WHY FORGIVE ?

Forgiving paves the way to 'begin anew'
"I've been wronged.... It's not up to me to initiate forgiveness. How can I forgive when he is not even sorry!"

The Unforgiving suffers the Predicament of Irreversibility. The Cycle of Resentment develops Animosity. It builts up. The wound never heals.

Look at the squabble between Adam and Eve. Eve said, "You ate the apple"
And Adam replied, "You gave the apple to me...."
 
Squabbles seldom end. The issue is not who is right; but what needs to be rightfully done.
 
Forgiving avoids the right's issue. The prime purpose of forgiving is to allow the parties involved to Begin Anew. We are not animals. Our faculty to forgive makes us different.

"I cannot forget."

Don't try to. It's the Remembering that paves the way to Forgiving.
Dr. Gary Collins, a psychologist with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and author of the Book CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING, cautions that it may "not be wise to forget.'  We risk repeating the wrongs .. when we 'ignore' past wrongs.

Remembering the wrong(s) done us helps us to resolve to right that wrong...
And because we do remember - makes it possible to remember NOT to forget
BUT to forgive.
 
Simon Peter remembered he had denied knowing Jesus - 3 times.
Jesus remembered those denials also...

Peter's denials had 'hurt' Jesus; but it also 'hurt' Peter himself. And knowing Peter's person....he must have despised himself. Come - Good Friday - the Third Day... And Jesus Came Back.

At Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee Mount Tabor - Jesus met Peter and the rest.
Jesus did not forget. He gave Peter a Second Chance.

Peter was forgiven. And Jesus followed through - pushing Peter to
* found the Faith of Christ and to
* feed His Sheep of His Church.

Jesus not only forgave Simon Peter; Jesus gave Simon Peter a 2nd Chance.

Join me in this Prayer:
I came to my Jesus with a quivering lip - my task undone
"Master, give me another sheet. I have soiled this one."
In place of the Old Sheet - stained and blotted, He gave me a new one.
And into my glad face, He smiled: "Do better next time, my child. Do better next time, my child."

What would it be like - if Peter never fell?
Such a Peter(however worthy and admirable) would never be as close to us - as the Peter
* who denied Christ... at the high priest's court and
* whom Jesus restored ... at the Sea of Galilee.

Everyday opens the Door for a 2nd Chance.
By the Grace of God - even a broken heart with a blemished past beckons us on...

* Begin Once More. Do Better next time, my child.
Never Confuse a mere bend as the end.

Forgiving brings Healing. Though morality and religion play their parts, the Very Act of Forgiving brings about Healing...
* Healing benefits the person who forgives....
For Biblical Joseph who bore a well deserved grudge against his brothers who sold him off as a slave...
* Forgiveness resulted in a Flood of Tears - and Relief......

God's Forgiveness of us comes with a Contingent. The Lord's Prayer makes it explicitly clear ".... forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone..."(cf Lk 6:37; Mt 6:12,14,15)

* Only as we forgive could we be forgiven.
Psychologically, this is Unerring Insight. We are asking God to forgive us for we have forgiven others.

But this 'contingent' raises some difficulties:
It appears to make God's forgiveness - not as a free gift of grace
but as a reward for a virtue on our part.
 
Insight on the other hand clarifies.
The words "for we ourselves forgive everyone..." are to be understood
* not as the ground on which God bestows forgiveness
* but the ground on which we can receive it.
Forgiveness and Repentance are Inseparable; they are 2 sides of a Coin. Interpreters' Bible pin points this as an Indispensble Moral Fact.
We cannot talk of Forgiveness without Repentance. Heaven rejoices over the wrongdoer who repents - just as the Poor Woman rejoices
in finding her ... One Lost Coin.
 

Forgiving Opens Doors of Opportunity for the wrongdoer
John 8 depicts the Scene of a woman caught in the act of adultery. It disturbs - rattles. The woman was the more 'open' - she admitted her guilt whilst her oppressors 'repressed' theirs. The disturbing point lies with those who repressed....suppressed their guilts. Adultery takes 2 to commit. Only she alone was put on trial...!?

Only she was the 'more open' And here is the Catch to Grace.. that act/behaviour of hers - is Repentance. We come to the Lord's Table/Holy Communion - with Open Hands. I ask my communicants as they kneel at the altar rail to have their hands opened....
 
And I would tenderly and devoutly place the elements of bread ...followed by the wine into their Opened Hands.

* Only Opened Hands Can Receive... Closed .. Clenched Hands NEVER can receive...

Jesus' Refusal to condemn her does not mean the excuse for her sinning....
Jesus would not pass sentence/endorse the harsh sentence of the salacious Pharisees - who paraded the woman's shame in public.

What Jesus wrote .... on the ground attracts many interpretations...

Albeit - Jesus bids her give up forever her wrongful/sinful life...

And Jesus .. gives her a 2nd Chance.

Only Luke gives us the Parable of the Good Samaritan - and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. And only Matthew gives us the Parable of the Unforgiving Slave.
Simply put and in Sharp Truth, the Plea for Compassion is Unsurpassed
* If God can forgive us... why can't we do likewise. Be a good example - not to man but to GOD.(Matt 18:35)

Alexandre Dumas "The Count of Monte Christo" tells the story of a wronged man - obsessed with vengeance to right the wrong done him by 4 men.
This story appeals to our sense of justice. But Victor Hugo's "Les Miserable" awakens in us the Sense of Grace. And Grace transforms.

A galley slave of Jean Valjean ... became the mayor of a town. A resurrected Jesus led Peter into Forgiveness .. so that Peter need not go through life with a guilt on his conscience. And on that faith, Christ builds His Church. 

Forgiveness breaks the Cycle of Blame. Forgiveness loosens the Stranglehold of Guilt.

What about addressing the wrong?

Jean Valjean admitted no wrong. Yet the old, kind bishop forgave him - beyond law beyond justice. The magnanimous forgiveness on the part of the old bishop offered Jean Valjean - a 2nd Chance. He became a changed person.

God's 3 Humiliations Man feels it is demeaning - to forgive and insulting to his wounded pride.

Yet God chose to be humiliated... 

1) God became Man - the Incarnation - in Jesus. God chooses to be humiliated. He took on the confines of the physical body - so that He knows what it is like to be tired - to be tempted(Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor 5:19) He is one with us...

2) God shockingly chose the Way of the Cross - suffering the Ignominy, Disgraced death by Crucifixion - reserved for Criminals.

3) God ironically founded the Church; the Church has brought Him shame Who can be proud of the sordid images of the Crusades - Pogroms of the Jews - Slavery -Ku Klux Klan - the Holocaust....etc.

The Earth God Creates sadly seldom sees Him. They know God - often by how they judge us....And like it or not, the Church is God's Humiliation. And like it or not, the Church also is God's Pride... Examine the stories of Noah - Daniel - Abrahasm - Sarah - Joseph ... etc project Pride.

God is not ashamed to be called their God

Take the Bigger Step Beyond  Hitting Back. Getting Even places us below our enemy.  Why stoop to their level.?

Forgiveness sets us above him.



Pastor Edwin Khoo

HOW GOOD PEOPLE CAN GO WRONG?

HOW GOOD PEOPLE CAN GO WRONG?

"...... the Pharisees took counsel how they might entangle Him..."(Matt.22:15)
Why are the Pharisees so bent to put Jesus down?

The Pharisees emerged in Early Jewish History beginning from the Maccabean Revolt of 169-159 BCE.
 

chart/map 1 1(a) 1(b)

The Maccabeans strongly opposed the intrusion of Hellenistic/Greek Culture into Judaism. And very likely also - they saw the Hasmonean Movement of 140 BCE as an opportunity towards National Renewal and the Restoration of the Strict Observance of the Torah.

Old Testament Jewish History spoke of Priests and Scribes - until the Maccabean Period. Thereafter, they broke off.

And each sect became the more distinct. At this point in their history, we learn about the Sadducees and the Pharisees.

* the Sadducees came from the ranks of the Priests; whilst
* the Pharisees came from the Scribes.

Hereafter - the Pharisees became the Legal Custodian of the Torah; whilst
- the Sadducees were the more concerned about Status and Social Standing.


(see the Torah Scroll and the Fragment 2)

Their contrasting traits became the more pronounced during Greek Civilisation and Culture under Alexander the Great.

Strongly opposing any form of Greek Hellenisation, the Pharisees severed their ties with the Maccabeas.

Herein come the Dramatic Point:

* the Pharisees, as a group, became the Champion Exponents of the Torah.
Scribes, professional teachers of the Torah, were Pharisees.

Priests (only some) were Pharisees.

Zealots, extreme fanatics against Rome, were the left wing branch of the Pharisees.

All 4 Gospels depict the Pharisees only when they were in open conflict with Jesus.

The Pharisees were angered by Christ's Note of Authority (Matt 7:29)

Even the common people noted His Authority.

Matters became worse - when Jesus stressed that He came from - and spoke from God.

The Pharisees felt offended. They were men of learning - top scholars of their regime - whilst Jesus was but a village carpenter from Nazareth - a product from their synagogue schools.

Relationships soured up the more when Jesus claimed to be one with God and that no one can embrace God but by Him.

Henceforth, they came to dislike Jesus. If you dislike a person - whatever he does or says - gets twisted to suit your prejudices.

* Jesus' Note of Authority was interpreted - as a blasphemy. "He puts Himself in the place of God"

* Jesus' Note of Universalism - as Traitorism. "This man is not loyal to His own race"

* Jesus' Indifference to some of their Puritanical Ways - as morally dangerous.


Jesus invited Himself  to the home of Zacchaeus.

Only Luke records this strange encounter. And the whole impact of this familiar story lies in that one meeting - Zacchaeus meeting Jesus face to face - over a meal together.

Zacchaeus was determined to see Jesus.

Being short - as well as the massive crowds - he resorted to climbing the Sycamore/wild fig tree. Jesus pointedly came to that spot... And Jesus invited Himself .. to Zaccheus home.

That 'table fellowship'....... redeemed Zaccheus Past; it re-directed Zaccheus Future. The End of the Zaccheus Story - is God's Beginning.

The 'outsider' of being a Publican. Like the Pharisee, the Publican appears only in the Gospels. None at all in the N.T. And they're often linked with sinners - prostitutes - Gentiles.

Jesus' Parable of the Pharisee & the Publican portray significantly and contrastingly their places in the then society.

* the Publican humbly admits his low status whilst
* the Pharisee sarcastically boasts of his respectability - and despising the Publican as an outcast.

Who were the Publicans?

They were native Jews in the provinces of Judea of ancient Rome who 'collect' public taxes for revenue for the hated pagan regime of dictatorial Rome. They set up their 'offices' along the main roads - like the PLUS stops in West Malaysia and the Sea Ports - like Singapore's Jurong Point.

Abuses arose due to the system.

The Roman Senate farm out Direct Taxes to Capitalists - who undertook to put a Given Sum into the Treasury - in publicum.

So great a task .... brought about a Joint Stock Company - with Divisions and Sub Divisions ... down to the  Customhouse Officers. These are the Publicans.

And very often, these publicans - 'pushed' by their superiors in fraudulent actions

* overcharged(Luke 3:13)
* brought false charges of smuggling - then extract 'hush money'(Luke 19:8)

Violence was sometimes used.

It came as no surprise that the Publicans were regarded as traitors and apostates.

They were practically excommunicated.... and Zaccheus was the chief tax collector ... in Jericho. And/Yet Jesus befriended Zaccheus. The Puritanical Pharisees were shocked...


(See photo of the Pharisees.... no. 3)

The problem ... was apparently made worse in Judea - because of the religious element in the National Resistance against Occupied Oppression. 

Zacchaeus had reached the top of his career....; but he was the most hated man then.

Observe the humaness in Jesus: Pity. Kindness - as against the Contempt - Self Righteous of the Pharisees.

* the Law addresses itself to the act..
* Jesus is the more concerned with the thought/heart.

In Les Miserables Drama it was the kindness of a good old bishop which changed Jean Valjean and transformed his life. A galley slave to a town mayor.

To show that he was a changed man... Zacchaeus made compensations - restitutions beyond what was legally necessary. Testimonies are worthless - unless backed by deeds.
 
And what I find most compelling and appropriate is Zacchaeus Iron Determination to regain - the loss of his self-respect.

For all his wealth... Zacchaeus yearned to be treated - even just once - like a human being.

Jesus made the first move(verse 5) - and Zaccheus found his Self-Respect - again.

(Picture of Jericho: See Map no. 4)

Passing through Samaria - a Gentile Territory. 

Because of His growing popularity, crowds - mostly Jews - thronged Jesus.
And Jesus needed a break. In Gentile territory, no Jew would dare follow Jesus.

And this is first time - that Jesus went up North - as reported by the Gospels.
And perchance or by fate - Jesus encountered this outcast and morally depraved of a Samaritan woman.

John 4:1-9 paints someting mysterious about this Samaritan woman. She came to that well at Sychar(v.5) - which was more than half a mile away from Samaria.

.... she was a moral outcast - that even the village women drove her away from the village well.....

And like Zacchaeus - Jesus initiated the first move.
 
Jesus asked her to give Him a drink. She was shocked. "You are a Jew - yet you are asking a drink from one who is an outcast."

What dialogue transpired between a surprised outcast of a Samaritan and a friendly, kind Jewish teacher ... is not reported in detail.

No matter how we rationalise ... we cannot help but 'see' that Jesus is offering to this marginalised outcast of the Samaritan woman

* a Unity in Diversity and
* a New Humanity in the Caring of People.

Here is Love Beyond Limits. Through this Magnanimous Jesus

* Shame is Transformed into a New Triumphant Life
- no longer the Pursuance to Dominant Status Quo but a New Creative Spirit of New Values.

* A New Humanity emerges - leaving behind the Destructive Racial, Religious Barriers that destroy.

The Centuries-Old Feud between Jews & Samaritans

In 720BC the Assyrians invaded Samaria, the Northern Kingdom - and transferred practically the whole population to Media(2 Kings 17:6)

Then the Assyrians brought into Samaria other peoples - from Babylon - Cuthah - Ava - Hamath - Sepharvaim...(2 Kings 17:24)

The minority, left behind, intermarried with the incoming foreigners.
So the Jews of the Northern Kingdom lost their Racial Purity.

Besides... the vast majority transported to Babylon never came back.  They were the Lost Ten Tribes.....

But a Remnant came back. And Foreigners from Syria and Mesopotamia also arrived. Most of these non-Jewish settlers adopted Judaism

- but they recognised only the Pentateuch/the first 5 books of the O.T. - causing Hostility with the Jews.

.... that one encounter - and asking of a drink - and drinking together. Again, no details were given. In all likelihood, the outcast must have unburdened her hurtful and tortured soul to this Stranger from Galilee.

How else would Jesus knew of - her tangled domestic affairs.

* the Samaritan - and a woman at that found in the most unlikely circumstances - a kind heart instead of the critical purity and superiority from a Jew.

* the Samaritan woman opened her heart; she found kindness in His eyes..... Jesus listened with understanding to a sorry story. And Jesus broke through the barriers of Nationality and Jewish custom.



Conclusion: the Great Divide

The proud arrogant Pharisees drove a wedge between themselves and the People of the Land.

Nicknamed 'Separatists' in their Upholding of the Law - they ended up being the Great Divide and giving the Fragrane of Superiority.

Keep reminding yourself..

* the Pharisees were Good People.... yet they present the most terrible illustration in all history of

How Good People Can Go Wrong.


Pastor Edwin Khoo

FIGHTING AILMENTS

    ONION'S  Remarkable Medicinal Traits  

                banishes  ARTHRITIS            reduces  BLOOD CLOTTING     
              
         lessens  BRONCHIAL CONGESTION *       resist  CANCER        clears  BAD COMPLEXION#

               cures  COMMON COLD       eases  CONGESTION  in  Airways   

                      arrests  CONTAGION  during Epidemic%

                      remedy from  DOG BITES#       benefits  DIGESTIVE TRACT      improves  EYE SIGHT

                                    induces  HAIR GROWTH#       relieves  HYPERTENSION

      *  Chewing
      #  Apply the Juice 
     %  Place slices around

The C.A.R. EXERCISE REGIMEN to Complete Physical Fitness.

No one exercise or sports alone can give Total Physical Fitness.  

C ore - A erobics - Resistance = C.A.R. 

Exercise Programme provides a Balanced, Effective Programme and a High Level of Efficiency for the Whole Body.

The CORE 
Our Core Muscles run the length and breadth of our trunk and torso. They control our various movements in various directions - whilst we are standing.  Hence, the stronger the core
the more weight it can move with our arms, legs etc.






Core Strength Exercises help
* strengthen our trunk
* support our body weight.
Hence, it is essential that we work on our Core Muscles first before the legs and arms.

Types of Core Exercises
Circling of Arms - Torso Circling - Lifting of Legs - Push-Ups - V Sets - Squats - Back Bridge - Hip Lift - Oblique Twists - Pull Ups - Dips.

Benefits of Core Exercises
- distributes effectively the stresses of weight bearing - protects the back - improves our balance and stability - reduces back pain - improves postural imbalance and athletic performance - functional fitness.

AEROBICS 
Aerobics are exercise movements, especially those of the legs, that are Repetitive Rhythmic.  Performed with Sufficient Duration, Aerobics stimulate the heart and lungs. Our Cardiovascular System is 'challenged' to steadily supply oxygen to our exercising muscles - whilst the exercise is progressing.

Stair Climbing 
Do this for Faster Results and in Shorter Time.
When we climb stairs our muscles are forced
- to resist the Gravity Pull and
- to move on to a Vertical Pattern.
This places high demands on the lower body and leg muscles.  We are forced repeatedly to lift the body against the pull of gravity.

Ultimately, we burn twice the fat in half the time compared to running/walking on flat surfaces.

Benefits of Stair Climbing
Very Effectively - it lowers Blood Pressure.  My BP constantly reads between 120/80 and 110/65.

"When we go up Our blood pressure comes down" holds true.

Secondly - it counters against Atherosclerosis by increasing blood flow and oxygen intake through the arteries.

There is a relationship between Age and Fitness Level and the Highest Heart Rate. As one ages, his maximal heart rate would also become lower.  Hence Aerobic Fitness must be performed within our own Target Zone.  Every Park has a sign board explaining How to Measure the Target Zone.

Edwin's Target Zone:
He is 83. His maximum heart rate should be:
- the maximum human heart rate of 200 minus his age of 83 equals 137.
His minimum intensity level 70% of 137 equals 96 beats per minute.
His maximum intensity level 85% of 137 equals 116 beats per minute.

Edwin's Target Zone should be Minimum = 96 beats per minute
Maximum = 116 beats per minute.
Any reading below or above/outside my Target Zone does not benefit me .. I'll be asking for trouble - if outside...

RESISTANCE EXERCISES;
TYPES: Pushing - Pulling - Dipping - Bending

BENEFITS:
- build muscles - help develop strong bones - reduce body fat - increase lean muscle mass - replace 'lost' muscles of the aged - increase bone mineral density, especially of the spine - reduces risk of Osteoporosis.

USEFUL TIPS
# Pursue ... with High Intensive Training - Push Yourself.
Do around 10 to 20 reps per set x 3 or more sets for your Core and Resistance Exercises.

# Rest your Muscles. Tired muscles need to recover.  Muscles only grow when at rest - and not whilst training.
- Either have Rest Days on certain days or
- Rotate Alternately by working on Different Muscle Groups or different days.

My Inter-Mix C.A.R. Workouts take me about 60 minutes:
Core x 15 - Aerobics x 30 - Resistance x 15.
Once a sportsman and a top athlete, I fell and fractured my vertebrae column. I could not walk for 4 months.

Doctors gave me limited mobility.. But I decided otherwise. I experimented with C.A.R. - since the beginning of 2010... Today .. people - especially the ladies - would stop me and ask the secret to my strong and sturdy body.

C.A.R. can give you
- a Healthy Heart and
- a Beautiful Body.


EDWIN KHOO