Weekly – Page 35 – Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 17

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 28 April, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, April 2019

Standing On the Promises

Joshua 21:45 There failed not aught of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

This statement was the concluding thought after the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which He sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein (Joshua 21:43). Israel was restfully settled in the Promised Land according to God’s promise.

However, it was recorded later in the Book of Judges Israel’s incomplete obedience to the good instructions of the LORD cost them dearly from generation to generation. They failed to separate from the idolatrous people of Canaan both in worship and marriage till today.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 16

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 21 April, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, April 2019

Jesus Lives! (John 20:1-8)

The account in John’s gospel was the Apostle John’s personal testimony of how he arrived at the conviction even before he saw the resurrected Christ that Jesus is alive. He has risen from the dead.

It was Mary Magdalene who was early at the tomb of Jesus when it was still dark on Sunday morning, three days after Jesus was buried to find the stone of the tomb taken away – John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. She immediately ran to Peter and John to inform them that Jesus’ body was missing from the open tomb. Peter and John immediately ran to the tomb.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 15

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 14 April, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with April 2019, Weekly, Weekly 2019

Christ’s Seven Sayings On the Cross

(Edited and Extracted from “The Guide to the Gospels: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Four Gospels” by Graham Scroggie)

(1) The Significance of the Sayings

Last words are always important and are carefully stored in the memory, especially the last words of the dying, of the martyrs, of people who have been great leaders, inventors, discoverers, writers, and of our own loved ones. But all the greatest last words which have ever been uttered throughout all time are not of comparable significance and value with the Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross, and just because no one before or since can be compared with Him, no one before or since has been at once Perfect Man and Very God. It is His Divine-Human Personality that gives all that He ever said its value.

(2) The Number of the Sayings

“That there should be exactly seven, the sacred and mystical number of Scripture, is itself not without its significance” (Trench) No Evangelist records all of them, but each Evangelist records some of them. Matthew and Mark have one; Luke has three, and John has three.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 14

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 7 April, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, April 2019

Dwelling In Thy Courts

Psalm 65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

The psalmist pronounced God’s blessing upon the worshipper whom God caused to approach Him in holy worship. He comes and dwells in the courts of God’s house by an irresistible call.

(1) God Draws

The psalmist tells us it is God who draws us to Him. Jesus says in John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

What a privilege to hear the voice of the Great Shepherd of the sheep calling us to be assembled before Him. As God draws us, He also prepares our hearts to approach Him. He draws us with an irresistible love. Jesus says in John 10:14-15I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 13

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 31 March, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, March 2019

He Is So Precious to Me

1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

How precious is the Lord Jesus! Faith in Jesus Christ brings unutterable joy to the Apostle Peter’s heart. He had the privilege to spend precious time with Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry. It transformed his life forever. Such is the heart that is stayed upon Jesus.

Dear friends, are you facing some distress? I urge to come to Jesus for comfort and suckle. He is able to understand our heart cry. He is able to help you!

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 12

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 24 March, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, March 2019

Hymn Stories

(1) A Wonderful Savior

A Light out of Darkness

Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), America’s most prolific hymn writer, authored more than six thousand hymns, blessing millions worldwide. Embarrassed by the volume of credits to her name, she used over two hundred pseudonyms. Fanny Crosby did her composing in a dark room – total darkness – for she was blinded in infancy by a doctor’s mistake.

Her father died when she as a year old, requiring her mother to hire herself out to a wealthy family. When her grandmother heard that the little child was incurably blind, she said, “Then I will be her eyes.” She took long walks with Fanny and graphically described the sunsets, clouds, trees, flowers, birds, and beauties of nature. Her grandmother’s word pictures were so vivid that Fanny even had a favourite flower – the violet. She learned the sweet communion of prayer together with her grandmother as she knelt by her side.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 11

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 17 March, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, March 2019

Remembering Dr Tow

Our pastoral advisor Rev Dr Tow Siang Hwa went home to be with the Lord on 8 March 2019. I thank God for Dr Tow who prayed over the phone on a Saturday in August 2013 where he committed to the Lord the beginning of Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church, the last church that he has an active part in planting at the age of 88.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 10

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 10 March, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly 2019, March 2019, Weekly

No Melons But Manna (Numbers 11:1-11 c.f. selected verses of Psalm 78)

It was in the wilderness outside Egypt that the children of Israel faced acute food shortage. God met their need by raining food from heaven. This heavenly food was called “manna” – Exodus 16:15 “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.”

What does “manna” look or taste like and how did they eat it? Numbers 11:7-9 tells us “7And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8And the people went about, and gathered it, and round it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.”

The psalmist recounted the response of the children of Israel to God’s provision of manna in Psalm 78:22-24, “22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: 23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25 Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.”

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 9

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 3 March, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, March 2019

Read Your Bible – Making of a Matured Christian

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.2 Tim 3:16-17 (KJV)

God has given us a perfect Saviour – Jesus Christ, a perfect Book – the Bible and a perfect sanctifying Spirit – the Holy Spirit. As such, the Scripture can rightly command us to be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, to go on toward spiritual maturity. Jesus said, “Be ye also perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Let us see what Scripture says concerning how we should strive toward the perfection that God wants from us.

(1) The Perfect Book (v16a)

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God”.

The phrase “given by inspiration of God” in our King James translation is one word in Greek – God-breathed. All Scripture is God-breathed. It is from the very breath of God that these words are given. It describes the divine origin and source of Scripture. It is the voice of God speaking through Scripture. It carries with it the divine authority of God.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 8

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 24 February, 2019 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2019, February 2019

Not the Nearer Route

Exodus 13:17-18 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

It is interesting to observe how the LORD led Israel through the wilderness of the Red Sea and not through the way of the land of the Philistines. Although the latter route was a shorter route, there was imminent danger. The LORD knew how much His people could endure.

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The Apostle Paul gave an important truth concerning how God deals with His people – He will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able.

Tag: Weekly