Misinterpretation...

I was helping a nursery school girl write her name.  "You're like my daddy," she observed.
"Does your daddy help you write your name too?" I asked.
"No,"she replied.  "But he's got hairy arms."   (Just an anecdote)

I am guilty of misinterpretation too. We misunderstood people, we misinterpret the Bible too.

Haa Haa!  Better not assume we are always right !

Seeing is Believing...

One day, I told my son the story of Noah and the Ark.  I gave him the full treatment, complete with animal sounds and detailed descriptions of the beasts arriving two by two.  At the end, I asked him if he had any questions.
He had just one: "Where were you hiding?"
--------- From Reader's Digest April 2007 Issue

How many Humans on Earth?

Since 40,000 BC - the dawn of modern man - an estimated 58 billion people have died, according to a study by the Netherlands-based International Statistics Institute.
The current world population now stands at less than 6 billion, so the dead outnumbered the living by about 10 to 1.
Excerpt from Reader's Digest April 2007 Issue

Cannot Take the Bible Word for Word

We cannot read the Bible and interpret it word for word.
For a long time, I was very confused why the Bible said that there were Adam and Eve, and we all came from this pair.  I was confused that the Bible said that by just believing in His name, a person could become a child of God (so simple ?? John 1:12).  I could believe a camel could go through the eye of a needle.  (how can ?? doesn't make sense, Matt 19:24)

Now I know we must not interpret the Bible word for word, or word by word.  For two thousand years since the books of the Bible were written, language had changed and the understanding of words had changed.

It is better just to understand the idea behind the words that were written. 

William Shakespeare and His Romeo and Juliet

Most of us know the story of Romeo and Juliet.  Romeo and Juliet met and fell madly in love. 
Within days, they wanted to get married. 
Another suitor X came along. 
Juliet did not want to marry X, so she faked that she was dead.
Romeo thought X caused Juliet's death and killed X.
Juliet was distraughted and died (really died this time).
Romeo killed himself.
All these events happened within 3 or 4 days !!

Surprisingly, Juliet was only 12 years old and Romeo about 15 years old.  Do girls and boys of age 12 to 15 understand the profoundness of love ??? Why did Shakespeare write such a play?

Is Shakespeare simply mocking and satirising the weakness of human emotions in terms of juvenile love.

Are we still juveniles in terms of understanding God and God's love too?

Maker of Heaven and Earth and all that is seen and unseen

Today I recited the Nicene Creed.

There are a few variations of the Nicene Creed.  One version is:
"We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen. ..."

You may be wondering why we say God is the creator of "all that is seen and unseen".

Is God the creator of cockroaches, bed bugs, lethal viruses, etc?
Is God the creator of hatred, selfishness, ill-will, etc?
Most of all, is God the creator of Satan and his horde of helpers?

The Nicene Creed says YES.  However, when God created these 'bad' things, they were created 'good'.  It was later that they turned bad and harmful and 'go against good'.

So perhaps when cockroaches were created, they were beautiful.  Along the way, they became ugly and became nuisance. 

And when God created, it was good-will.  Along the way, good-will changed and became ill-will.

As we know, all things change over time.  Mostly from good to bad.  Sometimes, with effort, from bad to good.

Only 3 things remain unchanged to the end of time ... Faith, Hope and Love; and the greatest of these is Love... (1 Cor 13)

My Favourite Chapter: John 14: Let not your heart be troubled...

John Chapter 14 has always been my favourite chapter.  It captures the most comforting words, direct from Christ to me and to all believers. This chapter is loaded with promises to us, and Christ's self assertions that he is God - the crux of Christianity.
Verse 1:  Let not your heart be troubled... He comforts us!
Verse 6:  I am the Way, the Truth and the Life... He claims!
Verse 11: Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me...He claims again!
Verse 16: I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may be with you forever..He promises!
Verse 27: Peace I leave you; My peace I give to you...He gives!
Christ was talking to His disciples who were just like me!  They were all confused and could not understand, like me. They kept asking Jesus:  What do you mean? what do you mean ?? explain to us again ??? v5, v8, v22.

Even though I accept that the Bible is written in the inspiration of God, I do not automatically accept everything it says because there are always translation errors and many cultural contextual norms of bygone era and societies are not applicable to us today. 
However, the words of Christ, the Son of God, I will always hold fast and believe 100%. The words that came forth from Jesus' lips - they are the primary basis of my belief.

You can read Jesus' words too - probably just a few thousand words in the Gospel only.

Mathew Henry's

Just bought "MATHEW HENRY'S COMMENTARY - whole bible in one volume". 

Almost 2000 pages of small print.

Interesting, but the small print is a bit hard to read for long.

Anybody like to borrow it from me, just let me know.

Some people are guessing when the Rapture will take place (They all failed)

Straits Times - Saturday 21 May 2011

Apocalypse not: Doomsday prediction falls flat
The sun sets over the horizon near Changchun in north-eastern China's Jilin province. The world went on as usual as the prophecy of the world coming to an end ended with a whimper, not a bang. -- PHOTO: AP
WASHINGTON - THE prophecy of the end of the world ended with a whimper, not a bang, on Saturday as life went on as usual despite warnings of Judgment Day by a US preacher which provoked panic in some quarters and parties in others.
Televangelist Harold Camping had insisted the so-called 'Rapture' would begin with powerful earthquakes at 6pm local time in each of the world's regions, with worthy souls transported to heaven.
According to the 89-year-old and his religious broadcasting network Family Radio, the not-so-good were to suffer hell on earth until October 21, when God pulls the plug on the planet once and for all.
One of the first places to be hit, according to Mr Camping, who first wrongly predicted the end of the world in 1994, would be New Zealand - but 6pm came and went with no earthquakes and little local media attention. Similarly in Europe and the United States, the deadline arrived with little fanfare, and even fewer people ascending dramatically to heaven.
Internet users, meanwhile, joked about creating a fake Rapture if Mr Camping's prediction did not pan out. On Twitter, non-believers suggested laying out old clothing and shoes on pavements and lawns to give the impression that someone had indeed been beamed up, or releasing inflatable dolls into the sky.
In the US capital, at least 400 people were expected to the celebrate the rapture not occurring, at an 'End of the World Party.' Suicide prevention hotlines meanwhile had been set up, according to the Washington Post, amid fears despondent Family Radio followers would be depressed if the apocalypse fails to materialise. -- AFP

Sometimes I wonder --- *** !!! (1)

Today is Easter Sunday.  Nobody is home except me.  I have some time for reflection.

I wonder how many people ever lived on this Earth since eternity.  Perhaps 100 to 200 billion.
I wonder how many people, since eternity, ever truly believed in Christ as their personal saviour.  Perhaps 1 to 2 billion.

So I am 1 out of 2 billion.  I am just a drop in the ocean, a small grain of sand on the beach, a blade of grass in the forest.

How does God manage to listen to my prayers when He has another 2 billion people/souls to listen to??  How does He know my thoughts?

Unimaginable !  Cannot imagine the power of the One who is All-mighty !

Unconvinced, or just refuse to believe

This blog entry is somewhat long.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked him "Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?"
Jesus answered "His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parent's sins. His is blind so that God's power might be seen at work in him..."
 After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man's eyes and told him "Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam". So the man went, washed his face and came back seeing.
His neighbors, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, "Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?"
Some said, "He is the one," but other said, "No he isn't, he just looks like him."
So the man himself said, "I am the man."
"How is it that you can now see?" they asked him.
He answered, "The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see."
Where is he?" they asked.
"I don't know," he asnwered.
Then they took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. The day that Jesus made the mud and cured him of his blindness was a Sabbath. The Pharisees said, "The man who did this cannot be from God, for he does not obey the Sabbath law."
Others, however, said, "How could a man who is a sinner perform such miracles as these?" And there was a division among them.
So the Pharisees asked the man ONCE MORE, "You say he cured you of your blindness - well, what do you say about him?"
"He is a prophet," the man answered.
The Jewish authorities, however, were NOT WILLING TO BELIEVE that he had been blind and could now see, until they called his parents and asked them, "Is this your son? You say that he was born blind; how is it, then, that he can now see?"
His parents answered, "We know that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind.  But we do not know how it  is that he is now able to see, nor do we know who cured him of his blindness.  ASK HIM; he is old enough, and he can answer for himself!" His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authrities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue.  That is why his parents said, "He is old enough; ask him!"
A second time they called back the man who had been born blind, and said to him, "Promise before God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man who cured you is a sinner."
I do not know if he is a sinner or not," the man replied.  "One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see."
What did he do to you?" they asked. "How did he cure you of your blindness?"
"I have ALREADY TOLD YOU," he answered, "and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you, too, would like to be his disciples?"
They insulted him and said, "You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!"
The man answered, "What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness! We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do.  Since the beginning of the world nobody had ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind.  Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing."
They answered, "You were born and brought up in sin - and you are trying to teach us?" And they expelled him from the synagogue.
When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
The man answered, "Tell me who his is, sir, so that I can believe in him!"
Jesus said to him, "You have already seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you now."
"I believe, Lord!" the man said, and knelt down before Jesus. 
From John 9: 1-38.

Where Your Heart Is...and the Prosperity Gospel

I happen to be one who does not believe in the Prosperity Gospel.  That God intends all believers to be 'rich' materially.

All the Apostles were not rich materially.  They laid down their lives for Christ, spreading the Good News, not building up treasures on earth.

If someone focuses on getting rich, the chances are he will become rich someday - because whatever he puts his heart and soul on achieving, if it is not too absurd a goal such as flying to Mars, he will most likely achieve it. If someone aims to enrich himself with US$1million, he will likely to fulfill his goal within 20 years, if not 10 years.

However, Matt 6:21 clearly stated that "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also..."  and not the other way round "Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also."  Sometimes where your heart is, there is no treasure -- only passion and good deeds are there.  However, you can be sure that if your treasure is on earth, your heart will be on earth too.  See the difference!

So many wonderful christians died poor or extremely poor.  But they are like Apostle Paul the poor tent-maker, like Jesus the poor carpenter.  They have no treasures on earth.  Their hearts were not here either.

Well if God-willing, I like to be a rich christian too.  But here is not where my treasures are - otherwise I believe in Christ in vain.

Bacteria and Viruses - what's the difference?

Both are microscopic. Both cause diseases.

Bacteria are single-cell organisms that live everywhere.  Some are beneficial - for example help us to digest food.  Others, called pathogenic, cause illnesses.  Bacteria are self-sufficient and can replicate themselves from any other living cell through subdivision.

Viruses are typically 1 to 100 times smaller than bacteria.  Viruses can only reproduce by entering a living cell.  Drugs which target viruses are usually very toxic to the host cell.

Antibiotics kill bacteria, but not viruses.  In fact, if you take antibiotics to try to treat a viral infection, this will affect the virus and may cause other unwanted effects.

Other microscopic invaders that cause disease include fungi - slightly larger than bacteria and responsible for conditions such as candida and protozoa - tiny single cell parasites such as Cryptosporidium that can live in your body.

(Excepted from Reader's Digest Sep 2009 Edition)

Besides Cloning, there is Parthenogenesis

Recently, I learnt a new word - Parthenogenesis.

I know cloning means reproducing a life without the use of a fertilised egg.  No 'male' is involved.  How it works: The nucleus of an unfertilised egg is removed.  It is then fused with the nucleus of a donor cell (which has DNA and a full set of genetic material).  The fused cell develops into an embryo and thence a new life.

Only a few weeks ago I learnt about Parthenogenesis - another reproduction process which does not require fertilisation by males.  How it works:  A female egg X splits into four cells, three cells were discarded. Another female egg Y splits into four cells, three cells were discarded.  The remaining X cell combines with the remaining Y cell, giving rise to offspring which has all the genetic material from the mother.

Only recently I learnt that cloning and Parthenogenesis sometimes take place naturally in nature.  Bynoe Gecko is an all-female species which clones themselves.  Leiolepis Ngovantrii lizards reproduce by cloning. A boa constrictor (snake) recently gave birth to litters of all-female babies without contact with any male boa.  The New Mexico Whiptail reproduces solely through Parthenogenesis.  A Hammerhead shark in captivity was observed to reproduce through Pathenogenesis, having no contact with males.

I find all these new discoveries amazing.  I know so little.  Human beings know so little.  SOMEONE must have created all these. 

Give Thanks (Another of my favourite)

I am grateful.

Timbuktu

The Australian poetry contest in 2001 came down to 2 finalists.  One was a Melbourne University law school graduate from an upper-crust family.  The other finalist was a chap from Broadmeadows.

Each finalist had to compose a 4-line poem in 1 minute or less, and the poem had to contain the word "Timbuktu".

The melbourne grad went first.  Abuot 30 seconds after the clock started he jumped up and recited the following:

"Slowly across the desert sand
Trekked the dusty caravan
Men on camels, two by two
Destination - Timbuktu."

The audience went wild.  How, they wondered, could the Broadmeadows guy top that?

The clock started again and the second contestant sat silently in thought.  Finally in the last few seconds, he jumped up and recited:

"Tim and me a-hunting went.
Met three sluts in a pop-up tent.
They were three, we were two,
So I bucked one and Timbuktu."

He won. 
(Just a joke.  Tim bucked two is not Timbuktu.)

One Intriguing Story (3)...Don't follow what others did...

Elijah was a 'major' prophet of God.

Many years ago, the tribe of Moab rebelled against Israel.  Moab's king, Ahaziah, had an accident and fell through the lattice in his upper chamber, and became ill.  So he sent messengers and said to them, "Go and inquire from Baal, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from the sickness."

But the angel of God said to Elijah, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of king Ahaziah and say to them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that u are going to inquire of Baal, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed but you shall surely die.'" Elijah said that to the messengers and departed.

When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he asked them, "Why have you returned?"

The messengers told , "A man came up to meet us and said to us, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire from Baal...therefore...you shall not come down the bed but you shall surely die.'"

And Ahaziah asked them, "What kind of man was he who came up to speak these words?"

And they answered him, "He was ...Elijah."

Then the king send to Elijah a captain and 50 soldiers.  The captain went up to Elijah and said to him, "O man of God, the king says 'Come down.'"

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of 50 soldiers, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50."  Then fire came down and consumed him and his 50. (wow!)

So king Ahaziah again sent to Elijah another captain and 50 soldiers.  And the captain said to Elijah, "O man of God, the king says 'Come down quickly.'

And Elijah answered and said to them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50. (wow! wow!)

So king Ahaziah sent a third captain of 50 soldiers to Elijah... 
WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED NEXT?
To know how the story ended, go and read the Bible, 2 Kings 1: 13.

Only 1 out of 5 generations did not enter the Promised Land

Moses led the Jew out of Egypt to the promised land.  However they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years below entering this promised land.

In Deut 1:35, it was stated that "Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers except... (a few...).

Moses came out of Egypt with a few million Jews.  No, it's not true that a few million Jews died in the wilderness and only children bornt during the 40 years had entered the promised land.  If that is the case, then there would be a few million graves along the route to the promised land.  Impossible, right? How can all those who entered into the promised land be less than 40 years old (except a few)?  Cannot be!

You see, at any point in time, there are a few generations co-existing.  At anypoint in time, there are great-grandfathers, grandfathers, fathers and children in existence.  In other words, there are 4 or even 5 generations co-existing at any one period of time. If one generation died in that 40-year journey, then probably only one-fifth of those who left Egypt (1 out of 5 generations) died before reaching the promised land. 

Most likely, it was only Moses' generation that died before entering the promised land.  Moses' children's and grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's generations entered the promised land.

Do u think my interpretation is correct?

As The Deer Panteth (One of my favourite)





God's the same - Yesterday, Today, Forever. But...

Yes, God's the same - YTF.  But man's impression of God has changed drastically over the years!

In Old Testament Time:
God was a strict disciplinarian.  When you do wrong and sin, you will be punished.  Hence when Adam and Eve sinned, the serpent, Eve, Adam and 'the ground' were punished. (see Gen 3).  People understood God as righteous and just. In the book of Psalms, the psalmists who were hurt by their enemies, implored God to revenge for them.  "God, punish those who are wicked because they have harmed your people." so asked the psalmists and the prophets.

In New Testament Time:
Jesus Christ taught the people a more accurate view of God.  God is 'Abba', the loving Father.  God forgives His people when they confess their sins and accept that Christ had died on the cross to pay the price of their sins.  That people should forgive each other 70 times 7 times.  When someone wronged you and slapped your left cheek, let him slapped your right as well.  Love your neighbours (even though all neighbours cause you trouble now and then).

God is the same - YTF.  Let's forget the view that God is a unforgiving punishing monster.   Accept Christ who died for our sins, and God the loving Father.

When you are wrong, you are wrong. Sincerity is nothing

Whenever I read the story of Job, I am always amazed by his mental strength. I can't imagine how he could continue to live when a series of 6 or 7 calamities were inflicted on him in quick succession. To cut the longsuffering short, a normal person would have given up living and committed suicide. (Job 1 and 2)

Job's 3 friends visited him in Job 2:11. What they saw was beyond them. They wept,they felt sorry, and felt Job's suffering. They could not speak for 7 days and 7 nights, searching how to response, and what to say.

Then they spoke, one at a time, and with their best intentions, wisdom and sincerity.

But even with all sincerity, they were not helpful at all. In fact, they came to the wrong conclusion that Job suffered because he was punished by God for being guilty of sin.

Sincerity is useless. When you do something wrong, or say something wrong, you are wrong. Your sincerity or best intention will not justify what you have done or said.

Read Job. It's a nice story.

Tips on Dementia (2)

Some people are worried that they are having Dementia as they are getting more and more forgetful.

Forgetfulness and Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease are different. As we grow old, we often forget where we place our keys, or our spectacles or the TV's remote control. That is not Dementia.

2 early signs of Dementia are:
a) The person keep asking the same thing over and over again, within a few minutes. For example: "Where did Ah Lian go this morning?" after 10 minutes, the same question is asked. After 30 minutes, the same question is asked again." The person did not 'forget'. He did not register the answer in the first place.

b) The person is not aware that he did something a moment ago. For example: "Did I take breakfast just now?" or "Did I go to the market this morning?" The person did not even remember an event/action which he took part in.

All my friend who read this blog are still 'young'. I trust that you are not having Dementia. I wrote all this for you to identify Dementia in other people.

Tips on Dementia

Dementia, mainly due to Alzheimer's Disease, is becoming more and more common in Singapore.

The progression of this illness, from inception to end-stage,could take 5 to 7 years from the time a person is identified with the illness. At the end-stage, the sufferer cannot feed or take care of himself.

Here is a tip. Once identified that Dementia is on the way, let the sufferer drink using a drinking straw. Let drinking from straw become an insinct. At the end-stage, the sufferer could only do things by instinct. He will not be able to spoon food or drink from a cup on his own. If sucking up from a straw becomes an instinctive action, then at least he can still drink by instinct.

This will solve the problem of spoon-feeding or syringe-feed him whenever he needs to drink.

Final Fantasy - My novel (It's purely fictional!)

It was 4000 years BC.
God said "Let Us make man, in Our image...". And so there were Adam and Eve.
There were 2 special trees in the Garden of Eden. The Tree of knowledge of good and evil (KOGE), and the Tree of LIFE. Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of KOGE, and Adam ate too. Now they became like God, knowing good and evil.
God said "Lest Adam stretch out his hand, and take also from the Tree of LIFE, and eat, and live forever--".
So Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden of Eden. God stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword ... to guard the way to the Tree of LIFE. The Tree of LIFE remained in the Garden of Eden.

It was 3000 years AD. Even after 7000 years, the Tree of LIFE was still at the same spot in the Garden of Eden.
Scientists had,since 2010 AD with the help of GPS devices, re-located the locations of the Garden of Eden and the Tree of LIFE. However for 990 years, nobody could approach the Tree of LIFE because the flaming sword, with mysterious power, had repelled all human attempts to go near the Tree of LIFE.
Now one day, an evil force, called Anti-man, devised a super plan. With forces so powerful, the cherubim and the flaming sword were over-powered and just as the Anti-man was about to pluck the fruit from the Tree of LIFE, the heaven opened.

Jesus Christ returned in all His glory. It was the second coming...

(It's purely fictional --The Final Fantasy !!)

The English Language is partly to be blamed for the confusion

Many of us are baffled by the idea that God is "Three In One". We are confused because our thoughts and thinking are set on the English Language platform.

You see, in English Language, you either have singular or plural. You either have one, or more than one. You don't have 'three-in-one'.
So do we write "God is..." or "God are..." ?? Do we write "God has..." or "God have..."??

God is 3 persons, 3 personalities. Yet, God is ONE. This concept is not acceptable if we think in terms of English Language. It is un-imaginable. It goes against the rule of the Language.

Yet, God is not confined to the way we think or the way we are trained to think. God is Three-In-One !

So when we need help, we have a Team of 3 to help us - not just Team of 1. Better right?

Lee Wei Ling's Thoughts About Her Mama, And My Thoughts...

It is interesting to read Lee Wei Ling's article in the Sunday Times, 29 Aug 10, page 31. She lamented that she found it difficult to accept that her mother is bedbound, suffering from a massive stroke since 12 May 2008.

I share her sentiments. My mother used to be a strong woman. But over the last 10 years, she is now reduced to a totally helpless woman by Alzheimer's Disease.

Wei Ling wrote "...I accept these facts(growing old, falling sick and eventually dying) with no resentment that life is unkind. I have had more than my fair share of bad luck, but I never resented it, for I think suffering built up my resilience."

Ah yes! Suffering! When you are 55 years old, you would have gone through or seen a fair amount of suffering. Life offers both joy as well as suffering. But there is a difference - joy and suffering do not always cancel or square-off one another.

Sometimes an experience made us very pleased and joyful - like a visit to the majestic fjords at the coast of Norway. We are at cloud nine, exhilarated for a moment, perhaps for 3 months. Sometimes another experience traumatised us in suffering - like knowing a close relative gave birth to a still-born. We are in pain for 9 months.

You see, when comparing experiences of joy and suffering, suffering lasts 3 times longer than joy of the same intensity.

So why must one be born, journey on Earth for a couple of decades, experience more sufferings than joy, and then go to Heaven?

Can one by-pass Earth's journey and go straight to Heaven? That would be a simply way!

So, go, read the Book 'Wisdom of Solomon' in the Bible (deutero-canonicals). All these thoughts and sentiments had been mulled over and over in ages past. And the wisest of man had explained the meaning and purpose of life. You read and you will understand.

John the Baptist doubted too

The Jews are religious people. They were taught to wait for the coming of the Messiah. Their Holy Book, had several prophesies that the Messiah was coming.

John the Baptist was a Jew. He knew that the Messiah was coming. He said "He who is coming after me...I am not fit to remove His sandals. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Subsequently, John baptised Jesus at the Jordan River and a voice out of heavens, said "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." So many people heard this voice from Heaven. John must had heard too!

Later John was in prison. He must had a lot of time to think and think, and then doubt set in. He sent a note to Jesus' disciples and the disciples conveyed John's question to Jesus. "Are You the Coming One (Messiah) or shall we look for someone else?"

Jesus answered "Go and report to John...the BLIND SEES, THE LAME WALKS, THE LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, THE DEAF HEARS, THE DEAD ARE RAISED UP..."

Are you like John the Baptist? Do you doubt sometimes?

I do. Yet I believe Him.

Some insist there's God. Some insist there's no God !?!?!

The truth is, both are correct. To some, there's God. And to some, there's no God.

When you seek God, you will read about it, talk about it and think about it. "Seek and ye shall find..." God promised. In seeking, you will find God, know Him, and experience Him.

If you harden your heart against God, God will not resist. God will simply depart from you. You will not feel Him and experience Him. More and more, God is not there.

The atheists say there is no God. If they don't change their attitude and start seeking, then God will never come near them.
The agnostics say "Not sure, maybe there is God, maybe no God, but either way, nothing can be learnt about all these spiritual mumbo-jumbo. -- And so it will be.

As we grow older, I urge you to seek knowledge about the other dimension. In seeking, you will find.

By Grace and Grace Alone

"FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, THAT NO ONE SHOULD BOAST." Eph 2:8
I am very touched whenever I read this verse.

Why of all people, God chose me to bestow His grace? And because of His grace, I have faith to believe in Jesus Christ and everlasting life.

This generous gift of God encourages me to response by living life with gratitude, avoiding sin, and be thankful.

In other religions, salvation is never a 'gift'. Normally you have to "Do this and this, and then you will receive salvation." (Well, OK, their conception of salvation is not the same as the Bible's concept of salvation, but has the same idea of peace, contentment and bliss.)

Thank you Lord.

Does Your Conscience Guide You?

Sometimes we do things that our conscience tells us "No, don't do it! It's not right!"

What is this small voice within us? Is our conscience God's way of telling us right or wrong?

Answer: NO, if you are a non-believer. Conscience is not the voice of God. When a man takes revenge and kills the murderer of his wife or children, the man feels perfectly justified. His conscience is clear, and he is at peace. When a man commits adultery, he may feel perfectly fine as "all my friends are doing it too"! If you are a non-believer, your conscience is shaped by the environment. Tribal cannibals feel perfect and not wrong eating the flesh of those whom they killed - it's part of their society's practice.

But once you believe in God, and the Holy Spirit comes into your life, the answer is different...

Answer: YES, because conscience bears witness of God's promptings. Through our conscience, the Holy Spirit convicts us what is right and what is wrong. So when you tell a lie, the Holy Spirit will prompt "Ah-hah, that is not being truthful!" And when you queue up to buy 4-D on Saturday, your conscience says "Are you gambling? Is gambling right?"

In short, because of man's sin, our conscience is darkened and defiled. But thanks to the Holy Spirit, our conscience is gradually cleansed and purified. Increasingly, the standard of our conscience will be perfected (Matt5:48)