Wednesday, June 14, 2023

God is testing your heart to become a Barnabas!

     

   

Please click this link for the video version:



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 132:13-18,1 Kings 12:20-13:34; Acts 9:26-43; Proverbs 17:6)

    Today's key passage: 

    26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
Acts 9:26-31

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 two days ago was: God is testing your heart! Do you know that?

    The topic I received yesterday was: God is testing your heart to become an Ananias!

    The topic I received today isGod is testing your heart to become a Barnabas!

    This is a diamond opportunity for God to test our hearts to be true disciples of Jesus and to lead more to become true disciples of Jesus!

    Ananias was the first evangelist and discipler prepared by the Holy Spirit for Saul. He discipled Saul for a short period of time and then Barnabas took over to become Saul's mentor.

    What is the difference between evangelist, discipler and mentor?

    
    Evangelist is the person who is willing to go out to bring the Gospel to non-believers leading them to receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord of life and to become a disciple of Jesus. 

    Discipler is for a disciple of Jesus to use a short period of time, about three months to a year to nurture new converts to be able to establish a daily intimate relationship with Jesus through daily devotion and to know how to listen and obey to Jesus' voice so that they can become disciples of Jesus.

    Mentor is for disciple of Jesus to use a longer period of time, about one year to three years to train disciples of Jesus to become disciplers.


    Ananias was Saul's evangelist and discipler and Barnabas was Saul's mentor.

    Do you know that God is testing your heart to become an Ananias and a Barnabas? Do you know who is your Saul?


     Dear Lord Jesus,  
     Thank you for testing our hearts, Lord Jesus. Help us to be willing to become an Ananias and a Barnabas. Show us who is our Saul. 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:http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

    

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  今日博客的錄影: https://youtu.be/U2jVoKcsCYA?si=IxUmVR0zbUGfOMVw Nicky Gumbel  牧師今日靈修博客: https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?e=590b90010b&u=60...