There is no short cut to follow Jesus!

 

 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcdbxsX2104

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

      Please click this link to worship with us - 10,000 Reasons

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K3roEF36k

      

     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 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: http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

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

Key passages:

     7 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.

         Exodus 13:17-18

    33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?

43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

                                                                    Matthew 21:33-43

                       

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

The topic I received today from Jesus is: There is no short cut to follow Jesus!

       Yesterday we learned how God would reward you and how could we receive those rewards. Today, Jesus wants you to understand there is no short cut for you to receive God's rewards because there is no short cut to follow Jesus!

1. God does not want you to have short cut to follow Him (Exodus 13:17-18)

    a. You need time to build up the trusting relationship with God and won't turn back to your old self, old path 
    b. God gives you a vineyard to work (Matthew 21:33-34)
        A farmer needs lots of time, patience and lots of work to be fruitful
        

2.  God will protect you and build walls and fences, watchtowers, be your shield and teach you how to battle and win:

     a. God will protect you and build walls and fences, watchtowers(Matthew 21:33)

     b. God will be your shield and teach you how to battle and win (Psalm 18:29-30, 35-36: Exodus 14:13-14,19-20)

    

3.  What do you have to do to claim God's promise and rewards? 

     a. Do not take away or kill God's prophets from centuries ago until nowadays. Those servants of God He prepares to help you and to deliver His words to you, including Jesus Himself (Matthew 21:34-43)

    b. Do not do things God hates  (Proverbs 6:16-19)

    c. If you can live out 3a，3b，then, when you are in crisis or in battle, you just need to be still and God will fight for you! Wow!  (Exodus 14:13-14,19-20)

   

 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to be willing to spend more time with you each day and not take the spiritual short cut so that we can work hard on the field you prepare for us to work and be fruitful. 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 15 blog:

       

        https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/01/day-15-2021-who-will-never-be-shaken.html

     

      Please click this link to today's Old Testament Exodus 2:11-3:22 blog and video: 

  https://timewithabbaprayinglisteningenglish.blogspot.com/2025/01/entering-into-gods-preparation-with.html

  

      

       Please click this link to today's Old Testament Proverbs 4 blog:  

       https://discipler123.blogspot.com/2021/07/day-154-2021-is-wisdom-key-please-go-to.html

   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

     

     

       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