Hearing God In Mark 11 (Sep 13)

Pray In Faith Without Doubt

The final week of Jesus’ earthly life
occupies more space in the gospels
than any other stage of His ministry.
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem coincides
with the preparation for Passover.
Though events move quickly, Jesus
is not hurried. There is time to clean
out the temple, watch the widow
contributes her two mites and give
final instructions to the disciples.

Lord, we Pray In Faith & Not Doubt:
Jesus said: Have Faith In God.
For assuredly I say to you, whoever
says to this mountain: Be removed
and does Not Doubt in his heart,
But Believes that those things
he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. Therefore I say
to you, whatever things you ask
when you pray, Believe that you
receive them & you will have them.
And… if you have anything against
anyone, Forgive him, that your
Father in heaven may also forgive
you your trespasses (Mark 11:22-26)

Lord, I come to You with my need
and desire, asking You in faith and
claiming the promise in Mark 11:24.
Trust that the need is within Your
will; and implore You to reward
those who diligently seek You.
I know that in Your sovereignty,
You do things Your way & Your time.
But Father God, I plead for Your
mercy for it’s been such a long
time that I have been asking You.
So grant me Your favor and favour
of men as soon as possible. Amen.

Lord, I have faith in You, the
Almighty, all loving faithful God.
And I believe that You reward
those who diligently seek You.
Lord, I place this issue before
You in faith and without doubt
and seeking Your face and will.
Your Word says if I ask anything
according to Your will, you hear
me and I can have what I ask of U.
Into your hand I surrender. Amen.

Lord, I don’t want Your Presence to
be quenched due to unforgiveness.
I don’t want to inhabit Yr forgiveness
because I’ve not forgiven someone.
Instead I want to receive Yr blessing
because I have forgiven someone.
Reveal any place in my heart where
I have not yet forgiven someone.
And create in me a forgiving spirit
that sees others as You do. Amen.

Hearing God In Mark 8-10 (Sep 12)

Serve Selflessly & Humbly

As opposition to Jesus increases,
it is no longer safe to move openly
in Galilee. So Jesus traverses the
regions of Decapolis, Caesarea &
Perea, thereby avoiding the crowds
and deadly plots of religious leaders.
In the concluding days of His earthly
ministry,Jesus prepares His disciples
for the faithful journey to Jerusalem
that will mark the end of His life
and the beginning of their role
as bearers of the glad tidings.

Lord, we open to Serve & Follow U:
If any of you wants to be my follower,
you must turn from yr selfish ways,
take up the cross and follow me…
For what will it profit a man if he
gains the whole world, and loses
his own soul (Mark 8:34-35).
They had disputed among them-
selves who would be the greatest.
And (Jesus) said to the twelve:
If anyone wants to be the first must
take last place and be the servant
of everyone else (Mark 9:34-35).
Whoever wants to be a leader
among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be 1st among
you must be the slave of everyone
else. For even the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve others
and to give His life as a ransom
for many (Mark 10:42-45). Amen.

Lord, I aspire to follow You closely
and that means the need to let go
of being preoccupied with myself.
Grant me the humility to deny self
and the courage not be ashamed
of your gospel. Help me focus fully
on You and Your kingdom; and be
preoccupied with Your purposes.
And let me experience You to the
degree that I follow You. Amen.

Lord, society teaches me to grab
for all that I can. Yet You desire
more for me than a selfish existence.
Help me not to be inward focused
but rather to see a world bigger
than my own needs and ambitions.
Jesus, You are my perfect example
for You came to serve. And I look
to You for guidance on how I too can
serve those who are in need. Amen.

Lord, I often do want to be served
and to be first. I may even have
the tendency to use people and
even try to use You for advantage.
I purpose to turn from self-seeking
ways and aspire to want to live
a life for the good of others also.
Make me aware of choices between
serving myself and serving others.
Change me Lord and make me to
be a person who asks of You and
others, what can I do for you? Amen.

Lord, Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up
Those who are weak
And may the prayer
Of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant Today. Amen.

Hearing God In Mark 5 (Sep 11)

Believe, Receive & Testify 

Through both His words and works,
Christ proclaims His true identity
to the disciples and the multitudes.
At first even His companions are
perplexed by His power & authority,
wondering: What manner of man is
this, that even the wind and the sea
obey Him. But patiently – through
miracles of Exorcism, Healing and
even Raising the dead the Master
Servant convinces His followers of
the nature of His person & mission.

Lord, we will Place Faith In You:
When Jesus got to the boat, the man
who had been demon possessed
begged to go too. But Jesus said:
No, Go home to your friends and
Tell Them what wonderful things the
Lord has done for you (Mark 5:18-19)
Now a woman had a flow of blood
for 12 yrs. When she heard about
Jesus,she came from behind Him in
the crowd and touched His garment.
For she said: If Only I may touch
His clothes, I Shall be made well.
Immediately her blood was dried up.
…And Jesus said to her: Your Faith
has made you well (Mark 5:21-34).
While He was still speaking, some
came from the ruler of synagogue
said: Your daughter is dead. As
soon as Jesus heard the message,
He said to the ruler of synagogue:
Do Not Be Afraid, Only Believe.
Then He came to the house, took
the child and said: Little girl, I say
to you, arise. Immediately the girl
arose and walked (Mark 5:35-43)

Lord, I have benchmarks in my life
where I can see that U rescued me.
Sometimes I avoid those places
for they hold painful memories.
Let me see my past hurts as
opportunities to share so that
my story gives hope to someone.
For neither difficult situations nor
bad memories can silence how You
showed mercy & rescued me. Amen.

Lord, like the woman with issue
of blood, I have desperate needs
that only You can meet them.
Some people might be appalled at
my boldness but I am shamelessly
asking You to give me what I need.
For I know Your generous heart;
and I’m trusting in You, still waiting
on You and risking everything on it.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, the same power that raised
Jairus’ daughter from the dead
and raised Jesus from the dead
is available to us through the Spirit.
Just as U turned dry bones into alive
in times of Ezekiel 37, You can also
turn dead things to life these days.
So, Open the eyes of my heart to
believe the working of Your power.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ONoRZW73FUE

Hearing God In Mark 4 (Sep 10)

Trust God’s Word Wholeheartedly

Through both His words and works,
Christ proclaims His true identity
to the disciples and the multitudes.
At 1st even His closest companions
are perplexed by His power and
authority, wondering: What manner
of man is this, that even the wind
and the sea obey Him (4:41). But
patiently -through the miracles of
exorcism, healing and even raising
the dead the Master Servant works
to convince His followers of the
nature of His person and mission.

Lord, we’ll Wholly Trust Your Word:
Listen, a sower went out to sow…
The one sown among thorns; they
are the ones who hear the word
and the cares of this world, and
the desires for other things Choke
the word and it becomes unfruitful.
But the ones sown on good ground,
those who hear the word, Accept
It and bear fruit (Mark 4: 1-20).
Jesus said to his disciples: LET US
Cross to the east side… Suddenly
a storm struck the lake. Waves
started splashing into the boat
and it was about to sink. Jesus
was in the back of the boat asleep.
His disciples woke him and said:
Teacher don’t You care that we’re
about to drown? Jesus got up and
ordered the wind and waves to
be quiet. The wind stopped and
everything was calm. Jesus asked
his disciples: Why are u So Fearful?
How is it u have No Faith? (v35-40).

Lord, worldly worries and desire
for things can affect us, especially
when our routine is overcrowded.
And it’s easy for material pursuits
to deafen us to God’s Word. So,
Help us Lord to stay free so that
we can hear God when You speak.
Help us not to have divided heart
but instead be wholehearted to You.
And mould our hearts to see things
from Your perspective so that we
will be ready to produce fruit. Amen

Lord, help us to remember clearly
Your instructions like what You
told the disciples: “Let Us Cross.”
Remind us to Rely On Your Word
and Not Focus on situation we’re in.
Remind us Your Presence and
help us to say focussed on You.
Remind us no storm can take us
off course, for You can do all things
and Your plan cannot be thwarted.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, thank you for Mark gospel,
which captures two purposes of
Christ coming to earth: to minister
& give his life a random for many.
Grant us the grace to be like Jesus
in having a servant mindset. And
grant us the grace to Love God’s
Word, to Respond to God’s Word,
& to Accept & Trust Fully His Word.
Lord, we’ll Live By Your Word. Amen.

Hearing God In Mark 1 (Sep 9)

Seeking God’s Purpose & Will

Mark begins his gospel without
genealogy, birth narrative or any
prologue. He begins with the
ministry of John the Baptist, the
forerunner who would prepare
the way for Jesus’ ministry of
Servanthood. Mark’s emphasis
throughout is on Christ’s works
rather than His words, as befitting
a Servant. Numerous miracles
of healing and exorcism precede
the personal calls of five disciples
– Andrew, Peter, James, John
and Matthew – and His choosing
of the seven other disciples.

Lord, we aspire to Seek Your Will:
This messenger was John Baptist.
He was preaching that people
should be baptised to show that
they had turned from their sins
and turned to God (Mark 1:4).
Then Jesus said: Follow Me & I will
make you become fishers of men.
They immediately left their nets
and Followed Him (v17-18).
After sunset the whole town
gathered at the door and Jesus
healed many of various diseases.
He also drive out many demons.
Very early in the morning, while
it was still dark, Jesus went
off to a solitary place to Pray.
Simon and his companions went
to look for him and when they
found him they said: Everyone
is looking for you! Jesus replied:
Let Us Go to the next towns that
I May Preach there also (v32-38).

Lord, thank You for the ministry
You have entrusted to me.
Help me remember my key purpose
should be that Your gospel is
proclaimed and You are exalted.
In everything I do, make me
be a stepping stone instead of
a stumbling block so that others
may come to know You as
their Saviour and Lord. Amen.

Lord, I carry a lot of things
around with me – responsibilities,
attachments, and to-do lists.
You alone know all the issues. But
I hold them loosely as I come to You.
Grant me the willingness to be prepared to Let Go & Follow You.
And as You increase in importance,
let other things decrease. Amen.

Lord, we note You know exactly
what to do after a very successful
ministry time. Help us to follow
your example to seek the Father’s
Will and do it rather than rely
purely on common sense. For
I’m constantly thinking of things
I have to do. Help me set aside time
with You, help me focus and reward
my solitude with Yr company. Amen.

Lord Jesus, You did not come
as a conquering king but as a
Servant. May Your example cause
us be willing to serve God & others.
Lord, we note worthy examples
in Mark 1 to be God Seeking.
Grant us the grace like John the
Baptist to Seek solely Your Purpose.
Grant us the readiness and
willingness to Follow after You. And
Grant us the grace to learn from
You to Seek the Father’s Will. Amen

Praying thro 1 Chron 10-16 (Sep 8)

Doing God’s Work In God’s Way

The ark of covenant features
prominently in 1 Chronicles, being
mentioned more than 40 times. And
the events surrounding the journey
of the ark to Jerusalem taking three
months consume three full chapters.
The lesson is clear: The right action
must be done with the right motives
and carried out in the right way.
When the ark is at last installed
in Jerusalem, David leads the
people in national celebration.

David becomes king over all Israel
and captures the city of Jerusalem.
David given a green light from the
Lord to bring the ark to Jerusalem,
was leading a joyous procession.
Suddenly the merriment was cut
short by God’s displeasure. David
overlooked God’s clear Instructions
regarding how to transport the ark.
We’ll Do God’s Work in God’s Way. We’ll Inquire and Hear from You.
We’ll Praise You for all U have done.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we will take care Your Ways:
When they arrived at the threshing
floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled
& Uzzah put out his hand to steady
the Ark. Then the Lord’s anger
blazed out against Uzzah and he
struck him dead because he had
laid his hand on the Ark… So David
moved the Ark instead to the home
of Obed-edom & remained there…
for 3 mths and the Lord blessed him
& his entire household (1C13:9-14).
Lord, we realise the Ark was holy
because it was totally associated
with U God. Instead of being borne
reverently on the shoulders of the
priests, the Ark was bumped along
on an ox-cart and manhandled
and hence the judgment on Uzzah.
But great blessings come to those
who obey the Lord’s commands.
Remind us Lord not to treat God’s
holiness lightly. Guard our attitudes
against unguarded words & actions.
Help us that in everything we do or
say be done in name of Jesus, Amen.

Lord, we’ll Inquire & Hear from You:
The Philistines arrived in Rephaim
and raided it. So David ASKED God:
Should I… fight the Philistines?…
The Lord replied: Yes, go ahead.
I will give you the victory… But after
a while, the Philistines returned and
raided the valley again. And once
again David ASKED God what to do.
Do not attack them straight on,
God replied. Instead, circle around
behind them and attack them near
the balsam trees (1 Chron 14:9-14).
Lord, pray that I will always inquire
of You first before taking action.
Because I don’t want to mistakenly
think I have the answers when only
You have all the answers for my life.
I need to learn to seek Your wisdom
and not to run ahead of Your plan.
You’re the one who know everything:
Questions of what, how and when.
And teach me to ask You questions
that begin with: Should l…? Amen.

Lord, thanks for what U have done:
So they brought the ark of God
and set it in the midst of the
tabernacle that David had erected..
Then they offered burnt offerings
and peace offerings before God…
David first delivered this psalm:
Oh give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name; make known
His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him!…
Remember His marvellous works
which He has done (1Chr 16:1-12)
Let the heavens rejoice and
let the Earth be glad; and
let them say among the nations:
The Lord reigns (1 Chr 16:31).
Lord God, You are the one who
created me to enjoy You. I want
to live a more joyous life on a more
regular basis, for all the things that
You have done. Remind me that
You are in control of all the details
of my life; that everything is going
to be all right; and that I’m to praise
You in all things. In His name, Amen

Praying thro 1 Chron 1-9 (Sep 7)

Grafted Into God’s Plan & Purposes

Chronicles gives a priestly account
on the history of God’s people,
a sort of divine commentary on
the kingdom period. It carefully
weds the nation’s history with the
active hand of God in Israel’s affairs.
Chronicles centres on the southern
kingdom of Judah. First Chronicles
opens with a lengthy series of
genealogies tracing the line of
David all the way back to Adam.
The genealogies provide evidence
of God at work throughout history,
by selecting a people for Himself
and then protecting a family within
that people to provide leadership.

The long list of genealogies from
Adam to Abraham, Boaz to David
not only show us the historical basis
of our faith but also outworking of
God’s plan & purposes in the world.
As God’s promises are revealed
in the Bible, we can know God more
and trust Him to keep His Word.
Like Israel, we should aspire to
serve God and to worship Him.
Lord, Grateful to be In Your Family;
we Entrust to You Our Family; and
we Boldly Seek Your Blessing. Amen

Lord, grateful to be in Your Family:
The descendants of Adam were
Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel,
Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech
and Noah. The sons of Noah were
Shem, Ham & Japheth (1Chr 1:1-4).
Lord, You have drawn us to Yourself
by grace. You have made us Your
own by adoption as Your children.
You are at work in us, giving us
the family resemblance as You
transform us into Yr glorious image.
Give my family Lord a deep sense
of belonging and a deep sense of
gratitude for being brought into
Your family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, we Entrust You Our Family:
The descendants of Solomon
were Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa,
Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah,
Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham,
Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon
and Josiah (1 Chron 3:10-14).
Lord, we can see from the history
of Your people Israel that good
parents have had the great joy of
rearing children who have walked
in Your ways, as well as the great
sorrow of seeing their children
walk away from faith in You. Lord,
how we long for our families to love
You and live for You. Keep us from
despair and from pride. And keep
us trusting wholly in You. Amen.

Lord, we Boldly Seek Your Blessing:
Now Jabez was more honourable
than his brothers, and his mother
called his name Jabez, saying:
“Because I bore him in pain.” And
Jabez called on the God of Israel
saying: “Oh, that You would bless
me indeed & enlarge my territory,
that Your hand would be with me &
that You would keep me from evil,
that I may not cause pain!” So God
granted his request (1 Chron 4:9-10)
Lord, I thank You for all that You
have given me. I pray for Your
continued blessings, provision
and protection. I pray that Your
presence will always be with me
wherever I go and no matter
what happens. Thank You that
You are pleased to share Yourself
and Your kingdom with me. And
Enable me to give back to You by
helping and blessing others. Amen.

Preview On 1 Chronicles

Preview On 1 Chronicles (Sep 7)
Whilst the Bible is arranged by
types of writings, we meditate it
chronologically to get better flow:
Genesis on God’s Plan for creation;
Job on Sovereignty of God; and
Exodus, Leviticus, Num-Deut on
Deliverance, Holiness & Obedience.
Then Joshua on Obedient Faith,
Judges on God Restoring Repentant;
Ruth on Faithfulness/Redemption;
1 Sam on Rule of God in our heart
and 2 Sam on Consequences of sin.

Continuing, the books of 1 & 2 Chron
describe the same period of Jewish
history as 2 Samuel through 2 Kings,
but from a priestly perspective.
After tracing King David’s royal line
back to the beginning, 1 Chronicles
outlines the spiritual significance
of David’s righteous reign, showing
how the nation prospers when
its leaders honour and obey God.
The emphasis is on proper worship
of the one true God – a worship
that David’s life exemplifies.

We will cover 1 Chronicles over two
weekends in following four divisions:
1Chr 1-9: Genealogies of David
1Chr10-16:David Brings Ark to Jeru
1Chr17-21: God’s Covenant w David
1Chr22-29: David Arranges Temple
Let’s meditate through 1 Chronicles,
and be inspired that genuine worship
will be the center of our lives. Amen.

Hearing God In Matthew 25 (Sep 6)

Doing Christ’s Assignment For Us 

Herod’s temple captured the
attention of all who passed by.
Commenting on its splendour, the
disciples set the stage for Jesus’
Olivet Discourse. His followers
are urged to watchful expectation
coupled with faithful service; for
despite signs of coming, the return
of Christ will be unannounced.
His coming will bring judgment on
nations & rewards for His followers.

Lord, we’ll Do God’s Assignment:
The master replied: You wicked
and lazy servant!… you should
At Least have put my money
into the bank so I could have
some interest (Mt 25:26-27).
When the Son of Man comes,
He Will Separate the people…
Then the king will say to those
on his right: Take your Inheritance…
For I was sick & you looked after me,
I was in prison & u came to visit me..
Whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers and sisters,
you did it for me (Matt 25:31-40).
Go and make disciples… teaching
them to obey everything I have
commanded u (Mt 28:19-20). Amen

Lord, it’s easy to look at others and
think that I have Nothing to offer.
But You have blessed me with gifts
and talents that the world needs.
Help me to plant my talents and
look for opportunities to sow seeds
of kindness. Thank You for helping
those seeds to grow and flourish.
And thank You for reaping a good
harvest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, Your holy word has shown
us what Really Matters to You:
caring for the sick, visiting immates
and doing these things in Your name.
Help us feed daily on Your Word
and then go to live our life of faith.
Grant us the grace to do so for
it is the Spirit of Christ in us
that touches the disadvantaged
and that reveals the truth. Amen.

Lord, there is no doubt about
the task You had left for us to do.
We will rise up to Your challenge
to Share the good news and
Make Disciples for your kingdom.
Help us step out of comfort zone
to find people who need to know U.
Help us witness to the people You
hv placed in our sphere of influence.
Help us to be concerned for the lost
in attitudes, words and deeds. And
we expect great things from You as
we attempt great things for U. Amen

Hearing God In Matthew 18 (Sep 5)

Be Humble, Forgiving & Merciful

Matthew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in Mt 16-19.
Though Christ takes time to heal
an epileptic boy, pay His temple tax
and confront hostile Pharisees, His
primary concern is for His disciples,
who will continue the work He began
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables, all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we aspire Humility & Grace
The disciples asked Jesus:
Who then is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven? Jesus said:
Whoever takes the Lowly position of
this child is the greatest (Mt 18:1-4)
Then Peter asked: Lord, how many
times shall I forgive my brother when
he sins against me? Up to 7 times?
Jesus answered: I tell you, not seven
times, but 70 times seven (v21-22).
When king heard about it, he said to
the man whose debt he had forgiven:
Shouldn’t you Have Mercy on your
servant just as I had on you (v32-33)

Lord, You promise that those who
are humble will be the greatest
in Your kingdom. Help us to be
gentle & lowly in heart as You are.
Help us to be humble like a child
with a sincere and trusting heart
as well as depend wholly on You.
And I pray that my humble faith
and service to You will accomplish
great things for Your kingdom. Amen

Lord, You’ve forgiven me so many
times out of Your tender mercies.
Each time I falter, You lift me up &
put me in right standing with You.
So Lord, when I Owe Forgiveness,
remind me of the times You have
forgiven me. Help me be gracious
to each person who wrongs or
offends me. And help me walk
in Forgiveness daily because
daily You readily forgive me. Amen.

Lord, grateful for Your Mercy for
couldn’t have been saved otherwise.
For You saved us not because
of righteous things we had done
but totally because of Your Mercy.
And because You God Is Merciful,
we too really need to Be Merciful.
Help me extend mercy to others,
even when they don’t deserve it.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.