Tuesday, December 21, 2010
sorry for the absence
been out of touch with this blog. to find more materials not available from this site, please visit www.breadfromheaven.org for MP3 sermons, manuscriptis and outlines. we will be uploading more very, very soon
Monday, September 20, 2010
THE "SILENCE" OF GOD
WHEN GOD IS SILENT, IT IS NOT REALLY A SILENCE. IT SIMPLY MEANS HE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN
Ps 83:1. O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. NIV. (Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society). Genesis 13:7 (Contemporary English Version): “6-7At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the same area, and so there wasn't enough pastureland left for Abram and Lot with all of their animals. Besides this, the men who took care of Abram's animals and the ones who took care of Lot's animals started quarreling. Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
ABRAHAM AND LOT:
Lot was an orphan. One man decided to look after him and help him move towards his future. This man Abram (later Abraham) was his uncle being the brother of his deceased father. Lot has a remarkably blessed life on account of Abraham. When Abraham grew in riches Lot too became quite rich. The inevitable conclusion is that Abram shared with Lot his wealth thus the riches of Lot, were, in a manner of speaking, a gift of Abraham.
But, Lot apparently was not grateful. His shepherds started quarreling with the shepherds of Abraham. Such a thing could not have happened without him tolerating it or, at least, not taking an active step to stop his men. It was in fact a conflict not limited to shepherds in the final analysis of the two (2) rich men. But, Lot owed his wealth and his life to Abraham but this apparently was not even a factor in his relationship with Abraham.
In the midst of this ordeal, God opted not to say anything. He remained very quiet. Asaph says in Ps 83:1. O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still. NASB (Copyright, the Lockman Foundation). In Filipino, it seemed like God had said: “Away kong makialam diyan. Away nang magtiyuhin yan.” The remarkable thing is that when the problem was over, God spoke to Abraham and made many things clearer to him.
Why would God be quiet during momentous periods in our lives? Clearly, God did not say a thing. Was that we call silence? The dictionary gives us several possible understanding of the word “silent.” It can mean not inclined to speak; not talkative, unable to speak and choosing to speak. With the regards to the silence of God, the closest description is that this means that God has chosen not to speak. And, the very clear and therefore unmistakable reason is that He has already spoken and whether He speaks now or not, we must trust the words He already has spoken.
THE SILENCE OF GOD DURING TIMES OF ADVERSITIES.
Some of our adversities are of our own making. Adam was driven from the garden because he knowingly disobeyed God. Cain was punished because he was in full possession of mental faculties but he murdered his brother. During situations such as these, we do not usually question the silence of God.
On the other hand, some of our adversities are brought to us by others. Sometimes, others respond to our very act of kindness with a cruelty difficult to understand. Many mothers who have sacrificed the prime of their lives will end up being shouted at by their teenage children, disregarding the years of care and sacrifice put into action by the mother in favor of the welfare of the children. These are the times when we feel like questioning the silence of God.
Sometimes, our adversities are brought about by circumstances completely beyond our control such as, the force of nature and the resulting calamities. To this day, Bacolor, a lovely, historical and a close-knit community in Pampanga (Philippines) has not recovered its former stature and provably never will. Lives have been destroyed; families broken, properties rendered useless by the rampaging lahar from Mount Pinatubo.
Sometimes, our calamities and adversities are caused by our Genetic inheritance. I happen to have, from my genes, a tireless liver. Even when I already have sufficient amount of cholesterol, it just keeps on producing more and more that is why today, my diet is strictly no meat and no cooking oil. My son, Jonathan, is Trisomy 21 case or Down Syndrome, a problem that is genetic in nature.
How do you respond to your adversities? More importantly, what do we learn about God’s love and plan for us when we go through our moments of great difficulty and He remains silent? What is there to learn about God when He chooses not to say anything during times of great pain or disappointment?
God is love; that much we know from the Scriptures. Yet, there is that nagging and unavoidable question of His silence even when men go through their most painful suffering. The Deist thinks he has the answer when he proclaims that the reason evil takes place in the world is that God, in all His omnipotence, does not personally get involved in the affairs of man. That is why, the Deist explains, we have events such as Auschwitz, Darfur, Hiroshima and the like.
Probably more dangerous is the insistence of the modern TV Evangelist that sickness is a sign of a weak faith and that someone with sufficient faith is free from all these troubles in life. Of course by this definition, Ellisha the prophet was a man without faith for he died of a sickness. The truth is that we live in a world where personal tragedies and prolonged human suffering are visibly evident in the lives of the both the believers and the unbelievers. And when someone who expects God to speak in the times of his personal tragedy and prolonged suffering does not hear God, he begins to lose his faith and so he becomes adrift in the sea of doubts and uncertainties.
Let’s go back to the silence of God when Lot and his herdsmen acted with extreme arrogance toward Abraham. God did not say anything and so it can be described- (or so it seems) as the silence of God. But God is a relational God. He is a teaching God. He is a God who does not leave and abandon His people. His silence during deeply painful and difficult moments of our lives must not be viewed as a silence of neglect or lack of care. In fact, the case of Abraham and Lot provides us the clear explanation as to why God would sometimes not speak when we expect Him to speak.
When God does not speak, it simply means that He has already spoken and that all that we have to do is go back and hear again what He has already said and make our stand based on what He has already said and not on His silence during certain times in our lives.
God spoke to Abram and clearly told him that he would be blessed (Gen. 12). Whether God would speak again or not is no longer the point. He has already spoken and Abraham opted to trust God’s words. In fact, it was after that period of quarrel with Lot that God spoke again to Abraham – not during the time of his problem with Lot. After the parting of ways with Lot, which have been a painful experience, Lot was alone thinking about all the implications and then, in that condition, God spoke to Him. God basically told him 3 things: I have a plan for you; I have a plan for your offspring and it cannot be stopped; I will carry out my plan for your and your offspring.
You see, the silence of God during your difficult moments is not really silence as we know it. It simply means that He has already spoken and He will act based on that He has already proclaimed. Yes, we can trust Him for never abandons His people.
Ps 83:1. O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still. NIV. (Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society). Genesis 13:7 (Contemporary English Version): “6-7At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the same area, and so there wasn't enough pastureland left for Abram and Lot with all of their animals. Besides this, the men who took care of Abram's animals and the ones who took care of Lot's animals started quarreling. Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
ABRAHAM AND LOT:
Lot was an orphan. One man decided to look after him and help him move towards his future. This man Abram (later Abraham) was his uncle being the brother of his deceased father. Lot has a remarkably blessed life on account of Abraham. When Abraham grew in riches Lot too became quite rich. The inevitable conclusion is that Abram shared with Lot his wealth thus the riches of Lot, were, in a manner of speaking, a gift of Abraham.
But, Lot apparently was not grateful. His shepherds started quarreling with the shepherds of Abraham. Such a thing could not have happened without him tolerating it or, at least, not taking an active step to stop his men. It was in fact a conflict not limited to shepherds in the final analysis of the two (2) rich men. But, Lot owed his wealth and his life to Abraham but this apparently was not even a factor in his relationship with Abraham.
In the midst of this ordeal, God opted not to say anything. He remained very quiet. Asaph says in Ps 83:1. O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still. NASB (Copyright, the Lockman Foundation). In Filipino, it seemed like God had said: “Away kong makialam diyan. Away nang magtiyuhin yan.” The remarkable thing is that when the problem was over, God spoke to Abraham and made many things clearer to him.
Why would God be quiet during momentous periods in our lives? Clearly, God did not say a thing. Was that we call silence? The dictionary gives us several possible understanding of the word “silent.” It can mean not inclined to speak; not talkative, unable to speak and choosing to speak. With the regards to the silence of God, the closest description is that this means that God has chosen not to speak. And, the very clear and therefore unmistakable reason is that He has already spoken and whether He speaks now or not, we must trust the words He already has spoken.
THE SILENCE OF GOD DURING TIMES OF ADVERSITIES.
Some of our adversities are of our own making. Adam was driven from the garden because he knowingly disobeyed God. Cain was punished because he was in full possession of mental faculties but he murdered his brother. During situations such as these, we do not usually question the silence of God.
On the other hand, some of our adversities are brought to us by others. Sometimes, others respond to our very act of kindness with a cruelty difficult to understand. Many mothers who have sacrificed the prime of their lives will end up being shouted at by their teenage children, disregarding the years of care and sacrifice put into action by the mother in favor of the welfare of the children. These are the times when we feel like questioning the silence of God.
Sometimes, our adversities are brought about by circumstances completely beyond our control such as, the force of nature and the resulting calamities. To this day, Bacolor, a lovely, historical and a close-knit community in Pampanga (Philippines) has not recovered its former stature and provably never will. Lives have been destroyed; families broken, properties rendered useless by the rampaging lahar from Mount Pinatubo.
Sometimes, our calamities and adversities are caused by our Genetic inheritance. I happen to have, from my genes, a tireless liver. Even when I already have sufficient amount of cholesterol, it just keeps on producing more and more that is why today, my diet is strictly no meat and no cooking oil. My son, Jonathan, is Trisomy 21 case or Down Syndrome, a problem that is genetic in nature.
How do you respond to your adversities? More importantly, what do we learn about God’s love and plan for us when we go through our moments of great difficulty and He remains silent? What is there to learn about God when He chooses not to say anything during times of great pain or disappointment?
God is love; that much we know from the Scriptures. Yet, there is that nagging and unavoidable question of His silence even when men go through their most painful suffering. The Deist thinks he has the answer when he proclaims that the reason evil takes place in the world is that God, in all His omnipotence, does not personally get involved in the affairs of man. That is why, the Deist explains, we have events such as Auschwitz, Darfur, Hiroshima and the like.
Probably more dangerous is the insistence of the modern TV Evangelist that sickness is a sign of a weak faith and that someone with sufficient faith is free from all these troubles in life. Of course by this definition, Ellisha the prophet was a man without faith for he died of a sickness. The truth is that we live in a world where personal tragedies and prolonged human suffering are visibly evident in the lives of the both the believers and the unbelievers. And when someone who expects God to speak in the times of his personal tragedy and prolonged suffering does not hear God, he begins to lose his faith and so he becomes adrift in the sea of doubts and uncertainties.
Let’s go back to the silence of God when Lot and his herdsmen acted with extreme arrogance toward Abraham. God did not say anything and so it can be described- (or so it seems) as the silence of God. But God is a relational God. He is a teaching God. He is a God who does not leave and abandon His people. His silence during deeply painful and difficult moments of our lives must not be viewed as a silence of neglect or lack of care. In fact, the case of Abraham and Lot provides us the clear explanation as to why God would sometimes not speak when we expect Him to speak.
When God does not speak, it simply means that He has already spoken and that all that we have to do is go back and hear again what He has already said and make our stand based on what He has already said and not on His silence during certain times in our lives.
God spoke to Abram and clearly told him that he would be blessed (Gen. 12). Whether God would speak again or not is no longer the point. He has already spoken and Abraham opted to trust God’s words. In fact, it was after that period of quarrel with Lot that God spoke again to Abraham – not during the time of his problem with Lot. After the parting of ways with Lot, which have been a painful experience, Lot was alone thinking about all the implications and then, in that condition, God spoke to Him. God basically told him 3 things: I have a plan for you; I have a plan for your offspring and it cannot be stopped; I will carry out my plan for your and your offspring.
You see, the silence of God during your difficult moments is not really silence as we know it. It simply means that He has already spoken and He will act based on that He has already proclaimed. Yes, we can trust Him for never abandons His people.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES:
THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES:
Wings To Make Us Fly Over The Mountains
Lights To Ward Off The Insistent Darkness
Truth To Help Us Navigate Through Dark Thoughts
Food To Last Our Entire Wilderness Sojourn
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Phil 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. 15 And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
NASB
King David, more than most people, understood the sublime majesty of the Word, its penetrating and cleansing impact, it life-changing qualities and its absolute necessity in the life of the believer. The Word of God has a greatness and quality of vast magnitude far beyond arguments and comparison.
The Word established David’s moral boundaries: Ps 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. David looked into the Word to examine the purity of his heart: Ps 119:11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. He understood that during moments of deep anguish and sense of loss and meaninglessness, his revival would come through the Word: Ps 119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy word. When weeping was too deep for the body to do and the soul takes up the groaning and weeping that comes with a soul-battering pain, David understood that the renewal of his strength would come through the Word. Ps 119:28 My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Thy word.
Expressing his utmost joy of knowing the Word of God and his utter blessedness in having access to God through His Word, David states: Ps 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
David understood the nature and benefits we derive from the Word of God. From its pages, the Word of god provides us with:
Wings To Make Us Fly Over The Mountains
Lights To Ward Off The Insistent Darkness
Truth To Help Us Navigate Through Dark Thoughts
Food To Last Our Entire Wilderness Sojourn
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU CAN DO. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING.
Phil 4:13. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Simple but majestic, the verse presents three (3) gems that were his but also ours to enjoy: First: Our unusual God-given ability: We can do all things. Second: The explanation for this unusual God-given ability: It is through Jesus Christ. Third: The secret is that the Lord is giving him strength. This was not an ability unique only to Paul. I’m sure he was stating a truth that can and should be applied in the life of every believer: A believer can do all things which means nothing in this world can really defeat him. He points to the Lord as the reason for his ability (Though Him) and he explains what the Lord does to him: strengthens me. Watch the language again: It does not say: He STRENGTHENED me or He WILL strengthen me. “Strengthens” indicates a continuing provision of strength for whatever situation one is facing in life. You have the Lord Jesus with you. What more proof do you need that you can make (KAYA MO YAN) it and that you will, in the end, rise above your troubles and enjoy the glory of victory. Repent if you have been having self-pity. Tell God you are grateful for the guaranteed victory. Have a lively prayer conversation with Him.
IT’S BEYOND ANY ARGUMENT: ONE SECRET OF A CONTENDED LIFE IS TO HAVE PEOPLE YOU WILL ALWAYS LONG TO SEE.
Phil. 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved
Paul was living at a time of affliction and great difficulty. He goes through life, day after day with all the uncertainties he faced but his mind and heart were focused on people he calls “my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy and crown.” Without someone to love or care for, life can become bland and tasteless to the soul. The hardship of the moment becomes bearable because you know that soon you will see someone or do something good for others you love.
Paul had a number of good partnerships with but his relationship with the Philippians was a very special one. They were the ones he longed to see- in Tagalog one would say- “pinanabikan kong makita.” Find out the identities of people whose presence can make you smile with satisfaction, sit with serenity and lean back with an unworried confidence. Find out who these people are who can boost your confidence, soothe your emotions, calm the raging waves of doubts and extinguish the burning fire of rage. Who are the people you long to see? This can be a spouse, a son or daughter, a parent, a potential life-partner and the like. But Paul was referring to another group: Spiritual people with whom you can find shelter in times of stress, comfort in times of loneliness, guidance in times of difficult journey; in other words, people of God who long to see you and you also long to see. This was one of Paul’s secrets. Is it yours now? Ask God to bring to you the people who can best guide you, make you strong and walk with you even through the valley of the shadow of death.
HARSH AS IT MAY SEEM, ANXIETY IS A CHOICE
AND A RESULT OF LIMITED SELF DISCIPLINE.
Phil. 4:6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Paul was a very gifted man. His primary gift was in the area of making us understand the sometimes not so easy to understand spiritual principles. Here he tells us of the principles on anxiety. How simple and how relevant these are. He tells us two important principles involved in dealing with anxiety.
The first is that anxiety is a choice. He says “Be anxious for nothing.” The reality is that there are many things in this world that can make us anxious. But knowing all these anxiety-generating issues, Paul says: “Be anxious for nothing.” It’s a way of saying, “Be aware of what you need and what you do not have but don’t let it worry you. Knowing about a need and worrying about it are two different issues.” He is saying, if something is worrisome, decide not to worry. But how? Does it sound as simple as it seem to be? Here is the second principle.
You cannot successfully NOT WORRY if you do not have a substitute activity. He says: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” It means that the primary antidote to anxiety is thanksgiving. Count your blessings. Count how many people are close to you. Examine how God has been so good to you. Then out of this thanksgiving, proceed to tell God your requests. Here then is the process of overcoming anxiety: First, affirm that although many things in life are worrisome but you WILL NOT WORRY ABOUT THESE. Second, Be grateful to God for all the signs of His goodness. Third: Tell God your requests. The result is that you will not be anxious and you can pray effectively Tell God you are grateful. Count your blessings. Then tell Him about every issue that is bothersome, difficult and oppressing to you.
YES, REJOICING IS A CHOICE. SO DECIDE
Phil. 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Most people rejoice as a reaction to a nice experience. That is rejoicing as a response to an event. Paul is talking about a rejoicing that is a matter of choice and one that becomes a part of daily life. Of course it is true that it is not easy to rejoice if we do not know of a reason to be happy.
The secret of rejoicing is not so much that there is something too wonderful and too extraordinary that has happened to you. The secret really is the realization that the Lord is with you and that He is deeply involved with your life. That is why Paul does not only say rejoice; he says rejoice IN THE LORD! One who is very close to the Lord won’t have a difficulty rejoicing. So, develop your relationship with Lord as a believer. It can make the difference whether you will be happy or not. Tell God why He is important to you. Then pray for others. If this becomes a habit, you will note that rejoicing becomes easier to do.
BRINGING JOY TO SOMEONE BRINGS JOY TO YOU.
THE JOY-GIVER IS ALSO A JOY-RECEIVER
Phil. 4:10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity
Paul talks about his own experience of joy. He says: “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.” The reason for this is quite simple: “you have revived your concern for me.” Sometimes we miss the spiritual truth that an act of kindness can generate joy in the heart of the one who was the recipient of your kindness. “You have revived your concern for me” Is it possible that there is someone who will be gifted with happiness through your kindness?
Don’t let this day pass without doing something good or saying something good to someone. Make someone happy today by showing an act of kindness and concern. God can use you to make others happy. Ask God to lead you so that you can help others the right way, at the right time and with the right kind of help.
PEACEMAKER AND HARMONY ENHANCER” ARE YOU?
Phil. 4:2. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
We do not know a lot about Eudia and Synthyche. From the reading, it appears like they were mature and hard working missionaries with Paul. But, something had happened and Eudia and Syntyche had a relationship that lacked harmony. It had gotten so bad that Paul had to ask the Philippians to help these women be reconciled to and with each other.
The story of Eudia and Syntyche reminds us that there is a great need to look into and to maintain harmony in the Christian community or home. Disharmony happens even to the very mature. But it should not be allowed to linger. If this problem is happening in your case, do something bout it. Don’t wait too long. Pray for others who have, at one time or another, have hurt you. Prayerlessness breeds anger and a desire to exact revenge.
RUNNING OUT OF SUPPLY (BLESSINGS), WHY?
SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME
Phil. 4:19. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
It is so easy to misread many verses in the Bible. This is one of the most misread and misinterpreted parts of the Bible. We all like the part which says: God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory…” The truth is that based on actual observation, many Christians are running out of supply. They do not seem to receive regular supplies from God. Why? The verse before this helps us understand what this is all about.
Paul confirms that he has received supplies from the Philippians. It must have been difficult for them to do this. To those who were faithful in supplying others, especially those in the ministry, God will supply them also and provide for all these needs. It’s simple really: One who is generous in helping others will also received generous help from God. So don’t miss the point. Bless and you will be blessed.
Ask God to help you bless others. Then ask for wisdom as to how you should help others because you know the principle: As you supply, you will be supplied.
Wings To Make Us Fly Over The Mountains
Lights To Ward Off The Insistent Darkness
Truth To Help Us Navigate Through Dark Thoughts
Food To Last Our Entire Wilderness Sojourn
Except when otherwise indicated “Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Phil 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. 15 And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. 18 But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
NASB
King David, more than most people, understood the sublime majesty of the Word, its penetrating and cleansing impact, it life-changing qualities and its absolute necessity in the life of the believer. The Word of God has a greatness and quality of vast magnitude far beyond arguments and comparison.
The Word established David’s moral boundaries: Ps 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. David looked into the Word to examine the purity of his heart: Ps 119:11 Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. He understood that during moments of deep anguish and sense of loss and meaninglessness, his revival would come through the Word: Ps 119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy word. When weeping was too deep for the body to do and the soul takes up the groaning and weeping that comes with a soul-battering pain, David understood that the renewal of his strength would come through the Word. Ps 119:28 My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Thy word.
Expressing his utmost joy of knowing the Word of God and his utter blessedness in having access to God through His Word, David states: Ps 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. 10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
David understood the nature and benefits we derive from the Word of God. From its pages, the Word of god provides us with:
Wings To Make Us Fly Over The Mountains
Lights To Ward Off The Insistent Darkness
Truth To Help Us Navigate Through Dark Thoughts
Food To Last Our Entire Wilderness Sojourn
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE WHAT YOU CAN DO. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING.
Phil 4:13. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Simple but majestic, the verse presents three (3) gems that were his but also ours to enjoy: First: Our unusual God-given ability: We can do all things. Second: The explanation for this unusual God-given ability: It is through Jesus Christ. Third: The secret is that the Lord is giving him strength. This was not an ability unique only to Paul. I’m sure he was stating a truth that can and should be applied in the life of every believer: A believer can do all things which means nothing in this world can really defeat him. He points to the Lord as the reason for his ability (Though Him) and he explains what the Lord does to him: strengthens me. Watch the language again: It does not say: He STRENGTHENED me or He WILL strengthen me. “Strengthens” indicates a continuing provision of strength for whatever situation one is facing in life. You have the Lord Jesus with you. What more proof do you need that you can make (KAYA MO YAN) it and that you will, in the end, rise above your troubles and enjoy the glory of victory. Repent if you have been having self-pity. Tell God you are grateful for the guaranteed victory. Have a lively prayer conversation with Him.
IT’S BEYOND ANY ARGUMENT: ONE SECRET OF A CONTENDED LIFE IS TO HAVE PEOPLE YOU WILL ALWAYS LONG TO SEE.
Phil. 4:1 Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved
Paul was living at a time of affliction and great difficulty. He goes through life, day after day with all the uncertainties he faced but his mind and heart were focused on people he calls “my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy and crown.” Without someone to love or care for, life can become bland and tasteless to the soul. The hardship of the moment becomes bearable because you know that soon you will see someone or do something good for others you love.
Paul had a number of good partnerships with but his relationship with the Philippians was a very special one. They were the ones he longed to see- in Tagalog one would say- “pinanabikan kong makita.” Find out the identities of people whose presence can make you smile with satisfaction, sit with serenity and lean back with an unworried confidence. Find out who these people are who can boost your confidence, soothe your emotions, calm the raging waves of doubts and extinguish the burning fire of rage. Who are the people you long to see? This can be a spouse, a son or daughter, a parent, a potential life-partner and the like. But Paul was referring to another group: Spiritual people with whom you can find shelter in times of stress, comfort in times of loneliness, guidance in times of difficult journey; in other words, people of God who long to see you and you also long to see. This was one of Paul’s secrets. Is it yours now? Ask God to bring to you the people who can best guide you, make you strong and walk with you even through the valley of the shadow of death.
HARSH AS IT MAY SEEM, ANXIETY IS A CHOICE
AND A RESULT OF LIMITED SELF DISCIPLINE.
Phil. 4:6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Paul was a very gifted man. His primary gift was in the area of making us understand the sometimes not so easy to understand spiritual principles. Here he tells us of the principles on anxiety. How simple and how relevant these are. He tells us two important principles involved in dealing with anxiety.
The first is that anxiety is a choice. He says “Be anxious for nothing.” The reality is that there are many things in this world that can make us anxious. But knowing all these anxiety-generating issues, Paul says: “Be anxious for nothing.” It’s a way of saying, “Be aware of what you need and what you do not have but don’t let it worry you. Knowing about a need and worrying about it are two different issues.” He is saying, if something is worrisome, decide not to worry. But how? Does it sound as simple as it seem to be? Here is the second principle.
You cannot successfully NOT WORRY if you do not have a substitute activity. He says: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” It means that the primary antidote to anxiety is thanksgiving. Count your blessings. Count how many people are close to you. Examine how God has been so good to you. Then out of this thanksgiving, proceed to tell God your requests. Here then is the process of overcoming anxiety: First, affirm that although many things in life are worrisome but you WILL NOT WORRY ABOUT THESE. Second, Be grateful to God for all the signs of His goodness. Third: Tell God your requests. The result is that you will not be anxious and you can pray effectively Tell God you are grateful. Count your blessings. Then tell Him about every issue that is bothersome, difficult and oppressing to you.
YES, REJOICING IS A CHOICE. SO DECIDE
Phil. 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Most people rejoice as a reaction to a nice experience. That is rejoicing as a response to an event. Paul is talking about a rejoicing that is a matter of choice and one that becomes a part of daily life. Of course it is true that it is not easy to rejoice if we do not know of a reason to be happy.
The secret of rejoicing is not so much that there is something too wonderful and too extraordinary that has happened to you. The secret really is the realization that the Lord is with you and that He is deeply involved with your life. That is why Paul does not only say rejoice; he says rejoice IN THE LORD! One who is very close to the Lord won’t have a difficulty rejoicing. So, develop your relationship with Lord as a believer. It can make the difference whether you will be happy or not. Tell God why He is important to you. Then pray for others. If this becomes a habit, you will note that rejoicing becomes easier to do.
BRINGING JOY TO SOMEONE BRINGS JOY TO YOU.
THE JOY-GIVER IS ALSO A JOY-RECEIVER
Phil. 4:10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity
Paul talks about his own experience of joy. He says: “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly.” The reason for this is quite simple: “you have revived your concern for me.” Sometimes we miss the spiritual truth that an act of kindness can generate joy in the heart of the one who was the recipient of your kindness. “You have revived your concern for me” Is it possible that there is someone who will be gifted with happiness through your kindness?
Don’t let this day pass without doing something good or saying something good to someone. Make someone happy today by showing an act of kindness and concern. God can use you to make others happy. Ask God to lead you so that you can help others the right way, at the right time and with the right kind of help.
PEACEMAKER AND HARMONY ENHANCER” ARE YOU?
Phil. 4:2. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3 Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
We do not know a lot about Eudia and Synthyche. From the reading, it appears like they were mature and hard working missionaries with Paul. But, something had happened and Eudia and Syntyche had a relationship that lacked harmony. It had gotten so bad that Paul had to ask the Philippians to help these women be reconciled to and with each other.
The story of Eudia and Syntyche reminds us that there is a great need to look into and to maintain harmony in the Christian community or home. Disharmony happens even to the very mature. But it should not be allowed to linger. If this problem is happening in your case, do something bout it. Don’t wait too long. Pray for others who have, at one time or another, have hurt you. Prayerlessness breeds anger and a desire to exact revenge.
RUNNING OUT OF SUPPLY (BLESSINGS), WHY?
SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME
Phil. 4:19. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
It is so easy to misread many verses in the Bible. This is one of the most misread and misinterpreted parts of the Bible. We all like the part which says: God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory…” The truth is that based on actual observation, many Christians are running out of supply. They do not seem to receive regular supplies from God. Why? The verse before this helps us understand what this is all about.
Paul confirms that he has received supplies from the Philippians. It must have been difficult for them to do this. To those who were faithful in supplying others, especially those in the ministry, God will supply them also and provide for all these needs. It’s simple really: One who is generous in helping others will also received generous help from God. So don’t miss the point. Bless and you will be blessed.
Ask God to help you bless others. Then ask for wisdom as to how you should help others because you know the principle: As you supply, you will be supplied.
Monday, September 13, 2010
BE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE
BE WHAT YOU SHOULD BE:
DECIDING TO HAVE THE CORRECT VIEW OF SPIRITUALITY
Harsh as it may seem, the Bible hammers into our consciousness the hard fact of life that many of our emotional ups and downs are products wrong choices motivated mostly by either uninformed spirituality or a stubbornness coming out of our old nature. The Bible also tells us that our spirituality, as an experience, begins by being born again. That implies that we start our journey as babies in the faith, excited but still uninformed about the deeper truths of our salvation. It is expected of every believer to outgrow infanthood and grow to become a person mature in the faith and skilled in making decisions for his daily life. However, we know that this is not often true. Many believers who should have mature long ago still remain toddlers in their faith.
We are to decide, by the grace and mercies of God, to be what we should be before God and even before the world. There is no excuse of immaturity. We all must grow to maturity for though we are Christians in this world we are not worldly Christians.
COURAGE IS A CHOICE SO CHOOSE TO BE COURAGEOUS.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is a deep spiritual truth that we must make a part of our library of principles: THE CROWD CANNOT HIDE YOU FROM THE LORD’S LOVE AND KINDNESS. Close your eyes and picture this: The Lord had come down from the mountain. The multitudes (not multitude- did you notice?) were there, waiting for Him and when they saw Him, they followed Him. A more modern translation renders the verse this way: Matt 8:1. “When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him.” TEV. In a literal sense, we can say that they were all followers. With all the people there, ONLY ONE ACTUALLY directly benefited from the love and kindness of the Lord. A leper approached the Lord and, with all humility, said: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The Lord says: “I am willing, be cleansed.” It may not appear a lot to us but IT WAS! The Lord healed the Leper so he can go back and be reconciled to Society. But, here is the challenge to you: Out of the multitudes that were there, one who had a serious need received the blessings. You see, the multitudes cannot hide you and your need from the loving and kind eyes of the Lord. I don’t know where you are now as you read this but it makes no difference because wherever you are, nothing can hide you and your needs from the eyes of the Loving Savior. Is it your turn today to be noticed by the Lord? Claim it! Think about your need. Tell the Lord that if He is willing (and He will certainly be willing), He can meet your needs.
CONFIDENCE IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE SO CHOOSE TO BE CONFIDENT:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is another wonderful truth for our library of principles: NOBODY CAN KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE AND PROVISIONS OF THE LORD. Both by the prevailing law and culture of those days, a leper cannot just approach any other person. Jesus was already regarded as a Rabbi or a teacher at that time. A leper approaching a Rabbi risks being stoned away. The leper knows his condition; it’s quite serious. The leper knows what the people can do to him; they might stone him away. But there was one thing more the leper knew and was certainly confident about: he was certain the Lord would not turn him down so he took the risk, approached the Lord and got healed. He never doubted that if Jesus willed, the Lord could make him clean.
Sometimes there is something in us that prevents us from approaching the Lord with confidence. Is it sin? Is it discouragement? Is it frustration? Whatever that is, just take the attitude of the leper. He knew the seriousness of his condition and the risks he was taking but he also, without a shadow of a doubt, had pure confidence in the Lord and so he approached him. He understood that the basis of approaching the Lord was not his (the leper’s) lack of qualifications but the love and kindness of the Lord. Try this principle of APPROACHING THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE and ask Him for a favor today. Right now, pause and talk to the Lord. Be confident. You may actually be disqualified (just like most of us) as a sinner but that is not the issue. The Lord loves the unlovable and accepts the outcast.
HUMILITY IS NOT AN EASY CHOICE BUT WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE HUMBLE.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
He is the third of those wonderful principles you may want to add to your library of principles: APPROACH THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE BUT APPROACH HIM WITH THE “IF YOU ARE WILLING” ATTITUDE. The leper was courageous; give him that. He knew the risk of being stoned away but no threat of stoning can prevent him from approaching the Lord. The leper was confident; he was banking on the Lord’s already talked-about kindness and not on his personal disqualification as a leper. Yet, when he actually got in front of the Lord (how it happened without him being stoned away is in itself a miracle), he “bowed down” and said: Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.”
Here is demonstrated humility. He presented a request not based on his right. He says: “If you are willing.” It would be like saying: “I know my needs and I know that You can meet my needs but I am presenting this request to you because I know that if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Humility goes a long way. It can open the door to the presence of the Lord. Tell God about your needs and just say: Father, if you are willing, You can give me the desires of my heart.
NOT EVERYONE CAN ACCEPT THE NEED TO BE REVERENT BUT WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE ONE:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our fourth principle for our library of principles: APPROACH THE LORD WITH PROPER RESPECT AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY DUE HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. The NASB tells us that the leper BOWED DOWN. The NIV says the leper KNELT BEFORE HIM. The KJV tells us that the man WORSHIPED HIM. There is a good reason for the use of the word Worshiped in the KJV. The Greek verb is proskunein, and it really means worship! But worship is usually accompanied by the behavioral act of bowing down or kneeling, the NIV and the NASB opted to refer to the physical act- probably to make it more understandable – while the KJV opted to use the word “worshiped” to reveal the meaning of the act.
The crowds followed the Lord but at this stage there is no record of the Lord being worshiped. Now, one man, disqualified by their law and culture from approaching the Lord, did approach Him and demonstrated the proper way to approach the Lord: REVERENTIAL WORSHIP. A rephrased translation would be like this: “he (the leper) approached Jesus, worshiped Him and said; Lord…”. In the passage, we see three signs of reverence: The attitude (worshipful), the act (bowed down or knelt before Him) and the Title used (Lord). Approach the Lord with reverence because this is the proper way to talk to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Try this: Find a place to kneel down (you can use pillow to protect your knees if you want to). Start worshiping God on your knees. Tell Him who He is in your life. Sing if your spirit feels like doing so. Towards the end, tell the Lord about your need. It is a wonderful experience. Try it today.
MANY PRAY WITH HOPELESSNESS AS THE CONTROLLING MINDSET. DON’T BE LIKE THEM. BE EXPECTANT WHEN YOU ASK SOMETHING FROM THE LORD:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Our fifth principle in our library of principles: YOU ARE APPROACHING THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS WHOSE POWER IS UNLIMITED AND WHOSE COMPASSION KNOWS NO BORDERS. Imagine this: Crowds following the Lord. Then one man, a leper at that, managed to find his way to the Savior (if there’s a will, there’s a way, right?). The leper worshiped Him (bowed down or knelt before Him). Do you see the picture now? The leper was blocking Jesus’ path! He was that expectant! Of course the leper did not say : you can only move forward over my dead body.” It was more like: “ The Lord will soon walk forward over my HEALED BODY.”
Then the leper felt a touch; Jesus was touching Him (unthinkable really, in those days) and the leper heard the words that would end his misery, mend his broken life, free him from the misery of social isolation and usher in the hope which long ago had been taken from him: “I am willing, be cleansed.” I suppose that since that day, the leper may have become the LEAPER; one who leaps for joy. Read Matthew 7:7 and apply it in prayer today. Be expectant.
COMPASSION IS FADING AWAY AS AN ATTITUDE BUT WE MUST BE DIFFERENT. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our sixth principle in our library of principles: IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD’S COMPASSION, IT IS NOW YOUR DUTY TO BE COMPASSIONATE TO OTHERS. The leper was literally “untouchable” in the sense that others were not allowed to touch him. Compassion, however, notices the need, feels the hurt and goes beyond what is usual and ordinary. It generates healing, gives comfort, assists and restores. This is what the Lord did to the leper. The touch of compassion, the words of compassion changed the life of the leper. He was not a leper anymore. He had become a LEAPER; leaping for joy.
The Bible tells us that God is gracious and compassionate. Joel 2:13. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate , slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (NIV). The Bible tells us to be compassionate. Eph 4:32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV). Here is something I discovered from observing life and by actual experience. He who has received the Lord’s compassion and goes out and becomes compassionate to others has more chance to enjoy life and to enter into a deeper and closer relationship with the Lord. . Read Eph. 4:32 again rephrase it this way (to become your prayer): Father, make me kind and compassionate to others, to forgive others just as you have also forgiven me in the Lord Jesus Christ.
THIS IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE REQUIREMENT: BE A WITNESS FOR THE LORD.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our seventh principle for our library of principles: To be a good witness for the Lord, be prepared to do it the right way. The last verse in our text for the week is a bit strange for most people. The healed leper was told not to tell anyone about his healing. Why should you be quiet about such wonderful news? There is a good reason for this. If you want to be (and we should) a witness for the Lord, you have to be prepared to do it the right way, otherwise you bring more harm than good.
The Lord told the leper to go to the priests to make the correct offering and to go through the process required to receive a certificate that he has, indeed, been healed of his leprosy. The process is discussed in Leviticus 14 (read it some other time). Finally, after a thorough process, he gets declared as having been healed of his leprosy. Then he gets a certificate. At this stage, he can tell others because others will actually demand of him.
Without the certificate, he can talk about what the Lord had done but it will simply trigger troubles for everyone, including the Lord. The Romans would be suspicious, the Jewish leaders would be disturbed and the population may want to make the Lord their King and fight the Romans. On the other hand, when he finally gets the certificate from the priests, then he has incontrovertible proof of having been healed and he can point to the Lord as the reason for his healing and it cannot be disputed anymore. He was being prepared to become a good and credible witness for the Lord. Are you being trained to be a witness for the Lord? Without being trained, one can sometimes becomes a HOSTILE witness; doing more harm than good. Ask God to help you become a good and credible witness of His love and compassion.
DECIDING TO HAVE THE CORRECT VIEW OF SPIRITUALITY
Harsh as it may seem, the Bible hammers into our consciousness the hard fact of life that many of our emotional ups and downs are products wrong choices motivated mostly by either uninformed spirituality or a stubbornness coming out of our old nature. The Bible also tells us that our spirituality, as an experience, begins by being born again. That implies that we start our journey as babies in the faith, excited but still uninformed about the deeper truths of our salvation. It is expected of every believer to outgrow infanthood and grow to become a person mature in the faith and skilled in making decisions for his daily life. However, we know that this is not often true. Many believers who should have mature long ago still remain toddlers in their faith.
We are to decide, by the grace and mercies of God, to be what we should be before God and even before the world. There is no excuse of immaturity. We all must grow to maturity for though we are Christians in this world we are not worldly Christians.
COURAGE IS A CHOICE SO CHOOSE TO BE COURAGEOUS.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is a deep spiritual truth that we must make a part of our library of principles: THE CROWD CANNOT HIDE YOU FROM THE LORD’S LOVE AND KINDNESS. Close your eyes and picture this: The Lord had come down from the mountain. The multitudes (not multitude- did you notice?) were there, waiting for Him and when they saw Him, they followed Him. A more modern translation renders the verse this way: Matt 8:1. “When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him.” TEV. In a literal sense, we can say that they were all followers. With all the people there, ONLY ONE ACTUALLY directly benefited from the love and kindness of the Lord. A leper approached the Lord and, with all humility, said: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The Lord says: “I am willing, be cleansed.” It may not appear a lot to us but IT WAS! The Lord healed the Leper so he can go back and be reconciled to Society. But, here is the challenge to you: Out of the multitudes that were there, one who had a serious need received the blessings. You see, the multitudes cannot hide you and your need from the loving and kind eyes of the Lord. I don’t know where you are now as you read this but it makes no difference because wherever you are, nothing can hide you and your needs from the eyes of the Loving Savior. Is it your turn today to be noticed by the Lord? Claim it! Think about your need. Tell the Lord that if He is willing (and He will certainly be willing), He can meet your needs.
CONFIDENCE IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE SO CHOOSE TO BE CONFIDENT:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is another wonderful truth for our library of principles: NOBODY CAN KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE AND PROVISIONS OF THE LORD. Both by the prevailing law and culture of those days, a leper cannot just approach any other person. Jesus was already regarded as a Rabbi or a teacher at that time. A leper approaching a Rabbi risks being stoned away. The leper knows his condition; it’s quite serious. The leper knows what the people can do to him; they might stone him away. But there was one thing more the leper knew and was certainly confident about: he was certain the Lord would not turn him down so he took the risk, approached the Lord and got healed. He never doubted that if Jesus willed, the Lord could make him clean.
Sometimes there is something in us that prevents us from approaching the Lord with confidence. Is it sin? Is it discouragement? Is it frustration? Whatever that is, just take the attitude of the leper. He knew the seriousness of his condition and the risks he was taking but he also, without a shadow of a doubt, had pure confidence in the Lord and so he approached him. He understood that the basis of approaching the Lord was not his (the leper’s) lack of qualifications but the love and kindness of the Lord. Try this principle of APPROACHING THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE and ask Him for a favor today. Right now, pause and talk to the Lord. Be confident. You may actually be disqualified (just like most of us) as a sinner but that is not the issue. The Lord loves the unlovable and accepts the outcast.
HUMILITY IS NOT AN EASY CHOICE BUT WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE HUMBLE.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
He is the third of those wonderful principles you may want to add to your library of principles: APPROACH THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE BUT APPROACH HIM WITH THE “IF YOU ARE WILLING” ATTITUDE. The leper was courageous; give him that. He knew the risk of being stoned away but no threat of stoning can prevent him from approaching the Lord. The leper was confident; he was banking on the Lord’s already talked-about kindness and not on his personal disqualification as a leper. Yet, when he actually got in front of the Lord (how it happened without him being stoned away is in itself a miracle), he “bowed down” and said: Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.”
Here is demonstrated humility. He presented a request not based on his right. He says: “If you are willing.” It would be like saying: “I know my needs and I know that You can meet my needs but I am presenting this request to you because I know that if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Humility goes a long way. It can open the door to the presence of the Lord. Tell God about your needs and just say: Father, if you are willing, You can give me the desires of my heart.
NOT EVERYONE CAN ACCEPT THE NEED TO BE REVERENT BUT WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE ONE:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our fourth principle for our library of principles: APPROACH THE LORD WITH PROPER RESPECT AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY DUE HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. The NASB tells us that the leper BOWED DOWN. The NIV says the leper KNELT BEFORE HIM. The KJV tells us that the man WORSHIPED HIM. There is a good reason for the use of the word Worshiped in the KJV. The Greek verb is proskunein, and it really means worship! But worship is usually accompanied by the behavioral act of bowing down or kneeling, the NIV and the NASB opted to refer to the physical act- probably to make it more understandable – while the KJV opted to use the word “worshiped” to reveal the meaning of the act.
The crowds followed the Lord but at this stage there is no record of the Lord being worshiped. Now, one man, disqualified by their law and culture from approaching the Lord, did approach Him and demonstrated the proper way to approach the Lord: REVERENTIAL WORSHIP. A rephrased translation would be like this: “he (the leper) approached Jesus, worshiped Him and said; Lord…”. In the passage, we see three signs of reverence: The attitude (worshipful), the act (bowed down or knelt before Him) and the Title used (Lord). Approach the Lord with reverence because this is the proper way to talk to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Try this: Find a place to kneel down (you can use pillow to protect your knees if you want to). Start worshiping God on your knees. Tell Him who He is in your life. Sing if your spirit feels like doing so. Towards the end, tell the Lord about your need. It is a wonderful experience. Try it today.
MANY PRAY WITH HOPELESSNESS AS THE CONTROLLING MINDSET. DON’T BE LIKE THEM. BE EXPECTANT WHEN YOU ASK SOMETHING FROM THE LORD:
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Our fifth principle in our library of principles: YOU ARE APPROACHING THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS WHOSE POWER IS UNLIMITED AND WHOSE COMPASSION KNOWS NO BORDERS. Imagine this: Crowds following the Lord. Then one man, a leper at that, managed to find his way to the Savior (if there’s a will, there’s a way, right?). The leper worshiped Him (bowed down or knelt before Him). Do you see the picture now? The leper was blocking Jesus’ path! He was that expectant! Of course the leper did not say : you can only move forward over my dead body.” It was more like: “ The Lord will soon walk forward over my HEALED BODY.”
Then the leper felt a touch; Jesus was touching Him (unthinkable really, in those days) and the leper heard the words that would end his misery, mend his broken life, free him from the misery of social isolation and usher in the hope which long ago had been taken from him: “I am willing, be cleansed.” I suppose that since that day, the leper may have become the LEAPER; one who leaps for joy. Read Matthew 7:7 and apply it in prayer today. Be expectant.
COMPASSION IS FADING AWAY AS AN ATTITUDE BUT WE MUST BE DIFFERENT. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our sixth principle in our library of principles: IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD’S COMPASSION, IT IS NOW YOUR DUTY TO BE COMPASSIONATE TO OTHERS. The leper was literally “untouchable” in the sense that others were not allowed to touch him. Compassion, however, notices the need, feels the hurt and goes beyond what is usual and ordinary. It generates healing, gives comfort, assists and restores. This is what the Lord did to the leper. The touch of compassion, the words of compassion changed the life of the leper. He was not a leper anymore. He had become a LEAPER; leaping for joy.
The Bible tells us that God is gracious and compassionate. Joel 2:13. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate , slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. (NIV). The Bible tells us to be compassionate. Eph 4:32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV). Here is something I discovered from observing life and by actual experience. He who has received the Lord’s compassion and goes out and becomes compassionate to others has more chance to enjoy life and to enter into a deeper and closer relationship with the Lord. . Read Eph. 4:32 again rephrase it this way (to become your prayer): Father, make me kind and compassionate to others, to forgive others just as you have also forgiven me in the Lord Jesus Christ.
THIS IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE REQUIREMENT: BE A WITNESS FOR THE LORD.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Here is our seventh principle for our library of principles: To be a good witness for the Lord, be prepared to do it the right way. The last verse in our text for the week is a bit strange for most people. The healed leper was told not to tell anyone about his healing. Why should you be quiet about such wonderful news? There is a good reason for this. If you want to be (and we should) a witness for the Lord, you have to be prepared to do it the right way, otherwise you bring more harm than good.
The Lord told the leper to go to the priests to make the correct offering and to go through the process required to receive a certificate that he has, indeed, been healed of his leprosy. The process is discussed in Leviticus 14 (read it some other time). Finally, after a thorough process, he gets declared as having been healed of his leprosy. Then he gets a certificate. At this stage, he can tell others because others will actually demand of him.
Without the certificate, he can talk about what the Lord had done but it will simply trigger troubles for everyone, including the Lord. The Romans would be suspicious, the Jewish leaders would be disturbed and the population may want to make the Lord their King and fight the Romans. On the other hand, when he finally gets the certificate from the priests, then he has incontrovertible proof of having been healed and he can point to the Lord as the reason for his healing and it cannot be disputed anymore. He was being prepared to become a good and credible witness for the Lord. Are you being trained to be a witness for the Lord? Without being trained, one can sometimes becomes a HOSTILE witness; doing more harm than good. Ask God to help you become a good and credible witness of His love and compassion.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Be Confident (After Be Courageous)
BE CONFIDENT: Nobody can keep you away from the presence and provisions of the Lord.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Both by the prevailing law and culture of those days, a leper cannot just approach any other person. Jesus was already regarded as a Rabbi or a teacher at that time. A leper approaching a Rabbi risks being stoned away. The leper knows his condition; it’s quite serious. The leper knows what the people can do to him; they might stone him away. But there was one thing more the leper knew and was certainly confident about: he was certain the Lord would not turn him down so he took the risk, approached the Lord and got healed. He never doubted that if Jesus willed, the Lord could make him clean.
Sometimes there is something in us that prevents us from approaching the Lord with confidence. Is it sin? Is it discouragement? Is it frustration? Whatever that is, just take the attitude of the leper. He knew the seriousness of his condition and the risks he was taking but he also, without a shadow of a doubt, had pure confidence in the Lord and so he approached him. He understood that the basis of approaching the Lord was not his (the leper’s) lack of qualifications but the love and kindness of the Lord. Try this principle of APPROACHING THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE and ask Him for a favor today. SUGGESTED PRAYER: Right now, pause and talk to the Lord. Be confident. You may actually be disqualified (just like most of us) as a sinner but that is not the issue. The Lord loves the unlovable and accepts the outcast.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Both by the prevailing law and culture of those days, a leper cannot just approach any other person. Jesus was already regarded as a Rabbi or a teacher at that time. A leper approaching a Rabbi risks being stoned away. The leper knows his condition; it’s quite serious. The leper knows what the people can do to him; they might stone him away. But there was one thing more the leper knew and was certainly confident about: he was certain the Lord would not turn him down so he took the risk, approached the Lord and got healed. He never doubted that if Jesus willed, the Lord could make him clean.
Sometimes there is something in us that prevents us from approaching the Lord with confidence. Is it sin? Is it discouragement? Is it frustration? Whatever that is, just take the attitude of the leper. He knew the seriousness of his condition and the risks he was taking but he also, without a shadow of a doubt, had pure confidence in the Lord and so he approached him. He understood that the basis of approaching the Lord was not his (the leper’s) lack of qualifications but the love and kindness of the Lord. Try this principle of APPROACHING THE LORD WITH CONFIDENCE and ask Him for a favor today. SUGGESTED PRAYER: Right now, pause and talk to the Lord. Be confident. You may actually be disqualified (just like most of us) as a sinner but that is not the issue. The Lord loves the unlovable and accepts the outcast.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
BE COURAGEOUS
BE COURAGEOUS. The crowd cannot hide you from the Lord’s love and kindness.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Close your eyes and picture this: The Lord had come down from the mountain. The multitudes (not multitude- did you notice?) were there, waiting for Him and when they saw Him, they followed Him. A more modern translation renders the verse this way: Matt 8:1. “When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him.” TEV. In a literal sense, we can say that they were all followers. With all the people there, ONLY ONE ACTUALLY directly benefited from the love and kindness of the Lord. A leper approached the Lord and, with all humility, said: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The Lord says: “I am willing, be cleansed.” It may not appear a lot to us but IT WAS! The Lord healed the Leper so he can go back and be reconciled to Society. But, here is the challenge to you: Out of the multitudes that were there, one who had a serious need received the blessings. You see, the multitudes cannot hide you and your need from the loving and kind eyes of the Lord. I don’t know where you are now as you read this but it makes no difference because wherever you are, nothing can hide you and your needs from the eyes of the Loving Savior. Is it your turn today to be noticed by the Lord? Claim it! PRAYER SUGGESTION: Think about your need. Tell the Lord that if He is willing (and He will certainly be willing), He can meet your needs.
Matt 8:1-4. And when He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. 2 And behold, a leper came to Him, and bowed down to Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them." NASB
Close your eyes and picture this: The Lord had come down from the mountain. The multitudes (not multitude- did you notice?) were there, waiting for Him and when they saw Him, they followed Him. A more modern translation renders the verse this way: Matt 8:1. “When Jesus came down from the hill, large crowds followed him.” TEV. In a literal sense, we can say that they were all followers. With all the people there, ONLY ONE ACTUALLY directly benefited from the love and kindness of the Lord. A leper approached the Lord and, with all humility, said: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The Lord says: “I am willing, be cleansed.” It may not appear a lot to us but IT WAS! The Lord healed the Leper so he can go back and be reconciled to Society. But, here is the challenge to you: Out of the multitudes that were there, one who had a serious need received the blessings. You see, the multitudes cannot hide you and your need from the loving and kind eyes of the Lord. I don’t know where you are now as you read this but it makes no difference because wherever you are, nothing can hide you and your needs from the eyes of the Loving Savior. Is it your turn today to be noticed by the Lord? Claim it! PRAYER SUGGESTION: Think about your need. Tell the Lord that if He is willing (and He will certainly be willing), He can meet your needs.
Friday, August 13, 2010
DISAAPOINTMENTS ARE OFTEN INSTRUCTIONAL AND DIRECTIONAL IN NATURE
DISAPPOINTMENTS ARE OFTEN INSTRUCTIONAL IN NATURE
August 26, 2008. Deuteronomy 34:1-8
THE DREAM OF ALL DREAMS:
Every Israelite in Egypt had as his dream, the land flowing with milk and honey for this was God’s promise: Ex 3:8. “ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. (NIV).
Moses himself had wanted to cross the Jordan to enter the Promised Land but God would not let him. Deut 31:1-3. “1 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Jordan.' (NIV)
The explanation given why he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land was very clear to Moses: Deut 4:21-22. “21 The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance. 22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.”
THE ISSUE FOR MOSES:
He wanted to enter the Promised Land but God says: I won’t let you. Moses may have been greatly disappointed but he somehow understood why he had to be refused and why God had to say no him. He was still disappointed but his disappointment did not defeat him. How should we deal with our disappointments? We must have a good understanding of why we have disappointments and what we ought to do as a response.
I- God may sometimes refuse our Prayers and deny us our dreams because HIS JUSTICE requires it. Our disappointment may be the direct result of our stubbornness or of something we have done that is against the will of God.
Deut. 34:4. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." Num. 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Something happened in Numbers 20 that led the disqualification of Moses from entering the Promised Land. What was it? God said no to Moses for two reasons: First: Moses did not trust God completely. Second. He publicly dishonored God by his lack of self-control. What is the lesson here? When we dishonor God publicly, especially as an expression of anger or other emotions, God as Judge may SAY NO TO OUR DREAMS and REFUSE OUR PRAYERS. This is divine justice in operation. This is also the principle of “cause and effect” or “ sowing and reaping.”
Here is the mysterious side of God: We do not deserve salvation but He saved us anyway. God is kind and super generous but He can choose to deny us our dreams and say to our prayers. This happens when He is publicly dishonored.
II- God may sometimes refuse our prayers and deny us our dreams to direct our attention from what is important to that which is more important
The Promised Land is important but it was never intended to be the most important issue in the life of the Israelites. God said no to Moses because HE WAS REDIRECTING HIS ATTENTION FROM WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE: GOD’S PERSONAL PRESENCE AND FRIENDSHIP. The Promised Land was an important blessing. It was the dream of all dreams. And yet, the presence of the Promise give must always be bigger and better appreciated than the Promise itself. The Blessing cannot compete and must not compete with the Blessing Giver. Sometimes, the Promised Land can become idolatry. Sometimes, your blessing can become your “god”.
God will not just say NO TO YOU without a good reasons. And sometimes, the good reason is that we have already started replacing Him with the dreams He has given us. Sometimes, we have already stared replacing the Blessing-giver with the blessings He has given us. And so God, says no. The provisions cannot replace the Provider.
When we are only grateful for the blessing we forget to be grateful for the presence of the Blessing giver, it is called idolatry disguised as gratitude. But when we begin by thanking God for His presence and then we say thank you for His blessings, that is Grateful worship or Worshipful Gratitude.
III- God may sometimes refuse our prayers and deny us our dreams but He will never abandon us. He may withhold His provisions but will not withdraw His presence.
Deut. 34: 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. 7 Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.
Moses saw the Promised Land. He saw its beauty because his sight was excellent 120 years old. But he was not allowed to enter it and so never got to enjoy the Promised Land. However, God stayed with him all the way through to the last breath and when Moses finally died, God was even the one who buried him so his burial place was not known to anyone. Later in the future, Moses would given a gift that only one other person would enjoy, a chance to visit Earth again to have a time of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on Earth (Mt. 17).
What does this mean for us?
• Spirituality must be focused on the presence of God more than the provisions of God. Gratitude must be primarily because of His presence and only secondarily, because of His provisions.
• Self-control is very important in our Christian life. We must learn to control our anger at others because we might end up losing the gift that has been prepared for us.
• Serve Him faithfully. Even if he allows disappointments, He will never abandon someone who worships and serves Him. Be patient and serve Him, he never abandons His servants
• Who He is a bigger concept than what He gives. Therefore, when He says no to your request, He wants you to focus on him more than you focus on His gifts
Question: Do you love the blessing more than the blessing-giver?
August 26, 2008. Deuteronomy 34:1-8
THE DREAM OF ALL DREAMS:
Every Israelite in Egypt had as his dream, the land flowing with milk and honey for this was God’s promise: Ex 3:8. “ So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. (NIV).
Moses himself had wanted to cross the Jordan to enter the Promised Land but God would not let him. Deut 31:1-3. “1 Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: 2 "I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, 'You shall not cross the Jordan.' (NIV)
The explanation given why he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land was very clear to Moses: Deut 4:21-22. “21 The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance. 22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land.”
THE ISSUE FOR MOSES:
He wanted to enter the Promised Land but God says: I won’t let you. Moses may have been greatly disappointed but he somehow understood why he had to be refused and why God had to say no him. He was still disappointed but his disappointment did not defeat him. How should we deal with our disappointments? We must have a good understanding of why we have disappointments and what we ought to do as a response.
I- God may sometimes refuse our Prayers and deny us our dreams because HIS JUSTICE requires it. Our disappointment may be the direct result of our stubbornness or of something we have done that is against the will of God.
Deut. 34:4. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." Num. 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
Something happened in Numbers 20 that led the disqualification of Moses from entering the Promised Land. What was it? God said no to Moses for two reasons: First: Moses did not trust God completely. Second. He publicly dishonored God by his lack of self-control. What is the lesson here? When we dishonor God publicly, especially as an expression of anger or other emotions, God as Judge may SAY NO TO OUR DREAMS and REFUSE OUR PRAYERS. This is divine justice in operation. This is also the principle of “cause and effect” or “ sowing and reaping.”
Here is the mysterious side of God: We do not deserve salvation but He saved us anyway. God is kind and super generous but He can choose to deny us our dreams and say to our prayers. This happens when He is publicly dishonored.
II- God may sometimes refuse our prayers and deny us our dreams to direct our attention from what is important to that which is more important
The Promised Land is important but it was never intended to be the most important issue in the life of the Israelites. God said no to Moses because HE WAS REDIRECTING HIS ATTENTION FROM WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE: GOD’S PERSONAL PRESENCE AND FRIENDSHIP. The Promised Land was an important blessing. It was the dream of all dreams. And yet, the presence of the Promise give must always be bigger and better appreciated than the Promise itself. The Blessing cannot compete and must not compete with the Blessing Giver. Sometimes, the Promised Land can become idolatry. Sometimes, your blessing can become your “god”.
God will not just say NO TO YOU without a good reasons. And sometimes, the good reason is that we have already started replacing Him with the dreams He has given us. Sometimes, we have already stared replacing the Blessing-giver with the blessings He has given us. And so God, says no. The provisions cannot replace the Provider.
When we are only grateful for the blessing we forget to be grateful for the presence of the Blessing giver, it is called idolatry disguised as gratitude. But when we begin by thanking God for His presence and then we say thank you for His blessings, that is Grateful worship or Worshipful Gratitude.
III- God may sometimes refuse our prayers and deny us our dreams but He will never abandon us. He may withhold His provisions but will not withdraw His presence.
Deut. 34: 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. 7 Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.
Moses saw the Promised Land. He saw its beauty because his sight was excellent 120 years old. But he was not allowed to enter it and so never got to enjoy the Promised Land. However, God stayed with him all the way through to the last breath and when Moses finally died, God was even the one who buried him so his burial place was not known to anyone. Later in the future, Moses would given a gift that only one other person would enjoy, a chance to visit Earth again to have a time of fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on Earth (Mt. 17).
What does this mean for us?
• Spirituality must be focused on the presence of God more than the provisions of God. Gratitude must be primarily because of His presence and only secondarily, because of His provisions.
• Self-control is very important in our Christian life. We must learn to control our anger at others because we might end up losing the gift that has been prepared for us.
• Serve Him faithfully. Even if he allows disappointments, He will never abandon someone who worships and serves Him. Be patient and serve Him, he never abandons His servants
• Who He is a bigger concept than what He gives. Therefore, when He says no to your request, He wants you to focus on him more than you focus on His gifts
Question: Do you love the blessing more than the blessing-giver?
AN OVERCOMER IS GREATER THAN A WINNER
AN OVERCOMER IS GREATER THAN A WINNER
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
THE WINNER WINS BUT HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AN OVERCOMER.
The winner is the surviving participant in a contest. Sometimes, winning has a hollow ring to it as when other participants did not appear and so someone won by default. It is also possible for someone to become a winner not so much because of his superior strength and ability but because of the enemy’s weakness. The weak man defeats a weaker man and the weaker man defeats the weakest. Such is the scheme of things. At best, having a winner indicates a contest where the participants are assumed to have – or, at least verified to have comparable strength, equal ability and same chance of winning. Overcoming is something else. It’s more than winning.
Overcoming assumes a situation where a major hindrance exists and that the person’s ability is not at par with the requirement to remove the hindrance. Overcoming assumes the existence of a barrier that is too heavy to carry, to big to push to the side, too massive to do anything about. There is no contest for it is a no-contest situation. In an overcoming situation, one is generally expected to fail but he does not fail but ends up lifting the unliftable, pushing the immovable and solving the unsolvable. Such is the beauty and glory of overcoming. When one faces such a situation and he successfully deals with all the challenges on the way, he is called a CERTIFIED OVERCOMER.
But, note my brethren: You cannot be an overcomer unless you are allowed to face a most difficult situation, a strength-sapping experience or a hope-erasing problem. When a person faces any and all these with the grace of God, with the faith that God supplies, with the mercy that God provides, he becomes an Overcomer and there is nothing that this world can do to destroy him. Is God inviting you to become an Overcomer?
A LADY OVERCOMER:
Her name Deborah means BEE which may have been a name given later in relation to her characteristics. She is said to be the wife of a certain Lappidoth and she was also a prophetess. She was the judge of Israel at the time when this event took place. She was the one to whom the people presented their disputes. At the time of this writing, she had already gained a recognized social stature as indicated by her title prophetess and the naming of a palm tree as Deborah’s Palm tree. The uniqueness of her life was that she was married to a man whose name means TORCHES and she worked with a man whose name means FLASHING SWORD or lightning. Married to A TORCH, she worked with LIGHTNING.
How should one describe Deborah? From the pages of the Bible, it would appear clearly that Deborah was the Faithful one among the faithless; the Courageous one among cowards and the Clear-thinking one among the confused. She received and revealed the will of God to the frightened people, inspiring them to rise above their fears and anxieties. As a result, they accomplished far more than what was thought possible at that time. But, that is what an overcomer does: help people rise above their limitations to be the persons that they should really be in the eyes of God. Are you hearing the invitation of God to be an overcomer?
DEBORAH’ STORY:
Judges 4:1 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7'And I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon; and I will give him into your hand.' " 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 And she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.
She had all the reason to fail and the most obvious reason is the fact that Israel was a Patriarchal or a male-dominated society. No woman was expected to lead but she did and it was really because of her presence and leadership that Jabin, King of Hazor, their oppressor, was defeated. She was an overcomer. From a purely human point of view, she was not really cut out to be an overcomer as can easily be seen by her characteristics and attitude in life. How would you describe an OVERCOMER?
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN THE TASK IS NECESSARY, WE WILL CARRY IT OUT EVEN IF IT IS NOT OURS. THE OVERCOMER WILL NOT SAY: IT IS NOT MY JOB. THE LIPS OF AN OVERCOMER WILL NOT SAY THESE WORDS: I CAN’T AND I WON’T DO IT.
Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Deborah was a woman judge and in Israel the position of a judge- the precursor of the King, was the job of a man. There was a need for a judge and there were many men but it seemed that all the men developed a sickness called “FEARITIS” (sobrang takot!) and so male judge emerged. Deborah could have said, It is not my job, but she did not. She served as judged over Israel. The mention of the husband is interesting because it indicates the he was still alive. But, he was not the judge, she was. The use of the word prophet, according to some scholars, also indicates that she might have been the wife of a prophet. Lappidoth, in other words, may have been a Prophet. But it was the time of great cowardice for men. And one woman did not say: It is not my job so I won’t do it. Instead, it seems likely that she said: It is not my job but it must be done so I will do it.
The reason for this attitude I believe is that Deborah may have been a mother. Mothers often carry out tasks that are not really theirs anymore but must be done for the family. Many mothers also carry out the duties of the fathers even if the husband is alive and kicking. Later, Deborah would be referred to as the mother in Israel or the mother of Israel.
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THAT SOME ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL NOT BECAUSE OF INABILITY BUT BECAUSE OF INSECURITY. ENCOURAGEMENT WILL MAKE THEM OVERCOMERS.
Joshua 4:6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7'And I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon; and I will give him into your hand.' " 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 And she said, "I will surely go with you…
An overcomer is someone who is not only successful but he/she helps others become successful. The overcomer is known for the impact of his/her life on those around him/her especially those who are discouraged and afraid. She can bring out the best in men and can help someone convert his fear into faith, his worry into worship, his anxiety into availability, and his terrors into treasures.
Barak, for some reason, was a certified fearful man. He also had ‘FEARITIS.” War was afoot. It was no longer possible to avoid. Barak was looking at it from a no-choice point of view and he knew this was the case. But this male leader told the lady- “I will go if you go with me, I will not go if you will not go with me”. Without Deborah, Barak was a cowering man openly admitting his fear. With Deborah, Barak became a courageous man. Some are not courageous by nature. However, God will give them a friend who is an Overcomer and the man becomes courageous and gains victory.
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THE NATURE AND DEGREE OF THE DIFFICULTY BUT SHE ALSO CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS THE WILL OF GOD SO SHE CANNOT BE DEFEATED.
Judges 4:12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left. Judg 5:31: "LORD, may all your enemies die as Sisera did! But may those who love you rise like the sun at full strength!" Then there was peace in the land for forty years. NLT
Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots. The sound of an approaching chariot was enough to frighten any enemy soldier. With an archer on board each chariot and with sharp blades protruding from the wheels- plus the snorting of a warhorse- infantry soldiers (foot army) really stand no chance at all. It would be a fight to the death- the death of the foot soldier. It was an act of supreme foolishness to pit in battle infantrymen against chariots. But, this was no foolishness after all. This was an act of faith. This was not a failure of wisdom. This was an act full of wisdom.
If you are fully aware of the seriousness of your condition and it seems so certain that you will be mauled, mangled, and defeated by your burdens or difficult situations, think again, God may actually be inviting you to become an OVERCOMER. The task is difficult; the burden is heavy, the problem perplexing but God is on your side. He wants you to become an overcomer.
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
THE WINNER WINS BUT HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AN OVERCOMER.
The winner is the surviving participant in a contest. Sometimes, winning has a hollow ring to it as when other participants did not appear and so someone won by default. It is also possible for someone to become a winner not so much because of his superior strength and ability but because of the enemy’s weakness. The weak man defeats a weaker man and the weaker man defeats the weakest. Such is the scheme of things. At best, having a winner indicates a contest where the participants are assumed to have – or, at least verified to have comparable strength, equal ability and same chance of winning. Overcoming is something else. It’s more than winning.
Overcoming assumes a situation where a major hindrance exists and that the person’s ability is not at par with the requirement to remove the hindrance. Overcoming assumes the existence of a barrier that is too heavy to carry, to big to push to the side, too massive to do anything about. There is no contest for it is a no-contest situation. In an overcoming situation, one is generally expected to fail but he does not fail but ends up lifting the unliftable, pushing the immovable and solving the unsolvable. Such is the beauty and glory of overcoming. When one faces such a situation and he successfully deals with all the challenges on the way, he is called a CERTIFIED OVERCOMER.
But, note my brethren: You cannot be an overcomer unless you are allowed to face a most difficult situation, a strength-sapping experience or a hope-erasing problem. When a person faces any and all these with the grace of God, with the faith that God supplies, with the mercy that God provides, he becomes an Overcomer and there is nothing that this world can do to destroy him. Is God inviting you to become an Overcomer?
A LADY OVERCOMER:
Her name Deborah means BEE which may have been a name given later in relation to her characteristics. She is said to be the wife of a certain Lappidoth and she was also a prophetess. She was the judge of Israel at the time when this event took place. She was the one to whom the people presented their disputes. At the time of this writing, she had already gained a recognized social stature as indicated by her title prophetess and the naming of a palm tree as Deborah’s Palm tree. The uniqueness of her life was that she was married to a man whose name means TORCHES and she worked with a man whose name means FLASHING SWORD or lightning. Married to A TORCH, she worked with LIGHTNING.
How should one describe Deborah? From the pages of the Bible, it would appear clearly that Deborah was the Faithful one among the faithless; the Courageous one among cowards and the Clear-thinking one among the confused. She received and revealed the will of God to the frightened people, inspiring them to rise above their fears and anxieties. As a result, they accomplished far more than what was thought possible at that time. But, that is what an overcomer does: help people rise above their limitations to be the persons that they should really be in the eyes of God. Are you hearing the invitation of God to be an overcomer?
DEBORAH’ STORY:
Judges 4:1 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 And the sons of Israel cried to the LORD; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7'And I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon; and I will give him into your hand.' " 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 And she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh, and ten thousand men went up with him; Deborah also went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated himself from the Kenites, from the sons of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left.
She had all the reason to fail and the most obvious reason is the fact that Israel was a Patriarchal or a male-dominated society. No woman was expected to lead but she did and it was really because of her presence and leadership that Jabin, King of Hazor, their oppressor, was defeated. She was an overcomer. From a purely human point of view, she was not really cut out to be an overcomer as can easily be seen by her characteristics and attitude in life. How would you describe an OVERCOMER?
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN THE TASK IS NECESSARY, WE WILL CARRY IT OUT EVEN IF IT IS NOT OURS. THE OVERCOMER WILL NOT SAY: IT IS NOT MY JOB. THE LIPS OF AN OVERCOMER WILL NOT SAY THESE WORDS: I CAN’T AND I WON’T DO IT.
Judges 4:4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 And she used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.
Deborah was a woman judge and in Israel the position of a judge- the precursor of the King, was the job of a man. There was a need for a judge and there were many men but it seemed that all the men developed a sickness called “FEARITIS” (sobrang takot!) and so male judge emerged. Deborah could have said, It is not my job, but she did not. She served as judged over Israel. The mention of the husband is interesting because it indicates the he was still alive. But, he was not the judge, she was. The use of the word prophet, according to some scholars, also indicates that she might have been the wife of a prophet. Lappidoth, in other words, may have been a Prophet. But it was the time of great cowardice for men. And one woman did not say: It is not my job so I won’t do it. Instead, it seems likely that she said: It is not my job but it must be done so I will do it.
The reason for this attitude I believe is that Deborah may have been a mother. Mothers often carry out tasks that are not really theirs anymore but must be done for the family. Many mothers also carry out the duties of the fathers even if the husband is alive and kicking. Later, Deborah would be referred to as the mother in Israel or the mother of Israel.
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THAT SOME ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL NOT BECAUSE OF INABILITY BUT BECAUSE OF INSECURITY. ENCOURAGEMENT WILL MAKE THEM OVERCOMERS.
Joshua 4:6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the LORD, the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7'And I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon; and I will give him into your hand.' " 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 And she said, "I will surely go with you…
An overcomer is someone who is not only successful but he/she helps others become successful. The overcomer is known for the impact of his/her life on those around him/her especially those who are discouraged and afraid. She can bring out the best in men and can help someone convert his fear into faith, his worry into worship, his anxiety into availability, and his terrors into treasures.
Barak, for some reason, was a certified fearful man. He also had ‘FEARITIS.” War was afoot. It was no longer possible to avoid. Barak was looking at it from a no-choice point of view and he knew this was the case. But this male leader told the lady- “I will go if you go with me, I will not go if you will not go with me”. Without Deborah, Barak was a cowering man openly admitting his fear. With Deborah, Barak became a courageous man. Some are not courageous by nature. However, God will give them a friend who is an Overcomer and the man becomes courageous and gains victory.
AN OVERCOMER UNDERSTANDS THE NATURE AND DEGREE OF THE DIFFICULTY BUT SHE ALSO CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS THE WILL OF GOD SO SHE CANNOT BE DEFEATED.
Judges 4:12 Then they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera called together all his chariots, nine hundred iron chariots, and all the people who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Arise! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hands; behold, the LORD has gone out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army, with the edge of the sword before Barak; and Sisera alighted from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and the army as far as Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not even one was left. Judg 5:31: "LORD, may all your enemies die as Sisera did! But may those who love you rise like the sun at full strength!" Then there was peace in the land for forty years. NLT
Sisera had nine hundred iron chariots. The sound of an approaching chariot was enough to frighten any enemy soldier. With an archer on board each chariot and with sharp blades protruding from the wheels- plus the snorting of a warhorse- infantry soldiers (foot army) really stand no chance at all. It would be a fight to the death- the death of the foot soldier. It was an act of supreme foolishness to pit in battle infantrymen against chariots. But, this was no foolishness after all. This was an act of faith. This was not a failure of wisdom. This was an act full of wisdom.
If you are fully aware of the seriousness of your condition and it seems so certain that you will be mauled, mangled, and defeated by your burdens or difficult situations, think again, God may actually be inviting you to become an OVERCOMER. The task is difficult; the burden is heavy, the problem perplexing but God is on your side. He wants you to become an overcomer.
Friday, July 30, 2010
responding to bad news
Responding To Bad News
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Read Matthew 14
Introduction:
Typhoon Ondoy has added something to the list of woes experienced by people during the month of September. The worst in recent memory is the September 11, 2001 death of nearly 3,000 persons in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. On September 16, 1992, flood-related incidents killed 900 persons in Pakistan. On September 21, 1991, an earthquake in Central Taiwan killed 2,295 people. On September 4, 2004 Hurricane Frances devastated Florida with 40 million dollars in damage. Typhoon Ondoy cannot hope to compete with other calamities in terms of number of people killed and damage computed in either dollars or pesos. But the opposite is just true: Other calamity cannot compete with Typhoon Ondoy in the way it bruised, lacerated and wounded the national psyche; this woundedness will take a long, long time to heal. Life is such that we cannot avoid hearing bad news.
The word Provident has taken on a new meaning. Ordinarily, it means providing for future needs but now the experience of the people in Provident Village will cause people to think of Provident as disaster, death, defeat and discouragement. How do we respond to bad news?
SATURDAY: EVEN BELIEVERS ARE NOT EXEMPTED FROM TIREDNESS AND FEARS. BUT A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SITUATION WILL BRING US INVIGORATION AND COURAGE.
Matthew 14:24 But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Imagine this: the disciples were rowing with all their might towards the other side of the lake. The Lord was not with them at that precise moment. They were out there by the lake by themselves. We do not know how far they were from the land but the situation was that their boat was already battered by the waves. It was the fourth watch or around 3 AM and they have not yet reached the other side.
Some of the disciples were expert fishermen and would know the waters of the lake. But there was a strong wind, and along with it, the waves. They were helpless and helplessness erodes our courage and confidence. Then, to add to their problem at hand, they saw what seemed like a ghost. They , in fact, concluded that the one walking was a ghost. It was a popular story, after all. Discouraged, tired and afraid;. What do you do? They did not know what to do. But they heard a familiar voice, an all too familiar voice. The person says: “"Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Here is a beautiful truth; for those who are in the ministry team of the Lord, they might not be exempted from discouragements, tiredness and fears but the wonderful and priceless truth is this: the Lord will walk towards them in whatever situation they find themselves in. Amazing love; amazing Grace. Even more amazing is that this amazing grace and love are for us, His elect.
SUNDAY: FAITH DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW THAT FAITH WORKS.
Matthew 14: 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"
Peter was familiar with the waters of the lake. After all, he has spent his entire life interacting with the waters of the lake. But Peter understood quite well that no fisherman can walk on water. The best fisherman will still need a boat to cross the lake. Peter, that early morning, saw a sight that has been talked about but never really seen by anyone: Someone walking on water. Peter was on board the boat while the Lord Jesus was still out there walking on top of the waters of the lake. There was no dry ground between Peter and the Lord.
Peter was wise enough to know that his faith will not make him walk on the water. He knows that the Lord’s command responded to in faith, will make him walk on water. So he says: "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." It’s like saying, tell me Lord to walk and I will and I can walk. Tell me Lord I will not sink and drown and I will not sink and drown. The Lord responded with a single word. After all, authority does not require many words. He says: COME. ACTING in faith, or, believing in his heart that the Lord meant what He said, Peter got out of the boat and started walking on water. Of course we know the rest of the story. Peter saw the wind and he was afraid. Saw the wind? How is that possible? It means he saw the wind in the movements of the waves, the fluttering of the clothes, etc. He got afraid and doubted the reality of walking on water. He started sinking. But the Lord stretched out His hand and got him out. Here is a simple but unchangeable truth: Saving faith is different from the endurance faith of the saved. The latter means trusting the word of the Lord and making His word the basis of our confidence and courage- not the size of the waves or the strength of the wind.
MONDAY: SOLITUDE IS A GOOD RESPONSE TO THE BAD NEWS THAT COMES OUR WAY. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, TAKE THIS OPTION.
(Read from verse 1). Matthew 14:13 Now when Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there in a boat, to a lonely place by Himself; and when the multitudes heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.
The Lord Jesus received some visitors. They carried bad and sad news. They were a burial party and they have just buried John the Baptist- at least his body because the Baptist’s head was kept in the place of Herod the Tetrarch. John was an important person in the life of the Lord Jesus. John was not only a blood relative; he was also the instrument of God in introducing the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
How do you respond to a bad and sad report? The text tells us that as soon as He heard it, He “withdrew from there in a boat..” He was not running away. It was a deliberate move with a specific direction: He was on His way to a LONELY PLACE by HIMSELF. Often the weight of our pains and burdens tends to feel unusually heavy not because they were beyond our capacity in the first place but because we do not take the time to be ALONE with the Father. Some people can sap what little courage and energy we have. A time with the Father is always beneficial as it brings courage and confidence to us. Remember the recently popular song? “In Your presence, in Your presence, there is Joy…” Do you make it a point to spend with the Father in heaven?
TUESDAY: IN THE MIDST OF OUR SADNESS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD WORK IS A GOD-GIVEN SITUATION TO GIVE US RESPITE FROM OUR EMOTIONAL BURDENS.
Matthew 14:14 And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.
Clearly, the Lord went to a LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF as a spiritual response to the sad news about the brutal death of John the Baptist. The description of His intended destination is summarized in 4 words: LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF. Here we have an emphatic statement pointing to solitariness or solitude. The word EREMOS (lonely) describes a wilderness or a place where one can be alone because others do not normally go there. The same word is used in Matthew 4 when the Lord Jesus was confronted by the tempter in the WILDERNESS. He was going to be BY HIMSELF- no on else with Him.
But this intention was not realized immediately. Reaching the spot leading to the LONELY PLACE, He saw a GREAT MULTITUDE. It was a needy multitude. They probably raced to reach the spot where they were to see the Lord. They brought their sick with them. Remember the paralytic in Mark 2? He was carried by FOUR of his friends and this same case may have been true for the Great Multitude. They brought their sick to the Lord and the Lord “postponed” or “delayed” the last leg of His journey to where He wants to be. Sometimes, in the midst of our sadness, we see a ministry opportunity and we realize that God’s wants us to deal with our sadness by helping others. One thing more; I think it is absolutely beautiful to note that the Lord’s personal desire (to be alone) was set aside for a moment in favor of our needs. He will never be too busy for us.
WEDNESDAY: AN UNCHANGING REMINDER FROM THE LORD WHEN WE ARE TAUNTED BY OUR INABILITIES: “BRING THEM TO ME.”
Read through verse 21. Matthew 14:15 And when it was evening, the disciples came to Him, saying, "The place is desolate, and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" 17 And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 18 And He said, "Bring them here to Me."
Bad news for the disciples: The Great Multitude was there because the people followed the Lord Jesus Christ and being the disciples of the Lord, it was their duty to do something about it. The sick have received their healing but now an urgent situation emerges: 1. the people needed food; 2. The people numbered, more likely, at least 15,000. Verse 21 tells us that there were 5,000 men not including the women and children. For such an important event, a man will usually be accompanied by his wife and children. So, a 15,000 count is even a conservative estimate. 3. All that they have within reach are five loaves and two fish. In such a desperately overwhelming situation, the disciples’ solution seemed simple enough but it ran counter to the wishes of the Lord as it would be impractical and seemingly heartless; we don’t send hungry people away at that time in the afternoon. Who knows if they can still find some stores along the way?
The Lord’s reply is succinct, short and straight to the point: BRING THEM TO ME. Haven’t we heard this before? He alone knows the true answer to our needs. Bring them to me; the five loaves and two fish. It was an overwhelming situation and the problem taunted the disciples as it brought out their inabilities to do anything about it. But there was something that they were capable of doing- as we are - they brought their limited supplies to the Lord. And the rest, as they say, is history.
THURSDAY: THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE CAN BE OVERWHELMING. IT MUST NOT, HOWEVER, TAKE US AWAY FROM OUR TIME WITH THE FATHER.
Matthew 14:22 And immediately He made the disciples get into the boat, and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
The Lord attended to two groups of people: His disciples and the Great Multitude. He had His disciples got into a boat to go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. At the same time, He sent the multitudes away. Then, He continued with His earlier plan: To go to a LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF. Verse 23 tells us: “And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”
What was it that the Lord wanted to do by being alone? Luke 6:12 helps us to understand the answer to this question: “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” This was the Lord’s choice and a way of life. He would often spend time with the Father alone. Although truly God, the Lord was also truly human and was subjected to the many limitations of the body. That is why we read of Him resting, sleeping, and doing other acts of other human beings. But He had something we sometimes fail to see and therefore fail to use effectively: His time to be alone with the Father was a non-negotiable part of His own spirituality. Often, the task of helping others and responding to the needs of others can be overwhelming but we need to remind ourselves that we cannot and we should not compromise our time to be alone with the Father in heaven.
FRIDAY: GRATITUDE RECOGNIZES THE PERSON, PRESENCE, POWER AND PROVISIONS OF GOD. GRATITUDE GENERATES MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES.
Matthew 14:18 And He said, "Bring them here to Me." 19 And ordering the multitudes to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes, 20 and they all ate, and were satisfied. And they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21 And there were about five thousand men who ate, aside from women and children.
The problem was overwhelming. The ability of the apostles as well as the supplies at hand were clearly insufficient in relation to the needs and problems at hand. There were fifteen thousand or more persons needing food. Somebody had five loaves and two fish. What is that compared with the hunger of 15,000 or more persons? Of course we already know what happened. The loaves and the fish got multiplied literally. How did it happen? We see a series of steps towards the realization of this miracle.
First, the little that the people had was offered to the Lord. Next, the Lord looked up to the heavens suggesting a prayer of gratitude. Lesson: Be grateful for the little that we have. What is many comes from what is few and what is sufficient is really insufficient multiplied many times over. Next, He blessed the food. We do not normally do this but may be we should. He blessed the food. Then He started distributing the food. Gratitude does generate miracles because gratitude is a recognition of the person, presence, power and provisions of God. Get into this spiritual habit. It can and it will do wonders for us.
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
Read Matthew 14
Introduction:
Typhoon Ondoy has added something to the list of woes experienced by people during the month of September. The worst in recent memory is the September 11, 2001 death of nearly 3,000 persons in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. On September 16, 1992, flood-related incidents killed 900 persons in Pakistan. On September 21, 1991, an earthquake in Central Taiwan killed 2,295 people. On September 4, 2004 Hurricane Frances devastated Florida with 40 million dollars in damage. Typhoon Ondoy cannot hope to compete with other calamities in terms of number of people killed and damage computed in either dollars or pesos. But the opposite is just true: Other calamity cannot compete with Typhoon Ondoy in the way it bruised, lacerated and wounded the national psyche; this woundedness will take a long, long time to heal. Life is such that we cannot avoid hearing bad news.
The word Provident has taken on a new meaning. Ordinarily, it means providing for future needs but now the experience of the people in Provident Village will cause people to think of Provident as disaster, death, defeat and discouragement. How do we respond to bad news?
SATURDAY: EVEN BELIEVERS ARE NOT EXEMPTED FROM TIREDNESS AND FEARS. BUT A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SITUATION WILL BRING US INVIGORATION AND COURAGE.
Matthew 14:24 But the boat was already many stadia away from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Imagine this: the disciples were rowing with all their might towards the other side of the lake. The Lord was not with them at that precise moment. They were out there by the lake by themselves. We do not know how far they were from the land but the situation was that their boat was already battered by the waves. It was the fourth watch or around 3 AM and they have not yet reached the other side.
Some of the disciples were expert fishermen and would know the waters of the lake. But there was a strong wind, and along with it, the waves. They were helpless and helplessness erodes our courage and confidence. Then, to add to their problem at hand, they saw what seemed like a ghost. They , in fact, concluded that the one walking was a ghost. It was a popular story, after all. Discouraged, tired and afraid;. What do you do? They did not know what to do. But they heard a familiar voice, an all too familiar voice. The person says: “"Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." Here is a beautiful truth; for those who are in the ministry team of the Lord, they might not be exempted from discouragements, tiredness and fears but the wonderful and priceless truth is this: the Lord will walk towards them in whatever situation they find themselves in. Amazing love; amazing Grace. Even more amazing is that this amazing grace and love are for us, His elect.
SUNDAY: FAITH DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW THAT FAITH WORKS.
Matthew 14: 28 And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"
Peter was familiar with the waters of the lake. After all, he has spent his entire life interacting with the waters of the lake. But Peter understood quite well that no fisherman can walk on water. The best fisherman will still need a boat to cross the lake. Peter, that early morning, saw a sight that has been talked about but never really seen by anyone: Someone walking on water. Peter was on board the boat while the Lord Jesus was still out there walking on top of the waters of the lake. There was no dry ground between Peter and the Lord.
Peter was wise enough to know that his faith will not make him walk on the water. He knows that the Lord’s command responded to in faith, will make him walk on water. So he says: "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." It’s like saying, tell me Lord to walk and I will and I can walk. Tell me Lord I will not sink and drown and I will not sink and drown. The Lord responded with a single word. After all, authority does not require many words. He says: COME. ACTING in faith, or, believing in his heart that the Lord meant what He said, Peter got out of the boat and started walking on water. Of course we know the rest of the story. Peter saw the wind and he was afraid. Saw the wind? How is that possible? It means he saw the wind in the movements of the waves, the fluttering of the clothes, etc. He got afraid and doubted the reality of walking on water. He started sinking. But the Lord stretched out His hand and got him out. Here is a simple but unchangeable truth: Saving faith is different from the endurance faith of the saved. The latter means trusting the word of the Lord and making His word the basis of our confidence and courage- not the size of the waves or the strength of the wind.
MONDAY: SOLITUDE IS A GOOD RESPONSE TO THE BAD NEWS THAT COMES OUR WAY. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, TAKE THIS OPTION.
(Read from verse 1). Matthew 14:13 Now when Jesus heard it, He withdrew from there in a boat, to a lonely place by Himself; and when the multitudes heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.
The Lord Jesus received some visitors. They carried bad and sad news. They were a burial party and they have just buried John the Baptist- at least his body because the Baptist’s head was kept in the place of Herod the Tetrarch. John was an important person in the life of the Lord Jesus. John was not only a blood relative; he was also the instrument of God in introducing the Lord Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
How do you respond to a bad and sad report? The text tells us that as soon as He heard it, He “withdrew from there in a boat..” He was not running away. It was a deliberate move with a specific direction: He was on His way to a LONELY PLACE by HIMSELF. Often the weight of our pains and burdens tends to feel unusually heavy not because they were beyond our capacity in the first place but because we do not take the time to be ALONE with the Father. Some people can sap what little courage and energy we have. A time with the Father is always beneficial as it brings courage and confidence to us. Remember the recently popular song? “In Your presence, in Your presence, there is Joy…” Do you make it a point to spend with the Father in heaven?
TUESDAY: IN THE MIDST OF OUR SADNESS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD WORK IS A GOD-GIVEN SITUATION TO GIVE US RESPITE FROM OUR EMOTIONAL BURDENS.
Matthew 14:14 And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and felt compassion for them, and healed their sick.
Clearly, the Lord went to a LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF as a spiritual response to the sad news about the brutal death of John the Baptist. The description of His intended destination is summarized in 4 words: LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF. Here we have an emphatic statement pointing to solitariness or solitude. The word EREMOS (lonely) describes a wilderness or a place where one can be alone because others do not normally go there. The same word is used in Matthew 4 when the Lord Jesus was confronted by the tempter in the WILDERNESS. He was going to be BY HIMSELF- no on else with Him.
But this intention was not realized immediately. Reaching the spot leading to the LONELY PLACE, He saw a GREAT MULTITUDE. It was a needy multitude. They probably raced to reach the spot where they were to see the Lord. They brought their sick with them. Remember the paralytic in Mark 2? He was carried by FOUR of his friends and this same case may have been true for the Great Multitude. They brought their sick to the Lord and the Lord “postponed” or “delayed” the last leg of His journey to where He wants to be. Sometimes, in the midst of our sadness, we see a ministry opportunity and we realize that God’s wants us to deal with our sadness by helping others. One thing more; I think it is absolutely beautiful to note that the Lord’s personal desire (to be alone) was set aside for a moment in favor of our needs. He will never be too busy for us.
WEDNESDAY: AN UNCHANGING REMINDER FROM THE LORD WHEN WE ARE TAUNTED BY OUR INABILITIES: “BRING THEM TO ME.”
Read through verse 21. Matthew 14:15 And when it was evening, the disciples came to Him, saying, "The place is desolate, and the time is already past; so send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" 17 And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 18 And He said, "Bring them here to Me."
Bad news for the disciples: The Great Multitude was there because the people followed the Lord Jesus Christ and being the disciples of the Lord, it was their duty to do something about it. The sick have received their healing but now an urgent situation emerges: 1. the people needed food; 2. The people numbered, more likely, at least 15,000. Verse 21 tells us that there were 5,000 men not including the women and children. For such an important event, a man will usually be accompanied by his wife and children. So, a 15,000 count is even a conservative estimate. 3. All that they have within reach are five loaves and two fish. In such a desperately overwhelming situation, the disciples’ solution seemed simple enough but it ran counter to the wishes of the Lord as it would be impractical and seemingly heartless; we don’t send hungry people away at that time in the afternoon. Who knows if they can still find some stores along the way?
The Lord’s reply is succinct, short and straight to the point: BRING THEM TO ME. Haven’t we heard this before? He alone knows the true answer to our needs. Bring them to me; the five loaves and two fish. It was an overwhelming situation and the problem taunted the disciples as it brought out their inabilities to do anything about it. But there was something that they were capable of doing- as we are - they brought their limited supplies to the Lord. And the rest, as they say, is history.
THURSDAY: THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE CAN BE OVERWHELMING. IT MUST NOT, HOWEVER, TAKE US AWAY FROM OUR TIME WITH THE FATHER.
Matthew 14:22 And immediately He made the disciples get into the boat, and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
The Lord attended to two groups of people: His disciples and the Great Multitude. He had His disciples got into a boat to go ahead of Him to the other side of the lake. At the same time, He sent the multitudes away. Then, He continued with His earlier plan: To go to a LONELY PLACE BY HIMSELF. Verse 23 tells us: “And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”
What was it that the Lord wanted to do by being alone? Luke 6:12 helps us to understand the answer to this question: “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” This was the Lord’s choice and a way of life. He would often spend time with the Father alone. Although truly God, the Lord was also truly human and was subjected to the many limitations of the body. That is why we read of Him resting, sleeping, and doing other acts of other human beings. But He had something we sometimes fail to see and therefore fail to use effectively: His time to be alone with the Father was a non-negotiable part of His own spirituality. Often, the task of helping others and responding to the needs of others can be overwhelming but we need to remind ourselves that we cannot and we should not compromise our time to be alone with the Father in heaven.
FRIDAY: GRATITUDE RECOGNIZES THE PERSON, PRESENCE, POWER AND PROVISIONS OF GOD. GRATITUDE GENERATES MIRACLES IN OUR LIVES.
Matthew 14:18 And He said, "Bring them here to Me." 19 And ordering the multitudes to recline on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes, 20 and they all ate, and were satisfied. And they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21 And there were about five thousand men who ate, aside from women and children.
The problem was overwhelming. The ability of the apostles as well as the supplies at hand were clearly insufficient in relation to the needs and problems at hand. There were fifteen thousand or more persons needing food. Somebody had five loaves and two fish. What is that compared with the hunger of 15,000 or more persons? Of course we already know what happened. The loaves and the fish got multiplied literally. How did it happen? We see a series of steps towards the realization of this miracle.
First, the little that the people had was offered to the Lord. Next, the Lord looked up to the heavens suggesting a prayer of gratitude. Lesson: Be grateful for the little that we have. What is many comes from what is few and what is sufficient is really insufficient multiplied many times over. Next, He blessed the food. We do not normally do this but may be we should. He blessed the food. Then He started distributing the food. Gratitude does generate miracles because gratitude is a recognition of the person, presence, power and provisions of God. Get into this spiritual habit. It can and it will do wonders for us.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Making Kindness A Way Of Life
Making Kindness A Way Of Life
Proverbs 11:17. Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel. (New Living Translation)
Main Reading: Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
Kindness is not as easy as it looks. Kindness is different from kind in the same way that generosity is different from generous. Kind describes a person who finds it easy to give attention and do something about the needs of others. Kindness, on the other hand, is the visible proof that the man is kind. Kindness is the gift given by the kind man. Kindness ought to be a way of life for us. But how?
Monday : RULE 1: TRAIN YOURSELF TO GIVE AND NOT TO WITHHOLD
Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
DO NOT WITHHOLD; the statement points us to the common human tendency to withhold and not to give; a tendency which we are to distance ourselves from. DO NOT WITHHOLD means to train ourselves so that we do not become SELFISH which describes a man whose personal interest is the most important thing to him. The text is clear enough: DO NOT WITHHOLD; train yourself to be a willing giver and generous sharer of the blessings you have received from God. Get into the habit of doing good to others. This means asking the question: What can I do for this person?
How about applying this first in our families? Doing good focuses not on the item but on the act and its impact on the person. Is there someone in the family who can benefit from a good word or an act of kindness from you? What act of goodness or kindness have you shown your family members? PRAYER: Teach me to give willingly and to share with others what I have received from you.
Tuesday : RULE 2: TRAIN YOURSELF TO KNOW WHICH PERSON DESERVES HELP.
Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
The word is full of needy people. The good news is that there are also many good people who are eager to respond to the plight of the needy. The text reminds us to do good to those who deserve it. Here is a word of wisdom from this verse: Not every needy person you see deserves the help that you might want to give. How then can I know whether a person deserves to be helped or not?
The Lord Jesus helps us with His words in Matt 7:6” "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Let’s use the mention of the pearl and the pigs as our guide since that is easier to understand. Pigs are eaters of almost anything you throw at them. Pigs, however, cannot and does not understand the value of pearls. It’s not going to be of help to pigs to give pearl although pearl is of great value to human beings. The deserving person is not difficult to identify: He is one who can truly benefit from the help you are giving. His needs are met, you will see appreciation, improvement of attitude and the like. He is the deserving person. But if you help a person and his wicked lifestyle remains the same, he is not the deserving person. If you are giving something to a person and all that it does is maintain his wicked lifestyle, he does not deserve your nor anybody’s help. PRAYER: Lord, I want to help but teach me to help the right way and the right person.
Wednesday : RULE 3: TRAIN YOURSELF TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ABILITIES AND YOUR LIMITATIONS
Prov 3:27-31. “27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.”
So far, we learned that to help the right way and to make kindness a way of life, we must: 1) Train ourselves to do good so that doing good becomes a way of life; 2) Train ourselves to identify which person deserves help, indicating that some are needy but do not deserve help. The third rule focuses on the extent and limits of our abilities. The text says: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO ACT.” It’s a simple but a very wise reminder. We must be willing to do good and we must actually do good when there is an opportunity but we must also understand that we can only do good in relation to our God-given abilities.
You may want to help someone who is going to jail for a crime he has committed but it is not in your power to interfere with the judicial process. You may want to help all the beggars in Metro Manila but you do not have that capacity so don’t feel bad about it. You want to help someone recover from his wicked ways but unless he decides there is nothing you can do. The lesson is simple: Be willing to help but do not judge yourself negatively nor harbor a bad feeling over something that you really do not have a control of. When the person is deserving and when we are able, we help. PRAYER: Lord, help me to do the best within the limits of the abilities that you have given me. Keep me from feeling bad when sometimes I find myself unable to help.
Thursday : RULE 4: TRAIN YOURSELF IN THE SPIRITUAL SKILL OF GIVING TIMELY HELP.
Prov 3:27-31. “27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.”
The timeliness of your help depends on several factors: 1) The person really is in need; 2) the person deserves to be helped and 3) you do have the ability to help. The fourth one focuses on when to help the person. Do not wait for tomorrow if you are able to help today. You know you can help, you know that you have the resources right now and you know that the person truly has a need. So it tells us not to wait for tomorrow.
The issue is not to delay any good thing that you can do. Analyzed in the light of the other parts of the Bible, there are many reasons for not delaying help to the one who is in need. For example, if you have a worker in your employ, the rule is pay him at the right time; do not delay. Deut 24:15: “ Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.” If you know that you must help today and you delay it until tomorrow, it is actually a sin. James 4:16-17. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. (NIV). Apply this in different areas in life. Tell your spouse that you love him/her today, why wait for tomorrow? Forgive today why wait for tomorrow? PRAYER: Lord help me to understand clearly the value of timely kindness.
Friday : RULE 5: TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE HAPPY WHILE HELPING OTHERS.
Prov 14:21. He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
The person who is kind to the needy is considered blessed. The Hebrew word for blessed (ESHER) literally means HAPPY. Our usual understanding of the word BLESSED is that of gifts that God has given us. That is part of the meaning of the word BLESSED but it can no longer apply when we remember that even God is BLESSED (Bless the Lord Oh my soul)! BLESSED MEANS HAPPY. Happy is the man who is kind to the needy.
Happiness is both a gift, a choice and also a command. Phil 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice ! (NIV). God can give you the gift of happiness through the kindness that you have shown to someone. Then, as a matter of choice, decide to be happy in what you are doing. Understand too, that happiness is a matter of obedience. Do you know how to be happy when you are helping others? Don’t focus on what you have lost but focus on being grateful to God for giving you the chance to show God’s kindness to others. Gratitude generates happiness. BLESSED (HAPPY) IS THE MAN WHO IS KIND TO THE NEEDY. And what happens when one is happy? Do you remember this verse? Prov 17:22. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.” (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION) PRAYER: Lord, I choose to be happy, I choose to obey and I accept your gift of happiness as I extend your kindness to others.
Saturday : RULE 6: TRAIN YOURSELF TO FOCUS ON GOD’S HONOR FOR EVERY GOOD ACT THAT YOU HAVE CARRIED OUT.
Prov 14:31. “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
The wisdom is this: in helping the poor, it is not really the poor who is the main issue. It is not even you as the giver of help. Helping others is an act of HONORING GOD! It’s all about Him! The opposite is just as true: Oppressing others is showing contempt for their Maker. Food for the hungry, money for the medicine of someone who is really needy, notebooks for the poor children, a kind word to someone in your family, an encouraging pat on the back; all these are acts of kindness and if we go by what the Bible has said, these acts honor God.
If we now link this lesson with the other lessons for the previous days, we now realize that there is so much we can do to honor God. Make kindness a way of life and honoring God will be a way of life for you as a natural result. The poor benefits from your help but that is not the biggest issue. In showing kindness to others, God is honored. Will you honor God today? Do something good to someone. Say something good to someone. It is not about us or the others. It is about God and His honor. PRAYER: Lord, remind me please to honor you everyday through every act that I carry out.
Sunday : RULE 7: REMEMBER THE LESSON: KINDNESS IS THERAPEUTIC AND ANTI-AGING. PRAISE GOD!
Prov 11:17. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. (NIV). Prov. 11:17. You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself. (TEV).
Prov 11:17. “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.”
(TLB)
The first translation is from the New International Version. The next one is from the TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION and the last one is from THE LIVING BIBLE. Comparing this verse in three (3) different versions or translations helps us to see clearly what the Bible is trying to say to us. Here is the flow of the argument: Whatever you do will have an impact on you. If your act is kind, you will personally benefit from that act of kindness. If your act is cruel (hurting others), it will come back to you in the form of trouble. The old saying was: “What you sow you will reap.” In Filipino, we would say: “Kung anong intinanim siyang aanihin.”
Here is a more modern of saying it: Do good, feel good. Do bad, feel bad. There is something about doing good that is potently therapeutic. There is something about saying a good word that can nourish your own soul. But, when we withhold what is good from others, we will suffer as a result. Let’s spend time and meditate on these verses: Psalm 112:5: Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Psalm 41:1-3. Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” PRAYER: Lord, help me cleanse my soul, nourish my mind, strengthen my body and improve my outlook by honoring You through acts of kindness to others.
Proverbs 11:17. Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel. (New Living Translation)
Main Reading: Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
Kindness is not as easy as it looks. Kindness is different from kind in the same way that generosity is different from generous. Kind describes a person who finds it easy to give attention and do something about the needs of others. Kindness, on the other hand, is the visible proof that the man is kind. Kindness is the gift given by the kind man. Kindness ought to be a way of life for us. But how?
Monday : RULE 1: TRAIN YOURSELF TO GIVE AND NOT TO WITHHOLD
Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
DO NOT WITHHOLD; the statement points us to the common human tendency to withhold and not to give; a tendency which we are to distance ourselves from. DO NOT WITHHOLD means to train ourselves so that we do not become SELFISH which describes a man whose personal interest is the most important thing to him. The text is clear enough: DO NOT WITHHOLD; train yourself to be a willing giver and generous sharer of the blessings you have received from God. Get into the habit of doing good to others. This means asking the question: What can I do for this person?
How about applying this first in our families? Doing good focuses not on the item but on the act and its impact on the person. Is there someone in the family who can benefit from a good word or an act of kindness from you? What act of goodness or kindness have you shown your family members? PRAYER: Teach me to give willingly and to share with others what I have received from you.
Tuesday : RULE 2: TRAIN YOURSELF TO KNOW WHICH PERSON DESERVES HELP.
Prov 3:27-31. 27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.
The word is full of needy people. The good news is that there are also many good people who are eager to respond to the plight of the needy. The text reminds us to do good to those who deserve it. Here is a word of wisdom from this verse: Not every needy person you see deserves the help that you might want to give. How then can I know whether a person deserves to be helped or not?
The Lord Jesus helps us with His words in Matt 7:6” "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Let’s use the mention of the pearl and the pigs as our guide since that is easier to understand. Pigs are eaters of almost anything you throw at them. Pigs, however, cannot and does not understand the value of pearls. It’s not going to be of help to pigs to give pearl although pearl is of great value to human beings. The deserving person is not difficult to identify: He is one who can truly benefit from the help you are giving. His needs are met, you will see appreciation, improvement of attitude and the like. He is the deserving person. But if you help a person and his wicked lifestyle remains the same, he is not the deserving person. If you are giving something to a person and all that it does is maintain his wicked lifestyle, he does not deserve your nor anybody’s help. PRAYER: Lord, I want to help but teach me to help the right way and the right person.
Wednesday : RULE 3: TRAIN YOURSELF TO UNDERSTAND YOUR ABILITIES AND YOUR LIMITATIONS
Prov 3:27-31. “27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.”
So far, we learned that to help the right way and to make kindness a way of life, we must: 1) Train ourselves to do good so that doing good becomes a way of life; 2) Train ourselves to identify which person deserves help, indicating that some are needy but do not deserve help. The third rule focuses on the extent and limits of our abilities. The text says: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO ACT.” It’s a simple but a very wise reminder. We must be willing to do good and we must actually do good when there is an opportunity but we must also understand that we can only do good in relation to our God-given abilities.
You may want to help someone who is going to jail for a crime he has committed but it is not in your power to interfere with the judicial process. You may want to help all the beggars in Metro Manila but you do not have that capacity so don’t feel bad about it. You want to help someone recover from his wicked ways but unless he decides there is nothing you can do. The lesson is simple: Be willing to help but do not judge yourself negatively nor harbor a bad feeling over something that you really do not have a control of. When the person is deserving and when we are able, we help. PRAYER: Lord, help me to do the best within the limits of the abilities that you have given me. Keep me from feeling bad when sometimes I find myself unable to help.
Thursday : RULE 4: TRAIN YOURSELF IN THE SPIRITUAL SKILL OF GIVING TIMELY HELP.
Prov 3:27-31. “27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" — when you now have it with you.”
The timeliness of your help depends on several factors: 1) The person really is in need; 2) the person deserves to be helped and 3) you do have the ability to help. The fourth one focuses on when to help the person. Do not wait for tomorrow if you are able to help today. You know you can help, you know that you have the resources right now and you know that the person truly has a need. So it tells us not to wait for tomorrow.
The issue is not to delay any good thing that you can do. Analyzed in the light of the other parts of the Bible, there are many reasons for not delaying help to the one who is in need. For example, if you have a worker in your employ, the rule is pay him at the right time; do not delay. Deut 24:15: “ Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.” If you know that you must help today and you delay it until tomorrow, it is actually a sin. James 4:16-17. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. (NIV). Apply this in different areas in life. Tell your spouse that you love him/her today, why wait for tomorrow? Forgive today why wait for tomorrow? PRAYER: Lord help me to understand clearly the value of timely kindness.
Friday : RULE 5: TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE HAPPY WHILE HELPING OTHERS.
Prov 14:21. He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
The person who is kind to the needy is considered blessed. The Hebrew word for blessed (ESHER) literally means HAPPY. Our usual understanding of the word BLESSED is that of gifts that God has given us. That is part of the meaning of the word BLESSED but it can no longer apply when we remember that even God is BLESSED (Bless the Lord Oh my soul)! BLESSED MEANS HAPPY. Happy is the man who is kind to the needy.
Happiness is both a gift, a choice and also a command. Phil 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice ! (NIV). God can give you the gift of happiness through the kindness that you have shown to someone. Then, as a matter of choice, decide to be happy in what you are doing. Understand too, that happiness is a matter of obedience. Do you know how to be happy when you are helping others? Don’t focus on what you have lost but focus on being grateful to God for giving you the chance to show God’s kindness to others. Gratitude generates happiness. BLESSED (HAPPY) IS THE MAN WHO IS KIND TO THE NEEDY. And what happens when one is happy? Do you remember this verse? Prov 17:22. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.” (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION) PRAYER: Lord, I choose to be happy, I choose to obey and I accept your gift of happiness as I extend your kindness to others.
Saturday : RULE 6: TRAIN YOURSELF TO FOCUS ON GOD’S HONOR FOR EVERY GOOD ACT THAT YOU HAVE CARRIED OUT.
Prov 14:31. “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
The wisdom is this: in helping the poor, it is not really the poor who is the main issue. It is not even you as the giver of help. Helping others is an act of HONORING GOD! It’s all about Him! The opposite is just as true: Oppressing others is showing contempt for their Maker. Food for the hungry, money for the medicine of someone who is really needy, notebooks for the poor children, a kind word to someone in your family, an encouraging pat on the back; all these are acts of kindness and if we go by what the Bible has said, these acts honor God.
If we now link this lesson with the other lessons for the previous days, we now realize that there is so much we can do to honor God. Make kindness a way of life and honoring God will be a way of life for you as a natural result. The poor benefits from your help but that is not the biggest issue. In showing kindness to others, God is honored. Will you honor God today? Do something good to someone. Say something good to someone. It is not about us or the others. It is about God and His honor. PRAYER: Lord, remind me please to honor you everyday through every act that I carry out.
Sunday : RULE 7: REMEMBER THE LESSON: KINDNESS IS THERAPEUTIC AND ANTI-AGING. PRAISE GOD!
Prov 11:17. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. (NIV). Prov. 11:17. You do yourself a favor when you are kind. If you are cruel, you only hurt yourself. (TEV).
Prov 11:17. “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.”
(TLB)
The first translation is from the New International Version. The next one is from the TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION and the last one is from THE LIVING BIBLE. Comparing this verse in three (3) different versions or translations helps us to see clearly what the Bible is trying to say to us. Here is the flow of the argument: Whatever you do will have an impact on you. If your act is kind, you will personally benefit from that act of kindness. If your act is cruel (hurting others), it will come back to you in the form of trouble. The old saying was: “What you sow you will reap.” In Filipino, we would say: “Kung anong intinanim siyang aanihin.”
Here is a more modern of saying it: Do good, feel good. Do bad, feel bad. There is something about doing good that is potently therapeutic. There is something about saying a good word that can nourish your own soul. But, when we withhold what is good from others, we will suffer as a result. Let’s spend time and meditate on these verses: Psalm 112:5: Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Psalm 41:1-3. Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” PRAYER: Lord, help me cleanse my soul, nourish my mind, strengthen my body and improve my outlook by honoring You through acts of kindness to others.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
THE ABC OF OUR GLORIOUS STANDING
Note: As you can see, this sermon was preached in 1999 or eleven years ago. I preached it as one sermon but you can divide it into 2, 3 or even four sermons. In that case, you may want to do a series. Ejoy
THE ABC OF OUR GLORIOUS STANDING
Eph. 1:1-8
Sunday, September 05, 1999
CTC
Introduction:
A girl of 18 years old was scolded by a younger brother. She, out of that encounter, made the conclusion in her mind that it was a very painful experience for her. The Newspapers reported that she killed herself as a result.
Friends, most people’s reaction is that the scolding was not big enough of a reason to kill one’s self. Is it? For some people, it is not big enough. For some, like that girl, it was big enough to push her to end her own life. Whether it’s big enough or not depends, in the end, on the conclusion that one makes in his or her mind. You see, the behavior, like the act of killing the self, is always an extension or a product of the mental conclusion that was previously made. An act or a behavior does not just happen. Any act is committed because of a conclusion. When we conclude that we itch, we scratch. When we conclude that we are hungry, we look for food, or smell for the whereabouts of food and eat when we find some. Any act is always a product of a mental conclusion. So, happiness in life, or the sadness of the same is principally dictated by the kinds of mental conclusions we make about our life, about others, and even about God.
Ephesians is a book on Spiritual Conclusion. Paul guides us through his letter to the Ephesians and reminds us of the wonderful love that the Father has for us. He is in fact, saying to us, when we come to know the greatness of God’s love for us, there is nothing that this world can do to make us kill ourselves. When we come to really understand the greatness of God’s love for us, there is nothing in this world that can make us grovel in hopelessness, or whimper in our misery.
Please note very carefully that Paul begins his letter with a very clear and precise discussion of our spiritual identity. He wants his readers to be sure of who they are before God. The reason is that he will explain to them towards the end of his book that they are and will always be engaged in a very fierce and difficult combat against Satan and the primary way of standing firm against his attacks is to know our spiritual standing and spiritual heritage. To who were are means to be victorious over Satan. To be ignorant of who we are before God means defeat in the hands of someone who is crafty and wily.
Let’s remind ourselves as to who we really are before God. Right conclusions means strength. Hope is a product of right conclusions. Happiness is a product of right conclusions. Victory over Satan is a product of right conclusion and not matter of using the cross, or oil, or anything else. Let’s talk about the ABC of our glorious standing before God. Satan’s nightmare is that we will discover this and use this against him. His wonderful dream is that the Christians will remain ignorant about their rightful and glorious standing before God. The lack of assurance is a product of ignorance. Ignorance making wrong conclusions from lack of correct knowledge.
A. ACCEPTED BEFORE WE WERE BORN.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Paul says that God accepted us before we were born. He did this when He chose in Jesus Christ before the creation of the world. Let’s note 3 things about this acceptance. This means that we were:
Chosen for a Distinct Relationship. He predestined us to be adopted as his sons (or daughters) through Jesus Christ.
Chosen for a Distinct Lifestyle. He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Chosen for a Distinct Purpose. To the praise of His:
Glory. His unique being as God. (Also in verse 12)
Grace. The favor he bestows on people.
The phrase glorious grace really has two words: Grace and glory. Imagine. God has chosen us even before we were born to become instruments for His grace and glory. In other words, He has said, through you, my glory, my uniqueness as God, my grace will be recognized and honored in the sight of heaven and earth.
B. BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
The nature of our blessing:
Comprehensive. Every spiritual blessing.
2.2. Completely Safe. In Heaven. Safety Deposit Box is still a box. It is not safe enough. Safety is found not in a box but in a place. Heaven is a very safe place. That where our blessings have been deposited with an AND Account. You ask in Jesus name. He fill up, both of you sign. The Father will give it.
2.3. Certified to be available. In Christ. As long as one is in Christ, the blessings are available. The presence of Christ assures the blessings. The absence of Christ assures the absence of the blessings. Lord, send it through DHL- Divine Holy Line.
The main signatory of the withdrawal slip is in heaven.
C. CLEANSED BY HIS BLOOD.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
C. THE ESSENCE of this Cleansing. Redemption. Paying for the freedom of the slave. Our cleansing was never cheap nor easy. It required blood, which symbolizes life and suffering.
C.2. THE EFFECT of this cleansing. It deals effectively with our sins so that forgiveness becomes possible. Therefore, the end result of this cleansing is forgiveness of sins.
Note that this redemption or cleansing is given out of God’s
riches of God’s grace. The phrase to receive wealth is not the same as to received according to his wealth. When someone gives you a wealth, that is normally measured as wealth in relation to your poverty. It is wealth to the receiver. To receive wealth according to the rich man’s wealth is something else. That means to receive wealth by the standards of the donor. It means to be really wealthy not in comparison to your former poverty but in comparison tot he donor’s status.
We receive redemption or cleansing according to the riches
of God’s grace. Meaning, the forgiveness of sins that we have received is not measured according to the seriousness of our sins but according to the kindness of God. Because of that, our forgiveness is complete and without limits of any kind.
C.3. THE EXCLUSIVENESS of this cleansing. It is limited to
those who are in Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ is applied only to those who have received Him as Lord and Savior.
Friends, the danger in life are not the big wrong doctrines for we can easily spot them. The more dangerous ones are the small doubts. The minor dissatisfaction. The small and insignificant neglect of our time with the Bible. These are dangerous.
Six Slits Sink Ship
Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, 900-foot cruise ship sank in 1912 on its first voyage, from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in the worst maritime disaster of the time.
The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Their discovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds.
Small damage, invisible to most, can sink not only a great ship but a great reputation.
--USA Today (4/9/97)
Let not Satan deprive us of our joy. Let the problems of life terrify us. Let not the difficulties steal from us our God-given confidence and strength. Remind ourselves again and again. I have been ACCEPTED. BLESSED WITH EVERY BLESSING. CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD.
Satan says: God cannot accept you anymore because of your very rotten life. Satan, I was accepted before I was born. He has already accepted me for a distinct relationship with him. A distinct lifestyle for him and a distinct purpose for his glory.
Satan says: Yes, God may have accepted you but He will deprive you of blessings. He will not cause your business to prosper. He will bring you poverty and extreme suffering. You say. Satan, I have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The spiritual blessings for me are Comprehensive, it covers every need. It is Completely safe in heaven- away from your stealing hands. It is certified to be available because I have the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan says: Yes, but your sins will bring you down. Your sins are too big and too much for God to handle. You will die in your sins. You say: Satan. I have already been cleansed. My cleaning in essense, is Redemption. Its effect is on all my sins. They have been fogiven. And the cleansing is exclusive, for me yes, for you no.
I have my ABC, you have yours. Your ABC IS . A-Alienation from God. B. Babanatan ka ng Diyos. C. Combustible material for hell.
Alam mo Satan, kahit sa Taglish, maganda and aking ABC. ANG BLESSINGS CONTINUING.
THE ABC OF OUR GLORIOUS STANDING
Eph. 1:1-8
Sunday, September 05, 1999
CTC
Introduction:
A girl of 18 years old was scolded by a younger brother. She, out of that encounter, made the conclusion in her mind that it was a very painful experience for her. The Newspapers reported that she killed herself as a result.
Friends, most people’s reaction is that the scolding was not big enough of a reason to kill one’s self. Is it? For some people, it is not big enough. For some, like that girl, it was big enough to push her to end her own life. Whether it’s big enough or not depends, in the end, on the conclusion that one makes in his or her mind. You see, the behavior, like the act of killing the self, is always an extension or a product of the mental conclusion that was previously made. An act or a behavior does not just happen. Any act is committed because of a conclusion. When we conclude that we itch, we scratch. When we conclude that we are hungry, we look for food, or smell for the whereabouts of food and eat when we find some. Any act is always a product of a mental conclusion. So, happiness in life, or the sadness of the same is principally dictated by the kinds of mental conclusions we make about our life, about others, and even about God.
Ephesians is a book on Spiritual Conclusion. Paul guides us through his letter to the Ephesians and reminds us of the wonderful love that the Father has for us. He is in fact, saying to us, when we come to know the greatness of God’s love for us, there is nothing that this world can do to make us kill ourselves. When we come to really understand the greatness of God’s love for us, there is nothing in this world that can make us grovel in hopelessness, or whimper in our misery.
Please note very carefully that Paul begins his letter with a very clear and precise discussion of our spiritual identity. He wants his readers to be sure of who they are before God. The reason is that he will explain to them towards the end of his book that they are and will always be engaged in a very fierce and difficult combat against Satan and the primary way of standing firm against his attacks is to know our spiritual standing and spiritual heritage. To who were are means to be victorious over Satan. To be ignorant of who we are before God means defeat in the hands of someone who is crafty and wily.
Let’s remind ourselves as to who we really are before God. Right conclusions means strength. Hope is a product of right conclusions. Happiness is a product of right conclusions. Victory over Satan is a product of right conclusion and not matter of using the cross, or oil, or anything else. Let’s talk about the ABC of our glorious standing before God. Satan’s nightmare is that we will discover this and use this against him. His wonderful dream is that the Christians will remain ignorant about their rightful and glorious standing before God. The lack of assurance is a product of ignorance. Ignorance making wrong conclusions from lack of correct knowledge.
A. ACCEPTED BEFORE WE WERE BORN.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Paul says that God accepted us before we were born. He did this when He chose in Jesus Christ before the creation of the world. Let’s note 3 things about this acceptance. This means that we were:
Chosen for a Distinct Relationship. He predestined us to be adopted as his sons (or daughters) through Jesus Christ.
Chosen for a Distinct Lifestyle. He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.
Chosen for a Distinct Purpose. To the praise of His:
Glory. His unique being as God. (Also in verse 12)
Grace. The favor he bestows on people.
The phrase glorious grace really has two words: Grace and glory. Imagine. God has chosen us even before we were born to become instruments for His grace and glory. In other words, He has said, through you, my glory, my uniqueness as God, my grace will be recognized and honored in the sight of heaven and earth.
B. BLESSED WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
The nature of our blessing:
Comprehensive. Every spiritual blessing.
2.2. Completely Safe. In Heaven. Safety Deposit Box is still a box. It is not safe enough. Safety is found not in a box but in a place. Heaven is a very safe place. That where our blessings have been deposited with an AND Account. You ask in Jesus name. He fill up, both of you sign. The Father will give it.
2.3. Certified to be available. In Christ. As long as one is in Christ, the blessings are available. The presence of Christ assures the blessings. The absence of Christ assures the absence of the blessings. Lord, send it through DHL- Divine Holy Line.
The main signatory of the withdrawal slip is in heaven.
C. CLEANSED BY HIS BLOOD.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
C. THE ESSENCE of this Cleansing. Redemption. Paying for the freedom of the slave. Our cleansing was never cheap nor easy. It required blood, which symbolizes life and suffering.
C.2. THE EFFECT of this cleansing. It deals effectively with our sins so that forgiveness becomes possible. Therefore, the end result of this cleansing is forgiveness of sins.
Note that this redemption or cleansing is given out of God’s
riches of God’s grace. The phrase to receive wealth is not the same as to received according to his wealth. When someone gives you a wealth, that is normally measured as wealth in relation to your poverty. It is wealth to the receiver. To receive wealth according to the rich man’s wealth is something else. That means to receive wealth by the standards of the donor. It means to be really wealthy not in comparison to your former poverty but in comparison tot he donor’s status.
We receive redemption or cleansing according to the riches
of God’s grace. Meaning, the forgiveness of sins that we have received is not measured according to the seriousness of our sins but according to the kindness of God. Because of that, our forgiveness is complete and without limits of any kind.
C.3. THE EXCLUSIVENESS of this cleansing. It is limited to
those who are in Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ is applied only to those who have received Him as Lord and Savior.
Friends, the danger in life are not the big wrong doctrines for we can easily spot them. The more dangerous ones are the small doubts. The minor dissatisfaction. The small and insignificant neglect of our time with the Bible. These are dangerous.
Six Slits Sink Ship
Scientists now say that a series of slits, not a giant gash, sank the Titanic. The opulent, 900-foot cruise ship sank in 1912 on its first voyage, from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died in the worst maritime disaster of the time.
The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in the side of the liner. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe the wreckage, buried in the mud under two-and-a-half miles of water. Their discovery? The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of the huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds.
Small damage, invisible to most, can sink not only a great ship but a great reputation.
--USA Today (4/9/97)
Let not Satan deprive us of our joy. Let the problems of life terrify us. Let not the difficulties steal from us our God-given confidence and strength. Remind ourselves again and again. I have been ACCEPTED. BLESSED WITH EVERY BLESSING. CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD.
Satan says: God cannot accept you anymore because of your very rotten life. Satan, I was accepted before I was born. He has already accepted me for a distinct relationship with him. A distinct lifestyle for him and a distinct purpose for his glory.
Satan says: Yes, God may have accepted you but He will deprive you of blessings. He will not cause your business to prosper. He will bring you poverty and extreme suffering. You say. Satan, I have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The spiritual blessings for me are Comprehensive, it covers every need. It is Completely safe in heaven- away from your stealing hands. It is certified to be available because I have the Lord Jesus Christ.
Satan says: Yes, but your sins will bring you down. Your sins are too big and too much for God to handle. You will die in your sins. You say: Satan. I have already been cleansed. My cleaning in essense, is Redemption. Its effect is on all my sins. They have been fogiven. And the cleansing is exclusive, for me yes, for you no.
I have my ABC, you have yours. Your ABC IS . A-Alienation from God. B. Babanatan ka ng Diyos. C. Combustible material for hell.
Alam mo Satan, kahit sa Taglish, maganda and aking ABC. ANG BLESSINGS CONTINUING.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
FOUR QUESTIONS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES:
FOUR QUESTIONS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES:
Genesis 4.
Introduction:
When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing that you say to someone in the house, is it a statement or a question? When you meet someone, what is the first word that comes out of your mouth – a statement or a question?
You may want to remember that in the Bible, the first recorded words from God to the first human beings were statements giving instructions: “Be fruitful and multiply”. On the other hand, the first words spoken by Satan to the first human beings were in the form of a question: “Did God really say you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”
We may further remind ourselves in the first recorded conversation between God and Satan in the book of Job, the first words that God spoke to Satan were in the form of a question: Where have you been? Interestingly also, first words on record as having been spoken by God to Cain in Gen. 4 were also in the form of a question: “Why are you angry?”
Today, we are going to talk about Questions, specifically FOUR QUESTIONS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES.
Instructions are important but questions are also important. Questions open for us possibilities of learning or acquiring more in terms of knowledge and skills. Questions require an answer and answers are knowledge that can be fruitful for life.
THE BACKGROUND:
Although God told Adam and Eve to multiply in number and to fill the earth, two of these children became prominent in the Biblical history. This is so because they occupied unique positions in the story of humanity.
In the story today, God asked Cain four important questions. God could have asked more questions but on record, only these four were retained. These are important questions and they could have saved lives and they can still save lives today, even during our time. Let’s take a look at the questions:
1. QUESTION 1: WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY? (Why are you angry?)
The question is not intended to provide God with an answer that He does not know. Not all questions are asked for the purpose of knowing. Ex. God said to Adam – Where are you? Note that God is all knowing but Adam was being given the chance to come out and repent and surrender to God.
Why do you feel that way? Many of our emotional difficulties are not necessary. Our emotions must be justified in the sight of God. Cain was asked – why are you angry? It is like saying – do you think that you are doing the right way by getting angry? Do you think you have the right to be angry?
Did you examine your emotions in the light of what is right and wrong in my sight? (If you do well, will you not be accepted?)
Questions about emotions: Why do you love the man you love now? Is it valid? Is it justified in the sight of God? Why do you dwell on your depression? Is it valid? Are you grieving?
The question is intended to remind us that not all emotions we experience are valid and acceptable in the sight of God.
You feel that you are so unloved? Why do you feel that way? You feel that the world is about to fall on you? Why do you feel that way? Is it justified? You feel that you cannot take it anymore. Why do you feel that way?
2. QUESTION 2: WHY DO YOU BEHAVE THAT WAY? (Why is your face downcast?)
Cain was acting out his frustration and anger. His face showed it very clearly. When our emotions are low, our behavior tends to follow. It should not. Just as we need to examine our emotions and justify them in the presence of God, we also must examine our behavior and justify the same in the sight of God!
Why do I behave this way? Can I justify this in the sight of God? Why do I raise my voice against my children? Is this justified in the sight of God? Why do I raise my hand to inflict violence upon my children and the wife – is this justified in the sight of God?
Why do I go out at night as if I did not have a family – is this behavior justified in the sight of God? Why do I watch TV at night when I have a school assignment to finish – is this behavior justified in the sight of God?
Why do I forget to greet or kiss my mother when I arrive home or when I leave home, is this justified in the sight of God?
Why do I no longer hold the hands of my wife when we walk at the ATC or the Glorieta? Is it because I cannot bear the thought that I am holding hands with a lola? But you are also a lolo! Is this behavior justified in the sight of God?
3. QUESTION 3: WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?
Here is a question of accountability. The brother is accountable to God for the welfare of his brother or sister. The husband is accountable to God for the welfare of his wife. The wife is accountable to God for the welfare of the husband. The children, in some ways, are accountable to God to pray for the welfare of their parents. They are definitely accountable to God for the honor of their parents! That is why they are commanded to honor their father and mother.
Here are important parts of the question:
3.1. We must know at all times where the other members of the family are at a particular time.
3.2. we must be responsible for seeing to it that our family members are safe.
Parents, do you know where your children are at a particular time of the night? Children, do you inform your parents, or more correctly, ask permission from your parents about where you want to go?
4. QUESTION 4: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
The question is intended to save Cain’s life. He could have repented. He could have admitted the crime.
Every time we do something, we are reminded by this question to examine the following:
4.1. The validity of behavior in the light of God’s law. Right or wrong?
4.2. The validity of our behavior in the light of the welfare of family members: Family concern and obligations.
4.3. The validity of our behavior in the light of the welfare of others (love your neighbors as yourself).
Genesis 4.
Introduction:
When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing that you say to someone in the house, is it a statement or a question? When you meet someone, what is the first word that comes out of your mouth – a statement or a question?
You may want to remember that in the Bible, the first recorded words from God to the first human beings were statements giving instructions: “Be fruitful and multiply”. On the other hand, the first words spoken by Satan to the first human beings were in the form of a question: “Did God really say you must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”
We may further remind ourselves in the first recorded conversation between God and Satan in the book of Job, the first words that God spoke to Satan were in the form of a question: Where have you been? Interestingly also, first words on record as having been spoken by God to Cain in Gen. 4 were also in the form of a question: “Why are you angry?”
Today, we are going to talk about Questions, specifically FOUR QUESTIONS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES.
Instructions are important but questions are also important. Questions open for us possibilities of learning or acquiring more in terms of knowledge and skills. Questions require an answer and answers are knowledge that can be fruitful for life.
THE BACKGROUND:
Although God told Adam and Eve to multiply in number and to fill the earth, two of these children became prominent in the Biblical history. This is so because they occupied unique positions in the story of humanity.
In the story today, God asked Cain four important questions. God could have asked more questions but on record, only these four were retained. These are important questions and they could have saved lives and they can still save lives today, even during our time. Let’s take a look at the questions:
1. QUESTION 1: WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY? (Why are you angry?)
The question is not intended to provide God with an answer that He does not know. Not all questions are asked for the purpose of knowing. Ex. God said to Adam – Where are you? Note that God is all knowing but Adam was being given the chance to come out and repent and surrender to God.
Why do you feel that way? Many of our emotional difficulties are not necessary. Our emotions must be justified in the sight of God. Cain was asked – why are you angry? It is like saying – do you think that you are doing the right way by getting angry? Do you think you have the right to be angry?
Did you examine your emotions in the light of what is right and wrong in my sight? (If you do well, will you not be accepted?)
Questions about emotions: Why do you love the man you love now? Is it valid? Is it justified in the sight of God? Why do you dwell on your depression? Is it valid? Are you grieving?
The question is intended to remind us that not all emotions we experience are valid and acceptable in the sight of God.
You feel that you are so unloved? Why do you feel that way? You feel that the world is about to fall on you? Why do you feel that way? Is it justified? You feel that you cannot take it anymore. Why do you feel that way?
2. QUESTION 2: WHY DO YOU BEHAVE THAT WAY? (Why is your face downcast?)
Cain was acting out his frustration and anger. His face showed it very clearly. When our emotions are low, our behavior tends to follow. It should not. Just as we need to examine our emotions and justify them in the presence of God, we also must examine our behavior and justify the same in the sight of God!
Why do I behave this way? Can I justify this in the sight of God? Why do I raise my voice against my children? Is this justified in the sight of God? Why do I raise my hand to inflict violence upon my children and the wife – is this justified in the sight of God?
Why do I go out at night as if I did not have a family – is this behavior justified in the sight of God? Why do I watch TV at night when I have a school assignment to finish – is this behavior justified in the sight of God?
Why do I forget to greet or kiss my mother when I arrive home or when I leave home, is this justified in the sight of God?
Why do I no longer hold the hands of my wife when we walk at the ATC or the Glorieta? Is it because I cannot bear the thought that I am holding hands with a lola? But you are also a lolo! Is this behavior justified in the sight of God?
3. QUESTION 3: WHERE IS YOUR BROTHER?
Here is a question of accountability. The brother is accountable to God for the welfare of his brother or sister. The husband is accountable to God for the welfare of his wife. The wife is accountable to God for the welfare of the husband. The children, in some ways, are accountable to God to pray for the welfare of their parents. They are definitely accountable to God for the honor of their parents! That is why they are commanded to honor their father and mother.
Here are important parts of the question:
3.1. We must know at all times where the other members of the family are at a particular time.
3.2. we must be responsible for seeing to it that our family members are safe.
Parents, do you know where your children are at a particular time of the night? Children, do you inform your parents, or more correctly, ask permission from your parents about where you want to go?
4. QUESTION 4: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
The question is intended to save Cain’s life. He could have repented. He could have admitted the crime.
Every time we do something, we are reminded by this question to examine the following:
4.1. The validity of behavior in the light of God’s law. Right or wrong?
4.2. The validity of our behavior in the light of the welfare of family members: Family concern and obligations.
4.3. The validity of our behavior in the light of the welfare of others (love your neighbors as yourself).
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