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Brethren, celebrate Christmas only in the worship of Christ!

Any celebration in the name of Christmas that distorts and distracts us from the purpose of Christ’s birth or displeases and dishonours Him is but a desecration of the true Christmas, which is meant to glorify God for the gift of His Son as our Saviour.

“He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks” (Romans 14:6).

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

More Testimonies of Candidates for Membership

Jessa Pantanoza
I became aware of the presence of God from a young age. Among all my parents’ six children, I was the one who was constantly asking my mother about God and His creation. My mother often wondered why I asked such profound questions and why I was so different from my siblings. She did not have answers to my questions. Growing up, I disobeyed my parents and did not listen to their counsels. Thus, I was so burdened with guilt. Yet, I was so helpless that I could not change and give up my habits. Sometime during my secondary school, I met a Christian teacher. She was very kind to me and it was through her that I first heard the Gospel.

In 2018, I got married in Pangasinan. It was through my wedding solemnisation that I was once again drawn to God. The officiating solemniser of my wedding was a Christian. I realised it was God’s way of drawing me back to Him. I accepted Jesus Christ with all my heart and soul, and without a doubt. Because He died and rose to take away my sins, I confessed Him to be my Saviour and Lord. My married life was not easy. There were many trials along the way. But little by little, I grew in the knowledge of God’s Word. The heavy burden I’d been carrying for a long time was gone. Jesus Christ changed my life, and now, no matter what trials I face in life, I will always put the Lord first.

By God’s provision, an opportunity to work in Singapore was presented to me this year. Initially, I had no plans to go abroad to work. But when this opportunity came, I accepted it and left everything to God’s will. I prayed and hoped that God would give me a Christian employer so that I could continue to attend church and worship the Lord. Praise the Lord for answering my prayers. Through my employer, I was led to Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church. When I was invited to join the Catechism class, I readily and happily joined the class. I am thankful to the elders who explained God’s Word to me. I am convinced that the Lord has a plan and purpose for my life, and how important Jesus Christ is in my life. I remember tears running down my face during one of Elder Choy’s lessons, when God’s Word penetrated my heart. How much Jesus endured on the cross for us. His love for us is so great. Jesus is the only way to heaven, and He gives us eternal life. He alone is worthy to be worshipped. May I worship Him till my last breath.
I like to end with this verse in Matthew 4:4, which has stayed with me since I first heard the Gospel in my younger days – “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Lim Peng Kwang
I was raised in a Buddhist family in Batu Pahat, Malaysia. Following my secondary education, I moved to Singapore to further my studies. After completing my studies, my life became primarily focused on work. On weekends, like many non-believers, I would often feel excited and anxious to buy the newspaper, with great interest to look at the 4-digit lottery numbers printed inside.

In 1995, I met Maria (who would later become my wife) through a colleague’s introduction. Back then, we were just friends, and she made it clear that we couldn’t pursue a relationship because of my non-believer status. One day, Maria invited me to join her for a Wednesday prayer meeting at Maranatha Baptist Church. Intrigued by her faith, I decided to accompany her to church. As a non-believer, the Bible verses were entirely new to me. I needed time to read and comprehend them better. The pastor diligently guided me through Bible studies, where I understood that we are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory. We cannot attain salvation through our own righteousness or good deeds. I am grateful that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and atone for our sins.

The pastor talked to me about accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. Initially hesitant due to my concerns about my mother’s objections, I eventually realised that our faith in Christ is most important, and my mother’s objections ceased to be a concern. During another meeting with the pastor at Yishun McDonald’s, he shared and presented me with teachings from the Book of Romans. I understood the need to repent and surrender to Jesus Christ, trusting Him as my personal Saviour to cleanse me of all my sins. I recognised that only through Jesus Christ could I be saved from eternal punishment in hell. I confessed my sins, acknowledged God’s gift of Jesus, and committed to living for God. That night, alongside the pastor, I prayed the sinner’s prayer, acknowledging Jesus Christ as my Saviour who died on the cross to wash away my sins.

On February 16th, 1997, my wife and I were baptised at Maranatha Baptist Church. My journey with Jesus hasn’t always been smooth; I’ve to face trials, deny certain desires, and learn to act against my natural inclinations. He has taught me that progress in my Christian life is not through my ability, but through His gracious work in me.

In 2022, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, my wife received an invitation from her friend, Sis Annie Ho (who is a member of Gethsemane BPC), to join their monthly church ladies’ fellowship via Zoom. It was the first occasion that we had the opportunity to listen to a sermon delivered by Pastor Koshy. On July 31st, 2022, our family made the decision to attend the Sunday worship service at Gethsemane BPC. We were deeply impressed by the preaching which was firmly grounded in sound biblical doctrines, and by the stand of the church in displaying an unwavering commitment to the honour and glorification of God.

We earnestly pray for the Lord to continually sanctify us for His glory, strengthen our faith, equip us to be effective witnesses for His name, and empower us to serve faithfully with Gethsemane BP Church.

Tay Maria
When we lived in the kampung during my childhood years, my sisters and I used to accompany our mother to a charismatic church in Jalan Kayu. After we moved to Yishun, I began attending Chinese services at a Lutheran church near my home. During those early years, I had only a superficial understanding of who God is, what the Lord Jesus has done for the world, and the importance of doing good deeds to receive blessings.

In 1995, my sister invited me to join her for a Bible study at Maranatha Baptist Church, located at Lagos Circle. Out of curiosity, I decided to accompany her to the Wednesday prayer meeting. Following the prayer meeting, a sister-in-Christ sat beside me and shared Bible verses from the Book of Romans. Although I had heard of them before, it was during this sharing that I felt a deep conviction in my heart. I realised that there was nothing I could do to save myself from this dreadful life. I understood that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23); and there is none righteous, no not one (Rom 3:10). From Rom 6:23, I learned that the consequence of our sin leads to spiritual death and separation from the holy God. As sinners, we are doomed to eternal damnation in the lake of fire prepared for Satan and his followers. However, the gift of salvation is freely given to us through our faith in Jesus Christ. He gives us eternal life through believing in Him alone. I acknowledge that I am a born sinner on the way to hell, and that there is nothing I can do to save myself or earn forgiveness for my sins.

It is because of God’s unconditional love for us that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners like me. Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. He came to earth, lived 33 years on earth, and ultimately died on the cross to redeem us from the penalty of eternal punishment. By confessing my sins and believing that Jesus Christ is my Lord and the Saviour, I affirm my allegiance to Christ, and submit to His Lordship. By God’s grace, I was baptised in Maranatha Baptist Church on 16 Feb 1997.

My transformation was not an instant occurrence. It was the result of many years of listening to sermons, studying God’s Word, and attending Bible studies that deepened my understanding of God and His matchless love for us. We are called to have a close relationship with God, to reverence and honour Him, and to live a life that obeys His Word.

2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” I no longer want to seek to please myself but aim to live as a clean vessel for the Master’s use. Knowing that God is still working in my life, I need to be continually sanctified and grow in my relationship with Christ. This involves daily self-denial, remaining unspotted from the world, running the race set before me, and ultimately finishing my life course according to His will.

Brian Tong Kok Jun
I came from a non-Christian family. When I was a young student, I experienced much academic stress typical among most Singaporeans. For me, exams were a constant cause of stress and anxiety. During this time, I met a new friend, who brought me to Calvary Pandan BPC. At first, I did not attend services regularly as I had no time for anything new. My thinking was that church or religion was no big deal to me; I could not see how prayer and worship would even help me.

However, over a year later, when I was overawed by my studies and homework, I decided to turn to “prayer” during this time. I remembered praying for clarity and understanding of my subjects, and my “prayers” were answered. Though I found my anxiety being reduced, which allowed me to study better and do quite well in my examinations that semester, I realised I only prayed when I needed something from God, thinking that prayer was some kind of “wishing well”. Yet throughout the subsequent years, I still had not begun attending church services regularly. Meanwhile, I faced even more stress regarding my future. I was worried and clueless about how the future would turn out. That was when a friend prayed with me and shared with me Philippians 4:19. This verse gave me solace and peace in that moment and on various other occasions, especially when I experienced worries about my future. From then on, I decided to attend services more regularly, and found joy in worship services, and my faith in God grew.

A defining moment in my journey with Christ occurred when my friend lost a cherished family member, whom I had come to regard as part of my family too. I felt the pain of losing this family member. During this difficult period, many members from Calvary Pandan BPC came to the wake. I saw how God’s love was shown to me and my family through their attendance, comforting words, and prayers. I felt God’s consoling presence through the grieving process, and I discovered that He is the ultimate Source of hope and strength, even in trying times like this.

My friend and I decided to start attending Gethsemane BPC in May 2022, and have been attending this church ever since. The Lord has been merciful and gracious in guiding and blessing us in Gethsemane, a church with sound teaching of God’s Word.

I affirm that I am a sinner who needs God’s forgiveness. I praise God for giving His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to bear my sins on the cross. Therefore, I believe in Christ and yield myself to follow Him. I acknowledge that God has helped me through stressful times and supported me during my worst hours. As I continue to grow in my faith, I’m determined to live a life that honours His love and grace. In closing, I like to share two Scripture passages that have given me solace in the Lord during tough times:

• Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
• Philippians 4:19 – “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Ashleigh Sonia Hazra
I was born into a loving Christian family, and was baptised as an infant at Calvary Pandan B-P Church, which is a sound Christian church.

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, acknowledging my sins, during DVBS in 2009. I was in Primary 2 when I learned how Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from our sins. However, as I grew older and entered my first year of junior college, I backslid. That was one of the toughest years I experienced; instead of turning to the Lord, I turned to my unbelieving friends and other worldly ways of finding relief from my problems. For some weeks, I would even find excuses not to attend worship service. During this period, my family relationships had worsened, and I was constantly quarrelling with my parents and lashing out against those closest to me. I thank God that there were some people close to me who brought me back to Christ, by sharing Psalm 91 with me and praying for me. I started finding joy and comfort in the Lord again through Psalm 91 amidst trials of life.

Finding joy and solace in prayer, I started going to church consistently again. I sometimes wondered why I had to go through that year of spiritual turmoil, where God would allow me to experience all that spiritual and emotional “suffering”. In hindsight, I thank God for bringing me back, and allowing me to grow in faith and have a closer walk with Him.

Though I tried to reaffirm my faith while I was back at Calvary Pandan, I realised it wasn’t God’s will for me at the time. I was still experiencing struggles at home, and I realised that I wasn’t bearing a good testimony for the Lord. Upon introspection and prayer, I needed to be forgiving to those who have hurt me. I realised I hadn’t forgiven them as God has forgiven us, and that wasn’t a good testimony. Later on, after much prayer, I made a decision to attend Gethsemane B-P Church, along with a friend who had been with me throughout this ordeal. I thank God for bringing us to Gethsemane BPC, where I can worship God and be excited to attend church services again.

With gratitude, I like to share a couple of verses that have ministered to me and still continue to bring me comfort in times of hardship:

• Psalm 91:9-10 – “Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”
• Romans 15:13 – “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Lillian Chan
I was brought by my sister Doreen to the Calvary Jurong BP Church when I was in secondary 3. Two years later, in profession of my faith in Christ, I was baptised by Rev Philip Heng.

In 1979, I joined my parents and siblings in moving to Calvary Pandan BP Church. Since then, I have been attending the Sunday Worship and Sunset Gospel Hour services, as well as the various fellowship meetings in the last four decades.

After my mum went home to be with the Lord on 28 January 2023, I have been greatly blessed by attending Gethsemane BP Church Sunday Worship, Ladies’ Fellowship meeting, and seminars since July 2023. As such, it is my conviction that the Lord has led me to join Gethsemane BP Church.

Jeff Joish
Growing up in a Christian home with Christian parents and relatives, I have regularly attended church since I was young. I also had the privilege of attending Junior Worship and Gethsemane Children’s Ministry. Through these services, I learnt that I must believe in God and was taught many Bible truths. I also learnt that Jesus is the Son of God, who came to earth to save us from our sins. I believe that Jesus is my Saviour who died on the cross and rose again on the third day, defeating death and giving us everlasting life.

During the start of my first year in secondary school, I had difficulty making friends. I saw that my new classmates constantly did ungodly things that contradict the Scriptures. However, I sought God’s advice by praying, and I eventually discovered other Christians in my school. Through regularly attending worship services, singing hymns, praying every day and listening to God’s Word being preached by Pastor, I realised that God was testing me if I would give in to temptation and follow ungodly ways. However, God guided me and led me not to succumb to temptation, but to follow godly ways.

I thank God that He opened a way for me to attend the Catechism class. I thank Him for my loving and godly parents who brought me to church regularly and taught me about the Gospel. I pray that I can always bear a good testimony for Christ. I pray that God will continue leading me to worship and serve Him to the end.

Joel Tan
The Bible teaches us to worship in a church and to be a regular part of its membership and activities, so that we may progress in our Christian journey: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Likewise, the Bible also teaches us – through the examples of various characters, such as Nathan the prophet, John the Baptist and our Lord Himself – to seek strong and sound preaching, and apply their lessons, as a remedy against sin and falling by the wayside in our walk with God.

I was born in a Christian home; my parents knew the Lord and regularly worshipped in Bethesda Frankel Estate Church. Like many other Christian parents, they brought me to church. I attended Sunday School and the Junior Youth Service. Having had special-needs issues since I was young, it was difficult to focus and sit by myself. One of my parents had to sit with me. As we grew up, the schedules of me and my elder sister changed frequently, and my parents had to find a church that could accommodate our rapidly-changing schedules. Hence, for a time, we attended the Saturday service of Trinity Christian Centre. However, due to my hearing problems, I could not tolerate the loud music and their way of worship.

I was blessed with knowledge of Gethsemane BPC’s doctrines and practices even before I stepped foot in Gethsemane. While my parents were looking for a solution to my problems, Sis Cecile let me listen to Bible Witness Web Radio and read Bible Witness Magazine. When Sis Cecile brought my sister to her tuition classes in Raffles Place, she also brought me to the former Bible Witness Bookroom in Chinatown while waiting for her class to finish. We would read some of the books there and browse through others. Eventually, she asked my parents if she could bring me to the “Scripture in Song” musical in 2013, and they agreed.

Since coming to Gethsemane, I have greatly benefited from the spiritual nourishment through the strong preaching of God’s Word. It is truly the case that I have learnt the “great and mighty things” of God (Jeremiah 33:3), through the sermons and exhortations that I had not known before coming to Gethsemane. While the preaching and exposition of God’s Word in Gethsemane can prick souls, I am grateful for the constant reminders to live by God’s Word and not fall into the trap of sin. In the modern world, it is very easy to lose sight of the ultimate prize that awaits every believer at the end of time, and do things the way we want and not what God would have wanted.

I also thank God for the many blessings I have received during my time in Youth Fellowship. While the preaching is just as strong, it is also quite relatable to me as the preachers seek to show how God’s Word can be applied to address issues faced by youths and young people of today, such as problems that come from academic studies and by ongoing trends in the modern world.

I praise God for the fellowship that I have experienced in both the Main Service, as well as the Youth Fellowship. Despite my condition, the congregants have come to accept me as I am, and not pass judgment or make fun of me. I am blessed by the concern and mutual encouragement shown to me by congregants and committee members alike, both in conversation with them as well as in presenting our prayers and requests to God.

In conclusion, I have truly benefited much from my learning in Gethsemane. May God continue to guide me and help me to walk close to Him even amid the trials I face now, and those that have yet to come. All glory and honour be to the Lord. Amen.

Nehemiah dela Cruz
Born into a Christian family, God had always been the centre of our house. I was granted the privilege of being born into a missionary family that served in the mission stations in Bogo and San Antonio. This allowed me to grow up witnessing the power of God’s saving grace first-hand, and seeing how God was the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. However, I was still young and immature in the faith, and never really took the messages and devotions I heard seriously until much later.

When I was three years old, my father passed away, and the incident instilled great grief within my family. I was too young to understand the situation then, but when I grew older, I gradually understood it. This caused my mum and I to move back to Singapore. When we came back to Singapore, we started attending Gethsemane BPC. My mind was soon filled with doubts and questions. Why did this have to happen to me? What did I do wrong?

The question in my head soon caused me to, unfortunately, doubt God’s goodness and grace. I started to lose trust in God and His will for me. However, the messages preached in the church and in the children’s ministry reminded me that God is always in control, and that all are according to His marvellous will and plan. As I grew in age and went to public schools, I began to feel the world’s influence on me. However, I am glad for the strict reminders from my family and the preachers of the church that managed to keep me on the straight and narrow path through all the various temptations.

Although I cannot remember the exact date of my salvation, I am glad that I have been called from darkness into God’s marvellous light. I am thankful for the bountiful grace God has shown to me by sustaining me and my family. I am also glad that I can now confidently declare that I am a sinner saved by grace. My prayer is that I will continue to grow in the Lord, and serve my Saviour fruitfully in the years to come.

Ryan Skariah
By the grace of God, I was born into a Christian family. I thank God for godly parents who taught me God’s Word daily. From a very young age, I started to attend Gethsemane Children’s Ministry and Gethsemane Children’s Choir. I thank God for helping me to learn about Him and to understand that Jesus died for us to save us from our sins.

I thank God for my Junior Worship teachers and my GCM teachers, who taught me God’s Word faithfully. After listening to the Sunday sermons preached by Pastor and the regular GYF messages preached by Pr Cornelius and Pastor Koshy, I was convicted that I was a sinner and that all have come short of the glory of God. I realised that I had not been walking close with God, and that I did not pray to him with a true spirit. I have been attending church worship services and fellowship meetings regularly, but still did not obey God’s Word, and I was constantly sinning. I thank the Lord for Pastor Koshy’s messages that rebuked me, which made me ask the Lord for forgiveness for all my sins. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). I prayed to the Lord for grace and strength to be able to walk closer with Him. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour and decided to go through the Catechism class.

Through the Catechism class, I was able to further understand the doctrines of the church, the Bible and God. I thank God for Elder Choy and Elder Francis, who taught us on these important topics. I pray that the Lord will help me grow spiritually and love Him even more. I pray for strength to serve Him and worship Him wholeheartedly. All glory be to God!

Titus Lim Rui Heng
I was raised in a Christian family from the day I was born. My parents brought my sister and I to church from a very young age. Throughout my childhood, I had the privilege of hearing numerous sermons and attending Vacation Bible School camps where I learned about the concept of salvation, such as the ABC acronym - Accept, Believe, Confess. I also learned many Bible verses, e.g. Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”; and 1 John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
In 2019, during one of the youth camps, a question was posed during one of the invitations - “Raise up your hand if you know that you will be in heaven if you were to die right now.” This question left me deeply conflicted about the certainty of my salvation, and I approached my pastor for guidance after the service. He shared with me that if I was saved, the Holy Spirit would be the One who confirms and grants me inner peace about my salvation. We prayed together, but I left that evening still wrestling with doubt. It was during my devotion that night that I realised I was still a sinner in need of salvation. The many years of following my parents to church and the many sermons preached to me did not mean I was saved. That night, I confessed my sins and accepted Christ as my personal Saviour.

From 2019 to 2022, my family continued to attend church regularly, but it eventually became a routine for me—going to church on Sunday mornings and then heading home. Youth meetings were scarce, and my spiritual growth stagnated.

In mid-2022, my mum talked to me about our spiritual growth in the church, and asked if we wanted to visit another church where we could grow and serve God effectively. By God’s grace and providence, my family came to Gethsemane BPC through Aunty Annie’s invitation. Listening to the sermons and attending the many weekly activities, such as the YF, rejuvenated me and aided me in my spiritual walk with the Lord. I also thank the Lord for allowing me to attend this year’s Church Camp, where I learned about cultivating spiritual mindedness and living for Christ in these last days.

Earlier this year, my family and I attended the Catechism classes, where we delved into various topics, from God’s creation to Christ’s second coming. Coming from a Baptist background, I notice differences in practices between the Baptists and Presbyterians, such as infant baptism, baptism by sprinkling, and open communion. However, through the catechism class, I understood and accepted these differences, and have been assured that my salvation is only by faith in Christ. What is more important is the mutual love and respect we show to one another in the church, and not causing divisions so that we may all grow as one body in Christ. I pray for the Lord’s continual working in my life so that I may serve Him in spirit and in truth.

Phoebe Lim Jun Yu
I was born into a Christian family, and since our respective births, my brother and I have faithfully attended church at Ambassador Baptist Church with our parents. During the children’s Sunday School, I was curious and eager to learn more about God’s Word concerning creation, Ten Commandments, and Jesus’ parables. However, I did not understand much about salvation, and I had many questions pertaining to repentance from sins and being born again as a Christian.

In 2016, during the youth camp at Maranatha Baptist Church, I was deeply moved by the preaching on “Life’s Greatest Choice”, taken from Matthew 6:24 – “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” I realised that we were created by God and our allegiance should be to our Heavenly Father (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). I raised my hand when the preacher asked if any unbeliever was interested in learning more about salvation. It was at this moment that a fellow sister-in-Christ approached me, prayed with me and shared the significance of salvation and the importance of repentance.

• Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
• Romans 10:9 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
• John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

As I went home to ponder about it, I realised how sinful I was, and that my current way of life was filled with fleshly desires, which God hates, and would only lead to an eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. I cried out to God during that night, acknowledging that I was a sinner and asking Him to come into my heart to save me. I understand that doing good works doesn’t save and that I am a sinner in need of God’s love, forgiveness and mercy. Salvation is freely given to all those who genuinely believe and trust in Jesus. Only by faith through Him can I be free from the bondage of sins. As Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

From 2016 to 2022, my family had been attending church regularly, but over time it started feeling like a routine for me. Youth meetings were scarce, and I faced a period of spiritual stagnation, where I felt that I wasn’t growing much as a young Christian.

In mid-2022, my family and I were extended a warm invitation by Auntie Annie to Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church, where we have been attending since then. Through my time in Gethsemane BPC, I felt that the church was of biblically sound doctrine, and was a God-fearing and God-honouring church. I was deeply encouraged by the warm fellowship, unity and encouragement of the brothers and sisters in Gethsemane BPC, and their yearning to learn and seek the Lord and serve Him in the different areas of service! I was immensely thankful that my brother and I were able to attend this year’s Church Camp, where we learned how we ought to be spiritually minded – to put off our fleshly desires and to put on the new man, which is to live by God’s desire and purpose for our lives. It reminded me of the importance of daily prayer and having a close walk and relationship with Him.

My prayer is that God will guide me, help me grow in my faith, and deepen my trust in Him as I continue to serve Him and be a beacon of light to the people around me in my words and actions. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Sermon Text: Psalm 65
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 17th December 2023

“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD” (Psalm 34:11). It is a divine mandate to teach our children the Word of God with all dedication. As a church, we prayerfully commit ourselves to making every effort to teach our children to fear the Lord and walk in His ways. May God be pleased to bless our efforts at home and in the church to nurture our children in the Lord. 

Daily Vacation Bible School, held a week ago (29 Nov - 01 Dec 2023), has been a joyful and blessed event for about 45 children who gathered. They were nourished in the Gospel truths through the Bible lessons, spiritual songs and other activities prepared for them. Many brothers and sisters co-laboured with the GCM committee. The GCM Committee’s meticulous efforts in organising this event are praiseworthy. Our preachers, together with other GCM teachers, laboured to bring the Word of God to the children. We also rejoice in the labour of many in various areas – transportation, refreshments and meals, art and craft, singing, media presentations, etc. – for the smooth and efficient running of the DVBS. We also thank God that through this event, we could reach children from outside our church with the Gospel. May the Spirit of God work in the children’s hearts to grant them regeneration and sanctification through His Word which they heard in the DVBS. 

Annabelle’s Testimony

Psalm 100:1, 3 – “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands... Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

I thank God for another opportunity to attend DVBS, with the theme for 2023 as: “Be Strong in the Lord”. I wish to testify of God’s goodness towards me through the lessons I learnt from our preachers. 

On Day 1, in the morning session (taught by Pr Kelvin Lim), the main focus was on the words, “Finally, my brethren” in Ephesians 6:10. They remind us that God has saved us and called us out of sin. Therefore, we can call one another brothers and sisters in Christ. We also have a unique relationship with God, whereby we can be strengthened in Him. 

In the afternoon session, Pr Ho taught us from Matthew 13:1-8 on the Parable of the Sower. Jesus taught by the seashore, and told the people a parable of a sower who sowed seeds on a farm. Some seeds fell on the wayside, and the birds came and ate them up. Some fell onto the stony places where there was not much water and minerals. When the sun rose, the plants’ roots died because it was too hot for them. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and when the plants grew, the thorns choked them until they died. But the seeds which fell on the good ground bore fruit. The seed represents God’s Word, and the grounds represent the hearers’ hearts. The wayside refers to people whose heart is hardened, while the birds represent the devil. The stony places refer to people who have a shallow response to God’s Word. They are very excited to hear the Word of God, but they have no interest in God controlling their hearts wholly. When they are under pressure, they give up. The thorny places represent those who are over-worried and too concerned about things in this world that their interest in God’s Word dies off. The good ground denotes those who hear God’s Word with a receptive heart and, hence, are enlightened by it. From this parable, I learnt that we must fight sin and not let sin control us. We must not be overly worried about the world, but we must be concerned about the things of God (because He will provide for all our needs). We must ask ourselves 2 questions: 1) Do we have time for God? 2) How do we accept God’s Word? Let us put aside time for God and accept His Word wholeheartedly. 

On Day 2 (morning), I learnt from Pr Kelvin that the phrase, “Be Strong in the Lord”, is a command to be strong in the Lord, resist temptation, read the Bible and pray. “Be Strong in the Lord” also involves a combat. We must put on the whole armour of God so that we can withstand in the evil day and prepare for the spiritual battle. God gave His children a command to combat the evilness of their day. In the afternoon session, Pr Jeremiah taught us the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (from Matthew 13:24-30, 34-43). In this parable, a sower sowed good seeds in the field. While people were sleeping, his enemy sowed tares among the wheat. In due time, both wheat and tares sprung up. The servants of the sower were very curious about where the tares came from. The sower explained that an enemy had secretly sown the tares. The servants then asked whether to pluck out the tares. The sower said no because they might accidentally pluck out the wheat. Instead, they should only gather the tares at harvest time to burn them up. The sower is Jesus, while the good seeds are Christians. The field is the world, the enemy is the devil, and the tares are ungodly people. From this parable, I learnt that when Jesus Christ returns, He will separate the godly from the ungodly. He will judge the ungodly, and will no more show them grace and mercy. There will be punishment, judgment and hellfire for eternity. God gives us chances to repent. When we do something wrong, we must repent quickly. 

In the morning of Day 3, Pr Kelvin gave us 3 points to remember the DVBS theme. First, I learnt that “Be Strong in the Lord” is to make Christ known (Ephesians 6:19), and to make known the truth about the Gospel. The truth of the Gospel is the greatest knowledge that anyone can have. Second, it is for the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:20; Romans 1:16). We must not be ashamed to stand up for Jesus, as it is the divine duty of Christians to speak a word for Christ. Third, it is for the praying for the saints regarding the work of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:18), so that more souls can be added to heaven. In the last session, Pr Samson taught us from Matthew 13:47-52 on the Parable of the Dragnet. This parable is about a fishing net that was used in the olden days (still in use today). The dragnet is a gigantic net that is pulled by the boats and is used to catch fish. The fishermen would bring the net to the shore when the net was full. Not every fish they caught was good, as there were also other sea creatures like squid, prawns, and even much dirt! The good would be separated from the bad. If you repent of your sins and believe in the Lord, you are the good fish. Those who believe in Christ will inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 25:34). Those who reject God will be thrown into the fire (Matthew 25:41). We have to repent now (Matthew 4:17)! Jesus is coming soon! 

I look forward to DVBS 2024, and pray for more children to join us for a blessed time of spiritual nourishment, God willing!

Sermon Text: Psalm 64
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 10th December 2023

The Devil’s Diabolical Instigation of Believers’ Distrust of God

In this battle of Satan against God’s sovereignty, he often targets God’s dear servants. In the case of Job, he schemed to “touch all that he hath” (Job 1:11), and later to “touch his bone and his flesh” (Job 2:5). His intent of “touching Job” in order to cause trouble in his life was that he may turn Job against God by causing him to curse God! Usually, with most believers, he would try to “take them out” through sinful temptations. He does this relentlessly through the allurement of sensual living and the unholy pursuit of creature comforts through affluent lifestyles, which many – even godly people – find so hard to resist. However, sometimes the devil may find it difficult to trap believers by temptation alone, as in the case of godly and spiritually well-exercised saints (like Job). When he can’t get a foothold in their spiritual lives to cause damage to their testimony, he would unleash his second ploy, i.e. through unimaginable pain and sorrow. The ultimate intent of such fiery trial was to turn people against God. In one way or the other, the devil is constantly trying to instigate believers’ distrust of God’s sovereignty.

In the case of Job, the cruelty and sadism of the devil was clearly seen when he challenged God to grant him permission to attack Job concerning his possessions and his body. In one day, all his vast numbers of sheep, camels, oxen and asses were wiped off, and all his ten children were crushed to death in a collapsed house caused by a whirlwind (Job 1:13-19). In another day, his whole body was wrecked with sore boils, resulting in excruciating pain and agony, so much so that his abode became next to a heap of ashes outside as he could not stay in the house due to his disease (Job 2:7-8). Through all these, the devil was instigating Job to curse God “to thy face” (Job 2:5b) and bring dishonour to His name! Thank God Job endured – in all this Job neither “charged God foolishly” nor did he “sin with his lips” (Job 1:22b; 2:10c).

Dear Christians, truly there are times when we struggle to explain the cause of our sufferings. Frankly, so many types of trials and calamities befall God’s people that we can’t fathom the exact cause(s). But would there ever be a trial upon God’s people if God does not permit it? It is important to understand that God always has a hand in the troubles we experience. In God’s sovereignty, He “opens the floodgates” of trials for you to suffer. You become, as it were, the “battle front” being engaged by the merciless devil. This is not because God has abandoned you, but rather, He counts you worthy to suffer to prove His supreme point that His arch-enemy cannot do anything to completely usurp His authority.

Oh, this is a most formidable “battlefield”! But beloved believer, persevere and stand firm. Knowing that God allows your trials, may you “watch thou in all things, endure afflictions” (2 Timothy 4:5a) and “greatly rejoice … through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7). So, if you are in the midst of some unexplainable trouble, be assured that God’s sovereign hand is there. It is not that He has turned against you, but He has only taken away your “fence” which has protected you all this while. By God’s sovereign will, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”, being “persuaded, that neither death, nor life … nor principalities, nor powers … nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39)!

The Devil’s Subversive Undermining of Believers’ “Integrity”

Unfortunately, the reality is that many who suffer horrendously or see the righteous suffer undeservedly may conclude in their heart that there is no God; or if God exists, He is one with limited power. Their initial enthusiastic faith in a loving God quickly “vaporises” in the fiery furnace of sufferings. Many such professing believers end up as agnostics. They fail to “hold fast their integrity”, unlike Job (cf. Job 2:3), and lose trust in a sovereign God. That is exactly Satan’s diabolical objective – to prod believers to defy God’s sovereignty.

To thwart the devil’s undermining of our “integrity” (through the use of intense sufferings upon believers), we do well to consider Job’s reaction. Job’s horrendous trials did not distract him from the sovereignty of God; God was still the object of his heart’s love. He cherished and worshipped God even in his abject poverty and suffering. Take note of his heart’s confession in Job 1:21, “the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” He didn’t utter these words out of bitterness that God did not care for him, but out of worship and deference to – not in defiance of – God’s sovereignty (cf. Job 1:20). Scripture says “he holdeth fast his integrity”.

What is Job’s “integrity”? It is his firm belief that God is sovereign, even in his troubles. Things had not spun out of control; nor had God difficulty in keeping chaotic situations in check. He refused to react according to his downcast emotions. Job’s integrity is that he had always ordered his life by subjecting it to God’s sovereignty. His was not a mere intellectual faith; his was a faith with works (cf. James 2:17-18). He had experiential faith, hence he spoke with experiential knowledge that God is sovereign. His unshakeable conviction of God’s absolute sovereignty in all aspects of his life and the world around him, helps him to have proper behaviour in his doings and dealings. That is the believers’ integrity, which the devil is constantly trying to undermine.

Conclusion

The apostle Paul hits the nail on the head when he warns Christians in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. The devil is constantly on the prowl. He is not going to stop his attack just because his wicked ploys were thwarted from time to time by godly saints who, like Job, hold fast to their integrity amidst their suffering. He is going to take this battle till the end of time; in the meantime, you and I are his targets. The way to continue to fight the battle when the devil, by God’s permission, comes to “touch” or trouble us, is to stay in submission to God. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). That’s where our safety is. Even if he would tear us apart, stay under the mighty hand of God in total submission to Him, knowing that God will not allow the devil to utterly destroy us.

Thank God, there is ultimate victory for us, for God is still in control. We cannot be subdued because our sovereign God is watching over us! Remember, Satan is already a defeated foe. The devil can battle against God’s dear child, but not beyond what God allows (cf. Job 1:12; Job 2:6). May we then, by faith, continually trust in and uphold God’s sovereignty over our lives, come what may – that is how we glorify God in this formidable but conquerable “battle front”.

Sermon Text: Psalm 63
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 3rd December 2023

Sermon Text: James 1:25
Speaker: Pr Kelvin Lim
Date: 26th November 2023

Apart from God and Job, the one major character in the first two chapters of the Book of Job is, undeniably, Satan. In these first two chapters alone, Satan is referred to some 13 times. Thus, Christians cannot just pass over this character. We need to take a good look at this character and the way he functions.

The name “Satan” in Hebrew means “adversary”. He is God’s enemy, as well as the enemy of God’s people. He is the unceasing, untiring adversary of both God and man. His hatred towards God knows no bounds. He has no regard for God and would throw any challenge at Him, as demonstrated in his temptation of Christ in the wilderness (cf. Matthew 4:1-11). That is how cunning and wicked this adversary is. He would go against God to the very end, as is clearly seen even at the end of Christ’s millennial reign on earth, when the Lord would chain him and cast him into the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Meanwhile, there is a cosmic battle (of cosmic proportions) being raged by Satan against God, whereby believers often get “caught in the crossfire” (cf. Job 1:8-19)!

So, whether we understand it or not, we are all caught up in this great battle that the devil is waging against God. Yet God is not a helpless onlooker who could only stand idly by and watch as events unfold. He is actively involved in defending, protecting and guiding us in the midst of this terrible battle. No evil (whether natural or man-made or satanic) may encroach upon us outside of His jurisdiction (cf. Job 1:12).

Be Not Ignorant of the Devil’s Devices

Be that as it may, the devil is constantly trying his level best to deal a “knockout blow” to believers that would keep them downcast and in deep despair, and ultimately instigate them to deny God’s sovereignty (cf. Job 1:11b; 2:5b). As the apostle Paul warns us, we must not be “ignorant of his devices”, lest “Satan should get an advantage of us” (2 Corinthians 2:11). From the episode of Job’s sufferings, we see in a very clear manner how the devil uses us as his “arena” in his battle against God. One of his most diabolical and favourite tactics is to turn the ones whom God has created in His own image (even mankind) against Him. Oh, we must not be ignorant of this cunning device of the devil, which he tried viciously against Job! From our biblical understanding of the Book of Job, the devil is trying to challenge the sovereignty of God over Job’s life. This should not surprise us as he has always been a “challenger” and usurper since time immemorial, soon after he was created. He had been an angelic being of heaven, one of God’s created angels; in fact, he was the chief of the cherubims.

In Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-17, we read of the condemnation and downfall of the devil. When he, being lifted up with pride, rebelled against God and tried to usurp God’s authority, he was cast down to this earth (cf. Revelation 12:9). Since the day he was cast out of heaven, he has been constantly trying to usurp God’s glory. According to his warped and malicious mind, the best possible way to usurp God’s glory is through mankind by instigating their defiance of God’s authority. That’s disobedience, which was the first sin of mankind! Having succeeded with Adam and Eve, the devil is still trying to do the same with their descendants – but in different ways. He uses different things in different people’s lives to bring about defiance of God’s sovereignty.

In a myriad of ways, the devil is trying to captivate believers’ souls to love things other than God. Whether it be our studies and scholastic pursuits, our job, profession and career prospects, our children, our house, or even our physical appearance, the devil wants to take our allegiance away from God through all these distractions. His is a twisted theology – “worship God in order to get the things that you love”. That is precisely the “prosperity theology” promoted in Charismatic circles. Worship God to be rich, powerful, famous, prominent. That’s false religion! Rather, true religion is coming to God as our true wealth, He being the greatest Lover of our infinitely precious souls. We cannot love anything more than God if we put God as the object of our heart’s devotion. Didn’t Jesus say, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30)? In getting believers to love material things, possessions, position, status, relationships, etc. more than God, Satan’s ultimate objective is to usurp God’s sovereignty over believers’ lives. Oh, be not ignorant of the devil’s devices!

The Devil’s Malicious Disdain of Believers’ Submission to God’s Sovereignty

Now, it must be categorically stated that God has no problem giving material prosperity and abundance to His children, if He so chooses. This is reflected in Job’s possession of great substance and his prominent status in the society of his time (Job 1:3). But that is not what God is most happy about with His children – not wealth and health. There is something else that He is more concerned with. In commending Job before the devil, God said, “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?” (Job 1:8). God specifically mentioned four outstanding spiritual virtues of Job, namely his blameless life (“perfect”), his righteous character (“upright”), his reverence of God (“feareth God”), and his careful shunning of sin (“escheweth evil”) which reflects his purity of heart. Instructively, God did not commend Job regarding his material abundance, house and animals, or his efficiency in managing wealth. But look who’s talking about all these? “Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (Job 1:9-10).

In his reply, the devil blatantly sidestepped God’s focus of His discussion. God is talking about Job’s spiritual maturity, well-being, wholeness, integrity. But the devil wanted to draw attention away towards material things – “his house”, “all that he hath”, “work of his hands”, “his substance”. The devil was saying that everything was going well for Job – his business was good, his family was flourishing, he was in good health. His insinuation was that Job’s piety was all because God had put a protective “fence” around him. Malicious as he is, the devil then put forward a challenge to God. He sadistically added that if God were to “touch” (i.e. to destroy, to cause maximum damage to) all that Job had, Job will defy, rebel against and “curse” God, not fear and worship Him (Job 1:11)!

Herein is the intense and fierce conflict between God and Satan. God is watching over His servant and rejoices in His servant’s recognition of His sovereignty over his life, as well as his complete surrender to God as his Master. This harmonious and perfectly maintained “Master-servant” relationship provokes Satan. How vicious Satan is! He cannot stand the sight of God’s servant being at peace with his heavenly Master. He is full of jealousy, wrath and hatred. “Sovereign God and submissive servant” – this is the relationship that is under attack! Satan regards it with contempt and disdain: “Doth Job fear God for nought?” He could not – and will never – accept that anyone could love God so intrinsically without thinking of getting any external benefit in return. He wanted to prove God wrong.

(To be continued next week)

Sermon Text: Psalm 3
Speaker: Rev. Paul Cheng
Date: 19th November 2023