Sunday, May 29, 2011

Jesus' agony at garden of Gethsemane, the beginning of your restoration

Luke 22:44 (NKJV): And being in agony, Jesus prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

This verse recorded the physical condition of Jesus just before He was arrested, written by Luke, a physician (medical doctor). Recently, I was reading 'laterally' (side-ways) the records of all four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) about what happened at the garden of Gethsemane, and it seemed only Luke wrote about such physical condition (sweat mixed with blood). And if you know Luke's writings enough, you'd know he's rather detailed in his many descriptions, especially on one's physical condition. That's definitely a trait of a good doctor! And I believe he certainly knew what he was writing in Luke 22:44. I checked with a practising medical doctor, and asked if such condition in this verse is possible, and she described it this way: "If this was to happen, there's got to be such intense pressure and agony on Jesus, so much so His blood capillaries burst!"

And that was only the beginning of Jesus' suffering. His agony continued all the way until He died on the cross days later. And through those days, He was 'beaten' in every possible way; spirit, soul, and body. He was insulted, ridiculed, mocked, humiliated, stripped, whipped, wounded, pierced; you name it, and He'd gone through it! People of God, there's definitely no suffering of yours that He can't identify with. He has carried them all, and that's the very reason why He came on earth, just for you!

'Gethsemane' in Hebrew comes from two words, 'Geth' which means 'wine-press/tread the grapes, a vat/container for holding the grapes in pressing them', and 'Shemen' which means 'oil, especially liquid (as from olive)'. Like a fresh olive fruit, Jesus was 'squeezed out' of all His 'oil' till He got 'dried up' at the cross, so you can be 'full' again! And all these began at the garden of Gethsemane. This 'oil' is a 'picture' of His joy and anointing that are meant for you to receive.

Let's now go right back to Genesis 2:1-2, a 'picture' of what God has originally meant for mankind. After six days of creation, God said, "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done." And then, Genesis 2:15 says, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." You know what that means? Adam and Eve was supposed to enjoy their God-given 'garden'! The Bible says they were to 'tend and keep it', not strive and toil in it! And they were supposed to be filled with joy and blessings in the 'garden'! That's the real thing, the original thing, the perfect, complete, finished work of God for them! In fact, the word 'Eden' in Hebrew means 'delight, pleasure, goodness'.

Beloved, it has always been God's delight & pleasure to see you enjoy the 'garden' He's given you! This 'garden' speaks of His destiny or calling for your life!

However, things went all wrong the moment Adam and Eve began 'coveting' for more. And the serpent ('picture' of satan) was there to imply that God's 'perfect' work for Adam and Eve was not 'perfect' enough! They soon fell into those lies, and eventually got 'cast out' of their Eden (Genesis 3:23). As a consequence, instead of enjoying their God-given 'garden', Adam & Eve finally saw themselves 'toiling & tilling' (outside the 'garden'), and there's also much striving then on, even in their off-spring.

That's why Jesus came.

And His agony marked the beginning of God's restoration for you and me, to a place you are originally meant to be, a place of His blessings and joy. Know that He has already done it for you some 2,000 years ago, beginning from Gethsemane till the moment He said, "It is finished!", and when His head was bowed (a 'picture' of resting) on the cross (John 19:30). The 'door' has indeed been opened again, and in this 'garden' is all His goodness and blessings for you to receive again! Amen.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Count it all joy!

Count it all joy when you face various trials! That's what James 1:2 says. In fact, in Greek, the meaning of 'trials' in this verse here is 'adversity'. So, I can read it this way: "Count it all joy when you face various adversities!" People of God, let me say this: Adversities don't come from God! The origin of 'adversities' is the 'adversary', and he's none other than the devil!

I hear the Lord assuring you that 'He will never leave you nor forsake you' (Hebrews 13:5), no matter what you've been facing recently. In fact, He wants you to know that He has always been with you, and if He is with you, who can be against you? (Romans 8:31)

Let's now go to Daniel chapter 3. Here, you'd see how Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego stood firm on God and not bow down to the gold image as commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar. Yes, even if they knew the risk of being thrown into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:15-18). The king later became so furious with them he commanded for the furnace to be seven times hotter! And the fire was so hot it even killed the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego! (Daniel 3:22) Not only that, he ordered for them to be bound with their own clothings before being thrown into the furnace. Now, all these would have caused some to retract and give in. But that's not the case for Daniel's friends! Indeed they have the revelation of Jesus, and they knew what they were doing!

And that's when God showed up! In Daniel 3:24-25, the king was astonished with what he saw, and he said, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" He then said further, "Look! Now I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." And this fourth person was none other than Jesus Himself!

Maybe you are in the midst of a challenge, a trial, an adversity at the moment (even though you know you've been walking in what God has spoken to you). It can be in any area of your life, maybe in your working place, or even in your ministry. But take heart, my friend. As a believer, know that He is still with you right now. In fact, He has always been (and will always be) with you, never leaving you nor forsaking you. And though you may be 'bound' in a 'difficult' situation at the moment, He'll lead you to walk 'loose' again, just as Daniel's three friends were! Will you take Him at His Word? Believing, you'll receive. And will you keep looking to Him in such a time?

And you know what? In the end, the king finally acknowledged the YHWH whom Daniel's three friends served, and they were eventually promoted (Daniel 3:30). People of God, He'll also lead you through every 'adversity' of yours (no matter how/what the devil may have 'thrown' at you recently), and that's why James said, "Count it all joy", because your 'promotion' is also on the way! Praise God!

Finally, let's now go to Mark 4:35-41. Here, Jesus was in a boat (with His disciples) crossing over to 'the other side' when a big storm came, and the boat was about to sink. Notice Jesus was still asleep even when the storm came! You know what? He, the Prince of Peace, was never at all 'affected' by the storm! See? He wasn't even awoken by the storm! Guess what awoke Him then? No, not because the storm got from bad to worse! He was awoken when He heard the 'cry' of His own (disciples). Today, He's the same to you (for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever). He hears your 'cry' too, because He calls you His own!

See? He has never been 'affected' by whatever 'storm' (big or small) the devil may have come up with! That's never a problem to Him at all!

Is there any 'storm' He cannot calm in your life today?

Beloved, like a loving parent to a child, He also 'awakes' when you start looking to Him & calling out to Him! And you know what, the storm calmed down (Mark 4:39) at His words ("Peace, be still!"), and just as the disciples, you'll also reach your 'the other side' (your 'destiny') as well, safe and sound. Amen!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Coming to 'nothingness' of self

Hebrew 11:6 (NKJV): But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

What does the word 'faith' means here? As I was doing my study, the Lord began to show me what it means, i.e. 'coming to nothingness of self/flesh'. It's about being in total reliance on Him (& not on our flesh or self-effort). It means when we 'come to nothingness of self/flesh', we allow ourselves to die to our own ability to 'achieve' our desires/goals. Instead, we look to His ability working in us (& through us). Paul put it aptly in Galatians 2:20 when he said, 'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.'

How about the words 'please Him' here? It is 'euaresteo' in Greek, from the word 'euarestos' which means 'fully agreeable'. So, Hebrews 11:6a can be understood this way: "But without coming to nothingness of self/flesh, it is impossible to be fully agreeable with Him." Being 'fully agreeable with Him' is to be 'in harmony with Him', or 'flowing with His will' for you, thus, allowing Him to bear fruit through you (in His way).

Let's look at the life of Moses now. For the first 40 years in his life, the Bible says he was 'learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians ('picture' of the world), and was mighty in words (eloquence in speech) and deeds'. But when he tried to 'deliver' the Israelites by his own hand (own way & effort), things went awry, and he had to flee to the land of Midian. Nothing significant seemed to happen after that, and it seemed like he has lost everything, including his God-given destiny!

And by the time God appeared to him 40 years on, he had nothing but a rod in his hand (Exodus 4:2), and even then, God asked him to cast it down on the ground! (Exodus 4:3) He had come to 'nothingness' of himself by then, and he even lost his eloquence of speech (Exodus 4:10), and just before that, he also said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11) You see, when he thought he had 'nothing left in him' anymore, that's when God thinks he's ready! God then said, "I AM WHO I AM"! He wanted Moses to know that 'HE IS', and He is able if he would let Him be!

When you come to a realization that 'you cannot by your own strength', that's when He can!

Beloved, maybe things have not seemed good for you recently, but because He is in you (& will never leave you nor forsake you), all things will work for good to you! (Romans 8:28) And of course you don't have to go through the 40 years Moses went through. But will you let go of your way & let Him have His way? Will you also let your 'seed' die & be buried? (like Moses cast his rod on the ground) And when the Lord begins to 'water' your seed, that's when it'll germinate, sprout, and bear fruit! Notice the 'rod' was never the same again when Moses was asked to pick it up. This 'seed' (or 'rod' in Moses' case) is a 'picture' of your calling & destiny in life. And the rest, of course, was history! Moses went on to fulfill his God-given destiny, by His leading & grace. Praise the Lord! And God can do likewise for yours too! Amen.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

The 'new' has replaced the 'old'

1 Samuel 1:24-25 (NKJV): 'Now when Hannah had weaned Samuel, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli (the priest).' 

Samuel's ministry began with a sacrifice. It's a ministry full of the cross. The slaughtered bull is a 'picture' of Jesus being sacrificed on the cross, while the flour (to make bread) and the wine are 'pictures' of Jesus' body broken and blood shed on the cross. So, his ministry then was a 'picture' of the New Covenant that was to come!

If you read 1 Samuel chapters 1, 2 & 3, you'll see 'pictures' of how the New Covenant replaces the Old Covenant. Samuel represents the 'new' while Eli's sons (Hophni and Phinehas) represent the 'old'.

Let's look at the difference between Samuel and Eli's sons first. 'Samuel' means 'heard of God' in Hebrew, and he was born of Hannah, which means 'find grace/favor'. Today, as a believer in the New Covenant, you have also 'found grace/favor' because you are in Christ. And while Samuel continued to grow in stature, and in favor of God and men (1 Samuel 2:26), and while he continued ministering before the Lord (1 Samuel 2:18), Eli's sons continued to live in their corrupted ways (1 Samuel 2:12). By the way, 'Hophni' (Chophniy) comes from the word ‘fist’ in Hebrew, while 'Phinehas' comes from two Hebrew words, i.e. ‘peh’ meaning ‘mouth’; and ‘nachash’ meaning ‘serpent'. So, ‘Phinehas’ means ‘mouth of serpent' or 'mouth of judgment'. Theirs was a ministry of condemnation and punishment. But the good news is in the New Covenant (which is also called covenant of grace), Jesus has already carried all your judgment (or condemnation) on the cross, and there's therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1).

1 Samuel 2:34-35 then says, 'Now this shall be a sign to you (Eli) that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas, in one day they shall die, both of them. Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and He shall walk before My anointed (Messiah) forever.' People of God, the 'new' has replaced the 'old', and the Bible says this 'new' has made the 'old' obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). 

Let's now look at the contrast between the nature of these two ministries. An Old Covenant ministry is a ministry that 'hits', 'whacks', 'judges', and 'condemns' the 'sheep', whereas a New Covenant ministry is a ministry that keeps feeding and unveiling Jesus in all His loveliness and perfection of His work on the cross. In fact, when Jesus restored Simon Peter back to ministry, He said to him, "Feed My sheep." (see John 21:17) He never said, "Hit My sheep." In short, a New Covenant ministry is a ministry full of the revelation of Jesus at the cross. Never get yourself 'mixed up' between the two.

This change of covenant has already happened on the cross some 2,000 years ago. The cross has indeed made all the difference! So friends, it's important to know & understand which covenant (or ministry) you are in as a believer today.