Come into my blessings!

 Please click this link for the video version of today's blog :

 https://youtu.be/OhnX5rHQAHE?si=_bwqM4xjebR6XBid

    Time with Abba (Psalm 4:1-8, Genesis 11:1-13:5; Matthew 5:1-26; Proverbs 1:24-28)

      Please click this link for today's Time with Abba one year Bible four passages: http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

    

    Today's main passages:

    Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."     Genesis 11:4

     

    So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel - because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.       Genesis 11: 8-9

n. The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household(AU) to the land I will show you.(AW) I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."                                                 Genesis 12:1-3

    

    Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passages we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to Him.    

    My Listening

    The topic I received today from Jesus is: Come into my blessings!

      

        The sad story of human history has been on the building up our names instead of glorifying God's name. We can see in Genesis 11 how foolish those people were when they thought they had a new technology in the name of "brick" to build, instead of stones. They thought that when they built the Babel Tower, they could reach heaven and even be equal with God. They moved eastward, leaving God's blessed place because of their own ideas, leaving the land of blessing provided by God. They wanted to establish their big name so that they would not be scattered over the face of the whole earth. And, the result is God scattered them over the face both the whole earth!

    In similar ways, we are doing the similar things nowadays. We feel better when we are making our name famous. We feel safer if we have enough money so that we can be able to live a good life when we retired and not be scattered to some place being called "poor and insecure". What we do not know and need to learn is that we are not able to be in control, although we think that we have this and that and then we can be in control. When God acts, no one can alter anything, not new technology, not any kind of human scheme. 

         There is a wonderful demonstration of the reverse of the sad story of Genesis 11, the Babel Tower. That is Acts 2. When the Holy Spirit comes to our lives, everything change. We come in unity instead of separation. We can speak in a language that people can understand. We are being transformed to glorify God's name, instead of using God's provision to make our own names. So, which way do you want to choose? What is your lifestyle? Is it a Genesis 11 one or is it an Acts 2 one?! 

"     

It is so wonderful that the Lord bless us with Genesis 12: 1-3 today with a totally different story, from the story of Babel Tower of rebelliousness to the story of Abram, a story of listen and obey, a story of faithfulness. 

When those people leaving God's blessed place and the provision of His blessings wanted to make a big name themselves, everything changed and they were scattered by God. But when someone whose name was Abram dared to listen and obey coming back into His blessings, then everything becomes wonderful:

1. God promised to bless Abram.

2. He will be a blessing.

3. God will bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him.

4. All people will be blessed through him.

Do you think that this promise would happen to you? 

I am sure this promise is for all who have faith to enter into His blessings! Yes, it needs lots of faith. And faith is a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit which we are not be able to acquire through human effort according to 1 Corinthians 12. So, let's pray to ask the Holy Spirit for this gift.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead me to enter into this faith journey and go to where you tell me to. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me and pour down your fresh anointing that I can lead a lifestyle to glorify God's Holy Name. In Jesus name I 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. 

   For the Chinese version of this daily blog and video, please click this link (中文版請按此連結):

   

 F   https://timewithabbaprayinglisteningchinese.blogspot.com

     

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

     If you would like to follow my "Subject shifting Devotion Method" from the "Time with Abba, Praising Singing", you are welcome to follow the direction below and then go back to the top of this blog to read today's key passage and my listening and sharing:

        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 the Lord

      

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."

 My first blog "Devotion on Fire"  was written in English only  (July 17, 2009年7月17日至November 22, 2012年11月22日). Each day one chapter of Bible, from New Testament and then Old Testament. Completed in four months and three years:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/blessings-from-rev-dr-john-stott.html

My second blog "Discipler 123"  was written in both Chinese and English (March 6,2011to December 31, 2016 ):

https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-1-choose-light-away-from-darkness.html

and "Time with Abba" blog and video (January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2024): 

https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2017/01/1-2017.html