Eternal life is the highest quality of life. According to the Apostle/Saint Augustine of Hippo and Apostle/Saint Paul, it is freedom from sin, holiness and a positive relationship with God. This is in contrast to spiritual death, which results from a life of sin. In St. Augustine's classical expression: "These two cities were made by two loves: the earthly city by the love of self unto the contempt of God, and the heavenly city by the love of God unto the contempt of self." (Book 14, c. 28) The earthly city glories in its own power, the heavenly in the power of God.

"When you were slaves of sin, you felt no obligation to righteousness and what did you get from this? Nothing but experiences that now make you blush, since that sort of behaviour ends in death. Now, however, you have been set free from sin, you have been made slaves of God, and you get a reward leading to your sanctification and ending in eternal life. For the wage paid by sin is death; the present given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:20-23 - The meaning of life appears frequently in the Gospel of John.

Christianity is unique among all the religions of the world. Most of them or if not all non-Christian emphasize the life of the founder, but Christianity is based on or about the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not only is the death of Christ absolutely essential to Christianity. So is Jesus Christ Resurrection and Ascension.

It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians'. - Acts 11:26 - In each instance, the word Christian assumes that the person called by the name was an adherent or a follower of Christ. The designation of the early followers of Christ as Christians was initiated by the non-Christian population of Antioch. 

OMNISCIENCE - a theological term that refers to God's superior knowledge and wisdom, His power to know all things. God is the Lord who knows our thoughts from afar. He is acquainted with all our ways, knowing our words even before they are on our tongues.

"Yahweh, you examine me and know me,
you know if I am standing or sitting,
you read my thoughts from far away,
whether I walk or lie down, you are watching,
you know every detail of my conduct.

The word is not even on my tongue,
Yahweh, before you know all about it;
close behind and close in front you fence me around,
shielding me with your hand.
Such knowledge is beyond my understanding,
a height to which my mind cannot attain." - Psalms 139:1-6 -

"The word of God is something alive and active: it cut like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves." - Hebrews 4:12-13 -

"God/He needs to consult no one for knowledge or understanding.
Who could have advised the spirit of Yahweh,
what counsellor could have instructed him?
Whom has he consulted to enlighten him,
and to learn the path of justice
and discover the most skillful ways?" - Isaiah 40:13-14 -

"He is all knowing Lord who prophesies the events of the future, including the death of His Son and the return of Christ at the end of this age when death will be finally overcome." - Isaiah 53 -

Only the all-knowing and all-powerful God can guarantee real freedom from sin, decay and death.

"Yes, even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 -

"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." - 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 -

OMNIPRESENCE - a theological term that refers to the unlimited nature of God or His ability to be everywhere at all times. God is not the manufactured idols which are lifeless and non existence or any hand made objects. God reveals Himself in the origin of the world and of mankind through creation and in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible as the Lord who is everywhere. God was present as Lord in all creation and there is no escaping Him. He is present in our innermost thoughts, even as we are formed in the womb, God knows all the days of our future.

"Where could I go to escape your spirit?
Where could I flee from your presence?
If I climb the heavens, you are there,
there too, if I lie in Sheol.

If I flew to the point of sunrise,
or westward across the sea,
your hand would still be guiding me,
your right hand holding me.

If I asked darkness to cover me,
and light to become night around me,
that darkness would not be dark to you,
night would be as light as day.

It was you who created my inner most self,
and put me together in my mother's womb;
for all these mysteries I thank you:
for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works.

You know me through and through,
from having watched my bones take shape
when I was being formed in secret,
knitted together in the limbo of the womb.

You had scrutinised my every action,
all were recorded in your book,
my days listed and determined,
even before the first of them occurred." - Psalms 139:7-17 -

God sees in secret and rewards in secret, as Jesus taught His disciples; He looks not only on outward actions but especially on the inner attitudes of a person's heart.

"Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing; your alms giving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.

In your prayers do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So you should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test, but save us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:1-13 -

"When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you." - Matthew 6:16-18 - 

"Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moths nor woodworms destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." - Matthew 6:19-21 - 

Because God is the Creator and Sustainer of time and space, He is everywhere. Being everywhere, He is our great Comforter, Friend and Redeemer.

OMNIPOTENCE - a theological term that refers to the all-encompassing power of God. The almighty God expects human beings to obey Him, and He holds them responsible for their thoughts and actions. Nevertheless, He is the all-powerful Lord who has created all things and sustains them by the Word of His power.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there were darkness over the deep and God spirit hovered the water. God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light. God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light 'day', and darkness he called 'night'. Evening came and morning came: the first day. God said 'Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two'. And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the waters above the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault 'heaven'. Evening came and morning came: the second day. God said.......... - Genesis 1, 2-..

"In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower." - John 1:1-5 -

"At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God's and glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name." - Hebrews 1:1-4 -

God reveals that He is all-powerful and in the final sense is the ruler of nature and history. 

"See, the nations are like a drop on the pail's rim, they count as a grain of dust on the scales. See, the islands weigh no more than fine powder." - Isaiah 40:15 - 

Yet, He has so fashioned humankind that He graciously appeals to every person to return to Him.

The narrative of the Tower of Babel appears in - Genesis 11:1-9 - as the climax to the account of early mankind found in Genesis chapter 1 to 11. It is an ancient tower symbolizing man's pride and rebellion that was built during the period after the FLOOD. The geographical setting is a plain in the land of Shinar. - Genesis 11:2 - Shinar probably refers to Babylonia. The tower was constructed of brick, because there was no stone in southern Mesopotamia.

In Genesis 11 is told with irony and with a negative attitude toward the people involved. Men delight in bricks and it is known that these are an inferior substitute for stone. - Isaiah 9:10 - To men the tower is a skyscraper, - Deuteronomy 1:28 - but to God it is so small that He must come down from heaven to catch a glimpse of this tiny effort. The construction of the tower and city is described as an act of self-glorification by the builders. Men seek for their own security in community life and culture, independent of God. This is human initiative apart from God. - Psalms 127:1 - As such, the activity is evil and sinful.

The account moves from a description of a sin to a narration of the punishment. God has to step in to prevent men from seizing yet more power for themselves and going beyond the limits of their creature hood. - Genesis 3:22 - Their communication with each other to advance their efforts is frustrated because they begin to speak different languages. Finally, they abandon the building of the city and go their own way, becoming scattered over the earth. The climax of the story occurs when the city is identified with Babel, the Hebrew name for Babylon. This nation's sophisticated culture and power deliberately excluded God. Just as the Old Testament prophets foresaw the future downfall of Babylon in spite of its glory, - Isaiah 13:19; Revelations 18 - this downfall is anticipated in Genesis 11: the end corresponds to the beginning.

God rejection of the nations symbolized by the Tower of Babel is reversed in - Genesis 12:1-3 - by the call of Abraham, through whom all nations would be blessed. Ultimately the sinful and rejected condition of mankind, which is clearly shown by the diversity of human language and territory described in this account, needed PENTECOST as its answer. On this day the Holy Spirit was poured out on all people so they understood one another, although they spoke different languages. - Acts 2:1-11 - Therefore reconciliation of the Jews and the pagans with each other and with God are possible. The barriers that divide men and nations were thus removed.

Do not forget, then, that there was a time when you who were pagans physically, termed the Uncircumcised by those who speak of themselves as the Circumcision by reasons of a physical operation, do not forget, I say, that you had no Christ and were excluded from membership of Israel, aliens with no part in the covenants with their Promise, you were immersed in this world, without hope and without God. But now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actually destroying in his, own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law.

This was to create one single New Man in himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace through the cross, to unite them both in a single Body and reconcile them with God. In his own person he killed the hostility. Later, he came to bring the good news of peace, peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near at hand. Through him, both of us have in the one Spirit our way to come to the Father.

"So you are no longer aliens or foreign visitors; you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God's household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord, and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit." - Ephesians 2:11-22 - Amen! Amen!

THE CITY OF GOD - By Saint Augustine of Hippo -The real value of this book, then, is not to be found in the help it may offer in solving immediate problems of policy in the world. What it offers us is something far more important. It opens our eyes to the deep and vital view of history which is the Christian and mystical view, the vision of Apostle/Saint Paul and of the Evangelists who knew that Christ had come into the world to "draw all things to Himself" - John 12:32 - and who saw that "all things worked together for the good of them that love God" - Romans 8:28 - because all the good and evil of history, all the prosperity and adversity which come upon the saints in this life serve only to forward the growth of the Mystical Christ "unto a perfect man and unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ." - Ephesians 4:13 -

This eschatological view of history contemplates with joy and running out of the sands of time and looks forward with gladness to the Last Day that will make manifest the full and final glory of the "Whole Christ." The City of God, for those who can understand it, contains the secret of death and life, war and peace, hell and heaven. Amen! Amen!

Saint Augustine traces the history of this divided city of conflict and hate through all history from the fall of Adam to the end of time and even into eternity. But at the same time he contemplates and exposes to our gaze the history of that other City, planned by God to repair the work that Adam's sin could not be allowed to ruin. It was in the "new Adam," Christ, that man was to be raised again to the friendship and vision of God - not indeed the contemplation Adam had enjoyed in Eden, still less the clear vision of beatitude: but heaven was to begin on earth in faith and love/charity. God would be "seen" but only in darkness and man would be united in "one Body" but only at the cost of struggle and self-sacrifice.

The whole of history since the ascension of Jesus into heaven is concerned with one work only: the building and perfecting of this "City of God". Even the wars, persecutions, and all the other evils which have made the history of empires terrible to read and more terrible to live through, have had only this one purpose: they have been the flails with which God has separated the wheat from the chaff, the elect from the damned. They have been the tools that have fashioned the living stones which God would set in the walls of His city of vision.

The difference between the two cities is the difference between two loves. Those who are united in the City of God are united by the love of God and of one another in God. Those who belong to the other city are indeed not united in any real sense: but it can be said that they have one thing in common besides their opposition to God: each one of them is intent on the love of himself above all else.

In St. Augustine's classical expression: "These two cities were made by two loves: the earthly city by the love of self unto the contempt of God, and the heavenly city by the love of God unto the contempt of self." (Book 14, c. 28) The earthly city glories in its own power, the heavenly in the power of God.

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 - 

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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.    

Saint/Apostle Paul is the most influential teacher of Christianity. Paul's was given the opportunity to set forth and explain the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Paul was called to proclaim the Good News to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, he was in the unique position of confronting and answering problems which could be presented by those completely unfamiliar with Jewish traditions. Several themes come through in his writings. "Christ, the Son of God" Apostle Paul knew that the one who appeared to him on the Damascus Road was the risen Christ, counting this as the last of Christ's appearances.

"Well then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; and that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; that he appeared first to Cephas and secondly to the Twelve. Next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died; then he appeared to James and then to all apostles; and last of all he appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.

I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God's grace that is what I am and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. On the contrary, I, or rather the grace of God that is with me, have worked harder than any of the others; but what matter is that I preach what they preach and this is what you all believed." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-11 -

Paul seems to have entertained no doubt of the validity of the appearance or the words "I am Jesus", and you are persecuting me. - Acts 9:5 - Both the appearance and the words validated themselves in his later life. His whole Christian outlook on the world, like the Gospel which he preached stemmed from that revelation of Jesus Christ.

"The fact is, brothers, and I want you to realise this, the Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt through a revelation of Jesus Christ." - Galatians 1:11-12 - One of the source of Paul's concept of the Church may have been the Old Testament principle of regarding a community, nation or tribe as a person to the point where it is named and described as if it were an individual.

"Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, 'Go, return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead'. So Moses took his wife and his sons and putting them on a donkey, started back for the land of Egypt; and Moses took in his hand the staff of God. Yahweh said to Moses, 'Now that you are going back to Egypt, be prepared to perform before Pharaoh all the marvels that I have given you power to do. I myself will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. Then you will say to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh says: Israel is my first-born son. I ordered you to let my son go to offer me worship. You refuse to let him go. So be it! I shall put your first-born to death". - Exodus 4:19-23 - 

Perhaps, the most satisfactory of Paul's concept can be found in the words of the risen Christ who appeared to him on the Damascus Road. "Why are you persecuting me" When any part of the body is hurt, it is the head that complains. Jesus' words may have sown the seed of that doctrine in Paul's mind.

In the New Testament, Saint Paul writes and speaks of the Church as a body. The members of the Church, he said, are as interdependent as the various parts of the human body, each making its contribution in harmony with the others for the good of the whole. Just as a body functions best when all the parts follow the direction of the head, the Church best fulfills its purpose on earth when all the members are subject to the direction of Christ. He is, by divine appointment, 'head over all things to the Church which is His body'. The Spirit of Christ not only dwells within each member but also dwells within the Church as a whole, continually giving His life to the entire body together. The body cannot be thought of without the Spirit.

"He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as a ruler of everything, the Head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation." - Ephesians 1:22-23 -

"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." - Ephesians 4:3-6 -

Jesus' presence with God as His people's representative provides the assurance that their requests for spiritual help are heard and granted. To know that He is there is a powerful incentive for His disciples and followers, that is, by sending of the Holy Spirit to dwell in His peoples. The fulfillment of this promise was announced by Apostle/Saint Peter on the Day of Pentecost. - Acts chapter 2 - No good thing that the Lord Jesus Christ seeks for them is withheld or hold back by the Father, the Almighty God.

The exaltation of Christ is repeatedly presented in the New Testament as the fulfillment of the Old Testament - Psalms 110:1 - "Yahweh's oracle to you, my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand and I will make your enemies a footstool for you'." - This means that Christ Jesus reigns from His present place of exaltation and must do so until all His enemies are defeated and overthrown. Those enemies belong to the spiritual realm: 'The last enemy that will be destroyed is death'

For Jesus must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. - 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 -

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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.

An encounter and experience with God is always a personal event, an answer that is by its nature, a person's free act in response to the gift of Faith, Hope, Love. An age without faith is an age of superstition. Religious belief is so essential to the heart that once it is cast aside, some form is called in to fill the void. Thoughts, Words and Deeds are indeed, the creative force. In fact, our every thinking, doing, and action are the result of our encountered and experienced with God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, the three things that last: Faith, Hope, Love are our spirited virtues. 

Saint Paul's testimony - The Conversion of Saul - Meanwhile Saul was still breathing threats to

slaughter the Lord's [Lord Jesus Christ] disciples. Saul had gone to the high priest and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorise him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men and women, that he could find.

Suddenly, while Saul was travelling to Damascus and just before he reached the city, there came a light from heaven all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' he asked, and the voice answered, 'I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me.' Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.' The men travelling with Saul stood there speechless, for though they heard the voice they could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but even with his eyes wide open he could see nothing at all, and they had to lead him into Damascus by the hand. For three days he was without his sight, and took neither food nor drink.

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

When he heard that, Ananias said, 'Lord, several people have told me about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your saints in Jerusalem. He has only come here because he holds a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your names.' The Lord Jesus Christ replied, 'You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name'. Then Ananias went, He entered the house, and at once laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit'. Immediately it was as though scales fell away from Saul's eyes and he could see again. So he was baptised there and then, and after taking some food he regained his strength. - Acts 9:1-19 -   

Saint Augustine of Hippo 'Confessions' boasting of God's glory are some of the example of God's greater glory. Their testimony, and being the Lord Jesus Christ special witnesses, and their conversion to Christianity are indeed awesome and extraordinary. Thus, in all honesty, I can never be able to systematically or orderly shared and boast about God. Thoughts, Words, and Deeds are indeed, the creative force. In fact, our every thinking, saying, doing, and action are the result of our encountered and experienced with God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the three things that last: Faith. Hope. Love. are our spirited virtues.

In other words, 'Conversion' involves the surrender of emptying oneself, in spirit, body, mind, intellect, and having faith and love in God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Before anyone can fully comprehend or understand why he and she became a Christian convert, he and she is required to testify because the practice of boasting and sharing the joy of one's conversion to Christians has been regarded the tradition. An encounter and experience with God is always a personal event, an answer that is by its nature, a person's free act in response to the gift of Faith, Hope, Love.
       

Historic events or natural phenomenon which appear to violate natural laws and accomplishment that brings laws and accomplishment that brings welcome consequences are refers to 'Miracle.' Miracles in the Old Testament (Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible) are connected especially with the great events in Israel's [Jacob's] history. That is, the call of Abraham, the birth of Moses, the Exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Law, and entry into the promised Land. This miracles are for salvation but God also acts in history for judgement.

The plagues of the Exodus showed God's sovereign power in judgment and salvation. In 

parting the water, God showed His love and protection for Israel as well as His judgment on Egypt for its failure to recognize God. During the wilderness journey, God demonstrated His love and protection in supplying the daily food, 'Manna.' "Another critical period in Israel's history was the time of prophet Elijah, the champion of Israel. Elijah controlled the rain and successfully challenged the pagan priests of Baal." - 1 Kings Chapter 17,18,19 -

In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself as Lord over nature, as Saviour of Israel, and as Judge of the nation's enemies. Miracle, like these were not as frequent during the days of the writing prophets. But one unusual miracle was the recovery of prophet Hezekiah as well as the miracles in Jonah and Daniel. In fact, prophecy itself can even be interpreted as a miracle, and God revealed Himself during this time through the spoken Word.

As with the Old Testament, the New Testament miracles are essentially expressions of God's salvation and glory. Why did Jesus perform miracle? Jesus answered this question Himself. When in prison, John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to see and check if Jesus was "the one who is to come" - Matthew 11:3 - Jesus told them to inform John the Baptist of what He had done: "Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me." - Matthew 11:4-5 -

With these words, Jesus declared that His miracle were the fulfillment of the promises of the Messiah's kingdom as foretold by prophet Isaiah - Isaiah 24:18-19; 35:6; 61:1 - Jesus' miracles were signs of the presence of the kingdom of God. - Matthew 12:39 - This theme of the miracles pointing to the kingdom of God was developed and deepened especially in the Gospel of John. Apostle John presented the miracles of Jesus as 'signs' and 'spiritual truth.' - John 2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-18; 6:1-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-57 -

Every miracle phenomenon or story was a sign that God's salvation was present. But not only did the kingdom come; it came in great power, because the dead were raised and Satan was bound.

Your dead will come to life,
their corpses will rise;
awake, exult,
all you who lie in the dust,
for your dew is a radiant dew
and the land of ghosts will give birth. - Isaiah 26:19 - Luke 7:11-17; 17:11-19 -

Jesus was casting out a devil and it was dumb; but when the devil had gone out of the dumb man spoke, and the people were amazed. But some of them said, 'It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils that he casts out devils.' Others asked Jesus, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? Since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils.

Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil.

He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.

'When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, "I will go back to the home I came from." But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.'

Now as Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, 'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!' But he replied, 'Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!' - Luke 11:14-28 - Mark 3:22-30 - Matthew 12:22-32 -

'Make a tree sound and its fruit will be sound; make a tree rotten and its fruit will be rotten. For the tree can be told by its fruit. Brood of vipers, how can your speech be good when you are evil? For a man's words flow out of what fills his heart. A good man draws good things from his store of goodness; a bad man draws bad things from his store of badness. So I tell you this, that for every unfounded word men utter they will answer on Judgement day, since it is by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words condemned.' - Matthew 12:33-37 -

Witness is used in connection with the distinctively religious message of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. God witnesses to the believer about His assurance of salvation: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. - Romans 8:16 - In other words, a person who loves God and who believes that God has guided his and her life's most important decisions are considered model of God's witnesses. Apostles, prophets, and all those whom God loves are the Lord Jesus Christ special witnesses. However, the command to witness in Acts 1:8 has great implications for all believers.

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 on 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.' - Acts 1:7-8 -

 

** - The Credulity of Unbelief - An age without faith is an age of superstition. Religious belief is so essential to the heart that once it is cast aside, some form is called in to fill the void. Unless the house is tenanted with goodness, seven devils worse than the first come in to dwell there. When minds abandon their concern about final destiny, they substitute for the mystery of what happens after death, the mystery of how someone was murdered. But the mystery there must be. At the end of the twentieth century we find ourselves in a era of superstition in which minds believe everything as fanatics and quacks become shrines of worship and objects of adoration.

Whence came the millions to accept the superstition of Nazism, Fascism and Communism if it were not from an emptiness of soul brought by a loss of faith? The essence of political superstition is the identification of the political and the sacred, as the essence of economic superstition is the Communist identification of the labouring class and Messianism. It was the great boast of the eighteenth century that "God" and "the supernatural" would be exorcised by an exposure to light. But what happened with the rejection of religious faith was the upsurge of political superstitions which came very close to making the world a madhouse.

If there is not one great Face of Love that bends over mankind, its troubled mind will fill it with a thousand horrible masks. When religion is strong, it purges the unconscious mind of all those which psychoanalysis tries to expunge in the soul without faith. Even when psychoanalysis does effect what it calls a "transference" of the mental state, it never appeases the hunger of the soul for something spiritual and beyond self to adore and worship. Faith in a human being is not like sawdust in a doll. You cannot rip it open, shake out the sawdust on a couch, analyze its tree origins, put it back and make a new creature.

The thirsty traveller in the desert who mistakes a mirage for an oasis is superstitious. He has abandoned reason and sees a dream for a reality. So our twentieth century, impatient with its long voyage on the sea of life, after having denied a port and thrown away the compass, has turned clouds into islands and fog-banks into imaginary continents. Denying God, we seem to find it necessary to make gods, not out of gold and silver and clay, but out of science, psychology and economics.

Quite apart from the theology of it, the psychological fact stands out that those who have a deep and profound faith in Christ, the Son of God, are less likely to make unmanly submission to unworthy pretenders. This has been proven in thousands and thousands of cases in which Christian missionaries during times of persecution withstood their persecutors while those without faith succumbed. Freedom from dependence on "phonies" is purchased by loyalty to Truth and Love.

The grave danger of loss of faith is not only that others will arise to insist on dominating us, but that our wills will become so weak and our minds so confused as to insist on giving assent. Two women, after undergoing "brainwashing" in a political prison, were finally released. Both women returned to the relative freedom of their homes and families; in a few weeks they asked their captors to return them to prison because they wanted to be dominated. Superstition manifests itself not only in credulity, but also in servility. Scripture says the "last times" will be characterized by a refusal to endure sound teaching.

Many live under the illusion that their rejection of religious faith is a proof that they are immune from credulity. The truth is that they too accept authority, but it is the vague, vaporous, anonymous authority of "they". "They" are wearing green, and the like. Who are "they"? The person of faith at least knows the One Whose guidance he accepts. Few things are more strange than the eagerness with which many so-called educated people swallow the dicta of a mere human being, and swear by his glory. Great indeed is the void left in the heart by the exile of Christ.

** BY VENERABLE / ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN (1895-1979)

 -     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.  

Paul's declaration to the Roman Jews - Acts 28:23-31 - N. T. -

So they arranged a day with him and a large number of them visited him at his lodgings. Paul put his case to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them about Jesus, arguing from the Law of Moses and the prophets. This went on from early morning until evening, and some were convinced by what he said, while the rest were sceptical. So they disagreed among themselves and, as they went away. Paul had one last thing to say to them. 'How aptly the Holy Spirit spoke when he told your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:

Go to this nation and say: You will hear again but not understand, see and see again, but not perceive. For the heart of this nation has grown coarse, their ears are dull of hearing and they have shut their eyes, for fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by me.

'Understand, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the pagans; they will listen to it.'

Epilogue

Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.

Cf. - Acts 13:15-41; 1:3+; 2:23+; 13:46-47; 13:40 -

Cf. - Isaiah 6:9-10 - O. T. - I answered, 'Here I am, send me'. He said: 'Go, and say to this people, "Hear and hear again, but do not understand; see and see again, but do not perceive". Make the heart of this people gross, its ears dull; shut his eyes, so that it will not see with its eyes, hear with its ears, understand with its heart, and be converted and healed.'

Cf. - Matthew 13:15 - N. T. - The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled: You will listen and listen again, but not understand, see and see again, but not perceive. For the heart of this nation has grown coarse, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, for fear they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed by me.                    

                                                  -  PAGE  142  -                                                                                     

-     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.   

Waiting in Malta - Acts 28:1-10 - N. T. - 

Once we had come safely through, we discovered that the island was called Malta. The inhabitants treated us with unusual kindness. They made us all welcome, and they lit a huge fire because it had started to rain and the weather was cold. Paul had collected a bundle of sticks and was putting them on the fire when a viper brought out by the heat attached itself to his hand. When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand they said to one another, 'That man must be a murderer; he may have escaped the sea, but divine vengeance would not let him live'. However he shook the creature off into the fire and came to no harm. although they were expecting him at any moment to swell up or drop on the spot. After they had waited a long time without seeing anything out of the ordinary happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say he was a god.

In that neighbourhood there were estates belonging to the prefect of the island, whose name was Publius. He received us and entertained us hospitably for three days. It so happened that Publius father was in bed, suffering from feverish attacks and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after a prayer he laid hid hands on the man and healed him. When this happened, the other sick people on the island came as well and were cured; they honoured us with many marks of respect, and when we sailed they put on board the provisions we needed.

Cf. - Mark 16:17-18 - N. T. - These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.

Cf. - Luke 10:19 - N. T. - Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.

Cf. - Acts 14:11 - 

Cf. - Luke 10:9 - N. T. - Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of God is very near to you".

Cf. - Acts 9:12; 5:15-16; 8:7-8 -

Cf. - Luke 4:40-41 - At sunset all those who had friends suffering from diseases of one kind or another brought them to him, and laying his hands on each he cured them. Devils too came out of many people, howling, 'You are the Son of God'. But Jesus rebuked them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. 

Cf. - 1 Timothy 4:14-16 - N. T. - At the moment if writing to you, I am hoping that I may be with you soon; but in case I should be delayed, I wanted you to know how people ought to behave in God's family - that is, in the Church of the living God, which upholds the truth and keeps it safe. Without any doubt, they mystery of our religion is very deep indeed: Jesus was made visible in the flesh, attested by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed to the pagans, believed in by the world, taken up in glory.

From Malta to Rome - Acts 28:11-16 - N. T. - 

At the end of three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island; she came from Alexandria and her figurehead was the Twins. We put in at Syracuse and spent three days there; from there we followed the coast up to Rhegium. After one day there a south wind sprang up and on the second day we made Puteoli, where we found some brothers and were much rewarded by staying a week with them. And so we came to Rome.

When the brothers there heard of our arrival they came to meet us, as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns. When Paul saw them he thanked God and took courage. On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldiers who guarded him.

Paul makes contact with the Roman Jew - Acts 28:17-22 - N. T. -

After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, 'Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you, and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.'

They answered, 'We have received no letters from Judaea about you, nor has any countryman of yours arrived here with any report or story of anything to your credit. We think it would be as well to hear your own account of your position; all we know about this sect is that opinion everywhere condemns it.'

Cf. - Acts 21:21+; 24:14+; 23:29+; 25:11; 26:32; 23:6+; 26:6-8,29 - 

Cf. - Luke 4:43+ - N. T. -

'I must proclaim the Good News of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, because that is what I was sent to do'. And Jesus continued his preaching in the synagogues of Judaea.

Cf. - Acts 17:19-20 ; 24:5,14 - 

                                                    -  PAGE  141  - 

Paul's declaration to the Roman Jew

So they arranged a day .......                 -  PAGE  142  -                                                                                     

 -     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.