Silence
1. Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2. Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.Praise and Thanksgiving
1. Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2. Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people3. Open your heart to praise the Lord
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
Psalm 5:11
Confession and repentance
1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
2. Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
The Word
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."
Let's 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"
My Listening
Just one verse today. Yes, just one verse and this verse is known as the "Golden Rule": do to others what you would like them to do to you. How come it is so important to be called Golden Rule by the Jews?
Basically, it is so simple and logical, but may be not practical. If you want other people to respect you, love you and care for you, then respect them, love them and care for them first. But what if you have tried your best to respect them, love them and care for them, and they do not do the same to you? What if their response is to hurt you?
Well, you can't control what the other people would do to you. But what we need to do is to respect, love and care for other people. By doing this, you will experience transformation in you, and may be those you respect, love and care. If they get it!
The Golden Rule is the new standard of our new behaviour. It's what we need to live out. Simply knowing it and saying it does not make a difference. Yes, there may be some people who won't change at all after you respect them, love them and care for them. That's OK. There may be a few people who still want to hurt you or even want to wipe you off from the face of this world. That's OK.
The important thing is that through a new way of being and doing, you will have this new standard of life: Do to others what you would like them to do to you.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to live out the Golden Rule so that we can be transformed by you and to be able to witness transformation of other people who we respect, love and care. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Basically, it is so simple and logical, but may be not practical. If you want other people to respect you, love you and care for you, then respect them, love them and care for them first. But what if you have tried your best to respect them, love them and care for them, and they do not do the same to you? What if their response is to hurt you?
Well, you can't control what the other people would do to you. But what we need to do is to respect, love and care for other people. By doing this, you will experience transformation in you, and may be those you respect, love and care. If they get it!
The Golden Rule is the new standard of our new behaviour. It's what we need to live out. Simply knowing it and saying it does not make a difference. Yes, there may be some people who won't change at all after you respect them, love them and care for them. That's OK. There may be a few people who still want to hurt you or even want to wipe you off from the face of this world. That's OK.
The important thing is that through a new way of being and doing, you will have this new standard of life: Do to others what you would like them to do to you.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to live out the Golden Rule so that we can be transformed by you and to be able to witness transformation of other people who we respect, love and care. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. What do you think of this "Golden rule"? Do you think it is workable?
2. What if even you do everything you can to respect, care and love someone and that person still hurt you? Are you still going to follow this new standard of life?
3. What is your biggest concern with this new standard of life?
Family Corner:
1. How does your family members treat each others?
2. What kind of changes would happen in your family if you are willing to practice this Golden Rule?
1. How does your family members treat each others?
2. What kind of changes would happen in your family if you are willing to practice this Golden Rule?