Month: June 2018

Praising God Releases Power

Backgrounder on Acts 16-18:
Paul’s second missionary journey
begins with a new companion
– Silas. The team soon doubles
in size as Timothy and Luke are
added. Initially given a warm
reception in Philippi, Paul & Silas
soon experience flogging and
imprisonment for disrupting the
profitable soothsaying business.
But God uses even this to bring
a jailer and his family to salvation.

Lord, we Claim Power of Praise:
Around midnight, Paul and Silas
were praying and Singing Hymns
to God, and the other prisoners
were listening. Suddenly, there was
a great earthquake…All the doors
flew open and the chains of every
prisoner fell off. The jailer woke up
to see the prison doors wide open.
He assumed the prisoners had
escaped, so he drew his sword
to kill himself. But Paul shouted:
Stop! Don’t kill yourself! we are
all here! (Acts 16:25-28). Amen
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Jun 21)”

Christ Acts When We Pray

Backgrounder on Acts 13-15:
Acts 13 marks the beginning
of Paul’s missionary career.
Returning to Antioch at the end
of their first missionary journey,
Paul and his travelling companion
Barnabas report to their home
church and seek to resolve
the issue of including Gentiles in
the previously all-Jewish church.

Lord,we seek Yr Purpose in Prayer:
As they ministered to the Lord
and fasted, the Holy Spirit said:
Now separate to Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which
I have called them. Then having
fasted and Prayed and laid hands,
they sent them away (Acts 13:2-3)
They came to Antioch and went
into the synagogue on Sabbath…
On the next Sabbath almost the
Whole City came together to hear
the word of God (v14, 44) Amen.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Jun 20)”

Christ Gives Us Power Source

Backgrounder on Acts 1-7:
With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is
soon opposed by adversaries. But
prompt discipline, wise leadership
and unflinching commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we’ll be Open to Holy Spirit:
On the day of Pentecost, seven
weeks after Jesus’ resurrection,
the believers were meeting in
one place… There was a sound
from heaven… And they were
Filled with the Holy Spirit (A2:1-4).
In the last days…I will Pour Out of
My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons
and daughters shall prophesy…
and whoever calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved (v17-21).
They Devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to Prayer…And the Lord added
to the church daily those who
were being saved (v42,47) Amen.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot of the Day (Jun 19)”

Christ Made Us His Witnesses

Backgrounder on Acts 1-7:
With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is
soon opposed by adversaries. But
prompt discipline, wise leadership
and unflinching commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we will Be Your Witnesses:
Jesus said: U Shall Receive Power
when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you Shall Be
Witnesses to Me… (Acts 1:8).
Jesus has been taken from you
into heaven, but someday He Will
Return in the same way you saw
Him go. Then they returned to
Jerusalem from Mount Olivet. And
they went up into the upper room
These all continued with One
Accord In Prayer (V11-14). Amen.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot of the Day (Jun 18)”

Walking By Faith in Trying Times
(Prayer Walk thro Rom 3-5)

Backgrounder: After painting
humanity’s sorry condition, Paul
turns to God’s merciful solution.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross
has paid sin’s penalty and satisfied
God’s righteous demand. To the
one who in faith accepts Jesus’
full payment, God stamps across
the debt of sin: “Paid in Full.”
That is justification. Its basis is
the work of Christ; its means is
the grace of God; its requirement
is faith in God and His promise.
Abraham and David are examples
showing how justification brings
peace & access,hope & forgiveness
to the one who has faith in God.

Lord, our sin points out our need
to be forgiven and be cleansed.
Although we don’t deserve it,
You God in Your kindness,
reached out to forgive us; by providing Christ for us to be saved.
Lord,in life there may be challenges
but we Believe in Your Promises;
we Allow Problems Shape us; &
we Rejoice in Yr Friendship. Amen
Continue reading “Praying Thro Romans (Jun 17)”

Heeding Sinfulness of Mankind
(Prayer Walk thro Rom 1-3)

Backgrounder: Paul begins his legal
brief by describing the helpless
condition of humanity. A rebellious
nature has led to rejection of the
Creator & worship of the creation.
God in turn has permitted the
sinful nature of human beings
to express the fullness of its
corruption and the whole human
race stands helpless before God.
Truly, all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God (R3:23).

Lord, we have a tendency to sin,
causing us to want to live our
own way rather than God’s way.
Whilst we cannot remove sin
by our own strength, thanks be
to God that Christ can save us!
Lord, help us Stand for the Gospel;
help us Praise & Thank U more &
help us Share Good News. Amen.
Continue reading “Praying Thro Romans (Jun 16)”

Preview on Romans

We have been Chronologically
covering the Bible phase by phase.
We start the Gospels, with Jesus
presented as the Servant in Mark,
the Perfect Son of Man in Luke,
Israel’s Messianic King in Matthew
and the Son of God in John gospel.
We have also covered Acts which
chronicles Growth of the Church.
Then Paul urges the Galatians to
live by Faith alone, Thessalonians
to Serve ahead of second coming,
and the Corinthians to live Rightly.

Next, we continue into Romans.
Although Paul had not founded
the church in Rome, he had heard
of their exemplary faith & service
and intended to visit them. Thus
the letter to the Romans served to
introduce both Paul & his message.
Writing from Corinth on his third
missionary journey, Paul sets forth
the Doctrines of the Christian
faith, life in the Spirit, unity in
the body and God’s redemptive
program for both Jew and Gentile.
Continue reading “Preview on Romans (Jun 16)”

Christ Intercedes For You

Backgrounder on John 13-17:
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before his death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus and
His men as He models true
humility (Jn 13), describes the
coming Holy Spirit (Jn 14-16)
and Intercedes for the Unity and
Protection of His disciples (Jn 17)

Lord, thank you for Covering Us:
I do not pray that You should take
them out of the world, but that You
should keep them from the evil one.
They are not of the world, just as
I am not of the world. Sanctify them
by Your truth… As You sent Me
into the world. I also have sent
them into the world (Jn 17:15-18).
My prayer is not for them alone.
I pray also for those who will
believe in me thro their message,
that all of them may be one…
that they also may be one in Us,
that the world may believe that
You sent me (Jn 17:20-21). Amen.
Continue reading “Prayer Thot of the Day (Jun 15)”

Christ Wants You to Be Fruitful

Backgrounder on John 13-17:
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before his death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus and
His men as He models true
humility (Jn 13), describes the
coming Holy Spirit (Jn 14-16)
and intercedes for the unity and
protection of His disciples (Jn 17)

Lord, we want to Be Fruitful:
I am the vine; u are the branches.
If You Remain in me and I in you,
you will Bear Much Fruit; apart
from me you can do nothing…
If you remain in me and My Words
Remain in u, ask whatever you wish
and it Will Be Given you (Jn 15:5-7)
This is my commandment that you
love one another as I have loved u…
You are my friends If You Do what
I command. I no longer call you
servants… Instead I have called
you friends, for everything that
I learned from my Father I have
made known to you (v12-15) Amen Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Jun 14)”

Christ Gives You Peace

Backgrounder on John 13-17:
The Upper Room Discourse
contains Jesus’ final words of
instruction and encouragement
to His disciples before his death.
Only John records these intimate
moments between Jesus and
His men as He models true
humility (Jn 13), describes the
coming Holy Spirit (Jn 14-16)
and intercedes for the unity and
protection of His disciples (Jn 17)

Lord, we’ll Hold On to Your Peace:
These things I have spoken to
you while being present with you.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send will
teach you all things; and bring to
your remembrance all things that
I said to you. Peace I leave with
you, and the peace I give isn’t
like the peace the world gives.
So don’t be troubled or afraid
(John 14:25-27). Amen. Continue reading “Prayer Thot for the Day (Jun 13)”