Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 11:13-14
11:13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
This is the second woe or the sound of the sixth trumpet, namely the great earthquake because of rejecting the sound of the trumpet or the repeated hard teaching Word.
The earthquake refers to the physical and spiritual shakings in the world and church of God because many sons of God also reject the hard teaching Word.
The physical and spiritual shaking or earthquake causes the following three things:
A tenth makes us remember about the tithes or the least possession of God which cannot be charged against by anyone.
Actually, there are three possessions of God as follows:
The tithe refers to our confession that we have been blessed by God and we live by Him from now on up to the eternality.
Exodus 16:36
16:36. Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.
Manna was put in the golden pot eternally. It refers to the tithe.
Living by money, we will run out of it when we are old.
The formula of the tithe is 10 - 1 = 9.
10= the commandments of God as well as His blessings.
1= the tithe.
9= the mercy.
Thus, the number 1 (the tithe) will determine. Without the tithe (10-0= 10), the number 10 (the blessings of God will turn into the ten plagues like in Egypt.
On the contrary, if the tithe is brought to the temple, there will be the mercy of God. It will guarantee our life from now on up to the eternal one.
Thus, a pastor does not live by the tithes he receives, but the tithes he returns to God. Likewise, we live by the tithes we return to God.
Why do we have to return the tithe which belongs to God?
The base of the tithe is the truth, namely returning a tenth of the blessings we have received.
Who may enter the edification of the perfect Christ's body or the New Jerusalem?
The New Jerusalem is the precious stone.
Revelation 21:9-11,18-19
21:9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a mostprecious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
21:18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
The Gentiles or the hard stones can be the precious ones to enter the New Jerusalem and become the heavenly bride only by the mercy of God which costs the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
As long as there is the Holy Communion, there is still the chance to be the precious stone, regardless of any condition we have now.
The steps of the hard stones' being the precious ones are as follows:
God blesses you.
Revelation 11:13-14
11:13. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
This is the second woe or the sound of the sixth trumpet, namely the great earthquake because of rejecting the sound of the trumpet or the repeated hard teaching Word.
The earthquake refers to the physical and spiritual shakings in the world and church of God because many sons of God also reject the hard teaching Word.
The physical and spiritual shaking or earthquake causes the following three things:
- "a tenth of the city fell"(it has been explained in General Service in Malang, June 14, 2020).
- "seven thousand people were killed."
- "the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven."
A tenth makes us remember about the tithes or the least possession of God which cannot be charged against by anyone.
Actually, there are three possessions of God as follows:
- The tithe. It is related to the earthquake which made a tenth of the city fall.
- The temple. It is related to the earthquake which made seven thousand people dead.
- The heavenly bride. It is related to the earthquake which made the rest be afraid and give glory to the God of heaven.
The tithe refers to our confession that we have been blessed by God and we live by Him from now on up to the eternality.
Exodus 16:36
16:36. Now an omer is one-tenth of an ephah.
Manna was put in the golden pot eternally. It refers to the tithe.
Living by money, we will run out of it when we are old.
The formula of the tithe is 10 - 1 = 9.
10= the commandments of God as well as His blessings.
1= the tithe.
9= the mercy.
Thus, the number 1 (the tithe) will determine. Without the tithe (10-0= 10), the number 10 (the blessings of God will turn into the ten plagues like in Egypt.
On the contrary, if the tithe is brought to the temple, there will be the mercy of God. It will guarantee our life from now on up to the eternal one.
Thus, a pastor does not live by the tithes he receives, but the tithes he returns to God. Likewise, we live by the tithes we return to God.
Why do we have to return the tithe which belongs to God?
- We are set free from the will of money or the last bond of the church, so we can love God more than anything and live by His love and grace.
Having the will of money, one will love money. There is no love to God.
Formerly, when Israel would go out of Egypt, they were permitted to go as long as they did not bring their cattle. The cattle refer to the riches.
We must be set free first from money, and then we can be set free from the world and lifted up to the clouds. - We get the spiritual food or the Word which gives us eternal life.
Malachi 3:10-12
3:10. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
3:11 "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," Says the LORD of hosts;
3:12 "And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," Says the LORD of hosts.
Receiving the eternal life, we will also get the physical food from God.
We live in the world, but in the cycle of the heavenly kingdom which cannot be charged against and shaken by anything.
The door is opened from heaven to the earth now. Someday, we will ascend to enter the heavenly kingdom forever. - The tithe is related to the edification of the temple.
Genesis 28:16-22
28:16. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."
28:17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!"
28:18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.
28:20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on,
28:21 "so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God.
28:22 "And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."
Formerly, the edification was of the physical temple, but now it is the edification of the perfect body of Christ, the heavenly bride, or the New Jerusalem to be ready to welcome Jesus' second coming. The door of heaven is opened and we enter the heavenly kingdom forever.
Without the tithe, a tenth of the holy city fell. With the tithe, we are building the New Jerusalem.
Be careful! Not entering the edification of the perfect body of Christ, one will be used in the body of Babylon until being destroyed.
The base of the tithe is the truth, namely returning a tenth of the blessings we have received.
Who may enter the edification of the perfect Christ's body or the New Jerusalem?
- Jacob. He is the representative of Israelites.
- The stone. It is the representative of the Gentiles, who are the hard or black stone.
The New Jerusalem is the precious stone.
Revelation 21:9-11,18-19
21:9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a mostprecious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
21:18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
The Gentiles or the hard stones can be the precious ones to enter the New Jerusalem and become the heavenly bride only by the mercy of God which costs the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
As long as there is the Holy Communion, there is still the chance to be the precious stone, regardless of any condition we have now.
The steps of the hard stones' being the precious ones are as follows:
- The hard stone must be poured by oil. It means that the Gentiles must be anointed by Holy Spirit to become the spiritual descendants of Abraham.
Genesis 28:18
28:18. Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stonethat he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
Matthew 3:9
3:9. "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
The process is as follows:- Believing Jesus and repenting or being dead to sin.
Matthew 3:8
3:8. "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
Believing Jesus means that our sins are forgiven.
1 Peter 2:1
2:1. Therefore, laying aside all malice(1), all deceit(2), hypocrisy(3), envy(4), and all evil speaking(5), Karena itu buanglah segala kejahatan(1), segala tipu muslihat(2)dan segala macam kemunafikan(3), kedengkian(4)dan fitnah(5).
Repenting is the same as throwing away the five main sins which resist against Jesus' five wounds:- Malice = the root of evil.
- Deceit, hypocrisy, and envy = the bud of sins.
- Evil speaking up to blaspheming God = the fruit of sin, namely the death.
- Malice = the root of evil.
- Being baptized of water and Spirit. We become the newborn spiritual babies, namely the spiritual descendants of Abraham.
Matthew 3:11
3:11. "I indeed baptize you with waterunto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
1 Peter 2:2-3
2:2. as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
2:3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
The true water baptism means that one who has believed Jesus and repented or died to sin must be buried in water with Jesus and raised up of water with Him to get the new life, namely the heavenly one or Holy Spirit baptism. We get the anointing of Holy Spirit, so we live in obedience and righteousness. We become the spiritual newborn babies or the sons of God.
We should have been drowned in the lake of the fire of the hell, but now we can be drowned in the water with Jesus. It is God's goodness for us. Not being willing to be drowned in water, one must be drowned in the lake of the fire of the hell.
Living in obedience and righteousness is the same as living by faith. We become the sons of Abraham or God.
Galatians 3:7
3:7. Therefore know that only those who are of faithare sons of Abraham.
As a result, we are saved. We get the blessings of Abraham up to our descendants and we become blessings for others.
1 Peter 2:2
2:2. as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
Genesis 3:14
3:14. So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dustAll the days of your life.
Being saved and blessed is also the same as the dogs and swines which become the sheep. Nevertheless, the quality is still the same as the dust. It means that the sheep is not shepherded, but still scattered. None is responsible for the salvation.
Therefore, it needs to be increased.
Proverbs 12:26
12:26The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
The righteous and obedient must be shepherded well and correctly. It means always dwelling in the shepherding pen or the Holy Place or having the perseverance in doing the three main services to God. We can grow there.- The Golden Candlestick or perseverance in doing the General Service to get the fellowship with Hoy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
- The Table of Showbread or perseverance in doing the Bible Study Service with the Holy Communion to have the fellowship with the Son of God in the teaching Word and sacrifice of Christ.
- The Golden Altar of Incense or the perseverance in doing the Prayer Service to get the fellowship with Father God in His love.
In the shepherding pen, our body, soul, and spirit attach to the Trinity of God like a sheep in the embrace of the hands of the Great Shepherd. The trinity of Satan cannot touch us. One cannot be made fall in sins and deceived, except he fulfills his own will. We are always sanctified by the Trinity of God through the shepherding Word, repeated teaching Word, or the Word of His mercy and we grow to the spiritual maturity.
Acts 20:28,32-33,35
20:28. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
20:32 "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
20:33 "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
In the shepherding, we are sanctified until we can feel more blessed to give than to receive. It means that there is no lust anymore.
We can return the tithe which belongs to God and give to the work of God and other people who are in need until we can give our whole life to Him.
After being sanctified, God will give a portion to us, namely the ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit. We are appointed as the priests and kings or the living stones for being used in the edification of the perfect body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Verse 11 = the five main ministries can be spread into the music team, the prayer team, and so on.
1 Peter 2:4-5
2:4. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Verse 4 = Jesus as the living stone is willingly thrown away by the builders. It means that He is willingly crucified to make us, the hard stones, become the living ones.
Let us pray seriously that we can get the ministry.
The priests and kings are also the descendants of Abraham whose quality is like the stars in heaven. The duty is to shine or testify anywhere.
Exodus 19:3,6
19:3. And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:
19:6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priestsand a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
'to the children ofredup Israel' = the descendants of Abraham.
Be careful! There are dull stars. They do not testify, but become the stumbling-blocks.
Let us testify about the Good News for the people who have not believed in Jesus and the Bride Tidings for the ones who have believed in Jesus.
Being the stars, we will be in the right hand of God. Our life is arranged and made beautiful by God in His time.
Nevertheless, do not be proud of it because we have not reached the New Jerusalem yet. - Believing Jesus and repenting or being dead to sin.
- The living stone becomes the precious one.
Malachi 3:1-4
3:1."Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.
3:2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fireAnd like launderer's soap.
3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.
3:4 "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years.
'purify the sons of Levi' = purifying the priests.
The living stones become the precious ones through the following things:- The launderer's soapor the hard teaching Word which is repeated to sanctify the garments of the priests and kings physically and spiritually as follows:
- The physical garments:
- The appearance.
Leviticus 21:10
21:10.' He who is the high priestamong his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
'shall not uncover his head' = a woman must not have the very short hair and a man must not have long hair.
'nor tear his clothes' = paying attention to the way we wear our clothes. The right function of the clothes is in its cleanness and covering the flesh. - The friendship.
Leviticus 21:11
21:11 'nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother;
The dead body refers to the things which cause the spirituality to die.
We must be in the holy friendship. We must sacrifice the physical things for the spiritual ones. Do not reverse it!
- The appearance.
- The spiritual clothes.
Do not become a lazy, unfaithful, and evil servant! Being unfaithful in the marriage, one will be evil for sure.
The examples are as follows:- Cain was evil.
- Korah insisted the right, so he did not do his duty, but started to murmur, blame at others, and slandered.
- Balaam had the will of money or there was no faith. All things were measured with money.
- The Pharisees, namely hypocrisy, dishonesty, or there was no sincerity.
- Judas Iscariot was also hypocritical, dishonest, and not sincere.
- Cain was evil.
- The physical garments:
- The fire of the refinersrefers to the fiery trial, the sprinkling of blood, or the cross.
1 Peter 4:12-14
4:12. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trialwhich is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of gloryand of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
We must face the suffering in the flesh because of Jesus. Why? The Spirit of Glory will come to do the following things:- Giving joy in the ministry in the household and church that are signified by the suffering with Jesus. We will not get disappointed and hopeless. We will not leave God. Do not go back! Keep on serving the marriage and God until the end line!
Now, we are in the time of the spiritual engagement. Be careful! Fulfilling the fleshly lust, one will fall like Eve. Crucifying the flesh, there will be the Spirit of Glory. - Changing us to be as glorious as God. We truly become the precious stone.
Revelation 21:11
21:11. having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
The precious stone is as clear as crystal. It means sincerity or returning to be like a baby. We become the house of prayer, worship God much more, or like struggling with Him. This is the New Jerusalem.
For example, Jacob has struggled since his youth. He left the house of his father, bringing only his staff that refers to the cross.
Genesis 32:24
32:24. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.
The breaking of day refers to the second coming of Jesus.
Jacob kept on struggling from his departing to his going home although his teasures were many.
He struggled until he got the new name, namely Israel, from a liar to the mighty.
Proverbs 16:32
16:32. He who is slow to angeris better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
The mighy means the patience in the sufferings and waiting for the time of God. We are calm in the midst of the waves.
Being calm means doing the introspection in our life, confessing the sins, and keeping silent when we have no sin. Do not plead yourselves! We must pray and cry out to God.
Our struggling is to be patient, calm, and obedient.
Psalm 103:20
103:20. Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.
The obedience is the same as stretching out the hands to God.
The results are as follows:- The power of victory:
- Formerly, Jacob had gone without bringing anything, but his staff, and he would have been killed by Esau in his way home. Through the struggling, he could get the protection and preservation of God miraculously.
- Impossible problems are finished.
- There is beautiful and successful future life.
Genesis 32:10
32:10. "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; forI crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.
The staff refers to the cross.
For worshiping and living in righteousness, indeed we must suffer, but there are success and beauty.
- Formerly, Jacob had gone without bringing anything, but his staff, and he would have been killed by Esau in his way home. Through the struggling, he could get the protection and preservation of God miraculously.
- The salvation and joy of the family.
- The power of renewal, from Jacob to Israel.
We get the renewal until we get the new name, namely the one of the heavenly bride. We are worthy to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds and enter the New Jerusalem. We will never go out of it anymore.
- The power of victory:
- Giving joy in the ministry in the household and church that are signified by the suffering with Jesus. We will not get disappointed and hopeless. We will not leave God. Do not go back! Keep on serving the marriage and God until the end line!
- The launderer's soapor the hard teaching Word which is repeated to sanctify the garments of the priests and kings physically and spiritually as follows:
God blesses you.