Thursday, June 14, 2018

Outreach journal: God’s calling is irrevocable by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Outreach journal: God’s calling is irrevocable
By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries          
8/3/2016

                                  Jesus loves you and dwells in you by the Holy Spirit. 
                            He is with you, talks to you and walks with you every day.

              God’s calling is irrevocable. Once you had baptized and accepted Him as your savior. He is with you; He talks to you, and walks with you inwardly by the Holy Spirit. Each hymn and worship songs you have been worshiping in the Church or the message you had preached and delivered, it became the song of salvation and divine power in time of deliverance. Don’t neglect the gift of God within in you. Whatever the talents that God has laid in you, keep using the talents to serve the Lord. You and I are living stones, and are being built up together as spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. When you doubt of your salvation and the purpose of life, just keep reminding yourself, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”(1 Pet.2:9).
              Today, I met a woman who is 83 years old and had cancer when she was 30 years old. She was smoker, after she had surgery and removed the organ, she was cancer survived more than 50 years. She told me that she didn’t go to church after she had cancer, but she had joined the Choir team and taught the Bible in the Church when she was young. I was surprised her openness and her life experiences. God let me met her in a McDonald restaurant for reason. I responded her,                 
“Jesus loved you so much, each song you had sung to worship him, He was mindful and    listened to you. Jesus healed you and prolonged your life more than 50 years for purpose. Today, you and I sit here together in God’s timing without arrangement or appointment which means Jesus is with you, He loves you.” 
While I was talking to her, her eyes were full of tears.
“Perhaps, Jesus wants you live longer until 90 years old or 100 years old, and He wants you to quit smoking. For the cigarette will block the heart artery. For you are one of living stone and we all build up together as Spiritual house, Christ is head of this house.”
After our conversation, we were hugged each other. No matter, she will quit smoking or not, I prayed for her that Jesus will enable her keep trusting in the Lord.
              My friends, Are you doubting of your life purpose? Do you not know Jesus is living God and keep talking to you and you are one of living stone?  As New Testament in the Rev.1:6; 5:10; 1 Pet.2:5, 9 indicate that God has returned to His original intention according to His economy, in that He has made all believers in Christ priests. In other words, “In the proper church life there should be neither clergy nor laity; all believers should be priests of God.” As scriptures say, “You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet.2:5). “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, (In Chinese literally says, “唯有你們是蒙揀選的族類是君尊的祭師體系...”) a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”(1 Pet.2:9). “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5-6)

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly Message: the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace
by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music

 My friends, the scripture states, “the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace” (Romans8:6) Do you have a mind of peace? How to gain the peaceful mind in Christ? How to set our mind in Spirit? When Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the church in Thessalonica and prayed for the sanctification of their three codes of physical being. He said, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through, may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonicans5:23)  because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers, and those whom He predestinated, these He also called, and those whom He called, these He also justified, and those whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30). Apostle Paul knew how important to set his mind in the spirit in order to gain peace and life. For he had met Jesus in spiritual being, the voice of Jesus rebuked him and resulted in his blindness, the momentary flesh perished until Jesus healed him and restored his physical being. From that moment, he set his mind in spirit to discern the spiritual thing, and no longer acted emotionally, nor set in his mind in flesh, for he knew the mind controlled by the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is peace. “Spirit is the inner part of the inner organ and processing God-consciousness that we may contact God (Jh4:24, Rom.1:9). The Soul is our very self (Matt16:26; Luke9:25), the medium between spirit and body processing self-consciousness so we may have our personality. The body as our external part is the outer organ, processing world-consciousness that we may contact the material world.” [1]   In other words, the body contains the soul and the soul is the vessel that contains the spirit. In the spirit, God as the spirit dwells, in the soul, our self-dwells, and in the body, the physical sense dwells.
 In the biblical perspective, “God sanctifies us by taking possession of our spirit through regeneration firs, as John3:5-6 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Second, by spreading Himself as the life-giving spirit of our spirit into our soul to saturate and transform our soul. Third, by enlivening and energize our mortal body through our soul and transfiguring our body by His life power. [2]  As Phil.3:21 says, “by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”  
“God not only sanctifies us wholly but also preserves our spirit, soul, and body complete. Through the body was perished, our soul was contaminated and our spirit was deadened. In God’s full salvation our entire being is saved and made complete and perfect.  God is preserving our spirit from any deadening element (Heb.9:14), our soul from remaining natural and old (Matt.16:24-26) and our body from the ruin of sin. Such preservation by God and His thorough sanctification sustain us to live a holy life unto maturity that we may meet the Lord in His Parousia.” [3] Therefore, Apostle Paul urged saints, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom.8:6)
  In the U.S.A. there are many people had a medical condition, chemical unbalancing, and suffered chronicle diabetic stress and resulted in a behavioral changing. It is important to be aware of the three cores of physical being: spirit, soul, and body condition. The weakness of vessels and degraded Christians may dwell on self-conscience, self-pity, suffered depression, agitation, and worry which are on the soul core. But strong and mature Christians as Apostle Paul shall be aware of that the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Through the physical body may perish day by day because of chronicle illness, yet, the inner man can be renewed by the Holy Spirit day and day. Old has gone, new has come, in Christ, they are new men.  
How to set the mind in Christ? By meditating the Word of God, and constantly pray or worship the Lord, by writing Christian daily journey to renew the thoughts and believe in the promises of God. “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken …all came to pass.” (Josh.21:45). Many people failed and became degraded Christians because their mind was controlled by the flesh, and soul code was dominated by emotional sorrow, worry, anxiety, anger, bitterness, sadness, depression and unable to shift the mind into the spirit code, it results in a physical body behavioral changes. Therefore, the saints who are growing older and face medical condition, they need to be encouraged to set their mind in the Spirit and gaze upon the Christ in the millennial prosperity.
 In the Millennial Kingdom, the ruler is a shepherd. God gave Christ authority to rule over the nations, and Christ gives the same authority to His overcomers.(Psalm 2:9). To reign with Christ over the nations in the millennial kingdom is a prize to the overcomers. This promise of the Lord strongly implies that those who do not answer His call to overcome degraded Christianity will not participate in the reign of the Millennial Kingdom. At Christ’s first appearing the Magi, not the Jewish religionists saw Christ’s star (Matt2:2,9-10). At His second appearing, Christ will be the morning star to His overcomers who watch for His coming.  To all the others He will appear only as the Sun. 
 My friends, To become overcomers, we must constantly set our mind in the spirit, for the flesh is nothing. The Lord ensured us, “ he who overcomes and he who keeps My works until the end , to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also have received from My Father.” (Rev.2:26-27). From sanctification, transformation to transfiguration, “God sanctifies us by taking possession of our spirit through regeneration. Unless he is born of water and the Spirit… the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John3:5-6). By spreading Himself as the life-giving spirit of our spirit into our soul to saturate and transform our soul. Finally, by enlivening our mortal body through our soul and transfiguring our body by His life power. (Phil.3:21). May the Lord enable each one of us set our mind in the spirit and empower us to be the overcomers. 

Listen to the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KavyB5w_280&t=289s




[1] Witness Lee. The New Testament (R.V.) (Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985),955
[2]  Ibid.956.
[3]  Ibid.


Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.
            
            King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Lucado, Max. God is with you every day. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015
             ____.  Glory days. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015.

              Myers, Roth. 31 days of praise. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 1994.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 
 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010. 


[1] Witness Lee. The New Testament (R.V.) (Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985),955
[2]  Ibid.956.
[3]  Ibid.


Sunday, April 22, 2018

Recognizing the Millennial Prosperity Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly message:  Recognizing the Millennial prosperity                                4/22/2018
By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music

 Introduction
 My friends, have you ever wondered what is your inheritances from God? Have you ever asked and prayed to God to prosper you with property, land or house, but the answer seems has never come to your way? Perhaps, you need to know what God’s predestination to you?  What the Biblical precepts of inheritances to you? In O.T. Book of Joshua Chapter13 to 19 unveils the inheritances of God are not only the property, land, house, earthly wealth but God himself as eternal life.  
Historical events of inheritance
In O.T. Book of Joshua 13 to 19 provides a prospect of the inheritance. After Moses passed away Joshua took the leadership to lead Israelites to occupy Canaan. When Joshua was ninety or one hounded years old, there are still very large areas of land to be taken over. (13:1). each tribe received the inheritance as their territories as follows,
The tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the Lord; the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them. (Joshua13:14, 33)
 The territory given to Reuben previously occupied by Moab was just to the E. of the Dead Sea. The area given to the tribe of Gad, N. of the Dead Sea, was originally a part of Gilead. Half of the tribe of Manasseh settled E. of the Jordan, the other half chose to settle W. of the Jordan.[1] 
Caleb son of Jephunneh who followed the Lord wholeheartedly received Hebron as his inheritance. (Joshua14:13).
“The inheritance of Judah is in the southern border extended from the S. end of the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) westward to the Wadi of Egypt. Her northern border extended from the N. tip of the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean.”[2] The inheritance of Ephraim was allotted the southern part of the central hill country, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. [3]
The inheritance of Benjamin (Joshua 8:11-28) drew an allotment of land between the territories of Judah and Ephraim, in clouding Jerusalem (in fulfillment of Deut.33:12). The inheritance of Simeon (19:1-9) was given land in the southern section of Judah’s territory in fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy (Gen.49:5).[4] Nebulun was allotted a landlocked area in lower Galilee the included Nazareth and was traversed by trade routes. The territory of Isaachar was N. of that given to Manasseh and reached from Mt. Tabor on the W. to the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. The Asher settled along the Mediterranean coast from Mt. Carmel N. to Tyre, where the Phoenicians were. [5] To the E. of Asher was the territory of Naphtali. Dan was allotted a small section of the territory of Benjamin and the Mediterranean. [6]
Joshua received the special inheritances; the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there. (Joshua19:49-51) 
Jacob, by adopting Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own sons will be mine and thus elevating them to a position equal with his other sons, insured that Joseph’s descendants would receive a double inheritance. Apparently, Jacob transferred the rights of the firstborn from Reuben to Joseph, the firstborn of his beloved Rachel (Gen.48:5, 15,16).[7] But Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. (Gen.48:19-20). The double-portion right of the firstborn was given to Joseph’s two sons. The Levites were given certain towns and pasturelands (Num.35:2,4,5).
The Millennial Prosperity
Jacob’s blessing to His sons stated in Genesis 49:1-27, “the prediction of Judah did not begin to be fulfilled until the time of King David, some 640 years after Jacob’s prophecy, he comes, or Shiloh, which probably means “the one who brings or until he comes to that which belongs to” peace. Referring to Messiah who would be of the tribe of Judah (Rev.5:5). At His second coming, Messiah Christ will receive international acknowledgment. (Gen.49:8-12). “He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than mil.”(Gen.49:11-12). Describe the millennial prosperity, with vines so plentiful no one will hesitate to tie an ass to them.” [8] 
Implication and Application
 My friends, when we delight in the Lord, follow the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly, God’s blessing assurance of the millennial prosperity and rewards to us are always “yes”. When there are no earthly property lands to claim as inheritances, perhaps, we need to recognize the millennial prosperity is the servants of God’s predestination and acknowledge our inheritance in Christ is God himself as the tribe of Levi rather than the tribe of Reuben.      
My friends!  Maybe you are Pastors, Ministers, served the Lord wholeheartedly as tribe of Levi, yet, you did not gain the lands or houses as inheritances, or maybe you own the lands, houses as Tribe of Reuben, but lost all the properties because of the natural disaster: earthquake, hurricane, hailstorm, and tornado. Take the comfort of this, God’s blessing assurance of the millennial prosperity and rewards to you are always “yes”, through the tribe of Judah, Messiah Christ will be the gate and door for you to enter in.  As the Lord says, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”(Rev.22:12) “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David and the bright Morning Star.”(Rev.22:16). “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God the new Jerusalem which is coming down out of heaven from my God and I will also write on him my new name… (Rev.3:12) the New Jerusalem is heavenly city will be the dwelling place of all believers, saints, and the bride of Christ during eternity. (Rev.21:9-22:5).
Listen to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiGPKotbVI0&t=57s
View the video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiGPKotbVI0
Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.
           
            King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Lucado, Max. God is with you every day. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015
             ____.  Glory days. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015.

              Myers, Roth. 31 days of praise. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah Books, 1994.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 
 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010. 





[1] Charles C. Ryrie. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). (Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.),307
[2]  Ibid, 308.
[3] Ibid, 311.
[4] Ibid,313.
[5] Ibid,314.
[6] Ibid,315.
[7] Ibid,78.
[8] Ibid,81.

Thursday, March 22, 2018

The love of Christ compels me by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce



Weekly Message: The love of Christ compels me                                          3222018
by Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music  

 The love of Christ compels me, not live unto myself but unto Christ who died for me.   Christian marriage vows will be established firmly, when the couple allow the love of Christ to intervene each stage, conflict and decision. Word of God is the lamp of their feet and light of their path. The sword of spirit will penetrate their mind and Spirit. To deny self, take cross, and live a life unto the Lord. God’s divine power strengthens the covenant and enable them to take care of each other. Once one willingly practices obedience, declares “As me and my household will serve the Lord and prays without ceasing in daily basis. Holy Spirit will act in exulting, encouraging, comforting one’s heart.  And modifies the decision that had made in flesh. Once one’s mind controlled by the Spirit, speaks the words of life,  and acknowledges Christ is head of household, let go the “self” and let “Christ” to be the central, the peace will be restored. Always pray together, and read the Word of God to your love one, a saved wife may save the unsaved husband by her obedience and submissive deeds to the Lord. For salvation reaches to a family, one saved, all families will be saved.  “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” (2 Corinthians1:19.
True faith in Christ, he or she will seek His face, leans on His strength, looks upon the Christ on the cross, and reminds self the meaning of crucifixion, and sacrificial love. Then, an obedience heart will choose to live a life to glorify the Lord, not for self. And inner man will resound a voice says, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians5:14-15). In Chinese literary says, “原來基督的愛困迫我們...牠替眾人死是叫那些活著的人,不再像自己活,乃向那替他們死而復活者活” (2 corinthians5:14-15).
My friends, have you ever had experienced that love of Christ compels you to love someone for God’s glory without reasoning and murmuring. As brother Nee Tuo Sheng’s letter expressed as follows,


Brother Nee Tuo Sheng’s letter implicitly expressed his love and sacrifice for Christ was beyond and above.
Indeed, true love is sacrificial love, and never vindicate for self, nor count for self how much or how many things have done for Christ. And served the Lord without being noticed, nor be honored or be announced. Truth faith in Christ is to endure all things and forsake all things for Christ, and aware that God will wipe away all the secret tears. To be perfect as father and pursue the fullness life in Christ until mutuality, knowing that there will be a new man with a new name in New Jerusalem.
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. " (2 Corinthians 1:22).Therefore, my friends, let us keep encouraging each other. 原來基督的愛困迫我們 ...  牠替眾人死是叫那些活著的人,不再像自己活乃向那替他們死而復活著活”. " For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."(2 Corinthians5:14-15). As Apostle’s encouragement in Roman 8:31-39, it says,
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called those he called, he also justified those he justified he also glorified. (Rom.8:29-30). What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has Chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died more than that, who was raised to life is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, “For your sake, we face death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Chris Jesus our Lord.” (Roman8:31-39).


Bibliography,
Bauer, Walter. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd Chicago: The University of Chicago press, 2000.
Brown, Robert, Philip W. Comfort and J.D. Douglas, ed. The New Greek English Interlinear New Testament. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.1990.
Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st ed. Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005.
 Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 
 Strong, James. Strong’s: the expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010.