King Herod was arresting Christians with the intention of persecuting them. He had arrested Peter, but postponed subsequent actions because of the Passover season.
Meanwhile, the church was meeting secretly praying for Peter.
Suddenly, an angel appeared in prison. He told Peter to put on his sandals, and then led him out of the prison.
Peter thought he was dreaming until he was truly out of the prison vicinity and the angel had left him. As he realised what was happening, he quickly went to the house of Mary.
The people praying were truly surprised to find Peter, but rejoiced to see his salvation.
For more information:
Acts 12:1-19
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Chinese New Year
There was once a ferocious dragon called Nian. It used torment the people of China, so the people were afraid of it.
A wise old man came up with a brilliant idea to help the people overcome their fear. He told them to work together, beat their gongs and drums and set of fireworks. The loud noises can scare away the dragon.
His plan worked. The dragon was scared away.
The people of China continue to celebrate their victory of salvation by lighting firecrackers and beating gongs and drums during Chinese New Year.
For more information:
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa010900a.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian
A wise old man came up with a brilliant idea to help the people overcome their fear. He told them to work together, beat their gongs and drums and set of fireworks. The loud noises can scare away the dragon.
His plan worked. The dragon was scared away.
The people of China continue to celebrate their victory of salvation by lighting firecrackers and beating gongs and drums during Chinese New Year.
For more information:
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa010900a.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian
Friday, January 18, 2013
Trojan Horse
Paris, a prince of Troy, took Helen, the wife of Menelaus to be his wife. This naturally enraged Menelaus, who then strove to reclaim his wife. This started a war between the Trojans and the Greeks.
In trying to penetrate the city of Troy, Odysseus came up with a brilliant idea. (Some claim it was with the help of the Goddess Athena.) A wooden horse was built. Some of the elite of the Greek army hid in its belly. The rest of the army dragged the horse to the wall of the city, and then sailed away.
The Trojans thought that the Greeks had sailed away, leaving the horse as a gift. They wheeled the horse into the city.
Later, under the cover of night, the Greeks came out from the belly of the horse and opened the city gates. This allowed the rest of the Greek army, who had sailed back, to go in and attack Troy in order to save Helen.
For more information:
http://www.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Horse
In trying to penetrate the city of Troy, Odysseus came up with a brilliant idea. (Some claim it was with the help of the Goddess Athena.) A wooden horse was built. Some of the elite of the Greek army hid in its belly. The rest of the army dragged the horse to the wall of the city, and then sailed away.
The Trojans thought that the Greeks had sailed away, leaving the horse as a gift. They wheeled the horse into the city.
Later, under the cover of night, the Greeks came out from the belly of the horse and opened the city gates. This allowed the rest of the Greek army, who had sailed back, to go in and attack Troy in order to save Helen.
For more information:
http://www.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Horse
Monday, January 14, 2013
Superman
The planet Krypton exploded. A little baby called Kal-El, who was sent to Earth by his father, Jor-El, just in time, before the explosion. Kal-El is Krypton's only survivor ... (at least, until a few other characters came to be included).
Kal-El is discovered by a couple of kind Kansas farmers, who came to adopt him and raise him up as their son. Through this, Kal-El gains good moral values and gains a human identity as Clark Kent.
As the son of a brilliant scientist of Krypton, Clark is quite a smart person. His mild mannered nature also hides away the fact that the Earth's environment is different from Krypton's, and he actually has powers beyond what normal humans have. Clark puts on a costume that he made, with an "S" insignia on the chest, made from cloth that came from his home planet, when he assumes this super identity, as "Superman". (Or "Superboy" during his younger years.)
Superman uses his powers to save the USA and the Earth on his course of doing good deeds on his host planet.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman
http://www.dccomics.com/superman
Kal-El is discovered by a couple of kind Kansas farmers, who came to adopt him and raise him up as their son. Through this, Kal-El gains good moral values and gains a human identity as Clark Kent.
As the son of a brilliant scientist of Krypton, Clark is quite a smart person. His mild mannered nature also hides away the fact that the Earth's environment is different from Krypton's, and he actually has powers beyond what normal humans have. Clark puts on a costume that he made, with an "S" insignia on the chest, made from cloth that came from his home planet, when he assumes this super identity, as "Superman". (Or "Superboy" during his younger years.)
Superman uses his powers to save the USA and the Earth on his course of doing good deeds on his host planet.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman
http://www.dccomics.com/superman
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Esther
King Xerxes of Persia married a second time to Esther, a Jewess. Esther had a cousin called Mordecai. Mordecai would often sit at the king's gates.
At one stage, Mordecai overheard a couple of people plotting to kill the king. He passed on what he heard, and the assassins were arrested before their conspiracy could be executed.
At another stage, Haman, one of King Xerxes trusted ministers, who was quite vain, wanted to be honoured and the king granted him this. Everybody would bow to Haman on that special day, except for Mordecai. Haman felt angry at this, and wanted Mordecai executed for the offense.
This plot then grew bigger, as Haman's friends advised that the whole Jewish community could be penalised for the offense; not just Mordecai. Mordecai managed to persuade the king on this idea.
Word was passed through to Esther, who worried about what she could do. Nobody could approach the king except when the king calls for it, or grants permission. However, Mordecai persuaded his cousin to try.
While Esther was contemplating this, King Xerxes had a restless night, and called for the chronicles of his kingdom to be read to him. When he came to realise that Mordecai had not yet been honoured for the failed assassination attempt, the king asked Haman what he could do. Haman's advise resulted in him running before Mordecai to bring him honour.
Esther later plucked up her courage, and when granted audience with the king, told him of her plight, if the plan to kill all the Jews would take place. The king quickly reversed his previous edict, had Haman hanged, and granted the Jews the permission to defend themselves.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther
Esther
At one stage, Mordecai overheard a couple of people plotting to kill the king. He passed on what he heard, and the assassins were arrested before their conspiracy could be executed.
At another stage, Haman, one of King Xerxes trusted ministers, who was quite vain, wanted to be honoured and the king granted him this. Everybody would bow to Haman on that special day, except for Mordecai. Haman felt angry at this, and wanted Mordecai executed for the offense.
This plot then grew bigger, as Haman's friends advised that the whole Jewish community could be penalised for the offense; not just Mordecai. Mordecai managed to persuade the king on this idea.
Word was passed through to Esther, who worried about what she could do. Nobody could approach the king except when the king calls for it, or grants permission. However, Mordecai persuaded his cousin to try.
While Esther was contemplating this, King Xerxes had a restless night, and called for the chronicles of his kingdom to be read to him. When he came to realise that Mordecai had not yet been honoured for the failed assassination attempt, the king asked Haman what he could do. Haman's advise resulted in him running before Mordecai to bring him honour.
Esther later plucked up her courage, and when granted audience with the king, told him of her plight, if the plan to kill all the Jews would take place. The king quickly reversed his previous edict, had Haman hanged, and granted the Jews the permission to defend themselves.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther
Esther
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The flood
The world was sinful. God decided to drown it through a flood. However, He chose to spare one family.
That family was Noah's. God told him to build an ark. Noah spent years doing this. He was probably ridiculed for his work because the world has not experienced rain or flood before. But Noah chose to believe in God and continued to build.
When the time came, God sent to Noah a representative collection of all kinds of animals. From the humans, Noah, his sons and their wives were saved in the ark. The skies and the fountains in the sea broke after that, but God closed the door of the ark after the creatures that were to be saved were inside.
After a long time, the rain stopped and the waters receded. The ark landed on Mt Ararat. Noah knew when it was saved to come out of the ark when a dove he sent out brought back an olive branch.
Noah burned a sacrifice to God when he emerged from the ark. God made a promise that He would not flood the world again. The rainbow is the sign of this promise.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_Ark
Genesis 6-9
That family was Noah's. God told him to build an ark. Noah spent years doing this. He was probably ridiculed for his work because the world has not experienced rain or flood before. But Noah chose to believe in God and continued to build.
When the time came, God sent to Noah a representative collection of all kinds of animals. From the humans, Noah, his sons and their wives were saved in the ark. The skies and the fountains in the sea broke after that, but God closed the door of the ark after the creatures that were to be saved were inside.
After a long time, the rain stopped and the waters receded. The ark landed on Mt Ararat. Noah knew when it was saved to come out of the ark when a dove he sent out brought back an olive branch.
Noah burned a sacrifice to God when he emerged from the ark. God made a promise that He would not flood the world again. The rainbow is the sign of this promise.
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_Ark
Genesis 6-9
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Joseph
Joseph was a son of Israel. He had 11 brothers.
Most of his brothers despised him since he was the most loved of their father, since he is the firstborn of the wife that he loved the most.
Joseph also had a couple of dreams that made him out to be the lord over the rest of his family. He told his family of these dreams.
Because of the two reasons above, Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him. However, an act of grace got him sold as a slave in Egypt instead.
Circumstances in Egypt put Joseph in prison, and then brought him out of prison to become the Prime Minister of the land. Because of God-given wisdom, management skills and the ability to understand dreams, Joseph was able to save up grain during the years when Egypt had abundant harvests so that they would have some left during the years of famine.
Joseph set up a taxation system in Egypt that eventually had all the Egyptians sell their property and themselves to the Pharaoh. His father and brothers eventually needed food during the years of famine. Joseph was able to provide for these needs. His conclusion on the matter was that
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28son_of_Jacob%29
Genesis 37-46
Most of his brothers despised him since he was the most loved of their father, since he is the firstborn of the wife that he loved the most.
Joseph also had a couple of dreams that made him out to be the lord over the rest of his family. He told his family of these dreams.
Because of the two reasons above, Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him. However, an act of grace got him sold as a slave in Egypt instead.
Circumstances in Egypt put Joseph in prison, and then brought him out of prison to become the Prime Minister of the land. Because of God-given wisdom, management skills and the ability to understand dreams, Joseph was able to save up grain during the years when Egypt had abundant harvests so that they would have some left during the years of famine.
Joseph set up a taxation system in Egypt that eventually had all the Egyptians sell their property and themselves to the Pharaoh. His father and brothers eventually needed food during the years of famine. Joseph was able to provide for these needs. His conclusion on the matter was that
For more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28son_of_Jacob%29
Genesis 37-46
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