Month: January 2025

God Gives Purpose In Life

When a person will not obey God
willingly, God will often bring to
bear circumstances that force
him to obey God unwillingly.
Such is the case with reluctant
Pharaoh of Egypt. God sends
a series of national calamities
to impress upon Pharaoh the
importance of obedience.

Lord, thanks for Purpose in Life:
Then the Lord said to Moses:
Stand before Pharaoh and say
to him: Thus says the Lord God
of the Hebrews: Let My people
go that they may (worship) Me…
For at this time I will send…
plagues to your very heart, and
on our servants and on your people,
that you may know that there
is none like Me in all the earth…
Indeed for this Purpose I have
raised you up, that I may show
My power in you, and that
My name may be declared in
all the earth (Ex 9:13-16) Amen.

Lord, You give everyone Purpose
for their life, incl Moses & Pharaoh
in the deliverance of Your people.
Grateful Lord that You not only
gives us life but also A Purpose
so that there’s full meaning in life.
Apostle Paul says in Eph 2 we are
created in Christ for Good Works
which God prepared beforehand
(so) that we should walk in them.
Grant us Lord good clarity in Your
assignment and tender obedience
to do Your Will for your glory. Amen

Lord, guide us to Be Sensitive
to Your voice and direction; and
may You use us to do Your Will.
Remind me Holy Spirit to fear the
LORD and to serve Him faithfully;
for He’s done great things for me.
Help me to focus attention not on
myself but on others & what I can
do to make a difference in them.
And help me to act and talk with
grace, gratitude and goodness
for the glory of Your name, Amen.

Lord, I purpose to use whatever
talents & gifts that I have received
as well as passion to serve others
as faithful stewards of God’s grace.
And it is also my desire that I will
be more caring, that my light will
shine before others, so that they
may see my good works and
give glory to my Father who is
in heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

All Sufficient God Meets Needs

“All Sufficient God” was written
by Nathaniel Bassey, a Nigerian
gospel artist & worship leader;
and it was first released in 2018.
The title & lyrics of “All-Sufficient
God” drew inspiration from Moses’
Burning Bush encounter in Exodus 3.
The song reminds believers that
God is always present to guide and
protect them. And it emphasizes
that God is able to meet our needs,
provide comfort in times of trouble
and bring hope in midst of despair.

Lord, You’re the All Sufficient One:
Moses was amazed because the
bush was engulfed in flames but it
didn’t burn up… When the Lord saw..
He had caught Moses’ attention,
God called to him from the bush…
I have seen the misery of my people
in Egypt. I have heard their cries for
deliverance…Now go for I’m Sending
you to Pharaoh. You Will Lead My
people… out of Egypt (Exo 3:2-10).
Then Moses said: when I come to
the children of Israel & say to them:
The God of your fathers has sent
me to you, and they say to me:
What is His name? what shall I say
to them? And God said to Moses:
I AM WHO I AM (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh
Eternal All-Sufficient God). Thus you
shall say to the children of Israel:
I AM has sent me to you (v13-14).

All Sufficient Lord, You are beyond
our capacity of full understanding.
But we trust Yr Spirit will grant the
things You want us to experience.
Empower us to cooperate with You
even as You manifest Your kingdom.
Grateful for Your lovingkindness
& praise You for being our All in All
and for supplying all that we need.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, You’re the all-sufficient one,
holding the world in Your hands.
Your sufficiency is comforting for
I am after all one of Your children.
Lord, I can see my insufficiency
in the light of Your all-sufficiency.
Pardon me the impatience I feel
when something goes wrong.
Forgive any doubts that You are
mighty and good; for You can and
ready to meet my needs. Amen.

Lord, we long to hear more clearly;
but then the clearer the revelation,
the greater will be the expectation.
And the more clearly You speak, the
greater the demand for obedience.
The costs of hearing You can be
high but we still want to encounter
You for You are a good good God.
Grant us Lord willingness to face the
responsibility of knowing Your will.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMtTkwQaOE

Almighty God Can Do Anything

Backgrounder on Genesis 15-18:
God’s promises to Abraham are
given in great detail, confirmed
with a unilateral treaty, repeated
and established by the sign of
circumcision. But as the years
pass with no evidence of fulfilment,
Abraham acts in foolish impatience.
The result is a son Ishmael, who
will forever cause the heartbreak
of his father, constantly reminding
Abraham of the price of unbelief.
And we have the visit of the three
men of God (enroute Sodom) with
a message for Abraham and Sarah.

Lord, we will Trust Your Promises:
When Abram was 99 years old,
the LORD appeared to him & said
I am God Almighty (El Shaddai);
walk before me faithfully and
be blameless. Then I will… greatly
increase your numbers… This is my
covenant with you. You will be the
father of many nations (Gen 17:1-4).
Then one of the three men said:
About this time next year I will return
and your wife Sarah will have a son…
And since Abraham and Sarah were
both very old, and Sarah was long
past the age of having children,
she laughed silently to herself…
Then the Lord said: Why did Sarah
laugh? Why did she say: Can an
old woman like me have a baby?
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?
About a year from now, just as
I told you, I will return and Sarah
will have a son (Genesis 18:10-14).
The Lord kept His Word and did for
Sarah exactly what He had promised
She became pregnant and she gave
birth to a son… This happened at
just The Time God said (Gen 21:1-2)

Lord El Shaddai, You are great
and You are mighty in power.
Your wisdom knows no limits;
and Your might knows no bounds.
As the heavens are higher than the
earth,so Yr ways higher than ours.
Help us to not cause delays in
our destiny but rather to walk
upright in faith. Help us to stay
committed to You, and we look
forward to Your blessing. Amen.

Lord, Thanks for the promise that
there’s nothing too difficult for You.
We praise You that You are the
God of miracles and all Powerful.
And we call upon Your awesome
might when we are in trouble;
for it honours Your name when
we ask for God-sized things.
We submit to Your sovereignty;
grant us Your sustaining strength
to endure the challenge and
bless us with Your miracle. Amen.

Lord, sometimes the change we
want to see seem impossible, even
laughable. Grant us the faith to keep
believing that what is impossible in
human terms is not too hard for You.
For our hopes are grounded in the
reality that U still do the impossible.
You create life out of death, which
is not dependent upon human effort.
For Nothing is too hard for You; &
You do things in Your Time. Amen.

Hearing God thru His Word

The purpose of Genesis is
to record God’s creation and
His desire to have a people
set apart to worship Him.
The first portion (chapter 1-11)
presents a wide-angle view of God’s
dealings from Creation to Babel,
a period characterized by human
faithlessness. But chapter 12-50
focus on God’s relationship
with one man (Abraham) and
his descendants over the next four
centuries, during which a nation is
founded and salvation is promised
for the fallen race of mankind.

On Monday, we learn from Gen 12
to Follow God’s Calling & Trust Him.
On Tuesday, we learn fr Gen 17/18
that Almighty God Can Do Anything
On Wed, we learn from Gen 22
that Jehovah Jireh Is My Provider.
On Thu, we learn from Gen 25-32
to Keep Faith and Don’t Give Up.
On Friday, we learn from Gen 37
to Focus on the Promised Vision.
On Saturday, we learn from Gen 41
that God Reveals the Solution.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Hear You:

For You want us to simply Trust You
as Almighty God Can Do Anything
and Jehovah Jireh Is Our Provider.
For You are a Faithful God and want
us to Keep Faith and Don’t Give Up.
For God wants us to Focus on the
Promise & that You Reveal Solution.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Reveals the Solution

A difficult dream of Pharaoh
refreshes the memory of the chief
butler; and Joseph is promoted
from prisoner to prime minister.
The dream forecasts prosperity
and famine in the years ahead.
The widespread famine prompts
Jacob to send 10 sons to Egypt
for grain, where Joseph recognises
them immediately and the brothers
unknowingly fulfill the boyhood
dream of Joseph. And Jacob was
assured going to Egypt is divinely
approved. So the entire Jewish
clan of 70 moves to Goshen
which will become home for the
fledging nation for next 400 years.

Lord, we trust U for the Impossible:
Pharaoh said to Joseph: “I had a
dream last night and no one here
can tell me what it means. But I’ve
heard that when you hear about
a dream you can interpret it.”
It is beyond my power to do this,
Joseph replied. But God can
tell you what it means and set
you at ease (Gen 41:15-16).
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh:
The dreams of Pharaoh are one;
God has shown Pharaoh what
He is about to do… And the seven
thin cows… & seven empty heads…
are seven years of famine (v25-27).
Then Pharaoh said: God has shown
you all this… I have set you over
all the land of Egypt (v39-41).

Lord, You have a solution for
every problem in the world and
every problem that we may face.
And if U share Your ideas with me,
I will avail myself to act on them
so that I can be a blessing to
others and further Your kingdom.
And Lord help us to see life thru
Your eyes & for Your glory. Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You
for Your good plan for mankind.
Help us Persevere by Waiting for
fulfilment of promise like Joseph.
Help us Trust You for challenges
even as we Give Our Scars to You;
for You Intended For Good. And
Thanks be to You God who is
able to keep us from stumbling.
In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen!

Focus on the Promised Vision

Though the favourite son of his
father Jacob, Joseph alienates
himself from his brothers by his
forthrightness of his two dreams.
Envy grows into hatred until finally
the brothers sell him into slavery.
Taken to Egypt, Joseph suffers
injustice at the hands of Potiphar’s
wife and later from forgetful butler.
Through it all, God has a good plan
for both Joseph as well as Israel.
Lord, Help us Avail ourselves to
Your service as imperfect people.
Help us keep faith by Waiting for U,
Help us Focus on the Vision. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Wait for Your Promise:
Now Joseph had a dream
and he told it to his brothers…
Your sheaves stood all around
and bowed down to my sheaf…
So they hated him even more
for his dreams and for his words…
Then he dreamed still another
dream. This time the sun, the moon
and the eleven stars bowed down
to me. So he told it to his father
and his brothers; and his father
rebuked him… And his brothers
envied him, but his father Kept
the matter In Mind (Gen 37:5-11).

Lord, we see thru patriarchs that
You Work thru Imperfect people:
You work through Joseph who was
prideful when he boastfully shared
his dream to his brothers that
he will one day be in high position
and they will bow to him causing
his brothers to envy and hate him.
Lord, help us not be proud but
Wait for the right time to share
Your plan for us. And help us to avail
ourselves for Your service. Amen.

Lord, You were with Joseph
and made all he did to prosper.
Joseph kept integrity, running from
Potiphar’s wife & ended in prison.
It was a long wait of 13 years when
he received the two prophecies.
As a slave & as a prisoner, Joseph
could have seen his situations
as hopeless. But he remembered
the prophetic dreams and saw the
favour of men as sign of promise.
Holy Spirit, help us be like Joseph,
Not to Doubt but Believe, Waiting
for God to fulfil His promise. Amen.

Lord, grant Be Thou Our Vision:
From the Joseph story, we learn
that You don’t just speak into
individual lives or immediate future
for Your agenda is to build every
level of society. We realise when
we listen for Your voice, we need
to listen with grand purposes
and long term frame of mind.
So raise our vision beyond self
and our immediate needs & future.
Show us more Lord and draw us to
Your purpose & assignment. Amen

Keeping Faith & Not Giving Up

The third patriarchal character
Jacob truly lives up to his name,
stealing the family blessing meant
for his twin brother Esau. But it is
through Jacob that God’s promises
are fulfilled in a greater degree.
During a 20-year stay in Haran,
Jacob the schemer becomes
Jacob the servant of God.
After leaving his uncle Laban, he
reconciles to God, wrestling with
the angel of Jehovah that leaves
him with a new name Israel & limp.

Dear Lord, thanks for Yr goodness
and redemption plan for mankind.
Help us to Trust You like Abraham
though not having all the answers;
Submit to Your Will like Isaac and
not demanding one own’s way;
and Have Persevering Faith like
Jacob who Didn’t Give Up easily.
Lord, we see in the story of Jacob
that You transform people in the
course of fulfilling Your promises.
Help us to have the tenacity of
Jacob who Didn’t Give Up easily:
Choosing Long-term Significance,
Willing to work hard Patiently and
Persevering On God’s promises.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen!

Lord, help us Choose Significance:
One day when Jacob was cooking
some stew, Esau arrived home
from the wilderness exhausted
and hungry. Esau said to Jacob,
I’m starved! Give me some stew!
All right, Jacob replied, but trade
me your rights as the firstborn son.
Look, I’m dying of starvation! said
Esau. What good is my birthright
to me now? But Jacob said: First
you must swear that your birthright
is mine. So Esau swore an oath,
thereby selling all his rights as
the firstborn to his brother Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread
and lentil stew (Gen 25:29-34).
Lord, all that U have promised for
those who love U is of great worth.
But it takes eyes of faith to see it
and a willingness to wait for it while
this world wants instant gratificatn.
So help us Lord to choose wisely
for Longterm Significance rather
than momentary craving. Amen.

Lord, help us Learn to Be Patient:
As Jacob was in love with Rachael,
he told her father: I’ll work for you
for seven years if you’ll give me
Rachael your younger daughter
as my wife. Agreed! Labuan replied
Finally the time came for him
to marry her. I have fulfilled my
agreement, Jacob said to Labuan.
So Labuan prepared a wedding
feast. But that night, when it was
dark, Labuan took Leah to Jacob,
and he slept with her. When Jacob
woke up in the morning, it was
Leah! Jacob raged at Labuan: Why
have u tricked me? (Gen 29:16-25)
Altho Jacob made many mistakes,
his hard work for 14 years teaches
us about living a life of service.
When faced with challenges,
help us Lord Not Give Up so easily,
but instead be willing to work hard
for You and Wait Patiently. Amen.

Lord, help us Don’t Stop Believing:
So Jacob was left alone and a man
wrestled with him till daybreak.
When the man saw that he could
not overpower him, he touched the
socket of Jacob’s hip so that his
hip was wrenched as he wrestled
with the man. Then the man said:
Let me go, for it is daybreak. But
Jacob replied: I will not let you go
unless U bless me (Gen 32:24-26).
Lord,help us emulate Jacob,staying
there until he receives the blessing.
I confess I’ve times of fear & doubt
but I commit to trust You more and
purpose to pray more each day.
Help us Fight a good fight, Believe
and Hold On to Yr promises. Amen.

Don’t Give Up on God’s Promise

Jehovah Jireh My Provider

The song Jehovah Jireh My
Provider
was composed by Merla Watson
in 1974 & published under Universal.
The phrase “Jehovah Jireh”
is a Hebrew name for God tha
means “The Lord Will Provide.”
In the Genesis 22 story, God tested
Abraham’s faith by asking him
to sacrifice his son Isaac as a
burnt offering.Abraham obediently
followed God’s command and
took Isaac to Mount Moriah.
As they were about to proceed
with the sacrifice, an angel
stopped Abraham and provided
a ram as a substitute for Isaac.
The song Jehovah Jireh is often
sung to celebrate God’s provision
and faithfulness in our lives.

Lord, You are My Provider:
Sometime later God tested
Abraham. He said to him: Abraham!
‘Here I am, he replied. Then God
said:Take your son, your only son,
Isaac, whom you love and go
to Moriah. Sacrifice Him there
as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I’ll tell you (Gen 22:1-3).
Abraham took the knife to slay
his son. But the Angel of the Lord
called: Do not lay your hand on
the lad for now I know that you
fear God since you have not
withhold your son, your only son
from Me. Then Abraham lifted his
eyes and there was a ram caught
in a thicket by its horns. So,
Abraham took the ram & offered
it up for a burnt offering instead
of his son. And Abraham called
the name of the place: The Lord
Will Provide (Gen 22:10-14).

Lord, how my life will change
when I say “Here I am” I don’t know
for sure. It might require laying down
of a dream that I long held tightly.
But Lord You are my Provider
and You work things for good.
You are the one I can put my trust
since it is also well within Your will.
So I present myself to You, to be
activated by Your voice. Here I am
while I am yielded and still. Amen.

Lord, realise that Abraham saw
Your willingness and ability to keep
promises even if it took a miracle.
Know that You wanted Abraham
to sacrifice Isaac in his heart so that
he learn to trust God completely.
Lord, obeying You may often be
quite a struggle for it may mean
giving up something we truly want.
Help us Lord when tested that we
will not complain but trust You.Amen

Lord Jehovah Jireh, my provider,
at this juncture, I appeal to this
name perhaps more than any other.
In Your lovingkindness, let me know
You in the truest form of this name.
In Your mercy, let me see You on
the mountain-top of my struggles.
Come through for me as You Lord
did in providing Abraham’s sacrifice.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Almighty God Can Do Anything

Backgrounder on Genesis 15-18:
God’s promises to Abraham are
given in great detail, confirmed
with a unilateral treaty, repeated
and established by the sign of
circumcision. But as the years
pass with no evidence of fulfilment,
Abraham acts in foolish impatience.
The result is a son Ishmael, who
will forever cause the heartbreak
of his father, constantly reminding
Abraham of the price of unbelief.
And we have the visit of the three
men of God (enroute Sodom) with
a message for Abraham and Sarah.

Lord, we will Trust Your Promises:
When Abram was 99 years old,
the LORD appeared to him & said
I am God Almighty (El Shaddai);
walk before me faithfully and
be blameless. Then I will… greatly
increase your numbers… This is my
covenant with you. You will be the
father of many nations (Gen 17:1-4).
Then one of the three men said:
About this time next year I will return
and your wife Sarah will have a son…
And since Abraham and Sarah were
both very old, and Sarah was long
past the age of having children,
she laughed silently to herself…
Then the Lord said: Why did Sarah
laugh? Why did she say: Can an
old woman like me have a baby?
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?
About a year from now, just as
I told you, I will return and Sarah
will have a son (Genesis 18:10-14).
The Lord kept His Word and did for
Sarah exactly what He had promised
She became pregnant and she gave
birth to a son… This happened at
just The Time God said (Gen 21:1-2)

Lord El Shaddai, You are great
and You are mighty in power.
Your wisdom knows no limits;
and Your might knows no bounds.
As the heavens are higher than the
earth,so Yr ways higher than ours.
Help us to not cause delays in
our destiny but rather to walk
upright in faith. Help us to stay
committed to You, and we look
forward to Your blessing. Amen.

Lord, Thanks for the promise that
there’s nothing too difficult for You.
We praise You that You are the
God of miracles and all Powerful.
And we call upon Your awesome
might when we are in trouble;
for it honours Your name when
we ask for God-sized things.
We submit to Your sovereignty;
grant us Your sustaining strength
to endure the challenge and
bless us with Your miracle. Amen.

Lord, sometimes the change we
want to see seem impossible, even
laughable. Grant us the faith to keep
believing that what is impossible in
human terms is not too hard for You.
For our hopes are grounded in the
reality that U still do the impossible.
You create life out of death, which
is not dependent upon human effort.
For Nothing is too hard for You; &
You do things in Your Time. Amen.