Time with Abba, Singing Praising 親親爸父，唱詩歌頌 : DAY 548 - Why We Can't Love? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Monday, November 18, 2013

DAY 548 - Why We Can't Love? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

**NEW link for the 15th: 13th 100 days 24 hours prayer campaign (We are going to use this 13th list leads up to the 15th. 13th from March 15 to June 22, 2013. 14th from June 22 to August 31, 2013, 15th from Sept. 1, 2013 to Dec. 9. 2013)

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Confirmation from John Stott in 2009:
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
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Subject Shifting Devotion Method(Inspired by John Stott in 1991: http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

Today's Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:7

** 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 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:7

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Corinthians 12&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=歌林多前書 12&version=CUV

Bible Study

Today's passage is one of the most read passage in the Bible. Usually in most of the weddings for Christians. Why it is so famous? Well, may be it is because people think that this chapter is the best one of all to describe love. My question is, is the main purpose really talking about love?

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

As we have often seen, Paul clearly imagines that on the last day those who have been justified by faith in the present will be judged according to the life they have lived; and the one thing that will count above all else on that day is love...
What's more, as Paul insists - and this is the point of him saying all this here in the letter - this is the life which will bring the right sort of order to the chaos of faction-fighting and spiritual jealousy within the church. This poem serves a purpose, and in enjoying it and trying to make it our own we should have an eye on the equivalent purpose in our lives, and our churches, as well.

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:1 Corinthians. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.174-175.

So, it's all about Paul's teaching and challenge to the Corinthians and us that if we have love, then there won't be those chaos of faction-fighting and spiritual jealousy within the church. It just can't happen! That is what Paul and Bishop Wright says today.

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: Why we can't love?

What I got from Jesus today is perhaps of one the most important questions for a human being to ponder.

So many people read this chapter again and again. So many wedding use this chapter or at least verse 4 to 7 again and again. But, does it help couples to love more? Does it help Christians to love more? Well, may be a little bit, but not more. Why?

Because Paul's question is not to tell them to memorize what love is or to live out how love should be. Paul is all along talking about how to well use the spiritual gifts and the most important spiritual gifts of all is love. So, what did Paul want to tell the Corinthians? He wanted to tell them and us that we need the Holy Spirit and to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can receive various spiritual gifts. The most important spiritual gifts of all is love and we should all have this gift. Paul is trying to remind them that they need to be more closer to Jesus so that they can be filled with the Holy Spirit and that they can love.

You and I can't love because of all those kinds of weakness as a human being. We need the Holy Spirit so that we can love.

Come Holy Spirit, come,

Shine on us that we can see our weaknesses and sins and that we can repent. Lord Jesus, forgive us and pour down your blood to cleanse us. Fill us, Holy Spirit that we can love. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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