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: Exodus 31
Please read Exodus 31 and listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ would like to tell you before reading my Spiritual Journal below. 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:
You may click this link directly for the method: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
You may begin with a song to praise the Lord and complete you devotion by singing another praise song.
我 要 在 那 裡 與 你 們 相 會 ， 和 你 們 說 話 。
我 要 在 那 裡 與 以 色 列 人 相 會 ， 會 幕 就 要 因 我 的 榮 耀 成 為 聖 。
where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.
Exodus 29:42-43
Please click the links to Exodus 31
What I got today from Jesus is: Let God to take command
What I heard from Jesus today is a very important call to let God to take command. You may say, "Why? Is that what we as Christians have been doing? Jesus is Lord. Of course we let God to take command."
My answer is that we think that we let God to take command. But, in reality, we rarely let God to take command. Unless, may be in some big crisis an we'll say, "Oh! Oh! Jesus helps me! I am not in control!"
Last year I went to Regent College to listen to a talk "Genesis Through Ancient Eyes" by Professor John Walton. It was such an inspiring talk! Later I bought one of his books "The Lost World of Genesis One". There I got a new understanding of Sabbaths. John Walton says:
In the ancient world rest is what results when a crisis has been resolved or when stability has been achieved, when things have "settled down"…
The Hebrew verb "Sabat" from which our term "sabbath" is derived has the basic meaning of "ceasing"… The verb involves entering a position of safety, security or stability and the noun refers to the place where that is found…
His "rest" is located in his "resting place" in Psalm 132, which also identifies it as the temple from which he rules. After creation, God takes up his rest and rules from his residence…
Like the American White House, it is the hub of authority and control. It is where the work of running the country takes place. When a newly elected president looks forward to taking up his residence in the White House, it is not simply so he can kick off his shoes and snooze in the Lincoln bedroom. It is so he can begin the work of running the country. Thus in ancient terms the president "takes up his rest" in the White House. This is far from relaxation. the turmoil and uncertainty of the election is over, and now he can settle down to the important business at hand…
The role of the temple in the ancient world is not primarily a place for people to gather in worship like modern churches. It is a place for the deity - sacred space. It is his home, but more importantly his headquarters - the control room . When the deity rests in the temple it means that he is taking command, that he is mounting to his throne to assume his rightful place and his proper role.
So, now you understand why those people who did not obey Sabbaths were stoned to death. It is because it symbolize that they did not allow God to be God.
Sabbaths is beyond the command that you can't do your work on Sundays and need to go to church. Sabbaths is to train God's people to totally obey what God says and let God to take command.
Yes, you need to go to church on Sundays. But, you can choose to go to church on Saturdays or Wednesday, just like the Emmanuel 330 I planted almost three years ago mainly for Chinese Restaurant workers, every Wednesday 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. Sabbaths is beyond what day you go to church. Sabbaths is concerning with your relationship to God. Whether you really let Him to take command. When He says Go, then you Go. When He says rest, then you rest. When He says Stop, then you Stop!
What I heard from Jesus today is a very important call to let God to take command. You may say, "Why? Is that what we as Christians have been doing? Jesus is Lord. Of course we let God to take command."
My answer is that we think that we let God to take command. But, in reality, we rarely let God to take command. Unless, may be in some big crisis an we'll say, "Oh! Oh! Jesus helps me! I am not in control!"
Last year I went to Regent College to listen to a talk "Genesis Through Ancient Eyes" by Professor John Walton. It was such an inspiring talk! Later I bought one of his books "The Lost World of Genesis One". There I got a new understanding of Sabbaths. John Walton says:
In the ancient world rest is what results when a crisis has been resolved or when stability has been achieved, when things have "settled down"…
The Hebrew verb "Sabat" from which our term "sabbath" is derived has the basic meaning of "ceasing"… The verb involves entering a position of safety, security or stability and the noun refers to the place where that is found…
His "rest" is located in his "resting place" in Psalm 132, which also identifies it as the temple from which he rules. After creation, God takes up his rest and rules from his residence…
Like the American White House, it is the hub of authority and control. It is where the work of running the country takes place. When a newly elected president looks forward to taking up his residence in the White House, it is not simply so he can kick off his shoes and snooze in the Lincoln bedroom. It is so he can begin the work of running the country. Thus in ancient terms the president "takes up his rest" in the White House. This is far from relaxation. the turmoil and uncertainty of the election is over, and now he can settle down to the important business at hand…
The role of the temple in the ancient world is not primarily a place for people to gather in worship like modern churches. It is a place for the deity - sacred space. It is his home, but more importantly his headquarters - the control room . When the deity rests in the temple it means that he is taking command, that he is mounting to his throne to assume his rightful place and his proper role.
So, now you understand why those people who did not obey Sabbaths were stoned to death. It is because it symbolize that they did not allow God to be God.
Sabbaths is beyond the command that you can't do your work on Sundays and need to go to church. Sabbaths is to train God's people to totally obey what God says and let God to take command.
Yes, you need to go to church on Sundays. But, you can choose to go to church on Saturdays or Wednesday, just like the Emmanuel 330 I planted almost three years ago mainly for Chinese Restaurant workers, every Wednesday 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. Sabbaths is beyond what day you go to church. Sabbaths is concerning with your relationship to God. Whether you really let Him to take command. When He says Go, then you Go. When He says rest, then you rest. When He says Stop, then you Stop!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be willing to let you to take command. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us -
從心合一 Unity starts from Your Heart
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) Matt Redman
You may choose to follow my other daily blog:
Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)
http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/
Daily Devotion on Fire 2
(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament)
Daily Devotion on Fire
(3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible):
Break.Build
(40 days daily devotion- First Baby Step for new Christians)
Emmanuel330
(40 weeks First Step Bible Study)
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