Ronnie's Thoughts

God moves in unexpected ways

https://www.odbm.org/en-GB/devotional/devotional-category/gods-unexpected-ways?ts=1794441600000

God indeed moves us and moves in mysterious and unexpected ways!

2 Kings 6:1-7 (NIV) 1The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.” And he said, “Go.” 3Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. 4And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” 6The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7“Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

In 2 Kings 6:1-7, we read about the prophet Elisha facing a seemingly impossible situation. He and a group of prophets were by the Jordan River getting wood to build a larger meeting place. As one of the prophets cut down a tree, “the iron axe-head fell into the water. ‘Oh no, my lord!’ he cried out. ‘It was borrowed!’” (v. 5). The distressed prophet showed the prophet Elisha where it fell. “Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float” (v. 6). The prophet was miraculously reunited with the valuable lost item. No care or concern is too small to bring before God in prayer. We can pray and ask God for help in any circumstance, and He can answer our prayers in unexpected ways. (Nancy Gavilanes, Our Daily Bread, 12th November 2026)

I remembered that when I wanted to leave my last company which I had been for more than 20 years, a couple of things happened. I wanted to leave as my job scope was changed such that if I had wanted to bring a case for constructive dismissal I could have probably succeeded. At the same time, there was an opening at my present company as a new subsidiary in the digital space was created. So even though as a traditional GLC-telco, we seldom take outsiders (nearly 90% of staff are home-grown talents who started at the bottom), an exception was given for this digital business sister company. I bit the bullet and took a 20% pay cut and accepted the offer.

The actual offer letter however took 2 weeks to come after all the background checks and other formalities. That meant that I had not yet resigned from my previous company. At that time, it was 2022 and we were mostly working from home due to Covid-19. On the day I finally received the letter of offer and signed it, I was called for a face to face meeting with my then boss to review and finalise an important letter to a chipmaker due to the global chips supply situation at that time. For some reason, I decided to postpone clicking on my resignation in the system to the next day. In that face to face meeting the next day, I told my then boss that I’ll be resigning and in the process he asked me to hold on as he could offer me a severance package in view of my long service. In the end, I didn’t resign but took the package, was put on garden leave and joined my present company two weeks later.

So indeed God moves in mysterious ways! I was in my mid-50s when I left my previous company; in the job market during Covid, even now, it is near impossible to find another job when you’re about to retire. This chain of events clearly showed that Jesus can and will work in wondrous ways for the good of His servants.

I experienced this reality in my own life and I’m sure each and everyone of us have had and will have our share of “wartime” stories walking in the faith whether back in the day, in the present or in the days to come! Not just a question of declaring God’s faithfulness for things to materialise or situations to change but because of God’s grace and mercy, love and compassion. God indeed moves in unexpected ways! Praise the Lord for His goodness! His love and mercies endures forever! Amen!

A lifetime legacy of faith

https://www.odbm.org/en-GB/devotional/devotional-category/bibles-with-bullet-holes?ts=1794355200000

2 Timothy 1:1-5 (NIV) 1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

The bullet had hit his heart. He was surely dead. But slowly Sergeant Major Harry Grey of the Royal Armoured Corps sat up. Fumbling fingers reached into his top pocket to pull out three Active Service Editions of the New Testament, signed by King George VI himself. The top copies were punctured with a bullet hole each, while the bottom one held the bullet itself.

Many years after the Second World War, Harry passed those Bibles on to his three eldest grandsons. And today the families still have them, along with the remarkable story of God’s protection and care all those years ago. But Harry didn’t just pass on a good story—he left a legacy of faith, a confident knowledge that it wasn’t just those Bibles that had saved his life, but their powerful Author. (Chris Wale, Our Daily Bread, 11th November 2026)

Paul’s commendation of Timothy’s grandma and mother in 2 Timothy 1 is a topic oft-repeated in ODB and thus these pages. In fact for the past 5 years plus since I started this blog and over many posts later, I would think that this commendation had appeared at least a couple of times and it is for a good reason.

Christian life is a life-long pursuit. Christ, in coming into our lives, is meant to live within and amongst us from the day we knew Him until the day we depart this land of the living. It is meant for Christ to live with us every moment of our lives although we may struggle to keep up. We will always struggle as our carnal nature will demand its pound of flesh! So we are constantly balancing the righteous nature of our born-again spirit against the fleshy desires of our soul, which for those not in the know, is not born-again. Thus Paul advises us to – not to conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewal of our minds so we may test and approve the good, pleasing and perfect will of God – Romans 12:2. Our mind which is the seat of our soul (as contrasted from our spirit) needs to be changed when we get to know Christ and that is a life long quest.

There is no such thing as accept Jesus today, live our lives as we wish and the moment before we die, we remember Jesus in our hearts. It is not for me to doubt or judge anyone’s salvation but I’m certain that’s a totally wrong approach to Christian life. Our walk in Christ is meant to be walked immediately for the rest of our days here on earth and for some, that could be well be just a few more days. But for most of us, that would be our remaining days here amongst the living.

Therefore he legacy of faith of Lois and Eunice, Timothy’s grandma and mother, is something we should aspire to. To leave behind a legacy of faith, we need to live a lifetime of not just believing in Christ but acting in and stepping out in faith for Him. No one lights up a lamp and hides it under the bed. It is trusting God and committing our future endeavours to Him that we see the beauty of our faith. Our faith is real. Trusting God bears results in the sense we could feel and sense God’s presence and we could actually experience Him looking out for us.

Pursue a lifetime legacy of faith like Lois and Eunice, like Timothy and Paul, like Peter John and Andrew. Like King David and Solomon. Like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Like Moses, Joshua and Caleb. Like Queen Esther, Daniel, Elijah and Elisha. Like Nehemiah and Ezra. Like the many, many others before us. Many unnamed in our annals of history but whose names are written in the Book of Life, with pride and in permanent ink, sealed by the blood of Christ.

Have a good week ahead, even as the year 2026 draws nearer to its close! Soon 2027 beckons! We will have another 365 days. Will we live them all for Christ?

Two by two

https://www.odbm.org/en-GB/devotional/devotional-category/partners-in-christ?ts=1793923200000

Mark 6:6-7, 12-13 NIV: 6He was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

My husband’s serious illness left him weak. But when a physiotherapist prescribed exercises to grow strong again, Dan showed little interest. Then one day I did the exercises with him. “We’re growing strong!” I told him, lifting my arms and laughing. Soon, he was laughing too as we did three sets of the strength-building routines—surprised we both enjoyed working together to do what had at first seemed hard.

Jesus modelled best the profound power of working together on a difficult job. While going around teaching “from village to village,” He summoned His twelve disciples and “began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits” (Mark 6:6-7). (Patricia Raybon, Our Daily Bread, 6th November 2026)

I started in church music ministry when I was around 16 years old, essentially just playing chords with the church acoustic guitar to accompany the singing during Sunday worship service. I only started leading worship when I was around 25 after graduating from university and started work as an advocate and solicitor of the High Courts of Malaya. This was also by necessity rather than choice as we had established a breakaway church and everyone chipped in. In the previous church, we were not yet qualified to lead worship.

It was only 16 years ago that I began to lead worship with my wife playing the piano that I progressed much more musically. She often corrected my singing in terms of my atrocious tempo and phrasing and is a stickler for discipline in delivery. She was musically trained with a diploma in piano but also sang alto for the Oriental Singers (the less known Malaysian/Singaporean aspirational copy of the famous Maranatha Singers of the 80s/90s). So singing using manuscript music was not unusual for her.

That was the bit where I directly benefited from my wife’s musical background. However, we have been serving God together since our dating days, from just singing in the church choir in the previous church to working in the church committee when we set up the independent church, and later leading the young adults cell group in our local church for more than 10 years now. That is why I believe two is always better than one in ministry and Jesus clearly demonstrated this by sending out the 12 two by two. There is immediate support and encouragement if we faced opposition and we could cheer the other up if one of us is down or distraught.

While there are obvious advantages of having your girlfriend or spouse as your partner in ministry, you could team up with a like-minded brother or sister in Christ if you are single as in the case of the 12. In the Faculty at Varsity, we all had a senior as a mentor to help us through our undergraduate years. Perhaps the church should have something similar for singles to help each other in ministry and spiritual growth.

In a blink of an eye, we are now at year end and in less than 2 months, it will be Christmas again! How time flies and how we are not getting any younger! Work hard at our day jobs, serve God, get involved in a ministry but treasure our time here on earth – lead a balanced but fulfilling life centred on God’s will! Have a good weekend, everyone! Take care

Wherever we go

https://www.odbm.org/en-GB/devotional/devotional-category/wherever-we-go?ts=1793836800000

2 Samuel 7:1-9 1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” 3Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: 5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.

However, things didn’t quite go to plan. Andrew’s contact lens got stuck in his eye, which quickly turned sore and inflamed. The team decided to take him to hospital. But first they prayed. “When I opened my eyes, something felt different,” Andrew remembers. “And within five minutes I had the new contact lens in.” Rejoicing at this turn of events, the team continued mountain climbing, Andrew’s eye now restored. “It was a reminder to me that God is with us in these natural spaces just as much as . . . in a church building.”

God reassured King David of something similar when he decided to build Him a temple: “I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt” (2 Samuel 7:6). God didn’t need a man-made structure to live in. Instead, as He reminded David, “I have been with you wherever you have gone” (v. 9)—as a shepherd boy and as a king. (Chris Wale, Our Daily Bread 5th November 2026)

History records that in the end it was not David who built the Temple for the LORD but his son Solomon, as David was a warrior king with much blood shed through his hands. David prepared the blueprint as instructed by Nathan the Prophet with Solomon undertaking the actual construction. Nevertheless David’s reign is still remembered till today as the Golden Age of Israel. Even our Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, traces His genealogy and ancestry to the House of David as the anchor of His heritage among the Israelites.

Today’s Scripture however reveals an interesting statement from the LORD through Nathan and that is:

8“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.

It was the same statement He made to Joshua as he was about to lead the children of Israel into Canaan after 40 years in the wilderness, except that in Joshua’s case it was in the future continuous tense but in David it was the past perfect.

There is a real sense that God watches His people from beginning to the end and all the way in between! He knew exactly where we are in Him and never ever takes His eyes off us. The writer of Hebrews (believed to be Paul) reiterates this that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. In Revelation 1:8, the LORD declares that “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The application this morning is that God knows and have been following our life as a human being from our birth till now and tracks our journey of faith in Christ. He was with us wherever we were and will be with us wherever we go and will go. He was and is and will be with us, in our past, our present and in the days to come.

Thus, “be strong and courageous”, says the LORD, “for I am with you wherever you go.” Do not be afraid, but be bold and brave to do the things that the LORD God has appointed us to do. Whatever we may be going through right now, His grace will be sufficient for us and He will strengthen and make us strong in our weakness! Amen!

Hope in loss

https://www.odbm.org/en-GB/devotional/devotional-category/hope-in-loss?ts=1793750400000

Ephesians 1:3-12: 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

While out walking the family dog, my nephew Andy was hit by a car. Someone saw the accident and stopped to give him CPR and call for an ambulance. A ventilator kept him alive for a week. Miraculously, he was weaned off the sedation medicines and ventilator the day after Christmas and told his wife, parents, brother and five children, “I love you.” Emotions and hope soared! But the very next day, he died. All of his children, ages fifteen to twenty-one, spoke through their tears at his God-honouring memorial service. Daughter Julia read a quote that made those in attendance think:“It’s not about how much we lost. It’s about how much we have left.” (Anne Cetas, Our Daily Bread, 4th November 2026)

There is medical phenomenon called “terminal lucidity” or “the surge” or “pre-mortem clarity”, where terminally-ill patients suddenly appear good and well but pass on soon after. It can last a few hours or a few days but they eventually pass as their organs are usually already failing inside them. This sudden apparent recovery although shortlived is very good as it gives such patients the opportunity to say proper goodbyes to their loved ones. For those who had loved ones who passed at the hospital bed in induced coma and intubated, contact is usually lost during those 5-7 days before death. The exact cause for this phenomenon remains a medical mystery but medical experts theorise that the body could somehow muster massive amounts of neurotransmitters like depomines for a short while and awaken the patient.

When someone passes, he or she is lost forever from this world of living, until Christ returns for believers. We look forward to the day we will be reunited in the new heaven and new earth at the end of age. But it’s really not “what we lost but how much we have left” that matters. As we know, funerals are for the living since the dead has departed. Our legacy is what our children, spouse, relatives, friends and colleagues will remember us. Life goes on and we will be forgotten, often quickly – sad but true. Yet when anyone thinks of us after we have passes on, it is who we were to them that they will remember.

Will we be remembered as someone who lived for Christ or for our own selves exclusively? Did we extend a helping hand when someone needed help? You need the money badly now, just take it first – repayment will sort itself out eventually. Were we kind or mean? Or were we always difficult and troublesome? Not so much whether we read the Bible and prayed every day but who were we to others and how we treated others? Not so much whether we go to church every Sunday but do our actions reflect Christ? Have a good day ahead, everyone! May the LORD our God and Father grant us His grace, and wisdom and discernment to deal with issues at work and in life today!

God’s answers to our prayers

https://www.odbm.org/en/devotionals/devotional-category/praying-for-answers?ts=1793664000000

2 Corinthians 12: 6-9: Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

When Monica’s son Augustine wanted to leave home for a city known for its immorality, she pleaded with God not to let him go. But he went anyway, which greatly grieved his mother, yet it was there that God transformed his life. In his Confessions, Augustine later prayed, “Yet in your deep counsel you heard the central point of her longing . . . [so] that you would make me what she continually prayed for.” Augustine not only became a believer in Jesus, but he also became one of the most influential Christian thinkers in history.

Sometimes God doesn’t give us what we ask for—giving us instead something of greater worth. Like Monica, the apostle Paul asked God for something he didn’t receive. We don’t know what Paul’s “thorn” in his flesh was, but we know it tormented him, and “three times” he “pleaded with the Lord to take it” from him (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). Yet God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). (James Banks, Our Daily Bread, 3rd November 2026)

I think one of the more powerful principles we need to learn and learn well to have a contented and Christ-centred Christian life is 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. We cling on to God that in going through our struggles, afflictions and troubles, we find enough of His grace for us to prevail. More often than not, God’s answers to our prayers are not exactly what we had wished for. In hindsight, we know it is better but when we were going through it, it was tough and even heartbreaking.

A good illustration will be a couple with 5 to 6 children. So much work and struggles to cope with raising them all up but when they are into their teens and adulthood, we see the joy of having so many and the grandkids that will come! Often Christian living is like that. A lot of toiling and hardwork, tears and frustrations – at the end of a long dark tunnel, we see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. God however is and has always been there by our side. His grace is and was indeed sufficient for us as He makes us strong in Him in our weakness. Like the footsteps in the sand, Christ often carries us as we trudge along the pathways of life – with its various peaks but more valleys.

Uncertainties and negative possibilities are all very real. Yet faith is also equally real as Jesus is alive and well! Hold on tight to Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans”. Step out in faith, trust Him and let Him do His will in our lives! As we respond to His calling, we will sooner or later fulfill His plans and purposes for our lives! Don’t give up but strive on heavenward towards the goal Christ has set for us that we will one day receive our crown of glory!

Making wise decisions in God

https://odb.org/2026/11/02/god-our-king

1 Samuel 8:4–9 (NIV): So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

After praying and mulling over it, Ethan decided to turn down the offer. While there was nothing wrong with it, he knew it wouldn’t be good for him. Months later, he got another job—a day shift—that allowed him to attend church regularly. Not all decisions that seem logical are God-honoring or wise. For example, it seemed natural for the Israelites to ask for a king. The prophet Samuel’s sons weren’t fit to lead (1 Samuel 8:3), and other nations seemed to be doing well with a king (vv. 5, 20). But God warned them about trusting solely in people; only He was their true king who could protect and provide for them perfectly (vv. 7, 11-18). Still, the Israelites insisted (v. 19), leading God to tell Samuel, “It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king” (v. 7). Later, the Israelites would suffer under the rule of a string of evil kings. Human wisdom can lead us to rely on ourselves rather than God. His ways may be counterintuitive, but they’re truly wise and lead to good. (Leslie Koh, Our Daily Bread, 2nd November 2026)

One of the challenges we face as believers is to make wise decisions. We can pray for God to grant us wisdom like Solomon did but ultimately a wise decision in God is one that puts Him first.

I recall three distinct decisions that I made in my life that put God first. The first was my interest to join the Territorial Army (or the Army Reserve) during my varsity days. I believed that Army training would have made me a tougher person besides allowing me the opportunity to be prepared to defend my country if required. Unfortunately, the Territorial Army trains during weekends (and semester breaks) and I was busy in church during weekends. Thus there was no way I could make it work. If there was only one other thing I could realistically do or pursue as an undergraduate besides my studies, it had to be my service for the Kingdom of God.

The other decision I made also during my varsity days was that I will only have a Christian girlfriend. This all boils down to personal choice and our own circumstances but I was firm in that. Although there were opportunities for me to enter into relationships before I met my future wife, I didn’t consider them if the other party was not a believer. It so happened that after my first year I had the opportunity to move from 1st College to 4th College and at the same time, my future wife (then) prayed with her prayer partner for God to send Christian brothers into 4th College. So we met, and after a year of knowing each other, we went steady and I’m glad that we were together as we have been serving God as a couple until today. Her skills in piano, formal music training and mainline church background complemented me well as I was untrained musically, played guitar and bass and came from a pentecostal charismatic background. That was indeed my wisest decision ever made!

The third decision I made was not to take up an offer to interview with the Genting Group although the head hunter was confident that my profile fitted the requirements of the vacancy then very well. Same issue with the Territorial Army during my varsity days – they work on Sundays at least once a month up at the hill – management or board meetings. So if I was successful, I would need to miss church probably twice a month!

Work or career decisions should be made in light of our commitment and responsibility serving God. If it affects our ministry, we must thread carefully. That’s part of God’s wisdom bestowed upon us, His children. Even if we pray that an open door indicates God’s will, it is not necessarily so. An offer does not mean we must take it, logical as it might be in human wisdom. In the end, we must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and consider the offer in light of what we do for God as His servant. Our achievements in Christ count for less than our faithfulness to His calling. Always remember that our mission in life is to be a good and faithful servant of Christ! Have we been one? What will answer be when we meet our beloved Lord Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat Judgment?

Following God in faith

https://odb.org/2026/10/30/get-going-with-god

Genesis 12:1–8 (NIV): The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.

Setting off in the rain and fog, I felt utterly miserable. It seemed pointless to keep going—what could we see? Many hours later, however, the skies cleared up, revealing breathtaking vistas of towering peaks in the distance—views that we would have missed had we stayed back.
In Genesis 12:1, God told Abram to head into Canaan: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” At that moment, there seemed little to look forward to; all Abram could see was a long, arduous journey through a foreign and inhospitable land where hardship and enemies awaited. The only assurance he had was God’s presence and promise of becoming “a great nation” (v. 2). Yet “Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (v. 4). (Leslie Koh, Our Daily Bread, 30th October 2026)

Abraham is held up as a model of faith for good reason (see Hebrews 11:8-10). When he received his calling from God (Genesis 12:1), the Scriptures hadn’t begun to be written. God told him to leave his “country . . . people and . . . father’s household” (v. 1). As a nomadic herdsman living thousands of years ago, he had no way to research where he was going, and opportunities to communicate with those he left behind would’ve been extremely limited. Yet his commitment and his faith were resolute. Three times the New Testament tells us that Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23; see Genesis 15:6). Today, as we step into the unknown, we can remember that God is faithful and He’ll be with us.(Tim Gustafson, Insight, Our Daily Bread, 30th October 2026)

Father Abraham (we call him father because he was the founding father of our faith), is the perfect example of what it means to follow God, even in present modern-day times. When God called him out of the Url of the Caldeans (somewhere in Iraq of today), he had no real idea where he was going. But he nevertheless went. Not alone but with his family and nephew, Lot.

It was not a weekend trip or even an adventure travel of a few months. He completely uprooted himself and moved west, bringing along all his possessions which were mainly livestock and servants. It was a move of complete faith as it is a logistical feat to bring so many people and animals across the plains with the most important thing being the need to continually search for water sources as they travelled. From living in bricks and mortar, Abraham and his family led a nomadic life living in tents until they reach Canaan.

The amazing thing about following Christ is that the example shown by Abraham as the first mover of our faith is still relevant and applicable today! Over the centuries since the time of Jesus, many have responded to Christ’s calling without really knowing what lies ahead. Stories of missionaries from the West traveling to Africa, Asia and Latin America preach the gospel and serve God. We know in South East Asia how the Jesuit priests and other missionaries established schools and hospitals. Many of us or our parents had studied in these mission schools in Malaysia.

If God calls you for something – just respond amd follow the lead and prompting of the Holy Spirit. Step out in faith like Abraham. Make preparations, yes but don’t worry too much what the future holds. The Lord will lead, guide and equip us along the way. The only question really is whether we want to chase our own dreams and ambitions or let Christ align our dreams with His plans and purposes for our lives?

Have a good weekend everyone! Recharge and spend time worshipping God corporately on site with our congregational local church family.

Hope in God

https://odb.org/2026/10/29/hope-in-a-hero

1 Chronicles 16:12–27 (NIV): Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Israel, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

In a film about a vigilante crime-fighting hero, the protagonist seems to be waging an impossible war. Not only is his city overrun with violence and theft, but he also discovers that the police force, court system, and public officials are corrupt. He’s repeatedly tempted to give up on the city and leave. But our hero realizes that what people need is hope. He chooses to stay. That fictional world isn’t too different from our world. Evil is present. Those in power will disappoint us. But thankfully God never abandons His people, no matter how dark things appear. We see evidence of this in King David’s song of praise after the ark of the covenant was moved to Jerusalem. David exhorted his people to praise God, who “remembers His covenant forever” (1 Chronicles 16:15) and faithfully led them to the promised land (v. 18). (Karen Pimpo, Our Daily Bread, 29th October 2026)

The world we live in is fallen. That is why we see evil nearly everywhere. We know that the rich and powerful control a lot of our life. It has been like that since ancient times. During those biblical times, the rich and powerful own the land and the fields that grow crops while peasants work for them to be able to make bread.

The Israelites were somewhat different as every family had a stake in the promised land; every family had land to cultivate and grow their own crops. So food wasn’t an issue at the promised land where “milk and honey freely flowed”, a phrase that meant prosperity for every man and woman. The LORD had even enacted a law to ensure that landowners when harvesting will leave some behind for the widowers, orphans and the foreigner. Of course, famine was still devastating and without food, people died.

But in modern times, while food is less of an issue, money is not so easily available to everyone. Most of us have to work for a living as few are born with a silver spoon although some of us had some inheritance to tide us through. I recall when growing up, we lived for many years from paycheck to paycheck, eating rationally and owning little to make ends meet. So when my parents passed, there wasn’t much for my sister and I by way of inheritance except the happy moments growing up and living together as family in the past. You see, there were challenges and quarrels and lots of lacks, yet as I look back, I see those happy moments we spent together as a family. Actually we don’t need much money to have happiness. Of course we knew God early and were actively serving Him.

Evil will always be present in this fallen world. Some people have more privileges or were born into better and more connected families. In Malaysia, we have the royalty, the political and the big business families. They have wealth and better access to education and travel and live in nicer homes and drive better cars. It is perhaps less apparent in Malaysia but there is nevertheless a class divide. Billions change hands illegally and a lot of those billions were taxpayer funds, if had been used properly and not illicitly leaked, would have raised the average standard of living significantly. We started on par, but see what Singapore has become when public corruption is more of an exception. In fact, see how China has progressed over the past 30-40 years when the ruling elite enriched the nation, and not themselves.

Fortunately, we as believers in Christ, have our hope in God. We know that despite all these injustices and disparity in privileges and family connections, our basic needs will be taken care of. We will have food on the table, clothes to wear and a roof over our heads. We can still live with a RM10 meal and do not need that RM1,000 fine dining experience. Although RM100 at the wet market buys us less nowadays, if we cook ourselves, it will still stretch quite far.

Don’t dwell too much on the rich and powerful. Focus on the life God has prepared for us. Do His will and fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives. Remember Matthew 6:33 – all these shall be added unto you, we just need to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Be thankful that in this land although we are not in the upper social class of the rich and powerful, we have a broad middle class with access to capital, education and travel. More of us may still occasionally dabble in the small luxuries of life; for example, a nice meal of large crabs and prawns or a scoop or two of exquisite Hàagen-Dazs ice-cream!

Make our Father proud of us

https://odb.org/2026/10/28/because-god

Psalm 86:1–12 (NIV): Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

Six-year-old Tiana clasped her hands. She prayed as she scanned the crowd, glancing toward the front door of the church. Her classmates waved at guests settling in for the Father’s Day concert. But nobody waved at Tiana. Her teacher encouraged her to join the choir, but Tiana didn’t budge. Suddenly her daddy rushed through the door. As he waved and found a seat, Tiana smiled, burst into tears, and stepped onto the stage.

Whatever our age, there’s a tender heart of a child within each of us that aches to be seen, heard, and loved. But the psalmist David demonstrated how God delights in showing up for His children. David prayed with confidence in a love that never fails, forgets, or forsakes—the love of our heavenly Father. Confessing his need, David prayed with faith in God’s trustworthiness (Psalm 86:1-4). He declared that God is “forgiving and good, abounding in love” (v. 5). He sang, “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me” (v. 7). David cried out with expectation because God had proven His faithfulness (v. 11). (Xochitl Dixon, Our Daily Bread, 28th October 2026)

I realise that in my interactions with my two sons that I sense an inner desire in them to want to make me proud of them. Of course it’s not confined to me alone. That desire also includes their mother. So children want their parents to be proud of them, of their achievements and capabilities. That is why as parents, we are careful not to break their spirit in their quests of life, unless those aspirations are too outlandish; perhaps one day, but probably too soon now.

Thus a good way to train ourselves in relating to God and prepare ourselves for eternity is to make God our Father proud of us. Be like Abel, rather than Cain. Do our best for Him especially when no one sees. We know He sees as He watches over us all the time, our goings out and comings in. Help someone, do something meaningful in the Kingdom of God. Make a difference for the spiritual realm. Intercede for someone. Build and encourage another brother or sister in Christ.

The great thing about our relationship with God is that when we run into trouble or face difficult situations, He is there to help us through. David experienced this time and time again. He declared in Psalm 86 that God is “forgiving and good, abounding in love” (v. 5). He sang, “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me” (v. 7). After all, the LORD Is our Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus.

Make our Heavenly Father, Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit – the Holy Trinity of God – proud of us, in the things we do, in the way we relate and care for others. On that day, Jesus Christ will say to us – “Well done, good and faithful servant, come into your rest!” Amen!