Rev Peter Tsukahira
24-08-2019
Luke 6:46-48 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Builders and Foundations
46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and [a]acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who [b]dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the [c]torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
The path of a disciple is a path of human action and achievement. Those real results become a fruit of your life.
Because we have the power of the Holy Spirit and revelation of the truth, we need to be men and women of action.
Eg. David. (1 Samuel 17) In those days, warfare was up close and personal. Goliath was six cubits and a span. He was almost four metres tall, twice the height of a normal man. His shield was so big that it took another warrior to carry it. He was armed with a sword and a spear.
David's weapon was a leather sling that he could project. David had faith and it gave him courage. He was a man of the Spirit. He had a plan and he was really good at what he did. Distance was at his side. David knew that the shorter this fight is, the better. He had to win the fight and he had to win it fast. Goliath had armour. There was only one place that David could hit and it was a tiny target. Before the battle, he went to the creek and chose five stones. He selected those five smooth stones. He knew how those stones were going to curve. There was a lot of skill and planning before he went to battle.
We plan, we execute, we observe the results and we evaluate. And we do it again and again and again.
This was a life or death decision for David. He ran towards Goliath from the start. This was part of his plan. Goliath was an experienced warrior himself. Immediately his shield comes up, he plants his feet and his spear goes back. He's watching David move. For that moment, his head is up and he's completely still. David looks him in his eye and BAM! And the fight is over. Don't think it was by accident. It was probably the grace of God that stone curved just right.
As disciples, we've got to plan and start taking actions and evaluate the results.
That fight established David as a leader and eventually he became a king.
Psalm 139:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
13 For You formed my [a]inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
David realised he himself was not an accident. God designed him for this life.
Psalm 139:16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
He realised in his spirit that God had already planned it. That's the amazing God that we serve. He is taking actions in our lives. As disciples, we align our decisions and actions to His decisions and actions to produce the results that He has already planned for all of us. Without these actions, our faith is useless.
James 2:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is [a]dead, being by itself.
It is one thing to believe; it is another thing to believe and do. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world but faith without action is dead.
James 2:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
James 2:24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
The decisions and actions we make completes the circle. The right things for us to do has been planned already by God.
Ephesians 2:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
That's why we focus on the call to discipleship. Jesus invested in people He knew best so that when they made decisions and actions, they produced fruit.
Luke 10:25-37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
25 And a [a]lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? [b]How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
The Good Samaritan
30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and [c]beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 On the next day he took out two [d]denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ 36 Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do [e]the same.”
The lawyer wanted to know how he could get on the path to heaven.
Jesus chose one commandment from Deuteronomy and one commandment from Leviticus. In Matthew 22, Jesus quotes these same two commandments.
Matthew 22:36-40 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and [a]foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus said, "Do this." (Luke 10:28)
Jesus then tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan to teach heavenly truth to this young man. (Luke 10:30-37)
Jerusalem is 700 metres above sea level. Jericho is 400 metres below sea level. It was a lonely and dangerous walk. The man encountered some criminals and bandits. And a kohen or cohen (the Hebrew word for "priest") saw his body. If he touched the body and it's a dead body, he would be unclean for the next seven days. Along came another priest, a Levite. Then came a Samaritan. Samaritans only believed parts of the Bible is inspired. They were considered as a sect and disliked by the Jews and mistrusted. Jesus also does not agree with the doctrine of the Samaritans. (John 4:4–26) The Samaritan sees the body and immediately has compassion.
Jesus says, "Go and do the same." He said, "Now, take action." Jesus says it is not just what you believe but also what you do.
Becoming a disciple and making a disciple doesn't come by accident. Invest in those people so that when the time comes, they can go out and beat the giants. You have to overcome some challenges and break some boundaries. The Samaritan broke the ethnic barrier. He broke the religious barrier, the traditional barrier and the cultural barrier.
You don't start a work until the leader emerges. Our job is to discern and pray and ask who is the person to you and what is my duty in the lives of these people? Teach them, correct them and bring them to your side. We need to be disciples and we need to make disciples. That's how disciples get made.
The Parable of the Samaritan teaches us to look down. The priest and Levite looked up. They had spiritualised and turned their calling into a religious obligation. You need to look down to know your neighbour. To be effective in ministry, you have to begin to look down and look the people in the eye. The apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are for the equipping of the saints. After a while it becomes habitual and it becomes DNA.
Seek the Lord. Ask the Lord. How can we be a family? How can we be a church? Then we become people of faith and action. God gives us the spirit of love and sound mind to bear fruit.
RELATED:
BLINK THEOLOGY (ROMANS 9-11)
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (I)
THE PATH TO DISCIPLESHIP (II)
THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP (III)
THE SHAPE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD AND THE FOUNDATIONAL NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FINDING YOUR GIFT AND DESTINY IN GOD'S KINGDOM
The Call to Discipleship I
Rev Peter Tsukahira
24-08-2019
We usually frame visions in numerical terms because they are measurable.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Chinese proverb)
How do you start? You have to start making disciples. What is to us a disciple and how many disciples do we have?
Jesus gave us a model for making disciples.
You need at least 10 people who know how to walk in the Lord if you think of a community of 100,000 people. We need 10,000 real disciples.
What are the steps that need to be taken to produce these 10,000 disciples? Accidents happen and they are not good ones. Producing things and getting things done is about planning and execution. You have to start taking that first step to produce the end results.
What is a disciple? What is the power and the identity of a disciple and the path for a disciple? It is not a methodology. It is revelational. Our real teacher is the Holy Spirit.
According to John the Baptist:
John 3:27 New King James Version (NKJV)
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
A disciple is someone who's trained by the Lord and is developing a lifestyle of following the Lord. The words of God have become habitual to them and they follow them on a sub-conscious level. Discipleship is the goal, purpose and core. Evangelism is the by-product of discipleship. The Spirit of truth sets you free to see the core and not just the outside.
Leaders and prophets in the Bible have disciples. They took them under their wings and passed on those truths in younger leaders. Moses' disciple was Joshua. Elijah's disciple was Elisha and he had chutzpah.
Of course, Jesus had the 12 (1 was a failure and He focused on the 11). He's transformed these guys from ordinary people and molded them into world-changers. He invested in them all the time. The disciples came to Him privately (Matthew 24).
Isaiah 50:4-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 The Lord [a]God has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
5 The Lord God has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient
Nor did I turn back.
Disciples are, first and foremost, people who listen to the Lord and be obedient and not turn back. They hear and they do and then they come back and listen some more. This kind of lifestyle takes discipline. They sit at the Master's feet and they listen.
As the Holy Spirit sinks in to you and obedience to the Lord becomes a sub-conscious lifestyle, then you are able to have the tongue of the disciple.
Matthew 10:24-25 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house [a]Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
You identify with Jesus with His values. You never try to get better than the Lord. The parameter of success is when you personally get the point of maturity to get another person to where you are. Never think to get someone to go beyond you. Then they don't need you anymore and leave you behind. If you can bring a person to your level and then leaves you, you've got your reward in heaven.
We're all called to be disciples and we're all called to make disciples.
In order to have that, you have to have those people. Disciple people to be able to use their gifts and other people as disciples try to get to that fellow.
But you can't make a disciple out of someone you don't know.
The difficult part of discipleship is correction. You have to have a pure heart of humility so get rid of the ugly stuff in your life. You can say that to someone that you know and you can make an impact.
Most of us get disciples by accident. But we need a plan to find that person and bring them up, at least to that level. It is a painful process but it is a glorious process. The joy of the Lord in someone else's achievement is boundless. Jesus spent time with the disciples. He only took three years to spend time with very ordinary people and made them giants. It is small, it is difficult but it is fruitful. The more of the core succeeds, it is sustainable. It is small and difficult but it is powerful.
Luke 10:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
The Seventy Return with Joy
17 Then the [a]seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but [b]rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus said these to the 70.
Disciples are called and mandated to create other disciples.
Ephesians 4:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [a]edifying of the body of Christ,
Religion is central and vital. We need to get the religious part of the Kingdom right. Ie. How to worship, how to pray.
But 90% of us are called to be professionals somewhere else.
A factory is not about the quantity; it is about the quality of your output.
Matthew 28:18-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [b]Amen.
You became disciples. Now go and make others disciples.
They taught, they preached, they made sacrifices. 2,000 years later we can thank God for their obedience.
John 17:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together [a]with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
When He prayed this prayer, Jesus hasn't been to the cross. But He said to the Father, "I've finished," it was all about His disciples.
John 17:6-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have [c]manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.
Then at the end of the prayer, He prays for all of us.
John 17:20-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who [j]will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Now Jesus is ready to go home.
Matthew 13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus Teaches in Parables
13 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And [a]large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell [b]among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, [c]let him hear.”
An Explanation
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
There was perhaps frustration and irritation when the disciples asked Jesus that question.
That crowd was everybody they knew. Obviously they had come there specifically to listen to Jesus. The disciples probably convinced them to come. They would have been happy if Jesus included a miracle or two. They wanted Him to convince them. But what He told them sounded like an agricultural story. The crowd walked away scratching their heads unconvinced.
Matthew 13:11-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11 [d]Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 [e]In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘[f]You will keep on hearing, [g]but will not understand;
[h]You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Sower Explained
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the [i]word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the [j]word, immediately he [k]falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the [l]world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
In the few that dared, they more than made up. Jesus was talking about the disciples that they had been intended and chosen by God because their hearts were the good grounds who obeyed and in time they would have been fruitful. He spoke to the crowd for the sake of His disciples. Jesus was in Capernaum for three years doing miracles and healing people but the town people never repented. There's a big difference between sitting in the audience and sitting at the feet of Jesus. Lord, please help me to come out of the crowd and follow. With people like that, Jesus can build through our successes and failures to bring us to a place of fruitfulness and leadership. Bring some people alongside and make them at least like you are. Get some people able to do what you do. The disciples bring the growth and establish the kingdom and able to go to heaven.
This is the central issue of the kingdom of God.
RELATED:
BLINK THEOLOGY (ROMANS 9-11)
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (I)
THE PATH TO DISCIPLESHIP (II)
THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP (III)
THE SHAPE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD AND THE FOUNDATIONAL NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FINDING YOUR GIFT AND DESTINY IN GOD'S KINGDOM
24-08-2019
We usually frame visions in numerical terms because they are measurable.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Chinese proverb)
How do you start? You have to start making disciples. What is to us a disciple and how many disciples do we have?
Jesus gave us a model for making disciples.
You need at least 10 people who know how to walk in the Lord if you think of a community of 100,000 people. We need 10,000 real disciples.
What are the steps that need to be taken to produce these 10,000 disciples? Accidents happen and they are not good ones. Producing things and getting things done is about planning and execution. You have to start taking that first step to produce the end results.
What is a disciple? What is the power and the identity of a disciple and the path for a disciple? It is not a methodology. It is revelational. Our real teacher is the Holy Spirit.
According to John the Baptist:
John 3:27 New King James Version (NKJV)
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
A disciple is someone who's trained by the Lord and is developing a lifestyle of following the Lord. The words of God have become habitual to them and they follow them on a sub-conscious level. Discipleship is the goal, purpose and core. Evangelism is the by-product of discipleship. The Spirit of truth sets you free to see the core and not just the outside.
Leaders and prophets in the Bible have disciples. They took them under their wings and passed on those truths in younger leaders. Moses' disciple was Joshua. Elijah's disciple was Elisha and he had chutzpah.
Of course, Jesus had the 12 (1 was a failure and He focused on the 11). He's transformed these guys from ordinary people and molded them into world-changers. He invested in them all the time. The disciples came to Him privately (Matthew 24).
Isaiah 50:4-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 The Lord [a]God has given Me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
5 The Lord God has opened My ear;
And I was not disobedient
Nor did I turn back.
Disciples are, first and foremost, people who listen to the Lord and be obedient and not turn back. They hear and they do and then they come back and listen some more. This kind of lifestyle takes discipline. They sit at the Master's feet and they listen.
As the Holy Spirit sinks in to you and obedience to the Lord becomes a sub-conscious lifestyle, then you are able to have the tongue of the disciple.
Matthew 10:24-25 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house [a]Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
You identify with Jesus with His values. You never try to get better than the Lord. The parameter of success is when you personally get the point of maturity to get another person to where you are. Never think to get someone to go beyond you. Then they don't need you anymore and leave you behind. If you can bring a person to your level and then leaves you, you've got your reward in heaven.
We're all called to be disciples and we're all called to make disciples.
In order to have that, you have to have those people. Disciple people to be able to use their gifts and other people as disciples try to get to that fellow.
But you can't make a disciple out of someone you don't know.
The difficult part of discipleship is correction. You have to have a pure heart of humility so get rid of the ugly stuff in your life. You can say that to someone that you know and you can make an impact.
Most of us get disciples by accident. But we need a plan to find that person and bring them up, at least to that level. It is a painful process but it is a glorious process. The joy of the Lord in someone else's achievement is boundless. Jesus spent time with the disciples. He only took three years to spend time with very ordinary people and made them giants. It is small, it is difficult but it is fruitful. The more of the core succeeds, it is sustainable. It is small and difficult but it is powerful.
Luke 10:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”
The Seventy Return with Joy
17 Then the [a]seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but [b]rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus said these to the 70.
Disciples are called and mandated to create other disciples.
Ephesians 4:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [a]edifying of the body of Christ,
Religion is central and vital. We need to get the religious part of the Kingdom right. Ie. How to worship, how to pray.
But 90% of us are called to be professionals somewhere else.
A factory is not about the quantity; it is about the quality of your output.
Matthew 28:18-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [b]Amen.
You became disciples. Now go and make others disciples.
They taught, they preached, they made sacrifices. 2,000 years later we can thank God for their obedience.
John 17:4-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together [a]with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
When He prayed this prayer, Jesus hasn't been to the cross. But He said to the Father, "I've finished," it was all about His disciples.
John 17:6-10 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
6 “I have [c]manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.
Then at the end of the prayer, He prays for all of us.
John 17:20-21 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus Prays for All Believers
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who [j]will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Now Jesus is ready to go home.
Matthew 13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus Teaches in Parables
13 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. 2 And [a]large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.
3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell [b]among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears, [c]let him hear.”
An Explanation
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
There was perhaps frustration and irritation when the disciples asked Jesus that question.
That crowd was everybody they knew. Obviously they had come there specifically to listen to Jesus. The disciples probably convinced them to come. They would have been happy if Jesus included a miracle or two. They wanted Him to convince them. But what He told them sounded like an agricultural story. The crowd walked away scratching their heads unconvinced.
Matthew 13:11-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11 [d]Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 [e]In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘[f]You will keep on hearing, [g]but will not understand;
[h]You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Sower Explained
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the [i]word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the [j]word, immediately he [k]falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the [l]world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
In the few that dared, they more than made up. Jesus was talking about the disciples that they had been intended and chosen by God because their hearts were the good grounds who obeyed and in time they would have been fruitful. He spoke to the crowd for the sake of His disciples. Jesus was in Capernaum for three years doing miracles and healing people but the town people never repented. There's a big difference between sitting in the audience and sitting at the feet of Jesus. Lord, please help me to come out of the crowd and follow. With people like that, Jesus can build through our successes and failures to bring us to a place of fruitfulness and leadership. Bring some people alongside and make them at least like you are. Get some people able to do what you do. The disciples bring the growth and establish the kingdom and able to go to heaven.
This is the central issue of the kingdom of God.
RELATED:
BLINK THEOLOGY (ROMANS 9-11)
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (I)
THE PATH TO DISCIPLESHIP (II)
THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP (III)
THE SHAPE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD AND THE FOUNDATIONAL NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FINDING YOUR GIFT AND DESTINY IN GOD'S KINGDOM
Blink Theology (Romans 9-11)
Rev Peter Tsukahira
23-08-2019
The first chapters of Romans are called the Roman Road. Paul begins at the beginning with the fallen nature of the world and how God provided a path to redemption.
Romans 3:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [a]freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
God provided redemption through His Son.
By the time we get to Romans 6:
Romans 6:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the [h]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the seventh chapter, Paul says while he himself believes the great truths, the truth is he personally struggles.
Romans 7:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
"Who will save me from this body of death?"
Paul is admitting to us that he personally has struggles with the truths of God and some of us are shocked and the rest of us are relieved. The fact is, we all struggle.
I didn't struggle against sin until I was born again! Then it became really important to do, say and believe the right things. Then I began to struggle. When I know what's wrong, I don't end up doing it. Many Christians identify with the Apostle Paul in Romans 7.
For so many, Romans 8 is their favourite. It begins with:
Romans 8:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
Free from Indwelling Sin
8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
God condemns sin, not you. Not only did Jesus die for us for our sins, He's given us His Spirit to obey Him and walk as He walked.
Jesus is not here anymore. He descended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father and is awaiting the signal to return.
Jesus is in my heart technically means the Spirit of God is in my heart and He portrays faithfully the Son of God. Don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives Jesus to us.
Romans 8:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The Spirit within us is interceding and praying within us all the time.
Romans 8:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Nothing is going to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
And we come to the end of Chapter 8 and here is where we blink our eyes.
Christians have blinked their eyes for a thousand years.
And when we open again, lo and behold, it's Romans 12:1.
Romans 12:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service.
And we never really get back into the groove after that.
Romans is 16 chapters long.
Why do we blink? What are the consequences?
Because Chapter 9 is about Israel, the nation of the Jewish people. Theologians, scholars and teachers thought, "Why would Paul write about a nation that doesn't exist? Or Israel means us?"
Chapter 11 is about Jews and Gentiles in the church. Again, for almost 2,000 years, scholars, theologians and teachers say Jews don't identify as we're Jews and we've taken that place.
Until today. We read about Israel in our day. Jesus is being worshipped as Messiah and King.
What we see in the last chapters become apostolic for the church. These truths are fundamental for Christianity in our day. It changes the rules of engagement and the roles that churches play. It is truly revelational for the beginning of end times. We have begun the end times. All things that the church has done in the past need to change.
The Word of God is inspired. It is the meaning of the actual words that have authority.
The banner of Christianity was carried for 2,000 years. Along the way, the Christians cut the Jews out of the picture. The Jews became responsible for the death of Jesus. They became the killers of Christ. The church taught that the Jews rejected Jesus so God rejected them and that the church has replaced Israel in God's plan.
Romans 11:1-2a New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel’s Rejection Not Total
11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.
Paul himself was a persecutor of the early believers. No one knows better than Paul but still he writes. It's time to open our eyes again. God has not rejected the Jews.
When Paul writes "you" he means the Gentile leaders and "they" means the Jews.
Romans 11:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their [b]fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their [c]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
The day will come when the Jews accept Jesus and there will be greater blessings.
Romans 11:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
When you see the Jews come back for the kingdom of God, there will be an outpouring of the supernatural power of God.
The Book of Acts is the days of Jewish rejection.
Today, the Jews are back in the church.
How does this work in the New Testament?
Romans 11:17-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and [d]fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
We are the wild tree. Israel is the cultivated tree.
When you became a believer, you became connected to the people and promises of Israel.
Romans 11:19-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
The Jews are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We were grafted in to their tree of covenant because we believe.
The broken off branches lost their land and they wandered from nation to nation for almost 2,000 years. They were marginalised and discriminated against. They were kept out of the positions and they were simply killed.
We can sympathise because we experience some of that ourselves.
Paul says don't be arrogant but have the fear of God.
Romans 11:21-22 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, [e]goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
In God's family of His nations, He has many children. But He loves every nation, family and tribe. But there is only one firstborn.
When Israel was obedient, they became bright, glory lights. But when they were disobedient, they became an example for us of chastising but that doesn't mean they mean less than an example to us.
Are you scared enough? The good news is in the next verse.
Romans 11:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
How could Paul have seen this 2,000 years ago?
Romans 11:24 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
This is an event that triggers an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is going to be greater blessing. Now we are coming to the end. The church has to make this turn.
God alone knows the future and He reveals it to Paul.
Romans 11:25 New King James Version (NKJV)
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own [f]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
We're seeing Jews beginning to come to the kingdom of God.
Romans 11:26-27 New King James Version (NKJV)
26 And so all Israel will be [g]saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
There is a national turning when the fullness of the nation comes in and it includes your nation. Your time is right now. God is giving you breakthrough. Will you go through the breakthrough? How do you bring the fullness of God to your nation?
Romans 11:28 New King James Version (NKJV)
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
God is never changing His love for Israel.
Romans 11:29 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
He is writing to us about Israel.
Romans 12:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Push on for Jesus. Come to the altar together. This is the healing for the nations.
RELATED:
BLINK THEOLOGY (ROMANS 9-11)
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (I)
THE PATH TO DISCIPLESHIP (II)
THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP (III)
THE SHAPE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD AND THE FOUNDATIONAL NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FINDING YOUR GIFT AND DESTINY IN GOD'S KINGDOM
23-08-2019
The first chapters of Romans are called the Roman Road. Paul begins at the beginning with the fallen nature of the world and how God provided a path to redemption.
Romans 3:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified [a]freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
God provided redemption through His Son.
By the time we get to Romans 6:
Romans 6:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the [h]gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In the seventh chapter, Paul says while he himself believes the great truths, the truth is he personally struggles.
Romans 7:16-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
"Who will save me from this body of death?"
Paul is admitting to us that he personally has struggles with the truths of God and some of us are shocked and the rest of us are relieved. The fact is, we all struggle.
I didn't struggle against sin until I was born again! Then it became really important to do, say and believe the right things. Then I began to struggle. When I know what's wrong, I don't end up doing it. Many Christians identify with the Apostle Paul in Romans 7.
For so many, Romans 8 is their favourite. It begins with:
Romans 8:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
Free from Indwelling Sin
8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
God condemns sin, not you. Not only did Jesus die for us for our sins, He's given us His Spirit to obey Him and walk as He walked.
Jesus is not here anymore. He descended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father and is awaiting the signal to return.
Jesus is in my heart technically means the Spirit of God is in my heart and He portrays faithfully the Son of God. Don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives Jesus to us.
Romans 8:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The Spirit within us is interceding and praying within us all the time.
Romans 8:4 New King James Version (NKJV)
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Nothing is going to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)
And we come to the end of Chapter 8 and here is where we blink our eyes.
Christians have blinked their eyes for a thousand years.
And when we open again, lo and behold, it's Romans 12:1.
Romans 12:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service.
And we never really get back into the groove after that.
Romans is 16 chapters long.
Why do we blink? What are the consequences?
Because Chapter 9 is about Israel, the nation of the Jewish people. Theologians, scholars and teachers thought, "Why would Paul write about a nation that doesn't exist? Or Israel means us?"
Chapter 11 is about Jews and Gentiles in the church. Again, for almost 2,000 years, scholars, theologians and teachers say Jews don't identify as we're Jews and we've taken that place.
Until today. We read about Israel in our day. Jesus is being worshipped as Messiah and King.
What we see in the last chapters become apostolic for the church. These truths are fundamental for Christianity in our day. It changes the rules of engagement and the roles that churches play. It is truly revelational for the beginning of end times. We have begun the end times. All things that the church has done in the past need to change.
The Word of God is inspired. It is the meaning of the actual words that have authority.
The banner of Christianity was carried for 2,000 years. Along the way, the Christians cut the Jews out of the picture. The Jews became responsible for the death of Jesus. They became the killers of Christ. The church taught that the Jews rejected Jesus so God rejected them and that the church has replaced Israel in God's plan.
Romans 11:1-2a New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel’s Rejection Not Total
11 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.
Paul himself was a persecutor of the early believers. No one knows better than Paul but still he writes. It's time to open our eyes again. God has not rejected the Jews.
When Paul writes "you" he means the Gentile leaders and "they" means the Jews.
Romans 11:11-12 New King James Version (NKJV)
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their [b]fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their [c]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
The day will come when the Jews accept Jesus and there will be greater blessings.
Romans 11:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
When you see the Jews come back for the kingdom of God, there will be an outpouring of the supernatural power of God.
The Book of Acts is the days of Jewish rejection.
Today, the Jews are back in the church.
How does this work in the New Testament?
Romans 11:17-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and [d]fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
We are the wild tree. Israel is the cultivated tree.
When you became a believer, you became connected to the people and promises of Israel.
Romans 11:19-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.
The Jews are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We were grafted in to their tree of covenant because we believe.
The broken off branches lost their land and they wandered from nation to nation for almost 2,000 years. They were marginalised and discriminated against. They were kept out of the positions and they were simply killed.
We can sympathise because we experience some of that ourselves.
Paul says don't be arrogant but have the fear of God.
Romans 11:21-22 New King James Version (NKJV)
21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, [e]goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
In God's family of His nations, He has many children. But He loves every nation, family and tribe. But there is only one firstborn.
When Israel was obedient, they became bright, glory lights. But when they were disobedient, they became an example for us of chastising but that doesn't mean they mean less than an example to us.
Are you scared enough? The good news is in the next verse.
Romans 11:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
How could Paul have seen this 2,000 years ago?
Romans 11:24 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
This is an event that triggers an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is going to be greater blessing. Now we are coming to the end. The church has to make this turn.
God alone knows the future and He reveals it to Paul.
Romans 11:25 New King James Version (NKJV)
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own [f]opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
We're seeing Jews beginning to come to the kingdom of God.
Romans 11:26-27 New King James Version (NKJV)
26 And so all Israel will be [g]saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
There is a national turning when the fullness of the nation comes in and it includes your nation. Your time is right now. God is giving you breakthrough. Will you go through the breakthrough? How do you bring the fullness of God to your nation?
Romans 11:28 New King James Version (NKJV)
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
God is never changing His love for Israel.
Romans 11:29 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
He is writing to us about Israel.
Romans 12:1-2 New King James Version (NKJV)
Living Sacrifices to God
12 I beseech[a] you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your [b]reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Push on for Jesus. Come to the altar together. This is the healing for the nations.
RELATED:
BLINK THEOLOGY (ROMANS 9-11)
THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP (I)
THE PATH TO DISCIPLESHIP (II)
THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP (III)
THE SHAPE OF THE MOVEMENT OF GOD AND THE FOUNDATIONAL NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
FINDING YOUR GIFT AND DESTINY IN GOD'S KINGDOM
Real Blessing (James 5:1-20)
Pr Michael Koh
18-08-2019
James 5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Misuse of Riches
5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of [a]Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have [b]fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and [c]put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
Exhortation
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [d]it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not [e]complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing [f]right at the [g]door. 10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the [h]endurance of Job and have seen the [i]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but [j]your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [k]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer [l]offered in faith will [m]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [n]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [o]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed [p]earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the [q]sky [r]poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that [s]he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
In verse 1 to verse 6, James addresses a certain kind of wealth that is not from God. The way of this so-called blessing or power is by corrupted means. They are just like what the world is looking for. They will rot and rust. They are not the way of God. It is a blessing that is wrapped up in the Christian word but it's not real blessing. We are seeing Christians who are saying they are blessed but if you see the way they live their lives, they are not. They are proud, sleek, look good, wealthy and seem to have it all but do not have a fruit of God. Society wants wealth and power quickly. It is all about impressions. There is a certain arrogance to it. But it comes from a whole different spring.
Isaiah 28 New King James Version (NKJV)
Woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem
28 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim,
Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the [a]verdant valleys,
To those who are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one,
Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm,
Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing,
Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim,
Will be trampled underfoot;
4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the [b]verdant valley,
Like the first fruit before the summer,
Which an observer sees;
He eats it up while it is still in his hand.
The way of God leads to things that are precious and don't rust. They last forever.
James 1 verse 7 onwards opens up this way of God that is the counterpoint and the opposite of the way of the world that stands under judgment. The world is about fake blessing and the kind of blessing that is all about me, me, me.
"Therefore, be patient." (verse 7) Patient (or makrothymeō in Greek) can be translated as long-spirited (or for bearing or longsuffering). The precious things come in the long game. The things that make your success shine with the power, love and endurance of God. The sowing reaps slowly, not fast. They come with a long investment and a long practice.
Verse 7 onwards is about how to invest in the meantime. We are living in the crucial margin of time of being oppressed and the latter rain. It's going to take a while. It means you will last for a while as well. You might as well as get ready and enjoy it.
1) The precious things come slowly through incremental investment through life habits that are habituated into our muscle memory.
The long game of listening and praying until what we hear is filled with conviction that is stronger than all the doubts and naysayers. It is a miracle. You need to have the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you pray until you know that you know that you know, then you are unshakable. Whatever word or conviction that you've got, if it's not strong enough, you would not have the boldness to speak about it. It comes with a practice of hearing and praying in the spirit until it burns. In this knowing, there is a certain witness. If you want precious things, you cannot live by eventness. You yourself have to hear from God first. What God has for you is precious. He loves you. You have to have intimacy with Him every day. Just by turning up every day, the Holy Spirit comes through. Commit yourself to the Holy Spirit doing something hard. Feel is developed by continual repetition and practice. It is not something quick. It has to be graced by God. The sound and presence of God is just there. The precious things are the things that make achievers such achievers to achieve the things of God. We learn how to have the practice of praying up and praying through.
The habit of thankfulness. By being thankful, it builds my faith.
2) Strengthen your heart. Establish your heart. Our hearts have holes. We are prone to doubts. While God is dealing with you, there are trials that make you feel that hole in you and faith goes out the window and everything collapses. In this time, it is a great opportunity to establish ourselves in God. What God does is healing. Surrender it before the Lord. Pray in the spirit. Give it time. Develop a habit. And there will be a breakthrough in the spirit.
3) Do not complain. (v9) Do not swear (v12).
Numbers 20 New King James Version (NKJV)
Moses’ Error at Kadesh
20 Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they [a]fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13 This was the water of [b]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.
The glory of God never became something that Moses immersed into. Moses made it all about him. He didn't have the patience to immerse himself in the long game.
There is something that causes things to leak out when it becomes about us. It becomes personal and it is dangerous. And it turns into road rage that makes you want to smash things.
The long game means have practices to hear from God.
Establish yourself in the Lord.
Be careful about complaining.
For the long game, God wants us to be people who know Him and display strength. Spend time for the Lord. It is for Him to heal you. This pathway is inevitable because it is based upon God's faithfulness.
Lord, we welcome You to come to wash us. You have longevity for all of us. It is You that we need. Come and fill us right now in Jesus' name. I am nothing. It is not about me. I am your servant and You are the lover of my soul. Hallelujah! Amen.
RELATED:
REAL JOY (JAMES 1:1-18)
REAL FAITH (JAMES 1:19-2:26)
REAL WISDOM (JAMES 3:1-18)
REAL HARMONY (JAMES 4:1-17)
REAL BLESSING (JAMES 5:1-20)
18-08-2019
James 5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Misuse of Riches
5 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of [a]Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have [b]fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and [c]put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
Exhortation
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until [d]it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not [e]complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing [f]right at the [g]door. 10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the [h]endurance of Job and have seen the [i]outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but [j]your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, [k]anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer [l]offered in faith will [m]restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, [n]they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective [o]prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed [p]earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the [q]sky [r]poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that [s]he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
In verse 1 to verse 6, James addresses a certain kind of wealth that is not from God. The way of this so-called blessing or power is by corrupted means. They are just like what the world is looking for. They will rot and rust. They are not the way of God. It is a blessing that is wrapped up in the Christian word but it's not real blessing. We are seeing Christians who are saying they are blessed but if you see the way they live their lives, they are not. They are proud, sleek, look good, wealthy and seem to have it all but do not have a fruit of God. Society wants wealth and power quickly. It is all about impressions. There is a certain arrogance to it. But it comes from a whole different spring.
Isaiah 28 New King James Version (NKJV)
Woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem
28 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim,
Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the [a]verdant valleys,
To those who are overcome with wine!
2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one,
Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm,
Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing,
Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.
3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim,
Will be trampled underfoot;
4 And the glorious beauty is a fading flower
Which is at the head of the [b]verdant valley,
Like the first fruit before the summer,
Which an observer sees;
He eats it up while it is still in his hand.
The way of God leads to things that are precious and don't rust. They last forever.
James 1 verse 7 onwards opens up this way of God that is the counterpoint and the opposite of the way of the world that stands under judgment. The world is about fake blessing and the kind of blessing that is all about me, me, me.
"Therefore, be patient." (verse 7) Patient (or makrothymeō in Greek) can be translated as long-spirited (or for bearing or longsuffering). The precious things come in the long game. The things that make your success shine with the power, love and endurance of God. The sowing reaps slowly, not fast. They come with a long investment and a long practice.
Verse 7 onwards is about how to invest in the meantime. We are living in the crucial margin of time of being oppressed and the latter rain. It's going to take a while. It means you will last for a while as well. You might as well as get ready and enjoy it.
1) The precious things come slowly through incremental investment through life habits that are habituated into our muscle memory.
The long game of listening and praying until what we hear is filled with conviction that is stronger than all the doubts and naysayers. It is a miracle. You need to have the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When you pray until you know that you know that you know, then you are unshakable. Whatever word or conviction that you've got, if it's not strong enough, you would not have the boldness to speak about it. It comes with a practice of hearing and praying in the spirit until it burns. In this knowing, there is a certain witness. If you want precious things, you cannot live by eventness. You yourself have to hear from God first. What God has for you is precious. He loves you. You have to have intimacy with Him every day. Just by turning up every day, the Holy Spirit comes through. Commit yourself to the Holy Spirit doing something hard. Feel is developed by continual repetition and practice. It is not something quick. It has to be graced by God. The sound and presence of God is just there. The precious things are the things that make achievers such achievers to achieve the things of God. We learn how to have the practice of praying up and praying through.
The habit of thankfulness. By being thankful, it builds my faith.
2) Strengthen your heart. Establish your heart. Our hearts have holes. We are prone to doubts. While God is dealing with you, there are trials that make you feel that hole in you and faith goes out the window and everything collapses. In this time, it is a great opportunity to establish ourselves in God. What God does is healing. Surrender it before the Lord. Pray in the spirit. Give it time. Develop a habit. And there will be a breakthrough in the spirit.
3) Do not complain. (v9) Do not swear (v12).
Numbers 20 New King James Version (NKJV)
Moses’ Error at Kadesh
20 Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh; and Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they [a]fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.
7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
13 This was the water of [b]Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.
The glory of God never became something that Moses immersed into. Moses made it all about him. He didn't have the patience to immerse himself in the long game.
There is something that causes things to leak out when it becomes about us. It becomes personal and it is dangerous. And it turns into road rage that makes you want to smash things.
The long game means have practices to hear from God.
Establish yourself in the Lord.
Be careful about complaining.
For the long game, God wants us to be people who know Him and display strength. Spend time for the Lord. It is for Him to heal you. This pathway is inevitable because it is based upon God's faithfulness.
Lord, we welcome You to come to wash us. You have longevity for all of us. It is You that we need. Come and fill us right now in Jesus' name. I am nothing. It is not about me. I am your servant and You are the lover of my soul. Hallelujah! Amen.
RELATED:
REAL JOY (JAMES 1:1-18)
REAL FAITH (JAMES 1:19-2:26)
REAL WISDOM (JAMES 3:1-18)
REAL HARMONY (JAMES 4:1-17)
REAL BLESSING (JAMES 5:1-20)
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