“He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” (John 8:47)
What? Have I read wrongly? No. Jesus is very clear and straight forward here. He is not speaking in parable. The audiences were the scribes and Pharisees of those days. They kept questioning Jesus but never heard what Jesus said. Their hearts and minds were filled with their own agenda. Then Jesus proclaimed this shocking statement. “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.”
It appeared that the audience became deaf to what Jesus said because they were too busy listening to their father (the devil)’s instructions. They were fully occupied and committed to do what the devil wanted them to do. They were obeying the devil and not obeying God. They trusted the devil and not God. In short, they were the sons of the devil, and not the sons of God.
Today, God speaks to us through His words in the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, through many means (signs, dreams, visions, wonders, third parties, messages, hymns and songs) including His still small voice in our hearts. Yet many Christians cannot hear. Why?
Is it because many are listening to the wrong source? To the wrong voice? Is it because they are too busy listening and obeying the devil instead of God? is it because they are not of God?
Frightening thoughts. I would urge churches to do a survey of all your members and find out how many hear God. Does the pastor hear God? I would also urge you to do your own assessment. Do you hear God? Do your children hear God?
During Jesus time, the people, including the disciples, did not have the Holy Spirit in them to lead them, to tell them what Jesus said and what that meant. The followers of Jesus did not have the Bible to guide them. But they had Jesus in the physical person in their midst. They had seen Him performing all sorts of miracles proving He is God. Yet they did not hear what He say and did not believe Him. Jesus said they did not hear because they were not of God.
There are people who are of God. They can hear God.
There are people who are not of God. They cannot hear God.
Which category are you in? Which category do you want to be?
My application: continue to seek God’s presence and learn to hear Him. Continue to read the Bible and hear God. Continue to give thanks and hear God. Continue to worship and hear God. Continue to pray and hear God. Continue to rest in God and hear God. Align my life values with that of God’s kingdom and hear God. Continue to encourage my family and friends to hear God with me. Continue to learn from the Holy Spirit to hear God.
AAA Jack
May 26 2009
May 30, 2009
day 84: You shall see
Most of us like to see ourselves in the future, more blessed, richer, more healthy, younger looking, slimmer and fitter, marrying to a kinder/more loving wife, having smarter and more obedient children, living in bigger houses, driving a newer car etc. When we worship God we tend not to see God/Jesus as He is, but see the things He can give us. We try to declare our love for God, whilst our eyes are on things and not on God.
The things that we want are not really bad. Blessing, feeling, healing, gifts etc. – God has promised to give them to us freely anyway. We also tend to display the obvious symptoms of worldly worries and unbelief: painful trying, ceaseless holding, constant drifting, busy planning, and anxious caring, constant asking, wanting, using God, giving glory to and laboring for self.
Why do Christians behave this way? Oswald Chambers said this, “The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with commonsense. If it was only commonsense, it was not worthwhile for Him to say it!”
Christians read the Bible without reading. Prophet Isaiah predicted this. People are not deaf but they cannot hear. People are not blind but they cannot see. Something great and supernatural will happen if they indeed hear or see!
In my earlier records on living Biblically, I omitted a number of passages because I found them too hard to meditate upon. I had no idea how to apply them. But God in His mercy and patience led me back to those passages bit by bit. I have been dreaming of reading the Bible and talking to and discussing with the invisible what those passages meant and whether I need to ponder more. By the time I woke up I forgot the passages although they were so clear in the dreams. Once in a while I woke with a clear word stuck to me and today I had this word “Baptism” stuck to me as I woke. I recalled the passage that I had skipped previously.
I have recently encountered violent and irrational objections and fears (panic and hysteria) from adult un-believer men that their family members, e.g. elderly parents, become baptized into Christ. They even go to the extent that they rather their parents die than becoming a Christian. At first I thought they were just superstitious as they thought baptism is some thing like brainwashing used by the totalitarian government.
During the last few days I had some passing thoughts of the event of baptism and knew in my spirit that it could mean more than just a ritual or tradition or a practice of witnessing. There is a supernatural meaning, I thought. Something happens in heaven (where God lives) when a person is baptized into Christ. Like the Holy Sprit it is another identity or warranty card. However I did not proceed with that thought and soon forgot.
Reading the Bible again about baptism and what Jesus says, I realize now that baptism is not as simple and ordinary as a lot of Christians think. Definitely it is not a matter of commonsense.
When Jesus was baptized, something supernatural was revealed. “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.” (Matthew 3:16)
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
1. The heavens (pleural) were opened to Jesus. Many layers of heavens all opened instantly, all the way up to ‘the heaven’ where God lives.
2. God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) came down (from ‘the heaven’) and alighted upon Jesus.
3. God spoke from heaven (‘the heaven’ where He lives).
4. God expressed His special love and favor for Jesus.
Remember that the devil and his gang were up there in heavens (the layers between earth and ‘the heaven’ where God lives). They could not interfere at all. They were powerless to block the pathway to heaven and for heaven to come down! They probably fled from the bright light of God’s presence.
When Jesus told His newly acquired (reluctant) disciple, Nathanael, Jesus ‘saw’ him (transcending space and distance limitation), he was convinced and immediately believed that Jesus was the Son of God. But Jesus said, “You will see greater things than this. Most assuredly I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (Matthew 1:50-51)
The disciples became eye witnesses of Jesus in all the great things that Jesus did later. Yes, heaven opened. Great supernatural things happened.
After Jesus resurrected from the dead, before He ascended into heaven, He gave a command to His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
I sum up what Jesus says as follows:
1. Jesus now has the supreme authority over heaven and earth.
2. He commanded the disciples to make disciples of all the nations.
3. The physical responsibilities of making disciples include: baptizing them, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded them.
4. Being baptized in the name of God the Father, the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit, means being included in the trinity God’s exclusive kingdom. Those baptized are officially the citizens of that kingdom. They enjoy all the rights and privileges of that kingdom.
5. One exclusive privilege is that Jesus will come and stay with those who have accepted the inclusion by the trinity God in this way, forever.
Wow! No wonder the devil and his minions panic and go into hysteria when they hear of someone likely to be baptized into Christ! A baptized person has died to the world (no longer under the devil’s rule) and now lives to God. One more defeat to the devil.
My application: carry on reading God’s words with my heart opened to the Spirit so I would not omit what Jesus says. My advice to those who have believed but have not yet baptized is that you do not have much time. Just do it now! Get your children to be baptized too. You will not regret it. Believe me.
AAA Jack
May 25 2009
The things that we want are not really bad. Blessing, feeling, healing, gifts etc. – God has promised to give them to us freely anyway. We also tend to display the obvious symptoms of worldly worries and unbelief: painful trying, ceaseless holding, constant drifting, busy planning, and anxious caring, constant asking, wanting, using God, giving glory to and laboring for self.
Why do Christians behave this way? Oswald Chambers said this, “The danger with us is that we want to water down the things that Jesus says and make them mean something in accordance with commonsense. If it was only commonsense, it was not worthwhile for Him to say it!”
Christians read the Bible without reading. Prophet Isaiah predicted this. People are not deaf but they cannot hear. People are not blind but they cannot see. Something great and supernatural will happen if they indeed hear or see!
In my earlier records on living Biblically, I omitted a number of passages because I found them too hard to meditate upon. I had no idea how to apply them. But God in His mercy and patience led me back to those passages bit by bit. I have been dreaming of reading the Bible and talking to and discussing with the invisible what those passages meant and whether I need to ponder more. By the time I woke up I forgot the passages although they were so clear in the dreams. Once in a while I woke with a clear word stuck to me and today I had this word “Baptism” stuck to me as I woke. I recalled the passage that I had skipped previously.
I have recently encountered violent and irrational objections and fears (panic and hysteria) from adult un-believer men that their family members, e.g. elderly parents, become baptized into Christ. They even go to the extent that they rather their parents die than becoming a Christian. At first I thought they were just superstitious as they thought baptism is some thing like brainwashing used by the totalitarian government.
During the last few days I had some passing thoughts of the event of baptism and knew in my spirit that it could mean more than just a ritual or tradition or a practice of witnessing. There is a supernatural meaning, I thought. Something happens in heaven (where God lives) when a person is baptized into Christ. Like the Holy Sprit it is another identity or warranty card. However I did not proceed with that thought and soon forgot.
Reading the Bible again about baptism and what Jesus says, I realize now that baptism is not as simple and ordinary as a lot of Christians think. Definitely it is not a matter of commonsense.
When Jesus was baptized, something supernatural was revealed. “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.” (Matthew 3:16)
“And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
1. The heavens (pleural) were opened to Jesus. Many layers of heavens all opened instantly, all the way up to ‘the heaven’ where God lives.
2. God’s Spirit (the Holy Spirit) came down (from ‘the heaven’) and alighted upon Jesus.
3. God spoke from heaven (‘the heaven’ where He lives).
4. God expressed His special love and favor for Jesus.
Remember that the devil and his gang were up there in heavens (the layers between earth and ‘the heaven’ where God lives). They could not interfere at all. They were powerless to block the pathway to heaven and for heaven to come down! They probably fled from the bright light of God’s presence.
When Jesus told His newly acquired (reluctant) disciple, Nathanael, Jesus ‘saw’ him (transcending space and distance limitation), he was convinced and immediately believed that Jesus was the Son of God. But Jesus said, “You will see greater things than this. Most assuredly I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (Matthew 1:50-51)
The disciples became eye witnesses of Jesus in all the great things that Jesus did later. Yes, heaven opened. Great supernatural things happened.
After Jesus resurrected from the dead, before He ascended into heaven, He gave a command to His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
I sum up what Jesus says as follows:
1. Jesus now has the supreme authority over heaven and earth.
2. He commanded the disciples to make disciples of all the nations.
3. The physical responsibilities of making disciples include: baptizing them, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded them.
4. Being baptized in the name of God the Father, the Son (Jesus) and God the Holy Spirit, means being included in the trinity God’s exclusive kingdom. Those baptized are officially the citizens of that kingdom. They enjoy all the rights and privileges of that kingdom.
5. One exclusive privilege is that Jesus will come and stay with those who have accepted the inclusion by the trinity God in this way, forever.
Wow! No wonder the devil and his minions panic and go into hysteria when they hear of someone likely to be baptized into Christ! A baptized person has died to the world (no longer under the devil’s rule) and now lives to God. One more defeat to the devil.
My application: carry on reading God’s words with my heart opened to the Spirit so I would not omit what Jesus says. My advice to those who have believed but have not yet baptized is that you do not have much time. Just do it now! Get your children to be baptized too. You will not regret it. Believe me.
AAA Jack
May 25 2009
day 83: Come and See
I am led to elaborate on what I had recorded on the previous day. Jesus told the two novice followers to come and see if they wanted to know more about Him. This is what I have been telling practically everyone who asks me about whatever aspect of life they worry about. Come and see what? Come and see who? My answer is always Jesus.
Some people admire the life that I am living and wish that they can be this blessed. I always advise them to look at Jesus instead. I have decided to make my life as simple as possible gradually over the years and now subsist on very little. As I have mentioned before, I have cleared the sitting room of everything that I do not use daily. What is the point of having a lovely room with things that I hardly use? I hardly invite guests. I spend my time seeking God and meditating on His words. People do seek me out once in a while when they are in a dilemma. I do not give them advice on worldly matter anymore. What is the point? The inside will determine the outside. It is more important to get their inside right first. Otherwise it would be madness (doing the same thing again and again, because their insides are unchanged, hoping for a different result).
A number of thing happened. Recently I heard of the death of a man (an artist whose works sell well). He suffered from heart attack and had an operation. Then he decided to seek divine healing so he became a Christian and came to the Prayer House. However, because he still hoped to sell more of his art, he continued to be involved in working on idols. When he was again feeling quite sick he came back to the Prayer House, but he died while sitting on a bench chatting. He screamed, “They are here to take me! Help!” collapsed on the floor and died instantly. Lately another person was under severe spiritual attack too. She kept having fever for no medical reason. She recounted that one day she felt as if her soul was being pulled off her body and she could not breathe and was choking before another force suddenly pulled her back into her body. She regained her breathing ability and survived.
Prior to these two incidents, I heard testimony of two dreams by two different persons. I sum them up as follows:
1. A young woman married with one baby (about 8 months old) dreamed that her father in law has sold his three cars. All were sold at a price 20% of the market price at that time. the salesman who came and took the cars away left his card which bore the number recorded in the Book of Revelation, “666”. When this happened the woman’s child was about 2-3 years old.
2. A man dreamed that he was on a plane. The plane tried to take off many times but could not do so and he was puzzled. Then he heard clearly the words, “It’s the economy, stupid!” The next day at lunch he walked into a bookstore and the first book he picked up was a prediction of worsening of the economy in the second half year until 2012.
I attended a large and prosperous looking church on Sunday and found that they did not preach about Jesus. They preached on the faith people in Hebrews 11 but omitted to preach the part about what motivated the faith people to remain faithful. Without knowing what motivated them, how could we learn to be faithful people too? I shall quote those important omitted verses as follows so the truth can show us how and set us free.
(From Abel to Abraham and Sarah) “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. But now they desire a better that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13-14, 16)
Concerning Moses, “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him (Jesus Christ) who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:26-27)
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that s set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Yes, they all had seen the invisible. The God who was to come into the midst of men. The faithful people had seen what others could not see. How did they see? They saw in their spirit.
My application: continue to see in my spirit how great and wonderful God is. So far I have only received three words and the urging to read three passages of the Bible. I received the word, “glory” first. Then I was asked to read three passages. Lately I received the word “holy”. Last Sunday morning I was pondering on these words before I attended church. I wanted to know what they meant, appearing to me as I woke from dreams. During the worship the short choruses were all about God’s glory and holiness. Then I attended the Prayer House worship too at night and the songs were about the same two words! The songs pointed our focus to Jesus. Then the worship leader ended his songs by singing one which proclaimed, “Glory, glory, glory!” to Lord God Almighty. Amen. (I shall continue to focus on these two words and see Jesus all the time)
Brethren, abide in Christ.
AAA Jack
May 24 2009
Some people admire the life that I am living and wish that they can be this blessed. I always advise them to look at Jesus instead. I have decided to make my life as simple as possible gradually over the years and now subsist on very little. As I have mentioned before, I have cleared the sitting room of everything that I do not use daily. What is the point of having a lovely room with things that I hardly use? I hardly invite guests. I spend my time seeking God and meditating on His words. People do seek me out once in a while when they are in a dilemma. I do not give them advice on worldly matter anymore. What is the point? The inside will determine the outside. It is more important to get their inside right first. Otherwise it would be madness (doing the same thing again and again, because their insides are unchanged, hoping for a different result).
A number of thing happened. Recently I heard of the death of a man (an artist whose works sell well). He suffered from heart attack and had an operation. Then he decided to seek divine healing so he became a Christian and came to the Prayer House. However, because he still hoped to sell more of his art, he continued to be involved in working on idols. When he was again feeling quite sick he came back to the Prayer House, but he died while sitting on a bench chatting. He screamed, “They are here to take me! Help!” collapsed on the floor and died instantly. Lately another person was under severe spiritual attack too. She kept having fever for no medical reason. She recounted that one day she felt as if her soul was being pulled off her body and she could not breathe and was choking before another force suddenly pulled her back into her body. She regained her breathing ability and survived.
Prior to these two incidents, I heard testimony of two dreams by two different persons. I sum them up as follows:
1. A young woman married with one baby (about 8 months old) dreamed that her father in law has sold his three cars. All were sold at a price 20% of the market price at that time. the salesman who came and took the cars away left his card which bore the number recorded in the Book of Revelation, “666”. When this happened the woman’s child was about 2-3 years old.
2. A man dreamed that he was on a plane. The plane tried to take off many times but could not do so and he was puzzled. Then he heard clearly the words, “It’s the economy, stupid!” The next day at lunch he walked into a bookstore and the first book he picked up was a prediction of worsening of the economy in the second half year until 2012.
I attended a large and prosperous looking church on Sunday and found that they did not preach about Jesus. They preached on the faith people in Hebrews 11 but omitted to preach the part about what motivated the faith people to remain faithful. Without knowing what motivated them, how could we learn to be faithful people too? I shall quote those important omitted verses as follows so the truth can show us how and set us free.
(From Abel to Abraham and Sarah) “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. But now they desire a better that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13-14, 16)
Concerning Moses, “esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him (Jesus Christ) who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:26-27)
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that so ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that s set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Yes, they all had seen the invisible. The God who was to come into the midst of men. The faithful people had seen what others could not see. How did they see? They saw in their spirit.
My application: continue to see in my spirit how great and wonderful God is. So far I have only received three words and the urging to read three passages of the Bible. I received the word, “glory” first. Then I was asked to read three passages. Lately I received the word “holy”. Last Sunday morning I was pondering on these words before I attended church. I wanted to know what they meant, appearing to me as I woke from dreams. During the worship the short choruses were all about God’s glory and holiness. Then I attended the Prayer House worship too at night and the songs were about the same two words! The songs pointed our focus to Jesus. Then the worship leader ended his songs by singing one which proclaimed, “Glory, glory, glory!” to Lord God Almighty. Amen. (I shall continue to focus on these two words and see Jesus all the time)
Brethren, abide in Christ.
AAA Jack
May 24 2009
day 88: are you the teacher and do not know?
Jesus knew all men. He knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25) When a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews came to Him at night and wanted to ask Him about God, Jesus told him straight that he has to be born again before he can see the kingdom of God or understand matters about God. Jesus tried to explain to him one has to be born of the Spirit and becomes attuned to spiritual matters first. Poor teacher Nick (my short name for Nicodemus) did not know what Jesus was talking about.
So Jesus said, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” (John 3:10)
Nick was not just an ordinary uneducated man on the street. He was one of the top national elites who ruled the religious, political and social lives of the people. He was a powerful man, well educated, well respected and was supposed to be teaching others about God. Yet Jesus said he did not know God.
Does this sound familiar? Many claim to be important in the churches but do not know God. Jesus said this of teacher Nick because he did not know or understand God in the spirit. God is Spirit. There is no other way to know Him. If anyone claims he knows all about God (through head knowledge only) the person is blind or not telling the truth. Does knowing God really matter? Jesus said, to know God and Jesus is eternal life! What is the point of being a well respected teacher in your church but do not have eternal life?
How did teacher Nick accept the “shocking” comment and teaching from Jesus? He respected Jesus and heard Him out. The Bible recorded that he spoke out for Jesus once in front of his own Pharisees peers, and later openly brought expensive spices to prepare Jesus for burial after the crucifixion.
My application:
Continue to seek God and wait upon Him, in His presence, through worship, singing hymns, reading His words (the Bible), praying, and being still before God.
Last night I attended a “waiting upon God” worship service and teaching. We worshipped for an hour. After that it was sermon time. But we were then told to lift up our hands, as a sign of total surrender to God, for the entire hour of “sermon” (waiting training). The pastor read some Bible verses and spoke a few sentences occasionally as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise we just waited in silence with our hands lifted up. After a long time he said we could prostrate on the floor as led by the Spirit. He told us to cast our worries and make our utmost request then. God will answer. I made a request silently about the intercession I have been making yesterday morning.
Towards the end of the session, the pastor quietly read two psalms and said that some of us will find answer and encouragement. When I heard the last two verses of the first psalm, I heard my answer. It was also confirmed by the second psalm! (He read Psalms 27 and 62)
I used to be like teacher Nick and knew nothing about spiritual matters. I did not know God the way He wanted me to know Him then. Now I begin to see and hear (despite moving with tortoise speed). I would encourage you too to seek and practice consistently. You will find that God likes to be found and He will meet you in ways that really surprise you.
I pray that you too will soon see and hear God.
AAA Jack
May 29, 2009
So Jesus said, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” (John 3:10)
Nick was not just an ordinary uneducated man on the street. He was one of the top national elites who ruled the religious, political and social lives of the people. He was a powerful man, well educated, well respected and was supposed to be teaching others about God. Yet Jesus said he did not know God.
Does this sound familiar? Many claim to be important in the churches but do not know God. Jesus said this of teacher Nick because he did not know or understand God in the spirit. God is Spirit. There is no other way to know Him. If anyone claims he knows all about God (through head knowledge only) the person is blind or not telling the truth. Does knowing God really matter? Jesus said, to know God and Jesus is eternal life! What is the point of being a well respected teacher in your church but do not have eternal life?
How did teacher Nick accept the “shocking” comment and teaching from Jesus? He respected Jesus and heard Him out. The Bible recorded that he spoke out for Jesus once in front of his own Pharisees peers, and later openly brought expensive spices to prepare Jesus for burial after the crucifixion.
My application:
Continue to seek God and wait upon Him, in His presence, through worship, singing hymns, reading His words (the Bible), praying, and being still before God.
Last night I attended a “waiting upon God” worship service and teaching. We worshipped for an hour. After that it was sermon time. But we were then told to lift up our hands, as a sign of total surrender to God, for the entire hour of “sermon” (waiting training). The pastor read some Bible verses and spoke a few sentences occasionally as led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise we just waited in silence with our hands lifted up. After a long time he said we could prostrate on the floor as led by the Spirit. He told us to cast our worries and make our utmost request then. God will answer. I made a request silently about the intercession I have been making yesterday morning.
Towards the end of the session, the pastor quietly read two psalms and said that some of us will find answer and encouragement. When I heard the last two verses of the first psalm, I heard my answer. It was also confirmed by the second psalm! (He read Psalms 27 and 62)
I used to be like teacher Nick and knew nothing about spiritual matters. I did not know God the way He wanted me to know Him then. Now I begin to see and hear (despite moving with tortoise speed). I would encourage you too to seek and practice consistently. You will find that God likes to be found and He will meet you in ways that really surprise you.
I pray that you too will soon see and hear God.
AAA Jack
May 29, 2009
April 7, 2009
DAY 40: WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE TARES?
Jesus described the kingdom of heaven like a man who sowed good seeds in his field. The Son of Man (Jesus) sowed the good seed. The field is the world. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. But the devil (enemy of God) came and sowed tares among the wheat. God is aware of it. However, He instructed the angles to let both grow together until the harvest. At that time He will instruct the reaper angles to bundle up the tares and burn them. The wheat (sons of the kingdom) will be gathered into the kingdom of their Father. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
When the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. The angels asked whether they should pull them out of the field. Jesus said, “No, lest you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.”
Why were the seeds not detected? Why would the pulling of the young tares disturb the young wheat? My understanding is as follows:
1. All Christians start with seeds. Jesus sowed the seeds. When the seeds grow, they are Christians (the sons of the kingdom of God), the righteousness of God in Christ.
2. All un-believers start with seeds too. The devil sowed the seeds. They grow up and become sons of the wicked ones.
3. During evangelistic meetings it is possible that un-believers join the crowd and get into the church as part of the Christian community. They are treated as though they have believed in Jesus whereas in their hearts they do not believe. They are seeds sown by the devil.
4. The seeds are hidden below the surface. The devil came and sowed at night, in secret. No one can detect them. On the surface there is no difference between a young Christian and a non-believer in the church.
5. As they grow in the church, the young believers make friends with one another (including the un-believers).
6. It is obvious that there is risk in allowing the fake/counterfeit Christians (who become worship leaders, elders, pastors etc.) to remain in the church. Otherwise the angels would not have asked whether they should immediately remove the tares (sons of the wicked ones).
7. It is obvious that God has the authority and power to remove the wicked ones at any time.
8. God being merciful does not want to disturb the relationship. He knows the weakness of man, how we tend to let emotion and sentiments rule in our immature days.
9. Both the believers and un-believers grow up together in the church environment, attend the same worship services, listen to the same sermons, possibly serve together, spend leisure time together, join the same Bible study cell group, sing the same set of hymns and praise songs, share the same holy communion, solemnize their weddings, birth, and death in the same church etc. They may even be buried in the same church cemetery. Yet, at the end of this age, one goes to heaven and another gets to be burned.
10. The difference between a son of God and a son of the devil is recorded in the Bible and can be detected based on the words of God. In the above passage, Jesus called them “all things that offend Him, and those who practice lawlessness”. Jesus also called the sons of God, the righteous. No man can be called righteous except by faith, believing in Jesus. The lawless ones are those who do not believe in Jesus.
My application: Examine my life and make sure I am a believer. Continue to share the true Gospel of Jesus. Continue to pray and intercede for the church. Do not take for granted that all who go to church are believers.
This is the fifth times when an elder/pastor who led the Holy Communion omitted to teach the meaning of the bread and cup of wine in accordance with what the Lord taught. When reminded, one elder told me to let them lead by the Spirit. Whilst I pray my own prayer to make sure I do not partake the bread and the cup in the wrong manner, I really worry about those who do not do so due to lack of teaching by the church elders and pastors. Why are the elders and pastors so reluctant to read the passage in 1 Corinthians 11:24-30 of the Bible? There is no need to interpret if they cannot, just read them aloud to the congregations, please!!!
AAA Jack
April 6, 2009
March 28, 2009
He stooped and fed us
In today’s reading, I read Matthew 11:28-29. Jesus called out to everyone here, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
When I first read these two verses long ago, I always thought it rather contradictory. On one hand Jesus wanted us to remove our burden/yoke, on the other hand He urged us to put on His. A lot of churches taught me to be extra hard working as I have to carry Jesus’ burden. So I had to make a lot of effort to serve Him in churches, doing good work etc. The burdens became heavy and impossible to carry on my own. I know of Christians and pastors burning out too. It doesn’t make sense as Jesus specifically assured us in the following verse, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30)
However, I am determined to understand these verses this time in this living Biblically quest. I prayed and read crossed reference verses and found the following treasure in Hosea. God spoke.
“I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” this wonderful verse is taken from Hosea 11:4. God said He loved Israel (Christians) when he was a child. He taught them to walk, take them by their arms. He healed them. He then described how He drew them with gentleness and took away their yoke. Try picturing God as a tall and mighty person who stooped down to a little child and fed him patiently and lovingly.
The definition of a yoke:
1 a: a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together b: an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person c: a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions d: a bar by which the end of the tongue of a wagon or carriage is suspended from the collars of the harness.
When I thought of Jesus before, I always had the idea that He was like any of us, small and insignificant. I thought of carrying His cross/yoke for Him as if He was walking to the place of crucifixion. How wrong I had been! Jesus is no longer on His way to be crucified. He has already been crucified, died, buried, risen from the dead and now sits in heaven as God! The Jesus now is a mighty, magnificent and majestic God. He is definitely not the little man like any of us.
When I thought of this truth, I saw a different picture of the yoke on us. Instead of me carrying the yoke by myself, the yoke is shared now between me and Jesus. But Jesus is so much (infinitely) taller and bigger, so it is He who carries the yoke and not me. I am just like the child described in Hosea 11:4, whom Jesus stooped down to feed and nurse.
My application: continue to come near to God daily and feed on His words. Yesterday after interceding for the nation I had an unusual encounter. I was prostrating on the floor and the picture came to my mind. Jesus was holding a little narrow jar/vase in His hand and poured out some oil on His fingers. Then He touched my forehead. I had the word “anointing” in my mind.
After that, I forgot about the picture. By mid morning a thought came to me that I needed to record down the picture I saw. But I have forgotten it entirely. I was troubled. So I prayed that I could recall it. Immediately the picture came, exactly as I had seen in the early morning. I am not sure what this means and I have no Bible reference in my mind. I decide to leave this subject for the time being. However I believe I need to continue to pray/intercede for the nation, seek guidance and clarification of goals and directions for my life, especially at this time of uncertainty.
Meanwhile I am happy that it is not me who carries the yoke. No wonder Jesus assured us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light!
AAA Jack
March 28, 2009
When I first read these two verses long ago, I always thought it rather contradictory. On one hand Jesus wanted us to remove our burden/yoke, on the other hand He urged us to put on His. A lot of churches taught me to be extra hard working as I have to carry Jesus’ burden. So I had to make a lot of effort to serve Him in churches, doing good work etc. The burdens became heavy and impossible to carry on my own. I know of Christians and pastors burning out too. It doesn’t make sense as Jesus specifically assured us in the following verse, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30)
However, I am determined to understand these verses this time in this living Biblically quest. I prayed and read crossed reference verses and found the following treasure in Hosea. God spoke.
“I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.” this wonderful verse is taken from Hosea 11:4. God said He loved Israel (Christians) when he was a child. He taught them to walk, take them by their arms. He healed them. He then described how He drew them with gentleness and took away their yoke. Try picturing God as a tall and mighty person who stooped down to a little child and fed him patiently and lovingly.
The definition of a yoke:
1 a: a wooden bar or frame by which two draft animals (as oxen) are joined at the heads or necks for working together b: an arched device formerly laid on the neck of a defeated person c: a frame fitted to a person's shoulders to carry a load in two equal portions d: a bar by which the end of the tongue of a wagon or carriage is suspended from the collars of the harness.
When I thought of Jesus before, I always had the idea that He was like any of us, small and insignificant. I thought of carrying His cross/yoke for Him as if He was walking to the place of crucifixion. How wrong I had been! Jesus is no longer on His way to be crucified. He has already been crucified, died, buried, risen from the dead and now sits in heaven as God! The Jesus now is a mighty, magnificent and majestic God. He is definitely not the little man like any of us.
When I thought of this truth, I saw a different picture of the yoke on us. Instead of me carrying the yoke by myself, the yoke is shared now between me and Jesus. But Jesus is so much (infinitely) taller and bigger, so it is He who carries the yoke and not me. I am just like the child described in Hosea 11:4, whom Jesus stooped down to feed and nurse.
My application: continue to come near to God daily and feed on His words. Yesterday after interceding for the nation I had an unusual encounter. I was prostrating on the floor and the picture came to my mind. Jesus was holding a little narrow jar/vase in His hand and poured out some oil on His fingers. Then He touched my forehead. I had the word “anointing” in my mind.
After that, I forgot about the picture. By mid morning a thought came to me that I needed to record down the picture I saw. But I have forgotten it entirely. I was troubled. So I prayed that I could recall it. Immediately the picture came, exactly as I had seen in the early morning. I am not sure what this means and I have no Bible reference in my mind. I decide to leave this subject for the time being. However I believe I need to continue to pray/intercede for the nation, seek guidance and clarification of goals and directions for my life, especially at this time of uncertainty.
Meanwhile I am happy that it is not me who carries the yoke. No wonder Jesus assured us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light!
AAA Jack
March 28, 2009
March 23, 2009
be the wise man who built his house on the rock
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and when the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was built on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25
Yesterday I finally heard what this passage is all about. I always thought I was the one who had to do the work of building. I had to choose the ground properly. I had to calculate and select the materials for the building. I had to make sure that the house was built on strong foundation or it would tumble down in the storm. I had focused on the word “I” and no wonder I failed.
Yesterday a speaker told us that it was the other way round. He asked, “Do you let Jesus dig deep into you?” “Do you let God build into you deeply, all the way to the bedrock?” He was preaching on something else but he opened his sermon by mentioning this passage and asked us these questions.
What? I never thought of this passage this way. It makes sense as it tallies with what the apostle Paul had told us. He reminded us that we are God’s workmanship. It is God who builds into us. Another preacher writer also had been writing on this subject of work too and has been hammering into my head and my heart that Christians’ main problem is that we do not let God work into us. We like to be in control and feel important by working for God! It is obvious that our foundation is like sand if we persist on serving and working without allowing God to work deep into us and build our character!
The depth and strength of our character comes from God’s working in our lives. There is no way any one can work (whatever good works he does) his way to strength and power without God’s building and molding him.
My application: Let God work deep into me and build me on His solid foundation. Continue to rise early to seek God and worship Him, pray and intercede for others too. Continue to read His Words in chunks and be alert to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
This morning while praying for my church’s recent project of raising a big sum $15million to build a mega building, I was filled with the idea of writing to the pastor and urging him not to proceed even though the church building committee had already collected over $5million.
I could see my thoughts gathering clearly. Recently I had been thinking how to save the world from its fast track of sliding downhill. I had the idea of asking every family to grow organic vegetables and rear chickens or goats in our backyards. I thought of home schooling and keeping a self sufficient family independent of the world economy. I thought of re-cycling practically everything and conserving instead of destroying and depleting more rare resources. I read up on the subject and discovered that more and more people are thinking on this future. Today I read about the US President’s wife doing exactly the same project of gardening in the White House!
I could envisage the pictures of a church growing fresh vegetables and fruits and even keeping sheep and goats to support the unemployed congregation members and families. The pastor may ask how he will accommodate the worship service members if the existing hall becomes too full. Well, I saw in my vision people sitting on grass, under trees, in glass houses, in sheds etc. Loudspeakers are fixed on the trees and church organ music filled the air everywhere in the huge organic garden. Just think, a bit of Paris (the gardens in the city where we used to sit around and listen to classical music under trees) right here. After church service, healthy lunches can be bought at reasonable prices too.
Bible references: I keep reading a lot about agricultural and pastoral blessings from God and none about construction. GROW instead of CONSTRUCT appears to be the key word for receiving supernatural blessing. Grow something organic that gives life and generates produce in return. Do not construct something dead which depreciates with wear and tear. (Not to mention the wasting of resources and spoiling the environment). When we build, be like Abraham. Build altars for God. (Not monuments for men).
AAA Jack
March 23, 2009
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