Saturday, April 30, 2022

Truly my soul finds rest in God!

 


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.   Sing a song to praise God (you are welcome to use "Father, I adore you" which I have been singing every morning for the past 20 years or your own choice to praise God)

          Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
      

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/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 and having Jesus as my Lord. 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 sins 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 gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

(Please click this link to see how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."


    
    The link to today's Time with Abba passages:   http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
    Time with Abba passages: (Psalm 62:1-12, Judges 11:1-12:15;John 1:1-28; Proverbs 14:13-14)

    Today's key passage: 

    
              Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:1-8


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 to Jesus as you listen to Him. 
   
     My Listening
    The topic I received today from Jesus is Truly my soul finds rest in God!

    There are a lot of Christians like to read Psalm in the past two years in the midst of this pandemic because it brings lots of comfort and strength!

    Have you thought of the writer of Psalm, King David(he wrote most of the chapters in Psalm)had been through so many difficult times, suffering, pain, anxiety, helpless, hopeless, discouragement and darkness! And, David is the one as describes in the Bible closest to the heart of God! All those sufferings helped David to become a faithful servant loving God because he found out that God is a faithful God always loving him no matter what!

    What is the secret of David to be in God's love like that?

    I think we can have some clues in today's Psalm and it is:
    Truly my soul finds rest in God!

    I remember when I was around ten years old my father took me to a government building to pay a bill. He found out he did not bring enough money and he asked me to wait for him. I waited for more than an hour and I had peace because I knew he will surely come back to get me! I found rest in my father's love!

    David truly finds his rest in God because he experienced God as describes in today's Psalm:
    He is my salvation (four times)
    He is my rock(three times and in the 3rd time He is my mighty rock)
    He is my fortress (two times)
    He is my hope
    He is my glory
    He is my refuge(two times)

    I sincerely hope and pray that this pandemic can help you to build up a closer relationship with Jesus that your soul truly finds rest in Him. Then, because of the living presence of Jesus each day and you can pour out your heart to Him, your relationship with Jesus will be raised to a new level, more intimate and sweet!

     
     Dear Lord Jesus,  
     Help us to make use of this pandemic to have a similar experience as David and that our relationship with you will be more intimate and sweet in the midst of this crisis. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
     
      Reflect on these questions:
     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?
      
      2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus?
    
      Family Corner:
     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 
     
Please click this link for the video version of this blog:

     To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org

    

我的心默默無聲,專等候神!

  

 

 安靜

1.  停下來. 靜一靜

2.  等候主. 深呼吸經歷主之平安, 享受神同在, 呼出你的憂慮


讚美及感恩
1.  思想最近使你開心歡笑的時刻
2.  為那些時刻及有關的人感恩

知罪,認罪,悔改 (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method 轉位靈修法  https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

1. 求聖靈光照,使你知罪,願意認罪悔改 
     "親愛的聖靈, 求你光照我心靈的深處, 使我看見我的罪, 我和主耶穌的阻隔, 
        求你幫助, 奉主耶穌基督名求。阿們。"

2. 透過聖靈的工作, 安靜一刻, 省察自己, 之後祈禱:
     「親愛的主耶穌,感謝你為我的罪釘死在十字架上,我願意在你面前承認我的罪(凡聖靈光照到的,請逐一說出),求你用你的寶血赦免我的罪,我願意打開心門讓你作我的救主,求你救贖我,我願意一生跟隨你讓你作我生命的主,求你帶領我。聖靈,求你充滿我,使我得著恩賜及力量去侍奉主、見證主,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。」


3.  司徒德牧師每天早上的 "活像基督"祈禱 John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

請到此連結看神怎様籍司徒德牧師改變我的生命: 

https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/


   "天父,求你使我今天活在你的同在中,你一天比一天更喜悦我。
    主耶穌,求你使我今天能背起我的十字架去跟隨你。
    聖靈,求你在今天充滿我,使你的果子能彰顯在我的生命中: 仁愛,喜樂,和平,忍耐,恩慈,良善,信實,温柔及節制。"
             

親親爸父, 唱詩歌頌
 
今日親親親爸父經文連結: http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
親親爸父經文:(詩篇 62:1-12; 士師記 11:1-12:15; 約翰福音 1:1-28;  箴言 14:13-14)  

     我 的 心 默 默 無 聲 , 專 等 候 神 ; 我 的 救 恩 是 從 他 而 來 。
惟 獨 他 是 我 的 磐 石 , 我 的 拯 救 ; 他 是 我 的 高 臺 , 我 必 不 很 動 搖 。
你 們 大 家 攻 擊 一 人 , 把 他 毀 壞 , 如 同 毀 壞 歪 斜 的 牆 、 將 倒 的 壁 , 要 到 幾 時 呢 ?
他 們 彼 此 商 議 , 專 要 從 他 的 尊 位 上 把 他 推 下 ; 他 們 喜 愛 謊 話 , 口 雖 祝 福 , 心 卻 咒 詛 。 ( 細 拉 )
我 的 心 哪 , 你 當 默 默 無 聲 , 專 等 候 神 , 因 為 我 的 盼 望 是 從 他 而 來 。
惟 獨 他 是 我 的 磐 石 , 我 的 拯 救 ; 他 是 我 的 高 臺 , 我 必 不 動 搖 。
我 的 拯 救 、 我 的 榮 耀 都 在 乎 神 ; 我 力 量 的 磐 石 、 我 的 避 難 所 都 在 乎 神 。
你 們 眾 民 當 時 時 倚 靠 他 , 在 他 面 前 傾 心 吐 意 ; 神 是 我 們 的 避 難 所 。 
詩篇 62:1-8

現在讓你有一個安靜的時刻,給聖靈一個空間,讓主耶穌可以藉着剛才讀過的經文,親自對你説話。

 
 日我從主耶穌領受的主題是: 我的心默默無聲,專等候神! 


    有不少的基督徒在這二年多的疫情裏,很喜歡讀詩篇,因為帶來很多安慰及力量!
    
    然而你有否想過,聖經描述最合神心意的人,最偉大的王帝,竟然經歷那麼多困難、痛苦、沮喪、無助、無望、焦慮及黑暗! 而所有那些苦難就成就了一位忠心愛神的人,因為他在神不離不棄的愛中!

    大衞能夠這樣愛神的秘訣在那裏?

    我相信今日的詩篇揭示了大衞其中一個秘訣,就是:
    我的心默默無聲,專等候神! 

    我記得有次我十歲左右和父親去交一些費用,他告訴我他帶不夠錢,叫我等他,他去拿錢回來,我當時等了一個多鐘,但我知道他一定回來!

    大衞願意默默無聲的等候神,因為今日的詩篇清楚地描述他經歷過的神是:
    我的拯救者x4
    我的磐石x3(第三次- mighty rock 大能的磐石)
    我的高台(Fortress堡壘)x2
    我的盼望
    我的榮耀
    我的避難所x2

    盼望"新冠肺炎"的疫情能幫助你有如大衞那樣的去每天默默無聲的等候神,"在他面前傾心吐意",大大經歷神,你和神的關係,一定升級,一定更甜蜜!
    
      
    親愛的主耶穌, 
    求你使我們能藉"新冠肺炎"的疫情,幫助我們有如大衞那樣的去
每天默默無聲的等候你,在你面前傾心吐意,經歷你的同在,我們和你的關係能更甜蜜,奉主耶穌基督名求,阿們。 


 省察問題 
 1. 今日的信息對你有何啓發?  主耶穌現在對你説甚麽話?

 2. 下一步是什麼行動?
   
     家庭角落
找機會與家人一起分享今日的領受。

今日博客的錄影:

Friday, April 29, 2022

David's vows to God? Your vows to God?

  


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.   Sing a song to praise God (you are welcome to use "Father, I adore you" which I have been singing every morning for the past 20 years or your own choice to praise God)

          Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
      

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/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 and having Jesus as my Lord. 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 sins 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 gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

(Please click this link to see how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."


    
    The link to today's Time with Abba passages:   http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
    Time with Abba passages: (Psalm 61:5-8, Judges 9:22-10:18; Luke 24:13-53; Proverbs 14:11-12)

    Today's key passage: 

    
           For you, God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
Increase the days of the king’s life,
    his years for many generations.
May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;
    appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
Then I will ever sing in praise of your name
    and fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 61:5-8


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 to Jesus as you listen to Him. 
   
     My Listening
    The topic I received today from Jesus is David's vows to God? Your vows to God?

    Yesterday we meditated on the first four verses of Psalm 61 and we learned from David of how he turned from anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, darkness and depression to have the hope and confirmation for the unknown future because of God's prompting!

    Today we meditate on the last four verses of this Psalm. We may be able to have a clue from verse six that David was already a King at that time and he should be running away from his son Absalom's chasing to kill him. And from verse seven we can see that because of that running away, he could not sing praises and worship God daily in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem.

    Oh! That was the vows David made to God and it is for him to be able to sing praises to God and worship God daily in the Holy Temple!

    I am having the same feeling as David had! I think there has not been a time in the past two thousand years of the history of the Christian Church and not in the Old Testament time that no one can be able to go to the holy temple to sing praises to God and worship God! Never happen before!

    Praise the Lord that starting this year, many churches reopen but less half of our congregations are willing to go back to church to worship but to choose online or other ways!

    So, my vows are the same as what King David had, that we can be able to go back to our church to sing praises to God and worship God again! No other wish or vow is great than this!

     What are your vows to God now?

     
     Dear Lord Jesus,  
     Hear my vows today as you heard King David vows that we can be able to go back to our church to sing praises to you and worship you as soon as possible. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
     
      Reflect on these questions:
     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?
      
      2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus?
    
      Family Corner:
     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 
     
Please click this link for the video version of this blog:    https://youtu.be/X36tdljFv7U 


     To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org

    

眷顧有需要的,主會搭救你,為你鋪牀!

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