"Yahweh made this covenant not with our ancestors, but with us, with all of us alive here today." (Deuteronomy 5:3).
1. I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the place of slave-labor. You will have no gods other than me.
Where is your Egypt and where is your place of slave-labor? From what has the Lord delivered you? What is holding you in bondage today? What the Lord did in the past, He can repeat today. If you have been delivered from bondage or from the place of slave-labor, hold fast to your freedom. Do not lose it again.
2. You must not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who uses his name for what is false.
The Opening Prayer in the Memorial Mass of a saint touches on the special gift of the saint. Thus, the Opening Prayer on the feast of St. Ignatius Loyola says: "Father, you gave St. Ignatius of Loyola to your Church to bring greater glory to your name. May we follow his example on earth and share the crown of life in heaven..." Ignatius like many saints had an extraordinary love for the name of Jesus. The Scripture foretold this love when it says: "At the name of Jesus every knee must bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; every tongue should proclaim to the glory of God the Father: Jesus Christ is Lord." (Philippians 2: 10 - 11)
What does the name of Jesus mean to us?
3. "Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as Yahweh your God has commanded you. Labor for six days, doing all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. You must not do any work that day. "
Do you see Sunday as a gift of God to us to help us to renew ourselves spiritually, emotionally and physically? If we understand the idea behind this commandment, we will understand that every commandment is for our benefit.
4. Honor your father and your mother, as Yahweh your God has commanded you, so that you may have long life and may prosper in the country which Yahweh your God is giving you.
5. You must not kill.
6. You must not commit adultery.
7. You must not steal.
8. You must not give false evidence against your fellow.
9. You must not set your heart on your neighbor's spouse.
10. You must not set your heart on your neighbor's house, or field, or servant - man or woman - or ox, or donkey or any of your neighbor's possessions.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Friday, September 16, 2005
Gods love
."Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life" (John 3:16).
Jesus is the expression of God's love for the world. When we are asked: How do you know that God loves the world? We point to Jesus. The presence of Jesus in our lives is the concrete evidence of God's love for us.
Jesus is present in everyone who believes in Him. Belief in Jesus means we accept Jesus as the light of our life, the center of our being, the meaning of our life. Faith in Jesus implies that we agree freely to walk by His light. This light is provided by the Gospels. We allow every detail of our life to be touched by this light. Acceptance of Jesus signifies knowing Jesus intimately, loving Him passionately us and committing ourselves to follow Him everywhere.
See: Navarre Bible: St John
Jesus is the expression of God's love for the world. When we are asked: How do you know that God loves the world? We point to Jesus. The presence of Jesus in our lives is the concrete evidence of God's love for us.
Jesus is present in everyone who believes in Him. Belief in Jesus means we accept Jesus as the light of our life, the center of our being, the meaning of our life. Faith in Jesus implies that we agree freely to walk by His light. This light is provided by the Gospels. We allow every detail of our life to be touched by this light. Acceptance of Jesus signifies knowing Jesus intimately, loving Him passionately us and committing ourselves to follow Him everywhere.
See: Navarre Bible: St John
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Purpose
"I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth" (John 18: 37).
Jesus defined His purpose on earth as bearing testimony to the truth. The truth is the business of these pages.
Jesus promises:” I have opened a door in front of you which no one can close" (Revelation 3:8). This promise is for all of us and the internet could be that door. The net provides us with a stupendous opportunity to spread and receive the healing truth of Jesus Christ.
This Blog shares personal reflections on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
"Go and preach to all nations: baptize them and teach them all I have commanded you"(Matthew 28: 19-20).
MISSION STATEMENT: I learn and I communicate the Truth
Jesus defined His purpose on earth as bearing testimony to the truth. The truth is the business of these pages.
Jesus promises:” I have opened a door in front of you which no one can close" (Revelation 3:8). This promise is for all of us and the internet could be that door. The net provides us with a stupendous opportunity to spread and receive the healing truth of Jesus Christ.
This Blog shares personal reflections on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
"Go and preach to all nations: baptize them and teach them all I have commanded you"(Matthew 28: 19-20).
MISSION STATEMENT: I learn and I communicate the Truth
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Jesus Must Reign on the Web
"The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strong-holds. We destroy false arguments; we pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God; we take every thougth captive and make it obey Christ" (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5)New Jerusalem Bible.
God gave us in His word a powerful weapon. With this weapon, we can destroy strong-holds, false arguments and pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God. How do we use God's word as a weapon in spiritual warfare? Jesus told us to make His word our home if we want to be His disciples. Only trained disciples can participate in the war. When the word is in our hearts and on our lips, the Holy Spirit will inspire us when and what to use. Jesus Christ must reign on the internet. Below are links to some Christian sites on the web.
VATICAN: This is the homepage of the Holy See, the official site of the administration of the Catholic Church. It is one of the most popular Catholic websites.
Documents of the Roman Catholic Church: This is the warehouse of Catholic documents. Most historic documents are listed included those of the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council. Major papal encyclicals, writings of the Church Fathers and excerpts from the new Cathechism of the Catholic Church are listed.
Two Thousand Years of Catholic Writing: The works of major Catholic authors in the past 20 centuries are listed. Authors are listed in chronological order. The listing tells a wider story of a Church that has shaped modern civilization.
Summa Theologica St Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica and the writings of St Augustine shaped Catholic thoughts as no other Church Fathers since the time of the Apostles
Daughters of St Paul The Daughters of St Paul is an international congregation of religious women in the Catholic Church whose aim is "communicating God's love through media technology.
Jesuit Resources on the Web The Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits was founded by Ignatius Loyola (1492 - 1556). The Society is an order of religious men bound by vows of poverty, chastity and special obedience to the Pope. Founded in 1540, the Society of Jesus has had great influence in the history of the Church.
Opus Dei This is the official site of Opus Dei, a religious movement founded by St. Josemaria Escriva. Opus Dei encourages lay spirituality and believes that God calls everybody to holiness no matter the state in life.
Internet Theology Resources This is a rich resource page for theology. It looks at Christian theology from various angles. There are links to schools, libraries, fellowships, journals, associations and newsgroups
God gave us in His word a powerful weapon. With this weapon, we can destroy strong-holds, false arguments and pull down every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God. How do we use God's word as a weapon in spiritual warfare? Jesus told us to make His word our home if we want to be His disciples. Only trained disciples can participate in the war. When the word is in our hearts and on our lips, the Holy Spirit will inspire us when and what to use. Jesus Christ must reign on the internet. Below are links to some Christian sites on the web.
VATICAN: This is the homepage of the Holy See, the official site of the administration of the Catholic Church. It is one of the most popular Catholic websites.
Documents of the Roman Catholic Church: This is the warehouse of Catholic documents. Most historic documents are listed included those of the Council of Trent and the Second Vatican Council. Major papal encyclicals, writings of the Church Fathers and excerpts from the new Cathechism of the Catholic Church are listed.
Two Thousand Years of Catholic Writing: The works of major Catholic authors in the past 20 centuries are listed. Authors are listed in chronological order. The listing tells a wider story of a Church that has shaped modern civilization.
Summa Theologica St Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica and the writings of St Augustine shaped Catholic thoughts as no other Church Fathers since the time of the Apostles
Daughters of St Paul The Daughters of St Paul is an international congregation of religious women in the Catholic Church whose aim is "communicating God's love through media technology.
Jesuit Resources on the Web The Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits was founded by Ignatius Loyola (1492 - 1556). The Society is an order of religious men bound by vows of poverty, chastity and special obedience to the Pope. Founded in 1540, the Society of Jesus has had great influence in the history of the Church.
Opus Dei This is the official site of Opus Dei, a religious movement founded by St. Josemaria Escriva. Opus Dei encourages lay spirituality and believes that God calls everybody to holiness no matter the state in life.
Internet Theology Resources This is a rich resource page for theology. It looks at Christian theology from various angles. There are links to schools, libraries, fellowships, journals, associations and newsgroups
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Wisdom and the Cross
“The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; at the cost of all you have, acquire understanding! Hold her close, and she will make you great; embrace her, and she will be your pride; she will provide a graceful garland for your head, bestow a crown of honor on you.” (Proverbs 4: 7-9)
My pursuit of wisdom took me to self-development literature, philosophy, theology and history. After many years of seeking wisdom from second-hand sources, I was pointed to the fountain of wisdom: the Bible.
Roger Crawford in his book, How High Can You Bounce? , writes: "Resilient people realize that it’s impossible to see the full value of adversity until it is behind us. Understanding and wisdom come after an event, not before." Wisdom can come during an event if one feeds himself with a daily portion of the word of God.
Wisdom and the Cross
St Francis de Sales writes: "The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity, the cross He now presents to you from His innermost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it is not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, and taken one last glance at you and your courage - has sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all merciful love of God."
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More Scriptures on Wisdom
My pursuit of wisdom took me to self-development literature, philosophy, theology and history. After many years of seeking wisdom from second-hand sources, I was pointed to the fountain of wisdom: the Bible.
Roger Crawford in his book, How High Can You Bounce? , writes: "Resilient people realize that it’s impossible to see the full value of adversity until it is behind us. Understanding and wisdom come after an event, not before." Wisdom can come during an event if one feeds himself with a daily portion of the word of God.
Wisdom and the Cross
St Francis de Sales writes: "The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity, the cross He now presents to you from His innermost heart. This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it is not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, and taken one last glance at you and your courage - has sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all merciful love of God."
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More Scriptures on Wisdom
- “Blessed are those who have discovered wisdom, those who have acquired understanding! Gaining her is more rewarding than silver, her yield is more valuable than gold. She is beyond the price of pearls, nothing you could covet is her equal. In her right hand is length of days; in her left hand, riches and honor. Her ways are filled with delight, her paths all lead to contentment. She is a tree of life for those who hold her fast, those who cling to her live happy lives.” (Proverbs 3: 13-18)
- "Teach me wisdom and knowledge, for in your commands I trust. (Psalm 119:66)
- "And now my children listen to me. Happy are those who keep my ways. Listen to instruction and become wise, do not reject it. Blessed, whoever listens to me, who day after day keep watch at my portals. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains the favor of Yahweh; but whoever misses me harms himself, all who hate me are in love with death." (Proverbs 9: 32-36)
- “The blessing of Yahweh is what brings riches, to this, hard toil has nothing to add.” (Proverbs 11: 22)
- “For want of leadership a people perishes, safety lies in many advisers” (Proverbs 11: 14)
- “A sudden fortune will dwindle away, accumulation little by little is the way to riches.” (Proverbs 13: 11)
- “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)
- “In the fear of Yahweh is powerful security; for his children he is a refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)
- “Better to have a little and with it fear of Yahweh than immense wealth and with it anxiety.” (Proverbs 15:16)
- "Two things I beg of you, do not grudge me them before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches, grant me only my share of food, for fear that, surrounded by plenty, I should fall away and say, 'Yahweh - who is Yahweh?' or else, in destitution, take to stealing and profane the name of my God."(Proverbs 30: 7-9)
- “For Yahweh himself is giver of wisdom, from his mouth issue knowledge and understanding. He reserves his advice for the honest, a shield to those whose ways are sound; he stands guard over the path of equity.”(Proverbs 2: 6-8)
- “Trust wholeheartedly in Yahweh, put no faith in your own perception; acknowledge him in every course you take, and he will see that your paths are smooth.”(Proverbs 3:5-6)
- “My child do not scorn correction from Yahweh, do not resent his reproof; for Yahweh reproves those he love, as a father the child whom he loves.”(Proverbs 3: 11-120)
Monday, September 12, 2005
The Gold & Silver in God's Word
"The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” (Psalm 119: 72).
How do we know for certain that God's word is more precious than silver and gold? God's word transforms ordinary humans into extraordinary beings. There are abundant proofs from the lives of many people. Their heroic lives had been recognized and many of them canonized as saints. The proof also come from the lives of dedicated Christians living among us. These individuals have the courage to test the life-changing principles in the Bible and confirm that they work. Their highly successful lives and achievements bear testimony to the power of God's word. God’s word contains many promises each of which may be worth more than silver and gold, depending on our needs.
To discover the gold and silver in the word of God, read it as a personal letter. Read the word in order to act on its principles and so obtain what it promises.
How Apply the Word of God to your Problem:
Believe the Bible text that God has revealed as answer to your problem. Belief may not come automatically. Like Peter, you can say again and again: "Lord I believe; increase my faith."
When you get a clear idea on concrete steps to take to solve your problem, act without hesitation. If you are not sure, wait until you get this clear signal. This is the most important step. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16)
See books on: The Word of God
How do we know for certain that God's word is more precious than silver and gold? God's word transforms ordinary humans into extraordinary beings. There are abundant proofs from the lives of many people. Their heroic lives had been recognized and many of them canonized as saints. The proof also come from the lives of dedicated Christians living among us. These individuals have the courage to test the life-changing principles in the Bible and confirm that they work. Their highly successful lives and achievements bear testimony to the power of God's word. God’s word contains many promises each of which may be worth more than silver and gold, depending on our needs.
To discover the gold and silver in the word of God, read it as a personal letter. Read the word in order to act on its principles and so obtain what it promises.
How Apply the Word of God to your Problem:
- Define the problem.
- . State two or more key words that are contained in your problem.
- Get a Bible Concordance and list all the references to your keywords.
- Take your Bible and write out all the references that bear directly on the problem.
- Focus on a number of texts that apply directly to you.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply the scripture.
Believe the Bible text that God has revealed as answer to your problem. Belief may not come automatically. Like Peter, you can say again and again: "Lord I believe; increase my faith."
When you get a clear idea on concrete steps to take to solve your problem, act without hesitation. If you are not sure, wait until you get this clear signal. This is the most important step. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16)
See books on: The Word of God
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Baptism of the Holy Spirit
"I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
The kingdom of God here and now is something we cannot experience without the Holy Spirit. An old Chinese proverb says: ‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’ The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Friend who is standing by waiting for us to be ready and invite Him into our lives. Jesus says that we must be born through water and the Holy Spirit. Full acceptance of Jesus Christ ushers the Holy Spirit into our lives. This experience marks our entrance into the kingdom of God which starts here and now. We experience the kingdom of God when we practice justice, truth, love and self-control.
Jesus says that we need the Holy Spirit to succeed as Christians. We respond to this message of our Lord and Savior by seeking everyday, a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome sin and give us the power to proclaim Jesus Christ with boldness.
Thank you Jesus for your promise to give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks for it. Give us the Holy Spirit, Lord.
See: Navarre Bible: St John
The kingdom of God here and now is something we cannot experience without the Holy Spirit. An old Chinese proverb says: ‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’ The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Friend who is standing by waiting for us to be ready and invite Him into our lives. Jesus says that we must be born through water and the Holy Spirit. Full acceptance of Jesus Christ ushers the Holy Spirit into our lives. This experience marks our entrance into the kingdom of God which starts here and now. We experience the kingdom of God when we practice justice, truth, love and self-control.
Jesus says that we need the Holy Spirit to succeed as Christians. We respond to this message of our Lord and Savior by seeking everyday, a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome sin and give us the power to proclaim Jesus Christ with boldness.
Thank you Jesus for your promise to give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks for it. Give us the Holy Spirit, Lord.
See: Navarre Bible: St John