Prepare yourself to meet God!

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

 https://youtu.be/WV5pgl_aW8s?si=kpAG-CLRkzUafHPl 

 Key passages: 

      So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.                                              Exodus 29: 44-46

       Put the altar in front of the curtain that is before the ark of the Testimony - before the atonement cover that is over the Testimony - where I will meet with you.        Exodus 30: 6

The topic I received today from Jesus is: Prepare yourself to meet God!

      I asked someone after he read today's Exodus 29, "If anyone ask you to do those things, would you do that?" He said, "No." Then I said, "How about God?" He said, "No." Then he said, "I even cannot do one simple thing which is daily devotion!"

      How sad it is as we do lots of requirements for our boss, for the computer game, for our loved ones but so little for God. Because we choose to be so far away with God, He cannot be our God because we have a lot of other gods in our lives! 

      I had a long and deep sharing with a good friend about this sad situation and he said, "Quite a number of my family members are Christian leaders but they do not act like Christians. What kind of sign it is to my other non-Christian family members? How can I ask them to receive Jesus when they see those who are Christians do things like that!"

       If you want to enter into a RELATIONSHIP with God, you need to prepare that he is going to give you more and more requirements and tests so that you can be consecrated and be holy and that He can be your Lord and your King! The cost of discipleship is huge but worthwhile!

Actually, we are not "doing daily devotion" but to prepare ourselves to be with Jesus each day, to enjoy His being with us. In the expression of Exodus 30:6 is "to prepare yourself to meet God"!

So, this is a challenging question to all of us: How do you prepare yourself to meet God?

      For many Christians, there may be no need to have any kind of preparation. On the contrary, for some Christians, Saturday nights is the only day in a week that they will sleep late, go to church as late as possible and as tired as possible! Lots of Christians do not have a short quiet moment before they have their daily devotion because having a daily devotion seems a "big deal" for them.

       But in Moses' time, the preparations to meet God was so serious. And, people would die if they did not do accordingly. Aaron's two elder sons, Nadab and Abihu died because they ignored God's instruction! (Numbers 3: 4)

      May be this is the time for you to do the first thing first - sleep earlier on Saturday night and prepare yourself to meet God, to praise and worship Him on Sunday! 

Dear Lord Jesus,                                                                                                                                             You are my Lord and my God. Help me to be willing to pay the price as how you sacrificed your life on the cross for us. Lead me to prepare myself more seriously to meet you daily and enjoy the time to be with you. 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. 

    

    Time with Abba (Psalm 22:19-31, Exodus 29:1-30:10; Matthew 26:14-46; Proverbs 8:14-26)

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

     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.    

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

    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