North Korean live telecast loss to Portugal

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2 Timothy 3:13 KJV).

Habitual liars usually cannot perceive truth well. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il probably thought that his soccer team could tear Portugal to shreds after losing to mighty Brazil by just one goal. He decided to let his people watched the glory of his team beating the daylights out of Portugal live on television. Instead, Portugal beat the daylights out of his team. Depending on what bullshit he fed the people before the match, the defeat may open the eyes of his people to the truth.

When the window of truth shines on the regime of deception, it may spell its doom. Never underestimate what a live television broadcast may do. It is truth.

The sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat

Jeroboam was the son of Nebat is the man who made Israel sin.
What did Jeroboam do?

1. He made two golden calves and set them in Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28-29);
2. And he made houses on high places (1 Kings 12:31);
3. He made priests from among all the people who were not of the sons of Levi (1 Kings 12:31);
4. He devised his own feast on the fifteenth day in the eighth month(1 Kings 12:33).

Basically, Jeroboam created a new religion which worship a god call Yahweh. But this god was worshipped in Jeroboam's way. The Israelites of those days may think that their religion is the same as those in Judah because they are worshipping the same Yahweh.

Today, many religions featured Jesus. He may be God or prophet, but He is not worshipped according to the Bible. Like Israelites of old, people think that all these religions are Christianity. However, in God's eyes, they are evil. All the kings of Israel are " evil in the LORD's sight" because they "departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin".

Jeroboam II and Uzziah

Jeroboam II did what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 14:24). However, the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter and there was no helper for Israel (2 Kings 14:26), He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash (2 Kings 14:27). He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah (2 Kings 14:25).

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam II, king of Israel, Uzziah became the king of Judah. He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done (2 Kings 15:3, 2 Chronicles 26:4). He was successful in his wars and he became very strong (2 Chronicles 26:6-15). But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (2 Chronicles 26:16). Leprosy broke out on his forehead and he was a leper to the day of his death (2 Chronicles 26:19-21).

What can we learn from these two kings?

First, we learn that God may save through evil kings. Jeroboam II was an evil king who did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat (2 Kings 14:24). But the northern kingdom was at her greatest prosperity under the rule of Jeroboam II. God was hoping that some may repent and He sent the prophets Amos and Hosea to preach to them, not about prosperity, but about the righteousness of God. However, Israel would not repent. The northern kingdom would be destroyed (722 BC) within 40 years after Jeroboam II’s death in 753 BC. Thus when we see some worldly churches prospering and having large numbers, do not think that God is truly blessing the church. God in His mercy is temporarily staying His hand of judgement, hoping that some may repent.

Uzziah was a good king. That meant that he worshipped the true God. His kingdom also prosper, but not as much as Jeroboam II's kingdom. Jeroboam II worshiped the calves set up by Jeroboam the son of Nebat but he died peacefully. Uzziah usurped the priests’ function and he became a leper to the day of his death. Churches led by true Christians may not be as large or as properous as some mega-churches. However, God will still bless them in obvious ways. However, God is stricter with the leaders of these churches. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth (Hebrews 12:6 KJV). If you are chastened by the Lord, it is a proof that you are His child.

Heavy

A 5-kg bag of rice is not heavy to me. For my daughter, that bag is heavy, because she herself only weigh about 25 kg. So if we pass a law on the definition of heavy, what should it be?

Pray Straight to the Point

When we pray, we sometimes use very roundabout expressions; we do not come straight to the point; we seem to imagine that a kind of religious etiquette forbids us from speaking plainly at the throne of grace. I am persuaded that this notion is altogether wrong; and instead of God approving this mode of speaking to him in prayer, he would much rather have us speak to him as a child speaks to his earthly father, — respectfully, reverently, remembering that he is in heaven, and we are on earth, yet simply and plainly, for our Heavenly Father needs no garnishing of our speech; and the poor tawdry flowers of eloquence, with which some of our brethren at times adorn their prayers, must be displeasing to God rather than acceptable to him.

From Jacob’s Model Prayer by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a sermon published on Thursday, October 18th, 1906, delivered at The Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington on Lord’s Day evening, June 16th, 1867.

Show thee great and mighty things

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3 KJV).

I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it (Psalm 81:10 KJV).

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)

Ruth went to the field of Boaz, expecting to get a handful of barley, but instead, she found a husband.

Unbelievers can perform miracles in Jesus's Name

Matthew 7:21-23 (New American Standard Bible)
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Numbers 24:2 (New American Standard Bible)
And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe ; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Many miracles were performed by money loving pastors. These miracles are performed in Jesus's Name. But on the day of judgement, Jesus will deny them. We already have an example in the Old Testament, where the prophet Balaam, who is rejected by God, although he is a true prophet who prophesied in God's name.

Balaam is a warning to all the money loving miracle working pastors, who "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:15-16).