O Worship the LORD in the Beauty of Holiness

	8.00 am	11.00 am
Call to Worship	Dn Surya Kusuma	Dn Surya Kusuma
Opening Hymn	All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (HGG 36)	All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (HGG 36)
+Invocation-Gloria Patri
Scripture Reading	Philippians 2:5-11	Philippians 2:5-11
Hymn	One Day (TSMS 500)	One Day (TSMS 500)
Offertory Hymn	Lord, Grant My Yearning Heart’s Desire (HGG 569)	Lord, Grant My Yearning Heart’s Desire (HGG 569)
Doxology & Prayer
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon	The Hope to Come (Haggai 2:20-23) BY Rev Quek Keng Khwang	The Hope to Come (Haggai 2:20-23) BY Rev Quek Keng Khwang
Closing Hymn	Christ Returneth (HGG 187)	Christ Returneth (HGG 187)
Benediction
Announcements

 

HOW PORNOGRAPHY AFFECTS US

 

Exposure to pornography is on the rise. A Straits Times news article dated 29 June 2016 reported that a survey conducted with teenagers aged 13 to 15 revealed that more teenagers were exposed to pornography than before because all that was needed was having a smartphone. 

Pornography affects not only teenagers but men and women of all ages, and even those who are serving in the church. Unlike the pre-internet age, where exposure was limited, it is now easily available.  Moreover, the convenience, accessibility, and anonymity make it easy for people to get hooked on it. 

Satan is doing his utmost to destroy men and women in the world. One of his effective tools is to undermine the sacredness of human sexuality through pornography.  Sexuality in terms of sexual intimacy is a gift from God for the purpose of procreation and establishing the bond of oneness between the man and woman within the confines of marriage.  When we misuse our sexuality through sin, in this case, viewing pornography, we give Satan an open door to oppress us and destroy our Christian testimony before God and man. 

The Word of God commands us in no uncertain terms to mortify or put to death sexual immorality: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). The Greek word for fornication or sexual immorality is porneia which we get the word porn from. 

Some Christians give the excuse that after all, no physical act of intimacy is involved and no one is harmed if they look at pornography. Moreover, it is a means of finding relief from the stresses of life. Others justify that it is an outlet for not being able to have intimacy with their spouses for one reason or another, and therefore indulging in pornography is an alternative. 

The Word of God warns and forbids us from committing fornication because we are followers and redeemed children of God, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints” (Ephesians 5:1-3). 

It Affects Our Relationship with God 

Viewing pornography has consequences such as addiction, emotional and mental disorders, sexual dysfunction, behaviour alteration and sexual offences. The most serious consequence is that it will cost you your relationship with God. When we as born-again believers indulge in pornography, God is displaced from the throne of our heart. We grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). We despise our Saviour’s work of salvation on the cross to deliver us from the bondage of Satan and sin.  

It Affects Our Relationship with Others 

Besides our relationship with God, pornography affects our relationship with others. We look at women as sexual objects meant to gratify our own lusts. We disregard the fact that they are made in the image of God. We do not accord them dignity or respect. Jesus warned us, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The scribes and Pharisees taught the children of Israel that they would remain righteous as long as they do not commit the physical act of adultery. However, Jesus corrected this teaching. Even if we do not commit any physical act of adultery, we have committed adultery in our hearts by looking at a woman lustfully. 

It Affects Our Family 

Pornography also comes at a cost to our family. Men are inviting Satan to their homes to destroy their families. Wives are even coaxed by their husbands to view pornography to spice up their sexual intimacy. Children are being exposed to pornography through the trails their parents leave behind. It is no more a Christ-centred home but a sin-centred home where there is infidelity, lies, dishonesty, bitterness, prayerlessness, coldness to God, etc. 

It Affects Our Church 

Getting into pornography will affect the church. Every born-again Christian is a member of the body of Christ. When a member sins, it affects the whole body of Christ. Members who are gifted with spiritual gifts to serve the Lord in the church have been crippled and disqualified because of their love for pornography. Therefore, the church cannot be built up because members are defiled by this sin. God through the prophet Haggai rebuked His people for their sins which defile their rebuilding of His temple. “Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean” (Haggai 2:13-14). 

Conclusion 

The only hope for us who wish to get out of pornography is to genuinely repent of our sins and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. We must be resolved in our heart that from this day forward, with God’s help we will turn away from this sin of pornography.  “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:12-13). 

A seminar on “Pornography and Sexual Lust” will be held on 6 April 2024, 2pm to 6.30pm. (The details are found in the announcement on page 8.) You are encouraged to attend if you are struggling with pornography, or you wish to be better informed of it or to help someone who is struggling with the sin of pornography.

– Rev Quek K K

 

Appointments for the Week

Monday, Jan 29

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

Tuesday, Jan 30

        8.00 pm     Prayer Meeting (Dn Koh lh)

Thursday, Feb 1

      10.00 am     Ladies’ Prayer Group

        7.30 pm     No ERBL Lecture

Saturday, Feb 3

        3.00 pm     LTF / YLM

Sunday, Feb 4

  8.00 am     Return to Me! Zechariah 1:1-6 (Rev Charles Seet)

  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 Return to Me! Zechariah 1:1-6 (Rev Charles Seet, with Holy Communion)

11.00 am Children’s Ministry

11.00 am Chinese Service (MPH)

12.15 pm Library (Sanctuary Balcony)

  2.30 pm Thai Service (LMH)

  4.00 pm Indonesian Service (Rm 1-6) 

 

Announcements

Membership Roll Update Exercise 2024 (7 to 28 Jan)

If you are a member of Life B-P Church, please update your particulars or download the physical form at https://www.lifebpc.com/update (even if all the information is the same as during last year's exercise), for the purpose of the Annual Congregational Meeting.

The deadline is Today, 28 January 2024.

The physical forms are also obtainable at the front entrance of the sanctuary. Please drop the forms into the box provided at the front entrance after worship services or mail to: 10 Gilstead Road, #03-00, Singapore 309064.

 

Holy Communion Elements Preparation

Lifers are invited to serve in the Holy Communion elements preparation, clean-up and washing. Those interested may contact Jenny or Wendy.

 

Thanksgiving

Ivy hand family would like to thank the church, especially brethren from the Seniors Fellowship and Ladies Fellowship, for their condolences, prayers and support during the homegoing of her husband, the late Alan YKF. 

 

CNY Angpows

New angpows are available at the front of the Sanctuary. There are two types – gold and red packs. The red ones are large enough to insert tracts in them. Each person is entitled to 1 gold and 1 red pack. If you require more, you may collect them at a later date when majority have collected theirs.

 

Vacation Bible School 2024

for N2-P6 children will be held on 29-31 May (Wed-Fri). Theme: Champions for God.

Registration will open soon.

 

Church Camp 2024 will be held from June 10-14 (Mon-Fri) at Resorts World Awana, Malaysia.

Speaker: Pastor Tan Soon Yong.

Theme: Truth Matters.

Registration opens soon!

 

Traffic Wardens

Lifers are invited to serve our Lord as Traffic Wardens on Sunday. Kindly contact Dn Choong or Bro Kelvin if you are available.

 

Far Eastern Kindergarten Online Registration 2025 Intake

• Pre-Nursery: Children born in 2022
• Nursery (Vacancies in PM only): Children born in 2021
• K1 (Vacancies in PM only): Children born in 2020

Priority registration for church members: 1 February to 14 February 2024.

Register online at http://www.lifebpc.com/fekedu/registration.html

It will be on a first-come-first-serve basis after 14 February 2024. 

Please visit our website http://www.lifebpc.com/fekedu/ or call 6251 3676 for more information.

 

 Exploring Christianity

25 Feb – 24 Mar 2024

9.30am – 10.45 am @ Beulah Rm 2-1

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ExpChr2024

For enquiries, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

 

Seniors Fellowship Seminar: Bones of Contention: Osteoporosis

Date: 27 April 2024

Time: 4-6 pm (followed by dinner)

Venue: Beulah MPH

Register at https://lifebpc.com/sfseminar

 

Seminar: Pornography & Sexual Lusts

Date: 6 April 2024

Time: 2-6.30 pm (followed by dinner)

Venue: Beulah MPH

Register at https://forms.gle/Kf1aZefXGTvU3ojFA