The Attitude of Peace

 

The attitude of Peace

A lot of people defines peace as an absence of trouble. Because the absence of trouble is peaceful. However the attitude of peace, is a state of mind that is at peace in the midst of troubles. It is not based on the environment, which is an external factor. “If things are going well, I have peace, if things are not doing well, I don’t have peace.”

The attitude of peace is based on the true reality, that all providence has already been provided for by God. it is an internal source of supply, it is spiritual. It is an understanding that whatever challenges HOWEVER BIG, we have, the limitless supply of God inside us can satisfy, handle and provide a path to the challenges that is in front of us. It is an understanding that God is God, and because of the finished works of Jesus. We are now operating out of a different system, a different kingdom of which we have providence.

 

Be Careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3

 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7

 

“Careful for nothing”, is not saying we don’t care about the outcome of the things that is in our awareness, because if that was the case, then there is no need to pray the pray of supplication following the instructions of the subsequent passage. It is about absolutely “caring” for the matter, and the best solutions we have for those matters, are based on the “always available always on” supply of God. and as such we cast our concerns absolutely on God. And by doing so, having absolute trust, not taking the responsibility to produce the outcome, as they are not in our capacity to produce it. It is about renewing and controlling our mind to focus on God’s supply and his ability to bring forth results, and not relying on our own toils which only has limited effects.

A seed grows because inside of it, is the “miraculous power” to grow, its not even about the watering process, Its about understanding the laws which God has setup. Do we water? Of course we do, but the power of the growth doesn’t come from the watering, it comes from the miracle inside the seed, which draws the water and nutrients from the earth. As we trust God, we enable God to manifest his designed results to appear, The root is based in the spiritual realm. As such we listen to the Holy Spirit to take the small actions that is needed. Knowing that our action does matter, but it is not the main factor which makes the changes, it is only a factor which allows what God has setup to manifest. Our action is like a faucet that releases the supply that God has already prepared. Our action don’t cause the power, Our action only releases the power that God has already have for us, inside of us. And this power is designed to work for righteousness, for good. 

 

So when facing a concern, a challenge, a need, What does the bible teaches us to do? We are not to “worry” about it. Which is thinking in lack, thinking why it won’t work, and how big the problems are. But instead, think in terms of supply, why it can work, how big our God is. We are to present these circumstances and challenges to God, praying and believing for his Godly outcome, and trusting he is the author and finisher of our faith, and manifesting the providence, which is at our disposal. The bible tells us this providence is right in front of us, but just not able to be seen in the physical. It is substance and evidence which are in the spiritual realm, more solid than gold.

The Gifts of Tongues. What is it?

 

Speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

There are a lot of confusion in the gift of speaking in tongues. Lets go through the bible and see what the bible says about it. Speaking in tongues is a New testament gift, meaning prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the gift of tongues has never before been given. Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, John the Baptist did not speak in tongues. Even in the ministry of the disciples, they were given the authority and power to heal, and caste out demons but tongues was not available then until the resurrected Jesus told them to wait in the upper room, and then at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came on man, that was when tongues were available to man.

 

Biblical world view

We will address some of the questions that we have today about the gifts of the holy spirit, and part of the manifested gift is the gift of tongues. I would also suggest that the reason there are so many confusions on tongues is due to how people read the bible. As we are living in the physical world, a lot of us has interpreted the bible based on the experiences they have had, and making judgement on the meaning of the bible’s word, based on their experiences in the world. This is profound. We do this far more often than we think. Image when God said we shall raise the dead, caste out demons. Most of us who has not raised the dead (me included) have a hard time seeing that we have the ability to raise EVERY dead person presented to us. I say “Every” to strike an awareness of what we might be beliefing. In our mind we might think we might raise some, but that maybe dependent on God, his Will, dependent on the condition, or that might be dependent on our faith? See we have a whole list or reasons why it won’t work. And where does these ideas and concepts come from? It comes from our lack of experience in seeing people do that, and we based our theology in what we see. Because in our mind “seeing is truth”. Whereas according to the bible. The word of God is truth. 

 

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

 

2 Tim 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

The word is truth, means what it is saying is the reality. What is said is the true of how things are and should be. So in order to have a correct worldview, and a correct belief system, we need to base our belief on what the word of God has said.

“And view the world via the word of God, and not view the word of God through the world.”

 

If we have this as a foundation, we will be able to see clearly behind the smoke and mirrors that the devil has pulled over us and understand the power of that is available to us, in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

So lets talk about tongues, and address some of the confusion that we have based on some misconceptions that is out there.

 

What is the gift of tongues?

1 Cor 14:2, 4

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries….. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

 

We need to understand what Tongues actually is. Lets draw some truth from the above scripture. The gift of Tongues COULD NOT be understood by man, including the person who spoke it. It is spoken to God. It is not gibberish, but it has meaning in the spiritual and those meaning are unknown to man, as they are mysteries in the spiritual, spoken to God. These mysterious words is spoken for the “edification” or building up of the person himself. So whilst the content is mysterious, the effects are spoken for the edification of the person who spoke it.

 

Who can speak in tongues?

Mark 16:17-18

And these sings will accompany those who believe, in My name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.

 

According to the truth that Jesus depicts to us, if you are a believer you can speak in tongues. (you can do much more!) But you may say, I believe in Jesus but I don’t speak in tongues! Well then Jesus must be wrong, and you are correct? If you think I don’t think that! Well the reason you are not speaking in tongues, is technically you are not a believer, in the sense that you belief Jesus died for you, but you don’t believe that when he says you have the ability to speak in tongues, you can, and because you do not believe, your action follows your belief system. And you therefore do not pursuit in speaking in tongues. Because in your believe system, its not for everyone and more specific its not for you. This is contrary to the word of God. as you read on, you may have a wrong understanding of tongues and hopefully the explanation given here will be able to help you understand and receive.

 

But doesn’t the Holy Spirit give gifts according to his own will? Do all speak in tongues? Which means we may not all speak in tongues? I will address the passage in 1 Cor 12:30 in the following article.

 

Who controls the speaking of tongues? Me or the Holy spirit?

In the above passages if you can understand this clearly. Tongues is spoken by the PERSON. Meaning the person has absolute control over the speaking of the tongues, he can start, he can stop, and he can continue to speak in tongues if he so desires. It is a one time and perpetual gift, it is an ability. Like you riding a bike, once you have it, you don’t lose it. You don’t suddenly know how to ride a bike, and then next minute you lose the gift of riding the bike. Once you have it you have it.

Some people misunderstands, out of ignorance and incorrect teaching, that the Holy Spirit takes over your mouth and speaks in tongues. This is incorrect. As seen from the bible, “THEY spoke”.  In that, it is not a supernatural taking over by the holy spirit and that he takes control of your tongues and forces or compels you to speak out words.

 

Acts 2:4

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

If you read all the above scriptures in context, the speaking in tongues is an ability. And the person has control over it. Like you speaking normally in your native language. You need to decide to speak out the words, and you control if you want to speak or your don’t want to speak. When you say “ how are you?” or when you say “Thank you” this doesn’t come out automatically, but you made a conscious decision to express those words. In the same way, the gift of tongues operates in the same way. You need to make a conscious decision to speak in tongues. You speak it. YOU.

 

1 Cor 14:27-28

27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

 

The context here is Paul is addressing the church in Corinth, as during their congregation meeting, people are speaking in tongues a loud, from one corner to another, and there is disorder in the meeting. Paul is addressing this, and telling the people if you are going to speak in tongues, let it be done one at a time, and lets keep it to 2 or 3 people. Just image in your church today the pastor is addressing the crowd, then some guy stands up and speaks in tongues, you wait for him to finish his interruption, and then another person down the back starts to speaks. And this goes on for more than a few times during the meeting. This is what Paul was addressing. The reason I am bringing the spotlight on this passage is. The Holy Spirit is NOT interrupting the meeting by bringing disorder, if you belief the idea that the Holy spirit takes control of your mouth and speak in tongues, then Paul will be wrong to try and correct the people of the Corinth church, because if tongues are controlled by the Holy Spirit, then Paul is saying Holy Spirit don’t disrupt my meeting! The reason that Paul is addressing the people at the Corinth church, is because the people are in control of speak in tongues. It is an ability, “a gift”. A gift like a person that has a photographic memory, it is a gift in that it is an ability. And it is an ability that can be used at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and for the wrong reasons.

(you will see Paul addressing speaking in  tongues and in comparison to prophesying in the context of a congregation meeting).

 

Is this all gibberish?

1 Cor 14:2

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for NO  man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries

1 Cor 14:14

14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

As Paul explains it in 1 cor 14. The gift of tongues cannot be understood by man, (without the gift of interpretation), it means that the MIND of MEN does not comprehend what is being said, including the person who spoke it. It is like a man who only speaks English going over to China, and the people speak to him in Chinese, even with the best of intentions he is not ABLE to understand what they are saying. Tongues It is not a man’s language, it is spoken to God. So in context the gift of tongues, is like that man who only speaks English, goes back to England, and God has given him the supernatural ability to speak Chinese, the people in England does not understand a word he is saying, and he himself doesn’t understand it either. Tongues is the language spoken to God, and when spoken it is speaking mysteries that activate God’s power in our life, that builds us up. You may ask how do you know that this is true? This goes back to our belief system. Do you interpret the bible through the lens of the world, or do you interpret the world through the lens of the bible? Where do you base your foundation of truth? This is what the bible says.

 

How do you speak in tongues?

In order to speak in tongues, which is a manifestation of THE GIFT, the holy Spirit, you first must receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. One cannot receive from God without believing on God that he is giving. The truth is he has given, we just need to ask in order to receive it.

 

Luke 11:13

13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

 

James 1:6-8

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

 

So when you ask, believe that God gives, and because he has given when you have asked, you therefore have it. In faith, believe you have received it. Now because the Holy Spirit is given to you, and the bible says believers shall speak in new tongues, then as an act of obedience and an act of faith, open your mouth, and speak out by faith and in faith, that what you are speaking out is the mysteries of God which the Bible has spoken about. Read this paragraph carefully, because to the carnal mind this may sound like this is all made up in your own mind. But read carefully the scripture passages. Speaking in tongues, is spoken out in faith and by faith. You will find that the other manifestation of the gift of the holy spirit is activated and operated in the same way.

 

Can I learn tongues?

Lets clarify this, because to learn something can be understood in a few ways. you CANNOT acquire tongues by learning it. It’s a gift. By definition a gift is given, and not earned by efforts. Ie when you receive a “money gift”, it is given to you, not because of your efforts, but because the giver wants to give it to you, the money acquired via effort is called a “wage”. So you can’t earn a gift by efforts. But what you can do is, learn to be more effective with the gift that you already have. It is like the muscles that we have, every person has the same muscles that Arnold Schwarzenegger has, its just that we have not developed them to the extent that Arnie has, because of his frequency of use. The more you use your gift, the more proficient you are with that gift. This goes with all the gifts of the spirit. The frequency of use, allows us to perceive the reality of God and his power that works in us. In practice it is not so much learning how to belief in the word of God, it is how to remove your unbelief regarding the word of God.

Tongues is one of the most powerful manifested gifts of the holy spirit, it is not a lesser gift, but it is a very practical one, as speaking in tongues edifies yourself. Paul speaks in tongues more often the others.

1 Cor 14:18

18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.

The devil fights hard with lies about speaking in tongues, as its one of the most practical ways to uplift and edify oneself. It is the swiss army knife of our victory walk, and it is the standard issue for the army of God.

Why talk about Tithe and Giving?

Why Tithe and Give?

Was watching the God Money and Me seminar by Paul De Young, from my home church, Life Church. I want to honor leadership for the dedication to the flock in bring this teaching to the church. Finance is such an important area for the body of Christ, and the lack of understanding in this area, really hammers our effectiveness to spread the gospel. During the seminar, a lot of the question so far comes with the viewpoint about how much we are to give to God? is it before tax, or after tax. There are many parts of the scripture that talks about tithes and offering. Many people are asking because they genuinely do not know what the bible says about giving. But more over I feel there are many that is coming from an attitude or mindset that says, “HOW much do I need to give back to God?” It’s like our response to taxes, what is the absolute legal minimum we can pay the government in taxes?

 

The attitude is, I want to be obedient and go by the book and give what is Required and ONLY what is required. Because some belief Tithes and offering, like taxes, it’s a system that TAKES AWAY resources that we have personally, and hence limits our financial ability to allocate resources to our desires, our family, our retirement, and all the good stuff that we could do with that money. Ultimately the belief is, Tithes and offering is a system that affects us negatively financially, it’s a sacrifice, it is a tax from God. at least this is what I used to think religiously.

 

I would presume like myself, the reason most people are asking all these questions about the tithe and offering, is based out of the incorrect motivation that see Tithe and offering as a “Giving”, meaning when you GIVE, you GAVE, and it is GONE. It a sacrifice, it’s an expense, and it takes from you.

 

Why would the father ask us to give a tithe?

Let’s explore this, why would the loving father in heaven, gives his sons and daughters a command to tithe and give? Is it so that he can take things from us? Limits us? Make our lives harder than it already is? To humble us? No! He did not give this law to us to humble us. He gave us this law so that he can set us up for Success.

 

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Malachi 3:10

 

You see when you give, what you are doing is, you are saying, God I trust in you. You are real. You are my source, I do not rely on the sweat of my brow to eat, I am relying on you to be my provider. “Giving” is not an EXPENSE. It is a Supremacy INVESTMENT. Like you invest in a fund, when you transfer the money to the broker, you are not sad because your bank account now has less money, you are excited because the investments have fantastic returns. When you “give”, your money does not disappear, it comes back in many folds.

 

When you tithe, “God will “pour out a blessing” on you. Do you know what this means? It means the blessing like Abraham has, that when he departed with Lot, he told Lot to choose whichever part of the land he liked, because it doesn’t matter, I Abraham has the blessing. I plant in the desert, and it will flourish just as well, because I have the blessing of God on me.

The blessing comes from the finished works of Jesus.

I am not saying you need to give tithe or offering in order to be blessed. You ARE blessed because of the divine Exchange, when Jesus took your sins, and he gave you his righteousness.  

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2 Cor 9:8.

You are blessed because he HAS ALREADY Blessed you, and you receive that Blessing when you believe he has already done it.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Eph 1:3

However what I am saying is the Tithe and Offering is one of the predominate Channel for God to enable the financial blessing that is already on you, to reach you. 

God provides for us when we give.

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Cor 9:6-8

 

In 2 Corinthians Its simply saying, you give little, you get little, you give more you get more. And as you give, GOD is able to bless you, that you are in abundance, in all things, at all times, having sufficiency for every good work. The coverage is very universal.

 

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Cor 9:10-11

 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 

We have both Seeds as well as Bread in our resource basket.

When you are a sower, God is the one who gives both Seeds to you, as well as Bread. When you sow into the kingdom of God, God will provide for your needs and more. As a person sows, he does not look at what is in his hands, he is looking at the eventual crop that is coming at harvest time. The sowing system is a supernatural system. It is beyond the natural.

 

The question we are really addressing, is not how much we should give. But “Do I trust God to be my provider?” Is he going to meet me where he said he will, with all sufficiency for all things? Does he provide bread, as well as seed to those who sows? That is the challenge we are faced with, is God legit? Because that is what his word says.

 

Do we give everything?

Well do we go all out in giving everything I have? You do not want to sow your bread and eat your seed. And as he gives bread as well as seeds, it does mean that there are some resources which are for your living, and resources that are for you to sow. You want to be prudent, and know in your season, what things are for your living, and what resources are for yours to sow, it takes wisdom, knowledge and understanding to tell the difference. No one gets it right absolutely all the time. But we have grace to learn, and in time with experience we all become better farmers.

 

Havesting

I used to be a sower, that does not harvest. Meaning I will give, and not be expecting any returns from my giving. However, God does not reap for us. We need to be expecting a harvest and looking out for a harvest. When you sow, expect a harvest, when you sow expect a return in whichever forms that it comes. If you are sowing seeds, but not expecting anything to come back, you are not harvesting, and whatever efforts you spent in planting, if you do not reap, you will not have fruit. The harvest does not fall in your lap. Harvest needs to be reaped. And by reap, I mean, expect to succeed in the area of finances, my it be your investments, your career, your business, may it be in whichever form, ask God what you need to be reaping, and God will give you ideas and insights into where your sowing is ready ripe and ready to reap.

 

Conclusion

So, in conclusion if you feel that you are having trouble in giving. This most probably is because we have a limiting mindset, that we think when we give, it is taken out of our life, and its gone forever. This is a wrong understanding of what a tithe or offering does. God never intend to take things away from us, his intention for us is to give us more, give us abundance, and the tithe is a "channel" and means to do that.  

We don't "give" in order to "get", so that we can horde the stuff for ourselves, We give to get, so that as sons we can be more effective for God to have influence on this earth. 

The big Picture

Money is only a medium of exchange in this world. We do live in an economic world, and it does take finance to move things here. But this will all pass away, in heaven they use genuine gold for pavement. If we understand that our ability to create or acquire wealth is given to us, so that we can establish God’s covenant on earth. (Deut 8:18), it does give us a better perspective for the whole goal of the above, sowing and reaping is not so that you can hog more, its so that we can be more effective people for the kingdom of God. That we make disciples of all nations telling them about the good news that the war is over, God has won, we are now redeemed. 

Praying for the US Election 2020

During this US election season, I was praying for the US that a particular administration would be elected. Searching within, I am asking God, what am I actually doing and how does it work? What does praying for one administration really mean? What does praying to God  for anything for that matter looks like?

So exploring down this route, the idea of praying for something, looks a little bit like this. When I was praying to God about the election, I was basically saying to God and asking of him to supernaturally arrange for the outcome of the election.

But how could this even work? Are we asking God to rig the outcome of an election? In order to do so, He will need to violate people’s will. Which if we looked, throughout the history and records in the bible, is not something that God does, or theoretically can do. So if God can’t change the will of the people, he can’t change the outcome of the election (unless he cheats and turns in some fake votes supernaturally).  So when we are asking God to intervene in the election, then these intercessionary prayers are really a waste of time, and misleading.

So if God can’t change the results, does that mean we shouldn’t pray about it? For whatever will be will be?

Well no, Jesus told us in the Lord’s prayer that we should pray that “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). We need to look at what this really means in the context of an earthly system that is under the control of man. As many may understand (I will have another blog on this topic), God is NOT in absolute control in what happens on earth. Otherwise he would not have asked us to pray for “His will to be done on earth”. His will is followed absolutely in heaven. (hence “as it is in heaven”) but on earth, his will is not fully followed, because man don’t fully follow God.

So when Jesus asked us to pray, Say in the context of the US election? What did he want us to talk to God about?

Insight:

I think there are lots of things going on in the Election backdrop. What we firstly want to understand is Which party would God vote for, what will be the Father’s will? You may think well, if God was here he wouldn’t vote for any of these guys! That probably is true, but again God doesn’t have full control at the moment on earth, we as the body of Christ only has certain options to choose from. We look back in the Old Testament, this was the same during the time of Egypt, Babylon, Persia with  Joseph, Mordecai, Daniel, Nehemiah all of them served under nations which were not the “chosen” nation of Israel. Yet they chose to perform their duties to the best of their ability under those administrations, and surely there are some administrations that are better than others, and there are some which are more evil than others, so which party you support do in fact count.

So ask God about which is the right party to Support. Do the research,

Understand what the parties represent and what are their policies? How good are they in keeping what they promised? I have never heard a Politian give out a policy that doesn’t appeal to at least a segment of the audience, however these policies needs to be weighted into the workings with other policies, does it practically make sense? For example, in our local state election, LNP has a $300 “Car Rego” rebate, if we voted for them and they win. Yes, $300 rebate sounds great! But how does that look on the Government’s budget? How is the government going to pay for this, is it sustainable? and what are their other policies if they win? So one must study in details what the policy is offering from a practical sense, as well as a biblical moral sense. This takes work, time and takes effort. But if we put God’s kingdom first, this should take priority over watching TV dramas.

 

Action:

Once understood what God wants, takes action to do our part in enforcing the results of the Kingdom. Vote! If you truly believe it is God’s will and you are doing what God wants, then inform others who are probably uninformed, tell others why you are voting the way you are, why you feel this is Godly. A lot of people are voting out of some false premises or are viewing things through a particular narrative. Until shown an alternative, will think they have the correct perspective. So be proactive in sharing why you vote who you vote, and understand the issues others may have that’s contrary to what you say, they may have a legitimate reason, and if correct, you may want to have the party address it. Be influencers. We are called to be world changers, to change for the better.

Wisdom:

Pray for wisdom and strategies, as to how you can play a part in influencing others to take on what is right. Because If you “should”, then you “must”. For thing that are blatantly against God. Speak confusion to the enemy. We see this time and time again, that the enemy that came against God, when facing Israel started attacking each other. In the same way, we pray for confusion to t he evil plans of the enemy that it will not succeed.

The votes are in, what else can you do?

Pray for the correct outcome. As God would not rig the votes, we pray that the correct votes are actually counted, that there are no counterfeits, fraud, and unfair conduct. God is a God that plays by the rules, and so should we. If there are misconduct, pray to God again for insight and wisdom, and also for other’s to spot the misconduct and bring it to light. The devil is the one who lies, steal, kills and destroys. Pray that there are revelations as to what those lies are and strategy to expose them to the light. Prayer for the operatives, who were involved, to come up and come clean if things were done wrong, again people do wrong because they have been lied to, Adam didn’t intentionally rebelled against God, he was deceived. He believed in a lie.

What if the other side wins!

Choices has consequences, our peers choices impacts us, our government’s choices impacts us, and their policy will impact us. If the administration that you chose did not come into power, pray for the leadership of the party in power to have wisdom in enforcing beneficial policies, and scrap the ones that are no good. At the same time, know that there is another election in 48 months. It is not the end of the world, and if it is, thank God we know where we are going! So don’t be stuck in fear. Be in faith, Pray to God, asking for insights, Wisdom, Strategy, and take action and to be an influencer.

Reading the bible during a Crisis?

In times of Crisis, Christians turns to God for strength, directions and insights. They pick up the bible and wants to read and hear what God has to speak to them about. I tried doing this many times during times of difficulties, yet I rarely see anything that gives me directions that is specific related to the problem or the issue at hand.

And I asked God, Why is it that you don’t speak to me via your word? Why are you not speaking to me about the issues that I am dealing with. And I was reading Luke 11:28.

 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

The verse Jesus says, The Blessing comes when we heard the word, but we need to keep it. The word “keep” can be talking about “keeping” in terms of actions, (ie keeping the law, keeping the Sabbath), but also “keeping” can mean in treasuring and preserving it. So when we are just reading the word in the times of crisis, we maybe reading from the page we last read, or some people flip open the bible like a lottery, and see if something divine will happen.  When we do that, we are not actually keeping the word, we are focusing on the problem, looking to the word as a word search looking for answers. At that moment most of us are just glossing over the word and have not studied or esteem the word, which causes you to be fully persuaded of the power that worketh in us.   

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 TIm 2:15

I am generalizing the above of course, as I have done that many a times myself. If you already have the context of what God said about a certain thing, and you are going in to study that topic or the verse to get a deeper revelation, this is different, and is is part of "keeping" the word.    

The word of God is not an instant super soldier serum 
Reading the word of God, it is like training for war, You don’t try and learn the word of God in the middle of trouble, just like you wouldn’t go learn how to shoot a rifle in the middle of the battle. If you are not trained up before the fight, then you have to use what little you got in the fight, but most probably you won’t be using anything that you are unfamiliar with. Soldiers are trained before they are sent off. They are not looking at the manual in the heat of the cross fires.

So reading the bible on a routine basis, allows us to be equipped with the arsenals that God has for us, for different times and over different challenges. Reading the bible, should not be viewed as a thing we HAVE to do, and you set yourself a routine of reading 3 chapters a day and you are hoping it is over ASAP because you got real fires to fight, but it should be viewed as a time of equipping, getting to know our commander and chief, understanding the battle, the enemy and our position as the body of Christ on earth. It is also a time to spend with the father, to understand his heart. As the word of God gives us proper perspective of the world, it will provide context to the things that is happening around us, and also allows us to take position and use our authorities as the spirit filled man, to make the right choices, and be material in facing challenges that is in front of us.

23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mark 11:23-24

The offering of Cain and Abel

 

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Gen 4:2-5

 

Why did God looked with favor on Abel’s offering vs that of Cains?

 

Some people belief God likes animal sacrifice more than that of produces. So God looked with favor on Abel’s offering. But can this be the determining factor? Some people belief the “fat offering of the flock” maybe a type and shadow of the ultimate lamb, so maybe God favored this more than the fruits offering to demonstrate a point? These can be true, and yet if were to be the only reasons, it limits our perspective as to what God desires, because if it is true, instead of just giving money as an offering, we should incorporate some sort of animal sacrifice and more preferably lamb sacrifice as God looks with favor on this type of offering. And God doesn’t change.

 

We also see the bible talking about God delights in obedience over sacrifices, that it is better to obey than sacrifice.

 

“Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed [is better] than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

 

Maybe Abel obeyed God, where as Cain didn’t? That maybe true, but this is in the beginning of time just after the fall. Apart from the initial command to not eat the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, there was no other recorded command to obey to. There was not even a command on offering.

 

In Gen 4:2, we see that Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. So as a profession, one grew produce, and one raised flocks. So in context you would think, giving something that they were making would be the right and the fair thing to do. What I am trying to say is, on the flip side, it would be not logical for God to desire of us something that we do not have access to, to give. Ie demand Cain to give his some flocks where he doesn’t have, or Abel to give some fruits which he doesn’t have. So it would be unfair of God to condemn Cain’s offering because it was produce.

 

So what was wrong with Cain’s offering?

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Gen 4:6

 

“If you do what is right?” is quite a strong statement, What was Cain doing that was wrong? Why was his offering not accepted, and why was Abel’s offering accepted? What did Abel do right?

 

In Genesis, we were unable to find the answer as to this. However the answer was given in Hebrews.

 

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. Hebrews 11:4

 

Abel, approached God with an offering that was in faith. Where as Cain’s offering was not offered in faith. So if we look at Hebrews, we see that, it is not about what you offer, but it is about if you did it in Faith.

 

But the question is what does it mean we offered in faith? In faith of what? And in faith to do what?

 

This comes back to the reason of an offering. Why did they offer part of their produce or flock to God? What is the reason for doing so? There was no law to do it, there was no suggestion that God required it or even desired it. The offering was something they did as part of their communion with God, it was an expression of worship. Cain and Abel, both worshipped God because that was the right thing to do. Knowing how great God is, they had an understanding that they had an innate need to do something to recognize how great God is.

 

However, Cain did it out of a heart of duty and obligation, God is great, so there is a need to worship God. So out of obligation and motion Cain responded to that greatness.

 

And Abel on the other hand, offered not out of obligations, but he did it to bless God, God is great, so I am believing that what I am giving to God, God will like it .

 

So God approved of Abel’s offering, because Abel believed that God will like what he gives.

Whereas Cain was indifferent to if what he gave was pleasing to God, but he did it because he felt a need to do it.

 

The difference is Abel’s response was a relational one to God, where as Cain’s response was a mechanical one. Both of them knew God is great, and they were in need to express that.  But God condemn Cain to be wrong in how he related to God, and accepted Abel in how he related to God.

 

 

So how does this impact our giving?

When we give, bless our giving, and believe that God is so pleased with whatever we are giving him.  That he is well pleased with whatever it is we are giving him, may this be money, a cent or a billion, our time to serve, or anything that you set aside, separated for God. If you are offering in faith that he likes it. He is well pleased with that! Live life as a constant offering, dedicating and separating your life as an offering that pleases God, As you put faith in your life offering, may you do well or not, God is pleased with you. He is not looking at the lean or fat of the lamb, he is looking to your heart.

9-11 recollections

 

9-11 recollections

It has been 19 years ago since 9/11. I recall that morning when I was on a business trip with my father, I was leaving the NY hotel, taking a taxi at 6:00 in the morning heading towards the airport. The city was waking up, and the morning light was about to break. The taxi went by the Twin towers, and I thought, it would be nice going up to the observatory deck next time I am in town.

Roll time forward, 3 hours after that, I landed in Boston, and was told by the taxi driver that a plane flew into one of the towers. It must have been 8:50am or so. As we walked into the Hotel lobby, everybody has their eyes glued onto the TV, as we see footage of the 1^st plane flying into the tower one. As everybody was dumbfound, looking at the TV in disbelieve, as if it was a movie that has gone wrong. Moments later we see real life footage of the second plane UA 175 (later found out to be the plane that I was originally booked on) flying into the 2^nd tower.

Now as nobody knew how to respond to such graphics, my father and I queued to get ourselves checked in. To our surprise, our name was not found on the register. Feeling a little loss, I decided to call my mom back in Hong Kong who was the one who booked for us. Being guys, (my father and I) it never came across our mind to call home, to say everything was okay. Now this is before the internet days, there is no free internet calls but just IDD and its ROAMING IDD that costs 20 bucks a minute. So the first word that the phone was answered was. MUM DID YOU FORGET TO BOOK US A ROOM!??? Mum obviously was devastates, and started weeping hearing our voice. The reason being, on our itinerary, we were flying out of Boston to LA, on flight UA175. Unaware of this, I continued. “MUM, this is an IDD CALL its really very expensive!”  Did you book our hotel or not???? Ending the call in anger as my mum took an extra 15 seconds to say I am glad you guys are save, which costed me an extra 20 bucks. In the end all was sorted out, as they had the middle name and last name swapped around. We thank God that it was done that way, otherwise I would have never called home. Actually after like an hour of that, it came to my lightning fast mind that I should call my girlfriend (now my wife) to let her know I am okay! (Yes I have grown to be more responsible now)

So God kept me save, by moving my whole schedule one day later because a customer said he needed to see us, and he can’t do it unless we reschedule, so originally I was to fly out of Boston to LA on the 11th, instead my whole trip was shifted one day later, so I flew out form NY to Boston on the 11th, and then supposedly to fly out of Boston to LA on the 12^th. (In the end I flew home on the 16^th.)  

So I am alive here today, because God made some divine arrangements and changed my schedule., instead of flying into tower 2. I am glad I am alive.