Wednesday, March 31, 2021

DAY 37 - New Way: new wine into new wineskins (Please go to FaceBook(silastyng) to watch my video of this blog)

            


Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.


Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people
3.   Open your heart to praise the Lord

           But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
               let them ever sing for joy,
           and spread your protection over them,
               that those who love your name may exult in you.
                                                 Psalm 5:11

Confession and repentance

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."


The Word
      Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
                                                              Matthew 9:14-17

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

My Listening
     Jesus was being challenged by the disciples of John the Baptist on why his disciples did not fast.  There were quite a number of obligations that the Jews had to follow, like fasting in this passage.      

      Well, Jesus has his own time table and own way of doing things. Do you think other people understand? No, that's why even the disciples of John the Baptist wanted to question him.      

Bishop N.T. Wright says :     
The times were indeed changing.  God's new world was being born, and from now on everything would be different. The question for us is whether we are living in that new world ourselves, or whether we keep sneaking back to the old one where we feel more at home.              

N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.103.          

     Do you understand that following Jesus is like pouring new wine into new wineskins? What is the new wine?  What is the new wineskins?      

     The answer is already in the previous two passages. Just like the paralytic and Matthew, they are the new wine, being resurrected by Jesus. They could not stay in the old system with those teachers of the law and the Pharisees because they were the old wineskins. They needed to follow Jesus as their Lord giving them new way, new being, new doing and new standard. Yes, we as new wine need to be poured into new wineskins.       

       What I got from Jesus today is a check point of two things:1. Are you new wine?    Have you been resurrected by Jesus? If you have, then you are the new wine.2. Are you in the new wineskins?   What kind of church do you belong to? Is your church a kind of new wineskins or an old wineskins? Do you know the difference? 

       Well, if you are the new wine, then you should have a daily intimate relationship with Jesus. Then, you should be able to get the answer from Jesus yourself whether your church is the new wineskins or the old wineskins. Why don't you pray about that? 

Dear Lord Jesus,      
Lead us to experience a continuous renewal that we can become the new wine and that we can be able to enter into your preparation into new wineskins. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.  
          

Reflect on these questions:
1. Do you understand that following Jesus is like pouring new wine into new wineskins? What is the new wine?  What is the new wineskins? 

2.  Are you the new wine?

3.  Are you in the new wineskins? How so?

4.  What kind of church are you in? Is your church a kind of new wineskins or an old wineskins? Do you know the difference? What are you going to do about that?

Family Corner:
1. How difficult is it for your family to accept new things?

2. How can you bring to your family new ways and new changes because of your new transformation?

    Praise and Thanksgiving

第三十七天 - 新方法: 新酒新皮袋 (大家可到FaceBook (silastyng)看此博客的錄影 )

 





每年的大齋節 Lent 我們都會用四十日的 "破。立"去為大家帶來一個心意更新的時刻,亦鼓勵大家在這四十天每天禁食祈禱,按照你自己的感動禁食一餐或以上,每主日是慶祝救主復活的一天,不需要禁食,而我們也會回到 "親親爸父,唱詩歌頌"。大齋節在救主復活日前一天完成,讓我們在今年的大齋節,預備自己的身心靈,經歷與主同死同復活,心意更新,與主同行,與眾同活,活像基督!

安靜

1.  停下來,靜一靜

2.  等候主,深呼吸經歷主之平安,感受主的臨在,呼出你的憂慮


讚美及感恩
1.  思想最近使你開心歡笑的時刻
2.  為那些時刻及有關的人感恩
3.  敞開心懷讚美主


知罪,認罪,悔改 (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method 轉位靈修法) http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html)

1. 求聖靈光照,使你知罪,願意認罪悔改 
     "親愛的聖靈,求你光照我心靈的深處,使我看見我的罪,我和主耶穌的阻隔, 
        求你幫助,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。"

2. 透過聖靈的工作,安靜一刻,省察自己,之後祈禱:
     「親愛的主耶穌,感謝你為我的罪釘死在十字架上,我願意在你面前承認我的罪(凡聖靈光照到的,請逐一說出),求你用你的寶血赦免我的罪,我願意打開心門讓你作我的救主,求你救贖我,我願意一生跟隨你讓你作我生命的主,求你帶領我。聖靈,求你充滿我,使我得著恩賜及力量去侍奉主、見證主,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。」


聆聽主話
那 時 , 約 翰 的 門 徒 來 見 耶 穌 , 說 : 我 們 和 法 利 賽 人 常 常 禁 食 , 你 的 門 徒 倒 不 禁 食 , 這 是 為 甚 麼 呢 ?
15 耶 穌 對 他 們 說 : 新 郎 和 陪 伴 之 人 同 在 的 時 候 , 陪 伴 之 人 豈 能 哀 慟 呢 ? 但 日 子 將 到 , 新 郎 要 離 開 他 們 , 那 時 候 他 們 就 要 禁 食 。
16 沒 有 人 把 新 布 補 在 舊 衣 服 上 ; 因 為 所 補 上 的 反 帶 壞 了 那 衣 服 , 破 的 就 更 大 了 。
17 也 沒 有 人 把 新 酒 裝 在 舊 皮 袋 裡 ; 若 是 這 樣 , 皮 袋 就 裂 開 , 酒 漏 出 來 , 連 皮 袋 也 壞 了 。 惟 獨 把 新 酒 裝 在 新 皮 袋 裡 , 兩 樣 就 都 保 全 了 。

                                                           馬太福音 9: 14-17

現在讓你有一段安靜的時間, 給聖靈一個空間, 讓主耶穌可以藉着你剛才讀過的經文, 親自對你說話:

我的聆聽
耶穌被施洗約翰的門徒質問為何他的門徒不禁食。猶太人有很多要守的規條,禁食是其中之一。

耶穌有他自己的時間表及行事的方法。其他人會明白嗎?絕對不會,所以施洗約翰的門徒才會質問他。

著名的神學家N.T. Wright説:

改變的時候到了。神新的國度已誕生,由現在開始,所有事都變得不再一樣了。問題是我們是在那新的世界中,抑或我們經常偷偷返回舊地,因為我們覺得更舒適。

N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.103.

你明白跟隨耶穌是有如新酒倒在新皮袋中?甚麼是新酒? 甚麼是皮袋?

答案在早二天的經文中可見。正如癱子及馬太,他們正是被耶穌復活的新酒。他們不能留在那些法利賽人和文士中,因為那是舊皮袋。他們需要跟隨耶穌作為他們的主,給他們新方法,新人,新事,新作風。是的,我們作為新酒需要被倒進新皮袋中。

我今天從主領受的是二個反省:
1. 你是否新酒
    你曾否被耶穌復活?如果你有,你便是新酒。
2. 你是否在新皮袋中
    你在怎樣的教會中?是新皮袋抑或舊皮袋?你知道不同之處嗎?你是新酒,應該和主耶穌有一個每天親蜜的關係,何不問問祂?


親愛的主耶穌,
帶領我們不斷經歷更新以致我們成為新酒。幫助我們能進入你為我們預備的新皮袋中。奉主耶穌基督名求, 阿們。

省察問題
1. 你明白跟隨耶穌是有如新酒倒在新皮袋中?甚麼是新酒? 甚麼是皮袋?

2. 是否新酒?

3. 是否在皮袋中?如何?

4. 你在怎樣的教會中?是新皮袋抑或舊皮袋?你知道不同之處嗎?如何回應這問題呢?

家庭角落
1. 你的家庭接納新事物難嗎?

2. 因着你的更新改變,你如何能為你的家庭帶來新方法及新的改變? 

感恩讚美 - 
我的心你要稱頌耶和華 

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

DAY 36 - New Call: Get Up! Follow Me! (Please go to FaceBook(silastyng) to watch my video of this blog)

           


Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.


Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people
3.   Open your heart to praise the Lord

           But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
               let them ever sing for joy,
           and spread your protection over them,
               that those who love your name may exult in you.
                                                 Psalm 5:11

Confession and repentance

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."


The Word
      As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
                                                              Matthew 9:9-13

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

My Listening
     In yesterday's passage, we see how Jesus commanded the paralytic to get up and walk and he got up and walked. That is a demonstration of "resurrection" using the word "get up" as the language in connection with resurrection.     

      Do you think today's passage about Matthew is another example of resurrection? Sure it is.      

Bishop N.T. Wright says :     
      Think for a moment what life would have been like for Matthew, day after day and year after year.  Suppose it was you.  You would sit in your hot little booth, waiting for travellers to pay the toll as they passed from one province into the next.  
       They wouldn't enjoy it and nor would you.  Then think what it would be like having a young prophet with a spring in his step and God's kingdom in his heart coming past one day and simply asking you to follow him. Yes: it would feel exactly like a healing miracle.  
       Actually, verse 9 hints at something even more; it would be like a resurrection. 'He arose,' says the passage literally, using a regular 'resurrection' word, 'and followed him.'             

N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.102.          

      So, if Matthew was being resurrected, was he a paralytic? Not physical, but spiritual of course. Are you a paralytic?
      What I got from Jesus today is a kind of deep self-examination and a call to leave what you are now doing so that you can follow Him.     

      You may be doing the same thing as Matthew was doing: Boring, greedy and worldly. Definitely not doing Kingdom ministry. So, the call is for Matthew to get up from his post doing those boring, greedy and worldly job to follow Jesus doing exciting, faithful Kingdom ministry.     

      How can you be resurrected by Jesus through His message today?      Are you willing to get up and follow Jesus now?     

       Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus? 

Dear Lord Jesus,
      Lead us to be willing to get up and follow you now. And, be able to help more people to get up and follow you doing your Kingdom ministry.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.   
          

Reflect on these questions:
1.  If Matthew was being resurrected, was he a paralytic? Not physical, but spiritual of course 

2. Are you a paralytic? How can you be resurrected by Jesus through His message today? 

3.  'Get up! Follow me!' What does it mean to you today? What Jesus is trying to tell you now?

4.  Are you willing to help more people to get up and follow Jesus? 

Family Corner:
1. How can you share with your family about your spiritual journey and what does it look like for you to follow Jesus?

2. How can you help your family members to share their personal journey and what do they think it would look like to follow Jesus?

     Praise and Thanksgiving

第三十六天 - 新的呼召: 起身! 跟我! (大家可到FaceBook (silastyng)看此博客的錄影 )

 





每年的大齋節 Lent 我們都會用四十日的 "破。立"去為大家帶來一個心意更新的時刻,亦鼓勵大家在這四十天每天禁食祈禱,按照你自己的感動禁食一餐或以上,每主日是慶祝救主復活的一天,不需要禁食,而我們也會回到 "親親爸父,唱詩歌頌"。大齋節在救主復活日前一天完成,讓我們在今年的大齋節,預備自己的身心靈,經歷與主同死同復活,心意更新,與主同行,與眾同活,活像基督!

安靜

1.  停下來,靜一靜

2.  等候主,深呼吸經歷主之平安,感受主的臨在,呼出你的憂慮


讚美及感恩
1.  思想最近使你開心歡笑的時刻
2.  為那些時刻及有關的人感恩
3.  敞開心懷讚美主


知罪,認罪,悔改 (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method 轉位靈修法) http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html)

1. 求聖靈光照,使你知罪,願意認罪悔改 
     "親愛的聖靈,求你光照我心靈的深處,使我看見我的罪,我和主耶穌的阻隔, 
        求你幫助,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。"

2. 透過聖靈的工作,安靜一刻,省察自己,之後祈禱:
     「親愛的主耶穌,感謝你為我的罪釘死在十字架上,我願意在你面前承認我的罪(凡聖靈光照到的,請逐一說出),求你用你的寶血赦免我的罪,我願意打開心門讓你作我的救主,求你救贖我,我願意一生跟隨你讓你作我生命的主,求你帶領我。聖靈,求你充滿我,使我得著恩賜及力量去侍奉主、見證主,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。」


聆聽主話
耶 穌 從 那 裡 往 前 走 , 看 見 一 個 人 名 叫 馬 太 , 坐 在 稅 關 上 , 就 對 他 說 : 你 跟 從 我 來 。 他 就 起 來 跟 從 了 耶 穌 。
10 耶 穌 在 屋 裡 坐 席 的 時 候 , 有 好 些 稅 吏 和 罪 人 來 , 與 耶 穌 和 他 的 門 徒 一 同 坐 席 。
11 法 利 賽 人 看 見 , 就 對 耶 穌 的 門 徒 說 : 你 們 的 先 生 為 甚 麼 和 稅 吏 並 罪 人 一 同 吃 飯 呢 ?
12 耶 穌 聽 見 , 就 說 : 康 健 的 人 用 不 著 醫 生 , 有 病 的 人 才 用 得 著 。
13 經 上 說 : 我 喜 愛 憐 恤 , 不 喜 愛 祭 祀 。 這 句 話 的 意 思 , 你 們 且 去 揣 摩 。 我 來 本 不 是 召 義 人 , 乃 是 召 罪 人 。

                                                           馬太福音 9: 9-13

現在讓你有一段安靜的時間, 給聖靈一個空間, 讓主耶穌可以藉着你剛才讀過的經文, 親自對你說話:

我的聆聽
昨天的經文給我們看到耶穌吩咐一個癱子起身,行走,那癱子立即起身,行走。這是馬太使用一個在福音書中復活死人的語句"起身"。

你想今日的呼召馬太的經文是否另外一次的"復活"?絕對是的。

著名的神學家N.T. Wright説:

試想想馬太坐在稅吏的座位上日復一日,年復一年的枯燥工作。試想如果是你?無論是馬太抑或你都不會享受此工作。
試想有一天一位年青的先知帶着輕盈的步伐及神國的異象來到你的稅關呼召你跟從他。這簡直是一個醫治的神蹟!實在第九節暗示了更多,是一個人復活!
'他就起來',這是一個基本的復活語句,然後'跟從了耶穌'。

N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.96,97.

所以,如果馬太被復活,他是否一個癱子呢?不在身體上,而在心靈裏。你是否一個癱子呢?

我今天從主領受的是一個深層的自我反省,同時亦是一個要你放棄現在的工作去跟隨主的呼召

你可能如馬太一樣做一些枯燥無味,貪心及屬世的工作,而不是國度事工。所以給馬太的呼召是從那些枯燥無味,貪心及屬世的工作起身,跟隨主耶穌做些刺激,忠心的國度事工。

你如何能從今天的經文中被主耶穌復活過來?
你願意現在起身跟隨主嗎?
你願意幫助更多的人起身跟隨主嗎?


親愛的主耶穌,
帶領我們願意起身去跟隨你。同時,能夠幫助更多的人起身跟隨你做國度的工作奉主耶穌基督名求, 阿們。

省察問題
1. 如果馬太被復活,他是否一個癱子呢?不在身體上,而在心靈裏。

2. 是否一個癱子呢?你如何能從今天的經文中被主耶穌復活過來?

3. 起身,跟隨我! 這句在今天對你有何意義? 耶穌想告訴你甚麼?

4. 你如何能夠幫助更多的人起身跟隨主做國度的工作?

家庭角落
1. 你如何能在於家庭中分享你的屬靈旅程,跟隨耶穌是甚麼意思? 

2. 你如何能在於家庭中鼓勵大家分享心路歷程?他們認為何謂跟隨主?

感恩讚美 - 
我的心你要稱頌耶和華 

神啊,求你不要耽延,救我啊!

  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,...