What book is Moses referring to here?
How did Moses know there is a book?

Apparently Moses was correct since God responded likewise about a book.

Exodus 32:33 (KJV)
[33] And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Sent from PocketBible by Laridian.

Good reminder to treat Ben strangers well. Very often we are taught we can ignore or treat strangers a little unfairly since we do not know each other, and minimal chance to meet again. Yet some better teachers have taught to treat all well. I’d say the bible here have taught well. Treat even strangers very well, I say even with no expected returns.

12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Sent from PocketBible by Laridian.

One of me new year resolution will be to consciously commit bible verses to heart. This will be a head start.

彼此 问安

This is interesting. Both Moses and Jethro was asking each other “How are you!” be it a courtesy or sincerity, “how are you” certainly started long time back.

我 好 试验 他们 遵 不 遵 我的 法度 。

I suppose even today, the LORD is still testing us if we walk in his law. No, it’s not about being legalistic here, but obedience. Grace cannot work apart from the law, rather together.

GOOD NEWS
I do not want to keep this good news from you, thus I want to share with you.

It comes to a point in time whereby either we realize our need, or someone tells us what is our need. Perhaps in our life time, we may never knew this need. The irony is heaven and hell is something everybody talks about… or rather swears about everyday. Yet we all know at least a little of heaven and hell either by fables, or by what we see on the TV or Movie screen. In it’s most simplified form, most know heaven is a better place than hell, and hell is some place of torment for people who deserves it.

Now then… who deserves hell? And who deserves heaven since we are on the topic of deserving? Does anything we do make us more deserving for something? And if we are accountable and God does hold us accountable for everything, and God is a righteous judge that will not bypass anything, how will we stand before God assuming it really did happen (and it will happen).

The irony is if we really think we deserve heaven, does it represent what God thinks we deserve? Are we imagining a God based on what we think we want him to be? If we can fear ghost and perform offerings on the 7th month to “ghosts”…. what about to the God who judge both living and the dead? The God who exists not just 7th month but every month, every moment, every second? What are we offering to that God? Do we even fear this God that is so terrible to those who have offended him?

HELD ACCOUNTABLE
The bible stated “But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” 1 Peter 4:5.

Heaven and hell was very real to me personally, and I found or rather the way is revealed to all of us. How to avoid hell and go to heaven. Many of us come to God for all kinds of reasons, some due to sickness, some fear, some for selfish reasons, some because they were told to. At the end of it all, it is the beginning. The point is, are we still embracing it? Are we still clinging to that God that offers heaven? A heaven that is not dependent on what you can do, but what he had done? I know I can’t do anything to deserve heaven, since I’m accountable to him. It is frustrating myself for being a good road user, yet I’m being fined and punished for one mistake made. How much more so for a God who is holding us accountable for everything? It is written “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10

TERRIFYING
It is very terrifying for myself. If this appears as a weak point of me to you, I’m ok with it. I’m fearful of hell which is a fact. However, if that fear drives me to find out how to avoid hell, why not? Just like some who are fearful of being unhealthy drives him to find out how not to be unhealthy? We seem to be more concern with offending man, mum, everyone everything else EXCEPT God himself. Ironically Jer 5:22 (NIV) “Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence?” Acts 5:29 “Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!” Indeed.

The bible declares “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Rom 3:23. Meaning there is nothing we can do to gain any acceptance from God. How unfair you may exclaimed. Think alternative, is it fair to God? Is there anybody on earth who can only do good and sin not? “For there is not a just man on earth, that does good, and sins not.” Ecc 7:20

GOD STANDARD
This is the God that is so holy and just that even the thoughts of ones mind offends him. “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Matt 5:28
But I have not killed anybody. Did you know that by just hating someone at a point in time is committing murder?
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer … – That is, he has the spirit of a murderer; he has that which, if it were acted out, would lead him to commit murder. 1 Jn 3:15

ETERNAL DEATH
We have to face the reality. Eternal death means we do not just pass away after we die from this earth. Our soul actually lives on forever. Many people remembers 7th month ain’t it? They don’t stop because these ghost lives forever they percieve? Eternal death means eternity in hell. Eternal life means eternity in heaven with God.

ETERNAL LIFE
How then can we have eternal life? One cannot improve until one realize current condition. One do not visit a doctor for help unless one realizes he is sick. We are sick. We are very sick spiritually that if we do not seek help, we will be dead in our sins forever. It’s not about doing good, our inner is sick. How then can our inner being be recovered if physically it cannot be improved? Physical sickness we look for physical doctor. So spiritual ailment we look for spiritual doctor? Does it make sense? Who then is our spiritual doctor? How about God himself who decides who can goes to heaven? Hear it from the “horse mouth” right? Not what people say, not rumours, but hear it from the source!

SOURCE TO HEAVEN
If I say the source to heaven is simply God himself? If you know the boss of heaven it will make things more certain isn’t it? What if I say the boss of heaven is Jesus himself? The Jesus whom we sing and hear caroles about every Christmas year after year? The same Jesus whom we celebrate Good Friday and Easter every year? If Jesus is the boss of heaven, then he must be God isn’t he? Aboslutely right! Jesus declared himself to be God! And God declare Jesus to be God! So God is Jesus and vice-versa? Yes!
1. Jesus himself said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
2. Jesus himself also described heaven “In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2

WHO IS JESUS?
Jesus is not just a human, but it’s God himself. The name Emmanuel means “God is with us”. God love us so much that he came personally to recieve us to him.

WHAT DID JESUS DO?
Paul, and old old man who live during Jesus time recorded this for us: 1 Cor 15:3-6 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died
for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose
again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas,
then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

So in summary, Jesus died for our sins (our disobedience, our wrong doings, etc), buried and rose again. While he rose again after death physically, he was seen by 500 people! or more! So why did Jesus have to die for our sins? That’s the law of God, that is God requirement. Well surely if you want to go to somewhere, we need to know the requirements of entry right? Passport, etc. So why did Jesus died? “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Eph 6:23.

HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN?
If I can put it simply although it sounds very complicated?
1. Repent and Acknowledge
Admit oneself is a sinner, a person who does wrong (oppose to good since I know we do good “sometimes”)

2. Believe in Jesus is God and only Jesus can bring us into heaven (Not by what we can do)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest
any man should boast.” Eph 2:8-9

3. Born again spiritually
Jesus explicitly says “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3

4. Let your life shows evidence of your spiritual birth
If you believe in something, one will act according to that believe isn’t it?

THAT’S IT?
Yes and live it! Keep believing and don’t ever give up. Our life will show evidence of where we are going for in eternity.

I personally believe in Heaven, Hell, Jesus and God, even the devil, demon, etc thus I’m sharing this with you.

It’s interesting how a same verse reveals more over time. Some attribute to different situations gives rise to possible different understanding. Bearing in mind, different here does not mean radical difference such as east to west opposites.

Duet 6:4-5 appeals to me this time for the following reasons: Easy to remember address. Duet 456. U get the drift. Shift 6 forward and voila!

One. This one speaks volumes as it’s being declared. One means no more, no less. Jehovah LORD is one God! Keep in mind One.

Then in Deut 6:5 it focuses on Love and All. All equates to one whole or 100%. No more no less. So verse 4 and 5 is rather interlinked isn’t it?

Now analogy. Can I love my spouse with “all my heart” if I have room for someone else? That means my 100% is reduced, no longer all. Now to add into equation, I want to give honor to the angels, the saints, certain people, to the whoever one thinks should give honor or love, not that we should hate them, but honor almost equal to godly worship by names, titles, statues, bowing, prostrating, offering … Does this offend God? No longer all as one ain’t it? To elevate certain sacraments to be above the fully completed work of Christ death on cross as requirement for salvation, would this be adding to God requirement? Are we playing God ourselves literally?

More by faith, less by sight does not mean no sight. It means to elevate faith above sights, things that can be seen. James 2:17 (KJV) [17] Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

May we never elevate anything above God. May we never elevate the gifts above the giver. May we never elevate the commands above the commander.

For our LORD is one God and is a jealous God. Duet 6:4, Exo 20:5

Many pastors like to use this verse to tease church goers about falling asleep. I beg to defer. I wonder and thought in fact that this is probably recorded about and for some thoughts. Could it have been? 1. Paul sermon was so appealing thy even a young man is so interested that he was held entrapped despite of his tiredness?
2. That young men in those days were conceded about spiritual matters? 3. Or this young man stood out from the rest?

One thing for sure, this young man was not struck dead by God for something bad done such as Ananias and Saphira. Acts 5:1-11
The very fact that Paul was able to revive the young man proves it’s in God’s will.

Acts 20:11 (KJV)
[11] When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

The young man appears here to join back to listen to Paul’s sermon and even joined in with the activities! In common days, that sounded like fully recharged after a nap!

I think the bottom line here was, God’s will was done, God was glorified in the raising, and God was further revered in this act of Paul through God.