Month: December 2020

Trust God In Control (Dec 31)

Then seven angels emerge with
the seven last plagues, which
involve boils, blood, scorching
heat, darkness, pain, earthquakes,
hailstones & titanic confrontation
at a place called Armageddon.
Then John sees doom of Babylon
and a great multitude in heaven
sings praises to God in anticipation
of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
A white horse emerges, mounted
by the King of kings who destroys
the beast and the false prophets.

Lord, You are Great & In Control:
And I saw… those who have the
victory over the beast..They sing the
song of Moses & song of the Lamb:
Great & marvellous are Your actions,
Lord God Almighty. Just and true
are your ways, O King of the nations.
Who will not fear & Glorify Yr name?
For You alone are holy. All nations
will worship You for Your righteous
deeds hv been revealed (Rev 15:2-4)
Many will make war agst the Lamb
but the Lamb will overcome them
all because He is the Lord of lords
and the King of kings (Rev 17:14).
Let us rejoice and be glad and give
Him glory! For the wedding of the
Lamb has come and His bride has
made herself ready (Rev 19:7).

Lord, this song was sang by Moses
as the Israelites celebrated their
deliverance from Egypt and will be
sung at the end of times when the
redeemed of the Lord are gathered
after their victory over forces of evil.
Help us realize You are in control
even in the midst of challenges.
And praise You for the marvellous
deeds You be executing to bring
about Your purposes on earth. Amen

Lord, the end times is a warning to
Christians who have grown apathetic
and an encouragement to those
who faithfully endure life’s struggles.
It reassures good will triumph over
evil, gives hope as we face trials and
emboldens when we waver in faith.
Lord, our prayers rise up to You;
and we will Overcome with You; for
You are King of kings & Lord of lords.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, we praise and thank You for
You have promised that our future
is good to be with You in heaven.
We praise You for future redemption
of the world & all things in our lives.
You alone are holy and worthy to
receive adoration, glory and honour
May the things that distract us
and excuses for not abiding in You
fade in the light of Your glory. Amen

Hope In Midst of Gloom (Dec 30)

The seventh seal is then broken,
revealing seven Trumpets.
As each is sounded in turn,
natural and heavenly disasters
once again result: hail, fire, falling
stars, death, darkness, torment-
plagues which cause people to
seek death but not find it…Then
Seven angels emerge with the
seven last plagues, which involve
boils, blood, scorching heat,
darkness, pain, earthquakes,
hailstones & titanic confrontation
at a place called Armageddon.

Lord, our prayers rise up to You;
and we will Overcome with You:
The smoke of the insence,
together with the prayers of
the saints, went up before God
from the angle’s hand (Rev 8:4).
Then the seventh angel sounded:
And there were loud voices in
heaven saying: The world now
become the Kingdom of our Lord
and of His Christ, and He will
reign forever and ever (Rev 11:5).
They have defeated (the accuser)
by the blood of the Lamb and
by their testimony (Rev 12:11).

Lord, the revelation on end times
is both a warning to Christians
who have grown apathetic and
an encouragement to those who
are faithfully enduring struggles.
It reassures us that good will triumph
over evil, give us hope as we face
difficult times and gives guidance when we are wavering in our faith.
Lord, our prayers rise up to You; and
we will Overcome with You. Amen.

Lord, our prayers will rise to You
in heaven and how grateful that
You will eagerly hear each one.
Even the quietest prayers of
my heart born out of faith are as
important as the loudest prayers ignited by fervency. Thank You that You will hear and answer them all.
How blessed are we to have You
as the center of our lives. Amen.

Lord, we will Overcome with You
for the world had become Your
Kingdom and the accuser had been
defeated by the blood of the Lamb.
Lord, we praise You for You are
In control and we surrender to
Your timing and to Your ways.
And we rest all our expectations
on You at Your Word of promise.
May every moment stand as proof that You are utterly Faithful. Amen.

Worship God for He’s Worthy(Dec29)

John describes visions depicting
activities in heaven and on earth.
God enthroned, holds a scroll
which is sealed with seven seals.
No one is found worthy to break
the seals and reveal the contents
of the scroll except Lion of Judah.
As the first six seals are broken,
calamities break forth upon the
earth involving warfare, famine,
death, earthquakes and heavenly
disturbances. The day of his wrath is
come & who shall be able to stand?

Lord, we will Bow Down In Worship:
The 24 elders fall down and worship
the one who lives forever and ever.
And they lay their crowns before
the throne and say: You are worthy,
O Lord our God, to receive glory and
honor… For You created everything,
and it is for Your pleasure that they
exist & were created (Rev 4:10-11).
The 24 elders fell down before the
Lamb… And they sang a new song:
You are worthy to take the scroll,
and to open its seals; For You were
slain, and have redeemed us to God
by Your blood… And have made us
kings…to our God & we shall reign…
Then I heard the voice of… angels…
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to
receive…honor & glory (Rev 5:8-12)

Lord, Thank You for revealing
Your glory being celebrated
in heaven. You are worthy; for
it is for You and because of You
that all things exist. Reveal to us
more glimpses of how infinite,
limitless and majestic You are
so that Your glory is our focus.
Draw us into worship. And I lay
my crowns before You Lord –
all that I’ve done or accomplished
all that I am, I give to You. Amen.

Lord, Your Word says we are
already a royal priesthood, with
authority to pray and implement
Your mission in this current age.
Increase our Faith that we are
inhabited by the God of the
universe & carry Your presence.
Lord, it’s hard to fathom how
I can reign with You. But I want to
walk in the authority You offer in
this age. So show me how. Amen.

Father God, You are worthy of it
all; and we join the host of heaven
in proclaiming that You are holy.
We praise You for Your Goodness
& You are worthy of our devotion.
Deliver us when we draw near
to You from coldness of heart
and wandering of mind. Instead
grant us wholehearted affection
and steadfast thoughts that we
may worship You in spirit & in truth,
for You Are Worthy Of It All. Amen.

Go Back to First Love (Dec 28)

John writes to the seven churches
in Asia Minor to address their
scriptural need. Each message
begins with the expression:
I know thy works; each contains
a promise: to him that overcometh;
each concludes with the warning:
He that hath ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches.
In short, John sends words of
reproof and reassurance from
Jesus Christ, the Alpha & Omega.

Lord, we’ll Come Back to First Love:
I know all about the things you do.
I have seen your hard work and
your patient endurance… But
I have this complaint against you.
You don’t love Me or each other
as you did at first! Look how far
you have fallen from your first love!
Turn back to Me again (Rev 2:2-5)
To him who overcomes I will give…
a white stone and on the stone
a new name written (Rev 2:17).
As many as I love, I rebuke & chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold I stand at the door & knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens
the door I’ll come in to him(R3:19-20)

Lord, I confess been doing a lot
for You; but have somewhat ease
the simple devotion of loving You.
Grateful You are ever calling me
back to intimacy with You; with
Your arms open wide to receive me.
Help me to once again abandon
myself to You, to experience Your
unfailing love for me, and to live in
pure devotion to Your heart. Amen.

Lord, You do give people new names
including Simon/Peter & Saul/Paul.
For those who felt defined by their
past baggage, this is good news.
For the name You give will not be
based on something we can earn.
It will be rooted in Christ’s identity
and reflect who we were created to
be: children of God with inheritance
in the kingdom for eternity. Amen.

Lord, we will Draw Near to You;
For You are always near and
always desirous of our attention.
Forgive me for the times I ignore
or push You to the edges of my life;
for You deserve the central place.
Whenever I hear You calling and
knocking, help me to open myself
to You so that we can enjoy intimacy
together. Draw me Close to U. Amen

Returning to Holy God (Dec 27)

The good news of Ezra’s arrival at
Jerusalem is tempered by the bad
news of mixed marriages in the
community. Jews are permitting
their sons to marry heathen women
from neighbouring territories. Even
the priests, Levites and civic leaders
are involved – a condition which
the law of God condemns & which
Ezra finds intolerable. The process
of righting these wrongs is painful,
difficult and time consuming. But
even those “rainy skies” cannot
dampen Israel’s renewed commit-
ment to personal & national purity.

The urging of Israel’s leaders
motivated the people to complete
the temple. Over the years, they
intermarried with idol worshippers
and adopted their pagan practices.
Their faith, tested and revived,
also led them to remove these sins
from their lives. Indeed faith led
them to complete the temple and
to remove sin from their society.
As we trust God with our hearts
and minds, we must also act by
completing our daily responsibilities.
It’s not enough to say we believe; we
must make changes God requires.
Lord, we Consecrate to You:
Lord, we Confess & Return to You.
Lord, we Seek Your Restoration,
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.

Lord, we Consecrate to You:
The people of Israel including the
priests and the Levites have not
kept themselves separate from the
neighbouring peoples with their
detestable practices… They have
taken… their daughters as wives…
And the leaders and officials have
led the way in this unfaithfulness.
When I heard this, I tore my tunic…
pulled hair…and sat down appalled..
Then at the evening sacrifice, I rose
from my self-a basement, with my
tunic and cloak torn, and fell on
my knees… and prayed: O my God,
I am too ashamed and disgraced to
lift up my face to You (Ezra 9:1-6).
Lord, like Ezra’s, we express shame
for sins, fear for the consequences
and desire that the people will
come to their senses and repent.
For even when we sin in worst way,
we can turn to You God with prayer
of our unworthiness & repentance.
We look to Your mercy and trust You
God for pardon and peace. Amen.

Lord, we Confess & Return to You:
Now while Ezra was praying and
while he was confessing, weeping
and bowing down before the house
of God, a very large assembly of
men, women and children gathering..
from Israel; for the people wept very
bitterly… Then Ezra the priest stood
up and said to them: You have
transgressed and have taken pagan
wives, adding to the guilt of Israel.
Now therefore, make confession
to the Lord God… and do His will;
separate yourselves from the
peoples of the land and from
the pagan wives (Ezra 10:1,10-12)
Father God, thank You as believers
in Christ, our sins are forgiven; for
His death cleansed us from all sin.
Confession is also recommitting
ourselves to do God’s will and to
renounce any act of disobedience.
And confession inevitably leads
one to repentance, turning away
from sin and asking God for
fresh power to live for Him. Amen.

Lord, we Seek Your Restoration:
The book of Ezra opens with God’s
temple in ruins and the people of
Judah being captive in Babylon.
Ezra tells of the return of God’s
people, the rebuilding of the
temple and the restoration of
the sacrificial worship system.
Similarly God is able to restore and
rebuild the lives of people today.
Merciful Lord, Thank You that no
one is so far away from You that
he or she cannot be restored; for
repentance is all that is required.
And Thank You Lord that no matter
how far we have strayed or how
long it has been since we have
worshipped You God, You are able
to restore our relationship to Him
and rebuild our lives. In Jesus’ name.

Hear & Live the Word (Dec 26)

The first six chapters chronicle the
ministry of Zerubbabel in rebuilding
the temple. Now chapters 7-10
introduce a priest named Ezra whom
God uses to rebuild the spiritual
condition of the people. Ezra begins
his task 58 years after the events
of chapter 6. The people have a
house for God but not heart for God.
Ezra realises revival must begin
with a national return to the statutes
and judgments of God as contained
in the Mosaic law. With the support
of the Persian King Artaxerxes,
Ezra sets out with 1,753 of his
countrymen to cover the ninety
dangerous miles back to Jerusalem.

When the people of Israel returned
to the land, they were also returning
to the influence of God’s Word.
The prophets Haggai & Zechariah
helped encourage them while
Ezra’s preaching of Scripture built
them up. God’s Word gave them
what they needed to do God’s work.
We also need the encouragement
and direction of God’s Word.
We must make it the basis for our
faith and actions to finish God’s
work and fulfil our obligations.
We must never waver in our commit
-ment to hear & obey His Word.
Lord, we will Study & Live Your Word.
Lord, we will Serve Your Kingdom.
Lord, we will Submit to You. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Study & Live Your Word:
Ezra was a scribe, well versed in
the law of Moses, which the Lord…
had given to the people of Israel.
He came up to Jerusalem from
Babylon, and the king gave him
everything he asked for, because
the gracious hand of the Lord his
God was on him… He had… came
to Jerusalem… for the gracious
hand of his God was on him. For
Ezra had devoted himself to the
study and observance of the law
of the Lord, and to teaching its
decrees & laws in Israel (Ezra 7:6-10)
Lord, help us emulate Ezra to study
the Bible each day & then to live it.
Help us not only to talk the talk but
also to walk the walk so that others
be challenged to walk with God.
Help us to devote ourselves to God
so we too will know the hand of God
at work in us and through us. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Serve Your kingdom:
Blessed be the Lord God of our
fathers, who has put such a thing
as this in the king’s heart, to beautify
the house of the Lord which is
in Jerusalem, and has extended
mercy to me before the king and
his counselors and before all the
king’s mighty princes. So I was
encouraged as the hand of the
Lord my God was upon me; and
I gathered leading men of Israel
to go up with me (Ezra 7:27-28).
And I looked among the people
and the priests and found none
of the sons of Levi there (Ez 8:15).
Lord, when faced with life challenges
we purpose to work diligently and
realise You oversees all our work.
We praise You Lord for Your help
and grateful for all successes & not
thinking we did it with own power.
Lord, You have gifted each of us
with abilities so we can each make
a contribution to Your kingdom work.
May we not hinder Your kingdom
work by withholding back. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Submit ourselves to You:
By the Ahava Canal, I gave orders
for all of us to fast and humble
ourselves before our God. We
prayed that He would give us
a safe journey and protect us
as we travelled… After all, we had
told the king: Our God’s hand of
protection is on all who worship
Him. So we fasted and petitioned
our God about this, and He
answered our prayer (Ez 8:21-23)
Lord, we purpose to put You
God as the first in our lives.
And we submit ourselves to You
for our body is not in charge.
And we deny the flesh, so that
we will exalt You above all else.
Help us pray powerfully about the
issues & the situations in our life.
When we face difficulties, help us
Lord that when we fast and pray,
You will accomplish more in the
spiritual realm than what can be
done in the physical realm. Amen

Experiencing God thro Obedience

The main purpose of James is to
teach right Christian behaviour;
of 1 Peter to offer encouragement
to suffering Christians; and that of
1 John to assure Christians in their
faith and to counter false teachings.
This week we understand the
importance to position rightly in
obedience & faith to encounter God.
On Monday we learn from James
1-2 on Living Out Your Faith.
On Tuesday, we learn from
Jas 4 on Drawing Near to God.
On Wed, we learn from 1 Pet 2
on Living as People of the Lord.
On Thursday, we learn from 1Pet 4
on Being Good Stewards of God.
On Friday, we learn from 1Jn 1-3
on Walking in the Light and Love.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Walk in the Light & Love (Dec 25)

The apostle John, who is enjoying
a delightful fellowship with God,
earnestly desires that his spiritual
children enjoy that same fellowship
and writes I John telling them how:
God is Light and therefore to
engage in fellowship with Him
means walking in the light of
His commandments. God is love,
and thus His children must walk
in love. And God is life, and those
who desire fellowship with Him
must possess the spiritual life,
which begins with spiritual birth
through faith in Jesus Christ.

Lord, we’ll Walk in the Light & Love:
If we walk in the light as He is in the
light, we have fellowship with one
another… If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness (1Jn 1:7-9)
This commandment – to love one
another – is the same message
you had before… This command
is true in Christ and is true among
you… He who loves his brother
abides in the light (1 John 2:8-10).
See what great love the Father
had lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God! And
that is what we are! (1John 3:1-2).

Lord, I want to walk in the light
and I confess my sins before You.
Thank You that You are faithful
to forgive them and to cleanse
me from all the effects of them.
If there is sin in my life that I am
no seeing, reveal it to me so that
I can confess it before You and
be purified of all unrighteousness.
For I want to live in the wholeness
of complete forgiveness. Amen.

Lord Jesus, time and time again
You call us to lay down our lives.
The love to which You call us
nearly always means setting aside
our interests even if momentarily.
Rarely is it convenient or fit into
our schedules where we’ve break;
for it will mean lots of rearranging.
Lord help me to lay down for You
and for others; for apart from You
I can do nothing of value. Amen.

Lord, praise U for being the Holy
One, Creator of universe and that
You love me so much. Thank You
for adopting me into Your family.
I am not just a forgiven sinner
because of what Christ has done;
but I am also Your child; and
that one day I will be like Christ.
Lord, help me to live out my true
identity as Your child. And help me
live for U as I await that day. Amen.

Be Good Stewards of God (Dec 24)

Peter writes to scattered Jewish
Christians who are undergoing
intense persecution for their faith.
God has begotten us again unto a
living hope. So don’t be surprised
when suffering comes your way;
prepare & respond to it correctly.
Purpose to do what is right and 
imitate Christ in submissive spirit.
And God will richly reward you
when the trials of life are over.

Lord, we will reflect Your Grace:
Most of all, continue to show deep
love for each other; for Love Covers
a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).
Be hospitable to one another
without grumbling. As each has
received a gift, minister it to one
another as Good Stewards of the
manifold grace of God (v9-10).
If anyone speaks, they should do it
as one who speaks the Very Words
of God… so that in all things God
may be praised (1 Pet 4:11) Amen.

Lord, I confess short of love & need
for Your unfailing love toward some.
Help me to yield to Your Spirit and
experience deeer intimacy with You
and Your love for me. Then may
Your love so fill me that others may
feel splashes from the overflow.
And in those relationships that are
toughest, grant me Your Love which
covers a multitude of sins. Amen.

Lord, sometimes we neglect
relationships & erect boundaries
due to distrust and bitterness.
We also confess of commitment
phobia and sins of the flesh that
block us from Christlike love.
Grateful for the spiritual gifts that
the Holy Spirit has given to me.
Help me to use them well to serve
one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, let me declare Your Words,
and let me recognise them in others.
We often ask You to speak to us,
and it only make sense that You
will use people to do so. Help me
to hear Your words in season for me.
And help me Lord speak forth Your
thoughts for Your people graciously.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.