DEDICATION PLEDGE (JOSHUA 24:24)

Dear Members in Christ,                                                                       

“And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” Joshua 24:24

Dedication Pledge: Traditionally, on the first Lord’s Day of the new year, as a Congregation, we come before God to pledge our allegiance, obedience and submission to God to live, worship and serve God individually and “as one body of Christ”. We also pledge to be faithful and to contend for God’s Word. We are not to be influenced, learn, follow or teach strange and diverse doctrines which are of the Devil. We hold onto the old faithful reformation KJV Bible, translated from the preserved original Masoretic Hebrew text and the Greek Textus Receptus. We promise before God to perform all our duties faithfully, to study the peace, purity and unity of the church at all times and devote ourselves daily to prayer and to the study of God’s Word.

Let us take this Pledge with total conviction, the love for God and to serve Him heartily and faithfully with clean hands and pure hearts. May God have mercy upon us and bless us with His grace as we continue to serve Him. God bless. Amen.

Serving the One True Living God: Joshua in his evening years reminded the people of the mercy and goodness of God. How God had chosen their father, Abraham from the other side of river Jordan “and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac” Joshua 24:3. Joshua continued to trace the history to Egypt and then from Egypt back to the promised land. God gave them many victories against the inhabitants of Canaan and finally the ownership of the promised land. The Jews were God’s chosen people and God provided for them. “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.” Joshua 24:13.

They should be grateful and thankful to God. They should continue to worship and serve God as they experienced God’s presence and providential love and care. Yet, they sought to serve and worship strange and false gods of the inhabitants of the conquered land. Joshua challenged them, “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.” Joshua 24:14.

The people realised their foolishness and blindness of their hearts and repented. “And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;” Joshua 24:16. “…The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” Joshua 24:24.

The people turned away from their wicked and wayward way. “And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.” Joshua 24:31.

Christians today must continue to serve God: Are Christians to serve God today? The answer is a resounding “yes”. God’s people are commanded to worship God and to serve Him only (cf. Exodus 20: 1-17, Matthew 28: 19-20). It is commanded of Christians to live for Christ and to bear godly witness of Him to the unbelieving world that the world may know, repent and be won over to Christ.

Responsibility & Accountability of a Christian: A Christian is to set his affection on things above (cf. Colossians 3:2). He must set his heart on things that are eternal and not on things that are temporal and perishable (cf. 2 Corinthians 4: 17,18). What are the things that are not seen? The things that are not seen are spiritual and of eternal value in heaven. The things that are seen are earth bound and corrupt. They are temporal and have no eternal value. Thus, let it be known that Christians are to be active for Christ in the spiritual ministry of God’s eternal kingdom. Christians are saved to do God’s works and not to idle or do nothing (cf. Ephesians 2:10).

Do note that each Christian will have to give account of his life and work of service on earth to the Lord when we see Him face-to-face. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.

God Himself will reward each of His servant according to the work for the Lord whether it is of gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.

Stepping up in CJBPF: I am glad to note that many of our members have stepped up over the last few months to serve. I see more coming forward to serve in the Welcome Ministry, Grace Deaf Ministry, Sunday School, Choir, the Library and the Philemon Fellowship group etc. Praise and thank God. Do note that there are other ministries that still need your labour of love. For example, the Book room, Music and Visitation ministries. As we come together to serve, edify and provoke one another unto love and greater work for the Lord, do remember, we are also storing up our treasures in Heaven. Let us not appear before God empty-handed when we see God face-to-face.

Let your light shine forth: For those of you who are still “not serving” or “hesitating to serve” and say “wait and see”, let it be today that you “step up” to serve God. Let us not be ignorant nor laze around by doing little or nothing. Do remember, the Bible teaches us that Christians are the light of the world to light up the world that is in darkness and in sin. By serving God, you can be that “light”. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16. When light comes, darkness flees. Sinners, by God’s grace and mercy, be saved and saints edified. Are you not the light of the world? The work that you do for Christ will also strengthen you as you strengthen others.

Be encouraged: May we hear the Lord Jesus Christ say to each one of us “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (cf. Matthew 25:21a) when we see Him face-to-face. Will you not want to hear Him say this to you? To God be the glory. Amen.

In Christ,
Eld. Choe Tong Seng