Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Akibat menganggap remeh suara kenabian

Banyak orang tidak suka ditegur karena kesombongannya. Raja Ahab pernah berkata: "Masih ada seorang lagi yang dengan perantaraannya dapat diminta petunjuk TUHAN. Tetapi aku membenci dia, sebab tidak pernah ia menubuatkan yang baik tentang aku, melainkan selalu malapetaka. Orang itu ialah Mikha bin Yimla." (2 Taw 18:7).

Perhatikan kata: “dapat dimintai petunjuk Tuhan” dan “tetapi aku membenci dia”. Kenapa? Karena telinga ini sering gatal untuk pujian manusia tapi alergi terhadap teguran (sekalipun itu adalah dari Tuhan).

Raja Saul-pun jatuh karena ia merasa tidak perlu untuk mendengarkan suara kenabian. Penyebabnya: ia merasa lebih pintar, lebih bijak.

Sebelum perang dunia kedua, parlemen Inggris cenderung takut mendengar kata perang. Mereka lebih memilih diam dan berdamai dengan seorang tiran bernama Adolf Hitler. Sampai satu titik, mereka sadar bahwa mereka terancam, dan akhirnya keluar sebagai pemenang karena keberanian seorang pemimpin bernama Winston Churchill dalam menyuarakan kebenaran, yaitu menentang Hitler. Satu suara kebenaran sanggup membuat diam singa. Apabila suara ini ditutup, maka kejahatanlah yang menguasai.

Teman, kadang butuh obat pahit untuk membuat tenggorokan ini sembuh. Seorang yang menolak suara kenabian akan jatuh, sehebat dan sepintar apapun dia. Sebuah pelayanan akan runtuh ketika suara kenabian ditutup. Tuhan menghargai kerendahan hati dan hancur hati seperti yang ditunjukkan seorang Daud ketika ditegur nabi Natan. “Korban sembelihan kepada Allah ialah jiwa yang hancur; hati yang patah dan remuk tidak akan Kaupandang hina, ya Allah.” (Mat 51:19).

“Despise not prophesyings” (1 Thes 5:20).

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Lack no good thing

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Psalm 34:10

Saturday, February 3, 2018

God's "Idol"

If you've ever watched Indonesian Idol or American Idol or any TV program where want-to-be "idols" compete with each other, you'll notice that the voters and the judges are looking for someone with beautiful voice, good-looking face, eccentric style, excellent charisma, etc etc.

No one's looking for Mr. Selfish or Ms. Arrogant. No one's looking for people with a standard or terrible voice. No one's going to vote for a person who has nothing special to show.

But God.. God is looking for imperfect people. He doesn't care about your past or face or wealth or intelligence. God changes lives. He's looking for "foolish" sinners who need repentance and not the "philosophers" who think they are "too smart" for God's intervention. God loves you no matter how bad your past is, no matter what others think of you, no matter how bad or standard you think you are. He loves you just as you are. You are His "idol" and He is your “potter".

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

Friday, January 26, 2018

God...

God… you are so great. You love me so much. When I feel bored, this is what you've told me:

"Is it boring to say the same words over and over? Not when you’re in the presence of the one you love. Not when you’re doing exactly what you were designed to do. Like the four creatures, we were designed to glorify God. Our lives will never be boring if we’re focusing our attention on Him and fulfilling that purpose."

https://odb.org/2018/01/26/holy-holy-holy-3/

Revelation 4

Thanks, God

Monday, January 22, 2018

God can use.

God can use struggles to produce maturity in our faith.

James 1:1-12

Friday, January 19, 2018

The Power of the Holy Spirit

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Champ

This morning I had a vision about Evander Holyfield, a former boxer who beat Mike Tyson, another boxer who was one of the best in his era. Most boxers was afraid when fighting Tyson. I watched the highlights when both of them fought. I remember Holyfield was the underdog, he had heart problems before the fight and was beaten a couple of times, he was not supposed to win the fight against Tyson. However, Holyfield praised God before and after the fight. Despite all predictions, Holyfield won the fight in the 11th round. At the end of the match, a reporter asked him how he won. His response was that God gave him the strength. He said he was only following the Holy Spirit. The reporter wanted to hear more about boxing tactics and strategies, but Holyfield kept answering these “spiritual” answers which seemed to frustrate the reporter.

The writing on Holyfield's boxing coat was Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength”. This is the lesson that God wants me to learn (or the fact that God wants me to see). God has led me in my PhD, fatherhood, and all busyness like He led Holyfield in a miraculous boxing match. I was knocked out many times in all aspects, I was underestimated, but God has kept telling me not to quit and to keep fighting. He is like a trainer who motivates me. More than that, He is a voice in me which strengthens me whenever I feel like quitting. My first year was a disaster, I did not do well and I had to change my PhD topic. Everything seemed to progress slowly afterwards, but God helped me. He instructed me to choose a specific topic and that topic has led to an academic journal publication acceptance and will result in more journal publications. God helps me financially too so I can be a blessing to others. I used to work as a cleaner in a bar with minimum salary to help with my family's living costs, but he promoted me in His amazing and unthinkable way.

My future has many challenges but I know God is with me. He was, is and will always be my strength. Like Holyfield, I just want to praise God before the fight ends, and I am going to praise Him until and after it ends. One thing I learned so far is, I know that I am weak, but I also know that God is strong and He is in me. Most people underestimated Holyfield because they saw his weaknesses and Tyson’s strengths, what they failed to see was that God Almighty was fighting with the champ.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."