I realize that as a Christian, I should be more hospitable to service people in my home.
Today, a water inspections guy came to my house and he was around for at least 1.5 hour, but I did not offer him a single glass of water or even a drink! After he left, I didn't feel very comfortable about it as I felt that I wasn't thinking on behalf of others. It would be nice if I offered him a drink. But why didn't I?
I thought about it and realized that I was a little irritated by the inconvenience this inspections has brought me. I can't be free at home, I have to give him space to do his work and yet ensure that my home is secure from any petty theft, I didn't know that he was going to take that long, and I was hungry and thirsty but him being there in the kitchen and not making any conversation with me (and vice versa) made me less inclined to be hospitable.
Ah. But a Christian should be hospitable and kind to live a life of good testimony for Jesus!
Ok, I will change. I will at least ask if they will like a drink.
Xoxo
Monday, 28 September 2015
Sunday, 27 September 2015
His unfailing love continues forever
"For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation."
Psalms 100:5 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.100.5.nlt
I am heartened today to read this verse as it reminds me of how faithful God is to me and my family.
My dad told me that my Gung Gung's mother, my great grandma, was a Christian when she lived. And she was one of the first Christians in Tekong, I think it's either her or another relative in China who brought the other to Christ. Something happened there, and as a result, my Gung Gung believes in Christ and my dad and his siblings were brought up with knowledge of Jesus.
And because of this, my dad brought us to church for the first time when I was 10 years old. Even though my mum used to avoid beef and pray in the temples, and was superstitious, our family was slowly converted and we did not stop attending church.
I thank God for my Great Grandma and whoever spread the gospel to her, it was she who brought my Gung Gung to Christ, and subsequently my Dad, and then me and my family. I thank God that His unfailing love endures forever and His faithfulness continues to each generation. I pray that my nephew and all our descendants will continue to be brought up knowing and loving Jesus.
Thank you Lord for your faithfulness. All honour and praise to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Psalms 100:5 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.100.5.nlt
I am heartened today to read this verse as it reminds me of how faithful God is to me and my family.
My dad told me that my Gung Gung's mother, my great grandma, was a Christian when she lived. And she was one of the first Christians in Tekong, I think it's either her or another relative in China who brought the other to Christ. Something happened there, and as a result, my Gung Gung believes in Christ and my dad and his siblings were brought up with knowledge of Jesus.
And because of this, my dad brought us to church for the first time when I was 10 years old. Even though my mum used to avoid beef and pray in the temples, and was superstitious, our family was slowly converted and we did not stop attending church.
I thank God for my Great Grandma and whoever spread the gospel to her, it was she who brought my Gung Gung to Christ, and subsequently my Dad, and then me and my family. I thank God that His unfailing love endures forever and His faithfulness continues to each generation. I pray that my nephew and all our descendants will continue to be brought up knowing and loving Jesus.
Thank you Lord for your faithfulness. All honour and praise to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Kindness in hospitality
It was a cold and rainy day today, what Londoners would call a dreadful day. Awful.
Some people came to my house today to move waste materials & boxes away for us after the unpacking. There was a roundish man with a gentle tone who came by my house and I could see dampness in his hair and jacket. He was commenting on how dreadful the rain is, in a rare gentle voice of a man. And I felt so sorry for him because he looked like a kind and gentle persons
But I didn't act. And when I went out later on to buy groceries, I felt the cold and was thinking of how nice it would be to be in a warm cafe drinking something hot.
Looking back on today and reading the scripture verses for today (see below), I would want to act differently next time. I could have shown kindness to these workers by offering them a cup of hot drink on such a cold and wet day as this.
So that as Christians, we can shine like stars in the sky... in a world of unbelievers.
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky..."(Philippians 2:14-15 NIVUK)
Some people came to my house today to move waste materials & boxes away for us after the unpacking. There was a roundish man with a gentle tone who came by my house and I could see dampness in his hair and jacket. He was commenting on how dreadful the rain is, in a rare gentle voice of a man. And I felt so sorry for him because he looked like a kind and gentle persons
But I didn't act. And when I went out later on to buy groceries, I felt the cold and was thinking of how nice it would be to be in a warm cafe drinking something hot.
Looking back on today and reading the scripture verses for today (see below), I would want to act differently next time. I could have shown kindness to these workers by offering them a cup of hot drink on such a cold and wet day as this.
So that as Christians, we can shine like stars in the sky... in a world of unbelievers.
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky..."(Philippians 2:14-15 NIVUK)
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
Mark 1:17 - My Word Study
"And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.'"
- Mark 1:17 (ESV)
My interpretation of the verse:
1) God initiates. God is active, not passive! Jesus makes the first move to speak to us.
2) We are the chosen. Jesus chose us, we are the "them". Jesus chose to speak to us, he asks us to follow him.
3) But we have to react, we have the free will to choose whether to listen to His calling to follow Him.
4) Follow what? Follow Jesus. There is a clear direction!
5) Jesus becomes our leader. Jesus is a leader.
5) There is a promise in the "and I will...". When we follow Jesus and let Him lead us, something will happen!
6) A Transformation happens. When we follow Jesus, we will be made to "become". This means that we will be transformed to "become" something.
7) Jesus has power! The part "and I will make you.." shows that Jesus has the power to transform us. But before that, we must choose to follow Him and let Him lead us.
8) The transformation is specific, it is to make us "become fishers of men". In the biblical context when this was written, Jesus was speaking to fishermen and so this is written in a language and imagery that fishermen of that time can understand.
To become fishers of men will mean that instead of catching fishes (that's what a fisherman does), we will 'catch' people. Not in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense, catching people's hearts, minds and souls.
9) When we are transformed, we will be able to attract others to Jesus. We will be able to win hearts and minds for Jesus through our new life! Through the way we live and our testimony on this earth. :-)
There is a concept of discipleship in here where we will make disciples for Jesus. In the bible we know that this is our great commission in the world.
10) Note that Jesus did not promise riches and wealth. He did not promise the fishermen that they can catch more fishes (no mention of financial return), but He promised that when they are transformed they will be able to capture the hearts, minds and souls of men.
11) It is interesting to note that Jesus speaks to each of us in a way where can understand.
When he spoke to fishermen (who are probably uneducated, working class), he described their transformation as to become "fishers of men". The same applies today and forevermore, Jesus speaks to us individually in ways that we can understand.
12) Yet... Not everyone who are chosen will be transformed.
Even though Jesus has spoken to many, some people who had heard will turn away and ignore the calling to follow him. This means that there are people who has heard the gospel, they may even have felt Jesus speaking to their hearts, but out of the free will (that God has given to each of us), has chosen to ignore Jesus's calling.
- Mark 1:17 (ESV)
My interpretation of the verse:
1) God initiates. God is active, not passive! Jesus makes the first move to speak to us.
2) We are the chosen. Jesus chose us, we are the "them". Jesus chose to speak to us, he asks us to follow him.
3) But we have to react, we have the free will to choose whether to listen to His calling to follow Him.
4) Follow what? Follow Jesus. There is a clear direction!
5) Jesus becomes our leader. Jesus is a leader.
5) There is a promise in the "and I will...". When we follow Jesus and let Him lead us, something will happen!
6) A Transformation happens. When we follow Jesus, we will be made to "become". This means that we will be transformed to "become" something.
7) Jesus has power! The part "and I will make you.." shows that Jesus has the power to transform us. But before that, we must choose to follow Him and let Him lead us.
8) The transformation is specific, it is to make us "become fishers of men". In the biblical context when this was written, Jesus was speaking to fishermen and so this is written in a language and imagery that fishermen of that time can understand.
To become fishers of men will mean that instead of catching fishes (that's what a fisherman does), we will 'catch' people. Not in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense, catching people's hearts, minds and souls.
9) When we are transformed, we will be able to attract others to Jesus. We will be able to win hearts and minds for Jesus through our new life! Through the way we live and our testimony on this earth. :-)
There is a concept of discipleship in here where we will make disciples for Jesus. In the bible we know that this is our great commission in the world.
10) Note that Jesus did not promise riches and wealth. He did not promise the fishermen that they can catch more fishes (no mention of financial return), but He promised that when they are transformed they will be able to capture the hearts, minds and souls of men.
11) It is interesting to note that Jesus speaks to each of us in a way where can understand.
When he spoke to fishermen (who are probably uneducated, working class), he described their transformation as to become "fishers of men". The same applies today and forevermore, Jesus speaks to us individually in ways that we can understand.
12) Yet... Not everyone who are chosen will be transformed.
Even though Jesus has spoken to many, some people who had heard will turn away and ignore the calling to follow him. This means that there are people who has heard the gospel, they may even have felt Jesus speaking to their hearts, but out of the free will (that God has given to each of us), has chosen to ignore Jesus's calling.
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