DAY 60 (2021) - What if your church is a house of prayer? (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:

   

Mark 11

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’[c]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’[d]”

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: What if your church is a house of prayer? 

“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” 

                                                          Mark 11: 17 

Today Jesus asked me a question: 

What if your church is a house of prayer? 

He led me to recall a painful happening in 1995 when my brother Dennis came from Hong Kong to visit me. I brought him to a church to have a visit. When he entered, he cried loudly. I asked him why he was so sad. He told me that he felt that church was not a house of prayer but a church filled with divisions, bitterness, accusation, darkness and unforgiving spirits. We then sang hymns and prayed for that church to have a revival. And revival did come later. 

What if your church is not a house of prayer? 

Christians should know how to pray and the importance of prayers. 

But in reality the lowest attendance in most churches is always prayer meetings. It’s usually less than 10% of the Sunday attendance. 

What if your church is a house of prayer? 

Well, then the people in your church will be mightily used by Jesus to be a channel to bring healing and blessings to all nations! 

I wish this time will come! 

We started a Prayer Meeting for the whole church yesterday for three consecutive Saturdays 9am to 9:30am. We had more than 60 people joining to pray and to cry out to our God that we can have a joyful, peaceful and united experience for the future of our church, Richmond Emmanuel Church. 

Please join us next Saturday no matter you are in Vancouver or elsewhere in the world, Vancouver time, the coming two Saturdays(October 16 and 23) 9am. to 9:30am. 

We need you!

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Help our church to be a house of prayer for all nations.  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:

 https://youtu.be/CQNXqqQ5iJU

        

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