Home 2014 (Page 2)

Year: 2014

God’s Eternal Predestinating Purpose

The revealed Will of God is for His people to be conformed to His Son. ( Rom 8:28-29). God wants His people to bear all the attributes of a life filled by the Spirit of His Son – namely love, joy, peace, patience, kindnesss, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control – for all eternity. We were made in this original image of God but we have lost much of it.

When God said that everything works together for good, He really mean everything including suffering, trials and temptation. He will allow trials to test our patience and faithfulness, and opportunities to test our kindness and goodness. Eventually, suffering produce endurance and endurance in turn produces character. Heb 12:3-11; Rom 5:3-5.

How do we shine as light and bring glory to God ? It is the outward works that manifest these inner qualities which people will SEE and give glory to God. Matt 5:16.

It is a world of difference between doing some kind deeds and being a good person. The Priest and the Levite may do some good deeds at some time in life but the Samaritan is a good person. The distinction is important otherwise it may lead to wrong ideas according to CS Lewis in his excellent book Mere Christianity. (Pray I paraphrase correctly what he had said.)

The first wrong idea is provided we do the right thing, it does not matter whether we do it willingly or unwillingly, out of public opinion or not, grudgingly or cheerfully. The truth is that right action done for the wrong reason does not build up our inner quality or character. We may give a ton of praise and worship Jesus but our hearts may be far away from Him altogether. Our inner desires or personal fulfillment may sadly be the true motive for the worship rather than out of true love. Mark 7:6-7.

The second wrong idea is that we may think God wants us simply to obey a set of rules whereas He actually wants us to have certain character. (The Law is actually the blueprint of that Christ-like character or what some theologians call it the teacher of righteousness.) That was what Jesus our Lord meant when he said that one might NOT have committed adultery all his life but he had committed the sin already when he looked at a woman lustfully. It is not so much about the strict adherence to the commandments but rather about having the inner quality of love or fruit of the Spirit that fulfills the commandments.

Each time we make a moral choice – and we will make numerous such choices in our entire life – we are turning the central part of us either towards a heavenly creature or towards a hellish creature : either into a creature that is in harmony with God’s laws or a creature that is in harmony with the world, the flesh and the Devil. Now each time we examine ourselves of our action and thought, we move our central part towards the heavenly creature end and this self examination comes from the sanctifying work of the Spirit of Christ. Some call this process Sanctification. Now it will be disastrous to hear of false teaching that we can make choices towards the hellish creature part without even worrying about it. Then it is regrettable that the initial belief is merely a professing of faith and not a genuine repentant faith.

The third wrong idea is that all the good fruits of the Spirit is only good for this life and not beyond because all will be perfect in future. Yes, there may not be occasion for us to do good deeds in heaven but there will be every occasion for us to become that Spirit-filled person as a result of doing such acts NOW. It will be very strange for people not wanting to be sanctified now and yet they hope to be in Heaven in which all such sanctified people live.

It is still about the true circumcision of the heart….

Hard Times; Exciting Times

I am not in the business of fear mongering by writing my new book “The Coming Economic Flood”. God forbid ! We are exhorted to eagerly await the return of our Lord Jesus and to speed His return by living godly lives and to share the gospel to every corner of the earth. 2 Pet 3:11-12, Matt 24:14. But His return will be preceded by terrible times and judgments – the beginning of sorrows and the tribulation judgments. 2 Tim 3:1-5; Matt 24:4-8,21-22; Rev 5-16.
Jesus our Lord further exhorted us not to be weighed down by dissipation and cares of this world but to pray to escape the times and be watchful. Scripture also further exhorts us to live godly lives, and to encourage and build each other up as we see the Day drawing near. 1 Thess 5:11; Heb 10:24-25; 2 Pet 3:14.
We are pre warned as well to the heightened spiritual deception and apostasy in these last of the last days and to be on our guard as not to fall from our secure position. 2 Pet 3:17; Matt 24:24; 1 Tim 4:1-2.
Though the coming times will be hard and terrible, they are exciting at the same time for it means the return of our Lord Jesus is near. Luke 21:28,31. May our Lord come soon ! Hallelujah !

Gift of Prophecy

“…in the primary sense of prophets, as vehicles of direct and fresh revelation, it seems we must say that this charisma is no longer given. There is no longer anyone in the church who may dare to say, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying…” or “Thus says the Lord.” It has been argued, however, that prophets may be used in other and lesser senses. Some think there may be men today like the prophet Agabus (Acts 11:28; 21-10-11) whose function is NOT TO ADD TO REVELATION but to foretell some future event. This is possible. But both church history and personal experience make me cautious…”

– John Stott, Baptism and Fullness.

It is right to be cautious as there are many charlatans out to make gain today by claiming to have this gift of prophecy in the lesser sense. But we are also told not to despise prophecy in these last days but to test everything. 1 Thess 5:20-21.

John 16:13

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (Emphasis mine).

The Coming Flood Preparation.

Another shorter message.   The watchman kept repeating the maxim that if you prepare and the flood never come,  you lose nothing but if you do not prepare and the flood come, you have everything to lose.  Another important point made :  God has not intended that the warning is to strike fear but rather to be prepared as not to be alarmed.   Jesus our Lord warned in Luke 21 about coming calamities and persecution but added that we should not be alarmed which was His intention of warning.

The Coming Flood Preparation.

In the several conferences and churches that I have shared till now about the coming economic flood,  the top concern is still about knowing how to prepare physically for it.   There are several secular websites on this topic.   Here is one Christian ministry calling for similar preparation like having an emergency fund, getting out of debt and trusting God as the highest priority. Zeph 2:3.

Coming Collapse of the Monetary System

One of the more interesting look at the signals and flashpoints of the coming economic depression with convincing charts. From the 28th minute 30 sec to 30th minute of the interview, it was mentioned that the IMF may bail out the Fed with their printed money and a question is posed on who is running the IMF – an unaccountable king, dictator or communist ? Though it was a secular interview on economic issues, could it unexpectedly predict the coming one world dictator as prophesized ?