Category: Weekly Newsletter

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Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Psalm 42:1-2 To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah.As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

This hymn comes from the height of the Middle Ages, a period of history often scornfully called “The Dark Ages.” The spiritual and moral darkness of the Church reached a new blackness. The institution founded by Christ some 1,000 years prior was for the most part degenerate and corrupt. The moral standards of many of its prominent leaders were characterized utter disgrace and shame.

The author of this hymn is attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153). Bernard was born to a noble family at Fontaine in Burgundy, France; his father was a knight and his mother a person of radiant goodness. At an early age young Bernard showed a bent for piety and scholarship. With his natural charms and talents Bernard had many opportunities open to him for a successful secular life. However, while still in his early twenties, he chose the life of a monk at the monastery of Citeaux.

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Appropriating the Fullness of Christ

34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Matthew 14:34-36 (KJV)

When the truth of who Jesus is, that He is the only living and true God, was evident in the hearts of the people, they sought Jesus’ help and were completely healed. The word “knowledge” (v35) means “to know fully, as an inceptive verb, to come to know, to gain or receive full knowledge of, become fully acquainted with”. Are you fully acquainted with the truth that in Jesus Christ is fullness of comfort?

As Paul would say to the Colossians, “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

Let us meditate on a few thoughts given in this account of our Lord’s ministry.

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(1) Gospel Rally 2019

On 15 September 2019, God willing, we shall have a Gospel Rally during our Lord’s Day 3 pm Service.

The theme of our Gospel Rally is “Finding True Peace” (Romans 5:1). In a world plagued with uncertainties and instability, many cries for that elusive peace in the heart and their lives. True peace comes only through faith in Jesus Christ – Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Let us pray for God’s blessing as we seek to invite our unsaved friends, colleagues and loved ones to listen to the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.

May the Lord strengthen us to do His bidding as He commanded His disciples in Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

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Walk the Narrow Way

Matthew 7:13-14. 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

There is only one entrance that leads to life and it is through the strait gate. This narrow and restrictive gate is the gate of salvation, of conversion and of regeneration. All who would enter must be Born Again! The change must come from within, old things are passed away and all things become new. The old man is put off and the new man put on. There is a new heart and a new spirit. The gate is strait because it also expresses the difficulty in finding it. Why is it difficult to find? Because only Jesus saves! There is no other gate to salvation except in Jesus.

The Bible tells us in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Jesus Himself says in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Dearly beloved, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is God’s call to you. Today is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time. We must lay aside our excessive baggage to enter the strait gate.

May the Lord help us to humble ourselves before Him. Listen to what Jesus says, “… Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:34-35). This is the paradox of the strait gate and the narrow way — it is full of difficulty and yet full of satisfaction thereafter.

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Remember Thy Creator

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Solomon is the writer of this book. He writes in his old age as a personal testimony to teach the futility of worldly ambitions and desires in life apart from God to posterity.

In short, a godless life doesn’t satisfy the human soul as our Lord Jesus says in Mark 8:36-37 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” The word “Ecclesiastes” simply means “Preacher”, one who had gathered wisdom to speak about life.

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Abide with Me

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

It has been stated that only the person who can face the prospect of death realistically is able to live his life with purpose and confidence. Such was the conviction of a rather obscure English pastor, Henry F. Lyte, when he wrote the text for this hymn in 1847, shortly before his own home-going. It has since become one of the favourite hymns for Christians everywhere during times of sorrow and deep distress.

Henry F. Lyte was born in Scotland on June 1, 1793. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and was a member of the Church of England all of his life. Through his lifetime he was known as a man frail in body but strong in faith and spirit. His health was continually threatened by asthma and tuberculosis. Despite his physical frailties, he was a tireless worker with an established reputation as a poet, musician and minister.

It was he who coined the phrase, “It is better to wear out than to rust out.” Wherever he ministered, he was greatly loved and admired by his people.

For the last twenty-three years of his life, Lyte pastored a poor parish church among fishing people at Lower Brixham, Devonshire, England. During these later years, his health became progressively worse so that he was forced to seek a warmer climate in Italy. For the last sermon with his poor parishioners on September 4, 1847, it is recorded that Lyte nearly had to crawl to the pulpit and his message came as from a dying man.

His final words made a deep impact upon his people when he said that it was his desire to “induce you to prepare for the solemn hour which must come to all by a timely appreciation and dependence on the death of Christ.” On his way to Rome, Italy, he was overtaken by death at Nice, France, and was buried there in the English cemetery on November 20, 1847.

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Enter the Strait Gate

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

“Enter the Strait Gate” is God’s call to men throughout the ages to a life with God. The word “strait” means narrow, restrictive, expressing the difficulty to enter. What is the strait gate? It is the gate of salvation. It is the gate of conversion and regeneration. This entrance through the strait gate describes the beginning of this blessed life.

And there is none more authoritative on earth and in heaven to represent God as His Son, Who is God, the Second Person of the Godhead, coming in human flesh, possessing the faculty of human speech, “opened his mouth, taught” the multitudes.

What is the message in the heart of God that He wants to convey to mankind? It is the truth that there is no life lived that is more abundant than the life of true godliness that Jesus has just painted to the multitudes in Matthew 5-7. So here, in Matthew 7:13, at the beginning of the conclusion of His sermon, Jesus urges His listeners to individually make a decision — “enter ye in” if they have not so entered. It is God’s desire that all be saved. All who will hear this message are urged to hearken to the command to enter.

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Wash and Be Clean

It was the prophet Elisha who said to the Syrian general Naaman, plagued with incurable leprosy, “Go wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt me clean.” (2 Kings 5:10).

It is interesting to observe Naaman’s unbelief and prideful response in 2 Kings 5:11-12, “11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.”

How did Naaman come to seek Elisha’s help? It was a little Hebrew maid from Israel, carried captive to wait upon Naaman’s wife when the Syrians invaded Israel who told her mistress of God’s prophet in Israel who can heal her husband. Her testimony was that the living and true God is Israel’s God. Seek Him and Naaman shall find salvation.

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