Backgrounder: Genesis 12-14
describe God’s call of Abram
to leave his home in Ur (near
the Persian Gulf) and travel to
a distant but unspecified new land.
Abram faces many distractions
along the way including the death
of his father and a severe famine.
But God is looking for a person
of faith who will trust Him
completely to keep His Promises.
For Abram those promises include
becoming a great nation and
experiencing great blessing in
the face of overwhelming odds. Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Nov 15)”
And Dear Lord,
This morning, there’s a collision
in Spore MRT Joo Koon station
following recent technical faults.
Instead of following the world
in complaining and criticising,
we as the children of the Holy,
all knowing and powerful God,
hereby pray that you grant the
management & maintenance
staff of SMRT the understanding
& wisdom to quickly & effectively
resolve the technical problems.
More importantly, understand
that there were 10 injured taken to
Ng Teng Fong hospital, two were
classified as “major emergencies”
which may include injuries such
as fractures, joint dislocation, and
severe back pain. The other eight
cases were classified as “minor
emergencies”, which range from
headaches, sprains to superficial
injuries with bleeding. And the
conditions of the other 15 people
taken to NUH are unclear.
Dear Lord, grant your speedy
healing even as you work thro the
hands of the medical personnel.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Backgrounder: Will Thomson
regularly went to New York City
to sell his secular songs he
had written. He made so much
money from his compositions
that newspapers called him
“the millionaire songwriter”.
But Thomson, a Christian, soon
began concentrating on hymn
writing and set up his own
firm for publishing hymnals.
Two million copies of his
gospel quartet books were sold.
Sometime around 1880, when
Thompson was 33 years old,
he wrote this invitational hymn:
Softly and 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, thank you for loving me
so much and desires that all man
would come to him; for it is He
who will truly give us REST from
our weary condition (Matt 11:28).
Jesus is never tired of waiting
and watching out for us, telling
us: Come home and find Peace.
The Lord has helped me so many
times in singing, “Softly and
Tenderly because I can always
come to His wonderful love and
recieve His abundant mercy.
And I pray that no matter what
my life holds, I can say at the end
softly & tenderly Jesus is calling.
Lord, I’ve loved this hymn since
teenager years, which always
brought me back to You after
sometimes Wandering around.
The Almighty God is so merciful
to receive us back as His children
it doesn’t matter what our sins
may be, He always wants us
back. And He is able to cleanse
us and make white as snow.
And when we walk back to Him
like the prodigal son, He runs
towards us with open arms and
takes us in. No matter how far
we go, He patiently and tenderly
tells us we’ve not gone too far
to come back home.
Lord, I had sung this precious
hymn to my dying eldest sister
even as she struggled in her final
days on earth. And she was well
comforted having known the
Lord and where she was going.
Her dearest wish was that one
of her daughters and her sibling
sister will one day come to know
the Lord like the rest of the family
And I can imagine her singing:
patiently and tenderly Jesus is
calling, Calling for you & for me.
Lord Jesus, you are so just
that You respect the personal
decision and wait. Meanwhile,
grant us the burden for Salvation
for our loved ones and friends for
Jesus is calling All to come home!
In Jesus’ name, 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?
Oh, for the wonderful love
He has promised,
Promised for you and for me!
Though we have sinned,
He has mercy and pardon,
Pardon for you and for me.
Backgrounder: 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 them now, my father
striding up and down humming
a bar or two, and Howard
playing it and jotting it down.
The two huddled together,
working line by line, bar by bar,
composing this hymn in tandem.
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.
Rowe reminds us of the
“redemption from sin by our
Saviour” in the first verse of this
hymn. The second verse shows
“the change in our walk as we
owe Him our song, our service,
our whole heart.” The last verse
is a “witness to the loss.”
Lord Jesus, Your Love Lifted Me:
Peter said: Lord, if it is 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
that 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? (Matt 14:28-31).
Lord, remember singing this
hymn in my late teens and young
adult years. And now as going
through challenges in life,
the hymnal song just rise
from the deep of my heart.
Only Yr love Lord gives unending
peace and reigns in our heart,
for You God remains in control,
even in the storms of life.
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 third verse –
Souls in danger look above
Jesus completely saves –
He your Savior wants to be;
Be saved today!
What hope and assurance!!
Love lifted me, Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me! Thank you Lord.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I was sinking deep in sin,
far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
sinking to rise no more,
But the Master of the sea,
heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me,
now safe am I.
Refrain
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!
All my heart to Him I give,
ever to Him I’ll cling
In His blessèd presence live,
ever His praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true,
merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too,
to Him belongs.
Souls in danger look above,
Jesus completely saves,
He will lift you by His love,
out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea,
billows His will obey,
He your Savior wants to be,
be saved today.
Backgrounder: 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
& 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).
Dear Father God, forgive us when
we seek after temporal things
to meet the deep yearnings of
our heart. Your eternal plan was
to send Jesus, Your Son, to give
us a life that is no longer empty
or imprisoned by sin’s chains.
Thank You for Jesus who came
that we might have abundant life
through His sacrificial death
on our behalf. Nothing on earth
and no person deserves our
allegiance more than our Savior.
Remind us to be always grateful
to Jesus for loving so sacrificially
and for saving us from our sin.
Lord, You have great things in
store for each of us if we would
just fix our eyes upon You. And
we are created in Christ Jesus
for good works which God has
prepared for each of us to live
a life of purpose and of destiny.
Grant us grace to find out & do
the heavenly things that You God
wants us to do while still on earth.
Help us Lord to have the attitude
of Apostle Paul who considers
everything rubbish, that he may
know and gain Christ. Grant us
resolve in each of us to truly say:
I’d rather have Jesus… for I’d
rather be true to His holy name.
Lord, we know this hymn is about
dedication and commitment for
to follow after Jesus is costly.
Grant each of us will always
be able to sing from our heart,
and truly mean it, the words of
the hymn: I’d Rather Have Jesus.
So help us God. Thank you for
hearing & answering our prayer.
Gratefully in Jesus’ name, Amen.
I’d rather have Jesus than
silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have
riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than
houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail
pierced hand.
Refrain:
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.
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.
Backgrounder: Karen Lafferty:
I was raised in a Christian home,
but like many young people
I wanted to discover life and did
some drifting. I was working as
a nightclub entertainer in New
Orleans when a friend visited me
& got me back on the right track.
After that I began to write Christian
songs. It was back in 1971. I had
quit my entertainment job and
was trying to support myself with
teaching guitar lessons to three
students! When my savings were
all gone and I had no money to
make my car payments, I became
very discouraged and confused.
One evening I went to a Bible study
and we talked about Matthew 6:33.
I was tremendously encouraged
and challenged by the words.
So I went home, wrote the tune,
recorded it on a tape recorder.
I taught the song at church the next
week and it caught on right away.
Lord, we’ll Seek Yr Kingdom First:
Therefore do not worry…For after
all these things the Gentiles seek.
For your Heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, and
all these things will be added
to you (Matthew 6:31-33).
Dear Lord, complete consecration
is not easy. While we love You, it’s
not easy to give up things of this
world when U call us to serve. So,
Help us to genuinely Seek first the
kingdom of God by Surrendering
all that is required to be yielded.
Help us seek You First that God is
the Priority of all things in our life.
Help us to Relinquish our selfish
worldly ambitions to You today.
Help us that we may give our all
to God and Live by Him always.
Help us to Commit daily to give
You our all & take U at Your Word.
Lord, U know & care for our needs.
And U desire your children to ASK.
Help us to Ask so that we be given,
Seek so that we we shall find,
Knock and the door be open to us.
Help us to start each day Seeking
God and You will direct our path
every step throughout the day.
Help us to have Faith that U will fulfill Your promises in our lives &
Help us Put You Above all else!!
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God,
And His righteousness,
And all these things, shall be
added onto you,
Alleu, alleuia.
Man shall not live by bread alone,
But by every word,
That proceeds from the
mouth of God
Alleu, Alleuia.
Ask and it shall be given unto you,
Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and the door shall be
opened onto you.
Alleu, Alleuia.
Backgrounder: Cecil Alexander
(1818-1895) was the wife of a
parish minister in an impoverished
rural area of Northern Ireland.
She loved the people. From
one house to another she went,
wrote one historian. She especially
loved children and most of her
hymns were written for them.
Jesus Calls Us was one of the
few hymns she wrote for adults,
and it illustrates her ability to
apply scripture devotionally.
She wrote the hymn at her
husband’s request to accompany
a sermon he was preaching about
the calling of Peter and Andrew
by Jesus on the shores of Galilee.
Lord, we purpose to Follow You:
One day as Jesus was walking
along the shore of the Sea of
Galilee, he saw two brothers –
Simon, also called Peter, and
Andrew – throwing a net into the
water, for they fished for a living.
Jesus called out to then: Come,
follow me, and I will show u how
to fish for people (Matt 4:18-19).
Lord, You call us to follow;
to turn away from our own
selfish interests, and to take up
our cross and follow after You.
Forgive us for being so quick to
question & so hesitant to follow.
Grant us the grace to trust You
even if the path is difficult to see,
or is heading in a direction we
would not choose for ourselves.
Help us to see with the eyes
of faith, rather than from our
own human point of view.
Teach us to follow without fear,
knowing that You are always
with us, leading the way.
Grant us grace to say “Yes”
when you come to us calling:
“follow me” or “love me more.”
Grant us grace to Give our hearts
to Thine obedience, so that we
Serve and love Thee best of all.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult
of our life’s wild, restless sea;
Day by day His sweet voice
soundeth,
Saying, “Christian, follow me.”
Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, “Christian, love me more.”
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares & pleasures,
Christian, love me more than these.
Jesus calls us– by Thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear Thy call;
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Serve and love Thee best of all.
