My dear readers,

Writing this weekly "Newsletter" is not easy: it takes serious thinking and much time, especially in prayer. Most readers have heard this:

"Much prayer, much power;

little prayer, little power;

no prayer, no power."

So true. But, you ask, "What power are you talking about?"

Answer: Holy Spirit power to touch the reader’s heart and to possibly change his way of thinking and way of living. This is not easy. Only God’s Spirit can effect this, for this is entering the realm of the spiritual.

I pray, then, that the reader will be touched by these words and be benefited thereby. Let me share my thoughts with you.

1. Calling on Christians to serve the Lord

This is a serious matter and I direct the message to those who are willing to take a moment, to read and ponder, and pray. If you are a casual reader, my message will escape you: you will not give it "a second thought," and I don’t blame you. Likely, you are too busy. But if you are a serious believer, someone who is truly wanting to do something to "repay your gospel debt," read on.

My first point is: Why must I serve? Simply because you are a true Christian, a genuine follower and believer, and you accept that every believer and recipient of God’s salvation grace must also repay this Gospel debt.

Recall the Apostle Paul’s words:

"I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians … I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ …" (Rom 1:14, 16).

I must, therefore, discharge my "gospel debt" by helping someone to come and believe in the Saviour or to be closer drawn to Him.

The world in which we live and operate is too attractive and demanding: it ever pulls us further and further from the Lord into the ways of destruction and perdition. These are the "perilous times" spoken by Paul in 2 Timothy 3:1-3. If I am a truly committed Christian, should I not be concerned and involved in the Gospel ministry?

For our adversary the devil is not willing that any of us should give up the world for God’s everlasting Kingdom of righteousness. So the devil puts a hundred, nay, even a thousand attractions of the flesh, of the eyes, and every temptation to draw us away from God and the Celestial City. What then must we do?

Answer: Let us, who truly belong to God’s Kingdom, keep "fervent in spirit" (Rom 12:11) following the Lord, and remember the words of John in 1 John 2:15-17:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

But the world is so comfortable and pleasant! How can we resist it? Ah! Here is the trap laid by our adversary, and we must watch out!

Only by fervent prayer and supplication, and earnest plea to the Lord can we avoid this seduction so pleasant and desirable! Pray, pray, pray! Ask the Lord, Holy Spirit, to keep your feet away from temptation. Earnestly and sincerely, ask the Lord to save you. If you mean it from your heart, He will do it! The Lord will deliver you from evil (as in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:13: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …"). Pray without ceasing, from the heart, your prayer will surely be answered: our Lord "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask …" (Eph 3:20).

Then I hear my Lord call from heaven:

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev 22:12).

And I know on that day I must appear before the judgment seat of Christ; "that every one may receive the things done in his body …" (2 Cor 5:10).

Out of gratitude to my Redeemer, who brought me back to God, I shall henceforth devote my all – body, soul, and spirit, for the Master’s use – to turn men to righteousness. Then, like the Apostle, I may confidently say,

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7).

God bless all readers.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor