45. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How to be Perfect!

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

This passage has intrigued me for a long time. Who can be perfect? What did Jesus mean when He said it? Did He mean it literally?

The Greek meaning of “perfect” is a man of full age - mature. 

            Do we understand maturity? The average, balanced person starts off young, full of energy and ambition. While he is young and immature, life revolves around him. He enjoys achieving one accomplishment after the other. Even after marriage and having children, this is still his nature, but now he includes his spouse’s and children’s successes as part of his own. As he grows older, however, material things and performance become less and less important, and his spouse, children, and other people take higher priority. When the grandchildren appear, everything revolves around them. In old age, nothing but his interdependence on other people has any value.
         Age does not always play a role in maturity. A person can be “of age” or mature at any age beyond the teenage years. Even a teenager can be mature within his group or in comparison with his peers. Someone can be in her fifties or even older and be completely immature. The point is that in this passage, the word “perfect” seems to mean “mature.” This perfection God looks for is all about His character, one of mercy and forgiveness.

A mature believer demonstrates self-control—control over the tongue, actions, and emotions. Such a person is not influenced by what is said of him or to him. He is not controlled by circumstances or outside forces but only by the Holy Spirit. He allows the Holy Spirit’s control to be superior to his circumstances. If, for instance, one insults a child, she might cry. A mature person just laughs at an insult, because he knows who he is in Christ.

Maturity consists of forgetting about oneself and focusing instead on the needs of others. A mature person has no personal or self-centered desires left to fulfill or bring to completeness. She is content with who she is and can focus her attention on others, displaying integrity and virtue.

God the Father is perfect (mature), and so are Jesus and the Holy Spirit. God has nothing to prove. He is not fazed by our emotional outbursts, anger tantrums, and insults through our disobedience. He remains calm and continue to accomplish His purposes with our lives. 
He is the perfect example of unselfishness in that He gave his only son to die for our iniquities. Ever since then, he has proved his maturity in taking personal responsibility for each of His millions of children twenty-four hours a day. Have you ever thought about the Lord’s personal interest in your life? If you are sensitive, you will hear the Holy Spirit’s continual guidance and warnings. My wife and I can give countless testimonies of times when we, for example, were warned and thus prevented a traffic accident. Once I took some change from a wall safe. Because of the size of the safe, the moneybox had to stand on its side. I got the warning that it was open, but I didn’t think that was possible. Guess what, the next moment all the money was on the floor. Who warned me? The Holy Spirit did. Many of us know how the Holy Spirit has helped us to find lost items.

If God, who holds the universe in the palm of His hand, takes such personal interest in the smallest aspect of each of His millions of children, and if Jesus could take such intense interest in His peers of the day, how much more should we take interest in the few people we see every day?

Why did Jesus say we must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? Maturity and perfection are not natural for us. We naturally focus inward. Therefore, perfection and maturity are conscious, daily choices—resistance to introversion on a momentary basis.

Since Jesus included the word “therefore,” we know He meant for us to refer back to the previous paragraph. This means that without being perfect (mature), we can’t do what Jesus commanded in the previous verses: turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, lend without expecting back, etc.

The focus is on caring for the extreme, those who are rejected by society. To forgive and care for those around you is easy. It takes no sacrifice, no humiliation, and no embarrassment; in fact, it gives you a good name in your community. But consider the consequences if you get intimately involved with "scoundrels": street children, prostitutes, thieves—society’s “enemies.” Your friends will ridicule you, the "scoundrels" will take advantage of you, and your life might be endangered. You might even have to be uncomfortable at times and embarrass your family.

Wasn’t this what the King of Glory experienced on earth, having left eternal glory for an ordinary existence among the common people? Isn’t this what the glorious Holy Spirit experiences every moment He gets involved in our filthy lifestyle (compared to God’s glory) to help us out of trouble time and time again? In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul tells us that we will be persecuted, but how will this happen if we never leave our comfort zones and live radically different in a sick world?

The Holy Spirit showed me that the majority of Christians have a wrong idea of what church is all about, and then they wonder why God is not prospering their church. Church seems to be a place where God must meet my needs—the same needs time and again as I go up for prayer over and over. Often, the sermon’s main focus is on how we can overcome our personal troubles. Furthermore, the tendency of the church is only to wait on the Lord, to experience His presence in their services and be blessed for that hour and enjoy supernatural sensations.

In some churches, the pastor preaches about what we are supposed to do and what the Lord wants, but the congregation doesn’t follow up with obedience. Only a handful of Christians become actively involved while the majority warms the seats. Many churches support missionaries, focus on prayer for the world, and are involved in some small-scale action. 
But what is it the Lord Jesus wanted? How about a church where members organise action teams for street outreach, missions, caring for the elderly, etc. Everybody is invited. These teams do their work during the week, and at the Sunday morning service, they give their reports. Upon hearing how wonderful the Lord has moved during the week, more Christians are challenged to get involved in ministry. Don't we then have reason to celebrate, to worship this powerful God who changes people through us?

I have written this article some years ago, but recently discovered a movement that does exactly what I just promoted in this article. Have a look at the video below, visit their website www.thelastreformation.com, and watch the Pioneer School videos.

44. Please read this, it's Important! Pete's Story - How to Love your Enemies Part 2

In the previous post we have started to discuss Matthew 5:43-48: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

For those living in South Africa, the extent of racial prejudice is no secret. We all know of the invisible wall that still exists between the majority of different races. We know how races avoid each other and call each other insulting names. One still sees and hears of extremist and hate-filled interracial behaviour. We do, however, find minorities that have excellent relationships across racial borders.

If it is like that years after apartheid was abandoned, how must it have been during the peak of racism—the time when Pete committed his crimes? He stole because the only impression he had of white people was one of oppressors who lived in luxury while he and his family had to live in poverty. Only in jail did Christians reach his heart.

Imagine that all people calling themselves Christians, especially the white people of that day, had obeyed the Lord’s teaching and loved their enemies. The Lord did not ask us to like our enemies. He wanted us to be patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, not keeping record of wrongs with our enemies. He wanted us not to delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. He wanted us always to protect and trust our enemies, always to hope the best for and persevere with our enemies.

How can you trust your enemies? You trust the Lord to deal with them.

If Pete’s enemies, white people, loved him as above, do you think that he would still have wanted to break in and steal from them? Would he have wasted seven of the best years of his life in prison? How many Petes are there in prison - tens, hundreds, thousands? If their enemies loved them, would they have wasted their lives in prison?

We are not talking only about the Petes who were hurt by racism. There are many Petes all over the world who are embittered by many other things. Most of those in prison are embittered by their parents, society, or even religion. It can be anything. In the process they have made many enemies, and as a result, they act as enemies to society and not only to individuals.

When a rebellious young person acts violently against an individual or vandalizes private property, it does not necessarily mean that person has anything against that individual. He might not even know the person. If such a rebel has a grudge against society, and if society shows him nothing but love instead of dumping him in jail, won’t he eventually change his attitude?

Most good and ordinary people have families who give them lots of love and attention. But consider the street children, drug addicts, gang members, etc. Would they have become like that if they had caring and praying families? I say no; they would have been with their families instead of on the streets.

What happens to those youngsters once they’ve grown up? They become criminals. What would then be the best way to prevent crime? Love those unloved ones! If each Christian would go out once or twice a week and love the unloved, crime and vandalism would decrease in most countries. The enemies of society do not need policing, they need love. Even lonely adults need only to be loved and listened to now and then.

Jesus said to pray for those who persecute you. Why must we do that? It is simply because they do not know what they are doing. Jesus prayed on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).” Persecutors are hurting and vulnerable to instigation from the devil. The murderers, thieves, vandals, and so on are hurting because they compare their terrible circumstances with the seemingly glittering conditions of the “fortunate” as they see them. The hurt of embittered people is the ideal breeding ground for the sin of persecution, and the Lord can bring light to their darkened minds only if somebody prays for them.

Jesus spelled out the sacrifice of love. We are to love those who do not love us. Godly love is not a business deal. We are not to give while looking for what we can get.

Jesus mentioned tax collectors. They were businessmen. They had found out that if they “love” their customers, they get results in the form of money. The friendly person in the modern shop has the same intentions, and so do most businesspersons or professionals in today’s world. But if you owe them money, see how their “love” changes?

Jesus also mentioned greeting only our brothers. Have you ever walked past somebody you knew, but she completely ignored you? The next moment she heartily greeted somebody else, maybe a client or friend. How did you feel? Rejected? Like scum?

How many people have you made to feel like scum, an outcast, by not even greeting them, let alone loving them? Love is a sacrifice; it is doing something you don’t really want to do, greeting and loving the unacceptable for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

The youth outreach team of our church often worked with street kids. We gave them as much clean fun as possible and linked that to the name of Jesus. (I’m not talking about religious Children’s Church stuff, but about playing, chatting, and so forth.) I hope one day they will look back, saying, “The greatest times in my miserable street life were when Jesus played with me.”

As a pharmacist in the United Kingdom, part of my job was to issue a heroin-replacement medicine to addicts to help them break the power of that drug. Since I love these people so much, I spent a lot of time chatting with and loving them while handing them the drug. I asked about their families, played with their kids when they accompany their parents, and congratulated them when their dose had been reduced. 

When I hand medicine out, I regularly ask people whether they want to be healed and when they want it, I pray a short authoritative prayer for their healing, trusting the Lord to be true to His Word in Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”  These are not necessarily people I like, and some often don't treat me well, but this type of love would draw attention, and people would ask why I do it. When the time is right, somebody will ask me, and I will answer that Jesus loves them. Even if they don't ask me, the Holy Spirit will reveal it to them, leading to them searching for Jesus.

The world is used to competing with their enemies, having to fight their own battles, and overcoming their own hardships. If their enemies then show them gentleness, kindness, and forgiveness, it will be impossible for them not to notice a difference. Guess who will benefit by it: the Kingdom of God.

Love, however, does not come naturally. Love comes only from God. We are way too selfish by nature to love unconditionally. For us to obey this commandment, we need to be filled to the brim with the Holy Spirit’s presence and then simply make the decision to obey.

Jesus ended these words with "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Don't miss the revelation in the next message on what He meant by 'be perfect'!

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

43. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Pete's Story - How to Love your Enemies Part 1

Some time ago, I picked up a hitchhiker named Pete. He was black, dressed neatly in a suit. He had a lily in his hands and said he was on his way to church about twelve miles (19 kilometres) from his home. His pastor’s wife loved lilies, and it was for her, he told me, beaming and full of the Lord.

As we got to know each other, I discovered that Pete met the Lord in prison. Since his pastor had supported him when he needed it most, he felt obligated to support the pastor now, even though he had to hitchhike to get to church.

He told me that he had been in prison for breaking and entering and theft. “I used to believe that white people owed the blacks, so I took from the whites and gave to the poor.” 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

            All over the world, people of different cultures hate each other. Many blacks and whites hate one other, as do many people of other cultures. In every country, the citizens can put their finger on some form of cultural hatred. In some countries, even people of the same culture but different castes hate each other.

Sometimes enemies are formed even though nobody has suffered personal harm. Often, individuals of a particular race or culture have taken up the offense of others within their own people group. This seems to be a universal truth.

Cultural hatred is present among Christians too. Sometimes we suppress or mask it because we know we should love instead. We don’t want others to know of our hatred, so we hide it. Soon it becomes evident to those close to us, because one can’t hide one’s true self.

The above words of Jesus can change our attitude toward other cultures. First He tells us to love our enemies. What does love mean? Pete, the hitchhiker, had decided that white people were his enemies and that their so-called riches were due to their privileged position. His natural reaction was to hurt his enemies by taking what he thought they owed him.

What made him think white people are his enemies? What causes any one of us to think that another culture is inferior or superior to us and therefore our enemies? Isn’t it gossip and propaganda? Where does this come from? Isn’t it from the father of lies—the devil? He uses cultural differences as an excuse to sow discord. If we live according to his lies, we are his children. John 8:44: “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Nevertheless, Jesus said to love your enemies that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. What do we see here? We see a condition. If you want to be sons of your Father in heaven, you must love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. However, that does not come naturally. It is a choice we make which is supported by the power of the Lord. It is also important to realize that you don’t have to like those you love. You don’t have to agree with those you love. Don Francisco sings, “Love is not a feeling; it’s an act of the will.” Love is deeds of choice, something we do to bless another, whether we like him or not. If we wait until we feel good about somebody we don’t like, we will never love.

Love has its rules. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 reads: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Galatians 5:22 reads: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” I once heard it should actually read, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, which is joy, peace . . . .” Love must be exercised. It does not come naturally. You don’t have to feel love—just do it.

An extreme example of loving your enemy is a man visiting his daughter’s rapist in jail on a regular basis, treating him with special things and thoughts simply for the sake of Jesus and the salvation of the man’s soul. Do you think it is easy for Father God to make His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and send rain on the just and on the unjust scoundrels like us (Matthew 5:45)? If God was like us, we would have a hard time. Fortunately for us, He is love.

Hatred is also a temptation to be resisted. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it,” (1 Corinthians 10:13). To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

42. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How about Good Works? Part 2

In the previous post we began looking at the verse in Matthew 5:42: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The second part of our passage is based on the same principle as above. From Luke 6:28 onward, we find Luke’s record of the section we read in Matthew.

“Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” (Luke 6:30)

“And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:34-36)

Again, we have the freedom to decide in what way we want to be testimonies to the love of God. The more we give, the more we receive. The key in the latter passage is the notion of being different from the sinners. Being like God must carry much more weight with us than does the value of our property.

The other day, I heard a pastor say that greed causes concern about what the church does with our money. It is difficult to part with our money, because we want to control it ourselves. The same principle applies to lending. If I am too attached to material goods or money, it is hard to trust others with it.

As far as lending our possessions is concerned, few of us have endless resources, and other people don’t take as good care of our goods as we do. We don’t always have the money to replace the loaned item if it gets damaged by the borrower. I am often leery to loan out my possessions, since they often return broken. But one thing I loaned out came back in one piece, and God has blessed it ever since.

            Here’s the story. Many years ago, the chairman of our Christian motorcycle club organized an outreach to a motorcycle rally in northeast Zimbabwe. Then his motorcycle was stolen.

At the time, I lived in Pretoria, South Africa. I felt the urge to lend him my new motorcycle for the trip. It wasn’t an easy decision, since this bike was precious to me, and the trip was a thousand miles long, covered over two weeks. I didn’t know whether I should loan it to him or not, so I asked one of my spiritual leaders.

He said that nothing good comes from man, so such an idea must have been from the Lord. So, in obedience, I loaned the leader my bike.

 Ever since then, my bike has been a blessing. I’ve had it for over eighteen years and 100,000 miles, which is surprising for a motorcycle. In the end, I sold it for a good price. 

         To give is a faith thing. If I give in a way the Lord directs me and trust Him to make sure the money is used in the right way, it is easier to part with. Lending should be handled like giving; in consultation with God. He knows the hearts of all men. We are His instruments, accomplishing His purposes. When He wants to bless, He uses us. When He wants to discipline, He also uses us. Be in touch always! But the aim should be to rather obey these passages in Matthew and Luke.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

41. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How about Good Works? Part 1

In the previous post, we discussed forgiveness, which encompasses a lifestyle of giving and serving. As our last passage stated, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles,” (Matthew 5:39-41).

The next passage continues from the above, although it puts more emphasis on the generality of love rather than focusing on people offending us.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42)

Think for a moment about this passage. How many people have asked you for things that you haven’t given?

But must we give to everyone who asks of us? What about beggars who buy liquor with the money they receive? Must we keep on feeding their habit?

I have struggled with this for a long time. I have given clothes away only to find out the recipient sold them for drinking money. An elderly lady, previously a neighbor of ours, once made a delicious sandwich for a beggar only to discover the food thrown away in the garden hours later. The beggar was not hungry; he wanted money for a drink. Once a man came to our door, telling us a sad story about a sick child and that he needed money to take the boy to the doctor. Several months later, though, the man came by again, telling exactly the same story, obviously hoping no one would remember hearing it before.

A pastor told of a beggar who asked him for food money. The minister gave him a few dollars, warning him to buy bread with it and no alcohol. Then my friend followed the man, who led him straight to the liquor store. As the beggar set a bottle of wine onto the counter, the pastor confronted him. The beggar’s eyes opened wide as his gaze dropped to the bottle. “I don’t believe it. I asked them for bread, and look what they gave me.”

The world is full of conmen trying to wangle our hard-earned money from us so they can waste it on sin. So what does the Lord want from us in the light of the above scripture?

Like many things in life, it is all about attitude. The Bible is not a book of rules that we must follow to the letter. It is a book full of directions, aimed at guiding our attitudes. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12: “‘Everything is permissible for me,’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible for me,’—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

God made us with a free will. We are not robots to be manipulated by God or man (the church). All our sins have been paid for at the cross and are forgiven. God treats us as adults, allowing us to make our own decisions, not as children. He does not enforce his rules, holding a whip in His hand.

It is quite simple. In the end, Jesus will judge our works. If we did a lot of good works, we will receive a lot of rewards. If we did no good works, we will receive no rewards. “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 20:12). We will not be punished, because Jesus already took our punishment on Himself, and we have already been disciplined on earth whenever it was necessary.

Our attitude, in approaching those who ask, is therefore what counts. It is best to decide beforehand how you will deal with beggars. I have, for example, decided that I will under no circumstances give money but will always give food. It doesn’t matter what the beggar does with it. It is also important to be a good steward of both your money and your food, because your family is your first priority.

We know a widow who has a kind and gentle heart, too kind to avoid abuse by beggars. She gave to them until they became a problem and a nuisance. Finally, it became too much for her, and she consulted the Lord. He reminded her of 2 Thessalonians 3:10b: “‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’”

The next time a beggar turned up, she gave him a rake and asked him to rake up some leaves in payment for his food. Before long, the beggars stopped coming. After several months, a man knocked on her door again. “Madam, I am hungry. Please give me the rake.”

God’s Word is alive. To make it effective, He always works together with it, turning it into rhema. The commands in the Word are not hard and fast rules. We must apply them with wisdom that comes from the Lord. If our attitude is one of wanting to obey the Lord and please Him, He will guide us in doing good works the way He wants them done. Remember, it is He who prepared the good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). We are His arms and legs here on earth. This is the ideal Christian life: walking closely with the Lord, doing what He would have liked to do Himself but chose to do through us instead. To be continued.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

40. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - How to Forgive

You have heard that it was said, ”Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.” But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (Matthew 5:38-41)

The above passage can be summarized in one word: forgiveness. But what is forgiveness? We hear “forgive and forget,” all the time. Also, “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins,” (Matthew 6:15).

When I was a young pharmacist, my friend John, a Christian man, gave me a position managing his pharmacy. Being inexperienced, I acted very ethically, which is not always good for business. The customers complained to John, and he, being a nervous, impulsive man, said that we need to either cancel the contract, or I would spend the rest of the contract time sitting in the back of the pharmacy while he managed it.

I agreed to cancel but was bitter. In the weeks following, it so happened that I had to walk past the pharmacy to the post office every day to get my mail. I grumbled at him every time I passed the shop, but he didn’t know. Then late one evening, after the shop was closed, the Lord told me to stop. He then told me to forgive John.

“I forgive him,” I said willingly, for I loved to obey the Lord, and started to walk on.           

“Wait,” the Lord whispered, “now you must bless him.” 

“Bless him?” I said. “If he prospers, it will prove to him that I’ve made a mess. No, I can’t bless him, but I’ve forgiven him.”

The Lord just gave me that all-knowing frown of His. I quickly blessed my brother’s business.

A few days later, I remembered that John had promised me a percentage of the profit as an annual bonus, so I went to claim it.

“You ruined my profit,” John said. “You don’t deserve a bonus.”

Since it was not true, my anger rose, and I started to storm out of the shop.

“Tell him he doesn’t have to pay you the bonus,” God spoke to my heart.

I have learned that when the Lord speaks, you do what He says. So I told John, trying not to sound like “you can stick your bonus up your you-know-what.”

“You don’t need to pay my bonus, because I’ve forgiven you.”

But the Lord was in control. Not long after that, my bonus cheque came in the mail. To this day, John and I are good friends.

Since then, I can’t hold anything against anybody. I can’t sue or force money from anybody. I can’t stay angry for longer than a few moments, and I do have quite a temper. I have lost a lot of money, but because God is true to His Word, I have been forgiven a lot as well. I also maintain the principle that when someone overcharges me or doesn't pay me back or stole from me, I bless them with the money. That way I receive my blessing since I haven't lost something to someone, but has given it away. This attitude sets one free.

If you read our passage once again, you’ll see that this testimony is a practical example of what Jesus tries to say. Forgiveness is more than words or thoughts. It is a lifestyle of giving and blessing for the sake of peace and a good testimony. If our focus is on the Lord and His plan and desires for us, we won’t even notice other people’s wrongs toward us. What God thinks of us is what will be important.

“Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but with blessing,” (1 Peter 3:9a). “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked,” (Luke 6:35). See also Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27.

True love is an action and not a feeling. Do you think that anybody ever feels like doing good to their enemies? There is a reason why he is your enemy. You don’t like one another, and you don’t feel like helping him or caring for him. If love was a feeling, how could one possibly love his enemies? However, since love is not a feeling, how do we love our enemies? Isn’t it by doing love, even if you don’t feel like it? You don’t have to like him to love him. This is what this passage is all about—doing things that will astonish a world of people accustomed only to giving and being polite as long as it does not affect their personal comfort.

The Lord expects us to love one another as well as our enemies. Then His name will be glorified, and His Kingdom will grow. Our pride causes us to retaliate and harbour bitterness. God is the one who will sort out our enemies. The Lord said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” (Deuteronomy 32:35).

Apart from forgiveness, our verse also highlights an attitude of humility and trust. The carnal nature and pride demand that we look after ourselves, that we fight for what is rightfully ours; in short, that we stand on our rights. If someone demands that I walk a mile with him, I’ll dig up some money for bus fare instead. If someone takes my tunic, I’ll slap him, shoot him, or take him to court, not to mention what I’ll do if he hits me. This is often how we feel, isn’t it? Human nature and pride want to retaliate, cover, and protect our own interests, but the Lord wants us to expose ourselves, make ourselves vulnerable so that we can learn to rely on Him and trust Him. He wants us to be the least because the world expects retaliation. If they see humility and love, it makes them wonder about the God of these Christians and thus brings Him glory. It also opens the opportunity for us to testify about the Lord’s goodness.

The closer we live to the Lord, tapping from the sap of the Vine, the more we will learn to love and trust our Advocate to sort out our enemies.

A Must-read Golden Nugget - The "Translation Disaster"

    

 For most of my life I’ve mainly read the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible because it reads so easily. I knew of the errors it has, but I reasoned that it’s okay for general reading. During the times of serious Bible study, though, I would compare different versions and would then identify the errors.

It seemed I was not the only one to use the New International Version as a base, for in one particular verse, which I’m going to discuss now, three little words were added and taught, which affected the faith of billions. What am I talking about?

     In Matthew17:14-29 we read of the healing of the demon-possessed boy and how the disciples asked Jesus why they could not drive the demons out. Jesus answered them in verse 20:

     He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

     Do you see the words “as small as”? Was it correctly translated like that?

     It is general knowledge that the King James Version is the most accurate translation of the Bible into English, as are the 1933 and 1953 translations into Afrikaans. Let’s look at this verse in the following translations.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Authorised King James Version AKJV))

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; 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. (New King James Version NKJV)

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (English Standard Version ESV)

     The paraphrases of the Bible I compared also refer to the size of the mustard seed. These are read widely because they are so easily understood and many sermons are preached from them.

     But it seems that an assumption was made that Jesus referred to the size of the mustard seed. I believe the Holy Spirit, however, showed me something entirely different about the meaning of these words of Jesus based on the correct translations, which will affect the lives of believers significantly.

Based on the NIV version of this verse, I have made the statement for years that most people don’t even have faith the size of a mustard seed, for how many believers see powerful things happen in their lives, such as healing, deliverance from demons, etc? Because of this passage believers also tend to put the focus on their faith with statements like:

“I did not have enough faith.”

“Her faith was not big enough.”

     Immediately the focus is turned from the great God we serve to the size of our faith. This causes us to either become boastful because of our great faith when God answers our prayer or feel timid and inferior when we feel our faith is small.

     But let’s look at faith from the perspective of the Bible versions that translate this passage as follows: If you have faith as (or like) a grain of mustard seed (KJV, NKJV, and ESV).

     A mustard seed is a very small seed, but it becomes a very large tree. I’ve seen a picture of such a tree – it’s extraordinarily large. The tiny mustard seed has a great expectation of becoming this big tree, and it actually does. If seeds could talk and the mustard seed had to tell the acorn what the size of his expectation is, the acorn, looking at this tiny seed compared to itself, would probably have a good laugh. ‘How could it be possible,’ it might have thought.

     Therefore, if we look at the meaning of Jesus’ comparison of faith to mustard seed from the perspective of these translations, we see it’s not the size of our faith that counts, but our expectation. He compared our expectation in faith to the expectation a mustard seed has of what it would become. Our faith does not have to be great, but we ought to expect great power and results from a great God. Just as the mustard seed, being so small, expects to become an extremely large tree, so we must expect powerful results, not from our great faith, but based on the Word of a great God.

     Verse one of the famous chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, reads: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (KJV) The word hope does not have a negative meaning such as we often talk; “I hope things will change,” but I don’t really believe it would. No, the word hope in this context actually means “having a glad expectation”, and expectation of something great to happen!

What do we hope (have an expectation) for? Do we hope (have an expectation) that our faith would be big enough to convince the Lord to do something? Or do we hope (have an expectation) that the Almighty God we serve will actually keep the promise He gave us from His word and do what we ask for?

     The attitude we have in our hoping and in asking often also determines the result of our prayer. If we, for instance, pray for healing and silently hope to create a great impression with the onlookers, it’s very likely our prayer won’t be answered, for God is much more interested in our character than in our well-being. But if we pray with the hope, the expectation that God will be glorified and that the faith of the person being healed would be boosted, our prayer would likely be answered. For example, we ought to truly expect to see the healing taking place there and then.

We have been trained in praying for healing, and have learnt to expect healing to take place there and then. Now I usually see healing take place every time I pray for healing.

     I hope this will affect your perspective about faith like a mustard seed in our Almighty God and that when you pray, you will not rely on the size of your faith, but on the great power of God, expecting results.

39. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - Why was Jesus so adamant in Matthew 5:33-37?

Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.” But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” ”No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-37)

These words were motivated by the Lord’s love for His people. He knew the power of the tongue, of words. He knew that spiritual forces, good or bad, are activated by words. He knew the responsibility that one takes by calling the Holy God as a witness. He, therefore, knew the trouble his children could land themselves in by vowing and swearing.

We play with the evil forces in the sense that they will eagerly get involved in manipulating our lives according to our vows. We are in spiritual warfare. In an ordinary war, information or intelligence is of cardinal importance, because if you know what the enemy is up to, you are able to get ahead of him or manipulate his next move. Information gives us power to fight with.

In the same way, if we give the evil forces anything to fight with, they will use it against us to their advantage. If we make a vow and can’t keep it, or if we tell a small lie as part of a vow, the devil will be quick to tell you about it. “You filthy sinner, you call God as a witness to your lies. What kind of Christian are you?” Often he reveals it to an unbeliever, and it can become a stinking mess or at least leave you with guilt feelings. He will also accuse you before God, and then Jesus must cover for you once again. In a few translations of Ephesians 4:27 we read: “and give no opportunity to the devil,” (ESV), “Neither give place to the devil,” (MKJV), “And do not give the devil a foothold,” (NIV), “And don't give the devil a chance,” (CEV). Do not create a situation where the devil will have the right to attack or accuse you.  

So what must you do if people don’t want to believe you? It’s quite simple. Just live an honest life with the Lord as your Master and let your “yes” be “yes” and our “no,” “no.” Then God Himself will verify the truth of what we’re saying. This is what faith is all about. We don’t have to cover for God. He can look after Himself. I refuse to take an oath in any form. The police always have to change their documents if they take a statement from me because, based on this passage, I object to taking the prescribed oath. I then make only a solemn declaration, and nobody ever questions me, because my “yes” is “yes” and my “no,” “no,” and the Almighty verifies it.

If you have to swear, it creates the perception that something is wrong with your relationship with God, because you have to try to prove that you can be trusted. The real problem is that, instead of relying on faith in God to help you through an inner relationship rather than an outward vow, you try to do things in the flesh. It is important to experience God as an invisible, powerful friend who walks with you all the time and will assist you in whatever situation you find yourself.

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.

38. Sermon on the Mount Secrets - A Real-life Example of Consequences

In the previous post, we were discussing the consequences of disobedience to the Word of God relating to marriage and promised a real-life example. These are not real names.

Jenny was married to Jock. Neither was born again. Julia and I became friends with them before Jock left Jenny for another woman and Jenny filed for divorce. It was not a pretty divorce. We followed it closely because Jenny and Julia had built a strong friendship. The court stipulated that the children must remain with Jenny and may visit Jock at certain times. Yet every time the children came back from Jock’s house, they were confused because Jock and his new woman tried to lure the children away from Jenny.

Then Jenny met Mark. He had three children with his ex-wife, Theresa, and they were about the same ages as Jenny’s. Eventually, they decided to get married. Shortly after their marriage, Theresa, who loved her freedom and was not exactly maternal, realized that she could dump her children—usually unexpectedly—on Jenny. During these visits, Jenny realized how neglected the children were. In time, Theresa proved so bad a mother that Jenny and Mark agreed to look after the children permanently.

Unfortunately for Jenny, Mark’s children were troublemakers. Before long, Mark only punished her children and spoiled his. If this had been the only problem, it might have been tolerable, but Mark wasn’t as he appeared. All the signs were there that he did not love Jenny. He hardly ever took her side, covered for her, or protected her.

Then one day a hard blow hit Jenny. Jock had the children for the holidays, and when they returned, he suggested that they come and live with him. There they would each have their own room and attend an excellent school. After some research, Jenny discovered that he had spoiled them with gifts, attention, and their own rooms, while in her house they had to share rooms with troublesome step-siblings. The worst for Jenny was that Mark took Jock’s side because the burden of her children would then be off his shoulders. Jenny ended up raising another woman’s children while a stranger raised hers.

Did God intend for Jenny to have such a life? No. Did Jenny honour God by getting a divorce? No. Did she honour God by marrying again? No. Did God bring all these problems on her as punishment? No. Why then did it come upon her?

King David received forgiveness after he had realized what he had done when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, but he still had to bear the consequences of his deed. Achan repented when God demanded consecration, but he had to bear the consequences. If God had withdrawn the consequences, He would have declared Himself a liar, for he expressly warned them of the consequences of disobedience.                       

Jenny, through her disobedience, committed adultery with the evil forces, causing a separation between herself and God. The door then opened for the evil forces to do what they wished with her circumstances.

I assume that there are happy second marriages, but the previous partners cannot be wished away, and neither can the enemies of God. Even though things might appear happy on the surface, perfect happiness is often impossible because of external influence. The same applies to the influence of impure thoughts on a relationship due to pornography and previous sexual relationships.

I do know of Christians who assist divorced persons, through counseling, to make their second marriages more successful. However, this is how we should live: God said it, I do it, and that settles it. God chose one man for one woman, and He is more than able to make any marriage happy, providing the couple submits to His authority and everything is undertaken under His personal supervision. 

Having said all this, however, it is important to remember that in verse 32 of Matthew 5 Jesus made an exception by which divorce is acceptable, which is marital unfaithfulness. This includes marriage partners who refuse to keep their marital vows to love and to both physically and emotionally care for their spouse. A woman who divorced under this condition will therefore be exempt from the command concerning remarrying and is not considered an adulteress when she remarries.
I do realise that many Christians have been divorced and remarried, and I don't think it should be an issue for condemnation. All Christians have made mistakes that caused disobedience to God's Word. However, we should all strive to live as obedient as possible to all of God's commands as written in His Word. This way we will have more joy, power, victory, and revelation of who Jesus is (John 14:21, 23).

For children and adults who are prepared to learn in a childlike way. For more information see http://t-a-c.co.za.