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Today’s Scripture Reading [October 3, 2010]
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [1 John 4:9-10. KJV]
Since the invention of telephone, the Internet email and SMS just couple of decades ago, we all have experienced an evolution of electronic communication beyond our wildest dream. They are cheap, convenient and fast – literally at the speed of light! As in an old adage ‘cheap things are no good and good things are not cheap’, this old adage is particularly true when it comes to the modern-day of communication. The cost of sending an email or SMS is now so cheap as compared to other forms of communication like using postal or courier services that people don’t even bother to think about the cost anymore when sending SMSs or emails. As in all forms of communication, the very intent is to provide convenience and to bring people closer, and hopefully bind relationship for the better. Instead many of us are experiencing the exact opposite effect. Because they are so cheap and easily available and user-friendly, it is quite common to have people sending tons of SMSs, many of them are trivial messages, every day. We have heard that some of these messages had been so carelessly sent and known to have cause misunderstanding or even destroying relationship. For example, messages were known to have sent to wrong person wrecking havoc of relationship in married couples because cheating spouses sent love messages which were meant for their lovers but ended up in their spouses’ mobile-phones! In the corporate world, workers have to deal with the never-ending deluge of e-mails 24/7. The need to promptly reply emails has become one of the appraisal measures in the work place to evaluate employees’ work performance thus creating work-related stress for employees who are already facing other work challenges. Workers especially those white-collar professionals are glued to their iPhones, Blackberries, Smartphones and they simply turn ‘crazy’ when they have experienced breakdown of the services. It is quite certain that a breakdown in the service of a major telephone-carrier, even just for couple of hours, will be headline news. This truly reflects our current addiction for telco service to continuously providing uninterrupted service. Many of us have become, literarily-speaking, mobile-phone addicts!
Before telephone and other electronic communication devices were invented, the main source of communication was through hand-written letters which were couriered from door to door. The cost for couriering letters then was quite prohibitive and only those who were quite wealthy could afford sending letters to friends or relatives. With the invention of the postage stamp in 1840 by the British, it has revolutionized paper communication. Still then, the cost of postage stamp was not cheap and the efficiency of the postal system was anything but primitive. Due to the slow transportation it could take many days or even weeks for letters to arrive. Nonetheless, people were very excited each time they received a letter. The triviality of the content of letters was kept to a minimum because of the high cost of sending letters and also most people who wrote were serious about what they were writing. They would spare no effort on trivial matters. These old stamps, covers and letters are now collectors’ items and serious stamp collectors are willing to pay for thousands of dollar just for a stamp cover. For example, a first day cover of the world’s first stamp with a date-stamp of May 6, 1840 could fetch as much as 100,000 dollars.
But do you know which is the most expensive letter that had ever written? This letter was written none other than our Creator. It was written by Him to all the inhabitants in this earth, and the cost of this letter was paid by blood of God’s only begotten Son, Jesus. This is no ordinary letter. Rather, it was supernaturally written by God’s inspired 40 writers and it was divinely preserved and transmitted to us. This letter is complied into a book which known to people – believers and non-believers - as the Bible, God’s Holy Scripture.
What then is the content of this letter? The content of this letter is simple yet profound and has puzzled many people so much so that, sadly, many people just refuse to believe this simple letter of truth. This God's "love letter", the Bible is divinely written by God to us, telling us not only that He loves us, but showing us what He has done to demonstrate His love. It also tells us how we should live, because God knows what is best for us and He wants us to experience it. Never forget: The Bible is God's Word, given to us so we can know and follow Him. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Perhaps a good way to understand the complete content of this great letter, the Bible, is to first read the following summary which was summarized by an unknown author titled: MY CHILD. I would like to prayerfully hope that after you have read this summary letter, you go right now to read the entire content of letter, the Bible. From Genesis, the first chapter of the Bible to Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible, God is appealing to us to reciprocate His love. He is waiting for you to send Him the message: “Jesus I love you too. I want to be Your child!” The best news is that it is not going to cost you anything for you to send Him this message. Just simply and truthfully say those words to reciprocate God’s love and He is right here to listen to your message. He is waiting anxiously to receive this message from you! God is a very serious writer and He spared not effort in trivial message. Every word that He has communicated to us, every promise that He has promised us, every assurance that He has assured us will materialize! All you need to do is to trust this divinely inspired-letter written by God Himself, obey His commandments and His instructions, and He will deliver His promise to us - the promise of eternal life!
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MY CHILD
(Author unknown)
You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13
========== GOD BLESS YOU ALL THE READING OF THIS LETTER==========