Month: June 2019

Respect Our Sovereign God !!

After Gideon’s death, one of his
sons Abimelech has such strong
aspirations for his father’s position
that he attempts to murder his 69
brothers. His rush actions are a
prelude to 3 stormy years in power
– a reign cut short by a divinely
guided millstone. By contrast,
Jephthah, the illegitimate son
of a harlot, zealously leads Israel
in the ways of God – though his
zeal also gets him into trouble!

Lord, we acknowledge that You
are the Sovereign God and has
a perfect plan for your people.
Grant us the grace to respect
and honour you in every way.
Help us to Wait upon You while
trusting You for deliverance.
Help us to Serve You only and to
repent of idols and get rid of them.
Help us be mindful and respectful
when making promises to You. And
we look forward that Yr purposes
for Your people be fulfilled. Amen.

Lord, we will Wait for Your Timing:
Gideon’ son Abimelech went to
his father’s home and killed all 70
of his half brothers… Then the
citizens of Shechem & Bethmillo
made Abimelech their king (J9:5-6)
After Abimelech reigned Israel
three years, God sent a spirit of ill
will between between Abimelech
and men of Shechem that the crime
done to the 70 might be settled.
And when the men of Israel saw
that Abimelech was dead, they
departed. Thus God repaid the
wickedness of Abimelech (v55-56).
Lord, sometimes we wonder why
evil seems to prevail and God did
not punish evil and restore justice.
But we realise God often spares
immediate punishment and allows
people time to turn from their sins.
And trusting God for justice also
means waiting for His timing. Amen.

Lord, we will Serve You only:
But the Israelites said to the Lord:
We have sinned. Do with us
whatever you think best, but
please rescue us now. Then they
got rid of the foreign gods among
them and served the Lord. And
he could bear Israel’s misery
no longer (Jdgs 10:15-16).
Lord, I don’t want anything to
separate me from You. Nothing
is worth that. I want to confess
to You anything I’ve done wrong
and anything that is not pleasing
in your eyes. Wherever I have
worshiped other gods or an idol,
reveal it to me and I will confess
it, repent of it and get rid of it.
For I want to serve only you. Amen

Lord, we respectfully Promise You:
Jephthah made a vow to the Lord.
He said: If you give me victory
over the Ammonites, I will give
to the Lord the first thing coming
out of my house to greet me when
I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it
as a burnt offering (Jdgs 11:29-30)
When Jephthah returned home
to Mispah, his daughter – his
only child – ran out to meet him…
When he saw her, he tore his
clothes in anguish (v34-35).
Lord, we learnt from this episode
of the need to be respectfully
mindful when making vows to You
even as an expression of gratitude.
For what we solemnly vow to God,
we must perform, if it be lawful,
though so difficult to us. Amen.

Trustworthy Lord Will Save You !!

Midian’s oppression is severe, and
Gideon is God’s man to lead the
people in throwing off that yoke of
bondage – an assignment Gideon
is not anxious to accept! But once
convinced of his calling through
two miraculous signs, Gideon
leads a humble army of 300 men,
equipped only with pitchers,
torches & trumpets, in a stunning
victory against the mighty Midianite
forces. Israel’s unusual weapons
and battle plan leave no room for
doubt: The victory is the Lord’s!

Lord, we learnt from Judges the
danger of living with compromises.
Rather than living in a virtuous
cycle, help us Lord seek to live
a consistent life of faithfulness.
Grant us grace even as we purpose
to Seek Your Presence & Power;
to Learn to Put our Trust on U and
to Submit to Your Kingly Rule;
for You will Save Your people.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we will Seek Your Presence:
When the angel of the LORD
appeared to Gideon, he said: The
LORD Is With you, mighty warrior.
But Gideon replied, if the LORD is
with us, why has all this happened
to us? Where are all his wonders?
Now the Lord has abandoned us
and put us into the hands of Midian.
The LORD turned to him and said:
Go in the Strength you Have and
Save Israel out of Midian’s hand.
Am I not sending you?… I Will Be
With you, and you will strike down
all the Midianites (Jdgs 6:12-16).
Lord, we agree that You are with
us and that victory does not lie in
our own adequacy or abilities, but
in Your presence & power. Amen.

Lord, we will learn to Trust You:
The Lord said to Gideon: You
have too many warriors with you.
If I let you fight the Midianites, the
Israelites will boast that they saved
themselves by their own strength.
Therefore, tell the people: Whoever
is afraid may leave… 22,000 went
home,leaving only 10,000 who were
willing to fight. But the Lord told
Gideon: There are still too many!…
By the 300 men who lapped I will
Save you & deliver the Midianites
into your hand (Judges 7:2-7).
Lord, when we face overwhelming
odds, it’s just perfect for U to act.
For it is in those times that we
like Gideon will learn to trust You.
Many times we’ve felt there was no
way out, only to discover that You
were making a way for us. Amen.

Lord, we will Submit to Your Rule:
The Israelites said to Gideon: Be
our ruler!.. for you have rescued
us from Midian. But Gideon replied
I will not rule over you… The Lord
will rule over you! However, I do
have one request – that each of you
give me an erring from the plunder
you collected (Judges 8:22-24).
Lord, we have been blessed with
good shepherds who watch over
the sheep in their care. But we
realise that at some point they
may disappoint by failing to be all
You intend them to be. So Guard
our hearts from cynicism. And we
give You praise and adoration for
You indeed are our true ruler who
will never fail or disappoint. Amen.

Trust God Knows What’s Best

Instead of answering Job’s
questions directly, God asks Job
a series of questions that no human
can possibly answer. Job responds
by recognising God’s ways are best
In response, Job humbles himself.
God rebukes the three friends for
adding to Job’s suffering by their
false assumptions and criticisms.
Job’s material possessions and
family are restored & he receives
even greater blessings than before.

Lord,we’ll Not Question Yr Wisdom:
Then the Lord answered Job
from the whirlwind: Who is
this that questions my wisdom
with such ignorant words?…
I have some questions for you…
Where does the dew come from?
Can you ensure the proper
sequence of the seasons?
Do you know… how God rules
the earth? (Job 38: 1-3, 27-33).

Lord, just as we don’t understand
common working of God’s creation
under His control, it’s challenging
to understand God’s purposes.
And bitterness over suffering can
also limit understanding of Yr ways.
Help us to trust You regardless
of whether You allow blessing
or suffering to come to our life.
For it is not our job to question
You the sovereign and good God,
but to simply worship You. Amen.

Lord, thank You that You are a
personal God and I can pour out
my heart, hurts & frustrations to U.
But help me learn to question
Your works without criticising
Your wisdom. Anchor me in the
knowledge that You’re always good,
no matter how things may appear.
Your goodness may be obscured
due to my limited perspective.
So, also help me see & hear the
truth behind the scenes. Amen.

Lord, Hide me now Under Yr wings
Cover me Within your mighty hand.
When oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with U above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God.
Find rest my soul In Christ alone
Know his power In quietness & trust.
When oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with U above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I’ll be still & know U are God. Amen.

Coming Forth As Gold !!

As Job agonises over his situation,
his three friends explain that he
must be suffering because of
some terrible sin he committed.
They try to persuade Job to repent
of his sin. When Job argues that he
hasn’t sinned enough to deserve
such suffering his friends respond
with even harsher accusations.

Lord, we will Keep to Your Way:
Then Job answered and said:
Even today my complaint is bitter…
Oh that I knew where I might
find Him… I would present my
case before Him (Job 23:1-4).
But He knows the way that I take;
when He has tested me, I shall
Come Forth As Gold… I have
Kept His Way… I have treasured
the words of His mouth (J23:10-12)
Whatever He wants to do, he does.
He’ll Do for me all he has planned.
He Controls my destiny (v13-14).

Lord, You love to speak to Your
people; but sometimes, like in Job,
You maintain long silences and let
us search for You; and that can be
uncomfortable. For You are tuning
our ears to Your voice & teaching
us the fine art of waiting upon You.
Lord, when I cannot really sense
Your presence or hear Your voice,
keep me drawing me toward You.
Give me the patience & persistence
to keep seeking Your face. Amen.

Lord, praise U for your faithfulness
& for knowing the way that I take.
Thank You that when I have been
tested, I will Come Forth As Gold.
Lord, it’s painful not to hear Your
voice; and to wonder why I’m here
and where You’ve gone. Until You
lead again, my eyes are fixed on U.
Let me not waste the pain Lord;
instead use it to draw me deeper.
And show me treasures of Your
ways and Your kingdom. Amen.

Lord, You control my destiny
and I fully trust in Your goodness.
So fill my vision with hope, which
is the expression of goodness
from Your hand. You have given
promises, both general and
specific; and offered hope even
when I can’t see all the way ahead.
Help me walk in the good purposes
You have planned for me. Amen.

God Put His Word In Your Heart

In ancient times, a city was only
as secure as its walls. In the case
of Jerusalem, the temple stands
in glistening splendour but the
walls lie in ruin. Enter Nehemiah,
cupbearer to the king of Persia
and God’s choice to rebuild the
city defenses. Armed with a burden
and a blueprint, Nehemiah shares
his request with the king & receives
even more than he asked for!

Lord, we Open our Heart to You:
The king asked: How can I help u?
With A Prayer to God of heaven,
(Nehemiah) replied: If it please
your majesty… send me to Judah
to rebuild the city where my
ancestors are buried (Neh 2:4-5).
So I came to Jerusalem and was
there three days…. I told no one
what my God Had Put In My Heart
to do at Jerusalem… And I went
out by night… and viewed the walls
which were broken down and the
gates which were burned (v11-13).
Then I said to (the Jewish leaders):
Come let us build the wall of
Jerusalem… And I told them of
the hand of God… and also of
the king’s words… So they said:
Let us rise up and build (v17-18).

Lord, we note Nehemiah covered
the whole process of rebuilding
Jerusalem In Prayer; praying for
his people for four months; and
breathing a brief prayer to You God
before staying he request to king.
And I surrender the church to You.
Please come into my life with
Your restoring power. And hear
my prayers as You did Nehemiah’s.
As You God prove Yourself mighty,
may You receive much glory. Amen.

Lord, help me sort out the burdens
in my heart whether they all Yours;
and which ones should I follow?
Lead me to fulfil the purposes
You have placed within my heart.
Clarify my vision and secure my
steps. And lead me through open
doors to accomplish Your Kingdom
mission wherever You lead and
wherever I can. In His name, Amen.

Lord, thank You for Nehemiah’s
example on how to respond to bad
news. After initial grief, he prayed,
pouring his heart out to You God.
Then he got all the accurate info
he needed to assess the situation.
Only After Careful Planning would
Nehemiah Share his mission.
Help us Lord to confront challenges
with Trust in God and constructive
action. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Being Stirred By The Spirit

In ancient times, a city was only
as secure as its walls. In the case
of Jerusalem, the temple stands
in glistening splendour but the
walls lie in ruin. Enter Nehemiah,
cupbearer to the king of Persia
and God’s choice to rebuild the
city defenses. Armed with a burden
and a blueprint, Nehemiah shares
his request with the king & receives
even more than he asked for!

Lord, we are Open to Your Spirit:
I asked about the Jews who had
returned from captivity and about
how things were point in Jerusalem.
They said: Things are not well.
They’re in great trouble & disgrace.
The walls of Jerusalem has been
torn down and the gates have been
destroyed by fire. When I heard
this, I sat down and wept. In fact
for days I mourned, fasted & prayed
I said: O Lord… Look down and
see me praying night and day
for Your people… I confess that
we have sinned against You. Yes
even I have sinned (Neh 1:1-6).

Lord, You had spoken clearly about
a matter years before & confirmed
it many times with signs of promise
Like Nehemiah, who believed
in God’s plan for Jerusalem yet
heard the city still lay in ruins, I am
distraught for God-given dreams
had been reduced to rubble. But
learning from Nehemiah, I don’t
have to understand what You
God is doing in order to trust You.
And I don’t have to hear details
to know I have heard You. Amen.

Lord, we realise that when we or
our loved ones are in great trouble,
we tend to fill prayers with plans
that we want You to put into action.
Learning from Nehemiah, we claim
upon Your promises, calling on
You to do what You have pledged
to do in caring for Your very own.
And thank You that the basis for
deliverance is purely Your grace
and undeserved favour. Amen.

Lord, sometimes my heart is
gripped by the things that grip
Your heart for Your purposes and
for Your people. Make me sensitive
to the Stirring of Your Spirit and
the sound of Your voice. And
when I have sought Your Will
and direction, make me joyfully
eager to participate in Your plan.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Power of Fasting & Prayer

The first six chapters chronicle
the ministry of Zerubbabel in
rebuilding the temple; now c7-10
introduces a priest named Ezra
whom God uses to rebuild the
spiritual condition of the people.
The people have a house for God
but not a heart of God. Ezra
realises revival must begin a
national return to the statutes of
God as contained in the Mosaic law.

Lord, we’ll Seek thro Fast & Prayer:
By the Ahava Canal, I (Ezra) gave
orders for all of us to Fast and
Humble ourselves before our God
to Seek fr Him the Right Way for us.
For I was ashamed to ask the king
for soldiers… to protect us from
enemies along the way. After all,
we had told the king: Our God’s
hand of protection is on all who
worship Him… So we Fasted and
earnestly Prayed that our God
would take care of us, and He
heard our prayer (Ezra 8:21-23).

Lord, we note Ezra and the people
Humbled themselves by Fasting
and praying. Fasting humbled the
people because going without food
was a reminder of their complete
dependence on God. Fasting also
free up time to think about God
and to pray to Him earnestly.
And serious prayer puts us in
touch with God’s will for our lives
& can change our hearts & minds.
Grant us grace to fast & pray. Amen

Lord, Help me fast & pray regularly.
Show me how often and how long
and give me the strength to get
through each fast successfully.
With every fast, help me to pray
about the issues of my situation
and direction in my life. For I need
to deny my flesh so that I can
hear from You clearly and exalt
You above everything else. Amen.

Lord, we know the need to fast to
focus attention & dependence on U
It’s a statement that Your presence
and direction are more important
to us than the food we need; and
our priorities to hear Your voice.
I’ll purpose to forsake my physical
need for food for a time in order
to heighten my spiritual senses. So
Amplify Your voice during this time,
hear my cries and lead me in the
Right way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Being Stuck in Virtuous Cycles?

The Israelites began series of
cycles of sinning, worshipping idols
being punished, crying for help,
being rescued by a judge, obeying
God for a while, then falling back
into idolatry. They were conquered
by Syria, Moab, Canaan, Midian,
Ammon and Philistia.

Lord, we learnt from the early part
of Judges that the Israelites had
compromised Your commands;
repeatedly sinning & God allowing
suffering to come upon them and
delivering them when they repent.
Rather than living in an endless
cycle, help us seek to live a
consistent life of Faithfulness.
Thanks be to God that In Christ
we can have the freedom & victory!
Help us Lord even as we purpose
to repent quickly & Seek Your Help;
to be Courageous to Obey You &
to offer our Helping Hands. Amen.

Lord, we will Seek for Your Help:
The anger of the Lord burned agst
Israel and He handed them to king
Aram for 8 years. But when they
cried out to the Lord, he raised
up a deliverer, Otheniel, Caleb’s
younger brother, who saved them.
Once again the Israelites did evil
and the Lord gave Moab control
over Israel for 18 years. Again the
Israelites cried out to the Lord,
and he gave them a deliverer –
Ehud, a Benjamite (Jdgs 3:9,15).
Lord, thank you whenever we cried
out to You, You will deliver us from
misery. Too often we try to control
our own lives without God’s help.
Remind us that You God should
be the first place we turn to for
help when we’re facing struggles
and not as a last resort. Amen.

Lord, we’ll be Courageous to Obey:
Ehud was dead, the children of
Israel again did evil. So the Lord
sold them into the hand of Jabin
king of Canaan. And the children
cried out to the Lord, for 20 years
Jabin harshly oppressed them.
Deborah, the prophetess sent for
Batak and said: Take 10,000 men
and I will deliver Sisera, commander
of Jabin’s army into your hand.
And Batak said: If u will go with me,
then I will go; but if u will not go
with me, I will not go! So she said:
I will go with you; but there will be
no glory for u…And the Lord routed
Sisera and his army (Jdgs 4:1-15).
Lord, grant us be courageous like
Deborah who has great faith to
do God’s will and concerned over
the welfare of the people. Amen.

Lord, we will Offer Helping Hands:
Then Deborah and Barack…
sang on that day saying:
When leaders lead in Israel,
when the people willingly offer
themselves, bless the Lord!…
I even I will sing to the Lord; I will
sing praise to the Lord (Jdgs 5:1-3)
Lord, we offer our grateful thanks
and praise for the volunteers that
faithfully offer their services for
the wellbeing & support of others.
We ask Your special blessing Lord
on each worker for they are often
taken for granted by those they
serve. Provide for the needs
of each one, guide them and
protect them from evil. Amen.