MON, 3rd February
John 1:1-18
Questions
- In this passage, Jesus is called the Word. What do we find out about Jesus’ relationship to:
- God,
- humanity,
- and the world?
- How does this Gospel begin differently from the other three Gospels? Why do you think this is the case?
- How do people become God’s children?
- What does it mean to you to have God as your father?
Note: Don’t forget to jot down relevant answers on your JESUS mind map page!
The P-R-A-Y Method
If you are not sure about how to pray or what to pray for, our suggestion is for you to follow the P-R-A-Y method. Please watch the video below to understand more.
P = Praise
Start by praising God, telling him who he is to you and what you are thankful for. This will get your heart in the right place as you begin connecting with God in prayer.
R = Repent
Next, move into a time of repentance, admitting to God your faults and allowing him to convict you of the things that are wrong in your life. This is a natural response of a sinner in the presence of a sinless God (Isaiah 6).
A = Ask
Prayer requests are what many think of when they envision prayer, and this is our third step. Philippians 4:6 teaches us that we should confidently present our requests to God.
Y = Yield
The final step is to spend some time yielding to God, quietening your heart to hear from him. This is probably the most difficult step, but it’s worth the effort to make it a habit.
At the end of the day, prayer is about submitting to God as you admit that he is sovereign in your life. In prayer, we declare that God is God, and that we are not.
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Praise God for what you have learned about him today.
- Give thanks that God has given you the right to become his child through Jesus.
Repent:
- Is there anything you need to say sorry to God for?
Ask:
- Pray for yourself and for the church that we’ll grow to love God more this year as we dive deeper into his Word.
- Pray that God would cultivate in us a desire and love for his word.
Yield:
- Feel free to attempt this prayer: “Dear God, you are my creator, my king, my teacher, my father, and my friend. You know me better than I know myself. I want to give all of my desires, plans and wishes to you and ask not that you follow me, but that I follow you. Please open my eyes to see you more clearly and teach me how to live in this world for you. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
TUE, 4th February
John 1:1-18
Note: We’re reading the same passage as yesterday, but focusing on the second half.
Questions
- Verses 14-18 tell us that the Word was born into this world and became a human being (Jesus). Why do you think God took the trouble to do this? And why as a human and not anything else?
- People have always wanted to know what God is like, but it’s difficult because no one has seen God. How has the coming of Jesus changed that?
- From this passage, what kind of relationship do you think God wants to have with you?
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Give thanks for what you have learned in today’s devotion.
- Are there any other praise points from yesterday or today?
Repent:
- Say sorry to God for the times we’ve made up our own image of God (sometimes in our own imaginations, other times being misled by media, culture, or other people).
- Do you have desires or goals so important to you that they take priority in your heart over God? This is idolatry.
Ask:
- Ask God to help us see Jesus more clearly through our reading of John’s Gospel and to replace any false understanding of who God is with sound biblical truth.
Yield:
- Commit your day to the Lord and submit yourself to him. It can be as simple as saying, “Lord, I submit to you today.”
WED, 5th February
John 1:19-28
Information
PROPHETS — People chosen by God who brought God’s message to his people.
MESSIAH / CHRIST — God’s chosen king, promised in the Old Testament.
Questions
- Who was John and what was his role? (See also 1:6-8, 15.) For more background info on John, please read Luke 1:5-23.
- To some extent, Christians are like John in the way we testify and bear witness to Jesus. What can we learn from John?
- When was the last time you shared your experience of God with others? Try to share something about God with someone this coming week!
- I want to share about… … … …?
- I want to share it with… … … …?
Testifying about God doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as sharing with someone how you became a Christian or sharing about how God’s word has challenged, inspired, or touched you, or how he has answered your prayer. Here is a helpful article on sharing your testimony: “Preparing Your Personal Testimony” (clickable link).
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Praise the Lord for providing eye witnesses and people who testified about Jesus (such as John the Baptist, the twelve apostles, as well as John who wrote his personal account for us to examine in this Gospel).
- Can you think of any other praise points for the day?
Repent:
- Have we been hesitant to share about God with others?
- Say sorry for the times when we have misrepresented God in our speech and actions.
Ask:
- Ask God to give us courage and opportunities to testify about him.
- Pray for your non-Christian friends and family members that they may know Jesus too.
Yield:
- Tell God the fears we have when sharing about him and commit these fears to him, asking his help to deal with them.
THU, 6th February
John 1:29-34
Information
LAMB — In Exodus, God’s people (the Israelites) were instructed to kill a lamb and to put its blood on the doorposts so that when the angel of death came to kill the firstborn of every household, those marked by the blood would be spared. This lamb has been referred to as the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:1-13). Lamb was also something that was sacrificed daily as a burnt offering to the Lord (Exodus 29:38-42).
Questions
- What is the significance of Jesus being given the title “Lamb of God”?
- What did John see at Jesus’ baptism? What is the significance of this?
- Update your JESUS mind map.
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Give thanks to God for providing a solution for sin through Jesus.
- Praise the Lord for so clearly showing John (and therefore to us who read the Bible) that Jesus is the Chosen One.
Repent:
- Think about your week so far. Is God convicting you to confess certain sins?
Ask:
- Pray for those attending our gospel course (Discovering the Gospel) in February, that they may trust in Jesus and receive baptism.
Yield:
- Pray along to this prayer: “Refuge” (written by the Puritans, revised into modern English).
FRI, 7th February
John 1:35-42
Questions
- Do you think John the Baptist was jealous of Jesus when his disciples turned to follow Jesus instead? Why or why not?
- Who were the two disciples of John that started following Jesus? What did they do, and why did they do those things?
- Who brought you to Jesus? How did they bring you to Jesus, and did it cost them anything to do so? Why did they do it?
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Praise God for the person (or people) who brought you to Jesus.
Repent:
- Is God challenging you or convicting you of any sins?
- Have we been unwilling to introduce others to Jesus because of what it would cost us — e.g. time, money, work promotion, friendships, comfort, convenience, or reputation?
Ask:
- Ask God to bless our church to be a place where people can feel comfortable to bring their friends. Give thanks for our church’s welcoming team. Pray that every member of our church (not just the welcoming team) would have the Father’s heart and would welcome people with open arms.
Yield:
- Are you willing to make yourself and your possessions available for God to use to bring others to Jesus? Is there anything you are unwilling to give to God? Surrender to the Lord anything you are holding on with a tight fist. Even good things — your family, your time, your money, your dreams or future plans.
SAT, 8th February
John 1:43-51
Questions
- How did Philip describe Jesus to Nathanael? What does this say about Philip?
- What else do we learn about Jesus from this passage?
- Try to locate all the places mentioned in John 1 on a map of biblical times. Why do you think all these details were included in the Gospel account?
Prayer Suggestions
Praise:
- Praise the Lord that just like Jesus could see right through Nathanael, Jesus can see right through us. We can be totally honest with God.
- Praise God that Jesus didn’t reject Nathanael despite his initial doubt.
Repent:
- Do we need to repent of any sins? Ask God to make us more sensitive to sin.
Ask:
- Pray for news items that have been on your heart (e.g. people affected by natural disasters, poverty, injustice, oppression, or other adversities).
- Pray for persecuted Christians everywhere. Please pray especially for Nigeria. An estimated number of more than 6000 Christians have been killed since 2015 (Source: “Thousands of Christians Murdered in Nigeria”).
Yield:
- Here is another beautiful prayer that teaches us how to yield to God: “The Valley of Vision” (by the Puritans).
SUN, 9th February
See you at church!
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