Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Do you think King Belshazzar had a chance to repent? Would God change His mind not to destroy him right away?

   

   

Please click this link for the video version:


https://youtu.be/LbKVMRthZKM?si=1A6nmVeS-oitvvYn


Nicky Gumbel's Bible in one year today:


Bible in one year by Nicky Gumbel:



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) 

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 Word, Time with Abba (Psalm 132:1-5, Daniel 5:1-31; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Proverbs 28:19-20)


    Today's key passage: 

     18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.

22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son,[d] have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription.

25 “This is the inscription that was written:

mene, mene, tekel, parsin

26 “Here is what these words mean:

Mene[e]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

27 Tekel[f]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

28 Peres[g]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians,[h] was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.


     Daniel 5:18-31

     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 isDo you think King Belshazzar had a chance to repent? Would God change His mind not to destroy him right away?

    I think this might be you question too!

   As it is recorded in Jonah that God could change His mind not to destroy the most wicked city Nineveh, capital of Assyria, I do think that God could give King Belshazzar a second chance as He gave to King Belshazzar's grandfather, King Nebuchadnezzar. The sad thing is that King Belshazzar did not have a heart to repent! He died right away, on the same day as God revealed to him of his sins after he did not repent, also his kingdom was being destroyed!

    Well, that's how rebellious and stubborn we as human beings always are. King Belshazzar knew how God punished his grandfather because of his pride for seven years and King Belshazzar did not get the warning! Sad!

    May we get what today's message not to step into the same kind of sin, rebellious and stubborn and that we try all our best to live out a life of renewal

     Dear Lord Jesus,
    Help us to receive this lesson and warning that we will try all our best to live out a life of renewal following you as our King. 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, to be holy - that is to do what Jesus wants you to do and not to do what Jesus wants you not to do?
    
      Family Corner:
     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 
     

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

        My first blog started in July 2009, one chapter a day to read through
     the whole Bible link:

https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/day-1-i-am-blind.html



        Anglican Mission Global Society:

Archbishop Melter’s 1st Connecting Workshop video, September 5, 2023: https://youtu.be/0lL8xNrgJb8

Archbishop Melter’s 2nd Connecting Workshop video, September 12 2023:  https://youtu.be/SM39qX0Q5XM


Archbishop Yong’s MISSION 113 videos, October 16, 2022:

https://youtu.be/Mp0-JPx4Vac

https://youtu.be/MyO6hMcOMOI


Archbishop Yong's born again testimony

1st part: https://youtu.be/eogu1rMpvTQ

2nd part: https://youtu.be/BhyUU1ov1RM


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是時候回頭轉向神了!

   今日博客的錄影: Nicky Gumbel  牧師今日靈修博客: https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?e=590b90010b&u=607cd553028b55c8cfb706e8a&id=94c5e0eae4 Nicky ...