Author: tanahmerah

God Is Faithful & Redeems Us

Set in the context of unrest during
time of Judges & faced with famine,
Ruth a young widow, leaves her
native land to travel with her
mother-in-law to Bethlehem.
There she gleans in the field of
Boaz, who grows to love her and
becomes her kinsman-redeemer.
In their marriage, Ruth and Boaz
become ancestors of Jesus.
With twin themes of faithfulness
and redemption, the book of Ruth
shows God’s love to mankind.

Lord, You’re Faithful & Redeems Us:
Boaz said to Ruth: Do not glean
in another field but stay close by…
She said Why have I found favour
in your eyes? Boaz answered;
it has been fully reported to me
all that you have done for your
mother-in-law since the death
of your husband. The Lord repay
your work and a full reward be
given you by the Lord God of
Israel, under whose wings you
have come for refuge(Ru 2:8-12).
Boaz married Ruth. When he slept
with her, the Lord enabled her to
become pregnant and she gave
birth to a son. The women of the
town said to Naomi: Praise the Lord
who has given u a family redeemer!
May this child care for you in your
old age. They named him Obed.
He became the father of Jesse and
the grandfather of David(Ru 4:13-17)

Lord, we see Your loving care over
the lives of Naomi and Ruth as well as Your control over circumstances.
You guide the minds and action
of people to fulfill Your purpose;
like impressing Boaz of Ruth’s
loyalty that he gave her favour.
Grant us Lord faith that no matter
how tough our situation may be,
our hope is You God for Your power
and resources are infinite. Amen.

Lord Our Redeemer, we learn the
story is never over until it’s over.
For what looks hopeless can turn
around when You God is at work.
For God who loves us with His
redeeming love & in control will work
out His good purpose in our life.
So we trust in You in times of pain
and whenever facing challenges.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, in Ruth we see You At Work
behind the scene orchestrating
events and working thru willing
people towards Your perfect plan.
Although we may not know exactly
the future, but we can Trust God
who does and You care for us.
And we know all things will work
together for good according to
Your purpose. In Jesus’ name.

God Loves to Do the Impossible

Gideon, Israel’s fifth judge, receives
God’s call while hiding in a wine-
press secretly threshing wheat.
Midian’s oppression is indeed
severe and Gideon is God’s man
to lead the people in throwing
off that yoke of bondage – a task
that Gideon is not keen to accept!
But once convinced of his calling
through two miraculous signs,
Gideon leads a humble army of 300
men, equipped only with torches
and trumpets, in a stunning victory
against the mighty Midianite forces.
Israel’s weapons and rather unusual
battle plan leave no room for doubt:
The victory is the Lord’s.

Lord, You Love Impossible Odds:
The Lord said to Gideon: You
have too many warriors with you.
If I let you fight the Midianites,
the Israelites will boast to me
that they saved themselves by
their own strength. Therefore,
tell the people: Whoever is timid
or afraid may leave and go home.
22,000 of them went home,
leaving only 10,000 who were
willing to fight (Jdgs 7:2-3).
But the Lord told Gideon:
There are still too many!
Bring them down to the spring
and I will sort out who will go
with you and who will not (v4).
Then the Lord said: By the 300 men
who lapped I will save you & deliver
the Midianites into your hand (v7).

Lord, when we face overwhelming
circumstances, it is a perfect
position for You God to intervene.
For it is in those times that we
like Gideon can learn to trust You.
Many times we have felt there
was no way out in the circumstance;
only to discover later that You Lord
was actually making a way for us.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, facing overwhelming odds
can be frightening as Gideon felt.
You God understood his fear but
didn’t excuse Gideon from his task.
Instead You led Gideon to slip into
the enemy camp and overhear a
chat that would give him courage.
You God indeed can give us the
strength we need for any situation.
Help us Lord to listen to You and
be ready to take the first step;
for after we begin to obey will we
find the courage to move on. Amen.

Lord, Your Word alone is sufficient
Promise of the ultimate victory.
We just need to simply trust You
and carry out Your instructions.
Thank You for being our warrior.
Thank You, when I am in a battle,
You’ll shine in midst of that battle.
Thank You for giving us victory
when it seems just impossible.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

God Helps the Overwhelmed

Jehoshaphat institutes a national
scripture study program which God
blesses with peace and prosperity.
But he also institutes a peace
treaty with the king of Israel. And
it causes Judah being entangled
in a war between Israel and Syria.
But his reaction to divine rebuke,
his appointment of judges to rule
for the Lord and his Godward
response to crisis point to the
day-by-day reality of his faith.

Lord, we Seek Your Assistance:
Jehoshaphat set himself to seek
the Lord and proclaimed a fast…
Are You not our God, who drove
out the inhabitants of this land…
and gave it to the descendants of
Abraham… And here are the pple of
Ammon, Moab & Mt Seir…O our God,
won’t You stop them? For we’ve no
power against this great multitude
nor do we know what to do, but our
eyes are upon You (2Chr 20:3-12)
Then the Spirit of the Lord came
upon Jahaziel a Levite. And he said:
Do not be afraid nor dismayed…
for the battle is not yours but God’s.
Position yourselves. Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord(14-17)
Jehoshaphat said: Believe in the Lord…& you shall be established…
Now when they began to sing and
to praise, the LORD set ambushes
against the people of Ammon, Moab
& Mt Seir & defeated them (v20-22)

Lord, sometimes I feel so over-
whelmed, all I can say is “Help”.
When I don’t know what to do,
but I am looking to You for help.
Plse help me Lord to fully trust You
instead of focusing on the situation.
When trouble comes, help me
to keep my eyes solely on You;
for the battle belongs to the Lord.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Father God, when at our wits end,
we come seeking You for assistance.
We look to You for we don’t know
what to do but our eyes are on You.
We call on You for we know Your
almighty power & promises to us.
We Depend and Rest on You Lord;
we position ourselves, stand still,
trusting to see Your salvation; for
the battle belongs to the Lord. Amen

Lord, we believe in You our God
and that You shall establish us.
And when we express our trust
in praise, You will open the way.
In heavenly armour
we’ll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord.
No weapon that’s fashioned
against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord.
We sing glory and honour
Power & strength to the Lord. Amen

Trusting God thru His Promises

The purpose of 2 Chronicles is
to unify the nation around the
true worship of God by showing
His standard for judging kings.
The righteous kings of Judah and
the religious revivals under their
rule are highlighted, and the sins
of their evil kings are exposed.
On Monday, we learn from 2Chron 7
that God Hears Prayers for Blessing.
On Tues, we learn from 2Chr 15/16
that God Strengthens t Committed.
On Wednesday, we learn fr 2Chr 18
that God Hears Prayers & Delivers.
On Thursday, we learn from 2Chr 20
that God Helps the Overwhelmed.
On Friday, we learn from 2Chron 32
that God On Our Side Helping Us.
On Sat, we learn from 2Chr 33-36
that God’s Mercy to be Seeked.
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;
for You’re merciful & gracious to us;
for You long to bless, strengthen, deliver and help us. In Jesus’ name.

God’s Mercy to be Seeked (Mar 25)

The final century of Judah’s national
history reads like a bad dream.
After Manasseh’s 55-year reign of
terror and apostasy, even a godly
reformer like Josiah is powerless
to prick the hearts of the people,
though for a time he is able to stem
the external appearances of evil.
But after his death the nation swiftly
returns to its abominable ways.
Oppressed and finally overthrown
by the Babylonians, the people of
Judah are slaughtered, their homes
and temple destroyed, their city
walls levelled and the survivors
dragged to Babylon for 70 years.
But in the midst of this doom and
destruction shines a ray of hope.
Cyrus king of Persia, issues a decree
to rebuild the house of the Lord.

For Jews, Jerusalem represented
their place of greatest failure.
To stare at the rubble of what was
once mighty Jerusalem, with its
shattered temple and broken walls
must have saddened God’s people.
They had failed God; gone their own
sinful ways and had been punished.
Now through Cyrus, God was calling
His people back to the scene of the
crime, back for a second chance.
Have you failed God in recent days?
God is calling u back to repentance.
Lord, we Seek Your Grace & Mercy;
Lord, we Seek Your Holiness and
Lord, we Seek Your Compassion.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, we’ll Seek Yr Grace & Mercy:
Manasseh led the people of Judah
to do more evil than the pagan
nations whom the Lord destroyed.
So the Lord sent the Assyrian armies
and they took Manasseh prisoner.
They put a ring through his nose,
bound him in chains and led him
away to Babylon. While in deep
distress, Manasseh sought the
Lord and cried out humbly to Him.
And when he prayed, the Lord
listened and was moved by his
request for help. So the Lord let
Manasseh return to Jerusalem and
to his kingdom (2Chron 33:9-13).
Lord, how amazing Your grace,
forgiveness and restoration are.
We praise You for Your mercy and
loving-kindness offered so freely.
We want to follow You, but
when we stray from Your paths,
help us to humbly cry out to You.
And let us know the joy of Your
forgiveness and healing. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Seek Your Holiness:
Josiah was eight years old when he
became king & he reigned 32 years.
He did what was pleasing in the
Lord’s sight… He did not turn away
from doing what was right. During
the eighth year of his reign, Josiah
began to seek the God of David.
Then in the twelfth year he began
to purify Judah and Jerusalem,
destroying all the pagan shrines,
the Asherah poles and the carved
idols and cast images. He ordered
the altars of Baal be demolished…
So, he purified Judah (2Chr 34:1-5).
Lord, help us to be like Josiah who
showed greater wisdom than many
other kings who came before him,
because he decided to seek You
God and Your wisdom. We also
realise from passage that You can
use anyone from any age to make a
difference so long as we are willing
to listen and obey Your word. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Seek Your Compassion:
All the leaders of the priests and
the people became more and more
unfaithful. They followed all the
pagan practices of the surrounding
nations, desecrating the Temple of
the Lord that had been consecrated
in Jerusalem. The Lord repeatedly
sent His prophets to warm them,
for He had compassion on His
people… But the people mocked
the messengers of God & despised
their words. They scoffed at the
prophets until the Lord’s anger could
no longer be restrained and nothing
could be done (2Chron 36:14-16).
Lord, You are a relentless Father,
pursuing us in love relationship.
Help us to pursue You in response,
while modelling Your faithfulness,
persistence and compassion. Amen.

God On Our Side Helping Us(Mar24)

Inheriting a disorganised country
and a burden of tribute to Assyria,
Hezekiah puts first things first.
In the very first month of his reign
Hezekiah repairs the house of the
Lord, restores the long-neglected
Temple worship and declares war
on idol worship & pagan practices.
When the Assyrian King besieges
Jerusalem, Hezekiah prays for
deliverance. God answers his plea &
crowns his life with power & prestige

Lord, we Seek & Trust Your Help:
When Hezekiah saw Sennacherib
had come to make war, he consulted
with his leaders and commanders…
he strengthened himself, built up
all the wall… made weapons…Then
he gathered the people and gave
them encouragement (2C32:2-6)
Be Strong and Courageous. Do not
be afraid or discouraged because
of the king of Assyria and the vast
army with him, for there is a Greater
Power With us than with him.
With him is only the arm of flesh,
but with us is the Lord our God
to Help us and to fight our battles.
And the people gained confidence
from what Hezekiah the king of
Judah said (2 Chron 32:7-8).
Now because… King Hezekiah and
the prophet Isaiah… Prayed and
cried out to heaven. Then the LORD
sent an angel who cut down every
mighty man… of Assyria (v20-21).

Lord, we learnt from 2 Chron 32
when King Hezekiah faced a strong
enemy, he made preparations
and he told his people the truth
that You God is in fact Greater.
Help us when we sometimes feel
overwhelmed at how little strength
in the midst of the challenges.
Help us not to worry but instead
Pray, remembering that the one
who is in us is Greater than the
one who is in the world. Amen.

Lord, when we face overwhelming
circumstances, we seems small
and the enemy wants us to be
trapped in that perspective.
But LORD Your Word urges us to
Be Strong & Courageous and to
let our eyes come to rest on God.
Praise be to Lord God Almighty
for we’re never in the battle alone
for our battle is the Lord’s. Amen.

Lord, thank You that You are
with me in everything of my life.
No matter what comes against me,
You are with me in all that I face.
And in faith, I am leaving You to
take charge of all my situations.
I praise You and Your greatness
in the midst of all that seems large
and looming in my life. For the
Battle Belongs to the LORD. Amen.

God Helps the Overwhelmed

Jehoshaphat institutes a national
scripture study program which God
blesses with peace and prosperity.
But he also institutes a peace
treaty with the king of Israel. And
it causes Judah being entangled
in a war between Israel and Syria.
But his reaction to divine rebuke,
his appointment of judges to rule
for the Lord and his Godward
response to crisis point to the
day-by-day reality of his faith.

Lord, we Seek Your Assistance:
Jehoshaphat set himself to seek
the Lord and proclaimed a fast…
Are You not our God, who drove
out the inhabitants of this land…
and gave it to the descendants of
Abraham… And here are the pple of
Ammon, Moab & Mt Seir…O our God,
won’t You stop them? For we’ve no
power against this great multitude
nor do we know what to do, but our
eyes are upon You (2Chr 20:3-12)
Then the Spirit of the Lord came
upon Jahaziel a Levite. And he said:
Do not be afraid nor dismayed…
for the battle is not yours but God’s.
Position yourselves. Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord(14-17)
Jehoshaphat said: Believe in the Lord…& you shall be established…
Now when they began to sing and
to praise, the LORD set ambushes
against the people of Ammon, Moab
& Mt Seir & defeated them (v20-22)

Lord, sometimes I feel so over-
whelmed, all I can say is “Help”.
When I don’t know what to do,
but I am looking to You for help.
Plse help me Lord to fully trust You
instead of focusing on the situation.
When trouble comes, help me
to keep my eyes solely on You;
for the battle belongs to the Lord.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Father God, when at our wits end,
we come seeking You for assistance.
We look to You for we don’t know
what to do but our eyes are on You.
We call on You for we know Your
almighty power & promises to us.
We Depend and Rest on You Lord;
we position ourselves, stand still,
trusting to see Your salvation; for
the battle belongs to the Lord. Amen

Lord, we believe in You our God
and that You shall establish us.
And when we express our trust
in praise, You will open the way.
In heavenly armour
we’ll enter the land
The battle belongs to the Lord.
No weapon that’s fashioned
against us shall stand
The battle belongs to the Lord.
We sing glory and honour
Power & strength to the Lord. Amen

God Delivers in response to Prayer

Jehoshaphat knows the key to
spiritual revival in the nation is a
renewed interest in law of the Lord.
He institutes a nation-wide scripture
study program which God blesses
with peace as well as prosperity.
In contrast to his predecessors,
Jehoshaphat manages to make peace with the king of Israel
but becomes entangled in
a war between Israel and Syria.
His reaction to divine rebuke,
his appointment of judges to rule
“not for man but for the LORD” and
his Godward response in the face of
crisis point to the reality of his faith.

Lord, we Seek Your Deliverabce :
Ahab king of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat king of Judah:
Will you join me to attack Ramoth
Gilead? Jehoshaphat replied:
let’s first find out what the Lord says… And the Lord said
Go ahead(2Chron 18:3-5).
Now Ahab said to Jehoshaphat:
As we go into battle, I’ll disguise
myself, but you wear yr royal robes.
When the chariot commanders
saw Jehoshaphat, they turned
to attack him, but Jehoshaphat
cried out and the Lord helped him
& diverted them from him (v29-31)
An Aramean soldier however
randomly shot an arrow at the
Israelite troops & the arrow hit
the king of Israel (2Chr 18:33).

Lord, we are certainly not perfect.
And we note Jehoshaphat, king
of Judah made several errors,
including building an alliance with
Ahab, the wicked king of Israel.
And he asked for a prophet of God
but did not listen when he came.
But one choice Jehoshaphat made
was spot on. Help us Lord to be
like Jehoshaphat even in the heat
of battle to cry out to You. Amen.

Lord, remind us that prayer is
not something that only happens
in the quietness of a moment.
Remind us that taking to You should
be part of every aspect of life,
the battles as well as peace times.
Remind and prompt us to cry
to You in our desperate moments
For protection and deliverance can
often be only a prayer away. Amen.

Lord, help us not merely ask for
Your direction but also to Follow it.
Strengthen my faith so that I will not
give up praying in heat of battle.
For I realise the very next prayer
may be the one to bring deliverance
from the strongholds of the enemy.
Enable me to stand strong in prayer
and worship, giving thanks for Your
presence & delivering power. Amen

God Strengthens the Committed

Following Judah King Abijah’s
military victory over Jeroboam,
king of Israel, King Asa attempts
to duplicate in the spiritual realm.
King Asa removes all traces of
foreign religion from the land and
commands the people to observe
God’s statutes. But toward the end
of his reign, Asa faces a threat from
Baasha (king of Israel) and seeks
an alliance with the king of Syria.
Even on his deathbed he puts his
trust in earthly physicians alone,
rather than in the Great Physician.

Lord, we will Be Committed to You:
Then they entered into a covenant
to seek the Lord with all their heart…
And the Lord gave them rest from
their enemies on every side.
Altho he did not remove the high places
from Israel, Asa’s heart was Fully
Committed to the Lord(2Chr15:12-17
Hanani the seer came to Asa
king of Judah, and said to him:
Because you have relied on the
king of Syria and have not relied
on the Lord your God, therefore
the army of the king of Syria
has escaped from your hand…
For the Eyes of the Lord search
the whole earth to Strengthen
those whose hearts are fully
Committed to Him. In this you have
done foolishly; therefore from now
on you shall have wars(2Chr16:7-9)

Lord, we learnt that decisive
and whole-hearted Commitment
pleases You and results in peace.
Help us Lord to always remember
to pray to You in the good times
as we do in challenging times.
Enable us Lord to always keep
our hearts open to Your high
purpose; and to what You’re doing
in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, I earnestly thank You
for Your promises of blessing.
And I stand on Your promise to
strengthen those who are fully
committed to You for whatever
assignment You have for me.
And I purpose the weaker I feel,
the harder I will lean on You Lord.
And I trust the harder I lean on
You, the stronger I will be. Amen.

Lord, it is so comforting that You
God longs to support us thru the
struggles and challenges we face.
Although we may not yet be fully
committed to You but we want to be.
So Lord, grant us the grace to do
so while we are yielded and still.
Lord, I give You my heart, remold
it after Your will and Your way.
In Jesus’ precious nsme, Amen.