STAND YOUR GROUND

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HEBREWS 10: 32 - 39

HEBREWS 10: 32 - 39

OCTOBER 14, 2018

MEMORY VERSE

Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

(Hebrews 10:38)

INTRODUCTION:

In verse 32 it says, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, … This verse reminds me of my conversion: Pastor Elmer with his young people companions visited our house in 14^th street. He was asked me if I already accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour and I answered, “Is it needed?” He explained and accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. After conversion, I experienced very slight persecution. My parents were aware of spiritual matters because we were Protestants but that time they questioned my conversion and frequent goings in the church. Without my knowledge, our neighbor brainwashed my parents. They told negative things about Christian churches and this church; one of those things is my salary, she said that my money would only spend in the church and before it would be too late I should quit attending. One thing hurt me when our neighbor asked my father to bring me to Baguio City to have a good earning job and I refused. My dad heard it and he was really mad; that was the first time I saw his face like that. He cussed me and I was really crying hard. I knew and understand our situation; we were very poor. That time at the age of 16 I was working in a pawnshop. He talked to me like this:

Father: Why you refused?

Me: I want to serve God

Father: You can serve God anywhere

Me: Yes, but this time God spoke to me through His word and He wants me to stay here in Olongapo

Father: (He said bad words) From now on, after work don’t go anywhere, go straightly back home and don’t expect us to prepare food for you.

Me: (just crying and say nothing).

I really miss the feeling that you speak boldly for God against people questioning your conversion and changes. These experiences are nothing to be compared to the persecutions the early Christians experienced.

A stand-your-ground law (sometimes called "line in the sand" or "no duty to retreat" law) establishes a right by which a person may defend one's self or others (right of self-defense) against threats or perceived threats, even to the point of applying lethal force, regardless of whether safely retreating from the the situation might have been possible. Such a law typically states that an an individual has no duty to retreat from any place where they have a lawful right to be, and that they may use any level of force if they reasonably believe the threat rises to the level of being an imminent and immediate threat of serious bodily harm and/or death.

These words I heard from a newscaster anchor that she mentioned these words upon receiving an award for being firm in giving good news to people on television. Stand your ground based on the truth. These words caught my attention in our spiritual life.

There is a book that mentioned the history of how James, one of the disciples, died (https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/stand-your-ground-david-elvery-sermon-on-endurance-). Several years after Jesus died, King Herod Agrippa decided to stop the spread of Christianity by striking its leaders. He had James arrested and sentenced to death based on one man’s testimony. However, when this accuser saw James’ extraordinary courage and steadfast joy, even when condemned to die, the man was deeply touched in his heart. There on the spot, the accuser made a decision for Christ. He boldly cried out, "I want to follow Jesus also. I am a Christian."

The soldiers led James to be executed. Along the way, his accuser stopped the apostle and fell down at his feet. "I am so sorry for what I have done," he cried. "The blood of an innocent man is on my hands. Please, please, before you die, please forgive me." Let’s read Acts 12: 1-6 which mentioned how James’ death and why and how Peter was imprisoned.

These were just a few of the tragic things happened to early Christians. Maybe we think that persecution was incredible in the life of early Christians but in our present time, we don’t see the danger because we’re here in the city. How about in Mindanao?   Brother MT is an evangelist in the Philippines. He travels regularly into the mountains to preach to the terrorist groups. Peter, his eight-year-old nephew, frequently went with Brother MT on his evangelistic trips. He was a special help to him in children’s meetings in the mountain villages.

One day he received a message, "We have your nephew," said the handwritten note. "If you surrender to us, we will return the boy to his parents." Brother MT stared at the message. It was from the leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA), the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. People in many parts of the Philippines have been threatened and persecuted for years by this group of terrorists.

Because of pressure from the NPA, Brother MT was often forced into hiding. Still, as a result of his ministry, some of the NPA soldiers had given their lives to Jesus Christ and left the organization. MT had counted the cost and was prepared to give his life for the Gospel, but he was not prepared for this! He knew there was no hope that his surrender would save his nephew. He knew they would both be killed; still, he hesitated.

The boy’s parents insisted that MT ignore this order and continue his evangelistic outreach. As a result, the parents gave their son for the Gospel. Peter was killed on Good Friday, April 17, 1992. He was tortured for three hours and suffered very much. His hands were tied with wire, and the terrorists struck him in the legs and head with an ax. Finally, he was beheaded.

The abductors have warned the boy’s parents and MT that if they do not stop their ministry, they will return and torture them. Brother MT is continuing his dangerous work in the mountains among the terrorist groups(https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/stand-your-ground-david-elvery-sermon-on-endurance-).

Persecution and challenges to Christian people are not a thing of ancient history. It still happens in our time and Christians everywhere are being asked to stand their ground against those who want you to give up your faith. And today’s question for all of us, “Will you stand your ground?”

LESSON POINTS:

1)  STAND YOUR GROUND BECAUSE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN IS WORTH IT (HEBREWS 10: 32-34)

-       Have you known a person still happy if his property is confiscated?  In Hebrews 10: 32-34

³³ Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

³⁴ For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

You know that these things are temporal; knowing you have a better substance in heaven. You see having your salvation is far greater than everything on this earth.

-       In vs 32-34, the writer to the Hebrews starts to remind them of their past. They had just become Christians and were so convinced about the truth of their faith and so thankful to their new found Saviour that they stood their ground. They were suffering, yes, but they stood their ground. Against insult, against, persecution, against imprisonment, confiscation of property. They were associated with others who were persecuted and so were tarred with the same brush. Some even died. They still stood their ground – why? Because they knew that what they had – forgiveness and Salvation - were so much better than anything this world could offer. It would outshine and outlast anything they could achieve themselves. Their suffering and pain were worth it considering what awaited them.

(Insert the experience of John Bunyan, the Baptist martyr who laid down his life for preaching God’s Word)

2)  STAND YOUR GROUND BECAUSE YOUR REWARD IS SO NEAR (HEBREWS 10:35)

-       The second reason why the writer to the Hebrews says to stand your ground is that God’s reward is close at hand. Vs 35 says...

Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come and will not tarry.

We do have a reward that awaits us, a reward for those who have been faithful.

 James 1:12 says that “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

When we are promised that God will come again soon and deliver us from all our trials and pain. Our reward is not long coming – Will you stand firm like so many others in this world?

-       (insert the story of Haim’s Family, a Christian family, living in a communist country in 1970 -  Die for Us)

3)  STAND YOUR GROUND BECAUSE IF YOU DRAW BACK, GOD WILL BE DISPLEASED (HEBREWS 10:38)

-       “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

-       Insert the story of a mother and her daughter, Siao-Kei 5 years old, Mainland China - During the Red Guard Era, 1966-69 – Mother was forced to deny Christ for her daughter’s safety.

CONCLUSION:

I remember when I was in College, my classmate asked me to go somewhere with her to buy something. This time, I said yes because there were so many times I refused for those invitations she asked me to go with. After we bought something, again she asked me to go with her to pray in Columban church before we go home. For you all to know my childhood, elementary, high school and college life had so many struggles in gaining friends maybe because I learned to be alone and independent. Before I was not approachable but when they talked to me I tried everything to please them to have friends that’s why I also was so quiet regards to faith and doctrine. So when this classmate asked to me pray in a church with a different faith, I didn’t know what to do; I took a deep breath and said, “Friend sorry, I’m not Catholic. Our prayers are different.” She replied, “From the start, I didn’t notice you are not Catholic. I don’t know.”  I said, “Yes, but now I tell you I’m not. Still friends?” She said yes but I noticed she distanced herself from me. You know what why she said she didn’t know I was not a Catholic? It’s because I kept silent about my faith and I did not respond to spiritual matters. There are simple things we can stand on our ground. We don’t have that incredible experiences but in simple things, we can stand on our ground. Could you stand your ground if your boss asks you to carry the idols for company picture taking?  Could you stand if the breadwinner of the family asks you to do something against your faith?

There is a lesson we could learn from this story:

Archibald Naismith tells us that at the Battle of Waterloo when the fight became its worst, an officer galloped up to the Commander, the Duke of Wellington and said, "my Captain says we are being destroyed, we need reinforcements quickly." The Duke said simply, "tell him to stand." The officer galloped back to relay the message to his Captain.

Shortly the same messenger galloped back with the same message. Again, Wellington said simply, "tell him to stand."

Very soon another officer the same with the same request. Wellington’s response was this, "I have no help to send you, tell him to stand." The officer saluted and replied, "you will find us there sir."

When the battle was fought and won the Duke found each of those men at his post. All dead, but they stood. They had laid down their lives for the victory.

Bible says in Ephesians 6:10-11(KJV)

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

One lesson we could see in this lesson is although we know that we have the armour, God’s Word, the weapon to fight in the battle, we still need to stand your ground and use your weapon.  The emphasis is not on the armour, but on standing. The armour is simply a tool that we are to use to carry out God’s command, "STAND."

(https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/stand-your-ground-david-elvery-sermon-on-endurance-

OFFENDED BY THE WORD

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Memory Verse

Matthew 11:6 (KJV)

⁶ And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

OCTOBER 20, 2018

MATTHEW 15: 1 -20;

JOHN 6: 27 - 71

Introduction:

What does offend mean?

The Oxford dictionary defines the word 'offend' as 'to cause to feel upset, annoyed, or resentful'

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as 'to cause (a person or group) to feel hurt, angry, or upset by something said or done'

Have you experienced being offended? Many of us would say yes but the great thing is we still here. How about being offended by men, leaders, and pastors of the church? I had an experience wherein a pastor was assigned to be the speaker and people were blessed with the sermon. After the worship service, few leaders, pastors had the chance to have a short talk. I heard the speaker talked about his preaching. He said he was not really cried in the sermon, he had a cold and pretended to cry. I was offended not because some members went forward to surrender but because the sermon is a serious matter that needs more focus and prayer to the Lord; it’s a time to share God’s message through you. This kind of offense is different from our topic today; Offended by the Word is quite serious and needs spiritual discernment from the Lord.

Have you thought about being offended by the Lord Jesus Christ?

I’ll give some situations from the Bible and try to personalize them:

a)       A rich young ruler liked Jesus and agreed with what He taught ("Good Teacher") and clearly wanted confirmation that his good behavior would result in eternal life. But Jesus' response offends his own sense of worth, and he walks away from Jesus saddened, and unchanged.

b)      ²¹ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

²² And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

²³ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

²⁴ But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

²⁵ Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

²⁶ But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Matthew 15:21-26) [emphasis mine] The Jews regarded Gentiles as 'dogs' - a deeply offensive term in their culture (Matthew 7:6) And Jesus has just publicly referred to her daughter as a dog!  How offensive was that? But listen to her reply. “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (v.27) Now listen to the response from Jesus. “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” (v.28) And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

                        Matthew Henry's commentary on this event.

Many methods of Christ's providence, especially of His grace, in dealing with His people, which are dark and perplexing, may be explained by this story, which teaches us that there may be love in Christ's heart while there are frowns on His face; and it encourages us, though He seems ready to slay us, yet to trust in Him. Those whom Christ intends most to honour, He humbles to feel their own unworthiness. A proud, unhumbled heart would not have borne this.

c)       He was speaking the truth from 1 Kings chapter 12 and 2 Kings chapter 5, but the people in the synagogue were so offended by the implications of His words they threw Him out of the the synagogue, out of the city and then tried to throw Him off a cliff.

So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. (Luke 4:28)

d)      Imagine you are in the temple when Jesus arrives with a whip of cords (John 2:13-16). If that happened at our church would we be offended by His behavior?

e)       For instance how many of us have heard these challenging and potentially offensive words of Jesus preached to us?

"If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. You should lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right-hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. You should lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:29-30

Then another of His disciples said to Him "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father" But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me; and let the dead bury their dead" Matthew 8:21-22

“If any come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abideth not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:5-6)

So then, because of thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth. Revelation 3:16

These are just some of the situations wherein the sayings of our Lord are offensive. Now let’s study the lesson titled “OFFENDED BY THE WORD.”

LESSON POINTS:

   1)   THEY’RE OFFENDED POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY NEVER TRUST CHRIST AT ALL, OR ACCEPT HIM AS THEIR SAVIOR (JOHN 6:42).

-      What comes to your mind with our first point? (let few people answer)

-      Proofs that they were not accepted Christ as Saviour:

a)   Looking for Jesus for the wrong reasons (6:26)

b)   The Work of God—Believe (6:28-29)

c)    Requiring another miraculous sign (6:30-31)

d)   The True Bread from heaven (6:32-34)

    2)   SOME JOIN THE CHURCH WHO, AFTER TIME, ARE OFFENDED (PROFESSING CHRISTIANS) (John 6: 66-67)

Now, why is it that some, who profess to know Him are offended with Christ?  Well, with some it is because the novelty wears off. Very earnest services were held and they were greatly affected. They thought that they repented and believed, so they joined the church. Now the good men who held the services are gone and everything seems rather flat after such excitement. And so, they have gone back again. They jumped into religion like a man into a bath, and they have jumped out again, put on their clothes and gone back to the world and to what they were before.

When we visited the USA a few months ago, we noticed that we hadn’t seen any lizard in my sister’s place. We just ignored it until one time, a blogger sited an example to his sermon about lizards then I started to search about them. The explanation about lizards was answered:

(explanations are taken from http://lizardsandfriends.org/?p=596

In spring and summer in Texas, we see lizards everywhere we look.  They’re climbing on the trees, crawling on the ground, and running around the walls of our houses.  If you watch a lizard for a few minutes in the summer, you’ll probably see it catching an insect to eat, or chasing another lizard out of its territory, or sitting in the shade to stay cool.

But in the fall and winter when the temperature drops, we don’t see many lizards anymore.  What are they doing when the cold wind and rain come?  The answer is, they’re not doing very much!  Lizards are a type of animal called ectotherms, which means that their body temperature is the same as the environment around them.  So when the air outside is cold, lizards are cold too.  On the other hand, humans (along with other mammals and birds) are endotherms, which means that our internal functions keep our bodies at a warm temperature no matter what the weather is outside.

When lizards are cold, they don’t need to eat very much to stay alive, so they don’t need to be active.  Instead, they try to find a warm place to hide.  They might burrow under leaves, or dig a hole in the soil, or find a hole in a tree trunk.  In general, lizards will sit very still in these safe places and wait for warmer weather, when they will come out and sit in the sun to warm themselves.  Once they’re warm, they’ll start running after food and chasing other lizards again!

Not any of the twelve apostles, for they are distinguished from these in the next verse; nor any of the seventy disciples, but some of the a multitude of the disciples, who followed Christ, heard him and professed to believe in him, and were baptized in his name, but were not true disciples,

    3)  SOME WHO WERE OFFENDED BY THE TRUTH BUT DID NOT WALK AWAY (JOHN 6: 36 – 71)

-      What were the lessons mentioned:

a)    I Am the Bread of Life (6:35-36)

b)    A Passage of Promise (6:37-40)

c)    No-one Can Come Unless the Father draws Him (6:41-47)

d)    The Bread of Life that Comes Down from Heaven (6:48-51a) Now Jesus repeats His claim that He is the Bread of Life (6:33,35).

e)    Eat My Flesh (6:51b-52

f)     Flesh Given for the Life of the World (6:51b)

-      The earliest New Testament believers were 'messianic Jews'. Men and women who were raised in the Jewish religion, the Jewish traditions and Jewish culture.

Scripture states that 'life is in the blood' (Lev. 3:17 & 17:11) and so eating blood was (and still is) a deeply offensive thing to a Jew. Hence their ritual slaughtering of animals which allows the blood to be drained from the meat.

When gentiles - who knew little of the Jewish culture - began to flood into the Kingdom some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees wanted them to be circumcised, and this issue, in particular, brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute with them. (Acts 15:1-3)

Eventually the apostles and elders met at Jerusalem to decide what wise stipulations they should lay upon the rapidly increasing numbers of gentile believers. After much debate, James - the step-brother of Jesus - stood up and addressed the council saying,

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from the blood. Acts 15:19-20 [emphasis mine]

Thus the 'original Christians' from within the Jewish culture were agreeable to drop the issue of circumcision, and didn't mention Sabbath-keeping, but asked them to abstain from food offered to idols, sexual immorality, meat from strangled animals and blood. Why these four stipulations?

One commentary on these verses said,

Circumcision was not required but four stipulations were laid down. These were in areas where the gentiles had particular weaknesses and where the Jews were particularly repulsed by gentile violations. It would help both the individual and the relationship between Gentile and Jew if these requirements were observed. (The NIV Bible Study) [emphasis mine]

So with this background information it is not hard to understand how deeply offensive the idea of flesh being eaten with the blood still in it would be, even to a messianic Jew.

We get that.

Jesus was Jewish, raised in a Jewish home, in a Jewish land with Jewish traditions and a robust Jewish culture. He knew flesh with blood was offensive.

With that understanding, listen to Jesus addressing Jewish listeners in the synagogue in Capernaum.

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Jesus said unto them, “Verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed". (John 6:51-55)  [emphasis mine]

What offense! And the crowd was offended. Very offended. So were His disciples.

With great understatement many of His disciples said,

“This is a hard saying; who can hear it? (“This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”) (Luke 6:60)

To which Jesus replied,

“Doth this offend you?” (or “Does this offend you?)  (John 6:61)

So the offensive was His words that we read,

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, “Will ye also go away?”  (John 6: 66-67)

Simon Peter answered him on behalf of them all,

“Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”(John 6: 68-69) [emphasis mine]

In other words, the disciples who did not walk away - were definitely offended by 'the truth' but did not walk away as others did because they had truly come to believe and to know that He was indeed, the Christ, the Son of the living God.

NOURISHED UP

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1TIMOTHY 4:6

Lesson Prepared by: krisha of Solomon Wisdom FB page

 October 7, 2018

MEMORY VERSE

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

INTRODUCTION:

When I was in my childhood until teenage life, our relatives always teased me “payatot, patpatin and many more” because of my body built. This caused me to have low self-esteem. They also told my mom “has she been eating or not?” Another situation is my sister, Carol,

her teacher told her she was a malnourished child and needed to eat nutritious food. Most of us are aware of our health and body. We are more concern about how to feed our bodies to be strong.

How about our spiritual situation? Are we aware of spiritual malnutrition? We need to be nourished up like what Paul had mentioned to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:6 which says, “If thou put in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou has attained.” In commentary nourished up means in Greek: it’s present, not past which means “continually being nourished in.” This makes me think why it’s not past because it ends in -ed and I notice on how the sentence was used; it’s a passive voice that uses past participle. This means that the doer of the action is not only the person talking to but also to someone (possible to all of us). Therefore we all need to be nourished up.

Timothy was reminded and needed to continue being nourished up which he dwelled first from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2Timothy 1:5). In 2 Timothy 3:14, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou has known the Holy Scriptures, which can make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”

LESSON POINTS:

   1)  READ AND TREASURE GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART (PS 119:11)

-       A condition afflicts some of the members of the church are the condition of spiritual malnutrition; this is the weakness resulting from an adequate supply of spiritual food. This condition happened in in the church of Corinth who suffered from spiritual illness.

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

Have you thought of examples wherein you can see these verses in some situations in the church? Remember one time wherein a member of the church was offended about tithes. She was hurt by a sermon wherein the CBT members were reminded by God’s Word about our ministry in giving. She informed some members in America that caused a bad connotation on how the church has been managed here. We see that this member was easily offended; what is your opinion on this situation? Can we say she always wanted milk as her spiritual food and not meat? Another situation: a member always remember what happened a decade ago and keep on blaming the church on what happened to him. Could we say he is not ready for meat? Bible says, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” After 10 years or more in spiritual life could others expect that we ought to be teachers? Base on the Bible, YES!

-       We know that the best weapon to fight evil and resist temptation is the word of God like

-      what happened to Jesus in the wilderness when he was tempted by Satan. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Nourished up means you read and treasure God’s Word in our hearts.

    2)  YOU HAVE THE DESIRE FOR SPIRITUAL FOOD (MATTHEW 5:6)

-        Have you felt an instance wherein you are excited to attend worship service and hear God’s Word? But time and years go by and the appetite is not there. I remember my personal situation wherein I prayed to the Lord to give me an appetite for eating. That time I had 22 inches size of waistline; I was very thin. I don’t have a good appetite. This situation made everyone around me got worried especially, my parents. I lived away from my family at that time. They saw me very sickly. How about our spiritual life? If we don’t have the appetite, we’re sick. If you are that kind of person wherein you want to stay at the back and want to mingle with friends during worship service, we can say that the desire of hearing God’s word and be filled is not there, am I correct? If this happens to you, you should be aware that you are spiritually ill. Bible says Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” If that is your desire you will be filled. For now, let God searches our hearts.

-        

   3)  YOU DO SPIRITUAL EXERCISE TO GROW STRONG (1 TIMOTHY 4:8-10, HEBREWS 5:12-14)

-       Bible says, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable in all things…” We know how important in our health our physical exercise. What will happen to us if we always sit and do nothing? Our nerves don’t work well; blood clots will appear and may cause our death. Again, the Bible said that bodily exercise is good, but the best is exercising godliness and profitable in all things. Whatever we learn and hear from the word of God, God the Holy Spirit urges us to exercise what we have learned and heard because faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).

-       Most of us would agree that it’s hard to exercise and be healthy. It’s hard to get up and exercise and if we are offered a scrumptious dinner then it’s hard to refuse. Our problem is discipline. Another member told me “it’s easy to get angry than be calm,” Is this right? And when you think you’re right, it’s hard to say sorry. These emotional feelings are part of our life but we need to exercise our spiritual nature and what it says in the Bible. Bible says in Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” and in Ephesians 4:26, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. In Matthew 5:23-24, ²³ Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;²⁴ Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. These verses don’t say anything about which of the two people got the biggest mistakes but it just says “be reconciled.” Exercising God’s word in our lives is hard that’s why we need God to rule in our hearts.

    4)  YOU HAVE THE SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT (HEBREWS 5:14)

-       Do we have that highest discernment of knowing what is good and evil?  Some of us may say yes but let’s try to discern the following situations:

a)    Beware of subjectivity – relating to the way a person experiences things in his or her own mind, based on feelings or opinions rather than facts. We should be aware of what you think is good, for example, a teacher or preacher always says what is based on their experiences rather than verses from the Bible. A teacher and preacher should teach from the Word and then give examples from experiences and not experiences first before God’s Word. In other words, don’t base your spiritual view from experiences but from God’s Word. Example: a woman’s view about attending – it’s okay to only attend worship service that’s what she has been used to do since she was a teenager. It’s better to attend once every month rather than never. What do you think? Another thing posted on facebook in the Tagalog language, “Mas maganda ang hindi palasimba pero hindi tsismosa kesa sa palasimba pero tsismosa naman.” One more, “Mas maganda ang palamura at may ginagawa kesa hindi palamura pero walang ginagawa.” You may think these are just simple things but remember discernment is not discerning what is good and bad but discerning what is good and almost good.” Your view reflects who you are. If you’re a Christian, then reflect on who you are.

b)    Beware what appeals to pride - a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people. If someone gets offended because of you and you would say, “It’s his/her fault I won’t go to him or her for reconciliation. He or She should take the action first.” Or “I am a teacher, preacher, pastor, lawyer, or businessman I should not do this” Is this the right view in resolving conflicts? Is this the right view in serving God?

c)    Beware of Sensation – a particular feeling or effect that your body experiences. Don’t base your view and decisions base on feelings because our feelings are not fixed. Base them from the Word of God and ask God for wisdom.

We are commanded to “hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9). But, unless we have true discernment, how can we determine what is “evil” and what is “good”? To maintain the purity of the gospel, the church must distinguish truth from heresy. Wisdom also demands that we properly discriminate between what is “best” and what is merely “good.”

Discernment has many collateral benefits. “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shall thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” (Proverbs 3:21-24).

Just as Solomon sought discernment and wisdom (Proverbs 1:2; 1 King 3:9-12) to explore the handiwork of God (Ecclesiastes 1:13) and seek the meaning of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13), so should believers seek “the wisdom that comes from heaven” (James 3:17). We must study the Scriptures which are “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).………………………………………………………………………….

May our prayer be “I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes” (Psalm 119:125).

CONCLUSION:

-      I remember our experience wherein a member of a church was acted like she was experiencing evil possession. Christians know that a believer can’t be possessed but can be oppressed because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. To continue the story, all Christians surrounded her were emotional and praying hard. That time I can’t explain to myself why I felt nothing at that time. I thought I was the only felt that way but few of us felt the same way. We just kept silent and prayed for discernment and we didn’t want to cut the emotional situation they had; they were really touched by the situation. Few of us who felt the same way didn’t have the chance to talk about it. Until one time in a bible study gathering; we had the chance and shared our thoughts and feelings. We discerned that the scene was not something evil possession but just wanted to get people’s attention. We didn’t’ have the proof that’s why we just kept quiet until it happened again but this time the scene was really confusing, and it caused the others to react the same as ours. Time went by and the person who was thought was possessed was a diagnosis of having abnormalities in her behavior and there were family problems that needed to resolve. We can see in our lesson today that we need to be nourished up so we can determine what’s good and evil.

-       One time after church when we arrived from the church, we notice our plant beside the door almost died; the stem bent down. I said to Carol in Tagalog, “Sayang naman patay na ang kaisa-isa nating halaman pero subukan mong diligan baka mabuhay.” To my surprise, after my sister watered the plant and in a few minutes, it stands again and looks healthy. This gives me a reflection and to think about our spiritual health, we really need to be nourished up.  Nourished up not just today or this month; let’s continually being nourished in.