Without trusting God's servant, nothing can be done!

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

 https://youtu.be/TwYP7mf7WGc?si=2hW_ejV06pCuqYeS

 Key passages: 

 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.  They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”      Exodus 14: 9-14

And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.        Exodus 14: 31

      The topic I received today from Jesus is: Without trusting God's servant, nothing can be done!

Today I had a vivid, intimate and wonderful experience of how Jesus talked to me through daily devotion. I had one of my most favourite verse in this chapter, 14: 13-14. Oh, I loved it so much that I swiftly drew a conclusion that this was what the Lord wanted to encourage me again. And as I wrote down the title "Be Still, God Will Fight for you", Jesus said, "Wait! No, this is not what I want you to write." Then I read this chapter once again and stopped at the last verse. He then said, "Yes, this is it. Tell them that what they need to do is to trust my servant. Without this, nothing can be done!"

Yes, for all those great miraculous deeds, God just wanted the Israelites to trust Moses totally and not to complain, grumble and accuse Moses. 

Trusting Moses totally means trusting God totally. When that trusting relationship happens, all things can be done. 

So, why don't you pause for a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to review all those moments in your life when the Deceiver came in to pull the trust away from a servant of God that you know well. What happened after that? Disconnected, discouraged, disunity, division, bitterness, anger ...

The work of the Holy Spirit makes the dry bones, as described in Ezekiel 37, become living persons and can stand up on their feet to become a vast army of God. But the Deceiver always tries all his best to turn this upside down to make Christians dry bones, unable to trust and follow their leaders so that one group, one church, one army, one nation become stagnant and unable to do what God's army can do!

I do hope that more Christians can trust their leaders so that when they call them to pray, they come to pray; when they call them to serve, they come without any excuse! 

You really need to trust God's servant! 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to trust our leaders so that they can lead us in your way. Also, Lord Jesus, help us not to grumble to our leaders so that we can follow you to do your Kingdom ministries in unity. 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 18:25-36, Exodus 13:17-15:18; Matthew 21:23-46; Proverbs 6:16-19)

    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