Exodus 18:13-27 (KJV)
13. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
14. And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
15. And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:

1 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (Psalm 103:1-2)

As we begin 2014, let us with thanksgiving recount God’s blessing upon us and forget not all that we have received from His good hand. The psalmist had much to thank God for. And he listed them one by one in this psalm. As we survey how God blessed the psalmist, we too, must echo that deep sense of gratitude in our own hearts. The psalmist reminded his own heart how easily he can become forgetful and be disconnected with the Giver of his benefits. Therefore, he commanded his own soul, to bless the LORD, to praise the LORD, to be thankful for all His care for him. May we at Blessed Hope do so too!

Exodus 18:1-12 (KJV)
1. When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt;
2. Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back,
3. And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land:

Matthew 1:1-17 (KJV)
1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3. And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

In the matter of soul winning, our Lord sets the example par excellence. Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13). The Pharisees laughed Him to scorn but Jesus continued the work that His Father entrusted to Him. How did Jesus accomplish this work? We can glean from Matt. 9:35-38: it is hard work (v35), it is heart work (v36) and it is Holy Spirit-led work (v37-38).

James 4:13-17 (KJV)
13. Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

Thank God for our first Christmas Praise Service. It was also our first bilingual service. Preacher Kelvin Wong was at hand for Mandarin translation. Elder Paul Tsao was our worship leader, leading us to sing Christmas carols with Mrs. Siow playing the organ. The Christmas message was entitled “Unto You a Saviour is Born” taken from Luke 2:1-20 rehearsing how our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ entered human history more than 2000 years ago. Thank God for the opportunity to preach the gospel especially to friends and loved ones still outside God’s kingdom. Sister Jane and Sister Rose contributed and prepared refreshments for our fellowship after our praise service. Thank God for a blessed time of Christian fellowship with friends and loved ones.

Revelation 3:14-22 (KJV)
14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Luke 2:1-20 (KJV)
1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

Revelation 3:7-13 (KJV)
7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.