Roaring Lion: Spiritism In Borneo Challenged by the Power of Christ (1968) by Robert Peterson, Book Review

Roaring Lion: Spiritism In Borneo Challenged by the Power of Christ (1968) by Robert Peterson

 
This is an exciting book by Robert Peterson, a missionary in Borneo (particularly in Kalimantan) who has seen the Lord at work in the lives of many Chinese and some Malays who settle there. During this time (and still is), there were many customs and practices common to the animistic tribes of the islands. Spiritism and demon worship occupied a major place in their daily lives. All this while, Satan, that adversary who prowled around like a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), boldly manifested his unchallenged dominion over them. But that won’t be long, because when Christ’s faithful servants like Robert Peterson went there and preached the gospel of peace, darkness became light and our true King, “the Lion of Judah” (Revelations 5:5), reigned mightily. George M. Steed writes, “We believe it is not just coincidental that when the Lord’s servants commenced openly to challenge the power of darkness and, in the name of our victorious Lord, command the demons to come out of the possessed ones, the gates of hell began to yield and captives were set free.”

Of course, we must not believe there are demons under every bush, but we must not deny the existence and influence of demons in our world today either. The supernatural is natural in the spiritual realm. If you believe in God, then recognizing the reality of Satan and demons shouldn’t be a problem. But the sad fact is that so many Christians have little knowledge of spiritual warfare, or even if they do, they tend to ignore it. Based on my experiences and, more importantly, from the Scripture, we must remember that: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). As the author puts it, we must know a little better the ‘depths of Satan', and by knowing, we are able to ‘fight the good fight of faith.’

What I like about this book is that Peterson began the story by describing his failures in dealing with demon activities. After many encounters, risks, and mistakes, he started to examine the Scripture about the issue and progressively learned how to deal with it effectively through the power of the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God. The stories he told were very interesting because they reminded me of my own experiences during church mission trips to the interior parts of Sarawak many years ago. Read this book and know that God already gives us the weapons (for example, read Ephesians 6:13–20). The chief among them is that Christ is with and in us. “Many truths in the Word of God are a source of strength in our warfare against Satan, but the realization of the indwelling Christ and a day-by-day acknowledgement, acceptance, and utilization of this truth will set us on the victory road and keep us there,” writes Peterson. “Christ has never been and can never be defeated by Satan.” Amen.

#LeadersAreReaders #RoaringLion #TheLionOfJudah #Satan #JesusChrist #IndwellingChrist #RobertPeterson #BorneoForChrist #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Hitler (2012) by A. N. Wilson, Book Review

Hitler (2012) by A. N. Wilson

What's good about this book? Two things: it is a short biography (190 pages) and easy to read. But what's bad about it? Well, Adolf Hitler is a complex and perplex figure, a short biography will surely somehow reduce rich historical stories into some oversimplified ones (probably that's why I love the large volume of Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs. One of the finest biographies). Having said that, I enjoyed reading this book as a whole. I always wonder why and how Hitler rise to power from unimpressive failed-artist to der Führer ("the leader") of German. This book - briefly - explained it.

Hitler was born on 20th April 1889 in a city named Braunau am Inn in the country of Austria. His family moved around some, living a short while in Germany and then back to Austria. Hitler did not have a happy childhood. Both his parents died fairly young and many of his brothers and sisters died as well. He came from a broken family, very few good relationships, and an average (almost to untalented, physically weak) man. But he had few abilities and it was these which carried him along. Wilson writes, "Chief and greatest of his gifts was the capacity to speak in public, a gift which had laid dormant throughout his tongue-tied youth." Along with that, he also has a "skill at political manipulation" and a "taste for violence." After he joined the Nazi he was elected Chancellor of Germany, and then after a few years only, he became the Dictator. To the Germans, at first, he was thought of as the saviour ✔

Hitler was responsible for some of the most horrible crimes committed in human history, namely, the Holocaust and ethnic cleansing. He hated Jewish people and wanted to exterminate them from Germany. He forced Jewish people to go to concentration camps where about 6 million Jews were killed during World War II. It was the dark history of European anti-Semitism. He also had other people and races he didn't like killed including handicapped people. He became more violent, and thus created more enemies. At the end of his life, he has no peace and he died as a failure. Nowadays, if you think evil, you'll think of Hitler. A false saviour ✖

[Ps: Mein Kampf ("My Struggle") is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Adolf Hitler. A bible for the Nazis. This is the only complete book that he wrote. It is filled with anti-Semitism, meaning "hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group." It was the most prevalent sentiment in Europe during his time. In 2016, Mein Kampf became a best-seller. And guess what? Our own Popular Malaysia Bookstore is selling many copies of this book... My question is this: Why Popular intentionally print Mein Kampf, Hitler's book? And why Popular desire to sell to the masses? (If Popular just sells the book, no problem. But why purposefully print it under Popular?)] 😏😒😑

#ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #AdolfHitler #Biography

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/         

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/        

Instagram: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/        

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv        

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (2006) by Derek Prince, Book Review

Blessing or Curse: You Can Choose (2006) by Derek Prince

Last week I didn't post anything on my social media, so I have lots of time (and works too, but I'm able to manage my work very well) to read books. I finished two books. One by N. A. Wilson on the life of Adolf Hitler and this book. Now can you see how much time we wasted on social media weekly? Monthly? Yearly? Except for WhatsApps, I don't even have active personal social media accounts! You can be a reader - all of us can - if only you reduce your idle time on social media. Join my #SocialMediaSabbath every week. To know more, visit LEGASI.tv Instagram.

Okay, about this book. If I want to understand the Bible better, I refer to David Pawson; but if I want to learn more about spiritual warfare, I go to Derek Prince (don't be confused with Joseph Prince ya). There are invincible forces influencing our lives today. Some recognize it, some just simply ignorance. "The Bible speaks plainly about these forces," writes Prince, "In fact, it has a great deal to say about them. It calls them respectively blessings and curses." The word “bless” or “blessing” occurs more than 410 times in the Bible; the word "curse" occurs nearly 160 times. Both are absolutely real —so real that our Lord Jesus had to be made a curse so that we might be redeemed from the curse and receive the blessing (read Galatians 3:13).

Prince explains, "Some people are inclined to think that blessings are real but curses are imaginary, or hypothetical. That is an illogical idea. If we consider any pair of opposites, it stands to reason that if one is real, the other must be real. Take day and night, for example. If the day is real, then the night is also real. Heat and cold — if heat is real, then cold is real. Good and evil — if good is real, then evil is real. We cannot accept one and ignore the other. So it is with blessings and curses. Blessings are real, and so are cursed." I think the questions from the back cover are very telling: Are you or your family experiencing repeated sickness or accidents? Do you feel under mental, emotional, or financial pressure much of the time? Are your closest relationships in turmoil? Do you wonder why success comes easily to others but seems to elude you? If you say YES to most of the questions (there are very good questions outline in the book to identify it), probably, you're intentionally or unintentionally, is under a curse.

Don't be discouraged if you think you do. The good news is that God has provided the means to overcome it. From the beginning, God desires for you to receive His blessings and not curses through Jesus Christ, His Son. In my life, relationships and ministry, I sense that something is not right and believe that spiritual warfare and curses were in operations. Only when I acknowledged what's going on, I then bring it in prayer to my Father in heaven. Now I know that I'm free and experience God's blessing in my life. The best is yet to come! I really recommend this book. Or, you can start by watching YouTube video How to Pass from Curse to Blessing by Derek Prince. Would you pray this prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, I believe that You are the Son of God and the only way to God; and that You died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. I give up all my rebellion and all my sin, and I submit myself to You as my Lord. I confess all my sins before You and ask for Your forgiveness — especially for any sins that exposed me to a curse. Release me also from the consequences of my ancestors’ sins. By a decision of my will, I forgive all who have harmed me or wronged me — just as I want God to forgive me. In particular, I forgive [say the name of the person]. I renounce all contact with anything occult or satanic — if I have any 'contact objects,' I commit myself to destroy them. I cancel all of Satan’s claims against me. Lord Jesus, I believe that on the cross You took on Yourself every curse that could ever come upon me. So I ask You now to release me from every curse over my life — in Your name, Lord Jesus Christ! By faith, I now receive my release and I thank You for it."

😊⚡✔ #ServeToLead #1Book1Week #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LeadersAreReaders #DerekPrince #BlessingsAndCurses #SpiritualWarfare

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/         

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/        

Instagram: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/        

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv        

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

War In Heaven: Taking Your Place In the Epic Battle with Evil (2003, 2015) by Derek Prince, Book Review

War In Heaven: Taking Your Place In the Epic Battle with Evil (2003, Expanded Edition 2015) 

by Derek Prince

First of all, do not be confuse Derek Prince with Joseph Prince, the Singapore megachurch pastor. Peter Derek Vaughan Prince (1915-2003) was a great Bible teacher whose daily radio program, Derek Prince Legacy Radio, is broadcast around the world in various languages even now. The radio existed before the exposure of social media mind you. I see Derek Prince as impactful and effective as David Pawson, another Bible teacher whom I admire so much. Both of them are anointed Bible teachers and have the gift of explaining the Scriptures in a clear, depth, and simple way. You can find their teachings online such as on YouTube, podcast, and their websites. Derek, who was born in India to British parents and died in Jerusalem peacefully, has helped build a foundation of faith in millions of lives including mine. What makes Derek different from other teachers, in my opinion, is that he emphasizes greatly the spiritual sides of the Christian life. He is sound in theology (not that I agree with everything he said or wrote, even in this book) but he sees more than mere theology – the victory of Christ over all things seen and unseen.

In this book, War In Heaven, Derek Prince writes authoritatively about the spiritual warfare (I highly recommend Derek's other book They Shall Expel Demons) that has been going on since soon after the beginning of time, in between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, where confusion and emptiness enter the world [refer to Chapter 3: A Pre-Adamic World]. According to Derek, when the Devil or Satan, who was formerly known as Lucifer (read Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-18) rebels against God for his pride to be equal with God [refer to Chapter 4: Lucifer Challenges God], he and all the fallen angels who are powerless against Him now aim their attacks to us, human beings, who are created in the image of God and His likeness. We are made "only a little lower than the angels" but God "crowned us with glory and honor" and gave us "authority over all things" (Hebrews 2:7-8). We are created to be rulers and to have dominion over all the earth and most importantly to have an intimate fellowship and special relationship with God the Creator [refer to Chapter 5: The Adamic Race: Our Origin and Chapter 6 The Adamic Race: Our Destiny]. But our problem, the big problem is that not only we are attacked by dark forces that are jealous of our future destiny, but we are also tainted by sins that separate us from the holy God. That's when Jesus, the Son of God, came to our rescue [refer to Chapter 11: By the Blood of the Lamb]. "One of the amazing things to me in Scripture," writes Derek, "is how much God concerns Himself with man." I couldn't appreciate the Good News of Jesus Christ and praise God more for His goodness, mercy, and grace. Halleluiah!

Maybe I should explain why the title War In Heaven. Isn't heaven supposed to be peaceful? According to Derek and his simple expositions of the Bible, there are three heavens: 1) Low: the invisible heaven we can see with our eyes; 2) Mid: the mid-heaven, an expanse with different types of beings coming and going; and 3) High: the location of Paradise and the place of God's dwelling – the most sacred place in the universe. So, the war in heaven that Derek writes about is mostly referred to as mid-heaven but also includes low-heaven [refer to Chapter 1: What Is Your Picture of Heaven?]. Derek explains, "Most Christians assume that heaven is a place of unbroken peace and harmony, beauty and worship. That may well be true of the third [high] heaven, but it does not apply to the first and second heavens. Some Scriptures paint a very different picture of what is currently going on in the second heaven. As already stated, it is at times the scene of great conflict between warring angels – some serving God and others serving Satan. It is primarily in the heavenly regions that such conflict takes place. It is here, too, that Satan pours out a stream of slanderous accusations against the Christians on earth who are serving the Lord" [refer to Chapter 2: Life Is a Battle!].

Knowing that the warfare and the battle in heaven are real, what must Christians do? It's no use to be neutral and passive. Either you take a defensive mode and wait for the attack or take a stand in the battle in offensive mode and declare victory in Christ. As Derek said, "The Bible teaches that all Christians must be prepared to encounter conflict and warfare in the spiritual realm." I wish every Christian read this book, especially Christian ministers who are in the midst of God's people's business and are exposed to many spiritual attacks and daily temptations. Here are 5 ways to Engage In the Battle Equipped (these are my takeaways from this book, please read the book for more details, if you can):

#1 Submit Your Life to God Fully. Don't be a half-hearted Christian. Let the dedication of Caleb be ours: "I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God" (Joshua 14:8). Amid the battle, we must choose sides. If not, we will be squeezed! "The real issue will be this: total submission," declares Derek, "If Almighty God is willing to come into my life, there is only one logical place I can offer Him: total supremacy, complete Lordship. Anything short of this is a sham."

#2 Let Go of Pride, Be Humble. After examining the fall of Satan, Derek concludes, "I believe it is vitally important for all of us to realize that the first sin in the universe was not murder, not adultery, but rather pride." To be prideful is to be like Satan (Isaiah 14:12-15) and thus vulnerable to evil influence. To be humble is to be like Christ (Philippians 2:6-8). Since "self-humbling is an issue of the will, not of the emotions," we need to make a personal decision to humble ourselves before God. Confess our sins of pride, arrogance, and selfishness and repent from all of them. Decide to follow and exemplify Christ and let the Lord change you.

#3 Use God's Word and Intercession Prayer. Ephesians 6:12 says, "We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies" but evil spiritual beings. Thus, our weapons are not guns and bombs but spiritual weapons given to us by God (there are lists of the armor of God in verses 13 to 17). Two offensive weapons in Ephesians 6 are God's Word "the sword of the Spirit" (v.17) and prayer (v.18-19). Derek on God's Word: "The same respect that we owe to God, we owe to His Word" and on prayer: "For effective prayer, there are two things we need: authority and power" [refer to Chapter 7: One Man and His Prayer]. These weapons at the hand of God's faithful servant will enrich his or her own spiritual life and are effective to fight against the evil ones.

#4 Affirm the Authority of God. In Daniel 10-11, the conflict between Gabriel and the angels opposing him lasted for 21 days. "What weapons did they deploy?" asked Derek. "I cannot find any detailed description in Scripture, but my impression is that God's angels do at least three things: they make proclamations, they offer praise, and they worship" [refer to Chapter 9: Angels at War]. In the mouth of God's servants, the making of positive proclamations is one of the most powerful weapons that He has given to His people. In Jesus' early ministry, He read Isaiah 61:1-2, "The Spirit of the LORD God is upon Me… to proclaim liberty to the captives… to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord…" Proclamation based on God's Word and Spirit-led, together with true praise and worship, is a very powerful combination! I have experienced this power during mission trips and conferences.

#5 Apply the Blood of Jesus. "In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7); We are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and spot" (1 Peter 1:18-19); "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28); "[The] blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). There are dozens other of verses that talk about the effect and power of the blood of Jesus. By His blood, God makes unrighteous people righteous. But Derek says that the blood gives us victory only as we learn to testify about it. The blood becomes effective when we testify about what the blood of Jesus does for us [refer to Chapter 10: Now Salvation Has Come!]. By faith, we testify:

Through the blood of Jesus, I am redeemed out of the hand of the devil.
Through the blood of Jesus, all my sins are forgiven.
Through the blood of Jesus, God's Son is cleansing me, now and continually, from all sin.
Through the blood of Jesus, I am justified, made righteous, just-as-if-I'd never sinned.
Through the blood of Jesus, I am sanctified, made holy, set apart to God.

This book, together with Derek Prince's sermon audios, has opened my eyes again to the world of the unseen, the reality of spiritual warfare, and the power of God available to us (As I read it, I also opened the Bible to check whether the references are accurate or not. This is important). There were times, I confess, when I do the Lord's ministry, I rely too much on my intellect and strength. This book reminds me that I must submit my life and ministry totally to the Lordship of Christ and let the Spirit lead me. Derek ends this book by describing the goal of achieving personal holiness (refer to Chapter 12: What Kind of People?]. God "has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (read 2 Peter 1:2-4 for context). "Achieving personal holiness is not something that God will do for us," Derek reminds us, "It is something that God offers us the grace to do for ourselves." Yes, God already provides us – and the church - the grace to win the battle against Satan, but it's up to us to take the Cross, follow Him, and take our place in the battle. God is sovereign, His will be done. His desire will be accomplished. The question is: Do you want to be on the side of victory or remain a victim?

Other related Book Reviews that you might be interested:

1. Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual (1995, 2009) by Francis MacNutt (CLICK HERE)
2. Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham (CLICK HERE)

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/LEGASI.tv/

IG: https://instagram.com/legasi.tv/

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

Blog: https://www.richardangelus.me/

Book Review: Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

Deliver Us from Evil (1973) by Don Basham

I read this book as soon as I finished Francis McNutt's Deliverance from Evil Spirits (see the previous book review). This book came as a surprise to me. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. If truth be told, I went into it a bit critical and skeptical. I'm just not one to subscribe to all these manifesting spiritual things. But the way the book was written, you know that Don Basham was really experiencing this. For what reason he was 'chosen' to deal with this phenomenon events is another story (though he wrote the details of how he called into this ministry. But by him coming from a completely conservative background to be thrown in the midst of manifestations of evil, is quite bizarre and had me thinking a lot. The book was well written on this subject and I learned a lot.

The "censored quarter of Christ's ministry," in Basham's estimation, is the part involving evil spirits or demons. He claims that one-quarter of Christ's ministry was devoted to deliverance ministry, yet the Christian church - during his day and even today - often chooses to ignore it totally or partially (or avoid this topic altogether). Basham has spent years counseling people with chronic problems and addictions. But throughout the course of his work, he was amazed to discover that exercising authority over demons could achieve in an instant what months of personal counseling often failed to do (not that he discounted the counselling ministry. Not all sickness and problems caused by demons but mostly are, said the author. We must be careful, of course). And so deliverance became not a fearful thing to him, but a thing of hope and reassurance. Don believes that "the ministry he now understands means more than (just) deliverance 'from' evil, it means deliver 'into' health and well-being." With real-life stories and vast experiences, the writer hooked me into reading this book to the end. Very good!

This book is now updated (this one is the first published version) and had a new title, "A Pastor's Reluctant Encounters with the Power of Darkness." I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about this subject.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: Deliverance from Evil Spirits (2009) by Francis MacNutt

Deliverance from Evil Spirits: A Practical Manual (1995, 2009)
by Francis MacNutt

This is not my favorite genres. Angelology, Demonology and Spiritual Warfare topics seem too much for me to bear and digest. In the past, I read few of Mary K. Baxter's books, one Choo Thomas' Heaven is So Real!, one during my campus mission trip by Billy Graham entitled Angels, and recently Visions of Heaven by H. A. Baker. I'm curious and also skeptical. Come to think about it, I highly doubt Mary Baxter's and Choo Thomas's personal revelations. Billy Graham's is more believable because he supported his stories with the Scripture.

About this book. I read it because I'm going to attend a seminar based on this topic next week. At first, I read it out of obligation (to quickly finished my assignment), but after few chapters, I'm hooked. Of course, I read it with an open mind, critical thinking and prayed for a teachable spirit. I have to admit that this is one of the more balanced books on the topic of deliverance. The author points out the importance of discerning when the problem or a display of behavior is simply an expression of human emotions and the person may be purging his thoughts and feelings and when it may be influenced by evil spirits.

Francis mentions how many people (especially ministers) have caused damage to people who were already suffering by trying to exorcise demons from them when people were just experiencing pain and grief and needed tender loving care and comforting. He also mentions cases where people have developed multiple personality disorder from abuse and again how they are in need of healing and therapy, and not of exorcising demons. He advises ministers to be especially careful to not treat mental/physical/emotional wounds as demonic oppression. He repeatedly emphasizes the need for discernment and humility in this work. Be careful.

I like how MacNutt emphasizes the reality of what we see in the Scripture, especially in the Gospels and in Jesus' own ministry, in relation to the deliverance of demons/evil spirits. He shows how the deliverance ministry is as essential today as it was then and the church needs to be the experts in it. There is plenty of evidence in this book that demonic oppression is active in our cultures and the world today (but I might not agree with all the things that he said in this book. In fact, I have more questions than answers). MacNutt also gives good advice and warnings for Christian ministers. I personally think that he could emphasize more than he does how important a person's own devotional life is when involving in deliverance ministry, and this includes the necessity of having people to pray for and over his or her ministry and family members.

Overall, MacNutt is thoroughly Scriptural and Christ-centred in his approach to deliverance. He does not present himself as a super-minister who stands above others in ministry, but he sees himself as part of the larger body of Christians and as one who needs others. I respect that. Francis and his wife, Judith, founded Christian Healing Ministry to expand the often-forgotten, often-avoided ministry of deliverance. He writes, "Only when we are able to free the oppressed and heal those suffering from the curse of sickness can we really preach Christ's basic message: The Kingdom of God is at hand and the kingdom of Satan is being destroyed."

There are seven (7) parts in this book:

Part 1: Necessary Background: Clearing Away Misconceptions [How I Got Involved in Casting Out Demons: A Parable for the Church]

Part 2: The Existence and Kinds of Evil Spirits [Do Demons Really Exist? The Scriptural Evidence / What Is the Evidence of Human Experience? / Should We Call It Possession? / How Do We Know If an Evil Spirit Is Really Present? / The Different Kinds of Evil Spirits]

Part 3: Curses and the Power of False Judgement [Falling Under a Curse / Curse-like Judgement and Ties That Bind / Who Can Pray for Deliverance?]

Part 4: Getting Ready [How to Prepare / Selecting a Team / How the Demonized Person Prepares for Deliverance]

Part 5: How to Pray for Deliverance [The Basic Form / Freeing a Person from Spirits of Trauma / Spirit of Sin / Spirit of the Occult / Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA) / Other Kinds of Spirits / Deliverance through ‘Blessed Objects' / Follow-Up]

Part 6: Setting Places Free [Larger Dimensions of Deliverance / Deliverance of Places]

Part 7: Final Words [Baptism of the Holy Spirit]

Since Francis MacNutt often quotes Derek Prince, I now listened to Prince's sermons – YouTube and audio Mp3s.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus, I Do Believe; Help Me Overcome My Unbelief (Mark 9:14-29)

Jesus, Peter, James and John were coming down the mountain…
“When they come to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. ‘What are you arguing with them about?’ he asked. A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.’ ‘You unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.’ So they bought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, ‘How long has he been like this?’”
(Mark 9:14-21, NIV).

“From childhood,” the father cries helplessly. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (Mark 9:22). Jesus then encourages the man to have faith, to believe in Him. “Everything is possible for one who believes” (9:23). But the confused father cries the words that describe the state of faith in most Christians: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (9:24). When I first read it, it sounds like a contradictory statement. But I personally identify with that man as I heard myself once prayed, “Lord, I believe in You and Your power. But I’m having trouble believing in You for a particular situation. Help me in this area of my faith.” The statement is not contradictory – it’s reality! So, Jesus responded the desperate father by delivering his son from the evil spirit (read Mark 9:25-27).

Faith, in simple terms, is the ability to see and act upon what God can do in a certain situation. For example, Oliver can “see” his friend Khai coming to Christ in the future, so he prays for Khai and invites him often to a campus Bible Study. Supang “see” God active in her life as a result of her personal quite time, so she spends 10-15 minutes each morning before she go to work reading the Word and praying to God. Faith look ahead to see what God wants to do and then acts on what it sees. The Bible uses strong words to describe the role of faith in the Christian life: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6); “The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17); “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). In 1 Corinthians 13:13, the apostle Paul said faith was one of the three great qualities in the Christian life – the others being hope and love. In Christian life, faith is indispensable.

But in reality, there are times when our faiths can look ahead and see God at work; but there are also times when doubt, worry and spiritual ignorance can blinded us to what God wants to do. The father in Mark 9 could see God doing somethings, but he couldn’t see his son being delivered from the evil spirit. Oliver can see Khai becoming a Christian, but he has difficulty seeing God at work in his studies, so he worries about CGPAs constantly. Supang sees God at work as a result of her quite time, but sometimes she is unable to see God’s provision for her financial needs, so she seldom gives any generous gift to the church. Yes, faith is sometimes like Kit Kat: now you see, now you don’t. Sometimes I’m able to exclaim, “I do believe!” But at other times I beg God to “help me overcome my unbelief.” And if you feel that way too, take heart. It’s a confession that is common to all hopeful Christians.

Two encouraging messages about faith from God’s Word in Mark 9:14-27 that I learned at this moment. First, God is the One who distributes faith to me (read Romans 12:3). I can’t earn it or buy it – God gives it. Second, faith grows in proportion to my relationship with Jesus and the Word of God (see Romans 10:17). I can expect my faith to grow toward “I do believe” and away from “unbelief” as I relate myself to Jesus and His Word through reading, studying, obeying and sharing the truths in the Bible. It assures me to know that even Jesus’ disciples, though they watched Him minister for three years, were often short of faith (see Mark 9:28-29). Perhaps you, like me, are convinced of your need to grow as men and women of faith. Let us recite the disciple’s prayer for more faith: Lord, Jesus “increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5). Amen.

“Everything is possible for one who believes”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Holds Us Secure: Three Great Assurances from God (1 John 5:18-21, End)

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts”

(1 John 5:18-21, NLT).

The Apostle John highlighted three important “we know” statements at the end of his letter. First, we know that we can be freed from the power of sin. This doesn’t mean that we never sin but we “do not make a practice of sinning” or habitually sinning anymore. We do not have to be helpless slaves to sin; it does not have to be a constant habit. Even though in reality the devil is dangerously active in this world and his power is great, we are assured that Jesus is more powerful and greater! He is with us and for us, no matter what happens. Jesus holds us “secured,” and that is why “the evil one cannot touch” us!

Second, we know that we draw our very existence from God. God is like our life support system. We receive all that we are and have from God, even though we know that Satan has tremendous power in “the world around us” (for a while). Many people are under the influence of the evil one. They have chosen to live their lives apart from God. Know that the Bible only divides the people of the world into two groups: light and darkness. Either a person chooses to live with and for God, or for the powers of evil in this world. There is no third choice. So, with God on our side, there is really no battle too great or disappointment too large that can cause us to be defeated. “We are” – after all – “children of God.”

Third, we know that we believe in the true God. There certainly are many counterfeit gods today. But we know that through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we can “know the true God.” One way we know this is that our God does not make us feel confused, instead, He gives us “understanding.” In other words, being a Christian doesn’t mean that we have to put our minds in neutral and commit intellectual suicide (or blind faith or simpleton faith). Nor do we have to be obsessed with unanswerable issues (complex theological and philosophical arguments). The truth of God and about God requires faith-understanding, and thus it stimulates our thinking so we will know what is fundamentally right (or wrong) and true (or false), especially as we face false teachings and false gods. But notice that we not only know God, we are also “live in” God. It means we not only have an acquaintance with God but also live in fellowship in/with Him and He in us. This is a much deeper experience than a mere passing acquaintance might be. “We live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ.”

Then John ends his letter with the affectionate phrase: “Dear children…” John’s love reflects God’s love for all of us, His children. This is wonderful! He then challenges us to “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in [our] hearts” (In Greek it translation simply: “Keep yourselves from idols”). In John’s time, it mainly refers to physical images of false gods but today it can also refer to the influences of false faiths around us; in education, religions, social media, etc. John wants us to avoid counterfeit gods – anything or anyone that claims our values, our time, our relationships, and our hearts from “the only true God.” We must avoid anything that denies Jesus Christ of His full deity and humanity, any human idea that claims to be more authoritative than the Bible, or any royalty that replaces God at the center of our lives. Therefore, “Keep yourselves away from idols!” with the exclamation mark “!!!”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Don't Wants Us to Believe Every Spirit but to Test Them all (1 John 4:1-3)

Only iPhone experts and careful users know which one is a real or fake/cloned iPhone.

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here”

(1 John 4:1-3, NLT).

We know that the Holy Spirit is from God. And, since the times the Bible was written, some people claim that they alone can show God’s Spirit. The Apostle John here was writing to people who were dazzled by the unusual and the spectacular. They were misled by people who promised all kinds of miracles and wonders. Soon the Christians became confused about whether these wonders were from God or not. So we need to apply a test since not every spirit comes from God. Some spirits come from Satan rather than from God. So we must “test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God.”

What is the test? John says that we know that the Spirit is from God “If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God.” Jesus Christ really became flesh. Such Spirit is from God and will honor Him. Jesus “the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14).

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament comments 1 John 4: 1-3 (page 743):

“Judaism especially associated the Spirit of God with prophecy but acknowledged the existence of false prophets, who John says are moved by other spirits. His readers would understand his point; Jewish people were familiar with the idea of other spirits besides the Spirit of God. There were many pagan ecstatics in Asia Minor, as well as Jewish mystics claiming special revelations; the need for discernment would be acute.

            The issue may be the secessionists’ denial that Jesus has come as the Christ (if the opposition is Jewish); more likely it is a Docetic denial that Jesus was actually human and actually died, a heresy an eyewitness would be well positioned to refute. It may simply be a relativizing of Jesus’ role to the position of a prophet like John the Baptist, which allows enough compromise to avoid persecution. Whatever the error, the secessionists are claiming the authority of inspiration for it, as do some similar cults today. John does not deny the reality of inspiration; he merely denies that the spirit working in them is God’s Spirit.”

So, when we are talking with someone who claims to have “the truth about Jesus” or promises amazing results because of believing in particular teaching, we need to ask: “Where is Jesus in all of this? What do you really believe about Christ?” If a straight answer that shows honor and love for Biblical Christ is what we hear, then there’s a pretty good chance that the other person is a real Christian. But if the person gives indirect answers and avoids dealing with the question, be very careful; for such a person may be trying to lead you into false teachings. Avoid these people! Test the spirit! 

You will know false teachers by their fruit (the patterns of their lives).

But most important of all: Get to know the real Jesus.

Soak your mind and spirit with Jesus and His Word until you're so familiar with it,

that you can instantaneously know if the spirit is from God or not.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Loves People But Why They Hated Him and the Christians so Much? (1 John 3:11-13)

It's not nail, but love that causes Him to died on the cross for us. Now, He is Alive! 

“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you”

(1 John 3:11-13, NLT).

The Apostle John begins to summarize all of his teachings again with one key thought: “We should love one another.” I like the Amplified Bible translates this: “We should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another” [The Greek word for “love” here is agape, it is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another]. Actually, it was Jesus Himself who first made this key teaching when He was on earth. He taught that our attitude should be one of service rather than of superiority. In other words, we should be humble and not just do it out of a sense of obligation or because we think we know more or are better than anyone else. “Just as I have loved you,” said Jesus, “so you too are to love one another” (John 13:34; 15:12).

After making this strong statement, John then warns us “not be like Cain,” who was the oldest son of Adam and Eve (read Genesis 4:1-16). We read that both Cain and his brother, Abel, brought offerings to God, as they were required to do. But evidently only Abel was sincere and showed faith. Abel was “a righteous man” (Hebrews 11:4) and “doing what was righteous.” Cain, however, “had been doing what was evil.” Cain’s worship was unacceptable to God because of the anger, envy, and hatred which he begin to build up within himself toward his brother. Finally, Cain lost control of his temper and he murdered his own blood brother, Abel. To complicated the situation even further, Cain not only become the first murderer, but he also lied to God and pretended as if he did not know what had happened (Genesis 4:9). In a sense, Cain is the supreme example of hatred. Your worship will not be heard and accepted by God if you harbour hatred toward others, especially your brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, “love one another.”

Linked to what John had said about “love one another,” he reminds us that we, however, should not be surprised if some people in the world hate us for no reason, even as we are trying to do what is right and good. “So don’t be surprised… if the world hates you.” Why do you think they get angry? Well, I think, to persons who are evil or not in a right relationship with God, someone else who is doing what is right is a walking reminder of his or her own shortcomings. They are offended. Even we do not mean it this way, others may thought or feel that we are judging them or acting superior, when in fact, they have reacted with resentment, hatred and jealousy to what is right and holy. Darkness hates light. “Don’t be surprised.”

Jesus received the same kind of reaction when He lived on earth. As He showed love to the most marginalized people – such as the sick, the poor and the needy – the religious leaders could hardly contain their anger. Was Jesus doing something evil? Was Jesus taking the advantage of other people? Was Jesus leading a rebellion? No, Jesus was doing good and righteous. They got so mad that they wanted to kill Jesus. So, if this happened to Jesus, we shouldn’t be surprised if people in the world do not always admire what we are trying to do or respond with gratitude for our efforts. Because the world is ruled by the devil, there is much hatred and envy, jealousy and resentment. And because of this, we should not get discouraged when people don’t respond as we hope they would. “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.” Jesus then concluded: “I chose you to come out of the world, so it hate you” (John 15:18-19).

A reminder: We need to be careful about our motives for showing love. If the reason we care is to feel accepted by others or to gain popularity or to get applause from people, we may be frequently disappointed, because people don’t always appreciate these efforts (Maybe those self-centred actions might get people interested and gain more followers). But if we care because we want to show our love for God by caring for others, then the response of the other person doesn’t really make much difference. We can love no matter what happens. “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:14). Do it! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Has Brought a "New", Richer and Deeper Meaning of An "Old" Commandment (1 John 2:7-8)

“Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment – to love one another – is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:7-8, NLT).

In the previous verses, old Apostle John writes to us as “children,” now as “friends.” He reminds us that he is not writing about something new, but about a commandment that has been around practically since the beginning of time. That commandment is to love God with everything we have – with every energy and strength we have – and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (see Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:5). So, the idea of love is not new, is it? But why John said, “yet it is also new”?

What John – I’m convinced – trying to say is that his Master, Lord Jesus Christ has bought a richer and deeper meaning to the idea of loving God and others. The New Testament tells us that we are to love everyone, including those who may be different from ourselves because of their popularity level or race or economic level or style of clothing or whatever (But it doesn’t mean you have to like everyone). Jesus told a story to illustrate what he means by loving our neighbors. A story of a Good Samaritan (read Luke 10:29-37). Jesus told about a man who had been brutally beaten and left for dead all alone. It was not the priest or the religious leader who stopped to give help, but it was a Samaritan, a hybrid race who had been hated by the Jews for centuries, and who showed love in actions. He not only bound the man’s wounds but also took him to a hotel and even paid the bill!

This is the kind of quality that the “new” commandment is bringing – to love not only those with whom we are comfortable but to also reach out to those who are unpopular or unloved. Truth is not only something to be understood but that which results in action. John here tells us that this great truth is seen not only in Jesus but also in us! As Jesus was, so we are supposed to be. As people watch the way we live, they see how practical and helpful our faith can be.

The Apostle also talks about the fact that “the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.” This might sound confusing but it’s not when we remember that the “age to come” (Hebrews 6:5) actually began when Jesus Christ came to earth; He is the true light. The present age is called “evil” (see Galatians 1:4). These two ages – the “present evil age” and the “age to come” – actually overlap. We, today, are in both ages. The devil indeed continues to have much power in this world but it will be over soon. Even today we have already begun to taste the wonders of our life in Christ, the wonders which will continue forever! This present age which began when Jesus came to earth for the first time will end when He returns to earth someday. “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelations 22:20).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

So You Often Quote Him? Augustine of Hippo on the Relation of God and Evil

In his early period, Augustine was attracted to Manicheism, partly because it provided a simple explanation of the origin of evil (You can read this in Augustine’s autobiography The Confessions). According to this movement, evil had its origins in an evil or defective deity, who was opposed to the true and righteous God. On becoming a Christian, Augustine rejected this dualism, and was therefore obligated to give an alternative explanation of the origins of evil. In this passage, written in Latin during the period 388-395, he argues that evil represents a free turning away from God, rather than a positive entity in its own right. However, he is unable to provide a convincing explanation of why someone should wish to turn away from God in this manner. He writes:

“If there is a movement, that is a turning away of the human will from the Lord God, which without doubt is sin, we can then say that God is the author of sin? God, then, will not be the cause of that movement. But what will its cause be? If you ask this question, I will have to answer that I do not know. While this will sadden you, it is nevertheless a true answer. For that which is nothing cannot be known. But hold to your pious opinion that no good thing can happen to you, to your senses or to your intelligence or to your way of thinking which does not come from God. Nothing of any kind can happen which is not of God… For all good is from God.

Hence there is no nature which is not from God. The movement of turning away, which we admit is sin, is a defective movement; and all defect comes from nothing. Once you have understood where it belongs, you will have no doubt that it does not belong to God. Because that defective movement is voluntary, it is placed within our power. If you fear it, all you have to do is simply not to will it. If you do not will it, it will not exist. What can be safer than to live a life where nothing can happen to you which you do not will? But since we cannot rise by our own free will as we once fell by our own free will spontaneously, let us hold with steadfast faith the right hand of God stretched out to us from above, even our Lord Jesus Christ, and look forward to receiving the certain hope and love which we greatly long for.”

You might want to read this quote one more time… maybe twice and slowly.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

References:

1) de libero arbitrio, II.xx.54; in Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, vol. 74, ed. W. M. Green (Vienna: Hoelder-Pichler-Tempsky, 1961), 87.18-88.20

2) The Christian Theology Reader, edited by Alister E. McGrath (Oxford UK: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 1995), p. 104

Jesus, son of the Devil or the Son of God? (Lord, Help My Unbelief)

“Now when the Pharisees heard [Jesus healed the blind and mute demon-possessed man (12:23)] they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.’ But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house’”
(Matthew 12:24-29, NKJV).

For those determined not to believe, even a miracle can be a waste of time and effort! When the Pharisees heard about Jesus’ power over demons, they didn’t doubt the miracle; but they refused to believe what the miracle indicated. They looked diligently for another explanation. “The miracle occurred,” they seem to said, “because Jesus was on the same team as the demons – they were playing along with him rather than being forcibly removed from their victims!”

Their explanation at first certainly seemed to them to fit the observable facts. But Jesus shattered their accusation with two devastating counterarguments. First, what could possibly accomplished if Satan were casting out Satan? If the demons were being exorcised by friendly fire, then Satan’s kingdom was self-destructing. Second, the Pharisees, so eager to discredit Jesus’ power, ended up discrediting their own exorcists. By saying that only the demonic can expel demonic, they had inadvertently offended some of their own group who were involved in confronting demonic powers (“…by whom do your sons cast them out?”). Jesus mildly pointed out that those people would not sit idly by and let their ministry be discredited.

But Jesus wasn’t finished. He now answered the question originally posed by the crowd that had witnessed the healing: “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” (Matthew 12:23). He said, “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (v.12:28). The “if” challenged Jesus’ listeners to make up their own minds. They had just seen the miracle and heard two widely divergent explanations; which one were they going to believe?

Think about this: Even today, we can hardly think about Jesus without asking questions, so it helps that the Bible doesn’t forbid questions. But it does press us to use questions on the way to faith rather than using unending questions to put off believing. If we insist that every question must be answered before we believe, we will never get around to believing. Now, after you encountered his miracles (healing, raising the dead, multiplying food, etc.) and people’s witnessed about him (the Father and the Holy Spirit during his baptism, John the Baptist, the old prophets by means of prophesies, those who he healed and done miracles, etc.), you must make up your own mind. Is Jesus just mere son of a man or the son of the devil or the Son of God? Jesus is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference: Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2011) Week 12, Day 4.