DAY 628 - Beware, Satan Is at Work! (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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Confirmation from John Stott in 2009: 
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My MicroMacro Discipleship, A missing DNA in Discipleship Development: http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/introduction-micromacro-discipleship.html
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 Thessalonians 2:17-20

** 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:

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Please click this link to read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Thessalonians 2&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=帖 撒 羅 尼 迦 前 書 2&version=CUV

Bible Study

     This passage shows the deep love of Paul to the Thessalonians and the pride of a parent. But, in the midst of that kind of deep affection, Paul mentions he was being stopped by Satan. What does that mean? 

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
     Paul doesn't often mention 'the satan', but when he does he seems to be aware that behind at least some of the ordinary frustrations and thwarted plans that are common to the human race we may discern a darker and more malevolent force at work.  This force - it may be going too far to see it as 'personal' - embodies itself from time to time in human beings and organizations that block God's purpose or hold it up for a while.  In the present case, Paul presumably means that the death-threats he was receiving as he journeys south made it quite impossible for him to return to northern Greece again just at the moment…
     Underneath the opposition of 'the satan' we may sometimes discern the strange providence of God.  This does not rob the 'satanic' opposition of danger or threat, but reminds us that God remains sovereign even over present dark frustrations.
    

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:Galatians and Thessalonians. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.105-106.

      Do you aware of the dark force of satan trying to do his main job as "to steal, kill and destroy" according to John 10:10? What can you do when you aware that satan is coming to steal, kill and destroy? 

      
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage 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

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: Beware, Satan is at work!

    What I got from Jesus today is a warning that we need to have extra caution of Satan's dark force and work.

    How can you discern whether it is satan's work? The most simple and direct method is to use Jesus' "discernment kit":
    The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
    I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.   
John 10:10

    
    Satan's way is to steal people from a church to his designated place. Satan's way is to kill, especially relationships with God and each others. Satan's way is to destroy your place in eternal life. What else can he do? Just three: Steal, Kill, Destroy. Are you part of this "stealing, killing and destroying" trap? Team?

    I have seen much of the stealing, killing and destroying happening all around the world. What I can surely witness is that those who kill will eat their own fruit!

    Jesus way is to give people to have life, and have it to the full. Let's forgive one another, appreciate one another, love one another and trust one another. This is the only way that we would not become one of those stealing, killing and destroying team!

    Do you know what Jesus wants to say to you now? 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to have the discernment to know the fact and truth when Satan is working so that we won't be deceived to take part into the stealing, killing and destroying dirty job of Satan. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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從心合一

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

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

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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- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/