General Service in Malang, November 16, 2014 (Sunday Morning)

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

Revelation 2-3 refers to the last sanctification to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the church in the last days, until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus to become the perfect body of Christ or the Heavenly bride who is ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds. He as the Heavenly bridegroom (the Head) and we as His bride (the body) will unite and cannot be separated forever.

Revelation 2:6
2:6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

The church of Ephesus hates the teaching of Nicolaitans that tries to gather many people in a ministry by all means and showing all physical prosperities and entertainments without the true teaching Word. The consequence is sins grow fast in the church of God.

2 Peter 2:15-16
2:15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the sonof Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2:16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

The teaching of Balaam is ministering with the aim to prioritize the importance of money and carnal matters.
The teaching of Nicolaitans works together with the teaching of Balaam, that is gathering many people by all means to get money.

In Revelation 2:2-3,6, there are nine good deeds of the church of Ephesus that are acknowledged by God.
Revelation 2:2-3,6
2:2 “I know (1)your works, (2)your labor, (3)your patience, and that (4)you cannot bear those who are evil. And (5)you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
2:3 and (6)you have persevered and have patience, and (7)have labored for My name’s sake and (8)have not become weary.
2:6 But this you have, that (9)you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Unfortunately in Revelation 2:4, God blames the church of Ephesus since they have left their first love.
Revelation 2:4
2:4Nevertheless I have thisagainst you, that you have left your first love.

Without the first love, all good deeds of the church of Ephesus will become haughtiness, so the consequence in Revelation 2:5 is they fall into the deep pit and the lampstand is taken from its place. It means entering the darkest darkness in the hell.

Revelation 2:5
2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Otherwise, if the nine good deeds of the church of Ephesus are added with the first love, they will become nine ministries, nine gifts of Holy Spirit, nine activities of love of Father God, and nine fruits of Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to beapostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saintsfor the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

1 Corinthians 12:4-6
12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
12:5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
12:6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

Who will have the positive figure nine? Every servant of God who is holy will be equipped with three things; those are nine ministries, nine gifts of Holy Spirit, and nine activities of love of Father God. They will be used in the building of the perfect body of Christ or the Heavenly bride who is ready to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.

Revelation 19:9
19:9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed arethose who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

We will enter the marriage supper of the Lamb of God, that is the perfect marriage between Christ and the congregation.
The Holy Bible is opened with the physical marriage between Adam and Eve that is broken. Thankfully, the Holy Bible is closed with the spiritual marriage between Christ and the congregation. Therefore, we must keep the righteousness, holiness, and unity of our marriage, to be led to the perfect marriage with God. Afterwards, we will enter the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21-22), that is the New Jerusalem, where there are no more tears.

The revival of building the perfect body of Christ equals to the revival of Holy Spirit in the last rain.
The revival of building the body of Christ is started from within marriage. We must keep the beginning and the journey of marriage in righteousness. If our marriage is in righteousness, holiness, and unity, we can continue with the unity in the shepherding and inter-shepherding, until the perfect body of Christ.

Mark 11:1-2
11:1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples;
11:2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.

The revival of Holy Spirit in the last rain or the revival of building the perfect body of Christ is described as the last journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. His target is a tied colt.

Judges 15:16
15:16 Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey
I have slain a thousand men!”

The requirements of a donkey that can be used by God in the revival of Holy Spirit in the last days are as follows.

1. The donkey must be redeemed with a lamb. If it is not done, the neck of the donkey must be broken.
   Exodus 13:13
   13:13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it,then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem.
   
   It means that the Gentiles must be redeemed with the blood of the Lamb of God, meaning Jesus must die on the cross to redeem us. No matter how great a Gentile is, his life is meaningless and only to be destroyed if he is not redeemed with Jesus’ blood.
   
   John 19:32-34
   19:32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.
   19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
   19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
   
   Actually Jesus has died with four main wounds to redeem the Israelites who had violated the Law. But the soldier (a Gentile) pierces His side with a spear so blood and water come out (the fifth wound). It is to redeem the Gentiles. It is the mercy of God to the Gentiles.
   
   The signs of the Gentiles who have been redeemed are as follows.
   
   
   • The sign of blood, that is repentance (the Altar of Burnt Offerings). We stop sinning to return to God. We confess our sins to God and the others. If we are forgiven, we must not repeat the sins anymore. We die to sin.
     
     
   • The sign of water, that is water baptism (Golden Candlestick).
     Romans 6:2-4
     6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
     6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
     6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
     
     The true water baptism is one who has died to sin must be buried in water together with Jesus, to be raised with Him in new life, that is Heavenly life or life that is anointed with Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is the spirit of righteousness. Thus, new life means living in righteousness.
     
     
2. Being bound.
   Genesis 49:11
   49:11 Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
   
   The colt must be bound to the choice vine, as a branch abides on the true vine.
   The Gentiles must be shepherded to the true shepherding Word or the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword or Bride Tidings. If one is not shepherded, he will become as wild donkey.
   
   Mark 11:2
   11:2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it.
   
   The colt refers to young people or the ones who recently receive the true teaching Word.
   The colt also refers to the ones who always experience renewal by the sword of the Word.
   
   Matthew 21:10
   21:10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
   
   The revival in the true teaching Word will cause a moving.
   
   
   • Negative moving for the one who hardens his heart and rejects the true teaching Word.
     The consequence is being destroyed forever.
     
     
   • Positive moving for the one who is meek. Although he is sinful and unclean, et cetera, but if he is meek, he will be sanctified until perfect as Jesus.
     

The contents of the revival of Holy Spirit in the last rain are as follows.

1. The revival of sanctification.
   What must be sanctified?
   
   
   • The character of the Gentiles, that is the character of dog and swine.
     The character of dog is saying useless words. It must be sanctified to become right, holy, and good words, also the words that bless the others.
     The character of swine is doing unclean deeds, sins concerning eating-drinking (smoking, getting drunk, consuming drugs) and marrying-being given in marriage (sexuality sin with all its variety).
     
     The character of the Gentiles is also the character of worry.
     Matthew 6:31-33
     6:31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
     6:32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
     6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
     
     If one worries, he will not be faithful nor be able to prioritize God.
     Worry causes stinginess (being unable to give) and greediness (taking the rights of the others and God).
     
     
   • Sanctification of the appearance or garment.
     Genesis 49:11-12
     49:11 Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
     49:12 His eyes aredarker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.
     
     Physically, we must take care about our cloth in ministering God.
     
     Isaiah 64:6
     64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses arelike filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
     
     Spiritually, we must not wear a filthy rag, that is self-truth. It means covering sins by blaming the others. If there is self-truth, there will be self-interest and self-desire, so one will not be obedient.
     
     
2. The revival of faith.
   Mark 11:8
   11:8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread themon the road.
   
   It is the revival to give time, energy, money, thought, et cetera, until surrendering our whole life to God. Thus, He will use us in the revival of Holy Spirit in the last rain. God rides our life and entrusts His life to us. He stretches out His powerful and loving hands to us. Let us also stretch out our hands to Him and fully entrust our life to Him. Thus, miracle surely will happen.
   
   The results are as follows.
   
   
   • Abraham does not doubt God (the true teaching Word). He does not doubt His promise and power in facing impossibility. And God fulfills His promise.
     Romans 4:19-20
     4:19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
     4:20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
     
     
     
   • Job is patient and persevering in trials. He does not take his own way out. Thus, the merciful hands of God are able to recover Job doubly, that is physically and spiritually.
     James 5:10-11
     5:10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.
     5:11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended bythe Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
     
     
     
   • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego keep worshiping God and obey Him. The result is He conducts miracle and even gives them beautiful future.
     Daniel 3:16-18,25
     3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
     3:17 If that is the case,our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver usfrom your hand, O king.
     3:18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
     3:25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
     
     He also renews our life until we are perfect as Him and worthy to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
     

 God blesses us.