Your PURPOSE in Life- Robbin Khoo

6 May 2014 by Adeline Lum CM-

Robbin Khoo came to know the Lord through the Planetshakers concert at DUMC, back in 2005 when he ‘accidentally’ accepted the Lord upon the altar call by the pastor. Walking up unabashedly to be prayed for, he remembered the friend who brought him to church running to him to forewarn him, “There’s no turning back, you know…there’s no turning back”.

“But brothers and sisters, though I originally thought I might….I never did turn back. The Bible has been and still is, incredibly captivating. It’s not just a history book; it’s about the very essence of Life,” said Robbin who has found true purpose in life walking with Christ since 2005 in a recent Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship on 29^th May in the Ebenezer Chapter, led by Steven Toh.

Discovering calling

Touched by the Lord, Robbin “discovered” that his purpose and calling was in the music ministry, as he was having a chat with the Holy Spirit one day, and wrestling with why he never had a real urge to join church missionary trips despite the frequent calls from the altar.

“But Robbin, you ARE already on your mission trip,” the Spirit spoke gently. Then, like a movie, flashbacks revealed how he had first come to know the Lord in 2005. The manner in which the Lord orchestrated the divine exchange and also how he was “automatically” ushered to take up worship leading in the cell group somehow revealed his calling and purpose. He now realized a worshipper he had become, not by intent…but by the Lord’s design!

“I recognized that God had given me some of these abilities and gifts to set me on my path and along His Will. Gosh, I was already on my mission trip. My heart has been at peace…peace the Lord gave, through His grace that my heart should no longer burden. Therefore, whenever I am asked to speak at any event meeting, I would ask for permission to ‘exercise my calling’ in worship as well. In all that, I found a sense of peace and experienced the joy of the Lord. Every such moment was revered enthusiastically for I often feel His presence.”

“I constantly mix with young people and that’s how I remain young at heart (chuckles). I like loud music especially rock and even heavy metal, but I also do appreciate segments that range from orchestra and hymns, to jazz and swamp blues,” said Robbin as he answers the Holy Spirit’s call to ‘pick up his guitar and go’.

2 Cor 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! And so, we should “live forward” and be a ready useful instrument for the Lord’s purpose.

Living an Adventure

“I am like a Jack of all trades, master of none. I can do many things but I don’t think I excel in any of them. I used to wrestle often with God and try to run away when called. But through time, I’ve learned we really can’t run away once He has decided what He wants to do with us,” said Robbin, remembering how he was led to join the DUMC Resonate Worship team.

When he felt the prompt to join the Resonate Worship team of DUMC, Robbin again tried to run away and attempted to “hoodwink” God with the proposed thought that he would join the worship ministry only as a songwriter. Knowing that the church commonly recruit singers, dancers, and musicians, he thought the likelihood of the church asking for songwriters would be pretty low. Turned out, he was wrong…again. The church did ask for songwriters that year because they wanted to produce their very own DUMC album.

“You see how humorous God can be? You don’t think it’s so easy to run away from the Lord yes? But now I’ve learned that’s the enjoyable part of the relationship I have with Him. Nowadays, when God does not answer my prayer requests, and work some other things out… I don’t feel dejected. On the contrary, I feel God loves me much and won’t let me go from the plans He had for me orginally,” said Robbin, encouraging everyone to discover their purpose in Christ.

And if we treat our journey in Christ as a discovery process, the journey becomes an adventure!

So how can we understand it as an adventure? Well, God does not need us to do anything. He created us as receiving vessels for his overflowing and uncontainable love.

“It’s like having a baby and just enjoying him or her. God created us to be His babies and for His pleasures,” said Robbin.

God wants to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), so that we can live out our purpose in Christ. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). He never promised us an easy journey as a Christian but we would have many interesting wrestling matches with Him. Indeed, walking in Christ is an epic adventure!

Partnering God

Learning from his walk with Christ, Robbin discovered the key to success in what we do is to engage the Lord as our partner, right from the very beginning and learn to trust Him in surrender.

“In the things you do, partner with God. With Him as your partner, and when the things you do are in response to His call upon you, you can do anything and everything,” said Robbin quoting Jeremiah 29.

¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer 29:11-13)

Exercising Gifts

Hence, while we partner with God, Robbin shared that we need to exercise our gifts once discovered (2 Tim 1:6).

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (2 Tim 1:6)

“God doesn’t want or need us to do a lot of things. When he gave life to you, he wants you to be you. That is why in English, we call ourselves as human beings, not human doings,” said Robbin reminding the audience to be in Christ, before we do or practice our gifts per se.

Reaching out

Finally, if and when we are well honed in our abilities and gifts, we can in His confidence reach out to people (1 Pet 3:15) in response to our call in the Great Commission by Christ to make disciples of all nations! (Matt 28:19)

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Pet 3:15)

Homecoming

And when we reach out in our lifetime, we can too go home to Heaven and say “It is finished”, just as our Lord and Saviour said when He died on the cross (John 19:30).

“I can picture myself one day arriving there (Heaven) with all my guitars and amplifiers…and asking the Lord which corner of Heaven would He be sending me…<chuckles>. Well, for the least, I would hope to say… it (my time in this world) is done,” said Robbin, as he ended the FGB meeting by sharing and singing the song ‘Forever’ to the attendees.

Robbin Khoo playing the worship song Forever

Note: Robbin currently serves in worship at the Damansara Utama chapter of the Full Gospel Businessmen (FGB) Fellowship and is also as a singer / choir member of DUMC Resonate team.