|
For Those Seeking the Truth & Dynamic Living
"Christ is Victor"
January/February 2012, Volume 25, No. 1
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
“True Power”
"Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all."- 1 Chronicles 29: 11,12 David ascribes glory and greatness and power to God. Power comes from the hand of God. Mao, the former leader of said, "Power comes from the barrel of the gun." So when young people demonstrated for freedom what did they bring out? They brought out the guns and tanks. Those old men of are still oppressing the largest nation in the world with the power of the gun, whereas in , Communism has failed. It is amazing that in some of our countries, wherever poverty and oppression is to be found, Communism has a foothold. So wherever you have exploitation, bribery and deceit, Communism says, 'I am the champion'. No. Power comes from the hand of God. That's the first thing you need to know. People want power. You see people in some parts of this world who are trying to rise up against the Army and the Government because they want power. You see people who are duly elected to positions in the Government; they misuse power, Government power. They misuse Government money in other parts of the world.All that people want is power. They think money gives power. Some people think naturally that education gives power. In a sense, yes; when you are educated,you have a wider mind. You are able to plan for the future. But I don't see that education is solving the problem of this world today. There is power that comes from God, and David can speak about this power because David won a complete victory over all his foes, and one of his foes was his own body, his flesh. He went to God and said, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." (Psalm 51:4)He saw himself crippled. “Your judgment is very clear against impurity and adultery. My sin is ever before me. I make my bed to swim in my tears," he said. When sin comes in there is no power. Also the Bible says"I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to his sin" (Micah 3: 8). Today everybody talks flattering words. Sometimes preachers also.They've become clowns and actors.They just want to get them smiling and happy- that's all. What is that happiness? Is it true happiness? True happiness comes only with purity of heart. True happiness comes when you are right with God and with your neighbour.See the conflicts that people have-family conflicts, conflicts among officials and undercurrents in relationships.Arethere undercurrents in your heart- some hatred, some bitterness, some hard words, some grudge, some bruised toes, something which you have against your neighbour? How can you have power, when there is no love? You can't have power without love and purity. Here the prophet says. "I am full of power.What for? "To show my people their sins." You know what is the use of going to a surgeon if he says. "Yes, I think you may have cancer. Probably you have it in some form and probably you'll die in two weeks." Who wants such a surgeon? Who wants such a diagnosis or prognosis?You want somebody who says, "Here's the cancer, and I have taken out all the secondaries also." What kind of preachers do you want? The buffoons and the clowns, the actors and the entertainers! All over the world I find such people destroying the Church of Jesus Christ.They are not full of power, to speak the truth in love! They can't speak the truth. You shouldn't be standing there in the pulpit or the platform. You cannot be working there in that office, or factory or hospital, if you can't call a spade a spade, if you can't call cheating cheating,tax fraud tax fraud,lying lying,stealing stealing. Can't you call stealing by its proper name? So we see people stealing from the Government-- stealing paper, stationery and pens from their offices. They have no power. If they see something they must steal it. "I'm full of power to show my people their sins." Tribalism is an anachronism, for it makes you live in the dark ages. If you are a tribal,if you are thinking of your class superiority or if you are thinking of your little clique, or your little group or your little castes, you are an immature intellectual dwarf. How many millions of people go and try to wash their sins away with pilgrimages, with washing here and washing there!But you come back dirtier! You have no strength to tell the truth. You have no strength to tell where the cancer is. You want to send your mother and your father to their graves and to hell fire.You want to send whole nations to hell fire because you are afraid to declare the Lord Jesus Christ, the only mortal who ever said "I am the truth." No mortal or immortal can ever say 'I am the truth' justly and truthfully as Jesus does. You are afraid to declare Jesus. Then you haven't got any power.The Bible also tells us,"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6).So what is this power which is greater than man's power? It's the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that brought again Jesus Christ from the dead, the Holy Spirit.To whom is the Holy Spirit given?Peter said, “to all who obey Him”. Today people who are liars, people who beat their wives, and all such people say they're filled with the Holy Spirit. Nonsense. You are filled with the other spirit, not the Holy Spirit.People who divorce their wives say they are filled with the Holy Spirit.No. You are filled with the spirit of lies, of breaking of vows and of the devil. Again the Bible says, “The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." (Nahum 1: 3). He is great in power but he will not acquit the wicked. So God's power is going to bring you into judgment.One day you are going to see the Judge of the whole earth. On that day your ablutions, your incantations and all of your religions garbage is not going to save you. The Lord will not acquit the wicked. He's great in power. Peter was questioned. "By what authority have you made this lame man walk?" This is what Peter said, "Be it known to you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole." (Acts ). So, when you are standing whole who is getting the glory?Whole- spirit, soul, body- whole, cleansed, freed, liberated by the Holy Spirit. Peter says. “This lame man, who is by the power that brought Jesus from the dead, and by His name who rose again from the dead.”How do you think I am made whole? How do you think I have this wonderful peace? How do you think I am able to change drug addicts and drug runners and greed, until they become those that are a blessing to society? By Jesus Christ who is the fount of all blessing and purity and power.May God bless you. -Joshua Daniel
“True Riches”
And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.… For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark 12: 42-44 Jesus watched and He saw the self-congratulatory way in which the rich gave their contributions.It was not with gratitude they gave that much that God had enabled them to give for His great purpose. Now about the widow:according to Mathematics, she gave cent percent and that was in greater proportion than that of the rich. It is not the hand, but the heart behind the hand that God sees. It is not with the attitude of bribing God she gave. God is specially mindful of widows. It was the widow's oil that the man of God multiplied.It is the widow thathas the brokenness, which is very acceptable to God."Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27) This widow was grateful. There is no hatred or resentment or unfaith in God. The rich men have a very different attitude.Their money has buried them in self-satisfaction and hence prevented their talents from coming out.God sees in the rich man wealth greater than his riches.It is not on your personality, life and preaching that God depends but he looks for faith. How many young people in Christian homes dieearly! They never cared for God and developed faith and now they cannot cope with sickness. What a loss their death is!The rich man's faculties are never developed because they lie buried in big riches and the talents God has placed in him for the benefit of the world also lie hidden. HowHudson Taylor and Wesley developed their spiritual faculties and proved a blessing to the world! How many men who came into riches in the middle of their lives, have become useless for the ! Some got riches by marriage and some as what they aimed at. It was money for their own usefulness that they got. Of course, they give to God. But they themselves are not His.This widow gave all. Who has known God's mind? Do you know how much He has given for yon? If you did, you would give all. You would empty yourself. 'Empty the barrel and empty the oil out of the cruse’ was what the man of God had said. You will see how it will be filled again.How Christ made His way to the widow's son! But God was mindful of her. He sent the prophet to her. He came to turn death into life, sorrow into joy.Let not disappointment pull you down. When you come to the end of. your resources, it is God's time-God's opportunity. As long as you have something to look to, and to rely on, you will look in that direction.But when there is nothing to depend upon, then you come to the place of the widow's helplessness, the widow's brokenness, and that is God's opportunity. The widow had no future. But God created a future. When there is no one to help you, God will help you. Once Sadhu Sundar Singh was in a desert and missed his way. In that helplessness, he cried to God. He could see nothing but sand all around. Then there came a man who engaged him in a gentle conversation which completely relieved him of his fatigue. Very soon they came to a village and the man disappeared. He knew it was an angel. God's angels are always watching those in despair. It is not God's purpose to let any one die in despair. God has great things for you. When you come to a place of despair, you will see God's glory. Keep your heart humble then you will see God's blessing and His provisions multiplying for you. -Late Mr. N. Daniel "Reality Check"
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Ps 46, 1-2
“Cuff the slave” Cuff was a slave. He was a joyful Christian, and a faithful servant. His master, however, was in need of money, who was an infidel, came to buy Cuff. The price was agreed upon and the Christian slave was sold to the infidel. But in parting with him the master said, "You will find Cuff a good worker and you can trust him; he will suit you in every respect but one." "And what is that?" asked the infidel. "He will pray, and you can’t break him of it; but that is his only fault." "I’ll soon whip that out of him," remarked the infidel. "I fear not," said the former master, "and would not advise you to try it; he would rather die than give it up." Cuff proved faithful to the new master, the same as he had to the old. The master soon got word that Cuff had been praying, and on calling him said, "Cuff, you must not pray any more; we cannot have any praying around here; never let me hear anymore about this nonsense." Cuff replied, "O Massa, I love to pray to Jesus, and when I pray, I love you and Missus all the more, and can work all the harder for you." But he was sternly forbidden to pray anymore under penalty of a severe flogging. That evening, when the day’s work was done, he talked to his God, like Daniel of old, as he had aforetime. Next morning he was summoned to appear before his master, who demanded of him why he had disobeyed him. "O Massa, I have to pray. I Can’t live without it," said Cuff. At this the master flew into a terrible rage and ordered Cuff to be tied to the whipping post, and had his shirt off. He then applied the rawhide with all the force he possessed, until his young wife ran out in tears and begged him to stop. The man was so infuriated that he threatened to punish her next, if she did not leave him, then continued to apply the lash until his strength was exhausted. Then he ordered the bleeding back to be washed in salt water; had the shirt on and the poor slave was made go to his work. Cuff went away singing in a groaning voice: "My suffering time will soon be o’er, when I shall sigh and weep no more." He worked faithfully all that day, though in much pain, as the blood oozed out from his back where the lash had made long, deep furrows. Meanwhile, God was working on the master. He saw his wickedness and cruelty to that poor soul, whose only fault had been his fidelity, and conviction seized upon him; by night he was in great distress of mind. He went to bed but could not sleep. Such was his agony that at mid-night he awoke his wife and told her that he was dying. "Shall I call a doctor?" she asked. "No, no; I don’t want a doctor—is there anyone on the plantation that can pray for me? I am afraid that I am going to hell." "I don’t know of anyone," said his wife, "Except the slave you punished this morning." "Do you think he would pray for me?" he anxiously inquired. "Yes I think," she replied. "Well, send for him quickly." On going after Cuff they found him on his knees in prayer, and when called he supposed he was to be punished again. On being taken to the master, groaning, said, "O Cuff, can you pray for me?" "Yes, blessed , I’ve been praying for you all night," and at this dropped on his knees and, like Jacob of old, wrestles in prayer, and before the breaking of the day witnessed the conversion of both master and mistress. Master and slave embraced, race differences and past cruelty were swept away by the love of God, and tears of joy were shed. Cuff was immediately set free. He never worked another day on the plantation. Master took Cuff and went out to preach the Gospel; they traveled all over, witnessing to the power of Christ to save to the uttermost. This is what the love of God does to a person. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" Matthew 5:44. --selected “David Livingstone, I presume”
"Doctor Livingstone, I presume," was the greeting NOVEMBER 10, 1871, About Us
This newsletter is produced six times per year by the Laymen’s Evangelical Fellowship International. It is printed and distributed in the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, Canada, and Australia and is supported by unsolicited sacrificial gifts of young people. For a free subscription or for other enquiries, please contact any of the addresses below. This Fellowship is an inter-denominational missionary and prayer group working for revival in churches and amongst students in several countries. We invite every layperson to become God’s ally in changing his or her corner of the world. We train people in evangelistic work and to be self-supporting missionaries.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||