Rev Dr Taesik Gil
04-09-2016
Introduction:
Rev Dr Taesik Gil was sick from head to toe for seven years. One day he attended a service, he knelt down before God and the Holy Spirit healed him completely. He began to believe in God. Later he started a church. That was 12 years ago. He believes in prayer and fasting. He conducts miracle crusades all over the world (Kenya, Japan, the Philippines, Honduras, Russia, Chile, Peru and the US).
Message:
Anybody who is part of God can manifest God's miracles. The person who belongs to God can receive blessings from God.
Anyone who blesses, God blesses. Anyone who curses, God curses.
Romans 6:16
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin,which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
How can we be saved? The wages of sin is death.
Leviticus 25: 23-25
23 “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.
25 “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.
The law of the redemption of the land is no longer in place these days. The land belongs to God. Do not sell it permanently. This has a spiritual meaning. Because of his disobedience, all authority was handed over to Satan.
Luke 4:6
6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
The law of the redemption of the land is the law of the spiritual realm-- God prepared a way for us in Jesus Christ to return the authority that was lost through Adam.
All are sinners. All people commit sins. The sinner himself cannot resolve the problems of another sinner. So we need the Redeemer. He is Jesus Christ our Saviour.
The conditions according to the law of the redemption of the land:-
1) The Redeemer must be a man who is relatable.
1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
John 1:1-5
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Word was God. The Word became flesh and lived among us. He is Jesus.
John 1:14
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
2) He must not be a descendant of Adam.
All human beings have father and mother. Children/descendants inherit the habits of their parents.
Matthew 1:18-21
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He is without sin.
Jesus called Mary "Woman."
3) He must have the power to overcome the devil/death.
Leviticus 25:26-27
26If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.
A poor man cannot pay off the debts of another even if he desires to do so.
In the spiritual realm, one who is without sin has power.
John 4:23
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
Worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Hebrews 7:26
Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
Jesus has no sin at all so He could defeat the devil. He can overcome diseases and curses.
He could even command the wind to be still.
We can also be like Him. We can also perform miracles, signs and wonders if we obey Him.
Acts 19: 11-12
11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
To God, nothing is impossible.
Great miracles are still continuing to happen today.
4) He must have enough love to give up His life for us.
Jesus the Son of God came to earth as a human being. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and was without sin. Therefore He has the power to heal sinners. If He did not have love, He would not have died on the cross for us. He bore the sins of all human beings and was crucified for us.
Romans 5:7-8
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
There is no one like Jesus. Accept Him as Lord and Saviour.
Teaching for Transformation
Pr Michael Koh
03-09-2016
1) Teaching or preaching does not transform. Only God transforms.
2) Listening to the sound. Teaching and preaching as hearing from God. Tune in to God.
3) Open up the Word in such a way that the Word brings freshness and in season. To make it applicable in a particular situation. Psalm 27 - behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in His temple.
Isaiah 60New International Version (NIV)
03-09-2016
1) Teaching or preaching does not transform. Only God transforms.
2) Listening to the sound. Teaching and preaching as hearing from God. Tune in to God.
3) Open up the Word in such a way that the Word brings freshness and in season. To make it applicable in a particular situation. Psalm 27 - behold the beauty of the Lord and enquire in His temple.
Isaiah 60New International Version (NIV)
The Glory of Zion
60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
What is it that makes us qualified to teach or preach? It has to do with the light that shines upon the information or the word. The shining of God makes the word come alive = the Living Word. It becomes a personal word, to reflect and reach out to people's hearts. It is a high calling to shine like a light that is not like any other light. Be the person of the Lord to share the Word, to break the yoke.
The ministry of Paul:
2 Corinthians 1:3-7New International Version (NIV)
3Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Teaching is not about just information but it is a blessing that includes the heart of God. It is the thing that God puts into the valley to fill it up with the things of God. Witness in and of itself does not minister. It is the comfort and power of God that we experience when that happens. When we minister to people, there is an anointing there. We minister out of God's comfort, not the brokenness.
2 Corinthians 2:12-17
60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
What is it that makes us qualified to teach or preach? It has to do with the light that shines upon the information or the word. The shining of God makes the word come alive = the Living Word. It becomes a personal word, to reflect and reach out to people's hearts. It is a high calling to shine like a light that is not like any other light. Be the person of the Lord to share the Word, to break the yoke.
The ministry of Paul:
2 Corinthians 1:3-7New International Version (NIV)
3Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Teaching is not about just information but it is a blessing that includes the heart of God. It is the thing that God puts into the valley to fill it up with the things of God. Witness in and of itself does not minister. It is the comfort and power of God that we experience when that happens. When we minister to people, there is an anointing there. We minister out of God's comfort, not the brokenness.
2 Corinthians 2:12-17
Ministers of the New Covenant
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
Teaching is about Godly sincerity. It is about genuine ministry. Paul would distance himself from the type of teaching that sounded impressive but not from God, that is not fragrance that comes out of the crushing. The minister of God has the work of the spirit that has crushed his ego.
2 Corinthians 3:1-6New International Version (NIV)
3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
When we speak, God writes on our hearts. What is ministry of the Spirit is what is written by the Holy Spirit. It is not about commendation or titles (doctorate, PhD, etc). God writes on the teacher or preacher's heart. God brands our hearts. He has more for us. So when we minister or teach, things get written. Allow ourselves to have a high vision of teaching.
Minister in such a way that the Holy Spirit is writing. The fellowship with the Holy Spirit is very important.
2 Corinthians 3:12-18New International Version (NIV)
12 Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.
Teaching is about Godly sincerity. It is about genuine ministry. Paul would distance himself from the type of teaching that sounded impressive but not from God, that is not fragrance that comes out of the crushing. The minister of God has the work of the spirit that has crushed his ego.
2 Corinthians 3:1-6New International Version (NIV)
3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
When we speak, God writes on our hearts. What is ministry of the Spirit is what is written by the Holy Spirit. It is not about commendation or titles (doctorate, PhD, etc). God writes on the teacher or preacher's heart. God brands our hearts. He has more for us. So when we minister or teach, things get written. Allow ourselves to have a high vision of teaching.
Minister in such a way that the Holy Spirit is writing. The fellowship with the Holy Spirit is very important.
2 Corinthians 3:12-18New International Version (NIV)
12 Therefore, since we have such a
hope, we are very bold.13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil
over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was
passing away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day
the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been
removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.15 Even to this day when
Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone
turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is
the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom.18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with
ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The ministry of Moses is the ministry of death. Moses' face "shot out light." It was scary. When God shows Himself, He allows us to see Him and He disciples us. When the people of God saw Moses like that, they told Moses to put a veil over his head. The thing that separates us from God is removed. He wants us to have a direct experience with Him. We are transformed from glory to glory to make spiritual truths more palatable and easy to understand.
Instead of meeting God, we have so many books nowadays. Books can point to God but can also be a veil.
We are to be one with God. Choose God and not ministry. Choose God and not books. Do not teach to please men and be more concerned about how people sees us. Get into the habit of immersing ourselves in the presence of God.
What is the nature of the Word of God? The scriptures are words inspired by God. The Holy Spirit breathes into the scriptures and activates the Word. When we read the scriptures in such a way that we are coming to the Living God, the scriptures become real and begin to touch us. The Living Word speaks to us, transforms us. The Word includes the scriptures as well as the presence of God. It becomes relevant in a particular time, moment of dynamism, and it resonates with people. When we are looking at God, He is looking back at us even more. We are in the presence of Someone who is active. We have not acted upon Him but rather He has acted upon us.
The Word of God is not just about facts. It energises us. Faith comes by hearing. A teacher has to hear the sound of the Word. The nature of the Word is living and more active than us.
How we are as teachers depends on how we are before God.
Psalm 27:4
The ministry of Moses is the ministry of death. Moses' face "shot out light." It was scary. When God shows Himself, He allows us to see Him and He disciples us. When the people of God saw Moses like that, they told Moses to put a veil over his head. The thing that separates us from God is removed. He wants us to have a direct experience with Him. We are transformed from glory to glory to make spiritual truths more palatable and easy to understand.
Instead of meeting God, we have so many books nowadays. Books can point to God but can also be a veil.
We are to be one with God. Choose God and not ministry. Choose God and not books. Do not teach to please men and be more concerned about how people sees us. Get into the habit of immersing ourselves in the presence of God.
What is the nature of the Word of God? The scriptures are words inspired by God. The Holy Spirit breathes into the scriptures and activates the Word. When we read the scriptures in such a way that we are coming to the Living God, the scriptures become real and begin to touch us. The Living Word speaks to us, transforms us. The Word includes the scriptures as well as the presence of God. It becomes relevant in a particular time, moment of dynamism, and it resonates with people. When we are looking at God, He is looking back at us even more. We are in the presence of Someone who is active. We have not acted upon Him but rather He has acted upon us.
The Word of God is not just about facts. It energises us. Faith comes by hearing. A teacher has to hear the sound of the Word. The nature of the Word is living and more active than us.
How we are as teachers depends on how we are before God.
Psalm 27:4
4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I
seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to
gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
To dwell in the house of the Lord is to be hospitable to God, to be familiar with God, to know the Lord's heart so that we understand where He's coming from. It is long term. Our instincts are shaped and formed so that we are in line with God. When temptations come, we hate evil. When we honour the anointing, we become bold.
To gaze on the beauty of the Lord is to have a grateful heart and to appreciate the beauty of God. When God is doing the small things which is the beginning of big things, we see it. We hear the tone differently. When He rebukes, we hear love. We know whether it is from God or just something that's just interesting. Wait upon the sweetness of the Word to come. Without thankfulness, we can't hear the texture of what God is saying. We become tone deaf. When we are thankful to God, He blesses us. Appreciation is instinctual and more than cognitive.
Train our spiritual instincts to wait for a Word that becomes freshness from God. It becomes a revelation.
Psalm 91:1-2New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
God treats us according to how we treat Him.
As a teacher or preacher, He calls us to a secret dwelling place where others don't go.
In the long term, God changes our desires and He shapes us as we allow ourselves to be open to Him. God becomes our everything.
Does the space in our hearts have space for other things as well? Is our dwelling compromised?
As a teacher or preacher, we want to see more of the precious things of God. These things are so powerful that can change people's lives. Allow God to drop little particles as we pray in the Spirit and let spiritual things to form. To have a mind of God is to be still before God and be sensitised to the things of God. Some thoughts are seeds that God have for us or little whispers that we hear from God.
Don't be intimidated by the noise. As we praise the Lord, there will be a stillness. After a period of waiting, when the Word comes, faith erupts, joy erupts. The love of God in our hearts overflows. It is all a process of the Spirit rising.
How we are before God determines how we are before people.
Isaiah 50:2
When I came, why was there no one? When I called,
why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you?
Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.
The logic of the exile was there was no one in Israel to hear from God.
God wants to speak and He wants us to hear. He does speak to us on a regular basis. We have to be willing and expect to hear from Him.
Isaiah 50:4-8
The
Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word
that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to
listen like one being instructed.
5 The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.
6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Morning by morning, God will speak to us. It can go on for weeks.
Isaiah has the tongue of someone who's been taught.
Hear from God in the scriptures instead of from impressions or visions.
There's much more in the heart and mind of God. God is shaping and forming us. It is these things that we teach. As we breathe out the Word of God, we bear so much fruits.
Sometimes, praying in tongues can lead us to be disconnected from the heart. It becomes mechanical. Praying in the Spirit is about us lifting out our hearts to God and He shapes and transforms us in the process. If our hearts are not stretching out to God, we get distracted. If we go off track, bring it back. Keep our minds as close to God as possible and bring our hearts and pour it out to God in the spirit.
We are committed to the Word that comes. We are loyal to speaking the Word from God, not using someone else's sermon or recycling from old notes. The gold standard is having the Word in season.
Question to ask from God:
1) "What do You have for me?"
Isaiah 28:9-15
6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near.
Morning by morning, God will speak to us. It can go on for weeks.
Isaiah has the tongue of someone who's been taught.
Hear from God in the scriptures instead of from impressions or visions.
There's much more in the heart and mind of God. God is shaping and forming us. It is these things that we teach. As we breathe out the Word of God, we bear so much fruits.
Sometimes, praying in tongues can lead us to be disconnected from the heart. It becomes mechanical. Praying in the Spirit is about us lifting out our hearts to God and He shapes and transforms us in the process. If our hearts are not stretching out to God, we get distracted. If we go off track, bring it back. Keep our minds as close to God as possible and bring our hearts and pour it out to God in the spirit.
We are committed to the Word that comes. We are loyal to speaking the Word from God, not using someone else's sermon or recycling from old notes. The gold standard is having the Word in season.
Question to ask from God:
1) "What do You have for me?"
Isaiah 28:9-15
“Who is it he is trying to teach?
To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
10 For it is:
Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there.
11Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
12 to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—but they would not listen.
13 So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there—so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood[b]our hiding place."
The people want quick results. They have neglected the presence of God. The priests are not able to distinguish between the flesh and the spirit. It's all vomit there. It's a product of drunkenness.
It is not to have an immature knowledge. We need to have a deeper knowledge of God. The Word of God resonates with us. God lays the foundation, line upon line, precept upon precept. He builds up layer by layer, principle by principle. There is a certain order.
Isaiah is saying that we have to be aware of what God is speaking. Be attentive, sensitive, awake and alert when God drops something--particles of truth-- in our hearts.
2) "What is it about my attitude that prevents me from getting this?"
He shows us that sometimes we don't pay attention to things that are trivial.
3) "What should I do differently then?"
When God gives an answer, it is something that can be done.
In summary:
1) Only God transforms, not the teaching in itself.
2) Learn to hear from Him. His Word is active and He speaks to us.
3) Dissect it up to make it fresh again even though we'd read it before or heard it before and this new revelation is relevant to our present situation and is in season.
That's how we approach teaching. It is a blessing that includes the heart of God. It applies to us as parents imparting knowledge and discipline to our children or as home fellowship teachers/facilitators giving lessons to members.
To whom is he explaining his message?
To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
10 For it is:
Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there.
11Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
12 to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”;
and, “This is the place of repose”—but they would not listen.
13 So then, the word of the Lord to them will become:
Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there—so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured and snared and captured.
14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
15 You boast, “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement.
When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood[b]our hiding place."
The people want quick results. They have neglected the presence of God. The priests are not able to distinguish between the flesh and the spirit. It's all vomit there. It's a product of drunkenness.
It is not to have an immature knowledge. We need to have a deeper knowledge of God. The Word of God resonates with us. God lays the foundation, line upon line, precept upon precept. He builds up layer by layer, principle by principle. There is a certain order.
Isaiah is saying that we have to be aware of what God is speaking. Be attentive, sensitive, awake and alert when God drops something--particles of truth-- in our hearts.
2) "What is it about my attitude that prevents me from getting this?"
He shows us that sometimes we don't pay attention to things that are trivial.
3) "What should I do differently then?"
When God gives an answer, it is something that can be done.
In summary:
1) Only God transforms, not the teaching in itself.
2) Learn to hear from Him. His Word is active and He speaks to us.
3) Dissect it up to make it fresh again even though we'd read it before or heard it before and this new revelation is relevant to our present situation and is in season.
That's how we approach teaching. It is a blessing that includes the heart of God. It applies to us as parents imparting knowledge and discipline to our children or as home fellowship teachers/facilitators giving lessons to members.
The Raw Power of Revival
Pr Michael Koh
31-08-2016 (59th Merdeka Message @ Wednesday
Prayer Meeting)
1 Kings 18:41-46
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
For three years God judged Israel and there's been no rain. There was just the sound of drought.
1) Hear the sound of rain. Elijah heard the sound of rain. The originating sound of the move of God is in the Spirit. When we hear that, it becomes something great that God has in store for us. The word for us comes direct from God like a mother's milk. It's the emotion of God, the strength of God. It activates something in the spirit. It has love. Sometimes it rebukes.
2) Attitude of prayer - putting a spiritual womb, crouching like a travailing position. In the spiritual womb, God is developing lives that people are going to be saved or it could be a position or a base of operation or a place of prayer. Elijah's base of operation is he functions from the spirit. God is tuning our spiritual instincts. God begins to do amazing things. We develop a holiness, a place of intimacy. We become attentive to God and He begins to purify us. The ability to see a little bit of faith or crumbs and it becomes bigger and bigger. As we become attached to God, our mind, hearts and emotions become sensitise to God. God is developing spiritual wombs that we begin to grow in faith and feel the motion of God. We track it, connect with it and follow it.
3) The chariot is a vehicle that God uses for us to move in the spirit. Eg ministry or gift. Prepare the vehicle. Prepare the chariot.
Rain is raw power. It can destroy a lot of things.
When revival takes place and if our spiritual instincts are not in tune, we will be left out or become offended.
So prepare our chariots. God is looking for people who are able to interpret what the Holy Spirit is doing.
When revival happens, boldness takes place. A change takes place. We become more in tune with God. Let it grow. When the spiritual atmosphere is charged up, something gets activated. When we pray in the spirit, God prepares our hearts and when we see it, something gets triggered and we know how to move. The Holy Spirit causes us to run faster than the chariot.
1 Kings 18:41-46
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
For three years God judged Israel and there's been no rain. There was just the sound of drought.
1) Hear the sound of rain. Elijah heard the sound of rain. The originating sound of the move of God is in the Spirit. When we hear that, it becomes something great that God has in store for us. The word for us comes direct from God like a mother's milk. It's the emotion of God, the strength of God. It activates something in the spirit. It has love. Sometimes it rebukes.
2) Attitude of prayer - putting a spiritual womb, crouching like a travailing position. In the spiritual womb, God is developing lives that people are going to be saved or it could be a position or a base of operation or a place of prayer. Elijah's base of operation is he functions from the spirit. God is tuning our spiritual instincts. God begins to do amazing things. We develop a holiness, a place of intimacy. We become attentive to God and He begins to purify us. The ability to see a little bit of faith or crumbs and it becomes bigger and bigger. As we become attached to God, our mind, hearts and emotions become sensitise to God. God is developing spiritual wombs that we begin to grow in faith and feel the motion of God. We track it, connect with it and follow it.
3) The chariot is a vehicle that God uses for us to move in the spirit. Eg ministry or gift. Prepare the vehicle. Prepare the chariot.
Rain is raw power. It can destroy a lot of things.
When revival takes place and if our spiritual instincts are not in tune, we will be left out or become offended.
So prepare our chariots. God is looking for people who are able to interpret what the Holy Spirit is doing.
When revival happens, boldness takes place. A change takes place. We become more in tune with God. Let it grow. When the spiritual atmosphere is charged up, something gets activated. When we pray in the spirit, God prepares our hearts and when we see it, something gets triggered and we know how to move. The Holy Spirit causes us to run faster than the chariot.
God's Preparation for Further Church Growth
Pr Ooi Chin Aik
28-08-2016
Make a difference. Challenge the status quo through prayer.
Advance the gospel. Evangelise.
Acts is about the continuing work of Jesus through the Spirit.
When the church prays, we move to a new spiritual normal.
Acts 9:31New International Version (NIV)
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Foundation for world missions
1) Conversion of Saul - Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-31)
Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-9). His conversion was real.
Make sure our own conversion is genuine. It involves a personal encounter with Jesus. We have our own story to tell. The Spirit will empower us. We live to glorify Him. Our lives are transformed.
The roles of Ananias and Barnabas (Acts 9:10-25, 26-30)
All great ministries need people to encourage them. Cheer their ministries.
Church spread throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria as having 5 characteristics:-
i) It was a time of peace and consolidation. Build our inner life instead of programmes so that when the storms hit, we are rooted in Jesus.
ii) Strength
iii) Encouragement
iv) Growth
v) Encouragement
Live in the fear of the Lord.
2) Conversion of Cornelius (Acts 9:31-11:18) - First Gentile convert
3) Expansion and Opposition (Acts 11:19-12:24)
The Lord is preparing the church for worldwide missions.
But there will be persecutions.
Time of peace is a time to strengthen ourselves.
God can use us. In the eyes of God, we are somebody. Every non-believer is a mission field.
Our God is soverign. He is a real King.
The church is His primary agent.
We are His witnesses.
We shall be triumphant. We shall be overcomers.
Nothing can happen in Malaysia without the Lord's permission.
Thank God for the church in the country.
Pray that the church will be faithful and not play politics.
Ask God for anointing and even more anointing.
Pray that we will be faithful witnesses.
28-08-2016
Make a difference. Challenge the status quo through prayer.
Advance the gospel. Evangelise.
Acts is about the continuing work of Jesus through the Spirit.
When the church prays, we move to a new spiritual normal.
Acts 9:31New International Version (NIV)
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Foundation for world missions
1) Conversion of Saul - Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-31)
Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-9). His conversion was real.
Make sure our own conversion is genuine. It involves a personal encounter with Jesus. We have our own story to tell. The Spirit will empower us. We live to glorify Him. Our lives are transformed.
The roles of Ananias and Barnabas (Acts 9:10-25, 26-30)
All great ministries need people to encourage them. Cheer their ministries.
Church spread throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria as having 5 characteristics:-
i) It was a time of peace and consolidation. Build our inner life instead of programmes so that when the storms hit, we are rooted in Jesus.
ii) Strength
iii) Encouragement
iv) Growth
v) Encouragement
Live in the fear of the Lord.
2) Conversion of Cornelius (Acts 9:31-11:18) - First Gentile convert
3) Expansion and Opposition (Acts 11:19-12:24)
The Lord is preparing the church for worldwide missions.
But there will be persecutions.
Time of peace is a time to strengthen ourselves.
God can use us. In the eyes of God, we are somebody. Every non-believer is a mission field.
Our God is soverign. He is a real King.
The church is His primary agent.
We are His witnesses.
We shall be triumphant. We shall be overcomers.
Nothing can happen in Malaysia without the Lord's permission.
Thank God for the church in the country.
Pray that the church will be faithful and not play politics.
Ask God for anointing and even more anointing.
Pray that we will be faithful witnesses.
The Silence of Jesus
Pr Michael Koh
21-08-2016
Matthew 15:21-28
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
This passage speaks about how we connect with God and the problematic issues that go with hearing the voice of God - the silence of God.
Ezekiel 34:22-24
22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
Jesus didn't answer the Canaanite woman. Even though it didn't look like it as He was silent, the amazing thing was He was intentionally there for her. He was in Tyre and Sidon to minister to her.
In our contact with Jesus, when God encounters us, we have to take Him as He is in His fullness.
When He comes to us, He is so infinitely powerful that we cannot comprehend it, His Light is so much greater that we cannot see. His super abundance of Light exceeds our own ability to grasp. God exceeds our own intellectual, emotional ability to comprehend.
If we are seeking God in our frustration, even though we think He is not there, He who is infinitely holy is still there.
When Jesus cast out the demon, the boy was cast to the ground.
When Jesus comes, there is silence. We encounter Him for who He is.
In Genesis 3, the serpent was craftier. He wanted Eve to know more stuff, that we are greater than God. Our perception and how we look at God has been diseased. That's what happened to Adam and Eve and to us too. The lens of God was taken away and they die. We look at things and God as distorted and broken.
To us, God seems to be silent. He doesn't appear when we seek Him. Is prayer and devotion too painful to us? The voice of our own rejection and condemnation blocks out the voice of God. Our vision is messed up, filled with intuition.
To the woman, Jesus is healing her. When we seek God and encounter the barriers as we seek Him, we encounter voices that we are familiar with, the voices of our own brokenness.
She encountered the voices of rejection. "Send her away."
Many people are stuck in their prayer life, not experiencing God. Painful things crop up. We have to hang in there. Don't give up. Just show up every day.
We cannot hear God from our emotions and our minds. The spirit is deeper than our five senses. Pray in the Spirit. The Spirit prays and intercedes for us. It generates order despite our disorders. The things are uncomfortable becomes comfortable. Leave it to the Spirit to do it. We don't depend on our mind to focus. It doesn't start with our education, it starts with the Spirit. Be suspicious when we start to get ideas.
In the silence, God is actually doing something. He is doing something far more superior and personal.
It is true that Jesus came for Israel. But God also is a light to the Gentiles too.
If we are just for the promises and principles, we will never truly know God.
Our response is not to argue with God. Appeal to the fact that He is greater and more powerful and merciful.
Yes, claim His Word. But He is more loving than His Word.
Kneel before Him, bow before Him and have mercy on us. Realise that we have no right to say anything and completely surrender to Him. God is drawing us to not just His promises but also He longs for us, His heart yearns for us. We won't know it until we let God do what He wants to do to us. Let it go and He will do more than His promises.
So the woman knelt before Him and said, "Lord, help me." And let God have His way.
Jesus begins to heal and transform her. Against the Pharisees, Jesus always has the last word. But it is brilliant that in this case, she begins to argue her case in her utter surrender to Him. "Even the dogs get the crumbs." She saw that even if she has a little bit of Jesus, a little bit of the Holy Spirit, it is enough.
God wants us to appreciate the little things and build up from there.
Matthew 15:21-28
The Faith of a Canaanite Woman
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
This passage speaks about how we connect with God and the problematic issues that go with hearing the voice of God - the silence of God.
Ezekiel 34:22-24
22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.
Jesus didn't answer the Canaanite woman. Even though it didn't look like it as He was silent, the amazing thing was He was intentionally there for her. He was in Tyre and Sidon to minister to her.
In our contact with Jesus, when God encounters us, we have to take Him as He is in His fullness.
When He comes to us, He is so infinitely powerful that we cannot comprehend it, His Light is so much greater that we cannot see. His super abundance of Light exceeds our own ability to grasp. God exceeds our own intellectual, emotional ability to comprehend.
If we are seeking God in our frustration, even though we think He is not there, He who is infinitely holy is still there.
When Jesus cast out the demon, the boy was cast to the ground.
When Jesus comes, there is silence. We encounter Him for who He is.
In Genesis 3, the serpent was craftier. He wanted Eve to know more stuff, that we are greater than God. Our perception and how we look at God has been diseased. That's what happened to Adam and Eve and to us too. The lens of God was taken away and they die. We look at things and God as distorted and broken.
To us, God seems to be silent. He doesn't appear when we seek Him. Is prayer and devotion too painful to us? The voice of our own rejection and condemnation blocks out the voice of God. Our vision is messed up, filled with intuition.
To the woman, Jesus is healing her. When we seek God and encounter the barriers as we seek Him, we encounter voices that we are familiar with, the voices of our own brokenness.
She encountered the voices of rejection. "Send her away."
Many people are stuck in their prayer life, not experiencing God. Painful things crop up. We have to hang in there. Don't give up. Just show up every day.
We cannot hear God from our emotions and our minds. The spirit is deeper than our five senses. Pray in the Spirit. The Spirit prays and intercedes for us. It generates order despite our disorders. The things are uncomfortable becomes comfortable. Leave it to the Spirit to do it. We don't depend on our mind to focus. It doesn't start with our education, it starts with the Spirit. Be suspicious when we start to get ideas.
In the silence, God is actually doing something. He is doing something far more superior and personal.
It is true that Jesus came for Israel. But God also is a light to the Gentiles too.
If we are just for the promises and principles, we will never truly know God.
Our response is not to argue with God. Appeal to the fact that He is greater and more powerful and merciful.
Yes, claim His Word. But He is more loving than His Word.
Kneel before Him, bow before Him and have mercy on us. Realise that we have no right to say anything and completely surrender to Him. God is drawing us to not just His promises but also He longs for us, His heart yearns for us. We won't know it until we let God do what He wants to do to us. Let it go and He will do more than His promises.
So the woman knelt before Him and said, "Lord, help me." And let God have His way.
Jesus begins to heal and transform her. Against the Pharisees, Jesus always has the last word. But it is brilliant that in this case, she begins to argue her case in her utter surrender to Him. "Even the dogs get the crumbs." She saw that even if she has a little bit of Jesus, a little bit of the Holy Spirit, it is enough.
God wants us to appreciate the little things and build up from there.
Hope and Strength is found in God
Pr Michael Koh
17-08-2016
Prophetic
word spoken to Israel during a time of oppression.
Isaiah
52 New King James Version (NKJV)
God Redeems
Jerusalem
52 Awake,
awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.
2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.
2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!
3 For thus
says the Lord:
“You have
sold yourselves for nothing,
And you shall be redeemed without money.”
And you shall be redeemed without money.”
4 For thus
says the Lord God:
“My people
went down at first
Into Egypt to dwell there;
Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
5 Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord,
“That My people are taken away for nothing?
Those who rule over them
Make them wail,”[a] says the Lord,
“And My name is blasphemed continually every day.
6 Therefore My people shall know My name;
Therefore they shall know in that day
That I am He who speaks:
‘Behold, it is I.’”
Into Egypt to dwell there;
Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
5 Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord,
“That My people are taken away for nothing?
Those who rule over them
Make them wail,”[a] says the Lord,
“And My name is blasphemed continually every day.
6 Therefore My people shall know My name;
Therefore they shall know in that day
That I am He who speaks:
‘Behold, it is I.’”
7 How
beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;
For they shall see eye to eye
When the Lord brings back Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem!
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God.
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;
For they shall see eye to eye
When the Lord brings back Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem!
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God.
11 Depart!
Depart! Go out from there,
Touch no unclean thing;
Go out from the midst of her,
Be clean,
You who bear the vessels of the Lord.
12 For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Touch no unclean thing;
Go out from the midst of her,
Be clean,
You who bear the vessels of the Lord.
12 For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
The
Sin-Bearing Servant
13 Behold, My
Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
14 Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men;
15 So shall He sprinkle[b] many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see,
And what they had not heard they shall consider.
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
14 Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men;
15 So shall He sprinkle[b] many nations.
Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;
For what had not been told them they shall see,
And what they had not heard they shall consider.
God’s strength coming to the people
of God. Act based upon what God is showing, not on external things. Yes, things
don’t look good but awake and put on strength.
Restoration of the Holy Spirit upon
our lives.
Romans 8:22-30 New King James Version (NKJV)
22 For we know
that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until
now. 23 Not only that, but we also who
have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly
waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For
we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one
still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for
what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 Likewise the
Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for
as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[a]with groanings which cannot be
uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows
what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the
saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know
that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are
the called according to His purpose. 29 For
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of
His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover
whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also
justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
The Holy Spirit is praying even
though we do not know what we are praying or how to pray. The person of the
Holy Spirit has hope of a future, a yearning for God’s purposes to be
fulfilled. This hope is God’s reality. It draws the present into the future. It
is the presence of God’s future in us and He has assured us of the future. In
this hope we are saved.
Praying in the Spirit is the Holy
Spirit groaning. We have the firstfruits of the Spirit. The Spirit helps us in
our weaknesses. The Holy Spirit is searching for the heart of God. We are
moving into the river of God. He works all things for good.
Favouritism: A Human Sinful Tendency
Dr John Ng
14-08-2016
James 2:1-10
Favoritism Forbidden
2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Favouritism: Funny how so many people say it isn't fair, but yet most of them are the 1st to display it and the 1st to deny it...
Favouritism is a double edged sword. Bad if you are the victim.
We are all bias. We all have biases/prejudices.
Favouritism is based on wealth. How we treat people. Based on what we see on the outside.
James 2:2 & 3
#1 Reveals who your true God is.
v1 believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism.
Jesus did not show favouritism. He was rich but became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). True glory is in terms of what Jesus has done for us.
#2 Reveals our real mindset/true mindset.
v4 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people tells all.
#3 Reveals our evil
Favouritism is evil and sinful.
Reinforces exploitation, abuse and blasphemy.
v6 & 7 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
#4 Reverses God's compassion for the poor.
v5 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Proverbs 21:13
If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.
The true poor have no one to turn to except God.
The poor has a special place in God's heart.
Poor matters to no one else but God.
Poor excluded from many privileges but God has chosen to inherit the Kingdom.
"I speak to everyone the same way, whether he the garbage man or the president of the university."
- Albert Einstein
Conclusion:
The key is Royal Law.
v8 “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
It is about Loving and Doing it right.
Who is your neighbour? Your neighbour is anyone who is in need. You could be one.
At the end of our lives we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by: I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.
In conclusion:
1) Recognise that we all have prejudices.
2) We must deal with our prejudices by caring for the poor.
3) Have a heart of God by loving all.
14-08-2016
James 2:1-10
Favoritism Forbidden
2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Favouritism: Funny how so many people say it isn't fair, but yet most of them are the 1st to display it and the 1st to deny it...
Favouritism is a double edged sword. Bad if you are the victim.
We are all bias. We all have biases/prejudices.
Favouritism is based on wealth. How we treat people. Based on what we see on the outside.
James 2:2 & 3
#1 Reveals who your true God is.
v1 believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism.
Jesus did not show favouritism. He was rich but became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). True glory is in terms of what Jesus has done for us.
#2 Reveals our real mindset/true mindset.
v4 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people tells all.
#3 Reveals our evil
Favouritism is evil and sinful.
Reinforces exploitation, abuse and blasphemy.
v6 & 7 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
#4 Reverses God's compassion for the poor.
v5 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Proverbs 21:13
If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.
The true poor have no one to turn to except God.
The poor has a special place in God's heart.
Poor matters to no one else but God.
Poor excluded from many privileges but God has chosen to inherit the Kingdom.
"I speak to everyone the same way, whether he the garbage man or the president of the university."
- Albert Einstein
Conclusion:
The key is Royal Law.
v8 “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.
It is about Loving and Doing it right.
Who is your neighbour? Your neighbour is anyone who is in need. You could be one.
At the end of our lives we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done.
We will be judged by: I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.
In conclusion:
1) Recognise that we all have prejudices.
2) We must deal with our prejudices by caring for the poor.
3) Have a heart of God by loving all.
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