Today's Reading: Mark 13: 1-13
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Mark 13: 1-13
Bible Study
Many Christians take Mark 13 and its parallels in Matthew and Luke as a warning and prophesy about the end of the world. N.T. Wright says it is not at all. He says the real message is about "the beginning of birth pains"(v. 8) and better things are coming out from those sufferings. He says that this chapter tells us that "Jesus' disciples will face what Jesus has faced and what he will shortly face - trials, beatings, the threat of death - and all because of their allegiance to him. He sees them as a group continuing, after he has gone, to be defined as his follower. And he sees that they will suffer for it."
Well, this is what God is expecting us to do for His Kingdom sake. To be prepared for the beginning of birth pain. Not to fear of anything happens in our lives because everything is not moving to "the end" but a better future in God's preparation. What we need to do is just to stand firm at any time. Are you ready for the beginning of your birth pain?
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 God as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Be ready for you birth pain!
Jesus reminds me of a movie I watched recently. The name of the movie is "Mongol" and it is a wonderful story about the rise of Genghis Khan (1162-1227 A.D.). Since he was nine years of age he suffered a lot. But, all the sufferings made him to be the famous Genghis Khan!
At the end of the movie, his best friend and comrade who wanted to kill him for years was captured by his army after a huge warfare. He asked Genghis Khan, "All Mongols fear the thunder, but not you?" Khan answered, "I had no place to hide from the thunder, so I wasn't afraid anymore."
Yes, that must be Jesus plan for each one of his apprentice. All those following Jesus will go through the similar sufferings Jesus had but all those sufferings help us not to fear any more. Why? Because we know that we have no place to hide but God is our only hiding place! Sometimes we have too many places to hide and we are so afraid to change, we just do not want to change.
Be ready for your birth pain to experience you have no place to hide when those sufferings come: loss of jobs, health, family members, money or even your life!
Yesterday I pray for a dear brother who is afraid that he might have nose cancer. There is no place to hide when cancer comes. But, if you take "cancer" as a birth pain then you might experience what Michelle and our family experienced - a renewed relationship with Jesus, a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus! Everything perspective changed! Your suffering is just a birth pain, and you are getting a new "baby"! Wow!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for giving us this new perspective to face our future or present suffering. Help us to stand firm in you knowing that we have no place to hide but only to hide in you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Chinese praise song - 你是我的一切 You Are My All In All
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