O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness       

BLESSED CHILDREN’S DAY!

This Friday will be a joyous day for all school-going children seeing that it will be Children’s Day!  UNICEF is the world’s body which promotes Children’s Day to champion children’s welfare and well-being.  This promotion is important, and it also reinforces the mandate in the Bible.

Way back during the time of nation-building, Moses was told to take special care of children in the midst of the people.  They are not to be regarded as cheap labour or as objects of abuse, to be relegated to the streets.  In fact, the origin of the Sunday School was premised on the education of street urchins in the UK in the 18^th century. 

We may have taken for granted that education is a natural process of growing up.  But in the past, public schooling or private tuition were limited to the well-to-do, and many children learned “on the street”.  Formal education only became compulsory in the UK in the 1880’s, and in some European countries and some states in America around that era.  For us in Singapore, the law on compulsory primary school education was passed only in 2000.

Children must be educated in the Word

In Singapore, parents accord high priority to formal education.  As Christian parents, we are also called to nurture our children in biblical education.  The mandate given to the nation of Israel almost 3,500 years ago is still a clarion call today based on Deuteronomy 6:6-7:

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Educating our children in God’s Word is not easy.  First, we must teach ourselves before we can teach our children.  Next, we need to lead by example in our way of life, conduct and convictions.  Finally, we need to reinforce the teachings tirelessly (i.e. every waking moment based on Deuteronomy 6:7).  Sustaining and being consistent is difficult.

It was known that Mrs Susanna Wesley, the mother of the 10 Wesley children, gave her children a world-class biblical education. Through many struggles when growing up, the children were taught Bible knowledge, godly convictions, and English from the KJV Bible, which helped them to excel in life and shine for God.

Today, we see many parents who diligently bring their toddlers and young children to Sunday School and Children’s worship every Sunday.  This is an act of honouring God and showing love to their children, blessing them with biblical learning.

On the other hand, many parents and children are missing from Church.  If you are one of those who tried and got discouraged, don’t stop trying.  Pray for strength, bring yourself and your household to Church to seek the Lord and to educate your children.  Many parents have struggled through this journey and it is always worth the pain when you see the change and growth of your children in the Lord.

Children must be trained to serve the Lord

My wife and I were given the book ‘On becoming Baby Wise’ when we were expecting our first child.  In the book, the different stages of development were explained and hence different techniques are to be employed deftly.  There is no single master stroke to bringing up a child.  One aspect is to watch against the call of the modern teaching of being a friend to your child.  Unwise use of this philosophy on younger children will be disastrous.  Younger children must be trained, as we read in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”.

A youth leader once told me how she was dropped off by her dad every Saturday afternoon for LTF and YF when she was younger (often against her wishes).  There were early stages of resistance and quarrels, but gradually it formed a habit, a lifestyle that she embraced.  Children thrive on routines and habits, and this is a form of training that parents can give to them when they are young.  Be with them emotionally to guide and encourage them along the way.  This is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).  The mandate in Deuteronomy 6 to Moses to teach the next generation of youths is to train them to be future leaders who will lead them in the Promised Land and serve the Lord faithfully.

Lead like a shepherd

As we enjoy Children’s Day this Friday, let us remember that children expect their parents to take personal ownership, to be with them, to educate and train them to be active in Church.  We need to lead them and groom them like a shepherd.  Children, likewise, please obey your parents in the Lord.  Godly teachings will be a great blessing in your life, like an ornament of grace unto your head and chains on your neck, that you will be proud of and thankful for (Proverbs 1:8-9).

– Elder Roger Lim 

* * *

With One Voice: An Evening of Praise

         Next Saturday evening (7 October), about 150 of us will be presenting praise items in our Church Sanctuary on the theme of unity. Of the ten group and solo items, two will be sung in Chinese and one in another language. Musical instruments include organ, piano, violin and a ukulele ensemble. Let us all come at 7:00 pm to be edified by praise items which are accompanied by exhortations from Scripture, and to lend our own voices in congregational singing!

         Singing occupies a prominent place in the life of the believer and of the church. It is one of the main features of the worship that goes on in heaven and also of our worship. We sing when we are happy and thankful to express our joy. We sing when we are sad and need comfort. We sing to remember great events in redemptive history. We also sing whenever we meet together as Christians for fellowship or prayer. Singing corporately as a church is a foretaste of the eternal praise we will render to the Lord in heaven!

         In Colossians 3:16 we are instructed to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. It is easy to sing with our mouth, but it requires effort to sing with our hearts as well. Singing is futile and meaningless if it becomes a mere outward form, done mechanically with no inward expression from the heart. With much practice it may be possible for us to sing most beautifully and with perfect pitch. But to God, it will be nothing but noise if our heart is not in it.

         Every song we sing in worship is an offering dedicated unto the Lord. This means that congregational applause would be quite inappropriate after listening to song items presented during worship, as it implies that they were presented for our own enjoyment. Our purpose is to sing to the Lord, to minister to Him and to give Him the greatest pleasure that mere mortals can ever give.

         Singing also helps to unite God’s people. By singing together with one voice, we testify to the world that even though we come from different backgrounds and have different personalities and abilities, our Lord Jesus Christ has made us one. By singing together we can show forth unity in our praise to God, unity through our redemption in Christ, unity in our fellowship of love, and unity in our proclamation of the Gospel.

         May the Lord be glorified as we unite our hearts to sing with one voice at our Evening of Praise! – Pastor

“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth   glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 15:5,6)

Appointments for the Week

Monday, Oct 2

        7.30 pm     ERBL: OT Poetic Books (Rev Charles Seet)

Tuesday, Oct 3

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Dn Ian Tay)

Thursday, Oct 5

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

        7.30 pm     ERBL: The Theology of Prayer (Pastor Tan Soon Yong)

Saturday, Oct 7

        2.30 pm     LF Meeting (Rm 1-6)

        3.00 pm     LTF / YLM

        7.00 pm     With One Voice - An Evening of Praise (Sanctuary)

Sunday, Oct 8

  8.00 am God’s Abiding Presence Acts 18:1-23 (Rev Quek Keng Khwang)

  8.00 am Choir Practice

  9.15 am Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  9.40 am Sunday School / Catechism Class

10.15 am Coffee Corner

11.00 am God’s Abiding Presence Acts 18:1-23 (Rev Quek Keng Khwang)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

11.00 am Filipina Service (Rm 1-6)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6)

Announcements

73rd Church Anniversary Combined Baptismal Service

15th October 2023, 9.00 am 

Fellowship Lunch after Service 

(Offerings to defray the cost of the lunch are welcome.) 

Holy Communion: Please note that due to the combined service on 15 October, Holy Communion for the 8 am service will be served on 22 October instead of 15 October. 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2) 

* * * 

Door to Door Evangelism 1 Oct 2023

Meet in Beulah Room 2-11, 12.30 pm Contact: Desmond  or Amos   

Traffic Wardens

Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Bro Yeo HS if you are available.

Birth

Congratulations to Dn & Mrs J Tan on the birth of a baby boy, Nathaniel, on 28 Sep 2023.

LTF Camp 2023 4-8 Dec 2023 

“Peter the Man, Jesus his Lord” by Bro Joel Seah.

Registration link: http://tiny.cc/LTFCamp2023eform

Strengthening Marital Relationships in the Church 

Speaker: Rev Gabriel Gan

Date: 4 & 18 Nov 2023

Time: 2.00pm to 6.00pm (followed by dinner)

Venue: Beulah MPH

Registration deadline: 20 Oct 

A nursery programme will run concurrently with the seminar for children 3-8 years old.

https://forms.gle/RrXU9nGYJ2VPjnmz6

• Prev
• Next