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Resting in Jesus

183:821653485 (Eunjin Chang) — Sun, 03 Aug 2025 03:55:06 GMT

For a Christian to be healthy, we must sleep or rest in Jesus. Just like sleep is essential to the health of our physical body, sleep or rest in Jesus is essential to our spiritual walk with Jesus.

When Jesus came to the world, he came to do the works of the Father, and he completed them on the cross, when he said, It is finished. The very reliance of the blood of Jesus that he shed for us on the cross gives us the rest that our spirit needs.

To sleep or rest in Jesus means to cease all our agendas. Many Christians fall into a trap that once you become a Christian, you must do so many things and not do so many things. Being a disciple becomes a matter of checking off a list of dos and don’ts. However, this is far from rest that Jesus gave us when he said, It is finished, on the cross.

The rest comes to us when we die in Jesus. When we follow Jesus as a disciple, Jesus is inviting us to pick up our own cross, deny ourselves, and follow him. Where did Jesus end up? On the cross, and he died for the sins of the world. When apostle Paul stated that he had been crucified with Christ and he no longer lives, he was stating the mere nature of a disciple of Jesus.

When Jesus invites us to die with him on the cross, it is not to destroy us or end us. Human nature is to struggle to survive and to have another breath. But to follow Jesus is to deny that very nature. How can it be done? It is impossible with human effort or will, as it is contrary to the very nature of humanity.

When one becomes a disciple of Jesus, everyone has one or a few things that they cannot surrender to God. It may be finances, children, or even their own life. However, Jesus invites all of his disciples to give up that one thing that everyone has. Every Christian faces this question at some point in their walk with Jesus.

They have eaten and drunk the flesh and blood of Jesus. They have tasted the goodness of the Lord and His mercies. They delight in worship and even give up many things for the Lord and His body. But that one thing, no matter how minor it seems, Jesus asks the question, “Can you give up that one thing for me?”

Which is the question of death. The death of our old self. To Abraham, it was to offer Isaac on an altar. To Jacob, it was to deny his ability to cheat, steal, and lie. To the Apostles, it was to give up their life for the sake of the gospel. So many of our ancestors of faith have demonstrated giving up that one thing that matters the most to them for the sake of Jesus. Why would they do that? The most important question of all is, how were they able to do that for Jesus?

The answer is simple: daily eat and drink Jesus’ body and blood; daily excrete out what the Holy Spirit is telling us; daily rest in Jesus. This daily trust and obedience provides us with a sense of security and guidance in our walk with Jesus.

The death of oneself does not come from human effort nor willpower. It comes from trusting in Jesus even till death. It can only be done when one is deeply involved with Jesus and Jesus’ DNA becomes their DNA. Without questioning, they hear the voice of Jesus, respond, and lay down their lives and their most essential things for Jesus.

It is a daily walk with Jesus and having a moment-by-moment relationship with Jesus. Jesus said My sheep hear my voice and follow me. It is interesting to note that when Jesus calls his sheep, it is among other sheep that are not of Jesus’. Jesus calls his sheep to take them through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow initially. Then, when the sheep sees Jesus walking away from the green pasture and onto the valley of the shadow of death, the sheep begins to wonder if the voice it hears is Jesus’ or not.

But as Jesus continues to call the sheep, the sheep respond by trusting in Jesus’ voice, recognizing it as their own. But as the sheep nears the valley of the shadow of death, the sheep gets close to Jesus, embracing his breath, scent, and sweat. Following him closely, as he fears he might be lost if he does not hear the voice of his true shepherd.

Ultimately, the valley of the shadow of death separates the true sheep of Jesus from other sheep.

Jesus calls all of his disciples to carry the cross, deny oneself, and follow Jesus daily. Which ultimately leads to death. Death is not to end our essence but to deliver us from ourselves, our old ways of living, and to redefine our DNA to become like Jesus; ultimately leading us to the resurrection of Jesus, as he has said, I am the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is not something that we find when the last day comes; the resurrection that Jesus gives us is the very nature of all of his disciples that must go through to become faithful followers of Jesus.

Many modern Christians are what we might call 'zombie Christians'. This is not a metaphor, but a reality. When Jesus calls us to die with him, many reject this calling, believing it to be from Satan. They know deep down that it is the call of Jesus, but they prefer to be deceived in their hearts as it seems logical, reasonable, and satisfies their current values.

However, when a Christian rejects the call of Jesus, the life of Jesus leaves that Christian, and that person becomes a 'zombie Christian'. A 'zombie Christian' is a person who knows about Jesus but does not follow Jesus because they have denied the call of Jesus to be his disciple. There are many 'zombie Christians'. Many become like Pharisees, and they are satisfied with knowing about the Scriptures, rather than obeying them.

They begin to lose the joy, rest, and light of Jesus in their lives and begin to replace it with religious activities and the endless pursuit of knowledge about Christian life.

When the Father speaks, He speaks once, and the Holy Spirit continuously reminds us to obey what the Father has said. However, once you become a zombie Christian, it is difficult to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, nor the voice of the Father. The Holy Spirit continuously prays to the Father with groaning that cannot be uttered because the Holy Spirit is in agony over the disobedient Christian.

Just like the Prodigal Son, the Father waits for the son to return. An interesting observation can be made regarding the story of the Prodigal Son, that the father did not go after looking for the son, nor did the older brother.

The reason the father did not go after the prodigal son was that the son made the choice, and the father respected the son's choice. But an interesting thing is that the older brother did not go after his brother, even though he could have. The older brother did not know the heart of the father, and when the prodigal son returned, the older son’s response reveals his true intentions.

The Father waits for the zombie Christian to return. To return means to realize that their effort and ways of living caused much turmoil and must abide under the ruling of the Father. The Father gives another chance to zombie Christians. But when the second chance comes, the sacrifice that a zombie Christian makes seems greater than the first time. As that person has drifted away from the proper way of living and been replaced by religious activities that have no life.

Every disciple of Jesus knows that one thing that Jesus asks us to give up. It is not to destroy us but to trust in the Lord. Just like when Peter asked Jesus to walk on water, Jesus is telling us to walk on water like Peter did. When we die in Jesus, it is the very spirit of Jesus that resurrects us.

When we experience death and resurrection through Jesus, that is when we truly find the peace and rest that Jesus desires for us to have, not through religious activities, disciplines, and training.

When we realize that our death does not lead to destruction, as the one inviting us to death is Jesus, who is life and resurrection, we trust in Jesus and follow through our death, and we wait on Jesus to resurrect us in his power and spirit.

That is when we are truly free from the world and its bondages, and nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus.

We become one with Jesus as we suffer with him, and we glory with him.

We can become truly victorious in all aspects of our lives, not with our power or abilities, but by what Jesus has done for us in himself. A true crown of glory awaits those who follow Jesus even to death.

Expelling Spiritual Waste

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 03:54:22 GMT

After eating the spiritual food and drink, which are the flesh and blood of Jesus, we must expel waste from our spiritual body. It may seem odd or even strange to talk about expelling after consuming Jesus’ flesh and blood, but just like our physical body, our spiritual bodies need expelling. When a Christian eats and drinks of the flesh and the blood of Jesus daily, they begin to grow deeper in a relationship with Jesus. Without even knowing, their dependence on Jesus grows tremendously, and it brings them many of the authorities that Jesus has. Their lives begin to change in ways that they have never imagined, and they begin to hear the voice of Jesus.

Jesus said, My sheep know my voice and follow me. This becomes reality to those who consume Jesus’ flesh and blood daily.

When you eat Jesus’ flesh and blood, the very nature of Jesus becomes ours. Just like when you eat a meal, you do not know where it gets placed in your body, but it goes through your digestive system, and it brings you energy where it is needed, and it is used to heal areas that need healing. The consumption of Jesus’ flesh and blood is essential to the growth and becoming like Jesus for his followers.

Then, after consuming the flesh and blood of Jesus regularly, how does one go about expelling from the spiritual self the excrements that are created in our spiritual self? Also, what are the excrements that get created in our spiritual self?

These are excellent questions, and they require some self-diagnosis.

When we become a Christian, we begin to hunger for the word of God and desire to commune with other followers of Jesus. After consuming the flesh and the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins to work within us to remove old values and ways of living. The Holy Spirit essentially changes our very nature, as if the DNA of Satan’s child is being replaced with the DNA of Jesus.

As we begin to crave Jesus’ flesh and blood, the Holy Spirit begins to remove our old habits and ways of living. Many begin to discover that after becoming a Christian, their old friends, habits, and joys have changed, and they can no longer enjoy the things they once enjoyed. These are things that the Holy Spirit is doing.

In the first few months of becoming a Christian, many testify that their views and desires began to change. However, after a while, they begin to face their fleshly desires and carnality, and they must make a choice. To compromise and live according to their fleshly desires and carnality or to deny themselves and follow Jesus.

It earmarks the beginning phase of Christian discipleship, and sometimes, due to misguided motivations, they make the right choices. Because they want to be seen as good Christians to their Christian peers, they make choices that seem right. However, this does not deal with the essential issues, but instead covers them up.

Excretion is a daily task, which is to deny oneself daily and pick up the cross. The power to deny and pick up the cross and follow Jesus is not done with our willpower or discipline. Instead, it comes from relying on Jesus’ blood shed for us as he denied himself and carried the cross up to Calvary.

Daily, we deny ourselves, our flesh, and our desires before Jesus by believing in the blood of Jesus that he shed for us while carrying the cross. Jesus shed much blood, tears, and sweat while carrying the heavy wooden cross up to Calvary after being beaten and whipped mercilessly.

He has carried the cross from the Jerusalem courtyard to Golgotha while bleeding from his broken body. In relying on Jesus’ blood shed for us on the road to Golgotha, we discover the true meaning of denying oneself, picking up the cross, and following the blood-stained footsteps of Jesus.

As Jesus was carrying the heavy wooden cross, stained with his blood, tears, and sweat, his legs gave way, and he could not carry on. The Roman soldier began to whip him mercilessly and wanted Jesus to pick up the cross so that the soldier could get the execution over with. However, Jesus did not flinch or move an inch. He was waiting for one person, a new disciple of Jesus, to come and take upon the cross with him. That person was Simon from Libya.

Simon was not related to Jesus at all; he was just a spectator waiting for the main event, the Passover meal in the evening. But when he was dragged into carrying the cross of Jesus by force by the Roman soldier, the things that were going through his mind were the very excrement that needed to be excreted out of Simon to be a follower of Jesus.

As Simon came in contact with Jesus’ blood, sweat, and tears, he lost his right to participate in the Passover meal as he became unclean. He must have spent a fortune and used up his life savings to come to Jerusalem to eat the Passover meal, but by the force of the Roman soldiers, he lost his right to eat the Passover meal.

He must have been furious and angry at the brute gentile Roman soldier for being so ignorant and forcing him to carry what seemed like a death sentence to Simon’s dreams and the climax of his journey to Jerusalem.

Jesus wanted Simon not to eat the Passover meal that man prepares for religious activities, but to be part of the real Passover meal and to become a follower of Jesus, when Jesus’ blood, sweat, and tears were imprinted onto Simon as he carried the cross of Jesus, Simon, without knowing participated in the greatest act of servitude and discipleship towards Jesus.

Many years later, we discover that Simon’s family assisted Apostle Paul in preaching the gospel during his journey. We do not know what happened to Simon after he threw down the cross upon Golgotha. Still, we can guess that by carrying the cross of Jesus by force, he missed the Passover meal prepared by religious people. Still, Simon truly participated in the authentic Passover meal prepared by the Lamb of God, Jesus himself.

Oh, what a glorious moment for him when he learned that the very cross that he carried was the cross of our Lord Jesus!

Modern Christians must deny themselves, carry the cross, and follow Jesus. But the very act is not done or possible with our own volition or will. We must rely on the blood of Jesus that he shed for us while carrying the cross up to Golgotha. Just like Simon, we must have the blood, sweat, and tears of Jesus imprinted onto our spirit, and by the imprint of Jesus’ blood, sweat, and tears, we carry the cross that is handed to us.

This is how we excrete out the waste that our spiritual person makes after consuming Jesus’ flesh and blood. Many times throughout the day, we go to Jesus to eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. After consuming Jesus, the Holy Spirit stirs in our spirit and tells us what hinders our relationship with Jesus. It is natural for a Christian to know what hinders our relationship with Jesus, as our very spiritual DNA begins to change into Jesus’ DNA. It is imprinted in us. As Jesus always pleased the Father and obeyed His will perfectly, Jesus’ DNA that is imprinted in us begins to stir our hearts to know what is pleasing and what is not to the Father.

By relying on the blood of Jesus that he shed for us while carrying the cross on the way to Golgotha, our spirit begins to shed our old values, desires, and other things that do not please the Father.

When the Holy Spirit brings our attention to a matter, we must stop, listen, and follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit, as the Holy Spirit prays on our behalf to the Father with groaning that cannot be uttered.

Spiritual Food and Drink

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 03:53:30 GMT

Our spiritual body eats the real food that is the flesh of Jesus. Our food table is prepared by Jesus himself, with his broken flesh. When Jesus said, My body is true meat in deed, he literally meant it. We must eat of his flesh many times a day, just like how we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with snacks in between.

Many Christian teachers substituted Jesus’ flesh with their sermons and teachings, which are beneficial at times, but they are a diluted version of food for our spirit. Jesus is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1). John was telling the reader that Jesus is the very Word of God, and by flesh he came to this world to dwell among us. But not only dwell among us, but he became the very meat itself that every disciple of Jesus must consume. Jesus is knocking on our heart door, asking us to open it. When we open our hearts, he comes in and dines with us. What is the meat that he is dining on with us? It is his very flesh that he broke for us on the day that he carried the cross of Calvary.

Then, how do we eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood?

Catholics believe that when the priest prepares the Lord’s Supper, the bread becomes the real flesh of Jesus and the wine becomes the real blood of Jesus. The protestants believe that the bread and wine, or grape juice, do not become the real flesh and blood of Jesus, but they believe that it represents the flesh and the blood of Jesus.

It seems both sides are missing the real point in the Lord’s Supper, which is to eat and to drink of Jesus’ blood and flesh that Jesus himself prepares.

Whenever the early Christians gathered, they communed the Lord’s supper together. It was their way of life. The Lord’s supper was not only sacred, but it was where they got their daily meat and drink. They had not learned yet; they knew that no matter how poor or frail their meals were, when they presented them before the Lord in faith, the Lord prepared them his flesh to eat and his blood to drink. When the Christians incorporated the Lord’s supper into their every meal and every gathering, they became powerful Christians. Although they did not have as much knowledge about the Scripture as modern-day Christians, they practiced Jesus’ way of life because Jesus, himself, empowered them.

Although some died because they abused the Lord’s supper, the power of Christianity came from the very essence of corporate gathering to share the bread and the wine incorporated into every worship and fellowship.

Protestant Presbyterians revere the Lord’s supper, but they do not do it regularly, and this has weakened the Presbyterians of their authority given by the Lord Jesus.

These days, it may be difficult to gather together to do the Lord’s supper every time. However, when a Christian in faith believes in the flesh and the blood of Jesus being present in their daily meals and snacks, it powers their spiritual being.

The Flesh and Blood of Jesus

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 03:52:14 GMT

The Israelites ate manna and drank the water from the rock, but they still died in the wilderness. Jesus states that the manna did not come from Moses, but Jesus’ Father gave the manna to the Israelites to eat. The Jews missed the point of what the manna represented. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ flesh being torn apart for the transgressions. The water from the rock represented the blood of Jesus that flowed out of Jesus’ body.

When a child is born, no one needs to teach the child to eat, expel waste, or sleep. These three things are natural for any human, young and old. Diseases and frailties in human beings occur when these three things that seem so normal are not done correctly.

Even though we know that eating, expelling, and sleeping are the most fundamental physical needs of our body, many Christians forget that the same principle applies to the spiritual being as well. It's a matter of spiritual discipline and commitment.

Our spiritual walk is the same. When we become believers in Jesus, we naturally begin to eat of the Word of God and delight in it. We learned what is Christian-like and what is not, and became accustomed to the church lifestyle. Just like when we mistreat our bodies by not eating properly in the correct quantity, not expelling waste regularly, and not sleeping enough, our physical health begins to deteriorate, and it may eventually lead to death. Similarly, neglecting our spiritual nourishment can lead to spiritual starvation and its consequences.

Instead of eating spiritual food that is provided by Jesus, many Christians eat non-edible spiritual food, such as false teachings, worldly desires, and self-righteousness, and think that they are being well-fed.

In John 6, Jesus repeatedly states that his flesh is the meat and his blood is the drink that every follower of Jesus must consume. However, many Christians fail to believe in Jesus’ words and even neglect, as you find out that near the end of John 6, everyone who followed Jesus because Jesus fed them bread and fish, left as they could not comprehend or obey Jesus’ teachings about eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood. This metaphorical 'eating' and 'drinking' refers to internalizing and living by Jesus' teachings, not a literal consumption of his physical body and blood.

The thought of eating the flesh of Jesus and drinking the blood of Jesus offended the crowds and even those who called themselves disciples. It was hard to say, as they left Jesus. But Jesus emphasizes that those who eat of Jesus’ flesh and drink Jesus’ blood, Jesus shall raise that person on the last day: the day of the Lord.

Jesus explicitly states here that to eat and drink of Jesus’ flesh is the actual meat and Jesus’ blood is the true drink that everyone who wants to be raised on the last day.

As our physical body needs food and drink many times a day, our spiritual self needs nourishment just as frequently. The food that we must eat frequently throughout the day is the flesh of Jesus, and the drink that we must drink frequently throughout the day is the blood of Jesus.

However, most Christians failed to understand this simple concept and starved themselves, looking for food and drink in other places, other than Jesus. It is crucial to remember that our spiritual nourishment comes from Jesus' teachings, and we should not starve ourselves by seeking fulfillment in other places.

Just like our physical body, our spiritual body needs to eat, expel, and sleep.

Then, how does our spiritual body eat, expel, and sleep?

Sample Blood of Jesus Prayer

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 02:18:16 GMT

Jesus, I desire to seek the throne of God at this moment. I know I am not worthy, and none of my work or accomplishments have any bearing on my ability to access God the Father. At this time, I pray and plead that you would cover my heart, thoughts, body, soul, spirit, environment, surroundings, and circumstances with the blood that you shed for me on the cross.

Holy Spirit, I desire to seek the throne of God at this moment. I am accessing God the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ, as he has said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Holy Spirit, who knows the deepest things of God and searches my heart. I plead you to grant me the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation so that when I pray to the Father, the meditations of my heart and the prayers will please God the Father.

Father God, I come to You, not by my righteousness or merit. I come to You humbly on one hand with the blood and the torn flesh of Jesus and on the other, the Holy Spirit. I plead You to look at the blood and the torn flesh of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. He is the reason in my life and the only way I come to You. Please accept my petitions and prayers as the Holy Spirit leads it.

Father God, I remember and believe in Jesus' prayer at the Mount Gethsemane. He pleaded to Father God; I remember and believe in Jesus's prayer at Mount Gethsemane. He pleaded to You, "Not my will, but Your will be done," three times. I want to pray like Jesus and my sincere heart to be like Jesus. However, You know my heart. The shortcomings and all thereof. Therefore, I plead and ask, the blood of Jesus, which was shed for me at Mount Getsemene, that I, too, will pray the things of God, like Jesus.

Father God, I remember and believe in the blood that Jesus has shed for me as he wore the crown of thorns. If I am under any curse, by my sin or other means, I plead and pray the blood of Jesus that he shed for me when he wore the crown of thorns on all curses and their effects. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command that all curses placed upon me be broken at this time by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Father God, I remember and believe in the blood that Jesus shed for me when he was whipped forty times by the Roman soldiers. Isaiah 53 states that Jesus became blue and bled internally and bled externally in extreme pain due to my inequities and transgression. The scripture states that I have been healed by the stripes that Jesus has received on my behalf. I pray and plead the blood of Jesus that he had shed for me when he was whipped upon my life’s iniquities, lacking, diseases, emotional and physical diseases, relational issues, and other issues due to my iniquities. I pray and plead that the blood of Jesus that he shed for me as he was whipped be upon all these things I prayed. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command all iniquities, diseases, and unwholesome things in my life to be restored whole at this time by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Father God, I remember Jesus carrying the cross up to the place where he was hung. He bled while carrying the cross. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to follow me, deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me.” I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, not by my might but by the blood he has shed for me while carrying the cross. I remember the places where he fell and picked up the cross as the Roman soldiers were whipping him, and people were shaming and physically harming him. The blood Jesus has shed for me while carrying the cross was for me so that I can become a disciple of Jesus.

I remember when Simon carried the cross to the hill, you showed me that I, too, can carry my cross and follow you. Therefore, I plead and pray that the blood you have shed for me while carrying the cross is upon me, and by the power of the blood, I may be thoroughly equipped and encouraged to carry my cross and follow Jesus. I pray and plead that the blood of Jesus he shed for me as he carried the cross be upon my walk as a disciple of Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command all things hindering me from being a good and faithful disciple of Jesus be destroyed at this time by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Father God, I remember when he was nailed hand and feet upon the cross and suffered for six hours; he has shed his precious blood so that he can save me from sin and death. So that sin and death have no dominion over me. Father God, I pray and plead that the blood of Jesus Christ that he has shed for me on the cross be upon the past, present, and future of my life and completely submerged in it so that I, too, can live a life as "I've been crucified with Christ. Therefore, I no longer live, but Jesus Christ lives in me." I pray and plead the blood of Jesus and declare that my life is no longer but only in Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command my soul and body to submit to Jesus Christ's wishes and desires at this time by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Father God, I remember when Jesus gave up the ghost, the Roman soldier pierced his side, and his heart burst, and blood and water came out. Jesus did not reserve anything but gave all for me. I pray and plead that the blood and water that came out when the Roman soldier speared Jesus' side be upon me.

I access Your throne in boldness and confidence by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed from the piercing of the heart. I pray and plead that You look at the pierced heart and the blood and water that came out on behalf of me. Although unworthy, I come to Your throne boldly because of what Jesus has done for me, the blood he shed.

Father God, teach me the most profound things that only the Son knew. Lead me to live in the most secret parts of God and let me live the way that makes my Lord Jesus joyful. In the name of Jesus Christ, I command all evil spirits, dominion, and powers that hindered me from accessing the deepest desires of God by degrading me and accusing me of being destroyed by the name of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ be upon all the areas and influences that these wicked forces have occupied and be wholly transformed into Jesus' likeness.

Holy Spirit, as You have granted me the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, I ask You to reveal what I should pray and how I should engage in spiritual warfare. I humbly ask You to take me and reveal the things of God that have been hidden for eternity. I humbly ask You that I will be a suitable vessel to You and Your ministry. Holy Spirit, take over my heart, thoughts, body, soul, spirit, environment, surroundings, and circumstances as Jesus' blood has done.

After these prayers, do not hurry, but wait for God and His instructions to come into your heart. It may take a long time, but stay patient and keep meditating on the six bloods of Jesus Christ. God will reveal Himself to You because of the promise that is in the blood of Jesus.

Active Application of the Blood of Jesus in the Spiritual Warfare

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:05:19 GMT

Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." This verse explicitly mentions knowledge rather than wisdom, which is an interesting observation. It emphasizes the specific knowledge God has given to His people, which meant not only for survival but for thriving.

This living knowledge comes from Jesus's works on earth and is applied to us through faith, specifically through His blood. In any spiritual warfare, our weaponry consists of the name of Jesus and the works He has accomplished for us. Our only connection to God is through Jesus, as He stated, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

God desires us to invoke Jesus in the spiritual battlegrounds. Instead of merely asking God to fight for us, He wants us to exercise the power and authority that has been bestowed upon the saints through Jesus. Many saints are unaware of the power and authority that God has granted them. Each saint represents God on earth, like an ambassador. God has called us to be priestly kings.

Saints who do not exercise the power and authority God grants are like police officers who do not exercise their authority to maintain order and law. A truck may be physically more powerful than a policeman; however, when a police officer tells the truck to stop, it complies. The truck stops not because the officer is physically more powerful but because the state has given the officer the authority to command it.

Similarly, God has given us authority as saints under Jesus' leadership. Jesus is the head of the church, and all saints make up His body. He paid the price for saints to exercise their authority on earth. However, if a saint is ignorant of their authority, the enemy can take advantage of that ignorance.

Hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Jesus, Gal 2:2-3

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:00:55 GMT

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In the Book of Colossians, we come across a verse resembling a treasure map leading to precious resources. The scripture reveals that unique treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus. These treasures are not typical; God actively conceals them, and only those who earnestly seek Jesus will discover them.

Jeremiah 33:3 states, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." The treasures of wisdom and knowledge found in Jesus are incredibly powerful in spiritual warfare. Since God actively hides them, they are not easily discovered by anyone. Access to these treasures is granted only to those who continuously seek Jesus and whom He allows to find them. It resembles a treasure hunt or a game of hide-and-seek, where the pursuit leads to a significant and mysterious reward.

When we dedicate our daily lives to walking with Jesus, our relationship with Him becomes the key to uncovering these hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus provides a white stone inscribed with a name that no one knows except the person who receives it. This stone symbolizes the hidden treasure in Jesus and is personal to the recipient; no one else can understand its significance. This unique gift can significantly benefit the individual, especially during spiritual warfare. The hidden treasures discovered in Jesus will activate and create turmoil in the spiritual realm.

These treasures embody the hidden knowledge of God, who brought the universe into existence from nothing. They represent the essence of creation itself. Those who reflect God's personality, character, and way of living will have access to these invaluable treasures regarding the creation account.

Ephesians 1:17

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:53:50 GMT

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him

The Apostle Paul was nearing the end of his life when he wrote the epistle to the city of Ephesus. He had gone through numerous mission trips, faced life-and-death situations, and endured many near-death experiences in his efforts to spread the gospel. Whenever he thinks about the church in Ephesus, he gives thanks to God for their growth in Jesus. Paul felt a sense of pride in the church of Ephesus and encouraged them to continue fighting the good fight. Before discussing spiritual warfare, he expresses his personal greetings and mentions that he prays for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to be upon the church.

The Spirit of Wisdom enables the saints to view their current situations and circumstances from God's perspective and values. The church of Ephesus struggled to understand many things. Paul desired for them to receive the Spirit of Wisdom to help them interpret their experiences and be patient as they endured difficult circumstances. When the saints see their situations through God's perspective, they can step back from actively engaging in the struggles and find comfort in God's sovereign reign, though they may not understand from their perspective.

The Spirit of Revelation is God's insight into future events, presented with a current understanding of His values. God knows everything, including the future, and the Spirit of Revelation functions like a Spirit of Prophecy, revealing things that will happen in the future but are understood in the present. When the Spirit of Wisdom works in harmony with the Spirit of Revelation, both present and future events can be interpreted from God's perspective, allowing the saints to find comfort in His omnipresence and sovereignty.

In other words, the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is granted to the saints for the purpose of discernment. There are numerous approaches to solving issues and problems when engaging in various spiritual battles. Some solutions may achieve quick resolutions, while others may require more time and effort. With the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation manifesting in a saint involved in spiritual warfare, the Spirit of Wisdom can provide specific guidance on how to engage, including which spiritual weaponry to apply to each target. The Spirit of Revelation can reveal the most effective means to combine these strategies for defeating the enemy.

A saint filled with the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation operates like a super radar, functioning at the highest frequency to cover nearly everything happening in the spiritual realm. Instead of solely focusing on the physical realm and its effects, the saint can discover the source of issues and can directly address those sources for quick relief.

When encountering demons and evil spirits, each has specific characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. The Spirit of Wisdom can identify these traits in real-time and guide the saint in engaging in spiritual attacks using the power of Jesus' blood. Similarly, the Spirit of Revelation can assess the situation from a future perspective, enabling the necessary discernment to execute effective spiritual warfare.

The enemy may employ different attack vectors and types when engaging in spiritual battles. These various spirits may sometimes be intertwined, and the Spirit of Wisdom will help identify each individual spirit by its unique characteristics. However, when the Spirit of Revelation shines light on the same situation, it can reveal that some spirits may not be the main controlling spirits, although present. If only these surface spirits are addressed, the immediate issues may seem resolved, but the deeper, underlying problems remain unaddressed. Therefore, the collaboration of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation leads to coherent and comprehensive solutions for the spiritual warfare at hand.

The Joshua’s Mistake

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:49:13 GMT

After a great victory at the city of Jericho, Joshua began a siege against the town of Ai. Confident in his tactics and disregarding the need for divine consultation, he assumed that, since Ai was a small town, victory would be easily achieved. Unfortunately, he viewed this battle purely through human reasoning, failing to recognize that our own power or might does not win true victories. Every battle Joshua faced in the land of Canaan was a form of spiritual warfare that required direction from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit understands God's deepest truths and is the spiritual realm's creator.

Later, Joshua faced a significant defeat, which led him to repent and seek guidance from God. His experience in the battle of Ai illustrates the nature of spiritual warfare. After experiencing great victories, we can become overly confident, which may lead to pride—similar to the "Pride of Life." This pride can take root in our souls, even if we acknowledge that we are crucified with Jesus and carry the spirit of martyrdom.

Ultimately, victories are not achieved through our own efforts but through the power of God. As Ephesians 6:12 reminds us: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places."

The tactics of spiritual warfare do not adhere to the rules and laws of the physical world. We cannot afford to make the same mistake Joshua made in his spiritual battles. The consequences of ignoring God's guidance can be severe and costly. Like Joshua, we must earnestly seek the counsel of the Lord and wait humbly for clear directions before proceeding.

How to Utilize the Seven Blood of Jesus

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:45:11 GMT

The seven instances of Jesus' blood being shed empower all saints to access the throne of God and engage in spiritual warfare. Revelation 12:11 states explicitly that the saints overcame the Devil "by the blood of the Lamb." Previously, we examined the different types of blood and their applications.

To continue our exploration of spiritual warfare, we must examine the other two components in Revelation 12:11: "By the Word of Their Testimony" and "not loving their lives unto the death." The second element in defeating the Devil is "by the word of their testimony." This testimony is closely connected with the final part of Revelation 12:11, which states, "and they loved not their lives unto the death." In other words, we are talking about martyrdom.

So why is martyrdom considered the ultimate weapon in spiritual warfare? The truth is that, according to Romans 8, nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus, which is the strongest bond for any saint to enjoy. However, to experience this bond, the saint must endure through the path of self-denial, ultimately leading to martyrdom.

Jesus said that the greatest love is to lay down one's life for a friend. The Bible explicitly states that when Jesus died for us, it was while we were still sinners, in enmity with God. We were enemies of Jesus, yet He died for us. The death of Jesus represents the greatest love God has shown to fallen humanity. The One who died for us created our most profound bond through His precious blood.

The six instances of blood that Jesus shed for us testify to God's fulfilled covenant. Simultaneously, these instances of blood represent the ultimate weapon against the Devil. Yet, for any saint to utilize the efficacy of Jesus' blood, they must be willing to be a channel for that blood to flow onto the spiritual battlefield.

When the Apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ," he was not physically present at the crucifixion. His confession is based on the belief that when Jesus was crucified, it was for the sake of all sinners. Though he was a sinner himself, Jesus bore the consequences of sin on the cross. Although Paul was not there at the cross, he spiritually identified himself with Jesus at that moment.

Because the Apostle Paul was crucified with Jesus, he endured numerous sufferings and near-death experiences. The Devil could not hold onto him, not because he was an apostle or a "super Christian," but because Paul took upon himself the consequences of that spiritual crucifixion.

When Apostle Paul was unified with Jesus on the cross, the Devil had no ground to attack him. The blood of Jesus completely covered Apostle Paul, and because his spiritual crucifixion was ongoing, the Devil could not overcome him.

The same principle applies to all saints today. Those who do not cling to their lives will gain them, while those who love their lives will lose them. Jesus stated this paradoxically, as those who have not experienced self-denial cannot understand or accept such a spiritual truth.

A saint with no attachments to the world and who lives a life that genuinely reflects the crucifixion will be free from the Devil's grasp. This is a life in which the individual actively carries their cross, just as Simon did for the Lord along the Via Dolorosa.

Thus, when a saint employs the six instances of Jesus' blood with a spirit of martyrdom, the Devil cannot overcome that saint. This guarantees our victory in every spiritual battle. But why do we sometimes experience seemingly insurmountable defeats?

Having an effective arsenal in any warfare is advantageous, but without precision and proper strategy, that weaponry becomes a wasted effort. In spiritual warfare, we often mistakenly rely on past victories and experiences for current battles. This is a serious error, as each spiritual conflict is unique, with varying stakes at play.

7. Blood of the Lamb

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:40:20 GMT

Rev. 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

After the Lord's Supper with His disciples, Jesus took a towel and a basin to wash their feet. The disciples were unsure of how to react, and when it was Peter's turn, he protested, telling Jesus that He would not wash his feet. However, Jesus replied that if He did not wash Peter's feet, then Peter would have no part with Him. In response, Peter asked Jesus to wash his feet, hands, and head. Jesus explained that those who are clean only need to have their feet washed.

This moment beautifully illustrates Jesus' sacrifice, from the time in the Garden of Gethsemane to His crucifixion, which opened the way for His disciples to come to the Father. As Jesus' disciples live on Earth, they need only to repent and pursue Him, akin to the washing of feet rather than the whole body.

Those who have come out of great tribulation have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, similar to how Jesus washed His disciples' feet after the Last Supper. As disciples of Jesus, we must apply the significance of His sacrifice in our daily lives, just as the disciples shared in the Last Supper. We must repent for our sins, as we live in a world where we can face temptation. Therefore, we only need to wash our feet, not our whole bodies, as we are already clean. This act of washing our feet is akin to washing our garments in the blood of the Lamb.

6. The Pierced Heart of Jesus

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:35:57 GMT

When the sun was about to set, the Roman soldiers broke the two thieves' legs so that they could die before the sunset. Jesus was already dead, so the Roman soldier pierced his side, and blood and water came out. This was done because it was Passover feast day, and for the religious leaders and people to have a Passover meal, no dead bodies could be hanging on the cross.

Modern scientists and doctors are beginning to discover that the human heart is not just an organ for pumping blood but has memory and other functions unknown to man. The heart is the most sacred place in the human body as it is the vital sign of a person's well-being.

Throughout the Old Testament, God wants His people to follow and obey God in their hearts. God wanted to inscribe His Words onto their hearts.

Jeremiah 31:33: " But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

What has been embedded into a person's heart is who that person becomes. Hence, God wanted His people to inscribe God's law in their hearts. It almost seems as if God places the heart in the same place as the person's most precious place.

Jeremiah 44:9: "Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel."

Circumcision was the physical sign of God's people. God did not only want His people to have a mark on their physical bodies but also on their hearts as well. God looks deep into the hearts of man.

In the New Testament, we discover the Old Testament's reference to the heart in a more vivid image.

2 Cor 3:3 "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

Galatians 4:6 states, "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." The heart is the connecting link between God and the children of God. The children's hearts cry out, Abba, Father, as it is a natural response of the children of God to call out their Father.

In the opposite sense, we find it in Hebrews 3:12: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." If the heart does not respond to God, that person is not of God.

Hence, in the same Hebrew, the author talks about the Old Testament reference to Jeremiah 31:33 in Hebrews 8:11 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:" So it is the heart that has been inscribed with the Word of God is the sign that the person is a child of God.

It is natural for children to think and want to become like their parents. In Rev 17:17, "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.'

Hence, when Jesus' heart was pierced, it opened the way for all who trust and believe in Jesus to access God as their own Father.

Just like Adam's rib was removed to create Eve, the church was created from Jesus' pierced heart. Jesus is the head, and the church is the body. Just like when Eve was created by removing a rib from Adam, the church was created from the bursting of the heart of Jesus through the piercing of his ribs. The birth of the church can be allegorized by the removal of Adam's rib for the creation of Eve.

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Through the pierced heart of Jesus, we can go to God the Father boldly. It is not our righteous acts or anything we do that gives us the right to the Father, but through the covenant Jesus made in John 14:6, we have access to the Father. Many Christians think that because I have committed a sin or lived ungodly, they cannot access the Father. Contrary to their beliefs, the merit that grants access to the Father is not how holy we lived nor how much we did not sin, but it is the total reliance on the work of Jesus on the cross and the pierced heart of Jesus and the blood that came out that gives us the access to the Father.

5. On the Cross

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:28:59 GMT

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are all acutely aware of His sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. John 1:29 (KJV) states, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."

Most Christians recognize the details of Jesus' crucifixion, where He was nailed to the cross for six hours, from morning until afternoon. This event occurred during the Jewish festival of Passover, which commemorates the last judgment that God brought upon the Egyptian gods to free the Israelites from bondage.

As God commanded, the Passover lamb holds significant value for the Israelites. Yet, the Jews who condemned Jesus did not fully understand that the Passover lamb symbolized the impending death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

At noon, a darkness enveloped the world, illustrating the depth of sin. In those final hours on the cross, Jesus paid the price for the sins of all humanity, proclaiming that the debt had been paid in full. Then, He surrendered His life, confirming that the wages of sin had been ultimately settled. Anyone who believes in and relies on the covenant that Jesus established on the cross is saved from sin and death, becoming a child of God.

Immediately following the payment for humanity's sins, earthquakes occurred, and the veil in the Jerusalem temple—dividing the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place—was torn in two from top to bottom. The high priest, who likely entered the Most Holy Place to offer a blood sacrifice on behalf of the Israelites at the Ark of the Covenant, along with the other priests performing their duties, were left shocked and horrified by this dramatic event. The temple shook, and the curtain ripped apart with a loud noise, symbolizing a profound change.

Previously, no one could enter the Most Holy Place except the high priest, and even then, only once a year during Passover after he had made sacrifices for his own sins. To ensure safety, a rope was tied to the high priest's feet, along with a bell, to signal whether he was still alive. If he were to die inside, they could drag his body out without entering the sacred area themselves. Access to the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept, was strictly forbidden.

However, when Jesus settled the debt for mankind's sins, the barrier between humanity and God was removed. Now, everyone has access to the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ. This left the priests grappling with a profound question: Was Jesus indeed the Son of God? If so, what had they done?

Later, after Jesus' resurrection, instead of repenting, they paid large sums of money to the Roman soldiers, instructing them to say that Jesus' disciples had stolen His body to fabricate a story of resurrection.

As Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ; therefore, I no longer live."

4. The Road to Golgotha

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:24:56 GMT

When Jesus was with his disciples, many people followed him. He said that if they wanted to follow him, they must deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow him. This statement was perplexing and difficult for them to understand. In those days, the cross represented the most terrifying, horrific, and shameful way to die, as the person crucified would be stripped naked and hung on a cross.

Even the day before Jesus' crucifixion, the disciples were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest and who would sit at Jesus' right and left hands when he restored the nation of Israel. They had no idea what Jesus would do for mankind and the eternal implications of his actions. When Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled except for Peter. Peter, the outspoken disciple whom Jesus loved dearly, stood at a distance, warming himself by a fire made by the servants of the high priests while anxiously watching what would happen to his master. Would Jesus call down fire from heaven to destroy those who mocked him and demonstrate his power?

Peter's curiosity was not rooted in belief but rather in doubt mixed with hope. When a female servant accused him of being a disciple of Jesus, Peter denied it three times, even cursing. Then, when the rooster crowed, and Jesus looked at Peter, he realized his true self. He had been testing Jesus instead of truly believing in him. Peter wanted to prove himself to Jesus and the other disciples, hoping to witness Jesus' power and understand events in his own way.

When Peter recognized that he was testing Jesus and felt fear even before a female servant, he was ashamed and ran outside, crying bitterly. From this account, we see that even Jesus' best disciple, Peter, became a coward when faced with difficult circumstances that could cost him dearly. When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves daily and pick up our cross to follow him, it cannot be done through our own power or will. This transformation requires a complete change from within, facilitated by the Holy Spirit.

Later, when Jesus restored Peter, he became a mighty Apostle for the church and ultimately died as a martyr, along with most of the other disciples. None of them considered their lives precious in the cause of Jesus. How is this possible?

When a person believe in Jesus for the first time, they are saved by hearing the word of God. The word enters their soul, and the Holy Spirit brings it to life in their spirit. Although the spirit becomes alive, the soul (mind) and body often remain entrenched in old ways of living.

Denying oneself is a daily practice at the level of the soul. However, our survival instincts make it difficult to deny ourselves. Jesus' command goes against the very fabric of our soul's existence. Yet, as new believers begin their walk with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, they learn the teachings of Jesus while the Holy Spirit searches their hearts, helping to train their souls to become followers of Christ.

We aspire to be good disciples of Jesus; however, we often find it nearly impossible, even with the best intentions. This is where the blood that Jesus shed while carrying the cross is crucial, allowing us to become true disciples of Jesus.

After Jesus was whipped and beaten, the crowd demanded his crucifixion. Although Jesus did not sin, the crowd was incited to demand his death. When Pilate washed his hands and claimed to have nothing to do with Jesus' death, releasing Barabbas instead, his cowardly decision and the crowd's behavior reflect how cowardly we can be as we follow Jesus, labeling ourselves his disciples. Peter and the rest of the disciples ran away, leaving Jesus alone to carry the cross to the hill.

As he made his way to the crucifixion site, the crowd jeered, threw trash, and spat at Jesus despite having welcomed him just days earlier with cheers of "Hosanna! The King of the Jews!" That same crowd, under the influence of mob mentality, turned against the true King of the Jews.

Jesus did not have to carry the cross; it was the cross of Peter, the disciples, and all mankind. Nevertheless, Jesus took upon himself that cross after receiving beatings and wearing a crown of thorns because he wanted to be an example of what he had said: "Whoever wants to follow me must deny themselves and take up their cross."

Jesus denied himself, even though he was God, and humbly carried the cross to Jerusalem. Today, you can visit the Via Dolorosa, the path where Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, marked by seven churches along the route. It is said that Jesus fell seven times, and at each place he fell, a church was built in his memory.

As he carried the cross toward Golgotha, Jesus bled continuously from the wounds inflicted upon him. Each drop of blood that fell on the way to Golgotha was shed unjustly because Jesus was innocent.

Matt 27:32 “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.”

Mark 15:21 “And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.”

The person that the Roman soldier gave the task of carrying Jesus' cross was a person named Simon from Northern Africa. Many scholars claim he was a diaspora Jew who came to Jerusalem on his holy land journey to enjoy the feast. He prepared many years to come to this feast. When he came to a street in Jerusalem, he heard a crowd jeering and in an uproar. As his curiosity brought him to the center of the crowd, he was faced with a man with a crown of thorns on his temple and without any form or shape, as he was completely drenched in blood.

As Simon was forced to carry the bloody cross of Jesus, many thoughts were going through his head. What if the soldiers at the crucifixion site relate Simon to being crucified as well, as Jesus' blood on the cross, and probably gotten onto Simon's clothes? There might have been a possibility that when Simon arrived at Golgotha, the Roman soldiers there might have made a mistake in crucifying Simon, as it was a norm for the prisoner to carry his own cross to be crucified. There were no SNS, internet, or phones at that time, and it was a real possibility that the soldiers might mistakenly crucify Simon at Golgotha.

Simon's nice clothes and his plan for the afternoon were ruined as he came closer and closer to the crucifixion site. When he arrived, he saw two robbers already crucified and in great pain. As he drops the cross onto the ground, he finds his new clothes drenched in his sweat and the blood of Jesus. This was definitely not part of his plan but forced upon him.

As Jesus walked up behind him, Simon saw Jesus' bloody body lying helplessly on the cross and in pain as the Roman soldiers began to nail his hands and feet onto the cross. What thoughts were going through Simon's mind at that time? The soldier who wrote the title "Here, the king of the Jews" nailed it onto the cross of Jesus, and Simon became fascinated with who this person Jesus was. Later, we find out that he and his entire family became great leaders who played vital roles in establishing churches worldwide.

Had Jesus not allowed Simon, who did not know what was going on, to carry Jesus' cross, we could have given all kinds of excuses for not carrying our own cross. But because Simon carried Jesus' cross, then he had no relation to Jesus; we can effectively proclaim that we, too, can carry our own cross and follow Jesus.

The blood Jesus shed for us while carrying the cross is the power that gives all of his disciples the ability and courage to carry our own cross. When we see that even Simon, a nobody, carried the cross up, we can be courageous enough to carry our own cross. The power of Jesus's blood that he shed on the way to Golgotha gives the reason and power for all disciples to live a life as disciples of Jesus.

When we begin to meditate, pray, and apply the blood of Jesus, which he shed for us on the way to Golgotha, we will be strengthened by the power of the blood of Jesus and can receive the courage to carry our own cross.

3. Crown of Thorns

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:16:33 GMT

John 19:2-7

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. 4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Jesus was crowned with thorns because he was the Son of God.

In the Old Testament, the thorns represent curses. When Adam sinned against God, God cursed the land, and the land gave out thorns and thistles. God ordered Adam to sweat and work to earn a living and ultimately return to dust at the end of his life. Thorns and thistles identify the curse on the land. Yet, when Jesus was being tried, he was crowned with thorns.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was crowned with thorns, and the soldiers hit his head with reeds. The temple where the thorn was laid and beaten has many essential blood vessels. A few years ago, I hit my head on a metal plate while working in my garage. When it happened, I felt an intense rush of blood flow to the top of my head, and immediately, I felt cooling on my head. When it happened, my eyes were covered with blood, and the blood was coming out as if I had turned on the water faucet to the maximum. It took about an hour or so for the blood to stop flowing after I had put some pressure on it, but my entire body was drenched with blood. It was quite a scene as my wife was screaming uncontrollably, seeing blood all over the floor and on my body.

When Jesus was crowned with thorns on his head, and the Roman soldiers beat the thorns onto his temple, the blood vessels popped, and the blood poured down all over his body and to the floor. Why did this happen? Other thieves and robbers who were crucified were not crowned with thorns. The Roman soldiers did this to mock him, as we find out that they made him wear a robe and gave him a reed to hold in his hand while proclaiming, “Hail king of the Jews.”

The blood that Jesus shed when the thorns cut into his temple was shed for the curses that were on the head of every descendant of Adam. The fruit of good and evil was the curse of knowledge. Adam knew all things before the fall, as God shared all things with Adam. He lacked nothing, yet the curse fell upon his head when he disobeyed God. His thinking and decision-making became unclear as his knowledge became corrupted. He had no way of truly knowing the consequences of his actions, as God was not the guarantor of his life. He rebelled against God, and that set a chain of events that led to Adam being in charge of the cursed world.

The curse did not end at Adam’s temple but continued onto the land and all things above, on, and underneath the land. As the thorns and thistles gave root onto the land, the animals and other things began to live under the curse. Adam and his descendants must constantly compete with animals and nature to survive in the cursed world. The animals began attacking mankind, and mankind had to defend itself from all elements of the world. While this was happening, Adam gave birth to a son, Cain.

The birth of Cain was a foreign concept to Adam and Eve, as Adam and Eve were created as adults. Cain was born as an infant and needed care and attention. Adam and Eve had great hopes for Cain as God told them that a descendant of Eve would crush the head of the serpent and, hopefully, they could return to Eden one day. However, they soon discover their hopes were based on incorrect knowledge and were cursed. Cain killed his brother Abel, and their dream of someday returning to Eden was shattered as the land records the first murder.

Since the murder of Abel, the curse continues until today. It will continue until Jesus returns. The curse that Adam was under led to death. Adam is not here; he was cursed and died under the curse. All who have ever lived on earth and will live until Jesus returns are under the curse.

Jesus had to wear the crown of thorns and bleed because that blood, which is more precious than the blood of Abel beyond any measure, was the blood of God. God came to this world in a body so that He could pave the way for mankind to reverse not only the curse of death under sin but to give life everlasting. Adam had a choice to take the fruit of life, but instead, he chose the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. This selection was the reason for all curses to exist. When Jesus came and took upon the curse, the thorns on his temple caused him to bleed out to pay off the curse. Jesus did this voluntarily on behalf of all mankind.

The Roman soldiers did not know what they were doing when they placed the crown of thorns on Jesus. They did not know that crucifying Jesus paved the way to the salvation of all mankind. Jesus prayed to God, saying, “They do not know what they are doing.” Their acts were the results of the cursed knowledge. Jesus took the curse, placed it upon his head, and took the shame and all the cursed effects into his own body and bled.

Therefore, when we rely on the blood that Jesus shed for us while wearing the crown of thorns, we are no longer under any curse. As Jesus said, “it is finished” at the cross. The cruses paid off in full, and those who desired to be under the blood of Jesus were saved entirely from all curses.

2. Wounded/Whipped for Our Transgressions

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 04:10:18 GMT

Isaiah 53 prints a detail account of the suffering Messiah. Verse 5-7 states

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

It was customary to whip those who were about to be crucified. The whipping was done with multiple chords of leather with various metals and bone fragments in it so that when the Roman soldier whips a person, the metal and bone fragments pierce into the skin. As it gets whipped out, the flesh and parts of the inner parts get ripped out, causing major pain and bleeding.

The book of Isaiah 53 gives a detailed account of the Messiah, who became blue with internal bleeding and bruises due to severe trauma to his body. After being whipped forty times, Jesus was utterly exhausted, and his bodily form was almost unrecognizable. As the Bible records in verse 2

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

The Roman soldiers who whipped him were exhausted, and they took turns whipping Jesus with their full power. There are some records that they whipped those who were to be crucified to ease the pain of crucifixion and to shorten the time they stayed alive up on the cross. It was the most inhumane way to execute a person. The punishment of the cross was reserved for the worst of political prisoners and sinners.

Jesus was whipped, and no measure of whipping was reserved. Jesus’ blood, which was shed by whipping, became the reason for our healing and reconciliation. After the fall of Adam, Cain murdered Abel, and the entire humanity was under broken relationship and pain. Also, various sicknesses and diseases came out due to the curse.

The blood of Jesus that he shed for us as he was whipped was for our transgressions, iniquities, and healing. Our physical ailments, along with relational, emotional, and all kinds of healings needed to mend our cursed world, all fall within this blood of Jesus.

Our iniquities cause us to not abide by the law of God. Jesus was whipped to mend our iniquities. Jesus kept all the laws of God perfect, and by his actions, he was perfect before God. However, when he drank the cup of iniquities while praying in the garden of Gethsemane, his perfect life was replaced with our iniquities, and he was whipped as we were supposed to be whipped due to our iniquities.

When we begin to believe and rely on the blood of Jesus, which was released to us by his getting whipped, the effects of healing and restoration will begin to take place in our lives. God will bring deliverance from our diseases and curses.

1. Blood shedding in the mount Gethsemane

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 03:55:11 GMT

Our model prayer

What is the typical prayer for many Christians today? It often resembles: "Lord, I have an exam; I need a job; I need this or that." However, Jesus warns us that such prayers reflect the mindset of the heathens.

Just as the Israelites in the wilderness created a golden calf and called it YHWH, claiming it had brought them out of Egypt, many Christians today approach their prayer life similarly. They invoke the names of Jesus, God, or Father, yet the content of their prayers can be heathenistic.

Jesus instructs His disciples not to pray for what they will eat, drink, or wear, emphasizing that the heathens seek these concerns. Such prayers resemble praying to a golden calf while calling it Jesus.

The first temptation Jesus faced after fasting for 40 days in the wilderness was to turn stones into bread. While this might seem trivial, for Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, it represented a temptation rooted in fleshly needs. After such an extended fast, it would be reasonable for Him to turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. Nevertheless, Jesus overcame this temptation, illustrating that we should not live according to the flesh.

Matthew 6:31-33 captures this victory over temptation:

31. "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

The blood that Jesus shed at Gethsemane enables us to focus our prayers not on earthly desires but on the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:17 states, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Our fleshly desires must be put to death through obedience to the cross. Even after being crucified, we must overcome our tendencies to pray for earthly things. By relying on the power of Jesus' bloodshed in Gethsemane, our desire for fleshly things will be consumed.

When Jesus said, "Don't pray like that," we often perceive it as a suggestion, but in reality, it is a command. Why do we treat this command so lightly? Our natural inclination is to pray as heathens do to their gods. We have wants, but Jesus reminds us that our heavenly Father knows our needs and instructs us to pray for "His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

To pray correctly, we cannot rely solely on our efforts. It is like attempting to follow various disciplines to become a good Christian. Many Christians strive to earn the right to be children of God despite Jesus already providing that path. Often, the church imparts guilt for not living a holy life, causing Christians to feel like the prodigal son perpetually, thinking, "I am not worthy to be called a son." This leads them back to the pigsty, even though they have rings on their fingers and their status has changed. They return to their former lives because they do not recognize or understand what Jesus has accomplished.

Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane was not typical; it was for His future followers. When the disciples could not stay awake, the Lord remarked, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." This reflects our own struggles. We desire to obey when we hear the Word of God, yet we often find ourselves caught in spiritual warfare. As Apostle Paul articulated in Romans, "I do what I do not want to do, and I do not do what I want to do." Jesus delivers every believer from this turmoil through redemption in His blood.

In Gethsemane, Jesus repeatedly prayed, "Lord, if it is possible, remove this cup from me; yet not my will, but your will be done." This highlights a spiritual battle—His struggle with the cup of suffering versus His obedience to God's desires. Jesus knew He was destined to drink from this cup. So why pray in such a manner? It was not that He didn't want to take the cup; instead, He prayed for all the saints who would follow Him.

We are often misled in our prayers, reflecting a heathen style. This is why Jesus bled during prayer. We can transform our prayers by invoking the blood of Jesus shed in Gethsemane. We should pray, "Lord, I do not know how to pray; I pray for what I want. I ask Jesus to pour out His blood on my prayers, that your will be done, not my will but Yours." When we invite Jesus' blood into our prayers, they will begin to change.

Revelation 12:11, the Winning Strategy of the Spiritual Warfare

183:821653485 (Eunjin Chang) — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 03:48:23 GMT

Revelation 12:11 is an account of how the saints of God fought against the Devil and won.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death

This verse clearly illustrates how the saints overcame the Devil. The first element is the blood of the Lamb. The second element is the word of their testimony. The final element is that they did not love their lives, even unto death.

The Old Testament is filled with illustrations of the lamb's blood as an atonement for sins. God required the Israelites to approach Him using the blood of a lamb. There was no other means for the Israelites to come to God except through the blood sacrifice of the lamb. While the blood of a lamb itself does not possess inherent power, God accepted it as a representation of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross.

Blood represents the source of life. God provided the Israelites with strict rules regarding how to handle blood, as it is the essence of life. Life departs from the body when blood is lost, whether from an animal or a person.

During God's judgment on the Egyptians, the final plague was the death of all firstborns in the land of Egypt. The only way for the Israelites to escape this fate was to sprinkle the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. For the Egyptians, the angel of death represented a curse and punishment, but for the Israelites, the blood of the lamb brought salvation from God.

In the Old Testament, blood was also shed when covenants were made. When God made a covenant with Abraham, He instructed Abraham to split certain animals in two. God then walked between the divided animals, signifying the establishment of the covenant. Since Abraham did not walk between the split animals, this indicated that God's covenant for the salvation of mankind would be initiated and completed solely by Him.

The blood of the Lamb in Revelation 12:11 signifies the sacrifice and blood that Jesus has shed for the saints. When you carefully study the last moments before death, you find Jesus has shed his precious blood at least six times. We will look in detail at what these are, what they imply, and how we can utilize them to win spiritual warfare.

The precious blood of Abel, yet Able is a son of Adam, the sinner. Thus, Abel is a sinner. However, the Bible records the blood of Abel as precious.

Then how much more is the blood of the Lamb mentioned in Revelation 12:11, which represents Jesus's sacrifice and bloodshed for the saints? A careful study of the moments leading up to His death reveals that Jesus shed His precious blood at least six times. We will examine these instances in detail, explore their significance, and consider how to use this understanding to gain victory in spiritual warfare.

The Bible mentions the blood of Abel, who, despite being a son of Adam and thus a sinner, is recognized for having precious blood. If Abel's blood is deemed precious, how much more valuable must the blood of Jesus Christ—the Son of God and the Creator—be?

Some thoughts on Col 2:8-23

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 04:28:55 GMT

re: spiritual warfare and the world religion

Col 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

A human tradition based its foundation on the elemental spirits of the world. These are the basis of philosophy, and it is deceitful because it is not according to Christ. However, it is part of the enticing spirit that deceives us.

Col 2:9-10: “ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.”

Christ is the manifestation of God, and we are filled with Christ, who is the head of all rule and authority. Paul is establishing the basis for Christ ruling over all things, including human tradition and elemental spirits of the world.

Col 2:11: “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”

Christ’s circumcision became our circumcision, Christ’s burial became our burial, and Christ’s resurrection became our resurrection.

Col 2:13: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

God circumcised the flesh by forgiving all our trespasses by nailing them to the cross with Jesus Christ.

Col 2:14-15: “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

God has canceled our debt on the cross, it has been nailed to the cross, and it disarmed the rulers and authorities. The rulers and authorities have no rights over Christians as they have been put to open shame on the cross. By being united with Jesus, we have the authority to proclaim the shame of these rulers and authorities and proclaim our victory, as Christ’s victory became ours byunity through Christ.

The spiritual warfare is deception portrayed by the rulers and authorities to the Christians unaware of this fact: that Christ shamed them and proclaimed victory over them proudly, and by being united with Christ, we, too, have the part of the victory and shaming the rulers.

Col 2:16-18: “ Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind.”

Why does Paul speak about spiritual warfare then talk about religious activities?

What to eat, drink, festival, or Sabbath: all these things are shadows (verse 17), but they all belong to Christ. When God has forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling our record of debt and nailed it to the cross, we no longer are bound by it (verse 13). The record of debt has no legal demands (verse 14). The rulers and authority bring deception to make people not believe in this, thus cannot exercise their true God-given authorities (verse 15).

The rulers and authorities used philosophy and empty deceit, rooted in human tradition and elemental spirits of the world (verse 8), making people believe Christian is about to do’s and do not do’s (verse 16), passing judgment to them.

Judgment is the condemnation, and only God can judge, and God has canceled all debt on the cross. Christians get discouraged and feel disqualified because they cannot do and do not do what the religion requires of them (verse 18).

This is the unbelief of Christ’s work, and it is an evil mind.

Col 2:19: “and not holding fast to the head,from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.”

If we are connected to Christ, and the head is Christ, it is the head that leads us.

Not religion.

Col 2:20-21: “ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world,do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?” 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Laws and regulatory submission are for those who do not live lawfully; in fact,Christians live the highest standard of God. Thus, no law can regulate nor rule over us. Only Christ can rule and reign over us. So, when Christians say do not do this or that, it is “according to human precepts and teachings.” It is easier to have a religion for non-believers of Christ than to be joined to Christ. How can a dead part of the body join to a living part and receive its nutrients from a living part? When a part of the body dies, it affects the nearby parts, and doctors amputate it not to affect the other parts. If the part cannot be revived, it has to be amputated.

Christ is sufficient to make the dead come to life, but if the dead does not believe,then Christ’s work has no manifestation in that person’s life. Thus, they will be bound by rules and regulations, human precepts and teachings (verse 22),which look good to deceived perception (verse 8-9).

Also, because they are under the regulation and submission over rulers and authorities, they have not tasted the victory and shaming of the rulers and authorities (verse 15). Thus, they still believe that the rulers and authorities are still armed(verse 14), and cannot Christians cannot overcome them (verse 15).

Spiritual warfare happens in this arena. The powerful gospel of Jesus Christ resurrects the dead and unites with them as one body onto Christ by the working of the Holy Spirit. However, the fake Christians perform religious activities within the church and burden others. However, Paul is telling Christians that when those who put these religious acts on people seem wise (verse 23), they live in the indulgence of the flesh, which makes our circumcision of the flesh (verse 11) of non-effect. Religion is the indulgence of the flesh (verse 23).

Religion is the heart of spiritual warfare. It is not very clear because we were born into the world religion. It is a great deception to those who are not attached to Christ. World religion is subtle as it is applied to all things in our lives.If Christians do not submit to the lordship of Christ, then it is easy for Christians to participate in the world religion. The world religion is non-other than philosophy and empty deceit according to the elemental spirits of the world (verse 8).

It is subtle but has its tentacles in all religions of the world, where it is attractive to those who seek a higher level of understanding. Christianity is not a religion,as it is not attractive to people following human tradition and philosophy.Christianity only requires one thing, and it is submitting to the will of Christ. By submitting to the will of Christ, we are not bound by any other rulers or authorities: Because Christ has triumphed over all rulers and authorities. However, the world religion continues to fight Christ-followers by demanding and challenging them that by submitting to the reign of Christ,Christians are living against the tide, against the world understanding human philosophy and tradition. By following Christ, Christians are persecuted by the rulers and authorities of the world and by their minions who obey the worldly religion.

In Western and countries with religious freedom, it appears that the persecution of Christians does not exist. However, when Paul tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood (Eph 6:12), it is fighting against the world religion that all those born on the earth follow from birth until they die.

World religion exists in the churches that Christians attend. World religion exists even in the very heart of those who are Christians and joined to Christ. That is the reason why all Christians are constantly under attack by the spiritual powers and authorities.

Christians must focus on Christ, as Christ is the one God has raised from the dead and proclaimed victory over world religion. We are in ideology warfare, where the deception is not visible but subtle.

It creeps into our lives without knowing if we are not awake. We must continually depend on Christ and daily reconfirm our attachment to Christ, or else we will forget what Christ has done for us on the cross.

The blessings of yesterday cannot sustain us today. What has worked in the 3rd industrial revolution era cannot work in the 4th industrial revolution era. As we enter into the 4th industrial revolution, we must hold fast to the works and teachings of Christ as our soul foundation. Times have changed, but the truth of Christ does not change.

The Attitude of Biblical Counseling

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 00:54:35 GMT

The attitude of Biblical Counseling

Biblical Counseling leads the counselee in an invitation from God to be in a relationship with God. The main goal of the counselor is to facilitate the meeting. Biblical Counseling views the problems and issues as the symptoms and surface issues rather than the root of the true problem. By connecting the counselee to God, God heals and restores the counselee from inside out.

Connecting with God means creating a relationship with God. In a relationship, the two parties engage in revealing personal things, and as the relationship deepens, the sharing becomes deeper. By establishing a relationship with God, the counselee can view their lives in God's perspective and begin to understand God's will in their lives. BiblicalCounseling views the counselee's problems and issues as a derivate of the real issue the counselee is facing; spiritual issues.

Jesus came to this earth to heal the sick, free the oppressed, and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Jesus fulfilled the will of God perfectly on the earth. Jesus wants us to model after him, even in the arena of Biblical Counseling. Jesus' healing power came from the HolySpirit's work, and Jesus was always concerned and connected with the will ofGod.

Biblical Counseling views the deviation from God as the root of the problem. Thus, the counselor's remedy to resolve the issues and problems focuses on God's mercy, grace, and compassion. For the counselee to receive God's mercy, grace, and compassion, the counselee must have faith. Therefore, the counselor facilitates the counseling session to build up the counselee's faith with Scriptures and real-life examples and provides an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to strengthen the counselee's faith.

The healing and restoration from Biblical Counseling is a natural byproduct of the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the counselor does not focus on the problems and issues. Instead, the problems and issues are resolved as a byproduct of the counselee increasing in faith and building a relationship with Jesus.

Love and trust as the building blocks

One of the counselor-counselee relationship's main characteristics is built upon the trust and love of the parties. Encountering God is a personal experience, and the counselor facilitating the counselee's encounter with God is personal but has to be intentional. The counselor must love and trust the counselee. It has to be communicated to the counselee for the counselee to encounter God. The reason for it is because the counselee relies heavily on the counselor to resolve the issues and problems of the counselee while being weak.

Love and trust go hand-in-hand. Without love, there can be no real trust. Without trust, there can be no real love. Therefore, during Biblical Counseling, the counselor and the counselee will begin to develop a love relationship in trust based on Scripture. This love is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. The counselor is playing a role as a type of Christ for the counselee during the process. Through the love and trust in the counseling session, Jesus Christ is manifested onto the counselee through Scripture, and the Holy Spirit heals and restores the counselee.

Scripture as the main tool

The content of the counseling session is based on Scriptures and the truths established in the Scriptures. Secular and some Christian counselors use Scriptures out of context and without faith. They view the Scriptures as not the main tool but some good and encouraging phrases to help the counselee feel comfortable based on their religious belief.

Even Christian counselors use the Scriptures in conjunction with tools from secular psychology to resolve the issues and problems. However, the problem with this is that secular psychology's root and goal fundamentally different from Biblical Counseling. At the outset, the counselee develops the ability to handle the problems and issues. However, the root of the problems and issues have not been resolved; sin and its consequences.

Scripture rarely deals with the symptoms of the counselee's issues and problems. Instead, the Scripture relentlessly accuses the problems and issues that stem from the heart of the counselee, and without fixing the heart, the issues and problems will continue. Thus, it is where Biblical Counselingdiffers from secular and Christian Counseling.

Biblical Counseling's foundation is on the Scripture for removing the counselee's sinful roots, and restoration of the counselee through the restoration of the heart is the focus. Thus, the counselor's extensive biblical knowledge and experiences are extremely beneficial to the counseling session.

Speak out the real issue

Once the counselor and the counselee discover the real issues and problems, the counselor must help the counselee confront the real issue, the sin revealed through Scripture. It can be difficult for the counselee to admit it, but the counselee must confront it. This is the crucial part of Biblical Counseling, as the confrontation of Scripture to the counselee's true sinful-self reveals the grotesqueness of their true self.

Without faith, this part is impossible, as the counselee will flee from facing such a horrendous self-image. Most people have high self-esteem and do not view themselves as problems and issues. Instead, most blame others and the environment they are situated in. However, true healing and restoration start from accepting that truths revealed through Scriptural application into the counselee's heart bring illumination to undisclosed perception on the counselee's self.

To tell the counselee that the counselee's heart is the main problem, the counselor and the counselee must be in a love and trust relationship. To get to this point, the counselor must intentionally utilize previous counseling sessions to build trust and love in the reflection of Jesus Christ. The counselor must not allow the counselee to focus on the counselor but Jesus Christ in the Scripture reflection. When the counselor facilitates the meeting between the counselor and Jesus through Scripture, the Holy Spirit brings hidden things to light, causing the counselee to face the real issue.

Action leads to restoration

Once the counselee is confronted with the real issue, the counselor encourages the counselee to act on it. The action must be based on what the counselee learned from applying Scripture. The action must be something that the counselee can do so that the action reflects the exercising of the counselee's faith.

The counselor must continue to encourage the counselee to live and exercise the counselee's faith in daily life. When the cycle of exercising faith continues, the restoration begins from the inside of the counselee. Through exercising the faith, the counselee begins to develop a relationship with God, and the Holy Spirit begins to lead the counselee's life.

The process builds the counselee's character to Christ-likeness. As this process continues, the counselee lives under the Holy Spirit's influence, and Scripture becomes the guide.

Biblical Counseling

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 02:44:20 GMT

Biblical Counseling is a different approach than traditional Christian Counseling to solving a counselee's issues. It does not focus on individual counselee's problems or wounds. Rather, the approach to resolving the problem comes from the shifting of the counselee's perspective.

Secular psychologists and counselors focus on identifying the problem and how to deal with it while interacting with others. It helps a counselee manage the symptoms of a particular problem from a behavioral science perspective. It helps the counselee function as a member of society using various methods, including drugs, in its therapy sessions.

Biblical Counseling views the past emotional pains and scars under God's sovereignty. Biblical Counseling views the counselee's past emotional pains and scars in conjunction with the Kingdom of God and how it affects God's glory.

Through the past emotional pains and scars, the counselee has the opportunity to restore a relationship with God through God-centered and Scripture-centered approach. It deals with the internal change of the counselee, not external changes.

The goal of Biblical Counseling is defined in Colossians1:28 that the counselee to become perfect in Christ through restoring and rebuilding the image of Christ in the counselee's life.

The job of a Biblical Counselor is to facilitate Christ'smeeting through the manifestation of Scripture in the counselee current situation. The Counselor's job is to allow the counselee to discover the roots of sins in the counselee's life and allow Holy Spirit to convince the counselee to repent from the counselee's sins and return to God.

There are seven principles in Biblical Counseling that we must explore before going deeper into the methods and operations of BiblicalCounseling.

I. Human beings are created in the image of God

The foundation of Biblical Counseling begins with the creation account of Adam and Eve. Instead of focusing on the counselee's problems, the counselee can view the counselee's problems from the creation perspective. The first man, Adam, was created in the image of God. The image of God is full of God's glory, and Adam was like God in many of his attributes but was not God. Adam had nothing lacking and was full as long as he was in communion with God.

God made Eve out of Adam's rib, and God sent Eve as the helper to Adam. Although Adam was created in God's image, Adam was not God; he needed a helper to do his work. Adam was perfect, but God saw that it was not good that Adam was alone, so God gave Eve to Adam.

God wanted to reign over all the creation through Adam. God made Adam ruler over all creation, and Eve was there to help Adam. Adam was truly the glorified image of God on earth. However, when Adam fell, the human deficit came as its result.

II. Human beings fell because of sin

Biblical Counseling basis all problems that all human faces rooted from the fall of Adam. In the garden of Eden, Satan, the crafty counselor, came and counseled Eve. Satan convinced Eve that disobeying God by eating the fruit of knowledge will make Eve and Adam like God.

The Bible does not explain what happened when Eve ate the fruit of knowledge. However, when Adam ate the fruit of knowledge, both of their eyes opened up and saw that they were naked, and they hid their bodies with fig leaves.

Biblical Counseling directly charges the counselee that the issue is not the past emotional pains and scars, but the problem's root is from sin. Until the sin problem is resolved, the counselee will continue to suffer from sin's effects in the counselee's life.

As previously discussed, Inner Healing does not address the issue of sin in the counselee's life as the counselee's main problem. Instead, inner healing makes the counselee think that it is not the counselee's fault, but others were the cause of the counselee's problem. Thus, removing the responsibilities of the counselee in resolving the counselee's sin problem.

III. The human problem is a heart problem

The secular psychology or Christian counseling sessions that base their foundation on secular psychology focus on changing behavior or emotional fluctuations or making sense of the past wounds to resolve the counselee's issues. Sometimes, Christian counselors do not know how to resolve the issue at hand because they do not believe that the fallen human heart is the root of the problem. Instead, these secular psychologists and Christian counselors believe that the human heart is good and passive; it was the external factors and influences that caused the evils in the world.

However, the Bible states that the human heart is evil and is not passive.

Proverbs 23:7 states, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee."

The Biblical Counseling perspective on the human heart is fundamentally different from all other counseling perspectives. Since the fall, all of the human heart actively defies against God and actively seeks after sin. No one teaches their young children to lie, but all children know how to lie. It is a common phenomenon that everyone experiences, and no matter how much we try to solve it, it is impossible with human will.

All secular psychology-based counseling goals, even Christian Counseling, change the counselee's behaviors or environment to make sense of it so the counselee can manage the environment and themselves. However, Biblical Counseling's goal is not to change the counselee's behaviors or environment. Instead, biblical Counseling aims to change the person's heart, as it believes the heart's transformation is the root solution to the problems.

Biblical Counseling asks this fundamental question, "what controls this person's heart?" When that is identified, the biblical Counselor can assist the counselee in digging into their own heart with Scripture and finding their true intentions that may be hiding underneath.

Thus, even the perspective of identifying the problem differs from all secular psychology-based counseling models.

IV. The major counseling tool is Scripture

Biblical Counseling's goal is to equip the counselee as a person of God. Thus, the main tool it uses is found within Scripture. All other tools and methods that other secular psychologists use are ancillary. The Biblical Counselor can assist the counselee in opening up and allow Scripture to become the mirror to the counselee's heart condition.

Inner healing and other secular psychological counselors sometimes use hypnosis to identify and treat the counselees. However, biblical counselors do not use hypnosis at all, as it is prohibited in Scripture, and all the tools and methodologies are found within Scripture.

We will discuss further in the application part of Biblical Counseling chapters ahead.

V. The best example of Biblical Counseling is JesusChrist

Jesus Christ was the best Biblical Counselor. He was able to communicate with everyone and counseled them with Scripture. Jesus was an attentive listener who observed what others were telling him but read all non-linguistic expressions that others were showing.

Every word out of Jesus' mouth was valuable and useful for Counseling and guiding the listeners. Jesus listened to the cries of following him. There are numerous examples of this in the Bible.

The Lazarus' death account showed one of the main examples of Jesus' attentive listening. When Jesus arrived at Bethany, it has been four days since Lazarus died. Yet, when Jesus saw the wailings of Jews and the two sisters, Jesus was compassionate about their sorrows, and he cried.

Not only was Jesus the best Counselor, but he also sympathized with all the souls of the earth, for he lived on the earth under the sorrows of mankind.

Jesus not only preached the gospel, but he preached repentance and forgave sins. When the paralyzed man descended to Jesus from the rooftop, Jesus forgave their sins for the faith they had. Jesus knew that the solution to the paralyzed man's problem was physical healing and spiritual healing of the heart through the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus preached forgiveness of sins through repentance, as he knew the root of the problem in everyone's heart was the sin. Ultimately, Jesus was died on the cross to resolve the problem of the sin of humanity. He was the ultimate Counselor and propitiator between God and man.

VI. The human being is tormented in the world

Whether the counselee's problem originated from self, others, or environment, Biblical Counseling observation is done under one viewpoint; all are under God's sovereignty.

When the counselee comes to belief and acceptance ofGod's sovereignty, then the counselee's heart begins to heal. Unfortunately, secular psychologists will not acknowledge God's sovereignty because its foundation is that mankind has a good passive heart, and God does not exist. Unfortunately, some Christian counselors blindly accept some of the methods and beliefs that the secular psychologists incorporate into their counseling session, unintentionally leading the counselee astray from the truth.

VII. True change comes from the work of the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:26 states, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." the Holy Spirit is the ultimate Counselor that all mankind needs. The Counselor is a facilitator for the counselee to meet the Holy Spirit and encourages the counselee to live in the Holy Spirit.

The change of the heart occurs when the counselee lives not according to the gratification of sinful nature but under the Holy Spirit'sinfluence. The Biblical Counselor helps the counselee put off the old self and put on a new self; the new image of Christ is imprinted on the counselee.

The counselee's daily submission onto the Holy Spirit'scounsel must be effectuated in the counselee's life. Therefore, the Biblical counselor facilitates Scripture into the counseling session. Most Christian counselors think this means telling the counselee to live by Scripture. It is partly true but partly false. The Biblical Counselor approaches this matter in perspective of not condemning for not living by Scripture. Rather, a delicate balance between allowing the counselee to open their heart and allowing Scripture to administer its principles onto the heart of the counselee. Because BiblicalCounseling depends upon the Holy Spirit's work, the Biblical counselors must incorporate prayers and Scripture in the counseling session. We will discuss this further in the application section.

Biblical Counseling in comparison to Inner Healing

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 07:07:55 GMT

What is Biblical Counseling?

When someone hears the word Biblical Counseling, most will think it is counseling done with the Bible. This assumption is partly true but partly false. To better understand what Biblical Counseling is, we must look into other types of counseling and reflect upon it to truly value and appreciate BiblicalCounseling.

The field of psychology is vast, and we will not look deep into all of it. However, we will observe and analyze common counseling methods used by Christian leaders and counselors compared to Biblical Counseling. Once you have a general understanding of current methods used by Christian leaders and counselors, you will discover why BiblicalCounseling is needed in the fourth industrial revolution and the benefits it can have once you incorporate it into discipleship training.

inner healing Ministry

Inner Healing Ministry or movement was a good intent grassroots effort among the Christian lay counselors among various Christian denominations. It primarily focuses on past wounds through self-revelation using prayers, forgiveness, repentance, rejecting lies, replacing them with truth, and processing painful memories.

Although it uses some Biblical tools in conjunction with counseling tools, it often emphasizes past wounds. The counselor helps the counselee remember the past pains and wounds by bringing up painful memories of the counselees. This method relies too much on the emotional aspect of self-revealing and focuses on healing the counselee's memories may not be accurate or true.

Inner Healing has its roots with Agnes Sanford during the 1940s. Sanford coined the term Inner Healing as what she experienced as the healing of memories. She began teaching her views at the School of Pastoral Care started by her husband in 1958, and Sanford has influenced manyInner Healing teachers and authors.

Much pastoral counseling practice is modeled after Inner Healing as it became popular among the middle class during the third industrial revolution period.

Inner Healing counselors begin their counseling session with the counselee's experienced phenomenon. Based on what the counselee discussed, the counselor looks for Scriptural support to validate the counseling session. If the Scripture does not assist with the counselee's inner Healing, the counselor uses other secular psychological tools and methods until inner Healing is finally experienced. It focuses only on healing the counselee's memory aspect rather than dealing with the counselee's original problem. The counselor uses all methods available, even hypnosis, to discover the counselee's subconscious memories, which may or may not be true.

Inner Healing ministry is encouraged among the lay counselors to use it as one of its tools that counselors can use. Unfortunately, it can and has led to dangerous "mob theology" where the powerful influences the usage of such a method rather than Biblical view. The church stays silent because the power shift has been transferred to the great majority. Lay counselors can and should counsel those who are in need. However, without proper training and equipping in Biblical theology and doctrine, they can do more damage than good to those who seek them.

Problems with Inner Healing stems from the humanistic practice based on humanistic principles to resolve past emotional issues superficially. Also, Inner Healing does not allow the counselee to take responsibility for their behavior and does not allow the counselee to integrate negative past as their past but segregate them without fully resolving them.

The Freudian view of consciousness is the foundation of Inner Healing, as Inner Healing basis past experiences determine current conscious actions. It deals with negative past events in isolation to make it not affect the present conscious state. This foundation dismisses the very idea of the present encounter with the Word of God can heal and restore the counselee at the conception with the Word of God. The err of Inner Healingstems from the counselee's behavioral observation to find a resolution, rather than focusing on Biblical Foundations.

Inner Healing brings forth what the counsel deemed to remember using various non-orthodox methods, even hypnosis, to identify the past emotional pains and scars then apply Scriptures to it. It is a human-centric approach to resolving spiritual and emotional problems, which dwells in the spiritual domain. Instead of guiding the counselee to the Scripture and allow Scripture to reveal itself to the counselee in resolving the past emotional pains and scars, it brings subconscious emotional pains and scars that may or may not be true to the surface, allowing the counselee to endure through another trauma.

Inner Healing is viewed as effective because once the counselee is exposed to the past emotional pains and scars, the obvious response of emotional tears and expelling is visible to both the counselee and the counselor. However, it does not necessarily mean the past emotional pains and scars have been resolved; rather, it is a poor response more encountering what the counselee perceives as the painful past event.

Inner Healing focuses on the past painful memories; once the emotional reaction to the encounter passes, the counselee and the counselor are fooled into thinking that the issue has been resolved. Unfortunately, it did not resolve the original issue the counselee sought a counselor after; it exacerbated the problem by bringing the past emotional pain and scars without an adequate remedy. Hence, the counselee is left to believe that the counselee is free from the past emotional pains and scars.

When the counselee experiences another episode, both the counselor and the counselor are perplexed. As they try to discover the root of the issue, they run into a wall as they believe the original problem has been resolved.

Biblical Counseling is different from InnerHealing, as Biblical Counseling does not excessively emphasize past wounds of the counselee. Instead, Biblical Counseling session deals with past emotional pains and scars by listening to the counselee but does not focus on it. Later we will discuss the foundation of Biblical Counseling, and it will create a framework for you to understand and apply Biblical Counseling in the discipleship training.

Introduction to Biblical Counseling as a tool for discipleship training in the fourth industrial revolution era

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:26:44 GMT

We live amid the fourth industrial revolution. The third industrial revolution brought agricultural workers to cities, developing various industries geared toward manufacturing various goods to increase economic activity. The church benefited from the third industrial revolution and increased its influence in various aspects of society. However, it failed to make a great impact in philosophy and science and lost many youths to secular ideology in the field of education, entertainment, and value.

The secular ideology crept into the church without much resistance. Many of the church leaders were influenced under the liberal theological doctrines and worldly values during their early years of lives being influenced by television and the liberal public elementary education system.

The fourth industrial revolution is based on the aggregation of various data calculated to derive various conclusions. These calculated data are used to study and control various human behaviors, as most people live in routines. The fourth industrial revolution removes the routine duties of humans by delegating it to machines, resulting in humans' inability to do even simple calculations and tasks.

These types of changes can be beneficial to mankind, but at the same time, it creates new issues that mankind has never faced before. The third industrial revolution created manufacturing jobs for many unskilled agricultural workers; however, because the enterprise viewed these workers as "human resources," the value of a person diminished to replaceable resources.

The original man, Adam, was created in the image of God, and all his offsprings have the image of God in them. The third industrial revolution enterprise's view of mankind as human resources birthed many new problems that mankind have never faced before. Many people began to suffer from emotional and spiritual problems that they did not have before.

Before the third industrial revolution, agricultural society members did not have to worry too much about have no work to do. There was too much work to do in an agricultural society. Children were an asset to the family to do various farming duties and an asset to society as soldiers to fight against common enemies. In an agricultural society, everyone can contribute to its society with labor. However, as more people left agricultural society to benefit from the third industrial revolution, people began to face new problems; economic cycles.

During the boom phase of the economic cycle, industrial enterprises hire many workers. Many workers equate to more items being produced, and as the demand outweighs the supply, the workers had plenty of jobs. Industrial enterprises hired unskilled workers and trained them to do a simple operation of operating various machines. They sent smart workers to craftsman classes to advance their skills while sending skilled craftsmen to schools to manage the workers. The process led to an educational boom during the third industrial revolution.

However, when the great depression happened, many of the unskilled workers lost their jobs and began to worry about finding work and making a living. Some unskilled workers went to school to gain skills while many suffered from various psychological and spiritual issues.

The Western churches responded to these issues by ramping up the social and public benefits programs both in and outside the churches. However, most of these programs came short of winning converts by merely helping them with physical needs. The needs of people were too big, and the churches were able to tackle only the issues that they faced at hand. They hired professionals to manage the business operations of the church's philanthropic works. These professionals were trained only in the business aspects, and their values and philosophy began to influence the church secularly.

As the church's philanthropic programs grew in size and influence, it began to control the church politics. It ultimately began to secularize churches, resulting in liberalism taking control over the church businesses and theological beliefs.

The fourth industrial revolution is a new opportunity for the church to influence society's value system and win many converts. Covid19 caused even greater isolation in our societies, and the fourth industrial revolution will greatly isolate and divide many people. It will undoubtedly bring forth new psychological and spiritual problems that mankind will suffer, and mankind will desperately seek solutions.

The church can provide not just solutions but salvation to these fourth industrial revolution problems. The church is on a mission to make disciples of Jesus of all nations. A disciple of Jesus is a person who is capable of doing the type of ministry that Jesus has done. Jesus has healed the sick, drove out demons, and proclaimed the gospel to the poor. Who are the sick, demon possed, and the poor in the fourth industrial revolution? How can churches approach them, and what can we offer to them that is as attractive as Jesus?

One area that is still in development among the reformed scholar is the area of Biblical Counseling. When most hear the word Biblical Counseling, they think it is counseling based on the Bible. It may be half correct, as the Biblical Counseling is not throwing Bible at the counselees and telling them to obey it.

Most pastors and church leaders gravely misunderstand what the Biblical Counseling is. Telling counselees to live by the Bible is preaching, not Biblical Counseling. The next few chapters will identify Biblical Counseling, specific methods to do Biblical Counseling, and how it can make disciples of Jesus Christ from counseling.

The fourth industrial revolution is a great new opportunity for the church to reflect upon the past mistakes it made during the third industrial revolution and make great progress in the expansion of the Kingdom of God in the psychological and spiritual realms of the people. It can greatly benefit those who participate in the discipleship training by better equipping them and resolving many issues and problems that the fourth industrial revolution brings to mankind. The Word of God is true, and it never changes, and it will be the solution to mankind facing new problems in the fourth industrial revolution.

Advanced inductive analysis of John 6:1-2 into 4 parts

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 01:33:50 GMT

1. It took at least four days to get from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee.

If it takes at least four days to get from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, why did John left out the details of the journey?

There may be many reasons why John did not include the traveling details of the journey. This journey and many journeys that Jesus took to and from Jerusalem to other parts of Israel were left out. John 21:25 states, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

John already recorded Jesus’ journey from Judea to Galilee, crossing Samaria in John chapter 4. This is the chapter where Jesus meets the woman at the well, and through her, the entire town came to Jesus and believed in Him as the Messiah for his teachings. Thus, Jesus must have made numerous trips to and from Judea to Galilee, crossing Samaria.

John does not mention all these trips because he probably healed the sick, drove out demons, and taught along the way in Samaria. The Samaritans welcomed him and his acquaintances because they believed Jesus to be the Messiah.

How did the Jews travel in those days?

Ordinary Jews traveled the region on foot during those days. They packed food and prepared for the journey. Sometimes they take donkeys to carry their luggage.

The great multitude that followed Jesus traveled on foot to Jerusalem and followed Jesus into Samaria on foot in a great multitude.

Why did Jesus travel so much from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee to go back to Jerusalem at a later date for the feasts of the Jews?

We can speculate why Jesus traveled so much, going North and South in Israel.

Everywhere Jesus went to preach the good news of the gospel, cast out the demon, and healed the sick. These were Jesus’ ministry. Jesus paired his disciples in two and sent them out to do the same throughout Israel. From these accounts, we can imagine that Jesus wanted to reach as many people as possible. He traveled by foot, and all his followers eagerly followed him on foot. Everywhere Jesus went, there was a great multitude of followers. Some wanted to make him a king, while others wanted to hear what he has to say.

During the three short years Jesus ministered in Israel, he traveled throughout Israel on foot, reaching as many as he could physically.

2. Jesus had great multitudes who followed him because Jesus healed all of them

How do we know that Jesus healed all of them?

Jesus had great compassion towards all who sought him. The woman who touched the edge of his garment in faith to heal her infirmities were healed, and even the woman’s daughter, who Jesus harshly criticized as a “dog, which does not deserve the blessings of Abraham,” were delivered because Jesus had compassion on them. During his three years of ministry, he was full of compassion, and the only time he marveled because he could only heal a few in a town was when he visited his hometown because of their unbelief.

Who are these great multitudes?

These great multitudes went up to the feast of the Jews in Jerusalem and met Jesus there. We discover that these great multitudes followed Jesus because Jesus healed the sick among the multitudes from verse two. These multitudes came to Jerusalem to observe their religious duties and customs, and there they met Jesus healing the man who was sick for 38 years and arguing and teaching against the Jews.

Were these multitudes mainly the Jews?

Since John 5 occurred during the feast of the Jews, most likely, the multitudes were Jews who traveled from other parts of Israel who came to Jerusalem to observe the feast of the Jews. In addition, some who were not Jews came to Jerusalem to conduct business in Jerusalem as many people were gathered in Jerusalem.

Were the great multitudes related to one another?

During the three feasts of the Jews, all males are to appear before the Lord in Jerusalem. Samaritans cannot go to Jerusalem, so they go to Mount Gerizim. Because all males are to appear during the three feasts of the Jews, the father would take their sons and, at times, take their entire family to Jerusalem. Also, this was done in groups within the villages. Thus, we can find the account of Jesus when he went up to Jerusalem for the first time, and Mary and Joseph thought Jesus was with the crowd on their way back to their town. Most likely, the multitudes were related to one another as relatives and or knew each other very well as their neighbors.

How big were the great multitudes?

Later part of chapter 6, we find that Jesus feeds five thousand males with two fishes and five barley loaves. Israelites did not count women and children in their numbering, and many scholars believe that the account in chapter 6 was over 20,000+ if women and children were included. Perhaps, the many multitudes might be greater than 20,000+ in chapter 6 verse 1, as Jesus went through Samaria, some might decide not to follow Jesus into Samaria while others went their ways.

What were the interests of these multitudes?

From verse 2, we find that they were following Jesus because Jesus performed many miracles, and it resulted in healing those who were diseased among them.

They were interested in Jesus because Jesus healed the sick. So the multitude followed Jesus from Jerusalem across Samaria and to the Sea of Galilee. Jesus healed all those who came to him for healing. Some followed him from the time Jesus healed the man who was ill for 38 years, while others followed him as Jesus argued against the Jews. Later in chapter 6, we find out that the multitude filled with the bread and fish wanted to make Jesus king by force.

Not only Jesus healed all the sick, fed them, and taught well, he was speaking against the rulers and authorities that were oppressing the commoners. Even the twelve disciples were fascinated by Jesus. They followed him because they believed Jesus would free them from Roman occupation and establish a new Jerusalem where the twelve disciples will rule.

Did they work?

The multitudes were on their way back to their home towns after the feast of the Jews was over when they followed Jesus. Most of them were farmers and shepherds. The feast of the Jews was done after the harvest, so they could spend some time following Jesus before they replant the seeds.

Why were they in Jerusalem?

They were in Jerusalem to observe the feast of the Jews, as prescribed by God by the Law of Moses. Some may have come to Jerusalem to conduct business, but during the feast of the Jews, Jerusalem was a bustling city packed with people.

What caught their attention that they followed Jesus?

Jesus healing the man who suffered infirmities for 38 years caught everyone’s attention. Then, Jesus spoke among the Jews in the temple about the things of God, and people were captivated by Jesus’ teachings. Finally, the great multitude followed Jesus because they saw Jesus completely healed their friends’, neighbors’, and relatives’ sicknesses through Jesus’ miracles.

They followed Jesus from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee.

Where were the twelve disciples of Jesus?

John did not give any information about what the twelve disciples were doing when these things were happening. The twelve disciples were mentioned in chapter 4 as they went to Samaria to look for food, and in chapter 6, they were ordered by Jesus to sit the multitude in the grass area to feed them. In the accounts between chapter 4 and chapter 6, we discover that John is highlighting Jesus’ actions and hides the disciples to focus on Jesus’ teachings. The twelve disciples were not the main character that John wanted to illustrate because Jesus was conducting the core of his ministry.

Also, the twelve disciples were Jews who had to present themselves before the Lord during the feast of the Jews. Thus, their visit to Jerusalem was a common event for them since their youth. They did what the traditional Jewish customs required them to do, and as Jesus left Jerusalem, the disciples followed Jesus, and the great multitude followed them into Samaria.

3. Jesus must have gone through Samaria, a shorter route than the usual way that the Jews take, because of the account in John 4.

Did Jesus take the shortest route cutting through Samaria?

In John chapter 4, we find Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, which dumbfounded the twelve disciples. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans, especially Samaritan women. From other accounts of Jesus, Jesus often visited the home of Lazarus of Bethany and even resurrected Lazarus. From the four gospels, we can find that he liked to visit the same place multiple times and spend time with those he especially loved.

The logical conclusion that we can draw from the Samaritan woman in John 4 is that every time Jesus went to and from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, he went straight across Samaria, visiting the town where he ministered in chapter 4.

The Jews did not have anything to do with the Samaritans, and because the Samaritans were mixed with other races, they were not allowed to go to Jerusalem during the three feasts of the Jews. So instead, they went to Mount Gerizim to celebrate the three feasts of the Jews.

If he did, why did he do that?

After chapter 4, Jesus broke the barrier between the Jews and the Samaritans, and Jesus has no reason to use the traditional route that the Jews used to avoid Samaria after his ministry in chapter 4.

What effect did the account of John 4 of the woman at the well in Samaria have on this journey for Jesus and his disciples?

In chapter 4, we find that when the twelve disciples came back to where Jesus was, they saw Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman and were shocked. But after Jesus spoke with her, and she brought out the people of Samaria to Jesus, they all heard Jesus’ teachings, and they all accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

When Jesus visited Samaria in this journey, the content of the journey is not recorded, but this was the first time Jesus visiting Samaria after his ministry in Samaria in chapter 4. The twelve disciples were the eye witness to Jesus’ previous ministry in Samaria, and they probably were one of the first few Jews to enter Samaria. The second visit of Jesus into Samaria with the great multitude must have surprised the Samaritans, and the Samaritans must have welcomed them with great hospitality.

Why did the Jews avoid the Samaritans?

Josephus reports several unpleasant events; the Samaritans harass the Jewish pilgrims traveling through Samaria between Galilee and Judea. Also, the Jews hated the Samaritans as the Jews did not condone their religious practice. Therefore, when the Jews go to and from Jerusalem to Northern Israel, they will take a longer journey around Samaria to not come in contact with the Samaritans.

How would the Samaritans react to the Jews hating on them?

The Samaritans, too, hated the Jews, even though they are blood-related. They did not have any dealings with the Jews and also attacked the Jews traveling around Samaria.

If the woman at the well in Samaria was the reason for Jesus going through Samaria, did Jesus visit this place often?

From the journeys that Jesus took during his three years of ministry, we can easily see that his trips went across Samaria many times. He spent a lot of his time in the Sea of Galilee, but as a Jew, he went down to Jerusalem during the feasts of the Jews. Jesus must have crossed Samaria often, and every time the Samaritans welcomed him and his disciples and wanted to hear from him.

Then, why did John not record these journeys in detail?

John 21:25 states, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”

John seemed to have selected which accounts to be put into the records while leaving some out redundant. Jesus’ three-year ministry was short but was full of impact and covered large areas of Israel. Jesus traveled all corners of Israel to heal the sick, cast out the demon, and taught the Word of God to the people.

Instead of recording each journey in detail, John highlights an account, for example, in chapter 4, the Samaritan woman at the well. Instead of repeating similar reports, he states, “After this,” and moves on.

4. The Samaritans warmly welcomed the great multitudes, and Jesus healed and taught there before going over to the Sea of Galilee.

Were the great multitudes Jews?

Most likely, the vast multitudes of John 6 were Jews. In chapter 5, we find that the vast multitudes followed Jesus after they had observed the feast of the Jews. Jews who were visiting Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of the Jews met Jesus and followed Jesus from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee.

If they were, why did they go through Samaria following Jesus?

When the great multitude followed Jesus into Samaria, they were perplexed at the route Jesus took. Some might have gone back to their home town while others hearing Jesus is going to the Sea of Galilee, took the long journey around Samaria to reach there.

But those who followed Jesus ended up enter Samaria. Jesus must have taught them along the journey and healed those who were sick and demon-possessed. This confirmed the great multitude’s belief that following Jesus even into Samaria is something they should do.

If they followed Jesus into Samaria, it must have been their first time in Samaria. What were the responses of the Jews and Samaritans in their first interaction?

Jews do not have any dealings with the Samaritans, and the same goes for the Samaritans. However, when the great multitude arrived in Samaria with Jesus, they were welcomed by Samaritans. Generally, Middle Eastern culture welcomes anyone who visits them with a warm welcome and takes care of the visitor until they leave.

The Samaritans must have seen large dust forming at the horizon as Jesus was bringing the great multitude into the city. As the Jews came into the city, some might have thought about building a defense against them, but this quickly dissipated as they saw the great multitude following Jesus.

The Samaritans must have welcomed the Jews with a great warm welcome and gave them water to wash their feet. The water they drew from the well that Jesus met the woman in John chapter 4. As the Jews saw the Samaritans giving them a warm welcome, they were refreshed with the food and drinks that the Samaritans gave them.

Jesus gave them teachings and healed all sick and in need before departing to the Sea of Galilee.

What were their prejudices against the Samaritans that were shattered when they come into the town?

The Jews believed the Samaritans as the savages and were uncleaned. However, as they saw Jesus teaching, healing, and ministering to them, they must have let their guards down. The Jews were welcomed with the same warm welcome that Jesus received, and even though a great multitude in the city was a constraint to the city, the Samaritans greeted them with a warm welcome until they departed out of the city.

What did Jesus do in Samaria?

Most likely, Jesus did what he did in all other towns: heal the sick, drive out the demons, and teach them about the Kingdom of God.

If Jesus healed the sick, cast out the demons, and taught in Samaria, what were the responses of the mixed crowd of the Jews and the Samaritans?

Perhaps, in the beginning, the Jews might have felt uncomfortable that Jesus, who was a Jew, ministering onto the Samaritans. But as they received food and hospitality from the Samaritans, their prejudices were shattered, and good relationships began to form.

Did the Samaritans harbor hate against the Jews that they did not feed or shelter them, or they welcomed the Jews because of Jesus?

In John 4, the Samaritans received Jesus’ teachings and accepted Jesus as their Messiah. Jesus was a Jew, and the fact that the Samaritans accepted him shows that the Samaritans began to open their hearts towards the Jews. When they saw the great multitude of the crowd coming towards their city from the direction of Jerusalem, perhaps they might have thought they need to defend their city. However, when they saw that the front was Jesus, they quickly began to prep the city for the great multitude.

The Samaritans welcomed the great multitude of Jews, who were weary from the journey from Jerusalem and must have shared the food they had prepared for their feast at the Mount Gerizim. By sharing such food and spending time together, Jesus brought the two opposition to unity.

After this event, did the Jews return to Samaria and visit them, as they have become friends?

After this event, some Jews had to return to Jerusalem from the Sea of Galilee. Some followed Jesus, and Jesus went back to Jerusalem after his ministry in the Sea of Galilee for the feast of the Jews, Passover. The Jews probably crossed Samaria from that time forward, and they have become friends. Although the Samaritans cannot come to Jerusalem to worship or to celebrate the feasts of the Jews, the Jews who visited Samaria shared their experiences in Jerusalem worship.

The Jews who came into Samaria continued to go through Samaria when they went to Jerusalem or revert to their old ways of avoiding Samaritans?

Some traditional Jews might have refused to go through Samaria. However, Jesus traveled across Samaria many times during his three years of ministry, and his followers and the great multitude must have followed him through Samaria.

Analysis process of inductive study of John 6:1-2

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 01:21:15 GMT

John 6:1-2, analysis

From the observation of John 6:1-2, we have discovered many hidden things that were not apparent.

The following are the summary of the observation:

1. It took at least four days to get from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee

2. Jesus had great multitudes who followed him because Jesus healed all of them

3. Jesus must have gone through Samaria, a shorter route than the normal route that the Jews take, because of the account in John 4.

4. The Samaritans warmly welcomed the multitudes, and Jesus healed and taught there before going over to the Sea of Galilee.

To an in-depth analysis of the passage, you reflect on the observed facts.

1. It took at least four days to get from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee.

If it takes at least four days to get from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee, why did John left out the details of the journey?

How did the Jews travel in those days?

Why did Jesus travel so much from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee to go back to Jerusalem at a later date for the feasts of the Jews?

2. Jesus had great multitudes who followed him because Jesus healed all of them

How do we know that Jesus healed all of them?

Who are these multitudes? Were these multitudes mainly Jews? Were the great multitudes related to one another?

How big were the many multitudes?

What were the interests of these multitudes? Did they work? Why were they in Jerusalem? What caught their attention that they followed Jesus? Where are the twelve disciples of Jesus?

3. Jesus must have gone through Samaria, a shorter route than the usual way that the Jews take, because of the account in John 4.

Did Jesus take the shortest route cutting through Samaria? If he did, why did he do that? What effect did John 4 account of the woman at the well in Samaria have on this journey for Jesus and his disciples? Why did Jews avoid Samaritans? How would a Samaritans react to the Jews hating on them? If the woman at the well in Samaria was the reason for Jesus going through Samaria, did Jesus visit this place often? Then, why did John not record these journeys in detail?

4. The Samaritans warmly welcomed the great multitudes, and Jesus healed and taught there before going over to the Sea of Galilee.

Were the great multitudes the Jews? If they were, why did they go through Samaria following Jesus? If they followed Jesus into Samaria, it must have been their first time in Samaria.

What were the responses of the Jews and Samaritans in their first interaction? What were their prejudices against the Samaritans that were shattered when they come into the town? What did Jesus do in Samaria? If Jesus healed the sick, cast out the demons, and taught in Samaria, what were the responses of the mixed crowd of Jews and Samaritans? Did the Samaritans harbor hate against the Jews that they did not feed or sheltered them or they welcomed the Jews because of Jesus? After this event, did the Jews return to Samaria and visit them, as they have become friends? The Jews who came into Samaria, did they continue to go through Samaria when they go to Jerusalem or did they revert to their old ways of avoiding Samaritans?

These are some of the obvious questions that we can derive from the observation of the passage.

During the analysis phase of the inductive process, the qualities of the questions asked will determine the qualities of the analysis you will do, resulting in quality application and conclusion. When you first begin the analysis phase, your questions might not be as good as you want them to be. There may be many reasons why this may be the case. One of the main reason for it is that you did not spend enough time and energy observing the text. Good observations lead to good analysis.

Inductive Analysis: Observation Process Explained in Detail

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 02:31:07 GMT

The first part is the observation process. The observation process is the most critical part of the inductive process.

During this process, the observer should try to approach the given text with an objective non-bias view of the given passage. This can be especially difficult for theologically trained with a preconception of the given passage. However, to do an excellent inductive study of the given passage, you must let go of your prejudices of the given passage and try to let the text speak for itself.

What does it mean to allow the text to speak for itself? The Bible can speak to us on a personal level through the works of the Holy Spirit. The Scripture was written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and it is interpreted through the work of the Holy Spirit. If you have a preconception about a passage, it is difficult for the Holy Spirit to interpret the Scripture as the Holy Spirit wants to. Thus, when we approach a given passage in the Bible, we must read with anticipation that the Holy Spirit speaks through the passage and reread the passage as many times as possible until the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

Other than letting the Holy Spirit speak to us through the text, we must learn how to observe the text. The observation of the given text starts by observing the relationship between the pronouns, the nouns, and the verbs. When we glance over the passages in the Bible, we miss many of the hidden meanings and underlying background information that can help us to understand the situation better. By carefully parsing out the individual pronouns, nouns, and verbs, you discover the relationship between each of the parsed out words.

John 6:1-2, observation

Let's observe John 6:1-2 together.

1. After these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. 2. And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

In verse one, we can find that “things” is a noun, “Jesus” and “sea of Galilee” “sea of Tiberias” are pronouns, and “went over” is the verb. From parsing these out and through careful observation, John 6 is a continuation from an event that occurred previously by the word “After.” Each word has a meaning and background information. It is helpful to take time to search the Bible dictionary and supplemental materials to do separate research of each word.

To better understand the background, you would have to read the events of John 5. In John 5, Jesus healed a man suffering from infirmities for 38 years and argued with the Jews in Jerusalem. After the confrontation with the Jews, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee.

John did not record the accounts of the journey, but from Jesus’ ministry, we can easily imagine that Jesus healing the man who suffered infirmaries for 38 years and arguing with the Jews stirred up the crowd. The crowd who were in Jerusalem during the feast of the Jews discovered the miracle of Jesus and those who were suffering from their diseases came to Jesus to be healed. This greatly angered the Jews, and after the feast of the Jews, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, a one to two-week journey along with his disciples and a great number of multitudes.

During Jesus’ times, the Romans lay the highways for their soldiers to travel to conquer the known world. Other than the highways, the paths people and animals walked on became a road. These roads were dusty and did not have any shades. People traveling on these roads would depart early to reach the next town

What you have to observe in verse 1 is that Jesus was in Jerusalem and went over the Sea of Galilee. The distance between Jerusalem and the Sea of Galilee is over 100 kilometers. If Jesus went straight across Samaria, it would have taken three to four days to reach the Sea of Galilee. Most Jews did not go through Samaria but instead went around Samaria, avoiding that part of the land. It took five to seven days to take this route.

In John 4, we find out that Jesus went to Samaria to meet the woman at the well.

From the previous account, it is easy to assume that Jesus went straight through Samaria rather than take the long journey around Samaria.

When Jesus visited Samaria on the journey to Galilee, the woman at the well and the entire town most likely have greeted him with a warm welcome and all of his multitudes. The Jews who followed Jesus from Jerusalem to Samaria were probably shocked that Jesus went to Samaria, and for most of them, this was their very first trip to Samaria.

Jews did not have dealings with the Samaritans, and this was the accepted norm.

The Samaritans did not like the Jews, and the Jews did not like the Samaritans.

But by Jesus going through Samaria with his disciples and the multitudes, it must have begun to spark a friendship between Jews and Samaritans. The act of visiting itself was a radical act by Jesus, and it disturbed the Jewish order of life.

The people who have visited the land of Samaria for the first time must have told their family and friends about the account and what Jesus did while he was there and how the Samaritans welcomed them with the warmth of Middle Eastern welcome.

These Jews began to realize that the Samaritans are just like them, and after this event, there must have been open dealings between the Jews and Samaritans.

In verse 2, it states that “And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.” From this observation, we can quickly discover that the Jews who followed Jesus followed from Jerusalem to Samaria and the Sea of Galilee. The multitudes followed him after seeing Jesus healed the man who suffered infirmaries from 38 years and arguing with the Jews. Jesus must have healed from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee.

These multitudes followed Jesus because of the miracles he did on to the multitudes.

The multitudes were friends, families, and acquaintances that they knew very well. The multitudes knew their diseases, how long they suffered, and how it was not curable with the medicine that they had.

These multitudes were fascinated by the way Jesus taught and argued against the Jews, who were the elites at the time. They saw how Jesus was greeted by the Samaritans and the multitudes of people in Samaria, believing him as the Messiah.

There were no diseases that Jesus could not heal and no demons and infirmities that Jesus could not cast out. Jesus healed those who believed on him. During the four day journey to the Sea of Galilee, Jesus may have spent some time at Samaria, replenishing supplies and healing the remainder of Samaria. The event must have been like a great revival where everyone gathered from all corners of Samaria to hear the words of Jesus and to be healed by him.

The multitude saw this and was fascinated by Jesus. They usually return to their home town after the feasts of the Jews in Jerusalem. Instead, they followed Jesus to Samaria and were welcomed by the Samaritans because of Jesus. They continued to follow Jesus as sheep without a shepherd.

Inductive approach analyzed

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 02:14:43 GMT

Although there are some different approaches to inductive analysis, one of the best method of using inductive analysis are as follows: observation, analysis, application, and conclusion. If you were to dedicate one hour into studying a passage inductively, you would allocate about 50-60% of the time in observation, 20-30% of the time in analysis, and 10-20% on both application and conclusion.

Each of the steps is to be taken in order. In-depth observation of the passage leads to a richer understanding of the background of the text observing. The reason for spending the bulk of the time in the observation process is because the quality of observation will determine the quality of the analysis and application of the passage.

Context is critical in studying the word of God; it helps us to interpret it correctly.

The first step into the inductive approach is to study the context of the Scripture. Taking the time and studying the context in detail helps to relieve a lot of the burden of inductive analysis. If you rush into analysis without adequately taking the necessary time to study the context, whether it is background information or the historical events that led up to the given passage, the trainer has a high chance of coming to a wrong conclusion and incorrect application of the Scriptural teaching.

A Bible dictionary or history book showing the historical background of the passage that you are trying to make the inductive approach helps you get a better picture of the context of the passage.

Going deeper into inductive reasoning…

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 02:09:42 GMT

Inductive reasoning has been around for centuries. In modern times, attorneys use it to shape an argument before the jury makes various inferences to the event to draw a conclusion that attorneys desire. Of course, the conclusions may not be correct as of the flaws of the inductive argument nature, but a skillful attorney uses the inductive argument to win his case whether the case has any merit or not.

Inductive storytelling brings the event into life to the crowd that is hearing it for the first time. It helps to fill in the gaps and voids in the storytelling. Unless you have a camcorder recording the events in 360 degrees in a real-time format, inductive storytelling is the best available format to convey the event. Everyone viewing the same video may differ in their understanding of the event, as their past experiences, memories, and other influences dictate their perception and understanding of the event. For example, one person who has suffered from severe illness may look close to the body movements of the people involved in the video and have a different interpretation than a detective who looks for clues to draw inferences to potential crime captured in the video.

Inductive storytelling requires a vivid imagination. God gifts everyone to have an imagination. All buildings and the things that we use daily were created by someone imagining that item from their imagination. An iPhone is an imagination that Steve Jobs and his team imagined into existence in this world, and it has a significant impact on the way the world functions due to its application. We live in an age of information where the world's information is available at our fingertips through our smartphones and digital media.

No generation on earth had this much access to information. But, unfortunately, one of the most significant flaws of this generation of information is that too much information caused many people to lose imagination. Television programs, social media, and other digital mediums have replaced our imagination with sensory-stimulating motion pictured media.

Instead of using our imagination, we are accustomed to the colorful display of videos and pictures on our screens, numbing our ability to use one of the greatest gifts that God has given us, imagination.

When God created the world, I believe that He first imagined what the world would look like and said it into existence. As such, the teacher's ability to create vivid images and pictures into the students' minds dictates the students' level of understanding and comprehension. Likewise, we have the creative ability in our minds to imagine things that are not in existence, and with our imagination, we can create things into existence through the gifts and talents God has given to us.

A good teacher who uses inductive techniques can manipulate the student's mind to think outside of the student's normal thinking process through the narrative process. The teacher's creative ability to unlock the imagination in the student's mind to think beyond what the student was able to comprehend dictates the student's success.

Deductive v. Inductive approach towards Scripture

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 02:11:01 GMT

Most Bible teachers believe that a deductive approach to teaching the Scripture is far superior to the inductive approach. The Bible is full of absolute truths and doctrines which cannot be compromised. However, the deductive approach negates the reality of most people today accustomed to the customization of their reality, where most people do not believe in absolute truths and create a cultural bubble around themselves and others. These boundaries and borders are created as a social construct between the parties where any obstruction into these boundaries is considered taboo or uncomfortable.

One crucial distinction between the deductive and the inductive approach is that the latter accepts that a conclusion is uncertain and may change in the future. A conclusion is either strong or weak, not right or wrong. While the inductive approach uses the bottom-up approach, deductive reasoning uses a top-down approach. The initial point of inductive reasoning is the conclusion, while deductive reasoning starts with premises.

The inductive approach will soften the barriers and boundaries that one erects through an intimate, customized approach to the issues being dealt with during the discipleship training.

There is a hidden danger that exists in utilizing only the inductive method in discipleship training. When the topic discussed is regarding Biblical truths or doctrines that cannot be refuted, theologically weak trainers or trainees may fall into the trap of having excellent discipleship training but coming to a wrong theological conclusion.

An example of this is if the topic discussed is about the prodigal son, a theologically incorrect application of such a topic can occur. Because the prodigal son came back, we should all become a prodigal son by committing various sins that hurt the Father so that the Father can wait for us to turn back and love us.

Although the prodigal son is about forgiveness and the Father's love towards a son who betrayed him, it is not telling the readers of the story to commit sins and walk away from God to test God’s love and forgiveness.

To avoid this kind of error in other areas of the Scripture, at minimum, the trainers must be well versed in theology and doctrines when utilizing the inductive analysis.

Once the trainers can overcome the theological and doctrinal hurdles, the trainers can freely expand or contract the boundaries of the discussions during the discipleship training session while utilizing the inductive method for its appropriate use.

One of the main reasons why the deductive approach is not recommended during the discipleship training is that the deductive analysis and approach do not have any room for the trainees to reflect upon the Scripture in light of their personal lives. The deductive approach is merely making the trainees memorize what the trainers are teaching them. It does not have any room for trainees to actively analyze and apply the Scripture to their personal lives. It can be useful for teaching, but it may not have much impact as the lessons taught during the discipleship training do not have personalized applications to the trainees’ lives.

Small Group Bible Study Tips

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 01:55:04 GMT

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Discipleship training should be done in a small group, no more than 12. During the discipleship training, the pastor’s beliefs, values, and faith influence the students greatly. Therefore, the quality of the discipleship training will depend on the maturity of the pastor. This is true because the pastor cannot teach or disciple greater than the pastor’s ability. Of course, the Holy Spirit can work during the discipleship training, and the quality of the student may surpass the pastor’s ability. However, the pastors who are successful in small group discipleship training have shown a high level of maturity and a deep understanding of the gospel demonstrated in their lives.

A small group of discipleship training was the model that Jesus used to train his 12 disciples. There are many theories why Jesus chose the number twelve: it may represent the twelve tribes of Israel. Whatever the reasons were, Jesus’ twelve disciples changed the world, and history reflects their impact.

Preaching v. Small Group Bible Study

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 01:52:28 GMT

There is much difference between preaching and bible study. One key difference is that preaching is for the masses and is a shotgun approach to teach and convince the biblical truth. At the same time, Bible study is a more detailed approach where the teacher's abilities and beliefs orchestrate the philosophy of the Bible study material.

A small group Bible study, no more than 12, is best suited for an interactive learning model where the students can ask the teacher-specific questions to get specific answers. For example, there are many theories on why he chose 12 as his closest disciples; I believe he chose the 12 disciples because he wanted to disciple the 12 personally and share his life as an example to the 12 disciples.

Whether the pastor wants to preach to the congregation or have a small group Bible study, the pastor must determine the reason for selecting such a method. For example, if the pastor wants to lecture the congregation to teach Biblical doctrines and theology, maybe preaching in a large congregation setting might work better. However, because there is no way the pastor can discern the listener's comprehension because it is a one-way dissemination of information.

In a small group Bible study, the student can ask the pastor various questions that the student has; whether the questions are relevant is another matter. Still, through this method, the pastor can discern the level of comprehension of the group through various questions and answers in their interaction.

A small group Bible study can tailor onto customized to the level of comprehension of the group. The skill of the pastor will determine the level of discussion that the class will develop. Throughout the small group Bible study session, the pastor must discover which issues will be relevant and which issues are not. The development of issues into a discussion will be critical to the level of learning by the students.

How are you training your trained trainees?

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 01:50:18 GMT

Whether you have appointed lay leaders of your church or are planning to appoint lay leadership to work together in your ministry, one of the pastor's primary roles is to teach the Scripture to the flock of Jesus. The congregation that the pastor is in charge of is the body of Christ and a flock of Jesus. Jesus is the true shepherd, and the pastor is one of Jesus' sheep appointed to teach and to lead until Jesus returns to the earth.

The pastor must toil and continue to ask and seek out the answer to the fundamental question of raising and continuing to educate the church's lay leadership: How are you training your trained trainees?

As we have seen before, the lay leaders of the first Jerusalem church were chosen by the congregation, and the Apostles focused on the ministry of prayer and the ministry of the Word. The seven lay leaders of the Jerusalem church were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they partake in the evangelism and teaching ministry alongside the Apostles.

As we are living in the most modern age with so much information and technologies available to us, it appears to us that there are many choices as to how to train our lay leaders. But at the same time, because of the flood of information available, it isn't easy to find the right kind of information needed to make the right decision.

There are many training materials and programs available to Christians. However, Christian growth is not dependent upon any specific materials. The Scripture is sufficient to train all Christians from all walks of life. However, to study the Scripture properly, you can utilize various methods. The one this book recommends is inductive reasoning-based Bible study. Using inductive reasoning is based on decades of practical usage of such a method and its results.

Newcomers to the church will expect the leadership in the church are well trained and can answer almost all questions regarding Christianity. But the reality is no leader of the church will know all the answers nor can meet all the expectations of the newcomers. However, the pastor must not lose hope and continue to train the appointed leaders with the Word of God and build them up as lay leaders in the church.