Big God: What Happens When We Trust Him (Free Books Inside!)

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,
the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1NASV)

“Epilogue” from Big God: What Happens When We Trust Him by Britt Merrick. Published by Regal, 2010. Pg. 237:

We all want to be known as people of faith – people who live our lives the way God wants us to. But many of us feel disqualified already. Many of you think that you’re just too far gone for God to use you. If that’s you, you need to read your Bible!

Look at the stories of the heroes of this faith. Rahab was a prostitute, Noah was a drunk, Abraham was way too old, Isaac was a day-dreamer, Jacob was a liar, Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses couldn’t speak well, Gideon was afraid, Samson had long hair and was a womanizer, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young, David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Isaiah preached naked, Jonah ran from God, Naomi was a widow, Job went bankrupt, John the Baptist ate bugs, Peter denied Jesus, the disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, Mary Magdalene was demon possessed, the Samaritan woman was divorced many times, Zacchaeus was too small, Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer, and Lazarus was dead!

When you look at this list, you really have no excuses. These are the examples given to us in God’s Word. They weren’t great people, but they had great moments of faith in a great God. At the critical moments of their lives, they exercised great faith and made the right faith decisions. We can do the same. We can lead lived that are pleasing to God, not because we are great people, but because by faith we can connect with a great God. When we place our faith in the one true God, we can accomplish great things for His glory.

As William Carey, missionary to India and the father of modern missions, once said, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” When you do, great things will happen – because our God is great. Choose to live by faith in Him, and watch what happens. That’s when things start getting good.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. BIG GOD.

January 2013 Free Books

I’m giving away ONLY 3 copies of Big God: What Happens When We Trust Him by Britt Merrick. You are welcome to get a copy of this book for yourself. Simple, do these 2 things:

1.     Comment below “Rich, give me one copy___(Your name). From this New Year onward, I want to put my trust in the big God of the Bible! Help me Lord Jesus.”

2.     And E-mail me at Motivates4life@hotmail.com or send message to my Facebook your real name, phone no. and your postal address. Thank you.

Penghakiman Yesus

“Kemudian aku melihat satu lagi malaikat perkasa turun dari syurga. Dia diselubungi awan dan kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi. Mukanya bersinar seperti matahari, dan kakinya seperti tiang api” (Wahyu 10:1)

Saya percaya bahawa “malaikat perkasa” yang digambarkan oleh rasul Yohanes ini ialah Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Yesus seringkali digambarkan sebagai (menyerupai) malaikat di dalam Perjanjian Lama; contohnya di dalam Kejadian 22:15 dan Yesaya 63:9. Di sini kita digambarkan bahawa Yesus “diselubungi awan” melambangkan hadiratan-Nya yang mulia; “kepala [Yesus] dikelilingi pelangi” melambangkan kasih kurnia-Nya yang tidak pernah berakhir dan; “muka [Yesus] bersinar seperti matahari” melambangkan kebesaran dan keagungan-Nya. Akhir sekali, kita akan melihat tentang “kakinya seperti tiang api”, apakah maksud ini?

Di dalam Al-Kitab, “tiang” (atau “pillar”) ialah simbol bagi pimpinan dan pelindung, seperti tiang awan dan tiang api yang menyertai nabi Musa dan orang Israel keluar dari Mesir ke Tanah Perjanjian Allah (Keluaran 13:21-22). Dan “api” pula ialah simbol bagi ujian atau penghakiman. Api membakar. Api membersih. Api merebak. Di sini Tuhan Yesus Kristus digambarkan sebagai Hakim yang Maha Adil yang melindungi orang yang percaya kepada-Nya dan menghakimi orang yang tidak percaya kepada-Nya berdasarkan kesucian-Nya yang sempurna.

Jika kita membaca Buku Wahyu secara keseluruhannya, Rasul Yohanes tidak lagi menggambarkan Yesus-manusia seperti dalam Injil Yohanes tetapi Yesus-Tuhan dengan penuh dengan kemuliaan-Nya (Nota: Semasa Yesus berada di bumi, Dia ialah 100% manusia dan juga 100% Tuhan). Yesus tidak lagi digambarkan sebagai seorang yang sederhana dan panjang sabar terhadap dosa tetapi sekarang sudah bersedia untuk menjadi Hakim yang adil dan penuh dengan autoriti. Rasul Yohanes pada masa ini tidak “duduk di sebelah Yesus” (Yohanes 13:23) tetapi jatuh “meniarapkan diri di hadapan-Nya seperti seorang mati” (Wahyu 1:17) – dia menyembah Tuhan Yesus!

Banyak orang tidak tahu bahawa Hakim di Akhir Zaman nanti ialah Yesus Kristus. Banyak yang belum betul-betul lagi diselamatkan datang ke gereja dengan sambil lewa semasa Hari Ester dan meraikan Hari Krismas tanpa mengetahui kebenaran ini. Apa yang ‘mereka’ raikan jika ‘mereka’ masih lagi belum menerima Yesus sebagai Juruselamat dan Tuhan Raja ialah – kebinasaan ‘mereka’ sendiri. 2 Timotius 4:1 mengatakan bahawa, “Kristus Yesus akan datang lagi untuk menghakimi orang yang hidup dan yang mati. Dia akan datang untuk memerintah sebagai Raja”.

Bersyukurlah kepada Tuhan Allah atas pengorbanan Yesus Kristus di kayu salib dan membangkitkan-Nya semula dari kematian. Melalui iman kita kepada Dia, kita tidak perlu risau akan kedatangan-Nya untuk menghakimi dunia kerana Darah Anak Domba membolehkan kita hidup selamanya dengan Allah dan bukannya ke tempat pembinasaan kekal. “Kaki [Yesus] seperti tiang api” ialah berita baik kepada kita kerana Dia pasti akan melindungi kita daripada api murka kesucian-Nya. Bersyukurlah! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Akhir kata daripada saya: Sementara kamu masih bernafas lagi, dan kasih kurnia penyelamatan dari Allah masih lagi diberikan kepada kamu – saya ingin bertanya: Sudahkah kamu menerima Yesus Kristus sebagai Juruselamat dan Tuhan Raja kamu? Jika belum, Firman Allah yang hidup mengatakan bahawa: “Mereka yang menyambut [Yesus] dan percaya kepada-Nya, mereka diberikan-Nya hak menjadi anak Allah” (Yohanes 1:12). Berdoalah seperti ini:

Bapa disyurga, saya percaya bahawa Yesus Kristus ialah Anak Tunggal-Mu,

dan Dia telah mati di kayu salib untuk menyelamatkan saya daripada dosa saya.

Saya percaya bahawa Dia telah bangkit semula dari kematian,

dan bahawa Dia mahu saya hidup selamanya

bersama dengan-Nya di syurga sebagai keluarga-Mu.

Kerana apa yang Yesus telah lakukan,

saya berdoa agar Engkau mengampuni dosa saya

dan berikanlah saya hidup kekal bersama-Mu.

Saya ingin meletakkan iman saya kepada Yesus Kristus

sebagai Juruselamat dan Tuhan Raja saya.

Pimpinlah saya untuk hidup berkenan dan memuliakan nama-Mu.

Amen.

Keagungan Yesus

“Kemudian aku melihat satu lagi malaikat perkasa turun dari syurga. Dia diselubungi awan dan kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi. Mukanya bersinar seperti matahari, dan kakinya seperti tiang api” (Wahyu 10:1)

Saya percaya bahawa “malaikat perkasa” yang digambarkan oleh rasul Yohanes ini ialah Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Yesus seringkali digambarkan sebagai (menyerupai) malaikat di dalam Perjanjian Lama; contohnya di dalam Kejadian 22:15 dan Yesaya 63:9. Di sini kita digambarkan bahawa Yesus “diselubungi awan” melambangkan hadiratan-Nya yang mulia dan “kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi” melambangkan kasih kurnia-Nya yang tidak pernah berakhir. Kini kita akan melihat “muka [Yesus] bersinar seperti matahari”, apakah maksud ini?

Di dalam Al-Kitab, “matahari” ialah simbol untuk keagungan atau kebesaran atau kehebatan Allah. Sebagai contoh, Wayhu 1:16 menulis tentang Yesus, “Tangan kanan-Nya memegang tujuh buah bintang, dan dari mulut-Nya keluar sebilah pedang tajam yang bermata dua. Muka-Nya terang seperti matahari pada waktu tengah hari” (Alkitab BM); “...bersinar-sinar bagaikan matahari yang terik” (Alkitab INDO); “...like the sun shining in full strength” (ESV). Bolehkah kamu membayangkan melihat matahari yang bersinar pada waktu tengah hari terus dengan mata kasar kamu? Terang matahari akan menyebabkan mata kamu buta! Kawan-kawan, itu hanyalah gambaran saiz kecil tentang keagungan Tuhan bagi kita. Rasul Paulus atau Saulus pada masa itu, pernah melihat Tuhan Yesus dengan matanya sendiri. Jika kamu membaca Kisah Rasul-Rasul 9, dia tersungkur jatuh dan menjadi buta serta merta apabila melihat “cahaya dari langit memancar” (ayat 3) – cahaya itu datangnya dari Yesus Kristus (ayat 4). Saulus menjadi buta apabila melihat cahaya keagungan Tuhan Yesus!

Beberapa abad dahulu, ahli-ahli astronomi beranggapan bahawa bumi ialah pusat bagi sistem solar kita. Namum begitu, apabila mereka membandingkan pemerhatian mereka dan membuat pengiraan fizik, mereka seakan-akan tidak boleh membuktikan anggapan itu. Semuanya seperti tidak kena. Sekian lama, datang seorang astronomi yang bernama Copernicus. Selepas dia mengkaji secara mendalam tentang alam semester, dia membuat kesimpulan dan membuktikan bahawa bumi bukanlah pusat bagi sistem solar kita, tetapi bumi dan semua planet yang lain berputar mengelilingi matahari. Matahari ialah pusat bagi sistem solar kita. Apabila dia mengongsikan penemuan ini kepada dunia, semua pemerhatian dan kiraan akhirnya masuk akal.

Begitu juga apa yang akan terjadi di dalam kehidupan kamu. Apabila kamu menjadikan Yesus sumber cahaya kebenaran, Tuhan Yesus Kristus, menjadi pusat utama dalam kehidupan kamu, perkara yang tidak kena akan menjadi masuk akal. “Muka [Yesus] bersinar seperti matahari” menggambarkan keagungan-Nya ini di seluruh alam semesta – di bumi dan juga di syurga. Yesus ialah yang Satu yang menjadi pusat bagi segala-galanya. Inilah keagungan-Nya yang besar! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Kasih-Kurnia Yesus

“Kemudian aku melihat satu lagi malaikat perkasa turun dari syurga. Dia diselubungi awan dan kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi. Mukanya bersinar seperti matahari, dan kakinya seperti tiang api” (Wahyu 10:1)

Saya percaya bahawa “malaikat perkasa” yang digambarkan oleh rasul Yohanes ini ialah Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Yesus seringkali digambarkan sebagai (menyerupai) malaikat di dalam Perjanjian Lama; contohnya di dalam Kejadian 22:15 dan Yesaya 63:9. Di sini kita digambarkan bahawa Yesus bukan sahaja “diselubungi awan”, malah di “kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi”. Apakah maksud ini?

Di dalam Al-Kitab apa yang kita tahu tentang “pelangi”? Pelangi ialah simbol atau tanda perjanjian Tuhan Allah dengan dunia. Tuhan menempatkan pelangi di langit selepas banjir besar (Baca Kejadian 6 untuk mengetahui kenapa Tuhan menghantar banjir besar kepada manusia) untuk mengingatkan nabi Nuh (dan kita keseluruhannya) tentang kasih kurnia perjanjian-Nya. Kejadian 9:13-17 ditulis:

“Aku menempatkan pelangi-Ku di langit. Pelangi menjadi tanda perjanjian-Ku dengan dunia. Tiap-tiap kali Aku meliputi langit dengan awan dan pelangi itu kelihatan, Aku akan mengingat perjanjian-Ku dengan kamu dan dengan semua makhluk hidup, bahawa banjir tidak lagi akan membinasakan semua makhluk hidup. Apabila pelangi itu kelihatan di langit, Aku akan melihatnya dan mengingat perjanjian abadi antara Aku dan semua makhluk yang hidup di bumi. Itulah tanda perjanjian yang Aku buat dengan semua makhluk yang hidup di bumi.”

Cuba kamu bayangkan bagaimana perasaan nabi Nuh selepas dia keluar daripada bahtera dan melihat seluruh ciptaan Tuhan telah habis musnah oleh banjir. Sedih. Duka. Hilang harapan. Kemudian, nabi Nuh mendongak ke atas langit dan melihat Tuhan Allah telah menempatkan pelangi yang cantik di atas bumi yang musnah; tentu harapannya bangkit semula dan imannya dikuatkan lagi.

Pelangi yang indah dan dipenuhi oleh warna-warna yang cantik; merah, jingga, kuning, hijau, biru, indigo, ungu dan banyak lagi (semasa sekolah rendah, cikgu saya mengajar cara untuk mengingati warna pelangi, ‘M-J-K-H-B-I-U’) mengingatkan kita tentang kekuasaan dan pemikiran Allah yang tiada tolok bandingnya. Dia telah berFirman dan Dia tidak akan melanggar perjanjian-Nya sendiri, “Aku akan mengingat perjanjian-Ku” (Kejadian 9:15).

Apabila Yesus digambarkan bahawa “kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi” ini bermaksud: setiap janji – keselamatan, pemulihan, kekuatan, sukacita, termasuk juga dengan amaran pelanggaran, dan sebagainya yang ditulis di dalam Firman-Nya pasti akan digenapi oleh-Nya. “Pelangi” di kepala Yesus tidak ada penghujungnya juga bermaksud setiap janji yang Dia telah berikan di dalam Firman-Nya juga tidak ada penghujungnya – selamanya. Ini ialah kasih kurnia Tuhan Yesus Kristus kepada kita.

Bersyukurlah kepada Tuhan Allah kerana Tuhan Yesus Kristus pasti melakukan apa yang dijanjikan-Nya di dalam Al-Kitab, iaitu Firman-Nya! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Kemuliaan Yesus

“Kemudian aku melihat satu lagi malaikat perkasa turun dari syurga. Dia diselubungi awan dan kepalanya dikelilingi pelangi. Mukanya bersinar seperti matahari, dan kakinya seperti tiang api” (Wahyu 10:1).

Saya percaya bahawa “malaikat perkasa” yang digambarkan oleh rasul Yohanes ini ialah Tuhan Yesus Kristus. Yesus seringkali digambarkan sebagai (menyerupai) malaikat di dalam Perjanjian Lama; contohnya di dalam Kejadian 22:15 dan Yesaya 63:9. Di sini kita digambarkan bahawa Yesus “diselubungi awan”. Apakah maksud ini?

Yesus dilitupi oleh ‘shekinah’ kemuliaan Tuhan Allah. Awan melambangkan kehadiran Tuhan, bahawa Tuhan Allah ada di sana. Di dalam Perjanjian Lama, semasa Musa dan orang Israel pergi meninggalkan Mesir, Tuhan “berada di hadapan mereka dalam tiang awan” (Keluaran 13:21). Ini menunjukkan bahawa Allah ada bersama-sama mereka.

Di dalam Perjanjian Baru, Yesus dikatakan telah membawa Petrus, Yakobus, dan Yohanes ke sebuah gunung yang tinggi. Matius 17:2 menulis: “Sewaktu mereka memandang Yesus, rupa Yesus berubah. Muka-Nya menjadi terang seperti matahari dan pakaian-Nya putih berkilau-kilauan”. Kemudian Matius 17:5 menulis: “Sementara Petrus berkata-kata, awan yang bersinar-sinar meliputi mereka, dan terdengar suara dari awan berkata, ‘Inilah Anak-Ku [Yesus] yang Aku kasihi. Dia menyenangkan hati-Ku. Dengarkanlah Dia!’”

Petrus, yang telah melihat semua ini, ingin membina khemah (atau lebih baik lagi diterjemah sebagai “tempat bersembahyang”) dan ingin menyembah Yesus di atas gunung itu. Ini bukan rencana Tuhan pada masa itu. Apa yang ingin Tuhan Allah mahu mereka dan kita semua belajar di dalam kejadian ini ialah tentang kemuliaan-Nya. Penyembahan bukannya berpusat pada sesuatu tempat; ianya berpusat pada yang Satu yang menyinari kemuliaan Allah, yang “diselubungi awan” – dan nama-Nya ialah Yesus Kristus. Bersyukurlah kepada Tuhan Allah kerana kita dapat menyembah Tuhan Yesus Kristus dimana-mana sahaja! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Life with A Purpose

“What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God” (Acts 20:24, The Message)

If you read the Gospels with understanding, you’ll find that the life of Jesus Christ on earth was dominated by a purpose. He did not just lived His life, He did not just drift down the stream of time; He had a clear vision, a single aim, a God-centered purpose. When His disciples bring Him food to eat at the well of Sychar, He said to them, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started” (John 4:34, The Message).

Now, if we live our life in the Spirit of Christ, our lives also will be dominated by a purpose. Stephen Winward writes, “We shall living not only AFTER Christ and IN Christ, but also FOR Christ.” One man obviously lived his life for Christ was Apostle Paul. He testified, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21ESV). As you read about Paul’s life, you’ll see that after conversion he was fully devoted to the service of Christ, to live for Christ and to make Him known to others even to his death. This should be the single purpose for us too.

Friends, this does not mean that we should quit our job or study and go for fulltime ministry (well, unless you’re called by God to do so), as if being a pastor or so can only we achieve this single purpose for Christ. Remember, many wires are connected to a single main switch. We are difference in many ways, but we all can serve the one single purpose. “No soldier” writes Paul, “gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4ESV). Meaning, as I paraphrase it this way that – we should not get entangled in a variety of conflicting purposes but aiming to please the one who had appointed us to be His own, namely, God.

There are many ways to serve Christ and to make Him known to others. God had given you spiritual gifts and talents to make a unique contribution in your sphere of influence. Whether at home or at work, at your room or at classroom, at marketplace or at your college or university, in the world or in the Church – we are to lives FOR Christ. Do you know why Jesus dies for us, and rise again? The Scripture says,

“[Christ] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15ESV).

The Scripture says that we are no longer live FOR OURSELVES but FOR HIM. Hey friends, my Christian brothers and sisters, we are to live our life with a single purpose – live FOR Christ.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Misteri tentang Kelahiran Yesus (dan Selamat Hari Krismas)

“Oleh itu, Pilatus bertanya kepada-Nya, ‘Jika demikian, adakah kamu ini raja?’

Yesus menjawab, ‘Kamu yang berkata bahawa Aku raja. Aku dilahirkan dan datang ke dunia untuk satu maksud sahaja; Aku datang untuk berkata tentang apa yang benar. Sesiapa yang menerima apa yang benar, mendengarkan Aku’” (Yohanes 18:37)



Ini gambar sahaja.
Saya rasa bayi Yesus tidaklah bersinar begini.
Dia datang sebagai manusia - bukan makhluk ajaib!



Pagi ini saya membaca dan merenung Firman ini. Firman ini sangat memberkati dan sungguh memberi semangat kepada saya sebelum menyambut hari perayaan Krismas esok (walaupun teks ini datangnya dari riwayat terakhir Yesus di dunia, bukannya semasa kelahiran-Nya).

Keunikkan kelahiran Yesus ialah Dia tidak ‘wujud’ atau ‘diadakan’ semasa kelahiran-Nya. Dia sudah ada, sentiasa ada, sebelum Dia dilahirkan di Betlehem. Personaliti, keperibadian dan diri Yesus Kristus sudah ada sebelum Yesus datang sebagai manusia.

Ayat teologi untuk misteri agung ini ialah bukan ‘kejadian’ (creation) tetapi ‘penjelmaan’ (incarnation) [Nota: Tiada ayat dalam Bahasa Malaysia yang sesuai untuk menyatakan maksud ‘Incarnation’ dalam erti istilah Teologi Kristian dengan lebih tepat. Maka, saya menggunakan ayat ‘Penjelmaan’. Saya sungguh kecewa]. Diri Yesus, bukan badan fizikal-Nya, tetapi inti pati diri ketuhanan Yesus telah wujud (sentiasa wujud) sebelum Dia dilahirkan sebagai manusia. Kelahiran-Nya di dunia tidak ‘menjadikan’ Yesus sebagai makhluk baru, tetapi Yesus yang lahir lebih kurang 2,000 tahun dahulu ialah Yesus yang pernah ada sejak zaman purba.

Jika kamu membuka (okay... selepas menyapu habuk) Al-Kitab kamu ke Mikha 5:1, kamu akan mendapati bahawa Tuhan Allah sudah pun menceritakan kepada nabi Mikha tentang kedatangan Yesus sebelum Dia datang ke dunia 700 tahun kemudian:

“Hai Betlehem Efrata, engkaulah salah satu kota yang terkecil di negeri Yehuda, tetapi daripadamu Aku akan memberi Israel seorang penguasa; asal usul nenek moyangnya bermula dari zaman purba.”

Misteri agung tentang kelahiran Yesus bukan hanya terletak pada kelahiran-Nya oleh perawan Maria. Mukjizat itu dijadikan oleh Tuhan Allah untuk memberi saksi kepada satu lagi mukjizat yang lebih hebat – iaitu, bayi yang lahir di Betlehem itu ialah seorang yang pernah ada “bermula dari zaman purba”. Oleh itu, Dia “dilahirkan dan datang ke dunia” untuk “berkata tentang apa yang benar”. Kebenaran tentang apa? Yohanes 14:6:

Yesus menjawab, “Akulah jalan untuk mengenal Allah dan untuk mendapat hidup. Tidak seorang pun dapat datang kepada Bapa kecuali melalui Aku. Kerana kamu mengenal Aku, kamu akan mengenal Bapa-Ku juga. Mulai sekarang kamu mengenal Dia dan sudah melihat Dia.”

Bagaimana ini mungkin terjadi? Ini kerana Yesus dan Bapa adalah satu. Dia sudah ada dan bersama dengan Bapa “bermula [dari] zaman purba”. Maksudnya, Dia pernah ada dan sentiasa akan ada. Inilah kebenarannya – Percayakah kamu?

Selamat menyambut hari Krismas!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Don't Miss what God has to Give

Don’t get so wrapped up in what the world has to sell that you miss what God has to give. Christmas is not about shopping; though it is okay to go shopping since it is at the end of the year and you want to start brand-new next year. Plus, you had your bonus this month.  Christmas is not about getting drunk; though it is reluctantly-permissible to get drunk since some of you are not really an alcoholic – you just want to have fun. God create wine, remember? Christmas is not about you; though it is true that our Saviour come to and for us. Friends, let me remind you, Christmas is about Christ. Surprise? Just realize? Still awake?

Christmas is about Jesus. Hey, go on shopping. Go on drinking. Go on thinking about yourself. There is nothing wrong doing that (but everything wrong if you’re sinning while doing that). But in the midst of all around you – don’t miss what God has to give. Don’t miss the reason why we celebrate Christmas. I remember a story:

Someone asked a boy, “Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?”

The boy said, “No, I didn’t get everything I wanted. But then it’s not my birthday, is it?”

No. the boy is right. Not ours – but Him. May I suggest to you something to do before celebrating this wonderful day? How about delighting your mind with Jesus? Think about Him. Feel Him. Get to know Him. How? Start by the reading about His birth story. Read:

The Sign of Immanuel [Isaiah 7:10-17]

The Birth of Jesus is Announced [Luke 1:26-38]

The Shepherds are told of the Birth of Jesus [Luke 2:8-20]

The Birth of Jesus [Matthew 1:18-25]

Three Wise Men [Matthew 2:1-12]

I know that these passages of the Scripture are very familiar to you… But now, instead of hearing someone reads it: go read it alone, on your own. Read it with your God-given imaginations. Read it and pray about it. Read and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate you heart to it.

Friends, how about a Date with Jesus this Christmas?

Are you ON?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Below are my reflections and thoughts on Christmas. These articles might be helpful for you – I pray. Click the title to read:

1)  It Will be Happy Christmas if You have God with You

2)    Jesus Come to You

3)    Your Deepest Need and the Message of Christmas

4)    A Swarm of Ants and the Message of Christmas

5)    Television News and the Message of Christmas

6)    Adriana’s Birthday and the Message of Christmas

7)    The Identity of Christ and the Message of Christmas

8)    The Visit of Magi and the Message of Christmas

9)    The Simplicity of God’s Salvation and the Message of Christmas

10) Gold for a King

11) Frankincense for a King

12) Myrrh for a King

Part 2: God – The Fatherhood of God (iv)

Actually, this series is from Understanding Bible Truth booklets by Robert Hicks and Richard Bewes (1981), but I have expanded some texts for modern readers (to make it easier to read) and added Scripture quotes (I’m using ESV Bible) into these writings to clarify its points more clearly. My purpose of making this series available in the internet is single: So that you can be clear the essential facts about the Bible’s teaching in a readily understandable form.

First, What Does it mean by calling God “Father”?

Dr. James I. Packer writes, “What is a Christian? The question can be answered in many ways, but the richest answer I know is that a Christian is one who has God as Father” Amen to that! Father of every person? No! Father for the children of God. Who are the children of God? Galatians 3:26 answer, “[For] in Christ Jesus you are all the sons of God, through faith”. Only the Christian called their God – Father – through faith in the Son, Jesus our Lord.

The Fatherhood of God is established…

By Creation – of All Things

Although the Bible never designates God directly as ‘Father of all creation,’ nevertheless His creativity is frequently linked with His character as Father. The universe is under His care and fatherly authority.

In the Scriptures, God is portrayed as Father of mankind only in a general sense – because He created us (Acts 17:24-29). The close and intimate relationship that could exist between God and the individual believer was not fully revealed until it was taught and made possible by Jesus Christ. Only through unity in Christ, there is “One God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:6) God is the Father of all people, but only in a very limited sense. This is because of the universal rebellion against God’s authority that has characterized the human race throughout history.

By Covenant – of Israel

In the Old Testament, God initiated a solemn agreement with Israel, by which He would be their God (Exodus 4:22), and the people of Israel would be His people, and would submit to His rule and authority (If you read the book of Exodus especially, you will find that over and over again God declared that He is the God of Israel).

It was in this national sense that God became the Father of Israel, giving to His people guidance, protection – and discipline on the many occasions when He was disobeyed. Oh, you should read how rebellious Israel was (and is) toward God! But nevertheless, God is still the God of Israel. [Don’t curse Israel for their rebellious; instead, praise God for His mercy and never-ending love toward this nation! I’m amaze].

By Adoption – of Christian Believers

It was Jesus Christ who revealed the fatherhood of God towards believers in an intimate sense unknown in any other faith. He taught His followers to speak to God as their heavenly Father.

The LORD is like a father
to his children

As the New Testament teaching develops, we learn that salvation includes, first, giving the new believer forgiveness and the right to stand before God. But secondly, we are adopted into the circle of God’s family, with all the privileges that follow. Thirdly, and better still, we are given the spirit of Sonship, and a change of heart that encourages us to speak God as a child would to his or her own father. We “have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15. Read Romans 8:14-17 and Galatians 4:4-6 to know more about this Father-Children relationship).

Such a relationship knows no human parallel. Those who have entered into such a relationship can truly be said to have been born of God. They are His children.

From Eternity – of Jesus Christ

It is true that Jesus addressed God in His prayers as “Father”, but He never joined in prayer with His friends, nor spoke to them about “our” Father. The exception was the Lord’s Prayer, but even then it was made clear that the prayer as for them to pray, not Himself. [Read the context of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11:1-4. One of His disciples was asking Jesus how to pray, so He teaches them how to pray].

Evidently, Jesus was God’s Son in a way that the disciples were not (we are not!). It is in the Gospel of John that the eternal relationship between the Father and the Son is most clearly seen. For example, He once prayed:

“And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5; see also 17:24)

My Conclusion about the Fatherhood of God

Generally, God is the Father of all men as their Creator. All people are called the offspring of God. This is simply a creature-Creator relationship. Secondly, God is the Father of the nation Israel. “Israel is my firstborn son” declared God (Exodus 4:22). Charles Caldwell Ryrie, however, remarks that “not all in Israel were redeemed, so this relationship was both spiritual (with believers) and governmental (with all in Israel, whether believers or not).”

Thirdly, in a very special way God is the Father of all who believe in Christ through faith in Jesus Christ by God’s grace. This means, for us, Christians, we are the recipient of God’s fatherly care. We can pray confidently and know that God will give us what we need according to His will. And when we’re under God’s discipline because we are His children and He is our Father – we know that it is for our own good and it is an eternal prove that He loves us.

Lastly, and most importantly, exclusively, God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father declared: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.