the Word of the LORD is not right, then he is making God a liar. According to God’s own perfect standard, His Word is right in all that it says.

Whatever God says is right, that is, true. All of His words are absolutely trustworthy. Being infinitely wise, God cannot have uttered any mistake. All the words, laws, promises, counsels, warnings, rebukes, corrections, instructions and even judgments of God in the Bible are perfectly true and just. It is worthy of universal belief and should, therefore, be a reason for praise. The fact that God says a thing is itself irrefutable, not to mention the highest, proof that it is true.

The psalmist also asserted that “all his works are done in truth.” All the works of God are according to His truth. God’s providential works are according to His Word. He neither does nor says anything contrary to what He has already revealed in His Word.

There is no lie in God’s Word; He never deceives anyone either. There is also no fraud in what God has revealed in His Word and in His works of providence. Believing and obeying God’s Word will keep us from all false ways.

In Deuteronomy 32:4, it is said concerning God, “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” It is God’s nature to be full of truth in all that He says and does. He will never mislead us. He will never lead us along the false way. We serve the living and true God!

God’s Word and works are totally dependable. Because all His words and works are full of truth, we can always depend on Him; He can be thoroughly trusted. So, let us always be thankful that He has given us such a trustworthy and reliable source for our guidance and blessing.

 

READ:

Philippians 1:5

⁵ For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

EXHORTATION:

The “fellowship in the gospel” that the Philippians extended to Paul has given him great reasons for being thankful and rejoicing in God’s presence. So he wrote, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now” (1:3-5). The fellowship which Paul had with the Philippians did not fizzle out even though he was locked away in a prison in a faraway city. Geographical separation did not sever their fellowship. If anything, separation and his incarceration fortified the Philippians to express their camaraderie with greater sincerity and fervour. Their renewed efforts to maintain and strengthen fellowship with Paul had brought boundless joy to his heart.

The word “fellowship” simply means “to have in common”, “to share in” or “to communicate”. True Christian fellowship is deeper and firmer than acquaintanceship or friendship. Fellowship with someone is the fruit of having something in common; for Paul and the Philippians, this was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They shared a deep relationship on the basis of the Gospel work. The Philippian church was one of the churches of Macedonia which showed great liberality towards the apostle Paul in his Gospel work. Despite their severe economic struggles, they had been very generous towards Paul and his Gospel work. In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”

Paul further wrote of their continued generous spirit in Philippians 4:15 – “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” From the great hospitality and love shown by the first Philippian converts, Lydia and the jailor, to the sacrificial ministering by Epaphroditus sent from them (Philippians 4:18), Paul enjoyed their lasting fellowship, literally “from the first day until now”!

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?