You don’t even have to ask!

When we ask God for healing, we often wonder if He heard us and if He is willing to heal. So we ask and ask.

Actually, we don't even have to ask. Just the mention of our sickness and how awful it makes us feel is enough to move Jesus to say, "I will come and heal you."

Look at the passage on the healing of the Roman centurion's servant:

Matthew 8:5-7
5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,
6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."
7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."

All the centurion did was to tell Jesus about the sick servant and his condition. He did not even ask Jesus to heal his servant. Yet, the moment Jesus heard about how much the servant was suffering, He said, "I will come and heal him."

That's the heart of Jesus. That's the heart of your Father. When you tell Him about your sickness and pain, before you can even ask Him for healing, He is already saying, "I WILL come and HEAL you."

Friends, Jesus is always willing to heal. Just a few verses earlier, we find Him saying to the leper, "I am WILLING; be cleansed." (Verse 3) 

So even before you come to the point of asking God for healing, know in your heart that He already knows all about your pain and is saying, “I am WILLING. I WILL come and HEAL you.”

The God of all comfort

I was doing my quiet time in the office pantry one morning, reading these words from the apostle Paul:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

The part that caught my attention was this: "the Father of mercies and God of all comfort". As I thought about how our God is our God of all comfort, I looked out the pantry's ceiling to floor window and saw a beautiful sunburst over the Kallang River. Magnificent rays of sunlight were coming through some dark clouds.

After admiring it for a while, and making out a face in the clouds (God's?), I decided to take a picture of it with my handphone's camera to share it with others. So I went downstairs to get a better shot. Here it is:



Above: The sunburst outside my office.

As I went back to my office, I believe God said this to my heart:

"When there are dark clouds in your life, I am the God of all comfort, and I will come through for you."

Be blessed.

What you sow is not made alive unless it dies

1 Corinthians 15:36
36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.

I am sure that you have been taught sowing and reaping -- if you want to reap a harvest, sow a seed. For example, if you want a financial increase, sow money into good ground in the kingdom of God. If you want more friends, be a friend to someone who is lonely. If you want more health, pray for the sick. And so on.

The harvests that we want are generally blessings, good gifts from our Father. It is interesting then, that He tells us that "what you sow is not made alive unless it dies".

As I was reading this verse one morning, the Holy Spirit reminded me of my Saviour's words:

John 12:24
24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Jesus was, of course, talking about the necessity of His death. Unless He dies, there would be no salvation for mankind, no born-again sons and daughters of God, no Christians, no church of Christ. God the Father sowed His only Son, so that He could reap many sons.

What the Holy Spirit was trying to tell me was this: That we can reap the blessings we want from all our sowing because of the death of all deaths -- that of Jesus Christ at the cross. What we sow in faith we will reap, not because we are good, not because we made personal sacrifices, but because of the death of Jesus Christ. Every blessing is ours to have and to hold because of Jesus' death. (Ephesians 1:3)

There is one other thing the Holy Spirit showed me. What we sow must die. It must leave our hands. We must let go of it. I can best explain this by talking about sowing money. Some believers, when they sow money into the kingdom of God, like when they put money into their church’s offering bags, their seeds don’t really die. Why? because they still hold on to them. 

How do they do this? By "telling" the leadership how the money ought to be used. "I've given my money, therefore, I have a say in how the church should use the money, how the church should be run, how the leadership should operate." Some have even asked for "refunds" because they were not happy with the leadership.

How can our seeds die and bear fruit if we choose to hold on to them? Let them go -- into God’s hands -- and watch them grow.

Why the double standards?

While I agree that there is no necessity to mock other religions when you preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, I can’t help but think that a double standard exists in Singapore. I am referring to the recent and ongoing uproar caused by Pastor Rony Tan of Lighthouse Evangelism church in Singapore. His video-recorded interviews cum testimonies of ex-Buddhists and Taoists have angered many Singaporeans and landed him in trouble with the authorities.

Why do I say that a double standard exists in Singapore? Well, I recall that when the Da Vinci Code movie and book were popular here, it upset many Christians like myself and caused many of us to question our faith. It also caused many non-Christians to believe that the whole Christian faith was a hoax. Yet, the authorities did nothing about it, though I am sure many Christians voiced their concerns and hoped that the movie and book would be banned.

To make matters worse, well-watched documentary TV channels took advantage of the movie's popularity and aired documentaries (such as the Gospel Of Judas) here that further undermined the Christian faith. These documentaries, the movie and similar publications said many things which Christians regard as blasphemous. For example, they disputed the death and resurrection of Jesus, a fundamental truth of Christianity, and said that He had sex and hence children with Mary Magdalene.

So I can't help but think that it is somehow okay to "mock" or "test" Christians here, but not believers of other faiths. (Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that it is right to mock other religions.)

No one doubts that such movies and books would never be allowed in Singapore if they were undermining, say, Islam. Can you imagine what would happen if a Da Vinci Code type of movie and book about the Muslim faith were to be screened and sold here?

So why do the other faiths here seem to enjoy more protection than the Christian faith? Were the movie, documentaries and books permitted to be shown and sold in Singapore because Christians here were not vocal enough, that is, we did not protest in the streets or call for the death of Dan Brown? Must it come to that before we are heard? Didn't the religious harmony bill speak loud enough for us?

Perhaps we are seen as more tolerant, less volatile -- hence it's okay to push the boundaries when it comes to content that undermines and mocks the Christian faith.

I really hope that in future, Christians here can enjoy the same amount of protection the other faiths here enjoy. Let's be fair.

Leah and Rachel

Genesis 29:20-30
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her…
25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?"
26 And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years."
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also…
30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

Jacob had to work seven years for Rachel whom he loved. At the end of the seven years, after consummating the marriage, he was shocked to find out that he had slept with Leah instead. Laban had secretly given Jacob his older daughter Leah.

Jacob wasn't too happy, of course. Laban explained to him that it was not customary to give the younger before the firstborn. He then told Jacob to finish the week with Leah, and he would give Rachel as a wife to him too, on condition that Jacob served him another seven years. So Jacob finished the week with Leah and married Rachel, and worked for Laban another seven years.

Leah had weak eyes and was not pretty. Her name means "weary". She represents the law, for when you are under the heavy yoke of the law you become weary and weak. Rachel, on the other hand, was beautiful to behold. Her name means "ewe" or "female sheep". She represents grace, personified by our Lord Jesus, who is the Lamb of God.

I saw this: Under the law, works come first before the blessing -- Jacob worked seven years before he got Leah. Under grace, works follow the blessing -- Jacob received the blessing of Rachel first, and then worked another seven years for Laban. In other words, under the law, you have to work for the blessings. Under grace, you receive the blessings first, and that in turn empowers you to produce good works. This is working out of rest. This is real faith that produces good works.

Also, when you work for a blessing, when by your self-efforts you try to earn a blessing, you will probably end up with something that you don't quite like, that is of inferior quality. But when you simply receive a blessing by the grace of God, it is truly a blessing in every way.

I also saw this: Leah the firstborn had to be given first because the law came first. Israel had the law for 1,500 years before grace (Jesus) came. The Bible says that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came (later) through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

Eating with man versus eating with God

Let's compare three cases of eating with man in Proverbs 23 with eating with God in the Holy Communion.

Proverbs 23:1-3, AMP
1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider who and what are before you;
2 for you will put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to desire.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties, for it is deceitful food [offered with questionable motives].

When you sit and eat with a ruler who has prepared a sumptuous meal for you, be careful. He may have ulterior motives, a hidden agenda. He wants something from you. 

But when you partake of the covenant meal with God, all His motives for you are good. He wants you to prosper and be in health (the body). He wants you to remember that your sins are forgiven (the blood). He wants you to profit from communing with Him. He has your best interests at heart.

Proverbs 23:6-8, AMP
6 Eat not the bread of him who has a hard, grudging, and envious eye, neither desire his dainty foods;
7 for as he thinks in his heart, so is he. As one who reckons, he says to you, eat and drink, yet his heart is not with you [but is grudging the cost].
8 The morsel which you have eaten you will vomit up, and your complimentary words will be wasted.

When you eat with man, especially a miser, be careful too, as his heart is not with you. He is grudging the cost of the meal. His heart has no love for you.

Jesus knew the "cost of the meal", but He paid it gladly. It was with willingness and joy that He laid down His life for you. (John 10:15, Hebrews 12:2) His heart is full of love for you.

Proverbs 23:20-21, AMP
20 Do not associate with winebibbers; be not among them nor among gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Mixing with winebibbers and gluttons will bring you to poverty. Drowsiness will clothe you with rags.

But eating with God will bring you from rags to riches. At the cross, Jesus was made poor, so that you through His poverty might be made rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) We are reminded of this truth when we partake of His broken and naked body. Our poverty for His prosperity. Our rags for His robe of righteousness.

No reason for death

Luke 23:22

22 Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."

When the chief priests, rulers and people shouted, "Crucify Him [Jesus], crucify Him!" Pilate said to them the third time, "Why what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him..."

I want to draw your attention to this thing that Pilate said: "I have found no reason for death in Him." Beloved, there is no reason for death in Christ. And because you are in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30), there is no reason for death in your life.

There is no reason for you to be sick. There is no reason for you to be weak. There is no reason for you to be poor. There is no reason for you to die young. Heaven and hell cannot come up with a reason, for you are in Christ who is perfect. If the devil says, "I have a reason for you to be sick," you tell him, "No, liar, I am in Christ."

You are not in your sins. You are in Christ. And as He is, so are you in this world. (1 John 4:17)

God's image, justice and love

Genesis 9:6
6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A life for a life. Sounds fair enough. I understand. But why did God say that the reason for this is that we are made in His image?

You see, God's nature or "image" is such that when there is sin, when there is a transgression of His moral laws, the transgressor must pay or be punished.

Since man is made in His image, the same standards of God's justice are expected of man. In other words, if a man kills another man, he must pay for his sin with his own life -- a life for a life. This is God's justice.

The truth is that according to Jesus, we have all committed murder, because we have all hated or cursed our fellowmen at one time or another. (Matthew 5:21-22) And God's justice demands that we, who are made in His image, be punished with death -- a life for a life.

But God is also love. While His justice demands that we die, His love willingly provided a legal substitute -- His only Son. Jesus satisfied God's justice when He took our place at the cross of Calvary. We shed our fellowman's blood, but instead of our blood being shed as payment, Jesus shed His blood for us and died our death.

The wish of the rich man fulfilled by Christ

Luke 16:19-31
19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.
20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,
21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'
27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,
28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

The rich man in this well-known story wished that Lazarus could rise from the dead and go to his five brothers to warn them of their impending doom. He believed that some sort of message of repentance from someone (in this case, Lazarus) who has miraculously come back from the dead would persuade his brothers to repent and thus save them from being cast into hell when they died.

As I was thinking about this story, I saw that Jesus has in a sense fulfilled the wish of that rich man for all mankind.

Our Lord not only raised another Lazarus (Mary and Martha’s brother) from the dead, but in a greater resurrection, He Himself is the perfect Man who rose from the dead and who has a message for all mankind. And this message or gospel is able to save mankind from eternal torment in hell, for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

The rich man had five brothers. As we know, five is the number of grace in the Bible and brothers here speak of mankind. It was through grace and for the justification of all mankind that Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead. (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 4:25) And His message to all mankind is about the grace of God, which is the only thing that can bridge the "great gulf" that separates man from God.

The brothers had Moses and the Prophets, but it is implied in the story (verses 29 and 30) that they would not hear them. We know that Moses represents the law. This reaffirms the truth that the law cannot save mankind (Galatians 3:11), only the message of grace from Someone who has been raised from the dead!

The last part of the story says that the brothers will not be "persuaded though one rise from the dead". The sad truth is that not everyone will listen to the gospel of grace. There will be those who will not be persuaded by the message of the risen Christ. Nevertheless, those who receive God’s grace will escape the fires of hell and find themselves not in Abraham's bosom, but in Christ's bosom!

A spirit of fear is a scared little demon

My pastor once said that a spirit of fear is not some big, fierce monstrous demon that comes to scare you. On the contrary, it is a scared little demon that seeks to express itself (its characteristics) through you.

How true, I thought to myself. Up till then, I had always imagined a demon of fear as some big, hairy monster-like entity that scares people.

Recently, I found a little scripture to back up the point that my pastor was making.

Luke 11:14
14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke…

Notice that it was a mute spirit and that is why the man who was possessed by it could not speak. The mute spirit was expressing its "muteness" through the man! But once it was cast out, the man was able to speak.

Remember the woman with a spirit of infirmity?

Luke 13:11
11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.

A spirit of infirmity is a spirit of weakness or a weak spirit. It is not some big, strong spirit that comes to make you weak. This weak spirit expressed its weakness through the woman so that she could not even stand up straight. But when Jesus loosed her from this spirit, she had the strength to stand up straight.

The lie of evolution

I was reading Romans chapter 1 this morning. When I came to verse 23, 

Romans 1:21-23

21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

what flashed across my mind was that of a typical human evolution chart, one such as this:

In denying the existence of God and embracing evolution, has the mind of man not descended into the worship of himself and animals?

Evolution denies the existence of God and replaces the Creator with a man-made theory which essentially teaches that man evolved from apes (animals), and are thus in the same class as animals.

Watch any Discovery Channel or National Geographic programme that talks about evolution and the discerning believer will see the worship of "corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things". Where is God? Where is the credit due to our Creator?

Evolution has been called by many Christians who believe in creation (instead of evolution) as "the lie". Verse 25 of the same chapter says that man "exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." Man is worshipping and serving the created rather than the Creator whenever he teaches and preaches evolution.


Disastrous results 

What are the consequences of exchanging the truth of God for the lie of evolution? Look at the rest of the chapter.

Man becomes a fool

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Man dishonours his body

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Homosexuality and its penalties

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

A debased mind to do all things evil

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practise such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practise them.

When man does not believe in the existence of God, let alone the truth that he is created in God's image, what is there to stop him from practicing all these evils? As long as he can get away with it, why not do it? After all, he is no different from a wild animal and is only responding to his natural "animal instincts".


The limitations of sense knowledge

I will end this thought with an excerpt from the fifth chapter of EW Kenyon’s book, The Two Kinds Of Knowledge.

… In the scientific world, man's body has become a laboratory, his brain is absolutely dependent upon his Senses.

He can only know what he has experienced through these five channels [the five senses] from the outer world to his brain.

When he comes to problems like the Reason for Creation, the Origin of Life, Man, Motion and Matter, he is beyond his depth. He can only speculate... here he is passing beyond the range and the reach of the Senses, consequently he must speculate.

It is a suggestive fact that no man becomes a philosopher until he attempts to know something that the Senses cannot interpret.

Hagel’s philosophy of the non-existence of a personal God was formulated because he could not find God with his eyes, hear Him with his ears, nor contact Him with his other Senses.

He was driven by Sense Knowledge limitations to leave the world an orphan, without a Creator, without a Ruler, for he had denied God's existence.

The philosopher is always dangerous when he leaves Sense Knowledge facts and begins to speculate.

Nowhere does Sense Knowledge seem so utterly helpless as when it begins to discuss God, spirit, and the beginning of things.

It cannot see man as a spirit being.

It cannot understand God as a spirit being.

Yet, it recognises that there is a hunger in man after God, call it a God hunger, that is ever searching, ever reaching out for something it cannot obtain through the Senses.

Because of this, we have Sense Knowledge religions beginning in idolatry and ending in philosophy and metaphysics. They all, like Hagel, deny the personality of God…

Beloved, the theory of evolution is a guess, a speculation -- "the lie" -- invented by a man, who in reaching the limitation of his sense knowledge, turned philosopher and attempted to answer, with disastrous consequences to mankind, the question of the origin of life.

Put another way, evolution is like microwave "science" presented by a scientist who studied microwaves using, of all tools, a magnifying glass, and wrote down what he could not see.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

Proverbs 25:11
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

I have read this proverb many times and I like it a lot. I like it a lot because it not only sounds very poetic, but also paints a beautiful picture. I imagine a big table with a red satin sheet, all kinds of gleaming silver cutlery and golden apples taking centre stage -- a bit Christmasy.

Of course, I like it because it is a wise saying too -- say the right thing at the right time and your hearer is most blessed. How true when counselling a depressed soul.

But this morning (25 November 2008 -- 25:11), after praying in tongues for a while, the Holy Spirit showed me something new about this scripture. It came in a flash the moment I read it. (Praying in the Spirit first really does open up the Scriptures to you!)

I saw in a moment this truth: If you want to have divine fruit in your life, you must speak the rhema word of Christ, resting on the foundation of redemption.

We know that gold in the Bible speaks of divinity and silver, the redemptive work of Christ. A word fitly or aptly spoken is not just any scripture you pick off the Bible, but the scripture the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of Christ speaks to you for your unique situation. Also, our foundation has to be the finished work of Christ -- He has done it all.

So to bear fruit that is of God, speak the word that the Holy Spirit has quickened in your spirit and rest in the finished work of Christ!

'That life is in you!'

John 21:25
25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

When I read this last verse in the book of John, I thought to myself, "Isn't John exaggerating here?" I mean, Jesus earthly ministry only lasted three years. No doubt He accomplished a great deal, but certainly not to the point that if the deeds He did were recorded one by one, "even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written".

But I know that the Holy Spirit, in inspiring the Gospel of John, did not exaggerate or lie. Jesus' life must really have been so full -- of accomplishments, so infinite, that it was just too big to be contained in books.

So I said, "Wow, what a life!" Then, I believe the Spirit said, "That life is in you!" That blew my mind. You mean that perfect, infinite life that is so full of achievements, miracles, power, love and wisdom is in me? Well, isn't Christ in me? (Colossians 1:27) Am I not in Christ? (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This means that all the life and power of Christ to live a life that is so full and so infinite resides in me. Did not Jesus say, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father"?

Son of the Father

Matthew 27:20-22, 26
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They said,"Barabbas!"
22 Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"…
26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Barabbas was a rebel, murderer and robber. But he was set free instead of Jesus.

Barabbas is actually a picture of the sinner. Without Christ, we were all once, a Barabbas. We were all rebels, murderers and robbers, if not outwardly, then inwardly. But Christ took our place at the cross, so that we could be set free.

I believe that Barabbas became a believer after he was set free. When he saw Jesus standing there, he must have thought, "This is a holy Man. He is innocent and I am guilty. Yet, because of Him, I am being set free. There is something about this Man. I must know who He is."

Why do I believe that Barabbas became a believer?

Because of his name. Barabbas means "son of (bar) father (abba)". Obviously, his parents did not bother to give him a proper name as every man is a son of his father!

But I believe that in his case, because Jesus took his place, he became a son of not just any earthly father, but our heavenly Abba Father!

John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Killing in the name of their god

Religious extremists often kill in the name of their god, thinking that they are doing their god a service. For example, a Muslim extremist might cry, "Allahu akbar!" or "Allah akbar!" (which basically means "God is great") just before he blows himself and others up, or when he has just decapitated a Christian or Jew.

Above: Religious extremists killing in the name of their god.

John 16:2
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Jesus warned His disciples that "the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service". Although He was referring mainly to the religious Jews (such as Saul), who would persecute His disciples and throw them out of the synagogues, I find it interesting that in the post September 11 era, this warning still applies.

What else did Jesus say about these people?

John 16:3
3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

He said that these people "have not known the Father nor Me".

So if you are a religious extremist and you are reading this, according to Jesus (whom Islam regards as a prophet), you do not know the Father nor do you know Jesus.

The opposite is true

In Christianity, God does not require you to die for Him. However, He requires you to believe that He died for you.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The world hates you

John 15:19-20
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.

As Christians, we are in the world but not of the world. There is a big difference between what is of the world and what is of God and His kingdom. 

For example, the world says, "If you want more money, work harder and save more." But God says, "Tithe and give to others." The world says, "By this age, expect to have this disease." God says, "By Jesus’ stripes you have been healed."

An element of hate in worldly systems

I find it interesting that Jesus said, "The world hates you." To me, this means that it is not just a matter of different systems and beliefs, but that there is also an element of hate for the Christian in the world's systems. In other words, the systems of the world are not designed to love God's people, but to "hate" them, and as Christians, we must bear that in mind when we use the world's systems. [I know that in the context of the verse quoted, Jesus was talking about hate in terms of being persecuted. (Verse 20) But I believe that it goes beyond that.]

Let me illustrate. When you are sick and you go to a hospital for treatment, though the procedures, treatments and policies may have been designed to help you, bear in mind that they are still of the world, and hence there exists an element of hate for the believer.

Am I being extreme here?

Well, doesn't the Bible say that Satan is the god of this world? (2 Corinthians 4:4, KJV) And if he is the god of this world and its systems, surely he does not have your best interests at heart. In fact, his job is to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)

A reminder of sickness

So what is the element of hate in my hospital example?

The element of hate is a consciousness of sickness. As long as you are still going to the doctor, still taking medicine, still undergoing medical procedures, you will have a consciousness of sickness instead of health. Every visit to the doctor or every pill you take is a reminder of sickness, just as every sacrifice in the Old Testament was a reminder of sins. (Hebrews 10:3)

This system of the world keeps you in a consciousness of sickness. Its newspaper reports, magazines, TV programmes and the like make you very conscious of sickness. Singaporeans are thus not health conscious but sickness conscious. Remember that when man first sinned, a new consciousness entered, and from henceforth, all the ill effects of that negative consciousness.

Am I against, doctors, hospitals and medicine? Yes and no. Yes, because there still exists the element of hate. And no, because of obvious reasons, one being that most of us are not at a level of faith where we can confidently exclude doctors and medicine.

Why did Jesus want to be baptised by John the Baptist?

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him, he said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Why did John use the words "the Lamb of God"? Why didn't he say, "Behold! The Lion of Judah who takes away the sin of the world"?

It is because the Lamb facet of Jesus speaks of His death. He is the final sacrifice -- the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His one perfect sacrifice brought an end to the repeated animal sacrifices of Judaism, which served to point the Israelites to the true Lamb, who was to come at the appointed time.

What did the people behold?

John said, "Behold!" If you were there at the Jordan river, what would you have beheld?

The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

You would have seen Jesus go into the water of the Jordan river and then rise out of it. What is this a picture of? It is a picture of His death, burial and resurrection. We know that water baptism speaks of our death and burial with Jesus, as well as our resurrection with Him into a new life. (Romans 6:3-11, Colossians 2:11-14, 2 Timothy 2:11)

So today, how do we behold the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world? We remember and meditate on the Lord's death and resurrection for us. And one of the most biblical ways we do that is by partaking of the Holy Communion, for when we partake of the Communion, we proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Jesus was also glorified

Right after Jesus was baptised, the heavens were opened to Him and the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove descended and remained on Him. God the Father then spoke audibly, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

This is a picture of the glorification of Jesus. Our Lord wasn't just raised from the dead by the Father. He was also glorified. The Father "seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come". (Ephesians 1:20-21)

To fulfil all righteousness

Now, John's baptism was a baptism for sins. People who came to him to be baptised also confessed their sins. (Matthew 3:5) So why did Jesus go to John to be baptised when He was without sin?

Jesus gave this answer to John, who was puzzled as to why Jesus would want to be baptised by him: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15, NIV)

Jesus was not being baptised for His sins, but for the sins of the whole world -- "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." In order for the righteous requirements of the law to be fulfilled, and in order for us to be able to receive freely the gift of righteousness apart from our works, Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins. Hence, He received John's baptism, which is a picture of Him dying for our sins, a most necessary sacrifice to "fulfil all righteousness"! 


Post revelation note:

There is another beholding of our Lord in the Bible. It is found in the Old Testament. I am talking about the bronze serpent on a pole in the wilderness. The Israelites had been bitten by fiery serpents and many were dying. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Those who beheld it instead of their wounds were healed.

The bronze serpent (bronze speaks of judgment and the serpent symbolises the curse) on the pole is a type of Jesus becoming a curse for us on the cross. (More on the bronze serpent on the pole here.) He redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), which includes being redeemed from all kinds of diseases. (Deuteronomy 28:61)

So one is a "wet" beholding while the other is a "dry" beholding, in the sense that one took place in water and the other in the desert under the scorching sun. The "wet" one took away sins while the "dry" one took away diseases.

What is my point? When you take the Holy Communion, there are also two elements to behold. One is the "dry" scorched bread (the matzah bread must be made with burnt marks) for our healing and the other is the "wet" wine for the forgiveness of sins.

So when you hold the bread in your hands, behold Jesus on the pole cursed with your disease. See your disease taken away from you and placed on His body. Surely He has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains. (Isaiah 53:4, YLT) And when you hold the cup of wine in your hands, behold Jesus going into the watery grave of the Jordan river -- behold the Lamb who shed His blood to take away your sins!

The sign of sign and wonder of wonders -- when I survey the wondrous cross

All these thoughts that I am about to share came to me one morning, I believe, by the Spirit.

I woke up early that morning and was unable to go back to sleep. Thoughts were flying across my mind. Not good thoughts -- problems, worries, fears… So I said to myself, "I need to replace these thoughts or I'll go crazy. I need to meditate on something good. I will meditate on the majesty of Christ. He's the best subject to meditate on." That's my way of "beholding" Him.

So which story in the Bible should I meditate on, I asked myself.

The healing of the nobleman's son

I had read the first five chapters of the book of John the night before but nothing got in. So I just decided to recall one thing that Jesus did: The healing of the nobleman’s son in chapter 4.

The healing of the nobleman's son

Jesus was in Galilee when a nobleman from Capernaum came imploring Him to heal his son who was sick at home, actually, at the point of death. I thought about the two things which Jesus said:

John 4:48
48… "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."

John 4:50
50… "Go your way; your son lives."

I thought to the Lord, "Wow, Jesus, You are so awesome -- just one simple sentence out of your mouth and the life-threatening problem was solved. You didn't even have to go to the man's house to lay hands on his dying son. You only had to speak six words. And those powerful words of yours -- every syllable -- transcended time and space, and blasted resurrection life into the boy. Big problem solved, just like that! No wonder you are God! No question about it! That’s so cool!"

I continued, "You know, for us, we can pray and pray, command and command till the cows come home, confess and confess till we're blue in the face, and the problem still persists! Gosh, how is it You can do it and we can't seem to do it?"

Why did Jesus have all the faith in the universe?

So I wondered why Jesus was so confident that what He said just once would surely come to pass. I mean, how is it that He had all the faith in the universe, not doubting even once?

The answer came in a short while. It was so simple: Because He knew without a doubt that He Himself was going to the cross to die for the sins and the sicknesses of that boy. He was going to die so that that boy could live. He was going to die young at the age of 33, so that that boy could live to a ripe old age, full of years. And as far as Jesus was concerned, His sacrifice was already a done deal. Doesn't the Bible talk about the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world? The cross indeed transcends time and space.

I then said to myself, "Well, if we are going to have any faith to do anything, like pray for healing, we need to have a some degree of revelation that Jesus indeed went to the cross and died for our sins and sicknesses. That has to be our rock-solid foundation for believing for any miracle or blessing."

But how are we going to get that? We weren't there at the cross. It's not fair. We didn't see Him die. All that was more than 2,000 years ago! We live in the here and now.

Then, I thought about the other thing Jesus said: "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."

Hmmm… Jesus wasn't exactly in a "good mood" if I may put it that way. Yet, He could still perform the miracle. That itself was awesome to me. And isn't what He said so true? Before we can believe, we need to see a sign, and then probably another, and another, just to reconfirm and double-reconfirm! We need to see, hear or feel something. "Show me a sign! Then, I'll believe!" That's our human nature. That's our flesh.

While I was meditating on all this, I wondered how what I was receiving could be linked to the Holy Communion, since I sometimes have to lead the Holy Communion after our department lunch on Tuesdays. We take turns and I don't like to just go through the motion if I can help it. So was there something of value that I could share that would help my colleagues believe?

The elements are your proof

Then, this came to my mind: "The elements you hold in your hand during Communion -- the bread and the wine -- are all the physical evidences you need today. They are the 'signs and wonders' that I went to the cross and died for your sins and sicknesses."

In other words, my friend, when you partake of the Holy Communion, you hold in your hands the "signs and wonders" to help you believe for your miracle. Many of us would prefer God to split the ceiling, descend with lightning and thunder, and speak to us audibly. But that doesn't seem to happen, does it, no matter how much we pray for it!

No, God is telling us that all we need to see, taste, touch and smell are the bread and wine. So partake seeing and believing, and "Go your way".

Go and live!

What does "Go your way mean"? Go! Live out the dreams that God has birthed in your heart. Go! and enjoy life. Go! and do what you have always wanted to do. Go your way! Why can you do that? Because "your son shall live". That near-death situation in your life shall have life!

Here's one last thought: You know, that man could have gone shopping in Galilee or had St Peter's fish for lunch at a nice restaurant. Why not? His son was already healed the moment Jesus spoke those words. He didn't have to worry about it. The Bible says that "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way". So if you believe, you will go your way. You will not argue, reason and question -- "but… but… but…" -- till you are paralysed by analyses. No, you will go your way. So go! Having partaken, having seen, having believed, go and live life to the fullest for the glory of God!

A God principle in lightning and thunder

A loud blast of thunder woke me up on the morning of Tuesday, 5 September 2006. It happened just before 6am. It was still dark outside and it was raining lightly. 
 

There were five to six more loud bangs. I could see the bright flashes through my window. And with each lightning flash came the accompanying thunder blast within a second or two.

The light of God's Word is followed by sound.

I love the sound of thunder. Whenever I hear thunder, I am reminded of the hymn How Great Thou Art:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

To me, it is God's power displayed throughout the universe. The splendour and power of the lightning bolt, and the majestic sound of the thunder reverberating through the skies and walls, remind me of how awesome a God I serve.

As I lay on my bed, I wondered why the thunder came after the lightning. Why does sound come after light? As I thought about it, I received this revelation: The light of God's Word is followed by sound.

In other words, when you receive light for a dark situation in your life in the form of God's Word, you ought to give voice to it. You ought to speak it or confess it.

These verses then came to mind:

Romans 10:10
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

2 Corinthians 4:13
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak,

Revelation 12:11
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…

If you really believe the Word in your heart, it is only natural you speak it forth. It is as natural as thunder coming after lightning. It is as natural as a golfing enthusiast talking about golf with his friends in a coffee shop.

I wondered about the rain too. Rain in the Bible is likened to God's Word coming down from heaven and going forth.

Deuteronomy 32:1–2
1 "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass.

Isaiah 55:10–11
10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Just as rain falls to the earth, lightning falls to the earth. His Word comes down to us from heaven like rain and lightning. The wetness of His Word cleanses, refreshes and nourishes us. The light of His Word drives away darkness and shows us the way. And the thunder of His Word just sends the enemy fleeing in seven directions.

Isn't it wonderful that God can speak to us about His ways through nature? Indeed, Paul said:

Romans 1:20
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…

Praise God!

God was smiling down on me -- rainbow around the sun

Have you ever seen a rainbow encircling the sun?

I saw this awesome phenomenon in the sky once sometime in 2000. I was having a lunch picnic with my colleagues at the beach. After a while, I happened to look up and there it was, right above my head -- a perfect, circular rainbow around a bright noon sun!

While the rainbow here is not the one I saw, it is nonetheless very similar.

I enjoyed the special moment. I have seen many rainbows, but it was the first time I was seeing a rainbow around the sun. And I just felt like the Sun of Righteousness, Jesus, was on His throne looking down at me and smiling.

Revelation 4:3
3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

I saw a double rainbow once too, while having my honeymoon in Mauritius. It was a beautiful morning on the beach. One for me, one for my wife!

Do you know what the rainbow in the Bible symbolises? Why did I say earlier that I felt that God was smiling on me?

Because the rainbow symbolises God's promise: "I will never be angry with you again, nor condemn you!" It reminds us of His new covenant of grace and peace with us.

Genesis 9:11-13
11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12 And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.

Isaiah 54:9-10
9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,"

So the next time you see a rainbow, just remember this: God is not angry with you, nor does He condemn you. Mountains and hills may be removed, but His kindness will never depart from you!