Ronnie's Thoughts

Jesus, the branch from David

https://odb.org/2024/10/21/the-branch

Jeremiah 33:14-15 NIV: 14 ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfil the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 ‘In those days and at that time, I will make a righteous branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

The sculptured Cross at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, Arizona

Just the day before, as we were talking, my wife just mentioned that one of the significant differences of our faith that reflects the reality of God is the fulfilment of the various prophesies in the bible. Jeremiah, a prophet of God with the book that bears his name, active during the reign of King Josiah until the fall of Jerusalem prophesied about the coming of Christ during those ancient times. God spoke through Jeremiah of raising up the Messiah, which is Jesus Christ, the righteous branch, through the line of David. The sculptured cross at the Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona, beautifully symbolises, by its old dead vertical trunk, the old tribes of the Israelites who rejected God while other trunk that is reaching upwards and branches out represents the flourishing tribe of Judah and the line of David.

Jeremiah 33:14-15 is one of the many prophesies of the Old Testament fulfilled by Jesus Christ. In the New Testament, we have a whole book of Revelation that speaks of the future, the signs and times before the second coming of Christ, the great tribulation, the Great White Throne of God, the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ until the new heaven and new earth, and the new Jerusalem with Christ and God living among His people once again.

In the span of our lives, we may have received our own fair share of prophesies. Be patient and continue to persevere on in our walk of faith. The day will come when the prophesies for our own lives will become reality in the course of the LORD’s own timing in accordance with His perfect will. Some prophesies may only be fulfilled when we are spiritually ready in our hearts. Don’t give up believing and trusting God. Instead, continue in our steadfast love for Him, serving Him with all our strength, soul, mind, and heart; allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us day by day into the image of Christ!

Have an examplary week ahead, everyone fulfilling God’s plans and purposes for our lives! I pray that the LORD our God will grant us wisdom and discernment in our daily tasks as we discharge our responsibilities at work, in college, at home, and in church! Amen!

The payoff

https://odb.org/2024/10/20/the-payoff

When we think about the payoff for our faith, we inevitably look to the present and the natural. In fact, this is how most believers pitch the Gospel, that Jesus will transform our lives for the better. Jesus will heal us. God will break bondages and the shackles of sin. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt is a picture of how God brings us from a life of slavery in the world to a life of freedom and victory in the Promised Land. From living under the rulership of the ruler of the world to the kingdom of God where we live in the centre of the will of God for our lives. On earth, the best place to be is the place where we are fulfilling God’s plans and purposes for our lives. The kingdom of God is where His children are living in His will, wherever we are is the kingdom of heaven.

The promise of a better and more fulfilling life is premised on one of the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ recorded in Matthew 6:33 NKJV:

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

As Solomon in all his wealth and grandeur and wisdom concluded in Ecclesiastes, everything is meaningless unless we have God, Jesus teaches that if we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first, all these things shall be added unto you. On top of a place in eternity in the new heaven and new earth in Eden recreated, we will have an abundant life here on earth too! A life lived with God and Jesus as our Lord. Will a father give you a snake if you ask for a fish? Luke 11:11-13. Surely God will not give you a horrendous and difficult life if you are His child? We will not escape the daily struggles of life that everyone goes through by becoming believers, but we will have the Holy Spirit and Jesus going through life with us. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you!

The payoff will thus be here on earth as well in heaven. The goodness of God and His grace and mercies and blessings will follow us for the rest of our days as we dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever.

Have a great time worshipping God today! Let’s give Him all glory and celebrate His goodness in church today! He deserves all honour, glory, and worship! Amen!

Elijah fleeing from Jezebel

https://odb.org/2024/10/18/scraped-butter

In the Transfiguration, Jesus met Elijah and Moses. Spiritually, Jesus represented the New Covenant while Moses represented the Old Covenant and Elijah the Prophets. Or seen in another perspective, Jesus represented the grace of God, while Moses represented the Law, and Elijah represented the power of God. Besides Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as the forefathers of the faith and Moses, the bearer of the Mosaic law, Elijah can be considered as one of the key and major figure of the Old Testament. He performed miracles with the power of God, foretelling the coming of Christ and the latter’s healings, signs, and wonders.

In 1 Kings 18, at Mount Carmel, Elijah called fire from the heavens and consumed a drenched bull followed by rain during a long period of severe famine and drought. The 450 prophets of Baal tried from dawn till dusk to call fire and failed. With the victory, Elijah killed all the 450 prophets of Baal. When Queen Jezebel, the patron of Baal during the reign of King Ahab, heard the news, she vowed to kill Elijah. Elijah, just fresh from the highest peak of his career as a prophet of God, feared for his life and ran as quickly and as far away as possible from Jezebel. After reaching Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant behind and travelled one day into the wilderness, and then as he laid down to rest, he asked God to take his life. He confessed to God that he was no better than his ancestors.

The LORD did not take his life but sent an angel to later wake and feed him twice. After that, he travelled 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb and, in a cave, met God in a still small voice, a silent whisper. God was not found in the wind or the earthquake. In the process, the LORD relieved Elijah of his calling and instructed him to mentor and pass on his anointing to Elisha.

The preplexing thing about arguably the most powerful prophet of God as recorded in the bible is that despite his witnessing of God’s mighty display of power before his very eyes, he feared for his life when he was threatened by Jezebel. After proving that Baal was nothing compared to Yahweh at Carmel, he ran for his life. He admitted that he was no better than his ancestors. He was afraid and fell into depression despite being one of the most powerful of prophets.

I feel that the lesson for us is that no matter what we may have achieved for God in our lives, we may still reach a stage when we may suddenly feel we are unworthy of God’s love. We may feel God is not there for us anymore. Or that we have exhausted God’s grace or anointing. Or that we are a spent force or have burnt out. We may, like Elijah, fall into depression. It may not be as soon as Elijah, so soon after his peak. Nevertheless, depression may come.

None of us are immune from depression. We need to be watchful and always go back to God. In Elijah’s case, God nursed and stregthened him back to strength. Later, the LORD met him at Mount Horeb and gave him a new commission. If we are ever in such a situation, seek out Jesus for Him to give us rest and perhaps a new calling and commission. We will then have a new lease of life in God. From Carmel to the wilderness to Horeb! Amen!

Manna from heaven

https://odb.org/2024/10/17/gods-provision

It is one of the great and amazing miracles in the Bible that the Israelites could survive in the desert for 40 years without any proper farming. In fact, a whole new generation was raised in the wilderness to enter the Promised Land with Caleb and Joshua. To put the scale in perspective, there were about 600,000 able bodied male adults (20 years and above) who were delivered from Egypt, and if we were to include women and children, the Israelites in total should number circa 2 million.

God fed them manna from heaven every day, where a new ration will come in the next morning, and they were to take as much as they needed for their daily needs. The manna can not be kept overnight except for the ration that came on the day before the Sabbath, which would last two days. It speaks of the daily provision of God in our lives, that as believers, we somehow will never go hungry. God provided water from the rock that Moses struck with his staff. The Israelites were not moving about in the wilderness in those forty years as they actually spent most of their time in an oasis south of Canaan called Kadesh Barnea. As much as God is a God of miracles, He is also practical in using nature, which is also His creation and provision for humanity.

An important lesson for us today, I believe, is that no matter how much we may be struggling in our lives, our God will meet our needs. He will ensure that we will not starve. In fact, over time, He will prosper us and give us an abundant life here on earth, a life that is filled with His love, joy, and peace. Do our part. Obey Him and serve Him. Believe in His provision and providence. Commit our lives to Him. He is El-Shaddai, the Almighty God, the All Sufficient One. He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. Amen!

Speed of joy

https://odb.org/2024/10/16/the-speed-of-joy

“Speed of joy” is a phrase coined by Sheridan Voysey, a writer based in Oxford, United Kingdom, who regularly writes for Our Daily Bread. It speaks of the pace of working, a pace that brings us joy instead of too much pressure and anxiety.

At work, we either work frantically, complete our tasks as soon as possible, or work at a more leisurely pace. In privately owned enterprises, the tendency is the former. While for government linked organisations, it is more the latter. Of course, a lot depends on the urgency of the work. Even for GLCs, if it is to respond to an outside tender, the pace is still frantic as tenders usually have very tight deadlines. But when the timelines are in our hands, GLCs don’t rush because there are many things to consider, and thus, a more conservative approach is taken. There are a few layers of bureaucracy, and compliance is emphasised rather than commercial expediency.

A work pace that is quick is actually quite necessary in the real world. Opportunities come and go, and don’t wait around for anyone. So, if we are slow to respond or fail to plan well in advance, we will be left behind. The aerotrain situation at KLIA is one example as well as the current predicament faced by MAS, which failed to periodically refresh their fleet. But a fast-paced work-life does bring unwanted pressures and anxieties that may lead to health issues. For example, long hours may tire us so much that we have little leisure time leading to little family time or lack of exercise, causing mental as well as physical issues.

If it is possible, we should all work at the speed of joy, a pace that brings us joy, especially the joy of the Lord that comes from loving Him. In John 15:9-11, Jesus taught us the following:

NIV 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Perhaps it is not possible when we are starting out in our career when we are learning the ropes. Let’s pray that the day will come when the Lord will open the door for us so we may work at the speed of joy, with a worklife balance that safeguards our health, our family relationships, our mental state and our spiritual walk and service to God.

Discipline in our walk

https://odb.org/2024/10/15/the-disciplined-life

If you’ve been to a gym before, you will know that one can go there for cardiovascular exercises. In other words, the gym is not only about doing weights to build muscles. For me, I go there to just walk and run and maybe do a few rounds of simple weights. More to strengthen than to build. The rule of exercise, however, is that we need to put in a minimal amount of time. We can not go and run for 5 mins and then go home. Whether we brisk walk, slow jog, or sprint, it’s up to our fitness level, but we need to put in at least 20 mins of effort. The good thing is that if we are on the treadmill or other machines, they have a calorie count, and thus, we can set targets like 200 or 300 cal. But fundamental to exercise is the need for discipline. For exercise to be effective, we need to do it regularly, like perhaps 4 to 5 days a week, rather than 4 to 5 days a month. There is always a start, and we can keep things slow at first, but we need to keep at it.

The use of the imagery of athletes by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9 to describe our spiritual walk was apt as Corinth hosted the Isthmian games on the years before and even after the ancient Olympic games. Thus, the early Christians could relate to the imagery the same way we could in modern times. We need discipline to maintain self-control. We need discipline to keep a regular quiet time. We should pray every day and not only when in church or occasionally. In other words, in the “busyness” of our daily routine, we need to allocate time for worship, prayer, and reading of the Word. Basically, to inoculate basic spiritual tasks that require discipline for regularity. If we do not have discipline, we may do all these once or twice a month when we should be doing it every day.

As this week progresses, besides all the things we need to do in college or at work or at home, be disciplined and set up a time for God and keep at it on a regular basis. Like an athlete, keep at it until the very end! Make it our routine until our dying day! Amen!

Try a little kindness

https://odb.org/2024/10/14/simple-acts-of-kindness

There is a Glen Campbell song I sang quite often when growing up, “Try a little kindness.” https://youtu.be/MvswocNN-g8?si=CE9uWhwApWZ7R-Dt

Verse: If you see your brother standing by the road. With a heavy load from the seeds, he sowed. And if you see your sister falling by the way. Just stop and say, “You’re going the wrong way.”
Chirus: You’ve got to try a little kindness
Yes, show a little kindness.
Just shine your light for everyone to see.
And if you try a little kindness.
Then you’ll overlook the blindness.
Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.
Verse: Don’t walk around the down and out. Lend a helping hand instead of doubt.
And the kindness that you show every day
Will help someone along their way.

As Christians, we can not avoid being kind. Not only is it one of the 9 attributes of the fruit of the Spirit, but our Lord is by nature kind and compassionate. As we carry His name as Christians (Christianos in Greek, meaning “little anointed ones” or “little Christ”), it is impossible for us not to be kind. It is not unusual to hear about nasty Christians as we are still human, but it is uncommon. A nasty Christian is actually quite an oxymoron. It is an incompatible statement as there should only be kind believers of Jesus Christ.

When Ruth asked Boaz why he was so kind to her that he asked her to only glean exclusively at his farm, and he had instructed his workers to purposely leave behind more for her, Boaz answered because he heard of her kindness leaving her land and people to be with her mother in law in a foreign land after her husband died.

Ruth 2:10-11 NIV –

10 At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?” 11 Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.

The thing is, as demonstrated by Scripture, kindness begets kindness. If we are kind, people will be kind to us too. God will be happy with us for properly reflecting His glory in our lives, and we, in return, receive kindness from others. That is surely a win-win situation! Why then would we want to be a nasty Christian?

Try a little kindness. Show a little kindness. Just shine your light for everyone to see. Then, you’ll overlook the blindness of the narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets. Praise the Lord!

Two is better than one

https://odb.org/2024/10/13/conquering-mountains-together

“If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” The saying is apt to describe our Christian walk as our walk of faith is never about going fast but far. We want to last until our dying breath or until the Lord returns, loving Him and serving Him. Living a life worthy of His name and calling, a living sacrifice dedicated to His Kingdom and His purposes.

The friendship of David and Jonathan exemplified the strength of friendships in Christ, bringing us far. Despite being heir to the throne of his father, King Saul, Jonathan stood with David and looked to David as the true heir ordained by the LORD. He forged an unwavering friendship with David. When Saul wanted to kill David, Jonathan defended David and nearly got himself killed by Saul’s spear. It is unfortunate that Jonathan died in battle with Saul and did not help David rule Israel. But David remembered Jonathan, and when he became King, he took care of Jonathan’s crippled son, Mephibosheth. David restored to Mephibosheth his father’s house, lands, and servants and gave him a permanent place to dine at his table.

Two is better than one indeed! Mountains look smaller and less insurmountable when you have a partner. Often, my darling wife spurs me on to greater heights in my faith and makes certain tasks or responsibilities manageable because she is there supporting and encouraging me. I tended to believe in myself more when I knew she was with me.

But this is not restricted to our spouses. We should also have a friend or mentor to encourage and spur us on to greater expoloits in the Kingdom of God. Someone to help us achieve God’s promises, plans, and purposes for our lives together. Most churches are started, planted, and established by the joint efforts of like-minded brethren working together for the glory of God.

Have a good and wonderful Sunday worship today, everyone! As we worship God, ask the Lord to partner us with someone so we may serve God together for His sake!

Pray continually

https://odb.org/2024/10/11/pray-always

As parents, we occasionally get that phone call from our sons telling us about the milestones in their lives. Like the day my elder son received his UK skilled worker visa after he and his employer each had invested substantial sums to apply for it. Or when my second son felt he had messed up one of the questions in his exam paper or he was relieved having done well in his Maths paper. As Ivan is working in a fintech and running a small online business, he is very busy. He usually calls us during his lunch time (our dinner time in Malaysia) on his way home to send out deliveries for his customers or to take delivery of his own stock purchases from the concierge of his apartment building. Contemporary telecommunication advancements have enabled inter-continental voice and video calls at the price of a broadband subscription, unlike the prohibitive ISDN or fixed line calls of the past.

Similarly, we may want to give thanks to God for certain milestones in our lives. Or even for more mundane stuff, like having completed a draft of a document for the client or having closed a transaction.

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

It can only be good for our spiritual life if we maintain constant contact with the Lord in prayer as we rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. Even when something bad occurs, we still give thanks to God for preserving our lives that we may live to serve Him another day. We live to fight another battle next time. Constant communication keeps us close with God, like with our sons, despite Ivan, my elder one, living thousands of miles away. We will still miss doing things together, but at least we could speak to him and see him in video calls.

The message this morning is to pray continually, having constant communication with our Lord. In terms of attitude, rejoice always and give thanks for all that we are going through, good or bad, happy or sad. God always has a purpose for the happenings in our lives. Put our trust in Him that He will make all things good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Forgiveness and God

https://odb.org/2024/10/10/love-beyond-boundaries

A believer husband, in a sudden onset of severe mental illness, took the life of his own 4-year-old daughter. Although the plea of insanity may absolve a person from murder and the possible resulting capital punishment, he will be committed to a mental institution, and the incarceration may last for decades. It is not prison, but he will be living among the mentally ill. Despite such pain, agony, and grief, his believer wife was able to forgive and visit him, and in the process, their love grew despite the heartache. God helped her forgive as much as He commanded us to forgive, for He first forgave us.

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV – For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Mark 11:25 NIV – And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

There are no conditions or prerequisites to forgiveness. It is not dependent on whether the wrongdoer became repentant or whether he or she sought our forgiveness. The command is to forgive, failing which He will likewise not forgive us our sins. If we keep unforgiveness in our hearts, we will become separated from God again despite the redemptive blood of Christ. Unforgiveness may lead to bitterness and resentment and hate – all characteristics contrary to love. That is why we must forgive, no matter painful reality is, as God is love.

Harsh as it may sound, the Lord will not leave us as we are, most fortunately. For He knows our pain and sorrow. As much as His command is to forgive, He will help us forgive. For nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). That is the key to true, sincere, and genuine forgiveness. Our Lord Jesus Christ will help us. The Holy Spirit will strengthen our resolve and heal us of our pain and sorrow. Our Heavenly Father will encourage and support us to forgive.

We may have experienced betrayals by our loved ones. Some terrible things may have been perpetrated against us. We may have lost much in the past due to some evil plot affecting us for certain people’s convenience or progression. Do not look back, but look ahead towards our Lord Jesus Christ, to the things He has planned and prepared for us. Forgive and move on. Grief and shed our tears, but forgive. Don’t allow our past to become a yoke that weighs us down in our spiritual endeavours. Take up Jesus’s yoke, for His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He is gentle and humble. See Matthew 11:28-30.