Devotions for Week of Feb 8, 2010

Monday, 8 February 2010

THE PURPOSE OF FASTING

Matthew 17:14-21, Matthew 6:16-18

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Matthew 17:14-21

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

¹⁴ At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

¹⁷ Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸ Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

¹⁹ Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

²⁰ “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Matthew 6:16-18

¹⁶ “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. ¹⁷ But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. ¹⁸ Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I believe that the Lord is speaking to me through His word. Therefore I will respond to it earnestly so that I will experience transformations in both my mind and character.
1. Why did Jesus ask the disciples to fast? [Matthew 17:21]

2. What are the wrong motivations in fasting [meditate on Matthew 6:16-18]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will protect myself from the lusts and things that try to pollute my thoughts.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I pray an agreement prayer with my family.

LESSON:

Jesus taught the disciples to take up fasting. He said: “When you fast…” (Matthew 6:16). Fasting is one form of spiritual disciplines that is normally done by restraining oneself from consuming food and water for a certain period of time; it’s usually done for a certain moment or situation. These days there are many forms of fasting: some fast from food and water from morning till the evening, while others only fast from food. There are those who fast from certain kind of food (e.g. salt or meat). There are those who fast themselves from going online, instead spending their time reading the Bible or having quite time.

What’s important of all is the determination and purpose of fasting; that is to draw near to God, to hone one’s sensitivity to God’s presence, and to control oneself from any fleshy desires. Therefore, don’t fast for wrong reasons/motivations (due to peer pressure, church’s obligations, or, worse still, to lose weight). If it’s done right, fasting produces God’s power. Fasting is the form of act of self-humiliating before the Lord, praying fervently, repenting, and seeking God’s will.

Tuesday, 9 February 2010

FASTING AND REPENTANCE
Jonah 3:1-10

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Jonah 3:1-10

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

¹ Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: ² “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”

³ This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. ⁴ On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” ⁵ The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

⁶ When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. ⁷ Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. ⁸ People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. ⁹ Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

¹⁰ When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I believe that the Lord is speaking to me through His word. Therefore I will respond to it earnestly so that I will experience transformations in both my mind and character.
1. Why did the Lord wanted to destroy Nineveh? What actions did the citizen of Nineveh take that brought them to restoration?

2. What about my own daily repentance? [Make the time to do self evaluation]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will fast from my favorite past times [Internet, shopping, food, watching TV, etc] and try to spend the time to pray and read the Bible.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare God’s word from Monday and also add James 4:8, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.“

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share my commitment today with my believer friends and pray together in agreement prayers.

LESSON:
The fasting that we observe is indeed used by the Lord to bring us into true repentance. This repentance reflects our lives that are worthy of God’s heart and honoring the holiness of live. Therefore this repentance is not found in traditions or religious customs, but on true repentance. Joel 2:13 says, “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” What the Lord expects from us is a true heart that’s been ‘broken’; a heart that regrets all the past mistakes and sin, not a torn garment. This brings up the hope that through fasting, we can experience transformations, becoming wiser in dealing with struggles and problems that arise. When we’re fasting, we should be more loving and forgiving toward one another. Fasting can help us overcoming our mistakes, weaknesses and sin – and converting them to strengths. Fasting helps us to be more humble; purging the need to be proud, selfish, instead to care more for other people’s needs. Let us straighten our motivations so that our fasting can become more effective. During fasting, make sure we make the time to pray. A pray-less fasting is indeed a diet.

Wednesday, 10 February 2010

CROSS YOUR EGO

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life…

1 Corinthians 12:12-26

One Body with Many Parts

¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. ²³ And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, ²⁴ while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. ²⁵ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:
1. what’s my role in the Body of Christ? What characters that ought to be avoided in order to maintain the unity?

2. What should I do to maintain the unity of the Body of Christ? [Verses 22-26]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will become motivators to my friends who are weak in faith.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Tuesday, and add 1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will pray in agreement with a friend from cell group with topics from our VIP prayer list and also for our own prayer topics.

LESSON:

In any ministry, ego can be a stumbling stone and the source of problem – self-appraisal, trying to show off, etc. Ministries are indeed the collections of different services. We will always be on dependency on others in our ministry. Paul illustrates the church as parts of the body – each with their own different functions and responsibilities – no one is more important than others. Therefore the main factor in ministering one another, is how we can put our ego aside and to show Christ in our lives.

Thursday, 11 February 2010
ANGER CONTROL

James 4:1-6

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

James 4:1-6

Drawing Close to God

¹ What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? ² You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. ³ And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

⁴ You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. ⁵ What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? ⁶ But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:
1. According to God’s word today, what causes the quarrels and fights among us?

2. How can I deal with the issue of jealousy? [Meditate on verses 1-3 and make the time for self-evaluations]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will not let my emotions affecting my speech or actions today.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Wednesday, also add James 4:7, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share what I get form today’s devotional to believer friends who are backsliding and start to bring them back to the Lord.

Today I will pray in agreement with my family with prayer topics from our VIP list.

LESSON:

The writer of James 4 dissected one of our roots to a deep issue: we’re often fall in our own evil desires – following our own ways and desires. If not met, our desires can blow into anger that hurt others and us. Yet though we get what we wanted, we often feel discontented.

It’s better for us to ask God to fulfill our desires through His own hands, His timing and His methods. It’s better for us to surrender our will to His and pray like Jesus did: Not my will, but your will, be done” (Luke 22:42).

It’s not good to always think about unfairness, trying to manage everything according to our own plan, or to let our emotions take over our decisions. Seeking pleasures by following our desires can bring up quarrels and fights – both to ourselves and to others (James 4:10).

Before our anger explodes, we can retrieve for a second and walk Him who cares and understands us more than we do and realize. We can vent our anger to Him and think about things together with Him.

We can plead Him to fulfill our needs according to His way. James wrote, “He gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires” (verse 6).

Friday, 12 February 2010
BE CAREFUL WITH BUSYNESS

2 Timothy 3:1-7, 1 Corinthians 15:33

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

2 Timothy 3:1-7

The Dangers of the Last Days

¹ You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

⁶ They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of^[a] vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. ⁷ (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)

1 Corinthians 15:33

Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:
1. what are the characteristics of the people in the last days (this century)? [Ponder on this issue and examine yourself if you think you might have one of the characteristics]

2. What’s God’s advice so that I will not sway from His way? [1 Corinthians 15:33] Make the time to evaluate your current relationship with the Lord.

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will pray today for family members or friends that still live in sin.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Thursday, also add 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will pray in agreement with a friend from cell group with topics from our VIP prayer list and also for our own prayer topics.

LESSON:

Busy often becomes the closest word people use on their lives today. Many are trapped in their own busyness that gives them the excuses not to pray, read the Word, or help others.

At many places, quite often people struggle with time. As a result many don’t have the time for themselves, their family, or even God. Time is wasted. As the consequences, kids are going into rebellions and fighting for attentions. There’s a saying in Chinese language that explains the word busy as some kind of ‘dysfunctional heart’. Busyness often makes people to lose their sense of feeling. It steals what becomes the most precious in us – our sensitivity. Buy people lose their sensitivities over God’s presence and others. Worse still, busy people often become selfish – care less about others, but themselves.

Apostle Paul reminded one of His students, Timothy, about the conditions of mankind in the end times, where people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred (2 Timothy 3:2). As God’s children, we need to have the spiritual sensitivity in observing the sign of end times, so that we’ll not be trapped in the busyness that can bring us to spiritual paralyze.

Saturday, 13 February 2010
RESPONSE TO EVERY WARNING

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in meditating on the Word of God so that I am able to experience an encounter with God, in His truth and experience change.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

¹Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:
1. Have I ever suffered from doing good? What’s God’s advice today on sufferings? (Verse 17)

2. How can we love like in verses 8-11?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will carry all the tasks and responsibilities in prayers so that I will not fall into evil thoughts and actions.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Friday, and also add 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, “For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. “

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will call or visit one person on my VIP list and do well to them.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:
I will pray today with my cell group friend and pray for the people on our VIP list.

LESSON:

When we believe one advice, our actions will be affected. This is valid for every part of our lives, including our spiritual walk.

Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Thessalonica and reminded them that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (1 Tess 5:2). He urged them to avoid spiritual conflicts and at the same time be alert, on the lookout and to have self control (verse 6). His challenges was to repeat what Jesus said to His disciples about the unknown nature of coming of the day of the Lord (Matt 24:44).

If we believe God’s word about his coming, how can that influence the way we think and act today?

Sunday, 14 February 2010
DON’T GIVE INTO THE DEVIL’S
Matthew 4:1-11

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Matthew 4:1-11

The Temptation of Jesus

¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[b]”

⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[c]”

⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[d]”

¹¹Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:
1. How did Jesus face the temptations from the Devil?
2. What did the Devil do when he saw Jesus fought back using God’s word? [verse 11]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will say NO to every temptation to sin.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Saturday, and also add 1 Corinthians 10:13, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share what I get from today’s devotional with one of my believer friends who are backsliding and pray in agreement prayer for them to be revived.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:
Today I will pray in agreement with my believer friends for America and God’s churches.

LESSON:

We can keep ourselves away from troubles by not giving into temptations or not letting our anger to take over us. We protect ourselves by not giving in. By not giving into lies, we keep ourselves from losing our self-honoring and wrong view about ourselves. By not giving into temptations of becoming greedy, we keep ourselves away from being discontented or dissatisfied. Yet the most important thing is that by not giving into temptations, it means that we’re pleasing God’s heart.

In every temptation, God provides solutions (1 Corinthians 10:13). You will find them by drawing near to Him and seeking His guidance in every moment.

Feb 1-7 2010 Devotions

1-7 February 2010

LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD
BERJALAN BERSAMA TUHAN [WALK WITH GOD]

Monday, 1 February 2010
FAITH AND SUFFERING

John 20:1-11

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

John 20:1-11
The Resurrection

¹ Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ² She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. ⁴ They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. ⁸ Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—⁹ for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then they went home.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. What is produced by the trials and sufferings that happen in my life? Do these things make me to love God more or withdraw from Him?
2. Meditate on verses 3-11, these verses can strengthen our faith in Christ despite all the trials/sufferings/tribulations in life.

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Every time negative thoughts and feelings start to take over me, I will declare God’s word from Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share what I got from today’s devotional from one of my family members and pray in agreement with them with our VIP prayer topics and also for other topics from our family members.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:
Today I will pray in an agreement prayer with my believer friend with topics from our VIP list and our own.

LESSON:
We often rely our faith on others’ when we’re in the midst of other believers, affirming ourselves with God’s promises. Yet, when we’re in the midst of unbelievers, our faith starts to sink and we no longer posses the boldness to declare ourselves as His followers. When we fail to plant our faith in the Lord, then the values that come from this world –the media, popular opinions, and tribulations– will become the foundation the way we think, act, and speak. Trials and tribulations are always going to be part of our lives while we’re on this earth. Yet for those who posses a strong foundation in their faith, trials and sufferings, and even blessings can blur our vision and steps. Yet when our faith toward the Lord is continually cultivated through the reading of God’s word and fellowshipping with other believers, then those trials and tribulations can further strengthen our faith and loyalty toward Christ.

Tuesday, 2 February 2010
DO NOT DEVIATE TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT

Joshua 1:1-9

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Joshua 1:1-9

The Lord’s Charge to Joshua

¹ After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, ² “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. ³ I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—⁴ from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea^[ in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

⁶ “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. What does it mean by deviating to the left and to the right [draw examples from your personal experiences]
2. What’s God’s advice on this issue? [read verses 6-9 audibly]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will guard my mouth from any negative words and declare God’s word from Joshua 1:9: “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share what I got from today’s devotional from one of my family members and pray in agreement with them with our VIP prayer topics and also for other topics from our family members.

LESSON:
Faith means to believe what the word says and actions and speech should follow what we believe in. If our faith says that we believe in Christ, we need to be in agreement that we believe what He does for us – forgiveness and eternal salvation; we believe in His promises and do our part. One simple thing we can do to test our true believe in Christ is to evaluate our speech. Do we keep on believing, even when we’re in the midst of unbelievers? Do we still remain faithful toward God’s word, though we’re faced with the situations opposite from what we believe?

This is called the test of faith, especially when we’re left alone, while others have turned their faces away from God and found other outlets, therefore, God’s message for us: not to sway to the left or to the right. This means that the straight way might be uncomfortable, narrow or even take a long time and there might be other short cuts that look better. When our heart becomes cold, doubtful, and bitter, God’s message for us is: Do not forget to declare God’s word, meditate on it every day, so that our actions will not sway. As the result, we will reach God’s promises, successful, and blessed [verse 8].

The less often we declare and meditate on God’s word, the more difficult we’ll gain our faith and become obedient toward Him.

Wednesday, 3 February 2010
WHEN FAITH STARTS TO SHAKE

Acts 7:54-60, Hebrews 13:1-3

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Acts 7:54-60
⁵⁴ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ⁵⁶ And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Hebrews 13:1-3

Concluding Words

¹ Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. ² Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! ³ Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I believe that the Lord is speaking to me through His word. Therefore I will respond to It earnestly so that I will experience transformations in both my mind and character.

1. what’s Stephen’s response toward the persecutions that’s directed against him? What’s his attitude toward those who hurt him? Conduct self-evaluation on your response towards problems.
2. What does it mean by preserving the brotherly love? How can I put this into practice in my household, school, and workplace or even in church?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
Today I will pay attentions to the need of others more than my own need.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare God’s word from Monday to Tuesday, and also add 1 Peter 1:22: “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share my commitment today with friends from my cell group and pray in agreement.

LESSON:
Stephen’s death, a first martyr, is documented in Acts 7. During his time, persecutions toward the believers were becoming more real. It all began with the threats toward Apostle Peter and John in Acts 4 and 5. Then it was followed by Stephen’s death sentence. Yet, they’re all surrendered to it, even felt, contented by these incidents (Acts 5:41). How so? This was possibly contributed by solid assurance of their faith in Christ. This assurance rose up in them as they’ve seen God’s wondrous works for their lives. In our day-to-day lives as believers, there are moments when our faith weakens. We start to wonder about God’s existence – His love, live, death and His resurrection, and so on. In time like this, let us meditate on the lives of the martyrs, such as Stephen’s. Would they be so willingly to be put to death, had it not because of their assurance on their own faith [also as well as ours] to be that solid?

Hebrews 13:1-3 encourages us to cultivate our sympathy and solidarity toward other believers. There are people, like us, who can exercise their faith freely and peacefully, yet there are also believers out there that are experiencing trials and persecutions as a result of their faith/believes. As one body in Christ, supposedly it’s a natural thing for us to offer support to each other, as Apostle Paul put it in 1 Cor 12:26: “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” Make the time today to support your believer friends who are suffering so that they will gain strength in bearing their sufferings.

Thursday, 4 February 2010
EVERY STEP CARRIES A PURPOSE

Genesis 5:21-24, Hebrews 11:5-6

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Genesis 5:21-24
²¹ When Enoch was 65 years old, he became the father of Methuselah. ²² After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. ²³ Enoch lived 365 years, ²⁴ walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

Hebrews 11:5-6

⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will ponder on the questions below and self-reflect.

1. What does it mean by “fellowshipping with God”? Take you time today to meditate on this.
2. What’s the connection between faith and my fellowship with God?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will testify about God’s goodness with one of my friends who is not a believer.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare God’s word from Monday thru Wednesday, also add Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will pray for the leaders of this country, leaders of the church, and family with faith and in agreement prayers.

LESSON:

Those who want to live a healthy, less stressful live, or trying to lose some weight can find that walking is the most effective exercise. Health experts was first to announce the importance of 10,000 steps a day, which was first implement by the Japanese. Then this philosophy was adopted by other countries. The experts recommended to us that we should be taking these steps slowly, but not forgetting that every step matters.

But what’s more important is our spiritual health through walking [fellowshipping] with the Lord. The Bible has many examples on this issue. “Enoch got to live and walk with the Lord for the next 300 years” (Genesis 5:22) “Noah was a righteous man before the Lord (Gen 6:9). Both men were praised in Hebrews 11 for their excellent faith. “For Enoch was known as a person who pleased God” (verse 5), and “Noah received the righteousness that comes by faith” (verse 7).

We need to watch our steps when walking with the Lord so that we will not walk past him or trail behind. Along the way, we communicate with him, listen to Him, and enjoy his presence. We trust His leadership whenever we can’t see what lies before our eyes. Our goals no only comprise of our purpose, but also our walk with Him.

Today is the best time to start walking with Him, for every step we take with Him matters.

Friday, 5 February 2010
ACTIONS MUST FOLLOW AFTER FAITH

Hebrews 2:17-24, Luke 11:46

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Hebrews 2:17-24
¹⁷ Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

Luke 11:46

⁴⁶ “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will ponder on the questions below and self-reflect.

1. Which part of God’s commandments that I still need to carry out? What’s been holding me up?
2. Why is it important for me to do what I expect others to do to me? [verses 21-23]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will do good to people I meet today.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

I will declare God’s word from Monday thru Thursday and also add James 1:22: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share my testimonies on God’s miracles in my life to one person who is not a believer yet.

I will pray in agreement with my believer friend with prayer topics from out VIP prayer topics and also our other prayer topics.

LESSON:

Our character and daily actions reflect the true nature of who we are. It is important to put into practice what we know. It’s not how knowledgeable we’re with God’s word, but rather how well we carry those out into actions. People see our actions more than what we say about God’s word.

Mahatma Gandhi pioneered the people’s movement toward India’s independency from British’s rule. His Hindu teaching that’s been implemented deeply in His life and his political philosophy brought radical influences and revolutionized millions of citizens. Gandhi once showed some interests in becoming Christ’s follower. Because he’s attracted by Christ’s life and His teaching, he decided to attend a service at a church in Pretoria, South Africa. Yet, he later wrote, “I personally felt that the congregations gave him no impression of a believer, but a group of unbelievers who just attended church for recreation purposes and followed religious rituals as a customary.” He concluded that Christianity did not add any values to Hindu teaching. Therefore he decided not to become a Christian. He remain a Hindu, a lost soul, and so are his many followers.

Do we often act inappropriately like the congregations at the church in Pretoria? Is our obedient merely just a custom for us to build our social relationship? By seeing our quality of life and obedient toward Christ, do we bring impact toward the people around us to become interested in becoming Christ’s followers? Or the opposite happen? Do we seriously lead a Christian life according to what we believe? Do we put into actions what’s been taught to us? (Romans 2:21).

Saturday, 6 February 2010
SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD
1 Peter 3:8-17

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in meditating on the Word of God so that I am able to experience an encounter with God, in His truth and experience change.

1 Peter 3:8-17

All Christians

⁸ Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. ⁹ Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. ¹⁰ For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
¹¹ Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
¹² The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Doing Good

¹³ Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. ¹⁷ Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. Have I ever experienced suffering for doing good things? What’s God’s advice today about suffering? (verse 17).
2. How can I start to love according to verses 8-11?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will guard my tongue from useless words.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare God’s word from Monday thru Friday and also add 1 Peter 3:15-17:” ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. ¹⁷ Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will call and visit one person from my VIP list and do good to them.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:
I will pray an agreement prayer with my family to pray for the people on our VIP list.

LESSON:

Sufferings are not from God, but He sometimes allow those to happen in us so that we can draw wisdom and lessons from them; whether lessons in holiness, repentance, or about God Himself. Therefore, rather than crying or complaining, let us find what God’s will we can learn from our sufferings.

The Bible recorded that Job was a righteous man, worthy of praises from God himself (1:1). Yet Job had to undergo countless trials and tribulations – from his wealthy and healthy life to poor and ill life. He lost all of His children and left alone by his own wife. Why did he have t go through this? For God wanted to show him who He really was. Through sufferings, God wanted Job to know Him in deeper level. This what Job said in the end of the book? He said: “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes” (Job 42:5).

Sunday, 7 February 2010
TAKE PRIDE IN CHRIST
Romans 13:8-10, Ephesians 2:8-10

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:
I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Romans 13:8-10
Love Fulfills God’s Requirements

⁸ Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. ⁹ For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

Ephesians 2:8-10

⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. ¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:
I will meditate on the verse above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. How can I put into practice the love toward others? [Romans 13:9-10]
2. What should I remember after I finish doing good? [Ephesians 2:9-10]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will share God’s deeds in my life to one person I meet today.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Saturday, also add Ephesians 2:8, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will share what I get from today’s devotional with one of my believer friends who are backsliding and pray in agreement prayer for them to be revived.

LESSON:

When you dearly love someone, you expect the same desires and purpose from that person. The same thing with our heavenly Father. He loves you and longs for you to get involved in revealing His divine purposes. It doesn’t mean that He totally relies Himself on our ability, but His divine purpose in each and every one of us will not be fulfilled when without the collaborations form our end.

Sometimes we’re reluctant to emphasize this fact. We freely quote Ephesians 2:8-9, “⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” We then skip verse 10 that explains about “Good works.” Apostle Paul tried to explain to us that good deeds will not able to bring us the salvation, but we’re saved so that we can do good deeds.

The Lord has prepared tasks for us to do and we’re His fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9). He has planned to bless others through you. He can do the things that others can’t. And, remember, that if He’s using you, give back all the glory to Him.

OBEY GOD’S WAY

Sunday, 10 January, 2010

Exodus 3:1-6  

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Exodus 3:1-6 >>
Moses and the Burning Bush

1 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

“Here I am!” Moses replied.

5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I believe the Lord is speaking to me through His word. Therefore I’d respond to It earnestly that I will be transformed in both my character and mind.

1. Where did God ask Moses to go when He’s about to talk to him?
2. Recognize God’s characters though today’s reading.

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today I will not watch, see or hear things that are not holy or glorifying God.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Saturday and also add Isaiah 48:17, “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

Together with my believer friend, we’ll pray in agreement for the lost soul.

LESSON:

Day after day Moses took same route herding the flocks. Yet one day he witnessed a burning bush nearby his route and decided to check it out. He took a different route he used to, “hoping to check something out.” There Moses had a life-changing encounter with the Lord; in which the Lord revealed His divine plan for his life.

Many believe that it’s good to have plans for this life. We make yearly, monthly, and down to daily plans. There’s nothing wrong with that. Yet, don’t get mad or panic when a situation causes us to divert from our original plan. It could that the Lord already planned to reveal His divine plan and will that could be different from our initial plans. Learn to be more aware with God’s voice and calling.

KNOW GOD’S WAY

Saturday, 9 January 2010

Ephesians 3:14-21, 4:1-3

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will ask the Holy Spirit to lead me in today’s devotional so that I will experience the encounter with the Lord in His truth and be transformed.

Ephesians 3:14-21 >>
Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth

14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 4:1-3 >>

Unity in the Body

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. How can I recognize the ways of the Lord? [verses 16-19]
2. How can I maintain / keep the unity and peace amongst yourselves?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:
I will show patience toward a person or situation that I face today.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from yesterday and also add Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:
I will visit and call one person from my VIP list and do good things to them.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:

Together with believer friends we will pray for the people on our VIP List.

LESSON:

In the midst of life’s trials, we need believer friends who can help us direct our point of view; that is to remind us about our special connection with the Lord through His Son Jesus Christ. We need this kind of relationship especially during the time when we find ourselves in the hardest road of life.

We might not have the right tools to fix all the problems that might arrive, but the Lord is there to support us. Therefore, He asks us to surrender all of our problems to Him, “Surrender all of your worries to Him” (Psalm 55;23). To walk with Jesus depends not on our footsteps, rather it lies in our heart.

Heavenly Father is standing before us with open hands, to lead our steps toward holiness, and is available to hold our hands when stumbled and to lift us up when we fall. He’ll never get discouraged or give up on us. The harder the trials we face, the greater His attention and goodness will be poured on us.

WE CAN PASS THROUGH DARKEST OF DARKNESS IF WE WALK WITH HIM IN THE LIGHT

AVOID THE SINFUL PATHS

Friday, 8 January 2010

Romans 6:11-14  

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Romans 6:11-14 >>

11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will ponder in the questions below and self reflect.

1. Why is it important for me to take care of my body? In what ways I can do it?
2. What does it mean by ‘to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God’? [verses 12-14].

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today I will protect my mind from any useless or evil thoughts.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:
Declare God’s word from Monday thru Thursday and also add Romans 6:13, “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.“

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

I will share my experience with the Lord with my family and pray for one another in agreement prayers.

LESSON:

Each and every sin we commit bears a price. We put to risk our nearness with the Lord, or lose His blessings (Psalm 24:1-5). And we also lose the influence toward other people, the influence that rises from the holy life and mind (1 Timothy 4:12).

There are area in our lives that are still hard to control, but we can still put up ‘barriers’ that can prevent us from entering into it. One of these barriers are:

1. Remind ourselves that we’re dead to the power of sin (Romans 6:1-14). We no longer need to surrender to its power.
2. Fight the temptations as soon as they come. The first time might be hard, but if we try hard, we can gain the strength to overcome it.
3. Have moral responsibilities. Find somebody you can trust and count on that are willing to check on you regularly by asking, “What kind of temptations are you facing these days? Did you go to places that are not appropriate? And so on.”

Unholy lifestyle brings destructions, yet if we seek holiness and ask God for help, He will give us victory. Keep on moving forward!

BE CAREFUL – THE MORE YOU GIVE ATTENTIONS TO TEMPTATIONS, THE MORE APPEALING THEY LOOK.

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

Thursday, 7 January 2010
Galatians 5:16-26

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Galatians 5:16-26 >>

Living by the Spirit’s Power

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will ponder on the questions below and self reflect.

1.  Ponder on the works of the Spirit. Which area in your spiritual life that still needs to be improved? Also ponder on the works of the flesh. In which area do you need to be more careful with?

2. What does it mean by living in the Spirit? [Verse 25]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Practice the fruit of the spirit that I would like to enhance today.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Monday thru Wednesday and also add Galatians 5:24-25 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

I will pray for the leaders of the nation, church, and my family with my prayer partner.

LESSON:

Galatians 5:25 says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” The last phrase can also be written as “always walk on the same paths as the Holy Spirit.” This means, is we walk our life as a Christian, we have to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If we don’t walk on the same path and follow other rhythm, or we don’t walk on the correct path, the consequences are clearly seen (verse 19-21).

How do we know if we’re walking in the Spirit or not? Apostle Paul emphasized in Galatians 5. We are not at fault because of the things mentioned in verse 19 or 21. On the contrary, the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will be seen in our lives (verse 22-23).

How well is your walk in the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Do you make the same rhythm as the Holy Spirit does? Or, do you follow your own rhythm?

IF YOU KEEP WALKING WITH GOD, YOU WILL NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE WORLD

WALK IN LOVE

Wednesday, 6 January 2010

Ephesians 5:1-14

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Ephesians 5:1-14 >>

Living in the Light

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will give you light.”

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will meditate on the questions below and do a self-reflection.

1.      Find the steps in order to live in God’s love? [Verse 3-11]

2.       How to become a light in the midst of darkness? [Verse 11-14]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today I will guard my mouth from saying negative/foul words.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word on Monday, and Tuesday and add Ephesians 5:8-10, “8 for once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

I will testify God’s miracles to a person in school/workplace.

LESSON:

The bible commands us to, “Walk in love, the same manner as Jesus Christ have loved you” (Ephesians 5:2) and “Walk with full of wisdom” (Colossians 4:5). We need to ask ourselves, “Does my life reflect God’s love and wisdom?” Is my life “pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17)? Do I have love, joy, and peace? Am I gentle but strong? What do people see in my life?

George MacDonald said: “If you’re full of theory of Christianity and decide to do God’s will, which has become the main object in the spreading of the Gospel, then you’ll be able to bring influence the places that you visit.” Wow, what an influential person you are!

Has your life brought influences to the lives of the people around you? Do they see Jesus through your words and actions?

TO LIVE LIKE JESUS LET US ALWAYS WALK WITH GOD

WATCH OUR STEPS

Tuesday, 5 January 2010

1 John 1:5-10, 2:1-6

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

1 John 1:5-10 >>
Living in the Light

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

1 John 2:1-6 >>

1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I believe the Lord is speaking to me through His word. Therefore I’d respond to It earnestly that I will be transformed in both my character and mind.

1. What are the characteristics of those who know God? [1 John 2:4-6]

2. What is one of the steps towards salvation? [1 John 1:9]

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today every time I am reminded of a sin I will practice taking a step towards repentance. [1 John 1:9]

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare the Word of God from Monday and also add 1 John 2:6, “Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

Today I will pray in unity with my family for the points on our VIP prayer list.

LESSON:

Exercise can prevent us from catching a cold and infection. The theory is that with enough consistent and regular practice it can help our body to be in the same condition as when we face a fever or cold. It is not always bad, a fever can be a way for our body to fight against microorganisms that are entering our body’s system. The rise in temperature in our body helps our defense system for white blood cells and slows down the movement of bacteria and viruses. Exercise has the same function. Exercise releases chemical substances into our blood, and stimulates our brain and causes our body temperature to increase.

The first two chapters of 1 John describe how good and regular spiritual practice has been shown to benefit the health of our soul. In order to repel sin, we need to “live in the light, as God is in the light” (1:7) and obey Jesus every day.

On the contrary, disobedience weakens our spiritual fervor. Meeting with God and believers is disregarded. The existence of sins is not confessed, and especially never leaves. If our faith is lukewarm (Revelation 3:16), it means that we are not taking advantage of the defense mechanism that is needed to fight off spiritual infection.

The right program to practice is practicing your faith and obedience. This type of practice is healthy for your spiritual health. Walk with Jesus every day, and you will truly walk you’re your own health.

GOD’S EXERCISE PROGRAM
* Confess your sins to God (1John 1:9).
* Follow His instructions (2:3).
* Walk as Christ walked (2:6).

IN ORDER TO HAVE A HEALTHY HEART
YOU NEED TO PRACTICE YOUR FAITH

WALK WITH GOD

Monday, 4 January 2010

Hebrews 11:1-6

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Hebrews 11:1-6 >>
Great Examples of Faith

1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will meditate on the verses above and answer the questions below honestly before the Lord:

1. Why must I guard and maintain my faith in God? [verse 6]

2. How does my faith affect my walk with God?

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today, every time I face a problem, I will declare the Word of God or sing a song of praise to the Lord until my faith is lifted again.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word from Hebrews 11:6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

Today I will pray in unity with my friends in faith for the points on our VIP prayer list.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:

Today I will pray in unity with my friends in faith for the points on our VIP prayer list.

LESSON:

Contemplate the meaning of the saying, “Walk with God.” Have we ever been so worried as to what we will face that we are no longer able to feel joy with Him every day? Isn’t the most important thing in our faith our communion with Him, and not the things that we face? Enoch, a figure discussed in the Old Testament, “walked with God 300 years” (Genesis 5:22). After all of that, he was taken up into heaven to enter God’s presence without experiencing death (Hebrews 11:5). Maybe we don’t know what we’ll face tomorrow, or we can enjoy our current walk in life with God.

George MacDonald once said, “God is able to help us when we can no longer walk, and He will also help us when it is hard for us to walk. But He is not able to help us if we don’t want to walk.”  Even if you fall, you need try again. The Father will hold our hand.

YOU ARE WALKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
IF YOU ARE WALKING WITH CHRIST

FOLLOW GOD’S PATH

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

Philippians 1:27-30

[A] – ACCEPT / RECEIVE GOD’S WORD:

I will direct my heart and mind to meditate on today’s Word of God. But first I will pray that today’s Word is able to change my life.

Philippians 1:27-30 >>

Live as Citizens of Heaven

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE / MEDITATE ON:

I will meditate on the questions below and do a self-reflection.

1.      What sufferings that Jesus experienced? What is the result of those sufferings?

2.      How is my response towards suffering? Meditate on verse 29.

[T] – TAKE ACTION / APPLY:

Today I will prevent my heart and behavior from arrogance.

DECLARATION OF GOD’S WORD:

Declare God’s word on Monday, and Tuesday and add Philippians 1:29, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.”

[S] – SHARE / STRENGTHEN:

I will testify God’s goodness to a person in school/workplace.

AGREEMENT PRAYER:

Today I will seek a prayer partner from one of my family members and pray in agreement for the topics on our VIP list and also for our personal prayer topics.

LESSON:

The path that God shows us often seems to estrange us from what we assume is good, thus we believe that we are lost. This happens because many of us have been taught to believe that if we are on the right path, then God’s goodness means that our life is free from troubles.

However, this belief is very different from the bible point of view. God’s love often leads us to go through a path that pushes us away from the worldly pleasure. Apostle Paul says, “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.” (Philippians 1:29). If we have reached the end of the valley of darkness, we will understand that every situation happens for our own good.

“There’s no path that’s as safe and as certain as the paths that we’ve walked through,” says a bible teacher, F.B. Meyer. If only we can see the path the way God sees it, then we will definitely choose the path that God has chosen for us.

THERE’S NO TRIALS THAT CAN MAKE US DEPRESS IF WE CHOOSE TO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE WHY GOD LETS THEM HAPPEN