Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Luke8:9-10
His disciples asked him what this parable might mean, and he said, "The mysteries of the kingdom of God are revealed to you; for the rest there are only parables, so that they may see but not perceive, listen but not understand."
Jesus speaks about the kingdom of god reveal to us in many different ways. Here, it is revealed through the parables. But, what Jesus is trying to say is, He reveals the Kingdom to you, what are you doing? "They may see but not perceive" Jesus shows you the kingdom... or the way, mysteries of the kingdom... but we see and not care about it... are we aware? "you do not know the day nor the hour" are we preparing ourselves? "listen but no understand" same in this context... the kingdom of God is revealed in another form... but yet! do we understand? do we prepare ourselves for the kingdom.... the many revelations of the kingdom... do we listen and understand it? do we see and perceive it?
prepare for you do not know the day nor the hour.
Amen
Feel Lonely @Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Well... indeed we can say... life is difficult... even Jesus did not say otherwise... life is difficult if we dont acknoweldge the difficulties of life... walk by the road lest travelled.... even with the pain and suffering, there is God awaiting us... if we dont acknowledge difficulties... means we dont acknowledge life... if we dont acknowledge life... then we will be miserable because we dont live... but if we acknowledge difficulties... means we acknowledge life.... and if we acknowledge life.. we will live life... and then we will walk towards God... where you will find eternal life...
Feel Lonely @Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Matthew7:1-5
'Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother "Let me take the splinter out of your eye", when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.'
In this Gospel, it is stated very clearly that we are not to judge. But aren't the judges suppose to judge? Here, Jesus speaks about condemning someone, judging someone when even we have ourselves a point worthy of condemnation, greater than the ones we condemn... Sometimes we can judge someone... Very commonly.. "eeeeeee!Disgusting!" "so vain" "so lame" "so gay!" "so old fashion" and many other discriminations... But do we realise that we ourselves are falling short of the glory of God? Do we realise we are having ourselves a point worthy of discriminations? Don't judge! For judges, judge with justice as though God be judging... Don't condemn... And for others... Do we have the right to judge others? God sees the heart... Do we have any right to judge a person by his looks? His actions? His appearance? No! As you judge, so God will judge you... With a far greater serious judgment... So reflect first.... Are we judging? Are we discriminating? We may not be saying... But our actions.... Are we avoiding someone?
IF we see that splinter in our brother's or sister's eyes, reflect first if we have a plank in our own.... Remove it, then help that brother or sister with his/her splinter
Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye
Amen
Feel Lonely @Thursday, August 19, 2004
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Luke 5:27-32
When he went out after this, he noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, stating by the customs house and said to him, 'Follow me'. And leaving everything he got up and followed him.
In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus said to them in reply, 'It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.'
Now, Jesus called a tax collector. Not a priest, not a scribe, not a teacher, but a tax collector... One of the most hated people during his time. So here we see Jesus, calling... Not the president... Not the holy... But a sinner! So if we think that we are not worthy of Christ because we are sinners, he called sinners! And in fact! It is his specialty! He even talked to prostitutes. He looks for anyone lost and calls them.i'm not saying we shouldn't be holy, we shouldn't strive to be good, we should! But if we have fallen short of the glory of God, Jesus still calls us back. Neither am I asking you to start moving to your sinful ways and then return to him because he is ever forgiving. We must strive to be good. To always be by his side.
when Jesus said Follow me, the tax collector Left everything and followed. How many of us do that? Or even so, how many of us listen to him saying "follow me"? And if we listen... Do we follow him? And if we decide to... Do we leave everything behind like the tax collector did? Do we? Or do we say "yes! But I want this, I want that, I want to say this, I want to say that, I must be able to do this, I must be able to do that, I must have this, I must have that..... "And the list goes on... We must be like the tax collector! Just get up... Go! Jesus will look after you... Just Go! Let Go! Go!
'It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.' Here, Jesus states his reason. It is true that those who are well need not need a doctor. Jesus comes to save the lost, the sick etc. If you are not, then you have been saved. He doesn't mean he doesn't care about the well. He cares! But since you are in union with him, he does not need to call you. He looks for the sinners, the lost, the lonely, the downcast, etc. To call them back to his side and they shall be saved. And they need not need to be called again because they are also in unison with Jesus.
So! When we hear his voice, do we turn away? Do we follow him? And if we do... Do we stop to reason? Or do we just go? Do we think we are unworthy of him?
Amen.
God love you.
Feel Lonely @Saturday, August 14, 2004
