Christ’s atonement and redeeming sacrifice

https://odb.org/2026/02/10/the-exchange

Romans 6:4–12 (NIV): 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Elijah had accidentally ripped a ten-dollar bill while playing with his friends. But instead of admonishing him, his father offered to exchange the torn bill with a fresh one from his wallet. “Why would you do that?” Elijah asked, confused. “For one, you’re my son,” his father explained. “It’s also a reminder of what Jesus did for us. Because Jesus came and gave His life in exchange for ours, we can now live new lives.” (Jasmine Goh, Our Daily Bread 10th February 2026)

If someone accidentally ripped a RM50 bill, you’d not likely take out a RM50 note from your own wallet and replace it for him. But you would possibly do it if it’s your own son. Why? Because you’ll always want the best for your children. Parents tend to overcompensate as the day will come when our babies will not need us anymore. So you’ll want to give them what you can while you still can. For example, once retired you’ll be more careful with money as you will not likely have a continued source of income. The love parents have for their own flesh and blood is total, complete and unlimited.

I’ll say that it’s not the best illustration but nevertheless a good one on what it means to have Jesus having died for our sins. There was no need for Jesus to die for our sins. He could have remained in heaven. He could have just chilled and watched as the world went by. With only a bunch of Jews, numbering maybe a few million, trying their best to follow the law and sacrificing an unblemished lamb once a year at the Temple in atonement of their sins. Justification by the law is, of course, tough, in fact, quite impossible. Thus the sacrifice. But atonement is a regular affair. It has to be repeated every year. Moreover it was only for a few million souls, not the millions out there, throughout generations.

That is why God sent His one and only Son to the world so that we may not perish but have everlasting life as per John 3:16. Christ became that Lamb of God to take away the sins of mankind. To atone and to redeem once and for all the sins of humankind. Did He need to do it? No! But He chose to because He loved us. We are all God’s beloved children. The LORD God sacrificed His first born for the sake of our souls.

I think the message this morning is not so much the message of salvation. That we all know so well. But more that we should hold on lightly to material things. Helping someone in need can sometimes be a turning point for that person. Even if he or she is not our child, we should still help as it would mean much to that person. Always remember, when we die, we will bring nothing over except our memories and experiences and that include our service and good deeds. Do good and be kind. Build up our treasures in heaven, whenever we could. Don’t be afraid to lose material things. As we help others, we are building up our riches in heaven! Amen!

Ego and its consequences

https://odb.org/2026/02/09/how-the-proud-fall

Proverbs 18: 9-12 NIV – 9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale. 12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

John Taylor was a British eye surgeon in the 1700s who, driven by arrogance, fabricated a prestigious reputation. He pursued celebrities and became the personal eye doctor for King George II. Taylor traveled the country performing medical shows that promised miracle cures, often escaping towns under the cover of night carrying bags overflowing with villagers’ cash. However, records suggest Taylor was a charlatan and likely blinded hundreds of patients. History remembers him not as a medical luminary but as the man who destroyed the eyesight of two of the century’s greatest composers: Bach and Händel. (Winn Collier, Our Daily Bread 9th February 2026).

One of the things recruiters look out for in a candidate’s resume is the frequency of job changes. An oft-repeated idiom to describe this is “a rolling stone gathers no moss”. It’s a double edged saying as it looked positive but is actually criticising someone who didn’t spend enough time at one place to gather sufficient skill and experience. People who can do this in real life are often those in sales as organisations are willing to hire sales people based on their perceived experience but when the results are not forthcoming (easily measurable), they are also easily terminated.

But a more dangerous trend at work is having the attitude not to learn something properly. There’s also a saying at the workplace for this – “fake it until you make it!” Often, people fall into this trap because they were proud and unwilling to learn. This is particularly so as we grow older in age. We don’t want to show those younger than us that we don’t know a certain thing. So we behave as though we know it. This is what happened to John Taylor. Probably happened at a time when medical science was at its infancy and still developing. But the consequences were tremendous, a charlatan that blinded hundreds.

In the spiritual world and in our relationship with God, the principle is that God hates the haughty. Instead, He loves the humble. That is why Jesus spoke that to enter the Kingdom of God, we need to be like children. Children will ask and learn when they don’t know. They are not afraid to reveal their inadequacies.

The message this morning is to be serious in learning new things even if we are already an old horse. Do not let our ego get in the way. I went back into doing legal work about 3 years back after leaving my past employer. My expertise in legal had always been M&A but my new environment was a cloud business in the IT world of professional services. Pretty new age stuff for someone in his 50s. But fortunately, I made the effort to pick it up. Now I can draft a contract from scratch for such transactions.

Have a good week ahead, everyone! Learn things properly. Do not let our ego get in the way. There is no need to fake things. Just spend time and we will eventually master it. Always remember, the Lord hates the proud. So be humble before Him and ask Him to help us learn new things even as we humble ourselves before men.

Do not despise the day of small things

https://odb.org/2026/02/06/small-beginnings

Zechariah 4:1–10 (NIV): 4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. 7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’ ” 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the LORD that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

In 1848, engineer Charles Ellet Jr. puzzled over how to begin the process of constructing the first bridge over the Niagara Falls gorge. How would they get a cable across the river? Prompted by a dream, Charles decided to host a kite-flying contest. American teenager Homan Walsh won five dollars when his kite landed on the American side of the river. Homan’s kite string was secured to a tree and used to pull a light cord back across the river, then progressively heavier cords until heavy wire cable was in place. This was the small beginning of the construction of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge.

The bridge’s challenges and inauspicious beginnings mirror those faced by those working to rebuild God’s temple after returning from captivity in Babylon. Some of those who’d seen the temple in its previous glory were fearful that the rebuilt version would pale in comparison (Ezra 3:12). The angel encouraged Zechariah that they shouldn’t “despise the day of small things” because God would “rejoice” in seeing the work begun (Zechariah 4:10) (Kirsten Holmberg, Our Daily Bread 6th February 2026).

In the Old Testament, it is the rebuilding of the Temple during Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s time that those who had seen the Temple in its previous Solomon glory were sad that the rebuilt Temple would never measure up like the old. That was the undeniable truth and yet the LORD through an angel encouraged Zechariah that they shouldn’t despise the day of small things because God would “rejoice” in seeing the work begun. David when chosen to be the next King of Israel after Saul was still a young budding lad in his youth but grew up to be the King who led Israel into most victorious battles. Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, identified as being of the glorious House of David.

In the Gospels, Jesus emphasised the power of small things when he took a few loaves of bread and fishes and multiplied them to feed first the 5,000 and then in another instance, the 4,000. In both instances leaving behind baskets full of leftovers. The spiritual principle remained that God uses whatever little we have to achieve much. Thus, do not look down on the little we may have. Give our all to God and let Him turn our “small things” into something spectacular over time. Perhaps we may not live to see the day but because it is God working in our midst, it will surely become something powerful and enormous in time to come. Look at the tough and small beginnings of the Way during the time of the Acts of the Apostles and look at where we are now as Christians. Indeed out of Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the world. Out of the Aramaic and Hebrew speaking Jewish world to the Greek world of Paul of Tausarus to Rome and the ends of the earth.

Even this blog have grown from single paragraphs of encouragement via WhatsApp only, to 5 to 6 paragraphs of exaltation to greet its recipients as they wake up in the morning. I try to write every work day so that we are always reminded of God and His goodness and blessings upon our lives and we continue walking in the faith.

When God calls us to do something, respond in whatever way we can first. The big decision can come another day even far into the future. As we respond, the Lord will prepare, mould and mature us. Every great work of God starts from humble beginnings. Make that start! Indeed, don’t despise the day of small things! For the Lord would rejoice in seeing the work begin! Amen!

Rejuvenating rest in the Lord

https://odb.org/2026/02/05/rejuvenating-rest

Hebrews 4:9–11 (NIV): 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Even if we don’t realize we’re exhausted, we all need physical, mental, and emotional rest. God also provides divine rest when we accept both the good news of salvation through Christ and daily spiritual rest as the Spirit enables us to live for Christ by faith. Those who place their trust in God can depend on His unending presence, unlimited power, and unchanging promises. Saved through Christ’s work on the cross, we can rest in the peace of His sufficiency (Hebrews 4:1-4). We can experience divine rest as a guarantee fulfilled eternally now and when Jesus comes again (vv. 5-8). (Xochitl Dixon, Our Daily Bread 5th February 2026)

The oft-repeated phrase is even God took a rest on the 7th day when He created the world and everything in it. That was the origin of the Sabbath, the day mandated under Mosaic law for the Jews to cease working and dedicate to God, His Word and worship. We know the legendary dedication of the religious Jews in Israel in observing the Sabbath that even if they’re overseas on business, they’ll fly back to Israel to observe their day of rest with family.

As believers of Christ, we try to emulate the Jews by dedicating our Sundays to God. Attending church, have fellowship with our fellow believers, worship the Lord together and conduct bible studies or cell group meetings. After lunch, we all go back to our respective homes and chill for the day before the new week and its adventures at work begin again the next day. It’s back to the grind. The traffic, the commute, the emails, the files/matters to attend. The cycle restarts on Mondays and we wind down on Fridays, preparing for the weekend. Back to church for worship, fellowship, service and/or ministry next Sunday.

In this workweek to weekend work cycle, we take a rest from work on Saturdays and Sundays (most are now on a 5-day work week). Our faith and adherence to our faith however is steadfast and constant 365 days a year. There is no day of rest in the sense that one day in the week, we just let go and do as we wished. In other words, there isn’t a day when we may let our guard down and be evil or revert to our carnal selves. It obviously doesn’t work that way.

But, as human beings, being steadfast and faithful to the faith and God’s calling and plans can be tiring and sometimes even stressful. Have we done enough? Have we been good enough? Did we fail and confess our iniquities before the Lord? It is thus good to use our weekly day of rest (or in a way, our Sabbath) to chill before God and allow Him to strengthen and rejuvenate our spirit and soul so that we may persevere on in the faith and respond to our calling next week. When we worship Him in church, allow His presence and the Holy Spirit to engulf and refresh us in the spirit. Strengthen our knees even as we meet Him face to face in the spirit in worship. Immerse ourselves in His presence. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us for the rest of our days as we dwell in the house of the Lord forever – David in Psalm 23.

Our journey of faith is a long one in human days – therefore, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2). Every one of us must be able to say when we breathe our last, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Our treasures in heaven

https://odb.org/2026/02/04/you-cant-take-it-with-you

1 Timothy 6:6–12, 17-19 (NIV): 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

It’s common for those who are traveling overseas for the first time to pack a lot of stuff. The fear is being so far from home and needing something. But a recent article speaks of the problems of overpacking. In a way, it’s an apt metaphor for the travel advice the apostle Paul provides: “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7). He ties this to the problem of possessing too much: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation,” and he warns that extra baggage is “a trap” leading to “ruin and destruction” (v. 9). People of faith have a different travel destination where all that’s needed is provided by God—“everything for our enjoyment” (v. 17). (Kenneth Petersen, Our Daily Bread 4th February 2026)

I think we are all well aware of the fundamental truth that we cannot take anything with us once we die. We brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it – Paul famously said in 1 Timothy 6:7. Everything will be left behind for our heirs and successors in title to enjoy. In the words of Yusuf Hashim, former Shell senior executive, your money is not yours until you spend it! Why are we keeping so much for our children when we should be seeing more of the world and do the things we want to do?

But as believers in Jesus Christ, we also know that while a tiger leaves behind its stripes and humans will leave behind their legacy, there are things of eternal value that transcend this world. The things we do for God are remembered by our Lord. Our service in His Kingdom. The persecution we go through for the sake of our ministry, ironically, sometimes even within the church itself, God knows and remembers. The kind gesture to the older person in the train. The mission organisations we secretly support with our hard-earned money. The brother or sister we helped with some little cash every now and then. God sees and knows. When Jesus spoke of storing our treasures or riches in heaven in Matthew 6:20 and Paul repeats it in 1 Timothy 6:19 – they are both talking about these things we do for God. Paul elaborates further in verse 18 – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share”.

Accumulation of wealth and maintaining healthy reserves in savings are all part and parcel of the living dealing with life. Money is needed in most of the things in modern life including bare basic necessities. Even to brush our teeth, we need a tooth brush and tooth paste, things we cannot make ourselves. No one is saying we shouldn’t pursue wealth. But please be reminded not to overdo it as all that we accumulate and have will be given away or discarded when we pass on. What will remain will only be our soul and spirit that live forever (plus the memories etched within) as well as the treasures stored in heaven! Shouldn’t we use whatever wealth we have on earth to do the latter? I think that will indeed be an excellent application of the wisdom the Lord has granted us!

God’s plan for the season

https://odb.org/2026/02/03/focus-on-god

Haggai 2:1–9 (NIV): on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’ 6 “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

When they’d laid the foundation, “many . . . who had seen the former temple, wept aloud” (Ezra 3:12). The memory of Solomon’s glorious temple lingered again now, as construction of a smaller structure resumed. Ours isn’t as good, everyone, including Zerubbabel, must’ve thought. “But now be strong, Zerubbabel,” God said, as He did to all involved: “I am with you . . . my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear” (Haggai 2:4-5). Zerubbabel could take heart in God’s guiding presence, bound by His covenant with them (v. 5). Also, “The glory of this present house will be greater,” God said (v. 9), pointing to when Jesus Himself would visit the temple (John 2:13-25).

We may feel discouraged in a task God calls us to do, comparing our results with those of another season. Let’s focus on His plan for this season, because the work and its purpose are His, not our own. (Karen Huang, Our Daily Bread 3rd February 2026)

I think it’s very important that we do not look to our past glories especially when it comes to fulfilling God’s plans for us in the present. Even in the natural, the past has its own challenges and context. We might not have done so well last time. That doesn’t mean we will be disappointing again. Likewise, we may have done very well 20 years ago, it doesn’t mean we will repeat our success and scale higher heights. Singers and performers have this issue as they try to relive their past successes in the present. Even an artiste like Paul McCartney of Beatles fame, arguably one of the most successful singer songwriters of all time, was unable to recreate the magic of the Beatles when he went solo with his own band. What more Sir Paul trying to break the charts in the present day?

When it comes to God, however, it is always about the present and the future. He forgives us our past sins but remembers and appreciates our past deeds. He is however focussed on what He wants to achieve through us in the present and the future. His plans and purposes changes with the season. He may even have a different calling for us for this season. He is constantly doing something new in our midst.

That is why churches that live in the past will struggle to thrive in the present. God’s love and faithfulness may be unchanging from generation to generation but His work moves with the times. This is totally biblical. God first chose Israel to be His people and nation but He didn’t confine His love to them forever. Through Jesus, He moved on to the Gentiles. If He had stuck with the Jews alone, His salvation would have been severely restricted as the Jews rejected Him and are still living today in the Old Mosaic Covenant and we know that justification by law is impossible.

That is also why ministry work never ceases. Even as churches retire their pastors and full-time workers at certain ages (mostly 60 or 65), the work goes on. The boots are always on the ground until our dying day. Everyone who is in ministry, whether lay or of the cloth, never retire. We serve until we are called to return by our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, always be on the lookout as to what is the new thing God is doing in our midst? What is His plan for this season of our lives? It doesn’t matter whether we are 20 or 80. God is doing something new in our lives. What is His calling for us for this season?

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood

https://odb.org/2026/01/29/standing-strong

Ephesians 6:10–20 (NIV): 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Recently, my mom gave me a play-by-play of a surprising confrontation she saw on a live webcam feed from a watering hole in Africa. The Gemsbok, a large antelope, has horns that can be more than two feet long, making it a formidable animal that doesn’t seem to scare easily. That is, unless it comes across a group of brave and rowdy ostriches. The lead ostrich, which was taller than its foes, shook its large feathers, roared, and stomped toward three Gemsbok, causing them to flee. “I guess they didn’t realize how powerful their horns are,” I said to my mom. (Nancy Gavilanes, Our Daily Bread 29th January 2026)

In my view, Ephesians 6:11-12 is probably one of Paul’s most powerful of his revelational teachings. The world as we know it, is not all what it appears to be. There is another dimension that is invisible to the naked eye and yet we all know it exists. If we have ever interacted with others in society whether growing up or at work, we would have heard of ghost stories, of encounters with the spirit world. We know of people dabbling in the occultic. In fact, my maternal grandfather was directly involved in such practices having made his living as a Taoist spiritualist/medium.

But our Christian faith has two very distinctive beliefs when it comes to the unseen spiritual dimension. The first is that there is no such thing as communicating with the dead. The dead has departed from the world of the living and will remain where they are until judgment day. They no longer participate in the affairs of the living. We cannot therefore speak to them. What spiritualists do in communicating with the departed are familiar spirits who imitate but are not the dead themselves. Corollary to that, it is essential that we do what we need to do now while we still have breath, whether it is our salvation decision or our calling in God or our dreams and aspirations. Once we breathe our last, our spirit and soul will go back to God while our bodies will revert to earth from dust to dust.

The second thing is that our faith and belief in Christ makes us inherently powerful spiritual beings. The name of Jesus Christ our Lord is powerful in the face of demons and evil spirits of the spirit world. It is not as portrayed in the movies. We can cast out demons. Evil spirits will flee at the name of Jesus. We are actually like the Gemsbok against the Ostriches when we confront the spiritual dimension. We have the upper hand because of the blood of the Lamb. Paul teaches on the armour of God in Ephesians 6. Put on the armour of God and we will defeat the evil forces that attempt to create havoc in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Intercede and pray and we will see a breakthrough, in the natural and physical realms! God is all-powerful and He is with us like He was with Joshua and Caleb. Be bold and courageous in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour! Amen!

Sent with care

https://odb.org/2026/01/28/sent-with-care

2 Timothy 4:9–13 (NIV): 9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

Writing while imprisoned in Rome, Paul concluded his letter to his trusted disciple with some personal requests. He asked that Timothy come and bring Mark to help him (4:11). Then he requested some personal items: his cloak and his “scrolls, especially the parchments” (v. 13). Perhaps the cloak was needed because winter was coming, and maybe the scrolls contained copies of the Old Testament. Whatever the reason, Paul longed for companionship and practical items to refresh and encourage him. (Lisa M. Samra, Our Daily Bread 28th January 2026)

If you were to google the word, “parchments, in the bible”, you will see that Google will refer to 2 Timothy 4:13 where Paul requested Timothy to bring his cloak as well as his scrolls and parchments. Parchments are basically writing materials during those times that were the most durable, made from animal skins (like that of sheep, goat of calf). Those parchments likely contained Paul’s notes or personal copies of Scripture while the scrolls likely just Scripture.

Dwelling deeper, 2 Timothy 4:13 speaks of the personal needs of Paul at the time he was in prison when he was about to be executed. We know that Paul wrote a number of letters when imprisoned known as the prison epistles like Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. In fact my local church has over the past few years ran consecutive cell group bible studies on these 4 books.

As much as Paul had gone through much suffering and persecution as a Jewish scholar and Temple officer turned evangelist (preaches the gospel) and apostle (plants churches) for Christ and appeared to be such an infallible and tough person, he is still flesh and blood like you and I. There is a human side to him. You can see just in 2 Timothy:9-12 his disappointment and sadness that a few of his helpers and fellow workers had deserted him. Only Luke is still with him and as he is writing to Timothy, there is thus Timothy left. Mark is still with him as Paul asked that Timothy brings Mark.

For application, I believe the message this morning is that sometimes people we know may look tough and strong. But they are still vulnerable human beings and have personal challenges that we may not be aware of. It is good to make the effort as the Holy Spirit leads and prompts us, to give them something tangible – like a basket of fruits or take them out for a nice treat of a meal. This is because there are people who are frugal and who can’t bring themselves to buy expensive fruits or eat out (preferring to cook at home to save money). No matter how strong and infallible someone may be (for example, our pastors and leaders), they are not getting younger by the day. Like Paul, they need to be attended to and perhaps pampered a little from time to time!

P/S: I noticed some significant traction of my writings in the United States recently and appreciate your support. Thank you very much for the encouragement!

Much hope indeed in the LORD

https://odb.org/2026/01/27/hope-in-faith

Psalm 31:13-16 NIV – 13 For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

As Jesus hung dying on the cross, He spoke the words of the Psalms. We’re familiar with those from Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (see Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). The words communicate deep pain and a kind of hopelessness in the face of utter despair. The circumstances of both David and His true heir, Jesus, led both to cry out in anguish.

But the words that Christ quotes just before surrendering to death carry a different note: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Here, He quotes David again—but the words of Psalm 31 point to an unshakable confidence in the goodness of the Father despite suffering. (Jed Ostoich, Insight, Our Daily Bread 27th January 2026)

There could be times in our lives when we cry out to God in frustration and despair – because of the seemingly impossible situation we may find ourselves to be in. We wished the outcome was different. But it is what it is. It is sad, disappointing and not what we wanted at all. However, although we may choose not to admit it, some of these unfavourable situations may do us good, if not in the natural at least in the spiritual.

Jesus faced something similar at the cross. He knew He had to go through the process for the sake of mankind. Yet He felt the anguish as God forsakes Him when He took the sins of the world upon Himself. Perhaps it was the human side of Jesus speaking. The reality was that when faced with the sins of mankind, God had to turn His face away and that moment broke Jesus’s heart.

The moment was fleeting as Jesus quickly recovered. He accepted the situation and moved on to the moment He was sent to the earth. “Into Your hands, I commit my spirit” as He gave up His life to die for our sins, trusting in God for His goodness and blessings. He rose again victorious, having defeated the sting of sin which is death and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

I think as human beings we are allowed to cry out in anguish and wallow in self-pity and sadness. We are after all only human. We are intrinsically weak due our fallen nature. But as beings already awakened in our spirit, we must quickly rise up and do what Jesus did at the cross, that is, put our full trust in God. We trust in His providence and plans. We commit our lives to Him notwithstanding what we went through, trusting in Paul’s exaltation in Romans 8:28 – “…that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”.

Cry our hearts out if we want to. Shed our tears. Be sad. Be frustrated. But quickly move on and trust God for our coming days. Trust in His mercy and grace. Trust in His plans for us. There is hope, much hope indeed, in the LORD our God! Amen!

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV – 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jonah’s first reaction to God’s calling

https://odb.org/2026/01/26/our-own-mess

Jonah 3:1–5 (NIV): 3 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

The prophet Jonah behaves the opposite of how we’d expect a prophet to act. He runs away from God’s call (Jonah 1:3) and resents and sulks at God’s mercy (4:2-3). Even Jonah’s prayer to God from a fish’s belly reveals a lack of self-awareness. He criticizes gentiles who cling to their idols (2:8) while describing himself as offering God praise and sacrifices (v. 9). Yet in the previous chapter, gentile seamen swiftly repented and offered God sacrifices (1:14-16), but it took Jonah longer to turn to God! Through highlighting Jonah’s flaws, the book emphasizes both the danger of spiritual pride and the wideness of God’s mercy. God hears and responds to anyone who sincerely cries out to Him, whether that’s someone others see as a pagan or a self-righteous, rebellious prophet. (Monica La Rose, Insights, Our Daily Bread 26th January 2026)

Jonah, the prophet, is of course well-known for being swallowed by a big fish while sailing the opposite way, away from the destination that God called him to. The LORD instructed him to preach to Nineveh so that they may repent from their sins and avoid the judgment of God. But I guess Nineveh was a terrible place with despicable people and thus Jonah sort of passed his own judgment on them. Strangely, he didn’t want them to repent and escape the consequences of their sins. In other words, he preferred if they were judged and destroyed by God.

To understand Jonah we could perhaps see something similar in us. Sometimes when we have a good thing, we don’t want to share. We want it all to ourselves. We can sometimes be selfish. And worse, sometimes we want to see disaster strike and some misfortune fall on terrible people. Like may God judge them for their evil deeds.

But the LORD, unlike us, works quite differently. Sometimes He judges and brings retribution. Yet most of the time He forgives and blesses when we repent. His quest is not to be a judge but to let us be our better selves and that also applies to our perceived enemies. That is why it is quite futile to pray for judgment. It is better to pray for repentance and forgiveness. Pray for a second chance. Even for evil and terrible people.

There are many lessons we can learn and apply from Jonah’s life. For example, we could deduce that God’s will would be done even if the messenger disobeys because God could force obedience through circumstances. Or we could apply that ultimately it is repentance God is after. God’s heart is to forgive and to bless.

But I think the more important lesson this morning is to be willing to share the goodness of God with someone else. We have His blessings and protection. That’s something special that was reserved for the Israelites in the ancient days. We now have God’s goodness in our lives. Don’t be selfish to only want to keep that within us, our family or community. Share it so that others may also experience His blessings and goodness in their lives. Don’t be like Jonah. Let the Ninevehs repent and accept God’s Lordship over their lives!