22,000. That is the approximate number of breaths an average person takes during the course of one day. And most of that 22,000 cycles of respiration is involuntary. Maybe except when you think about it as you are reading this now. Every breath of air sustaining the life within us. Our breath itself is not the source of life abiding within. In Genesis 2:7, the Bible tells us the point of beginning of human life.  Then the Lord God formed…

At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. – 2 Timothy 4:16 Paul – a disciple, teacher, pastor, evangelist and a friend, to the Jews and Gentiles alike. One who was willing to be cursed for the sake of his brethren (Romans 9:3). One who labored on without taking a cent among the Corinth believers – not wanting to hinder the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12). For all his countless…

Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be…

Towards the end of the first part, we saw how repentance is largely a secretive transformation constantly taking place deep in the essence of a man’s heart. Yet, this bubbling lava of change now bursts through the crust and exhibits it in outward emotions, actions and faith. Firstly, how does it manifest in our emotions? This is how the apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 7:10: For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance…

Jesus Christ at 30 years old, would begin His God-given purpose by proclaiming the good news around the sea of Galilee. The very first words that He would publicly preach as recorded by the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Mark reads as such: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15). And if you have been with us in studying the message of Christ to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, you might…

As the apostle Paul concludes his first letter to the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15. His parting message in this chapter is divided into two major parts: the first part is on the resurrection of Christ and then of the believers resurrection at the second advent of Christ. The first resurrection is for our faith in God and the second is for our living hope in Christ (1 Peter 1:3). Couple of days back as we would have…

As the day offers each of us the opportunity to once again reminisce of the sobering truth of an innocent man being condemned to die as a sinner (Luke 23:22). With each of our past, present and future sins, proclaiming death to Christ. Much like the Jews who gathered there at his trial shouting: “Crucify Him, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21). Yet I fear that the rosy, fair weather Gospel presentation of today has made us mere spectators of the cross.…

What a whirlwind of events it had been for the 120 gathered together in the upper room (Acts 1:13). The pain of witnessing Jesus succumb to the cruel instrument of the Roman crucifixion to then being confounded by the case of missing Jesus and the empty tomb to finally the joy of the appearance of the glorified Christ in their midst as they hid in fear behind locked doors (John 20:19), and also in many other instances (Acts 1:3). Now…

The seventh and the last message recorded by apostle John is to the church of Laodicea begins as such: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. This is infamously known as “the lukewarm church.” The southernmost of the seven churches of Revelation and the only other church, in addition to Ephesus, to be mentioned elsewhere in the Bible (Colossians). Now the introduction itself isn’t connected specifically to any warning to the church. But…

Church and the tribulation of the last days Won’t God swoop in to save His beloved bride from the tribulation of the last days? Like Prince Charming coming in to save the damsel in distress from the evil dragon? Christians, in the West, first started to believe and proclaim this novel doctrine of pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. This quite recent doctrine historically is traced back to the early 1800’s and was made popular in the 20th century mainly through…