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5 November 2011
You are part of a building that has the apostles for its foundation - Extracted from Ephesians 2: 19-22
You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household.
You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.
As every structure is aligned on Him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in Him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the spirit.
Do not break faith with one another - Extracted from Malachi 1:14-2:2, 8-10
I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is feared throughout the nations.
And now, priests, this warning is for you.
If you do not listen, if you do not find it in your heart to glorify my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send the curse on you and curse your very blessing.
You have strayed from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your teaching.
You have destroyed the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts. And so I in my turn have made you contemptible and vile in the eyes of the whole people in repayment for the way you have not kept to my paths but have shown partiality in your administration.
Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why, then, do we break faith with one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?
We were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well - Extracted from 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13
Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we (hereinafter referred to “Paul, his co-workers Silas and Timothy”) felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.
Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you.
Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.
You have only one Master, and you are all brothers - Extracted from Matthew 23: 1-12
Addressing the people and his disciples Jesus said,
‘The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practise what they preach.
They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will they lift a finger to move them? Not they!
Everything they do is done to attract attention, like wearing broader phylacteries and longer tassels, like wanting to take the place of honour at banquets and the front seats in the synagogues, being greeted obsequiously in the market squares and having people call them Rabbi.
‘You, however, must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one Master, and you are all brothers.
You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven.
Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be you servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’ 5 November 2011 |
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5 May 2012
I saw a huge number of people, impossible to count, were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb – Extracted from Revelations, Chapter 7:
1 Next I (hereinafter referred to the Apostle “John”) saw four angels, standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the world to keep them from blowing over the land or the sea or any tree.
2 Then I saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angels whose duty was to devastate land and sea,
3 'Wait before you do any damage on land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.'
4 And I heard how many had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand (144,000), out of all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand (12,000) had been sealed; from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand (12,000) ; from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand (12,000) ;
6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand (12,000) ; from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand(12,000) ; from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand (12,000) ;
7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand (12,000) ; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand(12,000) ; from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand (12,000) ;
8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand (12,000) ; from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand(12,000) ; and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand (12,000) had been sealed.
9 After that I saw that there was a huge number, impossible for anyone to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”), dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands. They shouted in a loud voice, (Interpretation: “The huge number” refers to all non-Israelites, who have cooperated with the grace of God and have led a good life.) 8-)
10 'Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'
11 And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne, surrounding the elders and the four living creatures, prostrated themselves before the throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God
12 with these words: Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 One of the elders then spoke and asked me, 'Who are these people, dressed in white robes, and where have they come from?'
14 I answered him, 'You can tell me, sir.' Then he said, 'These are the people who have been through the great trial; they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.
15 That is why they are standing in front of God's throne and serving him day and night in his sanctuary; and the One who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16 They will never hunger or thirst again; sun and scorching wind will never plague them,
17 because the Lamb who is at the heart of the throne will be their Shepherd (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) and will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.'
Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, lays down his life for his sheep - Extracted from John 10: 11-16
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is because he only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.
And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and these I have to lead as well.
They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, and one shepherd.
The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me; I lay it down on my own free will, and as it is in my power to lay it down, so it is in my power to take it up again; and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’
The Lord is my shepherd – Extracted from Psalm 23:
1 [Psalm Of David] Yahweh is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 In grassy meadows he lets me lie. By tranquil streams he leads me
3 to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.
4 Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I should fear no danger, for you are at my side. Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
5 You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup brims over.
6 Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of Yahweh for all time to come.
Sharing: Just listen to “Psalm 23” @ http://www.youtube.com . 8-) 5 May 2012
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