Wednesday 13 September 2017

Precious hope for the lost

Day 38 (13 Sept 2017, Wednesday)


I serve as a minister among refugees.  Every refugee has one hope - to be granted residence in a host country.  That hope burns so intensely that they are willing to leave their home, pay unscrupulous agents exorbitant fees to get them here, endure the hardships that come with being an illegal, and patiently wait out the years until they are granted residence in a host country.  Most of us cannot fathom how precious this hope is to them.

Likewise, if you were bought up in a Christian family, you might not appreciate how precious the blessed hope is to the lost.  Many Chinese spend a great deal of money and effort in attempting to secure a good afterlife.  Adherents of other religions try their best to make their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds in order to go to heaven.  Neither have the guarantee of salvation and eternity in heaven like we do.

Do we look at the lost like we do at refugees?  Indifferent?  Or at best sympathetic, but lack of action?  Our lack of zeal in evangelism and missions reflects our failure to realize how precious is the blessed hope to the lost.

Jesus applied the words of Isaiah 61:1-2 on Himself, “the Spirit of the Lord is on me… to proclaim good news to the poor…. Freedom for the prisoners… sight for the blind… release the oppressed…. (and) the year of the Lord’s favour”.  May we realize that the lost are like poor prisoners, blind and oppressed.  May we proclaim the blessed hope to them.



Pray for a change of heart and character

Pray that our desire will be to be like Christ.  That Christlikeness will be our main passion and goal; and we will walk in humility considering others better than ourselves; and we will surrender to His will by taking up our cross daily, dying to our personal rights and following Him wherever He may lead us.

Pray that the Lord will give us a new heat and a new mind, and He will put a right spirit within us, and He will enable us to have perseverance in order to walk in His will and purposes, and that we shall be found faithfully serving Him to the end.

Pray for us to have a willingness to take the first step to reconcile with others, even if we have been wronged, so that the root of bitterness may find no place in our hearts.





Tuesday 12 September 2017

Boast Not of Tomorrow

Today's Scripture: Proverbs 27 (KJV)


Proverbs 27 (KJV)

1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.

4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?

5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.

12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.

14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise.

22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field.

27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

Scripture Meaning

Verses
1: We know not what a day may bring forth. This does not forbid preparing for to-morrow, but presuming upon to-morrow. We must not put off the great work of conversion, that one thing needful. (2). There may be occasion for us to justify ourselves, but not to praise ourselves.
(3,4). Those who have no command of their passions, sink under the load.
(5,6). Plain and faithful rebukes are better, not only than secret hatred, but than love which compliments in sin, to the hurt of the soul.
(7). The poor have a better relish of their enjoyments, and are often more thankful for them, than the rich. In like manner the proud and self-sufficient disdain the gospel; but those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, find comfort from the meanest book or sermon that testifies of Christ Jesus.
(8). Every man has his proper place in society, where he may be safe and comfortable.
(9,10). Depend not for relief upon a kinsman, merely for kindred's sake; apply to those who are at hand, and will help in need. But there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother, and let us place entire confidence in him.
(11). An affectionate parent urges his son to prudent conduct that should gladden his heart. The good conduct of Christians is the best answer to all who find fault with the gospel.
(12). Where there is temptation, if we thrust ourselves into it, there will be sin, and punishment will follow.
(13). An honest man may be made a beggar, but he is not honest that makes himself one.
(14). It is folly to be fond of being praised; it is a temptation to pride.
(15,16). The contentions of a neighbour may be like a sharp shower, troublesome for a time; the contentions of a wife are like constant rain.
(17). We are cautioned to take heed whom we converse with. And directed to have in view, in conversation, to make one another wiser and better.
(18). Though a calling be laborious and despised, yet those who keep to it, will find there is something to be got by it. God is a Master who has engaged to honour those who serve him faithfully. (19). One corrupt heart is like another; so are sanctified hearts: the former bear the same image of the earthly, the latter the same image of the heavenly. Let us carefully watch our own hearts, comparing them with the word of God.
(20). Two things are here said to be never satisfied, death and sin. The appetites of the carnal mind for profit or pleasure are always desiring more. Those whose eyes are ever toward the Lord, are satisfied in him, and shall for ever be so.
(21). Silver and gold are tried by putting them into the furnace and fining-pot; so is a man tried by praising him.
(22). Some are so bad, that even severe methods do not answer the end; what remains but that they should be rejected? The new-creating power of God's grace alone is able to make a change.
(23-27). We ought to have some business to do in this world, and not to live in idleness, and not to meddle with what we do not understand. We must be diligent and take pains. Let us do what we can, still the world cannot be secured to us, therefore we must choose a more lasting portion; but by the blessing of God upon our honest labours, we may expect to enjoy as much of earthly blessings as is good for us

Scripture Application

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the Book of Proverbs with Chapter 27. In our text today we continue with wisdom for leaders with a focus on instruction for others. What catches my eye is verse 1 that says to boast not for tomorrow for we know not what a day may hold.

In making application we see the importance in living one day at a time being 100% surrendered to the Lord. Just as today is the day of salvation, today is also the day to be obedient. When the Holy Spirit prompts we need to be do what He says, when He says because tomorrow we might not have the opportunity to follow. How about you? Are you obedient to the Lord? Let us learn from our text today that we boast not for tomorrow for we know not what a day may hold.

Running the right race

Day 37 (12 Sept 2017, Tuesday)



What is the lifestyle and actions of one who is eagerly anticipating the blessed hope? Hebrews 12:1-3 clearly tells us:
To throw off everything that hinders us (especially sin),
To run with perseverance the race marked out for us, and,
To fix our eyes on Jesus.

The above exhortation was written in the light of the blessed hope (Hebrews 11:13-16; 39-40).  The first and last are easily understood, but what is the race marked out for us?  We must know this race lest we run to the end and find that we ran the wrong race.

Thankfully, we can see the end of the race:  Revelation 7:9-17. Here, we catch a glimpse of what the realization of the blessed hope will look like - God is worshipped in heaven by the angels, the 24 elders and the four living creatures and a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language.  This multitude of people is the fulfilment of Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

Therefore, the race marked out for us is the Great Commission.  Apostle Paul affirms this in Acts 20:24, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace.”
Everything that you - your lifestyle and actions - should be in persevering obedience to the Great Commission.  Is it?  Are running the right race?

Pray for Christians to remain strong in challenging times  

Pray that Christians in Malaysia will have a heart that is steadfast in the faith even in the tough and trying times of our nation.
Pray for a resolve to face whatever challenges that may come along our way with a persevering and joyous attitude.

Pray that we may fully understand the call of our Lord Jesus Christ when He asks us take up our cross and follow Him faithfully even though if may cost us greatly at times.

Let us pray and look beyond our personal preservation and start looking towards the purposes of God and the work of His Kingdom in our land.
Pray that we will pursue this calling over and above our own needs of comfort and safety.




Monday 11 September 2017

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests


Greenhou: Please pray for Nick, young man on life support 

Christina williams |  I'm asking that the Lord save me from me with the Holy Ghost save my children feeling with the Holy Ghost continue to bless us spiritually and naturally that we will be able to pay our bills find a home that we can live peacefully in your name amen Children name:Demetterius,Christian,Isaiah,&Demiyah

Celina Drake | Please pray for my deliverance of diabtes and everything that carries with it and osteo Arthritus and all sickness in JESUS Name Please pray for my mothers unbelief and for her to stop using prfanity and for her COPD thank you in Jesus name Amen Prayer for my daughter jessica to stop using profanity and learn to be gratefull and not bitter and to stop fornicating and flee from it and to either marry this man she loves with or for God to move him out of her life thhank you i need your prayers and i appreciate all your prayers in Jesus name Please pray for all my loved ones to come to Christ and JESUS Christ for sick and shut in those in nursing homes hospitals the poor those whos hearts have been broken hurting abused those who have lost their faith in Jesus name i pray for hope to return to them all AMEN

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD, 'OL FRIENDS AND NEW BRING JOY TO MY HEART, YET ARE A BURDEN WITH WHAT THEY DO! GUIDE MY HEART LORD!.......SELAH

Stephanie Winters | I'm askinasking for prayer for my daughter that's out in the streets with her new born prayer for her to return n be obedience. plz prayer for my mom, she is more sick. her name is Barna

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

Sunny | Pray God to open the womb of my wife. Also God to open my spiritual eyes, hears for me to have, decode messages from him.

Hurricane Irma update: Category 4 Storm With 130 MPH Winds hits Florida keys

Hurricane Irma Hits Florida Keys as Category 4 Storm With 130 MPH Winds


Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 hurricane and the strongest to hit the Florida Keys in nearly six decades, was making landfall in the Sunshine State early Sunday, threatening catastrophic damage with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour. More than 6.5 million residents in Florida and over 540,000 people in the Georgia coast were told to leave their homes.

Life-threatening storm surge is likely from the South Santee River southward to the Jupiter Inlet and on the peninsula from North Miami Beach to the Ochlockonee River, including the Florida Keys and Tampa Bay, according to the National Weather Service.

The center of the storm was moving northwest at about 8 mph at 8 a.m. Sunday.

Over 300,000 people in the state were without power Sunday morning even as destructive winds, flooding rain and inundating seas are likely to occur across Florida into Monday.

After raking through the Keys, the storm is expected to strike southwest Florida with Category 4 intensity Sunday, according to The Weather Channel.

Florida officials have asked over 6.5 million residents to evacuate, one of the largest emergency evacuations in the country's history, and Gov. Rick Scott has warned that it's "a deadly storm and our state has never seen anything like it," and that "once the storm starts, law enforcement cannot save you."

Irma was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane at 2 a.m. The storm could expose St. Petersburg to a direct hit, according to The New York Times.

Neither St. Petersburg nor Tampa, which was earlier expected to be directly hit, has taken a head-on blow from a major hurricane in nearly a century, according to The Associated Press.

At least 25 people have died in the Caribbean due to Irma.

"Unfortunately, there is no way the United States is going to avoid another catastrophic weather event," AccuWeather President Joel N. Myers said. "There will be massive damage in Florida. [It will be] the worst single hurricane to hit Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992."

An extensive area of heavy rainbands had already formed well north of the center of Irma over much of the Florida Peninsula, The Weather Channel reported, and said more than 10 inches of rain had already triggered flooding that shut down a stretch of U.S. 1 in Ft. Pierce, Florida, with water reportedly into at least one home.





Cred: Christian Post

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