God is testing your heart to become an Ananias!
Please click this link for the video version of today's blog :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hkrjNbsgh4
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 -
Be with You: City Harvest Church, Singapore
10,000 Reasons
Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method)
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 132:6-12, 1 Kings 11:1-12:19; Acts 9:1-25; Proverbs 17:4-5
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 passage:
8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”“Yes, Lord,” he answered.11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. Acts 9:8-20
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Acts 9:8-20
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: God is testing your heart to become an Ananias!
The topic I received yesterday was : God is testing your heart! Do you know that?
Today is the second part and what I received from Jesus is:
God is testing your heart to become an Ananias!
This is a diamond opportunity for God to test our hearts to be true disciples of Jesus and to lead more to become true disciples of Jesus!
Ananias was doing this job to lead Saul to become a true disciple of Jesus. God prepared Ananias to be Saul's evangelist to lead him to receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord of life and a discipler for a short period of time until Barnabas took over his job and became Saul's mentor.
Do you know that God is testing your heart to become an Ananias? Do you know who is your Saul?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for testing our hearts, Lord Jesus. Help us to be willing to become an Ananias and show us who is our Saul. 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.
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 Old Testament Psalm 132 blog: Please click this link to today's Old Testament 1 Kings 9:1-10:29blog and video: Please click this link to today's Old Testament Proverbs 17 blog:
For the Chinese version of this daily blog and video, please click this link (中文版請按此連結):
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):
Please click this link to Old Testament Psalm 132 blog:
Please click this link to today's Old Testament 1 Kings 9:1-10:29blog and video:
Please click this link to today's Old Testament Proverbs 17 blog:
For the Chinese version of this daily blog and video, please click this link (中文版請按此連結):
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):
Connecting Workshop 2025(Session 2)
Bishop Silas Ng on Three Streams
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