day 109: surely you don’t want a millstone hung around your neck

Jesus warned the disciples, “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

No Christian parents would want to cause any of their children to sin. No sane and normal person would want that in that matter. So why did Jesus warn the disciples (Christians)? Was it not irrelevant to give them this obvious commandment?

You may not think it relevant to you. But you are wrong. Jesus knew you could cause your children to sin. You could lead your children into temptation and personally deliver them to the evil one, although every morning you pray to the Father God not to lead you into temptation and deliver you from the evil one.

Do not feel insulted and stop reading right now. Just look at the list of temptation I summarize below. Tick off those you do not have and come out with a net list for your own immediate action.

List of temptations and death traps that parents have often led their children into:

TV and other multi-media entertainments (violence, sex, immorality, immodesty, anger, revenge, killing, disrespect and hatred of parents and elders, hatred of good people, love of bad and evil people, selfishness, degeneration, demotion of human to beast level, dehumanization, bigotry, chauvinism, racism, greed and covetousness, jealousy, worldliness, vanity, materialistic and many more evil values), video and computer games (of similar evil and anti-Christ values), junk food, sweet drinks, caffeine, alcohol, gluttony spirit, poverty spirit, fear and rejection spirits, depression and oppression spirits, lack of self-control spirit, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life and many more. (Pease read 2 Timothy 3:1-5)

You know exactly what you have allowed your children into. God knows too.

I have made the same mistake and have repented of it. I once thought that children need to have what their peers have. Children must not be deprived of the world’s goods and services. Children must keep up to date with the world. Children will gain respect and acceptance from their peers if they have all those worldly stuff. Children will have high self esteem when they do not feel left out as compared to their peers. Children must be given the best that money can buy and many more.

Every child must have started on innocent, simple and seemingly ‘harmless’ TV, video programs and video games. No parents will be foolish and evil enough to start their innocent little lambs on violent, hatred and immoral sex stuff. However, many parents who have gone this broad way of allowing the world values to come into their living room soon found out that the child had grown into a monster in no time. There is no way to harness the monster once it is unleashed.

There is no point trying to reform your child when he is old enough to rebel when you could have led him to God, helped him to build his character and habits on the solid rock of Jesus and the Biblical values instead of leading him into the world to pursue the world’s “pleasure”. Looking at the world today you do not have much time to train and equip your child to resist temptation. You have about ten years counting from birth at the most. By ten years old they are fixed and their hearts and minds are hardened like stone. Their habits and characters are patterned according to what you have input them during the ten formative years.

Good Christian children became evil. How can this happen? Who are the ones who were responsible to ward the child off evil? Not lead him or her into temptations? Lead the child to watch and pray daily just as Jesus has commanded? Ask yourselves. Blame no one else.

Who you are predicts who your child will be.

There is no need to look into the Chrystal ball or have great dreams for your child. Just look at yourself and the values you value, the way you spend your time, the thoughts you have, the words you speak, the focus you have set your heart on. Lead them to heaven or to hell. Your choice. Meanwhile do not sing you love God or you surrender all to God anymore in church as it is a blatant lie. God knows.

AAA Jack

The Lord is my refuge, my place of safety

PSALM 91 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

DAY 101: SONGS, SIGNS AND WONDERS

We (four generations of us, one of each) continue to have family worship twice a day on most week days, and also attend the twice weekly prayer house worship. The youngest of us is six years and ten months old. She has acquired the habit of worship and has become the self-appointed organizer of worship. Every morning she will get the sitting room ready complete with a cushion for each person to kneel, exercise mats in two rolls, hymn books, Bibles, notebook (for us to write down spirit songs, if any), and ball pens.
The four of us love to sing. We each sing in our own ways. The master of the house used to be the worst singer. The mistress of the house can sing reasonably well. The guest is a spirit-filled intercessor who sings very high pitch songs (mostly spirit songs). The little one sings softly in her own childish way. All cannot read music notes.
Our meeting has four parts: songs, prayer in the Spirit, Bible reading, and more songs.
Initially only the Spirit-filled intercessor visitor could sing spirit song or see visions. The two other grown-ups and the young child had not displayed such gifts. After seeking God for sometime, the master of the house had developed the gift of seeing a bit of visions (in words and in pictures). Lately he developed the gift of singing (followed by interpreting and writing songs) in the spirit.
When the little one joined us for holiday she soon learned to hum songs in the spirit and pray in the spirit. She loves the worship sessions and has participated in and stayed throughout every meeting without fail. Of course she fell asleep (like any normal little child) while prostrating on the floor during late night prayer house meetings. Yesterday morning she participated in the whole Bible reading session in the prayer house. Three of us grown-ups were given the book of Isaiah to read (all sixty-six chapters). The little one helped us to read two chapters. Then she read five chapters in the Gospel of Mark. We finished reading aloud the book of Isaiah in two hours.
The little one is so used to such meetings that yesterday afternoon she voluntarily joined a group of adult ladies’ fellowship and knelt and bowed down with them and prayed in tongue when they were interceding in a home fellowship in this house. The prayer meeting was the first ever since its inception so Spirit-filled and charged up. The usually quiet and subdued ladies were loudly praying in the Spirit and extended the meeting by one hour!
The mistress of the house has been a committed Christian for over twenty years, actively serving God for a long time, recently seeking God in the spirit after attending a course on waiting upon God. She felt disappointed as she saw others heard from God, saw visions, and could sing spirit songs, whereas she could not. She felt she wanted to know God more and was hindered by the lack. She told God her feeling. During the last few days she progressed to seeing visions and yesterday she began to sing in tune as in spirit songs.
All we can say is that we cannot limit God. All we can do is to seek Him with thirst and hunger in our spirits and wait upon Him regardless of our feelings or experiences.
This morning I prayed for my own career and ministry, if any. As I worshipped and prayed in the spirit, I saw myself in two consecutive scenes. First I was playing a guitar to the audience of trees, as in a forest. There seemed to be flowing streams as well. The second scene was I playing a violin, to the open field with green grass, flowers and butterflies. The land could be hilly but I am not sure. In my mind I had words like spread, disburse, and grow.
I do not play both musical instruments. I do not consider myself having any talent to learn either. So far I only managed to sing and write in crude numerical symbols of the music I had created. Rationally I cannot imagine myself pursuing a musical direction in my career or in ministry. This vision is not a result of my wish fulfillment.
The spiritual development has led me and others to know God as a limitless God. Yes, He performs songs, signs and wonders in our lives.
AAA Jack
June 13 2009

DAY 99-100: MANY SONGS BURST FORTH

It is amazing how God reveals Himself. Spirit songs burst forth as I worshipped God. So far I managed to write down a few, some in tunes only, some with lyrics (incomplete and complete). Today I sang the new song “My utmost for His highest” again but in a different tune, much lighter and with full lyrics. I managed to write it down as I sang it a number of times. To clarify, I do not write the proper music scores. I write the tune in numerical symbols (numbers) (as I was taught to read the numbers in primary school).
After I wrote two songs in English I was led to sing a spirit song in a tune which is definitely oriental. So I put in Chinese words and they sounded well-fitted. As I did that in a car, I did not manage to write down that song. The following day, I sang another Chinese spirit song with lyrics as well. Again, I was in the car and did nt manage to record it down.
When I analyze the songs, I find that they are all worship songs about God. As I sang them I felt lifted up, peaceful and happy.
Today I interceded for the churches of this land. I asked the Holy Spirit to show me what to pray for. Then I began to sing. The song was all about asking the God’s glory to fall on this land, His living water to rain down, and the blood of the Lamb to flow and give life, healing and nourishing this land.
Last two nights before I slept I asked the Spirit inside to intercede for me as I slept. The first night the whole night I could sense the singing of two songs, both of which are about the blood Jesus has shed on the cross. The cleansing work has started! The second night I sensed the singing of another two songs, both about the Holy Spirit having come and like fire sweeping over the land.
I could not sing as I wish. Many times I tried to sing but managed to speak in tongue instead. Like wind I did not know its coming or going. But the songs are really nice and many I just cannot write down or interpret. I now realize a bit how David the psalmist had felt. As he sought God, he burst forth with many songs/psalms. What was his secret? One obvious clue is: he seeks God a lot of time.
AAA Jack

DAY 98B: MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST

Reading what I have recorded lately, one cannot help but wonder how such a lot of unusual things could have happened to one ordinary person? Perhaps the person is just bragging or exaggerating. Perhaps the person is indeed a multi-talented or very knowledgeable person. Perhaps the person is a bit loose in the head etc. of course I would have thought of the person that way too if I were not the person involved here.
I have taken pain to record as best I could of each encounter with God. There are times when I could not remember the exact details but the gist is there. I am interested in learning new things but I am not that knowledgeable. I like creative things but I am not that creative. For example, I used to sketch a lot when very young but I have never developed beyond simple caricature. I can hum a song but I cannot read the proper music scores. I cannot compose music or write songs. My hearing is good but my visual is poor. I do not play any musical instrument. I like reading and listening to spoken words more than words sung. I am a rational sane person. In fact I have avoided spiritual matters until recently when I started this Biblical living quest.
As I have written before my goal in this quest is to know more about God and what His plan is for my life. I am prepared to live out my destiny. I am learning to live Biblically and be real spiritually.
I had not expected much when I first started this series of blogs three months ago. I was not aware of what I had let myself into. Someone may wonder why God had allowed an ordinary believer to experience such a lot within such a short time. I marvel too. If I have to give an explanation, I can only come to the conclusion that it is because I want to know more about God. God cannot be limited to one aspect or one talent. God is multi-talented. When I did something unusual like singing a spirit song and even writing the tune and lyrics, I knew that is just another one of His many ways of revealing Himself to me.
When I sang those songs in spirit and later in words, I was touched by them. This morning I could sing how much I adore God, really meaning what I said. How have I been changed? I believe it was during all those hours of waiting in God’s presence, seeking to know Him more.
I pray that by sharing my experience with you, I may encourage you to seek God too, my friend.
AAA Jack
June 10 2009

DAY 97-98: DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT

These past few days were like a dream. A little angel (my eldest sister’s six years old grand child) joined us and sang spiritual songs with us. Prior to starting this quest to know God, I did not know how to really praise and adore God in my heart. So I had skipped the part when others professed their love for God during worships in the church. I did not want to be a hypocrite. Ever since I started this quest, I have been led by the Spirit to sing some old hymns. Then worshipping on my own, I have found out that I could sing a bit in the spirit. But I had not thought much of it.
During the last three days I discovered that I had progressed to singing a lot in the spirit, even when driving or not worshipping. We have spent last two mornings worshipping God (myself, a Spirit-filled niece and the little grand niece) and I began to sing more. This morning I woke up early on my own and had no particular agenda. I worshipped as usual and sang an old hymn, “In my heart there rings a melody”. I found that after that I was led to sing a spirit song. I realized what I was singing and that I could put words in it. I was singing “my utmost for Your highest” (writing the song in the spirit). After singing for sometime I wrote it down.
Thinking that I could have taken the tune from some old hymns I searched the hymn book. I could not find any tune similar to it. However, I was drawn to sing another old hymn, “How firm a foundation”. It was as if God was speaking to me, telling me that all that He has to say to me He has already said in the Bible. He gave me his assurance that I need not fear the danger and trials of this world. He said, “I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.” (He knows how timid I am in spiritual matters) It was a wonderful hymn!
After that I sang another spirit song while worshipping Jesus. I wrote that down too. The worship was wonderful and I saw the steps leading to the throne as before. I thought today was just for worship and I had nothing to pray for. However I asked the Spirit whether there is anything to intercede for. Immediately I saw a face.
The face belonged to a deacon of a church I attended nearly ten years ago. I had not seen him since he got married. He was in panic and carrying his two little children. His wife was hanging on to him at the back. He was running, fleeing. Close at his heel was something that I could not describe here.
That church has had a series of tragedies during the past ten years, with strife between the former senior pastor (until near breakdown) and someone in the church resulting the pastor opting to leave the church ( the church was subsequently led by a junior pastor). At least three male members (including a deacon) died of cancer/other sudden acute illness, wives of all the three elders suffered from cancer (and one had died), a number of mothers suffered from depression, autistic and hyper active children were born to deacons and active serving leaders etc.
Previously I could not understand the meaning of the frequency and way above proportion level of tragedies in this church. It cannot be explained as the church is small with about three hundred members. The members are ordinary people with stable income and ordinary living (not excessively indulgent). The elders are faithful people serving God diligently and doing all the religious activities as faithful Christian churches do.
The only thing that made the church stand out is its leaders not willing to understand matters of the reality and power of the Holy Spirit. They are afraid that spiritual teaching may not be from the Holy Spirit. They are satisfied with mere head knowledge. Some members (including my family) have left that church and fled to a Spirit-filled church. We tried to share with the junior pastor and the three elders once. They agreed that the Holy Spirit is important but said that their members were not ready to understand. So they advised us not to share with their members further.
Looking back now, the ignorance of the power of the Holy Spirit appeared to have led to spiritual weakness and resulting members (including the religious leaders themselves) become easy preys to spiritual enemies- the thief, (of whom Jesus has already warned His sheep in John 10) to steal, kill and destroy.
When I interceded for the deacon (whose wife is now suffering from anxiety and depression) and his family and seeing them being pursued by something (which I could not describe here) in my vision, I was close to tears. I knew this good man when he was a youth leader. He is kind-hearted and willingly serves others. He serves God diligently.
After the intercession, I read Hosea as this was the first book in the Bible that I was led in a dream to read. I read what I feared in Chapter four. I quote below what I read. (Excerpts from 4:1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14)
“There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.”
“Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away.”
“For your people are like those who contend with the priest. Therefore you will stumble in the day. Your prophet also shall stumble at night; and I will destroy your mother.”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you as priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
“For the men themselves go apart with harlots, and offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot. Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.”
AAA Jack

day 93-96: Be clean and be blessed

DAY 93-94: FIRST CLEAN THE INSIDE OF THE CUP AND DISH
I was off to spiritual adventure (training) these two days! On Friday we took off after work. By the time we reached the seaside it was around 10.40pm at night.
We started our worship at 11pm, had a small supper, and continued to listen to message until 1.40am. The next morning we continued to have worship around 8am, followed by breakfast, and continued with message. We left before midday to a small town for lunch. After that I continued my journey to visit the parent in-laws at another small town. By the time we reached there it was late afternoon.
During the seaside retreat, I learned about spiritual warfare and self-deliverance from unclean spirits. It was a practical lesson, which I am required to practice if I want spiritual growth. I summarize below what I learned.
In Matthew 23:25-26, Jesus told off the religious leaders, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of extorting and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
The trainer explained Bible verses to us and showed that we all have a number of personality and behavioral traits that hinder us from spiritual growth and living like Jesus. There are people who appear to be good moral and behavior Christians who fall when faced with temptations. Why? How not to stumble like them? The preacher had the following solution for us:
1. Find out what evil is in us. What is your regular recurring weakness? For example, anger? Bitterness? Gluttony? Alcohol? Gambling? Lust? Pride? Jealousy?
2. Find out the root of the evil. Where does your anger come from? For example, were you involved in occult practice or idol worship before? The Chinese ‘goddess of mercy’ (originated from an Indian god) was an idol of anger. A Chinese man suffered from burst of violent anger which got uncontrollable. He subsequently realized that in the past he was a devout follower of this idol. So he knew the root of his evil. The evil spirit controlled him from within. The war is within. (Ephesians 6:12)
3. Believe that Jesus has given you the spiritual authority to cast out demons in Jesus name. (Mark 16:17)
4. After finding out, you need to practice binding this evil and casting it out of your system and put it under Jesus’ feet (to crush it).
The advice is ‘just do it’. Keep practicing until you are clean. Your anger does not recur. Your lust dies. Your filthy habit stops. Your obsession ceases. Your bondage broken and you are set free!
AAA Jack
June 5-6 2009
DAY 95-96: IF YOU KNOW THESE THINGS, BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO THEM
In John 13, Jesus demonstrated to the disciples one practical way to receiving blessing. He washed their feet. He being the master washed the followers’ feet. They were shocked. But He told them, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)
Again, Jesus has shown us the way to God’s blessing is not what the world tends to think. Blessed are not those who ask others to wash their feet. Blessed are those who voluntarily wash others’ feet! Note that there are two steps required:
1. Know these things.
2. Do them.
Seek to know God. Know God through knowing Jesus. Then do what Jesus has asked us to do. We shall be blessed. It sounds simple. However, not easy to do. How many of us are willing to do something that the world considers lowly and not commensurate with our social status? For that matter, how many are willing to seek God just to know Him more?
It is not easy to practice what Jesus has said. But it is dangerous not to try. Jesus warned, the thief (enemy of God) will come and steal, kill and destroy. There is danger lurking out there in the spiritual realm. When we read the Bible seriously and let the Holy Spirit guide us, we will realize that what we are involved in is spiritual and we need to know God in the spirit to receive all that He has promised. The body and the mind cannot receive His communication. Your spirit is a switch. Switch on.
AAA Jack
June 7-8 2009