The church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

https://odb.org/2025/11/06/of-first-importance

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 (NIV): 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Today we’re in danger of unintentionally missing a crucial point, one that concerns the body of Christ (the church). There are those who would distort its purpose. Maybe we see the church as a political action committee or as a place to be served. Perhaps we see it as a mere religious institution. The church’s priority, however, has always been the good news of Jesus.

Paul told the believers at Corinth, “What I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). While other things may have an appropriate time and place, the gospel is of first importance. (Bill Crowder, ODB 6th November 2025)

I look at the church as a place of fellowship. To congregate amongst believers to worship God but also to support one another’s faith with encouragement and spiritual knowledge so that we may all grow in our faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church is a place for service, a place where we may serve God in ministry whether in hospitality, worship, ushering, follow up or evangelism. Perhaps the church runs free tuition classes as an outreach to non-believers as a service to the community.

In all the things that the church does however, the first and most important must be the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of the cross, His death and resurrection must be preached and told to the world. It was crucial during the birth of the church 2,000 years ago and it is still as crucial today. This is because without the death and resurrection of Christ, the world is doomed. It will be a world with its own morality and because of the original sin, mankind will perish along with the ruler of the world at the end of time. Without Christ, humans will be sent to a place of gnashing of teeth for all eternity. But with Christ, we have the opportunity to live in Eden Recreated, in the new heaven and new earth, the new Jerusalem where God dwells amongst His people, for all eternity while clothe in our glorified bodies like Christ was when He was resurrected. That is why in essence Paul’s message was simple – it is Christ death and resurrection.

As believers, our response is equally simple. Attend church, be an encouragement to our fellow believers. Serve God in a ministry God has called us to based on our God-given talents. Support the church in its efforts on evangelism, in preaching Christ’s death and resurrection. We ourselves preach the same, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice and living a life that brings glory to Christ. He is worthy and worthy to be praised because He died for our sins.

The Good News

https://odb.org/2025/11/05/the-victorious-jesus

Matthew 4:23–25 (NIV): 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

In Matthew 4:23, we’re told that Jesus’ ministry in Galilee consisted of “teaching,” “proclaiming the good news,” and “healing every disease and sickness.” The term translated “good news” (Greek, euangelion) points to the way Matthew’s gospel subverted the idea that the Roman Empire had ultimate authority. “Good news” was commonly used by the empire as part of its propaganda to celebrate events like a Roman military victory or the birth of an emperor. Matthew’s description of Christ’s widespread healing ministry would’ve also challenged Rome’s claim to have brought health and prosperity. By describing Jesus proclaiming good news while healing diseases and casting out demons, Matthew’s gospel undermined Roman propaganda by insisting that real hope was to be found in Christ, who was victorious over death. Let’s respond in worship to Jesus who defeated death, the ultimate enemy (ODB Insight, 5th November 2025).

I’ve always associated the Good News as the proclamation of the message of Jesus Christ as set out in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Or we could equate the Good News as also the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It essentially means that God is with us in the flesh (Immanuel), that the Kingdom of God is at hand and that in His teachings, Jesus proclaims the Good News and heals every disease and sickness among the people. But most significantly is the message that He died for our sins so that we may be reconciled to God and have everlasting life for all eternity.

Yet the Good News or euangelion in Greek was also the phrase used by the Roman Empire to proclaim its military victories or the birth of an emperor and the decrees of the Emperor. Thus the early Christians and the writers of the Gospels subverted the Roman message by using the same phrase for the message of Jesus Christ and thus implied that there is a more powerful kingdom at work (albeit in the spiritual realm). Early Jewish hope of the Messiah faded as they were thinking in secular terms of a Saviour to free them from the shackles of the Roman Empire but Jesus was the Messiah in the spiritual sense. The Kingdom of God proclaimed by Christ was a battle not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers of darkness and dark forces of the air. Basically, its fight is with the ruler of this world in the shadows.

The message this morning is that even the world as we see it exists in the natural and physical realm is as real as the pain we feel when we pinch our skin, there’s still another unseen world existing in parallel in another realm. That world can determine happenings in the natural world but its goal is not our successes or wealth or survival in the world, but our souls. The dark world’s only concern is where are we headed as spiritual beings. We may die and our bodies perish when we no longer have breath, but our soul and spirit remain intact. Are we on the narrow road that leads to eternal life or the broad road that leads to destruction? In the end, life is really just that. Will our faith be still alive when we breathe our last? Will we still be running the race then?

As much as challenges in life or at work may be overwhelming, don’t neglect our faith. Keep it burning for God. Make sure we are always on the right path. Always check whether our ticket to salvation, given to us by the grace of God, is still in our pocket. Lose it and we will be thrown out when the conductor checks.

Prayer moves mountains

https://odb.org/2025/11/04/anything-to-say

Isaiah 38:1–6 (NIV): 38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

King Hezekiah became ill and had something on his heart to say to God after the prophet Isaiah told him he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1). He “wept bitterly” and pleaded, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion” (v. 3). His was an honest, desperate appeal for deliverance. Even though healing isn’t dependent on our “goodness,” and God doesn’t always heal, He chose to extend the king’s life by fifteen years (v. 5). After his recovery, Hezekiah thanked and praised Him (v. 16).(Anne Cetas, ODB, 4th November 2025)

One of the more well-known Kings in the Old Testament besides the trio of Saul, David and Solomon is King Hezekiah. Hezekiah is famous for having pleaded with God to extend his life when he fell gravely ill. Because of his prayer, the LORD extended his life by another fifteen years! Truly life and death is in the hand of God but most importantly as believers the point is God hears our prayers.

Certain things may look impossible like asking God to heal us from aggressive and terminal cancer. But we know that even stage 4 cancer patients have miraculously been healed through prayers of the saints. Even as we have been given authority by Jesus Christ to pray for the sick, the healer is still God and it is by His grace and mercy. Not everyone we pray for will be healed but there will be those who will be. All we need to do is to move out in faith and pray, believing in the grace and mercy of God.

But prayer extends beyond just physical well being and health. There are even impossible situations in the family or at work that prayer can change. As the saying goes, prayer moves mountains. Or prayer moves the hands of God. Prayer changes situations because it penetrates into the spiritual realm and calls for the will of God be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Pray for ideas and solutions if, for example, our business is threatened by changing consumer habits or economic tides. Maybe if our “brick and mortar” retail store has not been doing well for a number of years now, pray that the Lord will help us start another business? Or perhaps it’s time for us to retire and serve God more with our time?

The message this morning is to spend more time praying, for things which bother us and for our loved ones. That God will protect them from harm and give them the strength and ingenuity to deal with issues of life. That the spirit of salvation will sweep their hearts and the Holy Spirit will touch them. Once we start praying, we will realise that there are many things we may pray for. Let us become a vessel to bring change and transformation to our own lives and for the lives of those we are praying for. Amen!

P/S

We left Seremban at 5.30 am for PJ yesterday and so didn’t have enough of a window to prepare and do a writeup.

What Jesus did for us

https://odb.org/2025/10/31/what-jesus-did-for-us

Ephesians 1:5–7 (NIV): 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Jimmy didn’t have to work to earn his inclusion on the trip because his dad was paying his way. As believers in Jesus, we also don’t rely on our good works as the basis of our inclusion in heaven. We’re granted access because of Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and Jesus’ own blood was the “payment,” releasing us from our debt to Him. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7). He opened the way for whoever believes in Him to “not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Christ’s work and our trust in that work allows us to be with Him for eternity. (Karen Huang, ODB 31 Oct 2025)

I am sure by now everyone knows this basic doctrine of our faith that we are saved by God’s grace for us through the work of Jesus on the cross. That is why He is worthy of our praise and worship. His name is worthy. He is the Lamb of God sacrificed by God to redeem us from our sins, which started from the original sin of Adam in Eden and He paved the way for us to one day enter Eden Recreated as revealed in Revelation 22. That’s the essence of John 3:16 that for God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have life everlasting.

The notable difference between our lives and that of Jimmy in today’s ODB life story is that while his dad paid his way like Jesus did for our spiritual lives, we can’t just sit on the bus and do nothing. We are created for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Thus once we have been saved, there is an expectation from Jesus that we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1), which is our spiritual act of worship. For as James wrote, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Once saved and put on the bus or boat to eternal life, we need to both become morally upright (per Romans 12:1) and do good works (per James 2:17).

If we sit tight and do nothing, don’t attend church or serve God, will our salvation be forfeited? No, the doctrine doesn’t say so and it is not for me or you to judge. Just that it certainly looks like we are taking God’s grace for granted. We are not giving Jesus the respect and worthiness He deserves. Or worse it may look like we are just putting down or making insignificant His death on the cross for our sins. A whole lot of negative implications or perceptions towards us if we were to do nothing.

As we end this week, I pray for a good Sunday worship service this weekend for everyone. Great if you’re serving, persevere on for His name’s sake. If you’re just a part of the congregation this Sunday, make sure we make the effort to attend. Just attending is a strong encouragement for others. At least we are not sitting tight and doing nothing! Praise the Lord!

Joseph – his life repurposed by Yahweh

https://odb.org/2025/10/30/repurposed

Genesis 45:12–15, 21-27 (NIV):

12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. 22 To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. 23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey. 24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”
25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.

On a far greater scale, God has a way of repurposing people. We remember the biblical story of Joseph and his “coat of many colors.” As a young man, he was a lowly shepherd and was sold into slavery by his brothers. But God led Joseph through great difficulties and into the top ranks of government. Eventually Joseph became “repurposed” as “the ruler of all Egypt” (Genesis 45:26). Yet Joseph’s calling was not about power but about grace—something he extended to his brothers as he forgave them (v. 15). (Kenneth Petersen, ODB 30th October 2025)

I believe that even if we had responded positively to our calling in God that God may, in His wisdom and grace, repurpose our lives from time to time, season to season. That is why when I say calling, I usually qualify it by saying our calling for the season. The Lord may call us to do different things at different times of our lives. In Joseph’s case, after he was sold into slavery, he was the manager or caretaker at Potiphar’s house albeit still a slave. When he was a prisoner, he gained the favour of the warden and was put in charge of all the prisoners. Later because of his God-given ability to interpret dreams while he was in prison, he was called to interpret a dream of the Pharoah.

As Joseph successfully predicted the coming famine and suggested to the Pharoah to store up food reserves in the first season of seven years of prosperity to prepare for the next seven years of great famine, he saved Egypt from destruction and death. As a result, Joseph was made ruler in Egypt, second only to the Pharoah himself. At the spiritual level, God saved the then nascent tribe of Israel (in essence, the family of Jacob) and safeguarded a family lineage to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

The ultimate calling of Joseph was to preserve and protect the covenant of Abraham, his great grandfather, with Yahweh (the Abrahamic Covenant) but his life was repurposed from glory to glory. His life also personified a fundamental spiritual principle that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance, character and character, hope that doesn’t disappoint (Romans 5:35).

The message this morning is to remind ourselves that God may have a different calling for us at different stages of our lives. Be prepared to be repurposed for greater exploits for the Lord. Our past callings and experiences will stand us in good stead for our calling for this season of our lives. We could have been a student, a teacher and now a retired advisor with wisdom built on years of life experiences with God and in dealing with the world and issues of life. I think one explicit and prevalent motto in Christian service is we serve our God until our dying breath!

A tribute and a reminder

https://odb.org/2025/10/29/a-tribute-and-reminder

Joshua 4:1–7 (NIV): When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

In the Bible, tributes or memorials—like the stone memorial in Joshua 4—aren’t expressions of wistful longing for the past. Rather, they’re reminders of God’s previous faithfulness to help us trust Him in the present. The Torah—the “law of Moses” itself (8:32)—was rewritten on stones as a memorial (vv. 30-35). God’s rescue of the previous generation from Egypt was remembered at the annual Passover feast (Exodus 13). Similarly, Communion (the Lord’s Supper) is a reminder of the broken body and shed blood of Christ on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). Today, as we remember God’s faithfulness in our lives, may we leave behind a lasting tribute. (ODB Insight, 29th Oct 2025)

We should all have tributes or memorials to remember the past, to remind us of God’s faithfulness so we may trust Him more for the future. Not wistful longing for the past as the events of the past will never appear again. While the occurrences will not reoccur, God’s compassion and love will. His goodness and faithfulness endures forever. His steadfast love is renewed every morning like the dew. For example, the times I had with my late parents while they were alive are etched as memories. I can never relive them. Time has moved on. But God’s faithfulness will enable me and my wife to have our own cherished moments with our children and our children’s children. If the LORD grants us long lives, there will be perhaps another 30 years of time spent together as a family despite my elder son currently living and working in a distant part of the world.

At the spiritual level, God’s faithfulness in keeping us running the race will ensure we will experience His grace and mercy again and again even as we had experienced it time and time again in the past. There may be trouble, problems, trials and tribulations that the world brings, but our faith will remain intact because of His faithfulness and steadfastness that endureth forever. Our past experiences with Him will give us the impetus and confidence to trust Him for our future. He is our deliverer and our salvation.

Look at our tributes and memorials of His past goodness and faithfulness in our lives. Jesus was there during our times of need. He will be there again in our future times of need. If we put our trust in Him, He will make our paths straight and smooth. We do not know what the future entails but we know He will be there right by our side. All glory and honour be unto Him, Jesus the perfector of our faith! Amen!

Christ, our sure foundation

https://odb.org/2025/10/28/a-sure-foundation

Matthew 7:24–27 (NIV): 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Yes, storms happen in this life. Sickness and countless other dilemmas can leave us spinning. Life isn’t “stormproof,” but building our lives on Jesus and His teaching—our sure “foundation” (see 1 Corinthians 3:11)—makes the difference. Those who refuse to embrace Christ are more vulnerable when life’s storms come. But those who listen to His words will find stability: “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock” (Matthew 7:25). Indeed, it’s all about our foundation. (Arthur Johnson, ODB 27th Oct 2025)

The analogy of building our house on the rock compared to sand is something we learned since our Sunday school days. When the rain and floods come up, the wise man’s house built on the rock stood firm while the foolish man’s house built on sand came tumbling down. Those in essence are the lyrics of a famous Sunday school song. The lesson being that our life will be in good hands if we had built it on the foundation of Christ as a wise man would. A house built on shifting sands will not stand inclement weather or the test of time.

But in these last days, it is more pertinent that our faith is properly built on Christ, more so than our life. If we put first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things shall be added unto you. More so since only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will gain the inheritance to live in the new heaven and new earth where God dwells amongst His people at the end of time for all eternity.

In these last days, the devil and his minions or even minnows will do all they can to distract, undermine and deceive us. If our foundation in Christ is not strong, we will be swept away by new doctrines, fancy experiences and even a way of life that doesn’t glorify God. We will be swayed by teachings of prosperity and the good life that we forget suffering brings forth perseverance and perseverance the hope that will not disappoint. We must not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds to discover and prove the good, pleasing and perfect will of God.

We cannot avoid but need to equip ourselves with the knowledge of our faith and strengthen our spirit man that we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit and the happenings in the spiritual realm. Break free from the chains of our past that shackle our faith to move forward for God, to fulfil His plans and purposes for our lives. Both our mind and our spirit need to be trained to see and understand the mysteries of the Kingdom and the moves of God in our midst. Make sure that we are the wise man who built his house on the rock, that troubles, trials and tribulations will not shake us or strange doctrines and fancy experiences will not sway our genuine faith in Christ. As many are called but few are chosen, let’s always and consciously fight to remain among the chosen!

Genesis 1 – Creation

https://odb.org/2025/10/27/the-one-who-made-it-all

Genesis 1:1–8 (ESV): 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

I think most of us are acquainted with Genesis 1 as every attempt to read the bible page to page inevitably starts at Genesis 1! The fundamental truth is that God is the creator of all things as opposed to Darwin’s theory of evolution that things evolved over time and at the beginning things just started. While plausible, the details we see in creation like our own human body and that of animals and the way nature works all point to the improbability of the Big Bang Theory. The thing is nature works in an equilibrium. In fact, we know as humans (and for that matter, most other living creatures), we live at a certain blood pressure, oxygen levels with our nerve, respiratory, cardiac, digestive, muscular systems, and our 5 senses all working in tandem. Anything goes out of whack and we are sick. Now, is such a complex existence possible with just a bang?

As a believer, the advantage we carry is that this creator God is accessible by us. He made us all in His image and He enjoys fellowshipping with us. He wants to relate to us as His creation. In fact, He is our Shepherd and our Father in heaven. All made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross of Calvary.

But how does Genesis 1 relate to us as believers? As much as it is the start of the bible and Revelation 22 is the end? The day will come when Eden will be recreated and we whose names are written in the Book of Life will live with God in eternity in the new heaven and new earth, in the new Jerusalem.

Be reminded this morning that He who created the heavens and the earth and all things in them is our Heavenly Father. As much as nature has its set systems, the spiritual realm can at times penetrate into the natural to achieve God’s will here on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus demonstrated that in His healing of the masses, His signs and wonders and authority over demonic forces. Yahweh demonstrated His power when He parted the Red Sea and brought the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land. Elijah called down fire to consume the sacrifice drenched in water, defeated the prophets of Baal and called on rain to end the severe drought. Lazarus who was dead for more than 3 days was raised from the dead. Jesus resurrected from the dead, in a glorified body that we as believers look forward to. A small movement of Jews reached out to the Gentiles is now the faith of millions from generations to generations, all over the world.

Don’t ever give up when trials and tribulations, problems and difficulties come our way. Call upon the name of Jesus. Pray to our Heavenly Father, the God of Genesis 1 for help if we ever want to give up or give in. Run the race appointed for us until the very end, until we breathe our last. Be steadfast, hold on to our faith, come what way. Always remember that the God of Genesis 1 is our God, our LORD and Saviour! Amen! Hallelujah, Praise the LORD!

P/S

I took a break last week after our Family Camp. It was a wonderful time of receiving the Word and fellowshipping. Although my last posting was on 17 Oct 25, I actually only missed 5 working days all in.

Have a great and wonderful week ahead, everyone!

Serving God – tragedies into opportunities and blessings

https://odb.org/2025/10/17/sit-down

Romans 12:9–16 (NIV): 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

With extra time on my hands, my plan for the coming months centred on serving people as much as I could. But while helping a new friend, I tripped and fell and broke my arm in three places. Suddenly, I was the one in need. God’s people cared for me with visits, gift cards, flowers, phone calls, texts, prayers, meals (and even a box of chocolates), and by running errands. I couldn’t believe how kind my family, friends, and fellow church members were! It was as if God were saying, “Sit down. You need help. You’ll see what caring looks like.” Because of them, I know more about serving from the heart and feeling grateful to God for others. (Anne Cetas, ODB 17th Oct 2025)

It is ironic that Anne Cetas, the writer of today’s ODB article, wanted to serve people with time on her side that she tripped and fell and broke her arm in 3 places. Due to her injury, she ended up being served. She wrote, “God’s people cared for me with visits, gift cards, flowers, phone calls, texts, prayers, meals (and even a box of chocolates), and by running errands”. In the process, she learnt what it meant to be cared for and served. Being the recipient changed her perspective and taught her how she could care for others more empathetically.

The lesson this morning is that whenever we go through tough situations or disappointments or even failed missions or dreams, know that our personal experience builds us up to be better equipped to serve others. If we came from a family who experienced a great tragedy, like the 16 year old student stabbed 200 times by a 14 year old fellow student, the hearts broken and tears shed will make us stronger to one day help others go through their own tragedies. I’m sure we have come across news reports of a family involved in a bad car accident where everyone except a young child was killed. What a dark future one will have if your parents and siblings were all killed, leaving you alone to grow up and face the world. Bleak as it may appear to be, the Lord is able to turn your tragedy into something of substance for you to be a pillar of strength for others.

This morning, as we approach the coming long weekend when our Hindu friends celebrate Diwali, be reminded that God in His almighty power and infinite grace will turn our past tragedies into opportunities for service and blessings! For those of us in my local church attending the upcoming family camp, be prepared for God to touch us and lead us into a spiritual breakthrough for our lives!

Have a good long weekend, everyone!

Lost sheep

https://odb.org/2025/10/16/feeling-lost

Psalm 119:169–176 (NIV): 169 May my cry come before you, LORD;
give me understanding according to your word.
170 May my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
for you teach me your decrees.
172 May my tongue sing of your word,
for all your commands are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, LORD,
and your law gives me delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you,
and may your laws sustain me.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.

In the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7), Jesus painted a picture that a shepherd would leave behind his 99 sheep to look for the one that got lost. It reflects God’s heart as a loving shepherd where every single one of us is valuable to and treasured by Him. Not only in terms of sheep who strayed away but to those who have yet to become sheep and are lost in darkness. That’s the truth and hope that we hold on to in case one day we were to stray away and become lost in the world or amidst our pursuit of our own fleshy desires or for wealth, fame or pleasures of life.

Except that, in my view, we shouldn’t stray if we could help it. Don’t get distracted from our faith by the bright city lights. In fact, nowadays, with the proliferation of social media and user content, especially by the new profession called influencer, our minds could easily be discreetly persuaded or influenced not only by the influencers themselves but also spiritual forces behind not so much those persons, but those content. It’s the same danger posed by television or computer games if we over indulge, just that nowadays fewer people watch television.

It’s very dangerous for our faith if we think that it’s OK to stray because God will find a way to reach out to save us. Did Jesus jump when tempted by the devil to do so from the top of the Temple? There is an implied rule in our faith not to test God as chances are nature will run its course. The LORD allowed the Israelites to be exiled first by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians due to their insolence and unfaithfulness. He eventually delivered them as a nation, but not as individuals. Many did not make it home, and some died in captivity, while there were those who chose to stay behind in the prosperity of Babylon (which biblically represents the world).

See extract below from an AI overview:

AI Overview
No, not all exiled Israelites returned to Israel; most of the northern ten tribes taken by Assyria never returned. While many from the southern kingdom of Judah returned from Babylonian exile, a significant portion of the population chose to remain in Babylon, and the returnees only represented a remnant of the former kingdom. The tribes of Benjamin, Judah, and Levi were the main groups to return.

Straying is inherently dangerous for our faith. For sheep, the danger is being eaten by wolves. For us, we may enjoy the world so much that we end up preferring and choosing the world over God. What a tragedy that would be! Worst, we may already be lost without even realising it!