Category: Self-disciplined

Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

We have been rescued from the darkness of uncontrollable emotions and actions, from the slow death of living for worldly comforts and much more because God has loved us and given of himself for us. Eugene H. Peterson describes our Christian life as a “long obedience in the same direction,” and as God’s people we journey together, realizing in greater measure the reality and joy of this: that the chief end of humanity is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. There is no better life than this, and may many more people be added along the way as we live for God!

Let us thank God and rejoice today that he has loved us and given us everything in Christ, including the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us live blessed, powerful, ever-transforming lives for him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving us and making us alive in Christ! Thank you that your Holy Spirit is always with us. We pray for our Sunday worship celebrations, for all those we are reaching out to in our families, campuses and cities. May your salvation and healing overflow among us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship the Lord as we pray for those that the Lord places on our hearts with “Weight of Heaven” from Planetshakers (click here).

– JLiu

 

2 Timothy 1:5-7 (NIV)
I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 

When we are filled with God’s indwelling Holy Spirit, we are filled with love and power greater than anything in this world. What God has given us is not a little flame that can be blown out by any winds of oppression or suffering or temptation or doubt, but a fire that is meant to be fanned into flame to help set ablaze other hearts around us. So we don’t have to be afraid or hold back, for God has set a fire in us that is meant to be fanned into flame, that we can worship God boldly and love others extravagantly with Christ’s power, love and wisdom. Let us love our spiritual and biological children in this way, that they also may be set ablaze for God’s kingdom.

Prayer: Father, thank you for pouring out your love into our hearts through your Holy Spirit, and giving us power, love and wisdom to love others to Christ. We lift up the children of our churches to you, entrusting them to your care, and may they be set ablaze for your kingdom, growing as Christ’s disciples for their generation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In worship and thanksgiving, let’s sing “This is Amazing Grace” from Bethel Music (click here).

– JLiu

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  

“These fruit cover a broad range, including all manner of attitudes, virtues, and behavior. Every aspect of Christian life, across the broadest possible spectrum, is the work of the Spirit.” (Gordon Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God)

When we have the Holy Spirit living in us, it is not just “you living in you,” but now Christ living in you, shaping us from inside out as the dwelling for Christ to remain in us, and when Jesus remains in us, we bear much fruit for God’s glory. What an amazing reality, that Christ lives in us! Christ not only lives in us, but we get filled to overflowing by the Holy Spirit again and again. This is why we “can walk in the Spirit” daily, and self-control is Spirit-control, where we have the complete freedom to love God and love others, reflecting the qualities and the love of Christ.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your Spirit in us, helping us to live as your holy people each day. Thank you for the freedom we have to love God and love those around us with the love of Christ. We depend on you and surrender ourselves to your transforming power again today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship the Lord as we sing “Breathe on Me Breath of God” from The Worship Initiative (click here).

– JLiu

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!

Romans 8:9a NLT
But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. 

All who are in Christ have become a new creation and now belong to God. The new person is not controlled by Sin like the old person was, but by the Holy Spirit of God. When we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we have power to change, and there is nothing that can block God’s power in changing us – this is true no matter how old we get, no matter how long we have been Christians. Self-discipline and self-control then become not about human willpower, and we now get to witness in ourselves the transformation that happens as we continually yield control to Him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making us new in Christ! Thank you that no matter where we are in our walk with Christ, we can continually witness your transforming power in us, shaping us as your kingdom workers. Today we surrender ourselves, our control, to you again. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In worship and thanksgiving, let’s sing “Believe For It” from Cece Winans (click here).

– JLiu

 

Let’s proclaim this verse aloud together:

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

The Apostle Paul wrote this to encourage Timothy, a beloved spiritual son and young co-worker left behind in Ephesus to deal with false teachers, that despite Timothy’s youth and the force of the false teachers, he does not have to hold back or lose courage in the face of the battle. Timothy does not have to be afraid because God’s Spirit is in him and has given him power (dynamis), love (agapē) and self-discipline (sōphronismos) or “sound mindedness.” Through the Spirit, Timothy already has the power, love and the sound mind required to lead and minister to God’s people.

In the same way, we have been given God’s Holy Spirit when we became sons and daughters of God. No matter what circumstances or battles we face, the Spirit of God has already given us all we need to minister to others. Today is a new day to trust our loving Father and follow the Spirit as we pray and step out to share Jesus in our cities and our campuses.

Prayer: Father, thank you for loving us and giving us your Holy Spirit. Thank you that by your Spirit, we have the power, love and “sound mindedness” to love and minister to others. Thank you that we don’t have to rely on ourselves! Help us today to follow your Spirit to pray and minister to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In worship and prayer, let’s sing “Where the Spirit of the Lord Is” from Hillsong Worship (click here).

-JLiu