Smallest Seed

"An idol is crafted...with gold and silver" [Isaiah 40.19] An idol is crafted. That's a big revelation. Idols are never just made carelessly--the best human effort and talent are applied to casting it. "Crafting" means the best and sophisticated artistry. When we get careless and blinded by worldly exposure and succumb to it, we start giving things we deem important our best. Like, in our jobs, businesses, homes, families, ideals, studies, careers, friendships, and even churches. Church leaders do not just want to read the bible--they enroll  in seminaries for titles and degrees. And yet the Word is not seen in them powerfully. Remember this one thing: beware when you give your best to something and devote so much time to perfecting it. It may have become an idol in your heart. Giving your best to anything you do so that God is glorified is good. But we should beware not to overdo it. There's always the danger of making idols out of them. Do your

"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

"Solomon transferred Pharaoh's daughter (his wife) from David's City to her palace...because the city was holy.." [2 Chron.8] The magnificent temple in Jerusalem had just been dedicated with lavish garb. In fact, it was built to the letter of God's Word handed down from David to Solomon. And the Lord even appeared to Solomon, telling him, "I've heard all your prayers." Everything seemed perfect. But the problem was, right at the outset, Solomon had married Pharaoh's daughter, and now he was hiding her from God. He had a thorn on the side, a skeleton in his spiritual closet. So many church people and ministers want to do great things for God, build him great temples or offer him lavish worship programs or concerts. They do everything according to the Word of God. They even have signs and wonders, the Lord himself making an appearance during the meetings. And indeed, everything's genuine. The Lord is really there. But the problem

"It's God's glory to hide matters; and to seek them out is kings' glory." Proverbs 25 God wants kings. That's the main reason why God hides answers. Some people ask me why God often does not answer prayers pronto. Or, why does he hide answers so that even when they're so obvious most people still do not see them and thus err. One guy asked me why people who are fanatics of  feng shui and Chinese New Year traditions still get rich? Doesn't God curse those who believe in  superstitions? He did so in the bible and he judged them immediately. Why not today? In short, it's a why-God-hides-answers issue. So instantly I asked God about it and got an instant answer. It's for hardening their hearts. God hides obvious answers to people to harden their hearts, because anyway, they are hopelessly resigned to wrong and even evil paths. So God allows them to be further misled by making it look like they get more blessed. He Wants Kings Onl

Almost everyone today can share and is sharing the Gospel. It's both good and bad news. Good news because, as Paul said, whether from right or wrong motive, the main thing is that Christ is preached. Bad news because, Gospel sharing from a wrong life and heart is nothing but trash. Impotent Gospel sharing is rampant today. They share God's Word and yet live opposite to what it is. That does not amount to anything in the Kingdom; perhaps in terms of information dissemination in the physical realms, yes. But bible information dissemination that affects only the physical realm merely fills up the head--head knowledge that only makes men more stubborn--head knowledge that only wants to escape from hell's fire and eternal damnation. Head knowledge can never make you fall deeply in love with Jesus and be amazed at Kingdom Come. It only scares you about hell, so you go to church each Sunday and clap and wave your hands "in praise" and do other religious stuff that

Jesus is the only Way..out. The idea has always been to get out. Abraham was called to get out of Mesopotamia. Jacob had to get away from Esau and then later Laban. Moses was called to lead Israel out. And that became the main story, the whole point--getting out of Egypt. It was to be the foundation of God's covenant with Israel--they became his people because God chose to rescue them out of their land of slavery. And that is the foundation of our covenant with God--God took us out of our Egypt, which symbolizes worldliness. Egypt in the physical--the geographical country in the Middle East--is a good country with good people. What we're talking of here is how spiritual Egypt was symbolized in the bible as worldliness . So, the main idea is to get out. And the only way out is God's Way. Therefore, Jesus is the only way out. You can't stay. If you stay you die. All Lot's wife did was to look back, and she died. The Israelites who didn't want to get out

Have you met what I call "Abneric" people? You know Abner, of course? He was King Saul's army general and bodyguard. If he were your army commander and bodyguard, having all that power and authority, you should beware of him. And yet, in some ways, you can also count on him. He is the type of guy who'd often prioritize personal interest to loyalty and the general good and yet appear trustworthy. Sometimes, there are Abneric church people. And pastors should be wise dealing with them. Doubtful Loyalty When Saul died Abner made it his duty to install Ishbosheth (Saul's son) to power, even if Saul was no longer around. He could have wrestled power from Ishbosheth, but Abner opted to stay loyal to his master's family. But it probably felt terrible having someone like Abner place you in position. Scripture says Ishbosheth feared Abner that he sometimes just played along with Abner's plans [2Sam.3.11]. It probably felt like Judas Iscariot kissed and e