Link To GFA - Gospel for Asia

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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: “I AM LOOKING FOR A CHURCH”

Matthew 24:6-8 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Reading headline like “the day of death” was no comfort. In the same weekend more than one disaster hit the nations of the world, earthquakes, tsunami, typhoon, and flood with colossal human and financial losses, were certainly bad news for the earth inhabitants. The Christians woke up and asked whether these were signs of the end time. The more sensible ones asked themselves, whether they were ready to meet the Lord, who is coming soon.

Indeed, when shocked out of our hitherto comfort zone, no matter how secure we once thought we were, we had no choice but to re-examine our lives, calculate the possible risk factors and the worst case scenario and decide our best immediate defense actions.

To prepare for the end time, Jack thus is looking for a church. He had escaped from his previous church as it no longer mentioned (and/or believe in the power of) the cross, Jesus’ blood and His redemption anymore. The church had gone the popular humanistic way and thus returned to Egypt, busily prospering in numbers, building colossal multi-million dollars buildings, engrossed in a great variety of programs, works and activities. The music was popular. The attendance rate was high. The number of membership and its growth probably topped the list of its peers in this city.

But it preached anything but Christ. Jack patiently waited for three years. Then, as signs of end time kept popping up, Jack figured that it would be impossible to be part of that corporate body and yet go to heaven. So he abandoned ship when he was certain that the Holy Spirit had called him to progress in his faith (not without feeling sorrowful to leave the familiar).

Now he is looking for a church that preaches Jesus Christ day in and day out. There is no other more worthy topic. But where is that church? At times he wonders if he should advertise. How shall he word it? “A man in the Holy Spirit is looking for a church that preaches nothing but Jesus on the cross, shedding His precious blood to save the world, so that all who believe will not perish but finds eternal life. If any church fits into this category please let Jack know the good news. Those who take the Holy Communion in vain, that is, not mentioning (and/or believing) the redemptive blood of Jesus and healing body of Jesus, need not bother to apply.” Many churches will feel offended. Many will ignore this advertisement. One mere number of memberships is not worth the bother to churches which had gone the Egypt (worldly) pathway. One is nothing to the churches when they already have a hundred or even a thousand. Or worse, many would think this is a cry of an outdated man who has not kept up with the modern religious world.

But Jack is sincere in his cry. Meanwhile he has asked God to make Jesus’ footsteps his pathway. So daily he seeks the presence of God through Jesus, bringing to daily remembrance of His cross through the Holy Communion (remembering the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus and the body of Jesus that was broken for us-our total healing), reads His words and prays in the name of Jesus, living in the Spirit and all by faith. He believes the church is out there, all over the world, with individuals like him, forming the corporate body of Christ, spiritually, not limited by physical distance and time.

1 Cor. 11:24, 25 The Lord Jesus said, “Take, eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

1 Cor. 10:16-17 The Apostle Paul wrote (authored by the Holy Spirit): “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”

2009-10-02

the coming of the Son of Man

Matthew 24

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

The Coming of the Son of Man

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!


No One Knows the Day or Hour

36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

Matthew 25:13

13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

chapter forty two: finding purpose in life through fasting and prayer

Another goal for fasting and prayer is to find purpose in life. An average person would not be satisfied with living from day to day knowing that one day all men must die and leave this earth without knowing why he had come to this life in the first place. One can find out about others’ life purpose by reading, studying and watching others. We can watch others growing up, being gainfully occupied with career, family, friends and may be hobbies, social work and religions etc. We tend to follow too and do about the same thing. However, is that all? What is our real purpose for living? This is a tough question for Jack.


One way to find out is to fast and pray. By giving up our physical comfort and deliberately focus on a higher level of existence one becomes aware of higher goal and the real reason of one’s existence. Not everyone has the same goals even though there are seemingly limited numbers of the usual goals. To sum up, most people want health, happiness and comfort in life. Security and relationship rank high in the happiness category. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid, once a human being get hold of the lower basic needs (physiological, security, love and belonging), he/she aims for meeting the higher level needs like esteem needs, experience purpose and meaning, and self-actualization.

Whilst the concept is the same, individuals vary in the contents that make up the ideals. Of course, people tend to follow each other (keeping up with the neighbours). But they will soon find the void in their hearts unfilled. For example, we tend to think of others’ kids being so lovely and fun to be with. When we have our own we know life is not all lovely and fun. At times we think the opposite had happened and prevailed. We also tend to admire others’ garden and wish we too have one. When we have our own garden we lament at the compulsory hours of regular hard labours required. The same imperfect reality happens to owning cars, houses, high earning jobs, prestigious positions and interesting hobbies.

One pertinent question remains, “For what higher purposes are we created?” Fasting and prayer helps a Christian to find out.


The focus of Christian fasting and prayer is God. The more one focuses on the presence of God, the more one is able to receive clear messages about God and His purpose for our life. The content and focus of our prayers change. The mind changes its priority. The spirit (which has been slumbering previously) wakes up and switches to the God channel with clearer reception. This opens a door into a wider sphere of existence, way beyond our tiny little world.



But does God not care about our usual life in our little world? Oh, He does care. The difference is that He will open our eyes to see further sights and dream greater dreams.

There is a greater purpose for your existence and a higher goal for your life. No one can afford to linger on below that purpose. Start and find out now!

Yes, fasting and praying helps you to find the map.


2009-09-30

CHAPTER FORTY ONE: FASTING, PRAYER, WARFARE AND BREAKTHROUGHS

Trying to fast seriously has brought spiritual breakthrough. Setting the right goals for fasting is essential. When confronted with a life threatening crisis, people are more willing and sincere in fasting and prayer. On the other hand, when one’s goal is to get close to God and obeying His command (as in the Bible), to be more spiritually discerning (so as to obey His command/will), to breakthrough in applying Biblical living, the fasting is just as effective. These are some of Jack’s recent findings through readings and personal experience.


After fasting partially he felt his body lighter and not as cumbersome. He found that he could concentrate more on spiritual matters (matters pertaining God). He was more focused in worship and prayer. He renewed his enthusiasm for intercession for others, and even the big issues like the salvation of the world. When interceding for smaller things, like for families, he was more discerning and was able to be led by the Holy Spirit.


Unlike what he had feared previously, there was not much bodily discomfort other than the usual mild hunger pang at certain intervals (possibly more induced by psychology and habits). Even the slowing down of life did not bother him much. He felt more relaxed as he no longer needed to worry about what he should eat for the next meal.


He had more quality time on hand and could do more work and more Bible reading (in addition to prayer). He had less strife when dealing with people and situations. Somehow, his world seemed changed for the better. Reading the Bible is another big gain. He had never been able to read so much in the same time frame before. This time he had no agenda and read at ease, as led by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, as he read, he received the messages that God was speaking to him. So he prayed in response as he read.


Prayer-wise there were breakthroughs too. He interceded as led by the Holy Spirit. For example, one morning he thought he had finished praying as he woke early and had almost two hours with the Lord. However, when he returned from an assignment, he was led to intercede further and spent another two hours! He was not even aware of the time.

This morning he wanted to pray for a relative urgently so he woke early and spent time before the Lord. However, when he thought he needed to intercede more, the Holy Spirit led him to pray for one particular big nation/one big religious group) on an urgent matter. So he obeyed. At the end of that prayer, he was shown a vision about the relative whom he had wanted to pray for. The vision was positive and answered his earlier concern.


He learned from this experience that we cannot limit God. When we put ourselves in the flow of the Holy Spirit, life becomes effortless and the spiritual reality becomes clearer and discernable. This is part of Kingdom of God living and living in the Spirit as instructed in the Bible.


It is like heaven come down and life has such a clarity as he has never seen before. It is indeed wonderful!

CHAPTER FORTY: A NOVICE IN FASTING

Jack continued to fast two further days at a stretch, with mainly water and some warm drinks or vegetable soup. He recorded his diet and experience as follows.

Day two: one cup of cocoa in the late morning, one bowl of sweet potato soup in the late afternoon with 2 thin slices of steam carrot mashed in rice paste, a bowl of vegetable soup in the evening, and a small bowl of red bean soup at night.

Day three: one slice of whole meal bread (as he thought he heard the wife say to take it in his dream), one hard-boil egg, and one cup of cocoa for breakfast, one cup of warm drink in the afternoon, one bowl of vegetable soup with a small slice of fish in the evening. For supper he took one cookie and one cup of soymilk.

Difficulties encountered: 1. His mind was on food all the time. He felt tired and sleepy. He slept early and long hours. 2. By the third day morning he dreamed that his wife asked him to take breakfast so he got up and went to take one slice of bread thereby breaking the fast. 3. For the first time of his life he felt cold in normal temperature. So he was tempted to take warm sweet drink. The proper fasting advice is that he should avoid taking sweet drink. 4. He tried to stretch his cocoa drink to last two hours by taking small sips and it became quite horrible to drink after the first half hour.

Lessons learned and benefits gained:

1. He learned to feel how a starving man felt (so he thought) as he wanted to stretch the cup of cocoa.

2. Prayer has improved: instead of praying the usual repeated parochial issues (family, own church, own city etc), he was led by the Holy Spirit to see the whole earth as a tiny globe, and it looked so pitiful heading towards destruction without knowing its true direction and destiny. So he interceded from his new vision, seeing how big and vast God is and acknowledging how insignificant humans are and how ridiculous the things that we spend so much time worrying and bickering about.

3. He also acknowledged more readily his biggest sin, that is, “unbelief” in many areas of his life, not wanting to trust God fully, like the nine disciples who could not handle the epileptic boy with a mute demon.

4. He learned from reading more about fasting prayer. The following are excerpts of his reading of Ezra 8:21-23 from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible on “fasting for spiritual breakthrough”

a. For guidance: they petitioned God to lead them in a right way. b. For assistance: they petitioned God for protecting their little ones. c. For substance: petitioned God to guard their possessions (for God’s temple).


“Fasting is a sacrificial form of prayer warfare that produces results available in no other way.” (especially in demonic deliverance). “It is a sacrificial denial of necessary nourishment which turns one’s attention to seeking God during that denial.”

5. He also learned from a teaching that when he fasts his body will manifest symptoms of sickness and discomfort. He is not to panic. Headaches and other bodily pains may be signs of his being delivered and cleansed.

6. He experienced the assurance that the presence of the Lord (Jesus) actually refreshes the believer. (Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”)

7. During worship service at night, he was more focused and not distracted like before. He spent most of the time praying in the spirit. When he asked the Holy Spirit to show him something to intercede for he suddenly saw in his mind a vast country covered by muddy flood water. People were bobbing up and down in the water. So he interceded fervently for that country.

Overall: He learned that he was not really fasting the way he should be. There was hardly any sacrificial denial of the body. He was not fully seeking God and spending time in God’s presence. So he decided to start again the three days fast in the coming weekend. Meanwhile he continued to fast one-two meals a day and taking light meals or liquid and praying daily.

There was one other breakthrough. Today he was woken at 4am and he got up without hesitation as he felt a terrible feeling inside and knew that he had to intercede as instructed. He obeyed the call (something which he had stopped doing for a long time). After this experience he is again looking forward to such daily encounter in future.
23-9-09

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: FASTING TO SHARPEN THE ULTIMATE SPIRITUAL WEAPON

There is no easy path to spiritual wellness. There is no option either. In his current quest to live Biblically and in the spirit, Jack has embarked on the fasting and praying journey seriously.

He has been on two meals or less for more than six months on and off, not really on a fixed schedule. He usually took breakfast (one slice of thick wholemeal toast/bread with cheese and a cup of warm milk/chocolate), and lunch (a small portion of carbohydrate, protein and a larger portion of vegetables). He took tea in the late afternoon (a cup of warm drink and a biscuit). He skipped dinner but took a drink (a glass of fruit and vegetable juice with milk). He skipped supper too, unless he went to the Prayer House and had a warn drink (or dessert) after the service.

Yesterday he started to fast after a light lunch and took nothing except water and one cup of cocoa and one biscuit for about 13 hours. He felt alright and was able to carry on his usual physical activities. He took part in a late evening worship and prayer meeting for three hours (11pm to 2am). After that he took a tiny bowl of grain dessert. The only discomfort he felt was he felt cold for the first time. He slept about 5-6 hours and woke up feeling fresh and well.

Today he started the first of his three days of fasting and prayer with nothing but water/liquid only. He had no breakfast, only one cup of hot drink and had a small portion of plain yogurt in the morning. Around noon he took another cup of warm cocoa. He took water when thirsty.

In the morning he did about one hour of light physical activities. Then he spent sometime praying and reading. The day seemed not as long as he had earlier expected. During lunch time he thought of food and went to the kitchen to look at the fridge but he took nothing. He felt fit and well up to this point.

The guide book advised him not to do too much physical activity. He was advised to pray and read the Bible too.

The Morning Prayer session went well as clearly the Holy Spirit was leading. His mind became focused and clear. He was able to pray for a number of issues for distant people who had never crossed his mind before. He could sense the need to repent and renounce a number of his own sins and areas which needed correction and renewal. The words flowed smoothly without efforts. He was led in the spirit to sing three hymns too. This had not happened for a long time and he was pleasantly surprised what the fasting could do to his spirit!

In the afternoon, he was tired and sleepy. His mind was on food. So he decided to read the Bible and pray. He started reading 2 Corinthians for no particular reason. He struggled for awhile and soon gave up. He dozed off for about 30 minutes.

When he woke he felt that he was fresher. So he went back to reading the Bible. This time he was led to read about the Levites in the Old Testament, how they were chosen by God to minister to Him. He read how they were assigned the responsibilities to take charge of the things pertaining to worshipping God. a group was assigned to sing day and night to God and had no other duties!

Suddenly he decided to sing in the spirit and he sang. As he sang, his spirit lifted and he felt energy surging up within him. He went on for sometime until he was led to pray and intercede. He interceded as led by the Holy Spirit. He realized that there was a breakthrough in his prayer and spiritual songs. He walked around and sang without effort. This went on for a long time. After that he asked the Holy Spirit to show him how to sing as the Levites did. Immediately he started singing new tunes as tunes sung by the Israelites!

It was indeed a wonderful experience for Jack.
2009-09-19