Lord, Heal My Tongue: Words determine Destiny (Part 4/9)

In the Book of Numbers chapter 13 to 14, there are 10 spies focused on the problems, not on the promises. But there are 2 spies, Joshua and Caleb, focused on the promises, not the problems. They said, "We are able"; the other 12 said, "We are not able." Each got exactly what they said. They all settled their own destinies by the way they used their 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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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

From Ruth to Rich: Jesus Did Not Feed All the Hungry

As I read late Billy Graham’s Just As I Am (1997) autobiography, I’m encouraged by his wife, Ruth Bell, for her life, support, and works in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ministry. About Ruth, Billy writes, “God gave Ruth many, many gifts, one of which was writing.” I agree. In this series, I try to imagine (one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind) what would Ruth Bell says to encourage young man like me – and perhaps, you. I hope you enjoy it!

Dear Rich,

Son, someone pointed out that Jesus did not feed all the hungry, heal all the sick or raise all the dead. Yet when He came to the end of His life’s work just before His crucifixion, Jesus said, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). Hours later, His final words on the cross were: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Often when I am exhausted, I have said, “It is enough!” We each have a limit, like the Plimsoll mark, a line around ocean tankers that indicates when a ship has reached capacity. He who made us knows just how much we can take. He never overloads us. But neither has He promised us strength for tasks that we take on without His direction.

I want God to so order my life that when the end comes, I can say, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” I do not want to feel compelled to say, “It is enough!” before I can say, with His help, “It is finished.” Pray this prayer, my son:

Lord, sometimes I let myself get overwhelmed with unnecessary tasks.
Starting today, I will allow You to arrange
and order my life so that I may accomplish Your will on earth.
Amen.

God be with you,

Ruth

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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)

Help Child Deal with Divorce #2 Annabel, As People Grow They Change

Dear Annabel,

            As people grow, they change. It’s a natural part of life. The same thing happens to some marriages. Your mom and dad change as they grow and perhaps the change doesn’t suit one or both of your parents in the marriage. You know, the same things happened in many friendships – I have already experienced it and you will soon.

            It happened to me. I have a friend in secondary school. We were best friends until we both went to further our studies in different universities. Once awhile we met up and catch up with one another stories. As time goes by, we both started liking different things and hanging out with different people. After 3 years we had both changed so much that we had nothing in common anymore and our friendship ended. Should we have stayed friends because we used to like each other? I don’t think so.

            You know Annabel, after couple being married for a while, some moms and dads even grow closer while others grow further apart. They stop caring. They don’t listen to one another anymore. They yell and fight. They are frustrated and unhappy. Should they stay together just because they used to be in love? Probably not. Commitment, faithfulness, and trust should be established early in the marriage, if not they will easily break. This is the fall of both parents.

Some parents who grow apart stay married because they don’t want to upset their children. You know what? Researchers found that children living with unhappily married parents are often more stressed and less happy than children whose parents are successfully divorced. Maybe amidst this difficulties, dear Annabel, this thing happened to you for your own good. Your mom and dad probably not happy with each other and if they were to continue you won’t be happy either.

   

Uncle admits that this divorce thing is not easy. Parents feel sad. Kids feel awful. Grandparents and siblings don’t know what to do. Friends from both parents don’t know whose side to take. It’s hard. That is why uncle is very proud of you for taking this matter responsively. Believe me, this thing will not stay messy forever and I promise you, my dear, that this divorce actually turns out to be the best thing for the families – for you.  Stay strong, my child!

Love,

Angelus

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God Is In the Business of Impossible (Genesis 17:15-19)

“God continued speaking to Abraham, ‘And Sarai your wife: Don’t call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah. I’ll bless her—yes! I’ll give you a son by her! Oh, how I’ll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her.’ Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, ‘Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?’ Recovering, Abraham said to God, ‘Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!’ But God said, ‘That’s not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I’ll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever’”
(Genesis 17:15-19, The Message)

Sarai was 90 year-old when God gave her a fresh start. No longer would she be known by the old Babylonian name she had been born with. From Genesis 17 onward, she would be called “Sarah” – Princess – and she, like her husband (Abram, previously renamed as Abraham), would be the mother of nations. Name is so important. It represent who we are, our origin. Good name is crucial for a new identity. Abraham and Sarah’s names are God’s prophesy of what they would become.

I’m thinking of Abraham… how his faith were stretched… he had been called upon to believe some wild things (Up-In-The-Sky-Kind-of-Promises!) over the previous 30 years. But the thought of his 90 year-old wife would “give you a son” was too much. Too impossible for him – and probably too stress – that he laughed! Abraham being Abraham, he gave God a suggestion, a solution: “Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!” What he meant was, “Lord, why couldn’t Ismael, be the son of the promise? Let him be!” Perhaps Abraham truly love Ishmael. Perhaps Abraham sick of waiting. Perhaps he felt bad for the boy Ishmael, son with the servant woman Hagar. Illegitimate or not, he was till Abram’s flesh and blood.

Let me reason for Abraham… Hey, Ishmael, his son, was already there. Why wait? I think it is quite awesome if God were to make a great nation out of Ishmael (in fact, God does it). But to imagine an as-yet-unborn son of a 90 year-old woman? To me and Abraham… that was impossible to imagine...

About two thousand years later, God did the same impossible promise. Elderly Elizabeth who were barren bore a son, John the Baptist and Mary, a virgin, bore child Jesus the Messiah (read Luke 1 and 2). Both were impossible cases, but as Gabriel, the archangel said, “Nothing, you see, is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37, Msg). God had His own plans, His plans will come to past. He is in the business of impossible. “That’s not what I mean,” God insisted, “Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son.” God was doing something utterly new to Abraham. In the end, Sarah gave birth to a son named Isaac (read Genesis 21).

When God plans to do something, something great

Hold fast to His promises, He keep His promises,

Remember: “Nothing, you see, is impossible with God”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

During the Covenant Making Abram Fell Into a Deep Sleep, So God Slapped Him? (Genesis 15:10-22)

“God said, ‘Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon.’ [Abram] brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn’t split the birds. Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and then a sense of dread, dark and heavy…  When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That’s when God made a covenant with Abram: ‘I’m giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria—the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites’”

(Genesis 15:9-12, 17-21, The Message)

Either you don’t understand what you’ve just read or you’re saying What?!! to this bloody business, I find that this encounter is interesting. Abram killed three large animals, cut each in half through bone and muscle, and laid the pieces out. But lucky birds, their bodies remain in one piece (but probably their heads were chopped off. Easy dead). Imagine the smell of meat and blood. Thus, Abram had to scare the vultures off.

I assumed Abram probably recognized the making of the familiar ritual – the Cutting of a Covenant – during the Old Testament period. When two kings made a covenant, they sometimes cut an animal in half and walked between the pieces as way of saying, “If I don’t keep this agreement, may I be like this animal.” Sometimes both parties walked between the pieces, sometimes it was only the weaker of the two kings.

“As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and then a sense of dread, dark and heavy.” Many commentaries tells us that Abram woke to a vision of God. In a form of “a smoking firepot and a flaming touch” God passing between the pieces of the animals. If it was God, then I assured you, it was not the weaker of the two parties putting Himself on the line for the sake of the Covenant, but the stronger. The only One. I interprets it as of God was saying, “If I don’t give this land to your offspring as I have promised, may I be broken like these broken animals.”

God came to the man and woman who waited in faith. There is no record of Abram walking between the pieces since God’s Covenant is not a bargain between equals. It is totally dependent on God’s initiative of grace. Abram role – our role even today – is to receive what God gives, obey what God commands and so live in the enjoyment of God’s blessings. I learned, through my darkest moments, when I don’t understand why I have to wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled, I know that that is precisely the moment for faith to hold on to God’s Word and to say,

“I know that the God who has brought me to this point is not going to let me down now, so I am going to confirm my commitment to Him, whatever the appearance may be, because He is committed to me forever. Amen.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Abram, Look at the Stars, Look How They Shine for You (Genesis 15:1-6)

“The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.’

And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.’ And he brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’

And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness”

(Genesis 15:1-6, ESV)

By now Abram was an old man. His wife, Sarai, was old too – in fact, decades beyond childbearing age. So when God came to him in a vision (you may called it ‘dream’) and repeated the promise He once made with Abram, it’s not hard to understand Abram’s doubt and fear. “I continue childless,” he said, “and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus [his chief servant].” Lot, his nephew has gone; and Abram had left his families behind. Since he doesn’t have any children or other close relatives, by law of the land, his chief servant will inherits his properties (unless he go back to his home town). I imagine it was a painful thing for Abram to think about: It wasn’t even a distant relative, but a servant who would inherit everything he had worked for.

Even though God seems to be ‘last-minute’ to me, it wasn’t what He had in mind when He promised to make a great nation of Abram. He wasn’t talking about servant(s) that will inherit his properties and promises. No, as unlikely as it sounded, God was going to give Abram his very own son.

God took him outside the tent [still in a vision, probably in spirit?] and told him to look up to the heavens. “Number the stars,” God said, “if you are able to number them.” [Again, I imagine Abram tried to count the stars with his finger and murmured 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…] “So shall your offspring be.”

Abram probably lifted his head once more, this time he looked at the stars not as numbers but possibilities. He took in the vast and shimmering sky – each star a son, a daughter, each one a blessing to the rest of the world. And somehow, Abram’s faith restored – Abram believed again.

I hope that this story – God’s Story – will lift up your faith again, restore your believe in God’s promises again, hope in Him again. May God’s righteousness be with you as you believe in His goodness and promises in His living Word.
[P.s: I’m not sure what “counted it to him as righteousness” mean; could it be God counted Abram as righteous because of his act of believe?]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Abram Scored Low in Character and Integrity, But Why He Was Called the Father of Our Faith? (Genesis 12:1-5)

“God told Abram: ‘Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing. I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot with him, along with all the possessions and people they had gotten in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan and arrived safe and sound”

(Genesis 12:1-5, The Message)

Abram (later named as Abraham) was from somewhere in modern-day Iraq and most likely from a tribe of moon-worshippers. Nothing in the Bible indicates what kind of person Abram was, either his personality or moral behaviour that attract God’s attention among so many pagans. In fact, few chapters ahead suggest that Abram was flawed in his character and integrity.

But God called Abram anyway. Abram, this childlike seventy-five-years-old, would be an ancestor of a great nation someday, and through him God would bless all the nations. All Abram had to do was leave everything he had ever known and follow this mysterious Voice to a new country. It was not an easy task. The Voice doesn’t mention, by the way, where this new country is, or how long it will take to get there.

Amazingly, almost unbelievably, Abram obeyed the Voice. Whatever his shortcomings, Abram, no doubt, had an astonishing capacity for belief. He was faith-full. He risked his whole life on the conviction that God’s promise will come true. Again and again, Abram made a mess of things (if you followed our Bible Studies on the Book of Genesis, you’ll know how frustrated I was about Abraham’s character and conduct). But he always returned to this first conviction: God’s promises are true. That trust and capacity for belief are what made Abram the father of our faith. God’s promises to His people – Christ-followers – are always true… The question is… Do you believe?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Remember This When You Look at the Rainbow (Genesis 9:12-16)

“God continued, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I’m putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I’ll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth.’”

(Genesis 9:12-16, The Message)

In the Old Testament no less than the New Testament, God’s anger is always answered by God’s grace (I think Joyce Meyer’s 2013 book, God is Not Mad at You can be perceived as half-true. God is mad at you and your sins but He is ready to forgive you if you would only repent of your sins and come to Him. Now, I also think Joyce’s book is great for repented-sinners and for those who “haven’t truly received God’s love because they’re afraid of His anger and disapproval.” Thus, if you’re with and in Christ, God is far from mad at you, He calls you His sons and daughters. This is grace).

The worldwide destruction of the Flood was followed immediately by the promise of hope, His grace. Never again, God promised, would He sent the kind of flood that Noah and his family had just experienced through. And the sign of that promise was a bow in the sky – God-size bow – a rainbow.

It is worth noticing that the bow is aimed to shoot its arrows up toward heaven, not down toward earth. The bow is not a threat against humankind that says, “The arrows of God’s anger are going to rain down on you again!” No! This bow is aimed to shoot – metaphorically – at the heart of God. It is as if God is saying, “I cross my heart, I promise.” In this covenant, God puts Himself on the hook.

There are some two-sided covenants in the Bible, in which God’s people agree to hold up their end of the bargain. This covenant is ALL God. But there is another covenant – New Covenant – that is more important than this one… Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for you and you don’t have to do anything, just receive by grace through faith. This is ALL Christ. So when you look at the rainbow(s) today or tomorrow, remember God’s grace, remember the New Covenant.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus is Alive > Kingdom is Here > Holy Spirit will Come (Acts 1:1-8)

“During the 40 days after [Jesus’] crucifixion he appeared to the apostles from time to time, actually alive, and proved to them in many ways that it was really he himself they were seeing. And on these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God”
(Acts 1:3, The Living Bible)

Since Jesus is the Son of God, it would be quite unbelievable that if anyone said that He remained in the grave. We can be sure that Jesus did rise from the dead because there are many witnesses who saw Him during forty days after He had risen and before He went back to heaven. Some of these men, for example, Matthew, John and Peter have written books which tells us about Jesus rising from the dead (In 1 Corinthians 15:6, “[Jesus] was seen by more than five hundred Christian brothers at one time”). The Bible is our external witness, the Holy Spirit is our internal witness that Jesus is alive!

Before Jesus went back to heaven, He commanded His disciples “not to leave Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them in fulfilment of the Father’s promise” (Acts 1:4, see also Luke 24:49). I’m thinking, maybe the disciples at this time wanted to go back home and get to work with their fishing nets again. Or maybe they wanted to start right out and tell everybody about the Lord Jesus, how He had died for our sins and rose again (I might to this). In fact, Jesus had already told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to everyone, everywhere (Mark 16:15). But the time for this had not yet come, and so He tells them to WAIT for a while. Key word here is WAIT. The disciples surely know about the Father’s promise [theologically], but they don’t know how or in what way the Holy Spirit would come upon them [practically]. So they need to WAIT. Sometimes we want to do something for the Lord in a hurry before the right time comes, but we should do what and when He wants us to do it. So WAIT.

Then Jesus promised them the most wonderful of all gifts: “[You] shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit in just a few days” (1:5). He said that although they could not know when the Kingdom of God would fully come to earth (for the Kingdom of God is here already but not yet), yet they would receive in a few days’ time the Spirit of God to abide with them forever! Jesus said, “[When] the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power to testify about me with great effect, to the people in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, about my death and resurrection” (1:8). The disciples obeyed the command of the Lord here. And so, if you read Book of Acts chapter 1-7, they witnessed in the city of Jerusalem; chapter 8-12, they witnessed in the land of Judea and Samaria; and after that, chapter 13-28, they preached everywhere!

I would like to recommend, after you read the Book of Acts by Luke (maybe read the Gospel of Luke first), read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe. This book shows that the word of Jesus in verse 8 was fulfilled and are being fulfilled day by day. I’m excited that the Book of Acts is not finish yet, for we all have great parts in fulfilling Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18 and Acts 1:8 in this world. Remember: Jesus is alive, we are His witnesses; the Kingdom of God is here, we preach the Good News; the Holy Spirit is with and in us, now go!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus, I Will Anchor My Trust in You (Because You Promise First)

“Let not your heart be troubled. You are trusting God, now trust in me. There are many homes up there where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly”
(John 14:-3, The Living Bible)

After shocking hearing what Lord Jesus said about Judas’s betrayal, Peter’s future denial, and His own imminent death, the disciples must have been confused and troubled (read John 13:28). So Jesus told them to anchor their trust in Him. Jesus said that He and the Father would prepare a place for the disciples while He was gone and that – He would return for them.

Jesus knew He would be taken forcefully from them, falsely accused, tortured and crucified. He knew the disciples would scatter and hide, their faith will be strongly tested. So He encouraged them to anchor on to their trust in God and to trust in Him. Later, Jesus told the disciples why He had given them glimpses of the future: “I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you’ll believe in me” (John 14:29). When Judas’s betrayal and Peter’s denial happened, they would believe that Jesus was who He said He was. After all, He had predicted those very events. Thus the disciples could be confident that everything (all!) that Jesus had predicted and promised would come true.

Jesus had said that He would “prepare” homes for them (for us) – in His Father’s house – and He reaffirmed that promise over and over again, adding that eventually they would “always be with [Jesus]”, reunited forever with the Father in heaven.

Jesus’ promises to the disciples really encourage me personally and I hope to you too. Throughout His time with His followers, Jesus had warned them about opposition ahead of them. He had always told them the truth, even the predictions of pain, separation, rejection and persecution. And everything happened just as He said! So we can believe His words about the future too. What a glorious future that will be! Together with Jesus forever! In the meantime, during our struggles and sorrows, we anchor our trust in Him. When we feel lonely and abandoned, we anchor in Him. When we don’t know what to do or which way to turn, we anchor in Him. Remember, Jesus is preparing a place, our place now. “If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly.”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Ezekiel on Prophets Who Give False Prophesies, Visions and Divinations (Ezekiel 13:1-6, 10-12)

“The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins… Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled… They lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash… When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’”
(Ezekiel 13:1-6, 10-12, NIV).

From his vantage point in Babylon, the prophet Ezekiel could see that everything was decidedly not all right.  Back in Judah, there were so-called prophets who kept telling the people everything was going to be okay. They said things were going to get better, there would be peace instead of war (If today, it would sound like this: “I declare prosperity and health are coming your way…”).

Ezekiel knew better; the Lord told him greater judgment was coming. The false prophets’ message didn’t match with what the Lord had already said, that the people would be punished for their (conscious) rebellion against Him. The people hadn’t repented, so why should things change?

It’s easy to say, “Thus says the Lord…” It’s even easy to convince yourself that something is truth when you’ve just wished it or made it up. Ezekiel marveled at the prophets who prophesied out of their own spirit and imagination, and then expected their words to be fulfilled. As yesterday, even today, there are false prophets who want to “lead [God’s] people astray.” Be careful what you hear and read today. In the end, the Word of God is the only reliable basis for what is true and what is not. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Abram had a Choice: Faith or Self-Sufficiency (Genesis 12:10-16)

“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.’ When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels”
(Genesis 12:10-16, NIV).

The journey God called Abram to undertake wasn’t safe. Abram had to pass through the lands of many unfriendly kings. As Abram’s danger grew, his fear grew – especially in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh was the sort of king who took whatever he wanted. Abram was afraid Pharaoh would want his wife, Sarai, and kill her husband to have her. Abram would rather lose his wife than to protect her (Abram was faith-less here; Sarai was very obedience).

Abram had a choice: he could renew his trust in the God who promised to see him through; or he could attempt to solve the problem in his own strength and wisdom. He chose the latter. It was a perfectly understandable reaction; when things feel out of control, our first instinct is to attempt to take control. But in relying on his own shrewdness, Abram made the situation grow worst. He forsook his wife, ‘prostituting’ her to save his own skin.

When we trust in our own shrewdness, we draw a very strict limit around the solutions that are available to us. In my own experiences, many of those solutions are worse than the original problem, simply because I trust myself more than I trust God’s guidance and promises. When we rely on God, we open ourselves to a whole universe of solutions. Now, practically today, how to know God’s will in our lives? How to make God-centred decisions? For Abram, he can just ask God, but he didn’t. For us today, we have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God available and accessible to us. Get serious with the Word. To know God’s will is to have the mind of Christ; to have the mind of Christ is to know God’s Word: God’s will is God’s Word. It is through God’s Word that we can have faith in the God of the Word.

Every day we have a choice: faith or self-sufficiency.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Abram Had An Astonishing Capacity for Belief (Genesis 12:1-5)

“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated… they set out from the land of Canaan, and they arrived there”
(Genesis 12:1-5, NIV).

Abram (later will be called Abraham) lived somewhere in modern-day Iraq, most likely from a tribe of moon-worshippers. Nothing in the Bible indicates what kind of man Abram was - nothing about his moral life – that separated him from other pagans. And yet God choses him. Few chapters after the Bible recorded that Abram was quite average in his character and integrity.

But God called Abram anyway. Abram, this childless 75-year-old, would be a great nation someday, and through him God would bless all the nations. All Abram had to do (which is the hardest to do) was leave everything he had ever known – his country, people and household – and follow this mysterious Voice to a new country. The Voice doesn’t mention, by the way, where this new country is, or how long it will take to get there.

Amazingly, Abram followed. Whatever his shortcomings, the man had an astonishing capacity to believe. He staked his whole life on the conviction that God’s promises were true. Again and again, Abram made mistakes. But he always returned to this first conviction: God’s promises are true. That capacity to believe is what made Abram the father of our faith. Obedience come from believing in God’s promises. Abram could not always know what route the journey would take but he learned to trust in God to direct his steps.

How can Abram's faith in God’s promises encourage you
to entrust your needs more fully to God?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God’s Anger is Always Answered by His Grace and Mercy (Genesis 9:12-16)

“[God] said. ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth’”

(Genesis 9:12-16, NIV).

In the Old Testament (no less than the New Testament), God’s anger is always answered by His grace. The global destruction of the Flood was followed immediately by the promise of hope and mercy. “Never again,” God promised, would He send the kind of flood that Noah and his family had just lived through. And the sign of that promise was a bow in the sky – a rainbow.

FES staffs like to see rainbow. Rainbow is like a giant bow in the sky. It is worth noticing that the bow is aimed to shoot its arrows up toward heaven, not down toward earth. The bow is not against humankind that say: “Behave yourselves or the arrow of God’s wrath are going to shoot at you again.” No, this bow is positioned to shoot at the heart of God. It is as if God is saying: “I promise, cross My heart.” In this covenant, God puts Himself on the hook.

Most of the covenants in the Bible are two-sided, in which God’s people agree to hold up their end of the bargain. But this covenant – between God and the earth – is all about God. God’s anger is always answered by His grace and mercy.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

God's Perspective is the Best and God's Intention is Good (Genesis 3:1-6)

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’’ ‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it”

(Genesis 3:1-6, NIV).

The serpent promised Eve new “eyes” to see what God sees. Adam and Eve got a new perspective, of course, but it wasn’t God’s perspective. The serpent taught them to doubt God’s goodness. The serpent accused God as having hidden agendas when He commands them the straightforward: “You must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Genesis 2:17). God desires for them to joyfully obey Him – to choose life. But the serpent wants them to find misery when God had intended only good for them.

No longer pure in hearts, Adam and Eve hid from God. They believed that the shame they were experiencing must reflect God’s true view of them. The serpent, after all, had told them that eating the forbidden fruit would open their eyes. Lies! The truth is, Adam and Eve already had a godlike view of the world they inhabited. The serpent – the Devil – took away the very thing he promised to give.

Since that day in the Garden, our perspective has been tainted. We find it very hard to believe what may be the simplest, most fundamental truth of all: God loves us, and He wants what is best for us. It is forever be true.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus' Command: Pray on Behalf of Sinning Brother and Sister In Christ (1 John 5:16-17)

“If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sins, but not every sin leads to death”

(1 John 5:16-17, NLT).

“If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning… you should pray.” As our faith grows, we should go beyond the concerns we have about ourselves and pray for others. This is called the intercession prayer. If we pray only about our own needs, as important as these needs may be, we can become quite self-centered and not see how great and privileged it is to be a part of the growth of other people as well. As we learn to pray for others, we become more sensitive about their needs and will keep in touch with them so we know what their needs are.

And not only do we pray about the needs of others; we should be willing to be a means or channel through which God can answer our prayers. In case this is a new thought for you, let me share an example: Let’s say that you find out that a friend is suffering from the loss of a job and an illness. You have heard that he or she has very little food or money at home. So you share these concerns with God, and you pray that God will provide for their needs, so they won’t go hungry and thus will not sin against God for the situations that he or she experiencing now. After praying such a prayer, you can ask yourselves, “In what way would God like me to be the way that an answer is provided? How can I become the answer to my own prayer?” You could buy him or her dinner, or you could help to find a job, or you could offer to care (if need be) until he or she gets better, etc.

What is amazing about this process, then, is that prayer does not become a closet activity in which we withdraw from people and think only ‘heavenly’ thoughts. As we pray about the needs of others we are drawn back into loving others. So, Lord Jesus Christ is the connecting link between ourselves and others. As we feel loved by Jesus and as our prayers are answered, we grow in our ability to love and care for others. This is especially true when it comes to praying for our “Christian brother or sister” whom we knowingly “sinning” and commit “wicked actions” against God. We must pray for and at the same time, love and lead him or her back in the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle James was very clear with this: “If someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about many forgiveness of many sins” (James 5:19-20). As we “pray” earnestly and be open to being used by God in this way, He “will give that person life” [This promise applies in the context of brothers and sisters in Christ]. 

However, the part of this section that may be less clear involves what John calls: “…a sin that leads to death.” Exactly what this means has been debated for centuries until now. But let me try, in a simple way: We know that God has promised to forgive us our sins when we confess them and ask for forgiveness (read 1 John 1:9 again). But there is one attitude – only one – that seems to cut oneself off from God. Jesus talks about this sin as being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (read Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:29). This kind of sin that “leads to death” is the sin that says the work of Jesus is the work of Satan or origin from Satan, imply that Satan is really more powerful than God, and that evil is more powerful and maybe even is  – preferable to what is good and true. To talk and live like that is to live a life in spiritual ruin. So, John is saying “there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it” – because it is useless to pray for them since they already decided willingly that everything that Jesus did and done is attributed to evil one. Don’t do it!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

In Jesus, We Are Victorious! (1 John 5:3-5)

“Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God”

(1 John 5:3-5, NLT).

I noticed that our love for God is not so much an emotional feeling as it is practical and active. We show our love by our actions, by “keeping his commandments.” This may sound kind of easy, but it’s not always so, is it? Sometimes we may just be too busy thinking about something else, like workloads, worried about how we look or act, or feel tired or sick. At times like these, we need to remember the promise of Jesus Christ: “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). So, when we’re burned out and feel that God’s commandments are “burdensome” – when we’re exhausted, too busy, or when our feelings get kind of numb, we are promised that, as we share our concerns with Jesus, we will get great relief. We can cast our concerns and burdens upon God because God really cares about us (read 1 Peter 5:7).

Not only does Jesus promise to give us relief and rest but He also promises to give us strength. No matter what our age, there are times we may just feel like we want to let go of everything and sleep for days and days. Life can just be too much, and who can care about other people at those times? But as we learn to keep the right balance in our lives – especially as we learn to include God in our plans and put Him at the center of what is important to us – we will be given new strength we never thought we would have. God’s got enough power and strength to last all of us through our lifetimes! So, God has not imposed a lot of impossible demands and rules on us only to walk out and slam the door. God is right here with us, never leaving us (even at times when we may not feel close to Him), always encouraging and giving us the strength we need to “keep his [not burdensome] commandments.” God wants what is best for us and wants us to have deeper joy in Him.

“And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” Obeying God’s commandments and having faith in Jesus is one and the same, and interrelated – only God’s children will do. Our faith in Jesus brings us great victory: we can overcome and “defeat this evil world” The temptations of the world can be very appealing and alluring. The pressure to be like everyone else – to have certain things and to act in certain ways – can be overpowering. But with God on our side, we “can win this battle against the world.” We don’t need to walk around and act defeated. With God’s help, we are really victorious in life!

If you have ever won some kind of contest (I once won a musical contest during my university time, battle of the band. Or whatever you had won) you know how great you feel when you win – as if you could conquer the world! That’s the kind of attitude that God wants for us in life – a winning, forward-looking, confident, expecting the best, stretching us to the limit. “We achieve this victory through our faith” in “the Son of God.” If you’re God’s child, you don’t have to feel defeated, inadequate, and expecting the worst. In Jesus, you’re victorious! Amen.  

THINK BIG. START SMALL GO DEEP.