*If this is your first time to have daily devotion or you have not had daily devotion for a long time, I suggest you to use this link for a 40 days of daily devotion through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, my Break.Build blog/podcast:
**If you would like to have me to walk with you for three years and three months to read through the whole Bible with one chapter a day, please click my fist blog "Devotion on Fire":
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/day-1-i-am-blind.html
If you would like to purchase my new book "MicroMacro Discipline" please click these links below:
Amazon.com
Click here for paperback
Click here for Kindle
Amazon.ca
Silence
40 Days Break.Build daily devotion:
**If you would like to have me to walk with you for three years and three months to read through the whole Bible with one chapter a day, please click my fist blog "Devotion on Fire":
http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/day-1-i-am-blind.html
If you would like to purchase my new book "MicroMacro Discipline" please click these links below:
Amazon.com
Click here for paperback
Click here for Kindle
Barnes and Noble
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
"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."
Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html)
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.”
“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, Time with Abba (Psalm 98:1-9; Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7; Proverbs 22:16)
Bible link:
English(ESV):https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=列+王+紀+下+13&version=ESV
Bible link:
English(ESV):https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=列+王+紀+下+13&version=ESV
PAUSE HERE!!!
Please read all four passages first before reading my sharing.
To know, learn and practice this method of Time with Abba, please click this link:
Please see below the passages I copied today:
Reflect on these questions:
My Listening
The topic I received from Jesus is: "Do you want sweet sleep?"
People nowadays spend lots of money in all kinds of way to help themselves to sleep better, just to sleep better but not sweet sleep!
But, God promises us through His Word in the Bible that we can have sweet sleep. Do you believe that?
Now, with what we've got from today's Ecclesiastes 5:12:
"The sleep of a labourer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much"
There are more in the Bible that promises sweet sleep:
Proverbs 3:24 "When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."
Jeremiah 31:26 "At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been sweet to me."
So, why so many people cannot sleep well and most people cannot have sweet sleep?
Read the second part of today's Ecclesiastes 5:12:
"The sleep of a labourer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep."
Wow! Is their wrong "abundance" that give them no sleep!
What is that? How come we have wrong "abundance"?
May be today's Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 gives us some clues:
"Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God."
Well, the only reason for those who are rich and cannot have sleep because of their "abundance" is because they do not think that their "lot" is enough, and they want more, more and more. That causes anxiety, depression and even all kinds of sickness!
So, how can we not step into that false "abundance"?
I think today's 2 Corinthians 7:2-3 gives us direction about that:
"Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you."
Ya, the key word is "make room"! Make room for God and for each others so that we can sing a new song to God each day and to joyfully praising God each day like today's Psalm 98:1-9. Are you willing to make that kind of room for God so that you are praising Him every moment and to receive that gift from God to have sweet sleep each day?
You know what? Jesus reminded me now when I conclude my message today of John 10:10:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The only true "abundance" that give us sweet sleep is when we have room to have Jesus to be in us and to have room to have other people to be in our hearts so that we can pray and care for them daily. That's the way to have sweet sleep everyday! That's how my wife and I have sweet sleep everyday!
I sincerely hope and pray that you can receive and enjoy this gift of "sweet sleep" too!
But, God promises us through His Word in the Bible that we can have sweet sleep. Do you believe that?
Now, with what we've got from today's Ecclesiastes 5:12:
"The sleep of a labourer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much"
There are more in the Bible that promises sweet sleep:
Proverbs 3:24 "When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."
Jeremiah 31:26 "At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been sweet to me."
So, why so many people cannot sleep well and most people cannot have sweet sleep?
Read the second part of today's Ecclesiastes 5:12:
"The sleep of a labourer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep."
Wow! Is their wrong "abundance" that give them no sleep!
What is that? How come we have wrong "abundance"?
May be today's Ecclesiastes 5:19-20 gives us some clues:
"Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil - this is a gift of God."
Well, the only reason for those who are rich and cannot have sleep because of their "abundance" is because they do not think that their "lot" is enough, and they want more, more and more. That causes anxiety, depression and even all kinds of sickness!
So, how can we not step into that false "abundance"?
I think today's 2 Corinthians 7:2-3 gives us direction about that:
"Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you."
Ya, the key word is "make room"! Make room for God and for each others so that we can sing a new song to God each day and to joyfully praising God each day like today's Psalm 98:1-9. Are you willing to make that kind of room for God so that you are praising Him every moment and to receive that gift from God to have sweet sleep each day?
You know what? Jesus reminded me now when I conclude my message today of John 10:10:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
The only true "abundance" that give us sweet sleep is when we have room to have Jesus to be in us and to have room to have other people to be in our hearts so that we can pray and care for them daily. That's the way to have sweet sleep everyday! That's how my wife and I have sweet sleep everyday!
I sincerely hope and pray that you can receive and enjoy this gift of "sweet sleep" too!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to make room for you and other people so that we can have sweet sleep everyday . In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. Do you have sweet sleep everyday? If you do not, do you know why?
2. What have you learned today to help you to have sweet sleep? How are you going to really receive that gift of "sweet sleep"?
3. What have you received from Jesus today?
Praise and Thanksgiving