When your heart grows faint, that might be the time for the eye in your heart to open!

  

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 61:1-4, Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Proverbs 14:9-10)

    Today's key passage: 

    

            Hear my cry, O God;

    listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
    I call as my heart grows faint;
    lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Psalm 61:1-4

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:  When your heart grows faint, that might be the time for the eye in your heart to open! 

    Psalm 61 is perhaps the most used Bible passage for me to help Christians to get out of anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, darkness and depression! Today we have the first part of Psalm 61, the first four verses and then tomorrow we have the second part to think of.

    We can feel how hopeless David was from verse 1 to 2. Then, suddenly he woke up from depression because of one word. Because of that word, David started to count all the blessings of how God had been loving him, he felt the presence of God again and he had the hope and confirmation for the unknown future!

    And, that word is: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I!

    The first time I used this Psalm to save someone was many years ago. At that time I had a home visit and the brother I visited was in very severe depression and could not get out from that fear and darkness. I prayed to Jesus for His help so that I knew what to do!

    I clearly heard Jesus asked me to read Psalm 61, then asked him, "Why David asked God to lead him to a rock higher than he was?"

     He said, "I don't understand?"
     I said, "How tall you are?"
     He said, "5'5"."
     I said, "A rock higher than you should be how tall?"
     He said, "How about 5'10?"
     I said, "If you have a 5'5" rock in front of you and you can't see what is in front of you. Now, God is holding you up to 5'10", what can you see?"
     He cried out, "Oh! I understand. I can see how wonderful His love has been leading me the past so many years. I can see He is with me now. I can see in His hand I have a future!"

     It is this word, this Psalm led this brother out from depression and opened the eye in his heart to feel God's presence and have faith to walk into the unknown future!
   

     

     Dear Lord Jesus,  

     Help us to be able to know that it is you who is speaking to us now. Because of your word, open the eye in our hearts and that we can have the courage and faith to walk into the unknown future. 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