John's Birthday

Today is John's birthday! Yup, 8-8-08! The whole world is celebrating too! ;)


His favourite - crabby.


And earlier today we brought him to do his I/C card...


...only seems like yesterday I was doing my I/C at age 12...

Praise the LORD for today.

Mom-in-law In Kuching

My beloved mom-in-law is in town! She will be with us for 2 weeks.


So gotta do a bit of "tourist stuff"...

The 20th Asia Christians' Conference in Korea

Mom & Evelyn are back safely from the 20th Asia Christians' Conference in Korea Monday night. Praise the LORD!


This is the prayer grotto in prayer mountain! Each person was only allocated 1 hr to pray inside before someone else come knocking on the door.


This is "ALL" that u have inside the prayer room. Well, at least the things that u can see with ur physical eyes. But boy, in the spiritual realm, mountains are moved and fierce battles fought & won that we could never "see".


Daily they have to wake up at 3a.m and fight the "spirit of slumber" in order to receive precious & anointed teachings till dawn with only 15 mins' break every now and then!


And this is what most people do during that 15 mins' break... That's mom in the middle.


This happened for 3 straight days...and in FASTING mode!


Praise God for raising up South Korea. Praise the Lord for the faithfulness of His flock in South Korea. And when I asked sis what is the message Pastor David Yonggi Cho shared during this convention... the answer? The Cross. Hallelujah!

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
(1Co 2:2)


Praise the Lord for raising up my mon & sis in this MOST exciting time in the history of mankind. To be chosen as a labourer by the Lord to work in His field... such AWESOME previlege & glory!

Maranatha!

South Korea Trip

This evening, Evelyn & mom are on a journey to Seoul, Korea. They will be visiting Yoido Full Gospel Church, founded by Rev. David Yonggi Cho, boasting the largest church congregation in THE world! And they will spend a number of days praying on the famous Prayer Mountain.

Praise the LORD for this awesome opportunity. And best of all, they are travelling together with 50 other fellow brothers & sisters in Christ - all from mom's church. Hallelujah!

Bible Versions

Without realising, I have bought 8 new bibles during the past couple of months and I love each and every one of them. Reading bible has never been more "pleasurable".

Of the 8:
- NKJV x 2, NASB x 2, KJV x 2, NIV x 1, ESV x 1
- 6 Goatskin, 2 Calfskin
- 4 Cambridge, 3 Allan, 1 Crossway
- 7 with cross-reference, 1 without
- All smyth sewn

Personally, I use KJV & NKJV for scriptures memorisation & study (yes, I am a Textus Receptus guy.) NASB is my next favourite translation (for Critical Text) for bible study. I use NIV as main bible when reading together with my kids. And currently I am using ESV for devotional reading.


Of them all, the most unique/useful has to be this combo as pictured above - Cambridge Pitt-Minion & Wide-Margin. The layout of the text of both versions are exactly identical. So too are the cross-references. So u can quickly imagine the advantages in having this combo - especially in the "verses memorisation by location" category.

The Wide-Margin, as the name implies, has wider sides for note taking. And I find this feathure really useful and awesome for bible study. Only thing is, it is a bit too "wide" to carry to church ;)

Btw, Wide-Margin does have more in-depth concordance, and uses thicker paper.


I like the combo so much, I bought the NASB "combo" too (for my wife.) Now the dream is to have the Cambridge ESV "combo" next year...

And yes, the new Allan ESV1 is now only coming in Sept...of which my bro-in-law also pre-ordered one last week... :)

My FIRST Bible(s)...

This is my FIRST bible...or...at least as far as I could remember accurately. It was a gift from the church.


It was a baptism gift from the Catholic Church where I was baptised. And that was like 15 years ago! O how time flies!


This is the first bible that I BOUGHT for myself. It was a KJV. The funny thing was, I DIDN'T know there was MORE than one version of bible translation! I bought it cuz it was *ahem* the cheapest in the bookstore. It cost me something like RM20 plus.

I bought this on Nov 30, 2002. It was the beginning of my journey in getting to know the LORD.

And boy, was I disappointed when I started to read - LOL - I mean it WAS 17th century english after all!

Shortly, I bought a NIV.


This is my first SERIOUS bible! It was not just BIG (photo here not showing the size accurately due to wide angle lens used), and heavy, and it was expensive too (thus the protective plastic cover.) Cost me something like RM140 plus.

Then I had to find a smaller one...then I gotta find another different version...then a different color...then a different cover...and a different...U get the drill.


Before long, I decided I prefer "leather" than hardcover. But sadly there aren't much options available here in the local bookstores. Not even in KL or Singapore. Bonded leathers or imitation leathers are the norm here.

This one is my first TRUE-TONE (imitation leather) bible. It was beautiful and soft to the touch. But as u can see from the photo, the cover couldn't last. The bonded leather types are slightly longer lasting but would eventually start to crack and peel away too...with one exception though...

I have a bonded leather NKJV Nelson thinline (3015) bought in Dec 02 - despite heavy usage the cover is still in excellent condition. (But another Nelson bonded leather reference version crumbled after a couple of years.)


Beside cover peeling away, another common problem with the bibles I have is *gulp* as above! Imagine I spent RM200 plus on this Life Application bonded leather and this was the condition 6 mths later...


For the past 2 years, after I got to know about there is such a thing as - GENUINE leather - I have been "searching" hi-n-low at my local bookstores... until I took the courage to order ONLINE! (Funny what took me so long to order bibles online since I had been buying books from Amazon for quite a while...)

This is my first GENUINE LEATHER bible - a MacArthur Study Bible! It was the most beautiful thing in my sight!

So quickly, I order another genuine leather bible - a Ryrie Study Bible by Moody.


But ALAS! This genuine leather bible has a "defective" cover. From the photo, u can see CLEARLY my result in trying to "fix" the problem. It was a "disaster"!!! But I have since overcome the "disaster" for the CONTENT is where the real meat is. Right?

Btw, I truly LOVE my Ryrie Study Bible. So now I classify the "disaster" as "CHARACTER".


THEN I discovered Cambridge & Allan bibles.

Not that long ago, I took courage and "pulled the trigger" on 2 Cambridge bibles (a NKJV Wide-Margin & a NASB Pitt Minion) from Amazon. My confidence was from all those mouth watering 5-stars reviews found in Amazon. But then I decided - just to be safe - to check if I could find any other reviews on the Cambridge bibles I just bought "unseen" and "unheard of".

And this is what I FOUND: The most AWESOME bible review website! And thats where I discovered Allan bibles.


I bought my first bible, a KJV, sorta by "mistake" BUT now KJV is one of my favourite bible translation! Funny how things come full circle. And here is a photo of my NEWEST KJV bible in HIGHLAND GOATSKIN, an Allan Long Primer, next to my "ancient" Nelson cheapo KJV ;)


A BONUS discovery - my super ancient FIRST bible has 2 (TWO) ribbons! This is supposedly a LUXURY feature nowadays! LOL!

to be continued...

Bible Quest - the End?

For years, one of my passion has been on the search for a quality Bible. I confess I have been buying way too many bibles. More than I will ever need... but I just couldn't find that "perfect" Bible. Well, I guess that quest has now come to an end... (I hope!)


Two names I "discovered" - R. L. Allan & Cambridge (both from England). 

I learned that Allan bibles are supposedly the FINEST bibles in the world.

So just recently, I ordered "some" from Amazon & Allan Publishing. The first 3 arrived just last week. And boy, are they GORGEOUS!


And I have been learning Bible terms/specs such as: goatskin, calfskin, sewn binding, art-gilt edge...etc etc. It has been tremendously educational as well as satisfying for the past weeks.

To be continued...

Relatives!

Cousin Ricky & family.


and so many more here in Kuching for holiday.

More Frog or Toad...

John found this at Chin's house...


...and he just gotta catch it (look at the SIZE of it!!!)...

Amy's Birthday!

12 years old now...


...and still behaving like a 12 yrs old...

John & His "Pets"

What do u call this...this...lizard looking thing?


How do u differentiate a toad & a frog? Anyone?

Preaching of the Gospel

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
(Rom 1:16-17)

What a timely sermon by brother Paul Washer to the youth (or adults)!

60 Years!

Once more, Happy Birthday, Israel!

Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
(Psalm 121:4-5)

Over the Horizon - Wars

2) Burden Against Damascus


"Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap...at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more..." (Isaiah 17:1, 14)

As I write this, Syria & Iran are once more stirring in Lebanon thru Hezbullah. We have no idea how Damascus could be destroyed literally overnight as suggested in the Bible. Damascus is one of the oldest city on planet earth that is continuously inhabited. Never in the history of mankind has Damascus been ruinous or deserted... Will Syrian be doing something so foolish that causes a nuclear retaliation? We dunno. I shudder at such thoughts. May it never be. Pray for the people in Syria.

3) Gog Magog War


"Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him... I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops - many people are with you." (Ezekiel 38:2, 4-6)

Bible warns of a day when Russia, Iran, Libya, Ethiopia & Turkey will be involved as members of a war alliance - an EVIL alliance.


What is this group of nations gonna do?

"After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely." (Ezekiel 38:8)

Let me "paraphrase" this way...

...In the latter years [this day & age?] you will come into the land of those brought back [Aliyah] from the sword [Holocaust & WWI & WWII] and gathered from many people [Jews all over the world] on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate [1900yrs]; they were [Jews] were brought out of the nations...

Never in any time in our history has the verse above, described in/with such details, been more TRUE than ever TODAY. Even the members of this evil alliance read like today's headline news in the Middle East. The amazing geo-political fit is stunning. Even MORE stunning is WHO are NOT in this list... (I shall leave it at that)...

So this evil alliance will come to modern day Israel to do what?

...to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out our hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land... All of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land... (Ezekiel 38:12, 15-16)

Could Israel possibly withstand or survive such a massive assault? Would Israel be finally wiped off the surface of the earth?

The answer is in the Bible, so pls go and read. Hmmm... perhaps just a little clue here - God will intervene in this war Himself with this after effect:

...the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. (Ezekiel 39:7)

Over the Horizon - Third Temple

If u think u have seen enough miracles through Israel's existence for the past 60 years, from the Aliyah world wide after such a long period of Diaspora, from the revival of Hebrew as a language... despite all these most incredible fulfillment of Bible prophecies... may I suggest u ain't seen NOTHING yet.

Before the Second Coming of Christ, before the Jews finally crying out: "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!", before the Great Tribulation, before that great and dreadful Day of the Lord... Bible talks about a few more things that would need to come to pass...

1) Third Temple


Of all the lands of the earth, the land of Israel is the holiest. And of all the cities in Israel, Jerusalem is the holiest. And of all the places in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount is the holiest. And it was on Temple Mount that the Jewish Temples were built. And in all the rooms of the Temple, the Holy of Holies is the HOLIEST.

The Holy of Holies is the inner room where the Ark of the Covenant is placed. And the holiest part of the Ark is the Mercy Seat. And from above the Mercy Seat, God spoke to the children of Israel.

"And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel." (Exodus 25:22)


The First Temple was build by King Solomon but was subsequently destroyed by the Babylonians during the First Diaspora. The Second Temple, Herod's Temple, was the one standing on Temple Mount when Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and climbed the hills of Samaria. It was subsequently destroyed by the Roman Legionnaires.

However, the Bible speaks of a Third Temple. A Temple where the Abomination of Desolation will take place as prophesied by prophet Daniel. An event even Jesus warned:

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house." (Matthew 24:15-17)

This is what Jesus was referring to as recorded in the Old Testament:

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." (Daniel 9:27)

The only place where the Jews can have sacrifices & offerings is in a Jewish Temple.


What is the Abomination of Desolation, u might ask?

The most likely answer can be found in the days when the Jews were under the rule of the Ptolemies. Antiochus Ephiphanes, a pagan monarch, persecuted the Jews and defiled the Jewish temple by slewing a pig in the holy place. This eventually led to the Maccabean Revolt which caused Antiochus' downfall.

Would this act of abomination of desolation parallel the future event spoken of by prophet Daniel & Lord Jesus AND also apostle Paul?

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2Thess2:3-4)


Today, believe it or not, preparation for a Third Temple is nearly finish. All the vessels, furniture, utensils, musical instruments, priestly garments, ornaments are nearly complete. Even the Levites have been genetically identified and chosen and currently undergoing training who would one day be priests in the tradition of the Leviticus priesthood.

In progress, is the search for the Red Heifer. Its ashes are required ingredient for the re-dedication of the Temple.

Most astonishing, in recent years, even the Sanhedrin has been reformed for the first time in 1600 years! 70 sages who would one day "pronounce" the Messiah!

Everything concerning the Temple is nearly complete and within sight.


Except, we have a "problem".

The place where the future Temple is to be built is currently occupied by a Mosque. And the Temple Mount is currently the MOST EXPLOSIVE property on planet earth. The mere presence of an Israeli prime minister visiting the site had set off an intifada that lasted for years with hundreds dead.

I have NO IDEA whatsoever how the rebuilding of the Third Temple will be accomplished. But I know it will happen cuz God's word said so.

Stay tuned...

The Rising Storms

For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
(Psa 132:13-14)

Will there be TRUE peace in Israel? Praise God, Yes.

Will there be FALSE peace in Israel? Sadly, Yes.

Will there be more wars coming? Sadly, Yes.

Do I want to see more wars in Israel? Absolutely NO! Bible teaches us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. But the evil one is not about to obey God since his fall. Unfortunately there WILL BE more wars in the Holy Land - efforts in trying to deny the coming of the TRUE Prince of Peace.


The Israelis are NOT the only people who have been suffering for the past 60 years. The Arab refugees too. The Palestinians have been living under a lie fabricated by evil men who have absolutely no interest whatsoever in their well being. They are merely pawns and slaves and canon fodders. Their lives are worthless.

Of course these "evil leaders" themselves are equally mere pawns and slaves and just as worthless to the evil one. But so long as they serve as tools and agents to bring forth death & suffering to a land and a people CHOSEN by God - the evil one is happy.

Modern day Israel has always been facing a multi-front threats from ALL sides. It is actually a miracle that the State of Israel has lasted SO long considering what she went thru. The road ahead is yet full of hardship.

But is God surprised?

...O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still. For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, And those who hate You have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Your people, And conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." For they have conspired together with one mind; Against You they make a covenant: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the children of Lot. Selah.
(Psa 83:1-8)


Never once in the history of the nation of Israel have they faced such an alliance of enemies united as one - together with one voice & one vision - to WIPE Israel OFF as a nation!!!

The God of Israel says He has chosen Zion. But Ahmadinejad and his cohorts say: A world without Zionism. Guess who is a liar and a deceiver?

Beloved, God has chosen to reveal these future events & their intents to His people for a purpose. That we MAY KNOW the times we are living in. That we MAY KNOW what to pray for. That we MAY KNOW how to act. That we MAY KNOW what to do.

Pray for the salvation of the Jews as well as the enemies of Israel, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
(Mat 24:32-35)