Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Philippians+004

 

Chapter 4 (ESV)

¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

¹⁴ Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. ¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. ¹⁸ I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Chapter at a Glance: Paul exhorted the Philippian Christians (vv1-9), gave a most unusual thank-you note (vv10-20), and added final greetings (vv21-23).
2. Many people believe they can only be content and happy once they have reached a certain level of economic prosperity. How does their view differ from Paul’s secret of contentment? How is your view compared with Paul’s?  How can you become a better giver or a better receiver?
3. Richard Foster defines “simplicity” as “an inward reality that results in an outward lifestyle” (Celebration of Discipline). According to Paul, what is the inward reality?  How close are you to experiencing this in your life?  What can you do to encourage it?
4. Pray for Christian workers you know, that they would have the emotional and financial support they need.

 

PRAYER:

Dear God! Thank you for providing me with abundant material blessings, sparing me from worry about clothing, food, shelter, and daily needs. However, my heart often remains unsatisfied, desiring more worldly wealth. Paul’s teaching has helped me understand that true contentment doesn’t depend on external circumstances but rather on having a heart that trusts in You. I ask for Your help to know how to navigate both humble circumstances and abundance, relying on the strength You provide so that I can do all things.

 

HYMN:

Refiner’s Fire – www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6awdZ1cekk

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Philippians+003

 

 Chapter 3 (ESV)

¹ Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

² Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. ³ For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. ⁷ But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Chapter at a Glance: Paul had abandoned confidence in his own works (vv1-6) to trust Christ completely (vv7-11). All mature believers will follow Paul’s example and press toward this goal (vv12-17), eagerly awaiting Christ’s return and our transformation (vv18-21).
2. Paul had credentials: his family heritage, education, and zeal. These would have secured him a prominent place in society.  But Paul’s encounter with Christ radically changed him.  When Paul met the risen Christ, his résumé did nothing for him.  What mattered thereafter was relationship with Christ.  As Christians, we must learn to recognize and abandon those things that must be counted as losses (possessions, credentials, attitudes, etc.) in light of our encounter with Christ (the gain of our relationship with Christ).
3. What are the things that you count “gain” but actually are “loss” and may become “weight and sin that clings so closely” (Heb. 12:1) for your heaven-bound journey? How can you change your perspective and consider everything as secondary to knowing Jesus as your Lord?

 

PRAYER:

Dear God! Paul’s life serves as my inspiration. He had an impressive résumé, noble lineage, education, and religious zeal. However, when he encountered Christ and truly knew Him, his life was completely transformed. What he once considered beneficial, he now regarded as loss. I pray that You would help me follow Paul’s example—to forget what lies behind, press forward, and aim for the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.

 

HYMN:

All I Once Held Dear – www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4IgusP8Z8w

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Philippians+002

 

Chapter 2 (ESV)

¹ So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Chapter at a Glance: Paul urged the Philippian Christians to imitate Jesus Christ who is equal with God, yet whose incarnation and life is the supreme example of humility (vv1-18). He commended two men he was about to send to Philippi (vv19-30).
2. Here Paul encouraged Christians to look at the attitude of humility Jesus displayed, and adopt it in our relationships with others. Whatever basis we might have for believing we are better than others, all pales to utter insignificance when we see Jesus, who willingly abandoned His rightful claim of full equality with God, to not only become a human being, but even died on a cross.
3. It’s no wonder that Christians have been considered weak, dull, too scrupulous or too cowardly to make it big in the world. What the world doesn’t understand is that Christians choose humility not out of weakness, but out of strength.
4. How would things change if you consistently applied vv3-8 in your family, church, and work? Which do you need to work on now?

 

PRAYER:

Dear God! Thank you for giving us Jesus Christ as an example of humility. Lord Jesus willingly set aside His divine glory, humbly came into the world, and not only became a lowly human but also died on the cross. Often, I see myself as superior, but when I compare my life to Jesus’s time on Earth, I feel humbled. I pray that God teaches me to imitate Christ, willingly choosing humility. May I share the same heart as Christ with my brothers and sisters in the church, living a holy and unified life, all for the glory of our Heavenly Father.

 

HYMN:

Humble King – www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Rohc92j9M

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Philippians+001

 

PHILIPPIANS  
Introducing Philippians
On his second journey to bring the Gospel to the Gentile world, the apostle Paul helped start a church in the city of Philippi (see Acts 16:11-40), a colony of retired Roman soldiers. The Philippians became Paul’s friends and supporters for the rest of his life. When they heard that he was in Rome as a prisoner, they collected money to assist him and sent it with one of their members, a man named Epaphroditus. Later Paul sent him back with a letter to thank the Philippians for their friendship and support.

Paul knows the Philippians were experiencing a lot of opposition, so he used his own life as an example of how to respond to hardship with joy. Throughout the whole imperial guard—right in the centre of Caesar’s realm—Paul is boldly made the royal announcement that Jesus is Lord. Paul’s desire was that the Philippians would gain the same confidence and dare all the more to proclaim the Gospel without fear.

In an amazing hymn, Paul urged the Philippians to have the servant attitude that Jesus had. He did not grasp His high position, but humbled Himself even to the point of death—all for the sake of others. This was the new way of living that is revealed in God’s kingdom. Our citizenship is in God’s realm and so we eagerly await the Saviour’s return to us. Then He will transform our lowly bodies to become like His glorious resurrected body.

 

www.bible.com/zh-TW/bible/111/PHP.INTRO1.NIV

 

Chapter 1 (ESV)

¹ Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. ⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Chapter at a Glance: Paul thanked God and prayed for his partners in the Gospel (vv1-11). He assured them that his imprisonment was a good thing (vv12-26) and encouraged them to stand firm together (vv27-30).
2. Have any of your good friends ever told you what they appreciate about you? Have you ever listened while others prayed for you? If so, how do you feel when you are assured that others care for you?
3. As you read the passage, try to imagine yourself sitting with your whole church listening to this letter as if it’s written for your church. What emotions, phrases, or thoughts come to you?  Allow God to speak to you about what that word or phrase means and listen to what He has to say.
4. Take a few minutes to put Paul’s prayer into your own words. Use this to pray for your church and your group.

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for granting me a church on Earth—a community of like-minded brothers and sisters who fervently spread the Gospel. Being able to worship together, grow together, and learn to love one another brings joy and fulfillment to my life. I pray that You increase our love for one another in knowledge and discernment, so that we may be honest and blameless until the day of Christ. Through Jesus Christ, may our lives bear the fruit of righteousness, bringing glory and praise to God.

 

HYMN:

We Believe – www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLpS70QYdXM

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+042

 

CHAPTER 42 (ESV)

1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent in dust and ashes.”…

10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold. 12 And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…

16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

 

REFLECTION:

Throughout the Book of Job, Job’s friends persuade him to confess his sins and ask for forgiveness. Finally, Job saw God with his own eyes and repented in the dust and ashes. However, Job’s confession was not the kind his friends said. He did not ask for forgiveness for secret sins. Instead he asked for forgiveness for his attitude of self-righteousness in questioning God’s sovereignty. When we ask angrily, “If God is in power, how He can let this happen?” we have sinned. We are constrained by time and space. We cannot see what happened today, and we cannot know why everything happened. If God did not restore Job’s former blessing, would the message of the Book of Job change? Of course not, because God is in power anyway. Our reward, whether material or spiritual, is not necessarily the same as Job’s. Our reward may not be realized in this world, but it will be realized because God loves us and He is just. God will not only restore what we have lost, but He will give us far more blessings than we can imagine when we are with Him in eternity. Hold on to your faith when you go through all the trials of your life. If you endure to the end, God will receive you to His eternal glory.

 

PRAYER:

God, just as Job said, “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You,” so does my heart echo. Throughout my years of knowing and following You, I have experienced Your faithfulness and love. I have known the peace beside still waters and green pastures, as well as the attacks of enemies and the solitude of the valley of the shadow of death. Yet, in every circumstance, You have been with me, and Your rod and staff have comforted me. I do not know the way of tomorrow, but I know You hold tomorrow in Your hands, and I also know that You are guiding me by the hand. One day, You will bring me into Your eternal glory.

 

HYMN:

Though You Slay Me – m.youtube.com/watch?v=l57NdQel69w

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+041

 

CHAPTER 41 (ESV)

1 “Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook
or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Can you put a rope in his nose
or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 Will he make many pleas to you?
Will he speak to you soft words?
4 Will he make a covenant with you
to take him for your servant forever?
5 Will you play with him as with a bird,
or will you put him on a leash for your girls?
6 Will traders bargain over him?
Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons
or his head with fishing spears?
8 Lay your hands on him;
remember the battle—you will not do it again!
9 Behold, the hope of a man is false;
he is laid low even at the sight of him.
10 No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up.
Who then is he who can stand before me?
11 Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.

 

REFLECTION:

“Leviathan” may refer to the crocodile we are seeing now, or it may refer to an extinct ancient sea monster. God again reminded Job of His power through the “crocodile” and at the same time erected a mirror for us: we can all see the stubbornness of our life through the shadow of the crocodile. Our life is like a crocodile, with airtight sturdy scale armor on the outside, protecting ourselves rigorously, and the heart inside is as hard as a millstone. If our life is not broken by God, listening to the sermon is for others. The Spirit of God and the Word of God cannot enter it, and it has no effect on our life. We thought we could resist God, but in fact we were even scared of crocodiles. Is the power of God comparable to a crocodile? It is better to obey God’s loving authority than to face His anger. Give your life completely to God, and let His hand break you and carve you.

 

PRAYER:

God, my life is similar to that of a crocodile. I often protect myself with a tough, impenetrable armor, unwilling to open up to others and instead showing a fierce demeanor that scares people away. My inner heart is even harder than a grinding stone, stubborn and self-willed, to the point where Your Spirit and Your words cannot penetrate it. But Your power is incomparable to that of a crocodile! I am willing to submit to Your loving authority and completely surrender my life to You. Please use Your gracious hand to break and refine me.

 

HYMN:

All to Jesus I Surrender – m.youtube.com/watch?v=7x2IpLSfqp8

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+040

 

CHAPTER 40 (ESV)

1 And the Lord said to Job:

2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
twice, but I will proceed no further.”

6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

7 “Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?

 

REFLECTION:

In the process of suffering, Job has long been eager to declare to God that he is innocent. But when God finally appeared before Job, he covered his mouth with his hand and kept silent, because he knew that he didn’t need to say anything at this moment. God let Job know that as a limited mortal in the presence of the Almighty Lord who created the heavens and the earth, he had neither the ability to judge God nor the qualifications to question God. God’s work will not be limited by us, and He will do what he thinks is best, whether we think it is fair or not. The main purpose of God’s appearance to Job was to show His love and care for Job. Like Job, have you argued with Almighty God? Do you ask God to respond to you when you are unhappy, such as when you are unemployed, your loved one is sick or dead, you have financial difficulties, or you experience unexpected setbacks? The next time you plan to blame God, think about how much love God has given you, and how Job responded to God. Do you complain more than Job, or do you obey God more than him? Please give God a chance to show His plan for you. But keep in mind that the timing of His plan is not necessarily the moment you expect.

 

PRAYER:

God, reading the Book of Job has deepened my understanding of Your greatness and majesty. As a mere finite human, I have no right to question You, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. Although some things may seem unfair from a human perspective, You govern all things and will act appropriately at the right time. Please reveal Your love and care to me, so that in any difficulty or suffering I encounter, I am willing to trust and obey You, allowing You to manifest Your plan for my life.

 

HYMN:

Listen to Our Hearts – m.youtube.com/watch?v=LxqHo2Pvfm0

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+039

 

CHAPTER 39 (ESV)

1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
Do you observe the calving of the does?…

5 “Who has let the wild donkey go free?
Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,..

9 “Is the wild ox willing to serve you?
Will he spend the night at your manger?
10 Can you bind him in the furrow with ropes,
or will he harrow the valleys after you?…

13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,
but are they the pinions and plumage of love?…

19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust?
His majestic snorting is terrifying…

26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
and spreads his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
and makes his nest on high?

 

REFLECTION:

God asked Job several questions about the animal world. This is to show how limited Job’s knowledge actually is. God did not seek answers from Job. Instead, He wanted to make Job aware and obey His power and sovereignty. Only then can Job hear what God really wants to say to him. In today’s so-called scientifically advanced world, people think that by virtue of their own wisdom, they can continue to grasp the truth of the universe, but they do not know that our cognition is extremely limited as we are blinded by sin. Without salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ, there will always be an insurmountable gap between man and God. Not only is human cognition limited, but the quality of human life cannot be perfected by his own moral power. The advancement of science and technology, on one hand, brings convenience to human life, but on the other hand, it brings many new problems to human beings, prompting humanity to commit more sins. No matter how far our civilization develops, we should draw wisdom and strength from God’s teachings to Job and have a humble and God-fearing heart to live our short years in the world.

 

PRAYER:

God, the questions You posed to Job leave me equally speechless. Even though I live in a world of advanced science today, we are blinded by sin, and our understanding of the truths in the universe is extremely limited. Thank You for redeeming me through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, allowing me to be reconciled with You. Please help me not to rely solely on the advancements of technology but to draw wisdom and strength from Your teachings to Job. May I approach my brief time on earth with a humble and reverent heart.

 

HYMN:

Love Ran Red – m.youtube.com/watch?v=PiGFSOAb3Vo

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+038

 

CHAPTER 38 (ESV)

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
6 On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
7 when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

 

REFLECTION:

Finally, God spoke to Job from a powerful whirlwind. Amazingly, he did not answer any of the questions raised by Job directly, because Job’s questions were not at the heart of the argument. God used Job’s ignorance of the order He established in the natural world to reveal to Job that he also disregarded God’s moral order. If Job didn’t understand God’s creation in the physical world, how could he understand God’s mind in building up people on a spiritual level? There is no higher standard of judgment in the world than God, and God Himself is the standard. When you encounter a similar confusion in your life, don’t rush to ask God to get a seemingly clear answer, because God’s many good intentions for you are not immediately known to you. Your only choice is to obey God’s will and trust in His care and guidance.

 

PRAYER:

God, Your knowledge is marvelous; it is beyond my comprehension. Your supremacy is beyond my reach. If I cannot even understand Your work of creation in the material world, how can I grasp Your purposes in shaping the human spirit on a spiritual level? When I encounter suffering and confusion, please help me not to rush for seemingly clear answers, as many of Your good intentions for me are not immediately discernible. Please help me to follow Your will and trust in Your care and guidance.

 

HYMN:

Be Thou My Vision – m.youtube.com/watch?v=Optrm7lF16s

 

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Job+037

 

CHAPTER 37 (ESV)

14 “Hear this, O Job;
stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?

 

REFLECTION:

Elihu emphasized the sovereignty of God in nature, thereby reminding Job of God’s control over human life. God is the founder and perfecter, and He also rules in history. He guides, protects, and maintains the order of the universe. Although we can’t see it, the God in heaven does control human morality and all things. Let us spend more time observing the beautiful, magnificent, and esoteric parts of nature. We will remember the influence of God in every aspect of our lives. Nothing in the world can compare with God. His presence and authority awe us, and we must listen when He speaks. The mistake we make is often to speak for God, just like Job’s friend. We often put God’s Word in our mouths, but we don’t obey His Word from the heart, or we interpret His silence as Him not caring about us. But keep in mind that God really cares about us. He is in power, and He is talking. We must always be alert and listen carefully to God’s Word. He not only reminds us through the Bible and the Holy Spirit, but also speaks to us through ordinary people and things in our daily lives.

 

PRAYER:

God, the heavens declare Your glory; the sky proclaims Your handiwork. Although I cannot see You, through the marvelous and beautiful nature You have created, I know of Your real existence and Your sovereignty over my life. My living, movement, and existence are all under Your care. Please help me to remember that You are a God who genuinely cares for me. You are in control, and You are also speaking. I want to remain vigilant and carefully listen to Your words. Please remind me through the Bible and the Holy Spirit, and also speak to me through the people and events in my daily life.

 

HYMN:

Speak, O Lord – m.youtube.com/watch?v=ubRlJj8xkds