PASTORAL MESSAGES (Page 37)

By Not Known There was a report six years ago of a centenarian couple who were the longest married couple in the world.  They were married in 1925 and had remained faithful to each other since.  Karam Chand passed on in 2016 at age 110.  Mrs Chand was then 103 and they were married for 91 years! To be able to break that world record, one has to live as long…

By Not Known James 4:13-15 Happy Lunar New Year! As we begin a new year, I am fully aware that we are embarking upon a period of transition at ORPC—a new faith journey! As the new pastor, I can earnestly say that I have been seeking God’s will for the future direction of the church. Soon I hope to discuss with the Session and the congregation on the state of the church…

By Not Known A few weeks ago, I watched a rerun of one of the most expensive foods in the world – truffles.  Last year, the winner of the truffle auction paid a whopping 75,000 euros for an 850 grams of well-rounded truffle.  Reports claimed that few shavings of this fungus can transform any dish. The allure of truffles is so intense that every winter,…

By Not Known As the season of Lent approaches (beginning with Ash Wednesday on 14 Feb), it is worth for us to prepare our hearts to reflect on the Lord’s death and resurrection. We have been preaching through the Gospel of Mark, covering events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion — Peter’s confession of the Messiah, Jesus’ transfiguration, and His…

By Not Known Proverbs 4:20-27 The world wants wisdom. Even the first couple in the Garden of Eden with the wise God as their Master, fell for desiring wisdom.  They disobeyed God’s command and ate the forbidden fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan tempted them that they will be like God. Henceforth, the world seeks after human wisdom. We thank God that He…

By Not Known What is true faith? Why is it so important? A frequent lament of Jesus over His disciples was their lack of faith. The stilling of the storm, the healing of the demonic, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the healing of the Syrophoenician’s daughter in the book of Mark were all lessons to teach the disciples what true faith is.   In fact, we can learn what…

By Not Known The Christian’s journey of faith is never an easy one. It requires our absolute obedience to and trust in Jesus, our Lord and God. Psalm 121 forms part of a group of psalms called the Songs of Ascents, which were sung by the Israelites as they went on their annual pilgrimage to…

By Not Known Even though almost every male in Singapore had gone through National service, only a handful went through the few elite forces in the military.  Those who made it knew what the boot camp is like.  Whether it’s the Commandoes or the Guards or the Divers unit, the initiation training is not only tough and gruelling but is also life-changing. …

By Not Known Just last week, our Young Adults spent 4 days at a serene and simple retreat centre in Malacca. God has blessed our time together, we were challenged and encouraged by God’s Word and Spirit through the speaker, the retreat activities planned by the organising committee, and the many good opportunities for reflection, deep sharing, prayer and fellowship. At…

By Not Known “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2 Christmas is a joyous season for celebration – a great reminder of our loving Father who has given His Son to save the world from sins and sorrows. …