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READ:

John 14:15

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

EXHORTATION:

What a privilege it is to love Christ! We love Him only because He first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:19). We did not love Him first. We were His enemies, and lived in defiance and utter disobedience to His Word. Paul has aptly said in Colossians 1:21-22, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight”.

Having drawn us to love Him, our Lord Jesus tells us that we should be obedient to His commandments. Just as our disobedience once gave evidence of our hostility towards Him, now our obedience to His commandments should prove our love for Him.

However, it is also very important that our obedience and service emerge out of our love for Christ. Otherwise, we will be engaging in religious duties as a formality, which is nothing but sham religiosity. This is what Paul cautions us against in 2 Timothy 3:5, when he decries the religious pretence of “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”. Many churchgoers show acts of piety without any inward reality of genuine piety. How tragic! How can we ever ensure that our lives are not marked by mere external formalism? Only by loving Him wholeheartedly!

What is basic to authentic Christianity is one’s love for the Lord. The spiritual underpinning that keeps a man’s Christian life steady and secure is his heart’s affection for Christ. Thus, the first and great commandment, according to the Lord Jesus, is to love the LORD God. He said in Matthew 22:37-39, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

All our Christian activities and duties must flow out of our love for the Lord. All our efforts without pure love for Christ are worthless. They shall be damned as acts of self-pleasure and self-glory.

If our hearts are filled with love for the Lord, everything that we utter and perform will be wrapped in His glory. If we truly love Him, we shall do nothing that grieves His heart. It is our personal love for Christ that yields obedience in all areas of our lives. Love operates via obedience.

READ:

Psalm 40:8

⁸ I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

EXHORTATION:

Reading the words in today’s verse and its context is like eavesdropping on our Lord’s innermost thoughts and His prayer before His Father. In His very private and solemn communion with His Father, He said, “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:7-8; cf. Hebrews 10:5-10). By the Spirit of prophecy, David has recorded for us those words of our Saviour’s solemn consecration to His Father.

On earth, no one but Christ alone could fulfil all of the Scriptures. During His time on earth, Christ actively and passively fulfilled God’s will. He actively performed everything that the law of God demanded. Not one law did He break. He also fulfilled passively all that was predicted of Him. For example, predictions concerning His birth – the place, the mother, etc. – were fulfilled to the very letter. Only our blessed Lord alone could completely do the will of God, hence His saying, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17).

Christ fulfilled the will of God perfectly in order that He may be the perfect man to substitute us on the cross. He put Himself under the law as an obedient law-keeper, that we who were cursed under the law for our disobedience might have a perfect Redeemer in Him. As Paul commented, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

As our perfect, blameless Saviour, Christ is also our supreme example. We must follow Him as our pattern in life. Just like our blessed Master, we too must delight ourselves in doing the will of God. Let us remember how Christ has conscientiously performed everything God has required of Him with pure determination and delight. He declared in John 4:34, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” He again said in John 6:38, “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” In His agony, He resolved to do the will of His Father and prayed thus: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). May every one of us, like our Saviour, do His work spontaneously and heartily.

READ:

Psalm 40:2

² He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

EXHORTATION:

The first part of Psalm 40, where the verse for today’s meditation is found, is about giving thanks to God for the deliverance and stability which the LORD has graciously provided for His servant. Gratefully, the psalmist says, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Are you mindful to remember and praise God for the deliverance He has given to you in your life? What has the LORD done for you? Recount the recent deliverance that God has granted you in answer to your prayers. Mention them before the LORD and praise Him for those answered prayers.

When one makes it a habit to recollect the goodness of the LORD that one has received, one’s deep affection for the LORD will also grow. On the contrary, when the LORD’s goodness is disregarded, one’s devotion and spiritual enthusiasm will also be adversely affected. This is especially so, when one is going through sore distress.

In our text, God’s delivering grace is gratefully reminisced in the most apt and beautiful emblematic language. The psalmist says that the Lord has lifted him up out of a “horrible pit” into which he has fallen, and has set him upon a “rock”! What a vivid and moving depiction of God’s deliverance! How would you describe God’s deliverance in your life?

The psalmist’s description here sets forth the phenomenal change that the Lord has granted him in response to his penitent prayers. He was being weighed down by his sins and their consequences. This, he alluded to in verse 12: “For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” So he cried unto God, saying, “Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me” (v. 13). Also in the midst of this psalm, with eyes of faith, he spoke prophetically concerning Christ the Saviour (vv. 7-10). The New Testament cited these words as a predictive reference to Christ’s obedience to the Father in becoming a sacrifice for our sins (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10). The repentant sinner is thus made to stand firmly on the Rock of Ages, even our Lord Jesus! If you are sinking in your sin, cry out to Christ at once with absolute faith; He will surely deliver and sanctify you by His blood.

READ:

Psalm 40:1

¹ I waited patiently for the LORD; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

EXHORTATION:

What an inspiring testimony David bears here! He tells us how he handled his dilemma. He responded to his peculiar trouble by waiting patiently for the LORD.

He was in a very distressing situation. He described his situation in verse 2 as “an horrible pit of miry clay”. It was a picture of helplessness and despondence that David painted with those words. He was sunk in deep and dark depression. No one could deliver him, not even he himself.

But he knew that there is help with the LORD. So he cast himself and his situation completely upon the LORD as the only possible way out. He cried out to Him in prayer. It is all that he could do, and he did it with utmost earnestness and eagerness.

When David “waited patiently for the LORD”, he was not passively sitting down and muttering fatalistically, “Oh, the LORD has deserted me. There is no one to deliver me.” Instead, his patient waiting for the LORD consisted of crying to the LORD. Prayer is the channel that God has ordained for His afflicted people to receive His deliverance and help in times of distressing situations.

David had always been a man of action, especially in the midst of adversities. He was not one who feared adversity. In his youthful days, he had bravely acted to deliver the lambs from the mouth of a lion and of a bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36). Who does not know of David’s exploits, such as his victory over Goliath who had struck paralysing fear into the army of Israel? (1 Samuel 17:39-51). However, in this particular situation, he who had previously overcome many an adversity, found himself being buried under insurmountable problems.

Still, David believed that the LORD would deliver him. So he prayed unto the LORD as he waited patiently for His deliverance. He waited on the LORD patiently because He had confidence in the LORD. Great heroes of faith are men who, amidst their troubles, wait with unwavering faith and hope in the LORD. They wait on the LORD even when there is no man to help. They never quit their faith and duty while in trouble, but remain steadfast in faith.

READ:

Proverbs 28:13

¹³ He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

EXHORTATION:

First of all, we are warned of the danger of “covering” our sins – “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper”. But how does one cover or conceal his sins? One may cover his sins by putting the blame on another, like Adam who pointed his finger at Eve, or Eve who pointed her finger at the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13; cf. Job 31:33), or Saul who blamed the people (1 Samuel 15:24). Some hide their sins by pleading ignorance and dissociating themselves from any responsibility, as Cain did after killing his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8-10). There are those who impersonate someone else when committing a crime and then run away from the scene quickly, like Jacob who fraudulently “snatched” his brother’s blessings from his blind father (Genesis 27). There are yet others who use religious involvement and zeal to cover their sins, like King Saul who claimed it was for sacrifice that he brought back the Amalekites’ cattle, which God had commanded to destroy (1 Samuel 15:13-23; cf. Matthew 23:25-28). There are also those who deny their sins outright with an impudent face (cf. Jeremiah 2:22-23). More stories of man’s inclination to cover his sin are found in the Bible (e.g. Rachel, Joseph’s brothers, Peter, Ananias and Sapphira).

Nonetheless, nothing is hidden from the view of God. He who refuses to acknowledge his sin before God, betrays his foolish thinking that God has not seen it. There is no wisdom in hiding one’s sin. He is also warned that he “shall not prosper”. Let not the one who conceals his sin think that he will progress. In Psalm 32:3-4, David spoke of the misery he experienced while he covered his sins. “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.” What a dangerous thing it is to cover our sins!

Secondly, we are told of the blessing of those who would confess their sins to God in repentance. “But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” One’s sin must be quickly confessed as an offence committed against God (cf. Psalm 51:4), and be fully forsaken. Then will one be forgiven. Divine love and mercy are greater than all our sins. Confession of sin leads the contrite sinner to the refreshing and renewing mercies of God. Turning away from sin with repentance will direct a man to the wonderful experiences of God’s never-failing compassions.

READ:

John 4:24

²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

EXHORTATION:

No Jew or Samaritan – in fact, no one at all – is a true worshipper if wrong notions about God are conceived in his heart. True worship of God is built on the truth about God. How could anyone worship God when he has an erroneous concept of God? Without the truth concerning God, no heart can render honour and praise to Him.

One of the great truths about God which Jesus declared in our text is that “God is a Spirit”. God is not flesh and blood. He is not confined by a corporeal body. He is an invisible, intelligent, immortal, infinite, independent Spirit. This is one of the cardinal truths of God that is foundational for true worship. Every true worshipper must fully concur with this truth about God.

It is abject and abominable conduct to bow before any idol in worship. God, who is a Spirit, has prohibited man from worshipping any image or idol. God, who is an infinite Spirit, cannot be compared with anyone or anything. The Holy Scriptures repeatedly ask us: “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like” (Isaiah 46:5)? “For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD” (Psalm 89:6)? So the LORD declares in Isaiah 42:8 – “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” In Acts 17:29, we read: “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.” True worshippers should never bow before any image or idol, realising that it is God who has created all things and redeemed His people. Rendering worship before an image or an idol is a spurious worship that controverts the truth that God is a Spirit.

Those who genuinely worship God, believing that He is a Spirit, must worship Him in spirit and in truth. True worship occurs only when our souls abandon all false thinking about God and sincerely acknowledge the truth about God that His Spirit has revealed in His Word. Only then can genuine, sincere and appropriate worship be rendered unto God.

Here are the testimonies of brethren in the ministries, who join Pastoral Biblical Studies held on Mondays as part of Gethsemane Bible Institute (Online). This is a 2-hour study on theology and various relevant topics provided for pastors and preachers from around the world. Last week, we published some of the testimonies received. Today, we print the remaining testimonies of PBS participants below.

Pastor Sujith Samuel

I am thankful for the opportunity to study God’s Word as part of Pastoral Biblical Studies under GBI. Unlike traditional courses, there is much time for discussion and clearing of doubts. This allows me to clarify doubts on doctrines and interpretation of verses in Scripture. In addition to the learning, it’s also an opportunity to meet pastors, missionaries, and preachers serving the Lord in different countries. The experiences and difficulties they share occasionally in classes also encourage me. This helps us also to pray for them meaningfully. I am encouraging all graduates of GBI in Vizag, who are in the ministry, to join this course. I pray that more students will join and be blessed by the teaching provided. Thank God for enabling Pastor Koshy to set apart this time in his busy schedule. May the Lord continue to strengthen him as he prepares to teach in the upcoming semesters in GBI and FEBC. Thank God also for the help of Pr Samson, Dn Norefel, Bro Andronicus, Bro Yeh Wen, and others for their help in administrative and technical matters of live online courses offered in GBI.

Pr Anand Taneti

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Pastor Prabhudas Koshy and Gethsemane Bible Institute for conducting such an enriching Biblical class. It has truly been a privilege to sit under the teaching of someone who has been drinking deeply from the treasures of God’s Word for years. 

Pastor Koshy brought the Bible alive to me through his practical, life-transforming applications. His pastoral wisdom is clearly shown forth in his teaching and in the way he interacts with his students in the class. He is not just concerned about our doctrine, but also about our practice. He sets a good example of what it means to be a true man of God, and indeed, we are very happy to have him as our beloved teacher. 

The class on Covenants was like a new revelation to me. I learnt how the covenants in the Bible, such as the Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic and New Covenants, reflect God’s unchanging faithfulness and His unfolding plan of redemption for His people. It clarified how each covenant reveals a deeper understanding of God’s relationship with His people and His ultimate promise of salvation through Christ. 

The recent studies on Eschatology and last semester’s lessons on Tribulation were equally profound. They illuminated me concerning the trials and judgments that will precede Christ’s return to this earth, as described in Scripture. I was struck by God’s assurance of His sovereignty even in the midst of such intense suffering, and the hope He offers to His faithful believers who endure until the end. 

These classes have not only deepened my understanding of the Scriptures, but also encouraged me to reflect on God’s eternal promises, that I may remain steadfast in faith. Thank you once again for these amazing teachings, which have truly transformed my spiritual journey. May God continue to bless this ministry abundantly.

Pr Bujji Babu

I sincerely thank Gethsemane Bible Institute and Pastor Koshy for hosting such an inspiring Biblical study for those in the ministry. I count it a special joy and absolute honour to learn God’s Word under Pastor Koshy, who has been deeply soaking up the riches of God’s Word for years.

Pastor Koshy has given me pastoral wisdom in the practical application of the Bible. This is evident in his teachings and interactions with students, setting an example of being a true man of God. Whenever I attended the classes, I learned many new things that I did not know, making me happy. The teachings that I received were inspirational to me. He is an excellent teacher of God’s Word. I count it a blessing from God to have the opportunity to study His word through the PBS course of GBI.

One enlightening subject that I have learned from PBS is on Biblical Covenants (Covenant of Works, Covenant of Grace and Redemption), which run through God’s covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Mosaic, David, as well as the New Covenant. These covenants in the Bible reflect God’s faithfulness concerning His redemption plan for and His relationship with His chosen people. It gave me clarity that all the covenants are centred on Christ’s salvation. In the past, I misunderstood that the Old Testament covenants had no connection to the New Covenant. But through PBS, I learnt there is a connection between the New Covenant and all of the Old Testament Covenants, even Christ. All the Old Testament Covenants are fulfilled in the New Covenant, for they look forward to the Messiah of the New Covenant.

Last year, I learned Eschatology, the Biblical doctrine of “Last Things”. The lesson on the Rapture and Tribulation provided profound insight. The trials and judgments of God in the Tribulation emphasise how God exercises His rule over His Creation and uses them as tools of His judgment upon this wicked world. Amidst all those calamities and chaos, God will still redeem His people, even the nation of Israel, and secure them for His eternal kingdom. 

The classes have significantly enhanced my understanding of the Scriptures, and encouraged me to reflect on God’s promises that pertain to the ministry’s blessings.

Pr Abhishek Raju

Studying the courses offered through Pastoral Biblical Studies of GBI has helped me to gain a thorough understanding of the topics taught. This enables men to teach God’s Word more clearly.

First, through this course, I learned how important it is to always strive to live a righteous life like Christ, so that I will be a genuine pastor who leads people in God’s way. The lessons taught in this course pointed out my errors, and corrected me with Scriptural wisdom and truth.

This course also showed me how to teach God’s people biblically, and how to strengthen them with Scriptural passages in their critical situations. I also learned how to lead them on the right path with Scriptural proofs. Through this course, I benefited a lot, and God willing, I will be a faithful pastor in His church. Truly, I must lead a biblical life to be an example to my church members. 

I really thank God for the doctrines and practical lessons I received. They are great gifts from God in my life. I am sure that through studying His Word in GBI’s PBS, God is preparing me for His service.

Pr D Shyam Kishore Babu

Praise God for the opportunity to learn and grow through PBS. I am grateful for the knowledge and wisdom I gained during my theological studies at GBI, Vizag. By His grace, I have recently completed my studies and entered the church ministry. I look forward to serving Him and His people, trusting He will continue to guide me in this journey.

I am especially grateful for the opportunity to study Eschatology, focusing on the Book of Revelation, under the guidance of Pastor Prabhudas Koshy. Through his teachings, I have gained invaluable insights and a deeper understanding of Scripture’s profound eschatological truths. His wisdom and clarity have greatly enriched my spiritual life; hence, I am thankful for all I have learned from him.

In addition to his insightful teaching, Pastor Koshy has set a wonderful example through his own life and ministry. He has not only imparted deep biblical understanding, but also shown me how to apply these truths effectively in practical life and ministry. His guidance has shaped my approach to serving God and His people.

I look forward to discovering even greater truths from the Bible, guided by the Holy Spirit through the teaching received in PBS. Thank God for Pastor Koshy’s tireless dedication to teaching us and helping to shape our lives and ministry.

Pastor Klepa Awale

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for Pastor Koshy’s dedication and passion for teaching Pastoral Biblical Studies. These classes have been a great blessing to me personally and ministerially. The study of Eschatology, in particular, has been life-changing. For years, I longed to study this subject deeply, especially as my “Pre-Tribulation Rapture” view often seemed out of place among the more common Amillennial perspectives prevalent within the Reformed Faith, until I attended the PBS class last year. The teaching, filled with Scriptural and pastoral wisdom, has brought clarity and strengthened my understanding in ways I never imagined. Praise the LORD!

Sermon Text: Psalm 99
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 19th January 2025

READ:

James 1:17a

^17a Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

EXHORTATION:

In the earlier verses, James has taught his readers that God does not send temptations of sin. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (1:13). He also said that sin and death originate from our own lust that entices us (1:14-15). So he warned that no one should err concerning the truth that evil proceeds not from God, but from our own lust (1:16). Having declared unmistakably that temptations do not come from God, James now asserts that every good gift and perfect gift is from God above.

The word “gift” that appears two times in our text is translated from two different Greek words (dosis and dōrēma). However, they both point to that which is given to us by God. God’s gift to us is good, without any taint of evil. It is also perfect, without any flaw or defect. They truly reflect the goodness and holiness of the Giver. In its origin and in its bestowing, the gift of God is good and perfect. We, therefore, know that anything that comes as a temptation of sin cannot be from God.

Every man walking after the flesh is filled with much temptations and lust, and is desperately in want of good and perfect things. But God is most delighted to grant us that which is good and perfect as a “gift”. The good things which we cannot produce or achieve on our own, He will give to us as gifts. How wonderful it is that God bestows on His people good and perfect gifts, which they do not deserve or are able to have them on their own! Every pure and perfect influence on the soul comes directly from God. The holy desires, passions and pursuits are divine bestowments in our hearts. Christian virtues are bestowed upon us by the Divine Spirit. Divine promises, counsels, rebukes, corrections, instructions and commands are all His gifts from above.

Now, one might be prompted to ask: “Is everything God gives good?” "Does not He give us trials, sorrows, sickness, bereavement and death? Are these good gifts?” As Romans 8:28 assures us, “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” He who is “the Father of lights” will fill our lives with His abundant goodness as He dispels all sorts of dark and dreary feelings, thoughts and deeds. His Word and His Spirit will give us light.

READ:

1 Peter 4:16

¹⁶ Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

EXHORTATION:

Christians often have to endure society’s rejection, ostracism, violence and even official persecution. The unbelieving world hates every genuine Christian. Jesus had forewarned, “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 13:13; cf. Matthew 5:11; 10:22; 24:9; Philippians 1:29).

Should a Christian feel embarrassed or weakened or abandoned by the opposition and troubles that he suffers? The verse for our meditation today tells us that the Christian who is afflicted has no reason whatsoever to be embarrassed, but has every reason to exult in God and praise Him.

All have troubles, but it makes a very great difference when one suffers for his faith in Christ. The man who bears sorrow for the Lord is an honourable man in the sight of God. He has no reason to be ashamed of his sufferings because as a Christian, his life is marked by devotion to Christ and His righteousness. He is not persecuted for the evil he has committed, but for the devotion to Christ that he exhibits.

Why is it that a Christian who suffers should not be ashamed? Because his suffering proves that he is a lover of Christ, His truth and His righteousness. Because his suffering is not meted out for a crime that he has committed, but for doing Christ’s will. Because his suffering is inflicted on him not for a mean and damnable thing he has done, but for the noble and blessed cause of exalting Christ, his Saviour.

Ironically, a genuine Christian often suffers for his actions in spite of the purest motives that proceed from his love for the blessed Master. Nevertheless in his suffering, he shall be the brightest of examples that others can imitate. So, the suffering Christian is exhorted to glorify God – “but let him glorify God on this behalf.” Even under suffering circumstances, a Christian’s duty is to glorify God (cf. John 21:18-19). He must rejoice and worship God, like Paul and Silas who sang and praised God in the Philippian jail (cf. Acts 16:22-25; 1 Peter 4:13). When the suffering Christian boldly clings onto his faith in his Saviour and testifies of Him to those who ask about his faith, he glorifies God (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). He who remains faithful to God even in the midst of suffering truly glorifies God (cf. 1 Peter 2:12; 4:14).