Tuesday, December 3, 2013

WEEK 25 - New Path: Not Easy to Follow Jesus (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)


Today's Reading: Matthew 7:13-14

**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.

Please click this link to Matthew 7:13-14
Bible Study
     
     The whole Sermon on the Mount is drawing to a close starting from today's passage. Is becoming a new being, having a new doing and living a new standard easy? No, not at all.

     Jesus gives us three warnings and a final concluding teaching. We have first of the three warnings in today's passage. So, what's the first warning? Jesus is trying to tell us that to enter into the Kingdom of heaven is not easy.

     Yes, it all starts with entering into the Kingdom of heaven. This new path to follow Jesus in the Kingdom of heaven starts with repentance. When we know what to repent and are willing to repent we enter into the Kingdom of heaven. That's how John the Baptist and Jesus both says, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near." With our true repentance, it should be a natural process that we become a new being, having a new doing and living a new standard.

     The problem is that true repentance is not easy. It's like entering into a narrow gate or walking a narrow road. People just do not like that. Are you ready to enter into the narrow gate and walk with Jesus on a narrow road? 
    
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"



Spiritual Journal

     The topic I received from Jesus today is : 
     New path: Not easy to follow Jesus

      The warning Jesus wants to give us is very important.  Because lots of Christians are not able to walk through the narrow gate and to walk the narrow path with Jesus. When they know they have to offer their time and money to the church they quit.  When they know they have to open the Bible each day to have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus they quit. When they know they have to fast they disappear.

      It is so sad that most Christians have a huge misunderstanding about this new path they dare not to walk on. It is not they cannot do. The truth is that they do not want to repent! Are you willing to repent? 

Dear Lord Jesus,
      Lead us to be able to know what do we need to repent and be willing to repent each day so that you can be our Savoir, Lord and King. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.  
Questions for group discussion


New path: Not easy to follow Jesus
新的路徑: 跟隨耶穌絕不容易

Passage: Matthew 7:13-14

Questions for group leaders
1. Read Matthew 7:13-14 again now. Do you think that true repentance is not easy? Why? Can you give a recent example of your personal true repentance?

2. Do you think true repentance and your new lifestyle of Christlikeness is like walking into a narrow gate and then a narrow path? How so? What kind of lifestyle have you been changing and how difficult it is to you? 

3. Do you agree with what I said below?
    "When they know they have to offer their time and money to the church they quit.  When they know they have to open the Bible each day to have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus they quit. When they know they have to fast they disappear."    

4. So, what's your next goal to enter into the narrow gate and walk the narrow path? 

5. What is your highlight in today’s session? 

Please click this link to worship with us:

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)

Discipler123(Daily Devotion, with English and Cantonese podcast)

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(One year New 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, with English and Cantonese podcast): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study, with English and Cantonese podcast): 

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