The ego has a peculiar way of disguising the real reasons for its love. It can pretend to be interested in people welfare while actually it is seeking its own pleasure.

There are some people who love to boast of their tolerance but actually it is inspired by egotism; they want to be left alone in their own ideas, how ever wrong they be, so they plead for a tolerance is very dangerous, for it becomes intolerance as soon as the ego is disturbed or menaced. That is why a civilization which is tolerance about false ideas instead of being charitable to persons is on the eve of a great wave of intolerance and persecution.

The egotist always considers his ego in terms of not having or wanting something. His principal action is drawing something to himself like the mouth which absorbs food. There is no outgoing, no service and never a sacrifice because he interprets sacrifice as the diminishing of himself.

True love, on the contrary, feels that the need to give is more imperious than the need to receive. At the beginning of love there is a feeling that one can never give enough. Regardless of how precious the gift, it still seems to fall short of what one would offer. Price tags are torn off because we want no proportion established between the gift and the need of giving. The tragedy of love when begins to die, is that then people do not even give what they have. No longer is there a question of not being able to give enough; there is rather no giving at all.

In real love there is pity and need. Pity in the sense that one feels the need of expansion and of giving to the point of exhaustion; need, because of a void that one would see filled. True love receives without ever interpreting what is given. It never seeks another motive than that of love itself. He who asks "why" something is given does not trust.

One of the tragedies of our time is that freedom is interpreted in terms of freedom from something instead of in terms of love. The man who loves everybody is a free man; the man who hates is the man who has already enslaved himself. The man who hates is dependent on that which he cannot love - and therefore he is not free. To hate one's next door neighbour is a restriction of freedom. it demands walking around the block so one will not see him or waiting until he leaves the house before leaving oneself.

It is our loves and desires that determine our pains. If our supreme love is the pleasure of the body, then our greatest pain is loss of health; if our supreme love is wealth, then our deepest worry is insecurity; if our supreme love is God, then our greatest fear is sin.

The great mystery is not why we love but why we are loved. it is easy to understand why we love because of our incompleteness and our radical dissatisfaction apart from goodness. But why anyone should love us is the mystery, for we know when we look at our real selves how very little there is to love. Why creatures should love us is not too great a mystery, for they are imperfect too. But for God to love us - that we will never understand. The soul that has finally come to love God is worried by the thought that he has already lost so much time. As Saint Augustine said: "Late have I loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new. Late have I loved You". But, on the other hand, this regret is compensated for by the knowledge that it was always in the Divine plan that we eventually come to know God.

We love to see ourselves idealized in the minds of others. That is one of the beautiful joys of love. We become fresh, innocent, brave, strong in the mind of the beloved. Love covers up the corruption of the soul. The winter of discontent is forgotten by being clothed in the bosoms of a new spring. After a while the lover begins to substitute what he really is in his own mind, with what he is in the mind of other. It is this idealization which pleases in love. That is why love gives an incentives to betterment. When the other thinks well of us, we try to be worthy of that opinion. The fact that others assume us to be good is great incentive to goodness. That is why, too, one of the basic principles of life ought to assume goodness in others; thus we make them good.

BY ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN (1895-1979)

                                                                        Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

Among the Romans in New Testament times, freedom for a slave could be arranged if ownership was transferred to a god. The slave could then receive his freedom in return for contracting his services. He would continue with his master but now as a free man.

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible contains warnings about the practice of slavery. The prophet Amos spoke woe to Gaza and Tyre for their practices of slave-trading entire populations. - Amos 1:6-9 - The Book of Revelation declares that disaster awaits those who sell slaves. - Rev. 18:13 -

As for Christians, the apostle Paul advised slaves to obey masters. - Eph. 6:5; Col.3:22; Titus 2:9 - Paul appealed to Philemon to receive back Onesimus, a runaway slave who was now a Christian and therefore a brother. - Philem. 1:16 - Elsewhere Paul counseled believing slaves to seek freedom if they could. Since slave practices were part of the culture in the ancient times, the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible contains no direct call to abolish slavery. But the implications of the gospel, especially the ethic of love, stand in opposition to slavery. - 1Cor. 7:21 -

Both slave and free are called upon to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, social distinctions such as slavery no longer apply; in Christ all are brothers and sisters. The excitement of such new relationships is expressed by apostle Paul: "Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ". - Gal. 3:28; 4:7; Col. 3:11 -

In a spiritual sense, people apart from Christ are slaves to sin. To commit sin is to demonstrate that sin has control of one's life. Christ can set us free from this kind of slavery - to be obedient to Christ and to do righteousness. - John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:16-18 -

Apostle Paul spoke of himself as a 'servant' a word sometimes rendered as 'bond-servant' but frequently also as 'slave'. - Rom. 1:1; Titus 1:1 - Christians are not hired servants but slaves committed to service, to the Lord Jesus Christ. A slave does not manage his own life. The person who calls himself a slave of Christ acknowledges that the Saviour has power over him. With faith, hope and love in God enable us to receives His grace and empathizes His power.

                                                                         Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

Human or mental knowledge by itself, as good as it may be, is inadequate; it is capable only of producing pride. Knowledge refers to the truth or facts of life that a person acquires either through reading materials or through experience or thought. The greatest truth of that a person can possess with the mind or learn through experience is truth about God. This cannot be gained by unaided human reason. It is acquired only as God shows Himself to man-in nature and conscience; in history or providence; in experiencing and encountering Him; and in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible.

'Pause a while and know that I am God,
exalted among the nations, exalted over the earth!' - Ps. 46:10 -

To the Jews who believed in him Jesus said:
'If you make my word your home
you will indeed be my disciples,
you will learn the truth
and the truth will make you free'. - John 8:31-32 -

Can you claim to grasp the mystery of God
to understand the perfection of Shaddai?
It is higher than the heavens: what can you do?
It is deeper than the Sheol: what can you know?
Its length is longer than the earth,
its breath is broader than the sea. - Job 11:7-9 -

How rich are the depths of God - how deep his wisdom and knowledge - and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who can ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory forever! Amen. - Rom. 11 :33-36 -

This is the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ so that he could tell his servants about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, and John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ. - Rev. 1:1-2 - Ps. 19, 119; Deut. 6:20-25; Dan. 2:21; Rom. 1:19-20 -

Mental knowledge, Moral knowledge, Human knowledge affects a person's will. It is the knowledge of the heart not the mind alone. The Book of Proverbs deals primarily with this kind of knowledge. Experiential knowledge is gained through one's experience.

'We all have knowledge'; yes, that is so but knowledge gives self-importance - it is love that makes the building grow. - 1Cor. 8:1 -

If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains but without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it but am without love, it will do me no good whatever. - 1Cor. 13:1-3 -

But we are children of God,
and those who know God listen to us;
those whose are not of God refuse to listen to us.
This is how we can tell
the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood. - 1John 4:6 -

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge;
fools spurn wisdom and discipline. - Pro. 1:7 -

The apostle Paul's wish for the Christians that they may increase the "knowledge of God". Remembering the 3 things that last: Faith, Hope, Love; and the greatest of these is Love. And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with us. Amen.

That will explain why, ever since the day he told us, we have never failed to pray for you and what we ask God is that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will. So you will be able to lead the kind of life which the Lord expects of you, a life acceptable to him in all aspects; showing the results in all the good actions you do and increasing your knowledge of God. You will have in you the strength, based on his own glorious power, never to give in but to bear anything joyfully, thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light. - Col. 1:9-12 -

                                                                        Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

In the Old Testament and in ancient Israel the property of a deceased person was usually distributed according to or tribal custom. Written wills were rarely used. The real and personal property of a father was normally divided among his sons. A larger amount, usually a double portion went to the eldest son who assumed the care of his mother and unmarried sisters. The The birthright of the firstborn son could be denied only because of a serious offense against the father, as in the case of Reuben. - Deut.21:15-17; 1Chr. 5:1; Num. 27:9-11 -

To the Hebrew mind, the term inheritance had strong spiritual and national associations extending far beyond the family estate. The land of Canaan was regarded as an inheritance from the Lord because God had promised the land to Abraham and his descendants. - Num. 33:53 - Both Moses and Joshua were told by the Lord to divide the land of Canaan among the tribes "as an inheritance". - Num. 26:52-53; Josh. 13:6 - God directed that the land be distributed to each tribe by lot according to its population.

The Greeks relied more on wills for distributing an inheritance than did the Israelites. If a citizen died without a will his sons in good standing inherited the property in equal parts, the eldest receiving the same as his brothers. Daughters received dowries which reverted to other heirs. If a man died without a will and left no natural or adopted heirs, his closest male relatives received his property. According to Roman law, the property of a man who died without a will went to his wife and children. The Roman held that a child became his father's heir the moment he was born and that the deceased lived through his heirs. Legally adopted children had full inheritance rights.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul's glorious concept of a spiritual inheritance for Christians is primarily of Jewish origin. But the doctrine was strongly influenced by Greek and Roman inheritance practices. Three of these influences were: (1) inheritance was regarded as immediate as well as ultimate (2) all legitimate heirs usually shared the inheritance equally and jointly rather than a division favouring a firstborn son (3) legally adopted children enjoyed full inheritance rights along with natural offspring.

According to Paul, the Christian's spiritual inheritance is based strictly on our relationship to Christ and spiritual birthright cannot be inherited by sinners.

Before faith came, we were allowed no freedom by the Law; we were being looked after till faith was revealed. The Law was to be our guardian until the Christ came and we could be justified by faith. Now that the time has come we are no longer under that guardian and you are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are in Christ Jesus. Merely belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he was promised. - Gal. 3:23-29 -

You know perfectly well that people who do wrong will not inherit the kingdom of God: people of immoral lives, idolaters, adulterers, catamites, sodomites, thieves, usurers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never inherit the kingdom of God. - 1Cor. 6:9 -

The present possession of the spiritual inheritance as well as its future glory is emphasized in Roman 8:16-17 - The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

Apostle Paul also declared that the Spirit's indwelling power is both the sign and seal that we are heirs of God's promise: "Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance". Those who are redeemed including the Gentiles become God's adopted sons with full inheritance rights.

Now you too, in him,
have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation,
and have believed it;
and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise,
the pledge of our inheritance
which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own,
to make his glory praised. - Eph. 1:13-14 -

Let me put this another way: an heir, even if he has actually inherited everything is no different.......The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, "Abba, Father", and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave anymore; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir. - Gal. 4:1-7 -

Other New Testament passages present the Christian's spiritual inheritance as a reward for faithfulness and Christ-likeness. Jesus invited those showing kindness in His name to "inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world". - Matt. 25:34 - Apostle Peter counseled suffering saints in the Roman world to be patient in their trails. "That you may inherit a blessing". - 1Pet.3:9 - Apostle James declared that the poor of this world have been chosen "to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom" which God promised to those who love Him. - James 2:5 -

In the burst of joy, apostle Peter celebrated every Christian's "Living Hope" of his heavenly inheritance: "To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you". - 1Peter 1:3-4 -

                                                                         Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

KENOSIS is a theological term used in connection with dual nature of Jesus as fully human and fully divine or truly man and truly God. The word comes from a Greek verb which means "to empty" - Phil 2:7 - but emptied himself, "Jesus made Himself of no reputation".

In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus:
His state was divine,
yet he did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave,
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross. - Phil. 2:5-8 -

It is not an order that I am giving you; I am just testing the genuineness of your love against the keenness of others. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. - 2Cor. 8:8-9 -

Let us not lose sight of Jesus who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured the cross disregarding the shamefulness of it and from now on has taken his place at the right of God's throne. - Heb. 12:2 -

The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing. - Rev. 5:12 -

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible teaches that our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ was both fully divine and completely human during His earthly life. Theologians have struggled for years to explain this mystery. In the 1800s scholars formulated the Kenosis theory which asserts on the basis of Philippians 2:7 that God's divine "emptied Himself" or laid aside, of certain divine attributes when He became human.

However, these theories of Jesus' INCARNATION have been rejected by orthodox scriptural/biblical scholars. Such views usually boil down to statements that when He became man, Jesus stopped being God or that He was first God then became a man and finally returned to being God after His resurrection.

Grammatically, apostle Paul explains the "emptying" of Jesus in the next phrase: "Taking the form of a servant and coming in the likeness of men". He does not say that Jesus stopped being God or that He gave up any divine attributes.

Although - John 17:5 - shows that Jesus' glory as God's eternal Son was veiled during His incarnation, - Ex. 33:18-20 - we should take the phrase, He emptied Himself, in a figurative sense as a reference to Christ's humility and willingness to "partake of flesh and blood". - Heb. 2:14 - While not ceasing to be God's Son, Christ also became God's Servant - and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Matt. 20:28 -

He is the image of the unseen God
and the firs-born of all creation,
for in him were created
all things in heaven and on earth:
everything visible and everything invisible,
Thrones, Dominions, Sovereignties, Powers-
all things were created through him and for him.
Before anything was created, he existed,
and he holds all things in unity.

Now the Church is his body,
he is its head.
As he is the Beginning,
he was first to be born from the dead,
so that he should be first in every way;
because God wanted all perfection
to be found in him
and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,
everything in heaven and everything on earth,
when he made peace
by his death on the cross. - Col. 1:15-20 - 1Tim. 6:13-16 -

                                                                       Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

The Gospel of Matthew recorded Christ's descent from the patriarch Abraham - Matt. 1:1-17 - while the Gospel of Luke traced the ancestry of Jesus back through Joseph, David and Abraham to 'Adam, the son of God'. - Luke 3:28-38 - Both records reflect the Old Testament practices of selection and omission in such lists.

Matthew used Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, for his 41 names and grouped them in three units of 14 generations each, the latter being multiples of the sacred number seven. His divisions are: (1) Abraham to David, 14 names; (2) Solomon to the Captivity, 14 names; (3) Shealtiel to Jesus, 13 names. Luke catalogued almost twice as many names as Matthew and also used the number seven as a basis for organizing Christ's pedigree in terms of 77 names. Luke's groups are: (1) Jesus to Zerubbabel, 21 names; (2) Shealtiel to Nathan, 21 names; (3) David to Isaac, 14 names; (4) Abraham to Adam, 21 names.

Some of the people named in Luke's record cannot be identified readily although certain names may be Greek forms of the original Hebrew. Matthew's list also contains several persons not found elsewhere in the Old Testament. Matthew and Luke have the same names from Abraham to David, apart from Luke's addition of Arni and Admin; but beyond that point there are variations.

Attempts have been made to explain how such different results can be arrived at by persons using the same sources of information but no firm conclusions have emerged. It is suggested that both lists came from Joseph but were compiled separately by different methods. Matthew's list furnished a legal or official descent through the house of Joseph while Luke's record actually reflected Mary's side of the family since she herself probably was descended from David. - Luke 1:27; 2:4 - The absence of Mary's name from Luke list argues against that theory which would actually suit Matthew's genealogy better since Mary is mentioned in it along with four other women.

Whatever the processes by which the two lists arose, their purpose was to show that Jesus Christ the Messiah was descended from the house of David. Matthew makes Jesus a legitimate heir through being 'adopted' by Joseph, a member of the Davidic line. For Matthew the unfolding of Israelite history revealed Christ the Messiah whose coming ushered in the age of Faith, Hope, Love and Grace. Luke's list reflects a wider concern by portraying Christ as the SAVIOUR of all peoples, not just the Jews. By reversing the normal order of listing, Luke have intended to demonstrate the real nature of Jesus as the Divine Son.

The two distinct lists of the ancestors of Jesus ( Genealogies of Jesus) found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

                                                                       Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

In the Old Testament, the English word congregation is the translation of several Hebrew words that carry the idea of "an assembly called together" or "an appointed meeting". This words point to Israel as the community of the Law, a "sacred assembly" gathered together by God and appointed to be His covenant people. As such, the term congregation was a constant reminder to Israel of the hand of God upon its destiny. Each time the Law of God was read in the solemn assembly of the congregation, Israel's privilege as His people under His covenant promises was renewed.

A phrase such as "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel" - Ex. 12: 6 - refers to the largest unit of the Hebrew people. A Hebrew belonged at the most basic level, to a house then to a family (a collection of houses), then to a tribe (a collection of families), and then to the congregation of Israel, therefore, refers to the entire nation of Israel or the people of God as a whole.

In the New Testament, the term congregation is used. The two Greek words - ekklesia and synagogue - were virtually interchangeable. But they began take on separate and specialised meanings as the rift between the Christian Church - ekklesia - and the Jewish synagogue - synagogue - became more antagonistic. The words soon referred to rival religious faiths.

When they held the assembly in the wilderness it was only through Moses that our ancestors could communicate with the angel who had spoken to him on Mount Sinai; it was he who was entrusted with words of life to hand on to us. - Acts 7:38 -

When the meeting broke up many Jews and devout converts joined Paul and Barnabas, and in their talks with them Paul and Barnabas urged to remain faithful to the grace God had given them. - Acts 13:43 -

For the one who sanctifies and the ones who are sanctified are of the same stock; that is why he openly calls them brothers in the text: I shall announce your name to my brothers, praise you in full assembly; or the text: In him I hope; or the text: Here I am with the children whom God has given me. - Heb. 2:11-12 -

                                                                        Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

World refers to the heavens and the earth which form the universe and the place where human beings and animals live. Among both the Jewish people and the Greeks the terms world and earth were used inter-changeably to mean the created universe, the fruitful and habitable earth. The scriptural/biblical declaration, "The earth is the Lord's and all its fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell therein" denotes the whole of created nature.

To Yahweh belong earth and all it holds,
the world and all who live in it;
he himself founded it on the ocean,
based firmly on the nether sea. - Ps. 24:1-2 -

According to the Old and New Testament, the world was created by God's word.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. - Gen. 1:1 -

In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God. - John 1:1 -

The world was created by God's words, identified with Jesus Christ in the Gospel According To Saint John in the New Testament.

He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.
The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth. - John 1:2-14 -

World is also associated with mankind. Christ said of His disciples, "You are the light of the world". Often world is used to indicate "the men of this world" who are said to lie in wickedness. The men are called "the world" not only because they compose the greater part of the world's population but mainly because they pursue and cherish the things of this world.

We know that we belong to God,
but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.
We know, too, that the Son of God has come,
and has given the power
to know the true God.
We are in the true God,
as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ.
This is the true God,
this is eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against false gods. - 1John 5:19-21 -

World may denote the fleeting character of life's riches and pleasures and the folly of making them of central importance in life. Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life?

For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? - Matt. 16:25-26 -

Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life.
If a man serves me, he must follow me,
wherever I am, my servant will be there too.
If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him. - John 12:25-26 -

The term world also denotes the condition of human affairs with man alienated from and opposed to God. Jesus wants His followers to live in the world but not of the world, and to serve, and to be God's witness but not get caught up in the godless pleasures and perverting of life.

I passed your word on to them,
and the world hated them,
because they belong to the world
no more than I belong to the world.
I am not asking you to remove them from the world,
but to protect them from the evil one. - John 17:14-15 -

                                                                      Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

The concept of the CURSE or the BAN in the Old Testament is similar to excommunication. The curse signified divine judgment of sin. - Num. 5:20-21; Jer. 29:17-19 - It was considered God's agent in cleansing sin from the land. - Deut. 27:11-26 - To be under a curse meant to be excluded from society - thus removing a cancerous agent from the people. - Lev. 20:17 - When such a person refused to repent, he fell under the ban or curse - Mal. 4:6 - and was no longer considered part of God's Covenant People.

Nothing, however, that a man lays under ban for Yahweh may be redeemed; nothing he possesses whether man, beasts or fields of his patrimony. What is laid under ban is always a most holy thing and belongs to Yahweh. A human being laid under ban cannot be redeemed, he must be put to death. - Lev. 27:28-29 -

You must set fire to all the carved images of their gods, not coveting the gold and silver that covers them; take it and you will be caught in a snare: it is detestable to Yahweh your God. You must not bring any detestable things into your house or you, like it, will come under the ban too. You must regard them as unclean and loathsome for they are under the ban. - Deut. 7:25-26 -

In the New Testament, the process of excommunication from the Church was spelled out by Jesus. The apostle Paul used the phrase 'deliver to Satan' to speak of excommunication. This idea implies that God has removed His presence from the person's life and therefore Satan is free to afflict him.

If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or tax collector.
I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven. - Matt. 18:15-18 -

Timothy, my son, these are the instructions that I am giving you: I ask you to remember the words once spoken over you by the prophets and taking them to heart to fight like a good soldier with faith and a good conscience for your weapons. Some people have put conscience aside and wrecked their faith in consequence. I mean men like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to teach them not to be blasphemous. - 1Tim. 1:18-20 -

Apparently, there were degrees of excommunication. The idle Thessalonian Christians who refused to heed apostle Paul's admonition were to be socially shunned. Then if they were still unrepentant they were to be disassociated from the brethen. But in neither case were the offenders to be considered under an absolute ban.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we urge you, brothers, to keep away from any of the brothers who refuses to work or to live according to the tradition we passed on to you. - 2Thess. 3:6 -

Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you whether by word of mouth or by letter. - 2Thess. 2:15 -

My brothers, never grow tired of doing what is right. If anyone refuses to obey what I have written in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him so that he will feel that he is wrong; though you are not to regard him as an enemy but as a brother in need of correction. - 2Thess. 3:13-15 -

Several purposes stood behind this extremely disciplinary tool. Primarily it was to protect the Church from blatant evil in its midst. It also had a redemptive function - to force the baptized Christians to realize the seriousness of his offense and to return to Christ. In this sense apostle Paul admonished Timothy.

Instead of giving in to your impulses like a young man, fasten your attention on holiness, faith, love and peace, in union with all those who call on the Lord with pure minds. Avoid these futile and silly speculations, understanding that they only give rise to quarrels; and a servant of the Lord is not to engage in quarrels but has to be kind to everyone, a good teacher and patient. He has to be gentle when he corrects people who dispute what he says, never forgetting that God may give them a change of mind so that they recognise the truth and come to their senses, once out of the trap where the devil caught them and kept them enslaved. - 2Tim. 2:22-26 -

                                                                      Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

By the New Testament period, the position of priests in the nation of Israel had changed considerably. The Temple functions were taken over by the 'chief priests'. Rank and file priests were also overshadowed by the Scribes and Pharisees, two groups that arose to present the Law and interpret its meaning for the people. But in spite of the diminished role of priests, Jesus respected the office and called upon the priests to witness His healing of lepers in keeping with the Law of Moses. - Mark 1:44; Luke 17:12-14 - But the priests themselves were the most zealous opponents of Jesus. As leaders of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, they bore much of the responsibility for His crucifixion. They also led the opposition to the apostles and the early Church.

The Son of God became a man - Heb. 2:9 - so that He might offer Himself as sacrifice "once to bear the sins of many".

He brings a new covenant as the mediator only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant. Now wherever a will is in question, the death of the testator must be established; indeed, it only becomes valid with that death since it is not meant to have any effect while the testator is still alive. That explains why even the earlier covenant needed something to be killed in order to take effect, and why, after Moses had announced all the commandments of the Law to the people, he took the calves blood, the goats' blood and some water and with these he sprinkled the book itself and all the people, using scarlet wool and hyssop; saying as he did so: This is the blood of the covenant that God has laid for you.

After that, he sprinkled the tent and all the liturgical vessels with blood in the same way. In fact, according to the Law almost everything has to be purified with blood: and if there is no shedding of blood, there is no remission. Obviously, only the copies of heavenly things can be purified in this way and the heavenly things themselves have to be purified by a higher sort of sacrifice than this. It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modeled on the real one; but it was heaven itself so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf.

And he does not have to offer himself again and again like the high priest going into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. Instead of that, he has made his appearance once and for all, now at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. Since men only die once and after that comes judgment, so Christ too, offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him. - Heb. 9:15-28 -

Priesthood and holiness were meant to be inseparable. But the sinful nature of the priests allowed corruption and undesirable behaviour and unpleasing actions to enter the God-ordained office. However, the priesthood to which the nation of Israel was called at Mount Sinai continues today in the Church. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. - 1Pet. 2:9 -

The office of priest was fulfilled in Jesus Christ who is the High Priest and the Head of the Church. Hence, there is no longer a need for priests to offer a sacrifice to atone for man's sin. A permanent sacrifice has been made by Jesus Christ through His passion, death on the Cross and on the third day He resurrected in fulfillment of the scripture.

* Pope John Paul II wrote: A priest by virtue of the consecration.......is called to love selflessly, to put the needs of his 'flocks' before those of his own. *

                                                                        Page 2

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

In the Old Testament, priests are the official ministers or worship leaders in the nation of Israel who represented the people before God and conducted various rituals to atone for their sins. This function was carried out by the father of a family - Job 1:4-5 - or the head of a tribe in the days before Moses and his brother Aaron. But with the appointment of Aaron and anointed by God as the first High Priest, the priesthood was formally established. Aaron's descendants were established as the priestly line in Israel. They carried out their important duties from generation to generation as a special class devoted to God's service.

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible often speaks of priests and Levites as if these two offices were practically the same. - 1Chr. 23:2; 24:6, 31 - They were closely related in that both priests and Levites sprang from a common ancestor. They traced their lineage back to Levi, head of one of the original twelve tribes of Israel. But these two offices were different, in that priests (a specific branch of Levites descended through Aaron) and Levites (all descendants of Levi in general) performed different duties.

Priests officiated at worship by offering various offerings on behalf of the nation and by leading the people to confess their sins. The Levites were assistants to the priests. They took care of the tabernacle and the Temple and performed other menial tasks such as providing music, serving as door-keepers and preparing sacrifices for offering by the priests. In their function of offering sacrifices at the altar, the priests acted as mediators between man and God, offering sacrifices so that sin might be forgiven. - Lev.4:20,26,31 - Each sacrifice was a demonstration that the penalty of sin is death. - Ezek. 18:4,20 - and that there can be no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of BLOOD. - Heb. 9:22 -

The first priest mentioned in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible was Melchizedek, king of Salem and "the priest of God Most High". Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek and was blessed. - Gen 14:18-20 - Next mentioned was Jethro, Moses' father-in-law and the priest of Midian who joined Moses, Aaron and the elders of Israel for a sacrificial meal. - Ex. 18:1,12 -

But true priesthood began many years before their time in the Garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve sinned against God, He made them tunics of skin and clothed them. Thus, the death of animals became a symbol of the removal of man's guilt. - Gen 3:21 - After this event, Abel offered a sacrifice that pleased God. - Gen. 4:4 - Still later Noah - 8:20 - Abraham - 12:7-8 - Isaac - 26:25 - Jacob - 35:1-7 - Job - Job 1:5 - all acted as priests, offering sacrifices to God. In fact, each family in Israel killed the PASSOVER lamb offering it as sacrifices to God. - Ex, 12:6; 34:25 - But when God established Israel as His Chosen People at Mount Sinai after their deliverance from slavery in Egypt - Ex. 6:7; 19:5-6 - He established a formal priesthood through Aaron and his descendants. As descendants of Levi, they were to represent the nation of Israel in service to God at the tabernacle and altar. - Num. 8:9-18 -

The priesthood was given to Aaron and his descendants 'as a gift for service' - Num. 18:7 - and as 'an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations'. Ex. 40:15 - No person with a physical defect or disqualifying disease could serve as a priest. - Lev. 21:16-21 - Aaron and his sons were consecrated for the priesthood in an elaborate seven day ceremony. - Ex. 29:30,35,37 - Their bodies were bathed to purify their souls from sin. Then they were clothed in their priestly garments and anointed with oil as sacrifices were made on their behalf. The entire dedication procedure was as an outward sign of their Sanctification in God's service. - Ex. 29:9 - The clothes which the priests wore also carried great significance. - Exodus chapter 39 - The priests had several responsibilities as mediators between the sinful people and the holy God. - Num. 18:1-7 -

As "messenger of the Lord" - Mal.2:7 - the priests also were to teach the Law to the people how to distinguish between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean. - Lev. 10:10 - Living in cities scattered throughout the nation of Israel, the priests were in a good position to fulfill this function. - Joshua chapter 21 - In addition, the priests served as judges, acting as a kind of supreme court for Israel. - Deut. 17:8-13 -

In the final book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi pointed to the neglect, corruption and false teaching of the priests. According to prophet Malachi this was the reason why the people began to neglect the offerings and festivals of the Temple. They lost their respect for the persons who held the office and finally the office itself. - Mal. 1:6; 2:7-9 - Thus, the Old Testament closes with the announcement that God in His judgment 'will suddenly come to His temple...like a refiner's fire' to purify the priests. - Mal.3:1-3 - God was determined to preserve His human priests until the appearance of His true Priest, Jesus Christ.

                                                                     Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -

During the times of the PATRIARCHS, wealth was measured largely in livestock - sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys and camels. This was true of Abraham - Gen. 13:2 - Isaac - Gen.26:12-14 - and Jacob - Gen.30:43; 32:5 - People of the ancient world also measured wealth in terms of land, houses, servants, slaves and precious materials. The prime example is King Solomon whose great wealth is described in 1Kings 10:14-29 -

Wealth is a major theme in the 'Wisdom Literature' of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. - Prov. 10: 15, 13:11, 19:4 - The most important observation of these writings is that wealth comes from God. - Prov. 3:9-10 - The possession of wealth is not always the sign of God's favour. "Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" - Jer. 12:1 - became a familiar theme to the writers of the Old Testament. The popular view that wickedness brings poverty and goodness brings wealth is strongly opposed by the Book of Job.

In the New Testament, many warnings are given of the dangers of letting money and things possess a person's heart. In the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus spoke of "treasures on earth" and "treasures in heaven" and called upon His believers and followers to be extra careful of which treasure they choose.

Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven where neither moth or woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. - Matt. 6:19-21 -

No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money. - Matt. 6:24 -

Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away and the same corroding will be your own sentence and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. - James 5:2-3 -

Many of Jesus' parables such as the rich fool and the rich man and Lazarus, deal with people who made the wrong choice, choosing earthly wealth over heavenly wealth. - Luke 12:13-21; 16:19-31 -

The only true and lasting wealth is the spiritual riches of God's grace.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. - Matt. 13:44-46 -

                                                                          Page 1

If you wish to donate. Thank You. God bless.

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -