God will rejoice over you with singing!

  

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0i51m5wWDU

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 read 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."

Today's Time with Abba:  Psalm 143:7-12; Zephaniah 1:1-3:20; Revelation 10:1-11; Proverbs 30:11-14

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

Key passage:

Sing, Daughter Zion;
    shout aloud, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
    Daughter Jerusalem!

The Lord has taken away your punishment,
    he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
    never again will you fear any harm.

On that day
    they will say to Jerusalem,
“Do not fear, Zion;
    do not let your hands hang limp.

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

                              Zephaniah 3:14-17

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.

The topic I received today from Jesus is:  God will rejoice over you with singing!

Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of Josiah, Judah's last godly king (640-609 B.C.), to whom he was likely a cousin. Being a descendant of royalty and related to King Josiah meant that Zephaniah had access to the royal palace. 

His prophecies focused on God's message for Judah and the surrounding nations. The sins that Zephaniah charged against the nation of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, indicate that he prophesied before Josiah's reforms, which led to a spiritual revival in Judah. In fact, the prophecies may have been a motivating force behind the King's call for renewed devotion to God and obedience to his law.

We have read quite a number of books in the Old Testament that kings and his people did not listen to the warning of the prophets and destruction came. This book is different. We can see the compassion of God when His people really repent. 

God offers hope to those who had already turned to the Lord for mercy and help.  According to Zephaniah 2:3, they had to pursue three things in order to live:

1. A right relationship with God himself.

2. A life of righteousness - living their life according to God's standard.

3. Being humble - pride leads to self destruction, being humble is the indicator whether God is our real God or we take God's place to be god. 

The last chapter of Zephaniah gives us two pictures. From verses 1 to 7 was the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem and God's people.  They had become rebellious toward God and opposed to his law. Moral corruption and decay had penetrated every level of society, from the officials and rulers, the prophets, the priests and the leaders. People everywhere were refusing to listen to God's true prophets.

Then from verses 8-20 shows another picture. It's about God's plan of salvation for the nations.  This involves God's ongoing purpose to have a personal relationship with all who entrust their lives to him, but it also includes his ultimate end-time purpose to rescue all who remain faithful to Him.  He will restore their honor after they have been purified by his judgment.  The nations will someday be reconciled to God, and he will renew his relationship with all people on earth.  These promises will be fulfilled when Christ rules during the millennium. (Rev. 20:4).

What I received from Jesus today is a very, very strong feeling of being loved by Him! This seven words in the middle of verse 17 is perhaps the most important wordless sign of love from God to me.

How wonderful it is that we can be embrace by God's love each day in this way!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to experience this kind of deep love from 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. 

     

     You are welcome to join our Monday to Friday 7am-7:30am(Pacific time (Vancouver)) Worship, Devotion, Prayer

    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/3962567042?pwd=4qqbcGJ2zQl3tlTUvus4Qv6g7byZKy.1&omn=88167363288

Meeting ID: 396 256 7042

Passcode: 12345

     

Please click this link to worship with us - 

Open the eyes of heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViBNqNukgzE&list=RDViBNqNukgzE&start_radio=1

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

   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/

       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

 

 

Connecting Workshop 2025(Session 2)

Bishop Silas Ng on Three Streams

 https://youtu.be/xiSOSFF9Iw0?si=puDWFD9Cx01ADm-o