Sunday, March 31, 2013
DAY 1 - Long for Intimacy but Far from Home (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)
Today's Reading: Matthew 3:1-2, 4:17
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Matthew 3:1-2
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Matthew 4: 17
Bible Study
We start this 40 days of being with Jesus journey by pondering on these two verses. Exactly same words, from two different people, John the Baptist and Jesus.
Why did they say the same thing as their first message ever as recorded in the gospel of Matthew? Because Matthew wants us to know that this is why God sent John and Jesus to this world. God sent them to lead us to repent so that we can enter into God's kingdom. To say it in a modern way, it is to direct people to have a U-turn from our wrong direction back home. Both John and Jesus died for us to deliver this new message.
God's kingdom is our eternal home. It is in the present in our every day living, and not just when we die. In his home we can find everything a home can provide for us. It's beyond what we can think of as a dream home. If you are looking for a dream home, you are looking for material things. I have seen many people living in their dream home but with broken relationships. They are living in a house but it is not a home. We long for intimacy, but so many people spend so much time and money to build their dream home thinking that they can enjoy intimacy. But what they get is just disappointment. Why? Because we long for intimacy but are far from home.
Jeremiah, the prophet says:
"My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."
Jeremiah 2:13
That is our story. The sad story of every human being.
We long for intimacy and thirst for genuine relationships, but we are far from home. Are you home yet?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
The topic I received from Jesus today is :
New Message: Long for intimacy but far from home
These 40 days is for us a better chance to listen to what Jesus is going to tell us and be at home with him. Leaving home is a never ending hopeless, dark and discouraging journey. Going home is right away when we repent, like what they did in Star Trek, beam in.
These 40 days is for us to learn a new lifestyle living in God's home. Not only to learn but to live out that lifestyle. And we call that lifestyle "Christlikeness". The fruit of Christlikeness is intimacy, a true intimacy with Jesus and with those you love. The intimacy you long for will soon be satisfied!
Let's start our journey beginning with our repentance. Let's pray to the Holy Spirit right now because this is his job to lead us into true repentance.
Come Holy Spirit, come!
Shine on me that I can see all those hindrance between Jesus and me so that I know what to repent. Lord Jesus, forgive me for I have sinned. Pour down your blood to cleanse me so that I can be at home with you. I long for that true intimacy with you, lead me home. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us -
Create in Me A Clean heart
Chinese praise song - 我的心你要稱頌耶和華 Praise the Lord, O My Soul
You may choose to follow my other daily blog:
This blog is to help you to have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus
for 40 days
in order
to break your addiction of any kind and
to build a lifestyle of Christlikeness.
The best way to keep you being with Jesus for these 40 days is to find two more friends coming together weekly using this blog/podcast and encouraging each others to use it daily. This is what I call "Mentor123" - One mentor having two friends being with Jesus daily for three months.
We start Day 1 today (March 31, 2013, Easter Sunday) and completed on May 9, 2013, Ascension Day. Yes, Ascension Day, the day that Jesus commissioned His eleven apostles to live out the Great Commission. The day that Jesus will commission you to live out the Great Commission.
In the period from March 31, 2013 to May 9,2013, my Evangelist123 blog will be re-directed to this Break.Build blog.
After this period, you may go to the Evangelist 123 blog for your continuation of having a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus and
to recommend this blog to more people and can start Day 1 on any day.
This post is a preview of DAY 1 showing you what is coming and to help you to introduce to more people to prepare for this important 40 days of BREAK. BUILD.
The title and passage of these 40 days will be:
DAY 1(March 31) New Message Mt. 3:1-2, 4:17
DAY 2(April 1) New Guide Mt. 3:3-6
DAY 3(April 2) New Heart Mt. 3:7-12
DAY 4(April 3) New Role Mt. 3:13-17
DAY 5(April 4) New Test Mt. 4:1-11
DAY 6(April 5) New Light Mt. 4:12-17
DAY 7(April 6) New Calling Mt. 4:18-22
DAY 8(April 7) New Job Mt. 4:23-25
DAY 9(April 8) New Lifestyle Mt. 5:1-12
DAY 10(April 9) New Success Mt. 5:13-16
DAY 11(April 10) New Fulfillment Mt. 5:17-20
DAY 12(April 11) New Friendship Mt. 5:21-26
DAY 13(April 12) New Commitment Mt. 5:27-32
DAY 14(April 13) New Oath Mt. 5:33-37
DAY 15(April 14) New Love Mt. 5:38-48
DAY 16(April 15) New Giving Mt. 6:1-4
DAY 17(April 16) New Relationship Mt. 6:5-13
DAY 18(April 17) New Freedom Mt. 6:14-15
DAY 19(April 18) New Weapon Mt. 6:16-18
DAY 20(April 19) New Lord Mt. 6:19-24
DAY 21(April 20) New Provision Mt. 6:25-34
DAY 22(April 21) New Standard Mt. 7:1-5
DAY 23(April 22) New Allied Mt. 7:6
DAY 24(April 23) New Strategy Mt. 7:7-11
DAY 25(April 24) New Rule Mt. 7:12
DAY 26(April 25) New Path Mt. 7:13-14
DAY 27(April 26) New Discernment Mt.7:15-20
DAY 28(April 27) New Joy Description Mt. 7:21-23
DAY 29(April 28) New Record Mt. 7:24-29
DAY 30(April 29) New Willingness Mt. 8:1-4
DAY 31(April 30) New Faith Mt. 8:5-13
DAY 32(May 1) New Healing Mt. 8:14-17
DAY 33(May 2) New Master Mt. 8:18-22
DAY 34(May 3) New Authority Mt. 8:23-27
DAY 35(May 4) New Force Mt. 8:28-34
DAY 36(May 5) New Fearlessness Mt. 9:1-8
DAY 37(May 6) New Call Mt. 9:9-13
DAY 38(May 7) New Wine Mt. 9:14-17
DAY 39(May 8) New Sight Mt. 9:18-34
DAY 40(May 9) New Harvest Mt. 9:35-38
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