https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/05/safe-hands

I don’t know about you but when I was young and started reading Enid Blyton novels like the Famous Five, I always dreamt of having my own tree house. A place away from my own room or house that is mine to hide out with my gang or just I alone. A place where we are hidden away from the world where we can be alone by ourselves – our hiding place.

Just a few days back I watched a Japanese drama series on Netflix where the story was that the wife of a senior judge required her to maintain a low profile so that he is perceived as humble, fair and objective. She wears old shoes to move around but she actually rents a small storage room somewhere in the city where she keeps her nice shoes and fancy bags and goes there daily just to wear and see them within the confines of her storage room. That room was her hiding place to enjoy her passion for her designer shoes and bags.

Do we have a hiding place, a place of refuge where we can truly be ourself? A place where we can pursue our deepest interests unhindered. Some people have a farm for that, like a cabin in the woods. Some people go camping in remote places using 4WD vehicles with camping and cooking gear, just to enjoy the serenity and peace of the deep forest. Yet there are some who go fishing just for that, at a fishing farm or out at sea. Or some ladies go for spa for indulgent self pampering.

Psalm 32 teaches us that the LORD our God is our hiding place. Jesus Christ had broken down the veil for us and made God accessible by us directly without needing to go through intermediaries like the priests as we are now a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). In Psalm 32, David described the Lord as someone who will protect us from trouble, surrounding us with songs of deliverance, instructing us and teaching us on where to go and counselling us with loving eyes.

But the key to understanding Psalm 32 lies with what David meant by his bones. It means his health and his physical well being. David said when he kept silent his bones wasted away. He felt God’s hands were heavy on him, his energy being sapped away in the heat of summer, his groaning is all day long. Then David acknowledged his sin and did not cover his iniquity. He confessed his transgressions and the LORD forgave the guilt of his sin.

As much as our salvation is assured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, sanctification is a constant affair. Confess our sins before Him, acknowledge our transgressions and iniquities. Forgive those who have sinned against us. The LORD thus will then be our true hiding place; a place of refuge, a place of rejuvenation, a place of strength where our physical and spiritual well-being are energised, a place where our bones will come alive and not be wasted away. Make the LORD our God our hiding place, for indeed He is good and faithful, His love endureth forever! Amen

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/04/two-small-boxes-2

The teachings of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-20 on storing up treasures in heaven is probably one of the more well known verses in the bible and concept in the faith that most of us have probably heard of as a Christian. Instead of gathering riches on earth, Jesus teaches us to store up treasures in heaven.

But how do we actually do that? We could buy a gold chain and keep or invest in shares or bitcoin or have fixed deposits or buy land and houses or basically have a credit balance in our bank account. These are all earthly riches and treasures that we can see and feel, that are tangible and the truth is – much easier to pursue, keep and store.

Treasures in heaven is a totally different creature altogether. We can’t send our gold chain to heaven and neither are there investment schemes or bank accounts that we can credit to here on earth for heaven. Or is there? Or can we actually do that? So I think what bible commentator Craig Bloomberg said is very interesting. Treasures in heaven means spiritual wealth and that means the compassionate use of material resources to meet others’ physical and spiritual needs. Isn’t that such a wonderful interpretation of the concept of storing up riches in heaven?

If we read Matthew 9 carefully, we will see that Jesus in teaching the storing up of treasures in heaven contrasts it with storing up treasures on earth that moth and rust can corrupt and thieves can break in and steal. He speaks about what motivates our hearts and what we serve, whether God or money (mammon).

My cell group member once asked me this question and my answer was that it means doing the things God asked us to do, doing good for others, serving God – these are all the things that will store up our treasures in heaven. But today I will add, use the material resources that we have to help the physical and spiritual needs of others. It doesn’t mean that we do not pursue material resources at all as such resources help us to live and make the world go around (makes human activity possible). But whatever we have, whatever we have gathered and stored; be generous about it, be willing and compassionate to share and help others with it. In the end, it doesn’t matter if we leave this world with only two small boxes of earthly possessions but what matters is have we stored up a room full of treasures in heaven from the many that we have blessed by the generous giving of our money, service and life while we were still alive?

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/03/encouraged-in-god

I think most of us are familiar with the phrase “be a Barnabas”, meaning to say be an encourager. It is better to encourage than to criticise, better to encourage than to tear down or destroy. We edify, we lift someone up, we give kind and assuring words when that person didn’t do a good job or failed at his task or was nervous or afraid. Never mind, you tried your best, work at it and do better the next time. I guess with practice everyone will get better over time. So being an encourager means believing that people should be given second and third chances, believing that people will get better over time.

But I think we should draw the line at flattery, of not facing the real situation but giving a false impression of excellence when there was none. That is not an encouragement but a lie and is rather dangerous as it paints a false picture and inflates the ego when in reality he did a poor job. We should tell it as it is, not being critical or over bearing but tell the truth and yet believing that things can and will be improved if more effort is put into it.

This morning however the message takes the encouragement one step further in the sense that it exalts us to encourage people in the Lord. Jonathan went to David to help him find strength in the Lord. Not only believing that people should be given a chance and that things will get better over time with more practice but that God Himself will make things better. That God will be the ultimate encourager; to exalt, support and propel us forward. We need to find our strength in God, our purpose in God. So being an encourager means we encourage others to find their strength in God, like Jonathan did for David, to find their strength and purpose in God. The Lord will always be the best source of strength as He is our creator and heavenly Father. He loves and cares for us, for our well being, for all that we are doing for Him and for His Kingdom.

Thus be a Barnabas to encourage and lift up others but also be a Jonathan to help others find their strength in God. David remembered what Jonathan did many years down the road and showed undue kindness, grace and mercy to the crippled Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson, by giving him a permanent place to dine at his royal table and restored his house, land, possessions and servants despite Saul having lost the throne to David, despite Saul having tried to kill David a few times to try to prevent him from ascending to the throne. David had no hatred but love for Mephibosheth on the account of Jonathan when kings of old would have eliminated the bloodline of their rivals. You can read about Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel Chapter 9.

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/02/managing-our-gifts

There are spiritual gifts like prophesy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership and mercy (Romans 12:6-8) and yet there are other spiritual gifts like word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophesy, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) as well as is stated in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 like apostle, prophet, teacher, miracles, healings, help, administration and tongues or the five fold ministries in Ephesians 4:11. We know all that and we may have some of them and some of us may operate in these spiritual gifts. The important thing is that whatever is our spiritual gifting, we use it or them to serve others as good stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10). Spiritual gifts are given to us for the sake and the betterment of the brethren, not to glorify or enrich us or to make us popular or famous. It is to facilitate the spiritual growth of the church and the congregation.

But there are other talents that are unique to us like writing or drawing or painting or singing or composing songs or playing musical instruments or studying or sports or computers or games. Each of us are also given such gifts and talents, some are special and unique while some are common and yet still special to us. For example, there are many who can play the guitar or piano, but compared to the person who can’t, we are sort of special and yet we may not be that good compared to those who can. That is why whatever talent or gift we have been given by God, it will always be special and unique to us as there are many who do not have our gifts and talents or have other gifts and talents.

The question today is what are we doing with our gifts and talents? Are we using it to serve God? Are we using it for ministry, for the church, in our Christian fellowship or cell group? Are we using our gifts and talents to reach out and bless people around us, people within our sphere of influence at our corner of the world?

I have a talent in writing and although there are thousands and thousands out there who can write much better than me and have a much wider reach (like journalists or writers of books that reach and are read by millions), I am undeterred and unperturbed and will continue to write my blog so long as the Lord gives me inspiration. Maybe only a hundred people read my blog each day but for me it is good enough that I am able to touch and bless this one hundred people and inspire them to greater heights in their walk with God, that they may respond to God’s calling upon their lives and fulfil His plans and purposes for their lives. The point is to use our gifts and talents to serve one another. Let’s all begin to use our gifts and talents from God for God and His people! Maybe that’s God’s unique calling for us!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/03/01/a-friendly-conversation

Friendships are often premised on neutral grounds whether it is race, religion, work, sports or even political views. So if you are a Manchester United fan, you cannot be critical of Chelsea if your friend is a Chelsea fan. Neutrality means it is ok for you to support Man U while accepting that I support Chelsea. In general, you cannot be on a mission to turn me into an MU fan. When it comes to football clubs, it is usually a life long affiliation and identification although there have been people who have switched sides. However people have usually remained good friends despite different club affiliations because people accept that others may like a different club. That includes political support whether for PN, PH or BN. But emotions run high here and families have known to be split because of different political beliefs and support.

The thing is the world in general have an inherent diversity and that includes different faiths and as much as different faiths have led to conflicts and bloodshed throughout history, governments do make the effort to help societies accept diversity in faiths. We try to help and facilitate different religions to live harmoniously among each other. There can be unity in diversity because diversity breeds strength.

However, as Christians we still have a duty to share the Gospel. Not to convert our friends and relatives but to tell them of the Good News. Even as Paul was in chains, he nevertheless wanted to preach the Gospel fearlessly as the Word of God cannot be bound or chained, which is incidentally the current theme of my local church.

It will always be a risk whether to share the Gospel with our close friends and relatives because the basis of our relationship with them is often premised on neutrality. Yet we must proclaim the Gospel as it is the Good News of mankind being reconciled with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a question of eternity and eternal life, of what happens after we die and depart from this world. It is a risk worth taking because even if our friends do not accept the message, they will not necessarily reject our continued friendship. So, we should pray for them, share the message and continue to be a living testimony of God’s love and glory. Salvation is a gift from God, conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and mankind is always given the freedom of choice, the will to make our own decisions. As in today’s ODB life story, the risk was taken and it was worth the reward – seeing someone accepting the privilege and taking up the challenge to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and be a part of the family of God! Praise the Lord indeed!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/28/choosing-celebration

I guess we cannot avoid making comparisons with our family, friends and colleagues as that is probably one of the ways we are able to know where we stand in relation to others, to form the basis to spur us to go from where we are. We want to progress in our career, ministry and life. Thus comparing ourselves against our parents, our siblings, relatives, friends and colleagues is natural and is not wrong. It’s just that sometimes comparisons give rise to envy and jealousy, and sometimes envy and jealousy could lead us to take more destructive action against the person we are envious of. Thus looking at it from the other perspective, it is also wise not to gloat and pride ourselves too much like a peacock if we are doing well as it could then invoke the envy of others.

How do we avoid envy and jealousy within us? Today’s ODB article suggests that the opposite of envy is celebration and thus we celebrate and be happy despite us lagging behind. I should add that we should work harder at what we do and focus on our work and life but I can see the goodness in celebrating instead of envy. This is because envy in most cases is self induced and thus self destructive. It is something like resentment and unforgiveness and bitterness. Envy just eats us from within and will consume our passion if we allow it to overpower us and take control.

Celebrate and be contented with our lot in life. Work harder if we want to be better. Train and practice more. Find ways to improve ourselves but at the base of it, celebrate what God has given us. Celebrate where we are now. Instead, focus on God’s plans and purposes for us. That is much more important than what we can and have achieved in our life. If we look at this in that perspective, we will see that our worldly and even ministry achievements are nothing compared to what God wants for us to be. That’s what matters most and that’s where most of our energies should be directed to. All others are just fringes. That is core. In the end, we run our own race and have our own finish line. Who reaches first or last does not matter at all, so long as we all reach our finish line and complete our own race. If it helps us to complete our race, by all means compare. If it causes envy and jealousy, resentment and bitterness, unforgiveness and hatred, then don’t. Let us all just commit unto Him our lives and our journey with Him that we will not be distracted by envy but be propelled to move forward by His calling upon our lives to fulfil His plans and purposes for us!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/26/part-of-the-family-2

We have read about the plight of those born as stateless children in Malaysia and how basic rights like schooling, formal work, subsidised medical care are denied them. They are largely confined to find work in the informal economy like giving tuition or the gig economy and some may even be forced to go underground working in the flesh and drug trades and moving around in the shadows. These are not illegal immigrants who may be deported to their home countries but children born here in Malaysia with no other country to call home and yet are not recognised as Malaysian citizens. Somewhat similar to what Paul described in Ephesians 2:19 as foreigners and strangers but not quite. But they are the same if taken in the context of people living among us and yet do not enjoy the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship including the right to participate in the political process as voters and election candidates.

As Christians grafted into the family of God through the blood of Christ shed on the cross of Calvary, we are now no longer foreigners and strangers in the Kingdom of God. We are rightful children of God seated in the heavenly realm as co-heirs with Christ to the rich inheritance of glory in the Kingdom of God with all power and authority in heaven accessible to us in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We can now pray and relate to God the Father in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit now resides in us the same way God resided in the Tabernacle and the Temple of old. That is why we must always be careful to present our bodies as a living sacrifice as it is the temple upon which the presence of God in the form of the Holy Spirit resides.

What is the message this morning? I believe it is two-prong. First, be reminded that we are now rightful children of God, seated together with Christ at the table and having a direct path of communication and relationship with God. We have the authority and power as given us by Christ. Exercise the power and authority in the spiritual realm, exercise it in our lives, take control and command healing and deliverance in our lives. Live the life that God had planned and ordained for us to live, a life that is victorious, joyous and having the peace and presence of God.

Secondly, be reminded that we need to continually work out our salvation with fear abd trembling. Our salvation is assured but there is a purpose for us to be saved. Salvation is not the end by itself. It is the ultimate end but there is a journey we have to walk and travel with God. There is transformation in our mind not to conform to the pattern of this world so that we may discover and test the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. In other words, there is work to be done inside us and there is work to be done outside us in the church, in ministry and generally in the Kingdom of God. Salvation is not just a question of saying the sinner’s prayer. It is much more than that. Our words must be followed by our life story.

Let’s all be thankful that we are now part of the family of God. Rightful children having access to God with power and authority in the spiritual realm and seated in the heavenly places. But remember that with power comes responsibility and thus we must also behave and take up the challenges and responsibilities that come with our position in the family. We must defend and make sure that the honour of the family is preserved and protected at all times. Definitely not docile and uninvolved but always active and “working at it” all the time “getting on with the programme” kind of life and response!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/25/avoid-the-door

Wisdom is multi-facetted. There is insight like the ability to see between issues or read between the lines. There is also prudent behaviour in terms of wise dealing. There is prudence in terms of good judgment or good sense. Wisdom also encompasses knowledge and this includes knowledge of how the world works in dealing with people and the world and how the spiritual world works in dealing with spiritual forces and the heavenly realm. There is also discretion whether in terms of planning ahead or preparing a course of action with foresight or just plain ability to know what to say at the right time and right place. Wisdom also involves discernment especially in spiritual matters. As was mentioned yesterday, everything is permissible but not all things are beneficial and wisdom helps us make that distinction.

Thus when it comes to doors, it is wise to open the door of our heart when Jesus comes knocking as it leads to Jesus coming to live inside us as we enthrone Him as King in our lives. With the door of our heart opened to Jesus, God opens the door to the heavenly realm to us as well as our mind to the mysteries of His kingdom. We can exercise our authority and power as children of God seated together with Christ in the heavenly realm and partaking in our rich inheritance of glory even while still living here on earth as mere mortals but born again spiritual beings.

It is also wise to open the door of our heart to the person God has chosen for us to be our life partner so we may navigate life and our spiritual journey together. Two is better than one in most instances including wisdom as two heads will always be better than one. The counsel of another provides cover for our blind spots and complements our weaknesses. Our views and actions become more balanced when we have the counsel and wisdom of our loved one.

Therefore it is wise to avoid the door of temptation or the seductress. The devil is here to kill, steal and destroy. To kill our relationship with God, to steal our joy and anointing in Christ and to destroy our faith and ministry. But Jesus is instead the way, the truth and the life! Ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find and knock and it shall be opened.

Wisdom is knowing which door to knock, open and enter, which door to flee from. Not every open door leads us to God. Not every door leads us to freedom, joy and salvation. Solomon was wise to choose wisdom above all else. In choosing wisdom, he actually chose God and the ways of God although in the end, he did not use his wisdom wisely. Will we use the wisdom God has given us wisely to avoid doors that lead to destruction and only open doors that lead to God and eternal life?

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/24/follow-the-leader

It’s a prevailing theme in Christian life of putting others first ahead of self. It speaks of selflessness rather than selfishness. We think of the interests of others before ours. It is a strange and somewhat unnatural position to take as human nature dictates that we take care of ourselves first before others. The mind and body is programmed to be self protecting to be naturally putting self preservation as first priority. I can think of two instances where we cannot put others first before ourselves. One is when we are in a plane and the oxygen masks come down. We are to take our own first before attending to others as we will not be useful to anyone if we ourselves are dead. Second is if we are on climb up Mount Everest and reach an area above 8,000m (its height is 8849m) that is known as the Death Zone or Everest’s Graveyard. The oxygen level is so low and it is so difficult to get up there that anyone who is there can only save themselves. If you are in trouble there, you are on your own. That is why people who died there remain there as no one could go so far up there to have the strength to retrieve the dead bodies. It is a zone where you can only use your strength for yourself as that itself is barely enough.

Thus, the conclusion is that it remains a debate that in putting others first should we endanger ourselves in the process? Should we put our lives at risk? Very relevant in our present Covid times. Only Jesus had put everything aside and sacrificed His life for us, for all mankind. There have been other humans who have done so in the past and present but that is not something that is demanded of us as we are in most cases more useful alive than dead unless of course it is a question of denying Christ.

However, so long as it doesn’t involve our life, the standard is to put others first and that includes their conscience as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 10:29. We seek the good of others and in everything we do, we make sure others do not stumble and may keep their conscience clear. We must not act in such a way that will make others feeling doubtful or feeling guilty and so if any act of ourselves may cause someone’s conscience to be affected, then we refrain from doing that thing. So we may do anything, but not everything is beneficial to everyone, nor everything is constructive, not everything is edifying. That is why even though there are actually few restrictions in Christian life, we follow the standards of the community that we live in. We should blend in harmoniously rather stand out like a sore thumb. Always seek the good of others and not ourselves so that they may be saved as Paul advised in 1 Corinthians 10:33. Follow the example of Paul as he follows the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

https://odb.org/MY/2022/02/23/the-challenge-of-the-stars

I just like to point out this morning that even in ancient times during the time when the Psalms were written, God already was regarded as having looked upon mankind as above all other creatures on the earth. That God treated humans with dignity and had crowned us with glory and honour and made us rulers over all the works of His hands. All creatures are under us, whether flocks or herds, wild animals, birds in the sky, fish in the sea and all other marine life. This was in contrast to other faiths existing then which looked at mankind as mere insignificant slaves only to do the bidding of the gods, that mankind existed merely to serve the desires and wishes of the gods.

Why is there a need to challenge the stars? Even as mankind is able to travel to outer space, it is not able to outdo the stars! The stars are just too far away and numerous. The stars are like the sands on the seashore and we a peck. No matter what we do, the stars will remain. Despite the vastness of the universe, God knows us personally. He knows the exact situation we are in every time and all the time. Even as no one knows our thoughts and inner desires, God knows. Our motivations, our sincerity, our weaknesses and blind spots, God knows. The devil doesn’t know but God knows. God knows our exact thoughts and our heart.

What is the message this morning? Know that despite the vastness of the universe as evidenced by the stars that are in the millions and are also millions of miles away from us, God knows us and wants to relate to each and every one of us. There are billions before us, billions now and there will be many to come so long as Christ has not returned and yet we are never just a statistic to God. We are not part of a number in an Excel sheet. We are real people, real flesh and blood who need to care for many other flesh and blood like us around us. There is a face to each and every one of us. There are thousands of thoughts and motivations in each and every one of us. Every second of time something independent is happening with every single one of us and yet God knows every single moment in every single human being, alive today or having existed in the past and coming into existence in the future. Nothing is synchronised, nothing is scripted and yet God is able to make all things come together for good for all who love Him and who are called according to His purposes.

Know that God knows and loves us. Trust in Him, place our hope in Him – He will make our paths straight and smooth despite these trying times. There will be a future for us and our children because we are His people and He is our God. He knows and loves all mankind, but He knows and loves us more for we are His own, having been born again in the Spirit and having been redeemed by the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We are unique and special to Him. Know that.