Today's Reading: John 17: 1-8
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read John 17: 1-8
Bible Study
Three years and one month ago I started to write my first blog "Daily Devotion on Fire". I started with a sharing of my spiritual journey with my spiritual father John Stott. You may click this link to go to the first day of my blog to read that moving story:
The title today is what uncle John told me in 1992 when I first met him. He said, "Silas, John 17 is perhaps the most important chapter in the whole Bible. Read it carefully and you will be closer to Jesus' heart."
This chapter is about prayers, about how Jesus prayed, about unity and about glory.
There are not many places in the Bible recorded the content of Jesus prayers. What we can find is perhaps Matthew11: 25-27 and John 11: 41-42. And this one consists of the longest prayer the Bible records.
N.T. Wright says this passage of eight verses is an invitation to come into the heart of that intimate relation between Jesus and the father. And, this passage is a celebration and a request. Jesus is celebrating the fact that his work is done and his request is that he may now be exalted, glorified, lifted up to that position alongside the father in which the king, the Messiah was supposed to attain. And those who follow this exalted Messiah will have eternal life.
In the next two days we will explore more on this chapter of why John Stott says this is the most important chapter of the whole Bible.
You have been invited to come into this intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father. I do hope you enjoy this opportunity!
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
What I heard from Jesus today is: The most important chapter in the whole Bible!
See all those picture I had with uncle John with some in 1992 and some in 2009, I just missed him! The picture Ignatius took was when I prayed in the chapel of where uncle John lived, the College of St. Barnabas in the south side of London. That was the last time I saw uncle John and that was June 10, 2009 when I took my son to uncle John so that he could pray for him. I was so sad that day because I thought it might be the last time for me to see him and I knelt down and prayed thanking God for what uncle John's powerful ministry. It's been one year and 20 days since he completed his journey on earth to join Jesus in heaven. Without his guidance to lead me to understand more about Jesus heart and to enjoy a lifelong journey of Christlikeness, I think I should be already burnout, quit or vaporized! Thank you uncle John, thank you Jesus!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for giving us your faithful servants to imitate so that we can be able to follow you daily. Help us to be able to enter into the heart of the relationship between you and the Father each day that we can glorify your name and further your kingdom. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Please click this link to worship with us - I Offer My Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ar5EfvAcU
Chinese praise song - 愛是不保留 Unreserved Love
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