Wednesday, September 16, 2009

DAY 28 - Do It Not Just Know It




Today’s Reading: Matthew 7

(Please read Matthew 7: 1 – 29 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 this blog.)
Please click the links below to Matthew 7:
NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=NIV
Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207&version=MSG

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew7:26 - 27

Can you imagine how loud and tragic it would be if a house crashed! What Jesus is saying is even more tragic for He is describing the life of a Christian, those who have a chance to listen to him and follow him!

I have seen quite a number of such kinds of crashes. No matter a misunderstanding, a financial crisis, a broken marriage or a lost in the family, once it happened everything changed. I always named it as a time of receiving a examination paper. Whether you pass or fail makes a great difference! Sometimes it is life and death. At least spiritual death.

The Beatitude(Matthew chapter 5 to 7)is a blueprint and mandate of a Christian. Lots of Christians know it but not doing it. Many still judge, still live a lustful life, still worries, still follow the world and not Jesus.

On the other hand, many Christians do it and not just know it. I am now in Whistler for Archbishop Yong Ping Chung and Mrs. Julia Yong are having a three days retreat for me. They are willing to use their precious time to help me to be more prepared as a bishop. Just one day after my Installation, I am here at Whistler with my spiritual father and mother enjoying the teaching on the theme “Kingdom Leadership – Leadership Quality of St. Paul According to the Book of Philemon.”. And I received fresh anointing from their laying on of hands as we prayed last night. Jesus asked me, “Can you do that? Can you spend your time to someone like that?”

What Jesus told me this morning reminds me of how I started to have a half an hour daily devotion two to five time a week with my 12 years old son, Athanasius and his best friend Vance. I lost the chance of teaching my younger son to have daily devotion for so many years and an opportunity came 36 weeks ago and I have been doing it since 35 weeks ago. For the past 35 weeks they have been having daily devotion following the same pattern as this blog and they have been recording what Jesus told them in their spiritual journal since the first day. Now they are on their sixth book of their spiritual journal.

There are many things we know as a Christian but we need to do it to be a “listen and obey” disciple of Jesus. Without that when the examination paper comes, we are going to fail and our house will fall with a big crash!

Jesus also reminds me this morning that He called me to start daily devotion with Athan and Vance and I have been doing it. But He also called me about 20 weeks ago to have a devotion time with my wife Michelle and I did it for just three to four times. So my marks is 50%! I talked to Michelle through the phone last night and we were so sorry that we didn’t do it mostly with excuses of too busy and tired. We are going to do it starting tonight and hopefully every night from now on.

The first attack that the Deceiver always does is towards your family. Once your family falls, everything falls.

Do it not just know it!


Dear Lord Jesus,

Help me to have a time to read your Word and pray with my wife Michelle daily. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

4 comments:

  1. Yeah! Bishop Silas. Good for you :) That is the most loving thing you can do for someone who has been so supportive to you---your wife, my dear sister-in-Christ Michelle. Keep on having these devotion times :)

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  2. Thanks Commander Win-Win!I am always so proud of you to be such a blessed and gifted leader!

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  3. HI Silas,
    Yes, there was plank in my eye. I was so horrible that I shouted off Sharon from the computer. Just because I have to keep my time for the 40-day prayer chain and need to reach your blog and read bible on-line. It happened Monday evening at about 8pm. At the end, Sharon ran out of the house just with her pyjamas. With tears, I started praying and cnofessing to my heavenly Father for what I did. Then I drove around the neighbourhood to look for her. After some 15 mins, I finally got her at a bus stop. I hurriedly rushed to her and said sorry to her and told her that I love her as much as anyone in this world. And, she said she is Ok and will get back home later. I got home and started reading your blog. Then I realised that the Lord is teaching me to be transparent, that kind of "real" transparent with family, friends, and most important, with God. It's not easy, but I think I'll learn and practice, with an open heart and soul...until I see Him one day.


    Last night, we were together going back to church for worship team song practice. The Lord is with us. We were having joy and peace. After song practice, we spent another hour together. She is a "new" driver and needs more on-the-road practice. I was there to help and teach her some driving techniques. We both enjoyed the time. Thanks to the Lord who brings the transparency for me. Hallelujah!
    Denny

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  4. Dearest Denny,
    You may not know how important your transparency is but many who read your sharing will be blessed if they dare to do it. Thanks!
    We are human beings and in the course of our drawing close to Jesus the most unhappy one is the Devil. He is going to try all his best to make good thing bad, blessing become a curse and building relationship become broken relationship. There are lots of mine fields the Deceiver planted and let's focus on Jesus that we can have the ability to see those mind fields and do not step on it and blow ourselves up!
    Silas

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