Month: October 2023

God Provides Spiritual Weapons

Paul defended his ministry by
showing how individuals can be
reconciled to a loving God. And
he pleads with the Corinthian
church to be reconciled to him
as their spiritual father. In his
final words, Paul draws upon
his authority as an apostle to exhort
the rebellious to repent so that
his approaching visit can be a time
of rejoicing rather than rebuke.

Lord, we’ll use Yr mighty weapons:
We are humans but we don’t wage
 war with human plans & methods.
We use God’s mighty weapons,
not mere worldly weapons to
knock down the Devil’s strongholds.
 With these weapons we break
down every proud argument that
keeps people from knowing God.
With these weapons we conquer 
their rebellious ideas & teach them
to obey Christ (2Cor 10:3-6) Amen.

Lord, thanks for providing resources
including Word of God and Prayer
which are “God’s mighty weapons.”
And thank You that our arsenal are
more powerful than Satan’s & open
the way for God’s spirit to work.
 Help us use these spiritual weapons
 effectively as we trust in Your power. 
Remove the mountains in our lives &
 make the impossible possible. Amen

Lord, praise You for the power 
of Your Word. For it can penetrate
 hearts in ways no amount of
 human reasoning and philosophy
     can. Trust that Your Word will speak
 to the hearts of even the most
 atheistic people for You have 
promised that Your Word will
achieve its purpose of telling 
the world the truth. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for Your weapons
 of warfare, which are mighty and 
supernatural. Teach me to wield
 them as I stand against the enemy.
 Strengthen me even as I Intercede 
for others. Lord, I pray that You 
will demolish the devil’s dark
 strongholds and establish Your 
kingdom of truth and light. Amen.

God Made Us New Creation In Christ

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 guarantee… 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 (v18-20).

Father, Thank You for giving us
the Spirit as a guarantee, so that
we can always be confident.
Praise You for being wise judge and
reigning over affairs of this world.
God, what a sobering thought that
nothing is hidden from Your sight.
Grant us the grace to walk faithfully
and to do what’s pleasing to You.
And trust Lord 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.

Holy Spirit Empowers In Trials

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 bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, we will Tap to Your Power:
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).
And since we have the same
Spirit of Faith… we also believe
and therefore speak (2Cor 4:13).
Our present troubles won’t last very
long. Yet they produce for us an
immeasurably great glory that will
last forever! So we don’t look at
the troubles we can see right now;
rather we look forward to what we
have not yet seen. For the troubles
will soon be over; but the joys to
come will last forever (v17-18) 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

Lord, I recognise opposing forces
and troubles can press me down.
Restore my hope in You O Lord and
help me take my eyes away from
problems as I wait patiently on You.
Grant me the faith, courage and
perseverance to keep following
after You. I want to keep going Lord
to do Your will and have an eternal
impact on those around me. Amen

Lord, focus my eyes clearly on the
eternal, for that will put my present
troubles into a proper perspective.
Help me to see You as You are,
to perceive You with my spirit
and not just with my mind.
And help me Lord to realise that
You are in me and I am in You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Reflecting Spirit of the living God

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 bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, You Will Make Us Able:
You are our epistle… known and
read by all men… you are an epistle of Christ… written by the Spirit
of the living God (2Cor 3:2-3).
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 from God (v4-5).
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). Amen.

Lord, teach me the art of looking
to You instead of the problems.
Remind me anything of lasting value
in my life is because of You, not me.
I am Your living letter Lord and
power & success come from You.
Give me Lord eyes of faith so that
I might press on even when I feel the challenges are overwhelming. Amen.

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.
Thank You for Your Word for in it
I learn that You are my adequacy
and my sufficiency. May 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 as much of Your
glory as You will allow. Although
I may not always see signs of
change but pray others can. 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 Secure:
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 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 pray with confidence
because I trust that not one of Your
promises will fail. Amen & 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, let me 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
to decipher Your sovereign will.
Plant Your thots in me & move me
as You desire; for Your Word says:
we have the mind of Christ. Amen.

Trusting God thru His Promises

The purpose of this apostolic letter
by Paul is to identify problems in the Corinthian church, to offer solutions
and to teach the believers how to
live for Christ in a corrupt society.

On Monday, we learn from 1Cor 2
that Spirit of God Gives Insights.
On Tuesday, we learn from 1Cor 5/6
to Live Worthy of Passover Lamb.
On Wed, we learn from 1Cor 10
that God Provides the Way Out.
On Thursday, we learn from 1Cor 12
that God Promises Spiritual Gifts.
On Friday, we learn from 1Cor 13/14
that God Grants Love to Build us.
On Saturday, we learn from 1Cor 15
that Your Labour Is Not In Vain.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who trust You:
for You truly keep Your promises;
and You are loving Passover lamb;
for You give insights, provide the way out and grant love to build us;
for You promise spiritual gifts; and
also our labour will not be in vain.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Your Labour Is Not In Vain

False teachers had been confusing
the Corinthians by denying the
doctrine of physical resurrection.
Paul defends the Resurrection
as a historical fact confirmed
by more than 500 eyewitnesses.
The Resurrection provides hope
for the believer’s body and soul
as well as motivates believers to
abound in the work of the Lord.

Lord, thanks for Confident Hope:
For when the trumpet is blown,
those who have died will Be Raised
to Live Forever. And we who are
Living will also be transformed…
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
But thank God! He gives us Victory
over sin and death through our Lord
Jesus Christ (1Cor 15:52-57). (So)…
be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labour is Not In
Vain in the Lord (1Cor 15:58). Amen

Lord, in a world filled with gloomy
news, thank You that Your Word
holds Great Hope for the future.
Someday all believers of Christ
will be given new bodies. And
eternal life with God in heaven is far
better than what we encounter here.
Thank You we can be confident for
Your good plan for us and that You
are in control of everything. Amen.

Lord, the sting of death is not dying
but rather what happens after.
Thank You for eliminating possibility
of hell; but giving eternal bliss in
heaven for all who believe in Christ.
Because Jesus had paid for our sin
and rose from the dead, death has
No Power over us. In gratitude and
realising importance of the gospel,
help us be worthy witnesses. Amen.

Lord, we recognise that You
have given us talents and gifts.
They may not be something overt
like teaching and singing; but skills
like cooking or greeting people.
For all that matters is that we use
them for the Lord. God promises
that Nothing done for Him will
be useless. And You Will Honour
us for the faithful service. Amen.