DAY 767 - Real Warfare, Severe Sufferings, Big Award, Great Joy! (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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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: 1 Peter 5:8-14

** 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 1 Peter 5:8-14

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1 Peter 5&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=彼 得 前 書 5&version=CUV

Bible Study

     When you finish this passage and complete reading the whole book of 1 Peter, you should have a clue of what Peter wants to tell you. It is all about the great joy in sufferings. What kind of sufferings?

Let's take a look at what Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :

      
      The devil will try to swallow you whole with persecution and other attacks.  If that isn't working, he will try to tempt you to live in ways that are destructive of your faith and, ultimately, of your entire humanity (see 1.14; 2,11: and so on).  That will go on for a while, and it may well (to put it mildly) be most unpleasant.  But, as Peter explained in the previous chapter, this 'fiery trial' is there to do for us what the fire will do for silver and gold: to consume the imperfections and make the true metal shine the more brightly.  That bright shining will consist of God's setting right of all things - eventually, as we know, and perhaps in various ways even in the present time.  He will 'establish and strengthen you', and 'set you on firm foundations'. 

N.T. Wright. The Early Christian Letters for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.97.

      What is your 'catch' today? Are you in sufferings? What kind of sufferings? Are you being strengthened and on firm foundations? 

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: Real warfare, severe sufferings, big award, great joy!

    The message I got from Jesus today are four stages:
1. Real warfare: We are like soldiers in a real warfare, not exercise or drill but real war.

2. Severe sufferings: Peter wants to tell his readers that the severe sufferings going to happen is because of Satan as the roaring lion who wants to swallow all the Christians.

3. Big award: There will be big award for those soldiers who fight loyally following the Supreme Commander. Awards and promotion will come!

4. Great joy: A soldier will never become a real soldier not going through real warfare. Great joy will come after big warfare that their nation is safe, they are being strengthened, promoted and receiving awards.

     How do you know if you are in a spiritual warfare? Very simple. Follow this simple discernment process: God is good, Satan is bad.

     When you suddenly feel everything inside you and around you becoming dark, discouraged and hopeless. When you feel angry, seeing people and things negatively. When everything suddenly turns 'bad' and you want to 'quit"! Then, the army of Satan should be very close to you.

     How do you know if you win? Very simple, when everything turns good. God is good, Satan is bad. God's goodness determines everything in you! Everything becoming bright, light, encouraged, hopeful, peaceful, positive, joyful and good!

     Now, what you need to know is which stage are you in? Who is leading you to fight this severe warfare? Which army do you really belong? Don't die of friendly fire! Don't fire on your own team member!

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us as our Supreme Commander to fight this sever spiritual warfare so that we are being strengthened, awarded and promoted to secure and extend your mighty Kingdom.  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