Author: tanahmerah

Reflecting Spirit of the living God

Paul opens his 2nd epistle to the
Corinthians by establishing his
authority & source of his revelation.
He then praises God for what
He has done. In contrast to the
old covenant which condemned,
the glorious new covenant sealed
by Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, You Will Make Us Able:
You are our epistle… known and
read by all men… you are an epistle of Christ… written by the Spirit
of the living God (2Cor 3:2-3).
Such confidence we have through
Christ. Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves but our
sufficiency is from God (v4-5).
Whenever someone turns to
the Lord, the veil is taken away…
So all of us who have had the veil
removed can see and reflect the
glory of the Lord. And the Lord…
makes us more and more like
Him as we are changed into His
glorious image (v16-18). Amen.

Lord, teach me the art of looking
to You instead of the problems.
Remind me anything of lasting value
in my life is because of You, not me.
I am Your living letter Lord and
power & success come from You.
Give me Lord eyes of faith so that
I might press on even when I feel the challenges are overwhelming. Amen.

Lord, I realise the areas which
I feel inadequate or struggle,
draw me to You. And that I am
able to accomplish what You ask
of me only through Your power.
Thank You for Your Word for in it
I learn that You are my adequacy
and my sufficiency. May my
confidence always be in You
through Christ Jesus; and then
You will receive all praise. Amen.

Lord, thank You for loving me
enough to work in me. Make me
aware of Your presence and make
me cooperative with Your Spirit.
Give me unveiled encounters;
for I know there are no limits in
knowing You & be known by You.
I want to reflect as much of Your
glory as You will allow. Although
I may not always see signs of
change but pray others can. Amen.

God Comforts & Delivers Us

Paul opens his second epistle
to the Corinthians the same way
he began his first by establishing
his authority and documenting the
source of his revelation. He then
praises God for what He has done
for Timothy & him. In contrast to
the old covenant which condemned
the glorious new covenant sealed
in Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, Your Promises are Secure:
All Praise to God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ… He comforts
us in all our troubles so that
we can comfort others. When
others are troubled, we will be able
to give them the same comfort
God has given us (2 Cor 1:3-4).
We should not trust in ourselves
but in God… who delivered us from
so great a death and… we trust
that He will still deliver us (v9-10).
As God is faithful, our word to
you was not Yes and No… For
all the promises of God In (Christ)
are Yes and in Him Amen (v18-20).

Lord, Thank You for the times
You have comforted me. I know
that You have comforted me so
that I can do the same for others.
This world is full of people who
are hurting. Make me sensitive
to those I meet who need Your
touch of comfort. Keep me an
open vessel through which Your
love and comfort can flow. Amen.

Lord, we realise that Your way
of teaching us to rely on You God
more fully may mean that we will
be having only You to rely on.
And that’s terribly uncomfortable,
for most of us have been taught
since young to be more self-reliant.
But we still ask You to teach us
what it means to rely more fully
on You instead of ourselves. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for Your great
and precious promises! Thank You
for reminding us that Jesus is the
“Divine Yes”, the affirmation of all
Your promises. Help me to sense
and experience Your love behind
every promise even as I trust in You.
Help me Lord pray with confidence
because I trust that not one of Your
promises will fail. Amen & amen!

Spirit of God Gives Insights

Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to the believers at
Corinth to correct errors in their
public & private behaviour which
are detracting from their witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
And Paul set forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we Seek Your Insight:
I thank my God… that you were
enriched by Him in… all knowledge…
God, no eye has seen, no ear heard,
no mind has conceived what You
have prepared for those who love
You, but You have revealed it to us
by Your Spirit. The Spirit teaches
us all things, even the deep thing
of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 9-10).
What we have received is..the Spirit
who is from God, so that we may
understand what God has freely
given us. This is what we speak…
in words taught by the Spirit,
explaining Spiritual Realities
with Spirit-taught words (v12-13).
Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?
But we understand these things,
for we have the Mind of Christ (v16)

Lord, as I bring issues before You
and consider the circumstances,
I see evidence of Your leading.
As I consider my convictions and
as I think about the things people
are saying, I can sense Your voice.
As I meditate Scripture each day,
they lead me to see Your direction.
When I take all these together, I get
a sense of how You’re leading me.
Confirm Lord the inner impression
with Your Secrets and peace. Amen.

Lord, when we need insights and
direction or facing challenges,
we tend to seek worldly counsel.
But there is a more reliable and
excellent source of ultimate
knowledge, the Holy Spirit.
Thank You Father for giving us
the Holy Spirit who lives inside us.
O Spirit, do make clear spiritual
realities to me and enable me to
make the correct decision. Amen.

Lord, let me see as U see to enable
me to act according to Your vision.
And I also need to know clearly
Your will for only then can I be
confident of doing the right thing.
Lord, it is really very challenging
to decipher Your sovereign will.
Plant Your thots in me & move me
as You desire; for Your Word says:
we have the mind of Christ. Amen.

Trusting God thru His Promises

The purpose of this apostolic letter
by Paul is to identify problems in the Corinthian church, to offer solutions
and to teach the believers how to
live for Christ in a corrupt society.

On Monday, we learn from 1Cor 2
that Spirit of God Gives Insights.
On Tuesday, we learn from 1Cor 5/6
to Live Worthy of Passover Lamb.
On Wed, we learn from 1Cor 10
that God Provides the Way Out.
On Thursday, we learn from 1Cor 12
that God Promises Spiritual Gifts.
On Friday, we learn from 1Cor 13/14
that God Grants Love to Build us.
On Saturday, we learn from 1Cor 15
that Your Labour Is Not In Vain.

Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who trust You:
for You truly keep Your promises;
and You are loving Passover lamb;
for You give insights, provide the way out and grant love to build us;
for You promise spiritual gifts; and
also our labour will not be in vain.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Your Labour Is Not In Vain

False teachers had been confusing
the Corinthians by denying the
doctrine of physical resurrection.
Paul defends the Resurrection
as a historical fact confirmed
by more than 500 eyewitnesses.
The Resurrection provides hope
for the believer’s body and soul
as well as motivates believers to
abound in the work of the Lord.

Lord, thanks for Confident Hope:
For when the trumpet is blown,
those who have died will Be Raised
to Live Forever. And we who are
Living will also be transformed…
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
But thank God! He gives us Victory
over sin and death through our Lord
Jesus Christ (1Cor 15:52-57). (So)…
be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labour is Not In
Vain in the Lord (1Cor 15:58). Amen

Lord, in a world filled with gloomy
news, thank You that Your Word
holds Great Hope for the future.
Someday all believers of Christ
will be given new bodies. And
eternal life with God in heaven is far
better than what we encounter here.
Thank You we can be confident for
Your good plan for us and that You
are in control of everything. Amen.

Lord, the sting of death is not dying
but rather what happens after.
Thank You for eliminating possibility
of hell; but giving eternal bliss in
heaven for all who believe in Christ.
Because Jesus had paid for our sin
and rose from the dead, death has
No Power over us. In gratitude and
realising importance of the gospel,
help us be worthy witnesses. Amen.

Lord, we recognise that You
have given us talents and gifts.
They may not be something overt
like teaching and singing; but skills
like cooking or greeting people.
For all that matters is that we use
them for the Lord. God promises
that Nothing done for Him will
be useless. And You Will Honour
us for the faithful service. Amen.

God Grants Love to Build the Church

Paul’s letter so far has dealt with
problems of a personal nature.
But now he addresses public issues
in the Corinthian church: the veiling
of women, the importance of the
Lord’s Supper & the use of spiritual
gifts. Worship must be characterised
by propriety and orderliness. And
spiritual gifts must be Exercised
In Love, for the building up of the
whole body of Christ. Only then
is the church of God properly
worshipping the God of the church.

Lord, we’ll Choose Way of Love:
Love is patient and kind…
It does not demand its own way…
Love never gives up, never loses
faith, is always hopeful & endures
through every circumstance.
Love never fails (1Cor13:4-8).
And now these three remains:
faith, hope and love. But the
greatest of these is love (v13).
Pursue love and desire spiritual
gifts, especially that you may
prophesy… Helping others…
encouraging them (1 Cor 14:1-3)

Lord, Thank You for loving me,
being with me and for me; and
I purpose to love You more.
Help me Lord to love others,
even when it is difficult to do so.
Help me to be other-centred.
Enable me to express Your self-
giving love to those You have
put in my world. And show me
ways to love unreservedly. Amen.

Lord, I can be tempted to despair;
Increase my faith; grant me the
steadfastness to persevere in faith.
I have bitterness toward situations
and people; Increase my love;
grant me concern and compassion
for others to persevere in love.
At times I feel fear and faint hearted;
Increase my hope; grant me the
solid assurance of the future
to rise above fear. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, help me to rest in Your love
and so be able to give love freely
to those in my life and influence.
Help me to give love without
condition and without judgment.
Help me not to presume that
ministry sacrifices are substitutes
for really loving people. Show me
where I have not been loving in
recent busy days. And show me
where I could act more lovingly in
the days ahead. In His name. Amen.

God Promises Spiritual Gifts(Sep 28)

Paul’s letter so far has dealt with
problems of a personal nature.
But now he addresses public issues
in the Corinthian church: the veiling
of women, the importance of the
Lord’s Supper & the use of spiritual
gifts. Worship must be characterised
by propriety and orderliness. And
spiritual gifts must be exercised
in love, for the building up of the
whole body of Christ. Only then
is the church of God properly
worshipping the God of the church.

Lord, we will Use Spiritual Gifts:
There are different kinds of gifts,
but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service
but the same Lord who does the work in all of us (1Cor 12:4-6).
Now to each one of the
manifestation of the Spirit is
given for the Common Good.
To one is given the word of wisdom
through the Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another
gifts of healings (v7-9).
But one and the same Spirit…
distributing to each one
individually as He wills (v11).

Lord, Your Word says that You give
Your people special gifts that they
can use to build Your kingdom.
Thank You for the different kinds
of gifts that the Spirit has given me.
Give me wisdom & discernment
and opportunities to use them
so as to help accomplish the
Lord’s will on earth. Amen.

Lord, I worship You for Your
creativity & welcome it in my life.
May I never place limits on what
I expect You to say or how U say it.
Open my mind to anything that is
in Your heart. Help me to discern
and to hear Your voice in others.
Help me to see past their flaws
and to recognise what You are
saying through them. Amen.

Lord, grant me the gift of wisdom
and of special knowledge. Alert me
to Your gentle nudges to represent
You to others. Make me aware of
various creative ways You speak
so that I can speak forth Your word.
And teach me to ask: What are You
really saying; before I even think:
Why is this thing happening.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Provides Way Out

Backgrounder to 1 Cor 7-15:
The Corinthian Church had sent
Apostle Paul a list of questions
on marriage, morality, liberty,
worship and resurrection.
Building on Old Testament
quotations and Christ’s teaching,
Paul answered them in a way meant
to correct abuses in the church
and to show how important it is
that they live what they believe.

Lord, help us Resist Temptation:
We should not lust after evil things…
And do not become idolaters…
Nor let us commit sexual immorality..
nor complain as some of them
complain (1 Corinthians 10:6-10).
Therefore let him who thinks
he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken
you except what is common
to mankind. And God is faithful;
He will Not let u be Tempted
Beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
He will also Provide A Way Out
so that you can endure it (v12-13)
Therefore my beloved, flee
from idolatry. I speak as to the
wise; judge for yourselves (v14-15).

Lord, help us to be watchful of evil,
idolatry & immorality lurking around.
Whilst You God don’t promise
to protect us from temptations,
You promise Your help In Resisting
temptations when we face them.
Thank You Lord for Your promise
that No temptation will ever
be so strong that we can’t
stand up against it. Amen.

Lord, at times we may feel that
temptation is overpowering or
impossible to resist; but thank
You for Providing A Way Out.
Thank You for Holy Spirit to help
us recognise tempting situations
and show the way to escape.
Help us stay away from every
activity we know that is wrong.
Help us Lord to consciously
choose to do only what is right.
Help us O Lord for apart from
You we can do nothing. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for promising
that we can always escape the
temptation that comes our way.
We trust You O God to keep any
temptation from becoming so
strong that we have to give in to it.
Help us Lord to Resist temptation
or Flee from it as Joseph once did.
For although it’s not easy to escape
from temptation, it’s possible. Amen.

Live Worthy of Passover Lamb

Backgrounder to 1 Corinthians 1-6:
Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to believers at Corinth
to correct errors in their public
and private behaviour which
are detracting their gospel witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
Paul sets forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we’ll live Worthy of Passover:
Purge out the old leaven so that
you can stay pure. For Christ
our Passover Lamb has been
sacrificed for us (1Cor 5:7).
Your sins have been washed away
and you have been set apart
for God. You have been made
right with God because of what
the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of
our God have done for u (1C6:11).
Flee sexual immorality…
Do you not know that your body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you… For you were
bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body (v19-20).

Lord Jesus, our Passover Lamb,
You had indeed bought us at
a high price; and being indwelt by
the Holy Spirit, we belong to You.
And in the world, we can see
families torn apart and much pain,
from the misuse of Your good gift.
Lord tell us to flee from sexual sins.
Help us to appreciate Your gift of
sex & use it as You intended. Amen

Lord, as we seek a deep sense
of holiness, we find ourselves
pushing against a very strong tide.
Only the power of Your gospel
and the reality that we belong to You
have pushback power against
this tide. Give us the word and
the Will to keep up the fight,
realising that our bodies indeed
belong to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Lord Jesus, You indeed bought
us at a heavy price and rightly
we purpose to love You and
consecrate for faithful service.
O Lord, I give myself to You
I am born to be Yours, to be
Your instrument to serve You.
Grant me the grace to abide
in You, to seek Your ways and
to be obedient to You. Amen.