DAY 794 - Conquering Secularism (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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Confirmation from John Stott in 2009: 
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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: Revelation 2:12-17

** 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:

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 .Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf

Please click this link to read Revelation 2:12-17

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=启 示 录 2&version=CUV

Bible Study

     Here in the third letter, the church in Pergamum is being accused of following the culture to be more and more secularized. How so? 

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

     The problem in Pergamum is that much of the church has lost its cutting edge, its ability to say 'no' to the surrounding culture.  As the earliest Christians found in Acts, the church always has to be able to say 'We must obey God rather than human authorities' , even if the 'authorities'  in question are not the official magistrates but simply the insidious pressures of people saying 'but this is what everybody does'.
     Jesus response is clear.  The Roman governor may wield the sword, but Jesus has the sharp two-edged sword coming out of his mouth (verses 12, 16, as in 1.16).  His word will cut through the half-hearted spirituality that is happy to face both ways at once. 

N.T. Wright. Revelation for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011, p.18-19.

      Do you think you are one of those Christians living in a kind of half-hearted spirituality and a life of secularism? What is the difference of a life of Christlikeness  and a life of secularism?  

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: Conquering secularism

    What I got from Jesus today is a very sensitive issue. It is so easy for us as Christians to be influenced by our present culture and living a life of secularism. Do you know that it could happen to us? Do you know that it is happening to lots of Christians?

     Knowing is one thing, willing to get away from secularism is another thing. How can you cope with this serious problem? 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Change our heart that we won't live a life of  half-hearted spirituality thinking that it is OK because everybody is doing that. Help us to know what you are telling us each day and be willing to change.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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從心合一

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10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman

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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