Sermon Tone Analysis

Persoanl Devotion

Daily devotions or quiet times are time spent each day dedicated to relating with God.

A daily devotions is:

1. a spiritual discipline that helps us get to know God, 2. Helps us to stay connected to Him (),

​ NIV841 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.

If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

3. Teaches us truth,4.

Provides a place for worship, 5.

A daily shelter in the midst of the storms of life.

A daily devotion can include one or more of the followings :

reading the Bible devotionally, reading a devotional book, a time of prayer, musical worship

Practising daily devotion

God cares about us dailyComing to Him each day is one way to know which direction to move Daily devotionals also teach us truthDaily spending time with God is a way to worship Him.

Jesus’ Examples -

​ NIV84At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.

The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.

When: Daybreak - pick a time when you can not be disturbed How: Went out - leave your routines behindWhere: Solitary place - pick a place where you can be alone

​ NIV8413 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

4. Why: We need God’s words (solid food) to become mature ()

​ NIV8415 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Our busyness and worldly activities are not excuses for not drawing near to God ()

Devotional material:

Bible based daily devotionDaily devotional.

e.g Our Daily Bread; Stream in the Desert (荒漠甘泉) etc...Topical (e.g.

40 days devotional for Lent)

How should we pray?

1. Pray according to the will of God

​ NIV8414 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

2. Pray in faith

​ NIV8422 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

3. Pray with pure motives

​ NIV843 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

4. Pray with a clean heart (confess our sins first)

​ NIV841 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

5. Pray with humbleness and obedience

​ NIV845 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:

Prayer is more listening than talking.

We should pray as a child to the Heavenly Father — with humbleness, obedience, openness, honesty, faith, trust, persistency and fervency.Devotional Time/Quiet TimeSet aside a specific time and place.Start with a moment of prayer and silence.Read the Bible passage slowly.Meditate on God’s Word prayerfully.Response to God in Prayer.Learn to record your thoughts (journaling)

Devotion Exercises:

​ NIV84 For the director of music.

Of the Sons of Korah.

According to alamoth.

A song. 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah 8 Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah