Why are today's Christians weak?

Have you ever wondered why many Christians today have failed to live a victorious life as Jesus had promised them?

Jesus declared, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b)

So, what has happened? Didn’t we believe in Him and had been baptized in His name? So how come we’re still living in such a lousy condition and life never seem to become any easier than before? Where is God?

I believe God is the God of promise. Whatever He promises us, He would deliver. The real problem here is not about where God is, but where are we? How is our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father?

There was once a king who had many sons. Half the number of children lived in the palace with the king. Of these, few of them hung closely around the king. They took orders from him and sought council from the king everyday. Because of their closeness with their father, people from around the kingdom feared them.

Another half of the king’s children chose to live outside the palace because they wanted to have freedom. They found that within the imperial wall, there were too many rules and disciplines. Of these, some even chose to live outside the city, so whatever evil things they did, no one would know and report to the king.

There were celebrations, banquets and feasts held by the king in the palace throughout the year, however, besides those children who lived in the palace celebrated with the father, only few returned to join the occasions. After a long while, do you think those people, who lived in around the kingdom, showed their respect and honor to the king’s sons who were hardly ever with the father? Do you think the group of sons here can command as much power as those who have been always around with the father in the palace?

It is NOT that they are no longer the king’s sons, or the father does not love them as much as the other sons, who were staying with him in the palace. The problem actually lies with the prodigal sons.

The sons would probably think they are no longer loved by the father. When problems come, either they would think their father would not help them, or it is too far a distance to the palace for them to get help. In situations like these, chances are they would be bullied by their enemy, or by their own inflicted guilt or low self-esteemed over time.

Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:7-8)

Therefore, my friends, do not leave the King, but stay close to Him. Christ Jesus promised, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

If you see Christ Jesus as King, indeed the King is present in among you. If you see Christ Jesus as Healer, indeed the Healer is with you. If you see Christ Jesus as Victor, indeed the Victory belongs to you! Amen.

Why won't you be baptized?

If you’ve accepted Christ’s salvation and have been attending church services regularly, yet baptism is what you’ve always avoided, perhaps you should ask: What is holding you back for Jesus?

Don’t you love Him enough and desire to be baptized in His name, to let people know that, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ? If you’re not willing to take the first step in committing yourself to Him publicly, frankly, I don’t see how you could possibly grow in love for Christ.

A Christian who avoids baptism is just like a lover who desires to live a life with you but marriage is something he or she won’t consider. How could it be possible for one enjoying a new life without such a commitment?

Listen to what Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born [again] – of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again.” (John 3:5-7)

Jesus is serious about being born again. Every time when He begins by “I tell you the truth,” or “truly, truly I tell you,” you don’t want to miss what He intended to emphasize.

Aren’t you serious about being born again? Baptism is your first step, so what are you waiting for? What is the main reason that you can’t surrender your life to Him yet?

Are you still holding onto something from your past? Are you still serving another master right now? Are you hindered by your unconfessed sins, or is it because pride has prevented you from doing so? Whatever reasons they might be, you should talk to your pastor and work out the problems with God’s help.

Baptism is a Holy Sacrament commissioned by Jesus. Faithful Christians do not take baptism lightly, neither pastors nor theologians, neither John the Baptist nor God Himself. When Jesus was baptized, heaven opened; the Holy Spirit descended and a voice was heard from heaven.

When you are baptized in His name - you are JESUS’ DISCIPLE. You are God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God - able to joyfully declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Amen.

A God who cannot lie or does not lie?

I am really not keen in getting into the argument of whether God cannot lie or who does not lie (Titus 1:2). Many people seem to have trouble with the fact that God cannot lie than to take delight in a God who never lies.

Numerous suggestions have been offered by people to help God get out of this embarrassment. How can our omnipotent God, who is all powerful, not have the ability to do all things? How can something be impossible for Him (Hebrew 6:18) when He is known as the God of the impossible?

If you indulge in the debate of the above questions, I believe that is Satan’s deception. God is holy and righteous; He has nothing to do with lies at all. He is the truth and in Him there is absolutely no lie.

What we ought to be aware of instead is who the real liar is. According to the Bible, the devil, from the beginning was a murderer, not holding to the truth. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies
(John 8:44b).

The passages found in the Bible about why God cannot lie or does not lie is illustrating exactly the opposite - that ‘lies’ have no role in a holy God. It has nothing to do with God’s ability or freedom.

Unfortunately, sometimes out of our own folly and naivety, we try to make God fit into our idiotic explanation- maybe He can but He chooses not- making Him merely an honest God.

Can’t we just let God be God and take delight in Him? I am glad that my faith is build on a trustworthy and an unchanging God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Amen.

Whose word to listen to?

My brother once challenged me to tell Him about the God whom I was so eager to share with him without referring to the Bible. His reason was sincere and genuine. He told me courteously, “Until I know your God and believe in him, your effort in showing me the Bible about who he is would not convince me.”

I have been thinking as well if it is possible to tell others who God is without using the Bible. If that is possible, why does God give us the Scripture? No doubt, God Himself could do without it. He could choose to reveal Himself like in the Old Testament when He spoke through the prophets to His people. Jesus, the Word became flesh, came and dwelt among the people, so the people around Him would know who God was.

As for us, who are neither God nor prophets, I don’t see how there is any other better way to describe God to others than by using His own words, that is the Bible.

For us to know a person better, we must hear from him directly. Any description of the person from a third person is only the latter’s own experience or opinion. It is only through the words of a person that we know the mind.

God has addressed Himself to us through His word to let us know who He is. If you don’t know Him today, is it because you didn’t listen?

Jesus answered Philip, “Don’t you know…anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say show us the Father?” (John 14:9) Yes, how can you tell your friend you want to know what he or she thinks when you’re not listening? How can you even know him, if he is not speaking at all?

When you ‘see’ Christ Jesus, surely you would see God the Father for Jesus is the Word of God. When you hear His word, surely you’ve seen Jesus. If you listen merely to the word of man, you’ll fail to ‘see’ the divine. How many preaching of today’s church is on God’s word than on men’s? Hear not, therefore, the word of man but God’s. Amen.

Why mustn't I worship other gods?

If I tell you it’s because the Lord your God says so, you definitely won’t be happy. In fact, you may have a lot of complaints and grievances.

1st Commandment:
“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)

If He is so jealous of us worshiping other gods, why doesn’t he banish all other gods from the surface of the earth? Isn’t He, God? Yes, no doubt He is God, but He didn’t make the others become gods. According to him, we were the ones who made them.

2nd Commandment:
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:4-5)

In the Bible, God never tells us that there is another God. It’s we humans who make them. God doesn’t have to tell us why we mustn’t worship other gods; it is a commandment to obey without questioning. It is like a king who gives a decree not for us to discuss or to debate but to conform to what it says.

The one thing I notice is that, whatever you worship in your life, the object that you worship would take control of you. If you worship money, money will become your master. If you worship fame, fame will be above you. If you worship power, power will control you. If you make for yourself an ‘idol’ to worship, the idol will overpower you. If you worship God, He will empower you. If you worship yourself, you’ll find that nothing can satisfy you.

Think about it again. Who do you want to have power over you? If God is the one whom you worship, He will be able to guide you and lead you to all His promises for you. Amen.

Whom should you open the 'door' to?

God wants us to open the 'door' to let Him come into our life to take good care of us, but most people find it vulnerable, uncomfortable, and even insecure to do so.

Jesus said, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

You heard clearly that God knocks at your door but you open a window in your life to Him instead. You've decided not to let Him come in yet. You just want to be able to see Him and perhaps allow a little light to come in. "But it's alright," you think. "That's enough for me."

You're very afraid to let God come in to disrupt your plans. You're afraid He might stop you from doing many things that you now enjoy and you don't want to give them up just yet. You find that there is no need for Him to mingle with your life, and you want to manage it yourself. You see Him as an intruder.

Well, don't you worry, God would not force His way through. He honors your choice and decision. He is the Master, but He comes as a servant, or a friend waiting for you to open the door. However, the window that you open to Him, He will not enter through there.

The thief is the one who comes in through the window. A small crack is all he needs to break in. He would pry it open, and then come in to ransack your entire life. This thief is no other than the devil. He comes with nothing good in mind. His purpose is merely to steal from you whatever is valuable: love, joy, peace, security, health etc. If he can't steal, he'll destroy you - your studies, career, marriage, relationship with others. And sometimes, he would even kill.

While we're so cautious about guarding our life from letting God come in, we fail to notice the devil sneaking in. Often times, we think that the devil is also waiting for the door to be opened. Mind you, the devil comes in other ways.

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep." (John 10:1-2)

If you're watchful not to let the thief come in through the window and open the door for Jesus, you'll certainly live a more abundant life as He promised. Amen.

Why doesn't God act now?

Have you ever gotten so angry about something or with someone and wished God would take action immediately to punish the person? You have lots of questions: why God doesn't carry out His punishment instantly? Why must God wait and give people time?

You probably think those people deserve their judgment. They are wicked and evil, they cheat and lie, they did many evil things in the dark, and they don't believe in God anyway. They don’t have purpose in their life. "I'm holier so I should live and he/she should die."

That is what you might think, and I agree with you sometimes, but I definitely don't want to see people die suddenly in front of me. I don't want to see the driver in front of me suddenly involved in a fatal accident. I don't want the guy who’s walking behind me gets hit by a falling flower pot. I don't want to be conversing with someone and see him being stabbed from behind for no apparent reason.

Isn’t a relief that God doesn't act this way? If He did, you’ll see people dying everywhere. Even though someone may appear less 'holy' than we are, in the eye of a Holy God, none of us is holy (righteous). We are still here is because God has a salvation plan for us. He wants to save us and give us eternal life. Our job is to let others know about Him and to bear witness for Christ how can we also love them like He does, NOT passing judgment on everyone. Amen.

Why do we suffer for the sin of others?

“Isn't it unfair that we have to suffer the sin of others?” my children once asked me. Why does the Bible say that children are punishable for the sin of the fathers? (Exodus 20:5b).

I have to agree it does seem unfair if you merely just look at the matter on its surface. But, if you know the principle of cause and effect, and how God's creation normally operates, it is not difficult to view this issue from a different perspective.

Who are the ones that benefit when the ‘fathers’ are doing well and prosper? If you read further into the Bible about the nation of Israel, it is not difficult to discover that the people prosper and are blessed when they have a good king who does what is right in the eyes of the Lord and suffer greatly whenever they have a king who does evil in His sight.

If one only suffers for the bad things happened and never once enjoy the fruits from the parents, perhaps we could call it unfair to the children. The issue here is not about fairness, it is about relationship among the generations. Whatever labored or harbored in a generation does have an effect on the next generation. Let's not focus on the negative side but look up to God for His great promise of showing love to a thousand generation to those who love Him and keep His commandments. Amen.