Today's Scripture Reading

nitecrawllerr · Sep 8, 2010

Psalm

Hes saying Dont worship God's creation i.e. Jesus.

guy-uninterrupted · Sep 8, 2010

yes and wasnt it Jesus who claimed

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."Matt 5:17
Eng Std Version

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose."

All of the Prophets came to preach the Oneness of God and they all prayed to God Almighty. Therefore there should not be any deviation from their teachings. SO follow their ways and their teachings..
They and their followers were all forgiven for their sins by repenting and doing righteous deeds.And so shall the rest of humankind..

"The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness."ezekiel18:20NLV

In other words every person will be accountable for his own deeds not in the belief that someone has paid for it.. God will never take an innocent person to pay for the sins of mankind.That to me is not a loving God if He does this.

In Isaiah OT 43:25

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
So again by this verse above, God forgave Adam and Eve right? and will not remember their sin and thus not compel their progeny to bear that burden anymore.Otherwise He hasnt truly forgiven them..Logical?

so in conclusion, Believe in One true God /Creator/Master of the Universe ,do righteous deeds like being faithful filial piety and etc etc,
give the poor their due(alms) and be hopeful that you will be saved by your own actions.

Peace

Psalm23 · Sep 8, 2010

nitecrawllerr said:
Psalm

Hes saying Dont worship God's creation i.e. Jesus.

This is only 'true' for those who believe that Jesus is not God. For believers who believe that Jesus is God, Jesus is not created. He is already existed since the beginning of time and this is given clearly in John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”

The Word here is Jesus. It follows that Jesus is not created because He existed all along since the beginning of time.

In John 1:14, we are told that the Word (Jesus) became flesh that He came to take the form of human through the virgin birth.

So when believers worship Jesus, we are worshipping the Creator, and not creature because Jesus was created.

God Bless

Psalm23 · Sep 9, 2010

guy-uninterrupted said:
yes and wasnt it Jesus who claimed

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."Matt 5:17
Eng Std Version

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose."

All of the Prophets came to preach the Oneness of God and they all prayed to God Almighty. Therefore there should not be any deviation from their teachings. SO follow their ways and their teachings..
They and their followers were all forgiven for their sins by repenting and doing righteous deeds.And so shall the rest of humankind..

"The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent's sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child's sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness."ezekiel18:20NLV

In other words every person will be accountable for his own deeds not in the belief that someone has paid for it.. God will never take an innocent person to pay for the sins of mankind.That to me is not a loving God if He does this.

In Isaiah OT 43:25

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
So again by this verse above, God forgave Adam and Eve right? and will not remember their sin and thus not compel their progeny to bear that burden anymore.Otherwise He hasnt truly forgiven them..Logical?

so in conclusion, Believe in One true God /Creator/Master of the Universe ,do righteous deeds like being faithful filial piety and etc etc,
give the poor their due(alms) and be hopeful that you will be saved by your own actions.

Peace

Saved by good work - can we? That's a big question. In Isaiah 64:6, Prophet Isaiah has declared that "all our righteous acts are as filthy rags." Perhaps to be more politically correct or because the word 'rag' was closest equivalent in the English dictionary at the time the Bible was translated into English, the actual translation of the the Hebrew equivalent for the word 'rag' is "used sanitary napkin used by women!" To God, we can perform all the good deeds but they are still not good enough to meet His standard.

We can sincerely ask ourselves this question: Do we really think we can do those good deeds that are so 'good and perfect' that will take us into heaven?

The standard of God's righteousness and holiness is simply unattenable through human efforts. He demands nothing but 100% perfection and purity! Even for earthly kings and emperors in ancient days, anyone who had spoken just one unkind word against a king or an emperor would ran the risk of being beheaded.

So, to enter into His holiness, God will never tolerate any inpurity, however small it may be. If God were to relax His demand, than the next question is: is 99% perfection ok? If He allows 99% of perfection, how about 98%? How about 97%? How about 75%?

In the OT, we have stories after stories of God giving people chances after chances to repent but each time, they might repent but not for long. They went back to their old ways. So, the best way to do is for God to say, that's enough. I have given you all the chances to be rightteous but you just can't do it. Like me to do it for you and God did this by having His only Son, Jesus to be our sin-bearer, once and for all. This is the expression of God's greatest love.

Note that the Book of Isaiah is a prophetic book especially from chapters 40 onward to chapter 66, it was about the coming Messiah (i.e. Jesus) and that through Jesus, we will have the inputed righteousness of His Son, Jesus. Only through this inputed righteousness of Jesus, we can then see God, provided we repent of our sins and sincerely try our best not to repeat them. Yes, we are still sinners. Yes, we still make mistakes from time to time, but if we continue to live the way we did and intentionally keep sinning, then of course the next question is: Do we actually repent in the first place?

You may want to look at the video I sent you earlier on the 'Chinese - the Language of God' and in particular you will notice that the Chinese character 'righteousness' encoded the story of Jesus' death, the 'inputed righteousness of Jesus' to redeem mankind from the misery of performing good deeds, often done through sacrificing innocent animals like goats, pigs, sheep, etc and in some tribal cultures human sacrifices were not uncommon.

God Bless

Psalm23 · Sep 9, 2010

The headline in today's Straits Times (September 9, 2010) read: "Ministry probes free bus rides to casinos. MPs raised concerns about Sentosa IR's heartland shuttle." You can also note a comment by a RWS spokesman. The comment he made was that they started free bus shuttle service "following feeback and the age-old perception that Sentosa was too far inaccessible...." This seemingly points to imply that the company is trying to do some good and noble community service by providing free bus shuttle service to people who would otherwise couldn't afford or find it difficult to go to Sentosa.

Before the opening of Sentosa last year, I visited the island resort during a week day. I noted then that it seemed that there were more workers than visitors. Commonsense should prevail that free bus shuttle service should be provided back then to attract more visitors because (as you all may agree) before the opening of the casino, Sentosa was like a 'haunted island' - there were very very few visitors. When I visited back then, I felt very sorry for those businesses operating there! It was so empty and they had hardly got any customers.

What puzzled me (and perhaps many of you too) is that with so many visitors visiting Sentosa both during weekdays and weekends now, yet free bus shuttle service is available to bring people to this 'overcrowded' places. Furthermore, how could Sentosa be inaccessible when an MRT station is just righ infront of the island. I don't think I need to go and 'speculate' for the reason why the free bus shuttle is provided in 12 HDB town centers because it would be an insult to your intelligence.

In February 14, last year when the first casino opened, I have posted a message on the danger of gambling and if you want to read them, you can click to the following:

http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?t=32764&page=10

By the grace of God, I have just come across the following message (A Game of Chance) that warns us on the danger of gambling. May God bless you all the reading of this message. Have a great blessed long-weekend, and pray earnestly for God's strengthening to help you to avoid going to places that you should not visit.

A Game of Chance
By Adam J. West

Millions of men and women spend untold hours in glitzy main halls of casinos, while many others play “friendly” games of “nickel” poker, gathered around octagon tables. Still others indulge in office sports pools, all the while hoping to cash in on the losses of others.

What about those who set back a small amount of money for the occasional trip to the casino “just for entertainment?” What principles does God’s word contain in regard to gambling? Is gambling a sin?

By 1994, every American state, except Utah and Hawaii, had allowed some form of legal commercial gambling. But where did gambling in the United States come from? The original thirteen colonies were established based on two opposing views. One, the English view, was open and supportive of gambling in its various forms. And the second, the Puritan view, staunchly opposed to gambling.

In considering these two opposing worldly views, we should consider as well the only view which truly matters. Let’s examine a few biblical scriptures that shed light on whether this ancient activity is, indeed, a sin. Jesus Christ stated, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). What is God’s righteousness? How do we seek it?

King David of Israel plainly stated, “My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172). What commandment most aptly applies, then, to this subject of gambling? “You shall not covet…” (Exodus 20:17) comes readily to mind. What does it mean to covet? Unger’s Bible Dictionary defines covetousness as “…inordinate desire for what one has not, which has its basis in discontentment with what one has … eager[ness] to obtain money...” This attitude strikes at the root of gambling.

Church leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, once stated that there were only two honest ways that a person could gain anything: (1) through hard, honest labor, or (2) through a gift given by another. A person who is truly seeking to keep the law of God, to seek after righteousness, will not be trying to get something for nothing. He or she won’t be trying to get rich quick at all. It’s just that simple.

Those who set back a certain amount of money to spend at the casino for occasional entertainment should consider whether this kind of activity demonstrates seeking the kingdom of God. Are the places that offer gambling really places Christians should be supporting with their inevitable financial losses? Is this what Christ showed as the example in His life? How He spent His time? Or, rather, did He seek to serve others with His whole being?
There are only two paths of life. This was symbolized in the Garden of Eden when God gave instruction to Adam and Eve in regard to two trees. One, called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, a tree offering confusion, was forbidden. All others were acceptable, including the tree of life. With so many differing views regarding gambling, it’s clear that to indulge in gambling is to partake of forbidden fruit of the tree of confusion. “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there” (James 3:16).

Those who indulge in gambling, regardless as to the degree, may simply be taste-testing the fruit of this world. As the Apostle Paul exhorted the Christians during his day, saying that Christians, “… should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind” (Ephesians 4:17), so should those who seek righteousness avoid playing a dangerous game of chance.

Why take chances when it comes to seeking the righteousness of God in your activities? Why waste the financial means He makes available to you?

============End of Message===========

Psalm23 · Sep 10, 2010

Psalm23 said:
This is only 'true' for those who believe that Jesus is not God. For believers who believe that Jesus is God, Jesus is not created. He is already existed since the beginning of time and this is given clearly in John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”

The Word here is Jesus. It follows that Jesus is not created because He existed all along since the beginning of time.

In John 1:14, we are told that the Word (Jesus) became flesh that He came to take the form of human through the virgin birth.

So when believers worship Jesus, we are worshipping the Creator, and not creature because Jesus was created.

God Bless

Sorry...repost...

This is only 'true' for those who believe that Jesus is not God. For believers who believe that Jesus is God, Jesus is not created. He is already existed since the beginning of time and this is given clearly in John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”

The Word here is Jesus. It follows that Jesus is not created because He existed all along since the beginning of time.

In John 1:14, we are told that the Word (Jesus) became flesh that He came to take the form of human through the virgin birth.

So when believers worship Jesus, we are worshipping the Creator, and not creature because Jesus was NOT created.

God Bless

Psalm23 · Sep 12, 2010

[Please use the message here as the Lord leads, but nothing on the message must be used for profit!]

Today’s Scripture Reading [September 12, 2010]

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. [Matthew 13:43. KJV]

Jesus is the Son of God. He made Himself Man and came to earth 2,000 years ago, not as king or a member of royal family but as a poor carpenter. He dwelt with people of diverse background for 33 years. His final journey on earth was anything but tragic. He was betrayed, scourged, pierced and was finally hung on the cross to die. After three days, He rose again and was later gloriously ascended to heaven to be united with the Heavenly Father. He is now at the right hand of the Heavenly Father (Mark 16:19) and He is the shining Light of the Universe.

When we are facing life challenges or confronted with dangers that may seem to lose our shine, ask Jesus to take our negative, defeating thoughts away and shift our perspective so that we can enjoy His awesome presence. If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

Every man of God recorded in the Bible has gone through painful life-threatening challenges. A good example is Moses. He was appointed by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt but faced insurmountable difficulties from Pharaoh who made him like a real failure at first. Just like Moses, God may not deliver from our trials immediately but our final victory is assured. He has greater purpose for us than we can ever know. Things may seem to be getting worse by the day, but we can be sure that if we have committed our cause into His hands, our deliverance is sure. It will be easier for us, if instead of fighting Him, we trust Him for our future. For then we will both enjoy His presence now and His deliverance when it comes. Jesus has instructed us to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24), to observe all things that He has commanded. The most comfortable news is that we are not going to fight our spiritual battle alone. In Matthew 28:20, Jesus has promised He will always be with us wherever we go (Matthew 28:20). What a wonderful promise! Let us not loose sight of His high calling to be His good disciples and to make the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus as our way of life.

As children of God, we also have the Light of Jesus. Despite of what is going around us, His light will continue to direct our path, rule our hearts and give eternal hope which can best be described by the hymn Shine Jesus Shine:

SHINE JESUS SHINE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3iB30gCqAc&feature=related

Lord, the light of your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us
Set us free by the truth you now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me

Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father's glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river, flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord, and let there be light

Lord, I come to your awesome presence
From the shadows into your radiance
By the blood I may enter your brightness
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness
Shine on me, shine on me

As we gaze on your kingly brightness
So our faces display your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here may our lives tell your story
Shine on me, shine on me

Psalm23 · Sep 15, 2010

As we are now coming to a close of 2010, the year which we saw many events of human suffering like earthquakes in Haiti, flood, drought in various parts of China, India and Pakistan, the BP oil spill destroying wild habitats and livelihood of people, volcanic eruption in Iceland that crippled air-transportation in Europe, let's us prepare ourselves for the new season into 2011. We pray that God can spare us of His wrath.

In the light of all these development and especially when we read the Book of Revelation, the age of the world - the age of darkness, lawlessness, sinfulness - is coming to a close. We must hence continue to be strong in our faith and pray unceasingly that we can all escape all these. But this is not 'doom and gloom' because the end of this age of darkness, lawlessness and sinfulness is the beginning of His Kingdom, of perfect righteousness and justice. Let's us unite as one body in His name and continue to do the work that God has commanded us to do: sharing the Gospel of Jesus and bringing people to Him.

The following short sermon and a short poem will prayerfully help us to understand that when it comes to our service for God, everything counts - 'insignificance, littleness, smallness' are never in God's dictionary.

The Power of One
[Source: Today's Daily Encounter]

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. [Romans 1:16]

Have you noticed that whenever God has a work to be done on Earth, he so often chooses an individual to get his work started and achieved? Think of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Mary, Peter, Paul, etc. The good news is that God, today, still chooses and uses individuals to accomplish his work on Earth.

Furthermore, throughout history, one person has made an incredible impact with his or her life. I've shared this before, but as the unknown poet said:

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam can light a room.
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see, it's up to you and me.
To get God's work done on Earth, "if it's going to be, it will be up to YOU and ME!"

As Edward Everett Hale so eloquently said, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."

Let's never forget how very important you and I are to God in our world. "When many people each do a little, together we can accomplish great feats for God."

Again, most of God's work on Earth has been started by one person. Will you be one that God is looking for today to have a share in doing his work in your world?

Suggested Prayer

Dear God, I'm available. I say yes to you today to be one that you are looking for to use in my world. Please use me to be a part of your plans to help spread the gospel in the world in which I live. Please make me usable and use me to be as Jesus in some way to every life I touch this day. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, Amen.

==============May God bless you all the reading of this sermon=============

tanwahtiu · Sep 15, 2010

The Book of Revelation was not about today's tomorrow but prediction of the Jewish Revolt War in AD 66 to AD 73.

The number 666 was predition of a war in year AD 66 and it will happened on the reign of the 6th Emperor of Rome, Nero.

drifter · Sep 19, 2010

http://www.documentary-log.com/you-are-watching-the-pleasure-of-finding-things-out/

drifter · Sep 19, 2010

Religion is just there to control people form free thinking . How can they argue science fact .
if they believe so much in god Y do they run to the hospital when sick and not to the church ?

y do they turn to people of science to get better ?

y do they fear death so much if they are so sure to go to paradise ?

I tell you all this suppose religious people know there is no such thing.
and that is y they go to the doctor.

to all how believe in paradise I challenge them to never go and ask for medicine or medical help when sick.,
not even a dentist .
see how long you believe that suffering is god will !
Y does the Pope need a bullet prof car ? does he not want to go to paradise , sure he knows live is good….and like to live LONG …..
religion is for delusional people and yes there are many many out there .

sure the world Is flat !!!! and the sun is going around the world…..
they where ready to kill to prove a fact and they will kill again just to support there delusional stories…

Psalm23 · Sep 19, 2010

[Please use the message here as the Lord leads, but nothing on the message must be used for profit!]

Today’s Scripture Reading [September 19, 2010]

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. [Revelation 1:1-3. KJV]

Apostle John, the author of the Book of Revelation, was jailed and banished to the island of Patmos for 18 months. He wrote the Book of Revelation when he was about 92 years old, while a prisoner of Rome on this remote desert penal colony of Patmos, an island in the Aegean Sea. It was on this island of Patmos during a Sunday that John wrote down in a scroll of what "he saw and heard". John's sworn testimony about how he received these God’s messages is given in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation.

The island of Patmos where John was banished to was a quarry mine for the Roman Empire, and was home to many political and religious prisoners or slaves. The conditions there were anything but harsh. John, the beloved apostle of Jesus, was being held as a prisoner of Rome on this island for his incessant preaching about Jesus. Rome believed that banishing the old man John to the remote and forsaken island of Patmos, that his voice would be quieted. John was very old, and close to the end of his life, probably sent to Patmos in the year 95 by the Roman emperor Domitian who reigned from A.D. 81 to A.D. 96. Emperor Domitian was reportedly angry at the fact that John was not killed when he was dipped in boiling oil. Since John was a contemporary of Jesus, John would have been by that time, well over 90 years old, making him very likely the only apostle to survive to such an old age. The rest of Jesus apostles and disciples were martyred decades earlier. It was as if God supernaturally preserved John to bare record of The Revelation!

John's love for Jesus was so strong, that he continued to defy the Roman magistrate's order to stop proclaiming Jesus as Messiah, Savior and Lord even while a prisoner. On Patmos, John was thrown in with violent criminals, but simply won many of the criminals to faith in Jesus.

Taking the actual historical events into consideration and the dates that surround those events during the reign of Roman emperor Domitian, the Book of Revelation could only be completed after A.D. 80. This Book reveals to us many great divine truths of:

• The Person of Jesus Christ in His glorious form
• The events that must soon take place before the coming of Jesus Christ
• The danger of sin and the need for holiness
• The glory and majesty of God, of the Person, Jesus Christ
• The end of human history as we know it
• The Great White Throne Judgment
• The ultimate victory of Jesus Christ
• The ultimate defeat of Satan
• The final eternal state of the wicked
• The final eternal state of the righteous

It is particularly interesting and scripture-worthy to note that the Book of Revelation is the unveiling work of God to finally close the human history and to begin His Kingdom of peace, of righteousness and of holiness. We can see that God oscillates this message of revelation back and forth between the Heaven and the earth. Starting from what John saw in Heaven in chapter 1, the letters to His seven churches on earth in chapter 2 and 3, the message moved back to the Heaven in chapter 4-5 concerning worship that taken place in the Heaven, the Scroll and the Lamb of God; it then came back to the earth again in chapter 6-7 concerning the opening of the Seals which will send apocalyptic events that the world has never known like wide-spread famine, earthquake, etc, and the gathering of the 144,000 Jewish converts. This pattern of His message oscillating between the Heaven and the earth continues throughout the Book of Revelation just as Jesus has told us categorically in the Lord’s Prayer that “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).”

Given our foreknowledge of what God has installed for us and that the clock of God is moving faster than ever before, we must learn to apply the following lessons that we can learn from this Book:

• To live a godly and holy live and to be at peace with God;
• To be ready to receive our King Jesus;
• To look forward and to be focused without loosing sight of Him because of our afflictions;
• To be bold in our faith and in our witness by sharing His Gospel with our friends and relatives;
• To be a blessing to others.

For many years, the Book of Revelation was one of the least understood books among the 66 books of the Bible. But why is the Book of Revelation now so intensely studied and researched into by Bible scholars all over the world as compared to the Bible scholars a century ago? The answer is very simple. Throughout this Book, the use of imagery puts many people off reading it, especially those early Christians who lived 100 years’ ago. Sadly, some viewed these imageries as fairy tales so much so that there were even Bible scholars who felt that the Book of Revelation should not be part of the Bible. This was because they couldn’t understand the ‘imagery language’ used. For example in Revelation 13:16-18, we are told that unless we have received the Mark of the Beast or the number of his name, 666, we will not be able to buy and sell. Taking into the context that one of the primary goals of the devil is to control human economic activities, the Mark of the Beast, 666, is now widely accepted by Bible scholars as a form of very advanced digital numbering system such as the current Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the microchip technology that can miniaturize microchip to the size of a grain of sand, small enough to be inserted into the skin. This miniaturized microchip combined with the RFID technology can easily replace our credit cards and cash cards that many are so dependent upon for shopping that they “cannot leave their home with it”. We can now easily connect this technological advancement that will finally rule the business world to what is told to us in Revelation 13: 16-18: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six (666).” (If you are interested in this topic, go to the Youtube and search for key words like: RFID, bible prophecy, Revelation and you will be shocked at what you see or hear! Please be warned that this is not for the faint-hearted!).

Another reason why even early Bible scholars were skeptical of the Book of Revelation was that it has mentioned certain catastrophic events - such as the destruction of seas in which one-third of marine creatures died (Revelation 8:8-9) which many early Christians thought were merely symbolic and couldn't really take place. Not anymore now. The BP oil leak and the possibility of a nuclear war that have great effect on living creatures both on earth and in the sea indicate to us that such events can happen and at anytime! Just go to the Straits Times last week and you could see a photograph of million of fish died along the beach of the Gulf of Mexico where the oil leak is!

In Revelation 1:3, we are told to read, to hear and to keep these teachings because the time is at hand. We must therefore be careful not to be influenced by critics who giving us false teachings. Right before your eyes, you can read from a critic here who is telling us that “the Book of Revelation was not about today's tomorrow but prediction of the Jewish Revolt War from A.D. 66 to A.D. 73.” He continued that “the number 666 was Apostle John’s prediction of a war in year A.D. 66 and it would happen on the reign of the 6th Emperor of Rome, Nero.” This critic seems to imply that ‘666’ was invented by Apostle John as a symbol to foretell the Jewish Revolt War in A.D. 66 on the reign of the 6th Emperor of Rome, Nero. While the numeric combination of these two events worked out to be ‘666’ and looks deceivingly convincing, it is far from the truth. To begin with, when the Book of Revelation was written, it was written by John in the island of Patmos, and as mentioned in my introductory paragraph, Apostle John was banished by Roman emperor Domitian who reigned from A.D. 81 to A.D. 96 long after emperor Nero died. Since emperor Nero reigned as emperor of Roman from A.D. 54 to A.D. 66, it follows that the Book of Revelation was written after the death of emperor Nero. It is like predicting in 2010 to tell the world that ‘Obama will win the U.S. presidential election in 2008!’ This does not make any chronological sense!

Throughout the Bible, the number six (6) has been regarded as the number of man. (You too will note that the Sixth Commandment of God’s Law relates to the worst sin – murder: Thou shall not murder (Exodus 20:13). The number ‘666’ is God’s revelation to John that unless people during the great tribulation have taken this Mark of the ‘perfectly imperfect’ man, they will not be able to buy and sell.

Another important point to note is that the use of B.C. and A.D. notations in the calendar was only proposed for adoption by a monk, named Dionysius Exiguus in A.D. 525. Though Exiguus had used it himself to records events using the notations of B.C. and A.D, it was not widely accepted by others until much later. So the question is: How could Apostle John came out with the idea of the number 666 to indicate or to foretell that the “a war in year A.D. 66 and on the reign of the 6th Emperor of Rome, Nero?” The system of notation was not even in used during Apostle John’s time! From cover to cover, the Bible had never used B.C. or A.D. notation. How then could Apostle John connect this number 666 to the so-called predicted war of the Jewish Revolt War in A.D. 66? In fact, if it did, it too must be a miracle in the making because A.D. notation was not ‘invented’ until after A.D. 525 and yet Apostle John knew it more than 450 years in advance!

Historically, before the notations of B.C. and A.D. were adopted most empires had their own unique calendar systems. For example in China, each time a new emperor was installed, it would concurrently commensurate a new calendar system; thus when Emperor Kangxi started his reign, the Chinese oracles that recorded important events from the year when Emperor Kangxi was being installed as emperor would be read: “In the 5th year, the 5th month of Emperor Kangxi…...” and the dating-system would change when another emperor reigned. Thus, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Chinese oracles that recorded important events from the year when Emperor Qianlong was being installed as emperor would be read: “In the 5th year, the 5th month of Emperor Qianlong……” This calendar notation system, however, was only unique and peculiar to a particular nation, like in the example above, only for the Empire of China.

It must be realized that never had an earthly emperor, nor an earthly king, nor any earthly person whose year of coronation (or birth) had been so significant that the year of his coronation (or his birth) was used as a calendar notation system on a global scale. There is none but one in the whole history of humanity - the birth year of Jesus which is used as a global calendar system to record all world events of the past, the present and the future! This global calendar notation system of B.C. and A.D. is used by all nations of all religious faiths. This is one of the greatest testimonies testifying to the world that Jesus will eventually reign as King of kings and Lord of lords and that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). Regardless of your religious belief system, consciously or unconsciously you invoked His name every time you write a letter, every time you send an email, every time you SMS a short message, every time you execute a business transaction, every time you blaspheme His name - just about everything we do every time. As I am writing this message and posting it here, I have to invoke the name of Jesus: Today’s Scripture Reading message is written on September 19, 2010, in the Year of Our Lord Jesus!

The reign of our King of kings and Lord of lords is going to begin sooner than we can expect. As the world begins to wind down, as believers, we will not be looking for something to happen but for SOMEONE to come and redeem us. We must therefore work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippines 2:12) and wait patiently for the Lord to live like He is coming anytime! This is what the Book of Revelation is all about – it is about the Person of Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe who will be here on earth sooner than we can expect! For many who read this Book, this may seem to be a book of gloom and doom, but for all true believers, this is a book of greatest hope that will outshine any other things that we could ever hope or wish for!

spandauisback · Sep 22, 2010

Psalm23

You're going a great job by sharing the good news here. Yes come quickly Jesus for our redemption. He is at the door!

BTW, are you amil or pre-tri believer?

Psalm23 · Sep 22, 2010

spandauisback said:
Psalm23

You're going a great job by sharing the good news here. Yes come quickly Jesus for our redemption. He is at the door!

BTW, are you amil or pre-tri believer?

Dear Spandauisback-in-Christ,

Thanks for the encouragement.

I am a pre-trib beleiver. They are many reasons and I hope that I can post this in one of the Today's Scripture Reading messages. For the time being - you will notice that in Revelation, from Chapter 4, the word 'church' is never used. This is because Christ has taken away the Church to be with Him. Another reason is that we are told time and again that the appearance of Christ to take the church away will be like the 'days of Noah and the days of Lot'. We can note that Noah's and his famiily and Lot and his three daugthers were all spared from the destruction. In particular, Noah's family were in the ark and we too will be saved in 'God's ark', that is with Him when the great tribulation sweeps across the earth. Another reason is that as Christians we are ambassadors for Christ. Just like when a country going for war, the first thing the head of state does is to call back his ambassardor. So, before the great tribulation, the final battle of the good and the evil, God will call us back. Also, when Christ descended from heaven, He will bring His angels and all the saints, thus, all Christians must have been taken up with Him in the first place.

God Bless

tanwahtiu · Sep 22, 2010

Psalm23 said:
Dear Spandauisback-in-Christ,

Thanks for the encouragement.

I am a pre-trib beleiver. They are many reasons and I hope that I can post this in one of the Today's Scripture Reading messages. For the time being - you will notice that in Revelation, from Chapter 4, the word 'church' is never used. This is because Christ has taken away the Church to be with Him. Another reason is that we are told time and again that the appearance of Christ to take the church away will be like the 'days of Noah and the days of Lot'. We can note that Noah's and his famiily and Lot and his three daugthers were all spared from the destruction. In particular, Noah's family were in the ark and we too will be saved in 'God's ark', that is with Him when the great tribulation sweeps across the earth. Another reason is that as Christians we are ambassadors for Christ. Just like when a country going for war, the first thing the head of state does is to call back his ambassardor. So, before the great tribulation, the final battle of the good and the evil, God will call us back. Also, when Christ descended from heaven, He will bring His angels and all the saints, thus, all Christians must have been taken up with Him in the first place.

God Bless

Nobody to rebutt you and now make new clone Spandauisback to entertain yourself and all praise o yourself ?????

Psalm23= cloned Goodnews = new nick Spandauisback

Your viewers number got more or not? hehehehe

drifter · Sep 22, 2010

tanwahtiu said:
Nobody to rebutt you and now make new clone Spandauisback to entertain yourself and all praise o yourself ?????

Psalm23= cloned Goodnews = new nick Spandauisback

Your viewers number got more or not? hehehehe

dont you know their god is self-praise ? praise him before eating ,praise him for anything except those misfortune . take all the credit ....push away all the bad things happening around them and blame it on their satan ...

drifter · Sep 22, 2010

drifter · Sep 22, 2010

drifter · Sep 22, 2010

drifter · Sep 22, 2010

Today's Scripture Reading

Alfrescian

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Alfrescian

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