The True Jesus: Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in the Gospels (2017) by David Limbaugh, Book Review

 The True Jesus: Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in the Gospels (2017) by David Limbaugh

This is a sequel to Limbaugh's previous book, Finding Jesus In the Old Testament (I've read it but I didn't write a review. Sad). I bought both books from the BookXcess bookstore.* As of writing, our Bible study group is studying the Gospel of Luke, and this week we are going to look at Luke 9:18-20 when Jesus asked His disciples two questions, "Who do the crowds say I am?" (v.18) and most importantly, "Who do you say I am?" (v.20). The first question is an opinion, a survey, or a general inquiry. But the last question is more personal, direct, and life-changing because the answer to the question is not neutral. Everyone must go through C.S. Lewis's famous trilemma: either Jesus is a 'lunatic, liar or Lord' or a 'mad, bad or God' man. No in-between.

Lewis wrote in his classic book Mere Christianity: "You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to... I have to accept the view that He was and is God." Lewis, the most reluctant convert (but intellectually honest), had made the verdict: Jesus is the Son of God. But, for you (yes, you!), who do you say Jesus is? This book can help you on your faith journey to answer this question for yourself. Here Limbaugh combines the four Gospel records (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) into a chronological account of the deeds, words, and life of Jesus Christ. You'll see His humanity and divinity perfectly blended in One Person jump off every page into our hearts.

This book is good for skeptics who want to know the big picture of the Gospel accounts in one volume (although, impatient skeptics might not like it because it's a long book, 353 pages in total). It is also helpful for students of the Word like me to recall and be reminded again about how cool, awesome, and epic our Lord Jesus is (although, this book or any book is pale in comparison to the Gospel accounts themselves). Limbaugh's comments, sound exegesis, and references to other respectable Bible scholars and authors are the best features of this book. "The ultimate goal is not to perfectly reconcile the four accounts," said Limbaugh in his interview with Sean McDowell, "but to inspire people to read the Gospels for themselves, where they will encounter for themselves the living Son of God." Amen.

 *currently out of stock
**btw, there is only one Gospel (not "Gospels") but four accounts

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheTrueJesus #DavidLimbaugh #OneGospelFourAccounts #JesusChrist #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Education, Free & Compulsory (1999) by Murray N. Rothbard, Book Review

 Education, Free & Compulsory (1999) by Murray N. Rothbard, audiobook

Murray N. Rothbard, an influential American historian, natural law theorist, and economist of the Austrian School who helped define modern libertarianism*, in this short book (66 pages only and audiobook 2 hours 35 minutes), explores the history of compulsory schooling in Europe and especially in the United States. I find that the main ideas and concerns in this book are interesting although I have to keep in mind that my context is Asia or Malaysia in particular not Western countries. But it seems that, in terms of education, we almost always facing the same problem: our educational system, if not seriously reformed, is doomed to fail. For the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to an excellent podcast series by BFM radio called Malaysia’s Education Challenges with a focus on Malaysia’s Education Blueprint (MEB). As I reflect on what has been discussed in this series and Rothbard’s thoughts in this book, I cannot help but agree that we should seriously rethink public schooling. More than ever I observe that our educational system, instead of for the betterment of individuals and communities, has become very burdensome for the students, parents, and teachers and continues to be used to impose political, racial, and religious agendas or ideologies. Through the misuse of formal education, dictatorship can be disguised as democracy. Beware!

There are three (3) short but powerful chapters in this book, namely, 1) The Individual’s Education; 2) Compulsory Education in Europe; 3) Compulsory Education in the United States. There are half-a-dozen ideas that are worth considering such as the importance of individual or homeschooling, the function of the parents and the state (government) in child education, the history and philosophy of compulsory education, the shadow of ‘citizen control’, the influence of religious (particularly by Calvinism in Europe) reformation, the demons of Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. There are things that I don’t agree with, don’t understand, and don’t care much about. The most essential read, in my opinion, is the first half of Chapter 1: The Individual’s Education because regardless of our context and background, race and nationality, it deals with our universal human need and uniqueness. Rothbard writes:

“[The] entire process of growing up, of developing all the facets of a man’s personality, is his education. It is obvious that a person acquires his education in all activities of his childhood; all his waking hours are spent in learning in one form or another. It is clearly absurd to limit the term ‘education’ to a person’s formal schooling. He is learning all the time. He learns and forms ideas about other people, their desires, and actions to achieve them, the world and the natural laws that govern it; and his own ends, and how to achieve them. He formulates ideas on the nature of man, and what his own and others’ ends should be in light of this nature. This is a continual process, and it is obvious that formal schooling constitutes only an item in this process. In a fundamental sense, as a matter of fact, everyone is ‘self-educated.’ A person’s environment, physical or social, does not ‘determine’ the ideas and knowledge with which he will emerge as an adult. It is a fundamental fact of human nature that a person’s ideas are formed for himself; others may influence them, but none can determine absolutely the ideas and values which the individual will adopt or maintain through life.”

If you’re interested to dive further into this subject, you can get this ebook and audiobook for FREE at https://mises.org/library/education-free-and-compulsory-1 #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

*Libertarianism: a political philosophy that advocates only minimal state intervention in the free market and the private lives of citizens.

To read my other #1Book1Week book reviews, CLICK HERE

FB Page: https://facebook.com/LEGASI.tv/                                     
Podcast: http://bit.ly/LegasiSpotify                      
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LEGASItv/                  

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

The Law of Awareness #2 You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself

The Law of Awareness says You must know yourself to grow yourself. What that means is that in order to achieve growth, you must hone in on who you are and what you desire to do 😉💪☑

To watch my summary of this law, CLICK HERE: https://youtu.be/Xy7ZRJECYb0

 

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GrowingLeader #LawsOfGrowth

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

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

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

YouTube: http://bit.ly/LEGASItv

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Angelus' Quote: The X-factor of Great Leadership

Humility matters in leadership. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great (I recommend this book), says, “the X-factor of great leadership is not personality; it is humility.”

It took many years for me to realize how by simply saying "I'm sorry" can help me as a leader. For years, I thought leadership meant insulating myself from my students and hiding any weaknesses. If I made a mistake, I'd pretend it was just a misunderstanding or someone else's fault. No more! If I'm wrong, I'll be quick to say, "I'm sorry." Trust me, if you do this with sincerity and humility, others will respect you more and willing to follow your directions 💪😉😊

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

IG: https://instagram.com/richard_angelus

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

8 Lessons I Learned from Captain Marvel (No #7 Is the Cutest One)

I don’t watch movies as much I do last year. I think that movie ticket nowadays is quite expensive (in comparison to the second-hand book, of course. I bought The Last Lecture, CLICK HERE for RM10 only). Although I make three exceptions: #1 If someone wants to sponsor me a free ticket, then I’ll go; #2 Family time or dating by watching a movie is worth the investment, and #3 If the movie ticket is RM10 or below. Oh, maybe I should add another one… if its Marvel or DC movie, without exception, I go for the first-day screening! I was excited for Captain Marvel and I’m not disappointed by the storyline and good acting. The challenge for Caption Marvel is that people will always try to compare it with other Marvel movies (fairly so) and thus, some people dislike Captain Marvel because it doesn’t achieve their expectations (again, fairly so). In my opinion, you got to watch it because it is a good movie on its own and in order for you get the most of The Avengers: Endgame this coming April 2019 (P.s: Wait for the Captain Marvel first end credit).

Okay, since I say that movie ticket is getting expensive nowadays, it is a waste of money if I only watch it for the sake of entertainment. I want to treat it as I would reading books. I’m a learner and I want to learn from movies too. So, here are Eight (8) Lessons that I Learned from Captain Marvel a.k.a. Binary a.k.a. Warbird a.k.a. Carol Susan Jane Danvers:

Lesson #1 Don’t Suppress Your Emotions, Control It. At the beginning of this movie, Vers (named by the Kree, taken from the last 3 words of her name, Dan-vers), suffers from recurring mysterious nightmares. So she meets Yon-Rogg, Vers' mentor and commander of Starforce, to talk about it and train with her. Yon-Rogg trains her to control her abilities and emotions. “You have to let go of the past,” Yon-Rogg advice Vers. “But I don’t remember my past,” she replied. “Control it,” Yon urges her. The Supreme Intelligence, an artificial intelligence, and ruler of the Kree, also urges Vers to keep her emotions in check. Later in the movie, you’ll realize that the reason they ask her to control her emotion is that she might release the great power within her. Actually, what they do is they want Vers to suppress her power. The link between emotion and power can be negative or positive. By suppressing your emotion like anger, it will destroy you internally. It will eat you alive. Anger, on the other hand, can be a good emotion if kept under control. I’m angry with Bible illiteracy among young people today, so I teach Bible Study. I’m angry with false and negative blog articles on social media, so I write inspiring and motivational blog articles. Suppressed your emotions and you’ll lose your power. Control your emotions, and you're in power.

Lesson #2 Your Memory Helps Make You Who You Are. During a mission to rescue an undercover Kree from a group of Skrulls (alien shapeshifters) with whom the Kree are at war, Vers is captured by Skrull commander, Talos. While the Skrull scientists subjected Vers to a memory probe, they found out that her memory is strange and unlike normal Kree. They wanted to find out about Dr. Wendy Lawson, but in turn, they jolted Vers’ memory of the past. It turns out that, Vers was brainwashed by the Kree. “I have this power, but I don’t know where it came from,” she once recalled. When Vers escapes in a pod and crashes in Los Angeles, she makes friend with Nick Fury. In one of the scenes, Vers tells Fury (please don’t call him ‘Nick’!), “I keep having these memories. I see flashes. I think I had a life here, but I can’t tell if it’s real... Something in my past is the key to all of this.” Yes, something in the past, the memory that we have, is what makes us who we are. Memory plays a vital role in every aspect of our lives. It provides us with a sense of self and makes up our continual experience of life. Although the memory can be distorted (I read about it somewhere), nevertheless, memory influence the way we make decisions, the way we see things and perceive events in our lives. The rule to a better life is simple but often neglected: Makes good memory.

Lesson #3 The Power of I Am. When Vers and Fury meet former pilot Maria Rambeau, Vers’ best friend, gradually Vers’ memory comes back to her. Vers discovers her real name is Carol Danvers. Talos, the Skrull commander (who they found out is actually a friend, not a foe), plays the recovered black box from Lawson's plane, prompting Danvers to regain her memories and remember the day of the crash. “I AM Carol,” Danvers realizes, “not Vers.” When she knows who she is and what she is capable of, she finally knows her purpose. She was an aimless soldier but now she is a determined hero. The Kree lies to her. Yon-Rogg lies to her. The Supreme Intelligent lies to her. So her aim is to destroy her enemies (and saved the oppressed). During Danvers intense conversations with the Supreme after she was captured by the Krees, she is able to destroy an implant that was suppressing her powers, gaining full access to all her abilities. How she did it? By denying the lies that people put in her mind and accepting her true self that come from the heart. “I AM Carol, not Vers.” And then she glows! The immense power radiate from within her. Awesome! Who are you?

Lesson #4 True Freedom Is When You Know the Truth (Not by Running from It). This is easy to explain. The desire for Danvers to know the truth about herself is what makes her discover true freedom. But to gain this freedom you need to want it. Franklin Roosevelt once said, “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” Truth is a vital element for true freedom. “The truth will set you free” but first, it will hurt you. Don’t run from it… run to it. Know the truth about yourself. You never know, just like how Danvers finds freedom for herself and at the same time fight for the Skrull’s freedom, you too might help and inspire others to find theirs’.

Lesson #5 Your Power Is A Part of You. After watching the black box video from Lawson’s plane, Danvers’ memory triggered and she suddenly remembers the day of the crash when Lawson, a renegade Kree scientist who want to help the Krulls, died at Yon-Rogg's hands. When Danvers attempting to destroy the engine's energy-core before Yon-Rogg gets it, she pulled the trigger toward the energy-core and causes it to explode! During the explosion, Danvers flew away and at the same time absorbing the energy from the core and losing her memories. That’s how she gets the power. Since then, the power is a part of her. The Supreme Intelligent masquerades as Dr. Wendy Lawson (Mar-Vell? Let’s stick with the movie version okay) says to Danvers, “Your life began the day it nearly ended. We found you with no memory. We made you one of us so you could live longer, stronger, superior. You were reborn.” That’s half-bullshit, half-true. No matter how what or why Danvers gets her power, the power is part of her. When Yon-Rogg asks her to fight one-on-one without power, our Captain Marvel just blast Yon-Rogg with a photon blast and coolly says, “I don’t have to prove myself to you… I’m kind of done with you telling me what I can’t do.” Yes! She doesn’t have to separate her power with who she is. Whatever talents, gifts, and advantages that you have, it’s part of you and uses it without apology!

Lesson #6 Even Hero Needs Friends. Even Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel universe, needs friends, a team – Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Maria Rambeau, Talos, and Goose! If you want to make a change in the world, you need help. No-one makes a significant impact without people supporting and encouraging them. Unless you’re more powerful than Danvers, you need friends too.

Lesson #7 Do Not Despise the Small Thing (or Cat is A Dangerous Animal). Goose a.k.a. Cutest Little Thing a.k.a. Cool Cat a.k.a. Stowaway a.k.a. Flerken Kitty is not your normal cat. Fury petting Lawson’s cat, “Aren’t you the cutest little thing! Aren’t you cute? And what’s your name?” The cat didn’t answer. Carol Danvers called him, “Fury.” “Hmmm?” She indicates they need to go, and so Fury says to the cat, “I’ll be back.” Little that they know that this cat is an alien Flerken with a pocket dimension inside its body that can swallow the Tesseract and the one responsible for scratching Fury's left eye and permanently blinding him (funny). Small characters, small things, small events, small beginnings, small actions can cause big things to happen. Never underestimate the power of, “Think Big. Start Small. Go Deep.” Inside the small thing, there is a pocket dimension!

Lesson #8 Help Is Only… One Call Away. In the last scene Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos wiped out half the universe that includes Nick Fury. Fury, however, had time to page Carol Danvers. In the first post credit of Captain Marvel, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, and James Rhodes are monitoring the pager in which Danvers appears in the scene. “I'm only one call away,” sang Charlie Puth, “I'll be there to save the day.” I’m not sure about call now and you get help now. I’m sure about this: If you ask for help (or better, if you keep asking for help) soon or later, you’ll get the help that you need. My teacher once said to me: “You are never strong enough that you don't need help.” Ask. Call. Page.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Book Review: The Message of Samuel (2004) by Mary J. Evans

The Message of Samuel: Personalities, Potential, Politics, and Power (2004)
by Mary J. Evans

This is how I study the Bible and how I use commentaries. Let say I want to study 1 Samuel 2:1-11 about Hannah's prayer, first I will: #1 If possible I read the whole 1 Samuel and/or just read chapter 1; then #2 I read chapter 2 slowly and highlight Hannah's feelings and thinking, and what she said about God, who God is to her; #3 I also will read various Bible translations to understand the text better; only then #4 I write my early outlines and draft lessons/points. In the meantime, #5 I listen to an audiobook and/or sermons (two of my favorites are David Pawson and Skip Heitzig) to help me to see and point out something that I might be missed. Only then, #6 I will use Bible commentary such as this one. Afterward, I review and finalize my lessons/points. Bible commentary, in my opinion, should be the last step in Bible Study (or, at least, it shouldn't be in the first). By the way, prayer and meditation are very important parts of the Bible Study process.

What is a Bible commentary? It is an explanation of the biblical text by someone (usually a scholar) who has immersed himself or herself in the language, context, and form of biblical texts. The Bible commentator delivers to us details that we simply don't have by the simple reading of Scripture, like archaeological discoveries, historical details, linguistic particularities, and details about geography and culture. For a serious student of the Bible, good commentaries are indispensable. I recommend wholeheartedly The Bible Speaks Today Series because it aims to expound the biblical text with accuracy, it relates to contemporary life, and very readable. The contributors to this series are convinced that "God still speaks through what he has spoken, and that nothing is more necessary for the life, health, and growth of Christians than that they should hear what the Spirit is saying to them through his ancient – yet ever modern – Word."

Okay, about this book… The Old Testament historical books of 1 and 2 Samuel (in the Hebrew Bible, 1 & 2 Samuel are actually one book, Book of Samuel) contain well-known stories about Hannah, Samuel, Saul, David, Absalom and many more, which have been fruitful sources for innumerable Sunday service sermons and Bible Studies. Here, Mary Evans engages with these books in the conviction that they are a vital part of God's Word, full of teaching that is dynamically relevant for all Christ believers. Exploring how we should interpret and respond to the stories today is both challenging and exciting. This accessible and stimulating study takes us into the narratives, creatively brings out their application and provides questions for further reflection.

Readers will come away "with an increased awareness of what the books of Samuel are ‘all about,' of their reality as the Word of God, and with a richer, more instructed love of them," writes Alec Motyer, OT editor for this series. Now I appreciate the Book of Samuel more. Wow!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus on the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:18)

“’The time has come,’ Jesus said.
‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”
(Mark 1:18, NIV).

Jesus’ message concerned the “kingdom of God.” We find the phrase 14 times in Mark’s Gospel and over 100 times in all four Gospels. It is here in His first recorded message and in His last messages according to Acts 1:3.

Jesus’ parables were parables of the kingdom. What did Jesus mean by this? Is it a future kingdom? Is it the church? What does it have to do with us today?

At the time of Jesus, the idea of the kingdom was common in Jewish thinking. Scholars looked forward to a new age of peace and material well-being when Israel would be free from the oppression of Rome. Increasingly, the phrase “the kingdom of God” had taken on a highly political tone. It had become virtually a slogan for Jewish nationalism. Political activists and freedom fighters had begun to take things into their own hands. Such revolutionaries were called “zealots” (Jesus chose one among his disciples – Mark 3:18). Galilee, in particular, became a hotbed for such men. We can easily imagine the tension in the air when Jesus proclaimed, “The kingdom of God is near!” But Jesus’ understanding of the kingdom was different in a number of ways.

Firstly, for Jesus the kingdom was not national but personal. It was about God’s rule in a person’s heart. The kingdom was not a territory to be found on a map (like the United Kingdom) but God’s reign as king in an individual’s life. During His trial, Jesus explains to Pontius Pilate that his kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36). It’s another kind of kingdom.

Secondly, for Jesus the kingdom was not material but spiritual. It is not a place of earthly prosperity but spiritual blessing. When Jesus was asked by some Pharisees when the kingdom would come, he told them that the kingdom of God is “within you.” That is, it is an internal and spiritual kingdom, not an external and visible one (Luke 17:21). Paul, later in the New Testament, tells us in Romans 14:17 that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Thirdly, for Jesus the kingdom was not only future but here and now. With the coming of Jesus, God’s rule among men had begun. The day the prophets had dreamed of was here. The kingdom was here because Jesus was here!

And now, whenever a person confess that Jesus is Lord, by repentance and faith, the kingdom of God is present, for that person has made God king in his or her own life. Undoubtedly, there is also a future element to the kingdom of God. The Bible looks forward to a time when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Revelation 11:15). But the first stage is here. Hence the challenge to repent and believe, for this is the way into God’s kingdom.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Letters to Annie: Substance is More Important than Appearance

Dear Annie,

            I love you just like you are. You’re beautiful. No doubt. If you think you’re not or you think people don’t seem to look at you that way – who cares? – I, I earnestly think and confess that you’re beautiful. But you must understand that I first fall in love with you is not because you’re (just) beautiful but because you’re a God-fearing woman and you’re freakingly love Jesus. Even though you always say you’re “not perfect” (of course, my dear) you know that in Christ you’re perfectly perfect. It is perfectly okay.

            You see, we’re living in a society that is obsessed with “looking good.” Jesus said this to the Pharisees, “You make yourself look good in front of people, but God knows what is really in your hearts. What is important to people is hateful in God’s sight” (Luke 16:15). Everywhere we turn, we’re confronted with a steady stream of subtle messages that try to convince us to look good. Like Brennan Manning said, “The temptation of the age is to look good without being good.” These messages are not only false, but they are also dangerous to our spiritual and emotional health. Remember the day you said to me that you don’t care much about my look? I was very relieved. That’s another reason why I fall for you.

            I want to build a better life and stronger relationships with you. So here’s a great place for us to start: worry less about appearances and more about substance. Let’s do this! For sure, when we do this, we may find that we’re a little out of step with the world, which is – perfectly okay – who cares? “You will quickly be deceived if you look only the outward appearance of men,” writes Thomas A. Kempis, “and you will often be disappointed if you seek comfort and gain in them.” After all, the world sees people and things as they appear to Jn, but God sees them as they are. People look “at the outward appearance, but [God] looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). And that’s the way we should see them, too.  The old-time saying is forever true: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

The world shouts, “Appearance! Appearance! Appearance!” But God whom we worship affirms, “Heart, heart, heart, I look at your heart!” My Annie, in Christ our hearts are renewed day by day – pure and holy – unto God. Can decent, courteous, and simple appearances by our mottos? (But once in a while there is nothing wrong with grandeur and gorgeous appearances. At the end of the day, God looks at the heart). May we don’t be too worried about what we look like on the outside but be more concerned about the kind of persons we are on the inside.

I never tired of saying,

“I miss you”,

Richard

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus is More than the Prophesied Prophet: Lord, Messiah, Emmanuel

“When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed,
‘Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!’
When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king,
he slipped away into the hills by himself” (John 6:14-15, NLT).

The people were impressed. What Jesus had done in multiplying the loaves and fish was a sign that Jesus was not a mere mortal. At the very least he was the prophesied Prophet to come. The people saw and filled their stomachs as a result of this sign – who could have missed it? And this led them to believe that Jesus was “the Prophet” Moses predicted (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). Apostle John who wrote this Gospel doesn’t say the people were wrong to think of Jesus as “the Prophet,” but the next verse (“force him to be their king”) shows they thought this Prophet should be a political leader. In this they were wrong.

Do you know? Elisha foreshadowed this Prophet (who was one and the same as the Messiah) to come. According to 2 Kings 4:42-44, Elisha fed one hundred men with twenty loaves (a 5:1 ratio), but Jesus fed five thousand with five loaves (that’s a 1,000:1 ratio!). Isaiah 25:6-9 says the Messiah will prepare a banquet or feast for all people, Jews and Gentiles. This miracle showed Jesus to be the actual, real Messiah. (By the way, most Muslim scholars and teachers claim “the Prophet” that Moses predicted was prophet Muhammad. But by a careful study on the context of this verses of prophesy, this claim can easily be ignore. I have written a booklet entitled Muhammad in the Bible? to prove that this claim [and some other claims] is wrong. You may ask for your copy by commenting below).

The people wanted a king, a leader who would free Israel from Rome during the New Testament times. The people expected this of the coming Messiah-King (but Jesus first coming was to be Messiah-Servant. Jesus came as lowly servant, soon his second coming, he will rule as King of the Universe). When Jesus realized their intentions, he left. Jesus’ Kingdom would not be an earthly one established by a vote of popularity. He came for the people, not popularity. In the wilderness, Satan had already offered Jesus this same opportunity for political power (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus said no then, he said no here too. Jesus knew immediate opportunity was nothing compared to what His Father had planned.

Think about this: Later we find that the people may have been more interested in Jesus’ meeting their physical needs than anything else (see John 6:22-40). If we were there, will we noticing about Jesus’ true identity and power? As the disciples watched Jesus, they began to discover his person and purpose. More than feeding the hungry people on a hillside, Jesus was revealing his true identity and limitless power. In each incident, each interaction with the Lord, the disciples understood a bit more. Pray that God may give us increased realization of Jesus’ character and holiness and power. We should thank God for revealing Himself through the living Word, Jesus and the written Word, the Bible. Jesus is more than “the Prophet,” he is God in the flesh, he is the Messiah, he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – the Son of the living God, Emmanuel.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus sees Individuals in the Crowd (He Knows You)

He talked personally to a lame man

“Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he begin teaching them many things”

(Mark 6:31-34, NLT).

The passage above describes Jesus, after an exhausting day, going off with the disciples across the lake. Beginning near Capernaum, Jesus and the Twelve sailed “to the far side” of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1), to a remote area near Bethsaida on the north. Figuring out where Jesus and his party were headed and seeing their boat, the crowd followed them along the shore, hiking the distance on land.

When Jesus saw the huge crowd, he could have herded the disciples back into the boat and sailed away again, or he could have dismissed the people. After all, they were pestering him, crowding out his time alone with disciples (You must understand that Jesus himself as a human being was also need to rest. Imagine how tired he was). Instead, Jesus “had compassion on them” and spent most of the day teaching them and healing their sick.

Jesus saw the “huge crowd” certainly, but he also saw individuals and knew their needs. Jesus is awesome! No one was lost in the crowd. And when Jesus saw these people, he knew each one’s deepest needs and felt with them and for them. He had compassion. Jesus ministered with and to ordinary men and women, just as assorted as people today. Some in the crowd were simply curious about this new teacher; some were needy, desperate for a miracle; many had gnawing questions about Jesus’ identity and supposed power. Despite the self-centred motives of most of the crowd, Jesus took them seriously and met their needs.

Think about this: Jesus sees you in the crowd. He knows you by name. He hurts with you and wants to be with you, to heal your wounded spirit. Don’t let anything keep you from Jesus. He doesn’t expect you to get your act together before approaching him. He made you; he knows you; he knows your strengths, potential, and weaknesses. He just want you to come, to allow him to work in you and through you. When you do come, Jesus meets you where you are. Jesus is awesome and he is seeing you as individual because – He cares.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus brings Unity in Diversity (The Gospel of Peace)

“Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelves disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples” (Luke 8:1-3, NLT).

People have often wondered why Jesus never called any women in the way he called the twelve disciples. Knowing the character of the disciples as we do, Jesus invitation to “follow me” wasn’t given based on some kind of impressive resume. In the culture of the day, established business people and leaders would be prohibited from the travelling lifestyle the disciples had. Peter, James, John, and the rest needed a specific challenge; the women, however, simply responded to Jesus’ character and words – they followed. Women were at the cross, while the disciples hid. They were also at the tomb early while the eleven grieved, and so they were the first to discover the joyful of Jesus’ resurrection.

The three women – Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna –were written in the Christian history. Mary Magdalene had been afflicted with multiple demons, which Jesus expelled. This explanation captures the basis for this Mary’s connection with Jesus. She filled the void evil left behind with devotion to the One who set her free. Joanna, on the other hand, was a woman with social influence and an important husband, which shows that Jesus drew followers from every strata of society. Susanna, who is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture, may have been a person widely known during Jesus’ time.

These three and other women would probably not have been allowed to carry out public duties like preaching and baptizing, but the Scripture notes that they used their personal means to support the efforts of Jesus’ travelling band. They partnered in ministry with their money (Btw, this shows that Jesus and his disciples were not wealthy and materially rich. Thus, I sometime wonder, what is the basis of today’s prosperity gospel teaching in the light of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry?). Yet these women also bore witness to Jesus’ power in their lives. Their presence made practical the “preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God.” Citizenship in Jesus’ Kingdom was open to women too. No discrimination. Jesus wasn’t simply speaking about an ideal Kingdom that might be achieved at some future date. He was modelling the diversity, unity and love of people whose connection to one another through Jesus Christ overcame any other barrier. Here the writer was describing an early form of community that would later be called the church (ekklesia), the ones called out by God for his purposes.

Think about this: As Jesus invested in the lives of others, he ignored many of the social barriers that kept people separate such as gender, race, nationality, social class, language, personality, etc. This breaking down of walls is still a hallmarks of the Kingdom of God. Remember – Peter, John, James and Andrew were fisherman; John and James were called “Son of Thunder” due to their vengeful and fiery attitudes; Philip and Bartholomew were ‘good-boys’ very well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures; Matthew an ex-tax collector; Thomas the doubter; James of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus and Judas Iscariot were probably members of the revolutionary group called the Zealots; Saul of Tarsus or Paul was a Pharisees; maybe Nicodemus remained a Pharisees; and on and on. Jesus brought all of them together. You and me together. Us and them together. Jesus brings the Gospel of peace.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus on Prayer: More Private, Less Public

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-6, NLT).

In using the word “hypocrites”, Jesus referred to many of the Pharisees and other religious leaders who wanted people to think they were holy. They even used public prayer to get attention (Eugene H. Peterson paraphrased verse 5 in The Message as: “[When] you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production… All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?”). Jesus called them hypocrites because they were not actually praying to God; instead, they were putting on a show for an audience who would revere them for their apparent holiness. Their motive was pride.

Now, by saying, “when you pray”, Jesus was assuming that his followers would pray. He wasn’t saying people shouldn’t pray in the synagogues (or church) or even on “street corners” for that matter, but that prayers shouldn’t be done for show. We find the reality and depth of prayer not in public but in private communication with God. Corporate, public prayer can be powerful, and such prayers were vital to the early church and have an important place in churches today. But people who pray more in public than in private should consider their motives. If they really want to communicate and fellowship with God, they should go alone into a room, “shut the door” and pray. Praying only where others will notice may indicate that their real intention is to please people, not God. The only “reward” or results from the prayers of hypocritical religious leaders would be esteem from their earthly audience.

The prayer life of Jesus’ followers should differ radically. When we pray in public, pride can easily creep in. We can be overly concerned with using the right words and phrases, or about being politically and religiously correct. We may even be tempted to use prayer to spread gossip about others or to let everyone know of our spiritual accomplishments. But in private prayer, we eliminate pride from our motives; we humbly pour out our emotions to God, express our true thoughts and feelings, and listen in the quiet for God’s answers.

Think about this: Prayer should be a habit and a vital part of our lives. Apostle Paul wrote that Christians should “never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), implying that we should pray at all times of the day and in all locations, including home, office, school, malls, and presumably, “street corners.” Most believers today probably won’t shout out prayers in a crowded mall or business district, but we may be tempted to make a show of our piety in religious settings (worship services, small groups, Sunday school classes, prayer meetings, Bible studies, etc.). At those times, we should guard our motives, remembering that God is our primary audience, not the people in the group. Our biggest problem, however, is that we may limit our prayers to those locations. Instead, God wants to hear from us as we drive, before and during important meetings, while working in the kitchen or garden – in all of life’s routines. We also need to spend extended time with the door closed behind us, listening to our Father and humbly presenting ourselves and our need to him.

Where will you choose as your place of private prayer?

When will you begin to spend personal time with your Father?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' True Identity is Greater than a Mere Miracle Worker

People came to Jesus for healing

“That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak” (Mark 1:32-34, NLT).

People were descended on Capernaum, hoping for help from Jesus. That single phrase, “The whole town gathered at the door to watch,” captures the intense interest that drew people to Jesus. In the glare of the evening fires, the joyful faces of people freed from captivity to sickness and to demonic influence glowed even brighter. The evening echoed both with the cries of demons and with shouts of praise to God. Those who came or were brought to Jesus were healed. He did not let the demons identify him because he was not ready to reveal his true identity as the Son of God. And so Jesus with authority “did not allow them to speak.”

If we assume that Jesus performed miracles in order to prove who he was, we will be somewhat confused when we read that he refused to do a miracle on command (Matthew 16:1-4), that he forbade demons from speaking (Mark 1:34), and that he asked those he had healed not to tell anyone (Mark 1:44). Why would he not take advantage of every marketing opportunity? (Brian Tracy must be disappointed when he read this). Because his identity didn’t depend on people believing he could do miracles! Jesus didn’t work miracle to prove he was the Son of God; he did miracles because he was the Son of God. He didn’t go around “flashing credentials”; he responded to genuine needs and didn’t exploit those he was helping. He wouldn’t be pressured or bullied into performing miracles. He didn’t heal everyone (Remember, Jesus’ mission was first and foremost the healing of people’s souls).

Jesus made it very clear that he could perceive a person’s real need, even when that person asked only for physical healing. So he greeted the man lowered through the roof on a stretcher with a word of forgiveness. He knew the man needed forgiveness even more than he needed to be able to walk (see Mark 2:3-5). There was a specific purpose behind every miracle Jesus performed, but it was never simply to prove who he was. Think about this: Earlier that day in Capernaum synagogue, Jesus was teaching and those who listened were amazed at the authority of his words. Not long after this, when it became clear that Jesus wouldn’t settle for being a miracle worker, Simon Peter described why real disciples follow Jesus (not because of his miracles). Peter said, “Lord, to whom [else] would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68). Peter gets it! In the end, it wasn’t about the miracles that he had performed but who Jesus was and is now to you.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life's Biggest Questions

One of the biggest obstacles for people to accept or believe in Christianity is that they think they know all about it already. After all, hasn’t it been around for thousands of years? Doesn’t everybody know what Christians believe?

But if we look at Jesus’ encounters with various men and women during his life, we will find some of our assumptions challenged. These conversations were not about personal sins or specific religious views and practices, nor were they a set of talking points or a political platform. Instead, in these encounters we see him meeting people at the point of their big, unspoken questions: Who are we, and why are we here? Why be a good person; why love instead of hate? What’s wrong with the world— and what, if anything can make it right?

The Gospels are full of encounters that made a profound impact on those who spoke with Jesus in this way. In this monthly free book offer of Encounters with Jesus by Timothy Keller, I want to invite you to explore with Tim these encounters and how they can still address our questions and doubts today. Comment below if you want a copy of this book. Write: “I want to read this book because…” (Not less than 10 words), E-mail me your name, phone no. and postal address for me send the book. This offer is available until 31^st May 2015.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Joseph's Dilemma: When Divorcing Mary is Right (Or, Is There Any Better Plan?)

“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21, NLT).

Before the angel explained this to Joseph, it must have been intensely personal and painful for him. Imagine: Mary’s unplanned pregnancy was a shock! Joseph must felt betrayed. We don’t know how he really reacted, but we are told how he planned to respond: “[Joseph] was a good man and did not want to disgrace [Mary] publicly so he decided to break the engagement quietly” (Matthew 1:19). Hurt and disappointed as he must have been, he still refused to take things out on Mary. A gentleman indeed. Mary might die stoned by the people if Joseph had gone public with Mary’s pregnancy and disavowed his own involvement. But the Scriptures tells us that Joseph could not set aside his personal character as a “good” (or righteous) man. But he did have to set aside pride and disappointment in order to practise compassion toward Mary.

By the way, Joseph’s intention were correct according to the law, but God intervened with a better plan: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.” If Joseph was not persuaded by Mary’s explanation, then God provided the second witness that confirmed the story. Until Joseph faced the angel, the only possible explanations had been negatively human. Suddenly, with God in the picture, the shattering changes become filled with hope and promise.

Like Joseph, once we discover God’s direction, our actions ought to be determined and immediate. Joseph married Mary and honoured her special role by not physically consummating the marriage until after Jesus was born. “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25). Soon or later, like Joseph, paying attention to God will lead us to take actions no one else seems to be taking. Following God’s guidance may involve not following what others are doing or what others think should be done.

Think about this: Waiting on God doesn’t necessary mean doing nothing. We want him to direct our lives and that may well mean taking the steps we know we can take. There are always obedient actions we can undertake while we are waiting for direction in some area. Like Joseph, move forward, trusting God’s guidance. Believe in Him.

God helps me to follow You, even when Your will leads me far from what others are doing

or what others think should be done.

I ask You to help me obey immediately, with determination, like Joseph. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference:

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

Jesus, the Son of God Become Like Us (Most Religious Leaders Forbid You to Read This)

“’Don’t be afraid Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favour with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High… the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God… For nothing is impossible with God.’”

(Luke 1:30-32, 35, 37, NLT).

Jesus was born as a baby (how amazing and unthinkable is that!). The divine Creator humbled himself and entered the human race as a flesh-and-blood human being. The apostle John knew Jesus man-to-man, having lived, eaten, conversed, and travelled with him. John had heard Jesus teach and heal, and had seen him suffer and die. According to John, “the Word became human and made his home among us” (John 1:14).

But no one was closer to Jesus than his mother, Mary. In the passage above, an angel approached this startled teenager and explained that she would have a baby, but not just any baby, “the Son of God.” God would come to earth supernaturally but through natural means: conception, pregnancy, and birth. Jesus was (and is) both divine and human, the God-man. No one knows exactly how that works, but we see the evidence throughout the Scriptures, from the believers’ personal encounter with him and as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was fully God and fully man – at the same time.

Imagine what Mary must have been thinking and feeling at this moment. Angel visits didn’t happen every day! And angel Gabriel’s message was even more startling – a virgin conceiving, by the Holy Spirit, and birthing God’s Son. Yet Mary responded with faith and submission, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” No wonder she had “found favour with God.”

Think about this: Jesus was a living, breathing, and feeling human person. He wasn’t a divine being dressed up like a human; he wasn’t acting a part. Jesus fully took on flesh and experienced firsthand all that we experience. Thus, the Bible tells us, he can understand us and fully sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus, the Creator, became a baby, a child, an adolescent, an adult – with all of the human physical, psychological, and emotional qualities, but perfect, without sin. He knows us in every way. He knows you. And get this – he loves you and wants only the best for you. That’s a truth almost as amazing as Gabriel’s announcement.

Do you want to know Jesus more? Pray and read God’s Word.

Get personal and investigate His Person. Your life might never be the same.

“Nothing is impossible with God”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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