Kong Hee

Nursing The Wounded

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:00:37 +0000

Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. Judges 5:7

In the book of Judges, the wife of Lapidoth was special because she was the only female judge of the Bible. She was the first female head of state in the history of Israel. “Deborah” was not her original name. She received her name from another Hebrew girl who lived generations before-Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah (Gen. 35:8). As such, when God raised up the wife of Lapidoth to be the judge of Israel, she borrowed the name of Rebekah’s aide since she herself functioned very much as a “nurse” to the entire nation.

A nurse is someone who takes care of another person who is sick or wounded. As a nurse, Deborah was a spiritual mother to Israel. The name “Deborah” literally means a “bee.” In entomology, there is a very special bee that is called a “nurse bee.” Its function in the bee colony is to care for the young. The ministry of Deborah was just like that. God used her to nurse a spiritually sick and backslidden nation back to a healthy relationship with Him.

As a deliverer, Deborah delivered the children of Israel from the oppression of the Canaanites. As an encourager, she inspired the demoralized Barak and gave him the confidence to lead the army of Israel against the enemy (Judg. 4:8-9). As a restorer, Deborah restored the faith of the people back to the living God. As a woman, she allowed herself to be physically and emotionally vulnerable in the face of great adversity.

With so many who are bruised and wounded today, God needs spiritual mothers and shepherds in His Church. He needs leaders who will bind the wounds of those who are hurt and strengthen those who are weak. God is looking for leaders who can be vulnerable and meek before the people they serve. A good leader would be like Jesus, who would “feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Is. 40:11).

The Canaanites speak of the curse of sin (Gen. 9:24-27). Every soul is precious. We must not lose them to the Canaanites. May you rise up as a Deborah-a spiritual nurse-to the spiritually wounded and discouraged people God brings across your path.

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Dealing With Your Past

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:00:30 +0000

When the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. Judges 3:9

After coming into the Promised Land, the children of Israel backslided spiritually. In Judges 3, God allowed Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia, to oppress the people for eight years (Judg. 3:8). Mesopotamia symbolizes the land of our past. It was the world of sin and idolatry that Abraham forsook for Canaan (Acts 7:2-3).

King Cushan-Rishathaim is a type of Satan, the devil, the power who once ruled your life (Eph. 2:1-3). And this wicked king, from the land of the past, came with his forces to oppress God’s people once again. Satan knows that you are now born again. But like Cushan-Rishathaim, he doesn’t want you to enjoy the new life in God. He wants to make a comeback into your life. Are you oppressed with an old habit or a former lust? Or could it be a past hurt, guilt or failure? You need to have the victory over your personal Cushan-Rishathaim who has returned to haunt you.

When God’s people cried out to Him, He sent Othniel to save them (Judg. 3:9). Othniel is a type of Jesus Christ. His name means the “lion of God.” He was from the tribe of Judah. Like Jesus, the Lion of Judah, Othniel was anointed by the Spirit to set the people free from their oppression (3:10).

Deliverance must begin with a cry. God will only respond when there is a genuine desire within us to see our past dealt with by Him. Many Christians today are aware that they are oppressed by their old hurts, old lusts and old habits. But they don’t really have a desire to rid themselves of them. God will only deliver you when you really want Him and allow Him to. The Bible declares, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Joel 2:32). Whatever your Cushan-Rishathaim may be, Jesus is your present-day Othniel. As you cry out to Him for deliverance, you will find Him to be a very present help in your time of need.

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Divine Healing

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:42 +0000

So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:15-16

It shouldn’t surprise you that when the sick and demonized were brought to the apostles in the Jerusalem church, all were healed. Healing and good health have always been God’s will for your body. When God delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt, He told them: “I am the LORD who heals you” (Ex. 15:26). The original Hebrew text says, “I am Jehovah Rapha” or “God your Doctor.” And it is given in the present tense-He is still your Healer today!

God is so consistent in this that He repeats Himself again and again all throughout the Scriptures. “And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known” (Deut. 7:15). He is the Lord who not only forgives all your iniquities, He “heals all your diseases” (Ps. 103:3). When the children of Israel left Egypt to embark on their wilderness journey, “there was none feeble among His tribes” (105:37). The Israelites left Egypt in good health. More than just healing you whenever you are sick, God wants you to enjoy a strong, healthy life. And if the people of God under the old covenant could have both healing and good health, how much more someone like you who is in the new covenant. You should enjoy supernatural healing and good health even more than the Old Testament saints!

In the Gospels, Jesus often healed all who came to Him. Matthew 8:17 makes it very clear that healing is in the atonement: “He Himself took our infi rmities and bore our sicknesses.” If the word “our” means that all of us can receive salvation from our Savior, then “our” must surely also mean that all of us can have healing in a divine Healer. But just as salvation is not automatic, healing is not automatic. Just as you can receive salvation only by faith, likewise healing can only come to you by faith. Seize the blessing He has provided for you through the cross. Turn your faith loose and claim your healing today!

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The Place Of Agreement

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:00:16 +0000

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. Acts 4:32

The Jerusalem church in Acts was very powerful because those in the church were of one heart and one soul in their vision for the kingdom. Jesus says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19). The place of agreement is the place of power. Conversely, the place of disagreement is the place of powerlessness.

Every principle in the Word flows out of the character and nature of God. Although God is a triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-He is always in total agreement with Himself. All three members of the Godhead are forever in unity. God wants the same in His relationship with you. If you delight yourself in Him, which means to be in agreement with His will for your life, He will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4).

In a church, God wants unity in your relationships with others. When there is one vision, there will never be division. There will be no confusion or weakness in the camp. Psalm 133:1-2 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments.” The anointing of God can flow mightily in a church where members dwell in unity. So great was the unity in the Jerusalem church that awesome power for miracles and financial provision was released (Acts 4:33-34).

In the days of Babel, “the whole earth had one language and one speech” (Gen. 11:1). Even God marvelled at the effort of the people in wanting to build a tower that reaches to the heavens. God says, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (11:6). As incredulous as the building of that tower may sound, God was fully convinced that the people would succeed. Make certain that you eliminate those things in your life that cause disunity-unforgiveness, anger, gossip, a critical spirit, being easily offended, unrealistic expectations, and hidden agendas. Remember that when there is unity, nothing is impossible!

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You Are A Conversionist

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:00:26 +0000

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21

In the Scriptures, God reveals Himself by His name. More than just revealing His ability, the names of God reveal His character. God introduces Himself for the first time in Genesis 1:1 as Elohim, the Creator. As the Creator, He is full of creativity, ability and productivity.

When God created man, He put that same nature into man. Adam was created with God’s creativity, ability and productivity inside of him. When Adam sinned against God, his fall didn’t nullify those gifts. He still had them except that they were now corrupted. For example, consider his son, Cain. In Genesis 4, Cain was able to build a whole city (4:16-17), provide employment (4:20), music and entertainment (4:21), manufacturing, and the building of weapons (4:22). He was able to singlehandedly accomplish great feats out of the same creative potential God had deposited into the entire human race, albeit that they were now perverted and self-serving.

Herein lies a very important concept: When man fell, God didn’t plan for the elimination of men, society, culture, or the whole world. Instead, God sought to bring about the restoration of fallen humanity. Elohim God started to reveal Himself by another name-Yahweh, or God the Redeemer (Ex. 3:13-14). The essence of redemption is taking that which is broken, fixing it, and restoring it back to its original purpose and intention.

Jesus came to be our Redeemer-to bring about the conversion of fallen man from darkness to light, and from death to life. But He also seeks to convert the creativity, ability and productivity that God has put inside man back to its original purpose. Acts 3:19-21 says that this conversion is not just the restoration of man from the sin problem, it is the restoration of all things in life. People, families, marriages, businesses, education systems, culture and arts must all be born again.

You are not called to hide from the world. As a follower of Christ the Redeemer, you are now a conversionist. You are to use your creativity, ability and productivity to redeem everything you see in your world back to God’s original purpose and intention. So that they could be used for
the cause and glory of His kingdom. Start being a conversionist in your world today!

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Unusual Miracle

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:51 +0000

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.” Acts 2:22

How do we know that Jesus was approved of God? Not by His philosophical prowess or oral eloquence, but by three things: miracles, signs and wonders. Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, fed great multitudes, turned water into wine, etc. How do you know if someone is a real servant of God? We measure his ministry according to the same standard outlined here in Acts 2:22.

Take for example, Paul’s apostleship. “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds” (2 Cor. 12:12). The workings of miracles are the signs of true apostleship, not just the presiding over of a huge megachurch or a denomination. If a preacher claims to be an apostle, miracles must be constant occurrences in his ministry. They must be there in “all perseverance”-in other words, happening in great consistency.

Hebrews 2:4 says: “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” Again the testimony of God was proven by miracles, signs and wonders. Miracles were so normal in the Ephesian church that God started working unusual ones among them (Acts 19:12). All throughout the New Testament, we see that the reality of God was proven time and again by supernatural miracles. To say that we have passed the days of signs and wonders is effectively denying the Holy Scriptures!

The word “miracle” in Greek is dunamis, which means “power.” As a Spirit-filled believer, you have received the dunamis of the Holy Spirit to work miracles in Jesus’ name (Acts 1:8). But why is it that we don’t see miracles or healings take place regularly in our churches today? The overwhelming reason is the presence of doubt and unbelief for them to happen in our midst (Mark 6:5-6). Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God . . . or see the miraculous.

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CHC’s New Home: Suntec Convention Centre

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:56:10 +0000

This is an article about CHC’s new church building that was printed in City News Weekly, March 7, 2010. CNW is a newspaper reporting news from a Christian perspective. With CNW’s permission, I have reproduced the whole article in full below. Enjoy!

The news is out: City Harvest will be moving to its new premises at Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Centre by 2011.
By Theresa Tan

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNTEC SINGAPORE

This has probably been City Harvest Church’s best-kept secret in its 21-year-history. The exact location of the church’s new site has been a hot topic that has kept Christians within and outside the church guessing, since it was confirmed on Jan. 16 that a space had finally been procured after a five-year search.

Bound by a non-disclosure agreement, the management could not say a word until yesterday afternoon, at the first service of the weekend at the Jurong West church.

The revelation of Suntec Singapore International Exhibition and Convention Centre met with great excitement from the church congregation. This location would put all the services of the church under one roof.

“When we were looking for a property, there were three major considerations,” said senior pastor Kong Hee.

1.	Size. “It had to be as big as we can go in our small city-state with limited land. Suntec Convention Centre has a total usable area of more than 1 million sq ft—that is 20 times our Jurong West property and 10 times Expo Hall 8. Suntec has the size we need and can accommodate our traffic.”
2.	Location. “We wanted a place that was central and easy to get to by MRT and bus. CHC members come from all over the island. Suntec is centrally located with three major MRT stations nearby: City Hall MRT is a 10-minute walk; Esplanade MRT and Promenade MRT open this April and are even closer by.”
3.	Facilities. “A church is not just a main sanctuary and nothing else. Having extra facilities is critical to the operations of the church. We need areas for children, rooms for Bible study, car park space and eating places. Suntec Convention Centre has more than 30 meeting rooms, and we will have access to over 8,680 car park lots in the Suntec-Marina area. Between Suntec City and the Convention Centre, there are 283 stalls/restaurants for our members to eat at, and 622 retail stores for our members to shop in.”

Through this agreement, CHC becomes a co-owner of Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and has a share in the annual revenues of all its facilities. The two floors CHC will primarily use are the sixth and seventh floors and include the CHC Auditorium which is column-free and can accommodate up to 12,000 seats. Early plans for this space reveal a stadium-style layout with a sizeable play area for children, and 10 meeting rooms. “All our morning prayer meetings, seminars and conferences will be held here in the future,” explained Kong.

The other parts of the Convention Centre will be open to the public, and will continue to be rented by third parties for exhibitions, fairs and performances as is currently the case.

Tan Ye Peng, deputy senior pastor, explains to City News what co-ownership of Suntec Singapore means. “Last year, ARA Asset Management Limited announced that its ARA Harmony Fund had acquired the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Harmony Fund’s investors comprise Suntec REIT, which holds 20 percent, and a consortium that holds 80 percent. CHC has bought a significant stake into the consortium.”

City Harvest is looking to raise S$310 million, but this sum is not the value of the property, says Tan. “This amount consists of cost of shares; rental; renovation and equipment; professional building, management logistic and maintenance fees; refundable deposits and moving costs.”

One of the key considerations for this site is the business model that CHC can and will adopt for Suntec Singapore. “For Singapore Expo, we are in a lease-only business model. As such, what is being paid out does not have any returns or profit-sharing for CHC. The Board and the Building Committee discussed and concluded that with an ‘ownership-and-lease’ business model, the rent we pay out will be recovered by CHC in the form of profits and dividends.”

“It’s perfect for our church,” says Tan. “This place has everything we need. It’s been around, it’s an established place. It has been the venue for some of the most important events that ever took place in Singapore, like the APEC CEO Summit last November, and the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meeting in 2006. This August it will be the venue for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. It’s got all the facilities, and it’s super convenient. There is no other place that allows us this space size in this part of Singapore.”

In the event that there are such key events on the same scale as the IMF-World Bank meetings, Tan says City Harvest will exercise flexibility and vacate the space for such clients. “We are now part-owners,” he explains. “It benefits us too.” Tan points out that although City Harvest will use the space for its services, the building is still a commercial entity, and technically not a “church building”. “The church will lease the space to use for our services,” explains Tan. “The difference is that we are also co-owners of this building.”

For Chew Eng Han, who was tasked in 2005 to be the key person on the ground to find out what was available, and to speak to consultants and banks, the success of this partnership with Suntec Singapore is a triumph. “I feel fulfilled,” he declares.

The search was far from an easy one. “It required a lot of wisdom,” says Chew. “We needed the right location, central yet big enough, yet it could not be too costly, and it had to earn income, too. At the time we were looking, between 2005 and 2008, construction costs were escalating. When the crash came, property prices came down, but finding a partner became a challenge.”

Suntec Singapore was negotiated at the right time, and agreed upon at the right price, says Chew.

“It’s the best location because it’s already in existence. Although it may have been around for a number of years, the building is continually being refurbished and in good shape. Since we are not buying a new plot of land, we don’t have the risk of escalating costs—building costs fluctuate. The space is great: it totals over 1 million square feet, the hall is big enough, there are more than 30 meeting rooms and we have access to the Gallery space, and also the 600-seat Theatre on weekends.”

“It’s an ideal location for City Harvest, really—but at a much lower price than its original cost.” Suntec Singapore was originally built for a price of S$650 million in the early 1990s.

The best news for the burgeoning congregation may be the fact that with the space already built and available, CHC targets to move in by the end of the first quarter of 2011, once its lease at the Singapore Expo expires.

CN PHOTO: MICHAEL CHAN

For some, the announcement brought tears of joy. For others, the location was a complete surprise (See box story: What The Members Say).

Kong’s wife, singer Sun Ho, flew back to celebrate the announcement together with the church. Moments after the announcement, she tells City News: “I’m standing in a historical moment when miracles have just happened. God has done it again. My heart is overwhelmed, because this is something in which not just Kong and I, but the whole church have sown, labored, prayed, believed and claimed for, for so long. This is the time, this is the moment—we sowed in tears, and now we are really reaping in joy. Above the location, my heart is just so full of gratitude that we are able to build this house for God, for His glory. I’m grateful I can be a part of it.”

The church will fund the S$310 million through freewill donations from churchgoers. The church building fund, Arise & Build, is into its fifth round, with a target of S$17.3 million. There are eight more Arise & Build campaigns planned.

Further information on the design and details of the Suntec Singapore location will be released in the coming weeks.

What The Members Say

“I live in the Northeast, so I’m very happy especially since the Circle Line is opening. Everybody knows where Suntec is. It’s a very exciting move for the church!”
Khoo Lili, banker, in her 30s

“I never thought it could be such an awesome place. It’s at the center of Singapore—Formula One, Youth Olympic Games are all held there.”
Jason Jiang, pre-enlistee, 18

“I didn’t expect it, I thought it would be Marina Barrage. It’s exciting for the usher ministry—but greater challenges will come because of the bigger crowd. We’ll need more ushers to rise up for leadership and more members to join usher ministry.”
Ng Yoong Tian, engineer and usher team leader, 27

“The location is great as it brings in revenue for the church without the opportunity time cost. It really is a God-given idea.”
Kenneth Lee, IT director, 40

“Very excited to see such a big place and looking forward to having more quality and longer fellowship with my cell group members.”
Ang Xin Yee, secondary school student, 13

“I came specially for Service 1 though I was supposed to go back to JB. I teared when I heard the news and I can’t wait to worship at our new location.”
Lin Yilan, retiree, 60

“Mind-blowing! Totally unexpected! I believe this is the start of greater things with God bringing us to the next level. It is truly an honor and privilege to be part of history in the making.”
Ee Jia Ying, NUS undergraduate, 21

“I think God is amazing. All these years we’ve been giving and we didn’t even know where it would be! Upon hearing the news, all I can say is that God is indeed faithful!”
Rachel Lim, AIA financial services consultant, 26

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Receiving Kingdom Power

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:00:06 +0000

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

The kingdom of God is the divine rule in human hearts, lives and situations. While the disciples were still thinking of the messianic kingdom in terms of political power, Jesus corrected their misconception (Acts 1:7). He declared that the kingdom of God is currently spiritual in character, international in its membership, and gradual in its expansion.

The kingdom of God was a prominent theme in all of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels. Jesus taught about the kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18-19). Here in Acts 1, He was about to transfer that power and responsibility to His disciples by baptizing them in the same Holy Spirit that had anointed His ministry. The disciples were not to attempt ministry without the empowering of the Spirit. Jesus then makes three points about the Holy Spirit:

(1) The Holy Spirit is a Person and He brings with Him a power that will enable you to be a witness.

(2) The Holy Spirit’s power has to be “received”; it is not an automatic experience. As surely as the Holy Spirit dwells within each believer, so surely will He fill and overflow each who receives Him in childlike faith.

(3) When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will know it. Jesus said this and His disciples found it to be true on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:1-4). You don’t have to claim the Spirit by faith alone. When He comes, you will experience Him in a tangible way. You will know that He has “come upon you.”

Jesus makes it clear that the ultimate purpose of the empowering of the Holy Spirit is so that you can fulfill the Great Commission-by being an effective witness for Christ. You need God’s supernatural power to minister effectively, to heal the sick, cast out demons and work miracles and wonders. But more than that, the Holy Spirit has also come to convince you to go.

As you obey that call to go, He will give you:

(1) the power to find the lost;

(2) the authority to boldly declare Jesus as the Son of God;

(3) the endurance to be strong in times of weakness and suffering; and

(4) the power to establish His Church-locally and worldwide. The intended borders of expansions are clear: Jerusalem (local), Judea (national), Samaria (crosscultural), and “the end of the earth” (global).

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Possessing The Heart

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:00:19 +0000

And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon-the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite-heard about it, that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord. Joshua 9:1

As the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, there were seven whole nations to defeat. They were the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites (Josh 3:10). These seven nations could well represent seven things that are an abomination to the Lord. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19). Israel was commanded to utterly destroy these seven nations and their kings.

These kings and domains represent enthroned areas of the “self life” where ego still reigns instead of the Lord. They are the pockets of resistance, preventing us from fully experiencing the kingdom of God. These kings are proud, rebellious, and self-willed. Each king guards and protects his own interests and furiously opposes anyone or anything that dares to tamper with even an inch of his territory.

God wants to ultimately settle His presence and glory on Mount Zion. But even that location was guarded by the Jebusites. Mount Zion is a picture of the believer’s heart in which God wants to reside. But the heart has many enemies of the kingdom that we need to subdue. Jesus says, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:19).

The Lord appeared to Joshua with a sword drawn in His hand as they were about to go against the enemies of the land (Josh. 5:13-15). We must seek God earnestly and allow Him to confront us with the directness of His Word concerning those rebellious areas of our heart. Until the enemies of righteousness within us are dealt with, we can never enter into full rest. While they are still alive and active, they cause unrest, frustration and defeat.

Unfortunately, Israel was complacent and settled for compromise. They allowed many little enemies to stay in the land of their inheritance. The Scriptures make it clear that Joshua did not bring them into full rest (Heb. 4:8). Full rest is ours when we subdue all our enemies and secure our hearts-the spiritual Mount Zion-for God to build His habitation.

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Thomas Faith

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:22 +0000

Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Thomas, one of the apostles, is most remembered because he was slow to accept anything as truth without sufficient evidence. In addition to his inclusion in the list of disciples’ names, Thomas is mentioned four other times in the biblical record. The first two of these incidents give us some insight on the passage in John 20. In John 11, Thomas makes a pessimistic and perhaps sarcastic statement about following Jesus to Lazarus’ tomb, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (11:16). On another occasion, when Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was about to go to his Father’s house, Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” (14:5).

But Thomas is best known for what occurred after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus appeared to the disciples, but Thomas was not with them at that time. When they told Thomas they had seen Jesus, he refused to believe them. Thomas believed only when he had sufficient evidence to convince him that this astounding miracle had actually occurred. His physical senses told him that Jesus was already dead. Without evidence, he wouldn’t believe.

Many people claim to have faith in Jesus and the Bible, but their faith is only in the realm of the mind—that is head-faith or “Thomas faith.” This is a very natural, human faith which says, “I am not going to believe anything unless I can see it and feel it!”

What we need is “Abraham faith” or heart-faith. Abraham did not consider physical knowledge or the glaring fact that he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. He only considered the spiritual truth of God’s Word; that God was going to give him a promised son. And out of that son would come descendants as numerous as the sands on the seashore and stars in the night sky.

Real faith is built on the spiritual truths of God’s promises. While we don’t deny the problems, pain and other negative symptoms of life (for they may be very real), we look beyond them to God’s Word. Real faith says, “If God says it is so, it is so!” Period. Head-faith is just an intellectual acceptance, or mental assent, of certain facts and doctrines. That is not true Bible faith. It won’t produce results or changes in the lives of people. But heart-faith will always produce a definite change in people. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness.”

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