Friday, October 14, 2022

Stand firm, be patient, speak gently!

  




Please click this link for the video version: 

https://youtu.be/55WOtyJ4qas  



Nicky Gumbel's Bible in one year today:

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 115:14-18, Jeremiah 23:21-25:38;  2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Proverbs  25:15)

    Today's key passages: 

      But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17


Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
    and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

Proverbs 25:15


     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 isStand firm, be patient, speak gently!

    It is so easy for us to lose faith on God and other people in the midst of this dark pandemic. Feeling bored of unable to go out, facing with the separation with friends may cause huge discouragement and may lead people to speak in harsh words hurting other people and our loved ones!

    So, what can we do? How can we turn the right side up and not letting the pandemic to turn us upside down?

    Well, we have a way out from today's 2 Thessalonians and Proverbs:
    1. Stand firm
        Paul says it is not easy for us to stand firm in this critical time, in his time of persecution and also in our time of darkness. Paul reminds us that first we need to know that we are not lonely but we have prayers from our brothers and sisters supporting us so that we can give thanks to the Lord in all times giving thanks to the Lord for we are being chosen by Jesus to shine forth the light of Christ if we can stand firm.

    2. Be patient, speak gently
        Today's Proverbs tells us how do we know that we really stand firm? That we are able to speak gently and be patient always is the best way to test whether we stand firm or not.
        
     
     Dear Lord Jesus,  
    Help us to be more close to you each day that we can stand firm, be patient and speak gently. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
     Reflect on these questions:

     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch?
      
      2.  What is your next step?

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

     

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

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