Weekly 2016 – Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 52

The Christmas Story

-The Star In the East (…Continued)

Matthew 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

What a beautiful picture of God’s grace guiding the wise men to worship the Saviour of the world.

Consider the gifts that these wise men brought to worship the King – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We all know that gold is the most precious gift fit for kings. But what is frankincense? And do you know that frankincense is more expensive than gold by gram?

Frankincense was one of the consecrated incenses fitted and used for the worship of God in the tabernacle.

The people in Israel were not allowed to make incense for themselves. It is only to be used for the worship of God.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 51

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 18 December, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, December 2016

The Christmas Story

-The Star In the East

Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Jesus was born, there was a stir in the cosmos. A cosmic miracle took place that was observed with great interest by wise men from the East. And so, Matthew chapter 2 begins with “behold”, observe, picture the scene with the mind’s eye of faith what actually took place! Our great God announced the birth of His Son by a star. Though Christ came in the form of a servant born in a lowly manger, yet His honour was declared in the heavens. For a star was created to proclaim that the bright and morning Star had arisen and from the East, these wise men came to worship Him.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 50

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 11 December, 2016 Posted in Weekly 2016, Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly 2016, December 2016, Weekly

(1) Vacation Bible School

Thank God for sending 26 children to BHBPC’s first Vacation Bible School (VBS) held on 7 December. The theme of the VBS was “The Ten Commandments”.

The programme began with the singing of children’s songs in particular the “Ten Commandments Song” after an opening prayer. The children were taught the Ten Commandments through two sessions of exhortations. There were also introduction games played so that the children get to know one another. After lunch, the children had an Art and Craft session where they wrote the Ten Commandments in a booklet “word perfect”. A short video on the Ten Commandments was shown before the “Ten Commandment Song” was rehearsed again. The children were dismissed with invitations for our Christmas Praise Service.

God willing, Blessed Hope Saturday School for kindergarten and primary school-going children would commence on 21 January 2017 and thereafter on every 4th Saturday of the month.

Thank God for the many volunteers and helpers serving joyfully in the VBS.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 49

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 4 December, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, December 2016

Labouring In Prayer (Luke 18:1-8)

The burdens of life can often be so overwhelming at times that they threaten to rob the believer of his confidence in God’s ability to help him through yet another impasse. Our Lord Jesus teaches us never to stop praying even in the toughest of circumstances.

Prayer is the believer’s power with God. Persistence in prayer is not the natural habit of the believer. Our prayer life is evidence of true faith. It gives hope to the children of God who are going through much tribulations. When we stop praying, we stop believing. When we pray, God gives us faith. Faith keeps us praying and praying strengthens our faith, paradoxical but true. This is the mysterious interplay of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty.

Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 48

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 27 November, 2016 Posted in Weekly 2016 Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, November 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.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 47

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 20 November, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with November 2016, Weekly, Weekly 2016

The Godly Man’s Blessing (Psalm 1)

There is strength and fruitfulness in trusting God, delighting in the law of God and living rightly according to His law. These blessings are available for all seekers.

(1) The Means (v1-2)

a) Separating from the ungodly (verse 1)
Psalm 1:1 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

The blessed man is someone who separates from the ungodly. He chooses his friends wisely. Observe that the ungodly influence our mind by their ungodly counsels. The sinners carry out the workings of their evil mind. The scorner glorifies his wickedness and scoffs at the righteous.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 46

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 13 November, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, November 2016

Faithful Living in a Faithless World (2)

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

(1) Begins with a conviction (v8a)

The Bible tells us Daniel “purposed” in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s meat and wine. The word “purposed”, in the perfect tense, signifies completed action, means “set, determine, fix”.

Daniel’s conviction to be an obedient child of God was fixed and settled. He determined in his young heart to be dedicated, committed and devoted to his God.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 45

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 6 November, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly 2016, November 2016, Weekly

Faithful Living in a Faithless World

The Book of Daniel is set during the Babylonian captivity. Daniel was a teenager when he was deported out of his homeland in Jerusalem in 605 B.C. He was among the first group of exiles. The invading Babylonian army besieged Jerusalem and finally destroyed it and the Temple in 586 B.C.

That began 70 years of God’s chastening hand upon His wayward people who had sinned against Him by going a whoring after idols for centuries. The Northern Kingdom had already been destroyed in 722 B.C. The worship of God has become a mockery to Him. They had only “a form of godliness” and God is not mocked. He saw through their hypocrisy. Because God loved His people, He chastised them.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 44

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 30 October, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, October 2016

(1) A Mighty Fortress Of God

– Hymn of the Reformation

Today, we remember the 499th year of the Protestant Reformation when Martin Luther, a monk of the Roman Catholic Church, nailed his ninety-five theses to the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg in Germany on October 31, 1517 that sparked the Protestant Reformation.

It was a reformation of doctrine, a movement that restored the supreme authority of the Bible as our sole foundation for faith and practice. The biblical doctrines of salvation by faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone and for God’s glory alone were proclaimed once again.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 4 No. 43

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 23 October, 2016 Posted in Weekly Newsletter, Weekly 2016 Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2016, October 2016

God’s Call to Christian Missions

Matthew 16:18-19 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven to open the gospel door in progression, first to the Jews (Acts 2), then to the Samaritans who were half-Jew and half-gentile (Acts 8) and finally to Cornelius, an Italian Gentile (Acts 10).

With the opening of the gospel door to the Gentiles and the scattering of the Jews throughout the Roman Empire, the scene was set for the enactment of God’s redemption plan by His chosen vessels, Paul and his companions.

Tag: Weekly 2016