FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Dr. Andrew C S Koh andrewcskoh@gmail.com 1/8/2023 A New Captivating Novel, ”The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions,” takes Readers on an Unforgettable Journey Accomplished independent author Dr. Andrew C S Koh from Perak, Malaysia, has announced the release of his highly anticipated novel, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions”. A devotional that offers spiritual guidance and inspiration to captivate readers from start to finish. “The Way, the Truth, and the Life Daily Devotions” is an impactful, inspiring, and thought-provoking devotional book. Here is a daily dose of vitamin S for the soul. It is full of thought-provoking messages and insightful reflections aimed at deepening one’s faith. This devotional book presents a unique perspective on life’s challenges and provides applications on how to deal with them. The writing style is engaging, and the content is relatable to present day situations. It is relevant to readers from all walks of life. The daily reading facilitates the readers to encounter God on a deeper level. This book is invaluable for personal spiritual growth, deepening of faith, renewal of minds, and conformity to the perfect will of God. “The Way, the Truth, and the Life Daily Devotions” is a labor of love that has been months in the making,” says Dr. Andrew C S Koh. I wanted to create a devotional that not only entertains but also resonates with readers on a deeper level. Reviewers have praised “The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions” for its engaging storytelling and ability to captivate readers until the end. One reviewer described it as “a truly beautiful work that will help the reader to walk in the path of our Lord Jesus”. Dr. Andrew C S Koh is working with popular book promotion websites and using different online platforms to engage with readers and promote “The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions”. Join the conversation on social media. Share your thoughts, ask questions, and participate in exclusive giveaways and events. You can find “The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions” as an e-book or paperback on popular online platforms like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple book, Smashwords, Scribd, and Kobo. For more details about Dr. Andrew C S Koh and “The Way, the Truth, and the Life, Daily Devotions,” visit https://www.drandrewcskoh.com. To request a review copy or schedule an interview, contact Dr. Andrew C S Koh at andrewcskoh@gmail.com. .Dr. Andrew C S Koh is an accomplished author, having published more than 40 Christian non-fiction novels, biographies and memoirs, Bible study guides, commentaries, and devotionals on the New and Old Testaments. He is an author, blogger, podcaster, Bible teacher, and cardiologist. He studied theology at Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand. Media Contact: Dr. Andrew C S Koh, andrewcskoh@gmail.com, https://www.drandrewcskoh.com
Heavenly Father, we pray for soft, responsive, and receptive hearts to hear You speak to us. We pray for the transformation of our hearts and minds, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Setting
Jesus left Judea and came to Galilee because the Jewish religious rulers were plotting to harm Him. The Israelites were celebrating the feast of Tabernacles for 8 days. This feast commemorates the 40 years of wilderness wandering. The highlight of the feast was the water ceremony on the last day.
John 7:37-39
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
Reflection
The priest performed the water ceremony on the last day of the feast of Tabernacle. The priest will take water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher, walk around the altar 7 times, and pour the water on the altar. Just when the priest was pouring out the water, Jesus declared in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Who ever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The Holy Spirit is symbolically represented by living water. Jesus is symbolized by the rock. The water ceremony was a profound way to remember the story in Exodus 17:6. “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Application
The promise of salvation is a universal promise. If you come to Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour, you will be saved, and the Holy Spirit will enter into you. To be saved, one must accept Jesus’ invitation with a positive response and believe in Him. The joy of the Holy Spirit will overflow from within you to others.
Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Prayer
Dear God, we believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Holy One of Israel. Thank You for salvation, justification, sanctification and eternal life. Thank You for mercy and grace, in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we pray for soft, responsive, and receptive hearts to hear You speak to us. We pray for the transformation of our hearts and minds, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Setting
Jesus left Judea and came to Galilee because the Jewish religious rulers were plotting to harm Him. The Israelites were celebrating the feast of Tabernacles for 8 days. This feast commemorates the 40 years of wilderness wandering. The highlight of the feast was the water ceremony on the last day.
John 7:37-39
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
Reflection
On the last day of the feast, the priest will perform the water ceremony. in the temple The priest will take water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher, walk around the altar 7 times, and pour the water on the altar. Just when the priest was pouring out the water, Jesus declared in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Who ever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The Holy Spirit is symbolically represented by living water. Jesus is symbolized by the rock. The water ceremony was a profound way to remember the story in Exodus 17:6. “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Application
The promise of salvation is a universal promise. If you come to Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour, you will be saved and you will be filled by the Holy Spirit. The prerequisite for salvation is responding to Jesus’ invitation positively and believing by faith. The joy of the Holy Spirit will overflow from within you to others.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11;28
Prayer
Dear God, we believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Holy One of Israel. Thank You for salvation, justification, sanctification and eternal life. Thank You for mercy and grace, in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.
Reflection
There are two kinds of people and two types of houses. Wise people who build their houses with Jesus as the foundation will be able to withstand the onslaught of trials and persecution. Foolish people who build their houses with sand as the foundation will be washed away by the floods, storms, and natural disasters of life. When the multitude heard these sayings, they were amazed because Jesus taught with authority, unlike the Pharisees and scribes.
Application
Praying is asking, seeking, and knocking on God. The Greek verbs, ask, seek, and knock are in the present, active, and imperative tense. This is a continuous action i.e. go on asking, go on seeking, and go on knocking. Prayer involves persistence, perseverance, and determination.
We must avoid hypocritical, judgmental, and self-righteous attitudes. We must be able to spot and discern false teachers by inspecting their fruits. Do they have the fruit of the Holy Spirit i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23?
We must build the foundation of our faith in Christ the solid rock through faith and obedience.
As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus taught with the authority of the Godhead. Jesus is the Word of God, who became flesh and lived with us. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, fully divine and fully human.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your teaching on judging, spiritual discernment, relationship, and wisdom. Help us to build our faith with Jesus as our foundation to withstand the storms of life. Help us to go on asking, seeking, and knocking on You in prayer with persistence, perseverance, faith, and determination, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
In Matthew 7:12- 14, Jesus gave us the golden rule: do to others what you want others to do to us and be kind to others if you want others to be kind to us. Jesus explained that He is the only way to God and the gate to salvation. After this, He warned us against false prophets.
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
Reflection
Jesus warned us to watch out for false prophets who peddle false doctrines to lead people astray. They masquerade as sheep in wolf’s clothing to deceive people with heretic teachings. They misused the gospel for personal enrichment and financial gains. False prophets were plentiful in the first-century world and even today.
We can detect false teachers by inspecting their fruits. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit. Examine every teacher for the fruit of the spirits. Genuine teachers will have the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.
Application
This passage is very relevant to us today because there are so many false teachers today masquerading as sheep among wolves.
Do not believe everything you hear or read. Countercheck everything you hear or read with the scriptures. Learn the Bible and be biblically literate. This is the best safeguard against heresy.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for the revelation of truth. We pray for the nourishment and strengthening of our souls. We pray for maturity in faith, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Reflection
We must not give valuable things to people who do not appreciate them. For example, if we give flowers to monkeys, they will trample on them and tear them to pieces in no time. This is a call for spiritual discernment and wisdom. Sharing the gospel with people who ridicule and blaspheme God is like throwing pearls to dogs.
Prayer is asking, seeking, and knocking on closed doors.
Prayer is to ask until God gives, seek until God reveals, and knock until God opens the door. We must pray consistently, continuously, patiently, persistently, with perseverance, determination, and faith. We must not allow obstacles to deter, discourage, or hinder us from praying.
Prayer is like children asking their father for the things they need. In prayer, we go to our heavenly Father and ask Him for things that we need. God will give us good things when we pray according to His will. His answer may be yes, no, or wait, but it will always be the best.
Application
If we who are sinful know how to give good things to our children when they ask, how much more will God give us when we ask?
God is just a prayer away. Pray with faith, conviction, persistence, and perseverance. Do not give up if the answer does not come. God hears every word you pray. God may say yes, no, or wait but His answer is always the best. He is never late, or early, but always on time. Sometimes you may even have to fast and pray.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for divine enablement to pray with faith and conviction. Help us to overcome the fear of man through prayer. We pray for the gift of evangelism, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Heavenly Father, we commit to You our daily devotion. Holy Spirit, we pray that You will explain, teach, reveal, and give us spiritual insight and understanding, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Setting
Jesus took the shortest route from Judea to Galilee by traveling directly northward stopping in Samaria. This was not the usual route. The Jews bypass Samaria by going through Perea, eastward, northward, and westward into Galilee. Jesus took the road less traveled.
Jesus arrived at Jacob’s well in Sychar at noon, tired, hungry, and thirsty from the long walk. The disciples went into the city to buy food. Jesus, who was fully man and fully God, felt tired, thirsty, and hungry. As a Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water, she noticed a stranger, a man, waiting there for her. This was most unusual. Woman came to the well in the morning or evening to draw water, socialize, and gossip. This woman came at 12 noon knowing that no other women would be there.
Woman of Samaria
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his children and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I don’t get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered, “I have no husband.”Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.”
John 4:7-18
Reflection
Jesus had a divine appointment to seek and save this unnamed Samaritan woman. When Jesus asked her for a drink, she was shocked because Jews and Samaritans were sworn enemies. In the first-centrury world, a woman was not allowed to talk with a man in public. This was forbidden, unacceptable, and even scandalous. Jesus broke the social, cultural, and gender divide in His opening gambit! Jesus, the gift of God, spoke to her! If only she knew! Here was a spiritually thirsty woman who looked for satisfaction in the well of relationship with other men but could not find it. Jesus’ brilliant icebreaker was to ask for water, and He was ready to give her the living water of the Holy Spirit, John 7:37-39.
The woman was shocked. Here was a Jewish rabbi asking her for a drink! Jesus spoke spiritually but she thought physically. She blurted out a rhetorical question, are you greater than Jacob? Jesus responded that drinking water from this well would not satisfy her spiritual thirst.
The woman was caught hook, line, and sinker!. She wanted the living water! When Jesus told her to go home and bring her husband, she was speechless! With omniscient power, Jesus exposed her sin, revealing that she had 5 previous husbands and the present man in her life was not her husband. Jesus exposed her sin to convict her to repentance.
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’. By this, he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time, the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified”.
John 7:37-19
Application
Here is an evangelism 101 masterclass. How do you talk to a stranger? How do you break the ice? Ask a simple question. Jesus was thirsty, and the woman came to draw water with a bucket. It was very natural to ask for water. Use this approach. Start a small talk by asking a question with eye contact to build a bridge. Be sincere, friendly, and genuine. You are trying to break into a stranger’s world and he/she may be going through some hard times. Break down social, racial, political, gendered, or religious divides. Jesus did it and so must you and me.
Drinking water will only quench the thirst temporarily. What she, and everyone need is Jesus Christ, the living water of eternal life. Only Jesus can satisfy the thirst of relationship with the God of creation. Blaise Pascal, a Christian physicist, once said that each person has a void in their heart that can only be filled by God the Creator, who is revealed through Jesus Christ. This void can never be filled by anything else in this world.
What wells are you drinking from? Are you drinking from the material wells of the world? None of these wells can satisfy the longings of your heart. Only the well of Jesus Christ can give you true inner and lasting satisfaction. Will you turn to Him?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, the waters of worldly pursuit make us thirst for more. We need a drink from You to satisfy us for eternity. Fill us with Living Water, Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, and Spirit of Life. You came to seek and save those that are lost. You went out of Your way to save a lowly, unnamed, despised, and immoral woman of Samaria. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, loving-kindness, and faithfulness, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
After exposing and convicting the Samaritan woman of her sin, Jesus revealed that He was the Messiah she was waiting for. She immediately dropped her water bucket and went to town to share her testimony and invited the people to come and see the Messiah.
30 They went out of the city, and were coming to him. 31 In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” 33 The disciples therefore said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Don’t you say, ‘There are yet four months until the harvest?’ Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already. 36 He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true, ‘One sows, and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you haven’t labored. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” 43 After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee.
John 4:30-45
Reflection
Jesus told His disciples to open their eyes and see the Samaritan people coming towards them with their white hats. The field (Samaritan people) was ripe for harvest. The Samaritan woman sowed the seed of the gospel message into the Samaritan people (the field). The seed bear fruits, and the disciples reaped the harvest. In evangelism, the sower and the reaper worked as a team to win souls.
Today, you may be sowing the seed of the gospel into someone’s life. One day another Christian will come along and reap the harvest by getting that person to say the sinner’s prayer. This is how evangelism work, 1 Cor 3:6.
The woman’s testimony was powerful. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus through her testimony. Jesus stayed with them two more days, and more Samaritans believed in Him. The woman’s testimony brought the Samaritans to Christ. Their encounter with Christ convinced them that Christ is the Saviour of the world.
The Samaritans acknowledged Jesus as the Savior of the world. Note the progressive revelation of Christ’s identity. In verse 9, she called Him a Jew, in verses 11 and 15, Sir, in verse 19, a prophet, in verse 29, Christ, and in verse 42, Savior of the world.
Jesus and His disciples travelled north from Samaria to Galilee, bypassing Nazareth.. The Galileans welcomed Jesus because they saw the miracles He did at Jerusalem during the Passover.
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow
1 Corinthians 3:6
Application
Many Samaritans believed and encountered Christ personally because of the woman’s testimony. Many of your contacts will believe and encounter Christ personally because of your testimony. Write out and rehearse your testimony. Include three parts to your testimony, the before, the during, and the after. Write about how you were before you know Christ, how you came to know Christ, and, how you are after you know Christ. Share it out on social media, with colleagues, friends, and family. You may be the only Bible that people will ever read. Personal evangelism is very satisfying and rewarding.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the beautiful story of this un-named Samaritan woman who met Christ and shared her testimony with other Samaritans. We pray for opportunities to share our testimonies to family, neighbours, colleagues, and friends. We pray for divine insight and understanding into Your word. We present our bodies as living sacrifices and spiritual acts of worship, holy and pleasing to You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amazon Ranking No 1 in King James Christian Bibles.
Foreword:
by Archbishop Ng Moon Hing, Anglican Archbishop of Southeast Asia
Many people, including Christians, are looking for a perfect church. Someone once said this aptly, ‘
If you find a perfect church, please do not join it; because once you join it, it will become imperfect.’
Christians today are always very critical of their church and leadership. They seem to think that the grass is greener next door. They are unconsciously hoping for a ‘Garden of Eden’ within their church. Unfortunately, some Christians resolve to leave their church, which is imperfect, and journey to the next church, which they think is better.
Reviews:
Dr. Andrew C S Koh has done a wonderful job in creating this Bible study on 1st Corinthians. As a Religious Studies major, this book of the Bible was one of my favorites to study and it was nice to have this book to revisit those favorite passages and dwell in thought on them
R E Creech, Goodreads, Bookbub, 5 stars
1 Corinthians is a Christ-centered, life-changing, Bible study, and daily devotional guide for readers from all walks of life. Dr. Andrew C S Koh emphasized that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and all are given for us to learn and grow. The study is well-written, and broken down into units for each participant to review and learn from the word of God. I received this novel from StoryOrigin. This review is my honest opinion
P A Reinert, Goodreads, 5 stars
A Great Read and a very inspiring book on the teaching of Apostle Paul. A clear explanation of each chapter for a good Bible study. Apostle Paul did not mince words but was very direct in his words. His great love for God was shown in these teachings. There are inspiring prayers too in each chapter. I found this book very informative and better understand these teachings. I am on the ARC team. I leave an honest review. I also recommend this book to other readers
Joseph’s Faith: A 30-Day Bible Study Devotional for Women Based on the Life of Joseph from the Book of Genesis
by Mary Jane Humes
Review
An excellent devotional and bible study based on the life and faith of Joseph from Genesis chapters 37 to 50. A good prayer, commentary, and contemporary application accompanies each day’s devotion..A great work on the typology of Joseph showing that Joseph was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ in many respects. A Christ-centred, life-changing, and faith-building devotional. Recommended to all readers, 5 out of 5 stars
