My Sunday Scripture 2009.11.1
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Matthew 5:1-12a
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My Reading Notes:
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Who Are the Blessed?
Those are the people who stand in the front of the current, to carry out
the will of God. The others are of 2 categories:
those who are poor, are meek, and are mourning: these are the lambs.
those who are merciful and are longing for rigeteousness and are fighting for it in a peaceful and a clean way: these are the caretakers of the lambs.
2009年10月30日 星期五
2009年10月24日 星期六
Seek, and ye shall find
They reached Jericho; and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus -- that is, the son of Timaeus -- a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.'
And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'
Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him here.' So they called the blind man over. 'Courage,' they said, 'get up; he is calling you.'
So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.
Then Jesus spoke, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'Rabbuni, let me see again.'
Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has saved you.' And at once his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
Saint Mark 10:46-52
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My Reading Notes:
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Many a time you would come across such sayings, that this
is a time of NO miracles. They would tell you: DO NOT
expect miracles.
I can tell you in the name of Jesus Christ, those are
false prophets.
There are miracles everywhere.
All those seek in their own faith, shall find what
they want.
And every one who worked hard, had found what they
were expected to find. All those fought hard, will
win. There are no failure for the fighters. You
could achieve something always.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.'
And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'
Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him here.' So they called the blind man over. 'Courage,' they said, 'get up; he is calling you.'
So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.
Then Jesus spoke, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'Rabbuni, let me see again.'
Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has saved you.' And at once his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
Saint Mark 10:46-52
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
Many a time you would come across such sayings, that this
is a time of NO miracles. They would tell you: DO NOT
expect miracles.
I can tell you in the name of Jesus Christ, those are
false prophets.
There are miracles everywhere.
All those seek in their own faith, shall find what
they want.
And every one who worked hard, had found what they
were expected to find. All those fought hard, will
win. There are no failure for the fighters. You
could achieve something always.
2009年10月17日 星期六
To Serve and Not To be Served
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.18
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. 'Master,' they said to him, 'We want you to do us a favour.'
36 He said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'
37 They said to him, 'Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.'
38 But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I shall drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I shall be baptised?'
39 They replied, 'We can.' Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I shall drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I shall be baptised you shall be baptised,
40 but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.'
41 When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John,
42 so Jesus called them to him and said to them, 'You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt.
43 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all.
45 For the Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Saint Mark 10:35-45
My Reading Notes:
This is the most important teaching about life.
Every life on earth has a purpose, and that is to serve.
Each and every life on earth has the same purpose. Even
a grass, a flower, a tree.... they are all the same,
they come to serve others. The whole of the universe
are linked up in this way.
The difference is whether we as a man know it or not.
If you can know this, if you can know that your own
life has a purpose itself, and your own life is
actually going to serve as a "server" and if you can
see that point, and if you are conscious about that,
then you can better make use of your life. Because,
you had put in your own effort as a conscious mind.
You had doubled your life force, as you had put your
self into it.
35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached him. 'Master,' they said to him, 'We want you to do us a favour.'
36 He said to them, 'What is it you want me to do for you?'
37 They said to him, 'Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.'
38 But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I shall drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I shall be baptised?'
39 They replied, 'We can.' Jesus said to them, 'The cup that I shall drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I shall be baptised you shall be baptised,
40 but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.'
41 When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John,
42 so Jesus called them to him and said to them, 'You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt.
43 Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant,
44 and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all.
45 For the Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Saint Mark 10:35-45
My Reading Notes:
This is the most important teaching about life.
Every life on earth has a purpose, and that is to serve.
Each and every life on earth has the same purpose. Even
a grass, a flower, a tree.... they are all the same,
they come to serve others. The whole of the universe
are linked up in this way.
The difference is whether we as a man know it or not.
If you can know this, if you can know that your own
life has a purpose itself, and your own life is
actually going to serve as a "server" and if you can
see that point, and if you are conscious about that,
then you can better make use of your life. Because,
you had put in your own effort as a conscious mind.
You had doubled your life force, as you had put your
self into it.
2009年10月9日 星期五
How Much Should I Give God?
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.11
17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'
20 And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.'
21 Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
22 But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'
24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them, 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In that case, who can be saved?'
27 Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'
28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'
29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Saint Mark 10:17-30
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My Reading Notes:
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If I say, I will give 10%, then I have surely missed the point.
Jesus is not bargaining with us. Jesus is not asking us to give another 10% or more.
Jesus is teaching us the theory about life.
Jesus had said in other occasion: Those give up life for me will gain life.
If the young man did give up all his money, he may find the line a little puzzle: He will ask himself: Shall I give up my life after I had given up all my money?
And the ansewer is yes.
And now we had come to the point: What is the meaning of life.
A life is a life to use. Just like a candle is for burning.
To give up life means one is willing to use up his life in a meaningful course.
If a candle isnt burning, then the candle IS NOT a living candle.
If we are not burning, we ARE NOT living.
And that is the important point here: Those give up life for me will gain life.
(MT 10:39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.)
17 He was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, 'Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
18 Jesus said to him, 'Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not give false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'
20 And he said to him, 'Master, I have kept all these since my earliest days.'
21 Jesus looked steadily at him and he was filled with love for him, and he said, 'You need to do one thing more. Go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.'
22 But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.
23 Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'
24 The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, 'My children,' he said to them, 'how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.'
26 They were more astonished than ever, saying to one another, 'In that case, who can be saved?'
27 Jesus gazed at them and said, 'By human resources it is impossible, but not for God: because for God everything is possible.'
28 Peter took this up. 'Look,' he said to him, 'we have left everything and followed you.'
29 Jesus said, 'In truth I tell you, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
30 who will not receive a hundred times as much, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land -- and persecutions too -- now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.
Saint Mark 10:17-30
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My Reading Notes:
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If I say, I will give 10%, then I have surely missed the point.
Jesus is not bargaining with us. Jesus is not asking us to give another 10% or more.
Jesus is teaching us the theory about life.
Jesus had said in other occasion: Those give up life for me will gain life.
If the young man did give up all his money, he may find the line a little puzzle: He will ask himself: Shall I give up my life after I had given up all my money?
And the ansewer is yes.
And now we had come to the point: What is the meaning of life.
A life is a life to use. Just like a candle is for burning.
To give up life means one is willing to use up his life in a meaningful course.
If a candle isnt burning, then the candle IS NOT a living candle.
If we are not burning, we ARE NOT living.
And that is the important point here: Those give up life for me will gain life.
(MT 10:39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.)
2009年10月3日 星期六
hardness of your hearts
My Sunday Scripture 2009.10.4.
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
SaintMark 10:2-16
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My Reading Notes:
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"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment......"
Divorce is the worse thing in the 21st century. It is the downturn of the human nature. If there is no law to allow people to divorce, then people will handle their marriage more carefully. And this is a topic discussed by too many and nothing positive have come up so far. However, if we could aware to the hardness of our hearts, we might choose a better option for our marriage.
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, "Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?" They were testing him. He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?" They replied, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her." But Jesus told them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
SaintMark 10:2-16
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My Reading Notes:
------------------
"Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment......"
Divorce is the worse thing in the 21st century. It is the downturn of the human nature. If there is no law to allow people to divorce, then people will handle their marriage more carefully. And this is a topic discussed by too many and nothing positive have come up so far. However, if we could aware to the hardness of our hearts, we might choose a better option for our marriage.
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