Exploring the word of God

TOOLS OF WAR

2008-01-29T22:17:00.000+08:00

Technological advances have brought new weapons or tools of war to the forefront in each US conflict: network predators, e-bombs, stryker teams, Apache Longbows, chem.-bio killers, bunker-busters and anti-missile forces. The Us has strong air power, sea carriers armed with tons of munitions and land special forces. These weapons are useless, however, against the spiritual conflict being waged everyday.

Paul reminded us in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 that we are in a war with Satan and the also reasoning of this age. Because this war is spiritual, we cannot engage in a battle with human methods. We must fight with tools of war that are supernatural and so powerful they can destroy seemingly impregnable fortresses where evil is entrenched in our lives and in our communities.

With God’s mighty weapons of righteousness, truth, and humility, we conquer any human act or attitude that is an obstacle to the knowledge of Jesus and keeps people bondage to sin. What are some false reasoning and arrogant ideas that prevent us from experiencing and knowing God better?

Atheism says there is no God. Agnosticism says we can’t be certain there is a God. Deism says God is an absentee God. Pantheism says everything is in God and God is in everything. Humanism says we are God. What false reasoning! We are called to expose, overpower, and take captive every rebellious idea, every lie, and every arrogant pretension, and teach people to obey Jesus.

He alone is the righteousness and truth of God. He is the standard by which ideas, attitude, and actions are judged. Jesus is our provider of power and truth. He is our tools of war.-Marvin Williams

Questioning God

2008-01-18T18:52:00.000+08:00

It had been a near-perfect day. Jeff and Sarah, a newly married couple returning from a popular Ohio amusement park where they had defied gravity.

As it turned out, they were safer at the park than on the expressway. After 3 hours of driving, Jeff fell asleep at the wheel. When the car slammed into an embankment, Sarah suffered a badly broken back.

“She’ll never walk again,” one surgery.” That was in July. By Christmas, Sarah was using a walker. Her dramatic improvement continues to astound physicians.

Both Jeff and Sarah tell how God has used this situation to strengthen their faith and to teach them the power of prayer. But Jeff is blunt about his reaction to their personal catastrophe. “I can see how God has used us to bless other people.” he says “and that’s a good thing. But I never would have chosen his.”

Many of us have a limited view of God and seek to find out what He can do for us. Then we’re surprised when he seems to act contrary to our interest.

The heroes of the Bible were no different. When Jeremiah tried to warn the people of God’s judgment for their sins, he faced such fierce opposition that he feared fro his life. “O Lord, You deceived me,” He was continually persecuted for his obedience to God.

We will not be exempt from mistakes this side of heaven. Despite God’s remarkable answers to prayer, we will continue to face difficulties. “ In this world you will have trouble,” Jesus promised (John 16:33). “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”- Tim Gustafson

Jesus’ blood

2008-01-18T18:43:00.000+08:00

William Harvey (1578-1657) had a problem. The founder of the science of physiology was faced with a reality that didn’t jibe with current thought.

As he carefully studied the circulatory systems of mammals, he found that their valves and veins allowed blood to flow only one way. But since the time of Galen (born about 130 AD), scientist had been convinced that the red stuff flowed back and forth i veins and arteries kind of like ebb and flow of an ocean tide.

Harvey decided to reveal his finding. The revolutionary idea was accepted and it changed the course for scientific study of blood flow in the body. Harvey, a believer in God, said. “Life therefore resides in the blood (as we are informed in the sacred writings).” The sacred writings he was referring to are Leviticus 17:11,14:” The life of a creature is in the blood,... the life of every creature is its blood.

For believers in Jesus, these words carry great significance. God had revealed to Moses that blood was special in his eyes. To atone for sin, He required that thus special substance symbolic of life itself be used. Therefore, the vital fluid of countless lambs, bulls, and other creatures was applied by priests to ancient altars.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, shed His blood so that our holy God would find us acceptable, “We have now been justified by His blood,” wrote Paul in Romans 5:9. His sacrifice provided the way for people to be saved from their sins.

Praise Jesus right now for the reality that He shed His life giving blood for you-Tom Felten.

His Last Words

2008-01-17T23:39:00.000+08:00

If you were called on to deliver a final massage to the people you love, what kind of advice would you leave? A Moody Magazine article tells the account of Thomas Watson. He was the one of early 2,000 Puritan pastors in England who were removed from their pulpits in 1662. They were banished because they wouldn’t agree to sign a parliamentary “Act of Uniformity” that would have compelled them to deny several of their beliefs.

Before his dismissal, Watson spoke this “Last Sermon” to his people - probably one of the shortest, most meaningful ever delivered:

“First of all, keep constant hours of prayers every day with God. Collect good books for your homes. Be careful of the company you keep. Be careful of about what you listen to. Follow after sincerity. Always be at the job of self-examination. Be on guard in your spiritual life. The people of God should often associate together. Let your hearts be lifted up above the world. Comfort yourselves with God’s promises. Be not idle, but work for your living. Put first and second tables of the law[the Ten Commandments] together: piety to God and equity to your neighbor. In your walk before others, put innocence and prudence together. Be more afraid of sin than suffering. Take heed of idolatry.... In the business of the Christian life, serve God with all your might. Do all the good you can do to others as long as you live. Every day think of eternity.”

I’ve had that article for many years. You might wish pass on Thomas Watsons’s last sermon and help it to keep on preaching-as it has now for more than 340 years!Dean Ohlman

Demons Are Real

2007-12-20T21:19:00.000+08:00

One of the controversies in religious circles today is about the existence of demons. When we read the Gospels, we can’t deny the reality of the demonic world. Theologian Donald Bloesch says, “Let us cease arguing about the existence of demons and concern ourselves with what the demons are actually doing.” Who are these demons? What do demons do on earth? What should be our response? Read Mark 3:1-12.

The demons Jesus encountered were evil spirits who occupy another world beyond the world in which we live. They impact our world, however, in powerful and destructive ways.

These evil spirits oppose God and His plan. They are committed in doing evil. Their opposition manifests itself by promoting false religion (1 Corinthians 10:14-19). They seek to stop the specific purpose of God for your life and your family’s life. They do this by being involved in the lives of individuals. Demons blind people to the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). They oppress people (2 Corinthians 12:7). They can possess people who have not committed their lives to Jesus (Mark 5:1-15).

So, what should be our response to the reality of demons and the demon world? According to Ephesians 6:10-18, we need to use God’s power in our lives. We must stand in God’s protection by putting on the whole armor of God. This armor protects us from Satan’s most potent schemes and deceptions.

We must resist these demons through earnest prayer. Prayer keeps us dependent on God and not on our own power and intelligence. The strongest demons tremble to see the weakness Christians on their knees. – Marvin Williams

Freedom!

2007-12-19T09:33:00.000+08:00

If you’ve seen the movie Braveheart, you’ll never forget the scene where William Wallace, under threat of execution unless he acknowledges the king, summons everything within him to shout a single word—“FREEDOM!” Liberty is one of the greatest privileges in the world.

The apostle Paul used the freedom of his Roman citizenship to great advantage, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to people of many cultures in the great cities of his time. Then it all came crashing down. Religious leaders who hated Paul’s teaching started a riot and he was falsely accused. After appealing to Caesar, the highest authority, Paul found himself in a jail in Rome.

For most of us, prison is the worst-case scenario for our lives. The independence and choices we cherish would be gone. Liberty would give way to limitation. Our future would be destroyed.

But for Paul, prison was simply another location in which to serve Jesus. Instead of becoming depressed by what he had lost, Paul enthusiastically embraced this new opportunity.

During two years of imprisonment in Rome, Paul was allowed to live in his own rented house where many people came to see him. “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:31). His letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon celebrate God’s goodness and the joy of knowing him.

If you’ve lost a cherished freedom, ask God to show you how this restriction can become an opportunity to know and serve him. Like Paul, you can discover that within any confinement your mind and spirit can be free to serve Jesus. –Dave McCasland

World-Changers

2007-12-17T23:03:00.000+08:00

Wilbur Wright and his brother Orville were unlikely candidates to changed the world. They were interested in mechanics not academics and after a few years in the printing business they began renting, selling, and manufacturing bicycles. But their growing interest in aviation led them to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where they made the word’s first flight in a power-driven, heavier-than-air machine 100 years ago.

At the time, hardly anyone noticed. Only five other people witnessed the flight. The Dayton Journal in their hometown ignored it and the only three newspapers that reported the story got the facts wrong. It’s obvious that no one at that time could foresee how much the airplane would alter our entire way of life.

Are you doing anything today that is likely to change the world? If you’re a follower of Jesus, your obedience to Him each day plants the seeds of the gospel, is “the power of god for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

The early followers of Jesus were accused of having “caused trouble all over the world” (Acts 17:6). One translation calls them-these that have turned the world upside down” (KJV). In Greek, this means “to stir up, excite, or unsettle.”

When our witness for Jesus stirs up the people around us, we should follow Paul’s example of focusing on Him, not ourselves. His goal was to show that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah), who has the power to make people new when they turn to Him.

You are a world-changer if you follow Jesus and remain true to Him in every situation. You can’t imagine the far-reaching result of your daily obedience to the Lord. –Dave McCasland

Secret of Heaven

2007-12-10T21:10:00.000+08:00

Joy is the gigantic secret of heaven. If we are silent about the joy that comes from knowing Jesus, the very stones will cry out! (Luke 19:40). Just as the crowds shouted praises when they saw Jesus, His presence in our lives should draw praise from our lips. Christian joy is the echo of God's life in us. So why does it sometimes seem that Christians are the most joyless people in the world? How can we unlock the treasure chest of Christian joy?

In Philippians 3:1-11, Paul gave us several wonderful truths about maintaining our joy, especially in the face of hardship. The first nugget of truth is to remind yourself who is the source of joy. The chapter begins with a cheerful command: "Rejoice in the Lord." This joy has its source beyond mere human joy, and therefore it is outside of us. Christian joy is a focused concentration on our relationship to and position in Jesus Christ, and it is maintained through the deliberate remembrance of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord.

Paul's encouragement to rejoice describes a settled state of mind characterized by peace and calmness. Joy is not the absence of trouble, it is the presence of the sovereign Lord. Christians are not left to the mercy of fate and the outside forces of chance. Joy allows us to see beyond any particular circumstance to the One who stands above all human events and ultimately has control over them.

Christian joy is not a product of circumstance and events. If we experience failed relationships, financial reversals, trials and afflictions, sickness and death, we can still rejoice. Happiness happens because of our happenings, but joy is a choice we make through the Holy Spirit. - Marvin Williams

Behind the name of the word, GOD.

2007-12-09T16:25:00.000+08:00

What attribute of God do I show by my life to be most important? This question really got me thinking of. So I got my bible and sat down on my personal computer and typed out the alphabet.

I tried to come up with a characteristic of God that begins with each letter of the alphabet, and a scripture bible verses that represents with it. This was a good exercise and it has turned into a profound act of christian worship.

Here are some of the words I got that characterize God whom I love and served.

A - Almighty - Genesis 17:1; Psalm 89:8
B - Beginning - Revelation 22:13
C - Counselor - Isaiah 9:6
D - Deliverer - Psalm 18:2
E - Eternal - Jeremiah 10:10
F- Father - John 30:10
G- Gracious - Exodus 34:6
H- Holy - 1 Peter 1:15-16
I - Immortal - 1 Timothy 1:17
J - Just - 1 John 1:9; Revelation 15:3
K - King - 1 Timothy 6:15
L - Loving - Psalm 25:10
M - Maker - Ecclesiastes 11: 5
N - Never- failing - Lamentations 3:22
O - Omega - Revelation 1:8
P - Powerful - Jeremiah 32:17
R - Righteous - 1 John 2:1
S - Saviour - 1 Timothy 4:10
T - Trustworthy - 2 Samuel 7:28
V - eVerlasting - Isaiah 40:28
W - Worthy - Chronicles 16:25

Try this exercise:
Find a verse to support each word. And when you look over your list, thank God for those characteristics.

Next time, put a twist on it. Write out the alphabet again, only this time use words for the way God sees you.

What if you don't know God in those ways or don't know how He sees you? Let me encourage you to look for Him! The word of God says that if we seek Him, we'll find Him ( 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Proverbs 8:17; Jeremiah 29:13).

It's not as easy as ABC, but in time you will learn to know God's characteristics through His Word.

Power and Nature of the Word of God

2007-09-14T11:00:00.000+08:00

"The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, sharp even to the divisions of our soul and spirit, and of joint and marrows, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."(Hebrews-4:12)

Even at this very moment the word of God is at work in the world. It is an active force that rules the spiritual activities in the whole Universe. It changes things, especially when it is spoken and believed, both in the hearts of men and in their circumstances. God is observing over his words to perform it(Jer.-1:12).

The word of God is compared to a seed (Luke-8:11; Mark 4:14; 1 Peter-1:23). This seed brings on new life if it will be planted well. Like a seed, it grows in hearts and multiply and spread out all over the world today. Lucifer, his minions and Anti-Christ followers can't stop or end the inevitable progress of this seed.

Every seed brings on life after its own kind. The seed of the word of God, if planted well in soft and open heart, will develop the life, character and faith of the followers of God.

For hard heart, the word of God correctly applied will be like hammer to break the hard heart open(Jer.-23:19).

The word of God is compared to a fire. “‘Is not my word like a fire?', according to the LORD, 'And like hammer that break the rock in pieces?' “(Jer.-23:29). It can behave as a fire(Jer.-5:14; 20:9). Fire scatters, illuminates, warmth, energy and comfort-but it can also demolished. The word of God ruins the power of evils when it is believed and applied. It can break Lucifer's determination to conquer our hearts and lives.

Water is also compared to the word of God (Eph.-5:26; Ps.-1:1-3). Water cleanses, refreshes, life and encouragement and satisfies the thirsty. The word of God can also do this for us.

Mirror is also compared to the word of God which shows us our true spiritual state(James-1:23; 2Cor.-3:18). It only shows us how we need to be cleansed from our sins.

Connected with God

2007-09-04T23:12:00.000+08:00

Language is a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols. It is necessary in dealing with people especially that we try to connect with them in every possible way.

Like in the tower of Babel, the Lord’s word says that the whole world spoke the same language, using the same words. While men were migrating in the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, “Come, let us mold bricks and harden them on fire.” They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for the mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and so they make a name for themselves; otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth.”

The Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the men had built. Then the Lord said: “If now, while they are one people, speaking the same language, they have started to do this, nothing will later stop them from doing what they presume to do. Let us then go down and there confuse language, so that one will not understand what another says.” Thus the Lord scattered them from the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the speech of all the world. It was from that place that he scattered them all over the earth. (Gen. 11:1-9)

Everything that our Lord has done has its purpose. If we look at the situation at our advantage, we can say that God made a wrong move on that particular event. However, if we see his real purpose, we could understand his will. He didn’t want us to be one and decide for ourselves without his guidance. I believe that when he did that he gave us the challenge to be one even if we had different languages barring against us. We could be one when we acknowledge his presence and ask for his guidance and mercy. He didn’t want us to be one yet alone with God. He just wanted us to be willed and one with him all the way through our journey in this life. This is a way why we should follow the word of God.

God’s Wisdom

2007-09-04T23:10:00.001+08:00

Think of the most beautiful place you know on earth.

Think of the wonderful day you have ever had.

Think of the person who loves you more than anybody else loves you.

…and then, multiply that by a million…

…and maybe that’s the tiniest hint of what heaven will be like…

‘cause we speak God’s wisdom, it is mysterious, hidden, which God predetermined before the ages for our glory, and which none of the rulers of this age knew for, if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written:

“What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,

and what has not entered the human heart,

what God has prepared for those who love him,

this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

For the spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within?