DAY 693 - Acid Test: Jesus Really Reigns? (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!

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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 3:12-17

** 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 3:12-17

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

     Here in this passage, together with yesterday's passage, Paul gives us an acid test of whether Jesus really reigns. 

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
     Here's the acid test for whether Paul is talking sense or not. Read again through the list of sexual and speech-related mis-behaviour in verses 5-9.  Then read through verses 12-17. Ask yourself this: supposing there was a town in which everybody behaved in the way described in verses 5-9.  And supposing, a few miles down the road, there was a town where everybody behaved in the way described in verses 12-17.  Which town would you rather live in? 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:The Prison Letters. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.180.

     Let's read the key words from verses 5 to 9 in the sexual and speech-related mis-behaviour world again now:
     
sexual immorality,impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, idolatry, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and lying.

     And now, verses 12 to 17 in the world of Kingdom people:

Holy, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiving, loving, perfect unity, peace, thanksgiving, praising and worshipping. 

     That's two different worlds. Which world are you in now? Do you think you can pass Paul's acid test in today and yesterday's 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: Acid test: Jesus really reigns?

    The message I got from Jesus today is an invitation to remember or even write down the list today and put it in your wallet to have a daily or weekly examination.

     It is so easy to go back to the old-self and old world that we had been in! It's not easy to pass the acid test, my friend! 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be able to see the glory of your Kingdom and that we can really let you reign and be our Lord and King so that we can pass this acid test. 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

Lord, Reign in Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcXnugDRy-U#aid=P5qEg4Jt7qA

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