Recent Posts

Lim Kok Hwee

I have, in many instances of my life, heard the preaching of the Word of God. However, because of my prideful self, I rejected God many times with a hardened heart. Yet God continues to be gracious towards me and continues to open up opportunities for me to be guided on the right path. I thank God for giving me another opportunity to attend the Gethsemane B-P Church (GBPC) Chinese Service through an invitation by Dn. Gan in December 2020. Since then, I have committed myself to attend and be part of the Chinese Service, which has become an essential part of my spiritual growth and learning.

As I regularly attend Gethsemane’s fellowship meetings and worship services, I was guided and touched by the Word of God. I realised that I had not been on the correct path and was regretful for rejecting Christ in the past. I admitted I was wrong. Under the guidance of Pr Daniel Lim during the catechism class, I accepted Christ as my personal Saviour and am grateful for all He has done for my salvation.

The Bible teaches us that we all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. I realised that many of my past actions and conduct are missing the mark, and have to be repented of, that I may live a new spiritual life that is worthy of His glory. May I be diligent in my efforts in walking with God and submitting to His guidance, constantly asking for His forgiveness and relying on His strength and wisdom. May I, as a believer and God’s child, continue to strive to live my life bearing a good witness, and remaining faithful in prayer. As I continue to seek the truth through every word of God, may I be guided by the Holy Spirit, to be God-fearing and to please Him in every aspect of my spiritual life. As for this spiritual journey, I look forward to serve and rejoice in Christ with other members of GBPC.

Ong Wei Han

I come from a non-believing household, where both my parents are Taoists. Growing up, my understanding of Christianity was largely mixed. Lessons learnt from sermons during weekly Chapel services held in my school contrasted with my parents’ expressing of their prejudiced opinions on church issues, such as Charismatic practices and Christian tithing. It was a confusing process, where Christianity seemed to relate with “virtuosity” more than the grace and goodness of God through salvation in Christ.
It was through these small “sparks” that eventually ignited an interest in me to find out more about the Bible. While studying in university overseas, I started to attend weekly Sunday Services at a local church and attend its Bible study sessions. I thank God that through His Word, I was moved to acknowledge my sinful ways and take the step in accepting Christ on 21 July 2017.

It used to be a habit of mine to always try and solve problems on my own first before requesting for help. Many a time I found myself struggling and feeling lonely. Thank God for His Word in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” It is always helpful for me to take a step back and remember this verse, which is so full of hope and joy. Indeed, it reminds me that God loves us deeply and wants to be involved with our lives daily, granting His wisdom and guidance if we only approach Him and ask.

I am grateful for the opportunities God has granted me to share the Gospel with my family and those around me. As I continue to journey with the Lord, I aim to live out His truth in Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all thine; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” For all good things proceedeth from the Lord. Amen.

Agnes See

For as long as I can recall, Christianity has been very much a part of my life. I have been attending church and Sunday School since I was three years old, and had accepted Christ as a child. During those early years, my mother would read Bible stories to my siblings and I almost every night. I loved the stories and the life application lessons. When we were slightly older, we progressed to reading “Junior Read, Pray & Grow” booklets daily. Still, while my heart was intrigued by the miracles of God and courage of the patriarchs, God seemed to be a distant figure; somehow I did not feel a personal relationship with Him until much later.

God has a wonderful way of drawing His children to Him. When I went overseas to study, God’s providence led me to join a very caring and vibrant church, where sound doctrine was preached. What especially touched me was how the members loved and actively ministered to one another, which deeply encouraged my fledgling faith. It was during this period that my walk with God came to life. Although there wasn’t any specific or emotional moment for this, the daily close personal devotion, where I experience peace and joy in God’s presence, is something that I treasure till today.

While overseas, I had also been following Gethsemane’s online sermons and have been greatly blessed (and equally chastised) by the faithful preaching. Having recently completed my overseas education and now back in Singapore for good, it is my desire to find a church with sound biblical teaching, where I could also grow and serve in. I sincerely thank God for His constant guidance and mercies throughout my life, and for leading me to Gethsemane BP Church. All praise and glory be to God.

Valencia Hutagalung

I am thankful for having been brought up in a Christian family and having the opportunity to attend various church activities, such as worship services, prayer meetings and fellowship groups since I was young. Over the years, as I listened to the preaching of God’s Word, I grew in the knowledge of God and understood that we are all sinners who are doomed to hell if we are not saved. We must confess our sins, seek His forgiveness, and repent. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

As I experienced the struggles in my life, there were instances when I did not seek Him and tried to overcome them on my own. Though at times I got so overwhelmed by my own struggles, yet I did not think to look unto Him to guide me. However, over time, I realised that I must always pray to Him as I am unable to do anything without His help. He is a gracious God who will always be there to guide us in every step of our way. As Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” By the grace of God, I hope to be able to walk closer with Him.

I pray that I will be a faithful Christian who obeys His will. I also pray that I would be able to bear a good testimony to those around me, so that they may come to know the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. All glory be to God!

Andrew Jonathan Lee

I grew up in Gethsemane BPC, as my parents are members here. When I was younger, I felt that going to church was just a kind of routine to do on Sunday. However, as I grew older and listened to more messages, I started to understand that churchgoing cannot be treated the same way as going to school. Our pastor’s messages made me realise that God must occupy the most important place in my life, not studies or other things, which should all be devoted to God’s glory.

I thank God and pray that He will continue to help me to understand the doctrines being taught in the church, and to enjoy learning more about God’s truth in His Word. Not just in the church services, but also in church camps and seminars, such as the recent youth seminars on Calvinism and on church history. Thank God for Pastor’s sound advice through his preaching from Proverbs, and I pray that I will continue to faithfully attend the Youth Fellowship. I also am thankful for the catechism class that has helped me understand the fundamentals of our salvation. Thank God for saving me, and may He help me to continue growing, that I can be a good example and bear good testimony for Jesus in and outside of school.

Goh Ming Jun

Since young, I have always been brought to church by my parents. Like most conventional churchgoing children, I attended Sunday School, joined the Children’s Choir, and also became a regular reader of the “Junior Worshipper’s Page” in the church bulletin.

At first, the concept of there being a Creator watching over me, was quite easy to accept. However, when I entered secondary school, my faith was challenged, having greater exposure to the internet, as well as the increasingly liberal (and even immoral) attitudes / conduct of students in my school. There were times when I felt vexed by the acts of sin performed with seemingly no shame by ungodly students in school. Although I felt frustrated regularly (an experience that I believe many students would be able to relate to), I found solace in reading God’s Word, and found explanations to my problems. In these almost hopeless moments, His Word was truly a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path! This light banished away worldly distractions, making me realise that my studies ought to be but a vehicle to bring me closer to God. As a creature born into sin, I would never be able to fully comprehend the will of an omnipotent, perfect Creator. Through constant prayer and supplication, I hope to be more in tune with His will, as revealed in His Word. I look forward to the day that I will be called home, or swept up to the clouds to meet my Saviour. In the meantime, may I uphold the doctrine of Christ to show forth a good testimony to those around me, praying that my Master’s words to me would be: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Praise God for giving this church a faithful pastor, and a God-honouring board of elders. I thank the Lord also for giving me parents who have been steadfast in the Word, administering discipline where needed. Their desire for their children to live holy lives is shown through their chastening of us (though I suspect such chastening hurt them as much as us children). I hope that the church will remain attuned to God’s Word, even in this increasingly secularised society. Through thick and thin, I hope we will remain faithful and united in Christ, until our service in this world is ended.

Studying the Scriptures and serving the Lord Jesus Christ are integral to the life of those whom the Lord has called into the ministry of the Word. Serving God ought to be supplemented with studying of the holy Scriptures so that the servants of God will know and do His blessed will rather than their own! While every born-again Christian has been redeemed to serve the LORD, not all are called into serving Him in the ministry of the Word. This ministry of the Word is to be complemented with continuous prayer (cf. Acts 6:4). Therefore, I am very thankful to the LORD my God for opening this door of learning again to me in the Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC), with the support of our beloved Pastor and the Board of Elders in Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church (GBPC).

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven … and a time to build up” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3b). “Re-signing” to study God’s perfect Word in FEBC is indeed a God-given privilege! One reason for returning to study is to equip myself and be rooted and built up in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord and Saviour. Re-learning the biblical doctrines of the Reformed faith which I have been taught will surely strengthen the foundations that were earlier built. It would be like the reminder of Paul to Timothy, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). It will be very refreshing for me to hear again those wonderful teachings which we profess and hold on to! Moreover, there might be things for me to unlearn as well if I have unconsciously come to know them. Jesus said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2). In the process, there would be some painful pruning or “sharpening”, yet it is needful! “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). In this regard, I long for your continuous prayer that the LORD sustains me both in college and in church for the next three years. It is a heavy responsibility to study the Word, not to mention to serve the LORD at the same time.

Next, there is nothing more meaningful and interesting in the life of a person called of the LORD into the ministry of the Word than the study of theology. To study the Bible continuously is joy unspeakable, especially when doing so with a grateful and prayerful heart together with many others. “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). Indeed, I am very thankful to the LORD for this opportunity to return to my alma mater, FEBC, to continue and complete the Master of Divinity (MDiv) programme, which I had started but left stranded for a while. “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). As much as there is joy within, fear is not absent either! The concerns regarding the ability to cope with all the demands during the course of study, especially in the subjects of Greek and Hebrew, are real but I trust in the LORD for help. For His grace is ever sufficient, and He “is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

The ministry of the Word to the inmates in Changi Prison Complex continues on Wednesday afternoons and sometimes on other days. The LORD is pleased to bless this work and has brought some of those inmates to our midst. Among them is Bro Vijay, who is attending our church service on Sundays and studying in FEBC on Thursday evenings. Moreover, teaching children from the Gospel of John during GCM on Saturdays, held concurrently with various fellowship gatherings, remains unaffected. May the LORD be pleased to save the souls of our young ones through the teaching and preaching of His infallible and inerrant Word, and even to call some to serve Him one day!

Serving the LORD gladly must be the desire of every born-again believer. It is the reasonable service of every saint to learn good doctrines of the Bible, and to present himself according to the truth thereof to serve God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto Him (cf. Romans 12:1-2). Moreover, having learnt all these wonderful teachings from godly men in the faith, let us pass it on to the next generation for the blessings of God’s people, and for the extension of His kingdom here on earth. May the LORD our God be praised as all glory and honour belong to Him, the living and true God!

Sermon Text: Psalm 17
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 7th August 2022

Venue

The 21st Bible Witness Retreat, if the Lord permits, will be held at Pullman Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak (E. Malaysia). We truly thank God for providing us with this excellent venue at a reasonable cost. We chose Kuching as the location for the September retreat so that the participants from Singapore would have an opportunity to encourage the brethren of Calvary Kuching B-P Church, a work that the Lord has given to the care of our church, GBPC. However, due to the COVID travel restrictions and the recent surge of infection in Singapore and South-east Asia, we could not plan early to secure a venue in Kuching. We appreciate the timely help of Bro Jeremy Teo (from Calvary Kuching) and Bro Simon Chung (a Gethsemanean residing in Kuching) to find and secure a suitable venue in Kuching.

Topic

The retreat’s topic of study is the “Doctrine of Repentance”. We know that our risen Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, having ascended to heaven, does “appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). And there, “he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). His Word assures us that “if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 Jn. 2:1). This gracious Saviour lovingly urges us not to live in sin, guilt, shame, and broken communion with Him. He desires that “we confess our sins, (for) he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). Our Saviour is graciously disposed towards us, that we may come to Him in repentance and live in the joy of our fellowship with Him. That being so, should we not earnestly learn His counsels to put away our sins, and rejoice in His pardon and restoration?

Participation

More than 50 participants (from Singapore) have registered thus far for the 21st BW Retreat. We also expect 10 or more brethren from Kuching to join the retreat. Though more than the initially anticipated number of attendees have signed up, we encourage more to come and benefit from this opportunity to learn God’s Word, and to enjoy the Christian fellowship. If the Spirit of the Lord moves you to give for the support of this retreat (especially for certain needy brethren), please give towards “BW Retreat”. We also covet your earnest prayers for the blessing of the retreat.

Report from the Philippines’ Mission Churches

(The following is an abbreviated version of reports received over the last two weeks.)

I praise the Lord for enabling us to use the temporary place of worship. The cementing of the floor is already completed. The workers are currently finishing the children’s classroom and fixing the doors. We praise the Lord for Bro. Jumar and Sis. Olive, who helped us to clean and prepare the place for the last Sunday’s worship. We had also put up the curtains to decorate the hall, and laid the electrical extension cords for the electric fans. Praise the Lord that the new worship place is very spacious and cooler. We praise God for this temporary provision as the present place cannot hold all the worshippers. Praise the Lord that we can have a good shelter for eating and fellowshipping as well. Indeed, after the worship, we had lunch together inside the worship hall.

We also thank God for a new family from the neighbourhood that joined the worship. God willing, this week, Bro. Renato Olarita will come from Valenzuela to live and serve with us here in Pangasinan. He will be coming with his wife, Sis. Marianette, and their 3 children.

Please pray for my wife Se Jin’s 5-year amendment to her ‘Permanent Resident Visa’. May the Lord enable us to serve Him as a family in this place. Se Jin also had to see the doctor, and we thank God for the normal blood-pressure and blood-sugar readings. The doctor has advised her to continue the medication, and will see her again after four months.

The Lord recently helped me to travel to preach God’s Word in Tactac, Sta Fe. There, I met Bro. Jomart and his wife. They came here from Singapore to visit their family members. Bro. Jomart requested me to share the message of salvation with more than 40 relatives who came to listen to God’s Word. Praise God for enabling me to preach from Romans 10:5-13.

Sermon Text: Psalm 16
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 31st July 2022

The first day of the week, Sunday, was the typical day of gathering and worship of the early Christians (Jn. 20:19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2); and it is referred to as “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10). The phrase “the Lord’s day” is best understood as a reference to Sunday. It became customary to refer to Sunday because Christ rose from the grave on Sunday. The apostle John was met by the risen, ascended, and exalted Christ on the first day of the week to reveal the prophecy of the Book of Revelation. When early Christians gathered for their worship on the first day of the week, they would spend a lot of time together in worship, studying God’s Word, praying, fellowshipping, breaking bread, etc. (Acts 20:7, 11). Listening to the exposition of the Scriptures was their delight, and hence a whole-day affair (Acts 28:23).  

The church historians record that in the first four centuries after the Reformation, most Protestant churches met for worship on the Lord’s Day in the morning and evening; the believers considered both services necessary for their spiritual rejoicing and edification. In the last six decades, the evening service has been frowned at and has become so uncommon. This abandoning of the evening (or afternoon) service in Protestant churches is a sign of the growing spiritual apathy and worldliness of the Christians of our time, who spend much of the Lord’s Day for secular purposes rather than spiritual. 

Brethren, there is no good and acceptable reason why our generation of Christians will allow ourselves to be less passionate about spiritual things, and be unlike the godly Christians of yesteryears. Let us not waste our opportunity to serve the purposes of God devoutly. Let us consider our short time here on earth with utmost seriousness in using it for our spiritual nourishment and for God’s glory. Let us take heed of the Scriptural exhortation: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16). 

There are amazing blessings in coming together and learning God’s Word from the teaching service on Sunday evenings. Come with your families to learn from God’s Word. We are now learning from the biblical history of “The Kings of Judah and Israel”. Let us gratefully come to hear His Word and save ourselves and our children from the evils of this generation. Make it our habit to be found in His house on the Lord’s Day.

Photo News

The 18th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of Gethsemane B-P Church, Cebu, the Philippines, was held last Sunday (17th July 2022).

Praising God for the Prayer Meeting!

Over the past two weeks, two sisters came forward to give their testimonies during our church’s Tuesday night prayer meetings. They are published below to encourage all Gethsemaneans to consider the prayer meetings.  

Judy Chan

I would like to testify of the Lord’s goodness in helping me overcome my struggle in attending prayer meetings. Coming for prayer meetings initially had been an intense spiritual battle. Before coming to Gethsemane, I thought prayer meetings were optional, on a need-to basis. Since coming here, I learned that the prayer meeting is crucial to our spiritual growth, as shown by the pattern of the early followers of Christ. They “continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” (Acts 1: 14). Even though I became aware of the importance of the prayer meeting, because of the weakness of my flesh, I felt like my whole being was resistant to going for prayer meetings. I thank God for speaking to me continually through the messages preached. Yet, regular participation in prayer meetings was challenging for me. Sometimes I thought this struggle would never end, but God was gracious to see me through. Slowly, I experienced less resistance within me and even look forward to coming every Tuesday for the church prayer meeting. Praise the Lord for helping me overcome my struggle! Truly, as the hymn often sung by the children declares, “God is so good”!

Xin Hui

The hymn “Amazing Grace” truly testifies of God‘s goodness to me. The third stanza of this hymn spoke to me, especially when my parents were against my faith in Christ in its early stage. I went through a lot of stress and fear. Yet, God’s grace has seen me safely through all those testings of my faith. He has shown me how good He is, even in my bouts of depression and hopelessness. When we are weak, God’s strength is made perfect! I pray that we will constantly be reminded of God’s saving grace in our lives that saved us from eternal damnation and into the wonderful hands of Jesus Christ. Oh, how good our Saviour is! This comforting and assuring truth is also declared in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

Sermon Text: Psalm 15
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 24th 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.

• A forgiving, restoring attitude to the other: Offences and deep hurts can occur in marital relationships. If resentment occurs (which undoubtedly will), one should avoid going to sleep in displeasure – “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Eph. 4:26). God’s Word teaches us not to entertain bitterness against each other, but always to extend tenderness and mercy to forgive and reconcile. If matters are not handled with understanding and compassion, quarrelling and brawling will ensue, and the house will be full of malice and disquiet. Though admonishing each other is necessary, it should be done with wisdom, gentleness and prayer. If there are provocations from the other, be mindful to avoid rudeness and retaliation. Do not engage in fault-finding, nagging, harassment, threatening; never lay violent hands on each other. If the other behaves badly, show patience and forbearance so that the misbehaving person may not wax worse. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:31-32). God’s Word forbids vindictiveness and retaliation (Rom. 12:17-19). We should also refrain from slandering each other before others.
  
  Swinnock, a Puritan preacher, said, “[T]o procure a quiet life, the husband must be deaf, and the wife blind. Sure it is, the man must not bear to declare it abroad, nor the wife sees to say it among her gossips whatever is amiss at home if they would live in peace.” A rift between a husband and wife is half-settled when it is kept within the house, with prayers and dedication to resolve the contention lovingly. But when it is announced publicly in the ears of others, it will be like a rotten, septic sore that is hard to be cured. Christian couples must, at all costs, refrain from hardening their hearts against each other, leading to retribution, separation and divorce. Christ, our Lord, did reprimand the hard-hearted conduct that led to the dissolution of marriages (Matt. 19:8; Mk. 10:5-9). Just as God expected the prophet Hosea to show mercy and restorative love to his adulterous wife, which was to be a picture of God’s patience and reinstating love towards His disobedient people, there must be a willingness to forbear and forgive. Spiritually strong and mature persons would be tolerant and enduring in their spousal relationship, showing divine kindness and forgiveness to each other (Gal. 6:1; Prov. 16:32; Rom. 12:21; 1 Pet. 3:9).
  
• A prayerful nourishing of each other: The husband and wife, “being heirs together of the grace of life”, are exhorted to maintain their attitudes towards each other in such a way “that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7b). If husband and wife live together without mutual respect and affection, their united prayer will be cut off. Living in a house with conflicts, jealousies, bickering and altercations is detrimental to the spirit of prayer. God expects all believing spouses to conduct themselves with honourable attitudes towards each other so that their prayers together will not be hindered. Christian couples must be diligent in praying together and for each other. They must seek the Lord’s guidance, provisions and protection. They must yield in prayer to do God’s will as His servants. God must be sought, trusted and obeyed. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it… It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows” (Psalm 127:1-2a). Without God’s help and blessings, their labour to build up their families is in vain.
  
  Praying to God that you may prosper and succeed in your individual roles and duties to each other, and in collective labour for Him within and without the house, is necessary. Prayer and labour must go together so that you may flourish in God’s purposes. To labour in the house and not pray, would be a life without God and His blessings. May it never be a case of “ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2b). Pray at God’s mercy seat for each other’s spiritual progress, steadfastness and triumph over all temptations and trials. Pray also that you will be a blessing to the other and, together, a blessing to the rest of the family and to God’s people everywhere.
  
• A commitment to show benevolence to each other: “Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife to the husband” (1 Corinthians 7.3). What precisely is “due benevolence”? The word ‘due’ literally refers to a payment of the debt due or an obligation of duty that is due. What debt (or duty) does the husband and wife owe to each other? Benevolence! [Some modern English versions of the Bible omit this word. The Greek word for “benevolence” (εὔνοια) is specifically mentioned in the Textus Receptus (Majority Text) of the Greek New Testament]. “Benevolence” is deep-felt love towards the other in action through kind deeds. Due benevolence is a debt of goodwill or kindness in action.
  
  Christian husbands and wives must know their biblical debts or duties, and readily and joyfully render them to each other. Both husband and wife should focus on their own God-given duties to the other. The mutual duties of the married couple are far more than engaging in a sexual relationship; they also entail a mutual rendering of loving concern, submission, reverence, care, meekness, forgiveness, etc. It is a two-way debt. None should leave his or her spouse to care for himself or herself. God has given every married individual the duty of loving and caring for the spouse. They have a mutual debt to encourage, correct, comfort, provide for, guide and protect each other. In these days, far too little help flows from one towards the other. More and more understanding, awareness, companionship and support should be extended to each other. Many married couples spend their time and energy pursuing fortune, fitness and fame. Their sentiments are not sufficiently directed to each other as taught by Scripture concerning the building up of each other and of their relationship in the Lord. Misspent emotions and energy render them incapable of genuine love and powerless to pay due benevolence to each other. Thus, many marriages are deprived of marital joys, harmony and peace. Ask yourself, “Do I make my wife or my husband happy?” This is an essential part of the benevolence which is due. “Do I do my part to make my family life peaceable, enjoyable and pleasant?” “Do I provide companionship and friendship that are sanctifying, pleasing and uplifting to my spouse?”

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.

Sermon Text: Psalm 13
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 10th July 2022