Colossians 2 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul’s passion and burden for the church in Laodicea and Colossae to be encouraged, knit together in love, to reach full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery is our study!

What’s God’s mystery?

The mystery is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Carnal knowledge destroys. But godly knowledge builds you up. But the so called godly bible knowledge, if applied in the wrong hermeneutics and/or spirit, can equally cause division and even destruction in church! As we see that in Bethlehem church, formerly led by the famous John Piper himself. You see that’s knowledge from the bible, but the knowledge from the bible can be wrongly applied or unequally applied without correct nuance, it is no more treasures of wisdom and knowledge, because that can only be obtained from Christ. Any division spirit cannot be pulled from the treasure of Christ. Because Christ prayed that “that they may be one, as we are one”.

John 17:20–21 20 “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Christ wants us to be one, just as the Father are in Him and He in the Father, that we may be in the Father and Son. What a unison in totality!

The mystery and the richness of Christ should be so captivating that every Christian’s mind should be captured by it. Failing to understand the riches and the mystery of Christ will open up the way to go into petty wasteful unproductive and in fact potentially destructive paths. As Christians we want to be captured by Christ richness, richness not in terms of material wealth, but rather in the immensity all the glorious inheritance in Christ. If we are not captured by the richness and the mystery of Christ, there will be something lurking around trying to trip us.

Richard Baxter says it beautifully there’s nothing sadder for reformed pastor or professor standing up to preach the glorious riches in Christ , but he himself remain unsanctified by the very message he preaches or teachers. It is of utmost importance that every preacher absorbs the word of God and be sanctified by it and be captured by the richness and mystery of Christ.

So what is the richness of Christ?

The richness of Christ is the immensity of his love of his compassion, grace, power, glory, signs & wonders and majesty of his personhood. If we dwell in the richness of who Christ is on a daily basis, we would do well and avoid the trap tragic ends of so many trappings in this world. Even big names in this world faces tremendous challenges because a slight slip of your feet can begin to pull you from the focus on Christ and Christ alone. Instead we will see our eyes focusing on something that is totally wasteful yet seem to be appealing on the outside. We would begin to major on the peripheral. And this peripherals has caused the disruption, resignation of churches pastors and the chiefs and leadership etc. We must choose to immerse ourselves in the richness of Christ.

So now the next question really is for Christians. Everyday Christians should also be captivated by the richness of Christ on a continual basis. The question is how do we do it. The question is what does that look like. It takes daily discipline to stay immersed and enveloped by the love of Christ overcoming all the circumstances surrounding us. To find the reality of Christ and his power and his relevance in all our thinking’s, actions and planning’s in our daily life is really important. We would be sucked into controversy arguments if we do not stay within the richness of Christ. Christ has so much to offer to us and Christ wants us to dwell in his presence. And that’s why Jesus said I am the vine and you are the branch.

John 15:4–5. 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Abiding in me or remaining in me and you were bear much fruit. We will not bear much fruit if we don’t abide or remain in him. Abide in him is to spend time with him in the worship in prayer and meditating upon God’s word. We have to have time for Christ daily. We have to invest in time to communicate with him to learn from the word of God for the word of God is life. When we read the Bible, life flows into our beings.

John 1:4 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.

It is that life that keeps us going. We must therefore share that life, and the gospel power to the rest of the world. Practically speaking, we must begin to read more books of the devotional nature and theological nature on top of the Bible of course. I was sharing the grace of Christ in our salvation last night with my mum. For the heck of my inability to communicate in Mandarin, she seemed to get about 20% of what I said and could not get the rest. Frustrated I became but I remain hopeful and waiting to share with her again. A lot of evangelical’s Christian’s thinking is that “I will follow the Lord and I would try to do good deeds because he loves me and that will be able to translate into path to salvation.” Their simplistic understanding of “if I do good after I received Christ and if I continue to read my Bible, I will sure be on my way to heaven.” I kept saying it is not what you do they bring you to heaven but rather you have believed in Christ that saved you! Thank God He graciously saved us.

Of course the paradox is after you received salvation by the grace of God, there got to be an expression of that belief in Christ, faith in Christ.

That belief and faith in Christ will translate into a changed heart progressively. Nothing is going to happen overnight period but it was it has certainly be a steady committed way of transformation and that change of behavior is not our ticket to heaven. Rather it is the of our belief in faith in Christ has saved us. And that belief in Christ opens the door automatically for the Holy Spirit working this so that we will want to read the Bible we will want to run away from sins we will want to pray more but that is only after we believed in God who then gives us the heart for him.

The righteousness of God must be fulfilled and that’s only in Christ who died on the cross and resurrected on the third day by defeating death!

Romans 11 ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!

Amen!

Proverbs 15:1–4

¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. ² The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, But the mouth of fool’s spouts foolishness.³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. ⁴ A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

In a world where we come from different personalities, cultures, background, and above all, different stage of walk with the Lord, when folks meet in church or outside and there is a difference of opinions or even worse frustration when things are done in different ways, we need to learn especially the gems from proverbs. Prov 15: 1 says a gentle answer turns away wrath. That’s a beautiful way of communication, whether we agree with the other party or not. So that should be our basis of communication. A gentle answer. However, gentle answer can be frustrated and exasperated when answers are not forthcoming after a prolonged period. That’s when the other dynamic needs to come in, and that’s clear communication. Poor communication causes misunderstanding, and murmuring at the back. Therefore communication clearly with good faith is really important. Sometimes, we can leave the issue and not deal with it, it will foster fermenting morally, spiritually. Therefore its best to deal with it and take actions. Either way, counselling approach in a pastoral way will be best.

You see v1 says a harsh word stirs up anger. That’s when people call it politically correct speech. I disagree here. I call it speaking forth truth in love. When we speak the truth in love, even though it may hurt or cause disagreement, at least we speak the truth not to harm, but to restore. One cannot not be restored, without repentance of the wrongs. Repentance must be part of the conversation in a holistic spirit of godly love for one another. But the very important words behind is “in love”. It’s not just what we say, but rather how we say it.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant. People love a pleasant conversation. No one likes a harsh conversation. But notice here, the wise tongue or speech makes knowledge pleasant. Sometimes we can share the right knowledge, but it’s not pleasant. But a wise tongue communicates it, and makes it pleasant, and when that happens, the recipient will be at ease to receive with good spirit. Of course, we need humility on both sides to receive what’s good and right. It’s the righteousness of the Lord we are pursuing in brotherly love. Wow! Wisdom makes it pleasant.

NASB says: The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, ESV says: The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,NIV says: The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, KJV says: The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright:

What’s to be communicated is knowledge, counseling, wisdom. That needs to be communicated. That’s exactly the truth on how you say it.

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Finally a soothing tongue is a tree of life. In other words, a non-soothing or brash or sharp tongue can be a tree of death. It can destroy relationship, or bring forth life, energize and brings healing. We need healings in this broken world.

ESV ⁴  A gentle tongue is a tree of life, NIV ⁴ The soothing tongue is a tree of life,

Again it goes back to a soothing tongue. Soothing tongue is not a compromising tongue. It’s not just pleasing people tongue. It’s a tongue that comes with the intent of life to all parties concerned. With no ill intent. Just wants to bring healing and restoration. Its sometimes not easy to accomplish as the bible is also full of church discipline to rectify the wrongs. Forgiveness comes with a repentance required to go with it. Without forgiveness, there is no restoration. One cannot go on a soothing tongue or gentle tongue, without the intention for healing and restoration.

Don’t ever use a perverse tongue which crushes a spirit. Christians should never slander others, let along brothers and sisters in Christ in the family of Christ. Such spirit must be disciplined, corrected for the good of the soul of the offenders and bring healing to the offended. Don’t let any spirits in church be crushed, and simmer.

Finally the Lord watches over us all

³ The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.

Above all, we must know be conscious that the Lord watches over us all. Our hearts intent, motives, are all weighed before His sight. He knows everything that we do, or don’t do. God rewards, reprimands, disciplines, corrects us with all power and authority for our good. No one can hide from God.

This is a very beautiful exhortation:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.

All scripture is inspired by God and beneficial to teach us, to rebuke us, to correct yes! For what purpose? For the purpose of training us in righteousness.

Training? Training in what? In righteousness of God. This is tremendously important. Again, we are shooting for the righteous of God, not man’s standard. What’s the end goal?

So that man or woman may be fully capable, equipped for every good work. Church will never have a revival, without us being capable, being equipped for every good work.

Teaching is not enough; character trimming, shaping must go with it as a result of the scripture. Then we are ready for every good work.

Amen! Let the Spirit of God come!

箴言 15:1-4
1 温柔的回答可以驱散愤怒，
但一句严厉的话会激起愤怒。
2 智慧人的舌头使知识愉快，
但愚昧人的口吐出愚昧。
3 耶和华的眼目无处不在，
善恶观望。
4 安慰人的舌头是生命树，
但其中的变态会粉碎精神。

在一个我们来自不同的个性、文化、背景，尤其是与主同行的不同阶段的世界里，当人们在教堂聚会时，当人们以不同的方式做事时，会有不同的意见，甚至更糟的是沮丧，我们尤其需要学习谚语中的宝石。箴言 15：1 说温和的回答可以驱散愤怒。无论我们是否同意对方，这是一种美妙的沟通方式。所以这应该是我们沟通的基础。温柔的回答。但是，如果长时间没有得到答复，那么温和的答复可能会令人沮丧和恼怒。这就是需要其他动力的时候，这就是清晰的沟通。沟通不畅导致误会，并在背后嘀咕。因此，真诚地进行清晰的沟通非常重要。有时，我们可以抛开这个问题不去处理它，它会促进道德、精神上的发酵。因此最好处理它并采取行动。无论哪种方式，以牧师的方式进行咨询是最好的。

你看到 v1b 说一个严厉的词会激起愤怒。这就是人们称之为政治正确言论的时候。我在这里不同意。我称之为用爱心说实话。当我们在爱中说真话时，即使它可能会伤害或引起分歧，但至少我们说实话不是为了伤害，而是为了挽回。一个人不能不悔改，不悔改。悔改必须成为对话的一部分，本着对彼此敬虔之爱的整体精神。但背后很重要的一句话是“相爱”。这不仅仅是我们说什么，而是我们怎么说。

智慧人的舌头使知识愉快

智慧人的舌头使知识愉快。人们喜欢愉快的谈话。没有人喜欢激烈的谈话。但请注意，智慧的舌头或言语使知识变得愉快。有时我们可以分享正确的知识，但这并不愉快。但是智慧的舌头会传达它，并使它变得愉快，当这种情况发生时，接受者将很容易以良好的精神接受。当然，我们需要双方都谦虚以接受好的和正确的。这是我们在兄弟之爱中追求的主的义。哇！智慧让人愉悦。

NASB 说：智慧人的舌头使知识愉快，
ESV 说：智慧人的舌头称赞知识，
NIV 说：智慧人的舌头装饰知识，
KJV 说： 智慧人的舌头善用知识：

要传达的是知识，咨询，智慧。这是需要沟通的。

这正是你所说的事实。

抚慰人心的舌头是生命树，但其中的歪曲会粉碎心灵。

最后，抚慰人心的舌头是生命树。换句话说，不安慰人的、傲慢的或尖利的舌头可能是一棵死亡之树。它可以破坏关系，或带来生命，充满活力并带来治愈。在这个破碎的世界，我们需要医治。

ESV 4 温柔的舌头是生命树，
NIV 4 抚慰人心的舌头是生命树，

它再次回到舒缓的舌头。平滑的舌头不是妥协的舌头。这不仅仅是取悦人们的舌头。这是一种对所有相关方都带有生命意图的语言。没有恶意。只是想带来治愈和恢复。它有时并不容易完成，因为圣经也充满了纠正错误的教会纪律。宽恕伴随着悔改而来。没有宽恕，就没有恢复。如果没有治愈和恢复的意图，就不能继续使用平滑的舌头或温和的舌头。

永远不要使用压倒精神的邪恶舌头。基督徒永远不应该诽谤他人，更不要说基督家庭中在基督里的兄弟姐妹了。这种精神必须受到纪律处分，为了冒犯者的灵魂而得到纠正，并为被冒犯的人带来医治。不要让教会中的任何精神被压碎，并煨。

最后主看顾我们所有人

3 耶和华的眼目无处不在，善恶都鉴察。

最重要的是，我们必须知道主在看顾我们所有人。我们的心意、动机，都在祂的眼前权衡。他知道我们所做或不做的一切。为了我们的益处，上帝会用一切力量和权威来奖赏、谴责、惩戒、纠正我们。没有人能躲避上帝。

这是一个非常美好的劝勉：

2 提摩太前书 3:16-17
16 圣经都是神所默示的，有益于教导、责备、纠正、公义的训练； 17 使上帝的男人或女人可以完全有能力，装备好 或每一个好作品。

所有的经文都是神所默示的，有益于教导我们，斥责我们，纠正是的！ 出于什么目的？ 目的是为了在公义上训练我们。

培训？ 培训什么？ 在神的公义中。 这非常重要。 再说一次，我们是为神的义而不是人的标准而射击。 最终目标是什么？

这样男人或女人就可以完全有能力，装备好，做好每一项工作。 教会永远不会复兴，除非我们有能力，为每一项善工做好准备。

教是不够的； 人物的修整、塑造必须符合圣经，并且是圣经的结果。 然后我们准备好做每一个好的工作。

阿门！ 让神的灵降临！

教会最不会失去上帝赋予我们的预言能力，就像黑人运动失去了它一样。埃利斯写道：“历史上非裔美国人对上帝的漠不关心，以及我们在民权运动中发现的预言能力的丧失。”

教会的冷漠源于很多因素，但最重要的是，对上帝是谁的认识和体验的缺失。加尔文谈到我们在地球上行走时，每个人都需要对上帝的虔诚。圣经还说，没有圣洁就不能见上帝。教会中的冷漠也可能是教会领导跛足、无所作为的结果。真空的领导氛围正在给原本可能蓬勃发展的教会开了一个大洞。当领导失败时，地方教会的其他一切都会失败。我同意教会必须有适当的、良好的长老结构来滋养那种每个人都渴望的成长和平安，也是我们的上帝所呼召的。基督已经把一切都给了教会，他的身体，我们要像祂爱她一样爱教会。

小马丁路德金民权运动中的预言力量并不是在当地教会的灵恩派预言中所感知和理解的。但这是对上帝内心激情渴望的呐喊的宏观尺度，在民权运动的时代，是实现人人平等的呐喊。事实上，我们都是按照上帝的形象创造的。所以金的集会和演讲是美国改革的强烈预言之声。这就是预言的力量。金利用了圣经中预言声音的力量，以及他所在的教会社区。 他是在神神拍卖会上做的。

在今天的文化中，我们需要更多具有这种勇气的预言性声音来使人们摆脱束缚。 基督徒通过属灵恩赐得到圣灵的力量来执行上帝的呼召。。我们不是靠自己的力量孤军奋战，事实上，如果我们这样做，从一开始就注定是人文主义，就像埃利斯书中的黑人运动一样。我们应该看到的是，在我们的地方教会中成长起来的领袖肩负重担，从讲台上宣讲神的话语的热情，并将它们洒在过道上。让人被感动、被点燃，为着神的恢复和更新，或者简单地说，是复兴。所有这些都非常紧密地联系在一起。如果我们失去了这种前沿，教会就会变得平凡而枯燥。讲坛没有上帝赋予他仆人的那种锋利。请记住，牧师最重要的任务是传讲神的话语。

使徒行传 6:3-4 3 相反，弟兄姊妹，要从你们中间挑选七个有名望、被圣灵充满、有智慧的人，我们可以派他们来负责这项工作。 4 但我们要专心祈祷和传道。”

彼得面对来自某些人口（3000+的大教会）的教会不快乐，呼吁教会分派教会执事，但对使徒来说，他们会专心祷告和传道。话语的事工是讲道，这是每周一次的精神亮点，以及周日早上的敬拜。如果牧师们错过了，他就错过了整个星期。

彼得强调的第二件事是祷告。牧师、长老、执事、领袖，必须与羊群一起殷勤祷告。祷告是触及超自然的力量。祷告是与神圣的上帝、我们的上帝和基督耶稣相交。整本诗篇都是敬拜和祷告！没有什么比祈祷更重要。如果一个教会不一起祷告，教会就不会兴旺。领导必须在祷告中以身作则，主要是彼得在使徒行传第 6 章中规定的工作顺序。

那是执事的诞生地。
使徒行传 6:1-7 (NASB 2020)
1此时，随着门徒人数的增加，希腊化的犹太人开始抱怨当地的希伯来人，因为他们的寡妇在日常的食物供应中被忽视了。 2 于是十二门徒召集门徒会众说：“我们不应该忽视神的道，去侍奉。 3 弟兄姊妹们，你们要从你们中间选出七个有名望、充满圣灵和智慧的人，我们可以派他们来负责这项工作。
你可以看到执事被分别出来服务于餐桌和教会的经济需求。他们要帮助照顾教会实际方面的家务。一个健康的教会必须有执事、长老和牧师。没有它，它就不会蓬勃发展。

由执事、长老和使徒/牧师组成的结构化教会的结果
4 但我们要专心祈祷和传道。” 5 公告得到全体会众的认可；他们选择了斯蒂芬，一个充满

信仰和圣灵，以及腓力、普罗科鲁斯、尼加诺尔、丁满、巴米纳斯和尼古拉斯，一位来自安提阿的传教士。 6 他们把这些人带到使徒面前；祷告后，他们按手在他们身上。
7 神的话不断传扬；耶路撒冷的门徒越来越多，许多祭司也顺服了这道。

快速的答案是上帝的话语不断传播。你怎么喜欢它？神的话语不断地传播开来。你不喜欢在你的城市，你的国家看到它吗？如何？因为教会功能齐全，全力运转。.没有这些，我们就是在亏缺教会，成为神的灵运行的瓶颈。

并且在耶路撒冷的门徒人数继续大大增加！这就是我们想要看到的，不仅是周日的出席人数，还有实际的门徒。有什么不同？参加主日礼拜是不够的，关于个人每天与基督同行，并成为祈祷、阅读圣经、加入小组圣经讨论小组、像使徒行传 3 之后那样的团契的人。他们每天见面：

使徒行传 2：38-47（NASB 2020）
38 彼得对他们说：“你们要悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受洗，使你们的罪得赦；你会得到圣灵的恩赐。 39 因为这应许是给你和你的孩子，以及所有远方的人，只要上主我们的上帝呼召归他的人。” 40 又用许多话郑重地作证，不断地劝他们说：“你们要从这悖逆的世代中拯救出来！”

彼得在五旬节那天宣讲了强有力的讲道！他们奉耶稣的名受洗，并接受圣灵的恩赐。

结果？

41 于是，那些领受他话的人就受了洗；那天增加了大约三千人。 42 他们不断地专心听从使徒的教训和相交、擘饼和祈祷。

3000人加入教会并受洗！现在这是强大的：
他们不断致力于使徒的教导和交通。面包制动（团契和圣餐）和祈祷。

许多教堂周日有访客，但他们不会留下来。但在使徒行传第 2 章中，这是不同的，无论谁来，加入教会，并致力于使徒的教导、团契、交通和祈祷。

请开始将你的心和异象扩大到上帝将要做的事情上！阿门！

敬畏之心—神迹奇事发生

43、每个人都心生敬畏；许多奇事和神迹通过使徒发生了。 44所有的信徒都在一起，所有的东西都是一样的； 45 他们会卖掉他们的财产和财产，并在任何人需要的范围内与所有人分享。

天天开会！

46 日复一日，一心一意地在殿里，挨家挨户擘饼，一同吃饭，心里欢喜，诚心， 47 赞美神，蒙万民喜爱。主日复一日地把得救的人加给他们。

The church must not lose the prophetic power God has endowed us with, like the black movement lost it. Ellis wrote, “ In the historic African-American indifference toward God and the loss of the prophetic power we had discovered in the Civil Rights Movement.” [1]

The indifference of a church rises from many factors, but the primary one above all, is the loss of knowing and experiencing the conviction of who God is. Calvin talks about the piety each one needs with God in our walk on this earth. Bible also says, without holiness no one can see God. Indifference in church can also be a result of church leadership lameness, doing nothing much. A vacuum leadership atmosphere is punching a big hole to an otherwise potentially a blooming flourishing church. When leadership fails, everything else fails in a local church. I agree that church must have proper good eldership structure to nourish that kind of growth and shalom everyone desires, and also called by our God. Christ has given everything to the church, his body, and we are to love the church as He loves her.

The prophetic power in the Civil Rights movement of Martin Luther King Jr is not what is perceived and understood among the charismatic’s prophecy in a local church. But this is a macro scale of a cry for God’s heart’s passion desire, in the Civil rights movement’s day, it’s a cry to achieve all men are created equal by God. In fact we are all created in the image of God. So King’s rally and speeches is a strong prophetic voice for America to reform. That’s the prophetic power. King harnessed the power of prophetic voice from scriptures, and the church community that he’s with. He was doing it in the unction of the divine God.

In todays’ culture, we need more prophetic voices in that kind of mettle to shake people free from their bondages. Christians are powered by the Holy Spirit through the spiritual gifts to execute the callings of God. We are not doing alone with our strength, in fact, if we did, it will just be humanism that are doomed from day one, just like the black movement in Ellis’s book. What we should be is seeing leaders raised in our local churches to carry that burden, passion from the Word of God to preach it from the pulpit, and sprinkler them down the aisles. Let people be moved, fired up, for the restoration and renewal by God, or simply put, a revival. All these are tied very close together. If we lose that cutting edge, church will just be mundane, and dry. Pulpits are devoid of that sharpness that God has endowed his servants. Remember, the most important task of a pastor, is the preaching of the Word of God.

Acts 6:3–4 ³ Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Peter facing the church unhappiness from certain demographics (a big church of 3000+), called the church to set apart the church deacons, but for the apostles, they will devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Ministry of the word is preaching which is the spiritual highlight once a week together with worship on Sunday mornings. If pastors miss that, he’s missed the whole week.

The second thing emphasized by Peter is prayer. Pastor, elders, deacons, leaders, must pray diligently with the flock. Prayer is touching the supernatural power. Prayer is communion with the divine God, our God and Christ Jesus. The whole book of Psalms is worship and Prayers! There is nothing more important than prayers. If a church doesn’t pray together, the church will not flourish. Leadership must lead by example in prayers, primarily that’s the job order laid down by Peter in Acts 6.

That’s the birthing place of deacons.

Acts 6:1–7

¹ Now at this time, as the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint developed on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. ² So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. ³ Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

You can see that deacons are set apart to serve tables, and the economics needs of the church. They are to help out in looking after the practical side’s chores of the church. A healthy church must have in place, the deacons, elders, and pastor. Without which, it’s just not going to flourish.

The result of a structured church with deacons, elders, and apostles/pastors in function

⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ The announcement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. ⁶ And they brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

⁷ The word of God kept spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

The quick answer is that the word of God kept spreading. How do you love that? The Word of God kept spreading. Don’t you love to see that in your city, your country? How? Because the church has full functions operating in all horsepower. Without anyone of those, we are shortchanging the church, becoming a bottleneck in the move of the Spirit of God.

And the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem! That’s what we want to see, not only Sunday attendance, but actual disciples. What’s the difference? Attendees on Sunday service is not enough, about a personal walk with Christ daily, and becoming folks who pray, read bible, join small group bible discussion groups, fellowship like in Acts 3 onwards. They meet together daily:

Acts 2:38–47 (NASB 2020)

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on urging them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

Peter preached a powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost! They get baptized in the name of Jesus, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Result?

⁴¹ So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. ⁴² They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

3000 souls were added to church, and were baptized! Now this is the powerful one:

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship. To braking of bread (fellowship and communion) and prayer.

Many churches have visitors on Sundays, but they don’t stay. But in Acts 2, this is different, whoever comes, joins the church, and become devoted to the apostles teaching, fellowship, communion and prayer.

Please start enlarging your heart and vision to what God is going to do! Amen!

A sense of awe—signs and wonders happening

⁴³ Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all the believers were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.

Meeting day by day!

⁴⁶ Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

---

[1] Carl F Ellis Jr, Free at Last, p 135

看着我今天和我 80 多岁的妈妈一起吃冰淇淋的照片，她带着微笑，我突然想到有一天她会离开。 总有一天我会离开这个世界。 然后我突然明白了，我们将在天堂永远看到彼此和我们所爱的人。

伙计们，朋友们，如果你们不相信耶稣是上帝的儿子，他爱我们并死在十字架上以救赎我们脱离即将来临的愤怒，并将我们作为被收养的孩子带到我们天父上帝的家中，你们都错过了。

没有什么能比得上你的永生。如果你只为地球上 80 到 100 年的短暂生命而活，那么有一天你醒来看到地狱的审判会是可怕的，等待着。

约翰福音 8:23-24 23 他对他们说：“你们是从下面来的，我是从上面来的；你属于这个世界，我不属于这个世界。 24 所以我告诉你们，你们必死在罪中；因为除非你相信我是，否则你会死在你的罪中。”

如此明目张胆，如果你不相信耶稣是“我是”，你就会死在你的罪中。耶稣“除非你们信我是”是什么意思？

这就是这个名字的由来：

出埃及记 3:13-14

¹³ 摩 西 对 神 说 ： 我 到 以 色 列 人 那 里 ， 对 他 们 说 ： 你 们 祖 宗 的 神 打 发 我 到 你 们 这 里 来 。 他 们 若 问 我 说 ： 他 叫 甚 麽 名 字 ？ 我 要 对 他 们 说 甚 麽 呢 ？

¹⁴ 神 对 摩 西 说 ： 我 是 自 有 永 有 的 ； 又 说 ： 你 要 对 以 色 列 人 这 样 说 ： 那 自 有 的 打 发 我 到 你 们 这 里 来 。

当上帝被问及以色列人问他的名字时，他将他的名字命名为“我是”给摩西。耶稣声称除非你相信“我是”出埃及记 3 中对摩西说话的同一个人，否则你将死在你的罪中。

约翰福音 8:58 ⁵⁸ 耶 稣 说 ： 我 实 实 在 在 的 告 诉 你 们 ， 还 没 有 亚 伯 拉 罕 就 有 了 我 。

在亚伯拉罕出生之前，我就是。你去吧，另一次，耶稣使用“我是”这个词，甚至在亚伯拉罕出生之前，他就已经存在。

你是在说创世之前就在的神子，其实宇宙中的万物都是他创造的，由他支撑的。

约翰福音 1:1 太 初 有 道 ， 道 与 神 同 在 ， 道 就 是 神 。² 这 道 太 初 与 神 同 在 。³ 万 物 是 藉 着 他 造 的 ； 凡 被 造 的 ， 没 有 一 样 不 是 藉 着 他 造 的 。

希伯来书 1:3 ³ 他 是 神 荣 耀 所 发 的 光 辉 ， 是 神 本 体 的 真 像 ， 常 用 他 权 能 的 命 令 托 住 万 有 。 他 洗 净 了 人 的 罪 ， 就 坐 在 高 天 至 大 者 的 右 边 。

耶稣创造了你。耶稣以祂的能力托住万有。你我可以呼吸，因为他支持你。

今天决定你想在永恒中在哪里？ 不要那么短视，只看到这个世界上有形的东西，它们不会持久。 说实话，你不会持久。 你到底在哪里可以找到有意义的存在，让你在死后与你的亲人见面，而你已经死了？ 如何？ 你需要研究一下这位耶稣是谁，因为这比你在地球上赚到的任何钱或你想要的任何东西都重要得多！ 想一想！ 你的永恒！ 你想去哪里？

阿门。

Looking at the photo me having ice cream with my 80+ years old mum today, with her smile, it just hits me that one day she will be gone. And one day I will be gone from this world. Then suddenly it dawned on me, we will see one another and loved ones for all eternity in heaven.

Folks, friends, if you don’t believe in Jesus the Son of God who loved us and died on the cross to redeem us from the wrath coming, and to bring us to the family of God our Father in heaven as adopted children, you are missing it all!

Nothing can compare with your eternal life. If you only live for the transient life of say 80-100 years on earth, it will be horrific one day you wake up to see the judgement of hell, awaits.

John 8:23–24 ²³ And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

It’s as blatant as that, if you don’t believe that Jesus is “I AM”, you will die in your sins. What does Jesus mean “unless you believe that I am”?

This is where that name comes from:

Exodus 3:13–14 ¹³ Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” ¹⁴ And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

When God was asked what His name was as Israel would ask, He gave His name as “I AM” to Moses. And Jesus is claiming unless you believe “I AM” the same person who spoke to Moses in Exodus 3, you will die in your sins.

John 8:58 ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

Before Abraham was born, I am. There you go, another time, Jesus used the words I AM, and He was, even before Abraham was born.

You are talking to the Son of God who was there before the creation of the world, and in fact, all things in the cosmos was created by Him, and sustained by Him.

John 1:1–3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

Hebrews 1:3 ³ And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Jesus created you. Jesus upholds all things by His power. You and I can breathe because He sustains you.

Decide today where do you want to be in eternity? Don’t be so short sighted only seeing the tangible things on this world, and they don’t last. And truthfully you don’t last. Where on earth can you find meaningful existence that will enable you to meet your loved ones in future after they have died, and you have died? How? You need to research who this Jesus is, because this is far more important than any amount of money you can earn on earth or anything you wanted! Think about it! Your eternity! Where do you want to be?

Amen.

Proverbs 4:20–27

20 My son, pay attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 They are not to escape from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
And healing to all their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.

Bible says turn not to the right or to the left, and turn your foot from evil. Why is it so important? Why so fussy? Because in v 20 says incline your ears to God’s word. Keep them in your heart, for they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their bodies! Do you know that spiritual obedience brings even physical healing? Of course, the anxiety, stress coming from sin and guilt carries over much more than the spiritual state, even you your physical health as well. Life is a mess when we screw up by not inclining to God’s words.

It says “watch over your heart with all diligence.” That means you watch over your own heart with all diligence, not just some casual effort, but with all diligence. First, you are to watch your own heart. Why? Because you can’t trust the deceitfulness of your own heart, our hearts are fertile soil for seed thoughts from evil and sinful world and culture. Our decision makings come from our hearts, and if our hearts are not inclined along with God’s word, we will surely fall, and it will affect our health, our loved ones, and a sad dark future hanging over us. SO watch over your hearts with diligence. How do we watch over our hearts, by checking our hearts motives, our hearts inclination? Once you feel your thoughts begin to sway towards sideway, that’s the time, you will have to PRAY and ask for the Lord’s help and then pull the brake and meditate in God’s word and promises and let yourself be refreshed in the Spirit of God who is praying with anguish over us all the time. The Spirit groans over us.

Romans 8:  ²⁶ Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

You see how intense is Spirit of God praying for us, interceding for us, not with just “praying” but with “groans” for us, which is too deep for words. The Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. Listen, bottom line, we want to live in the will of God. Nothing else. All those temporal temptations, distractions, discouragements, or even our own pride, are all temporal, our eyes must be fixed in Christ, and his promises.

But why even the slightest to the left and right is detrimental and bad for us? And even dangerous?

25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet,
And all your ways will be established.

It says look directly ahead. Let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. I know for sure, temptations come from our visual sight, and not to be distracted either, look straight ahead. Gaze be FIXED straight in front of you. We are called to FIX our gaze ahead, so our eyes don’t wonder to the left and to the right. Because once we start to wonder, our heart starts to shift. A dangerous slippery slope in front of us, if that happens. It only takes a small slip in the beginning, before a big slip comes into formation. We must hearken to the voice of the Holy Spirit, warning us, nudging us, and prodding us to stay the course.

How can we do that?

The Lord is sympathetic to your struggles in this ungodly world. And we will win if we keep our eyes fixed in Christ!

Hebrews 12:1–2 ¹ Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Looking ONLY to Jesus, the originator and perfector of our faith. Steady friends, fix your eyes on Jesus. The personified Word of God. Logos.

The Lord must give you more satisfaction, and joy, that you would want to turn from sin to him.

It will not be something you should do, but rather something you want to do voluntarily from your heart, because its more beautiful and satisfying. That will be the truth that sets you free. Why is He more satisfying and joyful?

Psalm 90: 14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Pray this prayer daily! God that truly fills you with joy and peace and satisfaction, and nothing will draw your heart to sin anymore.

Romans 15:13 ¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Is God more satisfying than sins?

Funny question right? But Westminster says by Ligon Duncan:

You can’t glorifying the true God without enjoying him and you can’t enjoy the fire God without glorifying him. —Ligon Duncan

That settles it. It will be more enjoyable in God than the sins in the world. We will have to find that in our lives! Amen

Because our moral and culture grounded not in a Sacred Order but by an Appeal to Self

Because we put it on ourselves. We appeal to self. When we put all the weight upon ourselves, because we want liberty, freedom so we can make moral judgements to be whatever we want to be. But that comes with a big costs, and we can’t carry the weight of that cost. When we say we make decision about ourselves, without regard to the thousands of years tradition, church morality established in the sacred book, Bible, we are throwing away the sacredness of God and substituting with the finite broken human instincts. We think we are getting a great deal to be our authentic self, but really? Our authentic self needs to be changed! That’s the point.

Rieff and Truman makes it clear as below:

The culture with no sacred order therefore has the task – for Rieff, the impossible task – of justifying itself only by reference to itself.’ – Trueman, Rise and Triumph

It is impossible to justify yourself by reference to yourself! The point is if you are wrong, and no one can be right all the time, how can you reference to yourself and make it right? Therefore we need a sacred order, someone beyond ourselves, external to us. And that’s what we call God.

God is not going to control you, restrict you, constraint you, rather God is coming in the person Jesus Christ to liberate us from our bondage, from our slavery to sins, all the ugly things we don’t want people to know but it’s eating us up. The only way to real freedom is to surrender ourselves to the sacred order, God, because we can’t keep looking into our selves for authenticity per se only, because even it may be the real you, it could be the real bad you! And to carry the weight of self-justification is too heavy, its suffocating! Why? Because we are not it!

The pleasures we get from this transient world by indulging into our fleshly desires, though giving us pleasures on a temporal way at the moment, it will not only hurt ourselves, but our loved ones, our families and friends in the long term. In fact, they need the sacred order as well, and everyone does. We are blinded by our fleshly desires and gave in to sins, and constantly seeking ways to justify them. John Bavinck says there is a constant humming of God’s voice at the back of our conscience even as we run away from God.

One thing I have noticed is that people who run away from God’s moral judgments, carry within themselves a sense of guilt. It’s like running away from family, seeking a sense of pleasures, freedom, but deep inside carries a sense of guilt especially from good families. And when we run away from God, who is perfectly good, merciful, kind, affectionate, we will never be able to shrug off that guilt. So what’s going to happen is, we will always seek to justify ourselves. People try drugs, sex, and al kinds and ended in even deeper emptiness and the results is devastating in the news . Some will read books, articles, seeking ways to fill that empty voids to justify ourselves, to tell ourselves that we are alright for the sake of the pleasures we get. It’s like Eve took that forbidden fruit and passed to Adam who also took it. When God walked in the garden calling out to him, he hid himself from God, because that was a sense of guilt sinking on him. That’s the first guilt in this world.

Genesis 3:9–10  ⁹ Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Adam said, “I was afraid because I was naked”. Well, he’s been naked before that and there was no fear, but now why suddenly? That’s because the real reason, is they feel shame, they feel guilt from rebelling against God. And immediately he tried to justify himself, by saying:

Genesis 3:11–12 ¹¹ And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹² The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me some of the fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

God asked him “who told you that you were naked?”  You see before the fall, Adam didn’t feel shame for being naked. Nothing has changed on the outside, but everything has on the inside. That’s the onset of the power of sin, devouring him on the inside immediately. The relationship he had with God was immediately broken, Satan instantly became the prince of this created world that was supposed to be run by Adam. Adam blamed the woman God gave to be with him that caused him to fall. First he blamed his wife, then ultimately he blamed God!

We will always be trying to justify our wrong doings if we carry the guilt. And honestly that guilt is before God, not just before other humans, so it will never go away without the redemption of our souls from sins.

So much for justifying selves. Come back to God by having a reality check, and like the prodigal son who had to be shaken up to conscience when he was impoverished by hunger trying to get pig’s food. Only then he woke up. No matter what, we always have a loving heavenly Father waiting for us to return to Him. Heaven is waiting. Your loved ones are waiting and praying.

Come home.

There’s a difference between running the race for your existential reason and running the race for God

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NASB 2020)

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

There’s a difference between running the race for your existential reason and running the race for God. When I say running the race for God I mean running the race of your life for the calling of God in your life, not your own ambition, nor your own desire, but God’s will. God’s desire, God’s plan. Remember that in the movie Chariots of fire.

That British Jewish runner Harold Abrahams. He competed against supposedly against the star of the Chariot of Fire, Eric Liddell, but because of because the race was put on Sunday Sabbath day, he decided to honor God and pulled out of the Olympics in 1924. Abrahams took over the 100 meter race. Ended up Aaron that is the only man representing Britain to race in the Olympics for 100 meter dash. And the during the training time by his coach, you know, training him for the final days training for the 100 meter dash, he made a major statement.

“ I have 10 seconds to justify my existence”

He said his race, his preparation to run to compete in the Olympics, 100 meter race. By the way they all from scratch for Cambridge University. In preparing for the Olympics 100 meter dash, he said this, “ I have 10 seconds to justify my existence.”

That’s profound,  that is there is a passion crying out from his heart to really win for himself. That says something for his identity because his identity is all muddled in that race. So it’s all about that race now to justify his very existence because he’s put everything inside their race.

“When I run, I feel the pleasure of God.”

But Eric Liddell runs not for his existential reason. He runs for God. This is really true story. Liddel gave up 100 meter race and they put him back in the 400 meter race on another day away from Sunday. And he took the race, the 400 meters race. OK, so. It makes it even more dramatic halfway through the race, I think somebody knocked him down and he got up and he pushed with everything he had.

He won the 400 meter gold Olympic. He came back to England. There was so much more celebration about the fact that he stood for God for his believing faith in God. And gave up his 100 meter, which is his really strong race item and opted for the 400 meter race and he still won for the glory of God.

Liddell made a major statement there, he says, “ When I run, I feel the pleasure of God.”

That is such a beautiful statement for us folks. That is exactly what I want. I want you to have that spirit and enjoy God. When you serve him Hallelujah, I don’t want you to serve God with a long face pulling, pulling your legs and pulling yourselves and pulling everyone else.

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever- Westminster Confession

Westminster Confession: Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? Our chief end as man and woman is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever!

Don’t serve God with a long face

Because I’ve done that. I’ve gone through that myself. At times I just don’t feel like it great, and down. We live in a broken world, and that’s the time when it just feels heavy. I’ve been a pastor before ….Try to motivate my folks and try to push them to serve God in all this. You could do this even in a little bit of legalistic way, sad to say that was my past days ’cause I didn’t have the reformed theology of the sovereignty of God and the and the joy in God looking back. I did that. Quite a bit. Now that is totally bad. We’ve produced churches and discipleship. But there will not be that much so much more better, if we had done it and call it said when I served, feel the pleasure of God. You know who else says that in the Bible? Paul says, “ I regard everything that I have achieved as rubbish. Compared to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. “

Paul says, “ I regard everything that I have achieved as rubbish. Compared to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. “

Paul had so much pleasure in knowing Christ Jesus. I don’t believe that Paul served mightily as a apostles and risking his life getting jailed numerous times,  for the glory of being apostleship, or even for the glory of the path of his love for the people of God. And in those remain Romans church, Philippians, surgical Asian. Just efficient just as etc. And these are all beautiful. Fantastic, but I believe the primary reason that drives him is because he feels the pleasure of God when he serves and walks with God.

Did you see that? When he pleaded with Christ, so taken with pain in his body, something tormenting him for. I don’t know for how long he pleaded it with Christ three times and Jesus appeared and spoke to him. Jesus said, “My Grace is sufficient for you.”  Because of the surpassing greatness of revelations in him, he needed this to keep him humble and he accepted it. Everything Paul talks about is with such a God centrality. The biggest factor in his driving force to make him such an extraordinary, successful impeccable? It is not the apostleship, not the revelations, but its God takes pleasure in him and how much he enjoys.

He loves Christ. That is the primal. Primeval , that should be primal over everything else that is the one. With all this, even going through jail time and he feels the pleasure of God. I just want to conclude saying this.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NASB 2020)

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Bible says that we all have a race to run the race. Um, with focus on Christ and run the race. OK, we run the race to win, not to lose, but we will do it just like that guy that the chairs of fire 100 meter dash. He runs to win for his exit to justify his existence. There will be so wrong because that is man centered, but if we run like add Liddell that we run because I feel the pleasure of God when I run that it’s God centered, you know everything. I right I want to teach a God centered orthodoxy.  When you serve God with it, when you feel the pleasure of God not the pleasure of you.

You going to come on top, you going to go a long haul you want to win this race. Sadly, many Christians don’t even know there’s a race in life. We just want to be going every day and just another day, another day and God enjoy just wanting God’s Providence had about their race before you. The providence comes for you to win the race. Blessings didn’t come to you for you to rest in your laurels. We have to win the race and we have to win this race of life running on the pleasure of God. It is God’s pleasure and his delight to call Paul to call Eric Liddell to call you to call me to run this race in this world. Folks, let’s all aspire and pray for that, that we run the race and we feel the pleasure of God the Lord blessing.