MY GOSPEL @ Desmond R Singh

In his thought-provoking manner, Brother Singh challenges us with a question that stirs our souls: "Have we, the Gospel Assembly Fellowship, become the Pharisee church of the 21st Century?"

Brother Singh compares the Pharisee movement to the present-day church to illustrate that maintaining traditions does not mean God is with us! For instance, wearing a white shirt does not make us righteous; a woman wearing a granny's knot does not make her modest; speaking in tongues does not mean a person has the Holy Ghost.

This Sunday morning, reality provokes us to examine the genuineness of our worship. While Gospel Assembly Fellowship believes our doctrines are correct, every other denomination does too. Thus, we are not here to pass judgment. Instead, let us critically examine our efforts to worship God the Father according to His will, not our own.

During worship, we sang a beautiful chorus, 'MY DESIRE IS TO BE LIKE JESUS.' Our Pastor posed a question that may have made some of us uncomfortable. 'Is it truly our desire to be like him?

We older saints may underestimate the challenges and struggles of youth today coping with the evils and despair of a society gone mad. Br James blessed our Saturday evening service with his energetic testimony. Brother John followed him, recounting the struggles of his youth, reflecting his love for Christ's church. "LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth." (Psalm 26:8) 

As evidence of God's judgment falling on humanity increases, Brother Singh asserts that righteous living by the elect shields a community. Conversely, if the elect fails to conform to divine laws and principles, judgment will strike that community. Imagine if a tsunami or tornado were to devastate this area; it would be a clear sign that we are not living according to God's will.

As Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked, "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world? {the consummation of the age}." (Matthew 24:3).

Referring to the state of the world and our understanding of Biblical history, Brother Singh reiterates, "If ever there was a time to make changes in our lives, it is now."

The disciples were anxious about the timing of Jesus's return, asking, "Lord, willt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts 1:6-7). 

 What constitutes worshipping God in the Spirit? It is an important question, for many congregations presume shouting, jumping, and outlandish body gyrations are necessary. In this essential lesson, Brother Desmond Singh shows us from scripture such behavior is fleshly, not spiritual.

The Prophet Isaiah's caution is a call to discernment, for God's people, the Jews, historically found themselves in rebellion. Yet, they believed they were serving God faithfully. 

 Every called man of God worries about what will happen to his work after his departure. Yet, ultimately, it is God's work! 

Whether an assembly can try apostles, like Ephesus (Revelation 2:2), or will follow false apostles, like Corinth (2 Corinthians 11:13), is according to the Father's will. If we receive not a love of the truth, we will be damned. (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

We live in perilous times, but it is not a time to hate or criticize people, for Jesus will return soon. Instead, we must fervently embrace love and reconciliation. Learn to pray for our enemies and those who despitefully use us. And while we Gentile Christians may often pray, "Come, Lord Jesus, come!" This lesson will show that Christ can only return once Israel recognizes its need for him and repents.

While the world focuses on Israel and the geo-political events in the Middle East, fulfillment of prophecy always has an element of surprise attached. In other words, we cannot interpret prophecy before it happens.

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2 Corinthians 3:17). But liberty is not the right to scream and shout and act wild in the house of the Lord. It is the right to strive for holiness righteously. Building on Wednesday's lesson, "Developing Christ," Brother Sam reminded us that God has a reason for everything in our lives (good or bad). Chastening is necessary, for the Lord disciplines the one he loves.

In this lesson, Brother Singh takes a practical, non-theological approach to the concept of 'developing Christ 'in this lesson. It's about cultivating Jesus's temperament, thinking, and nature within ourselves and integrating those traits into our daily lives. We often find ourselves trusting the devices and means the world offers rather than trusting God. However, the day may soon come when these worldly resources are unavailable, and we have no choice but to trust Him.

The chastisement that befell Nebuchadnezzar was madness and banishment to live like a beast in the wilderness for seven years until he repented and worshipped God. 

The lesson we are to draw from this example is that even raw gold requires refinement before it can be used. God, in his wisdom, processes each of His elect. The Apostle Peter wrote: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:12-13)

In a world of deception and encroaching darkness, a child of God maintains hope because solid spiritual food belongs to those who are mature enough and, because of use, have had their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). Under this ministry, we are very well-taught. Yet, Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, could only persuade those who were willing to change. Brother Singh holds fast to his calling to preach what only God places in his heart. We must respond with a steadfast resolve to walk in light and truth.

Brother Singh challenged our congregation with a question that may unsettle some: "Do you possess the genuine Holy Spirit?" The implications of this query are profound, potentially leading to eternal consequences if we are mistaken. Such a matter demands our serious consideration.

This lesson is about Deception, which began in the Garden of Eden.

The title says it all. The message spilled out of the hearts and minds of God's people as they expressed their love, joy, need for, and longing to be in the center of our heavenly Father's will.

The worship was divine, the prayer lines lengthy, and the testimonies heartfelt. This audio recording cannot adequately express the feelings of God's people gathered in His house.

Healing in today's church is significantly different than it was for those in the crowd during Jesus' ministry. Occasionally, every sick person in a village received healing from Jesus. Yet miracles did not convert the crowds. When confronted with the necessity for change, the crowds left Jesus. (Review John 6). "If your life isn't right when the word of God is preached in this congregation, you may wish to depart also," Brother Singh emphasized. "We cannot serve God at our convenience, resisting change. Instead, we must follow the path our Lord has determined for us."

Rejection was the hallmark of Jesus and the apostles. In this penetrating lesson, Brother Singh helps us understand that serving God in Spirit and truth sets the elect apart from most churchgoers (See Matthew 10:22).

In stark contrast to the media-driven ministries of the 21st Century, Jesus and Paul would have been viewed as too humble and mediocre to be regarded as authentic. Pentecostal churches would surely have rejected them for not being in the Spirit.

A chorus we sometimes sing states, "There is a purpose for everything God brings our way." Everything includes suffering, trials, tribulations, sickness, poverty, and setbacks.

In this invaluable lesson, Brother Singh draws from the life of the Apostle Paul to fully demonstrate the principle of discipleship. Jesus said, "If any person will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). 21st-century Christianity has abandoned the concept of suffering for Christ. Some will staunchly argue suffering is a sign of judgment, not God's favor. As a called minister, Brother Singh preaches the whole counsel of God, so we are taught in Spirit and truth, not fed "another gospel" to tickle our ears.

God calls His servants out of apostate religion. He called Moses out of the Pharaoh's court in Egypt. "When he came to {maturiy}, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing instead to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).

Human nature is such that we often only appreciate the value of water once the well runs dry. The truth of his comment served as a stark reminder that we will not always have Brother Singh and the elders available to guide and instruct us. Our response to the messages we receive today determines our future. Jesus warned, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." We individually must ask, "Is my faith strong enough to endure and be saved?

Anyone who follows Brother Singh's gospel grows to appreciate the remarkable content of God's written word. In this awe-inspiring lesson, our Pastor takes the elect on a 45-minute survey of the Bible. "So, and let him come, that is thirsty. For whosoever will, let them come and take freely of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)

The elect ought to study their Pastor and grasp the essence of his spirit. He conveys his experience with God in little stories from life, making his counsel practical and wise. "Moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, sought out, and set many proverbs in order" (Ecclesiastes 12:9). The words of God's ministry speaks unto us "are spirit, and they are life" {that provides eternal life}. (John 6:63.) It is folly to ignore the advice of a man of God.

An elect child of God ought never to despise chastening. "My son or daughter, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12:5-6). God never errors in judgment! He does not spoil His children to raise brats but disciples them. The elect cannot get away with anything in this life. 

Chastening has a purpose. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Hebrews 12:11)

Brother Singh explores our religious traditions' in this invaluable lesson. The Apostle Paul warned, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). If we surrender holiness to follow a tradition of the world, we defeat the purpose of religion.

By contrast, good traditions anchor the elect in beliefs and behaviors God expects us to maintain. The Apostle Paul also wrote, "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

This article reposts one written four years ago today, April 7th, 2020.

Ironically, tomorrow, April 8th, 2024, many residents of Canada and the United States will witness a solar eclipse. When the moon moves entirely between the Earth and the sun, it blocks all light except an outer circle of intense light. This ring is known as a corona. God the Father exists in a light no man can approach. (1 Timothy 6:16) Jesus is the expressed image of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). He reflects the Father's glory but in light that we can see.

Let us reiterate how essential it is for God's elect to recognize truth and thereby reject error. The Apostle Peter warned, "They that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). Brother Singh labors on his knees and studies the scriptures before the Lord so that he may feed us "meat in due season"(Matthew 24:45).

Although Paul had to escape from Thessalonica, he did not abandon the saints there. Hence, we read his letter to them:

Following Wednesday's lesson, "ROOTED, GROUNDED, & STABLISHED" (Colossians 2:7), Brother Singh encouraged our congregation tonight with Paul's exhortation: "We have this treasure {Jesus} in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed." (2 Corinthians 4:7-9). Serving the Lord does not offer a trouble-free life. Quite the opposite, but because of the hope in our hearts, we can handle life's hardships with maturity, dignity, and composure.

Unless God opens the eyes and ears of our understanding, we will never grasp the truth of God's plan contained in scripture. God anoints His called preachers to teach His elect. (Ephesians 4:11-13) Solomon wrote,

"Because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; he gave good heed, sought out, and set in order many proverbs" (Ecclesiastes 12:9). This wisdom is not human intellect; it is God's illumination revealed through His servants by the Holy Spirit.

Brother Singh reminded our congregation and those joining us by live-streaming that partaking in the emblems of the communion service will not change our lives. It matters how we partake of Christ tomorrow, next week, and the rest of our lives. 

Recently, we have focused on self-examination. "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith."

A half-hour of praise, worship, and thanksgiving offered to God, our heavenly Father, through Christ Jesus, our Lord, Savior, and soon-coming King.

So, as we examine ourselves with humility in preparation for sharing the Lord's Supper this weekend (See 1 Corinthians 11:26-27). God the Father has invited the Gentile saints to the wedding feast of His Son because those that were bidden {the Jews} to the wedding would not come. (Matthew 22:33). Symbolically, He sent His servants to find us. "So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good, and the wedding was furnished with guests" (Matthew 22:10).

Today's message deals with the condition of our hearts as we prepare to remember the Lord's Supper. So, a reader might ask, "What does the condition of my heart have to do with water from Bethlehem's well?" It seems much more than we might initially assume! May God open the eyes and ears of our understanding.

As we prepare to share communion to commemorate the Lord's supper, we are reminded of the words penned by the Apostle Paul: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he comes (or returns). (1 Corinthians 11:26) Brother Sam stresses that we are not to be examined by others but must examine ourselves. "Examine ourselves to see if your faith is genuine. We test ourselves. Surely we know that Jesus Christ is in us, for if not, we have failed the test of genuine faith." (2 Corinthians 13:5).

God's people have always found it challenging to obey His laws. We study the history of ancient Israel not because the promises made to the Hebrew children belong to the Gentile church but because human nature has not changed in some 3400 years.

Many professing Christians will disagree with the statement regarding God's promises, and that is fine. People are entitled to serve God as they see fit. However, God's word is precise, and He expects the elect to serve Him according to His will, not at our convenience or capriciousness.

Brother Singh considers the Bible his lifeline, offering life and death. However, due to misinterpretation of the scriptures, the Bible has destroyed more people than have received life from its pages. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing (or demonic) spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1).

God's work perpetually moves forward, meaning it never stagnates. Two critical men stood alongside Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. The first was responsible for caving into the people's will and producing the image of a golden calf, reflecting the idolatry of Egypt. The other young man waited forty days at the mountain's base, anticipating Moses's return.

Joshua's decision reflected God's will, which is never the people's will: "Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

While in exile on the prison Island of Patmos, the Apostle John received a series of visions that he recorded. "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God {the Father} gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." The opening statement of this book asserts these are revelations of Jesus himself, not "Saint John the Divine," as some versions of the Bible proclaim. It is one example of errant belief injected into God's church. Throughout the ages, a war has raged between the purity of God's word and a counterfeit version designed to deceive (if it were possible) the elect. 

The job of "a faithful and wise servant" is not to give us goosebumps in the name of Jesus or whip us up into an emotional frenzy but to provide us with the discipline and desire to walk circumspectly! Can we please God when we leave this sanctuary? Can we disassociate ourselves from the evils of society? Can the change in our lives be a witness to our employer, friends, and family? He must present us to Christ as a chaste virgin without spot or wrinkle. (2 Corinthians 11:12).

Watering Wednesday's lesson WORSE THAN SODOMY, Brother Sam reminds us we are privileged to be God's house on Saturday evening when the world offers many alternatives. This little assembly in Mississauga is our Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. We gather with innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn written in heaven, to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Today, we live in a period of history when the elect of God anticipate the return of Jesus as King of kings. Our Lord warned nearly 2,000 years ago. "Watch, therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matthew 24: 42).

In parabolic language, Jesus told his disciples, "Had the house owner known what hour the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and prevented his house from being broken into. (See Matthew 24:43).

Brother Sam & Brother John combine to water Wednesday's lesson, "APPRECIATING OUR MESSAGES." Watering applies to fostering the growth of the word of God to take root in our hearts, as watering seedlings in your garden nurtures germinating plants to take root. Too much water drowns the seedlings, and too little causes them to dry up because of thirst. Hence, an elder must be Spirit-filled, sensitive, and skilled in applying God's spoken words. The ministry sows the seed as led by the Holy Spirit.

Like horticulturalists working in a greenhouse., the tender attention of the elders develops seedlings into vibrant plants that bear fruit in due season: some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, some a hundredfold. (Matthew 13:6).

Advancements in technology have given God's anointed ministry methods of presenting the gospel that the Apostles and Prophets could not have dreamed of. In the past twenty-five years, cassette tapes, then CDs, and most recently, podcasts have allowed Brother Singh's messages to reach hundreds of followers in many locales globally.

 "The night is far spent—the day is at hand," meaning the return of our Lord is imminent. (Romans 13:12). We are blessed that God has given us a voice, in Brother Singh, to awaken us from our spiritual slumber.

Brother Singh paused today's service to give us some vital instructions on worship. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

Scripture tells us, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto Him and bless His name, for the LORD is good. His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations" (Psalm 100:4-5). Our heavenly Father desires that we enter worship with heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. 

Following Wednesday's lesson, "The Chosen," Brother Sam emphasized, "Many are called, but few are chosen." Conversion demands change, namely the change from our sin-prone, fallen Adamic nature to that of Jesus. Yet we face a problem, for our physical nature wars against the law of God. Our minds desire to do what is right, but our flesh keeps us captive to the law of sin that dwells in our members. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to free us from the captivity of our fallen nature.

I stand in awe of the purpose and plan of Almighty God today as I did when I first heard the gospel of the Kingdom 26 years ago. Our heavenly Father plans to change us from our fallen, sin-prone nature into the image of His Son, Christ Jesus. Brother Singh reviews this fantastic reality for our comprehension and encouragement in this lesson.

The Apostle Paul wrote, "For we know in part, and we prophesy {or preach} in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away."

Brother Singh reflects on 44 years of ministry in Canada, from humble store-front facilities on College Street to the property our assembly calls home on Greaves Avenue. But the church is never the property, but rather the people built into God's Kingdom through His ministry. Our Pastor's gospel is one story that only he can tell. His testimony is riveting. Be sure to drink in every word.

Gospel Assembly (GTA) gathered Saturday evening, February 17, 2024, to give God thanks for the ministry of Brother and Sister Singh. They have faced many obstacles and hardships, but their steadfast faith and dedication to God's calling have successfully carried them through. The elect from various locales around the globe join the saints in Mississauga / Toronto in praising our heavenly Father for bestowing us such able parents in the Lord. May He continue to lead and sustain them in their essential work.

Language changes over time. Published in 1611, the King James Version of the Bible used Elizabethan (or Shakespearean)English, so CHARITY means something different today than it did 400 years ago. Modern translations use "love," most essentially, God's unconditional Love. The second word we need to clarify is "tongues." Tongues refers to the term languages. Remember that definition, for it is vital to understanding tonight's lesson.

Our Pastor advocates researching the practices accepted into the church to determine their origin. Many pagan practices and unprofitable traditions have crept into worship over the centuries that are not of God. Dancing and speaking "gibberish tongues" are two common examples of Pentecostalism. These are acts of iniquity. It takes a diligent ministry to examine our practices and to guard an assembly against sliding into iniquitous habits, lest in the end, we find: "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit." (Jeremiah 16:19).

The world offers abundant choices when it comes to Christian denominations. So, a seeker may wonder, "Does it matter what church you belong to?" In this illuminating lesson, Brother Singh demystifies the choices available to God's elect, not according to the logic and traditions of men but according to scriptures contained in the Bible.

Jesus told his disciples, "These people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain, they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8-9).

None of Jesus' followers expected to have their souls whisked off to heaven at death. Instead, they fully understood and anticipated the return of Jesus to establish his kingdom. They asked until the day he was taken up to heaven, Lord, would thou restore the kingdom to Israel again? (Acts 1:6).

He answered: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power {or authority}. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost comes upon you..."