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Month: Mar 2023
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Devotion: leprosy
Dr. Andrew C S Koh
Setting
After the calling of Peter, John, James, Andrew, and the miraculous catch of fish in the Sea of Galilee, Jesus went His way, bumped into a leprous man, and miraculously healed him.
Luke 5:12-16
12 While he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.” 13 He stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” 14 He commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way, and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” 15 But the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16 But he withdrew himself into the desert, and prayed.
Luke 5:12-16
Reflections
Jesus left Galilee, came to another town, and met a man with leprosy. The leprous man fell forward prostrate on the ground and begged Jesus to heal him. Jesus touched him and immediately healed him. The leprous man sought Jesus’ will, asked Him, “if You want”and Jesus replied, “I want” .
Leprosy is caused by a bacterium called mycobacterium lepra. Today, it is curable by taking antibiotics. In the first-century world, leprosy was a dreadful, contagious, fatal, and incurable disease. Leprous people were ostracised by society and confined to leper colonies. This was a living death sentence. Lepers must not come near or touch anyone. When they see anyone from a distance, they must shout, unclean, unclean. They were social outcasts. No one dared to touch the leprous man for fear of contracting leprosy. But Jesus touched him and healed him. Jesus touched him with love, compassion, acceptance, and friendship. The power of His touch healed the man instantly. The ministry of touch is very important in any relationship.
Jesus commanded the man not to tell anyone but to present himself to the priest for cleansing and offering sacrifice according to Leviticus 14:2-4 and following. But he could not keep quiet and told his testimony wherever he went. Words spread fast and everyone came to Jesus for healing. Jesus went into the desert alone by Himself and prayed. Luke gave us a glimpse into Jesus’ humanity. He needed to pray and be recharged before He could minister effectively.
Application
Jesus told the man to present himself to the priest to testify to him that he was cured of leprosy. If God had cured you of some ailment, show yourself to others as a testimony to them.
The leprous man told his testimony wherever he went. Did you tell your testimony where ever you go?
The leprous man asked Jesus to heal him according to His will. Did you pray according to God’s will?
Jesus touched the leprous man. Have you touched someone physically or through acts of kindness.? The ministry of touch is so important in a personal relationship. Give someone a hug when it is appropriate.
After healing the man, Jesus retreated into the mountain alone to pray. If Jesus needed to spend time alone with His Father in prayer, how much more that you and I needed to spend time with Him in prayer?
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp. The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper, 4 then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop.
Leviticus 14:2-4
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help us to spend time alone with You in prayer to seek Your will and to listen to You. Help us to touch someone with love and compassion today. Help us to share our testimony with others so that they will come to know You as their Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: Every Spiritual Blessings in Christ
https://anchor.fm/dr-andrew-c-s-koh/episodes/Every-Spiritual-Blessings-in-Christ-e213k7d
Dr. Andrew C S Koh
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray that You will enable us to log in to Your channel, frequency, and wavelength. Help us to fine-tune our spiritual antennas to receive divine signals from You. Help us to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s voice, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Setting
By this time, Jesus’ popularity was at an all-time high. People were coming from everywhere to listen to Him. He was surrounded by a massive crowd in the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee. There were two boats, one belonging to Simon Peter, and the other to James and John. Jesus alighted Simon Peter’s boat and told him to move deeper into the water. He sat down and taught the people in the floating pulpit of the boat.
Luke 5:4-9
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word, I will let down the net.” 6 When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. 8 But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” 9 For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;
Luke 5:4-9
Reflections
After teaching the people, Jesus commanded Peter to go into deeper water and throw in the nets. Simon Peter reluctantly threw in the net because he did not expect any result. He had been throwing the nets one whole night to no avail. To his surprise, the net was so full of fish and so heavy that the net was going to break. This miracle is unique to Luke.
Simon Peter signaled to his partners James and John in the other boat for assistance. They came alongside and collected the fish into the two boats. The fishes were so heavy that the two boats began to sink. Amazed at such a great miraculous catch, Peter knelt in front of Jesus and confessed that he was a sinful man.
Even James and John, the sons of Zebedee were astonished. Jesus told them not to be afraid. From now on Jesus would make them fishers of the souls of men. When the boats reached land, they left everything and followed Jesus. Here, Jesus chose four fishermen from Galilee as His apostles, Peter and his brother Andrew, James, and his brother John.
Application
When Peter was fishing by his own self-effort throughout whole night, he could not catch any fish at all. When Peter followed the direction of Jesus, the catch was so great that they filled up 2 boats! The catch was so bountiful and beyond his wildest imagination. Convicted of his sins, Peter fell prostrate before Jesus, and worshiped Him.
You will not be successful when you share the gospel with your self-effort. You will be successful if you listen carefully to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and follow God’s instructions. You need to pray before you make a move and listen very carefully. Evangelism must be done according to God’s will and direction. You need to do evangelism Jesus’ way. He is the way, the truth, and the life, John 14:6.. No one can come to the Father except through Him.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
John 14:6
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for making us fishers of men. Help us to equip ourselves with the tools and skills of personal evangelism. Help us to share the Gospel with non-believers. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Help to do things according to your ways and not be our own self-effort, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Devotion: the corrupted church
Dr. Andrew C S Koh
Today, you can the archaelogical ruins of the church of Pergamon in western Turkey as a tourist. You can see the seat of satan in the ruins of the church of Pergamon. If you visit the Berlin, be sure to visit the Pergamon museum. This museum showcased many archaelogical finds from the church of Pergamon which flew all the way from Turkey in the 1900s I was fortunate to visit this museum 30 years ago.
Revelation 2:12-17
12 “To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things: 13 “I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise. 16 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it
Revelation 2:12-17
Commentary
Destination
The destination of the third letter was to the church of Pergamon. Ancient Pergamon was a rich and powerful Greek city in Mysia, Asia Minor, which is in modern-day Turkey. Pergamon was a demonic stronghold, home to the seat of Satan’s throne.
Jesus’ Title
Jesus called Himself, “He who has the sharp two-edged sword”. The two-edged sword is the word of God and sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12.
Commendation
Christ commended them for their loyalty and faithfulness. They they did not deny His name, in the face of persecution, when one of their members, Antipas was martyred.
Censure
Christ censured them because some of them followed the doctrine of Balaam and Nicholas. The doctrine of Balaam is embracing pagan worship and committing sexual immorality. The doctrine of Nicolas is Gnosticism. Nicolas was a first-century Christian of Acts 6:5, who had apostasized and promoted Gnosticism.
Warning
If they do not repent, Christ will wage war against them with the two edged sword of His mouth.
A promise of reward
To those who overcome, hear, and obey His word, He will give them the hidden manna, and a white stone with a new secret name written on it.
The hidden manna is Jesus Christ, who is also called, the living manna, the bread of life, the bread of God, and the bread from heaven. He is the food that sustained our spiritual health.
The white stone is a symbol of Christ’s righteousness imputed to believers. Christ will give believer a white stone with a new secret name that only the recipient knows.
For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch
Acts 6:5
Application
Do not compromise your faith by partipating in pagan worship and sexual imorality.
Do not follow the teachings of false teachers and cult. Beware of the prosperity doctrine and the word of faith movement. There are plenty of false teachers today peddling false doctrines and leading believers astray. It is a good practice to check the credentials of any preachers before listening to them and countercheck what they say with the Bible.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for this timely message to remind us that there are false teachers in our society today. We pray for biblical education and literacy ad a tool to discern false doctrines. Help us to know the truth and be set free from deception, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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