Sermon Text: Psalm 14
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 17th July 2022
Sermon Text: Psalm 14
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 17th July 2022
Mutual biblical responsibilities of Christian married couples are never to be ignored if they are to enjoy the marital bliss that God has promised (Psalm 128). Here is a continuation of this topic that I began sharing with you last Lord’s Day.
May all Christian husbands and wives cultivate a divine sense of duty to the other whom He has provided for them to love and cherish. Let there be mutual appreciation and never-failing fondness and courtesy. With unceasing acts of sacred love and kindness towards each other, let us strengthen our marital union for the glory of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
God expects Christian couples to nurture their relationship according to His counsel. From time to time, our own sins and Satan’s cunning and cruel devices can leave our marital relationships in great peril. To prevent Christians’ marriages from being victimised by sins and Satan, our Sovereign Lord, in His Word, has given husbands and wives peculiar duties, which they owe to each other.
Failure to perform biblical duties not only engenders matrimonial disunity, but also bring great dishonour to the LORD and the church. Scripture reminds every Christian couple that their life together as husband and wife is to be a witness to the relationship of Christ and the church. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:31-32).
The well-being of every marriage is assured if the man and his wife fulfil their duties as defined by the Scriptures. So, knowing marital duties and taking every care not to neglect God-given duties within marriage is necessary. The Lord has commanded, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6). Not working to foster matrimonial unity and togetherness is disregarding God who has joined them in marriage. Neither the husband nor the wife should undo the marriage; rather, with God’s help, they should build up their marriage in obedience to God.
More of the biblical duties of the married Christians will be addressed, God willing, in next week’s bulletin. Where the husband and wife perform their God-given duties, there will be a happy family of peace, virtue and honour.
Written by Joel Tan
I had just finished my third-year examinations in university and was preparing for the long holidays. Knowing that having nothing to do was tantamount to running the risk of drifting away from the Lord, I prayed that the Lord would give me something to keep myself fruitfully occupied during the term break while staying close to Him and His Word. Indeed, for some time, I was already in a state of deep spiritual “fault”, and I needed “urgent repairs” more than ever. Hence, I praise God for His timely provision of counsel and warning through two camps that He led me to attend in the recent two weeks – Gethsemane (GBPC) Church Camp and the Combined Youth Conference. The sermons preached in both hit me hard, as they exposed some shortcomings that I had.
The first lesson I learnt is that real joy is not to be derived from things of this earth, for they are only able to give us an emotional high for a time, and not in perpetuity. After gaining a lot of material things, one would look back and see that they do not edify the spirit: it is all “vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun” (Eccl 2:11). In agreement with this, I observe that it is also impossible to take these earthly things with us when we are called home, for we leave all earthly things behind when we pass on. Instead, what we should be looking for is real spiritual joy, a joy the world cannot explain and a joy that is unbreakable and unshakeable in the face of the very tough trials of life. This joy is connected to the fact that God has guaranteed that He is omnipresent and that He will be with us even in the most trying of times. Applying this to my life, I see that I have been blessed with many material things, including a comfortable home and the opportunity to receive a secular education many think is ‘world-class’. However, these and any other earthly blessing the Lord might be pleased to give me in future, are not the be-all and end-all of my life. As my chief end is to glorify God, so too must my aims be similarly aligned. May God help me to find that trust and joy in Him that would enable me to remain joyful and not be demoralised in the face of great poverty, deprivation, as well as the adversities, disruptions and trials of this life, and even in the face of repeated wrongs perpetrated against me and fellow saints!
The second thing I learnt is that real joy is commanded by the Lord, and when we are sanctified, there will be a joy that the world cannot explain. There are various passages in the Bible which exhort the saints to be joyful and constantly sing praises to God, wherever we are (even on the bed). This I can affirm in my life, whereby I have been dealt many adversities in life, such as being born without hearing, born with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and having been put on a severely restricted diet as my body cannot take many kinds of food. Nevertheless, I am contented and thankful for what I have, and I constantly praise God for sustaining me even when I have difficulties.
In one of Pastor Koshy’s messages, it was highlighted that prayer does not change things (which are so determined and permitted by God); it changes us and our view of the issue we are praying about. Reflecting on this, I have heard people saying, “Prayer changes things”, or “Prayer has the power to change things”. I now learn that this is only partially correct (correct in one sense of the word - not the ‘usual’ sense of it). We, believers, submit to and change ourselves in accordance with the will of God. The act of submitting a petition to God in prayer simply indicates trust that His perfect plan is sufficient to dispose of the subject of the petition. In other words, prayer has no power to change all the plans God since they were drawn up from before the foundation of the earth; but prayer is a statement that we look to our Saviour and that changes our perspective on the issue at hand.
This leads on to the practical application of real spiritual joy in our daily lives. Without it, we would fail very often at keeping our obligations to one another and to God. In Christian family life, trouble is still often encountered because all involved have had different upbringings and therefore may have different views on certain issues. Being in a family is never a panacea to everything - in fact, it is often the start of quarrels and troubles, and only with godly joy, wisdom and kindness can these be negotiated. As a student still under the authority of his parents, I pray that I will not be “a foolish son” nor “the calamity” of my parents (cf. Proverbs 19:13a). I have committed many follies on previous occasions. May God give me wisdom and discernment, that I will be a good witness for Him towards my family members.
All these, when taken together, eventually lead to inner joy in the soul - the realisation of celestial joy (as well as a remedy to a melancholic spirit) that lasts through the ages, for an eternity. I pray that when my time comes to leave the world, and go to be with Christ, I can truly say that the Lord had given me joy in a world which was full of trials / tribulations, and where an unbeliever would easily have said, ‘I give up’.
I am also thankful for the exhortations and reports by GBPC’s missionaries, sharing how God has provided for them and their needs, and how He has helped them overcome challenges too. I am, together with Sis Cecile, grateful to be able to witness the ordination of Rev. Donald dela Cruz, particularly seeing how Sis Cecile has prayed for the mission station and that more from her hometown would come to know God. We pray that God will give him more wisdom to tackle the increased challenges ahead.
I also praise God for the opportunity to attend the Combined Youth Conference. While (broadly speaking) it was a reminder that the Christian life is not meant to be an easy one and not to be lived in isolation from other fellow saints, there were some finer points that were imparted to me in the sessions.
The first was that sin is always near us, and just because we are Christians does not mean we are free from sin. Hence, it is important that we acknowledge it, and help each other to be restored and healed from sin, seeing it as a continuing struggle till we are called home and receive glorified bodies fully redeemed by Christ. This leads us to the fact that bearing burdens is an inalienable part of this life, that is imperfect and full of trials. Wherever we are, we can help other Christians by bearing their burdens and caring for them, for example, through prayer. We should not think of ourselves as better than others, lest we fall into the same (or a worse) trap, and suffer chastisement from God. I praise God for all these precious reminders as they can be very easy to forget at times.
Secondly, Pr Samuel Joseph admonished us on the correct way to help other Christians, and bear their burdens. He warned against the embracing of ecumenism and unity for unity’s sake. Amongst the ecumenical movement, taken at its highest, it represents a dangerous degradation and renunciation of biblical standards, and taken at its lowest, it represents a false cover that attempts to use deception to mask the differences between various denominations. I thank God for the timely warning in an age when the devil is trying to unite everyone behind his ‘one-world’ church and ‘one-world’ order, so as to, if it were possible, “deceive the very elect”.
I am grateful to God for the advice given on evangelising others. We may know what the Gospel message is, and we may have accepted it with all our heart, but the evangelism message also gave useful advice on how we can minister to unbelievers and spread the Gospel. May God use us to minister to those who are currently unbelievers, that more souls may be added to His kingdom in time to come.
I also praise God for the opportunity to get to know fellow believers from other churches and to fellowship among them, many of whom are at a similar phase of life as me now and are thus facing similar struggles.
In conclusion, the two camps have been very much of a blessing to me, both in terms of the sermons preached (with the wisdom of God poured on the preachers), as well as the opportunity to fellowship with like-minded saints. For that, I am extremely grateful and full of praise for our Lord. My prayer is that the Lord will give us more opportunities to hear sound preaching, learn valuable lessons, and fellowship with like-minded saints in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile to Christians and the old, well-worn paths. All glory and honour be to our God and Saviour! Amen.
One of the greatest dangers that many Christian homes and churches are facing is disunity. This peril often ensues from indifference to the truths and counsels of God’s Word. Some of us confess sound doctrines, but do not appreciate and apply them in our personal and communal living. Such an attitude engenders spiritual apathy and self-promoting, materialistic, carnal lifestyles. In such an environment, the unity and co-existence of the family and church are disrupted and endangered.
Disharmony, conflict and division often stem from unbiblical living of even those who belong to churches with sound doctrines. Hesitation to align our thoughts and actions in submission to the counsels of God’s Word will disrupt, weaken and destroy Christian communities. Discord becomes a common problem in such an environment of disregard for God’s Word in pursuit of personal pleasure and pride.
When the apostle Paul concluded his last letter to the Corinthians, he expressed his fear of sins that destroy unity: “For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults” (2 Cor. 12:20). These would not just end with only some discord, but will undermine the purity, testimony and existence of the family and the church. Paul feared such a situation in Corinth; that’s why he forewarned: “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Cor. 12:21).
The Philippian church also faced the danger of discord and division because of the personal conflict between Euodias and Syntyche. So, Paul cautioned the two women, “I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil. 4:2).
Such a situation existed in many of the early churches, including in Rome. Paul wrote to the Romans, “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits” (Rom. 12:16; cf. 15:5-7). Conflict and dissent are likely to plague every family and church whose members fail to yield fully to the doctrines / principles of God’s Word, and to commit to biblical living.
Let us consider Paul’s words in Romans 12:16 that call the church to spiritual unity. The church in Rome was made up of people from diverse backgrounds of race, language, culture, etc. Maintaining unity in a church with such diversity requires much commitment to the sound principles given to them by the apostles.
At the beginning of Romans 12:16, Paul wrote, “Be of the same mind one toward another.” The original Greek words used by the apostle can also be translated as “thinking the same thing to one another”. It is not an exhortation to think about the same thing, but a call to think of everybody in the same way. We must treat everyone equally. In the church, we are not to show favouritism or prefer one group over another.
The church should not be divided along racial or cultural or economic or educational lines. The church must be united, irrespective of the differences in members’ backgrounds. The church is a place where people of diverse backgrounds ought to come together as God’s people united in truth and love. Every member of the church must sincerely endeavour to communicate with other members of the church with respect and love.
Paul exhorted the Philippian church, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Paul also instructed them, “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2).
Major causes of disunity and conflict within a church (though she may be united in doctrine and purpose) can be traced to sin, pride, self-centredness, selfishness, anger, bitterness, jealousy, competitive spirit, power play, unforgiveness, vengeance, etc. We must guard our hearts against all these destructive feelings and conduct, lest we become vehicles of schism within the church.
Internal discord is shattering the church. Every church member must have a commitment to peace and unity within the church. Each of us must strive to be a peacemaker. We must pray that we will not be a troublemaker. A sincere commitment to forgiveness and reconciliation must characterise every Christian. The apostle Peter instructed in 1 Peter 3:11, “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” We must not let unhappiness and hurt caused by others grow into bitterness and vengeful behaviour. We must pursue the path of love, forgiveness and reconciliation. Likewise, we must cease being jealous of and hostile to those whom God has been using increasingly. Let us pray that God will make us promoters of godly unity in the church.
Paul also exhorted in Romans 12:16, “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Having commanded Christians to “Be of the same mind one toward another”, the apostle Paul then further advised them on how to maintain such a harmonious co-existence with fellow Christians. According to this apostolic advice, the Christian unity within the church is largely dependent on how each would think of himself in relation to others.
Hence Christians are told: “Mind not high things”. In other words, no Christian should be thinking of high things for himself. Seeking or aspiring for honour, rank, wealth, the company of wealthy men, etc. would lead to self-aggrandizement at the expense of others. Being too ambitious prevents one from accepting humble positions and tasks for the glory of God and for the betterment of others. Being high-minded or snobbish prevents one from stooping down to serve ordinary people or those who are of low degree. Thinking too highly of oneself can lead one to despise others and even to engage in “smear campaigns” to damage others’ reputations.
Every Christian ought to be humble and not try to grasp things which are out of his reach, or too high for him, or beyond his capacity. In order to serve everyone equally, he has to get off his “high horse” and get low to attend to their needs. We are also advised to “condescend to men of low estate”. We must not disdain to take notice of, or to greet, or to commune with men of lowly (temporal or spiritual) condition. We must make special efforts to humbly mingle with the lowly.
Moreover, we are also warned to “Be not wise in your own conceits”. No one should conduct himself as though he has all the wisdom while others have none. It is ungodly to think of oneself as socially and intellectually superior to others. Such a one is not so in the eyes of God and others. Self-conceit is often attended with bad consequences. It spoils a man’s usefulness and hinders his improvement in knowledge. It induces him to reject wise counsels given to him and to treat fellow Christians contemptuously, eventually bringing shame and pain upon himself! Proverbs 3:7 warns us, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Likewise, Isaiah 5:21 cautions, “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” So, let us avoid being wise in our own minds.
Dear brethren,
It was indeed a special blessing of our Lord that we could witness, as part of our church camp, the ordination of Donald dela Cruz and Sujith Samuel into the pastoral ministry last Thursday (16th June 2022). Both of them had completed their theological training at Far Eastern Bible College, during which time they attended and participated in Gethsemane BPC’s ministries. Rev Donald dela Cruz started the Gospel mission work in Pangasinan, the Philippines, in June 2014, while Rev Sujith Samuel began his evangelistic work in Vizag, India, in June 2017. Knowing the need for ordained ministers in both of their places of ministry, our Board of Elders recommended that they should be ordained. We thank God for the Ordination Council that had been convened, which was made up of Rev. Dr Jeffrey Khoo (True Life BPC), Rev. Ephrem Chiracho (Gethsemane BPC, Ethiopia), Rev. Reggor Galarpe (Gethsemane BPC, Cebu, the Philippines), Rev. Paul Cheng (Bethel BPC, Melbourne, Australia) and myself. The presence and exhortations of each of them, as well as the prayers for the ordination of both men, were most encouraging and much appreciated.
Having witnessed the ordination of the two men, let our thankful hearts endeavour in prayers for them. The Word of God expects us to support them in constant prayer. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 exhorts us, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you”.
The apostle Paul often requested brethren to pray for him and his fellow labourers in the work of the Gospel. On many other occasions in his letters, Paul asked for prayer. In Romans 15:30–32, he asked for prayer for continuing and extended ministry, as well as for fellowship with them. In 2 Corinthians 1:11, he mentioned their prayers as integral to his ministry. In Ephesians 6:17–21, he sought their prayers, that he might speak boldly for Christ. In Philippians 1:15–20, he affirmed their prayers as a source of strength in his witness in and through his imprisonment in Rome. In Colossians 4:3–4, he solicited their prayers for an open door for his preaching (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18).
Though the apostles were called, equipped and endowed with the Holy Spirit and extraordinary miraculous gifts, they humbly beseeched the people of the church, both young and old, to pray for them. If Paul (with all his unique, miraculous apostolic gifts) required the prayers of God’s people, how much more preachers and pastors of our time need the prayer support of the church. Those who lead the church should not forget their need for spiritual support from the congregation. One’s office of leadership in the church, or spiritual gift, or past successful service, does not make one self-sufficient for the work of the ministry. Mutual support, particularly prayer support, is vital for the success of one’s service.
Every member of the church, being joined with one another as the body of Christ, is to supply each other that which is needed. The eye cannot say unto the hand, “I have no need of thee”; nor the head to the feet, “I have no need of you” (1 Cor 12:21). Mutual support, according to the ability that God has given, is vital for the efficient operation of the whole church.
The apostle desired prayer, particularly for the ministry of “the word of the Lord”. Prayer, both requested and offered to God, recognises God as the Source of the progress and success of preaching. It is a great danger to attribute the success of preaching to the preacher’s talent and not to rely on God’s help, as that would ascribe to man the glory due unto God alone. Every Christian who hears the preaching of God’s Word must remember that he is in the presence of the preacher’s God, rather than the preacher himself. The blessing he receives through the preaching of the Word is God-sent. So, when he prays for the preacher and his preaching, he links the pulpit to the throne of God, the true fountain of all spiritual blessings.
The object of praying for the preacher is that the Word of God “may have free course, and be glorified”. Paul is here using Greek words that evoke the memory of the ancient Greek runners’ success and honour. Christians must desire and pray for great success through the faithful and fervent efforts of the preachers in turning sinners to Christ and establishing faithful churches for the edification of saints (cf. Psalm 67:1-3).
The prayer request for the ministers of the Word has nothing to do with personal well-being as an end in itself. The request is made that the ministry committed to them might continue and expand. Paul could not separate his ministry from the prayers of his brothers and sisters in Christ. Regular prayer support from caring friends is a great asset to every minister of the Word. Blessed, indeed, is the pastor who receives the continuing prayers of the people.
Sermon Text: Psalm 12:6–7
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 12th June 2022
I grew up hearing God’s Word preached in churches and learned many things about the Christian life through Sunday School. But those things became a mechanical routine, and I lost interest in spiritual things. I started to think that believing and following Christ can help a person live a good moral life in society. As other religions also teach people to live by upholding good virtues, I thus concluded that Christianity is just one way among many so-called religions to help people live a good life by having a sense of fear of God. I started to focus more on my academic pursuits with the hope of getting a good job. I wanted to live the so-called “morally upright” life in society by caring for myself and helping others through charity or social work. I used to spend time in studies and reading good books. I learnt much from the lives of people like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, etc. At the same time, I had high regard for Jesus as I was aware that even Gandhi learned his principles of non-violence from the example of Jesus. Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt 5:38-39). I continued to read the Bible, looking for wise counsels to help me live a good life. I looked for Christian books which can also aid me in understanding the Bible and motivate me to live a good life. I ended up having great admiration for the “Positive Thinking” movement in Christian circles. Norman Vincent Peale’s “Power of Positive Thinking”, Robert Schuller’s writings, etc., became my favourite go-to books.
I continued to be part of the church with all these pursuits. I am thankful to the Lord that I was baptised in an evangelical church as an infant. The church has catechism classes and confirmation before admitting a person into communion. The local pastor then started conducting catechism classes regularly to prepare some youths for confirmation. I started attending them regularly. It shook my views about Jesus and the Bible. I came across claims of Jesus, like “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6); “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Moreover, Peter, one of Jesus’ close disciples, declared: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). I understood that Jesus is claiming that He is God and there is no other way to be saved except by believing in Jesus. I was wrong in thinking that Christianity is one among many ways to reach God, or that it is a religious system to help people live the good life. I repented of my sins and put my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was confirmed as a member of the church and had the privilege of partaking my first holy communion with the understanding that Christ’s body was broken and His blood was shed for the forgiveness of my sins.
Since then, I started reading the Bible with a renewed interest. I used to get up early morning to do my school homework and studies. Before starting my studies, I spent some time in prayer and in chronological reading of the Bible, starting initially with the Gospels and then the Acts of the Apostles. When Jesus called the apostles, they forsook all and followed Him (Luke 5:11). I also saw the need for preaching the Gospel, especially in unreached areas. It was also a time when I started to read biographies of Christian missionaries. The Lord impressed upon my heart to consider becoming a preacher of the Gospel. But I could not entertain such thoughts as I was doing quite well in my studies and had ambitions of getting a good job. So, I resisted the thought of serving God by forsaking all. I started comforting myself with thoughts like “I can serve God by doing work and supporting the church and preachers.” I was also aware of the difficulties of the ministry and was very concerned whether I could handle these.
While I was reading Acts, amidst going through all the doubts and fears concerning the ministry, I came across this verse – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). I felt as if this verse was speaking to me directly. I found comfort in the fact that the Holy Spirit will help me in all difficulties of the ministry. I decided to give my life for the Lord’s work. I shared this with a close Christian friend and the pastor of my church. Both of them encouraged me to pray and prepare for the ministry. The pastor also suggested going for Bible college training after finishing my studies in school. Once I finished my school studies, I was very concerned about what to do next. I had the desire to study in a Bible college. However, as soon as I got good results, I sought admission to a secular college. My family also was not supportive of me going for Biblical studies. I decided to seek admission to an engineering college and settled for secular studies.
Frankly, I was not very interested in engineering as I was sure that after the course, I needed to study for the ministry. But slowly, I developed a great interest in some subjects of Computer Science (like Open-Source Software). I started promoting open-source software like GNU / Linux OS on campus. I decided to work in the IT industry, where I could promote and develop open-source software. The devil used it as an “idol” to draw me away from Christ and my calling. I started to doubt my calling. I concluded that my desire and call regarding the ministry was purely out of excitement after becoming a new believer, and that I was not called for the ministry.
But God worked in an amazing way to bring me back from my pursuit of an IT career. The college where I was studying was run by a Roman Catholic church, and the locality was also full of Roman Catholics. There was no Protestant church nearby. So, I started listening to sermons online. I came across R. C. Sproul’s Ligonier ministries and started listening to him regularly. I got convicted that God is sovereign over every affair of my life, including my salvation. The truth is that salvation is wholly a work of God and that He has “chosen [me] in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). This doctrine changed my perspective about God, myself and also about ministry. I understood my ignorance concerning Scripture and the need to study God’s Word more. I started to study more about Reformed doctrines and theology. As there is a lack of Presbyterian or Reformed churches in the place where I grew up, I was not able to learn much, apart from the occasional hearing of sermons or reading of books available online. The only Presbyterian or Reformed pastor I personally knew at that time was Pastor Koshy. By God’s providence, I had met him once before in a youth camp (in India) where he spoke. I then got his email, phone number, etc., since I liked his messages. I occasionally raised my doubts to him about Reformed doctrines through Facebook, which he did sometimes reply. I understood the need to study the Word of God systematically and started enquiring about different Reformed Bible colleges, and later also told Pastor Koshy about my desire. He suggested Far Eastern Bible College, and I decided to apply. Though doubts regarding my calling were still there, I decided to proceed and get trained if admitted.
I got admission to FEBC and started my studies. I am thankful to the Lord for the faithful teaching and training the college offers. But I was not able to make full use of this, as I was studying without conviction about my call to the ministry. I even started thinking about discontinuing my studies. While studying, my sister got diagnosed with tuberculosis in her school in another city, far away from our hometown. As my other family members could not travel to help her, I was asked to go and visit her immediately. Her condition was severe, and all family members, including me, thought she would die. I requested the principal (Dr Jeffrey Khoo) for permission to leave. He advised me to visit her and also to read from the Book of Psalms to her. Thus, while I met my sister in serious condition, I read verses from Psalms to her and prayed to the Lord to save her. I also prayed that if the Lord would heal her, I would serve the Lord. The Lord indeed answered my prayers. She got healed from her sickness by undergoing treatment for around six months. I came back to resume my studies in FEBC with full conviction to serve the Lord. The Lord also rebuked me through Luke 9:62 – “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The Lord has truly helped me to finish my training in FEBC. I am thankful that He led me to a good Bible college and also to Gethsemane BPC for worship. I was greatly blessed by the teachings provided in the college and also in the church. After completing my course, I was given the privilege to serve as a preacher of Gethsemane BPC. The Lord has blessed the work and helped me to start a church, GBI, and a bookroom in the mission station, where He has led me to do the Gospel work. I have the privilege to further learn about pastoral ministry through the “Pastoral Biblical Studies” class taught by Pastor Koshy through GBI (online). It was very beneficial as I could learn while engaging in the ministry. Many practical things related to the ministry were taught and discussed in the classes.
Meanwhile, the ministry was slowly growing, and we thought of granting some regular worshippers church membership. But the whole ministry was greatly affected due to the Covid pandemic. Most of our ministries were shut down except for online GBI classes. I am thankful to GBI (online) and FEBC for providing many online subjects to train students. Once the restrictions were lifted, we managed to resume some ministries of the church. God has also blessed me with a wife (Dorcas Koshy) and helped us hold our wedding amid all the Covid restrictions. As a family, we now serve the Lord (cf. Joshua 24:15). But as I was not ordained, we were not able to conduct baptism, issue church membership or conduct holy communion regularly. I am thankful to the Lord that He has led Pastor Koshy, the Board of Elders and fellow ministers to ordain me into the pastoral ministry, so that I may serve the Lord in the church more effectively.
Please pray for me that I will serve the Lord faithfully, and that the Lord will also raise more men to be pastors, preachers, elders and deacons in the mission church. “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matt 9:37-38).
I first arrived in Singapore on August 30, 2004. Like most Filipinos working overseas, I came to Singapore with the goal of earning and saving money, so that I can provide a comfortable life for myself and my family. It has always been my dream to retire early and enjoy the fruits of my labour. It was my desire to have my own big farm, growing fruit-bearing trees and rearing domesticated animals, especially horses. So, I worked daily with that objective in mind. When I became a new believer, having received the Lord on July 18, 2004, I first attended a Baptist church in Manila. This church had been receiving copies of RPG published by Calvary Pandan B-P Church, Singapore. About a month later, the Lord opened an opportunity for me to go to Singapore for employment. I asked the pastor to recommend a church for me to attend worship while in Singapore. They gave me an RPG devotional, and advised me to contact the two addresses printed on it.
After settling down and familiarising myself with the way of life in Singapore, I sought to worship the Lord. When I checked out the two addresses printed on the RPG devotional, I realised that 9A Gilstead Road was nearer to where I was staying in Ang Mo Kio. So, I went there one Sunday afternoon and I met Eld Ng Poh Kok inside Life B-P Church. (Elder Ng was then an Elder of Sharon B-P Church before coming to Gethsemane B-P Church). He introduced me to one Filipino student (then studying in FEBC), who gave me the address of Gethsemane BPC. I attended my first worship service in Gethsemane BPC on October 10, 2004. I continued going there to learn God’s Word, and was very happy serving the Lord in Gethsemane.
When I returned to the Philippines for a short visit in February 2008, the Lord laid upon my heart a very heavy burden for the Gospel advancement. While there, I visited a church that I came to know through Bro Randy’s wife. {Bro Randy was my closest college friend. It was he who shared with me the Gospel when we were in college, but I did not believe then. We also worked in the same company in the Philippines. After I came to Singapore, I recommended him to my boss and, by God’s grace, he was accepted to work in Singapore.} Anyway, when I went to that church, the worship service was delayed for almost an hour. When I enquired about the situation, I was told that they did not have a resident pastor – only a pastor from another church visited them to preach the Word once a month. On that day, a deacon was assigned to preach. However, he did not come because his wife became unwell. Though the service finally started, to my surprise, when it was time for the sermon, they just pointed to one of the deacons and commanded him to go up to the pulpit and preach. He was unprepared to preach. My heart sank and was gripped with a sense of burden and pity for the hungry souls waiting in the congregation to be fed. It was that time the Lord started to stir my heart to consider the necessity and duty of feeding His flock with His Word.
Hebrews 13:17 kept ringing in my ears: “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” What account would these church leaders give unto the Lord on that day? They will be ashamed when the Lord requires them to give an account of the ministry entrusted to them. I was also reminded of another verse: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
I returned to Singapore with a heavy burden. I could not understand what was happening to me. I am happily serving the Lord in Gethsemane and suddenly things became so different. I was not aware then that the Lord was already working in my heart. The calling to serve Him full-time came to light while attending FEBC night lectures. I was struggling because I was not ready to let go of my ambitions. I was starting a business and it was doing well. My dreams were taking shape and I was questioning the Lord, “Why now?” It was a great struggle.
The Lord was pleased to “remove the obstacles” – my flourishing business crashed during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. I was in debt to the banks and I prayed to the Lord to restore me. I vowed that if the Lord would give me the strength to pay my debt, I would serve Him full-time. I worked diligently with a different purpose, even to fulfil my obligations and then go on serving the Lord. The Lord enabled me to pay my debts after 1½ years. He also gave me extra, so I could contribute to the Lord’s work. I felt relieved. I was prepared to serve Him full-time. I joined FEBC for my theological training in January 2010. Looking back, I can say that the collapse of my business and the giving up of my life ambitions were the best things that happened in my life. The Lord gave me the assurance in Hebrews 13:5 – “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
I enjoyed my studies in FEBC. I always looked forward to the lectures. Though there were many struggles, the Lord sustained me. Three and a half years of theological studies went by very fast. I am very thankful for FEBC for moulding me to be a minister of the Gospel. The training was both biblical and practical. It was also there that the Lord provided for me a life partner, Se Jin.
When I surrendered my life to serve the Lord, He also opened the door of opportunity for my future ministry. I was attending and serving in the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship (GFF). I supported the work in whatever capacity the Lord allowed. Many of our sisters in GFF at that time came from northern Philippines, and they harboured hope that some of us would visit their family members to share the Gospel. Sis Cecile Batrina was the most persistent among them. In several such GFF-organised mission trips to Pangasinan, I joined them and saw the “vineyard” really ready for harvest. Many believed and trusted in the Lord during the mission trips. Among those were the families of Sis Margie Jasmin (Cecile’s sister) and Bro Mario Naranjo (Cecile’s cousin). Sis Jinky Batrina (Cecile’s sister-in-law) later trusted in the Lord during the 2nd mission trip. These three families are still serving the Lord with us till this day. Praise the Lord!
The harvest field was ready but the preacher was not, because I was still studying in FEBC then. In order to attend to the spiritual needs of the newly converted brethren, the then Pr Dennis Kabingue made arrangements with Cornerstone Baptist Mission in Villasis (led by Pastor Louie D Hitosis) to let the brethren join their worship service. That church was more than an hour away. The GFF contributed towards their meals and the rental of a jeepney to transport them. The arrangement continued until the inauguration of Gethsemane B-P Mission Church, Pangasinan.
June 7 and June 8, 2014 were important dates in my life and ministry – my wedding day and the new mission church’s inauguration respectively! Praise the Lord for bringing many brethren to witness the events. We started the work at 84 Sarmiento Village, Bolosan, Dagupan City. We stayed in Dagupan City until March 2021.
The Lord added more souls as we faithfully declared the Word. Though the recent pandemic caused disruption to our regular evangelistic visitations and gatherings, the Lord still opened doors to preach the Gospel. For example, while we visited our sick brethren in the hospital, I shared the Gospel with an elderly lady patient, Rosie Manuel. The Lord used her testimony to reach out to her family in Pugaro, resulting in her family regularly attending our church in Dagupan. Though Covid restrictions interrupted their participation in worship, the Lord has brought them back to the church again to worship. They continue to come to the present address of the mission station (Macayug, Mangaldan).
Praise God for leading us to Macayug, Mangaldan, where we have 2 children ministries in the vicinity. It is also nearer to most of the brethren from Binday. When we moved here, the Lord brought brethren (who had returned from Singapore) to focus on building up their families in the ways of the Lord. We thank God for Bro Jumar Balicao and Bro Kyt Bince and their families; they are faithful supporters of the Lord’s work here. They serve as worship chairmen and bring along others every Lord’s Day. Bro Jumar’s father, Julito Balicao, also joins the church meetings. These brethren use their private cars to fetch brethren from the towns of Binday and Villasis. The family of Sis Charlene Mae Abrena from Villasis also join us in our worship service.
In the midst of serving God, I rejoice to have an opportunity to continue to learn and sharpen my theological and pastoral knowledge. Praise the Lord for GBI (online) Ministry. While I was studying at FEBC, I was just focusing on studying. When I began the ministry in the mission field, I felt the need to further equip myself to face the theological and pastoral challenges I encounter. The ministry has been a daily learning experience even until this day. GBI’s Pastoral Biblical Studies (PBS) were designed to tackle the ministerial challenges. The PBS truly helped me to understand sound theological and practical truths pertaining to the ministry. We can never exhaust the learning of God’s Word; that is why I want to learn continuously. The PBS also was a great encouragement to me. We students see one another every week online, and share our burdens and struggles. Such interaction encourages me to press on with the ministry that the Lord has given us. I feel very joyful to hear how the Lord is working in other parts of the world.
Now, as I will be ordained to the pastoral ministry, I pray that the Lord will continually equip and empower me to serve Him faithfully and fervently, together with my family, in His church, particularly in Pangasinan. Brethren, please pray for us!
God’s intended purpose for the married woman is that she will be, first and foremost, the “helpmeet” of her husband (Gen. 2:18), as well as a joyful mother of their children and the keeper of the house (Psalms 113:9; 128:3; Prov. 31:10-31; 1 Timothy 5:14; Titus 2:4-5). The primary realm of her work assigned by God is in the home. Scripture expects her to manage the affairs of the house for the well-being of her husband and her children. The overwhelming and clear teaching of Scripture concerning godly women is that the primary realm of their work and activity ought to be in and around their homes. Of course, this does not prevent them from going out of the house for necessary personal and family matters, for helping the poor, and for fulfilling God-given abilities and obligations. Nonetheless, God expects godly men to labour to provide for the family (Psalm 128:1-2; 1 Tim. 5:8; cf. Gen 3:19), and their wives to keep the home with joy and dedication. God has commissioned women, and not men, to be keepers of the house.
One classic biblical example that a Christian wife or mother can follow is the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. Undoubtedly, her first place of work was her home, and her first concern was the household tasks. When she occasionally went out of the house to buy household goods (vv. 13-14) or to sell things she made at home (v. 24), she was not engaging in a profession, like the modern career woman who leaves home daily for most of her waking hours. She spent much of her time working daily within and around the house (vv. 15-22, 27), caring for her family members and poor neighbours (v. 20). Even though she had maids to do household tasks, she laboured much at home to supervise and provide for the needs of her family (making clothes, preparing / serving food, and engaging in other household chores), and support the poor neighbours. She would wake up very early, even before sunrise, to start her work at home. Her regular daytime work was at her own home and its vicinity – not in other people’s farms or industries, managing or running their businesses. She was far from the modern-day career (or business) woman who works during most of the waking hours of the day elsewhere, away from the house. It is not to say that she had never gone out of her house. She would go out to do marketing or carry out needful transactions (vv. 13-14, 24), but the base of her daily work was her home. In her family, she was the manager of household chores. She did it with commitment and dignity. She did not leave the care of the house to her husband, so as to pursue a career or business herself. In fact, her husband was a man of great responsibility in society. His place among the council of elders at the city gate is particularly mentioned (v. 23). There is no indication that her husband was a “stay-home” husband while she went out to be a career woman (a proposition not found in the Scriptures). The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 was, first and foremost, a keeper (or manager) of her house who cared for her husband and children, as well as the poor and needy.
Today, with many modern facilities at their disposal, young Christian wives think they can take care of their families without spending much time at home. So, many young Christian women choose to be career women instead of keepers at home. Often, they fail to consider the mental, emotional, and physical stress and fatigue to which they fall prey. They return home (after work) most of the evenings drained of their mental and physical energy, struggling to attend to the needs and challenges of family life. Many crucial matters concerning the care and support for the husband, as well as the nurturing of the children, go unnoticed and are left unattended. Often, this results in family members falling prey to spiritual dangers and disunity. Young wives ought to be sober (cf. Titus 2:4) concerning their God-given priorities in life. They should not unwisely spend time and effort in activities outside the home (whether they be job, business, leisure, or other forms of service), which would result in dereliction of God-given responsibilities and duties at home. They must give their very best (and not ‘leftover’) to the loving care of their husbands and children. It is of great importance that all family members maintain a genuine desire to obey and honour the Lord and His Word, in order for the blessings and glory of the Lord to crown our homes. Husbands must give biblical advice to their wives, and encourage them with the prayer that they may joyfully fulfil their God-given duties at home. Let no husband reverse the roles God has assigned to each family member. Husbands’ duty at home is not to change God-given responsibilities, but to instruct everyone at home to adhere to God’s counsels.
The presence and toil of every godly woman in the home is a favour that God provides for her husband and her children (Proverbs 18:22; 19:14). Women are created to help their husbands and tenderly nourish their children for the glory of God. It is a matter that Scripture has emphatically taught both in the Old and New Testaments. It is a timeless truth that God has given in His Word to bless every godly family. None should tamper with it! Titus 2:4-5 exhorts us that we should adhere to the instructions concerning married young women to be chaste, be obedient to their own husbands, be lovers of their husbands and children, and be keepers at home, so “that the word of God be not blasphemed”. The unmistakable indication here is that we should not disregard the warning given by the apostle Paul that the Word of God will be blasphemed (or defamed) by married young women doing otherwise. When we neglect God-given counsel, we will dishonour God and His truth. The apostle Paul issues a similar caution in his first letter to Timothy, “I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan” (1 Tim. 5:14-15). Where God’s will is spurned, Satan’s will is pursued. May our homes be a place where God’s Word is always honoured and every satanic, worldly idea opposed.