Author: Chiasochris

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Preview on John Gospel (Feb 6)

Preview on John Gospel (Feb 6)
Believing in the Son of God

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we had been meditating scripture
by time sequence over last 25 mths
over three Old Testament phases:
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to David (Josh-1Chr)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Post Exilic Period & Prophets

Continuing into the New Testament,
the gospel of John is a gospel apart.
Matthew, Mark and Luke despite
their different view-points, describe
many same events in Jesus’ life.
But John presents unique material
to prove to his readers that Jesus
is God in the flesh, born to die
as the sacrifice for human sin.
Seven miraculous signs and
seven “I am” declarations are cited
to show that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God; and that believing
we may have life in His name.

We will meditate John gospel over
3 weekends on following 6 divisions:
Jn 1-2: Coming of the Son of God
Jn 3-5: Compassion of Son of God
Jn 6-8: Claims by the Son of God
Jn 9-12: Conflict with Son of God
Jn 13-17: Comfort from Son of God
Jn 18-21: Crucifixion of Son of God
O Jesus, because You’re God’s Son,
we can fully trust what You say.
And by trusting You, we can gain
an open mind to understand God’s
message and fulfil His purpose for
our lives. In Jesus’ precious name.

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Knowledge God In Joshua 22 (Feb 4)

The Mighty One, God, the Lord (Feb 4)

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 recognised that 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 – an act
misunderstood by the tribes west
of Jordan. Civil war nearly breaks
out before the real motives behind
the altar are revealed.

Praise be to El Elohim Jehovah:
Then Reuben, Gad and the half-
tribe of Manasseh replied to
the heads of the clans of Israel:
The Mighty One, God, the Lord!
(El Elohim Jehovah) He knows,
and may Israel itself knows.
If it was rebellion, or if in an
unfaithful act against the Lord do
not save us this day (Josh 22:21-22)
For the Lord has made the Jordan
a border between you and us,
you children of Reuben and Gad…
Let us…built… an altar… that it may
be a witness between you and us…
that we may perform the service
of the Lord… that your descendants
may not say to our descendants…
you have no part in the Lord (v25-27)

El Elohim Jehovah, You are the Mighty One. You are our mighty
God, the Lord. We thank You that
in Your great power and might,
You also remain as Jehovah, the
relational God. You can accomplish
Your plans without me but thank
You for giving me a role in Your
plans anyway because You love me.
I humbly bow before You to honour
Your rightful place in my life. Amen.

Lord El Elohim Jehovah pardon
my iniquities for they are many.
I confess that I have not always
honoured You as the Mighty,
powerful and strong One over all.
Too often I place my own wants
and desires above seeking what
You want and desire in & thru me.
Forgive me for boxing You in rather
than acknowledging that You are
the Lord God. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Lord El Elohim Jehovah, teach us
to love like You; and teach us to
walk in Your strength and might
thru the power of the Holy Spirit.
From time to time we may be hit
by health, finance or relationship challenge but You Lord are mighty.
And we ask You to intervene in our
heart and mind when situations
arise so that we can manifest Your might and power in our lives. Amen.

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Preview on Ezekiel (Sep 26)


Lord’s Judgment & Restoration

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we’re meditating by time sequence.
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to David (Josh-1Chr)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Return From Exile & Prophets

2 Chronicles spans four centuries of
Judah’s history from glory days of
Solomon to end of Babylonian Exile.
Moving to prophets, Isaiah’s ministry
spans reigns of four kings of Judah
(722-681BC) stressing holiness
of God and coming of the Messiah.
Then five minor prophets to Judah
including Obadiah (840BC) and
Joel (830) as well as Micah (735-10)
Zephaniah (630) & Habakkuk (607).
Then Jeremiah written 627 to urge
God’s people to turn from their sins
followed by Lamentations (586 BC).
Next, Ezekiel written about 571 BC.

Ezekiel born as a priest but ministers
as a prophet during the last days
of the decline and fall of Judah.
While Jeremiah stays in Jerusalem
Ezekiel preaches to exiles in Babylon.
Similar to Jeremiah in pronouncing
God’s severe judgment on the
faithless nation, Ezekiel also adds
a blessed note of hope – God’s
promise of a restored nation in
the future. Emphasising the glory
of the Sovereign God, Ezekiel
portrays God’s purpose through
both judgment and blessing “that
all might know that I am the Lord.”

We will meditate Ezekiel over four
weekends over following 8 divisions:
Ezek 1-6: Signs and Sermons
Ezek 7-11: Departing Glory
Ezek 12-19: Parables of Judgment
Ezek 20-23: Pictures of Sin
Ezek 24-32: Judgment of Enemies
Ezek 33-36: New Life for Israel
Ezek 37-39: Revived Bones
Ezek 40-48: Revived Worship
Lord, Your message of judgment
points to Your unchanging holiness;
but You also have messages of
restoration & hope for the people.
Grant us grace Lord to submit
to Your rule in our life. Amen.

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Preview on Lamentations (Sep 19)


Weeping Over Judgment

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we’re meditating by time sequence.
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to David (Josh-1Chr)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Return From Exile & Prophets

2 Chronicles spans four centuries of
Judah’s history from glory days of
Solomon to end of Babylonian Exile.
Moving to prophets, Isaiah’s ministry
spans reigns of four kings of Judah
(722-681BC) stressing holiness
of God and coming of the Messiah.
Then five minor prophets to Judah
including Obadiah (840BC) and
Joel (830) as well as Micah (735-10)
Zephaniah (630) & Habakkuk (607).
Then Jeremiah written 627 to urge
God’s people to turn from their sins.
and next Lamentations (586 BC).

God’s warning had come through
the prophet Jeremiah but the people
of Judah had refused to listen.
In 586BC as the Babylonian army
attacked, judgment was poured
out on the city and the people
were carried into exile. Jerusalem
lay ruined and empty. For days
Jeremiah lamented over the city
and its future. As he cries out
in the darkness of destruction,
Jeremiah is given a spark of hope.
God promises forgiveness & grace.
The period of judgment is limited,
and in His mercy God will restore
the city and return the captives.
Lord, You are calling people to turn
from their sins and back to You.
Grant us grace Lord to submit
to Your rule in our life. Amen.

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Preview on Jeremiah (Aug 8)


Final Hour Prophet to Judah

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we’re meditating by time sequence.
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to David (Josh-1Chr)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Return From Exile & Prophets

2 Chronicles spans four centuries of
Judah’s history from glory days of Solomon to end of Babylonian Exile.
Moving to prophets, Isaiah’s ministry
spans reigns of four kings of Judah
(722-681BC) stressing holiness
of God and coming of the Messiah.
Then five minor prophets to Judah
including Obadiah (840BC) and
Joel (830) as well as Micah (735-10)
Zephaniah (630) & Habakkuk (607).
Next, Jeremiah (written 627 BC).

On the time clock of history, Judah
is only minutes away from destruction
as God calls Jeremiah to the task
of preaching repentance to an
affluent, self-satisfied people.
Jeremiah challenges his countrymen
to recognise their errors and repent.
However, Judah’s response is not
repentance but rejection.For more
than 40 years, this sinful nation
remains deaf to Jeremiah’s repeated
warnings until at last it is too late.
The Babylonian army arrives;
vengeance falls and God’s justice
and holiness are finally vindicated.

We cover Jeremiah over 6 weekends
under the following seven divisions:
Jer 1-3: Call of Jeremiah
Jer 4-15: Judah’s Faithlessness
Jer 16-20: Prophet & Potter
Jer 21-25: Last Chance for Judah
Jer 26-29: Conflicts of Jeremiah
Jer 30-33: Consolation fr Jeremiah
Jer 34-45: Consistency of Jeremiah
J46-52:Fall of Babylon & Jerusalem
Lord, thro Jeremiah You are calling
God’s people to turn from their sins
and back to You. Grant us grace to submit to God let You rule in our life.
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Preview Prophets to Judah (Jul 18)


Minor Prophets to Judah

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we’re meditating by time sequence.
Old Testament Expository Phases:
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to David (1Chron)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Return From Exile & Prophets

2 Chronicles spans four centuries of
Judah’s history from glory days of Solomon to end of Babylonian Exile.
Moving to prophets, Isaiah’s ministry
spans reigns of four kings of Judah
(722-681BC) stressing holiness and
justice of God as well as the Messiah
who comes to comfort His people.
Next, we will mediate on five minor prophets to Judah over 3 weekends
including Obadiah (840BC) and
Joel (830) as well as Micah (735-10)
Zephaniah (630) & Habakkuk (607).

Obadiah: One of the worst things
that can happen is to have your
enemies line up to destroy you.
However, defeat takes on a different
meaning when close friends and
brothers also join the opposition.
When Judah called out to her
Edomite cousins for help against
the advancing Babylonians troops,
Edom stood aloof & behaved like Judah’s foes. God’s displeasure
with Edom as it comes through the prophet Obadiah is clear: Edom be destroyed and Judah live in peace.

Joel: Addressing hearts that have
grown cold to the things of God,
Joel confronts the people of Judah.
He reminds them of the recent
destruction brought by a plague
of locusts. Yet that disaster, a
judgment in itself, will seem pale
beside the catastrophe still to come.
Unless the nation repents, it will be destroyed by an army from the north.
The only hope of escape is for the
people to repent. If they do, then
God will divert judgment and will
deliver an unparalleled blessing;
judgment on Judah’s enemies and
the matchless gift of peace to Zion.

Micah: Sin had infiltrated every
segment of society. False prophets
preached for money, immoral
princes oppressed poor, corrupt
judges allowed injustice to rule the land. Such were the days of Micah, country preacher turned prophet of God. Micah pleads with his country
men to turn away from sin & back to
God. But the message falls on deaf ears, that will soon instead hear
the glamour of invading armies. But within the hardness lies hope. When
justice is achieved, God will restore
His people to their covenant land.

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Preview On Isaiah (Jun 6)

Prophet to Nation of Judah

As the Bible is arranged by genre,
to enhance understanding context
we’re meditating by time sequence.
Old Testament Expository Phases:
OT1A: Genesis
OT1B: Poetry Book of Job
OT1C: Life of Moses (Exo to Deut)
OT2A: History to King David (1Chr)
OT2B: Five Books of Psalms
OT2C: 1 Kings & Wisdom Poetry
OT3A: 2 Kings & Prophets
OT3B: 2 Chronicles & Prophets
OT3C: Return From Exile & Prophets

Following coverage of Northern
Kingdom, next we move South.
The book of 2 Chronicles spans
four centuries of Judah’s history
from the glory days of Solomon to
the conclusion of Babylonian Exile.
Moving to prophets, Isaiah’s ministry
spans four decades (722-681 BC)
and the reigns of four kings of Judah.
His book’s 66 chapters parallel
the 66 books of the OT and NT.
The first 39 chapters like the 39
books of the OT stress the holiness
and justice of God and pronounce
woe and condemnation on Judah.
The final 27 chapters focus on the
future, calling forth the theme of
the New Testament – Messiah is
coming to bring comfort to His
people & judgment for the nations.

We’ll cover Isaiah over 7 weekends
under the following seven divisions:
Isa 1-12: Judgment Coming to Judah
Isa13-27:Judgt Coming to Neighbors
Isa 28-35: Judgment to All Earth
Isa 36-39: Assyria at Jerusalem
Isa 40-48: Comfort Is Coming
Isa 49-57: Prince of Peace Coming
Isa 58-66: Restoration Is Coming
Lord, thro Isaiah You are calling
nation of Judah back to God & to tell
of Your salvation thro the Messiah.
Grant us grace to trust Christ fully
and let him rule in our life. Amen.

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Post of the Week Launch (May31)

Lord, we are willing to Obey:
Some time 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 & go to Moriah. Sacrifice him
there as a burnt offering on one of
the mountains I’ll tell you(Gen22:1-3)
Then (Abraham) tied his son Isaac
and laid him on the altar… And
Abraham picked up the knife to
kill his son as a sacrifice. At that
moment the angel of the Lord called:
Don’t lay a hand on the boy!… for
now I know that you truly fear God.
You have not withheld from me even
your son… Then Abraham…took the
ram & sacrificed it as burnt offering
in place of his son (Gen 22:10-13).

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Weekly Reflection Launch (May30)

God is everywhere; but there is a
difference between His Presence
and our actual experience of it.
In this series on Experiencing God
till end of year, we will learn from
scripture to become more aware
of God’s presence and position
ourselves to encounter His presence.
We will also learn to recognise His
voice and deepen our trust in Him.

During this week we learn several
lessons to position ourselves in
order to encounter His presence.
On Monday, we learn in Gen 5 that
Enoch Walked Constantly with God.
On Tuesday, we learn in Gen 12,
Abraham Followed God’s calling.
On Wednesday, we learn in Gen 18,
to Trust God to Fulfil His Promise.
On Thursday, we learn in Gen 22,
to Obey God even sacrificially.
On Friday, we learn in Gen 37 & 41
that Joseph Held On to Given Dream.

Friends, God is working more
mightily these days than ever.
He is breaking down barriers to
the gospel message and is calling
people to join Him in His work.
Let’s together learn to position
ourselves to encounter His presence.
And I pray you will be responsive
to Him in this season of last days.
May the grace, joy & peace of God
be yours thro Christ our Lord. Amen

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Preview Experiencing God (May 25)

We have been utilising Scripture 
to form prayers so that we learn
to think as God thinks; and pray
within His will thus pleasing Him.
For weekday meditation, the plan
is to cover through the scripture on
two discipleship themes each year.
Thus far, we had meditated on
Imploring, Seeking, Thanking
Hearing and Praising God. For
the rest of this year we will be
meditating on Experiencing God.

All of us long for God’s presence,
and we do sense it occasionally.
God is everywhere; but there is a
difference between His Presence
and our actual experience of it.
In this series, we will learn from
scripture to become more aware
of God’s presence & experiencing
Him when He comes closer to us.
We’ll learn to practice the presence
of God and position ourselves to
encounter His presence. We will
also learn to recognise His voice
and deepen our trust that He is
ready to help in our situation of life.

For the past week, I had spent
several days scanning through
Experiencing God Study Bible,
which will be the key material
source of inspiration besides the
the Holy Spirit for rest of the year.
Friends, God is working more
mightily these days than ever.
He is breaking down barriers to
the gospel message and is calling
people to join Him in His work. And
I pray that you will be responsive
to Him in this season of last days.
May the grace, joy & peace of God
be yours thro Christ our Lord. Amen