Isaiah’s national call for repentance is so urgent that even his personal call and commission to prophetic office must wait until chapter 6. The task set before Isaiah is an unenviable one, for God promises from the start that the people will be spiritually deaf & nearsighted. But armed with confidence in his Immanuel, Isaiah begins to declare harsh words from on high in the courts and palaces of Judah.
All Praise be to Immanuel: The Lord said to Isaiah: Go out now to meet Ahaz… and say to him: Take heed and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted (Isaiah 7:4). If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established (v9) The Lord spoke again to Ahaz saying: Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God… Then Isaiah said: Hear now, you house of David! Will you try the patience of my God? Therefore the Lord Himself will give u a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (Isa 7:10-14)
Wickedness has permeated every fiber of Judah – a condition which God finds intolerable. Isaiah’s national call for repentance is so urgent that even his Call to the prophetic office must wait. The task before Isaiah is unenviable, for God said the people will be spiritually deaf and nearsighted. Having encountered God, Isaiah begins to declare harsh words with confidence in the courts of Judah.
Lord, we offer our lives to You: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high & lifted up… And one seraphim cried to another… Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory… The posts of the door was shaken… and the house was filled with smoke (Isa 6:1-4). So I said: Woe is me… Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in midst of people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of Hosts. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it and said: Your iniquity is taken away. And your sin purged (v5-7). Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send. And who will go for US. Then I said: Here am I, send me (Isa 6:8).
Lord, we praise You for Sitting on the Throne; and reign over all. You are In Control and everyone and everything is subject to You. When my faith is weak and I am in despair because of challenges, remind me You are still in charge. Give me a fresh vision of Your kingship over the whole world; and I ask for Your protection. Amen.
Lord, as I sense Your holy presence, I am aware of my own unworthiness. That makes me grateful for Your sacrifice & I come to Your throne to find mercy & grace in time of need. Purify me Lord & help me to free from all that’s unpleasing to You. And help me have a tender heart to respond positively to Your plan so that I’ll do the good works that You have prepared for me. Amen.
I, the Lord of sea and sky I have heard My people cry All who dwell in dark and sin My hand will save. I who made the stars of night I will make the darkness bright Who will bear My light to them Whom shall I send? Here I am Lord; Is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night I will go Lord; If You lead me I will hold Your people in my heart!
Gracious God Calls to Repentance. Inspiring Hymn: Jesus Paid It All
What do u do when pastor rambles on too long? Elvina Hall wrote a hymn (1865). Seated in the choir at the Monument Street Methodist Church Baltimore, she wrote the stanzas on the flyleaf of the hymnal. The composer of the well-known tune was John Crape, the organist and choir director of the church. He had called the tune “All to Christ I Owe”. It was the pastor George Schrick who put the words and tune together, and she added the chorus to fit with his tune title.
Lord, Grateful You Make Us Clean: Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean… Cease to do evil, learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressors (Isa 1:15-17). Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse & rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword (v19-20).
Lord, what an amazing promise that You are willing to cleanse any and every kind of sin. No act is too awful, too big, too outrageous. Even that sin, that unspeakable thought, motive & act is forgiveable. What an incredible Saviour You are! Thank You for dealing fully and finally with our sins. Thank You for forgiveness in Christ’s name, Amen.
Lord, we’re grateful for Your Grace. Nothing stains quite as sin, for it not only leaves a stain in our heart but a residue in our minds. By Your grace You don’t just forgive our sins, You banish them; the stain is removed & the guilt taken away. We are fully clean by Your grace. O what peace Your grace gives us We can never really thank You and praise You enough. Amen.
Lord, grateful that You do not see my sins, but You see me righteous because of the work of Your Son. Thanks for Your loving kindness & I want to eat the good of the land. Help me reason with You & really appreciate Your love and mercy. Help me Lord follow the Holy Spirit so that I will remain obedient. And Help me have deep gratitude to You for Jesus Paid It All. Amen.
Lord, now indeed I find Thy pow’r, and Thine alone, Can change the leper’s spots And melt the heart of stone. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. For nothing good have I Whereby Thy grace to claim; I’ll wash my garments white In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
Seventy disciples are sent out to heal the sick & say: The kingdom of God has come near to you. Their enthusiastic return prompts Jesus to rejoice in praise to God; but confrontation is gathering. Some attribute His miracles to Satan rather than God. Others clamour for more miraculous signs. And Jesus denounces the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and warns the disciples to Be Watchful.
Lord, we’ll Be Ready for Your Return: Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxioys mind. For… your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you (Luke 12:29-31). Be dressed for service and well-prepared, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast… There will be Special Favour for those who Are Ready and waiting for His Return (v35-38). Be Ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect… Who then is that faithful and wise steward?… Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when He comes (v40-43).
Lord, help us to set aside anxieties about our daily needs, and instead seek first the Kingdom of God. We acknowledge Lord that You know very well what we need, and we trust in Your provision. Grant that our focus be on living in accordance with Your will. And as we seek Your kingdom, all other things will be added to us. Amen.
Lord, observed Your promise of Special Favour for those who are Prepared for Your return. I desire to be faithful in Your eyes, to please You in everything; and purpose to be ready for Your return. Living ready is much dependent on giving ourselves in prayer. Draw me Lord to be connected with You regularly each day. Amen.
Lord, Your word reminds us of the importance of being prepared for Your return. We acknowledge that we do not know the day and we ask for Your guidance to live each day in a state of readiness & watchfulness. Grant us wisdom Lord to discern Your will and to faithfully fulfill the assignments you’ve entrusted to us. Help us Lord to be faithful servants, diligently working in Your vineyard until You return. In Jesus’ name.
The purpose of the gospel of Luke is to present an accurate account of the life of Christ and to present Him as the perfect human and Savior. This week, we see Christ modelling compassion, care & faithfulness; and the importance of sharing the gospel & furthering kingdom of God.
On Mon, we learn from Lk 12 to Be Ready for the Return of Christ. On Tue, we learn from Lk 14/15 to Be Compassionate & Care the Lost. On Wed, we learn from Lk 16 to Be Faithful and Serve the Lord. On Thu, we learn from Lk 17/18 to Press On Praying In Faith. On Friday, we learn from Luke 19 that Christ Models Seeking the Lost. On Sat, we learn from Lk 22-24, to Be Obedient and Forgiving.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Hear You: For we’ll Be Ready for Return of Christ & Be Faithful In Serving Him. For we’ll Be Obedient and Forgiving and Be Compassionate to the Lost. For we’ll Press On Praying In Faith; and Join Christ in Seeking the Lost. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Luke provides a full account of the arrest, trial and crucifixion of the Son of Man. He describes the plot of Judas, the warm fellowship of the Last Supper, the mental anguish at Gethsemane, the tragic denial by Peter, the miscarriage of justice at the trials & the brutal agony of the Roman execution. But the dark days give way to the first Easter morning when angels announce: He’s risen.
Lord, thank You for Luke’s account of Your arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection that show Obedience to Father’s will & deep Love for us. Lead us choose the Father’s will; for to love You is to Obey You. Help us Forgive others and not focus whether they deserve it. And Fill us with Your Power so that we can be effective witnesses of You. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord Jesus, help us to Obey You: Father if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want Your will, not mine. Then an angel appeared & strengthened Him. He prayed more fervently and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Lk 22:41-44) Lord, Thanks for following Father’s wishes that night at Gethsemane. Help me Lord Jesus to choose the Father’s will in my life as well. Lord, just as we share in Your joy, we may sometimes need to be reminded to share in suffering; for Your plan for me may not be easy. And help me Lord remember that to love You is to Obey You. Amen.
Lord, help us to Forgive Others: There were…two others, criminals, led with him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said: Father, Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots (Luke 23:32-34). Lord, You are simply praiseworthy, willingly Forgiving the unforgivable. Help me to be a Forgiving person & to forgive others the way You do. For I can’t forgive the unthinkable without You enabling me to do so. Help me take focus off whether the people deserve to be forgiven and focus to be more like You. Amen.
Lord, Fill us with Your Power: Then Jesus said: It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, & that repentance and remission of sins should be preached…And you are witnesses of these things. Now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here… until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power (Luke 24:46-49). Lord Jesus, thank You for the promise of empowerment of the Spirit to be Your effective witness. Holy Spirit, thank You for indwelling and for filling me with Your power. Lord, let my prayers be pleasing to You as Your Spirit leads me to pray in light of Your promises. Amen.
It is now in the final week of Jesus’ earthly life. In the city of Jerusalem, there’s excitement of the feast days -some preparing to welcome a King, while others preparing for execution. Jesus draws battle lines by driving the money-changers fr the temple. From then on, the religious leaders double their efforts to trap Him. Though His hour of anguish draws near, Jesus continues the activities that have characterised His ministry: teaching, healing and affirming.
Lord, we will also Seek the Lost: Then Zacchaeus said to the Lord: Look, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I’ve taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold. Jesus responded: Salvation has come to this home… And I the Son of Man, have come to Seek and Save those like him who are lost (Luke 19:8-10). The multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God: Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Some Pharisees… said: Teacher, rebuke Your followers for saying things like that! (Jesus) replied: If they kept quiet,the stones would burst into cheers (v38-40). Jesus entered the Temple & began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said: The Scripture declare: My Temple will be a house of prayer (v45-46).
Lord, You reached out to Zacchaeus even when others despised him. Thank You Lord for seeking and saving all those who are lost. Open our eyes to the despised that we might see them and reach out. Help us to look beneath the surface to the person created in Your image. Help us have burden for the lost and befriend those seeking You. Amen.
Lord, thank You for tender mercies and great sacrificial love for us. Grateful for the Holy Spirit and Your Word that teaches & guides us. We just cannot be quiet and keep our love for You hidden within us. Just as Your disciples called out Your name, we will also praise You for we serve a really amazing and wonderful Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Lord, You want Your church to be a people of prayer; and not just supplication, but also adoration, confession and thanksgiving. Forgive us for being distracted and neglecting prayer in both our personal and community life. Restore us to spiritual awakening and grant us a heart for the lost; for people need the Lord. Amen.
With His gaze fixed in Jerusalem and the consummation of his earthly ministry, Jesus intensifies His final training of the disciples. Stewardship is The Central theme, for the disciples will soon be entrusted with the message of the gospel. Jesus outlines the duties of a servant & underscores the importance of prayer.
Lord, we will Pray With Faith: And the apostles said to the Lord: Increase our faith. So the Lord said: If You had faith even as Small as a mustard seed, You could say to this mulberry tree: May you be uprooted and thrown to the sea, and it would obey you (Luke17:5-6) One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up… There was a widow; and she came to the judge, saying: Get justice for me from my adversary… He wld not for a while but afterward he said.. Because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her constant coming she weary me… And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day & night to Him? (L18:1-7) A blind beggar… asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting: Jesus, Son of David have mercy on me… Then (they) warned him… be quiet; but he cried out all the more, Son of David have mercy on me (v35-39).
Sovereign God, grateful that Your Spirit will give us the necessary faith and we need just to act upon it. Help us to pray with perseverance, trusting You to move even things that look immovable and impossible. For after all faith comes from looking at God and not at the mountain. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Lord, sometimes in prayer, we may feel like the widow, being ignored. Help us Lord to be like the widow to keep knocking on You in spite of how discouraged we may feel. For prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His will. And we will find our Father has indeed heard; for Lord You are our hope and our salvation. Amen.
Lord, grateful that You are our Healer; and that You are not only able but also willing to touch the smallest to greatest of our needs. We realise Lord You are merciful and that it is through prayer that we give You access to our needs. Help us emulate the blind beggar who cry out to You in simple faith appealing to Your mercy. Amen.
With His gaze fixed in Jerusalem and the consummation of his earthly ministry, Jesus intensifies His final training of the disciples. Stewardship is the central theme, for the disciples will soon be entrusted with the message of the gospel. Jesus outlines the duties of a servant & underscores the importance of prayer.
Lord, help us Be Faithful Stewards: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then when yr earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home. Unless you are Faithful In Small Matters, you won’t be faithful in large ones (Lk 16:9-10) And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches in heaven? (v11). No one can serve two masters. For you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You Cannot serve both God and money (v13).
Lord, sometimes we think the little things don’t matter much until we remember that even if no one notices, they matter to You. Help me to live life by Your Word rather than by the way of society. Help me purpose Obedience in the small things will grow in me. Help me to seek things eternal for Your pleasure. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, help me to be a Faithful person, one who is Trustworthy, reliable and who keeps promise. Help me to be a faithful steward and learn to do the work You call me to do just for the love of You. Help me Lord to Be Faithful in the obscure moments of ministry as pure worship before You. Amen.
Lord, money can test us greatly: the way we earn, spend & give it; as it reveals what rules our heart. Help us Lord Not to Serve Money such that we live primarily for it. Help us instead to Serve You Lord; be honest in how we earn money, be shrewd in how we spend it and be generous in how we give it. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
With His gaze fixed in Jerusalem and the consummation of His earthly ministry, Jesus intensifies His final training of the disciples. The subject of stewardship is the central theme, for the disciples will soon be entrusted with the precious message of the gospel. Jesus outlines the duties of servant, underscores importance of prayer and models compassion for people.
Lord, help us Be Compassionate: Jesus asked the Pharisees: Well, is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day? When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. Then He asked them: Which of you doesn’t work on Sabbath? If your son falls into a pit, don’t you at once get him out (Lk 14:3-5). When you give a feast, Invite the poor, the lame and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the (godly), God will reward u for inviting those who could not repay you (v13-14). When he (younger son) was still a great way off, his father saw him and had Compassion, and ran to his son, embraced & kissed him… His father said: Look dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found (Lk15:20,31-32)
Lord, forgive us when we follow tradition instead of following You. It is easy to get tangled in activities and forget there are needs around. Help us Lord to practice the heart of Christianity: to love God and to love others; and help us to be Compassionate to those in need. And help us to live in such a way that others will see You. Amen.
Lord, You always have a soft heart for the poor, the hurting and those who can’t fend for themselves. Remind us Lord that we are children of a caring God and that we really ought to Reflect Your Compassion. Prompt us Lord to help those who are in need knowing that You will reward us what we do on that day. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord Jesus, in Luke 15, we clearly see You truly seek & save the lost. Do what You must to bring to their senses those who are far away from You, seeking satisfaction in everything else apart from You. Thanks for Luke 14/15 where You show compassion for weak & lost. Lord, we will Be Compassionate; and we will Care for the Lost. Amen
