Title: “Secret” to the well-being of a believer

Preamble: This write-up has been preached on 17/01/2015 at TradeHub21, at a divine healing fellowship meeting. 

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Today, I am going to talk about a “secret” or “gem” found in the Word from ancient of times, concerning the well-being of a person of God or a believer.  It is really NOT a secret, as it is there, seen in many places in Scripture, both in the Old Testament and New Testament.  Plainly speaking, it is simply the very important truth of God.

I encase it as a “secret”, merely to perspective it against today’s prevalent selling of secrets to successes in life from the Word of God, purporting there is the easy way to well-being and prosperity.  And so, we find there are the various shades of prosperity gospel being preached; the hyper-grace gospel or way of life, being taught exclusively, by some, and also such things as the “Secret of Obed Edom”.  All of such rather misinformed “secrets” tries to appeal to men’s wanting of easy-believism.  Sure, Jesus did propose, we, the weary ones and the heavy-laden ones, to take His yoke which He said is light.  The truth is that, there is only the simplicity in the words of God, but to live them out is NOT necessarily easy.

It takes sheer obedience, perseverance, trust and faith, hope and love to live out the simplicity of the words of God.  It takes much right growing and cultivation of our heart, our posture, our outlook of life, against the attempting proposals of the world.  It takes a lifetime to work on such things.

Easy?

Just look at Jesus or Paul. The words might have been simple, in the case of Jesus: “My Son, you be the Atonement”, but to live that out, was profound, and NOT easy for Jesus.  If you are a Christian of any good measure, you must know enough about the earthly life of Jesus; of what He had to go through and indeed went through, to fulfil the simple words of a mandate of God, the Father. 

Did Jesus NOT find it hard at times?  Did Scripture NOT tell us that Jesus had to pray very hard; so hard that sweat of blood came forth?!  Did Jesus NOT suffer unimaginable human pain and anguish in His final lap of earthly life, of being tortured and brought to death crucified?  Words of truth of God maybe simple, yet often they are profound and NOT easy to live out.

Let me just give us, a glimpse of Paul’s life in the light of what I am saying about “it is often NOT easy to live out our love for God”.  Paul had to do an about-turn, forsook his associations with the prestigious and powerful Pharisees and Sadducees, ran from the same, and then associated with the very people, the believers, whom he had previously most persecuted, even unto death.  He had to live a missionary life away from Jerusalem, the centre of the Jew’s religious faith.  From living under the umbrella of powerful men, from whom he could get authority to arrest and persecute people, Paul turned to be one who had to face possibility of great hardship; and great hardship he did undergo.  He was bitten up, thrown into prison, was shipwrecked, and bitten by poisonous snake on stranded shore; against, perhaps, well-meaning advice and prophesy, still insisted to live out the mandate of God for him to go back to Jerusalem, where, as prophesied, he was bounded up and thrown into prison.  Easy?  Not likely, if you want to live the Christian life.  And you are to live the Christian life.

No victory?

Before I reveal the “secret” that I said is to our well-being, I want to say, I know many of us, often thought of our lives as NOT victorious.  Maybe, you ever talked to yourselves, subconsciously, this, “I thought being a Christian, I would be victorious; how come I am NOT?”

This, perhaps, is the subject of another message/sermon; it suffices here, to say that for a believer, victories are no longer defined by him, but by his God.  Many live a miserable life because they do NOT get this, right; they still insisted to define victories, instead of accepting God’s definitions; a posture opposed to what God has, in mind.  God cannot be at the centre of your life if you are the one defining the outcome of things; God has to be the one, and so, He is one who defines what victory is and what is NOT!

What’s the Secret?

What is this “secret” to the well-being of a believer?

If I ask you, what is the most important thing to take away from the straight-forward Gospel message, what would it be?  Most important thing; one thing only; what is your answer?  [Ask for answers]

Ans: “Jesus died for me”; “God loves me.  John 3:16”.

Do you know that, that is NOT the complete answer?  Or maybe, I should say, 2 most important things to take away from the Gospel message, what would be your answer?

Yes, the 1^st thing is God loves me (that He gave His Son to die for me); what is the next thing? [At this point, give out this sermon notes, if it is to be given]

You accept His love?  Yes, that is what most preachers, say you do, BUT it is NOT complete - that He loves you, and you accept His love!

You have to ….  love Him back!

The Gospel is the greatest love story, and the story isn’t complete until and unless you love Him back.  You and I got to love Him back.

The “secret” to the well-being of a believer is?  Love God, love the Lord.

A condition? We got to love God?

Hyper-grace preachers or easy-believism or prosperity preachers would commonly project that the promises of God in the Word are unconditional.  Unbalanced understanding of the love of God as only unconditional (misinformed of the word, agape) also would lead some preachers to drum into believers that God does NOT put any conditions to His promises.  This perspective is immature; wrong, even.

I know it is so very common for us to briefly say of things, and so, common on our lips, are such catch phrases as “God’s love is agape, unconditional”, “We get by grace”, or “God gives, and by grace”.  The problem with lingo is that if we use it often enough, we may begin to unthinkably hold them as “gospel-truth”, so to speak.  I am NOT saying you cannot say these things, but use such “sweeping” lingo, in the proper context, and understand them in their proper context.

It is NOT my intent, today, to preach against hyper grace, but it suffices to say that we cannot simply explain every message of the Bible with grace.

Promises, (all) unconditional?

What are some of the most wonderful promises in the Bible? Promises are most important for us, believers, isn’t it NOT?! We are a people of promise, that’s who we are. Salvation is a faith (NOT a fact); Salvation is a hope (NOT a fact), that is why promises is so dear to us. I will give us 3 sets, and show us, there is the condition.

1.    In all things, God works it for the good of us.  You like that, right?  God working it, in all things, for our good.  Where do we find this promise?  Any answer?  Yes, Romans 8:28.  Is there no condition? No, there is.

Here is the full verse (Rom 8:28 [NIV]):

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Incidentally, this verse does NOT point to God souring things for you, but it is that when things turn sour, God makes lemon juice for those who love Him.  In short, love God always, and you will have no fear of being left to thirst to death, when things turn sour.  Be mature, don’t start loving God only when things have turned sour, love Him always, starting from now.

2.   Here is another very comprehensive set of promises - Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  God is our refuge and our fortress.  He will save us from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover us with His feathers and under His wings we will find refuge; His faithfulness will be our shield and rampart.  We will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at our side, ten thousand at our right hand, but it will not come near us. We will only observe with our eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If we say, “The Lord is our refuge,” and we make the Most High our dwelling, no harm will overtake us, no disaster will come near our tent. For He will command His angels concerning us to guard us in all our ways; they will lift us up in their hands, so that we will not strike our foot against a stone. We will tread on the lion and the cobra; we will trample the great lion and the serpent.

You like this set of promises, don’t you?  I like it, I want it. Is it not great and wonderful – “A thousand may fall at our side, ten thousand at our right hand, but it will not come near us”?  Where do we find this set of promises?  Any answer?  Yes, Ps 91. 

Is there a proviso or condition for this set of promises?  It started with “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty”.  How do you get to dwell there?  Did preachers who tell you to claim these promises, tell you how you get there – be dwelling in the shelter of the Most High?  At least a one-liner, of how? No?  Where is the shelter of the Most High? A physical place?  A church? 

What is the answer; is there a proviso or condition? The answer is Yes, there is a condition, and the condition is given in verse 14 of Ps 91.  God said, “Because he [the psalmist] loves me, I will …….

Here, I give us the full verses of Ps 91:14-16 (NIV):

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Ps 91 is fully loaded with wonderful promises, and it is commonly called the Protection Psalm; I have read of 2 Ebola victims, of the recent outbreak, survived, healed by meditating on this Psalm [The Ebola is deadly; 2 weeks, and one can be gone].  This is a powerful psalm.  It says to ….. love God.

3.   The last set of promises we will look at, is this: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived, the [good] things God has prepared for us. 

Who knows where this promise is taken from?  Any answer?  Yes, 1 Cor 2:9, by the Apostle Paul; and Paul applied it from Isaiah 64:4. 

Some consider this to be a futuristic promise of things, i.e. for when we get to Heaven.  It can be that, but it can also be for our present life, if we look at Isaiah 64:4, the verse from which Paul extracted it.

Isaiah 64:4 (NIV) reads: Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Whether you apply it in your present life or the Heaven’s life, is there no condition to it?  Is “wait for Him/God” the condition?  Yes, but that “wait for Him” pointed to something broader.

That something broader, Paul referred to it as “love for God”.  Is it NOT right – you will wait for him whom you love?!

Here is the full text of 1 Cor 2:9 (NIV) –

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Are NOT the above 3 sets of promises, some of the most wonderful promises from the Word of God?  Yes. 

Don’t you want them all?  Yes. 

Are you thinking, “How come they don’t seem to apply in my life?” 

It is because there is one condition, and a very important condition to them all; and God also considers “other factors”.  We will NOT look at the “other factors”, here, today; but I have shown us, the condition that so many of us, so often, have allowed easy-believism messages to crowd it out of our lives, to love God.

I want to end, but I will add this: Can you agree that when the same thing is repeated, it can signify the thing is very important?  In culture of the Jews, it is a form of superlative, like good, better, best, where best is the superlative.  For example, “Holy” was often repeated 3 times, as in “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty”; and so, holiness is the most significant nature-attribute of God.

We know that the Apostle Peter denied or acknowledged NOT, Jesus, before Jesus was crucified; after resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples, and in John 21, when Jesus reinstated Peter, what did Jesus pose to Peter, 3 times?  Any answer?

Yes, “Do you love me?  Jesus repeated the same question 3 times. Was Jesus not signifying what is important in our return to God?  What was He signifying?  We got to …. love God.

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Lastly, is it NOT in the greatest commandment, from the ancient times, to love God with our all?  Yes.  So, know the very core of your faith – God loves you, and you are to love Him back.  Above all things, love God – that’s the secret to our well-being. Is it always, easy? Of course, NOT. How do we love God? That will be subject of separate sermons.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions - What can we pray for another? NOT prosperity for the sake of prosperity, but everything that is in keeping with the person to be loving God more and more.

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PS: below is the 1 page sermon notes that you can give out if you are preaching this article.

“Secret” to the well-being of a believer (Anthony Chia – 17/01/2015)

Really NOT a secret.  Simply the very important truth of God.

There is only the simplicity of the Word, NOT necessarily easy to live out.

It takes sheer obedience, perseverance, faith, hope and love to live out the simplicity.  It takes much right growing and cultivation of our heart, against the attempting proposals of the world.  It takes a lifetime.

Easy?

Just look at Jesus or Paul.

No victory?

For a believer, victories are no longer defined by him, but by God.  Many live a miserable life because they do NOT get this, right.

God cannot be at the centre of your life if you are the one defining the outcome of things; God has to be the one, and so, He is one who defines.

What’s the Secret?

You have to ….  love Him back!
The Gospel is the greatest love story, & the story isn’t complete until & unless you love Him back.  You & I got to love Him back.

The “secret” to the well-being of a believer is?  Love God.

A condition? We got to love God?

Looking at 3 sets of most wonderful promises that have the condition.

Rom 8:28 [NIV]): And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Ps 91.  V14-16 [NIV] - “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, …….. I will be with him in trouble ….”

1 Cor 2:9 (NIV) – However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—

“How come doesn’t seem to apply to my life?” - This condition, & other factors.  Other factors NOT covered here.

Other support: Jesus’ reinstatement of Peter – “Do you love me?” 3X!

                      Greatest commandment – Love God with all of you.

For meditation: How do you love God?

Stressful troubles, how?

Preamble: Recently, my distant friend, Ps Prentis put up 2 articles, back to back, touching on Psalm 91:14-15, and 1 Pet 5:6-7, on his blog, “Created to give Glory”.  As these talked about troubles, stresses, and worrying, and about God’s presence with us, and His protection and deliverance, I want to put up the 2 comments (combined, with some rearrangements) I put up on Ps Prentis’ blog, on the subject. Ps 91 is a very significant psalm, and it has the very beautiful promises commonly on the lips of believers all over. I have previously put up an entry on the entire Ps 91; you can read it here: Ps 91 – Secret to our well-being.

Speak it, preach it
Yes, speak about this one; preach it, Ps 91 verses 14-15.

Ps 91 is a very beautiful psalm, also commonly known as the Protection Psalm. Readers should go read it; you will see the promises frequently on the lips of believers found there.

How do we get there – dwelling in the shelter of the Most High?
The Psalm opens with "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." After that, the beautiful promises of God are given.

But what many of us fail to tell people, or maybe we ourselves, do NOT know, is how one gets to dwell in the shelter of the Most High.

Is that a physical place? Where is the shelter of the Most High? How do we get there?

It doesn’t work?
In fact, many believers are disappointed, for often what they read in Scripture, like the beautiful promises of protection in this Psalm 91, they do NOT seem to come through for them. After a while, they give up, and conclude we cannot take the Word at its face value! Part of the blame lies with us, we don't properly tell people that many of these promises have conditions attached to them.

I am NOT saying if we do NOT fulfill the conditions attached, we will NEVER be able to receive the promises; I am NOT saying that. What I am saying is that if God puts condition(s) to His promise, it is NOT unreasonable of Him to expect you and I, to fulfill it/them.

Verses 14-15 – the key
The key to Ps 91's promises is in verses 14-15. Where is the shelter of the Most High? How do you get there? Is it a physical place? No, it is NOT a physical place. You and I get there by loving God.

When we get into trouble, it is NOT that God does NOT want to come and get us out of our trouble; He can easily do that. It is He can always do that, but the question is, do we know what is the point/lesson that can be learned from our scenario.

Getting into troubles
How do we commonly get into trouble? We disobey God or some commands of God. For example, God's Word said NOT to steal, but you did it. Or God's Word said that we are to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, and then what we need, they would be added to us, but you don't want to follow that, instead you decided to put all your time and attention to your career, even if it would take a toll on your health or family. God can come and help you out, but will you learn the lesson therein?

Some people when they are in trouble, all they want and care about, is how are you, God, going to get me out of this? God can get them out, but they would get into trouble again and again. "But God is patient-what!" Hello, it is you have to grow; it is NOT God has to grow in patience! God's desire is for all of us to grow.

Back to square one if you don’t know how to love God
So, I have said, you got to love God; that is the key to availing yourselves to the protection promises of God, there, in Ps 91. But if you don't know how to love God, you are back to square one - where you don't know how to dwell in the shelter of the Most High?

Is it that obvious, how we are to love God? No, I don't think so. Make a guess, now. No, don't say, we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength! That still does NOT say how?

What Jesus said
Jesus did say how - Obey His commands. Short and sharp, but pastors are NOT preaching it, no wonder people are NOT knowing it. It is repeated many times in the writings of the Apostle John. Two verses that I like, on this, are John 14:15 and John 14:21a.

How can you get to dwell in the shelter of the Most High? Love Him. How to love Him? Obey His commands. How do we say, people commonly get into trouble? They did NOT obey God's commands. See, God can get you out of your trouble, but if you continue NOT to obey His commands, you are just NOT loving Him, and you continue to get into trouble.

Hello, NOT God does, and then you give Him some love!
Then, there are those who would like to have God's protection all the time. Anything wrong with that? No, I like that too. But then, how do we love God? Some people do this, "This Sunday, I will go to church, and sing a few thanksgiving songs to God, since I have had relief from my trouble. God has indeed helped me," But then, the week following that, they don't go anymore. You know, how bad this attitude is. I tell you what you are in effect, doing: You are holding out that God is the one needing teaching or growing; in fact, you are saying in His face, "God, if and when you help me, I will give you praise! God, you do first, then I give you love!” What audacity is that!

We need to love God for who He is and we are to worship Him in the like of the 3 friends of Daniel who were thrown in the furnace by the King Nebu. You can read the full story in Daniel 3. This is what the threesome said:

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. ” (Daniel 3:17-18)

That is loving God; NOT you (God) do, and then I reciprocate.

Two other ingredients
Ps Prentis mentioned 2 other ingredients for getting help from God in your time of trouble. They are that you are to identify with God, and you are to call out to God. They are mentioned in verses 14 & 15 of Ps 91. They can be regarded as being part and parcel of loving God, but we can take it out and explicitly point it out to people; and I will elaborate on them a little bit more.

NOT one-time, but continual acknowledgment
Actually, when you gave your life over to Jesus, when you entered into salvation, you are identified with Jesus, or to use the words in verse 14, you have acknowledged Jesus. But the problem with many of us, is that we soon “go on to do our own things”, and so, in the process we have failed to follow through with our commitment to be in continual acknowledgment of Him. Now, if you think you only need to do that, once, at the point of your entry into salvation, and can then just do what you like, without change in your life or lifestyle, you have been taught under erroneous core theology of the Christian faith (to me, that is being legalistic/legalism). Don’t let false teachers fool you, how you live shows if you are acknowledging Him; you go legalism or legalistic with God, you cannot win your case.

The correct way ….vs the wrong way
When you are already a believer, acknowledgment of Him means you live according to His prescription (how you live), and when you are off, you have to acknowledge that, you are off, and you need to turn back, and resume the way of life prescribed by God (no lie, no steal, and so on…). Yes, that means you confess you have strayed; you repent, and you turn to God for forgiveness. Yes, acknowledge Him again, with a humble and contrite heart. Don’t listen to teaching that tells you the only thing you need to do, is to tell the Devil off, by telling the Devil that you are still righteous. Who do you need to acknowledge, the Devil or God? Look, who is going to see you to Heaven, the Devil or God? What we need to address foremost, is our issue with God, NOT you don’t have to come before God, just tell the Devil off. I am NOT saying there is anything wrong with telling the Devil off, per se, but it is that we have to foremost, address our issue with God.

Taking God for granted
The common sense that we have to call out to God, to some people, it turns out to be NOT that common! Please, you cannot insist this, “He is God-what, He knows everything-what, He knows even before I ask, then I don’t need to tell Him-what!” You will be surprised that many believers do this to God. Yes, God, as well as the angels He assigned, watch over you, and without you knowing, help you a lot; but you cannot take Him for granted. Yah, you are taking Him for granted; you don’t even be bothered to talk to Him about your problem. You don’t want to dialogue with your loved ones, like your spouse, and then you expect him/her to anticipate, and act just in the nick of time to take care of things. Oh! You don’t do that to your loved ones, your spouse, but you will do that to God! Isn’t He your most loved one, ahead of your spouse!

“He doesn’t hear me!”
If you have been loving your God, and say, you strayed or did a wrong or sin, and then you acknowledged Him again, and you called out to Him, would He NOT answer you? Verse 15 said He would. Some people have this attitude: “I don’t think He hears me, please pray for me to God.” I will pray for people who need prayer. I don’t credit myself as a righteous man, that my prayer avails much, but if you trust that my prayer can help, I will help. But people do need to examine themselves. Do I ask others to pray for me? Sure I do. But I also pray myself. If I ask people to pray for me for a matter, I must have or be prepared to pray to God myself concerning the matter. You have to ask yourself, why you won’t call out to God on the matter.

He always hears, but may NOT listen to you!
God hears it when a believer prays, like He hears it, when a doorbell rings! That is the minimum; in other words, God always hears. The Hebrew word is “Shama”, which can mean “hear”, like hear a doorbell ringing, on the one end, or “listen” or listen to give efficacy, tending on the other end. Does God hear you? God hears you, alright; but He may NOT listen to you.

Stubbornly wicked believers, sorry, you cannot expect God to listen to you, as in, do as you want! Of course, NOT; in fact, in the extreme scenario, He may NOT hear you, but that, I believe, is NOT before He already warned you (exception to God always hearing you).

How you look at it, and how God looks at it
What some people want to do, is that they don’t want to re-acknowledge God, but they want God to listen. If you don’t want to re-acknowledge (from the heart, like what has been explained above), God hears, but He may NOT listen, meaning He may NOT give efficacy to your request. For God, what is more important is you get back right with Him. To us, God looks always tarrying, but to God, He is eager to pounce on the moment of change He wants to see.

Sometimes, He does NOT give you what you want, but answers you differently, for He knows best how to mould you or direct you, for our own good (old fashion, but true!).

No, it is NOT you won’t have any trouble
When you love Him, including obeying His commands, when you acknowledge Him (NOT just at the time of your salvation, but continually acknowledging Him, and if you stumble, you re-acknowledge Him), and you call on Him, in humility and with a contrite heart, He will answer you. In verse 15, it clearly said there, that IN YOUR TROUBLE, He will be with you (See, God never say, you will have NO trouble in your Christian life or when you are dwelling in the shelter of the Most High or when you are loving your God). In other words, in your journey on earth, God journeys with you. And He will rescue/deliver you, protect you and even honor you. Herein, are the keys to a good Christian life. What more do you ask – God walks with you (think Enoch), rescues/delivers you, protects you and even honors you. Yes, some trouble; what to do, you and I, are still in the world; but they ought NOT be stressFULL, when you are dwelling in the shelter of the Most High.

The 2nd text – it ought NOT be stressful
1 Pet 5:6-7 – 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Although different texts (Ps 91:14-15 and 1 Pet 5:6-7) were being referred to, all the same, the theme was that, our obedience from our love is absolutely essential.

Ok, some of us can be in trouble, but NOT stressed (or NOT much). This is because you trust that God is with you in your trouble - yes, as said in Psalm 91:14-15. For all others, trouble means stress; because you worry, and you worry because you have no confidence that God is going to help you through.

And yes, one can be stressed even before he gets into trouble. This is because he already started to worry even before trouble hits.

Either you have NOT obeyed or you lack godly wisdom
In either case, it (trouble/stress/worry) is usually, as correctly pointed out, because you have NOT obeyed God or His Word. Or at times, you just do NOT know what to do, or you lack godly wisdom to handle the situation.

Why do you NOT want to obey?
Why do you NOT want to obey God or His word, which would account for the much worrying, stresses or troubles? To me, no matter how you look at it, it always come back to, either you refuse to be holy as God is holy, or you refuse to love God (Of course, I will NOT argue with you, if you only state it as solely because you refuse to be holy as God is holy, because the two are related, too).

These links you must know and understand
The laws or commands of God, His righteousness and justice are the demands of His holiness. They are the outworking from the holiness and wisdom of God. When we refuse to obey, we are refusing to acknowledge the demands of holiness, or we can say, we are refusing to be holy as God is holy.

When we refuse to obey, we can also be said as NOT loving God, for Jesus said those who love Him, obey His commands (John 14:15) and those who obey His commands are those who love Him (John 14:21a).

What about lack of godly wisdom?
If we say, "But we do NOT know what to do, we lack wisdom-what; that is why we did this or did NOT do that", Scripture indicated to us, that is also NOT excusable! Scripture said, "He who lacks wisdom, let him ask, and God will give to all without undeserved reproach, generously." (James 1:5).

But I don’t get!
Some might protest, "But I ask-what; I don't get! James 1:5 cannot be relied upon!" No, there is the "without undeserved reproach" in James 1:5. What is that? Think, how does Scripture say, concerning how wisdom is to come.

The fear of the Lord – the special meaning
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or godly wisdom. The "fear of the Lord" was given a special meaning in the Word. The fear of the Lord, in the Book of Proverbs, is said to be to hate what God hates, evil. What is the opposite of evil or wickedness? Holy or holiness. So what does it mean? It means if you don't embrace holiness, you don't get wisdom. If you want godly wisdom, embrace holiness wholeheartedly.

The given provisio of James 1:5
Now, we come back to the "without undeserved reproach" in the giving of wisdom by God, as said in James 1:5. The interpretation for James 1:5 becomes, "If you lack wisdom, and you ask, God will give it generously to you (all of you) provided you are embracing holiness wholeheartedly. If you are impure, you are NOT without undeserved reproach. Actually, it is very true that it is NOT that one does NOT know what to do; it is that he is of impure heart or intent, and so, he chooses NOT, according to that, which the godly wisdom of God would prescribe. (Additionally, in vv6-8 of James 1, the one who asks must believe and NOT doubt).

Humility is embracing God is holy and awesome
Concerning the humility in the text, 1 Pet 5:6-7, it is a good word to open up to such subjects as obedience, which Ps Prentis did, and such other subjects as pride of Man, and holiness and awesomeness of God. To humble ourselves before God means we are acknowledging we are low (humilis – Latin word) and God is high, meaning we are NOT better than God. When God is better, we are NOT, what does it mean? It simply calls for us to listen to the better one, God; and when you are listening to God, what are you doing, you are obeying Him. To humble before God necessarily mean you have to obey Him; Ps Prentis said it rightly.

One can look from the angle of goodness. Jesus said, when the young rich man called Him good teacher, “Why you call me good (teacher)! Only God is good. There you have it – we are low in good, God is absolute good, or holy. To be humble before God is to acknowledge that God is good, absolute good or holy, and we are NOT. That which comes from absolute good or holy can only be wisdom; and so, to humble before God necessarily mean you have to obey Him, for He has the all wisdom. When we recognize the holiness and wisdom of God, we realize the awesomeness of God (of course, the might of God comes in, too); and we should have no room for self-pride before God.

When we embrace God is holy and awesome, and thus humbled, we cannot, but love Him, and we obey Him.

Want less stress or stressful troubles?
You want to have less stress or worry NOT, catch it - catch that God is holy, that God is wisdom, that God is awesome, and God is righteous, and God loves you unto righteousness. When you are obeying Him, you are loving Him (John 14:21a), and when you humble yourself before Him, you are acknowledging Him, and when you ask, including wisdom for your scenario, Psalm 91:14-15 tell us that you will NOT be disappointed; for there, God promises rescue, deliverance, protection, presence, and even honor. Yes, honor; 1 Pet 5:6 put it as ‘He may lift you up in due time’.

God loves you
I just said Psalm 91:14-15 tell us that we will NOT be disappointed, but what is the overall picture painted by the 2 verses? God loves and cares for you. That is what 1 Pet 5:7 said, God cares for you, and so, you can cast your anxiety to Him.

You need to remain in His love, but how?
By now, you should have known that the main key to Psalm 91 is loving God. Remember now, all of these, “so good promises of God”, they are requiring you to love God - love Him back, that He has first loved you.

Jesus said, in John 15:9-10, 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

YOU AND I NEED TO LOVE GOD BY OBEYING HIS COMMANDS, TO REMAIN IN HIS LOVE. This is NOT my words, but Jesus’.

Please REJECT the teaching that tells you, you have just to bask in grace, chuck the laws (commands), and don’t have to do anything, or can do anything with just the need to tell the devil off!

The secret to our well-being is love God; and one key way to love God is to obey His commands. Do it, and you will have lesser (NOT nil) troubles, and possibly nil stressful trouble.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions – Lord, this is a recipe for the well-being of your children. May you bless the above reading, for it is your desire that your children be well. May they receive your prescriptions for their lives. Amen.

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Secret to our well-being

Preamble: This has been delivered as a sermon in one of my Divine Healing Meetings.

What a state, what a position!
There is a state in which we can say of God, in other words, we can declare it, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust"; where "Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence"; "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.".

A state in which evil cannot harm you: "You will NOT fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness nor the plague that destroys at midday." "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will NOT come near you.", rather "You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.".

Where is this state in which you can fall back on the backing of God; where "no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent", "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways"; "they {the angels} will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone"; where "You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent”?

Where is this position from which God would say, in other words, God declares, "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him"; where God would say, "With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation"?

Where, where, where or How, how, how?
Where is this state, this position or this place, so beautifully portrayed as that which we could have? Don’t you want to be in that state? Don’t you wonder why you are NOT in that state? Don’t you wonder how you could get there? Where in Scripture, has such a state being described for us?

Anyone wants to venture a guess?
Yes, it is Ps 91. What I have narrated to you are verses 2-8, 10-13, and the last 2 verses, verses 15 & 16.

What do you notice? I have NOT included verses 1, 9 & 14. But before we look at those verses, which spelt out for us the key to the state described, let us be as one who truly wants to savour the food God has provided, His Word, in the verses that I have just narrated. Let us know the extent of coverage of God’s promises in those verses.

I am going expound on this Ps 91, in 5 parts, 4 “promises” parts, and the last as the secret/key part

Part 1 - Where we can declare
Verse 2: I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

In this state we can declare confidently that He is our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we trust. In fact, more importantly, when we are in this state, we must believe He is our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust.

If you think you are IN this state when you are NOT; you are under delusion. But if you are IN it, but you still don’t believe you are in good hands, you too have a problem. When there is no operation of faith on our part, it is NOT pleasing to God (Heb 11:6), and the devil can know it, and can exploit it to our detriment.

What else can we declare?
Verse 3: Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.

You and I must declare and must believe that He will save us from snares (traps, trickery) of the enemies, and from calamities.

There are 3 issues, here: one, you have to declare it; two, which is the same as that in verse 2, you and I need to believe; operation of faith we must have. Lastly, you cannot willfully disobey God, insisting your own way.

Verse 4: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

I once had a vision of God as the papa eagle (you can read of it, in my separate article – The Lord as the papa eagle); and in Deu 32:10-11, we read of a very similar portrayal of the Father God coming as the eagle to tend to His children. Here, I believe the picture the psalmist had in mind, was that of a papa eagle, covering us with His feathers. Using His wings, He would bring you and I into His bosom, and there we will find refuge – protection, warmth and rest.

In that article of mine (link as given in preceding para.), I talked about, the vision was telling us that, the faithfulness of the Father God, as the papa eagle, is beyond question. When you do NOT see Him or you do NOT feel Him; it is NOT because He is NOT there, He is in stealth mode! Because of this faithfulness, God is our shield and our rampart (mounted defense).

As pointed out for verse 3, you cannot be stubborn, insisting your own ways, and stubbornness is self-pride - you think you know better and you want to come out from under His wings; you want to step outside of His shadow, and then you wonder why God does NOT protect you, and you wonder where His shield and rampart are. Scripture said in no unclear term, if you are proud (with self pride), God opposes you; and if He opposes you, no wonder you find NOT His faithfulness as your shield and your defense.

In the NT, there was the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and one point of the Parable is that the wayward son had wanted, and went outside of the “shadow”. He was treated like “dirt” outside of the covering of the father. Clearly the story had to say, he subsequently returned to his father’s house, and so, that parable should more accurately be named as The Parable of the Return of the Prodigal Son (Some people, the overly grace believers, expound the Parable to say that there was no returning to the father or penitence on the part of the prodigal son; that in my view, is NOT rightly dividing the Word of God).

Of course, by now, you should know we are NOT necessarily referring to physical location like a physical place; we are NOT. Physical, as in, inside a home, is only allegorical or metaphorical. What is more important is the person’s heart condition or state. It is still The Parable of the Return of the Prodigal Son if the story had developed to say, the repented wayward son sent words home to the father to come to fetch him, for he was too weak to journey home; it is NOT necessarily physical! So, when your heart turns contrite and you cry for the papa eagle, he shows Himself; before that He would be in stealth-mode; you just don’t see, but He is there!

Those who were at the TRF Meeting up at Tuas late 2011 where Ps Cynthia Oei spoke, concerning how the Papa eagle would fly swiftly to catch eaglets dropped off the nest before they could hit the ground when they failed to fly; she said to remember Papa Eagle could fly faster than we fall. Well, the vision God showed me, was that “He is already there, only you don’t see Him, for He is stealth-mode!” A vision of this kind changed how you and I look at God.

Part 2 - Where evil cannot harm you (unless God permits it)
Verse 5: You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

The terror of the night is referring to the bad things that wicked or evil people do in the camouflage of the night/darkness. Of course, it can refer to the terror of evil spirits.

Arrows that fly by day is referring to the many “wars” or “battles” that take place in the day time; indeed we face onslaughts (slander, libel, insult, discouragement, provocation, abuse, threat, etc) throughout the daytime, in our homes, in our work places, in the various activities and events we have to attend to, each day.

For all of these, we are able to summon our courage to face them. In this state we will be able to summon the courage that comes from knowing that we are living in God’s protection to overcome our fear, of any or all of these things.

Verse 6: nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Some more descriptions of troubles of life: calamities that come in most unsuspected times (stalk in the darkness), and threats that come at the appointed times (at midday).

Christians or not, we may have to face them (if you did NOT have to face some, count it God’s grace), the only difference is how Christians are supposed to face their troubles of lives - being able to summon the courage that comes from knowing that we are living in God’s protection to overcome our fear, of any or all of these things.

Verse 7: A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

Yes, we are to face our troubles with full confidence in the protection of the LORD. A thousand may fall at our sides, ten thousands at our right hands but no harm shall come to us.

Is it always like that? Yes, if you are in that state or position. NO if you are NOT.

Verse 8: You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

We will only see the punishment of the wicked, and so, take care that you and I do NOT stray and be lumped together with the wicked, and be punished along with the rest of the wicked.

From here, you can also see, the punishment of God for the wicked can happen in his earthly lifetime, even when we know that God is long-suffering concerning the sins of men, desirous of giving time and opportunities for men to repent of their ways. So, you better NOT think that others got away in their life-time, you would too, if you try!

Part 3 - Where we can fall back on the backing of God
Verses 10-12:

Verse 10: then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. No harm will befall you; no disaster will come near you (near enough as to harm you).


Verse 11: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; God will command his angels to guard you in all your ways.

Verse 12: they {the angels} will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. The angels will lift us up in their hands so that we will NOT strike our feet against the stones.

For those of us who have read the Temptations of Jesus, we will remember Satan actually quoted this verse 12, when attempting Jesus to throw Himself down from a high place. (Satan knows the Word, he may use it, but like Jesus, we can also use it against him {so, you and I have to know the Word because if we do NOT, we cannot use it against Satan or his minions})

I have elaborated earlier (against v4), that we are NOT necessarily referring to a physical place, but rather, the heart condition or state. The temptation of Jesus, also was confirming this point:

Jesus answered Satan saying, we should NOT test the Lord our God. Had Jesus actually listened to Satan and jumped off, do you think, by this verse 12 here, Jesus would be safe; it said, the angels would go and lift Jesus before His foot would hit the stone on the ground, does it NOT? The few verses here so affirmatively stated God’s protection is full-proof, and would never fail; but I believe it would fail, but it failed, NOT because Jesus was NOT in Heaven but on earth (talking about place {physical}); it would be, it failed because, had Jesus jumped, the heart condition/state of Jesus would have NOT been right with God (It would be doubting God/testing God because of doubt).

Verse 13: You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

When we come face to face, so to speak, with the beasts and the snakes (collectively, called the minions of Satan) we will have victory over them, and we will be winning over the great beast, the great lion (lion, being a powerful and majestic animal can symbolically be used to represent the Lord {Lion of Judah}, and sometimes, Satan or devil; in here, it is referring to Satan) and the serpent (serpent, most typically referred to Satan). When we have victory over the followers of Satan, we are winning over Satan.

These few verses tell us that we can fall back, or rely, on, the backing or resources of God.

Part 4 - Where God declares – When in this state or position or place, we even have God declaring in our favor:
Verse 15: He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Notice here that God did NOT say no trouble, rather, God said, “In his trouble, I will be with him”. God will NOT only deliver him but also honor him; yes, God does honor men but who? We will know in a little while!

Verse 16: With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

God said He will give such a person long life, and show him His salvation which NOT only includes the gift of life but also, healing and deliverance. The Hebrew word used for salvation is H3444, “yĕshuw`ah”, and its scope included eternal life (being rescued from Hell destiny), deliverance, divine help, and welfare which includes health, prosperity and victorious life).

Some people want to argue that the long life is NOT referring to our physical life on earth, but that portion after physical death, life extending into eternity. No, simple reading suggests it is talking about a man’s physical life, in the first part of the verse, and the second part is where God was saying, He would show the person His salvation, and in that salvation, it included the eternal life which would NOT end.

Part 5 (last part) - the secret part, a look at verses 1, 9 & 14 (of Ps 91)
Verse 1: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

The first clue the psalmist gave was he declared that he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

A shelter is a place of protection, so he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High is he who lives in the protection of God. He will be resting in the shadow of the Almighty God, NOT that there will NOT be any “disturbances” or troubles, but because we are confident of the Almighty God’s protection. This is an important understanding (that it was NOT that there would NOT be any trouble, and it was confirmed to us, in v15), so that you do NOT be dismayed in life thinking there is something wrong with you, when in fact we are in the world (fallen world) and will be exposed to troubles or “disturbances”. Jesus said this in John 16:33: …. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

How many of us are like the ones, the psalmist was talking about, living in the protection of God, and are able to find rest in that protection? All of us? All of us have the potential to live in the protection of God, and to rest in Him, but NOT all of us are availing ourselves to it.

Ah? The difference between those who dwell in the shelter of God and finding rest, and those who do NOT, is a choice; in other words, it is volitional. We have to choose to live in the protection of God. If you choose otherwise, you may NOT have the full protection and rest.

The psalmist actually repeated his opening lines of verse 1, in verse 9, but this time, he said, “If you make …”

Verse 9: If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the LORD, who is my refuge -

Why would one NOT choose that, to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, if it is a choice, like I said it?

The answer is: we are NOT willing to love God enough to listen to Him. Where does it say that there is a requirement to love God in order to be able to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, you may ask? The answer is found at verse 14.

There are those who said the answer is “a close relationship with God”, but if you break it down, it is still “God loves you, and you love Him back, and you are in sync with Him”. Whether you look at close relationship with God or you loving God, exposition is needed of what is comprised in that close relationship or loving God.

For the purposes of this message I will stick with what was clearly stated by the psalmist, i.e. loving God (v14), and even so, I will NOT be expounding much on what that called for (to expound on the subject of loving God would take separate
article), except to mention that obedience CANNOT be left out (I might in the future do a separate message as a continuation to this, to expound on what is comprised in loving God).

Before we go to verse 14, perhaps, it is important NOT skip saying a few words on such words as “dwell” and “abide” or “abiding” which are in verse 1. The “rest”, in there is referring to abiding rest. Basically, the 2 words implied, “staying in there, continuing in there”, like I dwell in a house on Bt Timah Hill, but I stay over at the Sheraton Hotel, I don’t dwell in Sheraton! There is a degree of permanence implied in dwelling and abiding. Likewise, the requirement of loving God, is also one of continuity, love and continue to love; just bear this in mind, even as we look at verse 14.

Verse 14: "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

This verse is the KEY to this beautiful psalm of protection. How do we get to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and so be able to rest in the shadow of the Almighty God? Don’t just gloss over this verse 1 of Ps 91!

The answer is only one: Loving God. And Scripture teaches us that we are to love God with all of us, all of our heart, all of our soul and our mind (Matt 22:36-37 and Deu 6:5). You would have noticed that I said “love God and obey Him”, earlier on, even as I said I would NOT be expounding on loving God. It is indeed loving God and obeying Him, for “he who loves God obeys His commands, and he who obeys His commands is the one who loves God” – John 14:15 & John 14:21a. Because God’s love is ultimately, love unto righteousness (`ahab love), and we are to love Him back, also with love according to His righteousness, inevitably, our love for God, is tied to obeying His commands, for His righteousness, in a large part, was and is revealed in His commands, written or spoken, past or presently.

Many people like to quote “God is love”. I submit to you that it is even better to say, “God is love unto righteousness” or “God is `ahab love”. When we acknowledge His name this way, and we love Him back according to His righteousness, we get to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and when you are living in the shelter of the Most High, you can rest in the shadow of the Almighty God.

Jesus talked about to plunder the home, one has to bind the strongman first (Mark 3:27). Likewise, to get to us, the enemy has to face God first; that is why we are very safe. God said, “I will rescue him; I will protect him”. So if you are asking, “How come I am NOT rescued or protected?”; maybe you should ask first, if you have been loving God, and obeying Him. His rescue and protection is assured, most assuredly, for those who have acknowledged Him and are loving Him, and obeying Him. Are you acknowledging Him, including acknowledging Him as God who ultimately, can only love you unto righteousness, and are you loving Him back according to His righteousness? It is a choice; you have to make the choice to do that. Why don’t to make that choice today, and stick with it, through thick or thin.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions - Lord, thank you for your illumination of this great truth in your Word, that indeed the key to our Christian well-being is in us loving you. May I always bear in mind that your rescue and protection is assured, most assuredly, for those who have acknowledged you and are loving you, and obeying you. Lord, bless this sharing of your Word; that many will begin to make that choice (to love you) to avail themselves of all that you promised in this beautiful psalm of protection. In Jesus’ most precious name, I pray. Amen.

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