Category: 2020 Prayers

I Love to Tell the Story

Katherine Hankey (1834-1911)
the daughter of a British banker,
grew up in a stylish London suburb.
In her twenties, she started
Bible classes for factory girls.
When she was in her thirties, Kate
became seriously ill and doctors
said she needed a year of rest.
During her recovery, she wrote two
poems. The first became the hymn:
Tell me the Old Old Story. The second
became: I Love to Tell the Story. She
soon returned to her Bible classes
and continued teaching many years.

Lord, we’ll share the gospel story:
He commanded them not to
depart from Jerusalem, but to
wait for the Promise of the Father.
For John truly baptised with water,
but you shall be baptised with the
Holy Spirit not many days from now..
You will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes to you. And
you will be my witnesses, telling
people about me everywhere –
in Jerusalem, in Samaria, and to
the ends of the earth (Acts 1:4-8).

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank
You for Your deep love for us;
for providing our every need; and
for Your great gift of salvation.
Dear Lord Jesus, in gratitude,
we purpose to tell of Your story.
For we cannot deny the fact that
You love us so much and that
You are so real to us. And we
want to Praise Your name, Amen.

Lord, I first learned this hymn as a
teenager. Since then ‘I love to tell
the story’ to whoever will listen.
Remember especially the 3-4 mth
period when I personally witnessed
the power of the Spirit in convicting
dozens to know the Lord Jesus.
Grateful being given the grace to be
able to live this story for some 50 yrs
Now in my 60s, I confirm the truth
of this hymn: For those who know it
still thirst to hear it like the rest.Amen

Lord, pray that more people
in SIngapore and all around the
world will do and sing this hymn.
For Jesus You love me so much
and I want to tell the world.
For Jesus You satisfy my
longings as nothing else will do.
For twill be my theme in glory
to tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love!! Amen.

I love to tell the story of unseen
things above, Of Jesus and
His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because
I know ’tis true, It satisfies my
longings as nothing else would do…
I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love…
I love to tell the story, ’tis pleasant
to repeat, What seems each time
I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some
have never heard, The message of
salvation from God’s own holy Word.

According to Thy Gracious Word

As a London newspaper editor,
James Montgomery (1771-1854)
remembered the poor and down-
trodden. He worked hard for the
abolition of slavery & imprisoned
twice for His strong editorials.
It would have been easy for this
journalist to get caught up in the
vital issues of the day and not to
forget the vital issues of eternity.
But Montgomery resolved that
he would never become too busy
to remember what Jesus had
done for him on the cross.

Lord, we will Remember Thee:
When the hour had come, (Jesus)
sat down and the twelve apostles
with Him. Then He said to them:
With fervent desire I have desired
to eat this Passover with you before
I suffer… Then He took the cup and
gave thanks and said: Take this
and divide it among yourselves…
And He took bread, gave thanks
and broke it and gave it to them,
saying: This is My body which
is given for you; do this in
remembrance of Me. Likewise
He also took the cup after supper,
saying: This cup is the new
covenant in My blood, which is
shed for you (Luke 22:14-20).

Lord, You have done so much for me;
and yet I often think I have nothing
to offer You. The thought that You
Long for my friendship is almost
overwhelming for You have given
so much and I have given so little.
So, I love to be in Your presence.
And I rejoice that You want to
be with me. Help me to devote
a portion of each day to commune
with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, there are many earthly
concerns that press into our lives;
some affecting only ourselves or
our families; while others are of
national or international importance;
yet some affecting both, like the
current Covid pandemic crisis.
Whatever it is earthly concerns
can become so important that
they overshadow eternal issues.
Help us Lord to be like Montgomery
resolve never to forget You. Amen.

Lord, According to Thy gracious
word, In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee…
Thy body broken for my sake,
My bread from heaven shall be;
Thy testamental cup I take,
And thus remember Thee…
Remember Thee and all Thy pains,
And all Thy love to me… When
Thou shall In Thy kingdom come,
Then Lord, remember me! Amen.

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

The lyrics are based on the last
words of Nokseng, a tribesman
from Assam India, who decided to
follow Christ in mid 19th century.
Called to renounce his faith by the
village chief, the convert declared,
“I have decided to follow Jesus.”
His two children were killed and
in response to threats to his wife,
he continued, “Though none go
with me, still I will follow.” His wife
was killed, and he was executed
while singing:’The cross before
me, the world behind me.’ This
display of faith is reported to
have led to the conversion of
the chief and others in the village.
The formation of these words into
a hymn is attributed to the Indian
missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh.

Lord, we purpose to Follow You:
Now it happened as they journeyed
on the road that someone said
to Him: Lord, I will follow You
wherever You go. And Jesus said:
Foxes have holes and the birds
of the air have nests, but the
Son of Man has nowhere to lay
His head. Then He said to another:
Follow me… And another said:
Lord, I will follow You, but let me
first go and bid farewell who are at
my house. But Jesus said to him:
No one having put his hand to the
plow, and looking back is fit for
the kingdom of God (Lk 9:57-62).

Lord Jesus, we know there is a high
price for discipleship, for You said:
The Son of Man has no place
to lay his head; but you go and
proclaim the kingdom of God.’
Furthermore, discipleship requires
Single-mindedness for You said:
No one who puts his hand to the
plow and looks back is fit for service
in the kingdom of God. Grant us the
grace and the strength to say Amen.

Lord, forgive me when I have put
my own priorities in front of Yours.
I may have treated You more like
a servant or an equal rather than
my Master and Sovereign Lord.
Forgive me and help me to answer
Your call and make no excuses.
And though my track record of
doing that maybe rather spotty,
I ask for your help & strength to be
a disciple You can count on. Amen.

Lord, considering Your loving
kindness and sacrificial love,
help me to truly say and sing:
The world behind me, the
cross before me; though none
go with me, still I will follow.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
for I have decided to follow You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

I have decided to follow Jesus (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
The world behind me,
the cross before me (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
Though none go with me,
still I will follow (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus (x3)
No turning back, no turning back…
Will u decide now to follow Jesus(x3)
No turning back, no turning back…

Cross-Crowded Ways of Life

Frank Mason North was born in
New York City and had served there
as a pastor. In 1903 he was officer
of both the New York City Mission &
the National City Evangelical Mission.
North realised that the city was a
great mission field. And He decided
to write about the city as he saw it,
about the “haunts of wretchedness”.
North’s stirring words were published
first by Methodist City Missionary
Society and later appeared in the
Methodist hymnal. Let’s listen to this
challenge to bring Christ’s loving
presence to the streets of our cities.

Lord, we’ll be Your hands & legs:
The the King will say to (them):
Come, you who are blessed by
My Father, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from the creation
of the world. For I was hungry and
You fed me. I was thirsty and you
gave me a drink. I was a stranger
and you invited me into your home.
I was sick and you cared for me.
I was in prison and you visited me…
And the King will answer and say
to them: Assuredly I say to you,
inasmuch as You did it to one of
the least of these My brethren,
You did it to Me (Matt 25:34-40).

Lord, I am open and willing to
join You in what You are doing to
rescue those who are perishing,
to feed those who are hungry
and thirsty with Your Bread of
Life and Living Water. Forgive me
when I don’t listen and instead
persist to pursue my own agenda.
Help me to hear and obey when
You call on me. Empower me to be
Your hands and Your feet. Amen.

Lord Jesus, I have heard Your Word
to give of oneself. Teach me to be
generous to give to a hurting world.
Teach me to serve U as You deserve;
to give & not overly count the cost;
to toil and not to seek for rest, and
to labour and not to ask for reward.
For Lord Jesus I appreciate what
You had done for me. For I know
You have told us to carry our cross.
For knowing I am doing Your will is
good enough. In Your name, Amen.

Where cross the crowded ways of life
Where sound the cries of race & clan
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear Thy voice, O Son of man!!!
In haunts of wretchedness and need
On shadow thresholds dark w fears,
Fr paths where hide lures of greed,
We catch the vision of Thy tears…
The cup of water given for Thee
Still holds the freshness of Thy grace
Yet long these multitudes to see
The sweet compassion of Thy face.

No More Time to Delay

To whom much is given, much is
also required. Nineveh had been
given the privilege of knowing
the one true God. Under Jonah’s
preaching this great Gentile
city had repented & God had
graciously stayed His judgment.
But some 150 years later, Nahum
proclaims the downfall of once
mighty Nineveh. The Assyrians
had forgotten their revival and had
returned to their habits of violence,
idolatry and arrogance. As a result,
Babylon would so destroy the city
that no trace of it would remain,
a prophecy fulfilled in painful detail.

The Assyrian empire which flourished
for about two centuries was one
of the cruellest and most powerful
of its time. God had already used
the Assyrians to punish the northern
kingdom. Now He was about to
wreck destruction on the Assyrian
capital. God is both just and loving.
He reassures those who trust in
Him need not fear God’s wrath.
At the same time, He shows exactly
what can be expected by those
who refuse to live righteously.
Lord, You are Good and Caring.
Lord, You are Holy and Just. And
Lord, You do Lose Your Patience.
We Heed Warning & Repent. Amen.

Lord, You are Holy and Just:
The Lord, is a jealous God,
filled with vengeance and wrath.
He takes revenge on all who
oppose Him & furiously destroys
His enemies! The Lord is slow
to get angry, but His power is
great, and He never lets the guilt
go unpunished (Nahum 1:2-3).
Lord, help me remember that You
are a jealous and avenging God.
You take vengeance on Your foes
& maintain wrath agst Your enemies.
Thank God that I’m not Your enemy
because of what Christ has done.
Remind me that whilst You are slow
to anger; You are also Holy and
yet You will not leave the guilty
unpunished. So Holy Spirit, lead me
to readily hear Your voice so that
I’ll confess & repent of sins. Amen.

Lord, You are Good & Caring:
The Lord is good, a refuge in trouble.
He cares for those who trust in Him.
But with an overwhelming flood
He will make an end of Nineveh…
Whatever they plot against the Lord
He will bring to an end; trouble will
not come a second time (Nah 1:7-9)
Lord, Thankful You are my refuge &
my strength in hard times & an ever
present helper in times of trouble.
Help me cling to You Lord & remind
me that You are absolutely good.
Teach me to trust U wholeheartedly
and lead me to run to You when
I am in trouble. Keep me from an
attitude of independence & mistake
of seeking help outside of U. Amen.

Lord, You do Lose Your Patience:
Too late! The river gates are open!
The enemy has entered! The palace
is about to collapse! Nineveh’s exile
has been decreed (Nahum 2:6-7).
I am your enemy says the Lord
Almighty. Your chariots will soon
go up in smoke. The finest of your
youth will be killed in battle. Never
again will you bring back plunder
from conquered nations (v13). How
terrible it will be for Nineveh, the city
of murder and lies! She is crammed
with wealth to be plundered (N3:1).
Lord,You had already shown Nineveh
great mercy for one generation
repented & You withheld judgment.
And Nahum’s prophecy is sober
warning that we mustn’t presume
upon Your mercy. For in perfect
justice God may limit His patience.
And those who continue to rebel &
reject You will face consequences.
Pray that our nation & others heed
Your warnings and repent. Amen.

Learning Obedience to God

Consider the story of Jonah,
a prophet commissioned by God
to preach an ultimatum to Israel’s
archenemy Assyria. Jonah quickly
goes AWOL and finds a ship
headed in the opposite direction.
God sends a storm, then a hungry
fish, to turn Jonah around and
head him back toward Nineveh.
After delivering his one-sentence
sermon, Jonah watches helplessly
as the entire city of Nineveh
repents in sackcloth and ashes.
When God spares Israel’s enemies,
it takes a hot wind, a shade-
giving vine and a hungry worm
to teach Jonah a lesson about the
mercy of God for sinful mankind.

Jonah was a reluctant prophet
given a mission he found distasteful.
He chose to run away from God
rather than obey Him. Like Jonah,
we may have to do things in life
that we don’t want to do. Sometimes
we find ourselves wanting to turn
and run. But it is better to obey God
than to run away. Often, in spite
of our defiance, God in His mercy
will give us another chance to serve
Him when we return to Him. Lord,
Help us to Be Open to Your Calling,
Help us to Be Grateful to You; and
Help us to Be Compassionate.
For People Need the Lord. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Open to Calling:
The Lord gave this message to
Jonah: Get up and go to the great
city of Nineveh! Announce my
judgment against it because I have
seen how wicked its people are.
But Jonah got up and went in the
opposite direction in order to get
away from the Lord (Jonah 1:1-3).
Sovereign Lord, You know best for
assigning me any particular task
or group to further Your kingdom.
I know that I have got no place
to hide from You Almighty God.
And I know it’s useless to engage
with selfish rebellion & whining.
But Lord please understand that
I may feel afraid or inadequate.
So please made clear that You
send me and I will duly go. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Grateful to You:
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said:
I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble & He answered me. I called
to You from the world of the dead,
and Lord You heard me! You threw
me into the ocean depths, and
I sank down to the heart of the sea.
I was buried beneath Your wild
and stormy waves (Jon 2:1-3).
Lord, how I thank You that in the
deepest trouble when I cry out
to You, You will hear & answer me
just as You did Jonah. I’m glad that
there’s no situation so hopeless
that You cannot bring deliverance.
I will offer sacrifices to You with
songs of praise, for my salvation
comes from You alone. Amen.

Lord, we will Be Compassionate:
Then God said to Jonah: Is it right
for you to be angry because the
plant died? Yes, Jonah retorted:
even angry enough to die! Then the
Lord said: You feel sorry about the
plant…(which) is… short lived. But
Nineveh has more than 120,000
people living in spiritual darkness,
not to mention all the animals.
Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such
a great city? (Jonah 4:9-11). 
Lord, Help us not run away from
doing your purpose in the world
but instead deliver Your message.
Help us to Be Compassionate,
including those who are different
from us in race or background.
Help us not be inward looking but
to be Your missionaries wherever
we are and wherever You send us.
Help us to share the Good News
for People Need the Lord. Amen.

Prophets to Northern Kingdom

We meditate Bible chronologically to
 enhance understanding of context.
 We begin with the 5 books of Laws
    to appreciate the Redemptive Plan
of God for mankind and Job, which
occurs during the time of Genesis.
In Phase 2, we meditated on Joshua
to 2Sam & 1 Chron up to King David
and Psalms where we learn to pray.
Then to reign of King Solomon in
1 Kings and cover wisdom poetry of
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Eccl.
In Phase 3, thro 2Kings the next 100
years see the decline of two nations
indifferent to God’s laws. In Israel,
19 wicked kings led the people
further from God and Israel finally
went into captivity by Assyrians.

Continuing Phase 3, we focus next
on the prophets to northern kingdom
with dual themes of repentance and
judgment: “Shape Up or Ship Out.”
But each prophet spoke to unique
contemporary situation. So for
Hosea, the message is God’s love
for adulterous Israel; and for Amos,
God’s people ripe for punishment.
And for Jonah, the message is God
Loves the Gentiles; and in Nahum,
it’s doom of Nineveh for its brutality.

Jonah called by God to warn the
Assyrian city Nineveh of impending
destruction. But the brutal Assyrians
are Israel’s bitter enemies and Jonah
both fears and despises them. So
instead of heading to Nineveh, Jonah
sails in opposite direction. A storm
ensues, Jonah is tossed overboard
and is swallowed by a great fish.
After three days the fish deposits
Jonah on dry land. Jonah then goes
to Nineveh & preaches as God has
instructed. When the people repent,
Jonah’s resentment grows until God
teaches him a lesson in compassion.

By the time Nahum comes on the
scene Nineveh is even more wicked
than it had been during the time
of Jonah about 100 years earlier.
The repentant spirit of the people
and the revival that stemmed from
Jonah’s visit is gone. Now a terror
to the entire world, the fortress city
of Nineveh seems impenetrable.
But God will no longer overlook the
city’s horrible sins, and He sends
Nahum to deliver the message of
impending destruction. The entire
Assyrian empire will be destroyed
and Nineveh gutted by raging fire.

Publish Glad Tidings of Peace

One night In 1868, a worried mother
sat up with one of her children who
was critically ill. Mary Ann Thomson
prayed to the Lord to heal her child.
She was jolted by the realisation
that what is really important to
God is the evangelism of the world.
If God raised up her child, could
she be willing to release him as
a missionary. Out of her wrestling
with such questions, 34 year-old
Mary Thomson wrote these words.
The hymn blends the messianic
pronouncement of Isa 52 with the
missionary call of Rom 10. For over
a hundred years this hymn stirred
thousands to respond to God’s call.

Lord, we’ll Cheer & Wait On You:
Comfort, yes comfort My people…
That her iniquity is pardoned…
Prepare the way of the Lord(Is40:1-3)
O Zion, messenger of good news,
shout from the mountaintops!
Shout and do not be afraid. Your
God is coming! Yes the Sovereign
Lord is coming in power (v9-10).
Those who Wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength; They
shall mount up with wings as eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk & not faint (v31).

Lord, the Covid crisis together with
the restrictions from the lock-in can
make us weary, weak & frustrated.
Thank You Lord for the words of
comfort and encouragement from
Isaiah that the situation will not last
forever and deliverance will come.
Lord, renew us with Your strength
when we feel overwhelmed. And
grant us grace to wait on You. Amen.

Lord, give us grace to hold to You
and renew my soul with courage
when all is weariness and fear and
when love itself is tested by doubt.
Lord, give us grace that we may
know that in the darkness pressing
round it that You are there and
that You do know we love You still.
For our dependence & endurance
in Your will is our gift of love. Amen.

Lord, we’ll Share the Gospel:
O Zion haste, thy mission
high fulfilling, To tell to all
the world that God is Light;
That He who made all nations
is not willing One soul should
perish, lost in shades of night…
Publish glad tidings, tidings
of peace; Tidings of Jesus,
redemption and release…
Proclaim to every people, tongue
and nation That God, in whom
they live and move, is love:
Tell how He stooped to save
His lost creation, And died on earth
that man might live above. Amen.

Thanks to God for My Redeemer

It is easy to thank God for roses.
It is much harder to thank Him
for the thorns. This hymn offers
a mature approach to thanksgiving,
showing appreciation for pain and
pleasure as well as joy and sorrow.
August Storm wrote this hymn in
1981 while still a young man of 29.
He worked for the Salvation Army
in Sweden and published this hymn
in organisation’s periodical War City.
Just eight years after writing this
hymn, Storm was stricken with
a back problem that left him crippled
for the rest of his life. He managed
to continue Salvation Army work,
and he managed a thankful spirit
even during this most difficult time.
If anything, his troubles gave more
credibility to his sermons & writings.

Give Thanks to the Lord and
proclaim His greatness. Let the
whole world know what He has
done. Sing to Him; yes sing His
praises. Tell everyone about His
wonderful deeds. Exult in His holy
name; rejoice, you who worship
the Lord. Search for the Lord
and for His strength; continually
Seek Him for help (Psalm 105:1-4).

Lord, I proclaim Your greatness and
Thank You for what You have done.
Thank You for the many promises
in Your Word that You will come
and strengthen me & reveal Yourself
so that I can know U more intimately.
Cause me to seek You with all
my heart, to search for You daily
and to depend on Your strength
each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, help me live a life of gratitude
for the many blessings You have
so generously given to me. I trust
You Lord to fill the hole in my heart
with Your presence. I bow to Your
sovereign will, whether You choose
to deliver soon or continue to
withhold what I perceive to be
missing. For I know all things will
work together for good. Amen.

Thanks to God for My Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant balmy springtime
Thanks for dark and dreary fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!!!
Tks for prayers Thou has answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thks for storms that I hv weathered
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain & thanks for pleasure
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Tks for grace that none can measure
Thanks for Love beyond compare!

There’s Wideness In God’s Mercy

Brought up as a Calvinistic Anglican,
Frederick Fabre was ordained in the
Church of England. But at age 31,
he converted to Roman Catholicism
following his friend John Newman
& was rebaptized as Father Wilfred.
In 1849 Newman asked Fabre to
open an oratory – a place of prayer.
When Faber opened his oratory,
it soon became a place of both
prayer & music. Faber was concerned
that British Roman Catholics did
not have a heritage of humnwriters
like Watts, Wesley and Newton.
He began writing hymns so that
Catholics too could be a hymn-
singing people. However, Faber’s
hymns including Wideness in God’s
mercy became more familiar to
Protestants than to Catholics.

Lord, we praise Your Love & Mercy:
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we are His. We are
His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving;
go into His courts with Praise. Give
Thanks to Him and Praise His name.
For the Lord Is Good. His unfailing
love continues forever, and His
faithfulness continues to each
generation (Psa 100:3-5) Amen.

Lord, I come before You with Praise
and Thanksgiving for all You are and
everything You have done for me.
No matter what happens in my life
or in the world around me, I will
not sink to the level of the problem.
I will instead rise to the level of the
solution and Praise You Lord as
the solution to all my problems.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Lord, transform my heart and give
me an attitude of gratefulness.
Open my eyes to see Your hand
in every area of my life. And when
I have forgotten Your Goodness,
remind me of what an awesome
God You are and the many things
I have to be really thankful for.
I thank You Lord for Your Goodness,
love, mercy and faithfulness to me.
And look forward to the fulfilment
of Your promise in due time. Amen.

There’s a Wideness in God’s mercy,
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner,
And more graces for the good;
There is metcy with the Saviour;
There is healing in His blood…
For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of man’s mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple,
We should take Him at His Word;
And our lives would be all sunshine
In the sweetness of our Lord. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-OouIx8Lk