Receive the fullness of His goodness!

Psalm 23:6a (NKJV): Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…

The word ‘surely’ in this verse is ‘aken’ in Hebrew, which means ‘certainly, truly’. It speaks of a 100% certainty. As you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Shepherd (see Psalm 23:1), you’ll also receive the fullness of His goodness in your life! It’s the Bible that says so. You can receive it because Jesus’ work for you on the cross was full, perfect, and complete! In other words, His work on the cross was 100%! It was a sure work on the cross - perfect, finished, and completed.

Because Jesus is fully God (100% God) and fully man (100% man), He also came to suffer the full brunt of God’s punishment (i.e. God’s wrath against sin) and men’s punishment (i.e. religious laws), so you can now be completely set free!

Have you noticed Jesus never bargained/appealed for a lesser punishment? He just kept silent, and went through it all! He never asked Pontius Pilate to reduce his sentence, nor did He beg the Roman soldiers to whip him lesser. No, He didn't! But He came to suffer the full brunt! And He did it all for you.

On the cross, He was pierced, broken, or ruptured in seven areas of His body (the number ‘seven’ means ‘perfect’), i.e. His head, both His hands, His side (rib), His heart, and both his feet, so that you can be made complete and whole in every area of your life. All in all, it was a perfect sacrifice. Isaiah 53 has all the details. In fact, He was wounded and bruised till there was no more beauty or comeliness in Him (Isaiah 53:2). But He was willing. And He did it all with you in mind.

Even in His sufferings on the cross, He still thought of others, instead of bringing others’ attention to Himself or His pain! When one of the criminals beside Him said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), Jesus still cared for him (in spite of His excruciating pain and breathlessness), and He answered, “…today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). Not just that, He also thought of Mary (His earthly mother) and John (His beloved disciple) in the midst of His suffering (John 19:25-27). You know what all these mean? In His suffering, you were also in His mind! In fact, He thinks of you all the time. That’s how precious you are to Him!

So, why settle for less when Jesus has already given you all (i.e. 100%) on the cross? When He gives, somebody’s got to receive it, and that person’s got to be you! On the cross, He has already redeemed you from every lack (that’s why He is called ‘Jehovah Jireh’), and on the cross, He has also redeemed you from every sickness (and that’s why He is called ‘Jehovah Rapha’). In fact, He has already redeemed you from every form of curse! So, how can He not be 100% good to you? Surely, He is altogether good to you, all the time!

Of course God has also given us all free choice. The choices you make are like ‘magnets’ that either attract ‘light’ or ‘darkness’, in and around your life. Choose then to focus on His goodness. David had this revelation when he wrote Psalm 23, and he knew ‘surely goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life’. You can too, by setting your mind on His goodness. This is how important your mind (thought) is. Let me give you an example: ‘Flowers’ attract ‘butterflies’, but ‘rubbish’ attract ‘flies’. If your thought is filled with ‘flowers’, you’ll attract ‘butterflies’, yes, even ‘spiritual butterflies’, i.e. angels to work for you and minister to you, even bringing many ‘goodies’ to you! But the opposite is also true with ‘rubbish’ in your mind! That’s how it works in the spiritual realm. But as you focus more and more on His goodness for you, those irritating ‘flies’ (whatever these may be) will eventually have to leave you!

People of God, I boldly declare that He is 100% good to you! He isn’t just 98% (or whatever other percentage) good to you. Psalm 23:6 says so. Never mind about the past ‘not-so-good’ experiences you may have, but from now on, why not begin to really take God at His Word? As you continue to look to Him as your Shepherd (Jehovah Raah), surely His goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life. Believing this, and you’ll receive. Amen!

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NKJV): But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

God has secrets to be released to you, the things that 'eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man'. The word ‘revealed' here in Greek is ‘apokalupto’, which means ‘take off the cover, disclose, unveil’, and the words 'all things' here means ‘all spiritual things, deep things of God’.

Here are some of the questions people tend to ask me:

“How do you know what to do and what not to do?”

“How do you know things should be done this way, and not that way?”

“How do you know that person is the right person to work with, and that other person is not?”

“How do you know what message to preach (i.e. 'fresh spiritual bread from spiritual oven') each Sunday?”

“How do you know God is calling you to Penang, out of all locations?”

If I say, “I know that I know that I know”, those who ask probably won’t be convinced or satisfied with that kind of answer.

Notice the words 'deep things' in 1 Corinthians 2:10 can also mean 'depth, mysteries, profound, intense, far-reaching, great knowledge'. Let's now cross refer to an end-time prophecy in the Old Testament. Habakkuk 2:14 says, 'for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea'. 

You see, it's not enough to just taste and experience the glory of the Lord (though this is definitely a great and wonderful experience). But in this end-time, God also wants you to have the knowledge of what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him!

But, how do you know (what God is currently doing, and how to move with Him) without receiving it first? 
And how do you receive without hearing it first? 
This is why learning to hear in the spirit (i.e. hear God with your spirit) is crucial in this end-time.

Amos 3:7-8 says, 'Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants...' God speaks, and He still is in the 'business' of speaking to you today! So, expect to receive His secret (or revelation) when He speaks to you! He reveals first before He acts or works through you (e.g. Joshua at Jericho).

When God speaks, He speaks to your spirit. The Bible says Holy Spirit imparts revelation to your spirit, not your soul or your body (see 1 Corinthians 2:11-13).

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NKJV) says, 'But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they (i.e. the things of God) are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they (i.e. the things of God) are spiritually discerned'. 

And then 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV) says, 'But he who is spiritual (in other words, the spiritual man) judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one'. 

Here is a contrast between 'the natural man' (1 Corinthians 2:14) and 'the spiritual man' (1 Corinthians 2:15). Let me explain:

'The natural man' here is translated ‘Psuchikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘psuche’ which means 'soul'), i.e. a person who operates his soul (mind, will, emotion) or a person who operates naturally, not spiritually. The 'soul' of man is a natural faculty, and is created for inter-human communication. In other words, 'the natural man' is a person whose spirit is uninfluenced by the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Spirit of God), and therefore cannot receive revelation from the Holy Spirit.

'The spiritual man' here is translated ‘Pneumatikos’ in Greek (from the word ‘pneuma’ which means 'spirit'), i.e. a person who operates the spirit (i.e. he who is of the spirit) or a person whose spirit is directed (or led) by the Holy Spirit. The 'spirit' of man is a supernatural faculty, and is created to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. In short, your spirit is created for communication with God.

Notes:

The statement ‘they are spiritually discerned’ in 1 Corinthians 2:14 means ‘spiritual things are to be spiritually discerned, i.e. discerned by the spirit of man, not by the soul of man’. For example, only Joshua and Caleb could ‘see’, while other spies could not 'see' (Numbers 14:9). Both of them 'saw' with their 'spiritual' eyes, not 'natural' eyes.

The statement ‘yet he himself is rightly judged by no one’ in 1 Corinthians 2:15 means ‘his spirit cannot communicate with another person’s spirit’. In other words, your spirit cannot communicate with the spirit of another person (though to a certain extent, your spirit can perceive or discern the spiritual condition of another person).

You can understand His revelation when your spirit is joined with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, 'But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him'. In other words, as a believer, you are in union with God, and He lives in you. 

There are two ways God can speak to you:
a) Extraordinary way: Audible voice of God (i.e. voice audible to your natural ears). For example, Saul on the way to Damascus (see Acts 9:3-7). This is not the normal way.
b) God speaks to your spirit: The Holy Spirit communicates with your spirit within you (see Matthew 10:20), instead of an audible voice to your natural ear. This is the norm for most believers.

"How does God speak in me?"
a) Receive directly in your spirit (1 Corinthians 2:12) - 'that we might know' (the word 'know' in this verse is 'eido' in Greek, which means 'be aware, behold, be sure, understand, see'), i.e. 'to see what God wants you to see, or to see what God sees'. 
b) God speaks in you with the Word (John 14:26) - 'bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you'. Holy Spirit teaches and brings to your remembrance the Word of God. In short, He speaks to you through the Scripture. 
Notice one verse later (in John 14:27) is God's assurance for you - because He speaks, and still speaks and guides, you have this peace that you are not left forsaken! 

"In what ways does God speak to my spirit?"
a) With signals/indicators (no content)
Inner witness (i.e. peace or no peace in your heart) - this is the simplest form of communication, but very reliable.
Stirrings in your spirit (i.e. promptings from the Holy Spirit within your spirit) - the Holy Spirit can place a 'burden' in your heart, for example, to pray for somebody.
b) With intelligible contents
Voice of the Holy Spirit, i.e. direction, command, or instruction from the Holy Spirit. This is not a 'product' of your mind, but comes from God, and therefore it carries the character of God.
Word of wisdom, i.e. specific instruction for specific situation, or specific direction to handle a specific situation.
Word of knowledge, i.e. revelation about a specific need, especially as you minister to others.
Dream & vision. 
c) By perceiving in the heart (or discerning with the heart) - this takes further training of one's spiritual eyes/ears (example in the Bible: Acts 5:3-4).

So, allow Him to communicate His thoughts, words, or even pictures to your spirit. Leave it to Him on how He's going to speak to you. Your part is to open your heart (like an 'antenna' receiving 'transmission'). Sometimes, His instruction or revelation may not even be logical or scientific to the natural mind (e.g. Joshua at Jericho). But His ways are always higher, and His ways will surely work. Amen!

Points to note: God's grace is more than enough for you. If you have made mistakes or made wrong decisions in life before, it's never too late for God to 'restore' or 'recover' you. He loves you enough to 'raise' you again, and to Him, time is never a hindrance. To Him, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day (2 Peter 3:8). What took a thousand years for human to accomplish, God can accomplish it in a day! God is great! Amen.

Little by little, one step at a time

Isaiah 28:10 (NKJV): "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."

The word 'precept' in this verse is 'tsav' in Hebrew, which can mean 'guidance, command, or order'. That's how God leads, teaches, and guides His people - little by little, guidance by guidance, command by command, order by order, and line upon line.

Recently, the Lord spoke these words, "Little by little, one step at a time." He also said, "Let not My people be overwhelmed!" And that's when I opened the dictionary to see what exactly 'being overwhelmed' is defined as! The Oxford Dictionary defines it this way: 'being overcome or being overpowered by force of numbers or quantity'.

How many of you are 'overwhelmed' by the enormity of your 'task' ahead? Or you are 'overwhelmed' by something 'big' that you are going to do this year. Maybe it's a 'calling', a prophecy, a dream, or a vision you have received recently, and you know it's from the Lord. Or it's a new phase in your life this year! But yet, you have no idea how it's going to happen, or how you are going to 'achieve' it. It also seems naturally impossible anyway, considering the 'limited' resources you have at the moment!

So, the big question here is:
"How in the world am I going to see all these come to pass?"

Look now at Moses, Joshua, and Paul in the Bible. All these men likewise had seemingly impossible 'tasks' and 'callings', but God somehow did it through them! And it's by His ability, not theirs.

Moses:
'He was to go to Egypt and tell the Pharaoh to let God's people go'.

But the problem was he had no idea how he's going to do it! In fact, he thought it was impossible! He 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). He also said, "... but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." (Exodus 4:10). But then God said, "Who has made man's mouth? ... Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." (Exodus 4:11-12)

What Moses needed to do was to listen to God's specific instruction, and then speak forth or raise the rod accordingly! And that's how the waters turned into blood, the frogs came, the lice came, etc, and all the way till the Red Sea opened! So, it really wasn't Moses' part to figure out, say, how the frogs were to come (or how was he going to get or buy that many frogs?), but the frogs did come! That was God's part! And God's ways are always beyond man's ways. Moses just needed to be a willing 'channel' for God's instructions, step by step, one step at a time!

Joshua:
'He was to face the wall of Jericho upon crossing the River Jordan and conquer the city'. 

But again, the problem was (as in Moses' case) he had no idea how the wall was going to come down! Again, it seemed quite humanly impossible for that to happen! And that's when he heard God's specific instruction to 'march around the city...' (Joshua 6:3-5). Again, 'God's specific instruction for a specific situation' was at work! Joshua didn't have to figure out how to 'knock the wall down' by his own ability or scientifically, but when he did according to what God has said, down came the wall! Again, that was God's part, not Joshua's! And that also marked the beginning of Joshua's successful conquest of Canaan, from the middle to the south, and then to the north, step by step, one step at a time!

Paul:
'He had an enormous 'calling' of reaching out to the whole Mediterranean world with the gospel of grace'.

And again, the problem was he had no idea how he's going to 'achieve' this 'calling' within the duration of his lifetime! It also seemed humanly impossible, considering there wasn't any facebook, twitter, skype, e-mail, mobile phones, telephone lines, etc, not even proper postmen at that time! But God did it through him, and amazingly within just a short twenty years!

According to Bible scholars, Paul was converted (on his way to Damascus) at about thirty, and martyred at about sixty years old. It means he only lived as a Christian for about thirty years. Within these thirty years, the first ten years was spent in preparation (with the last seven years under Barnabas) before he had his own apostolic team. So, this comes up to only about twenty years of 'real' ministry! And within these short twenty years, he wrote almost half of the books in the New Testament, went on all his missionary journeys, built disciples and churches, etc, and impacted the whole Mediterranean world! "How on earth did he do it?" Again, it's not his ability, but God's ability working through him! He's definitely a man who knew how to hear God in his spirit, and again, step by step, one step at a time!

"But pastor, you don't understand! Easier said than done. My situation is worse off!"

Now, who can be worse off than Paul? See the list in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. It's a 'been there, done that' list. But yet, through all these testings and trials, Paul said he always remembered God's vision for him (2 Corinthians 12:1-4, Acts 26:19) and God's grace (ability) that is sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Point to note: It doesn't mean as a believer, there's no 'storm' in life. One cannot live in a fantasy. But when the 'storm' comes, you know He is the One who can calm the 'storm' for you. He is in you, and He cares for you (see Mark 4:35-41).

Paul also learned to let go of the past (the things behind him), and look forward (Philippians 3:13-14), and eventually, that's how he could say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8) 

More often than not, a God-given 'destiny' or 'calling' is 'bigger' than the person himself/herself, and it looks humanly impossible to 'achieve'. So, if you think your 'task' ahead is too big for you, you are not alone. Just look at Moses, Joshua, and Paul. Today, God wants to show you that it's His ability, and not yours. You just need to be a willing 'channel'. In other words, it's by His grace (i.e. His ability to do for you what you cannot do by your own ability). Paul knew this very well, and he wrote, "Yet of myself I will not boast..." (2 Corinthians 12:5).

So, cast all your cares to Him, and rest in Him. Take one step at a time. Don't expect Him to reveal to you the next ten or twenty steps at one go. You may not be able to take that whole 'chunk' if He does that! More often than not, He'll only show you the next step. After your next step, He'll show you further step. That's how He works (Isaiah 28:9-10).

If many things have been happening, or are happening in and around you at the moment (e.g. new ventures, change of job, promotion in career, expansion in business, getting married, having baby, new phase in ministry, etc), don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed. Take one step at a time, little by little, step by step. Eventually, you'll reach where you should be (Philippians 1:6). How is it going to happen? I don't know. But God knows. And I know He'll open the way for you. Believe that He is able, trust in His wisdom to get 'it' done, and of course, keep looking to Him, the author and finisher of your faith. Amen.

Meditating on the Word

Matthew 14:29-30 (NKJV): ...And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"

Naturally, 'walking on the water' is an impossible thing to do, and a fisherman Peter was, he knew this well enough. He also probably hasn't seen anyone doing it before. But a responsive disciple he was, he asked Jesus, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water", and Jesus responded, "Come". And that's when Peter began walking on the water! As long as Peter was focused on Jesus, he did walk on the water. But when he looked away from Him (and instead looked at the boisterous wind around him), he became afraid and began to sink!

Note: 'Walking on the water' here speaks of you 'walking supernaturally in what God has called or commanded you to do'.

People of God, it's the same today in your walk with God. As long as you are focused on Jesus (instead of the circumstances around you), you cannot and will not sink! Jesus is the Word (see John 1:1, John 1:14). So, 'Peter looking at Jesus' here speaks of you as a believer focusing on the Word!

You may be asking, "How on earth am I going to get through this situation?", or "How in the world am I going to 'achieve' this dream/prophecy? It seems too 'big' for me!"

Notice just before Peter asked if he could walk on the water, Jesus actually said these words, "Do not be afraid." Do you know why?

Now let's cross-refer to Joshua 1:8. It says, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." By the way, 'this Book of the Law' here speaks of God's Word (or God's instructions). Interestingly, Joshua 1:8 is written in between Joshua 1:7 ("Be strong and very courageous...") and Joshua 1:9 ("Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."). See the inter-relation between 'meditating on the Word' and 'being strong and courageous'?

There's no accident why Joshua 1:9 comes after Joshua 1:8. In short, when you meditate on the Word, not only you'll make your way prosperous and have good success, you'll also be strong! Note that 'being strong and courageous' is opposite to 'being afraid and being dismayed'. These are antagonistic to each other. When you have one, you don't have the other. And that's why meditation on the Word is so crucial, especially in the midst of a 'storm' you are facing! When you focus on Jesus (the Word), you have no reason to be afraid, no matter how 'boisterous' the wind around you may be!

What are some of the verses God has been speaking to you in the recent weeks? I believe these verses you have received recently are not accidental. These are in fact keys to make your way prosperous and have good success this year! Meditate on these verses day and night! The word 'meditate' here in Joshua 1:8 is 'hagah' in Hebrew, which means 'to mutter, or to speak under your breath'. In Oxford Dictionary, the word 'mutter' is defined as 'speak or say something in a low voice that is hard to hear, i.e. under your breath'. Mutter these verses again and again. And yes, like chewing your favorite steak, and squeezing its 'juice' right in your mouth. Enjoy and savor it! Chew it again and again slowly, 40 times, 50 times, or even 60 times! And that's how you are going to mutter God's Word too!

Note that 'hagah' is not silent meditation or confessing the Word aloud. There is definitely a place for silent meditation, and of course there is also a place for confessing the Word aloud in a believer's life. But Joshua 1:8 does not refer to either of these.

Let's look at the Bible now.

Silent meditation (or 'contemplation on the Word') is not 'hagah', but a silent focusing upon God's Word. One example in the Bible is in Philippians 4:8 that says, "...Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." In this verse, the word 'meditate' is translated in King James Version as 'think of', which is 'logizomai' in Greek, which means 'to think of something said'.

As for confessing the Word aloud (or 'uttering the Word, declaring the Word aloud, or speaking the Word aloud'), the word is 'homologeo' in Greek, which means 'say the same, or say as God says'. One example in the Bible is in Romans 10:9 that says, "That if you confess ('homologeo') with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Psalm 77:12 also clearly tells the difference between muttering ('hagah') and confessing the Word aloud. It says, "I will also meditate ('hagah') on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds." The word 'talk' here is pronounced 'siyakh' in Hebrew, which means 'to utter, to talk aloud, to declare, to converse with oneself aloud'.

This word 'hagah' is also found in Psalm 1:2-3 that says, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates ('hagah') day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper." That's how blessed you are as you meditate on the Word of God! Praise God!

Also, as you 'hagah', the Holy Spirit (represented by the 'river' in Psalm 1:3) will show you (or teach/lead/guide you) the deeper things, revealing to you more and more the way to prosperity!

Interestingly, the word 'hagah' in Hebrew comes from three alphabets, i.e. 'Hey - Gimel - Hey'. In Hebrew, 'Hey' (the fifth alphabet) means 'grace, revelation, or breath', whereas 'Gimel' (the third alphabet) means 'foot, walk, or transport'. So, 'Hey - Gimel - Hey' means 'moving from grace to grace, from revelation to revelation, or from breath to breath'. You know what? As you 'hagah' day and night, you'll move (grow) from grace to grace, and revelation upon revelation! Not just that, 'breath' also speaks of 'life'. So, 'hagah' also brings you life, and more life!

Jesus, the Word, is the way, the truth, and the life! (John 14:6) 

In conclusion, whether you are currently in the midst of a humanly 'impossible' challenge (like Peter), or you are currently trusting God for something 'big' in your life (like Joshua), keep focusing on Jesus by meditating ('hagah') on the Word, and you will make your way prosperous, and you will have good success. Amen!