Apostle Apollos's is a learned and eloquent Jew from Alexandria in Egypt and influential leader in the early Church. Well-versed in the Old Testament, Sacred Scripture, apostle Apollos was a disciple of John the Baptist and 'taught accurately the things of the Lord.' However, while he knew some of Jesus' teaching, 'he knew only the baptism of John the Baptist.'

"While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?" they answered, 'No, we were never even told there was such things as a Holy Spirit.' 'Then how were you baptized? he asked, 'With John's baptism' they replied. 'John's baptism' said Paul 'was a baptism of repentance ; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him - in other words Jesus'." - Acts 19:1-4 -

An Alexandrian Jew named Apollos now arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John the Baptist. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak boldly in the synagogue, they took an interest in him and gave him further instruction about the Way.

When Apollos thought of crossing over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote asking the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived there he was able by God's grace to help the believers considerably by the energetic way he refuted the Jews in public and demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. - Acts 18:24-28 -

In Corinth, apostle Apollos publicly contended with the Jewish leaders and refuted their objections to Christian teaching. He was apparently quite popular in Corinth, for  in 1Corinthians Saint Paul wrote about apostle Apollos: "All the same, I do appeal to you, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe's people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: 'I am for Paul', 'I am for Apollos', 'I am for Cephas', .I am for Christ.' Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? - 1Cor. 10-13 -

Brothers, I myself was unable to speak to you as people of the Spirit: I treated you as sensual men, still infants in Christ. What I fed you with was milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it; and indeed, you are still not ready for it since you are still unspiritual. Isn't that obvious from all the jealousy and wrangling that there is among you, from the way that you go on behaving like ordinary people? What could be more unspiritual than your slogans, 'I am for Paul' and 'I am for Apollos'?

After all, what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters; only God, who makes things grow. It is all one who does the planting and who does the watering, and each will duly be paid according to his share in the work. We are fellow workers with God; you are God's farm, God's building.

By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations on which someone else is doing the building. Everyone doing the building must work carefully. For the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ. On this foundation you can build in gold, silver, and jewels, or in wood, grass and straw, but whatever the material, the work of each builder is going to be clearly revealed when the day comes. That day will begin with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If his structure stands up to it, he will get his wages; if it is burnt down, he will be the loser, and though he is saved himself, it will be as one who has gone through fire.

Didn't you realise that you were God's temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are the temple.

Make no mistake about it: if anyone of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As scripture says: The Lord knows wise men thoughts: he knows how useless they are; or again: God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise. So there is nothing to boast about in anything human. Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life and death, the present and the future, are all your servants; but you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God. - 1Cor. 3:1-23 -

We who are strong have a duty to put up with the qualms of the weak without thinking of ourselves. Each of us should think of his neighbours and help them to become stronger Christians. Christ did not think of himself: the words of scripture - the insults of those who insult you fall on me - apply to him. And indeed everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scriptures gives how people who did not give up were helped by God. And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Rom. 15:1-6 -

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 persons 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. - Phil. 2:1-6 -

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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 -

A mediator usually is a neutral party, a go-between, intermediary, or arbitrator who brings about reconciliation in a hostile situation when divided persons are not able to work out their differences themselves. It is also one who goes between two groups or persons to help them work out their differences and come to agreement.

A mediator can also be the negotiator of an agreement. After the agreement is made, he can then witness to its content and serve as the administrator or guarantor to make sure its provisions are followed. A mediator needs legal authority and recognized power to function effectively.

The concept of mediation is found throughout Sacred Scripture, but the actual term, mediator, seldom appears. The Hebrew verb meaning "to decide" is used in the sense of mediation. "What is my offense, what is my crime that you have set on me? You have gone through all my belongings; have you found anything belonging to your House? Produce it here in the presence of my brothers and yours, and let them decide between the two of us. - Gen. 31:37 -

Later in the Jewish history the usage of mediation became associated with the office of the priest, who stands between God and man in spiritual matters. The term was also applied to the prophet, who serves as intermediary in giving God's word to man, and the king, who serves as mediator administrator between God and men in government. These officers discharged their duties against the background of God's Covenant with men expressed in the Law.

The central role of the Covenant made Moses the supreme mediator in the Old Testament. Moses was the sole human mediator of the Sinai Covenant. And to some extent Moses assumed all three offices during his life. He offered sacrifice, consecrated the priestly house of Aaron, and interceded for the nation. He spoke the word of God as prophet and administered government for the nation. Moses is the figure whom the New Testament compares with the Lord Jesus Christ as Mediator of the New Covenant.

'Speak to us yourself' they said to Moses 'and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.' Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid; God has come to test you, so that your fear of him, being always in your mind, may keep you from sinning.' So the people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was. Yahweh said to Moses, 'Tell the sons of Israel this', You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make gods of silver or gods of gold to stand beside me; you shall not make things like this for yourselves. - Exodus 20:19-23 -

That is why all you who are holy brothers and have had the same heavenly call should turn your minds to Jesus, the apostle and the high priest of our religion. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just like Moses who stayed faithful in all his house; but he has been found to deserve a greater glory than Moses. It is the difference between the honour given to the man that built the house and to the house itself. Every house is built by someone, of course; but God built everything that exists. It is true that Moses was faithful in the house of God, as a servant, acting as witness to the things which were to be divulged later; but Christ was faithful as a son, and as the master in the house. And we are his house, as long as we cling to our hope with the confidence that we glory in. - Heb. 3:1-6 -

From the New Testament perspective, there is ultimately only 'one Mediator between God to man'. Jesus the Messiah. He alone, being fully God, can represent God to man, and at the same time, being fully man, can represent man to God. Jesus alone can bring complete reconciliation because He alone can bring about complete payment for human being's sin and satisfaction of God's wrath. Jesus alone can bring everlasting love, joy, and peace. Remember, we believe that we are saved: through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been placed with the spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant and a blood for purification which pleads more insistently than Abel's. - Heb. 12:24 -

To do what is right, and will please God our saviour: he wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth. For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man. Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a ransom for them all. - 1Tim. 2:4-6 - Acts 15:11; 2Cor. 5:18-20; Eph. 1:7 -

Speaking the words of God, Jesus fulfills the prophetic office. -John 14:24 - As High Priest over the house of God. He sacrificed Himself to secure our redemption and continues to intercede on our behalf. Even our prayers are presented to God "through Jesus mediation" And He is also "Kings of Kings" having "all authority in heaven and on earth." - Rom. 1:8, 8:34; Heb. 3:1-6, 7:25, 9:24, 13:15; 1John 2:1; Matt. 28:18, Phil.2:9-11; Rev. 19:11-16 -

The Christian never need to worry about the certainty of God salvation. The Mediator is able to save to the uttermost those who repented and come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ. "It follows, then, that his power to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him." - Heb 7:25 -

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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 -

Have you ever thought that possibly there might be a higher life than the natural life you live now? I do not mean in the next world, but in this. Did you ever wish that you could know truths beyond the reason, that you could have reserves of power for crises, temptations, and sorrow over and above those you now possess, and that your soul could enjoy peace even in a world at war?

You have no right to say there is no higher life than the physical life you now live, any more that the rose has a right to say there is no life above it. You must remember that above the natural life which you live as a creature of God, there is such a thing as a supernatural life which God gives to make you His adopted son and daughter. You have no strict right to this Divine Life. Just as it would be "supernatural" or above the nature and powers of a rainbow to write poetry, or of a cow to quote Shakespeare, so in the strict sense it would be supernatural for you who are merely a creature of God's handiwork to be made  a partaker of the Divine Nature and an heir of the Kingdom of God. Because that higher life is a free gift of God, it is called grace. Now in His goodness God has freely willed to restore to you the gifts and privileges of that life which were lost to you by the Fall, and this He does through the merits of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

If you thought about religion at all, you probably asked: But how can I contact that Divine Life of Christ who died over 2000 years ago? The answer is: Christ would have to infuse His life into your soul. But how would it be done? Look at nature to see how a lower life is elevated to a higher life. How, for example, do the moisture, the carbons, and the phosphates in the earth ever live in that plant? First, the plant life must descend to them, take them up into its roots and branches, while the chemicals themselves must abandon the crude lifeless state they have in nature. If the plant could speak, it would say to the chemicals: "Unless you die to yourselves, you cannot live in my kingdom." Actually, the sunshine, chemicals, and moisture now begin to thrill with life and vitality in the plant. They have been, in the broad sense of the term, "super naturalized."

If the animal could speak, it would say to the plants: "Unless you die to your lower life of mere vegetation and submit yourselves momentarily to the jaws of death, you cannot live in my kingdom. But once you live in me, you will share a life that not merely vegetates, but feels and moves and tastes and sees."

Man in his turn, going down to that which is lower, says to the animals" "Unless you die to yourselves by submitting to sacrificial death, you cannot live in my kingdom. But if you die to yourselves, you will share a life that is not merely sensible, but one that thinks and loves, has ideals, laughs and is artistic."

This is precisely what Christ says to you: "Unless you die to yourself, you cannot live in My Kingdom" - but with this difference: Since we are persons, which chemicals, plants and animals are not, the sacrifice enjoined on us is not physical, but spiritual. We do not have our personality destroyed, as a plant's nature is destroyed when taken into the beast. But otherwise the law holds good. The higher must come down to the lower; the Divine must descend into the human. Such was the Incarnation: God came down to man.

But on the other hand, man must die to his sinful nature, his old Adam, his heritage of the Fall, and this he can do only by sacrifice, by taking up "his cross daily" and following Him. This is what Our Lord meant when He said: "If the grain of wheat that falls to the ground does not die, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit." - John 12:24 - The law of transformation holds sway: chemicals are lifted into plants, plants into animals, animals into man, and since man is free, he can will, through the Graciousness of God, to be lifted up into Christ, so that he can say: "I live, now not I; but Christ lives in me." - Gal.2:20 - God came down to the level of man that He might in some way lift man to the level of God.

Now let us consider the normal ways in which that Life is communicated to us. Remember that the individual derives His life from the ecclesia or the Church; but the Church does not derive its life from the individual, as is the case with a club, a school, or a corporation. As no cell can live normally apart from your body, though your body can live without any individual cell, so you as a Christian cannot live a normal spiritual life apart from Christ's Body, the Church, but the Church can live without you.

Hence it is from the Church or Christ's Body that Christ's life pours out into your soul. And in order that the outpouring from that great Reservoir of merits on Calvary should not be haphazard, Our Lord instituted seven channels or Sacraments to convey that Life into your souls. Knowing that you have a body as well as a soul, He chose not to communicate His Divine Life to you invisibly. But since men are physical as well as spiritual, He willed normally to give you His supernatural life or grace under the symbol of some material sign.

Thus by seeing water you would know something was being washed away, and by seeing bread you would know something was being nourished. Furthermore, by using these sensible signs for communicating His Spiritual Life, God restores the materials of a chaotic world back again into the divine order. How many Sacraments are there? There are seven and it is becoming that there should be seven, for there are seven conditions of life, physical and spiritual. Five of these refer to the individual life of man, and two refer to his social life.

1. - As you cannot live a natural life unless you are born, so neither can you live the Christ-life unless you are born to it. That is why the Sacrament of Baptism is necessary for salvation.

2. - As your natural life must grow to maturity and assume responsibilities, so you cannot lead a perfect supernatural life unless you mature in the Spirit and grow into the full responsibilities of being a Christian soldier. This is the Sacrament of Confirmation.

3. - As you cannot live a natural life unless you nourish yourself, so you cannot lead a supernatural life unless you nourish the Divine Life which is already within you. This is the Holy Eucharist.

4. - When you wound your natural life you must be healed; when you wound your supernatural life by sin you must be absolved, and that is the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation or Confession.

5. - If your natural life suffers from a disease, the traces of that disease must be banished. Since no disease ever leave traces comparable to the disease of sin, it follows that before meeting your God the remains of sin must be blotted out. That is the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick or Extreme Unction.

But you are not mere individuals in religion. You are members of the Body of Christ. In order that this spiritual corporation may perfect itself, and grow, two more conditions must be fulfilled.

6. - As the natural life is preserved by propagation of the human species, so the supernatural life of the Kingdom of God is perfected by raising children of God. That is the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.

7. - Finally, as your natural life must be lived under law and government, so your supernatural life must be lived under spiritual government, and this is the Sacrament of Holy Orders by which Christ's priesthood is prolonged to apply the fruits of law and order to all the members of His Mystical Body.

Christianity is not a system of ethics; it is a life. It is not good advice, it is Divine adoption. Being a Christian does not consist in being kind to the poor, generous to relief agencies, just to employees, gentle to cripples, though it includes all of these. It is first and foremost a love relationship, and as you can never become a member of a family by doing generous deeds, but only by being born into it out of love, so you can never become a Christian by doing good things but only by being born to it through Divine Love.

Doing good things to a man does not make you his son/daughter, but being a son and daughter does make you do good things. Christianity begins with being, not with doing with life and not with action. If you have the life of a plant you will bloom like as plant; if you have the life of a monkey, you will act like a monkey; if you have the life of a man, you will do the things a man does; but if you have the Life of Christ in you, you will act like a Christian. You are like your parents because you partake of their nature; you are like God if you partake of His Nature. What a man does is the externalization of what he is.

Let me show you the difference: Most people have their actions governed by their background; for example, you think a certain way in order to defend your class or your wealth or your want of it; you do certain things because they are profitable or pleasant to you; you hate certain people because they are a reproach to your conscience or because they challenge your egotism. Your psycho-physical make-up is the center of your life and therefore of your actions. You are, in a word, self-determined. Now to be a Christian means to discard self as the supreme determinant of actions; it means to put on the mind of Christ so as to be governed by Christ's Truths, to surrender your will to His Will, and to do all things that are pleasing to Him, not to you. In other words, your life instead of being self-determined is Christ-determined.

How often we hear non-Christian people say: "Oh, you can do nothing with him. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." But the Christian answers: "You can! If God's grace ever gets into that man's soul, he will become a new creature."

You then who are Christians, who know that the Divine Life is in your soul, be conscious that your every word, thought, and deed is enacted before a Divine Audience. Let the Christ be the Unseen Guest at your every meal; your Divine Host in every visit; your Captain in every war; your Fellow-Worker in every task; your Father in every home; your Giver of every gift; the Listener in your conversation; your Companion in every walk; your Visitor at every knock; your Neighbor in every street; your Owner of every treasure; and your Lover in every love.

Do not fear God with a servile fear, for perfect love casts out such fear. Be bold enough then to believe that God is on your side, even when you forget to be on His. Live your life not by law, but by love. As Saint Augustine of Hippo put it: "Love God and then do whatever you please. "For if you love God, you will never do anything to hurt Him or break off relationship with Him - and then you will always be happy.

BY ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN  ( 1895 to 1979 )

                                                                   Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

From the beginning, Jesus associated his disciples with his own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to them and gave them a share in his mission, joy and sufferings. Jesus spoke of a still more intimate communion between him and those who follow him: "Abide in me, and I in you...I am the vine, you are the branches. And he proclaimed a mysterious and real communion between his own body and ours: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. - CCC 787 - Mark 1:16-20, 3:13-19; Matt. 13:10-17; Luke 10:17-20, 22:28-30; John 15:4-5, 6:56 -

When his visible presence was taken from them, Jesus did not leave his disciple orphans. He promised to remain with them until the end of time; he sent them his Spirit. As a result communion with Jesus has become, in a way, more intense: "By communicating his Spirit, Christ mystically constitutes as his body those brothers of his who are called together from every nation. - CCC 788 - John 14:18, 20:22; Matt. 28:20; Acts 2:33 -

The comparison of the Church with the body casts light on the intimate bond between Christ and his Church. Not only is she gathered around him; she is united in him, in his body. Three aspects of the Church as the Body of Christ are to be more specifically noted: the unity of all her members with each other as a result of their union with Christ; Christ as head of the Body; and the Church as bride of Christ. - CCC 789 -

Believers who respond to God's word and become members of Christ's Body, become intimately united with him: "In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification." This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ's death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which "really sharing in the body of the Lord... we are taken up into communion with him and with one another. - CCC 790 - Rom. 6:4-5; 1Cor. 12:13 -

The body's unity does not do away with the diversity of its members: In the building up of Christ's Body there is engaged a diversity of members and functions. There is only one Spirit, who, according to his own richness and the needs of the ministries, gives his different gifts for the welfare of the Church. The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the faithful: From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honoured, all the members together rejoice. Finally, the unity of the Mystical Body triumphs over all human divisions: For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - CCC 791 - 1Cor. 12:26; Gal.3:27-28 -

Christ "is the head of the body, the Church." He is the principle of creation and redemption. Raised to the Father's glory, "in everything he [is] preeminent" especially in the Church, through whom he extends his reign over all things. - CCC 792 - Col. 1:18 -

Christ unites us with his Passover: all his members must strive to resemble him,"until Christ be formed" in them. "For this reason we...are taken up into the mysteries of his life,...associated with his sufferings as the body with its head, suffering with him, that with him we may be glorified." - CCC 793 - Gal. 4:19, Phil. 3:21; Rom. 8:17 -

Christ provides for our growth: to make us grow toward him, our head, he provides his Body, the Church, the gifts and assistance by which we help one another along the way of salvation. - CCC 794 - Col. 2:19; Eph. 4:11-16 -

                                                                    Page 1

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

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

Sunday, May 24, 2009

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

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

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

Tree of Knowledge is one of the two special trees planted by God in the Garden of Eden. The other was the Tree of Life. "Yahweh God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden." - Gen. 2:9 - Since the tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolized the all-powerful nature of God, its fruit was forbidden to Adam and Eve.

"Then Yahweh God gave the man this admonition, 'You may eat indeed all the trees in the garden. Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die.'" - Gen. 2:16-17 -

But the tempter suggested to them that, by adding to their knowledge, the tree's fruit would make them "as gods". So they chose to disobey God. This act of rebellion marked the entrance of sin into the world.

"The serpent was the most subtle of all wild beasts that Yahweh God had made. It asked the woman, 'Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?' The woman answered the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, "You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death." Then the serpent said to the woman, 'No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil. The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. - Gen. 3:1-6 -

The result was quite different than Adam and Eve expected. Instead of gaining superior knowledge that made them equal with God, they gained awareness or knowledge of their guilt, shame and condemnation.

Tree of Life is the tree in the Garden of Eden that bestowed continuing life. - Gen. 2:9, 17, 3:1-24 - Before Adam and Eve sinned, they had free access to the tree of life; after their act of rebellion, two Cherubim guarded the way to its fruit. Adam and Eve inability to eat from this tree after their sin showed that they failed to gain immortality or eternal life. Because of their sin, they were subject to death and dying. This condition lasted until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who offers eternal life to all who believe in Him, to love the Lord, your God with all their soul, heart, mind and strength.

All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower. - John 1:4-5 -

'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.
Not that anybody has seen the Father,
except the one who comes from God:
he has seen the Father.

I tell you most solemnly,
everybody who believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Yours fathers ate the manna in the desert
and they are dead;
but this is the bread that comes down from heaven,
so that a man may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.
Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I shall give
is my flesh, for the life of the world.' - John 6:44-51 -

We accept the testimony of human witnesses,
but God's testimony is much greater,
and this is God's testimony,
given as evidence for his Son.
Everybody who believes in the Son of God
has this testimony inside him;
and anyone who will not believe God
is making God out to be a liar,
because he has not trusted
the testimony God has given about his Son.

This is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life
and this life is in his Son;
anyone who has the Son has life,
anyone who does not have the Son does not have life. - 1John 5:9-12 -

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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 -

The word synagogue comes from the Greek sunagoge (literally, "a leading or bringing together") which refers to any assembly or gathering of people for secular or religious purposes. Eventually the term came to refer exclusively to an assembly of Jewish people, i.e. a congregation of Jews for worship or religious study.

The synagogue was a place where local groups of Jews in cities and villages anywhere could gather for the reading and explanation of the Jewish Sacred Scriptures and for prayer. The original emphasis was not on preaching but instruction in the law of Moses.

A distinction must be made between synagogue worship and tabernacle or Temple worship. The tabernacle of Moses' day was enclosed by a fence of curtains. None but the priests dared enter this area. The people brought their animals for sacrifice to the gate of court but could go no further. The later temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod (the Temple of Jesus' day) did have courts or porches where the people could pray or have discussions, but the Temple precincts proper were for the priests only.

Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father who would promptly send more than twelve legions of angels to my defense? But then, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that say this is the way it must be? It was at this time that Jesus said to the crowds, 'Am I a brigand, that you have to set out to capture me with swords and clubs? I sat teaching in the Temple day after day and you never laid hands on me.' - Matt. 26:53-55 -

Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. - Luke 2:46-47 -

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 added to their community those destined to be saved. - Acts 2:46-47 -

In synagogues, on the other hand, the people took part in worship, reading of the Sacred Scriptures, and prayer. By the New Testament times synagogues were very numerous and popular. They became centers of community activity, playing a number of roles. Sometimes they were local courts of justice which could sentence the offender as well as inflict the punishment of scourging. The synagogue was also an elementary school teaching children to read. It was, no doubt, a center of social life for the Jewish community.

Beware of men: they will hand you over to Sanhedrin and scourge you in their synagogues. - Matt. 10:17 -

Serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape being condemned to hell? This is why, in my turn, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes: some you will slaughter and crucify, some you will scourge in your synagogues and hunt from town to town. - Matt. 23:33-34 -

The Jewish captives in Babylon did not have a temple or an altar, but they longed for communion with God. This longing is clearly reflected in the Book of Psalm 137 and Book of Daniel chapter 9. It was only natural for them to meet in local groups for prayer and the reading of the Sacred Scriptures. When the Jews returned to their land, Ezra, the scribe promoted the reading of the Law and prayer in the Book of Nehemiah chapter 8.

But Zerubbabel had rebuilt the Temple, giving the Palestinian Jews a worship center. Many Jews, however, lived in Persia (Book of Esther) and others had fled to many countries. By about 300 B.C. a large community of Jews lived in Alexandria, Egypt. A marble slab found near Alexandria bears an inscription dedicating a synagogue to Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt from 246-221 B.C. and his queen Berenice. This is the first solid evidence of a true synagogue. Within Palestine the oldest known synagogue is the one uncovered at Herod's palace fortress on the rock of Masada near the Dead Sea, built 36-30 B.C.

In Jesus' day, however, synagogues were common even in the villages. They must have been well established with the customary officials and order of worship.

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him. He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read............When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. Luke 4:14-28 -

On his return Jesus was welcomed by the crowd, for they were all there waiting for him. And now there came a man named Jairus , who was an official of the synagogue. - Luke 8:40-41 -

Saint Paul found synagogues in cities throughout the Roman Empire. Damascus - Acts 9:2 - Salamis - 13:5 - Antioch in Pisidia - 13:14 - Iconium - 14:1 - Thessalonica - 17:1 - Berea - 17:10 - Athens - 17:16-17 - Ephesus - 19:1, 8 - This shows that the synagogues had existed for a long time.

Synagogue worship has influenced the Christian worship. The earliest Christians were Jews. Therefore, Church worship followed the synagogue pattern with Sacred Scripture reading, prayer, and a sermon. In Jewish tradition, an assembly of noted rabbis called together by scribe Ezra or beginning with him. This group supposedly determined what books belonged to the Old Testament. They also originated the prayers and benedictions used in synagogue worship. - Nehemiah chapter 8 to chapter 10 -

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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 -

When Jesus prays he is already teaching us how to pray. His prayer to his Father is the theology path [the path of faith, hope and love] of our prayer to God. But the Gospel also gives us Jesus' explicit teaching on prayer. Like a wise teacher he takes hold of us where we are and leads us progressively toward the Father. Addressing the crowds following him, Jesus builds on what they already know of prayer from the Old Covenant and opens to them the newness of the coming Kingdom. Then he reveals this newness to them in parables. Finally, he will speak openly of the Father and the Holy Spirit to his disciples who will be the teachers of prayer in his Church. - CCC 2607 -

From the "Sermon on the Mount" onward, Jesus insists on "conversion of heart": reconciliation with one's brother before presenting an offering on the altar, love of enemies and prayer for persecutors, prayer to the Father in secret, not heaping up empty phrase, prayerful forgiveness from the depths of the heart, purity of heart and seeking the Kingdom before all else. This filial conversion is entirely directed to the Father. - CCC 2608 - Matt. 5:23-24, 44-45, 6:7, 14-15, 21, 25, 33 -

Once committed to conversion, the heart learns to pray in "faith." Faith is a filial adherence to God beyond what we feel and understand. It is possible because the beloved Son gives us access to the Father. He can ask us to "seek" and to "knock" since he himself is the door and the way. - CCC 2609 - Matt. 7:7-14 -

Just as Jesus prays to the Father and gives thanks before receiving his gifts, so he teaches us "filial boldness": "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you receive it, and you will." Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt: "all things are possible to him who believes." Jesus is as saddened by the "lack of faith" of his own neighbours and the "little faith" of his own disciples as he struck with admiration at the great of the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman. - CCC 2610 - Mark 6:6, 9:23, 11:24; Matt. 8:10, 26, 15:28, 21:22 -

The prayer of faith consists not only in saying "Lord, Lord" but in disposing the heart to do the will of the Father. Jesus calls his disciples to bring into their prayer this concern for cooperating with the divine plan. -CCC 2611 - Matt. 9:38, 21; Luke 10:2; John 4:34 -

In Jesus "the Kingdom of God is at hand." He calls his hearers to conversion and faith, but also to "watchfulness." In prayer the disciple keep watch, attentive to Him Who Is and Him Who Comes, in memory of his first coming in the lowliness of the flesh, and in the hope of his second coming in glory. In communion with their Master, the disciples' prayer is a battle; only by keeping watch in prayer can one avoid falling into temptation. - CCC 2612 - Mark 1:15, 13; Luke 21:34-36, 22:40, 46 -

When Jesus openly entrusts to his disciples the mystery of prayer to the Father he reveals to them what their prayer and ours must be, once he has returned to the Father in his glorified humanity. What is new is to "ask in his name." Faith in the Son introduces the disciples into the knowledge of the Father because Jesus is "the way, and the truth, and the life." Faith bears its fruit in love: it means keeping the word and the commandments of Jesus, it means abiding with him in the Father who, in him, so loves us that he abides with us. In this new covenant the certitude that our petitions will be heard is founded on the prayer of Jesus. - CCC 2614 - John 14:6, 13-14 -

Even more, what the Father gives us when our prayer is united with that of Jesus is "another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. This new dimension of prayer and of its circumstances is displayed throughout the farewell discourse. In the Holy Spirit, Christian prayer is a communion of love with the Father, not only through Christ but also "in him": "Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." - CCC 2615 - John 14:23-26, 15:7, 16, 16:13-15, 23-27 -

Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the lepers, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman) The urgent request of the blind men, "Have mercy on us, Son of David" or "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" has been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the "Jesus Prayer": "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace." - CCC 2616 - Mark 1:40-41, 2:5, 5:28, 36,7:29, 10:48; Luke 7:37-38, 23:39-43; Matt. 9:27 -

                                                                     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 -