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The authoritative Word of God in Deut 15:11 commands, “For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” 

The gracious Lord has provided for and sustained our church, Gethsemane B-P Church, Singapore (GBPC) throughout our existence over the past 35 years. He has, in different ways, blessed and increased our resources progressively. GBPC has always expended these resources judiciously, especially in extending ad-hoc financial support over the years to brethren (both in Singapore and in our mission churches) in times of their great personal need. These critical needs have resulted from different exigencies, for example, untimely hardships from sicknesses, afflictions or natural calamities. 

Right across all the mission churches that GBPC supports presently – namely the two churches in Ethiopia (located in Addis Ababa and Alem Gena), the five churches in the Philippines (located in Cebu City, Bohol, Bogo, San Antonio and Pangasinan) and the church in Vizag, India – there are some extremely poor and needy brethren. Owing to their extreme poverty and other family circumstances, the leaders and their mission churches extend small but meaningful financial gifts and support to these brethren from time to time. These gifts would typically help towards providing for food, medicine, transportation and children’s schooling needs (for families with young children).

We praise the Lord for moving the hearts of our Pastor and all in the Board of Elders, with the conviction that it is now expedient for our church to step up the effort to financially support more of such needy and deserving brethren in these mission churches. In the BOE meeting held on Monday 28 August, the BOE unanimously approved a proposal to implement a Charity Programme in the various mission churches listed above.

It is envisioned and hoped that this initiative would not be a one-off event, as the matter of poor and needy brethren “shall never cease” (Deut 15:11a). To ensure sustainability of the Charity Programme, several elements of administration will be instituted. These relate to the matters of Programme ownership, support by the mission churches’ leaders, ease of administration, and accountability. The administrative efforts associated with the Programme will be structured with these factors in mind. 

The Lord commands, as we read in the latter part of Deut 15:11, “I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.”  May we all render our support in giving, and in praying fervently for the poor and needy in our mission churches.

Elder Mah Chin Kwang
(On behalf of the Gethsemane Mercy Ministry)

BW Israel Study Tour Group @ Alem Gena, Ethiopia

It was indeed with joy and gratefulness to the LORD that we took this opportunity to visit our mission station in Ethiopia. Nobody from our church has visited Ethiopia since 2018, mainly due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions. However, we managed to have Rev. Ephrem and Pr Engida come to Singapore to attend our various meetings. When we were organising the BW Israel Study Tour, we looked at the possibility of going through Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to visit our mission station. We then planned to use the 11 hours of transit at Addis Ababa to meet with Rev. Ephrem and his team at Gethsemane B-P Church, Ethiopia, in Alem Gena, about 20 km from the airport. We were joyfully received by all the full-time workers, their families, and some of GBI’s present and past students. After a walkabout in the premises, we met in the church building for worship and fellowship, followed by a sumptuous Ethiopian Lunch.

Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:25–32
Speaker: Pr Ho Kee How
Date: 3rd September 2023

Sermon Text: Psalm 53
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 27th August 2023

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Sobriety and vigilance are crucial to living a victorious Christian life. The Greek word for “sober” (nēphō) means being temperate or abstinent, especially with respect to wine. It is an antonym for the state of mind caused by drunkenness and is used more broadly to refer to spiritual and moral sobriety, a clear-thinking and self-controlled mental state that is free from confusion and unbridled passions. The Greek word for “vigilance” (grēgoreō) refers to alertness and watchfulness. When used together, these words exhort Christians to live with self-control and constant awareness against snares and temptations of sin.

At no time should we be heedless or unguarded. Our minds must always stand on guard against the most minute and unobservable encroachment of sin. Even that which appears to be harmless can lead us to great spiritual and moral perils. Not surprisingly, it has been said that “the enemy that is least feared is usually the soonest felt.”

How often we have heard Christian men regretfully say,  “Oh,  I fell  in an unguarded moment; the temptation came so suddenly!” But why were they off their guard? Is it not because they had lived carelessly and wantonly? We  must not indiscriminately accept every invitation given  to us. We must carefully analyse every overture made to us, whether it would undermine our commitment to our Saviour and  Lord.

Our vigilance must be comprehensive. Let none be too cocksure that he will not be overtaken by certain kinds of temptation. While we resist one form of evil, let us not forget that there are other subtle temptations in the world. While we watch against external forces that are bent on destroying our walk with God, let us also be on guard against internal passions that are equally perilous. If we are not vigilant, though we may watch against fleshly lusts, we may still give room (knowingly or unwittingly) in our hearts for pride, self-righteousness, and the like.

All such allurements of sin originate in our chief adversary, Satan. He is like a mighty, ferocious lion at our door, waiting to pounce on us and devour us. Let us not carelessly open the door of our heart. Satan, like a lion, would pounce on his prey, unseen and unsuspected. He is not only powerful and ferocious, he is also very crafty. So, be on your guard!

Testimony of Abishek, a GBI (India) Student

My name is Kambam Abhishek Raju. I was born into a Hindu family in Andhra Pradesh. My parents did not have children for the first seven years of their marriage. So, they frequently visited Hindu temples and prayed to many gods and goddesses for children. They also sought medical help, but to no avail. They lost hope of having children. Relatives of my father looked down on my mom. It was rather common in our society that childless women were insulted by people. My parents were very troubled. A pastor who visited them shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and also assured my parents that the Lord will hear their prayer. Then onwards, they started attending church regularly. They trusted the Lord Jesus, and eventually took an oath in prayer to dedicate the first son to the full-time ministry if God would give them children. Soon after, my mother conceived and gave birth to me. The Lord also blessed my parents with three more baby girls. These gracious blessings strengthened their faith. A few years later, several relatives from both sides of my parents came to believe in Christ. I underwent baptism while I was studying in 10th standard. However, we were part of the ‘Oneness Pentecostal’ denomination, which denied the Trinity.

Upon completion of my studies, due to family financial problems, I went to work for two years as a Sales Executive in Maruti Suzuki (an automobile company). My parents started to strongly urge me to go for theological studies and prepare for the ministry. After much prayer and consideration, I became convinced that the Lord wanted me to resign from my job to go for theological studies. With the guidance and help of my friend Teja, who was already part of a Presbyterian church, I joined the Presbyterian Theological Seminary (PTS) in Dehradun, India. There, I started to gain a proper understanding of the biblical truths, which strengthened my faith. When I was in my 2nd year of studies in PTS, I was convicted of the truth of the Trinity. I talked to the faculty about my conviction, and I asked them to baptise me in the name of the Triune God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. While I was in my final seminary year, I was ‘finally’ baptised in the name of the Triune God in Good Shepherd Church, which is closely affiliated with the seminary and where I had been worshipping for three years.

After completing my theological studies, I went to the pastor of my home church to explain to him the doctrine of the Trinity. But he didn’t listen to me, so I stopped attending that church. Now, I am working to plant a Reformed church in my hometown Kakinada to share the biblical Gospel with my own people. I have a heavy burden towards my hometown people, so I am currently working among them.

I didn’t receive any personal call through dreams or prophecies to be a pastor, but by reading the Bible regularly and spending much time in prayer, I recognised God’s calling in my life. God also kept the burden in my heart to share the Gospel with people who don’t know Christ, and to take care of the souls of those who believe in Him. Some of my friends and faculty members of PTS recognised my gifts, and encouraged me to work towards being a pastor. In this way, I have confirmed my calling as a pastor.

In the process, one of my faculty members, Dr Vijay Tagore (who works as a New Testament professor in PTS), gave me the contact number of Rev. Sujith Samuel to work along with the Bible-Presbyterian Church. And after talking with Rev. Sujith, I felt it is a good opportunity to work with this church to be involved in God’s ministry. So I have, as a first step, committed myself to learning in GBI. I thank God for this opportunity.

Revelation 12:11a—“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony”.

Satan and his hosts of demons have, according to previous verses of this chapter, been trying to destroy Israel and Christ and all the believers on earth. Satanic destruction has been unleashed against believers throughout the ages and will reach its climax against the saints of the Great Tribulation. He will try to destroy and slaughter all of the believing people.

However, Satan will be defeated. Notice what our text says: “they overcame him”. Believers will overcome all satanic opposition and persecution. How would they overcome Satan and his demonic hosts? According to our text, their overcoming of Satan and his demons was not by rebuke, incantations, bindings of demons or exorcism.

They overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb. Revelation 7:14 describes the Tribulation saints as “they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”. Because of Christ’s blood shed for their redemption, no accusation would stand. No accusation against the suffering saints of the Great Tribulation would stand before the throne of God. In fact,  no accusation against any believer of any age would stand. It is not that they possess some personal power of their own, but rather that “God hath set forth (Christ) to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25). As Paul said, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:6-7; cf. Colossians 1:14). All of the accusations against us fall on deaf ears because we have been saved by the blood of the Lamb, even our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:12, 14).

What’s more, the believers also overcame Satan “by the word of their testimony”. In a world filled with demonic treachery and opposition, their testimony never wavered. They remained faithful regardless of all the threatening situations brought against them by the fury of Satan. They were unflinching and unwavering in the face of hostility. Their witness was clear and steadfast. Truly, Christians do not surrender. As “overcomers”, they go forth bearing Christ’s testimony, even in times of satanic hostility.

Testimony of a New GBI (India) Student

Kynsai Kupar Thabah (from Meghalaya)

I was born and brought up in a Christian family. At the age of 12, I went to study in Sohra, and after two months of my stay there, my father passed away. I studied in Sohra up to my 10th standard. But when I was in my 9th standard, I started to have a taste of alcohol. This venture was more of an experience of fun with my friends. After I completed my studies in Sohra, I went to Shillong to continue with my higher secondary education. It was during those years that I started getting into substance abuse and all sorts of intoxication. 

At that point in life, I just had a mere understanding of the Christian faith. I would pray, and I would read the Bible at times, but I did all of these because I was taught to do so as a so-called Christian. Also, I was never a regular churchgoer. In the year 2017, I was living a life of an atheist. I would be absent from tuition and use the tuition fees to buy alcohol, ganja, tobacco and the like. I would lie to my mother, telling her that I needed money for school projects, but I used the money she gave me to buy these substances. I lived life to my own wishes and walked in my own freedom. I lived a wayward life, and I could never truly obey my mother. Because I stayed with my relatives, I came home late at night. The nights were spent drinking alcohol with my friends, going to bars and parties. I would go to festivals where DJs would be performing, so that I could drink alcohol and enjoy partying. 

It was on a particular Sunday (5th August 2018) when a friend called me up to invite me to attend a church service with him. But I declined his invitation, postponing that to the following Sunday. When the 12th of August arrived, we went to a fellowship meeting. It was a church service organised out of a request by the youths. It was on that particular day that I heard the preaching of the Gospel. At that very moment, there was a strong conviction of the Holy Spirit which made me understand that I am a sinner, condemned and guilty, and a hopeless person without Christ.

I turned away from my sins and repented, trusting in Christ and His finished work. There was a transformation in my life. I saw that God enabled me to leave my old life. I started staying away from my friends whom I was close to all along. I used to love dancing to the DJ’s beats, but after God saved me on the 12th of August 2018, all of those old desires and habits died. On 15th August 2018, there were several DJs performing at nearby Ward’s Lake, and though I went there (still with some intention of enjoying and dancing), all of the music played became bland to me. There was no love for such things anymore. 

I started reading the Bible and started to love going to church. There was also a desire to grow in the Word of God. When I look back at my life and the years which have passed, I see the mercy of God. If it was not for His mercy, I would have died in my sins and would be damned for eternity. I realise that God has sought and found me, even if I had run away from Him. God, by His grace, saved a sinner like me, and I have hope in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Sermon Text: Psalm 52
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 20th August 2023

We commemorate the 21st Anniversary of our Chinese Service today. A combined Thanksgiving Service is held together with the 8:30am English Service for the praise of Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Shepherd of the church. 

What a joy it is to witness three elderly folks joining our church today, through the ministry of Gethsemane Chinese Service! They have come to know the Lord and find fellowship in the Chinese Service and the Seniors’ Ministry. 

Mdm Mak Yock Theng (82 yrs), to be baptised today, has been coming to our church and ministries with her husband, Mr Ng Weng San (member of our Chinese Service), for several years. They are the parents of Bro. David Ng (TGCM staff), who has been praying for their salvation and encouraging them to turn to Christ in faith. Likewise, Mr Tay Nga Nga (72 yrs) was brought to our church by his daughter (a non-Gethsemanean) who joins our church services occasionally. He has been regularly worshipping in the Chinese Service in recent years. Mr Yap Yam Hua (88 yrs), a Christian living alone, was introduced to us by his nephew. Having attended our church services for a few years, he has decided to transfer his membership to our church. 

Let us continue to pray for the Chinese Service and the labour of Pr Daniel Lim in preaching the Word for the spiritual nurture of all who attend this church ministry. We also pray for Elder Alan Choy, Dn Gan Chin Hwi and others who serve along with Pr Daniel. May the Lord purify and preserve all the brethren for His coming and for His eternal kingdom.

Testimonies of Candidates of Transfer of Membership

Ho Xiu Ling

I’m a first-generation Christian. The Gospel seed had been sown in my heart since childhood when I attended a Methodist primary school. I heard the Gospel through the school’s chapel services and Christian fellowship in school. 

I started to attend church together with my siblings when my sister’s church friends reached out to us after my mother passed away when I was at the age of 12. Not too long after that, I accepted Christ in my life.

God has always been wonderful in my life. He is my comfort, strength and provider. I received baptism by faith when I was 15 years old. The Word of God has helped me to stay faithful and not stray away from it into worldly things.

Since I met my fiancé James 2 years ago, I started to attend the same church as him at Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church. I have grown more in faith over this period of time. Thank God for all the blessings in my life. To God be the glory!

James Voon

Though I was born into a non-Christian family, my parents decided to enrol me in mission schools since kindergarten. This was because of my quiet and reserved nature. My parents were hopeful that this would help me to open up to others. Thus, from kindergarten all the way to my secondary school, I was exposed to the Gospel. It was during one of the Bible study sessions in my primary school, that I was convicted of my sins, and I accepted Christ as my Saviour.

That was some 30 years ago. Through many years of ups and downs in my spiritual life, the Lord remains compassionate and faithful to me. I am now a regular worshipper at Gethsemane B-P Church, having started worshipping there almost 9 years ago. Because of the sound preaching at Gethsemane and the fellowship I received, I have decided to become a member of Gethsemane B-P Church.

Ministry Updates from Cebu, the Philippines 

Pastor Reggor Galarpe (Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu) has reported about the church and its related ministries. Here’s an excerpt from Pastor Reggor’s email. 

“We thank you and the Board of Elders for the half-month financial support received. It’s a big help for our families, which is especially timely since it’s school opening also for our children. Praise God! ... Praise God that GBI-Cebu’s new semester has begun on 7th August 2023, with the Day of Prayer and Registration. Thank God for the enrolment of 18 students – with 4 of them studying full time, namely Johnny Rey Ebin, Dave Taburada, Synoname Estacion and our dear brother, Julius del Rosario… Regarding our search for a prospective church building, we have scheduled a meeting and ocular survey (11th August) of a property introduced to us. It is situated some 19 km away from Cebu City… We will keep you posted on this. Please pray for God’s help and guidance… Lastly, our greetings to TGCM and the Gethsemane Chinese Service on their respective anniversaries!”

Sermon Text: Psalm 51
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 13th August 2023

Sermon Text: Psalm 50
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 6th August 2023

Reports on Christian persecution around the world have been on the rise. Burning of church buildings, beating and killing of Christian missionaries, pastors and believers are increasingly heard in more countries worldwide. Not only in traditionally hostile societies, but also in places where religious diversity and tolerance have previously existed, indescribable violence is now committed against Christians. 

On 22nd June 2023, Christianity Today reported, “At least 450 Christians have died in a series of attacks on Christian villages in three north-central Nigerian states since May, according to reports from religious freedom advocates.” Things are not getting any better for Christians, even in our continent, Asia. “An Evangelical group in India is calling for peace after 58 Christians were killed, dozens of churches were burned and tens of thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes due to ethnic violence in Manipur, a state in Northeast India that is home to more than 2.5 million people.”

Upon reading such reports of unrelenting persecutions and killings of Christians around the world, my mind was filled with the words of Paul in Romans 8:35-37, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

His Love Makes Persecuted Christians Conquerors

Indeed, Christians are conquerors. In fact, v. 37 declares that Christians are “more than conquerors”. This is truly a comforting message to Christians, for they live in a hostile world. Though they would face extreme hostilities, their faith shall not be quenched because the Word of God assures them that they shall be “more than conquerors”!

Paul has in vv. 35-36 written about the steadfastness of God’s love for believers in the face of hostility: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter”. Yet, Christians will be enabled to overcome sin, Satan, the world, temptations, reproaches, afflictions, persecutions, and thereby continue in their faith. The devil will trouble their souls with temptations and trials. Many Christians will suffer great afflictions. But they shall abide in their faith, love and service through thick and thin. In fact, they shall be “more than conquerors”.

Just what did the apostle mean when he referred to Christians as “more than conquerors”? He meant that they are winning a sweeping, overwhelming victory. The emphasis made here by the apostle is that in the midst of all the myriads of hostile experiences – yes, even by means of them and with their “help” – Christians shall show that they are more than conquerors!

They overcome their innumerable troubles, not by their own strength, but through the Lord Jesus Christ, who loves them. The ability to triumph over all adversity does not arise from any inherent superiority of believers, but rather, by the might of their loving Saviour, they will overcome their adversities. His love for them is the pledge of His help for them to be great overcomers.

Christ’s steadfast love will strengthen and enable us to endure affliction. Special favour of His love will strengthen us. We shall overcome all our afflictions, not by our natural powers, but by the special blessings of our Saviour’s love.

His Power Empowers His Afflicted

Yet another familiar verse comes to my mind that encourages every afflicted Christian: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9b).

Paul was buffeted by the messenger of Satan and afflicted with what he referred to as “a thorn in the flesh”. The Lord, who found it necessary that the trouble should remain in Paul’s life, assured him of His grace which was sufficient to strengthen and equip him to serve the Lord effectively. The Lord’s assurance that His grace was sufficient to support and strengthen Paul in his trial, made him a happy minister of the Gospel. So, he joyfully confessed, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Because of the glorious promise of the Lord’s sufficient and strengthening grace, Paul refused to be perturbed by his trial. Instead of being preoccupied with the trial, he committed himself to delight in the grace of the Lord that was made available to him. He was, in effect, saying, “I count it my joy to be afflicted if my trial will be the means to know the power of my great Redeemer.” Paul rejoiced that his weakness became the vehicle by which the Lord’s grace and power were most fully manifested to himself and to others. When the devil inflicted him with weakness and pain, the Lord “perfected his strength” in the midst of his weakness. It seems that Paul was saying that his weakness plus Christ’s power equal perfect power. Paul was not relying on his own strength, for he was full of weakness. He was most powerful, when he was least reliant on his own resources and most reliant on the Lord’s grace and power.

Self-reliance, which results from pride, is detrimental to our spiritual joy. So, it is to prevent the possibility of pride in Paul that the Lord permitted his trial. We should not, therefore, be bitter when afflictions are permitted in our lives. Only when we are emptied of ourselves, will our strength be perfected with Christ’s glorious power. Very often, the continuing weakness in Christians is necessary so that they might not confuse the power of God with their own power and lose God’s power by attempting to rely on themselves.

Like Paul, in order that you may be vessels of Christ’s glorious power, be glad to suffer the trials He would permit. If you are in the midst of trials, rejoice that His power shall rest (pitch a tent) in you. His power will keep your faith intact, and let you magnify Him against Satan’s evil devices.