Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
(1) Mother’s Work
– A Tribute to Mothers
Nobody knows of the work it makes
To keep the home together;
Nobody knows of the steps it takes,
Nobody know – but Mother.
Nobody listens to childish woes,
Which kisses only heal;
Nobody pained by naughty blows,
Nobody – only Mother.
Nobody knows of sleepless care
Bestowed on baby brother;
Nobody knows of the tender prayer,
Nobody – only Mother.
Hymns: RHC 323 Trust and Obey, 324 Trusting Jesus, 351 He Leadeth Me
Hebrews 11:30 (KJV)
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Children of Israel’s Faith (2)
OUTLINE
(1) An Obedient Faith
(2) A Triumphant Faith
INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul observed in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (KJV) “27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
The conquest of the city of Jericho was one such glorious example. The Israelites were but a company of freed slaves and not soldiers. Possessing the Promised Land was God’s plan to effect His salvation plan for all mankind. God used an unlikely people to accomplished His purpose. God’s plan was to establish Israel as a nation to be His witness to all the nations of the world. They were considered the weak, despised slaves when contrasted with the mighty strength of the Egyptian army!
The Israelites’ victory at Jericho cannot be attributed to any brilliance on their part. The strategy to take down Jericho certainly did not exalt any innate strength of the Israelites that God wanted to highlight or distinguish. In fact, it was a foolish strategy that makes any military commander feel insulted. Alas, God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts.
As one late pastor observed well, “What wisdom is there in dying on the cross? The Greeks couldn’t understand it, and yet that is the wisdom of God. God is so wise that the person with the highest IQ cannot figure Him out. If you could come to God with your intellect, then God is not faith because all the smart people would have head start and the rest of us would be left behind standing in the shadows. Your spirituality would be based upon your intellect. I’m so glad God has “hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes” (Matthew 11:25). God is not so high that few can figure Him out; it is that God has placed Himself at such a level few of us will get down low enough to see God revealing Himself to us. Praise God for choosing you! Praise God for His wisdom!”[1]
Proverbs 4:10-13 (KJV)
10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
True Riches – True Happiness!
Proverbs 10:22 (KJV) 22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Their Secret:The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow(pain) with it. These riches are “without alloy, free from the drawbacks and anxieties which attach to earthly riches” (Perowne). Some have charged this verse with deterministic fatalism. In other words, if God makes one wealthy, nothing one does can change that. Certainly this is not the message of Proverbs. We believe this verse teaches that the Lord doesn’t add sorrow, but that His gifts include happiness as well as well wealth. It is not that effort on our part is useless, but that labour without God’s blessing is (Ps. 127:2; Hab. 1:6-7). “This man receives riches from God because God has ruled that wealth belongs to wise and good men” (Alden). It is speaking, not of earthly riches only, but heavenly, true riches where moth and rust do not corrupt.
Hymns: RHC 43 God Is Still On the Throne, 46 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, 444 Hold the Fort
Hebrews 11:29 (KJV)
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Children of Israel’s Faith
OUTLINE
(1) A Faith that Prays
(2) A Faith that Waits/Hopes
INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV) 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Andrew Murray observed, “In the great prayer that Paul had just written, he had apparently reached the highest expression possible of the life to which God’s mighty power could bring the believer. But Paul is not content. In this doxology he rises still higher and lifts us up to give glory to God as “able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Pause for a moment to consider what “infinitely more” means. Think of the words “whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4). Think of the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raise him from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20). With these words, Paul hope to lift our hearts to believe that God is able to do exceeding abuntandly above all that we ask or think.” The power of God that works in us is nothing less than the exceeding power that raised Christ from the dead. This should cause us to think that there is something that God will do in us that is beyond our imagination. As we worship Him in prayer, let us believe that the almighty God, who is working in our hearts, is able to fulfil every one of His exceeding great and precious promises.”
And to inspire us to great heights of faith and consecration toward Him, the writer of Hebrews, I believe it is the Apostle Paul too, seeks to lift us as he brings us to the scene of the Exodus when Israel left Egypt and the Pharoah’s anger has driven him to summon 600 chariots and all the chariots in Egypt in pursuit of the children of Israel. The chariots are the modern day tanks! Join me in the scene in Exodus 14.
Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church Adult Sunday School 6 May 2018 ADVENT OF CHRIST Zechariah 9:1-17 (KJV) 1 The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall bethe rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as …
Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church Adult Sunday School 22 April 2018 LET YOUR HANDS BE STRONG (2) Zechariah 8:11-23 (KJV) 11 But now I willnot beunto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the LORD of hosts. 12 For the seed shall beprosperous; …
Where Did God Come From?
There are many wonderful things about God that we cannot understand. We have already learned one of those things. We have learned that God can be everywhere at the same time. How strange this seems; we cannot understand how that can be at all! God has not explained this to us. When we get to Heaven, He will tell us all about it, and then we will know.
There is something else about God that we cannot understand. To tell you what this other thing is, I am going to ask you a question. Where did God come from? Did He have a father or a mother? No, God did not need a father and mother. He was never born. He was never a little child in Heaven who grew up. He was not born in Heaven because He has always been alive. He has always been great and wonderful, just exactly the same as He is now. He has always been alive.
God was alive yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. He was alive before you were born and before Mother and Daddy were born. He was alive before Grandfather was born and before There were any rocks and trees and grass and animals. He was alive millions and millions of years also before anything else happened.
Who made God? No one did. God was not made by anyone. God has always been alive. We cannot understand this, but we know that it is true.
Hymns: RHC 287 Wonderful Grace of Jesus, RHC 288 Are You Washed in the Lamb, RHC 289 Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Hebrews 11:27-28 (KJV)
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Moses’ Faith (2)
OUTLINE
Faith’s Humbling Choice/Sanctified Choice
Faith’s Heavenly Reward/True Riches
Faith’s Heavenly Courage to Fear God Rather Than Man
Faith’s Humbling Submission to God’s Way of Salvation
INTRODUCTION
We make decisions daily. Some decisions bear their weight in life as life transforming, life changing and life impacting. It decides the course of one’s life. For many a young person, your course of study, choice of career, choice of life partner, choice of faith determines future direction in life.
Moses’ decision to leave Egypt was one such decision. It impacted his life forever. It was God’s will for his life. By the time he left Egypt, he was 40 years of age. One who was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. (Acts 7:22).
He obtained mastery in life in things pertaining to success in Egyptian life. And such success can go over the head of one to cling on to it for a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment in life, a sense of achievement and pride. One can throw one’s sense of well-being behind maintaining that status and worldly accolade. Solomon calls such a life vainity or empty! For him to reach such a conclusion, he actually tried indulging himself in the high life but found it in the final analysis disappointing.
Proverbs 3:31-35 (KJV)
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.
34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.