2 Chronicles Overview Part 5 - Seven Worships
Do we have vision, to be a preacher of this era, from the Lord Himself? A preacher is already recognized from the start.
Nations prepared treasures that we do not have to come to us to check things out
-> churches come, faint and praise the Lord at the Emmanuel message and evidences
-> source of blessings to bless them even more.
Anointing, wisdom and evidence of Solomon:
1) building up of the temple, that integrates practicality (family's one heart, serving's liveliness, profession promotion)
2) heart to pray by it
1. Build the temple
1) The foundation of Born Again <Col 2:6-7>
Jesus Christ (Identity, belonging, relationship)
Do not reverse
2) Make Covenant
(1) 4 gospelization
(2) 5 big promises (with me, guidance, fulfillment, victory, evangelism)
When you forget just remember, no other reasons before God
3) Truth = Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit = Truly Believe
(Truth becomes the most real)
Logos (word) -> Rhema (perfect will)
Struggles from ourself -> do not let go, develop from absolute Logos -> perfect will will form
4) Converse with God (Living, more perfect will)
5) Walk with God (submission) -> Evidence
Live Central to the church (first submission for a saint)
6) Evangelism (Spread Emmanuel)
7) Train Disciples (Being pushed to)
Holistic Healing
2. Offer sacrifices (7 worships): Individual, Sunday, Family, Discipleship Training, Small Group, Prayer Meeting, Living
1) Individual worship
<Mt 6:5-12> The Lord's prayer
<Eph 6:10-20> Pray continuously in all ways
<Eph 5:15-20> Wise, test and approve perfect will
(1) Child of God (with us) ~5/10s
(2) Test and approve (RSYRJG) ~2/3min
(3) Spiritual power, wisdom, money, physical power, man power ~2min
(4) Intercession <Jn 17> conscience of faith ~15min
(5) Victory (before and after) New things (lessons, answers)
(6) Hope (Proclamation)
2) Sunday Worship
<Ex 40:34-38> Glorious
<Rev 4-5> Lamb
<Eph 4:1-16> Same, different -> joined together
5 types
(1) Praise (blessed heart preparation - Sat night fever vs preparation, thanksgiving topics, punctuality)
(2) Prayer and supplication (HS filled)
(3) Message (God's word - crux)
(4) Offer our bodies (kill ourselves)
(5) Proclamation
3) Family worship
<Gen 17:1-27> Ab, Sarah (circumcision)
Promise: make covenant and confirm everyday
Family worship in enjoyment/blessings before sleep
<Acts 16:15> Family -> Church-transformed -> regional blessings
<Eph 5:22-6:4> Family intimacy, image: "just like a family"
4) Friday Discipleship Training
<Acts 11:19-30> Antioch (our church)
<19:8-20> Tyrannus (All regions)
<28:30-31> Rome (China)
Heart as a disciple, for equipping, to bless the region, *Vision
5) Small group
* <Acts 2:41-47> Participate in fellowship, sharing, numbers added
* Coordinate: prayer topics, strength of church vs anti-church phenomena, fore-attendance of church, split
6) Prayer meeting worship
Most straight-forward open heart because all comes to pray umbrella-ed for the church
<Acts 1:13-14> 120 people pioneers
<Acts 4:22-31> Protection
<Acts 12:1-3> Church concentration prayer for Peter
Protection for church vs accidents/problems amidst brothers/sisters
<Acts 13:1-3> God-driven roads will made known
7) Living worship
<Eph 5:15-21>
<Eph 6:18>
<1Th 5:16-18>
Speech, works, actions
<James>
Works and faith are one - disbelief for unbalanced faith proclamation
2 convictions to bless LCM till end of 2007
(1) 4 meetings restoration
(2) preacher, China vision
As I continue to read 2 Chronicles, I have a vow before the Lord - I have a vision that is far ahead in front. I have the vision that this church is going to produce many preachers. I always have this vision in my heart. The brothers and sisters in our church are really different. The prayer of our deacon Jianwei last Sunday is still in my mind now. One can really hear if such prayers are really learnt. I prayed this week, "Lord, why not? Let all the deacons be preachers one day!" There is a foundation in my prayers as I see many preachers who are not so worthy in this era. Our deacons are shepherds, undergoing great process, etc. Yes, it is at the present time that we handle some administrative ministries, but this is only temporary. I know all of us have the heart. Many of the preachers of this era learn and copy to give messages. Of course, there are preachers who have life. But I became a preacher with foundation. One day, I heard and understood the essence of the gospel. Thus, I know I am called by the Lord. I just become the first one who is called by God to lead the church only. We must really hear and understand.
A person does not become a preacher when he received the identity of a shepherd and thus goes through education on how to be a preacher. How do we recognize a preacher? He is already different from the start. His concerns, prayers and vision are already different. As I lead discipleship training, I continue to search for the people whom the Lord is searching. Of course, theology and principles are needed, but that is secondary. But if a person is willing to pray for the souls till the ends of the world, and thus is willing to be equipped from the very scratch, you can see that the person is like David already. I bless you all with these words now. You must grasp this. It does not matter who is in front. But if God calls one to be in front, support him all the way. Bring this heart and life in front of God for this meeting.
Passage Reading: 2 Chronicles 9
2Ch. 9:1 When the queen of Sheba heard of SolomonÕs fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind.
Do we have the life that people will come to us? One day, many pastors will follow you! I tell you, many pastors are the most afraid when they do not have messages to speak, or messages that cannot first convict themselves.
Actually the queen of Sheba already prepared all the treasures to give Solomon.
2Ch. 9:2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.
2Ch. 9:3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built,
2Ch. 9:4 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at [Or the ascent by which he went up to] the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.
The queen of Sheba almost fainted! I pray that the biggest church in Singapore will find us and wonder at the works of this church. Surely this will happen because we have the Emmanuel message. The message of the church of this era can only let us forget our worries. Are we so pitiful? Though we may only be a church with hundreds of people in the congregation, the church with thousands shall be overwhelmed with our church!
2Ch. 9:5 She said to the king, ÒThe report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.
2Ch. 9:6 But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard.
2Ch. 9:7 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!
2Ch. 9:8 Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them for ever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.Ó
The queen of Sheba also praised the Lord because of what she had seen.
2Ch. 9:9 Then she gave the king 120 talents [That is, about 4 tons (about 4 metric tons)] of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Probably Israel did not have those spices then, and the people of Sheba did not have what the Israel had.
2Ch. 9:10 (The men of Hiram and the men of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algum-wood [Probably a variant of almug-wood] and precious stones.
2Ch. 9:11 The king used the algum-wood to make steps for the temple of the LORD and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)
2Ch. 9:12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.
It is as if people come to us, and we bless them even more. This is because we are the source of all blessings.
Why is it that we cannot receive the anointing, wisdom and evidence like Solomon? The first reason is because we have not built up the temple. If there is no temple, there is definitely no chance to have power and fruits to bless the world. I see that there are some people with success that comes in bits and pieces, but there are few who can bless and bear fruits that are the most successful. Without the temple, this is impossible. I see that practicality and spiritual things are very difficult to integrate. Who is the one who can say that he is liked by the colleagues and superiors in his company because of the love of God? Many CEOs climbed up the corporate ladder by their own methods and ways. Honestly speaking, their success has no connection with God. Serving and family, serving and their profession are split up. The second thing is the heart of Solomon. Solomon prayed by the temple, and the Lord responded that He would answer and do things by the temple. The temple is more or less the temple built up in us. But we must realize that no matter how beautiful or perfect the temple is built up, if we do not have the heart to pray by it, we will never receive the wisdom and evidence of Solomon.
1. Build the temple
If we build the temple, then our life and prayers will be clear.
1) The foundation of Born Again <Col 2:6-7>
<Col 2:6-7> says that we must be rooted deep in and be built up with foundation.
Jesus Christ (Identity, belonging, relationship)
We must understand and confirm once through. I continue to say that we must not reverse our thread of thoughts. We must use our relationship with the Father to build everything up. For example, if we hear the message of the kingdom, do not jump directly to think how we shall enter kingdom. No, but with the correct steps, we just will ask that this kingdom may naturally come to us. Do not do offerings to get blessings, but do so because we are loved and are children, therefore we do tithes and offerings. Do not reverse our thoughts in this. Then the temple can be built up beautifully and perfectly. All religions repent and ask for forgiveness because of their guilt, but the blessed one loves the Lord, loves the holiness of the Father, and therefore has the life of the child of God. The heart of a child sticks to the parents. A form of discipline is only temporary, but if there is no conversing and attention, the child will cry. We must understand the spirit of son-ship.
2) Covenant
What is blessing? Money can come and go yesterday and today. You can have 1000 wives, but if your money is gone, all of them will leave. Such is the blessings on earth. However, the blessings that the Lord gives is the covenant.
(1) 4 gospelizations
Quickly decide on this. In the 4 gospelizations, there are 5 great promises inside.
(2) 5 big promises (With me, guidance, fulfillment, victory, evangelism)
All blessings are not outside the 2 above. We must confirm this ourselves. If this is really true, then make covenant with God! God says, "Hey, do not forget this promise. Make covenant with Me!" And God even mentions about circumcision so that we will not forget.
We may almost become just a salary man in our jobs every day, but once we have such thoughts, come before the Lord and make covenant. We talked about doing tithes and offerings the past Sunday. If we are pressurized by this message, it is because you have not made covenant with God. If you have, your reaction will be, "Lord, though I may not be able to do so, Lord, this is correct. Help me and enable me to do so as even my hairs are numbered by You!" Those who have made covenant with God may still be weak too. But their reaction will be different. Many come to me and say that their conditions are different and may be unfair. While their reasons may be to make things fair, such ramblings arise because they have not made the covenant with God.
I am one who gives the most reasons. My wife used to tell me that I was an "excuse king" and I was angry. But as time passes and I thought this over, I realized that I made the most reasons in front of God. Some people are angry of the pastor because he is very spiritual. This is because they have a lot of reasons. However, once the covenant is made, we will calm down, "Lord, You have given me the best."
I see that the people who have come for discipleship training have mostly crossed this test. Now, if we have restored our lives with God and have made covenant with God, from that time on, we are different...
3) Truth = Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit = Truly Believe
Since the day that I made covenant, I find that I look at Jesus Christ differently. The Jesus Christ in the Jesus' story produced by Campus Crusade of Christ can make us tear at every moment. He became the most real. From the day I made covenant, I immediately experienced the Holy Spirit. Who is the one who truly believes? It is not about understanding principles and logic, but the one who truly believes knows the Holy Spirit. So what do we believe in?
Logos (word) -> Rhema (perfect will)
When we have made covenant with God to live by the 4 gospelization all our life, we will treat the word of God differently. When the word is believed, the perfect will then be revealed. For example, the word of the Lord says that we must love our wives. This is absolute. Sometimes, even though my wife is in the wrong, I will find a reason to love her. However, I struggled within to find the answer through this, but in the end, I find that I cannot think and develop many reasons within myself. Through the struggles, I finally know what the perfect will of the Lord is when I seek out from His word.
I have once been a very generous person (because the word says we must be freed), and have also been on the other extreme of being a thrifty person (because we must value spiritual things). But the perfect will of the Lord says that we must use money to glorify the Lord.
In my heart I wanted to watch movies last Saturday because I thought there was time. However, Logos continued to cause my heart to struggle within. It continued to ask me from within. Then, I realized that I should put all things down and pray on Saturday and prepare myself for the next day's Sunday worship.
Once we discover and let go, we will be freed and be in victory immediately. There are things that we must truly believe. You have your own things, and I have my own things to truly believe in.
4) Converse with God (Living, more perfect will)
Why do we close our eyes to pray? This is because we converse only with the Father. Prayers must be living. With what you truly believe, you converse with God. Through conversation, we receive more perfect will.
5) Walk with God (submission) -> evidence
The blessings that we receive when we submit are very great and unheard of. If
we do take step to step onto Jordan River, it will not flow backwards. What is
the first thing of the submission of a saint? It is not about immediately to
offer up money. The first submission of a saint is actually to live central to
the church.
Live central to the church
If the kind of evangelism does not bring a person to live central to the church, what is that evangelism? Why do we ask people to offer if they have no heart to do live central to the church? Some people only come to church to give tithes. What is such a tithe for?
When we submit to God, surely there will be evidence.
6) Evangelism (Spread Emmanuel)
Evangelism is about spreading evidences - evidence of God with us, His
providence, how He guides us, etc. This is about spreading Emmanuel. We must go
through this once. God creates man with head, limbs and the body. We must
understand our belief completely.
7) Train Disciples (Being pushed to)
When we preach, we preach the evidence that we experience. A lot of preachers
preach so well on the pulpit, but they become so much in the flesh and do not
feel anything about it when they come down from the pulpit. When I preach the
message, I will come before the Lord and ask the Lord to heal me.
The above are the 7 structures of the bible. If you have not heard this message I gave at Penang, do get a copy and listen.
If we do not have such a structure, we will continue to become worried and be pulled along by the environment, Satan, our emotions, etc as and when they change.
2. Offer sacrifices (7 worships): Individual, Sunday, Family, Discipleship Training, Small Group, Prayer Meeting, Living
1) Individual worship
Worship by the temple that is built. All the life of the saint is a form of worship. All the meetings that he attends and his lifestyle is a form of worship.
<Mt 6:5-12> The Lord's prayer
(You must be trained up by the scriptures. Your credibility is from the scripture background. Memorize the scripture verses!)
We must gather the flow of the Lord's Prayer.
<Eph 6:10-20> Pray continuously in all ways
<Eph 5:15-20> We must become wise people, loving time, testing and approving the Lord's perfect will.
(1) Child of God (with us)
It is not that I feel better or more holy today. I do not come to accept this identity by my own conditions, but because God died for me. Bring the heart of the love, the presence, the vision of the Lord with us to start praying.
(2) Test and approve (RSYRJG)
May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
This is about the heart that is already ready to glorify God, benefiting men and building the kingdom. This means that I will think, "What shall it be so that my wife, my children, my church members will RSYRJG. What atmosphere must I bring?" Without such a heart, there is no focus and what kind of prayer is this? This is a prayer without heart. Therefore Jesus Christ said that our prayers must not be like that of the Pharisees, that is not made facing God. Therefore the Lord's Prayer must be taught well. This is so that the life of the saints can be lived practically.
If prayer has no testing and approving, the heart is just praying like those praying in Mecca. The temple must be built up in order to pray.
(3) Spiritual power, wisdom, money, physical power, man power
You are children. Do not worry about eating and wearing. The food that the Lord refers to is mostly spiritual power. When we meet people and need to strengthen them, we require spiritual power. Pray for wisdom. If you know that the Lord is going to bless you materially, or that your ministry really requires money, pray for it. We need physical power in order to bless our children, who are forever active. (There are times when we thought if they go to sleep more, it would be better, right?)
(4) Intercession <Jn 17>
Forgive our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors
I discover that our time of prayer is spent most here. If you pray and have this habit, you will see the Lord's presence in 5-10 seconds, 30 seconds or 1 minute. If you walk with God and know His ways on you, you will take 2-3 minutes to test and approve.I normally require 2 minutes when praying for power. However, for intercession for my family, deacons of the church and the church, I require 15 minutes. Do we need to pray every day? My conscience of faith tells me that my prayer is like an umbrella over them. "Lord, with her heart longing for You like this, Lord, give this to her, etc." Pray meticulously. If we do not pray for our families when we receive conviction, how will they be blessed? Take out the prayer handouts that given at every prayer meeting, and pray a few times a week.
(5) Victory (before and after) New things
Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
We must have changes before and after prayer. We must have new things in our living. If say there are some areas where we are financially poor, ask, "Lord, may You lead angels to me to give me money." However, if we do not have money today, we pray, "Thank God that Your providence is enough." Next day, if we still do not have money, we pray, "Lord, many people are worse off than me." Slowly, step-by-step, we will be delivered from the thought of poverty. We cannot always hang on to the old answer of His salvation to us. Everyday, there should be new things for us to learn. Today, I learn to let go. Tomorrow, I learn about love. The poverty is the same. The interpersonal relationships may be the same. But we become different through prayers by receiving new grace from every prayer.
(6) Hope (Proclamation)
At last, we will come to a conclusion to the prayers by proclaiming victory.
Let us go back and read the Lord's Prayer again to confirm this.
I discover that some people have not started scheduled prayers. The morning prayers are really not simple. Do not do prayers when you are on the MRT or when driving. I discover this is not easy because many times, we end up beating the air instead of getting anything out from prayers. But morning prayers are a must. Wake up a little bit earlier to do scheduled prayers. The Lord says that we must do prayers morning and at night. If you are too tired after work, do it during exercising in the evening. When I go exercising at evening time, I discover many people's ears cannot enjoy silence. 4 out of 5 have earphones stuck in their ears. How can people hear the voices of God if they continue to listen to the music of the world? If even the preacher listens to music by Jay Chou and think it is music, how will the brothers and sisters think?
2) Sunday Worship
<Ex 40:34-38> Glorious
This is so glorious. This is the time when the high priest is going to the Most Holy Place. The people leading and sharing the message, the one leading hymns, the one doing offerings, etc are so glorious and important.
<Rev 4-5> Lamb
24 elders surrounded and the multitude of angels sang. And then, John cried because no one could open the scroll. But hey, Jesus Christ can open the scroll. Therefore, who is the pastor? The pastor is actually an elder. In the bible, there are only deacons and elders in the church. When the pastor or elder speaks, if they speak on things of science and of the world, they shall be condemned. No one can open up the essence of the Word. Therefore, the Sunday worship is the time where the word is exposited and revealed. When we do Sunday Worship, there is the blood of the lamb.
<Eph 4:1-16> Same, different -> joined together
Together, they glorify God.
5 types
(1) Praise
If we do not prepare the topics of thanksgiving on Saturday, or that we come late for Sunday worship, the heart of blessedness is different. If someone comes to the church for about 6 months, I will tell him to commit to come for Sunday worship every week.
(2) Prayer and supplication
The one leading must really prepare. The Holy Spirit must fill us. We must prepare and become like preachers to pray. The preacher also hears the prayer and is blessed.
(3) Message (God's word)
This is the time where no one should fall asleep. This is the crux of the time.
(4) Offer our bodies (kill ourselves)
This is killing the lamb. Some Charismatics denominations give offerings before the message. They say that you offer, and then God will bless. For us, it is totally opposite. I do not really agree with them on this. It is after we hear the word that we have faith.
(5) Proclamation
Eternally, I am blessed.
Therefore, for Sunday worship to be blessed, there shall be no fever on Saturday. Try to change it for the Sunday morning. Try to not work on Saturday night for the blessedness of Sunday. We must also sit properly, not for the pastor, but in front of God. Sit and wear properly. I see that some elders in some churches sit like directors watching a movie. I see the big churches of Singapore sat in front with coats. Our Chinese traditional churches must really change. Our brothers and sisters sitting in front have good examples. Those who come later must follow.
3) Family worship
<Gen 17:1-27> Ab, Sarah (circumcision)
Promise: make covenant and confirm everyday
It is good that we make a time in the week to do family worship. My family has not arrived at this because I think that the time of enjoyment and fellowship on the bed with children is more important. If our prayer meetings in future can move to weekdays in future, our family worship can be held on Saturdays and this is very blessed. Some people do not feel right if their family do not do family worship. However, what likeness is it if they quarrel at other times with their flesh?
<Acts 16:15> Church-transformed -> regional blessings
Lydia asked and Paul and his companions went.
<Eph 5:22-6:4>
The big sister shall be like one and the big brother shall be like one. How to be parents, how to be siblings (Joseph's intimacy with brothers) are all in the bible. If so, this family's closeness will be admired by the whole world.
Those who are not married yet, pray in this direction. How does a big sister be like one to care for the family? Seek out.
4) Friday Discipleship Training
<Acts 11:19-30> Antioch (our church)
<19:8-20> Tyrannus (All regions)
<28:30-31> Rome (China)
Tyrannus blessed all regions. Rome was the centre of the world.
Heart as a disciple, for equiping, to bless the region
Bring your heart as a disciple to come. Bring the heart that you are the main character of this era to come. Bring a heart to continually desiring to learn, and bring the heart to bless the region and the coming small groups or Sunday worship.
* Vision
Bring, especially, the heart of vision.
5) Small group
* <Acts 2:41-47>
Gather together for fellowship, breaking bread and sharing, and the Lord added the numbers daily.
* Coordinate
I especially emphasize that all shall coordinate. The leader prepares and shares, but all shall take part. The members shall bring prayer topics of their families to the meeting and they share. Some people come to the small group first before they come to attend Sunday Worship. If small group is led well, it will become the strength of the church. If the small group is done not well, and it is only based on eating and drinking, then there will be anti-church phenomena appearing. Our church does not have this, but we must understand this. I think that the small group shall have no more than 12 people. After 15 people, the small group shall split to become 2 groups. The small group shall integrate and have fellowship.
6) Prayer meeting worship
I exhort you to pray about coming to prayer meeting. If you come to meetings, you will discover that I open up and be most straightforward at prayer meetings. This is because the ones who love the church the most come, therefore, I speak most clearly. Everyone's spiritual maturity is different, and those who are willing to have an umbrella over the whole church in prayers will come. A lot of news and information are reported here. Therefore, deacons must come. Deacons manage the things and events of the church. If deacons do not come, they must apply leave for it. For other brothers and sisters, really pray about it.
<Acts 1:13-14> 120 people pioneers
Those who pray first will acquire first.
<Acts 4:22-31> Protection
<Acts 12:1-3> Concentration prayer for Peter
When the church concentrate prayed for Peter, miracles happened so that Peter was set free and the king died by worms.
If our prayer meetings stopped, try it. There may be accidents happening and that problems may arrive at the brothers and sisters. Prayer meeting is really a protection on the church. How important prayer meeting is!
<Acts 13:1-3> God-driven roads will made known
Paul and Barnabas were sent after prayers. God-driven methods are revealed then.
7) Living worship
<Eph 5:15-21>
<Eph 6:18>
<1Th 5:16-18>
This is where we bring our speech, works and actions.
<James>
Our works is our faith. Some people have faith that are seemingly more than their living. Such people have some disbelief in them. With the amount of faith, the amount of actions will be lived out. Therefore, James is talking about fixed perspective, how he will try to have a handle over his tongue. Works and faith is one.
When I prepare for this message, I received 2 convictions that I will bless you:
(1) Let us be blessed in our 4 meetings so that we will totally be blessed. Do not take this lightly. I hope that I will not have needs to teach about punctuality anymore, as I do not like to say this also.
(2) I bless you to be preachers, the quality and the generous heart of it. We have an average age of 30 years old. For the next 5 years, prepare yourselves to be a preacher. In year the 2012, I will be 35 years old, the average age of you all. When the new chairman of China comes up, I pray that China will totally be opened. My auntie still does things secretly now, but I believe the day of openness will come. China is a place where there are billions of people taking in information hungrily. The messages of Stephen Tong go in easily right now. Therefore, the zealousness to read the bible must come back.
Transcript of 2 Chronicles Overview Part 5, Discipleship Training on 26 October 2007.