Psalm 40:5 (NIV) 5 Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us.None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.
Many are the wonders that God has done, and that we know. But to say the second sentence, many are the things you planned for us. That’s what caught my attention in my morning devotion this morning. I wonder how many people know that God has a plan for us? And he planned for each one for us. That’s why seeking the will of God makes sense, because we are not to be passive in life, but actively pursuing to find out his will for us, which means his plan for us.
Jesus said I have come to do the Father’s will on earth. Everything Jesus did on earth seems to have all been written in scripture, how he was to be born in Bethlehem by a virgin woman, rode on a donkey to Jerusalem where people were shouting Hosannas to the Son of David, glory to God on high, and how he was sacrificed as a lamb of God in the ultimate Passover how he was bruised like a reed that won’t break, how he was mocked and whipped on the cross bleeding, all these were already written of him thousands of years ago before he was even born into this world in the Old Testament.
And now, it’s sort of like that for mankind, the elect. Those who professed faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. We all have a plan of God destined for each of us and we are called to run a good race, the race God has called out for each of us. We are to race to win, not to race and lose. We need to be passionate about the call of God, the plan of God in our lives, first and foremost because our God is so passionate about us. If you don’t know that our God, our Lord Jesus Christ is so passionate, you have not begun to understand our God. Look at the movie Passion of Christ by Mel Gibson, though it’s as Hollywood production, it nevertheless carries a lot of verified and authentic stuff from the bible. It shows the intense passion of Christ when Jesus hanging on the cross bleeding and eyes closed, his body hanging on the cross with the nails that went through his feet and his palms, if he were not passionate of redeeming mankind, he would have quitted long time ago! Why ? Because he is so passionate.
Nothing less than the word passion is suitable for our God.
Therefore when psalms says “Many are the things God has planned for us”, that needs to be taken another look. God wants to fill us with rich surprises, look at:
1 Cor 2: 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”[b]— the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
What God has prepared for those who love him. The key here is to love him. This jibes with Psalm 40 about David’s sentiment. If there is one person who has expressed so publicly his passionate about the Lord, it will be David. He loved the Lord. The Lord favors him and everything he does he succeeds.
So if you feel conflicted with the way life is going in your life, don’t be, but be patient and continue to wait upon the Lord. And hope in the Lord and flow with his plans which God will reveal more and more indue time, in his timing, not ours. Look at Moses, he waited for 40 years and sounded like he has lost the vision and passion to deliver Israel from Egypt, and God appeared to him in a burning bush in the most unexpected way. He was afraid when that happened, and he kept giving excuses to God’s call repeatedly even, until God brought help to him through Aaron.
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
An amazing confession and profession by David in the time of huge anguish and struggle in psalm 22, the like of which is unparalleled. But in this verse it captured such intimate moment with the Lord and him, which should be modeled and caught by us all, and that’s the thesis of this article. No one can express as fluently, captured the nuances like David in his deep heart emotions, feelings, passions and everything that is within him. I think that’s the way we should aim towards in life. Because that’s huge just by the way he goes back to his mother’s womb, and God has made him trust in him, and that’s an amazing connection. That verse comes after the 6 verses of tremendous anguish (that’s why reading in context is incredibly important), and he’s like debating with his own feelings.
God made him trust in the Lord at birth
And that’s exactly what we should do especially when we are downcast due to circumstances or whatever reasons, that our eyes should focus on the Lord and no one else. But David takes us even a step further that his usual style to focus on the Lord. This is the only place in psalms or the whole bible where David brings himself to connect with God at the point of birth when he’s brought out of his mothers womb. He acknowledges and confesses that even at his mother’s breast, God made him trust in the Lord. That’s a beautiful word or translation right here “made”. That speaks of the sovereign Lord, nothing to do with our will power. A baby at his or her mothers breasts will have no will power to make decision apart from crying due to hunger. But to trust in God as a baby breast feeding at his or her mother’s breasts? Can you imagine the contrast? David has brought out a huge deep contrast of self will power and God’s sovereign move. Therefore we can draw conclusion that our putting our faith in Christ is totally a move of God in our hearts that caused us to put out faith in God.
Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV) 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
Our trusting in God was never initiated by ourselves, but a move by the Spirit of God in our souls, spirits. And that’s beautiful. God gets all the glory and we get the beautiful submission and trust in God absolutely and with total reliance on Christ and Christ alone and nothing else.
Timing
But there is another aspect I want to bring out, and that’s the timing and intimacy. David goes back all the way to the point of birth. Our trust in God didn’t start at the age of 15, in my case, when I confessed and publicly put my trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior, but rather it has started even from birth, and we just didn’t know better. It never manifested itself, but that seed has been born within us. I know for a fact, there is a restlessness, earnestness within me stirring in my heart during my backsliding days in Leicester, England in college days, the first year. A longing that only God can fill. I can’t explain in details what seed of trust has been birthed from birth, but I can say that that’s predestination and total sovereignty of God, even before I was born, in all eternity, my name has been crafted into the book of eternal life in heaven. Isn’t that theologically correct?
Intimacy
Third thing is the intimacy of David with God. For all Christians, who disdain expression of emotions in worship and ecclesiology expressions, you are acting with stiff upper lips like the English man culturally. Having studied in England for high school and university, I know what that is. But God desires a free flow of expressions of love, intimacy with him in public worship and discourse. Look at David, he’s not ashamed to call out when he was a baby at his mother’s breasts, God has made him trust in him. He is not shamed of using the words of the breasts of his mother. Look at Songs of songs, God used Solomon to use even more intimate words like a physiological connection between a man and a woman. A word here for progressive Christianity here: Your theology of same sex love and intimacy and sexual ,relationship doesn’t fly. Songs of songs is all about a man and a woman, a woman longing for his lover, and the man looking for his beloved, a woman. The expression of intimacy emotions is well expressed in Pentecostal church services if done in a proper way, let me qualify. So all reformed churches should stop any disdain toward dancing, raising of hands, and saying hallelujah in worship services, and learn from David.
Progressive Christianity seems docile, modern, and even cute, on the surface and appealing to many especially the millennials, but in reality its subtle and deceptive and dark. One of the most lethal weapons of anti-Christ in this 21st century, amongst other looming threats like LBGT facing our society, is the label of Christians called “Progressive Christianity”. They used to be called “Liberal Christianity”, but now, as they are apt to creative re-labelling, called themselves as “Progressive Christians”. How about that? Names that make them sound more sophisticated, harmless, progressive in thinking unlike the old fashioned? By calling themselves by that name, they implicitly called everyone that’s conservative to be “old fashioned”, out of date. Essentially there is a whole bunch of innocent naïve Christians in the millennial generation in particular, to think it’s fashionable to be part of this Progressive Christian label. This has done immense harm and damage to the young millennial generation, because they were sucked into it, and relabeled by the culture of today’s instead of defined by the Bible.
I will pen below my thoughts on them on the three headings from Kruger’s article.
Progressive Christianity Has a Low View of Christ
Progressives teach that Jesus is not the divine Son of God, but merely a good moral example for us to follow. They humanize a divine God to fit their worldview and convenience. It much better fits their agenda. I think one of the main reasons they downgraded Jesus from God to human is that they can’t cope with the divinity, glory, power of Jesus, and they can’t reconcile themselves with the science of today. But I believe the main reason they reject Jesus as God, but merely a good moral teacher, very much like a guru like Buddha etc., is because they can’t keep up with the holiness of Jesus. Jesus said, “Be Holy, because I am holy”. That’s hard for them to swallow. Their lifestyle doesn’t allow them to be holy, and to justify their insistence of still keeping their lifestyle in their carnal depraved desire, they downgraded Jesus, so that Christianity will not confront them. They created an idol in their lives, that they can accept, and listen to, because they are their god. Jesus is a convenient side kick almost like a decoration so to qualify themselves as Christians. That’s the genesis of a Progressive Church. Along with that, the package usually comes with the sexuality that’s the number 1 issue in this progressive Christianity. LBGTQ is now accepted, because they just knocked Jesus out of his throne of the divine holiness, so no one will question them or confront them anymore on this. They could still hold on to the many “good” and acceptable teachings of Jesus like helping the poor, feeding the hungry, building a just and fair society, their slogan for a socialist society. That’s why they exactly fit into what Jesus says, “They honor me with their mouths, but their hearts are far away from me.” Jesus even said, at the end time, those who say “Lord, Lord, didn’t we cast out demons in your name? Didn’t we pray and teach in your name?” Jesus replied them, “I don’t know you, get far away from me”. Into hell they go.
That’s the biggest farce that continually deceives the Christendom, and the at large the society who’s clueless, just exactly who is the church? Who are the real Christians? Obviously they would flow better with the progressive Christians. We call ourselves not just as conservative, but we call ourselves as orthodox. In my mind, orthodoxy is far more important and significant than conservative. I have a blog called God Centered Orthodoxy. www.alngu.com
Progressive Christianity Is Focused on Moralism, Not Salvation
Moralistic Christianity will crush you in trying to get to heaven. No one can try on their own efforts and strength to get into heaven. There is no way. No one comes to the Father except through me, Jesus said. He also said, “I am the truth, the life, and the way”. He is not a way to God. He is the way. There is no other way. Jesus didn’t come to teach you to do good. He has done the good (which you could never do) to qualify you to go to heaven. The first Adam failed. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, picked it up and triumphed! hallelujah! All you need to do now is to believe in him and accept his redemption on the cross for you, and give your life to Jesus. You don’t try to hit the mark by being moralistic, because you can’t measure up, and eventually you will be crushed, if you are honest.
Progressive Christianity Downplays Our Fallenness
That’s the belief that you are really not that bad. In your core, you are a good person. They downplay the word ‘sin’. Because of that, humanism comes in again. You don’t really need a savior to lift you up. You can essentially be a good person and go to heaven by your own kindness etc. But that’s not what the bible says, we are so depraved, that every yearning in our heart leans to darkness, leans to sin. Our selfishness, rebellion toward our God, wanting to rule and reign in our own lives, and the lust in us, all these have shred us into pieces. You don’t have to go far, but just read the news headlines daily, and you see the acts of darkness all over the world, all the time.
We need a savior completely. We can’t save ourselves. God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son to come to die for us to redeem us. The story of the most beautiful love ever shown.
Conclusion
Beware of them. Know your stand in Christ, and be strong. Expose them, and snatch others to the kingdom of God.
This is a very famous commandment from God’s Ten Commandments. We have all heard over and over again that we shall not have idols in our lives.
Exodus 20:1-6 1And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
It’s so important because our God is a jealous God
Exodus 20: 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
If a married man flirts with another woman or affair with another woman, and his wife is not jealous, you would wonder if his wife has either given up with him or planning to divorce him. That’s because love is jealous and possessive. If our God is not jealous and possessive over us, then He is truly not in love with us. God has used very lovers language in the song of songs, and also in numerous OT prophecies regarding his hate for Israel’s rampant idolatry like a wild woman laying bare to men. To say that God is not jealous when we stray from him, is not reading the Bible.
There are reasons why God makes such a strong claim and an exclusive demand on Israel and us
Because the Lord our God is the one who brought Israel out of the slavery and bondage of Egypt.
Now this is a very important point because that gives God the credibility, authority to claim basically us as his possession. Because God delivered the 3 millions Jews out of the slavery cruelty imposed by Pharaoh, the greatest powerful king at that time, in the land. God worked mighty miracles one after the other to deliver Israel from the fierce power of the throne of Pharaoh. God sent plagues after plagues like turned Nile to blood, sent locusts to devour all of Egypt farms, sent darkness over all Egypt, killed all the first born of Egypt including the prince of pharaoh , and finally God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to pursue Israel when clearly the divine power was with Moses to lead them out of Egypt. God to top it up, divided the Red Sea, in a most stunning sight and miracle by a strong east wind, and led the 3 million Jews crossed the Red Sea on dry land, on the Red Sea bed. Can you imagine the impact of this out of the world experience of Israel, with mothers, children, young and old men and women with their cattle’s, belongings, silver and gold they plundered from Egypt walking thru the Red sea?
And this only enticed Pharaoh and his chariots foolishly followed the crowd into the Red Sea, only to find them to be drowned under the swelling currents when Israel stepped foot on dry ground, when God withdrew the east wind and closed the Red Sea. Pharaoh and army all died and their corpses all appeared on the beach the next day, and when Israel saw these corpses on the beach, the bowed down and worshipped the Lord.
Exodus 14:30–31 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
This may sound too much even for a Hollywood movie, and I agree, in fact God is the best director ever, more than any of the Hollywood. And He pulled it off! Egypt was bowed done and they saw the might of the God of Israel displayed as they mourned their dead first born children.
And what about us today? God has delivered you from your self indulgent sinful life of depravity by bringing you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light by his own Son Jesus Christ died on the cross as a substitute redemption! Thats why He makes such bold claim of allegiance. In fact, His claim is for our well being and flourishing, as God created us to enjoy and flourish in Christ! And He prepared an eternity we will spend with our triune God for ever and ever in the coming world, in heaven!
That’s why God can say what he says, no other gods before me. For our utmost well-being, and no more in the life of slavery bondage to our sins and powers of darkness.
Not just Carved Images
But just exactly what is an idol? In my childhood days of my growing up as a Christian, I always relate to those carved image, like animal etc. (Ex 20:4) and I could never figure that out. I have never seen anyone bowed down to a bird, lion, tiger?? I have seen people using jo-sticks with incense bowing before idols of men like some imagery sculpture of some beings, that’s was scaring to me as a kid. That was my experience seeing those Chinese temples where people throng to during festive seasons in Malaysia. My grandma (father side) definitely insisted on worshipping ancestors which was abhorred by my mum, a Christian with Methodist church, causing tension between her and her mother in law. Thank God for my mum! She would fight to keep her children, like me her first born, away from any food that’s been offered to idols by my grandma. She zealously protectively covered her children from such idolatry.
If we desire something or someone more than God, that’s an idol
But now as I am exposed to more reformed teaching like Tim Keller spoke a lot on idolatry that’s in our hearts. It’s more like an imagery allegiance to some force or attractions or stability formed by culture and human cravings essentially.
It’s always been taught that if we desire something or someone more than God, that’s an idol. But how do we measure it? On way is when what or who we desire exceeds our desire for God. Particularly clear is when we desire something or someone that’s contrary to the will of God as explained explicitly in the Bible. That will be a clear case of idolatry. You see idolatry in that case can surface and go away depending on time and season of your life. Example, if you put your heart so much into your job that’s consuming your time, energy, to the extent of sacrificing your own time with your family, and also in worshipping God and serving God in your ministry, that intense job will be questionable and probably be put in the category of ‘idols’.
Our Idol is really our creation of a god that will give us our desires
I read this article by Benjamin Gladd that catches my eyes on this statement: “Israel continues this idolatrous pattern, desiring to worship a god, the golden calf, who would give them what they desired rather than waiting for the true God to tell them what he desired.” [1]
Israel made a golden calf as their god when Moses was up in Mt Sinai 40 days receiving the Ten Commandments from God. In their loss of patience and confidence in Yahweh, the God who brought them out of the slavery of Egypt by such might and power, they succumbed to their depraved fallen desire fleshly wants. The made a golden calf, and Gladd expounded well to say that this gold calf would give them what they desire. That’s the best definition of idiolatry. Idols can’t think, can’t talk, they just receive your requests petitions and instructions. That’s the ultimate machine for you to tell exactly what you want from this idol. That defines idolatry. It’s really to fulfill your own hearts desires, nothing more than that. Because the Lor our God will listen, and rebuke, and direct and love us. Israel wanted none of that. They wanted to follow their own desires. Just like Adam and Eve when tempted, Eve wanted to fulfill her own desires, rather than God’s.
Solution
God originally put Adam in the Garden of Eden to function as king, priest, and prophet. He ruled over all the creation of God and he worshipped God and walked and talked with God. But all that collapsed when his dear wife, Eve, took the bait of the serpent, the devil, and surrendered the kingdom to Satan. That’s why we have such mess in the worlds today, and we need a savior.
Jesus came and restored humanity to their roles as obedient kings, priests, and prophets through his faithful life, which ended by taking the punishment for our idolatrous failure to do the same.[2]
Our Presidential Election in America today is nothing short of dramatic, stunning, breadth, plots, twists and turns. It continues to hold every body’s breath in check, with now lawsuits coming against the frauds that have taken place in the national election from Michigan, PA, Georgia, etc. This reminds me so much of these verses when my wife and I prayed together just a couple of nights ago.
Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”
God looks down from heaven and laughed at the plotting of men, even the kings or the powerful politicians plotting, taking counsel together against the Lord. This is written by David, and he takes the position prophetically of himself at that time, and prophesized about the Lord Jesus some 2000 years later, when Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus in Jerusalem. God laughed from heaven when God sees that. And God’s response is that God has set his King on Zion, my holy hill.
Nations rage and plot against David
No one can touch him. In fact, no one can match his confidence. With the amount of opposition that went against him, the nations raged and plotted against him, the kings and rulers took council against him. Doesn’t that remind you of what’s going on in the US presidential election today? If it’s another person, he would have abdicated, killed, thrown out. But David persevered, and won victories after victories. Remember as Christians in this culturally hostile world towards our faith like in the US especially, we got to know that oppositions and relabeling of our faith is not uncommon. Our universities are full of professors teaching our children stuff that lean towards liberal and the left, kicking God out of our syllabus. In the name of separation of church and state, they have gone overboard, and indeed far beyond, called not separation, but removal of any divine presence of God in our nation. The original separation of church and the state was applied and used for the separation of Catholic church and the state or government as the church became so corrupt in Europe in 1833. It was meant to remove the political power in the hands of those corrupt bishops, in fact such luxurious wealth came into the church that actually killed the spiritual life of the church. But that separation act was not meant to say there is no God, only separation of church and the state. IN fact, not separation of the state and God! But that’s what is actually used in our days in schools unfortunately, and very sadly. It’s dark. And our community has become so used to that idea, so much so that we can’t even mention God in our workplace, because that won’t be tolerant anymore. In fact we can talk about pretty much anything else, but not God. It’s been thrown out.
We must stand strong and firm in Christ. The secret of David’s strong faith in Yahweh our God is his daily intimate worship and outpouring of his heart to God in the most amazing way. Check out Psalms.
David’s Source of Confidence
David faced so much oppositions and enemies who all tried to kill him, including being pursued by his own son Absalom, who actually successfully made David fled for his life with his small army. In times like those he cried out to God with all his heart, and puts all his destiny in the hands of Almighty God. Reading Palms’ you will see that he always writes that God is his refuge, his fortress of protection, and many others, and I meditate on them regularly in fact daily in my daily devotions with God. Every time I faced hardship, oppositions in life, I called upon the Lord and meditate upon God as my refuge and my fortress too. I always find God’s amazing faithfulness and his steadfast love, two of the most frequently mentioned attributes of God in Psalms.
In Psalm 2, David identified himself completely with God. He was not driven by his self-ambition to be king, in fact, he had no idea and was not looking to be King, when God called him through prophet Samuel to be anointed as the king of Israel taking over from the rebellious rotten king Saul who had grieved God.
The source of David’s absolute confidence in his throne is that his kingship is by divine appointment. He is called by God, and he knows it. You know if you serve God with your own ambitions, you will never go far, and will be disappointed. But if you are called by God in your ministry, nothing will be able to stop you. Our God is divine, transcendent, and sovereign. He appoints, and he removes. He is the eternal King of the Universe.
David speaks of the ultimate eternal King, Christ
Psalm 2 talks about the nations plot against his Anointed. That Anointed is he himself at that time, but eventually that is a prophecy pointing to the ultimate eternal King, our Lord Jesus Christ when he died on the cross, redeemed mankind, established his Kingdom forever and ever. David’s kingdom is temporary, but Jesus’s Kingdom is forever and ever. Remember that all that we work on is temporary on earth, but if we work on the spiritual sense, in God’s calling, we labor for the eternity. Jesus said, “Labor not for the temporary, but for food that lasts for eternity. ” Our presence in this world is but for a short while, and we will all be gone. But God’s Kingdom is eternal.
We have this hope of spending our eternity with Christ and heavenly Father for eternity. That’s the hope that we, Christians, will not trade with anyone or any temptations in this world. So be strong, the King is coming back, and He will, to judge the world, and to take his glorious throne for all eternity ruling and reigning.
Jesus teaches this extensively and we all know we should do it, but it’s very counterculture, counter intuitive and everything in our lives. Why? Because of the way we are fallen beings from God, and also we face a very “me” generation and culture, self-actualization, expressive individualism, to be the authentic you, you must live out what’s inside of you.
The whole thing ties back to what we really believe where our happiness lies. Jesus is saying your heart will be where your treasure is. Here are some motivations:
It’s a command of God with promises of eternity
Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
No Christian should live in a material world with a materialistic worldview and lifestyle. Because that will make us look like not authentic Christian. It’s what defines a Christian, generosity to help the needy. I must admit, there have not been many teachings from the Pentecostal world that teach me that, but in the reformed world. Don’t pour your hearts into the things of the world, but seek after the Kingdom of God, where it will all last forever.
2. Worldly treasures will evaporate but heavenly treasures last forever
Jesus is asking us to put our hearts in heaven. Not on earthly treasure. Why? Because earthly treasures can be destroyed, stolen, vanish, but heavenly treasures will never disappear and will last forever. How?
Why would you labor for something that don’t last? Its very short sighted, temporary, quick instant gratification. We need to sit down and meditate over God’s word until it births something on fire by the Holy Spirit. It wont show up, until we are convicted by the Spirit from the word of God. As a matter of fact, I made an offering to charity as I prepared this exposition for this blog. I felt convicted and I acted. I broke something.
3. God will take care of our needs by the providence of God
Luke 12:28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
Jesus exhorted us not to seek after the things material things like food drink, clothes and not to be worried, wow, how we all like the last word. Jesus said “Don’t worry about life!” But what’s his basis for saying that? What’s his assurance and rational to convince us? His basis for saying that is that looking at the grass, God clothed them and even better than Solomon’s riches, what else to say about men and women created by God, being the highest creatures created in God’s image?? That’s the point he’s driving at. So once you are convinced that God will really take care of you, you won’t have to worry about your next meal, your clothing’s etc., not to worry about your medical conditions, etc., then He is asking you , therefore, to NOT to seek after these things, as your Father knows you need them. God will provide. Then He went after the ultimate he wants us to get.
4. It’s God’s pleasure to give his Kingdom to people who treat earthly possessions lightly and are willing to give to the needy
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
He said, Fear not. You know its fear that locks us down. Because of what’s been explained before, Jesus goes even a step further in his assurance, reassurance. He calls us “Little flock”. I don’t think this means small number. But it means He treats us like little children before God. He says that it is Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Wow, that’s big. Give us the kingdom? What does that means?
Luke 28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Here Jesus says I assign you the kingdom. What does that mean? He said as the Father assigned him the Kingdom, He assigns it to us! How generous is Jesus! He had to die to get that, and we just believe and get it?
Matthew 25: 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
Do you see how Jesus connected those who inherit the kingdom of God with those who feed the hungry, welcome strangers? See how important it is to feed the poor and help the homeless and widows? Christians must make it a priority to donate money to help them, and not sit in our comfortable homes only and give out tithes and offerings to church. That’s building the treasure of heaven!
Jesus, the King says to those on the right, come and inherit the kingdom prepare for you from the foundation of the world. That’s pretty amazing! The kingdom prepared for us who believe in him from the foundation of the world. That means when God created the world, he already planned a kingdom for us to inherit! Wow! This is the awesome sovereign God who predestined us the elect to enjoy the kingdom for eternity.
Carl Truman wrote: After all, an evangelicalism that finds voting for Trump (or Biden) to be a moral imperative for all, and a Catholic hierarchy that allows Biden to oppose with impunity so many of its cherished teachings, would not seem to be particularly pungent in their Christian distinctiveness. Is such “Christianity” merely secularism in a religious key? [1]
No, Christianity is not merely secularism in a religious key in America. Though there were moments of confusion, and excesses, like all countries have, but American religious input in politics is probably one of the last bastions in God’s sizable footprint in its social economic life and expressed valiantly in politics. Different from European politics, where religion is so far away from politics, understandably how folks with an European background may feel in this. But America must continue to keep her religious fervor for some very good reasons, example, for the protection of the unborn and religious liberty, and when I say religious, I mean the spiritual life of millions of evangelical Christians, including the Catholics. No matter how superficial they may look in the two presidential candidates in their spiritual life, the God ordained spiritual religious values must be preserved in the whole land where folks say “In God we trust”, and “God bless America”, a voice of such is fast fading out in many parts of the world. Admittedly, our presidential candidates are far from ideal, guess when was the last time we had one? In the US or any country in the world? But don’t throw out or surrender the little that we have.
Even as we speak now, Justice Amy Barrett has just been confirmed tonight as the newest Supreme Court justice, a woman of solid conservative constitutions originalist, faithful as a charismatic Catholic, you can’t ask for more. Apparently, she is the most impressive SCOTUS candidate the senate has seen, voiced by many of the Republican senators. How did that happen? That happened because we have a president that pushed for godly conservative originalist justice, and he’s kept his words. It does make a huge difference! Actions speak louder than words!
The protection of the unborn will go to the Supreme court very soon, and the time has come for God to ordain his acts to save any more killing of the unborn. Religious liberty is facing a constant assault from the left wing politicians, academia, liberal, and progressive, and Biden even advocated for a 7 years old the choice to have his or her sex changed. Transgenderize to a level that makes even a liberal shake. That’s what we have to deal with today.
Where is God in all these? God is watching over us and making his next move. Don’t ever forget the doctrine of Providence, i.e. God provides and watch over us. He protects us. It may not seem to be understandable why God let this Roe V Wade passed many years ago resulted in thousands and thousands unborn baby death, we will have to put our trust in our sovereign big God. In fact, He has watched over us and protected in so many things in our lives, in our nation. Look around, and give praise to our God. When David was down, he questioned God, but he turned around exulting in God’s faithfulness and his steadfast love. We must put our faith in God.
Finally, the whole question is whether we should have Christian politicians that profess the name of our God into election? Of course, we want that, however dented it may be. For Biden, it’s not only dented, it’s all crooked. For Trump, his personal characters fall short substantially of his narcissistic and self-egoist character, plus his infidelity and past 3 marriages past. But you know, he put in the most conservative supreme court judges and changed the nation. He defended religious liberty from the onslaught of the sexuality transgenderism onslaught, etc. Bottom ,line, his actions are far better than his bombastic character and the flaws and sinful life of the past. I think we can eat that, and continue to praise God.
Al Mohler puts it beautifully and convincingly: “Let me be as clear as I know possible: President Trump’s behavior on Twitter and his divisive comments and sub-presidential behavior are an embarrassment to me. Constantly. His arrogance and ego and constant need for adulation drive me to distraction. But character is some strange combination of the personal, the principled, and the practical. Let me put it another way—I cannot accept the argument that a calm man who affirms the dismembering of babies in the womb has a superior character to a man who rants like Genghis Khan but acts to preserve that life. In my ideal world, I would vote for a candidate in whom the personal, the principled, and the practical earn my admiration. I do not live in that world. I live in this world, and I must act accordingly.” [2]
Moral Depravity is all about the losing sight of the Holiness of God
The pope of Catholic Church , Pope Francis endorsed civil union of same sex couples today on Oct 21, 2020. This is shocking and extremely disturbing for the head of one of the largest Christian bodies in the world to endorse something that the Bible prohibits. He’s big on helping the poor , immigrants whether legal or illegal, social justice even before the gospel, he’s more like the liberal politician in many ways.
What happens to the high view of scripture of the Catholic faith? Or do they have that? I can’t help penning down my quick thought in this.
End time or the last days has been prophesied to be very godless and far from the Godly values our God teaches. We have been warned, but this goes beyond that warning as far as I am concerned, this has gone beyond the league altogether. For the Pope of a faith like Catholic that protects the unborn, that fights for holiness, marginalized, homeless, widows, orphans etc. to have come to that level of Pope Francis is frankly speechless and very disappointing, disturbing and may I add hurting to the millions of Catholics and Protestants alike around the world. What kind is message do we send to the world? And what the Lord thinks of him as he chants his daily rosery? As he makes prayer to Mary? As he makes prayer to Saint Peter? I cannot fathom the kind of faith and/or bible that he reads as the highest official of Catholic in the world.
Already as it is, we have seen Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglicans and blah blah blah split because of gay marriage and union . Can you think of another issue that has split the body of Christ more?
This issue cannot be more explicitly expounded by Paul in Rome 1 and many others and it’s labeled as abomination, Gods word, not mine.
God gave them up to dishonorable passions
Romans 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Read carefully-this is God gave them over to dishonorable passions! Women exchanged natural relations to unnatural. Men gave up relations with women, and be consumed with passion for men, and committing shameless acts with men, and received the due penalty. Shameless! Now notice, did they turn to homosexuality on their own? Not from these verses. It’s God gave them over. Why? The reason is this:
Romans 1:22–24 (NIV)
22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
Because they exchanged God’s glory to the glory of mortal human beings. In other words, instead of worshipping God, they started worshipping themselves, pleasures, power, sex, or anything in life apart from God. But how do they worship? When they become so overpowering in their lives, that’s worship, that’s an idol. Then God gave them over. I can’t explain the real connection here, but I can tell you there is a direct action involvement from God. Any Christian gone into same sex lifestyle, will have to go through some process with God. My thesis is they lost sight of God, how? Example, when girlfriend becomes more important than God. When boyfriend becomes more important than God. Etc.
What else do we need as Christians? On this! We should choose side , either be a Christ believer and follower and follow his scripture or be of the world and disavow the scriptures and do whatever you want, just don’t drag the name of the church with them. Sad!
But this is the devil’s deception and spiritual warfare in the last days especially as godlessness is on the rise. Godlessness means minus God and take him out of the equation and conversation of our daily life.
2 Timothy 3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good
2 Peter 2: 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);
The sensual conduct of the wicked. We know what happened there in Sodom.
Genesis 19: 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
This is homosexuality. The men from every part of Sodom surrounded the house of Lot that night, and asked Lot for the 2 angels, calling for them to come out so they can have sex with them. Shocking! And God rained down Sulphur and burned down every depraved men in that city that night.
Genesis 19: 23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.—God rained won burning Sulphur on Sodom and Gomorrah, and destroyed all those living in the cities. That’s what God did to them in Sodom.
This godlessness today is so strong and subtle and culturally wrapped that it’s almost suffocating for many to even voice their opinion in church. I mean in church! I don’t mean NY Times! For God’s sake, we should wake up and not be drowned by the society and the worldly cultural forces that come against the church in such ferocious ways. Arise church! Make a stand! Make a choice and let Jesus separate the wheat and tare in these last day. (Matt 13:24-30)
Let me emphasize, it’s all about God. It’s not even about one’s sexuality. It’s not the SSA per se, but above anything, are we returning to God with our heart cry and humility? Or do we want to intellectually argue our ways based on human and cultural perception and emotions, rather than God’s will and teaching? Do we get to bend and turn the scripture as we see fit to fit our agenda and fleshly desire in this word. God says be holy because I am holy. Bottom line the God of this word is a holy God!
Leviticus 11: 44 I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. 45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
Unless we can say that Yahweh, Jesus Christ is our God, it will be impossible to beef up your own will power to stay holy in this very sensual world we live in. That’s why God says, “I am the Lord your God.” That’s the must happen, the fundamental. Its God Vs darkness. Choose God.
Matt 4 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
I was reading my devotional this morning on Matt 4, and as I read this passage, my spirit was enraged, feeling angry on the audacity of Satan in offering the kingdom of the world to Jesus if he would fall down and worship him!!! Look at that! That shamefully is the most audacious and disgraceful statement from a mere creation, though holding great power, to the Almighty God, the creator. And you know what brought the Son of God himself to such dire undignified stage? YOU, and I. Yes, it’s for the love of mankind that Jesus emptied himself of the heavenly glory and throne, and came to this earth, to be tempted and humiliated and engaged in these titanic epic warfare’s that few talks about.
Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Why? It took a lot of humility in the mind of God-Man, to swallow that despicable words, “if you will fall down and worship me”. Those words are too much to take. Imagine, you were the Son of a millionaire landlord who owns a thousand acres of vineyard, and your dad hired thousands of employees in the farmland. One day, you visited your dad’s farmland, and was greeted by the thousands of employees, and the manager of these employees came to you and said, “Come and fall down to me and I will give you the entire farmland.” You go, “Excuse me! Who are you? You are only an employee! I am the owner’s son!”. This is exactly what happened in that transaction between Jesus and Satan in those exchange of words, which I found most offensive in the last exchange. How do you like to be in Jesus’s situation? It just makes you to be strong if you ever faced any persecutions or mocking’s in the world because of Christ. Look at him! He will give you strength.
How did Jesus take that? He made or offered himself to be vulnerable to Satan’s temptation, when he didn’t have to. He could have terminated Satan on the spot, but he didn’t. He is God! But at that point, he was tempted as a man. He is not just God at that point, he is God-Man. God cannot be tempted, but man can. Jesus was tempted in the capacity of a man! That’s where all the actions happened. Jesus represented the tribe of Adam to recoup the glory and power that Adam lost. You must have a man to defeat Satan because Satan defeated a man before, Adam. It’s like David and Goliath’s battle. If David lost, all of Israel perished and went under Philistines. If David won, and Goliath lost, all of Philistines would come under Israel. David is the representative head of Israel. Jesus was the representative head of mankind. He was the 2nd Adam. To recoup the lost glory of mankind. All of the kingdoms of the world been lost to Satan in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve yielded to Satan’s temptation and handed over the dominion of the earth that God originally gave to Adam. But Adam lost that dominion to Satan. Good news is, 2000 years ago, the Son of God himself came in the form of a man, became the second Adam, and wrought the Kingdom of the world back to God and brought in the whole race of Adam into God’s family again, through his death on the cross, when he became the substitute death for mankind. He redeemed mankind by his shed blood, and he was resurrected on the 3rd day, glory to God.
Is that glorious? It took his blood to accomplish this task. The biggest and most glorious task was accomplished on the cross, far larger than the crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus. Jesus brought the whole tribe of mankind out of the kingdom of darkness of Satan, into his own Kingdom of light with his Father.
That epic battle with Satan is all in the mind and spirit. It wasn’t through some weapons. It’s the battle of the mind and will. Jesus won! That’s the 2nd most epic battle, with the final most epic one is on the cross when he shed his blood and after being beaten severely, he yielded his spirit to God the Father. And he said “It’s finished!”.
Luke 23: 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Keener writes, “While careful study of scriptures helps counter the unbridled subjectivism of popular charismatic excesses, study that does not lead to living out biblical experience in the era of the Spirit misses the point of biblical texts.” [1]
The Unbridled Subjectivism of popular charismatics excesses
This is the biggest problem among charismatics. There is much openings for inadvertent or temptations in going into excesses, because you are dealing with the supernatural which is by faith, a little blur, a little unclear. Unless you have clear doctrinal teachings that ground you, the feelings of the flesh will emerge once in a while, and somewhat overtakes the spirit within us. Because it’s blur, unclear, there seems to be room to ‘help’ the Holy Spirit, so to speak, making it completely unacceptable, deviant from the Scriptures. This causes great damage to the reputation of charismatics and Pentecostals. So much so many charismatics simply retrieve from it, effectively being by name charismatics. But functioning essentially as a non-charismatics. The sense I am taking to draw the line, is really in exercising the gift of the Holy Spirit that defines a so called Pentecostals or charismatics.
The key word here is “subjectivism”, which is the opposite of “objectivism”. Being subjective can become the opinion of the person doing it, instead of operating under the doctrinal watch of scriptures. Take for example, the entire ‘prosperity doctrine’ is popularized by some faith preachers that uses the power of the proclamation of the word of God because of the power in your confession. There is power in your spoken words, but it’s taken too far. So faith preachers recently in America just proclaimed that virus Covid 19 to disappear in the Name of Jesus in TV and when I saw that, it really looks like an excess of the faith preachers. This is being laughed upon by some reformed preachers in twitters, and it is causing damage to charismatics reputation. Confessing of the word is used in :
Romans 10 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
The power of confession is used here for the Lordship of Jesus Christ, not for you to calm a storm, or heal a disease. There is espousing too much power which beings to God only and not for human confessional prayers. I like the Westminster confession that uses confessions for prayers of confessing sins etc. Luther is known for confessing sins by word of mouth in his struggle against the condemnation of sins in his own life.
Mark 11: 20 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Jesus passed by a fig tree and he reached for some fruit but found none. In his disappointment and frustration, he cursed it. It withered. In that context, disciples told Jesus that the fig tree Jesus cursed had withered. There is an immediate effect of the spoken words of Jesus. He is also the one who spoke into being the world.
Genesis 1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
You see here “God said”. It’s the Trinity God, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit who spoke. Jesus was one of them.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
You see the words “Let us..” its three persons, the Trinity of God.
The point here is Jesus as God spoke, the fig tree dried up. We, as Christians, who are humans, are in no way matching Jesus in our proclamation of our words.
Then Jesus says: 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
The point here is “Have faith in God”. Not “Go ahead and speak to anything by your mouth, and it shall be done”. You can say all you want, but without faith in God, nothing will happen. Its God who can do it, not you or me. The main object or subject here in this verse is faith in God. What drives this whole conversation teaching of Jesus is about Faith in God. Now faith is not something you pump up, but rather something you grow by experiencing. This is a very beautiful verse on faith:
Hebrews 12: 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We get and grow our faith by looking to Jesus. Literally visionary spiritually, meditatively upon the scriptures.
Study that does not lead to living out biblical experience in the era of the Spirit misses the point of biblical texts
What Dr Craig Keener, a Pentecostal theologian, is saying is that studying the word of God is the first absolute requirement for us all Christians. However, if our study does not lead us to biblical experiences in the era of the Holy Spirit, we miss the point of biblical texts. Miss the point of studying scriptures. It’s like you study traffic laws, regulations, and the manual of using brakes, accelerator, steering wheel etc. from the books, but never got a chance to actually drive a car! It’s like learning all the skills of swimming by books on strokes, watching videos etc., but never got into water to experience water! You would never learn to swim.
The point of biblical texts point to the experience of the biblical texts. That’s the whole point. By right, as he said, all Christians are charismatics, because Jesus gave us all gifts (charismata) in Greek, and we all have at least one gift.
1 Corinthians 12:4–11 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Paul is saying here that all kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are gifts of manifestation of the Spirit, wisdom, utterance, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguish spirits, tongues, —all empowered by the one and same Spirit.
How many gifts operate in your church now? Honestly? Gifts are operating in preaching in manifestation of wisdom, knowledge generally, but the rest??
Conclusion
These are called the experiences of the bible, or biblical experiences in the era of the Spirit. We are in the era of the Spirit now. This is it. Go and run for them.
1 Corinthians 14: 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
First pursue love. Then earnestly desire the spiritual gifts especially prophecy. Not just desire, but earnestly desire.
[1] Craig Keener, Spirit Hermeneutics, p 5 W B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan , 2016
Al Ngu sermons & devotion 