End Times Witnessing: He shields us!

Being shielded by God is an honor. The first incident recorded in the Bible whereby a mortal man received the shield of God is about Abraham, the father of faith. Similarly many men of faith received the shield against the enemy throughout Christian history.
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Genesis 15:1 [ God's Covenant With Abram ] After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. “
Deuteronomy 33:29 Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD ? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places. “
2 Samuel 22:3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent men you save me.
2 Samuel 22:31 “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
2 Samuel 22:36 You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great.
Psalm 3:3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Psalm 5:12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 7:10 My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.
Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.
Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
Psalm 33:20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Psalm 35:2 Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 89:18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 115:9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield.
# Psalm 115:10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield.
# Psalm 115:11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD— he is their help and shield.
# Psalm 119:114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
# Psalm 140:7 O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle-
# Psalm 144:2 He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
Proverbs 2:7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Isaiah 31:5 Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it.”
Psalm 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
Zechariah 9:15 and the LORD Almighty will shield them. They will destroy and overcome with slingstones. They will drink and roar as with wine; they will be full like a bowl used for sprinkling the corners of the altar.
Zechariah 12:8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them.
Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 1 Peter 1:5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

End Times Witnessing: Be a supernatural Spiritual Christian!

1. John 9:35
   [ Spiritual Blindness ] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
   John 9:34-36 (in Context) John 9 (Whole Chapter)
2. Romans 1:11
   I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
   Romans 1:10-12 (in Context) Romans 1 (Whole Chapter)
3. Romans 7:14
   We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
   Romans 7:13-15 (in Context) Romans 7 (Whole Chapter)
4. Romans 12:1
   [ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
   Romans 12:1-3 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)
5. Romans 12:11
   Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
   Romans 12:10-12 (in Context) Romans 12 (Whole Chapter)
6. Romans 15:27
   They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
   Romans 15:26-28 (in Context) Romans 15 (Whole Chapter)
7. 1 Corinthians 1:7
   Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
   1 Corinthians 1:6-8 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 1 (Whole Chapter)
8. 1 Corinthians 2:13
   This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
   1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
9. 1 Corinthians 2:14
   The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
   1 Corinthians 2:13-15 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
10. 1 Corinthians 2:15
    The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
    1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 2 (Whole Chapter)
11. 1 Corinthians 3:1
    [ On Divisions in the Church ] Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.
    1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 3 (Whole Chapter)
12. 1 Corinthians 9:11
    If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
    1 Corinthians 9:10-12 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 9 (Whole Chapter)
13. 1 Corinthians 10:3
    They all ate the same spiritual food
    1 Corinthians 10:2-4 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)
14. 1 Corinthians 10:4
    and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
    1 Corinthians 10:3-5 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)
15. 1 Corinthians 12:1
    [ Spiritual Gifts ] Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
    1 Corinthians 12:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 12 (Whole Chapter)
16. 1 Corinthians 14:1
    [ Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues ] Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
    1 Corinthians 14:1-3 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
17. 1 Corinthians 14:12
    So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
    1 Corinthians 14:11-13 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
18. 1 Corinthians 14:37
    If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.
    1 Corinthians 14:36-38 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 14 (Whole Chapter)
19. 1 Corinthians 15:44
    it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
    1 Corinthians 15:43-45 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
20. 1 Corinthians 15:46
    The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
    1 Corinthians 15:45-47 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)
21. Galatians 6:1
    [ Doing Good to All ] Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
    Galatians 6:1-3 (in Context) Galatians 6 (Whole Chapter)
22. Ephesians 1:3
    [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
    Ephesians 1:2-4 (in Context) Ephesians 1 (Whole Chapter)
23. Ephesians 5:19
    Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
    Ephesians 5:18-20 (in Context) Ephesians 5 (Whole Chapter)
24. Ephesians 6:12
    For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
    Ephesians 6:11-13 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter)
25. Colossians 1:9
    For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
    Colossians 1:8-10 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)
26. Colossians 3:16
    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
    Colossians 3:15-17 (in Context) Colossians 3 (Whole Chapter)
27. 1 Peter 2:2
    Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
    1 Peter 2:1-3 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)
28. 1 Peter 2:5
    you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
    1 Peter 2:4-6 (in Context) 1 Peter 2 (Whole Chapter)

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There is no short cut to survive end times. You just need to be spiritual in the Biblical sense. Be a supernatural Spiritual Christian!

Chapter Ninety-Four: More on Prophetic Acts and Faith in Action

The more Jack reads about the prophetic acts carried out without fail, birthing miraculous results in the Bible, the more he is convinced that this is an important end times survival key.
The historical events and requirements agree what he has been learning, teaching and practicing with amazing results. The combination of four main ingredients are required for every prophetic act:
1. Faith
2. The word of God
3. The Holy Spirit (presence of God)
4. Praying in the Spirit
Doing prophetic acts requires supernatural mindset. Only a person who is led by the Holy Spirit (under the anointing of the Holy Spirit) can boldly carry out the assignment which may seem unnatural to those of the flesh and not of the Spirit. A believer may worry, there may not be enough Biblical prophetic acts to go around for end times. When one encounters a tough situation and runs out of prophetic acts, what then?
So Jack has been reading the Bible with this concern in mind. Having carried out one in which he was greatly edified, he too wonders where would the next one be? However, the more he reads the more he understands how amazing and limitless the Holy Spirit works. There is indeed a rich source of miraculous supplies that cover practically every aspect of life in this world in the Bible, for example, food and drink, healing and deliverance, safety and protection, health, comfort, wealth and prosperity. There are even big battles won without human efforts. Indeed, there are so many that he just does not know what to enact next with his class!
He needs not worry about not having enough prophetic acts to act on at all. What he needs to do is to continue to seek God, through worship, prayers, reading God’s words and living by the Spirit, abiding in Christ. Of these requirements, he finds that he needs to spend more effort in memorizing God’s words as well as practicing faith in action to build faith.
Worshiping God and praying in the Spirit can be done anytime. He does them in the car, in the garden, in the room, in his office, in church, and anywhere. But reading the word of God requires a place and a dedicated time. So he makes sure he has these set up in his daily life schedule. In addition, reading Bible can be done during all fillers’ time as well. Instead of reading something else or chatting on the phone or on internet, just pick up the Bible and read. When he has acquired the habit not taking lunch he uses the time to read God’s words and pray as well. It is often a rewarding time.
Practicing faith in action remains the toughest part. When he first started he had no clue. He merely carried out God’s words by faith. Later he was able to listen to the Holy Spirit more and more and his assignment becomes easy and enjoyable. He enjoys most the company of the presence of God.
It is rewarding to be a teacher of faith in action. He gets to practice what he teaches and witnesses miracles. Deep in his heart he knows he is not the real teacher. The real teacher is the Holy Spirit Himself. Otherwise, the words are mere utterances and could not cause any ripples in the deepest part of the soul.
How does he prepare for the faith in action class?
The following is based on his own experience as led by the Holy Spirit.
After reading and re-reading the lesson, he meditates on the verses. Then he spends a number of days fasting lunches to sharpen his spiritual discernment. He prays a lot in the Spirit. He prays that the Holy Spirit intercede for him and give him dreams, visions, signs and words in the Bible to guide him. Often he receives the answers.
He prays for the class. He asks that the Holy Spirit prepares them according to their needs and His plan for them.
On the day of the class, he fasts the two main meals. He maintains his spiritual alertness. Fasting and praying in the Spirit raise his faith level and enable him to receive fresh revelations and prophecies. It is truly wonderful and beneficial. He believes in the power of God’s words and had experienced the reality of them.
So it is a wonderful life even when preparing for end times.

Chapter Eighty-four: the Holy Spirit said, "Put new wine in new skin, watchman!"

The training by the Holy Spirit has been intensive and increasingly more. Jack was woken this morning with this instruction, "Put new wine in new skin!" He obeyed and got up. As he was preparing himself for the quiet time. a number of thoughts went through his mind (heart rather). It was all about Jesus. Interestingly, it linked what he has been learning from various sources together and gave him the big picture!

He rushed downstairs and opened his Bible and started reading the Gospel according to John Chapter One. There it is, the new wine!
He recalled the most recent lesson on Genesis 1:1-10 which confirmed what he has previously read . The teacher taught that there was an interval between Gen.1:1 and 1:2. The earth described in 1:2 appeared to have gone through destruction. The destruction tied to Revelation 12 which recorded the war in heaven wherein the dragon (the devil) was defeated and cast out together with one-third of the angels who joined in the rebellion against God. They were cast to the earth. The teacher taught that the earth was a prison for the devil and his gang.

However, God restored the earth in Gen.1:3 onward. He also created human beings based on His own image. He breathed into them the breath of life. He gave the human authority and dominion over the earth but the human gave the dominion in turn to the devil (when Adam and Eve decided to obey the lies of the devil and rebel against God). God knew this would happen so He had prepared in the beginning for His own Son, Jesus to come to earth and redeem the human.

John One
In John 1:1-18, this truth was clearly proclaimed. Jesus was in the beginning of creation. He was the Word (God) and all things were made through Him. "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." (Heb.11:3) The world on earth was made through Him. The human were His own as they were created in His image. But they did not know Him or receive Him.

The devil (thief) came to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) The followings are very important truths to set human free from the bondages of the devil (evil, darkness, sin, disease and death).

John 1:12, "Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (NIV) John 1:13, The children of God, "who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (NKJV) John 1:17-18, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only (the only begotten Son), who is at the Father's side, has made Him known." (NIV)

The Name of God
From Jesus, something transformed in all those who received Him (as the Son of God), and believed in His name. What does it mean by believing in His name? Jack pondered. Recently the Holy Spirit reminded him the power and majesty of Jesus' name. At the name of Jesus Christ, all knees shall bow and all tongues shall confess, that Jesus is Lord!

Do not take God's name in vain. Jesus is God. Do not take Jesus' name in vain. In Acts 3:6, Peter demonstrated the mighty power of the name of Jesus Christ, that instantly and completely healed a grown man lame from his mother's womb. Jesus promised the disciples that they could ask anything in His name and it shall be done for them. (John 14:13)

Believing in His name means believing He is God and He is all powerful and all His word are true.

Not born of human seed
Another truth is that the children of God were not born of human blood or human seed. When we received Christ Jesus into our lives and believed in His name, something happened in our lives. We have received His Spirit (the Holy Spirit 1 Cor.2:12). We have received the Spirit of son-ship. The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:15-16) We became a new creation (2 Cor.5:17).

God is all powerful and all knowing. He knows how weak humans are (all physical and totally helpless to fight in the spiritual realm). His redemption plan through His Son Jesus has to be perfect. Therefore, the giving of the new life through the Holy Spirit birth must be among the most important requirements for humans to be saved, delivered from the bondages of evil and live a victorious life (kingdom of God life) after that. Indeed, Jesus Himself warned that unless one is born again of the Spirit one cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:3, 5) The Holy Spirit also declared through Apostle Paul that only those led by the Spirit are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14).

The Light, The Truth and free Unmerited Favor
Another powerful fact is that Jesus is light. Darkness cannot overcome light. Where the light of Jesus is, darkness flees!When God gave Jesus to us, He gave us light that overcomes darkness. (John 1:5)
Grace (God's free favor for us not based on our merits) and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) When Jesus described the devil, He called him the father of lies. On the other hand, Jesus is the Truth Himself. When God gave us Jesus, He gave us grace and truth. Both must be powerful weapons to overcome the devil in the enemy's camp.

Looking at the armor of God, we find that indeed Jesus forms the center part of the armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of Salvation, the Gospel of peace. The Holy Spirit makes up for the rest: the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) and praying in the Spirit. The only input from the believer is faith (which serves a shield to quench all fiery darts from the devil). Even faith is given by God and the faith race requires us to keep our focus on Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith! (Heb.12:2)

How not to live a victorious life? (We really have no excuse) "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him (Jesus) who loved us." (Romans 8:37)

Chapter Eighty-three: the Holy Spirit said, "watchman, rise up and go into the garden!"

A supernatural Christian seeks God constantly. That is his normal way of life. Seeking God means meeting Him, seeing His glory, worshiping Him, being in awe of Him. It also includes seeking to hear God and obey Him (in practice). 

Jack was woken at 5 am for a number of consecutive days the minute he recovered from his mouth situation. He sometimes felt reluctant to get up and went back to sleep. This morning he was woken by the Holy Spirit, "Arise, go into the garden!"

He was surprised. But a vision of Abraham standing under the starry sky meditating and interceding came to his mind instantly. So he changed into his protective track suits and sports shoes and went downstairs. It was his habit to first seek guidance from the Bible. There were about four Bibles in front of him and he happened to pick up a Chinese one. The pages turned to psalms 96-100, mainly exalting God and declaring His might and His reign over the earth (all nations). After reading the Chinese verses, he picked up his usual NKJV thinking to find the same psalms so he could read them in the garden. But the Holy Spirit showed him another verse, at Ezekiel 23:30, "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one."

This was the verse that he had heard a number of times recently from various sources. But he never managed to find its Bible location until this morning! He also read Ezekiel 22:26 about the priests who failed to keep their duties. He realized the seriousness of the situation. So he went into the garden, but the Holy Spirit prompted him to take the Chinese Bible instead of the NKJV to proclaim the psalms aloud. He obeyed.

There was no star and it was still dark except for the street lights. He duly read the psalms proclaiming to the land the glory and might of God. Then he prayed in tongues. He was not sure what to pray then. After sometime, he was told to walk round his own garden, on the stone steps that he used to pave the pathway. So he walked and prayed in tongue. It dawned on him that he was being asked to claim the city for God in a prophetic way, using his own garden. So he claimed as he walked and prayed for the city.

But he could not find many words as the city has increased its wickedness and defilement by idolatry (including Christian churches not separating themselves form the worldly way, as priests being warned in Ezekiel 22:26). "O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us!" That was all he cried. Then another prayer lines rose from the last verse from Jonah (4:11), "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hands and their left -and much livestock?"

After he walked the stone steps and along the boundary of the whole garden, he paused at the top step and continued praying in tongues and worshiping God. He could sense the oppression in the air. The sky was like bronze and the earth like iron (Deut.28:23). He was a a loss as to how long he should continue (apparently in vain). But the Holy Spirit prompted, "Take up the hose and spray water on your ground, every corner and let the Holy Spirit rain upon this land." Jack obeyed.

As he watered his garden, he sang praises and welcomed the Holy Spirit rain. As he continued to pray in tongues he felt elated. His burden and heavy load were all cast down. The blanket of darkness lifted and the blue sky appeared! The grass glistened with moisture and the trees came alive.

All in all, it has been a wonderful early morning with God in the garden. It reminds him of how God used to visit men in the Garden of Eden. He really feels honored and touched that such a great God wants to meet with and talk with His people, even him. He certainly looks forward eagerly to more of these meetings!

p/s: The supernatural rain has come around 3pm! It was unlike any other previous heavy rain. It came in dense form, intermittently spraying the ground (like God watering His garden) thus making sure every inch of the land was quenched. There was no waste. When Jack drove in the street he saw pools of clear water gathered by the road side nourishing the trees and the roads and trees were all washed clean and looked new and shinny. The rain fell on the whole city just as the Holy Spirit had said so.

(When he read Ezekiel again he discovered that in 22:24  the Lord ordered the Prophet to say to the land, 'You are a land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath.' So, when Holy Spirit brought forth the rain, it meant that the Lord has heard the prayers for the land from His children!)

Chapter Eighty-two: Jesus thus promised the supernatural Christian, "For they shall be filled"

Living the supernatural Christian life is definitely rewarding but not for the unadventurous, Jack discovered.When he was a young Christian he knew the importance of the Bible and read it consistently and fervently to look for treasures. He was advised by pastors and book sellers to also read the commentaries. He attended Bible/theology classes and sat for examinations too.
However, the hunger and thirst for God was not met. He was taught in traditional evangelical Biblical principles. He hungered and thirsted for the practical. No, it was not physical sensation that he was after. Rather, he was longing for the reality of the presence of God and knowing how to receive supernatural power through God's word in his daily life as promised in the Bible.

Only when he read the Bible afresh lately with the clarity from his spiritual eyes (given by the Holy Spirit), he saw true light!

For example, he ponders on what Jesus had meant by saying that "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled"? (Matt.5:6) What or who is the righteous? Where and how will the hungry be filled?
The Bible says, there is none righteous (Roman 3:10) except the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (1 John 2:1). He is the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). Righteousness is of God. When a man hungers and thirsts for righteousness, he is seeking God (Jesus Christ). So Jack seeks God fervently.

About being filled/satisfied, he found that God meant meeting his complete needs. "For He satisfies the longing soul and fill the hungry soul with goodness." (Ps. 107:9) God really meant to fill him with "good things", (Luke 1:53)(including food!) God even gave a reason for doing that, "so that your youth will be renewed like the eagle's." (Ps. 103:5) Above all, God will satisfy those who seek His righteousness the resurrected life like Jesus. The psalmist David thus prophesied, "As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness." (Ps. 17:15)

When he started to live by the Spirit, that is, to become a supernatural Christian, he started experiencing the practical reality of this!

During the year of training to live supernaturally, starting with fasting and praying, he discovered that truly Jesus meant what He said. When tempted by the devil to change stone into bread to prove that He is the Son Of God, Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matt.4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3) Indeed, God provided manna from heaven to feed three million Israelites in the wilderness.

Jack used to worry about fasting. He thought he would be weak and lack energy to do anything. He imagined people lying in bed whole day. He wondered how they could be effectively praying. But he witnessed people who had gone through a prolonged period of fasting and continued to live normally doing all the necessary daily activities. Apprently they did not suffer adverse side effects that could hinder them from praying and functioning.

During a recent painful week in which he was forced to fast (due to mouth discomfort for no medical or dental reason) more consistently, strange to say, he did not suffer from the lack of the usual volume of physical food or drink (he subsisted on less than 1000 Cal food with plain water daily).

He continued to seek and worship God daily. He exercised and functioned as usual. Something happened in the divine realm. The food came from God's word. Just as the psalmist had said, God's word satisfied his mouth and his soul with good things. There was no discomfort in his digestive system at all. At the end of the week he emerged feeling and looking more fit as though his youth was renewed like the eagle.
(He received the 'divine slimness' he had been praying for to tuck in his shirt smartly and still can kneel down to worship God comfortably in the house of God!)

Making small steps are important. He knew. The Holy Spirit is a good teacher.

Chapter Eighty-One: "Every Christian is a supernatural person!"

The Bible has been preparing elect Christians (those born of the seed of God) for End-Time, Jack discovered. Only a supernatural person can live and walk according to the Holy Spirit: by faith and by the word of God.
When you walk by faith, you cannot walk by sight and other senses at the same time. If you can see or sense with any of your senses you do not need faith. A natural person is directed by feeling, smelling, tasting, hearing and seeing. A supernatural person is directed by the word of God and faith, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit.

A supernatural person needs faith and obedience (to the word of God) to live. There are conflicts faced by a natural man who professes to be a Christian. For example:
The word of God says that it is God's will to heal you. Indeed, the Bible declares that Jesus has healed you by the stripes He bore on His back 2000 years ago to fulfill the prophesy of Prophet Isaiah. But you still see and feel symptoms on your body and in your mind. In the nature, mankind is conditioned to take physical evidence as conclusive and final. A supernatural Christian knows and believes in a higher court of appeal, the word of God and revelation faith.

In practice this means you need to practice not taking the physical symptoms as final. No doubt the symptoms are warning signals from your body or your mind. What you do with them will depend on what you believe. When you believe in a God who declared to 3 million people that He is the healer, and that all the 3 million who believed were all well and healthy and strong, you will choose to follow the word of God to get your healing. However, if you believe in a man-made system to deal with the symptoms you will do so accordingly. The crunch comes when the man-made system reaches its limitation and pronounces in finality that there are no more man's ways to heal your condition. A desperate natural man will then seek supernatural means.

But a supernatural Christian needs not go through such costly trauma. He can opt for God's way in the beginning and not let the condition gets worse (even after having depleted all his natural resources). If God is real, why do not Christians go to God first? It does not make sense for Bible believing Christians to seek man's way first and put God last!

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. (Heb. 11:1-2) Those who had this faith received a good report from God!

Read God's word. Feed on His word. Read Hebrews Chapter eleven on the ancient hall of faith. "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's word, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." (11:3). By faith all those mentioned had lived supernaturally. They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. (11:13) They were looking forward to a better country (which God has prepared for them). By faith, they lived out miracles: the Red Sea parted, the walls of Jericho fell, Abraham received the promise of God ( including Isaac back from death figuratively speaking), conquered kingdoms, administered justice, shut the lions' mouths, quenched the fury of the flames, escaped the edge of the sword, dead raised to life again, the weak became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

What has been recorded in the past in the Bible serves as an important prediction of what is to come. The Lord God Almighty thus declared in the Book of Prophet Isaiah, "Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.'" (Isaiah 46:9-10)

For Christians who want to live supernaturally, there is no other guide book except the Bible.

Jack has a sense of urgency in his spirit. He must read and understand the word of God as much as the Spirit leads him. He has stopped watching TV for years and stopped reading other stuff (including his management books and daily newspapers) too. Even his cupboard full of Bible commentaries has become redundant. He has stopped attending social gatherings except for fellowship with the brethren in Christ after worship service. He now lives with the End-Time on his mind constantly.

Is he practicing divine living (without painkillers)? Oh, yes. Physically painful at times...
Be a supernatural Christian! This is all he now says to every one (especially himself and his household) who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter Seventy-five: A watchman's prophetic acts

Often Jack has found that the things he is required to do are insignificant and at times foolish in others' eyes. When he read the Bible he found that many faithful watchmen were asked to do ridiculous acts. He lists some of the more prominent ones as follows:
Noah was asked to build an ark on dry land based on God's specifications for his family and two of every sort of living things (possibly becoming the greatest laughing stock among the inhabitants of that land then). (Genesis 6-7)
Moses was asked to lift up his rod and stretch out his hand over the Red Sea in front of at least two millions of panicky people under death threat by the powerful enemy army close at their heels. (Exodus 14)
Joshua was asked to march daily once around the Jericho city walls  for six consecutive days, with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark silently in front of his entire armies , and on the seventh day march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. (Joshua 6)
Samuel gathered all Israel to Mizpah, drew water and poured it out before the Lord, then took a suckling lamb and offered to the Lord as a whole burnt offering, while their arch enemies the Philistines armies drew near to battle against Israel. (1 Samuel 7)
When three nations' armies came to battle against Judah, King Jehoshaphat led his people to worship the Lord and the Levites praised the Lord with loud voices. On the day of the battle, Jehoshaphat appointed those who should sing to the Lord and those who should praise the beauty of holiness to go out before the army saying, "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20)
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up and struck the water of the River Jordan. (2 Kings 2:8)
Elisha cut off a stick, and threw it into the River Jordan where the axe head had fallen into. (2 Kings 6:6)
Naaman, commander of the army of the King of Syria, dipped seven times in the River Jordan, at the instruction of Elisha the prophet. (2 Kings 5:14)

What happened when men did the foolish things in obedience to their callings by God? God acted and performed the great things. God sent the great flood, rid the land of evil and gave Noah and his family a fresh new life as promised. Moses and his two million people saw the Red Sea parted and they were delivered from the Egyptians. The tall and mighty walls of Jericho fell down flat and Joshua captured the city without fighting. Samuel and his armies saw the defeat of their enemy armies. God thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. When King Jehosaphat's men began to sing and praise God, the Lord sent ambushes and defeated their enemies.  Of course the River Jordan parted and even iron axe head swam to the surface! Namaan, an alien leper, who chose to obey the watchman/prophet, was instantly healed after the seventh dip.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 "These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man (the man without the Spirit) does not receive (accept) the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned". v16 For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Unless a man stops trying to reason the things of God with his mind, he will not see a miracle. This is called unbelief. Unbelief cancels out faith. Faith rests in our spirits. Let your spirit man rise up and you will see miracles! Jack has taken a long time to accept this truth. Now he knows the truth and the truth has set him free just as Jesus has promised! (John 8:32)

A watchman has to see with his spirit and not his mind, to reach God's rich supernatural resources. The Holy Spirit provides the way to such vision.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX: SPIRITUAL NOVICE COUNTING BLESSINGS!

One thing Jack learns to tell himself is not to give the false impression that he is so spiritual that he can hear God loud and clear, knows God and practices perfectly all things pertaining to godliness. That is false. He must admit that he is still a novice in all spiritual matters and all things pertaining to God. He has a long long way to go to live in the Spirit and by the Spirit.


He is still concerned with two things: Is he living in the Spirit correctly as instructed in the Bible? Is he known by Jesus?

The worst thing that can happen to any Christian is to be addressed by Jesus as worker of iniquity and to be told to depart from the living God forever and ever when that day of the Lord comes.

Things continue to happen to him and his family and friends. As they seek God they discover the positive intervention of the Holy Spirit to make their paths easier. The Holy Spirit indeed provided guidance and arranged for people and events to work together for them.

Recently Jack found that some major prayers were answered in ways that he never thought could be possible. God is a worker of the impossible!

He also learned not to give up hoping and seeking God.

In review, he found that he has again received a big bonus from the Holy Spirit. Two years ago the market crashed and all that he had invested previously in the fund market lost significant monetary value. He was led by the Spirit to read Jeremiah and trusted in the Lord’s faithfulness. He was asked to read “Enter by the narrow gate”.

After reading Jeremiah, he trusted God and hanged on to the original funds. During this year he listened and bought more of certain funds (which value he had earlier lost) at lower cost.

At the lowest time he was led to buy a particular stock at the time that everybody was selling. He sold the stock earlier this year when he made a good profit. The benefits of this one deal were as follows:

1. He used part of the sale proceeds to buy a similar stock at the same earlier buying cost of the sold stock. However, the new stock is worth twice the value of the sold stock.

2. A month later he made a second profit from the new stock which gave right issue at a cost way below the market value.

3. Within two months the stock gave dividends at an earning rate way above other stocks.

4. Within half a year, the stock gave further dividends, totally the best earning in the market.

5. He banked in the remaining unused profit after giving one-tenth of the total to support his church evangelical and healing ministry.

During the last month of this year the original funds which had lost value two years ago had regained their values and gained considerable further value. He just sold some to reap the promised harvest. All in all, just as promised in Jeremiah, God’s steadfast loving kindness and faithfulness are new every morning!

Lean year or fat year, a Christian’s hope and security rest in the Lord.

No wonder God asked His people to come out of Egypt and enter the Promised Land prepared for them. All they had to do was to follow Him, obeyed His command and sought His presence all the time.

Translate the above to today’s scenario, all we need to do is to deny ourselves (be separate from the world and the worldly values), follow Jesus (including His cross), obey His words (carry our crosses), and seek His presence daily, i.e. living by the Spirit.

Another year is over soon, have you come out yet?

P/s: Jack is not a stock market pundit and never has much interest in stock market. The one stock he invested was in plantation as he was led to read the particular passage in Jeremiah, meditated on it and trusted the Holy Spirit to lead him to the right counter at the right time. The same applies to the funds.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: MORE HOLY SPIRIT STORIES

The way that the Holy Spirit works is amazing. Jack can never figure out what will happen next. As he wanted to know more about God the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ), one evening he was given a breakthrough experience.

That evening he was in the worship service and found that neither the pastor nor the senior worship leader was around. An alternate preacher preached a short sermon ending by urging those who have been in the church for quite sometime to come out and serve God instead of sitting there.

Jack repented and told the Holy Spirit quietly that he was willing to be obedient. The Holy Spirit responded immediately.

After the service the alternate preacher called three persons to go out and minister to those who needed healing or deliverance or just wanted to be blessed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jack was one of the three called!

So he went to the front by faith. He told the Holy Spirit he had never done this before and he did not know how to pray for those people in front of him and the Holy Spirit would just have to take over. He then encountered four different scenarios:

1. When he prayed, the person in front of him fell down without him touching.

2. When he prayed, the person in front of him fell down by his gentle placing a thumb on that person’s forehead.

3. In one incident, he asked the person what language the person understood, and the person merely fell down without answering or waiting for him to pray!

4. In one incident, the person fell down without him finishing his prayer.

So Jack came home knowing that the Holy Spirit had given him another wonderful lesson by showing that there was no way anyone could predict or limit the Holy Spirit to any pattern. The Holy Spirit is the key to touching the lives and/or healing all those believers who came to the front of the church by faith and what happened had nothing to do with Jack.

Jack concludes that the works of the Holy Spirit are indeed real and all He needs is a willing and obedient heart to demonstrate His power. He is thankful for being a witness to the power of the Holy Spirit.

He now understands more when he reads about the wonderful and powerful events concerning the Holy Spirit in the Bible.

11/21/09

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY HEALED

The Holy Spirit is a gentleman and He will only guide Jack as Jack sought Him out. The Holy Spirit never forced Himself on anyone. This is Jack’s discovery in his quest of living Biblically and in the Spirit. The exciting thing about being a Spirit-filled Christian is that he is no longer two-dimensional (living in his body and his mind). He is now a multi-dimensional being, with his life in the spiritual realm becoming real to him.
He now knows he is secure in God, and does not fear anymore of the unknown. He can deal with physical and mental problems more confidently and indeed take the spiritual authority that Jesus has already given to every believer through the Holy Spirit without hesitation. He now understands what Jesus means about the more abundant life.
There are so much more to live now. He takes stock and lists out a summary of what had happened to him so far in living in the Spirit:
1. Body: he has overcome the addictive and compulsive spirits: long term sickness of allergic rhinitis, irregular and extremely high heart rate, hypertension, bone and muscle weakness, joint pains, injured lower back ache that kept recurring, gluttony for sweet food and addiction to caffeine.
2. Soul (mind and emotion): he has overcome problems with a host of mind related issues, pessimistic outlook, spirit of fear (fear of rejection, fear of authority, worry, sensitiveness, insecurity, nervousness, persecution, indecision).
3. Spirit: he has overcome the spirit of heaviness (despair and hopelessness).
He knew it was not him who overcame. The Holy Spirit in him manifested and overcame for him as he became more and more aware of, sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit.
It is now a joy to live each day with the Holy Spirit being a real companion for Jack.
______________________________________________________
JACK’S JOURNAL DAY 89: THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT
Today I woke reluctantly after the alarm had sounded its second round. I felt tired and sleepy despite the fact that I had gone to bed early. Why? Have I lost the burst of enthusiasm to seek God? Am I not led by the Holy Spirit?
I continued to read the Gospel recorded by John inspired by the Holy Spirit. I went through the section about Nicodemus. (John 3:1-21) Every Christian knows this story. What is there to read? What is there to know? I was still sleepy and disinterested. I prayed and told God that I could not see anything there that had not been known by practically every Christian since young, and I needed the Holy Spirit to guide me.
Then I was led to read again the red letters words spoken by Jesus. This time I was led by the Spirit. The words came real and I saw what I had never seen before! I record below what I discovered.
1. Nicodemus (a highly respected, important senior official and religious teacher) had recognized that God is with Jesus because he has seen all the supernatural signs that Jesus has done. Nicodemus wanted God to be with him too. He wanted to see and enter the kingdom of God too. But Nicodemus did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. He did not know that what Jesus did was a display of the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not know that God is a trinity God (the Father, the Son-Jesus, and the Holy Spirit).
2. Jesus explained to him that we need the Holy Spirit to see and enter the kingdom of God, in the following way:
Be born of the Holy Spirit. Become a spirit.
(We can then come and go as the wind blows where it wishes.)
3. Jesus speaks what He knows, testify what He has seen (with His Father and the Holy Spirit together as God).
4. Jesus speaks of heavenly things.
5. Jesus who is in heaven has come down from heaven to the world for a purpose.
a. God loved the world.
b. God’s plan is to give everyone eternal life.
c. The world can be saved through Jesus.
d. Jesus is the light.
e. All who come to the light will be saved.
f. He who does the truth comes to the light. His deeds have been done in God.
g. He who believes in Jesus will not be condemned.
Who will be condemned?
1. He who does not believe in Jesus is condemned already.
2. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
3. Everyone practicing evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
Jesus told us that God loved us. He loved us to the extent that He gave His only Son to die for us so that we might live and not perish eternally. There are only two endings assigned when one dies. Either one goes to God’s place, which is heaven, or one goes to hell (the only alternative) which is the devil’s place. There are many descriptions of the devil’s place in the Bible and other records.
Is it difficult for one to enter heaven? No. There is one condition: one has to be born of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because you can only enter heaven as a spirit (of God).
How to be born of the Holy Spirit? By coming to Jesus and believe in Jesus.
As human flesh or as a spirit not of God, un-believer cannot enter heaven.
As a “Christian”, how do we know whether we can enter heaven? How does one know whether one is truly of God? Examine whether you are under the above category of “who will be condemned”.
If you are, repent NOW! (1 John 1:9)
AAA Jack
1 June 2009

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: PROFIT FROM HEARING GOD

Jack has been practicing for quite sometime and is able to hear God in certain ways. Of course he missed the still small voice most of the times and discarded what God has said to him in his heart. After the event happened he regretted. For example, the Holy Spirit reminded suddenly that he needed to make a phone call to ask his staff to top up his parking fee (by sixty cents). He chose to ignore that prompting. When he went to the car park five minutes later, he realized that he had received a notice to pay $30.00 as fine! He could only kick himself for not listening to the Holy Spirit.

More significant example was the purchase of a stock when the market was down and panic was everywhere. He was led to read Jeremiah being asked to buy a piece of land in the midst of the city being captured by the enemy army. Then he was led to buy a stock. It was a step of faith of learning to listen to and obey the Holy Spirit. Nine months later, he made a 27% profit in capital gain in addition to dividend received.

Little steps meant a lot to him. He is now more confident of listening to God in the spirit. God is Spirit. He can only listen to God through his spirit. it takes training and practice over a period of time.

But the persistence is worth it.

Journal day 86: hearing God’s words (practical novice guide)

I have learned through unusual (sometimes ridiculous) ways in my endeavor to hear God’s words. So I decide to sum up what I have learned for information and encouragement. Every person must learn to find his own way. When you see how God is so ever ready to be found, you will be comforted and motivated to seek to know God.
Jesus has portrayed God on earth. The best way to start to know God is to read everything about Jesus. Look carefully at Jesus. Read what Jesus says many times until you become familiar with what Jesus says. Read with the single goal of knowing Jesus. Pray that the Holy Spirit guides you.

When I first read Jesus seriously at the beginning of this series of record, I had a difficult time because I was not spiritual at all. I “knew” the Holy Spirit only in my head, not in my spirit. I used my head to read and thought I knew all about the words of God. It seemed a straightforward project like any others. How wrong I was.
However, as I progressed and persevered, things happened. I was changed. A number of things helped.

1. I bought a new Bible (New King James Version, Giant print, words of Christ in red) just for the quest. I started afresh, un-influenced by my past perception, like and dislike. Verses appear now as though I never read them before.

2. I write down notes.

3. As I receive new insights (words, verses, pictures/visions, dreams, hymns, songs, and messages from third parties) I record them (not always immediately as I felt lazy to get up from bed and so missed the chance). But what I had recorded helped me to know God more.

4. I pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, ponder over the thoughts and search the Bible. I sometimes chew on the thoughts for days and wait for confirmation. When confirmation comes I would believe that my earlier thought comes from the Holy Spirit.

5. I practice what that I have learned from godly people. I practice until I find my own way.

6. I changed my life priorities, my goals, my perspectives. In fact, it was the Lord, I believe, who initiated the changes. As I put my quest before Him, He intervened supernaturally, put me on the right path and gave me the strength to carry through.

An entrepreneur told me that when he dreamed of new inventions or bits and pieces of new things, he would jump out of bed, draw the pictures, and jot down notes without delay. He is a shrewd business man who endeavors to keep track of his human thoughts to develop them into something ‘profitable’.

Much more we should keep track and make good use of the supernatural truth from heaven that the Holy Spirit put into our minds, and confirmed by the Bible. The businessman gropes in the uncertain market to find his way. But we have a sure guide and guarantee from the Holy Spirit. We have the certainty of the manual (the Bible) too.

The Holy Spirit guides by ways that He thinks will best suit each individual.

Pray you find the right key.

AAA Jack
May 27, 2009

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: COME AND DRINK LIFE FROM THE WATER GATE

Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38 (39: But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him will receive.)

Today Jack came to the Water Gate and pondered upon its meaning. Nehemiah 3:26 “Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel, made repairs as far as the place in front of the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower.” The Water Gate tells about God, who is the source of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament water depicts the Holy Spirit. Spiritual meaning of the Water Gate is practical life in the Holy Spirit.

John 4:13 Jesus told the woman that whosoever drinks of the water that Jesus will give him shall never thirst; and it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 1Peter 1:2 Peter addressed the “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you, and peace be multiplied.”
Living in the Holy Spirit has become a way of life, like drinking water. Without water one cannot live. Likewise, without the Holy Spirit, one’s spirit shrivels and becomes less and less alive. Jack has found that it is not difficult to live according to the Spirit.

He laments that many Christians have chosen to ignore the reality of the Holy Spirit and thereby live in constant fears, defeats, weakness and oppressions. They have the Holy Spirit in them like precious treasure, but they keep the jar under tight cover and refuse to open it for the light to shine forth.

He also notes that many churches criticize those which manifest the power of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because of fears and unbelief, just as Jesus has warned the disciples of. Unbelief is equivalent to perverse generation. To believe in the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit is natural and normal. Unbelief is perverse and abnormal.

Matthew 17:17 "O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."
Deuteronomy 32:20 “And He (God) said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end will be, For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith.”

When churches accuse others of preaching the wrong gospel, they need to examine themselves as to whether their gospel is preached in accordance with what the Holy Spirit proclaimed through Apostle Paul, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:5.
Without the manifestation of the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, the letters (words) kill. Only the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)

It is easy to distinguish between the real and the fake. Jesus asked us to look at the fruits. Jesus Himself demonstrated all the power of the Holy Spirit whereas the Pharisees and scribes had mere words. Look at your preachers. Do they have mere words? If so, flee. Why? Weak churches are under severe attacks from the devil. They are defenseless and easy preys.

As it is a matter of life and death, Jack urges all his brethrens to flee from deadly “churches” (mainly preachers and buildings with membership) and run to God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) and the body of Christ (the real church with spiritual power to defend themselves against spiritual attacks). Stop reading or listening to lies and deceptive words from human mind (self-serving and serving the purpose of the enemy). Start seeking God yourself and let the Holy Spirit take charge and lead you to the right path.


Journal day 76: but we have this treasure in earthen vessels

Today I read something else (instead of the Gospel of Mark). The reason is that last night I had a dream that was quite unusual. I was a hobo or someone like that, pushing a cart and own a bicycle as well. The cart was full of dirty junks or things of no value. I slept in front of a retail shop that sells all sorts of things. Another man who seemed to be homeless as well came to me and asked me if I could help. He was a younger man and seemed to be shabby and needed a wash. I cleared a space for him and said he could sleep there. Then I went into the shop to buy a bar of soap. I cannot remember whether I wanted the soap for myself or for that poor man who badly needed a wash. The shopkeeper showed me a bar of simple plain soap wrapped in a piece of brown paper. He said the name of the soap was called, “Precious Jar” (sound like Chinese name). He told me it cost only 60 cents. He said it was very good and washed everything clean. I bought it and went out of the shop. But the other man was gone. Then I noticed that my previously clustered cart was empty and washed clean. I woke up thinking of two verses in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7.
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”

So I decided to read the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians today.
When I read the whole book, my attention was drawn to a key point which effectively answered my latest query. Yesterday in the car I was discussing a point that has been bothering me lately. I talked about my concern that we could only communicate with God through our spirit that in turn talks to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a live wire. Our spirit is like a light switch. Without touching the switch we cannot access the live wire and cannot turn on the light (our communication to God). It is not that God deliberately makes it difficult for us. It is just the way we are made of after the fall of Adam (too preoccupied and dominated by flesh and things of this world that we have lost the ability to hear God in the spirit). The same thing happens when we pray. Somehow we touch our spirit which in turn switches on the access to God. The name of Jesus is like a key (to the Holy Spirit) that gives us the identity code for heaven receiver.

(Please do not think that I am writing a science fiction. I am just trying to understand God in my own limited human perception using familiar human terms. )
In the same Epistle, Chapter 1: 22, the Holy Spirit recorded through Paul that God has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (to inherit His promises). This was affirmed in a number of other Scripture verses. “Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 5:5) Ephesians 4:30 “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Paul spoke of those who have the first fruits of the Holy Spirit, eagerly waiting for the redemption of their body. (Romans 8:23)

As I have been concerned of who would be entering the kingdom of heaven, the answer is here. The person with the Holy Spirit will enter. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee. The Holy Spirit is like an identity card that entitles us to enter heaven. How do we know we have the Holy Spirit? Well, it is like having the “Precious Jar”. The more we seek God and enter into His presence, through worshiping, reading of God’s words, praying, or simply staying still and focusing on God, the more our spirits will be alert and be set attuned to the tempo of the Holy Spirit. The washing will come. The flowing of living water will come too. Like a light bulb being switched on, light will come out of you and life will not be the same.

What a strange dream. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the verses and finding God speak to me through His words.

AAA Jack
16-5-2009

CHAPTER TWENTY: BEWARE！JERUSALEM SERPENT WELL，DUNG GATE

Nehemiah 2:13 “And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire.”

Lately, Jack is interested in why many Christians are weak, succumbs to sickness and live in defeat and fears. He reads that the Dung Gate describes how in practice the defilement in our bodies and minds should be rooted out and burn. Through the Dung Gate, trashes were taken out of Jerusalem, to a valley of Hinnom, where smelly, rotten and disease infested trashes were burnt. The Dung Gate spiritual meaning is that sin, like trashes, could defile and destroy our physical and mental being and must be cast out and burn.

Jesus described about how a person could be defiled in Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”

Jack discovers that there is a spiritual link between the refuse in one’s heart and the Serpent. In his night inspection, Nehemiah had to go through the Serpent Well to get to the Dung Gate to view the damage of the Jerusalem walls. The defilement of our hearts (bodies and minds) is due to the whole world being under the control of the devil/Serpent (1 John 5:19). For example, there is no need to teach a child evil. The child simply acquires it through the world system.

How could a man’s heart be cleansed then? He has found that only God (His presence, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Word) could cleanse our hearts. It is appropriate that the next Gate of Jerusalem is the Fountain Gate!

Nehemiah 3:14: Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
Sinner who repents and believes in Jesus is redeemed by the blood of Jesus (the Lamb of God). His heart needs to be continually washed and cleansed by the fire of the Holy Spirit and through the words of God. These are like the bolts and bars of the doors. Otherwise, a Christian is weak and can be subject to spiritual attack and defilement resulting in physical and mental illness, broken marriages, failed finances, disastrous relationship etc.

The following is a record in Jack’s journal, on his finding of such evidences of overt attacks on the body of Christ (the church).

Journal day 50: Things that proceed out of your heart matter

Matthew 15:3-7: “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” “Hypocrites!” The religious leaders and teachers criticized Jesus for allowing His disciples to eat without first doing their traditional religious ceremonial washing of hands. Jesus then rebuked them for looking at the forms of so called religious acts and not being sincere in their hearts in following the true intentions of God.

These men have chosen to devise traditions and rituals to supersede God’s original good intention. Jesus rightly scolded them as religious hypocrites. Jesus further explained to the disciples what he meant, as described above in Mark 7:21-23.
The religious leaders who were ardent practitioners of religious rites were in fact part of the worldly system. They did not know God or Jesus. They did not want to know. Whilst Jesus was showing what God is like (through His numerous teachings on the kingdom of heaven, His mercy and compassion on the multitudes, His healing and deliverance power over diseases and demons, His supernatural power over the natural forces etc.), they were busily plotting to murder Him, denying the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus.

My application:

What comes out of the heart determines what the mouth utters. What I feed my heart with determines what comes out of my heart. Biblically living means I need to feed my heart daily with sufficient good strong spiritual food, from the words of God. Feeding once or twice a week will make the spirit man starve.

I am now trying to fast one meal (dinner) a day during week days and it is not easy. The physical man cries out for food with hunger pang. All sorts of hunger-induced symptoms manifest themselves automatically. I even feel weak for much physical activity. I have to give myself a lot of excuses so I can break my fast by drinking rich liquid food or having not so light snacks… (Sigh)

One little meal shortage causes such havoc. What about the spirit man who lives on irregular minuscule meals? Is he starving to death quietly? Looking at my past Bible reading habit, I no longer marvel why I did not have the more abundant life that Jesus has promised to His believers.

My resolution now is to continue reading more of God’s words and less of the world’s words. I have given up reading/watching/hearing a lot of junks (newspapers, magazines, TV programs, conversations on worldly matters), to free up my mind and my heart. It is foolish to be feeding on rubbish and expecting treasures to come out.

A testimony:

There is indeed miraculous healing and deliverance power in the words of God.
Recently after the specialist doctors stopped all medications and pronounced any further medical treatment useless, we have played the audio Bible verses for about a week, to a bed-ridden dementia 77 year old man with water in the brain, who deteriorated fast reaching the point when he could not even swallow water, he woke and regained the functioning of his mind, his swallowing (including solid food now!), his ability to converse, to recognize people and remember their names, and to live his usual life on a wheelchair.

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ears to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:20-23) This is my motto now.

AAA Jack
17-4-2009

chapter nineteen: narrow gate and difficult way to heaven?

This is a life and death issue. Who can enter heaven? Reading what Jesus has said stirred Jack’s heart. He felt uneasy when thinking who can enter heaven. Obviously not everyone. Because Jesus mentioned that only through the narrow gate and difficult path can one enter.

He wanted to make sure he was one of them. What are the broad gate and easy way? What are the narrow gate and difficult way? The Gospel itself is easy to listen to and in fact too easy for one to believe. He found that those who did not believe often used the excuse that the Gospel of Jesus was too simple and easy. How then the difficulties come in? The Holy Spirit revealed that it was the simplicity that was difficult for people to accept. Unless one is like a trusting child, one cannot believe and thus sees the kingdom of God, Jesus said.

For those who do not believe in the supernatural, spiritual reality of God (the Father, the Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit), alas, no entry.

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Journal Day 22-24 Enter by the narrow gate
Jesus spoke these famous sayings in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

When I first read theses many years ago, I decided not to ponder too much upon them as I could not reconcile my understanding of a kind and loving God Who does not want any one to perish with these rather exclusive words. Do they mean only some exclusive few could enter the kingdom of heaven? The idea does not make sense. As Jesus clearly stated that God loves the world (all people) so much that He gave His only Son (Jesus) to die for them so that those who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

During these last three days I had been stuck with these verses. I cannot skip them as they are clearly an essential guide for my Biblically living. What does Jesus mean? Enter by the narrow gate? Who can enter? Who will be left out? Why the narrow gate?

I note the glaring contrasts: Few vs. many; Narrow vs. wide; Difficult vs. broad; and Life vs. destruction.

Based on these verses, the seemingly broad and easy way and wide and welcoming gate are destructive to lives. People have a tendency to choose the easy way. Many are therefore doomed. How frightening. Take note that these verses are recorded in the New Testament so we cannot say they may not be relevant today. Surly Jesus had meant exactly what He said.

My best strategy is not to ponder on the word “narrow” or the word “difficult”, but to focus on who can enter and how, and who cannot enter and why.

According to Jesus, in His teaching on the Mount of Olive, the kingdom of heaven and the status of children of God belong to those with these qualities: a humble heart, a heart that acknowledges own miserable conditions (and need God), a gentle heart, a heart that yearns for God’s righteousness, a forgiving heart, a pure heart (that focuses on the matters of God), a heart that draws others to God, and a brave heart (not afraid of the world’s ridicule and opposition).

In short, someone with a heart like the above is ready to believe and accept God’s salvation through Jesus. He will accept and truly enjoys the joy and gladness of salvation that king David spoke so much of. By confessing with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in his heart that God has raised him from the dead, he will be saved. Jesus also promised giving the Holy Spirit to the believers. He declared to the crowds on the last day of the tabernacle feast, in John 7:37-38, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Only those who truly need God and believe in Jesus can thirst and thus receive the Holy Spirit! The apostle Paul also stated that the Holy Spirit is given to those who are saved as a seal/guarantee of their new status as children of God.

Who cannot enter and why? Jesus warned the crowds as follows:

“You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come”. (John 7:34) It is clear that people cannot simply enter the kingdom of heaven no matter how diligently they seek and how sincere they are in their seeking, unless they fulfill certain conditions. The condition is, they need to be known by Jesus.

“Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” “And then I will declare to them, I never know you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21,23)

He said this despite the fact that those people had prophesied, cast out demons, and done many wonders in His name. (Matthew 7:22) There are people who claim that they know Jesus because they take part in church services, activities, meetings, and so on. (Luke 13:26) but Jesus said, “I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity,” (Luke 13:27)

No matter how often and diligent those gifted people are practicing religion, in the eyes of God they have missed the mark. They are lawless and workers of iniquity. Proverbs described the characteristics of these people. They hated knowledge (of God), did not choose to honor and fear God reverently, would have none of the Lord’s counsel, and despised God’s every rebuke. (Prov. 1:29-30) “Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me.” (1:28)

The prophet Hosea also stated that the people (with their flocks and herds) shall go and seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. Why? They had dealt treacherously with the Lord. They had begotten pagan children, indulging in pagan worship and idolatry. (Hosea 5:6-7) No one can practice pagan idolatry and seek God and at the same time.

Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved”. (John 10:9) Only Jesus has the key to life.

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own”. (John 10:14) Be His sheep is a sure way to be saved.

Jesus further strengthened this point about Him knowing His sheep and His sheep knowing Him by saying that they hear His voice and He calls them by name. They follow Him because they know His voice. They will by no means follow a stranger. (John 10:3-5) There is no excuse for anyone who says he cannot hear God and thus stray.

My application: continue to read the Bible, meditate and pray. Focus my goal to know God. Today I managed to read psalms 31-40. In Psalm 40, David said that he waited patiently for the Lord, and God inclined to him and heard his cry. He also said that God has opened his ears. He indeed heard and prophesied the arrival of Jesus the Messiah and proclaimed the good news! So far I have learned to wait with a bit more patience. I have also learned to listen to the still small voice in my heart. I was touched yesterday watching a movie on DVD about the homeless people. However I do not have any idea on how to reach out and help them. I once drove around the street and tried to find one homeless person whom I had helped find a job but he soon disappeared. I never found him and now I believe he could have needed medical or psychiatric care and I was occupied with giving him food, a new pair of glasses (as his old pair broke), lodging and a job instead. The lesson learned is I need to be more discerning in helping others. God is a discerning God. His Spirit will help me to discern wisely

CHAPTER TWELEVE: HEALING A BALD LAMB

Jack continued to progress spiritually under the tutorship of the Holy Spirit. This was the beginning of his faith to the God who heals. “I am the Lord who heals you.” He continued to read Psalms (chapters 58-67) and interceded for the nation. God was revealing more and more of Himself and His mighty power as Jack sought after Him.

Hearing from God – healing a lamb

Today my back was hurting badly (old injury) and I saw and experienced the following:

1. Jesus held an apple in His left hand.

2. In His right hand He carried a lamb (indeterminable age) which was bold (without any wool), dirty with mud all over, and wounded. He touched the lamb and appeared to be mending or binding the wounds and broken parts (leg? Body? I could not see clearly the parts).

I was kneeling when I saw this so I took out an exercise mat and bowed down. Then I felt I needed to lie down with my face down (as the sick did in the Prayers House). I lied there for sometime, not feeling anything physically. I continued to focus on seeing Jesus.

3. Then I saw Jesus released the lamb and it became a white fluffy, healthy and lively little lamb. It hopped onto green pasture on a hillside and ran off joyously!
I recalled to my mind that Jesus is the great Shepherd. He is the Healer too!
So I gave thanks to Him and got up. My backache has subsided.

AAA Jack
2009-03-11