kids_of_korah

The Act of Praying: A Spiritual Reflex (Part 1)

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:01:58 +0100

There is nothing religious about prayer. Just as a healthy relationship is defined by an open communication, so it is with our walk with God. The Lord has placed eternity in our hearts – a longing that only He can fill, and we verbalize that emptiness and fulfillment for the Eternal One through prayer. It is an instinct that God initiated within us; we are designed to pray. We are creatures of habitual prayers, and we just haven’t recognized it yet.

Prayers are but words expressed from our spirit. People talk, cats meow, dogs bark, horses neigh, and Christians pray. Prayer is simply talking to God. When God talks to us, it is a revelation; when man talks to God, it is prayer. It’s as easy and simple as breathing: We inhale God’s goodness, and we exhale prayer and thanksgiving.

As a spiritual instinct, prayers happen naturally. The truth is, we want to pray – we desire it. We are just distracted from it, or intimidated to continue. But though it’s a God-given aptitude,we cannot thrive on instinct or desire alone. We need grow up from inherency to maturity and claim our heavenly heritage. Prayer is not childish, and neither is it only for grownups. Nobody graduates from praying. As long as any relationship continues, prayers will be spoken.

Prayer is a response to God’s heart. No one seeks God, not even one, but God seeks us – He initiates the relationship. Then we call out to Him because He has been calling out to us. We just merely recognize the Voice that is speaking to us. We fall on our knees to acknowledge how tall God is in our lives.

Worship Revival

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:27:20 +0100

In the days of Amos the prophet, he spoke of a day when God will restore Davidic worship.

"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be…” (Amos 9:11 NIV)

{image: ChristArt.com}

David’s fallen kingdom is not about an earthly government; it is about a system of worship. Not only did he receive the blueprint for Solomon’s temple, but King David also received a blueprint for the worship of the Almighty God.

“He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.” (1 Chr 28:12-13 NIV)

David laid out the details on how the music, worship and services will be performed in and around the temple. Decades earlier in his life, he desired for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought in the center city of Jerusalem where he held office. He laid down his kingly robed and led a joyful procession in welcoming the symbol of God’s presence. [2 Sam 6:14] He was a man after God’s own heart. [Ac 13:22]

In these Last Days, as the Lord Jesus returns, the Father will restore everything back [Ac 3:21] – including true worship. The early New Testament church picked up on this:

“After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' that have been known for ages.” (Acts 15:16-18 NIV)

Let us then be people who would lead people to Christ in joyful celebration. May we continue to be after God’s own heart. Let true worship be restored in our lives.

Re:View Holy Week In 1st Corinthians 15

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:01:45 +0100

It’s the time of the year when we rehearse our faith about our Savior’s death and resurrection.

1 Cor 15:1
A. “I want to remind you...”

-It is always good to be reminded. The Bible is the only material that we read over and over again. Its truths are so vast and spread out, that we need to be refreshed every now and then.

B. “...of the gospel I preached...”

-The Apostle Paul wrote this letter/book. He was referring to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this day and age, we need to identify which ‘gospel’ we are referring to.

1 Cor 15:2
C. “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

1. The “if-conditional.” It is possible to believe in Jesus wholeheartedly at first, then lose heart, and eventually believe in vain.

2. God’s saving power works best with our participation, when we ‘hold firmly to the word’ - God’s Word. The Lord Jesus has done His part. We should do our part to take a stand and hold on firmly to what He said.

1 Cor 15:3
D. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance...”

-This is very important, the very foundations of our faith.

E. “...that Christ died...”

- Jesus, being God the Son, had to go down to our level. He clothed himself with humanity, and suffered and died to save us. He died that we may live.

F. “...for our sins...”

- We were the ones who sinned, not Him, and yet, He died for our sake.

G. “...according to the Scriptures...”

- Our faith is not hearsay. Our knowledge does not come from a magazine. Our spiritual information is not based on some public figure on TV. We are rooted and grounded in the Holy Bible, the indisputable Word of God. Other text and writings may be interesting, but the Scriptures is the final authority.

1Cor 15:4
H. “...that he was buried...”

1. Just like any other person who dies, the body of Jesus, too, was buried.

2. What did Jesus do while His earthly body was buried in a cave?

a. He did not go to hell to take some keys from the devil.

- the devil is not in hell; he is not the ruler of hell.

- hell is a place of torment reserved for the devil and his demons. (Mat 25:41)

b. He performed His duty as High Priest and Sacrificial Lamb (Heb 9:11-28)

- He sprinkled His own blood on the tabernacle in heaven.

3. The ritual of slaying a lamb for atonement was completed and perfected by Jesus’ sacrifice, once and for all, and for all time.

I. “...that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...”
1. Jesus’ body was not found in the tomb; He had risen.

2. Death has no hold on Him, even on His earthly body.

3. This is the defining moment: Jesus is Lord. There were a lot of good people who did a lot of good and life-changing things in their generation. They all died, and they all remained dead. Only One Person died and lived again. No matter how we venerate and deify those good people, they don’t come close to the reality of our Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have a dead religion, we don’t pray to a dead person. Jesus is alive, and He powerfully affects our lives.

4. Because of this, we can be the happiest/holiest people in the world during Holy Week. We have a reason to rejoice, a cause to shout His praises. Hallelujah!!!

1 Cor 15:5
J.“...and that he appeared to Peter...”

1. Peter disowned Jesus 3 times. His sin was even far worse than Judas’, and yet the Lord reinstated him, and even gave him a special mention.

2. We all make mistakes, we all trip and fall. But just like the Apostle Peter, we can still give God glory with our lives. We don’t have to stay down in the mud. Allow God to pick you up, clean you, dress you up, and put you on display as a testimony of His love and grace.

K. “...and then to the Twelve.”
- God honors leadership. He restores His ministry team.

1 Cor 15:6
L. “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time...”
- The Lord Jesus appeared to 500 disciples at one time. 500 followers heard the instruction to wait for the Promise of the Father. The sad part is that only 120 stayed.

[to be updated]

Let us continue to wait on God. Let us stay true, even though others have left. Let us continue to hold firmly on the Word, even in solitude.

Reflection: Do you still feel sad during Holy Week?

*All Scriptures quoted in NIV.

When Good Works are not Good Enough

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:06:51 +0100

(A short sharing outline)

“I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.” (Acts 10:34-35 NIV)

Text: The Truth about Cornelius in Acts 10
Background: An angel appeared to Cornelius so he could send for Peter.

A. Cornelius’ characteristics

1. Devout

2. God-fearing

3. Generous

4. Prayed to God regularly.

B. The missing ingredient: HE WAS NOT YET SAVED

1. Angels told him to send for Peter so that he and his family would be saved through his ministry.

2. Angels do not have the privilege of sharing the Gospel; only us humans.

    -that's why we need to tell people about Jesus.

3. It was possible to be devout, God-fearing, generous and praying regularly and YET be unsaved.

C. The Real Question: WHY?

1. Because good works are not enough

    “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. (Rom 3:23 NLT)

2. If good works can save us, then Jesus didn't have to die on the cross.

    “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8 NIV)

    -Jesus didn't die for good people.

3. Salvation is having faith in Jesus.

    a. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NIV)

    - our good works bring credit to ourselves, not to what Jesus has done.

b. There is only way to the Father in heaven: through Jesus

“Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”” (Jn 14:6 NIV)

    -Jesus didn't say that He's 'a' way, or 'one of' the truth. He is THE way, THE truth, THE life.

    -If one wants to make it to heaven where the Father is, one has to go through Jesus.

c. Salvation requires that you call out to Jesus - only.

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Rom 10:9-13 NIV)

Conclusion:
Our good works are only 'good' at the foot of the cross. Without the cross, they are nothing.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9 NIV)

Back to Cornelius: He and his family got saved, Holy Spirit baptized, and water baptized. He was a prominent man, a man of dignity, and yet, he humbled himself and accepted that his good works were not enough. He needed Jesus in his life as Savior, just like everybody else.

Reflection:      Have you accepted the gift of God unto salvation?
                      Do you know any ‘Cornelius’ around you?

A Look into True Religion.

On Bible Versions and Spiritual Growth

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:06:24 +0100

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. [2 Tim 3:16-17 MSG]

The Holy Scriptures is inerrant. God inspired men and women of various characters and background to speak and write down His heart. (2 Pet 1:21)

The Hebrew Language and the Old Testament. Moses wrote down the first five books of the Bible that spanned about 2000 years before his time. Most of the 39 books in the canonized Old Testament were written in Hebrew.

The Greek Language and the New Testament. After the prophet Malachi, there was a standstill on divine revelation for 400 years. In that period of prophetic silence, nations continued to conquer other nations, and cultures and languages were merged.

The Greek language rose as a World Language. The New Testament heroes spoke their native language, Aramaic, but they also wrote down in Greek. They were multi-lingual.

During this time, the reference for the Holy Scriptures was in Hebrew text and the Septuagint - the Greek version.

The Church continued to thrive and the Bible with its 66 books were completed and canonized. Other versions contained extra books called Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books. The Bible continued to be translated in other languages until 600 AD when Latin was the only language allowed for Scripture.

However, God is not distant; He never was. He watches over His Word. (Jer 1:12) The Lord had rent the curtain separating the Most Holy of Holies and the masses. We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, and God lives among His people. He wants to be relevant.

A Bible in our Language.

In 1382 (or 1400), Wycliffe wrote by hand the first English Bible (with Apocrypha). He was condemned and burned at the stake. In 1445, the printing press was developed and the first ever printed book was Gutenberg’s Latin Bible. Translations and versions continued to be produced, even before and after the printing press.

Then came the KJV Bible with Apocrypha in 1611. (Even though the Hebrew canon were only set to 39, the KJV translators still worked on the other books as well.) The other books were officially removed by 1885. KJV became the standard translation since then. By 1947, Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, and they shed light into how some Biblical text were translated and interpreted.

Wikipedia reports that there are a thousand languages the New Testament has been translated into, and yet there are 5 times more languages waiting to have a Bible in their own translation.

The Death of a Language and the Birth of Biblical Linguistics

Latin is dead. I wonder if our joyful God, in His humor, caused Latin to die because it was once used to put believers in the dark. During that time, the knowledge of the Bible was reserved for the elite, and the masses were controlled in ignorance. There are timelines that show translations of the Bible were done even before these were banned in the Dark Ages.

These unknown heroes-translators believed that the Word of God should be in the language of the people to be read, studied and cherished.

The Limitations of an English Bible

As it turned out, English is now the World Language. However, the Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek. There are words the English text cannot fully describe as a counterpart. We would need adjectives and phrases to complete some thoughts.

One example is ‘love’ in John 21:15-17.

[15] So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (KJV)

The Lord Jesus was, at first, asking Peter to love Him with an agape kind of love. But Peter responded, ‘I fileo you.’ Jesus asked again, and Peter responded the same way. By the third time, Jesus went down to his level, and asked ‘Do you fileo me?’

The Solution and Resolution: Study Multiple Bibles

The concise timeline and brief history showed that the authenticity of the Bible is not dependent on translation.

A zealous disciple should not stick to one Bible version. Even Jesus had 4 writers to sketch his earthly life and ministry. A true study of the Word should refer back to its original Hebrew and Greek meaning.

A Bible for Evangelism and Discipleship

The Growing English Language. The English language is still growing and developing. Old Translation Bibles are good for poetry. However, we do not pray and converse in archaic English using thous and thees. We do not enter a time warp back into the past to have our devotions or to spend time with God.

The God of the Bible is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He has always wanted to be relevant. A qualified modern Bible that helps people understand God’s saving grace is a start for spiritual growth. Digging deeper is better.

The Issue of Language Translation. It is short-sighted to believe there is only one qualified Bible translation, and that, it is in English. The Holy Scriptures was not written in English to begin with. The Lord of the Harvest who desires all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9) does not require every single believer to read their Bibles in English. God is too Omnipotent and Omniscient for that.

When Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, the Lord wrote down with His own finger the Ten Commandments. (Exo 31:18) He wrote it in a language Moses and the Israelites could understand.

God is not vague. He is expressive and comprehensible. He does not waste words. (Mat 5:18)

When Paul instructed the public reading of the Scriptures, he didn’t specify a version. (1 Tim 4:13) But why do we, now?

While some members of the Body of Christ fuss and fight over which English Bible Translation is authentic, the rest of the world in non-English regions are dying and going to hell. (A few weeks before this writing, some families and clans of Japanese people were wiped out in one tsunami sweep. 3 generations gone: grandparents, parents, and children - just like that, in one event. No one will remember them anymore; their family names will never be mentioned in any prayers. Their opportunity for salvation has been wiped off the face of the earth. While they were still living, no English Bible translation could ever help them. But now, it doesn't matter anymore...)

For a long time now, English is the World Language, just as Greek was before in Jesus’ time. Who knows...Mandarin Chinese could be next? Would there be people insisting on the authenticity of the Mandarin text? Would there be people favoring the Traditional Mandarin characters over the Simplified one?

Bible Copyright and Usage. Old Bible translations, just like any other old book, goes through a time lapse where they fall into the Public Domain. A book in the public domain is made available for all without royalty and copyright infringement. That means, when you quote a Bible in a publication, you have to abide to their terms. (Check your Bible’s first few pages.)

Here’s an example with the NIV:

The text may be quoted in any form (written, visual, electronic or audio), up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without the express written permission of the publisher, providing the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible nor do the verses quoted account for 25 percent (25%) or more of the total text of the work in which they are quoted.
Permission requests that exceed the above guidelines must be directed to, and approved in writing by, International Bible Society...

Because of such restrictions, most authors prefer using KJV or other public domain Bibles on their books and magazines.

In Other Words...

My dear Christian family who reads old translations (because they grew up with it) is not saved ‘more’ than those who do not. Modern Bible readers are not less spiritual than those who read old translations.

The claims that some verses are missing in some modern Bibles can actually be found in the footnotes. I don’t want to insult the theological intelligence of the translation committees who decided to put them at the bottom. Besides, other passages could still verify those specific truths.

God is faithful; He is more faithful than us. It is not the Lord’s desire for baby Christians to read their Bibles without help. We should be there to disciple them. The Great Commission is not to make converts, but to make disciples - followers who would go to church every Sunday and listen to be taught, believers who would join a Bible study group and learn the Word, Christians who would spend time to read their Bible every day and write down questions for clarification.

If, by any chance, that the new believer has no one to disciple him, the Holy Spirit is closer than we think. (Just like those in the mountains who just received pieces of the Bible...)

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (1 Jn 2:27 NKJV)

As brothers and sisters in the Lord, we should not (be quick to) condemn other Christians. We are called to unity, not uniformity. When we condemn those who do not read what we read, what kind of spirit is that? [NCV]

There is also this danger of attributing the work of God to the devil - and that is profanity. (Mat 12:31-32) The Holy Spirit is grieved when we call ‘false’ what He has made true. God’s manifold wisdom works on people on any language and background.

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. [Gal 6:14-16 NLT]

The Corrupted Case of Simon the Sorcerer

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:14:26 +0100

“Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.” (Acts 8:13 NIV)

False Conversion

Simon was in bondage to the occult. The Bible clearly says that he practiced sorcery. He has a deep relationship with demons. For a time, he amazed important and lowly people with his magical performances.

But then Philip came to his city in Samaria. By presenting the Gospel in its pure form, the people believed in the salvation through Jesus he preached, and they were baptized. The people followed Philip instead.

All of a sudden, Simon had no audience anymore. He also realized that the miracles Philip performed were far greater than the magic he can do. He wanted in.

A careful study of the Scriptures shows that he ‘played’ church. His true intentions were revealed when Peter and John came to visit Philip. The apostles laid their hands on the believers and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ka-ching! A light bulb was switched in Simon’s heart, and he saw the opportunity to redeem back his stardom. He offered them money to have the same ability to impart the anointing. Maybe he thought, ‘Philip didn’t do this impartation thing. Now’s my chance!” (Evil laughter).

Then Peter saw right through him: (Acts 8:20-23)
a. You are perishing, and so will your money.
b. You have no share in this ministry
c. Your heart is not right before God.

Those are descriptions of unbelievers. Simon has pretended to ‘believe’ and got himself wet in baptism, but his heart was still full of bitterness and a captive to sin.

He was bitter at Philip for ‘stealing’ his show. Oh the pains of losing admirers!

He was still in bondage to the occult. In order for him to ‘really’ accept Christ in his heart, he would denounce his sin, denounce his fellowship with demons, and embrace the Word of God. Sad to say, he didn’t. He was used to making up a show. His pretense of ‘believing’ was nothing new.

*Reflection: Am I following God for the right reasons and intentions? Or am I just pretending?

False Prophet

Simon the Sorcerer was also known as Simon Magus and Simon of Gitta. From him was derived ‘simony’ - the sin of buying or selling ministerial authority, his very act of buying the impartation of the gifts. (More blaspemous horrors are found in Wikipedia, and other online sources).

What concerns the true Christian and disciple is his attitude toward Christ, the Word of God, and the ministry.

While his fellow Samaritans believed in whom Philip preached (Acts 8:6), he followed the messenger, not Christ. (Acts 8:13) He was merely fascinated by a greater power than his, and not on God’s saving grace.

And when Peter rebuked him for buying his way to pastoral authority, he did not repent. (Acts 8:24) It was not accounted that he was sorry for thinking and doing such a thing, but he just wanted to escape punishment. When the Holy Spirit was imparted, he did not desire to receive it. He just wanted to be on center stage.

*Reflection: Do I desire the ministry to serve God, or to be regarded as someone special?

Historical accounts show that he left Peter as a ‘professing’ Christian. As a ‘Christian’ with magical powers, he went everywhere fooling as many as he could that he was someone great in God’s kingdom, much like Peter. He went to Rome and erected a statue of himself.

The Effect of a Neglected Offering

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:23:46 +0100

(v45) “As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places.” (Mark 1:38-45)

Jesus had a plan and a goal: To preach in the synagogues and to perform miracles there. He wanted to go where the people were.

But there was a man who got healed of leprosy, and he needed to ‘bring an offering’ as required by the Law, and as instructed by Jesus. He did not obey, but went out about doing what he felt like doing.

As a result, Jesus was not able to fulfill His plan on going to the cities, preaching in their gatherings, and healing their sick. Instead of Jesus going to them, the people came out to meet Him in the desert.

The ex-leper could had been well-meaning to spread the ‘good’ news about Jesus the Healer, but it does not negate an instruction given by the Lord Himself. That specific instruction involved giving an offering.

*Reflection: Prosper me, Lord, to contribute to the spreading of the Gospel, and I will be faithful to sow and more as You prompt me.

I + O - G = BAD REPORT

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:27:45 +0100

"And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored." (Num 13:26-32)

Information plus Opinion minus God equals Bad Report

The Israelites sent out 12 spies to check out the land. For Joshua and Caleb, they set out out for a strategy to claim the promised land. But for the other 10 leaders, they were looking for an excuse. Both the 2 and the 10 have same facts and evidences:

The land DOES flow with milk and honey.
It yields bountiful-looking fruits

However, they had differing conclusions. The faith-filled 2 were delighted to proclaim how God was so wonderful to give them such a big blessing. They were ready to take God on His word and conquer the land. They were so confident in God that they CAN do it!

The fearful 10 discouraged the people with their opinions: the inhabitants are powerful, the cities are fortified and large, and the descendants of giants are there.

They also exaggerated their words: the land devours its people, everyone is super-sized, we seemed like grasshoppers, and they 'looked down at us' as grasshoppers.

In the end, they concluded that they can't attack them, and that they are stronger. The 10 drowned out the 'promise' and they influenced the whole nation.

Information is good, as the 2 would use it for their success and advantage. But with the same information, the 10 mixed their opinions and they removed God out of the picture. They did this all the while the Pillar of Cloud was in their midst.

Information is good, and let us keep it that way. God always keeps His promises. He wants us to grow up, open our eyes to what He is bringing us into, and hold on tighter.

Information plus God = Miracle.

Like Abraham, we face the facts and believe in God. But when the facts looked too big for us, we cry out like the man in Mark 9:24, "I believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Back to Yola

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:47:53 +0100

May God bless the Yola management, and may it continue to thrive where Google is banned. Peace!