PASTORAL CHAT
My dear Readers
I have taken my annual vacation leave for a month from Nov 14 to Dec 13 and it is now Nov 22 in Perth. Faith Presbyterian Church no more worships at the former premises but is shifted to Dianell Community Centre which is more convenient.
Apart from speaking at Prayer meetings, youth and women’s fellowships, I am also requested to preach twice. The title of the first one is “How do you spend your money towards God?” This sermon comes to you this week. We come to Perth at the right time because it is summer time. If it is winter I will be shivering. How about the Holy Land? It will be warming up to spring. Nevertheless I must warn Singaporeans more accustomed to sunny weather to bring one or two warm clothings.
Nowadays, when you use Fax and Email you can communicate with high speed to the glory of God. Why do we come to the fellowship of Faith Presbyterian Church? Because the pastor, Rev Errol Stone takes a similar stand with us. He believes in a 100% perfect Bible without any mistakes. Such a stand has pleased God and He mightily blesses us. So will God bless another group called Truth B-P Church that will worship at Calvary Pandan at the new extension.
Oh yes, let me close by telling of our visit to the Aboriginal Bible College where Rev Errol Stone teaches and from where graduates go and extend the Gospel to other aborigines to God’s glory.
Your affectionate pastor
T. T.
How Do You Spend Your Money Towards God?
(Message delivered by Pastor at Faith Presbyterian Church, Perth)
Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:7-12).
Money is a very important matter in our lives. It is a very important matter between us and God. The prophet Malachi rebukes the Jewish Church for robbing Him in tithes and offerings. God in fact is very lenient in His requirement of our money. He requires of us only one-tenth, our tithes to be brought to church his storehouse and above the tithes, the offerings.
A good number of church goers give of their tithes every week and often above that, in offerings. But a good number, God declares, “rob Him”. In their power they keep the tithes and offerings for their own enjoyment, leaving God alone.
When we consider further we discover there are some who cheat Him. They not only conveniently forget the tithes but cheat the shops which employ them, in one way or another. Cheating the shops which employ them is cheating God. This is criminal breach of Trust and if caught they will be sentenced to jail.
When we bring our tithes to church, to God’s storehouse that there be plentiful to use for God’s purposes, God is well pleased. God challenges us “if He will not open us the windows of heaven, and pour us out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).
When I was a theological student, I thought I could be excused from tithing, but I was wrong. God did not bless me. Now that I give more than the tithes, in my love offerings, God blesses even more.
How does God bless us? God says, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts” (Mal. 3:11). In today’s context, He will keep us from sickness, He will keep us from accidents, He will keep us from evil.
In conclusion, let me as your pastor urge you to give your tithes and offerings regularly to God and see if He will not pour you out a blessing from heaven. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33). Amen.
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter XVI
John 16:16-22, 27-33
“A Little While”?
This phrase our Lord used to describe the events so soon to follow, in a matter of hours, and in the days immediately following, became a riddle to the disciples.
As we see it more clearly from a distance, “a little while” that our Lord talks about is the short separation between them in the arrest, the crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Were not the disciples frightened out of their wits? Were they not bowed down with sorrow? Some might even have given up all hope, being dull to our Lord’s teaching and prophetic utterances. The gloom of despair was heavy, but for “a little while”. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
For after His death came the Resurrection, and after the Resurrection, the Ascension (v. 28), and in the truth of the Ascension there was implied the gift of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual return and constant presence of Christ in the Church.
Calvin sees beyond Christ’s showing Himself to the disciples in “a little while.” He sees also the presence of Christ in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. For although He is not seen with the eye, yet His presence is known by the same presence of faith. Christ wanted the disciples to know what would be the state after His death, that they might be contented with His spiritual presence and not regard it as a loss to them, that He no longer dwelt with them as a mortal man.
How the disciples loved their Lord and how they felt sorrowful at missing their Saviour even for “a little while”. Do you miss your Lord, when you are kept from attending Church because of sickness? Does He come to you during those days of confinement? Is He with you all the time?
John 16:23-26
1. In that day ye shall ask me nothing (v. 23)
2. At that day ye shall ask in my Name (v. 26)
These two sentences seem contrary to each other!
l. In that day (v. 23) refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit who will fully illumine them so they shall not need to ask the meaning of new thoughts and words as they have done hitherto. Read I John 2:27, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (I Jn 2:20).
2. At that day ye shall ask in my Name (v. 26). Calvin comments: Was God first invoked in the name of Christ at that time? Christ is describing the future when the Father will give the disciples whatever they ask in His Name.
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my Name” (v. 24). Did the disciples, keeping to the Old Law, refrain from coming boldly to ask before God, unless there was a Mediator? For the Veil of the Temple was still drawn across, the true High Priest had not yet entered into the heavenly sanctuary to intercede for His people, nor yet had consecrated the way by His blood. But now Christ was making expiation, and will soon be received into Heaven. He openly showed Himself to be the Mediator and in His Name our prayers to the Father will now be heard.
Praise God, a new and living way (Heb 10:20) in the Name of Jesus Christ is opened to all believers. There is no need of any human priest, Jewish or Roman Catholic. Come to Him. Tell Him all your needs. In His Name your prayers will be answered, according to the will of the Father, and not by any other name nor by any human mediator. Thus we must always conclude our prayers to God ‘in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
