Wednesday, May 10, 2023

What must we do to do the works God requires?

           

   

Please click this link for the video version:

https://youtu.be/L_UCj_VQMrs


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.”



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 68:7-18, 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27;John 6:22-42; Proverbs 14:34-35)

    Today's key passage: 

    
       26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:26-29, 32-35

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 isWhat must we do to do the works God requires?

     Jesus invites you today to work for Him and gives you your job description.

     Usually a job description shows what does that post requires in details. The shortest job description has a few lines, the longest a few pages.

     What Jesus gives you today as your job description is only eight words:
     To believe in the one God has sent

It means you need to believe that Jesus is the Messiah sent by God and you do what He tells you to do!

There are quite a number of Christians do the work for God to a state of burnout, but is that what Jesus wants us to burnout? There are quite a number of Christians doing nothing for Jesus but work hard for their own bread!

Jesus told those who were following him not thinking of getting bread from him and do not waste time to get bread on earth.

What we need to do is to be with Jesus each day, He is our real Boss, He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Believe in Him, listen and obey to him, what He tells you and do it, that's how we work for God!

The result is we will have bread of life, never go hungry, never be thirsty!


     Dear Lord Jesus,  
     Help us to understand doing your work is not to do lots of things for you in our own mind and our own way but to have an intimate relationship with you and do what you tell us to do. 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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