Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The Christian shares the joys and woes of fellow Christians. When one in the body of Christ is afflicted, the rest of the people of God feels the pain of that brother and sister in Christ. The rest supports in whatever way would encourage and strengthen the faith of such an afflicted or happy one.
INTRODUCTION
The Book of Ecclesiastes shows THE SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE. This search led Solomon farther and farther from his Creator. Then one day, he wakes up and sees that it is all so empty. Solomon sees no purpose in such a life. How sad Solomon became!
Solomon shows us the unsatisfactory nature of life under the sun and its ensuing labour. In his quest to find fulfilment or satisfaction in life, Solomon in his old age conceded that there is no true happiness without God in the arithmetic of life.
Solomon teaches us to esteem the spiritual, to find fulfilment with God is true happiness. He tells us that the wisdom of this world gives us no such happiness. It is barrenness and a sullen cold chill.
To be “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” is to be persecuted for standing firm in obedience to God’s Word. There was a brother-in-Christ whose work required him to submit bids to secure projects for his company. One day, the boss of his company gave him a photostated copy of his competitor’s bid and asked him to use it to secure the tender. He would just have to bid slightly higher than his competitor’s bid and he would have won the project. But he did not! He had to resign from his company for his own testimony’s sake.
D. L. Moody saw that the blessedness of trials was a heart of rejoicing when he observed, “Happiness is caused by things that happen around me, and circumstances will mar it; but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows on through persecution and opposition. It is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring the world can’t see and doesn’t know anything about. The Lord gives his people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to him.” This is the comfort of every persecuted saint. The Lord is with you, press on!
There is a woman living in Shunem described in 2 Kings 4:8 as “great”, 8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. Possibly she was greatly endowed with material wealth. But I believe this is a spiritual attribute that is accorded to her. She provided hospitality in her home for God’s prophet Elisha. She invited Elisha to her home provided needful food for the travelling prophet. Elisha obliged. She can see that Elisha was a holy man of God. She discussed with her husband to make an extra room in the house to provide shelter to Elisha whenever he would pass by their way. God blessed her with a son, opening her barren womb.
Acts 3:1-10 (KJV)
1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
Blessed Assurance
– The Most Cherished Hope
At the age of eighty Fanny Crosby moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut, to live with her sister. There she increasingly thought of heaven and the blessings the Lord had in store for her. She anticipated for the first time having sight and expressed her most cherished hope in the confident refrain of one of her last hymns:
Some day this earthly house will fall,
And I no more as now shall see,
But this I know, my All in all,
Has now a place in heaven for me.
And I shall see Him face to face,
And tell the story, saved by grace.
Acts 20:35 “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
The blessing of giving has to be experienced. How can we understand this truth except through the exercise of faith in our giving? We are to support the weak, those who are unable to return our favour, those who are truly in need. We have to take God at His Word to give and experience God’s blessing. When we give, we lose what we have given, how can it be more blessed? We are to take Jesus at His Word, obey and behold His glory in our lives in our giving.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-3 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
The Christian knows the efficacy of prayer and therefore persists in prayer. In times of trial, prayer is that which stills the heart and strengthens the mind as burdens are brought before the throne of grace.
Our Lord Jesus exhorts us to keep praying for our heavenly Father desires to answer them, Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Our Father in heaven desires to give good gifts to His children who call upon Him, Matthew 7:9-11 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Are you in some trial and feeling a sense of despondency? Do not be! God is with you. Our faith is exercised during the time of trial. Hang in there. There is light at the end of the tunnel!