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."
Today's main passages:
Special arrangement today. Please see below.
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him.
Praise and Thanksgiving
Break.Build: 破.立 Break.Build:
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 shine on you that you are able to discover your sins and be willing to repent:
“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 135:8-14; 1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23, Proverbs 17:14-15)
Bible link:English(NIV):https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+2&version=NIV
Today's main passages:
Special arrangement today. Please see below.
My Listening
1 King 19 is a very special chapter in the Bible that God used to pull me out from anxiety to regain my strength many times in the past many years. Please read below:
Reason for depression:
1. Me
The "Me" pushed that powerfully anointed Elijah to the top of the world thinking that he can do everything. You can see that he ran faster than the king's chariot , like a Ferrari!
Many people say the peak of spiritual authority is the most dangerous time for God's servants, because they always forget God is the One who raise them there and they raise themselves up to the top!
Reason for depression:
1. Me
The "Me" pushed that powerfully anointed Elijah to the top of the world thinking that he can do everything. You can see that he ran faster than the king's chariot , like a Ferrari!
Many people say the peak of spiritual authority is the most dangerous time for God's servants, because they always forget God is the One who raise them there and they raise themselves up to the top!
44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:44-46
2. Fear
Elijah was full of the power of the Holy Spirit! But, his power could not help him to face with the unexpected rejection of the Queen and he suddenly thought of running away without waiting for God to act! Suddenly he was full of FEAR! And, because of his fear, he fell into the pit of darkness and depression!
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 1 Kings 19:1-3
3. Quit
Elijah forgot the power of God with him eventhough he experienced that power so many times to raise him up, to save him and to anoint him. Instead, he used his own way to run and thought of quitting his own life!
Way to get out of depression
1. Pray
4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 1 Kings 19:4
2. Angel(s) comes
When you are willing to cry out to God and not using your own way, God will send angels to help you. Do you know that? That's how an angel came to help Elijah two times so that he could have sweet sleep (Proverbs 3:24) and have warm bread to eat!
5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 1 Kings 19:5-7
3. Spiritual journey to see God
If you are willing, may be God would call you to have a 40 days spiritual journey just like how he called Elijah. Or, like Moses who had three times 40 days fasting, or Jesus who had his 40 days fast to win over Satan's temptation.
Today is the 6th day of my 40 days fasting for Hong Kong, fasting and praying for God's power to demolish Satan's cunning plan to tear apart families , friends and churches in the political crisis of Hong Kong! There had been quite a number of wonderful things happening in Hong Kong and in my life the past six days, and I believe that many Christians have received the same call to fast for Hong Kong the past few days!
God challenged Elijah's "me" to lead him to humble himself and to look up to God so that he could be anointed and be mightily used by God again!
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
1 Kings 19:8-14
4. God's assurance and spiritual authority
There were three time of anointing according to 1 Kings 19:15-16. The most wonderful thing is that the first and second anointing of the two future kings happened after Elijah was being taken by the chariot of fire to heaven. One time by his disciple Elisha and the other time by Elisha's disciple! Wow! An anointing to the second generation! (2 Kings chapter 8 and 9)
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:15-18
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us not to use our own way that we so often fall into darkness. Raise us up to raise up our next generation and then generations to generations to glorify your mighty name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. What kind of inspiration and invitation have you received from today's message?
2. What is your action to become a Elijah to raise up your next generation?
Family Corner:
Find an opportunity to share with your family about today's catchPraise and Thanksgiving
Let's give thanks for God with us. Let us praise Him:
10,000 Reasons
To know, learn and practice this method of Time with Abba, please click this link: http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
Please click this link if you have an Android Cel to listen to the most recent ten podcasts:
Time with Abba, Depression Out:
Break.Build: 破.立 Break.Build:
https://play.google.com/store/
To purchase my new book "MicroMacro Discipline" please click these links below:
To purchase my new book "MicroMacro Discipline" please click these links below:
Amazon.com
Click here for paperback
Click here for Kindle
Since January 1, 2016 Richmond Emmanuel Church has non stop Morning Prayer Monday through Friday 6:00am to 7:30am, Saturday 8am to 9:45am, Sunday 7:00am to 8:25am
The offering of our First Fruit every morning have changed lots of things: unity, lifestyle, character …and many more!
Since January 1, 2016 Richmond Emmanuel Church has non stop Morning Prayer Monday through Friday 6:00am to 7:30am, Saturday 8am to 9:45am, Sunday 7:00am to 8:25am
The offering of our First Fruit every morning have changed lots of things: unity, lifestyle, character …and many more!
Please find wonderful pictures of our TWA at Richmond Emmanuel Church:
Ram horns sounding daily to welcome the presence of our might God and to open our souls to prepare receiving His message:
Three generations TWA worship:
Daily communion after TWA:
Parents praying with their daughter: (Rev. Ignatius Ng, Anna Ng and Zoe Glory Ng)
Mom's TWA:
No comments:
Post a Comment