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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. 20 (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 (vv. 1-18)\u00a0When t<\/span>he Lord\u00a0was\u00a0crucified on\u00a0the cross and\u00a0his body\u00a0placed in the tomb, the\u00a0power in the\u00a0darkness, the evil one, seemed to have its victory. Yet, on the first day of the week, Jesus was risen! The\u00a0resurrection of Jesus\u00a0indicates\u00a0that He has triumphed over\u00a0persecution from religious leaders,\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0darkness of politics, over the threat of death, and beyond the power of evil.\u00a0It was\u00a0and is\u00a0the happiest and most celebratory day for all Christians!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Seeing the stone\u00a0that was\u00a0removed from the entrance\u00a0of the tomb,\u00a0the face cloth\u00a0of Jesus\u00a0that was folded up in a place by itself,\u00a0and\u00a0the empty\u00a0tomb,\u00a0the\u00a0disciples\u00a0testified\u00a0that Jesus\u00a0has\u00a0truly risen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Brothers and sisters, as we\u00a0confess\u00a0that Jesus\u00a0was\u00a0crucified for\u00a0our sins (yours and mine), we\u00a0must\u00a0believe that Jesus has risen! In other words,\u00a0acknowledging that our sins are forgiven by God through Jesus, we must\u00a0know\u00a0that\u00a0we\u00a0are to\u00a0live with the\u00a0resurrected\u00a0Lord Jesus!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n John\u00a0emphasized\u00a0that\u00a0<\/span>\u201c\u2026the face cloth, which had been on Jesus\u2019 head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.”\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(v.7)\u00a0As illustrated, both\u00a0items\u00a0were left intact\u00a0in their\u00a0original\u00a0forms,\u00a0not scattered\u00a0nor piled up, but\u00a0remained\u00a0rolled up,\u00a0without any signs of\u00a0being taken off. The only thing\u00a0that was\u00a0missing there\u00a0is\u00a0the Body of the Lord. This\u00a0can be used as a\u00a0piece of evidence that refutes the\u00a0\u201cstolen body hypothesis\u201d. If the body\u00a0of Jesus\u00a0was\u00a0to be\u00a0stolen\u00a0by someone,\u00a0why bother taking off\u00a0his\u00a0face cloth\u00a0and\u00a0rolling\u00a0it again there, instead of just taking the entire body away?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This\u00a0evidence\u00a0might not be sufficient for us to\u00a0convince the seekers to believe in Jesus\u2019 resurrection.\u00a0While we can\u00a0pray\u00a0that the risen Lord\u00a0will\u00a0manifest himself to them, we can\u00a0also\u00a0testify to them that our lives have truly changed by the power of the risen Lord.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0May you and I bear witness\u00a0to the risen Lord in our lives!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With regard to\u00a0Mary of Magdalene,\u00a0the scripture mentioned that when she first saw an empty\u00a0tomb, she was thinking that someone had\u00a0taken away\u00a0Jesus’ body.\u00a0When Jesus spoke to her, she\u00a0thought it was the gardener who\u00a0spoke. She did not recognize the\u00a0resurrected Lord until Jesus called her name. What can we learn from Mary?\u00a0 Previously, Jesus had driven out\u00a0seven demons\u00a0from her body, which changed her life. She\u00a0and several other women had served Jesus and\u00a0his\u00a0disciples with their own\u00a0means\u00a0(Luke\u00a08:1-3).\u00a0After\u00a0Jesus\u2019 body\u00a0had been\u00a0placed in\u00a0a\u00a0tomb\u00a0that was new and\u00a0owned by a man named Joseph, Mary\u00a0was\u00a0not only\u00a0the last\u00a0person\u00a0to leave\u00a0the tomb\u00a0(Matthew\u00a027:61)\u00a0but\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0one who came to Jesus’\u00a0tomb\u00a0early in the morning\u00a0on the first day of the week. Her\u00a0tears and\u00a0her following\u00a0the steps of Jesus\u00a0showed how sincere and\u00a0earnest her love was for the Lord.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In John 14:21,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cWhoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves\u00a0me will be loved by my\u00a0Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0May\u00a0we\u00a0be committed to loving\u00a0the Lord,\u00a0following\u00a0the Lord,\u00a0and\u00a0serving\u00a0the Lord. May God manifest\u00a0himself to us in our lives and our faith continue to be strengthened by the Lord.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (vv. 19-31)\u00a0In this passage, we\u00a0see the Lord Jesus,\u00a0after his resurrection,\u00a0appeared\u00a0to the\u00a0disciples and he said\u00a0three times:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0(v.19, v.21, v.26)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first time (vv.19-20), on the night of the resurrection, the disciples closed the door and gathered because they were afraid of the Jews. But Jesus\u00a0appeared to\u00a0his disciples with\u00a0his\u00a0resurrected body, with nail marks on his hands and wounds on his ribs. He\u00a0stood among them\u00a0in person to comfort them with peace\u00a0and relieve them from\u00a0fear and worry.\u00a0In\u00a0times when\u00a0we\u00a0feel\u00a0hopeless, may we\u00a0remember what\u00a0the\u00a0risen\u00a0Lord\u00a0has said:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you!\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0be comforted by His Word.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The second time (vv.21-23)\u00a0when\u00a0the Lord said,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you!\u201d<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0the disciples were\u00a0about to\u00a0be sent\u00a0on mission to\u00a0preach\u00a0the gospel of\u00a0forgiveness and repentance.\u00a0They were strong and courageous because the power of the\u00a0Holy\u00a0Spirit had been given to them\u00a0by the Lord.\u00a0In times when\u00a0we feel uncertain and hesitant about sharing the gospel with others, may we\u00a0remember what\u00a0the\u00a0risen\u00a0Lord\u00a0has said:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/b>and\u00a0then\u00a0follow and obey His commands.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0why\u00a0Thomas\u00a0wasn\u2019t there with\u00a0other disciples\u00a0initially\u00a0such that he\u00a0missed the opportunity to see the Lord\u00a0in person. He was doubtful and said,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cUnless I see in his hands the mark of the\u00a0nails, and\u00a0place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Due to this case, I often have a “fear of\u00a0missing any opportunity” whenever\u00a0I am unable to attend church or fellowship\u00a0gatherings!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Lord\u00a0had compassion for\u00a0Thomas\u00a0and\u00a0eight days later he\u00a0appeared again\u00a0among his\u00a0disciples (vv.\u00a026-29). For\u00a0the third time, Jesus said:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>He turned to Thomas\u00a0and said, \u201c<\/span>Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your\u00a0hand, and\u00a0place it in my side. Do not\u00a0disbelieve, but\u00a0believe.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If there is any reason\u00a0that makes\u00a0you feel doubtful,\u00a0disbelief or losing faith, ask the\u00a0Lord\u00a0for his\u00a0acceptance and\u00a0mercy\u00a0for your little faith.\u00a0Ask the\u00a0faithful\u00a0Lord to\u00a0manifest himself to you, just like how He has done for Thomas. Don\u00a0not\u00a0have\u00a0disbelief\u00a0and\u00a0always believe. Remember\u00a0his words:\u00a0<\/span>\u201cHave you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dear brothers and sisters, the\u00a0resurrected Lord said,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/b>May you believe that Jesus is truly\u00a0risen\u00a0and\u00a0may you\u00a0receive the peace of the Lord! May you take part in\u00a0the Lord\u2019s\u00a0ministry and receive the peace of the\u00a0Lord!\u00a0Furthermore, may\u00a0you\u00a0experience the\u00a0peace of the Lord\u00a0by faith\u00a0in\u00a0every perspective of your life,\u00a0whether you feel you are on\u00a0mountains\u00a0or\u00a0in\u00a0the valleys. May your faith be strengthened that\u00a0Jesus\u00a0is the\u00a0Lord\u00a0and\u00a0He\u00a0is\u00a0God!\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPeace be with you!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Give thanks to God for His enabling us to read the Scriptures and for our response for living out the Word of God today! (e.g., You may start with a simple prayer like this: \u201cDear Lord, what\/where are you going to lead me to today?”)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":2111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[73,71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abiding-in-the-lord","category-pastor-mickey-hsiao"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2399"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2400,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2399\/revisions\/2400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Thanksgiving<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Scripture Reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Meditation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Devotional<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Pray<\/strong><\/h3>\n