John Sung

https://odb.org/2024/01/31/fully-surrendered

I read books on John Sung when I was young and I could see that although he lived a short life, he had a major impact on the lives of many people, especially in pre-independence Malaya that many families came into the faith because of his ministry. I had lived in Sitiawan before and noticed that many of the Foochows were Christians. Some like those in Sibu could have been Christians in China before migrating over, but I believe many were touched by God in the wave of revival in the early 1900s that swept across the major West Coast of Malaya towns. John Sung had a fully surrendered life in Christ.

When I read about John Sung, I was inspired to be like him, believing that God may call me in the same way and I may become like another John. While the edification of my faith was good, the notion of being another John Sung or another Hudson Taylor or Reinhard Bonnke was misconceived.

Now, much older, I realise that these famous and inspiring men and women of God were meant to inspire us to move forward in our faith and become the person God wants us to be, rather than be the men or women of God who inspired us. For John Sung, he gave up his career with his doctorate earned in the United States and fully dedicated his life to the ministry God gave him. It’s a life fully surrendered to God.

We will never be another John Sung. Pre-independence Malaya is long gone. 2020s Malaysia is like any developed country with its modern infrastructure and challenges, with spirituality facing off with materialism. It’s a globalised world now, and nearly everyone is impacted one way another by the big 5 – Google (Alphabet), Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon. Globalisation is also a sign that the end time is near.

Live a fully surrendered life in Christ and, in the process, become the man and woman God wants us to be. We can all be powerful and impactful, like John Sung, in our own sphere of influence at our corner of the world if we are fully surrendered to Christ. Have a wonderful and great day ahead, my dear friends!

River of Living Waters

https://odb.org/2024/01/30/a-refreshing-king

I think even without ever living in the desert, we may envisage the importance of having water. Like the air we breathe, we need water to live. Nearly 51% of our blood consists of water, and 60% of our bodies is H2O. You may say that water and air are the sources of life. While we may take air for granted as there is still air to breathe in polluted places, water is not so straightforward. Water needs to be fresh or treated to be drinkable by humans, whether as a direct source of hydration or for cooking or washing food. Thus, even though the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, they actually spent most of their time at an oasis called Kadesh Barnea, where God provided them miraculously with a fresh water source from a rock.

Thus, Isaiah used the imagery of water to describe God. As kings and rulers reign in justice and righteousness, they will be like streams of water in the desert and a great rock in a thirsty land (Isaiah 32:2). In Psalm 42:1, the Psalmist sings that as the deer pants for water, my soul longs after you. Jesus described Himself as the source of living waters that whoever drinks of Him shall never thrist again John 4:14. Or if you believe in Jesus, you will have rivers of living water flow from within us John 7:37-39.

On the physical side, remember to drink lots of water to hydrate ourselves, especially in our tropical climate that is constantly hot. Our organs, especially our kidneys, need water. But look forward to the river of water of life where the tree of life will lie at each of its side, being accessible to us again in the new heaven and new earth Revelation 22:1. That is the source of eternal life, and we will only be able to partake of it if we believe in Jesus Christ that He died for our sins and was resurrected 3 days later. Follow Him and serve the LORD our God with all our heart, our soul, and our mind and love our neighbour as ourselves.

Led by the Spirit

https://odb.org/2024/01/29/sharing-by-caring

We just heard a message yesterday on loving your neighbour from the classic Good Samaritan story told by Jesus. Not so much finding out who is the neighbour to love but more becoming the person who loves, the person who intentionally responds to a need. Thus, our role is to be the Good Samaritan, although sometimes we behave like the person who was robbed and injured, just waiting for others to love us.

A good way to know when and how to respond to needs around us is to be led by the Holy Spirit. Our response will turn needs into grace as the Spirit leads. Christ promised that we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, and we will become witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8). This is particularly effective when we witness Christ as the Spirit knows the hearts of people. It is He who convicts as we share Christ. Of course, we need to know the basics of the salvation story. We can then add on with our life experiences in Christ of how Jesus has moulded and transformed us to be who we are today.

In this fallen world, especially in these end times, we need the Holy Spirit more and more. Not only His power for us to enter into the supernatural realm for the manifestation of signs and wonders but His wisdom that we are not led astray by false teachers and false teachings.

As we start our week today, let’s begin with a prayer that the Holy Spirit will grant us wisdom and lead us in all that we do that we will become effective witnesses for Christ. Pray that we will become like the Good Samaritan responding to the needs around us, perhaps in spite of prejudices against us and despite persecutions. If we suffer for Christ, may the Spirit turn our sufferings into perseverance, perseverance into character, and character into hope in our most precious Lord Jesus Christ. Have a great and blessed week ahead!

God looks at the heart

https://odb.org/2024/01/26/no-more-prejudice-2

1 Samuel 16:7 sets out the criteria God uses to choose a leader for Him. God looks at the heart rather than the appearance. In contrast to Saul, who was the most handsome man in Israel and head and shoulders taller than anyone else (1 Samuel 9:2), David was only a young boy when God chose him for Samuel to anoint as the next King of Israel. This is not to say that David did not later grow up to be as handsome and strong as Saul, but at that time when he was chosen, he was still a young boy. History later showed that David became the pinnacle of the Kingdom of Israel, its golden years. As a young boy, he later killed Goliath, the physical giant of the Philistines with a slingshot to his head.

But what about the heart of David that the LORD evaluated would be a better King than Saul. In 1 Samuel 13:4, the LORD described David as a man after His own heart. This means that David was always willing to obey and follow God’s instructions and fulfil His will. He always wants to do what God desires. This gave David the boldness and courage to face Goliath, a child against a near 8-foot giant because he believed that a man that defies the Lord of Hosts should not live.

David was not a person without sin and weakness, though, as he sinned against God when he committed adultery with Bethsheba. Sin was not without consequences, but David genuinely repented after he was rebuked by Samuel. One generation later, David was succeeded by his son with Bethsheba, and Solomon became the wisest and most successful King of Israel, although he did not follow God all the way. Nevertheless, it was from this line of Ruth and Boaz’s son, Obed (David’s grandfather), that Jesus came into this world to become the final King of the Jews and the saviour of mankind.

God looks at our hearts. If we want to serve Him, it is our heart that matters most. If we want to preach for God, our heart must be for Him first. Then, we can work on our delivery, research, and hearing. Not the other way round. It is the same if we are called to serve God in worship or as a musician or in other fields like missions. As Jesus so famously taught us – seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all this shall be added unto you. Get our hearts right first before God and everything else will fall into place, whether it is our ministry, our life, or our career.

Esther, Queen of Persia

https://odb.org/2024/01/25/strange-places-2

It is amazing how Esther, an orphan adopted and raised as his own by her cousin, Mordecai, could be chosen to be a concubine and later crowned the Queen of Persia by the Persian King, Xerxes. Persia was the superpower nation then at that part of the world. Esther, together with her cousin, Mordecai, later discovered God’s purpose for them to be in Persia, and it was to thwart an evil plan by Haman to exterminate the Hebrew people.

Similarly, Joseph was sold to slavery by his jealous brothers and ended up in jail, but ultimately through his trials and tribulations, he became the Prime Minister of Egypt, mainly due to his God-given ability to interpret dreams that forsee the future and in the end, saved the Hebrew clan of Jacob, Isaac and Abraham from the then coming 7-year famine. Note that when it comes to His divine and sovereign will and purposes, God places His key people in positions of power in the then most powerful nations of the world.

Likewise, even modern-day Israel is backed by the US and the UK, the present day, and the previous years’ world superpowers, respectively. It was the UK that partitioned the creation of the state of Israel post-world war II, and currently, in the war with Hamas, the US has her warships covering Israel, and both the US and the UK are actually engaging Houthi targets in Yemen today.

Taken to a wider context and at our own personal level as a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, there is also a reason why God placed us where we are today. The church we are serving in. The job we are doing. The people we interact with. Ask God why am I here at this specific place and particular period of time? Of course, we are in no position to save a nation of people like Esther and Mordecai or Joseph! But perhaps we are the chosen vessel for God to reach out to a particular person that we now know because of our work. It could be someone at our workplace or a supplier, a customer, or an advisor (lawyer, accountant, banker) that we have dealings with. Perhaps God wants to use us to touch their hearts for Him.

Open our eyes to God’s plans and purposes for our lives at where He has placed us. Pray for the guidance and boldness of the Holy Spirit to be upon us. Allow the LORD our God to use us to fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives.

Slow to anger

https://odb.org/2024/01/24/quick-to-listen

I like James 1:19-20, which says that everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Anger is an issue we all need to deal with, some more than others. As humans, we are emotional beings. Therefore, it is natural to get angry like it is natural to be happy or sad. Just that in anger, we sometimes say things we wish we didn’t. Some say these angry words are a genuine reflection of our hearts. But we usually don’t mean the things we say when angry.

Unfortunately, words may have a devastating impact, and wounds caused by painful words may take a long time to heal. We can’t control what others feel or how they react, but we can certainly control what and how we speak. That is why James says that human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. In the corporate world, we are always cautioned not to react when angry and never write emails when our emotional state is unstable!

Thus, it is best we keep quiet or be slow to speak when angry. Be quick to listen, especially if we are confronted with an angry person. If we respond in anger, the whole situation may erupt in a major quarrel. It may be the most difficult thing to do, but it shows our maturity in Christ if we are able to defuse a heated argument and calm everyone down. Be that peacemaker, the encourager, not add fuel to the fire. The latter may lead to a very damaging explosion. As believers of Christ, it is good to pray in our hearts when angry. Ask Christ to help us keep calm and bring down the atmosphere a few notches. God loves a humble and contrite heart.

Turning swords into ploughs

https://odb.org/2024/01/23/scraps-to-beauty

I’m sure we have seen movies where villagers turn ploughs and pitch forks and agricultural tools into weapons to defend themselves against invading troops or robbers and plunderers. Although there have been sporadic successes, farmers usually stand no chance against well-trained and well-equiped men of war. It is worse in modern times when we need to face guns and bullets.

Micah, however, paints a different picture of a different era. He speaks of a time when people beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. See Micah 4:3. A time when weapons of war and destruction would no longer be needed. A time when everyone lives in peace and harmony, with one another and even animals.

This may sound utopian to us, but that’s the reality of what lies ahead in the future one day for believers of Christ who had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Those who have endured and did not have their names blotted out of the Book of Life will get to live in the new heaven and new earth with God for all eternity, as shown to John by Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and described by John in Revelation 21. It is our hope of glory that drives us to live our lives in accordance with His will and to serve Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He alone is our God and Lord.

Let’s not forget to encourage each other to persevere on this walk of faith. Continue to put our trust in God in all the things that we do and serve Him in His church. Fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives. Store up our riches in heaven where moth and rust will not destroy or the thief will not steal. Prioritise our lives such that we put eternal things in the right and proper perspective. As Paul wisely taught after all he had gone through for Christ – forgetting what is behind but straining forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)!

The Book of Life

https://odb.org/2024/01/22/the-right-focus-3

The 72 followers of Christ who were sent out to proclaim the Good News were amazed that even demons flee at the name of Jesus. Please read Luke 10. It proves the divinity of Christ. But Christ cautioned them while it might be great to have authority over demonic forces; they should rejoice that their names are written in heaven (the Book of Life). In other words, salvation is more important than the powers and spiritual authority bestowed upon us as believers.

Salvation is by the grace of God. We can not work for our salvation. Christ died for our sins. That is why we are saved. We must then repent of our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. That means we give our lives to Christ and live for Him. We thus need to safeguard this salvation and don’t forfeit it by careless living or living a life with no regard to God. James already warned us before that faith without (good) works is dead. Paul talks about working out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must do our part and fulfil our role in the Kingdom of God. Not live life in isolation in our faith or not serving Him. The book of Daniel talks about those who stood firm in their faith during the end times and would never have their names blotted out from the Book of Life.

I think we should be reminded every now and then that salvation is a journey, a race. Some say it’s a test. But whether it is a test or not, we need to run the race and complete it until the finish line. We need endurance and perseverance, both of which we know Christ will provide us as we call upon His name. Not just maintaining our moral compass and continuing our fellowship with Christ but serving Him with all our heart, mind, and strength. We want Him to tell us at the end – well done, good and faithful servant!

Serving with humility

https://odb.org/2024/01/18/washing-feet-and-dishes

Jesus washing His disciples’ feet is servant leadership in personam. You may read about this in John 13:6-17. It is a physical act, and the feet are the most dirty part of the body during those times as their footwear were usually sandals that are exposed to dirt and dust. Although symbolic, it is less useful to replicate this act nowadays since our feet are generally clean. Most wear socks and covered shoes. But the principles remain.

The principles enumerated by Jesus’s washing His disciples’ feet are first, servant leadership and secondly humility. Thus, if we have given our lives to Christ to serve Him, we are to serve as servant leaders. The higher we are in church and ministry leadership, the more we need to give ourselves for the congreation of believers that we are shepherding. They are, after all, our sheep.

Secondly, it is also about humility, and that is important as people tend to become proud when they become leaders. This is as much true in the world as it is in church. It’s an achievement to be recognised as a leader, and we are proud of ourselves. But if we are Christian leaders, we need to remain humble for the simple reason that, as James pointed out in James 4:6, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. It is not merely a teaching but a statement of fact. Do we want God to oppose us, or would we want His grace and providence? Do we clamour for divine retribution, or would we rather have blessings from heaven?

I don’t think Jesus meant for us to go round washing other people’s feet in these contemporary times. It will look odd and awkward. But I think it will be more useful that as leaders, we treat others with respect and in humility although we may think we are more experienced or knowledgeable or have read many more books. Don’t be condescending and look down on others who are weaker or younger in faith or who are struggling with life issues. Instead, look at everyone with the eyes of Christ that they need God in their lives for this life and the life thereafter. Humility doesn’t come naturally, pride does. So learn it and learn it well, with the grace of God.

Choosing to follow Christ

https://odb.org/2024/01/17/choices-2

In life, we make many decisions. Some decisions are as simple as what will I have for breakfast or brunch this morning. We can choose to have anything we want within reason, but if coupled with discipline, we may only limit ourselves to healthier choices. Less salt, less sugar, less carbs, and more protein and fibre. Of course, we presume we have choices to make. Sometimes, we may need to choose the most affordable meal – a slice of bread, one roti kosong, or a small packet of nasi lemak, especially if it’s the end of the month.

Or the decision may still be simple but tinged with morality. For example, if in a public toilet like shared offices with a common toilet, we see a watch left behind on the sink. Do we leave it there or take it? I lost the watch given by my mum after graduation in that manner. I left it in the sink, and someone took it. While it may be natural for people to take things of value that are unintentionally left behind, it is not the right thing to do. This is especially so if we have Christ in our lives.

Or there could be more complex decisions like the job to take or the business to be in. For example, a job as an accountant or lawyer in a gaming company. We may reason, a job is a job but if the business is capable of destroying lives, should we go for it even though we may only be in the more generic support services and are not directly operating the business?

In Joshua 24, the question was who to serve? Is it Yahweh, the LORD God Almighty or the gods of their ancestors in Egypt or beyond the Euphrates River? This probably explains why, in the early years of their departure from Egypt, the Israelites made a golden calf to worship when Moses took a longer time than expected to return from Mount Sinai. Joshua’s answer and of the Israelites was – as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

Whether a decision is big or small, complex, or simple; always make it a point to choose to follow and serve Christ. Since we have made that wise and wondrous decision to accept Jesus into our lives as our Lord and Saviour, make it our lifelong calling to only choose Jesus in all our decisions. Choose to follow and serve Jesus in all circumstances, in all situations, and never allow our eyes to lose our focus heavenward in Christ Jesus!