Our Responsibility to Spread Hope

Day 37 (12 September 2018, Wednesday)

John 20:21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Where does hope spring from?  It sprouts from God because when there was no hope, he sent his Son to give life and to inaugurate his Kingdom.  Jesus’ momentary renunciation of his privilege position changed forever the dynamics between life and death, mercy and judgment, hope and hopelessness.

“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death on a cross.”  (Philippians 2:6-8)

But it also changed the dynamics of our responsibilities.  No longer strangers but his children and co-heirs, the task of continuing his work has fallen on all who believe in him.

Today in our country, Christians may be a minority in the national population (making up about 10% of the population only) but we need to understand our calling as God’s people and play our appointed roles in His mission whether as vocational ministry workers, people in the marketplace, students, retirees, homemakers or any other category.  This way, hope will spread far afield and we will see communities and nations transformed.

Pray for the Land of Sarawak

Cleansed from the Ancestral Tribal Strives & Worship

Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

Righteousness in Dealing with the Issues of Land

Nehemiah 5:11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.


Bible Reading:        Philippian 1 – 4                         Nehemiah 1 – 6



SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

Download 2018 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)

Self-denial for the Sake of Others!

Day 35 (10 September 2018, Monday)

Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

If one were to follow Christ, one has to deny himself/herself and be self-sacrificial.  What is self-denial?  Is it self-abandonment?  Is it self-sacrifice?  Is it without self-confidence?  Is it self-loathing?  Many times, legalistic Christians are over-rigid and they are concerned that self-confidence, self-respect, and even self-love violate the very demand of God for us to be self-denial.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, described that Christ is “a man for others” when he concluded the life of Christ.  He discovered that Christ had lived his life fully and completely for others.  He gave up Himself in order for others to receive God’s blessings.  A sacrificial life that carries his or her own cross is on that is willing to pay the price, to not prioritize other’s needs.

Bonhoeffer thought of living for Christ as more than being a godly religious follower, and for us to imitate Christ, and to live for others.  Therefore, living for Christ is living for the needs of others.  When there is a group of selfless people who are willing to die to selves, they will definitely bring changes unto this world of apathy and indifference.

Pray for the Church of Sabah

A Church that is discipled by the Lord

John 8:31 -32 … If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Willing to Pay the Price of Following Jesus

Luke 9:23 – 24 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 12 – 13                        Daniel 1 – 8



SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

Download 2018 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)

Dare to Hope in the Coming Kingdom

Day 36 (11 September 2018, Tuesday)

Jeremiah 20:8 – 9 “For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!”  For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.  If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, “there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.”

Hope is often times a fragile and elusive commodity.  Just when one thinks relief has come, it can so easily be snuffed out by despair or oppression.  The prophet Jeremiah was a person in such a situation, caught between a rock (God) and a hard place (his hard-headed people).  It seemed an impossible position with little hope for anything positive to come out of this task to proclaim righteousness and justice in a wicked environment.

Still, he stayed the course because he felt overwhelming compelled by God’s calling for him to speak His Word to his people.  Jeremiah was sent for this task and there was no turning back.

Today in our country, there is ostensibly dwindling hope for righteous governance and a more just society; for a healthier climate and a sustainable environment.  Dare we hope in the coming Kingdom of God?

Pray for the Head & Government of Sarawak

Voice of Righteousness

Proverbs 31:8 – 9 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

The Reign of God over those in Authority

Psalm 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.

Bible Reading:        Galatians 1 – 6            Daniel 9 – 12

SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

Download 2018 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)

Men Who Faithfully Impart the Truth

Day 34 (9 September 2018, Sunday)

2 Timothy 2:2 And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Genuineness “become something very rare and precious in a market filled with counterfeits and fakes.  Likewise is our faith.

Is there a way for us to lead and assist others in becoming true disciples of Christ?  The key lies with us first becoming Christ’s disciples.  Regardless of the stage of life, we are in, the position we hold, the title we claim to be in church, and whether we are parents, instructors, mentors or bosses, etc., there is an inevitable fact we all have to face.  Only those throughout their lifetimes who are disciples of Christ are capable of influencing others to become disciples too.

Paul exhorted the Corinthians to imitate him as he imitated Christ.  His former statement will sound too arrogant if there were no subsequent facts to support it.  We end up with mere religious forms and outlooks and are not considered as His disciples the moment we stop following Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Only true disciples magnify their Lord and humble themselves by following Christ step by step, in order to live like Him and to reveal His love and fragrance.  People can see within them virtuous values they have been holding and defending as they live for Christ.  Only people with such values are able to bring forth excitement in others, and they will experience deeply in their hearts the reality of Christ’s life and confess that “You are my living testimony”!

Pray for the Families of Sabah

Parental Discipleship

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontless between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Breakthrough from Poverty Cycles

Psalm 121:1 – 2 I lift up my eyes to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 6 – 11                  Isaiah 63 - 66



SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

Download 2018 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)

Follow Me!

Day 33 (8 September 2018, Saturday)

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

There is a scene in the recent Spanish Biblical movie of “Son of God”, which goes like this: Jesus asked Peter, who failed to catch any fish and returned empty-handed in the morning, by the seaside, “Do you need any help?”

Peter looked fatigue and frustrate, and said “You can’:t be of any help.”

Jesus went on board Peter’s boat bluntly.  Peter asked, “What are you doing?”

“Go fishing with you, “Jesus smiled and said.

“I already told you there is no fish to be caught, “Peter said as he intended to leave, but at last he rowed his boat into the deep water and cast down his net.  Finally, the net was almost broken and it was too heavy for him to pull it up.

Peter was exhausted in pulling the net, and he asked, “How could this happen?” while puffing away.

Jesus did not answer Peter.  He gazed at Peter and said, “Follow me!”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Change the world.”

Neither flattery nor lofty speech was given to the audience, the interpretation of this movie was so straight-forward.

“Come! Follow me!”

“What are we supposed to do?”

“Change the world!”

Brothers and sisters, if there were a choice to be made in this life, will you be willing to follow Jesus and change the world?

Pray for the People of Sabah

Harmony in the midst of Diversity

Romans 12:16-18 Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Divine Encounter with the Living God

John 1:9, 12-13 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world…  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but God.


Bible Reading:        Hebrews 1 – 5              Isaiah 58 - 62


SOURCES

Necf  Malaysia

Download 2018 NECF Malaysia  40Days Fast & Prayer (Prayer Booklet)