Today's Reading: Matthew 13: 54-58
**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: 54-58
Bible Study
Rejection is perhaps one of the most destructing force to a human being. If you have been seriously rejected then you know what I mean. In today's passage we can get a positive side of being rejected.
First, you need to know even Jesus was being rejected by his family and the people in his hometown. If Jesus cannot escape rejection, how can we, right. So, take it easy when you are being rejected and think of the positive side.
Second, rejection can be an encouragement. I told you yesterday that I was being rejected and oppose against by a priest and I still remember the picture of how he pointed his finger towards me. But, it become one of my most comforting moment when he later found out I was not as he thought and we become good friends.
N.T. Wright says:
there is comfort and encouragement hidden in this story too, if we know where to dig for it. The very people the villagers refer to - Jesus' mother, Mary, and his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah - seem at this point to have joined in the general disapproval. But all that changed. After Jesus' resurrection, many of his relatives became great leaders in the early church, and none greater than his brother James. Those who at present seem to be hardened against the message can still be reached by a further act of God's love and power.
So, how do you face with rejection after reading today's message?
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: How do you face with rejection?
What I received from Jesus today is his comfort to quite a lot of moments when I was being rejected. It is really painful when those rejection come. Lots of people are being drawn to depression and even took their own lives!
Jesus gives us hope today that he had been through rejection and even betrayal. If we want to really walk with Him, we cannot escape these painful moments to be rejected. After all, we will soon come into an understanding that there is a purpose when God allows this to happen.
Don't let rejection to destroy you and do not pour down rejection on God's servants or anyone because that's what Satan's cunning way to lead you to follow his dark way of destroying other people.
Build and not destroy!
Appreciate and not reject, please!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us not to follow Satan's footsteps to reject and destroy other people. Help us always have a heart to appreciate, understand, accept, care and love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us - Shine Jesus Shine
Chinese praise song - 这一生最美的祝福 The Most Wonderful Blessing of My Life
You can subscribe to my podcast feed here:http://feeds.feedburner.com/discipler123
You may choose to follow my first blog which I started in July 2009:http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/