Title September/Special/Dawn Prayer Meeting (2)
Contents
Dawn wrestling that changed my life (2) 09.9.8. Tue
Meeting at Bethel (Genesis 28:16-22)
To escape the wrath of his older brother Esau, Jacob had to flee from his beloved hometown and warm arms of his parents. Jacob, who was on the way to exile to Haran, where his maternal uncle lives, sleeps one night on a stone in the wilderness of Ruth. Aren't you being chased like Jacob at this time? Are you facing a major crisis in your life? Now is the time for you to meet God, and it is the time to completely re-determine the purpose and vision of your life with the eyes of faith that have met God.
1. There is something to awaken.
Jacob was lonely, tired, and afraid, as he risked his life on the path he did not want to go, risking his life for the faint possibility of saving his life and opening a new one. But that night he has a vision. He saw the angels ascend and descend on the ladder that connects heaven and earth, and then he heard the voice of God speaking to him from the top of the ladder. “Surely the LORD is here, and I did not know it” (verse 16). He finally knew that God was there even on the tiring journey he had been chased by his older brother and passing through the night in a lonely empty place.
Theologians call these moments of spiritual awakening. In a word, the awakening is that “God was by my side, or God was guiding me, but I did not know.” What will we wake up to today? That's right. We didn't know that, but He was with us and was guiding us.
2. I have a decision to make. Jacob made two decisions a religious decision and a material decision (tithing).
1) Religious resolution - Jehovah will be my God, and I will live a life of worship all my life.
[Genesis 28:21 ...the LORD will be my God]
First, Jacob erected the stone on which he had slept last night as a pillar as a monument and poured oil on it. Then, he confessed that this is ‘Bethel’ ‘House of God’ and made a religious decision. More important than material devotion is Jacob's first vow, determined to serve only God. In other words, God considers the most important attitude to live in the presence of God.
The core of that religious decision is that I will live a life of worshiping Jehovah for the rest of my life. At this point in the new beginning of the second half of my life, above all else, I want you to look back on whether my worship was perfect. Christians are unique beings who cannot succeed in life without success in worship. Receive grace in worship, find refreshment in worship, and see a vision in worship that is the secret to overcoming the world. Worship properly - Let's remember that this is the first decision to become the main character of true blessing.
2) The second decision is to live a life of tithing.
[Genesis 28:22] This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will surely give to God a tenth
The reason the Bible emphasizes tithing or offerings is not because God needs our money. Giving is not a matter of money, but an act of confessing that everything we have belongs to the Lord.
Through the prophet, God speaks of the importance of tithing and the blessing of its dedication:
Mal 3:10 Take your whole tithe into storehouses, says the LORD of hosts, that there may be food in my house, and test me with it, and see if I will not open the gates of heaven and pour out you so that there is no room for a blessing - [God] He wants to pour out blessings on us, but if the lid of the bowl is closed, we cannot receive the blessings. Is the vessel of blessing in my heart closed? It must be opened with a new resolution.]
Devotion and loyalty are always rewarded with blessing. But even if not expecting a reward, I acknowledge Jehovah God as my God, and everything in my life: the health and ability to work, the wisdom to get things done, the environment in which to work, all these things are from the Lord. If we truly believe and know that the Lord has been with us, and that the Lord has helped us, how difficult is it now to fully acknowledge His sovereignty over my life and make a commitment to it?
♧ "Be sure to leave valuables with the owner, and we are not responsible for anything not entrusted to us." (According to Article 153 of the Commercial Act) This is the same for the principle of faith. When I acknowledge God as the Lord and entrust my life to him, the Lord will take charge of everything.
♧ Let's pray like this:
With wishes, dreams, and plans for God that touch the heart of God, ask Him to bless you for living this way! We believe that our God will fill us with heavenly blessings and earthly blessings, both spiritually and physically.