The purpose of the gospel of Matthew is to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King. Following ministry in Bethlehem and Nazareth, the second segment of Jesus ministry was in Galilee. In Matthew 8-15, we see Jesus demonstrating His power over sickness, nature and spirit world & sending apostles as ambassadors of the kingdom. And in Matt 16-19, we see the Messiah preaching to unveil Christ’s identity & priorities.
On Monday, we learn from Matt 8 that God Blesses those who Believe. On Tuesday, we learn fr Matt 9 that Christ Models Compassion. On Wed, we learn from Matt 10 that Christ Empowers & Cares. On Thu, we learn from Matt 11 that Christ Gives Rest to the Weary, On Friday, we learn from Matt 13/14 that God Reveals His Will to us. On Saturday, we learn from Mt 17 that God Can Perform the Impossible.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Hear You: For God You Bless those who Believe and that You Reveal Your Will to us; For Christ Models Compassion, as well as Gives Rest to the Weary; For God Can Perform the Impossible as well as Empowers & Cares for us. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Mathew records many crucial incidents from Jesus’ life in M16-19. Though Christ takes time to heal an epileptic boy, pay His temple tax and confront hostile Pharisees, His key concern is for His disciples to continue the work He had begun. Healings and discourses, miracles and parables all focus on Jesus’ faithful followers to prepare them for the difficult days just ahead.
Lord, we’ll Exercise Faith In You: A man came to Him, kneeling… and saying: Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely… So I brought him to Your disciples but they could not cure him. Then Jesus said: O faithless generation (Mt 17:14-17) The disciples asked Jesus privately: Why couldn’t we cast out that boy’s demon? So Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief; for assuredly I say to you, if you Have Faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go except by prayer & fasting (Mt 17:19-21).
Lord, You promise that With Faith In You Nothing Is Impossible. Thank You for being the God of the possible; for You are the Almighty who moves mountains. Help me Lord to realize that my faith, even though small and weak, can do great things. For it’s not the amount of faith but the Focus of the faith In You. A-Men
Lord, although circumstances seem challenging, yet You are the source of my strength. Although my faith seems small, yet when placed in the Creator’s hands, it can produce a greater harvest than I could ever imagine. Lord, take my tiny seed of faith and multiply it with Your strength. Thankful for assurance that there’s nothing impossible with You. Amen.
Lord, help me to pray in faith trusting You to do the impossible. For I am weak and helpless; but You my strength shall be. Guide me with Your gracious hand; and there will my victory be. For every time I pray, I move the hand of God. My prayer does the things my hands cannot do. For every time I pray, the mountains are removed. The paths are made straight, and people turn to You. Amen.
A turning point occurs in Matthew 12 where mounting antagonism by the Jewish religious leaders erupts into open denunciation of Jesus. Because of their rejection, Jesus begins to speak to them in parables and explained only to the disciples. After a rude reception in His home town of Nazareth, Jesus withdraws across the Sea of Galilee to the regions of Tyre and Sidon in order to escape growing opposition.
Lord, we’ll Respond to Your Word: You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven but others are not (Mt 13:11) That is why I use these parables for they hear but don’t really listen. The hearts of these people are hardened… they can’t understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them (Matt 13:13-15). Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side while He sent the multitudes away…(Then) He went up the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there (Matt 14:21-23)
Lord, help me to be a true seeker to hear from the personal God. Help me to have an open mind, ever ready to listen to You and to believe Your Word of truth. Give me the heart that can hear Your mysteries, understand them and internalise Your eternal truths. Help me root out any attitude that might block my hearing You. Amen.
Lord, where my heart hardened at times, tell me I have turned You out. For it’s tough to recognise hardness in myself, and so I need to know. Soften me up Lord, where there’s any area of insensitivity in my life. Draw my attention & heighten my spiritual senses to Your promptings. Renew my mind with Your Word and help me respond with my heart in prayer of agreement & commitment. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
Lord, help me find the time I need every day to be alone with You. Escaping busyness and diversions seems to be a constant struggle. And I need greater ability to shut out everything and find solitude with You in prayer. Help me to secure a place of peace and quiet so that I can hear Your voice speaking to my heart. Amen.
Jesus came to earth to begin His kingdom. Matthew focuses on 10 miracles in Mt8&9 demonstrating Jesus’ power over disease, the forces of nature & the spirit world. Christ then bestows that same power & authority on His chosen apostles and sends them out as ambassadors of the kingdom. He first instructs them how to act, then warns them of the dangers they will face, as He calls them to committed discipleship.
Lord, You Care for the Weary: Jesus spoke to the crowds… John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners’ (Matt 11:16-19). O Father Lord of heaven and earth, thank You for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever and for Revealing them to the childlike (v25-26). Jesus said: Come To Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you Rest. Take my yoke upon you… and you will Find Rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burdens I give you is light (v28-30).
Lord, we tend to judge, dismiss and reject people & we need Your help. Reveal where we are called to be more free of prejudices. Reveal who are the sinners that we are called to befriend. Grant us wisdom to interpret the truth and the call to change. Grant us freedom that opens us to follow Christ more closely. Amen.
Father, we want to hear Your voice in the midst of life circumstances, like Jesus did in His chat with You. Apostle Paul tells us to “never stop praying” and we can attempt that. But hearing from God unceasingly and picking up Your voice consistently can be challenging. Give us Lord the sensitivity to hear from You clearly as well as the boldness to believe. Amen.
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your offer to carry my burdens for me. I give them all to You and gladly receive Your Rest that You give. In Your infinite care You carried the burden of my sins on the cross. I thank You and praise You for Your great love and compassion. Help me Lord to walk in the ways You have set before me. Amen.
The hymn “Freely Freely” was written by Carol Owens and was released in the States in 1970 as part of the album “He Touched Me.” The tagline “freely” comes to Carol one morning from Matthew 10:8: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.” Other words from the refrain paraphrase the key ideas of the great commission: “Go in my name, and because you believe, others will know that I live.” The first stanza focuses on being “born again” (John 3:7); whilst Stanza 2 which begins with “All power is given in Jesus’ name, in earth and heaven in Jesus’ name,” paraphrases Matthew 28:18. The song emphasizes the liberating power of God’s love & forgiveness. And it urges believers to freely share this love with others & experience the joy and freedom it brings.
Lord, we will Freely Freely Give and Trust Your Loving Care of us: When He had called His twelve disciples… He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal all kind of sickness and all kinds of diseases… As you go, preach saying: the kingdom of God is at hand. Heal the sick… cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give (Mt 10:1, 7-8). Don’t Worry about… What to say. God will give you the Right words at the right time… It is not you who will be speaking: it will be the Spirit…speaking thru you (v19-20). Not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So Don’t Be Afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows (v29-31).
Lord Jesus, empower us with the Holy Spirit and send us to proclaim the good news of Your Kingdom. Fill us Lord with compassion for the lost and give us boldness to share Your love with others. Spur us to freely give what we’ve received, not seeking personal gain or worldly recognition. Grant us the authority to heal the sick, speak forth words of grace, direction & encouragement so that people be drawn to You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Lord, give me the Words to say, not just in pressure situations but in every relationship I have. Enable my words be seasoned with grace, truth and even power. Use my mouth liberally as You wish speaking through me. And help me Lord make the most of every opportunity for Your purpose and glory. Amen.
Father, we come before you with gratitude, knowing that You care for us in every detail of our lives. Thank You Lord for the assurance that we as Your precious children, are of really great value to You. Help us to trust in Your sovereignty and to find peace in knowing that You are always watching over us. Strengthen our faith and remove any anxieties that weigh us down. We lift our worries to You and place our trust in Your loving care. Amen.
Jesus came to earth to begin His. kingdom & Matthew focuses on 10 miracles in Mt 8/9 demonstrating Jesus’ power over disease, the forces of nature & the spirit world. Christ then bestows that same power & authority on His chosen apostles and sends them out as ambassadors of the kingdom. He first instructs them how to act, then warns them of the dangers they will face, as He calls them to committed discipleship.
Lord, make us Compassionate: The Pharisees said: Why does your Teacher eat with sinners? When Jesus heard that, He said: Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick. Go and learn the meaning of this scripture: “I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices.” For I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Matt 9:12-13). Two blind men followed Him crying Son of David have mercy on us!… And Jesus said: Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said… Yes Lord. Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying: Acc to your faith let it be to you (v27-29). Jesus felt great compassion for the crowds because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He said: The harvest is so great but the workers are so few. Ask the Lord to send more workers (v35-38).
Lord, we realise that You are showing us that You desire us to be merciful than make sacrifices. Thank You for being my Great Physician and for never being too busy to attend to my needs. Guide me to dispense to others the good medicine that You have given to me; and draw people to Your saving grace. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, we note the touching prayer offered by the two blind men: ‘Have Mercy on us.’ For they not only implies faith that Christ could restore their sight, but also appeals to His compassion & lovingkindness. We’ll note that in our point of need; and make us O Lord as Your people to be more trusting, merciful and compassionate. In Jesus’ name.
Lord, send labourers to bring Your healing and transforming power to the lives of people who don’t know You as Saviour & shepherd. Lead us not be self-centred but be compassionate enough to be open to join You in the harvest fields. Lord of the harvest, let us witness Your kingdom here on earth as it’s in heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Matthew shared ten miracles to demonstrate Jesus’ power over disease, nature and the spirit world. Christ then bestows that same power and authority on His chosen apostles and sends them out as ambassadors of the kingdom… The uplifting song “Still” by Hillsong was first released in 2002. The lyrics of Still convey a message of trust and reliance on God’s unwavering power and love. In a world filled with uncertainties and chaos, this song reminds us of the truth that God is in control and He holds our lives in His hands. The song emphasizes the need to be still and rest in His presence, despite the storms around us.
Lord, we’ll Be Still & Pray In Faith: When He came down from the mountain, a leper worshiped Him… Lord if You’re willing, You can make me clean. Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying: I am willing, be cleansed. And instantly the leprosy disappeared (Mt 8:1-3) When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came pleading: Lord my servant is lying at home paralysed… Jesus said: I will come & heal him. The centurion answered: Only speak a word & my servant will be healed… Jesus said to those who followed: I have not found such great faith in Israel… Then Jesus said to the centurion: Go your way; as you‘ve believed, let it be done for u (v5-13) Suddenly a terrible storm came up with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples wake Him up shouting: Lord, save us! And Jesus answered: Why are you afraid? You have so little faith(Mt 8:23-26)
Lord, You are Creator & Almighty and nothing is beyond You. From the account of the healing of the leper we know You are also compassionate and willing. Hear our cry to Heal our friends and loved ones who are unwell. Jehovah Rapha, our healer, You can make them whole, touch their lives so that they know You more deeply & love You more than before. Amen.
Lord we realise from the centurion account that our Faith determines our experience of Your power. What we expect in our hearts will largely determine what we will get in our actual experience. Help us Lord to expect You to make Yourself more real to us each day; and we wait with anticipation for You to do so. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Lord, sometimes we forget that You are in the boat with us and You rule over storms in our lives. Increase our faith so that in the midst of turbulence we will not panic but trust You to care for us. Enable us Lord to be able to rest and Be Still, knowing You are God. For Your presence is greater than any stormy circumstance we will face through life. Amen.
Lord Hide me now Under Your wings Cover me Within Your mighty hand When t oceans rise & thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father, You are King over the flood I will be still, know You are God… Find rest, my soul In Christ alone Know His power In quietness and trust When t oceans rise & thunders roar I will soar with You above the storm Father, You are king over the flood I will be still, know You’re God. Amen
“Seek Ye First” is a hymn written by Karen Lafferty in the 1970s. It is based on Matthew 6 about how God takes care of the birds of the air; and verse 33: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto You. Karen sang Seek Ye First into a tape recorder, added “hallelujah” decant. Seek Ye First was included on the first Maranatha! Music praise album. As a musicianary with YWAM, Karen has received more than half of her support from the publishing royalty of “Seek Ye First” & the song opens doors for her all over the world. Karen says she feels privilege to have written a tune that is so widely used, but she carefully credits the words to their true author: Jesus!
Lord, we Lift Up Our Needs to You: Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life… Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns;yet yr heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Mt 6:25-26). Do not worry saying: What shall we eat…or What shall we wear? For the pagans run after these things and Your Heavenly Father Knows that You Need them (v27). But Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore Do Not Worry about tomorrow (v31-34).
Father, You promise and advise us Not To Worry about basic needs for You Will Provide them to us. Grateful I don’t have to be drained by worry; but I can be consumed with You Lord and Your kingdom; for You will take care of my needs. So, I choose to keep anxiety from cluttering my heart and instead purpose to be filled with You. Amen.
Father, You are All-Knowing and therefore You Know all our needs. Praise You for Knowing everything about us and every detail of our situation; for nothing surprises You. For Your Word says You Know our needs and Will Provide them. And so we can live peacefully and cheerfully each day when we keep Your kingdom as key concern. Amen
Loving Father, Thanks for caring for us, including being our Provider. Lead me to regularly Seek You First, trust Your gracious promise and keep from worrying about the future. Guide me into the right perspective and not worry over issues beyond my control. Help me Lord to see the difference between needs & wants; and transform my inner being. Amen
The purpose of the gospel of Matthew is to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the eternal King. Matthew 1-4 introducing the arrival of the Messiah focuses on the importance of obedience; whilst Matthew 5-7 traditionally called the sermon of the Mount sees Jesus giving directions for living in His kingdom.
In Tuesday, we learn from Matt 1 that Immanuel God Always With us. On Wed, we learn from Matt 4 that God Gives Word & Light. On Thu, we learn from Matt 5 that we are called to be Salt & Light. On Friday, we learn from Matt 6 that Father God Provides our Needs. On Sat, we learn from Matt 7 that God Rewards Seekers.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Hear You: For You are worthy of our Praise being Immanual Always With us; For God Gives Word & Light and Call us to be Salt & Light. For God You Provide our Needs and that You Reward Seekers. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the king of the Jews. And Matthew 5 to 7 traditionally called the Sermon on the Mount, essentially presents His statement of heaven. Relationship to God (not adherence to ritual) and our inward attitude (not outward action) become the focus of Christ’s message.
Lord, we will Ask, Seek & Knock: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8). If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who Ask Him… Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock (V11, 24). Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6).
Lord Jesus, thank You for promising that those who ask receive and that when we seek, we will find. Grant me the grace to Persevere, to Keep On asking, seeking and knocking until the answer comes. Grant me the power of Your Spirit, and strength to Persevere In Prayer especially when I am in my weakest moment & felt like giving up. Amen.
Father God, I come to You in faith, believing in Your Goodness and that You want to bless Your children. I Ask that the desires of my heart be aligned with Your will so that my prayer will surely come to pass. Lord I will keep asking You and anticipate You answering me. And help me Lord be a wise person who build on the rock. Amen.
Lord, Your Word says it’s impossible to please God without Faith. And so we come to You believing not only You exist but also believing that You Will Reward those who diligently seek You. For the Father desires to give good things to those who ask Him. So I will come to You in prayer and I will Seek Your face, In Jesus’ name.
