Speaker: Deacon Gideon Pakpahan
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.
We are still learning Revelation 2-3.
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, it refers to the seven blood sprinkles in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They also refer to the last sanctificationthat God does to the seven churches of Gentiles.
We are learning Revelation 2:8-11 (the sanctification to THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA)
Revelation 2:9-10
2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty(but you are rich); and I know the blasphemyof those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The condition of the church of Smyrna(the church of the end of time) starting from verse 9 is in tribulation, poverty, blasphemy, and being tested.
These conditions mean being in tribulation with Jesus.
The same thing also applies to us (the church of the end of time). We have to be willing to suffer with Jesus to experience the sanctification.
The correct attitudes are as follows.
Revelation 2:10
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The processto look at Jesus on the cross until looking at Him who will come in the glory of the King of kings and the Bridegroom is as follows.
God doesn't tell lies to us. In the middle of suffering, we look at God and He will also look at us. God will not let us be alone in the middle of suffering if we look at Him by (1)repenting, (2)being in the shepherding, being obedient to the shepherd's voice, being sanctified, and (3)willing to undergo the flesh tearing through worships.
The resultsare as follows.
God blesses us.
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.
We are still learning Revelation 2-3.
In the arrangement of the Tabernacle, it refers to the seven blood sprinkles in front of the Ark of the Covenant. They also refer to the last sanctificationthat God does to the seven churches of Gentiles.
We are learning Revelation 2:8-11 (the sanctification to THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA)
Revelation 2:9-10
2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty(but you are rich); and I know the blasphemyof those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The condition of the church of Smyrna(the church of the end of time) starting from verse 9 is in tribulation, poverty, blasphemy, and being tested.
These conditions mean being in tribulation with Jesus.
The same thing also applies to us (the church of the end of time). We have to be willing to suffer with Jesus to experience the sanctification.
The correct attitudes are as follows.
Revelation 2:10
2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
- ' Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer'
We should not fear to suffer with God.
If these days God lets us suffer without sins, don't be afraidor run away from Him, but we have to keep ourselves close to Him and be afraid of Him instead. - 'Be faithful until death'
We have to be faithful until the finish lineof our lives.
The finish lines of human are as follows.- Being dead before God's second coming.
- Being alive until God's second coming.
Indeed there are a lot of tribulations that we have and God lets us experience those things, but He Himself has undergone even greater tribulations. This is God's justice.
On the other verse, it is mentioned, 'For our light affliction, which is but for a moment'. It means that if God lets us have the tribulations, those are light in comparison to what Jesus had on the cross. - When God lets us suffer with Him, we have to look at Himwho have already had those experience on the cross, much greater suffering than what we have, so that we can be strong in following and ministering Him.
When we have tribulations, don't look at men(the shepherd, other person, or anyone else). If we are looking at men, we will be disappointed and leave God when we are not considered.
"I am a deacon. When I look at our shepherd, I can say 'I have been with him for these years, why am I not promoted?' If I look at men, I will be disappointed."
If we are in tribulation, we always look at Jesus on the cross and we can be strong in following and ministering Him until one day we can look at His second coming in the glorious clouds.
The processto look at Jesus on the cross until looking at Him who will come in the glory of the King of kings and the Bridegroom is as follows.
- Revelation 1:7
1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
Zechariah 12:10
12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
The first process to look at Jesus on the cross is to look at Him in the glory. We look at Jesus who was piercedand dead on the cross.
The practicesare as follows. (referring to the court of the Tabernacle)
John 19:34-35
19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His sidewith a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
19:35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.- Believing. It refers to the gate of Tabernacle.
- Having the mark of blood. It means repentingwe stop sinning and return to God.
- Having the mark of water. It means having a life renewalthrough the water baptism and the baptism of Holy Spirit so that we can have a new life which is a life in truth.
Zechariah 12:10
12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mournfor Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.
When we commit sins, we have to repent with a mourningor earnestly and not in laugh (without feeling guilty).
Even in our daily lives when we commit sins unintentionally, we have to regret and don't laugh.
Often, the sin that we don't consider and we laugh at it is the sins of forsaking the assembling of ourselves together(in the epistle to the Hebrews).
When we don't serve, we have to mourn and weep because it is a sin. If this unconsidered sin is repeatedly done, it can become a repetitive sin. - The second process to look at Jesus on the cross until we see Him in the glory is looking at Him as the Great Shepherd (The faithful Shepherd).
The practices are as follows.- Being faithful and perseveringin the 3 kinds of services in the system of shepherding.
Many times the Christians say 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want', but they don't want to be in the shepherding. This is a lie.
If we say 'The Lord is my shepherd' and we look at Him as the Great Shepherd, we have to be faithful in the 3 kinds of services or the shepherding. - John 10:27-28
10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
The second practice is not listening to the other voices, not giving any change to the ear to listen to a strange voice, but only listening and obeying the onevoice of the Word of Shepherding.
It has to be our character.
If we give chances to the ear to listen to other voices through anything, soon or later we won't listen to the true Word.
For example, Judas always gave chances to listen to the voices of the high priests, the Scribes, and the Pharisees who clearly hated Jesus and he knew it. However he listened to them and in the end he wouldn't listen to God's voice anymore.
"I repeat once more. I am not defending the pastor. I know that the Word that is preached is true, written on the bible, a verse explains other verses, so I keep it. Once, there was a senior pastor told me 'this is what your pastor said', I bravely replied 'No!' I am not defending a man but I see that what my pastor preached is according to the bible. This is why I keep it until now. If I have listened to other voices, I would have left God's voice." - The third practice is to have an intensive sanctification.
If we like to listen to other voices like Judas, we won't be holy but start stealing God's belonging, and lie.
If we see our children start telling lies, look at their shepherding! Are they truly in the shepherding or not? There is no such thing as a white lie (a lie for a good reason).
If your children or husband start telling lies, look at their shepherding. If they are bored of the shepherding and not earnest in it, they will love stealing parents' belonging, even stealing God's like Judas, and they will love to tell lies.
We have to be earnest in the shepherding to have an intensive sanctification, especially from the sins of Judasas follows.- Stealing.
- Telling lies.
- Betraying, being lawless. It happens in the end of time. We have to be grateful if everyone in our family is in the shepherding of the true Word.
2 Timothy 3:1-5(the conditions of men in the end of time)
3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
3:2 For men will be 1lovers of themselves, 2lovers of money, 3boasters, 4proud, 5blasphemers, 6disobedient to parents, 7unthankful, 8unholy,
3:3 9unloving, 10unforgiving, 11slanderers, 12without self-control, 13brutal, 14despisers of good,
3:4 15traitors, 16headstrong, 17haughty, 18lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
3:5 having a form of godlinessbut denying its power. And from such people turn away!
'disobedient to parents' means being lawless.
'lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God' means disobedience.
There are 2 possibilities in the shepherding that can cause lawlessness as follows.- Being in the shepherding but not obeying (like Judas).
- 'denying its power' which means they won't listen to Jesus' voice.
Matthew 24:12, 10
24:12 And because lawlessnesswill abound, the loveof many will grow cold.
24:10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
If there are members of our family who are not in the shepherding yet, we need to pray a lotto avoid the lawlessness. Lawlessness in the marriage is very dreadful because we will hate each other, the children hate the parents, even kill them. This will happen in the end of time.
- The sanctification of heartfrom the evil and unclean lusts.
- The sanctification of eyes.
- The sanctification of mouthuntil we can't tell lies or do anything wrong with our speech.
Matthew 26:25
26:25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Judas wouldn't have the sanctification in the shepherding but he kept the lies.
- Being faithful and perseveringin the 3 kinds of services in the system of shepherding.
- Acts 7:54-56, 60
7:54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
7 :55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
7 :56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"
7:60 Then he kneltdown and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
The third process to look at Jesus on the cross until looking at Him in the glory is having the flesh tearingthrough the worship. We must do this. Don't leave the shepherding and the worship!
Entering the worship is indeed hard for the flesh. Even kneeling down is hard for the flesh, but we can have the flesh tearing until our flesh doesn't speak anymore (until we are obedient to God).
Mark 14:32-34, 36
14:32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray."
14:33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.
14:34 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."
14:36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."
'Sit here while I pray' refers to the worship.
Jesus was not supposed to be tortured and crucified because He didn't commit any sin. The same thing goes to us, we are not supposed to suffer. However, if God lets us experience the suffering through the worship, don't murmur, because the worship is a flesh tearing process until it doesn't speak anymore and we are obedient to God's voiceand only say 'Abba, Father'.
The youth usually find it hard to be obedient, especially about marriage. Worship more! If you feel it is hard to be obedient, especially about the marriage, worship more!
As we already know that it is hard for the flesh to be obedient, especially about the marriage, don't spread it to the media.
Parents who find it hard to be obedient to God, worship more. Abraham was asked to offer his son as an offering, which is hard for a parent to do it.
A testimony:
"When I was about to become a full time servant of God, I saw the tears of my mother. She cried when she dropped me at the airport. I was about to cry too, but I was ashamed since there were many people. When I graduated, I went home to minister, because my father is a pastor. However, after having a spiritual consideration for one year, I decided to go back and surrender everything to God, meaning that I will not minister in my father's place. I told my parents, 'Mom and dad, I have to return because of a spiritual consideration'. While I was a full time servant of God in my parents' place, I was not really a full time servant of God because everything was as I wished, if I wanted to clean, I could do it, if I wanted to sleep, I could do it too. I thought, 'how will my spirituality increase if I live this way?' My parents did not force me to clean or do anything. God gave me a wisdom that I have to return and give all of myself. I have to tear this flesh. I told my parents, 'Mom and dad, I have to give it all to God, wherever He will put me as a deacon and not as a shepherd'. Then I talked to the pastor when he visited Pekanbaru for a fellowship, 'Pastor I want to give all of myself and I am ready to minister anywhere you send me to'. He said to me, 'Well, just pray and come to Malang. I will send you to this place (I can't mention it)'. After quite a long time, I was not sent. I told it to my parents and my mother really cried, and she even said 'You come back to be the son of Pastor Widjaja'. It is indeed hard for a parent to offer his son as a burnt offering to God. My parents don't offer their son as a burnt offering, they just let me be a full time servant of God. However, it was very hard for my mother and she cried a lot. She even ran from the house and I looked for her. To be obedient is a hard thing. Finally, my mother's heart was softened and she prayed for me and said 'What will be will be'. Being obedient needs a process."
To you who feel the calling of God to be a full time servant of God, let you be obedient in listening to His voice.
Parents, don't hinder your children's step to be a full time servant of God, but don't push them emotionally either.
God doesn't tell lies to us. In the middle of suffering, we look at God and He will also look at us. God will not let us be alone in the middle of suffering if we look at Him by (1)repenting, (2)being in the shepherding, being obedient to the shepherd's voice, being sanctified, and (3)willing to undergo the flesh tearing through worships.
The resultsare as follows.
- Exodus 2:23-24
2:23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
2:24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenantwith Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
The first result is God will always pay attention and take care of us in every suffering that we have.
To the youth who are in the middle of suffering, know that God is not letting us be alone.
God's Word says 'have a good communications!' It is hard, because we can't be free to be with anyone as we want, but God will not let us alone.
Exodus 1:17, 19-21
1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.
1:19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them."
1:20 Therefore God dealt wellwith the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty.
1:21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.
Maybe the youth condition is like the midwives who were in suffering as they were commanded to kill the children of the Israelites by Pharaoh. If they had been caught not killing the children, they would have been killed.
However, God did great things to them. If we are willing to suffer with God, He takes care of and pays attention to us. He will never let us be alone when we are in the middle of suffering and God will set us freefrom every suffering that we have, as He set the Israelites free from the slavery. - Hebrews 2:17-18
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
The second result is God's graceful and merciful hands are stretched to help us right on His time.
Once again, never murmur when we are in suffering because God will help us right in His time, and He is never late. - The third result is He will make propitiation for the sins of the people. God's merciful hands will be stretched to make peace and sanctify usfrom every sin, even to the peak of sins, until we are perfect, as glorious as Him and we can welcome His second coming.
God blesses us.