30 Pieces of Silver
Exo 30:
32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant ; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver , and the ox shall be stoned .
The price of a slave or servant gored by an ox in restitution is 30 shekels or silver pieces. Strangely this is the only case when monetary compensation suffices instead of capital punishment for causing death of a person. Could it be that the religious system that murdered the Son of God found a loop hole to clear their blood guilty conscience? Or did the Almighty God, full of Wisdom and knowledge purposely give us this as a revealing our true worth?
Matt 26:
15 And said [unto them], What will ye give me , and I will deliver him unto you ? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver .
The cost of the price for the life of the Son of God was also 30 pieces of silver, the price for restitution of a slave gored by an animal. That is how much the religious system during Jesus time valued His life. I wonder how much we value the life of the Son of God in us or we devalue Him in our own ‘religious’ standards to merely being provider, protector, healer, etc? Could it be that the life we now live, we live for ourselves and not for the Son of God Who gave His life for us?
Rom 1:
1 Paul, a servant (slave) of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
The antithetical Christian life is lived out as a slave of Jesus Christ, separated, not conform to the pattern of this world. We are slaves that don't have rights but experience the full impact of the Gospel of being dead to the old life and a new creation. This means a surrendered life of saying with all transparency to ‘let Thy will be done’. Our true liberty lies in being saved from slavery of the world and of the devil into the Mastery of Christ.
Heb 11:
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy :) they wandered in deserts , and [in] mountains , and [in] dens and caves of the earth .
The antithetical life, we will find out the hard-cold truth that we are not valued by the world or its religious system. If we are counted as worthy by the world, then the danger of being stained and counted as unworthy (Rev 3:4) is before us.
If as Christians we dare say that ‘…..Christ liveth in me… (Gal 2:20), what is the value of the life that we live? True value of life is found on our pilgrimage in discovering more and more of the worldly standards of life as dung (Phil 3:8). Are we willing to be valued at the cost of 30 pieces of silver?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Folks,
I am not sure how you read the news. Do we read it as though it'll not happen to me? Or do we read it and feel God's grief.
The recent wickedness of rapes, murders, arson, cheating, bribe, corruption, etc appearing more and more in the last few years. What! These things were unheard of. The wave of wickedness is increasing.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/19/nation/18927373&sec=nation&focus=1
May we learn to stand before God and cry out for mercy lest judgement fall upon Malaysia.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(Rom 1:28-32)
The way this verse was written is as though God has given up that is why 'He gave them over.......'. Please fast and pray that God will not overlook this nation. That the effectual fervent prayer of righteous men and women in our land will avail much to fight and triumph over forces of darkness that is driving many to deprave acts.
I am not sure how you read the news. Do we read it as though it'll not happen to me? Or do we read it and feel God's grief.
What stirs within our minds and hearts when we read of a 9 to 13 year old (as of now the identify of the girl has not been clear) that was raped, murdered, enduring such agony and pain unto death?
Are we so busy with ourselves and concerns that we don't see life as God would see it? Or we continue to live as in the days of Noah as though God isn't watching?The recent wickedness of rapes, murders, arson, cheating, bribe, corruption, etc appearing more and more in the last few years. What! These things were unheard of. The wave of wickedness is increasing.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/19/nation/18927373&sec=nation&focus=1
May we learn to stand before God and cry out for mercy lest judgement fall upon Malaysia.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
(Rom 1:28-32)
The way this verse was written is as though God has given up that is why 'He gave them over.......'. Please fast and pray that God will not overlook this nation. That the effectual fervent prayer of righteous men and women in our land will avail much to fight and triumph over forces of darkness that is driving many to deprave acts.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The turning of God’s grace into lewdness
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Jud 1:4)
The Epistle of Jude is generally titled as ‘Contending for the Faith’ as Jude wrote in Jude 1:3. In fact, he uses the word ‘content earnestly’, which indicates effort on the believer’s behalf to stand for their moral convictions or truthfulness of their God. We are then never to let our guard down as though in a situation of war.
The contention for the faith requires watchfulness of ‘certain’ men who managed to maneuver their way into acceptability in the church. As wolf in sheep’s clothing seeking to corrupt the Grace of our God, turning the heavenly value of His Grace into a common thing. It is as though there have been a downgrading of the standards of God’s grace and dragging it down to the level of lasciviousness or lewdness. It causes the grace that brought us salvation, out of darkness into His marvelous light; the deliverance from God’s wrath to be devalued to a license to sin (licentiousness). This is the spirit of the end times that Jesus talks about as lawlessness (Matt 24:12) or Antinomianism. This certain men bring with them a destructive teaching upon themselves and on those who follow their folly (2 Pet 2:1). There is no such thing as exemption from the morals of God; even Jesus declared that He came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17).
The liberty that we obtained by God’s grace is the liberty NOT to sin. Once we were slaves to sin, but now am free! Once we were so wretched in sin that it cost God His only begotten Son and the Son of God His life to bring about propitiation for sin. Propitiation: meaning the placating of God’s wrath for sin by Jesus bearing the full brunt of it on the cross. Liberty in the eyes of the great apostles was to be free from the slavery of the devil into the mastery of Jesus Christ, thus calling themselves bond servants of Jesus Christ. It is in the Mastery of Christ upon our lives that we find true liberty.
Another point of liberty that we as believers have is the ability to forgive others as we have been forgiven. This is probably one of the biggest struggles that we will have in our pilgrimage. Jesus included forgiveness as one of the elements in the prayer He taught us in Matt 6, also because in forgiving others the Father will also forgive us. Being able to forgive removes the root of bitterness from our lives, which actually makes us more miserable than the person we can’t forgive.
Our liberty also gives us the possibility of being meek, pure in heart, as peacemakers, being poor in spirit, etc. These come with promises of being blessed of happiness. No longer will our pursuit of happiness be in vain, but our hope is sure.
When the grace of God is devalued to ‘common’ instead of heavenly there will be the denial of the Lordship of God upon our lives. Jude aptly puts it as ‘denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ’. The double mention of Lord is significance for us to consider seriously.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
(Jud 1:19-21)
Jude gives us sound advice as to living in the last days in contending for our faith. We are encouraged to build ourselves us in the most holy faith. The prior verse tells us to separate ourselves from sensuality (gratification of the flesh) and live in the Spirit where there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1). Building a strong spirit requires feeding the spirit man by His Word. Feeding our flesh with things that gratify it will inevitably ‘grow’ the flesh which will eventually overcome the spirit life.
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
(Joh 6:63)
Secondly, praying in the spirit is a continuous action. This means that our prayers have to be Holy Spirit influenced and guided. How else will we learn to pray that way unless we first have an ongoing growing relationship with our Father (for God is Spirit, John 4:24)?
Thirdly, keep ourselves in the love of God is not by our own strength. We stay in the position to be loved of God as Jesus did for 30 years and finally Heaven’s open and declared the love of the Father over the Son. The only hint of Jesus life in the 30 hidden years was the temple incident at the age of 12. That short section of Scripture gives tell us that He was about Father’s business, concerns and priorities (Luke 2:49).
Lastly, in looking for the Lord’s mercy unto eternal life for mercy is of God (1 Pet 2:10). We can’t earn God’s mercy. But the proof of having God’s mercy is when we are merciful (Matt 5:7). God always command us to show mercy to the fatherless and widows. How else can there be purity of our belief in God?
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(Jas 1:27)
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Jud 1:4)
The Epistle of Jude is generally titled as ‘Contending for the Faith’ as Jude wrote in Jude 1:3. In fact, he uses the word ‘content earnestly’, which indicates effort on the believer’s behalf to stand for their moral convictions or truthfulness of their God. We are then never to let our guard down as though in a situation of war.
The contention for the faith requires watchfulness of ‘certain’ men who managed to maneuver their way into acceptability in the church. As wolf in sheep’s clothing seeking to corrupt the Grace of our God, turning the heavenly value of His Grace into a common thing. It is as though there have been a downgrading of the standards of God’s grace and dragging it down to the level of lasciviousness or lewdness. It causes the grace that brought us salvation, out of darkness into His marvelous light; the deliverance from God’s wrath to be devalued to a license to sin (licentiousness). This is the spirit of the end times that Jesus talks about as lawlessness (Matt 24:12) or Antinomianism. This certain men bring with them a destructive teaching upon themselves and on those who follow their folly (2 Pet 2:1). There is no such thing as exemption from the morals of God; even Jesus declared that He came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17).
The liberty that we obtained by God’s grace is the liberty NOT to sin. Once we were slaves to sin, but now am free! Once we were so wretched in sin that it cost God His only begotten Son and the Son of God His life to bring about propitiation for sin. Propitiation: meaning the placating of God’s wrath for sin by Jesus bearing the full brunt of it on the cross. Liberty in the eyes of the great apostles was to be free from the slavery of the devil into the mastery of Jesus Christ, thus calling themselves bond servants of Jesus Christ. It is in the Mastery of Christ upon our lives that we find true liberty.
Another point of liberty that we as believers have is the ability to forgive others as we have been forgiven. This is probably one of the biggest struggles that we will have in our pilgrimage. Jesus included forgiveness as one of the elements in the prayer He taught us in Matt 6, also because in forgiving others the Father will also forgive us. Being able to forgive removes the root of bitterness from our lives, which actually makes us more miserable than the person we can’t forgive.
Our liberty also gives us the possibility of being meek, pure in heart, as peacemakers, being poor in spirit, etc. These come with promises of being blessed of happiness. No longer will our pursuit of happiness be in vain, but our hope is sure.
When the grace of God is devalued to ‘common’ instead of heavenly there will be the denial of the Lordship of God upon our lives. Jude aptly puts it as ‘denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ’. The double mention of Lord is significance for us to consider seriously.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
(Jud 1:19-21)
Jude gives us sound advice as to living in the last days in contending for our faith. We are encouraged to build ourselves us in the most holy faith. The prior verse tells us to separate ourselves from sensuality (gratification of the flesh) and live in the Spirit where there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1). Building a strong spirit requires feeding the spirit man by His Word. Feeding our flesh with things that gratify it will inevitably ‘grow’ the flesh which will eventually overcome the spirit life.
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
(Joh 6:63)
Secondly, praying in the spirit is a continuous action. This means that our prayers have to be Holy Spirit influenced and guided. How else will we learn to pray that way unless we first have an ongoing growing relationship with our Father (for God is Spirit, John 4:24)?
Thirdly, keep ourselves in the love of God is not by our own strength. We stay in the position to be loved of God as Jesus did for 30 years and finally Heaven’s open and declared the love of the Father over the Son. The only hint of Jesus life in the 30 hidden years was the temple incident at the age of 12. That short section of Scripture gives tell us that He was about Father’s business, concerns and priorities (Luke 2:49).
Lastly, in looking for the Lord’s mercy unto eternal life for mercy is of God (1 Pet 2:10). We can’t earn God’s mercy. But the proof of having God’s mercy is when we are merciful (Matt 5:7). God always command us to show mercy to the fatherless and widows. How else can there be purity of our belief in God?
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
(Jas 1:27)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Earthquakes in the last days
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
(Mat 24:7-8)
Have you ever wondered why of all the natural disasters Jesus said that earthquakes will happen in the last days? It was recorded faithfully for us in Matthew, Mark and Luke gospels. Bearing a warning to us who are now living in the last days. The signs are already written on the wall, do we heed or just brush aside as in the days of Noah when he preached righteousness and impending God's judgement but no one took note of. The nations of Israel and Judah shut the prophetic voice by asking them to say only things they wanted to hear, or messages that can be 'accepted' by the general public. Doesn't this ring in by a large majority of our churches. Of course the message of 'Peace, peace' and prosperity will bring in the numbers but how many will survive the end times without being deceived? Jesus Himself said that many are called, few are chosen.
Wed Sep 12, 11:48 AM ET (Reuters)
A powerful quake measuring 8.2 struck near Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday triggering tsunami warnings in Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka, officials said.
Here is a chronology of some earthquakes in recent years:
Dec 12, 1992 - INDONESIA - A magnitude 6.8 quake killed at least 2,200 people on a string of islands in the province of East Nusa Tenggara.
Sept 30, 1993 - INDIA - A series of quakes killed almost 10,000 people in western and southern India. The first tremor was of magnitude 6.4.
June 6, 1994 - COLOMBIA - A quake brought down buildings and triggered mudslides, killing about 1,000 people in the Paez River valley in southwestern Colombia.
Jan 17, 1995 - JAPAN - A magnitude 7.2 quake, the country's worst in half a century, rocks Kobe, killing 6,430 people.
May 28, 1995 - RUSSIA - Russia's worst earthquake, magnitude 7.5, kills 1,989 people in the oil-producing Far East.
Feb 28, 1997 - IRAN - A magnitude 5.5 quake kills about 1,000 people in northwestern Iran.
May 10, 1997 - IRAN - A magnitude 7.1 quake kills 1,560 people in rural areas of eastern Iran near the Afghan border.
Feb 4, 1998 - AFGHANISTAN - At least 4,500 people are killed in Takhar province in a quake of magnitude 6.1.
May 30, 1998 - AFGHANISTAN - A magnitude 6.9 quake kills up to 4,000 people in northern Takhar province.
July 17, 1998 - PAPUA NEW GUINEA - An undersea quake of magnitude 7.1 creates three tsunami waves, killing at least 2,100 people.
Aug 17, 1999 - TURKEY - More than 17,800 people are killed by a magnitude 7.4 quake.
Sept 21, 1999 - TAIWAN - At least 2,000 people are killed and hundreds of thousands made homeless by a magnitude 7.6 quake in central Taiwan.
Jan 26, 2001 - INDIA - An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 strikes the western state of Gujarat killing at least 19,700 people and causing damage in neighbouring Pakistan. The quake affected 15.9 million people in 7,904 villages.
March 26, 2002 - AFGHANISTAN - At least 1,500 people are killed when a series of quakes of between magnitude five and six strike northern Afghanistan
May 21, 2003 - ALGERIA - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Algiers and nearby towns to the east, killing 2,251 and injuring 10,243.
Dec 26, 2003 - IRAN - A magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes the historic city of Bam, 1,000 km (600 miles) southeast of Tehran. 30,948 were killed in the quake.
Dec 26, 2004 - ASIA - The number of dead and missing in an Asian earthquake and tsunami is almost 230,000. The wave crashed into Sri Lanka and India, drowning thousands and swamping tourist isles in Thailand and the Maldives. The quake measured 9.15 in magnitude.
March 28, 2005 - INDONESIA - Nearly 1,000 people are killed after a quake of magnitude 8.7 struck the coast of Sumatra.
Oct 8, 2005 - PAKISTAN - At least 73,000 people are killed by a 7.6 magnitude quake that struck about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad. The quake also rocked Indian Kashmir, killing 1,244 there.
March 31, 2006 - IRAN - An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale hits the area of Doroud and Boroujerd in the western Lorestan province, killing at least 70 people.
March 6, 2007 - INDONESIA - A 6.4 magnitude quake and another measuring 6.3 in Sumatra kill more than 70 people.
July 16, 2007 - JAPAN - A 6.8 magnitude quake killed 10 people in northwestern Japan and shut the world's largest nuclear power plant.
Aug 15, 2007 - PERU - An 8.0 magnitude quake killed more than 500 people and destroyed about 34,000 homes on central coast.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
(Mat 24:7-8)
Have you ever wondered why of all the natural disasters Jesus said that earthquakes will happen in the last days? It was recorded faithfully for us in Matthew, Mark and Luke gospels. Bearing a warning to us who are now living in the last days. The signs are already written on the wall, do we heed or just brush aside as in the days of Noah when he preached righteousness and impending God's judgement but no one took note of. The nations of Israel and Judah shut the prophetic voice by asking them to say only things they wanted to hear, or messages that can be 'accepted' by the general public. Doesn't this ring in by a large majority of our churches. Of course the message of 'Peace, peace' and prosperity will bring in the numbers but how many will survive the end times without being deceived? Jesus Himself said that many are called, few are chosen.
There were 25 major earthquakes including yesterday's Sumatra earthquake averaging above one and half quakes per year. Is there an increase of this 'natural' phenomena?
But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
(Num 16:30)
The first mention of an earthquake is the earth opening up and swallowing Korah, his fellow conspirators and their families. The rebellion seems to be against Moses and his leadership but it provoked the Lord to anger and judgement. Moses is identified in the Bible with the law and rebelling against the law is then considered lawlessness. Jesus warned us in Matt 24:12 that lawlessness will abound and love of many will grow cold. If we look at Korah's rebellion and what Jesus' warning in Matt 24, in the last days one of the disasters would be earthquakes in diverse places, meaning earthquakes are signs of God's judgement for lawlessness.
The Taiwan earthquake almost shutdown the fiber optic link between Asia and the Americas. Guess what level of lawlessness is in the internet these days. Is God sending a message through the earthquake, or is it His divine
judgement.The recent case of a so-called ordained pastor of the homosexual church in Malaysia is another sign of lawlessness. If pastors don't teach the law (some reject the 10 Commandments) how will the body know what is good and acceptable to God? We can't reject the moral laws of God lest judgement come upon our land.
May we rise up as watchmen to pray that righteousness will exalt our nation that lawlessness will not abound in our land.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHRONOLOGY - Earthquakes worldwide in recent yearsWed Sep 12, 11:48 AM ET (Reuters)
A powerful quake measuring 8.2 struck near Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday triggering tsunami warnings in Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka, officials said.
Here is a chronology of some earthquakes in recent years:
Dec 12, 1992 - INDONESIA - A magnitude 6.8 quake killed at least 2,200 people on a string of islands in the province of East Nusa Tenggara.
Sept 30, 1993 - INDIA - A series of quakes killed almost 10,000 people in western and southern India. The first tremor was of magnitude 6.4.
June 6, 1994 - COLOMBIA - A quake brought down buildings and triggered mudslides, killing about 1,000 people in the Paez River valley in southwestern Colombia.
Jan 17, 1995 - JAPAN - A magnitude 7.2 quake, the country's worst in half a century, rocks Kobe, killing 6,430 people.
May 28, 1995 - RUSSIA - Russia's worst earthquake, magnitude 7.5, kills 1,989 people in the oil-producing Far East.
Feb 28, 1997 - IRAN - A magnitude 5.5 quake kills about 1,000 people in northwestern Iran.
May 10, 1997 - IRAN - A magnitude 7.1 quake kills 1,560 people in rural areas of eastern Iran near the Afghan border.
Feb 4, 1998 - AFGHANISTAN - At least 4,500 people are killed in Takhar province in a quake of magnitude 6.1.
May 30, 1998 - AFGHANISTAN - A magnitude 6.9 quake kills up to 4,000 people in northern Takhar province.
July 17, 1998 - PAPUA NEW GUINEA - An undersea quake of magnitude 7.1 creates three tsunami waves, killing at least 2,100 people.
Aug 17, 1999 - TURKEY - More than 17,800 people are killed by a magnitude 7.4 quake.
Sept 21, 1999 - TAIWAN - At least 2,000 people are killed and hundreds of thousands made homeless by a magnitude 7.6 quake in central Taiwan.
Jan 26, 2001 - INDIA - An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 strikes the western state of Gujarat killing at least 19,700 people and causing damage in neighbouring Pakistan. The quake affected 15.9 million people in 7,904 villages.
March 26, 2002 - AFGHANISTAN - At least 1,500 people are killed when a series of quakes of between magnitude five and six strike northern Afghanistan
May 21, 2003 - ALGERIA - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes Algiers and nearby towns to the east, killing 2,251 and injuring 10,243.
Dec 26, 2003 - IRAN - A magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes the historic city of Bam, 1,000 km (600 miles) southeast of Tehran. 30,948 were killed in the quake.
Dec 26, 2004 - ASIA - The number of dead and missing in an Asian earthquake and tsunami is almost 230,000. The wave crashed into Sri Lanka and India, drowning thousands and swamping tourist isles in Thailand and the Maldives. The quake measured 9.15 in magnitude.
March 28, 2005 - INDONESIA - Nearly 1,000 people are killed after a quake of magnitude 8.7 struck the coast of Sumatra.
Oct 8, 2005 - PAKISTAN - At least 73,000 people are killed by a 7.6 magnitude quake that struck about 95 km (60 miles) northeast of Islamabad. The quake also rocked Indian Kashmir, killing 1,244 there.
March 31, 2006 - IRAN - An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale hits the area of Doroud and Boroujerd in the western Lorestan province, killing at least 70 people.
March 6, 2007 - INDONESIA - A 6.4 magnitude quake and another measuring 6.3 in Sumatra kill more than 70 people.
July 16, 2007 - JAPAN - A 6.8 magnitude quake killed 10 people in northwestern Japan and shut the world's largest nuclear power plant.
Aug 15, 2007 - PERU - An 8.0 magnitude quake killed more than 500 people and destroyed about 34,000 homes on central coast.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Asia-Pacific mental disorders increasing fast, expert says (AFP 12 Sep 2007)
Some of you may have heard Ps. Susan preached about this some years ago..... may we, as the church of Jesus Christ prepare ourselves against the flood of evil which is driving many into mental problems. If the Kingdom of God is about Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit, then this is the solution to keep our minds sane. That is why we need the Apostolic to prepare the church for what is ahead. Sadly, the Apostolic ministry has been brushed aside by majority of the 'modern day' church who settle for intellect and reasoning.
As the true Church of Jesus Christ who entered the narrow gate and walk along the difficult path, we will be salt and light the world. If we keep preaching, sharing and emphasizing on the external blessings of God, this is not the solution to mental or deep set time bombs.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
(Isa 26:3)
Those who crave after the external, don't have the Spirit. Those who have the Spirit will produce Fruit thereof (Gal 5:22-25) which are the ones that live crucified to the flesh. Life in the Spirit is one that doesn't live under condemnation but one of life and peace (Rom 8)! Crucifying the flesh takes a life time pilgrimage, as long we endeavor to walk that straight and narrow we will reach our final destination of Heavenly Mansions which Jesus said that He has gone ahead to prepare. Not reduction of the external as some perceive it to be, but the increase of the Christ as our self-life decrease (John 3:30). 'I must...', it's a matter of our will in order for the increase of Christ to take place.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
(Jud 1:19)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Park Chan-Kyong Tue Sep 11, 1:50 AM ET
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea (AFP) - The incidence of mental health problems is rising rapidly in the Asia-Pacific, putting a major burden on individuals and societies, a World Health Organisation adviser said Tuesday.
"Mental and neurological disorders are a major issue in terms of the absolute number of patients and the diseases' burden," Wang Xiangdong, a mental health adviser, told AFP.
According to a WHO report, mental and neurological disorders in 2002 accounted for 17.6 percent of the total disease burden in the WHO's Western Pacific region, with depression alone responsible for more than six percent.
There were about 331,000 suicides in the region that year, the latest for which full data is available.
Worldwide, suicide accounts for 33 percent of all violent deaths among men and 57 percent among women, the WHO has said.
"They (mental and neurological disorders) create a major and unnecessary burden for individuals, communities and societies," the WHO's regional committee for the Western Pacific said in the report.
The committee is holding its annual meeting this week in South Korea's Jeju island.
Regional director Shigeru Omi, in a speech Monday, said the Western Pacific "continues to bear a disproportionate share of the world's suicide burden".
The report urges member states to note the "increasing trend of mental, behavioural, neurological and substance abuse".
It calls on member states to continue considering mental health as a priority "and to continue to increase political, financial, and technical commitment in order to address mental, behavioural and neurological diseases."
Wang said he believed the rise in the incidence of mental disease was faster than in other regions, but added it was not a priority for most member states.
The allocation for mental and neurological disorders is less than one percent of the total health budget in half of the countries and areas in the Western Pacific, according to the WHO.
A WHO survey conducted between 2001 and 2003 found that 76-85 percent of mental patients in less developed countries had received no treatment in the previous year, compared with 35-50 percent in developed countries.
"We cannot expect their health budgets to jump to match the disease's burden but clearly, one percent is not sufficient," Wang said.
He said many countries in the region lacked mental health policies or legislation. Many people believe mental disease is a remote risk until friends or family suddenly fall victim.
Social stigmas cause many people in the region not to seek help and make the problems worse, Wang said.
"Just like hypertension, you need full and continuous treatment for those diseases. Otherwise, you cannot prevent relapses. That's a very important point," he said.
Friday, September 07, 2007
False Teachers in the last days
The book of 2 Peter teaches us that in the last days we need good virtues to be an overcomer and secondly the warning with regard to false teachers
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
(2Pe 1:20-21)
Interpretation of Scripture not exclusive to an individual, otherwise they become Gnostics claiming that they are the only ones receiving divine revelation. There isn’t any new revelation; even Solomon says that there is nothing new under the sun. God is not Schizophrenia with regard to His Word, Commandments and promises. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). If there are teachings that the preacher claim as new revelation contrary to classical theology or doctrine, it is best to stay away from such a person. Daniel say God as the Ancient of days (Dan 7), never expect God to change to accommodate and decide to become relevant in today’s society. God’s plumb line never changed and neither did His moral standards and requirements. Who are we to correct the Almighty and test His eternal Wisdom?
Marks of false teachers
1. Blinded by human reasoning and greed. Seeking unrighteous gain, not just being money by stealing glory and honor from God by heaping upon themselves recognition from man.
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
(2Pe 2:15-16)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
(Jud 1:11)
Not just following the error of Balaam but having the same spirit of Cain who walked out of the Presence of God to dwell in Nod, meaning being a wanderer. A wanderer is never satisfied and cannot find a firm footing. The true footing of our faith is when God builds us upon the Rock when the storms hit and winds blow, we will prevail as overcomers. Cain was also pioneered cities where much evil and injustice lurks. False teachers not just heap upon themselves earthly gain and recognition but also build to show their strength and ability. We have to remember that to prevail against the gates of hell; it has to be Christ that does the building and not us. Let us not measure our ministry or faith but the bigness of the outward, but being a spiritual giant.
2. Fleshly and destitute of the Spirit
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
(2Pe 2:17)
There will be deep spiritual dryness that God and people cannot draw from. There is no life in the spirit. As the fig tree that was cursed by Jesus due to lack of fruits, the fruits we are to bear are of the Spirit for God to harvest (Gal 5 and Eph 5). Any intimacy bear fruit as with a marriage, thus our intimacy with the Holy Spirit produces fruits of the Spirit. There is also a tempest that the Prince of Peace cannot calm because He does not dwell there in the first place. Such is reserved the horror darkness, need I elaborate further.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(Rom 8:1-2)
False teacher preach against commendation and rightly so because in Christ there is not condemnation. But the condition of not living in condemnation is when we don’t walk after the gratification of the flesh but after the Spirit. Basically there is an over emphasis on the side of grace which is the receiving benefits we don’t deserve. There is another side of grace not much talked about is the ability to overcome.
And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
(Psa 105:10)
Preachers of grace hit out against the moral law of God or the 10 commandments because they see the condemnation aspect. However to the transformed (Jacob and Israel are the same person, but the latter being the one transformed) the law becomes a covenant of life. As with a marriage, to the unmarried it appears to be a condemnation or restriction in relationship to the married it becomes of covenant with blessings and intimacy.
3. 'Logical' and superficial
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
(2Pe 2:18)
False teaches emphasize ‘what can you and I get out of this’ teaching, may it be blessing, healing, prosperity, blessing, etc. It serves to gratify the flesh for the Kingdom of God is not about that but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Again this emphasis is on the inward not the outward.
4. Perversion of true liberty
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(2Pe 2:19-22)
The cross brought us freedom from sin but into the mastery of our Lord Jesus Christ. Either we have the devil as the father (together with his lusts) or we have the Heavenly Father (John 8:44).
‘In the midst of their talk of liberty, these men are the vilest slaves; their own lusts gain a complete victory over them, and they are actually in bondage. When men are entangled, they are easily overcome; therefore Christians should keep close to the word of God, and watch against all who seek to bewilder them. A state of apostacy is worse than a state of ignorance.’
Matthew Henry
The correct preaching
True teachers and preachers of the Word of God focus on righteousness because as Jesus says in Matt 24, in the end days there will be lawlessness and love of many will grow cold. Rejection of the moral law of God will definitely lead to lawlessness, people choosing to live according to what they perceive is right. Love growing cold because instead of loving God and others, there is the love for self and gratifying of it. That is why we need God’s righteousness and teaching of it, for the gratification of self is insatiable. Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL be satisfied (Matt 5:6). How else can we live a fulfilled life unless we seek first righteousness of God? Why settle for anything else that is secondary? Right teaching preserves us from doom when the door of the 'Ark' is closed by the sovereign hand of God in the coming of great flood of evil. There have been preaching that is said to touch felt needs, the true work that God wants to do in us is beyond that. It is the touching the core of our lives and touch the roots and if necessary to uproot the unrighteousness so that righteousness can be planted instead. The former 'touching' can address human felt needs but also addresses issues of life superficially.
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
(2Pe 2:5)
The book of 2 Peter teaches us that in the last days we need good virtues to be an overcomer and secondly the warning with regard to false teachers
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
(2Pe 1:20-21)
Interpretation of Scripture not exclusive to an individual, otherwise they become Gnostics claiming that they are the only ones receiving divine revelation. There isn’t any new revelation; even Solomon says that there is nothing new under the sun. God is not Schizophrenia with regard to His Word, Commandments and promises. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). If there are teachings that the preacher claim as new revelation contrary to classical theology or doctrine, it is best to stay away from such a person. Daniel say God as the Ancient of days (Dan 7), never expect God to change to accommodate and decide to become relevant in today’s society. God’s plumb line never changed and neither did His moral standards and requirements. Who are we to correct the Almighty and test His eternal Wisdom?
Marks of false teachers
1. Blinded by human reasoning and greed. Seeking unrighteous gain, not just being money by stealing glory and honor from God by heaping upon themselves recognition from man.
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
(2Pe 2:15-16)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
(Jud 1:11)
Not just following the error of Balaam but having the same spirit of Cain who walked out of the Presence of God to dwell in Nod, meaning being a wanderer. A wanderer is never satisfied and cannot find a firm footing. The true footing of our faith is when God builds us upon the Rock when the storms hit and winds blow, we will prevail as overcomers. Cain was also pioneered cities where much evil and injustice lurks. False teachers not just heap upon themselves earthly gain and recognition but also build to show their strength and ability. We have to remember that to prevail against the gates of hell; it has to be Christ that does the building and not us. Let us not measure our ministry or faith but the bigness of the outward, but being a spiritual giant.
2. Fleshly and destitute of the Spirit
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
(2Pe 2:17)
There will be deep spiritual dryness that God and people cannot draw from. There is no life in the spirit. As the fig tree that was cursed by Jesus due to lack of fruits, the fruits we are to bear are of the Spirit for God to harvest (Gal 5 and Eph 5). Any intimacy bear fruit as with a marriage, thus our intimacy with the Holy Spirit produces fruits of the Spirit. There is also a tempest that the Prince of Peace cannot calm because He does not dwell there in the first place. Such is reserved the horror darkness, need I elaborate further.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(Rom 8:1-2)
False teacher preach against commendation and rightly so because in Christ there is not condemnation. But the condition of not living in condemnation is when we don’t walk after the gratification of the flesh but after the Spirit. Basically there is an over emphasis on the side of grace which is the receiving benefits we don’t deserve. There is another side of grace not much talked about is the ability to overcome.
And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
(Psa 105:10)
Preachers of grace hit out against the moral law of God or the 10 commandments because they see the condemnation aspect. However to the transformed (Jacob and Israel are the same person, but the latter being the one transformed) the law becomes a covenant of life. As with a marriage, to the unmarried it appears to be a condemnation or restriction in relationship to the married it becomes of covenant with blessings and intimacy.
3. 'Logical' and superficial
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
(2Pe 2:18)
False teaches emphasize ‘what can you and I get out of this’ teaching, may it be blessing, healing, prosperity, blessing, etc. It serves to gratify the flesh for the Kingdom of God is not about that but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Again this emphasis is on the inward not the outward.
4. Perversion of true liberty
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
(2Pe 2:19-22)
The cross brought us freedom from sin but into the mastery of our Lord Jesus Christ. Either we have the devil as the father (together with his lusts) or we have the Heavenly Father (John 8:44).
‘In the midst of their talk of liberty, these men are the vilest slaves; their own lusts gain a complete victory over them, and they are actually in bondage. When men are entangled, they are easily overcome; therefore Christians should keep close to the word of God, and watch against all who seek to bewilder them. A state of apostacy is worse than a state of ignorance.’
Matthew Henry
The correct preaching
True teachers and preachers of the Word of God focus on righteousness because as Jesus says in Matt 24, in the end days there will be lawlessness and love of many will grow cold. Rejection of the moral law of God will definitely lead to lawlessness, people choosing to live according to what they perceive is right. Love growing cold because instead of loving God and others, there is the love for self and gratifying of it. That is why we need God’s righteousness and teaching of it, for the gratification of self is insatiable. Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL be satisfied (Matt 5:6). How else can we live a fulfilled life unless we seek first righteousness of God? Why settle for anything else that is secondary? Right teaching preserves us from doom when the door of the 'Ark' is closed by the sovereign hand of God in the coming of great flood of evil. There have been preaching that is said to touch felt needs, the true work that God wants to do in us is beyond that. It is the touching the core of our lives and touch the roots and if necessary to uproot the unrighteousness so that righteousness can be planted instead. The former 'touching' can address human felt needs but also addresses issues of life superficially.
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
(2Pe 2:5)
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
The Overcomer that know their God - Ps. Susan Tang
The series was taught at the 21st National Prayer Advance organized by Ps. Jean Lim and the Glory Place Prayer House.
The notes were compile by me some additional comments. Ps. Susan allows circulation of the audio CD. If you chose to receive a copy of the messages kindly send me an email.Timely messages for the End Times.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overcomer that knows God
Hos 6:
3 Then shall we know , [if] we follow (pursue) on to know the LORD
Micah 5:
5 And this [man] shall be the peace , when the Assyrian shall come into our land : and when he shall tread in our palaces , then shall we raise against him seven shepherds (clergy) , and eight principal (laity) men . 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword , and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver [us] from the Assyrian , when he cometh into our land , and when he treadeth within our borders .
Principal - life poured out as a libation before God. Willingness to be entire His, not given to any thing or to others. Willingness to even die for the God whom he or she loves.
David was one recorded in Scripture that poured out the Lord. He saw the preciousness of the water which were gotten at the hazard of men's blood, much more we value the shed blood of our Saviour, not neglecting so great a salvation. So David poured out a precious water and not indulging it. Self has been removed.
And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
(2Sa 23:16)
Similarly Samuel (1Sam5), Jesus (Isa 53:12), Mary (Matt 26) and Paul (2 Tim 4:6) who were willingly poured their lives out unto God. Not unto a ministry (as powerful as they had) nor unto people nor unto things, but unto the Lord. What are we pouring our live unto these days? Our church? Our families? Our children (He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Mat 10:37)). Our careers? Our selves? Martin Luther identified that the greater enemy is not the devil but self. Can we say of our lives that the life we now live we life by faith in the Son of God?
2 Tim 4:6
6 For I am now ready to be offered (poured out) , and the time of my departure is at hand .
Greatest strategy against the enemy in the end times are life poured out to God. God requires a faithfulness until death. Lives lived before God, not men nor ministry.
Building of a life poured unto the Lord
The bride revealed in Revelation; John beheld a city built by God (Babylon was built by man). Let God build into me. Men build things of gold & precious items, wood, hay, stubble (1 Cor 3:12) which men see value in. Cain was the first city builder. When Christ builds, the gates of hell cannot prevail. When men builds floods can come and destroy.
Rev 21:
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues , and talked with me , saying , Come hither , I will shew thee the bride , the Lamb's wife . 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain , and shewed me that great city , the holy Jerusalem , descending out of heaven from God ,
Jesus said that the floods have to come to test the 2 houses. On sand is fast, on rock takes a long time. Before the flood both houses are the same, different foundation. Praise God that Jesus builds His church that the gates of hell can't prevail. Who builds into our lives? Will our lives stand the floods? What is our foundation? Is it upon the Rock?
Jesus building us mostly will be in the mundane things of life. Slow but builds goodly character.
Building an overcomer is the same. It is the building in Christ and Him crucified. Those who will drink the same cup that Jesus drank. However the disciples were not the 'right' stock, but as we yield to Christ daily in due time we will rise to the occasion to drink the cup all the way to Calvary. The infused life of Christ begin with daily yielding. Then the resurrection power will take full force.
The poured out life beating back the flood of evil
Normally a father wouldn't curse a son. Ham's character aligned to his destiny as Noah knew. Cursed to be servant of servants.
Ham was cursed because of delight in nakedness, for God hates nakedness. Ham and Canaan did something to Noah, because he realized it. One of Ham's descendants was Nimrod known for sensuality and incest.
Culture of nakedness crept into the church. This is because of deficit in the knowledge of God.
In fact God warns that He will allow the disobedience to be stripped naked.
Even God don't want altars on high ground to not reveal nakedness.
Exo 20:
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone , thou shalt not build it of hewn stone : for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar , that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Nakedness is form of God's judgment, make shameful.
Hosea 2:
3 Lest I strip her naked , and set her as in the day that she was born , and make her as a wilderness , and set her like a dry land , and slay her with thirst .
A demon possessed were naked in the Bible.
Demonic culture (another gospel) has 4 features: materialism, sensuality, infidelity and atheism.
Sensuality creeping into the church in various forms arousing the flesh in the form of worship and 'what-can-I-get-out-of-God' attitude. Every blessing is to fed the insatiable flesh life.
Homosexuality, semi-nakedness are marks of beast. How has the church stood against this flood of evil in Malaysia lately? What stand have we taken to fight back this demonic culture.
Divorce is begining to be rampant in churches today.
It takes the 7 shepherds and 8 principle men to beat back the Assyrians (descendants of Ham).
Poured out lives are hidden from men's eyes
Elijah made the mistake of looking for God in the external, dramatic, atmosphere (earthquake, wind, fire). God rebuked him in a still small voice. We have quiet down to hear, inward disposition to hear. We need to develop a spiritual ear to hear.
Our values and priorities bespeak our vision and mission. Jesus says His meat to do the will of God, where is our nourishment. If we are at the place of God's will we will feel inner satisfaction. Same with Cain leaving the presence of God and became an insatiable wanderer.
1 Kings 19.
The still small voice shook Elijah up!
Elijah and Elisha was said stood before God. Samuel ministered before God. Therefore we can live without secret sin and don't impress anyone!
Hosea speaks of the spirit of harlotry, infidelity in the church
The whore is contaminated Christianity deceiving great peoples, theologians, etc. Sin of Jeroboam. Counterfeit worship. Religion of convenience and compromise.
Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials , and talked with me , saying unto me , Come hither ; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters : 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication , and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication . 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness : and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , having seven heads and ten horns . 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour , and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls , having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication : 5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written , MYSTERY , BABYLON THE GREAT , THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH . 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus : and when I saw her , I wondered with great admiration . 7 And the angel said unto me , Wherefore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman , and of the beast that carrieth her , which hath the seven heads and ten horns .
Don't be mezmerized by excellent external! False church make martyrs.
God favor Simeon and Anna's who hid themselves from public eyes and ministered before God as watchman.
Hos 6:
5 Therefore have I hewed [them] by the prophets ; I have slain them by the words of my mouth : and thy judgments [are as] the light [that] goeth forth . 6 For I desired mercy , and not sacrifice ; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings . 7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant : there have they dealt treacherously against me.
We should learn that God's heart can be broken, desiring mercy over judgment.
Hos 4:
1 Hear the word of the LORD , ye children of Israel : for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land , because [there is] no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of God in the land . 2 By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth blood .
People who break out having no restrain, only the cross can restrain us. Annoiting alone can't restrain us which accounts for many 'annoited' individuals falling into the flesh of adultery and excesses.
The value of the land devalue because of the peoples sins. We have to add value to our land by fighting off the flood of evil.
Hos 4:
3 Therefore shall the land mourn , and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish , with the beasts of the field , and with the fowls of heaven ; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away .
Minds of children taken up by others and not God. News can say that 1 in 5 children have mental problems.
Hos 4:
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : because thou hast rejected knowledge , I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God , I will also forget thy children .
45% of men in UK hooked on pornography, even honorable men. In order to curb teenage pregnancy, oral sex taught in schools.
It's God's people, not the pagans. Sadly God have allowed to even extend hell.
Isa 5:
13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity , because [they have] no knowledge : and their honourable men [are] famished , and their multitude dried up with thirst . 14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself , and opened her mouth without measure : and their glory , and their multitude , and their pomp , and he that rejoiceth , shall descend into it.
Why is cross life important
The cross life causes us lose appetite for sin.
The cross life is a crucified life. Devils know if we the cross life. The incident with the 7 sons of Sceva showed it. Of course they knew Jesus who was crucified, Paul was identified with Christ as being crucified with Him.
Gal 2:
20 I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live ; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God : for if righteousness [come] by the law , then Christ is dead in vain .
False teaching on grace leads to a self conscious life. It wrongly describes the law.
The law is to us is a covenant. Same as marriage covenant, it's no longer a law if the man die to other women.
Psa 105:
10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob (unchanged) for a law , [and] to Israel (transformed) [for] an everlasting covenant :
The day the that the Jacob life is in us it becomes law that condemns, to a Israel it's a covenant. Same person! But God forms a Isreal to realize the covenant. The covenant brings life!
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob , and he that formed thee, O Israel ,
The cross is how we deal with problems. The problem in the last days is lovers of self (improvement, image, love self) which Jesus ask us to die to. Self needs the restraining power of the cross. Let God form us through the cross to become His price.
The people who think of the cross as stupidity, they belong to the perishing order. We find power when we die to ourselves.
1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness ; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God .
The Son of God received riches, honor and glory by being slain on the cross. The Jacob man even cheated his father and brother as short cut. Breakthrough only comes as transaction at the cross. No other short cut.
Slain to receive! The cross slays the self. God don't trust Jacobs only Isreals.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice , Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power , and riches , and wisdom , and strength , and honour , and glory , and blessing .
The cross helps us to jam the brakes on sin, which empowers us to behave even privately. The cross is power against demons! Devils know our lives.
True knowledge of God comes through the cross
Having a relationship with self produces selfishness, self pity, self righteousness, etc. Don't have relationship with self. Adam and Eve after the fall began to look at self instead of looking upward.
Even marriages need the cross to prevent divorce. How to prevail life, ministry etc is only the cross? How to handle life without facing death?
If we are rejected, lonely, spat at, etc learn to identify with Jesus who lived through it. Only the cross can put distinction from the world and nobleness in the church. Today's Israel is apostate because of lacking the cross and God's dealing isn't complete. When Israel is driven out, will we house the Jews in those days? God will judge us for that.
The Apostlic pattern is the cross. What made Paul cry? Many are not enemies of Jesus, but of the cross. The church that want a cross-less Jesus. Paul's example is being crucified with Christ.
Phil 3:17 Brethren , be followers together of me , and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample . 18 (For many walk , of whom I have told you often , and now tell you even weeping , [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ :
There will be a resurgence of the days of Noah. Be prepared through the cross that when the doors close by the Hands of God, we will be in the protected side of the door.
The series was taught at the 21st National Prayer Advance organized by Ps. Jean Lim and the Glory Place Prayer House.
The notes were compile by me some additional comments. Ps. Susan allows circulation of the audio CD. If you chose to receive a copy of the messages kindly send me an email.Timely messages for the End Times.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overcomer that knows God
Hos 6:
3 Then shall we know , [if] we follow (pursue) on to know the LORD
Micah 5:
5 And this [man] shall be the peace , when the Assyrian shall come into our land : and when he shall tread in our palaces , then shall we raise against him seven shepherds (clergy) , and eight principal (laity) men . 6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword , and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver [us] from the Assyrian , when he cometh into our land , and when he treadeth within our borders .
Principal - life poured out as a libation before God. Willingness to be entire His, not given to any thing or to others. Willingness to even die for the God whom he or she loves.
God is raising up overcomers among the clergy as well as the laity and the gap is closing between the two. These are the ones that will stand against the onslaught of evil in the last days.
People who poured out their lives unto the GodDavid was one recorded in Scripture that poured out the Lord. He saw the preciousness of the water which were gotten at the hazard of men's blood, much more we value the shed blood of our Saviour, not neglecting so great a salvation. So David poured out a precious water and not indulging it. Self has been removed.
And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
(2Sa 23:16)
Similarly Samuel (1Sam5), Jesus (Isa 53:12), Mary (Matt 26) and Paul (2 Tim 4:6) who were willingly poured their lives out unto God. Not unto a ministry (as powerful as they had) nor unto people nor unto things, but unto the Lord. What are we pouring our live unto these days? Our church? Our families? Our children (He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Mat 10:37)). Our careers? Our selves? Martin Luther identified that the greater enemy is not the devil but self. Can we say of our lives that the life we now live we life by faith in the Son of God?
2 Tim 4:6
6 For I am now ready to be offered (poured out) , and the time of my departure is at hand .
Greatest strategy against the enemy in the end times are life poured out to God. God requires a faithfulness until death. Lives lived before God, not men nor ministry.
Building of a life poured unto the Lord
The bride revealed in Revelation; John beheld a city built by God (Babylon was built by man). Let God build into me. Men build things of gold & precious items, wood, hay, stubble (1 Cor 3:12) which men see value in. Cain was the first city builder. When Christ builds, the gates of hell cannot prevail. When men builds floods can come and destroy.
Rev 21:
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues , and talked with me , saying , Come hither , I will shew thee the bride , the Lamb's wife . 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain , and shewed me that great city , the holy Jerusalem , descending out of heaven from God ,
Jesus said that the floods have to come to test the 2 houses. On sand is fast, on rock takes a long time. Before the flood both houses are the same, different foundation. Praise God that Jesus builds His church that the gates of hell can't prevail. Who builds into our lives? Will our lives stand the floods? What is our foundation? Is it upon the Rock?
Jesus building us mostly will be in the mundane things of life. Slow but builds goodly character.
Building an overcomer is the same. It is the building in Christ and Him crucified. Those who will drink the same cup that Jesus drank. However the disciples were not the 'right' stock, but as we yield to Christ daily in due time we will rise to the occasion to drink the cup all the way to Calvary. The infused life of Christ begin with daily yielding. Then the resurrection power will take full force.
The poured out life beating back the flood of evil
Normally a father wouldn't curse a son. Ham's character aligned to his destiny as Noah knew. Cursed to be servant of servants.
Ham was cursed because of delight in nakedness, for God hates nakedness. Ham and Canaan did something to Noah, because he realized it. One of Ham's descendants was Nimrod known for sensuality and incest.
Culture of nakedness crept into the church. This is because of deficit in the knowledge of God.
In fact God warns that He will allow the disobedience to be stripped naked.
Even God don't want altars on high ground to not reveal nakedness.
Exo 20:
25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone , thou shalt not build it of hewn stone : for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar , that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
Nakedness is form of God's judgment, make shameful.
Hosea 2:
3 Lest I strip her naked , and set her as in the day that she was born , and make her as a wilderness , and set her like a dry land , and slay her with thirst .
A demon possessed were naked in the Bible.
Demonic culture (another gospel) has 4 features: materialism, sensuality, infidelity and atheism.
Sensuality creeping into the church in various forms arousing the flesh in the form of worship and 'what-can-I-get-out-of-God' attitude. Every blessing is to fed the insatiable flesh life.
Homosexuality, semi-nakedness are marks of beast. How has the church stood against this flood of evil in Malaysia lately? What stand have we taken to fight back this demonic culture.
Divorce is begining to be rampant in churches today.
It takes the 7 shepherds and 8 principle men to beat back the Assyrians (descendants of Ham).
Poured out lives are hidden from men's eyes
Elijah made the mistake of looking for God in the external, dramatic, atmosphere (earthquake, wind, fire). God rebuked him in a still small voice. We have quiet down to hear, inward disposition to hear. We need to develop a spiritual ear to hear.
Our values and priorities bespeak our vision and mission. Jesus says His meat to do the will of God, where is our nourishment. If we are at the place of God's will we will feel inner satisfaction. Same with Cain leaving the presence of God and became an insatiable wanderer.
1 Kings 19.
The still small voice shook Elijah up!
Elijah and Elisha was said stood before God. Samuel ministered before God. Therefore we can live without secret sin and don't impress anyone!
Hosea speaks of the spirit of harlotry, infidelity in the church
The whore is contaminated Christianity deceiving great peoples, theologians, etc. Sin of Jeroboam. Counterfeit worship. Religion of convenience and compromise.
Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials , and talked with me , saying unto me , Come hither ; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters : 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication , and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication . 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness : and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast , full of names of blasphemy , having seven heads and ten horns . 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour , and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls , having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication : 5 And upon her forehead [was] a name written , MYSTERY , BABYLON THE GREAT , THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH . 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints , and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus : and when I saw her , I wondered with great admiration . 7 And the angel said unto me , Wherefore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman , and of the beast that carrieth her , which hath the seven heads and ten horns .
Don't be mezmerized by excellent external! False church make martyrs.
God favor Simeon and Anna's who hid themselves from public eyes and ministered before God as watchman.
Hos 6:
5 Therefore have I hewed [them] by the prophets ; I have slain them by the words of my mouth : and thy judgments [are as] the light [that] goeth forth . 6 For I desired mercy , and not sacrifice ; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings . 7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant : there have they dealt treacherously against me.
We should learn that God's heart can be broken, desiring mercy over judgment.
Hos 4:
1 Hear the word of the LORD , ye children of Israel : for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land , because [there is] no truth , nor mercy , nor knowledge of God in the land . 2 By swearing , and lying , and killing , and stealing , and committing adultery , they break out , and blood toucheth blood .
People who break out having no restrain, only the cross can restrain us. Annoiting alone can't restrain us which accounts for many 'annoited' individuals falling into the flesh of adultery and excesses.
The value of the land devalue because of the peoples sins. We have to add value to our land by fighting off the flood of evil.
Hos 4:
3 Therefore shall the land mourn , and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish , with the beasts of the field , and with the fowls of heaven ; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away .
Minds of children taken up by others and not God. News can say that 1 in 5 children have mental problems.
Hos 4:
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge : because thou hast rejected knowledge , I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God , I will also forget thy children .
45% of men in UK hooked on pornography, even honorable men. In order to curb teenage pregnancy, oral sex taught in schools.
It's God's people, not the pagans. Sadly God have allowed to even extend hell.
Isa 5:
13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity , because [they have] no knowledge : and their honourable men [are] famished , and their multitude dried up with thirst . 14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself , and opened her mouth without measure : and their glory , and their multitude , and their pomp , and he that rejoiceth , shall descend into it.
Why is cross life important
The cross life causes us lose appetite for sin.
The cross life is a crucified life. Devils know if we the cross life. The incident with the 7 sons of Sceva showed it. Of course they knew Jesus who was crucified, Paul was identified with Christ as being crucified with Him.
Gal 2:
20 I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live ; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himself for me . 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God : for if righteousness [come] by the law , then Christ is dead in vain .
False teaching on grace leads to a self conscious life. It wrongly describes the law.
The law is to us is a covenant. Same as marriage covenant, it's no longer a law if the man die to other women.
Psa 105:
10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob (unchanged) for a law , [and] to Israel (transformed) [for] an everlasting covenant :
The day the that the Jacob life is in us it becomes law that condemns, to a Israel it's a covenant. Same person! But God forms a Isreal to realize the covenant. The covenant brings life!
Isa 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob , and he that formed thee, O Israel ,
The cross is how we deal with problems. The problem in the last days is lovers of self (improvement, image, love self) which Jesus ask us to die to. Self needs the restraining power of the cross. Let God form us through the cross to become His price.
The people who think of the cross as stupidity, they belong to the perishing order. We find power when we die to ourselves.
1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness ; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God .
The Son of God received riches, honor and glory by being slain on the cross. The Jacob man even cheated his father and brother as short cut. Breakthrough only comes as transaction at the cross. No other short cut.
Slain to receive! The cross slays the self. God don't trust Jacobs only Isreals.
Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice , Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power , and riches , and wisdom , and strength , and honour , and glory , and blessing .
The cross helps us to jam the brakes on sin, which empowers us to behave even privately. The cross is power against demons! Devils know our lives.
True knowledge of God comes through the cross
Having a relationship with self produces selfishness, self pity, self righteousness, etc. Don't have relationship with self. Adam and Eve after the fall began to look at self instead of looking upward.
Even marriages need the cross to prevent divorce. How to prevail life, ministry etc is only the cross? How to handle life without facing death?
If we are rejected, lonely, spat at, etc learn to identify with Jesus who lived through it. Only the cross can put distinction from the world and nobleness in the church. Today's Israel is apostate because of lacking the cross and God's dealing isn't complete. When Israel is driven out, will we house the Jews in those days? God will judge us for that.
The Apostlic pattern is the cross. What made Paul cry? Many are not enemies of Jesus, but of the cross. The church that want a cross-less Jesus. Paul's example is being crucified with Christ.
Phil 3:17 Brethren , be followers together of me , and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample . 18 (For many walk , of whom I have told you often , and now tell you even weeping , [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ :
There will be a resurgence of the days of Noah. Be prepared through the cross that when the doors close by the Hands of God, we will be in the protected side of the door.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)