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READ:

Psalm 106:36

³⁶ And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

EXHORTATION:

When God brought the people of Israel to the Promised Land, they were specifically warned: “Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:11-14).

However, God’s Word says, “they served their idols”. Oh, what an incriminating verdict! Serving the idols of the inhabitants of the land had led them into many other abominable deeds connected to idol worship. Eating food offered to idols, building altars unto idols, sorcery, witchcraft, soothsaying, child sacrifices and all kinds of despicable carnal behaviour had been adopted by most Israelites. By their unashamed involvement in idolatrous practices, the people of Israel relentlessly provoked the LORD.

Their adulterated religion was an insult to the Most Holy God. He was dishonoured by their shameful hypocrisy. The LORD, the only living and true God, was reduced to the ranks of idols, which they had turned to worship. They had forgotten and despised all the blessings that the LORD promised in His covenant with them. He had been faithful to them and given them the land that He promised them. However, they callously walked away from Him to serve the idols of the heathen people!

To seek truth, blessing and protection in idolatry was a foolish journey into endless snares to their souls. The idolatry they sought after was “a snare unto them”. It was like the snare by which birds and animals were trapped. They did not perceive the danger of idolatry, simply because they ignored the warnings of God against worshipping idols.

Today, churches and Christians at large are much like the ancient Israel that went a whoring after the idols. Their chief idolatry is worldliness. Though the Scriptures warn Christians to “Love not the world” (1 John 2:15; cf. James 4:4), many unabashedly pursue materialism and the unchaste life of the unbelievers. O Christians, avoid the dangers of worldliness by fleeing from it. Separate from the world and adhere to your LORD.

READ:

Psalm 2:11

¹¹  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

EXHORTATION:

When we make ourselves available to serve God sincerely, feelings of joy mingled with fear would fill our hearts. Divine service often engenders many emotions and virtues in the hearts of His servants. Here the psalmist speaks of fear, joy and trembling as the expected and most suitable feelings and experiences of the LORD’s servants.

Fear and joy may appear to be two contrasting feelings, yet they co-exist in the hearts of those who serve the LORD. Both are necessary feelings of those who come into the awesome presence of God to serve Him.

Scripture reminds us in Psalm 89:7, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” We must not only have great reverence for the LORD’s majesty, but must also possess great fear of His wrath against disobedient conduct in the midst of divine service. The LORD should be served with awe; all the teachings of God’s Word confirm this. His majesty, power, holiness, justice are to be greatly feared.

Such fear of the LORD makes His servant exceedingly cautious and diligent as he renders himself to the LORD’s work. The fear of the LORD makes him wise unto holiness, faithfulness and fervency, which are essential to the LORD’s work. It will drive away reluctance, slothfulness and sinful habits from the hearts of His servant and will fill them with readiness, zeal and obedience for solemn service before Him.

The fear of God is never detrimental to one’s spiritual joy. It is rather a forerunner of joy in the LORD’s service. Those who serve God in godly fear will find themselves filled with joy unspeakable in the presence of God. Their reverential fear of the greatness of God dispels hesitancy and gloom to serve Him. Cheerful, happy service then freely flows out of their hearts, which are filled with the glory of the sovereign LORD. The service of God begets the highest joy that a man has ever known. When the hearts of His servants are overwhelmed with such earnest and sombre emotions, they would even be overcome with “trembling”! Unlike the carnal and worldly rejoicing that produces a puffed-up attitude, the spiritual joy of service evokes solemn inner impulses of humility and devotion, which are referred to here as “trembling”. The LORD’s servant is girded with humility and submission as he reverentially and joyfully renders his service.

READ:

John 12:26b

²⁶ If any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

EXHORTATION:

Oh, what great honour is promised to all who serve Christ according to His good and perfect will as revealed in His Word! How wonderful to hear it from the lips of our blessed Lord and Saviour! He will certainly do what He has said. Oh, how tenderly and graciously the Lord deals with His servants! How amazing it is that in the midst of His great agony, He thought about cheering His troubled servants by telling them of the honour that His Father will bestow upon them!

The prospect of being a servant of Christ is the highest and an unsurpassable honour that a man can ever receive. Obedience to Christ is a glorious privilege, for it empowers a man to overcome his wicked lusts and thoughts and live a godly and blessed life. Being an obedient servant of Christ is to inherit a pure and clean life devoid of the corruptions of sin. To be a submissive, dutiful follower of Christ is to be conformable to Christ. A true servant of Christ is Christ-like. Oh, what an honourable and high calling Christ gives to everyone who follows Him as His servant!

Serving Christ in this hostile world would bring many trials and much suffering to His followers. Jesus Himself has said, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord” (Matthew 10:22-24).

The humiliations and the hurts one suffers for being a servant of Christ serve only to prove his calling and the certainty of the eternal glory and honour the Father will bestow on him. True servants seek not the honour that cometh from man, but from Christ and His Father. So Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). Paul told the suffering Christians, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:12). Servants of Christ may suffer on earth, but they shall have great honour in heaven!

Dear Friends,

As you prepare to go forth on this mission trip (5–10 August 2025) to our sister churches in the Philippines, I write to you with deep affection, prayerful support, and solemn expectation. This is no ordinary trip! It is a spiritual assignment, a sacred privilege to stand alongside fellow believers, to strengthen the weary, to proclaim the unchanging Gospel, and to serve the body of Christ in a time of both trial and opportunity.

Your visit comes at a particularly “weighty” season. Our dear brother, Rev. Reggor Galarpe, the supervisory pastor of the congregations of Gethsemane B-P Church in Cebu, Bogo, San Antonio and Bohol, is facing a severe affliction in the form of lymphoma. This trial has troubled us all, yet we know that such “valleys” are not void of God’s presence. In fact, they often become holy ground, where Christ’s strength is made perfect in human weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Your presence among the brethren during this time is not merely supportive; it is providential. God sends you as ministers of comfort, joy, and Gospel hope.

You also go as heralds of the Gospel, bringing the light of Christ into homes, hearts, and streets that need to know the love and lordship of Jesus Christ, the only Saviour whom God has sent to the world.

May your words be seasoned with grace, your service marked by humility, and your lives reflect the fragrance of Christ in all things. 

I commend each of you to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build you up and equip you for every good work (cf. Acts 20:32; Eph. 4:12,16). Go forth in the power of His Spirit, consecrated for His purpose and prepared to serve Him in the beauty of holiness. May this mission bear lasting fruit—for the strengthening of the church, the salvation of souls, and the glory of our great Redeemer.

Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory.

In Christ’s service,
Your pastor,
Prabhudas Koshy

Report from GBI, Vizag

Dear Pastor,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

We thank God for another semester at GBI, India. By God’s grace, our full-time students from Meghalaya and Odisha have returned to continue their training at GBI. This semester, we have three new students: two pastors from Vizag city and a brother from Odisha. 

The addition of Bro. Jonathan Hendricks to GBI, Vizag, to assist in teaching and preaching is very helpful, and we thank God for graciously leading him to us. He is now staying at the Kotapadu campus with the students. 

Thank you, Pastor, for taking time to address the students and faculty on Tuesday. Your exhortation served as a good reminder for all of us to be content and responsible with the appointments God has given to each of us. 

We look forward to the start of the Elementary Hebrew classes next week. Eleven students have registered for the course this semester. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to teach Hebrew to our students (Monday and Friday). Our students are also registering for your GBI Online courses on 1 Peter, Isaiah III (Wednesday evening), and Paul’s Missionary Journeys by Pr Cornelius Koshy (Thursday). Additionally, some students have enrolled in FEBC online courses as well. We are very grateful for all the opportunities to learn God’s Word.

During the holidays, we completed the mud-filling and borewell digging work on the newly purchased land. Thanks be to God for the help from Bro. Thomas, Sis. Melanie, and Dn Gan in drawing up the building plans and designs. We are planning to submit the drawings for building permit approval soon. Please pray that the Lord will grant us the necessary permits to resume the construction work. May the Lord continue to provide for the building fund through His people.

In Christ,
Pastor Sujith Samuel

Sermon Text: Psalm 115:1–18
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 3rd August 2025

READ:

John 12:26a

^26a If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be.

EXHORTATION:

Who does truly serve Christ? According to Christ’s own words, it is he who follows Him that truly serves Him. In the context of this passage, following Christ would mean self-sacrifice and even death. He had earlier spoken about His hour of death (v. 23; cf. v. 27) and the need to die like a corn of wheat to bear fruit that will last unto all eternity (vv. 24, 25). Without an absolute commitment (even if it would incur death) to go with Christ, one cannot truly serve Him. One should surrender himself totally to Christ’s leading to be a true servant of His name.

A true servant of Christ will fix his eyes upon his Master, avoiding all else that would distract or lure him away from Him. The servant of the Lord is most willing to serve Him with his whole heart. He will not quit attending to his Master for any consideration of wealth, rank, relationship or fame. He will also be willing to serve Him at His command in any place, in any condition and in any circumstance. He does not choose his area of service according to his own wishes and whims, but according to his Master’s will.

He has no terms or conditions in his service to the Master. He is ready to do the Lord’s work even if it would mean sacrifice and suffering. He is single-minded to know his Master’s will and fulfil it with all his strength. He is committed to follow every word of his Master and render a faithful service. The pleasure and honour of his Master is his singular passion.

He is thankful that he is allowed to be so close to the Master to serve Him. So he lovingly, diligently, enthusiastically, joyfully presents himself as a servant to his Master. He revels in his privileged opportunity to stay by his Master. With pure delight, he listens to the Lord’s voice – His commands, His counsels, His promises. The Master is everything to him.

The servant of the Lord is very grateful that he is permitted to follow Him everywhere. His joy and honour are greater than those of the great king Solomon’s servants, whose “sitting”, ”attendance” (i.e. manner of service), and “apparel” literally overwhelmed the queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:5). Indeed, to every sincere servant of Christ, His presence and guidance are infinitely more eminent and honourable than Solomon’s glorious palace. So Christians, let us serve our Lord wherever He would lead us, be it in the church, in the home, in the school, or at work.

Sermon Text: Psalm 119:1–16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 31st August 2025

READ:

Luke 6:28

²⁸ Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

EXHORTATION:

It is so natural for us to feel bitter towards those who hurt us, be it verbally or physically. Revenge seems to be the sweetest response towards those who ill-treat or injure us. It is natural for us to use all our powers to repel injuries and to punish those who are against us; yet our Lord Jesus says, “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Luke 6:27-28).

To our carnal mind, it is impossible to love our enemies and bless them who curse us. Without crucifying our own carnal self and without relying on the divine aid, we will not be able to deal kindly with those who oppose or injure us. Since it is our Saviour’s teaching that we graciously and charitably deal with those who trouble us with their words and actions, we can trust Him to help us to do His will in this matter, including what appears to be impossible in our mind.

The Scriptures not only teach us this solemn spiritual principle (cf. Exodus 23:4-5; Proverbs 25:21; Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:35; Romans 12:20), but also promise us the power to perform it (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-9). The power to do the spiritual duties and bear spiritual fruit is bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9). When we rely on the Holy Spirit and yield to Him, we will be endued with divine wisdom and power to subdue our carnal tendencies and to fulfil the divine duties that we are called to do.

The Scriptures also prove to us that it is possible to relate to those who hurt us, according to the supreme spiritual principle that Jesus has given us. Jesus Himself is our greatest pattern in praying for those who persecute us. He prayed for those who falsely accused Him and crucified Him: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The first Christian martyr, Stephen, also earnestly prayed for his murderers, saying, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60). The apostles themselves were often targets of slander and persecution; yet how sublime and God-honouring was their response: “being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it” (1 Corinthians 4:12)!

The Lord disallows and utterly excludes all kinds of revenge and retaliation against those who malign and persecute us. The Lord’s desire concerning us is that we will be a benevolent people even in our sufferings.

READ:

2 Thessalonians 3:3

³ But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

EXHORTATION:

The certainty of our ultimate salvation is grounded in God’s faithfulness. The Lord is faithful to all His promises that He has made. The Lord cannot lie (Numbers 23:19). Neither will He alter nor fail to perform that which is gone out of His mouth.

Men may be faithless and turn out to be untrue, but not God. Though many (who are church members) may abandon their sacred and solemn vows and show no fidelity to the cause of Christ, God will never desert His great purpose on which He has set His heart and pledged His Word.

Our lives may be stained with our failings, but God shall be true to us in purifying and preserving us for Himself. As 2 Timothy 2:13 declares, “If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” God will not abandon us nor the work He has begun in us.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Our God is so faithful that He will never allow us to be assaulted at a level which is beyond our ability to handle. We just need to be trusting and have nothing to fear. Our God is absolutely and always faithful; we must hold on to the great truth of His faithfulness. Even if we doubt, He remains faithful. So, let us pray that our hearts will learn to trust in His goodness and faithfulness.

The Lord who is faithful “shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.” The Greek word for “stablish”, sterizo, is the word from which we get the English word “steroids”; it indicates that the LORD will make us strong and firm in His establishing of us. The Lord will build us up on the inside, and protect us from the evil one and all his evil attempts from the outside. He will strengthen us and shield us from all the destructive wiles of the devil.

God’s perfect faithfulness grants perfect assurance of our salvation. His faithfulness is the foundation and guarantee of our eternal security. Because God will not fail to keep His promise to “stablish” and “keep” us, we can most assuredly say, like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

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).