The great wars

The war is near, and there will be deaths, these deaths cannot be avoided in warfare, unless we are living in peace, then there will be no death. There will be war, many great wars, until they surrender, and they agree to sign an agreement for peace. There is a peace for a time, there is a war for a time, and then they make a greater war.

The Book of Revelation with VPP

1:1, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass....

An example of Statement of Faith

To build a church with a strong spiritual atmosphere of faith and purity,
where every member is released into ministry, discipled in the Great Commandment to obey the Great Commission.

The fundamental teachings of this congregation are reflected in the following clear statements of faith:

1. We believe in the plenary-verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of scriptures as originally given. The scriptures are infallible, inerrant and the sole and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct.
(2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13)

2. We believe in the eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as one God existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinguishable but indivisible.
(Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

3. We believe in the creation, test and fall of man as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual depravity and inability to attain to divine righteousness.
(Romans 5:12, 18)

4. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born by the Virgin Mary, very God and very Man.
(Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)

5. We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared unto His disciples.
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25)

6. We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church.
(John 14:2-3; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

7. We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins.
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12, 22; Romans 5:11)

8. We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the name of the eternal Godhead in order to fulfill the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:34-36; 19:1-6)

9. We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a real experience at or subsequent to salvation, with the scriptural evidence, namely, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
(Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-45; Galatians 3:14-15)

10. We believe in the operation of the gifts and ministries of the Spirit as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12-14 and Ephesians 4, as manifested in the early Church.

11. We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as expressing the true Christian faith.
(Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)

12. We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power, or Divine healing in its varied aspects as practised in the early Church (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14) and by deliverance in the name of Jesus.
(Mark 16:17)

13. We believe in the table of the Lord, commonly called the Communion or the Lord's Supper, for believers.
(1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Matthew 26:26-28)

14. We believe in the reality and personality of the Devil and eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire for the Devil and his angels.
(Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:14-15)

15. We believe in the eternal life for believers (John 5:24; 3:16), and eternal punishment for the unbelievers.
(Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10-15)

16. We believe that there is one true universal Church, made up of genuine believers, but this one universal Church is also composed of many local Churches in given localities. These Churches are under the sovereign headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, exercising autonomous government under Him, administering all its local affairs and ministry, as well as the propagation of the gospel.
(Acts 15:22; Matthew 16:18; 18:15-20)

17. We believe that Government is ordained of God, and the powers that be are ordained as ministers of God to us for good. To resist the powers and the ordinances is to resist the ordinance of God. We are subject not only for wrath sake but for conscience sake, rendering to all their dues, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. We declare our loyalty to our Government and its leaders, and will assist in every way possible, consistent with our faith in the scriptures as Christian citizens.
(Romans 13)

God is a Healer

There is life and death in our tongues,

Lets use our tongues for good in 2009...

Our biggest problem is not we have no perfect Bible....

But to encourage people to read the Bible, the Very Word of God!

May God heal our spirit, mind and body this moment,

count down.....1,2,3, heal...

It is God's will so that we may be heal

It is because Jesus had been bitten, so we can be healed...

Give thank to the Lord....

Lord receive me again.

Christmas 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11-12)

Looking back the past 12 months, it is unfortunate that many have allowed fear to infuse their lives. They were overwhelmed by the fear of extremism and terrorism, the fear of economic recession, the fear of natural disasters and diseases, and the fear of future uncertainties.

But in the midst of these life perplexities, my hope and prayer for us is that we may once again capture the sense of holy fearfulness that the shepherds experienced on that Christmas night more than 2000 years ago. Their feeling of shock and awe was not caused by the explosion of a terrorist’s grenade or the merciless pounding of a cyclone, but by that wonderful announcement made by the angel – “A Saviour is born to you!” They were simply awestruck by the reality that God has made His dwelling among men, full of grace and truth. The Word has become flesh. The Infinite has become an infant.

This December, as we listen again to the proclamation of Christ's birth, it is critical that we hold firm to the foundational message of Christmas – that Jesus is the Immanuel, God with us. In Him, we are longer called to live a life of fear, but of faith. May the Spirit of our Triune God saturates us with that holy fearfulness, and fill our hearts with uncontrollable joy so that we can join the great angelic choir in glorifying and praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rest!”

Together with the Executive Council, I wish you and your families, ‘A Joyful Christmas and a Blessed 2009!’ "May the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thes 3:16)

Written by a Bishop

Shame

There are a lot more reasons 2008 year gone down in shame,

We may be,

ashame, the lawsuit between the theologians and pastors,
ashame, because we did not honor our parents,
ashame, because we are not as perfect as we can,
ashame, when we are quarreling, and the neighbors are listening,
ashame, ashame we are poor and needy...

The devil is like a roaring lion at night,
shouting "shame, shame, shame" onto us.

The Son of God had been mocked and ashamed being nailed and insulted on the cross!
Jesus Christ bears all our shame.

Do not forget,

God value us,
God love us,
God care and bless us,

Have a new and a blessed new year!

Legalistic and Charismatic

Legalistic became a problem to many, some of the fundamental are too judgmental, and some are having the attitude of holier than you, some are pursuing things that are not from the Bible, some attacking fellow Christian until there is not fellowship in Christ, some are too legalistic until the their teaching become unbiblical teachings, and then there are some who had gone beyond until become the foothold for doctrines of the devil.

Legalistic is like the Pharisee in the New Testament times. That is a reason, why God allowed Charismatic movement to move into the picture of Christianity. Legalistic is balanced by Spiritual tongue and gifts, there is a camp for Charismatic movement, there a market for Charismatic teachings, and so the lesser and lesser demand for fundamentalism due to the problem of legalistic. Some fundamentalist had gone too far to reach higher ground in legalistic way of life and then even having lost their conscience of love and truth. At the same time, some Charismatic had also gone beyond the teaching of Christ and apostles until they lost the joy of the salvation of Christ.

They are some who had been blocked to come into these camps of fundamental and charismatic, they are left to join any other group which is welcoming them, so this group of smaller number of churches had to find their identity in Christianity, some of these people started to join new movement like eminent church. Postmodernism had gain position in Christianity, some started to delude the distinction of denominations, they dislike denominations, and because for them they are also too legalistic, legalistic is a bad name for fundamentalist.

At the same time Fundamentalist had a standard they thought they are the legal one, they are right one, they are perfect one, they are the better one, until they lost the battle in balancing themselves, they are fallen away from the first love, so that is why people started to turn away from fundamentalism, and they open themselves for new movement. There are too much of congestion and frictions even the in the pool of fundamentalism, some had to get out from the pool, some of the strong swimmer still leading for the championship; they are fighting themselves in the swimming pool of fundamentalism. Trying to find a quite corner for themselves, but there are too much noises in the pool, they are fighting and calling name. Pulling and pushing, it is a witness of the life and teaching of Christ in the end?

And some jump into another swimming pool which full with love without truth, some jump into pool full with nails, and they ended there. Some jump into the pool with spiritual gifts there they can forget all the theological jargons, where they say they can practise Christianity, and there they at least find a greener pastures for the flocks some where near the poolside. What about them who are still looking for newer pool, yes there are still someone digging and digging and trying to find water and making new pool.

I hope there are hope, faith and love in that pool, let us all jump into it. What about “Loving God and Man,” but some had failed to obey these greatest commandments, and they are making their pool more attractive and attracting people into it, with all kinds of advertisements! The end times there are rumor of wars, and there are also wars within ourselves, how to take care of other, when we are still fighting among ourselves? When we are still fighting, punching, pulling hairs and legs, how is the love of God and man to do with those lawsuit among Christians? Are fundamentalist too judgmental and too legalistic? Is fundamentalist being humbled by Charismatic? Is there a demand for new doctrines? Is there a demand for new teaching? For example, do not pray, but fight, is this teaching a teaching from the Bible? Is it biblical?

What is the meaning of Christmas, giving, gaining, forgiving, forgetting, praying and fighting, some are sinful and puny creature like me are losing directions, each is the right way? I hope jingle bell is still jingling…jingle all the way? The Word becomes flesh, how the fundamentalist and charismatic explain this time? Is there any differences? Who is fundamentalist and who is Charismatic? And who is Christ, does Jesus love them? Are they reading the same Bible?

The Book of Jude with VPP

Verse 2, “multiplying the blessings to you” the word “plethuno” was used here, double portion increment, when the believers were drawing closer to God, God bless them with mercy, peace, and love, abundantly shed on them without limit.

Verse 3, here Jude wrote that the believers are to faithfully fight for the truth given to the believers.

What is this truth? This truth is the “Gospel” this the truth is what Jesus and His disciples preached about, is recorded in the Bible, the New Testament, this is the truth which can not be changed, unchangeable truth.

This truth must be obeyed, in love and holiness, this is about life! With this truth, the kingdom of God is revealed, by the truth, the believers receive the Holy Spirit, then they receive the gifts, some in miracles and charisma, so that the believer can deliver the truth to the end of the world.

“epagonizomai” means the faithful follower are defending the truth like a warfare. It means “fight” and “suffering,” “in great oppressions” and “war” Even though we may have to sacrifice and endured great pain, but the faithful believers must fight for God’s truth, and defending the purity of the belief until to war, even by faith, until to death, to the end. Some had to give up their lives for the truth of the Gospel.

Jude advices us to defend in 2 ways:

1. Firstly, we must rebuke those who denying the authority of the Bible and those who misinterpreted the truth from Jesus Christ and His apostles.

2. To preach the truth about the salvation to all man. When we are faithfully following the truth, we wanted the purified and preserved truth, but at the same time we should not distract the truth of the Gospel, because the gospel is the power of God to save sinners

Verse 4, there are those who teach that being saved, in the grace of God, the believers are allowed to sin in all they want, they will not be punished. Jude was rebuking this kind of false teachings. They said once saved always saved, they continue indulged in sins and filthiness, because they believe they had been saved long time ago. These teachers taught the forgiveness of sin, but they are silent about the nessecity of holiness.

Verse 6, there are fallen angels, from honorable places, fallen into the darkness, waiting to the judgment day, they disobeyed God, disobey the law, they are bound. But Satan and its evil followers are walking around on earth to devour some.

Verse 9, Micheal dare not to rebuke Satan, but he turned to God for help, so like wise we are not to rebuke the evil creature like Satan and evil spirits. We must turn to God in prayers.

Verse 12, those who wrongfully teach the Bible, and those who had fallen from the truth, these teachers are having second death, died and then die again. They were coming out form the death, but later they went back to sinning and death. These are the second spiritual deaths.

Jude was quoting from the Book of Enoch, written some 110 years ago, maybe it is a Jewish legend, in quoting that verse, Jude find Enoch prophecy there to be true, he does not indicates that all the Book of Enoch to be true or authenticated.

Jude wanted the believers to defend the truth,

1. Self edification in the truth. The Bible is the revelation from God Jesus Christ and His disciples, deligently study and learn the Word of God, so that we may understand the Bible truth and teachings. (Acts 2:42)

2. Praying in the Holy Spirit, means, in these prayers we want the Holy Spirit to touch our heart and feeling, let Him guides us, empower us, lifting us, and help us, positively facing the spiritual warfare. Pray in the spirit and also pray with our understanding. (I Cor 14:15)

3. Keep ourselves in the Love of God, in this, means we must totally surrender to God and obeying His Words. (John 15:9-10)

4. Thirsting and waiting for the second coming of the Lord, and looking forward for the eternal glory.

Lastly, may God bless us in defend the truth of the Bible, in defending the very Word of God, the inerrant and perfect autograph of the Word of God, defending the doctrine of the scripture, let us pursue and to be united and continue to be united in Christ, and to love one another, and continue in the walk, rightly dividing the word of God, continue to expound the Word rightly and add nothing into the Word of God, subtract nothing from the truth of the Gospel, faithfully fight the war until to the end, may God bless all the Chinese ministers and Chinese pastors, elders and Chinese preachers, all the congregation of the beloved and friends in Christ, so that they may love one another, care for one another, and cry for another, like Jesus and Mary cared for one another, like Jesus and Peter cried for one another, like Jesus and John loved one and another, and then they put down the war within, defending the truth, fight the true enemy of Christ, united, and to be strengthen in the grace of the Mighty God, continue to walk together, hand in hand, heart in heart, eyes to eyes, tears with tears, bring the best and perfect gift to the Lord in this Christmas, that is to celebrate the love of God, may we be watchful with tears and loves in hearts, in the last days and looking up to heaven, the better and solid inheritance prepared for you, and there is the land unshakable by man and devil, there, one day all must be united, lining to join the Great Feast in heaven, may you be comforted in sickness and even in poverty, because where our treasure is, our eyes and hearts will be, may God bless us in Christ, faithfully teaching and learning the very Word of God, and may God forgive me in this writing, may God remind and help me in writing this blog, and continue to write until the truth of the VPP is to be found, by leaning on the arm of Jesus, may God forgive us.

The end of the first part. “The New Testament with VPP”

The Book of 3 John with VPP

1:2, God’s will is to bless believers with strong body, life full with abundant heavenly blessings, God wish every things we do in peace and success, in work, in life, in planning, in purpose, in our aims, even the spiritual ministry, and family, in God’s will everything will be in stable and normal functioning. In God’s hope, through the Christ’s redemption, He blesses us, to satisfy our physical and spiritual needs.

John use “euodoo,” means a “wonderful and satisfying journey, walking in a good path.” John wished us to walk into the salvation and even continue to walk in God’s will, so that we can abundantly tasting His blessings.

The believers can pray for materials blessing, at the same time, the Bible also says that God is allowing His children to experience difficulties; this is a part of training, so that they may depending on God, to increase their faith, to persevere in ministry. There are also many persecutions from the world. These are part and parcel in training.

There are also wars and hungers, dry seasons, recession, and conflicts with the governments. In all these troubles, the believers still can experience the blessings and spiritual abundance. They are called to pray for God’s will to be done. Obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit, separating from the world, loving and reading the Bible, in prayer asking the helps from God, hardworking, by faith looking to the Lord in provision and providence, seek ye the kingdom of God. May God heal us when we are sick and weak. Fearlessly facing the fiery darts and trials in the world, in these you are called.

1:5, John said Gaius is faithful; he is obeying the truth, and walking in the truth. He was faithfully receiving the traveling missionary; he gave food and shelter to them, even money so they can travel with ease. John never forgets what he had done to those missionary. He has done a good work in love.

1:7, God’s children are taking care of those ambassador of Christ, to give in hospitality, and sent them away in support them, do not treat them like a bagger! Gaius was treating them like treat Christ Him self, they were the honorable servants of God. Giving them food and drink in evangelize the world.

Do not take anything from those we had evangelized, if we receive anything from them, this will hinder the gospel work. The missionary may tempted to have more greedy gains. So evangelist has to support from the church that sent him or her, even sometime to self-support.

Jesus gave 5 loaves 2 fish from a boy, to the 5000 hungry men.

The Book of 2 John with VPP

1:1, John, when he was old, he was still serving the Lord as an elder in Ephesus. He wrote to the chosen ladies in the church, they are called the sisters in Christ.

1:3, John did not wrote long letter about doctrines, or discuss much about theology here, he wrote 3 important words, “grace, mercy and peace.”

1:5, simply he said, there is a new commandment.

1:6, obeying God is the way to love God. Sign and mark of a Christian, in obeying God’s commandment, do not forget, God commanded us to love one another.

1:7, there are heretics who denying that Jesus Christ come in flesh.

1:8, do not teach beyond Christ’s teaching.

1:10, do not spend money or food on the heretics. Have nothing to do with their sins in preaching heresies.

1:12, paper and ink were expensive in the first century, sometimes parchments were also being used. John did not misuse their function to convey only the truth, nothing but the truth. Those earlier manuscripts are priceless compare to 15th century TR! The earlier the better!

Those ancient ink cannot replace the blood of Christ! Only the blood of The Lamb of God can erase the sin of the whole world. The ink was used to convey to us about His story and the truth! the Bible is inspired Word of God, put down to us in paper and ink. May God forgive me in writing, the more I wrote, there is more mistake!

The Book of 1 John with VPP (part 2)

1:1, John wrote about the Word become flesh. He is the living Word.

1:2, when a man received Christ, he has the life of Christ, he will not live in the world, but come out of the world, and to love brethren in Christ.

1:3, Koinonia, fellowship in Christ is mentioned with man, and man fellowship with God.

1:4, our happiness in full.

1:5, John wanted them to be children of God.

1:6, there is darkness.

1:7, To go into the light, the man must be cleansed by the blood.

1:8-10, that man still capable to sin, he needs forgiveness, sometimes we lies to ourselves. Willful sinning disqualified us from every good work and service.

2:1, there is a mediator.

2:2, He died on the cross.

2:3-4, we are called to obey Him.

2:5, in His Commandments.

2:7, Christ’s love on the cross in greater!

2:9-11, there are brethren who hate brethren, in an un Christian way.

2:12-14, God’s has high expectation on all of them.

2:15, there are some still in the world.

2:18, The Lord is coming soon. And there is anti Christ and its followers.

2:20, the believers have received the Holy Spirit.

2:22, beware there are heresies.

2:23, The Father is with the Son.

2:27, the believers are completed in the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the apostles.

2:29, they are the children of God, in holiness.

3:1, they had nothing to boast about their own self.

3:2, there is glory in the future.

3:3, for the time being lets self cleansing and searching.

3:6, throw away the bad habits. The Lord destroyed the work of the devils.

3:11, love other is to show mercy. Sacrifice ourselves for others.

3:12, Cain belongs to the world, hate and jealousy.

3:14, lets come out from death.

3:15, there were killings.

3:20, God’s love is greater.

3:23, there is love in his followers.

4:1, test the spirit in Christianity, there are some speak with Holy Spirit, some with the evil spirits.

4:2, one way is to confess Jesus Christ is come in flesh, the Son of God.

4:3, we are still living in the world.

4:4, God is living in you.

4:5, there are some who belong to the world.

4:8, “love” is mentioned in this epistle, 40 times.

4:17, let the followers love like Christ.

4:20-21, love God and love man.

5:1, continue to believe Jesus is Christ.

5:3-4, His commandments are not easy to obey, only in Holy Spirit he can obey them.

5:6, Jesus give us the water and blood on the cross, they are witnessing for Christ.

5:7-8, Jesus is Christ, even the Holy Spirit witness for Him.

5:9, receive their witnesses.

5:10, there is eternal life in Christ.

5:13, Christians have the eternal life.

5:14-17, keep praying for those weak and sinning Christians, but the heretics will died in their sins and lusts.

5:18-19, God’s Son will protect His children.

5:20, eternal life is waiting for you. Take freely!

5:21, the writer concluded, since the believers have the truth, the eternal life, so they must not be tempted by the heresies, keep away fro the false gods, holding to the truth, walk in the light, to be responsible to each other, and to love one another.

The Testing 6

One day a Chinese pastor chided a younger man, the pastor show his hatred to the young man, like God, who hates sins literally. This is my Christmas story!

There come one day in 2008, this pastor and the young man went to a place, and the pastor show him a night club, and he asked the young man to walk straight to the night club! The young man was very sad when he was asked to go there, because he was been to those places before, he was ashamed of himself. But he was embarrassed by the pastor.

The Christian pastor means God will not love any one who went to night club before, heaven is no place for ex-club goer! Only for the ex-church goer! This is another testing for the young man! The pastor is saying, "Young foxes, look, these are your tails...shame, shame, shame, these are your true colors!"

There came another time, just after the worship service, this same Chinese pastor, called the young man again, the young man look to him with hope and happiness, lo, the Chinese pastor slapped his own cheek few times, and spit in his own hands! To show the young man, how bad he is. Even calling his name is a curse to his mouth. The pastor means God will not called a man who was so bad and evil to serve Him, to him God is only call, those who had been living in holiness and perfection. No place for sinful man like us to serve the Lord. This is a testing to young men like us! There is no second chance, remember this! Woe to the young men who sin like us, Jesus said, sin no more! "There is no second chance for us! "

Young men, there is no fun to go to heaven in quarrel with pastors! Pastors are like God, they speak for God, they are God's mouth piece! That pastor is saying, young men, go your own way, follow your own sinful nature, follow your instinct, sin some more, run away from God, young man go your own way, there is no hope, no love, no faith in believing in Christ, wasting your time in trusting God, see what you had done, "I knew what you had done last summer! No second chance! No second chance! God hate you!"

For many well known pastors, those who believe that the Bible is perfect, the Bible is inerrant and infallible, but sad to say many of them believe "God is dead!" and they proclaimed, "Long live fundamentalist like us!" I sees them, remember them, they walk to the pulpit with full energy and glory of a pastor, preached touchy sermon, and breaking the bread and drink the wine in the holy communion. A church next to heaven.

These pastors said to the young men at another time behind the pulpit, "Be merry with your sins, until God called you like Jonah. There is no fun like Jonah to stay in the ship, jump, jump, jump from the ship into the sea. And let the whale came to take you! " This is what the Chinese pastors are preaching to the young man! They had gone to China, they had gone to the end of the world to preach, "God is love." But at another time, they told the young man, "Go to hell, I curse you forever, there is no second change for you! There is no hope for you, there is no love for you, there is no faith for you, young sinner, go away!"

One night, this young man, speak in his heart, "God, I hope You may forgive me, I hope You will not slap Your cheek when you call my name like that pastor, I know I am bad. God, please love me again, please do not spit in your hand when You call my name like that pastor, I know I am not Your loved one, I know I will run away from You like Jonah, until I know God is living, and knowing God is willing to love me again, I know I can do worst than that club going, I know I will run away from God, I know I will jump from the ship one day. I knew one day I may not serve the Lord any longer! I will go my own way this time. Give me a break this time, I want to take a rest!"

To all the young man, listen, "do not follow any pastor who is evil and wicked, you will become a bad pastor, go and find and follow a good pastor, if you are following good pastor, you will become a good pastor." And do find Jesus Christ, He is the best pastor. Young man do not blame any one when we sin! Ask Jesus, the Christ, did Jesus' hands really being nailed for us? Jesus, did Your cheek being slapped for us? We cannot blame any one this Christmas! Ask Jesus this Christmas, did Jesus' face being spit for us? Should we trust in You? Should we give our life for Jesus? Did You called us? Should I run away again? Let God deal with us, if there is no way in Jesus, we will died in our sins! But God, if You are living, please do not turn away Your face from us, how long we have to wait, before You answer us?

In this Christmas! Do we find love in God? Is there is a God who love us? Is there a caring pastor like Jesus? What does Christmas means to me this year?

God really love a sinner like me？ Really call a sinner like me? Really care for a sinner like me?

My Bible, my curse? my blessing?

"The Bible is without error or mistake, if there is any error or mistake, it is man made error and mistake, or there is because of the translation mistake, or it is because there is interpretation error or mistake." (Wong Ming Tao's The Truth of Born again. pg 58-59) 「圣经中没有错误。若有错误，不是圣经本身的错误，乃是人弄出来的。或是译圣经的译错，或是解圣经的解错。」——王明道，《重生真义》，页58-59。

"Our belief is, we will accept all truth in the Bible, and obey them; if there is any thing not from the Bible, we will reject totally." (Wong Ming Tao's Because of Belief, pg 320) 我们在信仰上的态度是：凡是圣经中的真理，我们都接受，都持守；圣经中所没有的东西，我们完全拒绝。」——王明道，〈我们是为了信仰〉，《王明道文库》，第七册，页320.

Today, the church must believe, God had inspired the Bible in its languages and words, God had chosen every language and word, His masterpiece is perfectly trustworthy and dependable, inerrant and infallible. (In fact, the inerrant is applied to the autographs, not to copies of the autographs) 今天教会必需维护一个信念，就是：神在《圣经》默示过程所选用的语言及文字，既由神亲自选用，其作品必然绝对真实可靠、无谬无误。(真实无误是指<<圣经>>的原本﹐不是指抄本。)

The copied text may has error, but the spiritual meaning is more important, the meaning is the power to change the life. 载体是肯定有误的﹔重要的是精义﹐是内容﹐是改变生命的大能。

The Bible is inspired and inerrant and infallible, this is historical truth, people in the 21th century need to hear this truth. 《圣经》默示及无误是《圣经》自身的宣称，是历代不变的真理，也是廿一世纪极需听到的讯息。

Today, the Chinese Churches are facing a great danger, if we do not renew and build our foundation of our theology in the doctrine of Scripture, after ten, twenty years, the present evangelical churches, seminary, will become Liberal churches and seminary. 今天华人神学及神学教育界面临重大危机，若不重新在《圣经》论建立稳固的信仰（神学）根基，十年、二十年之后，今天的福音派教会、神学院，会变为明天的自由派教会、神学院.

Look at Liberalism in the 19th century, liberals is following Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schleiermacher. For them, the truth in Christianity is based on man, not based on God. Christianity is the experience of man, it is not God's revelation.十九世纪之自由派，跟着康德(Immanuel Kant)，士来马赫(Friedrich Schleiermacher)等思想走，论到基督教信仰之真义时，认为只是人本，不是神本，是人的宗教经历，不是神的直接启示。

Neo-Orthodoxy is headed by Karl barth, he was influenced by Soren Kierkegaard, he said the religion is based on subjectivity. 新正统神学，以巴特为代表，受祁克果之影响，强调人宗教经历之主观性。

Barth's theology of the Bible had been taken by the American Presbyterian, in Confession of the 1967. They did not say anything about the Bible is the Word of God.巴特式的圣经观已被美国联合长老会写入1967年之信条中 — 从不提及《圣经》就是神的话。

Neo-evangelicalism was started in 1970s, in Fuller Seminary, in 1940 it was very fundamental, after in 1970s some of the theologians started to fall away from the truth, they rejected the infallible Bible. 新福音派(Neo-evangelicalism)于一九七零年代兴起。美国富乐(Fuller)神学院与1940年代创办﹐起初信仰非常正统﹔但到了七零年代﹐其中有一部分教授开始弃绝「圣经无误」观念。

How they explained the authority of the Bible, they said the Bible is inspired by God in totality, but at the same time they also say that some parts of the Bible is not inspired! 他们是如何理解《圣经》的权威呢？有人说，《圣经》整体是神所默示，但其中某些部分不是神默示的。

What about Postmodernist? They are not new in 21th century, they have powerful influences in the education and philosophy ares, they are promoting deconstructionism. 后现代的诠释学。迈进廿一世纪，学术界中最具影响力的诠释理论，乃后现代主义的「解构主义」。

How they translate the Bible? They said the author does not exist, the text is not exist, even the reader is not exist, and I myself also not exist! 后现代诠释学不但宣称作者不存在，文本不存在；连读者──我自己──也不存在！

How we believe about the Bible? The Bible is infallible and inerrant, not even in the doctrines, life, history and science facts in the Bible are infallible. The Bible is inerrant, this is talking about the autographs, but if the copies or the apographs are faithfull conveying the meaning of the autographs, we also treat the apographs as the Bible, as the Word of God. (Please refer to the Chicago's Confession about the inerrant of the Bible.) 圣灵所默示的《圣经》，是全无谬误的 (infallible and inerrant)。不单在教义、生活方面，而且在历史、科学范围内的宣称，也是无误的。「圣经无误」是指原本(autographs)，不过当译本准确地表达原本的意义时，我们也应当它为《圣经》，为神的话。（参阅《芝加哥圣经无误宣言》.）

Why we must read the Bible? To fear God, to worship God, to thank God, and to be holy like God, and hating the wicked and sins, and to find abundance and satisfaction in God. If we say we believe the Bible is inerrant, than we must accept the choice of God in all His Words, all His Meanings and all His concepts! 为什要读圣经? 应圣经可以使我们敬畏神,敬拜神,感谢神,与神的圣洁,忌邪认同,在神的丰富中找到满足,信靠神,爱慕神,顺服神.相信《圣经》之无误，必需同时接纳《圣经》中神所选用的所有文字、词语、观念。

Why we must have a Bible College? Because the goal and task of Christian education is education itself! 为什么我们要开办神学院呢？基督教教育之目标及任务，即教育本身！」

Farewell in Christ! 再见主面!

Mahatama Gandhi of India

Although Mahatama Gandhi was in no way the originator of the principle of non-violence, he was the first to apply it in the political field on a huge scale. The concept of nonviolence (ahimsa) and nonresistance has a long history in Indian religious thought and has had many revivals in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Jewish and Christian contexts.

Gandhi explains his philosophy and way of life in his autobiography The Story of My Experiments with Truth. He was quoted as saying:

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always."

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?"

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

"There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for."

The world is busy

I have no work to do,
Someone say there is a work,
to believe in God,
God please help me,
to truly believe and trust in You.
this is my constant prayer.....

The best of the best

Hate is stronger or love is stronger?

Absolute power or absolute love?

Why our world is living in violence?

Mohammad Ali has a pair of hands, that punch,

Pele has a pair of legs, that kick,

Can love bring them together?

Can they embrace each other?

Is there a hope in this world?

Is there any hope for tomorrow?

Is there any love in my heart?

What is the best present for this Christmas?

Love? Faith? Hope? Which one I wanted the most?

God, may You give us a little bit of love!

Let us taste it, so we can feel good about other in this Christmas day!

The world in us was so cold and empty.

May God's love come and warm us tonight.

Merry Christmas

Thank God for great is His faithfulness,
Thank God for His mercy endured,
Thank God for the Word become flesh,
Thank God for the Son of God, Emmanuel, God is with you,
Thank God for the Bible given to us, the very Word of God,
Thank God for another Christmas is approaching.

Weather you are VPP proponents or VPP supporters, or those who are opposing and refuting the teaching of VPP. You all wanted to read the Word of God, the very Word of God. Yes, the Bible is the Word of God. Jesus loves you, this you know, because the Bible tells you so.

Furthermore, you must respect Rev Timothy Tow and his brothers and sisters, for they had been showing kindness to many in God's kingdom and faithfully serving in BP movement, and they had been used by God greatly in His Timing, many had been blessed by their works. And in his old age, you must not despised them. Treat them as your own parents and honor them.

In everything work good for those who love the Lord. In this time of season greeting, beyond VPP, let you forgive one another and love one another. hoping you may wish all pastors, elders, deacons and preachers, merry merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas from a stranger.

The Book of 1 John with VPP (Part 1)

This is a short letter to the churches in Ephesus, today Turkey, a gleam into the condition at the first century churches. It is consists of teachings of doctrine and spiritual life. The writer is John, he was the disciple whom was asking fire to rain down from heaven to destroy a village (Luke 9:53-54), when he was old, under the king Domitian, he was disperse to Patmos, he wrote letters to rebuke churches’ pride and lukewarm. He had the character like a thunder. He wrote to rebuke the heretics especially the gnostics, he said they are the “antichrist” (2:18), “liars” (2:22) and “children of the devils” (3:10).

At the end of the first century there were winds of heresies and false knowledge to distract new believers. John was openly rebuking those so called ordained but in fact the disciples of the evil one. And there were also, lustful, immoral false prophets. He then explained his experience, to witness the Jesus is the Christ, he wrote that the Creator God is light, is love, and is eternal life, He wanted to save all helpless men who indulged in sins, he declared those who trusted His name will become His children, knowing Him, and dwelling in Him, God’s Word is in them, they will not continue in sinning, but rather love the brethren, sacrifice for others, overcoming sin.

The book begins with “everlasting life” (1:2) and ended with “eternal life” (5:20) if we have faith, we may come to know God and He will grant us eternal life.

Gnostics’ movement was started to influence the churches, they did not accept that the Word had become in flesh. “Gnostics” means “knowledge,” it is a knowledge which is attacking the fundamental belief of Christianity. Sound very familier to us!

Gnosticism’ statement of belief:

1. The highest God is spiritual, living in light, totally separated from darkness.

2. Cosmos is not created by God, cosmos made of material, and they believe all material beings are evil.

3. God did not related with cosmos being, cosmos was created by a secondary god, and this god does not know who is God.

4. They believe man is consists of 2 parts, only a few people had spiritual wisdom, so they need a savior to save them from the evil cosmos.

5. Jesus was only a son of Joseph and Mary, he was not born by a virgin, but his righteousness, patient, wisdom are highest among mankind.

6. After Jesus was baptized, Christ came into Him; Christ came from the Highest God.

7. Christ is in Jesus, so Jesus started to declare the unknown Father in heaven to the world, and working the miracles.

8. Those a few who were enlightened with the spiritual wisdom will come to know God, return to God the Father.

9. Before Jesus was crucified, Christ left Jesus, Christ returned to heaven, on the cross only a mere human was being crucified.

Gnosticism biggest mistake is about the truth of “the Word become flesh.” They do not believe Christ has man and God attributes. So they will purposely distort the truth and the fact that “He becomes flesh.” They made Christ without a flesh and body. And they preached that Jesus was an ordinary man, if an ordinary man was being crucified on the cross, how can He redeem all mankind?

Another mistake is to say that man consists of 2 parts, dualism, a spiritual being with a sinning body; the spiritual being is separated with the physical body. Those sins, lusts and fleshly immoral activities were belong to the physical body, they do not related with the spiritual being, so Gnostics were usually living in lust and sin.

Gnostics were indoctrinating a false teaching, that only those who accepted Gnosticism and their mystical knowledge can be saved, they were enlighten, in other word, they did not depend on the salvation of Jesus Christ. They said they were born from God, they said they can converse directly with God; they said they had seen God. They said they were born sinless, they said they were working righteousness, so they said they do not need the commandments, and they do not need to follow Christ. This is also sound very familiar to us!

This falsehood had infiltrated the church, so John had to correct these mistakes. He wrote in 1 John 2:26 “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”

John wrote in this epistle:

1. God is light (1:5), there is no darkness in Him, the children of God must walk in the light, and those who do not walk in the light are not walking the truth.

2. God is life, through Jesus Christ, all man who repented, confessed and depending on Him will bestow eternal life. Holy Spirit is dwelling in the believers, He is teaching the truth, so that they may walk in the truth, and to live Christ’s life. (2:24-29)

3. God is love (4:8), all those who know God, must love one another, because love is from God, all those who believe the Lord must live in love, how God love us? God’s heart is shown when Jesus Christ came to the world. Those who disbelieve God’s word is to make God as a liar (5:10-11)

The contents of the book of 1 John

1. The writer rebuked those false teachers and their mistakes sharply, (2:26),

2. Without hesitation he rebukes their unrighteousness (3:8-10).

3. St. John wanted the believers to believe firmly and trust wholeheartedly that “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”

4. God had given his believer true knowledge (5:20)

5. The believers can be bestowing the eternal life, solely knowing the truth about Christ.

Beware of those teachers who taught false teachings, some of them teach Gnosticism, they had overdo some truths, especially some had distorted the about the person of Christ Jesus, He is the “Word became flesh!” Some people had certain claims! Some are qualifying as agnosticism and some are qualifying as Gnosticism, so their rational statements that assert a factual claim about the universe that begin "I believe that ...." are simply shorthand for, "Based on my knowledge, understanding, and interpretation of the prevailing evidence, I tentatively believe that...." These scholars assert that human intelligence has a non-material, spiritual element. They affirm that “not being able to see or hold some specific thing does not necessarily negate its existence,” it is sound very familiar, the unseen underlying text!

Indeed, in most Gnostic systems the sufficient cause of salvation is this 'knowledge of' ('acquaintance with') the divine. This is commonly identified with a process of inward 'knowing' or self-exploration, comparable to that encouraged by Plotinus (ca. 205–270 AD). However, as may be seen, the term 'Gnostic' also had precedent usage in several ancient philosophical traditions, which must also be weighed in considering the very subtle implications of its appellation to a set of ancient religious groups. In essence, it had been decided that 'Gnosticism' would become a historically-specific term, restricted to mean the Gnostic movements prevalent in the 3rd century, while 'gnosis' would be a universal term, denoting a system of knowledge retained 'for a privileged elite.'

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. May the Lord grant us grace and mercy in pursuing the truth about the “Word became flesh.” Jesus Christ came to the world to save sinner. He is come to be obey. Let us adored the “Word became flesh.” Let us preach “The Word became flesh.” Worshiped Him, the Word became flesh. He, the “Word became flesh” is not come to be debated! But to obey Him, and His commandments! He commanded us to love one another!

Do we hear Him, when He said He is, the “Word became flesh,” how does this verse speak to us? When God asked us, to unite in Christ, but we separated the congregation with the perfect underlying Text of the KJV! How about that?

In another place, do not quarrel about word! 1 Timothy 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings.” Are THESE WORDS NOT FROM THE LORD Himself? What for the teaching about the perfect underlying text, the teaching of VPP, is it a type of Gnosticism? How about that?

The Gnostics purposely distort the truth and the fact that “He becomes flesh.” They did not look highly about, “the Word becomes flesh,” they are teaching some thing else, they replace this truth with falsehood. Some had taken lightly the truth “the Word, Jesus becomes flesh.” But they teach some thing else, they just teach the perfect Word, not relating to Jesus Christ, this is to distract people, not to learn the truth how “the Word become flesh” with pointing to the perfect underlying text of KJV, the Word in the underlying text!

John 1:1-5 in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Some had taken the UNDERLYING TR HIGHLY, until they disobey the truth? John 1:14 and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The word of God has been perfect and preserved, even the Word can becomes flesh. The Bible is perfected and preserved by Jesus Christ. Jots and titles are fulfilled by and in the Lord Jesus Christ. The manuscripts and all the inspired Word of God were being perfected and fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Is He the perfect Word of God, and He is the living Word of God?

What about the Bible? The Bible is also called the Word of God, Westminster Confession. CHAPTER I of the Holy Scripture,

8. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by his singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical[r]; so as, in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal unto them[s]. But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them[t], therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come[u], that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship him in an acceptable manner[w]; and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope[x].

[r]. Matt. 5:18; Ps. 119:89
[s]. Is. 8:20; Matt. 15:3, 6; Acts 15:15; see II Tim. 3:14-15
[t]. John 5:39; Acts 17:11; Rev. 1:3; see II Tim. 3:14-15
[u]. Matt. 28:19-20; see I Cor. 14:6; Mark 15:34
[w]. Col. 3:16; see Exod. 20:4-6; Matt. 15:7-9
[x]. Rom. 15:4

The Bibles are therefore authentical! It is authentical! Means the Bibles are Genuine. Having a genuine original or authority, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, counterfeit, or apocryphal; being what it purports to be; genuine; not of doubtful origin; real; as, an authentic paper or register. [1913 Webster] Nothing about perfection of a Bible translation here! Nothing about the perfection of the underlying text, nothing about a perfect single TR, nothing about a perfect KJV, nothing about a perfect version. It means the Bibles are authentical, traced to the first hand writer, that is all it means here. Kept pure until they are authentical. Not perfection in a translation or version.

The theologians are like those 'gnosis' universally, had spend so much time and efforts to fight for the perfect underlying text, those time wasted can be used to defend the truth about the Lord, “The Word become flesh,” and time can be spent to defend the perfect Jesus Christ, to defend the truth about the perfect Christ, to teach the doctrine about Jesus Christ and His salvation.

Confession

Dear God, Thou are there, when I called thee, and I had sinned against thee, I had disqualified to be thy child and not able to serve Thee anymore, please bring me closer to Thee.

God, if Thou are listenning to my confession, give me new life from Jesus Christ. Bless me this moment, when I seek, please let me find Thee, when I down and near to death, guard me to read the Bible, bless me so that I can become Thy child and servant.

Dear God heavenly Father, please bring the theologians and the pastors together so that the old pastor may sleep in peace. Let all the young and old rejoice to see death of Thy saints.

Dear Lord, God the Saviour, save me from my sins and guilts, without Thy salvation, in death and sorrow I laid down and perish. Protect me from evil and harm because I am dead and hopeless, and because all power belong to Thee.

As my self examination, finding myself in want, in sorrow, in loneliness, in darkness, in hopeless, in failures, in poverty, in weakness, in sickness, in depressions, in oppressions, in persections, I failed and fellen asleep.

My Lord, if Thou are my Lord and my God, please help me, in doubts, in sins, in sadness, in faults, in mistakes, in wrongdoings, in hypocrycy, in lost, in separations, in wickedness, in sorry, in self pitiness.

My God, in doubts, cannot transform myself, had fellen into this traps and pit hole, and cannot arise anymore, please hear my prayer in sorrow. Bless me with your promise, Rejoice in Thee always, bless and forgive me. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Majority of What? When? Where?

As is usually the case with historical documents, the older something is, the fewer examples tend to survive. At the same time, older copies are generally believed to be more accurate renditions where variations exist. The thinking is that a fifth generation copy (written four hundred years after the original autograph) is likely to be far more accurate than a twelfth generation copy written fourteen hundred years after the original. TR/MT advocates would have us believe the exact opposite is true. Yet, the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are second-century copies predating the MT by hundreds of years, substantiated the accuracy of earlier non-majority text. The fact is that the MT are only a selection of Greek texts from a particular area of the world during a particular time period in only one of the many languages that the New Testament had been preserved in.

Interested? please visit:

http://www.gotquestions.org/verbal-plenary-preservation.html

The Book of 2 Peter with VPP

The writer explained that the scriptures are inspired words of God in 1:21, all the Words are inspired Word of God, the Bible is inspired, inspired by the Holy Spirit. St Peter wanted the readers to grow and developing good virtues after reading the inspired Word, (1:5-8). And at the same time, he was warning against those “hurtful and harmful heresies.” (2:16). lastly he mentioned the Lord is coming soon, without the interference from the Lord, the world may had long before been destroyed. (3:8-12). It is God who had preserved the world until today.

There are some Peter called them as “wells without water,” “clouds that are carried in the mist of darkness is reserved forever,” “the pig returned to the mud again.” May God forgive some like us the unprofitable servants, God is merciful, and may God make us to be a well with water, a cloud which carries rain!

There are times in the past, God’s people had strayed from the truth, denying Christ, like Peter, 3 times he denied Christ until the crock crow, there were those who were fulfilling their lust like those Corinthian Christians, and some of them even did not believe the Lord is coming soon. Else where and there are still some who are walking in the way of “Balaam,” and these people will surely perished in fire and living in total darkness one day. (2:17-3:3-7)

Peter said “to know Christ is our glory, hope, dependence and power!” The writer was departing soon, he was at the end of his life, as he wrote in 1:14, he was living under the King Nero, and the king was persecuting the church. To Peter, King Nero is not the biggest threat to the church, there is another bigger threat, Peter point out what was that, “heresies, beware the false teachers and false prophets!”

Here are some of the descriptions about the heresies and the teachers, Peter said they did not witness the Lord Jesus who had saved them (2:1), they were not afraid of anyone and they were stubborn (2:10), they are lustful (2:13), they are adulterous, they are the fornicators and the greedy some (2:14), and then they are boastful (2:18), lastly and finally they are servants of destructions (2:19). These men were more dangerous than 10 King Nero, they endangered the spiritual growth of a church. These men were more dangerous than the Roman Empire which persecuted them. May God preserves and lead us, so that we will not become a false teacher or false prophet.

Dear God heavenly Father,have mercy on me, this weak and poor sinful man, I do not want to become one of them!

2 Peter 1:1, Knowing Christ is a blessing, a theme in Christianity, this is the medicine and remedy to defend and fight against those false teachers and their heresies.

1:2, Peter wrote 4 times “epignosis,” 3 times “gnosis,” knowing is not only knowing the mere knowledge of the world, but knowing Christ, there are blessings from God to them who know Christ, God bless us with grace, peace and even the eternal kingdom if we truly know Christ. What else we should murmur until we complaint about the inspired scriptures! What is the purpose of a perfect Bible is it not for knowing Christ?

1:3, by knowing Christ, He is called Lord, Lord over the theologians and all the pastors, and only He can fulfills all our spiritual needs. Peter said that Christ Whom he knew is a Glorious Lord, and Glorious God.

1:4, Christ promised us that we can be delivered from the bondage of lust and sin. A free man with the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, He can then enjoy and developing the virtues of God. In that man, the glory of God is shining from; he becomes the light in the world.

1:5, Peter agreed with Paul that faith must come with works, faith without works is death. Simple faith in Christ will bring along good morale in a man, by knowing God, a man may have self control, long suffering, and continue to live a devoted life, and continue in loving his brethren, and at last loving all men like loving God!

1:8, Christian must grow in these few virtues, and to be holy and perfect in faith. Freed from sins, and continue to be trained in pursuing good things until they can be called children of God.

1:9, there were some of them who said that a man can come to know God without the morale laws. So they disobey the morale laws, these morale laws are from the scriptures, even thought they said they believe the Bible totally, some of them said they believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, but they were liars, they choose to obey some scriptures, and choose to disobey some scriptures, strange! Peter said without the morale laws we are still in darkness!

1:10, Christians must live in and by morale laws, faith with works, spiritual life with good virtues, so that they can say they are elected, called and chosen, belong to God.

1:13-14, St. Peter exhorted us, “NOT TO be wavering,” his departing word?

1:15, traditionally people said, Mark was recording Peter’s sermon, and put in the Gospel of Mark, so Mark is closer with Peter than Paul, once Paul was angry with Mark, there was a quarrel in his missionary journey.

1:16-18, some say it is at the Mount Hermon the Lord shown His transfiguration, and Peter, James and John were up there watching with their open eyes, seeing the glory of God. Mount Hermon is a blessing for them.

Read Psalms 133:3 as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

But if we wanted to receive that blessing, there is a condition, read Psalms 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalms 133:2 it is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

Knowing Christ? We all know Christ? We said we know Him, what the scriptures required of us? Brethren to live in unity! Unity is more important or the theological debates? Paul and Peter also united with Mark at last, what about us? Are we cleverer than them? Are we more fundamental than Peter? Mount Hermon is still there, it brings what blessing to us today? Unity or debate? Debates only?

Christ’s transfiguration is to show the glory of God, likewise, brethren, be transformed in knowing Christ, if we can live in unity, then we can show others the glory of God in our Christian fellowship. We need that glory of God and brethren’s unity from Mount Hermon! Not debates! Only debate we want? What is the value of debate, if we lost our glory?

1:19, the Bible is a long prophecy about Christ, and a lamp onto our feet, so that we may see where we are heading!

1:20, Peter knows someone had misinterpreted the scriptures in his time, even in the first century, with the manuscripts at hands, there were people making misinterpretation. Peter said we cannot interpret the scriptures with our likings; we cannot interpret the Bible scripture out of context. Who are we to judge the mss with a few verses taken from here and there?

Psalm 12, for example, this psalm is a spiritual song, how come it had become a song of lament for many because of the teaching of VPP? How come a spiritual, awakening song, sung by the Jew, lament about human oppression, being misinterpreted to a “debate” about Holy Scriptures by some theologians? Only debate in Psalm 12, nothing else?

In the context of Psalm 12, the Psalmist laments the decrease of good men. The pride and deceit of the wicked provokes God's wrath, whose promise to avenge the cause of pious sufferers will be verified even amidst prevailing iniquity.

The scripture is inspired by God, every word is from God. God dwell with men, they wrote the scripture, men were co-labor with God, the Holy Spirit, taught by the Holy Spirit, the scripture is without errors. But Peter said there is the danger of misinterpretation! What about us, let us reduce the misinterpretations and increase the unity!

2:1, furthermore, with more and more misinterpretations of the scriptures, without delay, Peter warned us; there come the false teachers and false prophets, even the whole New Testament gives warnings about the false teachers and prophets in the church. Do not be surprised. At the end of the world, some even dare to use Christ’s name, in order they may cheat their disciples (Matthew 24:3, Act 20:29-30, Gal 1:6-9, Phil. 3:2, 1 Tim 1:3-7 and Jude 3-4)

These men with impure motives, preying for weaker believers who may be misled and taught with false teachings and false prophecies! Their characteristics are:

1. Denying Christ (2 Peter 2;1)
2. Denying the second coming of Christ (3:3-4)
3. Denying authority and disobey the authority (2:10)
4. Denying holiness in living (2:12-16)
5. Denying morale laws (2:18-22)

All heresy is harmful! The teachers are liars! The prophets are false. They will perish with their false teachings.

Matthew 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Matthew 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

2:2, Peter knew who were these men who sow the tares among the wheat, they were living in sin, disgrace Christ’s name and His truth!

2:3, their motives are to make profit from the debates, make gains from the statues, selling truths to make money!

2:4, God’s judgment is sure and perfect! Fair and just, He will judge those false teachers and prophets accordingly. Sinful and fallen angels are sending to the lake of fire! No excuse. What about us?

2:5, Peter gave an example, Noah was a prophet, preaching about righteousness, a perfect and needed truth in his time, at the end of preaching, only 8 persons, his family and him know the way to the ark! The rest perished together with the flood!

2:7, another example is Lot, he was imperfect, and he was not called to work like Noah, he also did not manage his house whole wisely, but Peter called him “a righteous man.” Lot does nothing, just laments! He lamented for the sinful world! Lament, for the end is coming soon! Sodom and Gomorrah were then perished with the brimstone and fire from the sky! Lot was saved with fears and trembling, losing his wife and properties.

2:8-9, St Peter comforted us, not to be torn down by those false teachers, false prophets, misinterpretations, debates. We are living in these ungodly generations, God know how to save those devoted single hearted men and women! Do not start to worry, and try to save ourselves! Follow Christ example, when He took His cross and walk His way to the hill.

2:10, but those who spread harmful and hurtful heresies and false teachings, they will be punished, perished like Sodom and Gomorrah.

2:11, Peter said, the angels do not rebuke! Rather, because the seriousness of the false teaching, even a donkey was provoked to rebuke Balaam.

2:12, Peter said, there were those heretics, more or less, the “Gnostic” they thought they had the mystical knowledge about the whole cosmos. But they had none of the simple truth!

2:13-14, these false teachers and false prophets had joined the feast of the agape, but they continue to tempt those weaker in faith to follow their false teaching and heresies.

2:15, Peter said, they were following “the way of Balaam,” it is a way of compromise, self seeking, even the donkey was touched with their falsehood and became angry, the donkey rebuked Balaam. Even donkey cannot tolerant these false teachings!

2:17, they were descript as “well without water,” useless.

2:18, the spiritual babes were easily fallen in prey by these heresies.

2:20-21, if a man is born again, he will not left Jesus Christ, whom he had believed, and become a reprobate! (John 10:27-30, Rom 8:28-39). Do not like Judas Iscariot, he had been following Christ, and he heard the truth, but he chooses not to obey, but he like money more than his Lord!

2:22, animal cannot change its animal instinct.

3:1, the purpose of Peter’s writing his epistle is to “remind” and “motivate us.”

3:2, Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles were called and sent to tell people about God’s commandment, they had the higher authority, and what they taught is from the Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.

3:3-7, all those prophecies about the end time will be fulfilled, at those moment, false prophets will arise, and come to deny the coming of the Lord, they scorned that God will never intervene the history of mankind. The Bible tells us God will destroy the earth and the ungodly. He is the creator of the whole universe and He will put an end to the wickedness!

3:8, quoting from Psalm 90:4, a thousand years is like a day in God’s prospective. God is not delaying, He is mercifully forgiving and forgiving, He is giving opportunities for us to repent.

3:9, so let us look at God’s will in 3 different ways:

1. God’s sovereignty (Isaiah 46:9-11, Daniel 4:17, 35; Hebrew 2:4, Rev 17:17)
2. God’s morale laws (Rom 3:20, Eph. 6:6, Heb 13:21)
3. God’s love (Ezek 33:11, Matt 23:37, 2 Pet 3:9)

There are a lot of people who are not saved in the end. (Rev 21:8) Do not blame the CUV, and NKJV Bible! They had chosen not to follow Christ, and they had chosen not to know Christ!

3:10, Christ is coming soon, it is called the day of Yahweh. (Joel 1:15) Our knowledge of His coming is limited:

1. The Lord is sure to come at another time, only God know the time. (Matt 24:36)
2. Suddenly He will appear, and cannot be expected (1 Thess 5:1-3)
3. It is the time when God judge the world (Act 17:31)

Peter said the whole world will be destroyed with a loud noise (2 Pet 3:12) What about those manuscripts, those manuscripts in goat skins, and the TR? Paper printed Bible like KJV Bibles, the text books in all the reformed bible colleges? Who is going to take care of them? Why quarrel now for the underlying texts?

There was a tree, with 7 roots it was being planted. When the tree grown up to be a tall tree, all the birds came to settle on it, happily all the birds dwell on that tree, but sadly one day, a man who watered the tree came, and he shoot all the birds away, and he said to his companion, “from this day onward, only white myna is allow to settle on my tree!” Why only white myna?

He forget to read Mark 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

We may not forget the 7 roots tree, but it is better for us to look for our better inheritance in heaven!

3:11-13, Peter wrote there is a new heaven and new earth, this is what the prophets in the Old Testament was hoping and looking for! The present civilization will be changed, the bright future is ahead, and God will come into human history, making history, His Story.

3:15, God is still forgiving, there is still hope for salvation until that Day, for all mankind, life and death of the world is in God’s hands.

Lastly, in this epistle, Peter called Paul as a beloved brother, they were together at last in heaven, very close in Christ, and they had quarreled once on earth, but they never quarrel all the way to heaven. They were well known for their life and works, and they were well respected in heaven, they stop quarrel on heaven or on earth?

3:16, how holy we live our life? This is an important question Peter will ask us today. The Holy Scripture is called a “Holy” scripture because it is holy, why it is holy, because it is teaching us how to live a holy life. Does your Bible in your hand teach you to live a holy life? If the Bible in your hand teaches you to live a holy life! The Bible in your hand is inspired and inerrant word of God. There were people who do not trained in the Gospel truth, lacking of the foundation of the truth, and they are those who easily misinterpret the Bible.

3:17, St Peter reminds the readers, false teachers and false prophets had come to the world, beware of them, there are those who fall way. But God is able to carry us through, until we meet with Him face to face. (Jude 24, 1 Peter 5:10)

3:18, finally Peter ended his letter, he wishes all to grow in spirit, to become a mature Christian, and he concluded, “KNOWING GOD IS OUR GLORY, DEPENDENCE AND POWER!” Only God is able to give us true life, and bring us into His kingdom.



Question:

1. Why Knowing Christ is blessing?
2. What is more dangerous than 10 king Nero?
3. NOT TO be wavering, why Peter said so?
4. What was the misinterpreted the scriptures in Peter’s time?
5. Who are false teachers and false prophets?
6. Why donkey cannot tolerant Balaam?
7. The purpose of Peter’s writing his epistle is?
8. Why KNOWING GOD IS OUR GLORY, DEPENDENCE AND POWER!

Time is near !

My Lord, the Great one of Israel, The God of Heaven and earth, all praises and all knees must bow down to you!

Our eyes had seen your great works! Thank Lord God, our Saviout, Eternal Lord Jesus Christ, The Great and Living, one who die for us on the cross!

Time is near, all night waiting to You, until You sent down your armies here, thousands and thousands had been killed, the Chineses and Indians had been killed, I called onto You, the Great Savior, please vindicted and save us! How long we had to wait? Oh Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Great One, in Your hand is judgment!

All men, wait unto the Lord, for He is merciful! Take courage, time is near that Your revenge is for those oppressed and killed! And that sudden fear will be pour down like hot oil on those killed and hurt innocent men. Four generations will be punished for them who hate the Lord, and kills and murders.

All men, wail unto the Lord, for He is merciful! Take courage, time is here, our land will be changed until they repent! Surely Great is the mercy of Our Lord, to thousand generations, He loves those who repent from killing and murdering, to them who show mercy, mercy will be shown.

Time is near that tear will be change into laughters! You who mourned will be comforted in Him eternally! Woe onto the land who kill and murder innocent men and women, their bloods are crying out from the Land.

Please help us, Great and Migthy God, please help us, Great and Mighty one of Israel!

Unkind doctors, out there!

Doctor and Medical doctors? Who are they? There is a Specialists Center, it is full with evil and greedy doctors, these doctors were graduated from top universities oversea, with MD, DO, MB, MBBS, MBChB, MDCM, etc some with master degree. If you visit their rooms, you can see many certificates on the walls, with many qualifications shown on the walls, some of these doctors were honored by the king with medals!

These rich doctors are proud and arrogant! But actually who are they? Why they are becoming scorn and thorn in the earth. Here are some stories about them. These doctors usually like money, more than a human life. When a sick man came to see them, they will try to make money from the sick man, until they are broke, at the end, the sick man is helpless, then they will tell the truth to the family, “Bring him back to your home, let him die there, no point to let him stay here,” in other words, let him wait for his death, finished! After few days under the specialist doctors, many discouraged of sickness which can be cured, but thousands of thousands dollars were spent, money gone, people suffer and sometimes die, the family members were cheated in this way.

Many sad and cruel stories were told among the people about these inhuman doctors! People hate these “doctor”, they are not doctors, and they are the predators! People said they do not heal; they do not steal, but kill to earn money! More and more money they earned! People were told not to send their sick there! Because these doctors will tell the patients, the sickness is helpless, “please pay your bills,” wait and die. Later they went to another hospital, other doctors tell the patients another fact about their sickness, and there their sickness is healed.

It is true about their greed and cruelty, one of the patients, told his story, one day, he came to see those doctors in that Specialist Center, the doctors admitted him into the wad in the specialist center, and then he was put under the care of the nurses, and day after day, the nurse fed him with many kinds of medicines, but no doctor came to attend to him in the wad room, the nurse become his only aid! He was discharged, and thousands of dollars were collected from that sick man, when the family members knew those doctors, mistreated the sick, only waiting to collect money at the end of the stay, and discharged them out of the ward, and the sick is money making bussiness, money! What kind of doctors are these doctors? Are they acted justly to the sick? The family members become angry, these doctors are not doctors at all!

And another sick old man, tell his story, these doctors will treat the sick without love, he was facing a serious stroke, and he was admit into the wad at that specialist center, and there, he was laid on the bed for three days three nights, nothing had been done to him, and later he realiaze something is not right, thousands dollars billed to him, he discharged from the wad, and he went to another private hospital, and there he was treated better, but it is too late to treat his stoke! He is now paralyzed.

What about those general hospitals? There are also strange doctors, in the government hospital, who just know how to prescribe, paracetamol, nothing else! When you go to see these doctors with all kinds of pains and all kinds of sickness, they will give you 10 tablets of paracetamol, and they will let you go home and do nothing; even if you had waited for the doctor that whole morning in pains and sickness! And those doctors are more interested to look at what color of your skin is, brown, black, yellow, white, grey… and by these colors, then they adjust their characters and cares, treatment is accorded to races and colors of the skin, rather than the sickness and weakness! These are discriminations the sick faced every day! You cannot complaint about your skin color.

And what about those private clinics, are they any better? The doctors charged people with a reasonable sum of money for treatment, some are good doctors, but they are not expert, not all these doctors are good! And some doctors likes to switch doctors, some times at night, they will let funny doctors particularly psychiatrists take over their clinic, are these doctors know every sickness, beside mental illness. These doctors will look at you like looking at their mental ill patients! They will smiles at you and comfort you and ask you to go to another clinic at another time! Funny doctors, they treat us like a sick donkey! You have to pay for their smile. Pay your visit another time, no way! If I perish, I perish!

One day, I met a vet, an animal doctor, he told me that he is cleverer than all the ordinary doctors; I asked him why he say so? He said, “I can treat a cow and goat, and heal their sickness. And these animal do not know how to talk to me, do not know how to complaint about their sickness but I know their sickness. I am cleverer! Compare to those doctors in the hospital, they treat human beings, and you know, human can talk, they can tell what sickness and pains they had, so the doctors can easily diagnose and find out the sickness, but I can heal animals which do not know how to talk, so I am cleverer than the doctor in the hospitals.” I hear with admiration and surprise, speechless like a donkey! I went back home, and I asked myself, in deed, he is speaking the truth or lies? I answer my self, human sickness is more complicated from cows and goats. A lot more people die of HIV compared with animals!

I can not understand these doctor, sometime they are clever, sometimes not! If you are a doctor of theology, what kind of doctor do you want to be? Do you treat your students like treating sick horses? Do you ask your students to shut up, do not talk, just listen, and follow instructions, and sometimes you scold them, “do not talk too much, I am speaking God’s commandment.” How do you treat the phobia of “KJV only?”

Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space…..

Please pray for more and more good doctors!

The Book of 1 Peter with VPP

This is an epistle written by St Peter to the believers in Turkey. They were living under persecutions, Peter encourage them to live in lively hope and holiness. Simple plan of salvation had accomplished through the Lord Jesus Christ, so believers are to return cursing with blessing, since they had been bless by Christ.

1:1-2, Peter was called Simon, he was an apostle who saw the coming of the Holy Spirit, like a tongue of fire at the Pentecost. Here Peter induces and reminds the believers they were cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God.

1:3, by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, they have the perfect salvation. They have the perfect joy from the perfect salvation. New man living with new hope!

1:4-5, the believers are living in a warfare with the devils and demons, sometimes they were up sad, by faith they can lean on God, and God preserved them in peace.

1:6, all those suffering and persecutions were temporary.

1:7, they must face suffering like Christ, they are suffering in glorifying the Lord.

1:8-9, they must build their faith in Christ, faith build on Christ can save us, and by faith we can unite with Him.

1:10-12, there are prophecies even after the Pentecost, and for the last 2 thousand years, the church prophecy truth of the Gospel and preach Christ, not ourselves. VPP is only being debated in the last few years! Which is more important? Debates or the truth?

1:13, the hope of eternal life motives us to live in holiness. God is holy, so Christian must lives in holiness, grow in spirit, when Christ comes, He will bless us, perfecting everything.

1:14, obedient is better than sacrifices. Lust is pulling us away from faith.

1:15-16, be separated from unholy and unclean things.

1:17-19, God will judge us according to how holy we live. Christ offered His blood, like a lamb in Old Testament.

1:20, even before the creation, Christ prepared Himself for us, this is revealed to us now.

1:22-25, Love one another, why? We are born again and our heart is born again, so we love one another. New life grows in God eternal Word, must love one another. Verse 24 is quoted from LXX, Isaiah 40:6-8. Even Peter used LXX?

2:1-3, Sin hindered man to love one another, put away sin and bitterness, by taking in the spiritual milk. Like a babe craving for simple truth, truth is good. When we are growing we will love one another. Christ is our spiritual milk.

2:4, we are God’s temple. Christ is also the living Rock, under the Rock there is the Living Water, whosoever thirst may come to drink freely, and live like Israelites when they have the perfect Word, but they asked for water in the wilderness. Christ is the Living Water.

2:5, we are called to be priest, redeemed by the Great High Priest. We are to live like a living sacrifice, offering our body, money and good works to bring people to Christ.

2:7, some men are predestinated to fall away; they do not and refused to believe the prophecy. God had made election some to be saved in Christ. Content, do not quarrel with mere “words.” Why quarrel for genealogy of English Bibles and underlying texts?

2:9-10, we are precious, separated from the world, brought into the Kingdom of God as Children of God.

2:12, so live rightly doing good works. When we are being slandered, do not be discourage and retaliate, do not return them with evil words or works. Return evil with love and profit, so that they may give glory to God in seeing our life.

2:13 respect the government and those have high authority. Even King Nero they had to obey, authority is from God, but rather obey God rather than obeying man. The end is near.

2:14, surely the evildoer will be judged one day.

2:15, Christians are called to be good citizens on earth.

2:16, live in holiness, by this we are free.

2:17, furthermore we are called to respect all men, love brethren in Christ, in this we fear God, do not fear kings and terrorists. (Matt 10:28)

2:18, treat the servants justly, servants also must do good, to be example, one day the servants will be rewarded in heaven.

2:21, following Christ, He was suffering for saving and redeeming sinners like us.

2:23-25, Christ is sinless, but He was even be nailed. He did not retaliate when He was being nailed. He died, so we live. He resurrected to take care, protect, feed and oversee us. He is the Shepherd of shepherds.

3:1-2, wife must influence his husband by her good characters.

3:3, inner beauty is more important than mere outlook.

3:7, husband must love and respect his wife, she is weaker physically, by this his prayer will be answered without hindrances.

3:8, St. Peter laid out the rules in true Christian’s life:

1. same heart (Rom. 15:5)
2. sympathizing (Rom 12:15)
3. love one another (Rom 12;10)
4. be merciful (Eph 4:32)
5. be humble (Eph 4:2)

3:9-12, bless those who curse and persecute us. (Luke 6:27, Rom 12:14, 1 Thess 5:15). Blessing is not enough, St. Peter said, we must pray for them!

3:13, no Christian is really hurt and killed, because Christian’s inheritance is in heaven.

3:14-16, the world will hate us, because we do not live like them, so we suffer for a little while. God is our shield and protection. (Isaiah 8:12-13)

Be prepared to give answers, defending the truth in love, gentleness and humbleness.

3:17, better to suffer in doing good works then doing evil.

3:18, Christ endured sufferings in doing well, until He was crucified on the cross.

3:21-22, first we are called to die with Christ, and later to live with Him.

3:22, fervently serving the Lord, nothing can harm us!

4:1-6, St. Peter reminded us when we are live in suffering, beware the worldliness.

4:7-11, seeing Christ is returning soon, we must behave, be sensitive, MOST IMPORTANT IS LOVE ONE ANOTHER, in loving one another, we have to forgive and cover their sins (1 Cor 13:4-7).

4:17, God’s house is the church, and judgment begin there! God cleansed His house through the persecutions!

4:18, this verse is quoted from the LXX, Proverb 11:31, by faith and grace, the ungodly are saved by God!

4:19, God preserved our souls.

5:4, Christ is the Head of all the shepherds! He is the good Shepherd! We shall not want.

5:5, humbleness is a virtue, if we really know ourselves; we have nothing to boast about! In God’s eyes, we must be humbled. Even Christ humbly washed Peter’s feet.

5:7, quoting from LXX, Psalm 55:22, God cares, so depend on God totally.

5:8 fear not our enemy! (1 John 4:4). Brethren become our enemy?

5:9, a reminder, remember all the brethren!

5:12 do not forget God’s grace is free!

5:13, Mark is closer with Peter than to Paul?



Thought:

What are Christ’s sufferings?

How holy we live?

What are the rules in true Christian’s life?

As a church leader, like Peter, what he see as the most important thing, Christian must do in the end time?

How to love one another?

What are the 2 great commandments taught by Christ Jesus?

Lips Service !

Matthew 15:8

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mark 7:6

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, by putting the commandments of men on a level with the divine requirements, their whole worship was rendered vain--a principle of deep moment in the service of God. "For," it is added in Mr 7:8, "laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do." The drivelling nature of their multitudinous observances is here pointedly exposed, in contrast with the manly observance of "the commandment of God"; and when our Lord says, "Many other such like things ye do," it is implied that He had but given a specimen of the hideous treatment which the divine law received, and the grasping disposition which, under the mask of piety, was manifested by the ecclesiastics of that day.

A curse from a Bishop to a preacher

A Bishop traveled hundreds miles down to a parish, to rebuke and curse a preacher. Psalm 109 was used by that elderly Bishop in his Sunday sermon in rebuking the preacher. Later the preacher was sacked and chased out by the Bishop from his parish.

Why, he was rebuked, cursed, sacked, and even with Psalm 109? Because the preacher did not want to obey the Bishop, to accept the teaching of “Charismatic Movement,” he did not want to accept “speaking in tongue” as a biblical doctrine. The preacher lost his job in defending his belief. This is called Christianity.

Before that Sunday Service, few nights before, the preacher was investigated and interrogated in a public meeting, by 10 senior pastors who are following charismatic movement, and there the preacher was rebuked publicly, and his parish was decided by them to be taken over by the Bishop himself!

That following Sunday Morning, Bishop was invited to rebuke the preacher, the Bishop preached from Psalm 109:

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21 But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.

25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

27 That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.

28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.