Grace of giving

https://odb.org/2024/11/12/a-handful-of-rice

It is amazing how a church in poverty could still give and share with others. The churches in Mizoram, India, despite being poor, have given millions to missions and sent out missionaries to all over the world. Surely, it is the grace of God that sustains them. The church in Macedonia is the biblical example of a church that gives out of lack as Paul commended in 2 Corinthians 8.

It puts us to shame if we are a wealthy church and hold on tightly to our monies. The parable of the talents teaches us to use whatever we have to the fullest or else what little we have will be taken away. Don’t hoard our resources, especially money. Put them to good use by blessing others or investing in missions or church planting. We really shouldn’t be burying our talents in the ground. Yes, save for the future and for the rainy day, but we still need to trust God and live out our faith.

At the personal level, there are some who won’t spare even RM50 for a good cause. Yet, there are others who are willing to part with thousands. Perhaps we are not like the latter. Surely we are not like the former! But the amazing ones are the ones who are willing to share despite having little. If we do not have much and still give, it just means that we are forgoing something to bless others. Maybe we go hungry for one meal, to put RM20 into the pocket of one who only gets to eat once every few days. At least we help that downtrodden person have a decent meal. A personal sacrifice like this is akin to the poor woman who put two dimes into the offering box at the temple of God. It was her everything, and yet she gave it all to God.

Most of us are not called to sell our possessions and give them to the poor and needy. But we should at least hold on less tightly to our money. Have the grace of giving. Be genuine and willing to part with our money for worthy causes. Both God and man will be pleased. Even if no one sees, God sees our hearts. So, do you think the Lord will keep us topped up, or will He let us go dry?

Forgive your enemies

https://odb.org/2024/11/11/loving-the-enemy

My local church just had a family retreat, and the teaching was on the Kingdom of God and what it means and how we can have a Kingdom mindset in all that we do. We act and think Kingdom. It’s an attitude that puts God first in our daily lives and spiritual walk. We don’t commit sin and then use grace to get forgiveness. When no one sees, we still honour God because He sees. Our spiritual life is genuine and sincere. It’s not a performance for people to see. Our death is not the finish line as we have a legacy and a testimony to safeguard that will extend into future generations. In everything that we do, we think Kingdom and that is long term. If we put the Kingdom of God and His righteousness first, all the other things will be added unto us. We don’t need to incur unnecessary stress to “succeed” in life. Just obey and follow Jesus and focus on the Kingdom, God will take care of the rest.

This brings us to the topic for this morning. Are we able to forgive and love those who mock, insult, and bully us? Jesus did so on the way to the Cross. The guards and those around them mocked and insulted Him, yet He asked the Father to forgive them for they knew not what they were doing. They humiliated Jesus when they crucified Him among hardened criminals and drew lots for His clothes. Yet Jesus forgave them. He was not distracted from His mission to save mankind. You may read this in Luke 22 and 23. At the start of His ministry, Jesus was also not distracted by the temptations of the devil despite being extremely hungry after fasting for 40 days. He stayed focused on his ministry and calling. Jesus was Kingdom minded. If we are like Jesus, if we are Kingdom-minded, forgiving those who insult, mock, or bully us is actually quite trivial. We have more important things in life to think and care about.

In life, we can not avoid skirmishes with others. There will be those who insult us, who ignore or who are rude to us. There will be others who are prejudiced towards us, who are racially biased, or brand us a failure in life compared to them. We may not be the top guy in our organisation’s hierarchy or earn RM100,000 a month or have millions to our name. Our self-worth and self-esteem come from God’s love and grace towards us. God provides for us, and Jesus has prepared us a place in His Father’s heavenly mansion of many rooms. Most importantly, our names are written in the Book of Life, and we will have our reward and our place at the new heaven and new earth at the end of age. Never lose sight of our eternal destiny, always have a Kingdom mindset.

Have a great week ahead, everyone! Be Kingdom-minded all the time, in all that we do. Think, act, and live a life of Kingdom. Always ask ourselves, will God be pleased? Will our actions and reactions advance the Kingdom of God? Will we always do the right thing when no one sees but only God? Will we be like Abraham, who obeyed despite not knowing where God was actually leading? Or Moses, who went up to Mount Nebo to die, where he could see the Promised Land but was not permitted to enter despite having spent 40 years leading the Israelites to enter the land? Or could we be like Joseph, who fled temptation, although he could have rationalised his sin?

Our service to God

https://odb.org/2024/11/09/serving-with-love

1 Peter 4: 7-10 NIV – 7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mindf so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithfull stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

One of the fundamental aspects of our faith besides faith itself (pardon the pun) is service. As believers, our mission in life once we come to faith is to serve God in whatever capacity we can, whether in church, at work, or wherever we are. Our lives are an extension of the Kingdom. We must be Kingdom-minded and all that we do, we do it for, and so that it advances the Kingdom. We are a reflection of Christ, the glory of God. We must be at our best behaviour all the time. Even if no one sees, God sees. Wherever we are, in our small corner of the world, we are the Kingdom of God.

When it comes to Kingdom service, there are a variety of ways we can help out. Coming to church itself (as opposed to tuning in from home and watching the service like a spectator sport) is a form of service as by turning up, we encourage others to also do so. There is strength in numbers, and there is also community in congregating. In church, if we are cheerful and pleasant, we encourage others to come to church, not only for the service but also for the fellowship. We can and should be a source of encouragement and even inspiration for others to turn up on Sunday morning.

Going deeper, we may serve in specific ministries. In hospitality, in music, in ushering, in missions, etc. We could also support the church or missions or even specific individuals with our finances. We earn in the world and use our earnings for Kingdom purposes for the expansion of the Kingdom. We sow into the Kingdom with our money, little it may be.

A key point in service is our own God-given talents and gifts, spiritual or natural. We can make an effort to develop and hone our skills, especially if we are musicians. But it’s best to start from wherever we are with what we already have and grow along as we serve God. Whatever talents we have, use them first. It is not the talents that matter but our service. Use whatever God-given talents for the Kingdom of God!

Have a good weekend! Prepare ourselves today for tomorrow’s service. Start by coming to church in person, physically, and move away from the virtual. Go out and meet air-breathing flesh and blood and serve God by just interacting and encouraging others!

Timing of God

https://odb.org/2024/11/08/gods-timing-2

Do we need to pray and seek God in all that we do, including going on a vacation? No, not really. But it is prudent to do so. It could be a part of our daily communication with Him where if we could, we would like to share as much as possible with Him. Yes, God is omniscient, all- knowing. But praying and talking to Him enhances our interactions with Him, drawing us closer to Him. So if there is impending danger, He could forewarn us like He did with Noah or like He sent the two angels to rescue Lot and his family from the then coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The other thing about God’s timing is that He makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We may be struggling in life right now, but in time to come, we will be comfortable. We may be going through much persecution now, but the day will come when we experience true liberation from the oppression. Or we may be suffering from an illness and have been praying for healing. Or we may be stagnant in our faith and have been asking God for a breakthrough. Or we may have been praying for the finances to travel for missions or just to go for a mission trip to preach the Gospel or to strengthen the body of Christ elsewhere. Or we may have been praying for the opportunity to start or plant a new church or work. Or we have been seeking God for a life partner to settle down and start a family or just have some progression in our career.

God will come through in His time as He will work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Trust in the Lord. Commit our ways to Him, and He will make our paths straight. In all that we do, acknowledge Him. See Proverbs 3:6.

He knows what is best for us, for He loves and careth for us. Jesus is our Lord and Saviour and Father God is our Heavenly Father, and He has sent us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and to guide and strengthen our faith.

Have a good weekend ahead, everyone!

Other people’s business

https://odb.org/2024/11/07/other-peoples-business

Philippians 4:2-3 NIV I plead with Euodia, and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

I was away for the past weekend attending a conference on the Second Coming of Christ in Ipoh during the Diwali break. Although I live in Seremban and Petaling Jaya now, I was born in Ipoh. I never did live long in Ipoh as I grew up elsewhere, but I carry 05 as my birthplace in my NRIC. Ipoh is the city of my parents and forefathers, so it holds a special place in my heart. When I was growing up, we used to go back once a year during the year-end holidays or for Chinese New Year.

On the Second Coming, there are pre, mid, and post tribulation assertions. But the key takeaway from the conference is to be prepared in our hearts and faith as many will be led astray and many will fall away. Persecution is very much in church history, right from its inception as seen in the Acts of the Apostles. Yet the church never fell away! There was always a remnant who prevailed throughout the ages. So it shall be if we have to go through the great tribulation if, for example, the rapture of the church actually occurs post tribulation! God will protect His people and keep us safe, but if martyrdom is our calling, it is a gift of God.

Matthew 24 ESV 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation  and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another

Coming back to the topic at hand, the usual stance of Christians in Malaysia, especially those of Malaysian Chinese, is to mind our own business. We seldom interfere or intervene in other people’s quarrels. However, if it is within the body of Christ and it has an impact on the faith of the body, we will have no choice as responsible leaders and elders to help resolve the issue. In the case of Paul, he intervened in the dispute between Euodia and Syntyche despite his incarceration. He pleaded with the two women to have the same mind in the Lord as their names are written in the Book of Life.

The message this morning is that if our ancestors were originally migrants in a foreign land, we may have been brought up to avoid trouble by minding our own business. There may, however, be times when we may be compelled to intervene in other people’s disputes for the sake of the Lord. Act as we may be prompted by the Holy Spirit. In all situations, by prayer and supplication, so that the peace that transcends all understanding will be upon us! Amen!

Promises of God

https://odb.org/2024/10/30/a-beautiful-surprise

Isaiah 4:2-3 In that day, the Branch of the Lordu will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and gloryx of the survivor in Israel. 3 Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.

Scripture demonstrated that Israel, as a nation, although it suffered devastation, a beautiful branch arose out of it that made the Abrahamic Covenant with God come to pass. God promised that Abraham would have offspring as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on seashore, and they would be a blessing unto the nations. The Israelites were overrun by the Assyrians and exiled into Babylon. They were later allowed to return to Israel to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem. Out of the line of those who returned, Jesus came to earth and redeemed mankind for God and through all of us who believe in Jesus, including those who came before us and those who will come, we are a blessing to all mankind.

I’ve said this before in these pages that if you are a living person in those ancient times, you will not live to see the promises of God as those promises came to pass only generations later. But we are the spiritual Israel, and if we apply the same into our lives, the application is that we will see the promises of God fulfilled in our lifetimes. Israel, as a nation, saw to fruition God’s promises. So will we as the spiritual Israel! There could be times of desolation and destruction like Babylon, and there could be times of exile and captivity. Yet the time will come when God’s promises will be realised and come true.

Cling on to the LORD. Hang on to those promises of God. One day, we will experience them. It will become reality! Don’t give up and lose hope. Toil on and persevere through. He is able and will bring them all to pass, one by one, step by step! Amen! Hallelujah!

Pray continually

https://odb.org/2024/10/29/pause-to-pray

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

At first glance, Paul exhortation for us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to pray continually is impractical and impossible. How can we pray continually when we need to live life, involving many other actions, from eating, bathing, travelling, working, etc? We are not monks devoted to a life of only prayer, isolated from the world. We are in the world although we are not of the world.

But if we dig deeper, we will realise that Paul is saying this, knowing fully well that we need to live life. There are many other things to do and attend to. Yet, in the midst of all that we do, we can pray continually. Praying constantly, whether in words or the spirit. Every chance we have, we pray and speak to God. Rejoicing always that we are in Him. Giving thanks constantly for His goodness and blessings. In all situations, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God. When we achieve something, praise God and thank Him. When we missed something – like when we came back to the city late yesterday night, we forgot to bring back the clothes iron we wanted to exchange with, we still thank Him for today and the days to come. This morning, we don’t have an iron to press our clothes. Fortunately, my darling wife has an alternative – a steam iron that people use at boutiques. Not the best, but let’s pray that it works!

Pray continually, meaning we pray and remember God in every situation. In all that we do, we commit ourselves unto Him. We commit our plans to Him, immediate, short-term, or long-term. I will be attending a difficult meeting with the client later – I commit it unto the Lord. I will be reviewing a tough and lengthy document later, and I pray and commit my time and effort unto God. Pray continually for those who need our prayers. For people who are sick, undergoing treatment, in financial need, or going through persecutions. Or for those organising a big event like their wedding. Come to think of it, if we want to, there are a thousand and one prayer items that we can pray for!

Esau and Jacob

https://odb.org/2024/10/28/getting-rid-of-baggage

The forgiveness by Esau of the cunning but changed Jacob is one of the highlights of the book of Genesis and serves as an example of what God expects from us as His children when it comes to our own forgiveness of others.

Jacob committed two major “transgressions” against Esau. The first is buying Esau’s birthright with a bowl of soup – see Genesis 25: 29-43. The second was, with his mother Rebecca, tricked Isaac to give his blessings to Jacob by pretending to be Esau – Genesis 27:1-29. The father’s blessings in Jewish tradition are akin to the last will and testament but encompass more. It includes the spiritual blessing of the covering and goodness of God Almighty. It is reserved for the firstborn. Although Jacob and Esau are twins, Esau was the elder. But Jacob tricked Isaac to give him that and then fled the scene.

Isaac had his fair share of trials and tribulations in facing the trickier Laban, but in the process, he became quite wealthy, perhaps because of the blessings of Jacob opening the heaven’s doors and blessing him. In Genesis 32, he was to meet Esau, and he was fearful and terrified that Esau, with his 400 men, would take his life. But in Genesis 33, God turned the sitiation around for Jacob as Esau forgave him and accepted his atonement for his past transgressions against him.

In our context, it is time as Christians whom God first loved and forgave through Christ Jesus, that we ourselves must move on and leave our past emotional baggage behind. Forgive and even forget. What’s passed is past. Leave them behind. Don’t carry a heavy weight around our neck while we progress in our spiritual walk. God must have had a purpose to allow those things to happen. There’s no point drunking poison, hoping someone else will die. In fact, don’t even pray for God to avenge us. It has happened, and let it be. Because of what we had gone through in the past, God will have better and bigger things for us, even on this side of eternity! Be like Esau – forgive Jacob, and move on.

Have a great week ahead, everyone! May the LORD our God grant us wisdom and discernment in all that we do that we may glorify Christ in all things! Amen!

Born again

https://odb.org/2024/10/27/born-again

John 3:5-6 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

The most fundamental aspect of our faith is the need to be born again in Christ Jesus, and in this context, Jesus uses the phrase, “born of water and the Spirit” in John 3:5. It means that we have gone through the process of accepting Jesus in our hearts as our Lord and Saviour, who died for our sins and reconciled us back to God the Father. Our salvation is by the grace of God, justified by our faith in Christ Jesus and not by own good deeds as the original sin of man can only be washed clean by the redemptive and sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God on the cross. In the process, we are also given the Helper, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our hearts.

In other words, we have personally accepted Jesus into our lives. Once we have done that, our spirit is made alive, and we can communicate directly with God with the help of the Holy Spirit. We thus have a new birth in the spiritual realm. The spiritual realm is now open to us, and we can operate in that realm, interceding for the saints and fighting spiritual battles with spiritual forces. That is why believers have two births and only one death, but those who reject the message of the Gospel have one birth but two deaths (physical and later eternal death).

The message this morning, I believe, is a reminder that once we are born again, we are activated spiritual beings. We are and always have been spiritual beings. It’s just that once Christ comes into our lives, our spirit is activated and made alive. We have power and authority in Christ Jesus. We have a destiny in Christ. God’s plans and purposes for our lives are also activated, and we need to align our goals and aspirations with God’s plans and purposes.

Have a good time praising and worshipping God today in church at the Sunday worship service today! Remember that we are born again activated spiritual beings! We will be able to meet the Father face to face as we worship Him in spirit and in truth! Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!

Running away from God

https://odb.org/2024/10/25/whale-watching

Jonah in the belly of a large marine creature

While it is generally true that if we do not respond to God’s calling, He will choose or call someone else to do the work. The principle is true because the sovereign will of God will be achieved independent of the originally chosen one. Thus, when Saul didn’t meet the LORD’s expectations, He raised up David and Jesus came to earth through the lineage of David. When Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and accepted the silver from the Pharisees out to kill Jesus, the LORD raised up Paul to be next Apostle of Christ even though Paul did not have the privilege of living with the Christ during his 3 years plus ministry tenure on earth. Nevertheless, Jesus met and taught Paul in the spiritual realm, showing him certain things that he was not allowed to tell the world.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 NIV: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.

There are, however, times when God will pursue His chosen one until he relents and accepts his calling. Jonah is a great example. When God asked that he preach to the people of Niniveh for them to repent, seeing their wickedness, he ran the other way. But God pursued him until the belly of the great fish. Jonah was about to die, and he called out to God, and the LORD answered him.

Jonah 2:1-2 NIV: From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress, I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

In the end, Jonah preached, and the people of Niniveh accepted his message and repented of their sins, and God spared them their lives.

If God calls us, don’t run away. Let Him achieve His plans and purposes through us because His plans and purposes are for our lives. We will live in the centre of His will when we positively respond to God’s calling for us. If we are like Moses, who felt he was handicapped, God gave him his brother Aaron to be his spokesperson. Likewise, God will send us help to train us up in our areas of weakness. Commit and trust our lives unto Him. Nothing is better here on earth than living in the house of the Lord as surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives – Psalm 23:6. Relent and allow the goodness and blessings of God to overwhelm and overflow in our lives! Hallelujah, praise the Lord!