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READ:

1 Timothy 4:12a

^12a Let no man despise thy youth.

EXHORTATION:

From these words of Paul, it is clear that Timothy was then a young man, though no reference to his exact age is found. He was ministering God’s Word to the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3). It was an enormous task to be a pastor, particularly to a large and vibrant church like that in Ephesus. It must have been a tall order for the young Timothy. It is apparent from Paul’s words in this epistle that he was ploughing his way through the difficulties he faced in the ministry.

Some people in the church must have been hard to deal with. They might not have accepted him as a leader and teacher due to his youthfulness. So Paul advised Timothy, “Let no man despise thy youth”. Paul wanted him to give no occasion for anyone to accuse him as a frivolous, facetious young man. He ought to act in such a way that men will respect him in all aspects as a minister of the Word. His habits, his mannerisms, his practices and his demeanour should be above reproach. No occasion should be given for anyone to despise him, or to perceive him as an indiscreet, unwise, unsuitable person for the ministry of the Word.

A man in the ministry must see to it that he conducts himself in a manner worthy of the office to which he has been called. The respect that he receives is closely attached to his conduct and abilities. Such respect is not attained by “acting big” or bragging about one’s credentials, but by humility, prayerfulness, faithfulness, friendliness, industriousness, cheerful countenance, practical wisdom, etc.

Paul’s counsel to Timothy was meant to mould him to be a “good minister” (1 Timothy 4:6). His corrections and instructions were for his betterment. In fact, Paul had a high regard for Timothy. In his first epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul commended Timothy as “our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:2).

Every Christian young man who desires to progress in his Christian life and service must be open to godly counsel from mature Christian men around him. It is a great blessing to have a godly man with biblical knowledge and plenty of experience in the Lord’s work to provide necessary correction and counsel. Young men who are submissive and willing to be corrected and instructed, will make excellent progress in both life and ministry.

READ:

1 Timothy 4:7

⁷ But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

EXHORTATION:

It was with profound concern for Timothy’s pastoral ministry that the apostle Paul had written this epistle. Instructions concerning a faithful and fervent pastoral ministry abound in this epistle. Timothy had just been instructed in the previous verse that “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” In other words, it is the declaring of God’s truth and being nourished in His Word, which make one a good minister.

But there will always be challenges to one’s commitment to the truth that must be decisively dealt with. So Paul admonished, “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables”. “Fables” are myths or folk tales that are not founded on facts; “old wives’ fables” denote legends and folk tales, such as those found abundantly in heathen religions. There were also many Jewish fables which were contrary to the Word of God. Paul calls them “profane”, for they are blasphemous or impious in their character. They are devoid of truth and godliness. In 1 Timothy 1:4, Paul warned, “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.” To Titus, he wrote, “Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (Titus 1:14).

Paul’s counsel to Timothy was to “refuse” them all. Christians must not entertain any unbiblical, superstitious stories. They have nothing to do with such baseless stories. Giving heed to such vain stories will have severe consequences. In 2 Timothy 2:16, Paul warned, “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” Paul further warned that in the last days, many “shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:4).

Not only should one refuse such unprofitable, unfounded stories and claims that are being circulated, one must also “exercise thyself rather unto godliness”. Instead of wasting our time and efforts in conversations and friendships that corrupt us, we ought rather to pay attention to that which tends to piety and holiness. Let us seriously consider our progress in true godliness and give ourselves only to that which advances our piety.

 

READ:

James 1:8

⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

EXHORTATION:

The Greek words used by James for “double minded man” can be literally translated as a man of double souls. To pursue Christ and the world is to pursue both good and evil, which divides and defiles all the good in oneself. A believer ought to be single-minded in his allegiance to God. He cannot be divided in his loyalty to God. If a man who claims to be a believer is always in two minds, he will prove himself to be hypocritical.

The church in Corinth had many who lived a “double life”, which was sharply rebuked by the apostle Paul. “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

Sadly, many attempt to live a double-minded life in these days. They try in vain to blend contradictory pursuits of carnality and godliness, faith and doubt, the flesh and the Spirit, self and God, the wisdom from above and the wisdom from the earth. Double-mindedness will severely mar one’s life. One’s life will be smeared with stains of divided loyalties. If a man would ask God in prayer for a favour but would not submit to His Word, let him not think that God would accept his prayer. He who prays without surrendering to God’s will is disingenuous.

The apostle James says that such a life “is unstable in all his ways”. Unstableness of the double-minded man is not merely in regard to prayer, but in respect to “all his ways”! His character, conduct, friendship and all other pursuits of life will show his instability in faith and devotion. Although such a person claims to trust in God, all his ways will show otherwise.

Many such may profess to be Christians and claim to seek God in prayer, but their fickleness and instability will consume their lives in all respects. If a true Christian has been living without wholehearted devotion to God, he must repent of the folly of his double-mindedness and return to God at once! Why should such a person expect anything from God through prayer? Let every Christian yield to God with genuine, undivided faith so that God’s wisdom, favour and assurance may always attend his ways.

 

READ:

James 1:6

⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

EXHORTATION:

To obtain any favour from God, there must be faith in the asker. How can a person ask in faith if he has no faith in God? How can he ask in Christ’s name if he believes not in Him? Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

It is also crucial that the request made befits the faith in the Lord Jesus. If one has no good grounds to believe that God will be pleased with the request, then it would not be asking in faith. Scripture says in 1 John 5:14, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us”. In fact, asking for things that are inconsistent with Scripture is sin.

Faith in God also means submission and obedience to His good will. If we ask for anything from Him, let it be with a willing and ready heart to remain submissive to His answer. We must not ask with a covetous and grudging spirit, but rather with a quiet heart resolved to yield to His will. We must not be self-seeking but God-pleasing in our desires and requests.

Our faith in the wisdom, goodness and faithfulness of our God should fortify our assurance that whatever be His answer to our request, it will be certainly for our good and for His glory through us. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Asking in faith also means being fervent in our prayers. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). By our continual asking for a matter that is in our mind, we do not weary our gracious and compassionate God. He knows it is because of our total reliance upon Him that we return repeatedly to Him with prayers. Has not His Word reminded us to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Jesus also said in Luke 18:1 “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”.

Thus, we must be unwavering in our faith in God when we pray. Let there be no hesitancy nor doubting. Otherwise, like in a troubled sea, our hearts will be filled with doubt and anxiety. So, let us commit our needs and troubles in prayer to God with utmost confidence and assurance.

 

READ:

1 Timothy 2:8

⁸ I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

EXHORTATION:

Paul, having introduced himself in the previous verse as one who is ordained to be a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of the church (cf. v. 7), now exercises his apostolic authority to give more directions to Timothy, who was ministering to the church in Ephesus (cf. 1:3), concerning prayer in church gatherings. In the first seven verses of this chapter, he had already instructed that prayers be offered on behalf of all people, including kings and people in authority.

The apostle instructed “men” to “pray every where”. The phrase “every where” in the original Greek text is literally “in every place”. Paul was saying that men should pray in places where they met together for worship, hearing of God’s Word and prayer. Their meetings were often held in large rooms of houses that belonged to church members.

In such public gatherings, the apostolic instruction is that “men” ought to pray. Paul uses the plural form of the Greek word an?r, which refers to an adult male person. He did not use the generic Greek word ánthr?pos, which means mankind in general. Obviously, Paul here refers to males, as distinguished from females. When the church come together and it is time to pray, the men ought to do the praying. Now this is the apostolic emphasis. This instruction was very much in line with the Old Testament practice in the Jewish synagogue that only men were permitted to pray in their public services. It is apparent from the following section of this chapter that Paul’s insistence here on men praying in church gatherings, was because some women in the Ephesian church had challenged the male leadership in matters of prayer, teaching and leadership.

As for the men, they should offer prayers, “lifting up holy hands”. Though Paul here mentions the lifting up of hands as a posture of prayer, many prayer postures have been mentioned in other parts of Scripture, such as standing (Genesis 18:22; Matthew 6:5), hands spread out or lifted heavenward (Exodus 9:29; James 4:8), bowing the head (Genesis 24:48; 2 Chronicles 29:30), kneeling (2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalm 95:6), falling down with the face upon the ground (Genesis 17:3; Matthew 26:39), etc. Whatever be the posture of the body, the praying man must be holy. They must also be “without wrath and doubting”, i.e. without angry disputations and contention.

 

Dear brethren,

Since the church was constituted and registered, our Annual Congregational Meetings have been times when we reflect with gratitude on God’s blessings and renew our commitment to serving Him with holiness and zeal. As we prepare for the ACM on the next Lord’s Day (Nov. 3), let us pray that we will gather with reverence and gratitude before our God. He has graciously blessed us with His patience, unwavering guidance, provisions, and oversight over the past year, which is a truly wondrous display of His faithfulness to our church. Let us come together with hearts full of thanksgiving and prayer.

As previously announced, the ACM documents, including the annual report and audited accounts, are available on our church website. If you encounter issues accessing them, please contact Dn Norefel promptly.

If you have any questions regarding the report or accounts, we encourage you to submit them as soon as possible, as mentioned in the past two Sundays. This will allow the respective elders to prepare answers ahead of time, ensuring a smooth and efficient ACM.

During this upcoming ACM, we will also hold the election of the Board of Elders, as required by our church constitution, to lead the church forward for the next three years, God willing. We thank the Lord for providing us faithful men to serve as elders. Pastor Prabhudas Koshy, Elder Mah Chin Kwang, Elder Ng Poh Kok, Elder Francis Lee, and Elder Low Boon Siang are willing to continue serving on the Board of Elders, according to the Lord’s call and direction upon them. Additionally, the BOE has approved Dn Lim Ah Sang as a new candidate for the Board of Elders.

We have been praying for these candidates in our church prayer meetings for the last three weeks, and we encourage you to continue praying for them earnestly. Please join us this Tuesday night (Oct. 29) for prayer as we prepare for the ACM and the BOE election. May the Lord’s Word concerning the ordination of elders to set things in order in the church (Titus 1:5), and their role to feed and rule the church (1 Tim 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4), be gloriously fulfilled in our midst – for His glory and for the strengthening of our church’s ministry.

Heartily in the service of the Lord,
Pastor

Testimony of Lim Ah Sang: A New Candidate for the Office of Eldership

I thank God for leading me and my family to Gethsemane B-P Church, and for enabling me to serve along with the brethren here. I also thank God for enabling me to serve as a deacon in various areas the Board of Elders assigned me.

Sometime last year, Pastor Koshy, on behalf of the BOE, called and asked me to consider standing in for the office of an elder. With my many challenges, I hesitated, but Pastor advised me to pray about it and talk with my family.

Months of prayer and waiting upon the Lord for His confirmation were difficult and testing. The fear of failing to do the Lord’s work weighed heavily on my heart, especially now that I am no longer young. The growing responsibilities of caring for my ailing son and my wife in the years ahead added to the burden.

During one of the Sunday Evening Teaching Services, I was deeply convicted as Pastor expounded from 1 Samuel 22 on how King David, despite his own burdens while in the cave of Adullam, willingly accepted the additional responsibility of caring for his brethren and all his father’s house who came to him. I was reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:37 – “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” The good Lord also reminded me that He has delivered and cared for my family through many trials over the past 24 years. It is not who I am but who He is. He is the great I AM that I AM. I must trust Him to do His bidding to serve Him. 

The call to the office of an elder is a high calling. As I am relatively new to Gethsemane B-P Church, there is much timidity, a sense of inadequacy and unworthiness in me. The Lord once again spoke to me through Pastor’s daily devotion taken from Jeremiah 1:7a – “But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child…”

The Lord also reminded me how He had seen me through my inadequacy and fear since 2005, when the pastor of Foochow Methodist Church left me alone in the Prison Ministry only after a few months. Being young in faith, I found it difficult to continue in this ministry when external voices discouraged me. The Lord has helped me hitherto to serve in the Prison Ministry and to regularly bring His Word to the prisoners. 

Through His Word and the reminders of His glorious works in my life and ministry, I was comforted and strengthened to yield to His calling to serve Him as an elder in Gethsemane BPC. With the Lord confirming His calling in my heart, my resistance wilted, and my heart has been at peace to yield to serve Him along with Pastor and elders of Gethsemane. When Pastor asked me again about my response to the BOE’s invitation to serve as an elder, I shared how the Lord led me to accept the call. 

Since then, the Lord has helped me study the Scriptures to write my answers to the questions the BOE has given me on doctrines, my convictions, and my commitment to the Lord and the church if I am appointed as an elder. I thank God for His grace that has helped me to undergo the interviews with Pastor and (later) with the elders. I also praise God for the Biblical instructions and godly counsel I received from them from time to time, which prepared me to serve the Lord in the BOE, if confirmed during the ACM and election. 

May God help me to serve Him humbly and faithfully.

Testimonies of Brethren Appointed to be Deacons by BOE

Bro. Tan Eng Huat

Deuteronomy 8:2-3: “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. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”

As I look back over the past 40-plus years as a believer, I am deeply thankful for how God has elected and kept me and my family faithfully despite my countless shortcomings and failures. The above passage from Deuteronomy (and also Ps 63:5-7) reminds me of the importance of remembering how God has led me since my conversion, and hence of always being mindful of His longsuffering, grace and mercy, that I may submit to Him and His ways as revealed in His preserved Word. While God’s hand upon me was unbeknown to me in my earlier years, I have become progressively more conscious of the Holy Spirit’s patient guidance and instruction in my later years through the studies of His precious Word. I am thankful to God for leading me to Gethsemane B-P Church, that I may be further moulded through the faithful preaching and teaching of His Word. 

When Pastor Koshy told me of the BOE’s consensus to nominate and appoint me as a deacon of the church, I was filled with much apprehension and uncertainty regarding the appropriateness. I could think of multiple reasons why I shouldn’t accept the appointment, namely the brevity of my membership and my personality. Being a reserved and taciturn person by nature, I would require more effort and time on my part compared to the current deacons, who seem gifted with ease of interaction and joy in serving the members of the church. I felt that I am not in the same mould, and would not be able to fulfil the role well. Moreover, I felt that I may not be sensitive or patient enough to meet the needs of others. 

I conveyed my self-assessment to Pastor as reasons for declining the appointment. Pastor was moved to speak and counsel me further regarding the BOE’s unanimity in their desire to appoint me. After spending 3 weeks praying, ruminating, and meditating on God’s Word, the Spirit placed this burden on me to accept the nomination and appointment, and convinced me that I should not resist His prompting through the elders. Subsequently, I purposed in my heart to serve Him in this capacity. God has taught me that He will enable His children as He directs them and will reveal His grace and goodness as we step forward by faith and in faith. As I have enjoyed – and continue to enjoy – His innumerable grace, it behoves me to be a good steward “of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Hence, it would be a sin on my part to disobey His calling and will. While I would prefer to serve without the title of “deacon”, however, I should not succumb to my personal preference but to yield humbly to His will. May the LORD enable me to be faithful in serving Him (1 Cor 4:2). 

Bro. Lijoy K George

I am grateful to have been raised in a Christian family, where my parents guided me to walk in the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ from a young age. It was a simple faith in Christ, nurtured with morning and evening devotions, which laid a strong foundation for my spiritual growth. As Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” My grandfather was a true inspiration to me, demonstrating dedication and purity in life as a true believer.

God’s providence led me to work in Singapore and worship at Gethsemane B-P Church, which was a special blessing. I am thankful for the faithful teaching of our Pastor, which has helped me grow and be rooted in God’s Word. I also thank God for Dn Benny, who has been like a brother to me. Our mutual fellowship, together with our families, has encouraged us all to serve the Lord in Gethsemane BPC. The fellowship has nourished and supported my family as we navigated the challenges of our life. 

Learning Covenant Theology has deepened my understanding of the richness of God’s promises and faithfulness to His people, and it helped me to realise how I need to continue to grow in the knowledge of His Word. God has also helped my family grow in faith as we continue to trust in His grace and learn from the Word to rejoice in worshipping and serving Him with the brethren in the church. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

In Gethsemane, the LORD has guided me to serve Him in several areas, and taught me more about service so that I may humbly surrender to His sovereign will always as He shows them to me. God’s work must be done in His way, and all we need to do is submit faithfully to Him. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I also thank God that my family has been a constant source of encouragement and support, even as I had yielded to serve Him wherever He had been directing me thus far.

When Pastor approached me about the role of deacon, I initially felt unworthy of the position. I shared my inabilities and fears. However, through prayerful consideration and encouragement from our elders and Pastor, I have found strength in God amid my imperfections. Their support and prayers have been invaluable, helping me to see that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

The LORD alone is God, and His mercy is sufficient. I trust that He will equip me to serve according to all His will. May the Lord help me always be willing, humble, and ready to fulfil my calling to serve Him for His glory.

READ:

1 Timothy 2:5

⁵ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

EXHORTATION:

The apostle Paul presents this statement as a reason for his earlier advice on the need to pray to God for all men, even for kings and people in authority. Such praying is good and acceptable in the sight of God, “Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth” (v. 4). The reason for such prayers for all men is because “there is one God”. He alone is the Creator and the sovereign God of all classes, races and nationalities; without coming to Him through the Mediator whom He has appointed, no man shall be saved.

A mediator is one who stands as an agent of reconciliation between two parties or persons that are at odds with one another. His task is to bring them together and make peace between them. God has appointed such a Mediator, that man (who has been alienated from Him) may be reconciled to Him. Explaining man’s alienation from God in Ephesians 4:18, Paul said, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart”. In Romans 8:7, he said, “the carnal mind is enmity against God”. He told the Colossian Christians, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Colossians 1:21). Without a mediator, no man could find his way back to God.

The only One whom God has appointed to be the Mediator in order to reconcile men (estranged from God by their sins) to Himself, is “the man Christ Jesus”. God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who became a man, is His appointed Mediator between God and men. Scripture also makes it plain how Christ, as our Mediator, reconciles us to God. Paul affirms in Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Paul again said in Ephesians 2:16, “And that he might reconcile both (Jews and Gentiles) unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby”. The believing penitent is now “accepted in the Beloved”. In this high office, Christ stands alone because He alone is both God and man. To join Mary and the saints to Christ in His Mediatorship – which is what the church of Rome does – implies that Christ is unable to accomplish His own peculiar work. We must reject Rome’s error and only trust in Christ as our Mediator in order to be reconciled to God.

 

READ:

Colossians 1:14

¹⁴ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

EXHORTATION:

Here our salvation is referred to as “redemption” in Christ. The word “redemption” refers to the securing of one’s release or freedom by the payment of a price, which is known as “ransom”. Redeeming slaves and prisoners-of-war by paying a ransom was common in the ancient world. So, “redemption” is freedom purchased. It also presupposes the condition of detention from which there is no escape until the ransom is paid.

We are under the wrath of God because of our sins. As Ephesians 2:3 says, “we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” The condemnation of God was upon us, detaining us under His curse.

But Christ came, “blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross” (Colossians 2:14). There on the cross, Christ shed “his blood” and died. He appeased the wrath of God by the shedding of His blood in His death on the cross. Jesus Himself said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). Paul said in Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” The apostle Peter, in describing our redemption, wrote, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

It is important to note that Christ paid the ransom not to Satan, but to God, whose just wrath was against our sins. God was pleased to accept Christ’s blood as the ransom for our sins. The blood of Christ was the sufficient price for our redemption. God’s justice being thus satisfied, we are reconciled to God, thereby releasing us from our obligations to punishment. By reason of what His Son underwent for us, God had pardoned our sins, His justice having been fully satisfied. The forgiveness of our sins was once and for all accomplished by Christ through His suffering, the shedding of His blood and His death on the cross.

 

READ:

Colossians 1:13

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

EXHORTATION:

Our salvation is a demonstration of God’s matchless, triumphant power. We are now “delivered” from the tyrannical power of Satan and sin by God the Omnipotent. The Greek word for “delivered” (rhúomai) means “rescued from danger or great peril”. If God had not rescued us, we would have remained subjugated forever by satanic tyranny.

We were under “the power of darkness”. The word “power” denotes authority or jurisdiction. “Darkness” denotes moral and spiritual ignorance and evil that pervade Satan’s domain. The hosts of demons reign in this world as “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Ephesians 6:12). Satan keeps people in the spiritual darkness of ignorance (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:18), vile passions and deeds (John 3:19-20; Ephesians 5:11- 13), as well as misery, fear and death (Luke 1:79). We were once locked up in Satan’s corrupt and vile domain, having no power to break free.

But God sent His Son to deliver us. In 1 John 3:8, we read, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus illustrated His power to cast out the demons and free a soul from their sway in Matthew 12:29 – “how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?” Christ, the mighty Conqueror, has snatched us from the clutches of Satan and brought us out of his control and dark influences.

God not only delivered us from the power of darkness, but He also “translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”. The word “translated” in Greek (methíst?mi) has the idea of removing people from a place to another. Christians have been transferred from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of Christ, God’s dear Son. Our salvation removes us from spiritual and moral darkness, and places us in the pure and glorious light of Jesus Christ. Zechariah prophetically announced concerning Christ before His birth, that He would appear “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). Jesus Himself said, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

What a glorious freedom we have been granted in Christ! No more to be under darkness, but evermore with Christ in His glorious kingdom of light!

 

READ:

Colossians 1:11

¹¹ Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

EXHORTATION:

This is a portion of Paul’s prayer for the Colossian Christians. What a needful prayer! Paul was aware that a Christian would not be able to persevere in his life of faith and service unless he is endued with strength from his Almighty God. Every Christian needs to be empowered with the Omnipotent’s strength, which is infinitely greater than his own strength. A Christian’s personal strength is not equal to his challenges. Jesus said, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Our God is able to strengthen us. The psalmist said, “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God” (Psalm 62:11). All kinds of strengths belong to Him – spiritual, physical, intellectual, moral, etc. He declares, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). Scripture also repeatedly declares, “Nothing is too hard for the Lord.”

He promises us not little strength but “all might, according to his glorious power”. Moreover, such supreme, immeasurable, eternal power of God will be continually made available to us. The Greek verb for “strengthened” is a present participle, and hence it suggests continued strengthening. He will continually strengthen us by His Spirit. In Ephesians 3:16, we are told “that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man”.

Like Paul, we too must covet greater strength from the Lord so that we might be stronger in our faith, hope and love. We need divine strength to be steadfast, useful and fruitful as Christians. When we are tempted and tried, let us pray for His strength, that we may be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (cf. Ephesians 6:10). When we have much to accomplish, let us appeal to the Lord for His strengthening grace. He will grant us the strength that we need to be good and kind, compassionate and loving, patient and forgiving, longsuffering and fervent, for His glory.

The result of His strengthening is “unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”. “Patience and longsuffering” are most needful in this hostile world. Christians need His glorious power to forbear their sufferings. His strength will help us not only to patiently endure all difficulties, but also to endure them joyfully. Let us ask for His power to be patient and joyful.