Month: November 2022

Prayer for Revelation & Power

The Ephesians had unlimited
spiritual wealth at their disposal,
yet they lived as spiritual paupers.
So Paul wrote to encourage
them to understand and claim
their heavenly resources. Only
then could they draw on them for
their earthly walk. And In Christ,
Christians are endowed with every
Spiritual Blessing as well as adoptn,
redemption, inheritance and power.

Lord, Enlighten Your Plans to us:
Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us… with every
spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3)
After I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love for…
the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention
of you in my prayers (v15-16). 
(I am) asking God… to give you
the spirit of wisdom & revelation
so that you might grow in your
Knowledge of God. (I pray also)
that the eyes of your heart may
Be Enlightened in order that you
may know the Hope to which He
has called you, the riches of His
glorious Inheritance… and His
incomparably great Power (v17-19)

Father God, all Praise and Thanks
to You for Your abundant blessings.
How easy it is to forget that You
are the source of every good thing
and that You Yourself are good.
Your goodness to me is not because
of any goodness on my part; but
because of Christ and Your grace.
Because of Christ, I have been
given every spiritual blessing I need.
When I feel empty and dry, remind
me that You stand ready to give
whatever that I may need. Amen.

Lord, I am awed to think that You
have provided a way to give us
good Spiritual Insight about the
character of God, the hope He has
given us and the dynamic power.
Lord I can’t perceive these things
with my own intellect for they are 
spiritual truths. So Holy Spirit,
open my eyes and flood my heart
to behold these truths. Amen.

Lord, I pray that the eyes of my
heart will Be Opened to see the
Hope to which You have called me.
Help me to understand my true
Inheritance; and enable me to
comprehend the magnitude of
Your power for I believe in You.
And I seek more of Your presence
and Your power so that I can see
them manifested in my life. Amen.

God Enables & Empowers Us

Paul opens his second epistle
to the Corinthians the same way
he began his first by establishing
his authority and documenting the
source of his revelation. He then
praises God for what He has done
for Timothy & him. In contrast to
the old covenant which condemned
the glorious new covenant sealed
in Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, You Will Enable Us:
You are an epistle of Christ…
written by the Spirit of God…
Such confidence we have through
Christ. Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves but our
sufficiency is fr God (2Cor 3:3-5).
Whenever someone turns to
the Lord, the veil is taken away…
So all of us who have had the veil
removed can see and reflect the
glory of the Lord. And the Lord…
makes us more and more like
Him as we are changed into
His glorious image (v16-18). 
This light & power that now shine
within us is held in our weak bodies
So everyone can see that our
glorious power is from God and
not our own. We are pressed on
every side by troubles but we are
not broken. We are perplexed but
we don’t give up and quit… God
never abandons us (2Cor 4:7-9).

Lord, I realise the areas which
I feel inadequate or struggle,
draw me to You. And that I am
able to accomplish what You ask
of me only through Your power.
Your Word shows You are my adequacy and my sufficiency.
Let my confidence always be in You
through Christ Jesus; and then
You will receive all praise. Amen.

Lord, thank you for loving me
enough to work in me. Make me
aware of Your presence and make
me cooperative with Your Spirit.
Give me unveiled encounters;
for I know there are no limits in
knowing You & be known by You.
I want to reflect more of Your glory; and although I may not see signs of change but pray others can. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for designing me
to be a clay jar with an amazing
treasure inside. Although the
circumstances may press me
down, You never abandon me.
May others see Your power and
light through my life. And may
You be glorified in my weakness in
this earthen vessel that I am.Amen.

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

The purpose of the book of 1Cor
is to teach believers how to live
for Christ in a corrupt society,
while that of 2Cor is to affirm Paul’s ministry and refute false teachers.
On Monday, we learn from 1Cor 2
that Spirit of God Gives Insights.
On Tuesday, we learn from 1Cor 10
that God Provides the Way Out.
On Wed, we learn from 1Cor 12/14
that Spirit Distributes Spiritual Gifts.
On Thursday, we learn from 2Cor 1
that God Comforts & Delivers Us.
On Friday, we learn from 2Cor 3/4
that God Enables & Empowers Us.
On Saturday, we learn from 2Cor 5
that God Guarantees & Boosts Calling.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God to
be Christ’s disciples who live rightly
and share the gospel for You help,
deliver, enable & empower us. Amen.

Spirit Guarantees & Boosts Calling

Paul opens his 2nd epistle to the
Corinthians by establishing his
authority & source of his revelation.
He then praises God for what
He has done. In contrast to the
old covenant which condemned,
the glorious new covenant sealed
by Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers effective in
calling people to repentance.

Lord, we are Your Ambassadors:
God… has given us the Spirit as a
deposit,guaranteeing what’s to come.
Therefore we are always confident…
We live by faith, not by sight…
We make it our point to please Him…
For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of God that each
one may receive… according to
what he has done (2Cor 5:5-10).
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ
he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold all things
have become new (2 Cor 5:17).
God… has given us the ministry of
reconciliation. God was reconciling
the world to Himself in Christ, not
counting people’s sins against them.
And He has committed to us the
message of reconciliation. We are
therefore Christ’s ambassadors,
as though God were making His
appeal through us (2Cor 5:18-20).

Lord Jesus, Thank You for being
a perfect and wise judge and You
reign over the affairs of this world.
God, what a sobering thought that
nothing is hidden from Your sight.
Forgive us for the times we have
acted foolishly & made poor choices.
Grant us the grace to walk faithfully
and to trust that You will restore
what the locusts had taken. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for giving me new
life – a rich life that will never end.
Thank You Lord because I am
in Christ, the old me is gone
and I am empowered not to sin.
For because of You Lord,
I have become a brand new
person; and I have the capacity
to change and grow into the image
of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Father God, through Christ You
forgive sins and bring sinners back
into relationship with Yourself.
Thank You Lord for drawing me to
Yourself and saving me eternally.
You have given the gospel to me
so that I might share it to others.
As Your appointed ambassadors,
make us Lord to be bolder and
more engaging to those who
don’t yet know You. In Jesus’ name.

God Enables & Empowers Us

Paul opens his second epistle
to the Corinthians the same way
he began his first by establishing
his authority and documenting the
source of his revelation. He then
praises God for what He has done
for Timothy & him. In contrast to
the old covenant which condemned
the glorious new covenant sealed
in Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, You Will Enable Us:
You are an epistle of Christ…
written by the Spirit of God…
Such confidence we have through
Christ. Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves but our
sufficiency is fr God (2Cor 3:3-5).
Whenever someone turns to
the Lord, the veil is taken away…
So all of us who have had the veil
removed can see and reflect the
glory of the Lord. And the Lord…
makes us more and more like
Him as we are changed into
His glorious image (v16-18). 
This light & power that now shine
within us is held in our weak bodies
So everyone can see that our
glorious power is from God and
not our own. We are pressed on
every side by troubles but we are
not broken. We are perplexed but
we don’t give up and quit… God
never abandons us (2Cor 4:7-9).

Lord, I realise the areas which
I feel inadequate or struggle,
draw me to You. And that I am
able to accomplish what You ask
of me only through Your power.
Your Word shows You are my adequacy and my sufficiency.
Let my confidence always be in You
through Christ Jesus; and then
You will receive all praise. Amen.

Lord, thank you for loving me
enough to work in me. Make me
aware of Your presence and make
me cooperative with Your Spirit.
Give me unveiled encounters;
for I know there are no limits in
knowing You & be known by You.
I want to reflect more of Your glory; and although I may not see signs of change but pray others can. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for designing me
to be a clay jar with an amazing
treasure inside. Although the
circumstances may press me
down, You never abandon me.
May others see Your power and
light through my life. And may
You be glorified in my weakness in
this earthen vessel that I am.Amen.

God Comforts & Delivers Us

Paul opens his second epistle
to the Corinthians the same way
he began his first by establishing
his authority and documenting the
source of his revelation. He then
praises God for what He has done
for Timothy & him. In contrast to
the old covenant which condemned
the glorious new covenant sealed
in Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, Your Promises are Yes & Amen:
All Praise to God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ… He comforts
us in all our troubles so that
we can comfort others. When
others are troubled, we will be able
to give them the same comfort
God has given us (2 Cor 1:3-4).
We should not trust in ourselves
but in God… who delivered us from
so great a death and… we trust
that He will still deliver us (v9-10).
As God is faithful, our word to
you was not Yes and No… For
all the promises of God In (Christ)
are Yes and in Him Amen (v18-20).

Lord, Thank You for the times
You have comforted me. I know
that You have comforted me so
that I can do the same for others.
This world is full of people who
are hurting. Make me sensitive
to those I meet who need Your
touch of comfort. Keep me an
open vessel through which Your
love and comfort can flow. Amen.

Lord, we realise that Your way of teaching us to rely on You God
more fully may mean that we will be
reduced to having only You to rely on.
And that’s terribly uncomfortable,
for most of us have been taught
since young to be more self-reliant.
But we still ask You to teach us
what it means to rely more fully
on You instead of ourselves. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for Your great
and precious promises! Thank You
for reminding us that Jesus is the
“Divine Yes”, the affirmation of all
Your promises. Help me to sense
and experience Your love behind
every promise even as I trust in You.
Help me Lord to pray with confidence
because I know that not one of Your
promises will ever fail. Amen & amen!

Spirit Distributes Spiritual Gifts

Paul’s letter so far has dealt with
problems of a personal nature.
But now he addresses public issues
in the Corinthian church: the veiling
of women, the importance of the
Lord’s Supper & the use of spiritual
gifts. Worship must be characterised
by propriety and orderliness. And
spiritual gifts must be exercised
in love, for the building up of the
whole body of Christ. Only then
is the church of God properly
worshipping the God of the church.

Lord, we desire Spiritual Gifts:
There are different kinds of gifts,
but the same Spirit distributes
them… for the Common Good.
To one is given the word of wisdom…
to another the word of knowledge…
to another faith… to another gifts
of healings… The same Spirit…
distributes to each individual
as He wills (1 Cor 12:4-11).
Pursue love & desire spiritual gifts,
especially that you may prophesy.
(For) one who prophesies is
helping others grow in the Lord,
encouraging & comforting them.
Ask God for those (gifts) that
will be of Real Help to the whole
church (1 Cor 14:1-3 & 12) Amen.

Lord, Your Word says that You give
Your people special gifts that they
can use to build Your kingdom.
Thank You for the different kinds
of gifts that the Spirit has given us.
Give me wisdom and discernment
and opportunities to use them
so as to help accomplish the
Lord’s will on earth. Amen.

Lord, Make me aware of the
creative ways You may speak.?
Open my mind to what on Your heart
& not limit on what to expect from You. 
Teach me to ask: What are You
saying Lord; rather than thinking:
Why is this thing happening?
Help me Lord to hear Your voice
in others; to see past their flaws and
to recognise what You are saying
through them. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, I ask You to give me
the spiritual gifts that You know
will be of Real Help to the church
and will fulfil Your purpose.
Thank You for creating me with
particular interests and talents.
Help me to see opportunities
to use them to serve others,
to fulfil Your destiny for my life
and glorify Your name. Amen.

God Provides Way Out

Backgrounder to 1 Cor 7-15:
The Corinthian Church had sent
Apostle Paul a list of questions
on marriage, morality, liberty,
worship and resurrection.
Building on Old Testament
quotations and Christ’s teaching,
Paul answered them in a way meant
to correct abuses in the church
and to show how important it is
that they live what they believe.

Lord, help us Resist Temptation:
We should not lust after evil things…
And do not become idolaters…
Nor let us commit sexual immorality..
nor complain as some of them
complain (1 Corinthians 10:6-10).
Therefore let him who thinks
he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken
you except what is common to
mankind. And God is faithful;
He will Not let u be Tempted
Beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
He will also Provide A Way Out
so that you can endure it (v12-13)
Therefore my beloved, flee
from idolatry. I speak as to the
wise; judge for yourselves (v14-15)

Lord, help us to be watchful of evil,
idolatry & immorality lurking around.
Whilst You God don’t promise
to protect us from temptations,
You promise Your help In Resisting
temptations when we face them.
Thank You Lord for Your promise
that No temptation will ever
be so strong that we can’t
stand up against it. Amen.

Lord, at times we may feel that
temptation is overpowering or
impossible to resist; but thank
You for Providing A Way Out.
Thank You for Holy Spirit to help
us recognise tempting situations
and show the way to escape.
Help us stay away from every
activity we know that is wrong.
Help us Lord to consciously
choose to do only what is right.
Help us O Lord for apart from
You we can do nothing. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for promising
that we can always escape the
temptation that comes our way.
We trust You O God to keep any
temptation from becoming so
strong that we have to give in to it.
Help us Lord to Resist temptation
or Flee from it as Joseph once did.
For although it’s not easy to escape
from temptation, it’s possible. Amen.

Spirit of God Gives Insights

Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to the believers at
Corinth to correct errors in their
public & private behaviour which
are detracting from their witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
And Paul set forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we Seek Your Insight:
I thank my God… that you were
enriched by Him in… all knowledge…
God, no eye has seen, no ear heard,
no mind has conceived what You
have prepared for those who love
You, but You have revealed it to us
by Your Spirit. The Spirit teaches
us all things, even the deep thing
of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 9-10).
What we have received is..the Spirit
who is from God, so that we may
understand what God has freely
given us. This is what we speak…
in words taught by the Spirit,
explaining Spiritual Realities
with Spirit-taught words (v12-13).
Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?
But we understand these things,
for we have the Mind of Christ (v16)

Lord, as I bring issues before You
and consider the circumstances,
I see evidence of Your leading.
As I consider my convictions and
as I think about the things people
are saying, I can sense Your voice.
As I meditate Scripture each day,
they lead me to see Your direction.
When I take all these together, I get
a sense of how You’re leading me.
Confirm Lord the inner impression
with Your Secrets and peace. Amen.

Lord, when we need insights and
direction or facing challenges,
we tend to seek worldly counsel.
But there is a more reliable and
excellent source of ultimate
knowledge, the Holy Spirit.
Thank You Father for giving us
the Holy Spirit who lives inside us.
O Spirit, do make clear spiritual
realities to me and enable me to
make the correct decision. Amen.

Lord, I want to see as U see to enable
me to act according to Your vision.
And I also need to know clearly
Your will for only then can I be
confident of doing the right thing.
Lord, it is really very challenging
trying to decipher Your sovereign will.
Plant Your thots within me & move me
as You desire; for Your Word says:
we have the mind of Christ. Amen.

Holy Spirit Helps the Weak

Paul anticipates questions arising
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. But the life
-giving Spirit provides confidence,
for victorious Christian living
in the storms of everyday life.

Lord, help us Pray with Your Spirit:
There is… no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus,
who walk according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of Life
In Christ has made me free from
the law of sin and death (Rom 8:1-2)
Those who are controlled by the
Holy Spirit think about things that
please the Spirit… (And) if the
Holy Spirit Controls your mind,
there’s life and peace (v5-6).
The Spirit Helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to
pray for, but the Spirit Intercedes
for… the saints in accordance with
the will of God. And we know that…
God Works for the Good of those
who love him, who have been called
according to His purpose (v26-28).

Lord Jesus, No Condemnation are
two of the most beautiful words.
Yet sometimes they are hard to
believe, hard to really take hold of.
For sometimes I may be quick
to blame others for the problem,
but deep down I condemn myself.
Help me Lord to live in the reality
of the freedom that comes from
Your grace and be at peace. Amen

Father God, let Your Spirit Control
my heart so that I experience peace.
Direct my thoughts even as I yield
my mind to You Lord each day.
Lead me Lord to think of things that
please You; and guard my mind from
anything that is contrary to Your ways.
Thank You Lord for setting me free
from sin & death through the power
of Your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness
by interceding for me and thro me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide & teach me Lord especially
when I have exhausted all words.
Help me to communicate to God
my deepest thoughts, feelings,
fears and doubts, so that my
prayers are pleasing to Him. Amen