Don’t be a fool, wise up, ….

Preamble: This write-up was written, both as a comment response to Ps Prentis’ blog entry (http://prentis-createdtogivegodglory.blogspot.com/2011/12/have-you-been-fooled.html), and as a word of tribute to my beloved Senior Pastor who is retiring from pastoring the church I attend.

Last weekend, my long-time Senior Pastor, Derek Hong, gave his last sermon in church, as the head of the church before he formally retires (from the church, but NOT from serving the Lord) at the end of the year (he, of course, can still come back to preach, but that would be on an invited basis).

It is befitting I mention a word of tribute to this faithful servant of God. He is most worthy of respect and honor, and it has been my privilege to have sat under such a faithful and God-fearing person who cared for the sheep, and would NOT hesitate to stand on the Word of God against all odds. I have sensed the Lord’s preparation for him for his next leg of ministry, and I believe God will be using him mightily in the international platform, preaching His truths, with signs and wonders following.

As his parting shot, he chose to preach on Hosea 4:6 - "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."

God indeed did NOT say that the people were destroyed for lack of food (although one can certainly die of hunger) or money or in poverty (although money can meet certain of our needs), but God chose to say that the people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. It is NOT any knowledge. In fact, it has been quite some time now, we have experienced information explosion, and indigestion, with the advent of the internet. God was addressing His people ("my people"), and the later part of the verse, reveals that God was referring to His laws.

The overly grace preachers, certainly, would skip exposition of this verse, for to them, "laws, they should skip"; but NOT a seasoned pastor who have worked for the King of Kings for more than 3 decades, and would proudly say the Word of God is His laws; and that is wisdom.

Unless we embrace it, what the King says, is law, and we have to obey and take heed, we will NOT begin to learn godly wisdom. Why is the fear of the Lord, the beginning of wisdom (Ps 110:10, Prov 9:10)? Because God is God, in more humanly understandable term, He is King. We have to fear God for who is, first of all. If we have appreciation of what is connoted in the word, “God’” or “King”, the Lord is to be feared, and what is from His mouth, is law (and food – Matt 4:4); one (a person) lives or dies by His (God’s) word.

We all need to have godly wisdom first, before we can be truly wise; and that godly wisdom is in God’s laws, and the knowledge of those laws we must pursue, and if we choose to ignore, we will lack it, and when we lack it, God said we would be destroyed; not only that, there is repercussion for our children – they may likewise go into destruction (Is it NOT true, if we ignore the knowledge of God, our children may end up, likewise, and would suffer the same consequence?). Don’t be a fool, wise up, embrace the whole counsel of the Word of God, wholeheartedly.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions, Say It Like this

{Added - 10 April 2012} PS: "Fear of the Lord" also has specific meaning in Scripture, and it is referring to "to hate what God hates, which is evil".  The Word of God, of course, reveals both sides of the coin, so to speak, what God hates (evil) and what God loves (holiness).  So, when we embrace the fear of the Lord, through His Word, by understanding and practising them, we acquire the wisdom (Scripture said "constant" practise") to distinguish good and evil.  When we have the wisdom, we are to choose, and we are to choose holiness, for without holiness we see God NOT, said the Word. In fact, it is even more correct to say, if we have wisdom, we would have embraced holiness, for God's wisdom always satisfies His holiness.


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Characteristics of a called minister

Preamble: Of late, I have been really busy, because of the big project of having to move out with my children to an old rather unkempt flat of 2 bedrooms, doing all the clearing work, painting job, and fixing things, etc, all by myself, in order not to spend much.  At this time, I am still at it.  I have kept up with my following of Ps Prentis' blog entries, with my commenting on almost all of his entries.  I know I have neglected my own blog, and have disappointed some who came by the blog, for new entries.  Actually, many of my comments at Ps Prentis’ blog are full-length articles; the time spent on those could be spent on putting up entries on my blog.  Nevertheless, there are times when one just has the inclination to do something like what I am doing, following Ps Prentis’ blog.  I figure, it may be something the Holy Spirit would want me to do, for a season. The “flow” was good, and that was perhaps, an indication that it is a directed move of the Spirit.  I learnt much from Ps Prentis’ entries, and even more so, from the “flow” that has come.

I am sure, readers of my blog too, would benefit from some of the materials resulted from my following of Ps Prentis’ blog.  Ps Prentis is a pastor of a US church.  For this short article entry, which I am putting it in this “Say It Like This” site, the baby blog to high.expressions, I have summarized an entry of Ps Prentis, with some inputs of mine:

Characteristics of a called minister

1. Honest (of course, cannot be deceitful can he, no).

2. Hard-working (working for the Lord, better be).

2a. And with good work ethics (working for the Lord, seek to please only the Lord).

3. God seeking (of course, God is the boss; he is the servant).

4. Praying one (always needing His grace and mercy, if NOT praying, how to accomplish, not forgetting the enemy working against us.  Would pray for those in need, his own ministry, his own life, and what and whoever the Lord impresses upon him to pray.  Praying is primary, because he knows who is his enabler).

5. His heart is sunk into ministry (he looks forward to doing his ministry).

6. Does not see it as work (an honor and privilege to serve God).

7. Failed but never a failure (for he is not perfect).

8. Known for his seeking the Lord than his sins (interesting! We should all ask what we are more well-known for; is it seeking the Lord? Or is it .... {maybe some mega pastors should take this test!}).

9. Express his faith by his words and the way he lives (talk and walk the talk, good test!).

10. Does not wonder what he should do each day (Eph 5:15-17 – Does not want to be foolish and NOT understand the will of the Lord, and so, he will pray if he does not know what to do).

11. Needs no one to monitor him (for he knows the Lord is watching all the time, but he accepts accountability {I assert}).

12. Understand that what he does, he has to do unto the Lord (otherwise, it counts NOT; and so, knows he has to be abiding in the Lord and be in agreement with Him {I assert}).

13. Will summon the courage to do the right things despite it attracting criticisms (God pleaser, NOT men pleaser).

14. Persevere despite being run-off, fired or given “so much hell” (one will buckle if NOT for certainty of calling).

15. A blessing to have, for he brings the presence of the Lord into every situation (I believe the called one, when he is obedient, he will NOT only grow in stature, wisdom but also favor with God, and with men, just as Jesus did).

16. Love but would NOT speak or act contrary to righteousness (for he knows, like God, he is to love people unto righteousness)

Called ministers are worthy of our support.  They need our prayer and intercession for their lives, their loved ones, and their ministries.  Bless them financially even (meet their needs; anything more, you have to gauge), if you can, for they have reserved their time and energy for the work of the Lord rather than to gain wealth.  When we support called ministers, we are serving God by becoming His conduits of favor unto the ministers.

Anthony Chia, high.expressions, Say It Like this

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