Faith . Hope . Love: May 2022

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Peter cures a paralytic at Lydda - N. T. - Acts 9:32-35 -

Peter visited one place after another and eventually came to the saints living down in Lydda. There he found a man called Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and fold up your sleeping mat'. Aeneas got up immediately; everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were all converted to the Lord.

Cf. - Acts 19:17 -

Peter raises a woman to life at Jaffa - Acts 9:36-43 - N. T. -

At Jaffa there was a woman disciple called Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek, who never tired of doing good or giving in charity. But the time came when she got ill and died, and they washed her and laid her out in a room upstairs. Lydda is not far from Jaffa, so when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men with an urgent message for him. 'Come and visit us as soon as possible'.

Peter went back with them straightaway, and on his arrival they took him to the upstairs room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, showing him tunics and other clothes Dorcas had made when she was with them. Peter sent them all out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, 'Tabitha, stand up'. She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the saints and widows and showed them she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord.

Peter stayed on some time in Jaffa, lodging with a leather-tanner called Simon.

Cf. - Acts 13:9+ -

Cf. - Luke 12:33-37 - N. T. - Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.

Cf. - 1 Kings 17:19-24 - O. T. - 'Give me your son' he said, and taking him from her lap, carried him to the upper room where he was staying and laid him on his own bed. Elijah cried out to Yahweh, 'Yahweh my God, do you mean to bring to the widow who is looking after me by killing her son?' He stretched himself on the child three times and cried out to Yahweh, 'Yahweh my God, may the soul of this child, I beg you, come into him again!'

Yahweh heard the prayer of Elijah and the soul of the child returned to him again and he revived. Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. 'Look,' Elijah said 'your son is alive.' And the woman replied. 'Now I know you are a man of God and the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth itself'.

Cf. - Mark 5:39-42 - N. T. - Jesus went in and said to them, 'Why all this commotion and crying? The child is not dead, but asleep.' But they laughed at him. So Jesus turned them all out and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking the child by the hand he said to her. 'Talitha, kum!' which means. 'Little girl, I tell you to get up'. The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old.

Cf. - Luke 7:15-17 - N. T. - 'Young man, I tell you to get up'. And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, 'A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people'. And this opinion of Jesus spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.

Cf. Acts 3:7; 9:13+; 20:10; 19:17 -

Cf. - Luke 9:4-6 - N. T. - Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them. So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere.

- PAGE 111 -

Peter visits a Roman centurion

One of the centurions... - PAGE 112 -

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:15-16 -

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality. Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true. Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling and kindness. Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But worldly, secular and diabolical.

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost importance for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally importance, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." 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 / SHE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -

Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. 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.

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Saul's preaching at Damascus - Acts 9:20-25 - N. T. -

After he had spent only a few days with the disciples in Damascus, Paul/Saul began preaching in the synagogues, 'Jesus is the Son of God'. All his hearers were amazed. 'Surely' they said 'this is the man who organised the attack in Jerusalem against the people who invoke this name, and who came here for the sole purpose of arresting them to have them tried by the chief priests?' Saul's power increased steadily, and he was able to throw the Jewish colony at Damascus into complete confusion by the way he demonstrated that Jesus was the Christ.

Some time passed, and the Jews worked out a plot to kill him, but news of it reached Saul. To make sure of killing him they kept watched on the gates day and night, but when it was dark the disciples took him and let him down from the top of the wall, lowering him in a basket.

Cf. - Galatians 1:15-17 - N. T. - Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother's womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus.

Cf. - Acts 13:33; 9:2; 2:36+; 18:5,28 -

Cf. - 2 Corinthians 11:32-33 - N. T. - The God and Father of the Lord Jesus - bless him for ever - knows that I am not lying. When I was in Damascus, the ethnarch of King Aretas put guards round the city to catch me, and I had to be let down over the wall in a hamper, through a window, in order to escape.

Cf. - Joshua 2:15 - O. T. - Rahab let them down from the window by a rope, for her house was against the city wall and she lived inside the wall itself.

Saul's visit to Jerusalem - Acts 9:26-30 - N. T. -

When he got to Jerusalem he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him: they could not believe he was really a disciple. Barnabas, however, took charge of him, introduced him to the apostles, and explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul and spoken to him on his journey, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. Saul now started to go round with them in Jerusalem, preaching fearlessly in the name of the Lord. But after he had spoken to the Hellenists, and argued with them, they became determined to kill him. When the brothers knew, they took him to Caesarea, and sent him off from there to Tarsus.

Cf. - Galatians 1:18-19 - N. T. - Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord.

Cf. - Acts 22:17; 4:36-37; 13:46+; 5:41+; =22:17-21; 11:25 -

A lull - Acts 9:31 - N. T. -

The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves up, living in the fear of the Lord, and filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Cf. - Acts 2:41+; 20:32 -

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 8:1 - N. T. - Now about food sacrificed to idols. 'We all have knowledge'; yes, that is so, but knowledge gives self-importance - it is love that makes the building grow. - PAGE 110 -

Peter cures a paralytic at Lydda

Peter visited one place after... - PAGE 111 -

Monday, May 9, 2022

The conversion of Saul - Acts 9:1-19 - N. T. -

= 22:5-16; 26:10-18 - Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. He had gone to the high priest and ask for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men and women, that he could find.

Suddenly, while he was travelling to Damascus and just before he reached the city, there came a light from heaven all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked, and the voice answered, 'I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.' The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but even with his eyes wide open he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand. For three days he was without his sight, and took neither food and drink.

A disciple called Ananias who lived in Damascus had a vision in which he heard the Lord say to him, 'Ananias!' When he replied, 'Here I am, Lord', the Lord said, 'You must go to Straight Street and ask the house of Judas for someone called Saul, who comes from Tarsus. At this moment he is praying, having had a vision of a man called Ananias coming in and laying hands on him to give him back his sight.'

When he heard that, Ananias said, 'Lord, several people told me about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your saints in Jerusalem. He has only come here because he holds a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.' The Lord replied, 'You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name'. Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and at once laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit'. Immediately it was as though scales fell away from Saul's eyes and he could see again. So he was baptised there and then, and after taking some food he regained his strength.

Cf. - Acts 8:3 -

Cf. - Galatians 1:11-17 - N. T. - The fact is, brothers and sisters, and I want you to realise this, the Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ. You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

Then, God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother's womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus.

Cf. - Acts 9:21; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22 -

Cf. - 2 Peters 2:1-2 - N. T. - As there were false prophets in the past history of our people, so you too will have your false teachers, who will insinuate their own disruptive views and disown the Master who purchased their freedom. They will destroy themselves very quickly; but there will be many who copy their shameful behaviour and the Way of Truth will be brought into disrepute on their account.

Cf. - Matthew 25:40 - N. T. - And the King will answer, "I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did this to me".

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 8:12 - N. T. - By sinning in this way against your brothers, and injuring their weak consciences, it would be Christ against whom you sinned.

Cf. - Daniel 10:7 - O. T. - I, Daniel, alone saw the apparition; the men who were with me did not see the apparition, but so great a trembling overtook them that they fled to hide.

Cf. - Acts 10:3 -

Cf. - Genesis 22:1-2 - O. T. - It happened some time later that God put Abraham to the test. 'Abraham, Abraham' God called. 'Here I am' he replied. 'Take your son,' God said 'your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.'

Cf. - Acts 9:17; 28:8 -

Cf. - 1 Timothy 4:14 - N. T. - You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid hands on you; do not let it lie unused.

Cf. - Acts 9:41-42; 26:10 -

Cf. - Romans 1:17; 12:13 - N. T. - Since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 6:2 - N. T. - I, Paul, [Saul] appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours.

Cf. - 2 Corinthians 1:1 - N. T. - From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, one of the brothers, to the church of God at Corinth and to all the saints in the whole of Achaia.

Cf. - Acts 2:21+; 22:21 -

Cf. - Romans 1:8 - N. T. - First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you and for the way in which your faith is spoken of all over the world.

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 - N. T. - Not that I do boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands.

Cf. - Acts 15:26; 21:13 -

Cf. - Matthew 10:22-23 - N. T. - You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved. If they persecuted you in one town, take refuge in the next; and if they persecute you in that, take refuge in another. I tell you solemnly, you will not have gone the round of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 4:9-14 - N. T. - But instead, it seems to me, God has put us apostles at the end of his parade, with the men sentenced to death; it is true - we have been put on show in front of the whole universe, angels as well as men. Here we are, fools for the sake of Christ, while you are the learned men in Christ; we have no power, but you are influential; you are celebrities, we are nobodies.

To this day, we go without food and drink and clothes; we are beaten and have no homes; we work for our living with our own hands. When we are cursed, we answer with a blessing; when we are hounded, we put up with it; we are insulted and we answer politely. We are treated as the offal of the world, still to this day, the scum of the earth. I am saying all this not just to make you ashamed but to bring you, as my dearest children, to your senses.

Cf. - Acts 22:14; 26:16 - N. T. -

Cf. - 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:6-8 - N. T. - I, personally, am free: I am an apostle and I have seen Jesus our Lord. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles; and at last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.

Cf. - Tobit 11:9-15 - O. T. - The mother ran forward and threw her arms round her son's neck. 'Now I can die,' she said 'I have seen you again.' And she wept. Tobit rose to his feet and stumbled across the courtyard through the door. Tobias came on towards him (he had the fish's gall in his hand). He blew into his eyes and said, steadying him, 'Take courage, father!' With this he applied the medicine, left it there a while, then with both hands peeled away a filmy skin from the corners of his eyes. Then his father fell on his neck and wept. He exclaimed, 'I can see, my son, the light of my eyes!' And he said:

'Blessed be God!

Blessed be his great name!

Blessed be all his holy angels!

Blessed be his great name for evermore!

Cf. - Acts 1:5+ -

Cf. - Galatians 1:16-17 - N. T. - God reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus.

- PAGE 109 -

Saul's preaching at Damascus

After he had spent only... - PAGE 110 -

Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them.

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.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.

Love does not come to an end.

In short, there are three things that last; FAITH. HOPE. LOVE. and the greatest of these is LOVE. - 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:1-7, 13:13 -

Glory to God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Alex Chan Kok Wah. Email : kwchanalex@yahoo.com - kwchankim@hotmail.com