PASTORAL MESSAGES (Page 43)

By Not Known As we continue our study on Romans, one of the most challenging yet relevant book of the Bible, we will find ourselves knocked off our pedestal and truly humbled to be obedient to serving our sovereign God.  It not only points us to the assurance of salvation but also to fully understand what being a Christian truly mean.  It is never just about…

By Not Known Joshua 24:15 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, … But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua’s commitment to the Lord uttered in verse 15 is admirable. His choice of serving God began as the aide to Moses and in particular, the beginning of leading the…

By Not Known On this day in 1938, Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party, delivered a much-anticipated speech in Berlin. This was the beginning of the expansion of the Nazi regime, which later resulted in World War II (1939-1945). His regime was totalitarian and fascist in nature, and he strived to fulfill the message that “his” race were superior, leading…

By Not Known This is a story about Rabbi Akiva, a renowned and revered Jewish rabbi of the first century. One late afternoon, Rabbi Akiva was on his way home to Capernaum. As he walked, he was also meditating and reciting the Scriptures.  He was so focused that he didn’t realize that he had taken a wrong turn. Suddenly he found himself standing in front of the Roman…

By Not Known Unlike the apostle Peter, the apostle Paul was called specifically to share the Gospel with non-Jews, i.e. Gentiles. Despite that, Paul earnestly and intensely desired non-believing Jews to receive salvation as well. Therefore, wherever he went, in the course of his missionary…

By Not Known Blessed Lunar New Year to all! For Chinese communities around the world, this holiday marks the start of spring, and a significant time of celebration and family reunions. Much of the food and practices associated with this holiday is tied to the concept of abundance. For example, the eating together of a fish whole, with the word “fish” sounding…

By Not Known “37A furious squall came up, … 39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:37-40) Jesus was with the disciples on the boat when the furious squall brewed. The disciples were afraid because…

By Not Known As we roll on into the New year, there are some things we need a mindset change in order to really see ORPC thrive. The first has to do with our understanding on compliance.  To embrace change and growth, we cannot simply go on a “business-as-usual” mode.  Innovations and creative developments are needed for us to look into how we can do things…

By Not Known I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26) The old year has just set behind us while a new one has risen in all its dawning beauty. We have left the old year, with the many good and bad experiences we have been through, along with answered and unanswered…

By Not Known Once again, we come to another point in our lives that we need to take stock of how we live.  Some may still be busy writing down their resolutions, others may still be looking at the chocolates and cookies and deciding whether to give them away or to consume them to the detriment of our health, still others may be mulling over what this so-called New…