Why Trials are God's Love for You

 

At first it's hard to see how a bad situation in life is actually God's loves for you. Doesn't make sense. We'd do everything to help people we love once we see them in trouble. Right? Then why is it that God doesn't seem to be doing anything? We often think troubles or problems are blockages or unfortunate mishaps or bad luck or punishment for wrong doing. Well, most times it's a result of what we did, and sometimes, too, it's some form of punishment (says 1 Thessalonians 1.8). But often it's how God loves us. God sees things so differently. 

Photo above by bruce mars on Unsplash.

Jesus said the Father won't give us snakes if we ask him for fish, or scorpions if we ask for eggs. But often, we beg him for snakes and scorpions without realizing it. For some reason, we're head over heels for them and in our blind desperation we see them as fish and eggs. So when God refuses to give in, we think we're being punished. "What wrong did I do to deserve this refusal from God" we wonder.

Actually, God is only keeping us safe from the snakes and scorpions we're trying to ask from him. We can't see them as thus because we are still slaves to the world's systems and perception of things. We're still carnal, not knowing that his love spares us from the world's deception. Keep this in mind--a lot of times (not always), if we can't see as God sees, we're still worldly.

Click here to get a free review of this e-book, "Leaving the Land of Slavery."

Job thought he was being punished unfairly. But actually, God was so fond of him that HE picked him among so many on earth as one of a kind believer. And HE bragged about him to Satan--to the extent of challenging the enemy to try Job in an extreme way. That's GOD's love. See? Do you want God to love you? Then we must start to understand how HE loves. 

He also loved Jesus, His Son, so much. So Jesus was crucified and felt abandoned by the Father that he cried out, "Why has Thou forsaken me?" But actually, the Father had declared once how Jesus was his, "beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." See that word "beloved"?

It's something like what James' and John's mom wanted for her sons--to be seated on the right and left hand of Jesus in his Kingdom. Jesus said (and I could see him chuckle at the idea), "You do not know what you're asking." Often, we think we know what we want but we don't. We want God to love us in a special way but we're not ready for it. And God sees all that. He sees the end of all things right from the beginning. 

And he spares us from added sorrows by not granting our request. Instead, he gives us something much better. He never says no but his yes are often misread. We think of it as a no or a rejection or a forfeiture. Sometimes, his yes is even taken as punishment. But remember, true believers always get a yes to their prayers because, "no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ," [2 Corinthians 1.20].

Because he loves us. This is why "stalking" behind Jesus (my way of saying getting too up-close to Him) is urgent. You've got to see Jesus doing his thing right before your very eyes.

At first, it's hard to comprehend how the thing God gives us is "much better" than what we're asking for--especially when what we're given doesn't look promising one bit. And it usually isn't. But in time we will, if we trust him. God will open our eyes to see truth at its barest if he sees our hearts are pure and ready to see it. 

It's okay to be prone to shortcuts and escapism and ask God to just spare us the trouble. It's human nature. It even manifested in Jesus. He himself somewhat had the same experience while agonizing in Gethsemane. He asked the Father to cancel (or let pass) his suffering or crucifixion, if it were at all possible. It was human agony, the human side of Jesus getting the harrowing thought. But the cross went through, anyway. And Jesus had the spiritual eyes to see truth.

Was the Father punishing him? Nope, though it looked that way to people. It was because the Father loved him so much.

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. [John 10.17]

Well, in a broader sense, the Father punished sin when Jesus suffered the cross because Jesus, who was sinless, "was made sin"  for us [2 Corinthians 5.21]. But that's for another topic to discuss. Right now, you have to understand that most dire situations we're in is actually God's rescue, keeping us safe from worse things, because he loves us. So we have to thank God for everything, even for things we don't have any inkling about. And then ask God to guide you through the ordeal. "God, what's this all about?"

Because we need to be guided in all things.

Once upon a time, I couldn't understand why I had this strange illness that kept me in bed. All medical tests were normal and yet one slight move made me weak and dizzy and breathless. So I was confined to bed in my room for months without understanding why--and I was asking God really serious questions about it--about my life, actually. WHY?

Later, while deep in my dramatic moments, I suddenly turned my sights to my bookshelf and saw the title of a book: "The Jesus I Never Knew." Then I remembered how the Lord had been urging me a long time to read the book again--a second time--because I had the impression that he wanted to point out something there, but I was so busy with other things I thought meant more to me and made me productive in life. 

So, feeling so sick and confined to bed, I realized I had more than enough time to spend reading it. God actually arranged everything to get rid of the "snakes and scorpions" I had been pouring time on (and thought made me productive) so I could spend quality time on what was really "fish and eggs." See?

Still cannot get what this is all about? Don't worry, a lot of people also didn't get it even when they heard it straight from Jesus. Even his disciples at times didn't. To get enlightened, you need to have Jesus first in your life, ruling it. When Jesus is in your life, so is his Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will give you enlightenment. Surrender your life to Jesus first.

Surrendering to Jesus

Ask forgiveness and repent of your sins. Believe God's forgiveness. It is promised in the bible. Then receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your sole Savior and Lord, then be assured of heaven, not because of anything you have or do, but because of God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. Surrender to Him by intently studying the bible daily (ask guidance from the Holy Spirit) and applying in life everything you learn. And then pray that God lead you to the right person who'd disciple you, one who is totally surrendered to Jesus and living His words in the bible.

Making of a Jesus Stalker

 

Naturally, I'd want my very own story posted in this blog. How did I become a Jesus stalker? I was raised up in a strict Roman Catholic family and went to catholic schools in grade school. So I thought I was a Christian, a real Jesus believer. But fact was, I knew so little about his Word, if any, in the Gospel. I never opened the bible then to seriously study it so I could know Jesus better. I relied mainly on what I heard from Sunday masses or in religion classes at school.

Photo above by LinkedIn Sales Navigator on Unsplash.

It was okay while I was a kid. There were even times I felt so close to God. High school was tolerable and I was even able to mix Catholicism with Taoism and some Chinese traditions due to my interest in Karate and Kung Fu. But college was a totally different thing. It was chaos. It was then I started rebelling and questioning God though I still attended church on Sundays.

Click here to know more about being free from sins.

One afternoon my fraternity brother, Jonathan, (I joined a tough college fraternity in FEU known for its violent frat wars) started arranging a Jesus meet-up for me. I learned that he had recently "surrendered" his life to Jesus and was now living "a new life." And yup, he looked like he was a changed person. For one, I noticed how he started taking a bath regularly. Those times, it was a miracle. We used to have fun missing our baths (we were so busy with our junior theses in Architecture) for days and comparing smells. But that seemed over with Jonathan. It was weird.

Then he started saying that my religion couldn't save me from hell. Neither my family. I was pissed off. What did he know about my religion and my family? "Don't you know how we never miss church since I was a kid?" I rebutted something to that effect. "And are you saying I and my family will go to hell?" I felt that he was pre-judging us. But he politely showed me Romans 3.23 and especially Isaiah 64.6:

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

I was shocked, to say the least, especially the part where righteous acts were trashed, just like that. No one told me about this. I was speechless but still pissed off with Jonathan. I warned him never to talk about Jesus or eternal life ever again. He went away sad but unknown to him, what he had said and the bible passages he had shown me stuck in my mind the whole day. God didn't leave me alone. He kind of nagged me about it. I was going to hell?

Until I couldn't stand it anymore. I found Jonathan again another day and asked him to tell me about the Jesus and eternal life thing again, from start to finish. He looked shocked. This time, it was like I arranged my own Jesus meet-up. But later, I was to find out it was Jesus himself who did all the arrangements. Jonathan was just an instrument. After he was through, we parted ways. But Jesus, again, never let me alone. He kept repeating his words in my mind.

So that night, September 05, 1980, at about 8 pm before going to sleep on my native "banig" mat, I said a short, simple prayer. I asked forgiveness of all my sins, repented, received Jesus into my life as Savior and Lord and surrendered my life to Him. Then I went to sleep. The next day was just like other days, but the peace I had was different. I knew Jesus was in me, all 100 percent of Him. I knew my heart was changed. I knew it in my spirit. I was not the same person anymore.

And it was not my doing. I was sure that there was nothing I could do to change myself. It was all God. 

Moreover, through Jesus and by God's grace and mercy and his promises in the bible, I knew I had eternal life right there and then. If anything bad would happen to me then, I was sure that Jesus would receive me in heaven because of what he promised and did for me, by grace through faith. Not because of my religion or anything good I have done.

That started my life journey of surrendering my life daily to God in Christ. I've become a Jesus Stalker since. This means I stalk stealthily behind Jesus wherever he goes and whatever he does in the bible, watching him up close. I see everything clearly.

Surrendering to Jesus

Ask forgiveness and repent of your sins. Believe God's forgiveness. It is promised in the bible. Then receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your sole Savior and Lord, then be assured of heaven, not because of anything you have or do, but because of God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. Surrender to Him by intently studying the bible daily (ask guidance from the Holy Spirit) and applying in life everything you learn. And then pray that God lead you to the right person who'd disciple you, one who is totally surrendered to Jesus and living His words in the bible.

 

The Poor Pastor 1

This is a series. It's about a poor servant of God--a poor church pastor--I juxtapose with the poor guy in Ecclesiastes 9:13-16. One day while reading, the passage came alive before me and I saw visions of a poor but anointed pastor and his conclusions about certain matters on life and ministry, as if like the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. Photo above by Finding Dan | Dan Grinwis on Unsplash.

13 I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: 14 There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. 15 Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. 16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

Pastor Placido, or Ptr. Ido as members fondly called him, used to serve in a regular-size local church, with membership of about a hundred plus. The church makes a decent monthly income, making it the ardent desire of a number of his ministerial colleagues in the denomination. His first years were exciting, being a plain layman (just an active member of their young people in his younger years) voted overwhelming as pastor of the church. It was all too wonderful, a young people turned full-time minister. 

There was a touch of mystery to it. And that's what they needed, the people said. A plain pastor from their own ranks who could understand what the church really needed--unlike titled and degreed ministers who had too much schooling but understood nothing about the church.  A lot of titled and degreed ministers tried to "apply" but never made it. Ido was the church's favorite.

But as time went by--when honeymoon between pastor and church was over--the elders and church board began thinking smarter than Ido, which was typical of most church boards, especially when they felt more senior and smarter than the pastor, when they're among the so-called "givers" or supporters, and especially when the pastor had no bible school or seminary background as Ido didn't. They easily bullied the pastor into submission. They saw his simple layman-turned-pastor story no longer romantic but a ministry weakness. So they started looking into his credetials and many more lapses and loopholes to discredit him with.

To the extent that they started thinking he wasn't really a pastor--or at least he was yet an "incomplete" pastor due to the ministerial credentials he lacked, and that to them was pivotal. They reasoned that no one could explain or interpret the bible competently without formal studies at their seminary, especially studies in hermenutics and theology. So they figured, Ptr. Ido probably had a wrong understanding of Scriptures in general, especially when the members felt he was being a bit too offensive with his preaching. He needed to do it right and not unnecessarily hurt people's feelings.

Other pastors in the denomination agreed. They said "unprofessional"preaching like that was due to half-baked pastors uninitiated in formal schooling about ministry, ethics and theology. "He definitely needs to be in bible school and, later, seminary. Or else, he'd just keep teaching you wrong doctrines," the pastors added.

So everybody wanted him to get a title and degree as other church pastors had. They wanted to be proud of their pastor. It was not a suggestion. It was a demand echoed by the local elders and the district board.

But in matters like this, Placido believed the call should come from the Lord, not from the elders or church board or anyone else. He had prayed for it a lot--who knows, the Lord may be speaking through them who were urging him about it. So, to be fair, he sought the Lord. But after prayers, he didn't see any clear leading. Especially when what the board and elders wanted from the title and degree was to "take pride" in their pastor. They wouldn't be proud if he were just a plain pastor. And with the caliber of their local church, they deserved no less.

And also, that the pastor may have more confidence when meeting titled professionals like doctors, engineers or accountants. Or rich folks. How else would people respect him if he was just a plain pastor, compared to being, say, Dr. Rev. Placido Gallego. Then the church would have something to brag about.

But Ido had always suspected the idea--the need to "take pride" in someone or something. Pride and self confidence like that was never from the Lord, he told himself. It's work of the flesh. All the church needed was to take pride in their God. He remembered how Moses was taken to the desert for 40 years to be downgraded from being powerful in speech and educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians to being a lowly, lowly shepherd. Yet, God didn't think he need to "take pride" in himself or anything he could accomplish, except take pride in the I Am to face Phaorah. 

He had once explained this to the district elders and pastors, but all he got was mocking. "Are you Moses?" they asked.

It was then Ido remembered the Ecclesiastes 9 passage. A city weakened by its neglect of wisdom making it easily conquerable by an invading king, which Ido thought, in his present situation, was worldly principles creeping into the church he was pastoring. Worldliness is like a "powerful king" against an unspiritual local church. Much as he avoided the idea, but he couldn't help thinking of himself as the poor hero in the passage, the key to victory and yet disdained by the people he was to save. Just because he was poor.

Not really financially poor, but in the sense of being looked down on for his poor credentials for the job, or so some people thought.

If a church's priorities are like that--priorities that cater to the flesh--it is weak. Ido had always believed that. And what the church needed was not a titled or credentialed pastor but open spiritual eyes to see GOD and take pride in HIM. He once preached about it, but it mostly fell on deaf ears. Some visitng pastors at the time just shook their heads in dismay. They murmured: "Uninitiated." But wrong spiritual priorities, said Ido, made the church easy target for even the weakest attack. "It's not theology we need," he stressed. The more people didn't listen.

Then another king would rise up and take over and grab the church from the Lord. When people are not able to advance spiritually and unable to see what heaven puts real value on--but see only what is earthly--it has been surrounded spiritually by the enemy and "huge siege works" have been built against it. Ido shook his head in disappointment. In the Old Testament, when siege works were built against a kingdom, that kingdom could not see anymore beyond its walls. It had lost connection with reality. It failed to see the real goings-on outside its walls.

And Ido wondered why no one saw that happening--worldly standards creeping into the church. They all thought titles and degrees were the dire needs of the day. He had to be "ordained" so he could add the prefix "Rev." to his name, and that would make his church proud of him. Being simply their "Pastor" was no longer enough for these people. He had to be like this and like that. They decided what's good for their pastor. 

Nothing wrong with ordination, Ido reasoned to himself. It's a confirmation of your special call to a particular Kingdom task, with an accompanying specific anointing for spiritual equipment. This is initiated by the Holy Spirit on the body of church elders genuinely filled with the Spirit of God. That was the ordination he learned from the bible--a prophetic utterance from the body of apostles and elders declaring a ministerial anointing on his life and ministry, pretty much what Moses did to Joshua and what the prophet Samuel did to kings. It was something supernatural and had nothing to do with titles and degrees from man-made institutions. Definitely not for "taking pride" in the flesh.

Everything should be the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, Ptr. Ido insisted.

That was his upbringing from his late dad. His dad had stressed that everything in life and ministry should be through the leading of the Holy Spirit alone. "And nothing of the flesh--meaning, the sinful nature--can be part of God's work," his dad had insisted. "God may speak through other channels, like other people or circumstances, but he'd do it with anointed circumstances or people, not those led by the flesh or who subscribed to the systems of the world."

His dad was not a pastor or active church member. "I simply study the bible and rely solely on the Holy Spirit," his dad had said, adding how you'd get more from God that way than from being active in church today. Church in the old days, perhaps, was good. But today? "All they have are good programs." His dad had murmured. "You can't know more about the Spirit's power with good programs."

Ptr. Ido smiled as he remembered how his dad had looked as he emphasized those things to him. He had always been emphatic on this topic but also quite funny. Ido knew his dad was really spiritual though other people saw him as a heretic, or something of an anti-church. A rebel. Even an envious fault-finder. But his dad had always maintained that he was all for the glorious church of Jesus Christ, which was without spot or wrinkle or any blemish. "If a church isn't like that--or at least doggedly pursuing this--I want nothing of it," his dad declared. "It's not Jesus' church, in the first place."

Ido sighed deeply. That was about a decade ago, a few months before the Lord took his dad home. And the way God took his dad was like how HE took Enoch home. Anyway, some years after--and when honeymoon with his local church was over and people and their denominational leadership was forcing him to go to seminary for titles and degrees for pride--Ido decided to leave the church for good. 

But not without saving it first from invasion by a king.

Continued..

Why Seeing Jesus is Important

Movies on Jesus are good but you have to see Jesus in your spirit. Reading the Gospel is good but we need to have our spiritual eyes opened as we meditate it--so we can actually "witness" things as they happened in the Gospel. As if you were there in person, witnessing everything, even taking part in the scenes, as it were--as Jesus Stalker sometimes does.

Photo by Masaaki Komori on Unsplash.

People who cannot experience "seeing" Jesus are often imprisoned in the realms of the world. Something like what I said about people never leaving the Land of their Slavery. They believe they've left, but the more they believe so, the more they don't see Jesus and the more they're imprisoned. Click here for more. 

Because it is urgent to be exactly where Jesus is and "see" his glory. His prayer said, "To be with me where I am." This "now moment" of seeing Jesus is so crucial to be strong and updated in his presence--because only in His Presence do we have a real life in the Spirit. Outside this is nothing but man's religion and what man can do--man's realm, presence, programs and ministry. There can only be artificial glory in this. What Jesus wants for us is the very glory the Father has given him before the creation.

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. [John 17.24]

So we need to see Jesus.

All our nice programs and activities and ministries come to nothing if we don't see Jesus. Not seeing God or hearing his voice means unbelief. It is dead faith. Faith without works is dead, but it's not about works of religion. It's about works derived from seeing Jesus. 

You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. [John 5]

Artificial or "fake" Jesus has been introduced to us and embedded in our minds so that we see this "Jesus" instead of the true Jesus the Father has sent. And often, it is to this "Jesus" that we direct our prayer and worship. It's scary what this could do to our faith and the way we see Scriptures and ourselves.

Often, the "Jesus" that churches try to present to us is worlds apart from the real Jesus in the Gospel. Gradually, this other "Jesus" is introduced and takes root in our hearts--a Jesus that is merely human or a mere god. Or a Jesus that loses supernatural powers when received by believers in their lives as their "Savior and Lord." A Jesus boxed in man's denominations, one that has to submit to church manuals and church boards. 

Or a Jesus whose 7 last words on the cross have to be given special meanings than what they actually are, celebrated each Lent by a religion that created a Jesus that is equal in stature with Mary and has her as a "mediator" between Jesus and believers. A lot of born-again believers also worship this Jesus.

This is why seeing the true Jesus is important. Each time you meditate Scriptures, especially the Gospel, you need to see HIM and be right there in the middle of it all, seeing with your own two eyes what's taking place. You must be able to "stalk" Jesus. Then you begin to really know him, the true Jesus, the Anointed One sent by the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. As you see his glory up-close, the glory gets reflected on you and you catch it on your face.

But unlike the glory Moses caught on Sinai, this glory will never fade--because it is a surpassing glory.

"...so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was...For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!" [2 Corinthians 3]

Seeing Jesus is hinged on the spoken Word of God (not on what we do in church or anything else). If God sees how we covet the Word that comes out straight from his mouth and are willing to provide flesh for his Word, he promises to allow us to see him.  

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

Finally, true fellowship in church is anchored on seeing Jesus. No matter how often you have fellowship in church and how grand, if people there do not see Jesus, no spiritual fellowship is happening. All you have is a worldly party, even if you invited a good speaker. 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. [1 John 1]

Why did the apostle treat this proclamation urgent? 

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.

John proclaims this to other believers so that the experience gets transferred to them. In a deeper sense, it is giving shape or form to what is announced. The Greek word used here for "we proclaim" is apangellomen which comes from the root word, "apaggello," described by the Strong interlinear as thus:

"Apaggéllō (from apó, "from" intensifying angellō, "announce") – properly, to declare (report) from, which focuses on the original source (context) shaping the substance of what is announced."

The idea is shaping the substance of what the apostles personally saw and heard and touched and proclaiming that same experience to other believers so that they get something close to the original experience. In short, to enable others to also see, hear and touch the Word, Jesus, who was from the beginning. Without this, there is no fellowship. Because true fellowship is "with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ." In this way, we all walk in the light as we fellowship and are purified from all sin. True fellowship means no hindrance.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Have You Seen Jesus?

If you haven't experienced seeing Jesus Christ in your spirit yet, we invite you to receive him in your life and surrender your life fully to him.

Ask forgiveness and repent of your sins. Believe God's forgiveness. It is promised in the bible. Then receive Jesus Christ into your heart as your sole Savior and Lord. You are then assured of heaven, not because of any good deed you have done or your religion, but because of God's grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

Surrender to Him by intently studying the bible daily (ask guidance from the Holy Spirit) and applying in life everything you learn. And then pray that God lead you to the right person who'd disciple you, one who is totally surrendered to Jesus and living His words in the bible.

Why They Didn't Find Him So Nice

He should've been a nice guy. I mean, a Messiah should be nice. He should be gentle mannered, careful with his words, friendly to all, refined and formal. I imagine how he should assume a modulated voice (the deeper the better) especially when he prays, and always inviting everybody to his "church."

Photo above by Stefano Pollio on Unsplash.

But they didn't find Jesus like that. According to their standards, they didn't find him so nice, contrary to what we sometimes teach in Sunday school. Often, we teach and preach that Jesus was a nice guy. But I personally saw in the Gospel how a lot of folks didn't find him as such. Especially the religious and the theology experts. Why else would they severely punish and crucify him if they had found Jesus nice?

Click here fore more on "Leaving the Land of Slavery."

"Are you so dull?" he once told his disciples when they failed to understand how food could not defile people. What went out from their hearts did. Another time, someone asked his help about fairly dividing an inheritance between him and his brother. I would've felt obliged, being a minister eager to help people anyway I could for the glory of God. Right? 

You would've done it, too! Just to be nice.

But not Jesus.

You know what he did? He actually turned it down! I was somewhat shocked to see him do it. I mean, why refuse a very small favor being asked? And he even worded his reply somewhat smart-Aleckly: “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” And as if that wasn't enough, he accused the guy indirectly of greed. "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed."

I would expect a kinder response from Jesus if I were the guy. Something far from being judgmental, too. If he couldn't help me with my problem, at least Jesus should've said, "I'm sorry I can't do it." And no more insinuation of greed or make accusing or holier-than-thou overtones. But Jesus, in effect told the guy: "Who are you to tell me that?" Or, "Don't involve me because I have nothing to do with your problem. And anyway, that problem is for the greedy." 

That wasn't something nice to say, especially if you are in ministry. More so, the Messiah. You're supposed to be the Lamb of God, remember? Would you talk like that if you were a pastor?

At another time, Jesus referred to King Herod as "that fox" and religious leaders "blind fools," "hypocrites," and "white-washed tombs." These aren't polite words said of high-ranking leaders in society. Jesus should watch his words, some people probably thought. He also told his disciples (in the hearing of the people) to stay away from the Pharisees after he had offended them, because they were not from God. Exactly, he told them,

“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides.

Today, we'd probably term this as "bad-mouthing" other people or malicious talk. And this after Jesus warned them all in Matthew 12:36 about careless use of words: "I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty (or careless) word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Why then did Jesus use fiery, insulting words?

But don't get me wrong. Jesus was gentle, compassionate and loving with people. He really was (and is) the Good Shepherd. Look at how Ezekiel saw Jesus as a gentle Shepherd:

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

And Matthew said Jesus was compassionate:

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

The problem is, we don't see Jesus as God the Father sees him. Our concept of "kind, compassionate, gentle, loving, understanding, peaceful, joyful, etc. is far from how God defines them. We define them as the world does. This is why often, we teach a different Jesus in Sunday school. We introduce the "Jesus" we think should be super nice. And we think we ought to follow this super nice Jesus.

But it's not the Jesus in the Gospel of the Kingdom. It's the Jesus of religions who want to subdue people and control them (often to easily ask money from them). They introduce the Jesus who is so amicable, polite, and easy to maneuver. A Mr. Nice Guy. A yes man. Actually, churches with hidden imperialist agenda preach this tame Jesus to tame church members to submission.

Submission is good, but it should be grounded on solid bible truth. And not for manipulative purposes. 

If you can see in the Spirit, Jesus is in fact nice. But a different kind of "nice." The Kingdom has a different definition of "nice." It's often the exact opposite of "nice" in the world. If you are in any way different from the "nice" of the world, they'll crucify you. If Jesus were their kind of a "nice" Messiah, you think they would have crucified him?

GOD's Flesh E-Book:

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Low Profile Kingdom

To what would Jesus compare God's Kingdom? If you had a fast-food franchise would you compare it to a street food cart that sells fishballs on the sidewalk? Nope, you'd want to promote it and compare it with a well-known, trendy food store business. Because you're proud of it. But Jesus compared God's Kingdom to a small seed. Photo above by Max Böhme on Unsplash.

A great multitude was following him then at the lake, almost crowding him out that he got into a boat and told them parables from there. Why parables? Some of his disciples wondered and asked him that. Why not just talk to them plainly and get more people in to join him in his cause? That would've been an easier ministry. Why make it hard for them by making them figure out things, which they couldn't?

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Yeah, I agreed with the disciples. Why parables and why compare the Kingdom to something so small and uninteresting? He should've compared it to a big farm or market full of fruits and crops. I'd probably compare my ministry with SM City. Why a small seed? Well, today we all know what kind of seed he was talking about. But back then, in his time, all people understood was a parable about some seed. Period. Imagine a pastor telling people, "My church is like a one-centavo coin which you can even lose if you don't know what to do with it."

Not very interesting. Not very entertaining.

We'd like to promote our church and build it up in the minds of people--impress and hype them--and say something like, "Our church offers very good programs, the best worship services, relevant activities and ministries that will definitely help you live a good life," and probably put that on a streamer with a agile-looking "eagle" logo to hint at your spiritual sharpness and potential.

Why would we do that? To attract more people. Because more people means more income.

But Jesus had a different thing in mind. He wanted to dissuade people from following him. See that? Shocked? We want to attract people. He wanted to discourage them. A great crowd followed him but he wanted only the genuinely sincere ones. Jesus never went for size or numbers. He wanted only those with ears to hear. So he told them parables. That's what parables are for--to make people get nothing.

"...the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them...This is why I speak to them in parables...'(They) will be ever hearing but never understanding; (they) will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused."

Made sense to me. I almost clapped to applaud Jesus. What good is a big crowd of calloused people who have decided to close their eyes to what Jesus says? So that's what I also do. Often, I tell nothing significant or interesting to people who just want to try or "test" the ministry God gave me or my Word sessions. I tell them what a small seed the ministry God gave me is. I make them see that it's nothing special. Or, it's nothing.

So, if the crowd who followed Jesus got nothing but parables that gave them nothing but tips on gardening, would they still think him worth their time? Well, after the church service, they all just went straight home. There was a time when even some "disciples" became pissed off by his flesh-eating and blood-drinking lectures--because they got nothing but parables of his flesh and blood--and just decided to quit him for good. But not the twelve. They stayed to get the "secrets." Only a few would dare do that.

I just wonder what Judas Iscariot made of those secrets. Why didn't he get the idea? My guess is that he didn't see how the secrets would turn out lucrative for him. Would it give him more church income? More money? Because anything that did not translate to money was nonsense to him. I saw how he stole from Jesus' money bag and how he balked at the idea of a costly perfume being "wasted" on Jesus.

So why didn't he leave Jesus earlier if he saw nothing useful about the secrets? Some would stay just a little bit longer to see what's really in it for them.

But why a small seed?

Here's what God usually does. He presents the BIG things of the Kingdom in very small packages, too small that they seem insignificant, or even nothing. Zero. Small as a mustard seed. It's like hidden treasure or a fine pearl. Like the hidden treasure, it's true value is not obvious and cannot be found until God makes you "stumble" on it. Remember, the secrets of the Kingdom are not given to everyone. Only to those God chooses. That's what Jesus said. Thus, many people--even Christians--miss it. All they get are parables.

But once God gives you the grace to "stumble" on it and find it, make sure to "sell everything" you have and "buy the field" where it's hidden. If you fail to give it that much importance and priority, you end up like Judas and the disciples who quit. Christians fall into this pit when they see how the secrets will not translate to money. They see success only one way--a big church with big membership and big income.

They don't see how the secrets (the seed) can grow their churches because the "seed" is too small and even boring to attract people. Remember, parables are meant to make people get nothing. That's a losing proposal. This is why some seeds fell in rocky places where at first they were excited but later became discouraged and died. Some seeds fell in thorny places and were "choked" when they found that it was not lucrative. It didn't grow church membership and didn't translate to money.

God's Kingdom is not being and remaining small, but "looking" small. Jesus looked poor to make us rich through his "poverty." But he wasn't really poor. He just looked poor to test the hearts of men. Worldly people (who pretend to be spiritual) always go for BIG. So they miss the small seed of the Kingdom, the secrets. God won't open their eyes so they'd get nothing but mere parables because of their callous hearts. So God decided to stay low-profile.

Very few people have eyes for the small things of the Kingdom which are really big, like a hidden treasure and fine pearl. Like the small amount of yeast that worked through all the sixty pounds of dough. Like the small mustard seed that grew abnormally into a biggest tree in the garden. Like how Jesus and John the Baptist lived and started ministry. Like how no one could open the seals of the scroll in Revelation except the simple Lamb that was slain (why not the Lion that was victorious?)

The cross is foolishness to the wise of this world, but it is the power of God. 

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

People of this world (especially people of the worldly church) always go for grand and BIG. They are addicted to it. They'd do anything to avoid being least and small and insignificant and pursue after being identified with anything that is great in this world. They worship anything big and become easily susceptible to worshiping the Beast of Revelation.

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

After telling about the seeds, Jesus moved back to his own hometown. And people there said this:

“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him.

In short, when they analyzed how Jesus was small-time, they rejected him. 

He Sat at The Lake, Then the Father Moved

He left the house and strolled at the lake. Finding a nice place to relax, he sat down. As simple as that. It's all he had in mind. He didn't intend a big meeting that day (although it was his Father's plan), but the crowds still came anyway. Jesus never planned or announced a "Lake Meeting" or anything like that. He didn't promote himself so people would know where to find him. He simply left the house and relaxed at the lake. Just that. Photo above by Zoltan Tasi on Unsplash.

And then people came to him in droves. The Father promoted him.

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This despite that fact that Jesus had been earning the ire of the religious leaders--those bragging about their traditions and bible knowledge and human theology. They followed Jesus around looking for ways to discredit him, correcting him and teaching him about the "sound" interpretation of Scriptures (probably thinking that with their degrees in human theology, they alone could interpret Scriptures correctly), although Jesus never bothered with them or their theology or what they thought.

Jesus simply received instructions from the Father. Supernaturally.

Yup, the authorities so hated him. And why not? He'd been pissing them off with his "off" responses to their queries and challenges ("off" to them, that is)--like what they thought or had to say didn't mean anything to him. Like it was all garbage to him. Worse, he often demolished them, not with arguments, but with his undeniable miracles, especially when a badly deformed hand was restored on the spot at his Word right in front of everybody--both his detractors and audience. How could anyone refute that? What chance does human theology have against it?

In Matthew 12, at the fields, they questioned him about picking and eating grains on a Sabbath. Later, in the synagogue, they tested him about healing a man with shriveled hand on a Sabbath. Getting out of their synagogue, Jesus was later followed by a "large crowd" and healed all the sick. But the Pharisees again found something theologically wrong about this and said his gift of healing was only due to "the prince of demons" vouching for him.

Religious people simply wouldn't let him alone, so he took off and went to the lake to relax. But crowds just kept tailing him, not really because they understood what he said, but they heard something different. Actually, all they got from Jesus were parables, and they took them home with them--nothing but parables--or gardening tips at best. How to plant seeds, what places they best grew up in and how to manage their growth.

Just try to imagine--the people got nothing but parables but they still followed Jesus. Some say that parables are "illustrations" that help people understand a message better. But Jesus thought otherwise. He used parables so people who are not really interested in the Kingdom would NOT understand anything he said. Yes, they followed Jesus around, but they were just after the blessings they'd get from him--as many church goers do today.

“You'll hear but never understand; you will see but never perceive. 15 This people’s heart has become so hardened that they hardly hear with their ears. And they have closed their eyes." [Matthew 13]

Like so many who get as many seminary degrees as they can, not to know Jesus more, but to get titles that will make them get more respect and higher salaries. But despite their "systematic knowledge" about the bible, all they get are parables.

Because, Jesus said, genuine understanding of Scriptures is "revealed" by God to those he chooses to, not learned from schools by every religious Tom, Dick and Harry who enroll and pass the exams and graduate. No matter your theological studies, you won't get the correct meaning unless God chooses you, and you're deep within the Jesus circle. It's all by God's sovereign will and it's relational. You have to have the right relationship. More aptly, you have to be chosen by God to be in a genuine relationship with Jesus.

"...knowing the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but not to them."

And he was talking to his disciples (non-degreed, simple men), not theologians, when he said this. Jesus chose guys who the world thought were dumb and uninitiated. Then Jesus added that:

Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

It's all supernatural, through the Holy Spirit alone. ALONE.

But those who don't see and hear will always follow Jesus around, even claim a close relationship with him, even if they get nothing spiritually beneficial, but only material blessings. Even if all they get are parables and get titles and degrees out of them. They will build a "Christian" religion about Jesus using his words then hang on to the religion, and later be found crucifying Jesus without realizing it--as those who followed Jesus initially (but got nothing but parables) later wanted him crucified.

Saliva and Mud For Healing?

If I tell you you'd be healed if I put mud from my saliva and some dirt on you, would you let me? You wouldn't. First because I'm a total stranger to you. And even if you knew me well, you wouldn't either because we all know that saliva, no matter where it comes from, is DIRTY. Photo above by manish kumar on Unsplash.

You wouldn't, even if I were your pastor or probably a medical doctor.

But the blind guy Jesus healed with his saliva mixed with dirt did, even if he didn't know who Jesus was. Did he know it was saliva mixed with dirt that Jesus put on his eyes? Yes he did. He clearly stated that:

“The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said. [John 9]

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How did he know there was saliva in it? He heard Jesus "spit on the ground." Spitting definitely would make a sound. Spit on the ground plus mud on your eyes and it's easy to figure out what happened--specifically, what Jesus put on your eyes. Seems more like a prank than a miracle. I would have gotten mad and protested.

Did he protest? Nope. He even followed Jesus' instruction to go to the Pool of Siloam to wash. Now, that's another wonder. Tell a blind man to go to the pool to wash? Jesus didn't bother to assist him even if he was blind. He just let him go there on his own. What would you have said if you saw someone do that to a blind man?

If you were the blind guy and this stranger told you to go to the pool to wash after putting mud in your eyes--would you do it? 

Me? First, I'd ask what on earth did he put mud on my eyes for? Remember, the blind guy never asked for his help. Jesus just did what he did without asking the guy if he would allow him to do something to him. 

Then tell me to go wash in the pool? I'd probably tell him to go there himself and get water to wash my eyes with--since I was blind and the whole thing was his idea anyway. 

But it's a complete wonder that what took place here took place at all. And why the need to go and wash at Siloam? Couldn't the miracle happen right after the mud was put on his eyes? 

And did the mud heal him because Jesus' saliva was on it?

Here's What Really Happened

It was what Jesus saw and heard exactly from the Father. Jesus earlier said he could do nothing except what he saw the Father doing. Much later, he said that "..I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me," [John 14.31]. It was how Jesus did miracles. It's also how we should do miracles.

So the saliva and mud were all the idea of the Father. Even having the blind man go to the pool unassisted. It was part of testing the man's faith. Jesus simply followed everything he heard--trusted and obeyed. He didn't question it, though it sounded weird. Foremost in the principle of miracles is hearing God's voice and obeying it without question. As long as we do as Jesus did, we enjoy "day time" and are able to do the works of HIM who sent us. 

But the moment we think we're smarter and ask questions or theologize or look for logic or a sound reason before we believe or do something, then night has come. Jesus warned:

"Night is coming, when no one can work." 

It's clear that God was in charge of this whole operation from start to finish. No human effort, ways, programs, human theology or human wisdom. It had been in God's agenda and time table all along as a done deal so that all that was needed was mere faithful execution by the Son to glorify the Father in the blind man.

"...but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

And the blind guy following all that Jesus told him even when he was a complete stranger? That says a lot about Jesus' spiritual aura, the spiritual atmosphere he carried around him. He carried the Father's very Presence--which plain, simple, ordinary believers easily appreciate but which the titled, degreed and the wise in this world readily hate, like did the Pharisees and law teachers in Jesus' day. 

Because Jesus later claimed that seeing him was seeing the Father. So if you had a heart simply desiring to know and see God, you'd be sensitive to such aura. You'd easily discern what is God's and what isn't. The blind guy said:

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

And that JESUS is 100 percent in you. We can carry that same aura and atmosphere if we believe that we are co-heirs with Christ.

In our case, if we simply execute, as a faithful son or daughter, what has been in God's plan, agenda and time table (not our own plan or program), then the Father will give us specific instructions on how to go about it. And he will give us enabling grace to hear his voice straight from his mouth, and actually see him.

It was not the saliva or mud or the Siloam Pool, but the supernatural ways and principles of God when doing a miracle. If we genuinely hear God's voice and his instructions are followed to the letter--and the recipient of the miracle has submissive faith--then God's power is released.

 

 

Do You Have HIS Smell?

The smell of Jesus is powerful. For one, it's the only thing that makes our worship acceptable to the Father. Without HIS smell in us, our worship is garbage. I don't care how beautiful your singing or worship program is. No Jesus' smell, garbage worship. Photo by Ruslan Zh on Unsplash.

Among the most powerful blessings we have is Jesus' smell. I have smelled Jesus, in fact, a lot of times. I was so close I would often catch his scent--even his breath. Like when he met the Samaritan woman, Nicodemus, the rich young ruler, Zacchaeus, when he called Peter, when he multiplied bread and fish, when he rebuked the wind and waves--I was there, up close. I smelled HIM. 

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And the smell is yours if you receive him in your life and surrender yourself fully to him.

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. [2 Corinthians 2.15]

To God we have Jesus' smell. We don't just smell "like" Jesus. We have his very smell. If you're not genuinely born again---if you're not a genuine new creation in Christ (the old is past, the new has come)---you don't get his smell, and anything you do for God is zero.

God is smell oriented, especially with worship. He showed this in the old testament. Worshipers had to offer animals prescribed by heaven, without defect, and slain and burned. It's no use bringing a heaven-prescribed offering, even without defect, if it's not slain. It should be slain. And burned.

Burned!

Burned flesh like that is always a "pleasing aroma" to God. Without that aroma worship is nothing. God is after that smell. He looks for it during worship and is found when we worship in spirit and in truth. This pertains to his spoken Word. The words Jesus speaks "are spirit and they are life" [John 6.63], and truth is his spoken Word. And Jesus is The Word, and Jesus was offered as a pleasing sacrifice.

5 Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering that is lying on the burning wood; it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. [Leviticus 3]

God rejected Cain's worship because it lacked the smell. And without Jesus' smell in us as we are also offered by fire (Paul said offer your bodies as living sacrifices), we can never please God. The smell is part of genuine faith. God is a consuming Fire, and as we expose ourselves to His presence we become a burnt offering, an aroma of Christ pleasing to the Father, not because of us or anything we do or achieve, but only because of Jesus.

It's not enough to be the right offering passing heaven's prescription. We have to be slain and burned. "Slain" is the Jesus cross (the Jesus Life) and "burned" is the presence of the Father, consuming and transforming us, forming Christ in us. Many believers are merely the right offering--having the right teaching, doctrine, theology, etc. But they're not slain and burned. Their egos still live in them, not Jesus.

So their worship is garbage.

The smell of Jesus is also what scares devils and demons when they see us. We are covered with the blood of Jesus, and blood has a strong smell. Have you ever smelled flesh blood? The moment devils smell Jesus in us (because we are covered by his Blood), they scram, knowing that Jesus is present around somewhere. Well, they either run away or run to us, kneeling, and shouting, "What have you to do with us, son (or daughter) of the living God? Have you come to torture us?"

The smell enables us to be "part with" Jesus. It confirms us being part of him, being part of his body. So we need to be washed by him, not just with water, but with his blood. Because we need to get his smell to be part with him. That's among the spiritual identifying marks of a genuine child of God--the smell of Jesus.

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." [John 13]

Here are other renditions:

“Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

You want to be light and salt of this world? The vital prerequisite is to have Jesus' smell. Among other things, being light and salt means we become instruments in putting people right with God. We become conduits, helping them connect with their Creator. Jesus is the only Mediator between them--but then Jesus is 100 percent in us. The Mediator should be able to do his work in us. 

Mediating means knowing what appeases God's wrath and what helps people avoid God's wrath. With the smell of Jesus in us, we're able to do this ministry of reconciliation. We are ambassadors, representing Jesus on earth and representing man in heaven. We become blessed peacemakers, called children of God. The smell of Jesus in us quickly soothes God's wrath and easily accesses his favor and mercy.

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. [Genesis 8]

Really Up Close with Jesus

Reading about Jesus in the bible is one thing--so is seriously studying about him--but getting really up close with Jesus is quite another. No more seeing through a glass darkly, but face to face. Like how Peter got a revelation of Jesus and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" [Photo by Anastasia Sklyar on Unsplash].

Why? Hadn't he seen Jesus before? Of course he had. But it was the first time he really saw Jesus up close. And Jesus said Peter had a revelation direct from the Father, not through the teachings of men. Men's teachings and doctrines are good, but they don't help you get up close with Jesus. 

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Head knowledge can never open your eyes to see Jesus. Only God's supernatural revelation can. When God starts opening His Word in Scriptures to you through the breath of His mouth, you suddenly get "transported" to the Gospel times and "appear" right before them. You're right there walking and talking with Jesus and the disciples. You become part of the Gospel, as it were.

Everything comes alive and you personally witness scenes in the bible. This is how the Father designed Word meditation. His plan is for us to become part of His Word through the supernatural revelation of the Holy Spirit. Bible studies we do with our human formula and theologies are NO match compared to God's revelation. 

Just imagine being right there with the Israelites and Moses as they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, or standing right beside Elijah when he called fire down from heaven that consumed the offering on Mt. Carmel. You don't just read about them but take part, too, not to change the bible but to witness it first hand through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is what Jesus said about eating his flesh and drinking his blood. Jesus is the Word of God. When we meditate and experience God's Word, we eat it. We "eat" Jesus Christ.

Jesus' Nonchalance

Ever noticed how Jesus never ran after anyone or considered anyone indispensable? I saw these Kingdom principles--the principle of  disinterest and the element of pursuit--which are so vital in evangelism and discipleship. If you don't get this, everything will be in vain. Everything will be man-planted. [Picture above from this site].

And every plant that the Father has not planted will be uprooted, Jesus said. Man-planted churches will be disqualified.

So Jesus never coerced, harassed, pressured or influenced anyone to follow him. There was no such thing as "follow up." He emphasized that by the words "If anyone." If anyone wants to follow him. If anyone has faith in him. If anyone gives a cup of water or gives up everything he has. There was always the big IF. People should be left to themselves to choose. No human intervention, whatsoever. This is important. The moment you mess with it, it becomes man's work, not God's. People have to decide and the decision should be to pursue him.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Take It Or Leave It

That's what "following" him means. To pursue. To doggedly go after him at all costs, even if he seems to care nothing about it. And if you're in ministry, you should follow the same things. Never go after people, thinking how you can lure or attract them to you or to your church. And you should always assume an air of disinterest. You care for lost souls but you maintain disinterest.

Him saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear" is a show of disinterest.  It was take it or leave it. If you don't want to listen, then don't. Many of his disciples complained about his teaching--eating his flesh and drinking his blood--but he didn't care if they left. He even challenged the disciples who remained: “Do you want to leave, too?” They didn't. Instead, they answered with an element of pursuit:

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, who would we go to? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One from God.”

Who would we go to? That was a clear indication that they were pursuing Jesus, no matter what.  He alone had the words of eternal life. He alone could feed them. People should see this in you if you're a pastor and decide to follow you. Don't look for ways to lure people to attend your church or stay in it. That is deception. If you cannot attract them with Jesus, do not attract them at all.

Many pastors are "loved" by their congregation because they worked hard to make it happen. They pampered them and gave them what they wanted. Some even let their people rule and reign in church and they (the pastors) willingly became their followers. Jesus is the Good Shepherd but he didn't do anything like that.

It should've been enough. I mean, the scene was tensed enough with Jesus challenging them to either follow or leave (making him risk losing all his disciples, which a lot of pastors fear happening to them). It even seemed he was looking for trouble. He should've stopped there. It was quite tough enough, too taxing and nerve-racking. I would've stopped there and changed topic. Confrontation like that is the last thing I want in ministry. 

And anyway, Peter had answered courteously by saying, "We believe and know that you are the Holy One from God.” That would have mellowed you down and tamed you. Praise like that easily calms irked emotions.

But not Jesus. He pushed harder. 

Then Jesus answered, “I chose all twelve of you, but one of you is a devil.”

I saw the disciples' faces twitching in discomfort. They didn't want to leave but the situation was somewhat getting to be a discomfort. Jesus was really provoking them, pushing them to their limit, even calling one of them a devil. If this were to happen today, I'm quite sure more than half (if not all) in church would walk out on you and later accuse you of malice or being judgmental. It's one thing to scold church members, but to call even one of them a devil? You're asking for it.

And to think that Jesus was only around 30 years old when he said this to his contemporaries.

A Potential Member

At another time, there was this young guy who was rich and smart and enterprising, a topnotch in his career. He was a ruler. Moreover, he wanted eternal life and came to Jesus for it. This successful young guy actually came to Jesus! He even called him "Good Teacher." We pastors would easily fall for this today. We'd make sure this guy becomes our member and give him an important position in church. He's what we'd call a "potential."

We'd go after him, visit him and his family and follow him up. He's a potential. And not doing so would be "lacking discernment" about who's really Godly material and can be used powerfully by God. We'd immediately trash the Kingdom principles (principle of disinterest and element of pursuit) and go all-out for this guy, making sure he becomes our church member.

But Jesus didn't.

He intentionally required him something near impossible, told him to give up what he couldn't possibly give up. Would any pastor do this today? Especially if the guy is a potential giver and supporter? We'd give him special treatment. If he shows even a glimpse of reluctance or doubt on what we said about God (like, if it's something he needed to give up for God), we'd quickly re-phrase what we said and make it acceptable to him. 

Or probably talk to him one-on one, or visit him at his house, and carefully explain everything, clarifying a lot of things that he didn't like or found offensive. After all, we don't want anyone to stumble because of our careless words, do we? We're supposed to be good shepherds of the flock. right? 

Well, not him. And Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus told him (not asked him) to give up all his possessions--"sell everything you have and give to the poor." That included his rulership, wealth, position and ego. In fact, that meant losing everything, being zero. That was too much. It was too unreasonable. Did he really have to do that, make things difficult for this young guy who was looking for truth, salvation and had lots of potentials? If I had that much in life, I probably would've been shocked too and walked out, stumbled and wondering why I had to do all that just to be saved.

I mean, this was about salvation! Aren't we supposed to value each soul? Wasn't heaven a free gift? "Didn't he like me?" the young guy must've thought. 

Then religious people would've told Jesus that he'd be responsible for that young man's soul for making him stumble, leaving him all confused. Jesus didn't even bother to explain. What kind of a pastor was that? When finally the guy left (very sadly), Jesus didn't go after him or stop him and tell him to wait or ask him what part he didn't understand and he'd be more than happy to explain it. We'd all do that because it's part of being a good pastor or Christian, right?

Sanhedrin Member

There were many others--the demon-possessed man in Gadarenes who, after being healed, wanted to follow him (but Jesus just told him to "go home" and evangelize to his neighbors, a law teacher who wanted to follow him but whom Jesus turned down [Matthew 8.19], and Nicodemus who he said was a teacher in Israel who knew nothing about being born of spirit.

Imagine saying that to a top-ranking Pharisee of the Sanhedrin? Most pastors would've done everything to keep someone like Nicodemus in their membership, especially when this Pharisee risked himself going to Jesus at night. That was some effort for a Sanhedrin member to do. But Jesus merely told him,

"You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things?"

The others he invited only once. He told them (not asked them) to follow him, and at once they "left everything" to follow Jesus. Where is this in church today, especially this element of pursuit on the part of the church members? Why are pastors pursuing after their members? No wonder then that most members are spoiled brats. They're being pampered instead of being brought up in Kingdom principles.

Wrong Foundation

Church is mostly built on a foundation of compromise. First, during the  the pastor gathers people he invites for a prayer meeting or bible study. That's the first compromise--anything you do to go after people is compromise. Why? Because in principle you're asking them a favor and they give it to you. So you owe them. That becomes embedded deep in the subconscious. It's very seldom mentioned, but it's there working in their minds.

So the pastor visits them regularly and prays for them. He tries to gradually win them over and invites them to church. That's the second compromise. This all looks good, but in principle (in the spirit) this is nothing but begging people to come to your church. This system makes the pastor more and more indebted to people. And indebtedness makes you a hostage.

You know what makes all this so wrong? Because Jesus never did this. And HE is the Way.

Third, people finally try your church. Pastors feel elated with this. Finally, they have something worthy to report in the pastors' annual assembly. The next step is to encourage them to church, which means we make church look nice to them. We give them roles during the church services, make them open or close in prayer at the altar, do Scripture reading and a lot more, and this makes their ego feel good. So they begin to like it in church. 

We make them feel important in church until they decide to become members and occupy sensitive positions. We teach them church politics and the power in it. When they have learned enough, they begin to control us, and later pastors become their hostage, especially when they have created their own little empires in church. Most churches today have little empires ruled by little emperors. Once you offend these emperors they threaten you with boycott or membership transfer.

So the pastor's alternative is to give in, move out or share power. Sharing power is often the case and gives the church a look of unity and harmony. They resort to "voting" because they claim that "church democracy" is important, but what really happens in their elections is that the ruling and dominant emperor and empire have the most number of votes and win. They call that God's will prevailing.

But the truth is, Jesus never did any of these things. They're all man's inventions.

A Real Jesus Church

True church has Jesus as the Foundation, and this does not just mean studying the bible and what Jesus said there. It means the church should be done the way Jesus and the apostles did it. No compromise whatsoever, with people desperately wanting to join them because they see Jesus--his Word and supernatural power. People should see Jesus in church and stubbornly pursue him there while pastors should assume Jesus' seeming nonchalance and disinterest. This leads to a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any blemish but holy and pure.