Month: June 2021

Son of God who Saves Me (Jun 30)

A turning point in Matthew’s gospel
occurs in chap 12 where mounting
antagonism by the Jewish religious
leaders erupts into open denunciatn
of Jesus. Because of their hard-
hearted rejection, Jesus begins
to speak to them in parables and
explained only to the disciples.
After a rude reception in Nazareth,
Jesus withdraws across the Sea of
Galilee to the regions of Tyre & Sidon
in order to escape growing oppositn.
There, Peter walking on the water,
becoming afraid, and cried to the
Lord to save him as he was sinking.

Lord Jesus, Your Love Lifted Me:
Peter said: Lord,if it’s 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 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, and said
to him: O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they got into
the boat, the wind ceased. Then
those who were in the boat came
and worshiped Him, saying: Truly
You are the Son of God (Mt 14:28-33)

Lord, help me be like Peter, who
was the only one to react in faith
and thus experiencing Your power.
Realised that if we focus on the
waves of difficult circumstances
without looking to You Christ for
help, we too may despair and sink.
To maintain faith in the midst of
difficult situations, help us Lord
to keep our eyes on Christ rather
than on our inadequacies. Amen.

Lord, remember singing the hymn:
“Love Lifted Me” in my late teens
and through young adult years.
And now as going through senior
years, this hymnal song still just
rise from the deep of my heart.
Only Your Love Lord gives lasting
peace & reigns strong in my heart.
Help me to fix my eyes on You;
for You God remains in control,
even in the storms of life. Amen.

Lord 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 final verse:
Souls in danger look above
Jesus completely saves –
What hope and assurance!!
Love lifted me, Love lifted me
When nothing else could help
Love lifted me! Thank U Lord. Amen

Lord, All my heart to You I give,
ever to You I’ll cling
In Your blessèd presence live,
ever Your praises sing,
Love so mighty and so true,
merits my soul’s best songs,
Faithful, loving service too,
to You belongs.
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! Amen.

God who Reveals kingdom secrets

A turning point in Matthew’s gospel
occurs in chap 12 where mounting
antagonism by the Jewish religious
leaders erupts into open denunciatn
of Jesus. Because of their hard-
hearted rejection, Jesus begins
to speak to them in parables and
explained only to the disciples.
After a rude reception in His home
town of Nazareth, Jesus withdraws
across the Sea of Galilee to the
regions of Tyre and Sidon in order
to escape growing opposition.

Lord, we’ll Respond to Your Word:
(Jesus said): You are permitted
to understand the secrets of
the Kingdom of Heaven, but
others are not (Matthew 13:11).
That is why I use these parables,
for they look, but they don’t really
see. They hear, but they don’t
really listen or understand (v13).
The hearts of these people are
hardened & their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes –
so their eyes cannot see, and
their ears cannot hear, and
their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me and
let me heal them (Matt 13:15).

Lord, help me to be a true seeker
to hear from the personal God.
Help me to have an open mind,
ever ready to listen to You and
to believe Your Word of truth.
Give me the heart that can hear
Your mysteries, understand them
and internalise Your eternal truths.
Help me root out any attitude that
might block my hearing You. Amen.

Lord, help me not to have attitude
of a skeptic that tries to find fault
and thus don’t have ears to hear.
Lord, You don’t want me to turn off
my brain; but neither do You want
me to reject any word from You
that doesn’t fit my logic of things.
I give You Lord the permission
to blow my mind with the things
You want to reveal to me. Amen.

Lord, where my heart hardened at
times, tell me I have turned You out.
For it’s tough to recognise hardness
in myself, and so I need to know.
Soften me up Lord, where there’s
any area of insensitivity in my life.
Draw me close; get my attention
and hold it. Heighten my spiritual
senses Lord to pick up even the
slightest whisper from You. Amen.

Friend of Sinners (June 28)

Matthew shared ten miraclens in
Mt 8-11 to show Jesus’ power over
disease, nature & the spirit world.
Christ then bestows that same
power and authority on His chosen
apostles and sends them out
as ambassadors of the kingdom.
He first instructs them how to act,
then warns them of the dangers
they will face, as he calls them
to committed discipleship.

Lord, we receive Your Rest:
Jesus spoke to the crowds, “But to
what will I compare this generation?
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look,
a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors & sinners!'(Mt11:16-19)
Jesus said: Come To Me, all of you
who are weary and 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 burdens
I give you is light (Matt 11:28-30).

Lord, we tend to judge, dismiss and
reject people & we need Your help.
You Lord desire us to be free;
but we have our own prejudices.
Reveal where we are called
to be more free of prejudices.
Reveal who are the sinners
that we are called to befriend.
Grant us wisdom to interpret
the truth and the call to change.
Grant us freedom that opens us
to follow Christ more closely. Amen

Lord, thank You for Your offer
to carry my burdens for me.
I give them all to You and gladly
receive Your Rest that you give.
I place myself Under Your Yoke
to learn from You. Teach me
Your wisdom and help me to walk
in the ways You set before me.
Thank You for Your mercy and
love that invite me to live my life
Resting and trusting in You. Amen.

Lord Jesus, You promise that
those who are Humble will be
the greatest in Your kingdom.
Help me to be Humble like U that
will also be a delight to others.
And help me to accomplish
great things for Your kingdom.
Lord, thank You for dealing with
Your people Gently, even though
You are sovereign and supreme.
Help me be a person of principle
& strong faith, & yet Gentle. Amen

God who is Our Provider

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah,
the king of the Jews. And Matthew
5 to 7 traditionally called the
Sermon on the Mount, essentially
presents His statement of heaven.
Relationship to God (rather than
adherence to ritual) and inward
attitude (not outward action)
become the focus of His message.

Lord, we Lift Up Our Needs to You:
Do not worry saying: What shall
we eat…or What shall we wear?
For the pagans run after these
things and Your Heavenly Father
Knows that You Need them. But
Seek First the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you
as well. Therefore Do Not Worry
about tomorrow (Matt 6:31-34).

Lord, You promise and advise us
Not To Worry about basic needs
for You Will Provide them to us.
Grateful I don’t have to be consumed
with worry; but I can be consumed
with You Lord and Your kingdom.
For no need enters my life for
which You have already provided.
So, I choose to keep anxiety from
cluttering my heart and instead
let it be filled with You. Amen.

Lord, You are all-knowing and
therefore You Know all our needs.
Praise You for Knowing everything
about us and every detail of our
situation; for nothing surprises You.
For Your Word says You Know
our needs and Will Provide them.
And so we can live peacefully and
cheerfully each day when we keep
Your kingdom as key concern. Amen

Gracious Lord, Thanks for caring
for us, including being our Provider.
Help me to always Seek You First,
trust Your gracious promise and
keep from worrying about the future.
Give me Lord the right perspective
and not worry over issues beyond
my control. Help me to see the
difference between needs & wants.
And do transform my life. Amen.

Watchfulness for the Lord (Jun 27)

Paul has many pleasant memories
of the days he spent with the
infant Thessalonian church. Their
faith, hope, love & perseverance
in the face of persecution are
exemplary and Paul’s labours
as a spiritual parent to the fledging
church have been richly rewarded.
His tender affection is visible as
he encourages the Thessalonians
to excel in their faith, increase
in their love, and rejoice always
as they await the Return of the Lord.

Dear Lord, we are inspired by the
faithfulness of the Thessalonians
even in the midst of persecution.
Help us to remain Faithful and
live in the expectation that
Christ will return at any time.
Help us O Lord to live holy lives
ever watchful for Your coming.
Help us Hold On to our conviction;
Help us to Edify one another; and
Help us to Do Your Will. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Hold On to Conviction:
For since we believe that Jesus
died and was raised to life again,
we also believe that when Jesus
comes, God will bring back with
Jesus all Christians who have died.
The Lord himself will come down
from heaven with a commanding
shout… First all the Christians who
have died will rise from the graves.
Then together with them, we who
are still alive will be caught up in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And thus we shall always be
with the Lord (1Thess 4:14-17).
Lord, thank You that death has
lost its power because of Jesus
and that we have believed in Him.
Thank You that we can face death
with confidence, knowing that
whatever we face in this life,
that there is a greater future ahead.
Thank You so much for choosing
to love me, and letting me to
be with You Lord forever. Amen.

Lord, we will Edify one another:
Therefore comfort each
other and edify one another…
Be at peace among yourselves…
Warn those who are unruly,
comfort the faint-hearted,
uphold the weak, be patient
with all… always pursue what
is good both for yourselves
and for all (1Thess 5:11-15).
Holy Spirit, impress Your thoughts
on me and speak into the hearts
of Your people through me.
Father, give me the kind of love
and compassion that is like
Yours, so that when I reach out
to help others, may they see You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we will Do Your Will:
Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you (1 Thess 5:16-18).
Lord, it is always Your will for me
to be joyful and pray often & give
thanks to You in all circumstances.
Help me to remember to do Your
will in this regard, even when
I don’t see answers to my prayers
the way I would like it to be.
For no matter what happens
I know You Lord are greater
than anything I am facing. Amen

Faithfulness to the Lord (Jun 26)

Paul has many pleasant memories
of the days he spent with the
infant Thessalonian church. Their
faith, hope, love & perseverance
in the face of persecution are
exemplary and Paul’s labours
as a spiritual parent to the fledging
church have been richly rewarded.
His tender affection is visible as
he encourages the Thessalonians
to excel in their faith, increase
in their love, and rejoice always
as they await the Return of the Lord

Dear Lord, we are inspired by the
faithfulness of the Thessalonians
even in the midst of persecution.
Help us to remain Faithful and
live in the expectation that
Christ will return at any time
and we will be with Him forever.
Grant us a Prayerful Spirit.
Grant us Your Word to work in us.
Grant us Abound In Love. Amen.

Lord, grant us a prayerful spirit:
We always thank God for all of
you and pray for you constantly.
We remember before our God
and Father your work produced
by faith, your labour prompted
by love, and your endurance
inspired by hope in our Lord
Jesus Christ (1Thess 1:2-3).
Lord, I thank You for the gift of
direct access to You in prayer
and for my loved ones & friends.
Bless them Lord, draw them
into closer relationship with You.
Help me be faithful to pray for them
constantly as long as I have breath.
Lord, real faith is demonstrated
by seeking after You. Give me
a sincere heart and a faith that
pursues You; for living for You
is the great hope of my soul. Amen.

Lord, let Your Word Work in us:
We never stop thanking God when
we receive His message from us,
you didn’t think of our words
as mere human ideas. You adopted
what we said as the very word
of God which of course; it is.
And this word continues to work
in you who believe (1Thess 2:13).
Lord, it’s Your Word that is needed
most in any situation, for Your Word
has the power to bring about
good as well as lasting change.
Lord, You know how to express
Yourself thru flawed human beings;
Fill us O Lord with Your Spirit
to speak forth Your Word of truth.
Help me see Your mind and heart in
anyone who speak Your word. Amen

Lord, abound us in love & devotion:
(Paul wrote): Night and day
praying exceedingly that
we may see your face and perfect
what is lacking in your faith…
And may the Lord make you
increase and abound in love
to one another… so that He may
establish your hearts blameless
in holiness (1 Thess 3:10-13).
Lord, grant that our hearts may
be so brought under the influence
of these divine truths that we will
yield ourselves in devotion to Christ.
May our longing to satisfy the
heart of God be the chief aim
of our lives. Lord Jesus breathe
Your Spirit into our hearts
for Your name’s sake. Amen.

Confident Hope In Christ

We start the Gospels, with
Matthew who presents Jesus as
the Christ, Israel’s messianic King.
Mark presents Jesus as the Servant
who gave his life for mankind.
Luke presents Him as the perfect
Son of Man saving the lost.
And John presents Jesus as
Son of God offering eternal life.
We have also covered Acts which
chronicles Growth of the church.

Turning to the Pauline epistles:
In Romans, Paul gives a sample of his
message before he arrives in Rome.
And First and Second Corinthians,
Living for Christ in corrupt society.
In Galatians, Paul calls Christians
to faith and freedom in Christ.
In Ephesians, Paul strengthens
the believers in their faith by
explaining the purpose of the church.
In Philippians, strengthens believers
by showing that true joy comes
from Jesus Christ alone. And in
Colossians, Paul shows believers
have everything they need in Christ.

And Paul writes 1 Thessalonians
to encourage them. They were
being persecuted and he urges
them to persevere. Their city is
full of sensual temptation and
he exhorts them to hold to
Christian standards. Finally he
corrects some misunderstanding
about the return of Christ.

As the believers face growing
persecution, Paul writes 2 Thess to
encourage them God’s judgment
will eventually bring about justice.
He dispels the rumour that the
Day of the Lord has already come.
They had concluded they were living in the tribulation and quit their jobs.
Paul exhorts them to return to work
& stop burdening the body of Christ.
Instead they are to use the time
they have and not be weary in
well doing before Christ returns.

We will cover the two letters
to the Thessalonians in two weekends over four sessions:
1Ths 1-3: Faithfulness to the Lord
1Ths 4-5: Watchfulness for the Lord
2Ths 1-2: Hope in Christ’s Return
2Ths 3: Living in Light of His Return
Lord as we meditate, help us
be strengthened in our faith,
be remain faithful to the Lord;
be Prepared for Your Return.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Knowing God thru His Names

The purpose of the Gospel according
to Matthew is to prove that Jesus
is the Messiah, the eternal King.
This week we understand God better
thru knowing His attributes, mostly
related to His ability to meet needs.
On Monday, we learn from Matthew 1
about Immanuel, God With Us.
On Tuesday, we learn from Matt 4
about God who Gives Word & Light.
On Wednesday, we learn from Matt 5
about God who is Our Father.
On Thursday, we learn from Matt 6
about God who is Our Provider.
On Friday, we learn from Matthew 9
about the Lord of the Harvest.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Lord of the Harvest (June 25)

Jesus came to earth to begin his
kingdom & Matthew focuses on 10
miracles in Mt 8/9 demonstrating
Jesus’ power over disease, the
forces of nature & the spirit world.
Christ then bestows that same
power & authority on His chosen
apostles and sends them out
as ambassadors of the kingdom.
He first instructs them how to
act, then warns them of the
dangers they will face, as He calls
them to committed discipleship.

Lord, make us Compassionate:
The Pharisees said: Why does
your Teacher eat with sinners?
When Jesus heard that, He said:
Those who are well have no need
of a physician but those who
are sick… For I did not come
to call the righteous but sinners
to repentance (Matt 9:12-13).
Jesus felt great compassion for
the crowds that came because
their problems were so great and
they didn’t know where to go
for help. They were like sheep
without a shepherd. He said to
his disciples: The harvest is so
great but the workers are so few.
Ask the Lord to send more workers
for His fields (Matt 9:35-38).

Lord, we realise that You are
showing us that You desire us to
be merciful than make sacrifices.
Thank You for being my Great
Physician and for never being
too busy to attend to my needs.
Guide me to dispense to others
the good medicine that You have
given to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Lord, we pray that You will send
labourers who will bring Your
healing & transforming power to the
people who have yet to know You.
Let us not be self-centred but be
compassionate enough to be open
to join You in the harvest fields.
You are Lord of the harvest; and
let Your Kingdom come here as it
is in heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Almighty God, praise You for sending
Your Son Jesus to die for our sins
and to be our Master and King.
Lord Jesus, we Your people purpose
to make ourselves available to
fulfil the mission of Your kingdom.
Holy Spirit, make us more gracious,
merciful and compassionate so that
we be ready workers in the harvest.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God who is Our Provider (Jun 24)

Jesus claimed to be the Messiah,
the king of the Jews. And Matthew
5 to 7 traditionally called the
Sermon on the Mount, essentially
presents His statement of heaven.
Relationship to God (rather than
adherence to ritual) and inward
attitude (not outward action)
become the focus of His message.

Lord, we Lift Up Our Needs to You:
Do not worry saying: What shall
we eat…or What shall we wear?
For the pagans run after these
things and Your Heavenly Father
Knows that You Need them. But
Seek First the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you
as well. Therefore Do Not Worry
about tomorrow (Matt 6:31-34).

Lord, You promise and advise us
Not To Worry about basic needs
for You Will Provide them to us.
Grateful I don’t have to be consumed
with worry; but I can be consumed
with You Lord and Your kingdom.
For no need enters my life for
which You have already provided.
So, I choose to keep anxiety from
cluttering my heart and instead
let it be filled with You. Amen.

Lord, You are all-knowing and
therefore You Know all our needs.
Praise You for Knowing everything
about us and every detail of our
situation; for nothing surprises You.
For Your Word says You Know
our needs and Will Provide them.
And so we can live peacefully and
cheerfully each day when we keep
Your kingdom as key concern. Amen

Gracious Lord, Thanks for caring
for us, including being our Provider.
Help me to always Seek You First,
trust Your gracious promise and
keep from worrying about the future.
Give me Lord the right perspective
and not worry over issues beyond
my control. Help me to see the
difference between needs & wants.
And do transform my life. Amen.