tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15722866753095551262024-03-14T18:34:54.698+08:00Berita Calvary------ Interesting Articles for reading while sipping your favourite cup of teh-tarikCALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-64453362489089025872014-08-05T12:43:00.000+08:002014-08-05T12:44:40.134+08:00News On City Harvest Church<h2 style="background-color: white; color: #1f1f1f; direction: ltr; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: -3px 0px 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/chc-spent-half-a-million/1296604.html?cid=FBSG" target="_blank">CHC spent half a million dollars buying Sun Ho's unsold CDs</a> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Click on title for original source)</span></h2>
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SINGAPORE: Sun Ho was not the successful singer City Harvest Church had made her out to be. Evidence showed the church spent about half a million dollars to buy her unsold Mandarin CDs.</div>
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The profitability of her artiste management company Xtron was also questioned, as the trial involving the church's leader Kong Hee and his five deputies resumed on Monday (Aug 4). </div>
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The six church leaders are accused of misusing millions of church funds to buy sham bonds to bankroll Sun Ho's music career.</div>
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She had been touted as a big commercial success, but lead prosecutor Mavis Chionh said the financial statements told a different story. In 2004, City Harvest Church spent about half a million dollars to buy her unsold (Mandarin) CDs - numbering at least 32,000 copies - to give away to overseas ministries and overseas churches.</div>
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These details surfaced as the prosecution sought to highlight inconsistencies in former church board member John Lam's evidence. He had cited Ms Ho's success as a reason the church should invest in bonds issued by Xtron - her artiste management company.</div>
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The Prosecutor had strong words for Lam. She called his evidence incredible, and a lie, and said he was desperate to find an explanation as to why he had gone along with a plan to let the church sink millions of dollars into what were essentially junk bonds.</div>
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Lam pointed out that junk bonds were not necessarily bad bonds, and added that he had believed that Sun's US album sales would be good enough to cover the obligations of the bond. But the prosecution said that as a former director of Xtron, Lam would have known it was not a profitable company.</div>
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For example, its only asset was a laptop, with all other assets loaned by the church. It did not even have the budget to pay for a S$46,000 freight services bill.</div>
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The prosecution also drove home the point that Xtron was not the independent entity it had been made out to be. For one, Lam and his fellow accused Chew Eng Han had agreed to stamps of their signatures being made, to be used on Xtron invoices. Ms Chionh said the two were "happy to rubber stamp decisions", knowing they were made by Kong and the church.</div>
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It was also heard that the bulk of Xtron's funding came from the church members. For example, Indonesian businessman Wahju Hanafi's donations to the Church Building Fund were refunded to him, and channelled to Xtron. The building fund pledges and tithes of some other members including Lam were also diverted to Xtron. The trial continues.</div>
CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-78285831196185890472014-08-01T12:44:00.000+08:002014-08-01T12:45:53.735+08:00Why Team Ministry Is Better Than a One-Man Show<span style="color: #073763;">This is an article taken from Charisma Magazine.</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Click on the Title for original source.</span><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/20925-why-team-ministry-is-better-than-the-one-man-show" target="_blank">Why Team Ministry Is Better Than a One-Man Show</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>The Author of this article is J. Lee Grady.</i></b><br />
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Last week I served alongside a team of pastors at a ministry school in Debrecen, Hungary, a city I've visited four times. Even though I don't speak Hungarian (it's one of the most difficult languages on the planet), I had a blast working with my friends Zsolt, Eugene, István, Pál and Attila. We shared meals, worshiped and prayed together and opened our hearts on a deep level—with the help of my interpreter and, on a few occasions, the Google Translate program on my phone.</div>
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Nobody tried to be the star as we shared teaching slots during the week. We preferred each other and encouraged each other. And we laughed a lot because we really enjoyed each other's company. Every leader contributed his part—and in the end the students were blessed that their teachers flowed in harmony.</div>
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Teamwork is an essential part of God's plan for ministry. In both the Old and New Testaments, we see teams of people working side-by-side to further His kingdom. Moses shared leadership with Aaron and Miriam (see Micah 4:6) and David had a group of "mighty men" who performed valiant deeds under his command. Solomon appointed a team to serve as his deputies, Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem with teams of workers, and Esther's maidens prayed and fasted with her before she saved Israel from genocide.</div>
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Jesus loves teams. He gathered a group of hand-picked disciples and then sent them out to minister in pairs (Luke 10:1). He involved them in feeding the multitudes and healing sick people. In the same way, the apostle Paul never traveled anywhere alone, and he always credited the people who helped him. His love for Timothy, Phoebe, Luke, Silvanus, Titus, Priscilla and other team players is an obvious backdrop in his epistles.</div>
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So if teamwork is so essential to Christianity, why do we prefer the celebrity model of ministry today? Here are five clear reasons that teamwork is a better approach:</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">1. Teamwork accomplishes more.</b> Anybody who has ever chopped down a tree with an axe or painted a house knows the job gets done quicker and easier when more people are working. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says: "Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor." Ministry leaders are compared to oxen in the Bible, and Jesus said He would place a "yoke" on us when we are called to ministry (see Matt. 11:29). A yoke connects a team of oxen. Jesus never referred to his followers as renegade stallions who run off on their own. He called us to be yoked together with others. You will not achieve as much if you insist on doing everything yourself.</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">2. Teamwork unlocks people's potential.</b> In a one-man show, a leader performs the up-front job, a few overworked people help in the background, and the crowd watches. Religious spectators are trained to sit—as if they have nothing useful to contribute. Yet the New Testament tells us the Holy Spirit gives every believer certain gifts, and we all are to use these gifts for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7, 11).</div>
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In today's megachurch culture, the celebrity pastor looms large on the big screen, and he may even broadcast his message to several satellite congregations. This might effectively reach some people for Jesus, and it might be a short-term solution for growth, but does it encourage every church member to discover his or her potential? The best leaders know how to involve lots of people to reach God's goal.</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">3. Teamwork encourages healthy relationships.</b> It's easier to do ministry alone. But you will never grow if you do a solo act. When you are part of a team you must deal with competitive attitudes, jealousy, pride, complaints and hurt feelings. This is exactly why Jesus wants us to work together! You will never confront the flaws in your character unless you work with others. They will expose your selfishness, and you will expose theirs. Proverbs 27:17 says: "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." God will use Brother Bothersome and Sister Sandpaper in your life to make you more loving—and more humble!</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">4. Teamwork prevents scandals.</b> Years ago after televangelist Jim Bakker was released from prison, he admitted that he had surrounded himself with yes men who didn't have the courage to tell him he was making unethical business decisions. Leaders with a one-man-show mentality are in danger of doing incredibly stupid things because they lack accountability. Team ministry encourages transparency, and senior leaders recognize the value of getting honest feedback from their colleagues. You will fail as a leader if you don't have wise counselors who have access to you. Surround yourself with team players and ask them to point out your blind spots!</div>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">5. Teamwork keeps us from idolizing men. </b>A well-known pastor in Nigeria was known to record his sermon each week and then send tapes of his message to his pastors throughout the country. The pastors were then expected to stand in their pulpits the following Sunday, play the recorded sermon ... and move their mouths to the words! They had no message of their own. They were simply clones of the "All-Important Man of God."</div>
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That may sound silly, but aren't we guilty of similar foolishness when we put leaders on pedestals and idolize their preaching style? The one-man show may have worked in the past, but the emerging generation has zero tolerance for religious phoniness. People today want healthy leaders who know how to share power instead of grabbing or abusing it.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">J. Lee Grady</b> is the former editor of </em>Charisma<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and other books.</em></div>
CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-53726922071490396122014-06-30T18:21:00.000+08:002014-06-30T18:23:38.287+08:00The Passing of Peter YoungThis is an article taken from the MalayMail Online. Click on the Title for original source.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/a-gentle-giant-passes-amar-singh-hss-lim-swee-im" target="_blank">A gentle giant passes</a></span></span></h2>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the 28th of June 2014, quietly and with little fanfare, one of the greatest of Malaysians has died. He has now gone on to be with God for all eternity, receiving a reward far beyond what many of us can ever hope to receive. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rev Peter Young was a gentle giant. A truly great Englishman who swapped his British citizenship for a Malaysian passport to serve the underprivileged here. He was a rare man amongst men, one whose heart of compassion was far bigger than any tiny ego he may have had. He never clung to power or fame, thus remaining unrecognised and unacknowledged for his great service to our people, whom he adopted and loved as his own.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter was an exemplary person. He has done a great service for Malaysians. He is an inspiration to many of us, as his life speaks louder than his words. Many people have probably never heard of him, as he is not one to ‘blow his own trumpet’. Allow us to share some of his life and contributions to our country.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We first met Peter when he was with Malaysian CARE in 1980. He happened to live near our home and we became friends through mutual interests and beliefs. He was appointed the first Executive Director of ‘Malaysian CARE’ in January 1980, a Christian organisation aimed at showing God’s love by action in the community. Through the inspiration and leadership of Peter, his wife Betty and others involved with Malaysian CARE, many different segments of the marginalised population of Malaysians were reached and supported. At this time the social services by the government was in its infancy and most NGOs were doing ‘charity work’. Peter tried to move our hearts and minds from a ‘charity model’ to a ‘social and rights model’. In this, his vision was very far ahead of most of us. He worked by setting up model services that others could see and pattern after. Pioneer work was started with Rumah Care, a home for children whose parents were patients and residents of the Sungai Buloh Leprosarium. Soon after, work and sheltered homes were set up for those mentally ill, prisoners, drug dependents and disabled persons.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this Peter was a landmark and watershed in the history of social work in Malaysia. Without his work and example we would have been much slower in developing services as well as poorer at focusing our energy on the right areas and right approach.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our contact with Peter continued and he was instrumental in encouraging our hearts, and the hearts of many, to turn to look at the needs of the poor, disabled, disadvantaged, marginalised and outcast in Malaysia. In this his heart was truly after God’s. Peter was never one to cling on to his past achievements. I remember vividly at one Asia-Pacific Paediatric Conference in 1993 where everyone was talking about the physically disabled, Peter instead presented a paper on the needs of children with intellectual and learning problems. Another paradigm shift for many of us. This area is now recognised as an enormous need in the country</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter never needed to cling on to power or have fame and recognition. I still remember clearly what he said when I met him at Malaysian CARE during its early days, and when I was still a young and immature doctor. He expressly stated his intent was to build up Malaysian CARE and then to hand over the organisation to a local born Malaysian when its foundations had become firm and stable. True to his original intent, after many hard decades of labour down the road, he stepped down and handed over the leadership completely, without further interference or intervention, to a local born Malaysian. He did all the hard work when the organisation was unknown, and gave it all away to another person just when the organisation had become a recognised and well known force for social service. He was content to just fade away and remain forgotten by younger generations.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As said, after many years, he left Malaysian CARE in capable hands and started ‘Dignity and Services’ — an advocacy group to promote the needs and champion the cause of persons with learning disabilities. Dignity and Services gave birth to United Voice which is the first and only registered self-advocacy group for members with learning disabilities in the country. He also helped to start ‘The Micah Mandate’, a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of Malaysia through justice, mercy and humility.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter has spoken and shared at many meetings and through books and writings over many years. He speaks simply but with passion and conviction. He is by nature a quiet and reserved man but has a great sense of humour. Spending an hour with him is to be with a true VIP, a servant of God. In Malaysia, those who most deserve awards, are often least likely to get them. Many get awards just for occupying a position without doing much work. Peter deserves awards many times over for the depth and scope of his work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In memory of Peter we ask that we jointly “Make the Right Real” (Incheon Disability Strategy). We know what is needed in our country to heal our social problems, let’s work together to make this really happen. We have lost our focus as a nation and are fascinated with grandeur, twin towers and feeding the rich. Too little of government expenditure, tax payers ringgit, are spent on supporting those in need. Our social services (Welfare Department) are poorly funded and very poorly staffed. Few of the staff in the Welfare Department are trained social workers. Peter, as a true Malaysian, would be delighted if we rose to the occasion and grew significantly the services for the poor and disabled, disadvantaged, marginalised and outcast.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter has gone Home, one of Malaysia’s greatest humanitarians, a wonderful man of God.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Peter remains in our hearts.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter remains in the work that he has started, sustained, flourished and multiplied.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We bless you Peter and your beloved wife Betty, who stood alongside you in your hard years of labour, for your inspiration, dedication and loyalty to Malaysia and Malaysians.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malaysia is so much poorer without your physical and spiritual presence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are glad you are with the God whom you love with your entire being.</span></span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-84012734705579941132014-03-31T11:26:00.000+08:002014-03-31T11:26:03.684+08:00Article by Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok on the Allah issue<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is the latest response on the Allah Issue that has plagued the Church in Malaysia for many years now. Looks like our Church leaders are rising up and saying, "Enough id Enough". Let us all link our hearts as we join our Christian leaders in prayer for </span>wisdom<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> and courage to do and say the right things at this critical times that we are living in today.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This article has been taken from <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Full%20article:%20http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=253381%3Aallah-no-more-turning-the-other-cheek-archbishop-warns&Itemid=2#ixzz2xVT8JiW9" target="_blank">The Malaysian Chronicle.</a></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Saturday, 29 March 2014 19:56</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">ALLAH: No more turning the other cheek - Archbishop warns</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Written by Archbishop Datuk Bolly Lapok</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Today, we are gathered here in Bandar Sri Aman, a town whose very name means peace. This is indeed an historic assembly. History will surely judge us by what we say and do from today henceforth. We are on a prophetic threshold as children of God.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Bible reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:8 that there is a time for war and a time for peace. It seems a paradox that we are called to be peacemakers by our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus (Matthew 5:9). Yet at the same time we are also to brace ourselves for war. Herein lies the mystery of living out our faith in obedience to our calling as Christians and to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the words of a highly respected clergyman, “Because by the grace of God we are defined as family with a call to action in reconciliation, then we have to find not only the <b>call</b> but also the <b>means</b> of being reconcilers, when our instincts and passions often lead us in the opposite direction.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“If the Church is not a place both of conflict and of reconciliation, …it is a failing or failed church. It has ceased to be the miracle of diversity in unity, of the grace of God breaking down walls.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Turning the other cheek is not the right answer in this situation</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">With its multi-ethno-religious makeup, Malaysia can present itself as a model to be a miracle of diversity in unity. Unfortunately, the scourge of that ethno-religious strife is fast approaching its flashpoint with extremist elements of political Islam relentlessly stoking the fire of hatred and bigotry.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How then do we live? Some among those who mean well have suggested that when slapped on one cheek we are to offer the other. This is half-baked theology if turning the other cheek tantamount to sending a wrong message to the provocateurs and extremists in political Islam that we are willing abandon our calling to being peacemakers and reconcilers.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">These extremists among political Islam are, in fact, a tyranny by the minority while the rest of us including peace-loving Muslims and non-Muslims, have been sucked into the spiral of silence only to become the suffering majority. Ultimately, it is for all Malaysians of goodwill to ensure that Malaysia is not hijacked by the deluded minority.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To turn the other cheek in these circumstances is indeed to bear false witness to the Gospel of reconciliation itself. This we will not do.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Systematic insanity</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The insanity that we are facing has become so systemic that even the judiciary has seen it fit to abandon sound principles of jurisprudence and taken an unprecedented extra-judicial position that the use of the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God is not an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity. This is an uncalled for, unnecessary and a gross insensitive provocation.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is a travesty of our constitutional and human right for the Church to manage its own affairs including translation of our Holy Scriptures into Bahasa Malaysia and our native languages. This is the exclusive ecclesiastical authority of the Church that neither the state nor the judiciary should trespass in accordance to settled international convention and law.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The continuing prohibition on the use of the word “Allah “has far reaching consequences affecting the profession and practice of the Christian faith amongst the Bahasa Malaysia and other indigenous language speaking Christians of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak (including those who are currently residing in Peninsula Malaysia) who constitute 64 % of the Christians in Malaysia.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The recent finding of the Court of Appeal that the word “Allah” is not an integral part of the faith and practice of Christianity affects the rights of 1.6 million Bumiputera Christians in Sabah and Sarawak who use Bahasa Malaysia and their own native tongues as the medium to profess and practice their Christian faith.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The word “Allah” as referring to God has always, continuously and consistently been used by these Bumiputera Christians in all aspects of the Christian faith including all forms of religious services, prayers, worship, liturgy, and religious education and there is irrefutable historical evidence in support of this.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Extremists so bold now, even copies of Alkitab are being seized</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The finding of the Court of Appeal has emboldened certain extremist Muslim religious authorities to seize copies of the ALKITAB BERITA BAIK and the BUP KUDUS the Bible in the Iban language (in which the word “Allah” is used) which were specifically imported into Malaysia for the use of our Bumiputera Christians thereby violating their inalienable rights to complete religious freedom as guaranteed under the Malaysia Agreement and the Federal Constitution.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We must be reminded of our cultural heritage as Christians that it is neither accident nor coincidence that Sarawak is the only Christian majority state in the country. Our status is one of divine appointment. It is not surprising then that Sarawak is known as the Bible belt of Malaysia.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The fact that the Church in Sarawak has not for once demanded that the post of the Chief Minister or that of the Governor be picked from among Christians bears testimony to the extent the Church is willing to go for the sake of reconciliation and peacemaking.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have and are doing our part in reconciliation. We feel that it is incumbent on the Federal government to recognise our cultural heritage and our constitutional rights to practise our faith without undue interference and intervention.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Revert to status quo</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We, therefore, urge the Federal government to revert to the status quo by entering into consent judgments for the three cases still before the courts related to the use of the prohibited word.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It has not been easy for us. But because by the grace of God we are defined as family with a call to action in reconciliation, it is our sacred responsibility to find not only the <b>call</b> but also the <b>means</b> of being reconcilers, when our instincts and passions often lead us in the opposite direction.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We have gone the extra mile for the sake of reconciliation.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">May God bless Malaysia.</span></div>
CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-46639134048928373292014-03-12T23:03:00.000+08:002014-03-12T23:03:20.556+08:00An Invaluable Advise for all Pastors<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">John Piper Responds to Pastor David Yonggi Cho's Conviction for Embezzling $12M by Making Plea to US Pastors </span><span style="color: #989898; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i>March 5, 2014</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When asked about the conviction of David Yonggi Cho, founder of world's largest Pentecostal congregation in South Korea, for embezzling $12 million from his church, popular pastor John Piper took the opportunity to warn pastors in the U.S. who might "love money," in a recent message.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"With every public dishonoring of Christ, every public dishonoring of His Word and His Gospel, and His Church, it makes me angry and it makes me sorrowful," said Piper in a <a href="https://soundcloud.com/askpastorjohn/pastor-of-worlds-largest"><span style="color: #021eaa; letter-spacing: 0px;">recent episode of Ask Pastor John</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yonggi Cho who pastors Yoido Full Gospel Church and oversees a network of churches numbering 800,000, was found guilty by a South Korean court for committing breach of trust and corruption amounting to $12 million, according to<a href="http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/50481/20140221/full-gospel-church-founder-david-yonggi-cho-found-guilty-of-breach-of-trust-corruption.htm"><span style="color: #021eaa; letter-spacing: 0px;">Yonhap News Agency</span></a>. He received a suspended sentence of three years in prison with a five year probation and was ordered to pay a penalty of $4.7 million by Seoul Central District Court on Feb. 20.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One of Cho's sons, Hee-jun, who serves as secretary general of Yeongsan Christian Cultural Center and was a former chairman of Next Media, was sentenced to three years in prison.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"My response to this is really not to pile on any additional condemnation … but rather to try to respond for the rest of us in a way that tries to prevent these kinds of things," said Piper.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"I want pastors to keep watch on themselves. I have five pleas to pastors. My hope is that pastors will listen this and take this 68-year-old pastor's heart-aching that we not bring this kind of reproach on the name of Christ," he continued. He then listed five precautions pastors should take to avoid the sinful seduction of money.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="color: red;">1. Kill every desire to be rich and get rich</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>If you see the desire in your heart take aim at it with the words of Christ and the words of Paul and put it to death with a swift blow with the sword of the spirit. Jesus said how difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom. In other words don't want this.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="color: red;">2. Pastors, if you see your income starting to grow, set a governor on it</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Keep away from accumulating more and more and communicating to your people that you lay up treasures on earth. One of the best ways to do this I think, is to grow the percentage of your giving. I'm not impressed with a pastor who gives 30 percent of a million dollar royalty check and keeps 70 percent of it to buy luxuries with. I've heard pastors boast that they give 30, 40 percent. I'm not even impressed with giving 90 percent of a $10 million royalty check and keeping a million dollars to play with. While you look like every other millionaire and think that you have done a virtuous thing. Money is insidiously deceptive. We've seen it over and over again and I'm pleading with pastors, be content with what the church pays you and give the rest away with joy and strategic wisdom.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="color: red;">3. Be totally transparent with your fellow elders about your sources of income</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>These elders should not be the wealthy powerful peers from outside the church. That is an unbiblical way to lead your flock. It has no biblical foundation and it communicates distrust for your local leaders and a kind of pride that you are above their local accountability. Let all the books of your income be open to any member of your church who asks the elders. Secrecy around money is deadly. It's a sign that something is not right so work to give your ministry the flavor, 'we're not like peddlers of God's word.'</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="color: red;">4. Live simply to show that your treasure is in heaven and not on earth</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Please don't write this off as pauper theology. There goes Piper again with his pauper theology. That is absolutely ridiculous. The kind of distortion that makes of what I'm saying is a sign of fear that what I'm saying just might be true.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Get a car that works; that gets you where you need to go. Get a car that doesn't break down on you every few months. I'm talking about a modest entertainment budget that doesn't eat out every night. I'm talking about a refreshing vacation, not an exorbitant one. I'm talking about clothes that are unremarkable and undistracting, both for not being shabby and not being brand driven. I'm talking about a home that accomplishes your family and ministry purposes leaning towards ordinary folks in your congregation, not the wealthiest.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="color: red;">5. Put in place a leadership structure of a plurality of elders</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>A council of elders on which you the pastor have one vote. You are a chief among equals…not by having veto power over everyone else.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"I'm so jealous of these things because I am jealous for the name of Christ. His name is being blasphemed Paul said … the name of God is being blasphemed because of you. 'You abhor idols and you rob temples.' That is hypocrisy to the core … that is happening today because of pastors who love money," Piper ended.</span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-76836227802249348562014-03-12T22:55:00.000+08:002014-03-12T22:55:22.370+08:00David Yonggi Cho Found Guilty by the Court.<div style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>This is an Article taken from The Gospel Herald which was published on the 21st February 2014. This Article is of special interest to us because of the close ties between David Yonggi Cho and Prince Guneratnam, the Senior Pastor of Calvary Church, Kuala Lumpur.</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/50481/20140221/full-gospel-church-founder-david-yonggi-cho-found-guilty-of-breach-of-trust-corruption.htm" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large; letter-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">David Yonggi Cho, Founder of World's Largest Church, Found Guilty of Breach of Trust, Corruption </span></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">David Yonggi Cho, Founder of World's Largest Church, Found Guilty of Breach of Trust, Corruption </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">David Yonggi Cho, founder of world's largest Pentecostal congregation, was found guilty by South Korean court for committing breach of trust and corruption of 13 billion won (US $12 million), according to Yonhap News Agency. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yoido Full Gospel Church senior pastor received a suspended sentence of three-year prison term with a five year probation and ordered to pay a penalty of 5 billion won (US $4.7 million) by Seoul Central Distrcit Court on Feb. 20, 2014. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The court also sentenced Cho's elder son Hee-jun, secretary general of Yeongsan Christian Cultural Center and former chairman of Next Media, to a three-year prison term without suspension. He was formally arrested before the court ruling, the Yonhap News reported. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In 2002, while serving as chairman of a church-affiliated newspaper Kookmin Ilbo, Hee-jun sold the church 250,000 shares of stock in I-Service at 86,984 won (US$80.06) per share, which was much more expensive than the market price of 24,032 (US$22.12) per share, the hankyoreh reported. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Prosecutors identified David Cho as an accomplice to the crime of breach of trust, claiming that Cho used the money to help his son recover losses made in stock investements. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">According to hankyoreh, Cho had directed the transaction, which the church has "absolutely no need for" and resulted in a loss, to be dealt with as quietly as possible despite his full knowledge of the potential "uproar" from the elders and congregation if they find out. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The church's loss of 131 billion won resulted in 29 church elder's filing the lawsuit in 2011, accusing him of embezzling US $20 million. In addition, prosecutors acquired evidence of tax evasion during the investigation, where Cho was suspected of evading 3.5 billion won (US $3.2 million). </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While Cho has denied the allegation, he has also been criticized for privatizing church assets. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Although the judge believes that Cho should be severely punished for committing breach of trust, especially for a person of his status in society, he gave a light sentence on Cho's tax evasion in consideration of Cho's long-term contributions to the society, the Yonghap News reported. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The court sentenced Hee-jun to three years in prison for being the main culprit, who tried to evade responsibility - placing his personal financial loss on the church and the blame on others. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cho, 78, founded Yoido Full Gospel Church in 1958 and it now claims more than 450,000 followers. His proteges have built their own "disciple churches" across the country, creating a congregation of around 800,000, with Cho as the leader. </span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-87329393451885605932013-06-11T21:42:00.001+08:002013-06-12T09:03:42.288+08:00The Bario Revival 1973 - 40th Anniversary<div style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 14px/normal Times; margin: 0px 0px 14px; text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><strong><em>2013 is a very significant year for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. As a
nation, we just had our 13th General Elections which saw a large population
unite together to break down the walls of racism, fear and intimidation and to
rise up to voice out for greater unity among the many races and to proclaim
peace and harmony in our country. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><strong><em><o:p> </o:p>However, for the Church in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region>,
2013 is even more significant as it also marks the 40<sup>th</sup> Anniversary
of the Bario Revival in Sarawak, <st1:place w:st="on">East Malaysia</st1:place>
which happened in 1973.</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><strong><em><o:p> </o:p>As such, we have decided to REPOST the article we published
in April 2011 to remind us of the goodness of God upon our country and our
people, especially for the people of <st1:place w:st="on">Sarawak</st1:place>.
The number 40 has many great significances in the Bible. It usually signifies
the ending of something old and crossing over to something new. </em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><strong><em><o:p> </o:p>As we revisit this old article, may we be reminded of God’s
grace upon our nation especially for the people of <st1:place w:st="on">Sarawak</st1:place>
and may we also be encouraged to believe that God will send us another Revival
experience and this time it will be a Revival for the whole nation. </em></strong></span></div>
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</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><strong><em>Earlier Post Dated</em></strong></span> <br />
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11pt;">Tuesday, April 5,
2011<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://beritacalvary.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/bario-revival-1973-revisited.html"><span style="color: #b39c7d; font-size: medium;">Bario
Revival 1973, Revisited</span></a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">This is a major Revival which happened in Bario, Sarawak which we believe should be told and retold so that what God has done in Malaysia will never be forgotten for generations to come. In fact, it is our prayer that God will revisit us and send us a fresh Revival. As an introduction to the Bario Revival, we found this article which gives a very comprehensive in depth information. Please click on the Title to read the full article. It is worth your time.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><a articles="" href="http://www.peniel-argentina.org/articles/malasian.htm" malasian.htm="" quot="" www.peniel-argentina.org=""><span a="" style="color: #990000;">MALAYSIAN REVIVALS</span></a></i></b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><br />
by John C. Miller (Peniel International Ministries)</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope this short report may inspire your faith and praise for our magnificent Redeemer.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malaysia is divided into two sections: the west occupies part of the peninsula at the south eastern tip of Asia and the eastern section is part of the island of Borneo. Ethnic groups include the Malays, Chinese and Indians.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among the aboriginal tribes there are the famous ex-head hunters. One of their customs was that, when a youth reached maturity, he should bring back the head of an inhabitant of a neighbouring village. This continued until missionaries took the Good News of the gospel and there were great changes among them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people in Borneo were more open to the Spirit than in the western section of Malaysia. Some of the aboriginal tribes of the island had known several revivals accompanied by miracles and signs. The first of these moves took place in the forties.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Lung Bawang tribe of Borneo was looked down upon by the others. They lived practically drunk, under the influence of alcohol, one hundred days in the year. A book called «Drunk Before Dawn» tells how God intervened in their lives. They were so degraded that, after head hunting was forbidden, they gave themselves over to drinking. A government report said that only the dogs remained sober. Because of there behavior, they became subject to plagues and pests. God intervened when they faced extinction. Christianity brought tremendous changes, today they are the tribe with the highest percentage of professionals.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the year 1973 another sovereign move of God began in a high school among a group of young people in a place called Bario. This group used to get together at night to pray for hours after class. They were inspired by the book «Like a Mighty Wind» and believed God could sovereignly move among them also. They prayed: "God, if you did it in Indonesia, you can also do it here."</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the answer came from heaven, they were overwhelmed by deep repentance accompanied by crying. Conviction was such that even small things appeared great in their eyes. Impoliteness or arriving late to class was seen as something terrible in the eyes of God. At first the teachers were very put out. The students spent all night praying when they would soon be having their final exams. The Spirit of God began convicting the teachers till they also started to cry out to God. Revival began with a group of 20 or 30 people, but it became so large that it can be read about in government archives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">(To read the full article Click Here : <a href="http://www.peniel-argentina.org/articles/malasian.htm"><span style="color: #990000;">Malaysian Revivals</span></a></span></i></b></span></div>
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<b>This is a recording on the introduction to the first hand witnesses to the Bario Revival.</b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>This is the testimony of Pastor Solomon Bulan, a first hand witness and the teacher then, responsible for the start of the Bario Revival.</b></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwmu0p7v6WxoaiGPBaVuTPqf_hOPEowfsX_XUOQwdhdWV53esZ0y5s6vvsdoyjmsk_2RyhpU3t9Khjb3IdrmA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b>This is the testimony of Dato' Sri Idris Jala, a first hand witness and a student then, who was present at the start of the Bario Revival</b></span></div>
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<b>This is the testimony of Osart Jallong, together with Dato' Sri Idris Jala, who were students then, share their personal experiences regarding the Bario Revival</b><br />
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<b>More testimonies on the supernatural signs & wonders of the Bario Revival</b><br />
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<b>Dato' Sri Idris Jala shared on what happened to him after the Bario Revival.</b><br />
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<b>Pastor Solomon's concluding exhortation</b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is a book documenting the events that happened in Bario, Sarawak.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The Bario Revival written by Solomon Bulan & Lillian Bulan-Dorai.</span><br />
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</span>CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-53092545385074739712013-05-22T17:36:00.001+08:002013-05-22T17:36:51.821+08:00Bishop Paul Tan's view on the GE13<i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are two related articles taken from the Online Portal, FMT News highlighting the views of Bishop Paul Tan regarding the recent GE13 polls. Bishop Paul Tan is the<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> second and current </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" title="Roman Catholic">Roman Catholic</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" title="Bishop">Bishop</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Malacca-Johor" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" title="Roman Catholic Diocese of Malacca-Johor">Diocese of Malacca-Johor</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">. He is also the current president of the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Bishops%27_Conference_of_Malaysia,_Singapore_and_Brunei" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" title="Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei">Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">.</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click on the individual Titles for the original source.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/17/bishop-polls-anything-but-free-and-fair/">Bishop: Polls anything but free and fair</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/author/anand/">RK Anand</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> | May 17, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">PETALING JAYA: An outspoken Catholic cleric has cast aspersion on the 13th general election with regard to the battle for Putrajaya being clean and fair.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bishop Paul Tan said this in reference to the report of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) and Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS).</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“IDEAS and CPPS have done an interim report. In it, there is this conclusion: ‘GE13 was only partially free and not fair’. I find it difficult to believe that the report could conclude this…</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“But when it concluded ‘only partially free’ for the three reasons given that are fraught with irregularities as reported in the said report, the people involved are not objective,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“From the multiple examples of irregularities arrived in the report, permit me to use a stronger phrase than that of IDEAS and CPPS: GE13 is anything but transparently ‘free and fair’,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan, who heads the Malacca and Johor diocese, conceded that he could be wrong but stressed that he was morally obliged to speak out at this time because of the immorality practiced before and during GE13.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“If I didn’t speak up, I would have to answer to my God and my Church,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan said while he obeyed the Catholic Church’s teaching that clerics must not take sides in partisan politics, he noted that the church also taught that clerics must speak out against immoralities and against all that go against human rights.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“As a religious person in my role as bishop, I am in a dilemma vis-a-vis to what extent should I allow a certain degree of immorality or infringement against human rights to go on unpunished before denouncing them publicly,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For a long time, Tan said, there had not been sufficient action taken against immorality in its widest sense, especially corruption.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Some attempts have been made by related government departments to deal with the matter. In ‘grosso modo’, it has not been effective. Only a few small fish have been caught, the big fish was left untouched.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“The consequence of this ‘laissez faire’ lifestyle is that it has produced massive corruption, cheating and immoral manipulation of the people to garner votes for one’s political party.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Unfortunately, this cuts across the boundaries of all parties. The degree lies in the extent of corruption,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>‘Are we not ashamed?’</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The bishop also noted that the most obvious example was the lavish manner in which the Najib administration threw cash to get votes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Where is our country going? Are cheating and corruption condoned as part of our Malaysian culture? Are we not ashamed of our country being an immoral society?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“We must all reflect and examine our consciences. What sort of nation do we want our country to be, moral or immoral? Undoubtedly, all will want a ‘moral country’.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“But what sort of morality do we want? It is here that the degree of permissiveness comes into play. To what extent can we tolerate it before stringent action is taken to punish the unscrupulous?” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Condemning money politics, Tan said even if it was considered “legalised corruption”, it does not exonerate the guilt of the ones involved.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Corruption is corruption, even if one was to dress it up like a queen. A toilet remains a toilet, even if one gives it the beautiful terms of ‘comfort room’ or ‘powder room’,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The bishop explained that while he abstained from partisan politics, he supported electoral watchdog Bersih in its cause for free and fair polls.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Any rational and moral person will support it,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/05/20/for-the-love-of-god-he-speaks/">For the love of God, he speaks</a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">May 20, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">JOHOR BAHRU: Step into the office and his four-legged companions are the first to greet you. Among the canine entourage, are two beautiful German Shepherds called Max and Bella. The rest are Beagles and a Doberman Pinscher.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bishop Paul Tan loves his dogs, and never tires talking about them. He recalled how he had been given Bella when she was a two-month-old pup, and was thus forced to play the role of a surrogate mother.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The 73-year-old cleric is just as passionate about his chosen path, and his faith and conviction motivate him to speak out against injustices, which has earned him both bouquets and brickbats.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">His critics accuse him of breaching the rule of the Catholic Church with regard to abstaining from partisan politics and label him as pro-opposition.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In his defence, Tan said that he does not take sides but condemns the immoral practices in the political realm irrespective of whether it is Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“I cannot help it if some find this to be a bitter pill to swallow,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Among all the religious leaders in Malaysia, the head of the Malacca and Johor diocese is considered to be one of the most vocal. He abhors racists, religious bigots and corruption.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Speaking without fear or favour, the bishop has even launched scathing verbal crusades against Dr Mahathir Mohamad, calling on the authorities to detain the former premier for his insensitive remarks.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>‘So what if I get shot?’</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In an exclusive interview with FMT on the 10th anniversary of his ordination as a bishop, Tan acknowledged that his outspokenness could put him at risk, but he is not perturbed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“I have received letters from people of all faiths telling me to be careful. Some have even asked if I am not afraid of being shot.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“I tell them ‘So what! We all die, and being shot is one way to go. But what is most important is that I adhere to the teachings of the Church and execute the will of God when I am still breathing’,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Jesuit priest also laughed off the rumour that he was given a posting in the Vatican, where he served for a decade, in order for him to escape Mahathir’s infamous Operasi Lalang dragnet in 1987.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“That is not true. I have heard people saying this as well. The truth is when I was informed that my name could be on the list [of those to be detained], I packed my bags and waited [to be picked up]… I am still waiting,” he said with a chuckle.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Besides his intellectual prowess and rich life experiences, Tan’s most striking qualities are his warmth, humility and remarkable candour.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Asked about the duration of his Jesuit training, the bishop replied: “Normally, it takes 14 years.” And after a brief pause, he added with a smile: “But if you are stupid like me, it will take 18 years.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>‘God works in mysterious ways’</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan, who hails from Yong Peng in Johor, revealed that he was first bitten by the religious bug when he was 18, during which he was pursuing his Form Six in Singapore.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On what drove him to this path, he replied: “I felt the evil of the world, especially politicians telling lies and the corruption in Singapore. I wanted to go to the mountains to pray and do penance for them.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">However, his family objected and packed him off to his uncle’s place in Penang hoping that he would change his mind.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“But as they say, ‘man proposes,god disposes’. In Penang, my cousin took me to meet a French priest. The latter suggested that I work first and got me a teaching job at the La Salle secondary school in Kangar [Perlis],” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">During his stint in Kangar, Tan said he attended a talk by a visiting Jesuit priest from Papua New Guinea, who spoke about his missionary work.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“When we asked him about the cannibals there, the priest replied, ‘Yes, they eat you like they eat ice-cream.’ I almost collapsed when I heard that… but that was what motivated me more… the priest’s determination to spread the word of God even under such adverse circumstances impressed me,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan then broke out into laughter, saying that he was inspired to work with indigenous communities after watching the movie Tarzan.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“This is how God works, in very mysterious ways,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Recalling a divine experience in Kangar, the bishop said there was a teacher who had perfected the art of telling horror stories, which left the others scared stiff, and Tan praying with greater zeal.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“His most horrifying tale was that of a multi-coloured ghost in the outdoor ‘jamban’ [toilet]. One night, as I was reciting the rosary and walking, I came near the toilet and I started thinking about the ghost.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Despite being frightened, I never turned back. Then all of a sudden, I felt like I had owl’s eyes and could see clearly. It was pitch black but I was able to see the trees and mountains. I also heard beautiful music in the background, and my fear vanished. But when I walked past the toilet, everything became dark again.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“That is when I told Jesus… whatever happens, I will be your faithful servant,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan, who was ordained as a priest in 1971, revealed that he had his novice training in the Jesuit order in Hong Kong for two years. Following this, he went to the Philippines, where he completed a BA in Humanity and a MA in Philosophy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">From here, he was sent to Taiwan to teach at the national university there, during which, he learned Chinese philosophy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He was than sent to Ireland to do his theology. He obtained a licentiate (equivalent to a Master’s degree). After which, he was sent to Paris to prepare himself with four French Jesuits and a Canadian Jesuit to enter China under Mao Tse Tung.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“God again disposed of our plans,” said Tan. But he did not regret since he got a doctorate in Chinese history from Paris.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>It has been a bed of thorns</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Disclosing that his religious path had not been a bed of roses but rather one of thorns, Tan said he had considered leaving the priesthood on numerous occasion</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Have I ever thought of leaving the religious life? Yes a number of times… But circumstances were such that I decided to continue.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“My biggest crisis was struggling with the question that if God is all good, how can he allow evil. I agonised over this. When I confided in my superior, he said ‘Paul, I think you have lost your vocation and your faith.’</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“But he also told me to see my master of novices. So I went and saw him. But when I told the master of my predicament, he looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘Don’t be silly Paul… yours is a psychological problem not a theological one’ and he told me to continue,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan then left for Ireland, where he met a Jesuit priest who put an end to his dilemma.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“This was an Irishman. His question was simple. ‘Do you trust God?’ and I replied, ‘Yes’. He then responded, ‘And so you must know that evil comes from somewhere else, not God.’ It was his tremendous faith and friendship that made the problem disappear,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“But I still struggle with making people understand the concepts of good and evil from an intellectual standpoint and I am mulling writing a book on this,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When serving at the Catholic Research Centre in Petaling Jaya many years later, Tan said he received a letter from Rome, asking him if he would like to work there.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“I didn’t want to. I tried giving excuses. But as a Jesuit, I had to bow down to the order of the superior,” he said, describing his experience at the Vatican as nothing short of amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“That is where you learn about the corruption in the Church and the saints in the Church,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>There is still hope for Malaysia</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As for the future of Malaysia, the bishop said that her citizens must cease thinking along racial lines and forge closer ties.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“We are all brothers and sisters of God… all these racial overtones and undertones in politics disgust me. Material progress or otherwise, that is secondary… this is more important,” he added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Tan said that he remembered how Malaysians of all races shared a stronger bond when he was growing up but unfortunately this has since eroded.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">However, the bishop, who after seeing photographs and video clips of the Pakatan Rakyat rallies held in several states, believes that there is still hope.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Politics aside. I see a revival of this spirit in the rallies being held, there is definitely hope, especially among the younger generation. I saw a photo of a group of girls, Indians, Malays and Chinese, who were carrying a banner saying ‘We are one’… I was very moved.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“It is on their shoulders that the fate of this beautiful nation rests. God bless Malaysia,” he added.</span></div>
CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-75722570705664930082013-05-13T00:16:00.001+08:002013-05-13T00:17:41.346+08:00Call for National Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Racism on 13 May 2013<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Let us join our hearts together with the Christian Leaders in our Nation to pray for Peace and Stability in Malaysia. Pray that no evil plot will be able to be carried out by anyone against the innocent people of Malaysia.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=43&action=view&retrieveid=1484">CFM: Call for National Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Racism on 13 May 2013</a> </b></span><span style="color: #0433ff; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">ShareThis</span></div>
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CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA (PERSEKUTUAN KRISTIAN MALAYSIA)</div>
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10th May 2013</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>To the component bodies of the CFM and the churches of Malaysia</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dear Heads of Churches,</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Re: Call for National Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Racism on 13 May 2013</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Christian Federation of Malaysia is calling for a National Day of Prayer and Reflection against Racism on 13 May 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We urge all churches to call their congregations to individual and corporate prayer and reflection against racism and to actions of peace and reconciliation in our beloved Malaysia.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is time that we bury the spectre of May 13 that is raised repeatedly to haunt us as a nation.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Contrary to current rhetoric, the different ethnic groups have never</span><span style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">been more united than after this 13th General Election.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is an opportune time for us to create new memories this 13 May 2013, to celebrate our diversity and unwavering commitment to live peacefully with our neighbours.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">May this be the beginning of a new tradition of 13 May. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Together in God’s service,</span></div>
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<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rev. Dr. Eu Hong Seng<br />
Chairman and the Executive Committee </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Christian Federation of Malaysia</span></div>
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<br />CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-58922477467815255992013-05-10T12:59:00.002+08:002013-05-10T12:59:59.034+08:00Struggle for political evolution may take time by Baru Bian<br />
<span style="color: blue;">An article taken from MalaysiaKini. Click on title for link to Original Source.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://m.malaysiakini.com/letters/229503">Struggle for political evolution may take time</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Baru Bian | 12:55PM May 8, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was so difficult for me to get out of my bed Monday morning although I was already wide-awake, quite early in fact in spite of the late night vigil for the final outcome of GE13. <br />
<br />
I am still trying to absorb the shocking outcome not only of Limbang parliamentary seat but all the rural seats where PKR stood in Sarawak except in Miri, an urban seat, where Dr Michael Teo stood. <br />
<br />
I would have thought Baram and Saratok could have been won, at the very least. Nevertheless, God has kept us all safe, strong and healthy throughout the grueling campaign. <br />
The entire big Limbang team banded together and gave their best till the end. We prayed and we cried and journeyed together. May God’s name be glorified.<br />
<br />
My human mind finds it hard to believe and accept this outcome because we had prepared the ground for about a year or so before the election. In comparison, this was the best preparation ever undertaken by an opposition since I stood in Sarawak in 1991 under PBDS. <br />
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In the past, we were never as focused on seats or areas, and issues. In addition, at least to a reasonable degree, we had some financial support from all of you for us to organise our logistics.<br />
<br />
We had a political consultant that sat monthly with us to review our progress and preparation. All went very well, it seems at least from our perspective. <br />
Above all, we had the privilege of being prayed upon and prayed for by churches all over the nation and beyond who steadfastly stood together in oneness praying for God’s intervention in our nation through the general election, which coincides with the biblical year of Jubilee. <br />
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Yet we have not won a single seat in the rural areas of Sarawak. What happened? Who is at fault? What could have been done? Why did the people change at the last minute? What happened, God? Many questions popped up. The obvious reasons we all know.<br />
<br />
My thought went back into months of preparation where expectation was high, where many of us believed that this must be the time for all of us to start a new and better Malaysia together.<br />
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That expectation was not misplaced as it was fortified by the facts that every Malaysian from different parts of the country and even those overseas, of different race and religion, from different levels of our society, came together to make a final ditch effort to “make it happen” for ourselves and our children. <br />
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Many of you who work and reside overseas chose to vote from abroad as postal voters, while there were those who flew at their own expense to vote in Malaysia.<br />
<br />
I remember meeting an aunty in Limbang a week ago whose daughter works in Shanghai and a son who works in Singapore, both came back to vote in Limbang. <br />
I met two young men, the sons of a well-known shop owner in Limbang, who were very proud to have met me; took a snap together and proudly said, they came to vote for a Change, “<i>Ini Kali Lah</i>!” (This time).<br />
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I met a lady perhaps in her mid-forties in Medamit who said that she has never voted before but this time came back to vote for PKR, my party, hoping for a change and better future for herself and her kids. <br />
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I recall the prayer drives around Limbang town together with some intercessors from some local churches in Limbang few months’ back and the final one on the eve of polling day for God’s intervention. <br />
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And yes, not forgetting the many prophetic utterances, dreams and visions for a spiritual transformation of our churches and society through this political process and our faith believing in their realisation. <br />
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The euphoria climaxed on the final night; the eve of polling where thousands upon thousands of Malaysians all over the country showed their support for an alternative government. And I can go on and on narrating one story after another, incidences after incidences of how hopeful we were that this must be the Time for Malaysia.<br />
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Yet when we all went in droves to the polling stations the outcome and results hours later did not come as we all expected. Many of us shed tears, in fact many mourned for our nation. For me, I thought losing less than a thousand votes would be acceptable as our candidate in 2008 only lost by 676 votes. But not by more than 8,000!<br />
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I was stunned. More shocked when finally not even one seat from the rural areas we contested won. <br />
My immediate thought was, “forget these ungrateful souls”. I felt I was betrayed, cheated and unappreciated when I had to move out of my Ba’Kelalan constituency trying to assist these natives to fight for their rights against political oppression and injustice. <br />
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By about 9pm on polling day, I held a press conference at our party’s media centre in Kuching, with most of our candidates. From information received from these candidates, it is obvious that money politics is still very much alive and effective in the rural constituencies of Sarawak. <br />
I said to the press; “recalling the Biblical exodus, I believe 'this generation' has to perish in the wilderness before the next generation ushers in the change we dream of”. <br />
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Was I too harsh and condemning? What has happened to all our attempts through Radio Free Sarawak, longhouse visits, ceramah, workshops on their land rights issues, to educate them on all these dirty tricks used by the other side; on money politics, threat to longhouse chiefs, deprivation of basic amenities, no scholarship, withdrawal of welfare and subsidies and more? I cannot comprehend.<br />
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Will it be another 50 years? I don’t know. Only God can help us here. On another note, had we not prayed and interceded, I cannot imagine how far worse it might have been.<br />
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As soon as the final results were announced, sms and emails flooded in to encourage me, and perhaps others, too. I say amen, to the fact that God is sovereign over the nation although the result we all wanted did not come. <br />
But it doesn’t seem to jive with the situation I was in. Deep within me, I was saying, “God did not do His part of the bargain because all seems unreasonable, unacceptable and absolutely unjust”. <br />
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Then around noon today I read a short email from brother KJ John attaching therein a short note written by a Malaysian, entitled “I shed my tears too!” Thank you brother for the thought when you said that the said article “reflect only those with little political experience on the ground and those who consider that: change is a revolution and not an evolution”. <br />
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Then I began to realise that this is a struggle, a <i>perjuangan</i>, a political evolution that may take some time. It may go even beyond my time and my generation.<br />
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My daughter and sons, and their generation, I believe are ready to fight on and take over the baton from us, if need be. I was moved with confidence that our action had touched our children’s lives.<br />
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Many young people are very concerned of the state of affairs in our beloved country, they came to vote and even volunteered as Pacaba (short for polling agents, counting agents and barung agents).<br />
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This afternoon, brother Bob Teoh called, and encouraged me to see the positive aspects of the so-called “loss”. Firstly, the ghost of May 13 had finally been buried. Secondly, the issue of Hudud law had clearly been neutralised. <br />
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Thirdly, the religious extremists like Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali and vice-president Zulkifli Noordin had been rejected by Malaysians. Fourthly, the issue of Sabah autonomy was rejected by the Sabahans and finally the dual coalition system is here to stay. <br />
<br />
Then I received an SMS from Pastor Patrick in Limbang who said that many of the Sunday school kids cried upon hearing the news that I lost Limbang. <br />
Then I realised, our Children Bible gifts must have touched these young lives and I believe many others in all the priority seats where PKR stood.<br />
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Then I thought, “If this is the only gain I had contributed to Limbang lost, then my standing in Limbang was not in vain”.<br />
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Then there are those 4,698 voters who voted for me in Limbang and the many others in the other constituencies where our candidates stood and voted for us, too. So there is evidence of stirring of sort but not enough to bring in the victory.<br />
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Then I recall Baram, which we lost by a whisker of just 194 votes. The Independent candidate got 300-over votes. Nationally, Pakatan Rakyat has gained seven seats in parliament from 82 in 2008 to 89 in this GE, in spite of widely reported fraud throughout the country.<br />
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In fact, Sarawak has gained five more parliamentary seats this time. And finally, the increase in popular votes for Pakatan throughout the whole country surged to 51 percent. <br />
Close to 50,000 AKK transistor radios were distributed far and wide in the interior of Sarawak, and through this mean our message for change had impacted and touched some rural folks as shown in the increased of support in the rural seats. <br />
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Many thanks to the Radio Free Sarawak (RFS) team. So friends, brothers and sisters, I finally come to accept the fact that change has come, but not to a level we all expected if not for the uneven playing field, the changing of goal posts and the corrupt and biased referee - the Elections Commission (EC). Or perhaps as one of you responded, “maybe God wants us to pray for five more years.”<br />
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But remember, Sarawak will have its state elections in 2016 or maybe sooner. I urge you to continue to pray for Sarawak. I am very convinced now that the abject poverty of our natives’ folks placed them in a very vulnerable situation allowing money politics to remain supreme in elections.<br />
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Rights, idealism and even spiritual principles take a back seat. In my area, Limbang for example, voters were paid RM20, RM30, RM100, RM150, and RM300 depending on the strength of support. Other constituencies were paid RM100 as first payment and RM500 can be claimed after winning the GE. <br />
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This is not surprising as this had been the norm every GE. We did explain and emphasised the fact that this is not right and that it is not BN's money, etc, but to no avail.<br />
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There is only one solution; spiritual inward renewal and economic empowerment. The church, therefore, must help to bring in a very strong teaching in this area of political responsibility and awareness.<br />
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In conclusion I want to record my thanks and appreciation to all of you who stood with Pakatan, my family and I, through this political episode and undertook to remain faithful to pray for us and support me in my future political endeavor. <br />
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Many of you gave sacrificially to purchase the thousands of radios, petrol, Pacaba training, operation centres, and for the logistics before and during the campaigning period of two weeks, I say on behalf of all my colleagues and party members and supporters in Sarawak; a big thank you and may God bless you and your family in all your future undertakings. <br />
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I must confess, it’s so tempting to surrender, to give up to ‘throw in the towel’ as it were, but now I hear the voices of many of you who chose to walk this same road with me urging me to move on and not to lose heart but together we will carry on to realise our Malaysian Dream. <br />
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‘And now, O Lord I ask for your forgiveness for my lack of faith in your sovereignty and wisdom. I want to be still before you for you are still God over Malaysia and her people. Amen.’<br />
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Then I saw a sharing on WhatsApp from an unknown author that warmed my heart, which gave me back my smile and a resolve to focus on the future. May this encourage you too, to carry on.<br />
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Today Malaysia woke up and many hearts were broken.<br />
We mourn our nation not because we lost, but because we were cheated.<br />
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'We lost not to a better party, but we lost to injustice.<br />
We lost not to a better system, but we lost to the lack of integrity.<br />
We lost not to a better count, but we lost to the failure in upholding civil rights.<br />
We lost not to a better leader, but we lost to corruption.<br />
We lost not to a better policy, but we lost to deceit.<br />
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But we will, and must not lose heart.<br />
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We may feel sad, but we must not give in to despair.<br />
We may feel angry, but we must not lose our righteous ways.<br />
We may feel cheated, but we must fight on.<br />
We may feel like leaving, but we must stay together.<br />
We may feel like giving up, but we must now let the dream carry us.<br />
We may feel like nothing will change, but we must now become that change.<br />
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We will rally.<br />
We will fight on.<br />
We will not give up.<br />
We will become a Better Malaysia.'<br />
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Esther Ng eventually came in with an appropriate meditation from Psalm 30:5, “Your sadness may last for a night, but joy will come in the morning.” I pray that the night may not be too long.<br />
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Let us all be the agent of change.<br />
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BARU BIAN is Pakatan chief in Sarawak and assemblyperson for Ba’Kelalan.<br /> </span></div>
CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-24542468927154703362013-05-06T11:09:00.000+08:002013-05-06T11:09:16.139+08:00So, BN is still in power...<span style="color: blue;">Taken from Online source. Something for all of us to ponder upon ... </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>So, BN is still in power...</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rosheenfatima"><span style="color: #021eaa; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Rosheen Fatima</span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 2:46am</span></div>
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I'm going to say something that most people are not going to like hearing, and I'm saying this because of the huge amount of black on my facebook wall.<br />
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Did you, any of you, really think that PR would sweep the elections? Put aside the dirty campaigning, and election tactics, did you really think PR would win?<br />
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From what i've seen over social media over the last few months, I thought that PR would win more seats. I believed that there would be a bigger change, I believed that the people would put into action what they were so vocal (online) about. But then I stopped myself and looked at the people in my social circles, the people I interact with online. We are a tiny, tiny middle class online savvy minority. It is because your social circle expected a certain outcome that you did too. But we do not represent the majority, and we don't even interact with them. Do you really expect to predict how they will vote? My father is Sarawakian, and I lived there for many years of my life. I lived in Kuching, but I know that in the interior and rural areas there are so many Malaysians who are not like you, who are not like me. Did I expect them to vote for PR, no. Did I expect them to vote for BN, yes. Why? Because that is all they see, that is what they know, the bribe money that they get means so much to them because they have close to nothing. And it's sad to say that that is the majority that we do not know.<br />
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So instead of turning your profile pictures black, if you really believe in change and the party you support, start planning now. Start the campaign to win the hearts of the people outside the urban areas, the people in the heartland. We know what's going on, they don't. Go talk to them.<br />
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And Malaysians, get to know the other Malaysia. Don't criticise them for voting the way they feel is right. Speak to them, get to know them, understand their plight, their needs, their wants. Then campaign to them, the urbanites are practically campaigning for you already.<br />
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And don't wait until a few months before the elections to campaign. Start now. Start fighting for measures to be put in place for a better electoral system now. Start making those in power more accountable for their actions. Start making your candidates accountable for the promises they made. Stop allowing mudslinging and racism and sexism to flourish in our government. You won't stand for it, make your candidate not stand for it. Make them fight for a proper democracy over the next 5 years. Then we can see a change. It doesn't happen overnight. it doesn't come with one day every five years. And it definitely won't come if you give up.<br />
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And make the change in you.<br />
You want our politicians to stop being racist and sexist, then stop doing it yourself.<br />
You want our government to stop being corrupt, then stop corruption in your own life.<br />
You want cleanliness and transparency in our country, live clean, live transparent.<br />
You are one of the atoms that make up Malaysia, don't ask for the changes that you don't live by.<br />
Don't be a hypocrite and ask the people in power to be any different from you.<br />
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Take the small victories. No one ever said that the journey would be short or easy.<br />
Did anyone ever think that PR would make inroads into the birthplace of UMNO, Johor? I didn't, but they did.<br />
Did anyone expect 80% of registered voters to turn out to vote? I didn't, but they did.<br />
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In 2003, BN won 198 seats.<br />
In 2008, BN won 140 seats.<br />
In 2013, BN won (as of time of posting) 132 seats (with 6 seats uncalled).<br />
So whatever it is, it is still a small victory for PR.<br />
And now the question is what will the numbers be in 2018?<br />
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Gandhi took 32 years to fight for independence.<br />
Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years in the fight to end apartheid.<br />
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And we've been trying for what 10 years?<br />
Come on Malaysia, grow up.<br />
Yes, you're sad, but a fight is a fight, it goes on.<br />
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Democracy doesn't happen overnight, democracy is a journey.<br />
Just because there are hurdles and obstacles in your way doesn't mean you give up.<br />
You train for the next race. <br />
And maybe that one you'll win.<br />
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<br />
"Lose the battle, win the war"<br />
'Art of War' - Sun-Tzu</span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-67062552013955112122013-05-02T19:46:00.002+08:002013-05-02T19:47:32.930+08:00Bumiputera churches hit back at anti-Christian campaign by Bob TeohThis is an article taken from the Online Portal, mysinchew. Click on the Title to go to the Original Source.<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.mysinchew.com/node/85916?tid=12">Bumiputera churches hit back at anti-Christian campaign</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">By BOB TEOH, 2013.05.02</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Stung by the incendiary anti-Christian campaign in the run-up to polling day, Bumiputera churches in Sabah and Sarawak are hitting back with unprecedented vigour. A "pastoral communiqué " on the 'Allah' issue has been hammered out to be circulated on Friday, just two days before polling to all city and interior churches. A copy of the communiqué was obtained by MySinchew today.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The move is unprecedented in its unusually hard hitting language which is uncharacteristic of Bumiputera pastors and church leaders who traditionally maintain a cordial relationship with the government.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"We, the native Christians of Sabah and Sarawak have kept silent for a considerable length of time. Some have taken our silence to mean something else. Therefore, the time has now come for us to speak," the communiqué said in its opening line.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Surely the way forward is no longer found in the status quo which expects the Bumiputera Church in Sabah and Sarawak to remain silent," it added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Two thirds of the Church in Malaysia is made up of Bumiputera Christians in Sabah and Sarawak. In this respect, we speak with pastoral and moral responsibility and authority against religious bigotry, racism and extremism in any form. But we are not alone as our non-Bumiputera brothers and sisters in Christ have also expressed similar concern over the 'Allah' issue on other occasions. We, therefore, speak as one voice," the communiqué said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Meanwhile, their non-Bumiputera counterparts in the peninsula issued an equally hard hitting statement yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), the umbrella Christian body, issued a strongly-worded statement at what they call a "despicable and heinous" anti-Christian message on election campaign boards and demanded the Election Commission act swiftly to douse the sparks of such religious fear-mongering from catching fire once more.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"These fears are real given the recent history of Church burnings and threats to burn the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia," said Rev Eu Hong Seng, chairman of CFM, and its executive committee.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"The message pits one community (Muslims) against Christians by spreading fear through scare tactics using the issue of 'Allah' which the High Court had allowed as a right to freedom of religion."(The decision is under appeal by the government to be heard on 8 May, three days after polling day). Barisan Nasional has since denied the allegations and claimed they did not put up the advertising boards.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Clearly upset with Najib Razak's flip flop over the 'Allah' and Aliktab controversy, the Bumiputera communiqué pointed out that, "when the caretaker Prime Minister first mooted the Global Movement of Moderates, we were enthusiastic in extending our support for the initiative.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But ironically, the movement is being incessantly and blatantly distracted by unscrupulous elements from within its own ranks, whose strange proclivity is leaning more towards racism and extremism."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"A manifestation of such extremism is the extent to which fringe groups within our midst would go to advance their racism and religious bigotry over the controversy of the use of the word 'Allah' to refer to God by non-Muslims. They have even suggested an open season for burning Bibles (pesta membakar Alkitab). Nothing can be more seditious and incendiary. Yet they were tolerated by the authorities," it added.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It argued that the 'Allah' controversy is not really about religion as such but about unreasonable government policies and laws.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"In the face of such unreasonableness we cannot and should not remain silent. The time for us to speak has come," it said.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was also careful to point out that, "Indeed, in speaking we are mindful to extend love to those who may not agree with us. The essence of God is love (1 John 4:8) thus we are compelled to love even our enemies (Matthew 5:44)".</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The outrage has been simmering for a while but it was at the recent biennial general meeting in Kuching of the Association of Sarawak Churches, the umbrella Christian body in the state, that its chairman, Rev Datuk Bolly Lapok, the Anglican Archbishop of Sarawak as well as the newly appointed Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Southeast Asia, gave his no holds-barred address.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Those involved in drafting the communiqué revealed that the body of the text was largely taken from the Archbishop address with his consent. It was known as the three "Ks initiative" with members of the drafting committee including their lawyers drawn from Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur scrutinising the numerous drafts.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Meanwhile, most churches, especially those in the remote interior are shifting the Sunday worship to Saturday to ensure their members vote in time as polling there closes earlier at 1.00 p.m.</span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-39941611735072693412013-04-30T11:58:00.000+08:002013-04-30T12:02:52.906+08:00Democracy Should Be Easier by Julian Tan<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span>This is an interesting read taken from the internet. If our overseas students take the trouble to travel the distance to fulfill their duty to vote, we here should take the time also to cast our vote on 5 May 2013. (Click on the Title for the Original Source)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/julian-tan/dear-malaysia-democracy-s_b_3175639.html">Dear Malaysia, Democracy Should Be Easier</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Posted: 29/04/2013 00:50</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"It's not on the list," said the lady in the pink floral scarf.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"What do you mean?" I firmly asked, trying my hardest to suppress the imminent trembling in my voice.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Your name - it isn't on the list," she said monotonically, pushing her bifocals along the bridge of her nose.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My heart sank, fears were realised. I didn't just wait for over a year since registering to vote in that very same office and then taking the 7.32am train to London, to be turned away from being a first time voter.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I swiftly whipped out my iPhone, tapped on the fully bloomed sunflower icon that is my photo album to look for the screenshot of my voter status from the Election Commission's website. There it was - 'Julian Tan Lip Yi - Registered (absentee voter), Voting method: Post'. I pinched the screen of my iPhone to enlarge the view of this certainty and handed my phone over to the lady.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">She had a quick glance and then flipped through the booklet of papers in the folder that contained "all" registered voters in the UK - the corners of the pages now slowly forming dog-ears from the inspection.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Tan Ying Hong... Tan Chiu Yeng... Nope, no Julian Tan Lip Yi."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At this moment, the man next to her looked up at me and began quizzing me about the details of my registration - where did I do it, when did I do it, where is my constituency.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"I did it here in this very office early last year. Kelana Jaya." I replied, beginning to be annoyed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"I'm sorry your name is not on the record."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"But I am registered to vote! Look at this!" I said pointing to the screen of my iPhone.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A tall man from the corner of the room, well dressed in a smart navy blue suit emerged and told the lady who was tending to me, "If his name is not on the list. Escort him out. We do not have time for issues like this."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Issues like this? What did he mean? Is the issue of a registered individual being unable to vote because of a fault in your system not important enough to you? I am Malaysian. I have registered. And I have a right to cast my vote.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Where did you come from?" asked the lady, in a voice so meek, trying to diffuse the tension.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"Cambridge."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A slight pause followed. She turned to the man in the suit and said, "He's from Cambridge." And then turned to me and said, "You have a seat first, we will have a look."</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Did the namedropping of my university put me back into the more respectable position I am used to? I didn't care. I just wanted to vote.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I took a seat by the mahogany furniture and waited, staring at the screenshot I took. 3 minutes later and they came back with my ticket.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"It was in a different folder," he said as he nonchalantly passed me a slip to be used to obtain my ballot papers.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A different folder? Perhaps this was for people who had applied directly through the London office. I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. After all, coordinating so many names and details must be very tedious and errors are sure to creep up. I was only so happy to be able to have a voice in the future of my country again.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I guess the reason I chose to relay this story to you is because I feel that if I hadn't been adamant enough, or lucky enough, I would have been turned away despite having all relevant ballot slips ready for me in the room next door. If a person had not been as uncompromising or resolute as I was, they would have left the building without casting their votes!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I genuinely feel that what I experienced probably was an honest mistake but it is mistakes like these that fuel speculation about the credibility of the 13th Malaysian General Elections.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We hear so many stories about phantom voters. We are expected to thoroughly examine our ballot papers, making sure no printed marks are present that could make our votes void. We have to deal with trying not to stain our ballot papers with indelible ink (because the ink is applied BEFORE the casting of the vote - how does this make any sense?). We shouldn't have to worry about these things when exercising our basic right to deciding our government.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The election procedures feel so archaic. So much is said about how these measures are in place as dirty tricks for the ruling coalition, The National Front to stay in power. If this is untrue, not much is being done to refute these claims - the election procedure for some reason does not feel very fair. Democracy should be easier.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As an example, the top left hand corner of the ballot papers I received contained a serial number that was also printed (number for number) on a separate witness form together with my name and identity. I politely asked the officer how the vote would be anonymous with this glaring actuality. Some moments passed before he resigned to saying, "I don't know. This is what is being given. That's a good observation." He then continued to explain to me the procedures of voting, unfazed by the confrontation.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I interrupted him and asked if he could get back to me about this before I marked the 'X' in the box. He said he could get back to me by the end of the day. The end of the day? I didn't have that sort of time. He then suggested that I leave and come back later and before I could respond, he took a stamp out, pressed it firmly into the inkpad and was about to stamp my envelope.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"No no, I will just vote now," I exclaimed, pulling the envelope from his tight grasp. I was admittedly afraid that the stamp would somehow make things more complicated than they already were.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I looked around and every one else had serial numbers on both their ballot slips and witness forms. So, I resigned to following the rules.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">"If you could get back to me about how anonymity is maintained by this procedure, I would very much appreciate it," I then proceeded to say, before heading to vote for the very first time.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So much can be speculated and some people have told me that my story is why they refuse to vote - it is just too much trouble, too much uncertainty to make any real impact. How do I even know if my vote will be counted in the end?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To them I say, suspicion is easy but gets you nowhere. In fact, suspicion is why we need to vote. We can only do as much as we are able to. And in a democracy this means that the least and indeed the most you can do on polling day is to head to the polls and vote!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As 6 May looms (the date after the final votes are cast in Malaysia), I feel a certain excitement and dread for what the future holds. But I rest in the solace that I have done my part, and I hope you do yours too, fellow Malaysians.</span></div>
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-62815116628280585872013-04-29T18:16:00.000+08:002013-04-30T12:03:15.033+08:00Christians should come out to vote, even on a Sunday <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This article is taken from Malaysiakini. Click on the Title to read from the Original source</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><a href="http://m.malaysiakini.com/news/228367">Christians should come out to vote, even on a Sunday</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">William de Cruz | 9:44AM Apr 29, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Christians are getting a bad name for themselves in Malaysia, and some of us may only have ourselves to blame as fence-sitters, fear-mongers and fantasists.<br />
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Case in point - hudud, which might as well be a four-letter word for the obscenity of fear and paranoia it has ingrained among some followers of the faith.<br />
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In spite of history showing the system has not been imposed on two east coast states that have been under the rule of PAS for years, Christians continue to question the credentials of the opposition coalition on one, logic-defying notion: that a vote for Pakatan Rakyat will transmogrify Malaysia into an Islamist state where, like an advocate for change recently said, armless men will walk the streets in Putrajaya.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The truth of the matter is, it won't happen for at least the first five years of any new government, and in fact any party at any time in the future would need a two-thirds parliamentary majority in order to effect such a fundamental, anti-secularist change in secular Malaysia.<br />
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So, if you cannot imagine PAS commanding such overwhelming numbers in the Dewan Rakyat, the odds of the Islamist party imposing hudud are next to nothing, or worse.<br />
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BN won't do it and is in fact campaigning on the bogey that PAS will, and if we believe DAP and PKR will agree with PAS on such a fantastical move, we will have snow in Kuala Lumpur.<br />
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In other words, the imposition of hudud is plain impossible, even in spite of the best efforts of Karpal Singh of DAP, who continues to cry ‘over my dead body' every time someone gives vent to the fear of something so improbable as to be beyond any immediate, medium or long-term reality, and who should know better as a lawyer but continues to inflict damage on his own opposition coalition with an infuriating and totally uncalled-for war cry.<br />
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<b>Most sacred duty </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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As if the haunt of the hudud is not enough, Christians using the same, defective moral compass are also complaining about the insensitivity of an Election Commission, which chose a Sunday as voting day, and has delivered to church-goers the inconvenience of having to forego their obligation to worship because they may have to vote on May 5, and God won't absolve you of your wrongdoing simply because of the queue at the polling station.<br />
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The entire country is gearing up for the most critical and historic federal election Malaysia has ever seen, and some Christians see a higher calling in going to church.<br />
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Oh, my God, how we pain you, through our fault, through our fault, through our own most grievous fault.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There can be no greater Christian duty on May 5 than lodging the vote, and if all leaders and followers of the church don't begin telling their respective flocks that they are relieved of their obligation to worship this fateful Sunday, they will be failing in a most sacred duty to their fellow Christians, and all other Malaysians.<br />
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To be sure, some priests are already telling their parishioners to prepare for meeting your obligations in a Saturday sunset Mass, as it should be. And yet the public voice of the church is loudest when it complains of the EC's ways, as if this particular insensitivity is the worst of its sins as a constitutionally-mandated commission.<br />
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One begins to suspect that if Christians are factoring hudud, impossible as it is, as they decide where to put their cross on the ballot form, and speaking of Sunday worship overriding the need to vote, they are actually in search of a reason to keep the status quo in parliament and ease their conscience at the same time.<br />
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In a perverse extension of the spurious argument that we might all have to live under the yoke of corporal punishment, legless and armless some of us, if not stoned to death, there are yet Christians who will say that, even if the hudud were introduced, they should have no cause for fear, because it would only be for Muslims - as if by deviant design Muslims are not Malaysians.<br />
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Malaysia will never rise from the trenches of religion, or race, if we keep denying that one Malaysian's problem is the whole country's problem.<br />
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If a Muslim ever faced having his or her limbs cut off, it is not an Islamic issue - it is a human rights issue that must concern all Malaysians, irrespective of race and religion.<br />
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If the EC chooses to insult Christians by calling GE13 on a Sunday - precisely because it thinks it will make for a lower voter turnout - all the more reason we must defy their foolhardiness, as Christians.<br />
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</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px color: #9f3100;"><b>Flying home</b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br />
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For the record, Christian Malaysians are among the citizens who are flying in from all over the world to vote in this coming election.<br />
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If jet lag and the polling queue conspired to keep them away from Mass on that day, they are no more sinners than the man in East Malaysia who chooses the ‘pondok pilihan' over an ‘attap' house of worship because the ‘sampan' can only do so much on 5 May.<br />
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One Bersih activist will leave Sydney on May 4 morning, and return within days to her job. Another from London will arrive on Saturday, and catch the return flight on Monday.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Christians seem to forget that the very man whose name has been given to their faith was himself a politician.<br />
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He fought against the rulers of his time, railed at the temples of government, and in the end defied Pontius Pilate himself, who begged Christ for a reason that would allow him to set free the rabble-rouser.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, to set the example for the rest of us, Jesus voted with his life, so we may live, to do the right thing in his name, to cast our ballot, even on a Sunday, and to think of all Malaysians, not just Christians, as we put cross to paper.<br />
<br />
Only a record voter turnout, in excess of 85 percent of the roll, can bring about any meaningful change, and Christians must count in that number this Sunday.<br />
<br />
If by his example, Jesus did not tell us to do the right thing this coming Sabbath, we must be God forsaken. <br />
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">
WILLIAM DE CRUZ is a Christian Malaysian based in Australia. He has returned to Malaysia to vote in GE13.</span></span></div>
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<br />CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-87183800532877897182013-04-15T22:05:00.003+08:002013-04-30T12:04:04.017+08:00The Church in this season By NECF<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=43&action=view&retrieveid=1476">NECFGE13 Pastoral letter - The Church in this season</a></span> </span><script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"><font size="6">
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(Click on Title for the Original source)<br />
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<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">15th April 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Dear Pastor/Elder/Leader,<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 1em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Re: The Church in this season<o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Greetings in the Lord Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The nation will enter into her 13th General
Election on 5 May 2013. In the past year, the <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Christian Federation of Malaysia</span></em>, <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Prayer United</span></em> and <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">NECF</span></em> have issued advisories on how to
pray and prepare for the election. These resources can be found at </span><a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=45&parentid=144&action=view&retrieveid=1390"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">www.necf.org.my</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">NECF is non-partisan but to assist churches in
this critical period, we wish to share a general framework for the benefit of
churches.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 1.33em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The Church and Political Engagement<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The church is not a political entity but the
body of Christ. As such, her engagement is informed by Scripture and premised
on a Christian worldview. A consistent reading of Scripture would show that the
truth of the Gospel must speak to <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">every</span></em>
area of life, including the political. In the Book of Genesis, we are told to
be stewards of God's earth and <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">everything
in it</span></em>.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">As stewards of God's creation, the church is
commanded to be a blessing to the nation and the world. She is to be the salt
of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Therefore, the
church in this season is to be a moral voice and a public conscience to our
political leaders, reminding them to be just and fear the Lord (Exodus 18:19-
21) and to hold them accountable to the standards God places on earthly rulers.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 1.33em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Discerning with Integrity<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">To be a blessing to the nation, the church
must strive for what is true, honourable, just and commendable in the interest
of all people (Philippians 4:8). This would require the church to not only be <em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">non-partisan</span></em> but with discernment,
speak and act on moral and spiritual issues affecting the nation. The Church is
"obliged to declare the criteria by which the nation will be ultimately
judged and [the] divine standards to which man and society must conform if
civilization is to endure" (Carl Henry). In the Bible, this was what the
Old Testament prophets did when they acted and spoke truth to the powers that
be and to sinful nations, including the leaders of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Israel</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Judah</st1:place></st1:country-region>
on issues such as corruption, abuse of power and taking advantage on the poor
and destitute.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 1.33em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Vote with Truth and Wisdom<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">While the institutional church is to remain
non-partisan, individual Christians as citizens of the country, on the other
hand, have every right to make a stand for the political party or candidates of
their choice. In so doing, Christians ought to bear in mind their identity as
God's witnesses in this sinful world. Christians must therefore vote with truth
based on objective information as can be obtained and to the best of their
knowledge. There is a need for wisdom to vote according to one's conscience as
guided and informed by the Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">For this purpose, Christians ought to be
mindful of the various election strategies employed to garner votes. Such
strategies are often politicised, abused or misused. Christians should not be
swayed by such strategies but exercise the democratic right to elect men and
women of righteousness, the persons of God's choosing who possess the moral and
political will to serve and contribute effectively to nation building as well
as to truth, justice and righteousness for our nation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Upon conclusion of the election, churches must
continue to hold our parliamentary, and state elected representatives as well
as elected officials accountable to what God desires in them in line with their
oath of office as political leaders of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 1.33em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Worship Services to Facilitate Voting<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Since polling day falls on Sunday, it would be
encouraging if churches could make the arrangements deemed appropriate to
facilitate the participation of the electoral process. Holding Saturday
services or early Sunday services may be wise. In <st1:place w:st="on">East
Malaysia</st1:place>, some polling centers close as early as 1pm, so this
change might be helpful.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 1.33em 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A Call to Righteousness and Prayer<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">In this season where our nation is at the
crossroads, let us as Christians engage one another, our fellow citizens and
leaders with grace, compassion and mercy alongside the truth founded on
Biblical principles that speak of God's heart for the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is for these reasons, churches and
Christians ought to double all efforts to sound the trumpet, consecrate a fast,
call a solemn assembly, gather the people, and assemble the elders, the congregation
and children to return to Him with all our hearts as acts of consecration
(paraphrase of Joel 2:12-16).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">"Son of man, I have made you a watchman
for the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>;
so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me." - Ezekiel 3:17<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">God bless <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>!<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">In Christ,<br />
Eugene Yapp<br />
Secretary-General<br />
NECF Malaysia<o:p></o:p></span></span>CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-56609664986422779912013-04-03T10:44:00.000+08:002013-04-30T12:04:50.375+08:00Pray & Vote <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=45&parentid=144&action=view&retrieveid=1390"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_5wJH1qyMU/UUZ_QJ8DliI/AAAAAAAAA2k/5k4nJ_TVs9k/s400/prayvote2012_bnr3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=45&parentid=144&action=view&retrieveid=1390">Prayer for the Nations's 13th General Election</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(click on the image above to read the Article)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 17px;"><b><a href="http://www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=2&parentid=21&action=view&retrieveid=1466">Facing the General Election</a></b></span></div>
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<div style="font: 17.0px Verdana; line-height: 23.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Article taken from Berita NECF Articles, Jan - Mar 2013 Issue)</span></b></span></div>
<div style="font: 17.0px Verdana; line-height: 23.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 13.0px 0.0px;">
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<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">ADVISORIES on how to pray for the election and how to vote have been issued by the Christian Federation of Malaysia, Prayer United and by NECF Malaysia. Christians are by now well-aware of their role in nation-building and of their duty to cast their votes as part of biblical stewardship over the earth.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">However, there are certain views on the relationship between the church and politics, and the view that the church must remain 'apolitical'. NECF does not endorse any particular party or candidate but we wish to share a general framework to guide Christians on such views.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Firstly, the church is not a political entity but the body of Christ. As such, her engagement is informed by Scripture. A faithful reading of Scripture would show that the truth of the Gospel must speak to every area of life. Genesis carries the divine mandate to humanity to rule and be stewards of God's earth and everything in it. This includes upholding justice for the common good of all human beings as creations made in the image of God and who are invested with dignity.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As stewards of God's creation, Christians are commanded to be a blessing to the nation and the world. We are also to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Matthew 5: 13-16). We are reminded that we are not to conform to the world but to be a positive influence. We require our leaders to be just (Exodus 18: 19-21) and we hold them to the standards God places on earthly rulers.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If the church as salt and light is to influence the world, calls for the church to be apolitical are then self-contradictory. The meaning of "apolitical" is to be completely uninterested in politics, which cannot be if the church is to bring blessing upon the nation and fulfil her responsibilities in the interest of the common good.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To fulfil this mandate, what the church should be is non-partisan but must speak on moral and spiritual issues affecting the nation. The words of the Evangelical theologian, Carl Henry, are instructive, that the Church is "obliged to declare the criteria by which the nation will be ultimately judged and [the] divine standards to which man and society must conform if civilization is to endure". In the Bible, we see that this is what the Old Testament prophets did when speaking truth to power to sinful nations, including the leaders of Israel and Judah.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Religion, as part of Malaysian politics, has been politicised, abused and misused as an election strategy. Let the church have no part in that but let this not deter her either, from her mandate of speaking God's truth to our nation and leaders.</span></div>
<div style="font: 14.0px Verdana; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 14.0px 0.0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For this season where our nation is at the crossroads, let us as Christians engage one another, our fellow citizens and leaders with grace, compassion and mercy alongside the truth founded on Biblical principles that speak of God's heart for justice and righteousness</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-65531059784923179582013-03-31T01:06:00.000+08:002013-03-31T08:38:01.792+08:00Easter Sunday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>BLESSED EASTER EVERYONE!!!</b></span></div>
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Jesus is alive and lives forever more. He is risen and is resurrected from the dead.<br />
The is the foundational claim of Christianity. Yes Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. He's alive. And this is what this day, Resurrection Day or Easter, is all about.<br />
<br />
Easter celebration is not only about Chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies but as Christians, Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>Click on the Bible Passage in Green to read the Scriptures.</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #1 – The Resurrection</span><br />
<br />
The two Marys received the first information about the resurrection of Jesus from the angel in the tomb. But that was hearsay. They were told this by the angel. They didn't see the Lord alive. <br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A1-8&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 28:1-8</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A2-8&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:2-8</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A1-8&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:1-8</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A1-10&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">John 20:1-10</span></a><br />
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<strong>1. The First Witnesses to Jesus’ Resurrection</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A9-10&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 28: 9-10</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A9-11&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:9-11</span></a><br />
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Jesus appeared before the women while they were on their way to Galilee to tell the Apostles what the angel had told them. With this appearance of Jesus, they are the first eye witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.<br />
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<strong>2. Jesus appeared before the two men on the way to Emmaus</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A12-13&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:12-13</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A13-32&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:13-32</span></a><br />
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That afternoon, two men who were on their way to Emmaus were confused about the story they heard from the women that Jesus was alive. If the tomb was empty as reported by the women, then where Christ was. <br />
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While they were deep in thought and discussion, Jesus spoke to them, and they became the second eye witnesses that Jesus was alive. <br />
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<strong>3. Jesus had also appeared before Simon </strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A33-35&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:33-35</span></a><br />
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<strong>4. Jesus appeared before 11 of His disciples except Thomas</strong>.<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A14&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:14</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A36-43&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:36-43</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A19-23&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">John 20:19-23</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #2 – The Next 40 Days</span><br />
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<strong>1. Jesus appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem. Thomas was convinced.</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A24-31&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">John 20:24-31</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”.</span> Jesus had said that He would rise again but yet Thomas cannot believe that Jesus would not go back on His Word. But Jesus is compassionate enough to appear before Thomas so that he can believe.<br />
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When Jesus gives us a promise in His Word, let us not restrict our Christian experience by doubting Him. If His Word says He will do, then take is as God’s Word and just believe by faith.<br />
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<strong>2. Jesus appeared to seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee.</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A1-24&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">John 21:1-24</span></a><br />
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<strong>3. Jesus gives instructions to the Apostles and 500 others on the mountain in Galilee.</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A16-20&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 28:16-20</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A15-18&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:15-18</span></a><br />
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<strong>4. Jesus gives His final instructions to the Apostles.</strong><br />
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1. Jesus instructs Peter to, "Feed my lambs...Take care of my sheep...Feed my sheep..."<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A15-19&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">John 21:15-19</span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span><br />
2. The Great Commission. "go and make disciples of all nations..." <br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A16-20&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 28:16-20</span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A15-18&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:15-18</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A45-49&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:45-49</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #3 – The Ascension</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+16%3A19&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 16:19</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+24%3A50-53&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 24:50-53</span></a><br />
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Knowing that Jesus is alive, let us remember Psalm 136 :1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever”.<br />
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<strong>Are you going through hard times?</strong><br />
Face it with Christ’s strength and give thanks to God for He is good. Hard times struggled in Jesus’ name will bring victories eventually and in the process we become stronger people because we have wrestled with the problems with endurance and thankfulness.<br />
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<strong>Are you facing sorrow?</strong><br />
Look to Jesus for comfort. Through your tears, give thanks to God for He is good for in your sorrow, your spiritual life grows and matures as you have gone through the difficult time with patience and thankfulness.<br />
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<strong>Are you enjoying the gift of life God has given?</strong><br />
Then give thanks for He is good. We can easily get accustomed to living and take the gift of life that God has given for granted. Take time everyday to thank God for the privilege of living and being alive.<br />
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So, this Easter, <span style="color: #274e13;">“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).</span><br />
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Hallelujah! He is Alive! He is Risen! Death could not hold Him down! And we give Thanks to God for being alive in Him.<br />
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.CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-48052704563410361122013-03-30T01:31:00.000+08:002013-03-30T08:03:02.510+08:00The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Luke 23:44 records that Jesus died at about 3pm on Friday which was just a few hours away from the Sabbath day. According to Jewish custom, funerals were not allowed to be conducted on Sabbath day so his followers would have to bury His body before sunset on Friday. They did not have time to secure a burial place for Jesus so they borrowed someone’s tomb to bury Jesus’ body.</span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What happened the next day?</span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His disciples scattered like sheep without their shepherd. They were shocked, confused and disappointed with Jesus. Jesus did not live up to their expectations. “How could it be that Jesus is dead?” they must have wondered and questioned among themselves.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They had seen Him heal hundreds of people. He not only healed the sick, He could turn water to wine. They even saw Him feed over five thousand people from five loaves of bread and two fish. He could tell the storm to be quiet and make the water harden so that He could walk on it. He even raise Lazarus from the dead. There was nothing that He couldn’t do. </span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So why didn’t he save Himself that day?</span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He always called Himself the Son of Man. In fact, He also called Himself the Son of God. Why didn’t He perform one of His miracles to show the Jewish leaders who He really was? Instead, He just let his enemies make fun of him, nailed Him on the cross and died. And most dissappointing of all was, He left them alone.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a confusing and traumatic day it must have been for His disciples and followers. To answer this confusion for us today, we quote some explanations given by Alan E. Lewis in his book, “Between Cross & Resurrection”. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__ZF3X7W0jr4/S7bEqhWAkaI/AAAAAAAAAbc/bARGVVppqRM/s1600/book1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" nt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__ZF3X7W0jr4/S7bEqhWAkaI/AAAAAAAAAbc/bARGVVppqRM/s200/book1.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">"Jesus is dead, his message and person discredited. The kingdoms of this world have won, and the God Jesus trusted is to be seen either as having failed Jesus... or as ultimately powerless against sin and death... Saturday is "the day of atheism"... Only against this depressing background can we truly understand the glorious reversal and vindication of Jesus' person, his ministry, and the God in whom he trusted.... Now we know that the final word is precisely what God has said from the beginning: that the victories of sin and evil, injustice and inhumanity, are at worst penultimate; in the end God shall be the conqueror of the conquerors". </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is when situations around us seems hopeless and people around us seems unbearable that we will see the glory of God revealed to us. It is like when we are in a dark cold night alone out in the forest that we will look forward to the sunrise and appreciate it's importance and beauty.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While we have no idea what Jesus did or how His disciples actually felt on that Saturday, we can be encouraged that God always has something far greater in store for the future. We may be experiencing some setbacks in our Christian life. Jesus may have seem to let us down and He may not be acting according to our expectations of Him in some situations in our Christian walk but rest assured God always have a better plan ahead.</span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easter will come.</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong>.</strong>CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-6924608728704140132013-03-29T01:29:00.000+08:002013-03-29T01:29:00.930+08:00Good Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the Friday of the Passion Week is called “Good Friday". <br />
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It was not a “good” Friday for Jesus since He had to suffer unbearable pain and humiliation but it is a good Friday for us because Jesus paid the price for our sins. On Good Friday He hung suspended on the cross for 6 hours from 9am till about 3:00pm, when Jesus said in a loud voice, “It is finished!” <br />
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On the night before or early Friday morning before dawn, Jesus was tried by three parties in the Jewish system. He was tried before Annas, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. After Sunrise on Friday, the Jewish leaders sent Jesus to be tried by the Roman courts because they themselves have no authority to execute anyone.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">(Click on the Bible passages in green to read the scriptures)</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #1 – Jesus appeared 3 times b</span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">efore the Roman court.</span><br />
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1. Jesus before Pilate.<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A11-14&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:11-14</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A1-5&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 15:1-5</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A1-5&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:1-5</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A28-38&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">John 18:28-38</span></a><br />
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2. Jesus before Herod<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A6-12&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:6-12</span></a><br />
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3. Jesus before Pilate again.<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A15-31&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:15-31</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A6-20&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 15:6-20</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A13-25&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:13-25</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A39-19%3A16&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">John 18:39-19:16</span></a><br />
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When Jesus was sent to Pilate the first time, he did not take any action because Jesus was a Galilean. Pilate was afraid that it was out of his jurisdiction to take any action. So Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas. In order for Herod to save Jesus, he wanted Jesus to perform a miracle or two and to answer some questions to convince him but Jesus didn’t do or say anything. Angry with Jesus for not answering his questions, Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate had no choice but to pass a death sentence on Jesus. His guards then dressed him in a purple robe, pushed a crown of thorns into his head and mocked Him. They hit and spat on Jesus before sending Jesus off to Golgotha to be crucified.<br />
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Pilate had no choice but to make a decision but he washed his hands off the case after that.<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Event #2 – Judas Hangs himself</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A3-10&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:3-10</span></a><br />
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We have made mentione about Judas yesterday. It was a great waste of potential in a man. Many question are raised today and debates carried out about his decision to take his own life. He had made a wrong choice by betraying Jesus. He could have made the right one at the foot of the cross where Jesus died. Once again, let Judas' life be a warning to us to always choose to do the right thing and stay close to Jesus always.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #3 – Crucifixion at Golgotha or Calvary</span><br />
<strong>This started from around 9am till 3pm when Jesus finally died.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A32-56&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:32-56</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A21-41&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 15:21-41</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A26-49&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:26-49</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A17-37&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">John 19:17-37</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #4 - Jesus’ Seven Last Sentences (The Message version)</span><br />
<strong>This was said from about 9am to 12 noon.</strong><br />
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1. Luke 23:34 - Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." <br />
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2. Luke 23:43 - He said, "Don't worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise." <br />
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3. John 19:26-27 - Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother. <br />
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<strong>This was said from around 12 noon to 3 pm</strong><br />
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4. Matt 27:46 - Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" <br />
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5. John 19:28 - Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, "I'm thirsty." <br />
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6. John 19:30 - After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit. <br />
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7. Luke 23:46 - Jesus called loudly, "Father, I place my life in your hands!" Then he breathed his last. <br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #5 – Supernatural Phenomena Happened</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A50-54&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:50-54</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A33&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 15:33</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"> & </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A38&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">15:38</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A44-45&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:44-45</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Event #6 – Jesus was buried</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+27%3A57-61&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 27:57-61</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+15%3A42-47&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 15:42-47</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A50-56&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 23:50-56</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+19%3A38-42&version=MSG&src=embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">John 19:38-42</span></a><br />
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<strong>The most significant event on Good Friday is Jesus hanging on the cross and finally saying, “It is finished!”</strong> <br />
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Why did He say, “It is FINISHED!” What was finished? His life? His sufferings? Yes, but even more than that, it was A MISSION COMPLETED. His mission HERE ON EARTH WAS ACCOMPLISHED . <br />
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Jesus came to this world to commit to the Father’s plan and throughout His life here on earth, He had demonstrated His commitment to the Father’s will right to the end.<br />
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Philippians 2: 5-8 - <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion."</span></i></span><br />
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John 4:34 - <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Jesus said, "The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started."</span></i></span><br />
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John 17:4 - <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">"</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do." </span></i></span><br />
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Let us be encouraged today with Jesus’ Words, “It is finished!” because this is the guarantee that He gives to us that we can now know for sure that our sins are fully paid for by His death on the cross and that our relationship with God, our Heavenly Father is made right. Yes, when Jesus said those words, “It is finished!” it is His assurance to us that He had cleared the way for us to someday enter eternal life to be with Him again in heaven.<br />
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On this Good Friday let us symbolically stand beneath the cross of Jesus Christ and lay down our guilt of sins, our baggage of hurts and disappointments, our load of anger and hatred and all other luggage that weigh us down, right at His feet. Let the blood that Jesus has shed, flow down upon us and remove all these weights that we have been carrying. <br />
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Let this day be a really GOOD FRIDAY for us and take great comfort in Jesus’ words, “It is finished!” Let us spend time to be thankful that God sent us His Son to be our Savior, 2000 years ago, so that we can enjoy eternal life with Him. <br />
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Let us look forward to a GREAT WEEKEND!CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-15368734976372986952013-03-28T01:03:00.000+08:002013-03-28T20:06:08.482+08:00On Thursday of the Passion Week<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most significant event on the Thursday of the Passion Week is the Last Supper. This day is also known as Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. The dictionary’s explanation for Maundy is, “a ceremony held in some Christian churches on Maundy Thursday that involves an actual or symbolic washing of people's feet in commemoration of Jesus Christ's washing of his disciples' feet.” </span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">(Click on the Bible passages in green to read the scriptures)</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #1 – The Last Supper</b></span><br />
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On that evening, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples.<br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A17-19&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:17-19</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A12-16&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:12-16</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A7-16&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:7-16</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A1&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 13:1</i></span></a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Passover Meal</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the Jewish people, the Passover meal was the time when they celebrated their forefathers’ liberation from the Egyptian bondage. It was also a time where they silently prayed for their own political freedom from the Roman Empire. God has given them a special Menu to prepare for the evening. While eating the unleavened bread and bitter herbs, the head of the family would tell the story of The Exodus to the next generation.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When God first instituted the Passover meal, the people had to sacrifice a lamb each year. However, God instituted a new Passover on this night and Jesus was the lamb that God provided for the people. The Jews celebrated the “Moses' Passover” because death was avoided. Jesus on this night celebrated the Passover not to avoid death but to confront and conquer death for all mankind once and for all.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Event #2 – The Washing of His disciples’ Feet</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A3-20&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">J<i>ohn 13:3-20</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before Jesus took his meal, Jesus shocked His disciples by washing their feet first. He was demonstrating to them the most humble and loving act a master can do to his followers. This was a lesson in true greatness and love. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can we learn from this act?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Love is willing to do anything even the most humbling job.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Jesus was cleaning their feet, symbolically purifying their footsteps to prepare them to “walk their talk”.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. With clean feet, they should take the first step to walk out to love others.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. With clean feet, they are now to walk in Jesus’ footsteps to reach out to others in love.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. As Christians, we should always be careful how we “walk our Christian life”.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After washing their feet, Jesus said to His disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, it was a sad night for Jesus because He knew one of His own disciples would choose to walk his own way and walk in His footsteps. </span><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of them would betray Him that night.</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A20-25&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:20-25</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A17-21&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:17-21</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A22-23&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:22-23</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A21-30&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 13:21-30</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #3 – Jesus Instituted the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A26-30&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:26-30</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A22-25&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:22-25</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A17-21&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:17-21</i></span></a><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times and Peter did just that.</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A31-35&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:31-35</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A69-75&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>26:69-75</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A27-31&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:27-31</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A66-72&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>14:66-72</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A31-34&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:31-34</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A54-62&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>22:54-62</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A36-38&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 13:36-38</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A15-18&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>18:15-18</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A25-27&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>18:25-27</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Event #4 – Jesus’ Final Teachings</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before they left the upper room, Jesus gave them some final encouragements. He knew what lies ahead for Himself and His disciples and His future followers. Jesus gave us another example to follow. We must pray for ourselves to walk right with God, then pray for the leaders who will lead us and then finally to pray for all believers who share the same faith as us.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. He is the Way -</span> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A1-14&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 14: 1-14</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Jesus Promises to send the Holy Spirit -</span> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A15-31&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">J<i>ohn 14:15-31</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. The Vine and the Branches </span>- <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A1-17&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 15:1-17</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Jesus warns of coming difficult times for believer but promises to send help from above -</span> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A18-16%3A33&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 15:18 - 16: 33</i></span></a><br />
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5<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. Jesus Prays for Himself</span> -<i> </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A1-5&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 17:1-5</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Jesus Prays for His Disciples </span>- <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A6-19&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 17:6-19</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Jesus Prays for All Believers</span> - <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A20-26&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 17:20-26</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #5 – Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A36-46&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26: 36-46</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A32-42&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:32-42</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A39-46&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:39-46</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A1&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 18:1</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #6- Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A47-56&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:47-56</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A43-52&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:43-52</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A47-53&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:47-53</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A2-11&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 18:2-11</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #7 – Jesus' Trial Before the Jewish Court</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Jesus before Annas who was an ex-high priest who has no authority to pass any sentence</span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A12-14&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 18:12-14</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A19-24&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>18:19-24</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Jesus before Caiaphas, the high priest and the Sanhedrin</span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A57-68&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:57-68</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A53-72&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:53-72</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A63-65&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:63-65</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+18%3A24&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 18:24</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some scholars have listed the Jesus' trial before the Jewish court and Peter's denial of knowing Jesus to have happened on Friday. It could have happened in the early hours of Friday or just before dawn, "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." (Matthew 26:75)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-83352093475888232482013-03-27T01:38:00.000+08:002013-03-27T09:26:44.342+08:00On Wednesday of the Passion Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Bible is silent about the events that happened on this day. The gospel writers did not tell us what Jesus did on this day. Most scholars believe that it may have been a day of rest and prayer for Jesus.<br />
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On the other hand, the Jewish religious leaders probably continued to plot Jesus' death, and they found one of Jesus' own disciple Judas, who agreed to betray him. He was going to show them where they can easily capture Jesus in exchange for 30 pieces of silver.<br />
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Because of this event, this day is also known as "Spy Wednesday". <br />
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Judas was capable, responsible, practical, driven, and intelligent. He could have been someone who had great potential to be used by God to achieve great things in the Kingdom of God. Instead, with this act of betraying Jesus, his name will forever be linked with betrayal, and his life ended in a tragic suicide.<br />
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Possibly, Judas expected Jesus to be the Messiah who would come to established an earthly kingdom and to liberate his people from the Roman rule. But being with Jesus for three years made him realise that Jesus was not the Messiah of his own ideas and certainly Jesus was not acting in accordance to his timetable. He wanted to see action and he was getting impatient.<br />
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What a tragedy to waste all of his potential with greed, arrogance and impatience. <br />
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Today, we should take stock of our own lives. Let us spend time to reflect on how well we are managing the gifts and talents that God has given us - time, money, abilities, energy, opportunities. Are we using it all for God and His Kingdom?<br />
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Let the story of Judas be a reminder to us to be good managers of our blessings. Let us not be greedy for earthly or material things. Let us strife to be humble, always remembering our Master and Provider God who has given us all that we have and made us to be who we are. Finally, let us be patient and work according to God's timetable.<br />
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So on the Wednesday just before Good Friday some 2000 years ago, Jesus seemed to have remained out of sight from the crowd and was silent, most likely in prayer for the coming days ahead. Perhaps today, we should spend time to be silent before God and seek Him in prayer ourselves.CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-8182976317851475872013-03-26T00:56:00.000+08:002013-03-26T10:45:16.852+08:00On Tuesday of the Passion Week<span style="color: blue;">This was the last day of Jesus' public ministry and his last day in the Temple. He arrived early in the city and didn't leave for Bethany until late that night. Some scholars refer to this as the day of controversy and others as the day of rejection. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">(Click on the Bible passages in green to read the scriptures)</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event # 1 - The Withered Fig Tree</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A20-22&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 21:20-22</i></b></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+11%3A20-26&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Mark 11:20-26</i></b></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fig tree represents the barrenness of Jerusalem. Jesus gives his disciple a lesson on prayer that includes instructions on forgiveness. The disciples are going to have to rely on prayer and forgiveness to get through the next few days.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event # 2 - Jesus' authority is challenged.</b></span><b> </b><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A28-32&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 21:28-32</i></b></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>,</i></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+11%3A27-33&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Mark 11:27-33</i></b></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>, </i></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20%3A1-8&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Luke 20:1-8</i></b></span></a><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">“ Then he was back in the Temple, teaching. The high priests and leaders of the people came up and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to teach here?"” (Matt 21:23)</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a trick question. He only will answer their question if they would answer his first. He asked them what they thought of John the Baptist's work - was it human or divine? If they replied divine, then they would have to accept Jesus as the Messiah, because that was the basis of John's preaching. If they said human, then the people who followed John would surely get angry. They had to admit they didn't know. It was the responsibility of the Sanhedrin to know the difference between true and false prophets and they had to shamefully admit they didn't know. Thus, Jesus didn't need to answer their question.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event # 3 – Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God in 3 Parables.</b></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Parable 1 : The Story of Two Sons</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A28-32&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 21:28-32</i></b></span></a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Parable 2: The Story of the Greedy Farmhands</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21%3A33-46&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 21:33-46</i></b></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A1-12&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Mark 12:1-12</i></b></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20%3A9-19&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Luke 20:9-19</i></b></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><b> </b></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: black;">Parable 3: The Story of the Wedding Banquet</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A1-14&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 22:1-14</i></b></span></a><b> </b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In these 3 parables Jesus taught about the requirements for the Kingdom of God living. In the parable of the two sons, the people were told to do the will of God even though it may be unpleasant to them. They were warned not to be like the greedy farmhands in the next parable and lastly, their choice in live will determine if they will be welcomed at the wedding banquet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We too need to take heed of these 3 parables and choose to do the Father's will, in order to be a part of the Kingdom of God.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event # 4 : The Jewish Leaders tries to Trap Jesus with 3 Questions.</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A15-40&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Matthew 22:15-40</i></b></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i> </i></b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A13-34&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Mark 12:13-34</i></b></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20%3A20-40&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b><i>Luke 20:20-40</i></b></span></a><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 1: The Pharisees asked if it was lawful to pay tribute to Rome. </span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Jesus said it wasn't lawful, he would get into trouble with the Roman authorities. If he said it was lawful, the Jews would reject him because God was their only King. They thought they had cornered Jesus in a no-win situation. Instead, Jesus asked whose image was on the coin. When they replied Caesar, he told them to give back to Caesar the things that were Caesar's, but give to God what belongs to God.</span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: The Sadducees, who don't believe in resurrection, asked whose wife would a woman who married seven times be, in the resurrection. </span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus answers by pointing out how ignorant they are concerning the scriptures. You can't think of heaven in the same way you think of life on earth. Heaven is not a continuation of this world. So their question was not relevant. </span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: What is the Greatest Commandment?</span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus simply answers by quoting the two Old Testament commandments, to loveGod with all your heart, soul, and might (Deut 6:5) and to love your neighbor as yourself (Lev 19:18).</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #5 – The tension continues between the Jewish leaders and Jesus</b></span><br />
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<strong>1. Jesus scolds the Scribes and Pharisees naming Seven mistakes they made while discharging their duties as religious leaders.</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+23%3A1-39&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 23:1-39</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A38-40&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 12:38-40</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+20%3A45-47&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 20:45-47</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The purpose of this teaching was to point out to the Scribes and Pharisees that life is actually not about living for themselves but it’s all about living for God that counts. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We should live and act in ways that directs others to God and not to draw attention to ourselves. </span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Jesus commends those who live for God.</span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The widow’s mite -</span> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12%3A41-44&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 12:41-44</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A1-4&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 21:1-4</i></span> </a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Greeks (Gentiles) seek Jesus</span> – <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A20-36&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 12:20-36</i></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was an opportunity for Jesus to escape death if he had wanted to because the Gentiles were willing to accept Him but He chose to follow the will of the Father. He chose to obey God even though it will cost Him His life.</span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. The Jewish leaders chose to reject Jesus</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A37-50&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>John 12:37-50</i></span></a><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Jesus warns of the destruction of the Temple</span></strong> <br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A1-2&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 24:1-2</span></a><span style="color: #274e13;">, </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13%3A1-2&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mark 13:1-2</span></a> & <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A5-6&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;">Luke 21:5-6</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #6 – The Olivet Discourse</b></span><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. The signs of the End of the Age</span></strong><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A3-25%3A46&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 24:3 – 25:46</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13%3A3-37&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 13:3-37</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A7-38&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 21:7-38</i></span></a><br />
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<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Parables of Warnings</span></strong><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a) Fig tree and young leaves. </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+24%3A32-33&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Matthew 24:32-33</i></span></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>, </i></span></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13%3A28-29&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Mark 13:28-29</i></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> & </i></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A29-31&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Luke 21:29-31</i></span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">b) Master puts his servant in charge. </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+13%3A34-36&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Mark 13:34-36</i></span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">c) The ten Virgins. </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A1-13&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Matthew 25:1-13</i></span></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">d) The Talents. </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A14-30&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Matthew 25:14-30</i></span></span></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These parables highlight the importance of being watchful and being careful of our actions. In order to be able to recognise the signs of the times, we need to be alert always. A thief does not give advance notice of his coming to our house. He just appears and catch us by surprise.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fig tree teaches us to always be alert and on a look out for the times we are living in. The second parable reminds us that God has put us where we are as stewards of His blessings and property be it material things or people around us. The virgins serve as a reminder to us to be hardworking and to take our own responsibility seriously. We should not expect others to cover up for us. And finally, we are to make use of all the talents that God has put in our lives. The ability to understand matters, the capability to aquire knowledge, the desire to serve Him has been placed in us by God Himself and we are to use it for God's Kingdom and Glory. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Jesus concludes His teachings with a description of the Last Judgment whereby God will separate the Sheep and the Goats. </span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A31-46&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 25:31-46</i></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Event #7 – The Conspiracy between the Jewish Leaders and Judas against Jesus.</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A1-5&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 26:1-5</i></span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"><i> & </i></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A14-16&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>14-16</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A1-2&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Mark 14:1-2</i></span></a><i> & </i><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+14%3A10-11&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>10-11</i></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+22%3A1-6&version=MSG&src=embed"><span style="color: #274e13;"><i>Luke 22:1-6</i></span></a><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What can we say about this act of Judas'? Keep watch and be vigilant. Always get busy with the things of God and be involved in some ministry in the church or for the Kingdom of God. Let us never be found guilty of doing this act of Judas i.e betraying Jesus in anyway.</span><br />
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.CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-80531859822404475632013-03-25T04:16:00.000+08:002013-03-25T08:19:32.167+08:00On Monday of the Passion Week<span style="color: blue; font-size: small;">On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding on a donkey and was greeted by the people as a heroic savior, someone who will free the Jews from Roman authority. Upon entering the city he visited the Temple and then Jesus wept for Jerusalem, knowing that the unbelief of the people will eventually lead to the destruction of the city and the Temple. Bible scholars believed that these were the major events that took place on Monday or the second day of the Passion Week.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>Event #1</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>The Withered Fig Tree</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Matthew 21:18-19 (The Message)</span></i></b></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Early the next morning Jesus was returning to the city. He was hungry. Seeing a lone fig tree alongside the road, he approached it anticipating a breakfast of figs. When he got to the tree, there was nothing but fig leaves. He said, "No more figs from this tree—ever!" The fig tree withered on the spot, a dry stick. The disciples saw it happen. They rubbed their eyes, saying, "Did we really see this? A leafy tree one minute, a dry stick the next?" </span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>The Cursed Fig Tree</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 11:12-14 (The Message)</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">As they left Bethany the next day, he was hungry. Off in the distance he saw a fig tree in full leaf. He came up to it expecting to find something for breakfast, but found nothing but fig leaves. (It wasn't yet the season for figs.) He addressed the tree: "No one is going to eat fruit from you again—ever!" And his disciples overheard him. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Taken from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>The barren fig-tree cursed.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This cursing of the barren fig-tree represents the state of hypocrites in general, and so teaches us that Christ looks for the power of religion in those who profess it, and the savour of it from those that have the show of it. His just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds leaves only. A false profession commonly withers in this world, and it is the effect of Christ's curse. The fig-tree that had no fruit, soon </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lost its leaves. This represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular. Our Lord Jesus found among them nothing but leaves. And after they rejected Christ, blindness and hardness grew upon them, till they were undone, and their place and nation rooted up. The Lord was righteous in it. Let us greatly fear the doom denounced on the barren fig-tree. (Mt 21:23-27)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b>Event #2</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>He Kicked Over the Tables</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>Matthew 21:12-17 (The Message)</i></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text: </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>My house was designated a house of prayer; You have made it a hangout for thieves.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?" </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><i>Fed up, Jesus turned on his heel and left the city for Bethany, where he spent the night. </i></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Cleansing of the Temple</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Mark 11:15-19 (The Message)</span></i></b></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn't let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text: </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You've turned it into a hangout for thieves. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">At evening, Jesus and his disciples left the city. </span></i><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Cleansing of the Temple</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Luke 19:45-48 (The Message)</span></i></b></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, "It's written in Scripture, </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">My house is a house of prayer; You have turned it into a religious bazaar." </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn't come up with anything. </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Taken from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>He drives out those who profaned the temple.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christ found some of the courts of the temple turned into a market for cattle and things used in the sacrifices, and partly occupied by the money-changers. Our Lord drove them from the place, as he had done at his entering upon his ministry, Joh 2:13 to 17. His works testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater than the glory of the former. If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practised under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer! (Mt 21:18-22)</span>CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-6569745293823608182013-03-24T00:34:00.000+08:002013-03-24T16:57:55.860+08:00Palm Sunday<span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><i>Today marks the beginning of the most Holy Week in the Christian calendar - THE PASSION WEEK. Let us spend some time to meditate and reflect on what Jesus Christ has done for us more than 2000 years ago. We shall embark once again, on a spiritual journey to read what the Gospel writers have written in the Bible concerning the days leading to GOOD FRIDAY and EASTER.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>The Royal Welcome</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><b>Matthew 21:1-11 (The Message) </b></span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: "Go over to the village across from you. You'll find a donkey tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you're doing, say, 'The Master needs them!' He will send them with you." </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet: </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Tell Zion's daughter, </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">"Look, your king's on his way, poised and ready, mounted </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal." </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them calling out, "Hosanna to David's son!" "Blessed is he who comes in God's name!" "Hosanna in highest heaven!" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, "What's going on here? Who is this?" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">The parade crowd answered, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee." </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Entering Jerusalem on a Colt</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>Mark 11:1-11 (The Message)</b></span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When they were nearing Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany on Mount Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered, one that has never yet been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'The Master needs him, and will return him right away.'" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">They went and found a colt tied to a door at the street corner and untied it. Some of those standing there said, "What are you doing untying that colt?" The disciples replied exactly as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them alone. They brought the colt to Jesus, spread their coats on it, and he mounted. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The people gave him a wonderful welcome, some throwing their coats on the street, others spreading out rushes they had cut in the fields. Running ahead and following after, they were calling out, </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Hosanna! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Blessed is he who comes in God's name! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Blessed the coming kingdom of our father David! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Hosanna in highest heaven! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve. </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>God's Personal Visit</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>Luke 19:29-44 (The Message)</b></span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you'll find a colt tethered one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, 'What are you doing?' say, 'His Master needs him.'" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, "What are you doing untying the colt?" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">They said, "His Master needs him." </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed: </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Blessed is he who comes, the king in God's name! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">All's well in heaven! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Glory in the high places! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, "Teacher, get your disciples under control!" </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise." </span></i><br />
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</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it's too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They'll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn't recognize and welcome God's personal visit." </span></i><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>See How Your King Comes</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><b>John 12:12-19 (The Message)</b></span></i></span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered: </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Hosanna! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Blessed is he who comes in God's name! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Yes! The King of Israel!</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it: </span></i><br />
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</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">No fear, Daughter Zion: </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">See how your king comes, riding a donkey's colt. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him. </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him."</span></i><br />
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CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1572286675309555126.post-17916961398677644702012-12-01T19:52:00.000+08:002012-12-01T19:53:12.236+08:002012 24-7 Year of Prayer for Malaysia - December<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">To read the previous months' Prayer Emphasis click :</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b39c7d;"><a href="http://beritacalvary.blogspot.com/search/label/2012%3A%20Year%20of%20Prayer%20for%20Malaysia" style="color: #b39c7d; text-decoration: none;">2012 Year of Prayer for Malaysia </a></span></span></span></div>
<br />CALVARY TODAYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02429851208847166217noreply@blogger.com0