Two Things that Are Suited to Humble the Soul of Men

 "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all" (1 Chronicles 29:11) #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #TheGreatnessOfGod

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4 Books on Creativity/Innovation/Inspirational for SALE

Latest Books Addition! 4 Books on Creativity/Innovation/Inspirational:

#1 The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma

#2 The Accidental Creative by Todd Henry

#3 Little Bets by Peter Sims

#4 Ingenius (my favorite!) by Tina Seelig

To get your soon-to-be-favorite-copy and/or browse other books, go to https://my.carousell.com/richard_angelus/

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Angelus' Quote: You Are Not Special (Sorry)

As of May 2018, Wikipedia informed that there are 7.6 billion people on Earth (1 billion = 1,000,000,000. That's 9 zeros!). About 360,000 humans are born every day. And the population will only rise. It has been estimated that by the year 2100, the population will grow to 11.2 billion people. You are one of the billion people living on this planet right now. Even more, people have come before you and will come after you. Now, let me ask you, do you think you’re special?

If you think you're better, know that there is someone much better than you; If you think that you're talented, there are more people that are much talented than you (plus, there are richer too!); if you think that you're the center of the universe, think not! You're insignificant!

But perhaps, that's the Good News. You’re not special, but you can make your life special. God is the Giver of Life, do you think it's not special? Of course, your life is special! You can dream dreams, you can make a difference, you can enjoy it to the fullest! You're not special but you can live with purpose and meaning. You're not special but you can be great. There is greatness in you. Insignificant grain has great potentials. A small fire can cause a forest to burn. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. So, don't be a fool - you're not special (as is to say 'It's not about you' in a narcissistic way). But you can make your life special.

Affirmation: Look yourself in the mirror or see your Facebook or Instagram profile picture, place your right hand on your chest, and say to yourself, "I'm not special but I can be great because there is a greatness in me. God creates me!"

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Letters Little Richard #2 Learn to Put God First

Dear little Richard,

            You have many interests. Your mind is full of wonders. You’re naturally curious and want to learn many things. That’s good! It simply mean that your life is not as dull and boring as many kids in your generations. But as you pursue knowledge, don’t forget about this: Learn to put God first in everything you do (even in your studies of theology and works of ministry).

            In Exodus 20:3, God makes it clear that we must have no other gods before Him. Why? Because “the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God” (Deuteronomy 10:17). As you may have already realized, the world tempts us to do otherwise. The world – especially the system of the world – seems to cry, “Worship me with your time, your money, your energy, your thoughts, and your life!” May we be wise and won’t fall prey to that temptation.

            Rich, you will always have some type of relationship with God. It’s inevitable that your life must be lived in relationship to Him. The question is not if you will have relationship with Christ; the burning question is whether that relationship will be one that seeks to honour Him… or not. My brother, are you willing to place God first in your life? And, are you willing to welcome Jesus Christ, God’s Son into your heart? (That mean, He is the King rule over your life). Unless you can honestly answer these questions with a resounding YES, then your relationship with God isn’t what it could be or should be. Hey, God is always available, He’s always ready to forgive your sins and He’s even waiting for you now to come back to Him. To put Christ first in everything you do. The rest, of course, is up to you. Be still, and know that [He] is God (Psalm 46:10).

Your brother,

Richard

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Jesus wants Us to Live the Life of a Servant, Not a King (Mark 10:35-45)

“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to [Jesus]. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’ ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked. They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You don’t know what you are asking,’ Jesus said. ‘Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?’ ‘We can,’ they answered”
(Mark 10:35-39, NIV).

As Jesus was leading His disciples toward Jerusalem, two of the disciples – James and John, the sons of Zebedee – let their imaginations run wild. Jesus clearly stated (for the third time!) the destiny awaiting Him at Jerusalem: “The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise” (Mark 10:33-34). But James and John doesn’t bothered with what Jesus had just said to them. They were imagining an entirely different conclusion: Jesus would overthrow the Roman military establishment in Jerusalem with supernatural power. In their minds, Jesus and His followers would soon rule Jerusalem.

The Zebedee brothers were so confident in their imagination that they decided to apply early for two top parliament seats. “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” They were completely blind to Jesus’ prediction of His coming suffering. Jesus as if saying, “Are you ready to go through everything I go through?” He was thinking of the pain and humiliation of the trial, His flogging and crucifixion. “Oh yes,” they replied confidently. They were thinking of the excitement and glory of being in the positions of importance. Then Jesus looked ahead through the coming years and said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with” (Mark 10:39). They may thought that Jesus was granting their request but He was referring to the fact that in the future James would be rejected and killed (see Acts 12:2) and John would be rejected and exiled (see Revelations 1:9).

Sad to say, there are many Christians today who think like James and John (including me). They have a distorted picture of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. “What am I going to gain from being a Christian?” they ask. Many of us, like Jesus’ first disciples, have a hard time getting the message: the Christian life is not a smooth-sailing, hassle-free, magic-carpet ride to heaven. We don’t get to live the life of a king (at least not here on earth), we live the life of a servant! Jesus Himself said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45). Therefore, don’t ask what you can gain from being a Christian [although the Bible assures us that there will be endless rewards and blessings await us], rather, ask, “What I can give as a servant of God?”

The pattern of greatness among God’s children is still the same: Service

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Jesus welcomes Us to His' Apostolic Theological Seminary (Mark 9:30-37 Enrol Now!)

Study tools: Towels and jar of water

“[Jesus and his disciples] left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it”

(Mark 9:30-33, NIV, bracket mine).

It was about three years Jesus spent time with His disciples to teach them. These men to whom Jesus said, “Follow Me,” journeyed with the Master throughout Palestine land and all the way and personal encounters was a learning experience for them. This is amazing! Do we need to go to seminary school to study theology? Perhaps, but as for Jesus’ twelve apostles, their Apostolic Theological Seminary was outside classrooms. In the Gospel according to Mark, the writer emphasis on Jesus’ actions. Mark saw Jesus’ seminary as a school that taught by action more than by words. No classrooms and projection screen, just real life situations and on the road teachings. Here in chapter 9:30-37, Mark recorded a mini-lecture Jesus delivered to his twelve disciples…

Doctrine of Future Things 101. Jesus told in plain terms that He would be – delivered into the hands of men – will be killed – but after three days will rise again. Jesus, for the second time, explained the three steps climax to His earthly ministry. But the disciples, amazingly, “did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.” Not just they don’t understand and didn’t ask for explanations, they were arguing with one another! Jesus knew that they were arguing about “who was the greatest” among them (Mark 9:33-34). To me, the disciples – like us – we so blinded by their own notion of what the Messiah was supposed to be like. The idea that Jesus could be rejected and killed was unthinkable. Perhaps the thought frightened them to the point that they were unable to ask Him what He meant.

Doctrine of Greatness 2.0. Jesus’ taught his disciples: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all”; and “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me” (read Mark 9:34-37). Because Jesus selected them personally and because they studied at the Apostolic Theological Seminary, they become proud, boastful and self-centred. As for today you can almost hear people say, “I studied at the Methodist Theological School in Sibu!”; “I have Master of Divinity from Sabah Theological Seminary…”; “Ehemmm… I’m a graduate from Malaysia Theological Seminar.” These are just examples of how we can become proud because our distinctions from everyone else. We sometime forget that for us be spiritually great (Yes, Jesus encourages our pursuit to be great in God) is through choosing the lowest position and serving others. To enter the Kingdom of God we must have the humility of a child. Today – even in Christianity – we called someone great because of their educational background and those who great in public speaking automatically become our leaders. This is not so for Jesus’ followers! Greatness in God’s definition is to serve one another and to care about the little ones.

These and many more lesson Jesus taught His disciples one by one, through personal encounters and first-hand experience, by words and practically by His own actions. Do you want to enrol in Jesus’ Apostolic Theological Seminary? If you do, then take heed the Master’s words: “Whoever wants to be my disciples must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me” (8:34); and “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). Welcome to Jesus’ school!

First assignment: Read the Word

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Jesus Loved Us [First] While We Were Still Sinners (1 John 4:9-10)

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son [Jesus Christ] into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins”

(1 John 4:9-10, NLT).

The Apostle John reminds us here about the fact that “God is love” (1 John 4:7) is not based on some theory or idea which someone thought up. Instead, God put love into action and demonstrated His love for us by giving us the very best gift of all – the gift of His “one and only Son, Jesus Christ.” Why? “So that we might have eternal life through him.” And the gift was not given because people are so great and deserve such a gift. In fact, God not only held nothing back and gave the best He had but He gave it to a world full of people who really do not deserve such love. The Apostle Paul summarizes it very well: “[God] showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).

Let’s try to make this truth more practical. Think of something you have that is your most prized possession. Is it a special shirt or blouse? A smartphone? A car? A savings account? Or what? Now think of people you know who are really hard to love or at least hard to like. They are either bullies or obnoxious – the kind who have very few friends. Imagine that you decide to give your prized possession to those persons, even though they do not deserve such a gift. And you really do not have to give it! But you give it anyway and don’t expect anything in return. Now, would that be hard for you to do? I know what might happen to me: I would think too much, I might change my mind a few times, and get angry. I might come up with a less valuable gift and then maybe give it away somewhat reluctantly… and then… expect at least equal value in return.

But God is not like that. God could be mean and angry, One who does nothing but scream and punish. But we know that our God loves and cares, accepts, and listens. God gives love and eternal life. What a difference! God not only loves us but He provides us with a way that we can live with and close to Him, that is through the death of Jesus who gave His life because of our sins. Jesus came “to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath]” (1 John 4:10, Amplified Bible). God is great!

What is even more amazing is that God gives us the free will to decide if we want to be close to Him or not. Again, God could have made us robots who had no minds and could make no choices. But instead, He lets us decide what is most important in our lives, and if we want to accept this great gift from Him. Whatever our choice is, God knows. Jesus knows. Regardless, this truth remains true: not that we love Jesus, but that he loved us first. How do you want to respond to His amazing love? Read 1 John letter one more time.

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Jesus Is Greater Than Our Heart: Be Confident, Don't Feel Guilty (1 John 3:19-20)

“Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything”

(1 John 3:19-20, NLT).

“By this, we know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands]”

(Amplified Bible).

The Apostle John begins by referring back to what he had just said. How do we know that we belong to the truth, to God? We use the test of love. As John has said before, what makes the difference is not what we have said or felt or intended, but what we have done. “Our actions will show that we belong to the truth.” Love is the ultimate or most important test that tells whether or not our faith has really sunk in, been understood, and made a difference in our lives. “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another” (1 John 3:11).

The Apostle also talks here about our “feelings.” “Hearts” is a better translation. Another word for heart, in this context, is “conscience,” that inner voice that often gives us clues regarding whether we have done right or wrong. Have you ever felt guilty about something? I sure have. I seem to have had an overactive conscience as far back as I can remember. As a child, even as an adult, I often felt guilty about the thoughts I had when I’d done wrong. I also even felt guilty even if I hadn’t done anything wrong too! What exactly is a conscious? It is simply God’s voice telling us what is right or wrong? Yes, at times. But no, most of the time. No, it seems to grow and develop from the time we are born; the voice of consciousness often reflects the feelings and rules we grow up with. Sometimes the conscience is called an “inner parent.” Most often, a conscience says things like, “You shouldn’t do or think that! You are a naughty person! You will never change!” Seldom does conscience say, “You’ve done good things! How thoughtful and kind you are!”

Our consciences often reflect the rules and regulations of our families as well as other people with whom we have contact in our early years – other relatives, friends, teachers, mentors, and so on. We need to remember that our guilty conscious may reflect God’s message to us – but it may also be in error. A conscience is by no means perfect – it may be unjust or distorted. Because of their upbringing, some people will do terrible things and never feel guilty about them. So, there is more to God than what our consciences tell us. I hope this is clear. Certainly, God can speak to us through our consciences and help us keep from doing wrong. But our consciences also can exaggerate what we feel. So, when we feel condemned or judged by our consciences, we need to remember that “God is greater than our heart” or consciences. God “knows all things” – not only what we do, but what we want and what we intend to do – “nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands.”

My friends, God may even be easier on us than we are on ourselves!

If we love in deed and not words alone, our standing before God is confirmed.

Our actions [due to genuine love] will show that we belong to the truth,

Because of this, don’t feel guilty but “be confident.”

Jesus is greater than our hearts or consciences.

Even better than our hearts, the Holy Spirit Himself will guide us to know what’s right or wrong.

Amen.

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Letters to Annie: Understand the Importance of Encouragement in Relationship

Dear Annie,

            I did it! Oh, no, Jesus did it! Sharing last night was good and I’m satisfied with what I shared. I know that since yesterday God’s spirit is working in their hearts and God’s Word faithfully preached will not return void but will bear much fruit. Amen. Thank you for your encouragements. I like it when you said, “clear your heart… clear your mind and share sincerely… put God first and pray is the important thing…” Thank you I appreciate it. I read: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24). Your words strengthen me.

            I see us as a team sport, and you and I need occasional pats on the back from one another.  We are a couple and a partner, brother and sister in Christ, we are lovers. As Christians, we are called upon to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and we are also to spread a message of encouragement and hope to the world. But first, it must start with us. Again, thank you for your encouragement.

            Whether we realize it or not, many people with whom we come in contact every day are in desperate need of a smile or an encouraging word. Our colleagues in office, family at home, friends we hang out with, and strangers we walked by. As I realize the important of encouragement to me from you, my love one, I can extend it to others. Barbara Johnson writes, “We can never untangle all the woes in other people’s lives. We can’t produce miracles overnight. But we can bring a cup of cool water to a thirsty soul, or a scoop of laughter to a lonely heart.” You see, since we don’t always know who needs our help, the best strategy is to try to encourage all the people who cross our paths, will all that we have in God’s wisdom.

            Let’s encourage one another. Let’s use pleasant words to lift up our spirits. If in the future we argue about certain issues, may we never speaks the word that we will regret later. Even if we want to correct or give advice, may we speak it all in the spirit of love. Sometimes, even very few words can make a very big difference (for better or worst). As Fanny Crosby positively observed, “A single word, if spoken in a friendly spirit, may be sufficient to turn one from dangerous error.”

When I said I don’t earn much, you encouraged me about how privilege my calling is; when you said you’re not perfect, I over and over again said to you that you are; when I’m lack of confidence to share the Word, you reminds me to not to use my own strength but God’s; and when you were thinking of joining a competition, I said go for it! We are at our best when we encourage one another without having the desire of becoming greater. I love you. You’re the best of me.

                                                                                                                        You’re special in my heart,

Richard

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Jesus Gives in Abundance even Beyond Our Wildest Expectations

“Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!”
(Matthew 14:19-21, NLT).

Jesus, acting as the host of the soon-to-be banquet, took the loaves and fish, thanked God beforehand for the provision he was about to give, and then broke the loaves – and the miracle occurred in Jesus’ hands. He gave the bread to his disciples to then give “to the people.” He did the same thing with the fish. The disciples acted as waiters (reminds me of doing part-time as waiter at the Hilton and Riverside Hotel), taking the bread and fish, distributing it, and then returning to Jesus to get more. They continued to serve the crowd until everyone had had enough to eat.

What an amazing miracle. Before the eyes of the disciples and the gathered crowd, the small offering of food had somehow multiplied so that everyone had more than enough to eat. Through this miracle, God was authenticating Jesus as his Son and portraying the generous blessings of the Kingdom through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as God had provided manna to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16) and had multiplied oil and flour for Elijah and the widow at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-16) and oil for Elisha (2 Kings 4:1-7), he was providing bread for the people on this day.

The people, especially those far from the scene, probably couldn’t see Jesus multiply the loaves and fish. On the other hand, they had been watching Jesus perform miracles all day. The disciples had also seen the healings, yet even they wondered about Jesus’ ability to provide food for them and the crowd. Jesus took that small donation and increased it to an incredible amount, plus leftovers! (“…twelve baskets of leftovers”). God can do anything. He can, and will, multiply what we give to him – beyond our wildest expectations. Think about this: God gives in abundance. If we take the first step in making our time, abilities, and other resources available to God, he will show us how greatly we can be used to advance God’s Kingdom.

“If we just give God the little that we have,

We can trust Him to make it go around”
(Gloria Gaither)

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Jesus is Infinite and Omnipotent: Boy's Five Loaves and Two Fish Made All the Difference

“Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.’ But Jesus said, ‘You feed them.’ ‘But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?’ For there were about 5,000 men there”
(Luke 9:12-14, NLT).

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?’” (John 6:8-9)

The disciples were shocked by Jesus’ response and – so do I. They didn’t understand what he was saying. How could they possibly feed this huge crowd? Thus they gave him the typical reasons his request seemed impossible: too many people, no stores, no money. So Jesus told them to find out what they actually had (see Mark 6:38). A check of the resources yielded just a boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, a small boy’s lunch that he was willing to share for Jesus’ use.

The Bible doesn’t tell us what the boy was thinking or even where his parents were, for that matter. Was he the only one who had thought ahead? He was risking a lot, turning over his lunch to Jesus. We don’t know the interchange between the boy and the disciples, but they brought the food to Jesus. In all the accounts of this incident in the Gospels, we read nothing about the disciples giving of their resources to Jesus. Instead, they expressed their grave concerns about the problem and their doubts about any possible solutions. In contrast, the boy gave Jesus everything he had, even though it wasn’t much in light of the huge need. The boy’s faith in Jesus, expressed by turning over his meager resources, made all the difference.

Think about this: Because we are painfully aware of our weaknesses and limitations, we can easily think we have nothing to offer to God. After all, we might think, I’m only a housewife or I’m only a layperson or I’m only a college student or I haven’t been a Christian very long or I’m poor. We and our resources are meager, but our God is infinite and omnipotent, with unlimited resources. He wants us to release control, to turn everything over to him. Yes, we are poor; He is rich! Yes, we are finite; He is infinite! Yes, we are weak and doubtful; He is omnipotent! With all that we have, with Jesus, we can make a difference. 

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Jesus is Testing Your Faith (Trust the Impossible to Him)

“After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration). Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, ‘Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?’ He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do”
(John 6:1-6, NLT).

Jesus didn’t seem to be bothered about the pressure of the crowd (Luke 9:11 says, “He welcomed them”), his workload, and the hours consumed by teaching and healing. Understandably the disciples asked Jesus to stop, to send the crowd away (see Luke 9:12). They may have been genuinely concerned for the people – at least that’s what they expressed. On the other hand, they may have been tired, wanting to resume their close fellowship with just Jesus. Still, they did not see the crowd as Jesus did.

Philip would have known where to get food, if anyone had, because he was from Bethsaida (John 1:44), a town about nine miles away from where they were. Jesus was testing Philip to strengthen his faith. By asking for a human solution (knowing that there was none), Jesus highlighted the powerful and miraculous act he was about to perform. As in other tests, God allowed the test to occur, not expecting failure, but placing the person in a situation in which his or her faith might grow stronger. Jesus did not want Philip and the others to miss what was about to do.

So Jesus tested them all. Jesus knew the people were hungry; he knew the disciples’ resources were scarce and that they were far from any places for buying bread, even if they had the money. Did Philip and the others believe Jesus could actually feed all these people? Did they believe he could solve this problem? Or did they believe only in what they could see and touch – the physical realities of their situation? After administering the test, Jesus gave the answers (read on to John 6:7-13).

Think about this: We can limit what God does in us by assuming what is and what is not possible. Remember who Jesus is, his power and resources. Ask the Lord to help you trust him with every area of your life, even with financial, studies, relationships, tasks, or problems that seem impossible. Through all of these, Jesus wants to show his goodness and greatness. Trust the impossible to Jesus. Let your faith be increase and strengthen. May in all things, King Jesus be glorified. Amen.

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Jesus: the Perfect Priest

When we see Christ, what will we see?

We will see the perfect priest, “clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band” (Revelation 1:13). The first readers of this message knew the significance of the robe and band. Jesus is wearing the clothing of a priest. A priest presents people to God and God to people.

You have known other priests. There have been others in your life, whether clergy or not, who sought to bring you to God. But they, too, needed a priest. Some needed a priest more than you did. They, like you, were sinful. Not so with Jesus. “For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).

Jesus is the perfect priest.

He is also pure and purifying: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire” (Revelation 1:14).

What would a person look like if he had never sinned? If no worry wrinkled his brow and no anger shadowed his eyes? If no bitterness snarled his lips and no selfishness bowed his smile? If a person had never sinned, how would he appeared? We’ll know when we see Jesus. What John [the apostle] saw that Sunday on Patmos [place where John wrote the Revelation] was absolutely spotless. He was reminded of the virgin wool of sheep and the untouched snow of winter.

And John was also reminded of fire. Others saw the burning bush, the burning altar, the fiery furnace, or the fiery chariots, but John saw the fiery eyes. And in those eyes he saw a purging blaze which will burn the bacteria of sin and purify the soul.

[From When Christ Comes by Max Lucado, bracket mine]

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John the Baptist must Become Less Important

“This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, ‘Who are you?’ He came right out and said, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ ‘Well then, who are you?’ they asked. ‘Are you Elijah?’ ‘No,’ he replied. ‘Are you the Prophet we are expecting?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?’ John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: ‘I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’’” (John 1:19-23, NLT).

All four Gospels highlight the unique role of John the Baptist in the life of Jesus. In Luke 1:36, we know that John and Jesus are distant cousin. John was “a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” (Matthew 3:3). John’s appearance in the Gospels was a way that reminds us of the Old Testament prophets whose ministry involved unorthodox outfits and unusual diets: “John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). Small wonder that the religious establishment sent a delegation to John to inquire about his identity. Would he claim to be a prophet? John made it clear he wasn’t a prophet; he was the fulfilment of a prophecy!

John the Baptist knew his role and lived it. He was a charismatic figure whose life and message drew crowds, and he could have cashed in on his notoriety. Instead John used a striking word picture from Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness.” To make sure people didn’t miss the point, he added, “I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal” (John 1:27). John was not seduced by his own stardom, influence and popularity. He knew who the “star” really was and gladly pointed everyone toward Jesus Christ, the Saviour. I love it when John said, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30).

Think about this: “It’s all about me” is the attitude of many in our world today. The bottom line for the Christian, however, is that it isn’t all about me – it’s all about Jesus. Every act, every word, every motive, every plan, every desire should revolve around the centre, Jesus Himself. Only then is life in balance. Only then can we point people to the Saviour. Yes, in our life, Jesus must become greater and greater, and we must become less and less. It’s all about Jesus.

In your act, word, motive, plan, desire and thinking, is it all about Jesus?

How can you make Jesus the central focus of your life today?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Great Teacher Inspires

God is Looking for the Weak and Little Men

When someone asked Francis of Assisi why and how he could accomplish so much, he replied: “This may be why. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the earth and said, ‘Where can I find the weakest, the littlest, the poorest man on the face of the earth?’ Then He saw me and said, ‘Now I’ve found him, and will work through him. He won’t be proud of it. He’ll see that I am only using him because of his littleness and insignificance.’”

S. Craig Glickman explains, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself than you are. Nor is humility always talking about your faults and shortcomings as compared with everyone else’s superiority and achievements. Humility is simply a recognition of the truth about ourselves and then most often, a forgetfulness of self that allows genuine concern for others and a genuine worship of God.” Humility is not denying the power you have. It is realizing that the power comes through you, not from you; a feeling that the greatness is not in you but through you; that you could not do or be anything else than God made you for.

“I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other; and that the taller we grew in Christian character, the easier we could reach them,” writes F.B. Meyer a Bible teacher. He then continues, “I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other; and that it is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower; and that we have to go down, always down, to get His best gifts.” Yes, in the Kingdom of God, the lowest are the highest. Be humble.

“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled,

and those who humble themselves will be exalted” said my Lord Jesus

(Matthew 23:12, NLT).

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Muhammad Ali is Not the Greatest, Jesus is The Greatest!

“We look at [Jesus] and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank of angels – everything got started in him and finds it purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment” (Colossians 1:15-17, The Message)

Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3 years. Yet the influence of Christ’s three years ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity.

[Just a picture]

Jesus painted no pictures; yet, some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him.

Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him.

Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness had been enriched by this humble carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus Christ.

His unique contribution to the race of men is the salvation of the soul. Philosophy could not accomplish that .Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead*. Charles H. Spurgeon writes, “Christ is the great central fact in the world’s history. To Him everything looks forward or backward. All the lines of history converge upon Him.” To all of these, I say – amen. Muhammad Ali is not the greatest, Jesus is the greatest. Christ is supreme!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*Mostly quote from Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker’s Quote Book. Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, 1997, 2009. Pg 70.

Nota untuk orang Kristian yang Hormat dan Takut akan Allah

“Takutlah akan TUHAN, hai seluruh bumi!

Hormatilah Dia, hai semua penduduk dunia!” (Mazmur 33:8, BM)

“Jika kamu mahu menjadi bijaksana,

pertamanya kamu mesti hormat dan takut kepada TUHAN” (Amsal 9:10)

Perasaan takut akan Tuhan sudah semakin kurang dikalangan orang Kristian sekarang. Masa saya kecil dulu kami tidak dibenarkan memakai selipar dan seluar pendek ke gereja. Ibu saya akan marah jika saya dan abang memakai baju yang kotor dan rambut tanpa disikat. Apabila kami sekeluarga pergi bersiar-siar di pasar Kuching, gereja St. Thomas kelihatan agung dan seakan-akan Tuhan benar-benar ada di situ. Apabila kami mendekati gereja, kami pasti akan melakukan tanda salib atau tunduk dengan rasa takut dan hormat akan Tuhan. Kami beranggapan bahawa Tuhan ada bersama kita di gereja-Nya. Kebenaran ini dipercayai oleh kebanyakkan orang Kristian sejak saya masih kecil lagi...

Sekarang, hampir semuanya sudah berubah. Kebanyakkan generasi muda sekarang sudah hilang perasaan takut itu. Memakai selipar ke gereja; menggunakan seluar sukan pendek (bagi lelaki) dan baju seksi (bagi perempuan) semasa kebaktian; bertelefon, menghantar mesej, dan berbual-bual semasa Firman Allah dibacakan; mengambil gambar dan bergelak ketawa semasa perjamuan suci; tidur dan keluar masuk semasa pastor berkhutbah; mencuri (maksudnya tidak memberi) semasa tangguk dijalankan dan sebagainya. Perasaan tidak hormat akan Allah ini memangnya berasal daripada sikap individu itu sendiri, namun begitu – jika anggapan saya ini benar – kita sendiri, orang-orang Kristian, ahli-ahli gereja dan ibubapa merekalah yang harus disalahkan kerana gagal untuk memberi teladan, teguran dan disiplin kepada generasi muda sekarang. Kita sendiri tidak takut akan Allah!

Wahai orang-orang Kristian, hormat dan takutlah akan TUHAN!

Ada dua jenis ‘takut’ dalam pengertian Alkitab Bahasa Malaysia. Pertama, takut akan seseorang atau sesuatu yang menakutkan sehinggakan kita pergi jauh darinya; dan kedua, takut akan seseorang atau sesuatu disebabkan oleh darjat atau kedudukannya. Takut akan Tuhan ialah dalam pengertian yang kedua ini. Takut yang membawa kita datang kepada-Nya. Takut yang menyebabkan kita hormat kepada-Nya disebabkan kekuasaan dan kebesaran-Nya. Takut yang mendorong kita untuk melakukan yang terbaik dan takut yang mengelakkan kita daripada menyinggung perasaan-Nya. Takut yang memberikan kita sukacita kerana dengan segala kehebatan-Nya, Dia tetap mengasihi kita. Mazmur 2:11 mengatakan: “Beribadahlah kamu akan Tuhan dengan takut dan bersukacitalah dengan gementar” (TL).

Sebab Allah itu Tuhan yang hebat dan dahsyat perkasa, dan sebab Dia yang memegang kuasa mutlak atas kehidupan dan kematian di tangan-Nya – kita patut hormat dan takut akan Dia. Ketakutan yang digalakkan di dalam Alkitab ialah ketakutan yang menyebabkan kita sedar bahawa jika Allah menghukum kita atas dosa kita Dia tetap Allah yang adil. Tetapi, Dia tidak melakukannya kerana Dia bukan sahaja adil, malah Dia juga sangat berbelas-kasihan dan maha mengampuni (Yesus Kristus sudah mati bagi dosa kita. Amen). Ketakutan yang diajar di dalam Alkitab ialah ketakutan yang menyebabkan kita terus bertaubat dan terus menghargai dan mengalami kasih-Nya senantiasa.

Akhir kata dari saya; apabila kita datang kepada Tuhan (terutama sekali di gereja-Nya), Dia tidak melihat pakaian atau kedudukan kita – Allah melihat hati kita. Rasa hormat dan perasaan takut akan Tuhan adalah lebih penting daripada paras rupa dan penampilan kita. Ini memang benar. Namun begitu, cara hidup, percakapan dan pakaian kita mencerminkan hati kita. Jika kita benar-benar hormat dan takut akan-Nya; jika kita percaya bahawa Allah ada bersama kita apabila kita menyembah-Nya di gereja; jika kita benar-benar pengikut Kristus yang setia – perhatikanlah cara hidup, percakapan dan pakaianmu: adakah ia mencerminkan hati yang hormat dan takut akan Tuhan?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.