SIGN OF LIFE

SIGN OF LIFE

(II Peter 2:6-9)

god-change

       Do you know where the lowest place on earth is? It is located about 1300 feet below sea level. Yes, it is Dead Sea in the Middle East! This place is the silent witness which shows God’s anger to those who like to embrace violence and sadistic manner as their life style. Many years ago, the Bible says two cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, and about 10 surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality. People from Sodom and Gomorrah were typically people who wanted to do whatever they liked to do, lustful and lawless. This is about the exact opposite of people defined by the fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, etc.

map

       From the Bible (Genesis 19:24) we know that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and sulferic rain called brimstone, earth quake, avalanche, asphalt and other mineral components.  

       Do you know why Dead Sea is so salty? The water is around 10 times saltier than usual sea water. It’s the world’s deepest hypersaline place which contains crystallised sodium chloride. There are 21 minerals contained in the Dead Sea, and 12 kinds of them cannot be found in any other sea or ocean in the world.       

       If we remember the prophecy of God through Ezekiel 47:8-9, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever ther river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.“; then today we will know that this prophecy is in process of fullfilment.

lumpur-dead-sea

       Today, medical research has proven that salt from the Dead Sea can cure psoriasis, rheumatism, and even rhinosinusitis. Did you know that thousands of year ago, Egypt used asphalt from the Dead Sea for mummification? They used potash element for soil fertilizer.

       The Dead Sea has receded quickly. Scholars predict that by 2036 the level of the Dead Sea will have dropped by another 25 meters. Earlier we said that there is no fish or creature can live inside the Dead sea, but God has transformed the elements of this deadly sea into useful minerals for health and even for life.

       What can we learn from the Bible and the facts of the Dead Sea? God’s Word is true! The Scripture will be fulfilled. What goes from God’s Word will not return empty, but it will be accomplished and the purpose will be achieved according to God’s will.

       God can change even a curse into blessing! Do not let your future being determined by what some horoscope or ouija board says. Do not let your mind deceive you with worries and anxiousness about things ahead.

       Let’s put our lives under the care and control of The One who can change curses to blessings,  and death to life. If God can change the Dead Sea to bring useful things for many people, the same God can change and bless everyone who comes to Him!

       People who let God be involved in their work, school, family and even their whole life; will not lack God’s providence. Amen.

GOD CAN CHANGE EVENT CURSE TO BLESSING !

God involved

Facebooktwitterredditpinteresttumblrmail

Umm Qais

Umm Qais:

TESTIMONY OF A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN

(Mark 5:1-20)

blessed obey

       How does it feel to have a restored life? How beautiful is it to have freedom in our life? I want to take you to the story of young man who used to live in Umm Qais (Gadara). This place is near from the border between Jordanian and Syria. Today, this place is dangerous because of ISIS terror and violence. 

umm qais

      The true Bible story began about a young man possessed by demons. It looks like he has freedom in his life. He lived by his own will and did whatever he wanted. Nobody could chain him or control him. He lived not far from Sea of Galilee.

       Many times people saw him walking around wildly in the tombs near a village called Gadara. When someone shouts loudly, there are often two possibilities: either they need help or it is a shout of happiness.

       This man lived alone and had long lonely nights among the tombs and in the hills. He tried several times to commit suicide because he was suffering so much. We can know that he was not really free, but was called ‘Legion’ because he was possessed by many, many impure spirits.

       No one could set him free. No one cared anymore about this poor man. But Jesus Christ wanted to set him free. He rebuked legion and cast out the demons from this young man. He was healed, saved and in peaceful condition after meeting Jesus! Yet, this is not the end of the story.

poss

        Jesus sent him back to his village with clear instructions: Go, Tell what God has done to your life! The world history records that even Jesus Christ was rejected in Gadara Village, but still the Good News spread across the ages.

       Do you know that one of the church fathers who attended the Nicaea Council (325 A.D) was from Gadara? At the Byzantine era, the majority of Gadara residents were Christian. Archeologists found more than 400 crusader coins in Gadara.

       It proof of what this young man had done — he followed Jesus’ instructions and told the Good News of Christ and this had a big impact on Gadara’s history.

       Today God’s calling resounds with the same echo of truth. If God has ever blessed your life, saved you, healed your sickness and helped your life, now is the time to continue bearing fruit of good deeds for God’s work.

People who let God be involved in their life, will not lack God’s providence.

People who obey God’s word already blessed in their life.

God involved

 

 

Facebooktwitterredditpinteresttumblrmail

TUHAN PUNYA CARA

TUHAN PUNYA CARA

(Baca: 2 Raja-raja 3:1-27, Mazmur 23:5)

Tuhan punya cara

       Pada umumnya kita ingin selalu dapat kabar baik dan hidup lancar, namun kenyataannya tidak setiap hari hidup berjalan lancar. Apa yang kita rencanakan dengan matang sekalipun tidak berarti pasti berhasil. Ada kalanya semua perencanaan gagal total dan membuat suasana hati dan keadaan menjadi buruk.

       Inilah yang dialami oleh Yosafat (raja Yehuda), Yoram (raja Israel) dan raja Edom. Mereka mempersiapkan dengan matang peperangan terhadap Moab, namun perjalanan yang seharusnya ditempuh sekitar 2-3 hari menjadi lebih 7 hari dan belum juga tiba di wilayah Moab. Seluruh rombongan kehausan, kekurangan logistik dan mental pasukan dalam keadaan sangat buruk hingga mulai meragukan para pemimpinnya.

       Di sinilah Yosafat ingat Tuhan dan mengajak para raja mencari Tuhan. Elisa menubuatkan datangnya air berlimpah dengan cara Tuhan yang melampaui pikiran. Wilayah Edom ke atas itu padang gurun. Wilayah Moab khususnya di sekitaran Madaba dikelilingi pegunungan dengan kontur medan yang sukar dan gersang. Hingga sekarang wilayah yang dulu disebut Edom dan Moab atau kini disebut Jordania dikenal kekurangan air.

       Singkat cerita, Tuhan datangkan banjir air yang menyegarkan pasukan Yosafat dan koleganya,  Tuhan memberikan kemenangan dahsyat kepada mereka.

       Ingatlah, Tuhan sanggup mendatangkan banjir berkat bahkan ketika kita semua berpikir yang ada hanya kekeringan dan kesulitan hidup. Mari cari Tuhan sekarang juga! Pililah jalan yang benar dan lurus. Tuhan punya cara untuk beperkara dalam hidup kita. Amin.

TUHAN PUNYA CARA UNTUK BEPEKARA DALAM HIDUP KITA, CARI DAN ANDALKAN TUHAN DENGAN CARA-NYA.

Facebooktwitterredditpinteresttumblrmail

PETRA: PERKARA DI ATAS

PETRA:

PIKIRKANLAH PERKARA DI ATAS

(Baca: Kolose 3:1-4)

pemandangan petra

       Siapa bilang di padang gurun itu udaranya hanya panas dan gersang? Saya dahulu berpikir juga demikian. Tahukah Anda bahwa di perjalanan Musa melewati padang gurun atau yang dikenal Wadi Musa adalah tempat yang unik dan indah. Di Wadi Musa bukan hanya panas menyengat, tetapi pada saat musim dingin udaranya kisaran 10 hingga 2 derajat celcius, bahkan bisa terjadi salju di sana.

       Ketika bangsa Israel melewati padang gurun “Petra” ini, mereka bersungut-sungut. Mengomel karena kurang makanan enak, tidak senyaman seperti di Mesir. Mereka marah karena tidak ada air dan haus. Mereka menjerit karena ular berbisa dan binatang buas. Tahukah Anda, mujizat terbanyak di Perjanjian Lama adalah ketika orang Israel bersama Musa di padang gurun. Mereka makan gratis manna selama 40 tahun, juga dikirim daging plus air gratis dari ketukan batu Musa. Belum lagi kasut yang tidak rusak dan penerangan tiang api serta kompas ajaib berupa tiang awan.

       Semua berkat Tuhan tersebut kurang begitu dirasakan dan disyukuri oleh umat Israel waktu itu. Mengapa? Karena mereka cenderung hanya melihat kesibukan sehari-hari dengan permasalahan yang ada. Bukankah hari ini banyak umat Tuhan seperti itu? Mengeluh, bersungut-sungut dan mengancam meninggalkan Tuhan apabila keinginannya tidak dituruti.

       Paulus mengingatkan jemaat Kolose untuk belajar memikirkan perkara yang di atas. Maksudnya bukan supaya orang Nasrani itu hidup dalam utopia atau idealisme atau mimpi belaka, tetapi justru sebaliknya Firman Tuhan mengajak dengan memiliki cara pandang surgawi akan memampukan kita melihat hidup ini secara lebih mendarat, lebih nyata, lebih jelas.

       Ketika kita hanya memikirkan perkara di bumi, maka kita cenderung berfokus kepada masalah yang ada dengan jargon: Apa yang saya dapat? Kenapa dia dapat lebih? Kenapa saya tidak dapat? Akhirnya pemikiran ini melahirkan sungut-sungut ketimbang syukur, kerakusan ketimbang mencukupkan diri, serta mengejar ambisi dan nafsu ketimbang melayani Tuhan dan menggenapkan tujuan kita hidup di dunia ini.

       Ketika kita memikirkan perkara surgawi, apa yang Tuhan kehendaki dan apa yang menjadi prinsip kebenaran, maka di sana kita dapat menilai realitas kehidupan ini dengan lebih terarah dan justru lebih mendarat. Kerangka berpikir rohani yang diajarkan Alkitab memampukan kita memperoleh hikmat Tuhan dalam menjalani hidup ini.

       Saat ini Anda dan saya dipanggil menyediakan waktu jeda dalam hidup ini untuk bersaat teduh, merenungkan prinsip kebenaran Firman Tuhan ini justru hidup kita lebih mendarat dengan realitas, dengan kehendak Tuhan dan dengan janji Tuhan. Amin.

BERPIKIR ROHANI TIDAK IDENTIK DENGAN IDEALISME MENG-AWANG AWANG, TETAPI JUSTRU SEBALIKNYA ADALAH CARA PALING MENDARAT DALAM MENJALANI HIDUP YANG BERHIKMAT

JEFF BPKR ROHANI

Facebooktwitterredditpinteresttumblrmail