Wednesday, July 17, 2013

WEEK 5 - New Test: You Are Not A Loser (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)



Today's Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

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


Please click this link to Matthew 4:1-11

Bible Study
     
     Jesus was ready. Yes, after thirty years of preparation He was ready for the test. The Holy Spirit led Him to be tested by the devil. Just like a coach brings his trainee to the competition, the test, and see if he can pass the test.

     But, Jesus' test is different. The trainee can fail the test not getting the gold, the silver or nothing. Jesus' test was to pull Him away from what He just got confirmed. To be God's son, the beloved one, the Messiah. Satan aimed at trashing all that away from what Jesus just received from the Heavenly Father. 

     Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):
     The first two temptations play on the very strength he has just received. 'You are my son, my beloved one!', God had said to him.  Very well, whispers the demonic voice; if you really are God's son, surely he can't want you to go hungry when you have the power to get food for yourself?
     Jesus sees through the trap.  He answers, each time, with the Bible and with God...
     The temptations we all face, day by day and at critical moments of decision and vocation in our lives, may be very different from those of Jesus, but they have exactly the same point.  They are not simply trying to entice us into committing this or that sin.  They are trying to distract us, to turn us aside, from the path of servanthood to which our baptism has commissioned us.  God has a costly but wonderfully glorious vocation for each one of us.  The enemy will do everything possible to distract us and thwart God's purpose.  If we have heard God's voice welcoming us as his children, we will also hear the whispered suggestions of the enemy.  
             N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.25, 26.

     Have you heard that whispering voice lately? Are you sure that's Jesus voice? If you know that it's from satan, do you know to follow Jesus' way to pass the test? Or, you just don't mind to fail because you think you are always a loser? 

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 Test : You are not a loser
     
     What I received from Jesus today is an encouragement He wants to give to you so that you can pass the next test: 
     "Follow my lead to pass the test. Don't let satan to tell you that you are a loser. You are my beloved one! " 

     What Jesus gives us today is a warning as well as a key to pass your next test:
1.  There will be a test coming to you soon
     Luke 4:13 it says:
     When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
     You have to know that satan has his own opportune time to test us. And he will tell us again and again that we are losers. Many Christians give up to fight against him because they think anyway they are going to lose. What's the big deal?

2. Follow Jesus lead and you can pass the test
    The only way to pass your next test, and those coming tests is to follow Jesus lead. Just as N.T. Wright says: He answers, each time, with the Bible and with God.
    How well do you know the Bible? How well have you stored up scripture in your heart? How willing you are to be with God that you can pass your next test? 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for telling us that we are not losers but your beloved one. Embrace us with your love and lead us to pass our next test. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 


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English praise song - Amazing Grace – My Chains Are Gone (Chris Tomlin)

Chinese praise song - 凡事都能做 Nothing Is Impossible



Questions for group leaders

Topic:

New Test: You Are Not A Loser          
新考驗: 不能再輸

Questions for group leaders
1. Have you experienced similar situation that Satan used to pull you away from God? Can you share one of those temptations? Which of the three temptations did that belong? Did you lose or did you win?

2. Do you think you are a loser so you stop fight with Satan and be a loser each time thinking that it’s not a big deal?

3. How can Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” help you to be a winner next time? What do you have to do so that you can experience this verse everyday?

4. What have you got from Jesus in today's session?


Please click this link to worship with us - 
Create in Me A Clean heart

Chinese praise song - 我的心你要稱頌耶和華 Praise the Lord, O My Soul


You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 
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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