Author: michael

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

michael Slides

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,  you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Here it says that if we draw near to God, and He will draw near to us. If we take the initiative to spend time drawing near to God, He will draw near to us. Sinners should confess their sins and repent, and those who are double-minded between God and the world should purify their hearts. We should do our best spending less time in the world and spend more time drawing near to God, and God will draw near to us and we will experience His presence.

 

Jesus and the miraculous catch of 153 Fish

michael Testimony

John 21:1-14 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Today I would like to talk about the number 153, 153 fish Peter and other disciples catch.  In 2017 the Lord led me to share gospel to my high school classmates wechat chat group. The total number of people in the chat group now is 151, very close to number 153, once it reached 153 for some time, even 154 for a while, later I guess a couple of people left the chat group, sometimes new people join in. Now I do gospel posting twice a week, I post hymns, testimonies, messages, etc. the Lord led me know the importance of posting songs, so I post song every time I post something else.  the Lord also led me know the importance of sharing the gospel on the internet and encourages more people to share gospel on the internet.

Before I prepared this sharing, I had a idea to count other people I share gospel to in wechat. Right now I have 88 people in my friend circle, I also share gospel to other chat groups, such as university group,  Concordia university group, etc. I counted all the people, it is 152 people.  Among 152 people, there are a few repeats,  becasue a few people in my friend’s circle, also in chat group, in total, there are less that 152 people, but it is interesting, it is also close to number 153.

If I can reach any people, it is by God’s grace, as 153 fish disciples catched are from the Lord.  I would like to give all glory to the Lord, hope by the Lord’s grace to reach more people, catch more fish for the Lord.

May God bless everyone.

Put the Lord first

michael Draw Near to God

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Here we see that Lord Jesus in the early morning went to a lonly place to pray. Lord Jesus gave us an example, we should also do the same, the first thing we need to do every morning is to pray, draw near to God, seek God, seek His face, seek His preserence.

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Here we see that Mary sits at the Lord’s feet listening to the Lord’s word while martha distracted, worried and upset about many things, the Lord says that Mary has chosen the good part.  Besides praying and drawing near to God in the moring, we should also do so in the evening. I also find myself that if we put the Lord first,  put prayer and drawing near to the Lord first, the Lord will take care the rest and our life will be more productive, as we know that He is the vine, we are the branches, we need to totally depend on Him in order to bear fruit.

Apart from me, you can do nothing

michael Draw Near to God

John 15 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Here it says that the Lord Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, we need to abide in the Lord in order to bear fruit, apart from Him, we cannot bear fruit, we can do nothing.  We are not so busy that we can not spend quality time with the Lord, not even busy with the Lord’s work.

If we don’t abide in the Lord, we will dry up, unable to bear any spiritual fruit. We cannot depend on ourselves to bear fruit, but need to totally depend on the Lord to bear fruit.

Prayer of repentance

michael Messages

During this hour of Corona virus, the Lord inspired a sister that we should pray Psalm 51 from the heart for repentance and Psalm 91 for protection.

We know the parable of pharisee and tax collector, the Lord is pleased with the prayer of the tax collector, not the prayer of the pharisee who is self righteous.

In Revelation, Lord Jesus asked the churches to repent,  ask the Christians to repent. We Christians also need repentance.

Psalm 51:17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Because of the Corona virus, we have to stay at home,  the Lord allows it so that we should spend more time in prayer, in seeking His face, give Him the best hours of our day for prayer and worship.

May God bless you.

Psalms 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.7  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise 18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.8 You will only observe with your eyes  and see the punishment of the wicked.9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.13 You will tread on the lion Read more

Mercy

michael Messages

Some time ago, In wechat I shared a short message “blessed are the merciful, for they should receive mercy”, not long later our pastor’s wife also shared same message about mercy in the church.

in Matthew 9:13 Lord Jesus says that I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. We should learn from the Lord, be merciful to other people, be merciful to the sinners.

When Lord Jesus was crucified,  to those who crucified Him, He said Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing, we see Lord’s great love and mercy.

In Matthew 5:44 Lord Jesus says that But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. 

I shared the gospel on a wechat chat group, once there was a person who against the gospel and told me to stop sharing the gospel. I waited before the Lord, the Lord told me to pray for his salvation,  he was in need of prayer, if I prayed for him, he will be saved.  Later I continue sharing the gospel on the wechat chat group.

As we know that Apostle Paul was very much againt the christians at beginning, he persecuted the church, later he repented and mightily used by the Lord.

About prayer for healing

michael Messages

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 1617-:18)

Here we see that those who believe, those who have faith can lay hand on the sick and heal them.

Matthew 8:16-17 16 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17)

The Lord healed all who were sick, healed those who were demon-possessed.

At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. (Luke 4:40)

Here again Lord Jesus healed all who were sick.

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. (John 2:23)

Lord Jesus performed signs, unbelievers believe because they see the miracles.

Mark 8:22-25 22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Lord Jesus prayed one time, the blind man got partial healing, Lord Jesus prayed again, the blind man got complete healing, we should continue praying until we see results.

James 5:14-16 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective

We need to confess sins to one another, pray for one another in order to get healed.

I have been praying for different people for different kinds of sickness, such as back pain, lower back pain, headache, head dizziness, foot pain, arm numbness, stomach pain, allergy, chest pain, tooth infection and pain, etc.

Sometimes the Lord heals right away, sometimes not right away, sometimes the Lord gives complete healing, sometimes He gives partial healing. Sometimes He doesn’t heal for a good reason. Sometimes, a person receives a lot of graces, the sickness is to keep him humble, and sometimes it is not the right timing for healing.

If you any sickness or pain, please send me a message using the contact form, I will pray for you and ask the Lord to heal you.