Today's Reading: Matthew 13: 36-43
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 13: 36-43
Bible Study
Jesus gives us a clearer explanation of the difference of seeds and weeds. God sows seeds and Satan sows weeds. Those who are in God will grow like the mustard seed and the yeast and will shine, shine like the sun in the Kingdom of God. Shine to be more like Jesus!
Those who are in Satan will do the opposite and will bring darkness, negativity, bitterness and accusation to those around them. In God's time, He will send His angels to weed them out and throw them into the fiery furnace.
N.T. Wright says:
It will have to do with reflecting and embodying the love and glory of God himself; that's what, after all, human beings were meant to do. Each human being was designed to be a God-reflector. That's part of what 'being in God's image' is all about (Genesis 1: 26-28).
Yes, we are being designed to be God-reflectors. Do you know where does the light comes from? From within, because when Jesus is really your Lord then He will let His light shine through you. That's what Christlikeness means! So, how bright you are lately?
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: Shine Jesus shine!
Jesus reminds me of a wonderful experience of the first time I aware of a human being can be so bright. That was 1992 when I first met John Stott (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stott ). I was then in-charge of the youth work for the Anglican Church of Hong Kong having the honor to invite uncle John to come to Hong Kong as the speaker for a series of talks of more than two weeks. I still remember I was with Rev. Paul Kwong(he is now the Primate of the Anglican Church of Hong Kong. At that time he was the Chairman of the Diocesan Youth Committee), Rev. Chung Wai Lam(He was my assistant at that time and now a gifted and well-known priest in Hong Kong), waiting for uncle John in the airport. Each one of us had a photo of John Stott and we never met uncle John before. We waited for a long time and Chung Wai said, "There are too many people coming out. It's quite difficult for us to see." I said, "There he is!" They said, "Where?" I said, "See, there's a man coming out and he is so bright, like a circle of light surrounding him!" They said, "Wow! Really he is so bright!" Long before we had the matching process with the photo in our hand we saw the light in him. The pictures you saw were taken in 1992 when I first knew uncle John, then I took my son Ignatius to see him in July 2009. Ignatius and I should have the last opportunity to see uncle John on June 10, 2011 but he was in serious condition so the appointment was being cancelled and he passed away peacefully in the music of Handle's Messiah on July 28, 2011. I miss uncle John so much! I miss the brightness in him so much!
From that time on, it's more easier for me to see and appreciate the light in God's servant. Some are more brighter and some less, but as disciples of Christ we should have the light of Christ in us. The more we are willing to be transformed to be more like Christ the brighter we will become. See how bright Moses was after he went up to the mountain to be with God for 40 days. See how St. Stephen was a short while before he was stoned to death:
All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Acts 6:15
Have you tried to look at the mirror when you were very angry? If you had, then you must have seen what Satan looks like!
You can not acquire that brightness, it's from Jesus!
The more closer to Jesus, the more Christlike you are and the more you can let the light of Jesus to shine through you.
Shine Jesus shine!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be more and more closer to you that others can see the light of you through us and your Kingdom may be extended. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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