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Important Pastoral Chat Do you know we are required to meet at an ACM (Annual Congregational Meeting) on Lord’s Day April 24, 10.30 am at RELC our usual place of worship where we will also elect Elders and Deacons? I now publish the Apostle’s requirement for Elders and Deacons from I Tim. 3:1-13 – “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Our registration for True Life B-P Church up to now is 163 voting communicant members. In view of the fact we are a new Church, the Interim Committee had seriously considered itself for your election: 1. Pastor Timothy Tow Siang Hui 2. Elder Mahadevan 3. Rev (Dr) Jeffrey Khoo and for Deacons 4. Tai Mern Yee 5. Steve Chng 6. Tan Beng Lee 7. Wilson Tan Tai Tian. I shall preach the Word on Elders and Deacons. Your affectionate pastor *************** FOUR EARTHQUAKES IN THREE MONTHS Text: Matt. 24:3-7, 14 The title of my message is, “Four Earthquakes in Three Months.” From the Tsunami of Dec 26, 04 when 300,000 perished to Mar 28, 05 where the fourth earthquake with a reading of 8.7 on the Richter Scale struck the Sumatra Island of Nias with 1000 dead. In between there was the second quake which killed 500 in Iran and a third which shook Japan. The fourth and last quake reached down to Petaling Jaya or KL and tore gaps on the road. Will another earthquake hit hard our beloved Singapore? What does the Bible say about all this? Every earthquake says we are closer to the end of the world and the coming of Christ. That we have “Four earthquakes in three Months” shows our Lord can come anytime now. That is what our Lord says, but are we ready? There is work that our Lord expects us to do. The work that the Lord wants us to do is redoubled evangelism and missions. Matt 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” That the church is redoubling the work of evangelism and missions is attested by a worldwide extension of 400,000 missionaries according to an American report, and from Korea alone 12,000 are witnessing in 120 countries. Between China and Korea there is this saying, wherever you go in the world there is a Chinese Restaurant. As for Korea there is a Korean Church. Far Eastern Bible College our own College has 114 students and we have a programme of upgrading other Bible Colleges. These involved Myanmar, Indonesia, the Bible College of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya with 120 students and the newly constructing Tanzania Bible College. One member gave $8,000! It is mentioned that our work must involve the conversion of many nationalities. Now when we take to upgrading foreign Bible Colleges we are bound to convert other nationalities. Jesus says our work of evangelism and missions must spread worldwide to cover many nationalities before the end comes. In upgrading foreign Bible Colleges this will hasten His coming. True Life B-P Church gives liberal support to Far Eastern Bible College by paying for many foreign students to study in Singapore. When they graduate they will return to their own country to convert their own people. It will rejoice your heart to know our foreign students are coming from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and four from Japan in the past, even several from USA and last but not least Errol Stone from Perth, Australia. Sixteen nations altogether. From Far Eastern we have become an International Bible College. This has gladdened our hearts that we are hastening the Lord’s Return because “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” I have not mentioned all the other events that also show that they hasten the end of the world and Christ’s coming, such as famines and pestilences, false Christs and false prophets, wars and rumours of wars, nations fighting one another, false brethren within the Church, etc. (Matt. 24:3-14) What I have touched upon is our Christian duty and it requires us plenty to do before Jesus Christ comes. May True Life B-P Church heed the Lord’s call and the more participate in Malaysia missions even to Kuantan and Kemaman where we are teaching Sunday School children. “Four earthquakes in three months” says we are closer to the end of the world and the coming of Christ. The Lord can come anytime now but are we ready? ********** THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter XI John 11:31-36 Tears of Christian Love Many Jews came to comfort Martha and Mary concerning their brother. The scene seemed to be a picture of solemn serenity until Jesus arrived. Then all the pent up tears like a torrent gushed out from Mary when she saw Him. This touched off a stream of weeping in the Jews, so much so that the Master also wept. Tears of sympathy. Tears of Love. There’s no power on earth greater than love. Love can melt the hearts of steel which the fire of gunpowder cannot. In the raising of Lazarus we have learnt not only the lesson of faith. We learn also now the lesson of love, Christian love. The love of a sister for a brother is natural love. The love of a sister-in-Christ for a brother- in-Christ is supernatural love. As the Bethany Trio believe in the Lord, we see a two-fold love in action. We also see how Mary loves her Lord and how Jesus loves her, one of His blood-bought lambs. Observe what Martha said to Mary the moment she got home after meeting with Jesus on the road. “The Master is come, and calleth for thee,” she cried. The same love of the Shepherd for His erring sheep is seen in Mark’s account where the angel said to the woman, “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter . . . .” (Mark 16:7). Here’s a lesson on how to comfort the bereaved. Not by words but by tears. Tears of Christian love. Thus we have a word from the apostle Paul, “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another . . .” (Rom 12:15, 16). Blest be the tie that binds Verse for the Week: By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Prov. 11:11 ***** Mon and Thu night classes are held at the Far Eastern Bible College, 9A Gilstead Road. Young People’s Fellowship Meeting will be held this Sat (Apr 16, 05) at 3 pm. Venue: Mr and Mrs Foo’s home at 53 Oriole Crescent. Program: Bible Study on Ten Commandments by Rev Quek Suan Yew. For details, please contact Herbert at 94377715. Adults Fellowship Meeting will be held at the home of Mr and Mrs William Teo this Sat (Apr 16, 05) at 3 pm. Address: Blk 835 Woodlands St. 83 #12-113. Topic: “Knowing God and His Word: The Question of the NKJV” by Dr Jeffrey Khoo. For details, please contact William Teo at 91831150. Far Eastern Kindergarten’s Registration for 2006 is now open for children born in 2002 (Nursery) and 2003 (Pre-Nursery). Please call 62513676. True Life BPC 1st Annual Congregational Meeting (ACM) will be held on Apr 24, 05 at 10.30 am. It is your duty as a member to attend. Daily Vacation Bible College Course on “An Overview of the Book of Revelation” by Rev Stephen Khoo will be held from May 3 – 7, 2005 at Far Eastern Bible College. Bible Camp June 7 – 10, 05 at Resort Lautan Biru, Mersing. Theme: “Knowing Our Bible-Presbyterian Faith”. Dr Jeffrey Khoo chief speaker.
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