Belief Crushes Unbelief

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. - Matt 11:20

Contrary to the popular beliefs, apparently, unbelief cannot stop Jesus from healing and doing miracles. He did most of His miracles in cities full of unbelief.

What you believe can crush every ounce of unbelief in the room.

Resting In God's Providence

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. - Matt 6:28-29

Solomon was the richest man in the Old Covenant. Every year, he received 666 talents of gold. According to a research, that would worth about $1,165,766,400 US dollars (more than $1 billion US dollars). His glory exceeded all the kings of the earth.

Yet Jesus said that the lilies of the field are more glorious than Solomon's. Why would Jesus say that?

Because Solomon was living in Old Covenant glory. His riches required hard work and toiling.

"Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun." - Ecc 2:10-11 (emphasis added)

The lilies of the field have a different glory. They neither TOIL nor SPIN. They are clothed by the goodness and the glory of God. In other words, they simply rest in the One who provides.

This analogy is parallel to the birds of the air. They neither SOW nor REAP nor GATHER into barn (Matt 6:26). Even the birds rest in God's providence.

The kingdom of God operates differently from the kingdom of the world. In the kingdom of the world, you reap what you sow. In the kingdom of God, you reap what Jesus sowed.

Jesus sowed His life, so that we can reap His reward. This is grace. On the Cross, Jesus became poor, so that we can become rich in Him. The curse of poverty was reversed and the blessing of abundance was released. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

The hardest thing to do is to rest in His Providence. Because every part of us on the inside is screaming to strive harder. We are not of this world, yet the world system is still in us at times. The mind needs continual renewal, especially for us Singaporeans.

When we rest in His providence, we are saying, "Papa, I trust You."

P.S: Resting is not idleness. Resting has to do with the position of the heart.

In God's Timing Or In Your Timing? Part 3

There are many prophets out there prophesying the date of End Time, yet none of them is accurate, because apparently, they don't read the Bible. The next time you hear any renowned prophet releasing the date, you can be sure that it is wrong.

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. - Matt 24:36

No one will know the date and hour, except God. But we may wonder why as His children, we still won't know, even though we know the Son (who is the exact representation of the Father). If it is based on His timing, we probably can know, just as Jeremiah and Daniel knew God's timing as they sought the Lord.

For thus says the Lord: "After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place." - Jer 29:10

And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand... Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city..." - Dan 9:22, 24

Yet when it concerns the End, I believe that the timing depends on our response, which is why NO ONE will know the exact date and time, except God who sees the end from the beginning, since He lives outside of time.

Jesus said concerning the End in Matt 24. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the END will come." - Matt 24:14 (emphasis added)

In other words, God desires ALL to be saved and none to be perished (2 Peter 3:9). Hence, He, through Christ, entrusted us with the authority and power to preach the Gospel to all the world (Mark 16:15-18). It is God WORKING through us to will and to do His work (Phil 2:13).

Grace always requires a response. Else everyone in the world will automatically be saved. That response is faith. And faith always produces good works. Our response to His grace is to preach the Gospel to all the world. Without our response, the End won't come, because He desires that none shall perish. So He is waiting for our timing, instead of us waiting for His timing. People praying for revival will have no revival until they go out to be the answer for their prayer - to manifest the Revived Son. The Great Commission is not "Stay in your room and pray and intercede." It is "GO and preach the Gospel to all the world."

Jesus gave the same answer to the disciples when they asked Him after His resurrection.

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority." - Acts 1:6-7

The Father indeed has put the timing in His own authority. That doesn't mean that He has fixed a timing. Nowhere in the Bible says that He has fixed a timing for the End. Because if He has fixed it, we can sit back, relax and do nothing.

But He has put the timing in His own authority and He has given us Christ (who has all authority in heaven and on earth). That timing is based on our response to the authority and power He has given.

This is why Jesus immediately answered in the next verse after saying, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority."

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

In other words, Jesus is saying, "GO and preach the Gospel to all the world. THEN, the End shall come."

Don't wait for God's timing when He is in fact, waiting for our timing. Get your butt moving.

In God’s Timing Or In Your Timing? Part 2

Last night, I told my son, “After you have finished eating your dinner, you can have your Yakult.”

Yakult is a promise given to him by his father. However, there is a timing between the promise given and the promise fulfilled. That timing doesn’t depend on me. It depends on my son. As far as I am concerned, I have already given my promise. I won’t take back nor change my mind.

Why does the fulfillment of the promise depend on my son’s timing? The faster he finishes his dinner, the earlier he gets to enjoy my promise - drinking Yakult. The slower he finishes his dinner, the later he gets to drink.

He’s not trying to earn my promise by eating dinner. It’s not work-oriented. It’s faith-based. It’s about him believing that his papa will be faithful to fulfil his promise of letting him drink Yakult. Eating his dinner well, hence, is a result of faith, because faith always produces works.

God promised Israel that they would enter the Promised Land given to them, one that was flowing with milk and honey. The journey from Egypt to Canaan was 11-days. But it took Israel 40 years. The timing between the promise given and the promise fulfilled could have been very short. Yet because Israel did not believe, what should be 11 days’ journey became 40 years.

The Old Covenant was the New Covenant concealed. The New Covenant is the Old Covenant revealed.

The Promised Land pointed to the Promised Spirit (Gal 3:14). The Land filled with milk and honey pointed to the Holy Spirit who came with all the spiritual blessings and all the riches in glory in Christ.

In the Old Covenant, milk and honey were on the external. They were the outward manifestations. In the New Covenant, milk and honey are on the internal - these are the unlimited resources of heaven in Christ which are our inheritance.

This is why milk and honey flow out of our tongue when we believe (Song of Solomon 4:11), because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

On the Cross, Jesus opened the Way for heaven to pour out the Promised Spirit (Acts 2) on every single one of us. From then on, we are not waiting for God’s timing to pour out more blessings or more of His Spirit. His timing was done and completed. His Promise was given and released.

Now we simply receive His promises by believing. The timing for promise fulfilled is based on us, just as the timing to drink the Yakult depends on my son.

God’s promises are not based on His timing. It is based on our timing.

P.S: On side note, while people are still waiting for God to bring revival, God is waiting for us to manifest the Revived Son. Revival doesn’t depend on His timing. It depends on our timing. This is why the Great Commission says “GO.”

New Covenant - Fasting

In the New Covenant, we have no account of fasting except book of Acts, 2 Cor 6:5, 2 Cor 11:27 and perhaps 1 Cor 7:5.

Book of Acts was a historical book. It wasn’t a theological book. The early apostles were still growing in revelation of the New Covenant. Personally, I see both Old and New Covenant in the book of Acts. Historically, it wasn’t so clean cut. This is why the book of Hebrews had to be written. Until the Temple was destructed, the people were still in a mixed Covenant as they were going through transition. Hence, while the early apostles fasted, it didn’t mean they fully understood the New Covenant.

In Paul’s letters, however, we don’t see him talking about fasting, except 2 Cor 6:5, 2 Cor 11:27 and 1 Cor 7:5.

1 Cor 7:5 is clear cut in the Greek translation. Fasting isn’t in the original Greek. Only prayer.

For 2 Cor 6:5 and 2 Cor 11:27, the Greek Word for ‘fasting’ can also mean ‘hunger’. The whole list of what Paul went through seemed to point to the fact that he was driven to hunger because of a lack of food. In other words, he had no choice but to fast because there was no food haha.

I believe that fasting is no longer an obligation and no longer a need in the New Covenant. You should start feasting haha. Most of the reasons for fasting in our present day context are out of wrong motive and wrong understanding.

Yet there is a space for fasting if we read 1 Cor 7:5. Paul was talking about fasting from sexual intimacy with the spouse for the purpose of prayer.

The principle seems the same. Fasting for the purpose of focus. It’s to be intentional in the consciousness of Him. However, if you can stay conscious of Him without fasting, then there is no need to fast. Besides, there are other ways to stay conscious of Him without fasting.

P.S: I still live a lifestyle of fasting...

In God's Timing Or In Your Timing? Part 1

Last evening, I saw a vision of the Father and me sitting on His throne. He took out a watch and threw it away. I was baffled. Then He said, "My promises in Christ are not based on My timing. It is based on your timing. Because I live outside of time. Time doesn't apply to Me. It is you who live with timing."

Perplexed, I said, "I need Scriptures." A vision without Scripture confirmation can be a voice that is not from God.

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. - Mark 11:24

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. - 2 Cor 1:20

This vision may sound like a different God we know traditionally. Because we are so used to saying, "Oh, in God's perfect timing." But what does it really mean when we say, "In God's timing?" We are indirectly putting the whole deal on Him when we don't see His promises fulfilled.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. We get disappointed when "His timing" seems forever. We blame Him. We call Him a liar. Finally, we walk away from the One who is absolute goodness.

For He has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph 1:3).

In other words, all of God's promises were released on the Cross. Healing, deliverance, wisdom, abundance, peace, joy, righteousness, and the list goes on, etc.

His timing for the promises to be given to us was the CROSS. This is why salvation (saved, healed, delivered, protected, preserved, made whole, kept safe and sound) is always NOW.

God's promises are not based on His timing. They are based on our timing. What does it mean?

Mark 11:24 says that if we believe that we have received the promise, we will have it. Every promise of God is by grace through faith. It has already been given. We simply believe. The process between receiving and manifesting lies with believing. Believe in the good, good Father.

Believing lies in our timing, not in God's timing. It's not believing in the head or the mind. It's believing in the heart (Mark 11:23).

For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God. - 2 Cor 1:20 (Amplified Bible)

God's promises were answered and given in Christ. Our response is to believe with 'Amen'.

God's promises are not based on God's timing. It is based on our timing. The equation is not on His side. He has done a perfectly complete work on the Cross. He is perfectly GOOD! Jesus!

Testimony - HRT Online Healing Room

We had an elderly man who came online and requested ministry for his finger, which constantly trembled due to the diagnosis of Parkinson Disease.

After ministry via Zoom, his finger stopped trembling. Jesus! We are waiting for follow-up to see how he is and what the doctor says.

The interesting thing is this... there was a problem with my laptop’s microphone. So he couldn’t hear us at all. Yet ministering healing is more about believing than speaking. The signs indeed follow the one ministering, because it has nothing to do with the recipient. Even if he can’t hear any single word, even if he is online in the Internet, he can still receive healing. The Law of the Spirit of Life can transcend time and space to crush the law of sin and death. Jesus!

Next HRT online Healing Room will be held on Thursday, 28 Dec.

Your Sins Are Forgiven You

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” - Matthew 9:2

It is interesting that while the Bible did not record that the paralytic put his faith in Christ, Jesus declared, "Your sins are forgiven you."

Does that mean that you don't have to put your faith in Jesus for your sins to be forgiven?

It is interesting that Jesus saw faith in the paralytic's friends, and yet He declared to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you."

Does that mean that others can represent you to believe in Jesus for your sins to be forgiven?

How could Jesus declare the forgiveness of sins so easily to the paralytic man who didn't even declare his trust in Jesus?

Jesus was God in the flesh. And God lives outside of time. He is not in the box that we tend to put Him in. He sees the end from the beginning.

"...your sins are FORGIVEN you." The word 'forgiven' is in perfect tense. It is viewed as done and completed in the past once and for all, not needing to be repeated.

The One who is the same yesterday, today and forever; the One who saw the past, the present and the future; the One who is the Beginning and the End...

He already saw the Cross.

He already saw the forgiveness of sins.

He already saw redemption.

Therefore, He could declare to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven you."

That doesn't mean that the paralytic is saved. It means that he is forgiven and thus, he is free to receive the life of Christ by believing in the goodness that he has received.

This is the message of the Cross - the goodness of God leads you to repentance. Jesus!

...whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. - Rom 3:25-26

...that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them... - 2 Cor 5:19

Xperiential Outreach To Hospital Children Cancer Ward

After postponing a few times due to unforeseen circumstances, we finally managed to reach out to the children at a hospital - cancer wards.

We ministered healing and loved them with Spidey performance, songs, Polaroid photo-taking as well as prophetic encouragement cards. Special thanks to some folks from Soakability for drawing the cards in advance and passing them to us.

The social worker who worked with us encountered Jesus powerfully and gave her life to Jesus.

Had a word of knowledge for her right shoulder. As we ministered without touching her, she felt a Person enfolding her from the back gently. She felt warmth all over her body and was healed. Then what came next shocked her completely.

"You are someone who loves freedom of space. Like a fish, you flow freely and creatively. The way you think is very creative and there is so much more potential in you than what you are doing now. Because this job does not fit you. You don't feel at ease and it doesn't fit you in. Because you are wired for something else and you know that. This job is just a transition. You are not doing what you want to do yet."

It was her first time experiencing all these. She was shocked, yet allowed us to share the Gospel with her.

An hour later, we received a phone call from her. She called my wife's number because I wrote it down as an emergency contact number (required by the hospital for volunteers). She wanted to know more.

God spoke and we said, "You have been in a vicious cycle of hurting relationships and God wants to set you free and protect you from this."

She was so surprised that she started pouring out everything about her relationships and her present job. It was indeed a transition for her and she wanted to do something very different from the present social work. She also wondered why she kept falling into the same cycle of hurting relationships.

We shared further and she gave her life to Jesus! So good! Jesus!

Praying that the kids received healing for cancer. Amen!

“Papa, I Don’t Have To Pray”

“Papa, I Don’t Have To Pray.”

My son excitedly exclaimed when he discovered that he didn’t have to pray for a button to be stuck on the wall.

I replied, “You are right. You don’t have to pray. You only need to believe.”

This is the principle of the kingdom. Everything is by grace through faith. If we believe, we don’t have to say a prayer.

Very often, we see people healed before we say anything. Because your believing goes faster than your prayer.

Romans 12:2 says that if we renew our mind, we can prove the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. It didn’t say that if we pray long enough, we can prove it. It has to do with the renewal of mind because it has to do with believing. Jesus said, “Only believe.”

Yet more often than not, I notice that we cannot stay silent. We feel the need to say something in prayer. We feel awkward ministering in silence. If we feel awkward with silence, the recipient will feel exactly the same way. On the other hand, if we are okay with silence, the recipient too, will feel at ease.

Jesus’ healings were always without words or with a few words. Because He simply believed.

It is not about how much we say or declare. Some even like to decree. It is simply about believing.

We held the hand of a hotel staff because of a word of knowledge. She felt spine adjustment going on. Three days ago, she had to wear belt support for her back. And now she’s healed. Jesus!

Don’t confuse prayer with believing.

Healing As Redemption Of Mankind

Spiritual Gifts Or Spiritual Maturity?

One of the most common passages used to talk about spiritual gifts is none other than 1 Corinthians 12.

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." - 1 Cor 12:7-11

We somehow mistakenly think that the apostle Paul was talking about spiritual gifts, and we start to classify them into different gifts (9 gifts) to coincide with the fruit of the Spirit (9 fruits in Galatians 5).

First of all, there is only one fruit - Love (John 15:9-17). All other characteristics in Galatians 5:22-23 flow out of LOVE. See also 1 Cor 13:4-7. You can't walk in love and not have all other characteristics as mentioned below.

But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. - Gal 5:22-23 (emphasis added)

There is no law against LOVE, because Love is the fulfillment of the Law.

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. - Romans 13:10

If God is love (1 John 4:8) and we are created in His image, then we are called to become Love. That is the fruit we are supposed to bear and Love is the fruit that abides (Jn 15:16; 1 Cor 13:8). Love is the constant that doesn't change regardless of circumstances and situations.

With this in mind, we go back to 1 Corinthians 12. Apostle Paul was writing to a group of people who were carnally minded.

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal." - 1 Cor 3:1-3

In other words, the reason why Paul would even talk about 1 Corinthians 12 was because of the carnality of the Corinthians.

He began with "Now concerning spiritual (gifts), brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant." - 1 Cor 12:1 (bracket added)

The word 'gifts' is not in the original Greek. It is added by translation, which is a bad translation. It should be read as, "Now concerning the spiritual, brethen...."

Paul was talking about the realm of the Spirit. It had NOTHING TO DO with spiritual gifts.

In verse 7-11, Paul was referring to the manifestation (not spiritual gifts) of the Spirit. Verse 7 is saying that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each believer for the profit of those who need. Paul continued to list the different gifts during THE MANIFESTATION of the Spirit. Eg. Word of wisdom, gift of faith, etc.

It has nothing to do with you having a special gift of healing or gift of faith. Stop thinking highly of yourself. God so loves people that He manifests the gifts according to the needs of the people. He desires them to be made whole and you and I (every believer) are available for Him to use. 

If it is about a special gift, you will be the man of God where people look up to. If it is about the manifestation of the Spirit, then it is about the love of God that we can point people to.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He WILLS. - 1 Cor 12:11 (emphasis added)

Some people think that this verse is referring to the Holy Spirit choosing and distributing the gifts on different selected people, because they think that Paul was writing about spiritual gifts.

The word "WILLS" in Greek is the word "boulomai", which means "to plan with full resolve and determination". It underlines the predetermined (and determined) intention. It is not about the Spirit wishing or having a desire. It is about the Spirit willing it so.

In other words, the one and the same Spirit in EVERY believer works all these gifts during the manifestation, distributing to each one because He WILLS it so (He wants it for all).

You and I don't have a unique gift of faith, word of wisdom, etc.. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is He who manifests all the gifts (belonged to the Spirit) when a need arises. This means that every single one of us can move in the manifestation of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. (And I don't think the list is exhaustive).

Why is it that some people seem to move more strongly in one area of the manifestation? Where you focus on and grow in faith in, you will move more strongly. It's called stewardship.

Having said all these, there is a place to walk in where we move beyond the gifts of the manifestation of the Spirit. 

We manifest as sons. We walk in our identity.

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a MORE EXCELLENT WAY. - 1 Cor 12:31 (emphasis added)

Remember, Paul was talking about the realm of the Spirit with carnal Christians. At the end of chapter 12, he showed them a more excellent way - one that is way above moving in manifestation and gifts.

LOVE!

Love is the fruit of the Spirit. Why is it a more excellent way than manifestation and gifts? Because Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8).

You can move in the realm of the Spirit (1 Cor 12) and still be carnal, unloving, immature, etc. But when you manifest as love, you are not only spiritual and mature, you will move in a more excellent way than what manifestation and gifts can do.

For too long, the church has been separating the two: Power and Love. So they go to both extremes - only power Or only character. 

There is only One - Love. For God is love. And when we walk in love, we WILL naturally walk in power. Jesus had the most consistent results in power because He walked in love.

We can depend on manifestation and gifts to move in power. It may have some results. But it may not be consistent. The reason God uses you to make someone whole is because He loves him/her, not because you are spiritual.

But to have results like Jesus, there is a more excellent way - Love. For love never fails. Love is the fruit, that when grown, remains/stays/abides forever ----- in other words, it will be CONSTANT in every circumstance and in every situation. Love NEVER fails!

I desire to grow and walk in love to become like Him --- and all the power and manifestation will flow freely and consistently without even thinking about it.

If we want to manifest something, manifest LOVE. That is sonship. That is identity. #sonship #identity

Does The Kingdom Have To Be Taken By FORCE?

The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, revealing Christ as the King of the Jews. Matthew used "the kingdom of heaven" more than the "kingdom of God", because of his first readers. He used the former 32 times, while the latter 5 times. Some believed that there is no difference between the two.

However, if we look at the context of what Matthew wrote, there seems to be a difference between the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:19-20; 11:12) and the kingdom of God (Matt 6:33; 12:28). All believers are in the kingdom of heaven but not all are in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is where the Lord reigns in and through the life of a believer on earth. It speaks of the present instead of the future.

"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the KINGDOM OF GOD has come upon you." - Matt 12:28 (emphasis added)

Today, however, many taught and believed that the kingdom of God has to be taken or seized by force. You hear people saying, "We need to take the kingdom by force! We got to press into it! We got to contend for it!"

The verse is often quoted from Matthew 11.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." - Matt 11:12

As mentioned, a word without the context becomes the pretext for a proof text. If the kingdom of heaven is different from the kingdom of God, the common belief that you have to take it by force is not true. Because you enter the kingdom of heaven by grace through faith. There is no force needed. There is no need for contending or striving. It is based on the finished works of Christ.

However, supposed that we take the kingdom of heaven AS the kingdom of God, we need to read the context of this passage in the preceding and following verses.

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" - Matt 11:11-15

John the Baptist was known to be the greatest man during Jesus' time, because he pointed everyone to the King (Jesus). But Jesus added, "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John." Why? John was NOT born again. He was born into earth by his mother, but he wasn't yet born again into heaven by the Spirit of God. John was living in the Old Covenant. (Note: Don't confuse New Testament with New Covenant.)

Thus, anyone IN the kingdom of heaven is greater than John because he/she is BORN AGAIN - with the Spirit of God in him/her.

Jesus continued in verse 12 - "And from the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." (emphasis added)

The timeline Jesus gave is very clear. "From the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW" - until the time when Jesus was on earth. In other words, this period DOES NOT include the New Covenant period after Jesus' resurrection.

Verse 13 gives us the confirmation. "FOR all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (emphasis added)

The word 'for' is used as a reason. It can also be interchanged with the word 'because'. You can read it like this - "Because all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (therefore), from the days of John UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."

In the Old Testament, the prophets and the Law pointed to the coming of the King of the Jews (Jesus). However, during the Inter-Testament Period (believed to be about 400 years from prophet Malachi to John the Baptist), there was no prophetic word spoken by God to the people.

With this context, you can imagine how the people would respond when John the Baptist came preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" - Matthew 3:1

Many received John's message and came forward to repent. "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." - Matthew 3:5-6

This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11:12-13 - "And from the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (emphasis added)

The word 'violence' in Greek means 'to press into; to force; to seize." And the word 'the violent' means 'the forceful, the eager ones'.

In other words, Jesus is saying, "This is the TIME where you see the kingdom of heaven being pressed into, and those who are eager after the kingdom of heaven are seizing it."

What Jesus said is simply a confirmation of Matthew 3. People from Jerusalem, ALL Judea and ALL the region around the Jordan pressed into and seized the kingdom of heaven. They included the tax collectors and harlots. (Matt 21:31-32)

These people did not know anything about the kingdom of God because they were NOT born again. They didn't have the Spirit of God in them. God would not be able to reign IN and THROUGH their lives because the Spirit of God would only be given after Jesus resurrected. They probably only understood about entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Yet today, we are using this Scripture verse to talk about having MORE of the kingdom of God by 'forcing, pressing into, contending' for it. That, to me, is really interesting.

The whole game changed when Jesus died and resurrected. We are now living in the New Covenant. (Note: Even the Sermon on the Mount taught by Jesus was largely based on the Old Covenant.) Today, we are born again. We HAVE the Spirit of God - His fullness. The kingdom of God can reign IN and THROUGH us.

Today, we no longer take the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God by force. We don't press into or strive or contend for it. We receive the kingdom of heaven or God by grace through faith.

Because Jesus had gone to the Cross and did a perfect and complete work, we are restored as sons and daughters of the Most High (Gal 4:6). We are joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Him (Eph 1:3). We are accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6). It is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Lk 12:32). He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Jesus, freely and graciously GIVE US all things? (Rom 8:32)

If you still want to strive and contend for the kingdom, go ahead. I'll learn to receive because it's already my inheritance. We receive by believing. It's by grace through faith. You either wrestle or rest. 

And I choose rest. #identity #kingdom #grace #faith #believing

God Is A Personal God - He Calls You By Name

God is a personal God when He calls you by name.

I brought my iPad for repair at Tai Seng and there was only one staff attending to me. As I was talking to him, I saw a vague word “Aden.” It was so vague that if you don’t think about it, it would just pass you by.

A word of knowledge is not always clear and sharp. When it is, you can easily step out. When it is vague, it takes faith and risk.

We rather be wrong than to miss having someone encountering the personal God. If we simply want to love, getting it right or wrong is never the goal. The goal is love.

I looked at the staff and out of my mouth, I said, “You are Jaden right?” He said, “Yes!” He wasn’t surprised. He probably thought that his colleague who answered the phone few days ago had told me about his name.

Nevertheless, I knew that the God of the Universe is a personal God. He is not just the God of all. He is the God of Jaden. He is the God of one. He is YOUR God. He loves you and cares for every single detail of your life. Not a single matter in your life escapes His eyes and His heart. What concerns you concerns Him. He is FOR you and not against you. He is Love. Therefore, there is no fear despite any storm.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you BY NAME, you are Mine.” - Isaiah 43:1

#lifestylechristianity101 #daily

Offence - Is It Identity Issue?

Some truths can appear pretty offensive. But truth is only offensive when we have held onto lies so strongly that the latter becomes our identity.

Example: "If you allow sickness to remain in your body, you are denying the finished works of the Christ." - Curry Blake

This one may hit harder: "Anyone who died because of sickness is because the mind was not renewed in some areas." - Curry Blake

These appear offensive. But it's not offensive to me because I would rather first scrutinise what someone says by comparing with the Word of God, than to quickly brush it aside because of my preconceived beliefs and miss out real truth. It is better to be a truth seeker than an emotional seeker.

I would rather have truth than be offended by truth.

Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." In other words, get knowledge and prevent destruction!

The reason why we get offended is because we are still NOT free from ourselves. If I am not free from me, I will not be free from you, and thus, I will be offended by what you say. It is an identity issue.

Galatians 2:20 says, "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 in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

If I am already dead, I am free from ALL offences. Truth CANNOT offend me. Truth only offends the devil because it destroys his lies, his nature and his works. So if we still get offended, guess whose side are we really on?

Be free from offence, seek truth and become it. Let our identity be built on truth and not lies. #identity