DAY 44 (2021) - Who are those not wearing the wedding clothes? (Please go to FaceBook(silastyng) to watch my video of this blog)

 

 

Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. 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 people

3.   Sing a song to praise God (you are welcome to use "Father, I adore you" which I have been singing every morning for the past 20 years or your own choice to praise God)

          Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

          Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

          Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.

      

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to shine on you that you are able to discover your sins and be willing to repent:

     “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 and having Jesus as my Lord. 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 gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

(Please click this link to see how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

    Bible link: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%207&version=NIV

    Time with Abba one year Bible reading: http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/

    Today's passage:

   

Matthew 23

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to him. 

   

     My Listening

     The topic I received from Jesus is: Who are those not wearing the wedding clothes?

“But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” Matthew 23:3

Whenever I read Matthew 22: 11 about the one who was not wearing wedding clothes, I was always wondering who Jesus was talking about.

Today Jesus told me so plainly that they are those He mentioned in Matthew 23: Talk the talk but not walk the walk. 

Those who do things for other people to see(v.5), 

do not know how to humble themselves(v. 12), 

influencing other people not entering into the kingdom of heaven(v. 13), who are blind and can’t see those things the Lord wants them to see(v. 16-24), 

whose inside are full of greed, self-indulgence, unclean, hypocrisy and wickedness(v. 25-28), 

who flog, stone, kill and murder the prophets(v. 31-36). 

Is that you? Well, if that is you, I don’t think you know! 

Maybe it’s time for you to kneel down and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you if that is you?! 

"Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is near!" Matthew 3:2, 4: 17 

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Please help me to reveal my sins that I am able to wear the wedding clothes. 

In Jesus name we pray,

 

Amen.

           

      Reflect on these questions:

     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?

      

      2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus?

    

      Family Corner:

     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 

     

Please click this link for the video version of this blog:

Noontime Prayer: 

        

     To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org