Wednesday, June 4, 2014

DAY 743 - Don't Turn A Problem into A Crisis (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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: James 1:1-8


** 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 James 1: 1-8

Bible Study

     We start a new book today. Most scholars believe that the author of the book of James is the brother of Jesus, the key leader in the Jerusalem church over the first thirty years of Christianity.

     James starts this book with the condition of what every Christians will face: trials and temptations. No one can escape from that. The real question is how are we going to prepare for those trials and temptations to come and how are we going to not only get through it like getting over a storm, but to be more mature and more Christ-like each time we face that. 

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
      
      The question is whether the character that develops within us in the real thing, or whether, as James says in verse 6, we are simply double-minded and unstable, blown and tossed about by this wind or that…
      The moment you decide to follow Jesus is the moment to expect the trials to begin…And James tells us we should celebrate such moments (verse 2)!  We should learn to look at them with joy…
     There are many kinds of test: actual persecution, which many face today; fierce and nasty temptations, which can strike suddenly when we're not expecting them; physical sickness or bereavement;  family or financial troubles; and so on.  But you wouldn't be tested unless you were doing something serious…
     So James draws attention to the result of the test: patience.  Don't panic.  Don't over-react.  Don't turn a problem into a crisis.  Be patient…
     One of the other great themes of the letter comes here at the beginning, in parallel with patience.  Wisdom!

N.T. Wright. The Early Christian Letters for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.4-5.

      Do you have that patience and wisdom to face with your trails and temptations? Could you go through those trails and temptations and be more mature and more Christ-like? 


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: Don't turn a problem into a crisis

    The message I got from Jesus today is the first No. 1 rule if there is a best seller "Survival's Manuel". When storm comes suddenly, most people are being caught in surprise and make a big mess. 

    I have seen lots of Christians, including myself, lost faith, couldn't keep calm and patience, panic and just like what Bishop Wright says, "turn a problem into a crisis". That is so unwise, right? But, it just happen, unless you are prepared.

    So, the author helps us to be prepared. Trusting in the Lord that He will surely give what we need to us.

    Actually I have been well trained in this area. Why? Because I have experienced numerous trials and temptations, more than I expect and more than I can handle. If not for the past five years of two hours with Jesus to prepare for this blog/podcast, I might be swallowed by some big waves or big killing whales! 

    You know what, when I sense that I am going through another kind of trials and temptations, I am in a kind of joyful mood. Like a soldier having the opportunity to fight a real war and have better chance to get promoted. You know how are we going to be promoted? It is more and more Christ-like.

    So, if you are facing with a big wave now. Don't even think that it is a big wave. Don't make a problem into a crisis! Problem will be easily solved if you are with Jesus. Crisis happens when we lose faith and foolishly fall into a pit full of darkness, uncertainty, fear and anger.

    Don't turn a problem into a crisis! 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to have total trust in you that we would never turn a problem into a crisis. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

     Please click this link to watch Rev. Dr. Paul Chun Chi Ng's encouragement to Richmond Emmanuel Church, Richmond, BC, Canada:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_h9VFwnVcU&feature=youtu.be 





     Please click this link to watch Dr. Kuhn's encouragement to Richmond Emmanuel Church, Richmond, BC, Canada:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ4tk08Gsz8&feature=youtu.be






Rev. Nicky Gumbel and Mrs. Pippa Gumbel's greetings to the Anglican Mission Canada's National Conference May 15-16, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHpAEv_kl3c&feature=youtu.be





Please click this link to worship with us -

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

誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢?

  大齋期四十日 "破。立"每日靈修,請按下面連結: http://breakbuild.blogspot.com/   楊平忠大主教領受 "使命113"異象之見證 Archbishop Yong’s MISSION 113 videos,...