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4 February 2012 I will raise up a prophet and I will put my words into his mouth - Extracted from Deuteronomy, Chapter 18:
Moses said to the people:
15 ‘Yahweh your God will raise up a prophet (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) like me; you will listen to him.
16 This is exactly what you asked Yahweh your God to do - at Horeb, on the day of the Assembly, when you said, "Never let me hear the voice of Yahweh my God or see this great fire again, or I shall die."
17 Then Yahweh said to me,
18 "What they have said is well said. From their own brothers I shall raise up a prophet like yourself;
19 I shall put my words into his mouth and he will tell them everything I command him. Anyone who refuses to listen to my words, spoken by him in my name, will have to render an account to me.
20 But the prophet who presumes to say something in my name which I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die." ‘
Jesus taught them with authority—Extracted from Mark, Chapter 1:
21 Jesus and his followers went as far as Capernaum, and at once on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22 And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
23 And at once in their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he shouted,
24 'What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.'
25 But Jesus rebuked it saying, 'Be quiet! Come out of him!'
26 And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him.
27 The people were so astonished that they started asking one another what it all meant, saying, 'Here is a teaching that is new, and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.'
28 And his reputation at once spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit - Extracted from Mark, Chapter 5:
1 Jesus and his disciples reached the territory of the Gerasenes on the other side of the lake,
2 and when he disembarked, a man with an unclean spirit at once came out from the tombs towards him.
3 The man lived in the tombs and no one could secure him any more, even with a chain,
4 because he had often been secured with fetters and chains but had snapped the chains and broken the fetters, and no one had the strength to control him.
5 All night and all day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would howl and gash himself with stones.
6 Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and fell at his feet
7 and shouted at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? In God's name do not torture me!'
8 For Jesus had been saying to him, 'Come out of the man, unclean spirit.'
9 Then he asked, 'What is your name?' He answered, 'My name is Legion, for there are many of us.'
10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the district.
11 Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding,
12 and the unclean spirits begged him, 'Send us to the pigs, let us go into them.'
13 So he gave them leave. With that, the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand (2000) pigs charged down the cliff into the lake, and there they were drowned.
14 The men looking after them ran off and told their story in the city and in the country round about; and the people came to see what had really happened.
15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there - the man who had had the legion in him - properly dressed and in his full senses, and they were afraid.
16 And those who had witnessed it reported what had happened to the demoniac and what had become of the pigs.
17 Then they began to implore Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. (Interpretation: because they have suffered a huge financial loss of 2000 pigs.)
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to be allowed to stay with him.
19 Jesus would not let him but said to him, 'Go home to your people and tell them all that the Lord in his mercy has done for you.' (Interpretation: This is a non-Jewish territory (only non-Jews would rear pigs as pigs were considered by the Jews as unclean animals), thus Jesus wanted the healed man to proclaim the Good News to his own people (the non-Jews) instead of following Him.)
20 So the man went off and proceeded to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.
Our Reflections: Look at what the unclean spirits did to that man and the pigs. First, they resided in that man and made him a “chaos” with no ability of self control. Anyone who has encountered a person with a “split personality” would know what that means; and he is even worst than that, as there are many of them in him- “Legion”. Secondly, the unclean spirits went into the pigs and created a huge financial loss...
Have anyone wondered how an unclean spirit enter a man? Someone told us that the devils and evil spirits could enter people who persists in wrong doing with no repentance- They would first give him a “chaotic mind”, causing him to make wrong decisions/ judgements and then turn him into a “total chaos” eventually... Well, what’s your opinion?
All we know is that we have never seen anyone who persists in wrongdoing having “clarity of mind” and could objectively be labeled as “wise”. They seem to always get into some kind of trouble in falling into the same trap that they set for others. That’s tragic…. 8-( |
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Always be joyful - Extracted from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, Chapter 4:
4 Always be joyful, then, in the Lord; I repeat, be joyful.
5 Let your good sense be obvious to everybody. The Lord is near.
6 Never worry about anything; but tell God all your desires of every kind in prayer and petition shot through with gratitude,
7 and the peace of God which is beyond our understanding will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, let your minds be filled with everything that is true, everything that is honourable, everything that is upright and pure, everything that we love and admire - with whatever is good and praiseworthy.
9 Keep doing everything you learnt from me and were told by me and have heard or seen me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Here’s the way to become the Greatest - Extracted from Matthew, Chapter 18:
1 The disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?'
2 So he called a little child to him whom he set among them.
3 Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.
4 And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.
5 'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.
6 But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck.
7 Alas for the world that there should be such causes of falling! Causes of falling indeed there must be, but alas for anyone who provides them!
8 'If your hand or your foot should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out and throw it away: it is better for you to enter into life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell of fire.
10 'See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
Accredited Church interpretation: What’s the meaning of “becoming like little children” again? · Simplicity of heart (like that of a child). · Humility. · Total surrender to God and do not worry? Sure, because He is always watching you and He cares for you. However we must also do our best and do well in all our endeavours. Someone has also said, ‘God will help those who help themselves.’ 8-) · Be happy always, because He loves you...Don’t you think this is wonderful ? 8-)
4 February & 7 October 2012
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