Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants!

Please click this link for the video version of today's blog :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5c6qLERejg

Bishop Silas conducting Vancouver Oratorio Society, VOS Chamber and Schola Cantorum singing Parry's I was Glad:

https://youtu.be/Qr4RThsdEjY?si=wh3sT_i3QE8kTgX6

Bishop Silas conducting Schola Cantorum Emmanuel and Vancouver Oratorio Chamber Choir singing Palestrina's O Beata Trinitas:

https://youtu.be/O4wiyr8oa_Y?si=l_cp4aRfVMRzaL6b

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 the Lord

Please click this link to worship with us -

Be with You: City Harvest Church, Singapore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epkh71WTUFs&list=RDEpkh71WTUFs&start_radio=1

10,000 Reasons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K3roEF36k

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 read 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."

Today's Time with Abba: Psalm 116:15-19, Jeremiah 30:1-31:26; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Proverbs 25:18-19

Please click this link for today's Time with Abba one year Bible: http://twa.pastoralcareschool.org/

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

Key passage:

“  Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.
  Truly I am your servant, Lord;
    I serve you just as my mother did;
    you have freed me from my chains.
  I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
  I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
  in the courts of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.

Psalm 116:15-18

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through today's TWA passages we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to Him.

The topic I received today from Jesus is: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants!

Many people fear of death, they even fear of hearing the word "death". But, Psalm 116 teaches us we as God's children should not fear death, instead we need to enjoy everyday giving thanks to God for His saving acts to us and His presence when we are facing with calamities. If we can live each day like that, even when we are dying, we can still have the peace and to be in God's presence to give thanks that He will never leave us, just as what Psalm 116:7 says:

Return to your rest, my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.

What it means is that we won't have rest because we fear death and that we live in fear and we can't sleep well! How sad!

What Psalm 116 teaches us is the only thing we need to fear is whether we are God's faithful servants. And, if we are God's faithful servants, we will be in God's protection all the times of our lives and that when we complete our life journey, precious in the sight of the Lord is when we die. Because we finish well and God will send His angels to welcome us HOME!

Psalm 116 teaches us the most important thing in life is to praise continuously, worship continuously and to give thanks continuously so as to tell Him how grateful we are!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to know that we do not need to fear death. The only thing we need to fear is whether we are your faithful servants. Lead us to live a life full of thanksgiving, praising and worshipping. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.