May 31, 2020

Testimonies from the Online Bible Conference (Continued)

Written by:
Rev (Dr) Prabhudas Koshy

Richard and Audrey Ng

We are members of Bethel BP Church in Melbourne. We just want to praise the Lord and thank Pastor Koshy for the messages on ‘Holding Faith, and a Good Conscience’ during the Online Bible Conference of GBPC. We are blessed. God bless you all.

Kristine Ebarle

All glory to God for the Online Bible Conference! I would like to praise and thank God that my family and I were able to participate in the conference, which I have been longing to participate after having been blessed by the last Missionary Conference held here in Cebu. Thank God my daughter was invited so that we could join in and have the blessed opportunity to learn on the theme, "Holding Faith and a Good Conscience".

I thank God for Pr Kee How’s reminder that our life-long enemy is pride, so we need to maintain a humble heart all through our lives. I thank God for Pr Jeremiah’s encouragement of our need to draw closer to God and abide in His dwelling. I thank God also for Pr Daniel’s exhortation on Psalm 23, which reminded me that we lack nothing, and hence we must rejoice always in all circumstances. Prise God for Pastor Koshy's exhortations which reminded us that we are charged to be our King’s soldiers. What a privileged responsibility this is indeed He has put upon us! May we always remain responsible as God's people in doctrine, godliness, holiness and ministry.

We were exhorted that as individuals and as a family, we need every jot and tittle of God’s Word to overcome our enemies - our flesh, world, false teachers and Satan. We are so vulnerable to worldliness, but as soldiers of Christ, we must fight a good fight of faith and keep a good conscience, which God sees more than any man.

Indeed, God is my Mighty Warrior. Every time I am tried by the enemy and his wiles, the true doctrines of God will be my whole armour. By God’s grace, I am always reminded that the Lord Jesus had overcome the world, and so by His strength, wisdom and grace, I must remain faithful with a good conscience.

"Thank you" to Pastor Koshy and the GBPC family. All thanks and glory to our only wise God through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Miriam Wong

I thank God for the spiritual refreshing from God’s Word shared by Pastor Koshy. It came into my heart causing a lot of self-examination. I’m renewed in my spirit before the Lord to fight a good warfare for His kingdom. Once again, thank you Pastor Koshy for your labour of love!

Dave Ryan Taburada

I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity and privilege to attend the Online Bible Conference. Even though I was only able to attend the last two days, I was greatly blessed by the messages of the preachers during the morning devotions and the main messages on "Holding Faith and a Good Conscience" by Pastor Koshy. I was also blessed during the "Q & A" session, wherein God has reminded me again to be vigilant in my Christian walk and to be more fervent in my service to Him by doing His will in my life for His glory.

I also thank God that my daughter was able to attend the children’s programme in their separate break-out sessions. She was quite shy because it was her first time fellowshipping in such a manner with believers from other countries. But I know she was blessed because she was taking notes of the lessons for the children. Indeed, while we are hindered from gathering together physically to worship our one and true living God during this time of pandemic, He has opened doors wherein we can honour and glorify Him through the opportunities provided by modern technologies. God's ways are truly higher than our ways. May God continue to pour His grace and mercies towards His people, and may He continue to bless Pastor Koshy and GBPC, Singapore.

All glory to our Almighty God and our Saviour Jesus Christ!

Jordan Ballega

"Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?" (Jeremiah 23:23).

Amid the "circuit breaker" period, which prohibited our physical gathering for studying His Word, I thank God that He still desires to have His Word being ministered to us. I am grateful for His provision of an online video conference, by which people from the four corners of the earth could participate in our church's Online Bible Conference to feast on His words and have fellowship with one another.

It had been my long-time desire to bring my parents to Singapore so that they may witness the fellowship in our church and also experience the blessing of listening to the faithful preaching of God's Word by our pastor and preachers. However, due to my mother's illness, it did not materialise as planned. But as Jesus said in Matthew 19:26, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Indeed, Jesus is sovereign. He provided a great opportunity through the Online Bible Conference for them to join and rejoice with us in His Word from their home in Montalban, Manila, the Philippines. I was delighted when I heard from my mother that my father (a Seventh-Day Adventist) also listened to the preaching every day of the conference. May God grant them repentance of heart and faith to come to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are also now listening to the proclamation of the Word of God via GBPC online Worship Service, Bible Study and various Fellowship programmes.

I thank God for our elders who led us in the singspiration and prayers, and for our preachers who brought the morning devotions to us alongside Pastor Koshy's ministering of God's Word on the theme of the conference. Likewise, praise God for the collective, humble labour of our church leaders and brethren to spread the Word throughout the world, in obedience to Christ’s command – "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). God willing, next year, I hope that we can have the previously planned GBPC Missionary Conference. May the Word of God spread continuously throughout all nations.

Finally, I rejoice and praise God for His wisdom and strength bestowed on Pastor Koshy, who laboured to exhort us from the Scriptures based on 1 Timothy 1:18-20. The messages on the theme "Holding Faith, and a Good Conscience " revitalised my spirit to be armed with the Word of God, that my faith may increase day by day and that I may serve Him with a good conscience. In so doing, may I gratefully execute the charge given unto me by the Lord. Indeed, this sojourn on earth will not be smooth as there will be many battles against the flesh, world, false doctrines and Satan. But I am trusting our Almighty God to keep me moving forward to victory.

I fervently prayed to our Almighty King of kings and Lord of lords to strengthen my family and me by His mercy and abounding grace (cf. 1 Timothy 1:14), especially in our weakness – that we may not retreat during our spiritual battle and suffer "shipwreck", but will serve Him as a strong troop of soldiers, who faithfully obey His command. As a family, may the Lord help us to fight a good fight of faith for His wondrous glory. Amen.

Cheong Lian Neo (Mrs Chong)

I wish to thank and congratulate Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church for conducting the Online Bible Conference successfully. There was good team work and co-ordination.

The topic "Holding Faith and a Good Conscience", taken from 1 Timothy 1:19, is very relevant to any believer who wants to live a godly Christian life. I liken "holding faith" and "a good conscience" to the two flukes (two pointed ends) of a strong anchor that catch on the seabed to prevent the ship from drifting amidst violent storms or strong currents. It would do well for every believer to have an anchor that embodies the truths contained in the Bible. Obeying these truths would be conducive for his conscience (which serves to warn and judge him) to be sensitive to and be guided by God. The Christian's life and ministry are often beset with difficulties, warfare, temptations and afflictions. These spiritual "sea billows" cannot wreck the Christian ship that is securely anchored. A shipwrecked "vessel" is a dishonour to God.

During the messages, I picked up a moving sub-topic, that is, the loving concern of the apostle Paul for his protege, Timothy. I would call him Mentor Pastor – he assiduously guided Timothy in setting up a God-fearing church in Ephesus that fought against false doctrines. He charged the young pastor, whom he adoringly called "my dearly beloved son", to protect public worship of his church. Further to it, Paul, like a Master Teacher, imparted his experience and spiritual knowledge to develop mature leadership in his disciple. It would serve anyone well, who desires to be a mentor to any young believer or a Christian worker, to emulate the apostle Paul. He seriously discharged his God-given assignment to nurture his charge adequately.

The apostle Paul's last testimony – "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7) – should stir us to fight a good fight of faith, and finish our race unashamedly, ending at heaven's gate which is our finishing line.

Eld. Eliezer Ortega

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul … More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7a, 10, 11).

The Lord be praised for the recent Online Bible Conference. The Bible Conference was a time of spiritual nourishment and showers of blessings. It was a time where the Word of God comes very vivid and alive. Truly, the Word of God has converted my soul. It has made me alive again pertaining to all spiritual things, concerning my relationship with God and my service to Him. The Word of God indeed is the believer’s and minister’s treasure!

Praise the Lord for His blessing of wisdom upon Pastor Koshy, whereby the Lord has mightily used him to preach and expound with much clarity for my understanding. Every session is a great expectation of receiving of blessings, and every closing of a session a looking forward to another for the learning of God’s Word. Never before was the Word of God more desired in my life.
Each session was also filled with "point-blank" reproofs. These have unsettled and humbled me much. I thank God for such corrections which will equip me and enable me to strengthen my love for the Lord and be zealous in my service to Him.

Thank God also for the opportunity to see old and new faces of brethren. It was a blessed time catching up and fellowshipping with the brethren. Praise the Lord for the morning devotion speakers. Thank God for wisdom in the preaching of God’s Word. Thank God also for the brethren who worked behind the scenes in overseeing the whole Online Bible Conference, that we may have a seamless time of learning God’s Word through the internet. Praise God for the life of Pastor Koshy, who labours selflessly and untiringly in preaching, that every Word of God would not return unto Him void.
I am looking forward to share all the sessions of the preaching of God’s Word to the brethren in Bogo and San Antonio churches in the proper time. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. To God alone be the glory!

Arlaine Ortega

I praise the Lord for the opportunity to attend the Online Bible Conference (May 18-22, 2020). The Bible Conference came in a very peculiar time and situation, but it came in a very timely and appropriate manner. By God’s providence, the Bible Conference was what I needed. Truly "God is great, God is good", as the line of a hymn goes.

Thank God for the spiritual blessings that I received through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word through Pastor Koshy. It was a great opportunity for learning His Word and for spiritual exercise of my soul. It greatly strengthened my faith in and love to the Lord. It has also renewed in me a desire for joyful and zealous service to the Lord.

Thank God for the morning devotion speakers, Pr Kee How, Pr Jeremiah, Pr Daniel Lim and Pr Samson, who preached to us God’s Word with all faithfulness. Thank God for Eld. Mah, Eld. Choy, Eld. Ng and Eld. Lee who chaired the meetings, and for grace and strength upon them. Praise the Lord for all the brethren who worked behind the scenes in making the Conference so accessible and smooth-flowing. I rejoiced in the occasions when we could see the brethren and fellowship with them, rendering us opportunities for catching up with one another virtually. Above all, I thank God for His grace and mercy upon Pastor Koshy in faithfully preaching the Word of God with wisdom from above, that we may be richly blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
All glory be unto God!

Adrian, May Ling, Glenn Tseng

We are so glad that we could get to see the Gethsemaneans during the Online Bible Conference!
We are very grateful to Pastor Koshy for we have been so blessed by all the valuable lessons that have been faithfully taught during the Bible Conference. We have also been much blessed by all the Sunday sermons, prayer meetings, Bible studies and various fellowship group messages. By the grace and mercy of God, our hearts were convicted, reprimanded and at the same time encouraged and strengthened by the power of His Word.

We also learned a lot from the morning devotions led by the preachers of Gethsemane. We also like to thank the Session and the committee that helped in the organisation of the Conference. Their labour of love and effort have made this Conference possible.

All praise and glory be to God.

Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Church adheres to the system of faith commonly known as the “Reformed Faith” as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms.
Our Worship Address
SingPost Centre
Level 5 Auditorium
10 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408600
(next to Paya Lebar MRT station)
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Gethsemane Media Centre
33 Ubi Crescent
Singapore 408584
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