https://odb.org/2023/10/18/use-what-you-have-2

When I read Acts 9:36-46 of Peter raising Tabitha (or Dorcas in Greek) from the dead, I felt there were similarities with the story of Jesus raising the little girl from the dead, the 12-year old daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:35-43). In fact, this similarly occurred in ancient times when Elisha raised the Shunammite’s son from the dead in 2 Kings 4:18-37. Certain events are repeated throughout generations to the glory of God to demonstrate God’s power, compassion, and grace. Thus, it is true that as His disciples, we will be able to do what He did, in fact more (John 14:12).

But when we look at the story of Tabitha, what comes forth is also her dedication to the poor and widows with the clothes and robes she had sown for them. She used her talents for the good of others. When she died due to illness, they were really sad and grieved for her. The disciples sent for Peter, hoping he could do something, and lo and behold, he raised her from the dead!

I feel the message this morning is that as much as we may be able to do greater works than Jesus Christ (except, of course, His redemption of the sins of humankind on the cross), we should first use our talents and gifts to benefit others, especially the poor and the widows. Do what we can to help people in need or at least support charities or organisations that do so. The spiritual principle is that as God showed us mercy and grace by calling us to be His children, we must likewise show mercy and grace to others as a measure of our gratitude to God for giving us the gift of salvation. Current events point to the imminent second coming of Christ. Do good works and live a life of righteousness while waiting for Christ to return and take us with Him.

I like to end today’s devotional commentary with John 9:4 where Jesus said, “I must work the works of Him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

https://odb.org/2023/10/17/our-anchor-2

The longstanding conflict between the Palestinians and Israel, in a nutshell, is basically the former clinging on to a hope of returning to the 1947 borders and land despite the passage of 76 years with more than 7 million Jews already settled in and having developed Israel into one of the most advanced countries in the world. The Muslim world, in particular, countries backing the militants in Gaza and the West Bank and those based in Lebanon, could not accept the status quo mandated by the United Nations in 1948 and thus any peace that emerges once the current Israeli-Hamas war ends, will not last. This chain of events has been predicted in the book of Revelation and will herald the return of Christ, which, like the current expected ground invasion of Gaza, may be imminent, perhaps over the next 20 years or so, or as some predict within the human lifetime of the birth of the nation of Israel.

The Palestinian hope that fuels the uprising and the militant groups is unrealistic and not likely achievable. This is because, as declared by Iran, it involves the total annihilation of the state of Israel.

However, we have a hope that is built upon Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, having already pierced the veil and have become our High Priest in the order of Melchizedek – see Hebrews 6:20. Our hope is real and eternal.

No one except the Father knows when Christ will come again. The events of the past week in Israel, however, suggest that this may not be too far away into the future. He may come and rapture us as believers (together with those who died in Christ before us) in accordance with 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, or we may have to go through the great tribulation prior to the rapture as some believe.

As much as we need to work to continue to live and to plan for our future and old age, don’t ever forget the Lord and be prepared for a change in human history that we all know will come. It may well be within our lifetimes! Place our hope in Jesus Christ, our rock, and our salvation! Our hope is real, genuine, and realistic. Amen!

https://odb.org/2023/10/15/gods-unexpected-ways

I can relate very well to Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 1:27 that God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. The truth is that in the Kingdom of God, one may be eloquent, articulate, and funny when preaching the Word, and that works well with most congregations. But even if we are not like that, we can still preach the Word because the Spirit of God can still work in the congregation through a less eloquent preacher. This is because in preaching, what really matters is the message we bring. Is the Word the Word of the season? Is there some prophetic slant to it? Is God telling us something that can make a genuine change in our lives, transform us, cause a paradigm shift in the way we look or approach God? An eloquent speaker will, of course, bring forth the message better, but a simple and plain speaking one can also do so as ultimately our reception to a Word depends also on the heart of the listener. In fact, what we do with the Word depends on the condition of our hearts – Jesus taught a whole parable on this point.

Thus, as believers, we need not look at our weaknesses or inadequacies or natural limitations when doing God’s work. Prepare and put in time and effort. We will get better over time as we do it more. Like sharing the Gospel. It is intimidating at first. We are unsure how to broach the topic. We are probably unprepared for all the difficult questions. But if we just start by sharing our testimony, it’s already an excellent start. Even in preaching or sharing from the pulpit, our personal experience and encounters make our message real. Not just an exposition of Scriptures but a living out of the living Word of God, our faith in action in the real world.

Don’t despise ourselves if we think we are one of those foolish things of the world. Be humble and respond in faith as God calls us. Move out in faith. Pray for the sick. Pray out loud for our friends when they face challenges. Pray to our Heavenly Father for them. Uphold them to God that they may also experience His supernatural interventions into the natural.

In my recent overseas trip, a friend gave me a bottle of red wine. At the check-in counter, I realised that I couldn’t bring it through immigration. So I had to check it on or finish it all before going through immigration! Of course, the only choice was the former. We were worried that the bottle would break and ruin all my clothes. Then, someone among us who is yet a believer said, “Pray, pray that the bottle will not break.” That’s the obvious answer. Why worry when we can place our hope in God? In the end, praise the Lord that the bottle made it through intact!

https://odb.org/2023/10/13/yielding-to-trust

That the LORD is our rock and salvation, and deliverer is a common phrase used by the Psalmists to describe God as someone whom they place their hopes on. Isiah 26: 1-4 is no different.

Thus, seeing an icy fog turn into a sunny morning looks like an impossibility, but nature has a strange way of surprising us. In Malaysia, we could experience a gloomy, rain filled day turning into a bright sunny day too, although usually once there was rain the temperature is slightly lower and thus once in a while, we in tropical Malaysia could experience a cool breeze despite the sun shining brightly. It’s not a common occurrence like in a cold climate country but nevertheless it happens.

Even as nature, created by God, points to changing weather, we whose spiritual father is our Heavenly Father can trust in the LORD that our lives will not be hard and difficult all the time and all the way. The gloom will turn bright. There will be a rainbow 🌈 that reflects God’s glory in our lives, and one day, we will find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Strive on and work hard. Put our trust in the LORD. The day will come when we may put our struggles behind us and be thankful that we persevered on in the LORD. Don’t give up hope or trust in other gods or look to other spiritual forces. Put our full and complete trust in Jesus Christ and continue our walk in this journey of faith that will lead us to a life of eternity with God.

I like to end today’s message with Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.“

https://odb.org/2023/10/12/knowing-and-loving-2

I heard the story of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:1-10) preached once in my local church by a senior pastor and was very touched. I found it fascinating and was very impressed that David, after becoming king, sought to bless the grandson of the previous king, who was all out trying to stop David’s ascension. In fact, Saul was out to kill David just because the latter was already anointed by Samuel to be the next king. David had two opportunities to kill Saul himself, as seen in the Scriptures, but didn’t want his own destiny sealed by his own hands. David was the one who coined the famous phrase, “Do not harm the LORD’s anointed.” In other words, David was saying, if I am to be king, I will be king in accordance with God’s timing and will, not through my own doing.

The kindness and compassion shown by David towards Mephibosheth can be traced to a pact made by Mephibosheth’s father, Jonathan, with David to stand with him despite his own father’s desire to kill David. In fact, in one episode, when Jonathan defended David in words, Saul threw a spear at him. David remembered all this, and when Jonathan was killed in battle with Saul, David mourned his death and was filled with deep sorrow.

The story of David vis-a-vis Mephibosheth is a beautiful picture of how God remembers us and redeems us despite our wretchedness and sin. Despite all we lost spiritually as we remained outside His Kingdom, God, in His grace and compassion, restored to us our inheritance in the saints. Christ is able and will restore all that the locusts have devoured. We who were crippled by sin like Mephibosheth will find restoration in God. Like Mephibosheth and David, we will always have a place at the table with Christ. We are now sons and daughters of God, co-heirs with Christ.

I think the lesson for us this morning is to be like David and show those around us kindness, grace, and compassion, especially those who were with us or stood with us in the past. I think the worst thing we could ever do as a believer is to forget those who had helped or supported us in the past. Seriously, we don’t want to be rebuked like the ungrateful servant Jesus spoke about before (Matthew 18:21-35). If Jesus took the trouble to teach that, it must be something very dear to His heart.

https://odb.org/2023/10/11/open-the-eyes-of-my-heart

Whenever I lead my Young Adults Group in bible study, I will start by praying that our Heavenly Father will open our minds to understand His Word and open our hearts to receive what He is teaching us in our spirit. Ultimately, as He reveals the mysteries of His kingdom to us, we will work with Him to fulfil His will for our lives.

Paul sought something similar for the Ephesians when he asked God to give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they may know Him better. He prayed that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened that they may know the hope to which He had called them, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people (Ephesians 1:18).

We got to know Jesus Christ and accepted Him into our life when the Holy Spirit removed the scales in our eyes to see and understand Him. It is by the revelation of the Holy Spirit that we embraced His salvation and understood the power of His death and resurrection. Thus, it is only through the spirit of wisdom and revelation that we will be able to dwell deeper into the truths of His Word and know Him better. In the process, we will learn and discover His will for us, the plans and purposes that He had prepared for us before the foundations of the world. The mysteries of the Kingdom and the knowledge of the power of His resurrection can only be opened to us with the spirit of wisdom and revelation.

Seek out and ask God, like Paul did for the Ephesians, that He grants us the spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may understand more of the spiritual realm, how to apply spiritual principles in our natural life and through it all, know Him better. His Word is a treasure trove filled with the riches of the mysteries of His Kingdom. May we immerse ourselves in the study of His Word and discover more of Him and enrich our lives with His glorious inheritance for the saints! Surely, in the process, we will be storing our treasures and riches in heaven in preparation for our life in eternity to be lived with God one day!

https://odb.org/2023/10/10/hope-for-the-hurting

Everyone has been hurt before. That’s part and parcel of human interactions. In fact, we get hurt more by the people who are close to us – our parents and siblings, our work colleagues. So we carry scars. Sometimes, these hurts lead to the buildup of resentment and anger. Coupled with external stress from studies, work, and peer pressure, as well as the need to sometimes keep up with the Joneses, all these can lead to a recipe for disaster.

I was just speaking with a major software supplier yesterday who is based in Singapore. He mentioned that it is not publicised for obvious reasons, but youth suicides are increasingly prevalent there. In his apartment complex in the East Coast, there is like one case every 6 months, and he even knew one family who had to go through this ordeal. Our conclusion is that as parents, we can not lock up our children in their rooms, and perhaps a key to alleviating the situation is to communicate with our children more so that pent-up frustrations and hurts may be surfaced and talked over. I personally think that this is particularly crucial for women who generally like to speak up and should be given all the opportunity to do so. As for men who are more reserved, they should be encouraged to talk about their sorrows and disappointments and hurts.

As believers, we have God whom we may cry out to. Psalm 6 is a perfect example of David venting his fears and frustrations unto the LORD, knowing and believing that God will deliver him from his enemies and predicament.

For the sake of our mental health, speak to someone and to God in prayer. Vent our frustrations. Don’t let our hurts fester. Forgive and be compassionate with others, and move on with life. There is much to be done in the Kingdom of God!

In my discussions with my supplier, we both agreed that it only takes a minute of madness, and it’s all over. We must do all we can not to allow that minute to ever come by.

https://odb.org/2023/10/09/slow-fashioned-grace

Have you ever bought a genuine Polo Ralph Lauren shirt or t-shirt? I bought one at a factory outlet at a significant discount 15 years back in Sydney during a company trip. Recently, in my family trip to Melbourne, I dropped by a Ralph Lauren factory outlet and saw the same shirt there! The thing about Ralph Lauren is that their fashion remains the same throughout the years and seasons. There are definitely changes in terms of colours and materials, but they are slow and gradual. This means that a Ralph Lauren shirt bought years back will not go out of fashion today.

That reminds me of Jesus and God as they are the same yesterday, today, and in the days to come. The LORD of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.

The second thing about the slow fashion of Ralph Lauren, as highlighted in today’s ODB, is that it reflects Jesus’s grace and the transformation power of the Holy Spirit. When God works in our lives, if we let Him, it also takes time. Change comes over months and years. It is never forced or make-believe. Genuine change takes time, and it becomes second nature, part of our life and personality and character. Over time, we have become our new self, a self sanctified by the blood of Christ and refined and purified by the Holy Spirit. We are spiritually empowered with authority in the spiritual realm. While we were selfish in the past, we are more selfless now. We are able to forgive and love our neighbours more than before, much more than in the past. Our tolerance for wrongs towards us is much higher. We have now come to terms with our destiny in Christ. Our dreams and ambitions are now alligned with God’s plans and purposes for our lives. We are actively pursuing good works and storing up riches in heaven where rust and moth can not destroy or the thief is not able to steal. Our inheritance in the Kingdom of God is intact, and one day, we will get our crown of glory from our Lord Jesus Christ!

Keep up the good work and continue on this path of righteousness. Continue to allow God to mould and transform us. One day, we will indeed be like Christ!

https://odb.org/2023/10/08/wisdom-we-need

Proverbs 4 teaches that we should follow the path of wisdom as it is like the morning sun, shining brighly till the full day of light. Contrast with the way of the wicked, which is like deep darkness for they do not know what makes them stumble. In the way of wisdom, our paths are straight – when we walk, we will not be hampered, and when we run, we will not stumble.

Thus, when left to the wickedness of humans, the cost to human lives and property might become irrelevant. World War I was a good example that despite knowing that wartime will unleash a new wave of diseases, the western nations went to war, and as a result, it is estimated that 50 million died from the ensuing epidemic on top of the 20 million killed as a direct result of the war. In our present context, we witnessed Hamas unleashing nearly 5,000 rockets into Israel yesterday, killing 250 Israelis, and when Israel retaliates, thousands more will die. So what do Hamas and the people behind them seek to achieve by starting this war? Do they intend to chase the Jews back to the ends of the earth? Or why is the US conducting a proxy war with Russia by prolonging the war and causing turmoil in the world economy the same way it has caused havoc in the chip industry by sanctioning China to prevent the latter from advancing further in technology. They promote free trade when it benefits them. Otherwise, they will destroy you like they did to Iraq.

When Jesus came, He postulated different terminology for the same thing. Instead of wisdom and wickedness, Jesus used the narrow and wide paths. The former leads to eternal life, while the latter leads to destruction. It is less about prosperity in this life but more of what awaits us in our afterlife. Be afraid of He who is able to destroy both body and soul – Matthew 10:28.

In whatever we do, always choose the narrow path that leads to eternal life. The other way is the way of the wicked that is like deep darkness. It is a way that we will not know what stumbles us. It’s a downward spiral that leads us deeper and deeper into sin and destruction that after some time, we will not be able to distinguish right from wrong. It is a slippery slope to an abyss of deep darkness that will eventually destroy our soul if left unchecked.

https://odb.org/2023/10/06/what-could-be-better

Indeed, what could be better than serving the one and only living God? He is after all the creator of heaven and earth and everything in them. He was there at the beginning and will be here at the end of time.

We all know that the Christian faith can not be practised in isolation. Yes, it is a relationship between you and God. Yet, it is also a relationship of service for God that involves interaction with others. That is why every believer should attend church and get busy there in whatever capacity, whether as an usher or a musician, in the AV department or in follow-up or hospital visitations or even in grieving ministry or as an intercessor. Or if we have a calling, we can be a missionary while holding on to our full-time job. In fact, for closed countries, the best way to be a missionary for Christ is to apply for a job and work there in those closed countries.

There are bound to be sacrifices when we allocate our time, especially weekends, to serve God. We may not have enough time left to pursue certain hobbies. But it is common for believers to mostly revolve their lives around their family, work, and church. Nothing spectacular. Most believers have been doing that for years. It is in serving that we see our faith in action. It is in our service that we see God inpacting the lives of others. As others are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, we likewise get transformed ourselves.

I will end with 1 Timothy 4:16 – “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. ” Clearly, when we serve God, both we and the people we serve will benefit. In the process, our Lord Jesus Christ will be pleased with us. Thus, what could be better than serving the one and only living God?