Understanding the Bible

To understand the Bible, it is essential to grasp the sweep of that history from creation to consummation. It is also crucial to keep in focus the unifying theme of Scripture. The one constant theme unfolding throughout the whole Bible is this: God for His own glory has chosen to create and gather to Himself a group of people to be the subjects of His eternal kingdom, to praise, honour and serve Him forever and through whom He will display His wisdom, power, mercy, grace and glory. To gather His chosen ones, God must redeem them from sin. The Bible reveals God's plan for this redemption from its inception in eternity past to its completion in eternity future. Covenants, promises, and epochs are all secondary to the one continuous plan of redemption.

There is one God. The Bible has one Creator. It is one book. It has one plan of grace, recorded from initiation, through execution, to consummation. From predestination to glorification, the Bible is the story of God redeeming His chosen people for the praise of His glory.

As God's redemptive purposes and plan unfold in Scripture, five recurring motifs are constantly emphasized:

1. the character of God
2. the judgement for sin and disobedience
3. the blessing for faith and obedience
4. the Lord Saviour and sacrifice for sin
5. the coming kingdom and glory

Thanksgivings for the LORD's Salvation

The Psalms
118
Thanksgiving for the LORD's Salvation
1
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:

because his mercy endureth for ever. 1 Chr. 16.34 · 2 Chr. 5.13 ; 7.3 · Ezra 3.11 · Ps. 100.5 ; 106.1 ; 107.1 ; 136.1 · Jer. 33.11
2
Let Israel now say,

that his mercy endureth for ever.
3
Let the house of Aaron now say,

that his mercy endureth for ever.
4
Let them now that fear the LORD say,

that his mercy endureth for ever.
5
I called upon the LORD in distress:

the LORD answered me,
and set me in a large place.
6
The LORD is on my side;

I will not fear:
what can man do unto me? Heb. 13.6
7
The LORD taketh my part with them that help me:

therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8
It is better to trust in the LORD

than to put confidence in man.
9
It is better to trust in the LORD

than to put confidence in princes.
10
All nations compassed me about:

but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
11
They compassed me about;

yea, they compassed me about:
but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12
They compassed me about like bees;

they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13
Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:

but the LORD helped me.
14
The LORD is my strength and song,

and is become my salvation. Ex. 15.2 · Is. 12.2
15
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous:

the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16
The right hand of the LORD is exalted:

the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17
I shall not die, but live,

and declare the works of the LORD.
18
The LORD hath chastened me sore:

but he hath not given me over unto death.
19
Open to me the gates of righteousness:

I will go into them,
and I will praise the LORD:
20
this gate of the LORD,

into which the righteous shall enter.
21
I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me,

and art become my salvation.
22
The stone which the builders refused

is become the head stone of the corner. Lk. 20.17 · 0.1--0.1 ; 1.1 · 1 Pet. 2.7
23
This is the LORD's doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes. Mt. 21.42 · Mk. 12.10, 11
24
This is the day which the LORD hath made;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25
Save now, Mt. 21.9 · Mk. 11.9 · Joh. 12.13 I beseech thee, O LORD:

O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: Mt. 21.9 ; 23.39 · Mk. 11.9 · Lk. 13.35 ; 19.38 · Joh. 12.13

we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27
God is the LORD, which hath showed us light:

bind the sacrifice with cords,
even unto the horns of the altar.
28
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee:

thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:

for his mercy endureth for ever.

What does it mean to Believe?

Faith is not obtained by raising hands, altar calls, or vain repetition of a “sinner’s prayer”. Neither may it obtained by baptism, confirmation, or any other work. If one desires saving faith, let him seek salvation in the Word of God. Let the Word convict him of his sinfulness, and make him tremble at God’s wrath upon that sinfulness. Let the Word convince him of his hopelessness sans Jesus Christ. It is the foolishness of preaching by which true belief is obtained. Let the sinner read God’s Word, meditate on it, and find a church where it is faithfully preached, since “…faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14-17). “And many more believed because of his word” (John 4:41). And do not be deceived into thinking that one may be saved by mere assent to the truths of this Word, being no better off than the devils who believe, but rather fully entrust your soul to Christ, not relying on your own flesh. We aren’t merely to acknowledge the truth of God's Word, but we are to live “…by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

FACE TO FACE WITH CHRIST, MY SAVIOR

Grant Tull­ar was help­ing with evan­geli­stic meet­ings in Ru­ther­ford, New Jer­sey. He, along with the pas­tor and his wife, did some vis­it­a­tion Sun­day af­ter­noon. They got back to the pas­tor’s home ra­ther late, and sup­per was rushed. Things were put on the ta­ble quick­ly, and ev­er­y­one was in­vit­ed to make his own snack. One of the items set out was an al­most emp­ty jar of jel­ly. Know­ing how much Tul­lar liked it, the pas­tor and his wife both passed it by. Tul­lar ac­cept­ed their kind­ness with a smile, say­ing, “So, this is all for me, is it?” In­stant­ly, the lit­tle phrase “all for me” gripped his thoughts. He went over to the pi­a­no and com­posed on the spot the now fa­mil­iar tune, along with some words—“All for me the Sav­ior suf­fered, all for me He bled and died…” The pas­tor was thrilled. He asked that the song be taught to the peo­ple in the even­ing ser­vice. Tul­lar de­clined, say­ing he want­ed to work on it a bit more. But that ne­ver hap­pened. The next day, a let­ter ar­rived from a Car­rie Breck. She had writ­ten a po­em, and won­dered if Mr. Tul­lar could set it to mu­sic. To his amaze­ment, the me­ter ex­act­ly fit the tune com­posed the even­ing be­fore. The two have been to­ge­ther ev­er since.

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,

Face to face—what will it be,

When with rapture I behold Him,

Jesus Christ Who died for me?

Refrain

Face to face I shall behold Him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all His glory,

I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessèd day is coming,

When His glory shall be seen.

Refrain

What rejoicing in His presence,

When are banished grief and pain;

When the crooked ways are straightened,

And the dark things shall be plain.

Refrain

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!

Face to face—to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ Who loves me so.

Refrain

Living as Children of Light

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

Ephesians 4:17

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteouness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:20

I pray that I will be the light and salt of this world

May God help me!

我会永远跟着你走。

因你身体完全破碎

摆在我前

为我你失去一切尊荣可言

你如何爱我

怎么爱我

我永远不能释透

让我爱你

要让我爱你

我会永远跟着你走。

Found! :)

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

⁶ The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;

¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;

¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-

¹⁸ with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.

²¹ Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.

²² Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Lost

I am a lost sheep
A BMW cannot send me back to the shepherd
Only a searching heart
and a willingness to be found

Climb 'Til Your Dream Comes True

Often your tasks will be many,

And more than you think you can do...

Often the road will be rugged

And the hills insurmountable, too...

But always remember, the hills ahead

Are never as steep as they seem,

And with Faith in your heart start upward

And climb' til you reach your dream,

For nothing in life that is worthy

Is ever too hard to achieve

If you have the courage to try it

And you have the Faith to believe...

For Faith is a force that is greater

Than knowledge or power or skill

And many defeats turn to triumph

If you trust God's wisdom and will..

For Faith is a mover of mountains,

There's nothing that God cannot do,

So start today with Faith in your heart

And "Climb 'Til Your Dream Comes True!"

My Jesus My Saviour

My Jesus, My Saviour,
Lord there is no one like you,
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love.

My comfort, my shelter,
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You.

Chorus:
Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing,
Power and majesty, praise to the King!
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar,
At the sound of your name!
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

Repeat verse

My Jesus, my Saviour,
Lord, there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise,
The wonders of your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter,
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Chorus x2

The Principle of Single Meaning

Scripture does not detail man’s response to God’s instructions, but apparently he
understood them clearly, responded properly, and the human race was off to a great start.

But then God added to His communication with man. In Gen 2:16b-17 He
said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you
shall surely die” [NASB]. How did Adam understand this statement? Apparently
as God intended it, according to the grammar of His command and the historical
situation of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. In
fact, he communicated it to Eve so well that Eve in Gen 3:2b-3 was able to repeat
it to the serpent quite accurately: “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die’” [NASB]. That was her answerto the serpent when he asked about God’s prohibition against eating from trees in the Garden of Eden. So far Eve’s hermeneutics were in great shape as was God’scommunicative effectiveness with mankind. She worded her repetition of God’s command slightly differently, but God probably repeated H is original command to Adam in several different ways. Genesis has not preserved a record of every word He spoke to Adam.

When did confusion enter the picture? W hen the serpent suggested to Eve
that God’s plain statement had another meaning. He said, “You surely shall not die!

For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen 4b-5, NASB). The serpent was probably not calling God a liar—he knew better than to suggest that in the perfect
environment of the Garden of Eden—but simply suggesting to Eve that she had
misinterpreted God’s statement, or that by limiting her understanding to the plain sense of God’s words, she had missed a second meaning intended by God’s
command. That she had missed God’s double-entendre or sensus-plenior was the
serpent’s implication. The serpent’s message to Eve was, “This is just God’s way
of telling you how to gain a knowledge of good and evil.” The first human
experience on the “sea of uncertainty” resulted when Eve and then Adam bought into the serpent’s suggestion that God’s statement was not limited to a single meaning. Such was how hermeneutical difficulties in understanding God’s Word began.

Faith

Faith in God

Introduction

We have seen that God has provided a marvellous salvation from all the consequences of man's rebellion. This salvation is to be received through repentance and faith. God expects us to change our allegiance. We must now love Him and serve Him - not our old selfish and corrupt desires. He wants to set us free from every oppression. But as well as this change of allegiance or repentance we need to believe God and His promises with a living faith. In this lesson we will consider what it means to have faith in God.

---

What is Faith?

What Faith is not

Faith is not religion. Many times people say "We have our faith". What they mean is this: "We have our religious ideas and doctrines, our traditions, our ways of doing things passed down through the generations. Don't you try to change them." This is not the Biblical idea of faith.

Faith is not mental assent. It is not agreeing with your mind, "Yes, that is true." Many professing Christians believe mentally that the Bible is the Word of God, but this faith does not change the way they live. It is not a faith that can save. (James 2:14)

Even demons have that kind of faith. They know and believe that God exists (James 2:19) - and tremble. They have no loving confidence in God.

Faith is not a way to manipulate God. It is not a power by which we make God do what WE want when otherwise He would be unwilling to do that thing. It is not a kind of magic through which we make God into our servant!

Faith is not hope, nor positive desire. Hope is good, and relates to the future. Faith, however, takes the promise as done NOW. Many people have hope and are anxiously looking for results, but they lack the settled confidence and present assurance which faith has.

---

What Faith Is

In the general sense of the word, to have faith is to believe in something or someone, to fully trust, to be so confident that you base your actions on what you believe. To have faith is to be fully convinced of the truthfulness and reliability of that in which you believe.

Faith in God then, is having the kind of trust and confidence in God and in Christ that leads you to commit your whole soul to Him as Saviour (Justifier, Cleanser, Healer, Deliverer) and Lord (Master, King).

The NIV translation says, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1 NIV).

The NKJV of the Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith is a spiritual substance. When you have this spiritual substance in you, it communicates to you a certain inner knowing that the thing you are hoping for is certainly established, even before you see any material evidence that it has happened.

Faith is a spiritual force. Faith in God is a response to God's Word which moves God to act. Jesus said in Mark 11:23, "For assuredly I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but BELIEVES that those things he SAYS will be done, he will HAVE whatever he SAYS." Words mixed with the real, pure faith can and will move mountains or any other problem that we face.

Faith in God must be from the heart. It is not merely intellectual. It is spiritual. "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)

Faith causes you to know in your heart before you see with your eyes. "For we walk by faith, not by sight." (2Cor 5.7)

Some say, "Seeing is believing." Once you see the thing hoped for already existing in the natural order, you don't need faith.

Hope is a condition for faith. Hope is "a positive unwavering expectation of good". Hope is for the mind (1 Thessalonians 5:8; Hebrews 6:19), an anchor for the soul. It keeps us in the place where we can believe, but it is not in itself "faith". Yet, without hope there are no "things hoped for", and therefore there cannot be faith.

Through faith we can know we have the answer to our prayer before we see anything change in the natural order (1 John 5:14,15). Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mk 11:24). God expects us, even commands us, to believe that our petitions are answered by God AT THE MOMENT WE MAKE THEM. We must believe that the response is immediately sent WHEN we pray. Faith is like the confirmation slip in our hearts that the goods are on the way. We have that confirmation slip instantly from God. We sense it in our hearts. The manifestation of those goods, the answer received, comes later as long as we are patient and do not throw away our confidence. (Hebrews 10:35-39; Hebrews 6:12)

Faith is like a cheque. All you have to do is hold on to the cheque, go to the bank to present it and you can confidently expect the money to appear in your account after a certain time. If you throw the cheque away the money will not be put in your account. God is trustworthy and always has resources to back his promises.

Living faith always has corresponding actions. We talk what we really believe, and we act according to what we really believe. The heroes of faith like Abraham were considered men of faith because they acted on what God showed them. They acted on their faith. (Hebrews 11:17-38, James 2:21-23).

To live in faith means to do and say what you believe is right, without doubting.

Faith is a rest. It is compatible with inner peace. It is not "trying to believe". To say that you are "trying to believe" God is to say that you don't believe Him. The man who is "trying to believe" may be sincere, but he does not have faith in that area yet.

Some thoughts

Many times, we are faced with so many worries and issues and watever... God really show us how little faith we have in HIM...how little...

I believe in God and HIS Promise and believe everything He says in the BIBLE.

I Believe from the bottom of my Heart

I Live in Confidence and Assurance of HIS Words

Great is THY Faithfulness!

An investment fund manager from PineBridge Investment said...his philosophy in life is K.I.S.S.

Keep It Simple and Stupid

Thats a great advice.

Have FAITH in our POWERFUL GOD (That's not too hard isn't it? Yea..only if u believe)

Amen!

In Christ Alone

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

Tears

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." -C.S. Lewis

Tears! Tears! What is the use of them anyhow? Why not substitute laughter? Why not make this a world where all the people are well, and eternal strangers to pain and aches? What is the use of the storm when we might have a perpetual calm? Why, when a family is put together, not have them all stay, or if they must be transplanted to make other homes, then have them all live? The family record telling a story of marriages and births, but of no deaths. Why not have the harvests chase each other without fatiguing toil, and all our homes afflicted? Why the hard pillow, the hard crust, the hard struggle? It is easy enough to explain a smile, or a success, or a congratulation; but, come now, and bring all your dictionaries and all your philosophies and all your religions, and help me this evening to explain a tear. A chemist will tell you that it is made up of salt and lime, and other component parts; but he misses the chief ingredients - the acid of a soured life, the viper sting of a bitter memory, the fragments of a broken heart. I will tell you what a tear is; it is agony in solution. -DeWitt Talmage, The Ministry of Tears 1832-1902

We are really blessed as Children of God. Today, Zhencong asked me when was the last time I dropped tears/cried. I replied that it was during the sermon just now and very much these past few months. I just could not control my emotions every time I looked back at my past life and how much God’s love, grace and mercy was upon me even when I was still HIS enemy… when I was still dead in my sins. I was saved two years ago by the Grace of God. I am forever thankful for HIS great Salvation. No matter how much tears I shed, tears of repentance and joy, it would not be enough to express this feeling of gratitude in the face of such an immense Grace.

Many a times, tears are seen as a mark of sorrow, a mark of weakness. Yet, contrary to this thinking, tears are precious and it brings out the emotional side of us all according to God’s Creation and Plan. That makes it so beautiful, definitely not a sign of weakness.

"God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way." -C.S. Lewis

The Bible (Strong’s Concordance) provides 697 references for verses associated with crying (weep, cry, tears).

One of the first Bible references for tears is in the book of Genesis when Abraham wept over the death of Sarah. Hannah wept before the Lord in her barren state. Esau wept over his father Isaac, asking for a blessing. King David writes prolifically in the Psalms of his tears before the Lord, even saying they were his portion day and night.

The Bible provides accounts of tears of grief (as above, also David weeping over the death of Absolom, Jairus’s daughter and the death of Jesus Christ). Others wept tears of repentance and sin-sorrow (Israel as they stood to hear the scriptures read and were broken over not following the Lord their God and His law, David as Nathan confronts him, Ninevah when Jonah finally goes there to pronounce God’s judgment, Peter after the rooster crowed for the third time). Jeremiah was called the Weeping Prophet, authoring the book of Jeremiah and the Lamentations of Jeremiah. Jeremiah wept for the pride of Judah. Israel cried to God in affliction. Professional mourners attended the deaths in New Testament times. Jairus’s daughter’s death may have been one instance of this. The commentaries vary.

God is called “Comforter” (Jeremiah, for example) and the God of all comfort. God’s law and His love are described as comfort-givers. The body of believers is called to comfort, also.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (NIV)

The second occasion of the tears of Jesus takes place as He travels to Jerusalem, just after the triumphal entry is described.

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." Luke 19:41-44 (NASB)

He prophetically announced the destruction of the Temple. The Greek word used is for weeping in this verse is klaioo, meaning to weep audibly, to burst into tears.

Certainly, tears drop due to many reasons be it in grief, sorrow, repentance or happiness etc. It all part of the God’s Plan for us… “for blessed are those who mourned.”

"God who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain" -C.S. Lewis

Today’s sermon gives another interesting perspective to seeing tears. After the Great Flood in Genesis, God established a covenant with Noah.

And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." -Genesis 9:12-16 (NIV)

When the Prophet Ezekiel saw visions of God, it was written,

Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Beyond doubt, the rainbow that we have grown so used to and yet still so enchants many of us to this day, is one of the manifestations of God’s Glory on earth. When tears well up in our eyes, what do we see? Are we able to see the rainbow behind the tears? Are we not seeing the Glory of God?

However, as believers, we are not saddened and disheartened for great is the promise of God!

for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

–Revelation 7:17

Reference

New American Standard Bible

New International Version

Quotes by C.S. Lewis, http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1069006.C_S_Lewis accessed 18 April 2010

DeWitt Talmage, The Ministry of Tears (1832-1902), http://www.gracegems.org/SERMONS2/ministry_of_tears.htm accessed 18 April 2010

Mary Beth Swan, an excerpt from a report on tears by Mary beth Swan, in What the Bible says about tears, http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=what-the-bible-says-about-tears accessed 18 April 2010

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我以永远的爱爱你　我以慈爱吸引你
聘你永远归我为妻　永以慈爱诚实待你
哦　我愿夺得主的心　用我注视的眼睛
我的心如禁闭的井　新陈佳果存留为你
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡
众水不能熄灭　不能淹没
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡
众水不能熄灭　不能淹没
我赐你肉心代替石心　把律法写在你心里
我用水将你洗洁净　你的罪恶我全忘记
因你鞭伤我得医治　你受刑罚　我得平安
你受咒诅　我得祝福　因你流血　我得生命
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡
众水不能熄灭　不能淹没
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡
众水不能熄灭　不能淹没
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡
众水不能熄灭　不能淹没
将我放在你的心上如印记
将我带在你手臂上如戳记
你的爱情坚贞　胜过死亡

众水不能熄灭　不能淹没

同奔天路

同奔天路
道路虽然崎岖，还是要坚持下去，为主撒种实在是不容易。
但靠主恩万事成，前面困难何畏惧，抬起头来鼓起勇气。
亲爱第兄姐妹我们本是陌路人，
但是感谢主恩我们成知己，彼此接纳包容，在主内合一，
仰望基督同奔天路，快乐无比。
谁不愿安舒，我们却选十架路，既已踏上要完成这征途。
虽然挫败不泄气，因有彩虹作应许，明天还是一样灿烂与美丽。
亲爱第兄姐妹我们本是陌路人，
但是感谢主恩我们成知己，彼此接纳包容，在主内合一，
仰望基督同奔天路，快乐无比。

Love of Money

1 Timothy 6:3-10

³If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,

⁴he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

⁵and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

⁷For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

⁸If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

⁹But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Today, there are many preachers of the prosperity gospel. In the Bible, we have already be warned about this. Yet, millions of people are still flocking to these places which they call church.

Clearly, they are just chasing after the pot of Gold from the true God.

Mark 10:17-24
The Rich Young Man
¹⁷As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

¹⁸And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

¹⁹"You know the commandments, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

²⁰And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up."

²¹Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

²²But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

Misinterpretation of Scriptures to say that God hints us on how to increase our wealth

Example:

This man was young just like many of you here today. The bible said he was also rich and how did he become rich? This passage gave us a clue… he kept the 4^th to the 10^th commandments since he was a youth. You see in the 10 commandments given from God to Moses and the children of Israel, the 1^st 4 commandments deals with our relationship with God and the last 6 deal with our relationships with others. Hence, when you are able to good relationships with others, you are likely to have good success in life.

Clearly totally misinterpreted and definitely the person here is picking cherries. Let carry on to see what Jesus has to say about wealth.

²³And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"

²⁴The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

²⁵"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

²⁶They were even more astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?"

²⁷Looking at them, Jesus said, With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."

²⁸Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You."

Beyond doubt, that rich young man certainly gains wealth and he is just to sad to part with his wealth. Yes, he has gained the whole world but clearly, he loses his soul.

"How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!"

Mark 8:36
"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

If you anyone uses this text to preach about Wealth. Know that you just are asking people to take the path down to Hell :)

Ask yourself, have u left everything to follow Jesus Christ? or are you hoping that God is so kind as to grant u all your worldly desires (the same reason why that guy beside u believe in Dua Pei Kong/ Guan Yin Ma/ Prosperity Buddha etc) and at the same time gives you the membership pass to Heaven?
Think Twice

Again,

Matthew 7:21-23

²¹"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

²²"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

²³"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

I hope these people wake up!