1 Chronicles Overview Part 3 - Meticulously Read The Bible and Meticulously Test and Approve To Overcome Enemies Inside and Outside)

 

Not one or two enlightenments, but steps

=>

Purpose -> Steps (Initiative) (Meticulously Read The Bible / Test&Approve Perfect Will) -> Perfect Will of God

 

1. Blessed Genealogy

1) JX's Genealogy

2) Central to those with promise

3) I am in the midst

=> All possessions become a different colour

 

2. Blessed David

1) Without name or tribe (Who would have thought?) -> Know the promise (not exaggeration)

2) Gather around centering on David (everything adjusted for Joseph)

3) Warriors (30 persons) -> Set the trend/culture

* Not exaggeration but the truth

 

3. Reason for David's Blessedness

1) Central to God (because you know your own weaknesses the best) -> Ark of Covenant (Promise) Place in Most Holy Place

2) Central to Prayers (David sought out why he failed the 1st time) -> God listens to people who knows how to put promise in the centre (Daniel, Ezra, ..)

3) Central to Tabernacle -> Morning/Evening prayers as preparations to build the temple -> able to decipher dreams (perfect will)

 

1) Failure (Do not accord to the law)

2) Method of Success (Law of Moses)

3) Evidence (subjective fulfillments - not to be taught)

 

4. David's Victory

Will you meticulously read the word of God when it is time for relaxation?

1) Enemy inside

Problems -> *Answer

Fear -> Joy

Accusations -> Thanksgiving

Inferiority -> Boast

Poverty -> Abundance

Hurt (hatred) ->

Discouragement -> Vision

*Secret = when you find the above wrong things manifesting inside you, do not let them remain (because what is worse is accusations through conscience of past wrongdoings) -> Die -> Picture

2) Enemies outside

=> Rely on the Holy Spirit (not just doing by events happening)

 

5. Build the temple (Expansion vision)

 

 

Is our family not right? Is our job not right? Only if we accept them, then we will see the works of God. However, God tells us to live a life with steps of victory. We have to live with an eternal view first. Every morning, we have to receive prayer topics. Grabbing on to these prayer topics, we continue to see these being fulfilled in the day, and at night, we review the plan of God in fulfilling the prayer topics. This is then the Christian living becomes alive. However, many Christians just want to receive one or two enlightenments. The joy that I have is not receiving such enlightenments, but to see that God loves me, and that the things I pray for have fulfillment. If we do not receive this, you will only receive the words and wisdom of mine on the pulpit in Discipleship Training, and you will only be bigheaded. This is what I fear, that you will be forever receiving, but never understanding. Slowly we lose the love of God, and the love to men; and our Christian living becomes more and more complicated and dry.

 

Purpose

 

You must surely pray in the morning. You must discover your purpose in the morning.

 

Steps (Initiative)

 

When you receive the purpose from God, God will give you the steps. If you receive the purpose, you will surely receive the steps. For example, in the morning, you prayed for your child. However, he became more naughty. Then the steps of God are to learn how to teach your child in such a situation. If you go to work with prayers, but meet with difficulties in the job, remember that you have become Joseph. Immediately you will see fulfillments. If say you do not have a good night's sleep and have bad dreams, your morning may be bad. Then when you wake up, proclaim that you are not poor but rich. Then go from there. If our morning prayers are not done well, we live like a failure not knowing the guidance of God. Then what happens after one full day is gone? Do you know what I hate most about the traditional churches of this era? They pray, yet live their own lives. They come for prayer meetings to pray so earnestly, yet do as they wish, forgetting everything.

 

There is initiative in God steps to us. If I tell you that there is problem in one of the equipments in the church, and everyone just goes and attends to that, this is not initiative. There is surely the perfect will of God in every situation. Read in detail and test and approve God's perfect will in detail. God has a lot of workings in everything. If we just do things or hear the word of God only because we are coworkers, you will lose all sensitivity in God.

 

Perfect will of God

 

If you cannot see the perfect will of God, you will surely be a little bit in sorrows. When I hear that Meifeng's child has been sick for a month, the next day, I immediately will receive the voice of God to pray for her and will strengthen her in her job search. If I serve the Lord and feel tired, yet see my coworkers not being tired, God will ask me to come and pray.

 

1 Chronicles talks about this. It all points to David, that we must test and approve the perfect will of God in detail.

 

 

1. Blessed Genealogy <1-9>

 

1) Jesus Christ's Genealogy

 

2) Central to those with promise

 

Adam - Noah - Abraham - David - Jesus Christ

 

3) I am in the midst

 

If my name is in the midst, the conditions, possessions I have will all have different colours. Others may think that this is a normal job, but it will be converted to being a very important job. Why do we think first about my conditions not being good, so that people do not like me or gather around me? No, but first, our hearts and minds are already knowing that we are in the midst of Jesus Christ's genealogy, therefore, all the things we have are different.

 

 

2. Blessed David <10-12> = 1, 2 Samuel

 

Actually 1,2Samuel and Ruth all talks about David.

 

1) Without name or tribe

 

David started as a shepherd. Perhaps at first, David thought that he was insignificant. Who had ever thought that Choo Chisan, who studied in Bedok View Secondary which was full of gangsters, has now become a pastor? Who was Jesse? He was a nobody. And who had thought that the youngest son of Jesse became the king of Israel. Who had thought that because of one person called David, the tribe of Judah was exalted, the names of Jesse and Boaz became alive? People will come and research on their roots and come to that conclusion. If a durian is so delicious, people will seek out the tree and give it a name, and breed them. Do not think about other things. The crux is in the promises of God.

 

The churches have a culture. Why do some have dead worship? If City Harvest Church talks about the law, many churches will follow. If there is no one that is better than the others, they will just follow the one that seems to have the lead. Church music and messages all have a root in their culture.

 

If you have the promise, you will conquer the whole world.

 

Know the promise

 

There is only one condition. This is that we only look at ourselves with importance because Jesus Christ is in us (blessed), and that the promises of Christ are with us.

 

If we have the message, we will not need to be a "poser". Jesus Christ told the fishermen, "You will be fishers of men." I find that there is not a need for exaggeration at all if this is the truth. I continue to challenge Pastor Xueling that she is to conquer this era of churches. How can we think that we are a small engineer, or a small pastor?

 

When David was blessed, from Solomon till the 20 kings thereafter were all recorded down. This is the truth.

 

2) Gather around centering on David

 

If you restore the word of God, your words that convict people will remain. I do not aim to be famous, but that the kingdom of God be expanded. But how can such a name be hidden? I received a lot of convictions especially in preparations on the story of Joseph for Sunday school. Look, because of Joseph, the vegetation were abundant, the climate changed, and the dreams of Pharaoh changed. Only that you have such experience would you become like Jesus Christ. This is the standard of Jesus Christ.

 

3) Warriors (30 persons)

 

Do we read the bible like this before? Why do we youngsters follow the trend of the world? We must set the trend. Sometimes, it seems that we must learn the ways of the world like Daniel in Babylon because the world is so strong. However, that is not the main thing. The main thing is our perspectives are on His promises.

 

God's word says that this is not exaggeration. This is the truth.

 

 

3. The Reason of David's Blessedness (13-17)

 

However, can everyone be like David? Can we live as we wish and one day become like David so that people gather around you? No!

 

Chapters 13-17 are the most important emphasis of 1Chronicles. Ezra emphasized that if we get the blessedness of David, we will be in the centre of everything.

 

1) Central to God

 

One will know one’s own weaknesses better than anybody else. Why do we walk our own ways? This is because we are proud. If we walk our own ways, we are easily influenced by the words of people. It is so painful. Therefore, since we know so well, be central to God.

 

Promise = Ark of Covenant

 

This is the word of God. The Ark of Covenant is placed in the Most Holy Place. The center of the world is Israel, and the center of Israel is Jerusalem, the temple, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Therefore, this is the reason why David spent such a great effort in heart, soul and mind to bring the Ark of Covenant to the Most Holy Place. Greatest emphasis was placed on this in 1 Chronicles. Do not look down on this.

 

2) Central to prayers

 

This is where David was different from other believers. The first time, David failed. He tested and approved in detail and discovered that he did not abide by the Law. Some Christians fail and remain discouraged, and have left their souls to the dust. However, David was different.

 

David held on to Abraham's promise. "Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars and sand in the sea." With that, Abraham continued to hold on to this word every time he set up an altar. Even when the womb of Sarah was barren, God would open it up when the time was ripe. When the time was ripe, the Red Sea would open, and the land of Canaan would be conquered.

 

Who is like Daniel and his 3 friends, Mordecai, Ezra, and Nehemiah? They moved the whole Israel. For example, if this period, all the churches praying in Singapore, ask for revival of the churches and the uprising of workers to be sent out to the fields, will God hear? Yes. But how will God listen? All Israel were praying for the return of Israel, but did God hear? God heard only Daniel, his 3 friends, Mordecai, Ezra, Nehemiah. God hears the people who know how to put the promise in the centre. This is the method of God. God does not use the most intelligent person. We must really listen in detail now and know the reason.

 

Therefore, we must not come to meetings because I am the coworker of the church. Do not ever think of this! Take note!

 

Okay, we have attended Discipleship Training. What is the next step? We have to restore prayers, and then we come to restore evidences. Realize that once you come for Discipleship Training, you cannot stop. If you come for Discipleship Training without thinking of coming again, the word of God will become a cane to you as you have the truth of God.

 

3) Central to Tabernacle

 

Why does Singapore raise the flag in the morning every day? It is to show that we Singaporeans are “alive” and Singapore is "alive" to us. In the same way, we live central to the tabernacle, which is being central to the church. David has a heart after God. Therefore, every morning and evening, David prepared his life.

 

David wanted to build the temple, but God told him not to. Instead, he told him that his covenant would be everlasting from Solomon onwards. David did not stop there, but made preparations for Solomon to take up this important task.

 

Have you realized why Joseph was able to explain dreams? Actually dreams are like a vision, the vision of 4 gospelizations. From how I interpret the bible, interpreting dreams is like interpreting the perfect will of God. Winnie, God says that your children are blessed. However, with one at 11 years old, another at 5, and another at 4 years old, what is God's perfect will for each and every one of them, who have different personalities and different age groups? Your job is guaranteed by God to have no problems. However, what are the steps following? Interpret this dream.

 

I discover that Christian living is very simple. We just need to have an upright spirit, and a spirit of unity.

 

 

1) Failure (When David did not accord to the Law)

 

2) Success (By the Law of Moses)

 

Law =

 

(1) Jesus Christ

 

Jesus Christ is the most perfect image of God.

 

(2) Meet God (Emmanuel)

 

We do not know who God is, but with the likeness of Jesus Christ, who is Emmanuel, we will know who God is, and will not be accused for our whole life.

 

(3) Know ourselves

 

I am the most important and honourable.

 

(4) Perfect Will (Step)

 

(5) Ask (Submit)

 

If you want to succeed, you must know the law. The law is the procedure above.

 

3) Evidence

 

I talk about the law of God without boredom because I have gathered a lot of evidences inside it. However, I cannot explain my experiences because everyone's situation is not the same. I have to use the objective teachings for you all to learn about God.

 

The first and everything is that Jesus is the Christ. And only when one has met God, there is no need to remain accused and be inferior. He has known his true self. With that, he can then pray because he has the law in him. Do you know why some prayed and received, but some prayed yet do not receive? God hides a lot of things. If we have known the law, we will need to know that Jesus is the Christ, use that to meet God, understand who we really are, and will surely know the perfect will of God. Then whatever we asked, we will surely receive.

 

 

Passage Reading: 1 Chronicles 18

 

1Ch. 18:1 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

1Ch. 18:2 David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought tribute.

1Ch. 18:3 Moreover, David fought Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when he went to establish his control along the Euphrates River.

1Ch. 18:4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

1Ch. 18:5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.

1Ch. 18:6 He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.

1Ch. 18:7 David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem.

1Ch. 18:8 From Tebah [Hebrew Tibhath, a variant of Tebah] and Cun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles.

1Ch. 18:9 When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,

1Ch. 18:10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze.

 

David had no more enemies.

 

1Ch. 18:11 King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.

1Ch. 18:12 Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

1Ch. 18:13 He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.

1Ch. 18:14 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people.

1Ch. 18:15 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder;

1Ch 18:16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech [Some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Sam. 8:17); most Hebrew manuscripts Abimelech] son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary;

1Ch. 18:17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief officials at the king’s side.

 

Look, David had a very good system. When the church is raised up, the system is organized too.

 

 

 

4. David's Victory

 

When everyone is watching TV during their time of relaxation, only a few will want to read the word of God in details. When people are in problems, there are few who seek for answers.

 

1) Enemy inside our life

 

I discover that men are always in guilt. They give excuses when something goes wrong, and when it is discovered it is their fault, they will say, "So what do you want to do with me?"

 

If someone is like David, who continues to test and approve the perfect will of God, he will be able to overcome all the enemies in his life.

 

Problems -> *Answer

 

Fear -> Joy

Accusations -> Thanksgiving

Inferiority -> Boast

Poverty -> Abundance

Hurt (hatred) ->

Discouragement -> Vision

 

I discover that there is only one secret for a saint. If he discovered that he had done something wrong already, he should not let the guilt continue to flow inside. Sometimes, I do not like a person's expression or how the words were spoken. However, I will not let this influence my prayers, such that Satan comes and stand at my gates. What is worse than the problems above is the accusation of Satan before all these problems appeared as above.

 

Men have a conscience. When we meet with a problem, we will surely have some first reactions. If your child is naughty, you will think whether we have some evil nature not solved in yourself. If you are in poverty now, you will think if you have cheated someone before. If we cannot solve this problem inside, we will not be able to live now. Sometimes when we lead the church and the church does not respond, I will think about the past of how I rebelled against the former church. However, what is worse is that we are accused to the core. What is in the past has gone. If we just leave the problem inside, we will not overcome the enemy inside us. Some Christians think that they have to return debts. Do not only have such a view. This is the philosophy of Buddha if we think this way. There is a greater plan of God.

 

Not died yet

 

Another word to say this is that we have not died. Jesus Christ said that those who want to die will live, and those who want to live will die. When you enter the battle knowing that you are ready to be dead, the courage is in comparatively, strong.

 

Picture

 

Do you have the picture that continues to pull you on? Some charismatic leaders tell people, "Have you seen a lot of money in front of you? Continue to see and you will get that." This is correct, but also incorrect. If you understand it by the 4 gospelizations, it is correct. If you look at it by your own indulgence, to live as you wish, then it is incorrect, and it is just a daydream.

 

2) Enemies outside

 

David overcame the Philistines and they helped him. Moabites were overcome and they gave tributes to David. Arameans were overcome and they became David's friends. If you do not overcome, even your parents will be your enemies.

 

There are some Christian books who tell people how to live their marriage lives, to give your spouse a kiss before going to work, to wash the utensils in the morning and in the night. But they neglect the spiritual things, which give the very sources of strength to do so. If one has spiritual problems, he or she will not notice the physical actions. Of course, these physical things are required, but I want to emphasize on relying on the Holy Spirit to do.

 

Rely on the Holy Spirit

 

When we communicate with our coworkers or brothers and sisters, rely on the Holy Spirit. My mother scolded me in the past, "I tell you to keep the newspapers and you only keep that, and you leave everything else messy." If you realize that the singspiration at the worship service is not good because not a lot of people are around singing, then the works of God is for all to come together early to sing. However, I am not trying to tell one thing, and you only do this very thing. Surely God will convict you, right? I discover that God does not tell a lot of things, but in the examples He has given us, He want us to know and understand the whole picture. I am trying to tell you about how to have initiative.

 

Do you know that the property prices have recently risen by 60%? In the past, when we rented this place, we felt so bad having to pay $2500 per month. However, it is now proven. Of course, we cannot just use this evidence to say that we have chosen this place as church's premise correctly. We are not gods, but we are still men. We just rely on the Holy Spirit to do things. God wants to search for such people.

 

 

5. Build the temple (Expansion vision)

 

Passage Reading: 1 Chronicles 22

 

1Ch. 22:1 Then David said, “The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

1Ch. 22:2 So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God.

1Ch. 22:3 He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed.

1Ch. 22:4 He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

1Ch. 22:5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

 

David did so in details for God. Some says that I do not know the will of God. Of course, this has to be with his timetable. However, when someone is more mature, he should know more and more.

 

Why did David want to build the temple? This is so that Israel can have a place to do morning and evening prayers to meet God. I discover that being a pastor in other churches is so simple, because they lead only 2 meetings per week. I had a peak of 7 meetings a week. What is the meaning of building the temple?

 

1Ch. 22:6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel.

1Ch. 22:7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God.

1Ch. 22:8 But this word of the LORD came to me: `You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight.

 

Some people cannot do better than being an elder in his life. However, because of their love for God, their children can be great pastors. David loved the Lord even from the very corner of his heart and did not want to get everything for himself.

1Ch. 22:9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, [Solomon sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for peace.] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.

 

Look at the vision. In David's days, there was even a choir singing 24 hours. If we only do the work of God here and there, let us not do. It cannot do if we just want a simple church out of the message we have now. God knows our very heart. If we only become famous, that may last 10 years, but what is the crux that will last?

 

Taken from Discipleship Training on 7 September 2007, 1 Chronicles Overview Part 3.