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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)
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."
Most of churches on earth were having online worship the first two years when the pandemic began in March 2020 until some churches returned to in person worship last January. Our church started to have in person services again in February last year.
“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 Word, Time with Abba (Psalm 66:1-4, Judges 21:1-25, Ruth 1:1-22;John 4:4-42; Proverbs 14:25)
Today's key passage:
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”John 4:19-26
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
John 4:19-26
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: Does online worship work?
Most of churches on earth were having online worship the first two years when the pandemic began in March 2020 until some churches returned to in person worship last January. Our church started to have in person services again in February last year.
In that first two years of pandemic, no matter how big or small your church is, how glorious or beautiful your church is, the place of worship is not what we can choose for two years. May be what you can choose is which church you are going to have online worship.
Now, back to today's question: Does online worship work?
John 4 is dealing with the same question that the Samaritan woman asked Jesus:
You Jews claim the place we must worship is Jerusalem, so does we as Samaritans worship at Mount Gerizim work?
Jesus told the woman that it is not the place of worship but we must worship God in the Spirit and in truth. It means that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can be in the presence of God and we need to truly open our hearts and souls to worship God, if not, we are only doing a religious activity.
If we really have the presence of God and truly open our hearts and souls, then we can be able to listen to what Jesus is speaking to us and we can be able to receive the living water from Jesus. We will truly be satisfied!
If you have that kind of worship, then your online worship works!
But, joining the online worship of your own church should be the best because your church is your spiritual home that Jesus gives you. What is better than to worship God with your own family members!
Of course, if you can go back to your church to worship in person is the best!
Now, back to today's question: Does online worship work?
John 4 is dealing with the same question that the Samaritan woman asked Jesus:
You Jews claim the place we must worship is Jerusalem, so does we as Samaritans worship at Mount Gerizim work?
Jesus told the woman that it is not the place of worship but we must worship God in the Spirit and in truth. It means that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can be in the presence of God and we need to truly open our hearts and souls to worship God, if not, we are only doing a religious activity.
If we really have the presence of God and truly open our hearts and souls, then we can be able to listen to what Jesus is speaking to us and we can be able to receive the living water from Jesus. We will truly be satisfied!
If you have that kind of worship, then your online worship works!
But, joining the online worship of your own church should be the best because your church is your spiritual home that Jesus gives you. What is better than to worship God with your own family members!
Of course, if you can go back to your church to worship in person is the best!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to have your presence and that we can open our hearts and souls to worship you so that we can listen to you speaking to us and receive the living water from you. 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.
To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org
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