General Service in Malang, July 12, 2020 (Sunday Morning)

Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 11:15-19 is about the seventh trumpet sound or the last one.

Revelation 11:15
11:15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"

The seventh trumpet presents God who comes a second time in the glory of the King of kings and Heavenly Bridegroom.

The proofs that Jesus will surely come a second time are as follows:

1. God the Father has come to the world on Mount Sinai with lightning that flashes, thunderings, and the trumpet sound.
   Exodus 20:18-21
   20:18. Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off.
   20:19. Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."
   20:20. And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."
   20:21. So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
   
   God the Father did not come to scare the Israelites, but He wanted that His fear might be before them, so that they might not sin.
   
   
2. Holy Spirit God has come to the world at the attic of Jerusalem with a rushing mighty wind and divided tongues, as of fire like God the Father.
   Acts 2:1-4
   2:1. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
   2:2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
   2:3. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
   2:4. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
   
   Acts 1:8
   1:8. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
   
   Holy Spirit God comes to give us His power, so we can become God's witnesses. We do not make the heart of God grieved, ashamed, and sore, but glorify Him.
   
   
   
3. Jesus, the Son of God will surely come a second time in the glory of the King and Heavenly Bridegroom on the glorious clouds when the seventh trumpet sounds. It is signified with the great lightning and the sound of many waters like the coming of God the Father.
   Revelation 11:15
   11:15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
   
   Revelation 19:6-7
   19:6. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
   19:7. "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
   
   The Son of God comes to the world to establish the kingdom of heaven in the world, namely the One-Thousand-Year Kingdom of Peace (upcoming Paradise) and eternal kingdom of heaven.
   

How does God establish the kingdom of heaven in the world? He does it by placing the citizens of the kingdom of heaven in the world, namely the priests and kings or the servants of God who minister to Him.

Revelation 20:6
20:6. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priestsof God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

If we do not become the priests and kings, we will not be able to become the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
Why is it called the priest and king? Because the priest and king are one who is anointed, so he does not experience the spiritual dryness.
The king refers to one who always wins. He never loses as well as gives up.

Psalm 20:6,9
20:6. Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.
20:9. Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call.

Do not be the priest who easily gives up to sin! Do not give up to the hindrance! The anointing of Holy Spirit makes us win. The flesh must be crucified. That is the king who wins over Satan, obstruction, obstacle, and temptation up to the last winning, namely winning over the death and sitting together with Jesus on the throne of heaven.
God does not want a weak priest.

Where are the priest and king come from?

1. In the Old Testament, God called Israel and his descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to become the priests and kings or the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
   Exodus 19:4-6
   19:4. 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.
   19:5. 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
   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."
   
   
   
2. Thanks to God that in the New TestamentGod calls and chooses the Gentiles to become the priests and kings. He places the Gentiles as the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
   1 Peter 2:9-10
   2:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
   2:10. who once were not a peoplebut are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
   

Actually, only the Israelites or God's chosen people, who are worthy to become the priests and kings or the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
Genetically, the Gentiles may not become the priests and kings. Because of the mercy of God which costs the blood of Jesus (Christ's sacrifice on the cross), the Gentiles can become the priests and kings.
So, our ministry costs the blood of Jesus. Let us honor our ministry!
The mercy of God is His greatest gift to the Gentiles. If we reject it, we will experience the greatest punishment. But if we receive it, it will do everything for us.

So, the Israelites and the Gentiles are lifted up by God to become the priests and kings.

Now we learn about the process of God to call the priest and king.
Exodus 19:4
19:4. 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself.

God bears us on eagles' wings to deliver us from the bondage of Egypt or the world, so we can come to Him.
The eagles' wings refer to the power of the word and Holy Spirit that set us free from sins up to the peak, weariness, heavy burdens, and labor, so we become the priests and kings or the citizens of the kingdom of heaven in the world. We change from slave to the citizens of the kingdom of God.

Why does God lift us up to become the priests and kings or the citizens of the kingdom of God?

1. We are lifted up to become the priests and kings, so we are set free from sin that causes weariness, heavy burdens, and labor. As a result, our life becomes easy and light.
   
   
2. We are lifted up to become the priests and kings, so we experience the heavenly bliss; even in the midst of sorrows. It is like walking on the hot desert but we feel that we are on eagles' wings.
   The heavenly bliss cannot be influenced by anything in the world.
   May be we are poor, but we are happy. It is the heavenly bliss that belongs to the citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
   
   Do not misunderstand with God! Do not get desperate! God never breaches of His promise. The guarantee is His own life. Keep on giving thanks!
   

Exodus 19:5
19:5. 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.

The term of becoming the priest and king is obedience, not power or greatness although we have it.
If it depends on power and greatness, not everyone will be chosen. But, because it depends on obedience, all men can be chosen, depending on the heart. It is the justice of God.
The obedience is the decisive point. Why is it so?

1. If we obey God's will, we will be purified, so we can live in holiness and love one another.
   1 Peter 1:22
   1:22. Since you have purified your souls in obeyingthe truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
   
   Living in holiness means that we can minister to God who is holy.
   The obedience is the same as loving one another, so we can minister to others in any condition until ministering one who does not want to be ministered.
   
   
2. If we obey God's commandment, we will be able to work together with Him, so we can do what we cannot possibly do because the power of He works for us. We will never reject the work of God with any reason.
   
   For example, God says to a paralytic on bed to take up his bed and he can do it. God's order is unreasonable but it can be done.
   

Let us learn to become obedient. Do not follow our own will, but God's! We can reach what we cannot reach because God works for us.

1 Peter 2:9
2:9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Himwho called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

The duty of the priest and king is testifying.
We testify anywhere, starting from marriage. We proclaim the praises of God who calls us out of the darkness of sin, world, impossibility, shock, sick, et cetera. We testify about the renewal of life that cannot be aborted by Satan.

Now is our chance to testify in the midst of shocks in the world in the last days, darkness of sin, and economy, et cetera. We testify until we experience Gethsemane. The world hates us but we must keep on testifying.

Luke 1:13,18,20
1:13. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
1:18. And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this?For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
1:20. "But behold, you will be muteand not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

If we do not want to testify because of disobedience, we will be mute like Zacharias. Unfortunately, it is followed by the spirit of deaf.

Mark 7:31-37
7:31. Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.
7:32. Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.
7:33. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.
7:34. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."
7:35. Immediately his earswere opened, and the impediment of his tonguewas loosed, and he spoke plainly.
7:36. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
7:37. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

'they proclaimed it' is the same as testifying.
If one does not want to testify, he will experience the spirit of deaf-mute.
It means as follows:

1. The mute or mouth is not good. It means as follows:
   
   
   1. The idle words that have no spiritual meaning, namely lie, gossip, and slander. One cannot testify and glorify God, but embarrasses Him.
      
   2. One cannot worship God.
      
      
2. The deaf or ears are not good. It means as follows:
   
   
   1. One does not want to hear the true teaching word.
      
   2. One has heard the true teaching word, but he does not want to understand and believe in it.
      
   3. One has heard, understood, and believed in the word but he does not practice it.
      

Why does the deaf-mute happen? Because of being tormented by unclean spirit and Beelzebub.

Mark 9:25
9:25. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"

Luke 11:14
11:14. And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

The forms of Satan who makes the deaf-mute are as follows:

• The spirits of the air or the ones of the world, namely the ones of rebelliousness.
  
• The flesh with all of its lusts and desires. Where there is the desire of flesh, Satan will be there.
  
• The Antichrist or disobedience.
  

Be careful! The priest can be mute and deaf because of being controlled by Beelzebub.
Consequently, the spiritual epilepsy happens.

Matthew 17:14-16
17:14. And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying,
17:15. "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epilepticand suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.
17:16. "So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him."

The spiritual epilepsy means as follows:

1. The depravity or falling from faith.
   The fact is that one does not want to understand the word and minister to God, but just commits sins up to the peak.
   
   
2. Falling into the fire and into the water.
   It means as follows:
   
   
   • The fire refers to the lust of the flesh.
     
   • The water refers to the freshness of the world, so one falls into sins up to the peak, namely the sins of eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage.
     
     
3. The problem which is never finished.
   
4. Labor, heavy burden, curse, and tears.
   
5. If it continues, one will be destroyed forever.
   

Be careful! The epilepsy attacks since we are a child. That is why the teacher of Sunday School must be indeed in obedience and holiness as well as loving one another. Even to our old age we must be careful.

The epilepsy cannot be finished by anybody including the servant of God. That is why we need to pray and fast.

Matthew 17:21
17:21. "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

God helps by taking aside or alienating the mute and deaf from the multitude. It is the same as bringing to the sheepfold or perseverance in committing the three kinds of main service to God, namely perseverance in committing the general service, bible study service, and prayer service.

Mark 7:33-35
7:33. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.
7:34. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."
7:35. Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

'He put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue' = the fingers refer to the anointing of Holy Spirit and the saliva refers to the word from Jesus' mouth. It is the same as the word in the anointing of Holy Spirit or the true teaching one or the one whose secret is revealed through one verse that explains the other verses in the Holy Bible.
In the sheepfold, the shepherding word is repeated until it gets deeper and pierces our deepest conscience to purify us.

The teaching word purifies us. It is the same as showing our sins. We are like spit or ashamed, so we can realize, regret, and confess our own sin.
The word also shows our need and condition to be helped. If we are helped from our sin, we will be helped from our problem too.

Remember! How hard the shepherding word is, it is the great mercy of God. The harder the word is, the greater is God's mercy for us to purify and help us.
The hard teaching Word is the chance for God to do anything for us according to our supplication.

2 Corinthians 6:11-13
6:11. O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
6:12. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
6:13. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.

Our attitudes are as follows:

1. 'our heart is wide open' means that the pastor must preach the true teaching word bravely and honestly no matter risk may come as long as it is not emotion but coming from God.
   If the pastor closes his heart, he will be destroyed.
   
   
2. The congregation must open his heart widely to receive the hard teaching word. If the heart is opened, the ears will be opened to hear and obey the word.
   The ears become good.
   The mouth is opened to become the witness of God. The mouth becomes good.
   

If our heart, mouth, and ears are opened to the shepherding word, the heaven will be opened ('Ephphatha'). The spirit like a dove comes upon us.
Wes just do the thing that the word shows us and the hands of God will work in the midst of us. Holy Spirit works in our life.

The results are follows:

1. Holy Spirit is able to change us to become sincere. We become the house of prayer.
   
2. Holy Spirit is able to pour out the heavenly blessings to us up to our descendants. It means that the curse has been finished. We always give thanks in the midst of difficulties. We are evacuated to the wilderness when the Antichrist reigns over the world.
   
   
3. Holy Spirit is able to make all things good. The thing that has been destroyed can be good. Failure is changed into success and beauty. Decay is changed into fragrance.
   Mark 7:37
   7:37. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
   
   
   
4. The heaven is opened when Jesus comes a second time. We enter into the One-Thousand-Year Kingdom of Peace (upcoming Paradise) and kingdom of heaven or the New Jerusalem forever.
   

God blesses us.