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Psalm 119:131 - “I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.” 

This verse vividly portrays a person deeply yearning for God’s commandments. The phrase, “opened my mouth, and panted”, evokes the image of someone utterly exhausted and gasping for air, or of a parched animal thirsting for water. These expressions depict one of the most intense desires imaginable—a longing for something vital and life-sustaining. Such was the psalmist’s deep desire for the Word of God, particularly for His commandments.

Many people today view the commandments of God as restrictive, burdensome, or difficult to follow. Some claim that God’s commandments are “grievous” (or heavy), but that is far from the truth. 1 John 5:3 reminds us that God’s commandments are not grievous, but are an expression of His love for us. The apostle John said, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” The psalmist, in Psalm 119, understood that God’s commandments are good, beneficial, and life-giving. They lead to wisdom and a greater understanding of life’s purpose. As the psalmist has declared, “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies” (Psalm 119:98).

Moreover, God’s commandments are described as pure, faithful, and righteous. Psalm 19:8 tells us, “the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” They are not arbitrary rules, but perfect, consistent expressions of God’s righteousness and truth. The psalmist also states in Psalm 119:86 that God’s commandments are “faithful”, meaning they are trustworthy and dependable. In Psalm 119:151, they are described as being “truth”, and in Psalm 119:172, as “righteousness”. Every one of God’s commandments reflects His perfect nature, and reveals His wisdom and holiness to those who obey them. 

Furthermore, God’s commandments are like lamps that shine light on our path, helping us to get through life’s uncertainties and darkness. Proverbs 6:23 says, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light”. Just as a lamp illuminates our way in physical darkness, God’s commandments illuminate our spiritual journey, guiding us away from sin and towards righteousness.

Given the goodness, purity, and truthfulness of God’s commandments, it is crucial that we do not forsake them. Instead, like the psalmist, we should earnestly desire to know and follow them. All those who obey God’s commandments will undoubtedly be preserved from the errors, guilt, shame of sinful temptations and spiritual ignorance. Above all, they will be led in God’s perfect wisdom, righteousness, and blessings.

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25th Bible Witness Retreat Participants’ Testimonies (II)

Doreen Ng

I have learnt many spiritual lessons from Pastor Koshy’s exposition of the theme on “The God of Covenant” in the 25th Bible Witness Retreat. This doctrine of divine covenant depicts God as sovereign, gracious and unchanging. It gives me great assurance that I can hold onto God’s unbreakable New Covenant in a world filled with challenges and uncertainties. 

The messages caused me to pause and think about God as He has revealed Himself in His covenants, and thus be grateful for the covenantal relationship that He has established in Christ with me. This relationship takes me on a journey of discovering more about God and His plan for me. Understanding and embracing the truths of God in His covenants not only enlighten my spiritual eyes, but also have the effect of encouraging me to continue being instructed more perfectly in His Word and to endure in faith to the end. The eternal life in Christ is the ultimate benefit of His covenants (cf. 2 Peter 1: 4).

Randy Laurencio 

Through this 25th BW Retreat, I learn that God reveals Himself through His covenant to His chosen people. I was truly awed, through all the messages, by the reminder of how sinful I am but yet God has chosen me to be His child. I am very blessed to learn of the matchless magnanimity of our God in His covenants. He was so gracious to engraft us Gentiles, the branches of the wild olive tree, to that natural olive tree, even Israel. I cannot fathom the deepness of His love towards Israel and towards us, believers in Christ in this present age. He is so merciful and unchanging in His love towards me, despite my many shortcomings and sins. 

I confess that I have been taking for granted all His benefits and goodness towards me. I realise I have indeed abused His kindness and blessings towards me because of my selfishness, my short-sightedness and my lack of faith and trust in Him. May He forgive me for not having fully entrusted my life to Him. May I be moulded and changed to fully surrender my life to Him. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob is also my God, and I love Him and His words because He first loved me. He has fulfilled His ultimate promise to save me from my sins through the death on the cross of His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32). He is able to fulfil all His promises towards me and to all His people, because He is the Almighty God. 

As for my response, I pray that I will fully trust in Him and walk according to His ways and precepts, that I will follow Him knowing that He is always there to restore and help me. While He has promised that He is able to provide for all our needs, I am most comforted by His promise in 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Reuel Resuma

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to attend the recent 25th Bible Witness Retreat, and especially for the preaching of His Word on the topic, “The God of Covenant”, which was expounded to us by Pastor. 

A brief summary of what I have learned from the retreat is that God is faithful in keeping His covenant and fulfils all that He has promised. Also, God’s covenants are unilateral, meaning that He alone sovereignly initiates the covenant, and graciously extends the covenant to whomsoever He wills, and exercises His authority over it and enforces its blessing and curse. These are evident in all of the biblical covenants, such as the Adamic Covenant, Noahic Covenant, Abrahamic Covenant, Mosaic Covenant, Davidic Covenant and the New Covenant.

Before the fall, God had established a covenant with Adam and Eve known as the “Covenant of Works”. This is God’s covenant with Adam and Eve, wherein He commanded them that they could eat of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For if they did, they would die (cf. Genesis 2:16-17). Although they disobeyed God’s covenant, God graciously initiated another covenant, which is known as the “Covenant of Grace”. All covenants that God has extended to man after the fall are part of the “Covenant of Grace”. And it all started with Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Finally, I learn that God has established a New Covenant, and the ratification of this occurred when Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood for us. The New Covenant also talks of God restoring His people, Israel – which is nothing like the previous covenants, for all of them would know God, and His law would be in their hearts which will culminate in Christ’s millennial reign on earth (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

All glory be to God!

Sermon Text: Psalm 89:38–52
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 22nd September 2024

From 4th to 6th Sept 2024 (Wed – Fri), the 25th BW Retreat was held in Gethsemane Media Centre. 71 adults and 17 children participated in studying the theme: “God of Covenants”. While four children’s teachers – Mrs Abigail Koshy, Mrs Leanne Joseph, Miss Crayson Wong, Mrs Gracia Chew – faithfully taught the theme from God’s Word to children, Pastor Koshy expounded the Scriptures to the adults who gathered to learn about the theme. Every afternoon, the participants met together to pray. We thank God for the blessed time of learning and fellowship, which is gratefully recollected in the testimonies below.

Dominic Kwok and Beng Hwee

We are so blessed to have Pastor Koshy, who is so dedicated to feed the flock, to teach us much about God’s “Biblical Covenant” during this Bible Witness Retreat. Thank God for enabling Pastor to prepare and preach nine messages over the three days of retreat. 

We are grateful for God’s mercy and grace through His redemption work, and His patience with us as we still struggle with sin daily. It is a journey which He continues to refine us for His service. Also, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness – one such striking lesson is that we are assured that God is a Promise-Keeper. There are times we get discouraged in pleading with God daily for our children’s salvation. But knowing that He is a Promise-Keeper has helped us to continue trusting in Him! We were also touched when we learnt about the plight of the hymn-writer who wrote “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”, which is a timely encouragement for us to trust God despite setbacks and struggles. We have a sovereign God who is in control of everything – so let us hold fast our faith!

Finally, the retreat allowed us to have wonderful fellowship with the brethren, and to know them better. 

Jane Koh

Thank God for the 3 days of Bible study at the recent Bible Witness Retreat, on “The God of Covenant”. Thank God for Rev Koshy for teaching us God’s Word and for encouraging us to walk close to Him. Thank God also for many brethren who came with their children to study and listen to His Word. All praise, glory and honour to our Heavenly Father.

Dns Diana Chan

The God of Abraham be praised for the 25th Bible Witness Retreat! Indeed, Jehovah, the great I AM, is also the God of love.

Praise the Lord for Pastor’s preaching of nine messages on “The God of Covenant”. Thank God also for Dn Lok and brethren in GBWL for their labour of love in organising the Retreat. I was blessed by the messages. I have gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of covenant, how God reveals Himself through His covenant, a believer’s relationship with God in His covenant, and the attributes of God in the covenant.

The covenant of God is a promise, oath, vow, bond, agreement or commandment of God with His people. God initiates the relationship with His people. God chooses His people. God reveals Himself to His people through His covenant as the God of Redemption and Restoration. He shows His grace to us by forgiving us of our sins, redeeming and restoring us to Him by the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus Christ. Only then can God establish His relationship with His people. “I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine” (Isaiah 43:1b).

The covenant is not an assumption. It is the declaration of God. It is unilateral. It is not a two-party agreement. We do not negotiate with God the terms and conditions of His covenant. It is singularly and sovereignly administered by God. He is the great I AM. The components in God’s covenant are His promises, blessings and curses, conditions, signs and sacrifice of the blood. An example of a promise of blessing when there is obedience, is in Exodus 20:12 – “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” There is also a curse if there will be no obedience – “And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 11:28a). So, the covenant with God denotes a personal relationship between God and the believer. It is a bond, as emphasised by God in Genesis 9:15a, “And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you”.

In establishing covenants with His people, God also provided signs, as highlighted in the Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic and the New Covenants. An example of a sign in a covenant is the rainbow in the Noahic Covenant. After the flood, God sent a rainbow as the sign of His covenant with Noah, that He would not destroy the earth again with a flood. I thank God for the rainbow in that whenever I have the opportunity to see a rainbow, I am reminded of God’s mercy and grace, His assurance and promises.

The covenant of God also reveals that God is the Creator and Sustainer. He is the God of design and order, God of moral and ethical order, God of providential and personal order. I praise and thank God for His covenant between Him and me. He is “my shepherd”. He decides and directs the providential and personal order of my life. He “leadeth me … for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b). 

Therefore, may we, His covenant people, “know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). All glory and praise be to God!

Carolyn Koshy

I thank God I’ve attended all the sessions of this retreat, through which I’m much convicted after learning from the exposition of Pastor’s clear teaching of “The God of Covenant”. Truly, God’s covenants have been at work from the time of Adam and Eve in the Old Testament, right up to even now in our time, beyond the New Testament, until He comes to reign on earth and ushers His people into heaven. God’s covenants offer us the bond of a most loving relationship with Him in Christ; this we must trust and appropriate as our way of life. His covenant is steadfast and the solid foundation for our lives. God never lies, and His covenantal words are His oath to us. It is now up to us to confess our sins, receive by faith His salvific promises, and submit to all His precepts, including the Ten Commandments, for our blessing.

Pastor’s exposition of 2 Peter 1:3-4 has strengthened me further in God’s “great and precious promises”, because they shall be accomplished in me and all believers by our all-powerful God, who would not fail. These divine promises shall equip us in our lives to be virtuous and glorious. To encourage all of us, Pastor sang us the song with these lyrics: “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here. Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment, I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. He whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best. Lovingly is part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.”

Nathan Resuma

The 25th Bible Witness Retreat was a great blessing to me and my family. I praise and thank God for His timely provision which allowed us to attend the retreat. I thank God for Pastor who preached on the theme: “The God of Covenant”, and for the many lessons I have learned.

• I learned about how God revealed Himself through His covenants, that we may know who He is, for on our own we cannot know Him. And that God revealed Himself through His Creation, His Word and through His Son, Jesus Christ.
• I learned that God establishes His covenants with His people so that they may know Him as the Great and Almighty God, and nothing can diminish His glory. And that we can always trust Him because He always keeps His Word. Moreover, God’s covenants are revealed progressively, one after another, with Christ as the central theme.
• I learned that God’s covenants are unilateral and sovereignly administered by God Himself, which reflect His attributes and have all His perfections. God exercises authority over His covenant, and enforces its blessings and curses which no one else can do.
• I learned that God is a God of design and order, for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, and He establishes the order of creation, the moral and ethical order, the worship (or spiritual) order, as well as the providential and personal order. Truly, we cannot make our own order that is not according to God’s order revealed in His Word.
• I learned that God’s covenants show that He is gracious and patient, for His grace is evident at the inauguration of every covenant. Certainly, His gracious patience is seen in His administration of every covenant. Also, He has shown, and continues to show, grace and patience to Israel and even to all of us until the end.
• I learned that redemption and restoration are essential in God’s establishing His relationship with man. God acted with the purpose of giving us redemption through Jesus Christ, who was promised in the covenants.
• I learned about how God has kept, fulfilled, and continued to keep His promises, and how He, as the perfect Promise-Keeper, keeps all His promises perfectly.
• Finally, I learned that we, as Christians, are to respond to His covenants through prayers of confession, submission and faith in His promises. Such responses include patient endurance (as a sign of our abiding faith and submission), having strong consolation in God (when we remember His commandments), fleeing to Him for refuge, and holding fast the promises of Him (who gives all things that pertain to life and godliness). All glory be to God!

Peggy Lee

Thank you, Infinite God, for the 3 days of careful study of Your words.

Thank you, Incomprehensible God, for giving Pastor Koshy a deep understanding of Your covenants and the wisdom to explain Your promises to us. 

Thank you, Invisible God, for having progressively revealed Yourself – so that we, finite beings, can know You. 

Thank you, Unsearchable and Unfathomable God, for wanting to establish a relationship with Your people. 

Thank you, my Heavenly Father, for giving me a heart to know You as my God and for making me Your child. 

Thank you, O LORD, for giving me the understanding that You are the ‘I AM THAT I AM’ – the self-existing, eternal and unchanging God.

Thank you, Merciful God, for unilaterally and sovereignly conceiving and initiating Your covenants. 

Thank you, Gracious God, for sovereignly extending Your covenants to whomsoever You will. 

Thank you, Omnipotent God, for sovereignly exercising Your covenants, and fulfilling all Your covenants. 

Thank you, Immutable God, for being the Creator of design and order, as portrayed in all the created beings, and for sustaining them. 

Thank you, Holy Father, for making known Your Moral Order to Your people.

Thank you, Faithful God, for accomplishing Your covenants by the sending of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Thank you, Longsuffering God, for all your Grace and Patience towards Your creation. 

Thank you, Only Just God, for extending Your New Covenant to us while we were yet sinners, and redeeming us. 

Thank you, Loving God, for the many exceeding great and precious promises given by the Holy Spirit to Your people. 

Thank you, Only True God, for being true and faithful to keep all Your promises. 

My Heavenly Father, help me to grow in faith and love for You, the All-Sufficient and All-Powerful God. May I, without worry or fear for tomorrow, undoubtfully trust You to lead me in Your truth, till I reach the promised land. All glory be to the Only Great God!

Dn Lim Ah Sang

Thank God for the blessed 25th Bible Witness Retreat held recently in GMC (4th-6th September 2024). It was a “foretaste” of heaven, where 70 plus participants gathered to praise and worship God, to pray, and to learn of the many aspects God’s wonderful truths concerning “The God of Covenant”, as well as to have fellowship one with another in Christ.

This retreat serves as a good spiritual stimulus for me to be enlightened of the deep doctrines on our covenantal God – the great I AM who is sovereign and faithful in His covenants, in His perfect redemption plan for man through Jesus Christ progressively revealed in the Scriptures, and in His gracious, exceedingly great and precious promises which are “yea” and “Amen”. 

Knowing that we are the sons of the most gracious “God of Covenant”, may we persevere in the faith in these troublous times, and be faithful witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ till His soon return. 

Indeed, the good LORD be praised for sustaining and enabling Pastor Koshy in his faithful teaching of the nine messages during the retreat. Thank God also for all who have laboured and contributed towards the retreat. All glory be unto the one living and true God!

Sermon Text: Psalm 89:1–37
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 15th September 2024

Why do we ask the question, “What time is it?” The most common reasons are (i) to help us manage our responsibilities duly, and (ii) to avoid being bad stewards of time by missing opportunities and schedules. We, as Christians, need to ask this question so that we may be good stewards of our time and opportunities in a very distracting and perilous world.

As we observe the world around us, it becomes increasingly evident that the times we live in are characterised by escalating moral defilement, spiritual decay, and a pervasive disregard for truth. In every era, believers are tasked with distinguishing between good and evil, but in times of heightened moral decay, this responsibility becomes even more pressing. The Bible cautions us about such times, urging believers to be spiritually vigilant and discerning. How can we, as followers of Christ, identify the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of evil in our world, and stand resolute in faith? In this article, we will delve into biblical wisdom on how to respond to the current times of moral and spiritual decadence, while underlining the urgency of the situation.

Evil Days! Redeem the Time!

Scripture says in Ephesians 5:16, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Here, with great earnestness and urgency, the apostle Paul succinctly expresses the urgency and intentionality required of Christians to live faithfully in a world marked by evil. This directive is a timeless call to recognise the fleeting nature of time and to use it wisely, especially in a world where moral decay and spiritual dangers abound.

Two terms that the apostle Paul uses here denote the concept of time: “time” and “days”. The first word—“time”—is the translation of the Greek word (kairos), which indicates a fixed or allocated period or season. Here, it refers to a person’s life and the opportunities that God has allotted to him. The second word—“days”—refers to the daily experience of earthly life.

Time is a unique resource because it is both unchanging and irreversible. Unlike money or other possessions, time cannot be saved for future use or replenished once spent. This makes Paul’s call to redeem time even more urgent. The phrase, “redeeming the time”, conveys the importance of seizing every opportunity and making the most of it. The Greek word for “redeem” (ἐξαγοράζω, exagorazō) implies “to buy up” or “to reclaim something valuable”. In this context, it implies that time, once lost, is gone forever; therefore, it must be managed wisely and devoted to godly purposes. Paul’s message isn’t just about being busy or productive; it’s about aligning our time with God’s will, ensuring that each moment serves His glory and contributes to our spiritual growth.

By saying that “the days are evil”, the apostle warns us of the temptations and trials that this corrupt and immoral world throws at us daily. The Christians living in the apostle’s time were surrounded by paganism and infiltrated by heresy. In Ephesians 4:14, he wrote, “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”. Greediness, dishonesty and immorality were a way of life in Ephesus, which most of the believers had once been involved in, and to which they were tempted to revert (cf. Ephesians 4:19-32; 5:3-8, 15).

Though some are given opportunities far into old age, others would only have a short life, ending in their childhood or young adult life. But none of us knows how long or short his allotted time is. Moreover, we have little time to waste. Because the days are evil, our opportunities for freely doing God’s will are often limited. So, the advice to redeem the time means buying up the time or making the most of the time. When we have the opportunity to do something for His name’s sake and for His glory, we should do so with all the strength that we have. So, let none of us waste our time and opportunity, but use them entirely for Christ!

High Time to Wake Up to Righteousness

Scripture exhorts us in Romans 13:11-13 – “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

Paul urges the believers in Rome to arise from their spiritual state of slumber by casting off the pursuit of worldly pleasures. Instead, they should focus on spiritual matters, knowing the imminence of Christ’s return. In Romans 13:13, Paul delves deeper, outlining specific behaviours that Christians should avoid. He emphasises the significance of understanding Scripture’s admonition against engaging in works of darkness.
One key takeaway is the importance of rejecting “works of darkness”. This doesn’t solely refer to physical brawls, but rather a rejection of excessive indulgence and sinful revelry. In today’s world, particularly in affluent societies, Christians can easily get caught up in materialism and career ambitions. This pursuit of worldly success can distract us from serving God and contributing to His mission. We become trapped in a cycle of wanting more, leading to dissatisfaction and hindering our ability to support the church and its work.

Paul further warns against drunkenness, lewdness, and a generally disorderly lifestyle. These behaviours are incompatible with God’s righteous ways. As Christians, we are called to be holy, just and righteous, reflecting the character of our God. We must shed these “works of darkness”, and embrace a life of decency and order.

The word Paul uses for “honestly” in verse 13 goes beyond mere truthfulness. It encompasses living a decent and moral life, one that exemplifies righteousness. Unfortunately, some Christians prioritise worldly concerns and societal expectations over living a life truly aligned with God’s truth.

Turning away from sin and embracing godly virtues has immense power. We can walk according to God’s will by yielding to the Holy Spirit. As Ephesians 4:24 reminds us, we are called to “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

The time for complacency is over. We cannot afford to remain asleep in the darkness of sin. Eternity approaches, and we must be prepared. Let us rise and shine as the light of God’s righteousness, and live with honesty and decency, genuinely reflecting our identity as children of God.

Sermon Text: Psalm 88
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 8th September 2024

I would like to share with you two short articles that I wrote to counsel believers to be always watchful against their tendency to drift away from the communion and service of the Lord. May the Lord help us to pay heed to the counsel of His Word.

The Pitfalls of Backsliding

Proverbs 14:14 vividly depicts the stark contrast between the “backslider in heart” and the “good man”, underscoring the profound impact of their chosen paths. Prov 14:14 - “The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.” This verse implies that those who veer from the righteous path, even if only in their hearts, will ultimately be engulfed by the repercussions of their decisions.

The term “backslider” comes from the Hebrew word “sûg”, which implies a hostile turning away. In Psalm 53:3, this word describes an unrepentant person who actively rejects God. He turns away from God because his heart is “filled with his own ways”. A backslider is self-conceited and considers his fleshly desires above God’s will. He is resentful when the ways of God are shown to him. He wants to pursue his personal ambitions rather than God’s commandments. 

This rejection stands in stark contrast to the “good man”, who finds contentment. Instead of finding satisfaction, the backslider becomes consumed by the foolishness of his sinful choices. Let us note that sin is ultimately the source of human despair.

The prophet Jeremiah reinforces this idea in Jeremiah 2:19: “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.” Here, Jeremiah delivers a powerful message: our own wrongdoings will ultimately lead to our downfall. Turning away from God brings bitterness and hardship.

This proverb resonates deeply as it unveils a universal truth: our choices bear consequences. When we opt to deviate from the righteous path, we sow seeds of trouble that will inevitably sprout. The backslider, ensnared by his own folly, becomes entangled in a cycle of discontent.

Yet, this need not be the end of the narrative. The proverb also holds out a beacon of hope. The “good man”, the one who remains steadfast to his principles, discovers a profound sense of inner peace and contentment. This contentment doesn’t stem from external factors, but from leading a life in harmony with his God-honouring values.

The message is clear: true happiness comes from living a life of integrity. When we stray from the right path, we risk harming others and inviting dissatisfaction into our own lives. By choosing to live righteously before God, we inherit assurance and inner peace, and thus avoid the pitfalls of backsliding.

God’s Proving and Our Right Response

Exodus 20 recounts God verbally delivering the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Moses was summoned to the mountain, and God spoke the commandments aloud to Him, which were later inscribed on stone tablets by God Himself (cf. Exodus 31:18; 32:15). The Israelites, witnessing thunder, lightning, and smoke, were terrified and stood afar off, preferring Moses as a mediator. They feared direct communication with God. We read of this episode in Exodus 20:18-20, “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

Moses reassured them that God’s presence and commandments were meant to test their faith and obedience, not to instil fear but to prevent sin. Moses said to them, “Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

This encounter underscores the clarity of God’s Word, which can be overwhelming, especially when confronting our sins and imperfections. The Israelites’ fear highlights the “perspicuity” of Scripture—the clarity and authority of God’s Word. It’s not that God’s Word lacks clarity, but our sin clouds our perception and acceptance of it.

Hebrews 12:18-24 contrasts the Israelites’ fear at Mount Sinai with how believers under the New Covenant should approach God. The Israelites were so fearful of God’s voice that they asked not to hear it anymore, unable to endure the commands (Hebrews 12:19-20). In contrast, New Covenant believers are called to come to “mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22). Believers should approach God through Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, whose sacrifice has made a new way to God (Hebrews 12:24).

God’s proving of believers is continual, intending to convict, challenge, and transform them, drawing them closer to Him. When preached clearly, God’s Word should not cause retreat or fear, but inspire repentance and a desire to yield to God’s will. God’s Word insists on how to live and come together, emphasising holiness, obedience, and strength. Obedient and righteous people will be strong, pure, beautiful, and resistant to backslide.

In essence, God’s proving is not about destruction, but about refining believers into obedient, faithful servants equipped for a closer walk with Him and for greater work.

Sermon Text: Psalm 87
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 1st September 2024

Sermon Text: Psalm 86
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 25th August 2024

From Rwanda:

I am in Rwanda! We’ve experienced the hardest of times as thousands of churches were shut down. Our campus church was also closed down. Please pray for us.

Rev. Kim

From Ethiopia:

Dear Rev. Koshy,

Greetings in our Lord’s blessed name! How are you doing in God’s work with your entire beloved family? Praise the LORD that all the brethren are kept safe as we serve God. We hope that God’s good hand will preserve your dad and mum. We are praying for them.

God willing, we are going to have our Mission Church’s 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving and GBI 8th Graduation Service on 1st September 2024. Pray for God’s blessing and provision. Please convey my regards to your family and the church.

Rev. Ephrem

Our reply:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in abundance!

With heartfelt gratitude, I reflect upon the Lord’s immeasurable blessings bestowed upon Gethsemane BPC, Ethiopia, for the past eighteen years. His steadfast protection and guidance have been our constant companions. We also praise the LORD for eight years of GBI ministry. May the Lord’s work spread across Ethiopia and even to other nations of Africa, through faithful men trained in GBI.

As you eagerly await the Thanksgiving Service on September 1st, we will join you in spirit to recall and rejoice in the Lord’s faithfulness. Our fervent prayer is for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power to revitalise all our ministers of the Word and the members.

Please convey our heartiest greetings to all the brethren who gather for the Anniversary Thanksgiving Service.

Heartily in His service,
Prabhudas Koshy
For Gethsemane BPC, Singapore

Rev. Ephrem’s Reply:

Many thanks, Rev. Koshy. Praise the LORD for the uncountable blessings we have received through your ministries. I will convey your greetings and wishes to the congregation. Remain blessed in Christ!

From Pangasinan (the Philippines):

Dear Pastor Koshy,

The construction of the worship hall is almost done. The plastering of the walls and rooms is done. The workers are currently framing the windows and the doors, and God willing, they will be installed in the middle of the week. After this, they will work on paving the way from the street to the worship hall. The excavator will be available next week to dig the ground for the toilet’s septic tank. The excavator will also flatten the kitchen area.

Thank God for the support and love gifts from Gethsemane, Singapore, so that we can complete the building. We will move our household things from the Mission Station soon after the rainy season to the house we’ve built near the church because the Mission Station (the rented house) is scheduled to be demolished in January to give way for highway construction. I praise the Lord also for the unity of our Session to support our poor and needy brethren. We’ve prayed and desire to make our help to the needy long-lasting and tangible. Praise God for the wisdom to develop the project to aid some of our college-age teenagers. We’ve noticed in our midst promising and talented students, but their parents or guardians cannot financially support them to study in college. We even have some orphans who are left in the care of their relatives, who are unable to support their further studies. The Session is currently finalising the criteria for choosing the eligible students.

Another ongoing plan is to hold an evening service every Sunday in San Fernando, La Union. I talked to the family of Bro. Eddie and Sis. Luz regarding the matter. They are attending a Baptist church, though not regularly. They willingly offer their place to start the work. After the construction of the worship hall, we will visit them and find a suitable place there for a long-term ministry. God willing, we will start the work in October. We are earnestly praying that the Lord will send a man of His choosing to take care of this flock. While waiting, we can care for them under Gethsemane B-P Church, Pangasinan.   

Donald dela Cruz

From Vizag (India):

Dear Pastor,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Last week, we held the second Pastors’ Meeting in Araku Hills, a tribal area around 100 km from Vizag City. Thirty-five pastors serving in various churches joined this meeting. As the place is near the border of Odisha, some pastors from Odisha also joined the meeting. Some travelled around 80 km to join the meeting.

We only planned for a one-day meeting as it was difficult to arrange accommodation for all pastors attending this meeting. In the meeting we conducted in May, we offered sessions on “Justification” and “Sanctification”. In this latest event (Friday, August 16), the topics taught were “Total Depravity” and “Perseverance of the Saints”. These topics were taught by Bro Seraph McGregor (the morning session) and me (the afternoon session). Pr Bujji Babu and Bro Bhagavath helped translate the messages into Telugu. We also visited a church in the evening and conducted a prayer meeting. All the residential students from GBI, Kotapadu, also joined this meeting. We managed to arrange a hall and some rooms for our stay in a hotel in Araku. Thank God for providing a good place for our stay during the night.

The following day, we visited a Christian mission hospital in Odisha, Asha Kiran Hospital (which is 60km from the meeting venue), to see the land we have purchased with the help of Malayalam Fellowship in 2018. As the roads are in good condition, we could reach the hospital within one and a half hours. We had the opportunity to spend time with Dr Mathew, the director of Asha Kiran Hospital. He is currently doing four online subjects in the FEBC distance-learning programme. He also shared with us how he came to faith, and even to embrace the Reformed convictions. He is very grateful for the opportunity to study theology through online courses. He also shared the testimony of other missionary doctors who came to serve in tribal areas and to start the hospital. In earlier days, there were no churches in the whole area. But now, there are churches in many villages around the mission hospital. He shared with us the great need for training rural pastors, as many of them are men with little training in theology. After lunch, we visited the land we purchased here, and realised villagers regularly cross it to get to their homes as it has no proper fence or compound wall. We need to construct a fencing or compound wall around the land.

Though our return journey to Vizag was long (7 hours) due to heavy traffic, it was safe and uneventful. We are deeply grateful for the journey mercies we received, and for your continued support. The travel through Ghat roads (through the mountains) can be quite dangerous, and we are thankful the Lord has kept us safe.

Many pastors who joined the meeting asked us to conduct such theological training sessions at least once a month. For now, we are planning to conduct such sessions once every three months. If they come faithfully, we hope to increase the frequency of these meetings. God willing, we are planning to conduct the next training in November. If you could also come to preach in the next meeting, it will be a great encouragement for these pastors.

In Christ,
Sujith Samuel