Lord’s Day, Vol. 11 No. 22
(1) Church Camp 2023
This year’s Family Bible Camp will be held, God willing, from 14-17 June 2023. Thank God for His provision of our camp-site. The theme “The Renewing of the Mind” is taken from Romans 12:1-2.
Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This year we have the full extent of being able to meet in person and be fed in person – both spiritually and physically. Thank God for seeing the church through the pandemic.
I recall in 2020, when we met in person for camp we were all masked up. Those who joined the church in the last three years, as it were, were seen through the veil of the mask for more than 2 ½ years. It’s hard to read a person’s facial expression with a mask on. As it were, that encounter seemed somewhat veiled, you can’t really communicate face to face and thus heart to heart talk seemed quite remote even with the person in your proximity.
And I hope that this pandemic opened our hearts, I pray, to see the deadliness of the evil one in shaping our perception, and influencing our actions, in a concerted way, worldwide.
For the church, this is the battle, and we are the last bastion of light shining in the most darkened world, but light in the church is gradually being snuffed out because of the evil influence of the world with authority, coming in and determining the course of the church through mandates. The pandemic is to close the church, especially the churches in America. Thank God the plan did not succeed. Nonetheless, we can see the effects of many who after the pandemic, did not return to worship in church.
Dear friends, do you realize that the church was closed through the many restrictions imposed upon the church, and we buy into the narrative of expert panels and worldwide or national organizations that seek to determine the course of our church life? Very unusual and momentous times we are living in.
The battle before us, more so in our generation, is the battle for the control of the human mind for the purpose of dominance in the human world, more than any other period of human history. This is the main battleground. We do not even know that our mind has been attacked.
If we are not careful, the church will be deceived to walk according to the course of this world controlled by the prince of the power of the air – the evil one, with their narrative shaping our reality.
Therefore, the battleground is first the mind. If the mind is persuaded and deceived, the whole direction of life takes a perspective as it were, to move against the will of God. And so, the mind needs to be renewed.
The renewing of the mind comes first with the regeneration of the soul (Titus 3:5). Titus 3:5 (KJV) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
It is a work of God through the Holy Spirit of God to work a spiritual rebirth. It is in the born-again, regenerate soul this renewal takes place.
This “renewing” is a spiritual transformation – the adjustment of moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life (Vine).
1 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
There shall be six theme messages through the first three days with three workshops in the afternoons to complement the messages and three morning devotions. We shall have prayer meeting on 14 June at 4pm.
Live stream of messages is available using the link below:
https://www.sermonaudio.com/player/webcast/blessedhope/
Detailed program will be given during the camp briefing on 11 June after the worship service.
This is the outline of the six messages:
I. Why Is Renewal of the Mind Needed?
(1) Because the Mind Is the Battleground!
(2) What is Wrong with the World?
(3) Why is God’s will that good, acceptable and perfect?
II. How Can the Mind to Be Renewed?
(4) Be Consecrated
(5) Be Separated
(6) Be Transformed
For preparation, you are encouraged to read through the book of Romans. Do follow the series of Adult Sunday Classes on the Book of Romans on audio and video:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blessed+hope+bible+presbyterian+church
Notes from the below link:
May our gathering be fruitful in the Lord that our time spent in the meditation of God’s Word and fellowship with Him and one another provoke us to love and to gook works to the glory of His Name. Amen.
(2) Special Thanksgiving Service
May the Lord bless our worship in this Special Thanksgiving Service today. Thank God for His faithfulness and unfailing help for His church, seeing us through the pandemic triumphantly! Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee