Posted by: thaishin | September 7, 2015

His own brothers did not believe Him

John 7

5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.  -kjv

5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.  -niv

5 (For not even His brothers believed in Him.)  -hcsb

Observations and Comments:

  1. Jesus’ own brothers doubt Jesus’  professions and teachings.
  2. People who are familiar with Jesus’s background growing up as a boy turned out to be the most resistant to his teachings and professions. This is probably true as a person tries to evangelize to his/her closest kins.
  3. Miracles performed by Jesus or the news of them did not persuade his brothers to believe either.
  4. For James, it took a personal resurrection to convince him as in 1 Corinthians 15:7

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Posted by: thaishin | August 31, 2015

The cursed fig tree

Mark 11

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.  -kjv

12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.  -niv

12 The next day when they came out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 After seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to find out if there was anything on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples heard it.  -hcsb

Observations and Comments:

The horticulture aspect of this passage is that one will expect to find fruits on the fig tree as the fruits will usually appear first before the leaves. The fig tree in this case has leaves but no fruits, meaning it is barren. The context of this is in reference to the chief priests and the scribes and the elders challenging Jesus’ authority. The cursing of the fig tree is actually scolding the priests and scribes for their religiosity without any spiritual fruits. Hence, Jesus cursed the fig tree. Learned this from OpenLine Moody Radio last Saturday.

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Posted by: thaishin | August 23, 2015

Four ways to die in our sins

Just heard from John MacArthur that there are four ways to die in our sins:

  1. Live self-righteously
  2. Be worldly and live according to the values of the world
  3. Be unbelieving
  4. Loving our own sins

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Posted by: thaishin | August 17, 2015

The Holy Spirit guides us to know the truth

John 16

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: …  -kjv

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. …  -niv

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. …  -hcsb

Observations and comments:

  1. This verse is in the context of the passage on the Holy Spirit convicting the world about sin, righteousness and judgment.
  2. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth and he will guide believers to know the truth. When someone speaks a lie, it is definitely not from the Holy Spirit but from Satan for Satan is the father of lies.
  3. Believers should speak the truth in love but not love at the expense of truth.
  4. The verse says Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, not partial truth but all truth.

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Posted by: thaishin | August 10, 2015

King Menahem

2 Kings 15

16 Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.  -kjv

16 At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.  -niv

16 At that time, starting from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were in it, and its territory. Because they wouldn’t surrender, he attacked it and ripped open all the pregnant women.  -hcsb

Observation and comments:

The times during the kingdom of the ten tribes is often marked with cruelty and murder, notably here the murder of the pregnant women of the city of Tiphsah by Menahem. Menahem was a cruel king. Just because the citizens of Tiphsah did not yield to him, he did all the atrocities as described above. Yet we noticed that full retribution did not come immediately after the deed, only that the King of Assyria invaded his land. Pul, the Assyrian king was only to be bribed by Menahem of 75,000 pounds of silver and withdrew from the land. We see God is merciful to Menahem and granted him ten years of reign as king and granted him a restful burial. Menahem reigned until 742 B.C.

Murder was what Menahem son of Gadi did to king Shallum son of Jabesh to grab the throne of the ten tribes and yet we see God is merciful to him. The God of Israel is long-suffering but judgment will be what awaits King Menahem after his death.

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Posted by: thaishin | August 3, 2015

Forgiveness from God is conditional or is it?

Matthew 6

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  -kjv

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  -niv

14 “For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing. -hcsb

Observations and comments:

Here, the verse is appearing to say that forgiveness from God is conditional on our forgiveness of other’s trespasses against us. This line of reasoning is in alignment of where our performance earns favour from God. Reasoning behind this: Our performance of forgiveness of others brings us God’s forgiveness. If we don’t perform forgiveness, God will not forgive us. But God is love. If He loves us, will he not also forgive us? Maybe this can be answered by the question, if we love God, then would we not forgive others also since God has also forgiven us? This brings me to the verse 1 John 4:8 which says that the one who does not love does not know God. If we do not know God, we are not God’s children. So, if we do not forgive then we are not God’s children. It means that if we belong to God, we are to forgive but not because we obey it as a rule but because we love God. Does it mean we are expected to forgive? It certainly does not seem helpful if we are expected to because the expectation can be a harsh driver without leading to true forgiveness from us.

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Posted by: thaishin | July 27, 2015

What about them?

1 Corinthians 3

1And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  -kjv

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.  -niv

1 Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ.  -hcsb

Observation and comments:

Here, Paul is addressing the Corinthians as fellow brothers and sisters. This means that Paul believes that they are saved. However, Paul calls them carnal. This means that their values and behaviours are still worldly. Paul calls them as babies in Christ and says they are not ready for solid food yet. I think we should love the carnal christians in our lives with our words and our actions applying grace and truth, hopefully winning them over to the side of Christ. Nobody knows who is truly saved except God and we leave the things of God to God. We can only try to be a good witness.

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Posted by: thaishin | July 20, 2015

Planting, watering

1 Corinthians 3

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  -kjv

7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.   -niv

7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 Now the one planting and the one watering are one in purpose, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  -hcsb

Observation: The laborer will receive the reward according to his own labor and we cannot measure that labor with specific metrics because that work is the laborer’s own efforts mingling together with divine intervention because it is the Holy Spirit that cause a person to believe in Jesus. Thus, it is God who is going to decide on the extent of the rewards. Any comments from you guys?

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Posted by: thaishin | July 12, 2015

The original languages of the book of Daniel

The book of Daniel was written in 2 languages, namely Hebrew and Aramaic. Daniel chapter 1,8 to 12 was written in Hebrew. Daniel chapter 2 to 7 was written in Aramaic. The original languages in which Daniel was written represents the structure of the book. Chapter 1 writes about how Daniel, a godly person, lived in the times of the gentiles. Chapter 2 to 7 writes about God’s sovereignty over the times of the gentiles, with these chapters emphasizing a time of ungodly world domination but God is still ruling from His throne, that is why it is written in aramaic, the language of the world. Chapter 8 to 12 writes about God’s people in the times of the gentiles, what God is saying to Israel about the future days in the times of gentiles.

Above paragraph taken from Today in the Word Radio, titled the God of power and wisdom part 1 on July 8, 2015 on moody radio.

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Posted by: thaishin | July 6, 2015

Widow of Zarephath

1 King 17

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.  -kjv

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what theLord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”  -niv

13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.”  -hcsb

This is a conversation between Elijah and the widow of Zeraphath.

Context: God has declared through Elijah that famine will be upon the land of kingdom of the ten tribes under the seventh king,  King Ahab,  for years. This is punishment for the inhabitants of the land for worshipping Baal. Hence, the widow has little to eat in the famine.

We see that the blessing of God was extended to the widow but she has to give first. She has little bread left but she still has to give up some of it first before she can be blessed. This is one of the mechanism through which how blessings come about. In giving we receive more. Though God is not limited to work through this mode alone.

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