Rev. Jusak Widjaja Hendra - WR Supratman 4 Sby
We have discussed verse 8 about one kind of false churches those are fleshly
churches with their characteristics. We will talk about the fleshly churches
in Jude 1:14-16 > fleshly church.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying,
"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them
of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and
of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and
they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
We have discussed about the fleshly church whose characteristics are wicked/
evil and not in line with the word of God (fleshly deeds, useless deeds and
darkness deeds.)
Now we are going to discuss about another sign of fleshly church that is humiliated
sayings. In practices, humiliated sayings are:
- Useless sayings, including lying
- Flattering, that is praise other people to get benefits from them. In fact, flattering falls ourselves. Thus, we have to be careful.
- Murmur
In conclusion, the characteristics of fleshly church are their deeds are wicked,
evil and not along with the word of God and their sayings are humiliated.
Now, we will focus on murmur. Murmur has been done by Israelites when they were
in the desert. We have to watch out due to the fact that in the end of the world,
fleshly church will murmur as Israelites did. Now, we are going to look up the
disadvantages of murmuring in Numbers 14:29
‘The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in
this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number,
from twenty years old and above.
Disadvantage of murmuring is so terrible. That is, the Israelites became carcasses. We can see here that there is a descent of men’s status. Dead men should be called corpse. However, in the verse above it is clearly stated that Israelites were carcasses. Carcasses should be used to call dead animals. In short, the status of murmuring people/fleshly church/ fleshly servant of God is the same as animals. The superiority of men from animals which also have flesh are having mind. But if men murmur (= corrupt their mind), their status will descend and become the same as animals. Consequently they will perish like Israelites who were not different from carcasses in desert. Hence, we have to be careful.
The Israelites had gone out from Egypt/ were set free of being slaves (= had been saved), but they turn to be carcasses in the desert. It means they were nothing. Christians now walk in the desert of the world with God to reach the kingdom of 1000 years peace or kingdom of heaven. Those who have been saved or set free from sins by God, but murmur will turn to be carcasses/be destroyed.
This warning is written in the end of the world since one of sins in the end of the world is murmur.
1 Corinthians 10: 5, 6, 10, 11
5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The biggest part is ironically the unpleasing part. If we trace back, when
Israelites went out of Egypt and walked in the desert they murmured and because
of that they were destroyed.
Now, in the end of the world on which we will go out of this world to meet Jesus
Christ in His second coming, there will be the greatest part of churches of
God who are murmuring. Consequently, they have to be destroyed in this world
and cannot meet Jesus in His return. Thus we have to be careful since one of
sins in the end of the world is murmur. Instead of murmuring, we have to learn
to give thanks in everything in our lives.
There are three reasons that make Israelites/ churches of God murmur, they are:
- sufferings
Numbers 13: 27, 28
27 Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.
28 "Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.
In verse 28, the word ”nevertheless” refers to the sound of flesh which makes the Israelites murmur
Numbers 14:1, 2
1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.
2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
Why did they murmur? Because they exaggerated sufferings/problems instead of the word/promises /the power of God. The word of God had said that the Israelites would enter the Canaan which was full of milk, honey, and grapes. However, there were Anak people. It made the Israelites murmur. In fact, the promises of God/ word of God/ power of God are greater than all of those sufferings/ problems. However, in the end of the world there are lots of people murmuring and they will become carcasses (be destroyed) forever.
My fellows, if God allows us to face sufferings they will be a test for our faiths. God, indeed, gives us milk, honey and grapes in Canaan, yet God also gives a test of our faith/ Israelites’ faiths. Our faiths will not grow if we are only given milk, honey and grapes.
So, it is true that God gives promises. Nevertheless, to get those promises, there are hindrances/ sufferings which are tests for our faiths. If we hear the word of God then we get whatever we ask, our faiths are not healthy. We have to believe the word of God even though we face hindrances. As a result, our faiths become tested faiths which are like gold.
1 Peter 1: 6, 7
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
When God allows us to confront sufferings which perhaps against the promise in the word of God, it means we are tested. The test generates golden faith so that we have experience to possess the pure gold. It is important due to the street of New Jerusalem is made of pure gold. In short, if we undergo the test of our faiths, it is not God’s intention to make us fall. Instead, He wants our faiths are as pure as gold and we can walk in the New Jerusalem whose street is made of pure gold. So, we have experience in this pure gold.
Revelation 21:21
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
It is not easy to walk on the pure gold. For example, we change the floor of our houses from hard floor to softer one, we are often slipped. Let alone if we have to walk on the pure gold which we never have experience with it. If we are not trained we will be slipped in the New Jerusalem.
The second example is in Tunjungan Plaza there was ice-skating area. Then I invite you to enter and walk on that area and I am willing to pay for it. But when you enter it you fall again and again and finally you do not want to enter it again. Thus, you have to train previously. Trials or tests are like training for us to walk on the pure gold in the New Jerusalem. Hence, we may not murmur when God allows us to face trials/ tests.
What kind of tests that we have to face? We, as servants of God, are tested to be able to walk on the pure gold, starting from this world, that is in our ministries. We can do our ministries although we confront lots of difficulties until we reach the New Jerusalem. Then, we can walk on its street which is made of pure gold. Nowadays we have to endure the period of tests by keeping our mouths so that we do not murmur. Instead, we give thanks in confronting tests of faith. I hope we understand it.
- Murmur in their ministries, for instance is Korah and we have to
be careful of it.
Numbers 16: 8-11
8 Then Moses said to Korah, "Hear now, you sons of Levi:
9 "Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to serve them;
10 "and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also?
11 "Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"
We have done our duties to serve God and it is good! Yet we have to keep away from murmuring. For you who have not become minister of God yet, you have to pray to God so that He trusts you to serve Him.
Why do in our ministries stay murmurs? Because *we insist on our rights as Korah. In Luke 17 there is a lesson for us in terms of insisting on rights. What kinds of rights are insisted?
Luke 17: 7, 8
7 "And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?
8 "But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?
*rights of eating and drinking which are the main daily needs. You are willing to serve God but insisting on rights of eating and drinking/ daily needs.
Luke 17: 9
9 "Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.
The second thing which is insisted on is *praise/ thanks. We have served God but we do not get praise/ thanks. Instead we are criticized. Moreover, we forsake the ministries. It is also a lesson for me because if I have felt deserve when I can come to Surabaya, it is a sort of insisting on rights.
Luke 17:10
10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’"
The third one is *position, as Korah, it is due to the feeling that we are proud of ourselves and thinking that we have ability. For example:- I have been a choir member for years yet I never get the turn to become a solo singer although I have a sweet voice.
- So do us, the full timers, who are murmuring because we are not asked to preach the word of God. Actually, this case is the consideration of the shepherd and God. As the full timers we have to be ready. My fellows, this is the reality that often we think that we have capability so that we murmur and say: why don’t me?
We have to watch out of these three things in our ministries, those are:- Insisting on rewards/ rights of daily needs
- Insisting on thanks/ praise
- Insisting on position
Consequently, we have the same fate as Korah. The earth was opened and he went down and swallowed by the earth. I should say sorry to state the fact that although we have served God, but we keep murmuring, we do not go up yet go down. All aspects of our lives will be down/ slipped. Consequently, in the Jesus’ second coming such people will not go up but go down to the hell (destruction). Hence, I say: It is better for you to sleep in your home than to serve God with murmuring to insist on you rights. If we are murmuring in our ministries, our carnally and spirituality will be slipped until we reach the hell (destruction).
The true ministry is Luke 17:10
10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’"
If we feel that we are useless we will not insist on our right since if we insist on our right we will be ashamed. The true ministry/ ministers do not insist on the rights but only have and do duties. It is the right minister (dollos) as Jesus Christ himself.
What is the duty of a minister of God? The main duty of a servant of God is only exalting His name, not murmuring. If a servant of God murmurs, he/ she only embarrasses God. But let us have duties, not rights! Once again, our main duty is exalting His name. Whenever and wherever we are, people can see that God is exalted. That is enough for us.
If we are able to exalt God, our rewards are on His hands and they will not be lost since God never deceive us.
Isaiah 49:3, 4
3 "And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.’
4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.’"
Verse 3 is the description of the duty of servants of God that is only exalting God and verse4 is the results which explains that God never deceives us so that our rewards are on His hands which are able to guarantee our lives in this world until the lasting life with Him. This is the thing that is often underestimated because lots of people only emphasize rewards in serving God. It is also regretted because for me it is not about money yet we lost our rewards that are in the God’s hands since we have the earthly rewards. I hope we understand it.
For example, I remember a lesson from my shepherd in my hometown when I was staying in a church for 4 years. I served God while I was studying and indeed I was given food, but I was not given money to go to the barber or other activities since I was not a full timer. But instead of murmuring I gave thanks because my ministry was pure and God showed that my rewards which are on His hands are not lost. I got some scholarships which were offered to me. It was difficult for a person to get the scholarship yet I was offered some scholarships even I was reprimanded due to I had not given my photo. It is a little example which shows that our rewards are on God’s hands and He never deceives us. I hope we can understand it.
Come on my fellows! Don’t insist on our rights yet we have to sacrifice all of them and our rewards will be in the hands of God and Satan will not be able to grab them.
This is the fleshly church and we have to be careful because:- Its sayings are useless
- Its sayings are lying
- Flatter to get benefit and fall other people
- Murmur a lot in trials/ tests and ministries
- Murmur is caused also by * being sick of manna
Numbers 21:4, 5
4 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way.
5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
What is manna?
Psalm 78: 23-25
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,
24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.
25 Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.
Manna = heavenly wheat = angels’ food/bread of angel. I will firstly explain about bread of angel. Manna= word of angel. Bread = the word of God. Angel= shepherd. In revelation it is stated: write to angel of Ephesus, Philadelphia, Thyatira, etc. Angel here does not mean a real angel which has wings but it means a shepherd. So, manna refers to the shepherding word.
Therefore we have to be careful because murmuring is caused by:- Trials
- Ministries
- Being sick or bored of the true shepherding word/ heavenly manna which is derived from God.
It is true that the shepherding word is like manna which goes down every day and delivered faithfully by a shepherd. It is not changed repeatedly. I have said that actually God is able to send manna today and another food tomorrow yet He sends manna which is the shepherding word that goes down everyday faithfully. However, only in the seventh day manna does not go down. Thus, in sixth day it goes down in double amounts. Manna goes down to grow our spirituality not to make us bored of it. Unfortunately, manna makes people bored and with their logics they say that it is better to have another food even another pastor in order not to be bored.
In our ministry we do not see men but we look at how God works. For instance: The showbread table. It is the bread which is changed every Sabbath day, not the people. Men’s logics want to change the preacher. However, God is over men.
In Holy Bible, the shepherding is like:
- Manna/ angel bread
- Crowing of rooster which crows every morning, never changes and passing faithfully and repeatedly.
- Mother’s breast milk. Paul said: I’m a mother who gives milk to you. It is also delivered repeatedly and faithfully by a mother/ shepherd.
- Wheat from heaven Psalm. 78: 24
In short, the shepherding word is not any word since it is called as wheat from heaven and it means there is no school which teaches the shepherding word. The shepherding word is word of God derived from heaven/ God Himself and cannot be learned in every school in this world. It only can be studied under the feet of God/ God’s grace. For graduation of Lempinel, don’t be proud of yourselves if you have graduated due to Lempinel is only a process to form yourselves. We studied in Bible school is not because of knowledge but how we are changed, starting from our characteristics/ attitudes/ hearts. It is what is dreamt by the late Rev. In Juwono when he ran Lempinel to shape one’s characteristics to be deserved to be a servant of God.
For example: the late Rev. Pong who studied in Lempinel for 3 months but he became a shepherd for 35 years. If the shepherding word can be studied at school, his church would have been closed soon. Thus, if the forming of characteristics/ attitudes has been done and we have characteristics of a servant of God, we are only still under the feet of God and He will gives us His word/ wheat from heaven/ grace of God. The shepherding word is only grace of God. I hope we understand it.
This is the fact my fellows! Israelites were sick of manna in the past time and now many Christians are sick of the shepherding word which indeed comes from heaven (not from changing it or reading books)/ God/ grace of God. Hence, don’t refuse it because rejecting it is dangerous.
Numbers 21:6
6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.
If we are bored or sick of the shepherding word which directly comes from heaven, the revelation of God/ the opening of shepherding word, do not reject it due to if we refuse it/ are bored or sick of it , serpent are coming= invite the serpent which is a description of Satan.
Definitions of serpent are:
- Sins which have deadly poisons to attack our spirituality
- False doctrines which also have deathly poisons which make our spirituality dry and we will be included in the second death/ destruction in hell.
Hence, let’s respect the shepherding word which is revelation from God and God’s grace and whose secret is opened by God. If not, the serpent is coming.
Unconsciously, the shepherding word is needed by everyone everywhere. In Medan, people with their high degrees and rich people came to hear the word of God. I was surprised when I was praying and God reminded me about the sayings of the late Rev. In Juwono that is one day smart and rich people will be employed by God like Nicodemus and Joseph Arimatea. Now it happens and we may not be left behind and sick of the shepherding word which is from God, there is the opening of the word and you can feel it. If not, serpent is waiting for you. While other people are employed by God we have to be careful. I hope we can understand it.
Let’s my fellows! We have to have good attitudes toward the shepherding word by respecting it. It is explained above that the shepherding word is like the crowing of rooster and mother’s breast milk. Our attitudes in respecting the shepherding word are like babies who are always long for/ respect/ need mother’s breast milk more than everything.
1 Peter 2:2
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
Being newborn babies are the right attitudes towards the shepherding word so that we are not murmuring and sick of it (= not bitten by the serpent).
I have given you an extreme example: If a baby cries and needs milk since he is hungry and thirsty, but his parents give him key of Honda car, he will still cry because he does not want the key. How about us? Which one we choose the shepherding word or Honda car? Often we even choose money for transportation over the shepherding word. That is the description how a servant of God replaces the shepherding word with transportation fee. We have to be like babies who are long for/ need mother’s milk over anything in this world. I hope we can understand it.
In short, if servants/ children of God respect and need the shepherding word which is really from God’s revelation, their positions are like babies who are in their mother’s carry. However, if they are sick of it they will be bitten by the serpent. Babies’ language/ we are in mother’s carry are to solve their problems, not murmuring but only one language that is crying. Whatever the condition, babies are only able to cry so that their problems are resolved.
That is the advantage to be babies/ shepherded people who are like babies who are in their mothers’ carry. All of their problems are solved only with crying/ worship, not with murmur. Even though now we are filthy, but if we are long for the shepherding word, we only have to cry and say:
- I’m dirty God, and His hands will wash us
- I’m hungry God, and His hands will help us
Why do we have to be in trouble by being sick of the true shepherding word because we feel better than the shepherd? Nevertheless if we are like weak babies and in their mothers’ carry. This is the most beautiful position in our life, lying on mothers’ chest/ the great Shepherd/ Jesus Christ/ The high Priest.
Let’s my fellows! Place ourselves like babies in their mothers’ carry and do not murmur even though we face trials/ problems, but we only cry. The servants of God who feel burdened in their ministry may cry and worship God.
What a beautiful life if we are shepherded in the true shepherding word which comes directly from God/ wheat from heaven. Not from reading books or changing the word of God, yet the word whose secret is opened/ verses explain verses. I thank to the late Rev. In Juwono, Rev. Pong and Rev. Totaijs and some tabernacles books of Rev. V, Gessel. These are enough for the source of our monthly ministry in visiting any area and these are never insufficient. Please pray for me so that the word of God that I preach is really wheat from heaven, not from men or books because if it is truly wheat from heaven it will place us like babies on God’s carry.
The benefits are:
Isaiah 46: 3, 4
3 "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house
of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from
the womb:
4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I
have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
- God bears = God is responsible for blessing our lives in this world. We
are like weak babies. Babies cannot make their own milk although it is already
inside of the milk can. Let alone if there are no milk inside the can. Maybe
we have difficulties in seeking daily needs. I cannot do anything for you,
yet by preaching the word of God I suggest you to place your life like babies
because God is responsible for blessing us in this world either in carnal
and spiritual things so that we have peace and joy for our soul.
- God carries = God carries all of our weariness and burdens. Maybe you are
under pressure/ stress, God will give you relief when you place your life
in God’s carry that is you are seriously shepherded. You should not
murmur, but you use babies’ language that is language of worship on
crying to God.
- God delivers you= God makes us true and holy. Perhaps we are like babies who are not able to clean and wash themselves when they defecate, etc. However, the hands of High Priest are ready for us if we are crying, confessing our sins and worshipping Him. As a result, he will be ready to save, make us true and sanctify us, even make us perfect as Jesus Christ and we will be exalted with Him. Similar to Enoch who was lifted, we-the right churches- will be exalted with God. Let’s my fellows! We have to be in God’s carry whether we are young or old, mature or small.
The terms ‘even to your old age/ even to gray hairs’ is not only age in this world but until we meet the Ancient of Days in the kingdom of heaven.
We meet the Ancient of Days and we will stay with Him forever.
Daniel 7:9
9 "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
He carries us until we are in His throne and He never lets us go. Let’s my fellows! We should cry for forgiveness if we have murmured a lot and change those murmurs to babies’ language. That is, cry/ worship God and God’s hands will bear, endure, and deliver us. God blesses us!
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