Weekly – Page 40 – Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 45

Enter and Find Pasture

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (Jn. 10:9 KJV)

Jesus said, “I am the door”, by which a man, entering in, is saved. Not only will Jesus save his soul, but he finds pasture – nourishment for his soul. The Apostle Paul who was gloriously saved when He met Jesus by a bright light from heaven on the Damascus road testified that more than temporal physical blessings (Matt. 6:33), the man who is reconciled with God through Jesus Christ, experienced the desire to live a life that is right in the sight of God and finding peace and joy in the heart.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

He testified how the repentant sinner can be saved in Romans 10:9-10.

9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 44

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 4 November, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, November 2018

He Loved them Unto the End

John 13:1Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

It was a most trying time in our Lord Jesus’ earthly ministry where He would suffer shameful betrayal and desertion from His disciples. The suffering steps to the cross would soon begin. Yet, whether to His disciples or to the lost, He remained true to the mission that His Father had sent Him – He loved them unto the end.

JC Ryle said well, “Knowing perfectly well that they were about to forsake Him shamefully in a very few hours, in full view of their approaching display of weakness and infirmity, our blessed Master did not cease to have loving thoughts of His disciples. He was not weary of them: He loved them to the last.”

To think of such let-down would have driven a mortal man to great despair yet our Lord patiently and lovingly bore all. The Apostle Peter who, himself, deserted our Lord Jesus, having later repented, recounted the greatness of that love wrote:

20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Pet. 2:20-25 KJV)

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 43

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 28 October, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with October 2018, Weekly, Weekly 2018

Reformation in Switzerland

From Germany, the Protestant Reformation progressed to Switzerland, where in the northern part the people were mostly German in language and customs, in distinction from those parts which were geographically and in certain other respects linked with France.

Ulrich Zwingli led the Reformation movement in the northern part of Switzerland. He was born in the village of Wildhaus in 1484. Like Luther, he was of lowly birth, but he was brought up in more favourable circumstances than Luther and was educated in a school at Basel and at the University of Vienna. He was an altogether different type of man from Luther, but the teaching of the Spirit of God led both of them in the same direction. Zwingli became more and more convinced of the sad condition of the Church, and as he was a very earnest and diligent student of the Bible, he also became convinced that between many of the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and those of the Scriptures there was a world of difference. At the same time, he read the writings of the early Fathers and the books of Wycliffe and Huss. When a colleague of Tetzel, Bernardin Samson, sold indulgences in Switzerland, Zwingli raised a protect, but he was not as bold as Luther, nor was Samson as boisterous as Tetzel, so there was not such a violent clash in Switzerland as there was in Germany.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 42

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 21 October, 2018 Posted in Weekly 2014 Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, October 2018

Day by Day – Hymn Story

Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The waves of revival that swept the Scandinavian countries during the latter half of the nineteenth century were greatly influenced by the wealth of fine hymns which flowed from the pen of Linda Sandell, born on October 3, 1832 at Fröderyd, Sweden. She was a daughter of the pastor of the parish church of that community. Being a frail youngster, she usually preferred to spend her time in her father’s study rather than to join her comrades in play. When she was twenty-six years of age, she accompanied her father on a journey to Gothenburg, but tragedy occurred before the destination was reached. The ship gave a sudden lurch and Lina’s father fell overboard and drowned before the eyes of his devoted daughter. She was the author of this hymn – Day by Day.

Although she had written hymns prior to this tragic experience, more songs began to flow out of her broken heart which reflect a simple, child-like trust in Christ and a deep sense of His abiding presence in her life.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 41

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 14 October, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, October 2018

If the Foundations Be Destroyed!

The psalmist cried out in Psalm 11:3 “3If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? ”(Ps. 11:3 KJV)

On 25 September 2018, I read with great trepidation on the Straits Times “Opinion” page Professor Tommy Koh’s article “Section 377A: Science, Religion and the law” what seemed to be a public appeal to repeal Section 377A of the Singapore law.

As a citizen of Singapore and a Christian pastor, I felt the urgent need to give a response because the very structure of the family consisting of father, mother and children coming out of that blessed union is about to be overturned. I write to emphatically emphasize that this societal order from time immemorial must not be compromised.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 40

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 7 October, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, October 2018

(1) O Happy Day!

We thank the Lord for a blessed Baptismal Service last Lord’s Day. “O Happy Day!” was the message of rejoicing from:

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

The thoughts summarized in our message were:

(1) Coming to the Lord/The Lord is coming to you (v1-16a)

(2) Cleansing from the Lord/The Lord cleansing you (v16b)

(3) Calling on the Lord/The Lord calling you to service and devotion (v16c)

This sermon can be assessed @ https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninf o.asp?SID=9301872421

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 39

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 30 September, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, September 2018

Two Souls Saved – Its sequel

In our pastoral weekly on 4 February 2018, there was a testimony entitled “Two Souls Saved”. This is the extract: “Two friends, Lily and Jimmy who came to our 4th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service shared that their close relative was at the hospital stricken with colon cancer. He has professed faith when a Korean pastor visited him last week. She requested for a visitation to be made to confirm the man’s faith. I was asked to contact his son, Mr Chan Hong Kiat.

A visitation was arranged with Hong Kiat at 2 pm on Monday, 29 January to visit his father at Alexander Hospital. Mr Chan Choong Shoung, Hong Kiat’s father, listened to the gospel message spoken to him in Mandarin. His wife was there with him by the bedside. By the grace of God, Mr Chan received the Lord Jesus Christ. When asked to affirm his new-found faith with his wife and son, he did so. Mr Chan was invited to attend our inaugural Mandarin service on 4 February as he was scheduled to be discharged on 1 February. On Wednesday 31 January, at the request of Hong Kiat, another visitation was made together with Tong Seng and Siew Choy where we sang John Sung choruses together. Mr Chan was rejoicing in the Lord.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 38

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 23 September, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly 2018, September 2018, Weekly

No Man Can Serve Two Masters

24No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24 KJV)

Our Lord Jesus gives the word of warning to His listeners in Matthew 6:24. This is concerning a competing spirit called “mammon” for the believer’s affection that goes against the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life.

“Mammon” is the Syrian god of riches or money. Jesus is depicting material wealth and possessions and the inordinate pursuit of it as a rival god to the worship of the living and true God.

I was having my breakfast and looking at the birds nearby looking for food. I am reminded of Jesus’ words:

26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?(Matt. 6:26 KJV)

I am reminded of God’s care for my life. I am more precious in the sight of God than these birds. I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of the living God (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7).

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 37

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 16 September, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, September 2018

(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.

Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 36

By Rev. Lek Aik Wee Posted on 9 September, 2018 Posted in Weekly Newsletter Tagged with Weekly, Weekly 2018, September 2018

Sin No More

Hear the words of Jesus to the infirmed man at the Temple, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14)

These words provide a grim reality of the devastation of sin since the Fall of man at the Garden of Eden. The curse of sin upon mankind is the cause of physical diseases and eventually death. What a sad state of helplessness and hopelessness if the curse of sin cannot be lifted. The curse of sin was lifted for this impotent man lying by the pool in Bethesda when he met Jesus that day. He has been plagued with thirty-eight long years of weariness and pain, an unbearable state of constant suffering. [JC Ryle]

That freedom from the bondage of sin must cause him to be grateful and choose wisely not to meddle with sin. Jesus says to him, “… sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee.” Jesus speaks here of God’s future judgment that comes in this man’s life if he chooses to go the way of sinners again. It is a stark warning to cherish his freedom and yield not to temptation. In other words, may the fear of God cause him to depart from evil all the rest of his days on earth.

Tag: Weekly