Tuesday, September 30, 2014

OT DAY 23 - (English podcast click here)

OT DAY 23 - Are You In God's Good And Positive Production Line? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

 Today's Reading: Genesis 4:25-26

** 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:

Please click this link to read Genesis 4:25-26


Bible Study

     This passage shows us a new start and beginning as in Adam and Eve's third son, Seth. We have seen through the posts of the past two days that the line of Cain was full of pride and killing.  We can see clearly the new line of Seth coming up in chapter 5. What does that mean? 

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :
    
     The Genesis story reaches a low point.  Then it backtracks to the birth of another baby to Adam and Eve.  A pattern in Genesis thus makes its first appearance.  Genesis will focus on the live of descent through which God's purpose for the world is fulfilled, but it often first outlines what happens to the line through which God is not working in this vital way.  It tells of the line of Noah's sons Ham and Japhet before focusing on Shem's line, of Ishmael's line before focusing on Isaac's, and of Esau's line before focusing on Jacob's.  There is nothing wrong with not being the line through which God's ultimate purpose is being fulfilled, because God is just as much involved with those other lines.
     While the lines that are not "chosen" or "elect" are not thereby rejected, the story concentrates on the line through which God is bringing blessing to the whole world.  In this process, God characteristically works through the line you would not expect.  Specifically, God does not work through the line of the eldest son.  It is a sign of how God overturns what we anticipate, overturns the patterns society sets up.  Cain, Ishmael, and Esau were the eldest sons; in each case, God works through the little brother. 
     In Genesis 4, the backtracking makes it possible to set the positive note of the birth of Adam and Eve's new baby against the negative note on which the story of Cain's line has stopped.  

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.82.




      Are you in a good and positive production line? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Are you in God's good and positive production line?

    The message I receive from Jesus today is a clue to explain why there are so many problems in families, churches and everywhere. 

     When people are in a negative production line as Cain was, everything is being seen as negative, people are full of pride and anger. The result is separation and killing. Do you have such kind of negative people in your church? Those who see things always in a negative way. Those who brings rumours, false accusation, persecution and killing.

     When people are in a positive way, everything is being seen as positive, people are humble and willing to appreciate and encouraging others. That's God's positive production line.

     Which line are you in actually?  
    
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to join your positive production line so that appreciation and encouragement can happen in our families and churches. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.



Please click this link to worship with us -
You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 
Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

This blog:
Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)


Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

Monday, September 29, 2014

OT DAY 22 - (English podcast click here)

OT DAY 22 - How Come Killing Becomes Proud Achievement? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

  Today's Reading: Genesis 4:18-24

** 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:

Please click this link to read Genesis 4:18-24


Bible Study

     This passage shows us a serious consequence of sin, especially the tie of sins from ancestors. We talked about Cain committed similar sin following his mother's pattern. Here we have Cain's fourth generation, Lamech committed murder but in a more serious state. Cain had his remorse but Lemech considered his killing as a great success. 

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :
    
     Lemech recites the first poem.  One can imagine it being chanted to the accompaniment of the lyre as opposed to being merely read; this would be natural in a traditional culture.  If Lamech is indeed chanting to music, it is the first fruit of the development of the musical creativity associated with his son.  But the lyric concerns a murder he committed.  One can imagine it involving a weapon made as the first fruit of the technological development associated with another of his sons.  His lyric is an expression and exposition of his proud achievement. 

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.81.




      That is terrible! Killing and murder became a proud achievement! What have you got today? 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: How come killing becomes proud achievement?

    The message I receive from Jesus today is a warning to all of us. A warning that deep down in our lives there are some kinds of virus we do not aware of and that is poisonous. First comes with anger, then verbal abuse or bad-mouth, then setting traps, then murder and killing. Terrible!

    Do you think if there are some people considering the chaotic situation in Hong Kong is a proud achievement? To us, no matter what, it is a big failure! 

    I know that many churches in Hong Kong are calling the world to have a time of prayer today at Hong Kong time 8p.m. and that is Vancouver time 5a.m. Please pray for Hong Kong so that oppression and killing won't happen in Hong Kong. Pray for peace! 
    
Dear Lord Jesus,
Pour down your blood to cleanse us of all our anger and negativity so that we will never consider killing as a proud achievement. Change our hearts so that we can love and willing to sacrifice because of you.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.








Please click this link to worship with us -
You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 
Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

This blog:
Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)


Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

Sunday, September 28, 2014

OT DAY 21 - (English podcast click here)

OT DAY 21 - Pray for Hong Kong, Pray for God's Protection (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

   Today's Reading: Genesis 4:14-17

** 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:

Please click this link to read Genesis 4:14-17


Bible Study

     I have been weeping the whole morning today for what is happening to Hong Kong, I find this passage very comforting. Even for Cain's sin to kill his brother Abel, God still graciously gave him guaranteed protection. 

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :
    
     Cain has acknowledged his waywardness, but his acknowledgment is more like remorse than repentance, as his parents were more concerned to blame someone else than to accept responsibility for their action.
     His concern is thus with the vulnerability to other people that his waywardness and his homelessness will bring to him
     God's grace to Cain takes the form of guaranteeing him protection because he feels he needs it. 

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.75.




      How do you experience God's grace? Are you sure that you are under His protection?  

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Pray for Hong Kong! Pray for God's protection.

    The message I receive from Jesus today is a very timely message. Lots of people in Hong Kong are in fear, anger and insecure after tear gas, baton charge in historic standoff early this morning.
    
    With how Cain killed his own brother, most people would think that execution from God might be a suitable punishment. But, God gave him guaranteed protection instead. That's how God's love that He wants to change every stone heart into hearts of flesh and blood, renewal.

    This is not the time to argue who is right and who is wrong for the chaos in Hong Kong. This is the time to pray to our gracious God to protect people in Hong Kong. We pray that more people will come to received Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.

    
Dear Lord Jesus,
We give thanks to you for your gracious love. We ask you to protect all people in Hong Kong in your special way that more will come to you to seek for shelter , security and love. And that through this chaos more people will become faithful disciples of you.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.








Please click this link to worship with us -
You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 
Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

This blog:
Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)


Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

神啊,求你不要耽延,救我啊!

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