Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 37

(1) A Follow-Up Visitation

In our weekly pastoral of 15 July 2018 under the heading “Visitation to Share the Gospel”, a testimony was recorded concerning Mr Lee Khiak Khiam, Marcus Lee’s father, receiving the Lord.

“Thank God for leading Marcus Lee to evangelize to his unsaved parents. His mother has come to receive the Lord earlier this year and on 14 July 2018, his father responded to the gospel invitation to receive Jesus Christ as His Lord and Saviour. I was invited to visit his home that evening with the hope of sharing the gospel with Marcus’ father in Mandarin. Praise the Lord for his willingness to listen and his willingness to confess Christ… The Lord grant us wisdom to help this newly converted soul.”

On 8 September 2018, Marcus requested a follow-up visitation to confirm the faith of his father at his home. Marcus’ mother was also present with us. We give thanks to the Lord that Mr Lee Khiak Khiam not only affirmed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he requested also water baptism. Due to the weakness of his body and medical condition, he is unable to come to church.

His father is 80 years old. Marcus, together with his parents, were so happy. They understood from the Scriptures that physical death will not be a permanent separation for them but they will see each other again in heaven.

Thank God for granting Mr Lee Khiak Khiam faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. … ⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:1-8 KJV)

(2) Hymn Story – Blessed Assurance

Fanny Crosby is one of the best-loved hymn writers of all time. Her hymns cover every aspect of salvation. “Jesus Is Calling” invites the sinner to Christ; “Pass Me Not” is the sinner’s plea for salvation;“Blessed Assurance” and “I Am Thine” speak of the assurance of being an “heir of salvation”; “All the Way My Saviour Leads Me” expresses confidence in divine guidance that provides “grace for every trial” and feeds us with “the Living Bread”; “Rescue the Perishing” challenges believers  to invite “the erring” and “fallen” to “Jesus the mighty to save”; and “Saved by Grace” and Safe in the Arms of Jesus” are a foretaste of the believer’s experience at death.

Not much is known of the actual writing of “Blessed Assurance,” but Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), the writer, herself related this background: Mrs. Joseph Fairchild Knapp (Phoebe P. Knapp), wife of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, went to visit Miss Crosby to get her opinion of a tune Mrs. Knapp has written. “What does it say to you, Fanny?” Mrs. Knapp asked. Miss Crosby answered, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.” And a few minutes later Miss Crosby handed to Mrs. Knapp lyrics.

The composer of the tune ASSURANCE Phoebe Knapp (1839-1908), was the daughter of a noted Methodist evangelist, Walter C. Palmer. From childhood, she had a keen interest in music. Of the more than 500 tunes that she wrote, ASSURANCE became the most famous. She also wrote the music for Miss Crosby’s Easter hymn. “Open the Gates of the Temper.” She died in Poland Springs, Maine, on July 10, 1908.

1 Blessed assurance Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation purchase of God
Born of His Spirit washed in his blood

3 Perfect submission all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest
Watching and waiting looking above
Filled with His goodness lost in His love

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. ⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. (Eph. 1:3-7 KJV)

 Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee