Author: Sis Mhay

When a rich young ruler called the Lord Jesus good teacher, He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Mark 10:18)

Often we think some people are good and some people are bad or evil. But, the Lord Jesus said actually no one was good. Only God is good. We think some people are good and some people are not good because we use human understanding and standard to measure goodness.

Why did the Lord Jesus said that no one was good, but only God was good? What is goodness actually? The Psalmist wrote, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Psa 118:1, 29) The goodness of God is related to His enduring mercy. It means God is good because He always shows mercy.

When Moses asked the Lord to show His glory, He answered, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.” (Exo 33:19) What is the glory of the Lord? It is all His goodness. What is all the goodness of the Lord? When the Lord passed before Moses, He proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord  God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” (Exo 34:6-7) So, all the goodness of the Lord is proclaimed in His name and they are related to His enduring mercy.

Goodness is not related to the moral quality of a person, but instead to his mercy quality. The parable of the good Samaritan illustrates this truth.

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’  So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” (Luke 10:30-37)

Both the priest and the levite had moral uprightness, but the Samaritan had mercy. So, it is the Samaritan who is truly good, not the priest or the levite.

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 12:24). Why? He had compassion on the needy among the saints and showed mercy by selling the land that he had and brought the money to the apostles to be distributed to those who lack (Acts 4:36-37)

It is written, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38) God anointed the Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit that He bore the fruit of Spirit goodness in His life. He went about doing good to people who suffered and had need. Thus, goodness is the expression of the enduring mercy of God and His kindness to people.

Scripture : Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The Christian life is a journey of faith with God. It begins and ends with faith in the Lord Jesus (Heb 12:2). Along thiis journey, the righteousness of God will be revealed from faith to faith because those are justified by God shall live by faith (Rom 1:17). Faith is the key in our relationship with God because without it we will never be able to please God (Heb 11:6). Therefore, it is very important for us to have an accurate understanding of faith. Now, in order to really understand what faith is, it is helpful for us to know what faith is not.

One of the most common misunderstandings about faith is we must deny the reality to be in faith. We close our eyes from the reality before us because we think that if we acknowledge it, we do not have faith. Therefore, when we are sick, we say we are healed; when we are weak, we say we are strong; when we do not have a certain thing, we say we already have it, etc. But then we become disappointed because the reality that we deny is still there before us. What is wrong here? It is our understanding of faith that is not accurate. Faith is not denying the reality at all. On the contrary, it acknowledges the reality. But, it refuses that reality to continue to exist because of the existence of another reality. This reality, although it is invisible, nonetheless, is more powerful.

Faith does not deny the visible reality, but refuses that visible reality to continue to exist because of another reality which is more powerful than that. This more powerful reality is the invisible reality. Therefore, if we truly have faith, we will not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen because we know that the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor 5:7; 4:18). So, when we are sick, instead of saying we are healed, we say we are sick, but by His stripes we were healed (1 Pet 2:24); when are weak, instead of saying we are strong, we say we are weak, but the strength of Christ is made perfect in weakness, and when we are weak, then we are strong (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Another most common misunderstanding about faith is believing what we want to believe. What does it mean? It means we choose to believe something because we want it to be true. This usually happens when we have a very strong desire about something. For example, we are in a certain situation and we desire a certain outcome from that situation. We also know that God is able to give the outcome we desire. Then, it is very natural that we will choose to believe what we want to believe. Now, in this case, we may or may not get what we believe. We cannot be sure.

If we have a very strong desire in our heart about a certain thing or situation, it will greatly influence what we believe about it. We will tend to believe what we want to believe. But believing what we want to believe is not faith. To help us understand more clearly we will take look at one hypotetical case. Let’s say that we are in the process of securing a business deal in another city. We want that deal so much and we know that God is able to give it to us. But, the problem is to secure that deal we have to leave our present highly paid job because we have to spend so much time away. After giving some time to think about it seriously, we finally resign from our job and spend much time securing that deal, believing that God is going to give us that deal. Now, will the deal finally be secured? May be, but we cannot be sure. Why? Because what we believe is not actually based on God’s specific will, but on our own will.  Therefore, in such situation, it is better for us to say, “If the Lord wills.”

Yet another most common understanding about faith is confusing it with hope. We say that we have faith, but many times what we actually have is hope. It is true that hope is included in faith (Heb 11:1), but hope is not the same as faith. What is hope? Hope gives us a positive outlook towards the future. Hope enables us to say that something good can or may happen to us. When we say that God is going to heal us, or that God is going to give us what we ask of Him, often what we actually say is not a confession of faith, but a confession of hope, which is important to hold fast (Heb 10:23) as an anchor of our soul (Heb 6:19). They are confessions of hope because they only point to the future possibilities.

What is the difference between hope and faith? Hope is an expectation that a certain thing will happen one day whereas faith is an assurance that a certain thing will happen at any time. When we have hope, we still cannot be sure. But when we have faith, we will be sure. Why? Because faith brings the things we hope for to the present by having them as a substance in us (Heb 11:1). We are assured now that what we hope for is bound to happen because we already have it as a present invisible reality.

Faith is not denying the visible reality, but replacing the visible reality with the invisible reality. The apostle Paul wrote, “while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Cor 4:18). Faith is not believing what we want to believe but believing what God wants us to believe because faith actually comes from God’s word. The apostle Paul wrote, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17) Faith is not hoping that something will happen to us one day but knowing that something is bound to happen to us at any time because we already have the substance of that thing now. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)

In his gospel, John wrote, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” (John 11:5) Martha, her sister Mary and Lazarus were siblings. They did not belong to the same family as Jesus. Nor were they known specifically as Jesus’ disciples. But, Jesus loved them. They were Jesus’ friend. Jesus often visited their house and stayed with them.

Only a few encounters Jesus had with Mary, Martha and Lazarus were recorded in the Holy Scripture. Two of these encounters are Jesus’ visit to their house (Luke 10:38-42) and the raising of Lazarus from death (John 11:1-44). Mary, Martha and Lazarus are three different individuals of the same family. Each one describes one aspect of ministry. Mary represents worship, Martha represents service and Lazarus represents glory. These three aspects of ministry must be in the right order. Ministry begins at Jesus’ feet, it begins with worship; followed by washing people’s feet, serving them and the result should be the transformation in their lives from death to life and freedom.

1. Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet to hear His word (Luke 10:39)

The beginning of ministry is not washing the feet of the people but sitting at the feet of Jesus. The beginning of ministry is not humbling ourselves before people but before Jesus. The ministry does not start with speaking to people but with hearing from Jesus. If we do not humble ourselves and sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His word, it will be very difficult for us to humble ourselves before people, to wash their feet, serving them and we have no words from God to speak to them.

The problem with many of us is we often come to Jesus just to speak to Him. We may sing to Him but we do not really worship. We just want talk in prayer, but never listen. If we worship Jesus, His presence will bring us to quietness so that we can hear from Him. Then when we speak to Jesus it is more as a response than as a request.

When we often sit at Jesus’ feet and hear His word, we will get to know Him. Because Mary often sat at Jesus’ feet, she got to know Him. When Jesus was about to die, she kind of knew that. So, she came to Him, taking with her a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, then anointed His feet and wiped His feet with her hair (John 12:3). Jesus said she did it for the day of His burial (John 12:7).

2. Martha serving people at the table (John 12:2)

Ministry is not only sitting at Jesus’ feet but washing the people’s feet as well. Ministry is not only worshiping God but serving people as well. To wash the people’s feet we must humble ourselves before them and bear with their conditions. In serving people, we must attend to their needs. Like Martha, we must be diligent and fervent in spirit in doing so (Rom 12:11). Nevertheless, if we do not spend enough time at Jesus’ feet in worship to hear His word, we will be troubled and worry about many things like Martha when we serve people. We will easily be distracted and discouraged. Then we will not be effective in serving.

3. Lazarus raised from death and set free (John 11:44)

Ministry is not serving people and meeting their needs by any means but by the glory of God only. Why? Because any other means has no power to bring people from death to life and set them free. Only the glory of God can do that. But the glory of God will not manifest if there is no worship. After their brother Lazarus died of sickness both Martha and Mary came to Jesus, saying the same thing, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21 32) Martha most likely was standing on her feet and feeling angry when she said that, but Mary was falling down at Jesus’ feet in worship and weeping when she said that. The glory of God did not manifest after Martha came to Jesus. It manifested only after Mary came to Jesus. This glory of God raised Lazarus from death.

With Jesus every helpless and hopeless situation is an opportunity for the glory of God. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4) But for that glory to be manifested, faith must be present. Jesus said, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) And faith will be imparted to us as the spirit when we worship God.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God created man according to His own image (Genesis 1:27). In line with God Himself as a trinity, man was made as one tripartite being. There are three parts that constitute man: spirit, soul and body, but these three are one. The spirit is the innermost part of his being and is the essence of his being. By his spirit, man can be conscious of God and have communion with God. The soul is his intermediate part that makes him conscious of himself and is the seat of his personality. The soul itself is composed of three major areas : mind, emotion and will. The body is the outermost part of man and is visible. It is the means whereby man relates to the physical world. The spirit, the soul and the body are different parts of man’s being, but they are intricately interconnected.

When God first created man in His own image, his spirit, his soul and his body were perfect. Each part was perfect in itself and they were perfect in harmony one with another. His spirit was always conscious of God and had an uninterrupted and intimate communion with Him. What he experienced in his spirit then flowed to his soul. The presence of God and the glory of God filled his personality. He had no trouble in knowing the mind of God, in feeling His emotion, and in surrendering to His will. He found himself completely in God. His body, in turn, then expressed this perfect state of his soul as he related to the physical world. Therefore, he could subdue the earth and exercise dominion over all other creations of God easily. Thus, originally, the spirit of the man controlled his soul, and then his soul expressed this control of the spirit through his body.

Because of sin, the spirit of the man was separated from God. This state is called death (Romans 6:23). Consequently, his soul became corrupted because it was cut off from the glory of God. Man became more conscious of himself than of God. His own self took the place of God. He became afraid of God, rebellious and wise in his own eyes. The desires of his body became uncontrolled and predominant. His body now controls his soul. Because the spirit of the man no longer supplied the life of God to his body, his body began to experience decay.

Through the Lord Jesus, God has provided salvation for the whole being of man (Hebrews 7:25). His spirit, his soul and his body can be restored to their original state and their order. When a man receives this salvation, his spirit is instantly made alive by the Holy Spirit and becomes conscious of God again. Then by constantly feeding himself with the word of God, his spirit will grow and become strong. The apostle Peter wrote, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,” (1 Peter 2:2)

After a man’s spirit has become alive his soul can begin to be restored. Much of the restoration of the soul is about the renewal of the mind. The apostle Paul wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) How can a man renew his mind? By meditating the word of God day and night. Joshua wrote, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

As a man’s mind is renewed by the word of God, he will live according to the Spirit and his body will receive life from the Holy Spirit in him. The apostle Paul wrote, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) Now by the Holy Spirit he can put to death the sinful deeds of his body, discipline his body and bring it into subjection (Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 9:27)

When the restoration of the state of a man’s spirit, his soul and his body takes place; his spirit, his soul and his body are put back in the original order. His spirit controls his soul, and then his soul controls his body. Then he can live as God created him to be, that is, to have dominion over the earth so that all things are subjected under his feet. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” (Hebrews 2:8)

Dominion is possible only when our spirit, our soul and our body have been restored into their right state and order. Therefore, we should always grow in our spirit, renew our mind and discipline our body that we are sanctified completely and our whole spirit, soul and body are preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

There are three basic spiritual practices that we must learn to do secretly. Secretly here means not before men to be seen by them. These spiritual practices are doing charitable deeds, praying, and fasting. If we do them to be seen by men, God will not reward us. But if we do them not to be seen by men, God will reward us openly. When God rewards us openly, men will clearly see it.

The Lord Jesus said to His disciples,

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Mat 6:1-4)

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Mat 6:5-6)

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Mat 6:16-18)

When we do a charitable deed, like giving alms or feeding the hungry, we should do it in secret. We do not tell anyone before or after we do it. When a blind man begged the Lord Jesus to heal him, He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. After He healed him, He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town nor tell anyone in the town.” (Mrk 8:22-26) When we pray, we should go into our room and shut the door or go to a solitary place. We do not pray to be seen by men. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, the Lord Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mrk 1:35). When we fast, either we should go to a solitary place or our face should look fresh so that we do not appear to men to be fasting. The Lord Jesus fasted in the wilderness where there were no people (Mat 4:1-2).  

Doing charitable deeds, praying and fasting can be done individually and God will reward us openly if we do it in secret, not to be seen by men. Nevertheless, God will reward us more if we do those three spiritual practices together. We do charitable deeds during or immediately after prayer and fasting.