Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 48

Family Day 2016

Thank God for a blessed Family Day at the Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park on 19 November. 50 attended the one-day spiritual retreat. The theme was “Family Prayers”. It was a follow-up of this year’s church camp theme on “The Christian Home”.

The family altar is family time with God in prayer and the Word. At the centre of the Christian home is the family altar where father, mother and children call unto God. There is a priority set by members of the family to draw close to God to renew their love and devotion to Him regularly. This is the key to spiritual health of the family.

Members of the family enjoy a time of communion with God at the family altar. It is a time when they bring their thanksgiving, needs and burdens before the throne of grace. It has been the means of grace whereby the souls in the family are eternally blessed. Therefore, every God-fearing father and mother should establish and maintain the family altar in the home. Rev Dr Tow Siang Hwa said, “We need godly homes in a godless age.”

Throughout the history of God’s people, when they were committed to walk with God by faith, His grace kept them. When they departed from Him that was when countless problems arose.

At the end of the book of Joshua in Joshua 24:14-20, Israel became a nation with a people, a law – God’s law and a land. A witness to the living and true God to all the nations of the world.

Joshua 24:15 …Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua sought a truthful conviction in the hearts of the people that they might continue to serve their God. To serve means “to work” or “to labour”.

When the focus of the labour is the Lord, it is to worship Him. The word does not have connotations of toilsome labour but a joyful experience of liberation (Ex. 3:12; 4:23; 7:16; Josh. 24:15, 18). [Zodhiates]

Sadly, men often choose to worship false gods (Deut. 7:16; 2 Kings 10:18, 19, 21-23). Love God and not gold, love the Word and not the world is the encouragement for God’s people.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

How are we to serve God? We are to serve God with godly fear, serve Him in sincerity and in truth. Put away other gods!

To fear God means to reverence God with a careful reverence. [Adrian Rogers]

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Psalm 115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

 Psalm 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Sincerity begins with a seeking heart. The word “sincere” means, without blemish. It was used of animals for sacrifice that was to be whole and complete, lacking nothing. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. It is to be a sincere service.

To serve the Lord in truth is to seek to know and obey His Commandments.

Be willing to forsake your idols. An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. This text is a call to separation unto holiness!

The family coming together to pray and worship in the home finds God’s protection, preservation and blessing. This commitment is constrained by the love of God, His mercies upon us, our gratitude for what God has done for us.

Israel must not forget they were slaves in Egypt before God delivered and placed them in the Promised Land! The family is reminded of God’s grace in saving them from their sins. Joshua not only reminded himself, but also his household, not to forget the goodness of God.

Engage in family worship. Make time and spend time to pray as a family. May God bless you richly! Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee