(Essay) The Crusade and The Cross

The war of the Crusade was over a long time ago, but the faith of the Crusades remains.

The outstanding feature of the Crusade faith is trying to defeat other religions, opinions, values by strength. 

Historically, the first Crusade was 1095-1099, and the last ninth Crusade was 1271-1272. 

In the times of the Crusade war, the winning force was military power. Now, it's mainly economic power, namely money.

Many Christians believe their economic success proves the superiority of Christianity. With this belief, some churches build up huge buildings. The larger the event, the higher the revival.  

Is the idea Biblical? Let's read Colossians 3:5. "Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature."

Even if it is a church ministry, it may be nothing more than human greed if it pursues success on the earth. Whether it's military or economic, it has the same character - the Crusades.

Colossians 3:10 declares, "Take off the old self and put on the new self." What does the new self mean? It is the one who sets their mind on things above, not on earthly. (col 3:2) 

The followers of Jesus should live the life of Luke 9:23. Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

When the spirit of the Crusade captures our faith, our mind will be away from the Cross of Luke 9:23. 

If Jesus only takes up the Cross, who is going to complete what remains of Christ's sufferings for his body? (col 1:24)

Do not boast of economic success. Get rid of the remains of the Crusade out of our faith. Put to death whatever belongs to the earthly nature. 

(Essay) How can we get into intimacy with Jesus?

Christian faith is to walk after Jesus. Can we imagine that a person not following Jesus becomes a follower of Jesus?

When they are not in a personal relationship walking with Jesus, how can they confess Jesus as the Lord? Christianity is all about intimacy with Jesus. 

How can we get it?

(1) Believe in Jesus

Hebrews 11: 6A says, "And without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists....."

We must first believe that Jesus as God exists now and forever just as two thousand years ago.

(2) Seek Jesus Himself

The latter part of Hebrews 11:6 is "He rewards those who earnestly seek him." What is the reward? That's Jesus Himself. 

Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

It's the promise that we can see Jesus when we seek him with all our hearts.

(3) Love Jesus

In John 14:21, Jesus says, "He who loves me……I also love him and show myself to him." For us to see Jesus, he must show himself to us. 

But for who? Jesus says, "He who loves me!"

Therefore, we learn that intimacy with Jesus happens through our faith, hope, and love for Jesus.

And, as the Bible says, the first is to love Jesus (1 Corinthians 13:13). He who loves Jesus is undoubtedly he who hopes to encounter him as well as he who believes in him.

(Essay) Praise the Lord Jesus!

Isaiah 43:21 teaches us the reason why God created human beings. "the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise."

What does God want His people to praise? The previous verse, Isaiah 43:20, has the answer.

"because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen," 

We people praise God, who is providing water in the desert and streams in the wasteland. As we know, when the word of water comes up in the Bible, it points to Jesus.

Jesus says in John 7:38, "Whoever believes in me....rivers of living water will flow from within him."

Therefore, when we praise God, our soul becomes full of Jesus, and our thirst for the soul will be gone. 

Psalm 22:3 sings, "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises."

Yes! Jesus is the one we praise. Praise the Lord!    

 

(Essay) When God gives us a dream..."

When God gives us a dream..."

When God gives us a dream, what is necessary is only our faith. Hold on to the idea with hope.

Let's read Genesis 15:5-6.  

God said to Abraham, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be."

Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. 

God regarded the faith of Abraham as his righteousness. What did Abraham believe? It was the promise of God about his offspring.

Abraham was old, with no child. Nevertheless, he believed and dreamed his offspring would be as many as the stars in the sky, which he doesn't dare to count.

God regarded his belief in God's promise as righteousness.
 
This scene reminds us of Romans 1:17. The verse provided a momentum of the protestant reformation of Martin Luther. 

"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith." 

Have we got any dreams coming from God? If yes, hold on to it! That'll be our righteousness before God.

(Essay) God says, "Do not be afraid!"

If God says to me, "Do not be afraid!" it must be a signal that he is currently working or is going to work through us. 

Have you received such a signal from God? Let's get into the scene of the Bible. It's Genesis 15:1-4.

(God) Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. 

(Abram) Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless? You have given me no children.

(God) A son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.

Now, God is launching the project to build His kingdom through Abram(Abraham), saying, "Do not be afraid!"

God is Almighty. God will fulfill the plan with the transcending works He only can do.

Is there anything I have given up because worldly views say it is impossible?     

We need to remember one thing before late. When God starts working through us, He wants to make sure we are courageous enough to go through first.

The courage comes from trust. Do we trust in God? If we put faith in God, we can have courage because of Him.

(Essay) Why did God allow Job to experience severe suffering?

What do you think is the briefest summary of the Book of Job? It could be Jeremiah 29:11-13.  

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If so, what would be God's plan to give hope and a future to Job?

Some people might think of Job 42:10 and 12.

"The Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before...The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part."

Being rich in properties must be God's blessing, but they're not the first things. Matthew 6:33 teaches us the correct answer.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

The verse that is relating to his kingdom and his righteousness is Job 42: 5.  

"My ears had heard of you, and now my eyes have seen you."

A personal encounter with God! It was the fabulous plan God had prepared for Job through his sufferings.

And that is the same as Jeremiah 29:13.  "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

God allowed Job to experience severe suffering so that Job might seek first the kingdom and the righteousness of God.

(Essay) What is the real meaning of sin?

To understand the nature of sin, we need to observe the scene where the sin first broke out in the Bible.

Here are two scenes. A is the result of sin, and B is the cause of it.

Scene A: Genesis 3:9-11
(God) Where are you?

(Adam) I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.

(God) Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?

In scene A, we can read the conversation between God and Adam. It happened after the fall of Adam. 

When God asked Adam, "Where are you?" he answered, "I was afraid, so I hid."

It shows that the mutual relationship between God and Adam already got broken as soon as Adam had fallen.

If so, what is salvation?

We might imagine our going up to heaven after death. That will happen. But, the real meaning of salvation is recovering our broken relationship with God, as seen in Scene A.  

Scene B: Genesis 3:1-5

(serpent) Did God really say, "You must not eat from any tree in the garden?"

(Eve)  We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, "You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die."

(serpent) You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

In scene A, what made Adam afraid and hid before God? We can find the answer in Scene B.

The serpent, that is, Satan, was lying that human beings could be like God through breaking the law of God.

Adam, as well as Eve, joined the way of Satan. From this story, we can understand the real meaning of sin. It is disobedience and further rebellion against God.

Let's read Romans 5:19.

"For just through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteousness."     
Who is the first one-man? Yes, he is Adam. Then, who is the second one-man? He is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Jesus lived a whole life of obedience in our place, so we can be righteous when we believe in Jesus.

He restored the relationship between God and humans that had been broken in the Eden garden.