Public Service at Surabaya - Sunday, September 09, 2007

We are still discussing Jude 1: 20- 21 --> true churches.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Verse 20 and 21 are the characteristics of true churches. The characteristics of true churches are:

1. building themselves on the most holy/ perfect faith
   
2. praying in the ointment of Holy Spirit
   
3. keeping themselves in the love of God/ living in the love of God.
   

I have explained the first characteristic that is building them on the most holy/ perfect faith. The most holy/ perfect faith is started from the right faith, the strong and holy faith and the perfect faith.

Now, we are going to discuss the second characteristic that is praying in the ointment of Holy Spirit. We have to be the house of prayer nowadays because there are only two alternatives as follows:

1. become the house of prayer
   
2. do not become the house of prayer = a den of thieves
   

Hence, if a Christian does not become the house of prayer, he only becomes a den of thieves. Thus, we have to be the house of prayer.

We are going to learn praying in the ointment of Holy Spirit in the system of Tabernacle in which we have three chances to pray as following:

1) THE ALTAR OF BURNT OFFERING (http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+altar+of+burnt+offerings.html) (the Court of Tabernacle) --> Israelites had to pray and bring animal offering which were going to be slaughtered and burnt to erase their sins. The meat was burnt and the blood was poured to get forgiveness of sins. Now, it means: the altar of burnt offering refers to asking prayer whose central/ focus is our needs. If we have needs, we will pray and ask to God for them. However, the prayer of asking has to fulfill the requirement since it is not all of prayer of asking which is answered by God. There are some requirements of acceptable prayer of asking as follows:

1. James 5: 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. IN short, an acceptable prayer is coming from a righteous man = man whose sins are forgiven. The process to be a righteous man is making reconciliation with God and fellows. Making reconciliation with God -> confessing sins and do not do it anymore so that we are able to live in truth. Making reconciliation with fellows -> we confess our sins and forgive other people's sins. Making reconciliation with God and our fellows = all of our sins are forgiven on the cross by the blood of Jesus and we are corrected = we live in righteousness. As a result, our prayer will be heard and answered by God.
   
   On the other hand, the sinner is separated from God because it is sin which separates us from God and our fellows (as it is written in Isaiah). If we pray with sins, the heaven will be like bronze (as God said). Hence, if we want God answers our prayer, we have to be righteous men.
   
   
2. John 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. The words of God must be abided in us. The process of abiding in words of God is we have to hear the words of God wholeheartedly until we understand and believe them so that they become faith in our heart.
   
   In contrast, if we do not want to hear the words of God when they are delivered -which are the calling of God to us- , God will not hear when we call Him. In this case, we need the process on both sides. In conclusion, the process of abiding in the words of God is faith --> there is obedience and God will answer our prayer.
   

In short, the requirements of an acceptable prayer are:

• getting rid of sins and becoming a righteous man --> we make reconciliation with God and our fellows.
  
• abiding in the words of God by hearing the words of God, understanding and believing in them until practicing them so that they become faith in our heart and God will answer our prayer.
  

In Zechariah, it is written that if we do not want to hear the words of God which are the calling of God for us when they are delivered, God will not hear us when we call Him even a whirlwind will come to us. It is the whirlwind which will come, not the wind of Holy Spirit, and bring us to the destruction.

Zechariah 7:12-14
12 "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
13 "Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts.
14 "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate."

In the old translation it is destruction -> vs. 14
Thus, we have to correct our prayer. We have to fulfill the two requirements mentioned above if we want God answers our prayer.

However, we may not be satisfied in asking prayer even though God always answers our prayer since if we keep in only lifting asking prayer, our spirituality is just like Bartimaeus who was blind and whose job is as a beggar since he was never satisfied and blind and did not know his goal. When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, Bartimaeus did not know the right direction to get into the city of Jerusalem. Even though God always answers our asking prayer and helps us, do not be satisfied with it.

2) THE ALTAR OF BURNT INCENSE (http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+golden+altar+of+incense.html) (the Holy Place). It means we get into a higher level. The altar of burnt incense refers to worship. The previous part explains about asking prayer, while worship is the same as giving to God that is:

• giving all thanking
  
• giving all respects
  
• giving all the glory
  

This is worship in which its central is God. Hence, worship can be done everywhere, every time and in any condition (e.g. although one is in great illness, he is still able to call God's name and cry 'Hallelujah').

However, there is a requirement to have a satisfying worship that is holiness.

• Psalms 24:3, 4
  3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?
  4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
  
  The process of being sanctified is started from heart/ pure heart because there are a lot of lusts which need to be sanctified from our heart.
  
  Mark 7: 21-23
  21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
  22 "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
  23 "All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
  
  Evil thoughts make us disable to worship God since they make our heart unholy.
  Murders = hatred
  There are two groups of lusts: the lust of evil which leads us to the love of money --> it has to be sanctified even though it is hard for this lust leads us to Babylon --> Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
  
  Therefore, it is not easy to be sanctified from the lusts of evil and filthiness because the verse wrote 'has become a dwelling place of demons'. A dwelling place is a term in Tabernacle --> God is dwelling among us, but the demons want to be like God to dwell in men's heart.
  Dwelling = permanent and sticking strongly in heart.
  
  On the other hand, the lust of filthiness is become a prison/ a cage --> this sin is always hidden so that no one knows. It is only the work of the word of God which is sharper than two-edged sword/ the true teaching word which is able to sanctify the lusts of evil and filthiness. Hence, the churches of God need the true teaching word.
  
  To be willing to worship God -->' who may stand in His holy place?' That is one who has a pure heart which is sanctified from the lusts in heart. It is written in Hebrews 4 that 'what is hidden will be opened'. I hope we can understand it.
  
  
• In Psalms 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. So, the requirement to worship God is holiness/ pure heart and then our hands have to be holy. The processes are:
  
  • pure heart
    
  • clean hands
    
  
  Hands= deeds. So, our deeds have to be clean.
  
  
• Then, our mouth has to be holy too and it starts from keeping away from decisiveness and lying. Keeping away from lying = saying truth which brings blessings = to be able to worship God.
  
  If we are holier, our worship will be increased like we climb a mountain until we reach the peak. In contrast, if our holiness is decreased, our worship will be decreased too. Thus, let us be joyful to worship God! If we are not willing to worship God, check our holiness and do not blame other people. We worship God everywhere, every time and in any condition. We do not depend on men or the world. I hope we can understand it.
  

Worshipping God = there is burnt incense and the smoke goes up = we give everything to God and He also gives everything to us because the ashes do not go up.

What are the results of worshipping God?

1. Psalms 24:5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
   
   In short, the result of worshipping God is receiving blessing from God. It is not fruitless to worship God even though we give everything to God. Closer to the mountain, we will get a lot of blessing while further from the mountain makes our spiritual dry. Hence, we have to increase our worship.
   
   
2. in the New Testament, Jesus asked Peter, Jacob and John to climb the mountain and worship God. Then, Jesus' face shined like sun in sudden and His clothes was shining white. In conclusion, the second result of worshipping God is we get the renewal of life from fleshly men into the spiritual one like Jesus. The renewal of life starts from face = five senses of heart which undergo the renewal that is heart which shines the love of God in the form of being obedient = heart which loves God. More worshipping God, more getting renewal of heart so that we love God and shine the sunshine/ the love of God.
   
   If our heart is changed, our clothes are also changed. Clothes = deeds which shine the love of God that is we do not avenge evil with evil. Men tend to avenge evil with evil, e.g. If I am deceived, I will deceive twice. If evil is avenged with evil = the law of jungle = the law of animals. In contrast, if our heart is changed to be an obedient heart which shines the love of God, our deeds will shine the sun love that is we do not avenge evil with evil, even we avenge evil with kindness and it means we are the same as Jesus who wore a shining cloth.
   
   However, we have to be watchful because there is kindness which is avenged with evil like Satan. Therefore, we have to undergo the renewal of life by worshipping God. The renewal of life starts from:
   
   • renewed heart which is obedient and shines the love of God = loving God
     
     
   • renewed deeds which shine the love of God that is we do not avenge evil with evil, but with kindness like Jesus did. If we continually worship God, we will be changed continuously until we are the same as God (becoming the Bride of Heaven) when He returns. It is like when Jesus was on the mountain -He was shining in glory-. I hope we can understand it.
     
   
   It is worship which is in the higher level than asking prayer. We can ask and get something from God if we are righteous men who obey the word of God = we have the word of God in our life. Nevertheless, our asking prayer has to be increased into worship. The requirement of acceptable worship is holiness, starts from holy heart, clean hands and sanctified mouth. The result of worshipping God is blessings of God in earthly and spiritual sides and renewal of life.
   
   
3. Another important thing is heavenly joy --> Matthew 17:4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
   

I have read Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation several times --> Peter did a lot of miracles, but he never said that he was happy. It was only when he was in the mountain he was happy. It is the heavenly joy which is got from worshipping God. If we undergo the renewal of life in worship, we will get the heavenly joy until the joy of the marriage feast of the Lamb.

Maybe our heart is burdened or desperate and our face is gloomy so that we are not happy, but let us go to the mountain which is the truly happiness. The truly happiness does not come from money and other earthly things which are not permanent and often make us sorrowful. Nevertheless, if you want your face cheerful, you have to worship God with holiness so that we are changed day by day = we are burnt to be spiritual smoke.

If we are changed a lot, we will get more joy until the peak of joy in the marriage of the Lamb. Our joy does not come from richness or success. I hope we can understand it.

3) THE MOST HOLY PLACE/ TWO TABLETS OF STONE.
Two tablets of stone are in the ark of covenant (http://www.gptkk.org/tabernacle_the+ark+of+covenant.html) and it refers to the perfect worship in the love of God = worship which is equal to the love of God.
God had demonstrated it in John 17 when He prayed --> 'unite them' --> it is the worship which is equal to the love of God like two tablets of stone / the most holy place and we are led to this one.

In Jude it is written 'praying in Holy Spirit' = praying in the love of God. Why are they equal? Because Holy Spirit pours out the love of God.

Romans 5: 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Hence, let us pray until we are able to utter Holy Spirit language. In the past time, Aaron, the great priest, got into the Most Holy Place once a year and there were golden bells which were placed between passion fruits which were made of clothes. So, if Aaron got into the Most Holy Place there would be a sweet sound. Now, it means that we worship in Holy Spirit/ in the love of God and we will feel the ointment of Holy Spirit and the pouring of the love of God.

The sound of golden bells can be heard outside the room and if they were not sounded, people would think that Aaron was collapsed or died. So does our spirituality. Worship is like burnt flesh, burnt incense, worship in Holy Spirit until we are able to utter the language of Holy Spirit (pray in the love of God) because Holy Spirit pours out the love of God.

Processes to receive Holy Spirit so that we are able to pray in Holy Spirit are:

1. Acts 2: 36- 38
   36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
   37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
   38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
   
   Know assuredly = believe in Jesus by hearing the word of God. It is written in this verse --> 'when they heard this, they were cut to the heart'. We have to fight to believe in the word of God and be cut to the heart when it is delivered. Being cut to the heart means we realize and confess our sins so that God forgives us. I hope we can understand it.
   
   In contrast, Judas was never cut to his heart until the last Communion/ the last Passover. Peter asked John to ask Jesus who is going to betray Him. John asked --> "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered --> "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." However, Judas said --> 'Rabbi, is it I?' This is the proof that Judas was not cut to his heart.
   
   It often happens when we are hearing the word of God, we judge other people, e.g. a couple of husband and wife --> when hearing the word of God, the husband say that the word of God is for his wife and vice versa. The husband or wife never says that the word of God for themselves and was cut to their own heart. It makes a person dry in his/her spirituality and he/ she cannot confess his/ her sins.
   
   Let us beg to God so that when we are hearing the word of God, we are in the ointment of Holy Spirit so that we are able to understand and believe in the word of God and we have faith. This is the first process.
   
   
2. repent from our sins -->Peter said 'Repent'. We have to repent if we have confessed our sins and been forgiven. Do not repeat the sins again, yet we have to back to God. This is the second process to receive the Holy Spirit.
   
   
3. water baptism --> to get a good conscience
   1 Peter 3: 20, 21
   20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
   21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
   
   Water baptism produces a good conscience which is obedient. A good conscience is heart which does not contain hypocrisy, envy and vengeance, yet contains peace and obedience. A peaceful and obedient heart is a strong foundation to receive Holy Spirit.
   
   We often insist God on giving Holy Spirit, but we do not have the strong foundation. It makes our life destroyed, e.g. an airport foundation which is made of soil will not be able to endure the burden of the plane. If the plane insists on landing on that foundation, the plane and the foundation will be broken. Thus, we have to prepare our foundation to receive Holy Spirit by:
   
   • believing in Jesus --> confessing our sins
     
   • repenting --> stopping sinning and going back to God
     
   • getting into water baptism.
     
   
   If we prepare these three foundations, we will receive Holy Spirit.
   
   
4. Holy Spirit is poured out to our life. Acts 2: 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
   
   The Spirit gave them --> the tongue of Holy Spirit is not taught by men. If we have a good conscience/ strong foundation, we will receive the ointment and pouring of Holy Spirit so that we are able to pray in the tongue of Holy Spirit (in the love of God/ two tablets of stone). This is worship in the Most Holy Place which is led by Holy Spirit.
   

We should not fight against Holy Spirit when it fills in us and leads us to speak with other tongues. Moreover, we have to give up to the will of Holy Spirit so that we pray according to the love of God. Hence, we have to be watchful because there are a lot of people nowadays who teach the tongues of Holy Spirit to ensure us that we have been filled with Holy Spirit.

The result of asking prayer is our prayer is answered by God. The results of worship are blessings, renewal of life and heavenly joy. Meanwhile, the results of worship in the ointment of Holy Spirit are:

1. Romans 5: 4, 5
   4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
   5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
   
   We never feel disappointed/ hopeless. Instead, we are able to endure sufferings. In fact, as fleshly men we are not able to endure sufferings, yet it is Holy Spirit/ the love of God which enables us to endure and take courage in sufferings. In contrast, if we are disappointed, we will not able to endure sufferings. May it becomes our life experience.
   
   The late Rev. Pong always said that in spiritual life there is an illness called AIDS like in physical body. Spiritual AIDS is disappointment so that we do not have self resistance in confronting the coming of sins. Consequently, sins come easily to our thought and life. Thus, let us pray to God in order to get courage in facing sufferings.
   
   
2. Romans 8: 26-28
   26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
   27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
   28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
   
   God makes all things work together for good to us. The bad things in our life will be built to be good ones. Therefore, do not be hopeless since God promises that He will work for good.
   
   For you, young people, God promises you a beautiful future. I, indeed, pray for your school, job, etc, but these are not enough to bring you to a beautiful future because your education is limited. It is only by worshipping God in the ointment of Holy Spirit which makes us able to stretch our hands to God and He also stretches His hands to us to do good things.
   
   
3. 2 Kings 4 --> there was a widow of the prophet whose life was in danger because she had debt so that her two sons were going to be asked to be the creditor's slaves. As a widow, she did not have any strength. Then, Elisha questioned 'What do you have in the house?' The widow answered 'Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.' Elisha said 'shut the door' --> it refers to a private prayer to God. It is written in Matthew 6 --> 'if you pray, shut the door behind you'
   
   2 Kings 4: 1, 2, 5-7
   1 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves."
   2 So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
   5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
   6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased.
   7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
   

Shutting the door if you pray --> it means do not pray like Pharisees who prayed beside the road. In short, the third result is Holy Spirit pays our debt / resolves unsolved problems in our life, maybe our earthly debt or even our spiritual debt that is sin. The ointment of Holy Spirit is the proof of the forgiveness of sins because they have solved by Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit also solves the problems of your unsolved marriage, children and illness. Moreover, 'and you and your sons live on the rest.' God/ Holy Spirit does not only solve your problems, but He also s the rest of ointment of Holy Spirit so that our lamp keeps burning to welcome Jesus' second coming and we will be with Him forever. Praise to God!

God blesses us.1