Month: May 2020

According to Thy Gracious Word

As a London newspaper editor,
James Montgomery (1771-1854)
remembered the poor and down-
trodden. He worked hard for the
abolition of slavery & imprisoned
twice for His strong editorials.
It would have been easy for this
journalist to get caught up in the
vital issues of the day and not to
forget the vital issues of eternity.
But Montgomery resolved that
he would never become too busy
to remember what Jesus had
done for him on the cross.

Lord, we will Remember Thee:
When the hour had come, (Jesus)
sat down and the twelve apostles
with Him. Then He said to them:
With fervent desire I have desired
to eat this Passover with you before
I suffer… Then He took the cup and
gave thanks and said: Take this
and divide it among yourselves…
And He took bread, gave thanks
and broke it and gave it to them,
saying: This is My body which
is given for you; do this in
remembrance of Me. Likewise
He also took the cup after supper,
saying: This cup is the new
covenant in My blood, which is
shed for you (Luke 22:14-20).

Lord, You have done so much for me;
and yet I often think I have nothing
to offer You. The thought that You
Long for my friendship is almost
overwhelming for You have given
so much and I have given so little.
So, I love to be in Your presence.
And I rejoice that You want to
be with me. Help me to devote
a portion of each day to commune
with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, there are many earthly
concerns that press into our lives;
some affecting only ourselves or
our families; while others are of
national or international importance;
yet some affecting both, like the
current Covid pandemic crisis.
Whatever it is earthly concerns
can become so important that
they overshadow eternal issues.
Help us Lord to be like Montgomery
resolve never to forget You. Amen.

Lord, According to Thy gracious
word, In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee…
Thy body broken for my sake,
My bread from heaven shall be;
Thy testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee…
Remember Thee and all Thy pains,
And all Thy love to me… When
Thou shall In Thy kingdom come,
Then Lord, remember me! Amen.

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

The lyrics are based on the last
words of Nokseng, a tribesman
from Assam India, who decided to
follow Christ in mid 19th century.
Called to renounce his faith by the
village chief, the convert declared,
“I have decided to follow Jesus.”
His two children were killed and
in response to threats to his wife,
he continued, “Though none go
with me, still I will follow.” His wife
was killed, and he was executed
while singing:’The cross before
me, the world behind me.’ This
display of faith is reported to
have led to the conversion of
the chief and others in the village.
The formation of these words into
a hymn is attributed to the Indian
missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh.

Lord, we purpose to Follow You:
Now it happened as they journeyed
on the road that someone said
to Him: Lord, I will follow You
wherever You go. And Jesus said:
Foxes have holes and the birds
of the air have nests, but the
Son of Man has nowhere to lay
His head. Then He said to another:
Follow me… And another said:
Lord, I will follow You, but let me
first go and bid farewell who are at
my house. But Jesus said to him:
No one having put his hand to the
plow, and looking back is fit for
the kingdom of God (Lk 9:57-62).

Lord Jesus, we know there is a high
price for discipleship, for You said:
The Son of Man has no place
to lay his head; but you go and
proclaim the kingdom of God.’
Furthermore, discipleship requires
Single-mindedness for You said:
No one who puts his hand to the
plow and looks back is fit for service
in the kingdom of God. Grant us the
grace and the strength to say Amen.

Lord, forgive me when I have put
my own priorities in front of Yours.
I may have treated You more like
a servant or an equal rather than
my Master and Sovereign Lord.
Forgive me and help me to answer
Your call and make no excuses.
And though my track record of
doing that maybe rather spotty,
I ask for your help & strength to be
a disciple You can count on. Amen.

Lord, considering Your loving
kindness and sacrificial love,
help me to truly say and sing:
The world behind me, the
cross before me; though none
go with me, still I will follow.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
for I have decided to follow You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

I have decided to follow Jesus (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
The world behind me,
the cross before me (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
Though none go with me,
still I will follow (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
Will u decide now to follow Jesus(x3)
No turning back, no turning back…

Cross-Crowded Ways of Life

Frank Mason North was born in
New York City and had served there
as a pastor. In 1903 he was officer
of both the New York City Mission &
the National City Evangelical Mission.
North realised that the city was a
great mission field. And He decided
to write about the city as he saw it,
about the “haunts of wretchedness”.
North’s stirring words were published
first by Methodist City Missionary
Society and later appeared in the
Methodist hymnal. Let’s listen to this
challenge to bring Christ’s loving
presence to the streets of our cities.

Lord, we’ll be Your hands & legs:
The the King will say to (them):
Come, you who are blessed by
My Father, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from the creation
of the world. For I was hungry and
You fed me. I was thirsty and you
gave me a drink. I was a stranger
and you invited me into your home.
I was sick and you cared for me.
I was in prison and you visited me…
And the King will answer and say
to them: Assuredly I say to you,
inasmuch as You did it to one of
the least of these My brethren,
You did it to Me (Matt 25:34-40).

Lord, I am open and willing to
join You in what You are doing to
rescue those who are perishing,
to feed those who are hungry
and thirsty with Your Bread of
Life and Living Water. Forgive me
when I don’t listen and instead
persist to pursue my own agenda.
Help me to hear and obey when
You call on me. Empower me to be
Your hands and Your feet. Amen.

Lord Jesus, I have heard Your Word
to give of oneself. Teach me to be
generous to give to a hurting world.
Teach me to serve U as You deserve;
to give & not overly count the cost;
to toil and not to seek for rest, and
to labour and not to ask for reward.
For Lord Jesus I appreciate what
You had done for me. For I know
You have told us to carry our cross.
For knowing I am doing Your will is
good enough. In Your name, Amen.

Where cross the crowded ways of life
Where sound the cries of race & clan
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear Thy voice, O Son of man!!!
In haunts of wretchedness and need
On shadow thresholds dark w fears,
Fr paths where hide lures of greed,
We catch the vision of Thy tears…
The cup of water given for Thee
Still holds the freshness of Thy grace
Yet long these multitudes to see
The sweet compassion of Thy face.

No More Time to Delay

To whom much is given, much is
also required. Nineveh had been
given the privilege of knowing
the one true God. Under Jonah’s
preaching this great Gentile
city had repented & God had
graciously stayed His judgment.
But some 150 years later, Nahum
proclaims the downfall of once
mighty Nineveh. The Assyrians
had forgotten their revival and had
returned to their habits of violence,
idolatry and arrogance. As a result,
Babylon would so destroy the city
that no trace of it would remain,
a prophecy fulfilled in painful detail.

The Assyrian empire which flourished
for about two centuries was one
of the cruellest and most powerful
of its time. God had already used
the Assyrians to punish the northern
kingdom. Now He was about to
wreck destruction on the Assyrian
capital. God is both just and loving.
He reassures those who trust in
Him need not fear God’s wrath.
At the same time, He shows exactly
what can be expected by those
who refuse to live righteously.
Lord, You are Good and Caring.
Lord, You are Holy and Just. And
Lord, You do Lose Your Patience.
We Heed Warning & Repent. Amen.

Lord, You are Holy and Just:
The Lord, is a jealous God,
filled with vengeance and wrath.
He takes revenge on all who
oppose Him & furiously destroys
His enemies! The Lord is slow
to get angry, but His power is
great, and He never lets the guilt
go unpunished (Nahum 1:2-3).
Lord, help me remember that You
are a jealous and avenging God.
You take vengeance on Your foes
& maintain wrath agst Your enemies.
Thank God that I’m not Your enemy
because of what Christ has done.
Remind me that whilst You are slow
to anger; You are also Holy and
yet You will not leave the guilty
unpunished. So Holy Spirit, lead me
to readily hear Your voice so that
I’ll confess & repent of sins. Amen.

Lord, You are Good & Caring:
The Lord is good, a refuge in trouble.
He cares for those who trust in Him.
But with an overwhelming flood
He will make an end of Nineveh…
Whatever they plot against the Lord
He will bring to an end; trouble will
not come a second time (Nah 1:7-9)
Lord, Thankful You are my refuge &
my strength in hard times & an ever
present helper in times of trouble.
Help me cling to You Lord & remind
me that You are absolutely good.
Teach me to trust U wholeheartedly
and lead me to run to You when
I am in trouble. Keep me from an
attitude of independence & mistake
of seeking help outside of U. Amen.

Lord, You do Lose Your Patience:
Too late! The river gates are open!
The enemy has entered! The palace
is about to collapse! Nineveh’s exile
has been decreed (Nahum 2:6-7).
I am your enemy says the Lord
Almighty. Your chariots will soon
go up in smoke. The finest of your
youth will be killed in battle. Never
again will you bring back plunder
from conquered nations (v13). How
terrible it will be for Nineveh, the city
of murder and lies! She is crammed
with wealth to be plundered (N3:1).
Lord,You had already shown Nineveh
great mercy for one generation
repented & You withheld judgment.
And Nahum’s prophecy is sober
warning that we mustn’t presume
upon Your mercy. For in perfect
justice God may limit His patience.
And those who continue to rebel &
reject You will face consequences.
Pray that our nation & others heed
Your warnings and repent. Amen.

Learning Obedience to God

Consider the story of Jonah,
a prophet commissioned by God
to preach an ultimatum to Israel’s
archenemy Assyria. Jonah quickly
goes AWOL and finds a ship
headed in the opposite direction.
God sends a storm, then a hungry
fish, to turn Jonah around and
head him back toward Nineveh.
After delivering his one-sentence
sermon, Jonah watches helplessly
as the entire city of Nineveh
repents in sackcloth and ashes.
When God spares Israel’s enemies,
it takes a hot wind, a shade-
giving vine and a hungry worm
to teach Jonah a lesson about the
mercy of God for sinful mankind.

Jonah was a reluctant prophet
given a mission he found distasteful.
He chose to run away from God
rather than obey Him. Like Jonah,
we may have to do things in life
that we don’t want to do. Sometimes
we find ourselves wanting to turn
and run. But it is better to obey God
than to run away. Often, in spite
of our defiance, God in His mercy
will give us another chance to serve
Him when we return to Him. Lord,
Help us to Be Open to Your Calling,
Help us to Be Grateful to You; and
Help us to Be Compassionate.
For People Need the Lord. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Open to Calling:
The Lord gave this message to
Jonah: Get up and go to the great
city of Nineveh! Announce my
judgment against it because I have
seen how wicked its people are.
But Jonah got up and went in the
opposite direction in order to get
away from the Lord (Jonah 1:1-3).
Sovereign Lord, You know best for
assigning me any particular task
or group to further Your kingdom.
I know that I have got no place
to hide from You Almighty God.
And I know it’s useless to engage
with selfish rebellion & whining.
But Lord please understand that
I may feel afraid or inadequate.
So please made clear that You
send me and I will duly go. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Grateful to You:
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said:
I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble & He answered me. I called
to You from the world of the dead,
and Lord You heard me! You threw
me into the ocean depths, and
I sank down to the heart of the sea.
I was buried beneath Your wild
and stormy waves (Jon 2:1-3).
Lord, how I thank You that in the
deepest trouble when I cry out
to You, You will hear & answer me
just as You did Jonah. I’m glad that
there’s no situation so hopeless
that You cannot bring deliverance.
I will offer sacrifices to You with
songs of praise, for my salvation
comes from You alone. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Compassionate:
Then God said to Jonah: Is it right
for you to be angry because the
plant died? Yes, Jonah retorted:
even angry enough to die! Then the
Lord said: You feel sorry about the
plant…(which) is… short lived. But
Nineveh has more than 120,000
people living in spiritual darkness,
not to mention all the animals.
Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such
a great city? (Jonah 4:9-11). 
Lord, Help us not run away from
doing your purpose in the world
but instead deliver Your message.
Help us to Be Compassionate,
including those who are different
from us in race or background.
Help us not be inward looking but
to be Your missionaries wherever
we are and wherever You send us.
Help us to share the Good News
for People Need the Lord. Amen.

Prophets to Northern Kingdom

We meditate Bible chronologically to
 enhance understanding of context.
 We begin with the 5 books of Laws
    to appreciate the Redemptive Plan
of God for mankind and Job, which
occurs during the time of Genesis.
In Phase 2, we meditated on Joshua
to 2Sam & 1 Chron up to King David
and Psalms where we learn to pray.
Then to reign of King Solomon in
1 Kings and cover wisdom poetry of
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Eccl.
In Phase 3, thro 2Kings the next 100
years see the decline of two nations
indifferent to God’s laws. In Israel,
19 wicked kings led the people
further from God and Israel finally
went into captivity by Assyrians.

Continuing Phase 3, we focus next
on the prophets to northern kingdom
with dual themes of repentance and
judgment: “Shape Up or Ship Out.”
But each prophet spoke to unique
contemporary situation. So for
Hosea, the message is God’s love
for adulterous Israel; and for Amos,
God’s people ripe for punishment.
And for Jonah, the message is God
Loves the Gentiles; and in Nahum,
it’s doom of Nineveh for its brutality.

Jonah called by God to warn the
Assyrian city Nineveh of impending
destruction. But the brutal Assyrians
are Israel’s bitter enemies and Jonah
both fears and despises them. So
instead of heading to Nineveh, Jonah
sails in opposite direction. A storm
ensues, Jonah is tossed overboard
and is swallowed by a great fish.
After three days the fish deposits
Jonah on dry land. Jonah then goes
to Nineveh & preaches as God has
instructed. When the people repent,
Jonah’s resentment grows until God
teaches him a lesson in compassion.

By the time Nahum comes on the
scene Nineveh is even more wicked
than it had been during the time
of Jonah about 100 years earlier.
The repentant spirit of the people
and the revival that stemmed from
Jonah’s visit is gone. Now a terror
to the entire world, the fortress city
of Nineveh seems impenetrable.
But God will no longer overlook the
city’s horrible sins, and He sends
Nahum to deliver the message of
impending destruction. The entire
Assyrian empire will be destroyed
and Nineveh gutted by raging fire.

Publish Glad Tidings of Peace

One night In 1868, a worried mother
sat up with one of her children who
was critically ill. Mary Ann Thomson
prayed to the Lord to heal her child.
She was jolted by the realisation
that what is really important to
God is the evangelism of the world.
If God raised up her child, could
she be willing to release him as
a missionary. Out of her wrestling
with such questions, 34 year-old
Mary Thomson wrote these words.
The hymn blends the messianic
pronouncement of Isa 52 with the
missionary call of Rom 10. For over
a hundred years this hymn stirred
thousands to respond to God’s call.

Lord, we’ll Cheer & Wait On You:
Comfort, yes comfort My people…
That her iniquity is pardoned…
Prepare the way of the Lord(Is40:1-3)
O Zion, messenger of good news,
shout from the mountaintops!
Shout and do not be afraid. Your
God is coming! Yes the Sovereign
Lord is coming in power (v9-10).
Those who Wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength; They
shall mount up with wings as eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk & not faint (v31).

Lord, the Covid crisis together with
the restrictions from the lock-in can
make us weary, weak & frustrated.
Thank You Lord for the words of
comfort and encouragement from
Isaiah that the situation will not last
forever and deliverance will come.
Lord, renew us with Your strength
when we feel overwhelmed. And
grant us grace to wait on You. Amen.

Lord, give us grace to hold to You
and renew my soul with courage
when all is weariness and fear and
when love itself is tested by doubt.
Lord, give us grace that we may
know that in the darkness pressing
round it that You are there and
that You do know we love You still.
For our dependence & endurance
in Your will is our gift of love. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Share the Gospel:
O Zion haste, thy mission
high fulfilling, To tell to all
the world that God is Light;
That He who made all nations
is not willing One soul should
perish, lost in shades of night…
Publish glad tidings, tidings
of peace; Tidings of Jesus,
redemption and release…
Proclaim to every people, tongue
and nation That God, in whom
they live and move, is love:
Tell how He stooped to save
His lost creation, And died on earth
that man might live above. Amen.