Adoring God In Mt 18 (Feb 12)

Christ Blesses Agreement in Prayer

Matthew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in M16-19.
Though Christ takes time to heal
an epileptic boy, pay His temple
tax and confront hostile Pharisees,
His key concern is for His disciples
to continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we will Agree in Prayer:
(Jesus said) Whatever You bind
on earth will be bound in heaven
and whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven (Mt 18:18).
Again I tell you that if two of you
agree here on earth about anything
you ask, my Father in heaven
will do it for you (Matt 18:19).
For where two or three gather
together as my followers, I am
there among them (Matt 18:20).

Father, I humbly approach You,
holding on the promise in Mt 18:18.
With reverence, I ask and seek
Your authority to bind and loose,
aligning my will with Yours.
May Your wisdom guide decisions,
and your love mend relationships.
I release healing, and restoration;
Break the chains of bondage,
and open doors of opportunity.
With unwavering faith, I declare
victory in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Lord, thank You for friends whose
fellowship can make life better.
Trusted friends can also offer us
wise counsel & sharpen our prayers.
Despite differences of views, help us
adopt attitude to seek agreement.
For You promise if we can agree,
You Will hear & answer our prayers
when we gather together in the
mighty name of Christ Jesus, Amen.

Lord, grateful that where two or
three come together in Your name,
You will be there with them.
The fact that God is found in union
and agreement show its efficacy.
God wants us to Agree in Prayer;
and You want to answer our prayer
so that we can be encouraged.
So we ask for a manifestation
of this promise through the
Prayer of Agreement. Amen.

Thought for the Week: Mt 10

Christ Empowers & Cares the Called Inspiring hymn “Freely, Freely”

The hymn “Freely Freely” was
written by Carol Owens and was
released in the States in 1970 as
part of the album “He Touched Me.”
The tagline “freely” comes to Carol
one morning from Matthew 10:8:
“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out devils:
freely ye have received, freely give.”
Other words from the refrain
paraphrase the key ideas of the
great commission: “Go in my
name, and because you believe,
others will know that I live.”
The first stanza focuses on being
“born again” (John 3:7); whilst
Stanza 2 which begins with
“All power is given in Jesus’ name,
in earth and heaven in Jesus’
name,” paraphrases Matthew 28:18.
The song emphasizes the liberating
power of God’s love & forgiveness.
And it urges believers to freely share
this love with others & experience
the joy and freedom it brings.

Lord, we will Freely Freely Give
and Trust Your Loving Care of us:
When He had called His twelve
disciples… He gave them power
over unclean spirits, to cast them
out and to heal all kind of sickness
and all kinds of diseases… As you
go, preach saying: the kingdom
of God is at hand. Heal the sick…
cast out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give (Mt 10:1, 7-8).
Don’t Worry about… What to say.
God will give you the Right words
at the right time… It is not you
who will be speaking: it will be the
Spirit…speaking thru you (v19-20).
Not even a sparrow can fall to
the ground without your Father
knowing it. And the very hairs
on your head are all numbered.
So Don’t Be Afraid; you are
more valuable to Him than a
whole flock of sparrows (v29-31).

Lord Jesus, empower us with the
Holy Spirit and send us to proclaim
the good news of Your Kingdom.
Fill us Lord with compassion
for the lost and give us boldness
to share Your love with others.
Spur us to freely give what we’ve
received, not seeking personal
gain or worldly recognition.
Grant us the authority to heal
the sick, speak forth words of
grace, direction & encouragement
so that people be drawn to You.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Lord, give me the Words to say,
not just in pressure situations
but in every relationship I have.
Enable my words be seasoned
with grace, truth and even power.
Use my mouth liberally as
You wish speaking through me.
And help me Lord make the
most of every opportunity for
Your purpose and glory. Amen.

Father, we come before you with
gratitude, knowing that You care
for us in every detail of our lives.
Thank You Lord for the assurance
that we as Your precious children,
are of really great value to You.
Help us to trust in Your sovereignty
and to find peace in knowing that
You are always watching over us.
Strengthen our faith and remove
any anxieties that weigh us down.
We lift our worries to You and place
our trust in Your loving care. Amen.

Reflection on Matt 8-18 (Feb 11)

Adoring God thru Thanks & Praise

The purpose of the gospel of Matthew is to prove that Jesus
is the Messiah, the eternal King.
Following ministry in Bethlehem
and Nazareth, the second segment
of Jesus ministry was in Galilee.
In Matthew 8-14, we see Jesus
demonstrating His power over
sickness, nature and spirit world
& sending apostles as ambassadors
of the kingdom. And in Matt 16-19,
we see the Messiah preaching to unveil Christ identity and priorities.

On Monday, we learn from Matt 8
that God Blesses those who Believe.
On Tuesday, we learn fr Matt 10 that
Christ Empowers & Cares the Called.
On Wed, we learn from Matt 11
that Jesus Is Tenderly Calling us.
On Thu, we learn from Matt 14 that Jesus’ Love Lifted and Saved us.
On Friday, we learn from Matt 16
that Christ urges us to Follow Him.
On Saturday, we learn from Mt 17
to Praise God of the Impossible.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Adore You:
For You are worthy of our Thanks
as You Bless, Care and Save us;
For You are worthy of our praise
being the God of the Impossible;
For Your partnership calling us
to follow & further His Kingdom.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Adoring God In Mt 17 (Feb 10)

Praise God of the Impossible

Mathew records many crucial
incidents from Jesus’ life in M16-19.
Though Christ takes time to heal
an epileptic boy, pay His temple
tax and confront hostile Pharisees,
His key concern is for His disciples
to continue the work He had begun.
Healings and discourses, miracles
and parables all focus on Jesus’
faithful followers to prepare them
for the difficult days just ahead.

Lord, we’ll Exercise Faith In You:
A man came to Him, kneeling…
and saying: Lord, have mercy on
my son, for he is an epileptic and
suffers severely… So I brought him
to Your disciples but they could
not cure him. Then Jesus said: O
faithless generation (Mt 17:14-17)
The disciples asked Jesus
privately: Why couldn’t we
cast out that boy’s demon?
So Jesus said to them: Because
of your unbelief; for assuredly
I say to you, if you Have Faith
as a mustard seed, you will say
to this mountain: Move from here
to there, and it will move; and
nothing will be impossible for you.
But this kind does not go except
by prayer and fasting (v19-21).

Lord, You promise that With Faith
In You Nothing Is Impossible.
Praise You for being the God
of the Impossible; for You are the
Almighty who moves mountains.
Help me Lord to realize that
my faith, even though small
and weak, can do great things.
For it’s not the amount of faith but
the Focus of the faith In You. Amen.

Lord, although circumstances
seem challenging, yet You
are the source of my strength.
Although my faith seems small,
yet when placed in the Creator’s
hands, it can produce a greater
harvest than I could ever imagine.
Lord, take my tiny seed of faith
and multiply it with Your strength.
Grateful for assurance that there’s
nothing impossible with You. Amen.

Lord, help me to pray in faith
trusting You to do the impossible.
For I am weak and helpless;
but You my strength shall be.
Guide me with Your gracious hand;
and there will my victory be.
For every time I pray,
I move the hand of God.
My prayer does the things
my hands cannot do.
For every time I pray,
the mountains are removed.
The paths are made straight,
and people turn to You. Amen.

Adoring God In Matthew 16

I’d Rather Have Jesus (Feb 9)

This poem written in 1922 by
Rhea Miller, was left on a piano
in the Shea home by Bev Shea
who wanted her son to find it
and change the course of his life.
The words, I’d rather have Jesus
moved George so much and
spoke to him about his aims in life.
He sat down at the piano and
began singing them with a tune
that seemed to fit the words.
George’s life direction did change
He was offered a popular music
career with NBC, but a few years
later chose to become associated
with evangelist Billy Graham and
sang this hymn around the world.

Lord Jesus, I rather have You:
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
‘If anyone would come after Me,
he must deny himself and
take up his cross and follow Me.
For whoever wants to save
his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for Me will find it.
What good will it be for a man
if he gains the whole world,
yet forfeits his soul? Or what
can a man give in exchange
for his soul? (Matt 16:24-26).

Father God, forgive us when we
seek after temporal things to meet
the deep yearnings of our heart.
Your plan was to send Your Son,
to give us a life that is not empty
or imprisoned by sin’s chains.
Lord Jesus, thanks for Yr sacrificial
death to save us from our sins.
Nothing on earth deserves our
allegiance more than our Saviour.
Holy Spirit, Remind us to be always
grateful to Jesus for His love. Amen

Lord, we are created in Christ for
good works which God prepared
for each of us to live purposefully.
Grant us grace to find out and do
the heavenly things that You God
wants us to do while still on earth.
Grant us the attitude of Apostle
Paul who considers everything
rubbish that he may know Christ.
And grant us resolve to truly say:
I’d rather have Jesus for I’d rather
be true to His holy name. Amen.

Lord, I know this hymn is about
dedication and commitment
for to follow after Jesus is costly.
Grant me Lord the fervent will
to be able to sing from my heart,
and truly mean it, the words of
the hymn: I’d Rather Have Jesus.
Grant me Lord the grace to obey
Your word for apart from You
I can really do nothing. Amen.

Lord, I’d rather have Jesus
than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful
to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus
than world-wide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today. Amen.

Adoring God In Matt 14 (Feb 8)

Jesus’ Love Lifted & Saved Me

The gospel song Love Lifted Me
was written in 1912 Connecticut.
James Rowe wrote the lyrics and
Howard Smith wrote the melody.
According to Rowe’s daughter:
I can see my father striding up and
down humming a bar or two, and
Howard playing it & jotting it down.
Rowe and Smith wrote the hymn
based on the passage Peter
walking on the water, becoming
afraid, and crying out to the Lord
to save him as he was sinking.                          The song celebrates the power
of God’s love, offering hope
and salvation to all who believe.
Its lyrics serve as a reminder that
no matter how far we have fallen,
God’s love has the power to lift
us up and restore us to wholeness.

Lord Jesus, Your Love Lifted Me:
Peter said: Lord,if it’s You, command
me to come to You on the water.
So He said: Come. And when Peter
came out of the boat and walked on
the water to go to Jesus. But when
he saw the wind was boisterous,
he was afraid and, beginning to
sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’
Immediately Jesus reached out
His hand and caught him. ‘You
of little faith,’ He said, ‘why did
you doubt? (Matthew 14:28-31).

Lord, remember singing this
hymn in my late teens and young
adult years. And when going
through the challenges in life,
the hymnal song returns to
rise from the deep of my heart.
Only Your love Lord gives lasting
peace and reigns in our heart.
For You God remains in control,
even in the storms of life. Amen.

Lord God commanded His love
towards us that while we were
still sinners Jesus died for us.
That’s the love that lifted us.
Love especially the final verse:
Souls in danger look above
Jesus completely saves –
What hope and assurance!!
Love lifted me, Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me! Thank U Lord. Amen

Lord, All my heart to You I give,
ever to You I’ll cling
In Your blessèd presence live,
ever Your praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true,
merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too,
to You belongs.
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me! Amen.

Adoring God in Matt 11 (Feb 7)

Softly & Tenderly Jesus Is Calling

Will Thomson regularly went to New
York City to sell the secular songs
he had written. He made so much
money from his compositions that
he was called millionaire songwriter.
But Thomson began to concentrate
on hymn writing and set up his
own firm for publishing hymnals.
And two million copies of his
gospel quartet books were sold.
Around 1880, when Thompson
was 33 years old, he wrote this
invitational hymn: Softly & Tenderly.

Lord, we will Come to You:
Then Jesus said: Come to me, all
of you who are weary & carry heavy
burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you. Let Me
teach you, because I am humble
and gentle at heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For My yoke
is easy to bear, and the burden
I give you is light (Matt 11:28-30).

Lord, this hymn prompt us to come
back to You after wandering around.
You are so merciful Lord to receive
us back as Your children. It doesn’t
matter what our sins may be, You
always wants us back. And You will
cleanse us & make us white as snow.
And when we walk back to You,
You will welcome us with open arms.
No matter how far we go, You
tenderly tell us we’ve not gone
too far to come back home. Amen.

Lord, thank You for loving us so
much and desires all man will come
to You; for it is You who will truly
give us Rest from our weariness.
Jesus is never tired of waiting
and watching out for us, telling
us: Come home and find Peace.
You Lord has led me many times
in singing, “Softly and Tenderly.”
For I can always come to You
and recieve Your abundant mercy.
And no matter what my life holds,
I can say Jesus is calling. Amen.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling for you and for me;
See, on the portals
He’s waiting and watching,
Watching for you and for me…
Refrain: Come home, come home,
You who are weary, come home;
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!!
Why should we tarry
when Jesus is pleading,
Pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger
and heed not His mercies,
Mercies for you and for me?

Adoring God in Matthew 10

Christ Empowers & Cares the Called
Inspiring hymn “Freely, Freely”

The hymn “Freely Freely” was
written by Carol Owens and was
released in the States in 1970 as
part of the album “He Touched Me.”
The tagline “freely” comes to Carol
one morning from Matthew 10:8:
“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out devils:
freely ye have received, freely give.”
Other words from the refrain
paraphrase the key ideas of the
great commission: “Go in my
name, and because you believe,
others will know that I live.”
The first stanza focuses on being
“born again” (John 3:7); whilst
Stanza 2 which begins with
“All power is given in Jesus’ name,
in earth and heaven in Jesus’
name,” paraphrases Matthew 28:18.
The song emphasizes the liberating
power of God’s love & forgiveness.
And it urges believers to freely share
this love with others & experience
the joy and freedom it brings.

Lord, we will Freely Freely Give
and Trust Your Loving Care of us:
When He had called His twelve
disciples… He gave them power
over unclean spirits, to cast them
out and to heal all kind of sickness
and all kinds of diseases… As you
go, preach saying: the kingdom
of God is at hand. Heal the sick…
cast out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give (Mt 10:1, 7-8).
Don’t Worry about… What to say.
God will give you the Right words
at the right time… It is not you
who will be speaking: it will be the
Spirit…speaking thru you (v19-20).
Not even a sparrow can fall to
the ground without your Father
knowing it. And the very hairs
on your head are all numbered.
So Don’t Be Afraid; you are
more valuable to Him than a
whole flock of sparrows (v29-31).

Lord Jesus, empower us with the
Holy Spirit and send us to proclaim
the good news of Your Kingdom.
Fill us Lord with compassion
for the lost and give us boldness
to share Your love with others.
Spur us to freely give what we’ve
received, not seeking personal
gain or worldly recognition.
Grant us the authority to heal
the sick, speak forth words of
grace, direction & encouragement
so that people be drawn to You.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Lord, give me the Words to say,
not just in pressure situations
but in every relationship I have.
Enable my words be seasoned
with grace, truth and even power.
Use my mouth liberally as
You wish speaking through me.
And help me Lord make the
most of every opportunity for
Your purpose and glory. Amen.

Father, we come before you with
gratitude, knowing that You care
for us in every detail of our lives.
Thank You Lord for the assurance
that we as Your precious children,
are of really great value to You.
Help us to trust in Your sovereignty
and to find peace in knowing that
You are always watching over us.
Strengthen our faith and remove
any anxieties that weigh us down.
We lift our worries to You and place
our trust in Your loving care. Amen.

Adoring God in Matthew 8

God Blesses those who Believe

Matthew shared ten miracles to
demonstrate Jesus’ power over
disease, nature and the spirit world.
Christ then bestows that same
power and authority on His chosen
apostles and sends them out
as ambassadors of the kingdom…
The uplifting song “Still” by Hillsong
was first released in 2002.
The lyrics of Still convey a message
of trust and reliance on God’s
unwavering power and love.
In a world filled with uncertainties
and chaos, this song reminds us
of the truth that God is in control
and He holds our lives in His hands.
The song emphasizes the need
to be still and rest in His presence,
despite the storms around us.

Lord, we’ll Be Still & Pray In Faith:
When He came down from the
mountain, a leper worshiped Him…
Lord if You’re willing, You can make
me clean. Then Jesus put out His
hand and touched him saying: I am
willing, be cleansed. And instantly
the leprosy disappeared (Mt 8:1-3)
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion came pleading: Lord my
servant is lying at home paralysed…
Jesus said: I will come & heal him.
The centurion answered: Only speak
a word & my servant will be healed…
Jesus said to those who followed:
I have not found such great faith
in Israel… Then Jesus said to the
centurion: Go your way; as you‘ve
believed, let it be done for u (v5-13)
Suddenly a terrible storm came up
with waves breaking into the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping. The
disciples wake Him up shouting:
Lord, save us! And Jesus
answered: Why are you afraid?
You have so little faith(Mt 8:23-26)

Lord, You are Creator & Almighty
and nothing is beyond You.
From the account of the healing
of the leper we know You are
also compassionate and willing.
Hear our cry to Heal our friends
and loved ones who are unwell.
Jehovah Rapha, our healer, You can
make them whole, touch their lives
so that they know You more deeply
& love You more than before. Amen.

Lord we realise from the centurion
 account that our Faith determines
our experience of Your power.
What we expect in our hearts
will largely determine what we
will get in our actual experience.
Help us Lord to expect You to make
Yourself more real to us each day;
and we wait with anticipation for
You to do so. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Lord, sometimes we forget that
                      You are in the boat with us and
                        You rule over storms in our lives.
          Increase our faith so that in the
midst of turbulence we will not
panic but trust You to care for us.
Enable us Lord to be able to rest
and Be Still, knowing You are God.
For Your presence is greater
than any stormy circumstance
                          we will face through life. Amen.

Lord Hide me now Under Your wings
Cover me Within Your mighty hand
When t oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father, You are King over the flood
I will be still, know You are God…
Find rest, my soul In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust
When t oceans rise & thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father, You are king over the flood
I will be still, know You’re God. Amen

Thought for the Week: Matthew 6

Father God Provides Our Needs
Inspiring song: Seek Ye First

“Seek Ye First” is a hymn written
by Karen Lafferty in the 1970s.
It is based on Matthew 6 about
how God takes care of the birds
of the air; and verse 33: Seek ye
first the kingdom of God and
His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto You.
Karen sang Seek Ye First into a tape
recorder, added “hallelujah” decant,
and in her words, “That was it.”
Seek Ye First was included on the
first Maranatha! Music praise album.
As a musicianary with YWAM, Karen
has received more than half of her
support from the publishing royalty
of “Seek Ye First” & the song opens
doors for her all over the world.
Karen says she feels privilege to
have written a tune that is so widely
used, but she carefully credits the
words to their true author: Jesus!

Lord, we Lift Up Our Needs to You:
Therefore I say to you, do not worry
about your life… Look at the birds of
the air, for they neither sow nor reap
nor gather into barns;yet yr heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not of
more value than they? (Mt 6:25-26).
Do not worry saying: What shall
we eat…or What shall we wear?
For the pagans run after these
things and Your Heavenly Father
Knows that You Need them (v27).
But Seek First the Kingdom of
God and His righteousness,
and all these things will be given
to you as well. Therefore Do Not
Worry about tomorrow (v31-34).

Father, You promise and advise us
Not To Worry about basic needs
for You Will Provide them to us.
Grateful I don’t have to be drained
by worry; but I can be consumed
with You Lord and Your kingdom;
for You will take care of my needs.
So, I choose to keep anxiety from
cluttering my heart and instead
purpose to be filled with You. Amen.

Father, You are All-Knowing and
therefore You Know all our needs.
Praise You for Knowing everything
about us and every detail of our
situation; for nothing surprises You.
For Your Word says You Know
our needs and Will Provide them.
And so we can live peacefully and
cheerfully each day when we keep
Your kingdom as key concern. Amen

Loving Father, Thanks for caring
for us, including being our Provider.
Lead me to regularly Seek You First,
trust Your gracious promise and
keep from worrying about the future.
Guide me into the right perspective
and not worry over issues beyond
my control. Help me Lord to see the
difference between needs & wants;
and transform my inner being. Amen