Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
(Psa 141:2)
We have to be reminded that prayer is more than a duty, it bespeaks of our relationship with God as we pray ‘Our Father …..’ (Matt 6:9). David knew how to cry out to God (Psa 141:1), whereas many will cry out to men for whatever reason. Learning to cry out to God in relationship is so important, Esau cried out for lost blessing (Gen 27:38) but David cried out to God to restore intimacy with the Almighty (Psa 51)… ‘cast me not away from Thy Presence…’. David’s crying to God was so deep that it was an offering up of his soul and affections to God. What or who are we offering ourselves up to these days?
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
(Mat 27:50)
Jesus cried out to the Father and gave up His Spirit on the cross, no coincidence that it was about the time of the evening sacrifice. Crying out to God involves something dying inside that God’s divine plan takes over because these kind of prayer goes against everything that is in us and to culminate in the Father’s higher purpose (Mat 26:42). Jesus went through the cross despite human pity (Luke 23:27, 28) and pain, for God’s purpose fulfilled in us does not concern our personal comfort nor well being. God’s final interest is that we conform to the image of His Son (Rom 8:28, 29) and consider that this is that ‘all things work together for good’ to those who love God.
Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
(Psa 141:5)
Our pain is God’s good for us, which is the predestination plan of God for us to bring us to glory (Rom 8:30). Welcome righteousness to smite us, it shall not break our heads but it may break our hearts. Chastisement of God is the proof of our son-ship (Heb 12:6) which brings us to spiritual maturity where we are persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:37, 38).
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
(Prov 16:3)
I believe the writer of the Proverbs (most likely Solomon) is talking of more than our occupation, may it be in our jobs, as homemakers, as a minister, missionary, etc. We tend to segregate ‘full-time’ and ‘secular’ lives. David Pawson said that there is no such thing; as long as we are Christians (followers of Christ) we are full-time Christians in whatever occupation we are in. We are to be consistent in our witness of being light of world (Matt 5:16). If we separate than we adopt the Greek (humanistic) philosophy of dividing the spiritual from the physical which leads to double lives. Our children can see through our hypocrisy if we live this way, having one behavior in church and another at home and worst behavior at work or with our friends. The obvious thing is in our speech splattered with ‘hallelujahs’ and another time with curses (Jam 3:10). If we live in this manner then we are the salt that has lost its savor (Matt 5:13). Salt remains as salt wherever it is. When Jesus talked about salt in His days, its use is for more than preservation but in agriculture where salt in the form of potash was used as fertilizer. Therefore Jesus was talking more than preservation but also of growth and fruitfulness. Therefore ‘works’ is more than occupation but encompasses our entire life which can be either hot, cold or lukewarm (Rev 3:15).
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(Jas 1:8)
Double mindedness literally means double souled, having one soul towards God and the other towards something else. James is obviously referring to Christians because the unbeliever would not have one’s soul given to God. Here is where we can live schizophrenic lives, neither hot nor cold which results in God’s rejection (Rev 3:16). I dare not imagine the sorrow of God’s rejection yet this is what Jesus (not the apostles) said in Matt 25 because the truth is that God’s rejection is an everlasting one.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
(Jas 4:8)
The remedy to living double soul lives is given to us in the form of repentance. Firstly humbly coming before God acknowledging our wretchedness as sinners (remember James is talking to Christians!) and cleanse our hands (our works) and purify our hearts (where it all begins). It is no wonder that our thoughts are unstable, filled with doubts, fears, self, sensitive, etc because there is no establishment in God. We need a renewed mind where our entire life is lived in accordance to God’s satisfaction (Rom 12:1, 2).
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
(Isa 26:3)
When our thought life is founded on God that is when we are at peace though there can be a raging storm (economically, turmoil, etc) around us (Psa 91:7), this is when our thoughts are established (firmly grounded and unshakable).
(Prov 16:3)
I believe the writer of the Proverbs (most likely Solomon) is talking of more than our occupation, may it be in our jobs, as homemakers, as a minister, missionary, etc. We tend to segregate ‘full-time’ and ‘secular’ lives. David Pawson said that there is no such thing; as long as we are Christians (followers of Christ) we are full-time Christians in whatever occupation we are in. We are to be consistent in our witness of being light of world (Matt 5:16). If we separate than we adopt the Greek (humanistic) philosophy of dividing the spiritual from the physical which leads to double lives. Our children can see through our hypocrisy if we live this way, having one behavior in church and another at home and worst behavior at work or with our friends. The obvious thing is in our speech splattered with ‘hallelujahs’ and another time with curses (Jam 3:10). If we live in this manner then we are the salt that has lost its savor (Matt 5:13). Salt remains as salt wherever it is. When Jesus talked about salt in His days, its use is for more than preservation but in agriculture where salt in the form of potash was used as fertilizer. Therefore Jesus was talking more than preservation but also of growth and fruitfulness. Therefore ‘works’ is more than occupation but encompasses our entire life which can be either hot, cold or lukewarm (Rev 3:15).
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(Jas 1:8)
Double mindedness literally means double souled, having one soul towards God and the other towards something else. James is obviously referring to Christians because the unbeliever would not have one’s soul given to God. Here is where we can live schizophrenic lives, neither hot nor cold which results in God’s rejection (Rev 3:16). I dare not imagine the sorrow of God’s rejection yet this is what Jesus (not the apostles) said in Matt 25 because the truth is that God’s rejection is an everlasting one.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
(Jas 4:8)
The remedy to living double soul lives is given to us in the form of repentance. Firstly humbly coming before God acknowledging our wretchedness as sinners (remember James is talking to Christians!) and cleanse our hands (our works) and purify our hearts (where it all begins). It is no wonder that our thoughts are unstable, filled with doubts, fears, self, sensitive, etc because there is no establishment in God. We need a renewed mind where our entire life is lived in accordance to God’s satisfaction (Rom 12:1, 2).
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
(Isa 26:3)
When our thought life is founded on God that is when we are at peace though there can be a raging storm (economically, turmoil, etc) around us (Psa 91:7), this is when our thoughts are established (firmly grounded and unshakable).
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Denying self vs. Self denial
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
(Luke 9:23)
Bill Gothard mentioned that there is a difference between the denying self and self denial. This statement really got me thinking about Jesus call to believers. Jesus did promise two things for a follower of the Way (as early believers are called) eternal life and likewise also the cross. The question of what the cross is comes to mind and we may have different ideas of what the cross entails.
Jesus laid this condition for coming after Him with a question of ‘who others say that He was’ (Luke 9:18) and varied answers were given. When the question was directed to the disciples, as usual, Peter quickly answered….. ‘The Christ (anointed) of God’. Anointed meaning chosen by or as if by divine intervention and Jesus goes on to explain that He was appointed divinely to suffer, die and resurrect on the third day. We know that the suffering and the death Jesus obediently went through for our propitiation was the cross. The cross means death, for Jesus it was not giving of Himself for the world, but rather giving of Himself to the Father (Luke 22:42). We cannot degrade the cross to the humanistic level of thinking that the cross Jesus died was merely for us. Jesus taught that the opening to our prayers is with regard to His Kingdom and His will (Matt 6:10). Jesus cross was primarily for the Father, His Kingdom and His Will, we shouldn’t think of anything else lesser than these.
Paul says that we are new creation with the old passed (past tense) away (2 Cor 5:17). Passing away requires death. Holding things in balance, we are to be living sacrifices to God thus the cross for us is not one of physical death. Not being physical means it is not external.
The Pharisees’ focus was primarily on the external that they wanted people to recognize them for humanly visual piety, for example their fasting and prayer. They exemplify self denial. Jesus said that fasting and prayer in secret will receive heavenly rewards, these things are to be done that the Father alone would see. Today we too can be trapped into self denial and put on a front of ‘Christianity’. Yes we are to be salt of the earth and light of the world (Matt 5), but note that these two have the properties within themselves that classify them as salt and light. For example salt that loses its flavor is good for nothing, therefore salt is not salt if its properties are lost. Salt is not noticed unless there is lack of or too much of it. Those who practice self denial bring a lot of focus and attention on themselves. The danger is that pride can seep in and we know what God thinks of the proud. The converse is those who deny self bring praise and glory to the Father Whom we give ourselves to.
To come after Jesus means that He will give us the cross daily, the cross is not from our pastor, family, employer nor even circumstances. However God may use people and circumstances as the cross, but keep in mind that it is Jesus Who will give it. The purpose of the cross is death to an inner self that God’s Kingdom might be manifested and His will be completed in our lives (Phil 1:6). The evidence of God’s Kingdom for His disciples (Matt 5:1) is listed in Matt 5:3-12. It is not about the external but about the being, thus these are called the Be-Attitudes. How much of the cross we carry daily will show in our meekness, mourning for sin (Rom 8:23), purity in heart, merciful, turning the other cheek, etc. It is not the means (the cross) we should be concerned about; it should be His Kingdom and Will. I decrease that all things that concern Him will increase.
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
(Luke 9:23)
Bill Gothard mentioned that there is a difference between the denying self and self denial. This statement really got me thinking about Jesus call to believers. Jesus did promise two things for a follower of the Way (as early believers are called) eternal life and likewise also the cross. The question of what the cross is comes to mind and we may have different ideas of what the cross entails.
Jesus laid this condition for coming after Him with a question of ‘who others say that He was’ (Luke 9:18) and varied answers were given. When the question was directed to the disciples, as usual, Peter quickly answered….. ‘The Christ (anointed) of God’. Anointed meaning chosen by or as if by divine intervention and Jesus goes on to explain that He was appointed divinely to suffer, die and resurrect on the third day. We know that the suffering and the death Jesus obediently went through for our propitiation was the cross. The cross means death, for Jesus it was not giving of Himself for the world, but rather giving of Himself to the Father (Luke 22:42). We cannot degrade the cross to the humanistic level of thinking that the cross Jesus died was merely for us. Jesus taught that the opening to our prayers is with regard to His Kingdom and His will (Matt 6:10). Jesus cross was primarily for the Father, His Kingdom and His Will, we shouldn’t think of anything else lesser than these.
Paul says that we are new creation with the old passed (past tense) away (2 Cor 5:17). Passing away requires death. Holding things in balance, we are to be living sacrifices to God thus the cross for us is not one of physical death. Not being physical means it is not external.
The Pharisees’ focus was primarily on the external that they wanted people to recognize them for humanly visual piety, for example their fasting and prayer. They exemplify self denial. Jesus said that fasting and prayer in secret will receive heavenly rewards, these things are to be done that the Father alone would see. Today we too can be trapped into self denial and put on a front of ‘Christianity’. Yes we are to be salt of the earth and light of the world (Matt 5), but note that these two have the properties within themselves that classify them as salt and light. For example salt that loses its flavor is good for nothing, therefore salt is not salt if its properties are lost. Salt is not noticed unless there is lack of or too much of it. Those who practice self denial bring a lot of focus and attention on themselves. The danger is that pride can seep in and we know what God thinks of the proud. The converse is those who deny self bring praise and glory to the Father Whom we give ourselves to.
To come after Jesus means that He will give us the cross daily, the cross is not from our pastor, family, employer nor even circumstances. However God may use people and circumstances as the cross, but keep in mind that it is Jesus Who will give it. The purpose of the cross is death to an inner self that God’s Kingdom might be manifested and His will be completed in our lives (Phil 1:6). The evidence of God’s Kingdom for His disciples (Matt 5:1) is listed in Matt 5:3-12. It is not about the external but about the being, thus these are called the Be-Attitudes. How much of the cross we carry daily will show in our meekness, mourning for sin (Rom 8:23), purity in heart, merciful, turning the other cheek, etc. It is not the means (the cross) we should be concerned about; it should be His Kingdom and Will. I decrease that all things that concern Him will increase.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Ask what I shall do for thee
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. (2Ki 2:9)
There are instances of asking in the Bible, for example God asking Solomon what He shall give him (I Kings 3:5). Jesus taught about asking in Luke 11 relating to the Father’s willingness to give His Holy Spirit to those who desire earnestly and ask. Jesus mentioned that there were three actions on our behalf, first being asking, second seeking and thirdly knocking. Three in the number is representation of divine completeness as with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as well as God being ‘Holy, Holy, and Holy’. There is a divine completeness to receiving from God but it begins with asking.
Elijah knew he was to be translated to Heaven by whirlwind and Elisha was asked to tarry three times. Each of the three times Elisha’s consistent reply was ‘As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee’. Do we consistent want to receive from God as Elisha did or we ask amiss (James 4:3) to consume for ourselves. Therefore we have to ask for the right thing so that it pleases the Father’s heart to give. Likewise earthly fathers don’t just give anything that a child asks for. Some things may not be necessarily bad, for example a child could ask for a knife. The knife is a useful instrument but if the child is not ready to handle it the knife is forbidden.
Jesus taught in the Matt 6:8 that we don’t waste our prayers like the heathens making repetitive prayers for things beyond the necessary. We have to learn to trust the Father Who will lovingly provide for all our needs. In Matt 7:11 Jesus said that the Father will give us good things. If we cross reference to Luke 11:13, He was referring to the good gifts or things as being the Holy Spirit Himself. He was referring to the better things in life worth asking, seeking and knocking on doors for is the presence of the person of the Holy Spirit permeating our lives.
Elijah knew that the Spirit of God that rested on Elijah was what he wanted. Three times asked to tarry, but three times consistently replying with the same desire. The sad thing about Gehazi was he followed after Naaman (showing his persistency) to ask for material gifts. This man could have received double of Elisha’s anointing which numerically will mean four times of Elijah’s! The Bible recorded double the miracles in Elisha’s ministry and Gehazi could have quadrupled. What a waste we might say, but do we have the desire and persistency of Elisha which will not ask amiss to spent it on our own desires? Check our prayers, what proportion of it deals with asking for His desire or His Holy Spirit or for His Kingdom coming down on our nation, community and our families. It’s either God’s Kingdom we want or we want our’s to supersede.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
(John 14:26)
As a disciple of Christ, the Holy Spirit is the promise Who will bring revelation of everything Jesus taught. We may know about what Jesus taught, but the true revelation of the Word (John 1:1) Himself is through the Holy Spirit. Paul’s apostolic prayers have always been that we have the revelation of Christ. It was by the Spirit the apostle John had the Revelation of Jesus Christ. So ultimately, the Comforter will reveal Christ to us. Paul could say truths like he was determined not to know anything among the believers except Christ and Him crucified and he was crucified with Christ. These are revelations of Jesus’ promises for He promised two things…… the cross (Luke 9:23) and eternal life. We like the latter but don’t be enemies of the cross (Phil 3:8).
I believe the revelation of the cross is firstly the revelation of our redemption. The whole creation groans and labors pang for it’s redemption through the revealing of the sons of God (Rom 8:22, 23) likewise we also groan for the redemption of our body at the Appearing of Christ second coming. The sons of God need to have the revelation of our redemption so that we know the cost of God sending His own Son and the cost of the Son His life lest we trample of the Son’s precious blood. When we have the revelation of the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus we will think twice about sinning and keeping our live pure and holy to live before God. Today we can despise the redemptive work of Christ by the way we live, talk, spend our money, time and priorities. We who are still living in this ‘tent’ need to continually repent that we might grow from glory to glory. Rejecting repentance also reject the redemptive work of Christ because we think we are alright and not willing to work out our salvation in trembling and fear.
The second revelation of the cross through His Spirit is the cross we need to bear daily in following Jesus (Luke 9:23). This is called the cost of discipleship, the dying to self to take on the life of Christ. Oh, that we have the same revelation that Paul had that’s why he could peek into heaven (Acts 26:19) and know his destiny. Do we know our destiny or does it end at the grave or our destiny is an eternal one in Christ? What are we asking for these days?
And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. (2Ki 2:9)
There are instances of asking in the Bible, for example God asking Solomon what He shall give him (I Kings 3:5). Jesus taught about asking in Luke 11 relating to the Father’s willingness to give His Holy Spirit to those who desire earnestly and ask. Jesus mentioned that there were three actions on our behalf, first being asking, second seeking and thirdly knocking. Three in the number is representation of divine completeness as with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as well as God being ‘Holy, Holy, and Holy’. There is a divine completeness to receiving from God but it begins with asking.
Elijah knew he was to be translated to Heaven by whirlwind and Elisha was asked to tarry three times. Each of the three times Elisha’s consistent reply was ‘As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee’. Do we consistent want to receive from God as Elisha did or we ask amiss (James 4:3) to consume for ourselves. Therefore we have to ask for the right thing so that it pleases the Father’s heart to give. Likewise earthly fathers don’t just give anything that a child asks for. Some things may not be necessarily bad, for example a child could ask for a knife. The knife is a useful instrument but if the child is not ready to handle it the knife is forbidden.
Jesus taught in the Matt 6:8 that we don’t waste our prayers like the heathens making repetitive prayers for things beyond the necessary. We have to learn to trust the Father Who will lovingly provide for all our needs. In Matt 7:11 Jesus said that the Father will give us good things. If we cross reference to Luke 11:13, He was referring to the good gifts or things as being the Holy Spirit Himself. He was referring to the better things in life worth asking, seeking and knocking on doors for is the presence of the person of the Holy Spirit permeating our lives.
Elijah knew that the Spirit of God that rested on Elijah was what he wanted. Three times asked to tarry, but three times consistently replying with the same desire. The sad thing about Gehazi was he followed after Naaman (showing his persistency) to ask for material gifts. This man could have received double of Elisha’s anointing which numerically will mean four times of Elijah’s! The Bible recorded double the miracles in Elisha’s ministry and Gehazi could have quadrupled. What a waste we might say, but do we have the desire and persistency of Elisha which will not ask amiss to spent it on our own desires? Check our prayers, what proportion of it deals with asking for His desire or His Holy Spirit or for His Kingdom coming down on our nation, community and our families. It’s either God’s Kingdom we want or we want our’s to supersede.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
(John 14:26)
As a disciple of Christ, the Holy Spirit is the promise Who will bring revelation of everything Jesus taught. We may know about what Jesus taught, but the true revelation of the Word (John 1:1) Himself is through the Holy Spirit. Paul’s apostolic prayers have always been that we have the revelation of Christ. It was by the Spirit the apostle John had the Revelation of Jesus Christ. So ultimately, the Comforter will reveal Christ to us. Paul could say truths like he was determined not to know anything among the believers except Christ and Him crucified and he was crucified with Christ. These are revelations of Jesus’ promises for He promised two things…… the cross (Luke 9:23) and eternal life. We like the latter but don’t be enemies of the cross (Phil 3:8).
I believe the revelation of the cross is firstly the revelation of our redemption. The whole creation groans and labors pang for it’s redemption through the revealing of the sons of God (Rom 8:22, 23) likewise we also groan for the redemption of our body at the Appearing of Christ second coming. The sons of God need to have the revelation of our redemption so that we know the cost of God sending His own Son and the cost of the Son His life lest we trample of the Son’s precious blood. When we have the revelation of the redemptive power of the blood of Jesus we will think twice about sinning and keeping our live pure and holy to live before God. Today we can despise the redemptive work of Christ by the way we live, talk, spend our money, time and priorities. We who are still living in this ‘tent’ need to continually repent that we might grow from glory to glory. Rejecting repentance also reject the redemptive work of Christ because we think we are alright and not willing to work out our salvation in trembling and fear.
The second revelation of the cross through His Spirit is the cross we need to bear daily in following Jesus (Luke 9:23). This is called the cost of discipleship, the dying to self to take on the life of Christ. Oh, that we have the same revelation that Paul had that’s why he could peek into heaven (Acts 26:19) and know his destiny. Do we know our destiny or does it end at the grave or our destiny is an eternal one in Christ? What are we asking for these days?
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