TO WHICH DOES YOUR LOYALTY LIES?

People follow people for two reasons. It is either the cause (mission) or the person (leader). If it is for the cause then they will follow the leader as long as the leader still carries on the cause. But when the mission ceases or fails, then the following ceases. However, when followers follow a person because they believe in that person, then even if the mission ceases, they will still be loyal and follow the leader. Which of the two has the better influence?

In Christendom, we have the church and we have Jesus. I have a question for you. Which are you following today? The answer may seem obvious but give this a thought. Which are you following today? To help clarify things a bit more, to which does your loyalty lie? This is not a trick question. It is however, a soul searching question. Too often I see Christians abandoning one church for another for whatever reason. The thinking is: "as long as I stay loyal to God, church does not really matter".  Well ... the way I see it, it matters to Jesus.

I think it matters that Christians love church because THEY LOVE JESUS as compared to people love Jesus because THEY LOVE CHURCH. Spot the difference? You see, when you love Jesus because of who He is, you will love His church and you will be loyal to both. But if your love for Jesus is because of your love for His church, then your loyalty will not lie with Jesus. You will keep chasing after the cause (church) not the person. My point?

Jesus, being universally supreme, is my sufficiency. Jesus is more than enough for me. I do not need to replace His supremacy and sufficiency with add ons. Christ and Christ alone is more than enough for me. I can and I will grow where I am planted. The reason I love my church? It's simply because I love my Jesus. I am a follower of Christ. In Him lies my loyalty.

His Sheep am I

You and I, we are Jesus' sheep. Not only do we belong to Him, we are followers of Jesus. He is our Shepherd. Sheep follow shepherd. Sheep recognizes the voice of the shepherd and the shepherd knows his sheep. Sheep feel safe around the shepherd and is provided for and looked after by the shepherd.

John 10:11

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"

John 10:14

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me"

Now, wolves on the other hand are enemies of sheep. Wolves devour sheep. Wolves don't follow shepherd. Wolves follow an alpha. They are always on a hunt for their insatiable appetite. They love the smell and taste of blood. They prey on the weak and the injured. They travel and hunt in a pack and their game is to separate the prey from the flock in order to make the kill. Shepherds either chase of kill the wolves.

Matthew 7:15

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves".

False prophets and teacher may not be obviously noticeable to us. You can only tell by their spirit and their fruits. Jesus said you know a tree by its fruits. This is where discerning comes into play. If you walk sincerely and consistently with God, you will be able to discern what is and what is not of God. Today, false prophets may not come into the church as the church is guarded by the local "shepherd". They do however, appear in social media. There are all kinds of teachings via YouTube and websites hosted by these independent, self proclaimed prophets, teachers and mnistries. They are accountable to no one. Their interest in not the harvest fields, but the church (Christians). They come with revelations and prophecies. They are on the prowl. They are what Bible calls angels of lights.

Matthew 7:15-2015 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

You've been warned!

YOU GOT MY BACK?

Every time we have a conversation with someone, we do so facing each other. We don't see the back of that person. When we carry a child, likewise the child sees the front side of us but not the back. When I am preaching on stage, we all see each other's fronts, not the backs because we are facing each other. The only time we see the back of a person is when that person is walking away from us or sitting in front of us. Do you know if you look closely, the back of a person can indicate that person's composure?

A lot of people want to put up a front in front of others, especially parents when it comes to their children. They don't want to show their weaknesses or their burdens. They try to put up a front because they want to encourage their kids and assure them that all is good. But their backs may tell a different story.  Slumped shoulders perhaps indicate a burden they are carrying? A hunched back posture may tell you that they are tired and weighed down and discouraged. We always notice the front. Try looking at the back once in awhile. It'll be nice once in awhile to know that someone's got our backs.

I know God's got my back :) 

RELIGIOUSLY YOURS

When Jesus was asked as to which of the commandments were the most important of all, He replied, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophet hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:37-40)

Everything that really matter hinges on these two potent statements … Love God and love your neighbor (one another). That’s what church is all about. That’s what Christianity is all about. That’s what Jesus’ Kingdom is all about … loving God and loving one another. Fail either one of these two and what do we have? A religion!

Back in the days when Jesus walked the earth, Judaism was but a religion. Once it was about a loving relationship between God and His people, but through time it evolved into a religion where it’s all about rituals, laws, festivities, do’s and don’ts, etc. In this context, Jesus appeared, not to revive a religion but to begin a movement … His church. He had no buildings, no titles, no program, no fixed day services. It was just a bunch of people who followed Him, loved Him and loved people. In Acts, people called the them “Christians” which literally meant “little Jesus” for they were like Him, loving God and loving people. People came to know Christ through them. There were no church buildings, no fixed day services, no programs. They simply met at homes and public places as often as they could. All they did was love God and love one another. It was only after 300 hundred years later that church evolved into what it is today … buildings with fancy names, programs and activities, men of God instead of servants of God,"soulish" worship … some of which had become the “sacred cows” of today’s modern Christianity. Oh how I wish we can bring back that old time religion where it’s all about what Jesus intended for it to be … loving God first and then loving people. 

“Give me that old time religion, God, forgive us our short comings”.

HANDLING THE OLD TESTAMENT

The contractor working on my neighbor's house got interested in the gospel. We were chatting for months. Just recently he discussed with his wife and they both decided they will embrace Jesus. He's one excited chap and asked me for a chinese Bible. When I passed him the Bible, I gave specific instruction to begin reading from the book of John through the New Testament before starting on the Old Testament. Reason being, it's hard to comprehend the violence, lopsided laws and culture of those days. If you have been reading your Bible, you'd know what I mean. How do we handle the Old testament?

First off, understand the Old Testament (OT) was written for our instruction. It has values. We need to read it in context with the New Testament (NT) in order to understand its instructions. Take the Law for instance. It's not the letter of the law that should govern but the spirit of the law for the letter was borne out of the spirit. Those who would disregard the spirit of the law will abuse the letter of the law to their own benefit and control (Read Mathew 23). The OT is like the letter of the law and the NT the spirit of the law. So Jesus said if we want to see the Father (what God is like) we should look at Him.

Secondly, the OT is a record of the doings and behavior of the human race. Through the eyes of the OT we can see the nature of the fallen man. The law exposes the wickedness and evilness of mankind and their opposition towards God and everything good. The law revealed that man cannot redeem himself. While the OT reveals the nature and deeds of the fallen man, the NT reveals the nature and the deeds of God. In Jesus we see who God truly is. He is, and originally was, the heavenly Father. Listen to the heartbeat of God: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing". (Matthew 23:37 NIV). God's loving kindness is indeed better than life.

Next time you read the OT, make sure you have an encounter with the God of NT. Aren't they the same? Yes they are. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He cannot change nor need to improve because God is perfect. We just need to look at Him through the eyes of the NT and then you'll discover how awesome is the God of the Old Testament. Do not disregard the OT and never try to see God nor judge Him through your own human standards and emotions. Read the Old through the New. Only then can you see. A blind man cannot lead another blind man.

BETTER TOGETHER

Today I am thinking about the geese. A goose can fly solo but it can never reach higher potential or its full potential on its own. When geese fly in formation they use 40% less energy and can travel vast distances, as long as 2400 kilometers a day. How they accomplish that is interesting.

In a V-shaped formation, each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turn being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way they can fly for a long time. The other reason why they fly in a V formation is to keep an eye on the entire flock so that none is missing or left behind during migration. During flight, the geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed which is usually 60 – 110 km/h depending of wind conditions. You see, a goose can fly solo but it can never reach higher potential unless it flies together. They are better together.

Penguins are known to be able to withstand harsh weather conditions. The temperature may be below minus 30 degree C and the winds may be blowing at 200 km/h yet they are able to survive such conditions. How so? Simply by huddling together in a tight pack group, sometimes with as many as 6000 in a group. That way they share body heat and shelter themselves from the intense wind. At the center of the core the temperature could be as warm as 21 degree C. Alone the penguin will not survive. They are better together.

The tallest trees in the world are the Red Wood trees. They can grow as high as 106 meters and can survive as long as 2000 years. The interesting thing about the red woods, they have small roots, the biggest root about an inch in diameter. These roots don’t grow deep into the ground, just 6 to 12 feet which is a fraction of the height of the tree. Yet they are able to hold the tree up. How do they do that? By spreading its roots 100 meters outwards, entwining with roots from other red woods. Linked together, a single red wood has the strength of a forest. When the storms come, the winds are not contending against one tree but the entire forest. They are better together.

God did not mean for us to go at life solo. Like the geese, the penguin and the red woods, we are made to be better together. When we need to accomplish greater things, we fly together and we honk to encourage each other. When situations in life get harsher, we huddle together, drawing the warmth of God’s love from each other. When the storms of life come against us, we entwined with each other and become the strength of a forest. We are better together.

You may be thinking you can go at life solo, that you don’t need help or anyone alongside. Maybe because you think you are talented enough and you have the resource. While that may be true to accomplish what you think, it is not enough to accomplish what God thinks. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and God's ways are higher than our ways. Flying solo you can never reach higher potential. We are better together.

More than thirty times in the Bible, the phrase “one another” was recorded. We were told to love one another, forgive one another, help one another, encourage one another, admonish one another, teach one another. In order to accomplish that, the body of believers need to assemble together. Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us to not forsake assembling together. Jesus said whenever two or three are gathered together in His name, He is in the house. He promised us His covering whenever we assembly together. Jesus promised even the gates of hell cannot prevail against it when we are together. We will be able to do more individually and collectively when we go at life together. We need to fly together. We heed to huddle together. We need to link together. We are better together.

What joy to see us assembling together every Sunday. Understand this: God is never in the building. But when we, the body of believers assemble together, the building becomes the house of God. How so? You are the temple of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God dwells within you. When you come into Vineyard, you bring along the presence of God. When you mix your praise with the praises of others, God's presence is released. God’s joy is released. Healing is released and the love of God is shed abroad the hearts of all those present. That's the power of the Kingdom of God, the new wine that Jesus spoke about. Jesus came not just to save but to build His church which is a collection of a called out group of people. Church is God's gifts to us. Vineyard is our gift from God. Parents, the best gift you can give to your children is to raise them in the house of God!

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).

Make church your priority. Let's fly and honk together. Let's huddle together and let's entwined into each other. It is when we are together, we are stronger and better. That's God's design. Happy New Year :)

ANCHOR IN HOPE

I've been on boats numerous times out fishing in the seas off both east and west coast. Once I got into bad weather and it was dark at night. The captain of the boat decided it was best we head back to dock. But prior to that, amidst the rough seas, we were doing alright although all I could see was just the sky and the water but not land because of the rocking boat in high waves. None of us were concerned because the captain of the boat wasn't worried. He had his anchor down. Though tossed by the strong waves, we held our ground.

Anchor is something that holds a boat in place. Without an anchor, the captain will never be able to stay in a fixed place at sea. When a boat is anchored, the captain is relaxed. Though the waves and winds may buffet the boat and the under currents may drag at it, the captain is not worried. His boat is tied to the anchor and his boat will not drift. If your life is like a boat, you must ensure you have your anchor with you at all times. It's fun to sail the seas and experience the openness and sense of freedom and adventure. But never forget the anchor. Bible says "hope is the anchor of our soul". If we were to keep us from drifting, form being overcome by obstacles; if we were to reach our dreams, we need to anchor ourselves in hope. Without hope we will never be able to overcome to reach our destinations.

Hope is that happy expectation that something good is going to happen. Your morale is high when your hopes are high. But when your hopes are dim, your morale will take a dive. For 430 years the Israelites were living in bondage in Egypt. There was no prophet and God hadn't spoken. It was a dark period in Israel's history. Their morale were at an all time low. Then God broke His silence and connected with His people through Moses, the chosen one. Seeing the presence of God before them and watching the God of the universe at work on their behalf, their hopes returned. Their morale shot up. They were looking forward to the deliverance of God and a promised land. God gave them hope and they anchored in hope.

When the winds and waves and the under currents of life were tearing at David, he turned his hope towards God. He anchored his soul in hope. Many times, it wasn't faith he needed. It was simply hope.

 "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:5).

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him" (Psalms 62:5).

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

What happens when you anchor in God? Joy and peace will start flowing and you will overflow with hope. There will be this happy expectation that something  good is going to happen. Your faith will kick in for faith cannot work without hope (Heb 11:1). Before we bid farewell to 2018, let me exhort us with these words: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:13).Faith cannot work without hope. Hope (the happy expectation that something good is going to happen) cannot be without love. Bible says God is love. When you anchor your soul in God, when you hope in God, you will experience the greatest love story ever! Let's anchor our souls in hope, in the God of hope and let joy, peace and overflowing hope be our portion for the year ahead of us. No matter the wind, no matter the waves, no matter the undercurrents, let us all, like David, hope in God. Let us put our anchor down. For those of us who are anchored in hope, let's too not forget to check is we are still tied to the anchor of hope. God bless.