DAY 20: ESSENTIAL QUALITIES FOR UNITY

DAY 20: ESSENTIAL QUALITIES FOR UNITY

SCRIPTURE:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

OBSERVATION:

What would the perfect church be like? Essentially, it would be not so much because of the beauty of the building or the modernity of the facilities and sound system. Instead, it would be primarily the quality of the people in the church themselves. Imagine going somewhere where everyone was compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another, forgiving, and above all these, loving. These are the qualities we all need to desire for and what will keep the church united.

And these qualities do not emanate from within our human selves. It comes from above. We clothe ourselves with these qualities. It all starts by realizing our identity, that we are specially chosen by God, that we are holy and dearly loved. It is when we know we are dearly loved and set apart by our Father God that we can really exhibit these qualities.

In the armor of God, Paul speaks of the helmet of salvation. The Greek word for Salvation, Sozo, is all-encompassing, not just being saved from a spiritual sense, but also physically, mentally and emotionally. When we believe in our hearts and in our minds that we are saved by God, specially chosen, holy and dearly loved, that belief of our identity in that way enables us to exhibit the qualities of Christ. If our minds are filled with doubt and become double-minded, it affects our emotions and even physical well-being, leading to poor attitudes and actions. That’s why it is so important to guard our minds and to reinforce our true identity in Christ Jesus.

In another passage, Paul writes to clothe ourselves with the Lord. There was this Jacky Chan show called the Tuxedo, which enabled him to do superhuman things whenever he wore it. In a sense, what Paul says is similar. When we clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ by faith, we will exhibit His compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love in ways we could never do by ourselves.  

APPLICATION:

Desire to show the essential qualities for unity in our lives. Make it a point to guard our minds with the helmet of salvation, holding true to our belief that we are saved in Christ, who has enabled us to be God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. No matter what others may say, or what doubts assail our mind, fight back by declaring again and again if we need to “I am one of God’s chosen people. I am holy and dearly loved because of Jesus Christ”.

See ourselves being clothed by Jesus Christ in faith. Begin to walk and talk and relate to others as if the Lord Himself is doing so, with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love.

PRAYER:

We praise You and thank You, Father God, for the beauty and precision of Your Word. We thank You that You called us to be Your own, Your specially chosen people, set apart for You, holy and dearly loved. Teach us, Lord, to put on Jesus, Your precious Son. Teach us to learn to act and think and move like You, Lord Jesus, to show Your great love and qualities to others, in patience, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness and humility. Draw us closer and closer to You O Lord, we pray. In Jesus name, Amen. 

DAY 19: UNITING AS A BODY OF CHRIST

DAY 19: UNITING AS A BODY OF CHRIST

SCRIPTURE:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:20-23

OBSERVATION:

In Jesus’ sacred prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, just moments before His death and resurrection, we see the Lord’s precious heart. He was already looking beyond His death and resurrection and praying for the church that would be formed through His disciples. His primary and most important desire for the church is for her unity. And this unity the Lord prayed about is of the very highest level, equivalent to the unity shared by the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The concept of the Trinity, Three in One, has long been a mystery that man cannot truly fathom, but fundamental to the concept is the Unity in mind and purpose of God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Son only follows what the Father does, and the Spirit only speaks what He hears from the Son. Their purposes and desires and plans are always the same, never in conflict. And this marvelous Unity is what the Lord desires of the church, all coming together with the common purpose and desire to please God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Throughout the ages, the church broke up into various fragments, mainly Catholic and Protestant, and from the Protestant churches, even further into Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Brethren… to name but a few. How sad the Lord must be looking at the state of His divided church. However, in these last days, He is calling out believers from every denomination who are devoted to Himself to come together and pray, setting up prayer altars everywhere in homes, schools, universities, offices and churches, seeking the revival of God in their families, schools, offices, churches, cities and nations.

APPLICATION:

Since our Lord regarded Unity in the Body of Christ as such an important thing, let us endeavor to promote this Unity and pray together wherever we are, regardless of denomination or differences. Let us focus on the core thing we have in common, which is our love for God the Father and Jesus Christ, and our desire to follow Him and please Him by the Holy Spirit. Let us pray together for peace and favor and blessing on our home, our workplace, our churches, our cities or towns and our country and for Jesus’ name to be glorified wherever we go.

PRAYER:

Praise thee, Lord Jesus, for the truth and greatness of Your teachings and Your prayers. How truly important unity is, in our families, our churches, our workplaces, our cities and country. Give us a heart like Yours O Lord, that desires for Unity, especially in Your church. Take away our prejudices and preconceptions against others, but let us learn to look at each other with Your eyes. As we set up prayer altars everywhere O Lord, let Your Heavens be open, and look upon us with favor and bless us with Your presence, which is worth far more than gold. In Jesus name, Amen.       

DAY 18: THE VICTORIOUS CHURCH

DAY 18: THE VICTORIOUS CHURCH

SCRIPTURE:

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

OBSERVATION:

The book of Revelation as a whole is a call for Christians to persevere and stay true to God and Jesus Christ in spite of everything that happens. The beginning of the verse “he who overcomes” automatically implies that they are those who overcome and those who don’t. The word “overcome” itself, gives us the vision of a struggle, and the need to persevere and press through until the battle is won. What is it that we overcome? Satan, the world, the spiritual forces of darkness, even our own selves…..  As Paul says, our enemies are not physical, but spiritual, having their abode in the heavens. There is even a whole hierarchy of Satanic structure out there all set up to foils the purposes of God being enacted by His servants on earth. We need to stand up with the Word of God and all prayer, which are our weapons of spiritual warfare.

With persecution being a common theme throughout Revelation, we also need to be armed with the mindset of being willing to be persecuted just as Christ Himself suffered for us. The key is to love not our lives so much as to shrink from death. As stated in Revelation 12:11, we will overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. What is the word that we testify? As Derek Prince taught, it is what the blood of Jesus does for us with a seven-fold application. Firstly, by the blood of Jesus, we have been redeemed, bought back at the precious price of His blood. Secondly, by the blood of Jesus, we have been cleansed, our sins washed away in His blood. Thirdly, the blood of Jesus justifies us, making it just as if we had never sinned. Fourthly, the blood of Jesus sanctifies us, setting us apart as holy to God. Fifthly, the blood of Jesus gives us life, even as we partake of the Lord in the Holy Communion. Sixth, the blood of Jesus intercedes on our behalf in Heaven, and finally, the blood of Jesus has given us access in Heaven to come into the presence of God the Father in the Holy of Holies. When we declare and proclaim what the Lord’s blood has done for us in faith, there is absolutely no hold that Satan can have over us. The most he can do is destroy our earthly bodies, but our soul and spirit is secure by the blood of Jesus in the Lord.

APPLICATION:

We are destined to be overcomers, even as we declare in faith what our Lord Jesus has done for us through His blood. Our destiny is to inherit all things, but we must remain true and faithful to the Lord. Even in these last days, let us heed the call of God to return to Him, to dig deep and truly seek Him in the deepest parts of our hearts. God is raising up His end time army of true believers who are totally devoted to Him and love not their lives so much as to shrink from death. Let us press on, and seek the Lord passionately this day, that He may touch and transform us into true overcomers who testify to the power of His blood!

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You called us to be Your own. You gave us the Spirit of Sonship, by which we call You Abba Father. You predestined us to be adopted as Your own children, even when we were lost and far away from You. We thank You and praise You, Lord. Lord Jesus, You gave Your life for us. You shed Your precious blood that we might have life and redemption and justification and sanctification and forgiveness! Through Your blood, You made it able for us to go into God’s presence which was only available for the High Priest once a year. Help us rise up O Lord and be Overcomers  by Your precious blood. Give us a new heart that loves not our lives as to shrink from death, but is totally devoted to You. We praise You and love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 17: REWARD

DAY 17: REWARD

SCRIPTURE:

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

OBSERVATION:

For those like me with a background in accounting and finance, the concept of Return on Investment is often on our minds. The fundamental principle of this concept is to give thought to how much money or returns we will get in the future for what we put in now. An accounting mind will see property in general as a good investment, as due to scarcity of land, the value of property in the future will be worth much more than the property I purchase today. On the other hands, the accounting mind will see cars as a be poor investments, as their value goes down with time.

Now, what Paul teaches us in this verse today, gives us an insight into Spiritual Return on Investment. Basically, Paul is saying, just endure the light affliction you are suffering today which is but for a moment, for your reward in Heaven which is eternal far outweighs anything you could experience today. Nevertheless, what Paul calls light affliction, was by no means trivial for the early church. They were chased out of their homes, beaten, flogged, stoned, killed and even crucified for their faith. However, in light of eternity, what is even 70 or 80 years here on earth? It is not even a second in comparison.

APPLICATION:

What constitutes affliction means different things to different people. To many of us, dragging ourselves to an early prayer meeting is affliction enough. To Christians in Iraq, affliction may mean leaving home with nothing but the clothes on their back, being hungry to the point of starvation, or even having their heads sawn off by a small knife. Whatever affliction or deemed affliction we may be called to endure, the priority for us is to have that long term mindset, believing that whatever we give up now for Christ is really so small compared to the everlasting reward that He promises to those who are loyal to Him. With that eternal mindset, and deep faith in our Lord, we will be then well equipped to face whatever the world may throw at us.

PRAYER:

Father Lord, we praise and worship You for you are eternal, unchanging. We praise thee Lord Jesus that You came to die and suffer for us, as an example and encouragement to us, that we too need not fear death and suffering because You came before us, to show us the way to life. Give us that eternal mindset O Lord we pray, that we may consider the sufferings of this present life trivial and fleeting compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing You and the joy of being forever with You in Heaven. We praise You and worship You, O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 16: REJOICE

DAY 16: REJOICE

Scripture:

Acts 5:41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

Observation:

On day 16, we continue to focus on the persecution of the church, and we are reminded yet again of the strange phenomenon from a human point of view of Christian believers rejoicing at being persecuted. In the Sermon of the Mount, the Lord Himself had already told his disciples to expect persecution and to be happy when it occurred. In Matthew 5:10-12, at the end of the Beatitudes, Jesus declares “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The word “Blessed” here actually means “How happy are” and is interestingly depicted in the story given by NECF of the Christian who started laughing after his persecutors pierced his cheeks with a knife. Likewise, the disciples in Acts also had the same attitude, even rejoicing in regard to their suffering because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name.

Application:

Most of us on the whole have yet to truly experience severe persecution for the Lord in our part of the world. Yet, Christians in Iraq, India, China, North Korea and various parts of Africa have undergone terrible persecution including imprisonment, torture and even death. The Book of Revelation speaks of a time when the world will come under the rule of the Anti-Christ who will force everyone to convert to his religion or be killed. It also says that those who are to go into captivity will go into captivity and that those who are to be martyred will be martyred. Therefore, as we draw closer and closer to these occurrences in the end times, we need to be prepared and ready to face them. And paradoxically, we need to have the same attitude as the early disciples, to be ready to rejoice should we counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus name.

Prayer:

We praise You and thank You, Lord, that You hold all things in Your hands, and all governments and rulers and times are all set according to Your perfect timing and wisdom. We pray this day O Lord, for wisdom and strength, to have the maturity to know how to rejoice should we be counted worthy to endure suffering for Your name. Let us hold so fast to You that all fear dissipates, and only the peace of Your Spirit remains, which gives us power, love, and a sound mind. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!

DAY 15: OPEN HEAVEN IN PRISON

DAY 15: OPEN HEAVEN IN PRISON

Scripture:

Acts 16:25-26 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Observation:

Behold the power of worship and praise! Beaten severely without a trial, unfairly persecuted simply for casting out a demon from a demon possessed girl, we would logically have expected Paul and Silas to be depressed and downhearted in prison. However, they were instead joyful that they were counted worthy of suffering for Christ, and were praying and singing hymns to God, showing wonderful testimony to the other prisoners. And the effect? God sent a great earthquake, shaking the foundations of the prison and causing all the doors to open and everyone’s chains to be loosed.

Application:

Like the early disciples, we need to learn to rejoice even when we are persecuted for the Lord. We need to have their attitude in considering it an honor to be chosen to suffer for Christ. Also, where we face the worst situations in life, even when we face losing everything, remember that we have a hope that cannot be shaken! Remember that in spite of it all, we can still worship and praise God! And with worship and praise, the Lord will send a great deliverance!

Prayer:

Bless You, heavenly Father, for Your great and perfect love for us! We thank You that even in our darkest days, You are there with us. Strengthen us O Lord, and help us have an attitude like that of the early disciples should we be chosen to undergo persecution for Your name. Let Your joy at all times be with us!

DAY 14: LOVE COMPELS US TO LOVE

DAY 14: LOVE COMPELS US TO LOVE

SCRIPTURE:-

Luke 23:33-34 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

OBSERVATION:-

In the perfect picture of pure, unconditional love, our Lord Jesus, suffering immensely on the cross, actually prays for God the Father to forgive the people who have hurt him so intensely. We recoil in horror at the thought of human hands and feet being nailed crudely to a cross. But to add to that, the Lord had been punched in the face again and again. He had tufts of beard pulled out together with pieces of flesh. The flesh on his back had been shredded by the cruel Roman whips. A crown of very sharp thorns had been forced onto his head with the thorns embedded further into his scalp after still some more blows. In spite, of all this, how could it be possible that the Lord could still wish for the forgiveness of the perpetrators of such terrible cruelty? Such, is the nature of true agape love, that loves in spite of the darkest sins, that loves even after the worst hate and cruelty is inflicted.

APPLICATION:-

The Lord showed us on the cross what love really is. The sinless, perfect Son of God, suffering immensely and then dying so that all who believed in might receive eternal life through Him. His love is also an example for us all, that we might love our enemies even as He loved His, and to still wish for their forgiveness even when they have done us terrible harm.

PRAYER:-

How precious indeed Your love is Lord Jesus, for You loved even the enemies who did You so much harm. Teach us to love like You love, Lord Jesus. Cover us in Your perfect love, that we might also learn to love in the same way. We praise You and love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.  

DAY 13: PLEDGING OUR ALLEGIANCE

DAY 13: PLEDGING OUR ALLEGIANCE

Scripture:

John 15:18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

Observation:

The moment we receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we automatically become a citizen of His kingdom. As a citizen of his kingdom, we our allied with those He are allied with, and we are enemies against those who are against Him. Just as He is at war with the kingdom of Satan, so too, we are at war. We must not be deceived and think there is nothing going on in the heavenly realms or that we are free to live life without being influenced by the war that is ongoing.

Whenever we seek to do God’s will and extend His kingdom, we will sooner or later, meet opposition. The prophets of old sent by God were beaten up, mistreated, stoned, even killed. Stephen, the first martyr of the church, was stoned to death. Numerous Christians were crucified during the Roman rule. Today, Christians are still persecuted, in North Korea, in Iraq, in Africa, in China. In Iraq especially, Christians turned out of their homes have become refugees overnight by the masses. Some walked for days in the desert without food, finally succumbing to their hunger.

Application:

For those of us who are persecuted, let us not lose hope, but persevere, for the Lord Himself was persecuted in the same way. It is a great honor and privilege to be persecuted, even to the point of death when it is for our precious Lord. For those of us who are not persecuted as yet, let us remember our brothers and sisters who are suffering and pray for them earnestly.                                     

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, have mercy on Your children, we pray, suffering as they are in diverse parts of the world today. Grant them Your special grace and strength in this difficult time. Provide a way for them so that they can come out and rebuild their lives again. What with men is impossible, Lord, with You, is always possible. Give us a heart of compassion for our fellow brothers and sisters who suffer. Open doors that we may be able to touch and help them. Bless You, Father Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 12: LOVE POURED OUT

DAY 12: LOVE POURED OUT

SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 26:7 ... a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.

OBSERVATION:

The act of worship by Mary of Bethany is crystallized in Biblical history as probably the greatest expression of love any disciple showed to Jesus. The perfume she used had been the most expensive thing she owned, her security to be used as dowry for her marriage one day. Yet, it was not only the perfume she used to anoint Jesus that was expensive, but also her tears and sorrow as she anointed the Lord. Such was her passion for Jesus that she totally did not care what the men with the Lord thought about her or consider her own future in using up her expensive perfume. She knew Jesus would appreciate and understand her love. She was the only one among them who truly anticipated the Lord’s coming death and suffering.

APPLICATION:

If only we could have even a small portion of the great devotion Mary had for Jesus… Such great passion, such devoted love…. Let us pray that we might love the Lord more, to be more like Mary. Let us pray that we might learn to be sacrificial, even with the choicest things we own, willingly giving it up for the Lord when we are called to do so. Remember that whoever wants to save his life will lose it but he who loses his life for Jesus will find it.

PRAYER:

How wonderfully Mary of Bethany worshipped You, Lord Jesus. Teach us to be like that we pray. Let our love grow deeper and deeper for You, Lord. Let the things of the world recede and fall into the background even as we behold Your love and Your beauty. Give us a sacrificial heart of passion dear Lord for You. Help us truly learn to pour out our love for You for You deserve all the love, all the glory, all the praise.  We praise You and love You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.      

DAY 11: WHAT HINDERS OUR INTIMACY WITH CHRIST

DAY 11: WHAT HINDERS OUR INTIMACY WITH CHRIST

SCRIPTURE:

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew 13:22

OBSERVATION:

Day 11 focuses our attention on the response of those who received seed among thorns. The soil is representative of our hearts. When there are many thorns in our hearts, we might still hear the Word of God, but because of our many worries and concerns, the effect of the Word is unfruitful for we quickly become distracted by other things.

What are the thorns? The Scripture mentions two facets, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. On the one hand are the worries of this life – what will I eat? What will I wear? Will I marry? Whom will I marry? How can I secure my children’s future? How can I make ends meet? How can I secure my retirement? Is my country going down the drain? Should I migrate? In this life, there are truly so many worries. If we let ourselves become beset by worries, we lose sight of God and His promises. We forget that God knows the number of hairs on our heads. We forget that God is in control of everything.

What is the deceitfulness of wealth? This seems to indicate greed for money in particular or fear of losing money? Money has a particular power to grab a hold of people. Some hoard money and live in fear of losing their money, forgetting they can’t bring a single cent with them when they leave the earth. Some hunger so much after money, they quickly run after any scheme with promise of wealth. In the name of money, they quickly compromise their moral standards and are never truly satisfied with what they have.

Regarding hearing the Word, we should take note that the Word here is in respect of Rhema, the spoken Word of God. He speaks to us through a Scripture that suddenly jumps up at us, or through an impression, or through a still small voice, or an image, or a dream. God speaks to us now one way, now another, but whichever way He speaks, it will be consistent with His principles and personality shown to us through the Bible. How precious it is to hear the Rhema of God!

APPLICATION:

To hear the Rhema of God consistently and frequently, it is important for us to put aside the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. Where we are tempted to get worried, let us instead pray, and cast our worries on the Lord who will give us peace. When we are tempted by wealth, let us remember that it is only of temporal value, and will pass away. Once our heart is clear before God, then let us listen for His voice with both ears and our heart. Let us expect to hear from Him, for He does speak and produces faith in us when we hear His voice. As we hear Him more, our faith grows, and so too our fruit, and the intimacy of our relationship with Him.

PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father, praise be to Your Holy name! We thank You, Lord, for Your love for us, and we thank You that You desire to commune with us and speak to us in an intimate relationship. Father Lord, create in us a pure heart, we pray. Teach us to set aside our worries of this life and also to guard our hearts against the deceitfulness of wealth. Teach us to have clear, honest hearts before You, that we may be ready and prepared to listen for Your voice. Speak to us we pray, that we may grow in faith, and fruit! May Your name be praised forever. In Jesus name, Amen. 

DAY 10: INTIMACY THROUGH WEAKNESS

DAY 10: INTIMACY THROUGH WEAKNESS

SCRIPTURE:

Lk 15:20 …when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion,and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

OBSERVATION:

The story of the prodigal son reminds us of the recklessness, selfishness and ingratitude of our human nature, and how if we were left to our own devices, we would end up in terrible trouble and disgrace. Yet, it is in those darkest moments, when we have lost everything and have no pride left, that God comes and comforts us and helps us, giving us hope and a future. The father did not condemn the prodigal son despite his many sins but simply embraced him and loved him. Such is the heart of our Heavenly Father who does not delight in punishing us as our sins deserve, but opens His hands warmly to embrace us and forgive us when we turn back to Him.

APPLICATION:

For some of us, we know we are currently far away from God. Perhaps we have drawn apart due to the attractions of the world, or selfish ambition. Do not ignore the Father' call to return to Him. Come back and find times of refreshing in communion with God. He accepts us freely and forgives us our sins when we turn back to Him. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as the Israelites did so long ago but turn to God.

For some of us, perhaps we have been faithful and are struggling to go deeper in our Christian walk with God. Let us look back and remember and treasure the dark times where God came and helped us through. Let us remember how grateful we were that God sustained us, who brought us through the terrors of the night, and the dread of the day. Let us remember how precious God's intimacy was especially in those dark times, and draw strength from those memories, to help us push through in this current day.

PRAYER:

We praise You and thank You, Father God, for Your great love and forgiving heart to all Your children who turn back to You. You do not treat us as our sins deserve, but delight in us when we turn our hearts to You. Forgive us our sins O Lord, and restore the intimacy of our relationship with You. Bring us deeper and deeper in love with You, precious Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit. We thank You that in the darkest times, You were there for us, sustaining us, helping us, even when we did not realize it. We thank You for Your hand of protection that covered us from even worse calamities, than we even realized. In You O Lord, we have everlasting hope! May we grow strong in You as we learn to seek You day by day. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 9: INTIMACY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT

DAY 9: INTIMACY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Scripture:

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever John 14:15-16

Observation:

Day 9 now focuses our attention on the Holy Spirit. In this verse, the role of the Holy Spirit as advocate gives us the picture of someone who speaks up for us, who defends us, as Jesus did for His disciples when He walked on the earth. The verse also says that the Holy Spirit is given to help us. Where we have any need at all, we can call upon the Holy Spirit to help us. He is all-powerful, always there, always available to help in time of need.

Jesus expects us as His disciples to love Him, and to do so by obeying His commands. This obedience, the Lord links to the giving of the Holy Spirit. When we believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, He is pleased and immediately sends His Spirit of peace to indwell us, and we have supernatural peace through the Holy Spirit, which we must never take for granted. The more we walk in obedience, the greater the portion of the Holy Spirit He imparts into us.

In another scripture, the Holy Spirit is likened to a river of love and joy flowing from within us, and bubbling over. Later Paul in describing the fruit of the Holy Spirit mentions love. There is a cyclical pattern we can see here that can keep us continually filled by the Holy Spirit. Love Jesus, seek to obey Him, ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us obey Jesus… As we obey, we find we love Him more and more, and again He gives us more of His Holy Spirit. As we continue this, we will ourselves automatically loving Jesus more and more.                                                                                                                                                                

Application:

Desire in our hearts to love Jesus more. Desire to love Jesus by obeying His commands. Desire for a greater portion of His Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach us to love Jesus more and to please Him more. Thank the Holy Spirit that He is our advocate, our helper, and our companion.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, create a fresh desire in our hearts we pray, to love You more and to obey You more. Precious Holy Spirit, teach us what it means to love Jesus, and give us the strength and perseverance to obey Him more. Fill us Father in Heaven, with more and more of Your Holy Spirit like a mighty river. in Jesus name, Amen. 

Day 8: Intimacy through the Word

Day 8: Intimacy through the Word

Scripture:

8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful Joshua 1:8

Observation:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away,” Jesus declared. The Gospels are most precious to us because they document the life and important sayings and teachings of the Lord Himself. By coming to the Word, we come to the Master Himself, and if we let His Word abide in us, the Lord Himself abides in us.John refers to Jesus Himself as the Word which was there from the beginning. To be grounded in the Word is to be grounded in Christ.

Application:

Let us ask God to give us a fresh love for His Word, and let us recommit to read the Scriptures on a more regular basis. Let us ask and pray that the Word may come alive to us,and even go forth and bring forth miracles able to change and bless the lives of many.

Prayer:

Lord, give us that fresh desire, and fresh purpose to know and love Your Word more and more. Let Your Word become so ingrained in us, that its power is able to come forth and touch the lives of many. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 7:INTIMACY REFLECTS CHRISTLIKENESS

DAY 7:INTIMACY REFLECTS CHRISTLIKENESS

SCRIPTURE:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

OBSERVATION:

In Day 7, we focus on the Lord's beautiful analogy of Himself being the vine and we being the branches. The branches are totally dependent on the vine to receive nutrients, food and water. Without the vine, the branches cannot survive. Spiritually, we need to stay connected to Jesus to stay alive. It is through Him and because of Him that we receive every spiritual blessing.

Functionally, a vine branch is only useful as long as it produces fruit. Likewise, we who belong to Jesus are destined to be fruitful in Him as we stay connected to Him

APPLICATION:

How do we stay connected to our Lord? One way is to repeat Jesus, Jesus, throughout the day, focusing our minds on Him, whenever we have a little bit of time. Select worship songs with Jesus' name to listen to. Take some time, to envision the Lord and wait patiently for Him to speak.

PRAYER:

We praise You, Lord Jesus, that You are indeed the vine, and we are your branches. May we always stay connected to You O Lord, and may we bear fruit for You even as You lead us day by day. Draw us to fresh intimacy with You. In Jesus name, Amen

DAY 6: INTIMACY REQUIRES REPRIORITISING

DAY 6: INTIMACY REQUIRES REPRIORITISING

SCRIPTURE:

Mary has chosen what is better…. Luke 10:42

OBSERVATION:

As we come to day 6, we look at the story of Mary and Martha, two dear friends of Jesus with very different personalities. While Martha was all stressed up making the best preparations for Jesus, Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to him. When Martha complained to Jesus that her sister wasn’t helping her, he gently explained to her that Mary had chosen what was better.

Some husbands and wives, fathers and mothers get carried away in the same manner. Organizing lots of activities, doing lots of things for our loved ones, we sometimes fail to remember that it is far more important to spend quality time together, listening to each other, paying attention to each other. Rather than rushing about or going on busy holidays, it is sometimes more meaningful to take some time apart to enjoy each other slowly together, doing even more common things at a leisurely pace.

In respect of God, we can also be too busy serving even in church or ministry that we forget to set time aside to just pay attention to Him and see what He has to say to us. Jesus often woke up early in the morning to spend precious time with God the Father before starting the day’s ministry. He knew his priorities and that intimacy must come before ministry.

Many of us are rushing about too much, in the name of earning more or securing a better future for our spouse or children. The call is for us to slow down and take stock, to prioritize what is really important in life, and how we are spending our time. How much time are we taking apart to commune with God in prayer?

APPLICATION:

Let us take stock of our lives and evaluate the busyness of it all. Let us take a look at our schedules and see if there are things we can cut down. We may have to make some painful choices, but we must do what is necessary to improve the quality of our relationships over the long term. Most important of all, we need to get back into having that personal intimate time with God.

PRAYER:

Bless thee, Lord Jesus, for Your perfect and patient love for us. We thank You Lord that You made us to be relational and draw pleasure from our communion with you. Help us draw ever closer to You in deeper and more meaningful ways. In Jesus name, Amen.

DAY 4: PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST

DAY 4: PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST

Scripture:

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.  But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3

Observation:

In Day 4, we continue our meditation on Christ and the church as bridegroom and bride. In today's Scripture in particular, we see how Paul was particularly concerned that he might present the Corinthian church as a pure virgin to Christ. The metaphor of the virgin gives us the picture of the bethrothed being set apart solely for the bridegroom, not allowing greed or temptation in any form drag her away from her special, unique calling.

Our attention is also drawn to Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, who must have been devastated when he found out Mary was pregnant out of wedlock.Nevertheless, he was kind enough to consider divorcing Mary quietly to spare her public disgrace or worse. Fortunately, God intervened by sending His angel to speak to Joseph.

Therefore, although the church as a whole through the ages is the Bride of Christ, it is important for each church individually to examine themselves and endeavor to present themselves holy and acceptale to the Lord. For this particular 40 Day Fast and Prayer, SIBKL has in fact taken the opportunity to ask each member to seriously seek God for a personal breakthrough in this season. As individuals change, the church begins to change,and as churches change, revival breaks through!

Application:-

Do we have that sincere and pure devotion to Christ today? There are so many distractions that tempt us and take up our time. What if we were to put those away and instead use this time to seek God earnestly, sincerely, with pure devotion. What difference would that make to our relationship with the Lord? How much deeper would we grow in Him?

As we set up personal altars to God all across the church, let us truly desire to have that sincere and pure devotion to Jesus, that He may truly be the center of it all in our lives.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, this is our desire, that we may have that sincere and pure devotion to You, growing stronger from day to day. Even as we fast, and put away many distractions, Lord, show Yourself to us O Lord.... Show us Your fresh vision that we might move on to deeper levels with You. Restore Your first love in our hearts O Lord, restore us, and let us truly return to You in all earnesty. We praise You and love You, Lord.In Jesus name, Amen.

Day 3 The Bride's readiness for the Second Coming

Day 3 The Bride's readiness for the Second Coming

Scripture:

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Matthew 25:10

Observation:

In Day 3, our attention is focused on the parable of the ten virgins. Five of them took oil with them and were ready when the bridegroom came while the other five took no oil and were not prepared when the bridegroom came. As such, they missed the wedding ceremony altogether.

The key principle of this parable is readiness, and the reference to the wedding in particular reminds us in the church that we must be ready when the Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ returns. But how can we be ready? The oil in the parable gives us an important clue.What were the main uses of oil in Jesus' day?

Firstly, oil was important to keep the lamp burning and give light. Therefore, we too need to continue to shine and be the light of the World as Jesus called us to be, shining forth his goodness and grace and forgiveness to the dark world around us.

Secondly, oil was important in making incense for worship. We are created for worship, and it is in worship primarily that we bring pleasure to God. Worship too should be a prominent part of our daily lives.

Thirdly, oil was used for anointing priests and kings for service. To anoint is to set apart,to purify, to invoke God's ability and favor. In being ready for Christ,we need to have lives that are set apart for God,for His service, for His glory. This involves maintaining our personal holiness by keeping ourselves from being polluted by the world as written in James.

Finally, oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, bcause he has appointed me to preach the gospel to the poor...”Jesus quoted from Isaiah. To bring oil with us is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. With our human strength, we quickly tire and fail, but by the power of the Spirit, we have the energy and strength to persevere and go on and on, giving light through good works, worshipping the Lord deeper and dearer and living purified lives set apart from the desires ot the world.

Application:

As instructed by our Lord Himself,let us ask our Father in Heaven for more of His Holy Spirit, who is our helper, our guide, our friend. Just as Elisha received a double portion of the Spirit, we see that different people can have different degrees of infilling of the Holy Spirit. We all can ask and desire for the Holy Spirit to infill us more and more.

It is only when we learn to cultivate walking with the Spirit, living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit, that we truly live effective lives shining God's light, giving worship that pleases Him, and having the self-control and peace to keep ourselves pure.

Prayer:

We praise You Father in Heaven for the precious gift of Your Holy Spirit. Forgive us, we pray, when we have grieved Him or neglected Him. Pour forth Your Holy Spirit more and more in us. Strengthen us and fill us, and let Your Holy Spirit guide us to live fragrant, shining lives of worship, good deeds, and purity for Your name's sake. In Jesus name, Amen.