Friday, September 20, 2013

DAY 489 - Your Church: War Zone or Lovely Home? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)


**NEW link for the  14th: 13th 100 days 24 hours prayer campaign (We are going to use this 13th list leads up to the 14th. 13th from March 15 to June 22, 2013. 14th from June 22 to August 31, 2013)

Today's Reading: Romans 11:16-24


** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html


To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:
 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf



Please click this link to read Romans 11:16-24



Bible Study


      Paul, in the previous passage talks about how the Israelites reject that grace because they are hardened, stupor, blind and deaf. Here in this passage he talks about the pride of the Gentiles and the gentiles as the wild olive tree.

Bishop N.T. Wright's says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):
     Paul is issuing a serious warning to the Gentile Christians.  They must not suppose for a moment that they have 'replaced' Jews in God's plan, that the church is now a 'Gentiles-only' family, or (worse) that God has chosen them precisely because they are Gentiles.  That would be to make the same mistake in reverse as the Jews had made earlier, namely, to imagine that God's grace was tied to a particular ethnic group.  And if they make that mistake - relying on ethnic identity as the badge of membership in God's people, instead of faith alone - they can expect God to react the same way he had done with unbelieving Israel.  There are no promises of salvation for those who think it's their birthright. 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:Romans: Part 2. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.55-56.

     How can you relate this situation to your church or your denomination? Do you think you and your group is the best excluding others? How can pride be an obstacle for us to share God's grace with others? How can you be sure that you are connected in God's way to become good branches?

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"


Spiritual Journal

     What I heard from Jesus today is: Your church: War zone or lovely home?

    What I got from Jesus today is a call to unity. There have been so many fighting within the Church for the past two thousand years. Jews think that they are the only children of God, they are better and they want to kick off the Gentiles. The Gentiles think that they have replaced the Jews to be the only children of God, and they want to kick off the Jews.

     The situation goes on and on. How many groups are there in your church fighting to each others claiming that they are better, they have got the right way and they are the best?

      Remember, no one is better! We are all children of God! We are in the same and one family! Do not make your church a war zone but to make your church a lovely home!  

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be able to help our church to become a lovely home.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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