GIVE GOD TIME
Prayer and Praise
Jesus said, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” Matthew 26:40.
So we start our journey of giving God time to work in us, by praying along with this hymn… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5keJHZdWYM
A WORD IN YOUR EAR
John 16:17-24 Sorrow Will Turn into Joy (Complete Jewish Bible.)
17 At this, some of the talmidim, (disciples), said to one another, “What is this that he’s telling us, ‘In a little while, you won’t see me; then, a little while later, you will see me’? and, ‘I am going to the Father’?”
18 They went on saying, “What is this ‘little while’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.”
The disciples held Jesus in such awe, that they were afraid to ask questions of Him directly. (Cf The disciples’ reaction to Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well.)
Birth Pains
19 Yeshua knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you asking each other what I meant by saying, ‘In a little while, you won’t see me; and then, a little while later, you will see me’?
20 Yes, it’s true. I tell you that you will sob and mourn, and the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21 When a woman is giving birth, she is in pain; because her time has come. But when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering out of joy that a child has come into the world.
Jesus even knew what they were thinking. He puts them out of their misery by voicing their concerns. Then He speaks in a way they understood.
Abundant Life
22 So you do indeed feel grief now, but I am going to see you again. Then your hearts will be full of joy, and no one will take your joy away from you.
23 “When that day comes, you won’t ask anything of me! Yes, indeed! I tell you that whatever you ask from the Father, he will give you in my name.
24 Till now you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Keep asking, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
Jesus encourages them to ask God for themselves now as He is their Father.
—-Summary
John 16:24 Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Jesus encourages them to ask God for themselves now as He is their Father.
Memory verse:-
Who is Jesus? 23 “When that day comes, you won’t ask anything of me! Yes, indeed! I tell you that whatever you ask from the Father, he will give you in my name. Today’s Challenge
24 Till now you haven’t asked for anything in my name. Keep asking, and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
Prayer and Worship
“… He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Matthew 14:23.
Jesus taught His disciples what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’; (Luke 11).
Listen here to Albert Malotte’s ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever;- Amen.
Prayer suggestions;-
- The world. (ie ‘For those in authority.’)
- The ‘suffering church.’ https://barnabasfund.org/nz/pray/daily-prayer/#previous-dates
- Your own situation. (Suggest ‘needs’ rather than ‘wants’.)
Second reading. 16:17-24
17 Some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
18 They said, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he means.”
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him; so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’?
20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
21 When a woman is in travail she has sorrow because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world.
22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name.
24 Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
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‘I treasure your Word in my heart so that I won’t sin against you.’ Psalm 119:11
‘Open our eyes, LORD, we want to see Jesus…’
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