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.

DAY 2: UNION AND COMMUNION WITH CHRIST

DAY 2: UNION AND COMMUNION WITH CHRIST

Scripture:

 ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31-32

Observation:

Day 2 of the NECF 40 Day prayer and fast focuses our attention on the illustration of Christ and the church as Bridegroom and Bride, which Paul describes as a profound mystery. When Paul was stopped by Jesus on the road to Damascus, the Lord asked him “Why are you persecuting me?” At a husband and wife level, the connection of some couples are so strong that the moment one is in trouble or ill at ease even millions of miles away, they immediately sense it. With Christ and the church, the connection is so strong that Jesus literally feels the pain and persecution being faced by those who follow Him.

In FGB Jaya One today, brother Mathew Thiru shared how as a teenager, he would be beaten with a belt for going to church on Sunday. Yet, he continued to go week after week despite the beatings. At times, he literally felt no pain, and he had the sense that the Lord Himself was taking the beating for him. In Iraq today, ISIS forces Christians to convert or face a daunting three-pronged choice - leave their homes with nothing, pay a hefty tax or face the sword. Reaching the border, they are stripped and what little money or possessions they have left are taken from them. The rest of the world watches and does nothing, but the Lord feels their pain, their nakedness, their despair.

When Lazarus died, the Lord wept although he already knew He would raise his friend back from the dead. I believe the Lord wept because He felt the pain, the sorrow, the sadness of Mary and Martha, dear disciples whom he also loved dearly. It is a profound mystery, but if only we could grasp even just a little of the depth of intimacy Christ has for His church, we would be completely overwhelmed by His amazing love.

Application:

How deep is Christ’s love for us, so deep it is beyond measure…. Greater than the most loving husband could love his wife, infinitely more does our Lord Jesus love us. The Scripture says that we love because God first loved us.

When life rolls along under the sunshine, and everything is rosy and hunky dory, it is easy to feel loved in a sense, as we enjoy the blessings from God. However, it is in the times of profound sadness or desperation or hopelessness that we can truly begin to learn to appreciate the incredible depth of the love of the Lord. It was only when the prodigal had lost everything, and came back empty handed and broken that he realized how deeply His Father really loved him.  

Let us meditate on our relationship with the Lord, remembering the good times, and especially the dark times, when He held our hand, when He carried us along to pull us through. Even as the song goes “Take me deeper, deeper in love with You”, let us ask the Lord for a fresh revelation of His love. Let us desire to move beyond the superficial joy of simple everyday blessings, but to really delve deeper into knowing Jesus’ love, not only for ourselves, but also for the rest of our church family around us.

Prayer:

We praise You and love You, Lord Jesus…, You loved us so much, so much more than we could ever comprehend or understand. Even now, O Lord, You suffer, and feel the pain for Your followers who suffer all around the world, in Iraq, in Africa, in North Korea, in India. Take us deeper and deeper we pray, Lord Jesus. Help us truly know Your love more and more. Take us past the outer courts, Lord. Take us to the inner place where You dwell… Help us love others as You love them, O Lord. Help us learn to love like You love…. In Jesus name, Amen.    

DAY 1: JESUS MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE

DAY 1: JESUS MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE

Key Scriptures:

He must increase, I must decrease (John 3:30)

Observation:

We kicked off NECF’S 40 Day Prayer and Fast yesterday in churches all across Malaysia. Day 1 focuses on a fundamental truth and basic goal that all Christians need to aspire to. It is embodied in the words of John the Baptist, who said “He must increase, I must decrease.” So crucial in our Christian walk is the gradual losing of our old selves with its sinful habits and inclinations, and the gradual increase of the characteristics and qualities of our Lord Jesus in our lives.

John the Baptist embodied this attitude most exemplarily in his life and service. As quoted in Day 1’s commentary of J.Oswald Chambers, John the Baptist was a preacher who lost his entire congregation to Jesus Christ. His sole purpose was to serve God, without any thought for personal glory or popularity. From birth, He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he preached boldly without fear or favor. His message was not one for popularity or sweet words people would like to hear. He thundered his call for repentance for the day of the Lord is near.

He knew his mission as the friend of the bridegroom. The focus is on the bridegroom and the bride. He was there just to assist, just to help the bridegroom wherever he could. He lived a life of selfless service, and the Lord commended him as the greatest among men born of women.

Application:

Meditate on and commit to memory the words “He must decrease, I must decrease.” Put it up on a prominent spot to remind ourselves of this profound truth and goal of our lives. Let us learn to pray earnestly to the Lord “Have Your way in me, so Increase in me….”Remember the life of John the Baptist who lived not for self but for the Lord and to prepare the way for Him in the hearts of the people. Ask the Lord to forgive our selfishness, and to learn to forget of ourselves as we focus on serving Him.

Prayer:

Precious Lord Jesus, let this be our prayer, that You increase all the more in us day by day. Let our earthly desires and inclinations fade away, but let our love and desire for You grow stronger and stronger. Teach us to serve You like John the Baptist did, selflessly, fearlessly and sacrificially, without thought for his own glory or popularity. Help us remember O Lord, that it is only in You that we have true purpose and meaning in life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.