Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go: Luke-Acts (2007) by the International Bible Society, Book Review (2nd Reading)

The Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is a two-volume work by the same author, Luke, and the same recipient, Theophilus. It is meant to be read together and continuously. And what makes this book Luke-Acts special is that it comes without those annoying chapter and verse divisions that disrupt the context, logic, and flow of the grand narrative (I used to have a whole Bible like this, but I lost it in the train station). Reading the Scripture in this format is like reading an action-packed novel, except that it is about historical events, non-fictional people, and an actual person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

While the divisions are, in my opinion, good for reference and quotation, they can cause some serious problems. There are instances where chapters are wrongly divided and verses are taken out of context. Men such as Zakir Naik looked like a genius to the Bible illiterates when he quoted Bible verses out of memory, but if you check them in their original text, you will find that they are always out of context. Another problem is that the divisions encourage people (even sincere Christians) to read only small parts at a time. How many of you can quote John 3:16? Well, how about John 3:15 and John 3:17? Exactly!

The Bible and each book of the Bible is meant to be read as a whole and straight through from the beginning. Try reading the Gospel of Luke (or the Gospel of Mark, the shorter one) in one sitting. Set aside 2 to 3 hours this week to go to a quiet place, bring a physical Bible with you, turn off your smartphone, and read through it. I bet you will discover many truths for yourself, and the words of the Psalmer will echo in your soul: "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103)

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheGospelOfLuke #TheActsofTheApostles #TheScripture #ReadTheBible #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

I read this book two years ago and wrote something (sort of) about this issue too, READ HERE

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

The Heavenly Man (2008) by Brother Yun, Audiobook

The Heavenly Man (2008) by Brother Yun

I've been reading with my ears for 9 hours 54 minutes about this amazing autobiography of Liu Zhenying, better known as Brother Yun. The story is very inspiring, challenging, and convincing. I admire committed believers in China like Yun, but quietly I pray to God that I don't have to show it with much pain and suffering like them. Not going to review this book. Sorry. I first read this book (physical book) many years ago when I was still working at the GSC Cinema. It's good to be reminded again.

P.s: My time of walking, cycling, cleaning, and cooking has been my activities of gaining knowledge too. Try to learn to listen to an audiobook; it will save you lots of time. I get most of my books from christianaudio.com  

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

There Are Worse Crime than Burning Books... (#1Book1Week February 2021)

Currently, I read 4 to 5 theological books as references to prepare for my Teologi Kristian 101 (BM) Series and so I managed to finish only 2 books and listened to 1 audiobook last month By the way, let me talk about book burning... If you read history, there are dozens of well-known events of such evil. For example, when Mao Zedong took power in China and implemented the Cultural Revolution, any book that didn’t conform to party propaganda, like those promoting capitalism or other dangerous ideas like The Bible was destroyed. During Adolf Hitler's time, the Nazis also set books by Jewish, liberal, and leftist writers on fire that doesn't gel with the Nazi ideology. When al-Qaida Islamists invaded Mali and Timbuktu, among their targets were priceless books and manuscripts. And don't forget about the ancient Roman Catholic church during the Dark Ages. They don't just burn books but humans too!

Why? To put it negatively, books are dangerous; to put it positively, books change lives. And in my view, good* books are dangerously good because they will positively change your life. Have you read the novel The Book Thief (2005) by Markus Zusak? If you have, you'll know what I mean. If you haven't, I fully recommend you to read it. You will see how Liesel Meminger discovers the power of reading and writing in times of difficulties (ah yes, she steals books from the Nazi). Of course, the story is fiction and not just about books However, the key that I want to say is that Liesel is so desperate to read that she has to steal it! Nowadays, although new books are not that cheap, we don't have to steal books. We can borrow books from friends or go to the library. Joseph Brodsky, a poet, rightly says: "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." I say, read books for your good and if the books are right, they will change your life

Here are my #1Book1Week for February 2021 CLICK LINKS to read my reviews:

1) Words of Counsel: For All Leaders, Teachers, and Evangelists (Updated 2018) by Charles H. Spurgeon [https://www.facebook.com/968130456714198/posts/1556217501238821/]

2) Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go: Luke & Acts (2007) by International Bible Society [https://legasitv.blogspot.com/.../kingdom-come-kingdom-go...]

3) The Preacher's Portrait: Some New Testament Word Studies (1961) by John Stott [https://legasitv.blogspot.com/.../the-preachers-portrait...]

#LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #BookBurning #TheBookThief #ChangeYourLife 

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Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go: Luke & Acts (2007) by International Bible Society, Review-Maybe

 

Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go: Luke & Acts (2007) by International Bible Society

I think I heard first from the late David Pawson that chapter divisions in the Bible are added later in the year around 1227. When I checked the internet, it was done by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this method and since then, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton’s divisions (then about 200 to 300 years later, verse divisions were added). It is NOT inspired by God in a sense like the Scripture but it is helpful for 1) Quotations, 2) Memorisations, and 3) References. It is easier if I say, "Let's turn to the Gospel according to Luke chapter 22 verse 10" than to say, "Let's turn to somewhere in the middle of the Gospel according to Luke."

But there are, of course, weaknesses with chapter and verse divisions. First, you'll miss the context of the passage of the Scripture easily when it is divided wrongly. For example, in Matthew 16:28, when Jesus said "some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom" is fulfilled just after that in Matthew 17:1-13 through Jesus' transfiguration. Many people argue the meaning of Matthew 16:28 when all they have to do is continue reading the next chapter! Secondly, you'll assume what the Scripture said isolatedly instead of as a whole. For example, Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them", is in the context of church discipline from verse 15 not a general promise for any prayer meeting per se. Thirdly, you'll see the Scripture as a religious document only instead of the story of redemption ultimately. For example, when Zakir Naik lectures against Christianity, he always quotes like this, "Chapter [bla bla bla] verse [bla bla bla] said..." When I paused the YouTube videos and search some of the verses that he mentions, it was always out of context. To put it mildly, the person of Jesus of his version is very abstract here and there instead of the real God-man who enter into the world history. We too must be careful not to do the same. Don't let chapter and verse divisions distract you from seeing the big picture, the drama, the story of redemption.

So you see, there are pros and cons of having these divisions in our modern Bible. With this long introduction, let me say something about this book Kingdom Come, Kingdom Go. It is actually the compilation of the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the apostles without chapter and verse divisions. Church historians claim that Luke and Acts are two volumes of a single work which traces the story of Christianity from its beginnings in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ up to the middle of the first century AD. I read it like a novel, only that it is not works of fiction but the truth continuation. The translation is from Today's New International Version (TNIV) and I love it!  #1Book1Week #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LukeActs #KingdomComeKingdomGo

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Biblical Manhood #9 Not An Alcoholic Man

A leader or a man "must not be a heavy drinker" (1 Timothy 3:3). Some translations put it as "not drink too much wine"; "not addicted to wine"; "not given to wine." All of this is to say that a real man is not an alcoholic or a drunkard. I used to be one, so I know what people in my culture might think: "If you're a real man, drink!" No more! ✋Biblical manhood doesn't depend on people's expectations but based on Kingdom values 😉⚡💪 #ServeToLead #BiblicalManhood

To watch other videos in this series, CLICK THIS HASHTAG > #LEGASIManhood

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Lord, Heal My Tongue: The Importance of Your Confession (Part 9/9)

We need to see how the right use of the tongue links us in a very special way to Jesus Christ as our High Priest. The high priesthood of Jesus is an eternal ministry that goes on continually in heaven. After He had dealt with our sins, died, risen again and ascended into heaven, He entered into a ministry as our High Priest forever, always representing us in God's presence. He is our High Priest on the condition that we make the right confession with our tongues.

[This is a reading from Derek Prince's Does Your Tongue Need Healing? (1986) by Derek Prince Ministries International. Published by Whitaker House] #ServeToLead #HealMyTongue

_____________

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Leaders, Failure Is the Back Door to Success

In his little book, Failure: The Back Door to Success (1975), Pastor Erwin Lutzer makes these points:

> We forget that God is a specialist; He is well able to work our failures into His plans

> Heaven will be filled with surprises! Many ‘successful’ Christians will be nobodies, and some whose lives were strewn with the wreckage of one failure after another will be great in the Kingdom

> If money is a basis of judging success or failure; it is obvious that Jesus Christ was a failure!

> The reason we think there are great differences among Christians is that we compare our lives with those of other believers. When we compare ourselves with God, those differences are negligible. One molehill is nearly the height of another if you measure them all against the Himalayas

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

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Tender Warrior: God's Intention For a Man (1993) by Stu Weber: Book Review

Tender Warrior: God's Intention For a Man (1993) by Stu Weber

To be honest, it's tough being a man especially in a culture that isn't sure what manhood means. In 2013, a research* have been published by BioMed Central Ltd. about the perception of masculinity in Malaysia by interviewing 34 young Malaysian university men (aged 20–30 years) shows that their ideas of manhood are: "having a good body shape"; "being respected"; "having success with women"; "being a family man"; and "having financial independence." Read those concepts or meanings that they gave again, is that true manhood? No doubt, the meanings (or perceptions of) manhood are subjective but by biblical standard, these ideas are far from the truth. "Manliness – real, God-made, down-in-the-bedrock masculinity – is something men in our culture are scrambling to understand. Tough? Tender? Strong? Sensitive? Fierce? Friendly? Which is it? We're frustrated. Often confused. Sometimes irritable…"

This book asks: What is God's intention for a man? Not society, not religious, not culture. Here Stu introduced the four (4) pillars of masculinity based on the Scriptures (and secular history of man). The Bible is filled with references – both explicit and implicit – to all of these pillars. Stu explains, "All four are both divine and human. In man, they are sometimes unbalanced and abusive. In Christ, they majestically merge in the ultimate Man." The four pillars are King, Warrior, Mentor, and Friend:

#1 King

The king function is clearly central to Scripture's themes. Our God is the King of Kings. His Son, the second Adam, is destined to rule "with all power and authority." Adam, the prototype man, is instructed in the Genesis to "have dominion." The heart of the King is A PROVISIONARY HEART. The king looks ahead, watches over, and provides order, mercy, and justice. He is the authority. He is a leader. The king in a man is "under orders" from higher Authority. "The measure of a man is the spiritual and emotional health of his family. A real provider has a vision for a marriage that bonds deeply, for sons with a character as strong as trees, and for daughters with confidence and deep inner beauty. Without that vision and leadership, a family struggles grope, and may lose its way."

#2 Warrior

The warrior function is equally unmistakable in Scripture. Our God is the Warrior of both Testaments. Gentle Jesus, meek and mild? No! He closes the Bible history on a white war horse, in a blood-spattered robe, with a sword in His mouth and a rod in His hand. In the Book of Narnia, Aslan the King is portrait as "kind but not safe." Roar, not a whimper! The heart of the warrior is A PROTECTIVE HEART. The warrior shields defend, stands between, and guards. "By warrior, I do not mean one who loves war or draws sadistic pleasure from fighting or bloodshed... A warrior is one who possesses high moral standards and holds to high principles. He is willing to live by them, stand for them, spend himself in them, and if necessary die for them. No warrior ever made that more obvious than Jesus of Nazareth." Just look at little boys, will they choose Barbie doll or a toy gun? Even if they only have Barbie doll, they will transform it into a female-fighter!

#3 Mentor

The mentor function is not only modelled through the pages of the Bible, it is explicitly commanded in the form of "teaching them to observe" and "discipling." Our God is the Teacher in whose instruction we "delight." The only Perfect Man was the Discipler of all nations. And men who follow Him are to "teach others also." The heart of the mentor is A TEACHING HEART. The mentor knows. He wants others to know. He models, explains, and trains. He disciple – first his wife and kids, then others. He has a spiritual heart. "Men are supposed to be able to teach life."

#4 Friend

The friend (or "lover") is the function most endearing said Stu. We are drawn to God who defines Himself by it: "God IS love." He insists that the ultimate point of all Scripture centers on loving Him and one another. It is one and the same time the most basic instruction of Scripture and the "new commandment" given to every man. The heart of the friend is A LOVING HEART. It is a care-giving heart. Passionate, yes. But more. Compassionate ("I will be with you"). The friend in a man is a commitment-maker. And a promise-keeper. "Real men stand together. We need to start thinking that way. Real men need one another. Real soldiers love each other."

With these four pillars (King, Warrior, Mentor, and Friend) as foundations to godly manhood, Stu writes how we – men – can become Tender Warriors. He examined Biblical characters, share his own (and those close to him) stories of successes and failures, give examples from historical individuals, making full use of contemporary books and works of literature, and quotes the studies of researchers. My favorite chapters are Chapter 4: Staying Power, Chapter 8: Does Anyone Here Speak ‘Woman'?, Chapter 12: Real Men Stand Together, and Chapter 14: The Ultimate Tender Warrior. I agree wholeheartedly with Ron Mehl when he praises this book: "In the midst of the culture where men desperately grope to understand what it means to be a man, Tender Warrior presents a clearly defined model of Christian manhood, teaching us how to be tender, yet tough – sensitive, yet strong." I closed this book by looking at Jesus Christ, the King, Ultimate Warrior, Perfect Mentor, and Faithful Friend, as my role model of Tender Warrior. Surely, I will read this book once per year! [P.s: This book is very suitable for husbands and fathers. Actually, it was written especially for them. For singles, it's a good preparation and readiness]

Contents:

Chapter #1 Wake-Up Call: A Man Faces Himself

Chapter #2 The Return of Flint McCullugh: A Man and His Pro-vision

Chapter #3 The Four Pillars of Manhood: A Man and His Roots

Chapter #4 Staying Power: A Man's Greatest Strength

Chapter #5 Beneath the Breastplate: A Man's Tender Side

Chapter #6 Under Orders: A Man and His Leadership

Chapter #7 The Rest of the Story: A Man and His Lady — Part I

Chapter #8 Does Anyone Here Speak "WOMAN"?: A Man and His Lady — Part II

Chapter #9 The Incredible Power of Fathering: A Man and His Children — Part I

Chapter #10 Spanning the Generations: A Man and His Children — Part II

Chapter #11 Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior: A Man and His Children — Part III

Chapter #12 Real Men Stand Together: A Man and His Friends — Part I

Chapter #13 Locking Arms: A Man and His Friends — Part II

Chapter #14 The Ultimate Tender Warrior: A Man and His Lord

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3840654

Here are few Book Reviews on Manhood, CLICK LINKS to read:

1) Tough and Tender by Joyce Landorf (https://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2018/06/tough-and-tender-what-every-woman-wants.html)

2) Healing the Masculine Soul by Gordon Dalbey (https://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2018/04/healing-masculine-soul-how-god-restores.html)

3) Wild at Heart by John Eldredge (https://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-wild-at-heart-discovering.html)

4) The Hidden Value of a Man by Gary Smalley and John Trent (https://richardangelus.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-hidden-value-of-man-1992-by.html)

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.

Young Men and Women, Consider the Humility of Jesus

"[Jesus] humbled himself in obedience to God…"
(Philippians 2:8,NLT)

To His ambitious disciples, Jesus said, "I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:27). The background of this staggering assertion was the unseemly argument among His disciples as to who should be the greatest in God's kingdom. With such power-struggle, the Master's humility stands in striking contrast.

Humility is a distinctively human grace, though Christ's contemporaries viewed it as anything but a virtue (even today people praise the ‘virtue of pride'). Jesus elevated the word and interpreted it with new meaning – God-view-meaning. Humility is not, as many feels, thinking meanly or talk down to oneself. Rather, it is thinking or talking not of oneself at all! This was characteristic of our Lord. He was clothed with humility, and it was not an outer pretense but inward life within Him.

Let us consider first the example He sets. It has rightly been said that Jesus ‘was a standing rebuke to the pride of every kind and a living example of humility at its highest.' By working as a carpenter, He rebuked pride of birth and of rank and position. He rebuked the pride of independence by allowing women to supply His financial needs while on earth. He rebuked pride of intellect when He said, "I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me" (John 8:28). He rebuked the pride of self-help and will-power when He asserted, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing" (John 5:19). He was content to be nothing in order that His Father might be all. [P.s: Notice how often Jesus used words like "nothing" and "not" of Himself in the Gospel of John. Underline the occurrences and then follow the example. Jesus was just as humble before men as He was before the Father.]

Secondly, consider the teaching He gave on the theme of humility. His humility consisted in the surrender of Himself to the Father for the fulfillment of His will and He taught us to have the same attitude. Hear His words: "God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him" (Matthew 5:3); "I am humble and gentle at heart" (Matthew 11:29); "Whoever wants to be the first among you must become your slave" (Matthew 20:27); "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).

Only the indwelling Christ – Christ in us – can make us truly humble and self-forgetful; only He can reproduce in us His own humility through the Holy Spirit. How slow we are to learn that God's way up is down! Our pride came from the flesh, but the source of our humility is from the Spirit of Christ. Amen.

Jesus says, "I am humble and gentle at heart."

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Timothy, Hear this Doxology! (1 Timothy 1:17)

“To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God,

be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

(1 Timothy 1:17, ESV)

I never knew this word before – doxology. Simply, it mean “an expression of praise to God.” As I read through 1 Timothy 1, it’s not surprise that the apostle Paul, who recognizes the grace and mercy of God in his own life, would conclude his testimony with a doxology praising the God who did it all. Paul calls God “the King of the ages” which literally described God as the eternal King. He is unaffected by time and is the King ALWAYS. Paul also refers the Lord Jesus as King, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). In the time of Paul and Timothy, most early Christians were persecuted because they won’t acknowledge the Roman emperor as divine and they paid for their lives believing and praising God as the only King that they will worship! Describing God as “the King of the ages” represents Him as higher than all authorises or other gods of the Roman and pagans world (Paul was writing this letter to Timothy who served in the city of Ephesus in which emperor worship took place).

God is also “immortal,” meaning He does not die, ALWAYS is. He is “invisible” as the Spirit (read John 1:18 which also refers to Jesus) and He is “the only God” (read Exodus 20:1-4 and Deuteronomy 6:4-5). With all of these wonderful descriptions about God, I join Paul in giving “honour and glory” to Him my King! The closing phrase “forever and ever” is also translated as “to the ages of ages” and this compliments God as “King of the ages,” the Triune God. Wow! The word “amen,” meaning “so be it” or “Yeszzza!” concludes the doxology very well. This is how Eugene Peterson paraphrased Paul’s doxology and as you read this – on laptop, tab or smartphone – read it aloud (it’s okay if people think you’re crazy) as you give praise to the King:

“Deep honour and bright glory

to the King of All Time –

One God, Immortal, Invisible,
ever and always. Oh, yes!”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.