SONGS FOR PRAYER

reading for: Tuesday Night, 29 AUGUST

Matthew 16:21-28

Following the Son Of Man requires losing your life

• READ

  In Matthew 16:13-20, we saw how Jesus asked his disciples who he was and Peter hearing the voice of God confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. This is one of Peter’s finest moments. Peter heard the voice of God and was praised for it. Today, we read a passage where just two verses after Jesus finished praising him, Peter did not hear God’s voice but of Man. Resulting in him receiving the harshest rebuke known.

  Matthew 16:21–23 (ESV)

  21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

  Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, die and rise again from the dead three days later. Jesus was in effect saying that he was the Christ who must suffer, die and rise again. This was so counter to what his disciples thought for many Jewish had many expectations of the messiah that would conquer the Romans and would establish a powerful kingdom. They had no place in their hearts for a suffering messiah. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke Jesus saying “Far be it from you Lord! This shall never happen to you” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Jesus did not give Peter face and ask Satan to get out of Peter. In this instance, Peter was following the will of man and not God. He was not denying himself and following the will of God.

  Matthew 16:24–28 (ESV)

  24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

  In this context, then Jesus taught his disciples that if anyone would come after him, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow him. Peter did not deny himself and received the harshest rebuke. Jesus was telling them that they needed to deny themselves and follow him. Jesus declares that those who save their lives will lose it, but those who lose our lives for his sake is to find life. To gain the world and forfeit your soul is not worth it. Jesus as the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the Father’s glory and judge each person. In short, Jesus is saying that following him involves denial and losing your life. It involves learning to say not my will but god’s will be done. It requires hearing the voice of God and not yourself.

• REFLECT

Are we following Jesus? Are we learning to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and following Jesus?

Following Jesus is tough, it involves denial, taking up our cross and following him. We cannot do what we want, when we want and how we want to do it. We must learn to do God’s will. Following Jesus may involve losing your life and many in the faith have lost their lives for the sake of Christ. Peter was crucified upside down later in his life for the sake of the faith, showing that he understood what Jesus was saying.

Yet, this is not the end of the story for Jesus also declares that those who lose our lives for his sake will find life. Peter found a life that is untouched by death and Peter will receive his reward at the coming of Jesus Christ in the glory of his Father.

Will we lose our lives to find a life that is untouchable by death?

reading for: Wednesday Night, 30 AUGUST

Exodus 3:1-15

Following the Son of Man requires obedience

• READ

  Moses was keeping the flock of his Father in law in the wilderness and he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There at Horeb, he saw the angel of the Lord appear to him in a burning bush and when he had come near the Lord spoke to him.

  Exodus 3:1–15 (ESV)

  1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

  Moses was keeping his father in law’s flock and when he came to Horeb, he saw a bush and the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the bush. The bush was burning but not consumed. God called to Moses out of the bush, calling his name and asking him not to come near, take his sandals of his feet, for this place is holy ground. God then declares that he is the God of his father, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He has seen the affliction of his people and knows their suffering and he has come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them to the promise land, which he promised to Abraham, Issac and Jacob. It was a land that flowed with milk and honey. The Lord told Moses that he will deliver his people. Then he told Moses that he will send Moses to bring his people out of Egypt. Moses refused and did not want to do this task.

  God did not take Moses’s denial but told him that, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Moses was still reluctant and queried God on the name of God. God told him that he is “I AM WHO I AM’. This is the Lord that sent Moses to deliver his people to fulfil his promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Moses was still reluctant to go, and it is only in Exodus 4 that he agrees to go after the Lord promises to send Aaron to go with Moses to help him speak. Moses then set off for Egypt to go back to Egypt to obey God and deliver the people of God from slavery in Egypt.

• REFLECT

  Moses was reluctant to go back to Egypt for years before he fled from Egypt after killing an Egyptian. He was perhaps afraid for his life, that Pharaoh will kill him. Yet, when God told him to go to Egypt, finally he went to Egypt in obedience to the Lord who spoke to him at the burning bush. Moses understood that following the Lord requires obedience and doing the will of the Lord even when he was reluctant and fearful.

  What is the Lord challenging us to do today? Are we prepared to do it even if we are reluctant to do it? Pray to the Lord and ask him for strength to help you to obey him.

reading for: Thursday Night, 31 AUGUST

Romans 12:9-21

Following the Son of Man who calls us to love

• READ

  Today, we are reading from Romans 12:9-21 which Paul talks about what it means to live in light of the Son of Man dying on the cross and rising again for us. As such, we can say that Paul is concerned with our response to this loving God who loves us.

  Romans 12:9–21 (ESV)

  9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

  Paul notes the importance of genuine love, calling his readers to hold fast to what is good. They are love one another with brotherly affection, constantly outdoing one another in showing honour. They were to genuine love each other, being concerned for each other and not seek to put down others but in humility to show honour to others. Paul calls on them to serve the Lord with fervent spirits, to rejoice in hope, to be patient in tribulation. They were to be people who pray constantly.

  Paul continues with his exhortation by calling on them to show hospitality and bless those who persecute them They were to live in harmony with each other, associating with the lowly.  They were to treat their enemies kindly and seek to live peaceably with all.  They were to live overcoming evil with good.  Paul expected the people of God that he was writing to live as people who choose to love each other.

• REFLECT

  Reading this entire section where Paul speaks again and again of what we must do to live must seem very legalistic. Yet, this is not what Paul is talking about. Paul is writing this set of instructions after spending eleven chapters talking about the grace and mercies of God and the magnificent deeds that the Lord has done for them. Paul is not presenting a legalistic list of tasks that they must do to earn the grace of God, but they follow the Son of Man and live a life of love as a consequence of the love that they have experienced.

  Take some time to spend time with the Lord of love and experience his love for you. Pray and talk to him about one thing you can do to love others because of his love for you.

reading for: FRIDAY Night, 1 september

Psalm 105:1-6,23-26,45b

Giving thanks to the Lord

• READ

  Psalm 105 is a psalm of praise to the Lord. The psalmist calls on the people to give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name.

  Psalm 105:1–6 (ESV)

  1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, 6 O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

  The people are to give thanks to the Lord, making known his deeds among the people. They were to tell of his wonderful works for he has done marvellous things for his people. They were to be people who sought the Lord continually. They were to remember all that the Lord has done for them, whether miracles or judgment.

  Psalm 105:23–25 (ESV)

  23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24 And the Lord made his people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes. 25 He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.

  Psalm 105:23-25 recounts the time when Israel came into Egypt when Joseph was prime minister of Egypt. Over many years, the people became very fruitful, and the King of Egypt was jealous of them for the Lord multiplied them and made them stronger than their foes. The Lord turned the hearts of Egypt to hate his people and to deal craftily with his servants for Egypt put the sons of Israel into slavery and hard labour. This is why they were to thank God. They were to thank God for multiplying them and also making people jealous of them putting them in slavery.

  Psalm 105 recounts the story of the Lord working through the generations from Abraham to the time of Moses where Moses led the people of God out of Egypt. It recounts the deeds of the Lord so that the people will give him praise and thanksgiving. Praise the Lord!

• REFLECT

  Recount what is one deed that the Lord has done for you that you want to give him praise for. Praise him for what he has done for you. Say the words of this psalm in praise to the Lord.