Open the door, I want to come in that you can receive the light of life!

     

                                             

                                 

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 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 69:5-12, 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23;John 8:1-20; Proverbs 15:8-10)

    Today's key passages: 

    

               3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:3-12

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelation 3:20

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

   

     My Listening

    The topic I received today from Jesus is: Open the door, I want to come in that you can receive the light of life!

    Today's John describes a woman being caught in adultery. Jesus saved her that she did not have to be stoned to death according to Moses Law. Jesus led her to confess her sins and she followed Jesus after that. She saw with her own eyes how Jesus resurrected her younger brother Lazarus and she used an expensive perfume equal the amount of a year's wages to pour on Jesus' feet. Is this change miraculous? 

    An adulterer, a prostitute could be accepted by Jesus and became the best friend of Jesus. She stood by the cross when Jesus died with Jesus' mother and she was the first one to be able to see the resurrected Jesus and heard Jesus voice talking to her!

    Who is this woman? She is Mary Magdalene!

    Holman Hunt, a famous English artist had a painting using John's theme "The Light of the World" and now hanging in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. A message combining John 8:12 and Revelation 3:20.

    The renowned Christian leader, Rev. Dr. John Stott had his born again experience because of this painting when he was seventeen. In Timoth Dudley-Smith's John Stott A Biography, John said:
    "Up till now Christ had been on the circumference and I have but asked Him to guide me instead of giving Him complete control. Behold! He stands at the door and knocks. - I have heard Him and now is He come into my house. He has cleansed it and now rules therein. If Satan comes along and knocks at the door, I will not go and answer it, succumbing to the 'pleasures of sin', - but Christ will go to the door, at whose sight Satan will flee. If Christ is my Master, sin is dead under my feet."

    Mary Magdalen opened the door, John Stott opened the door, I open the door everyday, many people open the door everyday to invite Jesus to enter into our lives daily to control and rule us as Lord and King and we do not walk in darkness anymore!

    Have you opened the door today for Jesus to come in? 

        If not, now is the time!

     Dear Lord Jesus,  

 I open the door of my heart now. Please come in and be my Lord and King. In Jesus Name I 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/seLwjPm4Dvg

  

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