In quest of esotericism (II)

 

Moses

“And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel… 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 "Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.' And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Acts 7:22-23,29-33, ESV)

Moses is the example of those who have spent all their life in occultism. He was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. This means he was versed in Astrology (horoscopes), Astronomy, Medicine, Dream Science, Mathematics and in their religious doctrines concealed behind hieroglyphs. Something ordinarily normal for someone who had been raised as a Prince. Today, one would say that he was a magician.

When God appeared to him, the first revelation he received was a lesson of sanctification: “take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” His story is a proof that de-learning esotericism takes a lot of time. It took him 40 years of desert to acquire new knowledge and get rid of all his material and ‘spiritual’, I mean esoteric riches. His story is also a powerful testimony that true wisdom, true might and true power are only found in God. Up to a certain point, those who had been his masters and peers in Egypt could reproduce his miracles, but they were quickly left behind and could not follow. And finally, the troops that were after the Israelites, sank in the Red Sea… along with their wisdom: the Mighty One is God!

 

Daniel

“Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king… 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs… 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams… 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.” (Daniel 1:3-5, 7-9, 17,20, esv)

The king here can be a politician, but he can also stand for a divinity or an occult (esoteric) society. In any case, they always solicit among the most promising children. They don’t appoint just anybody at the king’s service. The recruitment is not done amongst the village’s idiots but among the best of the best.

Those who have been co-opted, go through a period of apprenticeship during which they are taught specific doctrines (the letters and the language of the Chaldeans), their names are changed and they are given food and drink from the king’s table: that is 'Communion’. Jesus said that those who would not eat of His flesh and drink of His blood could not have part in the life He was offering: eternal life. To eat and to drink at or from the king’s table implies that one becomes one with him. When all that is done, the Initiate can now be at the deity, the Fraternity, the Circle, the Order’s service as well…he can now serve the king.

Daniel and his friends resolved not to be corrupt. They could not refuse to attend the "letters and language" courses, but they knew they could not eat at the Lord’s table and at Belial’s at the same time. There was a limit that they would not cross. And they were right: they received everything, science, opened eyes (visions and dreams interpretation) and power, without ever having to prostitute themselves. The Mighty One is God!

“Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream."… 6 … Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation."… 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, "There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."…19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven… 27 Daniel answered the king and said, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: … 47 The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." 48 Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” (Daniel 2:2ff, esv)

Daniel and his friends are the image of extremely bright people that life circumstances have led to closely rubbing shoulders with esotericism. They have read a lot, they know a lot of theoretical things, but they have never put them into practice because their heart has never ceased to be wholly to God. Nothing in the world, would make them fellowship with a spirit that is not His own. They are those who, within the framework of their work, must sometimes attend training seminars whose content quickly turns out to be strange. I know a man who found himself in Northern Europe with about 30 other people selected worldwide to participate in a highly elitist program. When they got to the place, things had nothing to do with what he had anticipated. Someone came to explain that they had been selected because they were the best and had reached a certain socio-professional level but, they needed to know there was another dimension to power: a spiritual one without which, they would not go any further in their careers. He then understood what the whole thing was about and disconnected himself so well that, the sessions of collective hypnosis didn’t work on him: they couldn't get him to sleep. The instructor told him he had a refractory spirit or something like that and was very cold with him afterwards.

Adam and Eve wanted to SEE, to KNOW, and to BE ABLE TO. In order to get there, they unfortunately followed the wrong instructor. And the serpent is not through enticing: gnosis, occultism and esotericism are still so precious to open the eyes and the minds. Yet, after eating, Adam and Eve’s eyes did not open on their deity, but on the shameful display of their nudity and they hid themselves: the quest for esotericism leaves one naked. The fig tree leaves that they used to cover their shame, were useless; and it is still God Whom they had tried running away from, Who came to their rescue. God is the Mighty One indeed!

 

We have EVERYTHING in FULL in Christ Jesus!

 

Happy Easter and God bless you.

In quest of esotericism…

“ … For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God …” Genesis 3:5-8

 

For a period of time that has not been revealed to us, Adam and Eve lived in accordance with the laws that their Creator had prescribed in order to preserve the harmony of the Garden. Nowhere is it written that they were blind. Adam had even used his eyes to tell the difference between Eve and the animals and to notice that she was a lot more ike him. As for Eve, the Bible says that she saw the tree was good for food; so, she used her eyes as well. 

Besides this, the first thing God did, was to call light into existence: ‘‘Let there be light !’’ And we know that in His light, we see light (Ps 36:9); yet, all this did not stop them from desiring to have their eyes ‘opened.’ Sometimes, the light is so bright that it becomes blinding (like full headlights on the face) and one just wishes to see differently… 

Adam was also far from being stupid; you don’t ask a fool to name every animal of the Creation, do you? Yet, he wished to have his mind, his intelligence opened…

 

Finally, they were created in God’s image and after His likeness. They had something divine in them, they were already partakers of the divinity : they were already like gods. Nevertheless… Let’s quickly note that the Serpent did not even tell them: ‘‘You will be God’’ but just, ‘‘You will be like gods.’’ 

 

For immemorial times, the scene has been repeated over and over again, always with the same baits. 

The thirst for knowledge: People want to know the secrets, know the mysteries, know, know, know. Reality TV shows and People Magazines & tabloids have so much success because of this desire to know… what generally doesn’t concern them. Curiosity is unhealthy and there are so many things that are better not to be known. When a 7 year old child is violently parachuted into the adults’ world after a rape or through pornography, one quickly realizes that there is a knowledge that one could have well done without. 

The quest for light: Many are those who feel they are in darkness and need light to see through their surrounding night. It is as if, though opened, their physical eyes are of no use. They want to see in the invisible, see what others don’t: they wish for other eyes to open… The third eye maybe? Never mind, but sooner or later, they will meet on this path, the bright day-star, the Angel of light: Lucifer… 

The thirst for power: Why do you think the Devil offered to hand down all the kingdoms of this world and their glory to Jesus, if He would only worship him? He knew very well that the secret dream of many people is to wipe-up the adulation of crowds, to become stars, to be answerable to no one, to see the Earth stop turning for them and to be able to buy whatever they want. They want to be ‘gods’ ! Living gods…

 

Those are the means through which esotericism still appeals to so many men and women. All those who have devoted themselves to it or who are tempted to do so, fall into one of those 3 categories. 

Why does it still work this often? Can’t these thirsts be quenched in God? Isn’t it possible at all to go to Him with the same motives? We will look at two biblical characters next week to find answers to these questions.

 

In the meantime, be and remain richly blessed!

What sets off miracles? (II)

 

The third and last element is compassion.

To me, this is by far, the most important and the real key of every miracle. Some people would call it love.…

God looks in the heart and acts according to what He finds and reads in there. What is in your heart? Why do you want to perform miracles? If it is to be known, for people to come from everywhere to see you and praise your spiritual exploits, in other words, if it is for your own glory that you are running after them, well, you are not near the end of your race. However, if without seeking the miracle, your heart always aches at the sight of those who suffer, if regularly, you lose your appetite because of someone else’ sufferings and you just keep on moaning and yearning that God relieves them, then you're very close to the miracle.

We no longer see a certain ‘breed’ of miracles because our hearts are hardened and have become insensitive to the misfortunes of others. Our Society – and the Church with it- has become so individualistic and so narcissistic that we are barely moved by the calamities that befall others. A plane crashes, an earthquake, floods, fire, a terrorist attack, a mass suicide, tens or hundreds of thousands of dead, and we hear of all these on the news as if they were talking about rising the price of bread – a thing that is even more susceptible to affect us than all the above (aforementioned) atrocities.

Compassion is the ability to ‘passion’ with, i.e. to suffer with. It is being able to put oneself into someone else’ shoes and feel – or at least try to feel – what he/she does. To exemplify this, the Bible often speaks of bubbling bowels or bowels that are moved.

It is therefore true that one can simply speak of love because, we can neither desire to be in, nor put ourselves in the shoes of somebody that we do not love. This is why missionaries used to leave everything behind and go to live the necessary time in the middle of those they wished to save and to bless, in the middle of those among whom they wished to see miracles.

We can give nothing to those we do not care about because, one gives with his heart. The life-changing gift (the miracle), is given with the heart. We cannot give (offer) Jesus to people that we don’t love and have not learned to love.

Indeed, almost whenever the Bible mentions a miracle, it is always preceded by a gesture of compassion. It is what usually caused God to intervene in the Old Testament:

Deuteronomy 30:3, “…then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you…”

2Kings 13:23, “But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them...”

Isaiah 54:8, “I hid my face from you for a moment in a burst of anger, but I will have compassion on you with everlasting kindness," says the LORD your defender.”

Zechariah 1:16, “So the Lord says this: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassions; My house shall be built in it …”

Before most of Jesus’ miracles, we find the expression, “moved with compassion…”, clearly showing what was the source, the engine of (what was fuelling) His miracles.

When Peter ‘healed’ the lame in front of the Temple, the Bible says that he fastened his eyes on him. In other words, EVERYTHING ceased to matter at that minute; his world stopped: the only important thing, the only one that now mattered was the lame guy (Acts 3:4).

To resurrect the Shunammite’ son, Elisha prayed then, lay down on the child with his mouth, eyes and hands on his; and the kid's body warmed. His gestures somehow speak of a complete identification with the fate of another and the fact of becoming one with him/her in order to impart what one has, to him/her (cf. 2Rois 4:33-34).

“Let love be without hypocrisy” and also, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Romans 12:9, MKJV; Proverbs 4:23, ESV) A spring must always dispense pure waters. So, I ask again: what really motivates you when you pray for someone (if you even pray at all)? The secret desire that if it works, that person will be eternally grateful to you and will mention you everywhere or, the unique desire to see her/him seek your God and surrender to Him afterwards?

After making the list of spiritual gifts, -amongst which, the gift of working miracles- Paul showed the Corinthians that to get there (and get them), the excellent way was the way of love. And he said: “Now faith, hope, and love, these three things remain; but the greatest of these is love.” (1Corinthians 12 & 13). As you can see, according to this miracle-working man, charity, love is greater and far more important than faith.

It is really high time we ‘de-anaesthetize’ our hearts and bowels, so that they may (re)learn to shiver (quiver) for others.

I am fully aware that without faith, without the Word of God and without compassion, some occultists are capable of incredible performance (and the Bible has many such examples); still, I don’t call those miracles but magic. The works of these people are always followed by pain: they loose on one hand, and bind on the other hand. Meanwhile, the Lord’s miracle totally sets free its recipient; it enriches and is not followed by any sorrow (Proverbs 10:22): it is perfect.

There is no love without compassion and there is no compassion without love. You seek after miracles ? Well, seek compassion, seek love: NOTHING resists love!

“And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness… above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins.” (Colossians 3:14; 1Peter 4:8)

 

God bless you and make you be a Grace-carrier and miracles-working Christian.

What sets off miracles?

One of the things Christians run after, one of those they are so desperate to see, is miracles. I do not know any Christian who, after hearing of mountain-moving faith and after reading the Lord’s promise saying that those who believe in Him will do the kind of works He did and even greater ones (John 14:12), has not fervently desired to perform a miracle or to be used to do one.

Many have locked themselves up in fasting and prayer, begging the Lord to use them ‘‘mightily’’, i.e. in signs, miracles and wonders. I have also prayed some of these prayers and I have been used many times, but never to the expected magnitude. Then, with time, I decided to sound out the Scriptures and seek God’s face to understand why there were so few (little) miracles in Church today. That’s how I discovered that there are three triggers for miracles. 

Mark 11:22-24, “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” 

Faith is the first and most evident of all.

 

The Holy Scriptures warn us that it is impossible to be pleasing to God without faith (Heb 11:6). How many times has Jesus not said: “Let it be done for you as you have believed”? As for James, “The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick.”(5:15) So, to what extent are you convinced that what you're about to say or ask will be done? Don’t you really have any doubt in you when it comes to laying hands on a corpse or telling a barren woman that she will be a mother in 12 months? Can you pray for a blind or a lame without hesitation because you know for sure that his handicap will be over by the time you are through with your short prayer? And I say short prayer because theoretically, you don’t need to put yourself out of breath nor tire everybody with your shouts: you should simply be able to speak to the illness for it to go. Are you sure of yourself? 

And here is the trap: indeed, we don’t have to be sure of ourselves, but we have to be sure of Him. We should not doubt God. Jesus said : “Have faith in God” and not “Have faith in yourselves.” “I cannot do it on my own; but I know that if it is His will, He who lives in me, CAN.” We do not see results because we go about these things as if we are the ones who have to perform the miracle and as we are sadly aware of our limitations, we end up transferring them unto God.

 

When a boss asks his employee to do something, this one must simply perfectly execute the order. If the outcome is not good, it is not his problem, but his boss’s: we don’t have neither the burden, nor the responsibility of the miracle. We must simply present God, then let Him act without interfering and without attempting to steal the glory that belongs to Him. 

Mark 16:20, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”

  

The second element is the preaching of the Word.

Inasmuch as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without watering the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, so, the word of God does not return to Him without fulfilling His will and His purpose (Isaiah 55:10-11). Paul used to say that his speech and message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1Corinthians 2:4). If what you say produces no effect, if your ministry doesn’t see any miracle, humbly and honestly ask yourself if you are preaching the Word of God. Do you really say EVERYTHING that God asks you to say and do you say ONLY what He tells you to? If you add your pinch of salt to it, then, it is no longer God speaking, but you; and God will not work with you to confirm your words or actions. Very often, the Lord communicates to us a message as clear as crystal but because of shyness, shame, embarrassment or just too much reflection over it, we dare not say it as commanded. So, we modify it a little, thinking that it is not such a big deal and God will put up with it, only to be later on surprised to have no result: ‘‘Lord, I am disappointed; You did promise me You would do this or that if I said this or that. I spoke and You did not do anything.’’ Oh Yea? Have you truly been a faithful ambassador? Have you represented your King’s will with dignity or yours? 

Woe unto whoever adds or takes from whatever God has said (Deuteronomy 4:2 & 12:32, Revelation 22:18-19). Paul was so conscious of this, that he was constantly requesting believers to pray “that words may be given to him in opening his mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which he was an ambassador … so that in it he may speak boldly, as he ought to speak.” and also, « that God may open to him a door of the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which he also has been bound, that he may make it clear, as he ought to speak.”(Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:3-4) 

To be continued…

Lessons from the story of the prodigal son (Part II)

Galatians 4:1-4,7, “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son… 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” 

Have you ever heard the story of this man who worked hard and saved a small fortune to be able to afford a cruise across the Atlantic with his wife? He paid for their tickets and with what was left, he bought a few provisions. Back then, it used to take several weeks to cross the Ocean and despite their frugality, their rations finished a few days before the end of the journey. They tried to resist for two days in their cabin; but it was too much and the man went out to look for the captain and beg for something to eat, explaining how they could not afford a meal, because they had invested all they had in the purchase of tickets. You can only imagine his shock when a stunned captain told him that they just had to go to the dining room and eat: accommodation, catering and entertainment were all included in the fares! Just imagine: for weeks, they had smelled the delicious food prepared in the kitchens; from their ‘room’, they had listened the Orchestra play; they had not participated in anything, thinking they were not entitled to whatsoever; and now, a day or two before the end of the adventure they had so dreamed about, they learn that in fact, all those hardship was unnecessary and even stupid… 

Well, in the story of the prodigal son, the elder brother reflects the image of this man. He lived in abundance, yet he had a mentality of a slave, of servant, instead of the mentality of a son. Didn’t he say himself: “'Look, these many years I have served you’. I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends”? His obedience was not natural and his service was a coercive one. Indeed, he had never disobeyed his father but its seems as though it was not a natural thing for him. That seems to be generating a certain moral tension in him. And his reply shows that during all those years, he was secretly wishing to throw a party with his friends but never dared to ask. Servants do not have the right to help themselves at will in their masters refrigerators or attics; but when the sons come, they take what they want without having to give account, because all those things have generally been purchased for them. 

Are SONS/DAUGHTERS expected to serve or not? Of course they are. Nonetheless, they don’t serve like workers who are expecting a reward or a salary; they don’t serve only when they are hungry or in order to satisfy a need: they serve by pure pleasure. Children quite often serve grudgingly; but true SONS and DAUGHTERS serve like heirs who are already taking care of their inheritance: “His father said to him: ‘my child, … everything I have is yours.” They are busy growing their parents’ businesses- which is also theirs – in order to perpetuate the family name. They have no need therefore, to enumerate the list of their achievements. 

Indeed, when you're SON or DAUGHTER of, you have nothing to prove and no prey to grasp: you just content yourself TO BE who you are. Hence, when Satan said: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread", Jesus refused to comply. Not only had He no order to receive from the devil, but most importantly, He had nothing to prove: "If you don't know who I am, I do and that is enough. I know I can do it, I have no doubt about My powers but this is neither the place nor the time to perform miracles. 

Who are you the son or the daughter of? If you know who you are and if you are convinced of it, why are you fighting? Why are you restless? It is important to know who we are. Very often we find ourselves doing useless things because for a moment, we have totally forgotten or lost sight of our identity. 

Galatians 4:6, “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts…”

Thus, the Spirit of God only comes into our hearts because we are sons; yet, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom and we were called to freedom (2Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:13). Hence, SONS (and DAUGHTERS) are free and are aware of it. They know they can freely enjoy EVERYTHING, but they do not use this freedom as an opportunity to the flesh (Galatians 4:19). They naturally know the boundaries and their parents can trust them. They don’t need to be constantly reminded not to do this or that. Whereas one must always be behind a child if one wants to avoid monumental blunders. A SON thinks and says: "I can kill a fattened calf every day if I wish; I can invite friends home every weekend; I can even wear my 'Sunday clothes' every day if I want: EVERYTHING is mine and ALL IS LAWFUL TO ME but, I won't do it, because it is not useful. It will not bring me anything.’’ 

‘‘Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came back, you killed the fattened calf for him!' True SONS and DAUGHTERS know that their destiny is different from their brothers and that they don’t necessarily need the same things, TO BE or TO BECOME. They know that their parents love them and that none of their siblings can ‘steal’ away from them, the love that is due to them. So, they don’t envy and they are not jealous. On the contrary, kids always make comparisons: “Huuh, you’ve given him a bigger piece than mine! ” 

A SON/DAUGHTER would have understood that the little brother had gone through hell and that all his sufferings, as well as those of his parents, were about to end, and it would have been sufficient to gladden his heart: “I praise You O my God, because You are Great. You Alone could do such a wonder in my brother’s life. I thank You because Daddy is smiling again; thank You because once more, there is joy in this house. Lord, let him feel loved and enough at ease to never wish to go back. Daddy is not the only one who has found his son back, I have also have my brother back.” 

 

Finally, the story of the prodigal son is a call to maturity. And if you put these lessons together with what I shared on divine provision and on the manner of prayer of Jesus, by God’s grace, you will tap into something that will help your faith take gigantic leaps. You will discover how to live without lack and without stress. 

I repeat: “…The heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son… 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” So: slave? Under guardianship or owner/master? The ball is in your court.

God bless you and help you become a true son or daughter of His. 

Lessons from the story of the prodigal son

“…"A man had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So the father divided his property between them. A few days later, the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his possessions on wild living. After he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. "Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death! I will get up, go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Treat me like one of your hired men."' "So he got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately. Then his son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.' But the father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let's eat and celebrate! For my son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate. "Now his older son was in the field. As he was coming back to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called to one of the servants and asked what was happening. The servant told him, 'Your brother has come home, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he got him back safely.' "Then the older son became angry and wouldn't go into the house. So his father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, "Listen! All these years I've worked like a slave for you (many versions instead have: 'Look, these many years I have served you’). I've never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you've never given me so much as a young goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But this son of yours spent your money on prostitutes, and when he came back, you killed the fattened calf for him!' 31 "His father said to him, 'My child, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.'" (Luke 15:11-32, ISV) 

This story has been widely spread within Christian and non-Christian circles and I even dare believe that I would not be risking a lot in asserting that most preachers have at some point or another preached, exhorted or taught on this passage. I wouldn’t like to repeat some of the obvious comments that we all have heard over the years, but would rather like us to ask ourselves a few rather disturbing questions, in order to help us look deep inside of us, before making my points of the day. 

If you are already a parent, just imagine that the precious child for whom you have sacrificed a lot things so as to ensure that they may have a bright future and whom you sent to the best educational institutions, the one who regularly attended Sunday school, becomes wild: drugs, thefts, early pregnancies, murders, prison, prostitution etc. Think that despite all your efforts and prayers, your child refuses to come back to reason and leaves the house. For months or years, you have no news on her/his whereabouts at all and then, one day, the doorbell rings and here she/he is, in a deplorable state, crying and begging for forgiveness: what will you do? Are you capable of reacting like the father of the prodigal son in our passage? 

Are you are not a parent as yet? Well, you can always imagine what you would do, if you were one. If not, imagine that you are the brother or the sister of the child that I have just described. You come back from school and you find that your parents have taken a week off to spend time with ‘the returning one’, something they have never done for you. You go to the kitchen and you see that they have gone out of their way to prepare all the dishes that ‘the returning one’ has always liked while you can’t even remember the last time your mother served your favourite dessert. Then you hear some music coming out of the room of ‘the returning one’; you go to have a look, and this is what you see: a brand new TV in a corner and the latest iPad on his/her table while you have been asking your father to change your old laptop for the last 6 months! What are you going to do? Deep down inside, how are you going to feel? Are you capable of wholeheartedly taking part in the celebration and adding your own gifts without ‘faking’ your joy? 

Whatever your answers are, just be honest with yourself and God - find out why you think you would behave like that. 

But, let’s come down to the heart of this article. The story of the prodigal son is evidently an apology for forgiveness and restoration, two things that should actually go beyond the context of filial relationship; but it is mostly in my view, an invitation to behave like the SONS (or DAUGHTERS) and not like CHILDREN.

 

Both boys had two fundamental problems: immaturity and a slave mentality. 

Galatians 5:17ff, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do… 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience… 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” 

1Corinthians 3:1, “… I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” 

If you give a child a kilogram of sweets, he will just want to eat them all as soon as it’s practicable. Watch a kid who is handed a glass of juice; If not stopped, then he will drink it at one gulp, and sometimes without even breathing. 

Children do not know how to wait. Here, the younger of the two brothers was too eager to ‘freely’ enjoy his inheritance. Then, when his adventure went all wrong, he decided to go back home. But he did not go back because he had realised that his father was missing him, neither did he even think that his father may never have had a good night’s sleep since he had left. NO! This is even proof that he did not know his father. He had never really spent time with him ; he hadn’t taken the time to understand him, to love him, to know what could please him. His father was just a purse, a ‘sponsor’ or a bank.

However, a worthy SON or DAUGHTER reflects the character of his/her parents. He/she is their image, their footprint, and those who have seen him/her, have ‘seen’ his/her father or mother. ‘‘But I say, walk by the Spirit…” (Galatians 5:16): the sons of God walk by the Spirit of God, their Father; likewise, worthy sons/daughters also walk by the spirit of their earthly parents. 

Anyway, he went back home, and only returned because he was hungry: the motive behind his decision was the desires of the flesh. He was ready to be hired by his father so that he would hunger no more; and by the way, even when he found himself keeping the pigs, he only did so because he was in need, he was hungry. The guy was only working when compelled and forced to so-do. Say flesh and you say carnal, and if you say carnal, you say infant.

To be continued...

About paying for Christian conferences (II)

Discrimination and Elitism
 

Bishops and pastors are fathers in their churches and ministries. In Western Africa, church members usually address their leaders as ‘Papa’ or ‘Mama’, and it is in line with the Holy Scriptures. Indeed, speaking to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells them: ‘‘For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.’’ (1Corinthians 4:15) 

Now, what loving and worthy father would discriminate among his children? What responsible father would tell them: ‘‘Kids, God has just given me some powerful revelations about marriage, debts cancelling and success but, I won’t talk about it here at home. I promise to tell you all about it for $20 at Hotel A, between the 10^th and the 15^th of this month. You know I love you and I really want you to succeed, don’t you? You really need to hear these revelations. Don’t miss it, be there. After all, what is $20 compared to your salvation?’’ 

And this is unfortunately what is happening nowadays with these conferences. They are very discriminating. Let’s go back to the example above: That man of God, that father, has a congregation of 15.000 to 20.000 members whose vast majority cannot afford to go on holiday. They have some daily or hourly paid jobs and any day-off pits the wallet very hard. There are not many of them who can attend such conferences when they take place in another State in the US, and even fewer can afford the luxury of a USA – South Africa trip. For those who will eventually travel, only the ‘elect’ who can make the additional sacrifice of staying longer, will have the ‘grace’ to sit at the “Man of God’s” table, eat with him, laugh with him, share their worries, pray with him and who knows, be rewarded of extra revelations that were hidden to others. Do you see how far the selection can go? And when you know that in these mega-churches, some members spend years without even being able to say hello to their pastor, you can imagine how they feel –these children – when they realize that once again, they won’t be granted the privilege to come close to him because they are guilty to be poor and not being able to pay… 

Anyway, as I was saying earlier, this is a very abusive and cruel discrimination: it is discriminating by money. The richer you are, the more you get all the attention. Who with a true father’s heart, will treat his own children this way? 

This elitism is totally different from that of Jesus. The Master used to spot among His disciples, those who were more spiritually advanced, those who were more likely to understand what He was doing, those to whom the torch would be handed down first after His departure and He would invest Himself in them. He would give them the meaning of parables, would allow them to witness firsthand some of the miracles and key events of His life (resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, transfiguration, Gethsemane…) However, never, never ever did they have to pay for the right for that intimacy. If paying had been mandatory, anyone could have done it and precious pearls would have fallen in the midst of swines. 

How different things are today! The financial bar is increasingly higher and only those who can pay are entitled to the "grace." It doesn’t matter whether they are Christians or not, mature or not. Do you have problems? Do you want a breakthrough? Do you want a powerful move of God in your life? Give…I mean…Pay! Because God’s favours are bought nowadays. They all have a price. There is nothing for nothing and money answers all… It seems as though God had become so materialistic that He is no longer capable of doing anything without us giving Him money first. Some bibles no longer have “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force,” but “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the rich takes it by force.” They no longer read, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God,” they read: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a poor person to enter the kingdom of God.” The Lord is not in this trade fair elitism. 

“When they came to Jerusalem, he went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple. He overturned the moneychangers' tables and the chairs of those who sold doves. He wouldn't even let anyone carry a vessel through the temple. Then he began to teach them, saying, "It is written, is it not, 'My house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have turned it into a hideout for bandits!"” (Mark 11:15-17, ISV) 

The House of God has ceased to be a House of prayer to become a trading place. And I am not referring to those who sell a few treats at the end of the service but, to all those who are selling the Word of God in the Temple: Jesus only rebuked the dealers. In those days, the pilgrims who lived far away from Jerusalem and who could not carry their tithes along or the animals they wished to sacrifice, would go to the Temple to buy what they needed there; but the moneychangers and the merchants would take advantage of them and use usurer rates. A wonderful business, even for the scribes and the Pharisees. 

I know that many justify themselves by saying that these fees are only collected to cover the costs of logistics, the rental of the hall and the speakers’ fees. But when God sends, He also provides: if there are no means to support these charges, why take people into such an adventure? 

“In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we should help the weak and remember the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"” (Acts 20:35, ISV) 

In fact, I am not at all against doing Christian programs in hotels or any other location which would be more convenient to a certain social group that must also hear the Gospel. However, I do think the entrance should be free. The Church that wants to start this form of evangelization has to budget for it. The members who are well-off and all those who have the gift of liberality can take care of that but, participants should never pay an entry fee. NEVER. They should be free to respond to what they have received, as they feel. If the meal was good, guests will eagerly come to enquire when they can have some more. Some might even want to give their financial support; but even if that was not the case, it shouldn’t stop us from pursuing the vision…if it was really from God. 

The Church is not out there to make money. It is out there to be the Lord’s arms, feet, heart and mouth and to continue providing a solution to all sorts of human misery, in His Spirit.

The Church is not a Firm managed by a C.E.O; it is a spiritual venture with Christ Jesus at its Head. 

 

What do we have that we have not received (from God)? And when we received it, did we pay for it? Let us show the world that the love of God has really been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given to us and that there is more happiness in giving than in receiving! 

God bless you!