"Dad, will you be able to get me a car?" Asked the boy, having just passed his driving test.

"I suppose a car would be in order if you can raise your grades from C's to B's, you study your Bible, and cut your hair." Replied the father.

After contemplating for many hours, the boy decided it was a good and fair compromise. Six weeks later, the father is astonished. His son was excelling in school, he studied his Bible every day, but his hair was still long and shaggy.

"I am very impressed with you" said the father "you are passing all of your classes, and you read the Bible every day. But why won't you cut your hair?"

"After reading the Bible, I have noticed something." Said the boy "Moses, Samson, and Absalom all had long hair. There is even evidence that Jesus may have had long hair!"
​
The father replied back "Did you also notice how they had to walk everywhere too?"

I am happy to report that Jeanette Herndon Phillips and Joyce Hawkins drove up to Gainesville, GA, New Year's Eve to visit Greg in the ICU. Only Jeanette was permitted to see Greg. Joyce was the driver for this all-important trip.

Here is what Jeanette wrote to Jodi Butler Eason:

"I cried tears of gratitude and joy seeing our Greg look at me, squeeze my hand, smile at me, nod yes and grip tightly as I was saying goodbye.  He enjoyed your messages, nodded that he remembered me being there Tuesday. I still wonder. It was a beautiful hour.  He was talking to me just not with his mouth.  Such a blessing and moment of grace and healing.”

Jodi wrote: "Maddie Morgan, my seven-year-old daughter, named after Stephanie Morgan, and I sent a voice mail to Greg by way of Jeanette. Maddie wanted to get it perfect, so she wrote out her “plan” and read it. Then we sang Jesus loves me, and Maddie sang with such joy. We will have to sing it for you sometime! We miss you!"

In a telephone conversation, Jeanette said that Greg looked good. He has grown a beard and his mustache was darker than his beard. He was very much alert. He followed the commands of Jeanette. She had a pad and a pen for him to write "Greg." His hands were weak, but he tried to write his first name, and she got him to try writing Morgan. He was not able to do that.

Jeanette took a recording of music, e.g., "His Eye is on the Sparrow" one of Melvine's favorite songs. Wesley and I made recordings and Jeanette played them for Greg. Both Greg and Stephanie always referred to Wesley as Pastor Russ. He was our pastor when we lived in Stone Mountain and attended his church in Tucker, GA, The Church of the Comforter. Wesley had baptized both Greg and Stephanie, when Greg was 8 and Stephanie was 6.  In Wesley's speech to Greg he reminded him of his confession of faith at his water baptism.

Other recordings included Jodi Butler Eason and her 7-year-old daughter Mattie Morgan. Arlette Revells and Bonnie Bender made recordings that were played for Greg. All of these people Greg knows.
​
It is important to note that the Holy Spirit works creatively and mightily through various members of the body of Christ. God has given to the church spiritual gifts that are energized by the Holy Spirit. It is my prayer that those reading this article will be inspired to follow God in obedience to the work of the ministry whatever course that might take. 

I praise God for all of you who are praying for my son, Gregory H. Morgan. God is at work in his body, mind, soul, and spirit to bring healing, deliverance and restoration. It is yet to be seen what God is doing in Greg's heart and mind to bring him to the place of total surrender to the will and purposes of God.

I thank God for Spirit-filled and empowered Christians like Jeanette and Joyce who are willing to venture out on a dark rainy New Year's Eve night to drive some 40 or so miles to Gainesville to minister to my son, Greg. They came close to having a crash with an SUV that spun around in the highway and almost hit them.  Joyce was able to avoid the vehicle by quickly moving her vehicle away from the danger. I bless Jeanette and Joyce in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

​Today, January 1, 2021, begins the 24th Year of Publishing Hugh's News & Inspirational Messages

Author: Hugh H. Morgan
 
For 23 years, Hugh's News has been a household name in the IPHC family and the body of Christ worldwide for communications.

Today, January 1, 2021, begins our 24th year of producing Hugh's News. It is only by the grace of God that this ministry of Christian journalism has been sustained.

God raised up this newsletter to fill the void of direct communications for members of the IPHC and the body of Christ. God has given us 1,000 subscribers, and an estimated 3,000 readers.

In order to continue this news and inspirational ministry, we need your continued prayer and financial support. God is our Source, but He uses people like you to give to this cause that is meeting a great need, and leading many people to Jesus Christ. There are many who have been greatly blessed, and some have been miraculously healed by the healing virtue of Jesus Christ. We desire to proclaim the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27, KJV).

Your contribution of any amount will assist us in accomplishing our mission. The mission statement that I wrote a number of years ago has not changed since the day I completed it. Here it is:

Hugh's News is the electronic flagship of communications serving IPHC ministries and the body of Christ worldwide.

Our Scripture mission is written in Daniel 12:3:
​
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever. 
NKJV

​To assist you in giving I have prepared for you this Hyperlink to inform you how you can give.

Please Click Here to find out how you can participate in giving to Hugh's News either by credit card or check.

I was able to talk with Greg's nurse this morning after the doctor had made his rounds. 

She had not worked with Greg the day before. She works 12-hour shifts and was off yesterday.

When she came to the ICU to work with Greg this morning she said she was pleasantly surprised to see the remarkable change in him and the noticeable turn around.

She reported that the doctor did the tracheotomy and took the tube out of his mouth and throat. He will be more comfortable now, and this procedure will help prevent pneumonia. He is not able to speak because of the trach, but he will be able to voice words although he hasn't yet. He remains on a ventilator.

Greg's vital signs are good meaning his blood pressure and heart rate are good. He continues to be on oxygen.

The MRI revealed no damage to his brain. This was the second MRI Greg had taken. That is good news. In addition, there was no damage to his heart according to the heart exam they did.

Greg is following commands now.

The doctors still don't know what caused his mental issues of confusion and disorientation. That remains a mystery.

They are giving him antibiotics to clear up his blood. They do not know the origin of the bacteria in his blood. The infectious disease specialist is looking at that.

I called later in the afternoon, and found out that the doctor had ordered a blood culture to be sent to the lab. The report has come back and there is no growth in his blood. She said that "potentially Greg is now free of the bacteria in his blood." However, I have not been told that by a doctor. I have called and requested that one of his doctors give me a call. I have a need to know about this important concern. I am believing God to clear up his blood and make him whole.

There has been no diagnosis. That is difficult to determine. His physical problem is complex.

We believe God has reached down and touched Greg while using all the medical resources available to him.

Thank you for your prayers for my son. And I thank God for His healing power, and saving grace.

Here is the Benediction I am using today in Hugh's News:

​1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

23 May God Himself, the God Who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together — spirit, soul, and body — and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. 24 The One Who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! 

25 Friends, keep up your prayers for us. 26 Greet all the Christians there with a holy embrace. 27 And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don't leave anyone out. 

28 The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! 
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

"Auld Lang Syne" & "Auf Wiedersehen"

Author: Hugh H. Morgan

On New Year's Eve it has been a continuing tradition to sing "Auld Lang Syne." It was poet Robert Burns who wrote the lyrics to this Scottish folk song. It means . . . "in days of old gone by." The older we get we tend to remember those good ole days that are gone for ever. However, I really like the phrase, "We'll take a cup of kindness yet for days of auld lang syne."

Here are the lyrics:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For days of auld lang syne

Then, there is another song that we have sung at the beginning of the New Year. It is entitled, ""Auf
Wiedersehen" which means "until we meet again."

It was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who wrote "Auf Wiedersehen."  He dedicated it to the memory of
​his friend James T. Fields. This poem was influenced by the Scripture verse in Hebrews 11:35, "Women
received back their dead, raised to life again" (NIV). We, who are Christians, believe that Heaven is where
we will one day see our family and friends again forever. What a blessed day that will be when we all see Jesus.

"Until we meet again" were spoken by men as they were parting in the street. Today, we often say, "Goodbye 
for now" or "I will talk to you soon." Could it be that we might revive that old saying, "Until we meet again?"

As we face the new year of 2021, may God enable us to have believing faith that rises far above our human 
reasoning. When the Lord returns to receive His bride the dead in Christ will be resurrected. They will be the first to
go up in the rapture, and those of us who remain alive will meet them in the air.

Until we meet again!

The Most Important Key to a Healthy Life

Author: Joyce Meyer​

Do you know that God is interested in every area of your life? The truth is He cares about every single thing that concerns you, and He wants every bit of you to be whole and healthy. 
​
First Thessalonians 5:23 (AMPC) says, “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).” This verse shows us that we can be “wholly consecrated to God,” and He wants our spirit, soul and body to “be preserved sound and complete.”
Jesus came to heal you and make you whole. He died so your sins could be forgiven and you could be made whole in your spirit, soul and body (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 19:10; John 10:10).

Understanding the Way God Made You
God created us as tri-part beings: we are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body. One function of our spirit is the conscience; it’s the part of us that receives revelation from God. The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions, and our body is the “house” we live in. It’s easy to think that God is only interested in spiritual things, but all three parts of our being are important to Him.

We can be sound spiritually—born again and on our way to Heaven—but God wants more for us than that. Jesus didn’t come so we could just make it through this life and get to Heaven. He wants us to enjoy the journey, too!
I remember years ago when I was going to church regularly and had received Christ as my Savior, but so much of my life was a mess! I really loved God, but I didn’t love my life. I looked like I had it all together on the outside, but there was a lot of pain and dysfunction on the inside of me that people didn’t know about.

It was an amazing revelation when I saw in God’s Word that He cares about how we think, talk, our finances, our relationships, and that He has a plan and purpose for every single one of us. God wants our lives to be good! It took time and a determined decision on my part to study the Word and believe God’s promises were for me, but I’m no longer a miserable Christian and can honestly say today that I am much healthier and enjoy the life God has given me.

The Foundation of Better Health 
The best way to begin pursuing better health is by pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus, because if your spirit is not healthy and right with God, then the other areas of your life can’t become completely whole either.

Psalm 63:5 (AMPC) says, “My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.” I love that this says “my whole being shall be satisfied.” 

And Psalm 63:8 gives us the key to complete satisfaction: “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.” So if we want to be fully satisfied, we have to follow hard after Jesus!

In any area of life, you’ll get out of it what you put into it. It’s foolish to think you can have a close walk with God if you don’t spend time with Him on a regular basis, or the only time you talk to Him is when you’re in trouble. Being a victorious Christian is not just a Sunday morning event. And God wants to have a personal, intimate, ongoing relationship with you.

It’s a Daily Choice
Romans 12:1 says to “make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” In other words, we need to dedicate our entire being to God…to be passionate for Him and seek Him with ALL of our heart.

As you pursue greater health, I want to encourage you to start by dedicating (or rededicating) your entire life to Jesus. Spend time in prayer each day, study the Bible and discover for yourself what it means to have an intimate relationship with Jesus and be full of the life of God. 

Remember that your walk with Christ is a lifelong journey, and learning to be completely dedicated to Him is a process. As you make progress little by little each day, your life will get more exciting because following the plan God has for you is the way to become satisfied in your whole being—spirit, soul and body. 
***********

For more on this topic, order Joyce’s teaching resource Healthy Living—Spirit, Soul & Bpdy. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org. 

Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 100 books, including BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND and her newest devotional QUIET TIMES WITH GOD (FaithWords). She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.

Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Copyright © 2020 Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.joycemeyer.org. ​

​Change Is Possible

Author: Anne Graham Lotz

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You" (Psalm 63:3, NKJV).

No means of measure can define God’s limitless love . . .

No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply . . .

No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings . . .

He forgives and He forgets.

He creates and He cleanses.

He restores and He rebuilds.

He heals and He helps.

He reconciles and He redeems.

He comforts and He carries.

He lifts and He loves.

He is the God of the second chance, the fat chance, the slim chance . . .

Just give me Jesus!  He makes change possible!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Copyright © 2020 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org.    

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

23 May God Himself, the God Who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together — spirit, soul, and body — and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. 24 The One Who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it! 

25 Friends, keep up your prayers for us. 26 Greet all the Christians there with a holy embrace. 27 And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don't leave anyone out. 

28 The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you! 
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

At a dinner party, several of the guests were arguing whether men or women were more trustworthy. No woman, said one man, scornfully, can keep a secret.

I don't know about that, answered a one of the ladies who was listening in on the conversation. I have kept my age a secret since I was twenty-one, she said with pride.

You'll let it out some day, the man insisted.

I hardly think so responded this lady. "When a woman has kept a secret for twenty-seven years, she can keep it forever."

Jeanette Herndon Phillips was able to see Greg on Tuesday night in the ICU of the hospital. She will be reporting on her visit in a couple of days. She and her family were celebrating the 88th birthday of their father, Malcolm Herndon on Wednesday, December 30. I am 15 days older than Malcolm. In fact, Malcolm and one of his sons, Kevin, dropped by to visit with me and Wesley for a while on their way back to Franklin Springs.

I have talked with Greg's nurse three times on Wednesday.  Greg remains highly sedated and has restraints on his hands to keep him from pulling the tube out of his mouth and throat.

She reported that Greg is following some commands (not all) to squeeze her hand to acknowledge her questions to him.

His nurse said the doctor was getting ready to do the tracheotomy. This surgical procedure will greatly help Greg with his breathing as well as their treatment of him. I think they can remove the tube in his mouth and throat when that is done. I am wondering if Greg will remember any of the things that have happened to him.

The nurse told me that the MRI on Greg's brain went well. They could not find any damage there. The results came back on the heart muscle and that was good.

She did not tell me anything about the bacteria in his blood.  I am praying that God will heal Greg of that and there will be no more bacteria there. The Scripture that comes to my mind is recorded in Psalm 118:17, "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" (KJV). My prayer is that if God sees (and He sees everything, except He cannot look on sin) that Greg will declare the works of the LORD, that God will allow him to live to accomplish His purposes for Greg's life and ministry.

So, it is my opinion and faith statement that God has touched Greg with healing virtue that flows from Calvary.  In the process God is using modern medicine and various procedures to work in concert with God's healing power. Isaiah wrote that with His stripes we are healed. Peter wrote that by His stripes we were healed.

I am grateful for your prayers and concern for Greg. Many of you have responded to the articles and others have sent emails.

I am delighted to have my best friend, Wesley Russ, in my home. He is the best of the best. He has prepared my meals today--breakfast, lunch, and supper. Tonight he fried a freshly cut hamburger steak, and made a delicious salad. He can do it all. In addition, he took out the trash and recycle items, helped me with my laundry, and folded my clothes. He is indeed a servant leader.

For 23 years, Hugh's News has been a household word in the IPHC family and the body of Christ worldwide for communications.

On January 1, 2021, we will begin our 24th year of producing Hugh's News.

God raised up this newsletter to fill the void of direct communications to our readers. We have 1,000 subscribers, and an estimated 3,000 readers.

In order to continue this news and inspirational ministry, we need your continued prayer and financial support.

Your contribution of any amount will assist us in accomplishing our mission. The mission statement that I wrote has not changed since the day I completed it. Here it is:

Hugh's News is the electronic flagship of communications serving IPHC ministries and the body of Christ worldwide.

Our Scripture mission is written in Daniel 12:3:
​
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever. 
NKJV

​To assist you in giving I have prepared for you this Hyperlink to inform you how you can give.

Please Click Here to find out how you can participate in giving to Hugh's News either by credit card or check.

Christmas Isn't Over Until the Wise Men Arrive

Author: J. Lee Grady
​
Posted in Fire in My Bones

The Heavens Reveal the Glory of the Father

When I was a child, Christmas always seemed like a huge letdown. There was a buildup to the holiday in December, with parties, family visits and the expectation of gifts. But then it all came to a screeching halt on Dec. 26. Our family's decorations went into the attic, Christmas merchandise disappeared from store shelves (replaced overnight by Valentine's Day candy) and radio stations abruptly stopped playing Christmas music.

I hated the disappointment. Seeing something so wonderful vanish so suddenly made me sad.

Thankfully, I've since learned that Christians throughout the centuries actually started celebrating Christmas on December 25, and did so for 12 days—hence the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." They ended their festivities with the day of Epiphany—a special time to remember the wise men, or magi, who visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

The wonder of Christmas can't be jammed into just a few days, so why are we always in such a hurry to end it? My decorations stay up longer now, so I can squeeze every bit of Christmas joy out of the season. And that's why I'm grateful for the visit of the magi. They showed up late for the party, but they had an important role to play in the coming of the Savior. Don't leave them out of the story!

The magi are only described in Matthew's Gospel. Drawn by the star that appeared over Bethlehem, they arrived from afar to see the infant Jesus, and they brought the strangest baby gifts ever: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Who were these men, and why did they give Jesus these expensive presents after they "fell to the ground and worshiped Him" (Matt. 2:11b, NASB 1995).

The magi were most likely priests or astronomers from what is now Iran, or possibly Saudi Arabia. (We always assume there were three of them, but the Bible doesn't say that—only that they carried three gifts.) They were not Jews, yet they felt drawn to Bethlehem because they sensed something earthshaking was happening there, based on their research. From their own calculations they knew a baby had been born who was "King of the Jews" (Matt. 2:2). And they knew His reign and influence meant something profound for them, too.

There are three things we should ponder as we remember the visit of the magi:

1. Their mission was prophetic. The wise men were sent to be witnesses of Christ's true identity. They believed the prophecy of Micah, who predicted that the Messiah, the "Ruler" of Israel (Matt. 2:6), would be born in Bethlehem. When they knelt and worshipped the baby, they were inviting us to do the same.
2. Their gifts were prophetic. Gold symbolizes royalty, reminding us that Jesus is truly the King of kings. Frankincense was used by temple priests, and it shows us that Jesus, our High Priest, carries our prayers to God as our mediator. Myrrh is a fragrant perfume used to embalm dead bodies; it showed us that this King would die for us. Even when the baby was lying in a manger, His cruel death on a cross was foretold.

The gifts fulfilled a prophecy in Psalm 72: "Let the nomads of the desert bow before him, and his enemies lick the dust. ... the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. And let all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him" (Matt. 2:9-11).
   3.  Their ethnic background was prophetic. The magi were foreigners, yet they were paying closer attention to the Jewish Scriptures than the Jews themselves. They came from a far country to worship the Messiah, paving the way for a Gentile church. The magi came to show us that Christ came for the whole world, not just for an elite few. They pointed at Jesus and signaled to people from every continent: "This is your King, too." (It is truly fascinating that hundreds of thousands of Iranians are embracing faith in Christ today!) What should be our response? We too should fall to the ground. He is our King, High Priest and Savior. He is not only King of the Jews, but also King of the whole earth. He deserves our wholehearted worship.

[J. Lee Grady has given me permission to publish his articles in Hugh's News. He is the former editor of Charisma magazine. He is currently the executive editor of Encourage, an IPHC monthly online magazine for the leadership of the church. We are blessed indeed to have his articles in Hugh's News for you to read.]

Field Superintendent’s Sermon  (Hong Kong)                         

Rev. Donavan Ng

Title: What is God longing for?

Scripture
"18 Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him …… 20 Although the Lord has given you bread of deprivation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will see your Teacher. 21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left" (Isaiah 30: 18, 20-21,NASB)

These verses are set against the historical background of Judah, which was under the threat of Assyria. Judah faced an option of surrendering, which means to become an affiliate to Assyria, otherwise an invasion seemed inevitable. The views among the leadership of Judah were divided, with some urging to surrender while others preferred a fight with the external help from Egypt. In short, there were Plan A and Plan B. Yet Isaiah the prophet suggested there was indeed a plan C that Judah is not going to surrender or to seek external help but to solely rely on Jehovah the Lord.

“The Lord longs to be gracious to you”, at the start of verse 18, in its Hebrew original means “the Lord is waiting, to give grace to you.” Hebrew verb does not have tenses. One can tell whether the action has taken place and when by adverbs of time and also by context. Another feature of Hebrew language is that Hebrew verbs have stems, six derived from the basic. These bits of knowledge about Hebrew grammar would help us to understand these verses better.

The different forms of stems indicate the relationship between the action and the actor. “Longs” here does not mean waiting passively without any progression, but the wait is a prelude to a brand new situation. Something is in anticipation. It is for the new scenario that the present wait is necessary.

From the spiritual perspective, it is no different in saying the Lord receded temporarily without any action. Put this back to the scenario facing Judah, is it true that the Lord did utterly nothing and simply did not care? Of course not. The form of the verb already suggests that something is in anticipation. The retreat of God was to renew the situation. God was not trapped by the dilemma. The absence brought silence, which was indeed the prelude of a brand new episode. 

There can be a lot of reasons behind. Let’s use the analogy of theatre play to explain. A theater play has not yet started with all stage curtains down. This might be because the set-up is not ready. This might also be because actors are still doing make-up and costumes, etc. For the world order, God has His rhythm. Only He knows the time. When a new world situation is about to appear, the silence can be so suffocating as it feels like God is not coming back.

This word is not the same one appearing in Isaiah 40:31: “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.” The “wait” here means “intertwining”. But the “long” in “how blessed are those who long for Him” in 30:18 is the basic stem in Hebrew, meaning a pure “wait”, versus the Lord’s “long”/”wait” that is anticipatory.

Verse 18 also said “He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice.” The Lord longs to be gracious to His people because He is “a God of justice”. This word also appeared in Micah. The word can also be translated into “fairness”. Only Jehovah the Lord can make fair and just judgment without any bias and error.

What is He judging? The right time! Jehovah the Lord has His own time and only He knows the full picture, to which man can hardly get a glimpse. Man errs but God never. As such, what man should do is to fit into His plan. Why man is unable to fit in most of the time? Because man in general, God’s people included, tend to panic and move aimlessly in danger and adversities. Only the exceptionally godly and righteous will be able to act according to God’s will.

Once in Africa, I asked my friends who live there: “What is the best strategy in the case of jumping into beasts?” They replied: “if it is elephants that are chasing you, run away as fast as you can. Do not stop or you will be knocked dead by the elephants. But if it is a lion that is approaching you, remember: don’t turn away. Quite the contrary, stand face to face to the lion with courage. You can even trample your feet to show certain force. If you do this, in most cases the lion would stop. Then you can withdraw backward steadily and remember not to show any hostility in your eyes.” The problem is: how many people can stand calmly against a fiercely approaching lion without running away? This is exactly a pictorial expression of the situation faced by Judah back then. The people were in panic, to the extent that they tried to seek help from Egypt, an idolatry regime that is hostile to God. Their alternative was to surrender to Assyria, another regime hostile to God.

Amid all these suggestions out of panic, prophet Isaiah raised Plan C: do nothing. To wait and see what God does. Now we know that Judah did choose Plan C and at the critical moment when Assyria was about to start invasion, its warehouses of weapons and food were deadly plagued, resulting to deaths of thousands of soldiers. Assyria had no alternative but to retreat and had not started any invasion against Judah in the following twenty years. The result showed that the prophet was right. The best strategy was “inaction”, just like when one is facing a fiercely approaching lion.

It is said in verse 20: “Although the Lord has given you bread of deprivation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will see your Teacher.”  “Teacher” refers to Jehovah the Lord and all the prophets who speak on behalf of Him. This verse describes the toughness and hardship suffered by the people, the devastating pain of losing their home nation. Why did God allow these things? Why did He hide away? Why has He been absent for a long time? The reason is simple: that’s because the people of the Lord were in a spiritual darkness and they were unable to respond to the adversities faithfully. Instead of turning to God, they panicked and acted aimlessly. They were like a drowning person who tried futilely to grasp a lifebuoy. God chose to stay away so His people would learn by feeling the pointless pain drawn from their own moves driven by panic.
 
​I have said more than once that pain triggers spirituality. Those who belong to God would learn from their sufferings that God is the only source of strength for them. The lesson could only be learned when they came before God after all the hurts and listened to God quietly and attentively. Those who did not reflect in the light of God would end up leaving their faith. Such sad stories literally filled up the Old Testament.

Verse 18 said “the Lord longs to be gracious to you”. What is God longing for? That His people getting fully ready to trust in Him and developed a steadfast faith, that is what God has been waiting for. He wants His people to stay calm and act only according to the teaching of God amid challenges and adversities. The chaos in this world, in the church, in our relationships … are all results of the pointless acts of man. There would be a time when the “teacher” appears again. There would be a time when God stops hiding Himself and reveals to be seen, heard and felt by His people.
 
Verse 21 said “Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” “Behind” here does point to somewhere far away but more like a whisper just next to your ear, indicating a very close distance. This happens when the people of the Lord have already tuned in and got align with God, when they have thoroughly reflected on their faith and learned to stay focused on God Himself. When the condition comes to this point, one could take the hint from the Lord easily even if he makes occasional deviations along the way. A mere whisper by the ear is enough to put one back on to the right track. Some scholars even believed that the deviations simply do not matter as long as one stays focused on the Lord. With the correct ultimate goal, one walks towards God no matter one takes turns to the right or to the left. 

Life is full of choices. Even for those who serve God, they have a lot of choices to make. Let’s not give ourselves a hard time when we face challenges and adversities. Simply fix our eyes upon God and trust in Him. By doing so, it does not matter which path we take. Whether the path we take is correct does not depend on the way it leads to but our faith attitude. As long as we have faith in God and rely totally on Him, the way we walk on would be the good way to take. When we submit our lives to Him totally, even rough and broken ways would turn out smooth and bright.

Thank God for the message revealed by these verses. Even God is hidden temporarily, He is going to bring forward a brand new episode in which man can get renewed and refreshed. The life yet to come would exceed our expectation, and we are deemed to be surprised and filled with gratefulness. Amen.

[Editor's Comment: Donavan Ng is a friend of mine. I have a special love for Chinese people because of my mother, Julia Payne, who was a missionary to Hong Kong and Pakhoi, China, for nine years. That love is deep within the spiritual DNA of my being. When Melvine, Greg, and I were there for the 5th Global Assembly a few years ago, Donavan pulled out all the stops and made our visit a memorable occasion. He treated us royally. We were escorted to the services at the large church Donavan's congregation built to the honor and glory of God. I get the newsletter from the IPHC church there. It is published both in Chinese and English. Of course, I cannot read the Chinese language. This sermon reveals Donavan's knowledge of Hebrew. I did not take Hebrew in seminary. I did take three years of Greek and me "no speakie Greek". I took two years of French in college, and I have forgotten all I learned becsause I never was required to use it. However, I once witnessed to a Muslim from Maroco in the airport in Milano, Italy.]

The Worship The Heavenly Father Seeks

Author: Frank Tunstall

     As the New Year dawns, this study is intended to show Jesus as the great changer of paradigms. One of the new beginnings in the Lord’s ministry that was critical for the future of His church was changing the form of worship practiced in the temple. The paradigm change Jesus launched lives to this day.

The Problem
     When Jesus made His first visit to the temple following His baptism in Jordan River, Nicodemus came to visit Jesus one night. The Lord told Nicodemus “You must be born again.” This birth from above was clearly a New Covenant message and Nicodemus was the very first recorded person to hear it spoken. Nicodemus admitted he and his temple partners knew Jesus was “a teacher come from God, for no man can do the miracles you are doing if God were not with him.” But he rejected the new birth Jesus offered him that would have made him a new person with a new heart, and open the gates of heaven to him (see John 3:1-21).

     The worship in the temple featured the priests sacrificing animals such as lambs and rams, turtle doves and pigeons. These leaders were locked into their past, determined to perpetuate into the future a form of worship that reached back 1800 years through Moses and on to Abraham. 

     Neither were the temple priests looking forward to the new form of worship foretold by John the Baptist that demanded the personal repentance that would lead people to Jesus as their Messiah. They also made no place in temple worship for John the Baptist’s prophecy that the day of Pentecost would come when all people everywhere could be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16).

     Jesus’ offer included redemption for Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, male and female, and even children.

     Jesus set out to change the paradigm because He knew He could not fulfill the vision His Father gave Him if He held to the temple. But another ominous reason existed. Jesus had prophesied the temple would be torn down to the point not one stone would be left on another. About forty years up the road the Jews rebelled against Rome.     

     A new form of worship, a new paradigm, for each of these reasons had to be built for the Gospel to go to the nations. 
 Jesus ended His first visit to the temple knowing the temple rulers did not want the new life He offered, and even saw it as blasphemy. The Lord headed north with His disciples, telling them He had to “go through Samaria” (John 4:4). Israel’s Messiah was certain He could not depend on the temple system of worship to develop an international ministry. The Lord was painfully aware He had to bypass the temple and make a new beginning. 

How scary! May we never see the day when Jesus will need to bypass us to achieve His vision. 

Jesus also foreknew the worship paradigm He told Nicodemus about could be unveiled in Samaria. Jesus left Jerusalem and made the walk to Samaria. He met a woman at Jacob’s Well to whom He made the same proposal He offered Nicodemus, here described as ‘living water.’ She opened her heart and received Jesus, saying to Him, “Sir, give me this water” (John 4:15).

     In their conversation Jesus led her to the new form of worship the Heavenly Father seeks, and she embraced it. In fact, this woman was the first recorded person in John’s gospel to experience the new birth and drink the living water that saves the soul. Jesus explained it in two simple sentences:

“A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for they are the worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

     This statement forecast the new paradigm of worship that would replace the temple and blossom in the church. No more sheep or goats, nor doves or pigeons, nor lambs or rams. No more spilling of the blood of animals would be needed to perpetuate this new order of worship. Jesus’ one sacrifice of His own holy blood became the atonement for the sins of all people who repent and accept Jesus as the Son of God.  

      “God is Spirit,” and He wants sincere worship that is heartfelt, springing from a person’s inner soul. This adoration must also be wrapped in truth, genuine honesty, and pure integrity. This kind of heartfelt worship grounded in repentance before God and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit is what the Heavenly Father seeks. Jesus’ offer to this day includes Jews and Gentiles, men and women, and even children.  

     This new worship form was launched three years after Jesus met the woman at the well. The Holy Spirit filled the 120 on the Day of Pentecost and took up His abode in the new temple that was their hearts (John 1:29-34; Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 6:19).  

     A new era of divine purposes was dawning in Israel, and a new paradigm of worship was being formed. John the Baptist’s prophecy of the gift of the Holy Spirit was also being fulfilled. 

     The story of the nameless woman at Jacob’s Well continues to be told around the world. 

About 40 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Rome’s legions invaded Israel. Men, women, children, and even babies were mercilessly killed. Some 100,000 were force marched to Rome and became slaves. Jerusalem and the temple were left as rubble. Blood sacrifices ended with the slaughter. 

The temple to this day has never been rebuilt, but a new temple not made with hands is in its place. This temple of the heart is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. It meant the Gospel, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, would indeed go around the world.

The new paradigm that includes worshiping the Heavenly Father in Spirit and in truth continues to thrive worldwide. 
​
A new year is at hand; 2021 is dawning. May we all be blessed to renew our commitment to give our Heavenly Father the worship He seeks – in spirit and in truth - knowing the astronomical price God’s Son paid for our salvation.

Arise in Prayer: Call to Prayer

Please join us for this 21 day Call To Prayer. Everyday visit our Facebook page for daily calls to prayer with specific emphasis for that day. Also visit www.iphc.org/ariseinprayer for a daily prayer guide and other resources.

​Just Think on Jesus!

Author: Anne Graham Lotz

"[He] loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood" (Revelation 1:5b, NIV).

Jesus is the most important Man, not just in our nation, not just on planet earth, but in the entire universe! And He isn’t important just for four years or eight years, but forever and ever and ever! 

Furthermore, the most important Man in the uni
verse thinks I am so important, He gave His own life for me! How can I feel depressed by the smallness of my life when the most important Man in the universe died for me, rules over me now, and will one day return for me? In the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am important. I am of value. How can I consider myself anything less?

Do you feel depressed by the smallness of your life? There is an antidote for feelings of smallness. Just think on Jesus!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Copyright © 2020 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org.