*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
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
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 24:1-6; Exodus 32:1-33:23; Matthew 26:69-27:14, Proverbs 8:33-36)
Bible link:
English(NIV):https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+17&version=NIV
English(NIV):https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+17&version=NIV
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:
What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” Exodus 33:16
2. Disown
Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Matthew 26:75
3. Disregard
Listen to my instruction and be wise;
My Listening
The topic I received from Jesus today is: " God with us distinguish us from other people"
Moses told God a simple but very powerful saying in today's Exodus 33:14-16:
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
Why I said this is a simple but powerful saying?
Because even a church has big buildings, lots of money, lots of members, but without "God's presence", may be they would do these two things so that they can have God's presence just as what Aaaron and the leaders of the Israelites did:
1. A huge offering: Those two millions Israelites gave up their gold rings to make an offering to God. They made a physical image for them to worship God. As according to the meaning of that calf is not just what other people worshipped but also they thought God was sitting above that calf for them to worship. They thought that God would accept their hugh offering!
2. They kept the feast to worship God and to offer burnt offering and peace offering: It's somewhat like people ignore political crisis during the time of WWI and WWII that lots of people still lived in a luxury life.
But, what we can see is that they were not worshipping God. Then "they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry." In Hebrew, it means they were drunk and having all kinds of "dirty" party!
I got three "dis-" words from today's passages (NIV)
1. Distinguish
2. Disown
Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” Matthew 26:75
3. Disregard
Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it. Proverbs 8:33
If God is not with us, even we have lots of money to offer and our church building is big and beautiful, everything in the church is gold-plated, miracles and signs won't happen. Life won't change and there is not much difference to distinguish from other people. Church life is social life! People would disown Jesus just as what Peter did. And, Christians would disregard Jesus teaching and the warning of the Holy Spirit!
If God is with us, the opposite of every thing above will happen. Even those Israelites did not have a place to settle, but signs and wonders always happen. All people feared God and be willing to listen to God's servants and God's glory will be shone forth!
God with us distinguish us from other people!
Do you agree?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be willing to meet you each day and in Your glory so that we can be distinguished from other people. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. God with us distinguish us from other people, do you agree?
2. What is your next step for this to happen?
3. What have you heard from Jesus today?
To know and learn how to have time with Abba, please go to this site:
Please find below today's "Abba's Heart: A daily Inspiration from Time with Abba" written by the founder of Time with Abba and Pastoral Care School. I have received his permission to put his write-up each day from now on.
Praise and Thanksgiving