Do You Love Jesus?

John 21:16
Lovest thou me? feed my sheep.

Three times Jesus says this phrase to Peter, until Peter got agitated. Some scholars have mentioned that perhaps it was to drill it into Peter because earlier on he had professed to Jesus that he will never depart Jesus. Yet when Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Christ thrice. Nonetheless, one of the reason why Peter was also selected to answer this question was because he was regarded as the head of all the disciples.

This is a clear mandate to all of Christians. If you say you love Jesus, Jesus is asking you to "feed his sheep". (Sheep! feed the silly, low IQ animals called mankind - I've shared about this topic in an earlier post)

We often find ourselves devoted to life's causes, programs, entertainment and activities, and so few devoted to an intimate relationship with Christ. Jesus' first obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of Men; that was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. The same principle is imperative in our spiritual life.

If today you look at your life and can plainly see that you are not serving the heartbeat of God, I can confidently also say that you have issues saying "Jesus, I love you truly." Not to hurl stones at your life or condemn those who are not actively serving or reaching out to the world whom God created and so loved (John 3:16), but the key purpose of this passage speaks of Jesus' commands on his disciples to show forth their love to him through the necessary actions that he desired of his disciples.

Yes, if the people whom we are called to serve are truely as frustratingly silly and stupid like sheep, I can understand how many of us would shun the job and just want to not do anything. But we're not told to shephard the sheep, we're told only to do the simple act of feeding. How can we run away from such a simple instruction for Jesus if we say we are devoted to him?

The message of Christ is not to make us busy workers in various ministries, because our devotion to Christ must take precedent over our service for Christ. This does not take away from being involved in service for Christ; rather, when HE is our foremost concern and the ONE to whom our life is devoted to. Thus, our involvement in serving will naturally follow as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

I liken it to falling in love, and since I'm no expert in the area of falling in love, at least I like to raise the example of having a best friend in life. Not only do we cherish the person, for the time and open communication which transpires in friendship, we would naturally offer help and express interest in any issue which the individual faces.

Thus, the overflow of our love for Christ would naturally see us doing what our Master and Lord feels for. That is why all of our service and ministry should begin with our devotion to Christ and our trust in Him, as the source of our strength and sufficiency.

We don't serve or minister with our own strength or with good intentions, that's called human charity which the world already practices. Instead, as we grow in our knowledge and fellowship with God, the Holy spirit with natually penetrate our hearts and bring us to see the heartbeat of God and teach us how to serve Him with complete reliance upon HIM.

Do you love Jesus? May your love for him lead you to feed his sheep.

Blessings,
M.

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." " (John 6:68)

In the day of Battle

Psalm 78:8-9
"They would not be like their forefathers - a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. The men of Ephraim, though armed with bows, turned back on the day of battle"

One of my greatest fear is that the youths whom I taught or am teaching currently will someday lapse into their old self the moment I move on and stop being their immediate leader. I say this not of pride nor of need to gain self accomplishment but really because I know that every one's mettle is only proven when the storms of life hit and you are left to make your own choices. As seen in the bible through many examples such as this: "No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the LORD their God" (Judges 8:33-34a)

Ephriam was not just any other tribe, it is the tribe from which Joshua was from. Numbers 2:18-24 also tell us that the tribe of Ephriam were a priviledged tribe who were placed to the west of the ark of covenant in the Israelite formation.

Yet, greatness of one's history or heritage does not secure the equal greatness of one's character. Just because your forefather was one of the greatest leaders in history does not make you of equal standing like them.

The men of Ephraim were well equipped and furnished with the required weapons, however, they failed in faith and courage and retreated before the foe. What a tragedy it is to be equipped with the required weapon and then fail to muster the moral courage to fight gallantly as required and trained.

The account of the men of Ephraim in Psalm 78.9 can happen to anyone of us. Let's not kid ourselves, talk of us being in faith with God is cheap. I don't believe that anyone of us in church today can say that we're not equipped with the weapons to defend ourselves or to take the higher ground in battle.

Today, you can serve actively in church or be involved in a ministry or cell that is providing you with a covering, but in the day of your own battle where you are to stand for your faith and do what you are to do, will you turn your back like the men of Ephraim?

May you always stand your ground in faith and loyalty to God.

Blessings,
M.

"But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matthew 7:26-27)

I'm the House of Prayer

Luke 19:45-46
Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling, saying to them, "It is written, "AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER," but you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN."

Nowadays, thanks to the fact that I'm handling the walkman category of the phones, I've started depending on the phone to play all my christian songs and podcast sermons the moment I leave the house. This allows me to worship or listen to the word of God being shared and boy is it really invigorating to start the day this way, especially when the weather is cool and on days when the Holy Spirit reveals a deeper revelation of the word of God and God's perspectives of things.

It's an amazing feeling of revelation when you think about the word of God and it literally becomes alive and pops into a 3D format at you.

Just a day ago, I was brought into prayer after a brief worship session as I walked to work and suddenly this incident popped up into my mind:
Some time ago, Clark was playing "chor tie ti" (a somewhat chinese version of bridge) in the annex with some of the other ex rangers and I voiced my displeasure of him partaking in what I considered to be gambling - even if it didn't involve money. Somehow, in my perspective, I regard it as gambling because it is an activity which the secular partakes. There and then it was and still is disturbing for me to see my Rangers living compromised lives as they partake in their entertainment activities which the world practices for its own version of entertainment. Not that I'm innocent for not doing something similar because I too was chided, when I was 16, by my father for playing mahjong even though too gave the similar excuse of "I'm not playing with money." Don't get me wrong, I really love playing mahjong as a game, so I didn't just obey when my father chided me, rather I stood my ground and argued with my aggressive teenage attitude - and boy was I a fiery, stubborn teenager then.

Somehow, I chose to swallow the logic of my father when he retorted through my argument of "the game is developed behind the spirit of gambling and you are partaking in it when you play the game". I'm not sure when I finally bought the logic but through obliging obedience, somehow today I'm not comfortable with Christians adopting secular stuff for our own lifestyle usage as we inevitably disguise or ignore the essence and spirit behind the secular activity. Thus, I stand firm in discomfort against any of my rangers who partake in adopting secular gambling games or programmes in their excuse of clean entertainment.

Anyhow, after that thought of the event in the annex came back to me in remembrance, before I could think in puzzlement why, the word of God in the passage above of Luke 19:45-46 came to mind. It dawned upon myself that the Annex which we used as the church is not to be used as an den where gambling activities and spirit of thieves and robbers reside. But before I could affirm with a "oh, I see", the next passage popped up and hit me hard in deep revelation.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."

Immediately, the holy spirit spoke to me that the issue of Clark and gang playing "Chor Tie Ti" wasn't just about the physical church being neglected as a place of worship but it also involved a deeper issue of our bodies, "temple of the Holy Spirit", being defiled when we partake in secular activities. Often we perceive the first level of this verse meaning by stating that we should not mutilate our physical bodies or even pollute through vocal obscenities, immoral sexual lifestyle or disgusting habits.

The deeper meaning of Jesus displaying his righteous anger as he chased the vendors and money changers from the physical synagogue is also realised in our physical bodies because our bodies and all it's physical, mental, social and emotional elements have been purchased by the blood of Christ. Therefore it is no longer us that live and we are not free to do as we want to defile our being.

Lord, today may the Holy Spirit check, convict and stop us for all the stuff, things, activities & entertaiment of the world that we consume wantonly. Forgive us for the times we defile this body which you have paid for with your precious blood and work on the cross, for we know that we need to make this body a house of prayer and not a den of sin.

May you and I live lives that bring to God the greatest glory, even if the world thinks we're being boring or silly for the strictness of our lifestyle.

Blessings,
M.

"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be!" (1 Corinthians 6:15)

Life happens.

Ecclesiastes 9:11
The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

I quite like the verses of Ecclesiastes because they have a strange but profound way of saying that almost everything we do to gain in life on earth is in vain. It's also kinda bleak to read it all if you are a competitive person in this competitive nation who is striving to achieve your excellence before man. Ecclesiastes does seem to encourage us to be resigned as slackers in life - don't vie, don't try so hard, after all everying is vanity. Someday, we'll die and won't be able to bring with us any of the accolades that life's glory bring or the richness of wealth that we accumulate and store up.

However, the very finite reality which Solomon talks about is a very important key fact for us to know and believe. It's to keep us grounded in the striving for better grades, more money or larger pay increaments. We should not need the death of a close one for us to be brought down to the reality of our life being a passing, fleeting moment.

God’s Word tells us that being faster, stronger and wiser does not automatically make you a success in life. Only God can put you at the right place at the right time. It should also remind us that our life is not made up of our own achievements but are of the blessings which God decrees on us.

May you be reminded of the need to not strive too hard, because God is with us.

blessings,
M

"The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Food for the soul.

John 4:34
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work."

This was a very interesting passage which popped up at me as I was listening to a devotional passage. Jesus proclaims that doing God will is the deepest source of strength and satisfaction for him. Therefore, you can feel physically hungry and improvished, but when you do the will of God, you get food for your soul!

Sure physically you may be tired, but internally you would be energised. If you would just refer to this chapter of John 4: 3-42, You see Jesus' example as he ministers to the woman inspite of his circumstances and physical hunger. John tells us that Jesus was resting by the well in the middle of the day as his disciples went to find him a meal. Clearly, he was hot and hungry, but inspite of it, he spent his time and energy to minister to the Samaritan woman. That's why Jesus was explaining to his disciples and us that when you do God's will, you get food that is above your physical hunger needs.

"Do the will of God who sends you"

If what you are doing for God leaves you starving spiritually, something is seriously wrong! Do you feel further and further from God? Or find yourself tired, dry, parched and would classify yourself as an exhausted soul, something must be wrong! You must be not doing God's will because if you are serving God and your inside is feeling empty, either you are doing your own will or you are doing it on your own strength. Perhaps you are doing good things or good intentions. But even good intentions will tired you out because we are doing too much of things that are not part of God's will for your life.

Conversely, if today you are not serving in any ministry or actively serving God, can you honestly do some soul searching and see if your soul is dry and not going anywhere. As we look at the example of Jesus who became man, he nourished his soul by constantly doing God's will. Therefore, you need to understand that you cannot say I'll be nourished as I rest from serving God. Jesus demonstrates and states clearly that when we do the will of God, it will feed and nourish you!

If we refer to the illustration of how a farmer labours in his field as he harvest, it's physically tiring but it's deeply satisfying when it's being done. You can't run away from getting your hands soiled and your muscles tired and still expect to be deeply satisfied for your non-contribution.

What therefore is the will of God? Jesus explains it in the passage of John 4 that the will of God is for us to labour in the harvest of souls! So we also need to partake in the work of the harvest of souls, well at least, we must be involved in ministering to those in need to show them the love of God.

May you do the work which God wants you to do, then only will you gain the overflowing satisfaction of God's food for your soul.

blessings,
M.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:3)

Arrested But Not Defeated

Acts 5:17-20
But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."

Oh this has been a terrible week at work thus far! I really cannot stand the fact that I'm being blamed for problems that have nothing to do with me, and what's worse is the fact that the accuser is the one who originated the cause of the problem! Talk about being unjustly treated and being blame innocently. Times like this, I really want to just stab idiots like these or at least throw a hex upon them.

In an increasingly secular and ungodly culture, I wonder how many of us Christians wonder about our role and duty as we live in the secular and cannot just curse and swear with glee like the ungodly. Should we lobby for fairness that should belonged to us who are working responsibly and fairly? With the unfairness of the world, how do we make any effort to live with a Christian perspective and attitude? The Bible speaks clearly about our duty, and it's all about governing -- governing our character.

If we read the passage in Acts, the disciples were unfairly treated and persecuted because people did not like to hear what they were saying. However, instead of just rescuing the disciples and allowing them to flee and hide, the angel charged the apostles to go back to the temple and pick up where they left off: Don't lower the flag. Don't soften the message. Don't get strategic or subtle or clever. Just get back to doing what you are called to do. "And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach" (v.21). Peter and John went right back to doing what God had called them to do. In spite of the religious leaders' attempts to douse the passion of the early church, Acts 6:7 tells us that, "The word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem."

Yes, it is an unfair world where we are to live and survive in. However, we must take heart that no one can stop what God is doing and wants to get done. No matter what move evil makes, God trumps it, and His purposes move forward. His hands are never tied. His message is never muted. No matter what opposition is thrown in its path, when the church of Jesus Christ is what it's intended it to be, it is flat-out an unstoppable force for God.

So even though I knew that it was to be crummy days with never ending problems and blames being hurled at me, as I spent some time walking out of my desk for toilet breaks or to my other colleague's table, I reminded myself "breathe, there's nothing more that you can do and all I can do is rely on God to aid me in this circumstance so that everything would work out well in my favour and God would eventually justify me".

May we never get sucked in by the problems and unjust situations that are before us. Always remember that the plans and purposes of God are always bigger and are meant to accomplish the Glory that is due to Him.

Blessings,
M.

"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." (Isaiah 55:11)

Hearing Sheep

John 10:27
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

Sheep are dumb animals. If you have ever seen them, you know what I mean. Apart from the silly herd mentality which they possess, which can result them pointlessly running away when the herd is spooked, they really smell too. The imagery of sheeps being cute, fluffy animals were ruined when I saw them up close and live in Australia. Not only was the wool often dirty, the smell of them was good enough to make me refuse the touristy act of carrying a lamb to take a picture. A good thing too because the lamb promptly decided to urinate when the person in front of me carried the lamb to take the obligatory tourist picture. That put off my impression of lambs being cute and adorable for life.

Yet, the bible records the idea of Jesus as the shepherd and mankind as the sheep. Today, it dawned upon me that if we humans find sheep to be stupidly low IQ animals, how much more extreme the rift between the Almighty God versus us human being. No wonder we are compared to Sheep!

Sheep are defenceless animals whose only form of defence against enemies is to run away, and not as if they can outrun their enemies! Thus, the weakest of them would often be caught by enemies and through the sacrifice of one can the other sheep live to survive for another day. Even with a shepard to watch over them, sheeps would still wonder away foolishly and find themselves in danger or lost. The term obedience is really some foreign to describe sheep and not something which one can try to instill in them through training. Personally, I think it must be really zapping to look after sheeps because you got to constantly look out for them and also to guide them. If your attention stray, you stand a high chance of a sheep or two straying, barring the fact that the herd doesn't run off at the slightest thing that scares them.

However, in spite of the low IQ, disloyal wandering nature of sheeps, we know that they, like most animals in the animal kingdom recognise the person who feeds and looks after them. I'm not sure about you, but having recognise the plain stupidity of sheep and how irritating it must be to look after such an unteachable animal, I have new found gratitude to God for being very patient with me and for offering to be my shepherd.

I know that like stupid sheep which I despise, I too share the same traits of them and can never stay focused on my Saviour and would wander off occasionally without realising that it puts me at great risks. Thus, I thank God for patiently looking after my wellbeing and calling out to me whenever I wander off, so I can wander back to the direction of His voice.

Surely, you and I can frankly look at ourselves in the mirror of self-reflection and see traits of disobedient and stupid sheep which are really unlovable. But the word of God says that inspite of our blemishes and foolishness, God loves us unceasingly and want us to hear His voice and follow Him whereever He goes. Will you today stop wandering where you desire and walk in the direction of the Shepherd's voice because He loves us inspite of our sheep-like nature.

blessings,
M.

"what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 10:12)