DAY 691 - Worldly? Heavenly? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Four years ago today, April 9, 2010, Michelle went to see her family doctor and was told that she got leukaemia. She was admitted to Vancouver General Hospital the next morning (http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2010/04/day-234-my-wife-michelle-has-leukemia.html ). Michelle is not feeling well lately!  Her family doctor is now having a series of check-up for her to see what is happening. On this day, I would like to invite you to join us in a 100 days of prayer (From April 9 to July 17) for Michelle, our family and my ministry. Please click this link to join us to pray:
New 100 Days Prayer Campaign (2014.04.09-2014.07.17)

What you need to do is very simple. Choose one hour slot for the whole week to pray for Michelle, our family and my ministry. You may use the whole hour in prayer or you can still do you work in your office but use as much time as you can to pray and the other time work prayerfully that hour to pray for us. I encourage you to participate. We need you to join us! Trust in the power of prayers!

This blog/podcast has people from 111 countries visiting and more than 1/2 million visits.

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: Colossians 2:20-3:4

** 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 Colossians 2:20-3:4

English(NIV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians 3&version=NIV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=歌 羅 西 書 3&version=CUV 

Bible Study

     Paul tells us about the signs of losing connection with the Head in yesterdays passage. In today's passage, he talks about the signs of connecting to the Head. It's all about whether we are "worldly" or "heavenly". 

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
     You need to die and be raised.  You need, that is, to come out altogether from the 'worldly' sphere presided over by the 'elements of the world', the shadowy powers that operate within the present creation, doomed as it is to decay and perish.  You need to belong instead to God's new world, the new creation that is being brought in to replace the old…
     You died with the Messiah; so you don't belong in the old world any more, and regulations that are relevant there aren't relevant for you.  You were raised with the Messiah; so you possess a true life in God's new world, the 'upper' or 'heavenly' world.  That's where the real 'you' is now to be found. 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:The Prison Letters. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.173-174.

     Can people see the real 'you' that is 'upper' or 'heavenly'? Or, what they can see is still a 'worldly' you?   
     

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: Worldly? Heavenly?

    The message I got from Jesus today seems something everyone knows. But, to live it out is another matter.

    We know the importance of dying and rising with Jesus in theory. We know that we need to think about those things up there and not worldly. In reality, most Christians are still worldly. Most churches are still being supported by only 10% to 20% of their people who tithe and other 80% to 90% of people just offer a minimum amount of money in compare to what they earn each week and spend each week. Most people still longs to have lots of worldly possessions but they can't find those things in heaven.

    So, what are we doing actually? How can you be more "heavenly" but not more "worldly"? Do you have an answer today? I am not going to tell you the answer because you already know it but you just can't live it out!

    Be encouraged today that Jesus is looking and smiling at you now hoping that you start today to be more "heavenly"!  

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to get rid of all those worldly things blocking us from being more heavenly. 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

10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E

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/


Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year
http://www.htb.org.uk/bioy