Lord’s Day, Vol. 2 No. 40

(1) Home going of Mdm. Ong Poh Choo

 Mdm. Ong Poh Choo was a soft-spoken lady who loved the Lord. She went home to be with the Lord on 27 September 2014 at the age of 79. Her brother Paul Ong called to request help for her last rites. Last Lord’s Day, after Worship Service, a group from Blessed Hope attended the vigil service. On Monday, 29 September 2014, in the morning at 10.30am, her body was laid to rest at the Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery in Christian burial. Thank God that she is now safe in the arms of Jesus. The Bible says that she is but asleep. When our Lord Jesus comes again to bring the church to glory, she would arise from her sleep. She would be resurrected and given a glorified, eternal body (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

Here are the words of encouragement from the pen of Apostle Paul from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 for the bereaved:

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

May the Lord comfort and strengthen the hearts of the bereaved family.

(2) Blessed Hope Devotions

 This is an excerpt of today’s devotion from the pen of JC Ryle on Mark 14:43-52 which could be found in www.blessedhope.sg

“Let us notice in these verses, how little our Lord’s enemies understood the nature of His kingdom. We read that Judas came to take Him “with a great multitude, with swords and clubs.” It was evidently expected that our Lord would be vigorously defended by His disciples, and that He would not be taken prisoner without fighting. The chief priests and scribes clung obstinately to the idea, that our Lord’s kingdom was a worldly kingdom, and therefore supposed that it would be upheld by worldly means.

They had yet to learn the solemn lesson contained in our Lord’s words to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world: now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36)

We shall do well to remember this in all our endeavours to extend the kingdom of true religion. It is not to be propagated by violence, or by an arm of flesh. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” (2 Cor. 10:4. Zech. 4:6) The cause of truth does not need force to maintain it…”

Yours lovingly in Christ,

Pr. Lek Aik Wee