Daily Bible Commentary-5th Jan 2013

Saturday - 5^th  January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2 again

Hostility against the King (2:13-18)

A person is identified not only by his friends, but also by his enemies. Herod pretended he wanted to worship the new born King, when in reality he wanted to destroy Him. God warned Joseph to take the Child and Mary and flee to Egypt. Egypt was close. There were many Jews there, and the treasures received from the Magi would more than pay the expenses for traveling and living there. But there was also another prophecy to fulfill, Hosea 11:1; “ I called My son out of Egypt.”

Herod's anger was evidence of his pride; he could not permit anyone to get the best of him, particularly some Gentile scholars! This led him to kill the male babies two years of age and under who were still in Bethlehem. We must not envision hundreds of little boys being killed, for there were not that many male children of that age in a small village like Bethlehem, Even today only about 20,000 people live there. It is likely that not more than 20 children were slain. But of course, one is too many!!

Matthew introduced here the theme of hostility, which he focused on throughout his book. Satan is a liar and a murderer ( John 8:44), as was King Herod. He lied to the Magi and he murdered babies. But even this horrendous crime of murder was the fulfillment of prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:15. In order to understand this fulfillment, we must review Jewish history.

The first mention of Bethlehem in Scripture is in connection with the death of Jacob's favourite wife, Rachel ( Gen 35:16-20). Rachel died giving birth to a son whom she name Benoni, “son of my sorrow”. Jacob renamed his son Benjamin, “son of my right hand.”. Both of these names relate to Jesus Christ, for he was a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isa 53:3), and He is now the Son of God's right hand ( Heb 1:3; Acts 5:31). Jacob put up a pillar to mark Rachel's grave which is near Bethlehem.

Jeremiah's prophecy was given about 600 years before Christ was born. It grew out of the captivity of Jerusalem. Some of the captives were taken to Ramah in Benjamin, near Jerusalem; and this reminded Jeremiah of Jacob's sorrow when Rachel died. However, now it is Rachel who is weeping. She represented the mother of Israel weeping as they saw their sons going into captivity. It was as though Rachel said, “I gave my life to bear a son, and now his descendants are no more.”

Jacob saw Bethlehem as a place of death, but the birth of Jesus made it a place of life! Because of His coming, there would be spiritual deliverance for Israel and, in the future, the establishment of David's throne and kingdom. Israel “the son of my sorrow” would one day become “the son of My right hand” Jeremiah gave a promise to the nation that they would be restored to their land again ( Jer. 31: 16-17), and this promise was fulfilled. But he gave an even greater promise that the nation would be regathered in the future, and the kingdom established. This promise shall also be fulfilled.

Very few people today think of Bethlehem as a burial place; they think of it as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. And because He died for us and rose again, we have a bright future before us. We shall live forever with Him in that glorious city where death is no more and where tears never fall.

Daily Bible Commentary-4th Jan 2013

Friday - 4^th  January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2 again

It's no surprise that Herod tried to kill Jesus, for Herod alone wanted to bear the title “King of the Jews.” But there was another reason. Herod was not a full blooded Jew; he was actually an Idumaean, a descendant of Esau. This picture is of the old struggle between Esau and Jacob that began before the boys were born (Gen. 25: 19-34). It is the spiritual versus the carnal, the godly versus the worldly.

The Magi were seeking the King; Herod was opposing the King and the Jewish priests were ignoring the King. These priests knew the Scriptures and pointed others to the Saviour, but would not go to worship Him themselves! They quoted Micah 5:2 but did not obey it. They were five miles from the very Son of God, yet they did not go to see Him! The Gentiles sought and found Him, but the Jews did not.

Verse 9 of chapter 2 indicates that the miraculous star was not always visible to the Magi. As they started toward Bethlehem, they saw the star again; and it led them to the house where Jesus was. By now, Joseph had moved Mary and the baby from the temporary dwelling where the Lord Jesus had been born ( Luke 2:7). The traditional manger scenes that assemble together the shepherds and wise mes are not true to Scripture, since the Magi arrived much later.

Matthew cites a second fulfilled prophecy to prove that Jesus Christ is the King ( Matt 2:5). How He was was a fulfillment of prophecy, and where he was born was a fulfillment of prophecy. Bethlehem means “ house of bread” and this was where the “ Bread of Life” came to earth ( John 6:48). Bethlehem in the Old Testament was associated with David who was a type of Jesus Christ in His suffering and Glory.

Daily Bible Commentary-3rd Jan 2013

Thursday - 3^rd January

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read : Matthew Chapter 2

Homage to the King

We must confess that we know little about these men. The word translated “wise men” (magi) refers to a group of scholars who studied the starts. Their title connects them with magic, but they were probably more like astrologers. However, their presence in the biblical record is not a divine endorsement of astrology.

God gave them a special sign, a miraculous star that announced the birth of the King. This star led them to Jerusalem where God's Word had told them that the King would be born in Bethlehem, They went to Bethlehem, and there they worshiped the Christ Child.

We do not know how many magi there were. From three gifts listed in Matthew 2:11, some people have assumed there were three kings from the Orient, though this is not certain. But when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem, there were enough of them to trouble the whole city.

Keep in mind these men were Gentiles. From the very beginning, Jesus came to be “Saviour of the world”( John 4:42). These men were also wealthy, and the were scholars- scientists in their own right. No scholarly person who follows the light God gives him can miss worshiping at the feet of Jesus. In Jesus Christ “ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). In Him dwells “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9).

The Magi were seeking the King, but Herod was afraid of the King and wanted to destroy Him. This was Herod the Great, called king by the Roman senate because of the influence of Mark Antony. Herod was cruel and crafty man who permitted no one, not even his own family, to interfere with his rule or prevent the satisfying of his evil desires. A ruthless murderer, he had his own wife and her two brothers slain because he suspected them of treason. He married at least nine times in order to fulfill his lusts and strengthen his political ties.

Daily Bible Commentary-2nd Jan 2013

Wednesday - January 2^nd

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read Matthew Chapter 1 again

            His divine heredity. Matthew 1:16 and 18 make it clear that Jesus Christ's birth was different from that of any other Jewish boy named in the genealogy. Matthew pointed out that Joseph did not “beget” Jesus Christ. Rather, Joseph was the “ husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Jesus was born of an earthly mother without the need of an earthly father. This is known as the doctrine of the virgin birth.

            Every child born into the world is a totally new creation. But Jesus Christ, being eternal God (John1:1,14), existed before Mary and Joseph or any of His earthly ancestors. If Jesus Christ were conceived and born just as any other baby, then He could not be God. It was necessary for Him to enter this world through an earthly mother, but not begotten by an earthly father. By miracle of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, a virgin.

            Both Mary and Joseph belonged to the house of David. The Old Testament prophecies indicated that the Messiah would be born of a woman ( Gen 3:15), of the seed of Abraham( Gen22:18), through the tribe of Judah ( Gen 49:10) and of the family of David ( 2 Sam 7:12-13). It is worth noting that Jesus Christ is the only Jew alive who can actually prove His claim to the throne of David! All of the other records were destroyed when the Romans took Jerusalem in AD 70.

            Before we leave this important section, we must consider the three names assigned to God's Son. The name Jesus means “Saviour” and comes from the Hebrew name, Joshua (“ Jehovah is salvation”). There were many Jewish boys with the name Joshua ( or in Greek Jesus), but Mary's boy was called “Jesus the Christ.” The word Christ means “anointed”; it is greek equivalent is Messiah. He is “ Jesus the Messiah.” Jesus is His human name, Christ is His official title; and Immanuel describes who he is - “God with us.” Jesus Christ is God! We find this name “ Immanuel” in Isaiah 7:14 and 8:8.

            The King, then was a Jewish male who was also the divine Son of God. But did anybody acknowledge His Kingship? Yes the wise men from the East came and worshiped Him!

Daily Bible Commentary-1st Jan 2013

Dear Church family,

As a church we have embarked on an exciting new journey of discovering the wealth in the Word of God together. This daily Bible commentary will allow us as a church to glean from God's Word chapter by chapter, book by book.

This is not a daily devotion, though you can use it for personal devotion time but its a simple commentary on the Bible that will give you more insight into what you are reading, in context and with the counsel of the whole Bible.

We are starting with the Gospel of Matthew. Each day there will be a  required chapter of the Bible you are to read. After reading the recommended portion, then read the daily commentary. You will notice that you may be required at times to read the same chapter for several days, this is because there is much to absorb from these chapters and you will notice that your depth of understanding increases as you persist in reading the same chapter repeatedly for several days.

This daily commentary will be loaded onto the church blog weekly. The cell groups will discuss the gist of what was gleaned each week from the said chapters. This will further add to your Bible reading experience as you realise how the same Words have spoken so specifically to each individual in the group.

Enjoy and Be Blessed.

Rivers of Water

Daily Bible Study – The book of Matthew

Tuesday - January 1^st 

Topic: The Kings Birth

Read Matthew Chapter 1

If a man suddenly appears and claims to be a king, the public immediately asks for proof. What is his background? Who pays homage to him? What credentials can he present? Anticipating these important questions, Matthew opened his book with a careful account of the birth of Jesus Christ and the events that accompanied it. He presented four facts about the King

The Heredity of the King ( 1: 1-25)

Since royalty depends on heredity, it was important for Jesus to establish His rights to David's throne. Matthew gave His human heredity (vv 1-17) as well as His divine heredity (vv 18 -25)

            His human heredity ( 1:1-17) Genealogies were very important to the Jews, for without them they could not prove their tribal membership or their rights to inheritance. Anyone claiming to be “ the Son of David” had to be able to prove it. It is generally concluded that Matthew gave our Lord's family tree through His foster father, Joseph, while Luke gave Mary's lineage.

            Many Bible readers skip over this list of ancient names. But this “list of names” is a vital part of the Gospel record. It shows that Jesus Christ is a part of History, that all Jewish history prepared the way for His birth. God in His providence ruled and overruled to accomplish His great purpose in bringing His Son into the world.

            This genealogy also illustrates Gods wonderful grace. It is most unusual to find the names of women in the Jewish genealogies, since names and inheritances came through the fathers. But in this list we find references to four women from Old Testament history : Tamar, Rahab and Ruth, and Bathsheba “ wife of Uriah”.

            Matthew clearly omitted some names from this genealogy. Probably he did this to give a systematic summary of 3 periods in Israel's history, each with 14 generations. The numeric value of the Hebrew letters for “David” equals 14. Matthew probably used this approach as a memory aid to help his readers remember this difficult list.

            But there were many Jewish men who could trace their family back to King David. It would take more than human pedigree to make Jesus Christ” the Son of David” and heir to David's throne. This is why the divine heredity was so important!

Sunday Re Cap (9th Dec 2012)

Chosen For Fulfillment 

Text: Luke 1:8-22

Click here to listen.

The concept of “fullness” in the Greek usage of the word is that something is never truly full until it is overflowing; an abounding and overflowing fullness; it transcends our greatest imaginations. God wants every person He’s created to be deeply fulfilled. Zacharias’ life and ministry is a model for us.

Three points that needs sensitivity on the way to fulfillment…

1. Sensitivity to your call…v8.

God’s pleasure with people who just keep doing what they’re doing. The name Zacharias means that “The Lord remembered.” The name Elizabeth means “God is a God of His oath.” He is the God who keeps His promise. He is the one who remembers you, and He will keep his promise. Zacharias is faithfully serving in the ordinary. It’s the surest path to the extraordinary. The Bible’s reference to the word “order” is a mindfulness of the fact that we’re to “keep a sweet spirit.” Then he entered the temple (v.9). The focus is always to keep the spirit of worship large in your soul. Continuing on faithfully in a right spirit and continuing in a spirit of worship at the same time…

2. Sensitivity to the prophetic

• The prophetic disrupts our systems and raises questions v21 
• It shatters the wall of present limits to life’s possibility v13 
• It promises the fulfillment of God’s intended joy in your life v14 
• It stretches the horizons of your presuppositions v15 
• It inevitably changes hearts and impacts family relationships v16-17 
• The prophetic always brings people to a deeper focus on and love for the Lord v17

3. Sensitivity to God’s laws of the prophetic

God is incredibly patient with unbelief. The angel doesn’t neutralize the promise in the face of his unbelief. This is a case of God’s patience. He doesn’t neutralize the promise. He just neutralizes Zacharias.

If there’s any testimony in this text, it’s this: If God can find a person who will keep on serving where they are, keep on worshiping, keep a sweet spirit, and keep moving ahead in openness to Him, He will bring fulfillment—He will fulfill His purpose in us.

Sunday Re Cap (2nd Dec 2012)

Has The Great Commission Become The Great Omission?

Text: Matt. 28:18-20

Click here to listen.
 
Intro: Before ascension Jesus issued what has come to be called The Great Commission. A “commission” is “an authoritative command; a directive; a command.” What was given as The Great Commission has turned into what some have labeled The Great Omission. When something is “omitted”, it is “left out, undone, neglected”.

Has The Great Commission become The Great Omission in our lives? Are we as a church doing everything we can to find inroads of outreach into the world around us?

Four facts from these verses that give us a greater insight into The Great Commission.

I. WE HAVE A DIVINE MANDATE v. 19
1.  It involves our Lifestyle – Matt. 5:13-16. We are the salt and light of the world.
2.  It involves our Lips – We are told to “teach”. It is not enough to just show it, we must also say it!

II. WE HAVE A DIVINE MESSAGE v. 20                 
We are to share the Gospel.
Our message is a simple message; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4. Sharing this Gospel message is as easy as telling lost people what Jesus did for you and what He can do for them, Mark 5:20.

III. WE HAVE A DIVINE MISSION v. 19                  
He tells us that we are to “Go…and teach all nations”. He us telling very clearly that our mission is to every person in the world. And that our mission field is the entire world. He may call someone from this fellowship to leave this country and reach a certain people group. OR, He may just ask us to send our money to support those whom He has called to reach those in other parts of the world. The Lord has placed a nation in every one of us!

IV. WE HAVE A DIVINE MENTOR v. 20                  
1. We Are Promised His Presence – “Lo, I am with you always…”
2.  We are Promised His Power – “All power in Heaven and earth is given unto Me” – He also says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me…” (Acts 1:8).

Let us recommit ourselves to THE GREAT COMMISSION!

Sunday Re Cap (11th Nov 2012)

LEANING ON THE RIGHT WALL by Richard Yeoh

1 SAMUEL 21:10-15 

Click here for AUDIO

A. DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVELOPED

• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF POSITION 
• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF POPULARITY 
• HE LEANED ON THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE 

• The Partner Michal 
• The Prince Jonathan 
• The Prophet Samuel 

DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM IS DISMANTLED

• DAVID LOST HIS POSITION 
• DAVID LOST HIS POPULARITY 
• DAVID LOST HIS PEOPLE 

B. THE PURPOSE OF DISMANTLING

• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN LEAD US TO TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD 
• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN PREVENT US FROM LOOKING UP 
• OUR SUPPORT SYSTEM IS TEMOPRARY AT BEST 

C. DAVID’S SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVELOPED

1. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PRAISE 
2. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROTECTION 
3. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROVISION 
4. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PROMISES 
5. HE LEARNED TO LEAN ON THE LORD’S PRESENCE 

(TAKEN FROM PSALM 34 )

Sunday Re Cap (4th Nov 2013)

Walk In The Spirit Pt 1 

Click here to listen

Text: JOHN 15:9-17

WE NEED A COACH!

Our goal as Christians is to be Christlike which is to produce the fruit of love. We need someone to help us, tell us where we're missing the mark, how to measure our progress. Wouldn't you want to know if you're making progress towards becoming Christlike? These are some of the things we're going to explore today.

THE HOLY SPIRIT, OUR LIFE COACH

God gave us salvation as a gift.

Eph 2:8-9. 8 Is that all? If that were all, then we should have been zapped up to heaven. Why are we still here? To go through all the trials, persecution, challenges, etc?

Eph 2:10 He desires us to grow and to be fruitful. God our Father would do everything He needs to do to make us like His Son. However, He has not left us alone to navigate through these times. He gave us the best teacher/life coach of all! The Holy Spirit! To WALK IN THE SPIRIT!

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; Romans 8:26; 1 John 2:27; 2 John 1:2

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is our connection to the Father and the one who is daily forming Christ in us. He helps us in our weaknesses and overcomes the area of our flesh daily to prepare us as a bride that is without spot or wrinkle or any kind of blemish for the day of the Lord's return. He is our helper. He is for us.. The function of the Holy Spirit is to make us Christlike. When we think of Christlikeness what comes to our mind is the character of Christ. The main character He wants to develop in us is love as in agape.

FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

Holy Spirit helps us to connect to, and form Christ in us for the purpose of fruitfulness.

God is not just looking for Christlikeness but to inspire others to be Christlike through us. So the key issue is to walk in the Spirit.

HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT?

To be continued…

Sunday Re Cap (28th Oct 2012)

On That Day (Part 2) 

Click here to listen

Matt 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ 

I. Who  Practiced Lawlessness?

1. In the context, it was the Pharisees.  
2. Many believe in Christ, come to church, attend and serve for years but have never professed Him as Lord or profess Him to be one of the many Gods; those who are following Jesus and serving Him out of tradition and not out of a personal relationship with Him. Then there are those who find it difficult to let go of their old habits, ways of thinking and traditions even after professing Christ to be Lord and Savior.  
3. Can we be Christians and practice lawlessness? Some clues in kingdom scriptures. Matt 5: 17ff.

II. What Does It Mean?

In the kingdom, lawlessness is of the heart rather than of outward actions or even words. Matt 5: 17; Heb 8: 10; Mark 12:29. What really matters is “how do we keep ourselves from a lawless heart?”

III. How Do We Keep Ourselves From A Lawless Heart?

John 15: 5. When we truly abide in the vine (Jesus) and allow Him to abide in us...meaning when the lawgiver Himself lives in us, it is impossible to be lawless! However, sometimes the heart is way to hardened. 1 Tim 4:4. How do we know that we are abiding in Him? Jesus says that it is through the fruit that we produce. What is the fruit? It is the fruit of the spirit.

IV. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT (Gal 5:16-25)

The most primary way of walking in the spirit is walking in reliance of the Holy Spirit which is to be dominated and controlled by the Holy Spirit! We practice lawlessness when we fail to give room to the Holy Spirit to move in our lives.

Sometimes we are even well meaning and try to put to death the deeds of our flesh (lawlessness). We try to “self prune”. The key to fruitfulness is not trying to get rid of the darkness; it is by allowing the Holy Spirit to work! Rom 8: 13

We then produce the fruit of the Spirit which is really Christ-likeness. One day when we stand face to face with Him we shall be like Him. 1 John 3: 2; Rom 8:29.

AS WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT, THE LAWGIVER IN US KEEPS US FROM A LAWLESS HEART.

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Sunday Recap (14th Oct 2012)

ON THAT DAY

 To listen click here.  

 

Matt 7:21-22:

1.  A Day is coming, “On That Day”. Who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus says that it is those who do the will of the Father. What is The Will Of The Father? The best person to answer that would be JESUS!
2. John 6:40 (AMP) See: To see Jesus in everything; meaning to see His power, wisdom, peace, strength, deliverance not ours BUT HIS!; Believes everything that the Son says about us; Trust Him, not ourselves (Prov3:5-6); Rely on Him not on ourselves…God will raise such AT THE LAST DAY!
3. WHAT DOES THIS SOUND LIKE? RELATIONSHIP! Abiding! John 15:1-8. Our abiding will produce fruit. The Father is glorified by the fruit.
• So what does it mean to ABIDE? The context is important.
• It was a very dark hour and not just because it was night. Jesus was saying all kinds of things to them. “I am going away…it is good for you…I’m going to send someone…I’m coming back…” There was fear in the disciples, confusion, bewilderment, helplessness, a sense of abandonment…have we been there? When nothing makes sense?
• In this situation, Jesus is telling them ABIDE in ME. “Hold steady guys; don’t look at your situation…keep your eyes on me…
• Fruit was the last thing on their minds but Jesus saw beyond the cross; beyond their trails, circumstances, testings that they were going to face.
• Maybe there those of us who are going through a storm at this time or even sometime in the past. Jesus is saying to you just like He told the bewildered disciples “Hold on to me, Abide in me… …I will work in your life…but it’s not going to end there…then as you have learn a little from me…I will bring people or even take you to those who are going through the same storm that you went through or are going through. You will minister to them through the little fruit that I have produced through you. Then as you do that, I will prune you a little and remove those things that are not of me and then you will understand more and produce more fruit and ultimately you will produce much fruit and in this My Father will be glorified! John 15:8; 2 Cor 1: 3-4 
4. What is the FRUIT that Jesus is talking about? 
• If we continue to abide in Him, He will continue to prune us and form Christ in us. Every trial, storm that we go through, forms a little bit more Christ in us. This is what Jesus was teaching the disciples. Let ME form ME in you. What will be produced is the fruit of the spirit which is really becoming like CHRIST!
• With Christ forming in us, how can we NOT minister to the lost i.e. the poor, the needy, and the downtrodden? How can we keep the message of the cross to ourselves? This is the work that truly validates our faith and glorifies the Father. On that day, The Father says, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”  Matt 25:23

 

Sunday Re Cap (7th Oct 2012)

Call to Action by J. Daniel

 

To listen click here

 

1. Christian life must be built on a solid foundation

• God’s love for us is unconditional
• There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ
• God will never leave us nor forsake us
• And many more…

2. We as believers/ the church need to live lives that are starkly different from the world

• We need to first know Gods standards
• We have to stand by our convictions and values that are derived from the Word of God.

3. Faith without  action is dead (James  2: 14-24)

• James asks us how do we know we have faith?
• He says the proof of faith is the actions of our lives
• The natural manifestation of faith is God directed actions
• If the actions don’t match the faith we profess then we need to ask questions of ourselves.

4. There is a difference between faith and belief

• Belief is forming an opinion
• Faith is investing one’s life

5. Taking James 2:14-24 alone without the whole counsel of God's Word can make us go off on a tangent. It needs to be balanced with John 15:1-8

• Jesus is the Vine we are the branches.
• When the branches are connected to the Vine, fruits are a natural result.
• The fruitfulness in our life is an indicator of how well we are consistently connected to the Source of Life, Jesus
• The fruits come from being connected to Jesus but we have a responsibility to stay connected. We have a part to play.

6. John15:8 states ‘ When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine’

• The fruits glorify God
• The fruits are a confirmation of being a true disciples of Jesus

Sunday Re Cap (23rd Sept 2012)

THE CHURCH ON THE ROCK by Richard Yeoh

Click here to listen

TEXT: MATTHEW 16:13-19

A Critical Turning Point:
Matthew 16 marks critical turning point in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
It was a time of Transition for Jesus ministry. He had to know whether the group of followers understood who their Master was. And in a spiritual sense, I believe our church is moving into a transition. As such we must answer the question personally and as a church: “Who do you say I am?”

1. A CHALLENGING QUESTION
In General: Jesus then asks the disciples, “Who do they say that I am?” This is where the rubber meets the road folks! The answer given: You are Elijah; others say John the Baptist, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. It’s always been this way; Jesus as seen by the people is seen in so many different ways.

In Personal: “Who do you say I am?” Jesus wanted his followers to acknowledge who He really was to them. Could they see beyond His humanity into His Divinity? That beyond their master was their Messiah.

2. A CRUCIAL CONFESSION
 And when Peter answers here, he is not speaking simply for himself, but for all the disciples. His answer is very, specific. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Jesus knew that Peter didn’t come to this conclusion on his own; it took a supernatural revelation from God, Himself. It takes an act of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth. He knew it was time for deeper training of the disciples.
Christians need to know precisely who Jesus is according to the Scriptures. And why is this so? It’s because the church can rise no higher than the level of our confession of faith.

3. A CHANGE OF NAME
Jesus renames Simon and calls him Peter. Notice Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon to Peter the rock. Name changes in the Bible always mark very significant events and big changes in relationship with God. The change of name signifies of change of relationship, a commitment to a new life.

4. A CHURCH IS BUILT
· The church is the only thing God ever had to buy.
God created everything else, but the church cost Him dearly! We are privileged beyond measure to be part of the Church of the Living God!
· The Church shall ever be strong, victorious and eternal for it is built on sure foundation, Jesus Christ. He is the foundation, the Founder, the Author and the Perfector of our faith!

Sunday Re Cap (16th Sept 2012)

RIVERS IN THE DESERT

Is 43:18-21

As we celebrate the beginning of the Jubilee, we may feel that our nation is headed to ruin, wasted, destroyed and beyond recovery. However, if we would look again, with eyes of faith, we would discover that GOD IS DOING A NEW THING!

A TRANSFORMATION IS OCCURING IN OUR DESERT. This text makes the claim that GOD IS MAKING WASTE INTO WATERS, RUINS INTO RIVERS AND DESERTS INTO DELIGHTS.

In the Hebrew Text, the verb translated as “Make” here really means “To Turn Something into Something Else.” So the Lord is not saying that He will make rivers in the desert, but that He will turn the desert into rivers. HE WILL TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE!!!

I. The More Desolate Your Desert Is, The More God Will Do; For God Operates On The Basis Of Need.

If God is to do more, there must be a Greater Desert.

We will not trust God without Need. If there are no problems, deserts, needs, then there would be no cause for us to be dependent on God as the Supply in every situation. GOD WILL SUPPLY THE TOTAL FULFILLMENT TO EVERY NEED HE ALLOWS!!!

Our desert may or may not necessarily be of our own making. In either case, the Good News from the Lord is that He is the God of Second Chances. He is going to transform that desert into delight!

II. There Are At Least Three Implications Of God Turning Deserts Into Rivers.

1. The First Implication of Turning Deserts into Rivers is that of RENEWAL. To Renew is to Bring something back to its Former State or Condition.

2. The Second Implication of Turning Deserts into Rivers is that of REVIVAL. To Revive is to restore or put back what has been depleted or used.

3. The Third Implication of Turning the Wasteland into Streams is that of REJOICING.

THE LORD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TRANSFORMATION!

LET HIM TRANSFORM OUR DESERTS INTO DELIGHT.

God is able to turn the desert into rivers!!! He is able to make our wilderness way more than manageable. He is able to transform our environment!

Let the RIVER flow in this nation! Jesus said as we believe in Him, Rivers of Living Waters shall flow from our bellies. Jn 7:37-39.

Sunday Re Cap (9th September 2012)

Enter By The Narrow Way

Matt 7:13-23

Intro: In this portion of scripture, Jesus taught about choices and consequences. Many times we make the mistake of believing that life is about choosing between the good or bad. Many things in life appear good but they lead to bad. As we get a deeper understanding of grace, we may get this inaccurate understanding that God’s grace which is Christ working in and through us may allow us to continue living in a sinful lifestyle. However we need to understand that the choice to sin will also mean reaping its consequences.

 

This is part of the first block of teaching in the gospel of Matthew known as the Sermon on the Mount. In chapter 5 Jesus lays down the moral basis of life in the kingdom of God. Citizens of the kingdom then and through the ages will:

• Seek to please God.
• Trust God completely to meet their material needs.
• Express trust in God in prayer.
• Act on and obey the words of Jesus.

 

It results in a lifestyle free from anxiety (6:19-34), just treatment of others (7:1-12) and obedience (7:13-27).

 

The warnings are as follows:

1. There is a wide and easy gate that leads to destruction and there is a narrow and hard gate that leads to life.
2. A healthy tree bears good fruit and a diseased tree will bear bad fruit. “We will recognize a tree by its fruit.”

1. V13-14:

• Here Jesus shows us the first of the choices we need to make and gives us the consequences. The first gate is wide and easy but it leads to destruction. The interesting thing is that there are many who find it and enter through it. It is the path travelled by the majority; or what we call in today’s language “the norm”. What are some of the norms today?
• We have a moral responsibility to God to teach our children to choose the narrow way that leads to LIFE!

2. V15-18

• The warning is against false teaching. What is this section really about? It’s got something to do with choices and consequences AGAIN! The right connection will lead us to fruitfulness and the wrong connection will lead us to destruction.
• We thank God and honor prophetic ministries but our trust must always be in the MOST PERFECT PROPHET who is CHRIST. We need to stop looking to prophets as fortune tellers but our reliance must always be the greatest PROPHECY of ALL; THE WORD OF GOD! When we make THAT choice, The CONSEQUENCES are ALWAYS GOOD!
• When THE GROUND is good; even bad seeds that fall into it cannot survive.
• Whether we understand or don’t, just disinfect our heart by reading THE WORD. Ask The Holy Spirit to help us by giving us discernment and revelation!

 

To listen click here...

Continued Next Week…

MEN OF DESTINY - Winning at Work & Home

Sunday Re Cap (19th August 2012)

Mark & Linda Drake

The Mystery of Christ Living in and Through us

1 John 1:19

Confidence or Condemnation before God?

Do we read our Bible correctly?

The single greatest problem that many Christians make; pulling sentences out of context from the Bible and building a belief around it. We would never do that with any other literature or reading. If we read the text above out of context we will be condemned. If we keep reading the next verse, we understand what the Apostle John was really saying.

The Commandment is simple: put your faith and trust in the Name of Jesus Christ. The result would be Christ Himself would live inside us and would lead us from the inside out. We would then no longer need a list of do's and don'ts; because the Lawgiver Himself, Jesus Christ, would be living and leading us from the inside out. This is a crucial truth as it would either lead us into condemnation or confidence before God.

Paul said that the Old Covenant was a ministry of condemnation which was a list of rules that never gave us the power to obey it.

One of the questions we are going to look at is; is God ever going to be angry or unhappy with us if we live under the New Covenant? Is it ever possible for God to be disappointed with us?

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:1. There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus....this is an absolute statement and not just a possibility. Then why is CONDEMNATION the most common experience of most believers worldwide? There is only one possibility; that we do NOT believe what the early believers believed in. We need to be fully aware of "The Mystery of Christ Living in and Through us" to have CONFIDENCE before God!

Come for The Seminar on the 23-25th Aug at Rivers of Water Bkt Mertajam to fully discover "The Mystery of Christ Living in and Through Us" starting at 8pm.

Click here to listen to this message.

Sunday Re Cap (12th Aug 2012)

PASSION. ENCOUNTER. OBEDIENCE.

Acts 9:1-19

PAUL
Paul was zealous - he approved of the killing of Stephen and was on his way to bust up the Damascus church.
But it wasn't just a zeal for killing - when he was confronted on the road to Damascus, he asked "Who are you LORD?"...he was zealous to really know (and serve God), and he recognized his hand, even if he didn’t understand what he was doing at the time.
Paul was used to calling the shots...but when Jesus said "GO, and I'll TELL you what to DO.", he went.
Those around him heard the sound, saw the light, but couldn't understand...sometimes, when God speaks to you, even those closest to you won't get it.

ANANIAS
Ananias was scared, but obedient...with his whole heart ("BROTHER Saul").

JACOB - from "jake the fake" to "contender WITH God", all from one encounter. 

DAVID - a filthy sinner...prepared to admit his sin and cry out for mercy when confronted by God ("YOU ARE THE MAN").

PETER - A big mouth...and a big heart. Went from failure to leader of the church when he met Jesus at his weakest point.

SAUL - from persecutor to proselytizer, Saul wanted God more than his own agenda, and turned 180 degrees when he met Jesus face to face.

• You need passion to begin, but passion itself is not enough.
• You need to encounter God, face to face...but even that is not enough.
• It's when your passion leads to an encounter, and that encounter changes your life, and God calls you to radical obedience...that's when the rubber hits the road.

Aaron and Alison Boots

Passion. Encounter. Obedience.

Click here to listen to this timely message.

By Rev Aaron Boots
5ONE4 Foursquare Church
Perth, WA.
Australia

Sunday Re Cap (29th July 2012)

Jesus Name Made This Man Strong-Part 3

Acts 3:1-16

1. The content of the word;

2. The content of the wonder;

3. The relationship between the wonder and the word of God preached—is it a pattern that God wants us to use today?

1. The Content of the Word (Acts 3:13-15)

a. Five Exaltations of Jesus

b. Four Charges against the People

2. The Content of the Wonder

In verse 12 "Why do you stare at us as though by our power or piety we had made him walk?". It was not Peter’s power or piety that healed this man.

First, notice that the faith to heal is "through Jesus"—that is Jesus gave it. It came through the working of Jesus. The living Jesus did something in Peter, and Peter knew it was the day. Jesus gave the faith to heal, and Peter acted on it.

But the first part of v 16 says, "Jesus' name, by faith in his name has made this man strong." So here the healing agent is said to be the NAME of Jesus.

So if we put the two statements together (16b: faith has given the man health; and 16a: the name of Jesus has made him strong) the point becomes this: the faith Jesus gives to heal is effective because it is faith in the NAME of Jesus; and, in fact, the NAME of Jesus is bringing about healing.

How is that? Because the name of Jesus stands for the reality of Jesus. His name stands for who he is. When I speak in his NAME, with the faith that HE has now given me for your healing, HE is acting not me."

So who stretches out his hand to heal? God the Father. And through what means? Through the NAME of his holy servant Jesus. The Father is the ultimate source of all healing. Through Jesus the Father does his healing will. Jesus, in agreement with the Father's will, gives the faith to Peter. Peter recognizes that this is the time for the man to be healed. And by the faith given him, he speaks the healing in Jesus' name. And God gets the praise.

3. The Relationship between Wonder and Word

The relationship between the wonder and the word of God preached is that the wonder attracts the crowd to hear the word (3:11) and the wonder testifies to the living truth of the exalted Jesus in the word. In other words, the wonder is a powerful pointer to the truth that Jesus is alive and that he is all Peter says He is.

We believe that one of the forms this pattern (of the HOLY SPIRIT through Peter) takes today is in the exercise of the spiritual gifts given to the church according to 1 Corinthians 12—including gifts of faith, healings, and miracles (1 Corinthians 12:9–10). The church is called to desire the spiritual gifts:

1 Cor 12:31; 1 Cor 14:1 The gifts are not an end in themselves, they testify and point to Jesus!

Click here to listen.

A Dose Of Positive Attitude

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.


Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood... or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim... or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining... or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live... or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Michael continued... "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read "He's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes, I replied." The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity." Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

"Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Matthew 6:34 states: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." After all, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Enjoy each day, each breath and mostly... each and every friend.

And remember to start each day with an "attitude of gratitude!"

Sunday Re Cap (22nd July 2012)

Jesus Name Made This Man Strong-Part 2

Acts 3:1-16

There are five exaltations of Jesus—that's the essence of this sermon, to magnify Jesus. He is

1. The long-awaited servant of the Lord;

2. Glorified by God;

3. The Holy and Righteous One;

4. The Author of Life; and

5. Raised by God from the dead.

This ought to be the pattern of preaching of the gospel. It must always start with exalting Jesus; who He is, what He has done…but it does not and must not end there as we see the other part of this sermon. The other half of the sermon, as at Pentecost, is to show the listeners how utterly far they are from the truth and how dishonoring they have been to the worth of Jesus.

Four Devastating Charges against the People

The first two are mentioned in verse 13: "The God of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up [that's the first one] and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him [that's the second one—they even went farther than the pagan Pilate in denying Jesus' truth and worth]." The third indictment comes in verse 14: "But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you." You traded infinite righteousness and holiness for a murderer. This shows how suicidal it is to reject Jesus. Finally, verse 15 says, "And you killed the Author of life." He gave you life and you killed him. Peter's point in these four charges is to drive the point of the insanity of rejecting Jesus: it is taking the life of the giver of life, and worse, it is asking for takers of life to be released on the world instead of the giver of life. Rejecting Jesus is utterly anti-life. It is murderous and suicidal.

How does it apply to us?

Firstly, when we do not exalt Jesus in our conversations, testimonies and preaching then we will begin to slowly but surely stray from the truth. Eventually we may even begin to reject the truth that is found in Christ. It is a slippery path to destruction to reject Jesus.

Secondly, when we begin to exalt Jesus, then there will be true conviction firstly in our own hearts of how far we are from the truth and this will lead to genuine repentance and not repentance for the sake of our conscience or having been caught “red handed”. It’s an Isaiah 6:1-5 experience!

Next, exalting Jesus will cause the hearts of the listeners to turn to him in genuine faith and repentance. Acts 2:37; 3:19

Good News Acts 3:19: "Repent therefore, and turn again that your sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Lord."

This is a pattern for us to follow when we preach the good news. By the way, Acts 4:4 says that about 5,000 people are converted by this message! )

Click here to listen

The Purpose and Use of Flags, Banners and Shofar in a Worship Service

Dear Church Family

We have been blessed the last few weeks through the use of flags and banners during our worship services. Most have embraced it and are enjoying worship more than ever before. More importantly, many are enjoying breakthroughs in their personal lives and we hope to post some testimonies here soon.

However, to help us understand better and fully enter into this new season at Rivers Of Water, we encourage you to read as much as you can about this. One such article can be found below.

Please click here to read. 

Some of us may also have some questions about the use of the Shofar in the Worship Service.

Here is an article that may enhance our worship experience. Click here to read.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email us and we will be more than happy to help you understand.

Sunday Re Cap (15th July 2012)

Jesus Name Made This Man Strong

Acts 3:1-16

There are three things in this text that we want to look at the next 2 weeks:

1. The content of the word;
2. The content of the wonder;
3. The relationship between the wonder and the word of God preached.

1. The Content of the Word

Between v12-16 comes the first part of his sermon that is so much like the Pentecost sermon. What Peter does is exalt Jesus in five different ways and show how his listeners have been totally opposed to him and heaped disrespect on his value.

Learn these five exaltations of Jesus and make them part of your praise vocabulary. Jesus is:


1. The long-awaited servant of the Lord. (v13)

2. Glorified by God (v13)
3. The Holy and Righteous One (v14)
4. The Author of Life (v15)
5. Raised by God from the dead (v15)

The other half of the sermon, as at Pentecost, is to show the listeners how utterly far they are from the truth and how dishonoring they have been to the worth of Jesus.

The first two are mentioned in verse 13: ..you delivered up [that's the first one] and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him [that's the second one]. The third charge comes in verse 14: "But you denied the Holy and Righteous One; This shows how suicidal it is to reject Jesus. Finally, verse 15 says, "And you killed the Author of life." He gave you life and you killed him. Asking for takers of life to be released on the world instead of the giver of life. Rejecting Jesus is utterly anti-life. It is murderous and suicidal.

However, Peter has awesomely good news for these suicidal kinsmen of his in verse 19: "Repent therefore, and turn again that your sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Lord."

Let us begin to exalt the Name of Jesus. If we do not do that, we will begin to gradually reject Him, His power and authority. Let the essence of our preaching, conversations be exalting the Name of Jesus. When we do that, Jesus is glorified, his power begins to flow in and through us and we will be Christ focused and not self focused. Miracles are about to flow! The lame raised, deaf hear and pre-believers will turn to the Lord. Are we ready to be the new wineskin for the Lord to pour out His Spirit?

Next Week….The Content of the Wonder!

To listen click here

Mark Drake Seminar

Christian Marriage Seminar

Sunday Re Cap (8th July 2012)

An Anointed Prayer (Acts 4:23-31)

Five reasons this prayer is relevant to us today:

1. The Answer That Came

Acts 4:31: The answer that came shows us that Pentecost was not a unique event, but the Holy Spirit is freely available now if God’s people would pray! This outpouring of the Spirit is exactly what is desperately needed in the church in Malaysia because of the challenges that face us.

2. Who Is Praying

This prayer is relevant because of who is praying. Acts 4:23 Luke does not say they went to "the other apostles." He says they went to "their friends," literally: "their own." Therefore this prayer is relevant to us because it is prayed not by someone with special rights and privileges, but by Christians. So the prayer is relevant because of who prayed it—people like you and me.

3. When It Was Prayed

The occasion for this prayer is very dangerous threats against the preaching of God's Word in the name of Jesus. They do not assume that they can keep on and advance in effective ministry without a fresh baptism of the Spirit. If the early Christians needed to seek a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to carry on in their situation, how much more we.

4. To Whom It Was Prayed

It is remarkable that these Christians take five verses to tell God who he is, and two verses to ask what they want from him. God does not need to be told who he is. But Christians need to know who He is. They identify God in two ways. First, they say he is the Creator of all things. Verse 24. Second, they say that God is the one who is ruler of all, even the deeds of evil men. Many would tell us that doctrine and theology are not important if you can have the power of the Holy Spirit. But these early Christians knew their doctrines well.

5. What Was Asked

They ask for three things: that God would give them boldness; that he would stretch out his hand to heal people; and that he would cause signs and wonders to happen—all this through the name of Jesus. In other words their desire is to be empowered in such a way that the name of Jesus will be vindicated. This is relevant for us because it shows us how we should be seeking the power of God's Spirit. We should be praying for it like they were—and remember Jesus says not to lose heart, but to keep seeking and knocking and asking the Father for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11). And that means praying not only in general ways for the outpouring of God's Spirit but in specific ways: for the gift of bold proclamation, for his hand to be stretched out to heal, and his Son's name to be honored and vindicated through signs and wonders. Preaching is primary but signs and wonders are helpful witnesses to the Word of grace (Acts 14:3; Heb 2:4)

It is a very relevant prayer. Not for an inward looking people who are merely interested in unusual experiences, but for a people who long for the salvation of sinners and the magnifying of God's glory and the public vindication of Jesus' name. If that is what we want, then this is the way to pray.

Click here to listen to this important message.

Crossing Over-Message by Rev David Lai

Rev David Lai

Have you been "stuck" in your condition for some time and not able to cross over to your rightful position in Christ? Jesus our Savior has made all the provisions for us to cross over. Let the second half of this year be a season of crossing over. We are called to be Christians who operate out of our position instead of our condition. We can either give in to our circumstances which is our natural condition i.e. sickness, poverty, depression, etc. or begin to stand on our position which is revealed through the Word of God and fly like an eagle through the storms of life. An eagle uses the storm to rise higher. We are called to be "eagle" Christians! Let's abide in Christ through His Word by studying, meditating, confessing the Word of God daily and slowly but surely we will be begin the process of crossing over. 


Click here to listen to this timely message at GROW BM on Sunday 1st July 2012.

Sunday Re Cap (24th June 2012)

The Power of Blessing THE SEED

The Abrahamic Covenant in Gen 12:1-3; Gen 22:18


We are called by God to bless Israel and are told if we pray and bless Israel, we will be blessed. Read Ps 122 6-9. The promise given to Abraham and his descendants was that those who bless THE SEED of Abraham will be blessed and those who curse (NKJV) or dishonor it will be cursed. What does the NC says about THE SEED because God says there’s BLESSINGS IN BLESSING THE SEED…

Gal 3:29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

What is the implication here to the Abrahamic Seed and to those who have THE SEED in them?

The Abrahamic Covenant is not only to the JEWS through the natural lineage of Abraham but it is for those who have received JESUS as THE SEED of Abraham. In fact it takes on a greater SPIRITUAL significance. If we bless Israel, we are blessed. If we BLESS a BELIEVER in CHRIST JESUS, we are BLESSED EVEN MORE! How? Pray, speak well, honor, bless, love and be kind to one another. Not just in words but in deeds!

If you don’t bless or honor them, you are dishonoring them. How do we dishonor or curse? When we gossip about them behind their back, don’t pray for them, don’t love them, use harsh words against them, and hurt them verbally or physically.

We wouldn’t think about doing that to a JEW. NEVER curse or dishonor another believer who has THE SEED ever again. If we’ve done that in the past, then it’s time to stop. REPENT! We have the HOLY SPIRIT to help us in our weakness. Grab another believer who has THE SEED and bless them. You WILL be BLESSED!

Let’s begin a culture of BLESSING one another as we would bless Israel. It’s a three way thing. We would be BLESSED, they would be BLESSED and there will be true LOVE for one another! Let THE BLESSINGS FLOW!

What did Jesus say? Mark 12:28-34 also John 13:34; 1 Peter 4: We are CHOSEN BY GOD FOR FRUITFULNESS AND NOT BARRENNESS!

Let’s pray:
“Father, forgive me for my ignorance. I have sinned by cursing and dishonoring your SEED in my brothers and sisters lives in so many ways in the past. In spite of all that, you still love me and gave your SON for me. I thank you that as I confess my sin, You are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from ALL unrighteousness. From today, I will BLESS those who have your SEED and I am blessed according to the Abrahamic Covenant. Blessed in my health, finances, business, family, church and relationships and much, much more! I am going to see every promise that you have for me fulfilled just as you blessed Abraham and so much more! In Jesus Name I pray!”

Click here to listen.

Sunday Recap (27th May 2012)

Holy Spirit- The Enabler

Revival is never the initiative of man or the result of man’s actions. The Holy Spirit is directly or indirectly mentioned in the Great Commission? First let’s look at Matthews’ account of the GC. Matt 28:18-20

¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore …And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

It’s so important to realize that Jesus mentioned not only the commission but the enablement to do it. He gives a clue at the beginning of the commission and completes the clue in the last lines. How is He with us always? Who is the ONE who manifests CHRIST IN US? The Holy Spirit!

In Mark’s version of the GC and we will see EVEN MORE why it began with God and not man. Mark 16:14-20

¹⁴ … and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen…..  ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: in … they will speak in new tongues…

²⁰ And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]

Notice first of all that it did not start with the disciples’ initiative. It’s alright if we notice people in unbelief and hardness of heart. It’s alright if we are in that condition because the God can still get to us!

In v17, something or someone accompanies them. There seems to be an enabling, empowering given to the disciples to carry out the commission. What or Who is IT? “they will speak in new tongues”; It’s The Holy Spirit!

One key event of this enabling is not mentioned by Mark between vv19-20. Luke mentions it in his version of the GC and then further expounds on it in the Book of Acts. Luke 24:44-49

⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

1.      Jesus opens our minds to understand the scriptures (OT and NT).

2.      He opens our minds to the message of the Gospel throughout scripture. “Thus it is written”. He defines the message that is in the OT and NT. The work of CHRIST. The purpose of the CROSS.

3.      How does He do it? Through the HOLY SPIRIT. The HOLY SPIRIT points to CHRIST. We cannot point anyone to CHRIST. Only the HOLY SPIRIT CAN! In us and through us!

Jesus chooses us and the HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES us to fruitfulness!