Smallest Seed

Image from Youtube. We need to have a supernatural balance of things (especially radical things) in God's Kingdom. And we need to understand that often, Kingdom concepts seem to go against each other, although in truth they flow in harmony. Like God becoming man and God opting to take the form of a slave or being a little lower than the angels but actually most supreme of all. The Mind of Christ has no problems with that. Or the truth that God can both love and hate a person (yeah, He does not just hate sin but also sinners). But it rattles the human mind. So what others do is let go of one and hold on to the other, resulting to a denominational doctrine. Such doctrines believe only one side of the equation. Like, we do not turn into God but the bible says we do not remain mere humans either when we're born again. We turn or "grow" into something else. So we cannot stubbornly keep saying we are just humans and nobody is perfect and God likes us the way

Image from Mysticurious. We've been long taught that sinners cannot have access to God in any way because sin blocks our path to him. And it's bible truth actually. Sin separates from God. Even if you pray a thousand times, God won't hear you. And he can't use you in ministry either. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. [Isaiah 59] But this prophet got away with all that [1 Kings 13]. He told a lie and still got Word from God and was even used by Him. To make matters worse, he caused the ill-timed death of a righteous man of God. Instead of him getting punished, God punished the young prophet who risked his life to obey God even if it meant possible death in the hands of a corrupted king, Jeroboam. It shatters our theology, our understanding of sin and it's ill effects on us. He was an old prophet from Bethel which was then in rebellion against God because of King Jero

It's one of Jesus' strange statements. He was glad the smart guys didn't get a hint of anything he said. And to think that the context was on repentance. He was glad that the scholarly failed to understand about repentance? Didn't he want everybody to repent of sins and be saved? Here's the passage: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. [Matthew 11] It's something similar to what he told Judas (not Iscariot) about not revealing himself to the world. Judas was confused. Didn't God so loved the world that he gave Jesus to save it? Then why would he not reveal himself to the world? Jesus said he'd only reveal himself to those who really loved him, and these were people who really kept his words.  Jesus reveals himself only to "little children" and he even warne

Jesus was dead serious when he told the people to  eat his flesh. He said it like it wasn't figurative in any way. He is really the Bread of Life, and as Bread we have to really eat him. Bread is food, after all, designed to be eaten. And eating him is the only way to have eternal life. Watch this: For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [John 6] Before that, he said: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. His flesh is real food . It's literal. But then, it's literal in a spiritual way. You really have to "eat him" in the spirit. I know smart Alecks will tell me it's figurative. But no, I believe it's literal, but in a spiritual sense, like how we true believers can see Jesus and the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said in John 14, which we'd tackle in another issue. The world cannot see him but we believer

Image from Top Documentary Films. Many times, bible truth does not coincide with our experience in the mundane world. For instance, we are told to be holy for God is holy. That's truth. We can be holy. Otherwise, God would not have told us so. But actual experience tells us otherwise. We find it easier to fall into sin than live in holiness. So, some people conclude, it's impossible to live holy in this world. That's why we are saved by grace. But God intended that grace and righteousness should go together. "Grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" [Rom.5.21]. It's not grace versus holiness but grace and righteousness. It's a package. However, just because in our experience we often fail to live righteously, we conclude that holiness is not really feasible in this life so we must rely on God's grace alone. Then we form doctrines out of that, saying no matter how we live, as long as we hold on to God

Image from Blogger. Theologians put it this way. Theology is "rational discussion respecting the deity," according to St. Augustine. Richard Hooker said it's "the science of things divine." A.H. Strong explained that it's actually "the Science of God and of the relations between God and the universe." One time I read in a book somewhere that it is logic, reasoning, philosophy, science and acumen rolled into one. I've read other definitions of theology---funny, they don't mention anything about the Holy Spirit, particularly how he alone enables enlightenment about Scriptures and God. It's all about "science" and "rational" thinking or reasoning. No wonder every so-called theologian I have talked to do not understand (or do not believe) the spiritual realms. They often treat it like some superstition or voodoo. They can't imagine how you can interpret Scriptures without human theology, the kind you get fro

rambleswithacamera.blogspot.com Jesus said, the seed that fell along the path was eaten by birds, and "birds" symbolized the devil here. The exact meaning was thus explained: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. [Matthew 13] The "message about the Kingdom" is quite different from the regular bible studies and Sunday sermons that go on in denominational churches.  This Kingdom  message  turns you into a Kingdom person concerned solely about the Kingdom of God on earth. Bible studies and Sunday sermons in denominational churches use the bible to turn folks into denominational people who know only about their denomination and nothing about the Kingdom. Something like this: But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you ab

I was typing an article while my dear wife was listening to a Christian radio program when the guest said over the radio how music is the life of the church, or something to that effect. He discussed how church should zero in more on music today because God's presence is already felt strongly through music to touch people's lives even before actual church service begins.  We're not just criticizing what church people do here--we believe that faithfulness to God's Word and ways is better than what we think we accomplish in church and in our ministries.  To many church people, "worship" is singing and music. That has been the wrong notion going around for decades now, even centuries perhaps. We think that good church music (and what we mean by "good" is music that "touches" us and makes us cry and go to the altar) is a major part of worship, if not being worship itself. So we see church musicians and worship teams and choir member

How the bible kills you. Wow, what a title for a Christian blog article. Are you shocked? I bet you clicked this article real fast to see what this heresy is all about. Well, don't blame me--the apostle Paul wrote about it and I'm merely writing it here in my own plain version. Go check it out--the bible can kill you. "I realized that the very Word or commandment that was designed to give me life actually brought me death," [Rom.7.10]. See? How is this possible? It happens when you study or meditate the bible while still in sin. Say, you're now a so-called born-again Christian, even very active in church, but you still harbor or enjoy a little sin here and there because, anyway, silly preachers say you're saved by grace (so you don't have to tire yourself trying to be ultra good and clean) and impress on people indirectly that being in sin is okay because anyway, you're saved by grace and God understands you. We're not saved by works or b

"I'm sure, the people are grass" [Isa. 40] God wanted Isaiah to shout the truth that men are like grass. Because they kept forgetting. And they treated God like grass instead. They relied totally on their ways and trashed God's--just like what most churches today do. They rely on worldly ways and systems and junk God's supernatural and spiritual ways. For instance, they do not choose leaders through the Spirit's leading anymore. They rely on titles and degrees and votations, which God never used.  Anyway, the nations were in fact but a drop in a bucket in God's eyes, mere dust when weighed out by God. All of them were less than nothing, worthless. God was fed up. The nations were often insulting God's chosen people because of their seeming weakness. The pagan nations worshiped their strength. But to God, all their "strengths" were zero. He could easily dethrone their princes, bring them to naught. Exactly like grass--people are gr

What Matters is the LIFE in You Early in my Christian life, some guys told me that the kind of bible version I read was very important. It should be the correct  and accepted version, the accurate one, and "correct" and "accurate" to them was the King James Version. Some other guys, smarter ones, urged me to make sure that I know the Hebrew and Greek versions of the bible. I had to find out the original meanings of words to get what the bible authors really meant. Later, God told me it was regardless of bible version. What matters is that you hear HIS voice. All that is good--correct bible version and Greek and Hebrew. In fact I had some basics in Greek and Hebrew and consult them now and then. I also have my King James Version (KJV). But now, after almost 30 years in ministry, I know that they're not that important. You can live victoriously in Christ without them. In fact, sometimes, God will even rescue you from them so you can be well attuned to

God was clear with Micah—when justice is despised truth is distorted. And this is so especially when spiritual leaders and rulers do it. “Listen, leaders and rulers of Israel who despise justice and distort truth,” (Micah 3.9). Justice is declaring right from wrong, good from evil (Micah 3.1-2). This works so powerfully to form God's flesh in us.  God wanted leaders to judge correctly. Instead, they “judge for a bribe,” (Micah 3.11). They picked people who paid them well and gave them favorable judgment. Those who didn’t got “war” from them (3.5b). God’s Justice is His Judgment God’s justice is declaring right from wrong and doing what is right. And this is always done through God‘s anointed servants, like prophets. When God pronounced a judgment, He did it through a prophet. God does not act unless he first tells about it to his servants the prophets (Amos 3.7). In our day it’s pastors, especially prophetic pastors. We have to judge, and judge correctly accor

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life. - Jn.6.63 I cannot over-emphasize the extreme importance of the spoken Word. Jesus says anything outside the spoken Word is flesh, and they count for nothing. Zero. Pfft. Spoken Word is Spirit and Life. What God speaks from his mouth to us comes from his heart. It should go down and take root in our hearts, so when we speak from the heart, that same spoken Word issues from it and gives life to the dead--like what Ezekiel saw in the vision of the valley of bones.  Spoken Word is the breath of life. It is the breath that gave life to Adam in all perfection. It is the breath of spoken Word that created the earth and the universe, and now sustains them. It is all-powerful! God gives it to us freely! But we must never take it for granted. Word Becoming Flesh Giving flesh to the spoken Word (obeying and living it) is what matters. All others are garbage--chur

You Won't Get It Unless it Comes Always, "the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah," and to other men of God. The Word and the Spirit always go together. Thus, "the sword of the Spirit," (Eph.6). No one can separate them. And the Spirit always comes to people of God. Hence, the Spirit "came upon them and they spoke in tongues." You can never, by your own will and effort, get the Word or God's Spirit for yourself. Lots of preachers try to compose the Word. They prepare outlines for preaching. They say preaching should be systematic. And it has produced good results through centuries--even mega churches and great revivals. But what Word they got was not that which comes out of God's mouth--which Jesus said gives us life--but merely that which is composed by man's theology. It has some power--because God's printed Word has power--but it does not have the power of the spoken Word that created the universe.  The printed Word has