Keep on Growing in the Knowledge of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

God delights in our knowledge of Him, “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD” (Jer 9:23-24). And God commands us to keep on growing in the knowledge (heart knowledge/ experiential knowledge) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Why? Because we cannot trust, love, obey and follow the one we do not know well. The more we know the Lord, the more we shall trust in Him, love Him, appreciate Him, submit to Him, follow Him and serve Him. It is very vital for you and me to know our Lord and our God. Even God’s grace and peace increase through our knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).

Jesus Is our Lord and God: Many know Jesus as a good prophet or teacher, but we must know Him as our God and Creator. The phrase “our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” has only one definite article in Greek, denoting one Divine Person, our Saviour Jesus Christ is the Lord, the Jehovah, the “I AM THAT I AM” in the Old Testament (Exod 3:14; John 8:58). This same phrase “our/the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” can be also found in 2 Peter 1:11; 2:20. Another phrase “God and Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1) also has one definite article in Greek, denoting that our Saviour Jesus Christ is God and the Creator. Truly, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” and “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”  (John 1:1-3; 1 Tim 3:16). The knowledge of the Lord Jesus as our God, almighty, all-wise, all-knowing, eternal, immutable, faithful, loving, holy, and present every where, is very important to our faith and victory over the world, “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). Do you and I really believe that Jesus Christ is our living and true God? Is He really our Lord, who has full control over our lives and we are not our own? Many say to Jesus, “Lord, Lord” on their lips, but they are not sincerely submissive to Him and His Word at all! Jesus confirms, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 7:21). Only the Holy Spirit can help us confess Jesus Christ as our Lord with our full trust and submission, “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor 12:3). May God help us grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Is Our Saviour: Jesus is the human name. Jesus is a short form of Joshua or Jehoshua, which means, “Jehovah is salvation.” Then, Jesus means Saviour. His incarnation, His virgin birth, His death for our sins, and His resurrection for our justification secure our salvation for ever. He is able to save us not only from our sins and our condemnation to Hell (Rom 12:1), but also from the bondage of our sinful nature (Rom 7:24-25). Praise the Lord! May God help us grow in the knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Jesus Is Our Christ: Christ is the divine name of our Lord. It means the Anointed, the Messiah. There are three anointed offices: the priestly, the kingly and the prophetic (Exod 28:41; Lev 8:12; 1 Sam 10:1; 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39; 19:16). Then, when you and I believe that Jesus is the Christ, we must mean that He is our Great High Priest, our King of kings, and our Great Prophet with humble trust and full submission. Only those who are born again may sincerely believe in and submit to the Lord Jesus as Christ with that full meaning, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God?” (1 John 5:1). How about you and me?

Jesus Is Our Great High Priest: The high priest represented the people before God. How can you and I as sinners go near the holy God and be acceptable unto Him? We do need the Lord Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, who is our perfect Representative before God, who “is able to save” us to the uttermost and ever living “to make intercession for” us (Heb 7:25), and by whom our spiritual sacrifices are “acceptable to God” (1 Peter 2:5). We do need His blood to keep on cleansing us from all our sins so that we may maintain our fellowship with God (1 John 1:7) and overcome the accusation of Satan (Rev 12:11). As our great High Priest can “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” let us therefore “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:15-16). Is Jesus Christ our Great High Priest?

Jesus is Our King of Kings: Jesus humbly came to die for sinners, but He rose again, and God has “exalted” Him “with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour” (Acts 5:31) and says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom” (Heb 1:8). How about you and me? Shall we also “exalt” the Lord Jesus as the King of our hearts and our lives? Does He have full authority and full control over our lives? If we decide to do whatever we like regardless of His approval, He is not truly our King. If we say, read, watch, listen to or do whatever we like or go wherever we like regardless of His guidance and Word, He is not our King. Many still arrogantly despise, challenge, mock and reject the Lord Jesus as their King, but when He comes again the second time with all His might and glory as “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:16), they cannot stand before Him to hear His sentence, “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me” (Luke 19:27).

Jesus Is Our Great Prophet: A prophet is God’s spokesman and representative to His people. His ministry is to speak exactly God’s Word to the people as well as to properly foretell, warn, rebuke, teach, and preach according to God’s Word. Jesus Himself is the living “Word of God” (Rev 19:13; cf. John 1:1; Heb 1:2; 1 John 1:1) and His words are the very Word of God (John 12:48-50) and “shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). It is thus dangerous to arrogantly attack, question, criticize, twist, misinterpret, mistranslate, modify or cast doubt on God’s Word as many people do, even “scholars”, to serve their own worldly purpose and selfish ambitions, for this will be their tragic end, “And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:23). Then, if our Lord Jesus is our Great Prophet, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

By Faith, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph…

Scripture Text: Heb 11: 20-22


1.     Our faith in God must also be seen when we have to face death. We must make preparation for death knowing we can carry nothing from this world. How we face death is a test of our faith in God.


2.     In Heb 11:20-22, we have 3 person Isaac, Jacob and Joseph who faced death in faith. Though they have not physically seen the promise of God to Abraham of the formation of the nation Israel and its inheritance of the Promised Land, they believe in faith trusting the Word of God.


3.     Jacob lived a time of rebellion and faced much sorrows and trials in his life. But at his dying bed recorded in Gen 48 at the age of 147 years old, Jacob wanted to die well to the glory of God. He talked of God as the centre of his life and how God has led him all the way.


4.     Jacob also recognized Jesus as his redeemer and wanted the same salvation for his children and grandchildren. 


5.     Joseph also died in faith in his deathbed at the age of 110 years old. He has lived a consistent life of faith and also died in faith by making mention that he wanted his bones to be buried in the Promised Land. Though he died in Egypt with splendor and power but he lived as a child of God with God always in the centre of his life.

God’s Sovereignty and Loving Care

                                                                                                          From last week to be continue.... 

God had a higher purpose in Job’s life when He allowed Satan to touch him and sift him. Satan wanted to destroy Job, but God did build him up in the knowledge of God, of His sovereignty, His justice, and His loving care. Moreover, Job did learn more about his sinful “self.” He did know human sinful nature but he had never abhorred or disgusted his “self” and repented in great humility until he encountered his Maker, the holy and righteous God. Job already knew that when God tried him, he would come forth as gold (23:10), and surely after having gone through his trials, Job did experience it and did come forth as gold: he was refined from the dross of self-righteousness, self-goodness, self-justification, self-will, and so forth. He did learn to be humble and submissive to His Maker and His just dealings no matter what might happen to his life. Satan failed because Job did not curse God as he tempted him through trials, through the foolish suggestion of Job’s wife, and through the false accusations of Job’s three “friends.” God’s grace was sufficient for Job to see him through the trials. Praise the Lord!

It is God’s will and providence that the life of Job and his great sufferings were recorded in the Holy Scriptures for the comfort and learning of His people in all ages. James reminds Christians of the patience of Job and the tender mercy of God so that they may endure their sufferings with joy (James 4:11). Through our trials we will know more about God and ourselves. God is always sovereign and just. Is it true that God is never unjust even if He puts all men in hell? Absolutely true! If a man really knows God’s righteousness, his total depravity, and his justification based on God’s grace in Christ’s atonement alone, he will be submissive to the Lord in his trials and realize that his sufferings are still much lighter than the sufferings in hell which he deserves. Only by this heart-knowledge can he give thanks and praise to the Lord for His mercy endures forever. Moreover, he understands that the trials from his righteous and loving Father are necessary for his spiritual life because he is being purged, pruned, refined, purified, and conformed into the image of his Lord Jesus Christ.

Job must have realized that it was God’s grace and mercy that he could repent and stand firm in faith until the end, not because of any good things from him. Like Peter, who was sifted by Satan, but Peter could repent and stand firm in faith because the Lord Jesus had prayed for him (Luke 22:31-32).

Reward and Blessings

After having learnt the lesson from the Lord in humble repentance, Job was brought out of his trials. His three friends who accused and condemned him were required by the Lord to come to Job with sacrifices so that Job could pray for them. And “also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before” (42:7-10). Job had also seven sons and three daughters. As human beings with eternal souls, once we die we are not finished like animals. So Job did have double the number of children, twenty altogether!  After this Job lived an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations (42:16). What a blessing! Job must have tasted God’s goodness and praised the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy for the rest of his life.

Conclusion

It is not easy for you and me to suffer a long-lasting trial with false accusations and condemnations from others, even from our friends. It is a really hard testing! Sooner or later, our sinful “self” will be exposed if it has not yet been crucified with the Lord Jesus and does not die daily (Gal 2:20; 1 Cor 15:31).

To be continue...Gold Was Refined

To be continue..

What did God purge and purify Job from?

Self-Righteousness: God considered Job a perfect and upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3) though His Word says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10), and “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer 17:9), and “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa 64:6). Yes, only God, and Himself alone, has the right to justify sinners if they believe in Him and receive His atoning sacrifice and salvation in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22-26). And before the Lord Jesus came into the world, the sacrifice of a lamb was a type of Christ which pointed to His atonement. This is why God could justify the Old Testament saints like Abel (Gen 4:4; Heb 11:4) and Abraham (Gen 15:1-18; 17:1-22; Heb 11: 8-10,17-19) etc.

Here it is God, who had the right to justify Job (1:1, 8; 2: 3) because Job believed in Him and His atoning sacrifice. Job used to rise up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings, and Job did this continually (1:5). It is a sad thing that in his great trials, Job forgot to do this. All his arguments and his three friends’ did not mention anything about this atoning sacrifice. Not only did Job forget that his righteousness was from God, but he also tried his best to defend his righteousness before the harsh and false accusations of his three friends. Job mentioned “my righteousness” twice (6:29; 27:6). Can “my righteousness” stand before the holy and righteous God? Absolutely not! God challenged and rebuked Job and he did learn to abhor himself including his own righteousness, his own integrity, and his arrogant words without knowledge.

Self-goodness: All the good works that a saved believer can do is also by God’s grace alone. It is God who works in him to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Therefore, it is proper to say like Paul, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor 15:10). It is true that “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven” (John 3:27). Job really needed to learn the lesson of humility. Instead of giving all credit unto God’s grace that helped him to do good works, Job seemed to boast of his good works and we can recognise his many I’s: “Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless,…and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out”  (29:12-17).

How about Job’s present situation? Could he now say that he was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, and father to the poor? It is a lesson for him to learn that without God’s grace and blessings, he could not do any good works! Moreover, after encountering God directly and personally, he did abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes (42:6).

Self-Justification and Complaining: Complaining and murmuring against God are sins, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer” (1 Cor 10:10). When we complain or murmur against God, we mean that God is not good, not right, not fair, not just, and because we are not happy with His will or His way, we complain or murmur! 

Job, in his great depression and sufferings and before the false accusations of the three friends, he sometimes did lose his control, and complained against God and said words to defend himself: “I will complain in the bitterness of my soul…How long wilt thou (God) not depart from me?”  (7:11, 19)

“He (God) teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me” (16:9-14). “Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.  He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone… he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies”  (19:6-12). “As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul” (27:2). 

By these complaints, Job implied that God was wrong and unjust and that he did not deserve this great suffering. He did not know that he was reproving His Maker and condemning his God! However, God was so gracious to him, spoke to him directly, showed him his arrogant attitude and words, “Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” (40:8). After that Job repented, he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes.

Gold Has Been Tried

 Pr Hien Nguyen

Text: Job 23:8-17

Gold is rare, precious and valuable. We cannot use gold right away in nature. To get gold, people are to mine it from the ore, crush it into small pieces in special machines, wash it in water to separate it from sand, earth, or gravel, and then burn it and refine it in fire to separate it from all the dross or rubbish. After getting pure gold people burn it, melt it and mould it into the shapes they want or make golden ornaments or jewellery.

The Bible tells us that God does purge, purify and refine His servants and children, “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Mal 3:3). Job acknowledged the refining work of the Lord in his life, so in his great trials, he said, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). Then, would you and I like to be raw material or refined gold?  May God help us see and appreciate His refining work in our lives so that we may be submissive and thankful to Him even in our difficulties and trials.

Job’s Trials

The trials Job suffered were very great (1:13) and heavier than the sand of the sea (6:2-3):

The loss of material wealth: Job was very rich and wealthy, but because of Satan’s accusation against his faith, God allowed Satan to take away all the material wealth he had in order to test him (1:10-11).

The loss of children: Job had ten children—seven sons and three daughters (1:2)—whom he loved, and for whom he prayed and offered burnt offerings continuously (1:5). God permitted Satan to take away his children together with his possessions (1:12-19).

The loss of good health: Seeing Job’s perseverance, Satan accused him of believing in God because of good health (1:4-9), and God let him torture him with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his head.

The loss of respect and support: Job used to be highly respected by the aged, the princes, and the nobles (29:6-11), but now his wife, his relatives, his friends and even his servants despised him (19:14-19). Especially, his three friends mercilessly and falsely accused him of his sins when they saw his great sufferings. This may be the worst that Job was suffering. Job was accused of telling lies (11:3), despised for not knowing God properly (11:7-12), condemned for his iniquity (11:5-6), and told to repent to get the blessings from the Lord (11:13-19) because the wicked will surely be punished (11:20). They assumed that Job was suffering the punishment of the wicked due to his iniquity.

Thank God that in his great trials, Job blessed the name of the Lord, worshipped Him and did not sin nor charged God foolishly (1:20-22; 2:10). Praise the Lord for His sufficient and sustaining grace that Job was able to trust in the Lord in his great sufferings. Job sometimes desired death in his depression, but he never attempted to commit suicide, saying, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him,” (Job 13:15a). James encourages Christians who are suffering persecutions to persevere until the end as Job did, saying “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” (James 5:11).

Nevertheless, as a human being with a sinful nature, Job’s sinful “self” was exposed by God Himself and in the end he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes (42:5). Indeed, this is a part of God’s refining so that Job might come forth as gold (23:10).

to be continuing... 

Freedom of forgiveness

Scripture Text: Colossians 3: 12-14
 

1. As Christians, we are to put on the Christian graces as mentioned in verse 12 in meekness, kindness, humility and bowels of mercies. This is the path of sanctification and there is neither retirement nor short cut in it.
 

2. We put on such Christian graces because we are the elect of God, holy and beloved in the sight of God. It is only by the love and grace of God that He has elected us and hence we ought to live for Him and His glory.
 

3. When we walk in the way of the Lord in true love for Him, we will learn to forgive others and to forbear one another. To forbear is to hold back our anger and judgement.
 

4. Christians quarrel for various wrong reasons and our sinful human nature will always say “I am not in the wrong”. When we quarel, we lose our effectiveness as the light and salt of this world. We must obey God’s Word to forgive because Christ has forgiven us.
 

5. Among Christians, we will have different likes and dislikes, different opinions and we must learn to agree to disagree and remain warmth and friendly towards each other. In everything, we must put on charity which is the bond of perfectness and then there will be unity among believers

Preached by Pastor Douglas Ho

True Faith is Not Hypocrisy

Scripture Text:  James 1: 26-27


1.  The Bible tells us in the Book of James that true religion is one which shows forth fruit. True saving faith is not just mere knowledge or professing words.


2.  The 3 fruits to demonstrate true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are:

a)  Control of our tongues (v.26)
The tongue is an unruly evil and full of deadly poison. Often we hurt one another with our words. 
The Bible reminds us in Eph 4:32 to be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving.
b)  Care for the needy (v.27a)
There are people who are neglected, needy and lonely. We should show our love and care for 
them and support them. Let us not be like the Pharisees who only care for their religious 
appearances and make long prayers but neglect the poor and needy.
c)  Living a consecrated life (v.27b)
We are to keep ourselves unspotted in the world and live a holy life unto the Lord. We are in the 
world but not of the world. It is important to keep a close communion with the Lord daily and not 
let the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches to draw us away from the Lord

Prayers for All

Scripture text:  1 Timothy 2:1-4
 
In 1 Timothy 2, Paul writes about one of the duties of the Church in order to war a good spiritual warfare: the duty of prayer.

Verse 1: Prayer is of supreme importance. It is to be put first, before all things. If we want to fight a good fight, we must pray. Prayer is talking to God. Reading, studying and meditating of God’s Word are important but these will be fruitless when done without prayer. We must take note of our prayer life.

Paul lists four types of prayers:

1.  “supplications” – These are prayers that focus on special needs. They are made with great urgency, knowing that only God can supply the needs. E.g.: salvation of our loved ones.
2.  “prayers” – The Greek word refers to a set time of prayer. E.g.: prayer meetings, pre-service prayer and pastoral prayer. It is a time where the church comes together in prayer.
3.  “intercessions” – These are prayers for others and are done in boldness. You may see a gap between God and a sinful people and you act as the one to fill the gap. E.g.: a parent praying for God’s mercy on his child who had sinned or misbehaved.
4.  “giving of thanks” – These are prayers in which we thank God. E.g.: for hearing our prayers, for what He has done, for giving us the best, for His faithfulness.

Paul also states that prayers must be made for all men. We must be willing to pray for one for another. Everyone needs prayer.

Verse 2: Paul singles out kings and people in authority to be in need of prayer. Benefits of praying for them:

1.  We may lead a quiet and peaceable life. These are physical benefits.
2.  We may live in godliness and honesty. This is a spiritual benefit: that we may have freedom to worship God and freedom to declare our faith.

Verse 3 & 4: Pray for all men is what God wants us to do. For God’s will is for all men to be saved, for all to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

The Cause of Wars and Fightings Amongst Us

Scripture Text: James 4:1-3

1. The Bible tells us in James 4:1 that we face conflicts with other people and also conflicts within ourselves. In this sinful fallen world, we see conflicts and quarrels between friends and family members and wars between nations.
 

2. Cain was the first murderer and it was a little anger and ill-feeling towards his brother Abel that led him to commit the sin of murder. The spirit of Cain continues to be manifested in the world today.
 

3. Sadly, in the church, we also see conflicts and quarrels. Brethren refuse to talk to each other and bear grudges and unforgiving spirit.
 

4. The reason for the conflicts is given to us in the Bible which is due to our sinful desires. As the heart is sinful, out of it comes forth anger, lies, envy, murder etc.
 

5. Our only deliverance from our sinful nature is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Only then will we not be overtaken by our sinful lusts and evil desires. By God’s grace, we can then set a good example in living a holy life before Him.

Christian Husband, Wife and Children

Scripture Text: Colossians 3: 18-21 

1. God has given us a proper order for the functioning of the home. It begins with the wiives to submit to their own husbands. If a wife is contentious, then she will be a disturbance to the peace in the family.
 

2. Submission does not mean inequality as both man and woman are created equal in God’s sight. Submission also does not mean weakness. It has to come from a willing mind to obey the Word of God.
 

3. Husbands are to love their wives and not be bitter against them even if they have done wrong. Love must be demonstrated with action of care and protection.
 

4. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord. To disobey our parents is rebellion and dishonouring to our parents. This displeases the Lord.
 

5. Fathers are particularly told in the Bible not to provoke our children to wrath. We ought to show praise when it is due and also show discipline when needed. In everything, it is to be done in love.

Winning Sinners to Christ

Scripture Text: James 5: 19-20

1. A Christian is a sinner saved by grace. A Christian is not perfect and will still fall into sin when we are not watchful.

2. When we see a brethren fall into sin, we are to help and pray for that brethren. We must do it in meekness knowing that we too can fall into sin.

3. A backslidden brethren is one who has fallen for a period of time but not continuously. He or she will repent of the sin and come back to God. However, if the person persists in sin and continues to deny Christ, then there is the possibility of this person actually is not saved at all.

4. It is our duty to reach out to such people and bring them back to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not to judge nor to condemn them.

5. When a person is restored to Christ, the soul is saved from spiritual death. This is the grace of God and the wonderful work of God.

2 Peter 3:3—4 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are thankful to the Lord for the Bible Seminar that served as a timely reminder to us of the Second Coming of

Christ. Today we can see,

1. The increase of apostasy;

2. The spreading of Gospel to all the four corners of the world; and

3. The nation of Israel, are prominent signs before the coming of Christ.

Several months ago, we visited an old neighbor who once lived next door to us and is now in her 70’s. It was a meeting that came after twenty long years; when it was time for us to leave, we gave her the promise that we would come to visit again. But we have not returned since we left off the last time. Will we keep the promise and when will it be is the question.

The Lord Jesus Christ died, resurrected and returned to heaven but before He left, He made this promise to those who loved Him in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”.

Answer this question for yourself, “Will Jesus come again?”

The Bible teaches that Jesus is coming again and the Bible also mentions that in the last days there will be scoffers.

1. The character of the scoffers is to mock, to ridicule and to make fun at the Word of God.

2. The conduct of the scoffers is to deny and to reject the truth of the coming judgment of God.

It is nothing new today if critics mock, ridicule and make fun of the promise of Christ’s coming; for in the days of the apostle Peter, Christ’s coming was already doubted.

The scoffers can laugh all they want but God will keep His side of the promise that His Son will come again. The character and the spirit of the scoffers in the past as well as now have not changed. Like their predecessors; the scoffers of our days will not yield to Christ, if to acknowledge the truth would mean that they have to give up their sinful lifestyles? That was the way it used to be in the days of Noah, in the days of Sodom’s and now in our days, that men love their sins too much to turn over their lives to God.

Instead of saying, “what will we do with Jesus; they ask “where”, implying that it will never happen.

God answers no one about His delay but He gives assurance from His infallible Word to those who are ready for His coming. There is even a purpose in what men may call a delay or procrastination. If He had returned earlier how many of our loved ones who have not believed will be lost. He tarries to give them opportunities to repent that soul and body may be saved.

As long as Christ is delaying in His return, there will be scoffers and more in the last days but the bottom line is this, will you be taken up at Christ’s return or will you remain here to go through the Great Tribulation and then to be lost forever in hell?

V is for Valentine

Did you know that centuries before Christ, the pagan Romans celebrated February 15 and the evening of February 14 as an idolatrous and sensuous festival in honour of Lupercus, the ‘hunter of wolves’?

When Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, there was some talk in church circles of discarding this pagan free-for-all. But the Roman citizens wouldn’t hear of it! So it was agreed that the holiday would continue as it was, except for the more grossly sensual observances. It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that the holiday became a Christian custom: As far back as 496AD, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on February 15 to Valentine’s Day on February 14.

But how did this pagan festival acquire the name of St. Valentine’s Day? And why is the little naked Cupid of pagan Rome so often associated today with February 14? And why do little children and young people still cut out hearts and send them on a day in honour of Lupercus, the hunter of wolves?

Valentine was a common Roman name. Roman parents often gave the name of their children in honour of the famous man who was first called Valentine in antiquity. That famous man was Lupercus, the hunter. But who was Lupercus? And why should he have also borne the name Valentine among the heathen Romans?

The Greeks called Lupercus by the name of Pan. The Semites called Pan Baul, according to the Classical Dictionaries. Baal – mentioned so often in the Bible – was merely another name for Nimrod, ‘the mighty hunter’ (Genesis 10:9). It was a common proverb of ancient time that Nimrod was “the MIGHTY hunter before the Lord”. Nimrod was their hero – their strong man – their VALENTINE!

But why do we associate HEARTS on a day in honour of Nimrod – the Baal of the Phoenicians and Semites? The surprising answer is that the pagan Romans acquired the symbol of the heart from the Babylonians. In the Babylonian tongue the word for heart was bal (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible #H1168). The heart – bal – was merely a symbol of Nimrod – the Baal or Lord of the Babylonians!

Nimrod – the original St. Valentine – was also known as Saturn, the Roman-Babylonian god who hid from his pursuers in a secret place. The Latin word Saturn is derived from the Semitic-speaking Babylonians. It means ‘be hid’, ‘secret’. The original Semitic (Hebrew) word, from which the Latin Saturn is derived, is used 83 times in the Old Testament (see Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible under ‘Sathar’, also ‘sether’).

According to ancient tradition, Saturn (Nimrod) fled from his pursuers to Italy. The Apenine mountains of Italy were anciently named the mountains of Nembrod or Nimrod. Nimrod briefly hid out at the site where Rome was later built. The ancient name of Rome, before it was rebuilt in 753BC was Saturnia – the site of Saturn’s (Nimrod’s) hiding. There he was found and slain for his crimes. Later, professing Christians in Constantine’s day made Nimrod – the St. Valentine of the heathen – a Saint of the Church and continued to honour him under the name of a Christian martyr.

But why should the Romans have chosen February 15 and the evening of February 14 to honour Lupercus – the Nimrod of the Bible?

Nimrod – Baal or sun god of the ancient pagans – was said to have been born at the winter solstice. In ancient time the solstice occurred on January 6 and his birthday therefore was celebrated on December 25 and now called Christmas. It was the custom of antiquity for, the mother of a male child to present herself for purification on the fortieth day after January 6 – Nimrod’s original birth date – takes us to February 15, the celebration of which began on the evening of February 14 – the Lupercalia or St. Valentine’s Day.

On this day in February, Semiramis, the mother of Nimrod, was said to have been purified and to have appeared for the first time in public with her son as the original ‘mother and child’.

Another name for the child Nimrod was ‘Cupid’ – meaning ‘desire’. It is said that when Nimrod’s mother saw him, she lusted after him – she desired him. Nimrod became her Cupid – her desired one – and later her Valentine! So evil was Nimrod’s mother that it is said she married her own son! Inscribed on the monuments of ancient Egypt are inscriptions that Nimrod (the Egyptians called him Osiris) was ‘the husband of his mother’. As Nimrod grew up, he also became the child-hero of many women who desired him. He was their Cupid!

It is about time we examined these customs of the pagans now falsely labeled Christian. It is time we quit this Roman and Babylonian foolishness – this idolatry – and get back to the faith of Christ delivered once for all time. Let’s not teach these pagan customs in memory of Baal the sun god – the original St. Valentine – and teach them instead what the Bible really says!

Taming the Tongue

Scripture Text: James 3: 1-12

1. In the multitude of words, it is easy to sin and transgress. We must learn from our Lord Jesus as there was no guile in Him.

2. The tongue carries with it a heavy responsibility in that it can teach God’s Word but it means a greater condemnation if God’s Word is taught incorrectly. We must be bold to preach the Gospel even with oppositions.

3. We are prone to offend others with our tongue and we must learn to control it. Let us use our words to glorify God and encourage the saints.

4. Though the tongue is very small, yet it is an unruly evil and full of deadly poison. Often our words are a reflection of who we are. As God’s children, let our tongues be instruments for God to use.