Month: June 2020

Pray Earnestly to the Lord (Jun 22)

The period of the judges is nearly
at an end. One last judge remains:
Samuel, a man of godly character
and integrity who will guide the
nation from judgeship to kinship.
Samuel is the offspring of barren
woman and the answer to fervent
prayer. And he is consecrated
to the Lord’s service from birth.
He enters a society marked by
moral decline and spiritual apathy.

Lord, we Cast Cares Upon You:
Hannah was in bitterness of soul,
and prayed to the Lord and wept
in anguish. Then she made a vow:
O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed…
give Your maidservant a male child,
then I will give him to the Lord all
the days of his life… (1Sam 1:10-11)
… So Eli thought she was drunk.
But Hannah answered: No my lord,
I am a woman of sorrowful spirit.
I’ve poured my soul before the Lord..
Then Eli answered: Go in peace
and the God of Israel grant your
petition which u have asked of Him…
So the woman went her way, ate, & was no longer sad (1Sam 1:14-18).
I asked the Lord to give me this boy
and He has granted my request.
Now I am giving him to the Lord,
and he will belong to the Lord
his whole life (1 Samuel 1:27-28).

Lord, although we are not in the
position to barter with Almighty God,
You may choose to answer a prayer
that has an attached promise.
We know that You God keep Your
promises and will expect us also
to keep ours. Help us when we pray to be earnest and first ask ourselves
whether we will follow through on
any promises we will make to God
if He grants us our request. Amen.

Lord, Your Word says in 1Pet 4:7
to Cast all our anxieties on You
God because You care for us. Yet
sometimes we’re guilty of taking
back the worries we claim to give
You. Help us learn from Hannah.
Help us to rest the full weight of
our worry in Your capable hands.
Help us know You care for us and
Thank You for the peace You give.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Lord, I realise that at times I may
desperately pray for You God to
fulfil my desire for something that
may potentially rival U in my heart.
I want U to fulfil my desires, but not more than I want to fulfil Your will;
for my affections belong to You.
Nevertheless, hear my pleas Lord.
Enter into my needs and fulfil them.
Use my desperation as a platform
for Your glory. And like Hannah,
may I see Your provision and
praise You for it. In Jesus’ name.

The Call To Be Courageous (Jun 15)

Moses has died and Joshua is
appointed by God to take the reins
of leadership. The people are
poised within view of the land
promised to their ancestors and
denied their unbelieving parents.
The time has come to cross over,
conquer and possess the land.
The task seems impossible: a
turbulent river and mighty walled
cities. So God begins to prepare
His people for the warfare ahead.
He reminds Joshua that careful
attention to His word brings success.

Lord, we will Be Courageous:
Be Strong and Courageous,
because You will lead these people
to Inherit the land I Swore to
their forefathers to give to them.
Be Strong and Very Courageous.
Be Careful To Obey all the law
my servant Moses gave you;
do not turn to the right or to the
left, that you may be successful…
Have I not commanded you?
Be Strong and Courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God
Will Be With You wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:6-9). Amen and amen.

Father God, I will be strong and
courageous, I shall not be afraid
for the LORD my God is the one
who goes with me. In fact You have 
Promised An Inheritance; and You
will surely not fail nor forsake me. 
And since You promised that It is
the Lord who goes before me; You
will be with me & will not leave me.
Therefore, I shall not fear. Amen.

Lord, I pray that every time I read
Your Word, You will teach me all that
I need to know. Help me understand
Your truth & speak to me specifically
about how each passage relates
to my life and the lives of others.
Help me to meditate on Your Word
and take Steps of Obedience so that
I can live in Your perfect will and be
successful as You promise. Amen.

Lord, I can feel overwhelmed often;
but I know a glimpse of You can
radically change my perspective.
Thanks for Your promise of being
With Me no matter what happens.
Lord please overshadow my fears
and worries with Your strength.
Help me be strong and courageous
in every challenge that I may face.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Call the Lord In Times of Need

Two historical events dominate
the narrative in Isaiah 36-39:
the attempted invasion of Judah
by the Assyrian army in 701 BC
and the critical illness threatening
King Hezekiah’s life. The taunts of
the Assyrian invaders are turned
into retreat as 185,000 die at the
hand of the angel of the Lord –
a direct answer to Hezekiah’s
specific prayer. God answers
another of Hezekiah’s prayers
by extending his life 15 years.
But by using those extra years for
selfish pursuits rather than for God’s
purposes, Hezekiah seals the fate
of the nation. The stage is set for
Babylon to conquer and carry off
the people of Judah, bringing down the curtain on God’s judgment.

Dear Lord, we praise and thank You
that You are all powerful, all trust
worthy and all compassionate.
We will Clearly Know Your Word.
We will Trust Your Perfect Plan.
We will Cry to You for Help.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we’ll Clearly Know Your Word:
Then Rabshakeh said to them:
Say now to Hezekiah: Thus says
the great king, the king of Assyria:
What confidence is this in which
you trust? I say you speak of
having plans and power for war;
but they are mere words. Now in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? (Isaiah 36:4-5).
Lord, we realise that we not need
to be sinful to be ineffective for You
God for we only need to be confused
about what You want. To avoid
Satan’s deceit, help us to study
Your Word regularly and carefully.
For when we know what God says,
we’ll not fall into Satan’s lies. Amen.

Lord, we Trust Your Perfect Plan:
Hezekiah prayed: O Lord of hosts…
You have made heaven and earth.
Incline Your ear O Lord and hear all
the words of Sennacherib, which he
has sent to reproach the living God…
Therefore O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdoms
of the earth may know You are the
Lord. Then Isaiah sent to Hezekiah
saying: Thus says the Lord, Because
you have prayed to Me against
Sennacherib king of Assyria, this
is the word the Lord concerning him:
I decided this long ago. I planned it, and now I am making it happen, that
u shld be for crushing fortified cities
into heaps of ruins (Isa37:15-21,26)
Lord, how comforting to know that
when we call on You, You answer us.
We don’t have to know all the details
because we trust that You are
moving all things in the direction
that You have planned. Amen.

Lord, we will Cry to You for Help:
In those days Hezekiah was sick and
near death. And Asaiah said to him:
Thus says the Lord: Set your house
in order for you shall die & not live.
Then Hezekiah… prayed to the Lord
and said: Remember O Lord I pray
how I have walked before You in
truth & with a loyal heart, and have
done what is good in Your sight.
And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the
word of the Lord came to Isaiah:
I will add to your days 15 years…
And this is the sign to you from
the Lord… Behold I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun… ten degrees backward (Isaiah 38:1-8).
Lord, I will cry out to You for healing.
I can’t assume that the absence of
a sign means “no” for it may simply mean that U want to speak another way. But when U do speak this way,
it will be so very encouraging. Amen

Put Your Trust In the Lord (Jun 20)

Isaiah’s prophecies begin to focus
on the ominous approach of the
Assyrian armies. Ephraim (northern
kingdom) reels like a drunkard,
oblivious to the danger and falsely
confident in the armies of Egypt to
deliver her in time of trouble. But
there shall be no such deliverance.
Ariel (Jerusalem, symbol of the
southern kingdom) stands next
in line for judgment if her citizens
follow Ephraim’s sorry example
by relying upon Egypt for protection.
The prospects are not pleasant
for the rebellious people of God.
But there is also a coming King who
will bring peace like a river, freedom
for the captives, justice for those
suffering opprosion, and judgment
upon heaven and earth. In the light
of His sure coming, the people of
God are urged to watch and wait
patiently, expectantly & purposefully.

Lord, we note Isaiah warned both
Israel and Judah: Don’t put your
trust in the armies of Egypt, for
they will fail you. Put your trust in
the Lord of hosts, for He will never
fail you nor forsake you. Heedless
of the prophet’s warnings, the
nations misplaced their trust; and
felt the sting of God’s discipline.
But Isaiah also prepares the people
of God for comfort that follows.
Dear Lord God Almighty;
We will Give You our Hearts; 
We will Wait Upon You; and
We will Seek Help From You;
We will Put Our Trust In You
For You Lord Will Save us. Amen.

Lord, we Give You our Hearts:
These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips but
their hearts are far away. And their
worship of me amounts to nothing..
Because of these, I will do
wonders among these hypocrites.
I will show that human wisdom
is foolish. Destruction is certain
for those who try to hide their
plans from the Lord (Isa 29:13-15).
Lord, we learnt the Jews claimed
to be close to You God but they
were disobedient and merely went
through the motions. And we are
all well capable of hypocrisy too.
We may slip into routine when
we worship and neglect to give
You God our love and devotion.
We purpose as God’s people
to be obedient, involve You and
worship You sincerely. Amen.

Lord, we will Wait Upon You:
The Sovereign Lord says: Only
in returning to me and waiting for 
Me will you be saved. In quietness
is your strength. But you would not..
The Lord must wait for you to come
to Him so He can show you His love
and compassion. For the Lord is
a faithful God. Blessed are those
who wait for His help (Isa 30:15-18)
Lord, thank You for always
calling me to return to You.
My desire is to walk with You; but
sometimes I become distant fr You.
Even then, I know that You have
not distanced Yourself from me.
And You are ever waiting for me
to return & find rest in You. Thank
You for Your lovingkindness. Amen.

Lord, we will Seek Help from You:
Woe to me when I seek assistance
from those in the world… but do not
look to You the Holy One, or seek
help from You Lord (Isa 31:1).
You O Lord are our judge. You are
our lawgiver, You are our King; It is
You who will save us (Isa 33:22).
Lord, U strengthen the feeble hands,
You steady the knees that give way.
Therefore I can say to those with
fearful hearts: Be strong, do not fear;
Your God will come (Isa 35:3-4).
Lord, as my creator and maker,
You have the right to be my lawgiver
and judge. As my King, You have
the right to demand my allegiance.
Yet You choose to come as my
Saviour and win my affection.
Lord, what I am concerned most
about is Yours. And I ask You God
to work in those situations which
are way beyond my abilities. Amen.

Conquest & Chaos Years (Jun 20)

During this week we learn several
lessons on the importance of
Trusting God to position ourselves
in order to encounter His presence.
On Monday, we learn from the
Lord’s visitation in Joshua 1 on the
need to be Strong and Courageous.
On Tuesday, we learn from Crossing
of the Jordan River in Joshua 4
to Remember God’s Mighty Deeds.
On Wednesday, we learn from
the battle of Jericho in Joshua 6
to Fully Obey God’s Instructions.
On Thursday, we learn from Joshua’s
Farewell Address in Joshua 24
to Choose to Serve the Lord.
On Friday, we learn from the Lord’s
visitation in Judges 7 that He Loves
to act under Overwhelming Odds.

God Loves Overwhelming Odds

Gideon, Israel’s fifth judge, receives
God’s call while hiding in a wine-
press secretly threshing wheat.
Midian’s oppression is indeed
severe and Gideon is God’s man
to lead the people in throwing
off that yoke of bondage – a task
that Gideon is not keen to accept!
But once convinced of his calling
through two miraculous signs,
Gideon leads a humble army of 300
men, equipped only with torches
and trumpets, in a stunning victory
against the mighty Midianite forces.
Israel’s weapons and rather unusual
battle plan leave no room for doubt:
The victory is the Lord’s.

Lord, You Love Impossible Odds:
The Lord said to Gideon: You
have too many warriors with you.
If I let you fight the Midianites,
the Israelites will boast to me
that they saved themselves by
their own strength. Therefore,
tell the people: Whoever is timid
or afraid may leave and go home.
22,000 of them went home,
leaving only 10,000 who were
willing to fight. But the Lord told
Gideon: There are still too many!
Bring them down to the spring
and I will sort out who will go with
you and who will not (Jdgs 7:2-4).
Then the Lord said: By the 300 men
who lapped I will save you & deliver
the Midianites into your hand (v7).

Lord, when we face overwhelming
circumstances, it is a perfect
position for You God to intervene.
For it is in those times that we
like Gideon can learn to trust You.
Many times we have felt there
was no way out in the circumstance;
only to discover later that You Lord
was actually making a way for us.
In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Lord, facing overwhelming odds
can be frightening as Gideon felt.
You God understood his fear but
didn’t excuse Gideon from his task.
Instead You led Gideon to slip into
the enemy camp and overhear a
chat that would give him courage. You God indeed can give us the
strength we need for any situation.
Help us Lord to really listen to You
and be ready to take the first step.
For after we begin to obey will we
find the courage to move on. Amen.

Lord, Your Word alone is sufficient
Promise of the ultimate victory.
We just need to simply trust You
and carry out Your instructions.
Thank You for being our warrior.
Thank You, when I am in a battle,
U shine in the midst of that battle.
Thank You for giving us victory
when it seems just impossible.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RsMAXhc0QTs

Renewing Lord’s Covenant (Jun 18)

Backgrounder to Joshua 22-24:
After being commended for their
faithful service in conquering the
land of Canaan, the warriors of the
tribes east of Jordan are sent home.
They recognise the Jordan River
(which forms a natural barrier
between the tribes) may one day
form a spiritual barrier as well.
To prevent this, a memorial altar
is built on the riverbank. The book
closes with Joshua’s farewell
address where he gives the people
an ultimatum. Choose You this day
whom you will serve… as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord.

Lord, we’ll choose to Serve You:
(Joshua said): So honour the Lord
and serve Him wholeheartedly.
Put away forever the idols your
ancestors worshipped… Serve the
Lord alone. But if you are unwilling
to serve the Lord, then choose today
whom you will serve…But As For Me
and my family, we will serve the Lord.
The people replied: We would
never forsake the Lord & worship
other gods (Joshua 24:14-16).
Joshua said to the people: He is
a Holy God; He is a Jealous God.
He will not forgive your rebellion…
if you forsake the Lord and serve
foreign gods. He will bring disaster
on you… But the people said… No!
We Will Serve the Lord (v19-21).

Lord, I remember the times that
You rescued, healed and guided me.
Just as Joshua pointed the way
to You God, each of us also has
the same opportunity to do so.
Thank You Lord for allowing me to
lead others, including small groups.
I pray that those who look to me
for leadership will be drawn to You
through me. Help them to choose
to serve You and no other. Amen.

Holy Lord, thank You that You
made a way through Jesus Christ
to allow us into Your presence.
You Lord dwell in holy place, yet
You also dwell with those who are
contrite and of a humble heart.
Make my heart like Yours even as
I strive to be more reflective of you.
Speak to me before I think of wrong
thoughts or make wrong choices.
Intervene in my life and empower
me to live in holiness. Amen.

Lord, let me not live to be useless,
for my chief aim is to be a good
and faithful servant of Yours.
I hand over to Your care Lord my
prayers & yet to be fulfilled hopes.
And I give my hands to do Your work,
I give my feet to go Your way.
I give my eyes to see as You see.
I give my tongue to speak Yr words.
I give my mind for You to think in me.
I give my spirit that You pray thro me.
Above all I give You my heart that
You Lord will love through me. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=obi5ZGujiuU

Success thro Obedience (Jun 17)

Joshua employs a textbook
strategy for military victory:
Divide and conquer. He attacks
the middle of the country first,
dividing the enemy forces in half,
before mopping up resistance
among the isolated troops in the
south and north. His stunning
victory at Jericho shows the
importance of following God’s
direction down to the smallest
detail, no matter how trivial
they seem to be, proving
Obedience Brings Victory.

Lord, we’ll Obey Your Instructions:
The Lord said to Joshua:
I have given You Jericho, its
king and all its strong warriors.
Your entire army is to march around
the city once a day for six days.
Seven priests will walk ahead of
the Ark each carrying a ram’s horn.
On the seventh day you are to
march around the city seven times,
with the priests blowing the horns.
When you hear the priests give
one long blast on the horns, have
all the people give a mighty shout.
Then the walls of the city will
collapse & the people can charge
straight into the city (Jos 6:2-5).

Lord, when You told Joshua:
“I Have Given You Jericho”; it
indicated that it was a done deal.
It’s Finished work; just waiting for
the people’s obedience to bring
that promise to their experience.
The author of Hebrews writes: It
was by faith that the people of Israel
marched around Jericho for 7 days, and the walls came crashing down.
Lord grant us the faith to obey Your
instructions to match around our
Jericho to see the walls fall. Amen.

Lord, according to scripture, when
Your promise comes into contact
with our faith-filled obedience,
walls fall and obstacles disappear.
The only way our Jericho will
stand is if we believe our limited
perception instead of God’s Word.
Grant us the grace to simply trust
God’s Word & not miss opportunity
to see Your power in action. Amen.

Lord,Help us to remember when
You God calls us to battle, You
have already won the victory.
Teach us O Lord to walk by faith
and not by sight. We choose to
believe You rather than our own
perceptions and interpretations.
And we receive by faith Your
given victory in our situation.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Recall Memorials of God’s Deeds

Joshua is appointed by God to take
the reins of leadership. The people
are poised within view of the land
promised to their ancestors and
denied their unbelieving parents.
The task seems impossible: a
turbulent river and mighty walled
cities. So God prepares His people
by reminding Joshua that careful
attention to His word brings success.
Spies are sent to survey Jericho,
the first obstacle in the land.
The priests,bearing the ark of the
covenant, lead the people across
the rampaging Jordan without
even getting their sandals wet!
The stage is set for conquest.

Lord, we Remember Your Deeds:
Joshua said to the Israelites:
In the future your children will ask
What do these stones mean?
Then you can tell them: This is
where the Israelites crossed
the Jordan on dry ground.
For the Lord your God dried up the
river right before your eyes, and He
kept it dry until you were all across,
just as he did at the Red Sea…
He did this so all the nations of the
earth might know the Lord’s hand
is powerful and so you might fear
the Lord your God (Josh 4:21-24).

Lord, Your Word is full of reminders
to Your people of Your mighty deeds. 
In today’s verses, Joshua tells the
Israelites to build an altar which they
could return to when they needed
a reminder of what God had done.
Thanks for showing us Your mighty
power thro healing and deliverance.
Thanks Jesus for the saving work
on the cross & the reminder of the
Lord’s Supper of Your love. Amen.

Lord, U are calling us to remember
because looking at what You had
done in the past builds our faith
for the present and the future.
You are promising that the same
power You had demonstrated in
the past is available in the present.
So, we will remember Your deeds
of grace and Your lovingkindness.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, Help us build altar of memory
stones for they will create in us an
alertness to Your hand in our lives.
Gear us to be always be on the
lookout for signs of God’s hand
in the circumstances of our lives.
Grant Lord our lives to be an altar
as well as a tangible expression
of Your power and provision.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

The Call To Be Courageous (Jun 15)

Moses has died and Joshua is
appointed by God to take the reins
of leadership. The people are
poised within view of the land
promised to their ancestors and
denied their unbelieving parents.
The time has come to cross over,
conquer and possess the land.
The task seems impossible: a
turbulent river and mighty walled
cities. So God begins to prepare
His people for the warfare ahead.
He reminds Joshua that careful
attention to His word brings success.

Lord, we will Be Courageous:
Be Strong and Courageous,
because You will lead these people
to Inherit the land I Swore to
their forefathers to give to them.
Be Strong and Very Courageous.
Be Careful To Obey all the law
my servant Moses gave you;
do not turn to the right or to the
left, that you may be successful…
Have I not commanded you?
Be Strong and Courageous.
Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God
Will Be With You wherever you go.
(Joshua 1:6-9). Amen and amen.

Father God, I will be strong and
courageous, I shall not be afraid
for the LORD my God is the one
who goes with me. In fact You have 
Promised An Inheritance; and You
will surely not fail nor forsake me. 
And since You promised that It is
the Lord who goes before me; You
will be with me & will not leave me.
Therefore, I shall not fear. Amen.

Lord, I pray that every time I read
Your Word, You will teach me all that
I need to know. Help me understand
Your truth & speak to me specifically
about how each passage relates
to my life and the lives of others.
Help me to meditate on Your Word
and take Steps of Obedience so that
I can live in Your perfect will and be
successful as You promise. Amen.

Lord, I can feel overwhelmed often;
but I know a glimpse of You can
radically change my perspective.
Thanks for Your promise of being
With Me no matter what happens.
Lord please overshadow my fears
and worries with Your strength.
Help me be strong and courageous
in every challenge that I may face.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.