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.”
"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin 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."
“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 sin 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 119:89-96, Ezekiel 3:16-6:14; Hebrews 4:1-16; Proverbs 26:27
Today's key passage:
To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless.
Psalm 119:96
To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.
Psalm 119:96
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 from Jesus is: A way out for perfectionist!
I know quite a number of perfectionists. They work very hard and everything they are responsible to do is very detailed and they have a high expectation on themselves and other people. All these should be good! But, the problem is that life is not perfect, that's why many perfectionists are always very tight. Sometimes they will make a very simple process very complicated and difficult to enjoy a day of relaxation, and lots of time not having good sleep!
Actually I had been a perfectionist for many years twenty years ago. I had experienced burnout many times and living under lots of pressure!
Twenty years ago, Jesus led me to find a way out through continuously reading the Bible and to experience His daily living presence. Jesus taught me to accept my own imperfect and also the others.
Today's Psalm 119:96 tells us that "To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless."
Yes, we are all very limited and to find perfection in our limited lives is impossible. Only if we can follow our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only one perfect that we can experience a boundless life!
May we pray for our church on the 9th day of our 100 days Prayer Meeting now:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to follow you each day because you are the only one who is perfect and through you we can experience a boundless life. 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.
Please click this link for the video version of this: https://youtu.be/ILkkLSVJdn4
To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org
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