Month: June 2019

Guidance for Life Challenges

The time has come for the final
journey to Canaan. After a special
celebration of the Passover, the
people watch as the pillar of cloud
begins to move. It’s time to march!
But the thrill of expectation soon
gives way to tedium of travel. And
Moses is faced with numerous
problems: complaints about travel
conditions and food, longings
for the good old days in Egypt,
and jealousy by Miriam and Aaron
toward his position of leadership.

Lord, we’ll Follow Your Guidance:
On the day the Tabernacle was
set up, the cloud covered it.
But from evening until morning
the cloud over the Tabernacle
looked like a pillar of fire…
Whenever the cloud lifted from
the Tent, the Israelites set out;
wherever the cloud settled, the
Israelites encamped… At the
Lord’s command they encamped,
and at the Lord’s command they
set out. They obeyed the Lord’s
order, in accordance with his
command thro Moses (N9:15-23).

Lord, sometime I wish Your leading
as recognisable as a pillar of fire.
As we make our way through the
wilderness in this world, we do not
take Your presence for granted.
We want to move forward when
you move and stay where we are
when you stop. Thank you for
Your Holy Spirit who lives in us
and illumines Your Word, helping
us to know and understand yr will.
Thank you for renewing our minds
so we’ll know the good & perfect
will of God for our lives. Amen.

Lord, guide us in our journey
thro life. Help us understand and
recognise Your leading in every
decision we make. Give clear
direction so that we can stay on
the path You have for us. We know
following You doesn’t mean every
thing will be easy. Help us not lose
faith when the road gets rough.
For we want to always arrive at
the place You want us to be. Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are a
Faithful God with good plan for us.
But like Israelites going through life
journey,we can still face challenges.
Help us Recognise Your Leading &
Follow Your Guidance in our life.
Help us to be Grateful & Thankful
for your provision and protection.
Help us Seek Help from You rather
than Murmuring and Complaining.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Obedience to the Father’s Will

The time has come for Jesus
to demonstrate the full extent of
His servanthood. For the Passover
Lamb of God, the king-awaited
hour has arrived. Conspired against
by His enemies, betrayed by one
close follower & denied by another,
tried and finally executed, Jesus’
life of service seems to be finished.
But in the greatest of all miracles,
Easter dawn reveals an empty
tomb setting the stage for Jesus
to commission His followers to
bear the glad tidings worldwide.

Lord, having thoroughly prepared
the disciples, your actions in the
Final Day on earth shows you are
Fully Obedient to the Father’s Will
to Give Yr Live as ransom (M10:45)
At the Last Supper, U said one of
u who eats with me will betray me
(M14:18) & yet U did not stop him.
You greatly desire to get out of
the intense suffering and yet You
went to Gethsemane to pray: Not
what I will but what You will (v36).
You Lord chose to surrender to the
Father’s will in obedience. Amen.

Lord, at trial b4 political authority,
when Pilate asked: Are you King
of the Jews? You said: It is as you
say. And yet when Pilate asked
about priests’ false accusations,
You answered nothing (M15:1-5).
In all your previous encounters
where religious leaders accused
You of wrong doings You had
no problem defending yet this
time You chose not to do so?!
And You cried: My God, My God,
why have You forsaken me ?
So when the centurion saw that
You cried out like this & breathed
Your last, he said: Truly this Man
was the Son of God! (M15:34-39).
Thank U Lord for Yr love enduring
all the suffering on our behalf. We
love You in deep gratitude! Amen.

Lord, we purpose to Trust Yr word:
We note U appeared to the eleven
and rebuked them for their lack
of faith and their stubborn refusal
to believe those who had seen him
after he had risen. Then You said:
Go into all the world and preach
the good news. Whoever believes
and it is baptised will be saved,
but whoever does not believe
will be condemned (M16:14-20).
Lord, with Your resurrection,
we have the assurance that we
will one day be resurrected and
also the good news to proclaim in
obedience to Yr commission. Amen

Lord, You have good plans for us
and You fulfil promises. We learnt
from last three chapters of Mark,
You are fully obedient to Father’s
will. Whilst Your sacrificial love
is really lofty, we are challenged
to be more obedient to God
and His mysterious ways. Holy
Spirit, grant us grace to take up
our cross, trust U without doubt
and carry out our assigned tasks
out of love and gratitude of You.
Whilst there may be challenges,
we know the almighty, all loving
& all faithful God is our side. Amen

Faith that Believes, Loves & Acts

The final week of Jesus’ earthly
life occupies more space in gospel
than other stages of Jesus’ ministry
His arrival in Jerusalem coincides
with the preparations for the Feast
of Passover. Though events move
quickly, Jesus is never hurried.
There is time to clean the temple,
watch widow contributes her mites
& give final instructions to disciples

Lord Jesus, You had all the power
of the Almighty God; raising the
dead, giving sight to the blind
and calming stormy seas. But
with all this power, You came to
mankind as a servant. Help us
Lord to use Your life as a pattern
& inspiration for how to live today.
Help us to have Faith & Not Doubt.
Help us to Love Wholeheartedly.
Help us Prepare for Yr Return.Amen

Lord, we’ll have Faith & Not Doubt:
Jesus said: Have faith in God.
For assuredly I say to you,
whoever says to this mountain,
be removed and be cast into
the sea and does not doubt,
but believes that those things
he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. So, You can pray
for anything, and if you believe,
you will have it (Mk 11:22-24).
Lord, I have faith in You, the
Almighty, all loving faithful God.
And I believe that You reward
those who diligently seek You.
Lord, I place this issue before
You in faith and without doubt
and seeking Your face and will.
Your Word says if I ask anything
according to Your will, you hear
me and I can have what I ask of U.
Into your hand I surrender. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Love U Wholeheartedly:
(A teacher of religious law asked
Jesus): Of all the commandments
which is the most important?
Jesus replied: You must love
the Lord your God with all
your heart, all your soul, all
your mind and all your strength.
The second is equally important:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
No other commandment is greater
than these (Mark 12:28-31).
Lord, I am often too busy and
distracted to remember the most
important thing of all: Your love.
Help me to lay aside all else and
order my day around my love
for You. Teach me how to love
You and how to love people as
Christ loves them. As You fill me
with Your love, lead me to those
who need to know Your love. Amen

Lord, we’ll Prepare for Your Return:
Everyone will see the Son of Man
coming on the clouds with great
power and glory. And He will send
out his angels to gather his chosen
ones from all over the world.
(Mk13:26-27). Since u don’t know
when (these things) will happen,
stay alert & keep watch. Don’t
let him find you sleeping when he
arrives without warning (v33-36)
Lord Jesus, U promised to come
back for your church. Help me
to be diligent while I anticipate
that day. For I need to share the
Good News with loved ones and
others who don’t know You yet.
Prepare their hearts to receive
that message. Help me not to
lose sight of what You have called
me to do while I am here on earth
and to wait for Your return with
hope and expectation. Amen.