Stop looking at your sin!

Start looking at the sin offering!

In one of the mid-week service, deaconess Lian preached a powerful sermon on: identify yourself in Christ. It's so powerful! sin = sin offering! in Hebrew, both sin/sin offering are the same! God see our sin on Jesus when He was hung on the cross, as us! So that we can receive His righteousness!

I searched on the hebrew meaning of sin in Blue Letter Bible (very useful tool!), and here is how it looks like, i went on to research on the meaning of each hebrew letters (each one has different meaning) and it means: "(from right to left) To reveal / snake / power / cross"; sin = revealing the power of the snake on the cross! Jesus said: as the bronze serpent was raised in the wildreness, so is the Son of man be lifted up!

Jesus become our sin on the cross, the greatest, ugliest sin of mankind, was at its fullest when Jesus was nailed on the cross, like the bronze serpent on the pole, become a standard which stop our enemy that comes in like a flood!

Even in SIN, is God's redemptive work revealed! Praise Jesus!

No wonder in book of Romans: Where sin abound, grace much more abound!

Amen!

Bible study (Deautronomy)

Another reading from Israel Today, simply confirmed what pastor teach about ' there's no middle ground'
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When I go abroad to speak about the current situation in Israel, I always begin with the following verse from Deuteronomy “I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.”

The word curse isn’t very popular these days. But I didn’t choose it. God did. Pick up a newspaper, read a magazine, turn on the television or just walk down a city street. Everywhere you turn, it’s increasingly evident that faith in God and in His Word is not the world’s view. But this doesn’t change the fact that we’re talking about a life and death decision.

Today, the majority of the world’s population no longer believes in God or uses the Bible as its plumb line. And because people don’t know the Word of God, they accept anything that comes down the pike, from convoluted gibberish to unreliable media reports about Israel. But in a court of law, unbelief and ignorance won’t protect the defendant from being punished for his actions.

God lays blessing or curse before all mankind, giving every individual the freedom to choose between the two. He doesn’t coerce anyone. He wants us to make our choices freely. He wants obedience to come from our hearts.

In Numbers 24:9, it’s written, “Blessed is everyone who blesses you [Israel], and cursed is everyone who curses you.” You may say, ‘I have never cursed a Jew!’ That may well be true. But if you’ve withheld blessing, you’ve effectively done the same.

If I neglect to feed a child, he will die of malnutrition and dehydration. The sin of omission would bring the same result as if I murdered him deliberately. It’s the same principle with blessing and curse. Jesus said, ‘He who is not with Me is against Me’ (Matthew 12:30).

There is no middle ground in the Kingdom of God; there isn’t any “no-man’s land.” You can’t be neutral. It’s not enough to talk of a loving God and live in a grey zone. Speaking to the church at Laodicea, the Lord minces no words. “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit [literally, vomit] you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

There is no middle ground on this issue. Those who choose not to bless Israel become an ‘empty shell,’ which is the meaning of the Hebrew word for “curse.” Such a person will experience what God wrote on the wall for Belshazzar—that he has been found wanting, like an “empty shell,” which is blown away by the wind (Daniel 5).

The Bible is not a salad bar from which we can pick and choose what we like. If we don’t take God’s instructions about Israel seriously, we loose the very heart of God and diminish our ability to receive what we need from Him in our personal lives. Israel is that central to His unfolding plan of redemption for all mankind.

Bible study (Zech 2:8)

Very interesting reading! taken from Israel Today:
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How many times have you heard it said, “Whoever touches Israel touches the apple of God’s eye?” This oft-repeated quote is based on Zechariah 2:8: “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘After glory He has sent me against the nations that plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.’”

Because many English translations write “His” with a capital letter, the logical conclusion is that the reference is to God’s eye. But in the original Hebrew, two legitimate possibilities exist. The Stone edition of the Tenach (Old Testament) translates the second part of the verse as follows: “…for whoever touches you touches the pupil of his own eye.” Equally accurate, this translation opens the door to a whole different understanding of this Scripture.

In their Biblical commentaries, Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch and Professor Arnold B. Ehrlich believe that rather than referring to God’s eye, the “eye that has been touched” (Hebrew, aino) belongs to the one doing the touching (hanoge’ah).

Understood in this context, the one touching [harming] Israel damages his own eye so at the very least, he can no longer see clearly. His perception has diminished, physically, mentally and theologically. And if the damage is severe, he may have even blinded himself so he can no longer distinguish truth from non-truth.

The implications can be far-reaching, distorting his ability to think clearly, impairing his discernment and even undermining the righteous foundation of his own life. This applies particularly to those who want to proclaim the truth to others. They become the blind leading the blind.

There's only 1 Jesus

Do you know that if you bring Jesus into the movie theater, He can speak to you through the show? any show!

There's a scene in the movie, where the little boy found 1 of the 5 precious golden ticket to enter the chocolate factory, the little boy wanted to sell the ticket for money because his family is poor.

His grandpa call him and tell: Money is printed every day, there are plenty of them out there, but this golden ticket, there're only 5. Why would you want to give up this for something which is common!

There and then, the Holy Spirit speaks: There's only 1 Jesus! would you give up this only Jesus that the world can ever have for something common? We didn't pay anything for Jesus, He pay for His trip with His own life and blood! all we can give him is our sin and death.. and He took it.

The journey to the chocolate factory was wonderful, really. Our imagination is the limit to what God can give us. Jesus is our golden ticket to Abba God, to heaven, to everlasting righteousness and grace and mercy and all the blessing of God! and He came freely for us, would you exchange this one and only ticket for something common?

Amen.

Wonka Bar - Sweet!

I been wanting to watch the show and finally get to watch it last Monday.

I reach the cinema at 7.30pm and just missed the 7.10pm show.. and the next screening is at 9.15pm! I don't want to waste that 2 hours sitting around! I know there're still ticket for the 7.10pm, so I asked the server at counter when will the show start, she told me I'll likely to miss out the first few minutes. So I said ok and bought the ticket.

I took a glance at the seat number, it was J 05..I was like hahaha ok is this The Lord? so i happily went into the theater and the show had just started! I conveniently 'missed' all the commercial and started enjoying the opening theme of the show!

Even in the little things in life, God can show His love, if you notice. :-)

Identification with Christ

Yesterday's sermon was wonderful.. Deaconese Lian preached a powerful sermon on identification with Christ: Where do you see yourself with our Lord? with Him? beside Him? in front of Him? behind Him? in Him?

When God pass before Moses, He hide him in the cleft of the Rock (our Lord), so Moses can take a glimpse of God's glory (His goodness, mercy and grace). But the law cannot not see God's face. Pastor Joshua mentioned before, to see God's face is to see God's smiling at us, His grace to us.

So if the law can take a glimpse of God's glory, HOW MUCH MORE we as children of His grace; whom He embrace and love?

Jesus is the only Son whom God love and well pleased with. Today, yes, now, present tense, i am in Christ. i am not outside Him, admiring Him afar, no! i am in Him and He is in me! Christ and me is one! So i can boldly say in Christ, i am the beloved child of God whom He please. Whatever God had given to Jesus, i receive, today my prayer is no longer: Abba, thank you for this thank you for that which you given... I said: Abba, I thank you I have this and I have that, because You love me!

Christ is in me, the Hope of Glory. Amen!

GET WISDOM!

Often I came across psalms and proverbs in bible, mentioned about 'wisdom'. The writer of psalms and proverbs had always been reminding their descendents (in this case, whoever reads the bible) the importance of seeking wisdom. In fact, they wrote about how wisdom was looking for those who will appreciate, and almost comes to calling out people to come to her.

Proverbs 2:12
Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

Proverbs 3:13
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

Proverbs 4:6
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

Proverbs 4:11
I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.

Proverbs 8:1-3
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud:

and the list goes on... at first i read it as.. yeah it's important to seek God's wisdom, it doesn't just do me good, it pleases God when you ask Him for wisdom, see how happy He was when Soloman ask for wisdom from Him? but after further study and reading more scriptures on this topic, i realised, WISDOM of GOD is refering to JESUS also!

Psalm 104:24
How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Proverbs 3:19
By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;

(More elaboration in Proverbs 8: Wisdom Call, on how wisdom laid the foundation of the world with God)

Now when you look back to those psalms and proverbs, everthing make more sense! seek Jesus! He'll save our way from wicked man, He'll give us understanding, He'll protect us and watch over us, and lead us along straight path! as Jesus said: I AM THE WAY! Bible also said: the world is created through Him, and for Him! (see my posting on Heaven and Earth)

That's why God was very glad with Soloman when he asked for Wisdom, in the way, he asked for Jesus, although he didn't follow the way thoughout his life, God is so pleased that He blessed Soloman in a way no man ever had.

I asked a stupid question when i read those proverbs about Wisdom:"how come in all the proverbs, Wisdom is discribed as a 'she', a 'sister', a 'woman who make her house'?" Jesus is a male leh...???

The Lord told me, first, the old testament psalmist have not seen Jesus, secondly, Jesus will never force us to receive Him, in OT Jesus is represented by a female red heifer to show that He is submissive to the Father's will.

i see.. そですね ...

Mercy, Grace and Truth

Hey Ann! I am not the only one who read that portion! Praise the Lord!

I came across proverbs 3 the day before yesterday:
¹ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
² For length of days and long life, And peace they will add to you.
³ Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴ so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Notice before 'mercy and truth', scripture mentioned: "For length of days and long life, And peace they will add to you." This appears in another scripture which i came across yesterday:

Psalms 61
⁶ You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations.
⁷ He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!

I realised the scripture mentioned that: Our life (privillege for Christians only) is prolonged by mercy and truth. Mercy; we learn in the bible - God's loving kindness, in Psalms 118 the psalmist praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy. Truth; what is truth? last week Pastor Prince teach according to the bible, the many phases of the Truth, one of them is the truth of God's love for His people is everlasting. In the books of John, John mentioned the Truth as Jesus Christ is Son of God who came to die for our redemption and raise for our justification. It sounds like God's grace.

In psalms 91, God said: With long life I'll satisfy you. So how does God give us long life? by Mercy and Truth, in psalms 23, the psalmist said: Mercy and grace will follow me, all the days of my life, and I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

Where is the house of God today? in us! every Christian is a house (temple) of God! which means, mercy and grace is following us all the days of our life! which goes back to the earlier psalms that says: length of days be added to those who find mercy and truth (the truth of God's love, God's grace)

Praise the Lord!!!

p/s: i found something amazingly interesting: psalms 31, 61 and 91 are all Protection Psalms! who said bible is not written by God! :D

If only Judas know...

John 13
²¹ When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
²² Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
²³ Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
²⁴ Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
²⁵ Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
²⁶ Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
²⁷ Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
²⁸ But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.
²⁹ For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
³⁰ Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

.. and we know what happened later, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pcs of silver.

All the while i thought when Jesus told John, the one who betrayed Him is the one He gave the bread to, He is simply telling John: "see, this is the man who'll betray me". However John took no action against Judas, and Jesus didn't point out Judas is the betrayer in front of everyone, if He did, you think Peter won't strike at the first moment? Instead, Jesus let him go.

What touches me most is when Pastor Prince shared about 'the disciple whom Jesus love'. Jesus love everyone with great love, even though He knew Judas was going to betray Him, He still love Judas which that love which would save and give eternal life! He never compromise His love even though He knew what Judas was about to do, as the matter of fact, He dipped the bread into the dish and fed Judas! According to Pastor, that's a very loving act according to Jewish custom! Jesus ONLY did it to Judas! And John saw it all..

What does that mean? it's not pointing out the criminer! i saw it wrongly! Jesus was telling Judas: I know what you are going to do, but on top of this, I am willing to give up my body for your redemption! (minutes ago, when Jesus broke bread for the supper, He told them: This is my body broken for you..!) If Judas can remember what Jesus said minutes ago, he would know, that Jesus has no regret, no hate and no anger to accept what he was about to do to Him, and Jesus was telling him: even if you do this, I can still save you!

i can only imagine how Judas felt when he look into Jesus eyes, or did he? maybe he just look down, avoiding eye contact, because no one, after seeing that love and passion in Jesus's eyes can bring himself to betray Him! that's why bible said, after he receive the bread, satan entered him, and Jesus asked him to go quickly, because Jesus know, if he stay longer, he might change his mind! Jesus was letting Judas fulfill the scripture, while still wanting to save him!

And only after Judas had left Jesus gave the rest His new commandment:
³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Judas didn't heard this, he didn't hear Jesus said that: "as I have loved you". If he heard this, he might not betrayed Jesus. Jesus's spirit was troubled when He point out one would betray Him, could it be because He know He'll lost a sheep among His flock? He'll lost Judas forever, the rest of the disciples can receive everlasting lafe after He is glorified, but can Judas stay till then?

We all know the answer, Judas, because of guilt and self-condemnation, hanged himself, if only he know the Lord's heart, if only he stayed alive for few more days, and see the glorified Lord, Jesus would not lost this sheep, if only Judas know...

For CybeRanger

Saw this picture and thought of you, Cy~ba~len~jar~ (Japanese way of pronouncing) hhahahaaa!!
Just for fun, hope you like it.. :P

His love is greater then wine...

This is what i feel about receiving His love.. i know actually it's much more...

Sunday service simply blow me off myself. Started in the morning, the Lord directed me to the books of John, simply because he is 'the disciple whom Jesus love', and i wanted to read topic about 'love'. So here I go, 1 John 4, 3rd John 2 and John 1... The Things of God is always simple and powerful. When i see how John descript Jesus's love to him, it's the 'Truth' that kept him around, and Pastor Prince further confirm that, among Jesus's disciples, he lived the longest, and among all, he was entrusted to take care of Mary, Jesus's natural mother, and he was the one glorified Jesus showed a spectacular view of Revelation of Christ!

How interesting, the originally, youngest among all disciples, the one who looks the weakest, while Peter yelling about his loyalty at the last supper, John simply leaned against Jesus bossom, hearing the heartbeat of his Lord. How was it like? to be very near to one, whom you know for sure, His love for you is certain.

John called himself 'disciple whom Jesus love', not because Jesus love him the most, but because he believe so, and by that, Jesus is able to show the most love to him! This same amount of love couldn't reach Judas because he didn't believed Jesus love him too!

I believe He love me, beyond the heaven and earth. i was created by Him, through Him and FOR HIM! How can He not love me? He love SO much He is willing to die for me! and not just plain death, but by humiliation, torture and suffering.

The book of John ended with:
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.

Amen! and Amen!