https://odb.org/2023/11/09/sing-for-victory

I’m currently in Langkawi island, the largest island in Malaysia, for a team building event with my fellow lawyers from my company’s group legal department. We had a gala dinner last night, and our chief, the Group General Counsel, sang a few songs with the lead singer of the 4 piece live band we had. When I heard the songs sang. I realised that I had limited repertoire of non-church songs, whether oldies or contemporary, rock, pop, or jazz, that I could actually sing and perform. I realised that I had never properly learnt even a simple and popular oldie like Stand By Me. The reason is probably that in my past 40 years’ journey in music, I have mostly played and sang worship songs. If you want to be an accomplished musician, this is certainly not the way to go as we need to learn the standards to expand our skills and repertoire.

However, if you are a believer, singing and playing worship songs have their own distinct benefits. As we learned today from 2 Chronicles 20 during King Jehoshaphat’s time (one of the few God-fearing kings Judah or Israel had), he won a battle purely by worshipping God, with singers and musicians. There is power, authority, and victory in worship! That is why churches always start off services with praise and worship as worship ushers in the presence of God. It lifts our hearts and prepares us to see and experience God in the spirit. Corporate worship is a powerful means to get into the attitude of heart to experience Him in a worship service, especially on Sundays.

On top of that, worship can be at the personal level, and as we worship God on our own, we will usher in His presence and may well taste victory like Jehoshaphat did. It is easier to worship if we could play an accompanying instrument like a guitar or a piano, but that’s not a prerequisite. We don’t even need to pitch well (sing in key) as personal worship is our own personal time with God to recharge our batteries and hear from Him.

The message this morning is that we must cultivate a habit of worshipping God, particularly as part of our quiet time with Him. Cast our troubles and worries unto Him and trust in His unfailing love that is renewed like dew every morning. Sing songs of praise and worship, sing from the bottom of our heart, and bless Him for He alone is worthy of our worship! Amen!

https://odb.org/2023/11/08/knowing-the-shepherds-voice

Ivan, my elder son, rescued a kitten who suddenly appeared at our home two years back. She was probably just two weeks old only then. Ivan then left for the UK to complete his 3rd year law degree and has been working there on a graduate’s visa since he graduated. So, as I had taken over caring for Cotton, she is now de facto my cat, although perhaps she is de jure still Ivan’s. Res ipsa loquitur- the facts speak for itself! (Pardon my use of legal latin – just exercising my mind on the possible layman usage of these terms).

Thus, Cotton will come to me when I call her as she recognises my voice. Actually, not only mine but my wife’s and my younger son’s and also Ivan’s when he’s home. The point is that Cotton is ours and we are her family (in fact, her world), so she knows and responds to our voices. She meows away when she hears us call!

This is what, in my view, Jesus was trying to convey when He taught in John 10:1-10 that the sheep recognises and listens to the voice of the Shepherd. Like in the case of Cotton, He is now our world, and we are His. We will, therefore, listen to Him and follow Him. Christ emphasises this point further in verse 9 by declaring that He is the gate, and whoever enters through Him will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture. Elsewhere Jesus taught that He is the river of living waters that whoever drinks of Him shall never thrist – alluding to the fountain of water of life that we so long and look forward to one day in the new heaven and new earth as revealed to John in Revelation 21:6.

In John 10, Jesus warned of thieves and robbers who came before Him whom the sheep would not listen to. But are we heeding His advice? Are we instead listening to and following thieves and robbers who are hell-bent (how apt!) to steal our blessings and rob us of our inheritance in Christ? We are supposed to find pasture in Christ, the gate, and the Shepherd, but are we? He is the true pasture that feeds both our body and soul. Don’t be distracted, and don’t be led astray. Don’t be like Esau signing away his father’s blessings for him, his birthright, in exchange for a bread and a lenthil stew (Genesis 25:32-34). Always think and act with eternity in mind!

https://odb.org/2023/11/07/destruction-destroyed

There is something alluring about forbidden fruits that ping our curiosity and will potentially lead us into trouble. In horror movies, there is always a room that is kept sealed, but somebody will open it to see what’s inside and unleash a trail of terror and destruction.

In Genesis 3, the serpent started his deception by asking Eve, “Did God really say that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?” That created a doubt in Eve’s mind. Eve gave the correct answer that God did say that they can not eat the fruit from the tree in the middle, for they will surely die if they touch it. Yet the serpent could still twist the correct answer by lying to Eve that they will surely not die! Instead, the serpent said that they would be like God knowing good and evil, which Eve perceived as gaining wisdom. So Eve ate of the fruit and gave some to Adam for the fruit looked good and they would gain wisdom in the process. Alas, they were scammed, and sin came into the world! Humankind was then banished from Eden. God had to send His only begotten son to the world so that whosoever believed in Him shall not perish but have eternal life – John 3:16.

Satan is still at his game today to deceive mankind and create doubt in their minds about God by lying to us that the broad path is the best path for our lives that is most beneficial to us. He still lies to us to lead us into the wide gate where the way is broad, which leads to destruction.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. The gate is small, and the way is narrow, which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Jesus Himself said this in Matthew 7:13-14.

As believers, we must always be extra careful and vigilant not to be deceived by the devil by him creating doubts in our minds and lying to us about God, His son, His Holy Spirit, and His Word. This is particularly so during these end times when Satan seeks to drag as many souls as possible with him into the lake of fire through whatever means, including false teachers. The first deception of the devil brought sin into the world. The continued deception of the serpent seeks to draw, even us who have seen the light and are living in the light, into darkness and destruction. Never doubt God or His Word. Proverbs 9:10 already taught us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. We do not gain wisdom when we believe in Satan’s lies or partake of forbidden fruits. Instead, we are wise if we fear God.

https://odb.org/2023/11/06/persistent-pizza

When I was growing up in primary school in Situawan, a small town on the West Coast of Malaysia, I was a baby Scout. If Boy Scouts may be equated to wolves, we were cubs. Although we were only cubs, we did most of the things the older ones did, including doing voluntary work for donations like mowing lawns or washing cars. We also went camping, albeit in a very much controlled environment like in a school as we were 10 to 11 years old then. Our most notable duty was to keep the crowds in line during sports days. Besides rope work and basic first aid, one of the things I still remember till today is the motto to do a good deed a day. As Scouts, we were supposed to do a good deed a day. Like help someone cross the road or hold the lift for someone or help hold the ladder. It promotes civic consciousness and helps us do our duty for society at large.

This is somewhat similar to Paul’s exhortation in Galatians 6:9 that we do not become weary in doing good. As believers, we have a duty to do good – for Christ, for the church, and for society. We will likely not be appreciated, but that’s not the point. We do good because we love God and want to reflect His glory, but more importantly, because this is who we are as believers. Our relationship with God would have made us better human beings. Our faith would have made us people who wanted to help others. It has become second nature to us to always want to do good. Like Scouts, we want to at least do a good deed a day as believers of Christ.

This is a simple message this morning for us all to start off the week. Do not cease to do good. Do not give up doing good works. Faith without (good) works is dead (James 2:26). Have a great and blessed week ahead, everyone! Take care and be strong in the Lord!

https://odb.org/2023/11/05/welcome-home-3

I lost my father about one and a half years ago, just a couple of weeks shy of his 80th birthday. My mum passed on 14 years ago. I miss both of them very much, and I am technically now an orphan, having no parent still alive on earth.

Of course, an orphan is really someone who grew up without their parents and thus had to figure out how to live life on their own, whether in their faith, their studies, or relationships. That is why some mentors can become father figures to “orphans” – including those who grew up with “absent” parents – fathers, and mothers who were too busy with their careers or those from single parent families. You may read about my father in the following article: https://ronnielim.com/2022/03/21/obituary-mr-michael-lim-5-may-1942-19-march-2022/.

As my parents were both in the faith when they passed on, I have the assurance in Christ that if I remained in the faith, I would see them one day on the day of resurrection, the day when the dead in Christ will rise up to meet Him in the air (see 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). One day, we will all live together again with Christ and our Heavenly Father in the new heaven and new earth as per Revelation 21.

Besides real-life father figures and spiritual fathers, as believers, we have an added advantage of having a Heavenly Father. The God that we worship and relate to is also our Father in heaven. He is the Almighty God, the Great I Am, and yet He is also our Father through Christ Jesus. We may call upon Him, and we are His people, and He is our God because of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Saviour. In fact, Jesus had gone ahead of us to prepare for us a place at His Father’s mansion, which is now also our Father’s mansion. In Christ, we have an inheritance in haeven, a place where we can store our riches while still on earth, a place where our treasures will not be destroyed by rust or moth and the thief cannot steal. A spiritual vault to keep our things for eternity. See Matthew 6:19-21.

The message today I believe is that God is saying to us that He is our Heavenly Father and will take the place of our earthly father. He will be the father we never had. He will be our father figure and mentor and help us through our life here on earth. Reach out to Him and speak to Him. He will guide and teach us and protect us even as we live in the shadow of His wings!

Blessed Sunday and have a good worship service today worshipping God, our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit!

https://odb.org/2023/11/03/reflecting-the-light-of-the-son

Couples’ quarrels are common even after years of marriage. A lot of harsh words may be uttered in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, for most couples, they argue within the strong foundation of their marriage, which, because of their undying love for each other, is usually a safe harbour in the midst of stormy weather. Even then, it is still good practice to pause before we respond and remember we are the light of the world in Christ Jesus. How are we projecting Christ if harsh words always come out of our mouths as our words may be perceived as our real intentions? It is through our lips that the intentions of our hearts are known as much as we don’t mean most of what we say when angry. But Proverbs 18:21 says life and death are in the power of the tongue.

Pausing before responding is, however, crucial when it comes to relating with others outside of marriage and even family. Siblings have been known to cease speaking to one another for months and even years for hurts caused by words uttered in the heat of the moment. Arguments and querrels may have lasting consequences. At work, it could be a matter of career progression or even job survival. Being vocal helps us to be constructive to contribute ideas and thoughts, but we must choose the appropriate time and place. Some people are always condescending and haughty. Critical thought is necessary, but the forum and audience are equally important. There are places and times when we should only speak when asked.

The message today is to pause before we respond. Our reaction, if in anger, will not be our best in most cases. Emotional words can sometimes be like a runaway train destroying everything in its path. Pause before responding, especially in writing. Why put our emotions on record? We are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We illuminate the darkness around us. There is already too much sadness and misery in the world; let us not add on to that!

https://odb.org/2023/11/02/everybody-worships

When I was growing up, before I became a Christian, I’ll say a prayer to God through a family ritual taught to me by my Taoist-believing uncle. So whenever I have a request, I’ll say a prayer in that fashion, calling out to God who, unfortunately, I didn’t know then. At that time, I knew that I was powerless against spiritual forces as we were taught that if we messed with them, we could get harmed. Like urinating at a tree that may have a resident spirit. Also, when I prayed, I wasn’t sure that I had actually made contact with the higher being. I sometimes feel that I may just be speaking to myself. I didn’t have any basis for my relationship with God – for interacting with and calling upon Him.

Nowadays, I know that Jesus died for my sins, and as I have accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour, He became the basis of who I am in God. When I pray, I know that He hears me. I know I am not speaking to myself but to my heavenly Father. He is God, yet He is my Father. I end all prayers in the precious and mighty name of Jesus Christ, a name that demons will tremble. A name that even the wind and waves still know today. I know that when I call upon the name of Jesus, evil spirits will flee. There is power and authority in the name of Jesus. There is healing and redemption. There is salvation.

The Athenians may worship many gods, but as Paul declared in Acts 17, the God that made the world and everything in it does not live in temples built by human hands. He is not served by human hands as if He needed anything. Rather He Himself gives everyone life and breadth and everything. For in Him, we live and move and have our being. We are His offspring.

Who is God to us? Who is our God? Do we have other idols? Are we preoccupied with our job and career? Do we really know our God? These are questions we should constantly ask ourselves as we progress in life. Remember who we are and who our God is. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Be afraid of Him who could destroy your body and soul.

https://odb.org/2023/10/31/under-gods-wings

I think the picture of a mother geese protecting her little goslings from people or animals that come too close to them is an excellent picture of God protecting His people. In Psalm 61, David describes the LORD as a rock that is higher than him, a shelter in His wings, a tent, and a strong tower against his enemies.

As believers, we believe that God assigns guardian angels to protect us from harm. Accidents do befall us, but it could have been worse if not for our guardian angels. Also, with guardian angels around us, we will be less prone to fall into sin.

But another aspect of God’s protection is that although people may harm us through their evil schemes because of jealousy or just plain self-interest or even just as a number in a spreadsheet, the LORD will prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies as David wrote in Psalm 23:5. In other words, He will deal appropriately with those who had harmed us, who treated us unfairly or brought injustice upon us. Let vengence or divine retribution be His, up to His discretion in accordance with His grace and mercy. We commit our enemies or those who had brought us harm unto Him.

As believers, it is important and necessary that we remain in the spiritual covering of the church, like the goslings within the sight and the distance of the mother geese’s protection. That practically means living in righteousness and in His general and specific will for our lives. That is why David describes God as a tent, a strong tower, and a shelter in His wings (elsewhere the Psalmists used the expression, “in the shadow of His wings”).

Live within the shadow of His wings, and He will keep us safe from the attacks and vile schemes of the evil one.

https://odb.org/2023/10/30/smartphone-compassion

Nowadays, it is more common to have ratings after a stay, a meal, or after using an e-hailing service. In fact, I watched a movie about people’s lives in the future being determined by their ratings on social media to the extent that it affects their credit, where they could stay, and even their jobs. Thus, it led to the creation of a social media persona that may well be different from real life. Yes, we are not at the stage as portrayed by the movie, but having a more hype-up social media persona, especially via Instagram, is already present and real. Some even go to the extent of doctoring their posts to look prettier and more appealing to gain more followers and likes. In fact, there is now a new profession called influencer, which may indirectly even come with product endorsements.

Personally, I don’t like to leave ratings, but if you buy from Shopee or Lazada, they do remind you to do so. Unless something happened to the delivery, I’ll usually give 5 stars. Although it is not customary in Malaysia to leave a tip after a meal, I have made it a point to tip after taking an e-hailing ride or food. I feel that I must support the gig economy, for it has provided jobs to people who otherwise would have struggled to live in these challenging times. Round up an RM7 ride to RM10 or just pay RM20 for an RM17.80 meal. Leave a tip for the driver as they all work hard for their families.

As God is compassionate and He relates to us with compassion and love, we must do likewise, and that includes in our social media and ratings management. Give a good rating if we want to give or else just skip it. Unless it was a disastrous experience, don’t be hard, but be compassionate. If we are stickers for honesty and transparency, then just don’t leave a rating. Leave a bad rating only if it is absolutely necessary. We don’t have to lie, but we need not destroy just to be truthful as our LORD is a compassionate God. Always remember that Jesus taught us of the parable of the ungrateful servant. Surely He was making an important point! If God is completely honest and truthful of who we are, we will not stand a chance facing His judgment. But He is compassionate and sent Jesus to die for our sins so that there will not be condemnation in Christ Jesus.

https://odb.org/2023/10/29/you-can-trust-god

As a believer, the issue of trusting God doesn’t really arise since we can see from the Psalms and the history of Israel throughout the pages of the Old Testament that He is trustworthy. He punished the Israelites for their unfaithfulness and insolence, and yet He rescued them when He saw them suffering too much. Like He brought them out of slavery from Egypt or the times He brought them back from exile from the Assyrians and the Babylonians. In modern times, after the Holocaust, He helped them set up the state of Israel and brought home all scattered Jewry from all over the world. Today, if you are of Hebrew ancestry, you will be welcomed in Israel with a host of benefits for you to start your life afresh there. Just google Aliyah to Israel, and you will see a range of benefits from income-tax breaks, rental assistance, allowances, property tax incentives, free health insurance, free one way flight, transport from airport etc.

In addition, as believers, we believe and put our faith on the unseen as the unseen is eternal. Thus, it is part of the natural makeup of a believer to be able to trust God. Faith is about trusting God as He is unseen.

The true test comes when the tyre hits the road. When we face life issues as we know, life can be a roller coaster. Unavoidably, so, actually. Are we able to trust God when we go through our “valley” experiences? When we are reprimanded for making a mistake at work or sacked because we couldn’t meet the sales targets. I heard before of a company putting their entire sales team under a performance improvement plan because it was not bringing in the numbers. In challenging times, can we put our trust in God?

I always believed in starting small before we progressed into bigger things. So even in the actual experience of trusting God, start somewhere relatively small. As we find His reality working in our lives, we can work towards greater things like praying for others or praying for healing. God is real. Jesus is alive, having been resurrected 3 days after His death on the cross. His Word demonstrates His faithfulness.

Each of us is unique, and thus, we will have different experiences of Him and His miraculous power. The point is we need to move out in faith, trust Him in order to experience Him. Start small, start somewhere. Move out in faith, respond to His call, and we will know that He knows us personally and cares for us dearly as individuals, as His children. He treats and relates to each and every one of us uniquely. Trust Him for He is our rock and our salvation.