DAY 646 - (English podcast click here)

DAY 646 - How to Tell The Love Story? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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: Ephesians 1:3-10

** 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 Ephesians 1:3-10

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1&version=CUV

Bible Study

     There are lots of things we can discuss in today's passage. Like how to praise God following Paul's example, predestination and how to worship while in prison and so on. But, the most important thing in today's passage is for Paul to tell a love story. Paul is telling a love story while he was in prison not knowing his future and destiny. 

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
      The Worship, for Christians, will almost always involve telling the story of what God has done in and through Jesus.  From the beginning, such storytelling built on the stories of God's earlier actions on Israel's behalf.  The prayer will now conclude by moving forwards from the Christian version of the Exodus to the Christian version of the promised land.
     Take some time, as you ponder Paul's prayers, to reflect on what it meant for him, in prison, to write in praise of the God who has set us free. Then open your heart in prayer on behalf of those who today still long that what God did in Christ might become a reality in their daily lives. 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:Te Prison Letters. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.10.

     How well can you tell God's love story especially in the midst of hardship?

     

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: How to tell the love story?

    What I got from Jesus today is a wonderful and loving request for us to enter into a daily loving relationship with Him so that we can tell the love story anytime, even in the time of sorrow and hardship.

    I felt not good yesterday and decided to go to see my family doctor. I am so blessed that before the virus hit me I started to take antibiotic yesterday. And, after I officiated the Eucharist and led the Operation Jericho this morning from 7-7:35a.m., I was totally unable to speak and move. I took a sleep of 10 hours and now receiving this wonderful gift from our Lord Jesus Christ of telling the love story. Praising Him loving me in a very special way since I was born.

    Wow! This is really a wonderful experience now! How much are you in love with Jesus lately? Let's listen to Andy William's love story to pull you back into the daily loving relationship with Jesus right now. 

Love Story (Andy Williams)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad9SV2rb4Ns

     Please see a few photos below showing a group of "saints" and "faithful" servants of God from Richmond Emmanuel Church started our "Operation Jericho". It is a preparation for us to pray for our annual Vestry this coming Sunday using similar spiritual strategy from Joshua Chapter 1 to 6. 

      We are going to make a decision whether that is God's will for us to buy a piece of land and to build a church after 17 years of renting certain locations. We started at 7a.m. and finished at 7:30a.m. with a Holy Communion and a Prayer Walk surrounding the outside of our church. Then on the seventh day, March 2, the day of our Vestry we are going to walk surrounding our Sanctuary seven times. You are welcome to join us!

Please click this link to worship with us -

從心合一

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

Open Our Eyes/Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7M5lcxDD3Y

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/

DAY 645 - Why We Want to Listen to You? (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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: Ephesians 1:1-3

** 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 Ephesians 1:1-3

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1&version=CUV

Bible Study

     Paul begins this books and many of his books in the Bible by declaring his position. Here in today's passage, Paul describes himself as "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God". If you were there, why would you believe in Paul? Why not try to against him like quite a number of people against Paul that they did not believe Paul is an apostle of Christ Jesus?
     Can you find your answer here in the first second verses of this chapter? 

     

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: Why we want to listen to you?

    What I got from Jesus today is a question always asked by quite a number of Christians to their leader(s).  How could they recognize Paul is the real one and not a lier, just as many liars, false teachers around Paul at that time.

    The answer I got today is from verse 2:
1. Paul address the Christians in Ephesians as "saints in Ephesus". 
2. Paul address the Christians in Ephesians as "faithful in Christ".

    What is the opposite of "saints"? Well, those who have been doing the opposite works of saints, not building up the church in Ephesus and God's Kingdom work but to "steal, kill and destroy".

    What is the opposite of "faithful"? Obviously it is "unfaithful". Very simple, loyal not to God's appointed servant and that is Paul which means not loyal to Christ Jesus.

    When people ask their leader, "Why we want to listen to you?" , it is not only they are not willing to listen to their leader(s) appointed by the Church and Christ Jesus, also it is no use to say anything to them. So, every things stops at verse 2 and it can't go on, unless your are the saints and the faithful!

    Paul's letter writes only to those "saints" and "faithful" servants of Christ Jesus. Are you "saints" and "faithful" servants of Jesus? How can you be so sure?

     Please see a few photos below showing a group of "saints" and "faithful" servants of God from Richmond Emmanuel Church started our "Operation Jericho". It is a preparation for us to pray for our annual Vestry this coming Sunday using similar spiritual strategy from Joshua Chapter 1 to 6. 

      We are going to make a decision whether that is God's will for us to buy a piece of land and to build a church after 17 years of renting certain locations. We started at 7a.m. and finished at 7:30a.m. with a Holy Communion and a Prayer Walk surrounding the outside of our church. Then on the seventh day, March 2, the day of our Vestry we are going to walk surrounding our Sanctuary seven times. You are welcome to join us!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to become saints in our own church and faithful servants of you so that we have a chance to listen to you and to learn the greatness of your Word.  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

Open Our Eyes/Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7M5lcxDD3Y

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/

DAY 644 - (English podcast click here)

DAY 644 - We Need Authority And Discipline (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

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: 2 Thessalonians 3:14-18

** 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 2 Thessalonians 3:14-18

English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2 Thessalonians 3&version=ESV

Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=帖 撒 羅 尼 迦 後 書 3&version=CUV

Bible Study

     Paul concludes this book exercising his apostolic authority. The authority as a bishop to keep his people in certain order. 

Bishop N.T. Wright says ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright ) :
      The difficult notion of discipline rests, of course, on another notion many today find difficult: apostolic authority.  We are far more inclined, in leadership roles, to suggest to people that they might perhaps like to do this or that, rather than to tell them that this is how things must be done.  Again, of course, sooner or later someone has to make decisions, from the ordering of worship to the moral standards that will hold the community's life together.  Unless there is a clear authority structure something else will take its place, quite possibly the force of certain personalities or the loudness of certain voice.  The value of a clear system of authority is that it avoids allowing things to degenerate into bullying by the powerful or sniping by the petulant.  Paul believed - he staked his life on it - that God had given him this authority, not to lord it over his churches, but to deep them in line. 

N.T. Wright. Paul for Everyone:Galatians and Thessalonians. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p.160.

      How does your church exercise authority and discipline? How well are you willing  to be under authority so that your church can be in line? 

      
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: We need authority and discipline

    What I got from Jesus today is a call for us to examine our willingness to be under authority. It is such a blessing that we are in an Anglian tradition and system that we have the authority of a bishop, the Rector/Senior Pastor, the Council and then other leaders. It is not easy to exercise the "apostolic authority" as a bishop. But once our people understand what "apostolic authority" really is in an Anglican system, we have a better chance to be in line and in order. And more easy to exercise suitable discipline action when it is so needed.

    The question is, are you willing to be under the authority of those leaders whose authority is given by God. If you are willing, then you have a better chance to be in a better church. You may not agree, but that is what Paul says today. 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to be willing to be under the authority of those servants appointed and anointed by you. 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

Open Our Eyes/Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7M5lcxDD3Y

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/