When hope is fading

Day 36 (11 Sept 2017, Monday)

(Matthew 24:36 - 25:13)
Hope is fading.  Not because we are helpless.  On the contrary, because we are not helpless, when situations are beyond us, that is when we hope the most.  But when we are comfortable, when all is under control, there is little need for hope.  Take for example, a child in Disneyland is definitely not hoping to go home.  But a child fleeing as a refugee is hoping to go home.

The early church faced much persecution.  In their distress, they looked forward to the blessed hope - Jesus’ second coming, the new heaven and new earth, when there will be no more tears, when they will be in the fullness of God’s presence.  We, in comparison, have life pretty good here and now.  Consequently, we are not eagerly anticipating the hereafter.

Reading Matthew 24:36 - 25:13, you will find that what was supposed to be a blessed hope turned out to be quite the opposite because the servant and the five virgins were not expectant or well-prepared.

Their hope had faded over time.  The servant’s terrible lifestyle and the five virgins’ lack of action showed that they were no longer hoping.  Do your lifestyle and actions testify that the blessed hope is alive and well in you?  Or are you so comfortable with the present, like the child in Disneyland that Jesus’ second coming and eternity have faded into the background?

Pray for Unity in the Body of Christ

Pray that Christian leaders will have godly wisdom, courage and strength as they work together to resolve issues with the government & authorities during these critical times.
Pray for the favour of God to be upon them.

Pray that pastors, church leaders & churches to work together as ONE for the faith of the Gospel so that His blessings will flow in our land.

Declare that the body of Christ will see beyond their offences, and choose to live a life of forgiveness and to grow in maturity, so that the people who are outside the circle of our faith community will see His glory in the church.




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Developing the steadfastness of hope

Day 35 (10 Sept 2017, Sunday)

When trials and tribulations hit the Thessalonian believers, Paul commended their steadfastness of hope in our Lord Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 1:3).  It is through Him we draw our strength and inspiration from God.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us to look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Here are eight ways of developing steadfastness:
Be positive about trials as they produce steadfastness (James 1:2-3)
Do not be anxious or fearful because God is with us (Romans 8:38-39)
Have faith in God to give us wisdom and strength (James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 12:9)
Affirm that the battle is God’s, not ours (2 Chronicles 20:12)
Worship God as if victory has been secured (2 Chronicles 20:21)
With thanksgiving, prayerfully commit our anxieties to God (Philippians 4:6)
Believe that God’s power can do far more than what we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
Recalling God’s past faithfulness and mercies (Psalm 77:11)

Jesus was able to endure the suffering because of the joyful prospect of seeing man reconciled to God.  Out of the anguish of His soul, He shall be satisfied for many are made righteous (Isaiah 53:11).  Therefore, we need to share the heartbeat of God and pray for the salvation of our nation.  Share Christ as we pray for souls to come into His Kingdom.

Pray for Breakthroughs in Evangelism  

Pray that every believer will possess a passion for the lost, especially for people who are close to us such as our family members, friends and colleagues.
Pray for the urgency and power of the gospel message to reverberate in our hearts that we may live it out daily.

Pray for an enlargement of our vision that will go beyond the confines of our comfort zones.
Pray that the vision for the lost will so consume us that it breaks our fear of rejection when it comes to evangelistic effort.

Pray for more workers to be raised up to reach the unreached in our land.
Pray for wisdom to find means to share the love of God to the unreached people groups.





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Joy above all circumstances

Day 34 (09 Sept 2017, Saturday)

Our moods do rise and fall like the ocean waves.  We can be happy at this moment but, the next moment, quickly sink into depression.  Happiness is unpredictable as it depends on some favourable circumstances.  Joy, on the other hand, is constant as it looks towards a faithful and unchanging God.  Though the harvest failed and the farm animals died, Habakkuk could still rejoice in God.

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord;  I will take joy in the God of my salvation”  (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

Why?  Because he knew that God is trustworthy and He will prove His faithfulness once again in the midst of such national crisis.  Joy births forth when one comes to experience the truth of God.

Writing from prison where he was incarcerated, Paul encouraged believers yet with a triumphant message:  “Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

Instead of constantly being worn down by the negative circumstances we face and unfavourable remarks we hear each day, we can now learn to put our hope in the One who causes the morning sun to rise.  Choose, therefore, to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, (and) be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12).

Pray for Strong Discipleship in the communities of faith 

Pray that we will be obedient to the mandate given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, when He instructs us to “go and make disciples of all nations”, thus fulfilling the Great Commission in our generation.

Pray that we will love people by praying for them, as well as caring nurturing them practically in their growth.  That we have willingness to invest our time and resources in the lives of new believers.  That we will willingly embrace them in our families, in our churches and even into our homes.

Pray that we will teach the whole counsel of God and to be truthful in both Word and life so as to set a Christ-like example for others to imitate.






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The purifying influence of hope

Day 33 (08 Sept 2017, Friday)

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

When Christ returns, believers will be transformed into His image.  When we meditate on this blessed hope-we will be like Christ one day - we will be inspired to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and strive to overcome our evil propensities (Luke 9:23).

Purity implies turning away from what the world loves (1 John 2:15 - 17).  We need to draw close to Christ like the branches that abide in the vine (John 15:4), surrender ourselves to God and renew our minds with effort to supplement our faith with goodness, knowledge,             self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection and love (2 Peter 1:5-10).  Realising that we will be like Him when He returns should encourage us to walk in purity and righteousness.

However, it does not mean we can do it on our own strength.  As we spend time in God’s presence, we will gradually be transformed by the Holy Spirit into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Ask the Lord to realign our minds and our hearts to His, so that our prayers will not be a bitter reaction to our circumstances but an assertive response to God’s agenda and purpose for this nation.

Pray for the Children of our Land 

Pray for an increase in proper child care awareness among parents and care-takers in regards to the welfare and safety of the children.
Pray that children themselves will be educated and well informed to guard against any physical or sexual violations.

Pray for children growing up in Christian homes to be well trained and rooted in the ways of God so that they will not deviate from the path of truth all the days of their life.
Pray that parents will have an understanding of the times and the wisdom on how to raise a godly offspring.

Pray that the hearts and minds of the children will be guarded from ungodly influence from their surroundings and media.  Instead, pray that children who are exposed to the God will influence their peers with godly principles and values even in their young age.





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Restoring our first love

Day 32 (07 Sept 2017, Thursday)

The church at Ephesus was commended in their:  1) Performance - they excelled in good works;  2) Purity of doctrine - they discerned and overcame false doctrine;  and 3)  Perseverance - they endured hardship.  But they failed in this one area:  ‘first love’.

“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, …I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  Remember therefore from where you have fallen;  repent, and do the works you did at first…. “ (Revelation 2:2-5).

Hope in God produces faith in Christ Jesus and it motivates us to love all the saints (Colossians 1:4-5).  “First love” is the glow and excitement we had when we first believed in Christ.  With great joy, we served God and testified for Him.  But as we progressed in our spiritual walk, things became routine.  Neither do we spontaneously burst out in worship nor do we seek Him or serve others as earnestly as we used to.

We are called to love God by obeying His commandments (John 14:20), and our good works must be motivated by love (1 Corinthians 13:3).  We must not be driven by our selfish motives like seeking after money, fame or satisfying our personal pride.  It is time for us to examine our hearts and be restored in our first love for Him.  It will be easier for us to pray with compassion when we love our nation and people with the love of God.

Pray for the Youth of our Land 

Pray for God to ignite the fire of revival among the youths, that they will grow up to be men and women who are passionate about the Lord Jesus Christ, and they will have a strong witness among their peers.
Pray for every hindrance to be removed in their spiritual walk with God.

Pray for anointing and strength of God to rest upon the youth pastors, leaders and workers, for them to have vision and courage to spearhead new things, and for a strong mentoring from the spiritual “fathers and mothers” around them who will stand with them through thick and thin.

Pray for Christian fellowships to be established and to grow in schools, colleges and universities, so that this vast mission field will witness a tremendous harvest.





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Faith that is founded on hope

Day 31 (06 Sept 2017, Wednesday)

Our faith is built on the hope that we have in God.  Because our hope is sure, our faith should be active and alive.  It should not merely be an intellectual assent or words we confess.  It should be acted out on a daily basis.

Paul in Ephesians 2:10 elaborates further of this faith.  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  James exhorts believers in Christ to live out their faith with real substance.  “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works” (James 2:21-22).

How should our hope in God influence our living for Him?  Are we living the way that reflects the hope that we have in God?

Pray for the Spiritual Leaders of our Land 

Pray that our spiritual leaders will be strengthened both spiritually and physically to continue their work and fulfil the vision or goals for the Kingdom of God.

Pray that support and encouragement will be given to these leaders from the members of their churches.

Pray for God’s covering and protection to be upon their spouses, children and other family members and everything that concerns them, that they may give themselves fully to the Lord’s work.

Pray that their personal time in seeking God will not be hindered by their busyness and outward distractions and that they will be able to mentor others and multiply themselves so that they can pass the baton on to the next generation of leadership in the Church.





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Hope in the midst of despair

Day 30 (05 Sept 2017, Tuesday)

If we have ever been led by God, along the journey of our life, to a point where we feel that we have lost all our hope, it is there we have to remind ourselves that God has a purpose for doing so.
His intention is always to allow us to experience Him deeper, in a sense, that Christ is our hope in the midst of our despair.  We shall then encounter Christ more through this experience.

The essence of Abraham’s faith is to believe that God makes that which is impossible possible.  This faith has enabled him to experience God’s faithfulness continually in his life, and to witness the effect of his faith.

There is a chain effect in this blessed life of Abraham.  He was blessed and his descendants throughout all generations were to be blessed as well.

God expects His people to seek His face earnestly through their prayers in days of despair.  It is when man’s might and wisdom comes to an end, and in the event that he has nowhere to turn to, that the relationship between God and man will be knitted closely.
It is by then that man begins comprehend that God is worthy of all honour, authority and glory.

Let’s unite our hearts and pray with one voice, asking for the light of God to shine forth in our nation, so that all men shall know, that apart from Jesus Christ, no man is capable of lighting up the nation.
Only He is able to rise and shine forth His great and mighty deeds.

Pray for the Communities we live in 

Pray for the salvation of our communities.
Pray that as an individual or as a church, we will reach out intentionally by building relationship with them and serving as a blessing to them in times of need.

Pray for the Members of Parliament (MPs) and the constituencies that they represent, in that they will carry out their work well in ways that build up and benefit the communities as a whole within their constituencies.

Pray for the residents in communities to be set free to know our Lord Jesus Christ personally and there will be an increase of creative ways for us to reach out to the lost and the needy.





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Principles of faith

Day 29 (04 Sept 2017, Monday )

We need to possess the correct kind of faith as we live in an era where values, including the economic and political systems are in the state of chaos and spun into hopelessness.  The principle of this faith lies in Abraham, where “in hope he believed against hope.”

What acted against this hope was the decrease of all his natural and physical strengths, “…when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb” (Romans 4:19).  And yet he could proudly say, the resurrected Christ is my only hope.  “…Christ in you… the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

Ask God to help us to look at His promises, to which we will built the foundation of our faith upon the Word of God.
Many times, our faith is weakened because of what we see with our eyes and the reality that is laid before us.

Our perspectives will only lead us to pessimism and despair. Only when our principle of faith is put at the right perspective, and we allow God’s Word to take root in our life as our sure foundation, then nothing, be it troubles or testing, can possibly separate us from the love of God.

We must learn to rely on God more when we go through all these tests and is best done through our fervent and steadfast prayers.  We can declare by faith, that God will surely accomplish great things, and no one is able to hinder or stop Him from doing so.

Pray for the Church in our nation 

Pray that the Church will be an agent of hope and love for our nation.
Pray that church members will not be complacent but instead be active in reaching out to the lost and discipling new believers in Christ Jesus.

Pray for a revival to take place among those who have lost their first love for Jesus.
Pray that we will be diligent in strengthening the weak, working together in unity and to have a greater lover for one another.

Pray for the five-fold ministry (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers) to be established in every church in order to equip all the saints for the service of His Kingdom.





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Faith to live by the things we hope for

Day 28 (03 Sept 2017, Sunday)

Since we are Abraham’s offspring, we have to ask God for the same faith that Abraham had - faith to live by the things we hope for (Hebrews 11:1).  Abraham trusted God fully in all His promises, and he had no room for doubt in his heart.

It was such faith that drove him to leave his own country, his kindred and his father’s house.  It was also such faith that compelled him to receive his nephew, Lot, with a magnanimous hear.  It was indeed such faith that he waited patiently for his promised son, Isaac, with much perseverance.
It was such faith in the One who calls into existence the things that do not exist, and the One who raises the dead to life, that he subsequently offered his beloved son, Isaac, to God in obedience.

The faith of Abraham was not lived out in the good seasons of his life where it was smooth and under control, but also when it was difficult, challenging and inconvenient.

Such faith enables us to be staunch when we are faced with challenges and difficulties.  It also enables us to live out a godly lifestyle amidst the hardships that we encounter.
What is more precious to us is that there is a need right now in Malaysia for the people of faith to influence others around them who are lost and persist on with our fervent prayers and life testimonies!

Pray for Family life and influence 

Pray for the strengthening of family relationships, between and children, and among siblings.
Pray for parents to be good role models for their children.  Pray for the healing and restoration of broken homes.

Pray for a deeper communication and understanding as well as love and forgiveness to fill each and every home.
Pray for God’s protection over families and against the enemy who seeks to bring strife, divorce and many unwanted incidents among married couples and family members.

Pray for strong discipleship efforts to be exemplified by parents within their homes, and for family prayer altars to be established to make Christ Jesus as the Master of their families.





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Faith is putting our hope in God

Day 27 (02 Sept 2017, Saturday )

Faith does not put one’s hope on a certain man or circumstance, but in God alone.  Abraham paid no attention to the real life difficulties he encountered.  For the law of nature indicates to him that it is completely impossible for him and Sarah to conceive in their old age.

In order to end those suspicions lingering in the mind of Malaysians, our prayers should not follow the trajectory of doubts in response to various negative issues that have surfaced in our nation. Neither should we pray in accordance to our personal expectations, nor should we instruct God what He ought to do with our prayers.  Our faith should not waiver when our prayers are unanswered.

We need to grasp the promised blessings of God even when our political, economic, legislative, educational and family institutions are caught in a mess, by asking God to breathe His breath on all these sectors, as how prophet Ezekiel did in his vision.  God is able to revive the dry bones.  Malaysia is a lively nation, and God will definitely do much more for her!  Let’s ask God to move mightily among us!

The God we trust is the God who overcomes the storm.  He supersedes all power and all authorities.  He will accomplish great things in accordance to His timing.  Therefore, He expects His people to seek Him and run to Him for help with a living faith.  Our hearts will truly be strengthened whenever we remember the trustworthiness of our God.

Pray for our Personal Walk with God 

Thank God for His precious and wonderful gift salvation.  In Christ we have a hope and a future.  In Christ we have all that we need for our lives.
Pray that we will be renewed daily in our love and commitment to the Lord.

Seek to be holy and set apart for His glory and purpose.
Pray for a realignment of our will and priorities, to put the Lord first in everything we do and to submit to His perfect will for us.

Pray for us to have the courage to rise up in hope and in faith, embracing the great works that He shall do through us, in us and for us.




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Truth Faith

Day 26 (01 Sept 2017, Friday)

True faith carries the essence of hope.  Those who have faith never lose their hope.
In Romans 4:17-18, Abraham is used by Paul as an imitation for us.  The hope possessed by Abraham is “hope against hope.”  He trusted not on man’s power but God’s promises given to him.
It is a hope that puts one’s confidence in the Word of God, and believes firmly from the bottom of one’s heart that God calls into existence the things that do not exist (v19-21), and He raised the dead to life (Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 1:7-9).  “In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations. As he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” (Romans 4:18).

Bear in mind one important things as we pray for our nation, that Malaysia is a nation birthed by God.  God has a good plan over this land, just as He had a glorious plan over the life of Abraham.  Therefore, let’s ask God for help in order that we could trust in His promises, and believe strongly that He will definitely do something good for our land.

The God whom we place our trust in, is there to help us and hear our prayers.  For we believe deeply in our hearts that He will bless Malaysia.  May our prayers be further strengthened by reliance to Your living Word.  In Jesus’ victorious name we pray.  Amen!

Pray for the Healthcare System 

Pray that affordable healthcare will be available to everyone especially the poor in the rural areas. Pray for the government to set up a holistic system to detect, diagnose, and treat people with mental health issues, especially depression among the youths.

Pray that the medical professionals, especially the specialists, will value lives above all else and will treat their patients with empathy, care and compassion and not for monetary gain.

Pray for integrity in this realm that all medical manufacturers will uphold quality products. Production of fake and sub-standard health products will be exposed and further production will be stopped by the authorities.




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Hope towards the City of God

Day 25 (31 Aug 2017, Thursday) Psalm 42:11 

Recently, I was at the airport with my family for a three-day vacation in a city.  Inside, I saw an advertisement hanging.  It read “God’s City”.  When I saw that billboard, it reminded me of a book titled ‘City of God,’ written by one of the greatest and most influential Christian theologians of the 3rd century, St. Augustine of Hippo.
His book was an eye opener for the 3rd century, as well as the present church.  His main concern was the difference between the City of God and the City of Man; one was built on the love of God and the other on the love of man.

Before St. Augustine wrote about the two cities, St. John the Apostle wrote similarly on the subject, while he was in the Island or Patmos.  He saw the throne of God.  For him, there was a New World and New Hope.  The New Hope was where God’s dwelling place and His Presence were.  St. John the Apostle is telling us that the city of man is mortal and the city of God is eternal.  Therefore, our hope should be for eternity.

For St. Augustine, understanding the city of God was primarily for peace, serenity and grace.  For St. John the Apostle, the New World and New Hope is a vision for the future.  It is a place built by God himself.

Therefore, let us have hope in God for our future.  We are making a pilgrimage on this land.  Look for God’s city, the New Jerusalem and the throne of God.

Pray for the Neglected and the Helpless

Ask the Lord to break our hearts and uproot our apathy and indifference for this group.  Ask Him to fill us with His love and compassion to see, hear and to be His hands and feet to reach out to the helpless and hopeless.

Uphold the NGOs such as Malaysian Care, Shelter Home and counselling centers, e.g. the Befrienders.
Pray for God to raise up labourers and for finance to be released into the work.

Commit those who are poor, lonely, and depressed to the Lord.
Pray for the elderly who were rejected by their children, the homeless, and those who were forced into prostitution.
Pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to those faced with afflictions in order to give them a hope and a future.



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Hope that turns our suffering to blessing

Day 24 (30 Aug 2017, Wednesday) Psalm 42:11 

                                                                             

We must take into our hearts David’s cry for hope for his soul.  Let us ponder, for a moment, about his ‘cry of the heart.’  Why, in the first place, was David’s soul disturbed?  It was probably because he trusted his friends, but they turned out to be a misery for his life.

Madame Guyon was a French revivalist who founded the ‘Quietist’ movement.  In the 17th century, she became an icon for the church.  Many have called her “a Quaker born out of due time.”  Fenelon, John Wesley and other great spiritual leaders have acknowledged her contributions to society.

She married a wealthy and sickly 22-years-old senior at a young age of 17.  Throughout her married life, she faced many obstacles with her mother-in-law and housemaid.  After twelve years of her unhappy marriage, she became a widow at the age of 28 after her husband’s sudden death.  What a miserable life for her!

However, due to her spiritual experiences and hope in God, Madame Guyon’s life became something meaningful.  She spent time alone with God in order to strengthen and to rest her soul. She used to read the Scriptures diligently to get to know God.
It was her strong belief in God that changed her suffering into a blessing for many.  Though she struggled and suffered, she continued to have hope by submitting to the Almighty.  Let us look to God in the same way for hope.

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Religion 

Pray that the authorities will uphold the constitutional freedom of religion, in order to promote mutual respect and tolerance, and to reject all forms of religious bigotry.

Pray that the issue of religion will not be sabotaged by politicians who seek their own agendas and gains.
Pray that the Lord will protect and equip faithful leaders who are willing to speak up for the human rights and religious freedom of the people.

Pray for the Church of Malaysia to wake up to recognise its divine mandate, and arise to be God’s agent of love, peace, hope and reconciliation at such critical time in our nation.




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Hope builds on nothing less

Day 23 (29 Aug 2017, Tuesday) Psalm 42:11

                                                                   
In the letter to the Corinthians 13:13, Paul writes, ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’  Here, Paul states that hope remains despite of what spiritual gifts we may possess.  Even if we have the gift of prophecy, it is just a shadow in our lives.

We may exercise the power of healing but it too will disappear.  In contrast, hope remains forever.  Why was Paul giving emphasis to hope?  How is hope great for our Christian life?

Israel had been hoping that God would someday deliver them from the bondage of slavery.  Their forefathers experienced the same hope while they were living in the desert.  It was the promise of Yahweh that was the root of Israel’s hope.  In a similar way, our hope in God should be real and practical as we focus on Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.

When I was writing this, I was reminded of a hymn written by Edward Mote.  The title of the song is ‘My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.’  He was a Pastor in England in 1834.
One Sunday, Mote visited the home of a member whose wife was very ill.  After they sang the hymn, the woman was healed.
Let us sing this song as a prayer, so that our hope in God will grow into perfection :

“My hope is built on nothing less,

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name”

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Family

Pray for the restoration of God’s intended purpose for this realm - that life might be multiplied and that the God - given destiny for every individual will be realized.
Pray for healing of all broken relationship in families.

Pray for watchfulness and discernment against the enemy’s schemes to break down marriages.
Pray that God will shepherd parents under His command and arm them with His Word so that their marriages will be a light to the world and a role model for the next generation.

Pray for unmarried/singles that they will be completely secure in the love of God and in their identity as sons and daughters of God.  Lacking nothing, they will attain their full potential in life.




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Hope is found when we rest in God

Day 22 (28 Aug 2017, Monday)

                                                               
Psalm 42:11
What is hope?  The Oxford dictionary defines it as “a confident feeling of what will happen in the future,” or “something good that we expect to happen in the future.”  In the Scriptures, David was described as talking to his soul that is himself.
When we are terribly hungry, we look for a food stall, and once found, we immediately place our order.  It the food comes late, we are uneasy, but still wait patiently for it to come.

Once the food is served, we start to eat.  While we are eating, the body feels strengthened and the hunger disappears.  After the meal, we feel satisfied, because we had worked for it.  Hope means that we are waiting for something in the future.  When we put our hope in God, it is like our appetite for food.  Hope in God is like ‘working’ for our future - our future of spirituality and maturity in the Christian life.

As David longed for his soul to understand it, let us also long for our hope in God.  This is the hope which St. Augustine says, ‘My soul is restless until it rests in you alone O God.’  Let us hunger that our soul gets satisfied with the hope in God.  The hope which the Scripture says in unshakeable, unlimited and unmeasurable.  Hope in God produces patience, perseverance and trust.
It gives strength and courage to move on in the Christian life.  Hope in God is something to be desired for in the future as it brings joy and happiness in our lives.

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Education 

Pray that God’s design for the education sphere will be redeemed to be a means of capturing and transforming the minds of the students towards becoming individuals that are intelligent, hardworking and filled with integrity.
Pray that there will be a shift of kingdom mind-set in that more believers will be willing to take up this vocation to battle for the hearts and minds of the emerging generation, guiding them towards biblical values and truth.
Pray for vibrant Christian fellowships in schools, colleges and universities.
Pray for wisdom for policy makers to plan holistic curriculums that will prepare students for the 21st century workforce.
Pray for educators with innovative ideas, a real passion for teaching and a spirit of excellence.



Necf Malaysia

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A pilgrim’s journey of hope

Day 21 (27 Aug 2017, Sunday)

                                                                 
Psalm 42:11
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

David was an intelligent musician and lyricist.  If he had gone for the Grammy Awards, he would have grabbed more trophies than Micheal Jackson.  David used the same words for his songs in Psalm 43:5. I would like to propose a theme for his song, “A human cry of hope for his soul.”

Sometimes, my spirit would speak certain things that I should do immediately.  At the tender age of my spirituality, I was not aware of those things.  But now, grown into maturity, I can understand my spirit as well as God’s.  I can easily differentiate my inner longing for His hope.  My desire for this season is to let every individual be touched by expounding on the three stages of a pilgrim’s journey for hope.

Firstly, the purgative way, where we begin our hope in God.  We trust God because He is who He is - no further explanation is needed.  Secondly, the illuminate way, where we experience God as our hope and light and darkness have no place in our lives.  Thirdly, the unitive way, where our hope in God grows because we love Him.  This love helps us to have a union with God.  Moreover, it creates an unshakeable hope in God.  It is like crossing the Red Sea without fear.  How do we measure our hope?  Do we experience it in God similarly like David?

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Law and Judiciary

Pray for a full restoration of the principles of “the rule of law” and “separation of powers” in our legal system, so that liberty and justice can be the nation’s guiding principles once again.

Pray that all judges in the Judiciary will uphold the rule of law and dispense true justice, showing mercy and compassion to everyone without fear or favour, and to be mindful that they are accountable to the Righteous Judge.  Pray for the Malaysian Bar to play its role in upholding the cause of justice.

The Attorney General, being the legal advisor to the Executive branch of government, has discretionary power to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence.
Pray that he will carry out his duties faithfully and conscientiously in the fear of God with honor and integrity.




Necf Malaysia

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The living hope is also a guaranteed inheritance

Day 20 (26 Aug 2017, Saturday) 

1 Peter 1:4
The Bible speaks of our living hope in terms of an inheritance… a possession that is ours.  This inheritance is nothing less than eternal life… here and now, as well as what we will receive later.  But not all of it happens here in this life.  We will have to wait for the bigger part of it.  Look at what v.4 says about this inheritance:
It can never perish as it is INCORRUPTIBLE
The Greek word is “aphthartos”’ meaning “not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable” (2Peter 3:10-13).  There is nothing in time or eternity that can touch it or destroy it.  It does not age, deteriorate, or die.

IT IS UNDEFILED
The Greek word is “amiantos”, meaning “not defiled, unsoiled”.  It is free from sickness, disease, .infection, accidents, suicide, and all those things that we suffer on this earth.  Our hope pertains to that where the defiled are not allowed to enter (Revelation 21:27)

It can never fade - IT DOES NOT FADE AWAY
The Greek word is “amarantos”, meaning “unfading, perennial”.  The word is a variation of “amaranth”, the name of a mythical flower whose bloom in perpetual and whose loveliness never fades.  Our new and perfect bodies will never wear out, they will last forever.
Therefore, our inheritance is safely guarded in heaven itself!  No one, not even Satan himself, can steal if from us!  Since this is the nature of our “inheritance” upon which our hope rests, we can see why our hope is described as a “living” hope.

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Arts and Entertainment 

Pray that this mountain of arts and entertainment will be reclaimed, and God will raise up men and women with godly character and anointed talents/gifts that will influence the art world with things that are excellent and praiseworthy.

Ask the Lord to raise up young prophetic believers who are called to the arts entertainment industry to boldly step out and write plays with messages of truth and virtue that positively shape the culture around us.

Pray for believers, especially parents, to be taught to have biblical worldview so that they will be equipped to discern the negative influences in the entertainment industry that propagate views and values which are perverse and contrary to biblical values.




Necf Malaysia

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The living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

Day 19 (25 Aug 2017, Friday)

1 Peter 1:3b “…unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead sets Him apart from any other person to walk the face of this earth and who had claims of being divine.  Jesus claimed it, to be God, and it was proven by His resurrection from the dead.  Indeed it is His greatest miracle (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

This was the great source of our Living Hope.  Peter spoke not from his book learning or second-hand knowledge, but from his personal experience.  Something extra-ordinary had happened in his life.  He has been a miserable failure.  He denied knowing Jesus in the hours that He needed him most.  But later Peter became an eye witness to the resurrection of Jesus.  He experienced the power of resurrection of Jesus Christ in his life that dramatically transformed him.  He was changed from a coward and a weakling to a courageous leader for Christ.

Similarly, Paul’s one desire is expressed in Philippians 3:10, ‘That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection’.  That word is the good news which was preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, “that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he rose again on the third day according to the Scripture” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  The risen Christ is our living hope.

Pray for 8 Mountains of Influence :  Media

Celebrate the fact that God is the Author of all forms of communication and Jesus is the Truth.  Pray that God’s intended purpose for this realm, i.e. to communicate truth and life, will be redeemed and celebrated.

As traditional media is slowing down coupled with all kinds of alternative media channels quickly filling the void, pray for discernment in the body of Christ to distinguish between real and fake news. Instead of spreading lies and half-truths, we will know how to manage information and use it wisely.

Pray that parents will educate and raise their children on how to reject and resist wicked and malicious content online.

Pray that those who report, edit and distribute the news will do so without fear or favour.



Necf Malaysia

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This living hope through Jesus comes by the new birth

Day 18 (24 Aug 2017, Thursday)

1 Peter 1:3b - “According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope…”
“New birth” or “born again” is a popular way the New Testament talks about the experience of salvation.
Long ago, Jesus addressed a proud religious man named Nicodemus who came in the night inquiring about eternal life. Jesus said to him “You must be born again.” It’s not enough to be born physically and so become a member of human race.  You must be born again spiritually, and so become a member of the family of God (John 3).

When scripture says that “God has begotten us again”, this is recognised as “born again” or “rebirth”. There is no hope for eternal life, unless a person is born again by the Spirit of God. You must be regenerated and made into a new person.
If you have prayed to receive Jesus as the Lord and Savior, and you walked out with the same outlook on life, with absolutely no spiritual desire for Him then the question that must be asked is, were you truly saved?

When you are born again, you should have a desire to act differently and to talk differently.  This living hope comes by the new birth.  Jesus gives us a new start, but there is more to come.  He gives us a total new life.  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away behold, all things have become new” (1 Corinthians 5:17).

Pray for the 8 Mountains of Influence :  Government 

Pray for the revelation of God’s divine order of governance upon our government.  As absolute power corrupts, pray that there will be a true separation of power between the judicial, legislative and executive branches.

Pray for men and women appointed to the Malaysian cabinet to be wise and God-fearing.  Pray that they will safeguard justice and thus create a peaceful and safe environment within the nation.  Pray that they will be used as agents that will expose and remove every form of corruption, injustice and greed.

Pray for the bills and policies tabled in parliament in that the laws/policies will give great consideration to the poor, widowed and less privileged; that there will be no place for greed, self-interest and unmerited bias.



 Necf Malaysia

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This living hope starts with God’s great mercy

Day 17 (23 Aug 2017, Wednesday)

1 Peter 1:3b - According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

In our hopeless situation, God looks at us and what does He feel? Many people perceive that God is looking at the mess we have made of our lives and He is thinking, “well, I told you so. You’re a mess and you deserve it.  Suffer now.”  But that is not what the Bible says about God’s sentiment toward us.
In our hopeless situation, God looks at us and He feels mercy.  He is moved with compassion for us.  He feels pity for us in our predicament and He moves to do something about it.

The basis for our hope lies not in our own perfection or righteousness.  We are just too sinful, and God is too perfect.
The only hope we do have is that God will have mercy on us. Mercy means that God withholds His judgment, and He provides a way for us to be saved.  It is a good thing that we do not need to depend on our own perfection and righteousness, for we all are sinners in God’s sight (Romans 3:23).  Even as Christians, we find ourselves sometimes guilty before God (1 John 1:8, 10).  Mercy is bestowed unto us upon the condition of our faith, repentance, and baptism (Acts 2:36-38).

Pray for the 8 Mountains of Influence :  Economics and Business

Pray for revelation and redemption of the economic realm, for God’s intended purpose of stewardship to be practiced in all sectors, that it will be handled well for the creation and distribution of wealth in a manner that glorifies Him.

Pray that businesses which exploit people, including migrant workers, or manufacture harmful products, will be exposed and rooted out completely.

Pray that believers will seek to obey God and not to compromise with ungodly systems.  Pray that God will give wisdom and inspiration to Christian entrepreneurs to initiate and develop businesses that create jobs and uplift the society.
Pray for Christian business owners to treat their employees fairly and establish business practices that are in obedience to God’s commandments, values and principles.



 Necf Malaysia

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