Fully obey, you will be blessed!

 

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 48:9-14, Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Luke 11:14-36; Proverbs 12:18)

    Today's key passage: 

    

       If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:1-6

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:  Fully obey, you will be blessed!

    Deuteronomy 28 is a very encouraging chapter but also a very frightening chapter. The first 14 verses tells us that if you fully obey God you will be blessed in eveything. You will be blessed when you come in and you will be blessed when you go out. And, God will grant you abundant prosperity!

     The last 54 verses is extremely frightening, because if you do not obey God then you will be cursed. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. And, God will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses(verses 59), until you are destroyed(verse 61)!

     Wow! Is COVID-19 that kind of fearful plagues, prolonged disasters and lingering illnesses? I think so!


     Then, you must be thinking how can you get rid of this fearful plague, right?

     Well, God tells us very clearly in Deuteronomy 28:1, two words "Fully obey"!
     Of course you want to be blessed no matter you go out or you come back. Of course you want God to grant you abundant prosperity!

     But, do you know what "fully obey" means? Do you really fully obey?

  

     Dear Lord Jesus, 

     Teach us to know what is fully obey and lead us to be willing to fully obey your commands.  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/ERkjpySu2nE

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