Month: November 2022

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

The purpose of the book of Romans
is to introduce Paul himself and
to give a sample of his message
before his arrival in Rome.
On Monday, we learn from Rom 1
on Living the Power of God.
On Tuesday, we learn from Rom 5
that God Uses Trials for Good.
On Wed, we learn from Rom 8
that Holy Spirit Helps the Weak.
On Thursday, we learn from Rom 12
that God Transforms & Renews Us.
On Friday, we learn from Rom 15
that Spirit Gives Confident Hope.
On Saturday, we learn from Rom 16
that God Strengthens to Be Faithful.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
to be Christ’s disciples who share
the gospel for You are for us
and that You transform, help, strengthen and empower us. Amen.

God Strengthens Us to Be Faithful

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.
The letter closes with Paul’s stating
his plans, a long series of greetings,
an admonition followed by doxology.

Lord, we will Defend the Gospel:
Look out for those who cause
people to be against each other
and who upset other people’s faith…
Everyone knows that you are
obedient to the Lord… I want you to
see clearly what is right and to stay
innocent of any wrong (v17-19).
And the God of peace will crush
Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you (v20).
Now to Him who is able to establish
you according to (the) gospel
and the preaching of Jesus Christ…
And by the Scriptures made known
to all nations… for obedient of faith.
To God alone wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. Amen (v25-27)

Lord, help me to travel life’s
road seeing things clearly
and living innocent of wrong.
Help me Lord to depend fully
on the light of Your Son Jesus;
and be obedient to His bidding.
Help me see the path You have
for me and through the truth of
Your Word leads me gently on it.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we realize the more we
yield to sin, the more enticements
to sin we seem to encounter.
But the more consistently and
firmly we resist temptation, the
stronger our resolve becomes.
Lord, the enemy is strong and
sinister; but You are stronger.
Give me the grace to recognise
the attacks of the enemy; and the
strength to spurn his offers. Amen.

Lord, make us be faithful to the
gospel in our area of influence.
Help us to be watchful for those
who undermine sound doctrine &
lead us to be wise and discerning.
Prompt us Lord to want to do good
and make us be willing servants.
Establish us in sharing the gospel
and to practice obedience of faith.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Spirit Gives Confident Hope

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:
For whatever things were written
before were written for our learning,
that we through the patience
and comfort of the Scripture
might have Hope (Rom 15:4).
Jesus Christ has become
a servant to the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm
the promises made (Rom 15:8).
May the God of Hope fill
you with all joy and peace as you
trust Him so that u may Overflow
with Hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit (Rom 15:13).

Father, it’s 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 peace,
and let me overflow with hope
thru the power of Your Spirit. Amen.

Lord Jesus, it’s a pretty grim world
out there, and prolonged trials
can also cause us to doubt.
Fill me Lord to overflowing with
Hope as I turn my heart to You.
Fill me with hope and restore
me Lord even as I trust in You.
Help me take my eyes off the
challenge but focus in Your promise
and wait upon You to act. Amen.

Spirit, I love Your Word, but I need
it to be personalised. Pour it deep
into my heart Your rhema Word
the truth that I really need to hear.
Fill me Lord with joy and peace,
as I perceive how I can best serve
You with my life. Teach me to trust
You more, so that I can rest more
joyfully and peacefully in You. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/hashtag/philwickham

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God Transforms & Renews Us

What u believe affect how u behave.
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, we Consecrate ourselves to You:
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).
Let love be without hypocrisy…
Be kindly affectionate to one another…
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…
continuing steadfast in prayer (v9-12).

Lord, I don’t really know what
these days will hold, but I offer
myself to U 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 U want me to minister.
And all glory be unto You. Amen.

Lord, help me grow closer to You.
Help me understand the difference
between what You desire and
what the world offers. Teach me
not to apply the behaviours and
customs of this world but 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, do Your transforming work
in me through Your Word that I may
learn to know Your heart desires.
Give me the mind of Christ so that
I will be able to make wise decisions
that will also be pleasing to You.
Guide me in Your way and by
Your Word to embrace Your will.
And work in me Lord not only to will
but to do of Your good pleasure.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Holy Spirit Helps the Weak

Paul anticipates questions arising
from hearing 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, help us Pray with Your Spirit:
There is… no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus,
who walk according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of Life
In Christ has made me free from
the law of sin and death (Rom 8:1-2)
Those who are controlled by the
Holy Spirit think about things that
please the Spirit… (And) if the
Holy Spirit Controls your mind,
there’s life and peace (v5-6).
The Spirit Helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to
pray for, but the Spirit Intercedes
for… the saints in accordance with
the will of God. And we know that…
God Works for the Good of those
who love him, who have been called
according to His purpose (v26-28).

Lord Jesus, No Condemnation are
two of the most beautiful words.
Yet sometimes they are hard to
believe, hard to really take hold of.
For sometimes I may be quick
to blame others for the problem,
but deep down I condemn myself.
Help me Lord to live in the reality
of the freedom that comes from
Your grace and be at peace. Amen.

Father God, let Your Spirit Control
my heart so that I experience peace.
Direct my thoughts even as I yield
my mind to You Lord each day.
Lead me Lord to think of things that
please You; and guard my mind from anything that is contrary to Your ways.
Thank You Lord for setting me free
from sin & death through the power
of Your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness
by interceding for me and thro me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide & teach me Lord 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 Him. Amen

God Uses Trials for Good

After painting humanity’s sorry
condition, Paul turns to God’s
merciful solution. Jesus’ death on
the cross has paid sin’s penalty and
satisfied God’s righteous demand.
To the one who in faith accepts
Jesus’ 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.

Lord, we Allow Problems Shape us:
Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ…
We can rejoice when we run into
trials, for they help us to Endure.
And endurance develops strength
of character in us, and character
strengthens our confident expectation
of salvation. And this expectation
will Not Disappoint us. For God
loves us dearly (Rom 5:1-4).
Having now been justified by
His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him…
We can rejoice because of what
Jesus has done for us in making
us Friends of God (v9-11). Amen.

Lord, You want me to Trust You
in the hard times. But rejoicing
isn’t natural for me, so make it
my supernatural response to the
pressures and difficulties in life.
Lord, I surrender and allow myself
to be molded and shaped by trials.
And teach me to Endure so that
my faith will grow steadily and
get stronger over time. Amen.

Lord, I place my Hope in You.
I trust that You are working on
my behalf, no matter how difficult
the circumstances become.
For I believe that You won’t just
put me through trials; but that
You also plan joys for me too.
Please fill me Lord with hope
– the kind that comes from Your
Spirit and cannot disappoint. And
help me live in that hope. Amen.

Father, I rejoice in my relationship
with You God because of what
Jesus Christ has done for me.
Having an intimate relationship
with Jesus also enables me have
an eternal perspective about
anything that may happen to me.
I gratefully praise You for the
joy such a Friendship brings.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Living the Power of God

In his introductory greeting to
the believers in Rome, the apostle
Paul begins his legal brief by
describing the helpless condition
of humanity. A rebellious nature
has led to rejection of the Creator
and 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.

Lord, we will Share the Gospel:
The gospel promises beforehand
through His prophets… regarding
His Son, who as to His human
nature was a descendant of David
& who through the Spirit of Holiness
was declared… to be the Son of God,
by His resurrection from the dead
Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 1:2-4).
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 had done
for me what no other could ever do.
Enlarge my appreciation & affection
for Lord Jesus and for Your gospel.
And may I share it to others. Amen.

Lord, we have treasure in Your
gospel which does for me what 
I cannot possibly accomplish.
What Christ has done means
that my sins have been forgiven,
that I’ve right standing with God; and
that God is at work to produce
the righteous life He desires.
Deepen my gratitude to You so that
I live worthy of the gospel. Amen.

Lord, thank You for the good news
that enable us have peace with You.
This gospel has the power to change every person; so Lord 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 with one another.
Work in us and thru the good news
towards those yet to know You. Amen

Praising God Releases Power

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).
Trembling with fear, the jailer…
fell down before Paul and Silas.
And he brought them out and said:
Sirs what must I do to be saved?”
So they said: Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,
you and your household (v29-31).
Then he brought them into his house
and set a meal before them. He and
his entire household rejoiced because
they all believed in God (v34).

Lord, we magnify Your Name for
there is none like You; we thank
and praise You for grace in our lives.
When I face difficult circumstances
and may be tempted to give up;
remind me Lord of Paul and Silas in
prison & how You intervened for them.
Then put words of Praise in my mouth;
for You are my hope and saviour
in the midst of troubles. Amen.

Lord, I purpose to praise and
worship You in every situation;
for things bow to Your Presence
when I bow to Your Presence.
Trust that You will respond to my
praise of You, sometimes visibly
in power and sometimes invisibly.
But either way, Your Presence
is real when my heart is in syn
with the truth of Your glory. Amen.

Lord, the circumstances may not
be pretty and there are things
that I don’t quite understand.
What are You doing in this situation?
What do You want to do through me?
Although I may be hurting but
may Your sovereign will be done.
I’m open to whatever You want to do;
and help me Lord join You at work,
incl declaring Your salvation. Amen.

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

The purpose of the book of Acts
is to give an accurate account of
the birth and growth of the church.
On Monday, we learn from Acts 13
on Seeking God’s Will In Prayer.
On Tuesday, we learn from Acts 14/15
on God Acting on Prayer with Fast.
On Wednesday, we learn fr Acts 16
on Praising God Releases Power.
On Thursday, we learn from Acts 17
on Seeking God who Is Near You.
On Friday, we learn from Acts 20
on Completing the Given Assignment.
On Saturday, we learn from Acts 21
on Seeking & Obeying the Lord’s Will.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
to be Christ’s disciples who seek
God’s will & complete His assignment
for You are near & will back us. Amen.

Seeking & Obeying the Lord’s Will

Though Paul has taken his last
missionary journey, his missionary
career is far from over. God
now promotes him from being
a missionary to the people to
being a missionary to the palace.
     Paul travels to Jerusalem,
prepared for imprisonments and
even martyrdom. Once before
the crowd and again before the
council, Paul attempts to defend
himself by relating his personal
testimony. Narrowly averting an
assassination plot, he awaits his
opportunity to stand trial for the
hope and resurrection of the dead.

Lord, we will Seek Your Will:
Landing at Tyre & finding disciples
we stayed there seven days. They
told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.
But when our time was up, we
left and continued on our way.
All the disciples & their wives and
children accompanied us out of
the city, and there on the beach
we Knelt To Pray (Acts 21:3-5).
(Agaves)…took Paul’s belt & bound
his own feet and hands with it. Then
he said: The Holy Spirit declares:
So shall the owner of this belt be
bound by the Jewish leaders and
turned over to the Romans. When
we heard this, we… begged Paul
not to go on to Jerusalem (v11-12).
But Paul said: I am ready not only to
be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem
for the sake of the Lord Jesus.
When it was clear that we couldn’t
persuade (Paul), we gave up and
said: The Lord’s will be done (v13-14).

Lord, prayer is the most powerful
tool we have as believers for
it is our direct link to You God.
Help us not neglect it when we part
from loved ones, close friends and
co-labourers to boost relationships.
Help us remember when we are with
people who are leaving on a journey
that we may pray for their safety and
guidance as they go about their biz.
And Lord bring them back home
in koinonia fellowship again. Amen.

Lord Holy Spirit, when You
give me a glimpse of Your will,
help me to know how to apply it.
When I have only partial guidance
from You Lord, give me wisdom
and discernment for the details.
And grant me Lord the needed
strength and perseverance to face
whatever that is coming in my path.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, we realise that though You
surround us with Spirit-inspired
advisors, there will be times
when we have to stand alone.
Give me the discernment to know
when You are speaking through
Your people and when You
are speaking apart from them.
Give me the humility to follow
advice and the wisdom & resolve
to know when to reject it. Amen.