January Devotional Jornal 2020

January

2020 DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL

:

Mark 1 11

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

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DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL

January

2020

:

Mark 1 11

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Also available at www.cefc.org.sg and “Covenant EFC” mobile app.

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Memory

Verses 20

20

January

And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

MARK 1:11 (ESV)

February

And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

MARK 1:38 (ESV)

March

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

MARK 2:17 (ESV)

April

And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.

MARK 3:14–15 (ESV)

May

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

MARK 6:34 (ESV)

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June

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

MARK 8:34 (ESV)

July

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

MARK 8:35 (ESV)

August

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?

MARK 8:36–37 (ESV)

Septmber

And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

MARK 9:35 (ESV)

October

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.”

MARK 10:29–30 (ESV)

November

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

MARK 10:45 (ESV)

December

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

MARK 14:36 (ESV)

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Foreword

by Senior Pastors

20 20 WE WILL NEVER graduate from our personal discipleship. We must always return to the basics and fundamentals! But we must also ask God to take us to new heights.

YEAR OF GREATER DISCIPLESHIP

S

o as Senior Pastors, we will lead Covenant EFC in 2020 into a Year of Greater Discipleship to: • take our Personal Discipleship deeper (keep digging into God’s Word and obey Him); • take our Family Discipleship higher (keep modelling Jesus and grow together); and • take our Disciplemaking further (keep sharing our faith and disciple others).

We believe that the Gospel of Mark ia an appropriate book to study together as a church to grow towards Greater Discipleship. Uniquely, Mark was the first Gospel written and the shortest one. It was written for a

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Roman audience and moves very quickly with various snapshots of the Servant King’s ministry. What is intriguing is that it was written by John Mark. We first see John Mark in Acts 12. Thereafter, he went on a missionary trip with Paul and Barnabas in Acts 12:25; 13:5,13, but for whatever reasons, John dropped out halfway. When we come to Acts 15:36-39, we witness the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over taking John Mark on the second missionary trip. Because of him, the two spiritual giants parted company.

This is the John Mark whom scholars believed wrote the Gospel of Mark through his close relationship with Peter.

How amazing it is that John Mark who was regarded by Paul as a dropout and failure was used by God to write the very first Gospel! This only goes to demonstrate that it is not about us, but about the grace and

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power of God. That sealed our decision to preach through the Gospel of Mark for 2020.

May God greatly bless you as you use this Devotional Journal to spend time daily in worship, prayer, Bible reading, reflection and application. Our prayer for you is reflected in this very old song, “Day by day, O dear Lord, three things I pray — to see You more clearly, love You more dearly and follow You more closely, day by day!”

St. Francis of Assisi wrote: “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

Whether it’s about our personal life, family, work or church discipleship, the wisdom of this quote applies. Let us grow in Greater Discipleship together!

In Christ, Rev Tan Kay Kiong and Rev Tony Yeo

St Francis of Assisi

“Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

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Guide To Using

THIS DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL

Step One

PREPARE YOUR HEART IN GOD’S PRESENCE • Select a fixed time (preferably in the morning before you begin your day) and a quiet place where you can be alone and undisturbed.

• Observe a moment of silence as you acknowledge God’s presence. Centre down.

• Begin with a song of worship. Meditate on the lyrics even if you are unfamiliar with the tune.

(Refer to the list of worship songs provided.)

• Ask God to open your heart to hear Him.

The English Standard Version (ESV) is the default Bible version translation unless otherwise specified.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER Examining your life is essential in your faith journey. Your redeemed life as a disciple of Christ deserves careful examining. May you take root and bear fruit in Him!

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Step Two

ALLOW GOD TO S.O.A.P. YOU WITH HIS WORD AND SPIRIT • Scripture – Take your time to meditate on the Scripture passage for the day. Pause and mull over words and phrases that stand out to you.

• Observation – Jot down significant insights and reflections from the passage you have read. You may use the guiding questions provided. The “Deeper Reflection” section is to aid your contemplation of the Scripture. It is not to replace your own observation, for the Holy Spirit illuminates the Scripture to you as you seek Him earnestly.

• Application – Note down a specific and practical commitment to God’s Word for you. Is there a command to obey, a sin to avoid, an example to follow, or a principle to live out? Where appropriate, share your devotional entry with someone.

• Prayer – Bring your heartfelt response to God in prayer.

PRAYER POINTERS FOR 2020

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Prayer pointers for Pastors and Staff are included every Tuesday. Every Thursday, a prayer pointer is included for Outreach/ Missions/New Life Leaders. On each Friday, there is a prayer pointer for SGI Leaders (e.g. Zone Mentors, CG Leaders and Assistant CG Leaders). A prayer pointer for Church Board Members is included every Saturday. Please pray for each group as well as any specific individuals whom God may bring to your mind.

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T H E

C H U R C H

B E Y O N D

Hong Kong

We Love You :

Romans 13 1-3 (NASB)

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same.”

A

s Hong Kong’s anti-government protests enter into their seventh straight month, they show no signs of abating.

Instead, there has been a sharp escalation of violence, especially as smaller groups of hardcore demonstrators are bent on sowing chaos. As one report aptly puts it, Hong Kong is “slipping into an abyss of terrorism”.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel for Hong Kong? What is the Church’s response? In John 16:33 (NASB), Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

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We desperately need the Lord’s perspective to bring any degree of clarity.

That simple prayer, “God, what’s going on here? Where within Your Scriptures is Your wisdom that is needed for Hong Kong”, helps us to get there.

The Church needs to unite in prayer as one Church in the city. The true battle is waged on our knees in prayer. The Bible is clear. Ephesians 6:12 (NASB) says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Father, we ask to see Your strategy for silencing strife and false strategies of darkness. Expose every scheme of the evil one. Silence and nullify every unjust and unrighteous authority.

Pray For the Lord to stretch forth His right hand and holy arm and deliver Hong Kong out of this wickedness. James 5:16b (NASB) says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Lord, you are looking for that one man who will stand in the gap.

For repentance on behalf of the people of Hong Kong for their rebellious hearts and acts against public order and safety. For healing in the land and for trust to be restored.

For the Hong Kong government to exercise wisdom and to have a heart for the welfare of the nation and the common good. For the safety of law enforcement officers and their families. For the media to report responsibly, as fake news is stoking anger and violence.

For the shepherds to show the way and lead the sheep home in repentance and reconciliation.

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Worship Songs

SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER

LET THERE BE LIGHT

January - February

HOLY SPIRIT (LIVING BREATH OF GOD) Verse 1 Holy Spirit, living Breath of God Breathe new life into my willing soul Let the presence of the risen Lord Come renew my heart and make me whole Cause Your Word to come alive in me Give me faith for what I cannot see Give me passion for Your purity Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me Verse 2 Holy Spirit, come abide within May Your joy be seen in all I do Love enough to cover every sin In each thought and deed and attitude Kindness to the greatest and the least Gentleness that sows the path of peace Turn my strivings into works of grace Breath of God, show Christ in all I do Verse 3 Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth Giving life to all that God has made Show Your power once again on earth Cause Your church to hunger for Your ways

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Let the fragrance of our prayers arise Lead us on the road of sacrifice That in unity the face of Christ May be clear for all the world to see Keith Getty | Stuart Townend © 2006 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Crossroad Distributors Pty. Ltd.) CCLI Song # 4779872 CCLI License # 324618

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BE THOU MY VISION Verse 1 Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art Thou my best thought, by day or by night Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light Verse 2 Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one Verse 3 Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise Thou mine inheritance, now and always Thou and Thou only, first in my heart High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art Chorus Oh, God, be my everything, be my delight Be, Jesus, my glory My soul’s satisfied Oh, God, be my everything, be my delight Be, Jesus, my glory My soul’s satisfied Verse 4 High King of heaven, my victory won May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O Ruler of all Eleanor Henrietta Hull | Mary Elizabeth Byrne © Words: Public Domain CCLI Song # 30639 CCLI License # 324618

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BUILD MY LIFE Verse 1 Worthy of every song we could ever sing Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe We live for You Verse 2 Jesus the name above every other name Jesus the only one who could ever save Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe We live for You Oh, we live for You Chorus Holy there is no one like You There is none besides You Open up my eyes in wonder Show me who You are and fill me With Your heart and lead me In Your love to those around me Bridge I will build my life upon Your love It is a firm foundation I will put my trust in You alone And I will not be shaken Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Elizabeth Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett © 2016 Martin, Karl Andrew (Admin. by Arkyard Music Services Limited) Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) Housefires Sounds (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) Said And Done Music (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) sixsteps Music (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) Thankyou Music (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) Bethel Music Publishing (Admin. by SHOUT! Music Publishing) Kaple Music (Admin. by SHOUT! Music Publishing) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI Song # 7070345 CCLI License # 324618

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YOUR LOVE AWAKENS ME Verse 1 There were walls between us By the cross You came and broke them down You broke them down And there were chains around us

By Your grace we are no longer bound No longer bound Pre-Chorus You called me out of the grave You called me into the light You called my name and then my heart came alive!

Chorus Your love is greater!

Your love is stronger!

Your love awakens, awakens, awakens me!

(Repeat) Verse 2 Feel the darkness shaking All the dead are coming Back to life, back to life Hear the song awaken all creation Singing we’re alive ‘Cause You’re alive!

Bridge And what a love we’ve found!

Death can’t hold us down!

We shout it out We’re alive ‘cause You’re alive!

Ending Your love awakens me Your love is greater Your love is stronger Your love awakens, awakens, awakens me!

Seems Like Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) Sing My Songs (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI Song # 7054720 CCLI License # 324618

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THE COMPASSION HYMN Verse 1 There is an everlasting kindness You lavished on us When the radiance of heaven Came to rescue the lost You called the sheep without a shepherd To leave their distress For Your streams of forgiveness And the shade of Your rest Verse 2 And with compassion for the hurting You reached out Your hand As the lame ran to meet You And the dead breathed again You saw behind the eyes of sorrow And shared in our tears Heard the sigh of the weary Let the children draw near Chorus What boundless love What fathomless grace You have shown us, O God of compassion Each day we live An offering of praise As we show to the world Your compassion Verse 3 We stood beneath the cross of Calvary And gazed on Your face At the thorns of oppression And the wounds of disgrace For surely You have borne our suffering And carried our grief As You pardoned the scoffer And showed grace to the thief

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Verse 4 How beautiful the feet that carry This Gospel of peace To the fields of injustice And the valleys of need To be a voice of hope and healing To answer the cries Of the hungry and helpless With the mercy of Christ Keith Getty | Kristyn Getty | Stuart Townend © 2008 Thankyou Music (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI Song # 5468807 CCLI License # 324618

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CHRIST IS ENOUGH Verse 1 Christ is my reward And all of my devotion Now there’s nothing in this world That could ever satisfy Through every trial My soul will sing No turning back I’ve been set free Chorus Christ is enough for me Christ is enough for me Everything I need is in You Everything I need Verse 2 Christ my all in all The joy of my salvation And this hope will never fail Heaven is our home Through every storm My soul will sing Jesus is here To God be the glory Bridge I have decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back Post-Bridge The cross before me the world behind me No turning back, no turning back Jonas Myrin | Reuben Morgan © 2012 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI Song # 6514035 CCLI License # 324618

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OVERCOME Verse 1 Seated above Enthroned in the Father’s love Destined to die Poured out for all mankind Verse 2 God’s only Son Perfect and spotless One And He never sinned But suffered as if He did Pre-Chorus All authority Every victory is Yours All authority Every victory is Yours Chorus Savior worthy of honor and glory Worthy of all our praise For You overcame Jesus awesome in power forever Awesome and great is Your Name For You overcame Verse 3 Power in hand Speaking the Father’s plan You’re sending us out Light in this broken land Bridge We will overcome By the blood of the Lamb And the word of our testimony Everyone overcome Jon Egan © 2007 Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by CopyCare Asia Ltd (Singapore Branch)) For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com CCLI Song # 5064359 CCLI License # 324618

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GOD IS HERE Intro Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Verse 1 Open our eyes, Lord We want to see You Open our hearts, Lord We want to know You Open our ears, Lord We need to hear You Jesus be revealed Jesus be revealed Chorus God is here God is here God is here He is able We draw near To see Jesus face to face God is here God is here God is here He is faithful We draw near to see Jesus Oh Jesus be revealed Verse 2 Open the gates, Lord Reveal Your glory Open the nations Establish Your Kingdom Open the Heavens Pour out Your Spirit Jesus be revealed Jesus be revealed

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Bridge Holy We cry holy Hallelujah God is here (x4) Darlene Zschech | Israel Houghton | Phil Wickham © EWI (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing); Integrity Worship Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing); Integrity’s Praise! Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing); Sound Of The New Breed (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing); Phil Wickham Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.); Seems Like Music (Admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc.) CCLI Song # 6454669 CCLI License # 324618

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GOD IS ABLE Verse 1 God is able He will never fail He is Almighty God Greater than all we seek Greater than all we ask He has done great things Chorus Lifted up He defeated the grave Raised to life Our God is able In His Name We overcome For the Lord Our God is able Verse 2 God is with us God is on our side He will make a way Far above all we know Far above all we hope He has done great things Bridge God is with us He will go before He will never leave us He will never leave us God is for us He has open arms He will never fail us He will never fail us

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Ending For the Lord Our God is able For the Lord Our God is able Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan © 2010 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI Song # 5894275 CCLI License # 324618

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GOD OF AGES Verse 1 God of ages Bringing glory here You are good, You are good Son of righteousness You are all I seek With all my heart Pre-Chorus Giver of life Hope for the lost Is in You All of the earth Shines with Your light Your glory Chorus You are the God who lives You are the God who heals You are my hope, my everything You brought salvation to us Offered Your peace to the world You are my Lord My everything Verse 2 In your promise And your faithfulness I will trust all my days King forever Reign in majesty Be glorified Ben Fielding © 2007 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI Song # 4869933 CCLI License # 324618

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Keep Modelling Christ in Your Family

WEDNESDAY 1 January

S CRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 13:1-8a, 13

O B S E RVAT I O N What does Christian love look and sound like in interpersonal relationships?

C

Deeper Reflection

OVENANT EFC’S THEME for this new year 2020 is “Year of Greater Discipleship”. Over the course of this week, we will be reflecting on these three subthemes: • 30-31 December 2019: Take our Personal Discipleship deeper – keep studying and obeying God’s Word!

• 1-2 January 2020: Take our Family Discipleship higher – keep modelling Christ in your family and growing together as a family!

• 3-4 January 2020: Take our Disciplemaking further – keep sharing your God story with others and helping people to follow Jesus Christ!

Today, we reflect on how to keep modelling Christ in our families. We do so by expressing Christ’s love in our speech and actions. It is all too easy to skim over this familiar passage without understanding its implications and feeling its impact. Is there a family member you need to show patience and kindness towards? Maybe you have been snapping at him or her, perhaps even harsh and dismissive when you speak. God wants you to repent and love the person by being patient and kind in your words and deeds. God wants to fill your heart with His love to do so on a sustained basis. Is there a family member whom you envy for his personality and career success, or for her beauty and ministry prominence? It is time to repent and not let such envy prevent you from loving the person. Perhaps you’ve been boastful, arrogant and rude towards a younger sibling, or insisting on your own way, irritable and resentful towards a parent?

Humbly acknowledge this and repent before God, and ask Him to help you love these people this year.

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A P P L I C AT I O N Which aspect(s) of Christian love do I want God to help me grow in as I relate to my family members in 2020?

2020

P R AY E R Heavenly Father, I recognise the pride and

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

insecurity in my heart.

Thank You for reminding me that without love, I am nothing and can achieve

Pray for leaders:

nothing. Please forgive me for my failures in loving my family members and help me to love them with

Pray for significant people:

Your love this year. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Keep Growing Together as a Family

THURSDAY 2 January

S CRIPTURE 2 Peter 1:1-8; Galatians 5:13-24

O B S E RVAT I O N How do Christians keep growing in Christ-like qualities and character?

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Deeper Reflection

020 IS COVENANT EFC’S Year of Greater Discipleship. We desire to take our family discipleship higher. To do so, we must keep growing together as a family. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. God has given us His precious and great promises regarding salvation and new life in Christ, so that we can hold fast to those promises, seek to live up to them and always be encouraged by them. “Make every effort”, the apostle Peter instructs us, to keep growing in the qualities of virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love (vv.5-7). This means striving, working hard and doing our best to grow in those qualities. Such growth comes through active obedience and pursuit. It will not happen if we are passive and make little or no effort to order and structure our lives for growth. That’s where spiritual disciplines play a big part in individual and family devotion to the Lord and submission to His will and His ways. The apostle Paul reminds us that as God’s family, we are to love and serve one another, and be united, not divided (Gal 5:13-15). We are not to gratify the desires of the flesh, instead we are to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and grow in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). People of God, let us individually and as a family make every effort to keep growing together in Christ-like qualities and character this year, so that we may continually be effective and fruitful for the Lord!

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A P P L I C AT I O N What Christ-like qualities and character will I work on growing for 2020 and what specific steps will I take?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For Outreach/Missions/ New Life leaders: To keep growing in Christ-like qualities and character Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Keep Sharing Your God-Story with Others

FRIDAY 3 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 5:1-20

O B S E RVAT I O N What insights can you glean about why and how the healed demoniac told others about Jesus?

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Deeper Reflection

N 2020, our Year of Greater Discipleship, one of the chief ways that we can grow as Jesus’ disciples is by participating in the glorious mission of bringing others along with us on the journey of discipleship.

This is our mission to make disciples! When we taste the joy of the Lord’s mission, we no longer drag our feet: we don’t have to do it, we get to do it! The healed Gerasene demoniac knew this joy. Before his encounter with Jesus, he had an utterly miserable existence. He was under the complete control of a legion of demons (v.9) who drove him to perpetual self-harm (v.5). He lived among the tombs, a complete social outcast (v.3).

But when Jesus came and cast the demons out of the man, he was set free and put in his right mind (v.15). After that, Jesus commanded him, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (v.19). The man gladly obeyed, because his proclamation was an overflow of his gratitude to Jesus for the mercy he had received. Likewise, when our hearts are full because of what God has done for us, we will not keep silent! Like the man, God sends us first to our own people – the circles of family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours He has placed us in – to share His story in us. These are people with whom we are best placed to connect and share with. As evangelist D.T. Niles said, “Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

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A P P L I C AT I O N Who are the people whom the Lord is leading me to B.L.E.S.S. with Jesus the Bread of Life in this new year?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from your

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For SGI leaders: To keep testifying to people about God’s work in their lives Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Keep Helping People to Follow Jesus Christ

SATURDAY 4 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 28:16-20

O B S E RVAT I O N What does making disciples of all nations involve?

R

Deeper Reflection

EFERRING TO THE OUTCOME of Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth, evangelist Dr Robert Coleman asked: Is it not rather disappointing that one with all the powers of the universe at His command would live and die to save the world, yet in the end have only a few ragged disciples to show for His labours?1 From an efficiency perspective, yes, it is disappointing. But to the Lord Jesus, no. Disciples were always part of Jesus’ master plan of evangelism. As Dr Coleman observed, “Men2 were His method”. Verses 18 to 20 record the Lord’s Great Commission to His followers. We often focus on the command to “Go” (v.19a). However, the key focus of the verses is the main verb “make disciples” of all nations. To make disciples, we are to baptise (v.19b) and teach people to observe, that is, obey all that the Lord has commanded (v.20a). In other words, teach people to follow Jesus! In the context of Matthew’s Gospel, the commands refer to the law that Jesus Himself fulfilled and fully interpreted (see Matt 5-7). The law is the pattern that God has given us to live in such a way that we may enjoy the fullness of our relationship with Him. Disciplemaking is the process of helping people to enter into and grow in their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It involves making known what God has said in His Word and sharing the life that we ourselves have experienced in Christ.

Disciplemaking is both the duty and privilege of every disciple of Christ!

We are God’s chosen method of spreading the good news to all nations!

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I help someone in this new year to follow Jesus better in his or her life (pray for the people who come to your mind at this moment)?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from your

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For church board: To keep helping people to follow Jesus Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

1 2

Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism.

Used in a generic sense to refer to both men and women.

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Sunday Journal

S CRIPTURE

O B S E RVAT I O N

A P P L I C AT I O N

P R AY E R

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The Past Week REVIEW What was my high point and my low point for the week?

What gave me life and what drained me?

How was the Spirit of God at work?

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The Past Week REFLECT What is one key thing that God said to me this week in light of what has happened?

RESPOND What is one thing I need to do in light of what God is saying? Commit in prayer.

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WEEK

1

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

37

JANUARY 2020

NEW YEAR, NEW ATTITUDE

Jesus helps me to have a new attitude.

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

ACTIVITY BITE Write the words “love”, “joy”, “peace”, “patience”, “kindness”, “goodness”, “faithfulness”, “gentleness” and “self-control” on separate pieces of paper and draw a fruit to represent each word. Then, take turns as a family picking one of the pieces of paper and sharing why you find it hard to show this particular fruit of the Spirit in your everyday life.

CHAT TIME Q1: What does a person with the fruit of the Spirit look like?

Q2: Why does God encourage us to bear the fruit of the Spirit?

Q3: What habits will you cultivate this year to develop the fruit of the Spirit?

LEARNING POINT The fruit of the Spirit is Christ-like characteristics that Jesus would like us to have. They show in our attitude towards others, in the way we talk and our actions. We may be short of patience or have not been kind to our siblings or friends, but God can help us to develop new attitudes when we ask Him. Our godly attitudes are what God can use to draw others to Him. This new year will be a good time to ask God to help you develop and change to be more like Jesus.

ACTION POINT Get each family member to select one fruit of the Spirit that he or she wishes to develop and practise regularly in the new year.

FAMILY PRAYER POINTS Pray that God will fill us with the fruit of the Spirit to show love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control to others through our godly actions.

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Heaven Is God’s Dwelling Place

MONDAY 6 January

S CRIPTURE 2 Chronicles 6:18-21; Isaiah 66:1

O B S E RVAT I O N What can you learn about God and heaven from this portion of King Solomon’s prayer after he built God’s temple in Jerusalem?

T

Deeper Reflection

HIS PASSAGE and other parts of the Scriptures present heaven as God’s dwelling place in this present age (e.g. Deut 26:15; Matt 6:9). Figuratively, heaven is God’s throne and the earth is His footstool (Isa 66:1). The New Testament tells us clearly that soon after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father (Lk 24:44-53; Acts 1:1-11; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; Heb 8:1; 12:2; 1 Pet 3:21-22). On God’s appointed day, Jesus will return from heaven to earth to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1). Thereafter, God will make all things new. There will be a new heaven and a new earth in which God will dwell with all His people forever and they will enjoy His abundant blessings (Rev 21:1-7). Since the beginning of creation God had sought to create a place where He would dwell with humankind – creatures made in His image. But the first human beings, Adam and Eve, sinned against God, rebelling against Him and disobeying His commands.

Consequently, humankind fell, the whole of creation was corrupted, the perfection was marred and everything became out of order. How could the holy and righteous God ever dwell with fallen and sinful people? In human history, God unfolded His salvation plan to redeem sinful people through the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death and resurrection for sinners provided a way for all who believe in Him to be forgiven by God and accepted as God’s children who will inherit the blessing of dwelling eternally in God’s presence.

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A P P L I C AT I O N What do I think it will be like to dwell in God’s presence forever and how do I feel about that?

2020

P R AY E R

vin

lf

in the life to come, I will be in Your

Gi

Se

Thank You for Your promise that

d

experience Your presence with me.

nee

that I can know You in this present life, to

se in

me to be reconciled to You. Thank You

Tho

Leaders

Your Son Jesus Christ to make a way for

Significant people

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending

g

dwelling place forever, together with all the people whom You have redeemed by the blood of Jesus our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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Unless Your Righteousness Exceeds …

TUESDAY 7 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 5:17-20; Romans 3:21-24; Philippians 3:7-9

O B S E RVAT I O N Since God requires perfect righteousness from us, how can we qualify for entry into God’s Kingdom?

G

Deeper Reflection

OD’S COMMANDS are neither to be disregarded in the smallest part nor diminished in the slightest way. They are to be fully upheld and completely obeyed by God’s people: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). But none of us can perfectly keep God’s commands and meet His standard of righteousness to be in a right relationship with Him. Jesus taught that the best of human righteousness from law-keeping (represented by the scribes and Pharisees)3 will not save us. We need to have God’s righteousness – it must somehow be imputed or credited to us (i.e. counted as ours).

This is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ, who being both fully God and fully man is uniquely able to be our representative as the perfect man in His perfect obedience to God the Father. When we believe in Christ, we are found in Him and God sees us in Him, and thus Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us. We can fully depend on having God’s righteousness on the basis of our faith in Christ (Rom 3:21-24), instead of trying to depend on our own righteousness for salvation. We echo the post-conversion perspective of the apostle Paul, who used to depend on his own righteousness as a model Pharisee: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ … in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Phil 3:7-9).

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A P P L I C AT I O N Give thanks to God for His righteousness that came to you through your faith in Jesus Christ. Do it through prayer and by personal testimony to an unbeliever today.

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For pastors and staff: To always be thankful for God’s grace and serve Him with gladness Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

3

Among the Jews, the scribes were experts in the law and the Pharisees were exemplary in keeping the law of God. In the Mosiac Law (i.e. the Pentateuch), there are 613 commandments (248 positive and 365 negative). To ordinary Jews, it would seem impossible for them to surpass the scribes and Pharisees in legal righteousness. Yet Jesus taught that unless a person’s righteousness exceeds their standard, he or she will never enter God’s Kingdom.

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Unless You Have a Relationship …

WEDNESDAY 8 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 7:21-23; 12:46-50

O B S E RVAT I O N Why will some people who call Jesus “Lord, Lord” and do many things in His name not enter God’s Kingdom in the end?

K

Deeper Reflection

NOWING JESUS is more than mere profession of His lordship, it is truly submitting to His authority over all of one’s life. Knowing Jesus is more than doing great works and declaring with the right words that those were done in Jesus’ name, it is truly doing things to glorify God alone and not trying to make a name for oneself. Knowing Jesus is about obeying God’s commands, aligning with God’s ways and doing God’s will. Obedience is required. And it cannot be faked.

True obedience accompanies true faith. No one can have faith in Christ without obedience to God. Without faith and obedience, a person cannot truly follow Jesus. The lordship of Jesus in one’s life is all about one’s heart.

Jesus sees and knows every person’s heart. Jesus isn’t deceived by people’s outward spirituality. He sees the inward reality and knows the ones who truly know Him and follow Him. These people will be accepted into heaven. All counterfeits will not. Isn’t this a sobering thought? What are you going to do about it? In Matthew 12:46-50, Jesus made it very clear that His disciples are all those who do the will of God the Father and Jesus considers all of them His family members. Indeed, anyone who does God’s will is considered by Jesus as His brother and sister and mother. Certainly, Jesus’ family members are known to Him and dear to Him. They belong to Him and He belongs to them. They will surely enter God’s Kingdom at the Second Coming of Jesus and be with Him forever in the Father’s house.

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A P P L I C AT I O N What must I do this year in order to grow in obedience to God’s will as revealed in the Scriptures?

2020

P R AY E R Lord Jesus, thank You for the relationship that

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

I, a sinner, can have with You. Thank You for making this relationship possible by Your death and

Pray for leaders:

resurrection for my sake so that I can be forgiven and cleansed of all my sins.

Please help me to grow

Pray for significant people:

in my experience of and obedience to You this year through a closer daily walk with You. Amen.

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Unless You Become Like Children …

THURSDAY 9 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 18:1-4; Luke 10:21

O B S E RVAT I O N In what way must people become like children in order to enter God’s Kingdom?

P

Deeper Reflection

RIDE IS A GREAT OBSTACLE to belief in Jesus Christ. Proud people will not acknowledge their need for Jesus. They will stand in judgment of God’s Word instead of letting God’s Word judge them and convict them of their sins. Proud people will not embrace the Saviour Jesus, whom God the Father has provided to save sinners from their sins. They need to become like children. A little child doesn’t know much, he trusts what his father tells him. It would therefore seem that for adults to become like children, the adults will need to likewise trust what the heavenly Father reveals to them in His Word. The Scriptures tell us that people have a sin problem, which makes it impossible for them to enter God’s Kingdom unless they believe in Jesus the Son of God — who suffered and died on the cross on their behalf to take the punishment for their sins, and on the third day rose from the dead, victorious over sin and death. Luke 10:21 tells us that the truths about God’s Kingdom can be understood even by little children because God the Father has graciously revealed these truths to them. The children’s lack of wisdom and understanding with regard to the world is not a hindrance to them believing the truths about God and His Kingdom. They are able to believe God with a simple faith. And that is something that adults can, with humility, learn from little children. It is not that using one’s intellect is wrong, but that doing so with pride sets up an obstacle to one’s belief in and understanding of God.

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A P P L I C AT I O N To what extent is my faith in Jesus Christ an intellectual one as compared to a simple trust in Him as He is revealed in the Scriptures?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For Outreach/Missions/ New Life leaders: To be given divine wisdom to help unbelievers who have intellectual barriers to believe in Jesus Christ Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Unless You Trust and Follow Jesus …

FRIDAY 10 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 19:23-30; 6:24

O B S E RVAT I O N Why is it difficult for a rich person to enter God’s Kingdom?

I

Deeper Reflection

SN’T IT TRUE that many people around us in our modern affluent society are slaves to money? Wealth or worldly riches has a way of taking over our heart’s affection and demanding our life’s service. That is why Jesus taught in Matthew 6:24 that a person who gives money his love and devotion will inevitably serve money as master. Such a person will be unable to serve God as master. Yet those who would enter God’s Kingdom must acknowledge Jesus as King and follow Him. Following Jesus means following Him on His terms. This is a growth process that all disciples of Christ will go through in the course of their lives. It is a process of learning to trust Jesus more and to live for Him. Jesus alone deserves our love and devotion, for “He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor 5:15). What would certainly trip people up and cause them to fall or wander off the right path are worldly wealth and the pride in possessions. Hence, the apostle Paul instructed his disciple Timothy to command rich people not to be proud nor to put their hope in wealth, but to put their hope in God (1 Tim 6:17). A person who finds his security in money will depend on money to secure his present and future well-being. It will therefore be very difficult for such a person to be able to trust in Jesus and thereby enter God’s Kingdom.

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A P P L I C AT I O N To what extent do I depend on money to secure my present and future well-being?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For SGI leaders: To continually trust and follow Jesus in their lives and ministries Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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The Guarantee of Our Future Glory

SATURDAY 11 January

S CRIPTURE Ephesians 1:3-14; John 6:39-40

O B S E RVAT I O N As believers in Jesus Christ, what is our inheritance (v.14) and how is it guaranteed (v.13)?

I

Deeper Reflection

N THIS PASSAGE, the apostle Paul taught the Ephesian Christians that all believers in Christ have been blessed by God with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. Verses 4 to 14 tell us that the nature of God’s gracious gifts include “election to holiness, adoption as God’s sons and daughters, redemption and forgiveness, a knowledge of God’s gracious plan to sum up all things in Christ, the gift of the Spirit and the hope of glory”4. These gifts are not simply future benefits to be enjoyed in the age to come. The blessings are a present reality for all Christians as a result of God’s saving action in Christ, and they will continue into eternity. Indeed, Jesus has promised eternal life to all those who believe in Him; none will be lost, every one of them will be raised up on the last day (Jn 6:39-40). Paul taught further about the age to come when he wrote about “our inheritance” (v.14). Both Jewish and Gentile Christians “have a sure and certain hope of inheriting the glory of the life to come, as promised in the Gospel”5. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, our future glory. God has given the Holy Spirit as a seal of ownership on every believer in Christ; they have been marked out as belonging to God. The Holy Spirit is a deposit that guarantees that all believers will receive their glorious inheritance from God. The indwelling Spirit is also a foretaste of the life to come, when believers will fully experience God’s presence with them always and forever.

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A P P L I C AT I O N How should the truth that my future glory is guaranteed affect the way I live my present life?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For church board: To continually praise the Lord for His gracious blessings in their lives Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

4 5

Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 1999), 95.

Peter T. O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 1999), 121.

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Sunday Journal

S CRIPTURE

O B S E RVAT I O N

A P P L I C AT I O N

P R AY E R

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The Past Week REVIEW What was my high point and my low point for the week?

What gave me life and what drained me?

How was the Spirit of God at work?

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The Past Week REFLECT What is one key thing that God said to me this week in light of what has happened?

RESPOND What is one thing I need to do in light of what God is saying? Commit in prayer.

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WEEK

2

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

53

JANUARY 2020

NEW YEAR, NEW HABIT

Jesus helps me to form good habits.

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

ACTIVITY BITE Discuss with your family about good habits that will bless another person. Then, take some star stickers and take turns pasting one on each of your family members, saying, “This is one good habit that I would like you to have in this new year – “______________________, so that ______________________.” For example, “Put your plates in the sink after dinner, so that it will be easier for Mommy to wash them.”

CHAT TIME Q1: According to Matthew 7:12, why would you want others to do good to you?

Q2: How do you think others would feel if you demanded them to treat you well when you don’t do the same to them?

Q3: How does cultivating good habits help us to treat others better?

LEARNING POINT God shows us how we should treat each other in Matthew 7:12. The ways that you want others to treat you are the ways that you should treat others, and you should be the one who does it first. If you want others to be kind to you, then that is how you should treat them first. It is about love in action. But such actions may not come automatically. You need to practise them daily to make them a habit. Good habits make life more enjoyable for you and others. They can help you develop the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).

ACTION POINT Get your family members to write down one good thing that they will do to others and an action that they can carry out regularly to make it a habit.

FAMILY PRAYER POINTS Thank God for loving us unconditionally even when we do not deserve it. Pray for God’s guidance to love others who are different from us and to treat them as we would want to be treated.

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God’s Reign Over the Nations

MONDAY 13 January

S CRIPTURE Psalm 2

O B S E RVAT I O N From this psalm, what do you learn about the world’s rebels and the King who reigns supreme?

V

Deeper Reflection

ERSES 1 TO 3 show the world in rebellion against the rightful rule of the God of Israel and His Anointed (Greek: Christos6). The world is represented by all its human kings and rulers (vv.2, 10), who unite together to plot and plan against God in heaven and His anointed King. But all their plans are in vain. Their best efforts amount to nothing and do not for one moment threaten in any measure the mighty rule of God who reigns supreme from heaven (v.4).

God’s anointed King is His Son (vv.2, 7, 11-12). God’s will is for His Son the King to be recognised in Jerusalem (“Zion, My holy hill”), and from there the reign of the Son of God will be established over all the nations of the world and He will possess them from one end of the earth to the other (vv.6, 8). While Jesus Christ the Son of God is characterised by humility and meekness in His incarnation and earthly ministry (see the four Gospels), He is also the soon returning mighty conqueror whose power no enemy can withstand (Rev 19:11-21). A clear warning and an urgent call are issued to submit to and serve God and His Son before it is too late, because failure to do so would mean that all rebellious kings, rulers and people will be destroyed (vv.9-12). In contrast, all those who wisely give up their rebellion and disobedience, and humbly turn from their sins to believe in and submit to the Son of God, will be blessed because they take refuge in Him (v.12b).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I lead myself, my family members and friends to submit to God’s rule and to take refuge in Him?

2020

P R AY E R O Lord my God, I acknowledge Your reign

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

over all the nations and all of my life. While I know that cognitively, I confess that there are areas in

Pray for leaders:

my life that have yet to be fully submitted to Your rule. I want to trust and obey You in these

Pray for significant people:

areas. Please help me experience Your steadfast love and enabling grace to joyfully submit to You

Pray for those in need:

and receive Your intended blessings for me. Amen.

Pray for self:

6

As a title, this refers to the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ.

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From Smallness to Greatness

TUESDAY 14 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 13:31-33

O B S E RVAT I O N What metaphors did Jesus use in these two parables and what is their significance?

M

Deeper Reflection

ATTHEW 13 records seven of Jesus’ parables, often called the “parables of the kingdom”. In the present two parables, Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed and leaven. The mustard seed is a very small seed, but grows into a large tree.

The leaven7 placed into a large quantity of flour ferments the entire batch of dough. Both metaphors symbolise the small beginning of the Kingdom of God on earth and its growth to ultimate greatness: (1) the hiddenness and obscurity of the Kingdom’s inauguration; (2) its subsequent growth and provision of great peace and security to those who seek refuge by entering in (through faith in Jesus Christ); and (3) that one day, the full number of people from all the nations of the earth will be in God’s Kingdom. All these aspects above are reflected in the growth of the Church since the birth of Jesus. He was born in Bethlehem, in an animal shelter and laid in a feeding trough. Jesus grew up in the city of Nazareth in Galilee, an insignificant place that was held in low regard (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”, Jn 1:46). He started His ministry with just a few disciples whom He called to follow Him. They included lowly fishermen and a despised tax collector. But what started out as Jesus and His twelve disciples became a movement that spread from Jerusalem to the entire world. Ultimately, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How do these verses encourage me in my Christian ministry in the local church, the marketplace or overseas missions?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For pastors and staff: To be steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

7

Leaven is a piece of fermented dough from a previous occasion of baking.

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Worth Absolutely Everything

WEDNESDAY 15 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 13:44-50

O B S E RVAT I O N Why is the Kingdom of God of such great value?

T

Deeper Reflection

HROUGH THE FIRST TWO PARABLES here (vv.44-46), Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is worth absolutely everything. It is likened to “treasure hidden in a field” and the “one pearl of great value”. Both the man and the merchant sold all that they had in order to gain possession of that which they recognised as having utmost and ultimate value. Why is the Kingdom of God worth absolutely everything a person has? The answer is not clearly apparent from the two parables. One clue we get from verse 44 is that the prospect of having a place in God’s Kingdom brings great joy to the man’s heart, so much so that the selling of all he has is done joyfully (“in his joy”) and without any hint of reluctance or regret. A fuller answer can perhaps be found in the next parable (vv.47-50) and it has to do with one’s eternal destiny. God’s Kingdom will consist of people of diverse ethnicity (“of every kind”, v.47) and who are judged as righteous at the return of Christ (“at the close of the age”, v.49). People are only counted as righteous by God when they have been imputed with the righteousness of God on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:9-26). Such people will be in the presence of God and experience the fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Psa 16:11). What a glorious destiny! In contrast, people who are judged as evil will be separated out and thrown into hell – “the fiery furnace” where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (v.50).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I be used by God as His agent to help change the eternal destiny of people?

2020

P R AY E R Lord Jesus, thank You for

Prayer Pointers

dying on the cross to pay

Give thanks:

for my sins. Thank You that I am counted as righteous in God’s sight because of Your atoning sacrifice.

Pray for leaders:

Thank You for making it possible for me to be a member of the Kingdom of God through faith in

Pray for significant people:

You. Please empower me to lead others to believe in You and thereby have a glorious destiny, too. Amen.

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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A Royal Invitation to the Wedding Feast

THURSDAY 16 January

S CRIPTURE Matthew 22:1-10

O B S E RVAT I O N Why did the first group of invited guests not want to come to the wedding feast?

T

Deeper Reflection

HE KING THREW a big party for his son who was getting married. It was likely that this son was the king’s eldest one who would subsequently succeed him as king. Such a royal wedding banquet would be a really big deal and it would be an honour for anyone to receive a royal invitation. The guests had already been given invitations (“those who were invited”, v.3). The preparations for a royal wedding feast were extensive and took a considerable amount of time. The practice therefore was this: when the sumptuous dinner was prepared and everything was ready, the king would send his servants throughout the city to inform the invited guests that it was time to come to the wedding feast. This the king did. But the guests would not come!

That was surprising! The king could not believe this. Maybe this group of servants were really bad communicators and did a botched job. The king therefore sent a second group of servants to get the job done. But the invited guests “paid no attention and went off” (v.5). That was bad enough, but what was most shocking was that some of the guests seized, mistreated and murdered the servants (v.6)! What an unreasonable, even unthinkable, response! This attracted an understandable retaliation from the king, who sent his troops and destroyed them and their city. What a bunch of rebellious ingrates! They were unworthy of the king’s grace and fully deserving of the punishment meted out. The king then extended his gracious invitation to any traveller on the main roads and filled the wedding hall with guests who accepted.

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A P P L I C AT I O N In what way(s) have I recently rebelled against God’s rule over my life?

In prayer, confess and repent of your sins.

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as

Prayer Pointers

your response from your

Give thanks:

meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For Outreach/Missions/ New Life leaders: To respond aright to God’s righteous and gracious rule over their lives Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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God’s People Will Dwell with Him in Glory

FRIDAY 17 January

S CRIPTURE Revelation 21:1-4, 9-11, 22-27

O B S E RVAT I O N What will the holy city, new Jerusalem, be like for God’s people?

O

Deeper Reflection

NE COMMON MISCONCEPTION that Christians have is that our ultimate destination is the new heaven where we will dwell with God forever, and we will no longer have any experience of the earth. But the Bible tells us that God will bring about “a new heaven and a new earth” (v.1) and that He will dwell with His people in the holy city, new Jerusalem, which comes down out of the new heaven (v.2; Rev 21:10), presumably to the new earth. The holy city, new Jerusalem, is characterised by some wondrous features. First, it is described as a beautiful bride – the Bride, the wife of the Lamb – having the glory of God and exceeding radiance (v.2; Rev 21:9-11). As inanimate land and nonliving buildings cannot be the wife of the Lamb, it is most likely that the holy city is also a figurative reference to all of God’s holy people. Indeed, only God’s righteous people, whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, will inhabit the holy city (v.27). They are collectively the wife of the Lamb, for Christ is the head and husband of the Church (Eph 5:22-32). Second, the manifest presence of God is in the holy city and the glory of God gives it light at all times (Rev 21:22-23). There is therefore no need for a temple, nor sunlight or moonlight. Third, the holy city is safe and secure (v.25)8 and its inhabitants will have no fear or insecurity. God’s people will not experience death, suffering or pain anymore (v.4); they will have joy, peace and glory in God’s presence forever.

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A P P L I C AT I O N What would it be like for me to live in the holy city, new Jerusalem?

Spend a few minutes to contemplate this.

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For SGI leaders: To be filled with joyful hope and anticipation of their eternal dwelling with God Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

8

Ancient cities had strong gates which would be shut during war time to provide protection against the enemy. During peace time, the city gates would be open in the day but shut at night. But the gates of the holy city will be open at all times – i.e. all day (there is no night) – because there is no enemy and no threat.

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God’s Servants Will Reign with Him Forever

SATURDAY 18 January

S CRIPTURE Revelation 22:1-5; Genesis 2:4-14

O B S E RVAT I O N How will God’s servants come to reign with Him forever?

V

Deeper Reflection

ERSES 1 AND 3 refer to “the throne of God and of the Lamb”.

A single throne is consistent with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity: One God eternally existing as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.9 “The river of the water of life” (v.1) and “the tree of life” (v.2) are two features of the holy city, new Jerusalem.

They were first seen in the garden of Eden: “the tree of life” (Gen 2:9) and “a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden” (Gen 2:10). In the garden of Eden there was also “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen 2:9), but it is absent in the holy city. Likewise absent will be the curses that came as a result of man’s rebellion and disobedience against God their Creator and King (Gen 3:8-19). In the holy city, there will not be anything accursed (v.3), because there will never again be the prospect of man rebelling against and disobeying God. God’s servants will fully submit to the rule of God their King and perfectly worship and obey Him (vv.3-4). God’s reign is life-giving: the river of life flows from His throne (v.1) and the tree of life bears fruit all year round for the city’s inhabitants (v.2). God accomplishes His will to heal the nations from their curses (“the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”, v.2).

People from all nations will worship God the King. God gives light and glory to His servants, who will reign with Him forever and ever (v.5).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I better serve God my King in this new year?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For church board: To joyfully submit to and worship God as His servants now and forever Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

9

Similarly, we note that in Matthew 28:19, Jesus instructed regarding baptism in one name – “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

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Sunday Journal

S CRIPTURE

O B S E RVAT I O N

A P P L I C AT I O N

P R AY E R

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The Past Week REVIEW What was my high point and my low point for the week?

What gave me life and what drained me?

How was the Spirit of God at work?

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The Past Week REFLECT What is one key thing that God said to me this week in light of what has happened?

RESPOND What is one thing I need to do in light of what God is saying? Commit in prayer.

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WEEK

3

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

69

JANUARY 2020

NEW YEAR, NEW RELATIONSHIP

Jesus helps me to build new relationships.

Scripture: Acts 18:1-4

ACTIVITY BITE Look through an old magazine for photos of people. Cut them out and lay them on a table for your family members to view. Then get everyone to take turns picking a photo and sharing where they would bring the person in the photo for a meal if they get a chance to meet him or her.

CHAT TIME Q1: What does Acts 18:1-4 tell us about what Paul needs to do if he wants to spread the good news about Jesus?

Q2: Why does God want us to build new relationships with people we have not met before?

Q3: What could prevent us from doing that?

LEARNING POINT Since the time that apostle Paul believed in Jesus, he went to many places to meet people to share God’s love with them. He also built deeper relationships with people whom he knew. Imagine if he just sat in his room for the rest of his life. How would others know about God’s love? As God’s children, we are encouraged to build new relationships with people whom we have not met before, because we can get them to learn that God loves them too. We can be the person that God uses to show His love and salvation.

ACTION POINT Get your family members to identify someone whom he or she wishes to pray for or bless this week. For example, it could be a next-door neighbour whom he or she hardly speaks to. Gather in a week’s time to share everyone’s progress and the outcomes.

FAMILY PRAYER POINTS Thank God for His gift of love. Pray that God will give us new friends whom we can build relationships with so that they can know Him too.

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Long Life in the Land

MONDAY 20 January

S CRIPTURE Ephesians 6:1-3; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

O B S E RVAT I O N What does it mean to honour our parents and to “live long in the land”?

O

Deeper Reflection

NE OF THE BLESSINGS that people wish for their relatives at Chinese New Year is long life, implicit in which is a wish for good health to enjoy the long life. In the Fifth Commandment, God commanded the people of Israel to honour their parents and attached a promise of long life in the land if they obeyed (v.1-3; Exo 20:12; Deut 5:16).

It is important to note that this promise was first made to the people of Israel as a whole, such that the duration of Israel in the promised land of Canaan depended on whether they feared the Lord and obeyed His commands for moral righteousness in their households (Deut 4:40; 32:46-47). The prophet Ezekiel told Israel that the moral breakdown on the family front was part of the reason for their Babylonian captivity (Eze 22:7, 15). Later, the prophet Malachi reminded Israel about the law of Moses and announced that God will send them Elijah the prophet before the end of the age to “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal 4:4-6). In verse 3, the apostle Paul universalised the promise by omitting any reference to the land of Israel: “live long in the land”, which is better translated as “live long on the earth”. When Church and society apply the timeless principle of children honouring their parents, we see the resultant blessings of good emotional, social and moral development of children.

There is a God-ordained order for the family unit. When followed, the community is built up; when rejected, everything will eventually break down.

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I better honour my parents? Further, if applicable, how can I be a better parent whom my child will find easier to honour?

2020

P R AY E R Heavenly Father, thank You for being the perfect

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

Father to me, loving me with an everlasting love and doing everything that was needed to save me

Pray for leaders:

from sin and death. Teach me to honour and obey You. Help me to represent You well wherever I am

Pray for significant people:

and whatever the situation may be. For I desire my thoughts, words and actions to glorify You

Pray for those in need:

before people. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Pray for self:

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Fullness of Joy Forever

TUESDAY 21 January

S CRIPTURE Psalm 16

O B S E RVAT I O N What blessings come upon us when we make God our refuge?

T

Deeper Reflection

O THE PSALMIST, King David, God is everything. David has chosen God to be his Lord and Master (vv.2, 5). Everything good that David experiences in life is seen in relation to God; indeed, God is the source of his well-being (vv.2, 6-11). David’s relationship with God is the greatest and ultimate blessing, such that every other blessing is enjoyed in the context of that primary relationship. David prays to God for protection, because he has taken shelter in God (v.1). When we always turn to God alone for protection, it reveals our allegiance and loyalty to Him alone (vv.3-4), our trust in His steadfast love and faithfulness, and our dependence on His wisdom and power. As a result, great blessings fill our lives. Firstly, security and prosperity. God is likened to landed property (“my chosen portion”, v.5a), which is the foundation of economic security in ancient Israel. God is also likened to a cup of wine (“my cup”, v.5a), which symbolises blessings. A secure future and a beautiful inheritance has been provided to us by God (vv.5b-6).

Secondly, guidance and protection. God guides His people at all times and in all situations (vv.7-8), and protects their whole being (vv.9-10).

Indeed, God makes known to them “the path of life” (v.11a). Thirdly, joy in God’s presence. Note the parallelisms of “in Your presence” and “at Your right hand”, as well as “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (v.11). In short, for God’s people, there is fullness of joy forever in God’s presence. All the above are great, immeasurable blessings that come from making the covenant-keeping God our refuge!

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A P P L I C AT I O N To what extent does my life reflect the joy of a person who is fully secure in God? Why is this so and what should I do about it?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For pastors and staff: To make God alone their refuge always and experience abiding joy in Him Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Spiritual Intimacy with God

WEDNESDAY 22 January

S CRIPTURE Psalm 73:23-28

O B S E RVAT I O N What is the evidence of the Psalmist’s spiritual intimacy with God?

T

Deeper Reflection

HE PSALMIST WROTE that he is continually with God and that God holds his right hand (v.23). Notice that it is God who is holding the Psalmist’s hand and continually with him. Isn’t it true that often we want to wander off or run away from God? But He is the One who continually holds our hand, guides us with His words and who will receive us to glory (v.24). When all the “scaffoldings’ of our life are stripped away, when we are in our “rightest” mind and seeing things most clearly, we will find ourselves echoing the words of the Psalmist, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (v.25). These are not merely pious words, but honest, soulbaring words. In these moments, we experience the reality that no one can compare with God: No one else loves us so compassionately and selflessly.

No one else knows us so fully, yet accepts and loves us so completely. No one else is as dependable as the unchanging and unfailing One. No one else can satisfy our deepest longing. No one else can secure our future and give us a glorious inheritance. When we experience that reality in our inner being, an inner strength and peace develops within us that no earthly circumstances can rob us of. Like the Psalmist, we can say with a quiet conviction of one’s soul, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (v.26) and “it is good to be near God” (v.28).

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A P P L I C AT I O N What will I do to keep near to God throughout this new year?

2020

P R AY E R O Lord my God, how awesome You are! How

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

great is Your love for Your people! I want to grow in relational closeness with You, to a level of spiritual

Pray for leaders:

intimacy that I’ve yet to experience. Please would You lead me in this? By the working of Your Spirit,

Pray for significant people:

help me to see You in the Scriptures and understand more of Your nature and character according to Your

Pray for those in need:

self-revelation. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Pray for self:

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Fruitfulness for God’s Glory

THURSDAY 23 January

S CRIPTURE John 15:4-8, 16

O B S E RVAT I O N What does it mean to abide in Jesus?

F

Deeper Reflection

RUITFULNESS IS A BLESSING from God. Jesus promised it to His disciples if they abide in Him. Abiding in Jesus means remaining in Him, staying connected to Him through the intake of His words (“My words abide in you”, v.7) and prayer (asking in Jesus’ name for life and ministry needs, vv.7, 16). Jesus is the vine and His disciples are the branches. Life, sustenance and nourishment flows from the vine to the branches; thus the branches can bear fruit. So too for the disciples: they must abide in Jesus in order to bear much fruit. If they do not remain connected to Him, they will not be able to produce fruit by themselves: “for apart from Me you can do nothing” (v.5). Nonabiding, fruitless “disciples” are of no use to God’s Kingdom purposes (v.6); they prove not to be Jesus’ disciples (cf. v.8). What is the nature of the fruit mentioned? In the context of John’s Gospel, it seems clear that “fruit” includes people who turn in faith to Jesus Christ for eternal life (Jn 4:35-36; 12:24; 15:16).10 Jesus made two promises to His disciples: those who abide in Him will bear much fruit (v.5), and those who abide in Him and have His words abide in them will receive whatever they ask for (v.7). Clearly, the disciples’ fruitfulness is a result of God’s work in and through them.

Our fruitfulness as Jesus’ disciples is not for our own fame and gain, but for the glory of God the Father (v.8). Like Jesus we are to seek to glorify the Father through all that we do (Jn 12:27-28; 17:4).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I bear much fruit for God’s glory in this and subsequent years?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For Outreach/Missions/ New Life leaders: To abide in Jesus and bear much fruit for God’s glory Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

10

D.A. Carson argues from the context of John 15 that the nature of the “fruit” is much wider – everything that is the product of effective prayer in Jesus’ name, including obedience to Jesus’ commands, experience of Jesus’ joy, love for one another, and witness to the world: D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Apollos, 1991), 517.

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Godliness Through Training

FRIDAY 24 January

S CRIPTURE 1 Timothy 4:6-8

O B S E RVAT I O N What do you observe about the concept of godliness?

G

Deeper Reflection

ODLINESS IS A MAJOR THEME in apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The Greek word for godliness, eusebeia, appears 15 times in the New Testament, out of which eight occurrences were in this letter. It means piety towards God. “Piety” means “a strong belief in God or a religion, shown by your worship and behaviour” (Cambridge Dictionary). In other words, a person of godliness is one whose strong belief in God is evident in his or her worship and behaviour. Godliness doesn’t simply happen. According to Paul, godliness requires training (vv.7, 8). The Greek word for “train” is gumnazo. It means to undergo discipline, to exercise. How do we train for godliness?

First, there is the training of the mind with regard to what we believe.

Paul contrasted “being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” (v.6) with believing “irreverent, silly myths” (v.7). A godly person practises the regular disciplines of feeding his mind with solid truths from the Scriptures, meditating on and memorising God’s Word. Second, there is the training of the body with regards to how we behave. For godliness, we must discipline ourselves to worship God with reverent awe and genuine praise, and to conduct ourselves with the moral righteousness exemplified and taught by the Lord Jesus. Paul considered “bodily training”11 to be of some value (presumably physical fitness, strength and health) during one’s present lifetime, but considered godliness to be of far greater value (way off the charts!) because godliness benefits a person in every way and for all time – both in the present life and the life to come (v.8)!

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A P P L I C AT I O N How will I train myself for godliness this year?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For SGI leaders: To train themselves for godliness and help people under their care to do likewise Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

11

The Greek word for the noun “training” is gumnasia, from which we get the English word “gymnasium”.

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Godliness with Contentment

SATURDAY 25 January

S CRIPTURE 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Philippians 4:10-13

O B S E RVAT I O N What does it mean for a person to have contentment?

T

Deeper Reflection

HE APOSTLE PAUL taught that “there is great gain in godliness with contentment” (v.6). There are two preliminary points about that statement. First, it implies that there is such a thing as godliness without contentment. Second, it would greatly profit a godly person to learn contentment. Contentment is translated from the Greek word autarkeia12. In his letters, Paul described contentment in various situations: (1) when our basic needs are met (v.8),13 (2) when we have plenty and abundance (Phil 4:12), and (3) when we face hunger and need (Phil 4:12).

It is possible to be contented in every situation, but such contentment needs to be learned through actual process and personal experience, just as in the case of Paul. Twice, Paul wrote, “I have learned” (Phil 4:11, 12) and twice he wrote, “I know how to” (Phil 4:12). In every kind of situation, Paul brought his circumstances before God, learned to count his blessings and offered praise and thanks to God (e.g. Acts 16:16-25; 2 Tim 2:8-10).

Through many trials, Paul learned to fully depend on the Lord for strength to overcome every hardship and adversity (e.g. 2 Tim 4:17-18). In other words, Paul trained his mind and body with respect to this truth, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). Christians who do not learn contentment will face two possible dangers: they will be unable to emerge victorious from adverse situations, or they will crave worldly riches, fall into temptation and commit evil, thereby endangering their faith and destroying their own lives (vv.9-10).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How can I grow in contentment this year?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For church board: To grow in Christ-centred contentment in every life situation Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

12

Autarkeia is only used twice in the entire New Testament, both times by Paul: 2 Corinthians 9:8 (translated as “sufficiency”, ESV) and 1 Timothy 6:6 (translated as “contentment”, ESV). From autarkeia, we get the English word “autarky”, which means “self-sufficiency” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary).

13 Someone wisely said, “Contentment is not about having what we want, but wanting what we have.”

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Sunday Journal

S CRIPTURE

O B S E RVAT I O N

A P P L I C AT I O N

P R AY E R

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The Past Week REVIEW What was my high point and my low point for the week?

What gave me life and what drained me?

How was the Spirit of God at work?

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The Past Week REFLECT What is one key thing that God said to me this week in light of what has happened?

RESPOND What is one thing I need to do in light of what God is saying? Commit in prayer.

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WEEK

4

FAMILY DEVOTIONAL

85

JANUARY 2020

NEW YEAR, NEW BONDING

Jesus helps my family grow closer together.

Scripture: Psalm 133:1

ACTIVITY BITE Ask everyone in your family to sit in a circle with their legs straight. Fill up half a can with marbles. Then start by getting someone to grip the can with his or her feet and pass it along to the next person using their feet, until it has gone around the whole circle. If the can falls along the way, go back and start from the beginning. After that, get your family members to share their feelings about working together to complete a task.

CHAT TIME Q1: What does Psalm 133:1 say about the benefits of being in God’s family?

Q2: Why does God want us to build deeper relationships with others?

Q3: What could prevent us from do that?

LEARNING POINT In Psalm 133:1, the Jewish people expressed their joy in coming together to do many things like cooking, eating, playing or just talking to one another. When our relationship is strong, we will be more willing to help each other in good and bad times. Just as parents would be happy when their children live together in love and harmony, it delights God when we, His children, are living together in unity. Even if we believe we are close as a family, we can still ask God to help us grow even closer. A strongly bonded family or group of friends will stick together even in the most difficult times.

ACTION POINT Plan monthly activities that the family can do together in the calendar year. Commit these plans to the Lord and try to follow through with them as much as you can.

FAMILY PRAYER POINTS Pray for God’s presence and love in every Christian family. Pray that every Christian family will remain steadfast in loving each other with God’s help.

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The Servant Who Rules (Mk 1:1-8:26)

MONDAY 27 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 2:1-12, 23-28; Daniel 7:13-14

O B S E RVAT I O N What observations can you make about Jesus as “the Son of Man” in verses 1 to 12, 23 to 28 and Daniel 7:13-14?

T

Deeper Reflection

HE GOSPEL OF MARK “falls naturally into two halves”14: Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (Mk 1:1-8:26), and His journey to Jerusalem and His passion there (Mk 8:27-16:20). Mark presents Jesus as the Servant King: the Servant who rules (Mk 1:1-8:26) and the Ruler who serves (Mk 8:27-16:20). We may take Mark 10:45 as a key verse to this theme: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Here Jesus identifies Himself with a convergence of two Old Testament images: the messianic “Son of Man” in Daniel’s vision (Dan 7:13-14) and the suffering “Servant” in Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 52:13-53:12). The messianic title, “the Son of Man”, occurs 14 times in Mark and it is uttered only by Jesus in His self-consciousness as the Messiah. In Mark, Jesus’ public ministry began with His “teaching with authority” (Mk 3:21-22, 27), with His authority demonstrated in “He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him” (Mk 3:23-27).

When Jesus identified Himself as “the Son of Man” for the first time in Mark, it was as “the Son of Man [who] has authority on earth to forgive sins” (v.10), which is followed by “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (v.28). The “wind and the sea obey Him” (Mk 4:41) and He could “walk on the sea” (Mk 6:48), because the Servant rules over nature as its Creator.

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A P P L I C AT I O N What does it mean for me to know Jesus as the Son of Man?

2020

P R AY E R O, Son of Man, I worship You! After making

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

purification for sins on the cross, the Father has exalted You, giving You authority, honour and

Pray for leaders:

sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race, nation and language would

Pray for significant people:

obey You, serve You and worship You. Your rule is eternal. Your kingdom will never be destroyed and

Pray for those in need:

will never end.

Pray for self:

14

James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Eerdmans, Apollos, 2002), 20

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The Ruler Who Serves (Mk 8:27-16:20)

TUESDAY 28 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 8:31-38

O B S E RVAT I O N How is Jesus portrayed as the Suffering Servant King in verses 31 and 38?

M

Deeper Reflection

ARK 8:27-30 may be taken as the transitional pivotal point of Mark, where Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mk 8:27), with Peter answering, “You are the Christ” (Mk 8:29). This transitional pivotal point functions as the conclusion of “The Servant Who Rules” section (Mk 1:1-8:26) as well as the introduction to “The Ruler Who Serves” section (Mk 8:31-16:20). Immediately after Peter’s confession, Jesus “began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer…be rejected…be killed” (v.31). But inseparable from this is “the Son of Man…comes in the glory of His Father” (v.38; cf. Dan 7:13-14). So, we see here the portrait of the Servant King. Jesus mentioned His passion thrice in Mark, with each serving as a marker in the progression of His journey to Jerusalem – “on the road going up to Jerusalem” (Mk 10:32) and as the Suffering Servant King (v.31; Mk 9:30-31; 10:32-34). So far, Jesus had not revealed the significance of His journey. Then, in teaching His disciples on servanthood, He revealed that this journey was “to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” as the Servant King (Mk 10:45). From Mark 9:31 onwards, Mark places particular focus on Jesus’ betrayal and being handed over to be tried and crucified (Mk 9:31; 10:33; 14:10, 11, 18, 21, 41, 42, 44; 15:1, 10, 15).

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A P P L I C AT I O N How do I view suffering in the light of Jesus as the Suffering Servant King?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For pastors and staff: To serve like the suffering Servant King Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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The Action Servant King

WEDNESDAY 29 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 1:40-42; 6:33-34; 8:1-9

O B S E RVAT I O N How did Jesus show His compassion for people in need?

M

Deeper Reflection

ARK PRESENTS JESUS as the Servant King in action with compassion (v.41; Mk 6:34; 8:2). Mark gives descriptions of Jesus’ works more than the contents of Jesus’ words.15 But it is not that Jesus’ teaching is less important. In fact, Jesus showed His compassion by teaching the Word of God (Mk 6:34). But rather, Mark is saying: “Look! What Jesus did proves who He was. What He wrought authenticates what He taught. The mighty works verify the startling words.”16 Mark shows both the extensiveness and intensity of Jesus’ ministry: When the multitudes heard that Jesus was at home, “many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door” (Mk 2:1-2), and “the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal” (Mk 3:20). And to such an extent that His family thought “He has lost His mind!” (Mk 3:21). Fervency in service is misunderstood as fanaticism. Jesus using “His hand(s)” to minister to people in need is prominent in Mark – “taking her by the hand, and the fever left her” (Mk 1:31) and “taking the blind man by the hand … laying His hands on him” (Mk 8:23, 25) (see also Mk 1:41; 5:41; 6:2; 7:33; 9:27). Hands are “the very symbol of service”17.

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A P P L I C AT I O N How does Jesus being a man of action with compassion challenge me in my life and ministry?

2020

P R AY E R Lord Jesus, though You were God, You did not

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

think of equality with God as something to cling to.

Instead, You put aside Your divine privileges, took

Pray for leaders:

the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When You appeared in human form,

Pray for significant people:

You humbled Yourself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Such is the glory of

Pray for those in need:

the Servant God!

Pray for self:

15

Unlike Matthew and Luke J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, Volume Five: Inter-testament and The Gospels (Zondervan, 1960), 189 17 J. Sidlow Baxter, 195 16

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Following the Servant King

THURSDAY 30 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 1:15-20

O B S E RVAT I O N What does it mean to repent and believe in the Gospel according to verses 15 to 20?

F

Deeper Reflection

OLLOWING JESUS with the inevitability of suffering like Jesus is one of the key motifs in Mark. Mark wrote his Gospel in Rome about AD 6518, with the intent “to portray the person and mission of Jesus Christ for Roman Christians undergoing persecution under Nero”19, that “every Christian’s lamp must be trimmed, every Christian’s loins must be girded for the struggle”20. Jesus began His ministry by proclaiming that “the kingdom of God is at hand” and accordingly the inescapable necessity of “repent and believe in the gospel” (v.15). What does “repent and believe in the gospel” mean? What follows immediately (vv.16-20) shows what that means: “Follow Me” (v.17). Following Jesus is defined in terms of the Great Communion – “that they would be with Him” and the Great Commission – “that He could send them out to preach …” (Mk 3:13-15), which is equivalent to “I will make you fishers of men” (v.17). Jesus’ disciples would realise that pegged to following Him is following in His footsteps of “must suffer many things … be rejected … be killed” (Mk 8:31, 34). This is passive suffering in following Jesus. Active suffering in following Jesus includes losing one’s life (Mk 8:35) and leaving all that one has “for My sake and for the gospel’s sake” (Mk 10:28-29).

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A P P L I C AT I O N What changes do I need to make in my life in following Jesus?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For Outreach/Missions/ New Life leaders: To know Christ in the fellowship of His sufferings Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

18 19 20

James R. Edwards, 9 James R. Edwards, 10 F. C. Grant, The Gospel According to St. Mark, Interpreter’s Bible (Abingdon, 1951), 634

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Believing the Servant King

FRIDAY 31 January

S CRIPTURE Mark 4:35-41; 5:25-34

O B S E RVAT I O N What observations can you make about faith response to Jesus from the two stories?

M

Deeper Reflection

ARK SHOWS two different faith responses to Jesus: that of the “insiders” – those who would have a faith advantage, like His disciples, His family and His hometown, and that of the “outsiders” – those with less physical contact with Jesus. Ironically, it was the “insiders” who were the least understanding and most resistant in their faith response to Jesus. His family viewed His powerful ministry negatively: “He has lost His mind!” (Mk 3:20-21). Folks in “His hometown” were “deeply offended” by His wisdom and power to perform miracles, and they “refused to believe in Him” (Mk 6:1-3, NLT). The faith response of Jesus’ disciples, particularly the Twelve, was halting and incomplete. They questioned who Jesus really is: “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (v.41). And at times, they exasperated Jesus: “How long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Mk 9:19). But the faith response of the “outsiders” was highly commendable, like the four unnamed friends of the paralytic (Mk 2:3-5), an unclean haemorrhaging woman (Mk 5:34) and the centurion at the cross (Mk 15:39). For Jesus’ disciples, their faith grew slowly, even laboriously, as they continued to follow Jesus. Jesus is always responsive to the cry of struggling faith: “I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mk 9:23-24).

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A P P L I C AT I O N What challenges do I need to overcome in having faith in Jesus?

2020

P R AY E R Write a prayer to God as your response from

Prayer Pointers Give thanks:

your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.

For SGI Leaders: To grow deeply in faith in Jesus Pray for significant people:

Pray for those in need:

Pray for self:

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Notes

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© 2020 COVENANT EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH (65) 6892 6811 • @ mail@cefc.org.sg • www.cefc.org.sg

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