CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT

Church and government are 2 (two) different institutions. Church is an institution which is come from God who handles things that focused on spirituality which then also can touch other thing such as: physical, mental and social. Government is an institution of man whom its existence is allowed by God or could be mentioned as an institution which is exist under the control of God. An ideal government handled things which are focused on common need of people and covering its needs. Government managed, facilitate, guard, supervise, and protect people in general and common. So, the real of church and government is not a kind of institution which is against or as rival one to the other.

Historically, it was happened that sometimes government of a nation or a kingdom did not like Christians. They hate, persecute, and even seems as if willing to destroy church from the surface of this earth. This kind of government of course is not a kind of ideal government but the evil one, corrupted, selfish, injustice, and unwise. Probably the intimidation or harassment which was done by them based on personal or their own group benefit.

The question now, if government in the condition of it’s corrupted, which is as explained before, how the church or the Christians has to be act or position?

Before answering this thing further, let see the life and the model of what had Jesus given. Read the gospels and see His attitude and His action among the government which was the conqueror - Romans. As usual, the nations whom had conquered always experienced that their right reduced and their obligation is added. In that era, the Jews also experience a bankruptcy economically. And, in that hard and tough condition, they are also have to pay taxes to the Caesar.

No wonder, why bible notice about the conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees about taxes to Caesar. Pharisees asked: is it right before God if the Jews pay taxes to Caesar? That question which was as others questions was given in order to test Jesus so that they can put and caught Him into their trap of deceitfulness. More than that, when giving those questions, they were witnessed by the Romans soldiers who were ready to caught Jesus and brought Him into the court.

Pharisees did not realize the genius of Jesus and the purity of His heart. It seems, they did not have any view or true concept about how to act and positioning themselves among the government and in the kind of disadvantage situation. Most possibly, the Pharisees were not an honest and obedient taxes payer but great deceitful or liar who escaped from paying their obligations to the government. Same thing like the Zealots, not only felt mocked if has to pay the taxes to Rome, they were also actively and frontally against the government. They fought and confronted physically for the sake of the freedom of the Jewish nation.

So, should Christians act like the Pharisees or the Zealots? Or, become like looser who give up themselves to the situation?

Jesus answered the Pharisees by showing the picture of the Caesar on the valid coin on that time. He said: “Give to the Caesar what you must give to the Caesar and give to God what you must give to Him.” Means, every man has to fulfill their obligations. There is an obligation to the government, there is also an obligation toward God. And the highest is toward God. If the obligation toward God hindered by government, therefore (without any evil or wicked means), Christians of course have to choose God.

Besides fulfilling his obligation, church or Christians has to pray for their government, as the sign or prove of their care and participation. Christians should not fight or in war actively, being anarchy, and full of cruelty. Why? Because that kind of actions is sins and also followed by hatred, extreme dislike, anger, and bitterness.

Christians believe about “spiritual war” which is extremely different compare to “physical war”. Spiritual war is not fighting against man or nations but against evil spirit, the darkness, sins, the will of the flesh, false or fake doctrine (see Ephesians 6:12).


Spiritual war is happened without realized by man in common. It is there behind hatred and bitterness. Behind evil thought and evil willing. Behind deceitfulness and greediness. Behind foolishness and unobidience. Behind sins it is existed. Either in the conflict between nations or internal conflict among the family even between individual always has things that more fundamental and more serious which is the spiritual war behind all those.



Copyright (c) 2009 by Naek http://www.nevermissingqt.blogspot.com/

ACTS

ACTS was written by Luke on 61-64 AD. He is one of the writer of the four gospel whom was also a physician. The story started with conversations between Jesus and His disciples afther his resurrection. Then after 40 days long explaining about the Kingdom of God, Jesus went up to heaven.

Beside containing about history of church or history of Christian in the first century, ACTS also contains about the work and the power of the Holy Spirit which was promised by Jesus to His disciples. They were waiting Him and gather together and pray. And so from there able to be witnessed how God worked to started His church, to build up His church, expand and develop His church. Starting from the day of Pentacost until the church grow and expand to many other places. The spirit that had been promised brought Philip to meet an eunuch. He was also who convinced Peter that God also accepts non Jews or the Gentiles. Peter had been met uniquely with Italian soldier named Cornelius who then become His disciples and baptized into Christ.

Therefore able to be concluded that God is not ignore the Gentiles but grace them the salvation. He is not only save the Jews but also non Jews. This is important to recorded because since long ago the Jewish people thought that they the descendants of Abraham only whom to be saved. Even included the apostles like Simon Peter thought the same.

So, how important is this book. Without meaning to exalt it over the other books, certain leaders of Christians see it as the favorite book. Because, ACTS is an inspiration and motivation to them. From there they could see, find big gaps about the quality of church or Christian between the first century and today Christian. Beside that, leader or the Christians people also able to get conviction or encouragement that God surely bless and protect His church, even in the midst of difficulties, hard time and persecution.

Just like what was happened to the church and the disciples of Christ in the first century, they were persecuted. The apostle like Peter and John were brought to the board of chief priest. They were wounded and prisoned. But, there are also told about how God released them from the prison and through many other danger. Including about the apostle Paul who was also save from the hunt of the Jews who swore to kill him. And the funny thing is, by His unique way, God protect Paul by escorting him with huge number of Roman soldiers until finally arrived to the city which Paul had been prayed for to be there which was Rome.

ACTS finally noted many stories about Paul. This thing prove that after the separation with Barnabas and Mark or also named as John, Paul continue His missionary with Timothy, Aristarchus, Demas, Titus and a physician who called Luke. Luke was the one who give medicine, check and maintain Paul’s health who probably had problem at the part of his eyes, and other wound because of persecution. Therefore, Luke who was looked just a physician, actually had a most important role and very meaningful for the Christianity even until today. Because, the book that he wrote which is ACTS also gave a clear picture about backgrounds for the letters of Palu and churches that he had builded.

As the addition, these following are important notes which from that we are able to get picture about Christian people in the first century.
1. About forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit receives through repentance and baptism (see Act 2:38)
2. About what should be done by Christian at the service. They pray, praising God, breaking bread, listen to the Word or the teaching from the apostles, and to have fellowship. They were united, joy, sincere and happy (see Act 2:42-47)
3. About evangelism: every member of the church involved, no exception. Not only the apostles or certain people only. Christians should be have God mission in their heart and soul. Even been persecuted, the church goes, and split. Not for self pity but to spread the Word. Even in that kind of situation, church become many and grow also in numbers.
4. About their position their civilitation. Christian in the first century also respected and like by many people especially interms of their integrity, love and their care towards others.
5. About unity and leadership of church. The apostle choose other kind of leader like Stephen who then was stoned by the Jews but saluted by Christ.
6. About the power of the holy spirit and the authority of leader in the church. Ananias Saphira died soon after they lied to the apostle of Peter.
7. ACTS also noted the turning point of the persecutor Saul who then repented and named as Paul, the last and the great apostles of Jesus Christ.
8. Etc



copyright (c) 2009 by Naek http://www.nevermissingqt.blogspot.com/

REPENTANCE

Reading: Luke 24:46-47

24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

“Repent!” is the Bible important message. Since Adam and Eve fallen into sin, prophets proclaim “Repent”. Until the age of New Testament, John The Baptist proclaim in the desert “Repent!” (see. Luke 3:3). Also, Jesus and the apostles proclaim the same to all nations “…Repent…!” (see Mark 1:15; Acts 26:20).

“Repent!” message is important message that should proclaimed to all nations (see Luk 24:47). Not less important message, that able to be avoided or ignored. If evangelists or teachers of the bible avoid or ignore this message so that not proclaim it, means that they are not the real and true evangelist and teachers before God. Also similar if Christians come to church or read the bible but avoid and ignore this message, means that people will not receive God’s promise, which is forgiveness of sins and salvation.

Repent means turn from sin, leave it and come to God (see Acts 26:20). In more complete, repent is to serve God (see I Thes 1:9). In another word, serving without repentance is serving without true basic and foundation. Repent also does not mean only stop sinning but also experiencing transformation of life from sin to the righteousness and holy. John mentioned it as “bear fruit meet for repentance” (see Mat 3:8). Paul mentioned it as “do works meet to repentance” (see Act 26:20).

Question raised, does the man who repent will not ever do or sinning again? Of course not. But those who repent have perspective, respons, feeling, habits, and behavior different against sin. As described by CS Lewis in his book Mere Christianity:

…there are two things in side myself, that always fighting with existence I have to put effort. That two things are person that similar to Animal, and person that similar to the Satan. Person that similar to the Satan is the worst….But, of course, is better to not to be the two of them.

People who repent do not like sin. Their sensitivity or sense is very high toward sin. They have feeling of guilt very high, avoiding sin, anticipate it, leave or getting out from it. The will talk about it, discuss or confess it so that be able free and go away from sin (band. II Cor 7:9-11). Means that repentance is not only changing mind but also including feeling, behavior, habits, or totality inside the man. In Greek words mentioned as metanoia and in Hebrew words mentioned as “teshuvah” that equal to return from sin to God.

People who repent will experience transformation of life from full of sin to be righteous and grow into holiness and purity in the heart from time to time. Character, habit, intimacy and friendship with God also more growing, more further and increasing time to time. Shortly, repentance is long life transformation or on and on long life before God.

So, be repent and preach the message of repentance! Not be different than that. Or, we will never receive the real and complete message from God. But even, false messages and cult will be waiting for us although it is sounds beauty, attractive and catchy. Repent!

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for today’s lesson. Help us to always be able to lives in repentance, grow near and close to you. In Jesus name. Amen.



Copyright (c) 2009 by Naek http://www.nevermissingqt.blogspot.com/

THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament is about God. Although the history is there. Although names of nations or place or people is there. Through The Old Testament God spoke to man. It is the revelation about Himself. It is made Him known. It is made Him experienced by man. The Old Testament shows us that God initiates to be known and to has relationship with man because He loves us. He wants to bless us and give the best to us. His promises. His kindness. He wants to save us and lives with us in heaven eternally.

Let see God reveals Himself through The Old Testament:
• God is needed in the life of man (GENESIS)
• God able to redeem man (EXODUS)
• God gave rules and foreshadows (LEVITICUS)
• God knows what is best and still taking care (NUMBERS)
• God cares (DEUTERONOMY)
• God promises and energizes (JOSHUA)
• God punishs and expects (JUDGES)
• God loves and chooses non Israel too (RUTH)
• God chooses leader; God sees heart (1 SAMUEL)
• God forgives (2 SAMUEL)
• God is wise and the source of wisdoms (1 KINGS)
• God has blessings and curses (2 KINGS)
• God did more on the good than negative things (1 CHRONICLES)
• God has direct blessings and understandable rationally and consequently (2 CHRONICLES)
• God returns and rebuilds (EZRA)
• God returns and rebuilds (NEHEMIAH)
• God also works silently and behind the scene (ESTHER)
• God blesses those who faithful (JOB)
• GOD is praised with songs or poems (PSALMS)
• GOD is wise and the source of the wisdoms (PROVERBS)
• God makes life meaningful (ECCLESIASTES)
• GOD teaches holy and pure relationship (THE SONG OF SONGS)
• God knew and prophesied the future (ISAIAH)
• God spoke faithfully through His prophet (JEREMIAH)
• God feels sorrow (LAMENTATION)
• God restores and rebuilds (EZEKIEL)
• God knew every secrets (DANIEL)
• God wants a better relationship and wants to bless His people (HOSEA)
• God expects repentance of His people (JOEL)
• God does not play favorites (AMOS)
• God will win over the things of the world (OBADIAH)
• God calls (JONAH)
• God pleads His people to repent and return to His ways (MICAH)
• God angers to those who does not repent (NAHUM)
• God advices man and gives them solution (HABAKKUK)
• God warns His people (ZEPHANIAH)
• God is the first priority (HAGGAI)
• God promises about Messiah (ZECHARIAH)
• God reminds His people (MALACHI)

It is also confirmed by His Word in the Bible on Hebrew 1: 1 as mentioned below:

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,…

Once again, God wants us to know Him therefore He revealed Himself. If God wanted to revealed Himself to the people in the Old Testament era, He also wants us to know Him today. In another words, He will protect His Word through many ways. Through many people and many situations. Can the Old Testament be accepted as The Word of God? Yes.

Is The Old Testament 100% revelation of God and from God? Yes. Jesus Christ accept The Old Testament 100%. It had been complete and existed in Jesus era. Also the apostles read, taught and quote the Old Testament written and spoken.

The Old Testament can not be taken out from the Bible and also can not be inserted or added with another writings except with The New Testament.

THE OLD TESTAMENT + THE NEW TESTAMENT = THE BIBLE



Copyright (c) 2009 by Naek http://www.nevermissingqt.blogspot.com/

IT'S ALL STARTED WITH GOD

GOOD & EVIL

Reading: Psalms 119:104

119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Without ignoring their greatness and hard work of philosophers like Socrates, Aristoteles, and Plato, it had been proved that the genius of man only able to result something like philosophy. Not Bible with prophets and apostles that led by the Holy Spirit.

Philosophy and the Bible in fact is very different. One is explored from the power of the human thinking towards many things around them. And the other one, which is the Bible, is not from man but from God. It was written by prophets and apostles that moved by the Holy Spirit (see 2 Pet 1:20-21). The Bible speaks about transcendent things out of people rationality. For example: About heaven, redemption, resurrection from the death, incarnation, the coming of God to the earth, etc.

It does not mean that the Bible is an irrational book but it is super rational. It contains about God's facts that is beyond rationality of man only but can be reached by faith. No wonder if people smile, laugh, shaking their head, say “yes” or “right” after have faith in God. Why? Because the truth of God is 100% valid in the world also in heaven.

No wonder why man has so much differences or even confusedness to determine which one is Good and which one is Evil. Because they do not refer or base on His word. For example: Sex without marriages based on liking each other is good for certain people, smoking is considered good with reason to overcome stress, workaholic is considered good by the boss who do not care to the family time, polygamy, raising kids without discipline by reason against human rights is considered as Good, abortion, homosexuality, and many other that are considered as Good based on the happiness or enjoyment only by certain person or group.

The question is, which one is the real Good and which one is the real Evil? People have many differences in this matter and even more people (not view) think that they are good and in the same time think that other people are Evil. It is acceptable thought in context of easy talk with a cup coffee on the afternoon. But not toward God. Someone should not think like that about himself before God. Because there are no one is good before Him. In fact all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23).

You may be asking what is the meaning of “sin”. In Greek words, sin is “hamartia” that means “miss the target” or “miss the mark”. Means, the imperfect of man to fulfill God’s will is sin. In another words, someone who do many good things actually undeserved to be mentioned as good people before God. Because, it is not about how many of good things which he had done but about good things that he had not done. If there is 1 (one) will only which had not been fulfilled it means “miss the target”, “miss the mark”, “imperfect”, or “not 100% doing God’s will”. Therefore, it is concluded that no one is not have sinned before God. But once again, all have sinned and needed help and grace of God.

Let see what the Bible says about sin and evil. Please read Mark 7:21-23 below:

7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

It is is mentioned that sin comes from inside of the heart not from outside. In another words, heart is the basis or the source. Similarly mentioned also in Proverb 4:23, ”Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

Heart is a place where God put His law or His word (see Romans 2:15). If man accept His word and keep and watch over it in the heart, then he will grow and fruitful as the parable of 4 (four) seeds. If not, he will be death or dying spiritually.

In another words, heart needs the word of God. Without His enlightenment, heart can be changed or moved. Deceived by false teaching or belief. For instance in Africa, there is certain group believe that a mother who are left by her children who died has to cut her fingers equally the same to the number of children who left her. If one died, so one finger will be cut. If two then two fingers. Also similar in India, there is a belief that a wife who left by her dead husband has to give herself to be burned together with the body of her husband on fire (ref. What If The Bible Had Never Been Written by James Kennedy & Jerry New Combe).

This reality shows that man is not clear or detail towards Good and Evil without the teaching or understanding from God. In another words, man need the word of God for teaching about it so that able to separate Good and Evil like being mentioned by this verse, Hebrew 4:12-13, below:

4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

In conclusion, only by His word, you are able to see clearly which one is Good and which one is Bad, which one is sin, which one is not, which one is wrong, which one is right and which one is false.

Through thy precepts I get understanding:
therefore I hate every false way (Psalms 119:104).

The Word of Prayer:
Thank you God for this lesson. Help us to always be able to see clearly which one is Good and which one is Evil, which one is sin, which one is not, which one is wrong, which one is right and which one is false. In Jesus name. Amen.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Reading: Hebrew 1:1-3

1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

In The Old Testament, God spoke to reveal Himself through many ways and through His Prophets. But in The New Testament God speaks through His Son, Jesus Christ. Through the message of His Son, his apostles, his ministries, his churches and his disciples.

The New Testament consist of 4 (four) big parts:
1. Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)
2. The Book of Acts
3. Pauline Epistles (Roman to Philemon)
4. Non-Pauline Epistles or General Epistles (Hebrew to Revelation)

GOSPELS
Gospel consists of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. From Jesus births, life, teachings, parables, miracles and wonders, his cross, his death, his resurrection and his ascending to heaven.

Matthew says that He is the King of all kings. Mark says that He become servant in his life and death. Luke says that He is the Son of man who comes to save the lost. John says that He is the Son of God. He is The Word of God and He is God.

THE BOOK OF ACTS
The book of Acts contains of the story of the apostles of Jesus, his churches and his disciples after his resurrection and ascending to heaven. Also about the Holy Spirit that working in the life of disciples or Christian as promised by Jesus beforehand.

It was written by Luke who accompanied Paul to take care of his health during the journey of mission and even up to prison.

PAULINE EPISTLES
Paul wrote 13 (thirteen) letters. He wrote to the church of Romans (1 letter), Corinthians (2 letters), Galatians (1 letter), Ephesians (1 letter), Philippians (1 letter), Colossians (1 letter), Thessalonian (2 letters), Timothy (2 letters), Titus (1 letter), and Philemon (1 letter).

All Paul's letters contain doctrines, teaching, advises, warns, encouragements, wisdoms, principals and many other words or text that refers and focuses to Christ Jesus. About he himself, his life, his cross, his death, his resurrection, and the meaning of it such as: redemption, salvation, value or principles in solving problems between believers, marriages, etc. In another words, Jesus Christ is the center of the entire of Paul writings.

GENERAL EPISTLES (NON-PAULINE EPISTLES)
General Epistles consisting of Hebrew, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude, and Revelation. It contains and focuses on Jesus Christ, his churches, and his disciples.

Why we accept The New Testament as The Word of God?
Without ignoring God who protect the New Testament through or by the church fathers, today we are also able to see that all writings that is not centered or focused on the true Jesus Christ is not The Word of God.

The writings that is not in one body of doctrine of the Bible, which is conflicted or against the Bible, The Old Testament and The New Testament, is not the Word of God. Beside that, it is important to see who the writer is and the authenticity of the writings. And the church father did!

BIBLICAL RELIABILITY

History tells us that the Bible has ability to answer man. It seems that there is nothing needed more except to His own word that had been written inside the Bible. And also God is controlling and protecting the Bible to be freed from error. He used his prophets and apostles to write and to lead the church, to select, to choose, to determine, to make decision and to compile the canon.

Let us study what the Bible says about the Bible:
1. The Bible is from God not from man
2 Pet 1: 20-21: By first knowing this, none of the prophecy in the scripture that came from any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man: but by the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2. The Bible is quick, powerful, sharp, piercing
Hebrew 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, powerful, sharper than any two edged of a sword, piercing deeply even dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

3. The Bible is profitable for holy life, righteous life and perfect life
2 Tim 3:16-17: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

4. The Bible is the judge in the last day
John 12:48 He who rejected me, and not received not my words, had one that judged him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

GOD’S WORD IS POWERFUL

Verse: Jeremiah 1:9-10

1:9 Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “ And I will bring charges against your children's children.
1:10 Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look send to Kedar and observe closely see if there has ever been anything like this.

From the book of Jeremiah we can see the process of writing the Bible, here they are:
1. God touched the mouth of Jeremiah, the prophet, with his hands (Jeremiah 1:9).
2. God put the words inside Jeremiah's mouth (Jeremiah1:9).
3. God told Jeremiah to write all His words (Jeremiah 36:2).
4. Jeremiah wrote the words with the help of Barukh son of Neria.
5. Because the word were destroyed. And God wrote the words again through Jeremiah and Baruch.

This process is a very basic thing for the Christians to put their trust on the Bible as the 100% word from God. Not only His ideas, concepts or thinking but also His words. Meaning that the Christians are not only to understand the content in general or just the big pictures but also supposed to pay attention and study on the words in the Bible. Because every God's word is very meaningful, important and serious.

We can see this truthfulness in the Jeremiah's story. From there, there is one main and very important truth that the word of God would never be failed. What ever He said will be happening because He knows everything. He knows the future. He knows about what has happened to the Kings, Nations, and Kingdoms. He can make all things possible. Everything under His power and control. That is why Jeremiah knew what the kings should do to be saved and to able to win. And he also knows what will happen to the kings who have no trust in His words.

All of his life, Jeremiah was in 5 different kingdoms: The king of Josiah, Joahas, Joachim, Zedekiah. From all the five kings only King Josiah who was righteous in front of God. And the other last four were the evil kings. And in fact, only Josiah who came with victory at his kingdom time. But the other four kings were in great lost and tragic death and sadness.

Beside that, the word of God that being told through Jeremiah to the Egyptian, Kasdim, Babel and other nations was happening at that moment too. God proved to keep his promises that He was going to raise Jeremiah, the son of priest from Anatot to take out, take down, destroy, put down, build up,and to plant. King, Nation and Kingdom whom listened and believed will win and save but if not will be struck down and perished.

The same thing will happen to the people in the this modern time, if they listen to His word, believe and doing it, they will be saved, if not, they are already under the punishment (Romans 3:23;6:23).

GOD’S WORD IS NOT FROM MAN

Verse: Gal 1:1, 11-12, 16-17

1:1 Paul, an apostle sent not from men nor by man, but Jesus Christ and God the father, who raised him from the dead -
1:11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.
1:12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation fro Jesus Christ..
1:16 …, to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,;
1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was,…

Paul was using the word human many times in his letter to the Galatians. Why? Because he wanted to tell something serious about the source of his teaching.

There are two important things that Paul wants to underline in his letter to the Galatians:
1. Paul except his apostleship not from human, of human or by human, but from God and by God only.
2. The gospel that Paul teaches or preaches are not coming from human, not from him self or from the other apostles but from the Christ statement.

The background of Paul's letter to the Galatians is in Acts 15. From there , we can find one big issue that Paul, Galatians Church and the Jewish Christians ex-Parisians were debating about. That issue was bringing by the the Jewish Christians ex-Parisians that all the non Jews Christians must be circumcised to be saved. If not, then no salvation for them. It was very much different from the non Jews ex-Parisians teaching that based on opinion or personal interpretation of the Old Testament. Also, Paul's life had strengthen his statement.

Please read and watch the life of Paul through the below verses.

Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus (Gal 6:17).

Paul said about the marks of Jesus, where actually representing suffering, distress, and Paul survival as the Christ Servant. What I mean is that it was impossible for him to be suffered, got refused, humiliated, put into isolation, terrorized, in hunger, in jail, punished, going through the sink ship, and cut to the head only for one lie. Very difficult to be imagined, isn't? If he did all of that, wasn't he that stupid?

Even more, Paul left his position as the Parisians, Sanhedrin, Gamaliel disciple and was from Benjamin tribes. He was not a unemployment or loser but he was very respectable. One more time, this is very difficult to be understood if wanted to do all of that for one lie? The truth is Paul are and truly chosen by God to become his apostle and received teaching and gospels form God not from human.

As Christians, you and I deserved to have peace in heart because the teachings we got from Paul are from God not opinion or subjective interpretation, that is not powerful and that is not bringing or lead you and I to God's truly truth.
So, let us stand still and stay faithful to the teaching and good news of God not human, not celebrities or others or even angel (compare to Galatians 1:8)

LOVE HIS WORD!

Verse: Psalm 119:97-100

119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
119:98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.
119:100 I have more understanding than the elders for I obey your precepts.

Before we come to the explanation about the above verses.
Please answer these questions first: If there is one book that can make you wise, will you read it? If that book can make your knowledge and wisdom more than most of the people including your teacher, will you study on that? Or if that book can make you understand about life more than older people, will you persistently read it?

Sure your answer is “yes” for all those above questions. But that is not exactly what happened in the world. Although many people have Bible but they don't read it. In his introduction for the book of “What Bible is All About” Billy Graham stated his concern of many Christians these days. Although Bible has been translated, printed, and distributed but “not” many people open to read it, study on it and read carefully with all heart.

There are three possibilities why many people don't read Bible:
1. Many people do not understand because no one teach them.
This condition will happen all the time. The generation who don't care and lazy to teach Bible will end up making another next generation who also don't care.

2. Many people more interested with other things, more than Bible.
This truth statement is expected and understandable with the fact that there are so many information these days. Information and Technology has been improving and growing really fast. People are more interested in product advertisements. with a lot of exploitations on sex, greediness and many other things.

3. Many people prefer sins and refuse to repent more than receiving Bible message.

This kind of people probably didn't like Bible, even hated and attacked Bible because their sins and faults are being expose. (Hebrews 4:12)

We know that philosophy or human wisdom is relative, not the final answer, very limited, can not solve human problems especially in related to spiritual. Actually humans are facing serious problems. They are death in spirit, separated from God. They have sins. They need mercy.

Other than that, human are facing character problems, personality problems , relationship problems as result of consequences for their sins. Although many disciplines of human and their relationships such as: sociology, politics, communications, psychology and many others but still can not solve human problems at a certain level.

By no means to discredit all disciplines around the world, James Kennedy in his book “ What if Bible Never Been Written”, describing the influence of the Bible in the education. Then he described that the world are going to be wild without Bible. Other words, the educations in this century have taken Bible value though not explicitly or whole.

Three reasons why Bible or Word of God is far more greater than any other books:
1. Bible comes from God who is the creator of human being, the universe, the earth and all inside.
2. The word of God is powerful. He handle logic, ratio and human ability.
3. The word of God is the final answers, and it is not an unending searching .

The Bible can make you wise, knowledgeable and to have many understanding to handle the world. There fore read, study on it, and keep persistently seeking. Love His Word!

COLD SONG

HE HUMBLE ME

JESUS ON MY MIND

SPIRITUAL VISION (Part 2)

Today's Reading: Proverbs 29:18

29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

Vision is very closely related to faith. Why is that? Because it is impossible for a man to have great vision but does not have faith. It is so can be applied for a man who has no vision, then he does not need faith. Maybe other great things but not faith. Something related to positive thinking maybe? Enthusiastic? Or other thing but that is not faith? Why that wasn't faith? Because even the small faith just like the mustard seed can do incredible things. Miracle!

Do you realize that the Christians are actually the people with great vision and with faith? Why? Because their vision is to be in heaven one day with God happily ever after. Isn't that great vision? I, personally, think that we have a great great vision. In other words, if Christians do not have great vision then their vision and their christianity must be questioned. Maybe, they are not really Christian with faith. They can call it vision but actually not really a vision. It is a plan that can be predicted, achievable in the very short of time.

This statement is probably challenge you even more or maybe touch you in a hard way. But the word is not word if it is not teaching you the real truth, it is not uncovering your wrongdoing, it is not repairing your attitude or it is not giving you good instructions (2 Tim 3:16-17)

Let us see more about faith. There are 4 (four) important things that you must know about faith:
1. Faith is not a Positive Thinking.
Faith is based on Word of God and on the other hand positive thinking is based on human, goal, will, power and ability.

2. Faith is based on God's power not human
God's power is the reason for a man to have faith in big things that are difficult or things that can not be achieved naturally and easily in the short time.

From the the human perspective whether they believe in God's power and ability or not, faith have two extreme points:

• No faith. A person who doesn't have faith would not believe in any supra natural things. With that in their mind, they have put themselves only on easier, predictable, and naturally achievable things.

• Having too much faith. Having too much faith have negative connotation that actually the same meaning with person who doesn't not have faith at all. The person who have too much faith wants many things that are different from God purpose and will. James and John is an example of people who have too much faith. They offered two ideas that were seems in faith but actually they were not. The first one is that both the Zebedee sons believed that God can put fire from the sky to perish Samaritans that are not welcome them at their houses (Luke 9:54). The second is James and John believed that Jesus will be exalted or praised that will put them at the left and right of Jesus seats.( Mark 10:35).Both are seems to have faith but actually that were not according to God's purpose and will.
  

3. Faith is not something that we believe can happen naturally but spiritually
In related to the second point, faith is the heart towards things that is out of prediction, ability or human hands in general.

4. Faith is a believe that comes from the hearing of God's word (Romans 10:14)
The teachings or bible doctrines that is living inside the Christians is also another meaning of faith. This understanding usually used to describe people who are not faithful to the Word of God, called Living The Faith. Or also can be used to describe people who have been faithful to the Word of God that are keeping their faith, means to take care or protect the doctrine or the right teaching.

You do not have to read every word in the Bible in order to have faith as above descriptions but you need to have clear teaching and doctrine from the Bible in order to have faith. This statement does not mean that you do not have to read the bible anymore. Close the book and throw it to the garbage. Off course not. The continuation of bible reading is very useful for you to be mature and keep growing in faith time to time.

Do you have faith? If not, please pray that God will give you ability to have it. Have faith in him!

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to have faith, keeping it, and to keep growing. In the name of Jesus Amen.


(Inspired from Pdt. Harliem Salim sermon - SEEING WITH NEW EYES, Minggu, 11 January 2009)

Available on CD, MP3 and DVD. Only in BEREAN PUBLICATION HOUSE (62 21 32726785 or naek@gkdi.org)

SPIRITUAL VISION (Part 1)

Today's Reading: Proverb 29:18

29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law

The word “revelation” in King James version is "Vision." The word "vision "is closely related to the word “ seeing or to see”. The difference is vision means seeing with spiritual eyes, not with the physical eyes . The word vision related closely to the word sight, dream, or imagination and it is talking about “not present”.

The reality or fact about vision is that most of the time for the common people, they are not able to see it yet but for the one who owns the vision is very clear. Vision probably can be pictured as blue print of the great and expensive building that was built on the muddy water. Something that is not today neither in the past. But also not a plan that be predicted or achieved in the short time.

Vision can not be understood by the general people without prior explanation and socialization. Though vision can be understandable by many people, intellectually , but it does not mean that they are going to achieve it or really put in heart.

There are two kind of vision that can be seen which involved God, they are spiritual vision and worldly vision.

The worldly vision is based on the people's goal, wisdom and people's way. Though this type of vision can be achieved, even very attractive but it does not eternal or heavenly. But the spiritual vision is based on the Word of God. The goal or how to achieve it is based on the word and God's involvement that you and I will be talking about in this topic.

In the bible you can find visions that are described through many stories. For instance, Nehemiah who built the wall of Jerusalem, Elisha who followed Elijah footstep, Jesus who said that the harvest are plentiful but the workers are few or about Paul who preach the word to the non-Jews.

In the Old testament, visions are usually related to the prophecy of something that will happen in the future. While that in the new testament, related to the prophecy as the fulfillment of God's word. In another word, vision is not against Word of God.

For better understanding, we are going to study further on one of the bible story Elisha and Elijah (II Kings 2).
2:9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha,”Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”.

It is not like any other servant who always obey his master, or as student and teacher, Elisha seems didn't pay attention on Elijah's word. Elisha kept following Elijah to the Jordan river even though Elijah asked him to stay in Gilgal. He knew that Elijah will raise up to heaven. That's also probably his reason why he was not let his master to go by his own. He was not planning to just say Good Bye or Thank You, but more than that he wanted two parts of his master's spirit. In simple word, Elisha wanted to be like Elijah and even more than his master. And it has proven later on story, where Elisha made so many miracle just like Elijah. he became God's man for His Glory after that moment.

What is the meaning of this story? The attitude, decision and action of Elisha at that time is a beginning of his life as prophet. Sure, he would not have asked for two parts of Elijah spirit at the first place if he had not ever been dreaming before to be just like Elijah or even more.

You probably think that this story is not really relevant to the Christians these days. If you think that way then we are going to witness people with visions in the Christians history.

We look at people like Martin Luther, William Tyndale, Alexander Campbell and many others. They are the people who can see better Christianity in the future. Marten Luther had dreamed to socialize bible to ordinary people not only the priests, but all people can have opportunity to know the content of the bible and implemented them in daily life. William Tyndale had dreamed to translate bible into English. What about Alexander Campbell” he had dreamed to unite all the Christians denomination through back to the bible restoration so the Christians become one and will be called Christian or Jesus Disciple.

The question is whether all the people that have been mentioned above have achieved their vision? Maybe not yet for some. Maybe some yes. But one thing for sure that they have given us clear directions and much better changes; constructively to the Christianity.

If the spiritual vision is that important ? Do you have any? If you have not? Please have it. Please pray so that you can have it and may God give you the ability to achieve it. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to be able to have spiritual vision and ability to achieve it. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Inspired by Harliem Salim lesson; SEEING WITH NEW EYES, Sunday, January 11th 2009

7 (seven) Important Matters in Galatians

Today’s Reading: Galatians 1-6

You probably have known the reason and background behind Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Based on the explanation that I have described to you before, that the Galatians had received false teaching from the Christians who before was a respectable Parisians.

They taught the non Jews Christians that they should be circumcised in order to be saved. The reason why Paul have written letter to the church in Galatia was to tell them about the false teaching of the Christian Jews ex-Parisians and to tell them the teaching that comes from God.

There are 7 (seven) matters showing big differences of Paul’s teaching and ex Parisians. Those seven are:
1. Human or God’s Teaching?
Paul stated that his teaching was not from human but from God which was of Jesus Christ Statement (Galatians 1:12). In another words, the teaching of Christians Jews ex-Parisians was not from God but from human because it was against with Paul, the Apostle teaching.

2. Circumcision and Torah’s Law or Faith and Christ?
The people who did circumcision must do all the Torah’s Law. But the people who's not circumcised are not obligated to do that. To have faith in Christ means to believe in Him (John 3:16), to become his disciples (Mat 28:19-20), to repent, to turnaround from sins to God (Acts 26:20), to be baptized, to be faithful until the end (Revelation 2:10).

3. Guidance or The Expected One?
Torah’s Law lead us to Christ. After Christ came, Christians were not anymore guard or under Torah’s law. (Galatians 3:23-25).

According to Bible there are three period of time in related to Torah’s Law:
a. Before Torah’s Law, In this period of time, human followed their heart and God will be the judge (Romans 2:14-16).
b. After Torah's Law , In this period, the Jewish did and went through the Torah's Law. While other nations are still following what their heart told them.
c. After the Torah's Law fulfilled (Christ time), In this period, people are following Christ to receive salvation.

The questions are what if people don't want to follow Christ but follow their heart just like the first period or the second which is Torah's Law? Then they have to follow the law exactly as it was with all the risk and its difficulty. But how is it possible to follow it as it is if in this era of fulfillment they have refused Christ? Was Jesus the reality from before shadows? Was He the last purpose of everything? (John 14:6-7)

4. Flesh or Spirit ?
Paul said to the Galatians Church:”... Did you receive Spirit because you of doing the Torah's Law or because of the Gospels ?... You have began with the Spirit, would you now end it in flesh?. Meaning, the road with faith to Christ has blessed Holy Spirit to the Christians or church, but through circumcision and Torah's Law.

5. Hagar or Sara . Servant or Free Man?
Paul was using Hagar and Sara to describe about the Jews who's doing Torah's law and the Christians who's followed Jesus. The first people is the servant of Torah's Law and the second is the people who was free from Torah's law which is Christian.

6. Born of flesh or by the promise?
As was explained above that the people who were born in flesh is the Jews who's doing the Torah's Law, but the people who were born by promises are the Christians which is Jesus Church.

7. Sins or Spiritual Fruit?
Paul's letter for the Galatians said that sins appear because following the will of flesh. Then he said about the spiritual fruit as the result of following the spiritual will. People who are not repented will not have his place in the kingdom of God. In reverse, the people who have repented, that turned around from the will of flesh to God, will get part in the Kingdom.

Let us follow Christ! Have the bless and a lot of spiritual bless from God.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to be always follow You so I can get bless and a lot of spiritual bless from you. In the name of Jesus. Amen

MORE THAN BROTHER

Today’s Reading: Gal 1:18; 2:11,13-14

1:18 Then, after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen years. 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.
2:13 The other Jews joined him in his group hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray..
2:14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “ You are a Jew. How is it, then, that you force gentiles to follow Jewish customs?”

If it was not because of Christ, the disciples will never be together. If it was not because of Christ, Peter the fisherman from Galilee, would be still hating Matthew, the tax man. If it was not because Him, Paul would keep persecuting His disciples. A Sanhedrin from Parisian, the Benjamin’s, will never be able to get together with a fisherman from Galilee and also a tax man. If it was not because of His teachings and His disciplines the disciples will always compete with each other to be higher than others. If it was not because of Him then they’re no different than the people in the world who do not love each other.

Jesus teaching is more than just wisdom or philosophy because human wisdom or philosophy comes from man. But His wisdoms comes from heaven. If we say that world is a box, the man wisdom only happens in the box, not outside. But God’s wisdom is a spiritual truth. The wisdom goes up to the heaven spiritually. This was not inside the box but outside the box. His truth is in the world and heaven.

If the relationship in the world is categorized as the relationship, then the relationship within Jesus disciples is more than just relationship, because the relationship within disciples cannot be compared to all the ordinary relationship in the world. Although maybe can be illustrated as family or brotherhood. But there is one not usual illustration which is One Body, The Body of Christ. The relationship within Jesus disciples are not only described as one body but in the real meaning is one body, body of Christ. Which is not but spiritual body.

Please watch what Jesus have prayed and have taught to his disciples. Through his word:

…, and glory has come tome through them (John 17:10b).

…that all of them may be one,...(John 17:21a).

…,in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself maybe in them (John 17:26b).

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love another.(John 13:34-35).

Different from the motto of three musketeers, Jesus disciples motto's are “One in All and All in One” and not “One for All and All for One”. Unlike Jesus disciples, the three musketeers did not achieve level of spirituality or heavenly.
The spiritual relationship has no meaning without corrections and argumentations. Paul corrected Peter when he made mistakes, even though he ever stayed in Peter's house for 15 days. And although he had ever worked with Barnabas and was defended when he had to face other disciples that was afraid of him, Paul still had different argumentation with Barnabas.

Bible never said about the reconciliation of Paul and Barnabas relationship, but by calling Mark back, have shown the love and the mercifulness of Paul towards Barnabas. That also happened to Peter who still love and respect him even though he that was rebuked by Paul. In his letter he said Paul as the brother that we love.

…, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him(2 Pet 3:15b)

Conflicts and argumentations can be existed or happened but remember that your relationship with other disciples are more than family.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to keep remembering that the relationship of the servant with the disciples are more than family's relationship. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

SANTA WOULDN'T BE IN HEAVEN?

Today’s Reading: Luke 11:11-13

11:11 which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
11:12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

What is your response when hearing that Robin Hood will not be in heaven? Or is the Santa Claus will be in hell? More or less you will not agree with that statement. I am too, and so many other people. What about Jesus? What He had said about good people?

Please read and look careful in Luke 18:18-19:
18:18 A certain ruler asked him, “ Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18:19 Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good-except God alone”.

According to Jesus, God is the only good one. When Jesus asked” Why are you saying that I am good?” is actually telling this young rich man who the person in front of him, he was talking to. With other words, Jesus wants to ask this man if he knows about who Jesus is. Is he seeing Jesus as he is even though it is not very clear? He is God who becomes human. He is the only good person. Also, Jesus had prevented the wrong perspectives about Him that He was just another sinner who did good things just like many others. Instead, He is the only God with good character and the source of goodness and truth.

Public opinion said that a good man can be considers to be a righteous man. It was very sentimental judgment and subjective views about people who was or kind to give to others. Though sometimes these two words can be united in one meaning or can be changing places, the term good and righteous have to basic differences. Good is used many times between mans. But the word righteous usually used between God and Human or Human and Laws. So, it can be said that a good man and righteous man are different man.

Righteous man is the man who is doing perfectly God’s will. But the unrighteous man or sinner is the man who has failed to do God’s will, perfectly. So if that is there righteous man? Or who is righteous man? No man.

No man is righteous (Romans 3:23). What about good man? Is there someone out there in God’s eyes? No man but God Himself. Most of the time, Jesus used the words sinners and righteous man and not good man or bad man. According to Jesus, the sinners can do good things as well (Luke 11:13). More than that, He stated that the wicked knows how to give a good gift. This truth can be found in the bunch of thieves, robbers, criminals, or mafia. They are collaborating, protecting, and helping each other from the cops or enemy who are chasing them. Brotherhood or friendship within the criminals or mafias are very strong and faithful and even inspired Hollywood producers to make films about that. But, are they, thieves, robbers, criminals or mafia, can be called righteous man? of course not.

Bible is using these below terms as the replacement words for righteous man or saved man:
1. A Man who consider to be righteous
2. A Holy Man
3. A Man with faith
4. A Man who believe
5. An Obedience Man
6. A faithful Man
7. A Christian Disciples of Christ
8. And still many others where contains the meaning of how people are responsing on God’s calls, statements and wills with believe, obey, faithful, with repentance and leaving their sins.

From all the terms mentioned above, the implicit meaning of human being righteous or wrong, or, whether they are saved or not can be also seen from their responses towards God. Do they believe in Him? Do they have faith? Do they obey Him? Did they repent of their sins? Do they faithful to Him? Beside that the salvation also is the way God helps people’s who sins through Christ by His Love in their life with purpose to do right things. By that, people who sins are called righteous and having salvation from God.

Conclusion: What about Robin Hood and Santa Claus? If only we, you and I, have time to talk to them about this matter.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for this morning lesson. Please give your servant ability to keep righteous according to Your Word and not others. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

NOT FROM MAN

Today's Reading: Gal 1:1, 11-12, 16-17

1:1 Paul, an apostle sent not from men nor by man, but Jesus Christ and God the father, who raised him from the dead -
1:11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up.
1:12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation fro Jesus Christ..
1:16 …, to reveal his son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,;
1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was,…

Paul was using the word human many times in his letter to the Galatians. Why? Because he wanted to tell something serious about the source of his teaching.

There are two important things that Paul wants to underline in his letter to the Galatians:
1. Paul except his apostleship not from human, of human or by human, but from God and by God only.
2. The gospel that Paul teaches or preaches are not coming from human, not from him self or from the other apostles but from the Christ statement.

The background of Paul's letter to the Galatians is in Acts 15. From there , we can find one big issue that Paul, Galatians Church and the Jewish Christians ex-Parisians were debating about. That issue was bringing by the the Jewish Christians ex-Parisians that all the non Jews Christians must be circumcised to be saved. If not, then no salvation for them. It was very much different from the non Jews ex-Parisians teaching that based on opinion or personal interpretation of the Old Testament. Also, Paul's life had strengthen his statement.

Please read and watch the life of Paul through the below verses.

Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus (Gal 6:17).

Paul said about the marks of Jesus, where actually representing suffering, distress, and Paul survival as the Christ Servant. What I mean is that it was impossible for him to be suffered, got refused, humiliated, put into isolation, terrorized, in hunger, in jail, punished, going through the sink ship, and cut to the head only for one lie. Very difficult to be imagined, isn't? If he did all of that, wasn't he that stupid?

Even more, Paul left his position as the Parisians, Sanhedrin, Gamaliel disciple and was from Benjamin tribes. He was a unemployment or loser but he was very respectable. One more time, this is very difficult to be understood if wanted to do all of that for one lie? The truth is Paul are and truly chosen by God to become his apostle and received teaching and gospels form God not from human.

As Christians, you and I deserved to have peace in heart because the teachings we got from Paul are from God not opinion or subjective interpretation, that is not powerful and that is not bringing or lead you and I to God's truly truth.
So, let us stand still and stay faithful to the teaching and good news of God not human, not celebrities or others or even angel (compare to Galatians 1:8)

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for this lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to keep hod on to the teaching and good news that comes from You and not other things. In the name of Jesus. Amen

IS CHRIST LESS IMPORTANT?

Today’s Reading: Galatians 2:21; 5:2,4

2:21 do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through law, Christ died for nothing.
5:2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
5:4 you who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

There are two kinds of teaching that meaning have implication that Christ is not really important. I call those two kinds of teaching:
1. “Christ ++” teaching
2. “All Roads lead to Rome” teaching

Christ ++
Christ ++ stated that only Christ will not enough to save people. There must be other things such as legalism, philosophy, or other religious act that is not Christ. These teaching are very popular in Paul times. At that time, there are Parisians from Judea and Jerusalem who had becoming Christian were still teaching the non Christian Jews to have circumcision to get the salvation. If not they will not going to be saved (compare to Acts 15:1,5).

There are differences in comparison of today’s modern time with Paul’s time but they are the same in putting pressure inside the mind of Christian teachers.

Pay attention on Paul’s emotional explosion when he faced this kind of teaching. Here they are:
Fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you (Gal 4:11)

…, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you. (Gal 4:20)

As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! (Gal 5:12)

“All Roads lead to Rome” teaching
Just like in the Christ ++ teaching, Christian teachers in today’s era are facing difficult jobs in related to the teaching about All Roads lead to Rome. Because this teaching is saying that there are many roads to reach to heaven or salvation just like the expression of all roads lead to Rome.

Not long ago, through numbers of video in YouTube there is an interview of Billy Graham, very famous preacher by Robert Schuller, church leader from Crystal Cathedral. They both said that the Christians and the non Christians are the Body of Christ.(http://www.cuttingedge.org/news/n1141.cfm). All of them were called to have God’s grace which is Salvation. The similar thing was mentioned by Oprah Winfrey in her talk show with the women and mothers in USA that there are many roads to be saved, not only Jesus.

This teaching is indirectly said that Jesus is less important or not necessarily came to the world, died on the cross and raised from the death. Why? because anyway He is not the only way to go to heaven but one of the many choices or vehicle. Or extremely saying, Jesus decision to act and sacrificing is only a little bit better than a hero.

Let us study about this teaching in detail. There is one important note that showing the false of this teaching. The note is about differences of going to Rome and going to Heaven. If you want to go to Rome, yes, there are many ways to go there travel services, guides, and transportations that can take you there. But going to heaven is different thing, you don’t have many road, services, guides or people or authority that can take you to arrive there or allow you enter the heaven except Jesus. Why? because He came from there. He is the owner, who have authority and He is God (John 1:1,14 , 14:6). Only Jesus who can be trusted to take you and I to go to heaven.

Conclusion: You only need Jesus to be saved and only Jesus to get salvation. Not others.

Word of Prayer:
God, thank you for the lesson this morning Give your servant ability to keep believing in Christ as the only way to heaven. Amen.

EXISTED FOR GODLY REASON

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Today's Reading: Luke 12:22-24

12:22 Then Jesus said to his disciples:”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
12:23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
12:24 Consider the raven: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Have you ever asked yourself what is the purpose of your life? Do you believe that your life in this world is not without purpose? Do you believe that your life in this world is not only about eating, drinking, and clothing?

I am not starting a philosophy class or trying to think philosophically with you or ask you to argue about philosophic matter. Instead, I would like to ask you to find the clear and best answer in the Bible.

People have spiritual reason in their live. Not just eating, drinking, clothing or fulfilling their physical needs. Even though people have their eating drinking and clothing activities but all of that, are not the main reason and not the most important thing in people's life.

Below are the God's messages to human:
1. To seek Kingdom and its righteousness first (compare to Mat 6:31-33)
2. Seek with all heart (compare to. Acts 17:27).
3. To be His disciples and make other people His disciples ( Mat 28:19-20).
4. To repent and serve God (compare to Acts 26:20).
5. And still many other things to meet His need and call in our life.

The fact is that to be worry have prevented people to follow God's Call or Will. Worry have caused people to not put God as their first priority. Worry came from the products of not believing in God's providence, in which have prevented people to trust in His love. Isn't God ever told that He looks after every human being and provides their needs more than the lilies and birds in the sky that is not working? So if someone worries about his life, then he actually doesn't trust in God's statement about the human preferences.

This truth is stated not to make people not to becoming good manager in their life. Because the principle of good management is from God. But management can not be a reason for being worried and not to put God as first priority. People supposed to managing their time beside treasures or other things. And putting God as first priority in their life management.

In the business world and working environment a lot of worried people and the people who don't believe in God's providence. The worst thing is that they became greedy and the only thing in their mind are business and working. These people usually think that they are the only one who can fulfill all of their needs. They forgot about God who's the only one who can fulfill all their needs. Because everything that people have comes from God. Without God, people can not do anything. In other words, people's effort are in vain if without God.

Businessman or Christian workers have to be able to differentiate between businessman or workers who based on worry and the one who's hard working. Worried businessman or workers moved by their worry to make them working like crazy and even more they became greedy, cheater or deceitful. But the hardworking businessman or workers can control themselves and be optimal in accordance to the time God has provided where God still be the first priority. Beside that, the hardworking businessman and workers also provide his time for other important things such as to have rest, family life, social life, and other things.

In this modern time, people learn from their mistakes in the past which are to work smart, in effective way, and work as a team. All of that are the results of learning process from crazy work or workaholic where in the end has proven to fail many of businessman and workers in private, family, and social life. Some workers find themselves lay down in the hospital's bed for very long time because they never have time to rest. Haven't that showing you that God's word is truth about not being worried instead to trust in the Lord?Not only by managing the worry but really stop to be worried at all.

The reason for living is to meet God's Call and Will, not other things. Let God fulfilled all your needs. You are the being who are much more higher than the plant or animal. You are not living for eating, drinking, or clothing but for the higher reasons which are spirituality and godly.

It's so sad if people only living for eating and drinking. If that so what is the different between human than (sorry to say)animal or plant? Isn't far more worthy if somebody lives to the Glory of God. In order to fulfill his/her needs, do God's will, to work, to do something, to serve, to give contribution to the Kingdom.

We are existed for Godly reason!

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give you servant ability to meet your call and will and not other things. In the name of Christ Jesus. Amen

A WEEPING PROPHET

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

Today's Reading: Lamentations 3:31-32; 40

3:31 For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
3:32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
3:40 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Can you imagine the situation Jeremiah, the prophet, was going through? If you are the only one within your people, who believes and knows God. Only you and your only friend, Baruch,who helped you writing everything that you want him to write.

Jeremiah was like stranger within the Jews. People didn't like what he said. What he preached, was not popular, even more he had to be in jail for telling the truth. He was accused to put down the Israeli army's hearts when he said to the nation what God had told him, not to fight against the enemy because they are going to loose, died and suffered.

In contrast, Israel people listened to the fake prophets because of the words are nice to be listened. In result, the Israeli have to face the lost,slavery, starvation, and very deep suffering.

Jeremiah was the only one who knew the way out from the suffering of the Israeli at that time, but no one listened to him. Because that nation did not believe in God. They were not different with other nations whose bowed down to idols . They didn't know God. Ironically, there are another nations whose believed in God at that time. For example: Pharaoh Nekho from Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar from Babel (II Chronicles 35:20-22; II Chronicles 36:13; Jeremiah 39:11-12).

It's understandable why Jeremiah was so sad and weeping in whole his life. Some people even called him a weeping prophet. He wept when seeing Israeli was in slavery, starving, died, killed, and women were raped. Not only that, even women who before was very gentle ,cooked their babies because of hungriness. The aristocrats have becoming blacker then soot, thin of hungriness, skin stick to their bones (Lamentations 4:7-10)

What was the real solution for the Israeli of that particular time? There were times when Jeremiah reminded them of their real victories in Josiah time, not long ago. He was the only king who lived righteous in God's eyes at Jeremiah's time. But the four kings after that was evil. From there, we supposed to get the answer of the questions above that the only solution was to go back to God.

There was one hope in Jeremiah chapter 3 from all the book of Lamentations that Jeremiah have stated. Jeremiah said that God would not do that forever. Even though He gave suffering. He loved them according to His great love. He asked the nation to search and to check on their life and go back to God.

In another words, the solution of the all human problems is to go back to God. Because most of the time, the life problems appears as the cause or the false of their daily life. People whom don't know God supposed to seek Him with all heart, listen to His word, search Him, check on their life, believe, repent and go back to Him. Is it that simple? Yes. The rest, let God works and do His part.

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give your servant ability to keep listening to Your word, searching on the words, examining my life, and getting closer to you day by day. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD

Friday, January 2, 2009

Today's Reading: Jeremiah 1:9-10

1:9 Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “ And I will bring charges against your children's children.
1:10 Cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look send to Kedar and observe closely see if there has ever been anything like this.

From the book of Jeremiah we can see the process of writing the Bible, here they are:
1. God touched the mouth of Jeremiah, the prophet, with his hands (Jeremiah 1:9).
2. God put the words inside Jeremiah's mouth (Jeremiah1:9).
3. God told Jeremiah to write all His words (Jeremiah 36:2).
4. Jeremiah wrote the words with the help of Barukh son of Neria.
5. Because the word were destroyed. And God wrote the words again through Jeremiah and Baruch.

This process is a very basic thing for the Christians to put their trust on the Bible as the 100% word from God. Not only His ideas, concepts or thinking but also His words. Meaning that the Christians are not only to understand the content in general or just the big pictures but also supposed to pay attention and study on the words in the Bible. Because every God's word is very meaningful, important and serious.

We can see this truthfulness in the Jeremiah's story. From there, there is one main and very important truth that the word of God would never be failed. What ever He said will be happening because He knows everything. He knows the future. He knows about what has happened to the Kings, Nations, and Kingdoms. He can make all things possible. Everything under His power and control. That is why Jeremiah knew what the kings should do to be saved and to able to win. And he also knows what will happen to the kings who have no trust in His words.

All of his life, Jeremiah was in 5 different kingdoms: The king of Josiah, Joahas, Joachim, Zedekiah. From all the five kings only King Josiah who was righteous in front of God. And the other last four were the evil kings. And in fact, only Josiah who came with victory at his kingdom time. But the other four kings were in great lost and tragic death and sadness.

Beside that, the word of God that being told through Jeremiah to the Egyptian, Kasdim, Babel and other nations was happening at that moment too. God proved to be really keeping his promises that He was going to raise Jeremiah, the son of priest from Anatot to take out, take down, destroy, put down, build up,and to plant. King, Nation and Kingdom whom listened and believed will win and save but if not will be struck down and perished.

The same thing will happen to the people in the this modern time, if they listen to His word, believe and doing it, they will be saved, if not, they are already under the punishment (Romans 3:23;6:23).

Word of Prayer :
God thank you for the lesson this morning. Give me ability to keep hearing Your words, believe and doing it with all my heart. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

DEMAS & WILD SWAN

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Today's Reading: Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24; II Timothy 4:10

Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. (Collosians 4:14)

…and from Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, and my fellow workers. (Philemon 1:24)

…For Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonian . (II Tim 4:10)

Have you ever heard about Demas?. His name is in the Bible but probably you don't know who he was, then you decided to just skip that line, and continue to read to the next verse? Or you are probably asking who is he? What was his quality? Or what he have done?

According to Paul, Demas was his partner. He's exactly like other Gospels writers, Mark, Luke, Aristarchus who was being prosecuted and in jail together with Paul in Thessalonian. His name was mentioned three times by Paul in his letters in New Testament. Sure, he was not a usual person, I mean he had Mark, Luke and Aristarchus qualities. The question is why was he living Paul? The answer is very simple, Demas has loved the world ( compare to: II Tim 4:10).

How come this thing happened? How come? Allow me to explain with an illustration of Wild Swans from a Denmark philosopher named Oren Kierkegaard.

When the spring comes, one wild swan was flying to the north crossing Europe. On her way, she went down to a Denmark ranch where many swans was there . He ate a little bit corn. He stayed for one hour, then one day, then one week, then one month and finally because he really enjoyed the delicious food and the safeness, stayed for the whole summer. But, one day at fall's when the entire wild swans were flying to south again, they went through the ranch, and she heard them. She was full of happiness and such a joy, and she started to raise her wings to join the line of swans that flying to the south. But this swan found out that this delicious food had made her weak and heavy, she could not fly higher more than the roof of the farm store. Then she felt again and telling her self, “ It's OK, here is safe and the foods are great.” Every spring and summer when she heard the swans were passing by, she tried not to put much attention to the swans.

There are four things about above illustration:
1. The wild swan stop to fly.
2. The wild swan interested in other things.
3. The wild swans leave her community, and join other community..
4. The wild swan has discovered her alteration in physics and spiritual. She became fat, slow, lazy and lost her courage to fly.

Demas was like that. He stopped serving God and interested in the world. He leaved Paul and the fellow workers and join other groups that was not spiritual at all. If someone does not anticipate these kind of things then result will be like that.

Put attention to what Bible said about anticipation of that changes:
1. Be careful! Watch to whom you are friend with.
...Bad companies corrupt good character. (I Corinthians 15:33)

2. Study on His Word. Practice and train yourself according to the word.
All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (II Tim 3:16)

3. Train yourself in God . Do your best!
…do you know that in the race all the runners run, but ... only one gets the prize. Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into the strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly I do not fight like a man beating the air. No I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(I Corinthians 9:24-27).

Words of Prayer:
God thank you for this morning lesson. Give me ability to keep anticipating, careful, persistently studying on Bible and practice in God. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

CHICKEN IN THE OVEN

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Todays reading: Romans 4:9-12

4:9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the circumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.
4:10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still circumcised. So then he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
4:12 And he is also the father of circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

You probably ever heard illustration called “ The Barbecue Chicken in Oven “. I am going to use it to get the picture of Jews people life in Paul's time. This illustration may not be a perfect example, and I also don't expect you to remember this illustration more than Bible and its truth. Therefore, before explaining Romans 4:9-12, allow me to tell you this illustration.

One little girl has witnessed her mom cut the throat of a chicken, cut the tail, threw them and put the rest of it to the oven. What are you staring at, my daughter?” says the mother watching her daughter face. The daughter asked, “Mom, why did you cut that chicken's throat and the tail?”. The mother said:” This is what your grandma did and this is what she taught me before”. To cut the story short, the little girl grown up and she became a mother of one little girl as well. At the same activity in the kitchen, the little girl asked the same question: “Mom, why did you cut the chicken's throat and the tail? Isn't it the meat from the throat and tail part can also be eaten ?”. The mother said: “I don't know my daughter, that's what your grandma did and this is what she taught me before. And according to her, our ancestors have done this many many years ago”.

Time was passing by, where generation to generation born, then there was invention of the writing about family history or notes saying that the custom of cutting the throat and tail of chicken were necessary to be doing because at that time the oven was to small, people can not put the whole body of chicken inside the oven. After that invention, the little girl family was not anymore doing that because the ovens in the next generations were better and bigger.

I discovered three main mistakes from this illustration:
1. The mother didn't know what was the real reason, background or basic of why she's doing that.
2. The mother didn't even try to find out about that, and she keep following her mother's customs and even teaching that to her daughter.
3. The mother did the same thing in different time with different oven.

These are things that happened to the Jews in Paul 's time, where they didn't know the real reason, background, or basic of doing circumcision and Torah. Faith is the reason. The nation did not try to find out the truth but instead only following what their ancestor customs and teaching it from generation to generation. They keep practicing circumcision, Torah's law included offering for cleansing the sin in the new testament time where Christ is the perfection of Torah's law (Colossians 2:16-17).

In fact, that truth were not only appear through Abraham's story but also explicitly saying in the old testament in Habakkuk 2:4b:

“............but the righteous will live by his faith”.

Christians in this century can also take valuable lessons from the story, to not only following the acts or cultures that is not according to the Christian faith or word of God. Even though that customs can be seen as sacred and great, the Christians don't necessarily have to do that or even teaching them to the next generation..

Word of Prayer:
God thank you for this morning lesson, give me ability to be always following the acts or culture that according to Christian's faith or your word. In the name of Jesus. Amen.