Time with Abba, Singing Praising 親親爸父，唱詩歌頌 : OT DAY 262 - Want Blessings? So Simple! (Please click here for English podcast)

Friday, July 17, 2015

OT DAY 262 - Want Blessings? So Simple! (Please click here for English podcast)

Please click the link below to my new 40 days Break.Build site any time you like to having a 40 days "Break.Build" daily devotion with one to two people as a discipler to help those Jesus prepares for you to disciple. You need to know that the call and purpose of my Break.Build and this Discipler123 blog/podcast is for you to become a discipler to help more people to have a daily intimate relationship with Jesus and then they can become disciplers too:
http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Please click these links to the app. Andy Ng wrote if you have an Android cel.:

Discipler123: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideal.rec.app

Break.Build: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideal.bb.app

Silence

1. Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2. Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1. Think through your day, all the times that made you smile

2. Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people

3. Open your heart to praise the Lord

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!

Psalm 97:1

Confession and Repentance

1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2. Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

The Word (Deuteronomy 11:16-32)

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy 11&version=ESV

26 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

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"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

My Listening

Yesterday we talked about if the Israelites did not observe and obey God's command, God would withhold rain and drought came. Today Moses goes on to tell his people a very simple principle: obey = blessings; disobey = cursing

Let's see how Professor John Goldingay tells us:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

The importance of rain makes it a fitting symbol of blessing…
Blessing suggests fertility. Belittling (cursing) suggests the opposite, being cut down to much less than you are and hope to be. Israel chooses its destiny. In setting Abraham on his journey to Shechem, God promised that he would be blessed but also that anyone who tried to belittle him would be belittled. Israel is again reminded that the same principles apply to it as apply to other peoples. It does not get away with things just because it is God's special people.

John Goldingay. Numbers & Deuteronomy for Everyone. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.133-134.

Do you know your life can be so simple? You have a good relationship with God, obey His command, you will be blessed and you can be used by God as a channel of blessing. Well, we are going to face with difficulties, hardship or even crisis, but when those bad things come to disciples of Christ it is somewhat like examination papers. You obey and do not lessen your relationship with God but closer and closer, you pass. You would be raised to a new level and are ready to do even greater things for God. Do you believe that?

Do you want blessings? Know what you need to do now?

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be closer and closer to you each day so that we can be blessed by you and you can use us to be channels of blessings. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Reflect on these questions:
1. How do you feel about the simple principle of blessing today? Are you being blessed lately? If not, do you know why?

2. Do you have anything in your life that you are actually disobeying God's command, like quit smoking, gambling, pornography or any kind of thing that God forbids you to do?

Photos of our 30th Wedding Anniversary trip to Alaska