*Pastor Liu titled his sermon- Hero of faith: Mary.

At least for me, i might only know a verse or 2 about Mary- The highly favored one whom Amen-ed to God’s virgin birth plan and… Jesus replied her: “Woman, what does it got to do with me, my time is not yet come.”

Most Word of Faith preachers gave me the impression that God want to ensure that Mary is an ordinary girl whom God chose to use her to bring about Jesus in the flesh, then, put her in the correct place when Jesus address her as Woman, etc etc.. after that most of the sermons would pretty much touch and go about Mary.

Today, pastor gave a little bit more inside about Mary… What did Mary do after Jesus replied? Jn 2:5- His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

1. Both Mary and Jesus were guests in the marriage celebration
2. Mary told the servants whom, they were not hers!
3. Those servant actually listened...

Synonym divine touched in the life of Obed-Edom and Simon Peter.
A pattern of the hand of God showing His goodness from the start of these two man.

From the introductory, God needed a holding place/space:

Obed-Edom- God/The Ark needed a temporary place to be hosted.
Peter- Jesus needed a boat for a temporary space to preach.

Obed-Edom- it seems by chance, happened to landed with Obed-Edom receiving the Ark
Peter- then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s (Luke 5:3a)

Obed-Edom- God blessed his whole family as long as The Ark remains
with him.
Peter- Jesus blessed Peter with a net breaking load of fishes.

The Result:

1 Obed-Edom and Peter chose to follow God whole hearted after experienced God’s goodness.

2 Obed-Edom and Peter did not remain at where they were, but God promoted them to a certain position, allowing them to testify about Him effectively.

...

Found an interesting clue in the bible.

God wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablet of stone, what image of these stone do you see in your mind?

perhaps, something like this:

Read for yourself in Exodus 24: 9-12 (NKJV)

The Bible did not specify what kind of stone, nonetheless, it is a clue and I can safely say with high possibility is a kind of gemstone.

and if it what the the Bible says:

…sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.

This shows that intensity of God’s law- so pure and pristine; Just like how Jesus preached to the crowd on the mountain regarding the big 10.

No wonder God instructed that these items must be placed in the ark of the covenant..under the Mercy Seat, and with the sprinkling of blood, God’s Glory appear and there, God commune with them.

This is why Jesus was inhumanly beaten, and bloodily hung on the cross
received the wrath of...

i was reading back my journal recently, out of a heart of gratitude, i sum up expressing my love for the Lord as i serve Him..

Nothing wrong with that, nonetheless, I’m reminded that i love Him because He first loved me.

In the same way, when i serve Him in any form of activities for his glory… I serve because He first loved me. I am only responding back in actions. How well i served, dependent on how much revelation of His love toward me.

My love for Him fluctuates, if i continue serving Him base on how much i love Him, I’m sure to get burn out, take offence easily in the process and even give up eventually cos it’s just too hard to continue loving God 24/7, without an ‘off’ day(s).

Selah

My first impression after the Chinese session was done, I was relieved! Hahahaha!

However, what added to the encouragement was the feedback from the band members who played along, overall they gave me a thumb up! Praise the Lord! =)

After the rara and fireworks for the day died down, as I recounted, I realised i was divinely setup too…!

What I do know:

1. As the reharsal was on my birthday, it’s like the King wished for me to play for Him as a birthday present unto me, of which, I am more than glad- in fact, I was awe that get to play for Him on my birthday (though actual play is on coming Sunday), best present I could ever asked for!

2. During the actual play on the Sunday, i knew i made mistakes, some off beats and what not, yet, I felt a cacoon of peace and I really felt a Divine smile all over me. I recongised that, it was the same feel when I played back in the youth ministry.

What...

Gearing up for tmr… The last time i officially played for the King was in the 90’s in TeenZeal Town.

I’m still far from ready or of a ‘certain’ standard. In TeenZeal, no one taught me proper but literally learnt and played under the inspiration in the school of the Holy Spirit..

You guys who are/were from 1st generation of TZT would have witness and experienced how the 1st band formed, liken us holding water pistols charging into the gate of hell!! ?? and God being God, honoured that mustard seed of faith planted by and serving along side with Coach, think we caused quite a collateral damage to the enemies. The youth ministry as a whole grew from glory to glory, strength to strength!

That chapter has closed, yet that God given (raw) gift, the drumming passion has not ceased. It have been years (also in recent) that i posted my request to the Lord, wanting to serve Him with it, also...

Today’s message in line with mama day, papa day and parent day in Chinese calendar in May, has much to mediate on; Just the act of Honouring can bring much impact into our life.

God saw it fit to cast it on stone and to be emphasized again thru Paul’s letter to the Ephesian:

1. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise:

2. “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

Ephesians 6:2-3 NKJV

There is a further truth highlighted by Paul comparing the original law no.5 which found in v3a, The Message version wrote plainly:

“so you will live well and have a long life.”

Not only we have long life but we will live well - well holistically - be it in our body, in our career, in our relationships, etc… In another word a long good wholesome life.

A simple act of Honouring yet can be challenging for us (some from a dysfunctional or...

Col 1:9-14

I couldn’t help but noticed in v.9a:

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…”

It dawn on me, if Paul could - ‘have not ceased to pray for you…’ how much more i could/should pray over myself or even for others in the context of v9-14.

That leads me to the next questions, what to pray for…

It is interesting to recall growing up in the church environment with all the good intention from the pulpit influence, been taught to pray for many things and in many style and fashion.

However, nothing come close when we have a personal revelation on the prayer recorded in the bible for us to ‘hear’ for ourselves what our brothers and sisters in both OT & NT spoke to God about and He reponded or honour or even displeased.

As i grew in my own journey with the Lord, i realised it is catching the HEART or the INTENT of the learned that what it is important...

1. because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

2. which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,

Col 1:5‭-‬6 ESV

No going to dissect too much into it but interestingly, these 3 points caught my attention:

1. In the word of truth, the gosepl.

2. whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you

3. since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth

Having checked a few versions, the phrase - ‘grace of God in truth’ remains; it indicate when we truly encounter the Grace of God in truth, we (will) bear fruit.

At this point of time, my understand of the word fruit will be:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...