Let us quiet down ourselves before God and offer our praise to Him!
Sun, 8/29
Day 6
Day 6
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 95:1-11
Job 31:1-33:33
2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Proverbs 22:8-9
Meditation:
Psalm 95:1-11
Job 31:1-33:33
2 Corinthians 3:1-18
Proverbs 22:8-9
Meditation:
- The whole world is created by God and belongs to Him (Psalm 95:4-5). But why are my thoughts and preferences not always in harmony with God’s sovereignty? Is it because of my hardened heart (95:8)? Is it because of my eyesight? Have I strayed? Do I allow my mouth to sin? Seek other people’s favors and deliberately cover up my own transgressions (Job 31:1,7,30,33; 32:21)?
- Job said that the Almighty is willing to listen to me and answer me. He knows all my ways (31:35;33:11). May the Spirit of God mold me and cleanse me once again, so that I may have the power of life (33:4,9).
- It turns out that the real problem is that our spirit is not in tune with the Lord’s spirit! The Lord is the Spirit, wherever the Lord’s Spirit is, there is freedom! And there is glory (2 Corinthians 3:9,17). Please pray for the church (including yourself) to experience this freedom and glory.
- God is willing to speak to us, open our ears, and show us the visions (Job 33:14-16,30). We are the sheep of His pasture and His people (Psalm 95:7). Now pray for the Holy Spirit to help us (and the church) to hear His words clearly in everything!
Mon, 8/30
Day 7
Day 7
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 96:1-6
Job 34:1-36:33
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Proverbs 22:10-12
Meditation:
Psalm 96:1-6
Job 34:1-36:33
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Proverbs 22:10-12
Meditation:
- Sing a new song to the Lord (Psalm 96:1), for every time we are close to God, the experience and feeling are fresh and different! Give thanks for this renewed experience every day! But if we can’t feel it, what is causing the problem?
- The psalmist told us to declare the glory and wonders of God among the nations. Pray that the brothers and sisters of QHC will be able to glorify God every day!
- Praise the Lord for He watches over our way and sees our every step (Job 34:21). What I do not understand, He will teach (34:33), and open my ears to let me understand His voice (36:10).
- God speaks to people in adversity (36:15). When we cannot sleep, He helps us praise at night (35:10). God said that for sure He will lead us out of adversity, to a spacious place, and set up a banquet for us, so that we can enjoy choice food which is the best (36:16).
- Since we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. God put the precious Holy Spirit in us as the jars of clay, in order to show that this great power comes from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; stuck down, but not destroyed, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal body (2 Corinthians 4:1,8-11).
- Today, whether we as individuals, families, churches, or even as a society, are facing different types of stress. What are my stress? What am I struggling with? (Please write it down in your notes) Pray that God will give the church and me immense strength and have it manifested in our lives.
Tue, 8/31
Day 8
Day 8
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 96:7-13
Job 37:1-39:30
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
Proverbs 22:13
Meditation:
Psalm 96:7-13
Job 37:1-39:30
2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10
Proverbs 22:13
Meditation:
- My sovereignty:
- As the Lord reigns, the world is firmly established, and everything rejoices (Psalm 96:10-11)! But what if He does not? What will become of us (and the church)? The world has reached such a point today, we can imagine that!
- God never forces us to yield our sovereignty. Have I allowed Him to be always sovereign in all things in my life? Or is He sovereign only when I let Him be? What are the things that I don’t want Him to be in charge? Why?
- He reigns, I rejoice! Pray that God will reign in everything in my life (and in church).
- My words:
- God does great things beyond our understanding (Job 37:5). Job and his friends used words without knowledge and darkened God’s counsel, so the Lord had to appear to them out of the storm (38:1-2).
- Also about speech, but Paul speaks by faith to build up others and glorify God in all things (2 Corinthians 4:13, 15).
- Jesus said: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” The mouth expresses what the heart feels. Will the words from my mouth be as depressing as Job’s friends? Pray for God to bless every word that comes out of my mouth, so that my words can build up others and glorify God in everything!
- My hope:
- We groan in our earthly tent, and desperately long for the eternal house in heaven (5:2). Why do I groan? What am I groaning about?
- Jesus has already prepared a better home for us in heaven. Am I ready to “go home” at any given time? Why?
- But I am determined to please the Lord. Therefore, I will not be discouraged. Even though I know that the physical body will decay day by day, my heart will be renewed day by day (5:9,16).
- Please pray for the brothers and sisters in QHC to have this power of will.
Wed, 9/1
Day 9
Day 9
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 97:1-6
Job 40:1-42:27
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Proverbs 22:14
Meditation:
Psalm 97:1-6
Job 40:1-42:27
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Proverbs 22:14
Meditation:
- The psalmist reminds us once again that when the Lord reigns, we will rejoice and see His glory (Psalm 97:1)!
- God kept asking Job questions, and Job could only humble himself before Him and confess his insignificance and ignorance. These things are too wonderful for me to know (Job 42:3).
- Oh God! Because I do not know, please tell me and show me. My ears have heard of you, but now I want to see you with my own eyes (42:5). I also pray for the church and my family so that they can see You too!
- For this reason, we sometimes appear “out of our minds” for the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:13), for we no longer live for ourselves or even die for ourselves.
- Oh God! Please empower all of our brothers and sisters wo that we can experience this life You promised: “the old has gone, and the new is here”! And experience the renewal from the Holy Spirit! I pray for this!
Thur, 9/2
Day 10
Day 10
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 97:7-12
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Proverbs 22:15
Meditation:
Psalm 97:7-12
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Proverbs 22:15
Meditation:
- Solomon was the richest, wisest, and most respected person in the world at that time and he knew how to seek enjoyment; but the most contradictory thing is that his life was a very empty life.
- He feels that everything is wearisome, more than one can say, see, or hear (Ecclesiastes 1:8).
- He laments that human life cannot experience eternity, no one remembers the former generations, and future generations will not be remembered by those who follow them (1:11).
- He feels that human intelligence and wisdom cannot solve the problem of emptiness, because with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and the more knowledgeable, the more grief (1:18).
- Even if one indulges in enjoyment, erect great building projects, store away treasures, have hordes of servants and great achievements, and even acquire a harem (2:3-10), none of these can satisfy one’s heart.
- What the world has experienced is an extreme heavy burden, and all the things done under the sun are meaningless, a chasing after the wind (1:13-14).
- And even more, there is a type of emptiness called “spiritual emptiness”, that is, a person “believed” in the Lord, but he did not let God to renew and change his life! Although he has tasted His divine grace, his spirit eventually became a deserted wasteland. It was not that Solomon had not experienced the glory of God, but he chose to leave God and seek idolatry!
- Substituting the true God with idols and substituting the fount of living water with broken ponds. There is nothing more in the emptiness of life than this.
- On the contrary, Paul pursued a completely different life. He has gone through poverty and tribulation. He seems sad, yet he is always happy; he seems poor, but he enriches many others; he seems to have nothing but at the same time he has everything (2 Corinthians 6:4-10). It turns out that whether our life is abundant or not does not depend on what we possess, but rather that we are possessed by God!
- What areas in my life are like Solomon? What areas are like Paul?
- I desire that my life to be focused on things that are eternal and have spiritual values.
- Now pray for yourself, your family and QHC.
Fri, 9/3
Day 11
Day 11
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 98:1-9
Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7
Proverbs 22:16
Meditation:
Psalm 98:1-9
Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7
Proverbs 22:16
Meditation:
- The psalmist once again encourages us to sing a new song to The Lord and re-experience His power and wonder in worship (Psalm 98:1-6)! How beautiful in that we can worship Him every day!
- However, among the generations that do not believe in God, the contrast is so great! There is oppression taking place under the sun, no one to comfort the tears of the oppressed, the wicked are in charge, jealousy is rampant, everywhere there are foolishness, loneliness and toil, and hopelessness (Ecclesiastes 4:1-8)! Isn’t this a portrayal of life in America today?
- Living in this generation, how can I (and QHC) become the salt and light of the world? How can we impact this community and America as a country? This is a mission impossible!
- We are grateful that God Himself takes the initiative. He lives among us and moves among us; He is to be our Father and we are to be His children (2 Corinthians 6:16,18).
- Since God lives among us, we (QHC) are willing to serve Him as His vessels and be used by Him. The psalmist said that all ends of the earth should see God’s salvation (Psalm 98:3), and we are willing to become a channel of His salvation.
- And according to God’s will, we set ourselves apart, declare with forgiveness and boldness that God is our Comforter, and rejoice in God in all tribulations (2 Corinthians 6:1-6).
- Am I willing to do this? What is preventing me from being used by God?
Sat, 9/4
Day 12
Day 12
Abba’s Heart Scripture:
Psalm 99:1-9
Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18
2 Corinthians 7:8-16
Proverbs 22:17-19
God’s wisdom:
Psalm 99:1-9
Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18
2 Corinthians 7:8-16
Proverbs 22:17-19
God’s wisdom:
- My sovereignty:
- We call on the Lord, and He answers us. He speaks to us from a pillar of cloud and fire (Psalm 99:6-7). People of God know how to listen to God’s voice and observe God’s deeds (Ecclesiastes 7:13). God will tell us things we do not know. We have assurance when we have God’s guidance in life!
- Wisdom not only changes our minds, but also changes our lives. Spiritual wisdom can brighten people’s faces and change our tempers (8:1).
- Solomon said a wise person is more powerful than ten rulers in a city (7:19). Pray that God will empower our brothers and sisters in QHC to be such a people who are both wise and a blessing to others!
- A distorted world:
- However, people want true wisdom, but wisdom is far beyond them (7:23), because one sinful thing can corrupt many good deeds done by wisdom (9:18), and there really is no righteous person in the world who always does good and does not sin. (7:20) One mistake, and the whole game is lost!
- We don’t have wisdom, so we don’t understand the things that happen under the sun. Everything seems to be distorted. The righteous perishes in their righteousness, and the wicked living long in their wickedness (7:15)! Although a wicked person commits a hundred crimes, they may live a long time. (8:12)
- Under the sun, those who are swift may not be win the race, those who are strong may not win the battle, those who are wise may not get food, those who are brilliant may not get wealth, and those who are learned may not receive favor. Whatever one obtains depends on time and chance. (9:11)
- What kind of world is this, but we are living in such a world! Will I become lost and empty because of this? What do I need the Holy Spirit in helping me with?
- Fear of God provides the way out
- However, one thing we know is that people who fear God will be blessed. (8:12) If we grieve and repent according to God’s will, and follow God’s will, God promises that we will not lose in the end. Because Godly sorrow will bring repentance and lead us back to God (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).
- Is there anything in my life (and in the church) that we need to grieve and repent according to God’s will? Pray that the Holy Spirit will open my eyes!
Please pray for the future direction of the church, for yourself and your family. Please write down how God has touched you!