Victoria's Secret Bombshell Wild Flower

My hubby bought me a bottle of Victoria's Secret Bombshell two years ago during Valentine's Day and I loved it. (Though he has been secretly using most of it himself! LOL)

It is almost empty now and so he bought me another bottle for my birthday and I just opened it today. 

Victoria's Secret Bombshell Wild Flower has the same scent but it's a bit sweeter and stronger. 

Loving it!

pearlie

Christmas Cantata: Come to the Manger

Grace Notes combined with the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Chinese Methodist Cantonese Church Choir presented a Christmas Cantata today: Come to the Manger, by Joe E. Parks.

The choir have been practicing for about 4 months now and I must say, it was quite well done - to the credit of the conductor and Grace Notes's director Joanna Lau.

The cantata carries a message that the angels have invited you to come to the manger and even if the inn had no room for him, do you have room for him in your life?

pearlie

We will be complete when he returns

I learnt about the concept of protogospel from this morning's sermon on Genesis 3. And on checking my commentary, Derek Kidner says on 3:15, "There is good New Testament authority for seeing here the protevangelium, the first glimmer of the gospel."

The first glimmer of the gospel... Wow.

With the gospel beginning right from the start, we are clear that God's redemption plan for us is The One Grand Plan of God, which I have posted three years ago in December 2012. (Wow, I did not even realized I had posted that so long ago. The thought I had still feel fresh to me, which means I should continue developing it.)

Although Gen 3:15 happened after the fall, it does not preclude that it is still God's one grand plan to create us in his likeness, who will disobey him and die, who will need the Incarnate Son of God to die and be raised for us to live. And as his kingdom is already upon us now, this Advent is where we are reminded of our waiting for his coming again, to bring completion to his prefect creation of the world, the universe and us, his chosen people, his royal priesthood, his holy nation.

Our story began back when he created us, and we will be completed in Christ when he returns.

pearlie
Source: Derek Kidner, Genesis, An Introduction and Commentary, TOTC, IVP 1967

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed

We were late for church service today, not realizing that being Easter Sunday, it was an hour earlier. We were half an hour "early" and so we just missed half an hour of the service. I'm sad to miss the praise and worship part, but glad we were there nonetheless.

The sermon today was on John 20:19-31 on "Doubt: Good or Bad?"

I remember blogging about Doubting Thomas before, here.

Back then I was crazily into chiasms. I still am but I don't do it much anymore.

John 20:19-31
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."
28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I noted then that the passage can be divided into 2 parts: firstly, when Jesus appeared to the disciples but Thomas was not around (v.19-25) and secondly, Jesus appeared to the disciples again and this time Thomas was with them (v.26-29). I came out with this chiastic structure:

Disciples, in fear inside with doors were locked
    Jesus came and stood with them
          Jesus proclaimed peace, showed his physical being
                Disciples overjoyed!
          Jesus proclaimed peace and breathed on them
    Jesus commanded them to receive the Spirit for mission
Thomas was not there, was told, did not believe

Disciples were inside, with Thomas, doors locked
    Jesus came and stood with them
          Jesus proclaimed peace, showed his physical being to Thomas
                Thomas believed – my Lord, my God!
          Jesus proclaimed Thomas’ belief because he has seen him
    (No command given)
Those who have not seen but believe will be blessed

Right now, I don't think this I structure would carry much water. The second chiasm is broken with Part B' missing. But the first one holds. So what's the difference between the two sections?

I think that's where the focus of the passage is--where it diverted from the structure is where the emphasis of the message is. If you compare the two parts of the passage:

Part 1 v.19-25	Part 2 v.26-29
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."	26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.	27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."
Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.	28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe."
	29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
	30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I find 20:23 very interesting. Apparently it has to do with the receiving of the Good News of Jesus Christ, of the Holy Spirit in the preceding verse. Colin G. Kruse says, "The non-forgiveness of sins is always related to refusal to believe in Jesus, suggesting that forgiveness of sins comes through belief in him. It is noteworthy that Jesus’ statement ‘If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven’ is intimately connected with the (symbolic) bestowal of the Spirit (22–23), which is in turn related to the disciples’ being sent into the world as his witnesses (21–22; cf. 15:26–27). This supports the view that the way in which the disciples forgive sins and retain sins is by preaching the good news and declaring the effects of believing it (forgiveness) and rejecting it (no forgiveness)."¹

I would the interpret the emphasis of the passage as this:
1. Jesus is risen and he is sending us to preach the Good News
2. So receive the Holy Spirit, and preach the forgiveness of God
3. To those who have yet to believe, believe even though you have not seen
4. Because though you have not seen, the word is given to you that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and by believing you will have life in him

pearlie
1 Colin G. Kruse, John, Tyndale New Testament Commentary, IVP, 2003

It's Friday...but Sunday's a Coming

pearlie

Happy New Year 2015

Truth be told, I didn't want the old year to end but God in his graciousness has brought us to a brand new year. I pray that it will be a great year ahead, and may his everlasting love and presence be with us all.

And new year resolutions? I'm never good in them anyway but if I were to have one, I'd need to grow in my prayer life and be closer to God and to my own family.

pearlie

What a year it has been

The year is about to come to an end. What a year it has been. It did not really start that well but it is ending on a really good note. I feel blessed and happy and I thank the Lord for his goodness, his loving kindness, his grace, and his presence in my life.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
~Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

pearlie

Advent and the Bb

Grace Notes was in Wesley Methodist Church Seremban this morning, being invited to sing and attend service together with the church.

Rev Ronald Yap preached on Mark 13:24-37 with a sermon entitled "Stay Awake".

It was a sermon for the first Sunday of Advent and I've learnt something very important.

Advent is a season of the Christian church year that leads up to Christmas. The word is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus that means "coming".

I've always thought of Advent as a meditative period as we prepare for Christmas, a time to recommit our lives to Christ and be thankful for his coming to us as a Savior.

I just found that the Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, which I do know refers to the second coming of Christ. As such, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. It "offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming."

It is therefore a blessing to be back in a Methodist service today to learn that (since the Baptist church, at least the one I'm in now is not so much a liturgical church, where seasons important to me like Lent and Advent are not observed.)

This season of Advent for me will be a time to "stay awake" and be alert as I meditate and be ready for the Second Coming of Christ.

Anyway, Grace Notes did well this morning. As for me, I never used to be able to sing anything above the high A. My nicest sounding highest note was the high Ab.

This time we sang four songs and three of them had a high Bb! I found that I'm now able to hit that now after attending voice lessons last year. And I was given feedback that I nailed them perfectly. I'm very glad.

pearlie
Source: Advent