Today, I read Mark 10 -12. Feel that there is so much to absorb from New Testament! So many things to think about, to talk about, etc.

Okay here goes.

Mark 10 
Divorce
Jesus addressed the issue of divorce and how Moses had set the law in place that time was because the people's heart were hardened. But Jesus said that whoever divorces his/her wife/husband for another woman/man, is committing adultery towards his/her ex-wife/ex-husband. Haha this sentence is confusing to read.

Little children and Jesus
People were bringing little children to Jesus but then the disciples rebuked them. Jesus felt indignant and said this: "... anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

This struck me. I feel that when children trust in someone (like their mom or dad) they do not doubt that person. Their trust is complete.

Lord, today it is my prayer that both joel and i will learn to trust in You like little children. In Jesus name, amen!


The rich young man
Talks about how this rich young man goes to Jesus and told Him how he has followed all the commandments in the scriptures. But yet when Jesus told him to sell away his possessions and give to the poor, he didn't obey.

I feel that sometimes in our world, we base everything on like what we have, money and all these kinda things.
But God is saying that there is much more than that.

Jesus predicts his own death
Scary thing for Jesus to do :(

Request of James and John
To sit at the right hand and left hand of Jesus. But Jesus answered that this decision was not up to Him. By this, He is acknowledging to them both that there is someone greater than Him up there. God the Father!
Trinity is a difficult concept that I still find hard to grasp. But well, His ways are higher!

And in vs 43 Jesus said: "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant."

And it reminds me of one of the lessons that we taught the children in children church. About acts of service to others. Like how we ought to learn from Jesus' example, how He put others before Himself, etc,

Blind Bartimaeus recieves sight. 
Bartimaeus is quite thickskinned in some sense. When he heard Jesus was entering town, he kept shouting for him. Even though people around him rebuked him, he continued to shout to Jesus. And Jesus upon hearing him, healed him.

I think what amazes me about Bartimaeus is that he can't see. He doesn't know how Jesus look like (you know how everyone base things on first impressions) and he can't even see where he is. But he just continues to shout and shout for Jesus. (I think he must have heard alot of exciting things that Jesus was doing) And it just struck me how his faith was in something he could not see. Reminds me of Hebrews 11:1.

Today, let's have faith like Bartimaeus. (blind faith in some sense) haha Although we can't see the future, let's trust that God has a plan for us (for you at work) and that our parents are coming to know Him as their personal Lord and Saviour.

Mark 11
The Triumphal Entry
Palm Sunday. Very magnificent sight. People were spreading cloaks on the ground so that the donkey that Jesus was riding on had some sorta red carpet! JESUS ROCK STAR! YOU ROCK MY LIFE!

Jesus clears the temple
cos people were selling things in the temple where its supposed to be a place of worship. They turning the temple into a market and Jesus was very angry (i think it's from another account - either John, Luke, Matthew that describe Jesus whipping the ground/tables)

The withered fig tree
Earlier, Jesus cursed a fig tree cos it bore no fruit. Then the next day, the tree withered (machiam fringe)
Okay I like vs 24 and 25 here (:

24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prater, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

This reminds me of what you have learnt today. Jiayou jiayou jiayou!

Authority of Jesus questioned
by the chief priests and pharisees. By now, they really don't like Jesus. They went up to Him and questioned "by whose authourity are you doing all these things?" And Jesus asked if they believed in John the Baptist's Baptism. (whether its from heaven or from men) They couldn't answer the question (fickle minded people) cos they wanted to say heaven (but then Jesus would ask "then why don't you believe him?) or from men (but they were afriad the crowd would tekan them cos the crowd believes in John)

So they answered I don't know.
So Jesus gave best answer: " Neither will I tell you by whose authority I am doing these things."
WA JESUS SO ZAI

Mark 12
Parable of the tenants 
you should read it. very difficult to type here. But its a parable against the chief priest and pharisees.
So they angry and want to arrest Jesus.

Paying taxes to Caesar
As I said, they want to arrest Jesus so they find all sorts of ways to trap Jesus.
Like they asked HIm whether they should pay taxes to Caesar. Then again Jesus answer very ZAI
He said "Give to Caesar's what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"

I believe in this passage Jesus tells us to submit to authority. (and this is also what you have learnt today)
Be it the gahmen, our parents, our leaders or whoever, God has placed these people in our lives for a reason.

Marriage at resurrection
Greatest commandment
my fave (: Mark 12:30
the 2nd is love your neighbour as yourself.

whose son is Christ
Widow's offering


okay finito.

No judging please!

Before I started my qt today, I was just reminded of how David spared Saul's life not once but twice in 1 Sam. I mean, here is a king sending everyone out to bring David back dead or alive, yet, when David had 2 clear opportunities to behead Saul, he didn't! How noble is David! I'll never forget the reason David gave,

1 Sam 26:9
9 “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one?

It constantly made me realised that I should stop judging people, especially when it comes to commenting on drummers on the worship stage.
who am I to judge who is good enough to serve God when they are the ones who initiated in the first place

Now, to my qt today. 2 Sam 1-3

hmmm, basically, Saul's army (soldiers in Israel) led by Abner was going to war with David's army (soldiers from Judah) led by Joab. And from what I read today, the fights were initiated generally by the commands of Abner and Joab. If they said fight, means fight. If they said rest, means rest. If they said only let 12 men fight, means only 12 men fight (2:15).

It just made me wonder, here are 2 men with the control of the armies, and they could have easily prevented bloodshed if they had decided not to fight. I felt Joab was not in keeping with David's belief of sparing 'the Lord's anointed' since Joab defeated the Israelites later. He could have just walked away from battle when he met Abner or just simply reject Abner's war proposal.
It also made me thought of another question, am I submitting enough to my leaders/elders/parents? Or am I jsut turning a deaf ear to them like what Joab did to David's advice?

hmmmmm...something to think about.