DAY 656 - Have The King, Have Unity (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Want to know why I have been writing and recording my blogs and podcast daily since August 10, 2009? Click these three links:

Confirmation from John Stott in 2009: 
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
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: Ephesians 4:1-10

** 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 Ephesians 4:1-10

English(NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians 4&version=NIV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=以 弗 所 書 4&version=CUV

Bible Study

     Paul begins the second part of his letter to the Ephesians with the most important instructions on how to live the life as a true Christian. Do you want to hear it and then follow his instructions?

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
      In this section…Paul takes his readers back to the fundamental instructions on living the Christian life.  He reminds them how they began and what it was all about.  There are three things which emerge as basic: the meaning of their call to follow the king; the grace which has equipped each of them to play their part in serving him; and the unity they already have, but which they must make every effort to guard.  Of these, the first is the one which Paul stresses, and the one we are most likely to forget.  This is the basic manual for living the Christian life, and we need to go back and read it regularly. 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:Te Prison Letters. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.42-43.

     Wow, what Bishop Wright says is unusual. Why? Because everyone reading this passage would think that Paul is talking about the importance of unity. Yes and No. Do you know what I am talking about? Why don't you pause a moment and think, to see if you understand the key of this passage. 

     

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: Have the King, have unity

    What I got from Jesus today is perhaps the most important key to the pursue of unity. Actually we all should know the answer. When there is a king in a kingdom, there should be unity. Unless the people in the kingdom do not submit to the kingship of their king.

     So, that's what Paul is talking about in verse 1 as he says we need to live up to our calling. Our calling is to follow Jesus as our Lord and King so that we are willing to be under His Lordship and Kingship. And, there is unity!

     Do you really have Jesus as your Lord and King? How well are you willing to be under His Lordship and Kingship? A king has admirals, generals, captains and other appointed leaders. Following a king's Kingship means you follow those authorized leaders, right? How submissive are you to those leaders in your church being consecrated, ordained and appointed by God? 
    
Dear Lord Jesus,
You are our Lord and King. Lead us to be willing to under your Lordship and Kingship so that we can taste the sweetness and power of unity. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

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

Power of Your Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6Qtxzd6vk

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/