"You in the net" or "fish in the net", your choice!

   

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcO8CENw8v4

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 3:1-8; Genesis 8:1-10:32; Matthew 4:12-25; Proverbs 1:20-23

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

Key passage:

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,[b] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.         

                                                             Matthew 4:17- 25

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:  "You in the net" or "fish in the net", your choice!

     Yesterday's Proverbs 1:15-19 gives us a warning:

    my son, do not go along with them,
    do not set foot on their paths; 

    for their feet rush into evil,

    they are swift to shed blood.

    How useless to spread a net

    where every bird can see it!

    These men lie in wait for their own blood;

    they ambush only themselves!

    Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;

    it takes away the life of those who get it.

    The birds see how the bird-catchers set the net but they still fall into the trap! 

    Why? 

    Because the bait is too tempting! 

 We as human beings facing the net set by Satan to Eve in Genesis 3:4, or similar net set by Satan to Jesus in Matthew 4:3-10 tempting Jesus of desire, power and money. 

       We often fail and fall into the net because those nets are too tempting. 

       Jesus won, but we usually fail!

  

     Today's Matthew 4:19-20 tells us how can we know we have come out of the net?

                

                   “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  

                   At once they left their nets and followed him."

               

         When you are willing to run away from those "nets" that want to trap you and to use the net Jesus gives you to fish those "fish" Jesus wants you to fish, you will become the fisherman always have fish in your "new net"! You will be full of joy and strength everyday!

       And, what happened in Matthew 4:23-25 will happen in your life, you will experience the power of Good News and healing will happen to many people, and Jesus will use you to bring many people to Him into God's mighty Kingdom!

      That's how it says in today's Psalm 3:1-8, you will experience God as your Shield, Protector, Healer and Saviour!

     That's how it says in today's Genesis 8:1-10:32 of how He blessed Noah and his family because of Noah's faithfulness!

     That's how today's Proverbs give us warning and direction. When we repent and come back to God's Kingdom, His home, He will pour out the Holy Spirit upon you and will give His direction and wisdom to us:

      “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?

    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate knowledge?

 Repent at my rebuke!

    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings.        Proverbs 1:22-23

  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”    Matthew 4:17

 Well, if you are willing to repent, Jesus will send you out to fish for people and you will keep on experiencing fish in the net.

 "You in the net" or "fish in the net", your choice!

  

     

    Dear Lord Jesus,

      Help us to be willing to repent and be with you each day that we will keep on experiencing fish in the net.. 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. 

      

       

       Please click this link to today's Old Testament Psalm 3 blog:

       https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/01/day-3-2021-god-gives-you-360-degrees.html

     

      Please click this link to today's Old Testament Genesis 8-10 blog and video: 

       https://timewithabbaprayinglisteningenglish.blogspot.com/2025/01/come-out-bring-out.html

  

      

       Please click this link to today's Old Testament Proverbs 1 blog:  

       https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/07/day-151-2021-listen-and-obey-to-god.html

      

     Please click this link to worship with us - Open The Eyes of My Heart 

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutmEjdbedE&feature=related     

    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 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