Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 01

(1) Homegoing of Mdm. Ivy Ng Teck Cheng

Mdm. Ivy Ng Teck Cheng (Mrs. Jamieson) went home to be with the Lord on 31 December 2015 at the age of 77. Her life has touched many hearts. The Silver Hall at the Singapore Casket where the vigil service was held was packed to the brim. On 2 January 2016, her body was laid to rest at the Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery in Christian burial.

2 Corinthians 5:1-2 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

The mortal body is described as an earthly house that is but a tent, a temporal dwelling place. Death dissolves or dismantles this “tent”. The body of the deceased is en-coffined and buried. It returns to the dust. However, the soul of the believer is taken to heaven. When our Lord Jesus returns, the dead would be resurrected and given a glorified, eternal body.

Death has lost its sting because Jesus Christ is resurrected from the dead and He lives forevermore. This is the believer’s blessed hope, comfort and source of strength in the house of mourning.

May the Lord comfort and strengthen the bereaved family.

(2) Daily Bible Reading

This is an extract of the 3 January devotion reading taken from the Andrew Murray 365-Day Devotional Bible:

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

The three Persons in the Godhead are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – each one is different from the others. God desires to reveal Himself as a person. Each one of us is an individual distinct from others and standing in certain relationships to others. God will reveal Himself to us as a person, and we are called to enter into fellowship with Him.

God greatly desires this relationship with us, but sin has come between us and our God. Even in Christians who know God, there is often great ignorance and even indifference to this personal relationship of love to God.

People believe that at conversion their sins are forgiven, that God accepts them so that they may go to heaven, and that they should try to do God’s will. But they do not realize that, even as a father and his child on earth enjoy being together, so they must have this intimate fellowship with God each day.

Our relationship to Christ rests on His deep, tender love to us. We are not capable on our own to render Him this love, but the Holy Spirit will do the work in us. Meditate quietly on this thought: “He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). Take time to experience this personal fellowship.”

Scripture reading is taken from Genesis 5-7; Matthew 3:1-17 and Psalm 3:1-8. May the Lord grant us the strength to read and meditate upon His Word daily.

(3) Faith Is the Victory

Hebrews 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

This verse is a summary of the conquest of Jericho. It encourages us to trust God fully for victory over every high wall in life. God’s will not our will. God’s way and not our way! We overcome only by faith according to God’s Word.

(a) Simply Trusting – “By Faith” (v30a)

– By faith the walls of Jericho fell down…

Simply trusting God is the thought gleaned from v30a. To conquer Jericho was the first step towards possessing the Promised Land. God gave their leader Joshua the strategy. They were to believe wholeheartedly in God’s blueprint for success.

Is it so hard to take God at His word? Yes, if we were to look at the enemy or the problem and not to God. Israel succeeded because they simply trusted God! Ancient Jericho was an impregnable fortress with her high walls. The conquest of Jericho was a miracle wrought by God.

(b) Fully Obeying (v30b)

– … after they were compassed about seven days.”

Not only are we to trust God but we are to fully obey His commands. For Israel, their task was very clear. They had not only to believe wholeheartedly but they had to act on that belief. Their obedience was important to accomplish the plan that God had designed for them.

 God has given us the means of grace in prayer and the counsel of His Word to help us. We are to simply trust Him and obey His Word. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee