Showing posts with label Holy Communion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Communion. Show all posts

April 27, 2016

RECEIVE LIFE TODAY: EAT THE TRUE BREAD

Eat the TRUE BREAD TODAY AND RECEIVE LIFE.
John 6 New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
6 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.
7 Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money[a] to feed them!”
8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. 9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”
10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.
14 When the people saw him[b] do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”[c] 15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.
Jesus Walks on Water
16 That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. 17 But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 18 Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19 They had rowed three or four miles[d] when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here![e]” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!
Jesus, the Bread of Life
22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”
29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”
30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[g]”
32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”
35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”
41 Then the people[h] began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures,[i] ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)
47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”
52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.
53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”
59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”
61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[j]”
70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
Footnotes:
6:7 Greek Two hundred denarii would not be enough. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.
6:14a Some manuscripts read Jesus.
6:14b See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
6:19 Greek 25 or 30 stadia [4.6 or 5.5 kilometers].
6:20 Or The ‘I am’ is here; Greek reads I am. See Exod 3:14.
6:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
6:31 Exod 16:4; Ps 78:24.
6:41 Greek Jewish people; also in 6:52.
6:45 Greek in the prophets. Isa 54:13.
6:69 Other manuscripts read you are the Christ, the Holy One of God; still others read you are the Christ, the Son of God; and still others read you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

January 30, 2012

End Times Witnessing: Know your God in Spirit


The watchman was given a sudden assignment to share the word of God to a congregation. But he was involved in reading the Bible with a group of Christians who hunger for God’s words. His house was ‘crowded’ with people over that period and he could not sit down quietly before the Lord for a message. He was also fighting his own ‘war’ against some old symptoms, determined not to take any medicine.By the eve of the sermon he still had no message from the Lord and he knew he had nothing to preach the next morning. So he went to bed around 9pm.
At 12 midnight he was woken. He heard from the Lord the word: “God is Spirit.” He was asked to preach this truth. He got up and went to his ‘altar’, a table where the word of God had been read by many who joined them in regular Bible reading, ever since last year when he was alerted in his spirit to start this prophetic faith in action at the same time making disciples for the Lord Jesus.
It was not an easy topic to preach. How to prepare himself with only a few hours of sleep and a few hours left before dawn? He knew this was another occasion when Zechariah 4:6b must apply: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.” He obeyed and sat before the Lord, reading many verses from the book of John as led by the Spirit. By the time he knew he had to go back to bed it was 4am. He could not sleep again until 5am. So he had another 3 hours of sleep.
By the time he arrived, the leaders and some members of the congregation were praying in the Spirit. They prayed on with the flow of the Holy Spirit anointing. The regular worship leader and preacher were out of the country. However the worship that morning was Spirit led and many were ministered. The congregation moved with the flow of the Holy Spirit in unison as one body of Christ. When the words of God were preached, the anointed flow just continued and it was effortless. Indeed, the Lord God is Spirit! (John 4:23-24)
This reminded the watchman that last year when he was reading Psalm119 with the class he described the experience as “open eyes swimming in the river of God’s words seeing the wondrous things in His law” (Psa119:18). “The Lord writes His word on the living water so we submerge and soak in it and let osmosis take its supernatural course.”(So he wrote in a short message discourse with another intercessor).
Here are some of the verses the watchman shared with his congregation/class:
_______________________________________
God is Spirit : You need to know Him in Spirit and in Truth (You cannot use your physical eyes to see. You need spiritual eyes)

John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 7:24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

1 Corinthians 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.2 Corinthians 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  
1 Corinthians 2:13 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
John 3:3  Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
How to receive?
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Romans 3:24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
1 Peter 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
How to practice knowing God in your spirit?
1. Through Worship in the Spirit
John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
2. Through Partaking the Holy Communion
John 6:53-56 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
3. The Word of God by the Spirit
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 8:42-43 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.”

John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:47 He who is of God hears God’s words; John 8:51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death. John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

 John 5:39 39You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
4. Prayer in the Spirit
Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
5. Divine Nature By God's Grace
2 Peter 1:1-4 Greeting the Faithful 1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

May 23, 2011

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’S Key word for Survival is COVENANT

The watchman was called to wake at 3am but he waited for the second round of alarm and got up at 3:10am. After intercession he went back to bed at 5:30am. But he could not sleep and heard distant sounds. Later around 7am he heard the Lord said, “The key for end time survival is COVENANT.” He was also told that he should write this down today. He was also told to write a new story on End Times Survival. The details will be given to him as he obeys.

The previous day was a fruitful day in the Spirit.

He preached about the rebuilding of the Nehemiah’s Jerusalem Wall. He went through the anointing of the banners and ram horns with the whole congregation. He also obeyed the Lord and stayed in the sanctuary to fast and pray until after sunset. The verse he received and carried out by faith was Joel 2. This day he had to stand in the gap to intercede as a priest who ministers at the altar! A watchman indeed must be prepared to stand anywhere as called for any assignment at an appointed time. He needed to hear further instructions from the Lord for his class as well.

The Intercession Joel 2:17: Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord, Do not make Your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is your God?’”

Claim the promise of God in Joel 2:20: ”I will drive the northern army far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land, with its front columns going into the eastern sea and those in the rear into the western sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise.” (This is also a prophetic declaration for what is happening in Israel today).

Why should God answer? The key word is “COVENANT”.

God is a covenant keeping God. He has a covenant with Abraham, who followed and obeyed the Lord by faith. The same covenant has been extended to those who by faith become descendents of Abraham (Gal 3:29). All who have faith in Jesus, the Seed from Abraham, inherits the same covenant blessing promised to Abraham (Gal 3:16). The confirmation of this covenant is through the blood of Jesus.

Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Jesus said.

God’s covenant with Abraham:

Genesis 17:4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

God’s instructions to Moses:

Exodus 2:24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exodus 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”

The Ark carried the Covenant of the Lord recorded by Moses:

Joshua 3:3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

How the Lord keeps and remembers His covenant

Nehemiah 1:5 And I said: “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, Nehemiah 9:38 “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. Psalm 50:5 “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Psalm 89:34 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

God promised another Covenant – Jesus Christ (the Ark) !

Isaiah 42:6

“ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, Isaiah 59:21 “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.” Acts 3:25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”

Believers receive the New Covenant through Jesus


1. Through His blood

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Hebrews 9:18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. Hebrews 9:20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

2. A better Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Hebrews 9:1 [ The Earthly Sanctuary ] Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. Romans 11:27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Hebrews 9:15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

_____________________

At the end times everyone will be identified by their mark. They either have the mark of the beast or the mark of God. The mark of the beast is described in Revelation 13:16-18. The covenant mark/seal of God is described in Ezekiel 9:4 and Revelation 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1.

January 22, 2011

and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness

The watchman woke to an urgent truth. On a previous day he just encouraged the class to take Holy Communion, in their individual quiet time before the Lord. But he was led to read the following passages today urgently. As he read, he realized the importance to understand the manner in which we take the Holy Communion and be cautious over the company with whom we partake it.

Note: the Israelites drank from the same spiritual rock that traveled with them and that Rock was Christ! Yet God was not pleased with most of them and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
___________________________________

Lessons from the past Part One: 1 Cor.10

1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters,[a] about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.”[b] 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. 9 Nor should we put Christ[c] to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. 12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 18 Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar? 19 What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 22 What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?

Footnotes:

1.1 Corinthians 10:1 Greek brothers.

2.1 Corinthians 10:7 Exod 32:6.

3.1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts read the Lord.

September 26, 2010

End Times Witnessing: Rebuilding the Sheep Gate -keep proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes! (Holy Communion Power)

This is the urgent message for all Christians today! Come to the Lord’s Holy Communion table and receive His wholeness for victorious living!

End Times Witnessing: Rebuilding the Sheep Gate -keep proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes!

The watchman took the class to continue with the faith in action project in emulating Nehemiah 3: Rebuilding the Wall. The first gate group is Sheep Gate Group. Why Sheep Gate is recorded as the first group to build? This is very important to know and remember. Revelation One: It is definitely a crucial and powerful prophetic act to keep proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes! Every Christian must know and acknowledge that there is no way on … Read More

March 5, 2010

Chapter Eighty: "Sons of God are led by the Spirit"


Living and walking according to the Holy Spirit is no simple task. It takes practice. As Jack has experienced, often one is not sure whether he is walking by the Spirit or not. This applies especially to those who are very proud of their own mind and the work of their mind. For example, he is trained in using his mind to collect data, organize and analyse them. He uses such skill over a lot of things, including his social and religous life. There are advantages to use such skill efficiently and effectively. On the other hand, such skill is not applicable in God's matters.

Living by the Spirit requires learning entirely new living principles and skill, centered on God's word, faith and the Holy Spirit.
Some of the practical spiritual living examples are: Believe in divine healing and divine health. Proclaim God's word by faith on all aspects of life. Take up your legal authority as a son of God and use the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth by faith. Cast out your unbelief (worldliness). Align your desire with the will of God. Fast and pray to subject your body and soul (mind and emotion) to the control of your spirit (which is to be led by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ Himself)!

There is no way one can suddenly acquire the principles and living skill of the Spirit at End-Time. You just have to prepare now. For family (with or without children) it will be essential to start learning as a family unit. You will need each other to sustain the new living which is entirely different from the living you use to know and live. Father (or mother, in the case of single mother) needs to be responsible for your whole household's spiritual life.

1. You need to practice living by faith. For example, you need to practice praying the word of God by faith now, believing in the power of the name of Jesus Christ and take authority over the headache instead of reaching for the painkillers. You need to build up the faith practice until you can take authority over more serious chronic diseases. You will find that you save a lot of money and worries that way (even if end time does not come during your lifetime)!

2. You need to become a word person and household. Everyone reads the Bible and memorize God's word. Jack has done this through systematically using Scripture Memory Cards in (various topics) his younger days. Now he just uses the Bible. Both works. You can store a lot of word for future use. Do not underestimate your children. They are led by the Spirit too. Follow the instruction given to Joshua (Joshua 1:8).

3. You need to become a worshipful person and household. Lead your children to worship and praise God. Take Holy Communion as a family unit (and also a body of Christ). This is a must! As you praise and worship God, the war is won as the battle belongs to the Lord. Sometimes Jack is travelling alone in hostile places and he continues to worship God on his own. This is the best weapon against the enemy. He has seen visions of many angels following a worship leader as the leader led the worship singing spiritual songs. On another worship occasion he saw vision of a senior intercessor wearing the coat of a general-commander! (She is an elderly grandma who sings off-key).

4.  You need to become a prayerful person and household. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. Listen to your own prayer and ask yourself whether that is the prayer of a Spirit led person. Lead your household to pray in the Spirit. Practice interceding for other Christians (as required in activating the full armor of God).

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

Remember: Faith + the Word of God + the Holy Spirit + Practice living by faith in the Spirit = keys to your survival.

January 1, 2010

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE: JACK DISCOVERS THAT GOD IS REAL AND GIVES GRACE (UNMERITED FAVOR)!

Religion Blogs


On the eve of the last day of 2009, Jack was led to give thanks for the year. He looked back and without hesitation agreed that it was a year full of unmerited favor from the Almighty God, Whom he called Abba Father in his prayers.

He summarized below what happened to him when he sought God seriously through being led by the Holy Spirit:

1. He was led by the Holy Spirit to encounter the reality of God.

As a result, he learned to live differently. He attended a Prayer House to worship and pray instead of attending the usual services of a church. He attended seminars teaching him in practice how to wait upon God, worship God for hours and not feel bored or tired. He listened to teachings on the needs to keep one’s temple (the body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit) holy (being separated from the worldly values and worldly beliefs and practices) for the indwelling Spirit of Christ. He learned how to keep his temple cleansed (through the regular and daily washing of God’s words, the Holy Spirit, and the presence of God).

2. He was led by the Holy Spirit to re-examine his faith and belief system.

As a result, he saw and admitted his religious failures in the past despite having been a committed evangelical Christian for over 25 years, reading Bible daily, attending church without fail and serving in Sunday school etc. faithfully. He had a lot of knowledge about what is right to do and made his best effort too, though without the power of the Holy Spirit (as the churches he attended preached Holy Spirit for mind knowledge and not in practice with power). He had been disillusioned over the years watching the weak churches, pastors, elders and members being attacked spiritually and succumbed. He admitted he had been guilty as he was part of the church system without making any effort to seek the Holy Spirit and cry for help!

3. He learned about the true church.

As a result, he sought God on his own at home and also attended a place where he found worshippers really seeking God, basked in God’s presence and instead of the “Thing” called church. As he continued to seek, he found the true church in the Acts of the Apostles. He shuddered at the thought that he had been so deceived and was part of the “Thing” for so many years. Without the Holy Spirit, church becomes the “Thing”!

4. He practiced as a member of the true church.

He learned that as he takes Holy Communion with the other believers of Jesus Christ, he becomes a member of the corporate body of Christ. Christ is the head of the body. The words Jesus spoke about His disciples abiding in Him and being one with Him as He is one with the Father in heaven become a reality. By this belonging, the body of Christ enjoys the authority (over all spiritual principalities, rulers and wicked forces in the heavenly realm) and all privileges of Christ who has given to His believers.

5. He learned to trust God (including believing the words of God and obey).

As he allowed himself to be led by the Holy Spirit, he found that gradually he could listen to what the Holy Spirit was saying to him. It was not in audible voice. Ideas (in visions/pictures, dreams and God’s words) came into his heart. He sought confirmation in the words of God. He learned to follow them.

He learned to communicate to God. His prayers changed. Unlike the former usual political correct prayers which he had uttered as he was expected to do so, he was led by the Holy Spirit to pray in ways he had never imagined before. He knew it was not his usual human effort that was in the pilot set anymore.

6. He learned to use a variety of spiritual gifts.

He prayed in the spirit. He sang in the spirit. He mingled his prayers with worship and praise songs. He exercised his faith and even prayed for the sick that were brought to him on a day when all the usual healing leaders were absent. He continued to read the Bible in new light under the tutorship of the Holy Spirit. He shared with (and perhaps taught) others through his writing what he had learned.

7. He lived by the Spirit (and by faith).

After listening to repeated teachings and reading the Bible about divine healing and divine health from Jesus, he stopped his medicine for nose allergy and high heart rate. By faith he believed he was completely healed. He now enjoys divine health.

Looking back, Jack marveled at the amazing things that happened. He has discovered the reality of God’s presence. He has learned that God responds to our prayers without hesitations. God loves us. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has responded to his request so fast that he was caught surprised.

Today he tells himself and all his readers that he is very happy because God is real! Holy Spirit is real. Jesus is real.

His New Year resolution is thus: Be real. Live in the Spirit.

2010-01-01

2024 not abandoned: a new spiritual journey

How may we hear God and understand Him more accurately? Last night while praying my heart purposed to start afresh the unfinished journey ov...