OT DAY 92 - Christian Families Have Idols? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Let us praise the Lord:

Good and upright is the Lord;   therefore he instructs sinners in the way.              
                                                            Psalm 25: 8

Today's Reading: Genesis 35:1- 29

** 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 Genesis 35:1-29

Chinese(CUV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創 世 記 35&version=CUV
English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 35&version=ESV

Bible Study

      Do you think Jacob is being transformed through all those experiences?How can it be that Jacob's family still have idols? Do you have Christians friends still have idols in their home? 

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

    

     As far as one can see, Jacob is not transformed…We do not change, and we carry on making the same mistakes, but this does not make God throw up hands in despair and abandon us.  Jacob's move from Shechem to Bethel took him only a short distance down the mountain chain, but it takes him to a place associated with God rather than with the shameful events of the previous chapter, and giving up the "alien gods" fits with that.  It is a surprise to find that the family has alien gods, though they are likely not as bad as they sound but more like Rachel's effigies; in fact, they would include them. And although Jacob is not transformed, his action as they move to Bethel does suggest a renunciation of what we might call natural religion.   

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone - Part Two. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.124-125.

      Have you been on the path of transformation? Since when? Does your home still have idols of any kind?  

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: Christian families have idols?

    What Jesus tells me today is a warning for us to have a "safety" check of our home, whether there is any idol. There are quite a number of Christians do not aware that they cannot have idols in their home. It is not only not good for Christians to do that but it is dangerous. When I challenged those Christians who kept their idols, the model answer they told me is that those are not idols but Chinese arts!

     I would like to share some photos of how the Rector of Toronto Emmanuel Church, Rev. Edmund Ho asked me to visit one of his parishioners home and  to help the lady to throw away the remaining idols. She used to worship a Chinese religion and already threw lots of idols away. Those left in her home were expensive and she decided that Jesus asked her to throw those away. So, on Oct. 8, 2014 Michelle, Edmund and I went to her home and did a complete "Home cleansing". I asked her to get a hammer to destroy those idols. How glorious it is to hear that cracking sound of breaking those idols and to see how joyful she is carrying the hammer to take a photo with us.

     We can only worship one God, the Father, the Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit. No idol at home or in our souls! 

     Jesus is Lord! 
     
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to help those Christians who have any form of idols in their home to remove them and that they can have a complete home cleansing. You are our Lord and King. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

    Please click this link to the app. Andy Ng wrote. You really need to use that if you have an Android cel. Andy said he is going to do the App. for iPhone later:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideal.rec.app

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

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

10,000 Reasons

https://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/bio