Smallest Seed

Money Crashers Still in Luke 16 (on the crooked steward or manager who was commended by his boss), Jesus showed how to be trustworthy with worldly wealth. We need to. We need to prove we can handle worldly wealth the right way so God can entrust true riches to us. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? A lot of believers misread this. They think being trustworthy with worldly wealth is keeping their money in banks and making it grow big there, buying big properties (doing so is "wisely" investing our money, they say), getting rich or being careful to put money only on things that will guarantee ROI. To many churches this is "good" stewardship. If you lose money, they'd say you're a bad steward. But Jesus tells us in the parable that using worldly riches to gain friends is how to be trustworthy with world wealth. Nothing is said about banks, investment or careful disposal. In the par...

Image from Shutterstock. Faith---the simpler it is the more impressive to God. Often we want to do great things that require what we think is "great faith." No wonder worship is sometimes like a circus with lots of death-defying stunts---flying trapeze, eating fire or swallowing swords. Martha thought faith was like that. So she couldn't believe when her sister Mary simply sat at Jesus' feet listening and got his approval. The woman with issue of blood for 12 years was even more radical. She didn't pray or say a word. She just "thought to herself." It literally released power from Jesus at her will that Jesus didn't notice it. God will answer you on the spot even if you don't pray or say anything. Even if you just talk to yourself---as long as the faith involved impresses him. The centurion also got it right. It's not indicated how this Italian army officer knew the secret to God's heart, but he did exactly what God was after in a...

Image from Daily Mirror. Thank God he is full of grace and mercy. With the same, we should be gracious and merciful to others as well. But here's the problem---most believers misuse them. They think it's a dole out, a grace and mercy spree. And they fondly call it "giving a second chance." They lack wisdom on how God uses these divine helps. I often see pastors giving another leadership chance to their leaders who fell into willful sin. Like that church leader who left his wife and did adultery with another woman. He was suspended from ministry for a while but the pastor later simply put him back to leadership roles even without repentance. The pastor reasoned, repentance was between the sinner and God. So, there he was, this erring leader, doing ministry again even if he continued with an adulterous relationship. And the pastor thought what he did was in line with God's grace and mercy. Second Chance? Give guys like that "second chance"? 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...

theregister.co.uk A lot of church people believe God even if they don't understand most of what he's saying in the bible. For instance, churches still hold on to their denominations even if Jesus already revealed in his prayer how God wants all believers to be completely united [John 17.23]. I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. It is commendable to believe even if you don't see (John 20.29), but God wants us all to believe and understand. It's difficult to genuinely believe and be sold out to something you do not understand. Some say we cannot entirely understand everything about God. True, but still we need to understand what he reveals to us. The revealed things belong to us and to our children forever [Deuteronomy 29.29]. And anyway, we need to deeply understand how God wants us to "have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that (we) may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ," [Colossians 2.2]....

Jesus Christ revealed--this is the Rock where Jesus builds his church, a church which crashes the gates of hell. Jesus once asked the disciples who people from the villages said he was. After saying this and that, Peter finally said Jesus was the Messiah, Son of God. My Jesus commended him and said that such insight was not from men but a revelation from God. "And upon this rock," he added, "I will build my church." "This rock" is revelation that comes from God, revealing deeply (and much deeper each time) who Christ is. That's what the context says. Some think this rock referred to Peter, because Jesus had said, "I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock.." Jesus was actually telling him, compared to this revelation Peter was a small rock. However, a small rock with a big revelation of who Jesus really is becomes the Rock (God) on which Christ will build the true church. No, you don't become God, but your life becomes hi...

Old wine and new--you've got to decide what you really are. You cannot be both. Anyone in Christ is new. The Word is clear that the old is past, and there's only the new. You cannot be an old and new creation at the same time. And yet, if we look around churches, this is what most Christians are. They claim to be born again and yet look and live the same way they did when they were yet non believers--well at least they've gotten rid of their statues and idols and they're now active in church. But that's garbage, too, if you're not a genuine new creation getting newer in Christ each day so that you yourself are no longer seen by people but they see Jesus. God's flesh. Yes, God is spirit, but we are his flesh on earth. They should see God in you, and you cease to be seen any longer. Here's how Hosea put it: "..they've left the Lord in favor of prostitution, to old wine and new, which make them dull (spiritually) and given to idol making a...

It's happening everywhere today, and it's obvious that Satan is using it to deceive, if possible, even the elect. More and more born again Christians are blinded by the world and prefer blessings rather than stature in Christ. Now, don't get me wrong. Blessings are good, and we need lots of them. But when used as a coverup for a rotten character and spiritual life, it's become a deception tool of the devil. Worse, when blessings are thought to be the reason for a close relationship with God, not God himself and having a stature in him. I see it everywhere. Christians who have rotten lives get more blessed materially and physically, and they count that as favor from God because He is pleased with them. Ever seen this? Let's make up a scenario--a lady believer for instance. Let's say she's kinda like this: despite repeated warnings from God, she still opts to marry a non-believer. Isn't that what mostly happens in church? That's clear disobedi...

In the day of pride birthed by successes, the proud tend to enjoy the support of the mighty. The mighty accept the proud into their alliances, and when you're accorded that privilege and recognition, it adds more to your success, and more to your pride.  But such alliances of the proud serve only to initialize your downfall, warns Obadia the prophet of God, because alliances like that eat your spiritual life to the bone like gangrene--without you detecting it. The whole thing is a curse from God.  Thus, Church alliances never end up with the one glorious church of Jesus Christ. They have been around for years, decades, perhaps centuries, but they never rallied churches to fall in behind the banner of the King of kings and Lord of lords as the completely one church of Jesus as he prayed in John 17.  No Flesh Shall Glory 4-Cassette Teaching Tape Album Teaching on the Danger of Pride and the Blessing of Humility (ALB134) Alliances eventually only end up ...

Ransacked! If you have been successful (more so materially), you gain friends. People befriend you. You become Mr or Ms Popular. And the tickling accolades that overfeed the ego deaden your senses. Pride deadens discernment. Moreover, it weakens God's flesh on you. Success that breeds a spirit of pride is like a magnet that attracts betrayal. People befriend you for ulterior motives. It's dog-eat-dog out there, people using each other for mundane glory. You give them your hand and they gobble up your arm. The worse part is that, you'd never suspect it. Pride has this curse. Because of her success, Edom was able to form alliances with other nations. Acceptance into alliances, even today, can make you wallow in pride, because only the successful are recognized and permitted entry into them. While she was rich the alliance was secure. While she was able to offer things and grant demands to her allies, the going was great. Later, however, her "friends...