Devotion

DEVOTIONAL LIFE

1. WHAT?

Spending time in God’s presence and in God’s Word.

Matthew 4:4 Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.

ILLUS: How many among you eat once a week and let that meal sustain you for the whole weak?

How many Christians eat once a week in church and live their lives the rest of the week, starving in their spirit?

TESTIMONY: 4 years ago, I made a covenant to do my devotional everyday, before I put anything into my mouth.

- testimony about my daughter… “why you do devotional?”

“when can I do my devotional?”

“when can I open my cell?”

- effect of my devotional life to my family – daughter

- effect of my devotional life to my ministry - cells

2. WHY?

How many would like to give 5,000 to missions? We would like to give it but we cannot give what we do not have. Same with God’s word…

Without spending time in the presence of God, the cares and troubles of this world will get on us.

Story: Elijah and the 40 days

1 Kings 18 – Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to prove who the real God. The God who answered by fire is the true God. And he set everything on fire and proved that God is real.

Then, he killed 450 false prophets.

But in 1 Kings 19, he became so afraid. He fled and hid and even wanted to die.

Have you ever felt strong at one point in your life then felt like giving up at some point?

What’s the difference? – TIME SPENT IN THE MOUNTAIN – THE PRESENCE OF GOD

After the breakthrough, he went to the dessert:

“But [Elijah] went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life…”

1 Kings 19:4 (NKJV)

What were the events that preceded Elijah’s desire to die?

Elijah was a man of the mountain. He defeated the prophets of Baal on the mountain and he prayed for rain on the mountain

Elijah ran from Jezebel… why? He came down from the mountain.

Elijah was in the...