Month: June 2023

God Favours the Ready

Seventy disciples are sent out to
heal the sick & say: The kingdom
of God is come nigh unto you.
Their enthusiastic return prompts
Jesus to rejoice in praise to God.
But confrontation is gathering.
Some attribute His miracles to
Satan rather than God. Others
clamour for more miraculous signs.
And Jesus denounces the religious
leaders for their hypocrisy and
warns the disciples to Be Watchful.

Lord, we’ll Be Ready for Yr Return:
My friends, do not be afraid… Are
not five sparrows sold for two
copper coins? And not one of
them is forgotten before God.
But the very hairs of your head
are numbered. Do not fear
therefore; you are of more value
than many sparrows (Lk 12:4-7)
Jesus said to His disciples: Don’t
Worry about your life… Who of
you by worrying can add a single
hour to his life? (Luke 12:22-25).
Be dressed for service and
well-prepared, as though you
were waiting for your master to
return from the wedding feast…
There will be Special Favour
for those who Are Ready and
waiting for His Return (v35-38).

Lord, in these disruptive days,
we have a tendency to fret & worry.
Help us not to worry over income,
job recognition & job description.
Help us to trust You our Father,
that You Lord God care for us,
that You know our needs and
that we are very valuable to You.
Help us be able to be carefree
in Your loving care. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, I pray You would help me to 
Stop Worrying and start spending
more time abiding in Your Presence.
For the time I waste by worrying
is better used to pray and to hear
Your voice speaking to my heart.
Lord, You are my source of strength,
hope, peace and rest. And I need
to be more connected with You and
not the things that worry me. Amen.

Lord, observed Your promise
of Special Favour for those who
are Prepared for Your return.
I desire to be faithful in Your eyes,
to please You in everything; and
purpose to be ready for Your return.
Living ready is much dependent
on giving ourselves in prayer.
Draw me Lord to be connected
with You regularly each day. Amen.

God Answers Persistent Prayers

Seventy disciples are sent out
two-by-two with instructions to
heal the sick & say: The kingdom
of God is come nigh unto you.
Their enthusiastic return prompts
Jesus to rejoice in praise to God.
But confrontation is gathering.
Some attribute His miracles to
Satan; others clamour for more
miracles and Pharisees attack His
seeming disregard for traditions.
Jesus responds by denouncing the
religious leaders for their hypocrisy
and warns disciples to be watchful.

Lord, we’ll Pray with Perseverence:
Which of you shall have a friend,
and go to him at midnight and say
to him: Friend lend me 3 loaves…
Because of the man’s persistence
he will get up and give him as
much as he needs (Luke 11:5-8).
So I say to you, ask and it will be
given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds and to him
who knocks it will be opened (9-10)
If you sinful people know how to
give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask him (v13). Amen.

Lord, Your parable on Persistence
implies the key to experiencing You
is to ask persistently and press thru
the negative voices in our minds.
So, we purpose to keep asking and
persist despite lack of clear results.
Help us have great faith that prayer
works so that we can experience
& know You in a deeper way. Amen

Lord, You tell us to be persistent
in prayer: to keep on asking, keep
on seeking and keep on knocking.
Help us Ask with simple faith, like
a child asking father: simply trusting.
Help us Seek with determined
faith, ever so open and observant.
Help us Knock with persistent faith,
   wanting to meet the face of God.
Even as we lift up our needs to You,
transform our hearts and let Your
desire becomes ours as well. Amen.

Holy Spirit, we really need Your
manifestation in need and ministry:
Your voice, Your touch & Your Power.
Fill us as we yield to You for more of
the nature of God, the overwhelming
sense of His love and of Your power.
Flow freely O Spirit freely to us, in us
and through us so that there will be fruitfulness & lives be transformed.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

God Gives Authority to Witness

Seventy disciples are sent out
two-by-two with instructions to
heal the sick & say: The kingdom
of God is come nigh unto you.
Their enthusiastic return prompts
Jesus to rejoice in praise to God.
But confrontation is gathering.
Some attribute His miracles to
Satan; others clamour for more
miracles and Pharisees attack His
seeming disregard for traditions.
Jesus responds by denouncing the
religious leaders for their hypocrisy
and warns disciples to be watchful.

Lord, we will be Your Witnesses:
Then Jesus said: The harvest
is so great but the workers are
so few. Pray to the Lord who
is in charge of the harvest, and
ask Him to send out more workers
for His fields. Go now (Lk 10:2-3).
Then the seventy returned with
joy saying: Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in Your name. And
He said: I give you Authority… over
all the power of the enemy & nothing
shall by any means hurt you (v17-19)
A priest… saw the man lying there,
he crossed to the other side of
the road and passed him by… Then
a Samaritan came and saw the man,
he felt compassion for him. Going
over to him, the Samaritan soothed
his wounds… and bandaged them…
Take care of this man. If his bill runs
higher I’ll pay you next time (v31-35)

Lord, raise up and send out
labourers to every people group.
           Raise up missionaries, teachers,
doctors and business people
to share the goodness of Christ
and to bring in a harvest of souls.
Help us Lord to see that the
harvest is right before our eyes.
Pour out Your Spirit to enable Your
people as the harvest waits. Amen

Lord, thank You that there is no
need to fear Satan; for You Jesus
had defeated him at the Cross and
blocked his power to induce guilt.
By rising from the dead, You Lord
broke Satan’s power over death.
We claim Your promise to protect
us and help defeat Satan in our life.
No matter what part of our life
we think Satan has power over, we
trust You God will defeat him. Amen

Lord, we affirm Your commandment
to love our neighbours; and we ask
for a heart of compassion realising
it is so easy to justify lack of love.
Help us be sensitive to Yr prompting
for our neighbour is anyone in need.
Help us Lord realise that to love
means acting to meet a need.
Help us be watchful of the needy &
respond to Your call to help. Amen.

Christ Cares for the Lost & Needy

Luke introduces the ministry of
Jesus with three preparatory events:
the ministry of His forerunner
John the Baptist, His baptism by
John and His temptation by Satan.
Rejection in His hometown of
Nazareth causes Jesus to shift
to Capernaum where He ministers
for two years. There Christ calls
12 men to be His companions. And
there by the shores of Galilee He
begins to prepare them for ministry
He will soon entrust to them.

Lord, You Care for the Lost & Needy:
Jesus said: Now go out where it is
deeper & let down your nets. Simon
answered: Master, we’ve worked
hard all night and haven’t caught
anything. But because you say so,
I will let down the nets. When they
had done so, they caught such
a large number of fish…Then
Jesus said to Simon: From now
on You will catch men (Lk 5:4-10)
Later… Jesus saw a tax collector
named Levi sitting at his tax
collector’s booth. Follow me and
be my disciple, Jesus said to him.
So Levi got up, left everything,
and followed Him (Luke 5:27-28).
Healthy people don’t need a doctor
– sick people do. I have come to
call sinners to turn from their sins,
not to spend my time with those
who think they are already good
enough (Luke 5:31-32). Amen.

Lord, let us learn from Simon Peter
where obedience to Your voice
opens our lives to Your miraculous
work and receive Your blessing.
Open our ears Lord to hear Your
voice in our current circumstance.
Help us learn from the prophet
Samuel and say with him: Speak
for Your servants are listening. Amen

Lord, sometimes when I look at
someone, all I can see is who he
is now & his need for huge change.
But Lord You are indeed sovereign
and Your call cannot be resisted.
Help us Lord to befriend sinners,
and give us heart of compassion
for those hurting and lost in sin,
so that we can reach out to them
effectively in time of opening. Amen

Lord, thank You for shedding light
to show us that we need You the
Great Physician to heal our wounds.
Thank You Lord for calling us to
repent and come to You and for
Your tender mercies in our lives.
Give us Your heart for those who
are hurting, sick & lost in sin, just
as Your heart reaches out to us
in our time of greatest need. Amen

Trust God of the Impossible

Dr Luke – physician, historian and
writer of the longest gospel account
clearly states his purpose for writing
in the opening verses of his book.
That thou might know the certainty
of those things thou has instructed
(1:4). He begins with the details
surrounding the miraculous birth
of two remarkable boys: John the
forerunner, and Jesus the Messiah.

Lord, we’ll Believe Your Word:
The angel said: Do Not be afraid,
Zacharias, for your prayer is heard;
your wife will bear you a son,
and you shall call his name John…
But behold you will be mute until
the day these things take place
because u did Not Believe my words
which will be fulfilled (Lk 1:13-20)
The angel said: Behold you will
conceive in your womb and bring
forth a Son and shall call His name
Jesus… For with God nothing
will be impossible. Then Mary
said: Let It Be to me According
To Your Word (Luke 1:31-38).
You are Blessed Because You
Believed what the Lord would do
what He said (Luke 1:45). Amen.

Lord, there may be difficulties in
our lives that have lingered for So
Long that they seems impossibilities.
But then when the Almighty God
is involved, nothing is impossible.
For nothing is too difficult for Him;
& He prefers to work in impossible
situations where His attributes and
power are most visibly displayed.
Lord, help us not be discouraged
by the Long unyielding situations.
Help us Lord to endure the long
periods requiring faith & patience.
Help us to Wait and believe for
nothing is impossible with U. Amen.

Lord, even when things does
not make sense, remind me that
Your Word is the ultimate truth.
Even when my faith is weak
and hidden, Your promises can
bring it to pass out of hiding.
I embrace Your promises, though they may seem impossible because
You are the God who can create
new things out of nothing. Amen.

Lord, help me not to focus on the
problem & be afraid like Zacharias;
but instead learn to take courage
like Mary focusing solely on You.
I embrace Lord Your promises like
Mary, and rest the weight of my
circumstance on Your sure word.
For after all You are the God of
the impossible and I rest in You.
And Lord I look forward to receive
the blessing through Believing You
and be Complete in You. Amen.

Trusting God Through His Promises

Over the last six months, we have
been meditating on the theme:
Trusting God thru His Promises.
We know the importance of prayer
in our lives; and there are so much
to pray about for ourselves and
for others: dreams, hopes & plans.
But often we are held up by doubts:
Does God care about our requests?
How valuable then it is to pray back
to God the very promises found
in His Word. When we speak God’s
very words back to Him, we no
longer wonder if this is something
God cares about, for He brought
it up in the very first place.

Lord, each time when You reveal
something of Your nature, You are
promising us that You will be true
to that nature in any circumstance.
We know by promising and then
performing what U promised, You’ll
awaken in us expectation & desire
and find outlets in prayer of faith.
Praise You that Your promises are
rock solid; and that Your very nature
and character stand behind them.
Grant us faith not only to merely
believe Your Word but also to act
on it. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

We are meditating through the Bible,
which is organised by genres:
Laws, History, Poetry and Prophets…
Before we continue into Prophets,
for variety sake we will have the
third Gospel interlude in Luke.
But here’s the key thots over the last
11 weeks from five books of Poetry
which encourage us as we see God’s
promises being fulfilled in its time.
Apr 16: God Promises Good (Job 23)
Apr 23: God Hears Our Call (Ps 4)
Apr 30: God Delivers Seekers(Ps 34)
May 7: God Is Our Refuge (Ps 46)
M14:God Delivers & Saves Us(Ps 71)
M21:God Will Come & Save U(Ps 81)
M28: God Blesses His Pple (Ps103)
Jun4: God Helps His People (Ps 121)
J11: God Cares for His Pple (Ps 139)
J18: The Lord Direct Our Plan (Pr 16)
J25: God Enables Your Life (Ecc 12)
Navigation: Click PrayerThots.com
Scroll to Calendar, Select mth & day.

Fear God & Make the Most of Life

Thus far the preacher has been
concentrating mainly on problems
of life without seeking explanation.
But the deeper he probes life’s
patterns and perplexities, the more
conclusive becomes the evidence
that points him to the solution:
and that is Fear God. When wisdom
turns to vanity, fear God (Eccl 7:18).
When God’s ways seem uncertain,
fear God (8:12-13). When all is
said and done, fear God (12:13),
for this is the whole duty of man.

Lord, we’ll Make the Most of Life:
Whatever your hand finds to do,
do it with Your might; for
there is no work in the grave…
The race is not to the swift
nor the battle to the strong…
but time and chance happens
to them all (Ecclesiastes 9:10-11).
Let us hear the conclusion of
the whole matter: Fear God
and keep His commandments,
for this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work
into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good
or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

Lord, I realise that the race of
faith is not a short sprint but rather
a long race that requires endurance.
And Ecclesiastes 9:11 wisely points
out the race is not to the swift, nor
the battle to the strong. So Lord,
help me to press on and lay aside
every weight to finish well the race.
And grant me strength so that I can
run the race with endurance. Amen.

Lord, we don’t want to learn all
kinds of principles for living well
so that we can appear to be moral
and successful on the world’s terms, but fail to see our need for You.
For we purpose that we will
above all things Fear You Lord,
keep Your commands, share the
gospel and live in the light of it.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.

Lord, Thank You for Ecclesiastes
that gives advice on living a full life.
For we want to ensure all we have
worked for hasn’t been a mistake.
Solomon’s conclusion is that every
-one’s duty is to Fear & obey God.
For one day we’ve to give account
of how we had lived; and we can’t
give excuses to justify our failures.
Grant us grace Lord to keep Your
values and priorities in line and keep
God first place in our lives. Amen.

Trusting God thru His Promises

The purpose of Ecclesiastes is
to spare future generations the
bitterness of learning through
their own experience that life
is meaningless apart from God;
while that of Song of Songs is to
tell of the love between a couple,
to affirm the sanctity of marriage &
picture God’s love for His people.
On Monday, we learn from Eccl 3
that God’s Timing is Best.
On Tuesday, we learn from Eccl 4
that God Is the Best Companion.
On Wed, we learn from Eccl 5 to
Thank God for Work & Retirement.
On Thu, we learn from Eccl 9/12
to Fear God & Make the Most of Life.
On Friday, we learn from SoS 1-4
that God Fosters Love in us.
On Sat, we learn from Song 5-8
that God Models His Faithfulness.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who trust You:
for You are the best companion
and Your timing is the best for us;
for You provide work & retirement,
and model love and faithfulness;
for You truly keep Your promises.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray…

God Models His Faithfulness

Song of Songs is a wedding song
honouring marriage. For it tells
of the love between a bridegroom
and his bride to affirm the sanctity
of marriage; as well as to picture
God’s faithful love for His people. 
God created sex and intimacy, and
it’s good within bounds of marriage.
A husband and wife honor God
when they love & enjoy each other.

Father, Thanks for Your gift of love
thro Christ & for sending the love
of our life. You are a faithful God
and You want us to Be Faithful.
Help us Lord to Be Passionate;
Help us Lord to Be Appreciative;
Help us Lord to Be Devoted. And
Help us in so doing, reflect the love
that comes from You God. Amen.

Lord, help us to Be Passionate:
Shulamite: I slept but my heart was
awake. Listen! My lover is knocking:
Open to me, my sister, my darling…
My lover thrust his hand through
the latch-opening; my heart
began to pound for him. I arose
to open for my lover (Song 5:2-5).
Lord, we are people with passions,
and deep desires. Whatever can
stoke our fires gets our attention. Lead us like beloved whose heart
is awake to the calling of her lover.
For when our hearts are awake, we
are tune to whispers & suggestions.
Stir our passion Lord for You;
Deepen our desire for Your voice;
and awaken our heart to every
Word from Your mouth. Amen.

Lord, help us to Be Appreciative:
Shulamite: I am my beloved’s
And my beloved is mine…
Beloved: O my love, you are…
beautiful… (and) lovely… Turn
your eyes sway from me, for they
have overcome me (Song 6:3-5)
Father, help me to see the best in
others especially my spouse; and
to compare myself only to Jesus.
Everyone needs to feel appreciated
now & then. And giving compliments
is something that I am not good at.
Help me show appreciation by giving
compliments especially to spouse.
And I purpose to tell others what
the Lord has done in my life in order
to renew my love for Him. Amen.

Lord, help us to Be Devoted:
Shulamite: I am my lover’s, the one
he desires. Come my love, let us
go out into the fields and spend
the night among the windflowers.
Let us get up early and go out
to the vineyards. And there I will
give you my love (Song 7:10-13).
Shulamite: Love flashes like fire,
the brightest kind of flame. Many
waters cannot quench love; neither
can rivers drown it (Song 8:5-7).
Lord, as a marriage matures, grant
us greater freedom on who takes
the initiative to boost relationship.
Help us be devoted to our spouse
and let passionate love continues
in order to cement commitment.
And in so doing, reflect the perfect
love that comes from U God. Amen.

God Fosters Love In Us (June 23)

Song of Songs is a wedding song
honouring marriage. The most
explicit statements on sex in the
Bible can be found in this book.
And so it has been often criticised
because of its sensuous language.
The purity and sacredness of love
represented here are greatly needed
in our day where distorted attitudes
about love and marriage abound.
God created sex and intimacy, and
they are holy & good when enjoyed
within the bounds of marriage.
A husband and wife honor God
when they love & enjoy each other.

Lord, thanks for Your gift of love
and a delight for all our senses.
Help us to Please Each Other. 
Help us to Affirm Each Other.
Help us Be Devoted to Each Other.
And in so doing, reflect the perfect
love that comes from You God.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, help us Please Each Other:
Shulamite: Kiss me again & again
for your love is sweeter than wine…
The king is lying on his couch,
enchanted by the fragrance of my
perfume. My lover is like a sachet
of myrrh lying between my breasts.
Young Man: How beautiful you
are my beloved… Young Woman:
What a lively sight you are my love.
My beloved is mine and I am
his (Song 1:1, 12-16 & 2:16).
Lord, You created love as a gift
to us & a delight for all our senses.
Help us to seek to please each
other and encourage by expressing
the beauty of our spouse. Amen.

Lord, we Commit Each Other:
Shulamite: One night as I lay in bed,
I yearned deeply for my lover, but
he did not come. So I said to myself:
I will get up now and roam the city,
searching for him in all the streets…
But my search was in vain…
A little while later I found him.
I didn’t let him go until I had brought
him to my childhood home, into
my mother’s bedroom, where
I had been conceived (Sol 3:1-4).
Lord, we are challenged by the
passion of the Shulamite woman
who went to great length to search
for her love and to hold on to him.
Pray for Christian married couples
that God will protect their vows
to each other. Pray that Christian
marriages with God’s help can be
strong & characterised by passion.
For You want marriage to stand
for commitment, communion,
faithfulness and permanency. Amen.

Lord, Help us Affirm Each Other: 
You are all fair, my love,
And there is no spot in you…
You have ravished my heart…
A garden enclosed is my sister,
my spouse… You are a garden
fountain, a well of flowing water
streaming down (Song 4:7-15).
Lord, help us communicate love
and express admiration in words
and action that enhance marriage.
Fill me afresh with Your Spirit
so that when I am with anyone,
they will sense Your presence. And 
Make me like a well of Refreshing 
water flowing out to others. Amen.