Weekly TRUE LIFE BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH RELC Auditorium, 10.30 am 30 Orange Grove Road, down Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore 258352 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 141, Newton Post Office, Singapore 912205 Email: febc@pacific.net.sg; Website: http://www.febc.edu.sg (Ring Pastor Tow at 9A Gilstead Road, 62502138 Anytime) Vol. II No. 30 24 April 2005

PASTORAL CHAT

Six earthquakes in three months and three weeks!

Every earthquake is a reminder of His coming and end of the world (Matt. 24:3, 7).

From Dec 26, 04 the terrible undersea tsunami that killed 300,000 to April 16 there are five more earthquakes. No. 2 killed 500 more in Iran and No. 3 shook Japan. No. 4 was another big one that shook the Island of Nias, killing 2000, the reading was 8.7 on the Richter Scale. No. 5 struck Padang in South Sumatra which affected Singaporeans, sending 700 running down the buildings. The 6th quake struck Nias Island again reading 6.2 scaring people running to higher ground. This happened as recent as Sat, April 16, 05.

I gave this message to a packed Church at Kelapa Sawit last Lord’s Day and tried to awake the congregation to evangelism and missions. For He 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.”

Kelapa Sawit has redoubled in evangelism and missions the last three years by going to Jemaluang, 13 miles south of Mersing, to revive a work started in Jemaluang by Miss Adeline Char in 1952. The work has so prospered that 8 members of Jemaluang Church came to celebrate with the mother church.

When they presented an item of praise, Kelapa Sawit clapped their hands to receive them. Pastor Tee Chung Seng who is graduated from FEBC is their leader. Every 4th Lord’s Day he is in Jemaluang to lead the service.

At Kelapa Sawit this time I baptised 6 adults which include two Nepalese watchmen. Also 4 infants were baptised.

Thank God Deborah Mae and Judith came to sing. Two other cars, Seah Seow Hock and wife and Dr and Mrs Wu from Calvary came also.

Today is Election Day which is our ACM required by law. One who has informed me he is not standing for Election is Steve Chng. The congregation that has registered to date consists of 172 with voting rights and you are requested to do your duty.

Your affectionate pastor
T T

GENESIS

Notes From A Weekly Study
Conducted by Pastor Quek
(Taken from Newsletter of Cherith Fellowship, Vol. 1 Issue 1, April 2005, edited by J.T. Joseph)

General

Chapters 1 & 2 are not separate accounts of creation: they are different but coherent.

The three attributes of God that come across forcefully are: His omnipotence; His (perfect) wisdom; His goodness.

In the exercise of His Goodness, He delegated to man authority over all creation.

CHAPTER 1
     Verse 1 ff

Creation is indubitably ex nihilo.

The three ‘heavens’ need to be noted:

1st – atmosphere [Day 1; verse 8]
     2nd – outer space [Day 1]
     3rd – Paradise [Day 1] [Satan sinned in ‘Heaven’, and fell with his cohort.]

These will eventually be destroyed – according to II Peter.

General Sequence:

Days 1 – 3: Creation formed [“general”]
     Days 4 – 6: … then, filled [“the details”]

Note:

• Darkness first; then Light → this is to be regarded as “temporary light”.

• ‘firmament’ – divided the waters above from the waters below.

• Before the Flood, there was only one sea.

• Use of the numerical adjective preceding ‘day’ confirms that a twenty-four hour day [not some extended period of ‘time’] is intended. Contrast with 2:4 – clearly not a twenty-four hour day; no numerical adjective prefixed.

Verses 11, 12

Vegetation created as mature – had the appearance of ‘age’, though less than 24 hours’ old.

So too with Adam, as we shall see.

Note that whilst all green plants need sunlight (for photosynthesis), the sun was created only on Day 4.

Truly, in Him all life-forms ultimately live and move and have their being!

Verses 16 – 19

Creation of the ‘permanent’ sun and stars.

Verses 20 – 21

Day 5: Creation of fish and (winged) birds.

Verses 24 – 25, 26

Day 6 sees the creation of land animals … and man.

As to man:

• Image of God in man pertains to ‘character’, not form or substance [eg. Man is endowed with the capacity to appreciate beauty].

• Both man & woman are covered in the decree, ‘let them have dominion…’

• Man’s original sin → Satan thereafter given the dominion over the natural world that was once possessed by Adam [hence, Satan is called, the ‘prince of this world’].

Verse for the Week:

A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. Prov. 11:13

*****

Young People’s Fellowship will be holding a Sports Day this Sat (Apr 30, 05) at Climb Adventure (Address: 10 Hoe Chiang Road, Keppel Towers, #01-04/05, Singapore 089315). Please meet at 1.30 pm at Tanjong Pagar MRT or 2.00 pm at Climb Adventure waiting area. For details, please contact Herbert at 94377715.

Family Bible Study Fellowship Meeting will be held this Sat (Apr 30, 05) at 5.30 pm. Venue: Mr and Mrs Edmund Wong’s home at Blk 82 Strathmore Avenue, #14-144 Singapore 141082. Program: Bible Study on Jude by Dr Jeffrey Khoo. For details, please contact Edward at 93887328.

There will be a door-to-door HDB flats evangelism session this afternoon at Bukit Panjang. Please meet at Blk 252 Bangkit Road at 2.30 pm. For details, please contact Tai Mern Yee at 97932330.

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.

Pr Tan Kian Sing’s Ordination will be held this evening at Calvary Pandan B-P Church, SGBF Hour, 6 pm. Pastor presiding. All are welcome.

FEBC 30^th Graduation Exercises will be held at Calvary Pandan B-P Church, May 8, 2005, SGBF Hour, 6 pm. Speaker: Dr Arthur Steele.

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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