Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good evening, let us hear the Word of God. Let the peace, grace, and joy of God be in the midst of us abundantly.
Revelation 1: 17-20(It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, May 11, 2014).
Revelation 1: 17
1:17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
John the apostle was in Patmos Island and experienced flesh suffering, notbecause of doing sins, but the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Thus, he could experience three thingsas follows.
‘I fell at His feet as dead’= worshiping God.
In the worship, he could feel the touch of the right hand of God that eliminates the fear(‘Do not be afraid’).
A fear seems as a usual matter, but it is not, because it is an extraordinary matter in the last days.
Luke 21: 25-26 (about fear)
21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
21:26 men’s hearts failingthem from fearand the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
= when this happens, it is the time of the Son of Man to come on the glorious clouds.
Welcoming Jesus’ second coming,fear becomes the main killerof men in the world. Men will be afraid to face crisis in every matter that happens in this world (shocks will happen on the earth, sea, and heaven), so they really die in the world.
Revelation 21: 8
21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Fear does not only cause physical death, but also spiritual one, that is sinking men to the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (the hell) forever.
This fear also attacks the servants and children of God. For examplePeter is a great disciple, but he was afraid.
Matthew 14: 22-24, 26-27
14:22.Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
14:26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer!It is I; do not be afraid.”
Verse 26 = the disciples cried out for fear, including Peter.
In the next verses, Peter walked on the sea, but then he was afraid and began to sink.
Fear attacks the servants and children of God as was experienced by Peter. We must be watchful. Peter was afraid because of the wind and waves.
Verse 22 = our following to God is as crossing the sea of this world to the peaceful harbor(the New Jerusalem = the eternal kingdom of Heaven).
Our following to God must be increased until we cannot be separatedfrom Him anymore, meaning as follows.
Following of body/wife to the Head/ husbandis the following that can never be separated by anything, because body cannot be separated with the Head any seconds. It is as written in the Bible that “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate”.
The following of body/ wife to the head/ husband isthe following of the bride. It is the importance of Bride Tidings!
Good Tidings/ the gospel Word makes us believe God and be saved. But it must be increased to Bride Tidings. The preaching of Bride Tidings increases our followingto God up to the following of the bride that cannot be separated with Him anymore.
If we only know Jesus as a good Father, there is a lost son. If we know Jesus as a great physician, we will not need Him after we are healed. If we know Jesus as the Head, we will always need Him either we are sick or healthy, poor or rich. We cannot be separated with Him anymore.
The practice of the following of the brideis we enter the fellowship or the building of the perfect body of Christ.
The building of the perfect body of Christ is as follows.
Matthew 14: 22
14:22.Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boatand go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
Jesus commanded the disciplesto go before Him to the other side. The multitudes were sent away.
The disciplesrefer to lives that receive the true teaching Word or Bride Tidings.
Thus, the revival of the building of the perfect body of Christ must be led by the true teaching Wordor Jesus as the Head (it is not led by men).
“I am the true vine” = the true teaching Word is the encouragement. If there is the true vine, the branches will abide.
If a fellowship is withoutthe true vine (without the true teaching Word or Jesus as the Head), the branches will only go to the trash bin, become dry and be burnt.
If we are entering a marriage, shepherding, inter-shepherding fellowship, there must be the vine (the true teaching Word).
Where there is the true teaching Word, there is the anointing of Holy Spiritand the pouring of God’s lovethat will unite all of us.
One of the characteristics of the preaching of the true teaching Word is being anointed by Holy Spirit.
Matthew 14: 23
14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away,He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
'And when He had sent the multitudes away'= many went home(they did not go to the other side) =many believe Jesus and are saved by the gospel Word, but they rejectthe true teaching Word or Bride Tidings, so they do not enter the building of the perfect body of Christ (the following to God does not increase).
The disciples went to the other side while the multitudes went home, equals to the saying of Jesus “For many are called, but few are chosen”.
Accepting the calling from God to be saved is the work of the gospel Word. Manyare called by the gospel Word/ Good News, but feware chosen (few are increased by the work of the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword).
Salvation is important!But after being saved, it must be increased. The newborn baby must grow by the true teaching Word or solid food. If baby only drinks milk continually without the solid food, the growth will be abnormal.
If one rejectsthe teaching Word or Bride Tidings (not being the disciples and not going to the other side) and does not enter the building of the perfect body of Christ, the consequence isreturning to the previous way of life (going home), that is living in sins.
Many Christians who have believed in Jesus disappear suddenly. It is because they only accept the gospel Word (they feel enough because they have been saved and blessed), and does not increase. We must be increased to accept the true teaching Word, so we can enter the building of the body of Christ (“going to the other side”).
The examples of life that returns to previous way of life are as follows.
“going home” = “For many are called, but few are chosen”. Be careful, because “But many who arefirst will be last, and the last first”.
Solomon who held the sword since his youth (he was the first), but later he became the last.
We must be watchful for these two things!
Why do many go home(choose the previous way of life)?
Luke 13: 22-24,29-30
13:22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
13:23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them,
13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
13:29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south,and sit down in the kingdom of God.
13:30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate” = receiving the teaching Word is as entering the narrow gate (it is related with the cross).
Thus, the teaching/ sword and the cross cannot be separated.
A sword must be painful. As John who said to Herod 'it is not lawful'. Those kind of saying must hurt a king. Herod rejected the cross; he took the sword and prisoned John the Baptist. If one accepts the cross, he will be sanctified.
“from the east and the west, from the north and the south” = the cross.
Many go homebecause of the true teaching Wordthat is sharper than any two-edged sword and related to the narrow gate. It equals to the crucifixion of the fleshwith all its desire and will.
The example of the crossis when the preaching of the Word of God takes a long time. It is different between consuming milk and solid food. We can consume milk in short time and then go home. But solid food cannot be eaten in haste.
Accepting the true teaching Word or the cross is as going to the other side. It is a flesh suffering. But we must not be afraid, because the harbor or the glory is behind the cross. We must keep going to the other side (not going home), meaning we must accept the Word.
In order to go to the other side (accepting the true teaching Word), we need to sacrificetime, energy, money, thought, feeling, up to everything.
Many will not want to sacrifice (rejecting the true teaching Word).
The example of sacrificing the feelingis we must rebuke anyone, including a king (Herod) when he is wrong.
Many servants of God consider the congregation as a ‘king’, so they do not want to rebuke when there is fault. The servants of God are afraid of losing the gifts from the congregation. It is really dangerous and evil, because they do not want to help the others. If we really preach the Word from God, it will point the sins of anybody so they can be helped.
Everything must be sacrificed for the building of the body of Christ (starting from within the congregation, shepherding, inter-shepherding), EXCEPTthe true teaching Word (Jesus as the Head). It is enough to sacrifice Jesus on the cross one time.
The true teaching Word must not be sacrificed.
The characteristics of the true fellowship are as follows.
After entering the true fellowship (going to the other side), there are still obstacles. Do not make easy our following to God. Do not say, “At least I have served God”. We must be right and serious.
Matthew 14: 24
14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
There are two obstacles of the true fellowship of the body of Christ as follows.
During our journey in the building of the perfect body of Christ to the peaceful harbor, we are attacked by wind and waves to sink down our life.
Wind and waves attack great servants of God.
If the great one is attacked, the ordinary one will also be attacked. We must be careful!
The examples of great servants of God who are attacked by wind and waves are as follows.
Who knows that maybe tonight is God’s time. We have waited and we just need to wait for His time. We only stretch out our hands to God and obey His Word. We hold fast to the Word and cry out His name (we worship Him more and do not lie, do not talk about the others, do not put hope to the others). Thus, He will lift us up on His time.
Who knows, maybe tonight is God’s time to help us.
God blesses us.
Revelation 1: 17-20(It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, May 11, 2014).
Revelation 1: 17
1:17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
John the apostle was in Patmos Island and experienced flesh suffering, notbecause of doing sins, but the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Thus, he could experience three thingsas follows.
- Verse 9: he could enter the true fellowshipwith God (fellowship between the body and the Head) and the others (fellowship of the body of Christ). (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, December 09, 2013).
- Verse 10-16: he could hear and see the sound of the trumpet (the shepherding Word) that becomes two real manifestations as follows.
- Seven golden candlesticks = the perfect church of God/ the Heavenly bride (It has been explained since Christmas Service in Surabaya, December 23, 2013).
- (verse 13-16) The appearance of Jesus in glory as the High Priest, King of all kings, Just Judge, and Heavenly bridegroom (It has been explained since Bible Study Service in Surabaya, February 03, 2014).
- Seven golden candlesticks = the perfect church of God/ the Heavenly bride (It has been explained since Christmas Service in Surabaya, December 23, 2013).
- Verse 17-20: he could fall down before Jesus’ feet(It has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, May 11, 2014).
‘I fell at His feet as dead’= worshiping God.
In the worship, he could feel the touch of the right hand of God that eliminates the fear(‘Do not be afraid’).
A fear seems as a usual matter, but it is not, because it is an extraordinary matter in the last days.
Luke 21: 25-26 (about fear)
21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
21:26 men’s hearts failingthem from fearand the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
= when this happens, it is the time of the Son of Man to come on the glorious clouds.
Welcoming Jesus’ second coming,fear becomes the main killerof men in the world. Men will be afraid to face crisis in every matter that happens in this world (shocks will happen on the earth, sea, and heaven), so they really die in the world.
Revelation 21: 8
21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Fear does not only cause physical death, but also spiritual one, that is sinking men to the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (the hell) forever.
This fear also attacks the servants and children of God. For examplePeter is a great disciple, but he was afraid.
Matthew 14: 22-24, 26-27
14:22.Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
14:26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer!It is I; do not be afraid.”
Verse 26 = the disciples cried out for fear, including Peter.
In the next verses, Peter walked on the sea, but then he was afraid and began to sink.
Fear attacks the servants and children of God as was experienced by Peter. We must be watchful. Peter was afraid because of the wind and waves.
Verse 22 = our following to God is as crossing the sea of this world to the peaceful harbor(the New Jerusalem = the eternal kingdom of Heaven).
Our following to God must be increased until we cannot be separatedfrom Him anymore, meaning as follows.
- Following of son to Father (we are cared, et cetera). Do not stop only in this kind of following because there is a lost son. It must be increased.
- Following of sheep to the Shepherd (we are shepherded). In the shepherding, David confessed, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”. This kind of following must also be increased, because there is lost sheep.
- Following of body (bride/ wife) to the Head (bridegroom/ husband). It is our last following. In the letter of Ephesians, it is explained that husband is the head and wife is the body.
Following of body/wife to the Head/ husbandis the following that can never be separated by anything, because body cannot be separated with the Head any seconds. It is as written in the Bible that “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate”.
The following of body/ wife to the head/ husband isthe following of the bride. It is the importance of Bride Tidings!
Good Tidings/ the gospel Word makes us believe God and be saved. But it must be increased to Bride Tidings. The preaching of Bride Tidings increases our followingto God up to the following of the bride that cannot be separated with Him anymore.
If we only know Jesus as a good Father, there is a lost son. If we know Jesus as a great physician, we will not need Him after we are healed. If we know Jesus as the Head, we will always need Him either we are sick or healthy, poor or rich. We cannot be separated with Him anymore.
The practice of the following of the brideis we enter the fellowship or the building of the perfect body of Christ.
The building of the perfect body of Christ is as follows.
- It is started from within marriage. Therefore, the unity of marriage must be taken care.
- When there is unity in marriage, we will enter unity in the shepherding.
- A greater one is inter-shepherding unity. But it is still not enough.
- The last one is the international fellowship of the body, that is the Israelites and Gentiles will become one perfect body of Christ and He will come for the second time.
Matthew 14: 22
14:22.Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boatand go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
Jesus commanded the disciplesto go before Him to the other side. The multitudes were sent away.
The disciplesrefer to lives that receive the true teaching Word or Bride Tidings.
Thus, the revival of the building of the perfect body of Christ must be led by the true teaching Wordor Jesus as the Head (it is not led by men).
“I am the true vine” = the true teaching Word is the encouragement. If there is the true vine, the branches will abide.
If a fellowship is withoutthe true vine (without the true teaching Word or Jesus as the Head), the branches will only go to the trash bin, become dry and be burnt.
If we are entering a marriage, shepherding, inter-shepherding fellowship, there must be the vine (the true teaching Word).
Where there is the true teaching Word, there is the anointing of Holy Spiritand the pouring of God’s lovethat will unite all of us.
One of the characteristics of the preaching of the true teaching Word is being anointed by Holy Spirit.
Matthew 14: 23
14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away,He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
'And when He had sent the multitudes away'= many went home(they did not go to the other side) =many believe Jesus and are saved by the gospel Word, but they rejectthe true teaching Word or Bride Tidings, so they do not enter the building of the perfect body of Christ (the following to God does not increase).
The disciples went to the other side while the multitudes went home, equals to the saying of Jesus “For many are called, but few are chosen”.
Accepting the calling from God to be saved is the work of the gospel Word. Manyare called by the gospel Word/ Good News, but feware chosen (few are increased by the work of the true teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword).
Salvation is important!But after being saved, it must be increased. The newborn baby must grow by the true teaching Word or solid food. If baby only drinks milk continually without the solid food, the growth will be abnormal.
If one rejectsthe teaching Word or Bride Tidings (not being the disciples and not going to the other side) and does not enter the building of the perfect body of Christ, the consequence isreturning to the previous way of life (going home), that is living in sins.
Many Christians who have believed in Jesus disappear suddenly. It is because they only accept the gospel Word (they feel enough because they have been saved and blessed), and does not increase. We must be increased to accept the true teaching Word, so we can enter the building of the body of Christ (“going to the other side”).
The examples of life that returns to previous way of life are as follows.
- Matthew 15: 1-2
15:1. Then the scribes and Phariseeswho were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying,
15:2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
The first one is the Pharisees(because of the tradition).
The Pharisees rejected the true teaching Word (the teaching from Jesus), because they preserved the tradition that contradictswith the truth in the Word/ the Bible.
Thus, if we do not step forward (not receiving sanctification from the true teaching Word), surely we will step back and return to the previous way of life (preserving the tradition).
The examples of returning to the tradition are as follows.- One has become a Christian, but is still doing the tradition, even shamanism.
- A pregnant woman is showered with the mix of water and flower for salvation.
- A child must tread an egg for salvation. Actually the salvation is only in Jesus.
- One has become a Christian, but is still doing the tradition, even shamanism.
- Herod(because of sins or wrong marriage).
Herod was rebuked by John the Baptist because he took the other’s wife. Actually, Herod liked to hear the Word preached by John the Baptist although it was hard. But when the Word struck his marriage, he was angry and he prisoned John the Baptist.
Herod liked to hear the true teaching Word but finally rejected it because he preserved his previous way of life (wrong marriage). Herod took the wife of Philip his own brother, although actually he could take anyone to become his wife. The flesh desire of King Herod did not want to be cut by the sword of the Word. - Solomon(because of mixing the teaching).
In the Old Testament, when Solomon was young and inexperienced, he held the sword of the Word, so he could solve the marriage problem. Two women quarreled and fought for a child. It was a difficult problem, but could be solved by the sword.
The marriage problem is an international problem. All nations are attacked by marriage problems and none can solve it, except the sword of the true teaching Word.
But unfortunately, Solomon mixed the sword of the Word with other teaching from his wife.
Do not mix the Word or the Bible with other teaching(joke, knowledge, et cetera), because it is already pure and sharp to sanctify our life.
If the teaching Word is mixed with other teaching (the teaching of Solomon’s wife), it is as Solomon who loosed the sword in his old days. When he was successful, he loosed the sword and he was collapsing.
The sword of the Word must be pure, so it can bring us to go to the other side up to the building of the perfect body of Christ. We reach the peaceful harbor or the New Jerusalem.
“going home” = “For many are called, but few are chosen”. Be careful, because “But many who arefirst will be last, and the last first”.
Solomon who held the sword since his youth (he was the first), but later he became the last.
We must be watchful for these two things!
Why do many go home(choose the previous way of life)?
Luke 13: 22-24,29-30
13:22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
13:23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them,
13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
13:29 They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south,and sit down in the kingdom of God.
13:30 And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate” = receiving the teaching Word is as entering the narrow gate (it is related with the cross).
Thus, the teaching/ sword and the cross cannot be separated.
A sword must be painful. As John who said to Herod 'it is not lawful'. Those kind of saying must hurt a king. Herod rejected the cross; he took the sword and prisoned John the Baptist. If one accepts the cross, he will be sanctified.
“from the east and the west, from the north and the south” = the cross.
Many go homebecause of the true teaching Wordthat is sharper than any two-edged sword and related to the narrow gate. It equals to the crucifixion of the fleshwith all its desire and will.
The example of the crossis when the preaching of the Word of God takes a long time. It is different between consuming milk and solid food. We can consume milk in short time and then go home. But solid food cannot be eaten in haste.
Accepting the true teaching Word or the cross is as going to the other side. It is a flesh suffering. But we must not be afraid, because the harbor or the glory is behind the cross. We must keep going to the other side (not going home), meaning we must accept the Word.
In order to go to the other side (accepting the true teaching Word), we need to sacrificetime, energy, money, thought, feeling, up to everything.
Many will not want to sacrifice (rejecting the true teaching Word).
The example of sacrificing the feelingis we must rebuke anyone, including a king (Herod) when he is wrong.
Many servants of God consider the congregation as a ‘king’, so they do not want to rebuke when there is fault. The servants of God are afraid of losing the gifts from the congregation. It is really dangerous and evil, because they do not want to help the others. If we really preach the Word from God, it will point the sins of anybody so they can be helped.
Everything must be sacrificed for the building of the body of Christ (starting from within the congregation, shepherding, inter-shepherding), EXCEPTthe true teaching Word (Jesus as the Head). It is enough to sacrifice Jesus on the cross one time.
The true teaching Word must not be sacrificed.
- Do not get married if it is not according to the true teaching Word.
- Do not be shepherded if the teaching is not according to the Bible.
- Do not join a fellowship if there is no true teaching Word.
The characteristics of the true fellowship are as follows.
- There must be the true vine = there must be the true teaching Word (Jesus as the Head).
Fellowship without the true teaching Word:- It is a fellowship of the body without the head(without Jesus or the true teaching Word). A body without the head is terrible, thus many congregation will leave.
- A body without the head will be placed by fox(evil spirit) and bird(unclean spirit) as the head. It is also terrible! Without the true teaching Word, there is only evil and unclean spirit in a marriage, shepherding, and fellowship.
Evil and unclean spirit is the Babylon (Revelation 17: 5“the great harlot”).This kind of fellowship will only direct to the building of Babylon, the bride of Satan who is the competitor of the body of bo Christ (the bride of God).
When we are holy, God will give us the ministry. The work of God needs holiness at first,not high education. - It is a fellowship of the body without the head(without Jesus or the true teaching Word). A body without the head is terrible, thus many congregation will leave.
- Ephesians 4: 11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to beapostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastorsand teachers,
4:12for the equipping of the saintsfor the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Verse 11 = the ministry.
We must pay attention! We must look for HOLINESS first, not high education.
The second characteristic of the true fellowship is when we are holy, God will equip us with the ministry and gifts of Holy Spirit.
The gifts of Holy Spiritare the miraculous ability from the Holy Spirit (that is more than everything in this world), so we can serve God according to the ministry. For exampleis the one who serves as musician has the gift to play the musical instrument.
Paul the apostle is a smart person used by God. Peter is not a smart one, but God also uses him. It does not depend on high education, but on the holiness and gifts of Holy Spirit.
All of us must serve God according tothe ministry, not by our own willing. For examples are as follows.- A rich man wants to build a church and becomes the pastor, but he cannot preach the Word (the task of a pastor is feeding the congregation). He works without the true teaching Word, and without the ministry and gifts of Holy Spirit. If a hand want to become a foot and a foot wants to become a hand, the body will collapse.
- One who is used as a singer wants to be a pastor. At the end he cannot feed the congregation.
- A rich man wants to build a church and becomes the pastor, but he cannot preach the Word (the task of a pastor is feeding the congregation). He works without the true teaching Word, and without the ministry and gifts of Holy Spirit. If a hand want to become a foot and a foot wants to become a hand, the body will collapse.
After entering the true fellowship (going to the other side), there are still obstacles. Do not make easy our following to God. Do not say, “At least I have served God”. We must be right and serious.
Matthew 14: 24
14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
There are two obstacles of the true fellowship of the body of Christ as follows.
- The headwind.
Ephesians 4: 14
4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
The headwind is the wind that is contrary (comes from the front). The headwind is the wind of false teachingthat opposes the true fellowship of the body of Christ.
The signs are as follows.- Revelation 17: 3-5
17:3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beastwhich wasfull of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
17:4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
17:5 And on her forehead a name waswritten:MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The building of Babylon is supported by money.
“a woman sitting”= the Babylon.
“a scarlet beast” = the antichrist with the power of money.
Verse 4 = the most important thing is money or richness or entertainment, without the Word or sanctification. The saddest thing in the church is when the preaching of the Word takes long time (but being happy when the singing and praise take long time). Actually, it is the Word that sanctifies our life.
The first sign of the headwind is there is the teaching of Babylon, that is the teaching about physical prosperity (money) and entertainment, withoutsanctification (not prioritizing the Word). It is usually liked by the youth.
Be careful young people!Many services are without the Word nowadays, so the youth will be happy. Babylon tries to block us entering the church. But when we are already inside the church, she tries to make us not hear the Word. A service without the Word will not sanctify one’s life, and at the end he will return to Babylon. - 1 Corinthians 3: 3
3:3 for you are still carnal. For where there areenvy, strife, and divisions among you,are you not carnal and behaving like meremen?
The second sign of the headwind is there are envy and strifethat cause division in the body of Christ.
Envymeans not appreacting the blessing, usage, and especially mercy of God.
Do not be envious of God’s blessing to the others!It is also a blessing from God when we can go by pedicab, although the others go by car.
Do not be envious of God’s usage to the other!There is one who is used to preach the Word, et cetera.
Do not be envious, because God uses all of us.
Moreover, do not be envious for God’s mercy!If we are envious about God’s mercy, it is dangerous!
Strife equals to self-truth, meaning as follows.- Truth outside the Word or the Bible. When we argue about the Word of God, we must read it again. Do not add or take away any words from the Word of God (we must be honest). When the Word says that it is forbidden, it means it is forbidden.
For examplewhen there is the Word that says not to steal, but one argues that “it is okay to steal due to the difficult situation, et cetera”. This will cause strife. - Covering sins by blaming the others. The false one does not want to confess his sins, but blaming the others.
- Covering sins by blaming God (thinking that God is unjust).
When there is strife about sins, we must confess and forgive one another. - Truth outside the Word or the Bible. When we argue about the Word of God, we must read it again. Do not add or take away any words from the Word of God (we must be honest). When the Word says that it is forbidden, it means it is forbidden.
- 2 Chronicles 26: 16-19
26:16. But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to hisdestruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
26:17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord—valiant men.
26:18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It isnot for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall haveno honor from the Lord God.”
26:19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he hada censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke outon his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar.
'to hisdestruction'= not building, but destroying.
'to burn incense on the altar of incense'= actually it is the task of the priests, not King Uzziah.
The third sign of the headwind is ministering not accordingto the ministry from God and the gifts of Holy Spirit.
For exampleone preaches the Word of God although he is a singer, or the other way around. It destroys (does not build) the body of Christ.
The way out iswe must be firmto use the sword (as Azariah the priest), meaning being firm according to the true teaching Word.
When one rejects the true teaching Word, leprosywill break out. Leprosy means self-truth and uncleanness.
The consequenceis 'shall haveno honor from the Lord God', meaning King Uzziah did not get honor (he died but was not burnt in the place for kings). It means not getting place in the body of Christ, but entering the body of Babylon and being destroyed forever.
Thus, when we are advised or rebuked in our ministry because of our faults, do not be angry, because leprosy will break out (and the leper will be isolated). It means not getting place in the body of Christ.
There are two great spiritual buildings, that is the body of Christ and the body of Babylon. If one does not enter the body of Christ, he will enter the body of Babylon. We must pray so all of us are united!
- Revelation 17: 3-5
- The wave.
It means as follows.- Evil and unclean sins.
Evil sinsare the lust or desire of money. It causes- stinginess, means cannot give.
- greediness, means taking the rights of the others, especially the right of God (the tithe and special offering).
Starting from a pastor must return the tithe. If he does not return the tithe, the congregation will be attacked by waves. Likewise, the congregation will also be attacked by waves if they steal the belongings of God.
- Sins concerning eating-drinking, that is smoking, getting drunk consuming drugs.
- Sins concerning marrying-being given in marriage, that is sexuality sin with all its variety, sexual deviations (lesbian, homosexual, sex to oneself), and wrong marriage.
This wave has attacked Indonesia. It is like an emergency situation. A great and expensive school is entered by the wave, and children are the victims. Therefore, we must bring children to come to Sunday School, so God protects them.
It is better to be tired now to bring them to Sunday School than being attacked by sexuality sins later.
Let us also bring our life to come to minister God.
Now the children are attacked, but later the old one will also be attacked by sexuality sins.
- stinginess, means cannot give.
- Impossible problems. There is none who can stop waves, even a professor in oceanography cannot do that. Only God who can stop the wave.
Impossible problems are about financial problem, future, and sickness.
- Evil and unclean sins.
During our journey in the building of the perfect body of Christ to the peaceful harbor, we are attacked by wind and waves to sink down our life.
Wind and waves attack great servants of God.
If the great one is attacked, the ordinary one will also be attacked. We must be careful!
The examples of great servants of God who are attacked by wind and waves are as follows.
- Judas is a disciple, treasurer, and trusted by God. Judas was attacked by evil wave (the lust of money), so he became a thief. At the end, he burst open in the middle and was destroyed forever.
Judas can be attacked by wind and waves. Who are we? We must be serious and watchful to face wind and waves. - Peterwas also attacked by wind, but there was help from God.
Matthew 14: 29-31
14:29So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
14:30 But when he saw that the wind wasboisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched out Hishand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Peter had walked on the water. He was great and experienced the power of God’s help (miracle from God). But because of the wind (false teaching), Peter was doubtful and afraid.
At the end, Peter began to sink.
Choosing the wrong oneis the beginning of sinking(God is considered as a ghost, a ghost is considered as God. Both are wrong).
WHEN ONE IS DOUBTFUL, HE WILL CHOOSE THE WRONG ONE.
Eve was doubtful between the voice of God and the serpent. At the end, she chose the voice of the serpent.
'God is considered as a ghost'= the true teaching Word is considered as the thing that is scary, adverse and causes suffering (without any love). It is as Solomon who commanded to divide the fighted son into two with the sword. It looks like having no love, but actually there is more than love, that is the mercy from God.
The consequence of being doubtfulis starting to sink to perdition.
Fortunately, Peter was still able to cry out "Lord, save me!", meaning stretching out his hands to God.
Most of the time we harden our heart and are not willing to stretch out our hands to God. We always oppose God. At the end God lets us begin to sinkso we automatically stretch out our hands to Him.
When we start to sink down in finance, we may do any efforts, but the main one waited by God is stretching out our hands to Him. We believe and fully surrender our life to the true teaching Word (God). We hold fast to one true teaching Word and obey it. We only cry out “Lord, save me!”.
Do not put our hope to the others. If Peter had called the name of the other 11 disciples, he would already have sunk before mentioning the other name. But he cried out “Lord, save me!”, and He stretched out His hands to lift up Peter. It means as follows.- Lifting up Peter from going down in His time. If it had been late a bit, Peter would already have gone down.
Maybe tonight is the right time for God to help us. If there is deterioration, we must confess and return to God (the true teaching Word). We must hold fast to the true teaching Word, obey it, and cry out 'Lord, save me!'. - Lifting us up from any deterioration to recover us. The failures will be made successful and beautiful in His time.
- We will be used in the building of the perfect body of Christ in the last days.
- The sea becomes calm, meaning God solves all impossible problems.
- We are sanctified and renewed until we become as perfect as Him = being led to the peaceful harborand we are together with God forever.
- Lifting up Peter from going down in His time. If it had been late a bit, Peter would already have gone down.
Who knows that maybe tonight is God’s time. We have waited and we just need to wait for His time. We only stretch out our hands to God and obey His Word. We hold fast to the Word and cry out His name (we worship Him more and do not lie, do not talk about the others, do not put hope to the others). Thus, He will lift us up on His time.
Who knows, maybe tonight is God’s time to help us.
God blesses us.