Saint Paul's testimony - Acts 9:1-9 - and 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, faith and love to 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 welcome consequences are refers to 'Miracle.' Miracles in the Old Testament 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. These 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.

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" - Matt. 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." - Matt. 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 - 24:18-19; 35:6; 61:1 - Jesus' miracles were signs of the presence of the kingdom of God. - Matt. 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. - Is. 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 him, 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 - Matt. 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.' - Matt. 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. - Rom. 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 -
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Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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

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 -

Many kinds of joy are reported in the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible. Many levels of joy are also described, including gladness, contentment, and cheerfulness. Throughout the Old and New Testament are references to the joy derived under circumstances of oppression too, and the Sacred Scripture also affirms that sharing Christ's suffering is to be a cause of joy. But the joy which the people of God should have is holy and pure. This joy rises above circumstances and focuses on the very character of God. Therefore, this makes it difficult to give a simple definition of joy.

In the Old Testament, Israel always looking forward to the joy that would usher their future deliverance by God. As Sacred Scripture says: For now I create new heavens and a new earth, and the past will not be remembered and will come no more to men minds. Be glad and rejoice for ever and ever for what I am creating, because I now create Jerusalem 'Joy' and her people 'Gladness'. I shall rejoice over Jerusalem and exult in my people. - Isaiah 65:17-19 -

Since God's is giving His own joy over this event. As a result, joy emerges as a dominant aspect of Israel's eschatological (concerned with death, judgment, and the destiny of the soul of humankind) hope.

It is because of the early Christians believed in the Sacred Scripture (Old Testament) Isaiah 7:14 -

The Lord himself, therefore,
will give you a sign.
It is this: the maiden is with child
and will soon give birth to a son
whom she will call Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14, signified the intervened of God's final redemptive act. Thus, all the eschatological joy that Israel had preempted was now connected with the Lord Jesus Christ. The birth of the infant Jesus occasions an outpouring of human and heavenly joy. - Luke 1-2 -

Apparently, in the New Testament, suffering is also considered the most joyous according to Saint Paul and he affirms that sharing Christ's suffering is to be a cause of joy. The joy required of the Christ Jesus like person is produced by the Spirit of God. If you are guided and led by the Spirit of God, no law can touch you because what the Spirit of God brings is love, joy, peace. This kind of joy look beyond the present to our future salvation, and this kind of joy is distinct from mere happiness.

When I was 16 years old till 25 years old, I have had great encountered, and experienced enormous outpouring of joy. For instances, and out of a sudden, I started and began to know how to utilized and comprehend a lot of matters that was unknown to me before. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ! Indeed, "For I am nothing and God makes me into all things that is good."

Today, and in time to come, it is a great joy to me, in the Lord Jesus Christ because there is nothing I cannot master with the help of God, the Lord Jesus Christ who gives me strength, wisdom, courage, and love. Indeed, I have learnt to manage on whatever I have, I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything, anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty.

Through your faith, God's power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have been tested and proved like gold - only it is more precious than gold, which is corruptible even though it bears testing by fire - and then you will have praise and glory and honour. You did not see him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls. - 1 Peter 1:5-9 -

If you can have some share in the sufferings of Christ, be glad, because you will enjoy a much greater gladness when his glory is revealed. - 1 Peter 4:14 -

No one can hurt you if you are determined to do only what is right; if you do have to suffer for being good, you will count it a blessing. There is no need to be afraid or to worry about them. And if it is the will of God that you should suffer, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong. - 1 Peter 3:13-14, 3:17 -

We can boast about God's glory. But that is not all we boast about; we can boast about our sufferings. These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. - Rom. 5:2-5 -

I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not for any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains the hope of being freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God. - Rom. 8:18-21 -

But to tell the truth, even if I distressed you by my letter, I do not regret it. I did regret before, and I see that letter did distress you, at least for a time; but I am happy now - not because I made you suffer, but because your suffering led to your repentance. Yours has been a kind of suffering that God approves, and so you have come to no kind of harm from us. To suffer in God's way means changing for the better and leaves no regrets, but to suffer as the world knows suffering brings death. - 2 Cor. 8-10 -

None of you should ever deserve to suffer for being a murderer, a thief, a criminal or an informer; but if anyone of you should suffer for being a Christian, then he is not to be ashamed of it; he should thank God that he has been called one. - 1 Peter 4:16 -

I thank my God whenever I think of you; and every time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy, remembering how you have helped to spread the Good News from the day you first heard it right up to the present. - Phil. 1:3-5 -

                                                                        Page 5
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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

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 -

God preserves all things through His providence. Without God continual care and activity the world or universe or earth would not exist. God also preserves His people through His providence. Therefore, the doctrine of providence affirms God's absolute lordship over His creature and confirms the dependence of all creation on the Creator.

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

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

This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, which he used to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation. - Eph. 1:20-23 -

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

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

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

However, man is not free to choose and act independently from God's will and God's plan. God chooses and acts in accordance with them. In His sovereignty, God controls man's choices and actions. "Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come closer to me.' When they had come closer to him he said, I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives." - Gen. 45:4-5 - God's actions, however, do not violate the reality of human choice or negate man's responsibility as a moral being.

For the first 27 years of my life I was an atheist or a pagan. I was born in 1962, and I have no knowledge and information about my infancy period until I was 6 years old. By then, through years of hard labours, I came to know, understand and greatly empathized what is abject poverty, humiliation, being abused, violent situation, notorious environment, hunger, that is, sometimes living without food for a day because in order to have food to eat I have to worked, waking up early in the morning, that is, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekend and on weekday, after schooling. I was only 6 years old then, and its continued until I was 15 years old.

Incidentally, I was not living with my family but with my relative. I think this is one of my saddest reminiscence. This is just a small part of the summary because as scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord. This is exactly what I must do. Thus, a brief account where I came from, indicating that God is presence in my life, and indeed, it is considered a blessing from God because I am still alive today. As a result, I believed God preserves all things through His providence.

As it is, I grew up without knowing much about so many things, for example, speaking properly and with mannerism, writing a message or a letter, even speaking in English language is a major obstacle, etc, etc. When I began to know how to think a little, question like, Does God know what it is to suffer? Does God know anything about being born and not knowing who is my father and mother? and many, many others, but now I called it stupid questions because of God, the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, mercy and loving-kindness upon me. For "I am nothing and God make me into all things that is good." Amen!

Yes! God knows! For He is Omnipotence! Omnipresence! Omniscience! In accordance with the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible, God transferred our transgressions, our sufferings, our poverty to Himself and bore them away as the Heavenly Scapegoat. More important still, God overcame them, and the Lord Jesus Christ triumphed by overcoming the pain by giving the earth the only serious wound it ever received - the wound of an empty tomb. ( the Passion, Death, Resurrection )

Brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you - believing anything else will not lead to anything.

Well, then, in the first place, I taught you what I had been taught myself, namely that Christ Jesus 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 the 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 matters is that I preach what they preach, and this is what you all believed.

Now if Christ raised from the dead is what has been preached, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ himself cannot have been raised, and if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless; indeed, we are shown up as witnesses who have committed perjury before God, because we swore in evidence before God that he had raised Christ to life. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised you are still in your sins. And what is more serious, all who have died in Christ have perished. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.

But Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he 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. - Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected to him, so that God may be all in all.

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

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

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

                                                                       Page 4
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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

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 -

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love. - Eph. 4:1-16 -

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

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

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

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

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

'If you make my word your home
you will indeed be my disciples,
you will learn the truth
and the truth will make you free.' - John 8:31-32 -

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

Jesus answered his disciples:
I have told you all this
so that you may find peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but be brave:
I have conquered the world. - John 16:33 -

                                                                        Page 3
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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

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 -

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and above all His indescribable gift, Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, and including eternal life or immortality. Therefore, it is no alien of being empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God. The spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit are: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear Of The Lord. In distinction from 'the fruit of the Holy Spirit' are: Love, Joy, Peace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

The spiritual gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon Christians are for the the purpose of building up the Church and on which will grow to benefit the community, and for the common good. Since these gifts are gifts of grace, their use must be controlled and use in accordance by the principle of "Love." That is, the greatest of all spiritual gifts. The Lord Jesus Christ distributes different gifts to different people just as God chooses.

In short, there are three things that last; Faith, Hope, Love. The greatest of these is "Love." - 1 Cor. 13:13 -

You must want love more than anything else; but still hope for the spiritual gifts as well, especially prophecy. Anybody with the gift of tongues speaks to God, but not to other people; because nobody understands him when he talks in the spirit about mysterious things.

On the other hand, the man who prophesies does talk to other people, to their improvement, their encouragement and their consolation. The one with the gift of tongues talks for his own benefit, but the man who prophesies does so for the benefit of the community. While I should like you all to have the gift of tongues, I would much rather you could prophecy, since the man who prophesies is of greater importance than the man with the gift of tongues, unless of course the latter offers an interpretation so that the church may get some benefit. - 1 Cor. 14:1-5 -

The gift of tongues is very different from the gift of speech. The gift of speech communicate and convey God's messages to people. Therefore, if your tongue does not produce intelligible speech, how can anyone know what you are saying? You will be talking to the air. Now suppose, my dear brothers and sisters, I am someone with the gift of tongues, and I come to visit you, what use shall I be if all my talking reveals nothing new, tells you nothing, and neither inspires you nor instructs you? What happened at the 'Pentecost' was the Holy Spirit came to rest on the head of each of the apostles with the gift of speech. "It is not the gift of tongues." "It is the gift of speech."

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech. - Acts 2:4 -

We must know and understand that the ability to comprehend the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible correctly is given by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will be taken in by people who like grovelling to angels and worshiping them; people like that are always going on about some vision they have had, inflating themselves to a false importance with the worldly outlook. People of this sort is not united to the Almighty God, the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and it is the "Lord" that adds strength and holds the whole body together, with all its joints and sinews, and this is the only way in which it can reach its full growth in God. Amen!

In the light of the grace I have received I want to urge each one among you not to exaggerate his real importance. Each of you must judge himself soberly by the standard of the faith God has given him. Just as each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function, so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other.

Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the alms-givers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.

Do not let your love be a pretend, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care. - Rom. 12:3-13 -

There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose. - 1 Cor. 12:4-7 -

If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it. If one part is given special honour, all parts enjoy it. Now you together are Christ's body; but each of you is a different part of it. - 1 Cor. 12:26-27 -

In the Church, God has given the first place to apostles, the second to prophets, the third to teachers; after them, miracles, and after them the gift of healing; helpers, good leaders, those with many languages. - 1 Cor. 12:28 -

With all these in mind, I am grateful to God for all His blessing and the Lord Jesus Christ blessings to come. Amen! In fact, I have did an in-depth study of myself for many years. Then, reflected and contemplated on my own life, the past, the current and what the future will be? Daily pondering as well. Lastly, I have had some serious contemplation of my own life, the past, the current, and the future. Consequently, I came to my senses and not only realizing what the Lord Jesus Christ has done great things for me, the Lord, actually has been my "Savior" all this while. Seriously, if I have not know God and live without the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am already a dead man. Perhaps, long time ago. Indeed, "I am nothing and God makes me into all things that is good."

Of course, God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ calls, and touches everyone or every human beings, whether it is in a small way, big way, and profound way. Thus, whether the one who was touched by God or encountered or experienced God, is willing to response His called is questionable? Because God, the Creator give every human beings, the freedom to choose. As a result, I have save myself from this perverse generation and remain faithful to the teaching of the apostles. [ Didache] That is, Tradition, Sacred Scripture, Magisterium. Thanks be to God.

But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture - I believed, and therefore I spoke - we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God. - 2 Cor. 4:13-15 -
                                                         Page 2
                     
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

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

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 -

Indeed, when an account of a person's life written by that person [autobiography] or when the record of any human life is set down, there are always three pair of eyes who see it in a different light. There is the life: (1) As I See It. (2) As Others See It. (3) As God Sees It.

For the first 27 years of my life, I was an atheist or a pagan. I was born in 1962, and my official name is: Chan Kok Wah but now my official name is: Alex Chan Kok Wah. I have no idea, knowledge and information about my infancy period until I was 6 years old. By then, through years of hard labours, I came to know, understand and greatly empathized what is abject poverty, humiliation, being abused, violent situation, notorious environment, hunger, that is, sometimes living without food for a day because in order to have food to eat I have to worked, waking up early in the morning, that is, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekend and on weekday, after schooling. I was only 6 years old then, and its continued until I was 15 years old.

Incidentally, I was not living with my family but with my relative. I think this is one of my saddest reminiscence. This is just a small part of the summary because as Sacred Scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord. This is exactly what I must do. Thus, a brief account of where I came from, indicating that God is presence in my life, and indeed, it is considered a blessing from God because I am still alive today. As a result, I believed God preserves all things through His providence.

As it is, I grew up without knowing much about so many things, for examples, speaking properly and with mannerism, writing a message or a letter, even speaking in English language is a major obstacle, etc, etc. When I began to know how to think a little, question like, Does God know what it is to suffer? Does God know anything about being born and not knowing who is my father and mother? and many, many others, but now I called it stupid questions because of God, the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, mercy and loving-kindness upon me. For "I am nothing and God make me into all things that is good." Amen!

When I was 16 years old till 25 years old, I have had great encountered and experienced enormous outpouring of joy. For instances, and out of a sudden, I started and began to know how to utilized and comprehend a lot of matters that was alien and unknown to me before. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ! Indeed, "For I am nothing and God makes me into all things that is good."

Human beings reads the face and exterior riches but God reads the heart. Thus, my heart leaped with joy at being invited to His Last Supper. (The Holy Eucharist, or The Holy Mass, or The Holy Communion) even before I was officially baptized. Truly, 'Conversion of heart to God is a form of martyrdom because it involves the surrender of oneself.' - John 21:18-19 - My 'Conversion to Catholic Christian' started when I was unexpectedly facing adversity in my personal life, that is, all my assets pertaining to what I worked for; vanished, when I was abroad. In other words, stolen but it is legally stolen. Many may wonder? Never mind! because this is 'Not' what I want to record and boast.

What I want to boast, is about the Lord Jesus Christ. To be honest, even until today, I am still reluctant to share and boast or announce how and what God had done and provided me with all that is good. Amen! "The greater glory of God" the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, and the Holy Spirit is so immensely interfering on my personal life, that is, from when I was born until today. Even though I do not know or hear about God, then. I was granted an experienced of the Lord Jesus Christ healing by a female pastor [Assembly of God] by praying over me. I was indeed, very, very sick at that time and I was only 9 to 12 years old, as I can remembered. Thus, there is no more excuses and no way out for me, except to do the necessary.

Lord Jesus Christ, You know, it is suppose to be an easy task, a joyous and delighted occasion to boast about You, especially, allowing me to encountered and experienced You but it is not so. You know it all, it is because: Firstly, I am a sinner. Secondly, I am stupid, naive, poor, illiterate and uneducated. Thirdly, my thought is always "Not Me" Lord, "You had called the wrong person." But then, You always slowly and patiently guide and teach me until I may comprehend God's will. Oops! that was 27 or 28 years ago, and it is still happening. Marvelous!!

But then, when I seriously come to think of it. My Lord Jesus Christ was a carpenter, that is, when Jesus is fully human and before Jesus is fully mature in wisdom. By implication Jesus is poor, perhaps naive too, and illiterate and uneducated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

At least, now I put in some initiative to do the necessary instead of just doing it on the spiritual education level. I think, if God's willing, I have to reveal how and what the Lord Jesus Christ has had done for me, for the past 54 years and it is still counting. Late is better than never. Yea! The first encountered and experienced I have had with the Lord Jesus Christ was when God sent Edward and Linda, [Singaporean] good and knowledgeable Catholic Christian to be God witnesses, and they presented me a book of Holy Bible/Sacred Scripture. And what happened next was You make me read the whole of Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible, numerous times.

Then, within a year, You directed me to Your church where You are the "Head" that is, Church Of Saint Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. There, I was advised to attend RCIA class. What amazed me was at that time, Church Of Saint Francis Xavier, the parish priest was Rev. Fr. Jojo M. Fung S.J. and assisted by Rev. Fr. Paul Tan Chee Ing S.J. The amazement was, they were so friendly, humble, and yet intelligent. The love of God which I encountered with both of them gave me the inspiration to further pursue the RCIA class with great excitement. In fact, I was always looking forward to see them. Wow! I scored 100% attendance. Even till today, Rev. Fr. Jojo M. Fung S.J. and Bishop Emeritus, His Grace Bishop Paul Tan Chee Ing S.J. are still great person in the eyes of God, 'the saintly priests.' Amen!

My next God encountered and experienced was the "Holy Eucharist, or Holy Mass, or Holy Communion" and its removed all my negative thoughts and personal problems. The feeling of love, joy, and peace is so great that I never failed to read the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible everyday. I think it is due to my initial encountered and experienced of God. - Luke 24:13-35 - The Lord Jesus Christ appearances are clearly at the heart of the early Christian belief. The consistent witness of the New Testament, [Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible] is that, in the appearances of Jesus Christ, something incredible happened to Cleopas and a friend. (Jesus followers and believers) This phenomenon is precisely how and what I have had experienced and encountered the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, truly, and later, I was Baptized and Confirmed in this scenario and manner. That is, recognised the Lord Jesus Christ at the breaking of bread. - Luke 24:13-35 - AMEN! I was 'Baptised and Confirmed' on the 14th April 1990. Before I was 'Baptised and Confirmed.' I was an atheist or a free thinker or an idolatry.

Then Jesus said to them, 'You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter onto his glory?' Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.

When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. 'It is nearly evening' they said 'and the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?' - Luke 24:25-32 -

If God's willing, the remaining years of my life on earth will be all on boasting of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unbelievably, I think even with the next 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, it is still insufficient to do all the boasting of God because the Lord Jesus Christ has never stop but keep pouring His gifts upon me. There are many gifts which I do not bother and may have forgotten about it. "Have mercy on me, Lord Jesus Christ" for it is all inadvertent. Truly, truly, when God said:

Seek Yahweh while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked man abandon his way,
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him,
to our God who is rich in forgiving;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts,
my ways not your ways - it is Yahweh who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above earth
as my ways are above your ways,
my thoughts above your thoughts.

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

Thank You, Lord Jesus Christ, because "I am nothing and You make me into all things that is good." In other words, if there are great deeds which I have had performed whether it is visible or invisible, tangible or intangible, I knows that it is because of the Holy Spirit that moves me, thus it is never belong to me and it did not come from me either because I am just a mere instrument. "The Lord's instrument."

"All praises and thanksgiving to you, Lord Jesus Christ."

"For the Lord Jesus Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed. The language of the cross may be illogical to those who are not on the way to salvation, but those of us who are on the way to see it as God's power to save. As scripture says: I shall destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing all the learning of the learned. Where are the philosophers now? Where are the scribes? Where are any of our thinkers today? Do you see now how God has shown up the foolishness of human wisdom? If it was God's wisdom that human wisdom should not know God, it was because God wanted to save those who have faith through the foolishness of the message that we preach. And so, while the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom, here are we preaching a crucified Christ; to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over, to the pagans madness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God. For God foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Take for yourselves for instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen - those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God's doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord." - 1 Cor. 1:17-31 - 

With all these in mind, I am grateful to God for all His blessing and the Lord Jesus Christ blessings to come. Amen! In fact, I have did an in-depth study of myself for many years. Then, reflected and contemplated on my own life, the past, the current and what the future will be? Daily pondering as well. Lastly, I have had some serious contemplation of my own life, the past, the current, and the future. Consequently, I came to my senses and not only realizing what the Lord Jesus Christ has done great things for me, the Lord, actually has been my "Savior" all this while. Seriously, if I have not know God and live without the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am already a dead man. Perhaps, long time ago. Indeed, "I am nothing and God makes me into all things that is good."

Of course, God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ calls, and touches everyone or every human beings, whether it is in a small way, big way, and profound way. Thus, whether the one who was touched by God or encountered or experienced God, is willing to response His called is questionable? Because God, the Creator give every human beings, the freedom to choose. As a result, I have save myself from this perverse generation and remain faithful to the teaching of the apostles. [Didache]  That is, Tradition, Sacred Scripture, Magisterium. Thanks be to God.

But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture - I believed, and therefore I spoke - we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God. - 2 Cor. 4:13-15 -

Today, and in time to come, it is a great joy to me, in the Lord Jesus Christ because there is nothing I cannot master with the help of God, the Lord Jesus Christ who gives me strength, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage, and most importantly, love. Indeed, I have learnt to manage on whatever I have, I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything, anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. AMEN!

"All praises and thanksgiving to you, Lord Jesus Christ."

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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!

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 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 -                              

 Thank You for donating, your generous contribution is profoundly cherish. God bless.                 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!

In the ancient world, and even today, God favoured His people by revealing Himself by many names which offered insight into His love. One of the names for God in the Old Testament is "Yahweh". The four letter Hebrew word "YHWH" was the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush.

Then Moses said to God, 'I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, "the God of your fathers has sent me to you." But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?' And God said to Moses, 'I Am who I Am. This' he added 'is what you must say to the sons of Israel: "I Am has sent me to you." And God also said to Moses, 'You are to say to the sons of Israel: "Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Israel), has sent me to you." This is my name for all time: by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come. - Ex. 3:13-15 -

The divine name "Yahweh" is usually translated "Lord" in English versions of the Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible because it became a practice in late Old Testament Judaism not to pronounce the sacred name "YHWH" but to say instead "my Lord" (Adonai) a practice still used today. From the New Testament times, many Christians use the word "Yahweh" that is, "Lord."

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

'Then how is it' he said 'that David, moved by the Spirit, calls him Lord, where he says:
                                   
                                    The Lord said to my Lord:
                                    Sit at my right hand
                                    and I will put your enemies
                                    under your feet? 

'If David can call him Lord, then how can he be his son?' - Matt. 22:43-45 - Mark 12:35-37 -

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

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

'For this reason the whole of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.' - Acts 2:34-36 -

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

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

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

"Jesus is Lord" is the ultimate Christian creed. A Christian therefore, is a person who confesses Jesus as Lord. After Jesus resurrection and exaltation, Jesus was given the title "Lord" in its full,

Saint Peter, concluding his address to the crowd in Jerusalem on the "Day of Pentecost" declared:

Men of Israel, listen to what I am going to say: Jesus the Nazarene was a man commended to you by God by the miracles and portents and signs that God worked through him when he was among you, as you all know........... You killed him, but God raised him to life, freeing him from the pangs of Hades; for it was impossible for him to be held in its power since as David says of him:

I saw the Lord before me always,
for with him at my right hand nothing can shake me. - Acts 2:22-25 -

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

Saint Paul, in fact, explicitly affirming "Jesus is Lord" in all his epistles, that is, addressing and calling Christ Jesus: "The Lord Jesus Christ." because apostle Paul, and all the apostles knew that when human beings honor Jesus as "Lord," God, the Father is glorified.

It is for that reason that I want you to understand that on the one hand no one can be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit and say, 'Curse Jesus,' and on the other hand, no one can say, "Jesus is Lord" unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit. - 1 Cor. 12:3 -

In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus: His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.' 'Then, Lord,' said Simon Peter 'not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!' - John 13:6, 8-9 -

You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet. - John 13:13-14 -

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

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

Perhaps, it is better to read the "Word of God" intently and, at the same time, seek help from God, that is, to help us to remove our stubbornness, and to enable us to comprehend 'His Word' and open up our heart, soul, and mind to Him. So that, the grace and peace of God our Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon us, Who is able to rescue and save us from this present wicked world. It is because the Lord Jesus Christ always taught with authority. Indeed!

The Lord Jesus Christ said: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me - Matt. 28:18 -

'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?

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

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

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

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

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

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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 -