Month: October 2020

God At Work in the World (Oct 31)

Whilst the first half of Daniel’s book
centres around prophet’s personal
adventures; the second half
focuses on his prophetic visions.
God’s people now find themselves
under Gentile domination. But even
world powers do not rise or fall
without the consent of almighty God.
In remarkable collection of prophetic
glimpses, Daniel sets forth both
the near and distant future of God’s
chosen people – a future filled with
purifying judgment and blessing.

Dear Sovereign Lord, we note
that Daniel’s visions gave the
captives added Confidence that
You God is In Control of history.
Help us Not give in to pressures
of challenges and temptations
of the sinful way of life around us.
Lord, we Seek Your Vision/Purpose.
Lord, we Commit Future to You.
Lord, we appeal to Your Mercy.
In Jesus’ precious name, we pray.

Lord, we seek Your Purpose:
O Son of Man, You will come
with the clouds of heaven. In the
presence of the Ancient of Days,
You will be given dominion and
glory and a kingdom, so that people
of every nation and language will
worship You. Your dominion is
an everlasting dominion that will
not pass away, and Your kingdom
is one that will never be destroyed.
I, Daniel was troubled in spirit, and
the visions that passed through
my mind disturbed me (Dan 7:13-15)
Lord, we present our imagination
to You for Your holy purposes.
Fill us with pictures ofYour purposes.
Let us see the calling You have
placed before us. Show us what
You are using. And inspire us with
prayers and actions to step into
the stories You present to us. Amen

Lord, we Commit Future to You:
From one of the prominent horns
came a small horn whose power
grew very great. It extended toward
the glorious land of Israel… He even
challenged the Commander of
heaven’s armies by canceling the
daily sacrifices offered to him and
by destroying his Temple(Dan8:9-11)
He will be a master of deception,
defeating many by catching them
off guard…(and) destroy them. He
will even take on Prince of princes
in battle, but he will be broken,
though not by human power (v25).
Lord, noted that Daniel’s vision
portray the rise of the Greek empire
and the menace of the little horn
(Antiochus) through his defiance of
God and desecration of the Temple.
Lord, we realise the antidote to
depression is not a pretence that
things are not so bad after all; but
rather affirm that the end is in the
hands of God who will triumph.
Help us Lord to face fearlessly evil
& commit our future to You. Amen.

Lord, we appeal to Your Mercy:
Now our God, hear the prayers
and petitions of Your servant…
O my God, incline Your ear and
hear; open Your eyes and see
our desolations and the city which
is called by Your name. We do not
make requests of You because
we are righteous, but because of
Your Great Mercy (Dan 9:17-18).
Lord, I come to You, not because
I am worthy, but because You are.
You are full of Mercy, and I need
Your Mercy extended to me today.
I need help with many things but
especially certain situation in my Iife.
Grateful Your help isn’t dependant
upon my good works, but upon
Your goodness, love & grace. Amen

Experiencing God thro Obedience

Paul’s purpose of Romans is to set
forth the central doctrines of the
Christian Faith: including justification
by faith, life in the Spirit, unity in the
body and God’s redemptive plan.
This week we also understand that
faith in Christ is the only ground
of man’s acceptance by God thus
positioning rightly to encounter Him.
On Monday we learn from Rom 1
on Living the Power of God.
On Tuesday, we learn from
Rom 4-5 on Living Life of Faith.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Romans 8 on Living In the Spirit.
On Thursday, we learn from
Rom 12 on Living Sacrifice to God.
On Friday, we learn from Rom 15
on Living In Confident Hope.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Living In Confident Hope (Oct 30)

For 11 chapters Paul has set forth
the doctrine of the Christian faith.
The balance of his letter moves
into the practical outworking of
that faith. For every assignment,
there is a enablement from God:
Serve one another using the gifts
God gave you; be subject to higher
authorities; be sensitive to needs
of weaker brothers; be united
in purpose & have mind of Christ.

Lord,fill us with Joy, Peace & Hope:
We then who are strong ought to
bear with the failings of the weak,
and not to please ourselves. Let
each of us please his neighbour
for his good, leading to edification…
Such things were written in the
Scriptures long ago to teach us…
that we might have hope(Rom15:1-4)
Jesus Christ has become a servant
to the circumcision for the truth
of God, to confirm the promises
made … May the God of Hope fill
you with all joy and peace as you
trust Him so that you may Overflow
with Hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit (Rom 15:8-13). Amen.

Lord, grant me grace in relating
with everyone You bring into my life.
Grant me perspective to see myself
as part of the community of sinners.
Grant me Your heart and wisdom
and Keep me from criticising
those who fall or let me down.
Grant me Your grace to accept
others in the same way You have
affirmed and accepted me. Amen.

Lord, it’s a pretty grim world out
there, full of self-centred people
and news of gloom and doom.
And prolonged trials can also
cause us to doubt. Fill me to
overflowing with Hope as I turn
my heart to You. Fill me with hope
& restore me even as I trust in You.
Help me to take my eyes off the
heavy problems as I hope in You
and wait upon You to act. Amen.

Lord, it is difficult to be peaceful
when facing difficult situations.
I need and want to overflow with
confident hope; and I appropriate
Apostle Paul’s prayer as my own.
As I continue to believe in You
and trust You, fill me with Your
peace, keep me happy and let me
overflow with hope through the
power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Living Sacrifice to God (Oct 29)

For 11 chapters Paul has set forth
the doctrine of the Christian faith.
The balance of his letter moves
into the practical outworking of
that faith. For every assignment,
there is an enablement from God:
Serve one another using the gifts
God gave you; be subject to higher
authorities; be sensitive to needs
of weaker brothers; be united
in purpose & have mind of Christ.

Lord, we want to Be Transformed:
Give your bodies to God. Let them
be a Living Sacrifice… When you
think of what he has done for
you, is this too much to ask?
Don’t copy the behaviour and
customs of this world, but let God
Transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you will Know what God
wants you to do, and you will know
how good and pleasing & perfect
His will really is (Rom 12:1-2). Be
joyful in hope, patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer (Rom 12:12). Amen

Lord, I don’t really know what
these days will hold, but I offer
myself to You as a Living Sacrifice.
Fill me with Your spirit of love, joy,
peace and patience. Renew and
transform my mind with your truth.
Gently make me a new person, and
show me what You want me to do,
the person You want me to minister.
And all glory be unto You. Amen.

Lord, help me to understand the
difference between what You
desire and what the world offers.
Teach me not apply the behaviours
and customs of this world but rather
Be Transformed into a new person.
As I seek to follow You, let me know
Your will. And help me stay on the
right track as I purpose to take
small steps of faith each day. Amen

Lord, make and mould me to be a
person after Your heart like David.
Teach me to be a prayer warrior
who is always faithful to pray.
Move me from someone who prays
sporadically; to one so filled with
joy and hope that I anticipate great
things resulting from each prayer.
Help me have such great faith that
I keep praying & never give up.Amen

Living In the Spirit (Oct 28)

Paul anticipates questions that
will naturally arise as the result of
hearing a gospel of grace. If God’s
grace is free, then am I free to sin?
If I am free from the law, then can
I ignore the ethical demands of
the law? Paul has no illusions that
becoming a Christian means the
end of your troubles. But the life
-giving Spirit provides confidence,
for victorious Christian living
in the storms of everyday life.

Lord, we will Pray with Your Spirit:
Those who are dominated by the
sinful nature think about sinful things
but those who are controlled by the
Holy Spirit think about things that
please the Spirit. If your sinful nature
controls your mind, there is death.
But if the Holy Spirit Controls your
mind, there’s life & peace(Rom8:5-6)
The Spirit Helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to
pray for, but the Spirit Intercedes
for us with groans that words
cannot express. He who searches
our hearts… intercedes for the
saints in accordance with the
will of God (Rom 8:26-27). And
we know that in all things God
Works for the Good of those who
love him, who have been called
according to His purpose (v28).

Father God, let Your Holy Spirit Control my mind, heart and thoughts
so that I can experience life & peace.
Direct my thoughts even as I yield
my mind to You Lord each day.
Cause me to think about things
that please You. And guard my
mind from being controlled by any
-thing that is contrary to Your ways.
Thank You for setting me free from
sin and death through the power
of Your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Holy Spirit, I don’t know how to pray
about certain things, but You do.
Help me Lord in my weakness by
interceding for me and through me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide me and teach me especially
when I have exhausted all words.
Help me to communicate to God
my deepest thoughts, feelings,
fears and doubts, so that my
prayers are pleasing to God. Amen

Lord Jesus, Thank You for praying
through us in perfect agreement
with the Father’s will. And thank
You Lord for interceding for us
at the throne of Almighty God.
In the midst of intense trials and
great pain, we often can’t pray.
We don’t know what to say; and
don’t have the strength to muster
the right words. And we trust You
to take our distress & work things
out for our Ultimate Good. Amen.

Living Life of Faith (Oct 27)

After painting humanity’s sorry
condition, Paul turns to God’s
merciful solution. 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, we’ll Believe Your Promise:
When God promised Abraham that
he would become the father of
many nations, Abraham believed
him…even though such a promise
seemed utterly impossible!
Abraham’s faith did not weaken
even though he knew that he was
too old to be a father at the age
of 100 and that Sarah his wife had
never been able to have children.
Abraham never wavered believing
God’s promise (Rom 4:18-20).
We can rejoice too when we run
into problems and trials, for we
know that they are good for us,
they help us to endure. And
endurance develops strength
of character in us (Rom 5:3-4).

Lord, like Abraham You may give
us a promise without any details.
All we can really do is to wait and
that seems extremely frustrating.
Like Abraham, we will choose
against all hope, hope anyway,
and believe what You promised;
for You are God of impossibilities.
You rewarded the faith of those
who endured and I know You
will do the same with me. Amen.

Lord,in life there may be challenges
but we Believe in Your Promises
and we allow problems shape us.
We choose to believe You
God because without faith,
it is impossible to please You.
We choose to believe You because we remember Your mighty deeds
in scripture and in our lives.
We choose to believe You
because You are the Almighty
You are good & You are faithful.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, according to your word of
promise, trials are good for me.
You Lord want me to trust You
in the hard times. Rejoicing is
not natural for me, so make it
my supernatural response to
pressures & difficulties in my life.
Teach me Lord to endure so that
my faith will grow & get stronger.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Living the Power of God (Oct 26)

Paul begins by describing the
helpless condition of humanity. A
rebellious nature has led to rejection
of the Creator & worship of creation.
God in turn permitted 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.

Lord, we will Share the Gospel:
I am eager to come to you in Rome
too to preach God’s Good News.
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power
of God at work, saving everyone
who believes… This Good News
tells us how God makes us right
in his sight. This is accomplished
from start to finish by faith.
As the Scriptures say: It is
through faith that a righteous
person has life (Rom 1:15-17).

Father, I know that You have sent
Jesus into this world. Through Him
I have been declared righteous
and I am freed from the penalty
and the power of sin. He has done
for me what no other could ever do.
Enlarge my appreciation & affection
for Jesus and for Your gospel.
And may I share it to others. Amen.

Lord, what a treasure I have in Your
gospel. For the gospel promises
that the power of God will do for me
what I can’t possibly accomplish.
What Christ has done means that
my sins are forgiven, that I have
a right standing with God; and
that the power of God is at work
to produce the righteous life He
desires. So enlarge my gratitude
towards Your gospel so that I live
a life that is worthy of it. Amen.

Lord, thank You for the good news
that You have made a way for us
to be made right with You and
have peace with You. This truth,
this gospel has the power to change
everything. So we ask that this
power go to work deep in us. May
this good news of righteousness
provided to us in Christ transform
our interactions and expectations.
Work in us and thro the good news
towards those yet to know U. Amen.

Watch for Divine Encounter

Two years after the Commission, only
Jerusalem had heard the good news.
Then persecution hits, scattering
disciples into Judea and Samaria.
Phillip extends his witness to Africa
thro conversion of visiting dignitary.
And Saul encounters the risen
Lord on the road to Damascus,
transforming him from Saul the
Antagonist to Paul the Missionary.

Lord, we seek to Encounter You:
The Lord told (Ananias): Go to house
of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul
for he is Praying. And in a vision he
has seen you putting your hand on
him… Go for he is a chosen vessel
of Mine to bear My name before
Gentiles… Immediately he preached
Christ in the synagogues that He
is the Son of God (Acts 9:11-20).
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he
tried to meet with the believers, but
they were all afraid… Then Barnabas
brought him to the apostles & told
them how Saul had seen the Lord
on the way to Damascus (v26-27).
Then the Churches throughout
Judea, Galilee and Samaria…were
edified. And walking in the fear of
the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Spirit, they… multiplied (v34).

Lord, You gave Paul a dramatic
Encounter on the road to Damascus.
Throughout history many have told
of encounters and the fruit of their
lives validated their testimonies.
An Encounter with You can turn
anyone into a passionate believer
who will earnestly give You glory.
So step into our experiences in
powerful and life-altering ways
and show us Your glory. Amen.

Lord, You appeared to Saul, blinded
him to get his attention and then
turnaround his life. Likewise, You
may allow me to get to a dark place
where I can’t see without Your help.
At those times, help me to do as
Paul did and Pray fervently so that
my spiritual sight can be restored
and Your Will Be Done. Amen.

Lord, help me to see others with
Your eyes; and make me to be
an encourager like Barnabas.
Give me the vision to see the
potential U have deposited in them.
Fill me with courage to stand with
those in trouble and need my help.
Make me an encouragement from Your heart to the hearts of others.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Glowing Faith in Trying Times

Perhaps when you think of Daniel,
you may think of a young man. But
the book of Daniel covers at least
70 years in this colourful prophet
of God. According to best estimates,
Daniel was 76 years old in chapter 4 when he was with Nebuchadnezzar
86 years old in c5 with Belshazzar &
93 years old in chap 6 with the lions.
Throughout his days, Daniel’s faith
shines brightly, whether interpreting
a king’s dream, reading handwriting
on the wall or taking a stand for God.

Each of the 3 rulers you encounter
in today’s reading felt the hand
of God in his life. For Belshazzar,
it meant the end of his kingdom;
for Darius and Nebuchadnezzar,
the end of their self-worship as
God’s equals. When confronted
by Daniel’s God, all three quickly
learned how puny they were by
comparison. There is perhaps no
more potent power on earth than
a Christian in the midst of a crisis.
Both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius
gave public praise to Daniel’s
God when they saw Daniel’s
stability in the midst of adversity.
Lord, we’ll Humble before You.
Lord, we’ll Submit to Your Reign.
Lord, we’ll Devote in Prayer. Amen.

Lord, we Humble before You:
All this came to pass upon King
Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the
12 months he was walking about
the royal palace of Babylon. The king
spoke: Is not this great Babylon that
I have built… While the word was
still In the king’s mouth, a voice fell
from heaven: King Nebuchadnezzar
the kingdom has departed from you!
You will live in the fields with the
wild animals, and you will eat grass
like a cow… until you learn that the
Most High rules over the kingdoms
of the world and gives them to
anyone He chooses (Dan 4:28-32).
Lord King of heaven, Your rule is
everlasting and Your kingdom is
eternal. Your reign and acts are
just and true; and You are able
to humble the proud. In Your mercy
Lord, make me humble, lead me and
restore me. In Jesus mighty name.

Lord, we Submit to Your Reign:
This is the message that was written:
Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin.
This is the interpretation of each word: Mene: God has numbered
your kingdom and finished it.
Tekel: You have been weighed
in the balance and found wanting.
Peres: Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes
and Persians (Daniel 5:25-28).
Lord, we can never measure up
to all we should be; and cannot
measure up to Your holy standard.
We need Lord Your grace made
possible by the only one who
has measured up. Write Your
grace to each of our life. Amen.

Lord, we’ll be Devoted in Prayer:
When Daniel learned that the law
had been signed, he went home
and knelt down as usual in his
upstairs room, with its windows
open toward Jerusalem. He
prayed three times a day, just
as he had always done, giving
thanks to his God (Daniel 6:10).
Lord, help me to trust in You
and to recognise Your intimate
presence with me and in me.
Grant me devotion and tenacity
in prayer, the kind Daniel had.
May I abide in constant communion
with You, even while I am doing all
that is before me with excellence.
And may I ever heed your call
to come and abide with You. Amen.

Glowing Faith in Trying Times

Daniel, Ezekiel’s contemporary
during the period of Judah’s exile
in Babylonia, prophesies concerning
the role of Gentile powers in God’s
program for His people. The first
three chapters describes the spiritual
integrity of Daniel & his three friends.
Selected for government service,
they resist pressure to conform to
their pagan environment and instead
take a clear stand for God of Israel.
Whether in matters of food diet,
truthfulness, or spiritual discipline,
the four young men live out their
convictions even at risk of their lives.

Lord, Thank You for the book of
Daniel that shows how You God
is In Control of the destiny of
nations & Care for Your people.
Lord, in the face of life challenges,
help us take courage and put our
faith in You who control all things.
Lord, we Purpose to Obey You.
Lord, we Ask for Your Wisdom.
Lord, we will Not Serve other gods.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray.

Lord, we Purpose to Obey You:
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael & Azariah
were the four young men chosen, all
from the tribe of Judah… Daniel
made up His mind not to defile
himself by eating the food and
wine given to them by the king.
He asked the chief official for
permission to eat other things
instead. Now God had given
the chief official great respect
for Daniel (Dan 1:6-9, 18-20).
Lord, we realise merely wanting
or preferring God’s will and way
is not enough to stand against
the onslaught of temptation.
It is easier to resist temptation if
we have thought thro conviction
well before the temptation arrives.
Help us Lord to be like Daniel,
Resolving To Obey You; and when
temptation comes, help us keep our
prior commitment to resist. Amen.

Lord, we ask for Your Wisdom:
Daniel told his friends to ask God
to tell them the secret, so they
would not be executed along with
the other wise men of Babylon.
That night mystery was revealed
to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel
praised God saying: Praise the
name of God forever and ever,
for He alone has all of wisdom…
He reveals deep and mysterious
things… You revealed to us what
the king demanded (Dan 2:18-23)
Lord God, the all-knowing one and
revealer of mysteries, there is no
secret that is hidden from You.
You know every situation in this
entire world, including mine.
Let me never limit the ways You
speak or the secrets You reveal.
Give me insight into the problems
of my life, guide me in the way to go
and lead me to Your solution. Amen.

Lord, we will Not Serve other gods:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
replied: O Nebuchadnezzar, we
do not need to defend ourselves…
If we are thrown into the blazing
furnace, the God whom we serve
is able to save us. He will rescue us
from your power, Your Majesty.
But even if He doesn’t, we want to
make it clear to you, Your Majesty,
that we will never serve your gods
or worship the gold statue you
have set up (Daniel 3:16-18).
Lord, as we approach end times,
please fill us with a deep sense
of respect & belonging to Your holy Kingdom that cannot be destroyed.
Give us the necessary courage to
face challenges & even persecution.
In the fires of life, may we experience
Your protection and Your presence
like never before. In Jesus’ name.