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(Translated version, original article written in Chinese by Pastor Mickey Hsiao)<\/em><\/p>\n By singing praises and hymns, awake your soul, open your heart to the Lord, and prepare yourself to welcome the presence of God and receive the Word of God that will be given to you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Petition with thanksgiving to God for a wonderful day and pray sincerely for a focused Scripture reading time! (Do not rush into reading the Bible without starting with prayers!<\/strong>) (e.g., you may start with a simple prayer like this: “Dear Lord, what will you be speaking to me today?)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Get the following items ready in advance: your devotional notebook, paper, pen, and\/or electronic devotional articles so that you can easily write down the Bible verses, questions, and thoughts you have noticed! You are encouraged to open your Bible and vocally read out the scriptures (Try to practice this reading method daily or once a week)!<\/p>\n Scripture Reading: John Ch. 1 (ESV)<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Take a moment to quietly reflect on today’s Scriptures. Through such exercises, let God’s Word be gradually written into our hearts and be inscribed to our mind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read the devotional articles prepared by CBCLWA (*Read the Bible first before reading any devotional materials.<\/strong>)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus. He exist<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0at the beginning of the universe, He is God, He is\u00a0<\/span>the Word<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and all things were made through Him. He is the light of all mankind.\u00a0<\/span>Jesus,\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Word\u201d,\u00a0<\/span>became flesh, the human bein<\/span>g, and made his dwelling among us. He is\u00a0<\/span>the embodiment of grace and truth<\/span>. He<\/span>\u00a0is God’s only\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>love<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0son<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0the world\u00a0<\/span>can be s<\/span>aved through him.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Compared with any<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other\u00a0<\/span>kingdom on\u00a0<\/span>earth,\u00a0<\/span>as in the\u00a0<\/span>case in the\u00a0<\/span>United States,<\/span>\u00a0it will<\/span>\u00a0require a lot of effort for someone to be qualified\u00a0<\/span>to be\u00a0<\/span>a citizen of this country. But\u00a0<\/span>the Bible tells us that to be a child of\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>heaven<\/span>ly kingdom<\/span>, as long as you\u00a0<\/span>confess\u00a0<\/span>your sins and\u00a0<\/span>receive\u00a0<\/span>the grace\u00a0<\/span>and redemption\u00a0<\/span>of Jesus’ salvation, you are children of God. Verse 12 says<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBut to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,\u00a0<\/span><\/b>he\u00a0<\/span><\/b>gave the right to become children of God,\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Let us once again offer our gratitude for the love of\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Heavenly Father<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and the grace of Jesus<\/span>. T<\/span>his passport of salvation is given\u00a0<\/span>freely to anyone who believes in Him and those who receive it\u00a0<\/span>will\u00a0<\/span>become\u00a0<\/span>children of\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>heaven<\/span>ly kingdom<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (vv.1<\/span>9<\/span>–<\/span>34<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>When John<\/span>\u00a0the Baptist<\/span>\u00a0began his\u00a0<\/span>ministry by\u00a0<\/span>the Jordan River,\u00a0<\/span>some\u00a0<\/span>priests and Levi<\/span>tes<\/span>\u00a0saw what John had done and\u00a0<\/span>asked John who he was:\u00a0<\/span>Is he Christ? Or a prophet like Moses? Or is\u00a0<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>Elijah who’s coming?\u00a0<\/span>John said\u00a0<\/span>\u201cNo\u201d<\/span>\u00a0to all three questions (he is not the Messiah, nor the prophet or Elijah). John had\u00a0<\/span>c<\/span>o<\/span>me to\u00a0<\/span>make straight the way for\u00a0<\/span>Jesus, to witness that Jesus was the\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>amb of God,\u00a0<\/span>to take away t<\/span>he sins of the dead, and to witness that Jesus\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0the Son of God.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters, in the course of serving God,\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0you<\/span>\u00a0ever<\/span>\u00a0fe<\/span>lt\u00a0<\/span>flattered\u00a0<\/span>when your brothers and sisters appreciate<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0your service?\u00a0<\/span>While you know you\u00a0<\/span>were<\/span>\u00a0serving God,\u00a0<\/span>have you ever felt\u00a0<\/span>proud of yourself\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>hoped to be acknowledged by\u00a0<\/span>everyone<\/span>\u00a0about<\/span>\u00a0your contribution? Have you ever felt that you\u00a0<\/span>were the one who\u00a0<\/span>contributed the most to\u00a0<\/span>your<\/span>\u00a0ministry?\u00a0<\/span>Let us learn from John again,\u00a0<\/span>change\u00a0<\/span>our attitude\u00a0<\/span>toward our ministry<\/span>, and let our service today, whether on or off stage,\u00a0<\/span>in front of people or behind the scenes<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>let us focus on<\/span>\u00a0witness<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0Jesus<\/span>. Let us help people come\u00a0<\/span>before Jesus, and give glory to Jesus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (vv.<\/span>35<\/span>–<\/span>51<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Peter and his brother Andre<\/span>w originally were the disciple of John the Baptist.\u00a0<\/span>After hearing John’s testimony that Jesus was the\u00a0<\/span>L<\/span>amb of God,\u00a0<\/span>they\u00a0<\/span>began to follow Jesus. Jesus\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>called Philip, who was in the same city as them<\/span>\u00a0and then Philip\u00a0<\/span>found Na<\/span>thaniel. Nathaniel\u00a0<\/span>did not believe in Jesus at first<\/span>, thought nothing good would ever co<\/span>me from\u00a0<\/span>Nazareth, but he believed in Jesus after hearing from Jesus,\u00a0<\/span>\u201c\u2026when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>What made Nathaniel change his mind? Surely, under the fig tree,\u00a0<\/span>he had an experience\u00a0<\/span>that only he knew about God,<\/span>\u00a0so as soon as<\/span>\u00a0he heard the answer from<\/span>\u00a0Jesus, he\u00a0<\/span>knew it right away<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Likewise,<\/span>\u00a0when\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>\u00a0have a personal relationship with God,\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>\u00a0will know that\u00a0<\/span>certain life experience is only possible with God<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>at that moment, you will\u00a0<\/span>recognize Jesus as the Son of God and know what kind of Lord\u00a0<\/span>we believe in. Jesus also said to Na<\/span>thaniel<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/b>You will see greater things than these<\/span><\/b>.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Once we accept Jesus, may we all\u00a0<\/span>continue to grow<\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>our faith<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>so<\/span>\u00a0we can see\u00a0<\/span>how\u00a0<\/span>faithful God\u00a0<\/span>is to\u00a0<\/span>lead us through more and\u00a0<\/span>greater<\/span>\u00a0things.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, there\u00a0<\/span>is one\u00a0<\/span>disciple<\/span>\u00a0of Jesus\u00a0<\/span>rarely commemorated<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0he is Peter’s brother Andre<\/span>w<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>known as the brother of\u00a0<\/span>Peter.\u00a0<\/span>In today\u2019s scripture reading, we learned that it was actually Andrew who had\u00a0<\/span>led Peter to Jesus. What does this tell us?\u00a0<\/span>While not everyone will be as famous as Peter<\/span>, perhaps we\u00a0<\/span>Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Thanksgiving<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Scripture Reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Meditation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Devotional<\/strong><\/h3>\n