The part of a person that thinks and reasons is called Mind. Although the Hebrew language had no word for mind, several Hebrew words are sometimes translated as 'mind'. In the Old Testament, the word for Heart frequently means 'mind'. The word for Soul is sometimes used similarly as is the word for Spirit. - The spirit of Yahweh fell on me and he said to me, 'Say, - Ezek. 11:5 - No Hebrew word is translated as brain in English versions of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible.

And when all these words come true for you, the blessing and the curse I have set before you, if you meditate on them in your heart wherever among the nations Yahweh your God drives you, if you return to Yahweh your God, if you obey his voice with all your heart and soul in everything I enjoin on you today, you and your children. - Deut. 30:1-2 -

And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind; for Yahweh searches every heart and knows every plan it devises. If you seek him, he will let you find him; once forsake him, and he casts you off forever. - 1Chr. 28:9 -

Four separate Greek words account for nearly all instances of "mind" in the New Testament. They all mean much the same thing: understanding, thought, mind, reason. While today we think of a person's mind in a morally neutral way, in the New Testament the mind was clearly thought of as either good or evil. Negatively, the mind may be 'hardened', 'blinded', 'corrupt' and 'debased'. - Men like this defy the truth just as Jannes and Jambres defied Moses: their minds are corrupt and their faith spurious. - 2Tim. 3:8 - In other words, since they refused to see it was rational to acknowledge God, God left them to their own irrational ideas and to their monstrous behaviour... - Rom. 1:28-32 -

Having this hope, we can be quite confident; not like Moses who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not notice the ending of what had to fade. And anyway, their minds had been dulled; indeed, to this very day that the same veil is still there when the old covenant is being read, a veil never lifted since Christ alone can remove it. - 2Cor. 3:12-14 -

If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. - 2Cor. 4:3-4 -

Positively, humans may have minds which are renewed and pure. They may love God with all their minds and have God's laws implanted in their minds. Since Christians have the mind of Christ they are instructed to be united in mind.

Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do. - Rom. 12:2 - 12:16 -

No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive - it is the Lord who speaks. I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. - Heb. 8:10 -

My friends, this is my second letter to you and both of them I have tried to awaken a true understanding in you by giving you a reminder: recalling to you what was said in the past by the holy prophets and the commandments of the Lord and saviour which you were given by the apostles. - 2Peter 3:1-2 - Finally: you should all agree among yourselves and be sympathetic; love the brothers, have compassion and be self-effacing. - 1Peter 3:8 -

As scripture says: Who can know the mind of the Lord, so who can teach him? But we are those who have the mind of Christ. - 1Cor. 2:16 -

The Lord our God is the one Lord and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. - Mark 12:30; Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27 -

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

Sacrament is a formal religious act in which the actions and materials used are the channels by which God's grace is communicated. In short, it is an inner grace of an outward signs.

"Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions and to the consensus...of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were...all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord." - CCC 1114 -

Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries." - CCC 1115 -

Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant. - CCC 1116 - Luke 5:17, 6:19, 8:46 -

As she has done for the canon of sacred Scripture and for the doctrine of the faith, the Church, by the power of the Spirit who guides her "into all truth" has gradually recognized this treasure received from Christ and as the faithful steward of God's mysteries, has determined its "dispensation." Thus the Church has discerned over the centuries that among liturgical celebrations there are seven that are, in the strict sense of the term, sacraments instituted by the Lord. - CCC 1117 - John 16:13; Matt. 13:52; 1Cor. 4:1 -

The sacraments are "of the Church" in the double sense that they are "by her" and "for her". They are "by the Church," for she is the sacrament of Christ's action at work in her through the mission of the Holy Spirit. They are "for the Church" in the sense that "the sacraments make the Church" since they manifest and communicate to men, above all in the Eucharist, the mystery of communion with the God who is love, One in three persons. - CCC 1118 -

Forming "as it were, one mystical person" with Christ the head, the Church acts in the sacraments as "an organically structured priestly community." Through Baptism and Confirmation the priestly people is enabled to celebrate the liturgy while those of the faithful "who have received Holy Orders, are appointed to nourish the Church with the word and grace of God in the name of Christ." - CCC 1119 -

The ordained ministry or ministerial priesthood is at the service of the baptismal priesthood. The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. the saving mission entrusted by the Father to his incarnate Son was committed to the apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person. The ordained minister is the sacramental bond that ties the liturgical action to what the apostles said and did and through them, to the words and actions of Christ, the source and foundation of the sacraments. - CCC 1120 - John 20:21-23; Luke 24:27; Matt. 28:18-20 -

The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders confer, in addition to grace, a sacramental character or "seal" by which the Christian shares in Christ's priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible; it remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church. Therefore these sacraments can never be repeated. - CCC 1121 -

                                                                   Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

Baptism is a means by which God conveys grace. By undergoing this rite, the person baptized receives Remission of sins and is regenerated or given a new nature and an awakened and strengthened faith in Christ. Baptism involves the application of water to the head and body of a person. It is frequently thought of as an act by which believer enters the fellowship of the Church - that the power to convey grace is contained within the sacrament of Baptism . It is not the water but the sacrament as established by God and administered by the Church that produces the change.

Baptism enters the eye to reach and move the heart. The Gospel of John 3:5-6 is important to the advocates of the sacramental view of baptism: Jesus replied: I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God: what is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we became believers or disciples of Christ. There are two baptisms which are mentioned: the baptism of the Holy Spirit - the baptism that brings mercy, forgiveness and life. The baptism of Fire - the baptism that brings judgement, condemnation and death. The baptism of the Holy Spirit belongs to the present age of grace and the baptism of Fire belongs to a future age of judgement.

A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people who were beginning to think that John might be Christ, so John declared before them all, 'I baptise you with water but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out'. - Luke 3:15-17 - Matt. 3:11-12 -

"This bath is called enlightenment because those who receive this [catechetical] instruction are enlightened in their understanding... Having received in Baptism the Word, "the true light that enlightens every man", the person baptized has been "enlightened" he becomes a "son of light" indeed, he becomes "light" himself": Baptism is God's most beautiful and magnificent gift... We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal and most precious gift. It is called gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royals as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God's Lordship. - CCC 1216 - John 1:9; 1Thes. 5:5; Heb. 10:32; Eph. 5:8 -

All Old Covenant prefigurations find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. He begins his public life after having himself baptized by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan. After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you". - CCC 1223 - Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16 -



Our Lord voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of St. John the Baptist, intended for sinners, in order to "fulfill all righteousness" Jesus' gesture is a manifestation of his self-emptying. The Spirit who had hovered the waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation and the Father revealed Jesus as his "beloved Son". - CCC 1224 - Phil. 2:7; Matt. 3:16-17 -

In his Passover Christ opened to all men the fountain of Baptism. He had already spoken of his Passion which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a "Baptism" with which he had to be baptized. The blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the crucified Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of new life. From then on, it is possible "to be born of water and the Spirit" in order to enter the Kingdom of God. - See where you are baptized, see where Baptism comes from, if not from the cross of Christ, from his death. There is the whole mystery: he died for you. In him you are redeemed, in him you are saved. - CCC 1225 - Mark 10:38; Luke 12:50; John 3:5,19:34; 1John 5:6-8 -

From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed Saint Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit". The apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing, pagans. Always, Baptism is seen as connected with faith: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household", Saint Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the narrative continues, the jailer "was baptized at once, with all his family". - CCC 1226 - Acts 2:38, 41, 8:12-13, 10:48, 16:15, 16:31-33 -

According to the Apostle Paul, the believer enters through Baptism into communion with Christ's death, is buried with him and rises with him:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
The baptized have "put on Christ" Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies, justifies and sanctifies. - CCC 1227 - Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:27; 1Cor. 6:11, 12:13 -

Hence Baptism is a bath of water in which the "imperishable seed" of the Word of God produces its life-giving effect. Saint Augustine says of Baptism: "The word is brought to the material element and it becomes a sacrament. - CCC 1228 - 1Peter 1:23; Eph. 5:26 -

                                                                      Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

In all Saint Paul epistles, he writes with affection and the epistle breathes a note of joy throughout. Whether apostle Paul lives or dies, "Christ is preached"; and this results in salvation. Following these reflections, Paul introduces a series of exhortations: to remain faithful in suffering; to remain considerate of others as Jesus Christ was; and to avoid evil and live blamelessly.

The focus of Saint Paul thoughts is the Christ-centered life, the hallmark of which is joy. Paul has surrendered everything to Christ. Christ has laid hold of Paul and Paul's sole passion is to glorify Christ. He longs for his experiences of Christ to be repeated in the lives of everyone. He prays that they will abound in the love of Christ, will lay hold of the mind of Christ and like himself, will know the experience of Christ - His sufferings, death and resurrection.

Because Paul's only motive is to know Him, he shares in the power of Christ and can do all things through Christ, who is his joy and strength. He exhorts Christians to translate their relationship with Christ into daily life by being 'like minded' with Christ or 'setting their minds on Christ'. In the face of opposition, Saint Paul tells them to stand fast with one mind, striving together for the love and faith of the Gospel. He also exhorts the believers to set their mind on the high calling of God in Jesus Christ and to meditate on whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtue and of good deeds. To have the mind of Christ is to see life from Christ's perspective and to act toward other people with the intentions of Christ.

Avoid anything in your everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come to you and see for myself or stay at a distance and only hear about you, I shall know that you are unanimous in meeting the attack with firm resistance, united by your love for the faith of the gospel and quite unshaken by your enemies. This would be the sure sign that they will lose and you will be saved. It would be a sign from God that he has given you the privilege not only of believing in Christ but of suffering for him as well. You and I are together in the same fight as you saw me fighting before and, as you will have heard, I am fighting still. - Phil. 1:27-30 -

This is the Christ whose attitude and intention all believers must share. To be identified with Christ in humility and obedience is the noblest achievement to which anyone can aspire. Saint Paul appealing to the believers to be of "one mind" in Christ and nowhere in the mind of Christ presented to the Christian more strongly that in Philippians 2:1-11 :

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people's interests instead. 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 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. - Phil. 2:1-11 -

                                                                      Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

The evangelist was a gift of God to the early Church and is a person authorized to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. These persons were not attached to any specific local Church. They traveled over a wide geographical area, preaching to those to whom the Holy Spirit led them. The early disciples were also called evangelist because they proclaimed the Gospel.

Those who had escaped went from place to place preaching the Good News. One of them was Philip who went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. - Acts 8:4-6 -

The end of our voyage from Tyre came when we landed at Ptolemais where we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them. The next day we left and came to Caesarea. Here we called on Philip the evangelist. - Acts 21:4-6 -

It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called "Christians". All Christians today may continue the witness of the evangelist, Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, Saint John... As the evangelists spoke and wrote of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, so may Christians bring message to others or one who proclaims good tidings.

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 trials; make the preaching of the Good News your life's work, in thoroughgoing service. - 2Tim. 4:1-5 -

I, 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 baptism and, one God who is Father of 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. - Eph. 4:1-13 -

                                                                      Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

Neighbour refers to a friend, close associate, a country or a person who lives nearby. In the Old Testament, the Abrahamic Covenant established moral obligations among the Israelites. They were commanded to show concern for their neighbours. In the New Testament, Jesus teaches and explained the concept of neighbour to include strangers as well. The apostle Paul declared that 'love your neighbour as yourself' was a supreme commandment.

A person was not to cheat or rob from his neighbours. 'You must not steal nor deal deceitfully or fraudently with your neighbour. Your must not exploit or rob your neighbour. You must not keep back the labourer's wage until next morning'. - Lev. 19:11,13 - The maiming or disfigurement of a neighbour was punishable by 'an eye for an eye' or 'a tooth for a tooth' retribution. Despising one's neighbour was sin as was leading him morally astray or deceiving him, then saying, 'I was only joking'. A person was not even permitted to think evil of his neighbour. - Lev. 24:19-20; Prov. 14:21, 16:29-30, 26:19; Zech. 8:17 -

There was a lawyer who to disconcert him, stood up and said to him, 'Master what must i do to inherit eternal life?' He said to him, 'What is written in the Law? What do you read there?' He replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and, with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself'. 'You have answered right', said Jesus 'do this and life is yours'.

But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour?' Jesus replied, 'A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell in the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. "Look after him", he said "and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have". Which of these three, do you think proved himself a neighbour to a man who fell into the brigands' hands?' 'The one who took pity on him' he replied. Jesus said to him, 'Go, and do the same yourself'. - Luke 10:25-37 -

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments. - Rom. 13:8-10 -

                                                                     Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

In the New Testament, fellowship not only mean sharing things in common with others, it has a distinctly spiritual meaning. Fellowship can be either positive or negative.

The only reason why Christians dare to have fellowship with God, in the sense of sharing things in common with Him, is that He has raised our status through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What believers share in common with God is a relationship as well as God's fellowship with Christ should enjoy fellowship with others believers. This fellowship ought to illustrate the very nature of God Himself. Positively, Christians have fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

When the Advocate (Holy Spirit) comes,
whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father,
he will be my witness.
And you too will be witnesses,
because you have been with me from the outset. - John 15:26-27 -

I have told you all this
so that your faith may not be shaken. - John 16:1 -

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. - Phil. 2:1-2 -

What we have seen and heard
we are telling you
so that you too may be in union with us,
as we are in union
with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
If we say that we are in union with God
while we are living in darkness,
we are lying because we are not living the truth.
But if we live our lives in the light,
as he is in the light,
we are in union with one another. - 1John 1:3,6-7 -

These remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. - Acts 2:42 -

Do not behave in the way that you liked to before you learnt the truth; make a habit of obedience: be holy in all you do since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy. - 1Peter 1:14-15 -

I give you a new commandment:
love one another;
just as I have loved you,
you also must love one another.
By this love you have for one another,
everyone will know that you are my disciples. - John 13:34-35 -

Negatively, believers should not have fellowship with unbelievers. This mean they should not share in unbelievers' sinful lifestyles. This does not completely mean, however, that believers should have nothing to do with unbelievers. The Sacred Scripture/ Holy Bible plainly teaches that Christian are obligated to share the Gospels with unbelievers so that they, through the grace of God, our Lord, may becomes believer as well.

Jesus said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. - Matt. 28:18-20 -

Any constraint that you feel is not on our side; the constraint is in your own selves. I speak as if to children of mine: as a fair exchange, open your minds in the same way. Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team with unbelievers. Virtue is no companion for crime. Light and darkness have nothing in common. Christ is not the ally of Beliar nor has a believer anything to share with an unbeliever. The temple of God has no common ground with idols and that is what we are - the temple of the living God. We have God's word for it: I will make my home among them and live with them; I will be their God and they shall be my people. Then come away from them and keep aloof, says the Lord. Touch nothing that is unclean and I will welcome you and be your father and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Almighty Lord. - 2Cor. 6:12-18 -

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. Do you know what my reward is? It is this; in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me. - 1Cor. 9:16-18 -

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Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
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Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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