Month: April 2021

Prince of Peace (April 16)

Isaiah’s family life become an
eloquent testimony to the trust-
worthiness of his prophecies.
His firstborn son Maher-shalal-
hash-baz acts as a constant
reminder of the Assyrian treat
upon Jerusalem (Isa 8:1-4). But
in the face of trouble & darkness,
Isaiah proclaims a note of hope.
The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great light (Isa 9:2).
There is a coming a Child whose very
names instill hope and confidence.
Though shadows of judgment
darken the horizon, the redeemed
ones can sing His praises for the
ultimate victory is already assured!

All Praise to Prince of Peace:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those
who dwell in the land of the
shadow of death. upon them
a light has shined (Isaiah 9:2).
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given and the
government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace (Sar Shalom) – Isaiah 9:6.

Lord Sar Shalom, You’re the prince
of peace: where there is chaos,
You bring calm; and where there
are struggles, You bring stability.
Lord, You alone embody peace
and can bring peace to our lives,
to our homes and to our churches.
And we don’t need to fight or fret,
but rather we rest in Your peace.
Even when we don’t understand
the circumstances around us,
You have a way of bringing peace
that calms our confusions. Amen.

Lord, just as the disciples could
not rest on the boat when a storm
arose, sometimes I worry during
my personal storms. Forgive me
for failing to rest in Your peace
on the many stormy occasions.
Sometimes peace seem elusive
and I ask for Your forgiveness
for not letting go and letting You
reign peacefully in my life. Amen.

Lord, give me peace when I am
prone to worry; and give me
peace when I’m tempted to doubt.
I ask for peace in relationships,
where there is conflict, and bring
about resolution and restoration.
I ask for peace in my heart, where
there is doubt or regret, I ask for
wisdom & acceptance within me.
And let my words bring peace
to those around me where I go.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

Mighty God (April 15)

Isaiah’s family life become an
eloquent testimony to the trust-
worthiness of his prophecies.
His firstborn son Maher-shalal-
hash-baz acts as a constant
reminder of the Assyrian treat
upon Jerusalem (Isa 8:1-4). But
in the face of trouble & darkness,
Isaiah proclaims a note of hope.
The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great light (Isa 9:2).
There is a coming a Child whose very
names instill hope and confidence.
Though shadows of judgment
darken the horizon, the redeemed
ones can sing His praises for the
ultimate victory is already assured!

All Praise to Mighty God:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those
who dwell in the land of the
shadow of death. upon them
a light has shined (Isaiah 9:2).
For to us a child is born, to us
a son is given & the government
will be on his shoulders. And he
will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Mighty God, You are great
and You are mighty in power.
Your wisdom knows no limits; for
as the heavens are higher than the
earth,so Your ways higher than mine.
Through Israel, You’ve also delivered
to all humanity the gift of salvation.
And we look forward to His return
for gathering of His sheep including
those from the nation of Israel. Amen

Mighty God, look upon me with
a caring heart and witness the
struggles I face. Have compassion
for You see me seeking to follow You
and yet often failing to do it well.
Forgive me when I am unfaithful
for You Lord have asked me to
walk faithfully and be blameless.
Let Christ’s blood cover me even
as I seek Your blessing. Amen.

Mighty God, show us how to
honour You with our faith, just as
Isaiah did throughout his life.
Help us to not cause delays in
our destiny but rather to walk
upright in faith. Help us to stay
committed to You, our King and
to Your kingdom agenda. And
we look forward to Your blessing.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Wonderful Counsellor (April 14)

Isaiah’s family life become an
eloquent testimony to the trust-
worthiness of his prophecies.
His firstborn son Maher-shalal-
hash-baz acts as a constant
reminder of the Assyrian treat
upon Jerusalem (Isa 8:1-4). But
in the face of trouble & darkness,
Isaiah proclaims a note of hope.
The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great light (Isa 9:2).
There is a coming a Child whose very
names instill hope and confidence.
Though shadows of judgment
darken the horizon, the redeemed
ones can sing His praises for the
ultimate victory is already assured!

All Praise to Wonderful Counsellor:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light; those
who dwell in the land of the
shadow of death. upon them
a light has shined (Isaiah 9:2).
For to us a child is born, to us
a son is given & the government
will be on his shoulders. And
he will be called Wonderful
Counselor (Peleh Yo’etz),
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Lord, You will bless us with Your
counsel & understanding because
You are our Wonderful Counsellor.
Let Your thoughts guide and
direct my steps in all I do.
Keep me Lord from my futility
of mind and shortsightedness.
Let me respect Your purpose,
timing & counsel in my life. Amen.

Lord Peleh Yo’etz, I have access
to the greatest counsel and the
deepest wisdom available to man.
And yet I make my own decisions
based on my own finite thoughts.
Forgive me for not seeking You in
all I do. Forgive me for not knowing
Your name moment-by-moment.
Help me open the floodgates of
Your counsel by digging into Your
Word & seeking Your face. Amen

Lord & Wonderful Counsellor, speak
in a way I can easily discern and
teach me how to hear Your counsel.
Lord, Demonstrate how important
it is for me to follow Your counsel.
Grant me success as I commit
my decisions and actions to You.
For You delight in offering Your
wisdom and delight to bless us.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Immanuel God With Us (April 13)

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 spoke again to Ahaz
saying: Ask a sign for yourself
from the Lord your God…
Then Isaiah said: Hear now, you
house of David! Is it not enough
to try the patience of men?
Will you try the patience of my
God also? Therefore the Lord
Himself will give you a sign:
Behold, a virgin will be with child
and bear a son, and she will call
his name Immanuel (Isa 7:10-14).

Immanuel, God with us. The most
perfect being – the Creator of all
things, chose to dwell among us.
Lord, You are fully God but also
fully man & You took on the sin of
all humanity to offer us salvation.
You Lord are the King of kings,
in a manger – the humble King,
who came to reveal the heart and
character of Father to us. Amen.

Immanuel, we focus much on You
during Christmas and give You
the honour rightly due to You.
But often throughout the rest of
the year, we forget the significance
of Your name – God with us!
Forgive me for being so easily
distracted that I fail to give You
the honour due You each day.
Forgive me for looking elsewhere
for that which only You can supply:
meaning & purpose of life. Amen.

Immanuel,strengthen Your followers
to live lives that reflect Your glory
& point people to U as God with us.
May Your name spread in such
a way as to draw people to You.
May we experience You more
fully and intimately each day.
May You not be to us a distant God,
but truly know You as God with us.
And May I know You as Immanuel,
God with me. In Jesus’ name.

Branch of the Lord (April 12)

A crisis exists in the nation of Judah.
Wickedness has permeated the
social, political and spiritual life of
the country – a condition which God
finds intolerable. Divine indictment
falls from the lips of prophet Isaiah.
Unless repentance sweep the nation,
God will reduce His people to ruin.
Famine and pestilence will replace
feasting and pleasure to show that
the Holy One of Israel still rules in
Zion. King and commoner, priest
and prophet – no one will be safe
when the terrifying day of God’s
wrath descends upon His people.

Praise be to Branch of the Lord:
In that day the Branch of the
Lord (Jehovah Tsemach) will
be beautiful and glorious, and
the fruit of the earth will be
the pride and adornment of the
survivors of Israel (Isaiah 4:2).
When the Lord has washed away
the filth of the daughters of Zion
and purged the blood of Jerusalem
from her midst… then… there will
be a tabernacle for shade in the
daytime from the heat, for a place
of refuge and for a shelter from
storm and rain (Isaiah 4:4-6).

Lord Jehovah Tsemach, thank You
for not leaving us alone to die
& remain in the stain of our sins.
Thank You Lord for bringing
Your holiness and purity to us.
May we adorn ourselves with
the beauty of Your name & rest
in the abundance of Your fruit.
And may You teach us to look
to You as we offer the fruit of our
lips in praise & thanksgiving. Amen

Holy Lord, please forgive me for
the uncleanlinness within me.
Look on me with compassion,
for You know that I am but dust.
My heart wanders quickly from
You after the things I desire, or
down paths of fear and anxiety.
Whatever it is, I have offended
You with my sin; and as a result
You have sent The Branch who
grants me purity in His name. Amen

Lord Tsemach, I praise You
for Your gracious forgiveness,
and redeeming me from the pit.
Keep me from that which causes
You pain and which ultimately
will cause me pain as well.
Stay close to watch over me and
Guide me Lord along the path of
wisdom & righteousness so that
I may feel Your pleasure in all I do.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

Lord God My Helper

Thank God for Being For Me
Praise permeates nearly every
line of Psalm 111-118. God is
praiseworthy for His care (P111),
His commandments (P112),
His name (P113), His power (P114)
His uniqueness (P115),
His Deliverance (P116), His truth
(P117) and His Mercy (P118).
What other response could there
be thankful to Praise the Lord.

Lord Almighty, You are For Me:
Give thanks to the Lord for He is
good & His Mercy endures forever.
In my distress I prayed to the
Lord and the Lord answered me
and rescued me. The Lord is
On My Side, I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do
to me? Yes, the Lord is For me;
He will help me (Ps 118:1, 5-7).
This is the day the Lord has made.
We’ll Rejoice & be glad in it (v24).

Father God, as Your child, Nothing
can separate me from Your love.
Thank You Lord for answering
and helping me in my distress.
Thank You Lord for the truth
that You are For me, for it is
assuring of Your concern for me.
Help me to resolve not to be afraid
because the Almighty Lord of the
universe is On My Side. Amen.

Lord, thank You for being For me
and You bring me through trouble.
You are my ally and my hero with
strong arm giving me confidence.
You are my Father and nothing
can separate me from Your love.
You are my impregnable fortress,
my unconquerable tower of safety.
You are my shield to protect me
from harm; and as I take refuge in
You, I don’t have to be afraid. Amen.

Lord, this is the day You have
made, a place of new beginning
for me. No matter what happens,
help me rejoice and be glad
in the day that You have made.
Help me to see Your goodness
and lift up my head and rejoice.
And help me to see my problem
as one more opportunity to
depend on You. In Jesus’ name.

Grasping Faithfulness of God

If God’s grace is freely provided
for both Jew and Gentile, then
several questions arise: Why has
God seemingly rejected His nation?
And why are so few Jews responding
to the gospel invitation? The key
lies in the history of God’s sovereign
selection – of Israel (not Ismael), of
Jacob (not Esau) for His purposes.
Israel’s present involves rejection
by God because of refusal to respond
to His invitation. But Israel’s future
holds the promise of consolation.
God’s rejection is neither complete
nor final, as Sen in the case of Paul.

In Romans 9-11 we see Apostle
Paul reviewing Israel’s history,
recalling the faithfulness of God
in the midst of unbelief and
bursting forth in praise & worship.
Likewise we review God’s faithfulness
towards us: where He meets needs,
provides safety, heals illnesses,
gives blessings. Having grasped
the faithfulness of God, in response
we duly entrust our future to Him.
Lord, we need Passion for the Lost;
for we want to Share the Gospel,
even as we Seek Your Ways.
For we know Lord as we seek to
further Your kingdom, all these
things will be added to us. Amen.

Lord, we need Passion for the Lost:
My heart is filled with bitter sorrow
and unending grief for my people,
my Jewish brothers and sisters.
I would be willing to be forever
cursed – cut off from Christ – if
that would saved them (Rom 9:2-3)
God, good standing with You does
not depend on my desire or effort
but entirely on Your mercy (v16).
Lord, You are God of justice & mercy.
We know that justice demands
punishment for we have violated
Your precepts and Your ways.
But Your mercy and Grace sent
Christ to the cross in our place and
took the punishment we deserve.
Lord, the passion of Paul for the
lost inspires us. Give us a measure
of Your passion and fill us with
Your desires. Drive us with Your
heartbeat & dream for Your people.

Lord, we will Share the Good News:
How can they call on Him to save
them unless they believe in Him?
And how can they believe in Him if
they have never Heard about Him?
And how can they hear about Him
unless someone tells them?
And how will anyone go and tell
them without being sent? How
beautiful are the feet of those
who bring good news!.. Yet Faith
Comes By Hearing & hearing from
the Word of God (Rom 10:14-17)
Lord, the fact that faith depends
on knowledge challenges and
reminds us to share the Good News
And the fact that faith comes
from hearing the Word of God
challenges us to spend regular time
to meditate on Your Word. Amen.

Lord, we will Seek Your Ways:
Oh how great are God’s riches
and wisdom and knowledge!
How impossible it is for us
to understand His decisions
and His ways! For who has
known the mind of the Lord?
For everything comes from Him
and exists by His power and is
intended for His glory(Rom11:33-36)
Lord, help us recognise and know
what You are doing in our lives.
Help us Lord to stop insisting that
we must understand everything
You are doing in our lives before
we are prepared to accept it.
Forgive us for foolishly & arrogantly
thinking we know better than You.
Grant us a renewed outlook of
Your rule in our lives; and help us
lean on Yr calling on our lives. Amen

New Life In the Spirit (April 10)

Backgrounder: Paul anticipates
the questions that will arise from
hearing gospel of grace. If God’s
grace is free, then am I free to sin?
If I am free from the law, then can
I ignore the ethical demands of
the law? Paul has no illusions that
becoming a Christian means the
end of your troubles. Rather it may
be only the beginning! But the life
-giving Spirit provides confidence,
and intercession for victorious
Christian living in the storms
and complexities of everyday life.

Lord, thank You that because You
have given us New Life, we can be
certain that sin’s power is broken.
Thank You that because You have
given us New Nature, we can see
ourselves as unresponsive to the
old power and alive to the new.
Thank You that because You have
given us New Freedom, we can
commit ourselves to obey Christ.
Help us Lord Freely Serve You;
help us Serve You in New Way;
help us Pray with Your Spirit. Amen.

Lord, we will Freely Serve You:
Reckon yourselves to be dead to
sin but alive to God…Now you are
free from sin, your old master,and
you have become slaves to your
new master, righteousness…
Now you are free from the power
of sin and have become slaves of
God. Now you do those things that
lead to holiness (Rom 6:11, 18, 22)
Lord, I am down at my feet again.
I ask that You be the master of
my heart, of my thoughts, of my
ambitions, of my time, of my life.
Thank You Lord for being such
a kind, gracious and merciful God.
It is in offering my life to You
that I find abundant life. And it
is by serving You that I find true
freedom & fulfilment in life Amen.

Lord, we will Serve You in New Way:
When we were controlled by our
old nature, sinful desires were
at work within us… But now we
have been released from the law,
for we died to it and are no longer
captive to its power. Now we can
serve God, not in the old way
of obeying the letter of the law,
but in the new way of living
in the Spirit (Romans 7:5-6).
Lord, thank You for not leaving us
on our own, with no power to change.
You Lord have lifted the burden of
creating change off our shoulders.
Empower us to say no to sinful
desires by the power of Your Spirit.
And impart to us a love for holiness.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, we will Pray with Your Spirit:
In the same way, the Spirit helps us
in our weakness. We do not know
what we ought to pray for, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us with
groans that words cannot express.
And he who searches our hearts
knows the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes
for the saints in accordance
with God’s will (Rom 8:26-27).
Lord, I don’t know how to pray
about certain things, but You do.
Help me Holy Spirit in my weakness
by interceding for me and thru me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide me and teach me especially
when I have exhausted all words.
Help me communicate to God my
deepest thoughts and feelings,
so that my prayers are pleading
to Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Knowing God thru His Names

The purpose of Psalms is to provide
poetry for the expression of praise,
worship and confession to God.
Psalms Book 5 is similar to Deut.
Just as Deuteronomy was concerned
with God and his Word, these
psalms are anthems of praise and
thanksgiving for God & His Word.
This week we understand God better
thru His revelation of names, mostly
related to His ability to meet needs.
On Monday, we learn from
Ps 109 about God of My Praise.
On Tuesday, we learn from
Ps 118 about Lord God My Helper.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Ps 136 about God of Enduring Love.
On Thursday, we learn from
Ps 140 about My Strong Deliverer.
On Friday, we learn from Ps 144
about God My Stronghold.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

God My Stronghold (April 9)

Backgrounder on Psalms 140-145:
Your enemies will either drive you
from God or drive you to God.
In David’s hour of need he found
a sure Refuge (Ps 140, Ps 142),
a trustworthy Friend (Ps 141),
a listening Ear (Ps 143),
A Strong Arm (Ps 144),
a merciful King (Ps 145);
and You Can Too !! Amen.

Lord, You bring us Thro Trouble:
Bless the Lord, who is my rock.
He Gives Me Strength… He is
my loving ally and my fortress,
my Stronghold, my deliverer.
He stands before me as a Shield,
& I Take Refuge in Him (Ps 144:1-2)
O Lord, what are mortals that You
should notice us, mere mortals
that You should care for us ?
For… our days are like a passing
shadow. Bend down the heavens,
Lord & Come Down (v3-5) Amen.

Father God, I am Your child!
Nothing can separate me from
Your love. You are my loving ally.
You are my hero with strong arm.
You are my impregnable fortress
and my unconquerable stronghold
of safety. And You Lord will shield
me when I take refuge in You.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord Jesus, we praise You for
Coming to earth so that we who
believe in You may know Your
forgiveness & experience Yr love.
You are Emmanuel God with us!
Altho as mere humans our days
are just like a passing shadow,
You Reached Down from high &
brought us out of darkness into
Your marvelous light. Amen.

Holy Spirit, I don’t know what is
going to happen in the next 24 hrs.
But I know that You will give me
the Strength I need to handle it
and deal with whatever challenge
I may face. I bless You Lord!
Give me Your peace as I look
to You for everything I need.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.