Jesus' power to heal is available to all who believe

 

How did Jesus heal? What did He want of the patients? This is another key to divine health and wholeness living.
The key truth: Jesus clearly stated that He is the Physician who heals those who are sick and the God who has power on earth to forgive sins. (Luke 5:31-32) All who actually believed what Jesus said were healed.
Oftentimes He just preached and taught the multitudes and the power of the Lord was present to heal them! Luke 5:15
Here are some verses spoken by Jesus and they revealed the truth that set free!

_________Bible verses (NKJV) are taken from the Gospel According to Luke, chapters 4-6: describing the behavior, attitude, belief of the 'patients' who came to Jesus for healing.
4:32-33 a man with an unclean demon cried out in the presence of Jesus who was teaching, for His word was with authority. The man was listening to His word.
5:12 a man full of leprosy saw Jesus and fell on his face and spoke out his faith in Jesus' power and authority to heal. He acknowledged his uncleanness and need of cleansing, saying "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
5:15 great multitudes came together to hear Jesus' teaching and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. They believed in the power of the word Jesus spoke to heal them.
5:25 a paralyzed man believed his sins were forgiven because Jesus said so, and obeyed the command of Jesus to rise up and take up his bed and walked back to his own house.
5:27-28 a sinner (tax collector) Levi was saved from his sins by obeying the command of Jesus to follow Him. He left all, rose up, and followed Him.
6:10 a man with a withered right hand believed in Jesus' authority to override that of the synagogue authority (based on Moses Law), and obeyed Jesus' command to stretch out his hand on Sabbath.
6:17-19 "great multitude of people came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those tormented with unclean spirits. And they were all healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out of Him and healed them all."

The patients came, heard His word, believed the word, and even touched Him (encountered His power)! Power came out of Jesus as He preached the word. They believed and were healed.

Be spiritual -overcome your unbelief

A note written on 2-27-2012 to someone who asked a very relevant question. Indeed today the question still lingers in a lot of Christians' mind...(with telling signs in their daily lives) So, here is the post to all. Don't give up. You are loved (by the Father in heaven, to Whom you must cling).

_______________________the letter

Dear sister (name):
This is my post on 24/6/2010. It is relevant to your question on how to overcome unbelief.

The key is to be sons of God, be overcomer like the Son of God Jesus Himself, who is focused on the spiritual reality and not allow the flesh to take dominion over the spirit man.

How to practice being spiritual? it takes a lot of time, persistence and patience waiting before God, like (names of persons who spend time before God)etc. Brother (name)'s sermon yesterday is on the same subject: imitate God and imitate those more spiritually mature (in faith).

The word of God is the presence of God (light, life, Spirit).

Many do not feed themselves enough of word and thus become weaker and weaker in faith and are swayed by the unbelief in their surrounding (people and events ruled by the enemy) in times of trials.
Brother in Christ.
_________________originally posted on 24/6/2010

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

Be Spiritual !

John 9:35 [ Spiritual Blindness ] Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
Romans 1:11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
Romans 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
Romans 12:1 [ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Romans 15:27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.

Spiritual Wisdom is Required of Believers

1 Corinthians 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
1 Corinthians 3:1 [ On Divisions in the Church ] Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ.
1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
Galatians 6:1 [ Doing Good to All ] Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Partake spiritual food and drink

1 Corinthians 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food
1 Corinthians 10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Given spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 1:7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
1 Corinthians 12:1 [ Spiritual Gifts ] Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
1 Corinthians 14:1 [ Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues ] Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:37 If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

Spiritual body for eternal life

1 Corinthians 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.If there is a natural body, there is also a Spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

Sing spiritual songs

Ephesians 1:3 [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Fight Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Build Spiritual House

1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

_______________October notes:

Only by being spiritual you can live a victorious life. God is Spirit. Jesus is Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Spirit.

Sons of God are required to be led by the Spirit. Jesus Himself stated, flesh profits nothing. The words He has spoken are spirit and life. Unless one is born again of the Spirit of God, one cannot see and enter the kingdom of God. A victorious Christian life is a life in the kingdom of God, living before God, walking in the Spirit and effectively using the spiritual authority of Jesus, the Son of God to overcome the wordl and the stresses (attacks) therein.

End Times Witnessing: How a rubber tapper entered the kingdom of God

The watchman heard a wonderful testimony given by a veteran woman evangelist last week. It answered his prayer about how anyone can enter the kingdom of God. One woman rubber tapper in Asia accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord one Thursday evening.


The next day the veteran evangelist visited the new convert to see how she was doing. The rubber tapper told the evangelist her testimony of divine healing and deliverance. She rose that morning and felt giddy and unable to go out to work. The work is done at night or in the early morning before the day’s temperature rises, so the latex will drip longer before coagulating and sealing the cut. So she used the name of Jesus to command all the unclean spirits to depart from her head. And it worked instantly!

The evangelist asked her how she knew how to cast out those demons. She said she remembered an incident that happened many years ago wherein a Christian pastor came to visit her son in the hospital and said the same command. She remembered and used the same words in the Name of Jesus and it worked.

The evangelist said that in all her years of pastoring this was the first time she witnessed a one day old Christian using the authority of the Kingdom of God by faith without doubt.

Truly a great testimony for all to emulate.

______________________

What does John the Baptist say about entering the Kingdom of God? Believe in the Son of God, obey Him (His Word)! (John 3:27-36)

In the case of the woman rubber tapper, she forgets who she is in the physical realm (i.e. in the eyes of men, a poor, illiterate woman rubber tapper, who is among the lowest in the society). She believes in Jesus (the Son of God) who has saved her from that kingdom of darkness and translated her into the kingdom of God, and she acted accordingly, using the authority of the Son of God (as a son of God herself, led by the Holy Spirit)!

John 3: 27-36 New Living Translation (NLT)

27 John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. 28 You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ 29 It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. 30He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

31 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! 33 Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. 34 For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. 36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

End Times Witnessing: signs and times revealed to watchman (2) -message to Mark (reblog and revised)

The watchman had received confirmations (including visions, dreams and words) about the signs of the times after writing this blog. Indeed, the Big and ravaging destructive earthquakes, floods, Tsunami, and Twisters came after this blog which was based on visions seen in August 2010. Economic development in some of the richest nations confirmed this as well.

Today he is led to reblog the following blog and urge his dearly beloved ones to read. All who are dearly beloved of God must read!

__________________Originally Posted 2010 September
The revelation and answer from the Lord continues. The watchman woke another morning to receive more specific answers to his prayers. He was led to read Jeremiah’s Lamentations on the previous evening thinking that he was reading for Israel. However, this was clarified this morning. He was still sleeping but the Spirit was already in conversation with his spirit. They were discussing the signs of end times. Then he was told that Lamentations was … Read More

http://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/end-times-witnessing-signs-and-times-revealed-to-watchman-2/

End Times Witnessing: How another religious leader and teacher missed entrance to heaven

He was a learned and experienced teacher of Moses’ Law. He was a religious and well respected prestigious member of the Jewish council. But he humbled himself and came to Jesus one night and talked to Jesus. He wanted the power of God that Jesus has which he did not have. He had been teaching for many years but he had no power to perform any miraculous signs to prove his teachings are from God.

Here is the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus on that crucial encounter.

Nicodemus: “Rabbi (teacher),” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

He believes in the signs and miracles and agrees that they are evidence that God is working with Jesus. He is attracted to the supernatural physical evidence of power from God. He thinks that Jesus can teach him how to have such power.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

Jesus goes straight to the point. The miraculous signs are for a specific purpose. They mean that the kingdom of God is here and now in front of Nicodemus’ eyes. But Jesus knows that Nicodemus cannot see the spiritual realm. He cannot see God (Jesus) who is in front of him!

Nicodemus: 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

Indeed, Nicodemus is puzzled. From his human knowledge he tries to imagine himself an old man trying to go through his mother’s womb and that is impossible! When Jesus talks about the spiritual position he just cannot comprehend. He has seen miraculous signs but he does not see the spiritual reality (the God) behind the signs. But he is a committed teacher so he further asks what Jesus has meant.

Then Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

Jesus respects this seeker of supernatural knowledge, so he points out that spiritual truth is not comprehensible to the physical mind. He also tells him that a human has to become spiritual to enter the kingdom of God. Unless the human mind is regenerated, he cannot become spiritual.

Nicodemus: 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

Poor Nicodemus just cannot comprehend. He is more confused. He is still thinking in the physical human natural realm.

10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.


Jesus knows that Nicodemus’ problem is his unbelief. The miraculous signs that Jesus has performed are for the benefits of the human eyes and minds (earthly things) to show that God (Jesus the Messiah) is here and now. But Nicodemus cannot even believe or understand such simple matters. So how can Jesus tell him further about the glorious heavenly things above? Jesus knows Nicodemus is just fascinated by signs and wonders and the power He displays! Nicodemus is not interested in knowing the true God. But Jesus has come to show the world the true God!

The natural human mind cannot comprehend spiritual matters but all he needs to do is to believe in Jesus. Once he believes and accepts that Jesus has come from heaven and is God Himself, he can become born again by the Holy Spirit. He will then be able to see and enter the kingdom of God. Once he is in the kingdom he can understand what Jesus says about the heavenly things. Jesus not only has the power to perform miracles, he can give life, eternal life! When a person believes that Jesus is God, he will receive eternal life. *

However, as long as Nicodemus remains in the unbelieving physical mode, he cannot see heaven and he cannot enter heaven (i.e. the presence of God)!

*Eternal life is to “know God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.” (John 17:3)

---------------------------Bible Verses
John 3:1-15

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see theKingdom ofGod.”


4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b] 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.[c] 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.

10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[e] has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[f]

1.John 3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7.

2.John 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.

3.John 3:6 Greek what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

4.John 3:7 The Greek word for you is plural; also in 3:12.

5.John 3:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

6.John 3:15 Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him.

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Holy Spirit cries out, “What I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

After much soul searching and praying about finances and whether to invest further in a particular stock, Jack heard clearly the verse from Acts 3:6. The Apostle Peter told a beggar, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” He immediately read the chapter about this revelation. It was indeed amazing how the beggar, a grown man, who had been lame from his mother’s womb received strength in his feet and ankle bones immediately, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with the Apostles, walking, leaping and praising God!
The man had never walked or worked all his life. He depended on others to lay daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple. Suddenly he could stand up, walk and leap! How he must have rehearsed these movements in his heart as he watched others since he was a toddler with helplessness and despair, knowing that he would never be able to experience the freedom others had!
After reading aloud and pondering on this verse, Jack was led to hear a message from Malachi 4:2, wherein the Lord proclaimed, “But to you who fear/revere My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healings in His wings; and you will go out and leap like the claves released from the stall.”
A stall is an enclosed small area set off by walls for special use. We all have stalls in our mind, called mind-set. One mind-set is unbelief.
Even Christians have such mind-set. But the Lord promises that those who revere His name (the name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth) will be set free from such bondages and oppressions. They will see the Sun of Righteousness arising with healings on His wings. They will go out and leap like calves released from the stall!
Jack knows his own mind-set. He repents and faith arises in his heart. He sees the greatness in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth. He believes the power of that name. The Bible clearly says that there are no other names but that name by which anyone can be saved (healed, delivered, blessed and prospered in all aspects: spirit, soul and body). How dull and foolish his heart had been in thinking that that one name was only powerful in one area and not in all others. He repents deeply.
What happened to that investment? Jack made a decision based on his fresh mind-set. He has made a commitment not to use the Lord’s name in vain. He has determined in his heart to use the Lord’s name with belief. It was wonderful and liberating.
Life suddenly brightens up and his heart leaps like calves released from the stall, under the bright light of the Sun of Righteousness!
Acts 3:16 “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
Thank you, Holy Spirit!

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: HOW TO LIVE A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE?

Many Christians know and agree the urgent need to live a Spirit-filled life as this will empower us to live victoriously and more abundantly as promised by the Lord Jesus. A common difficulty is that one does not know how to do it.

So today Jack decides to search Bible references to better explain what he has discovered and believes. To dispel the misunderstandings and fears about being “Spirit-filled” of the traditional protestant Christians (of whom Jack had been one), Jack now shares the following excerpts and notes taken from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible*.

To lead a Spirit filled life, one has to know and understand some basic teachings on Holy Spirit in the Bible. The following are excerpts and summary notes made from an article (“Holy Spirit Gifts and Power” by Paul Walker) in the above mentioned Bible.

Historical background: Pentecostal revival in the early 1900s and the Charismatic renewal beginning in the late 1950s.

Why has this happened?

1. Evident need for renewal of mission and purpose throughout the church and among its individual members.

2. Definite movement of sincere believers to recover the dynamic power f the Holy Spirit.

3. This in-breaking of the Holy Spirit has linked the mainline Protestant and the traditional Pentecostal movement to the worship practices of the first century through the Charismatic movement.

What is this doing?

1. The Scripture is being fulfilled. (Eph. 5:18)

2. The Person of the Holy Spirit is at work.

3. Accounts in Acts are being rediscovered and applied.

How can spiritual integrity be maintained?

1. Establishing our perspective (of the traditional Pentecostal/Charismatic): agree that the Holy Spirit is operative in every believer and in varied ministries of the church. Still every believer must answer the question of Acts 19:2, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?”

a. The “baptism of the Holy Spirit” does not refer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit accomplished at conversion, whereby the believer is placed into the body of Christ by faith in His redeeming work on the cross (1 Cor.12:13). No Biblically oriented Charismatic views a non-Charismatic as “less saved” or “less spiritual” than himself. The baptism in or with the Holy Spirit was and is directed by the Lord Jesus to be “received” (John 20:22; Acts 1:8) as a “gift” given following His ascension (John 7:39; Acts 2:38,39).

b. By “a process of yielding the complete person” does not mean either (a) a passivity of mind or (b) a self-hypnotic or trancelike state. Rather, this refers to an assertive prayerful, heartfelt quest for God. The mind is active worshipping Jesus Christ, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). The emotion is warmed, as the love of God poured forth into our hearts (Rom.5:5). One’s physical being participates, as worship is spoken an expressed, with upraised voice in prayer (Acts 4:24) or upraised hands of adoration (Ps. 63:1-5).

2. The twofold functions of the gift of tongues: In regard to those who received, the Bible described two basic functions of “tongues”; it is for personal edification and for public exhortation. Tongues function as a sign of the Holy Spirit’s presence. Jesus prophesied it as a sign (Mark 16:17). Paul referred to it as a sign (1 Cor. 14:22). Peter noted its uniformity as a sign-gift in confirming the validity of the Gentiles’ experience in the Holy Spirit (Compare Acts 10:44-46 with 11:16, 17 and 15:7-9). It is not viewed as qualification for fullness of the Holy Spirit but as indication of that fullness.

As Jack has been recording and sharing his experience in living in the Spirit, the above explanation helps to answer the fearful queries of some of his friends from traditional non-Charismatic churches.

Note: Jack comes from traditional Protestant denominational churches.

_________________________

*Reference: New Spirit Filled Life Bible –Kingdom Equipping through the Power of the Word- (NKJV), Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2002.

October 11, 2009

chapter twenty-five Jerusalem Fish Gate Mystery Revealed (new)

Jack read with concern that almost every Biblical mention of the Jerusalem Fish Gate involved either corruption of the people; or its consequences. 2 Chronicles 33:14 recorded how King Manasseh repented (from idolatry), cleansed the city from false religion, and built a wall outside the City of David as far as the entrance of the Fish Gate. In Nehemiah 3:3 the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. In Zephaniah 1:10 God pronounced His judgment on Jerusalem in the future and would start from the Fish Gate: “And there shall be on that day,” says the LORD, “The sound of a mournful cry from the Fish Gate…” The public market place often reflected the spiritual state of the hearts.

Then Jack read John 21:1-11 “Breakfast by the Sea” and saw a different picture. In this passage, the resurrected Jesus showed Himself the third time to the disciples. The disciples led by Peter went fishing at the Sea of Tiberius whole night and caught nothing. Jesus came and asked them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and they did, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. This was on happy occasion. When Jesus dealt with fishy business He transformed them into miracles of His provision and undeserved favor! During Jesus’ ministry on earth He multiplied seven loaves and a few fishes into ample food to feed four thousand men plus women and children!

Jesus not only shepherded His sheep, He brought them to green pastures with clear water. He is a provider and sustainer of life on this earth and for eternity. When He asked the disciples to feed the thousands of crowd, He was not giving them an impossible task. He was pointing them to be Jesus-focus, the source of all good things. Thus, miracles happened. Food provided. Hearts changed. The sick healed. The weak strengthened. Even the smelly Fish Gate marketplace could become a pleasant one and bless those who walk through!

The following is a record from Jack’s earlier journal on his Biblical living quest. The Spirit led him to see the power of Jesus-focus. As he was struggling with the issue of weight, he realized that fearing having inadequate food was un-Biblical and baseless. The real issue lied in his heart not in his belly.


Journal day 51: Three days with nothing to eat
Today’s passage intrigues me. At least four thousand plus men besides women and children had nothing to eat for three days and they were still walking!

Matthew 15: 32 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” Jesus told the disciples.

What were these people doing during the three days? Surly there is a clue as to how they had managed to survive during that period without food. In the same chapter, the Bible described the background activities. After Jesus rebuked the Jewish religious leaders for their hypocrisy, he went to Tyre and Sidon, where He healed the severely demon-possessed daughter of a Canaan woman, praising the mother for her great faith in Jesus. Canaanites were idol worshippers and enemies of the Jews. Yet the Canaan woman found great courage to come to Jesus as she was desperate and knew that all the idols she and her tribesmen worshipped all their lives could not save her daughter.

After that, Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat there. Then great multitudes came to Him. They brought the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others. They laid them at Jesus’ feet and He healed them all. The multitudes saw, marveled at the miracles, glorified and worshipped God.

So the great multitudes (four thousand men besides women and children) had spent their three days carrying their sick relatives and friends, following Jesus, walking long distance, climbing the mountain, listening to Jesus teaching about the kingdom of heaven, seeing Jesus (displaying His mighty supernatural power and healing them all), and worshipping God. In the presence of Jesus, the people saw God. They were awed. They were fed with spiritual food and filled. Jesus’ words were food. The people received life through His words (Spirit and life).

It is obvious that during the three days Jesus and His disciples had not eaten any food. Otherwise Jesus would have fed the multitudes miraculously just as He did previously when another group of people (five thousand men plus women and children) followed Him. So it was a big fasting gathering of thousands of people on the mountain!

Were they human? Yes. Jesus told His disciples that these people would be hungry and could faint on the way when they went home. As long as they were with Him, listening to His words, seeing Him displaying His power as the Son of God, and worshipping God, they would not be hungry. But they were human and would be hungry when they were away from Jesus. So Jesus fed them before they left, miraculously with seven loaves and a few little fish, multiplying these into abundant food.

My application:

After reading a book on fasting and prayers as the ultimate weapon to beat the devil, and real life testimonies of ex-patients who had been healed from terminal and other chronic diseases, broken relationship, and other failures, I have started learning to fast last week. I take a light lunch, skip dinner and drink water instead. Sometimes I take one glass of fruit and vegetable juice with milk in lieu of one meal. Whilst fasting I read the Bible and meditate on God and His words. It is refreshing to the soul. At first it was difficult and I kept thinking that I had gastritis pains. I resisted the temptation to take medicine.

Yesterday I woke up and found my old enemy, the back pain, emerged. I rebuked it and went on with my daily living Biblically. I resisted the temptation to take pain-killers after claiming the healing from Jesus. I refused to speak negative words giving the indication of any doubt/unbelief. In the afternoon when I felt the pain emerging, I read Romans chapter 8 again aloud in the bedroom. After that it subsided. In the evening I decided to spend time reading the Bible aloud. So I took the Romans chapter 8 and read again. Then I was led to read Isaiah chapters 58-66. After reading these, I received a phone call from a mother to urgently pray and intercede for her son (a young man) who is alone in a strange city. So I prayed and read the deliverance prayers for him.

Soon it was time for bed and I did not feel any hunger pang at all. I woke up refreshed and healthy today. I did not feel hungry even though I had fasted both lunch and dinner yesterday!

There is Biblical foundation for fasting. Many men and women of God did mighty works through fasting and prayers. When we fast, we are saying to the physical aspect of life that we are not to be dictated by it anymore. We are saying “no” to the body/flesh (five senses). We are saying “yes” to the Spirit. We learn to live by the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit and live according to the Spirit is the goal of victorious living of all Christians.

I find that my body becomes lighter and my mind becomes sharper when I fast. I feel more peaceful, happier and even more sensitive to the spiritual realm.

My advice to all who want to try is that you need to learn to reduce food intake bit by bit. Prior to this project I had reduced my meals by eating very light lunch and dinner. I cut down on snacks. I learn to drink water. It takes a lot of preparation physically.

The more important preparation is that you need to be convinced that the words of God are true. As you fast you need to spend time in the presence of God, reading His words, meditating on them, worship and sing praises to God. You also spend time praying and interceding for others. Sometimes I just listen quietly, close my eyes for a long time and see if pictures or words come into my mind.

My goal in this is not to seek sensational experiences. My only desire is to live Biblically and live out the kingdom life that Jesus has given to every believer. Why live as a beggar if you can live like a prince?

AAA Jack

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: PROFIT FROM HEARING GOD

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

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

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

But the persistence is worth it.

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

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

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

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

2. I write down notes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pray you find the right key.

AAA Jack
May 27, 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

AAA Jack
16-5-2009

chapter 21: be filled with the Fountain Gate

It is only fitting that after the awareness of one’s filth in the Dung Gate that one wants to be washed clean and be set free to live a victorious life. The Gate that Nehemiah and his team built after the Dung Gate was the Fountain Gate.

Neh 3:15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. The pool of Siloam is where Jesus said to the blind man to wash up in John 7:9. At the time of Nehemiah and after it many washed (mikveh) themselves before they entered to temple area. Spiritual meaning of the Fountain Gate is the fountain of living waters and its source, who is God in the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ.

John 7:38 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Jesus promised that in His believer’s heart will flow living waters (the Holy Spirit). Jesus said His words are life and spirit. The Word and the Holy Spirit come hand in hand. Hence Jack discovered that he can only be cleansed by the three things: the blood of Christ, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. The following is what Jack recorded on matters of being filled by the Holy Spirit.

Journal day 65b: how to be filled by the holy spirit?

After reading a non-believer’s quest of living one year biblically (regardless of his motives), I got down to thinking hard about my own daily living. Am I really taking God seriously? Am I living according to my belief in the Bible being God’s words? Is my faith real? Is my God real?

I decided to elaborate further on this topic. We know why we need to be filled by the Holy Spirit but we do not normally know how. Recently I have had the opportunity to personally observe two different types of filling process. (Please be led by the Holy Spirit as you read this. Do not take these as formula).

Two weeks ago a camp was arranged by a church (for pastors and church workers/leaders) to wait upon God and a 78 year old pastor was the sole speaker of the three days seminar camp. At night the meeting was opened to the public so I attended three night meetings. Every meeting started with a worship session followed by a short testimony of a pastor who had been through similar training before about how they were transformed in their relationship with God and how their churches were positively impacted too. The elderly speaker himself focused very much on teaching about the Holy Spirit. After the sharing of God’s words, he told us that he could feel the strong presence of the Holy Spirit and called all those who had not been filled to go to the front and be filled. Many people went and knelt at the front. They were lightly touched by those pastors who had already been filled. Many were filled and some lied down and could not get up. Some spoke in tongues. Some friends were among those who were filled. They told me that they felt a force (not the pastor’s hand) pushing them backward. One lady said she had to fall backward as the force was too strong but her feet were caught under her and she was stuck kneeling with her upper body leaning precariously backward. So she sat down. Then the force came again and she swayed and fell backward onto the floor and could not move for a long time after that.

In another recent incident, a 73 year old grandma was filled by the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Her daughter was sharing the Bible with her, reading the whole Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians (six chapters) and explaining to her the meanings. The old lady listened carefully. All this while another person was worshiping and singing old hymns in another part of the hall. At the end of the reading, a person suggested that the daughter pray for her mother to be Spirit filled as we perceived the old lady has faith. Prior to this, we had spent the afternoon and evening reading Bible, singing old hymns, praying (mostly in the Spirit), and worshiping God quietly. The presence of the Holy Spirit was by then very strong. So the daughter prayed by faith for her mother to be filled by the Holy Spirit. After the prayer, we prayed (in understanding and in spirit) that she could speak in tongue. Indeed the 73 year old lady spoke in tongue for about 20 minutes.
The grandma has had little formal education and has been baptized and become a Christian about two years ago and has been attending a very small traditional Presbyterian church that does not talk about the Holy Spirit except in scholarly/mind knowledge. The church pastor and congregation do not speak in tongues. But the grandma has a steadfast faith. She just believes without doubting. When she goes to church she does not know any hymn but she follows the others and sings the hymns anyway (a few words behind others). At home, when she hears her daughter singing the hymns she thinks they sound lovely and wants to sing along too. But she does not know the tune so she reads all the lyrics! When the daughter leads her to read the Bible, she would continue reading without feeling tired or bored and just goes on reading without regard for the time.

We observed three important things about her:
1. She really hungers and thirsts for the Lord and His words.
2. She believes without doubt that God is real and His words are real.
3. She trusts God completely.

In Matthew 5:6, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” I believe the old grandma fits this category of Christians. She is indeed richly blessed!

AAA Jack
3-5-2009

Hear what Jesus says about your new life

Hear what Jesus says about your new life in Christ


Luke 18:29-30 (New Living Translation)

“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come.”

Luke 21:19

“By standing firm, you will win your souls.”

Luke 21:34-36

“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”


John 6:63

“The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

8:47 “Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”


John 10:9-10

“Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”


John 12:26

Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.

John 12:46


I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.


John 14:16

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”


John 14:21

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”


John 14:26

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”


John 15:3

“You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.”


John 15:7

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”


John 15:10

“When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”


John 16:13

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”


John 17:2-3

Jesus prayed to the Father, “For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One you sent to earth.”


John 17:16-17

“They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth.”


New Living Translation (NLT)

can one love both God and the world?

New Living Translation (NLT)

Matthew 6:24

24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 16:26

26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

1 John 2:5

5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.

1 John 2:15-18

Do Not Love This World

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

1 John 3:7-10
7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 10 So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

1 John 5:18-19
18 We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

1 John 2:18
Warning about Antichrists
18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.


New Living Translation (NLT)

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 92C: “ALIVE! ALIVE! THE WORDS ARE ALIVE!”

I have heard the best testimony today. A close relative’s landlady, a middle aged housewife who has been depressed and suicidal for sometime, has uttered these amazing words one day recently, “Alive! Alive! These words are alive!”
When the lodger moved into her new lodging in February this year, the landlady was a severely depressed Chinese housewife who sat whole day by herself and hardly spoke a word. The two ladies could not communicate with each other much because they could hardly speak the other’s language. The lodger is a Spirit-filled Christian and often sings in tongue. Sometimes she and her visitor would sit in the room and prayed in tongues. When the landlady heard the tongue she recalled the time when she was converted from an idol worshipper to a Christian, about two years ago. She could speak in tongue then but only for a short period. After that she could not utter a sound. She sank into depression regularly and became suicidal. The lodger shared with her some Biblical truth and encouraged her to read the Bible.
At first the landlady said she could not read or understand the Bible and she hardly read any books for that matter. The lodger brought her to her prayer group meeting where a few elderly people attended regularly to pray in tongues quietly. They have no other agenda. After the landlady attended the prayer meeting for three times, she started to pray in tongue. She spent whole day and days coughing. She coughed out a lot of stuff. Then one day she regained her ability to pray in tongue. She started to read the Chinese Bible fervently and one day she ran to the lodger with the Chinese Bible in her hands,and exclaimed, “Alive! Alive! These words are alive! They speak to me!”
She was overjoyed and her whole countenance changed from gloom to peace and joy. Then she developed the gift to sing spiritual song as well. She went to cell group meetings and shared her wonderful recovery and supernatural healing. Although she could not understand English she asked her son to buy her a New King James Version Bible and has started to read Genesis in English with the help of her son every night. As her husband has lost their fortune (including their home), her dream was to have another house of their own.
One day she asked the lodger to join her in prayer for the nation. She told the lodger that she heard the Spirit told her that “without a nation, how can you ever think of having your home?” So she fasted and prayed for the nation regularly.
This is an amazing testimony. I can share her joy about the Bible being alive and real.
AAA Jack

DAY 92: HE WILL FEED HIS FLOCK LIKE A SHEPHERD

In this era of lean and hungry years, what an average man worries most is whether there will be a next meal when the savings run out in the budgeted time frame (assuming inflation remains unchanged). Will there be food or not? Reading “The Road”, a 2006 novel by American writer Cormac McCarthy, a post-apocalyptic tale of a journey taken by a father and his young son over a period of several months, across a landscape blasted by an unnamed cataclysm that destroyed all civilization and, apparently, most life on earth, makes one realize how important food is.

Sometimes I think of how I should best prepare myself for contingency. When a global food shortage occurs, those who are used to fasting and praying will come out as winners. I know of a Bible school requires the students to fast three days before they are awarded the certificate of graduation. Students often think of all sorts of excuses but the alternative is to quit the Bible school. The amazing thing is no one quits and all go through with flying colors! All the sicknesses and weaknesses they had earlier feared did not occur. A more amazing thing is that after they personally experience the benefits of fasting, they volunteer to do more of it and in their own time. Some have acquired this as a life long habit.

I have not yet acquired this wonderful habit. My dream is that one day I could overcome the psychological and spiritual hindrance and make my faith leap.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them to His bosom,, and gently lead those who are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

Jesus knows our fear. He gave the above assurance. Prior to deliberate living Biblically, I had lived a simple life. During my quest to live Biblically, I have learned even simpler living. Yet I live without any lack. I live on the lifestyle equivalent to that of an ordinary office clerk and I live comfortably.

When my fortune is restored fully (i.e. all my larger debtors pay up), I shall continue to live the same simple life. I have no desire for a wasteful and abusive life, binging on food and drink and luxury stuff. What do I want my original fortune restored for? I believe when the Lord restores, He will show me His purpose as well.

The Bible is full of clues left behind by those who really knew the Lord as their shepherd. The rich and famous King David is one who has left a lot of such clues. As a king he needed not worry about where his next meal would come from, yet he continued to look to God as his provider and focus on God day and night as his ultimate source of security. Read psalms and know what I mean.

I pray you too find you need not want or lack by making the Lord (Jesus) as your Shepherd. Be secure as His sheep.

AAA Jack (a sheep of Jesus Christ)
June 4, 2009

DAY 90: YOU HAVE ONLY ONE CHOICE: CHOOSE GOD

During the last few days I was bothered with one thought. I kept thinking of what Jesus had warned in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
These are very strong words. Jesus rarely used harsh words except when He was confronting the Pharisees gang, the descendents of the devil (brood of vipers, serpents). This is a serious matter.
Jesus contrasted the two objects of worship. On one side is God. On the other side is mammon. One may argue that no one worships money. People just want money for meeting needs and wants (buying things, security, comfort, pleasure, health and may be long life). But Jesus speaks clearly that people who do not worship God worship money.
Not only those who do not worship God are worshipping money, they hate and despise God. They love money and are loyal to money.
Are all Christians worshipping God the way that God has commanded? If not, then they are worshipping money and hating and despising God too. How do we know whether churches are worshipping God or money?
Simple. Just look at the priority on the church agenda.
If they put activities that meet the goals of making the church membership and hence finances (and all fixed assets) grow, then they are not worshipping God.
On the other hand, if they put activities that meet the goals of drawing members to meet God closely and live Biblically in the presence of God, (living in the Spirit and walking by the Spirit), with the purpose of knowing God and His kingdom, then they are worshipping God.
You can actually see obvious worldliness in the church that worships money (and all man-made things). There is no difference between them and any worldly organizations, except some Christian lingo used (in vain).
In the godly church you can sense the obvious difference. When you enter you sense the presence of the holy and glorious God. You cannot help but kneel down, bow low and prostrate yourself, seeing how lowly you are and how majestic God is. You spend hours in stillness. You are awed and grateful at the same time. You feel honored and privileged to be in God’s presence. The whole focus of worship is God, not man. By the time you come out of the worship, you are soaked with God’s presence.
Unlike what popular worldly culture thinks, God is not in the big noise made by impressive bands and singers. God is not in the impressive buildings of concrete and glass. God is not in the impressive and charming speakers’ voice (preaching or praying). God is not in any man-made activities. My advice to all God seeking churches is that do not spend any more on things (or buildings). You would not find God there.
Where is God? God is in the stillness of your heart. He is just there, obliterating all. You can hear Him. You can sense Him in your spirit. His Spirit reveals Him to your spirit. You look with your spirit and you know His presence is real.
A church that worships God seeks God and concentrates all its efforts and resources to build the members’ inner life, and not external sensational pleasure and cheap superficial high generated by special effects and popular culture. More likely than not, those attracted by such entertainments and sensual pleasure and come to church for them are not souls that are saved. What is the point of starving the real children of God and fattening the vipers and serpents?
Be warned: churches that are bent on gaining the whole world are in danger of losing their own souls. (Jesus warned of this danger in Matthew 16:26)
Someone may ask, “Is there no alternative? Can one not keep both as priorities, God and money, soul and world?” The answer has already been given by Jesus. Read your Bible with honesty. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, my friend.
Here is a clue, in 1 John 1:15, the Apostle John (inspired by the Holy Spirit) thus warned Christians, “Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (Strong words, but true.) I would be careful if I were a worship leader leading songs about how much we love God. Safer to be honest than lying before God.
AAA Jack
June 2, 2009

day 88c: Our Father Who is in heaven

I continue what I have started in my previous record. Pray as if you want it to happen. Pray as if you believe whole-heartedly in what you pray. Otherwise I am just wasting my time. The prayer alone cannot please God. The prayer action cannot achieve anything for me. This is my experience. Even when I pray and hear those Biblically words they are of no use because they are not mixed with faith. The words of God need to be received with faith in the receiver’s heart.

I have read the Lord’s Prayer again and summarize below what I have discovered about the kingdom of heaven on earth (as it is in heaven).

1. Our Father in heaven is the only One (God) we are to worship: As this prayer is a daily prayer, it means the kingdom citizens are to worship God every day.

2. Attitude of worship: our hearts must be filled with reverence, giving honor and glory to God. Kingdom citizens must seek to know Him as we worship Him, see the glory and holiness of His presence, and be awed.

3. Our heart desire is for God: we must be thirsting for the kingdom of God. We want the kingdom to come and we desire the righteousness that comes with the kingdom. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, as Jesus urged the kingdom citizens to do.

4. Take our daily heavenly bread: This means we are to read the words of God daily, (like taking food for our body). We are to take the words seriously as they are divine life and divine health in the words of God for the kingdom citizens.

5. Be watchful for spiritual war:

1. The kingdom citizens do not put themselves in ways of temptations. We are urged to run away when temptation comes. We have been freed from being enslaved by the worldly temptations (including all entertainments, multi-media, popular culture, junk food that abuse the body and bad habits that open door to the devil to come in to steal, kill and destroy) as Jesus has died for us and redeemed us by His blood. We are to remain in Him and not be tempted. We are to take daily action to protect our children too and not to expose them or worse, introduce them to temptations!

2. The kingdom citizens are watchful and are aware that there are evil spiritual beings (principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)

6. Be reconciled with the Father in heaven and with men on earth. Be ready to be a part of the body of Christ. Forgive.

7. Our goal is to give glory to God. The kingdom citizens have only one goal-giving glory to God (our Father in heaven).

All these can only be practiced in our daily living through the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, these would be impossible.

Be filled by the Holy Spirit, my brethren.

AAA Jack

2009-5-29

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