Author: kittycool only

The Theology of God’s Calling (Romans 11:29) – The Theology of Self

We are created “in the image and likeness” of God – Genesis 1:26-27 “And God said, let Us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (KJV).

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Adam & Eve were not the product of some galactic accident nor is he the result of evolution. God created Adam to be totally dependent on Him – “For in Him, we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Luke 3:38 calls Adam “the son of God.”

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Adam & Eve were God’s masterpiece and the focal point of His (God’s) Creation. All of God’s purposes were to centre on them (Genesis 1:26-28) – Genesis 1:31a “He (God) had made, and indeed it was very good….”

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Adam & Eve were created in God’s Image and Likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). Unlike Angels and the animals, Adam & Eve have very special relationship with God. God not only gave Adam & Eve Personality – Mind to think, emotion to feel, and will for making decisions – but God also gave Adam & Eve a spirit that enabled them to know Him (God) and worship Him (God).

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God’s Image is spiritual, mental, and volitional (power). It involves the Character (Image) and Nature (Likeness) of God – Likeness (intellect, emotion, will) and Image (Moral Attributes: Holy, righteous, love, faithful). Not God’s Essential Attributes (Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Immutable (unchanging as to His Nature, Being and Character) and Self-existent) of God.

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Fruitful, Multiply and Fill – Genesis 1:28a “And God blessed them, and God said unto them (Adam & Eve), be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (KJV). The three Commands: “Be Fruitful, and Multiply and Filled the Earth” involves Procreation, the union of man (Adam) and woman (Eve) to populate the Earth (Genesis 9:1; Isaiah 45:18). Adam and Eve were to reproduce “after their kind” – Genesis 5:1-3 “This is the Book of the Generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him; male and female created He them; and blessed them and called their Name Adam (Mr & Mrs Adam), in the day when they were created. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his own image; and called his name Seth” (KJV).

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Subdue the Earth – Genesis 1:28b “And subdue it” (KJV). The word “subdue” denotes warfare and means “to tread down, to conquer and to subjugate.” This implied the existence of Enemy (Satan – The Fall of Lucifer – Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:9) that Adam and Eve must overcome. Satan and one third of the Angelic Host rebelled against God (Revelation 12:4a) and became God’s Enemies and Adam’s & Eve’s Enemies. Satan (Lucifer) and the Fallen Angels were the Enemies that Adam & Eve must overcome. Furthermore, Adam & Eve were to make the whole Earth as the Garden of Eden. This implies a degree of sovereignty, control and direction over Nature (Psalm 8:6).

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Have Dominion – Genesis 1:28c “And have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moved upon the earth” (KJV). Adam and Eve were the first Rulers over God’s Creation – “The Heaven, even the Heavens are the LORD’s but the Earth He has given to the Children of men” (Psalm 115:16, NKJV). From the moment of their (Adam & Eve) Creation Man & Woman were given the Authority to have Dominion – This Dominion involves the Rulership over the Earthly Creation and would include the spiritual authority.

Adam & Eve were King & Queen under God, Adam named the animals – Genesis 1:19-20a “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field; and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call every living Creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field” (KJV).

Adam & Eve demonstrated their God’s given authority over the Creation (Genesis 1:28), when Adam gave Names to the animals and fowls.
Adam & Eve demonstrated their God’s given mental capacity when Adam named the animals and fowls.

It did not take millions of years for Man (Adam) and Woman (Eve) to evolve in their search of self-identity and self-consciousness, for Adam’s & Eve’s Dominion (Genesis 1:28) were the direct result of being created in God’s Image and Likeness. Man (Adam) and Woman (Eve) were created to have dominion over all living Creatures (Genesis 1:28).

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When Adam & Eve Fell (sinned – Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:1-6), not only physical death and spiritual death (cut-off from God’s Life) came upon them (Adam & Eve) but the Image of God in them were marred (Ephesians 4:18-19). But at the same time, they still retain God’s Likeness of: Intellect, Emotion, and Will. Through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the Work of the Holy Spirit, the Image of God is presently being formed in every born-again Believer who allows God’s Spirit to conform him/her to God’s Image, of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit:

Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” (KJV).
2Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (NIV).
Colossians 3:10 “And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (NIV).

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At the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, all of God’s Children will share in the Glorious Image of Christ – 1John 3:1-3 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Children of God; therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the Children of God, and it doeth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as He is pure” (KJV)

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Thus, we have worth and significance in God’s Sight, despite our weaknesses, failures, and faults. Every Person long for meaning of life and deep relationship, which could only be satisfied in God in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ. The field of Psychology tries to create an understanding and appreciation of this worth and significance, for example:

Erik Erikson helps his Readers appreciate more fully what it means to become an Adult – to be mature in one’s personal identity.
Victor Frankle effectively argues that deep within the psyche of each Person is a longing for meaning that needs to be expressed in hopeful work and purposeful activity.
Rollo May recognises the essential worth of each Person and appreciates the power of crisis and stress to undermine personal identity. He contends that the resulting emptiness and anxiety can only be overcome through the power of love, love that enables us to live with freedom and courage.
Abraham Maslow gives us the language of self-actualisation, the ideal or goal toward which each Person strives – to realise our potential in our work and relationships, and to be able to do so even in environments and contexts that threaten our capacity for inner strength, authenticity and courage.”

It was estimated by one author (Gordon T Smith) that over 80 percent of the books published in any given year are about the self. We are consumed with our “selves.” In order to resist being absorbed with ourselves, we must find, in response to God’s Grace, Mercy and Moral grounding, a clear sense of Authentic Identity in God through the Lord Jesus Christ, in our life and calling (vocation). Only then can we turn from self-absorption and self-centredness and know God’s Grace & Mercy in the Service to Others.

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God’ Glory – Man/Woman reflects God’s Glory – 1Corinthians 11:7b “Man…..is the Image and Glory of God” (KJV) and thus, it is erroneous for Christians and the Church to consider the Person to be nothing but God’s channel only. Scripture speaks of us as Partners with God – even Ambassadors for God (2Corinthians 5:20). Our lives and works matter greatly to God; our choices and decisions make a difference. Apostle Paul urges Timothy to “fan into flame the Gift of God” (2Timothy 1:6, NIV). If he/she does not, the Gift of God will not flourish in him/her! Timothy is urged to be proactive, to take responsibility for his life and his work (Ministry = Service), which will impact both the Church and the World.

Christians and Church, who argued that the best option is for the Person to decrease, often quoted the words of John the Baptist: “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). We miss the point if we extrapolate from this declaration of John the Baptist that the Person has little if any significance.

John the Baptist was speaking of his calling (vocation), and of the joy at Christ’s Coming.
John’s work is that of a friend of the Bridegroom (Jesus – John 3:29), not that of the Bridegroom.

Naturally, when the Bridegroom appears, it is appropriate for the friend (John) to step aside – and this is his joy (and also Jesus’ joy). We see this Principle repeated in the affirmation that we are called to lose our lives if we are to gain them; that if we are to be great, then we must be Servants of all:

Mark 10:43-44 “But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever would be great among you, shall be your minister (Servant); And whosoever of you would be the chiefest shall be Servant of all” (KJV).
Matthew 23:11 “But he that is greatest among you shall be your Servant” (KJV).

Implicit in these teaching of Jesus is the recognition that we have life to give, and we achieve greatness by giving our life, thus, it can be assumed that the Individual life before God has the potential of greatness. When Christ’s Disciples wondered who would be great in the Kingdom of God, Jesus’ response was not to rebuke them for desiring greatness but rather to point them to the way of Service. Furthermore, Jesus made the remarkable statement that His Disciples were not only His Servants; they were His friends (John 15:15). Thus, we are more than “Channels” or “Instruments” but Partners with Him in the Work of the Kingdom! So do not run yourself down but Praise the Lord Jesus!

The Theology of God’s Calling (Romans 11:29) – The Theology of Calling

The “Call of God,” whether Secular or Religious, are Sacred – Romans 11:29“For God’s Gifts and His Call are irrevocable” (NIV) – Whether we are called into Service in the Church or in the World, whether to manual work, art, education, science, technology, engineering, medicine, the service professionals or managerial, in every area and sector of human life, every call is sacred. If a vocation represents God’s Call to serve Him in the World, then that vocation (call) is sacred because it comes from God. It therefore makes no sense to speak of secular vocation (call); such a term is a contradiction, because all vocation (call) comes from God, and is sacred. The term “secular work” comes from the Hellenistic teaching, any work that was “in the world” or involved active engagement with society was viewed as secular and probably evil. Thus, the spiritual ideal was to leave the world, to be separated from it and to live a life of prayer and study as much as possible. This belief system, for centuries, has become deeply imbedded in the psyche of the Church: That if you have “a vocation (calling)” you are to leave “secular” employment and to accept the responsibility

Mind-Set Change – Martin Luther and John Calvin brought about a reformation and a mind-set change by refusing to make the sharp distinction between sacred and secular that was so characteristic of the medieval world and is still evident in the language of the present-day Christians and the Church. Martin Luther and John Calvin promoted a revolutionary teaching: That the homemaker, the shoemaker, and the preacher all serve God, all respond to the call (vocation) of God, and thus all have “a calling” (vocation). Martin Luther and John Calvin called for spirituality in the world that took seriously the home and the marketplace. Both affirmed the common and the ordinary – As Calvin puts it, “in following your proper calling, no work will be so mean and sordid as not to have splendour and value in the eye of God” (John Calvin, “Institute of the Christian Religion”).

Luther and Calvin insisted that all people should have a respect for their own calling (vocation). John Calvin went further and affirmed that each Person has been assigned a station or calling (vocation) from God; this calling (vocation) is not something incidental or accidental. Consequently, it is our sacred duty to accept and even embrace that to which God has called us.

The sacred is not distinct from the secular; rather the sacred is what sanctifies the ordinary and thus makes it good and noble. This idea of sanctification was critical to Martin Luther’s assertion that every Christian, regardless of station, is a Priest (Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; 1Peter 2:5-9). In spite of the teaching of Martin Luther and John Calvin, the unbiblical teaching that some callings (vocations) are sacred, and some callings (vocations) are secular are still locked in the “mind-set” of the Church, and in the Christians, today!!

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Spheres of Influence – The recovery and understanding of this biblical vocation (calling) of God involving all areas of life leads us to a renewed appreciation of the full extent of God’s call (vocation) and His Kingdom that is, permeating all strata of societies, communities, and countries. This recovery and understanding leads us into the revelation of the “Seven-Mountain” Spheres of Influence which was given by God, simultaneously, to Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade, and Loren Cunningham, Founder of Youth with a Mission, in 1975. The revelation was if we are to impact any Nation for Jesus Christ, we would have to affect the seven spheres of influence of society that are pillars. Furthermore, the Church and the Christians need to change their mind-set and embraced that God calls people into the “Seven-mountains” of spheres of influence:

Families (Covenant relationship and personal identity, which are the key building blocks of society. Parenting styles, singleness, orphans, gender issues, marriage, sexuality, divorce, aging etc).
Religion (Faith and practice concerning what is ultimately true. Among the many voices on this sphere of influence (mountain), the Church declares who God is and what Jesus has done to redeem man and creation).
Economy (The system that produces, distributes, and consumes wealth. Business, finance, management, social justice, capitalism, socialism, prosperity, poverty, etc).
Education (Who, what, when, where why and how we teach the next Generation. Public & private schools, textbooks, literacy, indoctrination vs. education, universities, etc).
Government (The system and policies by which we rule and are ruled. Politics, law, courts, taxes, prisons, military, bureaucracies, civic duty, patriotism, activism, etc).
Arts & Media (Our creations, stories, ideas, music and games and the way we communicate them. Entertainment, the process, sports, novels, myths, the internet, televisions, music, etc).
Science & Technology (Our knowledge of creation and how we practically apply it. Health, medicine, innovation, sanitation, the printing press, computers, weaponry, etc).
(Source: “Prayer Card – The Seven Mountain or Spheres of Influence” & “The Seven Mountain Prophecy” – Johnny Enlow)

All vocation (calling) is sacred and there should be no separation between the Church and the Marketplace, as God is establishing His Kingdom on earth as the whole Creation comes under His Divine Authority. To that end God calls and enables His Children to be His Kingdom People within every sphere of life and society. Each call (vocation) reflects but one avenue by which God, through word and deed, is accomplishing the establishment of His Kingdom on Earth.

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Calling & Career – It is also important to stress the distinction between calling (vocation) and career, job or occupation – A calling (vocation) comes from God, and though it does involve work in any sector or society, from the home to the marketplace to the Church. God’s Word states that the “Gift and Calling (Vocation) of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). The Person can lose his job, be released from a position or his career can come to an end when he retires. But his Calling (Vocation) remains because it reflects his fundamental identity. This means that if we are going to be successful in the Service of God, whether in the Church or in the World, we have to understand and use His (God’s) Calling (Vocation) upon our life.

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Market-Place – Tom Philips, who is associated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said this: “The greatest potential ministry in the world today is in the marketplace. Christ’s greatest labour force is those men and women already in that environment.” This is a powerful prophetic statement with great implications:

Ministry – Our job, career, business, and the connections with the various Leaders or People, is more than earning a profit or wage but a ministry unto the Lord Jesus.
Window of Opportunity – There is “a fruitful season” for God’s work – God determined allotted periods – Acts 17:26b “Hath determined the times before appointed” (KJV).
The Boundary -– Acts 17:26c “The boundary of their habitation” (KJV). God has also assigned an Individual to his/her assigned place(s).
Positioning – God is calling and selecting Leaders in the market-place to impact the work-place, society and transform the community, because they are people of influence and strategically positioned in the market place.

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The Church is to be a blessing to societies/communities because of Christ’s Finished Work (John 19:30 “It is Finished”), by being a good and useful citizen to the Nation of our dwelling, involving the dual task:

Evangelistic Mandate (Saving Souls) – Matthew 28:19a “Therefore go and make Disciples of all Nations…..”
Territorial Mandate (Transforming Societies and Communities – We, being “People of Blessings”) – Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (KJV)
- The old paradigm interpretation would make it to read: “To save those who were lost.” But it does not say this. It says “that (“what was lost” – NIV) which was lost.” What is “that?” It is the Dominion over God’s Creation (Genesis 1:26-28), which was lost in the Garden of Eden at the Fall of Adam (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:1-6).
- Matthew 28:19a “Therefore go and make Disciples of all Nations…..” – This passage of the Scripture does not tell us to make Disciples of Individuals in all the Nations, even though it is important, which has been our standard, old paradigm interpretation. Instead, the Church is to make Disciples of “All ethnic units or social units or people groups” = “all Nations” (Greek: “panta ta ethne”). It denotes sociological groupings of Individuals. The whole ethnic or nation (including, the Individuals who belongs to it) is Jesus’ directive to His Church. Thus, the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 is the “social transformation” which also include Individuals, by not being combative/pushy in the sharing of the Gospel but being blessing to our neighbours (Matthew 22:39; Leviticus 19:18b) and the Nation of our dwelling (2Peter 1:3-12).

The Theology of God’s Calling (Romans 11:29) – The Theology of Work

1.0 Introduction

God’s Call in the Person (Romans 11:29), involves Work (Secular or Sacred), Service (Ministry) and Life – Romans 11:29“For God’s Gifts and His Call are irrevocable” (NIV). God’s Calling is the demonstration of His Love and Initiative, but more, it is through Service (Ministry) that we come to an appreciation God, better.

1.1 Theology of Work

Genesis 2:15 “And the LORD God took the man (Adam) and put him into the Garden of Eden to till it and to keep it” (KJV). This involved Man’s (Adam’s) Calling (Vocation). Adam was created to work, and his work was meaningful. From the beginning it was God’s Plan that Adam worked and be a responsible Steward of God’s Creation. Adam and his Descendants, with their privileges and responsibilities were to live and move in Kingly Fashion.

The word “dress” (till) from a root meaning to serve.
The word “keep” means “to look after or to have charge of.”

Point 1:

Adam’s responsibility was in fulfilment of a need described in Genesis 2:5b “There was not a man to till the ground” (KJV).

Point 2:

God intended that work is good, noble, and excellent and is the reflection of a Partnership with God in the care of His (God’s) Creation. Thus, work is important, significant, and valued by God – 2Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”

Point 3:

With Fall of Adam & Eve, and the entrance of Sin, work became “toilsome” – Genesis 3:17-19 “And unto Adam He said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistle shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (KJV).

Point 4:

We must never confuse work with toil or denigrate (belittle) the joy and privilege of work just because it involves toil; we must strive together for the recovery of the meaningful and joyful work.

Point 5:

Unfortunately, we have been deeply influenced by the strange notion that work is bad and should be avoided. God’s Word exhorts that the Person who is too lazy to work should not be supported – 2Thessalonians 3:10b “If any would not work, neither shall he eat” (KJV).

Point 6:

More Work – Our diligent and faithful in “small things” will be rewarded with “more work:”

Luke 12:48b “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (KJV).

Matthew 25:29 “For unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath” (KJV).

Point 7:

Work is one of the central expressions in our life as Christians, and to do well and efficiently is one of the critical aspects of our spiritual maturity – Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are Serving” (NIV).

Point 8:

Deep within the psyche of People of many cultures and societies is the notion that all which is manual is menial. People are inclined to think that work that done with our hands is less important, significant, or valuable than work that can be described as being done with the mind, such as managing, writing, speaking or teaching, which are important, nevertheless, basically, in the Body of Christ, there are two broad groupings of spiritual gifts:

There is the “speaking gift” – Speaking forth the “Oracles” (“Burdens”) of God – should be “God’s Word” based – 1Peter 4:11a (KJV) “If any man speaks, let him speak as the Oracles (Logia = Divine Utterances, used in the Classical) of God.”

There is the “serving gift” – the Person who works “behind the scenes” – helping to make the Public Ministry possible – 1Peter 4:11b (KJV) “If any man minister (serve), let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.”

Both, “the speaking gift” and “the serving gifts” are important to the Body of Christ because not everybody are Teachers or Preachers, which tends to get the “lime-light and recognition” but there are those “behind-the-scenes” service ministry in seeing that the physical aspects of the Church are in place and properly functioning. Hardly anyone ever sees the work that they do. In fact, if they do their job properly, few People even think about it; their work is taken for granted by most of the Members of the Congregation. Furthermore, in Scripture we are encouraged to work with our hands, and consistently those who are masters of a craft are celebrated, such as those who designed and created the Old Testament Tabernacle, Bezalel, a Craftsman is the first person in Scripture who is said to be filled with the Spirit (Exodus 35:30-35).

Also, the Woman of Proverbs 31 is praised as one who worked with her hands. There is probably a measured of truth in the suggestion that only as we learn to work with our hands, mastering a craft as a means of employment or as a form of recreation, are we truly integrated with our bodies – when we live entirely in our heads we may miss out on a major dimension of life.

Point 9:

Sabbath Rest – Genesis 2:2b-3 “On the Seventh day, God rested from all His work. And God blessed the Seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all His work of creating that He had done” (NIV). The weekly Sabbath rest is instituted, not for God because God does not need to rest, but for us. The biblical theology of work also includes the explicit call for weekly Sabbath Rest, when we set our work aside and take time for worship, fellowship, leisure, and recreation, because we are not merely Workers; we are God’s Children. Our work is never the primary expression of our identity, and through the weekly Sabbath Rest we re-establish our identity in God and in His love, acceptance, and grace toward us (Exodus 31:13-17). We violate the meaning of work when all we do is work, when we lose a rhythm and routine of work and play, work and prayer, work, and Sabbath Rest.

To be continued….. Stay Tuned

The Benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14) (Part 2)

1.3 The Grace of Christ

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is the demonstration of God’s Love for our Salvation. The word “Grace” and “Graciousness” have the same root in the Greek. “Grace” is God’s free and unmerited favour towards the undeserving and ill-deserving. The word “Grace” is frequently used in the Bible. It is mentioned more than 50 times in Paul’s letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Ephesians. Three important facts about “Christ’s Grace:”

Christ’s Grace is intimately related to God the Father’s Love. The Law is derived from God’s Holiness, Righteousness and Goodness:

Christ’s Grace is from God’s Love, a manifestation of His Love, God’s Love is prepared for our hearts, but Christ’s Grace is for our Need.
The Purpose of Christ’s Grace is to show God’s Love. Because God Loves us, He works for us and sends His Son {Jesus} to us to accomplish the Work of Redemption so that we may receive Christ’s Grace for the Forgiveness of Sin – Ephesians 1:7 “In Him (Christ) we have Redemption through His (Christ’s) Blood, the Forgiveness of Sins, according to the riches of His (Christ’s) Grace.”
Everything that God does is Christ’s Grace. It is His Expression of His (Father’s) Love for us (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:5, 2:4-5, Titus 3:4).

Christ Grace is manifested in Faith. Since it is Grace, it need not be worked for; no self-work is required of us except to have Faith; in fact this Faith is also God’s impartation – Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by Grace are ye saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a Gift of God – not of works, lest any man should boast.” This is the basis and manifestation of Christ’s Grace (Romans 4:4-5; 11:6).

How is Christ’s Grace obtained? The Law was given through Moses, but Grace and Truth come through the Lord Jesus Christ – John 1:17 “For the Law was given through Moses, but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ.”

The Law came to us through Angels and Moses, but Grace came through God Himself via Jesus (2Timothy 1:9-10; Ephesians 1:6; Titus 3:4; John 1:17).
The Law is an addendum (addition) outside Christ, but Grace is the Design in Christ.
Whether Christ’s Grace has been given to us in Time or Eternity, God’s Grace is received in Christ.
Christ’s Grace comes with Joy. The root word in Greek for Grace (Charis) and Joy (Chairo) is the same showing a close connection between Christ’s Grace and Joy; not “happiness,” as “happiness,” comes from “circumstance, situation, happenstance.”

Believers in Christ do not only receive God’s Forgiveness of our Sin, but also other Blessings like being set free from Sin, being Protected, being Healed, and being lifted in Hope – this is “the joy of the LORD is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b).

1.4 The Love of God

In English, one word is used to express “love.” But in Greek, there are different words:

Erhós, refers to sexual, base, and immoral love. This word is never used in the Bible though commonly found in classical Greek.
Phileó, refers to human and emotional love like the love of friends, sibling, and parents – the reply of Peter to Jesus question (John 21:15-17).
Agapaó, refers to the noble and pure of God’s Love. The greatest expression of Love is to “give.” John 3:16 says “For God so loved (agapaó) the world that He gave His only begotten Son….” God expresses His Love for humanity by “giving” His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God the Father’s Love (Agapaó) is describes in 1Corinthians chapter 13:4-8a “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” God’s Love “cast out fear” (1John 4:18); and nothing can separate us from the Father’s Love (Romans 8:35, 37-39). God’s Love is immeasurable (Ephesians 3:18-19). God’s Love acts as “His Shield” upon us (Psalm 5:11-12). His Love cannot fail (Psalm 36:5-7). The Fruit (single) of the Spirit: “Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” – Foundational is LOVE.

1.5 The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit

The word in the Benediction “Fellowship” means “having Communion.” It signifies the kind of relationship like that of the Partnership in business, with the single purpose, to achieve the common aim. Thus “Fellowship” (koinonia) means:

Having Communication: The Holy Spirit by His Presence gathers all Christians together to Fellowship. He offers Spiritual Gifts to each Believer so that we might share and minister to each other, and to the World (1Peter 4:10,11; 1Corinthians 12; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Taking Part: The Holy Spirit enables us, in 2Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul mentions that the Church of Macedonia was willingly taking part in the Work of the Saints by contributing their giving. “Taking part” is translated from the same word as “Fellowship” and “Communion.”
Being in Partnership: The Holy Spirit enables us, having the same aim and determination. Philippians 1:5 puts it as “Partnership in the Gospel.” This is the encouragement that all Churches should take.

1.6 Amen

“Amen” is used at the end of a Prayer. It means “let it be so” is incomplete. The term “Amen” essentially means “it is faithful” or “that is true” – Revelation 3:14b (KJV) “These things saith the Amen (Jesus), the Faithful and true Witness.” The word “Amen” appears 175 times in the Bible, 25 times in the Old Testament and 150 times in the New Testament. The word “Amen (Verily, Verily)” is used 25 times in the Gospel of John and Jesus used the word “Amen (Verily, Verily)” 101 times. The word “Amen” was used by the Children of Israel in the time of Moses. It does not only signify the end of Prayer, but also the urgent wish of the Person who Prays. A few clarifications from the Bible help us to understand the usage of the term “Amen:”

Faithful – “Amen” means “Faithful” or “Truthful” as in one of the many Sacred Names of God and our Lord Jesus Christ – Revelation 3:14 “And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans writes: These things saith the Amen, the Faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the Creation of God.” It shows that God is Faithful and Trustworthy. Deuteronomy 7:9 and Isaiah 65:16 tell us that God is the Faithful and Truthful God.

Steadfast – Since God is Faithful, His Covenant is also Steadfast. “Steadfast” in the Old Testament is one of the meanings of “Amen”

Isaiah 55:3 “I will make you an Everlasting Covenant, my Steadfast (Amen) sure love of David.”
2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the Promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the Glory of God by us.”

Obedient – Obedience signifies a vow, willingness. In the Old Testament, it indicates that “Amen” is also used during vow-taking. For example, in the latter part of chapter 27 of Deuteronomy, several times the word “Amen” is used as a response to indicate the willingness of the People to accept blessing/punishment. The same use of “Amen” is found in the responses by the woman and the people in Numbers chapters 5 and Nehemiah 5:12-13

Unity – The Church is the Body of Christ. Believers can express their Unity through the declaration of “Amen.” During the Service a brother/sister may lead in Prayer, but the Prayer represents the Prayer of all Members of the Body and we express our Unity by saying “Amen.”

Deep Expression – In the four Gospels, our Lord Jesus often uses “verily, verily” as an adverb to emphasize what He says. In the original “Amen” is used (Matthew 5:18, 26; Mark 3:28; 8:12; Luke 4:24; 12:37, etc)

Strong Confident – Revelation 22:20 “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.” The “Amen” is like the Signatory on the Document – Unalterable and Unchangeable. In the same way, the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is sure, reliable, and unalterable.

1.7 Exhortation

In conclusion, the Benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14) is given at the end of each Worship Service by the Senior Pastor/Pastor to bless the Congregation, trusting that they would depart to share this blessing with their families and others. Therefore, it is beneficial for the Congregation to stay behind to receive this “Benediction-Blessing.”

The Benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14) (Part 1)

1.0 The Statement

The New Testament’s Benediction is found in 2Corinthians 13:14 – “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God (the Father), and the Communion (Fellowship) of the Holy Spirit be with you All. Amen.” The Greek word for “benediction” is “eulogia,” and is formed by “eu” which means “good” and “logia” which means “word.” Therefore “eulogia” means “to express good words.” The common translations of eulogia is: “Eulogy, Praise, Greetings and Benediction.” The Benediction in the Old Testament is recorded in Numbers 6:24-26. This Benediction is given when the Priest leave the Temple after Prayer. He (Priest) would stand outside, raise his hands, and blesses the People who had gathered there. His Blessing would be:

“The LORD blesses thee and keeps thee.” (Number 6:24).
“The LORD makes His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.” (Number 6:25).
“The LORD lifts up His countenance upon thee and gives thee peace.” (Number 6:26).

1.1 The Old Testament

The Priestly Benediction as recorded in Numbers 6:24-26, is important to Israel and the Church:

“The LORD blesses thee and keeps thee,” is the declaration of the blessing of God the Father. – The First “LORD” (Numbers 6:24) who “blesses and keeps us” corresponds with God the Father. Ephesians 1:3 says, “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.”
“The LORD makes His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee” is the declaration of the blessing of God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. – The Second “LORD” (Numbers 6:25) who “makes His face to shine upon us and is gracious to us” corresponds with Christ, who is “the Image of God” (2Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15). No human has looked into God the Father’s Face, but our Lord Jesus Christ, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). No one was ever so gracious as Jesus, for “Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
“The LORD lifts up His Countenance upon thee, and “gives thee Peace” is the declaration of the blessing God the Holy Spirit. – The Third “LORD” (Numbers 6:26) who “lifts up His Countenance upon us and gives us Peace” corresponds with the Holy Spirit. He is sent to lift up Jesus. Speaking of the Holy Spirit’s Ministry, Jesus teaches “He (Spirit) will glorify Me (Jesus), for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). The “Fruit” of the Holy Spirit is “Love, Joy Peace….(Galatians 5:22-23). The Kingdom of God is “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:7). The Holy Spirit lives in us and keeps us in perfect peace!

The use of “The LORD,” 3 times in Numbers 6:24-26, corresponds with God the Father, God the Son {Jesus}, and God the Holy Spirit. Thus, in the Old Testament, the three Persons in the Godhead (Father, Son {Jesus} and the Holy Spirit) is revealed in the Benediction in Numbers 6:24-26. The Benediction is asking God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to bless, to be gracious and to give peace to His People. The Benediction in the Old Testament lets the People know that the God who is blessing them is the Highest and all Transcending God.

1.2 New Testament

2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV) “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you All. Amen.” The Benediction in the New Testament draws Believers closer to God and establishes a more intimate relationship by means of:

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Love of God the Father.
The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

There is no Reconciliation and Relationship without the Redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is “the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” put before “the Love of God” in 2Corinthians 13:14? From a theological view point the order should be reversed, but as Benediction, the order is correct:

It is through Jesus Christ that the Believers come into their Relationship with God the Father – John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
It is through Christ we receive God’s Love – Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountain shall depart and the hills be removed, but My Love shall not depart from you, nor My Covenant of Peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has Mercy on you.”
It is through Christ that a Believer enters a life of Fellowship (Communion) with the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 17, 26; John 15:26; John 16:13-15; 1John 2:20, 27).

Thus, Christ’s Grace than is the door through which we enter God the Father’s Love and the Fellowship (Communion) with the Holy Spirit. – Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by GRACE you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

To be continued….. Stay Tuned…..

Nine Transformation Principles (Leviticus 26:1-13)

1.0 The Statement

– 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) “If My people who are called by My Name and shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” God Promises, in His Word, that if the Nation of Israel walks in obedience to His (God’s) Word, with a worshipping attitude – Leviticus 26:3 (KJV) “If ye walk in My statutes and keep My Commandments, and do them,” the Nation of Israel will see the Manifestation of God’s transforming power and the healing of the land. There are nine pieces of evidence:

1.1 Ecological Health

“I will send you rain in its season in the season, and the ground will yield its crop and the trees of the field their fruit” (Leviticus 26:4, NIV).

1.2 Economic Health

“Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land” (Leviticus 26:5, NIV).

1.3 Personal Security

“I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid” (Leviticus 26:6a, NIV).

1.4 Civil Security

“I will remove the beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country” (Leviticus 26:6b, NIV).

1.5 Victory Over Enemies

“You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you” (Leviticus 26:7-8, NIV).

1.6 God’s Favour

“I will look on you with favour and make you fruitful and increase your members, and I will keep My covenant with you” (Leviticus 26:9, NIV).

1.7 Abundance of Provision

“You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new” (Leviticus 26:10, NIV).

1.8 God’s Provision

“I will put My dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people” (Leviticus 26:11-12, NIV).

1.9 Freedom and Respect

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt (spirit of the world – 1John 2:15-17) so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high” (Leviticus 26:13, NIV).

How to Handle an Offender (Proverbs 24:29)

1.0 The Statement

Everyone is plagued in some way by people who dislike or even hate us for one reason or another; sometimes we “make” Offenders; we alienate or offend people and they become our “Adversaries.” Their dislike may or may not be justified. Sometime people simply dislike us for no apparent reason. They may be threatened by us, differ with what we believe or have what it commonly referred to as a “personality clash.” Unwilling to live and let live, they are antagonistic toward us; they choose to live “at war” with us, sometimes overly attacking, other times waging cold war of criticism or manipulation.

There are different kinds of Offenders who assail us in various ways; but no matter how they come packaged, they are hard to cope with. And because we do not know how to handle them or our feelings about them (they make us angry, and we hit back). We let them inflict needless pain and stress on us. As they affect our live, we want to retaliate, thereby intensifying the problem.

The Book of Proverbs contains sound advise on how to handle “Offenders,” which indicates God knows we would have them. They are a part of life, an outgrowth of our basic sin nature. We cannot avoid them, but we can eliminate the influence they exert over us.

1.1 Never Seek Revenge

First, never seek revenge; we must be honest enough to admit we want to “get” at our Offenders; that we want revenge. We want to defend ourselves against further attack, hurt them back, get even and retaliate. God knows this will be our reaction:

1.1.1 God Warns

Proverbs 24:29 (KJV) “Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.” God warns us against seeking revenge because “vengeance belongs to the LORD, and He will repay it” (Romans 12:19b). If we take action into our own hands, we have step into the place of God and seek vengeance upon our Offender. What will become of us if God should render to us according to our evil works?

We need mercy at God’s hand, and shall we render nothing but rigid justice to our fellow men in direct opposition to God’s Royal Law of Love? When we revenge injuries at our own discretion, we may do hurt to our Offenders, but we do much greater hurt to ourselves; for the punishment of malice and revenge to which we expose ourselves is far worse than any vengeance which our feeble arm can inflict.

Let us therefore show ourselves to be the Disciples of Christ by loving our Offenders and recompensing evil with good. Thus, we shall “heap coals of fire upon the head of our enemies (Offenders)” (Romans 12:20-21) but following an opposite course, we heap them on our own to our destruction.

“Heap burning coals on the head” means to give a burning sense of shame. In Egyptian ritual a man purged his offence by carrying on his head a dish containing burning coal on a bed of ashes. The verse quoted is Proverbs 25:21 (LXX) but omitting the closing words and the LORD shall rewards thee. Treat our Offender kindly; this may soften his hard heart and take away his evil disposition. The best way to get rid of an Offender is to turn him into a friend (Bruce). Therefore, let good triumph over evil.

1.1.2 God Commands

Proverbs 20:22a “Say not thou, I will recompense (repay) evil.” God commands that we must not pay evil for evil. If private revenge is allowed, it would soon fill the Land with confusion and blood. By indulging in revenge, we would be driven on to make very disproportionable returns for the wrongs done to us.

We might wreak our vengeance on the blameless as David would have done if Abigail had not disarmed his fury. We might bring upon ourselves the guilt that make ourselves miserable, in regret all the remainder of our days.

Most wisely, therefore, and graciously we are forbidden to avenge ourselves, or so much as to say that we will do it. It is a bad thing to have any thought of revenge, but if we say, or swear, that we will take satisfaction at our own hand from him who has offended us, we are entangled in a dangerous snare of the Devil who will endeavour to persuade us that our honour is doubly engaged by the provocation received, and by our word to take revenge. God, who is Perfect Justice, can handle the wrongs we suffer but we are not. Reprisal will only make things worse, so we are told not to wage any counterattacks against our Offenders.

1.1.3 Wait on the Lord

Proverbs 20:22b “But wait for the LORD.” If we suffer the wrongs done to our credit and estate to pass not taking revenge, says one person, I expose myself to every shaft of malice, and may expect still greater injuries than those I have already received. There is no fear for that because the LORD commanded us to wait for Him. We do not like to wait but demand immediate justice, instant vindication. But God commands us to wait on Him because:

God Promises Deliverance – Proverbs 20:22c “And He shall save (deliver) thee” – The LORD promises to deliver. We are not able deliver ourselves or save ourselves from those who have offended us. However, if we wait on the LORD, He promises to deliver us from those who have offended us. We must forget about who have offended us and concentrate on our relationship with the LORD. When we obey, when we do what He asks us, we have victory, and the LORD is free to deal with those who have offended us without any interference from us.
God Promises Peace – Proverbs 16:7 “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies (Offenders) to be at peace with him.” God promises “peace” from those who have offended us –We cannot make our Offenders to be at peace with us, but God can when we relinquish control of our Offenders to Him.

1.1.4 Control Our Emotions

Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love covereth all sins.” Hatred does not harm our Offenders; it debilitates us. We must also control our emotions toward those who dislike us and whom we dislike. It is normal to hate someone who is making our life miserable; who does us an injustice, lies about us, hurts our feelings, or misjudged us; who undermines us to others or manipulates to put us in a bad light – Offenders do all those things and more. But no matter what our Offenders do to us we must not hate them. If we hate our Offenders, we are letting them make us to sin because Proverbs 14:21“He who despises his neighbour sins”

1.1.5 Control Our Actions

Proverbs 25:8 “Go not forth hastily to strive, lest that know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.” In dealing with our Offenders, we must squelch our inclination to overact; we need to control our actions as well as our feeling. If we wage a verbal battle against an Offender, when the time comes for us to present a legitimate argument, no one will listen, and we will be embarrassed.

1.1.6 Minister to Our Enemies

Proverbs 25:21,22 “If your enemy (Offender) is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Instead of retaliating, hating, or railing against our Offenders, we are to minister to them; to do whatever we can to assist them because God will reward us: Difficult it may be to put into practice, we should serve our Offenders. We hurt ourselves if we fight with them; we will be blessed if we minister to them. Our Lord Jesus Christ presented this same truth when He taught: Matthew 5:39, 44 “Do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also….Love your enemies (Offenders), and pray for those who persecute you.” The message is clear, we are never relieved of our moral responsibilities because of the way the Offender treats us. There are no limits on God’s Love and there must be no restrictions on ours. That is why God’s Word admonishes us to maintain a loving, compassionate attitude toward our Offenders, even when God deals with them on our behalf.

1.1.7 Do Not Rejoice

Proverbs 24:17-18 “Rejoice not when thine enemy (Offender) falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth. Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away his wrath from him (our Offender).” The LORD commanded us not to rejoice when our Offender Falls; and do not let our heart be glad when our Offender Stumbles. This is a hard instruction. It is difficult not to cheer and clap our hands and dance around the place when our Offender Falls. Hard not to laugh and be glad inside because he finally got what was coming to him.

Reason – Proverbs 24:18 “Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away his wrath from him (our Offender).” But gloating when an Offender Falls or Stumbles displeases the LORD, and He may back off when He is intervening for our behalf and benefits. If we rejoice not, the LORD will continue to deal our Offenders, otherwise He will spare them. Difficult as it may seem, all rules of Christian conduct apply in our dealings with our Offenders, and when we follow the LORD’s Word, we will have victory over our Offenders.
Warning – Proverbs 17:5b “He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” If we rejoice over the sudden misfortune of our Offenders, we are mocking the God who has providentially visited upon them their affliction.

The Just Shall Live by His Faith (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

1.0 The Statement

Habakkuk 3:16-19 (NIV) “I heard, and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the Nation invading us. Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour (Salvation). The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. For the director of music, on my stringed instruments.”

Habakkuk 3:16-19 is one of the greatest confessions of faith found anywhere in Scripture. Habakkuk faced the frightening fact that his Nation will be invaded by a merciless Enemy (Chaldeans – Habakkuk 1:6). The Prophet knows that many of the people will go into exile, and many will be slain. The land would be ruined, and Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed. Yet he tells God that he will trust Him no matter what happens! His demonstration of faith is in three areas:

1 Patient Waiting on the Lord

Habakkuk 3:16 (NIV) “I heard, and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the Nation invading us.” – If Habakkuk had depended on his feelings, he would never have made this great confession of faith:

Looking ahead, he saw the Nation heading for destruction, and that frightened him – “The Nation invading us” (Verse 16c, NIV).
When he looked within, he saw himself trembling with fear – “My heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled” (Verse 16, NIV)
When he looked around, he saw everything in the economy about to fall apart – “The fig tree does not bud and there no grapes on the vine,…..the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,…..there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls” (Verse 17, NIV).
When he looked up by faith, he saw God, and his fears is managed – “Yet I will patiently wait” (Verse 16b, NIV).

Habakkuk walks by faith (Habakkuk 2:4b “The just shall live by his faith,” KJV) by focusing on God’s Greatness and His Glory. One of the marks of faith is the willingness to wait patiently for the LORD to work: “Whosoever believes shall not act hastily” (Isaiah28:16, NKJV).

When we run ahead of God, we get into trouble – Moses failed when he tried to deliver the Nation of Israel by his own hand, ending up committing murder (Exodus 2:11-12).

God’s Wordstates: “In quietness and confidence shall be our strength” (Isaiah 30:15b; Habakkuk 3:19a “The Sovereign LORD is my strength”):

Habakkuk could wait patiently because he knew that God was at work in the world – Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV) “Look at the Nations and Watch – and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even it you were told.”
Habakkuk prayed that God’s Work would be kept alive and strong – Habakkuk 3:2 “LORD, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
God commanded Habakkuk to wait – Habakkuk 2:3 (NIV)“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, waif for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

God’s Promise is God’s Enablement. No matter what we see and no matter how we feel, we must rest (wait patiently) on God’s Promise and not allow ourselves to “fall apart” – “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). Whenever we find ourselves getting “up-tight” within, we can be sure that we need to stop, pray, and wait on the LORD, before we do some foolish thing. Keep in mind these three verses:

“Stand Still” (Exodus 14:13).
“Sit Still” (Ruth 3:18).
“Be Still” (Psalm 46:10).

2. Rejoice in the Lord

Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” The Destruction – By the time Chaldeans was through the Land of Judah, there would not be much of value left – Habakkuk 2:17 (NIV) “The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you. For you have shed man’s blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them.” And Habakkuk 3:17(NIV) “The fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,…..the olive crops fails and the fields produce no food,…..there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.

Buildings would be destroyed.
Treasures would be plundered.
Farms and orchards would be devastated.

The economy would have fallen apart and there would be little to sing about – Habakkuk 3:19b “For the director of music, on my stringed instruments.

Habakkuk’s Joy – Habakkuk discovered that God was his joy – Despite the total destruction and devastation (Habakkuk 2:17; 3:17), Habakkuk declares that he will still rejoice in the God of his Salvation (Deliverance). Here is one of the strongest demonstrations of faith in the Scriptures – Habakkuk 3:18 “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in God of my Salvation.” Habakkuk could not rejoice in the circumstances, but he could rejoice in his God!Habakkuk’s testimony reminds us of Apostle Paul’s admonition: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Habakkuk’s Strength – Habakkuk also discovered that God was his strength, his salvation, and his song (Isaiah 12:1-2; Exodus 15:2; Psalm 118:14):His Salvation – Habakkuk 3:18b (KJV) “God of my salvation.” His Strength – Habakkuk 3:19a (KJV) “The LORD God is my strength.” His Song – Habakkuk 3:19c (KJV) “To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”

Though Habakkuk’s heart pounded, his lips quivered, his legs trembled at the coming calamities (Habakkuk 3:16), yet the Prophet burst into song and worshipped the LORD. The LORD gives us “Song in the night” (Psalm 42:8), if we learned to wait patiently on Him and rejoice in Him.

3. Reliance on the Lord

Habakkuk 3:19a (NIV) “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk’s heart was pounding, his lips quivered, and his legs trembled (Habakkuk 3:16), yet:

He could stand and be sure-footed as a Deer.
He was able to run swiftly and go higher than he had ever gone before.

Habakkuk’s Secret was his reliance on the LORD – “The Sovereign LORD is my strength” (Habakkuk 3:19a, NIV):

This is one of the reasons why God allows us to go through trails because trials draw us nearer to Him and lift us above the circumstances – Deuteronomy 32:13a (KJV) “He (God) made him ride on the high places of the earth.”
David experienced this when he was being chased by King Saul: “It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights” (Psalm 18:32-33, NIV).
G. Campbell Morgan said: “Our joy is in proportion to our trust. Our trust is in proportion to our knowledge of God” (G. Campbell Morgan, “The Westminster Pulpit,” London: Pickering and Inglis, Vol.6, pg.153).

4. Summary

Habakkuk teaches us to face our doubts, fears, and questions honestly, take them humbly to God, wait for His Word to teach us, and then worship Him no matter how we feel or what we see. God does not always change our circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That is what it means to live by faith – Habakkuk 3:4b (KJV) “The just shall live by his faith.”

Grace and Truth (John 1:17)

1.0 The Statement

John 1:17 (NKJV) “For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The proper understanding of “the Law through Moses” and “grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” is important to our Christian walk

Moses – Old Covenant	Jesus – New Covenant
1. The Law is given	1. Grace and Truth came
2. By or through Moses	2. By or through Jesus Christ
3. The Mediator of the Old Covenant	3. The Mediator of the New Covenant
4. The Law is given – to the Person	4. Grace and Truth is Personified
5. To the Nation of Israel	5. To the Church

John 1:17, the Law (of Moses) is not contrasted with Grace but with “Grace and Truth” in perfect balance in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. If it is “Grace” only, it may lead the Person/Church into antinomianism (antinomianism comes from two other words: “anti {against}” and “nomos {the Law}” with the danger that the Individual/Church could twist “the Grace of God into lewdness (lasciviousness) and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4b), which is apostasy (2Thessalonians 2:3a – “The Great Falling Away”); and if it is “Truth” only the danger is that the Individual/Church turns it into letterism or legalism which is the other extremes (2Corinthians 3:6 – “letter {legalism} kills”). One of the best illustrations of the balance of “Grace and Truth” in Jesus Christ is found in John 8:2-11.

1.1 The Setting

The Scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the very act of adultery – John 8:3a (NKJV) “Then the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Him (Jesus) a woman caught in adultery.” They brought the adulterous woman without the male Adulterer (which is against the Law – Leviticus 20:10) to Jesus as He was teaching in the Temple precincts – John 8:2, 3b (NKJV) “Now early in the morning He (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people came to him; and He sat down and taught them…….And they had set her (the adulterous woman) in the midst.”

1.2 The Confrontation

The Scribes and the Pharisees represented the Law of Moses – they uphold Moses by presenting the adulterous woman to Jesus (“Grace and Truth” Personified – John 1:17) and wanted to know what Jesus has to say: John 8:4, 5 (NKJV) “They said to Him (Jesus), ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the Law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” The Scribes and the Pharisees set out “to trap” and so as to accuse Jesus of not fully upholding the Mosaic Law – John 8:6a (NKJV) “This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.” The Scribes and Pharisees professed to uphold the Law of Moses and used it against Jesus (“Grace and Truth” Personified – John 1:17). Jesus stooped down and began to write on the ground (John 8:6b); He made as though He did not hear them, as He (Jesus) knew their motives, as He knew the heart of them (John 2:24, 25). The Scribes and Pharisees kept at Jesus – John 8:7a (NKJV) “So when they continued asking Him.” Jesus stood up and challenged them: John 8:7b (NKJV) “He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘he who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Jesus stood again and continued writing on the ground (John 8:8).

1.3 The Conviction

Jesus now gave the challenge depended on the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin on the Scribes and Pharisees (John 16:8-11). The Scribes and the Pharisees, after hearing Jesus’ challenge, were convicted in their conscience left one by one from the oldest to the last – John 8:9a (NKJV) “Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last” (Romans 2:12-16, 22a). Jesus was left with the adulterous woman, none of the Scribes and the Pharisees picked up the stone and stoned her – John 8:9b (NKJV) “And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”

1.4 Grace and Truth

The Scribes and the Pharisees were convicted by the Holy Spirit with the Law of Moses and the Law of Conscience (John 8:9b); then, Jesus stood up and saw that the Scribes and the Pharisees have all left and asked the woman: “Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8:10). Although the woman was guilty of the adulterous affair, nevertheless, the Law cannot condemn her alone without the adulterous man – Leviticus 20:10b (NKJV) “The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” The woman answered Jesus: “No one Lord!” (John 8:11a). The grand climax of this episode; here we see “Grace and Truth” Personified in Jesus – Jesus said to her: “Neither do I condemn you” (John 8:11b) – Jesus did not condemn her because she has already been judged by the Law of Moses, when the Scribes and Pharisees brought her before a Rabbi (Jesus) – Jesus spoke His Forgiveness, that is GRACE; but Jesus added: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11c) – that is TRUTH. Grace and Truth met together in perfect balance in the Person of Jesus Christ – John 1:17b (NKJV) “But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Psalm 85:10). This Principle is also found in the Pauline Romans Epistle: “Moreover, the Law entered that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more; so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reigned through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…….What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! (God forbid! KJV). How shall we who have died to sin live any longer therein” (Romans 5:20, 21; 6:1, 2, 15, NKJV); if Jesus had only said, “Neither do I condemn you,” without adding “Go and sin no more” – the woman could have taken Jesus’ statement as saying that Jesus did not condemn her for her adulterous act, and that she could go on living an adulterous lifestyle. Jesus applied both “Grace and Truth” to the woman, because Jesus is “Grace and Truth” (1John 1:17b). Grace always reigns through righteousness but is joined to Truth; Grace is never divorced from Truth – this is sound theology!!

Psalms 133 – Unity and Anointing (Part 2)

2.0 Dew on Mount Hermon

Psalm 133:3a (KJV) “Like the dew of Hermon, and like the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion.” – The Second Illustration is the Dew of Mount Hermon upon the Mountain of Zion – Mount Hermon is the highest peak in Israel, located to the extreme North of the Promised Land. At its slopes the four tributaries of the Jordan River begin. Snowcapped much of the year, it symbolized abundant moisture, God’s Gift to the dry land. The plants survive on the dew for the long, rainless summers of Palestine. Nightly, as the temperature drops, the humility in the air condenses to provide the needed moisture for plants. Its dew is heavy, and it is this heavy dew that also falls upon the mountains surrounding Jerusalem, situated on Mount Zion (Psalm 48:2). Since the dew comes from Heaven, it too is an apt image of God’s Blessing, because the Brethren Dwell together in Unity.

The Dew typified Holy Spirit in His Reviving Power through the “Life-Giving” Word of God – Deuteronomy 32:2a (NIV) “Let my teaching fall like rain and my Word descend like dew,” God’s Blessing that brings Fruitfulness.
The “Anointing Oil” and the “Dew” – remind us that “Fruitful-Unity” is not something that we “worked up” but that God sends down. According to Delitzsch “Nowhere in the whole country of Israel is so heavy dew perceptible as in the districts near to Hermon.”
This abundant of Dew from Mount Hermon is carried to Zion by the cold current of air sweeping down from the north over Hermon. – Such is the value and Power of “Fruitful-Unity” of the brethren – It is Refreshing, Quickening and Invigorating!!
Dew comes from above and illustrates that “Fruitful-Unity” is from God, that comes upon Zion (the General Assembly of Believers – Hebrews 12:22-23), when brethren dwell together in “Fruitful-Unity!”
When the brethren in the Church dwells together in Unity, the Divine Blessing permeates the Whole Congregation – J.J. Steward Perowne (“Commentary on Psalms”) states: “It is not the refreshing nature of the dew, nor its gentle, all-pervading influence, which is the prominent feature. That which renders it to the poet’s eye so striking an image of brotherly concord, is the fact that it falls alike on both Mountain.”
The “Fruitful-Unity” comes from God’s Spirit, flowing over us like Oil, and the Heavy Dew (Reviving Power & Life-Giving of the Holy Spirit), descending upon us, bringing God’s Blessing of Life
Our Unity comes from the Spirit of God flowing over us like Anointing Oil, and the Heavenly Dew descending upon us, bringing God’s Blessing of Life – Eternal Life, forever and ever. It is only God’s Spirit and His Promise of Eternal Life that will break down the sin in our hearts, crucifying our selfishness, making us one. As Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is.” Now let us live in it!!

2.1 Blessing of Life

Psalm 133:3b (KJV) “For there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” – Two illustrations (Psalm 133:2-3) – the Desired Unity is both Fragrant as Oil; and Refreshing as Dew.

The quality of both the Oil and the Dew is pervasive (all-encompassing) and diffusive (widely spread).
The Oil does not rest on head, but flows down upon Aaron’s beard, and to the collar; and the Dew does not remain on Hermon but flows down on the Mountain of Zion.
The Holy Spirit Who is both the “Oil” (Isaiah 61:1-3; Psalm 45:7; Hebrews 1:9), and the “Dew” (Psalm 72:6; Hosea 6:3; 14:5), possesses and is possessed by the whole Church of God, overleaping all Racial, Social, Cultural, and Sectarian Distinction – the Life of the Holy Spirit is imparted, so the Church has “Life for Evermore” (Psalm 133:3). True Unity is an Organism, not an Organisation (Ephesians 4:11-16).
The Strong Accent on God’s Initiative – “The LORD commanded the blessing.” What is God’s Gift – “Life for Evermore!” Unity and Brotherly Harmony released God’s Blessing – “God’s Life.” The expression: “Life for Evermore,” is not found anywhere in the Old Testament except in Daniel 12:2.
“Fruitful-Unity” not only gives life to the Individual and the Church but also makes the Individual/Church “a Living Example” to the World and helps draw others to Christ.
“Fruitful-Unity” Renews and Revitalize Ministry because there is less tension to sap our energy.

Thus, it is important to be connected to each other in the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16) and allowed the Holy Spirit to produce the “Fruitful-Unity” and “Fruitful-Anointing,” which will result in Personal as well as Corporate Success – The Individual and the Church will experience the “Refreshing Presence of the LORD” (Acts 3:19) – “the Dew” of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 133:3a).