My dear readers,

(Excerpts from Building Firm Foundations, Dr SH Tow)

1. Perilous times have come

Wisdom demands that we be informed and alert to the momentous events taking place around us. Parents in particular ought to be knowledgeable in the area of the great apostasy that has infiltrated and taken over the major denominations of the Church. On the surface we see the semblance of a Church with impressive teachers (pastors, elders, bishops, archbishops, cardinals, popes, etc). They teach and preach from the Bible, sing the same hymns, make the same prayers, talk the same language - up to a point. External appearance may be identical, but there the similarity ends. Beneath the facade is a fatal flaw.

Not every "Christian" Church is Christian. Not every "Christ" is genuine. Not every pastor or elder or bishop is a true servant of Jesus Christ. Who says so? Our Lord Himself. A major sign of His Second Coming (which is near) is the appearance of "… false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matt 24:24).

What our Lord is saying is this: "One major event which must take place before I return is the sign of the COUNTERFEIT CHURCH AND FALSE LEADERS. Many will be deceived and led astray, but DO NOT FOLLOW THEM!" In 2 Timothy 4, a further warning from the Lord tells of Church leaders getting tired of the old truths. These will not put up with sound doctrine, but for their own selfish ends they will gather together false teachers, spreading error and human ideologies.

Parents, godly fathers and mothers, I write expressly to you! If you treasure your faith and that of your children, heed God’s words. Recognise the perils of false teaching everywhere: Churchmen denying the all-sufficiency of Holy Scripture, the atoning blood of Christ, the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible, the Deity of Christ, His bodily resurrection, the Second Coming and other major doctrines. False teachers in the Churches are eroding the very foundations of the Church.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Truly we live in perilous times.

Dear parents, you can save your homes from the peril of false teaching. Let us ask the Lord to teach us His truth that we may not fall.

2. Surely I come quickly. Amen.
Our Lord’s last words from heaven demand our careful and prayerful attention. In the final chapter of Revelation He says, "And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be … Surely I come quickly. Amen." (Rev 22:12, 20)

My dear reader, are you fully aware of this last great unfulfilled promise of our Lord? It will be the one DECISIVE CLIMACTIC EVENT OF ALL TIME. The Bible mentions it over 1,500 times. The direct prophecies are numerous. Daniel’s vision accords with the Apostle John ‘s. Jesus shall return in the clouds of heaven. Matthew’s Gospel chapter 24 lists seven major signs. Do you know them? Let me list them for you.

1. False Christs, false prophets, false Churches, preaching false doctrines (worship of idols, Mary, saints; denials of Christ’s deity, virgin birth, resurrection, etc.)
2. Wars and rumours of wars. Nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom. This global phenomenon increases, intensifies.
3. Famines. Af rica, India, Bangladesh.
4. Pestilence. Strange diseases: drug addiction, AIDS epidemic, ebola.
5. Earthquakes. In the last six centuries, increased 20 times.
6. Israel (fig tree, verse 32) reborn, 1948.
7. Days of Noah. Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. Preoccupation with physical carnal appetites. Genesis 6: Earth corrupt, filled with violence, wickedness of man very great, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart evil continually. The "Days of Noah" are already with us.

Parents as spiritual leaders of their families have an obligation to guide and instruct in this vital and urgent doctrine of the Second Coming. For when the Lord comes, it will all be over, "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Cor 15:52). There will be no time then to think or to make amends.

The time to prepare is NOW, before He comes. Parents, heed the Saviour’s loving call: "Be zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev 3:19) "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come" (Matt 24:42).

May our prayer daily be: "Lord, quicken me by Thy Almighty Spirit. Keep me ever ready and watchful."
God bless you and keep you.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,

Dr SH Tow, Sr Pastor