Author: tanahmerah

God Watches In Tough Times
Job, a godly and wealthy resident
of Uz, watches helplessly as his
health, blessings and prosperity
collapse around him. Unknown to
him, Job’s problems do not begin
on earth, but in heaven. With God’s
permission and within divinely
imposed limitations, Satan launches
devastating attack in an attempt
to force Job renounce God. In the
midst of each trial, Job’s faith in
God shines brightly, tho personal
turmoil tears at Job’s heart as
he asks repeatedly: Why God?

Lord, we purpose to Trust You:
The Lord asked Satan: Have you
noticed my servant Job? A man
of complete integrity & fears God.
Satan replied: Yes Job fears God
but not without reason!Take away
everything he has & he will curse
you! The Lord said: You may test
him. Do whatevewith leverything
he possesses, but don’t harm
him physically (Job 1:8-12).
Job shaved his head, and said:
Naked I come from my mother’s
womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away; may the name of
the Lord be praised (v20-21).
And the Lord said to Satan:Do
with him as you please but spare
his life. So Satan struck Job with
terrible boils from head to foot.
His wife said to him: Are you still
trying to maintain your integrity?
Curse God and die. But he said:
Shall we indeed accept good
from God and shall we not
accept adversity? In all this Job
did not sin with his lips (Job 2:6-10).

Lord, we Trust Your Sovereignty
even in the midst of suffering.
Although we don’t know why
bad things have to happen but
You’re in control of the situation
and You’re able to carry us through.
Lord, when under time of testing,
lead us to look up to You, and
deliver us from fears. Amen.

Loving Lord, I want to praise You
no matter what happens in my life,
in good times and in bad times.
Even in midst of disappointment,
loss, or failure, I will purpose to
continue to praise and thank You.
As I wait upon You Lord, help me
to hold on to trust You will work
powerfully in my situation and
be glorified in the process. Amen.

Lord, just as the teacher cannot
speak during a test, You God
often remain silent in testing times.
I don’t know why bad things may
have to happen but You know best
and I purpose not sin with my lips.
As I look to You Lord, restore me;
for in Your strength will I breakthru.
And by faith I will walk on Lord;
then I’ll be complete in lYou. Amen.

God Answers Prayer of Faith In Him

The final week of Jesus’ earthly life
occupies more space in the gospels
than any other stage of His ministry.
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem coincides
with the preparation for Passover.
Though events move quickly, Jesus
is not hurried. There is time to clean
out the temple, watch the widow
contributes her two mites and give
final instructions to the disciples.

Lord, grant us Faith & Grace:
As they passed by, they saw the
fig tree dried up from the roots…
Jesus said: Have Faith In God.
For assuredly I say to you, whoever
says to this mountain: Be removed
and does not doubt in his heart,
but Believes that those things
he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says (Mark 11:21-23).
Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask when you pray,
Believe that you receive them
and you will have them (Mk 11:24).
And whenever you stand praying,
if you’ve anything against anyone,
Forgive him, that your Father
in heaven may also forgive you
your trespasses (Mark 11:25-26).

Lord, I have faith in You, the
Almighty, all loving faithful God.
And I believe that You reward
those who diligently seek You.
Lord, I place this issue before
You In Faith and Without Doubt
and seeking Your face and will.
Your Word says if I ask anything
according to Your will, You hear me
and I can have what I ask of You.
Into Your hand I surrender. Amen.

Lord, I come to You with my need
and desire, asking You In Faith and
claiming the promise in Mark 11:24.
Trust that the need is within Your
will; and implore You to reward
those who diligently seek You.
I know that in Your sovereignty,
You do things Your way & Your time.
But Father God, I plead for Your
mercy for it’s been such a long
time that I have been asking You.
So grant me Your favor and favour
of men as soon as possible. Amen.

Lord, I don’t want Your Presence to
be quenched due to unforgiveness.
I don’t want to hinder Yr forgiveness
because I’ve not forgiven someone.
Instead I want to receive Yr blessing
because I have forgiven someone.
Reveal any place in my heart where
I have not yet forgiven someone.
And create in me a forgiving spirit
that sees others as You do. Amen.

Adoring God thru Thanks & Praise

Mark’s gospel captures the two
-fold purpose of Christ’s coming
to earth: to minister and to give
His life as a ransom for many. (10:45). Mark describes Jesus
as a Perfect Servant, emphasizing more the actions of Jesus and gives briefer account of His teachings.

On Monday, we learn from Mark 1
that God Empowers & Directs us.
On Tuesday, we learn from Mark 4
that God’s Word Is Trustworthy.
On Wed, we learn from Mark 6
that God Is Compassionate.
On Thu, we learn from Mark 8
that Christ Is the Bread of Life.
On Friday, we learn from Mark 11
that God Answers Prayer of Faith.
On Sat, we learn from Mk 14-16 that
Christ Obeys Father’s Will For us.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who Adore You:
For You are our Bread of Life as
well as Empowers and Directs us;
For You are worthy of our Praise
as You are Trustworthy as well
as Caring and Compassionate;
For You are worthy of our Thanks
as You Answer Prayers of Faith and
Obey the Father’s Will for us. Amen.

Christ Obeys Father’s Will For Us

The time has come for Jesus
to demonstrate the full extent of
His servanthood. For the Passover
Lamb of God, the long-awaited
hour has arrived. Conspired against
by His enemies – betrayed by one
close follower and denied by another
– tried and finally executed, Jesus’
life of service seems to be finished.
But in the greatest of all miracles,
Easter dawn reveals an empty tomb,
setting the stage for Jesus to
commission His followers to
bear the glad tidings worldwide.

Lord, having thoroughly prepared
the disciples, your actions in the
Final Day on earth shows you are
Fully Obedient to the Father’s Will
to Give Yr Life as ransom (Mk10:45)
At the Last Supper, You said one of
you who eats with me will betray me
(M14:18) & yet You did not stop him.
You greatly desire to get out of
the intense suffering and yet You
went to Gethsemane to pray: Not
what I will but what You will (v36).
Thank You Lord Jesus and really
grateful for choosing to surrender to
the Father’s will in loving obedience.
And we purpose to be obedient to
God & His mysterious ways. Amen.

Lord, at trial before religious leaders
You chose to remain silent when
false charges were thrown at You.
And yet when high priest asked:
Are You the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? You said I am. And you
will see the Son of Man coming
with the clouds of heaven(Mk14:62)
At trial before political authority,
when Pilate asked: Are you King
of the Jews? You said: It is as you
say. And yet when Pilate asked
about priests’ false accusations,
You answered nothing (Mk 15:1-5).
Jesus in all Yr previous encounters
where religious leaders accused
You of wrong doings, You had no
problem defending Yourself. And
Yet this time You chose not to do so,
having received triple confirmation
from the Father of His will for You.
Grant us discernment on God’s
will and tender heart to yield to it.
Whilst there may be challenges,
we know the almighty, all loving and
all faithful God is on our side. Amen.

Lord, at the cross when teachers
of the law mocked You; He saved
others but He can’t save himself?
Let this Christ come down now
from the cross, that we may see
and believe (Mark 15:27-32).
You who Calm the sea (Mk4:39) &
yet chose to remain at the cross.
And then there was darkness over
the whole land for 3 hours (v33).
And You cried: My God, My God,
why have You forsaken me ?
Then the veil of the temple was
torn in two from top to bottom.
So when the centurion saw that
He cried out like this & breathed
His last, he said: Truly this Man
was the Son of God! (Mk15:34-39).
Thank You Lord Jesus for Your love
enduring suffering on our behalf.
We love You in deep gratitude!
Grant us the grace to deny self,
take up the cross and follow You
in obeying to do Father’s will. Amen.

Lord, we purpose to Trust Yr Word:
We note You appeared to the eleven
and rebuked them for their lack
of faith and their stubborn refusal
to believe those who had seen Him.
Then He said:Preach the good news.
Whoever believes will be saved,
but whoever does not believe
will be condemned (Mk 16:14-16).
Lord, we should trust You without
doubt for You’ve good plans for us &
You as faithful God fulfils promises.
Lord, with Your resurrection,
we have good news to proclaim
in obedience to Your commission.
Help us carry out our assigned tasks
out of love of You and others. Amen.

God Answers Prayer of Faith In Him

The final week of Jesus’ earthly life
occupies more space in the gospels
than any other stage of His ministry.
Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem coincides
with the preparation for Passover.
Though events move quickly, Jesus
is not hurried. There is time to clean
out the temple, watch the widow
contributes her two mites and give
final instructions to the disciples.

Lord, grant us Faith & Grace:
As they passed by, they saw the
fig tree dried up from the roots…
Jesus said: Have Faith In God.
For assuredly I say to you, whoever
says to this mountain: Be removed
and does not doubt in his heart,
but Believes that those things
he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says (Mark 11:21-23).
Therefore I say to you, whatever
things you ask when you pray,
Believe that you receive them
and you will have them (Mk 11:24).
And whenever you stand praying,
if u have anything against anyone,
Forgive him, that your Father
in heaven may also forgive you
your trespasses (Mark 11:25-26).

Lord, I have faith in You, the
Almighty, all loving faithful God.
And I believe that You reward
those who diligently seek You.
Lord, I place this issue before
You In Faith and Without Doubt
and seeking Your face and will.
Your Word says if I ask anything
according to Your will, You hear me
and I can have what I ask of You.
Into Your hand I surrender. Amen.

Lord, I come to You with my need
and desire, asking You In Faith and
claiming the promise in Mark 11:24.
Trust that the need is within Your
will; and implore You to reward
those who diligently seek You.
I know that in Your sovereignty,
You do things Your way & Your time.
But Father God, I plead for Your
mercy for it’s been such a long
time that I have been asking You.
So grant me Your favor and favour
of men as soon as possible. Amen.

Lord, I don’t want Your Presence to
be quenched due to unforgiveness.
I don’t want to hinder Yr forgiveness
because I’ve not forgiven someone.
Instead I want to receive Yr blessing
because I have forgiven someone.
Reveal any place in my heart where
I have not yet forgiven someone.
And create in me a forgiving spirit
that sees others as You do. Amen.

Christ the Bread of Life


As opposition to Jesus’ ministry
increases, it is no longer safe
to move openly in Galilee. So
Jesus traverses the regions of
Decapolis, Caesarea and Perea,
thereby avoiding the crowds and
deadly plots of religious leaders.
In the concluding days of His
earthly ministry, Jesus begins
to prepare His disciples for the
faithful journey to Jerusalem
that will mark the end of His life
and the beginning of their role
as bearers of the glad tidings.

Lord, You are our Bread of Life:
Another great crowd had gathered,
& the people ran out of food again.
Jesus called His disciples and told
them: I feel sorry for these people…
How many loaves of bread do
you have?..And He took the seven         loaves… gave thanks… and gave                   them to His disciples…So (the pple)                ate and were filled (Mark 8:1-8).
When the Pharisees heard that
Jesus had arrived, they came to
argue with Him. Testing Him to see
if He was from God, they demanded:
Give us a miraculous sign to prove
Yourself. When He heard this, He
sighed and said: Why do you keep
demanding miraculous sign(v11-12)
Whoever desires to come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up
his cross & follow Me… Whoever
loses his life for My sake and the
gospel’s will save it. For what will
it profit a man if he gains the whole
world, and loses his soul? (v34-36)

Lord, we are amazed by the miracle
U performed to feed the multitude.
Thank You Lord for the ways You
are still providing for our needs
even as we put our trust in You.
There are many people who are
physically and spiritually hungry.
Prepare us Lord, strengthen us
and use us to partner with You in
what You are doing on earth. Amen

Lord, forgive me when I demand
evidence of Your power instead
of thanking You for all that You do.
Open my eyes to see the works
of Your hand everywhere I go.
With all my heart I welcome
Your presence however You
choose to reveal Yourself to me.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, You promise that we will
find true life by denying ourselves.
Help me Lord not to be too
preoccupied with myself; and
grant me the humility to do so.
Help me instead to focus on You,
Your kingdom & Your purposes.
For as I trust and follow You Lord,
You will provide all that I need; and
let me experience You fully. Amen.

God Is Caring & Compassionate

Through both His words and works,
Christ proclaims His true identity
to the disciples and the multitudes.
At first even His companions are
perplexed by His power & authority,
wondering: What manner of man
is this, that even the wind and
the sea obey Him. But patiently –
through the miracles of exorcism,
healing and even raising the dead
the Master Servant works to
convince His followers of the
nature of His person and mission.

Lord, we will be Compassionate:
(Jesus) said to them: Come with
me by yourself to a quiet place
and get some rest. There were
many coming & going and they did
not even have time to eat (Mk6:31)
When Jesus landed and saw a
large crowd, He had compassion
on them, because they were
like sheep without a Shepherd.
So he began teaching them
many things (Mark 6:34).
By this time it was late in the day,
so his disciples said: Send the pple
away so that they can buy food to
eat. But Jesus answered: You give
them something to eat. (v35-36).

Lord, the creation account shows
a work-rest, work-rest rhythm
being built by You into life. When
we violate this natural order by
excessive work, we’ll soon burnout.
And no wonder Jesus scheduled
retreat for Himself & His disciples.
Sometimes I feel drained physically
and spiritually. Give me the wisdom
to recognise the warning signs
of burnout. For I can’t be effective
for You if I am running on empty; and
I want the rest that You offer. Amen.

Lord, You know needs of people
and You responded accordingly.
We are to care for the weak
and to encourage the timid.
Grant us Lord wisdom to respond
correctly with the right words
and at the right time. Above all
grant us compassion like Yours; so
that when we reach out to others,
that they may see You. Amen.

Lord, You created in our soul,
mind, will and also emotion.
Let us be renewed in our mind
as we meditate on Your Word.
Let us be yielded to the Holy
Spirit as we respond to the Word.
And let our emotions be under
the control of the Holy Spirit and
Lord we want to feel Your emotions.
As You had promised a new heart
do also put Your feelings within us,
even the compassion of Jesus.Amen

God’s Word Is Trustworthy

Through both His words and works,
Christ proclaims His true identity
to the disciples and the multitudes.
At 1st even His closest companions
are perplexed by His power and
authority, wondering: What manner
of man is this, that even the wind
and the sea obey Him (4:41). But
patiently through the miracles of
exorcism, healing and even raising
the dead the Master Servant works
to convince His followers of the
nature of His person and mission.

Lord, we’ll Wholly Trust Your Word:
Listen, a sower went out to sow…
The one sown among thorns; they
are the ones who hear the word
and the cares of this world…choke
the word and it becomes unfruitful.
But the ones sown on good ground,
those who Hear the Word, Accept
It and Bear fruit (Mark 4:1-20).
When evening had come,
Jesus said to his disciples: LET US
Cross to the east side (v35).
Suddenly a storm struck the lake.
Waves started splashing into the
boat and it was about to sink. Jesus
was in the back of the boat asleep.
His disciples woke him and said:
Teacher don’t You care that we’re
about to drown? Jesus got up and
ordered the wind and waves to
be quiet. The wind stopped and
everything was calm. Jesus asked
His disciples: Why are u So Fearful?
How is it you hv No Faith (v37-40).
And they said to one another:
Who can this be, that even the
wind and the sea obey Him (v41).

Lord, worldly worries and desire
for things can affect us, especially
when our routine is overcrowded.
For material pursuits can easily
distract & deafen us to God’s Word.
Help us Lord to be focussed so that
we can Hear God when You speak.
Lead us not to have divided heart
but instead be Wholehearted to
You by Responding to Your Word.
Mold our hearts Lord to see things
from Your perspective so that we
will be ready to produce fruit. Amen

Lord, help us to remember clearly
Your Instructions like what You
told the disciples: “Let US Cross.”
Remind us to Rely On Your Word
and Not Focus on situation we’re in.
Remind us Lord Your Presence and
help us to stay focussed on You.
Remind us no storm can take us
off course, for You Can Do all things
& Your plan can’t be thwarted. Amen

Lord, Thank You for Mark gospel,
which captures two purposes of
Christ coming to earth: to minister
and give His life a random for many.
Grant us the grace to be like Jesus
in having a servant mindset.
Grant us the grace to Love the
Word of God and to Respond to it.
Grant us the grace to Trust Fully His
Word for it’s powerful & trustworthy.
Help us to Live By Your Word. Amen.

God Empowers & Directs Us

Mark begins his gospel without
genealogy, birth narrative or
any prologue. He begins with
the ministry of John the Baptist,
the forerunner who will prepare
the way for Jesus’ ministry of
Servanthood. Mark’s emphasis
throughout is on Christ’s works
rather than His words, as befitting
a Servant. Miracles of healing and
exorcism precede calling Andrew,
Peter, James, John and Matthew – and His choosing 7 other disciples.

Lord, You Empower & Direct Us:
This messenger was John Baptist.
He was preaching that people
should be baptised to show that
they had turned from their sins
and turned to God… It came to pass
that Jesus came…and was baptised
by John in the Jordan. Immediately
the Spirit drove Him into the
wilderness. And He was there
in the wilderness forty days,
Tempted by Satan…and the angels
Ministered to Him (Mark 1:4-13).
Then Jesus said: Follow Me & I will
make you become fishers of men.
They immediately left their nets
and Followed Him (v17-18).
After sunset the whole town
gathered at the door and Jesus
healed many of various diseases…
Very early in the morning… Jesus
went off to a solitary place to Pray.
Simon and his companions went
to look for him and when they
found him they said: Everyone
is looking for you! Jesus replied:
Let Us Go to the next towns that
I May Preach there also (v32-38).

Lord, recognise that soon after
the commission of Jesus Christ
into ministry comes temptation.
Equip me Lord to Resist Temptation
and Enable me to be so prepared
that I recognise the enemy’s tactics
from the moment they manifest.
Teach me to rebuke the enemy by
having good knowledge of Yr Word.
Enable me to resist entertaining
temptation even for a moment,
but rather Turn to U immediately
so that I can stand strong. Amen.

Lord, we carry a lot of things
around with us – responsibilities,
attachments, and to-do lists.
You alone know all the issues; but
I hold them loosely as I come to You.
Grant me Lord the willingness to
be prepared to Let Go & Follow You.
And as You increase in importance,
let other things decrease. Amen.

Lord, we note You know exactly
what to do after a very successful
ministry time. Help us follow Your
example to seek the Father’s Will
rather than rely on common sense.
For we tend to think of things that
we’ve to do. Help us set aside time
with You, help us focus and reward
our solitude with Yr company. Amen.