DAY 455 - Jesus Die That You May Live (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 3:25-26

** 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:

 Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.

Please click this link to read Romans 3:25-26

• English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans 3&version=ESV
• Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans 3&version=CUV

Bible Study

      Today's passage is very short, just two verses, but full of meaning. 

Bishop N.T. Wright's says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):

     God's covenant justice, displayed in his dealing with sins through the death of Jesus, is also on display in the free declaration, in the present, that all those who believe the gospel are in the right. Once again, the verdict of the last day has come forward into the middle of history...Here is the meaning of 'justification by faith': when anyone believes in the gospel, God declares that he or she is truly one of those who will be vindicated in the future...

     In the death of Jesus God has shown himself (1) to be in the right in dealing properly and impartially with sin; (2) to be faithful to the covenant; (3) to have dealt properly with sin; and (4) to be committed to saving those who call out in helpless faith.  The last line of the passage, itself very dense, seems to mean this: that. as the faithfulness of Jesus was the means by which God's own covenant faithfulness was revealed, so those who put their own faith in God's act in Jesus are marked out thereby as God's people in the present...There are many times, in reading Paul, when the right reaction is to kneel down and give God thanks.  This is one of those times.  

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone: Romans:Part12. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.54-55.

     This is such a dense passage not easy to understand. But, Bishop Wright's last line gives you a clue of how to understand this two verses. The clue is, Jesus die that you may live. The only thing you need to understand is to kneel down and give God thanks. That is the proper way to tell God that you understand. Are you willing to do that everyday? 

                                    

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"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

     What I heard from Jesus today is: Jesus die that you may live

    What I got today from Jesus is a deep loving feeling. It is so good to know that someone loves you. There are so many lonely people everywhere looking for love but are disappointed. How much love it can be if someone is willing to die for you that you may live?  How much love it can be if you wrong someone and he not only not retaliate but to sacrifice his life for you that you may live?

    What can we say? We don't need to say anything but just to kneel down to give thanks to Jesus and to experience that we are being loved in this way! 

    Before I write today's prayer, I am going to kneel down to give thanks to Jesus for three minutes. Are you going to join me to give thanks to Him?

    

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to be willing to kneel down each day to give thanks to you for your love that we can experience in a special way how we are being loved by you.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Two photos to share with you:
1. A photo I took two weeks ago when I saw a couple kneeling in front of the altar to pray in respond to my three minutes kneeling to pray a day

2. The two cushions Michelle and I used to kneel down and prayed early in that morning of my birthday two days ago.

Please click this link to worship with us - 

Amazing Grace – My Chains Are Gone (Chris Tomlin)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I

Chinese praise song - 

这一生最美的祝福 The Most Wonderful Blessing of My Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FinxnwONLBE&feature=related

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): 

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

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

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

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

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/