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Elder Mah Chin Kwang

All of us praise and thank the Lord for His grace and mercy in bringing our lives a little closer to what they have been in early 2020 before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sudden surge of the virus upon the shores of our little island resulted in 2.2 million confirmed cases and 1,700 deaths, thus far. In our church, many brethren and friends, together with their respective families, were infected, but none succumbed to the disease. All glory and praise to His precious Name!

We praise the Lord that after 3 full years, the Lord is pleased to ease His hand of judgment and chastisement upon our sinful world, re-opening windows of opportunity to serve Him. Like God’s people of old (as we read in Scripture), we too would be guilty of gross negligence and disregard of Him if we do not seize every opportunity to share the blessed Gospel once again, near and far. And thus, by God’s singular grace and pleasure, with the unanimous support of the Board of Elders of our church, Mission Pangasinan 2023 shall be held from 8th to 12th February, God-willing.

Owing to the opportune short school break this week, Rev. Donald dela Cruz, our missionary in the mission church in Pangasinan and his co-workers have worked extremely hard to organise and facilitate the upcoming event. Not all in the 25-member team of 2020 are able to join us this time, owing to the date of this mission and other personal constraints. Nevertheless, all praise to the Lord that despite the present smaller team of 16 brethren, the scope of this short-term mission was not curtailed.

The evangelistic fervour and brotherly care of the apostle Paul and his co-labourer Timothy set for us an enduring example, as we read in Colossians 1:9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”.

Truly, not all can be with us on this mission, but all can be engaged in prayer for the Lord’s outpouring of His blessings in the learning of God’s Word, and through the fellowshipping with the saints in praise and prayer. May the Lord bring salvation to many, and grant strengthening to all saints, during the following planned spiritual activities:

• Visitations of 8 homes on Thursday (9 February) and Friday (10 February), with devotions to be shared by Pr Jeremiah (at 2 homes), Pr Samson (at 2 homes), Elder Mah (at 4 homes)
• Street evangelism on Friday (10 February)
• Prayer Meeting on Friday (10 February), with a message by Pr Jeremiah
• Adults’ Teaching Meeting on Saturday (11 February), with 4 messages by Pr Samson
• Children’s Vacation Bible School on Saturday (11 February), with 3 lessons to be taught by Pr Jeremiah, Dns Diana, Sis. Aileen, Sis. Gina, Sis. Kim Lei
• Worship Service on the Lord’s Day, with Rev. Donald delivering the sermon 
• Junior Worship on the Lord’s Day, incorporating a lesson by Sis. Aileen, Sis. Kim Lei.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be highly exalted in these spiritual endeavours.

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Things That Wreck Short-Term Missions

Prabhudas Koshy

Our self-conceited attitude, unreasonable expectations and hypocrisy can disrupt, or even ruin the short-term missions organised by our church or fellowship groups. To maximize your contribution to the missionary, mission church and the mission team, please avoid doing the things mentioned below:

1. Negligence of personal daily devotion. Some have neglected their time of prayer and meditation of God’s Word because they have to pursue a busy schedule. It is inadequate just to rely on group devotions and the preaching of the Word during the mission activities.
2. Unwillingness to do any menial work. To make a mission trip successful, everyone in the team must always be ready to take up any task or challenge. It is absurd to refuse to do any menial work, saying that your only duty during the missionary trip is to win souls. It is false to think that doing menial work (like data entry, loading trucks, cooking, etc.) will distract you from your primary task of winning souls. Not everyone is called to be a preacher. For example, younger Christians in the team who are not equipped to preach and teach can contribute by helping in the physical aspects of the ministries.
3. Pick on the missionaries and their mistakes. Do not jump to conclusions quickly when you notice something that appears wrong. Be patient and careful not to make an unjust and erroneous judgment.
4. Disagree, criticise and murmur against your team leaders. Normally, leaders of mission trips are Christians who are experienced and mature. They make decisions based on their best knowledge and judgment. It will be far better to prayerfully cooperate with the leaders in whatever way you can, than be a “dissident” in the mission team. If you complain and murmur, it will affect the team’s unity and effectiveness. 
5. Harshly deal with team members who make a mistake. Unkind remarks and discourteous behaviour can lead to much grief and problems during mission trip. Be gracious and affectionate to one another.
6. Being too suspicious or too trusting of everyone you meet during the trip. It is wrong to think everyone in poor countries is out to get something from you. Also, it is dangerous to think that everyone who appears to be friendly is safe to trust. The best is to follow the instructions given by the team and local leaders.
7. Refuse the local food, as it might not have been cooked well to your taste.
8. Keep your distance from team members who cannot raise their full support. Be kind and generous towards one another.
9. Get involved romantically with someone or get into a quarrel with your friend. Though there is nothing wrong with getting to know someone closer, you must not lose focus of the nature and purpose of the mission trip. Also, avoid getting into petty quarrels with your friend.
10. Scold your home church upon your return from the mission field for their lack of commitment, their weak prayers, or their inadequate giving to missions. One or two mission trips do not prove that you have become the “perfect” evangelistic Christian. Instead, encourage the home church by your example in supporting the missions, since you have witnessed the needs and struggles of the church’s overseas missions.

Sermon Text: Psalm 33
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 29th January 2023

Christianity has spread all over the world because of men who have unashamedly gone forth to preach the Gospel everywhere. Hence, we can say that the history of the church is the history of valiant men of faith. Chief among those men is certainly the apostle Paul, who said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Be Not Ashamed!

Feelings of shame and fear are not helpful at all in the work of the Gospel. Those who are ashamed of the Gospel are a hindrance to the work of the Lord. Dear brethren, in these days we are witnessing an increasing aversion to the Gospel of Christ everywhere. Sadly, the unpopularity of the Gospel has compelled many Christians and preachers to compromise the content and delivery of the Gospel. They try to make the Gospel inoffensive. But such a gospel is not the Gospel of God (cf. Romans 1:1) or the Gospel of Christ (cf. Romans 1:9, 16), but the gospel of man, which cannot save sinners! 

What are your personal feelings concerning the Gospel? Would you say, “I am not ashamed”? Without a bold determination, we cannot make progress in the Gospel work – in the face of extreme ridicule and opposition. In the past, men and women suffered much to hand down to us the Gospel of salvation. Today, it is our duty to preach the Gospel. We cannot fail. So, let us not cower and falter in our duty to preach the Word of salvation. If the people in the church would fail to preach the Gospel, there will be none other to do it.

We who have received the salvific blessings of the Gospel have a great responsibility to declare it. We are entrusted with the Gospel, that it may be preached. Let our resolve be clear and well expressed, like Paul who said, “for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16).

Gospel Has Power!

Our motivation to preach the Gospel in all circumstances is its power to save sinners. Paul said about the Gospel that “it is the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16b). The power of the Gospel is “the power of God”. Through the Gospel, the resources of God’s infinite power work to save sinners from the bondage of sin. The Gospel is the way through which God exerts His omnipotent power for the quickening of souls that are dead in trespasses and sins. It is the efficacious or mighty plan of God, by which His power goes forth to save, and by which all the obstacles to man’s redemption are taken away. 

In 1 Corinthians 1:18, Paul said, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” Again, he wrote in the same chapter in 1 Corinthians, “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (vv. 24-25).

The fact that the Gospel is the power of God implies some profound truths about the Gospel. Firstly, the Gospel is completely God’s plan, and not a device of man. Secondly, it is the perfect and effectual means to the salvation of sinners. Thirdly, the Gospel is mighty; hence it is called “power” – “the power of God”. The Gospel is not at all feeble or ineffectual, but it is “mighty … to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4b). It has shown its power to be applicable to every degree of sin and every combination of wickedness. Nothing can make the Gospel void from saving God’s elect. 

Gospel Saves!

The Gospel guarantees complete deliverance from sin and hell, for it is “unto salvation”. By the power of God in the Gospel, those who trust in it shall be saved to the uttermost (cf. Hebrew 7:25). The Gospel also offers salvation to everyone who believes – “to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16c). Salvation is offered to everyone who believes in the Gospel of Christ. Those who reject the Gospel will not be saved, for it is the only way of salvation. But salvation is conferred on all who receive it by faith. One’s racial or social background would not prevent one from being saved upon faith in Christ. Jews and Gentiles alike can receive salvation by faith in the Gospel of Christ.

The phrase “to the Jew first” does not suggest that Jews are better or that they have preference over the Greeks when it comes to salvation. It simply indicates that the Gospel came to the Jews before the Greeks, through the ministry of Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 10:5-7) and the apostles (cf. Acts 3:26). “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:12-13).

So dear brethren, since the Gospel has the (divine) power to save sinners from eternal damnation, let us never, for a moment, be ashamed of the Gospel – but “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ … that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Sermon Text: Psalm 32
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 22nd January 2023

The Doctrine Defined

The doctrine of the preservation of Scripture teaches that God providentially preserves all the inspired words of the Bible, in the original languages, forever. It proclaims the indestructibility of the Bible. The Bible today is every bit as perfect as it was first written, and it shall be so forever. Hence, God’s people of all ages esteem the Bible as entirely trustworthy and authoritative. It is forever the inerrant, infallible source of truth.

Despite the intense efforts of some wicked men to destroy the Bible, God has sovereignly overseen the process of Scripture’s preservation and transmission down through the ages. Throughout the history of God’s people, He has been actively preserving all the words of His Scripture. The LORD has kept all the inspired words of Scripture until now; we have no reason to believe He will stop preserving it now or later. We can confidently say that the LORD keeps His Word intact, as He has promised.

The Westminster Confession of Faith declares, “The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical…” (Chapter 1, Para. 8).

Certainly, this declaration corroborates our stand on Verbal Plenary Preservation. “Verbal” means every word in the Bible. “Plenary” means all parts of the Bible. So, just as we affirm the verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture [i.e. the entire Bible is divinely inspired, down to the very words of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Matthew 5:17)], we also affirm that all the verbally, plenarily inspired (VPI) words in the original languages are verbally and plenarily preserved (VPP) by God throughout the ages. God assures us that we can trust the whole of Scripture to be accurate and perfect, because He preserves every word of it.

The Doctrine’s Biblical Proof

The LORD has promised to keep His Word intact. In the following Scripture portions, He has declared His perfect preservation of every word He has uttered in His Book. God has promised to keep His Word perfect, and make it available and unchanged as long as the earth remains.

• Psalm 12:6-7 – “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”
• Psalm 33:11 – “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.”
• Psalm 111:7-8 – “The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.”
• Psalm 119:89-90 – “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.”
• Psalm 119:144 – “The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.”
• Psalm 119:152 – “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.”
• Psalm 119:160 – “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”
• Isaiah 40:8 - “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”
• Matthew 5:18 – “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
• Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).
• 1 Peter 1:23 – “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
• 1 Peter 1:25 – “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

The Identification of the Preserved Scriptures

Do we have the inspired words of God today in the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek)? If we do, then where are they? We stand with the traditional texts, which have been identified and propagated by the Reformers, namely the Masoretic Text of the Old Testament (Hebrew/Aramaic) and the Textus Receptus of the New Testament (Greek).

The Westminster divines in 1648 believed their Bible to be totally infallible and inerrant without any mistake. This is observed by William Orr who wrote, “Now this affirms that the Hebrew text of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New which was known to the Westminster divines was immediately inspired by God because it was identical with the first text that God has kept pure in all the ages. The idea that there are mistakes in the Hebrew Masoretic texts or in the Textus Receptus of the New Testament was unknown to the authors of the Confession of Faith.”

Our English Bible, the King James Version (KJV), being the most faithful translation of the preserved texts (words) of Scripture in the original languages, is therefore used as our Bible in all our worship and fellowship meetings. We refuse translations based on other original language texts, which the Reformation scholars and theologians had rejected.

The Hebrew O.T. text and Greek N.T. text that the Westminster divines used in their day were the Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Greek Textus Receptus, which underlie the Reformation Bibles, as best represented by the KJV. If the Westminster pastors and theologians did not think that the Bible which they possessed in their day had any mistake, why is it so wrong and sinful for us today to also believe that the same Hebrew and Greek Scriptures (which the Westminster divines used) are without any mistake?

Written by Rev. Timothy Tow

There are two accounts recorded by Moses on the giving of the Ten Commandments. The first is in Exodus 19:16-21:26; 31:18-32:28; 34:1-4. The second is recorded in Deuteronomy 5:1-29; 9:10-21; 10:1-5. Deuteronomy means second giving of the Law. Deuteronomy is Moses’ instruction to the children of Israel at the end of his life and of what greater importance is the giving of the Ten Commandments? For brevity, I have chosen to discuss from Deuteronomy and not Exodus.

The delivery of the Ten Commandments was made on the top of Mount Sinai, over 7,000 feet above sea level. The whole process took forty days and forty nights, amidst thunder and lightning, fire and smoke, the blowing of trumpet and the voice of Almighty God speaking to men. Then God wrote the sentences of the Ten Commandments with His own finger over the two tablets, front and back. In the climax of the forty days and nights, rebellion to God’s promulgation of the Ten Commandments arose from the ground. The people had made a golden calf to substitute for Jehovah, saying this was their god, whereupon Moses’ wrath was kindled. When he was confronted by this golden calf, he became so angry that he threw the two tablets of law to the ground. Symbolically, God’s Commandments were broken. The golden calf the children of Israel had made was ground into fine powder and mixed with water for Israel to drink, which was their punishment. Can puny man rebel against God’s Word with impunity?

To re-establish the giving of the Law, God commanded Moses to hew another two tablets of stone and bring them with him back to the mountain top. “And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me” (Deuteronomy 10:4-5).

The Ark of the Covenant is the only holy furniture kept inside the Holy of Holies. God’s sacred commandments, intact and written on both sides of the two tablets so nothing can be added and nothing can be subtracted, were kept secure from any human intrusion. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).

The restoration of the two tables is to show that heaven and earth shall pass away, but His words shall not pass away. Not one letter or even the cross of a ‘t’ and the dot of an ‘i’. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law” (Matthew 5:18). Jesus says, “The scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

To doubly confirm that heaven and earth shall pass away but God’s words shall not pass away, we have the record in Jeremiah 36 of how the prophet asked his secretary Baruch to write words of condemnation against the House of Judah and caused them to be read to Judah. When the roll Jeremiah dictated to Baruch was read before Jehoiakim, king of Judah, he cut it up and burned it wholly in the fire. Did God’s Word become ashes? God told Jeremiah to repeat His Words to be written by Baruch again and add more words for the punishment of King Jehoiakim. Can puny man rebel against God’s Word with impunity?

This leads us to the doctrine of God’s special providential care of the text of Scripture. This is affirmed by the Westminster Confession. It states that Scripture is “kept pure in all ages”. This is doubly attested by David in Psalm 12:6-7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” The doctrine of the special providential care of the text of Scripture, however, is denied by even some fundamentalist scholars. Dr Carl McIntire has this commentary to make: “What is interesting about all this is that, in talking about the mighty acts of God and trying to make out of our God a great and powerful God, they have produced for us a God who is unable to give us a record that is true! They believe in the infallibility and inerrancy only in the autographs, but not in the subsequent copies.”

We believe the Textus Receptus (Received Text) upon which the KJV is based, is preserved intact for the church so that we can say we have the Word of God in our hands. But those versions that are based on Westcott and Hort who supplant with their corrupt text have made changes and deletions in 9,900 places in the New International Version (NIV). The text underlying NIV is not as the Westminster Confession says, “Kept pure in all ages.” God has preserved for us a pure Bible as He preserved the Ten Commandments for us to this day. Let me say it again, it is the Textus Receptus on which the KJV is based.

Sermon Text: Psalm 31
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 15th January 2023

Lim Xin Hui

I thank God that this retreat was possible, according to God’s gracious providence. Thank God for all the planning and hard work that went into it since mid-2022. Because of the service of many brothers and sisters, the retreat went smoothly. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn God’s Word together as a fellowship, and to get to know the youths better.

I am thankful for the theme of this retreat, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I learnt valuable spiritual lessons. One of them was that I cannot stay stagnant in my Christian walk, but instead exercise my faith, build up my knowledge of God’s Word and apply it daily. Love is a commitment to be like Christ because God is love. I must have faith to say, “Yes, I want to walk with Christ.” May God use the lessons I’ve learnt to change me and help me to grow in Christ!

Ron Nathan V. Resuma

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). First of all, I thank God for enabling me to attend GYF Retreat 2022 on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. 

From the theme messages, I learnt that as a Christian, I must build my life on Christ and His Word. I must ensure that my faith is well-grounded and firm, like the wise man who built his house upon the rock, as in Christ’s analogy from Matthew 7:24-25. And that as a Christian, I must live in obedience to God’s Word so that I can be fruitful in the work which God has called me to do. I also learned that it is not enough to claim or profess that I am a Christian. I must follow Christ and obey His Word by abiding in Him. And that willingness is not just the lack of resistance, but wholeheartedly following God’s will. I must take God’s will as mine, willingly and cheerfully. Though there are afflictions and struggles in life, these experiences can teach me to endure and become a conqueror through Christ. In the concluding message, I learnt that I should make it my desire to abound in the work of the LORD and do it with thanksgiving, living a godly and faithful life for Christ. 

I also thank God for His grace in enabling Pastor and Pr Cornelius, who laboured to preach on the theme messages, as well as to answer our queries in the Q&A sessions during the workshops. Praise God also for the GYF Committee and Auxiliary Committee’s labour of love in organising this retreat. I thank God that after two and a half years of Covid restrictions, we could finally have our retreat physically. All glory be to God!

Samuel Teo

I thank God for granting me the opportunity to join the GYF Retreat 2022 with the Gethsemane youths. It is truly a blessed time of fellowship and learning of God’s Word with the brethren in Christ – a much-needed refreshing for my spiritual well-being. Most of all, I have been encouraged to follow the high calling of God to do His will, instead of chasing after worldly desires of our hearts that are not pleasing to God and do not bring glory unto His name. Although it takes much perseverance and endurance to follow the will of God in difficult circumstances, it is assuring and comforting to know that, by His grace, He will guide us through the challenges of our lives. May God grant me godly wisdom to do His holy will and glorify Him!

Joshua Nah

Thank God for the opportunity to join the youth retreat. Before the camp, I only knew of 2 Gethsemane youths. However, it did not take long for my brother and me to make friends and feel “right at home”. Praise God for the warm fellowship of the youths in Gethsemane! It was equally encouraging to witness the various committee members working together so well to guide us throughout our stay. The youths’ serious attitude towards studying God’s Word and serving in various roles was also a delight to witness. 

I am especially thankful to Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius for their uncompromising zeal in guarding the purity of God’s flock through the preaching of His Word. Through their heartfelt and direct messages, I found little room to mentally excuse myself from the commands of God’s Word. Perhaps, what resonates most with me is an overall impression left from witnessing the truths shared in the sermons lived out in the conduct of godly brethren at the camp. 

I especially give thanks for the clear, no-nonsense definition of biblical love and counsel on courtship given by Pastor in the workshop on BGR. It is a far cry from the general attitudes towards this topic which I had unwittingly imbibed from the world; it is a sound word which I hope to take heed of going forward. Pastor Koshy’s continual reminders that we are called to be victors and more than conquerors in our Christian lives were a sharp rebuke to the occasional helplessness I had felt in my own walk with and service for God. I pray for endurance to not run from my challenges when I return to Melbourne, but bear them faithfully wherever the Lord places me. 

One final reminder tied all that I had heard together: do not be discouraged by your failures. Instead, repent and purpose in your heart to do God’s will now that you know it clearly. I will surely fail on my own to uphold all I’ve heard at the retreat, but I thank God for His reassurance of His unchanging love for sinners such as myself (cf. Luke 5:32).

Jesimiel Lim

I thank God for the opportunity to join the youth retreat, where we could immerse ourselves in learning God’s Word on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I thank God for this aptly chosen topic which has moved me to desire to seek God’s will more. Praise God for the many takeaways from the messages preached faithfully by our Pastor and Pr Cornelius. One key thing I have learnt is that we must exercise our faith by acting out God’s Word in obedience, and that biblical willingness is putting God’s will above ours. I pray that God will help me to be obedient and willing to do His will in my day-to-day life, laying aside my own selfish feelings and desires. The long-term blessings God gives when we willingly do His will, far outweigh the short-term struggles we may experience! 

Next, I learnt that we are “running towards Christ-set goals”. It gives me much assurance and comfort to know that God, the Author and Finisher of our faith, has set perfect and victorious plans for us. So, our duty is to trust Him and endure our peculiar trials, and to “walk, even as he walked”. I also thank God for the time to “unwind” through the fellowship and fun we could enjoy, in a special natural setting! I pray that we will continue to build on our spiritual foundation in Christ, not lose our fervour for Him. “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7).

Parousia Chan

Praise God for the blessed time spent at the recent youth retreat 2022 held in Sinar Eco Resort in Malaysia! I learnt many lessons from the theme messages on “Laying a Firm Foundation”, preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius, and the two workshops held on the last day of the retreat. One lesson is that our faith should lead to increased knowledge of the Bible, and finally, obedience to do the commands in His Word. I have also learnt that we are to rise up with hope and expectation of victory, always enduring and persevering in our Christian life.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to fellowship with fellow like-minded youths, and for the good weather that allowed us to enjoy His creation amongst the many animals and plants at the resort. Finally, thank God for granting the GYF and Auxiliary Committees the ability to plan well, such that the programme was still able to run smoothly despite some changes in the schedule along the way. All glory be to God!

Hadassah Wong

I thank God for the opportunity to attend the youth retreat 2022. Thank God for the messages preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius. I have learnt much and have benefited much from this youth camp. In particular, I have learnt that every step of endurance in trials is a victory in itself, and to give up is equivalent to admitting defeat. But if we put our trust in God, God “causeth us to triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14). I pray that I will endure and triumph in my trials. 

I am thankful for the fellowship that we had during those 3 days. Thank God for good weather so that we could record the music videos. Finally, I pray that I will stand firm in the Lord and not be influenced by the world in the days ahead.

Gabriel Teo

Thank God my brothers and I could join this youth retreat to study God’s Word with the youths in Gethsemane. I have learnt a lot about the importance of laying a firm foundation in our spiritual lives, from the messages preached by Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius during the retreat.

Steffi Tan

Thank God for the blessed time of learning and fellowship at the youth camp! Thank God for sustaining & enabling Pastor Koshy, Pr Cornelius, the YF Committee, the Auxiliary Committee, as well as the young adult helpers to plan for and organise this camp.

As I stand on the threshold of 2023 and consider my plans for the new year, the camp messages are a much-needed reminder to align myself with God’s will & obey it. Walking the “strait and narrow” path presupposes that our lives are built on a firm foundation. Having Christ, the solid Rock, as our foundation goes beyond understanding basic doctrines. Our faith must lead to a knowledge of and obedience to God’s will. We must be loving & cheerful in our service, desiring for others to benefit. Indeed, this is a high calling, but God has promised us victory over our struggles and trials. Thus, we must endure. I realise that as a student at University, I am first a student of Christ. None of my physical achievements will contribute to my spiritual growth; I must not forget this, especially when I face the temptation to chase after worldly accolades and neglect spiritual duties. 

I pray that these lessons learnt in camp will be remembered and applied by me and all the youths. May we have a dogged persistence in fixing our eyes on Christ and resisting the distractions of the world.

Hannah Wong

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). I thank the Lord for enabling and providing for my siblings and me to attend the GYF retreat at Sinar Eco Resort. I have learnt much from the 5 theme messages preached by Pastor and Pr Cornelius on the theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”. One of the lessons learned during the retreat was that we ought to walk as overcomers and victors, not to be weary in well doing or give in to weariness. Even as Christ who had “endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2), we also must endure to the very end - to be more than conquerors.

Praise God also for the GYF Committee and the Auxiliary Committee for their planning in making this retreat possible, and for their unity in Christ, despite certain changes in some of the events. I am very thankful for the blessed time of learning God’s Word, the fellowship with friends and brethren from other churches, as well as the safety for all participants. Thank God also for the opportunity to get close to nature (God’s wonderful creation), and away from the city! 

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:17-19).

Andrew Lee

Thank God for the messages which made me reflect on the need to build a strong foundation before trying to understand doctrines and build up my faith, which would be easily shaken otherwise. We had good fellowship and enjoyable activities at the farm resort, such as playing with the chickens. Pr Cornelius reminded us that they, together with the other animals, are God’s creation over which man is given dominion.

Nehemiah dela Cruz

I would like to thank God for the bountiful blessings that He has showered upon me, especially in letting me attend GYF Retreat 2022. I thank God for the safe travel and good health He has granted us in and out of Singapore / Malaysia. Thank God for some key spiritual lessons I have gathered from this retreat.

Firstly, I learnt that we need to have a firm foundation in our Saviour and His Word, and that we have to constantly build upon His Word to bear forth much fruit. Secondly, we have to walk closely with our Saviour and have charity. Thirdly, we must have the willingness to accept challenges, evangelise, give and live as a Christian. I also learnt we have to strive to achieve the goals that Jesus has set for us, so as to be victorious over the world and Satan. Lastly, I learnt that we should be firmly rooted in our faith, so that we will not crumble under the pressures of this world.

Truly, I am very thankful for this retreat, and may the Lord continue to sustain and preserve us in our walk with Him.

Grace Ho

A 3-day spiritual retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, packed with rich biblical lessons on “Laying a Firm Foundation”, is truly something I praise the Almighty Lord for! Thank God for Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius, who were the speakers for the theme messages and workshops! The theme messages were instructive, and taught me on various ways to build a firm and strong foundation amid the shaky, treacherous worldly surroundings about us. I learnt much about Christian values, such as obedience, humility, willingness, and endurance, just to name a few. 

One specific theme message that spoke stirringly to me was on the topic, “Willingness, Cheerfulness”. Through the various texts expounded on, I realise the need to demonstrate willingness in different ways, such as through evangelism and cheerful giving. Willingness in the Christian life should go beyond just a lack of resistance, and instead moving forward to experiencing great joy when the LORD’s purposes are fulfilled, which should also resonate with ours, as God’s desire must be our desire too. Thank God also for the two respective workshops on “BGR” and “Ambitions and Contentment”, something new and fresh to me in the retreat. I thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius who answered our numerous questions, thus enabling me to glean new truths. 

Thank God for the GYF Committee, Auxiliary Committee, young adults and all others who helped in the smooth running of the retreat. Praise the Lord for good and timely weather, even the cool and refreshing rain! “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9). May we youths always remember all such God-given spiritual refreshment, and apply what we have learnt to our lives. All glory be to God!

Lorraine Yong

I would like to thank God for letting me join the youth retreat this year. Thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius’s preaching on the theme, ‘Laying a Firm Foundation’, and for giving them the wisdom and strength to expound God’s Word to the youths. Through the messages, I have learnt to trust in the Lord without wavering, no matter what obstacles may come our way. Pray that all the youths will apply the lessons they have learnt from this retreat in their lives, and be a good testimony to others. Also, thank God for the time of fellowship with other youths and for helping me make new friends there. Praise the Lord!

Jored Ballega

Thank God for enabling my family and me to join the GYF Retreat! Indeed, it is a gift I received before the year ends. It serves as a spiritual refreshment and revival for me to be more responsible in my Christian life. As a young youth, I realise that I ought to be grounded and rooted in all the doctrines and truths of God’s Word, and that I should lay a deep and firm foundation through Christ. 

My prayer is that the 10 virtues (faith, knowledge, obedience, humility, love, service, willingness, cheerfulness, endurance, and hope) which I have learnt during the youth retreat shall take root and grow in my heart, so that I would be a wise youth as I walk closely with the Lord. I learnt that I should also be mindful of the worldly things that can hinder us in building on this foundation. I pray that every youth would be committed to these virtues in their hearts so that we may be grounded and rooted in Christ, and that we may not waver from the truth. The blessed 3-day programme was fully packed with spiritual feasting of biblical and practical lessons from the Bible, physical feasting of the tasty food, making new friends, and having a wonderful time of fellowship. Thank God for the blissful experience of interaction with nature and meditating on God’s Word. 

I thank God for blessing the GYF Committee and the Auxiliary Committee with strength and spiritual knowledge in planning and executing all the camp programme. Likewise, thank God for the provision of a peaceful resort, with kind staff who happily served us good food and assisted us in using all available amenities. Moreover, thank God for granting good health, wisdom and knowledge to Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius, as they both faithfully expound God’s Word to us. All glory and praise be to God.

Mehetabel Lim

I thank God for the opportunity to attend the youth retreat 2022. I thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius, who took time to prepare the sermons to be preached. I thank God for granting me many lessons that I could learn from the messages. 

Firstly, I have learnt that we cannot just listen to God’s Word being preached, and do nothing about our lives. Secondly, I learnt that we must build up our knowledge on God’s will for us and act on God’s will for us. Lastly, I learnt that we must not reject God, no matter how God tests us or how difficult our life may be. I pray that I will be able to know God’s will for me, to do it with submission, readiness and willingness! I also pray that I will be an obedient Christian. All glory be to God!

Gan Chien Huey

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

All praise and thanks be to God for the blessed time of studying God’s Word in the GYF Retreat 2022. The messages were a timely reminder that we must lay a firm foundation on God’s Word. Not only must we lay a firm foundation, but we also must endure and build on this foundation, so that Christ may be glorified. 

Thank God for the great comfort and counsel through the preaching of God’s Word. These are indeed perilous times, considering the corrupt environment our youths are living in. I praise God for the many youths who have grown in the Lord, and were seen serving Him in many ways during this retreat. It was also a great joy to see the then young youths growing into older youths and taking on the responsibility of caring for the younger ones in our midst. 

The Lord has been truly good to provide all who have laboured in the preparation and running of this youth retreat. May the Lord’s name be greatly and continually praised. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Sermon Text: Psalm 30
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 1st January 2023

As we begin a new year today, I would like to exhort all of you to heed our Saviour’s solemn counsel – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

What is your highest goal this new year? Let it be what our Lord expects us to pursue all the days of our lives on earth. His will for us is to seek His kingdom and righteousness as our first and foremost passion. Anything that impedes this goal must be rejected utterly. 

We are exhorted here in Matthew 6:33 by the Lord Jesus Christ, that we should make God’s kingdom and His righteousness our primary object of attention. We must be deliberate in giving preference to spiritual matters over worldly matters. Nothing should be allowed to take precedence over our commitment to seek spiritual and moral excellence. We must exert great care and diligence to live a consecrated life to God. That must be our chief business on earth. Our hearts, minds and bodies must be wholly dedicated to fulfilling our spiritual duties, both in public and in private.

Our preoccupation should be God’s reign and righteous will concerning us, rather than the material provisions for our daily lives. We should be eagerly praying for, and dedicating ourselves to His kingly pleasure and purposes. Let us not be like those who strive to be religious for material gain. They appear to be very prayerful and devout, but the pre-eminent things in their lives do not tally with what they appear to do, but rather with the motive of their hearts – which is material gain. When piety is expressed for temporal advantage, it is not the kingdom of God that is first sought after, but material gain. Therefore, they seek first worldly advantages.

Let not our hearts be deceived into making spiritual matters subservient to earthly matters. Let us not seek God and His kingdom to become wealthier and healthier. We must let all our pursuits in life be subservient to our desire for God, His kingdom and righteousness. Whatever our engagements in life are, we must remember that we have a higher goal. And in our relationships with people, we should never forget that we have a greater commitment to God.

We are specifically instructed by our Lord to seek first “the kingdom of God”. What is the kingdom of God? It is to have Him reign over our hearts. His will must be our highest concern. Our prayer should always be: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). It is also to serve Him in His kingdom. The Lord exercises His authority and will today through His church. So, we must serve the Lord in His church to exalt His greatness. We must give ourselves to the extension of His kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel. We must also live in obedience to His Word to promote His righteousness. Let us also look forward to His coming as King of kings. If these are our chief concerns of life, the Lord promises to take care of all our needs.

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GYF Retreat 2022 Report

by Cornelius Koshy

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock” (Matthew 7:24). Challenging each youth to be obedient, resilient and exuberant to do God’s will despite discouraging and distressing situations, was the main thrust of the 5 theme messages. 

The theme of this year’s youth retreat was “Laying a Firm Foundation”. We thank God for enabling Pastor and Pr Cornelius to exhort the participants with biblical attributes and practical advice, so that they may build upon the foundational doctrines and “go on unto perfection” (Heb 6:1). Coupled with two workshops on “BGR” and “Aspirations” conducted by Pastor, the participants had a total of seven sessions of focused study of God’s Word and Q&A. 

Just as we enjoyed the experience of feeding the farm animals like horses, cows, rabbits, turkeys, ducks, chickens, etc., we were all also delighted with the spiritual feeding received in the camp! This ministry of the Word was suitably complemented with warm fellowship with one another, especially with new friends who joined our retreat. This year, we had guests from Calvary Pandan, Calvary Kuching, and Bethel BP Churches. Needless to say, our youths in Gethsemane were delighted to make some new friends! Most notably, we were thankful to God for the opportunity to bring six youths from Kuching to join us for this year’s retreat. They are the children of the Teo and Chung families from Calvary Kuching: Daniel, Samuel and Gabriel (Teo), as well as Abigail, Nathanael and Dominic (Chung). We thank God for His blessings of provision and protection upon each participant!

A pair of toe-socks – specially printed in collaboration with TGCM Print – was given to each participant. When worn, the letters on each toe formed the key word of this year’s theme: “FOUNDATION”. The youths received well the witty and meaningful memorabilia. We truly thank God for some youths who had spent some of their holiday time with TGCM Print to prepare the 90 pairs of socks. May the youths be reminded to “walk in love” (Eph 5:2), “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7), and “walk after his commandments” (2 John 6), whenever they wear these socks!

The youths were also treated to sumptuous meals cooked by the resort’s kitchen. The resort provided food aplenty, and some sisters also prepared a “condiments table” which supplied an endless flow of snacks and drinks. Praise the LORD for everyone who helped us behind the scenes!

Because of the resort’s greenery, the Bible Witness team also had the chance to record two music videos for BWTV singspiration programmes. We thank God for Bro Matthew and Bro Andronicus, who came with the youths to assist with the video production. We thank God for both sun and rain at His chosen times, and for His help in seeing us through all the planned programmes and activities. When it poured on the second night, the LORD allowed us to witness the campfire from a distance, enabling us still to feel its heat and awe at its glow in the darkness of the night.

Finally, the GYF Committee gives thanks to God for our very committed and responsible Auxiliary Committee (comprising Amoz, Gideon, Marcus and Rayson) who laboured with us to organise the GYF Retreat, and for the young adults who joined the retreat to assist with supervision over the youths. May the youths remember all that they have learned in this retreat. May God, in His good time, raise some of the youths and young adults to serve Him and continue the Gospel work of our Lord Jesus Christ in Gethsemane BP Church.

GYF Retreat 2022 Testimonies

Bernice Tan

Praise God for the opportunity to join Gethsemane’s first youth retreat after the Covid-19 pandemic. The retreat was a great opportunity to have a blessed time of fellowship with other like-minded youths, and a great time to unwind from the pressures of our school life. Thank God for granting grace and wisdom to Pastor and Pr Cornelius, who impressed upon us our personal responsibility as to whether we lay a strong or weak foundation. I would also like to thank God for granting us journey mercies, as well as keeping us safe and healthy during the retreat. All glory be to God!

Abigail Chung

I thank God for giving me the opportunity to join this year’s youth retreat at Sinar Eco Resort. I initially thought that I would not be able to participate because I had already made plans to fly back to Kuching. But by God’s grace and through the church’s support, the brethren from Kuching could also join. Thank God that brethren from other churches participated as well. 

Thank God for giving Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius good health and strength, as well as godly wisdom, to preach to the youths on the theme: “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I pray that all the youths have had a fruitful retreat and that we will stand strong in the Lord. I also pray that we will not waver when troubles come, but instead be a good testimony for Christ in our school or work. Thank God for the Auxiliary Committee, young adults and adults, who helped at the retreat and cared for the younger youths. Thank God for the blessed time we had at the retreat, and the fellowship we had with one another. 

My prayer is that God will continue to protect and guide each youth, so that we might not be misled by worldly ideas. I also want to thank God for the good weather (including the heavy rain!), and for the opportunity to experience and appreciate God’s creation to the fullest without worldly distractions. “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 107:1).

Clement Tan

I would like to take this opportunity to thank God for allowing me to join my first youth retreat. Thank God for Pastor and Pr Cornelius’ preaching. This helped me to learn more from the Scriptures, and allowed me to gradually mature as a Christian. Also, the two workshops conducted on the last day of the retreat helped me learn how to interact with a person of the opposite gender, and realise that our path in life is determined by God. Other than these, I have bonded a lot with the other youths and got to know them better. As Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Lastly, I thank God for allowing me to spend my year-end holidays fruitfully.

Dominic Chung

I am thankful for being able to participate in this year’s youth retreat. Thank God for those who organised this retreat, and for Pastor Koshy and Pr Cornelius who preached during this camp. Thank God for the fellowship I had with other brothers and sisters in Christ, and for helping me make new friends during this period. Thank God for the messages on “Laying a Firm Foundation”. I look forward to meeting these brethren again in the next retreat, God willing.

Joel Tan

I praise God that He opened a way for me to attend this year’s youth retreat. The theme, “Laying a Firm Foundation”, is highly relevant in that I am graduating from school in the first half of next year, and I will soon be out in a world that is scarcely navigable and very unwelcoming to Christians. I will always be thankful for the lessons learnt and the reminders administered to us, so that we can live our lives effectively for the Lord. 

In particular, I thank the Lord for reminding me that the Christian life is not obligation-free. Far from that, there are regulations and requirements that we have to adhere to in every area of our life and service. The lifelong responsibilities we face as Christians are grave - and they cannot be discharged in any way we like. In that regard, we should not take inspiration from the thought leaders, academicians and celebrities of this world, but rather strive every day to be more like Christ. 

May I always be willing to abide by God’s directions and God’s will for me. My only desire in life is to perform whatever task He has assigned me to do with distinction for His glory, and always to submit and be more than happy to follow His leading. If my lot in life is to suffer great trials and hardships for Christ, then may I endure them well for the Lord, with much faith in Him and displaying the grace of the Lord for all to see. As the exhortations in 1 Peter 4 remind me, may I always reflect God in all I say, do and think, and may my life be lived according to the standards of God, not of men.

All praise be to our Heavenly Father for a good retreat, which went without incident or accident. Truly, He protects His servants.