Bible Study at Surabaya - Monday, August 27, 2007

We are still reading Jude which refers to the badger skins in Tabernacle/ the covering of condemnation. Now, it is meant the protection and blessings of God for His true churches and the separation between the true churches and the false ones.
In Jude, there are a lot of kinds of false churches, one of which is fleshly churches. It can be read from verse 8. Now, we are going to reread Jude 1:17- 19 --> fleshly churches
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

The characteristics of fleshly churches are:

1. they are mockers. We have known that they mock the word of God which tells about Jesus' second coming/ the true teaching word/ Bride tidings in the light of Tabernacle = refusing the work of the true teaching word.
   
2. they are sensual persons who cause divisions = rejecting the work of Holy Spirit/ living without Holy Spirit. The work of Holy Spirit in the end of the world is to edify/ unify the perfect body of Christ to be the bride of heaven.
   

The unity of the body of Christ is a yearning of God as the Head --> Matthew 8: 18-20
18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.
19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."
20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

The yearning and even the moaning of Jesus as the Bridegroom of Heaven/ the Head is the unity of the body of Christ so that He can lay His Head since the place of the Head is on the body and Jesus as the Head will be with His body forever.

Therefore, do not be in plain to follow Jesus, yet let us improve our following nowadays according to the yearning of Jesus; that is:

1. The following of a child to his father. We were the children of Satan, but when we believe in Jesus we become the children of God Father. This following is good. Thus, there are a lot of Christians feel satisfied with this sort of following --> God Father is so good and I get a lot of things from Him. However, we have to be watchful since this kind of following means that we only get earthly blessings as God gives us everything and blesses us. Hence, there are a lot of children which are lost/ apart from God Father. For this reason, the following of a child to God Father has to be increased to be the following of a student to his teacher.
   
   
2. The following of a student to his teacher. 'Teacher, I will follow You' It implies that we have to receive the true teaching word. Do not be like children who need milk. The following of a student to his teacher = we have to be able to receive the true teaching word/ solid food. This following is still not enough. In John 6:66 there are a lot of His disciples who left Him. Therefore, the following of a student to his teacher has to be improved to be the following of a sheep to its shepherd.
   
   
3. The following of a sheep to its shepherd. We have to be shepherded in order not to be lost and scattered. One who is not shepherded will be lost. This kind of following is still not sufficient because there is a lost sheep. Hence, it has to be enhanced to be the following of body to its head.
   
   
4. The following of body to its head. 'Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.' You can see that wherever the head goes, its body will follow it = the following of a wife to her husband = the following of bride. This is the peak of our following. Jesus are longing for the perfect body of Christ/ the bride of heaven. Therefore, let us improve our following according to Jesus' yearning.
   

What is the practice of the following of bride? The practice is we have to get involved in the edifying / unifying of the body of Christ. I hope we can understand it. The true unifying of the body of Christ is like branches which are abided to the true vine. We have to notice the true vine because the right fellowship does not notice other things (such as who the people are, what the organizations are, if you are going to marry somebody, you see what his/ her tribe is), but Jesus as the true vine 'I am the True Vine'. In short, the central of the right fellowship is Jesus Himself = the true teaching word = logos. This is what we have to notice.

John 1: 1, 14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

We often learn that the true teaching word is:

• written in the Holy Bible;
  
• revealed by God Himself/ the secret is opened that is verse explains another verse.
  

We have heard that the level of the edifying of the body of Christ is started from marriage. For you the young people who are going to marry with somebody, you have to see the central/ the true teaching word --> do not look at your couple's tribe, face (good-looking, beautiful) because your marriage will be destroyed if you see these things. So, if you are looking for a wife or vice versa, she/ he has to have the true teaching word. The next level of the body of Christ is in the shepherding service system --> where are we going to be shepherded? Do not see at the building of the church, who the shepherd is, how many people the congregation is or what we will get from the church as these things are not essential. Instead, we have to look at the central/ the true teaching word in which we are shepherded.

Furthermore, the level of the unity of the body of Christ after in marriage and in the shepherding service system is among the shepherding service systems. For my partners, the full-time servant of God --> if you are going to get involved in a fellowship, you have to look at the central that is the true teaching word. Do not look at other things, such as priest A or priest B or where the building of the church is, where the seat is or where you will stay overnight! It is particularly for the organization of Tabernacle Pentecost Churches (GPT) which does not have a central church since all churches are branches. However, it has the central office which manages the administration. All churches, those which are in the city or village, have the same position because the central of our fellowship is Jesus Himself/ the true teaching word.

The unity of the body of Christ will enhanced gradually until it reaches the unity between Israelites and Gentiles (the international body of Christ) and these two groups will become one perfect body of Christ which receives Jesus as the Head. These are the levels of the unity of the body of Christ. I hope we can understand it.

The sensual persons, who cause divisions, refuse the work of Holy Spirit/ refuse the unity of the Body of Christ.
Who are the sensual persons who cause divisions? We can define them as:

1. ones who do not want to get into the unity of the true body of Christ which is based on the true teaching word;
   
2. ones who hold/ plan an untrue fellowship.
   
   Isaiah 30: 1-3
   1 "Woe to the rebellious children," says the LORD, "Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin;
   2 Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
   3 Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation.
   
   Verse 1 --> one gets entry to a fellowship, yet he adds his sins. This is the reality of the untrue fellowship because it is not motivated by Holy Spirit/ does not ask God's advice/ not along with the true teaching word. In contrast, the untrue fellowship shows Pharaoh/ Egypt/ earthly things such as monetary, position, artists, etc so that it does not show the true teaching word. Consequently, there is not the covering of protection and it adds sins. Thus, we have to be watchful.
   
   This is a correction for me to hold the true fellowship which is based on the true teaching word and we should get into this kind of fellowship. If not, we will be the sensual persons who cause divisions.
   
   If you are married and show earthly things --> good- looking, richness --> it will add your sins. It is imaginable that we are married only to add sins.
   
   If we enter the shepherding service system and do not look at the true teaching word, but look at the earthly things, we will only add our sins as we are never sanctified. The preaching of the word of God in Malang said that the word which is like fables = worm-eaten manna. Maybe it refreshes since we feel happy and it takes short time, yet it cannot avoid worm. The worm creeps without the true teaching word and it indicates the sins inside our flesh. Thus, we have to be watchful.
   
   If we do not show the true teaching word/ the word of God which is sharper than two edged sword, we will add our sins and it means what we do is vain. So does if we get into a fellowship which does not show the true teaching word, we will add our sins because we are not sanctified. Hence, God said strictly that if your eyes mislead, cut them off with sword. It is better than you get into the hell whose worms never die.
   
   Therefore we have to be careful. We are active in fellowships, but we have to notice the central since if we follow the untrue teaching word, we will add our sins as we are not sanctified. I hope we can understand it.
   
   Then, the sensual persons who cause divisions do not want to get into the right fellowship. Moreover, they hold fellowships which are not in line with the true teaching word, yet according to Egypt/ earthly ways/ showing earthly things.
   
   
3. ones who hinder the unity of the true body of Christ.
   We are going to discuss the hindrances and the first hindrance can be read in Matthew 8: 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." The body of Christ will not be formed if there are foxes and birds which become hindrances.
   
   1. The first hindrance is called Satan who uses the power of foxes and bird to build the body of Babylon. It seems that they build the body of Christ, but the Head is not Jesus/ the true teaching word, instead the head is foxes and birds.
      
      • Foxes refer to the spirit of evil/ lust of evil = the tie of money --> it only shows money and the motivation is money, not the word of God. Hence, Jesus moaned --> the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. The lust of money is the root of all kind of evil. Thus, we have to be watchful seriously as the practice of the lust of money is stingy/not able to give and greedy/ seizing other people's rights, especially God's rights that are tithes and offerings. Therefore, we may not measure everything with money.
        
        
      • Birds talk about the spirit of filthiness/ lust of filthiness which heads for the sins of eating drinking (starts from smoking, being drunk, consuming illegal drugs) and marrying and giving in marriage (having affair, homosexual, lesbian, etc). These are the power of Satan in the air which uses the spirit of evil and filthiness. These two spirit hinder the edifying of the body of Christ and build the body of Babylon --> Revelation 18: 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! We have to be careful because the first hindrance is Satan who hinders the edifying of the true body of Christ. It starts from the fulltime servants of God.
        
      
      In a marriage, husbands have to notice --> where will you take your marriage? Do not let Satan take control of your marriage and you have to beg to God. Wives and children also have to pray for the head of marriage that is husband so that husbands are not influenced to be the places for other things besides Jesus/ the true teaching word. If husbands are sleepy while hearing the word of God, it will be harmful as they can be the places for foxes and birds and their marriages will be led to Babylon.
      
      In the shepherding service system, the shepherds do not give priority to the true teaching word, yet they put foxes and birds in the main place --> money, etc. It is destructive since the congregation will be led to Babylon.
      
      In fellowships the preacher has to be the main person who is responsible for the fellowship. If the preacher is ruled by foxes/ money and birds/ filthiness, the fellowship will be led to Babylon. Thus, we have to be watchful seriously in determine our steps because there are foxes and birds which are ready to lead us to Babylon.
      
      
   2. Matthew 8: 21, 22 --> the second obstacle.
      21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
      22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
      
      Bury my father = bury dead body/ corpse. The second obstacle is antichrist and its power of flesh to form/ build the dead body. We have learned before about Satan and its power of foxes and birds to build Babylon. Now, the second obstacle is antichrist and its fleshly power to build dead body --> Romans 8: 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. To give a definition of dead body, we refer to verse 13a --> 'For if you live according to the flesh you will die;'
      
      Dead body is a Christian/ children of God/ servant of God who is commanded by flesh. All of his sayings and deeds are fleshly --> this is dead body which is the same as corpse. Jesus was died, but He was resurrected = He is the Head who has died on the Golgotha, yet He was resurrected in the body of resurrection and He will come in the body of glory. How can the dead body/ Babylon receive Him as the Head? Of course they can't! Babylon will be destroyed in an hour.
      
      This is antichrist which leads the churches of God to head for dead body even though it says that it builds body. It only builds dead body since it lives according to its flesh.
      
      The practices of foxes and birds are stingy, greedy and filthy. On the other hand, the practices of dead body are:
      
      • He does not undergo the renewing of life/ not change to be spiritual life, yet he keeps in his fleshly life. The dead body cannot move/change. Perhaps he is so active in any fellowships, but he does not undergo the renewing of life to be spiritual life since he keeps his fleshly life. He is the person who is active in the devotion. Hence, we have to be alert, particularly and mainly I. I am active in the devotion as I am in the temple of God every day.
        
        We have to be corrected! Do not say that we are active in the temple of God, but we do not undergo the renewing of life and keep the fleshly life! This deed makes us become the obstacle in the body of Christ and we will be used by antichrist to build dead body. Thus, we have to be careful; especially we who have been patient in the three kinds of devotions --> do not be proud of ourselves because we are being corrected now! We are only patient, yet we are not employed by God/ we are employed by antichrist to build dead body.
        
        In 2 Timothy 3, we often read that the person is active in ministries and fellowships --> 2 Timothy 3: 1-5
        1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
        2 For men will be (1)lovers of themselves,(2)lovers of money, (3)boasters, (4)proud, (5)blasphemers, (6)disobedient to parents, (7)unthankful, (8)unholy,
        3 (9)unloving, (10)unforgiving, (11)slanderers, (12)without self-control, (13)brutal, (14)despisers of good,
        4 (15)traitors, (16)headstrong, (17)haughty, (18)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
        5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
        
        Lovers of themselves = selfish.
        Blasphemers = he says that wrong things are true and vice versa because he looks at people.
        Unholy --> I always emphasize that they are not atheists (since atheists do not believe in God and they do not get into devotion), but they mix the religions = learning other religions because of many reasons. It is seriously destructive.
        Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God = disobedient.
        
        We have to examine ourselves gradually --> we get into the devotion, serve and are employed, but what sort of body do we build and who employs us, antichrist or God?
        
        Who are people with eighteen sins? They are people who consider that they have been active in the devotion and ministries and they think that they build the body of Christ, but they are employed by antichrist actually. Thus, look into ourselves, you and me, and reread this verse at home, whether we still go on our fleshly life.
        
        Denying its power = denying the power of devotion. The power of devotion is the true teaching word which is able to change our lives from fleshly lives to be the spiritual ones.
        
        Let us do not be deceived because of looking at our activities but we are not changed and keep on fleshly life with eighteen sins! You still insult each other, become lovers of money/ only think, talk about and proud of money, mix the religions, etc so that you are employed by antichrist to build dead body and it means that you become the sensual persons who cause divisions. I hope we can understand it.
        
        The dead body cannot change. Now, you and I are corrected. Do not keep on our flesh, but we have to be changed by the true teaching word which is able to renew our lives from fleshly lives to be the spiritual ones until we are perfect as Jesus is perfect. Nevertheless, if we are not renewed, we will have the number of eighteen: 18 = 6. 6. 6 --> one who gets into devotion and ministry, yet he does not change. Consequently, he will be stamped 6. 6. 6 and become the same as antichrist which is ready to be destroyed.
        
        
      • Matthew 8: 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
        
        Let me bury = permission to dig a sepulcher = not being faithful in the service and devotion. So, there are two contrary sides as follows:
        
        1. the first is one who is active in the service and devotion, but he does not change;
           
        2. the second one is one who is not active and faithful in the service and devotion.
           
        
        Thus, for you who are not faithful, you have to be alert because what you do invite destruction. For you who are active, do not be proud of yourselves! You have to examine yourselves, particularly I. Conversely, for you who are not active, go back to your faithfulness since being unfaithful is the same as digging a sepulcher!
        
      
      Isaiah 22: 15- 19
      15 Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: "Go, proceed to this steward, To Shebna, who is over the house, and say:
      16 'What have you here, and whom have you here, That you have hewn a sepulcher here, As he who hews himself a sepulcher on high, Who carves a tomb for himself in a rock?
      17 Indeed, the LORD will throw you away violently, O mighty man, And will surely seize you.
      18 He will surely turn violently and toss you like a ball Into a large country; There you shall die, and there your glorious chariots Shall be the shame of your master's house.
      19 So I will drive you out of your office, And from your position he will pull you down.
      
      Verse 16 --> he has become a house steward, but he hews a sepulcher for himself? So, our service and devotion is like we serve the palace of the kingdom of heaven. If we become priests and kings, we will be able to serve God like we serve in the kingdom of heaven = staying in the kingdom of heaven. If we live in the palace in this world, we will be taken care. Let alone if we serve the kingdom of Heaven, we will be taken care, protected and happy for sure. This is the condition of priests and kings.
      
      However, I am sorry to say that we often leave our work to serve the kingdom of heaven and go for hewing our sepulcher --> it means that we are fool. We often become foolish because we are commanded to serve the kingdom, but we leave this job and hew sepulcher. The servants/ children of God often do this. Hewing sepulcher = digging ground = looking for earthly things and leaving the palace/ being unfaithful in service and devotion. It means that he commits suicide since he hews sepulcher for himself.
      
      The students are not forbidden to study, but do not leave your service and devotion and be unfaithful because of your school = you dig --> you become fool and lose out. The full-time servants of God may not leave the service and devotion to look for earthly things because they will be burdened.
      
      For the workers, you are allowed to work hard, yet do not leave your service and devotion and be unfaithful to hew your sepulcher/ seek earthly things.
      
      The consequences of hewing sepulcher/ being unfaithful and leaving the service and devotion because of seeking earthly things are:
      
      • we will be surely turned violently and tossed like a ball by God. It means that we are tossed to and fro --> becoming the ball of Satan's game --> fall in sins and sufferings. It is a special notice for young people! It is a serious thing and you may not be fooled through hewing your own sepulcher/ falling in sins.
        
        
      • vs. 19 --> So I will drive you out of your office, And from your position he will pull you down.
        Drive you out of your office --> like Judas, his office was given to another person that was Matthias and he could not serve God anymore = could not go back to the palace = losing the kingdom of heaven forever.This is antichrist with its power of flesh which builds the dead body (= the sensual persons who cause divisions). Thus, we have to be alert nowadays in order not to be the sensual persons who cause divisions.
        
      
      Actually, I am going to continue to verse 20 because I have prepared it, but God still emphasizes in the sensual persons who cause divisions so that we understand fully what the sensual persons who cause divisions are. We also have to be watchful of the sensual persons who cause divisions in the true body of Christ.
      
      The sensual persons who cause divisions are: 1) foxes and birds which are used by Satan and 2) antichrist which builds the dead body and makes the children/ servants of God unfaithful or faithful but not changed.
      
      
   3. Matthew 8: 23, 26, 27 --> third barrier
      23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
      24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
      25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
      26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
      27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
      
      The third barrier is false prophet with the power of winds and waves to drown the churches of God.
      

In short, the three barriers in the edifying of the true body of Christ are:

• Satan with the power of foxes/ the spirit of evil and birds/ the spirit of filthiness to build the body of Babylon;
  
• Antichrist with the power of flesh to build dead body and;
  
• False prophet with the power of winds and waves to drown and perish the churches of God.
  

I hope we can understand it.
It is written in vs. 23 --> Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. So, the true body of Christ is like a boat/ we who cross the sea of world to get entry to the harbor of peace that is the kingdom of a thousand of peace/ paradise when Jesus comes and the everlasting kingdom of heaven/ New Jerusalem. We are heading for it through the edifying of the true body of Christ like we are crossing the sea of the world which is full of tears to get into the harbor of heaven/ New Jerusalem which is our destination. I hope we can understand it.

The term 'crossing the sea' = go crossing. It is meant that we need sacrifice. In short, to get into the edifying of the true body of Christ we have to sacrifice anything such as time, power, minds, money, etc. To enter the body of Christ, we do not get something, yet we sacrifice something like what Jesus had done by sacrificing His life in order to redeem us as His bride. So do us, if we want to put ourselves in the true body of Christ like we cross the sea, we will have to sacrifice everything even our life if it is God's will. There are a lot of children/ servants/ martyrs of God who were killed because of preaching the gospel of God. We have to sacrifice everything except the true teaching word since it is Jesus Himself and if Jesus is sacrificed, everything is over.

This is the edifying of the body of Christ in which we have to face the false prophet with the power of winds and waves to drown the boat of our life.

WINDS = false doctrine --> Ephesians 4: 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
The false prophet blows deceitful/ false doctrine to make us doubt/ toss our faith to and fro. We have learned about the body of Babylon and the dead body. Now, the little faith refers to worried body which is dangerous since it is not dead or Babylon body. It is tossed to and fro and does not have right stand.

The little faith is started from:

• doubt of the true teaching word
  
• fall from the true faith/ get out of the true teaching word = sink.
  

Therefore, we have to be watchful of the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting because it uses logical thoughts and the false prophet often uses it by saying that what they preach is rational. For example: the teaching of cross --> we are suffering in this world to get money, food, or license and we come to the church to hear about cross. It is false, we should hear about pleasing things --> it is rational, but it is what is called the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. Thus, we have to be alert because the false doctrine is able to be received by our mind (logical), yet it does not contain of truth.

Now, there are a lot of people say that the preaching of the word of God does not need long time since the ability of human's brain is limited. This opinion is logical, but it is only for earthly subjects. On the other hand, the preaching of the word of God needs long time, for instance: Jesus needed long time when he was preaching on the hill. So did Paul who preached the word of God until the dawn came and Euthicus was sleepy until he fell down. There was only one person who was sleepy and I am pleasant to know it because there is only one person who is sleepy and going to be destroyed from a lot of people.

Any psychological books cannot show this kind of things. It is only Holy Bible which is able to do this since it has written in the Acts of Apostles that the apostles preached the word of God till morning. Now in Malang we have late night prayer and we can do this and maybe God allows me to preach His word till morning comes.

Now, do not be like Euthicus who used logical thinking, but let us be in the ointment of Holy Spirit! Do not doubt of the word of God because it is only the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. In Malang, I explained about 2 Corinthians 11 --> 'But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness' Eve's mind is deceived by the serpent's craftiness so that she doubted the true teaching word. If one doubts, he will fall from his faith and from the true teaching word quickly and as a consequence he will sink.

Therefore, we have to be alert because the false prophet uses the winds and waves. Winds refer to the deceitful/ false doctrine = the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting which deceives men's logic/ mind. I hope we can understand it.

WAVES = temptations in any fields. Waves/ sea water enter the boat to drown it. The temptations in any fields make our heart doubts and we get nothing/ we do not get helps from God. The consequence is only falling from our faith and destruction.

The term temptation comes from the word try/ test/ tempted and it is Satan's cunning. In fact, Jesus had defeated Satan when He died on the cross. In Genesis, it is written that 'the serpent shall bruise His heel.' and 'His' refers to Jesus' heel. However, Jesus bruised the serpent's head. Satan had been defeated, but he tried to deceive men so that men doubt. The consequence of one who doubts is he gets nothing/ he does not get help from God and sinks because he has fallen from his faith.

This is the fact that false prophet build worried body which is not Babylon/ filthy/ dead/ antichrist and it is meant in the middle = half dead. Thus, for my partners -the full-time servants of God- you should ask prayer to the congregation. If a shepherd doubts, the congregation will be pity. Thus, do not doubt, but hold the true teaching word tightly! Do not fall from the true teaching word because of winds of the deceitful doctrine! Hold the promise of God so that we do not fall because of waves of temptations! The promise of God never changes to help us.

In conclusion, the sensual persons who cause divisions in the body of Christ are Satan trinity, but they employ men/ children/ servants of God. If men/ children/ servants of God are employed by Satan trinity to cause divisions in the body of Christ, they will become the same as Satan trinity who are ready to be destroyed (in Revelation 20 it is written that their place is in the lake of fire).

However, God does not want His children become the same as Satan trinity and destroyed, let alone if His children are people who have been redeemed because God created human to become the same as Him. What is the way of God to help men? Matthew 8:24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
The way of God to help men is 'Jesus was asleep'. To be asleep means dead.

When people told to Jesus that Lazarus was ill, He stayed for longer time and Lazarus died. After Lazarus died, Jesus invited His disciples to go to Lazarus' house to wake up Lazarus who was asleep. --> John 11: 12, 13
12 Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."
13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

This is the fact if there is no opening/revelation of the word of God and only showing the earthly things which are according to men's will --> sleep in its plain meaning. However, if there is the opening/revelation of the word of God, it will be in line with God's will.

To be asleep refers to die on the cross --> Philippians 2: 8-10
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

It is the way of God to escape us from Satan who wants to employ us and we become the same as him who is ready to be destroyed. Jesus had to die on the cross to defeat Satan trinity who has the power of death. Satan in heaven --> Satan and the power of foxes and birds. Satan on the earth --> the false prophet and the power of winds and waves. Satan under the earth --> antichrist and the power of flesh. Antichrist is Satan in the form of men.

There is no other ways from God to help men because there is nobody who is able to defeat Satan trinity. The only way to help men is Jesus was asleep in the meaning of die/ obedient until He died on the cross. As a result, Jesus received the name which is above every name and the power to defeat Satan trinity who is going to employ men to be the sensual persons who cause divisions. Hence, we do not need to be the sensual persons who cause divisions. If we become the sensual persons who cause divisions, it is because of our foolishness and fault since Satan had been defeated in fact.

From God's side --> He had died on the cross to defeat Satan trinity and He became the High Priest to be able to stretch His hands to help us.
Maybe the boats of our lives sink, yet Jesus had died and resurrected to be the High Priest who stretches His hands to us --> Hebrews 2: 14, 16-18
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
In Philippians 2, the verse 14 is about Satan trinity.

Jesus had to die:

• to defeat Satan trinity so that we are not ruled by them and become the sensual persons who cause divisions;
  
• but He was resurrected and become the High Priest to be able to stretch His merciful and faithful hands to help us from any kind of temptations
  

This is the way from God's side who does not want us become the sensual persons who cause divisions.

Thus, we have to do something to give response to what God had done --> Mark 4: 39
39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

If we want God to help us, we may not become the sensual persons who cause divisions, but we have to be calm and quiet.

• to be calm = returning/ examine ourselves? Isaiah 30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
  
  To be calm does not mean that we are hopeless, yet it implies that we examine ourselves/ in rest. If we find our faults, we will return/stop sinning and go back to God/obey God. Nevertheless, if we sin, we obey Satan because it is Satan who asks us to sin.
  
  In the story above, the disciples were amazed --> 'Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!' When Jonah was swallowed by a whale, it was obedient. How can a servant of God be disobedient and lesser than a whale? The whale and wind are able to obey God because they profess that they are God's creature. In short, disobedient person is a person who does not admit that he is God's creature, but Satan's creature. God also investigates my life.
  
  
• to be quiet = self-control = trust and believe in God --> the acts from our side are to be quit and believe in God because God had done:
  
  • Jesus had died on the cross to defeat Satan trinity so that Satan is not able to influence us;
    
  • He was resurrected and become the High Priest to stretch His hands and help us.
    
  
  Our acts are:
  
  • we are calm = return to God/ obey God;
    
  • we are quiet = we control ourselves by trusting and believing in God;
    
  • we can also stretch our hand to God by praying to God.
    
  
  The disciples cried together --> 'God, help us!' Now, let us stretch our hands to God with calm and quiet hands/ returning hands/ hands which trust and believe in God and God will stretch His merciful and faithful hands to help us from any temptation.
  
  Our mouth also cries --> Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Tongue should confess = mouth cries --> 'Jesus help me!' As a result, there is a miracle and God helps us so that our problems become still and we are led to go to the harbor of peace.
  
  When Jesus returns, we will not sink --> Psalms 107: 28-30
  28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
  29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.
  30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.
  
  The merciful and faithful hands of God resolve our problems and lead us to the beautiful future and the harbor of peace/ paradise/ the kingdom of a thousand years and New Jerusalem.
  

Therefore, there are several things which we have to notice; they are:

• do not be the sensual persons who cause divisions, but we get into the true body of Christ whatever the barriers;
  
• we have to stay in calmness and quietness;
  
• our mouth only cries --> 'Jesus helps us!' = we worship God;
  
• God stretches His hands to help us in time of need;
  
• we are led by God so that we do not fall nor sink, yet we are led to the joyful future and the promised harbor forever.
  

God blesses us!1