And the God of Israel will be your rear guard

Isaiah 52:12
For you shall not go out with haste,
Nor go by flight;
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.


The Lord has and will prepare us before we go out on His Mission. Our past will always be with us, but He knows all about us and have forgiven us when we accept Him. That is why He gives us the assurance, but that only works when we have faith in Him, including that we are truly forgiven by Him. Then as we go out in His timing, and according to His will and direction, as guided by the Holy Spirit. He will be our "rear guard". Is there anything more comforting than knowing that God is watching our back? That is the best assurance that anyone can ever have.

All my springs are in you

Psalm 87:7
Both the singers and the players on instruments say, “All my springs are in you.”

God does not mend or patches our virtues. When we accepted Him as Lord, He gives us a new set of virtues, He transforms us. Our new man is supposed to replace the old man, not trying to fix the old man. But as we still live in a sinful world, with the old body, we need to let the new man in us take over. With this new man, our dependence on self is gone as we now learn to depend on God. The virtues would not be something that we develop, but will be the virtues of Yshua embedded in us. It does not force us or control us, so we must learn to yield to the new virtues.

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more

John 6:66
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

Yshua's teachings are pretty high and hard to follow. If the Old Testament teachings seem hard, Yshua's teachings are even harder and goes against our natural inclinations. Where the Old Testament says "an eye for an eye", the New Testament says "when someone slaps you on one cheek, turn and give him the other cheek to slap". Many who have heard His teachings turned away, despite the miracles they witnessed. Truly this needs supernatural help, from the Holy Spirit, to keep us on track. A commentator advised that when God's instructions clashes with our own will or desires, don't spend time debating or contemplating at all. Doing so will make us think of our rights and our interests, eventually leading us down a path opposite and away from God.

unless you are converted...., you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven

Matthew 18:3
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

When we are first converted, most of us come to the Throne of God as little children, in submission of our will, even in if that is just temporary. We must keep being converted in the sense of working out our salvation. Everyday may bring new and different battles. There will always be temptations trying to draw us into acting opposite to God's will. So we continue to submit our self will and be led by the Spirit of God.

“If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord

Jeremiah 4:1
“If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord, “Return to Me;
And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved.


We either choose to do God's will or to rebel against Him. This battle of the will is not between us and God. It is a battle fought by our own will, against our own will. There is no postponing. Every battle lost is a danger to  us. Every battle won, puts us a little closer to God.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another

1 John 1:17
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Whatever the sin is, big or small, it is untouchable to the Holy God. God hates sin, so as we learn to walk with Him, we too should hate sin. It is more than just doing wrong or morally below standard. It also has something to do with our relationship with God, whether we obey and follow Him, or if we ignore Him. This is something the Holy Spirit can point out to us as we walk with God. So this means at the time of becoming a Christian, we may still not fully understand what sin is, but it is the beginning of a journey of being led by the Spirit.

And they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Matthew 1:23
Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Merry Christmas!

This is the reason that we celebrate Christmas - that our Lord God, became flesh, and came to this world, with the aim to save us. It is worth contemplating something that we cannot fully appreciate, that is the Most High Holy God, would choose to become something as dirty and untrustworthy as us humans. He did this knowing that it is the only way to save humanity whom He loved. Just as He came into the world to reveal Himself, now we must let Him come into us and live with us, as our Lord.

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God

Colossians 3:3
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Our new life in Christ is hidden, perhaps from people or even ourselves. This hidden, is not that people cannot see the Christ in us, but perhaps they do not understand the change or why we are living the new way. To live according to the Spirit, we first need to be in tune with Yshua. Only then when we are in constant communion with Him, we know His will, and know what He wants. Then being in that state of mind and spirit, it may come natural to follow Christ.

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

There is nothing really in us worthy of boasting about when we belong to Yshua. On the other hand there is everything to boast about Yshua, the living God, who emptied Himself for us. Then in our everyday living on earth, knowing who we are compared to who He is and what He has done for us, the choice is simply to choose between living our sinful lives, or identifying ourselves with Him, by forgoing sinful pleasures. It is natural for us to crave for pleasures if He is not the main focus of our lives.

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him

John 6:44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

In various evangelism and preaching, we may be led to believe that it is our decision to come to Christ and accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Although it may not be the preachers' intention to do so, sometimes we believe it is because of our faith that leads to our salvation. This can be deceptive, because firstly, salvation is done by Yshua only through the cross. Secondly it is not our decision, but God who chooses and draws us near Him. Our response can be appreciation, gratefulness, love, and so on. We have nothing to boast at all about our belief or faith that is saving us.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God

1 Corinthian 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

There were many miracles accompanying the ministry of Yshua on Earth. There have been miracles before and after His time on earth. There are also personal experiences people have had with God throughout the ages. When it comes to knowing God, the Scriptures has been clear - we have to really know God by the Word and the Spirit. Experiences with God are not the foundation with which to base our faith. There will be times of need, and the experiences are not there, so our relationship based on knowing God will ensure we keep focus on Him.

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself

John 12:32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

Drawing people to ourselves and ultimately focussing on Christ, because we need to point them to Christ and not to ourselves. Our Lord died and rose again, because there is no other way for salvation for us. As painful as it was for Him, being grateful and appreciative for what He went through accomplishes nothing and that was not His goal. His sacrifice paid the justly price for our sins, so that we can be claimed back by God. To lead others to Christ then, they must understand first the reason for the Cross, and later followed by the submission at the foot of the Cross.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth

Matthew 10:34
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

This is a direct statement that cuts to the real matter. It is not something many people expect Jesus to say. However, like His other teachings, Jesus speaks on the things that are helpful but not necessarily popular. The sword may be used to indicate a stern separation between His standard and those opposing to Him. There is a standard, moral or right and wrong according to God. One example of this is to abandon our sinful and lustful living, and instead sacrifice those desires. Whether it is unpopular by world standards or not, the Way of Yshua is the only right way and it involves deliberate action to follow it.

To those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

This is an often rememebered verse, used mostly when bad things happen and beyond our control. This helps believers take solace that God is in full control and that no matter how bad the situation is, God will make things better for us. It is useful to also read the last part of the verse which is "to those who are called according to His purpose". So this applies even more so to those who are involved in doing God's will, following God's command to do something. It is not a verse that covers things we do for ourselves, or circumstances that affect us due to the evils around us. Yes, God does heal and mend sometimes, but perhaps this verse should be used as an encouragement to do God's will and to live "according to His purpose". For when doing so, then we are operating in God's sovereign will and God's will always work out for His good.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God

1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There are things concerning God, including the gospel, that cannot be understood by sheer intellect. God has to open our eyes for us to understand these. God does not hide these things to withhold salvation from people. Yet, God's process is that we should ask Him first, then our eyes will be opened to many truths that are spiritual and real. After salvation, the Holy Spirit keep assisting us in this understanding of more revelations.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit

Ephesians 6:13,18
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
18  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints

Praying, watching and persevering as we continue to live life on earth. Our God has given us all the necessary armor to stand, defend and offense. The things that we come against are not the natural and physical but rather the spiritual. Besides coming externally, the spiritual enemy also attack us internally in causing us to embrace the things which we know are wrong, yet difficult to stop doing. It is more than a psychological battle, or using will power. The tools to overcome this is the armor of God which has been explained in Scriptures.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,... God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed

2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

To win others over to Christ, it is often said that we have to live by example. This is true and people will see the way we life and that there is something attractive about it. Then the time comes when they will ask what makes the difference and we will need to be prepared for the answers. In order to be prepared, we need to be able to explain our faith, who we believe in, the focus of our faith who is Yshua Ha Masiach. Therefore it is also an exercise for us to go through the Word everyday, meditating on it, asking God for revelations.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

The God of Israel is the God of peace, shalom. He is not one who deliberately brings trouble. It is said that He does allow trouble to come to us for many reasons, such as testing, building character. Trouble also comes spiritually, turning into natural troubles because of our disobedience. People may blame God for the troubles brought on by their own sinful dealings but that results nowhere. On the other hand, those who repent, and those who also fully trust God, wherever the trouble comes from, then they will get God's gift of peace to them.

That men always ought to pray and not lose heart

Luke 18:1
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 

It is easy to lose heart when going through difficulties or when prayer seem to have gone unanswered after a very long time. When it seemed that God is not listening or not caring, people lose their trust in God that He will do good for them. God has His divine reasons and many times we don't get what we want. In Scriptures, God has promised some things to some people but not all things to all people. Nevertheless, we should keep praying and not lose heart, in case we may lose our faith.

And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one

John 17:22
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one

Personality is a mark of our inner spiritual man. It is that which is exposed outside reflection the person deep inside. When we are at one with God, Jesus is an example of this, our personality would be a reflection of the personality of God. Such a person would think of themselves, not as individuals, but as one in unity with God. This transformation will happen when we surrender to the Holy Spirit and be guided by Him.

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

Denying oneself is to deny our individuality. God created us with our individuality and we are all different yet special to Him. However our fallen nature has turned our individuality into a tool of rebellion. When we insist on doing things according to our ways, it is being individual and also it is rebelling against God. Instead, we are suppose to yield our individuality to God and choose His ways. Only then can we begin a spiritual life and walk with God.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman

Galatians 4:22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

We need to sacrifice the natural to gain spiritual. It is not because God designed it this way so that the natural has to be sacrificed to gain the spiritual. The natural itself is created by God. However, when sin entered the world, it has taken hold of the natural. Without sacrificing the natural sinful nature, we will continue to have a divided life. The natural life will continue to resist the life led by the Holy Spirit. The result of this is internal turmoil. So unless we discipline and sacrifice our life of sin, it will ruin our entire personal life with God.

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires

Galatians 5:24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Crucifying the flesh is giving up on the things that are sinful. Why does it have to be crucifying the flesh, which seems to be so dramatic? The reason is that sin itself is potently destructive. We cannot simply say we will give it up because we are much weaker and sin is much stronger. It needs great effort to be able to really remove the sins from our life and not fall into the trap again. So it is exactly right to say we need to crucify our desires and passion.

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified

Hebrews 10:14
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

God had only to sacrifice His Son once and that has atoned for the sins of humanity. But the individual still need to come into personal relationship with Him. It is not our feeling sorry that creates repentance and leading to salvation. It is all done at the Cross. Once we realize what Christ has done, this leads us to repentance and restored relationship with God our Father in Heaven.

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

2 Corinthians 7:10
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Sorrow at the old life and old self is the beginning of the journey of realisation of our sins. Then knowing that there is nothing we can do, but Yshua has done everything, will lead us to Him. This is repentance, where knowing that we have sinned, we try to change to the other way.  Also we cannot do this on our own. The Holy Spirit need to help us in this.

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth

Genesis 9:13
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 

God creates the rainbow as an everlasting covenant relationship with man, promising never again to destroy man with water as in the flood in Noah's time. God has already formed and established the relationship through Christ Jesus - Yshua. The sign is for all generations to accept. God does not need to keep showing Himself in all generations. He requires faith from us to believe in Him based on what He has done. So let us look at the many signs, including the rainbow and be reminded of God's promises.

You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word

Genesis 41:40
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”


Pharaoh had given the command that Joseph be ruler / administrator over all of Egypt. This follows Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream. The predictions had not occurred yet, but for reasons not stated, Pharaoh was totally convinced of Joseph's interpretation of the dream. The Egyptians are spiritual people in those times, and it could be that Pharaoh sensed the truth in Joseph's statements spiritually. From Joseph's point of view, his life of righteousness has finally been rewarded.

To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God

Revelation 2:7
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

It may be difficult to hear for those who are undergoing trials and temptations that we need them to grow. The things that we do not struggle for does not produce improvement in ourselves including our spiritual level. Our Lord Yshua has taught us to overcome and told us to be of good cheer. He is the ultimate overcomer, and will not let us face more than we can bear. So every step, we must overcome.

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words

1 Corinthians 2:4
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human[b] wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

Our preaching of the gospel to others need to come from our own knowing that the gospel is real. This is not just knowledge but a deep knowing of the reality. We can only do that when we sincerely believe of its truth and is living it out in our lives. Then human wisdom and presentation of the words itself is secondary because the power of God would take centre-stage when we preach from our own beliefs.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected

Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 

We have heard about the process of sanctification which we are suppose to go through when we belong to Christ and we mature. Sanctification itself is not the end goal, perhaps it can be thought of as a guide as to how we are walking with God - whether we are maturing or drifting. The end goal then, as always has been, is to be back in a relationship with God. It is about truly recognizing God as our Father and being restored to Him.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all

James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

The Law is complete and perfect. Mankind is fallen, and is not perfect. No one can be completely sinless except for one Yshua Massiach. Even the very good people will fail to obey God completely throughout their lives. The perfect law means that breaking any part of it is enough for God's righteous condemnation. So how is anyone going to live up to this. Admission of our inability to get right with God on our own is the first step. The next step is of course to except Yshua as our Lord, because He has paid the penalty for our sins when He went to the cross and gained victory over death.

But by the grace of God I am what I am

1 Corinthians 5:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

There are various things that Paul said in the Scriptures that may sound arrogant. Looking closely at those statements, instead of arrogance, it is actually confidence. And instead of self-confidence those statements are a reflection of his confidence in God. The thing to be most confident about is salvation and the fact that it is purely through grace. As Paul said, this is important for two reasons, so that no one can boast that they are good enough so they earned their salvation, also a gratitude towards God that it is given to us knowing that there is no way we can achieve that on our own. So we can claim confidently that we are saved and that we can do all things through Christ Yshua.

He will glorify me

John 16:14
He will glorify me

To ignore the death of our Lord Yshua and to ignore the meaning and significance, is not the kind of faith that will be useful. It is at the Cross, that His death and Resurrection reveal the power and glory of God Almighty. The work of salvation is finally done at the cross and nowhere else. This has enormous meaning for us because that is the only way that we can be saved. It is what makes the Christian faith real, not just wishful thinking.

Being justified freely by His grace

Romans 3:24
Being justified freely by His grace

The salvation we are given is by grace, meaning it is totally free. More so, we are incapable of earning or working toward it. It is something not easily accepted even at the subconscious level by some people. When people earn and work hard, they feel some sense of achievement and deservedness. However, salvation belongs to God and the only way is to come and accept it with the innocence of children.

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Again to continue with this verse, the focus is on our Lord Yshua. He is the best example of how we should live. He called us to be in this world but not be part of it. He showed us this by example, as He has no hesitation being involved with people whom society dislikes such as prostitutes, lepers, tax collectors and criminals. However, inwardly He is totally disconnected from all their sins. The religious people of all ages concentrate on what is good and who can join their group. Our Lord looks at all people and brings the message of God's Kingdom to all people, except those who deliberately choose not to hear Him. So we are to consecrate ourselves to God meaning live a God focused life, preach the Cross and His Kingdom and the miracle of salvation is God's gift.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Continuing with the same verse, the focus therefore is not on ourselves. Various modern sermons tend to concentrate on how believing and submitting to Jesus will enrich our lives. This has drawn large crowds of people back to the church - which is a good result. However, to produce true life-changing experience, the account of the Cross and the story of redemption by our Lord and Saviour must never be diminished. The focus of preaching should not be merely on the people's spiritual condition, but rather on the Cross because we are commanded to preach "Yshua Massiach and Him crucified".

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Paul has a deep understanding of Scriptures before he came to know Christ. When he encountered the Lord, all his doctrines made complete sense especially the work of our Lord on the Cross. This sacrificial work is a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others. Yet, when we go out and preach the gospel, the preaching of the work of the Cross must not be diminished in any way. To ignore what was accomplished at the Cross is to rob the Salvation message of its power and the whole reason that our Lord came to die for our sins.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters

Psalm 123:2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
So our eyes look to the Lord our God,
Until He has mercy on us.

This is a message about our reliance on God as we look to Him expectantly for help. The analogy used is between a maid and her mistress to show the case between us and God. The maid is looking upon the confirmation or approval or guidance from her mistress. She could also be tired and weary and also in a state of submission to her mistress. So too we should be toward God, instead of planning everything ourselves.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Every single thing is ordained or allowed by God - this follows from the fact that God is truly Almighty. So there may be many times and instances in life that we are doing mundane things but we cannot despise these simple things. We should not be glorifying church or mission work over the daily chores that people still have to do, including our own chores. Otherwise this can lead to spiritual pride or a sense of superiority by those who serve.

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do

John 17:4
I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

The last few words of our Lord Yshua on earth summarises His mission. From the beginning, He was destined for the Cross, because that is the only way that God could redeem sinful people. God's love itself does not redeem us, but is the motivation of what Yshua had to go through for us. When the work on the Cross was completed, mankind can now be redeemed back to God, as the sins have been forgiven for people, and had been transferred to our Holy Lord on the Cross.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. 

Forgiveness of sins by God must never be underestimated or made less relevant to anything else. We have forgiveness by God because of the terrible sacrifice of the Lord Yshua on the cross. The Lord Himself asked if there is any other way, knowing that terrible thing that He had to go through, yet there was no other way. It came at great price to God to redeem us. Keeping this in mind will help us not lose track in our walk with God.

He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment

John 16:8
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, He lives within us to tell us what is right and wrong in God's eyes. Before people receive the Holy Spirit, God has also built into man, a conscience knowing what God thinks is right and wrong. Having the Holy Spirit is much more because God Himself tells us and makes it clear His path. It is through the work of the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for us to renew our minds and renew our lives so that we live for the Glory of God.

John 8:36
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Freedom is a much spoken and fought for right over the last few centuries. For most of human history, freedom had not been a universal right. During the times of occupation and subjugation of the Roman Empire, the time when our Lord Yshua lived, he spoke of freedom and promised true freedom for those who follow Him. How can He promise to deliver freedom, unless He is the true ultimate highest authority. And the freedom He promises, is the true ultimate freedom for a human being.

Have not withheld your son, your only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply

Genesis 22:16-17
By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Incredible blessings has been bestowed upon Abraham when Abraham acted out his faith in allowing his only son, and through all God's promises would come, to be sacrificed. The extend of his faith is even more incredible when lokking at various circumstances. Firstly, the God he was serving, had never before asked for human sacrifice. Secondly, he knew somehow God would resurrect his son, even though that also had not been done before. Thirdly, all of God promises was based on Isaac and not any other son. So Abraham was a man shown to be totally trusting of his God. The promises of God came to pass for Abraham because he was obedient to God.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Do everything for the glory of God. How exactly can we do this? Sometimes the things that God wants us to do would not result in something obvious that others would shout and cheer about. Sometimes God's assignments can mean that the things we do would not even be welcomed by others. The only motivation should be thinking about God and how pleased He would be, this would lead to His glorification whether others could see it or not.

What is that to you? You follow Me

John 21:21-22
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

The risen Lord Yshua had just restored Peter and assigned him to "feed His sheep". Then Peter was concerned what would happen to another disciple. Sometimes we too may be concerned about the spiritual assignment that others have. Sometimes it may be due to unconscious envy or sometimes it is just curiosity and meddling in places that we should not have. God has assignments and plans which are different for everyone. It is enough to listen, obey and serve God the way that He intended, without wasting our thoughts on others unless God wants us to intervene.

As for me, being on the way, The Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren

Genesis 24:27
... As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

This is a passage where Abraham was dependent on the leading of God. He has matured to the stage that he no longer questions or debate with God, rather he hears God's guidance and follow. We too are suppose to live this way, how much more so since we have the Holy Spirit living in us to guide us. If we belong to Yshua, then and wrong deeds would result in a conflict within our spirit. Another warning for us is to not fall into the trap of religious traditions, but in anything we do, do it unto the Lord.

The Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

Galatians 2:20
...the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

This phrase is should be a big realization and motivation for us to a changed life. Thinking critically about the phrase, it consists of three parts. First, Jesus - Yshua is the Son of the Living God - who Himself is at One with God. Second - is the fact that Yshua loves us. Third, following from the first two facts, He gave Himself to us. Put together, these three facts should move us all to yield completely to Yshua. There is no other excuse, no other valid reason for anything else, no place for thinking about ourselves. This should be the reason to turn whole-heartedly to Yshua and abandon our rebellion and disobedience. And living a changed life, there should be nothing else that should lead us to fear and doubt.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Being in Christ means a new creation. This is what it means to be born again but more because we are meant to leave the old ways behind. Being a new person means we are no longer doing the same things or being tempted by the same things. This is difficult for some because we are living in the same world with the same circumstances. However the change is suppose to come from the inside, with the Holy Spirit.

Take now your son

Genesis 22:2
He said "Take now your son ..."

This is a great example of faith by Abraham of his God. For God asked him to sacrifice his only son (from his wife). What's more than just fatherly relationship is the fact that God has promised Abraham great blessings coming through this particular son. That would mean Abraham believed God that He can still fulfill His promise. It was written that God would be able to resurrect his son, even though such things was not recorded before. In essence, Abraham believed God greatly and did not question God or try to apply human logic.

Our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ

1 Thessalonians 3:2
and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith

Paul was sending Timothy to help with the establishment of an earlier church. Timothy was fully ready to be send out on God's work, just like Isaiah was when he responded to God's call to send him. Being in the service of God means yielding to His calling which may take us anywhere or anyhow He pleases. There is little room for our own plans. Unless we totally yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit, we may be lost in our own world of playing church.

For the sake of His body, which is the church

Colossians 1:24
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

Paul the preacher, teacher, evangelist, apostle empties himself and preached wholeheartedly for Christ. He would point to the person of Yehsua Ha Masiach. This is the same way we should reveal the gospel to others as it is. It is not about telling others of just a transformed life or the benefits or blessings. The core message of the gospel in the person of Yeshua needs to be conveyed. Ultimately it is God who would bring this message to bloom within the hearer and establish the Kingdom in their hearts.

The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered

Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered

The Holy Spirit does prayer Himself in us, this is the unutterable prayers that can be manifested outwardly in tongue. This is indeed a glorious occasion that God can use us as a praying vessel, praying for us when we don't know what to prayer. The other aspect of this is to remember that the Holy Spirit is living in our bodies which are regarded as the Temple of God. This is more reason for us to maintain purity in our bodies and not forget that our physical body is also called to be holy.

All things work together for good to those who love God

Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

This verse has usually used to comfort believers when they are in difficulty, facing struggles and hardships. In a more general sense it says that God is in control of everything. It is His providence rather than any coincidence that we are placed in any situation. We can always make use of the current situation and be a blessing for others, as we yield to God's providence.

Do you believe this?

John 11:26
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Martha had believed who Jesus is and that He had power from God. However, she was still set in her way of thinking that if his brother was to be healed, then he cannot die first. This is obvious to anyone. It would strectch anyone's imagination that Yshua could heal his brother after he had passed on. Yet walking with Yshua is faith in Him, that we should let go of any preconceived ideas and accept that God can do anything that we have not even thought of.

Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s suffering

1 Peter 4:13
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 

Yshua will show us various kinds of struggles in life and let us experience them sometimes. This may be for training us to deal with situations and to help people who encounter similar situations in future. This may be the opposite to the blessings that some believers are hoping for, but God has not promised us a trouble free life. In times of blessings, which there will be, thank the Lord, so that in times of trouble, we can also thank the Lord.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

God has told us what we need to do on a personal level through the prophets, and then through His only Son, Yshua. No one can push us towards knowing God and establishing a relationship with Him, except Yshua Himself. Perhaps this is where faith really comes in. For those who overcome this faith barrier, the effects would be amazing. No longer will they be under the domination of the world, flesh and evil. Drawing to God will enable us to join with God and tap into His redemptive power.

Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

This passage shows what being a Christian is supposed to be. Usually people introduce others to Christianity with salvation, which is true and essential. Once we accepted Yshua as Massiach and our Lord, then we are crucified with Him. Paul explains this crucifixion of self as being that we need to live our lives for Him. In other words, it is about doing His will, not our own will based on our plans and desires.

If you love me, keep My commandments

John 14:15
If you love me, keep My commandments

God never forces us to obey. From the Old Testament times, He presented His people with clear choices: obedience leads to blessings, disobedience leads to curses. God does not have to actively curse us, all He needs is withold His favour and this cursed world will have its effect on us. Jesus too usually begins His sayings with "if". The choice is still ours. However, if we belong to Him, we will be doing the right thing, and if we disobeyed and belong to Him, then we will feel rotten about it.

Do you not know that ..... you are not your own

Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that ..... you are not your own.

The man who says there is no God, usually thinks that he is his own man; or the other case is to think he is totally at the mercy of luck. However, those who know God, knows that He is sovereign. As such, all believers belong to God, and they are not their own anymore, but even this is difficult for believers to take on. It is only through surrender to God that we can become useful to Him. Situation may arise to cause inconvenience or problems, but knowing that we belong to Him, is a great way to get us through.

If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain

Matthew 17:20
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[d] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

In our initial walk with God, our little faith can more often been rewarded by confirmation from God. As we mature, God expects us to walk in stronger faith with Him and no longer need Him to show miraculous things. There will be trials of faith where we are put to the tests, and then there is also ordinary life itself which is usually a challenge to our faith because the natural world is different from God's world. Job is a good example of strength in faith - Job 13:15 - though He slay me, yet I will trust Him.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God

Hebrews 11:6
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Faith and commonsense are different dimensions and are not strictly exclusive to each other. One can exercise faith and still use common sense to test the faith revelations. Some things that Yshua reveals to us does not always make (common) sense, but there are some revelations that need to be tested. Faith itself is not based on reasoning but is based on the person of Yshua. We trust Him, and so we obey His commands, and believe what He says is true.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

It was God the Father's will that the Son Yshua went to the cross and paid the price of since for mankind. Yshua obeyed His Father's will and went to the cross. We are saved because of what He has done and by obeying Him as our Lord. Those who chose not to believe are still living in disobedience and hence are not saved.

We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son

Romans 5:10
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Our salvation is totally the result of Yshua sacrificing Himself on the cross and shedding His blood for us. From terminology sometimes such as need for repentance to be saved and so on, there is a danger that makes us think we have to do something and that leads to our salvation. Atonement has been accomplished for us, it does not depend on what we do including the act of following Messiah.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations

Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Making disciples can be understood in the following way. Usually we think this verse means to tell the gospel with the intention of converting others. However, to make disciples may also mean that the seed has sown, and that the people have already been converted to Christ by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. At that stage, they will be like newborn babes. God as the Father would want to see these new Christians being cared for, hence the making of disciples could well mean grooming new Christians by bringing them into lifelong discipleship of our Lord Yshua.

As the Father has sent Me, I also send you

John 20:21
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Missionary work is about obeying Jesus because He is the one who send us. He goes behind all those who carry out the work of God. It is important to be mindful that we are working for Jesus, and not about how successful we can win souls. It requires childlike obedience in general to follow the Lord and doing His work is no different. No matter how urgent the needs of others are, we cannot afford to forget the Lord.

I have become all things to all men

1 Corinthians 9:22
to the weak I became as[f] weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Paul has given himself totally to serving God. There was no prejudice in him nor choosing the way he wanted to serve God. He did not plan to preach to a certain group of people, in fact he would have preferred to preach to his own people, but God had appointed him to preach to the Gentiles. So as God calls us, all we need is to obey, instead of telling God to bless us once we have made all the plans for ministry.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Chris

2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

It is God who leads us to victory. The thanks and glory go to God, and that is something that should not be forgotten. There may even be a danger that after a great spiritual battle, after the victory, we are tired and want to celebrate the victory, then it is not difficult to forget who the orchestrator of that victory is. Hence after the victory, there is a danger of falling quickly. Giving thanks to God to whom the victory is due is only the proper response.

Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

God has made us into a new creation when we believe in Him. He made us righteous, when we accept that Yshua paid the price for our sins. We simply have to put our trust in Him, irrespective whether we consider God has provided us with blessings. It is also God's power that will enable us to overcome through the temptations of the old life.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit

Romans 8:16
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit ....

It is a supernatural revelation when God's spirit witness to our spirit. It is not through reason or understanding that we can accept His sacrifice for us, even though it may make logical sense. It is by the Witness that we fully accept what Christ has done for us, and start us on a journey that let us walk with Him. On our part, we need to ensure that disobedience is cast aside, and no presumption on what God should do for us, other than come to Him and He will give us rest.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith

Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith A commentator used this to write against the human nature of impulsiveness. He said that the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, making it look self-consciously foolish. Also impulsiveness is all right in a child but disastrous in an adult. All this is so true. Walking with God requires the practice of patience as oppose to impulsiveness. This is the practice to walk on dry land, in ordinary living, faced with tensions and opposition, being tempted in our moment of weaknesses. Yet we must somehow learn to overcome - only God can help us to this. Yshua - don't let us go.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification

1 Thessalonians 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification ....

It is clear what the will of God is for us. Salvation does not require us to gain favour or merit. Sanctification however, requires us to be careful of our living once we are saved. It is easy to fall down, living in a world that is increasingly against God. But God's will has not changed and we must strive to walk in His ways and focus on Him.

My kingdom is not of this world

John 18:36
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Our Lord Yshua explained that His kingdom is not of this world. In fact, His first coming was not to replace the earthly kingdom as many had hoped. Instead the Kingdom that He talked about would reside in the hearts of His believers. It is only through the change of hearts that Yshua could raise up His Kingdom. It is also an invitation to be part of His Kingdom because the alternative would come after Judgment, where there would be no more chance to enter into His Kingdom.

They went forth for His name's sake

3 John 7
... they went forth for His name's sake ...


Doing things for God's name sake is an important part of ministry. The efforts and works that is done need to be for God, and not ourselves. Keeping in this in mind ensures that we are working for the right purpose not just to satisfy something within us. Ultimately we are created to worship God, all work for ourselves becomes irrelevant, the only work that matters is for Him

The works that I do he will do also

John 14:12
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

The works our Lord Yshua mentioned in the passage above usually leads us to think about compassionate works or works in spreading the gospel, which is true. However there is another part of our Lord concerning the thing He always did on Earth is praying. So we too must emulate Him in this matter of praying.

Prayer is the thus the important work, not just as a supplement or tool to assist in our work. Its focus must be put at a higher level, so that we should be talking to God more and not be overwhelmed by the logistics of the physical tasks. Also our prayers need to be presented like a child, rather than a planning and rationalizing adult. And it does not matter what the circumstances are, whether we feel this is a good place to carry out God's mission or not - there is always a time for prayer.

Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest

Matthew 9:38
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

This simple statement highlights a very important instruction, when doing God's work. It is simply to prayer. The harvest is ready - as it had been ready two thousand years ago. The Lord has always prepared many people ready to accept Him at various times, but the workers are few. There are many types of good intentioned church sponsored work. However, the important thing in embarking in the work for God is still pray to Him to send us to the harvest or send the harvest to us, and pray that we will be ready.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins

1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Our Lord Yshua is the propitiations for our sins. The Lord commands us to preach the gospel. There are many other things that accompany our walk and ministry in His name. There is knowledge, theology, prophecy, healings, deliverance, worship songs and also many good works that can be done for the disadvantaged people. However, the core of this is the gospel which is the good news that Jesus Himself has paid the price of our sins.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth

Matthew 28:18-19
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

To obey and go on the mission directed by God, requires us to have Him always in mind. Namely, we must remember that we will be going in His Authority and since He is Sovereign, this is very powerful indeed. To know His authority, we need to know Him more ourselves, we need to be close to our Lord Yshua. One way of doing this is to abide in Him, that is to live according to His words and become a living witness to others.

He went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens

Exodus 2:11
Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren.

At the time when Moses struck the Egyptian in his youth, he may already had a sense that God called on Him to deliver His people. However, he had not learn to depend on God, and do it God's way yet. After that he had to spend over forty years away from Egypt as a shepherd. There are many things that can be said of his shepherding role, and the responsibility he would have later on the children of Israel. Also we are not told about his spiritual health during those forty years, but we can assume that he never left God, and welcomed God into his life at the end of those forty years. God had the perfect timing to mold Moses into the right person to deliver His people.

And Enoch walked with God

Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Believers are called to walk with God. This can only be done with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is not easy for our natural self to walk with God, but it is not impossible otherwise God would not have asked us to do so. A perfect example we can look to is Jesus Himself. As he taught us the secret, He only does what He hears the Father telling Him to do and not do the things the Father did not tell Him to do.

He stayed two more days in the place where He was

John 11:6
So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

In this passage, it appears that Jesus did not answer the request to come and save Lazarus in time. In fact it seemed that Jesus did not answer the request, and when He did come it was too late. We may have the same feeling when God is silent to our prayers. In this passage, Jesus went later and resurrected Lazarus, and it was all part of God's perfect timing. So God have reasons to remain silent to our prayers. Sometimes silent itself is the answer. Again, it is a challenge for us to keep the faith and even rejoice when we don't see any actions from God, because God has indeed answered.

Come to me

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

The invitation to simply come to Lord Yshua seems to simple. Sometimes people who are very ready to serve God may be expecting something great to accomplish or something challenging from the outset. So this simple command to come may be difficult to accept. On the other hand, people with still some evil strongholds in their life may be resisting this invitation to come to the perfect Lord. Yet we have our part to play, and that is to surrender in obedience when the Holy Spirit tells us to drop our worries and just Come to Yshua.

You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes

Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

One of these truths that are hidden from the wise and prudent is that the relationship with God is attained by obedience alone. It is not something that can be attained by lots of study, thinking and being careful or doing the right things. It is an instant that we decide to obey, then we walk in the light with God. The moment we disobey, we step out of obedience and walk in darkness.

Instruments of righteousness to God

Romans 6:13
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

We are only instruments of righteousness to God because we are made righteous by the blood of Yshua. We can never achieve that state of righteousness on our own and thus we can never be acceptable to God by our own efforts. But now that we are made righteous by the blood, we can present ourselves as holy, only then, we begin in the journey with God.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Our Lord Yshua took our place and became the sin for us. That is the individual sin of rebellion and disobedient nature in us. It is not about the wrong things that we do in many instances in our lives. Only God who is perfect Himself can be the perfect sacrifice. We cannot redeem ourselves - someone had to do it for us. The power of Yshua's work on the cross must be accepted by us and lived by us, not just knowing about it.

That I might preach Him among the Gentiles

Galatians 1:15-16
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,

God did something in us when we are saved, He put His Holy Spirit into us. Without this miracle no one could be saved. Jesus could have started the movement to preach the things about the Kingdom of Heaven, but no one could actually attained it unless He redeemed us, followed by imparting His Holy Spirit to us. Our original hereditary is one of sin, but putting His Holy Spirit into us marked us as redeemed. And though we may still sin, we continue to work out our salvation towards Yshua our absolute focus.

Jjust as through one man sin entered the world

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

A commentary gave a good and likely true perspective in Scriptures about, sin came to all man because of Adam's first sin; but it does not say that God punished all humanity. Rather the curse is the consequence of man's sin, that the perfect order of creation began to break down. A common misunderstanding for most people whether believers of Yshua or not, is that people think that the most important thing is to be good, and do good. So morality has become the pillar of false religions as well misguided forms of Christianity. What God is really interested in from the beginning, as seen from the Old Testament and Yshua's teachings, is obedience to Him and glorifying Him. Instead, the original cause of the sin, which is man's determination of his own destiny "I am my own god", magnifies through the cursed generations. So God has planned and executed the only way that man can be saved back to Himself, and that is through the believe and surrender to our Lord Yshua.

called to be saints

1 Corinthians 1:2
... to those who are ... called to be saints ...

God called people, it says in Scriptures many are called, it also says some are chosen. We don't need to spend time debating the words or the intentions of God. He usually reveal to us clearly what He wants us to know. From New Testament times, believers of Yshua have been referred to as saints. With all the imperfection, the ability to continue to sin, believers are still regarded as saints, because that is who we are in God's sights, those who are redeemed by the blood of Yshua. There is nothing we can do to earn this status from the true God, very unlike all the other religions which are false. On our part, having received what we don't deserve from God, we know that our only right response is to surrender our will to Him, let Him mould us to become the better person He intends for us, and being ready to help others when He brings people to us.

This kind of unclean spirit can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting

Mark 9:29
He said to them "This kind of unclean spirit can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting"

Yshua's disciples asked Him why they could not cast out the demons in the person. So they understood from Yshua that they were given the authority to cast out demons, there was no questions that they have the authority to do this, just as we today have the same authority. Their question was practical - why did it not work? So Yshua's answer to them is that this kind of powerful enemy agent, can only be defeated by prayer and fasting. It should be obvious to them that this is not simply religious prayer and fasting to any gods or idols that they chose. It is not a formula for supernatural power. Instead the command is to pray to God the Father, and do fasting to focus our minds on Him. The more powerful the spiritual battle or enemy, the more we have to draw from God the Father himself. It is not our own strength that we can rely on, but only by the power of God.

Have compassion on us and help us

Mark 9:22
And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

The context of this was the boy who was demonized and the disciples could not help him. Jesus started saying "O faithless generation". Was our Lord referring to His disciples or the crowd and scribes? In any case, we know Yshua and His power is real, but so too is our human weakness and lack of faith at times. Even those who have been very closed to Yshua could not fully exercise His authority due to their lack of faith or the crowd's lack of faith. No matter the case, we can be certain that Yshua is there for us to call upon when we are in need.

He was transfigured before them

Mark 9:2
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.

The supernatural experience of the Transfiguration may be the high point for anyone who experienced it. A commentator said that God will never allow us to stay there - that is equally true. Such wonderful experience may be a good faith and confidence booster, but it does not directly benefit anyone else. God will give good things to His children, but He also wants His children to feed His sheep. So God may empower us from time to time, but we are to live mostly through the natural world, with all its flaws, and bring the Good News to others.

Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ

Colossians 1:24
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 

Rejoicing in suffering is something unnatural for the normal or average person. The sound of someone rejoicing in their suffering brings confusion first, then perhaps a distaste. However, Paul has walked enough with God to know that suffering is not the important focus. Instead his goal was to empty himself and surrender to Messiah. Only then could he and can we live the way that God intended for us. It is in that state of surrender, then God will to mould us and use us for His Kingdom, which can mean to help others.

Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

1 Corinthians 9:16
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

Paul described his supernatural call by God to bring the Gospel to the world, first the Jews, then the gentiles. The call is an overwhelming force that Paul recognized and submits to it, in order for God to work powerfully through him. God chooses people according to His will, not based on people's merit or history. God will align circumstances to work out the calling and the mission. For the people, they still need to yield and surrender to God's will, so that God can make use of them.

whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven

Mark 10:21
1 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

This passage about the rich young ruler is not about wealth. It is also not about holiness and sanctification, as the young man has lived an almost perfect moral life. Jesus saw that there was something holding the man back. He offered him a choice to make, there was still a chance he might change. However, the man admitted defeat and did not turn toward Jesus for help. Jesus wanted the man to come to Him, depend on Him and surrender to Him, He was not looking for perfection in the man. It mentioned that Jesus looked at the man and loved Him, He did not turn the young man away.

Lord, I will follow You wherever You go

Luke 9:57
Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”

This particular man wanted to follow Jesus. However he had some personal matters to attend to, and it was to bury his father. In most circumstances, burying his father would take priority. In addition, given the obvious emotional state of the man after his recent lost, it would be understandable for the man to hold off his other duties and attend the mourning. This particular situation is deliberately recorded to emphasize there is nothing more important than Jesus Himself. When He calls us to follow, we must similarly leave all thing behind.

Remember that your brother has something against you

Matthew 5:23
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you.

God is quite serious with this command in Scriptures. The scene is of a person, presumably a committed believer, who comes to offer gifts to God at the altar. However, God's command is that this act of worship does not count much if there is still unforgiveness. The command is to simply stop before reaching the altar, when we remember that someone has something against us. Instead go and be reconcile with that person first, then return to the altar of God.

Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Matthew 5:41
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Our Lord Yshua demands few things from His disciples which seems very difficult to accomplish for us, based on our human nature. One such requirement is to be abundantly graceful and generous just like Himself. We can try very hard, but there may still be some resentment in our natural selves when we are too generous. It is only through God who can accomplish these things in us. Like all else, we simply need to surrender to Yshua and let Him work in us.

First be reconciled to your brother

Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Before we can be of good use to God, we must be in the right state in our spirit. No matter how earnest our intention is for God, and no matter how useful our work will be towards others, God is also interested in our own person. So to work for God, is to go in His name, He requires us to be clean. In one particular aspect of this involves the forgiveness of others. So we cannot truly represent God if we have unforgiveness towards someone no matter how small that is.

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem

Luke 18:31
Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

Our Lord Yshua has a clear idea of His ultimate goal right from the beginning - that is to go up to Jerusalem and all that follows. When we made Him our Lord, He becomes our only goal. Where he goes, we follow. "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his Master" (Matthew 10:24). The things our Master went through may also happen to us as we follow Him. So let us remain single minded in our goal - who is Yshua our Master.

You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am

John 13:13-16
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 

Yshua is both our Lord, Teacher and Master. He does not force and control us to do His will, but let us have  our own free will. On the other hand, He is also there in our times of trouble, even if we don't welcome His presence. The role of the Teacher and Lord is together, such that we who are His disciples are required to obey Him naturally and consistently, not out of anything else but because He loved us first.

Now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be His servant

Isaiah 49:5
Now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be His servant

We are created by God, even though it is done through physical biological process. Then we are also chosen for His purpose. This realisation that our created purpose is to glorify God leads to tremendous joy in the new discovery for those who really understand it. This will lead to a decrease in interests in worldly things and more focussed toward God. To deliberately go the opposite way is to bring many struggles for ourselves.

be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect

Matthew 5:48
be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Yshua asked us to be like Him in perfection. How can that be when He and us know that we are never really perfect as humans in this world. Yet it must be possible because He calls us to be perfect. This perfection is not the kind of human perfection that we can achieve. On the contrary it is God's perfection that is revealed in us. The way this is evident is through our love we have for others, just as Yshua has loved us - this is the means that the world may see God through us.

You are those who have continued with Me in My trials

Luke 22:28
You are those who have continued with Me in My trials

Our Lord Yshua is with us during our temptations. Are we with Him in His temptations? The next question may be How are we in His temptations? As we walk with God, the temptations that He faced would also come to us. As we are faced with the same temptations, are we walking even more closely with Him, so that we can draw upon Him and walk with Him through the temptations?

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Yshua is our High Priest who understands us because He was and is one of us. The temptations Yshua faced in the desert is different to that faced by unbelievers. The Enemy tempts us at our different levels and uses his craftiness. It will not be simple temptations to make us do things that are wrong, instead it is trying to shift our goals and focus away and before we know it, we could have fallen for the trap. As we get closer to God, the temptations changes to move us away from God.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Temptation itself is not sin and many of us need to be reminded of that. To be human means that we will be tempted. The temptation itself is different for different people, in fact it fits the nature of that person. The level of temptation is according to the level of control or inner nature of that person. It may confuse people, but it actually raises the awareness of what is good and bad. God allows us to be tempted to the degree we can bear and He walks with us through it.

temptation, overtaken, faithful, escape, bear

Pray to your Father who is in the secret place

Matthew 6:6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

God values our prayer when we prayer to Him, that means there is no reason we need to show others when we pray to God. Just like when we are talking with someone, we don't need to talk in front of other people that we are not directly talking to. To do so would be pretense. And God also values simple childlike prayer as Yshua has thought us, instead of repetitious religious sounding phrases. Finally prayer may include asking things, but those are supposed to be things which are consistent with the will of God, not just things that we want for our personal benefits only.

we have renounced the hidden things of shame

2 Corinthians 4:2
we have renounced the hidden things of shame

There are things in our lives which we may keep hidden from others, though they cannot be hidden from God. Hidden dishonesty or craftiness need to be renounced. They may come back again, even new ones are developed after we belong to Christ, so we must be watchful for these. God has called us to a high standard and we are to walk with Him in the standard He has set for us, so we keep improving.

the simplicity that is in Christ

2 Corinthians 11:3
the simplicity that is in Christ

We cannot think and reason our way out of spiritual difficulty. Spiritual matters don't always make sense to us. Instead of thinking, the answer is in obeying God. When we obey Him and do according to His will, then matters will work themselves out. At the end we may or may not see the reason behind it. But to spend our efforts thinking on the why of spiritual matters may be wasting our efforts.

I have finished the work which You have given Me to do

John 17:4
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do

Jesus has surrendered His will to His Father. We are called to do the same thing to God. Surrendering our wills involve a willful surrender on our own. It is not sometime that God will force onto us. When we come to that time when we happily surrender our wills, then we can be fully made use of by God. It is then that we become united with Jesus.

Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask"

Matthew 20:22
Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask"


Sometimes we may not understand God's response or the lack of it. We may be praying and things do not seem to come our way. Or that we may find things not changing and we are struggling with the same life. On these occassions, it is all the more important to hang on in there and trust in God. Never lose sight or faith in Him.

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet

John 13:4
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

Lord Yshua teaches us by example of how to serve and it includes the most common and trivial tasks. The example above is about washing people's feet. When we are ready and willing, God has already placed us in His perfect location, and can start using us for His glory. There is no perfect time and perfect place. God has appointed the correct time and place where we are and we should be ready to respond.

When you were under the fig tree, I saw you

John 1:48
When you were under the fig tree, I saw you.

God knows where each one of us is. In order to be useful for God, we are to worship Him in our personal life. Without learning to worship Him in our normal life, when challenges come, it will be hard to worship God and go through those challenges. Our private relationship with God will strengthen us and prepare

bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

2 Corinthians 10:5
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

Paul is teaching us to be disciplined in Christ. This is done by ensuring that our actions must be preceded by knowing that it is aligned with God's will. Many times are actions are either carnal or self-serving rather than serving God and others. Whether it is trying to overcome sin or trying to do God's work, it has to be brought before God to ensure that it is part of God's will. This can be done through prayer and confirmation, after renewing our minds.

Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God

2 Corinthians 10:5
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

The context of this is Paul addressing the Corinthians in how to fight the carnal nature. The believer still have this carnal nature which makes us walk in the flesh. However to overcome this, the instrument cannot be carnal, but must be through God. These carnal things exalts itself against the knowledge of God, leading to disobedience. We still have the ability to make choices whether we pick the moral choice or the opposite, which we know is against the knowledge of God.

Become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life

John 4:14
The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.

Yshua Mashiach is the Source of living water that we must keep focused on. When we are being used productively by Him, His water will flow through us. If the water does not flow from us, then we are blocking it and we are the problem. The imagery is that we will be sprouting like a fountain. The overflowing water is meant to touch others that we come to contact with.

He who believes in Me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water

John 7:38
He who believes in Me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

The analogy that can be used here is that of a river being the believer. Sometimes there can be obstacles in the path of the river. With God's caring for us, He will either take us around the obstacle or enable us to overcome it. As long as we keep looking up to God, the obstacle should not stop us at all. In this way, we can be used to be living water for others where God Himself is the source of the river.

They were Yours, You gave them to Me

John 17:6
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

The realisation that we are not our own is the beginning of a new life in God. We have been bought with the price of Yshua's blood. However not everyone who are saved has the realisation that we completely belong to Him, and our actions reflect this. For those who realise that we no longer belong to ourselves, then the begin to pour themselves out for others. This is the beginning of living the new life that Messiah has intended for us. Only then can we be effective witness and workers for Yshua's Kingdom.

Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord

2 Samuel 23:16
So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord.


This Scripture is when King David expressed his desire to drink water from enemy held territory and his servants, out of their own initiative, went through great risk to get the water for him. Far from being ungrateful and unthankful, David's action was motivated by His consideration of God.

When we do receive blessings, especially those which we really like, do we then keep it to ourselves for only our enjoyment? David showed how he poured the blessing back to the Lord. His love for God is greater than anything else. It is only through pouring our blessings for others to benefit that they can see God through us. Another danger is that keeping the blessing to ourselves can turn into lust.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water

John 7:38
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

This verse is more than a description of the blessings that will come to the believer. It focuses on the blessing the believer will become for others because out of him, water will flow to provide for other people's needs. This is when God makes us to become like Himself, just like He has poured and emptied Himself for the people and continuously get refreshed again. So we too are being molded in that fashion to enable us to sacrifice ourselves for others' sake.

Be holy, for I am holy

1 Peter 1:16
.. because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

God's ultimate desire is to have us be together in oneness with Him. So He had to save us first, so that we can be righteous again and then to make us holy. Being holy is not the condition of joining the heaven club, rather it is a transformation which must take place in every believer. While on earth, there are many interests that will take our attention away and influence us away from holiness. So the first step is to accept that we are supposed to be holy and then to learn not to tolerate anything that influence us into unholiness.

My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full

John 15:11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

Most of us associate joy with happiness, so it may be surprising to learn that this is not necessarily the case, nor is there even a strong correlation sometimes. The joy of Yshua is to do His Father's will. This did not always result in pleasant outcomes, especially towards the end when He was crucified. Yet He counted this as joy. So our joy need to be similar and the source of our joy is Yshua. Circumstances may cause trouble for us, but our walk and oneness with God shall produce a joy in us that non-believers would not understand.

Rejoice because your names are written in heaven

Luke 10:20
Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather[f] rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

When we are doing good service for God, whether it is miraculous healings, deliverance or normal church services, we may fall into a trap of thinking we are useful for God. However, it is more important to have a right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification. This is of greater value than how useful we are in service for God. When we walk in His light, it will be natural that He will use us for His purpose.

Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?

John 11:40
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

God says that when we believe we will see His glory. It is easy to believe when we are at a spiritual high, when everything seems to be going well. However, when there is serious troubles, then that is where our test begins. It can either strengthen our faith or kill it. "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Matthew 11:6). Furthermore, it appears that when we step out in faith, then things happen which causes us to struggle and our vision blurred. This is the time when we need  to have absolute trust in God, since he would not forsake us.

Lord, teach us to pray

Luke 11:1
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

One of the popular misconception is that prayer is only about asking God to give us things. This is similar to what other religions promote about their idols. However, the prayer to the Creator, Lord, Father of All is much more than that. There is no denying to the aspect of prayer where we can ask God and He will give like a Good Father, but there is much more.

Prayer is getting in touch with the Father via the Holy Spirit. It is talking to God, and maintaining that relationship, otherwise it will grow cold and we would lose touch with God. It is to nourish us, to build our character, to acknowledge our lack and hence dependence to God. A commentator said, "prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person's inner nature."

Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you

John 12:35
Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

At one point, our Lord told His disciples that He will not always be with them. Even though God is present everywhere, there are times when we need to walk alone. So rejoice in the presence of God, and sanctify ourselves as much as we can while we are in a spiritual high with him. The Holy Spirit is always with us. Yet there will be darkness, and yes we can depend on the Holy Spirit, but we need to build a relationship with Him and learn to hear His voice. So that during the dark times we are still in touch with Him.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid

Matthew 14:27
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Our Lord Yshua promises to give us peace. That peace is unlike any other peace that we find anywhere else. There are certainly much troubling things in the world, which seems to increase every day. Apart from Yshua, the only other peace that people can get is if they are ignorant about the things around them. Given that this is not possible, and the evil is affecting more people, the only peace that works is that given by Yshua. We have to come to Him as we are, and confess our sins, then totally dependent on Him. Then we can look on His face and His peace will surround us, as all confusion is replaced by the confidence in Him.

But I have called you friends

John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 

Our Lord Yshua calls us His friend. This is extraordinary to most people, even among the people of God, but it should not be too surprising for those who really know God. Back in the Old Testament days, we already see God making a few people his friends and they were not close to perfect people anyway. The two great examples are Abraham and Moses. As part of this friendship, the relationship would involve self-sacrifice. This also means obedience to God, on the people's part. One aspect of this obedience would be to seek out God's will in the various things in our lives and not just fulfilling our own desires.

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Matthew 7:9
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

A commentator approached this particular verse which may stir some controversy. Nevertheless it is worthwhile examining this point. We are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Yshua the Masiach, and the faith itself is a gift from God. So it is clear we can do nothing to gain any kind of worthiness. Having said that, a view is that only those walking in the light, which means living a life of obedience, can be described as good children and hence receive good gifts from God. If we are not receiving the good gifts, then we should examine what we are doing wrong. Before jumping in accusation that this is a kind of prosperity gospel, we should be looking inwardly at ourselves. We are told to examine ourselves and correct any wrongs. These may be unforgiveness, anger, lust, and a variety of sins that afflict believers and non-believers alike. Constantly search and correct ourselves, and then ask for the good things according to His will, and the Father will supply and reward His children.