Life in the true sense is not something we have exclusively in or from ourselves; it is a relationship with God. Amen! If without passion and love, without zeal, without fervor, we are lifeless and faith is so easily cast aside. Let us put it very simply; people needs God, otherwise he/she remains without hope. "To fall in love with God is the greatest of romance, to seek Him the greatest adventure, to find God the greatest achievement." - Saint Augustine of Hippo -

Christian and agape love, especially as distinct from erotic love or emotional affection, that is, a communal meal in token of Christian fellowship, as held by early Christians in commemoration of the Last Supper. In other words, Love embraces the whole of existence in each of its dimensions, including the dimension of time. It could hardly be otherwise, since its promise looks towards its definitive goal; love looks to the eternal. Agape love, that is: Christian love is indeed "ecstasy", not in the sense of a moment of intoxication, but rather as a journey, an ongoing exodus out of the closed inward looking self towards its liberation through self-giving, and thus towards authentic self-discovery of God. Amen!

Man in search of God. In the act of creation, God calls every being from nothingness into existence. "Crowned with glory and honour," man/woman is, after the angels, capable of acknowledging "how majestic is the name of the Lord in all the earth." Even after losing through his sin his likeness to God, man remains an image of his Creator, and retains the desire for the one who calls him into existence. All religions bear witness to men's essential search for God. - CCC # 2566 -

God love can awaken within us a feeling of love, joy and peace; born of the experience of being loved. But this process is always open-ended; love is never "finite, finished" and complete; throughout life, it enhances, changes and matures, and hence remains faithful to itself. Believing and acknowledgement of the living God is one path towards agape love, and "Yes" of our will to His will that unites our intellect, will and sentiments in all embracing act of love. This process is always open and welcoming. Hence, love never "end" and it changes, matures and as a result, remains faithful to itself.

"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 offense 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." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 -

"For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain." - Romans 1:19 -

Seek Yahweh while he is still to be found,

call to him while he is still near. 

Let the wicked man/woman abandon his/her way, 

the evil man/woman his/her thoughts.

Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him, 

to our God who is rich in forgiving;

for my thoughts are not your thoughts,

my ways not your ways - it is Yahweh who speaks.

yes, the heavens are as high above earth

as my ways are above your ways,

my thoughts above your thoughts.

Yes, as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do. - Isaiah 55:6-11 - 

"But you will seek Yahweh your God from there, and if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul, you shall find him. In your distress, all that I have said will overtake you, but at the end of days you will return to Yahweh your God and listen to his voice. For Yahweh your God is a merciful God and will not desert or destroy you or forget the covenant he made on oaths with your fathers." - Deuteronomy 4:29-31 - 

"Since God who made the world and everything in it, is himself Lord of heaven and earth, he does not make his home in shrines made by human hands. Nor is he dependent on anything that human hands can do for him, since he can never be in need of anything; on the contrary, it is he who gives everything - including life and death - to everyone. From one single stock he not only created the whole human race so that they could occupy the entire earth, but he decreed how long each nation should flourish and what the boundaries of its territory should be. And he did this so that all nations might seek the deity and, by feeling their way towards him, succeed in finding him. Yet, in fact, he is not far from any of us, since it is in him that we live, and move, and exist, as indeed some of your own writers have said: "We are all his children." 

Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man. God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judged. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead." - Acts 17:24-31 - 

"Then Jesus told them, 'This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, has to be fulfilled.' Jesus then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, 'So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

'And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.' Then Jesus took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands Jesus blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.'" - Luke 24:44-53 - 

"Now having met together, they asked Jesus, 'Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel?' Jesus replied, 'It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.'

As Jesus said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, 'Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, the same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.'

So from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, they went back to Jerusalem a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers - there were about a hundred and twenty persons in the congregation: Brothers, the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who offered himself as a guide to the men who arrested Jesus - after having been one of our number and actually sharing this ministry of ours. As you know, he bought a field with the money he was paid for his crime. He fell headlong and burst open, and all his entrails poured out. Everybody in Jerusalem heard about it and the field came to be called the Bloody Acre, in their language Hakeldama. Now in the Book of Psalms it says: Let his camp be reduced to ruin, Let there be no one to live in it. And again: Let someone else take his office.

'We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us - and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.' 

Having nominated two candidates, Joseph as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias, they prayed, 'Lord, you can read everyone's heart; show us therefore which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place'. They then drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, he was listed as one of the twelve apostles.'" - Acts 1:6-26 -

The anointed or chosen person belonged to God in a special sense. The phrases, "the Lord's anointed", "God's anointed", My anointed", "Your anointed", or "His anointed" are used of king Saul - 1 Samuel 26:9,11 - king David - 2 Samuel 22:51 - and king Solomon - 2 Chronicles 6:42 - Priests, kings and prophets were anointed. Oil was poured on the head of the person being anointed. - Exodus 29:7 - Kings were set apart through the ritual of anointing which was performed by a prophet who acted in God's power and authority. - 1 Samuel 15:1 - The Old Testament also records two instances of the anointing of a prophet. - 1 Kings 19:16; Isaiah 61:1 - In the New Testament all who are Christ's apostles/disciples are said to be anointed; they are God's very own, set apart and commissioned for God service. 

"Remember it is God himself who assures us all, and you, of our standing in Christ Jesus, and has anointed us, marking us with His seal and giving us the pledge, the Holy Spirit that we carry in our hearts. By my life, I call God to witness that the reason why I did not come to Corinth after all was to spare your feeling." - 2 Corinthians 1:21-23 - 

Christ Jesus the Messiah is described as "anointed". This description is found in the Psalms of the Old Testament which prophesy the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the preaching of the Apostle Peter in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

"Before our conversion of heart our sinful passions, quite unsubdued by the Law, fertilised our bodies to make them give birth to death. But now we are rid of the Law, freed by death from our imprisonment, free to serve in the new spiritual way and not the old way of the written law. Does it follow that the law itself is sin? Of course not. What I mean is that I should not have known what sin was except for the Law. I should not for instance have known what it means to cover if the Law had not said You shall not covet. But it was this commandment that sin took advantage of to produce all kinds of covetousness in me, for when there is no Law, sin is dead.

Once, when there was no Law. I was alive; but when the commandment came, sin came to life and I died: the commandment was meant to lead me to life but it turned out to mean death for me, because sin took advantage of the commandment to mislead me, and so sin, through that commandment, killed me. 

The law is sacred, and what it commands is sacred, just and good. Does that mean that something good killed me? Of course not. But sin, to show itself in its true colours, used that good thing to kill me; and thus sin, thanks to the commandment, was able to exercise all its sinful power.

The Law, of course, as we all know, is spiritual; but I am unspiritual; I have been sold as a slave to sin. I cannot understand my own behaviour. I fail to carry out the things I want to do, and I find myself doing the very things I hate. When I act my own will, that means I have a self that acknowledges that the Law is good, and so the thing behaving in that way is not myself but sin living in me. The fact is, I know of nothing good living in me - living, that is, in my unspiritual self - for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me.

In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God's Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! In short, it is I who with my reason serve the Law of God, and no less I who serve in my unspiritual self the law of sin."  - Romans 7:5-25 -

 

-  THE  CHRISTIAN'S  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  -  The life of the spirit  - 

The reason, therefore, why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned, is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. God has done what the Law, because of the unspiritual nature, was unable to do. God dealt with sin by sending his own Son in a body as physical as any sinful body, and in that body God condemned sin. He did this in order that the Law's just demands might be satisfied in us, who behave not as our unspiritual nature but as the spirit dictates.

The unspiritual are interested only in what is unspiritual, but the spiritual are interested in spiritual things. It is death to limit oneself to what is unspiritual; life and peace can only come with concern for the spiritual. That is because to limit oneself to what is unspiritual is to be at enmity with God: such a limitation never could and never does submit to God's law. People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to you own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you. 

So then, my brothers and sisters, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son and daughter of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons and daughters, and it makes us cry out, 'Abba, Father!' 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. - Romans 8:1-17 -

To fall in love with God is the greatest of romance, to seek Him the greatest adventure, to find God the greatest achievement. - Saint Augustine of Hippo -

-     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!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

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 - 

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 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

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/she will not be speaking as from himself/herself, but will say only what he/she has learnt; and he/she 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 - 

Christians must always remembered that God's gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So we are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord Jesus Christ. - 2 Timothy 1:6-8 -

When we start teaching, preaching of the 'Good News' and the proclamation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Most of us insist on the dignity of our qualification by quickly reprimanding those who show us disrespect or who disagree with us. In fact, most of us practices it, including the Universal Church and it has became a norm. But truly, qualification cannot be apply to the Church and to practicing Christian, because the reason is that, the Church and the Christian missionary societies attract the poor, rich, young, unbelievers, pagans, atheists, and the educated and uneducated. And it is because the believers and members give a living witness to their zeal for Christ Jesus, the Lord. The hardships they endure, the souls they convert, the complete trust in God despite poverty and even persecution, thus, these make them love God.

Christian primary duty is to search out the lost sheep and stay with it once found. This is what distinguishes the true disciple from the hireling disciple, the intellectual from the intelligentsia. Both are learned and scholarly. The difference lies in their relation to the people. The intellectual never loses that compassion for the multitude which characterized the Word Incarnate. The intelligentsia, on the contrary, live apart from tears and hunger, poverty and ignorance. They lack the common touch. Only the cream of bookish learning, not the milk of human kindness, flows through their veins.

But Peter and John retorted, 'You must judge whether in God's eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.' - Acts 4:19-20 -

"No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God, and to hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it, is to come to me." - John 6:44-45 - '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 -

Jesus said: 'I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. - John 14:6 -

Jesus answered his disciples: I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world. - John 16:33 - God preserves all things through His providence. Without God continual care and activity the world or universe or earth would not exist. God also preserves His people through His providence. Hence, the doctrine of providence affirms God's absolute lordship over His creature and confirms the dependence of all creation on the Creator.

It is the denial of the idea that the world or universe is governed by chance or fate or otherwise. In other words, nothing happens by chance and there is always a reason for everything. God is King of the universe who has given the Lord Jesus Christ all power and authority to reign. - Matthew 28:18 - "God gives Jesus the Spirit without reserve. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him." - John 3:35 -

'For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.' - Acts 2:36 -

Jesus taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, 'Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter's son, surely? - Matthew 13:54 -

When the festival was half over, Jesus went to the Temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished and said, 'How did Jesus learn to read? He has not been taught.'  - John 7:14-15 -

"Jesus answered them: 'My teaching is not from myself: it comes from the one who sent me; and if anyone is prepared to do His will, he will know whether my teaching is from God or whether my doctrine is my own. When a man's doctrine is his own he is hoping to get honour for himself; but when he is working for the honour of one who sent him, then he is sincere and by no means an impostor." - John 7:16-18 -

"They were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer." - Acts 4:13-14 -

Then again, most of the Lord Jesus Christ apostles, disciples and faithful, are also of the same kind. It is not by the meaning of justifying that it should be as such. No! For instance, Saint Paul is a very literate and educated man, same goes to Saint Luke and many others too. Therefore, this faith of phenomenon gave me great relief.

"It was indeed to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen - those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything." - 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 -

The distinction between preaching, proclamation and teaching today is evident in the New Testament [Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible]. Both Lord Jesus and Apostle/Saint Paul regarded themselves as preachers-teachers and were so regarded by others. Apostle/Saint Luke reports that Jesus "taught and preached to the people". - Luke 20:1 - Apostle/Saint Paul testified that he was appointed 'a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher to the Gentiles'. - 2 Timothy 1:11 - 

In the New Testament [Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible] preaching, while aimed at motivating sinners to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, had a strong element of evangelizing, teaching and preaching.

"Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead. I put this duty to you, in the name of his Appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, call to obedience - but do all with patience and with the intention of teaching.

The time is sure to come when, far from being content with sound teaching, people will be avid for the latest novelty and collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then, instead of listening to the truth, they will turn to myths. Be careful always to choose the right course; be brave under trails; make the preaching of the Good News your life's work, in thoroughgoing service." - 2 Timothy 4:1-5 -

The Great Commission has a broad application that calls all believers to participate in preaching the gospel. And he said to them, 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. - Mark 16:15 - The piercing question, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" challenges Christians to share with others the Good News of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they got a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as scripture says: the footsteps of those who bring good news is a welcome sound. Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached and what is preached comes from the word of Christ." - Romans 10:14-17 -

Coincidentally, the first preaching and sermon of Apostle/Saint Peter was on repentance and the first peaching and sermon of Apostle/Saint Paul was on repentance; now the last preaching and sermon Christ Jesus preached before ascending into heaven was the theme of His first. Repentance was to be the burden of the New Testament teaching. Repentance is thus linked up with the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies but above all with the application of the Redemption won on Calvary. Apostle/Saint Peter, who heard this message would be preaching it himself in a short time: It is to him that all the prophets testify, declaring that everyone who trusts in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. - Acts 10:43 -

True repentance is a turning away from sin, disobedience, rebellion and turning back to God. Hence, true repentance leads to a fundamental change in a person's relationship to God. Closely related to conversion of heart are repentance. In a general sense, repentance means a change of mind, or a feeling of remorse or regret from past sin. Repent; for the kingdom of Heaven is upon you. - Matthew 4:17 - The first sermon that the Lord Jesus Christ preached was on the subject of repentance. Repentance implied a turning away from sin and a turning to God. The first four Beatitudes Christ Jesus preached were a description of this inner and radical change of heart, namely, poverty or humility of spirit, sorrow for sin, meekness, hunger and thirst for love of God.

In his name repentance bringing the forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to all nations. Begin from Jerusalem; it is you who are the witnesses to it all. - Luke 24:47-48 - To brings a person into right relationship with God requires the initial change of character, attitude and behavior, that is, conversion of heart. True conversion of heart involves turning away from evil deeds and false worship and turning toward serving and worship God in spirit and true. Only by true conversion of heart makes a person's entrance into a new genuine relationship with God.

- Luke 24:49 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will bear witness for me in Jerusalem and all over Judea and Samaria and away to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8 - They wanted an earthly kingdom: The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of a spiritual one. They wanted a return of the old things; Jesus told them they would be "witnesses" of new thing. And to be a witness meant to be a martyr. The power of the Holy Spirit was consonant with human weakness. They could be humbly weak as Apostle/Saint Paul was in his preaching and proclaiming (kerygma) - the preaching or proclamation of the Christian gospel and Good News - but full of power because of the Holy Spirit. 

At this solemn moment when Christ Jesus is about to turn over the world itself to His eleven apostles, He returned to the subject of the Last Supper; the Holy Spirit. As Jesus began His public life with the descent of the Holy Spirit, so to all the apostles, disciples, faithful; they were to begin their mission to the world. - Pentecost - Acts 2:1-47 - When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.......; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God. Everyone was amazed and unable to explain it; they asked one another what it all meant....... 

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed them in a loud voice:....... listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you imagine; why, it is only the third hour of the day. On the contrary, this is what the prophets spoke of: In the days to come - it is the Lord who speaks - I will pour out my spirit on all mankind. Their sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Even on my slaves, men and women, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will display portents in heaven above and signs on earth below. The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great Day of the Lord dawns. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. 'Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since, as David says of him: I saw the Lord before me always, for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me. So my heart was glad and my tongue cried out with joy; my body, too, will rest in the hope that you will not abandon my soul to hades nor allow your holy one to experience corruption. You have made known the way of life to me, you will fill me with gladness through your presence.

'Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us....... God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God's right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit. For David himself never went up to heaven; and yet these words are his: The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for you....... Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, 'What must we do, brothers?' 'You must repent,' Peter answered 'and everyone of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit....... 'Save yourselves from this perverse generation. They were convinced by his arguments, and they accepted what he said and were baptised. That very day about three thousand were added to their number. ( The early Christian community ) These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. The many miracles and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone. The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed. They went as a body to the Temple everyday but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day the Lord Jesus added to their community those destined to be saved. - Pentecost - Acts 2:1-47 -  

The difference between forgiveness and reparation is indicated in Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. When Moses sinned by doubting, God forgave him - but God still imposed a penance on Moses. 'You shall not pass this Jordan' - Deuteronomy 3:27 - King David repented for his adultery and Nathan, the prophet absolved him: 'The Lord has taken away your sin: you shall not die' - 2 Kings 12:13 - But God demanded satisfaction, 'The child that is born to you, shall surely die' - 2 Kings 12:14 - It is the same today: God's pardon in the Sacrament restores us to His Friendship but the debt to Divine Justice remains either in time or in eternity.

The distinction between preaching and teaching today is evident in the New Testament. Both the Lord Jesus Christ and Saint/Apostle Paul regarded themselves as preachers-teachers and were so regarded by others. Luke reports that Jesus "taught and preached to the people". - Luke 20:1 - Paul testified that he was appointed 'a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher to the Gentiles'. - 2 Timothy 1:11 - [The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible] New Testament preaching, while aimed at motivating sinners to receive Christ, had a strong element of teaching.

"Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead. I put this duty to you, in the name of his Appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, call to obedience - but do all with patience and with the intention of teaching.

The time is sure to come when, far from being content with sound teaching, people will be avid for the latest novelty and collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then, instead of listening to the truth, they will turn to myths. Be careful always to choose the right course; be brave under trails; make the preaching of the Good News your life's work, in thoroughgoing service. - 2 Timothy 4:1-5 -

The Great Commission has a broad application that calls all believers to participate in preaching the gospel. And Jesus said to them, 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. - Mark 16:15 -

The piercing question, "How shall they hear without a preacher?" challenges Christians to share with others the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. "But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they got a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as scripture says: the footsteps of those who bring good news is a welcome sound. Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached and what is preached comes from the word of Christ. - Romans 10:14-17 -

Proper and sound teaching of the 'Gospel' or 'Good News' was a concept deeply engrained in God's chosen people since Old Testament times. Therefore, proper and sound teaching in the faith is essential to the spiritual growth of Christians, and to the development and betterment of the Church. As teaching in the Christian faith and Christian doctrine was validated by the Lord Jesus Christ, especially in the New Testament. Thus, the concept of teaching is to be distinguished from preaching and the proclamation of the 'Good News' or 'Gospel' especially to the non Christian world.

Indeed, it is for Christians to teach, proclaim, and to preach the behaviour which goes with proper and healthy doctrine. So, keep as our pattern the proper and sound teaching we have heard and learned from the apostles, prophets, disciples in the faith and love that are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians have been trusted to look after the 'Gospel' or 'Good News' that is, something very precious. Hence, we must guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. What is this word? It is 'Good News' or 'Gospel' that has been brought to us, from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God. Amen!

Testimony of God existence and to be witnesses of the Good News or 'Gospel' to the world is represented the witness of the apostles, prophets, disciples, who are the Lord Jesus Christ, special witnesses. The zeal generated by "Pentecost" together with growing persecution of the apostles, prophets, disciples, and the Lord Jesus Christ faithful, led them to preach and proclaim the greater glory of God, the Father, and the Son of the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere in the known world. As a result, the Christians was nourished by preaching and proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News.

"John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ." - Revelation 1:2 -

Then I knelt at his [angel] feet to worship him, but he said to me, 'Don't do that: I am a servant just like you and all your brothers who are witnesses to Jesus. It is God you must worship.' The witness Jesus gave is the same as the spirit of prophecy. - Revelation 19:10 -

And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16:19-20 -

Apostle Peter, and all the apostles, disciples, and the preacher's personal testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ power in his own life was featured in many sermons. As a consequence of such evangelistic passion, thousands was saved when apostle Peter preached and proclaimed God greater glory at Pentecost.

I [apostle Paul], the prisoner in the Lord, implore you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. It was said that he would: When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners, he gave gifts to men.

When it says, 'he ascended' what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth? The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things is none other than the one who descended. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, 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 its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love. - Ephesians 4:1-16 -

The Greek word translated as Gospel means "a reward for bringing Good News" or simply "Good News." Thus, the gospel is not only a new plan of salvation; it is the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation which was begun in Israel, was completed in Jesus Christ, and is made known by His Universal Church.

Apparently, God permits sinful acts to occur but God does not cause man/woman to sin or tempt or entice man to sin. If man/woman chose to sin, do man/woman think he and she will escape God's judgment? Be sure that, man/woman stubborn refusal to repent is only adding to the anger of God and when His just judgment will be known, God will repay each one as his and her works deserve.

"By divine power, he has given us all the things that we need for life and for true devotion, bringing us to know God himself, who has called us by his own glory and goodness. In making these gifts, he has given us the guarantee of something very great and wonderful to come: through them you will be able to share the divine nature and to escape corruption in a world that is sunk in vice. But to attain this, you will have to do your utmost yourselves, adding goodness to the faith that you have, understanding to your goodness, self-control to your understanding, patience to your self-control, true devotion to your patience, kindness towards your fellow men to your devotion, and, to this kindness, love.

If you have a generous supply of these, they will not leave you ineffectual of unproductive: they will bring you to a real knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But without them a man is blind or else short-sighted; he has forgotten how his past sins were washed away. Brothers, you have been called and chosen: work all the harder to justify it. If you do all these things there is no danger that you will ever fall away. In this way you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter:1:3-11 -

However, man/woman is not free to choose and act independently from God's will and God's plan. God chooses and acts in accordance with them. In His sovereignty, God controls man's/woman's choices and actions. "Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come closer to me.' When they had come closer to him he said, I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives." - Genesis 45:4-5 - God's actions, however, do not violate the reality of human choice or negate man's responsibility as a moral being. Yes! God knows! For He is Omnipotence! Omnipresence! Omniscience! In accordance with the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible, God transferred our poverty, our transgressions, our sufferings to Himself and bore them away as the Heavenly Scapegoat. More important still, God overcame them, and the Lord Jesus Christ triumphed by overcoming the pain by giving the earth the only serious wound it ever received - the wound of an empty tomb. ( the Passion, Death, Resurrection )

If this were not true, what do people hope to gain by being baptised for the dead? If the dead are not ever going to be raised, why be baptised on their behalf? What about ourselves? Why are we living under a constant threat? I face death everyday, brothers, and I can swear it by the pride that I take in you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If my motives were only human ones, what good would it do me to fight the wild animals at Ephesus? You say: Let us eat and drink today; tomorrow we shall be dead. You must stop being led astray: 'Bad friends ruin the noblest people', Come to your senses, behave properly, and leave sin alone; there are some of you who seem not to know God at all; you should be ashamed. - 1 Corinthians 15:1-34 -

"All around us, potential converts abound. The tragedy is not that they lack faith, but we seldom ask them to embrace it. A non-Catholic Christian lawyer was asked on his deathbed by his Catholic Christian partner of twenty years, "Now that you are nearing your end, how about coming into the Church?" The dying man raised his eyebrows. "If your faith meant so little to you during the twenty years you have known me", he replied, "it cannot make that much difference now."

Conversions are not more difficult in our times than before, but the approach must be different. Today, people are looking for God not because of the order they find in the universe but because of the disorder they find in themselves." - By Venerable Fulton J. Sheen - 

Indeed, it is for Christians to teach, proclaim, and to preach the behaviour which goes with proper and healthy doctrine. So, keep as our pattern the proper and sound teaching we have heard and learned from the apostles, prophets, disciples in the faith and love that are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christians have been trusted to look after the 'Gospel' or 'Good News'; that is: something very precious. Thus, we must guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. What is this word? It is 'Good News' or 'Gospel' that has been brought to us, from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God.

Testimony of God existence and to be witnesses of the Good News or 'Gospel' to the world is represented the witness of the apostles, prophets, disciples, who are the Lord Jesus Christ, special witnesses. The zeal generated by "Pentecost" together with growing persecution of the apostles, prophets, disciples, and the Lord Jesus Christ faithful, led them to preach and proclaim the greater glory of God, the Father, and the Son of the living God, the Lord Jesus Christ everywhere in the known world. As a result, the Christians was nourished by preaching and proclaiming the Gospel or the Good News. "John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ." - Revelation 1:2 -

-     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!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

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 - 

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 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  

One who prays to God will receive freedom from fear, strength of soul, guidance, knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Is prayer to Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ is effective only in the inner lives of those who pray? Not exactly, because prayer can make a difference in the lives of others too. The most sincere and meaningful prayer comes from a heart that places its trust in God. Our prayers do make a difference in how God acts in peoples and the world.

"If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the death, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart, you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved. When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask for his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:9-13 -

'For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.' - Acts 2:36 - "Jesus is Lord" is the ultimate Christian creed. A Christian therefore, is a person who confesses Jesus as Lord. After Jesus resurrection and exaltation, Jesus was given the title "Lord" in its full, Apostle/Saint Peter, concluding his address to the crowd in Jerusalem on the "Day of Pentecost" declared: 

"Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know. This man, who was put into your power by the deliberate intention and foreknowledge of God, you took and had crucified by men outside the Law. You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always, for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me. So my heart and my tongue cried out with joy; my body, too, will rest in the hope that you will not abandon my soul to Hades not allow your holy one to experience corruption. You have made known the way of life to me, you will fill me with gladness through your presence." - Acts 2:22-28 -

Hence, on the other hand, the unbeliever, in God has every reason to be worry and panic - stricken at thoughts of God, for he and she stands condemned before Him. And yet, this kind of fear of God does not often lead to sincere repentance. It normally leads to a feeble attempt to hide from God or worse to a denial of God's existence and His claims on a person's life.

Fear is a feeling of reverence, awe and respect, or an unpleasant emotion caused by a sense of danger. Fear may be directed toward God or people, and it may be either good and healthy or harmful. A healthy fear is term as 'reverence or respect'. For instance, children are to respect their parents. It is a valid affirmation that "the fear of God is the beginning of divine knowledge" as well as "the beginning of divine wisdom". A harmful fear is a sense of terror or dread. Believers, in God are instructed not to fear human beings because they cannot ultimately harm us. Wicked and evil people, however are constantly fearing other people, especially the righteous and the holy. Such fear causes them to act deceitfully and diabolic in an attempt to hide their sins.

Saint Paul, in fact, explicitly affirming "Jesus is Lord" in all his epistles, that is, addressing and calling Christ Jesus: "The Lord Jesus Christ." Because Apostle/Saint Paul, and all the apostles knew that when human beings honor Jesus as "Lord," God, the Father is glorified. "It is for that reason that I want you to understand that on the one hand no one can be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit and say, 'Curse Jesus,' and on the other hand, no one can say, "Jesus is Lord" unless he/she is under the influence of the Holy Spirit." - 1 Corinthians 12:3 -

In the ancient world, and even today, God favoured His people by revealing Himself by many names which offered insight into His love. One of the names for God in the Old Testament is "Yahweh". The four letter Hebrew word "YHWH" was the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. The divine name "Yahweh" is usually translated "Lord" in English versions of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible because it became a practice in late Old Testament Judaism not to pronounce the sacred name "YHWH" but to say instead "my Lord" (Adonai) a practice still used today. From the New Testament times, many Christians use the word "Yahweh" that is, "Lord."

Yahweh's oracle to you, my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand
and I will make your enemies a footstool for you. - Psalms 110:1 -

"While the Pharisees were gathered round, Jesus put to them this question, 'What is your opinion about the Christ? Whose son is he? 'David's' they told him. 'Then how is it' he said 'that David, moved by the Spirit, calls him Lord, where he says:
                                   
                                    The Lord said to my Lord:
                                    Sit at my right hand
                                           and I will put your enemies
                                    under your feet? 

'If David can call him Lord, then how can he be his son? Not one could think of anything to say in reply, and from that day no one dared to ask Jesus any further questions. - Matthew 22:41-46 - 

For David himself never went up to heaven; and yet these words are his:

                                           The Lord said to my Lord:
                                    Sit at my right hand
                                    until I make your enemies
                                    a footstool for you.

Christ Jesus has his place at the right of the throne of divine Majesty in the heavens, and he is the minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tent of Meeting which the Lord, and not any man, set up. - Hebrews 8:2 - 

Here the word "Lord" is used both for God and the messianic King, that is, Christ Jesus. Indeed, God has made Jesus, the only begotten Son, both Lord and Christ. Hence, the two "Lords" God and Jesus Christ are distinguished from each other but not separated. In fact, in the New Testament times, the Lordship of Christ Jesus theologically has been used and put into practices.

The Christians conviction, from the outset, that Jesus was the Messiah. He was also "Lord", a term that carried greater meaning than it might have for most people today. It indicated that Jesus Christ was exalted, for the word "Lord" was generally reserved for God or for those associated with divinity - God himself. To call Jesus Christ "Lord" as writers of the New Testament did repeatedly indicated that He was closely associated with God and came as His envoy. As David says of him:
 

                                I saw the Lord before me always,

                                for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me.

                                So my heart was glad

                                and my tongue cried out with joy;

                                my body, too, will rest in the hope

                                that you will not abandon my soul to Hades

                                nor allow your holy one to experience corruption.

                                You have made known the way of life to me,

                                you will fill me with gladness through your presence. - Acts 2:25-28 -

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.

                                         But God raised him high
                                         and gave him the name
                                         which is above all other names
                                         so that all beings
                                  in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
                                         should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
                                         and that every tongue should acclaim
                                         Jesus Christ as Lord,
                                         to the glory of God the Father. - Philippians 2:5-11 -

With references to 'The Gospel According To Saint John' especially in chapter 11, chapter 13 and chapter 20. In chapter 11, Jesus did not stopped and ignored Mary and Martha by calling and addressing Him, "Lord." Consequently, apostle Peter in chapter 13, also called and addressed Jesus: "Lord" but this time the Lord Jesus Christ affirming and acknowledging that, indeed, He is "Lord" even before His resurrection. Thus, Jesus Christ is true man and true God. But in chapter 20, apostle Thomas called Jesus, and affirming Jesus: "My Lord and my God!"

There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he is ill. It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. The sisters sent this message to Jesus, 'Lord, the man you love is ill.' - John 11:1-3 -

'Your brother' said Jesus to her 'will rise again.' Martha said, 'I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.' Jesus said:

'I am the resurrection.
If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,
and whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Do you believe this?'

'Yes, Lord,' she said 'I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.' - John 11:24-27 -

Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.' 'Where have you put him?' They said, 'Lord, come and see.' - John 11:32, 34 -

Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.' 'Then, Lord,' said Simon Peter 'not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!' - John 13:6, 8-9 - You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet. - John 13:13-14 -

'Peace be with you' Jesus said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!' - John 20:27-28 -

Finally, the Lord Jesus Christ, perhaps, plainly tell, and teaches us, the believers, followers, faithful, how to inherit eternal life. That is, by pleasing God. Of course, in words and good deeds, too. Sadly to share the appended below which it is the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ, which many either ignored, skipped, pretend, and think otherwise, mainly because of pride and narcissism, and it is always the case to many. That is, arguing and justifying on it as well.

Perhaps, it is better to read the "Word of God" intently and, at the same time, seek help from God, that is, to help us to remove our stubbornness, and to enable us to comprehend 'His Word' and open up our heart, soul, and mind to Him. So that, the grace and peace of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon us, Who is able to rescue and save us from this present wicked world. It is because the Lord Jesus Christ always taught with authority. Indeed! "The Lord Jesus Christ said: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." - Matthew 28:18 -

'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say? 'Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He is like the man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!' - Luke 6:46-49 -

'It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord", who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?"' Then, I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you: away from me, you evil men!'

'Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!' - Matthew 7:21-27 - Isaiah 29:13-14 - James 2:14-26 - 1 John 3:18-20 - Luke 13:22-30 -

The other bridesmaids arrived later. "Lord, Lord," they said "open the door for us." But Jesus replied, "I tell you solemnly, I do not know you." So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour. - Matthew 25:11-13 -

The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God's doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord. - 1 Corinthians 1:29-31 -

Shall we expect another Christ? (Messiah?) That is the question asked in the midst of disappointments and loneliness. No person at all times lives up to his or her highest level. Saints often fail in that very grace which was their most striking characteristic. In the Old Testament, for example, Moses in his meekness, smashed the tablets of the Law; Elijah, failed in his courage, when he ran from Jezebel. In the New Testament, Peter in his intense love, when he denied the Lord Jesus Christ; John the Baptist had heard in prison the works of Christ Jesus, but he also heard how the Lord Jesus Christ ate with publicans and sinners.

"Moses made his way back down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, tablets inscribed on both sides, inscribed on the front and of the back. These tablets were the work of God, and the writing on them was God's writing engraved on the tablets. As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the groups dancing, Moses' anger blazed. He threw down the tablets he was holding and broke them at the foot of the mountain. He seized the calf they had made and burned it, grinding it into powder which he scattered on the water; and he made the sons of Israel drink it." - Exodus 32:15-20 -

"When Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had put all the prophets to the sword, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, 'May the gods do this to me and more, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the life of one of them!' Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He came to Beersheba, a town of Judah, where he left his servant. Elijah himself went on into the wilderness, a day's journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. 'Yahweh' he said 'I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' Then Elijah lay down and went to sleep." - 1 Kings 19:1-4 -

"Simon Peter said, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus replied, 'Where I am going you cannot follow me now; you will follow me later.' Peter said to Jesus, 'Why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' 'Lay down your life for me?' answered Jesus. 'I tell you most solemnly, before the cock crows you will have disowned me three times." - John 13:36-38 -

Simon Peter, with another disciple, followed Jesus. This disciple, who was known to the high priest, went with Jesus into the high priest's palace, but Peter stayed outside the door. So the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who was keeping the door and brought Peter in. The maid on duty at the door said to Peter. 'Aren't you another of that man's disciples?' Peter answered, 'I am not.' Now it was cold, and the servants and guards had lit a charcoal fire and were standing there warming themselves; so Peter stood there too, warming himself with the others. - John 18:15-18 -

As Simon Peter stood there warming himself, someone said to him, 'Aren't you another of his disciples?' Peter denied it saying, 'I am not.' One of the high priest's servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, 'Didn't I see you in the garden with him?' Again Peter denied it; at once a cock crew. - John 18:25-27 -

Likewise, ordained priests, (included: Bishops and Cardinals) laity and those whom God loves, frustrated in what they believed to be their mission to identify the Lord Jesus Christ, ask for 'another Christ.' The same true of His Mystical Body: "Are you the Church founded on the Rock, or shall we look for another?" Shall we accept what has endured, or shall we look for "another." Truly, the Lord Jesus Christ knew as God what John the Baptist's design and thought was, and Christ Jesus put it into his hearts to send the messengers when He was working miracles. The Lord Jesus Christ true answer to John the Baptist's doubts and questions:

"Then Jesus gave the messengers their answer, 'Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me." - Luke 7:22-23 -

And happy is the man who does not lose faith in me. - Luke 7:23 - Paraphrase: "And happy is the man who does not find me a stumbling block." This sound easier to comprehend. It was evident that John the Baptist was thinking the Kingdom of God "comes with observation" instead of through a slow, quiet stage of leaf and bud and full grown fruit. To paraphrase the Lord Jesus Christ answer: It is because God, I do not follow your method, way, and thought that I am He. Your method, way, thought was drastic, uncompromising, prejudice and judicial. You are expecting God to act now instead, the way God will act at the end of time and at the appropriate time, when God will sent down fire from heaven and consume them, and thrown them alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur.

When the Lord Jesus Christ come into the threshing floor I see not only wheat but human chaff that can be salvaged and saved. Bring to Me sinners and those who want to be save, and I will make them think of My Passion rather than their passions; lead to Me those who believed God is dead, and I will show them how dead they were by bringing them to life. I shall not break prison bars, but shall teach prisoners to be resigned to My will, for I, too, shall be in prison. I shall not shorten the life of 'old fogey' - people who bore everyone - but I shall teach them how I have been bored with them, yet love them just the same.

The seeming heedlessness of My divine power is never loveless, never an unwise delay. The faith and love I require is not when there is money in the bank, but when there is bankruptcy. The evidence that I am He is not so much in what meets the eye, but when people in their hearts feel the need of God.

"Happy the one who does not find me a stumbling block." - Luke 7:23 -
"Happy the one who does not lose faith in me." - Luke 7:23 -

Grace is one of the key attributes of God. Grace is a gift given by God, and is a favour or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves. The Lord God is "merciful and gracious, patience and abounding in goodness and truth". Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion and patience as the source of help and with deliverance from distress. - Exodus 34:6-9 -

THE UNIVERSAL/CATHOLIC CHURCH IS THE BODY of Christ Jesus, composed of the many millions or billions of individuals who have been incorporated to it by the SEVEN SACRAMENTS that is: Baptism, and governed by the invisible head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the visible head, the Vicar of Christ on earth. But a body and a head are not sufficient to constitute the Mystical Christ as the Church. The Church must also have a soul as the principle of its life and its unity. That soul is the Holy Spirit.

And since it is the Holy Spirit that makes the Body, the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ has been contemporaneous with the centuries. When, therefore, we in the twenty-first century wish to know about Jesus Christ, about his early Church, about history, or know Him and His Church, we go not only to the dusty records but to the living Church. - The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church - AMEN!

-     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!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

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 - 

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 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.