https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/13/will-you-still-love-me

Romans 5:6-11 highlights the nature of God’s love that transcends our sinfulness and unrighteousness that while we were yet sinners and unrighteous, God sent His one and only son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and reopened the way for humankind to be reconciled to God. That is why Jesus declared Himself as the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to the Father. He is the truth in the sense that His words and deeds are true, that He was not only a teacher but God incarnate and personified. He is the life as through Him we will have eternal and everlasting life that though we may die, we live, a life that transcends death and time that will transport us into a new realm one day here on earth when heaven and earth will merge with God dwelling among His people as He originally intended back in the day before man met the serpent and sin.

The question today is whether after accepting Christ and becoming a believing child of God, will God still love us if we sinned? Can we still sin after we are in the light? Yes and surely so because we are still human. But will God still love us? Will He still accept us?

The fact that God made the first move to reconcile us to Him while we were yet sinners is proof that if we still sin after we have known Christ, God will forgive us and accept us. This is because His love is unconditional and He will accept us as we are, flesh and blood with our old self still intact despite us being born again with our new spiritual self. We will always be work in progress until the day of judgment. God accepted us when we first sought Him into our lives and He will still accept us today and in the days to come.

Does that mean our life is not transformed from knowing Christ? Are we still behaving like our old self, living a life of evil intentions, scheming the downfall of everyone else, only thinking of our own self interest? Are we living a life of sin? Are we living a life that is incompatible with our faith?

I think the message today is that as much as God still loves us even if we sin after knowing Him and as much as that He will forgive Him as we confess our sins and repent of them, we must progress daily from worse to bad, bad to good in more and more aspects and areas of our lives. It is a daily crucifixion of our old self to let our new self take control and be dominant. The light of Christ must shine forth within us to overpower all darkness and evil desires in us. We love others and put the interests of others first to the extent that we love our enemies. We may be a long way from perfection but we need to be in a journey heading towards that, on the path of righteousness towards heaven and not on the path that leads to destruction.

Never give up and never be afraid to turn back to God if we ever strayed because He loves us!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/12/life-expectancy

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom – Psalm 90:12.

We can see with our own eyes barring accidents and unforseen circumstances like the Covid-19 pandemic at its earlier stages or acute illnesses, we as humans can usually live for around 80 years. In fact, ballpark for our life expectancy is around there. Some live much longer like our previous premier, Tun Dr Mahathir who is 97 already this year.

Yet as much as 80 years is a lifetime for us, it is just a day to God. In fact, a thousand human years could equal a day for God. It is a figure of speech as time although moves sequentially and linearly for us, God being God can see all things all at once or may move along time as He so wishes. He can see and be in timelines we have yet to experience in our lifetimes or in time to come. Until of course the end of the present age comes with the second coming of Christ.

But before the end of time comes when we as believers of Christ will live for eternity, our time on earth as mortal beings are limited. Life and tide wait for no man. Yet if time is like a boat, our time on the boat is finite and definite. We need to make the most of it while we are still on the boat. Once our time is up, we will leave this dimension and will no longer be able to do anything anymore here or influence anything here. All that we have will be left behind. With nothing we came, with nothing will we leave. Only our legacy and deeds will be left here on earth and the treasures we had stored in heaven at the room Jesus had gone on ahead to prepare for us.

To those of us who procrastinate a lot, do what matters now. See the people we love and are dear to us now. Travel when we can to see the world. Serve God with passion and as much as we can. Do His will. Fulfil His plans and purposes for us. Don’t wait anymore. Be faithful to God and His calling. We will be old or incapacitated later or later may never come.

Teach us to number our days O Lord that we may indeed gain a heart of wisdom. May we all gain wisdom (i.e. God) as we number our days (do what matters with the limited time we have)! Amen!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/11/your-part-gods-part

The story of Abram (Abraham’s original name) responding to God’s call out of the Url of the Caldeans to Canaan is probably one of the top 10 most famous stories in the bible. So famous that the writer of Hebrews mentioned the same thing in Hebrews 11:8 that by faith Abraham when called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, he obeyed and went even through he didn’t know where he was going.

It is famous as Abraham is the father of the Jewish people who through Jesus Christ, a Jew by birth but God in person, Abraham became a blessing to many nations and with us as believers in the past, the present and the age to come, we are now a part of his descendants that is now more numerous than the stars in the sky and the sand at the seashore.

Abraham speaks of God’s calling and provision as we respond and obey. His experience speaks of us moving out of our comfort zone to an unfamiliar place, a place inhabited by the Canaanites, a place that the LORD promised to his offsprings. It’s a challenge “to get thee out”, a challenge to obey and go like Abraham obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.

If we have a strong desire to obey a prompting or call from God, go ahead even though we may not exactly be sure what lies ahead. Abraham didn’t know but that didn’t stop him from uprooting his family and to take all of his possessions, livestock and servants and go. Not a question of the blessings that follow but more the fact that as we respond, God will show and direct us like He did with Abraham. If we have faith, we can move a mountain and that is exactly what Jesus meant – if we have faith, we can move the mountain of our life forward. We do our part to respond, to obey and go and God will do the rest. And even if the LORD were to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil as His staff and rod comfort us.

I have been personally grappling with this issue for some time now and am still seeking God as to what is His call for me and as I hear Him more clearly, I pray for the strength and resolve to obey and go like Abraham did during ancient times. He is the example, the beacon of our hope the same way Jesus was purposeful of His mission on earth; the difference being that Jesus knew exactly where He was going and will go the moment He was born here on earth as a child conceived by the Holy Spirit and carried and delivered by the virgin Mary.

O Lord give us the strength and tenacity to respond in love and boldness as You call us out to our promised lands. May we be like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, David, Peter, John, James, Paul, Barnabas and many others in the bible who had responded positively to move forward as God had called them!

I learnt quite a number of years back during a counselling seminar about the power of gratitude, especially thankfulness to the creator. It applies to everyone whether those in the faith and those yet in the faith. Gratefulness releases a combination of dopamine, oxytocins and endorphins in the brain that is similar to a runner’s high. Thus biologically it is proven that gratefulness actually makes people happy and have peace. Something inbuilt and internal.

I however take the view that as believers, gratefulness and thankfulness are even more potent, more powerful, particularly, if we are grateful and thankful to our Father in heaven. If we are thankful for what we have despite what we are going through, if we rejoice in God although we are down and struggling – God sees and emphasises with us. Perhaps He may alleviate our situation or make our problems go away. Or perhaps He does not. But whatever is the outcome, His promise is that He will be with us throughout it all. We may feel we are all alone but He is there with us.

Thankfulness and gratefulness take a deeper meaning as believers because our Heavenly Father is a person like you and I. He created us in His image. He has feelings too. He gets angry and is compassionate as seen in the Old Testament of ancient Israel. When He was personified by Christ on earth, we could see that Jesus is also an emotional being like you and I. He cried when He saw Lazarus dead and his sisters and family in so much grief.

So I’m saying that the same way that we are happy when others express their gratitude and thankfulness, what do you think our Heavenly Father will feel if we do so ourselves to Him? Will He not be happy with us? He will know that we notice and acknowldege His work in our lives. He doesn’t need our recognition as He is God and yet if we give Him due recognition and honour, I’m sure He will be pleased. We always sing we give all honour, all glory and that all power belongs to Him – mean it by recognising and acknowledging His grace and mercy and compassionate work in our lives. It is the Holy Spirit who has shaped our hearts all these years to know God. It is Jesus Christ who died for our sins and liberated us from the clutches and destiny of sin amd condemnation. Thus as believers, thankfulness and gratefulness will not only have internal effects in terms of endorphins but also an external effect as we have an ongoing daily relationship with our God. It will sure be well for our relationship with God if we are thankful.and grateful to Him for all that He has and will do in our lives. Therefore in all things, give thanks and by prayer ahd supplication, present our requests to Him (Philippians 4:6) and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/09/the-power-of-gods-word-2

We all know that there are two aspects of Scriptures as set forth in the Bible. One is the logos side of it which is the rationale and logic and principles as it was written – the meaning of which must be extracted and understood within the context (background, cultural norms and literary forms existing at the time it was written). Like the expression Jesus used, “if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you may move this mountain”. The use of extreme contrasts to express the point that with faith in God, no matter how small and actually it doesn’t really matter how strong, one can do wonders. It doesn’t literally mean moving a mountain but a mountain could mean a community so deep into their cultural norms and yet could still accept and believe in Christ crucified and resurrected. It is not literal and yet it has a literal meaning. Therefore to teach and preach on principles as enumerated in the bible in terms of the logos part of it, we need to limit ourselves within the principles and tenets of our faith.

Yet, we know the Word of God is a living Word. The second aspect of Scriptures is its rhema. An utterance or meaning that we may apply to our situation or to give us direction. Meaning to say lessons taught and directed to, for example, ancient Israel are applicable to us, the modern church, in this present age and time as we are the spiritual Israel and thus even to us as individual believers. It is this aspect of the Word that most preachers focus on as a true sermon must contain a Word that is relevant to what we as a congregation or as individuals are going through. And that is the most difficult challenge for most preachers – what is the living Word of God to speak to the congregation right now for this moment and season of time? Most preachers spend most of their preparation time seeking God on this. So even if we have heard a passage preached many times from various sources, in person or online, God is still able to use the same passage to speak to us at our moment of need to prompt us or nudge us in a certain direction or to comfort and encourage us or strengthen our resolve.

What is the Lord’s message to us this morning? I believe it is to continue to read His Word and don’t neglect that. Maybe we have read the bible through a few times already. Maybe we have doctorates on the study of certain aspects of Scriptures and know the Word of God inside out. Yet, there is always the rhema aspect of God speaking to us that is relevant and applicable for us this morning to help us through and to guide us whether in our life, our work, our relationships, our ministry or just for the plain issues of life that we face. Read the Word daily and may it be a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105) that may brighten up our steps as we walk the pathway of life!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/07/birds-of-the-air

Jesus used the “light and heavy” (gal wahomer in Hebrew) illustration to highlight the point that if God is good in something less important, surely He will be good in something more important. So if He takes care of the birds of the air, what more will He take care of us, His children created in His image for which He had made plans for even before the foundations of the world. He already “invested” in us all these years despite us not being fully committed to Him, will He let all that go to nought? He sent His beloved and one and only Son to die for our sins.

Read Matthew 6:25-33 carefully and we will notice that Jesus said it is the pagans who run after these things – what shall we eat, what shall we drink and what shall we wear? Notice that He said, your Heavenly Father knows that you need them, but seek ye first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you. The point is not to run after these things. Our Heavenly Father will provide for us in due course because He knows we need them. Instead focus on Him and the things of God. Elsewhere Jesus said before (Matthew 16:26) – what good is it if a man were to gain the whole world, but forfeits his soul? In fact when Jesus was tempted by the devil, the devil offered Him the world if He were to bow down and worship him.

I believe as a believer we must always keep in mind what Jesus taught in Matthew 6 and 16. We need to know and remember and be reminded what matters most ultimately. Seek His Kingdom first and His righteousness. Material things while necessary for survival will eventually come. If our focus is just on material things, then we will not be going after God and the things of God, and one day we may forfeit our ticket to heaven that was bought for us by the blood of Christ. Always maintain a balance between pursuing our career and vocation (eat, drink and wear) and God. Don’t ever neglect the latter. Keep on at it and the other things will be sorted out by God for us.

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/06/envisioning-our-neighbors-future

The LORD’s instructions in Leviticus 25 to the Israelites to help fellow Israelites who are poor like they would of a foreigner and stranger is basically not charging them interest when lending them money or not making a profit when selling them food. The premise was that so those who became poor and unable to support themselves may continue to live among them. It is at the community level. But in this instance like in the other instruction to leave some produce behind in the fields for the widow, poor and the foreigner during harvest, the expectation is that the poor will work to earn their keep. It’s just that they should be helped at cost whether it is capital or food.

But in the New Testament when the struggling church in Macedonia gave sacrificially to financially help believers in Jerusalem, it went beyond providing capital or food at cost. It was an outright grant or gift. It was the same in the case of Noedesha, a small economically challenged town in Kansas, a couple providing a college scholarship to every student in that town to further their studies. The intention was not so they could continue to live among them but to alleviate the social economic situation of the town. In the contemporary Malaysian context it would have meant giving every university student a grant of RM100,000 to pursue a local private university degree. RM100,000 is a lot of money to many struggling families and would have help in raising their social economic status.

What’s the Lord’s message to us today? I believe it is that if we could, we should be generous and helpful. In the modern context that could mean a monetary gift to someone in need or buying someone a meal. It could be to a brother or sister in church or a neighbour or even a homeless stranger in the street. The world is headed towards a recession because the rich nations wanted to maintain control by imposing sanctions. The impact is inflation at home and with interest rates raised to manage inflation, demand will decrease and thus a recession (defined as no growth for 2 quarters). The thing is that the West has not fully grasped the fact that the economy is now a global phenomenon. Sanctions against China and Russia will not only affect the countries concerned but the whole world. Things will become worse at the local level before it becomes better. The days may come when fresh grads will earn RM1,000 to RM2,000 again when they are now earning RM3,000 or more.

Those of us who are better off should thus help those in need when the tough times come. Time to save rather than spend. Prepare for the rainy day as well as prepare to help out when the time comes. Save up so we may have some capital to help others.

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/05/grieving-and-grateful

One of those things in life that we will not be able to avoid is grief. As we get older, there will be loved ones and friends who will go before us. In fact some of our contemporaries may have passed on. People die for different reasons. Besides traffic accidents, the other major causes of death are cancer and cardiac arrest. The recent pandemic also led to many dying, with most already having underlying health issues; the virus mostly sped things up.

I think no one will ever experience what Job experienced. One devastating news after another. From his oxens and donkeys to his camels to his sheep and to his various servants and workers, and then his children – one calamity after another, nearly all at once. Yet he worshipped God and proclaimed that with nothing he came to this world, with nothing shall he leave. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken, praise the name of the LORD!

As was said, even one of those would have devastated us and yet Job was able to praise God. He praised the LORD because the LORD spared his life. He was grateful that he still had breadth because in the end, we live at the grace and mercy of the Almighty. People die for a variety of reasons and we could be one of them anytime any day. We are still alive today enjoying the beauty of His creation and the fellowship and companionship of our loved ones because of His love and mercy. That is why we must be thankful and grateful to God for His goodness upon our lives despite the grief.

We may have lost a loved one. But we still have our life and our job. If we had lost our job, we still have our life and our loved ones. Be thankful that we still live. Be thankful that we still have God’s plans and purposes for us to achieve. We still have our work cut out in the Kingdom of God here on earth. We still have a purpose to fulfil for God here on earth.

It’s time to move on and leave our grief behind. Still much to do for God in our life in this world. Not time yet for us to be with Jesus in heaven. Do our part as that brick on the wall. Be grateful and thankful to God that our time is not up yet. We still have much to accomplish for Him! Amen!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/04/our-hearts-true-home

It’s nothing short of a miracle that a dog that got lost 2,200 miles (3,500 kms) away could somehow find its way home 6 months later. It is both spectacular and amazing! Without maps or GPS, how did the dog do it? Perhaps that home was its natural home and thus it will gravitate towards it somehow, sooner or later.

Thus when it comes to our hearts, we as believers in the faith believe that the true home for our hearts is God. That no matter how far away we have spiritually drifted from God, our hearts will naturally gravitate towards God. That the natural home for the hearts of humans is God and hence we will naturally be drawn to God and the things of God even if we had never known God personally in our lives before. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit convicting the hearts of men and women and Jesus having died for our sins, there is a natural tendency for us to want to know God. Christ has opened up the way for us to reach the Father, the Helper is there to prompt us on.

We are shaped by the culture that we live in. Yet God, the one and only true and living Almighty God, can and will reach out to us. Even if it is impossible for some of us to proclaim His goodness publicly out in the open, we could start by proclaiming His grace and love in our hearts. Accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Repent from our sins. Acknowledge that we are sinners and ask God to forgive us our sins and in our hearts, believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was resurrected by the Father 3 days later defeating sin and the devil. As a result we have eternal life and as we have accepted Jesus into our lives, Jesus will prepare a house for us in the Father’s house of many mansions. As God is the natural home for our hearts, it is essential that our hearts find our eternal home in heaven and that one day we will all be resurrected together to live even though we may die. It is my prayer and hope that all of us will find our way to our eternal home through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour! Like the dog that was lost 2,200 miles away, we too will somehow find our true home, the true home of our heart!

https://odb.org/MY/2022/10/03/mirror-test

Who do we see when we look into the mirror? We obviously see ourselves. We are who we are as in the mirror. We can imagine we are someone else or a more beautiful or younger version of ourselves but we are still who we are. In fact, if we are women devoid of make up, that’s us there with all the ravages of age clearly visible to us in the mirror.

The interesting question posed today is who do we see when we read scripture. Do we only see the characters in the story or do we see God speaking to us? But most interestingly, do we see ourselves in the pages of the Bible as we read what God has to say to us? Seeing ourselves in the sense that as Jesus teaches the parable of the talents, do we see ourselves returning 10-fold or just the same talent (buried it under the ground?? Or when Jesus taught about storing treasures in heaven, do we see ourselves doing so? Or do we see ourselves only busy storing riches on earth? Or when we see Abraham and Moses responding to God’s call on their lives to respectively move out from the Ur of the Chaldeans and to bring the Israeli slaves out of Egypt, do we likewise respond to God’s call upon our lives? Or when we read about God’s laws being compassionate on the widows, the orphans and the foreigners by not harvesting everything from the harvest fields, do we have compassion on others by leaving something on the table as we negotiate or transact? Do we always have to drive such a hard bargain as others need to eke out a living like us too, except that they may not have the blessings and protection of God on their side like we often do? Are we thus compassionate and gracious to the weak and poor since God is on our side?

If we look at scripture as a mirror of ourselves, showing us our weaknesses and yet we see ourselves as victorious and overcoming our self, how wonderful a believer will we be! Seek out the rhema word as we learn of the logos as we read the bible but imagine and see ourselves as the people God is teaching about – we will go a long way achieving God’s image and plans and purposes for us. We will slowly but surely become the person the Lord wants us to be all along! We will be that sunflower standing proud in the desert deserted highway, prevailing against all odds, crushing all enemy plans against us! Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!