Message, Not Miracles

If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. (Deuteronomy 13:1-4 ESV)

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24 KJV)

Beginning at Moses, we were warned that false prophets will come with miracles. Finally, in the last days, our Lord Jesus also warned us of deceivers coming to us with signs and wonders. But what we need to do is to test them based on the Gospel that we already knew.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8 ESV)

The First Church

The First Church (Acts 1:12 - 8:1)

Fellowship
Acts 1:14 Devoting themselves to prayer
Acts 2:45 Sold their possessions and distributed the proceeds
Acts 4:34 Sold their possessions and distributed the proceeds
Acts 8:1 Scattered by persecution into Judea and Samaria

Growth
Acts 1:15 120 disciples
Acts 2:41 3000 added
Acts 4:4 5000 men believed
Acts 6:7 Many priests believed

Organisation
Acts 1:26 Matthias replaced Judas
Acts 6:5 Seven appointed to look after the distribution of food

Miracles
Acts 2:1-12 Tongues
Acts 3:1-10 Lame beggar healed

Gospel preached
Acts 2:14-40 Preached by Peter
Acts 3:11-26 Preached by Peter

Persecutions
Acts 4:21 Peter and John, warned against preaching about Jesus and His resurrection
Acts 5:19 Apostles, imprisoned but freed by an angel
Acts 5:40 Apostles, beaten, and warned against preaching about Jesus and His resurrection
Acts 7:60 Stephen, the first martyr, stoned to death
Acts 8:1 The church suffered the first general persecution

Sin
Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira died for lying

Dispute
Acts 6:1 Greek speaking Jewish widows were overlooked in the daily distribution of food

The Workman is Worthy of His Meat

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. (Acts 10:9-10 KJV)

When I stay in the hotel, breakfast is paid for and I do not have to worry about it nor bring spare breakfast. Mammon took care of that. I paid for them with money.

Our Lord is telling the disciples that they do not have to take money, bags, extra clothings, shoes or walking sticks. The Lord will provide because we are His worker. Do we have the faith to believe in the Lord, just as I believed that my breakfast is supplied, because I paid for it with money?

Rewards

Rewarder
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Rewards
God is our exceeding great reward:
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. (Genesis 15:1 KJV)

Keeping of God's word has great reward:
Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:11 KJV)

Love your enemies and receive a reward:
If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee. (Proverbs 25:21-22 KJV)
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. (Luke 6:35 ESV)

Christians will be rewarded according to works:
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NASB)

Reward for the Persecuted:
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12 KJV)

Reward for the Prosperous:
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Luke 18:22 ESV)

Motivation
Christ's motivation:
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 KJV)

Abraham's motivation:
By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:9-10 HCSB)

Moses's motivation:
He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. (Hebrews 11:26 ESV)

The doctrine of eternal rewards for our obedience is the neglected key to unlocking our motivations. Bruce Wilkinson.

Action
Work towards the prize
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 KJV)
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. (1 Corinthians 9:24 KJV)

Do not despise your birthright
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (Hebrew 12:16 KJV)

Ultimate
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17 KJV)

Democracy, Christian-based vs Islamic-based

He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, 'Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'
'An enemy did this!' he told them. 'So, do you want us to go and gather them up?' the slaves asked him.
'No,' he said. 'When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.'"
Matthew 13:24-30 (HCSB)

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45 KJV)

Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (Surah 9:29 Yusuf Ali)

After the Arab Spring, many people are talking about democracy in the Arab countries and they expect these countries to become like Europe. Basically, those who think so are ignorant of the Bible and the Quran.

Christian-based democracies, such as those practised in Europe, allow equality of all men. The decision of who is just or unjust is left to God in the last judgement.

In Islamic democracy, there will be two classes of people, the Muslims and the infidels. Muslims will be given preferential treatment. Infidels will be subjected to humiliation until they convert. They will have to pay the Jizya tax and will not have full equality with Muslims. Full equality and democratic rights are only for the Muslims.

Delayed Gratification

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (Psalm 103:8 KJV)

The principal of CJC spoke of delayed gratification during the Parents Information Evening (PIE) today. She counselled the new J1 students to delay their enjoyment for two years.

God also practise delayed gratification. After creating the perfect heavens and earth, it was ruined by sin. He has to wait till the new heavens and new earth before He can fully enjoy His creation. His delayed gratification is the longest of them all.

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. (Ecclesiastes 11:1 ESV)

God's Humility and Patience

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)

We have many impatient and proud people who wants immediate justice. However, this is not how God acts. He is both humble and patient. He is willing to put aside His glory and come to earth to die for our sins.

Suffering

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 HCSB)

Fact: there are sufferings and injustice in the world.

Many people seek answers to this fact. Some blamed God, others leave Him out of the solution and came up with their own. Many use this fact to prove that God does not exist.

The Bible tells us that suffering is caused by men's disobedience (Genesis 3:1-24) and His apparent indifference and inaction is His mercy (2 Peter 3:9).

About 2500 years ago, Buddha concluded that sufferings are caused by desire (the four noble truths 四諦). He left God out of the equation and proposed his own solution (the eight-fold path 八正道).

Like the half-full or half-empty glass, we can look at the sufferings in the world today in either way:
1. Thanks be to God that the sufferings are kept at this level. It could be worse (like hell).
2. God either does not exist or is incompetent, to allow this level of sufferings in the world.

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45 KJV)

Learning to Witness from Pentateuch

My friend said that his life changed after studying the Pentateuch at Living Praise Presbyterian Church. He said from the study, he realized that as a Christian, he just need to tell others what God had done for him. He learnt it form the example of Moses.

This is precisely what all Christians should do. Witness. Witness with our lives, to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16).

God Delights to Give

Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:7-11 HCSB)

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32 KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8 KJV)

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (Psalm 103:8 NASB)

A Drug Addict's Testimony by Peter Orasuk

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6 KJV) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30 KJV) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15 KJV) A very powerful witness by Peter Orasuk about his conversion, found here in sermonaudio.com. Here are some quotes from his testamony: What do you want us to to with this meat? He said if you don't know what to do with good beef, you are the first person. Eat and enjoy it. So I just ask this question. Why are you doing this, why are you doing this, why do you always come giving me things? You just come giving. Brother, we shall learn from that. You know how he answers that? For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. He says if you are going to come representing the giving God, you got to come giving. ... Is the work of Christ on the cross when He laid down His life as a sacrifice for sin enough to take you to heaven? Is it or is it not? And is the Word of God enough to tell you that you are going? Is it or is it not? And I said, there must be something more, something more than the work to take me, something more than the word tell me. And he just closed that Bible and he said, Son, if you want something more than the work of Christ to take you to heaven and the Word of God to tell you you are going, you just have to go to hell because there is nothing more. Got that? You just have to go to hell because there is nothing more. You don't need anything more. ... God is satisfied with the work of Christ. The only problem is you are not.

All Men are Saveable

All men are saveable because they are in the same condition - sinners.

But now, apart from the law, God's righteousness has been revealed - attested by the Law and the Prophets - that is, God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:21-23 HCSB)

All men are saveable because they can be saved in the same way - redemption.

They are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26 HCSB)

Terms
Romans 3:24
justified
redemption
Romans 3:25
propitiation

God's Grace Must Be Experienced

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalm 34:8 KJV)

Many of my Facebook friends published pictures of the food that they ate in restaurants. They looked good but I will never know how they taste until I eat it myself. They can describe with all the words about the taste but I can never experience it.

It is the same with God's grace. God's grace can only be experienced. We experience grace when we obey God. We can read the whole Bible, but if we never obey God's Word, we will never experience God's grace. We can only read about God's grace on the Apostle Paul, on the prophet Elijah, on King David and many others, but we will never experience it for ourselves.

Redeemed

For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. (1 Peter 1:18-19 HCSB)

How Would God Introduce Himself?

Who is the God of the Bible? How would God introduce Himself to us? Dr Mark Lehman, in one of his sermons in audio sermon, suggested that Genesis 1:1 would be the best introduction.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV).

God is our Creator. And what does He want to do to us?

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3 KJV)

God wanted to bless us. Abraham was the great example that God gave to us. Not only that He saved us and died for our sins.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)