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.”
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sins 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."
“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 sins 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."
The link to today's Time with Abba passages: http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
Time with Abba passages: (Psalm 37:1-11, Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Proverbs 10:31-32)
Today's key passage:
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”Mark 14:3-9
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Mark 14:3-9
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 today from Jesus is: What can I give? What can I get?
The whole day today I have been thinking of the reason for Mark to put that two passages together: The woman who gave that very expensive perfume to anoint Jesus and Judah who betrayed Jesus for money. At last, I got a big inspiration from the Lord!
1. What can I give? What can I get?
Before I was born again in the 70's and 80's I had been living a life of a religious person wanting to get many things from my church but not a true Christian willing to give everything I have to love Jesus and follow Jesus, poor me!
The attitude of "getting" could lead us to follow Judah's path to betray Jesus or Jesus' servants, terrible!
The attitude of "getting" could lead us to follow Judah's path to betray Jesus or Jesus' servants, terrible!
What kind of Christian are you?
2. To enjoy "safe pasture"
Psalm 37:3 give me a big inspiration:
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
When I read the word "safe pasture", I asked myself, "What is safe pasture?"
Jesus answered me right away, He said,"The pasture the shepherd takes his sheep to is the safe pasture!"
It is a pity that lots of people are not willing to be led by their shepherds but to find their own "safe pasture"! The result might be falling into the trap Judah fell and become a Judah, sad!
Are you willing to be led by your shepherd? Do you know who are your shepherds?
3. How do we know we are willing to be led by our shepherds?
When I asked this question, Jesus asked me to read three passages to have the comparison. It was such a surprise to me!
Because what I got is that when we are willing to be in the "chains of command" the Lord prepares for us means we are willing to be led by our shepherds and can enjoy "safe pasture"!
Please read what I highlighted and you will understand:
a. Numbers 10:14-28
The formation of the twelve tribes when they were ready to advance to the Promised Land in the book of Numbers:
b. Numbers 1:20-52
The very beginning formation of the twelve tribes in Numbers
c Numbers 2:1-34
The formation was in all four directions(East, South, West, North), four Camps, four Commanders, 12 divisions, 12 division leaders (four of those were Commanders). This completed the formation
Are you willing to be led by your shepherds into the formation of your church?
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
When I read the word "safe pasture", I asked myself, "What is safe pasture?"
Jesus answered me right away, He said,"The pasture the shepherd takes his sheep to is the safe pasture!"
It is a pity that lots of people are not willing to be led by their shepherds but to find their own "safe pasture"! The result might be falling into the trap Judah fell and become a Judah, sad!
Are you willing to be led by your shepherd? Do you know who are your shepherds?
3. How do we know we are willing to be led by our shepherds?
When I asked this question, Jesus asked me to read three passages to have the comparison. It was such a surprise to me!
Because what I got is that when we are willing to be in the "chains of command" the Lord prepares for us means we are willing to be led by our shepherds and can enjoy "safe pasture"!
Please read what I highlighted and you will understand:
a. Numbers 10:14-28
The formation of the twelve tribes when they were ready to advance to the Promised Land in the book of Numbers:
b. Numbers 1:20-52
The very beginning formation of the twelve tribes in Numbers
c Numbers 2:1-34
The formation was in all four directions(East, South, West, North), four Camps, four Commanders, 12 divisions, 12 division leaders (four of those were Commanders). This completed the formation
Are you willing to be led by your shepherds into the formation of your church?
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be willing to give everything you want us to give to love you and to follow you and willing to be led by those shepherds appointed by you in our own church. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Reflect on these questions:
1. What are those things blocking you that you are not willing to give everything Jesus wants you to give loving Him and following Him and that you are unwilling to be led by those shepherds appointed by Jesus in your own church?
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:
To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org
.JPG){kind=link}
No comments:
Post a Comment