Dear Holy Spirit, our Almighty God, Lord Jesus Christ, teach us to talk well and act wisely. Let us avoid sinful and useless conversations. Help and guide us to speak often for You and of You. Grant that our words and actions may never hurt people of goodwill. May our words always bring consolation to those in sorrow, guidance to those who are confused, light to the ignorant, hope to those who despair, comfort to those who are troubled, and good advice to those in need. Take our lips and make them Yours. Take possession of our mind and make it an instrument of Your goodness, love and a channel of Your truth. We hope to become, that is, one who prefers the kingdom of God. In our human conversations, may we always bring You closer to them and them closer to You. Amen.

You and I will ask and wanted to know, and cross-examine God? In that case, how can God ever blame anyone, since no one can oppose His will? But what right have you and I, a human being, to cross-examine God? The pot has no right to say to the potter: Why did you make me this shape? Surely a potter can do what he/she likes with the clay? It is surely for him/her to decide whether he/she will use a particular lump of clay to make a special pot or an ordinary one? - Romans 9:14-21 - Daniel 9:8-10; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; Ephesians 2:4-6 -

The moment we desire anything too much, we lose God's gift of peace and compassion. Hence, the proud and the covetous are never at peace and satisfy. Whereas, the poor in spirit, the humble person, enjoys a heavenly peace of soul. To set our life in perfection, we must begin from within. True perfection is based on God's word and His grace. With God help, we can gain a self-control far beyond anything dreamed by secular and worldly peoples. It is necessary even in things which are good and holy in themselves.

Therefore, we must look first to our duties and obligations. Any holiness which makes us neglect these, is not from God. As a result, you and I should always pray to God: and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills our heart, mind, thoughts, and grants us: 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, Self-Control and may God blessing be upon us, always. Amen! If it is otherwise, it diminishes our recollection and interior peace, and makes us more subject to impatience, anger, rash judgment and over eagerness brings anxiety, fear and nervousness. Bear in mind: Uncontrolled desires and intentions can makes us fall into grievous sin. - Galatians 5:16-26 - Since the Holy Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Holy Spirit. We must stop being conceited, provocative and envious. Amen!

Besides, everybody likes to follow his/her own way of thinking, and prefers to associate with those who always agree with his/her ideas. Yet, it is foolish for us to think highly of our own opinion and way only. Nobody knows all the answers. The person who is always talking only does not advance much in knowledge. A good listener will always learn more than the one who talks too much. In other words, it is not always necessary to point out the mistakes of others. Even when we know better, we need not always express our opinion. The key word to practice is self-effacing, think highly of others too, and remember to be humble, always. In fact, many discussions are unnecessary and unimportant. So often, too, opinions depends on people's likes or dislikes.

To those who know how to control their tongues for God sake, God's grant the grace of interior peace. It is better not to love our own opinions too much. Be humble enough to seek proper advice when we need it. Do not try to be independent of all other opinions. Different opinions may bring us a broader understanding of ourselves as well as of others. At times we must hold our tongue for the sake of love, peace, because it is always our pride that makes us want to correct people at the slightest opportunity.

Of course, corrections are necessary in many things, but we should not place too much confidence in our own sentiments and opinions. By keeping silent and listening to opinions which do not agree with us in petty matters bring us no harm. It takes a deep humility and a delicate charity/love to act in this way. As a result, think before we speak, and we were never regret our words because spoken words cannot be recalled. It is not always possible to undo the harm caused by thoughtless talk.

Many saints have avoided the company of people whenever possible in order to enjoy a closer union with God. One of them once remarked: 'As often as I have gone among peoples, I returned less a man/woman.' Isn't this true of us when we talk too long and did not think before we speak? It is easier to keep silence altogether than to stop talking when we should. In silence God shall speak to us with less distractions and interruptions. God's words will come in the form of ideas, desires, intentions, and resolutions within our soul. If we must, love and appreciate silence and learn to use it well. Then we will draw closer to God, as He is close to us. Amen! Peace be with you.

Peace/Meek/Silence is truly a virtue and in developing an authentic love, we experiences a deeper wisdom, a broader outlook on everyday life, and a brighter vision of God's nearness and agape love. During human conversations, we were learn more and make fewer mistakes. People will appreciate and respect our judgments more because we think first before speaking. Each time we open our mouth, we should do so for a definite purpose, a good purpose. God's wisdom will take the place of our human folly, and our words will help those who hear us.

According to Apostle/Saint Paul, all promises of God are "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ. "The Son of God, the Christ Jesus that we proclaimed among you - I mean Silvanus and Timothy and I - was never Yes and No: with him it was always Yes, and however many the promises God made, the yes to them all is in him. That is why it is 'through him' that we answer Amen to the praise of God. Remember it is God himself who assures us all, and you, of our standing in Christ, and has anointed us, marking us with his seal and giving us the pledge, the Spirit, that we carry in our hearts." - 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 - 

Apostle/Saint Paul's used the metaphor of the temple to express the unity of the new people of God that God is bringing about, through the preaching of the Gospel. The believers and followers of this new race are Jews and Gentiles who formerly were separated by the 'middle wall of separation' and the 'ordinances' that forbade them to mix. Jesus abolished those ordinances in order 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.

- Reconciliation of the Jews and the pagans with each other and with God - "Do not forget, then, that was a time when you who were pagans physically, termed the Uncircumcised... "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 riles 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 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 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 -

In a similar way, Apostle/Saint Peter used the word spiritual house to describe baptized Christians as of a new spiritual temple. Once you were not a people at all and now you are the People of God; once you were outside the mercy and now you have been given mercy. - 1 Peter 2:4-10 - The Lord Jesus Christ is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be the living stones making a spiritual house. As scripture says: See how I lay in Zion a precious cornerstone that I have chosen and the man who rests his trust on it will not be disappointed. That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down. They stumble over it because they do not believe in the word; it was the fate in store for them. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people at all and now you are the People of God; once you were outside the mercy and now you have been given mercy.

In addition to understanding the Church as the new spiritual temple of God on earth that replaced the temple of Jerusalem, the New Testament alludes to a heavenly temple in whose life the Church participates. Saint Paul and Saint John, both allude to the heavenly temple, can be found, and it is the most developed in the Book of Hebrews and Book of Revelation.

You will see greater things than that. And then Jesus added, 'I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.' - John 1:51 - "There are many rooms in my Father's house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too." - John 1:14:2-3 - "The Jerusalem above, however, is free and is our mother, since sacred scripture says: Shout for joy, you barren women who bore no children! Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who were never in labour. For there are more sons of the forsaken one than sons of the wedded wife. Now you, my brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise, and as at that time the child born in the ordinary way persecuted the child born in the Spirit's way, so also now. Does not sacred scripture say: Drive away that slave-girl and her son; this slave-girl's son is not to share the inheritance with the son of the slave-girl, but of the free-born wife." - Galatians 4:26-31 - "For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe." - Philippians 3:20-21 - 

The author of Hebrews was concerned to demonstrate that Christianity is better than Judaism. Among other things, Christians have a better Covenant, a better Sacrifice, a better High priest, and a better temple/Church. The Temple in Jerusalem was only a copy and shadow, a type, of the true temple which is in heaven. Therefore the true, heavenly sanctuary into which Christ has entered on our behalf is better than its earthly copy. Because Christ Jesus our High Priest dwells in this heavenly sanctuary, we can enter the heavenly Holy of Holy and participate in the worship of the heavenly temple. The author appears to define the heavenly temple as 'the Church of the first-born.' 'But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a 'first-born son' and a citizen of heaven.' 

According to Saint John, the author of the Book of Revelation, there is a celestial Mount Zion, a heavenly Jerusalem, and a heavenly temple. Christians who overcome temptation and trails are made pillars in the heavenly temple of God. From this heavenly temple God will issue His judgments on the nations during the Tribulation. The martyrs of the Tribulation will serve God day and night in His [heavenly] temple. The temple in Jerusalem will be measured and judged during that time.

In the New Jerusalem there will not be a temple because 'the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.' In that perfect city [The City of God] nothing will come between God and man, and we shall see God face. In the new heaven and earth 'the tabernacle of God' will be 'with men/women, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.' 

'Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice call from the throne, 'You see this city? Here God lives among men. He will make his home among them; they shall be his people, and he will be their God; his name is God-with-them. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no more death, and no more mourning or sadness. The world of the past has gone.' - Revelation 21:1-4 - 

"But the legacy for cowards, for those who break their word, or worship obscenities, for murderers and fornicators, and for fortune-tellers, idolaters or any other sort of liars, is the second death in the burning lake of sulphur." - Revelation 21:8 -

Saint Paul identified the new temple with the Church, but Saint John identified it with the heavenly realm where Christ dwells. [The City of God] Further more, just as there was no temple before the fall, so Saint John anticipated a new heaven and a new earth without a temple. These different ways of understanding the relation of the temple to the new 'People of God' are complementary, not contradictory.

In accordance of the Sacred Scripture / Holy Bible - New Testament - According to Saint John, the author of the Book of Revelation, John saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared. And in the Old Testament - Prophet Isaiah saw vision from God - Isaiah 1:1 - Prophet Ezekiel saw vision from God - Ezekiel 1:1 - And God favoured these four boys with knowledge and intelligence in everything connected with literature, and in wisdom; while Prophet Daniel had gift of interpreting every kind of vision and dream. - Daniel 1:17 -

- Shiloah and the Euphrates - Yahweh spoke to me again and said: because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah which flow in tranquility, and trembles before Razon and the son of Remaliah, the Lord will bring up against you, the mighty and deep waters of the River and it will overflow out of its bed bursting all its banks; it will inundate Judah, flow over, pour out, flooding it up to the neck, and its wings will be spread over the whole breadth of your country, O Immanuel. - Isaiah 8:5-8 - He will destroy Death for ever, The Lord Yahweh will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people's shame everywhere on earth, for Yahweh has said so. That day, it will be said: See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation; Yahweh is the one in whom we hoped. - Isaiah 25:8-9 - They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy on their faces; joy and gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended. - Isaiah 35:10 - Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty; though you have no money, come! Buy corn without money, and eat, and, at no cost, wine and milk. - Isaiah 55:1 - 

- Against Gog, king of Magog - The word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows, 'Son of man, turn towards Gog and the country of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you round, fixing hooks in your jaws, and drag you and your troops along, all the horses and well-armoured horsemen, and all that great army carrying shields and bucklers, and wielding swords. Persia and Cush and Put are with them, all with buckler and helmet; Gomer and all its troops, northernmost Bethtogarmah and all its troops, and many nations with you. Be ready, be well prepared, you and all your troops and the others rallying round you, and hold yourself at my service.

Many days will pass before you are given orders; in years to come you will march against this country. Its inhabitants will have been living undisturbed, remote from all other peoples, since they escaped the sword and were gathered in from various nations, here in the long-deserted mountains of Israel. Like a storm you will come up and onwards, and cover the land like a cloud, you, your army and many nations with you. - Ezekiel 38:1-9 - 

I will punish him with plague and bloodshed and sent torrential rain, hailstones, fire and brimstone against him and his hordes and against the many nations with him. I mean to display my greatness and holiness and to compel the many nations to acknowledge me; this is how they will learn that I am Yahweh - Ezekiel 38:22-23 - 

I shall make my home above them; I will be their God, they shall be my people. And the nations will learn that I am Yahweh the sanctifier of Israel, when my sanctuary is with them for ever. - Ezekiel 37:27-28 - 

This was the horn I had watched making war on the saints and proving the stronger, until the coming of the one of great age who gave judgment in favour of the saints of the Most High, when the time came for the saints to take over the kingdom. This is what he said: "The fourth beast is to be a fourth kingdom on earth, different from all other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it underfoot and crush it. As for the ten horns: from this kingdom will rise ten kings, and another after them; this one will be different from the previous ones and will bring down three kings; he is going to speak words against the Most High, and harass the saints of the Most High. He will consider changing seasons and the Law, and the saints will be put into his power for a time, two times, and half a time. But a court will be held and his power will be stripped from him, consumed, and utterly destroyed. And sovereignty and kingship, and the splendours of all kingdoms under heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty and every empire will serve and obey him." Here the narrative ends. 'I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed in mind, and I grew pale; but I kept these things to myself.' - Daniel 7:21-28 -  

- Daniel's vision - In the third year of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one originally appeared to me. I gazed at the vision, and as I gazed I found myself in Susa, the citadel in the province of Elam; gazing at the vision I found myself at the Gate of the Ulai. I raised my eyes to look round me, and I saw a ram standing in front of the river. It had two horns; both were tall, but one taller than the other, and the one that rose the higher was the second. I saw the ram thrust westward, northwards and southwards. No animal could stand up to it, nothing could escape it. It did as it pleased and grew very powerful.

This is what I observed: a he-goat came from the west, having covered the entire earth but without touching the ground, and between its eyes the goat had one majestic horn. It advanced towards the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the river, and charged with the ram, it knocked it down, breaking both its horns, and the ram had not the strength to resist; it felled it to the ground and trampled it underfoot; no one was there to save the ram. Then the he-goat grew more powerful than ever, but at the height of its strength the great horn snapped, and in its place sprouted four majestic horns, pointing to the four winds of heaven.

From one of these, the small one, sprang a horn which grew to great size towards south and east and towards the Land of Splendour. It grew right up to the armies of heaven and flung armies and stars to the ground, and trampled them underfoot. It even challenged the power of that army's Prince; it abolished the perpetual sacrifice and overthrew the foundation of his sanctuary, and the army too; it put iniquity on the sacrifice and flung truth to the ground; the horn was active and successful.

I heard a holy one speaking, and another who said to the speaker, 'How long is this vision to be - of perpetual sacrifice, disastrous iniquity, of sanctuary and army trampled underfoot?' The first replied, 'Until two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings have gone by: then the sanctuary shall have its rights restored'.

- The angel Gabriel interprets the vision - As I, Daniel gazed at the vision and tried to understand it, I saw someone standing before me who looked like a man. I heard a man's voice cry over the Ulai, 'Gabriel' tell him the meaning of the vision!' He approached the place where I was standing; as he approached I was seized with terror, and fell prostrate. 'Son of man,' he said to me 'understand this: the vision shows the time of the End.' He was still speaking, when I fell senseless to the ground. He touched me, however, and raised me to my feet. 'Come,' he said 'I will tell you what is going to happen when the wrath comes to an end; this concerns the appointed End. As for the ram that you saw, its two horns are the kings of Media and of Persia. The hairy he-goat is the king of Javan, the large horn between its eyes is the first king. The horn that snapped and the four horns that sprouted in its place are four kingdoms rising from his nation but not having his power.

'And at the end of their reign, when the measure of their sins is full, 

a king will rise, a proud-faced, ingenious-minded man.

His power will gather strength - but not through power of his own -

he will plot incredible schemes,

he will succeed in what he undertakes,

he will destroy powerful men

and the people of the saints.

Such will be his resourcefulness of mind

that all his treacherous activities will succeed.

He will grow arrogant of heart,

take many unawares and destroy them.

He will challenge the power of the Prince of princes

but, no hand intervening, shall himself be broken.

This explanation of the vision of the mornings and the evenings is true,

but you must keep the vision secret, for there are still many days to go.'                  

At this I, Daniel, lost consciousness; I was ill for several days. Then I got up to discharge my duties in the king's service, keeping the vision a secret, and not understanding what it meant. - Daniel 8:1-27 -

- The Book Of Revelation Prologue - This the revelation given by God to Jesus Christ so that he could tell his servants about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John, and John has written down everything he saw and swears it is the word of God guaranteed by Jesus Christ. Happy the man/woman who reads this prophecy, and happy those who listen to him, if they treasure all that it says, because the Time is close. - Revelation 1:1-3 -       

- The beginning of the vision - My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure......... 'Write down all that you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.'... a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle. His head and his hair were white as white wool or as snow, his eyes like a burning flame, his feet like burnished bronze when it has been refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of the ocean.... When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, 'Do not be afraid: it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come. The secret of the seven stars have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands is this: the seven stars you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches themselves. - Revelation 1:9-20 -

In my vision, I heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, 'The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing'. - Revelation 5:11-12 -

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and voices could be heard shouting in heaven, calling, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever'. The twenty-four elders, enthroned in the presence of God, prostrated themselves and touched the ground with their foreheads worshipping God with these words, 'We give thanks to you, Almighty Lord God, He-Is-and-He-Was, for using your great power and beginning your reign. The nations were seething with rage and now the time has come for your own anger, and for the dead to be judged, and for your servants the prophets, for the saints and for all who worship you, small or great, to be rewarded. The time has come to destroy those who are destroying the earth.' 

Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake, and violent hail. - Revelation 11:15-19 - 

Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet....... And now war broke out in heaven, when Archangel Michael with his angels attacked the dragon. The dragon fought back with his angels, but they were defeated and driven out of heaven. The great dragon, the primeval serpent, known as the devil or Satan, who had deceived all the world, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him.

Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, 'Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ, now that the persecutor, who accused our brothers day and night before our God, has been brought down. They have triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the witness of their martyrdom, because even in the face of death they would not cling to life. Let the heavens rejoice and all who live there; but for you, earth and sea, trouble is coming because the devil has gone down to you in a rage, knowing that his days are numbered. - Revelation 12:2-12 - 

- The dragon delegates his power to the beast - I was standing on the seashore. Then I saw a beast emerge from the sea: it has seven heads and ten horns, with a coronet on each of its ten horns, and its head were marked with blasphemous titles. I saw that the beast was like a leopard, with paws like a bear and a mouth like a lion; the dragon had handed over to it own power and his throne and his worldwide authority. I saw that one of its head seemed to have had a fatal wound but this deadly injury had healed and after that, the whole world had marvelled and followed the beast. They prostrated themselves in front the dragon because he had given the beast his authority; and they prostrated themselves in front the beast, saying, 'Who can compare with the beast? How could anybody defeat him?' For forty-two months the beast was allowed to mouth its boast and blasphemies and to do whatever it wanted; and it mouthed its blasphemies against God, against his name, his heavenly Tent and all those who are sheltered there. It was allowed to make war against the saints and conquer them, and given power over every race, people, language and nation; and all people of the world will worship it, that is, everybody whose name has not been written down since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the sacrificial Lamb. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen: Captivity for those who are destined for captivity; the sword for those who are to die by the sword. This is why the saints must have constancy and faith.

- The false prophet as the slave of the beast - Then I saw a second beast; it emerged from the ground; it had two horns like a lamb, but made a noise like a dragon. The second beast was servant to the first beast, and extended its authority everywhere, making the world and had been healed. And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fore from heaven on to the earth while people watched. Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to win over the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honour of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived. It was allowed to breathe life into this statue, so that the statue of the beast was able to speak, and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast will be put to death. He compelled everyone - small and great, rich and poor, slave and citizen - to be branded on the right hand or on the forehead, and made it illegal for anyone to buy or sell anything unless he/she had been branded with the name of the beast or with the number of its name. There is no need for shrewdness here: if anyone is clever enough he may interpret the number of the beast: it is number of a man, the number 666. - Revelation 13: 1-18 -                 

Then I saw the beast, with all the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to fight the rider and his army. But the beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had worked miracles on the beast's behalf and by them had deceived all who had been branded with the mark of the beast and worshipped his statue. These two were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. All the rest were killed by the sword of the rider, which came out of his mouth, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. - Revelation 19:19-21 -

- The reign of a thousand years - Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and seated it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.

Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God's word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection; the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. Happy and blessed are those who share in the first resurrection: the second death cannot affect them but they will be priests of God and of Christ and reign with him for a thousand years.

- The second battle of the End - When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive all the nations in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, and mobilise them for war. His armies will be as many as the sands of the seas; they will come swarming over the entire country and besiege the camp of the saints, which is the city that God loves. But the devil, who misled them, will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beasts and the false prophet are, and their torture will not stop, day and night, for ever and ever.

-The punishment of the pagans - Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged.

The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and everyone was judged according to the way in which he/she had lived. Then Death and hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake. - Revelation 20:1-15 - 

- 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.

Passing On the Faith - THE EPIPHANY OF GOD in Christ did not end with the earthly existence of Jesus. The revelation of God's gift has been transmitted "from faith in faith" throughout history by all those who assumed it into their own lives by becoming disciples of Jesus and apostles for others. Paul speaks of this transmission from generation to generation when writing to Timothy: "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you." - 2 Timothy 1:5 - Similarly, in our own day, we can speak of the faith of our ancestors, recalling the men and women who were the instruments God used to manifest his grace toward us. We can also look into the future and envision our own spiritual descendants, those who will receive our mission and our testimony about this revelation.

EACH ONE OF US can say with Paul, "God was pleased to reveal his Son to me" - Galatians 1:15-16 - for we have received the revelation of God's glory in Christ. - cf. John 21:1 - Speaking mystically, we can also say that we have seen the risen Lord in our lives. - cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8,11 - We are blessed because we have believed even without seeing him physically. As disciples, we are made participants in the mystery of Christ, who was not made known to earlier generations but "has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." - Ephesians 3:4-5 - Saint Paul bids us give glory "to God who is able to strengthen us according to the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith." - Romans 16:25-27 -

WE RECEIVE OUR MISSION as apostles from Christ himself when he reveals himself to us - cf. Romans 1:5 - and it is by means of us that Christ now speaks and acts. - Romans 15:18 - He is not weak but powerful in the preaching of those who accept his revelation - 2 Corinthians 13:2-3 - We are heirs to the mission of the disciples: making public what has been revealed to us and what Jesus has told us. - Matthew 10:26-33 - Whoever  hears the disciples hears Jesus himself. - Luke 10:16 - Thus, the revelation, the epiphany, the "dis-covering" of God, is carried on through those who are constituted disciples. As disciples, we are promised the Spirit of truth who will bear witness, who will teach us all things, and who will lead us to the fullness of truth - John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13 - In our docility to the Holy Spirit, the source of all revelation - cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10 - we have the assurance of receiving and transmitting the revelation of Christ rather than a merely human message. - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 -

So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall on the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heave. - Matthew 10:26-33 -

When we accept God's epiphany, we are constituted disciples and set out on a journey, as did Abraham. We become bearers of the epiphany, which may take the form of the Magi's star - Matthew 2:2,7,9-12 - or Joseph's doubts - Matthew 1:20 - or the angel's warning in a dream to save the child - Matthew 2:13,19,22 - or the news Mary receives about her cousin's pregnancy. - Luke 2:26-38 - Whatever form it takes, our task as bearers of the epiphany always goes beyond the simple acts of transmitting a message, relating a verifiable history, or proving some truth. We fully accepted, the epiphany of God becomes flesh in the life of the disciple in such a way that it can be transmitted only from this "incarnation." That is to say, it can be transmitted only from this "incarnation". That is to say, it can be transmitted to others not by words of flesh and blood, not by human wisdom, but only by the scandalous inevitability of the cross; it can be transmitted only by martyrion, by bearing witness: "I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel... I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God" - John 1:31,34 - 

JESUS ASKS US to let the light of our truth, our testimony to the truth, shine before others so that they may see our good works and give glory to the Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 - As disciples, we replicate in some way the very mystery of Christ's epiphany. By bearing witness, we produce light that provokes joy, and from the joy flows glory. This is the essence of bearing testimony: stirring praise and adoration of the Father through the joy that invades the hearts of those who see and hear the message. The true disciple is light, as Jesus declares about the Baptist: :He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." - John 5:35 - The life of the disciples must be irreproachable so that their light reaches into the darkest shadows: "Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world". - Philippians 2:14-15 -

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 -

THE TESTIMONY THE DISCIPLES give is the very reason why they must be continually divested of self-interest. They are to proclaim and confirm the faith of their brothers and sisters. They must strive to awaken profuse joy in the hearts of the faithful so that they give glory to their Father in heaven. The disciples are to decrease so that Christ increases. If they remain faithful to their vocation of discipleship, their final destiny is already marked out: "Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." - John 21:18 - There is nothing improvised in this following of Jesus - it requires the preparation of a lifetime.    

- Prayer - Seeing God in creatures, seeing God made mortal, seeing celestial beauty in humble attire. Seeing joy weep tears, seeing wealth so poor, seeing greatness brought low, and seeing that so was God's desire. Great was the mercy we received on that most blessed day! Whoever sees it, may it be I!

Making peace amid so much war, bringing warmth to such great cold, letting what is mine belong to all, planting heaven here on earth. What a magnificent mission God has entrusted to our hands! Whoever does it, may it be I! Amen.

The Son Reveals the Father - THE WHOLE HISTORY of God's revelation, which for us is salvation history, reaches its culmination in Christ, who is the "revealer" of the Father. Christ is the one who comes in the fullness of time; all earlier revelation was pointing to him as the ultimate secret that the Father wants to reveal to us. When Christ appears among us, the Father is revealing himself in his mysterious entirety.

JESUS CHRIST is the definite reveler of the mystery of God. He announces the Father and makes him known (cf. John 1:18). What he has heard from the Father, he announces to the world (John 3:3, 32;8:26; 15:15). Jesus is the Father's only-begotten Son who comes into the world keenly aware of his mission of revealing the Father and fully empowered to carry it out. He has authority and he makes it felt: "They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes... They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, 'What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.' At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee" - Mark 1:22,27-28 - Jesus produces amazement among those who hear his words and behold his deeds. This capacity to cause astonishment comes from who he is: the one to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given - Matthew 28:18 - That is why, when he reveals the mystery of God, he reveals also the conflicting desires of people's hearts - cf. Luke 1:35-36 - By reflecting God's authority as the only-begotten Son, he becomes a cornerstone of contradiction among his own people - cf. Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:14 - As revealer of the triune mystery, Jesus Christ enters into people's lives with unprecedented authority, but also suffers in his own flesh the rejection brought on by this very revelation.

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. - John 15:15 - 

AS REVEALER OF GOD, Jesus Christ brings light to every human being - John 1:9 - because he himself is the light of humankind. - John 1:4-5; 8:12 -

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." - John 8:12 -

When Jesus Christ is present, the true light shines and all shadows disappear. - 1 John 2:8 - But then begins the drama of the rejection of the light. This light, which brings the law and the prophets to fulfillment, is spurned because its luminosity is different from what was expected; its brilliance illumines places other than those imagined; it provokes opposition as challenging as it is perplexing. That is why the announcement of the fullness of God's revelation in God's good time is addressed precisely to those most deprived of fullness from a human perspective: the simple folk, the poor fishermen. - cf. Matthew 5:3 - those who humbly keep God's commandments. - John 14:21 - 

To these Jesus imparts knowledge of the Father that only the Son can give - Matthew 11:27 -: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father". - see John 14:7-9 - What is more, this privilege granted the poor brings forth praise from Jesus: "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him". - Luke 10:21-22 -

In reporting these words of praise, the Gospel tells us that Jesus, inspired with the Holy Spirit, was filled with joy. - Luke 10:21 - This outburst of Jesus reveals the joy that exists deep within the Trinity. The revelation of this divine joy stirs human hearts to rejoicing, as we see in the joy of Elizabeth and Mary during the visitation - Luke 2:39-45 - and in the joy of the shepherds in Bethlehem. - Luke 2:10-20 - It is the joy of all those who draw close to Jesus with good will and receive from him the revelation of the Father, who is life. - 1 John 1:2 - It is an almost compulsive joy that emboldens those who experience it for they cannot help but speak of what they have seen and heard. - Acts 4:19-20 - Such joy is maintained even in the midst of persecution and punishment: "The disciples left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus". - Acts 5:41 - It is a joy that goes beyond all practical outcomes, whether human or superhuman, even those that are miraculous; it finds its culmination in rejoicing that our names stand written in the heavens. - cf. Luke 10:20 -

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" - Luke 2:10-14 -

Saint Ignatius calls this joy "spiritual consolation": "By consolation I mean that which occurs when some interior motion is caused within the soul through which it comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord. As a result it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all. Similarly, this consolation is experienced when the soul sheds tears which move it to love for its Lord - whether there are tears of grief for its own sin, or about the Passion of Christ our Lord, or about other matters directly ordered to his service and praise. Finally, under the word consolation I include every increase in hope, faith, and charity, and every interior joy which calls and attracts one toward heavenly things and to the salvation of one's soul, by bringing it tranquility and peace in its Creator and Lord" (SpEx316). This should be the habitual state of those who receive the revelation of Jesus Christ with eagerness and sincerity of heart.

Even in the midst of tribulation (such as when the apostles were scourged), spiritual consolation is preserved in some form. Even when suspended on the cross, the person who faithfully receives the word of revelation will not be lacking that profound peace that is part of consolation.

THOSE WHO HEAR the voice of Jesus are filled with joy (cf. John 10:3,27). But this joy is oriented toward a definite goal, as was the case with Abraham - John 8:56 - Just as Jesus "was filled with joy in the Holy Spirit," learns to raise its sights beyond time and space. It is through joy that our salvation history gains access to the glory of God, and it is Jesus who reveals to us the glory of the Father - John 1:14 - because the Father is glorified in the Son. - cf. John 14:13 - This is how we should understand the affectionate way in which Jesus reproaches Martha: Did I not tell you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" - John 11:40 - The glory of God poured out in Christ, almost as if it were escaping through a crack - cf. John 2:11 - is the glorious fullness of light that gives us the hope of beholding it everlastingly: "In the right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shinning with full force". - Revelation 1:16 - When time comes to an end, God will be manifested as the fullness of light; he will be the ultimate light not only for each one of us but also for the world: "The heavenly city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb." - Revelation 21:23 -

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. - John 10:3 - My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27 -

WE HAVE STRESSED that Jesus is not only the revealer but also the supreme revelation of the Father. God's efforts to open human eyes and ears - cf. Numbers 22:31; 1 Samuel 9:15-16 - have a long and diverse history that tends toward Christ and culminates in him: :Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." - Hebrews 1:1-3 - God makes Christ manifest to us. God "saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel". - 2 Timothy 1:9-10 - God's grace, which is the source of salvation for all human beings, was revealed in Christ - Titus 2:11 - and in him was made manifest the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior. - Titus 3:4-5 -

Jesus is the Word made flesh, the word of life that the first apostles and disciples saw and heard and touched with their hands - John 1:14; 1 John 1:1 - They were blessed because they saw and heard what many ancient prophets had desired to experience. - cf. Matthew 13:16; 1 Peter 1:12 - But they were blessed not so much because they could see Christ in the flesh but because it was the Father who revealed him to them. - Matthew 16:17 - That is why Jesus himself clearly proclaimed what might have seemed contradictory: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe!" - John 20:29 - Into this blessed state will enter all of us if we trust not in the revelation of flesh and blood - cf. Matthew 16:17 - but rather open our hearts to the Father's supreme revelation, his great gift to us. By doing this, we are inserted into the history of all those who hope against all hope" - Romans 4:18 -; we are counted among those who allow themselves to be led by God toward the promised land and who persevere as though seeing the one who is invisible. - cf. Hebrews 11:27 -

THE GIFT OF CHRIST we receive from the Father is a manifestation of love: "God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him". - 1 John 4:9 - This is true for all of us who have not seen or heard in the flesh and yet believe, for the revelation of Christ is the gift of the Father and the work of the Spirit; it is communicated to all who allow the Spirit to act in their souls. - cf. 1 Corinthians 14:26,30; Philippians 3:15 - The Spirit leads us to the truth. - John 16:13 - Christ Jesus, made manifest in the flesh, has come for all times "to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace". - Luke 1:79 - That is why the definitive revelation of Jesus Christ will surpass all history and reach its fullness beyond our present time and space. It will be "the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show to his servants about what must soon take place." - Revelation 1:1 -

What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation, let all things be done for building up. - 1 Corinthians 14:26 - 

If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent. - Corinthians 14:30 -

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. - John 16:13 - 

- Prayer - Word of God, eternal light divine, eternal source of all pure truth, glory of God that illumines the cosmos, bright burning torch in darkest night. Word eternally pronounced in the Father's mind, what joy that in our history he was born a child from the bosom of the Virgin. Do not cease to shine, heavenly beacons, with the rays of light that God sends forth; faithfully guide our friends, our peoples; proclaim the truth on every path. Amen.

BY  HIS  HOLINESS  POPE  FRANCIS / JORGE MARIO BERGOGLIO

Open Mind,  Faithful Heart - Reflections on Following Jesus - Translated by Joseph V. Owens, 

- 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.

You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus the Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John the Baptist had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him. Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil. Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses - we have eaten and drunk with the Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection from the dead - and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive and dead. It is to Jesus that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in the Lord Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name - Acts 10:37-43 - 

Witness refers to a person who gives testimony: testimony given for or against someone often in a law-court setting where there is considerable concern for the truth of the testimony. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour." - Exodus 20:16 - 

A man may be put to death only on the word of two witnesses or three; and no man may be put to death on the word of one witness alone. - Deuteronomy 17:6 - 

A mace, a sword, a keen arrow, such is the man who bears false witness against his neighbour. - Proverbs 25:18 - 

The Sacred Scripture/Holy Bible and in the Old Testament, true prophets often told and pictured God either as bearing witness against Israel or as challenging Israel to bear witness against Him. - "The word of Yahweh that was addressed to Micah of Moresheth in the time of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. His visions of Samaria and Jerusalem. - The judgement of Samaria - "Listen, you peoples, all of you. Attend, earth and everything in it. Yahweh is going to give evidence against you, the Lord, as he sets out from his sacred place." - Micah 1:2 - "My people, what have I done to you, how have I been a burden to you? Answer me." - Micah 6:3 - God is also seen in the Old Testament witnessing covenants between Himself and the nation of Israel or individuals. 

"'Now write down this song which you must use; teach it to the sons of Israel, put it into their mouths that it may be a witness on my behalf against the sons of Israel whom I am bringing into the land I swore to his fathers I would give him, a land where milk and honey flow; against Israel who will eat and take his fill and grow fat, then turn to other gods to serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. When a host of disasters and misfortunes overtake him, this song shall stand as witness against him, for his descendants must not forget it. Yes, even today, before I have brought him to the land I promised on oath, I know what plans he has in mind.' So on that same day, Moses wrote out this song and taught it to the sons of Israel.

He gave Joshua son of Nun this order: 'Be strong and stand firm, for you are to bring the sons of Israel to the land I swore I would give them, and I myself will be with you.' When Moses had finished writing in a book the words of this Law to the very end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of Yahweh covenant: 'Take this Book of the Law and put it beside the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God. Let it lie there as a witness against you. For I know how defiant you are and how stubborn. If today while I am still alive and with you, you defy Yahweh, how much more will you defy him after my death!'"  - Deuteronomy 31:19-27 -

"I drew up the deed and sealed it, called in witnesses and weighed out the money on the scales. I then took both the sealed deed of purchase and its open copy, in accordance with the requirements of the law, and handed over the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, of the witnesses who had signed the deed of purchase, and of all the Jews who then happened to be in the Court of the Guard." "Buy the field with money in front of witnesses - and even now the city is falling into the hands of the Chaldaeans!" "People will buy fields, pay money, draw up deeds and seal them, and witness them in the land of Benjamin, in the districts round Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah, of the highlands, of the Lowlands and of the Negeb. For I am going to restore their fortunes - it is Yahweh who speaks."- Jeremiah 32:10-12, 25, 44 -

Witness is also 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 and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God." - Romans 8:16 - It is also declares that God has not left Himself without witness. Witness to Christ Jesus is borne by the prophets, John the Baptist, the Father, the works of Christ Jesus Himself.

"In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for you; he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should, he gives you food and makes you happy." - Acts 14:16-17 - "Besides, the Father sent me, bears witness to me himself." - John 5:37 -

You judge by human standards;
I judge no one,
but if I judge,
my judgement will be sound,
because I am not alone:
and in your Law it is written
that the testimony of two witnesses is valid.
I may be testifying on my own behalf,
but the Father who sent me is my witness too. - John 8:15-18 -

Hence, the believer's life, words and deeds serve as a witness to the world. Sometimes this witness to the world is represented in the witness of the faithful, disciples, apostles and the chosen, who are Christ's special witnesses - witnesses of His resurrection. Amen!

We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us - and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection. - Acts 1:21-22 -

God raised this man Jesus to life and all of us are witnesses to that. - Acts 2:32 - God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. - Acts 10:41 - But God raised him from the dead and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people. - Acts 13:31 -

However, the command to witness has implications for all believers too. It applies to the new Christian community the similar command that was given to ancient Israel.

You yourselves are my witness - it is Yahweh who speaks
my servants whom I have chosen,
that men may know and believe me
and understand that it is I.
No god was formed before me,
nor will be after me.
I, I am Yahweh,
there is no other saviour but me,
It is I who have spoken, have saved, have made the proclamation,
not any strangers among you.
You are my witnesses - it is Yahweh who speaks
and I, I am your God, I am he from eternity. - Isaiah 43:10-12 -

You, Israel, my servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

descendant of Abraham my friend.

You whom I brought from the confines of the earth

and called from the ends of the world;

you to whom I said, 'You are my servant,

I have chosen you, not rejected you',

do not be afraid for I am with you;

stop being anxious and watchful, for I am your God.

I give you strength, I bring you help,

I uphold you with my victorious right hand.

yes, all those who raged against you,

shall be put to shame and confusion;

they who fought against you

shall be destroyed, and perish. - Isaiah 41:8-11 -

"You surely know that Abraham our father was justified by his deed, because he offered his son Isaac on the altar? There you see it: faith and deeds were working together; his faith became perfect by what he did. This is what scripture really means when it says: Abraham put his faith in God, and this was counted as making him justified: and that is why he was called 'the friend of God'." - James 2:21-23 - 

Last instructions to the apostles - Then Jesus told them, 'This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, has to be fulfilled'. Jesus then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, 'So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are the witnesses to this. 'And now I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.' - Luke 24:44-49 -

The believer's model in witness is none other than Christ Jesus Himself.

The Ascension - Then Christ Jesus took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands Jesus blessed them. Now as he blessed them, Jesus withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God. - Luke 24:50-53 - [ Luke's gospel ends where it began, in the Temple; its last word is of the joy and praise ]

You must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith and win for yourself the eternal life to which you were called when you made your profession and spoke up for the truth in front of many witnesses. Now, before God the source of all life and before Jesus Christ, who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius Pilate, I put to you the duty of doing all that you have been told, with no faults or failures until the Appearing of our

Lord Jesus Christ,
who at the due time will be revealed
by God, the blessed and only Ruler of all,
the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
who alone is immortal,
whose home is in inaccessible light,
whom no man has seen and no man is able to see:
to him be honour and everlasting power. Amen. - 1 Timothy 6:11-16 -

Saint Paul's testimony - Acts 9:1-19 - Meanwhile, Saul (Paul) was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord's disciples. Saul/Paul 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 could find.

Suddenly, while Saul/Paul 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 he 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 had 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 name.' The Lord 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 must suffer for my name'. Then Ananias went. He entered the house, and at once laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul/Paul, 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.   

In addition to Saint Augustine of Hippo 'Confessions' boasting of God's glory are some of the examples 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 proclaim 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. "In short, there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13 -

How rich are the depths of God - how deep his wisdom and knowledge - and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To God be glory for ever! Amen.

  - WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

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

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

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