IGNYTE I will ignite the kingdom life within you,a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out -Matthew 3:11-

Luke 4: 1-2

Jesus was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

God sometimes empties and dries us out so he can fill us with his life. During times of emptiness, we become most dependent on God.

1. Have you ever been "led by the Spirit" into a "desert experience"? Explain.

2. Was God able to turn this hard time into something good, to be used for his glory! If so, how did he accomplish this?

3. Satan loves to try to sabotage the desert experiences that God wants to turn for our good. Has he ever tempted you in a vulnerable time of your life? How did you respond?

4. During past desert experiences, how has God helped you through (i.e. His Word, other believers, prayer)?

5. How do your past experiences in the desert help you to face current or future difficult times?

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Luke 9

SCRIPTURES:

Jesus said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat - I am." - Luke 9: 23 THE MESSAGE

Jesus said, "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." Luke 9:24

Christ loves you the way you are. But he also has a vision for who you can become.

1. What areas of your life are the hardest to surrender to Christ? Why?

2. What personal costs have you paid in order to follow Christ? Were they "worth it" to you? Why or why not?

3. Consider Jesus' statement, "Whoever loses his life for me will save it." What does it mean to "lose your life" for him? How will your life be "saved" in return?

4. What "costs" have you paid in your own life for not following Christ?

5. What rewards have you gained from following him?

1 John 3.

SCRIPTURE:

We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. 1 John 3: 16 NLT

The harder we look at the cross, making it the lens through which we see life, the more Jesus' command to "love one another" will become our natural response.

Jesus died to cleanse us from our sins, especially our failure to love God and others as we should. This love includes:

Luke 6

Jesus said, "If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it . . . Love your enemies. You'll never - I promise - regret it." Luke 6: 29, 35 THE MESSAGE

Nothing in Jesus' teachings seems more outrageous than his ideas about forgiveness and loving enemies.

1. What does the phrase "turning the other cheek" mean to you, in a practical sense? Is it possible to take this concept too far?

2. How do you react to Jesus' instruction to "love your enemies"? With anger? With dread? With fear for what it will cost you? What would it take for you to respond with joy?

3. Think of someone who has hurt you, or whom you consider an "enemy." What can you do to begin to treat that person with love?

4. Think of someone who has recently taken advantage of you. How does Jesus want you to respond to their behaviour?

5. What are three practical ways in which you will "love your enemy" this week?

Galatians 6

Dear brothers, if a Christin is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong. Galatians 6:1

Jesus didn't just tell people what they wanted to hear. He told them what they needed to hear.

When confronting other people, do you tend to be more "tough" or more "tender"? How does this compare to Jesus' balanced approach?

Are there times when more "tenderness" than "toughness" is called for? What about vice versa? How can you know in which attitude to proceed?

Is there someone whom you need to confront? If so, list three specific, practical ways in which you can approach them with gentleness and humility.

John 8:1-11

Loving sinners is messy. But because we're in the family of God together, we need to learn how to love as Jesus loved.

What does it mean to you to "hate the sin, but love the sinner"?

Have you ever know someone who habitually sinned, but continually asked for forgiveness? How did you feel toward that person? How do you think Jesus feels toward them?

How has God loved you despite your sin?

What are some of your most recent sins? Ask Him to forgive you and express your gratitude for his forgiveness. Thank Him for the chance to try again with His help. Imagine Jesus looking at you with love and understanding. He knows everything you've done, and why. He doesn't condone your faults, but He offers you forgiveness and a chance to become who you were meant to be.

for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:17

Philippians 2

In Philippians 2:20-21 Paul spoke of Timothy: "I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interest, not those of Jesus Christ."

What is the connection between taking an interest in the welfare of others and looking out for the interests of Jesus?

Name someone who needs your sacrificial love. What can you do to "look out for the interests of Jesus" in this situation?

List five tangible ways you can express the sacrificial love of Christ in the next week.

John 11

Jesus demonstrated what it looks like to love sacrificially, even shocking his disciples that he was willing to take love for his friends so far.

When Jesus' friend Lazarus died, Jesus responded, despite the personal cost and the danger it put him in. How does his example inspire you to love others?

Has anyone ever loved you sacrificially - given up something important to care for you in some way? How did you feel when you realized what they'd done?

Was travelling yesterday. Imagine the flight was 8.15 a.m. from Sri Lanka. But have to get up at 3.00 a.m. cos the airlines said we have to be at the airport at least 3 hours before our flight. Takes 3 and half hours to travel from Sri Lanka to K.L. Malaysia is ahead of Sri Lanka by 2 and half hours. So we slept very early in Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka time 10.30 p.m. He! He!

Will upload some pictures on facebook later on.

Now, back to our devotionals. We will doing the topic "fellowship" this week. Very appropriate also cos we going to have Friend Day on 6th February.

READ

John 15

SCRIPTURE:

Jesus said, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15: 12-13

Love is the ultimate test of whether you have Christ in you or not.

The more you "remain" or "abide." in Jesus' love for you, the more you'll love others.

REFLECTIONS:

1. What specific ways can you "abide" in Jesus?

2. Who is one person in your life that especially needs to experience love? How can you show Christ's love to him/her?

3. Who is one person in your life that is especially difficult to love? How can you practice the sacrificial love of Jesus toward that person?

4. In what ways has your life been a reflection of Christ's love?

Romans 6

SCRIPTURE: What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. Romans 6:8 The Message

The resurrection isn't just a Hollywood ending to a nice story. It's an invitation for us to start fresh, to take Christ's promise of new life seriously.

Jesus' resurrection demonstrated his power over sin and death. What does the fact that Jesus rose from the dead mean to you? How has it affected your life?

True surrender means giving up doing life your own way and, instead, doing life God's way with everything you've got. Which area or person in your life do you most need to surrender to the Risen Lord?

Write a prayer of surrender, giving him complete control and allowing him to bring his resurrection power into the situation.

Romans 3

We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. Romans 3:22 NLT

Jesus deliberately took our sin upon himself. In his final moments, he declared that he had paid the full price of our debt and accomplished his mission on earth.

Not only did Jesus come to redeem the entire world, but he also came to save you personally. Jesus had you in mind when he went to the cross. How does thinking of this affect how God views you when you sin?

How has Jesus' death changed the way that you live?

How have you recently responded to Jesus the Saviour?

John 13

To be a servant was to be a nobody. So when the Son of God took on the "very nature of a servant," he meant to shock the world. In Philippians 2: 7 we know that Jesus set aside the privilege of deity and took on the status of a slave.

1. How does Jesus' example of service inspire you to serve other people?

2. List three practical ways in which you can be a servant to another person in the next week.

3. List some areas of service in which you are currently involved.

4. What are some areas of service in which you would like to become more active?

5. What will you do to become more involved in these areas?

6. In what ways would having the attitude of a servant begin to transform your life?

The world said that if I want to be great, people must serve me. But Jesus said that if I want to be great, I must first learn to be a servant - to learn to serve.

Jesus was so secure in his position, for He knows He is the Son of God. And nothing will take away that position from Him. Likewise, if we know who we are in Christ, we are secure in our identity, we can take on the attitude of a servant. We will not feel that we are being treated as door mats by others. We serve because our Master has set us the perfect example.

John 10

In Jesus' day, sheep were trained to listen to their one, true shepherd's voice; they knew not to follow the voice of a stranger. In what ways do you need to hear the Shepherd's voice? What is he speaking to you today?

How has Jesus proven to be a Good Shepherd to you?

How has he cared for you, protected you, guided you on the right path?

Meditate on today's scripture passage and do a reflection from your HEART.

Mark 2.

What did Jesus mean when he said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." How does this statement make you feel about Jesus?

Who are the "sick" people in your life who need Jesus' healing touch?

In what tangible ways can you share God's love and compassion with each of these people?

Reflections from my HEART

I Honor who you are. (Praise God for something)

I Express who I'm not. (Confess any known sin)

I Affirm who I am in you.(How does God see you)

I Request your will for me. (Ask God for something)

I Thank you for what you've done. (Thank God for something)

Jesus wasn't someone who made his disciples think, "I want to know what he knows," but someone who made them think, "I want to be like him."

Today is already the 8th day into the New year. Have been very very busy. Pray that I will be able to discipline myself to blog everyday.

Just to keep everybody updated about the events for the next two months.

1. Missions Trip to Permatang Pauh on 31st January. One day trip. Leaving church at 7.30 a.m. We will presenting two songs, two dances and a testimony.

Everyone interested please sign up with Melanie. We are going in two cars, my car and Ps. Henry's and the church van.

2. Friend Day on 6th February in Ignyte meeting. Bring a friend. Celebrating Valentine's day one week earlier. Will keep you inform of the details.

3. Encounter Weekend on 25th to 28th February in the new church Victory International Fellowship in Bandar Utama. Those interested please book your train tickets to and fro. It is a long weekend, so please book early. Book together. We will arrange transport from the train station to VIF. This involves the USJ youths too.