Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
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!
The word “tribulation” is derived from the verb “to press”, describing the crushing of grapes and olives, suggesting heavy pressures of outward trouble or inward anguish. Tribulation produces patient endurance – the ability to keep the faith and not fall apart. This brave endurance produces experience or more accurately “character”. Character is built in suffering (Murray).
Hodge observed well, “These exhortations refer to nearly related duties: Christians are to be joyful, patient, and prayerful. However adverse their circumstances, hope, patience, and prayer are not only duties, but the richest sources of consolation and support.”
He further explained, “‘Rejoicing on account of hope, or in the joyful expectation of future good.’ This hope of salvation is the most effectual means of producing patience under present afflictions; for if we feel “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us,” it will not be difficult to bear them patiently.””¹
Serving the Lord is the happiest business on earth. It brings to us great satisfaction because there is an eternal merit to this service. Jesus says to His servants in Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Lord Crucified
Lord crucified,
Give me a heart like Thine:
Teach me to love the dying souls around.
Lord, keep me heart in closest touch with Thee;
And give me love – pure Calvary love –
To bring the lost to Thee.
The old saying goes, “The business of the Lord requires haste.” The word “business” means “haste, diligence, earnestness”. In the parable of the talents, Jesus cited the one talent man who buried his talent for admonition in Matthew 25:26-27 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.