Reflections from Joseph's Dungeon

Jesus heals mitochondrial disease - 5 years on...(Part 4)

2011-09-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

From faith to faith - this is my daily prayer (I still believe)

In the early days, when the extent of L's condition was becoming clear, we went through so many emotions. There was the disbelief, the despair, the denial and the determination to "pray" our way out of the situation. I took all the John G Lake books off my shelf, looking for hope and inspiration. Brothers and sisters in the church gathered in prayer. Our lack of power to change the situation so obvious. We had countless healing services in the church, so few healings. Mark Marx came, Ian Andrews came, but still so little healing and certainly no visible healing for L or anyone else with any significant medical condition. We even went to two Benny Hinn meetings, but nothing.

Week after week, month after month...the same people would go up for prayer at the end of the church service to receive healing. But nothing, it would seem. The "healing services" would have a little message just before the ministry time (the worship with prayer for healing). The message was usually either one that tried to stir up faith or describe possible "blockages to healing." Maybe the people didn't have enough faith? Maybe the people had too much sin? Maybe the worship leader chose the wrong songs, or the piano player used the wrong keyboard sound and we didn't manage to "change the atmosphere" or "breakthrough enough in the Spirit?" Surely God cannot be blamed, therefore there must be some fault with us? I even thought that if I could lead worship better, and bring the "anointing down" then surely anything was possible?

So much disappointment, so many tears, so much condemnation! After all this, my thoughts on healing are:

1) Jesus is so wonderful, he praised the faith of the people He healed to "dignify" them. I do not believe that those people necessarily had any more faith than the people I saw going up for prayer every week at church to be healed.

2) We should never blame peoples' lack of faith where healing doesn't occur following prayer. Blame yourself (if you're praying for someone to be healed), but don't blame the person receiving prayer. Certainly, that was John G Lake's attitude.

3) You only have to have faith enough to ask, and ask again and again and again. What more can we do? Surely, healing is not something we can earn or deserve but is provided for by the finished work of Christ at the Cross.

4) There are seasons within the Father's leadership over history and nations where there are greater manifestations of the Spirit's power including healing. I'm not sure that these seasons of grace and revival are meant to be unending, as some suppose. But I do believe that God saves the best wine to last. And so, at His first coming we saw unprecedented healing through Jesus and His apostles, so it will be and more at His Second Coming. Yes, I do believe in that day when "no disease will stand before this people."

That day could be near, it could be far. I may see that day, I may not see that day. But however difficult, however painful, if God continues to give me grace, I will continue to pray for that day and to see it. Therefore, this is my daily prayer, the prayer that I say each night when I lay hands on L before she sleeps:

Father I thank You for L, that in these days You have kept her seizure free.
Thank You for all those who pray for her and for us, and for all the acts of kindness. Remember them, write them in Your book. Reward them in this Age and in that which is to come.
Have mercy on L. Keep her free from seizures, protect from dangers.
Reveal Yourself to her in ways that she will understand. Reveal Yourself to her in dreams and visions. Fill her spirit with Your love, joy and transcendent peace.
Grant that her name may be written in the Book of Life of the Lamb, that she would have a place in the First Resurrection.
If You are willing, You can heal L, even in this Age. Please God, break into our lives. Have mercy. Heal L. Give her every ability: physical, emotional and intellectual. Raise her up as a sign and a wonder, as a forerunner messager and a faithful witness until death. That her words, her story will help thousands come to saving faith and repentance.
Do this not because of our righteousness, but because of Your mercies. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Re-interpretation of Matthew 6:33

2011-09-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

In my previous post with the sub-title "Has this changed your theology?", I mentioned how Matthew 6:33 is often applied from the pulpit. The excerpt below is taken from my Facebook page on the "notes" section, and provides an alternative view on that famous verse.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you". This is an oft quoted verse, much loved, many times preached, mostly misapplied.

The problem is that its too often understood and presented as a formula, i.e. do x, and y will take place. In fact, much of contemporary Christianity is presented and received in that highly reduced manner. Or, put it like this, the Bible gets reduced to a self-help / how to succeed in life and be happy guide. This is an utter tragedy! The Bible, first and foremost is God's testimony - it's all about revealing Him, who we are in relation to Him and lastly, how we ought to live. Therefore, we must not understand Bible verses out of context. At best, we miss out the true beauty of what any particular verse is really saying. At worst, we form inappropriate conclusions and move into error. For example, with Matt 6:33, it is often applied thus, "if I put God first, then He'll look after me and supply my needs". In the west, "supply my needs and look after me" is often interpreted as a comfortable, happy and prosperous life. We want to hear it like this - its appealing. Why do you think certain brands of Christianity are so popular!

So, what is Matt 6:33 really about? What is the context? Why am I making such a fuss?

Matt 6:33 is such a beautiful verse - because of its context. It comes at the end of a paragraph encouraging us to not worry. In turn, that paragraph follows various discussions about serving God single-mindedly. Verse 22 "if your eye is good" is better translated "if your eye is single". The underlying theme here is really the great commandment i.e. to love God with all our heart, mind and strength, or to be wholehearted. What are the big challenges to this? Well, our eyes, they see things which they covet. We want this and we want that - these wants choke our hearts. And then there are worries, anxieties, pressures and difficulties. These can also choke us. So how are we who are sincere ever going to be wholehearted? We face pressures from all sides! The answer is Matt 6:33. I hear this as Jesus saying, "I am calling you to wholeheartedness, and I hear your questions, you say 'its impossible, look at all my problems', but I say 'it is possible, even you who face so many problems, you can be wholehearted, you can obey me in this, I do know what you need, I will provide".

You may say, so what's the difference? There's a world of difference. Out of context, the emphasis is "in order to get what I want, I need to do x" i.e. the motivation is self-centred and self-gratification. In context, the emphasis is "Jesus says I can love God wholeheartedly even if there are loads of problems in my life" i.e. the motivation is God-centred.

Jesus heals mitochondrial disease - 5 years on...(Part 3)

2011-08-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

From faith to faith - has this changed your theology?

In my late teens and early twenties, Roberts Liardon and Kenneth Copeland audio recordings accompanied me over dinner. Supersonic faith, overcoming, prospering, success and health was all I would hear. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, but God never said it" Copeland would say. "If Job stood on his covenant promise, He could have resisted the devil's attack on him," according to Copeland. This type of teaching was popular in my circles. Its simplicity appealing. Its promised rewards enticing. Its influence on the pulpit sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle. "Look, Mr X has just got the dream job? Why? Because he has started to come to cell and serve in the church. It's Matthew 6:23!" said the pastor. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Look at me," the man of God would say, "how God has given me this house, how my children don't do drugs and get into good schools and how He has provided for me, etc, etc"

Soon after L's first intensive care admission and subsequent diagnosis, one of my best friends asked, "so has this changed your theology?" That was about 5 years ago.

The last 5 years has been a journey in faith. The internal reality and external expression of my faith undergoing a re-orientation, a re-defining. It is necessary, it is painful, it is because Jesus' eyes are a flaming fire. It is because His heart is jealous over me.

In the early days, I just wanted God to fix everything really quickly. I didn't want this life - the pain, the shame and the loneliness. I wanted the comfortable middle-class Christian life that all my friends had, where being a "good Christian" would be rewarded with a relatively "trouble-free" life. As healing service after healing service came and went without any sign of healing, it was clear that God had chosen us to walk a particular path and despair and depression set in.

Then I came across the sermons from the Onething 08 conference, and through it re-discovered the Christian faith. I saw that my life could not be seen in isolation, but was connected to a story so much bigger than anything I had imagined. I began to see things differently. The Bible came alive to me like never before. The Story of the Ages started to become clearer to me. I could now see how the wisdom and purposes of God are so awesome. I found great joy in His word, in prayer and fasting. My prayer life was revolutionised. I wanted to join Him in prayer over the nations to see injustices like abortion ended, and revival sweep the nations. But most of all, I wanted Him to return.

I came across IHOP-KC and their story, and saw a completely different expression of Christianity. I saw a Christianity that exalts Jesus and serves people. A Christianity that isn't self-serving or self-gratifying, but seeks to glorify Jesus and do His works - works of justice. A Christianity that promotes wholeheartedness and uncompromising obedience.

This is the narrow path, the path I must take despite all the trials, all the problems, all the loss, all the pain. Perhaps, it was the pain that brought me here. Perhaps, without the pain I would have been too comfortable and too busy in my own world to embrace this path - which is the Cross of Christ.

Jesus heals mitochondrial disease - 5 years on...(Part 2)

2011-08-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

Then and now...

Six years! A lot happens, a lot changes. Six years ago, I was a new father. A young(ish) professional and active church worker just about to start a sabbatical from church service. The refurbishments in our house were complete, everything seemed in place. While our lives were far from complete, we expected things would get better. We were ready for the next phase in our lives (as parents) and expected "good" things ahead. Oh how different, how completely wrong we were!

First there was the gradual realisation (over several months) that our daughter (L) had a serious and severe developmental problem. Then, there was the first of the countless emergency department admissions for intractable seizures. The first being a seizure lasting over 3 hours that resisted all medication and was finally only controlled after the use of anaesthetic agents and intensive care treatment. There were the months of various tests (so many blood tests, lumbar puncture, muscle biopsy, scans, etc) and finally the presumed diagnosis of mitochondrial cytopathy. For three years, every 2 or 3 months we would be "blue lighted" to the emergency department as L would be having uncontrollable seizures. It seemed that all the increases in medication could not bring the seizures under control. It was so devastating seeing L have these seizures.

In the early stages, the extent to which L's condition would impact on her development was not clear. Would she ever be able to speak, or stand or walk or have any sort of independence? With each passing month and year, it has become increasingly clear that the impact of mitochondrial cytopathy on L is more severe than the doctors had once hoped. Today, L still cannot stand independently let alone walk. She has very limited speech and signing, and is totally dependent on others for all activities of daily living. Her inability to communicate and our inability to understand or tend to all her needs and wants, means that she has so much built up frustration that manifests itself in frequent outbursts of screaming and tantrums.

The physical demands of lifting and moving L had led to a back injury for me, and it became clear that we could not stay in our house with significant adaptations. We explored those options, but it was obvious that even with adaptations the space was never going to be ideal for L. It was at that point, just under 3 years ago, that we began to consider moving. It was also a choice that we felt the Lord was leading us into taking, even including the house we eventually bought. It was a humble house, but the plot had potential for developing a ground floor bedroom and disabled bathroom with open plan living for L.

Two years later, we have still not moved in. We're still living with my longsuffering parents. Four adults and a disabled child in a small 2 bedroom house. Our new house is a building site. Our builder disappeared without warning. Our architect having over valued the works, leading us to overpay. Defect after defect with the building works are being discovered. With no recourse and limited funds, we feel like being between Pharoah's army and the Red Sea.

So in six years, from being a "well-to-do enviable" young professional Christian couple we have become a family none of our friends or family would want to be. Our woes contrasting sharply with the "blessings" and successes of our peers. It is all too easy to feel like the "odd one out".

When You have tested me, I shall come forth as gold. You Lord are good, You are good to me, Your mercies endure forever. Were it not for Your mercies, I would have been consumed. You are my life, my treasure and my portion forever. Whom have I in heaven but You. Bless the Lord O my soul, bless His Holy Name.

An interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

2011-05-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

¹¹ Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. [2 Thess 1:11-12]

I've been reading Paul's letters. He was always praying for believers! What did his prayers sound like? What was on his heart? In 2 Thess 1:11, what was "this calling" that Paul wanted God to count the Thessalonian believers worthy of? In context, could this "calling" be the privilege to be "glorified" in Him when he returns to planet Earth?

¹⁰ when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe,^[a] because our testimony among you was believed. [2 Thess 1:10]

Paul has been talking (and goes on to talk more) about "that Day" when Jesus returns. So what does he mean by Jesus being "glorified in His saints" at His return? I think it might mean that when Jesus returns His saints will be so glorious (in being like Jesus in their character and fruit), that it will give Him so much glory. I also think "that Day" can refer to both the literal 24 hour day when He splits the sky and returns as well as the general "Day" or timeframe in history when His judgements are on the Earth e.g. the last 7 years of human history (in this Age).

So why is that remarkable? If I am correct in my understanding, then Paul is actually asking God to count the Thessalonian believers to be granted the honour of glorifying Jesus during the Great Tribulation. Can you believe that? How many of us would vote for that?! No wonder the popular pre-tribulation rapture idea is so appealing to us Western Christians who have never truly suffered persecution for the sake of Christ.

This is my take on what Paul's prayer might have sounded like:

Please God, allow the Thessalonian believers to have the great and unique honour of being here glorifying Your Son immediately before and at His return. May they be so gloriously like Your Son, in full agreement with Him, carrying their cross daily and loving Him with all their heart, soul and strength. Even in the midst of tribulations and persecutions, may they glorify You by not quitting but standing firm. May they be so in love with Your Son, that He is truly their everything, their portion, their hope and their inheritance.

Jesus heals mitochondrial disease - 5 years on...(Part 1)

2011-01-30T16:00:00.000-08:00

Five years ago, our beautiful daughter was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease. Knowing that this was an incurable, debilitating and devastating condition I searched the internet in the hope of finding a testimony that someone somewhere had been healed by the power of God. "Jesus heals mitochondrial disease" became a search phrase that I would google time and again - but in vain. There was precious little, and the results that were found were not relevant. Today, with blogs having become more commonplace, this same search phrase results in links to the blogs of a small number of Christian parents also struggling with the devastating effects of mitochondrial disease in their children. These are heartbreaking stories, but they are also stories of hope and dignity. Throughout the coming months, God-willing, I will attempt to share my story - the despair, the trials, the love of friends, the support of family, the pursuit of healing, the ongoing dying of self, the soul-searching and above all, the Hope that keeps me going.

An open letter to the leaders of SCC

2011-01-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

Dear SCC Leaders

Having been part of this ministry since 1989, I would like to thank you for your unrelenting and ongoing focus on evangelism and looking outwards. I have seen the church go through different seasons, and there has always been an importance attached to winning souls.

Recently, a friend's father and a colleague's uncle have passed away. They had been ill for some time before. They and their families had been suffering the terrible consequences of sickness and disease for some time. As far as I could tell, neither of the recently deceased were believers. I listened as my friend and my colleague spoke of their grief, and how they believed the passing of their dear one was for the better. It put an end to the indignity of sickness and dependence. It put an end to their physical suffering. However, as I felt and was touched by their grief and loss, I could not bring myself to say that I believed it was for the better. Privately, I was devastated for them. For if the Bible is true, if the testimony of Jesus is to be believed, then death without Him cannot be for the better. No matter how great the physical suffering and pain, death without Him is the worst outcome. Better to be alive and have the hope and opportunity of coming to saving faith and repentance, than to escape the pain of human suffering but to enter eternity still under the wrath of the Great Judge. This is not a popular and easy thing to talk about. It is a heavy and offensive idea, but it is what the Bible declares and it is what has motivated SCC and its leaders. Oh that the spiritual DNA that gave birth to SCC be passed onto the next generation! As the years pass, time is running out for everyone.

SCC Leaders - thank you for your labours, and the example you have set us all.

Derek Loux Legacy 2010

2010-12-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Beautiful song by Derek and slideshow of some of his legacy

Derek Loux sings IHOPKC 7-Year Anniversary Acronym Song

2010-12-23T16:11:00.000-08:00

Derek Loux was a great man, he died tragically in a car accident last year. His life story is truly inspirational. He continues to inspire and impact people. Renee continues their ministry to orphaned children with special needs and those rescued out of human trafficking. This video was recorded a few years ago and shows Derek impersonating David Sliker and singing a song that pokes fun at IHOP-KC. Its great that they can laugh at themselves, very refreshing and very fun!

Tim Reimherr Wedding Toast

2010-12-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

Tim Reimherr is one of my favourite worship leaders. This is a speech given by a fellow IHOP-KC worship leader, Ron Downing, at Tim's wedding. He uses lyrics from Tim's songs. If you're familiar with the songs by the Merchant Band or Tim then you'll LOL like me!

One of my favourite Bible teachers having fun

2010-12-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

This is a video by Wes Dodd who is or was working in the media department at IHOP-KC. I love this video, it's so funny! David Sliker is an awesome Bible teacher. His class on the Minor Prophets has had a big impact on me, and has opened my eyes to a whole new level of appreciation and understanding of God, His leadership, His mercy and His love. BTW, Sliker seriously looks like my Tall Uncle in Hong Kong.

Notes from my first sermon

2010-11-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Replacing false assumptions with storm-proof biblical foundations

Matthew 7: 24 to 29 [NKJV]

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

False Assumption 1:

If you are a “good Christian”, then life gets better and better and horrible things won’t happen to you, i.e. you can avoid the storms.

Many Christians secretly want this to be true, others openly believe and teach it, supporting this view with Bible verses, such as:

No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; [Psalm 91:10]

This is the perspective adopted by Job’s friends, but in Matthew 7: 24-28, Jesus supposes that the rain, flood and winds [the storms] come to everyone. In other words, “horrible things do happen to good people”. Jesus puts people into 2 categories, those who “hear and do” and those who “hear and don’t”. Both categories face the storms, but with vastly different outcomes.

We can categorize these “storms” into 3 types:

1) The “storms of life” - catastrophic life experiences which are “life-changing”

These typically happen to everyone 2 or 3 times over the course of our lifetime. They include things like the loss of a loved one, a debilitating disease, financial ruin, etc. They represent a real challenge and stumbling block to every sincere believer. Many people lose years in spiritual progress dealing with bitterness, hurt and depression. Some will reject Christ, others will never quite recover their passion for the Lord.

2) The “day of Lord” storms and the “Day of the Lord” eschatological storm

The “day of the Lord” is a biblical term that appears repeatedly in the prophetic writings of the OT. In context, it was describing the God-orchestrated foreign invasions that would first destroy the northern kingdom and then the southern kingdom over a hundred years later. These were the judgements of God upon the apostate and backslidden nations of Israel and Judah. But, more than the judgements of God upon the land at the time, there are clearly times in the prophetic writings where the “day of the Lord” is referring to the eschatological capital D – Day of the Lord. This is what we now call the Second Coming of Jesus and the “Great Tribulation” events that happen before His return. Are we living in a “day of the Lord” moment? Will God be sending His judgement upon this generation for the great injustices of our day e.g. millions of babies aborted, human trafficking, greed, immorality both inside the church and outside it, etc? Are we actually living in the capital D – Day of the Lord generation? Many biblical signs suggest that we are in that generation e.g. the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948 and the optimism among missionary organisations that there will be a gospel witness in every tribe and people group in the next few decades. The Bible describes severe challenges for that generation. It says that that Day (not a literal 24 hour period) will come upon the whole earth as a “snare” [Luke 21:35], i.e. it will come as a severe test to every person on the earth. Believers will be severely tested and many will fall away [2 Thes 2:3, says the Day of the Lord follows two massive events, one a “falling away “ and secondly, the appearance of the Anti-Christ. This implies that the “falling away” that happens in the church is massive!]. If we, or our children, are living in that generation, then we need to be prepared so that we do not “fall away” and deny the faith.

3) The “judgement seat of God” storm

Revelations 4:5 describes the scene around the throne of God. There are thunderings and lightnings. Every person must appear before the throne of God – and face this, the greatest of storms [Heb 9: 27 and 2 Cor 5: 10-11]. For the unbeliever, this appearing before the Great Throne is the final judgement of God upon them to pronounce eternal punishment in the lake of fire. For the believer, this judgement is about how we lived our lives, the choices we made, how we responded to the trials and testings, what we did with the opportunities He gave us, etc. It determines our rewards and honour in the age to come.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…2 Cor 5:10-11a

False Assumption 2:

Every believer in the age to come will have the same honour, reward and status.

Jesus spoke about rewards in the age to come, e.g through the parable of the minas [Luke 19:11-26] and the parable of the talents [Matt. 25:14-28]. He clearly teaches that there are distinctions and differences in rewards and responsibilities granted to individuals in the age to come. Many people agree that the “outer darkness” is not referring to hell and that the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” in these parables are speaking of Christians, who at the Judgement Seat of Christ, realise how they wasted their lives and have thus, missed out on rewards and responsibilities in the age to come. Jesus speaks about rewards out of His kindness, He knows that there will be a day when every one of us will really care about this issue! To say that we don’t care about eternal rewards because we “love Jesus” will rob us of one of the legitimate God-given desires that motivate us in our spiritual journey. Jesus encourages us to seek eternal rewards and greatness in the age to come. It is that motivation that will help us to avoid the corruptible desires for greatness in this age, and before men.

The Bible indicates that it is possible to be saved, but suffer loss.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. [1 Cor. 3:12-15]

False Assumption 3:

Don’t worry, it is not about your ability to follow, it is about His ability to lead. Therefore, in twenty years time, you will be in God’s perfect will. You will love God more, have more faith and have more victory in your life.

The ideas here are among the most dangerous for sincere Christians who desire to live for God. I have heard and repeated the first statement myself before. While there is truth in the statement, it is really dangerous, because it is so easily misunderstood and so it gives a false sense of optimism. It makes believers comfortable with spiritual passivity and laziness. Note, believers can be busy in church service/ministry and still be spiritually passive and lazy. We must not mistake church activity with spiritual pursuit.

In Matt 7:24-27, Jesus categorises people into only 2 categories – the “hear and do” group and the “hear and don’t” group. The former he likens to those who build their house on rock, the others he describes as those who build on sand. What determines whether we are in one group or the other, is obedience. It is not church attendance, church service or a good education, career, pension, etc. It is obedience. In context, this is obedience to the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. It is not obedience in saying the sinners prayer only.

Our progress and our ability to withstand the tests are directly related to obedience to the Sermon on the Mount teachings. We have a responsibility. There is effort involved! It does not just happen. God does not just give it to you on a plate. We must be very deliberate in our pursuit and very careful to pursue this.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. [1 Pet 2:1-12]

The Bible tells us that “fleshy lusts war against our soul”. This is a terrible reality that we must not ignore. This is happening to everyone of us every single day. If we do not war against these lusts, then we will become more and more in bondage as the years go by. In contrasts to the common assumption that most believers have in their late teens and early twenties, that in 20 years time they will love God more, etc, it is much safer to assume that the opposite will happen. Without a deliberate diligence to obey God and live out the Sermon on the Mount, we are much more likely to love God less, have less faith, have less victory and be in greater bondage to our lusts in twenty years time.

We often assume that God’s leading will “get us there in the end”, and that somehow “we will fulfil our callings”. After all, God is the God of the “second-chance?” Yes, if we fall, He does keep loving us and He does keep forgiving us, but that does not mean that we won’t suffer loss. The Bible calls us to “redeem the time”. It is impossible to live yesterday again. There are consequences to mistakes and there are consequences to inactivity. For many sincere believers, our failure to make real progress will not be that we were deliberately wanting to backslide, but it will be that we were not deliberate and wholehearted in our pursuit of God, and living the Sermon on the Mount.

Wholeheartedness and the pursuit of 100% obedience

The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul and strength. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commands us to be “perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect”. These are essentially the same reality, but described in different ways. Another way of describing this is “wholeheartedness”, where we are willing to lay down everything and anything for Him, and where we purpose to pursue a life of 100% obedience.

False Assumption 4:

We will be more than okay if we pursue 98% obedience. Pursuing 100% obedience is for the super-Christians.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”. He meant it for every believer! We falsely believe that because of grace, we can be soft on sin and compromise. We ignore the Sermon on the Mount and lower the standards for Christian living. We apply a false grace, not realising that God’s grace is not meant to make us feel comfortable in compromise and sin, but is available to help us live the “perfect” Sermon on the Mount lifestyle. The grace of God is available to help us get free from lusts, anger, unforgiveness and all kinds of selfishness. If we pursue anything less than 100% obedience, then we are saying, “God you can have all of this, but You can’t have this, I can’t give these one or two things up…because its too hard or because I enjoy them too much”. It is impossible to be wholehearted or obey the first commandment, without a commitment to obey in everything, and all of the time. This is not the same as attaining to 100% obedience, we may never get there in this age, but it is the commitment and decision to do so that is critical.

Pursuing 98% obedience = half-heartedness = spiritual boredom and dullness

Pursuing 100% obedience = wholeheartedness = a fiery responsive heart toward God

Being half-hearted is a horrible way to live. We end up having too much of God to enjoy sin, and too much of sin to enjoy God.

False Assumption 5:

The commitment I made last year, will sustain me for the next five

We cannot expect to say “yes” to pursuing 100% obedience today and expect that will guarantee our spiritual progress tomorrow and beyond. It’s about saying “yes” everyday, and then saying “yes” as part of a community of believers at regular intervals. The Israelites were instructed to offer sacrifices daily and at particular intervals and during set feasts. I believe God wanted to inculcate a discipline and culture of regular sacrifice and worship. We must follow this example. By definition, wholeheartedness is a life long life style and life goal.

The Beatitudes

So what does someone look like who is wholehearted? They look like someone who lives out the Sermon on the Mount, and someone who lives it out will be someone who is growing in each of the beatitudes.

False Assumption 6:

The people who are really blessed are those who have good health, a good family, good and healthy kids, good career, good-looking spouse, good house, good car, etc….

Many of us will protest and say “I don’t assume that!” But we need only to examine what and who we envy, and before long we must acknowledge that, indeed, we do feel this way. This is our notion of blessedness, and it is totally contrary to Jesus’ definition of blessedness.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “ Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [Matt. 5:1-11]

These are the beatitudes. They are what I call Jesus’ “shocking introduction” to the Sermon on the Mount. John G Lake calls them the constitution of the Kingdom of God. If we are not shocked by them, then we have not begun to understand them. If we think that some of our non-Christian friends and family have and demonstrate these qualities, then we definitely do not understand them. It is impossible for a non-Christian to have a single one of these beatitudes. Jesus is not describing natural tendencies or natural temperaments. He is not saying that people who naturally appear to be “meek” are blessed. He is not referring to natural temperaments that one can be born with, instead he is talking about spiritual qualities that can only be manifested by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, in the life of a person whose spirit is alive to God. Without the grace of God, we have no hope of manifesting any of these. But with the grace of God, we who are born-again, are meant and able to manifest everyone of these beatitudes, and at the same time.

Some translations use the term “happy” instead of “blessed”. Jesus is showing us the way to true happiness, and the way to a life that is truly to be congratulated and celebrated from the perspective of God, the angels and all eternity. It is available to all who believe and follow the Son of God. No amount of negative circumstance can stop or disqualify the sincere believer (who seeks the grace of God to grow and manifest these beatitudes) from entering into this true “blessedness”. This is a wonderful hope and a wonderful reality! Suddenly, you do not need to have what everyone thinks is the “perfect life” or even for “everything in your life to be perfect” to be happy or blessed. If you are pursuing and growing in these beatitudes, then the declaration of heaven over you is that you are “blessed”. The world separates men into those who “have” and those who “have not”. Jesus separates men into those who “hear and don’t” and those who “hear and do”. Happy are those who “hear and do”.

If Jesus is describing spiritual qualities, what does each of these beatitudes really mean? How do we pursue and grow in them? This is the subject matter of the rest of this great Sermon on the Mount. Therefore, this whole sermon deserves careful private study, meditation and discussion, and “living out” as a community. We must get rid of the taboos among us that prevent us from talking about the Bible. The subject matter in this Sermon on the Mount should be part of our conversations and dialogue. It is the way to life, liberty and true happiness, and yet it is more:

“Here is the life to which we are called, and I maintain again that if only every Christian in the church today were living the Sermon on the Mount, the great revival for which we are praying and longing would already have started. Amazing and astounding things would happen; the world would be shocked, and men and women would be drawn and attracted to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”. [Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones]

Further reading:

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount – Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones

The Sermon on the Mount – D.A. Carson (Spring Harvest Publishing)

Further listening:

www.mikebickle.org see series on Sermon on the Mount

My souls sings...

2010-11-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you. Thank you Father. I see it. Your words are true! I agree, I so agree! Yes, yes...I love You.

As I sat upon the wooden pews in the hospital chapel at lunch today, I felt my deep need to know the "fear of God". I reflected on my own weakness and tendency to fail, and wished that I would see the lightnings and hear the thunders around His throne. I remembered that Proverbs 2:1-5 prescribes a way to "understanding the fear of the Lord". As I used this scripture as my vocabulary and basis of my prayer, I was led to scripture after scripture (e.g. Psalm 19, 2 Peter 1) and what started as a simple petition escalated into praise and worship. Suddenly, I found my heart saying "yes". Something in my heart (emotions, will and understanding) acknowledged the absolute truth of His word. Suddenly, I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that 2 Peter 1:3 was absolutely 100% true. I have read that verse many many times, but on this occasion it hit me. My soul began to sing. O what unspeakable joy. When this happens, and it has happened before, it is so sweet, so memorable, so transcendent. Yes, there are superior pleasures in the Gospel! Yes, this is worshipping in Spirit and in truth. When the Spirit witnesses to our souls the wonderful truths in His word, our soul sings. It is effortless worship, it is so natural, there is no other response possible. You realise that this is who you are, this is what you were made for. You get a glimpse into why the hosts of Heaven are in constant worship. They sing not out of duty or fear, but as they gaze upon the Magnificent One, they can only have one response. They love it! When He touches us in this way, we touch something of what happens in Heaven, and what has happened through the ages. O that the world would see Him! He is the Desire of the Nations. O for that day, when all the peoples of the earth would see Him and worship Him.

Intercession: an expression of true courage and faith

2010-03-30T15:44:00.000-07:00

When you hear or read the term "intercession", what do you think of? For me, intercession use to be mean praying for other people. Maybe it was praying for an unbeliever to be saved, or for a friend to be healed, or some other need that another had.

What does the Bible say? What is the ultimate expression of intercession? The Scriptures tell us that Jesus is our Great High Priest, the Great Intercessor who ever lives to intercede for us. Intercession at its highest level is costly. Its ultimate expression is when an innocent man would stand between the wrath of God and a sinful people. When Jesus interceded for us, it killed Him, literally! Intercession is a lifestyle, it is lived out, it is everything about us and not merely a task we fulfil during our quiet times each day.

Moses touched the heights of intercession when He stood before the wrath of God toward the children of Israel in the wilderness. The apostle Paul also. How does a man become so Christ-like?

O Spirit of God, teach us intercession. Though it be costly, teach me. Restore it in Your Church today! O how we need a generation that would stand before the Great Judge to plead for mercy on behalf of a lost and wicked people.

Beatitudes: What is it to mourn?

2010-03-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matt. 5:4)

I use to think this was all (and only) about mourning over my own sin, and the comfort He would give me through His forgiveness and cleansing. Oh, what treasures, what richness of revelations have I missed out on, for oh too long!

Jesus is calling us to be like Him. No other man has ever mourned more intensely over the sin and guilt of his fellow men. He is inviting us into His heart, to mourn over this lost world and all its injustices. For those who follow Him to that place of mourning, He is promising comfort. The fullness of such comfort is not seen entirely in this age, but it will be fulfilled in absolute perfection at His coming and in the Age to Come. This is our blessed hope!

Daniel 9:1-19 is an account of one of those "history shifting prayers". The prophet mourns over his own sin, and the sins of his people. The Lord God answers, and the king of Persia provides for the children of Israel to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. But this is not the fullness of restoration that Daniel was pleading for. Those who would return, were healed of idolatry but had not been healed of sin. In Daniel 9:20-27 the Lord gives Daniel one of the key eschatological prophecies, describing the first coming of the Saviour, the coming of the Antichrist and the return of the King - the consummation of His Kingdom, the fullness of comfort. In the same way, our mourning today for our generation will, in the perfect timing of our Lord, bring a measure of restoration, a measure of comfort and a window of grace. But more than that, they [our intercession] will join the prayers of the saints of old, like Daniel, to usher in the Great Day of the Lord, the return of His Son to the planet! Hosanna Lord, Hosanna!

Beatitudes: What is it to be poor in spirit?

2010-03-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what it REALLY means to be poor in spirit? Are you totally satisfied with the meaning that poor in spirit = realizing that you need God and cannot save yourself? Is that all it means? Do those of us who are Christians then automatically qualify as being poor in spirit because we have acknowledged our need for the Saviour?

Certainly, it does include acknowledging our inability to save ourselves. But I wonder if it means more? John G Lake's sermon/essay titled "The Power of Consecration to Principle" offers deeper insight. Lake confidently declares a greater and deeper meaning to what it means to be "poor in spirit". He points out that Jesus calls His followers to follow Him, and that this is true of this first and great beatitude.

In other words, Jesus is the man who most perfectly expresses being "poor in spirit". But how can this be? How can Jesus be "poor in spirit"? The Scriptures are emphatic in describing Him as being "poor in spirit", consider the following: He is the man "who being rich, became poor". He is God who became man, and became "obedient to the point of death" (Philippians 2:8). He is the man who said "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". He is the man who said to His Father, "into Your hands I commit my spirit". The man who said "not my will but yours be done" and the man who joined sinners in the Jordan to be baptized by John declaring His life purpose as to live "unto all righteousness". No other man has ever lived so dependently on God. No other man has ever lived so fully for the purposes of God. This is what it means to be poor in spirit. We enter into the Kingdom by acknowledging our need, but that is only the start of our journey. To become like Him in this, that is to be truly poor in spirit.

The words of John G Lake are masterful, and I will sign off by quoting what he has to say of being poor in spirit.

"Blessed is he who regards the interests of the kingdom of heaven as paramount to every other interest in the world, paramount to his own personal interest. Blessed is he whose interest in life, whose interest in the world is only used to extend the interest of the kingdom of heaven. Blessed is he who has lost his own identity as an individual and has become a citizen of the kingdom. Blessed is he who sees the kingdom of heaven as ultimate to be possessed. Blessed is he who forgets to hoard wealth for himself, but who uses all he has and all he is for the extension of the kingdom of heaven."

Greetings

2010-03-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings and welcome. I am a newbie to the world of blogs, but feel that it would help me to record and share some of the things that I am learning and thinking about. I had been suffering from depression, spiritual dryness, offense and disappointment until I came across IHOP-KC via the onething 08 conference material made available online. This started a journey of "rediscovering" my faith, and encountering the Son of God, Christ Jesus, in a whole new and fresh way. Suddenly, life became more than my own problems and lost dreams, but about a far greater story. This story, the story of the return of Jesus to consummate His Kingdom has given my life a new dignity and purpose. I am calling this blog "Sermon on the Mount" because this is how I must now live. This is the sermon I must now truly understand and live out. The purpose of this blog is to share and encourage friends, family and like-minded sojourners to go through that narrow gate and walk that narrow path, hard though it may be at times. Best wishes.