Devotional – Page 3 – King James Bible Believers Website

How To Get Prayers Answered

The healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman is a classic case on how to get prayers answered.

This woman of Canaan was a desperate mother whose daughter was grievously vexed with a devil. She must be at her wits end trying whatever means to deal with her daughter’s vexing trouble. It was no ordinary ailment where human intervention might bring solution to her vexing soul. It was an affliction that originated from a different dimension where human efforts are often found wanting and powerless in the face of such assault on the body, mind and soul of the tormented victims. Many were afflicted with such trouble in Israel and the religious elites could offer little help to the family members of the suffering victims.

But this woman of Canaan heard about Jesus and she had faith that the Lord could be the only solution to heal her pitiful daughter, God knows for how long had she been afflicted with the devil. So she approached the Lord during the Lord’s visit to her hometown.

Matthew 15:21: Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Matthew 15:22: 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.

Her approach was direct and she went straight to the point to plead for mercy, acknowledging Jesus as the Lord, the Son of David. All nationalistic pride was put aside, confirming the Lord Jesus Christ to be the King of the Jews, who would sit on the throne of David ruling over Israel. So this woman wasn’t an ignorant peasant unhappy with the Jews living in the former land of her forefathers and full of hatred for the Jews.

She cried and begged the Lord to have mercy on her and relating to the Lord her daughter’s condition. It wasn’t a small matter as her daughter was vexed with a devil badly in need of deliverance.

Matthew 15:23: But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

However, the Lord ignored her. The Lord was being kind to her by ignoring her. The Lord could have said nasty thing she might not want to hear. She was not one of their own people. So the Lord kept silent.

With the Lord ignoring her, this woman went after the disciples. She must be harassing the disciples to ask them to help speak with the Lord. The disciples’ lack of compassion was rather telling. Instead of helping her intercede with the Lord to heal her daughter, the disciples got frustrated and went to beseech the Lord to send her away.

They didn’t behave that way when the Jews were healed of devils but for this woman, not one of their own nationality, they could not care less. Such is the hardness of men still very much plagued with nationalistic divide over who should benefit from blessings of their Messiah. So the woman continued her pleading with whoever who would help say a word to the Lord to help her and heal her daughter and this got annoying, at least with the disciples.

Matthew 15:24: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Finally, the Lord open His mouth. Those words weren’t what this woman hoped to hear. But the disciples were very likely pleased and perhaps even secretly applauded the Lord’s reply to the woman. They couldn’t wait to get this woman off their back and they still had much work to do and with many others to minister to. Every day was a busy day and this woman of Canaan was holding up their work.

Moreover, it was the Lord who commissioned them to minster to the Jews and they were expressly forbidden to reach out to the Gentiles. Now this Gentile woman showed up and this would be a good test to see if the Lord meant business. So far the Lord confirmed the mission was meant for the Jews only.

Matthew 10:5: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

Matthew 10:6: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The disciples were observing what the Lord would do with this woman, a non Jew coming to ask for help. Would the Lord practise double standards and violate His own admonishment for the disciples to avoid the Gentiles? The Lord’s reply confirmed their earlier commission. The Gentiles were to be bypassed. No doubt, the disciples might be glad and even pleased too.

So the door for this woman had been closed. She was an outsider outside of the commonwealth of Israel and could not enjoy the blessings meant for Israel. But she still didn’t give up knowing all avenues were closed and she had no other authority to appeal to in order to become a recipient of God’s blessing for His chosen people. She left the disciples and approached the Lord again since the Lord had opened His mouth to pronounce His rejection of her plea.

Matthew 15:25: Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

This time, this woman did more than just acknowledging the Lord as the Son of David. She came and worshipped Him. She even worshipped Jesus as the Lord God, above just the King of the Jews. In fact, the Lord is not just the God of the Jews but God of the Gentiles as well. This episode of healing was about timing and the Jews must be dealt with first.

Earlier, she called Jesus Lord and Son of David. She already knew her proper place. This time she upped the ante and she worshipped the Lord. Her priority was to get her daughter healed and she knew the Lord could and she was doing all she could to get that blessing and her prayers answered.

If you are using some false bibles, you will get your prayers hindered. The translators of these fake bibles didn’t believe this woman of Canaan worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. They only believe she bowed down or knelt before the Lord. Bowing down and kneeling do not necessarily mean worship for many people in this world also bow and kneel before earthly kings but worship is only reserved for the Divine. So it is time to throw away these modern fake bibles in order to get your prayers answered.

Matthew 15:25New International Version (NIV)
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

Matthew 15:25New American Standard Bible (NASB)
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

Matthew 15:25English Standard Version (ESV)
But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

Matthew 15:25Amplified Bible (AMP)
But she came and began to kneel down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

Matthew 15:26: But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Since the Lord had already opened His mouth and the woman had persistently not given up hope on getting the Lord to do something for her daughter, the Lord had no choice but to reveal the real truth to this poor woman who had already lowered herself to beg, cry, prostrate and worship the Lord.

The reply here was terrible. To add insult to injury, she was called a dog. This woman was already humiliated for being an outsider. Now she was called a dog.

What do you expect this woman to do? Crawl away barking like a dog and complain to everyone how heartless the Lord has been to her?

Anyone who is not sincere and just making use of the Lord to get prayers answered without truly believing in the Lord and becoming a follower of the Lord would be greatly offended. How often we see people who needed help would do anything to just get what they wanted and then they would turn their back to their benefactors once they achieved their objectives!

Such people would come to you just to get a blessing and then leave you when you are no longer useful. Such scheming people would no doubt get up and spit at you and walk away and blast you all over the Internet to show to the world how cruel you are and would demolish you because you didn’t accede to their demands.

But this woman of Canaan was a woman of faith, no doubt a sincere believer of the Lord Jesus Christ. She was already in trials and tribulation over her daughter’s plight, what more could be added to afflict her and for this instant, it came from none other than the Lord of the whole earth to test her faith and tenacity in prayers!

The disciples might be getting more irritated even though this woman had left them and went back to beg the Lord for help. Why didn’t this Gentile woman just get lost and leave them alone? Didn’t she know she wasn’t a qualified beneficiary and the Lord had also made clear to her!

But this woman’s reply stunned heaven and astounded the disciples as well wondering how much lower could she go in order to get the Lord to lift a finger to help her and heal her daughter.

Matthew 15:27: And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

Such a reply was classic. When she was already put down and then called a dog, instead of being offended, she reasoned with the Lord. There was so much wisdom in her reply under tremendous stress and despair with everyone over there against her and no one spoke a word in her favour.

Her reply was spoken softly rather than yelling back at the Lord but those words struck a chord in containing the Lord’s reproach, cornered the Lord and stormed through the dark clouds of heaven and so the windows of heaven poured down blessings upon her that day.

It is truly not right to give food meant for the children and cast it to dogs. The biblical exhortation is always to take care of one’s family first and not the other way around.

1 Timothy 5:8: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

How many times have we come across foolish Christians giving away their wealth to ministers of Satan promising them God’s blessings and prosperity and then their family suffer poverty while these ministers of Satan enrich themselves and live in luxury.

What the Lord told this woman earlier wasn’t being unkind but scriptural. It must always be taking care of family first before helping others. Putting outsiders first would cause the family to fall apart. How many ministers who put in so much effort in ministering to others and neglected their own family and then they wonder why they ended up in divorce or their children become rebels when they grow up!

Perhaps everyone over there that day expected this woman to throw in the towel feeling disgusted and walked away. The Lord had already used the most cruel words to put her down and this was generally the attitude of the Jews towards the Gentiles regarding them as unclean. Even the Samaritans they regarded as people having a devil and would not speak with them or have anything to do with them.

John 4:9: Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

John 8:48: Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

Years later when Peter opened the gospel door to the Gentiles at Cornelius house in Acts chapter 10, he ran into trouble with the Jewish believers in Acts chapter 11 who confronted him. He had to explain himself with witnesses following him to Cornelius house to keep the peace of the believers in Israel.

But those words from the woman rang loud and clear though spoken softly hoping for the best. How would the disciples answer her having heard these words? What other excuse could the Lord throw at her with such a reasonable reply from her?

Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. What she said was true and an observable known fact! How else could anyone counter her argument?

The Lord told the disciples not to minister to the Gentiles and the Lord made Himself an example by not wanting to help this Gentile woman. But what this woman did and said that day changed the course of events following. None wag a tongue after hearing what she said and all mouth was stopped that moment.

Matthew 15:28: Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The Lord’s reply was one of excitement and full of admiration for her great faith and thus granting her request and her daughter was made whole that very hour. The Lord is plenteous in mercies but worthy recipients are few and far between. The Lord is rich beyond imagination but those chosen to share His wealth are just remnants who accept Jesus as Messiah and Saviour of the world.

This woman was one such recipients of the Lord’s mercy and grace and of course riches beyond measure. That day, her posture was one from prostrate humility and kneeling on the ground in worship to another of rising in victory conquering all odds that were stacked against her. No one could possibly stand in her way from getting her prayers answered.

The disciples stood speechless as the Lord took the exception to grant healing to the daughter of this Gentile woman that was against the original commandment given to them to minister only to the Jews, the lost sheep of the house of Israel. No one complained and stood against her for the Lord’s double standards in dealing with this Gentile woman in this case. They heard with their very own ears what this woman said and her reasoning was one full of faith and humble gentle submission in responding to the King of the Jews why she should be one of the recipients of the Lord’s mercy and grace even though she was a Gentile dog.

This woman’s admission of her lowly status nationally speaking and her unflinching determination interceding with the Lord in wisdom and humility won her the Lord’s favour as well as everyone present with no one dared to disapprove of the Lord dispensing healing to her tormented daughter.

She became a living example of what the Lord proclaimed as a message to the desperate and despairing John the Baptist rotting in jail waiting for execution, and she was blessed indeed because she was not offended by the Lord and in what the Lord had told her earlier.

Matthew 11:6: And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Seldom you will find the Lord excited and exclaiming a big fat O in responding to situation during His earthly ministry. Here is one such incident where the Lord exclaimed with a big O followed by praise for this woman’s great faith.

Just a chapter before this woman’s incident, the Lord also likewise exclaimed with a big fat O but this was in response to Peter’s lack of faith while walking on water towards the Lord.

Matthew 14:30: But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Matthew 14:31: And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matthew 15:25: Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Matthew 15:28: Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Putting these verses together is a rather embarrassing comparison. Both made short prayers and were answered. The Jewish apostle was rebuked for his little faith and doubts while this Gentile woman was commended for her great faith and for not giving an inch to every obstacles thrown in her way to prevent her from getting her prayers answered and her daughter healed.

Such is the Lord’s dealing with fallen man. Even chosen privileged people of God can fail in faith while those temporarily set aside Gentiles could gain access to the privileges conferred for God’s own people and become one such members of God’s amazing goodness to all fallen man. Now that the chosen nation of Israel has been set aside for two thousand years and the Gentile Church is temporarily grafted in to deal with the world at large to magnify the name of Jesus above every name, the day will soon dawn upon this world when the Church is removed and the nation of Israel is come into focus again in the Lord’s prophetic calendar.

In order to get your prayers answered, you need to know your place and come sincerely in humility in worship of the Lord who is worthy of all praises and adorations. If you trust those fake bibles without having to worship the Lord in praying to the Lord to hear your petition, you will be badly mistaken. You will need to justify with reasons why the Lord should grant you your request lest you ask for things to consume upon your own lust which is not according to God’s perfect will for you. On top of that, you need to have this unflinching faith in the Lord who is more than able and capable to grant you your request. The question is whether you are one such worthy recipient for God to honour that request you put before the court in heaven.

Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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

Faith is a prerequisite when approaching the Lord to petition your request. You must believe that He is God when you approach Him diligently like this Gentile woman. The Lord will then reward you according to your faith when you have pleased Him no matter how hopeless the situation might be.

Luke 11:9: And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke 11:10: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

May heaven smile upon you as you bring your petitions before the Lord in all humble submission full of faith and truth!

Thinking out of the Earth

Very often, we have been told to think out of the box to come out with innovative solution to deal with some difficult situation or solve some tough problem. For earthly situation within human control, this might work but there will be times where all human effort would prove to be elusive where the problem would still remain within the box beyond all human intervention.

There is case in point regarding the feeding of the thousands where the disciples of the Lord were offered a chance to think out of the box for a solution but they all ended up boxed in by the problem. No solution was found until they gave up thinking out of the box.

Consider the situation here when the Lord offered them a chance to come up with an innovative solution to solve the hunger situation of the followers who came the hear the preaching of the Lord.

Matthew 14:14: And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
Matthew 14:15: And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
Matthew 14:16: But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
Matthew 14:17: And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Mark 6:35: And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
Mark 6:36: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
Mark 6:37: He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

John 6:5: When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
John 6:6: And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
John 6:7: Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
John 6:8: One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
John 6:9: There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

It was a futile situation beyond all human hope. How could the multitudes be fed? We could sense the disciples reacting in frustration. The response from the disciples sums up their conclusion.

It was an impossible task. It was a mission impossible. No matter how much brain juice they could squeeze to think out of the box, it was not going to be of any help and make any difference to those people waiting to be fed.

The people in this world would criticize the disciples for lacking in helicopter vision. They were all looking horizontally being bogged down by the cares of the ministries and they forgot to look up. All human endeavour matters nothing for a situation like this.

What they really needed was to think out of the earth. They should view the situation from above to solve this earthly problem. They had forgotten they had the Lord with them who came from above. Who else could provide a solution to solve this hunger situation better than the Lord?

They had been so accustomed to watching all the miraculous healings that were taking place among the people including casting out of devils beyond human intervention but why they failed to rely on the Lord was another symptom of human weakness, albeit followers of Christ. They were becoming too familiar with the Lord just as another ordinary man among them, a miracle worker no doubt.

It was only after the episode of the Lord walking on water towards them where Peter tried and failed when he left his eyes on the Lord to focus on the boisterous wind instead that the disciples worshipped the Lord with this confession.

Matthew 14:33: Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

The disciples got distracted and couldn’t see beyond the horizon. In fact, the situation the disciples had to deal with was nothing new. Prophet Elisha encountered one such similar situation though smaller in scale.

2 Kings 4:42: And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
2 Kings 4:43: And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
2 Kings 4:44: So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.

Didn’t the disciples know of this account from their Old Testament? Given the fact that the scribes and priests were custodians of the scriptures, if they didn’t know of such an account, it reflected the spiritual poverty of the people during that time. It shouldn’t come as a surprise though because the religious authority during that time had conclusively rejected Christ as their Messiah. If the religious elite didn’t know any better, then the common people won’t fare much better as well.

Nevertheless, the disciples should know how the children of Israel who came out of Egypt were fed with manna from above for forty years. Getting too busy and too tired can cause anyone to forget past victory and blessings. So no solution could come from the disciples concerning this situation of the feeding of the thousands, but another monumental miracles documented for all posterity to remember the power and goodness of the Lord.

It is so easy to get distracted by all the cares in this life even though some activities are legitimate concerning ministering to the saints. This can cause our eyes to look at earthly solution instead of looking for divine intervention when face with difficult situation and troublesome problem.

Our spiritual posture should be one of looking up instead of looking around. Much more can be done by looking to the Lord with steadfast faith than to rely on our fallen mind for wisdom and knowledge. They will surely fail.

Instead of thinking out of the box, it is better to think out of the earth and look to the Lord for help.

Tiger Mom and Eagle Dad

For many years, it has been reported that Asians are consistently outperforming Caucasians academically. One report suggests that Asian students work harder than their counterpart for their phenomenal academic performance.

Why Asian-American Students Outperform Their White Peers

While it may be true Asian students work harder, it does not however explain the reason why they work harder and the actual underlying motivation for them to work harder other than their “outsider” status in the host country.

Another report suggests that higher Asian parental expectation for their children’s academic performance is another reason why Asian students outperform US students. US parents are content with having lower academic performance for their children and this is not helping their children to level up to Asian students.

Why Asian Students Still Outdistance Americans

The above reports are based on observations seen through the lens of westerners’ perspective and they do not address the actual inner psychic of traditional Asians. Many Chinese hope and desire their sons to become dragon and their daughters to become phoenix according to the proverbial sayings, 望子成龙，望女成风.

Dragon and phoenix symbolize power and wealth. In time past, Chinese emperors wore dragon robes. Chinese believe they are descendants of dragons. By the way, there is a very famous Chinese song, Descendants of the Dragons, and Chinese cannot but be moved by the lyrics of this song which is quite melodious.

Since it is the hopes of Chinese parents for their children to become a symbol of success when they grow up, this process cannot be left to chance. Children are taught from young to live a disciplined life according to this Chinese proverb, 玉不琢不成器人不学不知义。

Like jade that requires cutting and polishing to become a much sought after masterpiece, children are required to undergo rigorous training from young to become some outstanding person when they grow up. A child who does not learn will not understand righteousness is the second part of this proverb and hence the constant emphasis on learning.

So it has been driven into the inner psychic of Chinese parents to teach their children to pursue academic excellence from a young age as recorded in the Chinese classic written in 1100 AD, 万般皆下品，唯有读书高.

Every occupation on earth is rather common but academic excellence is of the highest esteem. Therefore, this constant forward looking posture of acquiring knowledge is a Chinese tradition drilled into the minds of children at a young age.

By the way, such thinking and work ethics also hold true for Koreans, Japanese, Taiwanese and even Vietnamese. A visit to the Temple of Literature in Hanoi City will show how much Chinese influence has taken hold on the Vietnamese even of today.

As such, this gives rise to some overbearing parents to become tiger moms micromanaging the lives of their children and their everyday activities in the pursuit of excellence in every aspect of life. Of course this does not sound like fun but once success has been achieved, looking back, the child would understand why the mother has to be very strict and rigid with the upbringing regime.

http://time.com/88125/the-tiger-mom-effect-is-real-says-large-study/

In addition, some children bore the brunt of rigorous training and discipline from eagle dad at a very young age. The kind of training some of these little kids go through will shock many. It is like putting these kids through special force or army rangers training at a tender young age.

Eagle Dad Regime

So learning and pursuing academic success become part of the psychic of Chinese from young so much so even Cantopop singer and song writer Sam Hui wrote a song 学生哥 to encourage young children to pursue their studies when they are young lest they regret later in their life.

To the Chinese, not doing well academically shames the family. Decades ago, a neighbour of mine failed his national examinations at age 12 and he dared not return home after getting his results from school. He eventually came home after a very long reflection and fearing retributive punishment back home. He had to repeat another year to sit for the national examinations again the following year. Education is a serious business for Asians.

This constant need to excel does take a toll on some. Last month, a Japanese father stabbed his 12 year old son to death for failing to study for a school entrance exam.

Japanese Man Stabs 12 Year Old Son to Death For Failing Exam

This is tragic no less. High parental expectation on children has probably driven some to suicide. A couple of years back, a young girl having done pretty well for her Cambridge Ordinary Level examinations except for one or two subjects that she failed to score a distinction committed suicide. A few months after, her mother took her own life as well. The father was reduced to a mental wreck requiring professional help since.

Another tragic case was reported in Canada in 2010. A bright young Vietnamese girl was put through the strict no-nonsense regime by her parents hoping she would become successful someday. She was doing pretty well during the initial years but dropped out thereafter and she lied to her parents about making it into the University of Toronto.

Eventually when her parents found out about her deceit, she was grounded. Her boy friend then conspired with her to hire killers to murder her parents and then inherit the property. Tragically, her mother died during the assault.

Daughter of Vietnamese Immigrants Hired Hit Men to Kill Her Parents

This is one of those sad stories of human frailties struggling to make it in this fallen world. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians the distinction on the preoccupation between the Jews and the Greeks.

1 Corinthians 1:22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

Here the Asians are the modern Greeks going all out to acquire wisdom and knowledge in this world clutching at straws for a better hope and future for their children. This is of course understandable as they do not have the promise of God providing for them and meeting their every needs like the children of Israel in the Old Testament and Christians in the New Testament.

Matthew 6:31: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

Matthew 6:32: (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:34: Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

The wisest man who ever lived made this remark concerning pursuing academic excellence.

Ecclesiastes 12:12: And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

King Solomon was of course so right. Who in the world would think that doing well academically is just a piece of cake! King Solomon who went out of the way to master everything under the sun and then concluded that all was vanity. Hence his closing advice was this:

Ecclesiastes 12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For the struggling humanity wallowing in the depths of despair and misery, there is a way out of this mad rat race of life.

Malachi 1:11: For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the name the Gentiles shall trust and great is His mighty name who came to heal the broken hearts and restore hopes of life eternal to those who seek after Him.

Titus 1:2: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Of making many books there is no end, but Jesus came to be the book of books where those who finds Him will never have to suffer weariness of the flesh again.

Hebrews 10:7: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

John 21:25: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Christians parents should take heed how they raise their children in this world and not getting caught up with the folly of many parents seeking the best for their children without factoring in the Lord into the equation of their child raising regime.

Pearl of Great Price

Matthew 13:45: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Matthew 13:46: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The Lord Jesus Christ likened the kingdom of heaven like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls. Once found, he is willing to part with his all to obtain this pearl of great price. From this piece of information, there must be great value placed on pearls, in particular, special pearl of great price.

Since ancient time, pearls have been used in ornamental adornment together with precious stones for women. Apart from the purpose of treasure collections together with other precious stones, pearls are also used in medicine and cosmetic products as well as part of the burial items for the dead.

Pearls in some part of Taiwan have been so good due to the pearls being cultivated in mountain spring water, they could be used to alleviate many aliments as well as used as eyes cleansing solution when the pearl powder is mixed with water. These pearls are not cheap. They are sold in grams. The pearls are then ground to powder in your presence and put into small bottles. These pearl powder can be consumed with water as health supplements for its excellent minerals and medicinal properties.

In Wuxi China, the pearls obtained from clams in the lake Tai Hu are also much sought after for its beauty and often used as adornment pieces. The first lady of China was reported to like purple colour pearls and hence the price for this type of pearls has gone up. A beautiful white pearl necklace was also given to Michelle Obama during the US president’s visit to China some time back. These pearls are also made into cream and used as skin whitener as well as other cosmetic products much like the Japanese SK II cosmetic products.

Legend has it that the last Qing Dynasty Empress of China, Empress Dowager Cixi was buried with a lot jewels when she died and a massive pearl was put in her mouth to prevent her corpse from decomposing according to Chinese traditions. During the civil wars, her tomb was robbed and her corpse was said to be intact. Once the pearl from her mouth was removed, her corpse began to decay. The pearl was then given to the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek by the warlord but ended up as an ornament on the gala shoes of Chiang’s wife, Soong Mei Ling. Notwithstanding the fact that this is just a legend and the truth required authentication, the importance and the premium placed on pearls of great price cannot be under estimated.

Recently, it was reported that a Filipino fisherman found a gigantic pearl. He didn’t know what it was and kept it under his bed for ten years as a good luck charm. When finally discovered, this massive 34 kilograms pearl could be worth more than 100 million dollars.

Biggest Pearl in the World

Fisherman’s Giant 34 kg Pearl Worth 100 Million Dollars

Matthew 7:6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Just like the scriptures admonished not to cast pearls before swine because some people simply can’t appreciate the beauty and price of pearls, those who could find such pearl of great price would willingly give up all they have to acquire this pearl. Today, the gospel is this pearl of great price where those who finds it will give up their all to go after the kingdom where pearly gates await.

Job 28:12: But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:13: Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

Job 28:18: No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

While precious pearls may be valuable, wisdom is far above the price of pearls and precious stones. This wisdom can only be found in none other source other than in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Those seeking after the pearl of great price leading them to the Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, would be rewarded with inheriting the city of the pearly gates.

Revelation 21:21: And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

The 34 kilograms pearl found by the Filipino fisherman is absolutely nothing compare to the massive pearls that will the adorn the gates of that celestial city for the saints of all ages.

If you are not the dogs and swine the scriptures described, you have a good chance of seeking after the pearl of great price. If you wish to have a chance to see the greatest pearls of great price, you need to follow the sign posts below.

John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you have followed the instructions above, you are well on your way to that city and enter the pearly gates together with the multitudes of other saints having found the pearl of great price in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:23: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 21:24: And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

Revelation 21:25: And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Revelation 21:26: And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

A Contentious Woman

Ever encountered some unreasonable and quarrelsome women? Here is what scriptures have to say about the trouble with such women.

Proverb 21:9: It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Proverb 25:24: It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

Sometimes when scriptures reveal the fallen nature of woman, some may not take it to heart, especially those whom the Lord has blessed with a virtuous wife adorned with a meek and quiet spirit. This cautionary advice wasn’t given once but repeated twice in the book of Proverbs.

If retreating to the corner of the housetop in a wide house could hardly offer sufficient refuge and solace from a brawling woman, the intensity of the trouble is really astonishing. How much more personal space does one need to escape from such a woman is beyond measure.

Recently, two women were quarreling on the road for eight hours and they both eventually collapsed and were sent to the hospital. This is not some kind of sick joke. It happened in China and is really newsworthy.

Two Chinese Women Collapse After Arguing Nonstop For 8 Hours

If a man could hardly find peace in a wide house from a brawling woman, these two women had taken such vexatious assault to a whole new level of world record for quarreling nonstop for eight hours in open space by the road. Their stamina was indeed outstanding. Some countries’ special force could perhaps persuade these women to join them to vex their enemies to no end.

Women can be really quarrelsome. They can nag nonstop like a spoilt brat not given her favorite toy.

Proverb 27:15: A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

Such continual dropping contention will surely drive one to insanity. If you think this is bad, consider what king Solomon who had a thousand women in his life had to say about some women.

1 Kings 11:3: And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:26: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Pity those men who have the misfortune of marrying such women.

The Generation of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:1: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew 1:17: So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

The opening verse in the New Testament shows that there is only one generation of Jesus Christ. However, false bibles don’t teach there is only one generation of Jesus Christ; Christ is only indicated as a record of genealogy beginning with Abraham.

This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: (NIV)

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: (NASB)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (ESV)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: (NKJV)

This a is critical issue because these false bibles destroy the difference between the generations of men in contrast with only one generation of Jesus Christ.

According to Genesis, there are many generations of men and not just one generation born in Adam.

Genesis 5:1: This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

Unlike the Lord Jesus Christ, Adam had more than one generation after him.

The NIV simply shows Adam’s family line instead of many generations of Adam’s descendants.

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. (NIV)

The NASB and the ESV recorded there are more than one generation of Adam but their verse in Matthew 1:1 does not show the contrast and an important doctrinal truth is lost as a result.

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (NASB)

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man,he made him in the likeness of God. (ESV)

The NKJV, supposedly much closer to the KJV mentioned only one generation of Adam as though all of Adam’s generation lives happily ever after.

This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (NKJV)

This is not nitpicking. There is an important scriptural truth to be learned where every word of God is pure and there is no mistake in the Holy Bible.

The unfortunate inconvenient truth is this, all the generations of Adam and his descendants died.

Genesis 5:5: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

Genesis 5:8: And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

Genesis 5:11: And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

Genesis 5:14: And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

The oldest man on record also gave up the ghost eventually.

Genesis 5:27: And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

When God wiped out those fallen men born in Adam with a global flood, survivors began with their new generations to repopulate planet Earth and not just one generation alone to keep this commission.

Genesis 6:9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

Genesis 10:1: Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Of course, all these generations of men expired accordingly being born dead in trespasses and sins.

In contrast, there is no mention of the generation of Jesus Christ ever died. Why is that so?

John 1:12: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

1 John 5:1: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

1 John 3:9: Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

The moment you believe the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, you are born again into the generation of Jesus Christ.

Should your children likewise believe the Lord and accept Him, they will be born again into the generation of Jesus Christ. There are no grandchildren of God. There is only one generation in Jesus Christ.

No one in the generation of Jesus Christ is recorded to have died spiritually because they are not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. None that is born of God will ever die.

Ecclesiastes 1:4: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

As far as fallen man born of Adam is concerned, each generation will pass on but this is not the case for the generation of Jesus Christ.

Psalms 22:30: A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

The false bibles destroy this important doctrine of eternal security of the believer in Christ.

John 11:26: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Have you been born again into the generation of Jesus Christ?

Or are you still lost being born into the generations of the flesh where all died and will one day die?

You can become a member of a chosen generation in Jesus Christ if you would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to save you from sin and hell fire.

1 Peter 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Time is not on your side. Tarry not!

Honour Thy Father and Thy Mother

2 Timothy 3:1: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Timothy 3:2: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Among the characteristics of End Times conditions in society are men shall be lovers of their own selves and being disobedient to parents. The world has undergone tremendous transformation in recent years entering the digital age with a bang where nowadays even young kids are often glued to their mobile devices. There has not been a greater disconnect between the young and old during our time where the young wakes up to all sorts of excitement everyday and views the world as their oyster while the old walks into sunset years confused and fearful of what future awaits.

The recent referendum in UK to leave Europe pitted the young against the old in a fairly consistent pattern. The young voted to remain in Europe while the old voted to exit Europe. Many young people were angry with their parents after the result of the polls. They were angry that these elderly folks were out to ruin their future.

http://www.macleans.ca/news/world/generation-eu-how-brexit-pitted-old-against-young/

Young People have a Right to be Angry at Brexit but not at their Parents

The dichotomy between the young and old is one of the manifestations of the End Times conditions. It is not uncommon to observe the young showing disrespect towards the elderly in day to day activities. It is rather common to see children talking back rudely or screaming at their parents when they couldn’t get their way. It is an embarrassing sight but unfortunately, some parents simply take such disobedience and disrespect nonchalantly in their strides without correcting the children. These children will grow up someday and the consequence is not pretty.

In recent time, parental neglect has become an issue. Parents have been abandoned by their children and some are living out their sunset years in destitute. This will become a more acute problem with the coming silver tsunami where ageing population is going to place greater strain on the younger population to support the elderly.

The Maintenance of Parents Act was enacted during the nineties in Singapore to address this issue of children having a duty and responsibility to care for their aged parents. While it is true the State cannot legislate filial piety, it is nonetheless, an important legislation to ensure delinquents do not pass their duties towards their parents to society.

Parents Compel their Children to Support them

When Parents and Children Fight over Money

Maintenance of Parents Act

The time-honoured commandment from the Bible to honour parents is not a unique commandment for the children of Israel. Society at large adopts such a virtue where parents are to be honoured.

Exodus 20:12: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deuteronomy 5:16: Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

This commandment given to the children of Israel is among the Ten Commandments given where observing this specific commandment brings blessing of longevity. The rest of the commandments are to be obeyed failing which punishment is certain and no promised of blessings is pronounced to those who keep those commandments.

So by right, the children of Israel should be motivated to keep this commandment to honour their parents. Unfortunately, honouring parents require more than lip service; it cost time and money as well. Some found ingenuous ways to get out of this obligation to honour their parents using Jehovah God as their excuse by gifting away the portion for their parents. Hence, when the Lord Jesus Christ showed up on earth, He condemned those who schemed their ways out of honouring their parents.

Matthew 15:4: For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
Matthew 15:5: But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
Matthew 15:6: And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Mark 7:10: For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
Mark 7:11: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
Mark 7:12: And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
Mark 7:13: Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

For the New Testament Christian, honouring parents is still an active commandment whether the parents are saved or lost. It is still a commandment that comes with a promise of blessing to those who keep it.

Ephesians 6:2: Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Ephesians 6:3: That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

The burden of caring for parents belongs to the children and not the Church or the State. It is not just the children’s duty and responsibility to care for their elderly parents, it is the right thing to do and is acceptable before God.

1 Timothy 5:4: But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.

Honouring parents does come with a caveat though. It is the Lord who commands believers to honour parents. However, there might be occasions where honouring parents would dishonour God and thus appealing to a higher authority in heaven is the proper avenue.

The God fearing king Asa had an idolatrous mother. For the honour of God and for the sake of his subjects, he had to remove his mother from being queen. In addition, he destroyed her idol and made her an example to prevent his people from falling into idolatry and incur the wrath of Jehovah God.

2 Chronicles 15:16: And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

1 Kings 15:13: And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

Idolatry is a serious offence. King Asa’s mother could meet her Maker much earlier had the law of Moses been applied to her. That was as much as king Asa could do to honour his mother.

Another example would be the Lord’s attitude towards His own mother and siblings while He was busy ministering to the people.

Matthew 12:46: While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
Matthew 12:47: Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Matthew 12:48: But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Matthew 12:49: And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Matthew 12:50: For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

The Lord was surrounded by the crowd of disciples eager to listen to Him. Someone told Him His mother and siblings were waiting outside to speak with Him. Just when the crowd expected the Lord to make His way to see His family members, He did the exact opposite. He questioned who were His family members. He then stretched out His hands towards His disciples and honoured them as much as He would honour His family. The Lord affirmed those who do the will of God are considered part of His family.

So the Lord does not give blood ties priority over the spiritual things of God. Blood ties and kinships count little as far as God’s kingdom is concerned. It is the Lord who commands His people to honour their parents but however, if honouring parents takes priority and supersedes or comes into conflict with spiritual truths, then such honouring of parents is misplaced.

The children of Israel were commanded to honour their parents who were supposed to be people of Jehovah God which should not be any issue. But for the New Testament Christians, they may have unsaved parents where they are still obligated to honour them. There will be times of dilemma where these unsaved parents would demand them to perform certain undertakings that would come into conflict with biblical teachings. Then honouring them on that matter would bring dishonour to the Lord.

Some issue could be more treacherous and would result in eternal consequence not to be trifled with. If a child of God is teaching his children the way of the Lord and his unsaved parents come along to contradict and confuse the children, then he has to put a stop to such devilish attempts to damn the children to a Christless eternity. It is better to honour such parents by caring for them without living with them under the same roof for the sake of the souls of the children.

Some damnable influence from unsaved people will become insidious and poison the minds of the young ones a little at a time. It might be too late to wake up to the horror of losing the children to the devil for honouring the parents above honouring the Lord. Why give the devil opportunity to turn unsaved parents to become a horrific offender deserving the worst punishment for offending the little ones?

Matthew 18:6: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

The tragic downfall of Eli serves as a good example of putting blood ties above the Lord.

1 Samuel 3:13: For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

1 Samuel 2:29: Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

When God finally dispensed judgment, Eli and his two rebellious sons as well as his daughter-in-law died that day when Israel was defeated before the Philistines. Honouring family members above the Lord has serious consequence.

Nevertheless, it is still the obligation of a Christian to honour his parents in ways that do not dishonour the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1: Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Ephesians 6:2: Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Ephesians 6:3: That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

In honouring parents, Christians are to obey their parents in the Lord, not above the Lord. Of course if parents are unsaved, much interceding for them before the throne of God is paramount and living out a good testimony before them is an utmost necessity.

May the Lord grant wisdom and peace to those who honour their parents acceptably before the Lord in this wicked and perverse generation.

Helping The Poor

Matthew 26:6: Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

Matthew 26:7: There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

Matthew 26:8: But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

Matthew 26:9: For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

Matthew 26:10: When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

Matthew 26:11: For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

The passage here concerns a woman doing something good to the Lord that seems to be excesses to His disciples. The disciples were indignant. They deemed the gift was too costly and it was a terrible waste of resources. The gift bestowed upon the Lord was unjustifiable and could have helped the poor instead.

To add insult to injury, the Lord not only told them to let this matter pass, He added that they had the poor with them always but they won’t have the Lord with them always. This would be something politically incorrect to say and will not endear one to the masses.

If the Lord Jesus Christ is not the Creator of the universe who deserves the utmost adoration and offerings from His subjects, then He must be a charlatan indeed. But the Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the Lord of glory where unfortunately His disciples being so familiar with Him failed to recognize. This was utmost disrespect and severe underestimation of the worth of the Lord.

Helping the poor is always a good platform to propel one into the forefront of politicking and eventual ascendancy unto power. Once at the apex of power, helping the poor no longer becomes a top agenda but only a sideshow with some appeasement for the downtrodden masses from time to time in order to remain in power. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon didn’t heed the advisors from his late father’s cabinet to ease the burdens of his subjects and this led to his downfall losing ten out of the twelve tribes that split the nation of Israel.

The Lord’s definitive statement about the perpetual existence of the poor is a biblical and historical fact. Ever since the fall of Adam, the earth is cursed and man has to toil for a living and some will certainly fall under unfortunate circumstances. What the Lord said about the poor has also being told to the children of Israel by Moses. Had they learned about the Bible and not lightly esteemed the Lord, they would not be offended with this woman’s act of charity.

Deuteronomy 15:11: For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

It is not the Lord does not care about the poor, for the Lord has enacted laws for the nation of Israel how they should care for the poor in their midst. The self-help initiatives need not be run by large organizations under the auspices of the State where bureaucracy would eat up a sizeable portion of the donation for the poor. As individuals they were required to care for their downtrodden brethren among them.

Leviticus 19:10: And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 23:22: And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 24:19: When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

In addition, the seventh year is a year of rest where the poor could enjoy the fruits of the fields where the land is not to be harvested to increase the coffer of the well to do citizens of the nation.

Exodus 23:11: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

Besides all those measures to help the poor during those years of hardship, the Lord also puts in place a policy to reset the economy of the nation every fifty years. Those who lost their lands could return to their possessions and those who became servants due to hardship were required to be set free. This will ensure the poor will not remain poor forever while the rich becomes richer all the time.

Leviticus 25:10: And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.

Leviticus 25:11: A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

Leviticus 25:12: For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

Leviticus 25:13: In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.

The Lord does understand the plight of His people and thus instituted laws to ensure equitable distribution of wealth among His chosen people. If only nations in the world take a leaf of out the economic principles given to the children of Israel, this world would be a much better place.

But greed however, would not allow nations to adopt such economic blueprint. Even the children of Israel failed to keep this economic master plan and together with many heinous provocations against the Lord, they were eventually destroyed and carried away to Babylon to let the land rest and the poor enjoy the fruits of the land.

Leviticus 26:31: And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

Leviticus 26:32: And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

Leviticus 26:33: And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Leviticus 26:34: Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.

Leviticus 26:35: As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

So while the Lord Jesus Christ may seem callous to remark that the poor would be here to stay and while He clearly deserved the best, the Lord’s care for the poor cannot go unnoticed. Those who care for the poor will certainly be blessed.

Psalms 41:1: Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Psalms:112:9: He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

The same promise is also given to the New Testament Christians.

2 Corinthians 9:9: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

The Christian Church is commanded to remember the poor, especially to the household of faith. They are exhorted to be active in charity work.

Galatians 2:10: Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Galatians 6:10: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Romans 15:26: For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

In fact, the poor are in a privileged position as far as the reception of the gospel of Christ is concerned.

Mark 10:23: And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

James 2:5: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Hence, Christians are admonished to be involved in good works, especially in the area concerning helping the poor.

1 Timothy 6:17: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

1 Timothy 6:18: That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

1 Timothy 6:19: Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Titus 3:8: This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:14: And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

Charity work should come naturally for a Christian. However, Christians must be careful not to think that participating with some charity organizations to perform charity work is inline with biblical exhortation. Some organizations could be a front where subversive elements could be present to undermine the government of the day.

The gospel of John also presented the same case concerning the act of this woman. Insidious agenda of one crafty character championing for the plight of the poor is revealed.

John 12:3: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

John 12:4: Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

John 12:5: Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

John 12:6: This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

John 12:7: Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

John 12:8: For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Judas Iscariot who outwardly seemed to be very concerned about the poor turned out to be a thief and a traitor as well. He knew how to be politically correct and endear himself with the people. He knew how to position himself and to exact maximum effect for his agenda. Moreover, he was in charged of finance for the organization he was affiliated with. He was saying all the right thing as a front but he had some ulterior motives.

Very often, those shout the loudest about helping the poor might turn out to be thieves. The abuse and excesses of top management of some charity organizations are quite astounding. Sometimes only a small portion of the donations is trickled down to those really in need because the bureaucracy has already eaten up much of the funds meant for the poor.

Non-profit organizations can be very profitable for certain people. It is quite easy to tug at the heartstrings of people to help the poor in order to lighten their purses, especially for those who believe that such good work will earn them merits on judgment day and accord them salvation and an entrance into the pearly gates having rejected the free gift of eternal life from the Lord.

Should Christians wish to be involved in charity organizations, they should do it in their personal capacity and not as Christians, lest they found to be fools when the organization they are serving in turned out to be fraudulent. It would be worse if such organizations have been infiltrated by characters with subversive agenda to cause trouble for the State.

Helping the poor is a biblical commandment for Christians. The left wing liberals are hijacking this biblical commandment for their own agenda to pressure the State and cause trouble to those in authority. Look at the refugee crisis in Europe where nations descend into chaos in the name of helping the poor and their citizens suffer as a result. Let no Bible believing Christians join hand with such organizations and be found to be at ought with the State where Christians become a political threat and a force to be reckoned with in the political arena. This is not what the biblical commandment for helping the poor is meant.

Titus 3:1: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

It is much better for Christians to be obedient to the words of the living God to be charitable helping those in need quietly in simplicity. This will ensure all his sacrifice would go directly to the needy and not to some middle man trying to facilitate the charity work.

James 1:27: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Let your good work be done in simplicity away from the limelight of the world. Your charity will not go unnoticed in the highest court in heaven.

Psalms 112:9: He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

Psalms 140:12: I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

Psalms 9:18: For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

Serve the Lord or Yourself?

Luke 10:38: Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luke 10:39: And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Luke 10:40: But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luke 10:41: And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luke 10:42: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The context here shows two ladies who were sisters one being very busy while the other simply kept her focus on the Lord. It is pretty obvious one was doing a lot of work while the other was seemingly idling. The overworked sister complained to the Lord to compel her sister to help her with the work she thought would be important in her view on serving the Lord.

From a human standpoint, this was really unfair. One was shouldering all the load while the other was rather carefree. Based on Martha’s complaint, Marry seemed to be a shirker of duty. Looking through the lens from a human worldly point of view, Martha’s request was justified and Marry should not be allowed to indulge in her own ways.

Unfortunately, the Lord has a penchant of interpreting labour, effort, motives and spiritual quality of a person differently from man’s point of view. Not only the Lord did not accede to Martha’s demands, she was even told her priority was all wrong. Martha’s outburst got her no where.

Martha was actually quite rude laying some blame on the Lord for not taking notice on how she was left on her own to serve Him. Due to her familiarity with the Lord, she took for granted this entitled her the privilege to charge the Lord for being unfair and guilty of favouritism in how the two of them were treated.

How did Martha get to this stage of a burnout? There was no question she had been busy and doing all the work. The trouble was she was doing everything in her own view was the way the Lord should be served. It was purely her own opinion and she expected her sister to adopt the same.

No where did the Lord tell her how she ought to serve or what she had to do in serving Him. Her labour was not commissioned by the Lord and this added no value to her soul in serving the Lord this way according to her own understanding and on her own terms. Worse still, she demanded her sister to follow suit laying such bondage upon others according to her own foolish understanding.

As such, very quickly she lost her joy of serving the Lord because it was all done in the energy of the flesh. Had she succeeded in her endeavour, she might probably glory in her effort instead of giving glory to the Lord. The focus was on her labour and effort and not on the Lord. So how would you expect the Lord to respond?

Mary was right. Her focus was on the Lord giving the Lord all her undivided attention in which the Lord truly deserved. Her attention was on the Lord and not on some work and she was rightfully commended. But for Martha, her own work took centre stage and became her object of glory. It is dangerous to take satisfaction in human effort in serving the Lord, especially work based on human understanding where the Lord was not part of the entire equation.

The episode on these two sisters is instruction here. How often do you see Christians running hither and thither where in their own mind and own view , they were serving the Lord and then they burned out along the way? Some fell into the same category of Martha. They murmur and complain why the Lord is so unfair and allows others to slack while they serve all on their own.

This is the result of not getting their orders from above and they start to run around in circles thinking they were actually serving the Lord. To make matters worse, they start to look around sideways and complain why others were not as zealous and faithful like them in serving the Lord according to their own opinion and understanding.

The Lord clearly came to promise rest to our souls. For the Lord claims:

Matthew 11:29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The moment anyone felt his effort and labour became too heavy in serving the Lord like what Martha experienced with lost of joy, then the Lord has no part in such service. The apostle Paul also at times felt weary in the work of the Lord physically yet there was no hint of murmur or complain or lost of joy in the Lord’s work.

If the work we do for the Lord is commissioned from above, then there is no room for murmuring and complaining and looking at others wondering why they are not doing what we are doing. Should the work we endeavour for the Lord is based on looking at what others are doing, then there is great possibility of burnout because we thought we were serving the Lord but we were actually serving to please men and to covet the praise of men. We are simply imitating what others are doing and not doing what the Lord wants us to do. Serving the Lord is not a competition with fellow Christians to see who serves more and who serves best.

The primary work for the Lord is to spend time on the words of the living God and seek the Lord in prayer much like what Marry was doing and was commended by the Lord. Spending time sitting at Jesus’ feet is important otherwise how do we know what the Lord wants us to do for Him? This is really the one thing that is needful so choose the good part to spend time with the Lord like Marry. There is no point following the footsteps of Martha running ahead of the Lord without knowing what the Lord delights in and then fall into self-pity and discouragement and even despair.

It is important to know what the Lord expects from us and not what some church leaders expect us to do. If you have been so busy running your life around the church calendar and neglected to spend time on the words of God and with the Lord in prayer, don’t be surprise when you end up like Martha wallowing in frustration living out a meaningless and joyless existence deceiving yourself you are in the Lord’s service.

This will not only cost you lost of joy, it may bring trouble on your loved ones especially when you think you are serving the Lord revolving your life around the church calendar and then your family gets neglected along the way. It is not the Lord’s will to break your family in order to serve Him. It is the Lord’s will for you to keep your family in good spiritual health so that your church life will be fruitful and are able to edify one another in the Lord.

Always ensure we do what the Lord wants us to do for Him and not what others expect or think what we should do for the Lord. How we serve the Lord is none of the business of others be they church leaders or otherwise. The tendency to compare with what others are doing for the Lord is very common, even the apostle Peter was guilty of such weakness.

John 21:20: Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
John 21:21: Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
John 21:22: Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

Don’t ever benchmark your service for the Lord based on what others are doing. What others are doing for the Lord is none of our business. Be yourself and do your best for the Lord. You have your unique role to play to be a blessing to others and to be useful for the Lord’s work. Your rewards will be sure.

Beware of Religious Extremists

The Lord has promised rest for His people. God also gave the children of Israel the Sabbath for them to rest rather than to work day in and day out the whole year through. The Sabbath is also a sign given to the children of Israel for them to know that they are the chosen people of God.

Exodus 31:13: Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

The Gentiles are not so privileged that God has promised to protect, prosper and provide for them in such a special way given to the children of Israel. Instead of enjoying the Sabbath God has given them, the children of Israel sought to use this God given rest for self glorification and contention.

The Sabbath was something good for them yet the self-righteous religious elite turned the Sabbath into a kind of bondage for the children of Israel. Consider what they did to the Lord during the Lord’s earthly ministry.

Matthew 12:1: At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
Matthew 12:2: But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

So they determined what constitutes violation of the Sabbath. They had their own ideas of what the Sabbath was and how it should be kept. They judged the disciples of Christ who were hungry and had to pluck corn to eat to fill their stomach. As far as these religious extremists were concerned, the disciples should go hungry. The Sabbath God gave them was to make them suffer instead of a day of joy and rest in their all merciful God.

What logic is this you may ask. Is God a sadist? Are they implying that no one should cook a meal to eat on a Sabbath day? Are they implying that no one should fetch water to drink on a Sabbath day? If that be the case, everyone might as well just stay in bed and not move during the Sabbath day! Of course these religious extremists would have proper meals including cooked meals but just getting food from the field to put in your mouth would be a violation of the Sabbath according to their conceited understanding.

Matthew 12:3: But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Matthew 12:4: How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Didn’t these religious extremists read their own scriptures? Didn’t they know David and those with him ate the shrewbred which was not lawful and they were not put to death? God didn’t personally kill them for profaning the temple but all this didn’t occur to them at all! They had lost their mind to even think. You can’t expect these blind zealots to understand the scriptures because they use the scriptures to find fault with others.

Matthew 12:5: Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Didn’t they know the priests had to work even on the Sabbath day? They had to carry out religious duties and in so doing, they violated the Sabbath every Sabbath day and were blameless. They even have to perform circumcision on the eighth day of a new born male child even though that day might be a Sabbath. Didn’t they have eyes to see you might wonder.

Matthew 12:6: But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

Who gave them the Sabbath to begin with? Unfortunately, they couldn’t recognize the Lord who gave them the Sabbath was among them. It is the Lord who determines who has kept the Sabbath and who has not and not these religious extremists. The Lord Jesus Christ is of course greater than the temple whom these religious extremists claimed to be custodians upholding the worship and attendance.

Matthew 12:7: But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Matthew 12:8: For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

These blind extremists were so full of themselves with their own self righteousness and they thought God would delight more on their sacrifice instead of mercy. They thought God would be very pleased when they offer sacrifice the more the merrier and keeping the Sabbath to the letter going hungry was God’s will. Perhaps they didn’t take note on this Psalm of David.

Psalms 50:8: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
Psalms 50:9: I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
Psalms 50:10: For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
Psalms 50:11: I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
Psalms 50:12: If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
Psalms 50:13: Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
Psalms 50:14: Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

Had these religious fools not read Samuel’s rebuke for king Saul?

1 Samuel 15:22: And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Had they not read the experience of king David who broke God’s laws and deserved to die and yet God spared him?

Psalms 51:16: For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

No amount of animal sacrifices could save king David for committing murder and adultery and yet God forgave him but didn’t hold back the consequence of his sins.

Did the religious extremists read the prophet Hosea?

Hosea 6:6: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Keeping the letter of the law on the Sabbath became justifiable grounds for contention. They had become ridiculously hopeless to the point they couldn’t see the tree for the forest. They had lost their perspective for the Sabbath thinking that keeping the Sabbath religiously became a convenient platform to score political and religious points. Their brutal lack of spiritual knowledge was pathetic and tragic.

Here is another case in point how vicious these religious extremists could become if you dare cross them on their standards and regulations on God’s given law.

Matthew 12:9: And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
Matthew 12:10: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

The religious extremists were getting frustrated and desperate. They asked whether it was lawful to perform healing on the Sabbath day. They were not trying to learn the law. These religious hypocrites were out to entrap Christ to find occasion against Him.

Matthew 12:11: And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Matthew 12:12: How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

This simple truth is just common sense but were uncommon to these hate filled religious extremists. Anyone would rescue a poor animal even on a Sabbath day but of course they would not acknowledge this and pretend not to know. None of them would think the poor animal had to suffer until the Sabbath was over before they would deliver the animal. It would be natural to set the poor animal free regardless whether it was a Sabbath day or otherwise.

But for man, it would be a different story because man has a duty to keep the Sabbath if you follow these self-righteous fools’ line of thinking. The Sabbath became a form of bondage instead of joy and worship.

Of course it is lawful to perform healing including priests performing their lawful duties during the Sabbath and were blameless. This is so natural and commonsense thing to do but it became too profound for these blind self-righteous religious elite.

Matthew 12:13: Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
Matthew 12:14: Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

Will self-righteous religious extremists ever learn? If you don’t do and keep God’s commandments based on their own foolish understanding, they would even plot to have you killed. This is the mark of religious extremists. They can very quickly turn into religious criminals bend on killing those who disagree with them using God’s name.

They know not when to take the scripture literally and when not to especially when providentially hindered to do so. They would prefer this poor man continues to suffer instead of getting healed on the Sabbath day. So much compassion had these religious leaders on the poor man and you would be forgiven if you are disgusted with them. No wonder they know not God delights in mercy rather than sacrifice.

So when they take the scripture literally, they became literally insane. They are so full of themselves and are not subject to reason and of course, they know not the scriptures, let alone the Lord.

Proverb 26:12: Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Now you know why some church going folks are unhappy people? Christ came to set us free but there are modern day insane religious extremists out there robbing us of our liberty and they try to bring us under bondage and reduce us to their level of stupidity.

Christianity is not about rules and regulation and standards. Whatever standards and works for the Lord must be from the heart and not for show to please men and win their praise.

Watch out for religious extremists who could quickly turn into religious criminals and persecute you for disobeying them. They will bring you into bondage if they have their way with you.

Matthew 11:28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Observing extra-biblical mandates and unscriptural practice won’t win points in the courts of heaven. Walking the Christian faith is indeed easy and the burden is light.

The Lord has promised rest for our souls. Let us not listen to some self-righteous religious extremists and be burdened with outward religious trappings set by these self conceited fools. So go to the Lord for rest and not some high minded religious elite if you truly want rest for your souls.