Young People's Group

HOLDING FAST FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS AND BEYOND

by Pastor Mitch
September 01, 2013

A Most Significant Time Of Exalting God And God Alone

Bethany’s 40th anniversary service was a momentous moment in the history of our Church. It was indeed a great time of exalting our great and almighty God. At the centre stage of this worship was God. It was God and God alone who took the credit for all that He has done in Bethany these forty years. The Bethany “united” choir sang Dr Daniel Chia’s composition of “This Is The Lord’s Hand”. The anniversary message was from the text of Deuteronomy 33:27 where Pastor expounded on how it was God’s everlasting arms that have undergirded us all of this time. The Lord’s name was exalted more so than ever before on this public stage. Truly, we did our utmost for the Highest at this service. I will always remember the lifting high of the Lord’s name at our 40th anniversary.

Concerns About The Next Ten Years

2013 to 2023 comprise the next decade that we are all concerned about. These next ten years will culminate once again to another most significant worship service, God willing, our golden jubilee. Furthermore, there is the exciting prospect of building Bethany 4. Once again, we need to pray, to seek the Lord on this matter and if it be His will, His hand would lead us once again as He has in the past. Now, the question on many young people’s minds is whether they will be there at the August 2023 Church anniversary, celebrating and praising God on this other momentous occasion. From the track record of Bethany’s archive photos, not all will. Some will drop out along the way. And yet, despite this fact, every one of us has every reason to hold fast to the Lord and Bethany for the next ten years and beyond.

Holding Fast To Sound Words

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” 
2 Timothy 1:13

Paul understood how people had turned away from him and the Lord because they did not hold fast to the truth of God’s word. He was challenging Timothy to strongly cling to the Biblical teachings that he had heard from his spiritual mentor. This was the pattern of sound words that were taught in faith and love by Paul to Timothy, even as the Lord Jesus also had taught to His disciples. If there is one important element that would help us stay the course for 2023, it would be the word of God that we have heard at Bethany. Our part is to possess and treasure it as nothing else we would. Young people, let’s cling to the lessons that we are learning from the word and continue in them (2 Timothy 3:14). Let’s seek to hold fast to them and never let them go.

Keeping The Faith With The Help Of The Holy Spirit

“That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” 
2 Timothy 1:14

Another wonderful feature that would help us be faithful to the Lord and His church is the Spirit of God. The good thing that was committed to Timothy was the faith that all Christians can have in the Lord Jesus. This was the good thing that was deposited in him. His challenge was to guard it and protect it through the work of the Spirit of God. If we are really born again, then the Spirit of God would also indwell us. It is through the work of the Spirit of God that we will be able to keep our faith. Young people, we are not going through this alone. The Spirit of God is within us to lead us and to prompt us to do that which is right. Let’s do all we can to be sensitive to the Spirit of God’s leading and to specially guard our faith with all our heart and soul till 2023 and beyond.

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